03-09-2021

FRIDAY, SePTeMBeR 3, 2021
6
Good Neighbors Bangladesh donated health equipments to Joypurhat Modern District Hospital on
Wednesday.
Photo: Masrakul Alom
Govt collects
over 1.39 lakh
tonnes rice in
Khulna division
JASHORE: The food
department has set a target
to collect over 1.39 lakh
tonnes of rice in all the 10
districts of Khulna division
during the current Boro
season to ensure food
security amidst the
COVID-19 pandemic,
reports BSS.
In this regard, the food
department has inked an
agreement with the millers
to procure 1,43,126 tonnes
of Boro rice in all the 10
districts of Khulna division
during the current Boro
season.
Of them, one lakh 39
thousand 591 tonnes of rice
have been collected,
according to the food
department sources.
As part of the nationwide
Boro rice procurement
drive, the government
started to purchase the
food grain from the millers
on May 7 which ended on
August 31 last.
Jashore District Food
Controller Md Abdur
Rahman said the
department procured
Boiled rice at Taka 40 per
kilogram (Kg) and Atap
rice at Taka 39 per kg.
A total of 98 percent rice
procurement work against
the target has been
completed, he added.
Aush rice output on rise for
9 years in Rangpur region
RAnGpUR: Aush rice
output continued increasing
for the last nine consecutive
years as a result of various
steps taken by the
government, like providing
intensives and technical
supports to the farmers of
Rangpur agriculture region,
reports BSS.
Officials of the
Department of Agricultural
Extension (DAE) said
cultivation of the short
duration and less irrigation
water consuming Aush rice
crop is expanding constantly
over the last nine years.
This year, the DAE had
fixed a target of bringing
62,199 heaters of land under
Aush rice cultivation to
produce over 1.80 lakh
tonnes of clean rice (2.71-
lakh tonnes of paddy) for all
five districts of the region.
"However, farmers finally
brought 62,090 hectares of
land under Aush rice
farming this season in the
region," Additional Director
of the DAE's Rangpur region
Bidhu Bhusan Ray told BSS
yesterday.
Braving the Covid-19
pandemic, farmers have
produced an all-time record
1.94 lakh tonnes of clean
Aush rice (2.91 lakh tonnes
of paddy) at an excellent
average yield rate of 3.13
tonnes per hectare of land
this year.
The production of 1.94
lakh tonnes of clean Aush
rice is higher by 7.78 percent
against the fixed production
target of 1.80 lakh tonnes of
the same for this season.
"Various realistic steps of
the government, including
motivational campaigns,
inspired farmers in
expanding cultivation of
Aush rice resulting in
achieving its all-time record
output this time," Ray said.
Official statistics said
farmers produced 51,722
tonnes of Aush rice from
17,523 hectares of land in
2013 while 59,685 tonnes of
rice from 19,205 hectares in
2014 and 61,676 tonnes of
Aush rice from 21,063
hectares of land in 2015 in
the region.
They produced 65,505
tonnes of Aush rice from
21,751 hectares of land in
2016 while 73,543 tonnes of
Aush rice from 24,717
hectares in 2017 and 1.23
lakh tonnes of Aush rice
from 40, 618 hectares of
land in 2018.
"Farmers produced 1.48
lakh tonnes of clean Aush
rice from 47,552 hectares of
land in 2019 and produced a
previous record quantity of
1.83 lakh tonnes of clean
Aush rice from 59,092
hectares of land in 2020 in
the region," Ray added.
Agriculturist Dr Md Abdul
Mazid, a recipient of the
Independence Award-2018
22 more test positive for
Covid-19 in Bhola
BHOLA: A total of 22 more people
were diagnosed with Covid-19 positive
in the district after testing 172 samples
at Bhola 250-bed General Hospital
COVID-19 laboratory during the last 24
hours till last morning, reports BSS.
Among the newly positive cases, 12
are in Sadar upazila, five in Charfashion
upazila two in Borhanuddin upazila
and one each in Lalmohan, Monpura
and Daulatkhan upazilas of the district,
Dr. KM Shafiquzzaman, civil surgeon
of the district, told BSS.
