The New Nation - Internet Edition

Maize cultivation gaining popularity in N regions

Our Correspondent, Sirajganj

The maize cultivation is gaining popularity in Nourthern districts and the farmers are bringing more land under the cultivation of this profitable grain. The sandy sail and climate of the region is favourable for the cultivation and growth of maize during the summer and winter temperature that does not hamper cultivation of maize. It may be cultivated on high land round the year. The branches plants of maize with soft straight strem are shorter than that of any other variety of plant. There is little possible of any harm to the plants by storm and rain. Besides, pest attack is hardly noticed. Maize grades second to wheat in the world cereal production in European Community, Canada, Brazil, Argentina and South Africa are important producers of maize in the world.

Maize is used for the preparation of nutritious food, animal feed and fodder and several industrial products. Maize cultivation method is very easy and production cost is comparatively low.

It can be cultivated at any time of the year. Naturally, it gives the highest production during the rabi season from October to April and in Kharif-1 from February to June and in Kharif-2 from July to November. As the maize plants collect food and water for existence and maturity from deep layer of soil by long roots, they do not cause harm to other crops and soil fertility.

Local varieties of maize are Mohor, Shurva, Barnally and the high breed varieties are Sewra, Pacific-2 that can be easily grown for preparation of deligious and nutritious foods. Such as khai, luchi, puri, cake, sweets, bread and biscuits can be made with maize flour by mixing with wheat, flour. Corn oil is super fine edible oil of the world which extorted from maize and it is used for preparing action acid, alcohol, paint, artificial rubber, gunpowder, medicines etc.

The maize needs produce standard corn oil which is very useful for cooking purpose and the oilcake from the maize seeds can be used with fodder for cattle and fuel.

Besides, maize is the only crop which contains magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine etc. for this, it is regarded as enriched food. It may be mentioned here that the farmers of Naido Syedpur union under Sirajganj district started making molasses is from maize plant juice in the year 2006. The molasses like sugarcane molasses.

There is no problem of marketing and seeds of maize are now available in the market. As a result, the farmers of Northern districts are interested to maize cultivation. There are bright prospects of producing maize in all the Northern districts including Sirajganj.

Agriculture experts told this Correspondent that if the government come forward to remove the barriers in maize cultivation, the country will not only be self-sufficient in food production but also can earn a lot of foreign exchange by exporting maize and maize products.

The prospect of producing maize is bright in the country, specially in the drought affected areas of the northern district of the country. If maize is cultivated on a large scale it will help make a new economic base for the farmers of the northern region. It is expected that the production of maize will be increased like paddy and wheat. To boost the production the agriculturists have been working to find revenue for maize cultivation.

Maize is the staple food in subhumid tropical areas of latin America and Africa. Maize is largely produced, consumed and traded between industrialised countries. Maize is mainly used in the developing countries of human consumption.

Steps taken to distribute maternity allowances for pregnant mothers

Our Correspondent, Gaibandhak

An elaborate programme has been taken up for the ultra poor pregnant and child bearing mothers by the Directorate of Women Affairs in all the seven upazilas in the district during the current financial year.

The aim of the programme is to reduce the mortality rate of pregnant mothers, increase the rate of breast feeding, ante-natal and post-natal care and feeding of nutritious food to pregnant mothers.

Increase the rate of EPI and family planning adoption, encouragement of birth control, prevention of the dowry, divorce and early marriage and the motivation of marriage registration were also the objectives of the programme, sources said.

Under this programme a total of 1230 poor pregnant and child-bearing mothers have been selected from 82 unions in the district and they are being given Tk. 300/- per month each. Each of the beneficiaries will get the allowance for two years, sources said.

As many as 105 beneficiaries of the seven unions of Gobindagonj Upazila have been given allowance on Tuesday in a simple function, each of them got Tk. 1800/- from July to December of last year.

The rest of the beneficiaries will get their allowance within a month, said Most. Mahumuda Khatun, District Women Affairs Officer, the people from the all walks of life highly appreciated the maternity allowance distribution programme for the pregnant mothers.

Nursery business boosts rural economy, afforestation movement in Rangpur

BSS. Rangpur

The nursery business has put a very positive impact on the rural economy in terms of poverty alleviation, women empowerment and boosting social forestation movement of the government in northern Bangladesh.

Officials said here on Thursday that the nursery business has now become one of the most profitable ones with over 55,000 private sector nurseries of different sizes have grown spreading over the entire region and the number has been increasing onwards.

They said growth of nurseries has been making the participatory social afforestation programme successful in one hand, alleviating poverty and empowering women with self-reliance on the other in the region in recent years.

Officials said the highest ever number of saplings including fruits, medicinal plants and timber grown in the private sector nurseries were sold last year as the tree plantation drive has already took a shape of social movement in the region.

According to an average estimate, over 45,000 families have changed their lot by achieving self-reliance through nursery business during the past one decade and the sector has been boosting faster.

Officials said the tree plantation drive has turned into a successful social movement in the region following implementation of various steps by the government, NGOs, environmental and professional bodies.

They said about five crore fruit-bearing and medicinal plants and timber saplings are being planted annually in the region, resulting in faster growth of nurseries in the private sector with growing demands of saplings.

Over 20,000 families, who collected different varieties of fruit- bearing saplings, including hybrid varieties, from the nursery owners, also achieved economic self-reliance during the period.

Officials said an extensive programme and necessary steps are being taken to plant over five crore saplings of various kinds in the region this year.

The private sector bodies, different government departments have also been planting a huge number of saplings including Neem, coconut and cane every year.

