The New Nation - Internet Edition

Huge production of BRRI Dhan-33 expected in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Farmers are now very happy as they already started harvesting of the short duration and anti-Monga variety BRRI Dhan-33 (paddy) in Greater Rangpur on the eve of holy Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja festivities.

They expressed satisfaction on the excellent yield rates of 4.5 tonnes to 5.0 tonnes paddy per hectare so far though harvesting will get full momentum a few days later, officials in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and farmers said.

The farmers of Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari and Gaibandha districts cutivated the short duration paddy in 40,122 hectares land this year, which is 122 hectares higher than that of the fixed target of 40,000 hectares for the area.

Farmer Abdur Rahman of Gangachara Upazila in Rangpur on Saturday got 4.5 tonnes per hectare BRRI Dhan-33 (paddy) after harvesting the same and another farmer Tayebur Rahman will harvest the same in his 82 decimals land there a couple of days later.

A partner NGO, Grameen Atto Unnayan Sangstha (GAUS), involved with BRRI Dhan-33 farming, will organise a two-day fair on farming success of the short duration paddy in village Laksmichap under Sadar upazila in Nilphamari on October 16-17 next. The government launched large- scale farming of the short duration paddy this year for the first time as a part of the ongoing comprehensive programmes for eradicating Monga by the year 2013 from poverty-prone Rangpur area.

The short duration paddy has been cultivated on larger scale under the GO-NGO collaborations as a part of its countrywide farming plan to create job opportunities for the farm labourers during the lean period of Aswin and Kartik. Experts of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and DAE today told BSS that plantation of seedlings and sowing seeds of the 115- to 118-day duration BRRI Dhan-33 (paddy) was completed timely using the latest technologies.

Principal Scientific Officer of BRRI and Programme Coordinator of 'BRRI-Model Monga Mitigation Programme for Greater Rangpur' Dr Abdul Mazid told BSS that the crop grew well and its huge scale harvest will begin a couple of days later. The farmers planted seedlings and directly sowed seeds of BRRI Dhan-33 using dry and wet Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) methods from the end of June last and its harvesting will be ended by the middle of November next.

The government undertook a 3-year Special Action Plan to bring 1,07,000 hectares of lands suitable for farming BRRI Dhan-33 under cultivation by the year 2010 to harvest about five lakh tonnes of paddy in only 115 to 118 days in Rangpur area, he said.

Practical trainings were provided to the agriculture officers on the latest technologies of farming the BRRI Dhan-33, using Leaf Colour Charts, Guti Urea, integrated pests management methods, properly sowing of the seeds and nurturing the fields.

The trained agriculture officers educated over one-lakh farmers at the grassroots level to acquaint them with the technologies of growing this variety of paddy for making the programme a success this year.

Dr Mazid said over 3.81 lakh farm labourers would now get jobs for 45 days during the Aswin and Kartik months this year in Greater Rangpur and the early harvests of the paddy are already at homes during the Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja festivities. The farmers will get more profits as cultivation of BRRI Dhan-33 would be followed by the relay-method growth of early variety crops like potato, moog, winter vegetables, maize and mustard.

The technology, evolved by the BRRI, could also increase overall crop production and reduce risk of natural calamities and substantially save fuel and leave less negative impact on nature because of the new pattern of crop farming throughout the year.

Over 19 lakh farm labourers will get jobs during the Monga by the year 2010 when the targeted lands would be brought under BRRI Dhan-33 farming and 43 NGOs are working with the government departments to make the Special Action Plan a success, Dr Mazid told.

Town protection embankment in Gaibandha nearing completion

Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

The work on 50-metre-long Town Protection Embankment at Kutipara point is nearing completion.

Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), is implementing the work at the cost of Taka 60 lakh under the project of Protection of Gaibandha Town from the flood of Ghagot river, sources said. A portion of the embankment of Kutipara point was washed away on August 21 due to passing water of Ghagot river through the holes created by rats resulting in the low-lying areas of Kutipara, Folia, Boali and Godarhat were inundated.

On information the BWDB officials led by Executive Engineer Abu Muhamad Shafiul Azam rushed to the spot and took necessary steps to repair the damaged portion with sand-filled Gco-textile bags and CC blocks in cooperaiton with the members of Bangladesh Army. 85 percent work has already been completed and the rest of the work will be completed during the coming dry season, said Abu Muhammad Shafiul Azam, executive engineer of BWDB. With the repairing of the damaged portion o the embankment Gaibandha town and its neighbouring arable land have been saved from the flood, he also said.

Call to save nation from foreign culture

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Rashed Khan Menon, President of Workers Party of Bangladesh called to save the country from poverty and also from aggression of foreign cultural forces.

