Own Correspondent: Due to the low pressure of the ocean, there is no electricity in about 85 percent of the entire Lakshmipur district till 3 pm on Saturday (October 22), the third day of heavy rains. The common people are in darkness for hours. Among them, power supply has been cut off in Kamalnagar upazila since Thursday evening. On the other hand, power supply has been cut off in Ramganj, Chandraganj, Ramgati and Raipur upazilas since Friday evening.

Due to the lack of electricity, food stored in the refrigerators at home is being spoiled, people are waiting for hours for electricity to complete necessary tasks. When will the electricity come? But it is not there. No one knows why there is no electricity or when the electricity will be restored. Even after trying to find out, they are failing. Because the only way to get information is to call the Lakshmipur Rural Electricity help lines after calling, but no one is answering. The electricity department has not informed the people about the problem. This is increasing the level of anger among the common people.

On the other hand, electricity workers from Kamalnagar, Ramgati, Raipur and Ramganj have been seen in the field since morning.

Lakshmipur: Six shops have been gutted in a fire at Torabganj Bazar in Kamalnagar, Lakshmipur. Traders claim that the fire caused a loss of around Tk 50 lakh.

The fire broke out around 4 am on Saturday (October 21).

Torabganj Union Parishad (UP) Chairman and Market Management Committee President Faisal Ahmed Ratan said, "The fire broke out in the market early in the morning when there was no electricity and it was raining. On receiving the information, two units of the Lakshmipur and Ramgati Fire Service reached the spot and brought the fire under control. Six shops along with their goods were burnt to ashes in an instant."

He said that the affected traders are claiming that the fire caused a loss of Tk 5 million. The cause of the fire is not yet known.

The seaports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been asked to hoist local warning signal number 3 due to a low pressure in the northern Bay of Bengal. This was stated in a warning message from the Meteorological Department on Friday morning.

It further said that under the influence of the low pressure, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Bhola, Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Jhalokati, Pirojpur, Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira and their nearby islands and chars may be inundated by wind-driven tidal surges of 1-2 feet higher than normal tides.

Therefore, all fishing boats and trawlers in the northern Bay of Bengal have been asked to remain in safe shelters until further notice.

The final match and prize distribution of the Bangabandhu and Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament has been held in Lakshmipur. The prize distribution was organized by the District Primary Education Office after the final match of the tournament at the District Stadium ground on Thursday.

Laxmipur Deputy Commissioner Homayra Begum was the chief guest. Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Sheikh Murshidul Islam presided over the function, while Advocate Nur Uddin Chowdhury Nayan, General Secretary of the District Sports Association and General Secretary of the District Awami League, was the special guest. At that time, teachers and students of various educational institutions including officials of the District Primary Education Office were present.

In the Bangabandhu Gold Cup, Kamalnagar defeated Lakshmipur Sadar 3-0 to become the champion. On the other hand, Raipur defeated Ramgati in a dry draw to become the champion in the Bangamata Gold Cup.

Lakshmipur: Former Ansar Battalion soldier and journalist Hasnain Ahmed (Zulhas) (35), a resident of Kamalnagar in Lakshmipur, has been suffering from physical and mental illness for the past 7 years. He needs 5 lakh taka for his treatment. With everyone's financial support, he wants to get well and return to journalism.

Julhas is the son of the late Abu Sayeed Master of Charfalkon village in upazila. From 1997 to 2007, he served as the representative of Ramgati upazila in several local newspapers. Later, he served as a sepoy in the Ansar Battalion. He had to leave his job after a year due to illness. He sold the land of his homestead for treatment and continued his treatment until now. Currently, his treatment is stopped due to lack of money. Doctors have advised him to go to India for better treatment. His family has sought financial support and prayers from everyone for Julhas' treatment. Address to send help: Golenur Begum, Current Account Number 5115, Sonali Bank Kamalnagar Branch, Lakshmipur. Bikash 01745770905.