The Forest Department, Department of Agriculture Extension, Local Government and Engineering Department, Water Development Board, district and administrations, Police, BDR, different non- government and voluntary organisations have been also planting huge saplings in the region.

Blankets distributed among Sidr-hit people in Gopalganj

Our Correspondent, Gopalganj

The Islami Bank Bangladesh has distributed 100 blankets among the 100 Sidr affected cold-hit families and taka 10,000, per family has gotten one piece of blankets and Taka 100 in cash, recently.

Islami Bank arranged the blankets and relief money distribution function at the Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, Gopalganj branch premises on Feb. 16 at 10 AM.

Mohammad Zahangir Alam, Manager, Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, Gopalganj branch presided over the distribution function.

Prof Belayet Hossain, former principal, Gopalganj Government Bangabondhu University College also, was present as chief guest.

Moulana Abdul Hamid, Principal, Gopalganj Alia Madrasha, Mohammad Abul Hossain, former Headmaster S.M. Model Government High School, Faruk Hassan, 2nd Officer, Islami Bank, Gopalgonj branch were also present as special guests.

2 abducted minor girls rescued in Jessore

Our Correspondent, Jessore

Local people rescused two minor girl students and arrested one woman child trafficker while she was trying to kidnap them at village Sarder Bugdanga under Kotwali thana in the district recently.

The rescued children were identified as Bithi (6), daughter of Mander Ali of Churamonkati village (Rishipara) and Suborna (5), daughter of Modhu Rishi. Both of them were the students of class one of Churamonkati Govt. Primary Achool.

According to local people, both the student, were returning to their home after the end of the school.

On the way, child trafficker Parveena ali salaloti (32) picked them in a van saying that she will send them to their houses, but she brought them to Sardar Bugdanga instead of their home.

The woman trafficker confined Suborna and Bithi in a room of Abdus Salam who was also a child trafficker of Bugdanga village.

When the news of this kidnapping spread the area, School Committee Member Hazi Hafijur Rahman and Sanjoy Kumar Das went to the house of Salam and rescued the two minor girl students and caught child trafficker Maloti from there but they could not catch Salam as he fled away.

Being informed Sajiali outpost police rushed there and took them toto their custody and arrested Maloti. Later the In-charge of outpost police hander them over to Kotwali Thana police.

News briefs

Husband gets death penalty

JHENIDAH, Mar 1: A court here on Monday convicted a man and sentenced him to death for killing his wife for dowry five years ago. The condemned convict was identified Abdul Aziz Mistri of Dora village in Kotchandpur upazila of the district. According to the prosecution, Aziz married Lipi Khatun, daughter of Ishaq Ali of the same village, and took Tk 7,000 as dowry from her father. Some days after the marriage, Lipi's father gave Aziz more money, as he started torturing her for the same. On August 30, 2003, Aziz again pressed Lipi for more dowry money and on her refusal he beat her mercilessly and at one stage hit her on the head with a trick, leaving her senseless. Later, Lipi died on way to local hospital. After the incident, Aziz went into hiding. A case was filed, reports UNB.

BNP leader gets 10-yr RI

CHANDPUR, Mar 1: A local BNP leader was Tuesday sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by a district court in an extortion case. The convict was identified as Abdul Jalil Sarder, 40, secretary of BNP Haimchar Upazila unit. According to the prosecution, Jalil Sarder demanded a toll of Tk 40,000 from the authority of Haimchar Adarsha Shishu Niketan on May 2006 after Chandpur Zila Parisad sanctioned a grant of Tk 75,000 for the school's repairing and renovation works. Later, the founder of the school and chief of the school development committee Mazharul Islam handed over a cheque of Tk 40,000 to Jalil Sarder on June 18, 2006, reports UNB.

Valuables looted

GOALANDA (Rajbari), Mar 1: Armed dacoits looted cash and valuables from a scrap businessman's house at Doulatdia area here on Sunday night. Police said a gang of bandits numbering 8/10 stormed into the rented house of scrap businessman Abul Hashem at about 8pm and looted cash Tk 1.10 lakh, gold ornaments and other valuables at gunpoint. The robbers at one stage beat Abul Hashem when he tried to resist them leaving him seriously injured and fled away with the booty. The victim was admitted to Goalanda Hospital. A case was filed with the local police station. Police arrested one Shahid in connection with the robbery, reports UNB.

3 held with firearm in Comilla

COMILLA, Mar 1: Elite force RAB arrested three people along with a firearm from a hotel at Padua Bazar in Sadar South upazila Monday night. Acting on a tip off, a team of RAB-11 raided the Sunmoon residential hotel at about 9pm and arrested Shamsul Islam Monir, 25, Mosharraf Hossain, 25 and Shahdat Hossain Shaon, 24, along with a revolver. A case was filed against them under Arms Act, reports UNB.

Voter registration starts

CHUADANGA, Mar 1: Voter registration began in Alamdanga upazila of the district on Monday. A total of 770 information collectors, 173 supervisors and 16 assistant returning officers have been appointed for the purpose. Alamdanga Upazila of the district consists of one pourashava and 13 unions. Voter registration in Alamdanga Upazila is expected to be completed within 15 days, reports BSS.

Warm clothes distributed

GAIBANDHA, Mar 1: The joint forces distributed huge quantities of warm clothes among the cold affected poor people in all the seven upazilas aimed at mitigating the sufferings of the people. Sources said, a total of 29,602 pieces of warm clothes were distributed among the cold victims of different places including char areas of the district, reports BSS.