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.