Staff Correspondent:
'Prayer is the key to prayer' - Lakshmipur Municipality Mayor Alhaj Abu Taher has taken a great initiative to encourage Muslims of all religions to offer prayers. He has requested that all types of businesses in Lakshmipur city (including Hindu and Muslim) be closed during every prayer time. The Lakshmipur Merchants' Association, Muslim traders as well as Hindu traders have agreed on this. On Monday afternoon, with the call to prayer for Zuhr, traders in the city were seen closing their shops and going to the mosque in groups. This led to a rush of devotees in the mosques. Meanwhile, following such an announcement, Hindus were also seen keeping their shops closed during prayers.
Some Muslim traders said that if the shops are open during prayers in the markets of Lakshmipur city, the shopkeepers themselves often cannot offer prayers. Therefore, such a great decision of the mayor has been made well. This will increase the interest of buyers and sellers in offering prayers. Moreover, arrangements have been made for women who come to the market during prayer time to offer prayers on the ground floor of the Lakshmipur Chowk Bazar Jame Mosque. So that no woman has to return home during prayer time.
Hindu businessman Liton Majumdar said, "We will not allow any worshippers to enter our shops during Muslim prayers. Hindus will temporarily close their shops during that time."
Meanwhile, most of the shops in different parts of the city were seen closed during the Zuhr and Asr prayers. However, some shops were open in the Azim Shah Market area of the city. On the other hand, people from all walks of life, including the Lakshmipur Merchants' Association, businessmen, devotees of the city, civil society, have applauded the decision of Lakshmipur Mayor Abu Taher.
Laxmipur Azish Shah Market trader Touhidul Islam told Top News, "We traders are very happy with the decision of the municipal mayor. However, there are two mosques next to our market. The prayer times in the two mosques are also different. As a result, during the prayers in one mosque, several shops are open around the other mosque, which disrupts the rules to some extent."
Lakshmipur Merchants' Association President AKM Salah Uddin Tipu said that the merchants' association welcomed the mayor's decision. The merchants' association will organize camping in the market area to encourage people to offer prayers. He said that followers of traditional religions will cooperate in this.
Lakshmipur Municipality Mayor Abu Taher said that businessmen in the city have been requested to keep all types of shops closed during prayers. Even miking has been done. Hopefully, the devotees, buyers and sellers will come to the mosque and offer prayers with the congregation.

Abdul Mannan (12), a 6th grade student of Shantirhat Darul Ulum Mohinur Islam Qawmi Madrasa in Under Char Union of Noakhali Sadar Upazila, went missing. He left home last Sunday to go to the madrasa and did not return home. He was searched for by his relatives and possible places for the past 9 days but could not be found.
The missing Abdul Mannan is the son of Amir Hossain, a resident of Shantirhat area of Under Char union in Noakhali Sadar upazila. Earlier, Abdul Mannan's family was a resident of Char Falkon village in Kamalnagar upazila of Lakshmipur district. Recently, when the family's house was destroyed by the Meghna, they settled in Shantirhat area of Under Char in Noakhali.

The missing man's maternal uncle Md. Harun said that Mannan left home after saying he was going to the madrasa and never returned. He was not found despite searching for him among his relatives and possible places. A kind-hearted person requested that he be found and brought to the madrasa.

 Lakshmipur: A document writer named Hamid Ulya Bender (60) was killed in a battery-powered autorickshaw accident in Lakshmipur. The accident occurred in front of the district sub-registrar's office on Monday (October 16) afternoon. The deceased Hamid Ulya Bender is the son of the deceased Erad Mia Sawdagar of Abirnagar village in Sadar upazila. Eyewitnesses said that a speeding autorickshaw hit and killed document writer Hamid Ulya while crossing the road. He was seriously injured. Local people rescued him in a critical condition and took him to the hospital, where the doctor on duty declared him dead. The body of the deceased is in the morgue of Sadar Hospital. The people present seized the autorickshaw and vandalized it. However, the driver escaped. When the news of the death of the document writer in the autorickshaw accident spread, the angry crowd stopped the movement of autorickshaws in the market. On receiving the news, the police reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Anwar Hossain, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital, confirmed the death of the document writer. Lokman Hossain, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Lakshmipur Sadar Model Police Station, said that upon receiving information, police were sent to the scene and the situation was brought under control.

Last representative:

Local Chhatra League, Jubo League and Awami League leaders have been accused of occupying 11 percent of the shop of freedom fighter Sirajul Islam, which was recently burnt down in a fire at a shop in Kamalnagar Char Lawrence Bazar, Laxnipur. Tensions are rife between the two parties over this. This has also raised questions in the public mind about the cause of the fire. Was the shop on fire at that time? Or did the evil group set fire to the shop and burn it down with the intention of occupying the area and emptying the space.

