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The Padma drying up due to scanty
water flow: Experts
BSS, Rajshahi
The scanty water flow has been triggering the drying up
process of the mighty Padma and its tributaries causing an
adverse impact on environment in the drought-prone Barind
tract.
Experts said the entire northern and southern regions of
the country, particularly the vast Barind tract, are
facing ecological disorder due to adverse impact of the
gradual drying of the river.
They said the water level is being reduced rapidly and it
has reached the lowest mark during the current dry season.
A large number of big shoals have emerged in the river and
its mainstream splitting the flow into numerous tiny and
small confluence.
The river has now the lowest water flow in some narrower
channels that caused emergence of hundreds of shoals
hampering navigability throughout its courses both in the
up- stream and downstream, officials and experts said.
Various types of crops especially IRRI-Boro paddy and
different other seasonal crops are being cultivated on the
riverbed.
Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB)
told BSS that the water level has been reducing to a
greater extent this season in comparison with the last
couple of years.
In addition to the existing numerous ones, more big shoals
are being emerged. After analyzing the decreasing trend,
the experts expressed their apprehension that the
declining condition would continue until the monsoon
begins in June next that will lead the entire northern and
southern regions to a more disastrous situation.
Meanwhile, the ground water table has been lowering in the
vast Barind tract with the reduction of water level in the
river creating an apprehension of non-functioning of the
hand-driven tubewells.
Former director of Institute of Environmental Sciences (IES)
of Rajshahi University Prof Dr Sarwar Jahan said the
drying up of the river and its tributaries has caused
abnormal lowering of the underground water levels and also
seriously affected the traditional irrigation for lack of
adequate water flows.
Besides, he said the conventional livelihood on the river
basin, navigation, environment and bio-diversity have been
posed to an alarming threat causing grave concern to the
habitations in the river basin.
Navy’s annual sea exercise ends
UNB, Dhaka
Bangladesh Navy's annual sea exercise concluded with
successful missile launch in the Bay of Bengal on Monday.
Prime Minister's Defence Adviser Major General Tarique
Ahmed Siddique, (Rtd) observed the final day's exercise
from onboard Navy's modern ship, BNS Bangabandhu.
Earlier, Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Z U Ahmed
welcomed the Defence Adviser on his arrival in Chittagong,
said an ISPR press release.
Maximum BN Ships including Frigates, Offshore Patrol
Vessels (OPV), Minesweepers, Patrol Boats, Missile Boats,
Gun Boats, Torpedo Boats and Fighter Aircrafts of
Bangladesh Air Force took part in this sea exercise.
Some units of Bangladesh Army took part in the exercise in
the coastal areas of Chittagong and Khulna. Besides, about
14 maritime agencies from seven ministries took part
indirectly in this year's exercise.
The mentionable side of this four-phase exercise was Navy
Fleet's tactical maneuver, Monitoring activities at sea,
Search & Rescue Operation, Logistic Operation, Landing
Operation, Defence of Naval Installations in Costal Areas
etc.
The main focus of this exercise was to ensure sovereignty
of the country, protection of marine resources, protection
of Sea Line of Communication (SLOC) including anti
smuggling, anti piracy, protection against sea pollution,
protection of bio diversity in coastal areas and ensuring
s0ecurity at Sea. important events of the final day
exercise were missile launch from Navy ship, anti
submarine socket launch, anti aircraft gunfire and various
tactics of naval warfare.
The Chief Guest conveyed thanks to all participating
officers and sailors in a speech to Navy personnel of
Chittagong on completion of the successful exercise.
He highly praised Navy personnel for their high
professional skill, efficiency and dedication. He
remembered the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman and mentioned that Bangladesh Navy has come
to this stage under his strong leadership and direction.
He also spoke on present government's various activities
for the over all development of the Navy and its entrance
into three dimension.
Among others, Chittagong City Mayor, MPs, Principal Staff
Officer, AFD and other high military and civil officers
were present on the occasion.
BDF meeting to focus on country’s vision
BSS, Dhaka
The next week Bangladesh Development Forum (BDF) meeting
will focus on the country's vision for graduation to the
middle income group through poverty reduction, human
resource development and technology transfer.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the two-day
meeting at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in
the morning, bringing an end to the four and half years'
deadlock in holding the important routine event.
