Climate change impacts in Bangladesh
With the Himalayas to the north and the Bay of Bengal to the south, Bangladesh sits on one of the world’s largest and most densely populated deltas, where the Jamuna, Padma and Meghna rivers converge.
Bangladesh
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Crisis of T-aman seed hits farmers Poor farmers in Narsingdi
The poor farmers in different upazilas of Narsingdi are facing uncertainty over cultivation of transplanted aman paddy this year due to acute shortage of seeds. The farmers, particularly in char areas of the district, are yet to collect seeds of T-aman paddy in the peak season due to crisis of seeds, local sources said. Everyday, several hundred farmers are crowding the BADC godowns for seeds but most of them return home disappointed, they said.
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GlobeScan sustainable development survey
The latest world survey by GlobeScan finds that the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) continues to lead among organizations expected to play a major role in advancing sustainable development and also to be a leading provider of information on sustainability issues.
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$100m first phase budgetary support: Food crisis Bangladesh's urgent challenge: WB VP
World Bank would provide US$100m to Bangladesh in the first phase as budgetary support to help the country build food security. The assurance came yesterday after a meeting between WB Vice President for South Asia Region Isabel Guerrero and Finance Adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam at Planning Commission office in the city. Later, World Bank Country Director Xian Zhu told reporters they would provide the amount in the first phase but it would be increased further in phases.
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Return of polythene poses threat to environment
The increasing use of polythene bags are causing a serious threat to environment and creating hazards to public health in the capital city. Shoppers are seen carrying commodities in polythene bags from markets despite a ban on it imposed by the government. Lack of awareness among the mass on the demerits of using polythene bags and irregular application of laws are widely responsible for indiscriminate use of polythene bags in urban and rural markets, said environmental experts. City's environment is now in dire peril due to massive use of polythene, they opined.
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Hundred years of Ramna Park
Ramna Park, the green oasis, the lung of the Dhaka city has survived one hundred years amidst the concrete jungle. Though the park is a source of pleasure to the city dwellers with all its natural assets, no one bothered of celebrating the centenary of the park except for two nature lovers, Professor Dwijen Sharma and environmentalist Mokarram Hossain. They are organising a programme to celebrate the park centenary.
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Champions of the Earth for urgent action
Seven leading lights in the battle against global warming who are also catalysing the transition to a greener and leaner global economy were recently acknowledged as the 2008 Champions of the Earth. The winners, ranging from His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco and the Prime Minister of New Zealand to a Sudanese climate researcher who has been successfully piloting climate-proofing strategies in some of the most stressed communities on Earth, received their trophies at a gala event in Singapore.
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Carbide-tainted fruits cause serious health hazard
Seasonal summer fruits contaminated with carbide are causing serious health hazards such as stomach pain, acidity, food poisoning, digestive trouble and colon cancer, experts said on Saturday. "Carbide mix hinders biochemical reaction in fruits and subsequently cause the deadly diseases including cancer," Professor ABM Faruque of the Department of Pharmacy of Dhaka University told BSS on Saturday.
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Bangla pact on river work
India and Bangladesh have signed a pact in New Delhi on July 17 agreeing not to prevent each other from carrying out anti-erosion work along the border in malda district. The district magistrate of Malda, Chittaranjan Das, said huge plots of Indian land on the border were eroded by the river. "The problem is particularly bad in areas like Old Malda, Habibpur and Bamungola where the border fencing and pillars have gone missing with the Mahananda eating into its banks.'
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River erosion turns grave in Netrakona villages
River erosion has taken a serious turn in different border villages of three upazilas in Netrakona with at least 300 dwelling houses and 600 acres of crop land devoured in the last three days. The people living near the Sumeshowary and Kongsa rivers here are passing days with fear as the two rivers are fast eroding houses and crop land, local sources said. The erosion-hit villages are Shibgonj, Dakumara, Kamarkhali and Birishiri under Durgapur upazila, Fakirar Bazar and Dashdar under Barhatta upazila and village Borail under Netrakona sadar upazila.
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Betel leaf production continues to decline in Noakhali
Betel leaf production continues to decline in Noakhali as farmers are losing interest in cultivating this cash crop due to manifold problems. Price hike of farming inputs, absence of marketing facilities and paucity of fund are the main reasons for gradual decline in production of betel leaf in the district, growers said. Official sources said about 450 growers of Hatiya, Subarnachar and Companiganj upazila of the district are now engaged in cultivating betel leaf on six hundred acres of land. A farmer needs Tk 20,000 to Tk 25,000 to cultivate betel leaf on one bigha of land.