The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Bagerhat

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday said the country would be self-sufficient in food someday if all can produce food-grains in uncultivated land in the country.

"Even an inch of land can't be left uncultivated. We would have to grow new crops so we can feed ourselves," he said addressing a meeting at Srifaltala School ground in Rampal upazila after inaugurating Ashar Alo Dairy Farm and Biogas Energy project.

He urged all to cultivate fish and mushroom under cooperatives as the army will reach the technology to them.

"We'll have to help one another. Send your children to school as education is the key to development," said General Moeen, whose force is assisting the interim government at a trying time for the nation.

The Army Chief said a total of Tk 27.80 crore has been received so far for Army's Relief Fund after Sidr and the money is being distributed among the cyclone victims.

Under the Ashar Alo Dairy Farm and Biogas Energy project, milk, biogas and energy will be produced by using cows and each of 150 families under the self-help scheme can save Tk 25 everyday.

Around 13.5 cubic feet of biogas and 3-KV power will be produced under the project. Each member-family will be supplied an energy bulb to light their homes in the backwoods.

Grameen Shakti is providing biogas technology for the project and 20 local and foreign cows will be used to run the project. The total cost of the project is Tk 10 lakh.

Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Shahidul Islam, Jessore Cantonment GoC Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam, 88 Brigade Commander Brig Gen Ehteshamul Haque, Bagerhat Army Camp commander Lt Col Shahinul Haque, Khulna RAB-6 commander Mestaul Haque and Bagerhat Police Super AKM Shahidur Rahman, among others, were present on the occasion.

The Army Chief later handed over deed of the project to Nahar Begum and Gobinda Lal, two of the cooperators under the project.

General Moeen is scheduled to inaugurate a mosque- cum-cyclone centre in the Sidr-hit Southkhali Union in Sharankhola upazila today.