Mintu Abdur Rahman, Rangpur :
Most of the jute growers in Rangpur agriculture region are still adopting traditional method of rotting jute plants and thus polluting different water bodies as ribbon retting method, a technology for rotting jute plants is yet to become familiar to them.
Harvesting of jute is going on in full swing across the region and the farmers are passing busy time decomposing jute plants in almost all the river and other water bodies , causing serious pollution of water, it is alleged.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Rangpur sources said, farmers cultivated jute on around 64,000 hectares of land in five districts under the zone this year. The districts are : Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat. The growers are much happy with production of the crop.
DAE official sources said ribbon retting is a method to separate fibre from jute stick and rot those in ditch to get the expected golden fibre.
This technology needs less water for rotting jute stick than the traditional method. By using this technology the separated fibre are kept under water ofditch to decompose those properly. The size of a ditch should be sixmetre in length, two metre in width and one metre in depth where fibers are kept under water for at least 12 to 15 days.
Helal Uddin, a jute farmer of Akondapara village in Mithapukur upazila under Rangpur district told The New Nation that ribbon retting method seems to be easy but he and many farmers of his area do not have sufficient training on it.
DAE Rangpur, sources said though farmers were informed about the technology but most of them are showing their unwillingness to adopt it. This year farmers are getting adequate water in water bodies which is another reason for their reluctance.
The department is trying to make the technology popular among the farmers by providing necessary training, equipments, sources added.
Mobilisation of social forces for reducing corruption stressed
BSS adds: Anti-corruption activists at a quarterly meeting here have stressed on mobilisation of social forces and engagement of the local communities for launching a vigorous effective movement to reduce corruption.
They also mentioned that members of the district and upazila level Corruption Prevention Committees (CPCs) have been contributing a lot in inspiring the common people to launch anti-corruption movement at all levels.
They expressed the views at the quarterly coordination meeting of District Corruption Prevention Coordination Committee (DCPCC) held on Monday afternoon at the Training Centre of RDRS Bangladesh in the city.
The Combined District Office of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and RDRS Bangladesh assisted in arranging the meeting under the Justice Reform and Corruption Prevention (JRCP) project being funded German Development Cooperation.
President of District Corruption Prevention Committee (CPC), also President of DCPCC, Professor Mozammel Haque presided over the meeting participated by members of the district CPC, Presidents and General Secretaries of its upazila units.
Newly appointed Deputy Director of Rangpur District Combined Office of ACC Mozahar Ali Sarder attended the meeting as the chief guest.
Moderated by District Manager of JRCP Project Ershad M Rasel, General
Secretary of District CPC, also General Secretary of DCPCC, Akbar Hossain discussed organisational issues and future plans of corruption prevention activities in the meeting. Presidents and General Secretaries of its upazila units presented their activities conducted so far in preventing corruption, limitations and problems with suggestions for further enhancing their performance.
The meeting also discussed about principles, rules and regulations for
public hearings, constitution and working guidelines for city, district,upazila and union level Corruption Prevention Committees and necessary directions towards the directions.
Mozahar Ali Sarder highly appreciated the activities already conducted by members of the district and upazila level CPCs in mobilising social forces and engaging local communities to create public awareness against corruption in the district.
