The New Nation - Internet Edition

Prices of essentials cheaper at BDR markets

BSS, Dhaka

Prices of essentials were cheaper in BDR- run sale centres and markets compared to those in the city's ordinary markets on Saturday, said a BDR market survey released here Sunday.

Flour in packet was sold between Taka 38 and 40 per kg in the ordinary markets, it said adding, the item was sold at Taka 39 at BDR-run open markets and Taka 35 at BDR-run sale centres. The price of one-kg flour in Kolkata is equivalent to Taka 22.95.

Coarse rice was sold between Taka 33 and 36 per kg in different markets in the city. Rice was sold at Taka 36.50 at BDR- run open markets while the item is being sold at Taka 29.50 in Kolkata markets.

Lentil (imported) was sold in different city markets at Taka 86 to Taka 94 per kg which is Taka 74-80 at BDR-run sale centres and Taka 84 at BDR-run open markets while lentil is being sold at Taka 86.88 in Kolkata markets.

Onion (imported) was sold in different city markets ranged between Taka 20 and 25. Onion was sold at Taka 22 at BDR run open markets. The item is available in Kolkata at Taka 14.75.

Potato was sold in different city markets at Taka 16 to Taka 20 per kg, while it was Taka 17 at BDR-run open markets and Taka 10 at BDR-run sale centres. In Kolkata, the price of the item is Taka 11.47.

Sugar is being sold at Taka 34 to 36 per kg in different city markets against Taka 33 at BDR-run open markets. In Kolkata, its price stands at Taka 26.22.

Salt was sold at Taka 12 and Taka 14 per kg in different city markets, while it was sold at Taka 9 to 10 per kg at BDR-run sale centers and Taka 15 at BDR run open markets. The item is available in Kolkata at Taka 14.63, the report said.

Soybean oil was sold between Taka 115 and Taka 120 per liter in the ordinary markets, while it is available at Taka 122 at BDR-run open markets. In Kolkata, the price of soybean oil is Taka 124.59 per liter.

Palm oil was sold at Taka 104 to Taka 107 per liter in the ordinary markets, compared to Taka 109 per liter at BDR-run open markets and Taka 98 at BDR run sale centres. In Kolkata, the price of palm oil is Taka 110.65 per liter.

Besides, Hilsa fish was sold in different markets at Taka 345 to Taka 365 per kg on Saturday, the release added.

Cultivation of BRRI Dhan-33 begins in Gaibandha

BSS, Gaibandha

The cultivation of short duration BRRI Dhan -33 variety has began in Fulchhari upazila of the district on Friday aimed at eradicating monga from here.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer M Habibur Rahman formally inaugurated the cultivation programme at Kanchipara of the upazila in the district as the chief guest.

Upazila agriculture officer M. Shawkat Ali Sarker, Sub assistant agriculture officer M. Shahidul Islam and land owner M. Selin Parvez including the journalists were present on the occasion.

Office sources said Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has taken up a plan to cultivate short duration BRRI Dhan - 33 variety on 300 hectors of land of Fulchhari upazila in the district during the current T-Aman season to eradicate monga from the upazila.

Necessary steps have also been taken to ensure. Timely supply of BRRI Dhan -33 seeds, fertilizer, pesticides and other inputs to the farmers. Besides, the farmers have also been given training on the forming of the paddy, DAE sources said.

Principal Scientific Officer and head of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Rangpur station, Dr M A Majid said the BRRI Dhan-33 could be harvested in only 115 to 118 days from the sowing period that would create job opportunities for the jobless farm laborers during the lean period of Aswin and Kartik months of Bangla year in poverty prove greater Rangpur districts.

Carbide-tainted fruits cause serious health hazard

BSS, Dhaka

Seasonal summer fruits contaminated with carbide are causing serious health hazards such as stomach pain, acidity, food poisoning, digestive trouble and colon cancer, experts said on Saturday.

"Carbide mix hinders biochemical reaction in fruits and subsequently cause the deadly diseases including cancer," Professor ABM Faruque of the Department of Pharmacy of Dhaka University told BSS on Saturday.

Prof. Faruque said people could easily identify carbide- contaminated fruits through a small examination on the spot. The contaminated fruits, especially mangoes, can be identified once they found fully yellowed, firm inside and lack of original flavour.

