The New Nation - Internet Edition

Make success rice procurement drive to ensure food security: Shawkat

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

The Adviser for Food and Disaster Management Dr M M Shawkat Ali said that the farmers of the country are getting fair prices of their hard-earned Boro paddy this year as the government could fix the prices of the Boro paddy and started launching the countrywide Boro paddy and rice procurement drive in due time.

In this context, the food adviser emphasised the need for successful implementation of the countrywide Boro paddy and rive procurement drive programme to help the government attaining a sufficient stock position of foodgrains in the government food-godowns to ensure food security for the country's people . He was addressing a view-exchanging meeting on "Food situation and Food Procurement drive" with the Officers of District and Upazila Administration and District Food Department, foodgrain businessmen and rice mill owners of the district at the conference room of the DC office here on Monday. Presided over by deputy commissioner Netrakona Mohammad Aiyatullah Mojumder, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Director General (DG) of food directorate Peus Kosta, Commanding Officer of BDR Netrakona Lt Col Jowherul Islam, district food controller Mohammad Hanif, Thana Nirbahi Officer of Purbadhala upazila Haider Ali, local food businessman Mustafijur Rahman Rezvi and Journalist Muklesur Rahman Khan.

The food adviser issued instructions to the district food procurement committee for closely monitoring the Boro paddy and rice procurement drive in the district to ensure that no farmer is harassed by any quarter, during the period of supplying paddy in the food godowns.

In this connection, he sounded a note of warning as saying that stern action would be taken against the persons who would be responsible for suffering of any farmer. Dr. Shawkat also underlined the need for retaining vigilance of all to check any incident of smuggling of Boro paddy across the border. Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Netrakona Mohammad Aiyatullah Mojumder briefed the adviser about the overll food situation and on-going Boro paddy and rice procurement drive of the district. During the briefing the DC informed that the district has achieved a bumper production of Boro paddy this year as over six lakh metric tons of Boro paddy has been p;roduced in the district. Meanwhil, nearly two thousands metric tons of Boro rice has been procured in different food-godawns of the district where the target was fixed to procure 22,000 metric tonnes of Boro rice and 10,000 metric tonnes of Boro paddy by the district food procurement committee.

Fruit farming can bring economic uplift for rural people

BSS, Rangpur

Agro-experts here at a farmers' gathering said that the rural people could achieve economic well-being through increased productions of fruits in their homesteads.

Chief Scientific Officer of Burirhat Agriculture Research Centre (BARC) Dr M Hafiz Ullah chaired the occasion organised by BARC on its premises recently.

Gangachara upazila agriculture officer and senior scientific officers and horticulturists of BARC were present in the gathering that was attended by 200 farmers of the area.

The agro-experts said that fruits farming throughout the country is now contributing about 10 percent of the total earnings from agro-productions.

The farmers can cultivate more high-valued fruits in the homesteads using the latest agro-technologies which might increase the contribution further. Suggesting the agro-scientists for popularising fruits farming, the experts asked them to produce and distribute high yielding, hybrid and developed varieties of high valued fruit saplings among the farmers and common people in rural Bangladesh.

'It is highly possible to earn huge foreign exchange by exporting locally produced fruits abroad after meeting the demand within the country and the farmers can earn the highest profits through cultivating fruits,' they added.

Goats distributed among distressed women in Dhunot

BSS, Dhunot

Family Development Sangsad (FDS), a local NGO, distributed goats among the distressed women members of the organisation at its office in Dhunot upazila of Bogra on Thursday.

UNO of Dhunot upazila M Abdullah Harun, as the chief guest, distributed the goats under the assistance of MCC-Bangladesh, at a simple ceremony organised by the FDS with Manjur Alam in the chair.

Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Solaiman Ali, Sadar UP chairman Nurul Islam Khoka, Executive Director of FDS Atikur Rahman, MSS representative Abul Basher and Tozammel Haque, among others, addressed.

A total of 30 women were given black Bengal goats on the occasion to assist them in achieving economic self-reliance.

Mass hunger programme observed in Gazipur

Our Correspondent, Gazipur

Mass hunger programme called by Awami League was held at Al Gazipur District Unit office on Tuesday. It began at 10 AM and ended 4 PM.

A discussion meeting was held with Dist. AL President Advocate A K M Mozammel Hoque in the chair Awami League presidium member Amir Hossain Amu spoke as the chief guest at mass hunger programme. He said in his speech there is no alternative way but release of Sheikh Hasina." We want to go to dialogue with the president of Awami League Sheikh Hasina. Mass programme was observed to press home the demand of releasing Sheikh Hasina and her proper treatment abroad. He called upon activists to take preparation for greater movement. AL central joint secretary Mukul Bosh, Mohila League, central president Fazila Tunnesa, Ashrafunessa, Zahid Ahsan Rasel, AL, Gazipur district general secy. Advocate Ajmatullah Khan spoke at the function.

It is noted, Mass Hunger programme was ended at 4 PM by drinking water and juice.

