The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Agricultural rehabilitation programs in different Sidr affected areas of 11 districts under Barisal agricultutural region yet to be started and it may cause 3 lakhs ton of deficits in food production this year instead of average 5 lakhs ton surpluses in previous years.

The regional agricultural extension department (AED) said more than 6.67 lakhs metrict tons agricultural productions of 4.10 lakhs acres of cultivated lands reported as damaged by Sidr in 11 districts of Barisal region.

Deputy Director in charge of Barisal AED disclosing these facts said they already sent reports of damages and destructions to the higher authority. Rehabilitation programs yet to be started due to delay in providing funds asking details of the each affected person by the agriculture ministry.

In an instruction AED has been ordered to send names, addresses and other details of the Sidr affected 15.5 lakhs farmers of the region and it becomes impossible to send these details within a short period.

AED sources said cultivations of Ropa Aman,Boro and wheat seed beds, pulses,vegitables,mustard,betel nut,coconut,betel leaf and other crops damaged severely by Sidr in 72 upazila of 12 districts including 67 upazilas of 11 districts under Barisal AED.

Cultivations of paddy, wheat, different types of winter crops of these Sidr affected areas depends on implementations of immediate rehabilitation programs In agriculture sectors.

Rescheduling of old and distribution of new long term, interest free or low interest rated agricultural loans, as well as providing power pumps for irrigation, power tiller for cultivation, seeds and saplings for Boro,Irri paddy and wheat, fertilizers, pesticides, fuel and energy supplies also needed urgently under agricultural rehabilitation programs.

AED sources further cautioned that more than 2 lakhs hectors of agricultural lands have been damaged by salinity after sea waves engulfed river banks and lands inside the embankments of coastal region.

Cultivation of crops in these lands may not be possible for next 2-4 seasons till the salinity exists there and may increase deficit in production if implementations agricultural rehabilitation programs further delayed, they added.

BSS, Chittagong

Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) today requested Chief Advisor (CA) Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed to take steps to hand over 50 percent share of Rupali Bank to the local private sector.

CCCI President Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, in a fax message to the CA, said non-responsive attitude of the Saudi Prince to take the total shares of the bank has proved that the process of selling the bank to any foreign party or individual is "complicated, time-consuming and non-transparent", a CCCI press release said.

"Overall investment climate and image of the country would be hampered and efficiency, transparency and accountability of the government be questioned if another futile example is set through a fresh move to sell the bank to foreigners" he viewed in the letter.

The CCCI said at present 6.76 percent of the bank's share are under the private sector through capital market and the government can easily fetch required amount of money within a minimum time from the private sector through floating rest 43.24 percent of the shares in the capital market.

It would help building private-public partnership in operating the bank and moreover will ensure the desired service standard, transparency and accountability, the CCCI said.

BSS, Chittagong

Introduction of ferry service on the Bhola-Lakkhipur route across the river Meghna will, to a great extent, ease the sufferings of passengers travelling between Chittagong and the southern parts of the country, particularly the Bhola district.

Addressing a press conference at Chittagong Press Club, leaders of Bhola Zilla Samamona Samity, Chittagong (BZSSC), said such a ferry service would also reduce the transportation cost as well as the travel time to 12 hours from the present 24 hours.

While appreciating the government's step in this regard, the BZSSC leaders said the launching of ferry service on the route would significantly improvement the communication system and the socio-economic life in 16 south-western districts as well as the port city and the greater Noakhali districts.

They said necessary road infrastructures on both sides of the river to link Bhola with Noakhali district by road were completed five years back but the travelers were yet to benefit from it due to the absence of a ferry service.

BSS, Chittagong

A seminar was held here on the occasion of centenary celebration of 'Charjapad', collection of lyrical poems by Buddhist monks and at the same time considered as ancient relics of Bangla language, on Monday.

