The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

Officials in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and farmers are expecting a bumper production of winter vegetables in the northern region during the current rabi season. Because of early farming of the vegetables under the post- flood agri- rehabilitation programmes, all varieties of winter vegetable have now appeared in plenty in the local markets and the yield rate achieved so far are found to be higher than that of the target, DAE sources said.

Officials said the DAE, Armed Forces, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and many NGOs have been supplying adequate quality seeds, other agro-inputs and providing necessary technical assistance to the farmers.

Different commercial banks, including Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) and many NGOs have been disbursing agriculture loans and interest-free loans among the farmers to make the cultivation of winter vegetables successful.

The DAE has fixed an average yield rate of all varieties winter vegetables to 12 tonnes per hectare this time, the sources said.

According to statistics 7,920 hectares of land will be brought under winter vegetables farming in Rangpur, 5,885 hectares in Gaibandha, 4,820 hectares in Lalmonirhat, 5,450 hectares in Nilphamari, 5,560 hectares in Kurigram, 9,817 hectares in Dinajpur, 6330 hectares in Thakurgaon and 3,725 hectares in Panchagarh districts under Rangpur Agriculture Zone.

Besides, 11,130 hectares in Rajshahi, 7,000 hectares in Naogaon, 6,200 hectares in Natore, 9,240 hectares in Chapainawabganj, 7,050 hectares in Sirajganj, 15,700 hectares in Pabna, 8,290 hectares in Bogra and 4,500 hectares of land will be brought under winter vegetables farming in Joypurhat districts under Rajshahi Agriculture Zone in the region during the season, the DAE sources said.

In six months of its commercial operations, Warid Telecom International Limited in Bangladesh has expanded its International Roaming Services to 100 operators across 59 countries. This is the fastest roaming expansion in the world's GSM industry.

Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims to enjoy International Roaming Services from Warid without any charges.

Subscribers can roam with Warid network and stay connected with their near and dear ones while visiting 59 countries including USA, UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and others.

At a function to celebrate the milestone, Mr. Muneer Farooqui, Chief Executive Officer of Warid Telecom, said, "We are expanding locally and internationally at the fastest possible speed to reach more customers and meet their needs. We are also offering International Roaming Services with 100% waiver on service charges to the Bangladeshi devotees who travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Holy Hajj this year."

Started operations on May 10 this year, as the fastest-growing mobile company in the country, Warid has already roped in more than 1.6 million subscribers and expanded network to 56 districts.

A subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Group, one of the largest groups in the Middle East, Warid Telecom was awarded the 6th license for mobile telecommunications by the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) in December 2005 as part of a land-breaking MOU with the Board of Investment of Bangladesh.

Before launching commercial operations on May 10 this year, Warid Telecom set an example in the telecommunications sector in the country by paying US$ 50 million (Tk 350 crore) as license fee.

Warid Telecom has emerged as a standard setter in the industry as the company has given many firsts to the country's telecommunications sector such as introduction of NGN Technology, 20 FnF, one second pulse for prepaid subscribers, below Taka 1 call rate to other operator, SIM Genie and payment of license fee.

Agrani Bank held Managers’ Conference of Greater Dhaka District on 9th Novenber in the NCTB Auditorium Motijheel, Dhaka Siddiqur Rahman Chawdhury, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Argani Bank and former Secretary of Ministry of Finance was the chief guest. Syed Abdul Hamid, Managing Director (additional charge) presided over the conference attended by DMD Fayekuzzaman, Deputy General Manager, all the General Managers all the Zonal Heads and branch managers under greater Dhaka district.

The chairman, in his inaugural speech, thanked all for arranging the conference. He said that Agrani Bank always takes prior role in developing economical progress of our country. He remained all that this bank has a brilliant past record and heritage. So, everyone should learn from this. Concern expressing over decrease of deposit growth rate, he urged for increase of current deposit. He pointed out, private banks are the main competitors of the business. He stated that though small in size the lion part of the profit of the whole banking sector has been the credit of private banks. So, branch managers should come forward with more dedication for earning profit particularly from foreign exchange business. He also stressed over the achievement of the target of disbursement of agricultural loan. He also urged the managers to recover struck-up and classified loans and develop the service of the counter to cope with the changing situation. Finally, he disclosed that all the branches of Agrani Bank will be computerised, So, every manager should have sufficient knowledge computer. Moreover, the performances of every manager should be taken into account and will be rewared for the good achievement and vice-versa. He emphasised on achieving all the annual targets of the current year and to fix targets for the next year. He emphasised on achieving all the annual targets of the current year and to fix targets for the next year. He concluded saying that the Management will do everything for the bank to make it vibrant with the present age in the minds of great cheering voice of the participants.

