GOLAKGANJ, Feb 9 – The plight of women in char areas in Dhubri district remains pathetic. Education is still a distant dream for most of the womenfolk here. Literacy rate in char areas is ten percent, out of which the women’s share is almost nil. Women of these areas are mainly considered tools for childbirth and maintaining household chores. “It is their duty”, said Mollah Ajgar Ali of Chalakura Char. Besides household chores, the women help their male counterparts in the paddy fields. It may be mentioned that the char women of Chalakura-Birshing, Baraibari, Kuntirchar, Bhasanirchar...

GUWAHATI, Feb 9— Over the years, the North Eastern region of India, particularly, Assam has been suffering because of the Government of India’s soft stand towards its “friendly neighbour countries” of Bhutan and Bangladesh, where the insurgents operating in the region are still taking shelter. Till date, the Government of India seems more concerned about its western border and Kashmir, while, the same problem facing the NE region is overlooked for the reasons best known to the persons at the helm of affairs at Delhi. Even in the present day context, when there is a world-wide campaign against...

SHILLONG, Feb 9 — The Chief Ministers of the north-eastern States today strongly urged the Centre to open up the trade routes with neighbouring Bangla-desh and Myanmar to boost the sagging economies of the States. Speaking at the meeting of the Chief Ministers convened by the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) here, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his Tripura and Nagaland counterparts Manik Sarkar and SC Jamir highlighted the acute funds crunch faced by the States in the region and the need for expanding trade with the neighbours as a solution to the problem...

Imphal, February 09: Terming the Senapati Conclave wherein 47 Naga candidates signed a declaration as "immature and childish", the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) today said that the party is planning a Statewide solidarity march in protest against the declaration on Febrruary 11. Making the announcement during a press conference held at the party office today, DPP president Khaidem Mani blasted the declaration saying it was a move to disintegrate Manipur. As predicted by DPP, a "particular force" is still challenging the age old territorial integrity of Manipur, he said and added that the...

AGARTALA, Feb 8 — In a significant development in the Tripura politics, two powerful tribal parties, IPFT and TUJS formally announced their merger and emergence of Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura Thursday. Former militant leader Bijoy Hrangkhawl who had dissolved his Tripura National Volunteers and joined the IFT has been made the first president of the INPT. TUJS general secretary Rabindra Debbarma was made general secretary of INPT. The vice-presidents are Nagendra Jamatia and Debabrata Koloy while the assistant general secretaries are Amiya Debbarma, Ananta Debbarma and Sridam...