The New Nation - Internet Edition

Karim stresses public-private partnership for food security

BSS, Dhaka

Agriculture Adviser Dr CS Karim on Saturday stressed the need for public-private partnership for ensuring food security in the country.

Speaking at a workshop on 'BRAC in food security: the role of distributor, dealer and farmers' at the BRAC centre here, Karim described food security as a challenging issue in the present global context.

He said private sector should invest in many areas of agriculture sector to increase food production.

Director and Head of News of Channel-i Shykh Seraj and Director General of Seed Wing of Agriculture Ministry Anwar Faruque addressed the workshop as the special guests while Executive Director of BRAC Dr Mahbub Hossain presided.

Programme Manager of BRAC Sudhir Chandranath presented the keynote paper.

Karim said Bangladesh would be worst victim due to climate change. "We should take a long-term plan to face the adverse effect of climate change in the country", he added.

He laid stress on building a sustainable agriculture production system adopting modern technologies to produce high- yielding crops in the shortest possible time for ensuring food security.

The adviser said agriculture production could be increased to a large extent, if supply of high yielding and quality seeds are ensured.

Referring to positive change in agriculture sector, he said numbers of enlightened and industries farmers are increasing in the country. "These farmers should be honored and recognized to inspire others for betterment of our agriculture sector", he added.

The adviser also underscored the need for expansion of vertical crops production as agriculture land is decreasing in the country gradually.

Shykh Seraj said the country could not achieve food sufficiency due to lack of high and tolerable yielding of crops.

Referring to position of the past government on the issue of hybrid yielding, he said country's food production would have to be increased through developing hybrid seeds locally.

Anwar Faruque said both the public and private initiatives are needed to develop hybrid seeds with a view to increasing food production for ensuring food security.

Best farmers, distributors and dealers are awarded at the workshop.

DCC introduces community-based solid waste management

BSS, Dhaka

Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) has introduced community-based waste management in its ward no 44 setting up community groups to manage solid waste at the community level.

The initiative was taken under a DCC project titled 'Strengthening of Solid Waste Management (SSWM)' of Dhaka City, which is being implemented from last year with the support of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), DCC sources said.

Representatives of the community in ward no 44 organized a discussion meeting at Town Hall Market at the ward here to mark the lunching of the community based waste management in their ward on Saturday.

Deputy Resident Representative of JICA Hirosawa, Project Director of DCC's landfill improvement project Tarique Bin Yusuf, Commissioner of Ward 44, Arjuda Bashar Lucky, DCC officials, JICA Expert Team, and community representatives attended the meeting.

Under the project, DCC has already introduced community based waste management system in several wards of the city through carrying out mass awareness campaign for waste disposal, said the sources.

DCC has been working to improve the overall solid waste management of Dhaka City, with the technical assistance of JICA since 2000.

Through concerted effort, a master plan titled "Clean Dhaka Master Plan" with a target year of 2015 was formulated in 2005, encompassing every aspect of solid waste such as public awareness raising, primary collection, secondary collection, final disposal sites as well as administration and financial management, said the sources.

Japanese varsity team calls on DU VC

BSS, Dhaka

A four-member team of Gifu University and Shizuoka University, Japan and Beijing Jiaotong University, China, led by Professor Dr. Tohru Suzuki of Gifu University, called on Dhaka University (DU) Vice-chancellor Prof. SMA Faiz on Saturday at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban auditorium.

Other members of the team are Professor Dr. Yasutaka Tahara of the Department of Applied Biological Chemistry of Shizuoka University, Dr. Haruki (HAL) Inoue of Beijing Jiaotong University and Ichiro Kato of Gifu University, a DU press release said.

Director of the Institute of Information Technology (IIT) of the DU Prof. Md. Zulfiker Hafiz and professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Dr. Laila Noor Islam were present on the occasion.

During the meeting, they discussed matters of mutual interests specially the possibilities of installing Video Meeting System in Dhaka University for holding remote lecture, seminar, symposium and interview of the students seeking admission into Japanese universities.

The team members apprised Prof. SMA Faiz of their package programme to start this system between the Gifu University and Dhaka University in the next year.

They have come to Dhaka university to check out the infrastructure of internet communication and other facilities to be required to start this Video Meeting System in Dhaka university.

Prof. SMA Faiz also apprised the team of various facilities available in Dhaka university to start this system. He said this Video Meeting System would also be useful in higher education, research and distance learning.

The VC further said the universities worldwide, including universities in Japan and Bangladesh, face common contemporary challenges like environmental challenges, global climate changes and food security.

The universities need to collaborate to address the common contemporary challenges, he added.

Prof. Faiz also apprised the visiting team of academic activities of Dhaka University and its glorious past in brief. He thanked the team members for their visit and showed keen interest in establishing Video Meeting System in Dhaka University.