With the diagnosis of 22 new
patients, the number of Covid-19 cases
reached 6,531 in the district.
Meanwhile, a total of 46 patients
recovered from the deadly virus in the
span of 24 hours here, climbing the
healed patients to 5,758, the civil
surgeon said.
A total of 87 people have so far died
in the food security category,
highly appreciated the
government initiatives to
promote less irrigation
water consuming Aush rice
cultivation to produce
additional rice.
Farmers are expanding
Aush rice cultivation as an
additional crop during the
off-season after Boro rice
harvest and before
transplantation of Aman rice
seedlings on the same land
to enhance rice production
every year.
"production of Aush rice
continues increasing
consistently during the last
nine consecutive years in
Rangpur region, largely
contributing to ensuring
national food security amid
adverse impacts of climate
change," Dr Mazid said.
Senior Coordinator
(Agriculture
and
Environment) of RDRS
Bangladesh Mamunur
Rashid said farmers are
cultivating Aush rice using
unused rainwater during the
off-season between Boro rice
harvest and Aman rice
farming when the croplands
remain fallow.
"Farmers are easily
cultivating Aman rice on the
same land after harvesting
Aush rice to increase rice
production amid changing
climate for attaining
sustainable national food
security," Rashid added.
due to Covid-19 in the district, he
added.
Dr. Shafiquzzaman said infected 21
patients are now undergoing treatment
at Bhola 250-bed General Hospital and
the rest are at home quarantined under
the supervision of doctors from their
respective Upazila Health Complexes.
He urged all to follow the health rules
strictly and use masks to prevent the
spread of the lethal virus.
On the occasion of National Fisheries Week, fish equipments have been distributed among fish farmers
and beneficiaries in Manda upazila on Thursday. 900 kg of fish equipments was distributed to
the fish farmers and beneficiaries of the Upazila for fish farming organized by the Upazila Fisheries
Department.
Photo: Sazzadul Tuhin
Health equipments
privided at
Joypurhat Modern
District Hospital
MASRAKUL ALOM,
JOypURHAT CORRESpOnDEnT
International private
Development Organization
GoodneighborsBangladesh
donated health equipments
to Joypurhat Modern
District Hospital on
Wednesday.Abu Saeed Al
Mahmud Swapan Mp, Whip
of Jatiya Sangsad and
Central Organizing
Secretary of Bangladesh
Awami League attended the
function as the chief guest
virtually held at the
conference room of the
hospital.
Dr. Sardar Rashed
Mubarak
Jewel,
Superintendent of Distrcit
Modern Hospital presided
over the function while
among others, Civil Surgeon
Dr. Wajad Ali, RMO Dr.
Shahid Hasan, Kalai Upazila
Health and Family planning
Officer Dr. nur
Asaduzzaman, Zidarpur
Union Chairman Ziaur
Rahman Sharmin nasrin,
project Manager, Kalai CDp,
Dr. Shahin Raza were also
present at the function.
Later, the health
equipments were handed
over to the superintendent
of the hospital by the project
manager of Good neighbors
Kalai CDp.
Chhagalnaiya Upazila
Chairman's 47th birth
anniversary observed
KAFIL UDDIn MAJUMDER,
CHHAGALnAIyA CORRESpOnDEnT
Chhagalnaiya Upazila
parishad Chairman and
General Secretary of Upazila
Awami League Mejbaul
Haider Chowdhury Sohail's
47th birthday has been
celebrated on Wednesday.
Marking the occasion a
prayer mahfil and cake
cutting ceremony was
organized at the Upazila
Awami League office.
Jasim Uddin, General
Secretary of Municipal AL
presided over the function
while nizam Uddin
Majumder president of
Upazila AL was present as
the chief guest at the
occasion. Among others,
pathannagar Up Chairman
Rafiqul Haider Chowdhury
Jewel, Upazila Mohila Vice
Chairman Bibi Julekha
Shilpi, Mahamaya Up
Chairman Garibshah
Hossain Chowdhury
Badsha, Shubhpur Up
Chairman Abdullah Selim,
Ghopal Up Chairman Azizul
Haque Manik were also
present at the occasion.
