MEHERPUR, Apr 10:
Menace of Covid-19 prevailing in the globe now-a-days. But the people of the rural areas even in the towns of Meherpur have no fear in their minds.

They are reluctant to accept the hygiene rules and ignoring the instruction of maintaining social distances. Some people wear masks but their style is different. There is no end to their different opinions about Corona. In this situation, doctors are worried that loose administrative measures may increase the infection.

It has been seen on the spot that there is no fear anywhere from the district to upazila towns in the hat bazaar, shopping malls hotels, restaurants. Everyone is happy with the gossiping taking tea at tea stalls with relax mood. No one seen with masks. If there is anyone found musk, hang it in the ear. Some people have styled it on their chins and hung it to avoid liability.

The people living in the villages passed many illogical opinions regarding corona. According to them, there is nothing in the name of Corona. They opined that those who spend their days in comfort in an air-conditioned room and do not work hard, they will face corona. They also said that call them to work in the field who fearing corona. Then Corona will run away. Their question is, how many corona have been caught working poor?

Meanwhile, on the day of the lockdown, that is, last Monday morning, several teams of police from all police stations and assistant commissioners on behalf of the upazilas and district administration carried out activities in the market. As a result of the administration and police raids, most of the people who left their homes were forced to wear masks. Free masks were also distributed by the police and Gangni municipality.

Locals said no action has been taken by the police and the administration since Monday to enforce the lockdown and hygiene. As a result, the previous situation is prevailing among the people again. Hygiene is being neglected in shopping and movement.

Some traders in Gangni Bazar said that no one was abiding by the ban due to the silence of the police and the administration. Those concerned have ended their duties with lockdown. The lockdown ban only includes bus stops; everything else is almost normal. As a result, various types of vehicles, shops and tea stalls are running normally on the roads. As a result, coronavirus infection can increase rapidly, the doctor said.

Hamidul Islam, Resident Medical Officer of Gangni Upazila Health Complex, said it is very important to follow the health rules. Even, if you get vaccinated, you have to accept it. Wearing a mask will reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. But the people are not obeying. The infection is increasing. It is necessary to take administrative action now.

Gangni Police Station O C Bazlur Rahman said the police had taken action as per the government decision. In the meantime, masks are being distributed and publicity campaigns are being carried out to make the people aware. Everyone needs to be awared. If someone is not aware of himself, how much is possible by force? He has made such a comment.

Gangni Upazila Nirbahi Officer R M Selim Shahnewaz said that massive activities have already been carried out. Penalty e also imposed in mobile courts. The administration is always active. There is no basis for saying that there is no administrative activity.

Education is one of the fundamental rights. In order to keep pace with other fast developing countries, attention needs to be paid to girls’ education. There is some indifference towards girls’ education in rural areas of Bangladesh. Because parents think that girls will only manage the family. These thoughts are worrisome in this age so it is important to develop the girls of our country as educated people.

In Meherpur district, the national non-governmental organization SKS Foundation is implementing a project called Wash in Institution in collaboration with WaterAid Bangladesh. In particular, the WASH facilities included in the project in school sanitation are helping to increase the capacity of stakeholders such as teachers, school management committee, parent teacher association and student hand washing monthly hygiene management. In addition, the project has set up management and maintenance systems by raising wash funds in each school.

The project is currently collaborating with 12 secondary schools and madrasas where 4922 students have received wash facilities and about 3212girls students have access to monthly hygienic management in their schools. Needless to say, before the start of the project, there was zero percent monthly sanitation, 45 percent hand washing facilities and 55 percent safe drinking water. In this project of Water Aid, wash facility has been provided in some selected schools on the advice of Upazila Education Department and local administration.

Improved facilities include monthly health benefits for boys and girls considering their gender. Along with a path with a ramp, hand washing facilities with running water, proportional based toilet room facilities to ensure the quality of drinking water by installing or re-sinking tubewells for safe drinking water. Moreover, the project arranged training for the guardians and teachers. Orientation has been given to the female students through classroom sessions on hand washing and menstrual health management. In order to keep the facilities running in the school, an average of Tk 60,000 has been given to each school as FDR. The wash block will be managed from the profits received from the  FDR.

“I used to  absent from school 4 days in a month because of my period. Due to inadequate school facilities and I also have no clear massage to manage time during school hours. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to use such clean and hygienic toilet facilities including monthly health management, ”said Rehana Khatun, a student of class nine  at SaharbatiEbadatkhana School in Gangni Upazila. Selina Khatun, a teacher at JTS Girls School in Gangni, said that now a days there is an open discussion about the menstrual health of girls and  womenteachers.