Later, the team members went round the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban and the Centre of Excellence of Dhaka University. They also held talks with Pro-vice Chancellor Prof. AFM Yusuf Haider at the latter's office and sought his cooperation to start this Video Meeting System in the university, the press release added.

Terming this Video Meeting System as an excellent idea, Prof. AFM Yusuf Haider said Dhaka university has adequate internet and digital facilities to start this collaborative distance learning programme soon.

If Gifu University comes forward with specific suggestion and proposal Dhaka University will positively consider the package programme, he said.

Seminar on 'Trade Facilitation in South Asia' in city today

BSS, Dhaka

A seminar on 'Trade Facilitation in South Asia' will be held at the Hotel Sonargaon Hotel here today.

SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) are jointly organizing the seminar.

Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman will attend the seminar as the chief guest, while Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed will present at the function as the special guest.

Business leaders from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka will join the seminar to be chaired by FBCCI President Annisul Huq.

BPC chairman off to Scotland

BSS, Dhaka

A six-member delegation of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) led by its Chairman Shafique Alam Mehdi left here on Saturday for Scotland to join a meeting of the National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute there.

The institute is being run jointly by Dandy College in Scotland and Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation under the 'Skills for Employability-British Council-Regional VET Project', a BPC press release said.

The BPC chairman will also discuss various aspects of the tourism industry with expatriate Bangladeshis and others living in the United Kingdom.

He is expected to return home on October 26, the release added.

4th Knitwear Exhibition begins in city Oct 20

BSS, Dhaka

The fourth Bangladesh Knitwear Exhibition will begin here on October 20 with the participation of as many as 56 local and foreign companies.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed is expected to inaugurate the three-day exhibition at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel. Finance and Planning Adviser Dr A B Mirza Azizul Islam will be the special guest on the occasion.

Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) is organizing the exhibition titled "Discover the Excellence of Bangladesh Knitwear."

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, BKMEA leaders said Foreign buyers are expected to take part in the exhibition, where various Bangladeshi knitwear products including fabrics and accessories would be put on display.

President of BKMEA Md Fazlul Hoque, Vice-presidents Abdur Rashed, M A Baset and MA Rahman and Director GM Faruque, among others, were present at the press conference.

Md Fazlul Hoque said the event would showcase knitwear products and its raw materials like yarns, knit fabrics and accessories as well as knitting, dyeing and other relevant machinery and services.

"Through this event, we will provide an opportunity for buyers around the world to get familiarized with our knitwear products directly from more than 100 Bangladeshi manufacturers and suppliers," he added.

He said it would also give a unique chance to yarn, fabrics, accessories and machinery suppliers, manufacturers and service providers to reach many Bangladeshi entrepreneurs and factories.

According to the BKMEA chief, the Bangladeshi exporters are currently supplying their products to all leading brands, chain stores and importers around the globe with high reputation. "Bangladesh is now the third largest supplier of its knitwear products to the European markets," he said.

Hasina condoles death of Mohiuddin Chy's daughter

BSS, Dhaka

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on Saturday condoled the death Fouzia Sultana Chowdhury, daughter of Chittagong Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.

Soon after hearing the news, Sheikh Hasina telephoned Mohiuddin Chowdhury from Canada and expressed her deep shock at the death his (Mohiuddin) daughter, a press release said here.

She conveyed sympathy to him and members of the bereaved family.

Sheikh Hasina prayed to almighty Allah to give them strength to overcome the tragedy.

She also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

Fouzia, a second student of English department of Premier University in Chittagong, died of cancer in Bangkok on Friday.

Call to build children as worthy citizens

BSS, Dhaka

Presidium member of Awami League Begum Matia Chowdhury on Saturday called for imparting proper education to children to build them as worthy citizens of the country.

She advised the children to devote themselves fully to education and acquire knowledge as well as wisdom and said, "otherwise, you can contribute nothing to the nation."

Matia Chowdhury was speaking as the chief guest at a discussion and prize-distribution ceremony organised by the Sheikh Russell Jatiya Shishu Kishore Parishad on the premises of the Bangabandhu Museum at Dhanmondi in the city.

The function was arranged on the occasion of the 44th birth anniversary of Sheikh Russell, youngest son of country's founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was killed on August 15 in 1975.

Referring to the tragic death of Russell on August 15, Matia Chowdhury said, "We want to build such a society where no child will face a tragic end in his life."

Presided over by President of the organisation Mahmud-us- Samad Chowdhury, the function was also addressed, among others, by leading economist and Professor of Dhaka University Dr Abul Barakat and former joint secretary of Awami League Mozaffar Hossain Paltu.

Dr Abul Barakat called upon all to project the correct history of the War of Liberation before the children so that the new generation would get inspired by knowing the sacrifice and struggle by the Bangali nation.

Paltu said local collaborators of the defeated Pakistani occupation forces took revenge after 44 months of the independence of the country by killing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib along with his youngest son Russel.

Later, the parishad distributed prizes among the meritorious students, who passed SSC examinations, and the children who took part in the painting competition.