Students of the Medical Assistant Training School (MATS), Bagerhat blocked the road in front of the Bagerhat Police Superintendent's office on the Bagerhat-Khulna highway over four-point demands on Thursday. This caused traffic congestion on both sides of the road for half an hour. However, the students lifted the blockade after the intervention of the army. The four-point demands of the students include immediate revision of the course curriculum while maintaining internships, abolishing the Allied Health Board and immediately forming an independent board, creating employment opportunities and making appointments immediately.  

Faisal Ahmed Shuvo, a college student from a remote village in Bagerhat, has become an inspiration for many  unemployed youths in the area for his success in farming of 25 foreign chicken  breeds. Inspired by his success, other youths are seeking advice on starting their own farms. A pair of American Wyandotte Splash chickens of his farm is now selling at Tk 70,000. Shuvo, an Honours second-year student from Malliker Ber village in Rampal Upazila, started his experimental foreign chicken breeds farming in 2019 after watching YouTube videos. He borrowed Tk 3,400 from his father and bought four European Silkie chickens. Over time, he acquired more foreign chickens, turning his hobby into a source of income. His farm, Shuvo Agro, now earns him Tk 500,000 to 600,000 annually. In addition to European Silkie chickens, his farm now has 200 to 300 foreign chickens  of 25 species including European Brahma, Silkie, Hamburg, Silver, Brahma, Cosmo, Fighter, Ringneck, Buff Polish Cap Frizzle, White Polish Cap, Bantam, Wyandotte, Sebright, and other species. He has also installed an incubator machine for hatching eggs. Government introduces ‘Transfer of Development Rights’ to protect agricultural lands Faisal said, "I had a hobby of raising chickens. In 2019, I bought four European Silkie chickens with 3,400 Taka from my father after watching YouTube videos. Once they started laying eggs, I never looked back. Now, I have at least 25 species of foreign chickens and sell chicks online through social media, especially Facebook. I couldn't have achieved this without my family's support." He said that his farm's annual income is Tk 6 lakh with the most expensive pair of Wyandotte Splash chickens costing a pair Tk 60,000 to 70,000 . The farm also houses the world's smallest bird species, the King Quail, originating from Asia and Australia, with a pair priced between Tk  8,000 and Tk 10,000. He sells chicks hatched from eggs, with one to ten-day-old chicks costing Tk 1,000 to 1,200 per pair, and fully grown chickens priced between  Tk 20,000 and Tk 70,000 per pair, said Shuvo. He has sold chickens in 55 districts including Bagerhat, Khulna, Barishal, Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Cumilla. Inspired by Faisal, many unemployed youths have started their own foreign chicken farms. Visitor Soikat Sheikh said, "I saw these chickens on YouTube, and now I can see them in person. It feels great." Farmer achieves self-reliance through taro cultivation in Khulna Another visitor, Robiul Islam, said, "As a young entrepreneur, I want to start a foreign chicken farm, so I came to see Shuvo's farm. I saw many species of foreign chickens and was very impressed." Faisal's father, Saiful Islam, said, "Shuvo is an example of how one can earn money without chasing jobs. He achieved what we couldn't in our time, thanks to the internet." Bagerhat District Livestock Officer Mohammad Saheb Ali said, "I have heard about Faisal Ahmed Shuvo's foreign chicken farm, which has about 25 species from various countries. The district livestock office is keen on supporting such young entrepreneurs in every possible way."

In a boost to local exports, wooden houses crafted in a remote village of Bagerhat will be shipped to Belgium, creating new avenues for foreign currency earnings and generating employment opportunities in the region. Constructed entirely from wood, including their framework, walls, doors, windows, and roofs, these boat-shaped houses are opening up new international markets. Mostafiz Ahmed, an entrepreneur behind Natural Fiber that is spearheading this initiative from Bagerhat’s BSCIC industrial city, believes that with government support, this venture could expand significantly. Earlier this year, a Belgian eco park placed an order for 120 eco-friendly wooden houses, made from sustainable materials. Mostafiz Ahmed shared with UNB’s Bagerhat correspondent that the order from the Belgian eco park is to be fulfilled within two years. The agreement stipulates that the houses must be made from local mahogany wood, with all materials being biodegradable. The wood is sourced from nearby areas, ensuring sustainability. A visit to Natural Fiber’s factory in the remote Karori village in Bagerhat revealed a bustling scene where workers were diligently constructing the wooden houses. Some workers focused on building doors and windows, others on assembling frames, and another group on crafting walls. The final step involves meticulous painting and polishing, resulting in aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly houses. The houses, initially constructed as single units measuring 11 meters in length and 4.25 meters in width, are then divided into smaller sections for easier transportation. These sections can be easily assembled at any location. Carpenter Mojahid explained that they received training before beginning the construction. After completing the design, the houses undergo approval by both the company and foreign representatives. The workers are now operating at full capacity, with each house taking about a week to complete, weather permitting. The project employs around 200 workers.  