Daring dacoity committed in Jessore

Our Correspondent, Jessore

A dacoity was commited in broad day light on 15th May at about 2-30 PM. The dacoits looted vathables worth about Tk. 15 lakh with cash money Tk. 2.50 lakh and gold ornaments in absence of the house owner.

Being informed, Kotwali police visited the place of occurrence but they could not recovered any looted goods and also could not arrest anyone in this regard. House owner M A Quddus filed a case with the Kotwali Thana police in this connection.

All parties start political activities in Gouripur

Our Correspondent, Gouripur

Due to withdrawal of ban on indoor political activities, all political party offices of Gouripur upazila in Mymenisngh district have become full of high spirits and excitement.

Awami League president, Gouripur upazila unit and former MP Captain (Ret) Dr Majibur Rahman Fakir; BNP front leader of this upazila Engineer M Iqbal Hossain; BNP leader Upazila Krishak Dal president Alhaj Makbul Hossain Khan and other political leaders are communicating with their respective political workers, leaders and supporters.

Besides those who will be upazila chairman candidates, union chairman candidates and municipal chairman candidates are launching poll campaign and are trying to remain close to the common people and the poor. Many of them started coming to the party offices regularly to expose their activities.

Businessman killed in Bagerhat road crash

BSS, Khulna

A businessman was killed and his two brothers were injured in a road accident near the toll plaza of Mollahat Bridge on the Khulna-Dhaka highway in Bagerhat on Monday morning.

The dead was identified as Sadek Ali Laskar alias Heera, 40, an eminent businessman of Khulna. The injured are his brothers Sujat Ali Laskar, 44, and Shamsher Ali Mintu, 42. They were released from hospital after taking first aid.

The accident occurred when an ambulance the victims were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a ditch.

Police said the ambulance was carrying the body of the mother of the victims Hasina Begum, who died at a clinic in Dhaka on Saturday.

Mollahat police recovered the body and sent it to Bagerhat Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

News Briefs

Housewife sustains acid burn injuries in Moulvibazar

Moulvibazar, May 21: A housewife suffered severe burn injuries in an acid attack over a land dispute at Rameswarpur village in Komolganj upazila Sunday night. The victim was identified as Anwara Begum, 30, widow of Rifatullah of Bhadaishadewl village. Local people said there was a longstanding enmity between Anwara and co-villager Taibullah over the ownership of a plot of land. Following the dispute, the miscreants threw acid on Anwara at dead of night at her father's house at Rameswarpur where she recently came to pay a visit. The victim was admitted to Sadar hospital in critical condition. A case was filed, report UNB.

Tea trader commits suicide in Sunamganj

Sylhet, May 21 : A tea trader allegedly committed suicide at Goutgaon village in Jagannathpur upazila of Sunamganj district on Tuesday. Police said Dipendhra Kumar Dev, 55, of Raninagar village, also a local tea trader took his own life by hanging himself from a tree at his neighboring village Tuesday morning. Being informed by villagers, police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. The reason behind the suicide could not be known immediately. A UD case was filed, report UNB.

Freedom fighter killed by rival in Sylhet

Sylhet, May 21 : A freedom fighter, who was injured critically in Monday's attack by his rival at Bitar village in Jakiganj upazila, died at Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Shafiqul Haque, 70, of the village. Local people said there was an altercation between freedom fighter Shafiqul's wife Mayarunnesa and neighbour Kabir Ahmed's wife over a trifling matter. At one stage, Kabir struck Shafiqul with a dao (sharp weapon) leaving him critically wounded in the afternoon. He was rushed to the hospital where he died at 6am Tuesday, report UNB.

Laksam Purba Union Parishad's budget announced

Comilla, May 21 : Chairman of Laksam Purba Union Parishad Nurunnabi Chowdhury announced a Tk 21.74 lakh budget for the fiscal 2008-09 on Sunday. In the proposed budget announced at the UP office revenue earning and government grants were estimated at Tk 21.74 lakh while the expenditure at Tk 21.73 lakh. Laksam upazila Nirbahi Officer AKM Mamunur Rashid, laksam thana officer-in-charge Priyadarhi Barua, local businessmen and elite were present on the occasion, report UNB.

Outlawed party leader arrested with arms in Rajbari

Rajbari, May 21 : Police arrested a regional leader of outlawed 'Sarbahara' party from Kolarhat village in Sadar upazila Sunday evening. The arrested was identified as Mohammad Islam alias Akash, 22, son of Ershad Sheikh of east Ujanchar village in Goalanda upazila. Akash, also ringleader of notorious 'Akash Bahini', was wanted in a number of arms and extortion cases, police said. Later, the law-enforcers acting on his confessional statement seized a shutter-gun along with one round of bullet from the courtyard of the house of one Abdul Qader of nearby Joypur village, report UNB.

Workshop on AIDS held in Gazipur

Gazipur, May 21 : A daylong workshop on "Role of Mass Media in Preventing AIDS" was held in the district town on Tuesday. ADP World Vision, an NGO working on AIDS in Bangladesh, organized the workshop. World vision Gazipur programme manager David Chakravarti conducted the workshop. A total of 20 correspondents of various national local dailies took part in the workshop, report UNB.