The New Nation - Internet Edition

Record flowering on mango trees in greater Rajshahi

BSS, Rajshahi

Record number of flowers have appeared in mango trees in the region especially in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts.

Before disappearing winter season, buds started appearing on mango trees in greater Rajshahi, the region producing the most delicious mangoes in the country.

Talking to BSS, agronomists, experts and farmers said the climatic condition prevailing here has been adjudged as suitable for the mango farming and around 95 per cent mango trees have already bloomed.

The farmers have been taking extensive preparations to make the farming a complete success and they are very busy in taking care of their trees at present.

Dr. Golam Mourtoza, Principal Scientific Officer of Regional Horticulture Research Centre (RHRC), Chapainawabganj, said most of the mango trees in Chapainawabganj district have produced flowers during the current season due to favourable weather though the current season is the off year for mango production.

He said that if the weather during the next few months remains congenial, the total mango production from the blossomed trees would be to a desired level despite the coming summer as the 'off season' for mango production, which is to decline this year for natural reason compared to the last year's harvest.

Dr. Golam Murtoza, however, attributed the main problems causing declining in mango production to fluctuation of temperature, excessive rainfall or fog, attack by pests and insects and inclement weather.

"We are witnessing that the young trees are more florescence initiation along with budding than the older ones," he said.

According to the statistics revealed by Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), there are around 25 lakh mango trees of different ages on some 30 thousand hectares of land in the region with creation of many small and medium size mango orchards for the last couple of years.

Mango, the king of all fruits, has been treated as an important seasonal cash crop of the northwestern region, especially in the two districts, where the economy largely depends on the volume of its production.

It has a great economic importance in the region and a large number of people are engaged in different jobs from nursing to harvesting and packing for transportation and trading during the mango season every year.

Asim Kumar Malakar, Deputy Director of Chapainawabganj DAE said the region has long been producing more than 100 varieties of mangoes, including the sweetest ones like Gopalbhog, Langra, Fazli, Khirsapat, Mohanbhog and Lakhna.

"Most of the trees producing varieties of mangoes in the country as alternate bearing which means, one year's production is less than the previous year's bumper production," Asim Kumar said.

He also said mango-growers are habituated in producing the native varieties in traditional methods instead of using scientific system to grow newly developed varieties.

He, however, urged concerned scientists and researchers to come forward with more practical works to help massive cultivation of both exotic and locally developed alternate bearing varieties in the country.

Books distributed to meritorious students in Gosairhat

BSS, Gosairhat, (Shariatpur)

Organisation of Students Welfare (OSW) has distributed free books among poor and meritorious students of three educational institutions of the upazila recently.

On the occasion, a function was arranged in the hall room of the Idilpur Pilot High School.

Assistant Commissioner (Land) of the upazila M Monirul Islam attended the function as the chief guest, while headmaster of the school Khitish Chandra Paul was present as special guest.

With OSW Director M Jonaed Sikder in the chair, the function was addressed, among others, by Mobarak Mia, M. Arifur Rahman and Shahidul Alam Azad Shikder. Founded on March 26, 2007 under the auspices of teachers and former students of the upazila, the organisation has been carrying out different social welfare activities in the area.

Call to expedite movement for trial of war criminals

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

Leaders of Sector Commanders Forum, Liberation War'71 visited the port city recenlty and joined a number of programmes to expedite the movement for the trial of the war criminals.

According to the itinerary, the Sectors Commanders placed floral wreaths at the central Shaheed Minar of the port city at 8:00 AM, visited Nathpara mass-graveyard under South Kattali and Foy's Lake mass-graveyard from 9:00 AM. to 9:30 AM, participated separate colloquiums with the students, journalists and professionals and Muktijoddha Sangsad at the auditorium of Chittagong Railway Rest House from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 7:00 PM.

They also addressed at a combined rally of freedom fighters, professionals, students, workers and civil society men at city's Muslim Hall at 3:00 PM on the day.

Deputy Chief of Bangladesh Liberation Force Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) AK Khandokar (Bir Uttam), Sector Commander Major General (Retd.) KM Shafiullah (Bir Uttam), Sector Commander Major General (Retd.) C.R. Dutta (Bir Uttam), Sector Commander Lieutenant General (Retd.) Mir Shawkat Ali (Bir Uttam), Colonel (Retd.) Abu Osman Chowdhury, Chief Coordinator of the SCF Lieutenant General (Retd.) Harunor Rashid (Bir Protik) and Coordinator of the SCF Major General (Retd.) were among the visiting team.

