Bhai Phonta festivalobserved in Barisal
Barisal Correspondent
‘Bhai Phonta’, the family festival of Hindu community, observed on Saturday evening in the city with great enthusiasm. ‘Bhai Phonta or Vai Phota’ holds a very important place in Bengali Hindu culture. Sisters usually consider it to be the most important event of the year. In the festival usually celebrated two days after the Kali Puja, the sisters mark the foreheads of their brothers with sandalwood paste and pray for their safety, well being and success. About the origin of the festival, journalist Sushanta Ghosh said according to Rig Veda, Yama and Yamuna were twins (brother and sister) born to Surya. In their earthly incarnations, Yamuna once longed to see her brother and invited Yama to her house. When Yama, the god of death visited his sister, his sister prayed for his well being. The other legends regarding the origin connect Vishnu, Krishna and Mahavira.
Hartal observed in Dupchanchia
Dupchanchia Correspondent
A daylong hartal, enforced by Sammilito Islamic Parties demanding arrest recently sacked Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui as the low enforcers did not meet within the timeframe here in Dupchanchia upazila of Bogra observed peacefully in the district on Sunday. The dawn-to-dusk shutdown was announced through a press release circulated among the local journalists on Saturday. Due to concern moving, the hartal supporters could not bring out processions in different parts of the upazila town, including CO office Road, Kitchen market and bus stand area in the morning. Besides, activists of Sammilito Islamic Parties upazila unit tried to bring out a procession and torching tyres in support of the hartal in Bogra-Naogaon High way from the very beginning of the day but foil in the presence of police said officer-in-charge of the thana Riaz Uddin Ahmmed.
Observation of Sanitation Month begins in Thakurgaon
Thakurgaon Correspondent
Observation of the Sanitation Month, October, has started in five upazilas of the Thakurgaon district to increase public awareness on safe water and healthy sanitary latrines. District Administration, Upazila Parishads, Mass Health Department, and BRAC WASH have jointly taken different programmes to celebrate the sanitation month. The grand march was taken out from the Pirganj Upazila Nirbahi Office that paraded the main roads of the Pirganj Municipal town in observance of the sanitation month.A discussion meeting was held at Pirganj Upazila Parishad Auditorium with Upazila Nirbahi Officer ABM Ifekharul Islam khandakar in the chair on Sunday last. Prof. Abul Kasim Upazila Vice-chairman was present as chief guest, Most. Parul Begam Upazila Women Vice-chairman, Md. Ebrahim Khan Upazila Muktijodha Commander, Md. Kamal Uddin Sub-Assistant Engineer of Upazila Public Health Engineering Depertment, Md. Anowarul Islam Regional Manager WASH programme,Nilfamary and Md. Mokaddes Hayat Milon Thakurgaon district correspondent of The New Nation present as special guest. and address among others Md. Abdul Wased Senior Manager of BRAC WASH programme, Hafizul Islam Gajen Dro Nath of Village WASH Committee. Upazila Nirbahi Officer ABM Ifekharul Islam Khandakar Vice-chairmen, upazila officers, union parishad chairmen, local elites and journalists of different dailies, students of different schools, NGO officers and water committee members joined the grand rally .
