The New Nation - Internet Edition

Farmers worried at low price of maize in northern dists

BSS, Rangpur

Farmers are worried at, what they said, an unusual low price of their newly harvested maize, which witnessed an all-time bumper production in the northern Bangladesh this year.

Harvesting of the crop has already been completed in the region, farmers and officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) told BSS.

Deputy Director of the DAE, Rangpur Kamal Shariful Alam said that the present price of maize is very discouraging and much lower than that of the last year.

He pointed out that huge losses in the poultry sector following attacks of bird-flu substantially reduced the demand of maize in the poultry feed industries, as rearing of poultry birds in the region and the country as a whole suffered a serious setback.

Because of lower demand, price of maize has come down to Take 350 per mound (every 40 kgs) on an average in recent weeks making the farmers worried, he said.

Farmer and market sources said that price of maize was Taka 400 per mound on an average a month ago and the same was at Taka 550 per mound one and a half month ago in the region.

Unhappy farmers told BSS that favourable climate and various steps taken by the government under the post-flood agri-rehabilitation programme encouraged them for increased maize production to achieve high yield this year.

The DAE had fixed a target of producing 7,00,602 tones maize from 1,35,155 hectares of land this season that was an all-time record target for the region in maize farming.

The farmers, however, cultivated the crop in 2,02,600 hectares land that is fifty percent higher than that of the fixed target and the overall maize production stood at around twelve lakh tons this season in the region, officials said.

Several farmers at bigger markets of Badarganj, Pirgachha, Kaliganj, Aditmari, Kanthalbari, Durgapur, Maddhyapara, Fulbari and Habrahat in greater Rangpur and Dinajpur told BSS that they were not incurring losses but profit was not noticeable this time from maize farming.

"We had expected the sale price of a maund of maize at Taka 650 to 800 this season but we are disappointed to see that the buyers have reduced it in between Taka 320 and 370 per maund," they said.

According to the farmers, some middlemen and unfair businessmen together also might have formed syndicates to purchase the crop at a low price and stock it to sell at higher prices at an opportune moment to maximize profit.

Stipend, edn support allowance disbursed among aboriginal students

BSS, Panchbibi

Speakers at a ceremony here Friday underscored the need to make the aboriginal community people properly educated and bring them to the mainstream of society for ensuring their empowerment and equal advancements.

They said this while addressing a ceremony organised in Panchbibi upazila parishad auditorium on the occasion of distributing sub-stipend money and other education support allowances among the aboriginal students of Panchbibi upazila in Joypurhat.

Oirganised by Panchbibi Adibashi Multipurpose Development Organisation (PAMDO), Panchbibi UNO Siddikur Rahman attended the ceremony as the chief guest and distributed the allocations granted by the Special Affairs Davison of the Chief Advisers' Office.

Upazila level government officers of different departments, UP chairmen and members leaders of the aboriginal communities in the upazila, civil society members, elite and journalists were present. Assistant Commissioner (Land) Ation Kumar Kundu, Executive Director of Pamdu Kashinath Mahato, Atapur UP chairman Abu Chowdhury, local elite Abdul Latif and Ruhul Amin, addressed, among others.

A total of Taka 2.70 lakh was distributed among 250 secondary, higher secondary and higher education level aboriginal students as sub-stipends and education support allowances in the ceremony.

Industrial effluent polluting environment in Rupganj

Our Correspondent, Rupganj

Industrial chemical wastages are allegedly being dumped inside the irrigation projects and in the rivers, fertility of the lands is being lost and spoilt acutely.

Poisonous effluent thrown by the industries are extremely polluting the atmosphere in Rupgonj and surroundings.

The authority concerned is blind to prevent the phase Industrial wastes, coloured and polluted water are being drained into the water protection project named NND, Agrani irrigation project.

At least two hundred small and big industries are located from Kanchpur intersection of Dhaka Sylhet highway and by pass road to Panchrukhi. Most of the installations have no wastage refinery system. The water of the rivers and canals is absolutely contaminated due to wastages and environment is being dreadfully polluted.

Consequently farm lands are losing productivity, fishes are dying. Mass people are being deprived of getting good crops. In the meantime odour is being emitted surrounding the industries.

Dumping wastages in the farm lands are not being stopped even though the nuisance was published in the dailies.

Some fatal diseases namely bronchitis, skin diseases, bad headache, heart attacks have broken out in the affected localities. Water crisis prevail in these localities.

'Early identification and DOTS method can eradicate TB’

BSS, Khansama

Speakers at a seminar at Khansama in Dinajpur said the curable disease of tuberculosis (TB) can be eradicated through early identification and bringing all tuberculosis patients under the direct observe treatment short- course (DOTS) programme.

Parbotipur Lamb Hospital with the assistances of local upazila administration organised the daylong seminar at Khansama upazila parishad auditorium on Thursday for the officials and civil society members to eradicate TB once for all from the society.

