The New Nation - Internet Edition

A.T.M.Nurun Nabi

Fertiliser crisis has been taking a serious turn in the country for last few months, signalling shortfall in the food production during the fiscal 2007-08. Farmers all over the country have been crying for fertilisers as appear from the news published in different national dailies. Sources said that the farmers of Bogra countryside have been purchasing TSP of 50-kilo bag at a rate of taka 1020 in place of original price of taka 750 only, phosphate of same quantity at taka 1400 in place of taka 1000 and MP at taka 1300 instead of taka 800. At the same time, urea of 50-kg bag is being sold at taka 600 in lieu of taka 300, which will surely increase the production cost.

A farmer from Bogra said, "We think that the government will do better if arrangement is made to sell fertilisers in the open market. In that case, we shall face less troubles than the present's." A farmer from Pabna said over phone, "Rabi crops' cultivation has already begun whereas we do not know when we shall get fertilisers. We fear that we shall be plunged into same troubles during boro season."

It is alleged that most of the fertilisers dealers do not cooperate with farmers, rather sell the larger portion in the black markets and thereby create artificial crisis.

The local administration has failed to ensure proper distribution among the farmers as per allotment. It is also said that unfairmeans is followed while preparing the list of the farmers depriving the genuine ones from their due. As such, it is necessary to remove anomalies from the list and to ensure proper delivery of fertilisers.

In the fiscal year 2004-05, it is claimed that 25.23 lakh tonnes of urea were distributed in the country, in 2005-06, the figure was 24.61 lakh tonnes and in 2006-07, about 26.27 lakh tonnes were distributed.

Farmers are not only beset with fertilisers' crisis but also with seeds' crisis. For cultivating boro on 44 lakh hectares of land, about 98.5 thousand tonnes of seeds are necessary to which the government will supply 31,000 tonnes only.

Good quality of seeds, timely irrigation and use of fertilisers in time may give expected production, otherwise the country may be pitched into food crisis.

During the last fiscal, he country produced 2.83 crore tonnes of rice above the annual consumption. Yet the price is about to travel beyond purchasing power.

Price of essentials almost stable, vegetables declining

BSS, Dhaka

The retail price of the most of essentials including rice remained almost stable in the city markets yesterday, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) market report said here on Sunday.

Besides, the price of most of the vegetables started coming down with the arrival of winter vegetables to city the markets, the BDR report added.

The vegetable traders hoped that the price of the vegetables would continue to come down in the coming days.

The retail price of the most of essentials including rice are, however, being sold at a cheaper price at BDR run markets comparatively to other open markets in the city. The marker report said the price of coarse rice in different markets, including Kamalapur, New Market, Karwanbazar, Kalyanpur, Kachukhet and Mohammadpur, ranged between Taka 23 and Taka 25 per kg yesterday.

Rice was being sold at Taka 24 at BDR-run open markets and Taka 19 at BDR-run sales centres yesterday while in Kolkata per kg coarse rice was sold at a price equivalent to Bangladesh Taka 21.62.

The price of one-kg packet of flour was between Taka 36 and Taka 38 in ordinary markets yesterday while the price of the item was Taka 37 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 35 at BDR-run sales centres. In Kolkata, the flour is being sold at Taka 25.22 per kg, the report said.

The price of imported lentil (mashur) is Taka 64 per kg in ordinary markets, while it is being sold at Taka 64 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 58 at BDR-run sales centres. In Kolkata, the price of the lentil is Taka 61.26 per kg.

Onion (imported) was sold at Taka 51 to Taka 56 per kg in ordinary city markets while its price in Kolkata was Taka 32.43. Onion is being sold at Taka 58 per kg in BDR-run open markets and Taka 45 at BDR-run sales centres.

The price of imported gram (Chhola) was between Taka 46 and Taka 58 per kg in different retail markets yesterday while in Kolkata, the item is being sold at Taka 57.65.

The item is being sold at Taka 46 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 52 at BDR-run sales centres. Sugar is being sold at Taka 30 to taka 32 per kg in ordinary markets compared to Taka 25.02 in Kolkata and Taka 31 in BDR-run open markets.

The price of green chilli, however, is ranging from Taka 80 to Taka 100 per kg in ordinary city markets. The item is sold at Taka 100 at BDR-run open markets. The green chilli in Kolkata is being sold at a price equivalent to Taka 32.43.

Potato is being sold at Taka 21 to Taka 22 per kg in all the ordinary markets. The price of potato in BDR-run open market is Taka 21 and at BDR sales centres Taka 18. In Kolkata, the price of the item is equivalent to Taka 16.21. Soybean oil is being sold at Taka 85 to Taka 90 per litre in ordinary markets, while it is available at Taka 84 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 81 in BDR-run sales centres. In Kolkata, the price of soyabean oil is Taka 104.50 per litre.

Palm oil is being sold at Taka 75 to Taka 80 per liter in ordinary markets. In Kolkata, the price of palm oil is Taka 99.90 per litre.

The oil is being sold at Taka 78 per kg in BDR-run open markets, the report added.

Grameenphone Ltd., jointly with Sightsavers International, organised a day-long Free Eye-care Camp at the Diabetic Hospital, Kurigram on October 29. Ulipur Mariam Eye Hospital of Kurigram also provided their support during this event.

This is the fifth Free Eye Camp organised jointly by Grameenphone and Sightsavers International. Grameenphone entered into a partnership with Sightsavers International to provide free eye-care support in rural Bangladesh earlier this year. The four previous eye camps were held in Cox's Bazaar, Bagerhat, Natore and Dhaka respectively.

