The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat

From the beginning of the season of potato cultivation, the farmers of Lalmonirhat sadar and Kaliganj upazilas in the district have been facing crisis of potato seeds and have become frustrated regarding potato cultivation in the current season.

The officials of agriculture department said the target of potato cultivation in Lalmonirhat sadar and Kaliganj upazilas may be less than that of the previous year.

Taking advantage of the crisis of potato seeds, a section of potato seed traders are selling them in the vegetable market and thus causing serious damage to the potato growers.

The potato growers say the crisis has emanated from the fact that the farmers, taking advantage of good price of potatoes, sold all the potatoes including the seeds in the market for hard cash to meet the daily necessity.

The little quantity of potato seeds that remains after the sale is selling at an exorbitant price. The farmers inform, the seeds of cardinal and diamond varieties of potato are sowed in the said upazilas of the district. A sack of potato seed is selling at Tk. 2600 to 3000 against Tk. 1500 to 2000 in the previous season.

On the other hand, a section of potato traders are selling edible potatoes as potato seeds to earn profit. The farmers allege, the profit mongers are selling a sack of the same kind of potato at Tk. 2600 to 3000 against Tk. 1500 for edible potato. The sale of edible potato as potato seeds is an act of cheating the potato growers. Potato grower Sahidul Haque of Mogholhat village under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila said that he cultivated potato on eight bighas of land last year and that, finding good price of potatoes, he sold out all the potatoes he had. Now, as he could not grow good quality potato seeds in his plots, he is in crisis of the same. He said, most of the traders are not bringing out potato seeds from the store as the land could not be fully prepared.

This paves the way for the dishonest trader to cheat the potato growers. Farmer Karim Uddin of Karnapur village of Lalmonirhat sadar upazila and Sharif Uddin of village Dalgram under Kaligonj upazila said the potato growers of Lalmonirhat sadar and Kaliganj upazilas have become frustrated at the high price of potato seeds at the very beginning of the season.

They also said, most of the farmers would not be able to cultivation potato due to high prices of insecticide in the current season. The farmers have attributed the likely non-achievement of target of potato cultivation to the high prices of the leased land, fertiliser, insecticide and other agricultural inputs. The Lalmonirhat Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension Aftab Uddin Khan confirmed the crisis of potato seeds, saying that the seeds would have to be brought from other districts to meet the demand of the farmers. A total of 5,300 hectares of land for Lalmonirhat sadar upazila and 4,555 hectares of land for Kaliganj upazila have been fixed for the cultivation of potato in the current season.

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital remained packed up with infants and minor children with bronchial complications for a week.

Deputy director Dr. Suvash Chandra, and child specialist of SBMCH Dr. Zahid Hossain said 150 child patients were under treatment on Sunday. Since last Sunday, in an average 40 patients were admitted to the hospitals for treatment and 20 released after treatment every day.

Physician sources said, fluctuations of day and night temperatures and humidity in a situation of change of the seasons are responsible for the sudden break out of bronchitis. This is a viral disease with symptoms of suffocation for the inflammation of the mucous membrane in the bronchial tubes leading to the lungs. Guardians are advised to protect their children from exposure to excessive heat or cold and to segregate bronchitis patients from healthy babies.

Its treatment needs antibiotic, oxygen supply and even suction. The patients should be kept in well-ventilated rooms but guarded against cold air. No death of any bronchitis patient was reported till yesterday but heavy rush may cause crisis of oxygen cylinders, hospital authority cautioned.

BSS, Rajshahi

Police arrested 74 alleged criminals from different areas in city and nine upazilas of the district on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Of the arrested, 37 were rounded up from different areas of the metropolis while 37 others from nine upazilas of the district.

Traffic police lodged 59 cases under motor vehicles ordinance and seized four motorbikes and a truck without registration during the drives against the non-registered vehicles and other document-related malpractices in different parts of the city during the time.

Meanwhile, police in separate drives during the past 24 hours ending at 12 noon today arrested 19 persons, including inter- district dacoits and criminals, from various places in the district, police sources said.

The sources said the arrested also included three absconding notorious terrorists, absconding murderers, thieves, drug traffickers and peddlers, absconding accused in various criminal cases and warrantees.

The police also recovered a large quantity of phensidyl, locally produced wine, ganja, narcotics substances and other illegal goods during the raids, the sources said.

Mithapukur police arrested notorious inter-district dacoits Tosir Uddin, 39, of village Chithuli, Raihan, 30, of village Batasan Durgapur and Sadekul, 24, of village Moyenpur in Mithapukur upazila last night for their alleged involvement with attacking police personnel and snatching arms, ammos and motorcycle.

Of them, Kotwali police arrested seven persons, Gangachara police one, Taraganj police two, Badarganj police one, Mithapukur police four, Pirgacha three and Kawnia police arrested one person during the drives.

The arrested were sent to jail when police produced them before different courts on Thursday, the sources said.

BSS, Munshiganj

Deputy Commissioner in a view- exchange meeting with journalists said adequate quantities of fertilisers has been allotted for distribution among the potato farmers during the current season in the district.

The meeting held on Wednesday discussed the requirement and supply of fertilisers in the district.

