The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bumper potato cultivation likely in northern regions

BSS, Rangpur

Harvesting of the major vegetable crop potato has been continuing in full swing everywhere in the country's northern region and a bumper production of the crop is expected with an excellent yield rate so far.

Market prices of potato continue falling, as the local markets have been flooded with huge quantity of the newly harvested potato everywhere in the northern region, market sources said.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) had fixed a target of producing 44,07,936 tonnes potato from 2,49,600 hectares during the current Rabi season in the region where the crop grew well following favourable climatic conditions, officials said today. The farmers brought about 15 to 20 percent more land than the fixed target under potato cultivation and better yield rates have created a possibility of an all-time record bumper production of the major crop this year.

Sources in the DAE said that the farmers timely completed sowing potato seeds this time and there was no seed scarcity at all following various steps taken by the government during the post- flood period in the region.

While talking to BSS on Wednesday, a number of farmers said, they had cultivated the major crop in more land than the fixed target for recovering the huge losses they had suffered in the agro-sector during the recent floods and brought a vast tract of the char lands in the river basins under potato farming this time.

Government Departments including the DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute and a number of NGOs also took steps for providing potato seeds and inputs among the farmers to make the programme a success, officials said. The concerned departments and authorities had also taken adequate steps for ensuring smooth supply of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, technical assistances and other inputs to the potato growers this season.

Potato is now being sold ate rates between Taka 9 and 16 per kg depending on their varieties and qualities in the local markets of the region, market sources said.

The commercial banks, other financial institutions and a number of NGOs provided easy- term agro- loans and the DAE and joint forces distributed seeds and other inputs among the small and marginal farmers for farming potato in more land this season.

Cultivation of plum gaining popularity in Kurigram

Our Correspondent, Kurigram

Cultivation of bau-kul (plum), a variety of high quality plum, is gaining popularity with the farmers at Nageswari upazila of the district Kurigram.

The farmers are expecting a bumper production of bau-kul plum has season and they are very hopeful that it will make their economic life easy and happy. Nageswari upazila agriculture office source said, this upazila is famous for bau-kul production in this current season, but now its fruits are being grow in different parts of the northern reigon.

The colour of the plum resembles to the colour of a wood appel and it is delicious. Farmers said they had been cultivating bau-kul for the last two years and getting a good harvest as soil and weather is suitable for the cultivation.

Its cultivation is easy and the process takes a very short time. Growers get fruits within a year plantation which plantation cost is also lower than that of other fruit cultivation.

Minazuddin, one of cultivators told the correspondent he watered and sprayed pesticide on the trees to protect them from pest attack. He said that he laboured so much from morning to dusk. He is hopeful for a good harvest. He already got more and more bau-kul this year. Minazuddin is now and more two other farmers are interested to cultivate the bau-kul in that Nageswari upazila of the district. Many labours are also working with the farmers in their garden. They expect good harvest and already sold bau-kul (pulm) in the different markets.

Police asked to work for people giving up oppressing attitude

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Mohammad here at the port city on Tuesday asked the police men to work for the countrymen by giving up its traditionally acquired oppressing attitude.

He reaffirmed that each member of the police force from constable to Inspector General would have to accountable for their respective duty. "We don't need any one in policing who is unwilling to become friend of the commoners," he asserted.

He was addressing a function organised to mark the foundation laying ceremony of the RF Police Plaza, a high-rise office cum commercial building of Bangladesh Police Welfare Trust, at city's Nandon Kanon.

Referring to the ongoing reforms in policing and the moves taken by the caretaker government to uplift the lifestyle of police people, the IGP pushed his fellows hard for earning the confidence of the people staying above partiality and dishonesty.

He recalled the roles of the colonial rulers and the politicians of similar attitude. He commented that the police had always been utilised as the tool of sustaining power.

"This is history only. Police no more welcomes political mentoring in the days to come. Policing will only for safeguarding the rule of law," the IGP asserted urging people to give adequate support to it with optimism.

Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police, Chittagong Range Mohammed Manjur Kader Khan presided over the function while Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong Hossain Jamil, Commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) M Akbar Ali and Managing Director of RF Properties Limited Kamrul Hasan joined the function as special guests.

Earlier, the IGP formally inaugurated a tennis court adjacent to the playground of Chittagong Police Line located city's Dampara.

Call to play key role in health care services

The Twelfth National Con-ference and Annual General Meeting of the Bangladesh Academy of Family Physicians were held recently at BRAC Centre, Mohakhali, Dhaka and Jangalbari, Rajendrapur.

National Professor Dr Nurul Islam, Founder Vice Chancellor, USTC was present as the Chief Guest while Dr Kanu Bala, Past President, Bangladesh Academy of Family Physicians was present as the Special Guest, says a press release.

Prof Islam in his speech said that family practice provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and the family. The Family Physicians should be outstanding clinicians to diagnose diseases at its early stage when the symptoms are minimal. They are respectable persons among the community. So they have an added scope to play pivotal role in health care delivery for the people.

The meeting, among others was addressed by Dr Shamsuddin Ahmed,Chairman, Conference Committee, Dr Hafizur Rahman, Secretary General, the Bangladesh Academy of Family Physicians.

Husband gets death sentence for killing wife

BSS, Rajshahi

A trial court, in its judgment, sentenced a person to death for killing his wife at a remotest village of the district about 10 years back.

The convict was identified as Nurul Islam, 40, of Hatgodagari village under Paba upazila of the district.

Judge of the Special Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression AKM Sirajul Islam found the convict guilty under Section 10(1) of the Women and Children Repression Control Act 1995 and pronounced the verdict in a crowded courtroom on Wednesday.

Another two accused identified as Mainul Islam and Parul Begum were acquitted, as charge brought against them could not be proved.

