18-03-2019

NEWS
MoNDAY,
MArCh 18, 2019
2
Kendrio Kachi Kachar Mela observed Jatiya Shishu Dibash yesterday.
RAJSHAHI: Agricultural scientists and
researchers urged the farmers to
cultivate wheat by using seeder
machine to boost yield to meet its
gradually mounting demand. They said
the machine developed by Bangladesh
Agriculture Research Institute (BARI)
will also help lessening pressure on
irrigation water for the wheat farming
side by side with minimizing the
production cost in the vast Barind tract.
They revealed this while addressing
two separate farmers' field day
meetings on projection of the seeder
machine at Dhamdhum Badhair and
Bijoynagar Colonypara villages under
Tanore and Godagari upazilas
respectively in the district on Saturday.
Farm Machinery and Post-harvest
Process Engineering (FMPE) Division
and On-Farm Research Division
(OFRD), Barind centre under BARI
BNP isolated
from
countrymen:
Nasim
DHAKA : Awami League
(AL) Presidium Member
Mohammed Nasim
yesterday said that BNP
has been isolated from
the people due to their
own faults, reports BSS.
"You have been
estranged from the
people of the country
because of your wrong
decision… your leader
Khaleda Zia cannot
speak on behalf of her
party as she is now in
jail. You have done so
many wrong things
which make BNP deaf,"
he said.
The senior AL leader
was speaking at an art
competition as the chief
guest on the occasion of
the 100 birthday of
Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman on
Dhaka Government
Deaf School premises in
the capital.
Awami League's Relief
and Social Welfare Sub-
Committee organized
the programme.
Nasim, also the ruling
14-party alliance
spokesman, said
militancy has been
rooted out from
Bangladesh under the
dynamic leadership of
Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina, adding that now
the premier is moving
forward to build a 'Sonar
Bangla' as dreamt by
Bangabandhu.
With AL's relief and
social welfare subcommittee
AFM Fakhrul
Islam Munshi in the
chair, the programme
was addressed by AL's
Relief and Social Welfare
Secretary Shree Sujit
Roy Nandi, Dhaka
Metropolitan South AL
Joint General Secretary
Kamal Chowdhury and
Principal of the school
Aminul Islam.
jointly organized the meetings in
association with Krishi Gobeshona
Foundation (KGF). More than 160
farmers both male and females joined
the programmes.
Principal Investigator and Chief
Scientific Officer of FMPE Dr Ayub
Hossain and its Senior Scientific Officer
Dr Arshadul Hoque addressed the
meetings as focal persons while Upazila
Agriculture Officer Saifullah Ahmmed
spoke as special guest with Senior
Scientific Officer of OFRD (Barind
Centre) Dr Shakhawat Hossain in the
chair.
Dr Ayub Hossain opined that there is
an enormous scope of increasing Rabi
crop in the region with minimum
tillage and seeding method using
residual soil moisture. Thereby,
pressure on groundwater can be
reduced considerably if wheat is
Argentina announces professionalization
of women's soccer
Argentina's soccer association announced
Saturday that the national women's league
will be granted professional status, marking a
milestone in a country that is home to Lionel
Messi and some of the world's greatest
players but still views soccer as largely a
men's game, reports BSS.
At a press conference on the outskirts of the
capital of Buenos Aires, the association said
that each of the 16 clubs of the women's top
division must now have at least eight
professional contracts with female players.
The contracts must also mirror those of the
professional men's league.
"When we assumed responsibility, we said
we were going to oversee inclusive soccer that
is gender equal, and we are demonstrating
that," said AFA President Claudio Tapia.
Tapia said that the association will
contribute 120,000 pesos (about $3,000) per
month to each club to finance the contracts.
Up until now, the women's game has been
played by amateur athletes who have gotten
little to no money for their work on the field.
The national team's female players have also
struggled financially and went on strike in
2017 after their stipends of about $10 went
unpaid.
With Saturday's announcement,
professional female players will now receive a
DHAKA :The bilateral
trade between Bangladesh
and China, which amounted
to $12.4 billion in 2017-
2018, is expected to reach
$18 billion mark by 2021,
economists said, reports
UNB.