With UNO of Khansama upazila Fazlul Kabir in the chair, the meeting was addressed by government and NGO officials, teachers, public representatives, health and family planning workers and senior expert of Lamb Hospital. Government officials, NGO activists, UP chairmen and members, local elite, members of upazila DOTS committee, teachers, lawyers, community leaders, members of the civil society, socio-cultural activists and journalists took part in the seminar.

It was decided in the seminar that massive public awareness campaign would be conducted through collective efforts for popularising the DOTS method for TB treatment in the upazila.

The Lamb Hospital representatives informed that a total 60 TB patients from all six UPs in Khansama upazila of Dianjpur have been identified and are now undergoing treatments of the hospital.

12 held with phensidyl in Kishoreganj

Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj

RAB-9 arrested 12 persons and seized 2 (two) microbuses with 950 bottles of Phensidyl from toll plaza of UK-Bangladesh Motrie bridge area under Bhairab Bazar upazila at midnight on Saturday.

Sources said a patrol team of joint forces intercepted the microbuses on suspicion at Moitri bridge of Dhaka-Sylhet highway and after searching the microbuses seized 950 bottles of phensidyl. RAB arrested Phensidyl king Farid, Hashem and their associates. A case was filed in this connection with Bhainab thana.

Three killed in separate incidents in Magura

Our Correspondent, Magura

Three unnatural deaths occurred in two separate incident at Magura.

A pick-up van carrying workers of a mobile phone company lost its control and hit against a big-tree by the roadside in front of Palli Biddyut-office on Magura-Kamarkhali road on 15th instant at morning. Consequently, two persons were killed on the spot and 6 injured who were admitted in Sadar Hospital. One of victims is identified as Ripon (23) of Barisal district. Another was not identified.

Another incident took place at Parikhali village of Mahammadpur upazila of the district on 14th instant at morning.

Police recovered the dead body of one Shamim (15) from the jute field of village Rarikhali of Magura district. Samim belongs to same village Rarikhali. He was a student of class VII of Rarikhali High School. Police investigated the same and has arrested two persons is this connection. Both arrested persons identified as Nayeb Ali and Matior Rahman. Both of them are now under lock and key of Magura Criminal Courts.

Cooperative bank distributes loan in Gaibandha

Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

Cooperative Bank Limited distributed loan among the cooperative members of the district on June 21 in order to alleviate poverty.

A loan distribution function was held at the auditorium of Public Library and club of the town here on Saturday.

Abdul Latif Mondal, Chairman of the bank and former secretary, attended the function as chief guest.

Presided over by Advocate Sekendar Azam Anam, President of Cooperative Bank Ltd, Gabandha the function was also addressed, among others, by district cooperative officer (DCO) Nurul Huda, president of District Chamber of Commerce and Industry Shahajada Anwarul Quadir and Journalist Gobinda Lal, Das, Abdul Latif Mondal, Chairman of the bank, in his speech urged the cooperative members to use the loan properly to change their socio-economic condition. Later, he distributed ten lakh taka as loan among the 100 beneficiaries as chief guest.

A large number of people, local elite and the journalists were present on the occasion.

The loan would be utlised for poverty alleviation programmes including cow rearing, cow fattening and fish culture, said DCO Nurul Huda.

Arms, ammunitions seized by RAB in Barisal

BSS, Barisal

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-8 seized arms, ammunitions and lethal weapons from an under construction building in Babuganj upazila of the district in the early hours of on Sunday, police said. On a tip-off, a RAB team raided the building at 5-30 am and seized one sophisticated revolver, four rounds of ammunitions and three pieces of ramdaos and chapaties wrapped into polythene papers.

The arms were deposited with the local thana and a case was filed in this connection.

Meanwhile, local people caught a mobile phone thief named Mostafa (30) from Kaunia area of the city when he was stealing a mobile phone set from the house of Kazi Aftabuddin at this morning.

He was handed over to Kotwali police after filling a case.

7 shops gutted in Chandpur

BSS, Chandpur

Seven shops were gutted and twelve persons injured in a devastating fire at Matlab upazila Bazar on Friday night.

Police said the fire was originated from a shop and soon spread to adjacent shops causing severe damage to six other shops.

Fire fighter from Chandpur rushed the spot and controlled the fire with the help of local people after one-hour efforts.

Twelve people were injured in the incident.

Discussion on poet Sufia Kamal held in B'baria

BSS, Brahmanbaria

A discussion was held at the Alauddin Sangitangan on Sunday marking the birth anniversary of Poet Sufia Kamal.

Organised by Bangladesh Mohila Parishad (BMP), president of Brahmanbaria district unit of the BMP presided over it.

Professor Manabardhan Paul attended the discussion as the key discussant. Prof Mokhlechur Rahman Khan, Advocate Abdus Samad, Kazi Muzibur Rahman, Freedom Fighter Abu Horayra, among others, took part in the discussion.