Menon while as chief guest distributing prizes of a Kabbadi competition, an indigenous and traditional sport of rural Bengal, organised by 'Kobi Abu Zafar Obaidullah Smriti Sangsad O Pathagar' at Baherchar under Babuganj Upazila of Barisal district on October 4 last, further said, we are rapidly losing our traditional cultural and sports heritages and patterns by the invasion of foreign cultural forces.

Menon said foreign culture broadcast through satellite channels, cable TV, internet and other mass communication media, now is not only invading and influencing over our social ethics, but also selecting, guiding, forming, and directing our choices .

Menon called to save the nation from the invasion and aggression of foreign culture by creating strong cultural bondages among the poor mass people through spreading and practicing our traditional heritages of entertainment and giving life to our indigenous sports patterns and items.

Leaders of Workers Party, local elites including Prof Nazrul Huq Nilu, Isahaq Sharif, Rafikul Islam Sujon, Bazlur Rahman, Ratan Ali Sharif, and huge crowd of spectators enjoyed the Kabbadi competition.

Case filed against Zahiruddin Swapan, 12 other BNP activists in Barisal

Barisal, Correspondent

A criminal case allegedly demanding one lakh Taka as tolls from a leader of rival faction of Gournadi BNP has been lodged against Zahiruddin Swapan, Central Information and Research Secretary of BNP and former lawmaker of Barisal-1 (Gournadi-Agoiljhara) constituency and 12 other BNP activists on Sunday afternoon.

Masud Hassan Mithu Talukdar, Vice President of Gournadi Upazila Jubodal and leader of rival faction of Swapan, lodged this case as complainant with Senior Judicial Magistrate Court of Barisal.

In that case, the 13 accused included Zahiruddin Swapan, Alok, Selim, Shamim Khalifa, Zakir Sharif, Hannan Sharif, Zahangir Mridha, Kamruzaman Khokan and others.

Debashish Nag, Magistrate of the court ordered officer in charge of Gournadi police station to register the case after proper investigation. In the case, the complainant alleged that the accused led by Swapan demanded the aforesaid tolls at Gournadi bus stand on Friday morning and beat the complainant while he denied paying.

The complainant also claimed that he received medical treatment at upazila health complex after he became injured by beating of the accused.

Zahiruddin Swapan said that as the popular former lawmaker he wants party nomination for this time also and some other nomination aspirants, misusing and misguiding some young party activists were creating unhappy, incidents involving me.

It may be mentioned that at least 35 people, including a policeman and a journalist injured, four motorbikes and three shops were damaged during the clash at Gournadia that took place between the supporters of former lawmaker Zahiruddin Swapan, also a pro-reformist leader of BNP, and activists of orthodox BNP.

Eid observed in befitting manner in Gouripur

Our Correspondent,

Gouripur (Mymensingh)

The main Eid Jamat in Gouripur Upazila of Mymensingh district held on Khelar Math Eidgah Maidan at 10.00 AM on October 2 last with participation of socio-political personalities, high-ranking government officials as well as common people.

Besides, Eid Jamats organised at Islamabad Eidgah maidan. College road mosque, upazila Parishad mosque and other important places on the Day.

News briefs

Phensidyl seized in Comilla

Comilla, Oct 8: BDR members in a raid recovered Indian phensidyl syrup worth about Tk 8 lakh from Chouddagram border area on Saturday. Acting on secret information, a team of 33 rifle battalion raided different border areas and later recovered 1,649 bottles of phensidyl syrup from Gomarbari area in an abandoned condition. BDR suspected that sensing their presence the smugglers fled the area leaving the contraband drug behind. Another report from Brahmanbaria adds: Police arrested a drug peddler along with 10 kgs of hemp from Kharampur area of Brahmanbaria pourshava early Wednesday, reports UNB.

10 shops gutted in fire in B’baria

Brahmanbaria, Oct 8: Ten shops were gutted in a fierce fire in a market at College Crossing in Banchharampur upazila on Wednesday. Witnesses said the fire originated from a quilt shop and soon engulfed the nearby nine shops. Local people extinguished the fire after half an hour of frantic efforts. The affected shop owners claimed that cash and valuables worth over Tk 4 lakh were gutted in the blaze, reports UNB.

Housewife killed for dowry

Bagerhat, Oct 8 : A young housewife was strangulated to death allegedly by her husband at Char Barobaria village in Chitalmari upazila on Eid-day (Thursday) night for dowry money. The victim was identified as Salma Begum, 25, daughter of Sher Ali Mollah of the same village. Police quoting local people said Quamrul Islam married Salma some years back and since their marriage he used to torture her for dowry, reports UNB.