The last BDF meeting was held in November 2005, which was
supposed to be followed by another meeting in 2007. The
past caretaker government took an initiative in November
2007, but discarded the plan later for some reasons.
The next meeting after a long gap will have elaborate
discussions on Bangladesh's vision for the next five-year
with the major objectives of mobilizing more external
resources to translate the vision into reality, ERD
Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told newsmen on
Monday. Country Representative of DFID Chris Austin also
gave journalists briefing on the forthcoming meeting
between the government and the country's development
partners.
Both Bhuiyan and Austin are co-chairs of the Local
Consultative Group (LCG), which is holding the meeting
with the Bangladesh government. The LCG comprises 32
representatives' of development partner countries and
multi-donor agencies.
"Two things will be the major issues for discussion at the
forum-the vision of the government and its capacity
building - - to attain the goal," Bhuiyan said.
He said the core document of the meeting would be the
revised Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) as it
would give the development partners a clear picture about
what the government wants to do in the next five-year.
Besides, he said since the document is aiming at
reintroducing the five-year plan, it would also provide
the development partners with an idea about the next long
term plan of the government to achieve its Vision 2021.
‘Cultural,
literary competitions can develop children’s mental
growth’
BSS, Rajshahi
Mayor of Rajshahi AHM Khairuzzaman Liton emphasized the
need for cultural and literary competition for the
children for their mental growth along with flourishing
their latent talents.
He said the children should be ensured with all requisite
facilities side by side with keeping them away from any
violence so that they could be built as worthy citizens to
lead the future Bangladesh.
Mayor Liton was addressing as the chief guest the closing
and prize-giving ceremony of a cultural and literary
competition for the children organized by Divisional
Public Library in observance of the International Mother
Language and Immortal Ekushey February at its premises
here Monday.
Chaired by Deputy Commissioner Shefaul Karim, it was
addressed, among others, by President of Rajshahi Chamber
of Commerce and Industry Abu Bakker Ali and In-charge of
the library.
Mayor Liton said the children should be habituated with
the modern ideas and knowledge and other fields through
participating in the local level cultural and literary
competition.
He said importance should be given on arranging more
competitions for them.
He, however, said the children must be protected from all
sorts of bad association and criminal activities including
drug-addiction and viewed that they should not be deprived
of their fundamental rights.
BMDA provides irrigation to
produce addl paddy
BSS, Rangpur
The Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA) has
taken massive steps to provide smooth irrigation to 43,050
hectares land in 13 northern districts during this Boro
season, officials said Monday.
A total of re-installed 1,722 Deep Tube Wells (DTWs) have
been put ready for providing irrigation to produce 2.32
lakh tonnes of additional Boro paddies worth Taka 326
crore during this season in the region.
The 1,722 DTWs out of a targeted 2,850 disordered ones
have so far been reinstalled under the Phase-1 five-year
term ongoing Taka 198-crore Deep Tube Well Installation
Project (DTWIP) and more 1,128 DTWs will be reinstalled by
2013 next.
Besides, the government also approved the 5-year term
Phase- 2 Taka 250 crore DTWIP on last January 21 at the
ECNEC meeting for installation of 1,250 new DTWs in
Rangpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Bogra, Pabna
and Sirajganj districts.
Completion of the Phase-1 and Phase-2 projects will bring
a revolution in boosting agro-productions, ensured supply
of arsenic-free pure drinking water and improving ecology,
bio- diversity, environment and resist desertification of
the region.
While talking to BSS Monday, Superintending Engineer (SE)
of BMDA and its Project Director Monwar Hossain told that
thousands of farmers will be benefited by getting
irrigation at the lowest costs after completion of the
projects.
"We irrigated 37,591 hectares land last year in these
districts benefiting 66,753 farmers, realized Taka 6.03 cr
as irrigation charges when the farmers produced an
additional 2.11 lakh tonnes paddy worth Taka 296 crore,"
he added.
Besides, 20 Low Lift Pump schemes have been taken under
the Activating Inactive DTWs Installation Pilot Project
for maximizing utilization of the surface waters in
Rangpur, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts this year.
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