Pitha Utsab held in Sylhet
Sylhet Bureau
Speakers at a programme have said that steps are needed to promote traditional Bengali culture among the country’s young generation. They made the call while addressing the inaugural session of Pitha Utshab at Blubird School and College premises at Subid Bazar in Sylhet city recently. They also said that programmes like Pitha Utshab, festival of homemade cake, should be arranged across the country to promote Bengali culture. Senior theatre activist and recitation artiste Jayanta Chattapadhyay inaugurated the daylong event organised by Shruti Sylhet, a recitation and cultural troupe. Sylhet deputy commissioner M Kazi Emdadul Islam, Sylhet City mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury, freedom fighter Bhabatosh Roy Barman, and recitation activists – Nazmul Ahsan, Sukanta Gupta and Shruti Sylhet coordinator Sumanta Gupta, among others, attended the inaugural ceremony. Around 34 institutions, social organisations and individuals participated in the festival with various kinds of homemade Pithas. The daylong festival also included cultural events.
Driver held for rape attempt
The authorities of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology held a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver from a hillock adjacent to a dormitory on the campus and handed him over to the police on Saturday on charge of trying to rape a minor girl. The arrested was identified as Abdus Salam, 35, resident of village Pirpur under Gobindaganj union of Chhatak upazila in Sunamganj, the police said.
The SUST assistant proctor, Mohammad Samiul Islam, told that the auto-rickshaw driver was trying to rape the victim taking her to a hillock near Syed Mujtaba Ali Student Hall on the campus in the afternoon. Hearing scream of the victim, students of the university, in association with local people, rescued her and held Abdus Salam, the assistant proctor said. Jalalabad police officer-in-charge Shah Harunur Rashid told that the university authorities handed over the perpetrator to them. ‘We are investigating the incident. Steps will be taken against the perpetrator if the allegation against him is proved,’ he added.
Two drug peddlers held in Rajshahi
RU Correspondent
Members of Rapid Action Battalion in a drive arrested two alleged drug dealers along with 1,500 bottles of phensedyl from Godagari upazila in Rajshahi on Monday. The arrestees have been identified as Masidul (21), son of late Razbul Ali and Masud (20), son of Samed Ali, residents of Shibganj upazila under Chapai Nawabganj district. Laid by RAB-5 squadron leader Sayed Al Murad, RAB members arrested them from Dhaner bazar area of Godagari upazila while the two drug dealers have been trying to carry phensedyl from Chapai Nawabganj to Rajshahi with a vehicle. The detainees were sent to jail after a case filing in this connection, said squadron leader Sayed Al Murad.
34 held in Bagerhat drive
Bagerhat Correspondent
Police in special drives arrested 34 people including four drug traders from different areas in nine upazilas on Sunday night. Shahadat Hossain, additional superintendent of Sadar Circle, said police conducted anti-narcotics drive in different upazilas and arrested them. Police also seized 75 Yaba tablets.