Voter registration completed in Jamalpur

BSS, Jamalpur

Voter registration with Photographs and national identity card was completed in the district.

A total of 13,54,826 people got registration in the new voter list which were 16,30,893 in the voter list prepared in 2006, in the district.

The fresh voter list dropped 2,76,067 voters from the list, made in 2006. According to upazila wise break up of voter's are 3,79,950 in Jamalpur sadar, 1,72,177 in Islampur, 1,47,287 in Dewanganj, 1,98,771 in Sarishabari, 1,48,172 in Maderganj 1,20,908 in Bakshiganj and 1,88,061 in Melandah.

The work on voter registration began in November last year and ended last week.

Public awareness to fight arsenic contamination stressed

BSS, Barisal

Workshop on Sunday revealed that at least 41 people died of arsenic contamination and 833 have been suffering from the disease in the six districts under the Barisal division so far.

They also said public awareness of using tubewell water can save them from the contamination. The workshop on 'Arsenicosis and awareness of it' organized by the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, was held at the Celebrity Point at Police Lines Road here. Presided over by Dr Farid Ahmed Chowdhury, the workshop was attended by Joint Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry Md Yubur Rahman as the chief guest while Arsenic Programme Manager of the department Dr Nuruzzaman, DD Health of Barisal Division Dr A Rashid and Civil Surgeon Dr Pulin Kumar Shingha were the special guests.

Dr Farook Hossain and Dr Mamun attended the workshop as resource persons. All civil surgeons and upazila health officials in the six southern districts were present in the workshop. Yubur Rahman called upon the participants to make arsenicosis as a mass-oriented revolutionary programme so that the people could know the causes of the disease, which might led to cancer.

News briefs

Prisoners get lobsters in Satkhira jail

SATKHIRA, June 25: Some 1300 prisoners, including many convicts, in the district jail tasted lobsters during lunch on Sunday, an official said. Each prisoner got three pieces of lobsters along with other items, said acting jail super M Tabibur Rahman. He said jail authorities purchased 60 kilograms of lobsters at Tk 270 per kg to entertain the prisoners with the special menu, reports UNB.

Youth stabbed to death

BRAHMANBARIA, June 25: Terrorists stabbed a youth to death by at Chargachh village in Kasba upazila Saturday night. The deceased was identified as Tenu Miah, 28, a poultry bird trader. Police said some unknown persons called Tenu out of his residence over mobile phone at about 9pm. The gang later stabbed Tenu Miah indiscriminately, leaving him critically injured. Tenu died on the way to Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital, reports UNB.

Workshop on orange held in Gazipur

GAZIPUR, June 24: A daylong workshop on formulating work plan for orange development project was held at Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) auditorium here on Thursday. Agricultural Secretary M Abdul Aziz inaugurated the workshop with BARI Director General Harun-or-Rashid in the chair. Executive Chairman of BARC Dr MA Razzak, Director General of the Department of Agriculture Extension Shamsul Alam attended the inaugural function. Some 200 persons, including scientists, academics and farmers, participated in the workshop, reports UNB.

10.55 cr poura budget in Jhenidah

JHENIDAH, June 25: A Tk 10.55 crore budget of Jhenidah Pourashava for fiscal 2008-2009 was announced Saturday without imposing any additional taxes. Pourashava Chairman Abdul Malek announced the budget at the poura auditorium at about 1pm in presence of Deputy Commissioner Abu Sayed Fakir, Local army camp Commander Lt. Col. Mostafizur Rahman, Additional Police Super TM Mujahidul Islam ward commissioners, journalists and the elite. In the proposed budget, Tk 10.24 crore was earmarked as development expenditure and Tk 30.46 lakh has been shown as surplus in the budget, reports UNB.

One stabbed to death in Jhenidah

JHENIDAH, June 25: A man was stabbed to death by a gang of terrorists at Bagadanga village in Moheshpur upazila on Friday. The dead was identified as Sirajul Islam, 40. Police said local terrorists Tabbir and Shanta gave an illicit proposal to the wife of Sirajul's younger brother Jahangir on Thursday. When Sirajul protested the incident the terrorists locked into an altercation with him on Friday morning, reports UNB.

Mango fair held in C'nawabganj

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, June 25: A two-day mango fair concluded here Sunday.

District administration organized the fair at Horimohan Government High School ground in association with Chapainawabganj pourashava. Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner M Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan inaugurated the fair on Saturday as chief guest. Chaired by Deputy Commissioner of the district Sirajul Huq Khan, the function was addressed, among others, by Additional Police Super Sajjadur Rahman, Begum Kanij Fatema, wife of the Divisional Commissioner, BDR 39 battalion commander Lt. Col. Kibria and pourashava chairman Prof Ataur Rahman, reports UNB.