The New Nation - Internet Edition

Ensuring rights of female UP members for women empowerment underscored

BSS, Rangpur

The process of sustainable and balanced social and national development is being hampered seriously for continuous deprivation of the female UP members of their proper rights in the local public bodies at the grassroots level of the country.

As a result, the government's steps to strengthen the local government bodies for ensuring smooth development, women empowerment, institutionalising democracy, protecting human rights and justice, are yet to be effectively and fully implemented to achieve the long cherished goals. Dozens of female UP members, women and human rights activists while talking to BSS recently narrated their field level grim experiences about deprivation of the female UP members and stressed for ensuring their rights in making local government institutions more effective.

They said relaxation of administrative control in the activities of union parishads along with due constitutional empowerment of female UP members are must to give democracy a firm footing and ensuring women empowerment for uniform development in the country.

They underscored the need for local participatory work plans, preparing policies and allocation of funds and just facilities to the female UP members and properly involving in the overall development activities of the local government institutions for sustainable development.

The female UP members expressed these opinions at a workshop here recently organised by Nari Adhikar Unit (NAU) of Rangpur- Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS) for the female UP members and female federation leaders of RDRS of eight northern districts. A total of 102 elected female UP members and 26 elected female federation chairmen of RDRS from Rangpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and Dinajpur districts took part in the workshop. Women Rights Coordinator of NAU Manjushree Saha, Female UP members Rokeya Begum, Kulsuma Begum, Delwara Begum, Rahela Begum, Julekha Begum, and many others told BSS that women empowerment and sustainable developments could get a strong footage if the female UP members' rights were ensured.

Citing their various practical field level examples, they narrated to BSS as how they are being deprived of their rights as elected public representatives because of the attitudes of the male UP chairmen and existing social discriminations towards the women. They alleged that male UP chairmen never involve female UP members in decision-making process, inform about the development and other activities of the local government bodies, always harass mentally and in some cases, physically and undermine their abilities and rights.

The female UP members do not get their due share of the old- age allowances, VGF and VGD cards, winter clothes, relief materials and other goods for proper distribution among the poor and the chairmen never inform and provide them information coming from the upazila headquarters. Putting special emphasis on rural arbitration, they said the process could create friendly relations and congenial social environment among all rural people, especially the backward section, poor and distressed and would help all in getting justice at their doorsteps and establishing rights of the women.

Bumper jute production inspires farmers in Barisal divn to grow more

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Jute-farmers in Barisal district are expected to get bumper Jute production as they crossed the cultivation target of this golden fiber in southern region in this season.

Jute farmers and merchants urged for extending marketing and consuming facilities of jute, field level training about developed cultivation methods and supply of quality seeds to hold up this trend.

Molla Safiar Rahman, additional director of Agricultural extension department of Barisal said the target of jute cultivation in this year was 1,05, 656 hectares of land with 15 lakhs bell production capacities, which crossing the target reached up to 1,31,126 hectares of land with 15.5 lakhs bell production feasibilities.

AED sources said this year farmers of 11 districts including Barisal, Patuakhali, Jhalakati, Barguna, Pirojpur, Bhola, Faridpur, Rajbari, Shariatpur, Madaripur and Gopalganj under Barisal agricultural region cultivated jute in 1,31,126 hectares of land crossing the target of 1,05,656 hectares of land. Out of this amount production of 1,226 hectares of lands deducted as use of jute as vegetables in Patuakhali, Bhola, and Barguna and Jhalakati districts.

They hoped crossing the production target from 15 lakhs bell to 15.5 lakhs bells of jute fiber and said in last year this region supplied 1.4 lakhs bells of jute fibers, sources said.

Besides farmers also cultivated fabric variety of Mechhta and Kenaf jutes in 17,000 hectares of lands in Barisal, Gopalganj, Madaripur and Shariatpur districts of the region. Field level agricultural staffs and farmers said that this year amount of production of Tosha variety of jute fibers was 9 to 12 bells per hectares and Deshi varieties of jute fibers was 7 to 10 bells per hectare.

In this season the price of per mound of jute fiber already reached up to Tk. 1200-1400 per mound comparing the last year price of Tk. 800 and the jute sticks (Pat-khori) also usable as fence and fuel are selling in handsome price.

This inspired the farmer in more cultivation of jute and influencing the life standard of the cultivators.

Rashid Mia, a jute farmer of Gournadi at Barisal-Madaripur district border, said that opening a sub-center of Jute Research Institute now functioning in Faridpur region, needed in Barisal division to give field level training about developed and modern cultivation methods of jute and ensure sufficient supply of standard jute seeds in fair price.

Abul Hossain, a foria ( merchant) and Shayamol Kanti, a dalal(broker) of jute business, claiming expansion of jute marketing in home and abroad approaching environment-friendly use of jute-fiber produced items and also expressed their anxiety about failure in marketing of jute and closure of jute mills one after another may cause darkening the future of jute cultivation .