District Education Officer Mahfuzul Hossain saidthat  the district education department is happy to get the school wash facilities included in the project and we will try to replicate the whole model across the district using other development funds so that we can cover the whole district and ensure quality education.

A literary and cultural organization Meherpur Desk organized a month-long Amar Ekushey Virtual Book Fair on the centenary of Mujib’s birththat ended successfully. The virtual book fair of this new idea started on February 1 and ended on March 1 through the evaluation and closing ceremony. Domestic and foreign poets and writers participated in this virtual book fair.

Last Monday night, Meherpur Desk held a virtual closing ceremony of the book fair. IT Researcher MA Muhith, the founder of the organization, presided over it. Former Secretary Alkama Siddiqui was present as the Chief Guest while Principal Khan Akhtar Hossain, the eminent writer, Liberation War based filmmaker and Founder President of Gangchil Sahitya Parishad, a great literateur Principal Habib Anisur Rahman, Munshi Abu Saif, Associate Professor ofChuadanga Government College, Advocate Ibrahim Shahin, former President of Udichi, Dilara Jahan, President of Bangabandhu Sahitya Parishad, Meherpur Branch and former General Secretary Meherpur Press Club Poet Rafiqul Alam were virtually attached as special guests. The virtual event was moderated byRuhulQuddus Tito, former president of Meherpur Press Club.

The chief guest in his speech said that Meherpur Desk made a history by organizing a virtual Amar Ekushey Book Fair when everything was stagnant in Corona because this work of novel thinking has not been known anywhere else in Bangladesh. He said that we have made history by starting our war of independence from Mujibnagar in Meherpur.Similarly, Meherpur Desk created an exemplary history by organizing a virtual book fair on the centenary of Mujib’s birth. The chief guest announced the awardon the occasion. Principal Khan Akhter Hossain, Founder President of Gangchil Sahitya Parishad, a great literateur Principal Habib Anisur Rahman, Associate Professor Munshi Abu Saifof Chuadanga Government College as a successful literary critic and journalist RuhulQuddus Tito as a skilled moderator received the Meherpur Desk Award.

President MA Muhith expressed his gratitude to all and announced that he would organize a poetry festival with the poets scattered in the grassroots level in the future.

The grappling of covid-19’s worst infection around the world has enormously led much more of exchanging views, discussions and analysis without reaching a decisive or easing consequence till date. Astonishingly enough, over millennium back, Islam determined an unbeaten end of today’s unfathomed concern over infection of disease with its psycho-philosophical estimation in theological context.

Abu Hurairah Radiyallahu Anhu narrates that the Prophet Rasululla Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said, ‘No existence of Infection presents any more. Then a nomad related, “O Messenger of Allah, my camels were as healthy as deer. Then a camel infected with a skin disease entered the herd and other camels were contaminated.” The Messenger of Allah Rasululla Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said, “Who contaminated the first camel then?” (Bukhari)

Due to misunderstanding, many atheists and anti-Islamic agents want to cite the example of this ahadith refuting that Islam has denied the natural process of infecting germs. Those who say so are not really pure in thought.

To be noted, several ahadiths have been instructed to be wary of infection. The Prophet Rasululla Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said, “The sick will not be taken to the healthy one (the sick camel will not be taken to the healthy camel)”. (Bukhari)

In another ahadith, the Prophet Rasululla Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said, “…Stay away from that of leper as you stay away from the tiger.” (Bukhari)

An incident was reported to take place at the time of Umar Ibn Khattab Radiyallahu Anhu regarding a leper woman who was circumambulating the Kaba. Hadrat ‘Umar ibn Khattab Radiyallahu Anhu was passing by the woman and saw her. He said to the woman, “O servant of Allah, do not bother the people. It is wise if you stay in your own house.” The woman stopped coming to the Haram Sharif (Baitullah) and stayed in her room. (Hayatus Sahabah)

In a ahadith, the Prophet Rasululla Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said, ‘If you hear that there has been an outbreak of plague or similar epidemic in a place, you will not go there. And if it prevails in the area where you are staying, you will not leave it. ‘(Bukhari)

Once Hazrat Omar Farooq Radiyallahu Anhu was taking a tour to Syria(The then Shaam). On the way, he received news that the plague had spread in the form of an epidemic in the Syrian region. It has become so intricate that within a few hours of the onset of the disease, many people have died. Thousands have already died. Hadrat ‘Umar Radiyallahu Anhu took counsel togather with his companions if he should have go there or returned in this situation. Then Hazrat Abdur Rahman Ibn Auf Radiyallahu Anhu narrated the ahadith. In this ahadith, the Prophet Rasululla Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has explicily told us that, we had better not go where the epidemic is on.

