The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Gaibandha

Speakers at a meeting stressed the need for planting 'basak' tree on road sides, surroundings of homesteads, on the banks of ponds and fallow lands aimed at changing the socio-economic condition of the poor side by side with maintaining the ecological balance.

"A medicinal plant 'basak' may be one of the income generating sources for the poor as the leaves of the plant are used to produce medicine for diseases like runny nose, cough, gout, dysentery and asthma," they said. They were addressing a meeting on " Role of medicinal plants in alleviating poverty," at the auditorium of Sahapara union parishad under Sadar Upazila on August 23. Uddyog, a local NGO, organized it with the financial support of Inter Cooperation (IC), an international NGO.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abu Muhammad Yousuf addressed the meeting as the chief guest and executive director of the ACME Laboratories Ltd. M. Hasibur Rahman and regional coordinator of IC Mostafa Nurul Islam Reza were present as special guests. Presided over by acting chairman of the UP M. Bazlur Rahman, the meeting was also addressed, among others, by president of district chamber of commerce and industry Shajada Anwarul Quadir, regional sales manager of ACME Laboratories Sarwar Hossain, associate adviser of IC Stamina, executive director of Uddyog Zillur Rahman Khandaker and farmer Younus Ali.

Regional coordinator of IC Mostafa Nurul Islam Reza said at first a small piece of land was brought under 'basak' plantation experimentally at Bhabanipur village of the union last year.

After initial success, a massive plan was taken to plant basak tree commercially to change the lot of the poor as according to plan both the sides of 13 km road of the union, three bighas of fallow land on the surroundings of the homesteads and 23 decimal of land on bank of the pond were brought under basak cultivation, he said.

Besides, 32,000 seedlings of basak have been planted to bring other areas under cultivation, he said adding that the prospect of growing the trees is very bright as the cattle do not eat its leaves. The farmers could cut leaves in every six months, he added.

The DC in his speech, urged the authorities concerned to expand the 'basak' cultivation in other parts of the district in order to alleviate poverty and assured them of giving administrative help to run the programme.

Executive director of Uddyog Zillur Rahman Khandaker said that a total of 750 poor people including women have been engaged in 'basak' cultivation through 32 village organisations. An agreement was signed with the ACME Laboratories Ltd. to supply 'basak' leaves.

A large number of people including 'basak' farmers, NGO workers, local elite, public representatives and the journalists of print and electronic media were present on the occasion.