The New Nation - Internet Edition

Panchagarh economy changes fast following faster growth of tea

BSS, Rangpur

The overall socio-economic condition of common people is changing fast in Panchagarh following faster growth of boosting tea sector.

Local tea growers, chamber leaders and officials concerned opined that setting up of more tea processing industries, competitive markets at the grassroots for tea leaves, supply of natural gas and resolving problems like power crisis could accelerate further boosting of tea sector.

At the same time, hundreds of Panchagarh females, who lived in utter miseries due to abject poverty for years together, are now changing their fates and achieving self-reliance by earning wages as plucking workers in the dozens of tea gardens at the officially recognised third Tea Zone of the country.

The growing tea-farming sector in Panchagarh has ushered in a new hope for further enhancing the standard of their socio-economic life and women empowerment if the problems they have been facing were resolved, they said.

The female workers are yet to get their just wages from the garden-owners as the boosting tea-farming sector in the region has been facing manifold problems including present unfair prices of the produced tea leaves for the tea farmers.

Presently, over 7,000 skilled an unskilled workers, mostly women, have been working in 246 tea gardens, including 18 big estates, 13 medium-size and 215 small-scale gardens set up on more than 1,815 acres of land in Tentulia and its surrounding areas, they said.

Of them nearly 2,300 workers, mostly women, are working alone at the giant Kazi and Kazi Tea Estate (KKTE) at Tentulia which has earned reputation in both national and international markets by producing, processing and marketing the famous and most popular Mina Organic Tea and earning foreign exchange.

Small-scale tea farmer Mozahedul Hassan of village Dwarikamari in Sadar upazila while talking to BSS said he has been farming tea in seven Bigha land after selecting 20 Bighas for the purpose and lifting 50 to 60 kg tea leaves every week from the garden.

"I am selling tea leaves at the rate of Taka 9.50 per kg to the tea processing factory of Tentulia Tea Company Ltd (TTCL) available here so far and earning almost no profit because of the lower prices. It would be better if the per kg price of raw tea leaves was fixed at Taka 12 per kg," he added.

Small-scale tea farmers Abdur Rahman of village Dorjipara, Esahaq Ali Mandal of village Pediagoach and Raju Mia of village Majhipara in Tentulia upazila and Motiar Rahman of Sadar Upazila expressed similar views to BSS recently.

Alleged snatcher lynched in Ctg

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

An alleged snatcher was beaten to death while two others suffered wounds at village Shantirhat under Rangunia police station on Wednesday afternoon.

Neither the villagers nor police could identify the victim while one injured snatcher was identified as Mohammad Yusuf (35), hailed from Charlokkha area in Karnaphuli police station.

Among the injured one was admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) with critical condition while the other admitted at Rangunia Health Complex.

Police quoting locals said that four snatchers went to a grocery shop at Shantirhat area at about 11:30 a.m. and charged the shop owner Jamal identifying themselves as RAB personnel.

At a stage, the snatchers claimed that Jamal had involvement in money laundering and asked Jamal to go with them to the RAB-7 headquarters. The snatchers in guise of RAB personnel picked up both Jamal and an expatriate Jashim in two CNG auto-rickshaws.

The fake RAB personnel took Tk. lakh in cash from the cash box of the grocery shop. When Jamal and Jashim realized that these youths were nothing but snatchers, they started screaming and sought cooperation fromnearby people.

Locals chased the two CNG-run auto-rickshaws and finally stopped two CNGs near Nazumiahhat and drove them to Rangunia. Within a short span of time, several dozens local people rushed to the spot and started good-beating.

Being informed police came to spot and recovered three snatchers in critical state. Among the three snatchers, two were sent to CMCH while the other was sent to Rangunia Health Complex.

Physicians at CMCH declared one dead while another one is undergoing treatment in the hospital. Attending physicians stated his condition critical.

The body was kept at CMCH morgue for autopsy. Police told the reporters that process of filing a case with Rangunia police station was going on.

Close aide to Dulu held in Lalmonirhat

Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat

The leader of district Jubo Dal Sharif Uddin alias Narsingdi Sharif, one of the close aide to former deputy minister for food and disaster management and the president of Lalmonirhat district BNP Asadul Habib was held allegedly various charges especially keeping of illegal reserving arms, at Mission Crossing in Lalmonirhat town at 10.30 pm on Tuesday night. A team of joint forces led by the CO of Lalmonirhat Army Camp Major Kazi Manzur picked Sharif. He had been interrogating in Army Camp till writing of the report on Wednesday, sources said.