President of Dhaka
Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (DCCI) Osama
Taseer said it when
Ambassador of China to
Bangladesh Zhang Zuo
visited the DCCI auditorium
in the capital on Saturday.
According to a press
release, Taseer said
Bangladesh's "Look East"
Policy is essentially
designed to open up new
avenues of cooperation with
China and the ASEAN
region urging Chinese FDI
in "RMG product
diversification" and allied
transfer of technology.
He also urged the world's
second largest economy for
quick implementation of
duty free, quota free market
access to Bangladesh.
Zhang Zuo said China has
recently passed the new
foreign investment law
which is more open and
flexible for foreign investors.
In 2017-18 Chinas's FDI to
Bangladesh increased and
China has invested more in
Bangladesh than any other
countries.
China is one of the largest
partners in mega
infrastructure projects in
Bangladesh, said Zao
adding that about 200 large
Chinese companies and 200
Photo : TBT
Farmers urged to use
seeder machine in
wheat cultivation
cultivated instead of only Boro rice.
He opined that substantial and
sustainable expansion of wheat
farming can mitigate the existing
water-stress condition in the high
Barind tract as wheat is environment
friendly crop.
Time has come to enhance acreage of
wheat farming instead of only
depending on Irri-boro rice in the dried
area to ensure food security amid the
adverse impact of climate change.
It can also prepare seedbed in one
pass and sow seeds in line and cover
seeds at the same time. Planting cost of
wheat, maize and rice is supposed to be
reduced by 57 to 78 percent compare to
the conventional method.
Dr Ayub says minimum tillage of soil
emits 44 percent less carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere which is also an
environment friendly technology.
monthly minimum salary of about 15,000
pesos, or $365, which is equivalent to that
earned by male players in the fourth division
of Argentine soccer.
Sergio Marchi, leader of the soccer players'
union, held up a copy of a contract and said,
"With this we are generating a legal
framework and a way to be able to advance
professionally. This is the base, it is the
beginning. It is in each of us to develop it."
The professionalization of the sport gained
momentum this year when soccer player
Macarena Sanchez was dismissed by the UAI
Urquiza team, which is the current league
champion in Argentina. She then decided to
launch a legal complaint seeking
compensation and professional status.
Female soccer players around the world
have recently embarked on similar quests.
Earlier this month, the U.S. women's
national soccer team sued the U.S. Soccer
Federation for "institutionalized gender
discrimination" that includes unequal pay
with their counterparts on the men's national
team.
Tapia said that professional recognition in
Argentina is just the tip of the iceberg, but
some advances will largely depend on the
commitment of clubs and their ability to
generate sponsorships and television rights.
Bangladesh- China trade
to hit $18 billion by 2021
Chinese SMEs are in
operation in Bangladesh.
He also looks
Bangladesh's vast potentials
in fields of blue and coastal
economy.
The Chinese Ambassador
invited DCCI members to
attend the Shanghai Import
and Export Fair 2019 in
November.
DCCI's Senior Vice
President Waqar Ahmad
Choudhury, Vice President
Imran Ahmed, Directors
Andaleeb Hasan, Alhaj
Deen Mohammed, Enamul
Haque Patwary, Hossain A
Sikder, Engr. Md. Al Amin,
Mohammad Bashiruddin,
Nuher L. Khan, Shams
Mahmud and S.M. Zillur
Rahman were present
there.
Two workers
killed at rampal
power plant in
Bagerhat
BAGERHAT : Two workers
were killed as a heavy caging
pipe fell on them from a
crane at Rampal Power
Plant near Sundarbans here
on Saturday, reports UNB.
The deceased were
identified as Asabur, 40, of
Adabar village in Rampal
upazila and Nasir Uddin, 24,
hailing
from
Chapainawabgnaj district.
A heavy caging pine
suddenly fell on them
around 8 pm while the duo
along with other workers
were doing piling works at
the plant, leaving both of
them dead on the spot, said
Md Lutfar Rahaman,
officer-in-charge of Rampal
Police Station. The bodies
were sent to Khulna Medical
College Hospital for
autopsies, he added.
The contractors have been
asked to compensate the
deceased workers' families,
said Rezaul Karim, deputy
project director of the plant.