Meanwhile, while the local Awami League leader denied being involved in the encroachment process, Jubo League and Chhatra League leaders and activists said that freedom fighter Sirajul Islam had previously encroached on government land and built a shophouse. After the land was burnt down, when preparations were made to build the place for the party office, Sirajul Islam blocked their work by claiming the land as his own.

The complaint states that Sirajul Islam's people, who own 11 percent of the land in Char Pagla Mouza, adjacent to Ramgati-Lakshnipur road in Lawrence Khaserhat Bazar of the upazila, purchased it. For a long time, they had been running various businesses including pharmacies, grocery stores, crockery stores, motorcycles, garages, etc. on that land. Recently, the shops were burnt down in a fire. Sirajul Islam's people started building shops again on the previously occupied land (burned by fire). In the darkness of night, a group of leaders and activists of the local Chhatra League, Jubo League and Awami League hung signboards in the name of their offices in the under-construction shophouses and became reckless in occupying the shophouses illegally.

Freedom fighter Sirajul Islam said that he has been occupying shops on 11 percent of the land he owns through his purchase. Recently, after these shops were burnt down in a fire, at one stage of the reconstruction, some youths demanded a ransom of 1 lakh taka from him. When he expressed his inability to pay the demanded ransom, more than a hundred hired men armed with country-made weapons and sticks looted his construction materials and goods worth 1 million taka from the shop on Friday night. Later, they put up 4 signboards in the name of the Chhatra League-Jube League and Awami League offices and tried to occupy his under-construction shop. In addition, he said that he is terrified by the threats of the encroachers.

Former Chhatra League president of Kamalnagar Upazila Raju said that it is true that he occupied the shop with Chhatra League signboards, but it was done for the Chhatra League party office; not for himself. He said that the rest of the allegations are baseless and ridiculous. In this regard, District Chhatra League General Secretary Rakib Hossain Lotus said that Raju does not hold any position in Chhatra League of Kamalnagar. He cannot be called a Chhatra League worker now. Chhatra League will not take responsibility for occupying land by putting up signboards in the name of Chhatra League.

Kamalnagar Upazila Jubo League convener Mejba Uddin Bappi said that he was not aware of the Jubo League signboard being hung in Charles Lawrence Bazar and occupying the space. He said that he would investigate who had hung the Jubo League signboard without informing him.

Kamalnagar Upazila Awami League President Nurul Amin Master said that he does not engage in politics of occupation and does not like it when someone tries to occupy using party signboards.

Kamalnagar Upazila Chhatra League President Main Uddin said that the committee has not decided to set up a Chhatra League office in the Char Lawrence area. There is no question of encroaching on government or private land by putting up signboards. Those who have encroached are not from Chhatra League.

Kamalnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (Varpapta) and Ramgati Assistant Commissioner (Land) Ajid Deb said that the tehsildar has informed him about the matter. The occupant has been asked to remove the signboard.

লক্ষ্মীপুর: ওষুধ শিল্পে নিয়োজিত প্রতিনিধিদের চাকরির সুনির্দিষ্ট নীতিমালা প্রণয়নের দাবিতে লক্ষ্মীপুরের কমলনগরে মানববন্ধন করেছে ফার্মাসিউটিক্যালস রিপ্রেজেন্টেটিভ অ্যাসোসিয়েশনের (ফারিয়া) সদস্যরা।

রোববার (১৫ অক্টোবর) বেলা ১১টার দিকে ফারিয়া কমলনগর শাখার আয়োজনে হাজিরহাট বাজারে এ মানববন্ধন করা হয়।

এসময় বক্তব্য দেন-ফারিয়া কমলনগর শাখার সভাপতি মো. রাসেল পাটোয়ারী, সাধারণ সম্পাদক মো. হুমায়ুন কবির ও সাবেক সভাপতি মো. ইলিয়াস হোসেন প্রমুখ।

মানববন্ধনের বক্তারা শুক্রবারসহ সব সরকারি বন্ধের দিন ছুটি, বৈষম্য দূর করে সামঞ্জস্যপূর্ণ বেতন কাঠামো ও সরকারি সব সুযোগ-সুবিধার দাবি জানান।