ePaper_2nd Edition_October 12, 2016

Four-lane highway turns unfit for vehicles
• Motiur Rahman, Manikganj
People in Manikganj have been suffering
a lot for long as the Four-lane
Highway in the district turned into
dilapidated condition surprisingly
within three months after the completion
of its construction.
Locals said around one kilometre
of the road became completely
unfit for vehicular movement,
as gigantic potholes
developed at major points.
According to roads and highway
sources, the one kilometre
road four-lane, the upgradation
of Hemayetpur-Singair-Manikganj
regional highway (Manikganj Bus
Stand-DC Residence road part) was
constructed at cost of Tk6 crore.
Messrs Akter Construction Firm
was given the responsibility to construct
the road.
Through videoconferencing,
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated
the road on October 13,
2015.
The road was supposed to be
constructed in June this year but
the authorities completed the work
before time-line.
Locals alleged that the road was
constructed within a short time
hurriedly by using low quality materials.
Liton, a resident in the town,
said bitumen washed away at several
points and two culverts already
5 of a family
burnt to death
• Zakir Mostafiz Milu,
Thakurgaon
Five members of a family were
burnt to death yesterday in a fire
that broke out at Jongaon village
under Pirganj upazila of Thakurgaon
district.
According to locals, the fire
broke out around 5am at policeman
Khoresh Chondro’s house.
The fire service officials are yet
not confirmed about how the blaze
had originated.
The deceased were policeman
Khoresh Chondro, 45, his wife
Keya Rani, 35, their son Niloy, 10,
and daughter Nyce, 15, and Keya
Rani’s sister Showrna Rani, 20.
Pirganj OC Amiruzzaman
said: “A motorcycle parked in the
house caught fire from an electric
short-circuit and soon engulfed all
the five rooms.
“On information, a fire engine
went to the spot and doused the
blaze. The injured were first taken
to Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital.”
He said: “Keya Rani and Showrna
Rani died on the spot while
Niloy and Nyce on their way to
Rangpur Medical College Hospital
and their father died after being
taken to the hospital.” •
damaged in the town area. The
road in Islam Khan Law College and
Wireless-gate areas subsided.
Meanwhile, the authority
stopped a lane of the four, putting
Bijoya Dashami celebrated across the country
• Tribune Desk
Durga Puja, the biggest religious
festival of the Hindus, ended yesterday
with the immersion of goddess Durga
in Bangladesh.
Devotees in their tearful eyes bade
farewell to the mother deity and her
children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik
and Ganesh through the immersion of
their idols in the water wishing Durga’s
return next year.
Our Rajshahi correspondent said
the five-day puja festival ended here
with immersion of the goddess Durga
in the Padma River.
The last day rituals of the festival
were celebrated amid much enthusiasm
and festivity. ‘Prasad’ and sweets were
distributed among the devotees and
the people belonging to other communities,
who visited the Puja Mandops.
Marking the Bijoya Dashami women
devotees applied ‘Sindur’ on the face of
goddess Durga and exchanged among
themselves amid joyous and festive
mood.
Before removing the idols of Durga
and other gods and goddesses from
the altar of all mandops or makeshift
pavilions for immersion, the Hindu
devotees danced and sang `kirton’.
Thousands of devotees joined the
colorful marches as the idols were
News 7
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
Manikganj Four-lane Highway remains closed with heavy traffic after the road collapsed within a short time after the
completion of its construction. The picture was taken recently
DHAKA TRIBUNE
sandbags in the western side of the
town as accident is common phenomenon.
Rafique Mian, an auto rickshaw
driver, said road accident was the
being carried to the nearby rivers particularly
the river Padma, ponds, canals
and other water bodies for immersion.
In Rangpur, the district unit of Bangladesh
Puja Udjapon Parishad (BPUP)
and mandop authorities brought out the
‘Shuvo Bijoya Dashami’ procession this
afternoon carrying idols of Devi Durga,
other gods and goddesses on trucks for
immersions into water bodies.
Divisional Commissioner Kazi Hasan
Ahmed, Deputy Inspector General
of Police Khondker Golam Faruk and
Marking the Bijoya Dashami, women devotees seen applying Sindur on their
faces and goddess Durga amid joyous and festive mood. The picture was taken
yesterday from Comilla Town Temple
DHAKA TRIBUNE
Hindu community leaders addressed
a ceremony held at ‘Shurovi Uddyan’
premises in the city before launching
the procession from there, reports BSS.
High government officials, leaders
of Awami League, its associate bodies
and district unit of BPUP along with
thousands of the Hindu devotees of all
ages took part in the procession.
The female devotees today
thronged the Puja mandops to have
last look at goddess Durga this year
and seek her blessings for the nation,
common incident on the road as
potholes had developed here and
there.
“When it rains, it can be difficult
to locate the potholes as it goes under
water. So guru-some accidents
occur during rainy season,” he said.
A trucker named Jamiruddin
said: “The road is very important
to go to other parts of the country
from the district town. We have
been compelled to use the road
amid great danger.”
Locals alleged that asphalt and
gravel started getting loose just
some days after the end of the carpeting
and since then its condition
on the track of worsening in course
of time.
As a result, major and minor accidents
became prevalent on the
road, even many of them were fatal.
During plying, drivers struggle
to keep the control over their vehicles.
According to the local residents,
the road also breaks the cars, which
may cause accidents. Many people
think that this road section needs
capital repairs.
When contacted, Muhibul
Haque, executive engineer of roads
and highways, said the road damaged
due to heavy downpour this
year.
He also denied the allegation of
using low standard materials.
Md Akter Hossain, owner of
the firm, said they would repair
the damaged lane soon. He also
claimed the road turned into dilapidated
condition due to heavy
flood. •
people and the humankind by putting
‘sindur’ on face of the Mother and exchanging
the same among themselves.
The law enforcers, who were on
duty day and night over the last five
days, were seen guarding today’s
‘Shuvo Bijoya Dashami’ procession for
immersion of Devi Durga and other
idols since the afternoon.
President of district unit of BPUP
Advocate Rothish Chandra Bhowmick
thanked the present government led by
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the local
administrations for ensuring security
during celebration of Durga Puja festivity.
In Chittagong, idols of Goddess
Durga are immersed peacefully in the
city and district today after five-day
colorful and joyous Durga Puja, the
biggest religious festival of Hindu
community.
In city’s Patenga and Khalurghat sea
beach areas immersion were held in the
afternoon with presence of a large number
of people of the community of all ages.
They uttered ‘Shuva Bijoya’ and
exchanged greetings with one another.
This year as many as 251 puja mandaps
were erected in the city and 1,692
in 14 upazilas of the district, police said.
The day ended with the immersion
of goddess in Thakurgaon, Bhola,
Shariatpur, Comilla, Madaripur and all
other districts in the country. •
DT