Himu's Window

A government probe team detected that former agriculture minister Matiur Rahman Nizami was behind misuse, waste and misappropriation of at least Tk 35 crore of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) during the four-party alliance rule. The team also found that Tk 81.27 crore more of BMDA was wasted, misused or embezzled during that period. In response, Nizami, who heads Jamaat-e-Islami, a partner of the four-party alliance, told The Daily Star, "I am surprised hearing about the probe report. I am in no way involved in the alleged corruption and misuse, waste and misappropriation of BMDA money. This is a politically-motivated move against me with an intention to defame me." He said he never interfered in BMDA operations when he was a minister from 2001 to May 2003. The BMDA had been run by successive governments and it had no direct link with the minister, he claimed. Headed by Omar Faruk Chowdhury, lawmaker from Rajshahi-1 constituency, the seven-member government t

Published On: 2009-06-01 Even though this mango trade centre at Baneswar in Rajshahi seems full of mangoes and traders, the hustle and bustle of the place is much less than that of previous years.Photo: STAR 50pc drop in mango output Climate change blamed Mango growers fear 50 percent drop in production this year in Rajshahi region due to irregular weather pattern. Horticulturists attributed the sharp slump in mango production to abnormal variations to the climate that has an adverse affect on the Mother Nature. "Mango yield might drop to around 2.14 lakh tonnes from last year's average 4.28 lakh tonnes", said M Abul Bashar, Rajshahi regional additional director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE). The annual average mango production is about five lakh tonnes from over 45,000 hectares of land in eight districts including the mango capital Chapainwabganj where mango grows on the highest 22,000 hectares of land while it is about 8500 hectares in Rajshahi. The

Rajshahi Mango Fair These mangoes were on display at a mango fair at Rajshahi Loknath High School field...

Mango fair & Gambhira festival begins in Rajshahi Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi   A three-day Mango Fair and Gambhira Festival began in Rajshahi yesterday with a call for establishing sustainable industries based on huge mangoes produced in the region. Different local varieties of mangoes were put on display at 12 stalls set up by different government and private horticulture centres, nurseries and individuals of Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj on Loknath High School premises. Different cultural organisations from the two districts rendered Gambhira, a popular folksong and dance of the region, in the afternoon. Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner M Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan attended the inaugural ceremony as chief guest while Abdul Matin Khan, president of Amra Rajshahi Basi, chaired the event. Banglalink, a major mobile network operator in the country, has sponsored it. President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hasan Ali, Dr Tosikul Islam, vice-principal of S