The president of the conference stressed upon the managers to achieve all the targets fixed for them by the best utilisation of the remaining time of the current year. He advised every Manager to consider the targets as their personal challenge and discharge their duties with more sincerity.

Staff Reporter

The Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) has set up the country's first Formaline Testing Center on Sunday at its laboratory.

Residents of Dhaka City will get an opportunity to test fish and milk products, if contaminated by toxic element, formaline, by some dishonest businessmen.

"The BCSIR will sell the testing equipment at a cheaper cost and also would serve common people by testing their purchased milk and fish products free of cost,” said Chairman of BCSIR Dr. Chowdhury Mahmud while addressing the audience on the inauguration ceremony. However, he further announced establishment of three more testing canters in Chittagong, Sylhet and Savar with similar facilities.

Temporary laboratories would also be set up in different markets," he added.

This technology of testing formaline was innovated before six months and has been used several times during last anti-formaline drive in various markets in the city, said Majeda Begam, team leader of the scientist group who has innovated the process locally. "Earlier, such testing equipments were imported from Thailand, costing over Tk 7,000. Now our produced equipment costs not more than Tk 100 to 250 each," said Majeda Begum. Moreover, the technique is more reliable and long lasting compared with the imported one, she claimed.

Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, the Secretary, Science and Communication and Technology praised all related scientists for their great works.

Lafarge Surma Cement Limited organized an eye camp for the local community around its plant at Chhatak on 9th November. It was held in collaboration with Islamiya Eye Hospital.

A total of three hundred and sixty seven villagers reported at the day long camp. They included 227 women, 118 men and 22 children. Upon screening, the doctors detected eleven severe cases of cataract. Lafarge Surma Cement Limited will make necessary arrangements for their cataract operation.

Doctors conducting the camp opined that most of the people in the area suffered from dry eyes syndrome. This is curable provided periodic check ups are done, at least once a year, the doctors from the Islamiya Eye Hospital said.

Medicines including vitamins were provided free to the villagers who reported to the camp. The eye camp was inaugurated by an ageing villager, Asadder Ali from Noarai village, who himself regained proper vision after an operation arranged by the company two years ago. The cataract operation cured his severely impaired vision.

Speaking on the occasion he said the poor people in the remote villages can not afford to go to Dhaka or even Sylhet for treatment and as such the eye camp at their doorsteps bring them big relief. It may be mentioned that the company organized a similar camp in the area in 2005.

As part of its social responsibility, Lafarge Surma Cement Limited also conducts wide ranging community welfare activities that include general health-care services through its permanent clinic and satellite clinics around the villages, non-formal primary education programme for children and vocational skills development training for women. All these activities have already shown positive results in enhancing literacy, checking child and maternal mortality rate, improving sanitation and above all, empowering women through self income generation opportunities.

Reuters, Bangkok

Oil was $72 a barrel in August when a budget crunch forced Myanmar's ruling generals to slash fuel subsidies, sparking protests that snowballed into the biggest anti-junta uprising in two decades.

Since then, crude prices have climbed 35 percent to near $100 a barrel, and with no new revenues coming in from natural gas sales or anywhere else in a shambolic economy, the regime has little option but to raise fuel prices again, analysts say.

"The pressure must be on," said Sean Turnell of Australia's Macquarie University and author of the Burma Economic Watch academic journal, predicting state-subsidised diesel, which doubled in August, may have to rise by as much as 40 percent.

The added burden on households already struggling to cope with inflation estimated at around 50 percent a year could well trigger another round of protests against 45 years of unbroken military rule. Even though it is believed to have the world's 10th largest natural gas reserves, promising $2 billion a year in sales to China for the next four decades, most of the off-shore fields are undeveloped and will not make money until 2009 at the earliest.

The only major existing client is Thailand, which paid $2.2 billion last year-half of all Myanmar's official foreign exchange earnings. The rest comes mainly from exports of gems and timber and tourism, a sector crippled by the latest crackdown.

Myanmar also has plenty of crude oil, but a lack of refinery investment since the British left in 1948 forces it to buy nearly all its fuel-basically diesel, gasoline, and compressed natural gas (CNG) -- at a premium from abroad. Turnell estimates that in August, the former Burma's fuel bill consumed 30 percent of its gas receipts from Thailand, a proportion now likely to be well over 40 percent given crude price rises since then.