Snippets

Buddha statues distributed
A Correspondent, Cox's Bazar

Thirty-five precious Buddha statues have been distributed to the officials of 33 monasteries in Ramu, Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas. Plathep Bishuddhi Kobi, secretary general of Sangharaj Monk Grand Assembly in Thailand, distributed the statues worth Tk 5 crore at a function at Central Sima Bihar (monastery) in Ramu yesterday, said sources. Among others, deputy commissioner Md Ruhul Amin, Lt Col Khalekuzzaman, commander of BGB-17 and superintendent of police Md Azad Mia, were present. Earlier, an eleven-member delegation from Thailand visited the damaged monasteries in December last year and distributed money and relief among the affected Buddhists.

Jatka seized in Chandpur
A Correspondent, Chandpur

Coastguard members in a drive arrested seized 18 maunds of jatka ((hilsa fry) in the River Meghna of the district yesterday. They also arrested three fishermen in this connection. The arrestees are Shahidul Islam, 42, Sohag Mia, 25, and Nasir Uddin, 20 of Barisal, Madaripur and Keraniganj districts, said Lt Badruduzza, commander of Chandpur coastguard station. In another drive, they also seized six maunds of jatka from a launch, he said.

Two get life for killing
Our Correspondent, Khulna

A court here yesterday sentenced a man and his sister to life term imprisonment for killing a woman.  Judge Akhter Hossain of Khulna Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal handed down the punishment to Abu Zafar Howlader and his sister Shahinur of Dighalia upazila. The court also acquitted Abu Zafar's younger brother Fazlul Haque and Parul Begum, wife of Fazlul of the murder charge. According to the prosecution, the convicts strangled Taslima Begum, 30, wife of Zafar at Senhati village on January 1, 2007 for dowry.

50 houses gutted
Our Correspondent, Thakurgaon

Over 50 houses were gutted in a fire at Ratore village under Ranishankoil upazila on Monday night. Local said the fire originated at an earthen oven of one Dilram's house at about 9:30pm and soon engulfed the adjoining houses. The house owners claimed that the loss caused by the fire could go up to Tk 5 lakh.