Voting in the first phase of the 6th Upazila Parishad Election is underway amid a festive mood in Kachua and Rampal upazilas of Bagerhat. The voting began at 8:00 am and will continue till 4:00 pm without any break. At the polling centers of the two upazilas, voters, especially women, were seen standing in lines to cast their votes. The overall mood is peaceful. CCC, CMP ink deal to ensure road safety in Chattogram Voters are exercising their franchise at 30 polling centres in Kachua upazila and 49 centres in Rampal upazila.  Bagerhat District Election Officer and Returning Officer Sheikh Muhammad Jalal Uddin said voting in Kachua and Rampal upazila parishads of Bagerhat was going on peacefully.  Forest Department deploys teams and drones to monitor Sundarbans fire situation No untoward incident has been reported. BGB, police, RAB, Ansar, executive and judicial magistrates are on duty to maintain law and order, he added.  

A severe heat wave is scorching the districts of Chuadanga and Bagerhat while a mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping over Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, parts of Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, according to weather office. The severity may ease in some other places, said a met office bulletin. Heatwave sweeps over 8 divisions as temperatures soar Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at one or two places over Chattogram and Sylhet divisions with hails at isolated places, said a regular bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country. Dhaka’s air continues to be ‘unhealthy’, 4th most polluted in the world this morning Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country

Eco-friendly wooden bicycle, manufactured in Bagerhat’s BSCIC Industrial area, has garnered significant attention through generating employment and opening new markets, particularly in Europe. Wood, renowned for its versatility, is now prominently featured in making the environment-friendly 'Baby Balance Bikes,' capturing foreign buyer’s interest. Already 20,000 wooden bicycles have been exported to Greece in the first phase. Produced by the 'Natural Fiber' company in Bagerhat’s BSCIC Industrial City, these eye-catching bicycles are complemented by a range of eco-friendly furniture items including hotel beds, sun beds, pet toys, catering to global demand. Jashore flower growers eye Tk 70 cr sale in the month of language, Falgun, Valentine’s Day Sources said Natural Fiber started its production in BSCIC Industrial City in 2005. At the beginning, various coir products including mattresses, coir felt, coco peat, disposable slippers were made with coconut shell. Natural Fiber transitioned to wooden bicycles and other wooden goods in 2023, sparking international interest.

Two bodies were recovered from separate places in Bagerhet on Tuesday. Police recovered the body of a fisherman named Eskandar Sheikh, 65, from the Panighat area of Chitra River in Bagerhat Sadar upazila on Tuesday morning, five days after he went missing.  Election 2024: 21 candidates in Bagerhat lose security deposit Eskandar hailed from Tasir Uddin Sheikh of Bara Singharam village in Bishnupur union of Bagerhat Sadar upazila.  Bagerhat Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Saidur Rahman said, being informed by the locals, police recovered Eskandar’s body from the Chitra River. The body was sent to Bagerhat District Hospital morgue for autopsy. Woman beaten dead, 5 more hurt over enmity in Bagerhat’s Morrelganj The body of a woman named Parvin Begum, 54, was recovered from her house in Gabgachia village of Morrelganj upazila. Police recovered the woman's body after receiving a call on 999. Jubo Dal leader dies after ‘falling sick’ in Bagerhat jail Meanwhile, Mohammad Shamsuddin, officer-in-charge of Morrelganj Police Station, said Parvin’s body was found lying on the floor beside her bed. No injury marks were found on the body. The body was sent to the district hospital morgue for autopsy. A GD has been filed and police are investigating the death, said the OC.