The natural fruits on contrary, he said, would be less yellowed, soft inside and full of flavour, which the people can easily understand.

A large number of unscrupulous businessmen have been trading the carbide-mixed fruits to reap their personal gains leaving thousands at serious health risk.

Prof Faruque said there is no carbide industry in the country as it is being used only in battery companies. But some people are using the chemical as it protects fruits from quick perishing, he said.

The pharmacist suggested for enacting a 'Carbide Control Law' which would help check carbide hoarding, selling and wholesaling in the country.

Tamanna Hossain, a frequent fruit buyer, told BSS "We have heard about it but can not identify the toxic fruits as those are artificially ripen in a way where differentiation is really difficult for commoners.:

She, however, said the government should strengthen its monitoring system to deter the so-called 'traders of poison'.

Call to face new challenges of media transformation

BSS, Stockholm

An international congress of media people begins here on Sunday with a call to media scholars and professionals across the globe to come forward for facing the new challenges of media transformation in the 'globalised world'.

"We have witnessed the globalization of traditional group identities and affiliations along ideological, religious, class, gender and ethnic lines, at the same time that new transnational affiliations are being formed", Nobel laureate Dr Vandana Shiva of Sri Lanka said while inaugurating the congress.

More than 950 leading media researchers and professionals from 75 countries including Bangladesh have gathered at the 26th congress of International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) to discuss and exchange ideas on contemporary global media and communication issues.

Four participants, three professors and a journalist, from Bangladesh are also attending the congress hosted by Journalism and Mass Communication Department (JMK), Stockholm University at its historic Aula Magna campus.

"The media's increasingly complex relationships to other factors, together constitute a major challenge for media and communication research as we face the second decade of the new millennium", Dr Vandana Shiva said and urged media scholars and professionals to come forward for facing the new challenges of media transformation in the 'globalised world'.

Mohammad Sahid Ullah, a Bangladesh professor in journalism working in IAMCR at Stockholm University said the media congress will explore the pivotal yet under-researched roles of the media with regard to today's global inequalities including Bangladesh and other developing countries.

Professor Tytti Soila, head of the department, JMK, the congress opening function was followed a musical soiree by the Royal Swedish Opera School also spoke on the occasion.

The IAMCR congress is an international forum where researchers from all parts of the world meet, discuss and exchange ideas on contemporary global media and communication issues.

This years theme is 'Media and Global Divides' that touch upon many fields including globalization, religion and peace communication and role of media and communication in crisis management in the turbulent world.

Keeping Dhaka clean emphasised

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a workshop here on Sunday stressed the need for keeping the capital city clean and urged its dwellers to extend their all-out cooperation to the cleaners of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) in this regard.

They said the DCC with cooperation of JICA has been working since 2000 to bring an overall improvement in the city's waste management system as the 'Clean Dhaka Master Plan' launched in 2005 is to be implemented by the year 2015.

The workshop titled "Safety and Sanitation" was organized by the DCC with the slogan "Clean Dhaka."

Chief Conservancy Officer of DCC Commander Maksudur Rahman Chowdhury, Additional Chief Conservancy Officer Dewan Md Shah Alam, Chief Adviser of the expert delegation of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Nayoki Hara, DCC's Assistant Health Officer Dr Sanjida, JICA's local staff Shariful Alam and Cleanliness Inspectors Aminur Rahman Biswas and Abdul Motaleb addressed the workshop.

They said the "Clean Dhaka" project started last year for implementing the master plan by creating peoples' awareness about garbage, its primary and secondary collection as well as financial management and operation of the overall activities.

Commander Maksudur Rahman Chowdhury said the DCC has been taking proper care of the health of its cleaning workers. They will be given health cards soon to help them get treatment services from the city's health centers, he said.

Besides, Chowdhury said, 6,000 rain coats will be distributed among the cleaning workers. He asked them to clean the city's drains on time to help solve the water logging caused by the rainwater.

The Chief Conservancy Officer also said that the DCC would buy five road sweepers to remove dusts and garbage from the main streets and five large vehicles for carrying garbage to the outer places.

Nayoki Hara said a JAICA expert team arrived here to help improve Dhaka's waste management system by mainly keeping the capital city clean.