So Hazrat Omar Farooq Radiyallahu Anhu postponed his visit to Syria. (Bukhari, Muslim)

This means that this natural process of infecting germs has not been ignored in Islam. If this process was disowned in Islam, why it was forbidden to bring diseased camels to healthy camels and why it was asked to keep distance from the leper. And why it was restricted to go to the place where the epidemic took place. The fact is the Prophet Rasululla Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam denied the infection by saying, ‘There is no existence of Infection’. That is, all these diseases and germs were not created by themselves. They were created by Allah by His own majestic will. The quality of causing disease in it is not its own but Allah. And it is dependent on the will of Allah (swt) to manifest the quality of its own, It cannot do anything by itself.

It is important to understand that being infected with germs does not necessarily mean being infected with disease. For example, think about corona virus. After the virus has contaminated one person’s body to another, it is verily upon the will of Allah to decide whether or not to act it on one’s body. As is seen, a young man in his thirties died of corona, but a hundred and fifteen-year-old woman has been recovered after being infected with corona. Not only that, many were seen infected without carring any symptom of disease. Farcically enough, millions of people have died of corona infection even having their protected homes, improved food, modern medical care, masterly management and higher immunity in the developed world, compared to having little information about insignificant death rate of covid-19 attack by those starved and scanty bed, helpless, street Arab and insane people with low immune capacity who shelter themselves on the roadsides, bus stands and roadsides in the poorer countries. That is, if he is infected by corona. It is not that he will get sick or die, it depends on the will of Allah.

And that is why the Prophet Rasululla Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said, ‘Then who infected the first camel?’ The disease was sent down on the first camel by the will of almighty Allah except any infectious. There is no reason other than Allah’s determination for the first camel to get sick. Although the reason of getting sick of the second camel is known. It would not have got sick if Allah had willed. So sometimes it gets sick, then it gets better and sometimes it might die again.

Therefore, the germs of the disease are revealed by the will of Allah, as it passes from the sick to the healthy person by the will of Allah and they act according to the will of Allah.

Another issue was social. At that time various kinds of bad omens, superstitions and blind faith were prevalent among the Arab. One such superstition that gripped Arab at that time is that if someone got sick, they would be thrown out of the house or kept far away for fear of infection. The incident that we have seen in case of corona is that the family members, relatives, neighbors and even medical staffs have thrown away the corona infected patients for fear of infection. Islam does not support such gross inhumanity. Islam seeks to establish the notion that being contamineted does not mean being infected. Sick and helpless people should not be cast off in fear of infection rather they should be well cared for. It means that the Prophet Rasululla Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam uprooted superstition by saying, ‘ No existence of infection is prevailed’.

It can, however, be said that the firm belief on natural process of infecting the germs of any disease has not been cast aside in Islam. The power of pathogens has been denied as well as taking caution against it has been ordered.

ALLAH is Omniscient.

May Allah almighty grant us the grace to act on the right words. (Amen)

Author:
Biochemist, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. Khulna.

On Tuesday all day long a special team of mobile court of Environment Department conducted here in the district  and raided 10 separate brick kilns in Gangni upazila  and imposed fine taka 60 lakhs as the kilns were running without clearance from the Environment Department and burning wood polluting environment.

According to the mobile court sources, most of the brick kilns are burning wood and there is no clearance from the environment department. Besides, brick kilns were set up in populated areas and on  cultivable lands. In addition to the fines, several parts of the brickfields were smashed with excavator machines.

Taka 6 lakh to Tama Bricks,  6 lakh to Joardar Bricks,  6 lakh to Samata Bricks,  6 lakh to Rupsa Bricks,   4 lakh to Three Star Bricks,  4 lakh to Boss Bricks, 5 lakh to Best Bricks,  7 lakh to Ekta Bricks, 7 lakhs to Vision Bricks and 6 lakh to Janata Bricks were imposed fine.

The court was conducted by Abu Hasan, executive magistrate of the mobile court. A team of police including Deputy Director of Kushtia Zone of Environment Department Ataur Rahman, DAD of RAB-7 Shafiqul Islam, Station Master of Fire Service Isahak Ali were present at the time.

