Day: May 18, 2024

Jute and Textile Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak today said the government is working tirelessly to return previous glory of golden fibre (jute). Terming Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as labourer friendly and she is working for their welbeing, the minister said while addressing a press breifing after visiting a number of Jute and Textile Mills here. The minister said that the Prime Minister have already paid all the dues of the labourers amid closed jute mills in the region. Nanak, who is also a presidium member of Bangladesh Awami League, said that the leasee jute mills would not be able to showcase the expected result. The ministry can take new decision as the leasee of the mills can't fulfill lease conditions, Nanank added. He, however, said the main condition of lease was to produce adequate jute goods and to create job opportunity of previous skilled labourers. Besides, the government is considering to build economic zone of the lands of closed jute mills, he added. Earlier, the Textile and Jute Mini ster visited Daulatpur Jute Mill, Platinum Jubilee Jute Mill, Crescent Jute Mill, Khalishpur Jute Mill under the BJMC and Khulna Textile Mill under the BTMC of the Ministry. Mayor of Khulna City Corporation(KCC) Talukder Abdul Khaleque, Parliament member of Khulna-3 constituency S M Kamal Hossain, Chairman of BJMC Faruk Ahmed, Chairman of BTMC Brig Gen Zia, among others, were present. The Textile and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak later exchenged views with the members of Bangladesh Jute Association(BJA) at a hotel here as chief guest. He urged the BJA members to work unitedly to reduce dependency of jute yield import. Terming the farmers are growing 1,500 metric tonnes of jute yield across the country in a year and the remained 4,500 metric tonnes jute yeild has been collected from India as 5,000 jute yeild is needed in the country, he said, adding that we should inspire our fermers to produce huge jute yield in the country. Chaired by the Chairman of BJMC Farhad Ahmed Akand, KCC Mayor Talukder Abdu l Khaleque and Parliament Member S M Kamal Hossain addressed the meeting as special guests. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Japanese embassy, Dhaka and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) organized "Shodo Workshop - The Art of Japanese Calligraphy" at the National Art Gallery No.03 at the BSA here today. Japan envoy Iwama Kiminori, his wife and BSA Director Syeda Mahbuba Karim Mini spoke, among the others, at the workshop, a Japan embassy press release. The workshop was conducted by a Japanese calligraphy artist Satoko Azuma. She gave a lecture on the philosophy of Japanese calligraphy and demonstrated the art with a giant brush. Ambassador Iwama hoped that the Shodo Workshop would effectively promote cultural exchange. "I believe the cultural exchange between Japan and Bangladesh will be a very effective instrument in strengthening our existing bilateral relations", he added. He said Shodo literally means 'the way of writing', and it requires diverse techniques accompanied by a flow of brush and ink, essentially with an inner spiritual concentration. The envoy said, "It is one of the most highly regarded, and profoundly tr aditional art forms in Japan, having been developed and practised since the 5th century". Bangladeshi and Japanese children, students, dignitaries, and other participants had the opportunity to experience Japanese calligraphy under the guidance of Azuma. The works will be displayed on the wall of the gallery and the calligraphy exhibition will remain open at the same venue until May 25. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Two workers died and two others were injured after inhaling toxic gas inside a septic tank while cleaning the septic tank of an under-construction building of Purvpara village of Parulia union of Kashiani upazila of the district today. The deceased were identified as Suman, 45, son of Soleman Mia, and Nahid,22, resident of Madhya Bakharpur village of Chandpur district. Officer-in-charge (OC) of Kashiani Police Station Md Zillur Rahman said that the two labourers were working in the septic tank around 12:30pm of the house, leaving they get sick from poisonous gas. When the other two workers proceeded to rescue them also get sick from the poisonous gas. Fire service and police recovered them from the spot and sent them to Kashiani Upazila Health Complex, where on-duty doctor declared them dead, he said. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The farmers of Panchagarh district are expecting bumper production of Boro due to favourable climatic conditions throughout the season. Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said agro-inputs such as chemical fertilizer, pesticide and so on were easily available and the prices of those were also affordable to the farmers. The sources said 20 percent of the deep tube wells and shallow tube wells, engaged in irrigation, are run by diesel and the rest are operated by electricity. The availability of diesel is easy and its price is also normal, according to the farmers. Deputy Director of the DAE Md, Abdul Matin told BSS that this year's production target of Boro paddy is 1,51,308 tonnes from 38,000 hectares of land in the district at an average production target of 8.80 tonnes per hectares of land. A farmer of Shahapara village under Debiganj upazila said he cultivated Boro on one acre of land where the plants are growing excellently so he is expecting a total production of more than 80 maunds of paddy. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha