The New Nation - Internet Edition

Lichi cultivation changes fortunes of Narail farmers

BSS, Narail

Lichi cultivation has brought smile on the faces of farmers at 15 villages in Narail district.

This year they sold lichis of about Taka 5 crore from 500 orchards, which have changed their fortune, according to farmers and agriculture officials.

"Nowadays, a farmer earns Tk 70,000 to 80,000 by growing lichis on one bigha land, while paddy or jute brought only Taka 10,000 to 12,000 earlier", Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Fifatul Hossain told BSS.

The 500 gardens cover about 650 acres of land, he said.

During the visit, BSS Correspondent saw most of the farmers at the 15 villages---Pankabila, Uzirpur, Simakhali, Laskarpur, Bizoypur, Kurigram, Masumdia, Singasholpur, Kashipur, Basgram, Mamlapur, South Narail, Arenda, Per Mollikpur and Maizpara---are now very busy with harvesting lichees. According to the farmers, being failure to achieve good output in paddy or jute cultivation for years, most of them have engaged themselves in lichis cultivation.

Success of lichis-growers at those villages is now a topic of discussion for many people and officials in Narail and adjoining districts. Agriculture and horticulture officials often visit the lichis orchards and encourage others to follow the example. Farmers in the areas always remain busy with nursing their orchards.

The farmers earlier had been passing hard time due to frequent crop failure. Fortune smiled on them after they met high officials of the horticulture department.

Inspired by agriculture and horticulture Departments in 1995, Kamruzzaman Khan Tuhin and 25 other farmers of Pankabila under Sadar upazila in the district planted lichis trees on about 35 bighas of land at the village.

They could not imagine that some day this would bring fortune. "In the current year, I earned about Taka 1.5 lakh from lichis cultivation but the total cost was only Taka 30,000," Tuhin said. Their success inspired others at nearby villages and they also raised lichis orchards on their lands instead of cultivating jute or paddy. Lichis cultivation needs small investment but the return is big. Now is the peak harvesting season and traders from Dhaka, Manikganj, Barisal, Gopalganj come to the area to buy lichis every day, farmers said.

Suspension of ETV journos condemned

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Leaders of the Barisal Metropolitan Journalist Union and Barisal Reporters Unity expressed their solidarity with the views and programmes of the journalists unions and editors of national dailies to protect press freedom.

They also expressed their deep concern against the direct and indirect interference of different security agencies in day-to-day works of the media to control the freedom of press and speeches. Now the media is forced to work with limited right under emergency power rule that erode fundamental rights of freedom of speech of the citizens, the BRU and BMUJ leaders said.

They called for removing all setbacks to independent journalism.

In another statement, BMUJ condemned the suspension of journalists and media workers in f Ekushey Television and demanded their immediate restoration in service.

Bus owners asked to take proper route permits from BRTA

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Police administrations ordered to close 20 local bus ticket counters operating illegally for inter district passengers on different long routes of the division.

Besides bus owners asked to operate from only one ticket counter at the main inter-district terminal at every district town or city headquarter for long routes.

The decision was taken after a joint meeting between the bus owners association leaders, bus company representatives and police administration officials on Tuesday night at Barisal Nathullabad central bus terminal.

According to this decision except the six central bus terminal of the district headquarters five ticket counters at Nathullabad, Bakerganj, Gournadi and Ichhaldi of Barisal and Lebukhali of Patuakhali district will operate the loading, unloading and ticketing works of the passengers of long and inter district routes.

The other 20 local bus counters including Goriarpar,Rahamatpur,Joyosri, Shanuhar, Batajore, Mahilara,and Shibpur on Barisal-Dhaka highway and Rupatali, Dapdapia,Niamati, Betagi, Kathaltali and other stoppages on Barisal-Patuakhali-Barguna highways operating illegally for ticketing passengers of inter district routes without taking any approval from Bangladesh Road Transportation Authority and must be closed down within next seven days..

Sources said more than 150 buses of 40 road transport companies plying in long distance routes connecting different districts of the country with different destinations of six districts this division.

Unauthorized counters used for ticketing and loading, unloading passenger and goods are not only changed the direct routes to local via routes and counters in different stoppages wasting time and taking extra charges for direct route operations, but also endangered safety and security of the passengers.

It also often created clashes between the local, inter district bus operators, and extended chances to the miscreants of dacoit, aggayan party, and malom party gangs.

Kazi Mortaz Ahmed, deputy police commissioner (headquarter) of Barisal Metropolitan Police said all inter district and local route operator bus companies directed to take proper route permits and collect valid documents including fitness of the vehicles from BRTA .

Seminar on Bangladeshi History held at RU

RU, Correspondent

Islamic History and Culture department of Rajshahi University (RU) on Thursday organized a seminar at RU Dean's complex.

"Establishment of Bangladesh: History and culture (Bangladesher Sthapotto : Prokiti o dhara" was the title of the seminar .

Prof .Emirates of Islamic History and Culture dept. Dr. A.B.M. Hossain presented the keynotes of the seminar while there spoke Prof. Emirates Dr. Yakub Ali and Dr.Kazi Mustafizur RAhman on the topic. The programme was presided over by chairman of Islamic History and Culture dept Prof Kazi M. Mistafizur Rahman. About 200 students and teachers of several departments were present on the seminar.

Release of Sheikh Hasina demanded

RU Correspondent

Bangladesh Chattra League, a wing of Bangladesh Awami League, Rajshahi University (RU) unit on Thursday demanded immediate release of the ex-premier Sheikh Hasina through a silent procession.

About 200 activists led by General Secretary Ayn Uddin formed a silent procession at campus from 11 am to 12 pm. After the silent procession there spooked at their tent Ayn Uddin , Joint secretary Azim Bin Kamal Uzzal ,Mamun Ur Rashid , Abdullah Al Masud ,Sumon, Dulal ,Sahahdat and other leader of RU unit. The speakers demanded the withdrawal of all cases against premier Sheikh Hasina and unconditional release as soon as possible on their speech.

They also declared at program of Home coming day of National leader Sheikh Muzibur Rahman.

6 drug-peddlers held with phensidyl in Rajshahi

BSS, Rajshahi

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), in different anti crime drives, picked up six suspected drug-peddlers and seized phensidyl and scrap materials from different areas in Rajshahi and Joypurhat districts during the last 24 hours till on Monday afternoon, RAB sources said. Acting on tips-off, they arrested the drug-peddlers including a female identified as Sadequl Islam, 20, Milon Mian, 40, Begum, 35, Nazmul Hossain, 23, Rentu Mian, 35, and Uzzal Hossain, 26, and seized 197 bottles of phensidyl during five separate raids at different areas in the two districts. In another raid conducted at Shreerampur area under Rajpara police station in Rajshahi city, another RAB team seized 30 kilograms of copper and brass scrap materials, which were being smuggled out to India. However, none could be arrested in this connection.

The arrested persons and the seized goods including the contraband drugs were handed over to the concerned police stations after recording separate cases in these connections.

News Briefs

Van driver killed in road mishap

Sirajganj, May 17: A van driver was crushed under the wheels of a lorry at Neor in Ullapara upazila on Bogra-Nagarbari highway Thursday. The dead was identified as Moinuddin, 40. Local people said the lorry knocked down the van of Moinuddin and ran over him at about 5 am killing him on the spot. In another accident, 10 people were injured as a bus fell into a roadside ditch at Chala in the same upazila this morning. Of the injured, five were admitted to the uapzila health complex and five others to Sadar hospital, reports UNB.

Farmer dies of heatstroke in Gaibandha

Gaibandha, May 17: A sexagenarian farmer died of heatstroke on the premises of Dhopadanga Union Parishad office in Sundarganj upazila on Wednesday. Local people said Shaheb Uddin, 70, of Gobindapur village in Sadar upazila was in the queue under the scorching sun on the premises Dhopadanga Union Parishad office from morning for receiving subsidy money for diesel. Later, he received the subsidy money of Tk 117 at about noon. As he was feeling sick due to the scorching heat, he ate a piece watermelon from a local shop and chewed betel leaf and at one stage he fell unconscious, reports UNB.

Eight snatchers jailed for five years in Sherpur

Sherpur, May 17: A court here on Wednesday sentenced eight snatchers to five years rigorous imprisonment each for mugging at Madhutila Eco Park in Nalitabari upazila. The convicts are Mobarrak Hossain alias Rafiqul, 20, Uzzal, 21, Rashid, 25, Nabi Hossain, 25, Kalu alias Azad, 20, Anwar Hossain, 20, Shahjahan, 28, and Ilias, 27. The court also fined them Tk 5,000 each, in default, to suffer six months RI more. According to the prosecution, the accused snatched valuables from five visitors at Madhutila Eco Park in Nalitabari upazila on January 17, this year, reports UNB

Valuables looted in Sylhet

Sylhet, May 17: Dacoits looted cash and valuables worth over Tk 5 lakh from a house at Mohishkher village in Companiganj upazila Tuesday. Local people said a gang of bandits numbering 10/12 swooped on the house of Israb Ali at dead of night and at one stage tied up the inmates at gunpoint. They took away Tk 55,000 in cash, nine tolas of gold ornaments and other valuables after beating up Israb Ali mercilessly. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Woman killed by husband in Laxmipur

Laxmipur, May 17: A housewife was killed allegedly by her husband at Rasulganj village in Sadar upazila on Wednesday afternoon. Local people said Monir Hossain strangulated his wife Morzina Khatun, 23, to death following a family feud. On information, police rushed to the spot and arrested Monir Hossain. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Agri-subsidy demanded

JAMALPUR, May 17: Agitated farmers who were dropped out from the list of the recipients of diesel subsidy made their demand for subsidy to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Sarishabari on Wednesday. Over one hundred farmers gathered at the UNO office and following assurances from the upazila agriculture officer they left the place. When contacted, UNO Mohammad Zakaria said that the farmers, who were left out earlier will be included in the list, reports BSS.