Bengali Department of Chittagong University and Bangla Literature Association jointly organised the seminar in the auditorium of Premier University. Chairman of the Department Dr. Shipra Rakhit Dastidar presided over the function.

Professor Anisuzzaman, Professor Mansoor Musa and Dr. Mohammad Abul Kashem also spoke on the occasion.

The main paper was presented at the seminar by Associate Professor of Bengali Department Muhammad Golam Mustafa.

BSS, Rajshahi

Police, in anti-crime drives, rounded up 40 alleged criminals including two drug-peddlers from different areas in city and nine upazilas of the district on Wednesday.

Of the arrested, 21 were rounded up from different areas in the metropolis while 19 others from nine upazilas of the district.

Police rounded up the drug-traders identified as Shahidul Islam, 20, son of Jalal Uddin and Sudipta Roy, 22, son of Sanzib Roy with 217 bottles of phensidyl and three kilograms of ganja from different areas in the city and district.

Traffic Police lodged 17 cases under motor vehicles ordinance during drives against the non-registered motor vehicles and other document-related malpractices in different parts of the city during the time.

Weekly tea sale witnesses strong demand

BSS, Chittagong

The weekly tea sale held here today witnessed a strong demand following the active support from local and foreign buyers.

According to market sources liquoring types particularly attracted more competition throughout the sale. Blenders were more active along with good support from the loose tea buyers.

There was more interest from Pakistan buyers . CIS also bought a few selective lines.

Good liquoring dusts were a dearer market following competition. The details of the market reports are as follows :

CTC Leaf: 28,924 packages , and 130 packages of old season were on offer met with a good demand at mostly firm rates.

Brokens : All brokens were a good market and mostly sold at last levels particularly the better liquoring teas which could be quoted between Taka 85 and Taka 90. Plainer types were slightly easier but withdrawals were less in this category.

Fannings: all fannings were a good market and were generally fully firm particularly the good liquoring types which were occasionally dearer and those could be quoted between Taka 86 and Taka 91. Good and medium varieties realised prices between Taka 82 and Taka 85.50.

CTC Dust: 4,410 packages and 29 packages of old season on offer met with good demand at around last levels.

Select few lines of well made good liquoring types were a dearer market following competition while all others sold at around last levels occasionally easing in line with quality.

Blenders lend good support with a little more interest from loose tea buyers . There was selective export buying, the sources added.

Our Correspondent, Barisal

World Anti-Corruption Day-2007 was observed in Barisal on Sunday calling to make anti corruption commission affective. Conscious Citizen Committee (CCC), local organ of Transparency International Bangladesh(TIB) organized human chain in front of Aswani Kumar Hall at morning, inaugurated three day long signature collection campaign against corruption and held seminar on 'Corruption and Bangladesh' at afternoon were held on this occasion.

Advocate Manabendra Batobayal, convener, presided over and Prof. Dipankar Chakroborty, executive member of Barisal CCC, presented key note paper in the seminar held at Abdul Khalek auditorium of Kheyali group theatre of the city on Sunday afternoon.

Prof. Syed Moazem Hossain, Shah Sajeda, Tulu Rani Karmakar, Cultural activists Kazi Selina, Workers Party leader Shanti Das, freedom fighter Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, Advocate Abdul Mannan, Journalist Mintu Bose, Pulok Chakroborty and others were attended and participated in discussion.

The speakers identified the main causes of corruption in Bangladesh as absence of patriotic political commitment, devaluation of morality, creating give and take policy in public dealing affairs, weak socio-economic condition and poverty, low pay scale and less intensives in public services, absence of transparency and accountability of public servants,confussion, ambiguity, loop holes and weakness of law and discrimination in its implementation and lack of strong monitoring and sincere impartial activities of law enforcing agencies in prevention of corruption.

The participants of the programs also called for creating social and family consciousness against corruption, implementation of anti-corruption acts without any discrimination and making anti corruption commission really effective by making it independent, sovereign, active and powerful with sufficient man power and jurisdiction.