The New Nation - Internet Edition

Fertiliser crisis hits Boro cultivation in Rajshahi

Our correspondent, Rajshahi

Many of the farmer in Rajshahi district are unable to buy fertilizers to prepare their farm lands for Boro cultivation as a result there fear that Boro cultivation in the district will be harmed during the current season.

Farmers in different upazilas of the district are apprehending that there might be lower Boro production in the district this season, where agriculture is mainstay of the district.

At present one bag of TSP fertiliser costs Taka 3,800, one bag of MOP fertilizer is Taka 4,600, one bag of Urea price is Taka 600, DFP fertilizer is Taka 4,550.

Moreover, the farmers are not getting the fertilizers even at high prices. Although the local mixture fertilizer factories are getting santion of TSP, MOP, Urea and DFP from the government, but the production cost of their NPKS is higher following the high price of raw materials provided by the government.

As a result, the mixed fertilizers produced by them are not being sold in markets. The owners of these local fertilizer factories, who have taken loans from banks are now in trouble to repay bank loans.

The owners of Rajshahi NPKS factories urged the government to make a policy to provide the raw materials cheaper.

District Agriculture Extension Department officials said a target of 80,500 hectares of farm land has been set to bring under Boro cultivation this season in the district. But in reality, most of the farmers could not yet cultivate Boro on their farm lands.

Electioneering reaches peak at eight upazilas in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

The electioneering for the posts of upazila chairmen, vice-chairmen and female vice-chairmen has reached its peak everywhere in the district. The third upazila polls will be held across the country on January 22.

Officials told BSS that a total of 122 chairmen, vice- chairmen and female vice-chairmen are now vying for the eight upazila chairmen and equal number of the common and female vice- chairmen posts here.

The contesting candidates and their workers have no rests at all as they have been conducting their campaigns in full swing in both the urban and rural areas in their relentless bids to attract the voters. They are continuing door-to-door visits and talking to the common voters all the day as the common voters are also showing keen interests in electing the best candidates. The recent general elections have created huge enthusiasm among the common voters in electing the best candidates of their own choices as the upazila chairmen, vice- chairmen and female vice-chairmen.

A total of 48 candidates are vying for the eight posts of upazila chairmen, 46 for eight posts of common vice-chairmen and 28 candidates for eight female vice-chairmen posts here. A total of 17,07,648 voters are expected to franchise their voting rights in all eight upazilas on January 22 next to elect eight upazila chairmen, eight vice-chairmen and eight female vice-chairmen of their own choice.

Local observers are expecting neck to neck contests for all of the posts in Rangpur this time as the voters are counting various aspects of the candidates to be elected for ensuring smooth development of the rural Bangladesh.

Speed boat to carry serious patients from Chandpur to elsewhere not yet launched

Our correspondent, Chanpur

The government has given a double-engine water way ambulance to Chandpur district authorities to carry serious patients to Capital Dhaka and elsewhere through waterways nine months ago, but it has not been launched yet as driver for the vessel has not been appointed and monthly fuel need has not been sanctioned.

Directorate of Health Services of the ministry of Health and Population Planning has placed the waterway ambulance to Chandpur Civil Surgeon on April 6, 2008 for carrying serious patients to hospitals and clinics in the capital or elsewhere for better treatment, but no driver for the vessel has not yet been appointed and no sanction of monthly fuel cost was made yet for which this modern waterway ambulance is still lying on the open on the premises of the office of the civil surgeon.

The Health Directorate and the Chandpur Civi surgeon office have exchanged some letters to this effect but to no effect.

An ambulance takes three to four hours to carry passengers through highway from Chandpur to Dhaka and it was seen many serious patients die on the way before arrival in hospitals in the capital.

But the modern water route ambulance is able to reach a serious patient to Dhaka within 40 to 45 minutes.

For enjoying the modern and hi-speed facility, the authorities can charge the cost from relatives of the patients, but not doing so.

UZ poll campaign gets momentum in Baliadanga

A Correspondent, Dinajpur

The upazila elections campaign at Baliadanga in Dinajpur is gaining momentum as polls are knocking at the door.

A total of 4 persons are now contesting for the post of chairman while two are contesting for male vice chairman and another 3 is contesting for women vice chairman. A total of 1 lakh 11,088 voters would cast their votes at 47 different centres.