Man crushed
under train in
Thakurgaon
THAKURGAON : A man
died after being crushed
under the wheels of a train
near Thakurgaon Railway
Station here on Sunday,
reports UNB.
The identity of the
deceased could not be
known immediately.
Akhtarul Islam, station
master of Thakurgaon
Railways Station, said the
incident took place in the
morning when a Dinajpurbound
local train hit the
man, aged around 40 years,
leaving him dead on the
spot. Railway Police sent the
body to a local hospital
morgue for an autopsy.
Two killed in
Joypurhat postpolls
violence
JOYPURHAT : At least two
people were killed and ten
others injured in a factional
clash of the ruling Awami
League centering the
recently-held Upazila
Parishad elections at
Moslemganj Bazar in Kalai
upazila on Saturday night,
reports UNB.
The deceased were
identified as Aftab Hossain
of Monnapara village and
Ratan Hossain of
Mahissyapara in the upazila.
The clash ensued between
the supporters of Minfuzur
Rahman Milon, chairmanelect
of Kalai upazila, and
local union Chairman
Wazed Ali around 8:00pm,
leaving Aftab killed on the
spot and injuring eleven
others, said Abdul Latif,
officer-in-charge of Kalai
Police Station.
Among the injured, Ratan
died around 5 am while
being taken to Bogura
Shaheed Ziaur Rahman
Medical College Hospital.
The rest of the injured
were undergoing treatment
at local upazila health
complex, he added.
Language
hero osman
Gani dies
CHAPAINAWABGANJ :
Advocate Osman Gani, a
language movement veteran
died at a hospital in Dhaka
on Saturday night. He was
89, reports UNB.
He breathed his last
around 9:30 pm while
undergoing treatment at
BIRDEM hospital. Osman
Gani, establishing president
of Chapainawabganj
Diabetic Association, was
admitted to the hospital two
weeks ago as he was
suffering from old-age
complications.
The distinguished lawyer
left behind his wife, four
sons, three daughters and a
host of relatives and
admirers to mourn his
death.
record maize production
likely in rangpur region
RANGPUR: An all-time record production of
maize is likely in Rangpur agriculture region
where the farmers exceeded its fixed farming
target by 11.12 percent during this Rabi
season, reports BSS.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture
Extension (DAE) said the farmers are
showing huge interest in expanding maize
cultivation after getting repeated bumper
production with excellent price in recent
years.
"Maize cultivation is expanding faster
contributing to cutting poverty and helping
the poor in improving livelihoods and
achieving self-reliance," Horticulture
Specialist of the DAE at its regional office
Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam told BSS
today. The DAE had fixed a target of
producing 7.58-lakh tonnes of maize from
83,192 hectares of land in Rangpur,
Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and
Lalmonirhat districts of Rangpur agriculture
region this season.
"However, the farmers have finally
cultivated maize on 92,445 hectares of land,
higher by 9,253 hectares or 11.12 percent
higher than the fixed farming target of the
cereal crop having huge demand in local
market," Islam said.
Like the farmers in the mainland, the char
people are also expanding maize farming on
the sandy char lands in riverine areas after
getting repeated bumper output with
excellent profits in recent years changing
their fortune.
The attributes that helped Jacinda Ardern
rise to become New Zealand's leader at age
37 include her optimistic outlook and bright
personality. And she became an inspiration
to working women around the world last
year when she gave birth to a daughter,
Neve, reports UNB.
But the prime minister is now displaying
other qualities to an anxious nation after a
gunman on Friday slaughtered 50 people at
two Christchurch mosques. She's shown a
determination to change gun laws and a
deep empathy with the families of the
victims and the Muslim community.
On Friday afternoon at a simple table laid
in a hotel conference room in New
Plymouth, a city on New Zealand's North
Island, Ardern told the nation about the
shootings. Details were sparse, but her
shaken demeanor, a tremor in her voice,
made it clear the situation was grave.
1st death anniversary of
rebeka Mohiuddin today
DHAKA :The first death anniversary of Rebeka Mohiuddin,
one of the organisers of the Liberation War and a woman
rights activist, will be observed on Tuesday.