Ekushey programmes in Gaibandha

BSS, Gaibandha

The district and Upazila administrations have chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the Amar Ekushey and International Mother Language Day in a befitting manner.Sources said to observe the day, a meeting was held in the conference room of district collectorate on Thursday with Deputy Commissioner Quazi Md. Anwarul Hakim in the chair. Officials of the district and Upazila, freedom fighters, head of the educational institutions, professionals, socio- cultural activists, political leaders and local elite attended the meeting.

The programmes include placing of floral wreaths at the Shaheed Minar at Poura Park in the district town and other Shaheed Miners in upazila towns on February 21, hoisting of national flag at half mast atop all government, semi-government, private buildings and all educational institutions, offering of special prayers at places of worship, holding of discussion and cultural functions.

News briefs

Extremists held

DINAJPUR, Feb 20: Police arrested two extremists of an outlawed party along with a firearm and bullets from Sukhsagor area of Sadar Upazila on Sunday. Police said the terrorists Saiful Islam and Asad Ali attacked and stabbed Golam Mostafa Shihab, a second year student of Dinajpur Government College, in the afternoon, leaving him seriously injured. On information police rushed to the spot and arrested them along with a firearm, two rounds of bullet and a sharp knife. Another report from Khulna said: A listed terrorist was arrested along with a gun from Rail Station in Fultala upazila on Monday morning, reports UNB.

Journalist jailed

KHULNA, Feb 20: A local journalist was jailed for five years in an extortion case by a Speedy Trial Tribunal here on Sunday. The court also fined the convict Shahbaz Khan, journalist of the daily Falafal, published from Khulna, Tk 5,000, in default, to suffer five months RI more. Police arrested Shahbaz Khan when he was taking Tk 5,000 as toll from the authority of Mamata Clinic under Khan Jahan Ali thana on October 2, 1007. A case was filed with the Tribunal on the same day. After examining 11 witnesses and records, Judge M Shamim Azad handed down the verdict in the crowded courtroom, reports UNB.

Loan disbursed

PIROJPUR, Feb 20: Bangladesh Krishi Bank regional office here disbursed over Tk 13.84 crore loans among the farmers during the first six months of the current fiscal year. The loans were given for crop cultivation, pisciculture, dairy farming and for procuring farm machinery. Sources said 24 branches of the bank disbursed the loans among 6,709 growers. Krishi Bank has taken a programme to disburse loans worth Tk 41.80 crore in the district during current fiscal year, reports UNB.

Valuables looted

SYLHET, Feb 20: Armed bandits looted cash and valuables from two expatriates' houses at Fulsaindh village in Golapganj Upazila early Sunday. Police said a gang of robbers dividing into two groups entered the houses of expatriates, Israb Ali and Harun Mia in the village at about 2 AM. They looted cash Tk 7.50 lakh, 35 tolas of gold ornaments and other valuables worth about 10 lakh from the house of Israb Ali and cash and valuables worth about Tk 20 lakh from the nearby house of Harun Mia. Two separate cases were filed with the local police station, reprots UNB.

3 held in Joypurhat

JOYPURHAT, Feb 20: Joint Forces arrested three people, including a headmaster, along with 45 pieces of CI sheet of government's relief fund from Borail village in Khetlal Upazila on Sunday. On secret information, a team of the law enforcers seized 27 pieces of CI sheet from the house of Asadul Islam, five pieces from the house of Azizar Raham, General Secretary of Borail union BNP, and 13 pieces from the house of Aminul Islam of the village. Later, they arrested Shamsul Haq, 38, headmaster of Borail Junior High School, Asadul Islam, night guard of the school, and Aminul Islam of Borail village. They could not arrest Azizar Rahman as he fled the scene sensing their presence, reprots UNB.

Sexagenarian man killed in Satkhira road mishap

SATKHIRA, Feb 20: A sexagenarian man was killed and his wife and a rickshaw van driver were injured in a road accident on Satkhira-Khulna highway near Kumira bus stand in Tala upazila Sunday morning. The dead was identified as Abul Kashem, 60, of Kasti village in Keshobpur Upazila of Jessore. Police and witnesses said the accident occurred when a speeding truck hit the rickshaw van carrying Kashem and his wife Marjina, 55, killing him on the spot and injuring his wife and the van driver seriously, reprots UNB.