Sonargoan, Panam Nagar deserve special attention

Country's significant archeological sites like Sonargoan and Panam Nagar need to be protected for the benefit of posterity and to attract tourists.
"These historical sites are in danger of being lost for lack of coordinated programmes to protect those," Abdullah Al Mamun, a former student of Islamic History and Culture department of Dhaka University, told the news agency recently.

Mamun said Sonargoan as a historical place that bears many symbols of archeological development of ancient Bengal and theses should be protected by the authorities concerned for the next generation. "It's a place which can attract tourists from abroad too."
Khadiza Akhter, a tourist from Dhaka, said the government should take immediate steps to provide transport facility, especially bus services up to the spot, so that people from capital Dhaka can visit the place comfortably.read more..

Lottery for Purbachal, Uttara plots likely Sept 16

After a huge criticism at home and abroad over uncertainty in lottery arrangements for Purbachal and Uttara, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) is likely to hold it in three categories for the Purbachal New Town Project on September 16.

The lottery will be held on wage earner, freedom fighter and artist or sportsman categories around 11:00am at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city where State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan is expected to be present as the chief guest, a Rajuk source said.

Nevertheless, uncertainty still looms over lottery on some other categories for both Purbachal and Uttara in the third phase.

Rajuk will distribute 6,383 plots under Purbachal New Town Project under different categories and 800 plots under Uttara third phase. A total of 1.67 lakh applications were dropped for the two projects.

It will also distribute 2,177 plots to people affected under Purbachal project.

Plots of government service holder and autonomous bodies category will be awarded based on their age and salary while plots of ministers, state or deputy ministers or persons at their status and justice who submitted valid application will be given directly, said an official of Rajuk.

All listed for Armed forces division will be given plots.

According to the guideline, the government job holder will get 40 percent, employees and officials of autonomous bodies 15, freedom fighters 2, journalists 1.5, art or literature or sports 1, businessmen and industrialists 10.5, private job holders 12, wage earners 10 and other category for employees and officials of Rajuk, including the ministry concerned, will get 2.5 percent, sources said.

Rajuk sought applications for its two projects, Uttara Model Town Third Phase and Purbachal New Town Project in November 2008.

The new government, just after assuming power, extended the time for submission of applications till April 30 and was supposed to announce the names of the winners by two months.