So far, more than 5000 patients have received basic prescription and more than 600 patients have gone through Intra Ocular Lens (IOL) surgery or cataract surgery.

In this event more than 2000 patients arrived for free eye-care at the camp. All patients were given routine examinations and prescriptions for refractive error were given to those who required it. Three hundred (300) patients were referred for cataract surgery.

The Deputy Commissioner of Kurigram District, A.R Mollah, and Superintendent of Police Kurigram Circle, Choudhury Manzur Kabir, were present on the occasion as Chief Guest and Special Guest respectively. Emon Kalyan Dutta, Head of Regions, Rajshahi, and Dr. Arkanul Islam, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility of Grameenphone, and representatives of Sightsavers International and Marium Eye Hospital were also present.

Grameenphone also arranged blood donation drive in Rajshahi and Bogra for Thalassaemia patients. Grameenphone employees, business partners and corporate clients enthusiastically participated in these events. This was the 4th blood donation programme organised by Grameenphone for Bangladesh Thalassaemia Hospital (BTH). Earlier blood donation drives were arranged in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.

Earlier this year Grameenphone signed an agreement with BTH to work together to collect blood for Thalassaemia patients.

Thalassaemia is a bloodrelated, genetic disorder passed on to children from parents who have the Thalassaemia trait. The disease has no cure and patients require blood transfusion at regular intervals in conjunction with other medical support services to survive.

Ensuring access to primary health care is one of Grameenphone's key focus areas for social intervention. Grameenphone is also involved in the countrywide Safe Motherhood and Infant Care project in partnership with USAID.

Annual get-togethers of Centre Leaders and Deputy Centre Leaders of Rural Development Scheme (RDS) of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited was held in different branches of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, says a press release. The purpose of the get-together is to improve relationship with the people of all walks of life and to apprise them of the objectives of the bank in alleviating proverty. Islami Bank Bangladesh Limted has been contributing a lot in improving the living standard of the people in the rural areas in particular.

At Joypurhat Branch, Mir Quasem Ali, Former Vice Chairman, Board of Directors of IBBL was present as the chief guest. Presided over by Md. Ruhul Amin, Manager of the Branch, the function was addressed, among others, by Abdul Kader, Executive Vice President and Bogra Zonal Head, Ali Ashraf, Zone Officer, Bogra Zone of Rural Development Scheme and Momtaj Uddin, prominent businessman.

At Kashinathpur Branch, Muhammad Abu Bakkar Siddique, Upozila Nirbahi Officer, Bera Upozila was present as the chief guest while Moulana Zainul Abedin, Vice Chairman, Board of Directors of the was present as the chief discussant. Presided over by Muhammad Anisur Rahman, Manager of the bank , the function was addressed, among other, by Abdul Kader, Executive Vice President and Bogra Zonal Head, Parveen Jahan, Dr. Makbul Hossain, Ruhul Amin, Salma Khatun, Sarmin Sumi, Munira Begum and Kulsum Begum, Central Leaders of RDS.

At Narsingdi Branch, Md. Zillar Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of Narsingdi district was present as the chief guest while Mominul Islam Patwary was present as the special guest. Presided over by A K M Shahidul Hoque Khondakar, Assistant Vice President and Manager of the Branch, the function was addressed, among others, by Md. Nurul Islam, Executive Vice President, Aziza Begum, Sipra Rani, Majada Begum, Amena Begum and Nargis Begum, Central Leaders of RDS.

At Saidpur Branch, Khondokar Md. Moklesur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of Nilphamari district was present as the chief guest. Presided over by Md. Mujibur Rahman, Assistant Vice President and Manager of the branch,-the function was addressed, among others, by Abdul Kader, Executive Vice President and Bogra Zonal Head and Md. Mozammel Hoque, prominent Educationalist.

At Bhairab Branch, M. Fariduddin Ahmad, Executive President of the bank was present as the chief guest. Presided over by Md. Ayub Ali, Manager of the branch, the function was addressed, among others, by Md. Nurul Islam and Abul Hossain, Executive Vice Presidents of the bank.An another annual get-together of Centre Leaders and Deputy Centre Leaders organised by Shibganj Braljch was held recently at the branch premises. Mufti Sayed Ahmed, Vice Chairman, Shari'ah Council of the bank and Head Mufti, Al-Jamiatus Siddikiah Darul Ulum Madrasha, Dhaka was present in the function as the chief guest. Presided over by Sarwar Zahan, Manager of the branch the function was addressed among others, by Md. Nurul Islam and Abdul Kader, Executive Vice Presidents, Md. Shamsul Huda, Senior Vice President and Muhammad Benaul Islam, Zone Officer of RDS.

PTI, New Delhi

India and China will continue to be the focus of the World Bank as these countries represent 70 per cent of the poor in the world, said the Bank president Robert Zoellick. "You've more poor in India than in all of sub-Saharan Africa. So if we're focused on poverty, we have to focus on these countries (India and China)", he told BBC in an interview to be broadcast Sunday.

Answering questions on the need to help countries like India and China which can access the capital markets for funds, Zoellick said although these countries are considered as "middle income powers", they house 70 per cent of the world's poor and hence would continue to be the focus of the Bank. Secondly, he added, "if we're going to deal with issues like energy and climate change, these countries are critical. We can't just say we're going to ignore them." Referring to Doha Round, Zoellick said big global trade negotiations will help India by opening opportunities for those farmers who would move away from the agriculture sector. "They're (600 million people in rural areas) not all going to remain farmers. Some of them are going to move to small manufacturing, and that (trade negotiations) could help if there's more open business for them globally.