Executive Magistrate Abu Hassan said most of the brick kilns were burning wood and there was no clearance from the environment department. For all these reasons, the brick kilns have been demolished by conducting a mobile court and collected fines. The fine was imposed as per the Brick Manufacturing  Brick Installation Act 2013 amended in 2019. “Our campaign against illegal brick kilns will continue,” he said.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed two separate cases against former Officer-in-Charge (OC) Harendranath Sarkar of  Gangni Police Station and his wife Krishna Rani Adhikari for allegedly acquiring illegal assets worth Tk 3 crore.

Nasrullah Hossain, Deputy Director of  ACC, Kushtia office on Tuesday afternoon filed two separate cases as a plaintiff.

The accused in one case is former OC of Gangni police station Harendranath Sarkar (53). Another accused in the case is OC’s wife Krishna Rani Adhikari. They are the resident of village Bashirampur under Ashasuni upazila of Shathkhira district. Harendranath Sarkar is currently the inspector of Rangamati PSTS. According to the case statement, OC Harendranath Sarkar has illegally earned Tk 2 crore 8 lakh 57 thousand 84. He could not give any explanation for this money. Similarly, his wife Krishna Rani Adhikari could not give any explanation of 32 lakh 70 thousand 604 rupees. Sections 26 (2) and 26 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004 and two cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 4 (2) and 4 (3) of 2012 were filed.

The plaintiff Nasrullah Hossain, Dy. Director of ACC Kushtia said action would be taken against the accused as per law.

A Six-member delegation from the Home Ministry visited Shawadhinata Road in Mujibnagar.
At that time, the delegation checked the possibility of an immigration check post there. On Sunday, a delegation led by Additional Secretary and Team Leader of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Security and Immigration) Abdullah Al Masud visited the site.

The inspection team includes Program Coordinator (Immigration-5), Home Ministry Joint Secretary ASM Zakir Hussain, Joint Secretary and Director (Traffic) and Bangladesh Land Ports Authority member Mostafa Kamal Majumder, Foreign Ministry Senior Assistant Secretary Deen Muhammad Emadul Haque, National Board of Revenue (NBR), Second Secretary Akhter Hossain and (South Asia-1) Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Iftekhar Ahmed.

Meherpur Deputy Commissioner Dr Mohammad Munsur Alam Khan, Superintendent of Police SM Murad Ali, Mujibnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sujan Sarkar and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Nazmul Alam were with them during the visit. Earlier, they laid wreaths at the Mujibnagar Memorial.

Minister for the Local Government Rural Development and Cooperative (LGRD) Ministry Tajul Islam and Forhad Hossain, MP, State Minister for Public Administration Ministry visited Mujibnagar Shawdhinata road today (Thursday) .

They visited the historical independence road (Shawdhinata Sorok) located at Mujibnagar, Meherpur which is to be reconstructed soon. During the visit, the LGRD minister said that the defeated force did not support the place where many memories of independence were intertwined after the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975. Similarly it was also kept neglected. After coming to the power the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, just as the heroic freedom fighters are being honored, the places commemorating the war are also being preserved. On April 17, the Kolkata-Mujibnagar road was renamed as Swadhinata Road.

When asked LGRD minister Tajul Islam told to the journalists that both the former and the current mayors of Dhaka bear the same party’s ideology. However, there may be differences in their thinking, consciousness and actions. The piercing words that has started between them will make the party more well-organized. However, it will not have any negative impact on the common activists.

Speaking on the occasion, State Minister for Public Administration and President of Meherpur District Awami League Farhad Hossain said, “The design of the work worth Tk 1,000 crore in Mujibnagar will be finalized as per the promise of the Prime Minister.” It will be tabled at the meeting of ECNEC very soon. It is expected that work will start in the next financial year. If it is implemented, the entire history of the liberation war from Mujibnagar will be presented to the visitors from home and abroad.

On the occasion a meeting was also held in the conference hall of the Mujibnagar motel where Dr. Monsur Alam Khan, Deputy Commissioner, Meherpur was in the chair. Among others, Shahiduzzaman, MP, Helaluddin, Senior Secretary, Local Government Division, Abdur Rashid Khan, Chief Engineer, LGED, Saifur Rahman, Chief Engineer, Public Health Engineering and S M Murad Ali, Police Super were present.