At least 21 candidates in Bagerhat’s four constituencies have lost their security deposit as they failed to bag required votes cast in the 12th parliamentary election held on January 7. Nineteen candidates from different political leaders and two independent candidates are among those who lost their security deposit. Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner and Returning officer Khalid Hossain came up with the information after analyzing the results. Read: Election 2024: List of winners from Mymensingh division  Among them, five candidates each were from Bagerhat-1, Bagerhat-2 and Bagerhat-3 constituencies while four from Bagerhat-4 constituencies. The candidates were: Md Kamruzzaman (5210 votes), HM Ataur Rahman Atiqui (1175 votes), Basudeb Guha (2065 votes), Manjur Hosain Shikdar (2796 votes), Mahfuzur Rahman (1775 votes), Shahidul Isalm (4174 votes), SM Azmal Hossain (1455 votes), Khan Arifur Rahman, (3163 votes), Mariam Sultana (2762 votes), Solaiman Shikdar (1907 votes), Mafizul Islam Gazi (208 votes), Manuel Sarkar (228 votes), Maniruzzaman Moni (670 votes), Sheikh Nuruzzaman Masum (338 votes), Subrata Mandal (423 votes), Jamil Hossain (5376 votes), Mohammad Badruzzaman (992 votes), Mohammad Lokman (1611 votes), Rezaul Islam Raju (636 votes), Lutfun Nahar Rikta (697 votes) and Sajon Kumar Mistri (2220 votes). District Election Officer Sheikh Muhammad Jalal Uddin, said the candidates submitted Tk 20,000 as security deposit. Read: Election 2024: List of winners from Rangpur division According to the rules, those who did not get a minimum 12.5 percent of the total votes cast in the election will not get the security money back. The voting for the 12th parliamentary election was held on January 7 amid tight security in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies.

An election office of the Awami League-nominated candidate for Bagerhat-4 constituency (Morelganj and Sharankhola), HM Bodiujjaman Shohag, has been set on fire. The incident happened at the Amurbunia Bazar area of Nishanbaria union of Morrelganj upazila of Bagerhat early Monday morning. Also read: Lalmonirhat-1: Boat set on fire allegedly by Eagle supporters The candidate and the administration have said miscreants have caused the fire. However, no complaint was filed at the police station till 7:30 pm on Monday. Sohag said miscreants set fire to his election office. He demanded that the administration find out who was responsible for the fire. Mohammad Shamsuddin, officer-in-charge of Morrelganj Police Station, said police visited the spot after being informed. There was minor damage in the fire. Initially, it is believed that the miscreants set the fire. Also read: BNM candidate’s election camp set on fire in Chapainawabganj Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer of Bagerhat. Md Khalid Hossain said police have been asked to increase surveillance in the area. At the same time, the police have been instructed to find those involved in the incident.

As the 12th parliamentary election of Bangladesh approaches, a wave of excitement is sweeping through Bagerhat's first-time voters. These new electors are eager to contribute to their nation's progress by electing their preferred representatives. They see this as a chance to influence the country's development and shape the future. These young voters harbor aspirations for comprehensive progress in their region. Their wish list includes a corruption-free society, a terrorism-free Bangladesh, and development plans focused on youth. Dissolve parliament, Election under Army: Insaniyat's petition on Wednesday's docket They're not just excited but also proactive, offering suggestions to advance their area and the nation. They advocate for modernizing the general and technical education systems, improving education quality at all levels, and ensuring essential goods remain affordable for the average citizen. Their focus is also on maintaining a nation free from corruption and terrorism. In Bagerhat's four constituencies, 28 candidates from various parties, including the Awami League and independents, are vying for seats. The election buzz is palpable in local markets and tea shops, with voters of all ages discussing the candidates. However, it's the new generation whose interest in the election is most pronounced. During interviews, young male and female voters from different parts of Bagerhat district shared diverse views on the upcoming election. Bagerhat District Election Officer Sheikh Muhammad Jalal Uddin disclosed that the district's four constituencies have a total voter count of 1,281,241, comprising 644,136 males, 637,097 females, and eight third-gender voters. Notably, there are 168,248 new voters, split almost evenly between males and females. Emon Sheikh, a college student, emphasized the importance of young candidates, believing they can contribute more to society. His vote will go to a candidate prioritizing education. Sheikh Hussain, another student, stressed the need for better roads, infrastructure, and living standards, alongside educational improvements. Sheikh Saker Mahmud Prince voiced a desire for honest, capable candidates, wary of those who might misuse their positions. EC going around the country to check election prep at district level Other young voters like Nazmus Sakib, Biplob, Alamin, and Monica highlighted the need for youth-focused initiatives and job creation. They believe in harnessing the power of educated youth and fostering patriotism among citizens. With high hopes and clear expectations, Bagerhat's new voters are set to play a pivotal role in shaping the political landscape of their region and country. AL upbeat as PM Hasina to launch election campaign from Sylhet Wednesday