Important to point out that Sharif alias Narsingdi Sharif was detained during joint forces drive and was received bail after six months during BNP led four party alliance government.

Sources added that Sharif was the very important and close aide to Dulu and taking this advantage Sharif illegally earned handsome amount through tender scandaling, snatching, smuggling, tolling and extortionist. He become owner of three shops, two houses in Lalmonirhat and purchased lot of land property by his name and relatives.

58th ACAD ends at BPATC

The concluding and certificate awarding ceremony of 58th Advanced Course Administration & Development (ACAD) of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) was held in Savar on Thursday, says a press release. A total number of 30 Deputy Secretaries to the Government took part in the two & half month course.

As a Chairperson, Rector Abu Md. Maniruzzaman Khan distributed certificates among the Participants. He thanked all the participants for successful completion of the course.

He also said in his speech that effective and efficient administrative system is the key toprosperity of a nation.

Death anniversary

Today is the 20th death anniversary of Md. Abdus Salam, former PTI Superintendent. On the occasion, a Milad Mahfil and feeding of destitutes will be held at Central Graveyard Jame Mosque premises in Tangail after Zohr prayers on the day, says a press release.

News briefs

Dacoits held with arms

SATKHIRA Jan 19: Police arrested two inter-district dacoits along with firearms in Binerpota area of Sadar Upazila Tuesday night. Police said acting on a tip-off they raided the area at dead of night and arrested gang leader Jamat Ali alias Jamat Dakat and his accomplice Hasan along with a revolver, two shovels and two daggers from near Benerpota bridge. They said Jamat was wanted in a number of criminal cases. Later, as per their confessional statements police raided Matri Jewelers at Jhaudanga Bazar and recovered two tolas of looted gold ornaments and 500 grams silver, reports UNB.

Four get life in Bagerhat

BAGERHAT, Jan 19: A court here Tuesday convicted four people and sentenced them to life term imprisonment for murdering a farmer in 2007. The court also fined the convicts Daud Mia, Sattar Mia, Mokter Mia and Jafar Mia of Kantakana village in Fakirhat upazila Tk 20,000 each. However, three other accused of the case were acquitted of the murder charge. They are Salma Begum, Mahatab Sheikh and Mahbub Hossain. According to the prosecution, the convicts hacked to death their co-villager Jakir Hossain on June 16, 2007, following a dispute over a piece of land, reports UNB.

Timber seizd

BAGERHAT, Jan 19: Forest officials in a drive seized a truck loaded with valuable 'Sundari' timber worth Tk 2 lakh at Srifaltala in Rampal Upazila early Wednesday. Acting on a tip-off, forest officials placed a check-post on Khulna-Rampal road near the spot and signalled a Khulna-bound truck to stop at about 5AM. Sensing danger driver and helper of the truck fled away leaving the vehicle on the roadside, reports UNB.

Teenage girl commits suicide in Sylhet

SYLHET, Jan 19: A teenage girl allegedly committed suicide by taking poison at Dinpur village in Fenchuganj upazila on Monday. Local people said Rumena Begum, 18, daughter of late Raushan Ali of the village had an affair since long with co-villager Azhar and she recently requested him to marry her, which he refused. At this Rumena became upset and took pesticide at her house at 10 AM. Later, she was rushed to the Osmani Medical College Hospital where the she died at 4 PM. A UD case was filed with the local police station.

Minor boy killed in road mishap

SYLHET, Jan 19: A minor schoolboy was killed in a tragic road accident in front of his Balla Primary School in Jakiganj Upazila on Sylhet-Jakiganj road on Tuesday. Witnesses a speeding microbus dashed Masum Ahmed, 7, son of Tamjid Ali of Balla village of the Upazila, and a student of class one at about 12:30 PM when he was crossing the road, leaving him critically injured. Local people rushed the victim to Osmani Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at about 4pm. A case was filed with the local police station, reports UNB.

Indian cloths seized

COMILLA, Jan 19: BDR jawans seized huge quantity of Indian cloths worth about Tk 85 lakh from Sreepur village in Sadar Dakkhin Upazila on Tuesday. BDR source said acting on a secret information they raided the area and recovered 49 bales of Indian cloths including sari and three-piece sets in abandoned condition. None was arrested in this connection. A case was filed, reports UNB.