Asaduzzaman, a young man of village Jugirgofa under Gangni upazila of the district started fish farming by cutting a pond on his own 1.5 bigha land to bring back prosperity. He gave fish fry worth taka 50 thousands which become large in size. Suddenly he saw the fish in the pond dying. At first he thought the fish were dying because of the weather impact. Later the water of the pond was examined and it was found that all the fish in the pond had died for application of poison in the water. This caused a loss of taka at least 5 lakh. The incident took place on December 25 last. Not becoming hopeless, he started fish farming in a new way again. Not only Asaduzzaman but six fish cultivators of the village faced the same consequences as miscreants secretly gave poison in their ponds.

Abdul Latif of Jugirgofa village under Gangni upazila said that on the morning of December 17, he saw the fish in the pond floating dead. At first it seemed that the oxygen in the water was reduced, but later it was seen that all the fish in the pond died within five days. It has caused a loss of taka at least 6 lakh.

Similarly, fish worth taka 20 lakh from Thandu Mia, 10 lakh from Anish and Idris, 10 lakh from Khalil member and 5 lakh from Dulu Mia were killed by poisoning. The miscreants did this heinous act secretly even after guarding the pond. The fish farmers of the village have perplexed to the extreme.

Fish farmers said that the price of fish fry and food is high. But we are not getting fair price. Even then, it would have been possible to save capital by selling fish. But the miscreants are putting the fish farmers on the road by poisioning the fish ponds. The farmers further said that the thieves or miscreants did not dare to commit such misdeeds as the members of the police force had come on patrol earlier. Now they are getting opportunity as there is no patrol.

Gangni Upazila Assistant Fisheries Officer Hossain Ahmed Swapan said the youths and expatriates of Jugirgofa village in Gangni started fish farming as fish farming was very profitable. They also benefited a lot. Many people are going to sit on the road after killing fish with poison recently. A meeting has been held with the fish farmers on the issue. Pond guarding is being arranged jointly. At the same time, the process of identifying the miscreants and bringing them under the law is also underway.

Gangni Thana Inspector (investigation) Sajedul Islam said the matter has already been reported to the police camp in the area and it has been suggested to intensify the patrol.

Although five candidates are contesting in the upcoming Gangni Pourosova election in Meherpur, there is a possibility of a three-way fight. Meanwhile enough publicity is found. There have also been allegations of intimidation of activists vandalizing of publicity loudspeakers somewhere. Though the ruling party candidate, leaders and activists claimed that a fair and impartial vote would be held, independent and opposition party candidates are expressing doubts about the free and fair vote.

Elections for 61 Pourosova will be held on January 16 in the second phase. Gangni Pourosova is one of them. In this Pourosova, 5 candidates are contesting for the post of Mayor, 40 candidates for the post of Councilor and 10 candidates for the post of reserved women councilor. The good wind of voting is going on all over the town. Discussion criticism and analysis are going on everywhere about who will get the victory garland. Discussions on voting lasted from morning till late night. There are also allegations against the supporters of the ruling party candidate, including obstruction of the campaign, vandalizing of publicity loudspeakers. However, the festive mood was found among the common voters. They said no one forbade them from going to the poll centers.

Meanwhile, for the first time, votes will be taken in EVM system. Common voters know nothing about EVM system. Many have commented negatively on whether they can vote properly.

Some voters of Ward No. 7 of Gangni Municipality said that they did not understand how the votes would be taken in the EVM and whether they would be able to vote for their preferred candidate. Voter Morjina of Ward No. 3 said the same thing.

Ruling party candidate (boat symbol) Ahmed Ali said the election would be held in a free, fair and impartial manner. Independent candidate Ashraful Islam’s allegation is not correct. He is blaming for the possibility of losing the election race.

Independent candidate and sitting Mayor Ashraful Islam complained that the supporters of Awami League nominee Ahmed Ali (boat symbol) have been intimidating my workers and supporters in various ways. They vandalized the publicity loudspeakers. Independent candidate Ashraful Islam also complained that he could not continue the election campaign.

BNP nominee Asaduzzaman Bablu said so far there has been no problem in conducting the campaign. There was no threat faced. In this situation, if the vote is fair, he will be the winner.

Returning Officer and District Election Officer Ahmed Ali said all that is being done for a fair election. So far no allegation of violation of electoral code of conduct has been received. Meanwhile, training will be given on EVM voting. EVM will be sent to the Center before the polls to train the common voters about the voting process through EVM.