The candidates who are contesting for chairman are district president of Awami League Mohammad Ali (Chair) and Probir Kuama Roy, general secretary of the party (fish) and Prof Anisur Rahman (wheel) and Nurun Nahar Begum (umbrella) both from Jatiya Party.

Candidates for the post of male vice chairman are Abdus Samad Panna from Awami league (Tala), Mir Raziur Rahman from BNP (Football).

The candidates for women vice chairman are Mina Begum (Mango) and Suraiya Begum (Candle) both from Awami League and Nazia Emdad from BNP (Key).

One killed by BNP cadre in Narsingdi

Our Correspondent, Narsingdi

Biskis Begum Laily (40), wife a local AL leader Sirajul Islam, was killed by the BNP cadres at Kenduab under Palash upazila of Narshingdi at Tuesday late night following the post-election violence.

According to the police and victim's family members, a gang of BNP cadres attacked on Sirajul Islam and his wife Laily at around 3:00 am when they came out from room to respond call of nature.

The cadres started beating Sirajul Islam brutally before sensing anything.

Meanwhile, when Laily tried to safeguard her husband, the cadres continuously stabbed her with sharp knife. She died on the spot. being confirmed her death, the cadres managed to flee away. A case has been filed with Palash police station in this connection. Officer in Charge of that police steam Abdul Kalam Azad informed that Badal, one of the accused was arrested and drive to arrest others has been kept on. Police Super Mohammad Ali and an army team visited the spot.

Extension of riverbank protection demanded

BSS, Gaibandha

The local people at a gathering here have urged the government to extend 1000-metre long river bank protection work from Karaibari to Masterpara under Gidari union of Sadar upazila in the district to save the area from erosion of Brahmaputra river.

They said if the protection work is not done this dry season in the area, which is very vulnerable, might be devoured by the river in the coming rainy season posing to render more than 80 families homeless.

News briefs

Shops gutted in Noakhali

Noakhali, Jan 7 : At least five shops were gutted in a fire at Wapda Bazaar in Sadar upazila on early Wednesday. Local people said, the fire originated from an electric short circuit at Yusuf Miah's tea stall at about 3:45am and soon engulfed the adjacent four shops. On information, fire fighters from the district headquarters rushed to the spot and put out the blaze with the help of local people. The affected shop owners claimed that cash and valuables worth Tk 8 lakh were gutted in the fire, reports UNB.7 injured in BCL factional clash

Kishoreganj, Jan 7 : At least seven people were injured in a factional clash between two groups of Chhatra League activists over establishing supremacy on the Bajitpur Degree College campus on Monday. Local sources said the clash erupted when a group of students equipped with lethal weapons led by Bajitpur pourasabha unit BCL leader Mahbubul Hasan attacked on the supporters of BCL college unit president Imtiaz Ahmed at 12 noon. The hour long clash left seven people from both sides injured. On information police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Meanwhile, all organizational activities of BCL Bajitpur Degree College unit have been suspended following the factional clash, reports UNB.

Bangladeshi shot dead by BSF

Chapainawabganj, Jan 7 : Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead a Bangladeshi and injured two others near Chowka border in Shibganj upazila Tuesday midnight. BDR said Indian border guards fired 6/7 bullets on a group of Bangladeshis when they were intruding into Indian territory, leaving Hablu Mia, 21, of Airamari village in the upazila, killed on the spot. Yusuf, 28, of Bishwanathpur village and Bablu Mia, 28, of Malutola village in the same upazila, who sustained bullet injuries somehow managed to escape. They were later admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in critical condition, reports UNB.

2 held with Indian medicine in Faridpur

Faridpur, Jan 7 : Members of RAB arrested two people along with huge smuggled Indian medicine from a passenger bus at Domrakandi in Sadar upazila on Monday. Acting on secret information, a team of RAB-8 raided the Dhaka bound bus and arrested Saiful Islam and Khairul Islam hailed from Satkhira district along with the medicine. Later, RAB personnel handed them over to Kotwali police station. A case was filed, reports UNB.

10-day practical course for IUB students begins in BARD

Comilla, Jan 7 : A ten-day practical course programme for the students of Independent University of Bangladesh began at the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) here on Monday. Around 60 students of IUB from Dhaka and Chittagong campus attended the programme. The programme was designed so that the student could gather practical knowledge about the socio-economic condition of rural people of the country, reports UNB.