The Deputy Commissioner said 43,770 metric tons of urea, 20,000 metric tons of TSP and 15,000 metric tons of MOP were allotted for the current potato season.

The total demand of TSP fertiliser in the district is 33,600 metric tons, MOP 28,096 metric tons and urea 45,000 metric tons, he said.

About 33,000 hectares of land were brought under potato cultivation for an estimated 5,82,780 metric tons of potato production.

Local camp commander of army Lt. Colonel Zakir Hossain, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Gen) M Ali Nur and ASP Mahabubul Alam were present.

Our Correspondent, Jessore

A three day long journalists workshop, arranged by Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB), was held at the auditorium of Jessore fisheries bhavan at Arabpur from 1st November to 3rd November. PIB Director General (DG) Mridula Battacharya attended the concluding ceremony as the chief guest and handed over certificates to the participants.

A total of 50 journalists from print and electronics media took part in the workshop. Prevention of Avian Influenza (Bird flu) and tasks of the journalists in awareness building in this regard was the main subject of the workshop. UNICEF gave financial support to the workshop.

PIB course co-ordinator Parveen Sultana Rabbi and professor of Agraculture University Mymensingh Dr Abu Hadi Noor Ali Khan were the trainers in the concluding season. Senior information officer Shibupada Mondal was the special guest. Jessore Press Club president Fakir Sawkat presided over this function. Journalists Mohidul Islam Montu (BTV), Sarif Ameerul Hassan of Magura and Jhinaidah district correspondent of the Independent A.F. Ansari spoke on the occasion.

Two killed in road mishap

SYLHET, Nov 10: Two people, including a little girl, were killed and another person was injured in two separate road accidents in Jointapur Upazila here on Tuesday. Sources said a stone-laden truck hit Shamin Akther, 10, daughter of Muslemuddin of Adarshagram, at Asampara in the upazila on Sylhet-Tamabil Highway, leaving her seriously injured. She died on way to the local hospital. Police seized the truck but the driver managed to escape, reports UNB.

Case filed against SI in Comilla

COMILLA, Nov 10: A case was filed against a Sub-inspector of Police and his associate on Tuesday on charge of taking Tk 20,000 as bribe from a businessman. Sultan Ahmed, owner of Ruma Furniture Mart of Chandla Uttar Sarak in Brahmanpara upazila, filed the case against second officer of Brahmanpara thana SI Sharif and his associate Shahid Member with the Additional Judicial Magistrate Court. In his complaint, Sultan Ahmed said that SI Sharif and Shahid Member went to their house and tied up his younger brother Kabir on November 3. demanded Tk 50,000 and threatened Sultan that Kabir would be made accused in a number of dacoity cases, being investigated by him, if Sultan failed to give the bribe, reports UNB.

Valuables looted

SYLHET, Nov 10: Dacoits looted cash and other valuables worth over Tk 8 lakh from the house of an expatriate in North Baghbari area of the city early Wednesday. Witnesses said the gang numbering 5/6 entered the house of Yaor Miah by breaking the window at about 4 AM and took away Tk 55,000, US$ 780, seven mobile sets, 33 tolas of gold and other valuables at gun point. Police visited the spot. A case was filed. Another report from Thakurgaon adds: Robbers stormed into a house at Muslim Nagar on the outskirts of the district town and looted valuables worth over Tk 2 lakh Tuesday midnight, reports UNB.

Cattle traders injured

SATKHIRA, Nov 10: Three Bangladeshi cattle traders were injured by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) near Padmashakhra border in Debhata upazila Wednesday early morning. The injured were identified as Abdul Gafur, 30, Shawkat Ali, 32, and Abu Sayeed, 30, of Alipur village in Sadar upazila. Local sources said after buying cattle from Indian border side when the three were crossing the river Ichhamati by swimming along side their cattle the BSF troops of Goalpara camp first hit them by their speedboat and later beat them with sticks and rifle butts leaving them seriously injured, reports UNB.

Robber lynched in Narsingdi

NARSINGDI, Nov 10: An alleged robber was killed in a mass beating when he and his accomplices were running away after committing a dacoity at a house at Dari Hawlader village in Polash upazila early on Thursday. Police said a gang of dacoits numbering 7/8 stormed into the house of Dr Abdul Mannan at about 4 AM and looted cash and valuables worth over Tk 1 lakh. They also hit Abdul Mannan's son Nazrul, 22, and his son-in-law Helal, 28, with sharp weapons leaving them seriously injured as they tried to resist them, reports UNB.

Mother, daughters injured in acid attack

GAIBANDHA, Nov 10: A woman and her two young daughters received burn injuries in an acid attack by a miscreant at Uttar Analertari village in Sadar Upazila early Wednesday. Police and local people said Abdul Khaleq used to disturb his neighbour Radha Rani Modok, 18, and when she recently refused his marriage proposal Khaleq became furious. On the fateful night when Radha was sleeping with her mother Snehalata and sister Beauty, Khaleq went to their house and threw acid on them at about 3 AM, leaving them seriously injured. Hearing their shrill cry local people rushed to the spot Khaleq fled away, reports UNB.