Discussion meeting,
doa mahfil held in
Lohagara
IqBAL HASSAn, LOHAGARA
CORRESpOnDEnT
On the occasion of the 46th
martyrdom anniversary of
Father of the nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman, a
discussion meeting and a
dao mahfil has been held to
seek the forgiveness of the
departed souls of
Bangabandhu and the
martyred members of his
family.
The meeting was
presided over by Ward
BCL president Jatirmoy
Banerjee held at Kudsi
primary School premises.
Municipal Mayor and
Upazila Jubo League
president Ashraful Alam
was present as the chief
guest at the occasion while
among others, Saifullah
Faisal Remu, vice
president of Chhatra
League, and naimur
Rahman Arman, president
of Chhatra League
Abdullah Al Mamun
Rahan were also present at
the occasion.
Day-long livestock exhibition
held at Raninagar
SAIFUL ISLAM, RAnInAGAR CORRESpOnDEnT
A day-long livestock exhibition was held at
Raninagar upazila of naogaon. Abdur Rauf
Dulu, Chairman of the Upazila parishad,
inaugurated the exhibition at the Upazila
Livestock Department and Veterinary
Hospital premises at 10 am on Thursday.
The exhibition was organized by the
Upazila Administration, Upazila Livestock
Department and Veterinary Hospital in
collaboration with the Fisheries and
Livestock Ministry. The meeting chaired by
Upazila nirbahi Officer Sushanta Kumar
Mahata while among others, Former
Secretary Dr. yunus Ali pramanik, District
Livestock Officer Dr. Mohir Uddin, Farmer
Officer Farmer Shahidul Islam, Upazila
Livestock Officer Dr. Aminul Islam, project
Implementation Officer Mahdi Hasan, Rural
Development Officer Mahbubur Rahman,
Bardra Development Officer Faruk Hasan,
Deputy public Health Officer Assistant
Engineer Ikramul Bari, Kashimpur Union
Chairman Makalsur Rahman Babu, farmers
and local dignitaries.
A total of 23 stalls participated in the
exhibition. Later the guests visited various
stalls.
A day-long livestock exhibition was held at Raninagar upazila of Naogaon on
Thursday.
Photo: Saiful Islam
Chhagalnaiya Upazila Parishad Chairman and General Secretary of Upazila
Awami League Mejbaul Haider Chowdhury Sohail's 47th birth day has been
celebrated on Wednesday. Photo: Kafil Uddin Majumder
Aman transplanting
works nearing completion
in panchagarh
pAnCHAGARH: As
farmers of the district have
got favourable climatic
conditions and adequate
supply of high quality seeds,
Aman paddy transplanting
works nearing completion
here with the hope of
bumper production, reports
BSS.
Farmers and farmlabourers
are passing their
busy time in transplanting
Aman rice seedlings on their
crop lands and nurturing
the fields with much
enthusiasm for getting more
rice production.
Officials of the
Department of Agricultural
Extension (DAE) said a
target of 3,26,644 tonnes of
fresh Aman rice has been
fixed to collect from 99,695
hectares of land in all five
upazilas of the district this
season.
Deputy Director of the
DAE office in panchagarh
Mizanur Rahman told BSS
that the Aman growers have
already completed 90
percent farmlands
transplantation of Aman
seedlings and the remaining
lands will be completed next
week.
"Bangladesh Agriculture
Development Corporation
(BADC) distributed
adequate quantity of
improved quality Aman
seeds to the farmers of the
district at fair price,"
Mizanur Rahman said,
adding that the DAE has
also distributed Aman
seeds, fertilizers and
different irrigation and
agricultural inputs among
200 Aman growers at a cost
of free to make the
cultivation programme a
success.
Different commercial
banks including Rajshahi
Krishi Unnayan Bank have
also distributed easy term
loans to the farmers for
helping them to run their
Aman cultivation without
any financial problems, he
said.
Besides, the department
has also given training on
agro-related modern
technology to the farmers
for boosting bumper Aman
production.
Ontheoccasionofthe46thmartyrdomanniversaryofFatheroftheNationBangaba
ndhuSheikhMujiburRahman,adiscussionmeetingandadaomahfilhasbeenheld
in Lohagara upazila on Thursday.
Photo: Iqbal Hassan