Himu's Window

Barely making ends meet Anwar Ali, Rajshahi "Life goes on somehow…a bit better than many others," Islam, a philosophy teacher at a government college, blurted in a choked voice with tears welled up in his eyes. Islam, who represents the middleclass and lives in a rented house in the Ghoramara area with his wife and their two-year-old child, has already reduced his family spending and stopped attending social events only to survive the spiralling prices of rice and other commodities. "I no longer can afford to maintain my status as a first class government official. I cut back on several necessities, yet the monthly deficit is increasing so fast that it's about to drive me crazy," said Islam, unwilling to give out his full name. "Nevertheless, I feel relieved when I see that the conditions of my lower level colleagues and the ones at private colleges are even much worse," he added. Even a year ago, he could save a little money af

Money-spinner strawberry draws government attention National Seed Board to approve variety for expansion of cultivation Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Strawberry grown at the yard of Dr Manjur Hossain in Rajshahi University. Photo: STAR Strawberry, a money-spinning nutritious and delicious foreign fruit adapted in Bangladesh, may get government registration soon for cultivation across the country after experiments yielded encouraging results in Rajshahi and Natore. "Once registered, strawberry cultivation will be expanded with government patronisationin, said Braja Hari Das, deputy director of Rajshahi Directorate of Agriculture Extension (DAE). With great export potential, the sweet and attractive fruit will open a new horizon for farmers, he told this correspondent. "A strawberry variety has been sent to National Seed Board and the process for registration is underway", said Dr Shafikul Islam, senior scientific officer of Rajshahi regional Fruit Research Centre (FRC). Experimenta

Published On: 2008-04-07 Arts & Entertainment Heritage publishes its first quarterly journal Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Heritage, an archive of Bangladeshi history, published its first issue of quarterly journal Sthaniya Itihash (Local History) at the hall of Shahidullah Arts Building, Rajshahi University (RU) recently. Noted historian and former Chairman of History Department, Dhaka University, Professor Muntasir Mamun, attended the publication ceremony as the chief guest. Professor Emeritus, RU, Dr ABM Hossain along with Professor SM Latif and Professor Nurul Hossain Chowdhury spoke at the programme well attended by intellectuals and history students. Professor Atful Hye Shibli, former Pro Vice-Chancellor chaired the event. Professor Abul Kashem, History Department, RU edited the journal that includes 15 essays focusing th

Published On: 2008-04-03 National 15 evicted indigenous families in Patnitala finally get land deeds Finally, Naogaon district administration distributed deeds of permanent settlement of about 1.33 acres of khas land among 15 landless indigenous families in North Kazipara in Dibor union under Patnitala upazila. Some local land grabbers evicted them from the lands in November last year. The deeds were written at a simple ceremony, held at Patnitala on March 31. Sudhir Tirki, president of Patnitala unit of Jatiya Adibashi Parishad, Gulu Murmu, president of the upazila unit of Adibashi Samaj Unnayan Shangathan, Rakhi Mrong, publication secretary of Bangladesh Adibashi Odhikar Andolon and organising secretary Kerina Hasda were present on the occasion. The 15 people who got the land deeds are Nikhil Ekka, Khuyu Kujur, Kison Kerketa, Shusil Toppo, Buddhinath Kujur, Banu Ekka, Khuyu Ekka, Hembo Ekka, Subol Lakra, Rupchan Ria, Chanua Nania, Palanu, Anil Toppo, Rabi Ekka an

Bumper boro harvest on horizon   This boro season is expected to see a bumper harvest of the rice variety with a possibility of surpassing the Department of Agricultural Extension's (DAE) yield projection of 1.75 crore metric tons (MT). DAE officials, however, said bacterial leaf streak (BLS) and bacterial leaf blight (BLB) infested about 26,000 to 27,000 hectares of boro fields in 32 south and south-western districts where the crop is standing on 26 lakh hectares of land. "This is negligible. The infected fields hold less than one percent of the total production. Besides, a massive awareness campaign has already been launched to check the spread of the bacterial infections," said DAE Acting Director General Dr Shahidul Islam. DAE officials nonetheless cautioned that the outbreak might spread if strong nor'westers with heavy rain hit the country before the harvest starts by the end of this month. Meteorologist Ayesha Khatun said quoting from an expert

Commercial cultivation of strawberry promises hefty gains for farmers Anwar Ali, Rajshahi   Quamruzzaman's (inset) strawberry field at Harishpur in Natore left,and Dr. Manjur Hossain with plucked fruits in Rajshahi city. Photo: STAR     Farmers will soon get a new highly value added fruit for commercial cultivation, thanks to years of tireless efforts by two persons. Rajshahi University Botany teacher Dr Manjur Hossain evolved a variety of strawberry suitable for cultivation in Bangladesh's climate. Horticulturist Quamruzzaman of Natore commercially cultivated the variety on 1.5 bighas of land this year. The red juicy and nutritious fruit produced by them was supplied to posh markets in Dhaka recently. With farmer-level price of around Tk 300 per kg, the commercially viable fruit has great export potential and will benefit farmers enormously, the pioneers said while talking to this correspondent at their fields recently. It can be harvested within two and a

Growers to face Tk 300 crore loss from potato damage Anwar Ali, Rajshahi   Sacks of potato are piled up on the premises of Rahman Cold Storage at Nawhata Madhusudhanpur in Paba upazila while the authorities have hung a notice announcing closure of receiving potato. Photo: STAR   About 3.20 lakh tonnes of potatoes worth around Tk 300 crore is facing damage as growers in 16 districts of Rajshahi division are compelled to preserve the perishable winter crop in traditional way. The situation has arisen as growers have failed to preserve it in cold storages due to lack of accommodation. A prolonged winter this year helped yield around 58 lakh tonnes of potatoes from over 3.50 lakh hectares of land in northern districts and a total of 130 cold storages in the region could accommodate only 10 lakh tonnes. Of the remaining 48 lakh tonnes, about two-thirds 32 lakh tonnes are expected to be sold in local markets and other parts of country while the remaining amount will have