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Ginger, garlic prices see abnormal hike in city
The price of ginger, an essential kitchen item, has shot up to Tk 300 from Tk 170 per kg within a week in the capital due to what traders said supply crunch.
Put in place proper health measures before gradual withdrawal of lockdown: WHO
World Health Organization (WHO) has said any country needs to make sure that good and appropriate health measures are already in place demonstrating its ability to tackle the situation confidently before it slowly starts withdrawing its lockdown.
Ramadan offers an opportunity to Muslims to stop coronavirus ‘with its spirit’
Amid a different reality caused by deadly coronavirus outbreak, countrywide lockdown, restriction on mass gatherings and congregational prayers, the month of Ramadan provides an opportunity to Muslims to deal with the pandemic with its spirit.
Coronavirus: UN says reopening approach in any country must be localised
UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Mia Seppo has said the approach regarding reopening economic activities in any country will have to be highly localised taking lessons learned elsewhere in the world to minimise the risk of further spreading of coronavirus and saving lives being lost.
Coronavirus: Bumper Boro yield in Jashore, but harvesting left in limbo
Some five lakh farmers of Jashore are passing their days in deep worries due to labour crisis caused by restriction on movement of people and suspension of transport services, aiming to tamp down the coronavirus spread.
This year, a total of 1.60 lakh hectares of land have been brought under Boro cultivation in the district and the farmers are expecting a bumper production.
According to sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Boro harvesting has begun in the full swing in many areas.
Talking to UNB, some farmers said as movement of vehicles remained suspended for nearly a month and local administration put their respective areas under lockdown making it difficult for them to hire workers for harvesting.
According to DAE officials, many workers usually come here from northern parts of the country during Boro season. Besides, farmers always hire workers from Satkhira, Kushtia, Pabna and Faridpur districts.
But this time, it will be difficult for the farmers to hire workers due to the current situation.
The authorities concerned of DAE decided to provide some harvesting machines to some farmers at a subsidized rate. They have made a list of 24 people and sent a letter to the Agriculture Minister seeking 12 harvesting machines.
The DAE sources said they provided 38 harvesting machines to different upazilas of the district in the last five years during.
Talking to UNB, some farmers like Obaidul Islam and Zinnat Ali of Sadar upazila said they have failed to collect money though they are trying hard to do that for purchasing machines.
Zinnat Ali, a farmer of Khajura Koyerpara, said at least nine people are needed for harvesting paddy from one bigha of land.
Siddique Mia, a farmer of Jhikorgachcha upazila, said, “I’ve failed to collect money for purchasing a harvesting machine.”
Khalid Saifullah, Sadar Upazila Agricultural officer, said some 1.8 crore workers are needed for harvesting paddy from 12 lakh bighas of land in the district. The family members of the farmers also have come forward with workers to harvest paddy as soon as possible, he said.
“We’re trying out best as no-one face problem in harvesting paddy. Workers will be brought under special managements for harvesting paddy from other districts,” he added
“Besides, we’re trying to engage those people sitting idle amid coronavirus outbreak,” said Khalid.
Dr Akteruzzaman, deputy director at Jashore DAE, said, “Currently, many people in Keshabpur upazila have become unemployed and they will be hired as they expressed their willingness for the job.”
Farm workers will be hired from Satkhira as well, he said, adding “If workers could be hired from other places and harvesting machines could be used properly then there will be no crisis.”
69pc RMG workers stop sending money to families: Study
About 69 percent of the readymade garment (RMG) workers who used to send money to their families in villages have stopped doing so after the coronavirus outbreak, a recent study found.
Seventy-six percent of the female workers and 61 percent male workers did not send money to their families, said the study by Innovation Consulting, a Dhaka-based international consultancy providing research, technical assistance and project management services to multilateral and bi-lateral donor agencies.
According to the study findings, 97 percent of the workers will stop sending money to their villages if they do not get salaries for the month of April.
Not weather but preventive measures can stop coronavirus: Bangladesh experts
Though multiple early-stage studies, including one by MIT researchers, suggest coronavirus transmit less efficiently in countries with warm and humid conditions, Bangladesh’s health experts think not whether but social distancing and strict implementation of other protective measures are the saviors of the pandemic virus.
Returnee-migrant bets future on Malta farming in Rajshahi
With grit and a dream to make it big, overseas-returnee Kawsar Ali built a Malta orchard on a one-acre plot at Godagari upazila in Rajshahi.
Returning home from abroad after 12 years, Ali put in all-out efforts in the orchard. He planted Bari Malta-1 saplings two years ago eying good return from the farming of the fruits.
Now Malta flowers have bloomed and the trees are decorated with small immature Malta.
It is expected that the fruit can be collected in the next August-September period as it takes some six months from flowering to ripen, he said.
The farmer expected a harvest of 1.6 metric tons in the upcoming season from his orchard and the Malta can be sold at Tk 100 per kilogram.
Kawsar Ali said when he returned home, he was confused about what to do. Then he became interested in farming Malta seeing many others in the locality.
He also learned that the farmers can get good return from the farming of Malta as there is high demand for the fruit in the local market. But the fruit can be harvested after three years of planting the seedlings.
He planted guava saplings in between the Malta trees in the orchard keeping in mind the cost for maintaining the orchard.
Around the garden, he started cultivating all kinds of vegetables, including banana, grapes, sweet pumpkin, onion, garlic and pepper at the same time.
Besides, various other seedlings including lemon and cardamom were planted there.
This orchard was developed some two year ago and its yearly maintenance cost is about Tk 1 lakh. But the youth has been meeting the maintenance cost as well as his family’s expenses by selling vegetables and guavas since the first year.
Noting that the first stage yield is from a short-range of Maltese trees, the farmer hoped that that Malta production would be threefold when the trees grow bigger. “So, I’ll be able to make larger profit selling Malta from my orchard in the second phase (in future),” he added.
Ali said no agricultural officer visited his orchard or gave any suggestion. He instead visited different orchards to get farming tips. Besides, if there is a problem, he turns to the internet for solution.
The young farmer said he spends most of his time at his farm.
Godagari Upazila Agriculture Officer Shafiqul Islam said there is water crisis at Godagari as it is in the Barind region. So, the farmers in this region are getting interested in farming Malta as it takes less water to get good yield with a little care.
Malta is being cultivated on 90 bighas of land in this upazila, said the agricultural officer.
“Consumers get fresh Malta as these are sold directly from the orchard to the market. Local Malta is delicious and tastes better than the imported varieties,” he said.
Coronavirus: Tenants for waiving house rents for 3 months
As economic activities came to a grinding halt amid the nationwide shutdown aimed at curbing the transmission of coronavirus, tenants in Dhaka and other cities urged the government to waive house rents and utility bills for three months from April.
Many say they are out of job and do not have enough to feed their families. With the situation showing no sign of improvement, they say they are worried about their survival.
Small businessmen also requested the government to forgo utility bills to help them survive and continue business.
During the shutdown, the low-income group who live from hand to mouth, such as rickshaw pullers, transport workers, day-labourers, hawkers, transport workers, employees of hotels, restaurants and different shops, markets, among others, have been hit the hardest.
Coronavirus also batters battery industry
The country’s accumulator battery industries sought a financial help of Tk 2,000 crore from the government to overcome the adverse impact of coronavirus outbreak on the sector.