Guests unveil the covers of two books of Samsul Haque, a journalist of The Daily Prothom Alo, at Chittagong Press Club auditorium in the port city recently.Photo: STAR

Publication ceremony of two books held
Speakers at a publication ceremony said the history of struggle for the independence is being distorted but Samsul Haque's book on the case titled 'State versus Sheikh Mujib and others', popularly known as Agartala Conspiracy case, revealed the true history of the long struggle for freedom.
They said through the book the new generation will know the facts that it was the beginning of the armed struggle for the War of Liberation.
They were speaking at a publication ceremony of two books titled 'Khayatimander Nana Ranger Dinguli' and 'Swadhinater Sasasra Prostuti Agartala Mamlar Aprakasita Jabanbandhi' of Samsul Haque at Engineer Abdul Khalek auditorium of Chittagong Press Club (CPC) in the port city recently.
Bangla Academy Director General Samsuddin Khan was the chief guest in the ceremony with Abu Sufian, President of Chittagong Press Club in the chair.
Samsuddin in his speech said the two books will take our generation to history, our traditions and testimony to our golden past.
Prothom Alo Resident Editor Abul Momen, novelist Dr Hari Sankar Jaladas, Principal Anwara Alam of Agrabad Mahila College, Chittagong Union of Journalists (CUJ) General Secretary Najim Uddin Shyamal also spoke at the programme.
Action against housing company demanded
Forum for Planned Chittagong, a private organisation working for planned and development for the port city, sought interference of authorities to stop the housing project titled 'Elite City' on Madarsa Sri Bil and adjoining arable lands in Chittagong.
The Forum in a statement signed by architect Zerina Hossain, convener of City Planning and Development Committee, said the developer company Elite City violating the law and the directives of the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) was filling the farming land and continuing construction illegally.
They said the step of the housing society is not only violation of law but also threat to environment.
It is a matter of surprise that despite objection from the CDA, they are constructing illegal structures on the agricultural land, they said. The Forum demanded immediate action against the developer company to stop the illegal activities.
Demand for gas connection reiterated
The subscribers in the port city on Sunday demanded immediate withdrawal of the energy ministry directive so that the house owners can get gas connection easily.
Chittagong Subscribers' Council and Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) placed the demand at a press conference held at Chittagong Press Club (CPC) auditorium.
The organisers said 12,000 domestic customers already deposited money in 2008 for gas connection which they are yet to get.
They said the subscribers deposited minimum Tk 4,250 each to get gas connection.
Chittagong Gas Subscriber Council President Nurul Alam Chowdhury, Secretary Jafar Alam, Contractor Welfare Association President and Secretary Ikram Chowdhury and Shah Liakur Rahman Azad were also present at the press conference.
They said the gas distribution contactors have also been suffering along with their families due to suspension of giving gas connection.
Call for proper construction of Kutubdia embankment
The inhabitants of Kutubdia, living in Chittagong city, on Monday urged the government to take necessary steps to save the island and stop corruption in constructing the Kutubdia coastal embankment.
They also called upon the government to construct a durable embankment to save the people of the island.
They made the demand at a rally followed by a human chain held on the Chittagong Press Club (CPC) premises in the city. Council for Preservation of Coastal Area, Island and Environment (CPCAIE) and Kutubdia Citizens Committee jointly organised the programme. Speakers at the rally said government approved Tk 39 crore in first phase and Tk 14 crore in second phase for the embankment to protect the agricultural land, houses in the island from the high tide of the sea.
CPCAIE President Advocate Sheikh Morshed Ahmed, Prof Fayejul Ahmed and CPCAIE member Masud Shafi spoke at the rally.
Contribution of Khan Bahadur Badi recalled
Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain on Saturday urged the people to be united against the exploitation and corruption.
He was addressing as the chief guest a memorial meeting of Amirulhaz Khan Bahadur
Badi Ahmed Chowdhury, former Member of Legislative Council (MLC) and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of undivided India at Chittagong Press Club.
Dr Kamal said Badi never compromised with any sort of greed and establishment.
He said Badi strongly raised his voice in the parliament on June 7 in 1944 about the famine in Chittagong for want of rice.
For his strong stand the government was compelled to send 70 lakh metric tonnes of rice by two special trains and by two launches for Chittagong.
He called for taking lessons from the lifestyle of Khan Bahadur Badi.
Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury presided over the mourn meeting.
Gono Forum leader Kafil Uddin, PHP Group Chairman Sufi Mizanur Rahman, Prof Dr Jamal Nazrul Islam and Chittagong Press Club President Abu Sufian also spoke among others.