According to the prosecution story, in brief, is that Nurul Islam used to torture his wife Razia Begum frequently for dowry of Taka 25,000 after 12 years of their marriage. On June 7, 1998 Nurul Islam beat her wife and forcibly poured poison in her mouth causing her death.

Victim's brother Abdul Wahab lodged a case with Paba Police Station on the following morning and police after completing investigation pressed charges accusing them including Nurul Islam.

After examining the witnesses and other relevant evidences the trial court finally handed down the verdict.

Special Public Prosecutor Ismat Ara appeared in the case on behalf of the victim as well as the state while and Advocate Hatem Ali and Aslam Sarker defended the accused.

Four drug peddlers arrested in Fulgazi

BSS, Feni

The police in Fulgazi Upazila arrested 4 persons, including three women, with heroine on Tuesday.

The arrested are Ruhul Amin alias Kastar Ali, 55, his wife Bali Akhtar,42, and daughter Monowara Akhtar ,25, and Dhanbia 35.

Police said, the officials of drug control department in a raid at Uttar Sreepur village under Darbarpur Union of Fulgazi Upazila arrested 3 persons when they are making small packets of heroine.

Another drug peddler Dhanbia was arrested from the nearby railway station of Munshir Hat. Separate cases were filed with the concerned police station in these connections.

BDR alert to check entry of poultry birds from India

BSS, Joypurhat

Members of Bangladesh Rifles kept vigil to prevent bird-flu along the 72 km bordering areas.

BDR sources said, the security has been tightened in the bordering areas and the members of the border guards took strict measures to check entry of eggs and poultry birds from neighbouring country.

To raise awareness about the bird flu leaflets are being distributed among the UP chairmen, members and the villagers of the bordering areas.

Steps to increase Boro production in south-western regions taken

BSS, Narail

The Agriculture Department has stepped up efforts to increase Boro production in 10 south-western districts of Narail, Jessore, Jhenidah, Magura, Kushtia, Chuadanga, Meherpur, Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat.

Concerned sources said a total of 500,000 hectares have been brought under the Boro cultivation programme this season with a production target of 2,100,000 tons.

A total of 34,300 hectors have been brought under the Boro Cultivation programme in Narail district, 154,150 hectors in Jessore, 78,500 hectors in Jhenidah, 36,000 hectors in Magura, 31,800 hectors in Kushtia, 34,200 hectors in Chuadanga, 39,000 hectors in Meherpur and 34,800 hectors in Bagherhat.

Deputy Director of Narail Agriculture Extension Department Nazrul Islam Mondal told BSS that there is no shortage of fertiliser in the districts.

He expected that the production target would be exceeded in this season.

News Briefs

Housewife slaughtered

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, Feb 8: A housewife was slaughtered allegedly by her husband at Harishpur village in Sadar Upazila early Wednesday. Police said Sentu, who married Parul one year back, slaughtered his wife following a family feud at about 1.30am. Sentu went into hiding soon after killing Parul, 20. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Chickens culled in Sunamganj

SYLHET, Feb 8: At least 10,000 chickens were burned alive in a fierce fire that broke out at a poultry farm at Brahmangaon village in Chhatak Uapzila of Sunamganj district Tuesday night. Witnesses said the fire originated from an electric short-circuit at Wales Chowdhury's poultry farm at about 8pm and charred the chickens. On information, firefighters rushed in and put out the blaze with the help of local people. The owner of the farm claimed that chickens worth about Tk 7 lakh were gutted in the devastating fire, reports UNB.

Youth shot dead in Natore

NATORE, Feb 8: Miscreants gunned down an unidentified young man near Ninguine Bridge in Singra Upazila early Wednesday. Police said local people found the bullet hit body of the young man in the morning and informed them. Later, police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. Police suspected that the miscreants abducted him from elsewhere following a previous enmity and shot him dead, reports UNB.

Free fertiliser distributed

KHULNA, Feb 8: Free distribution of fertiliser under government's agricultural rehabilitation programme, among the Sidr-affected farmers here began this (Wednesday) morning for current Boro-Aman session. Deputy Commissioner of the district SM Firoz Alam inaugurated the programme at a simple function. Under the programme government will distribute 844 mts of urea and 300 mts of TSP fertilisers among 23,000 farmers of Khulna city and nine upazilas of the district. Each of the farmers is getting 60-kg fertilisers for one bigah land, officials said, reports UNB.

Bombs recovered

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, Feb 8: Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) early Wednesday recovered 21 live bombs in Bhabanipur area of Sadar Upazila. Acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB-5, raided the house of Ismail at the village at about 3:30 AM and recovered the live bombs in abandoned condition from the rear entrance of the house. Later, the elite force deposited the bombs to the Sadar police station. None was arrested in this connection, reports UNB.

Fertiliser seized

BOGRA, Feb 8: Police seized a van loaded with 56 bags of fertilizer from in front of Adamdigi Upazila Health Complex here on Monday and arrested five people in this connection. Acting on a tip-off, police raided the van and recovered the bags of urea fertilizer kept under straw in the van, which were being taken to Naogaon district from Joypurhat. The arrested were identified as Khayer Ali, Sekandar Ali, Rezaul Karim, hailed from Naogaon district and Muktar Hoosain and Enamul Haq from Joypurhat, reports UNB.

Discussion on bird flu held

BANDARBAN, Feb 8: A discussion to raise awareness among the local people about the deadly disease bird flu was held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner Monday. The symptoms and nature of the disease and ways and means of its prevention were discussed at the meeting presided over by district livestock officer Sunil Baron Das. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abdul Majid Shah Akand, ADC Abul Kalam M Shamsuddin, SP circle M Abdul Quaiyum Shikdar, NGO representatives, poultry farm owners and journalists, among others, attended the meeting, reports UNB.