Her death anniversary will be marked with due respect in
the Shahid Buddhijibi Graveyard in which she was laid to
eternal rest. A Milad and Doa Mahfil will be held at her own
residence in Dhanmondi after Asr prayers.
Besides, a Milad and Doa Mahfil will also be held at her
village home in Lakarta under the Vederganj Thana of
Shariatpur District, organised by Mothbaria Mohiuddin
Ahmed Women's College and Mohiuddin Ahmed Memorial
Organisation. Rebeka Mohiuddin passed away in Dhaka on
March 19, 2018. She was the wife of late Awami League
veteran leader Mohiuddin Ahmed who was the acting
President and a Presidium member of the party.
Rebeka had helped the special squad "Crack Platoon" by
supplying medicines and clothes during the 1971 Liberation
War. She was also a close associate of poet Sufia Kamal.
Relatives, friends and well-wishers have been requested to
join the Milad and Doa Mahfil on Tuesday.
houses torched, vandalized over
AL factional clash in Jhenaidah
JHENAIDAH : A house was torched while several others
were vandalised in a clash over establishing supremacy
between two factions of Awami League at Hatgopalpur bazar
in Sadar upazila on Saturday night, reports UNB.
Syed Nizamul GoniLitu, chairman ofPadmakorUnion
Parishad and former chairman of the same Parishad Bikash
Biswas had been at loggerheads over establishing supremacy
in the area for long, said Kanak Kumar Das, additional
superintendent of Jhenaidah police.
"The char people have cultivated maize on
about 30,000 hectares of land on the char
lands of the region where its tender plants are
growing superbly amid favourable climatic
conditions now predicting bumper output,"
Islam added.
Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional
office Md. Moniruzzaman said the
government has put emphasis on expanding
cultivation of the lees irrigation water
consuming crops like maize that helps the
poor to cut poverty.
"The DAE provided seed, fertilisers and
technical assistance to 1,650 small and
marginal farmers of Rangpur region for
expanding cultivation of maize on two bigha
of lands each to further boosting its
production this season," he said.
Talking to BSS today, Agriculturist Dr. Md.
Abdul Mazid, who got the Independence
Award 2018 Medal (food security) last year,
predicted brighter prospect of maize farming
in the northwestern region of Bangladesh to
meet growing demand of the cereal crop.
"Expanded cultivation of the low-irrigation
water consuming crops, like maize, adopting
conservation agriculture technologies, such
as strip tillage, can save ground water, ensure
food security and improve environment amid
changing climate," he said.
He suggested the farmers for expanding
cultivation of high yielding varieties of maize
on both mainland and char areas to earn
more profits for becoming self-reliant by
cutting poverty.
After massacre, New Zealand leader
shows resolve, empathy
Mass shootings were almost unheard of in
New Zealand. People wanted reassurance
and information.
When she next spoke from Parliament in
Wellington she was calmer, more resolute.
She gave details of a mounting death toll
and of an offender in custody, an Australian
man who had chosen New Zealand for his
crime.
"You may have chosen us," she said. "We
utterly reject and condemn you."
When President Donald Trump called
Ardern to offer his sympathies and ask what
assistance the U.S. might provide, Ardern
said she would welcome sympathy and love
toward Muslim communities. It was a
rebuke, of sorts, toward the perception of
Trump as being anti-Islamic.
On Friday, Ardern flew to Christchurch.
She donned a simple hijab and met with
families of those killed and wounded.
A man died after being crushed under the wheels of a train near Thakurgaon
railway Station here on Sunday.
Photo : Courtesy
Bombing
aboard train
kills 3 in
southwest
Pakistan
Police in Pakistan say a
bomb explosion aboard a
moving train has killed at
least three passengers and
wounded seven others in the
country's volatile southwest,
reports UNB.
Officer Abdullah Jamali
says the bomb went off in
one of the cars of a Quettabound
train early Sunday,
damaging five cars. He says
two men and a woman were
killed, and that women and
children were among the
wounded.
No one claimed
responsibility, but ethnic
Baluch separatists have
attacked trains in the past.
The southwestern
Baluchistan province has
been the scene of a low-level
separatist insurgency for
well over a decade. The
separatists accuse the
central government of
unfairly exploiting the
region's gas and mineral
wealth.