Officials of agricultural extension department of Barisal denying disclosing identity said closure of jute mills may create negative attitude among the cultivators while they with hard toils inspiring the farmers increasing cultivation of jute.

Local observers said if the local market failed to consume the increased production of jute in fair price, then cultivators not only abstain from jute cultivation, but it may be smuggled to neighboring countries.

Leprosy patients urged to use footwear

Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

The speakers at a function laid emphasis on the use of footwear for the Leprosy-affected disabled people to prevent them from ulcer.

"We can increase the dignity of the persons with disability in the family as well as in the community and should encourage them to use new design of footwear to protect ulcer and disability.

They said this in a day-long workshop on footwear organised by Gaibandha-Jaypurhat Leprosy Care Project (GJLCP) of The Leprosy Mission Bang-ladesh (TLMB) at the hall room of a hotel of the town here on Wednesday. The key-note paper on the subject was presented by Prodip B Pramanik, Programme Director of GJLCP.

The technical session was conducted by Rehabilitation Consultant of TLMP Bob Bowers. The workshop was also addressed, among others, by Programme Director of Rural Health Programme TLMP Dr. David Pahan, Leprosy Control officers of GJLCP Keshob Chandra Roy and Daniel Chowdhury, Field Medical Officer Dr. Hunayum Kabir, Physio technician M. Shariful Islam and the BSS Correspondent M. Shahiduzzaman.

Several recommendations to promote the footwear and generate the awareness activities among the people were also adopted during the open discussion session. Different kinds of footwear for the Leprosy- people were also displayed in the workshop.

A total of 25 representatives of TLMB, LEPRA, including the journalists of print and electronic media participated in the workshop.

News briefs

Heroin seized in

C’nawabganj

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, Sept 7: BDR jawans seized 5.5 kgs of Indian heroin from two separate places of the district on Friday. As the BDR members challenged some smugglers at Poladanga border in Sadar upazila at 9am today the smugglers fled away abandoning 3.2kg heroin. Later, BDR seized the contraband drugs. BDR members in another drive seized 2.3kg heroin from Bokchar near Hakimpur border in the upazila at about 1:15 am, reports UNB.

Robbers loot valuables in Noakhali

NOAKHALI, Sept 7: Armed robbers looted valuables from a house at Uttar Binodpur village under Sudharam thana here Wednesday night. Police said the masked gang numbering 10/12 stormed into the house of Jahangir Miah at dead of night and confined the family members in a room at gunpoint. They later looted Tk 15,000 in cash, 2.5 tolas of gold ornaments and two mobile sets from the house. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Oil-carrying trawler capsizes in Noakhali

NOAKHALI, Sept 7: A trawler carrying around 300 barrels of kerosene oil capsized near Islampur under Hatiya upazila in river Meghna Thursday early morning. Police said the trawler hit a shoal in the river and went under water. Fishermen from nearby areas later rescued eight people of the sunken trawler. The trawler was coming to Hatiya from Chittagong carrying the oil worth about Tk 3 lakh, police added, reports UNB.

BKB disburses loans of Tk 41.83 cr in Pirojpur

PIROJPUR, Sept 7: Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) disbursed Tk 41.83 crore loans among 43,467 people here in the last fiscal year. Of the total loans, Tk 25.28 crore was given for crop cultivation, Tk 4.74 crore for fish project, Tk 2.98 crore for livestock, Tk 21 lakh for purchasing farm equipment and Tk 8.62 crore for other sectors. The bank also realised Tk 31.28 crore outstanding loans during the same period, reports UNB.

2 killed in Joypurhat road mishap

JOYPURHAT, Sept 7: Two people were killed and another was injured critically as a truck knocked them down at Thushibari on Joypyrhat-Bogra road in Kalai upazila Friday morning. The dead were identified as Abu Syed, 41, and Moazzem Hossain Mondol, 55, of Mul village of the upazila. Witnesses said when the driver of the Joypurhat bound truck from Bogra lost control over the steering at 6:00am it hit three pedestrians from behind, leaving Moazzem dead on the spot and injuring two others, including his son, reports UNB.

100 houses damaged in Jamalpur tornado

JAMALPUR, Sept 7: At least 10 people were injured and about 100 houses damaged as a tornado swept over two upazilas of the district early Friday. Witnesses said the storm lashed Bajitpara village of Madarganj upazila at about 2.30 am, leaving 10 people injured, damaging around 50 dwelling houses and uprooting many trees. Two of the injured were admitted to the upazila health complex. Besides, the storm damaged 50 thatched houses at Rikhirpara village in Melandaha upazila at the same time, reports UNB

Fire guts madrassah hostel in Chandpur

CHANDPUR, Sep 7: A devastating fire gutted a hostel of a madrassah at Chapatoli village in Kochua upazila Monday morning. Fire brigade sources said the fire originated from a kerosene stove at a room of the hostel of Chapatoli Senior Madrassah at around 10:00am and gutted the entire 75 feet long semi-pucca hostel. On information, firefighters from Kochua Sadar rushed to the spot and doused the flame with the help of local people, reports UNB.