Stop politics on monga

This was stated by State Minister for Agriculture Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Deputy Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Asadul Habib Dulu at a day-long workshop at Dalia, one of the monga affected areas in the eight northern districts.

High officials, agriculture experts, bankers, farmers' representatives, Union Parishd leaders, NGO representatives and journalists attended the workshop on Emerging Challenges of Monga: Ways to Face It, organised by the North West Crop Diversification Project (NCDP). It was held at the Water Development Board rest house at Dalia on Saturday.

This was the biggest ever workshop on the issue in the northern areas.

The Deputy Minister and the Sate Minister said there has been enough politics on the miseries of people. Vested quarters are taking chance of the opportunity.

They urged the government agencies, particularly thoseinvolved in agriculture and small scale industries and NGOs to work out concrete plans to overcome the situation.

Abdul Majid, Chief Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) in Rangpur region presented the key note paper at the workshop.

He said, during Bangla months of Aswin and Kartik (mid-September to mid-November) people of eight districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and Nilphamari face acute hardship due to unemployment. They are only 10 per cent of the country's population living in 11 per cent area.

The causes are poor economic condition, repeated floods, river erosion, absence of food grains surplus at family level, increase in the number of landless people and unskilled labour and lack of employment in non-agricultural sectors excluding agriculture. None of these problems are beyond solution if there is will, he said.

Chairman of Rajshahi Krishi Unayan Bank Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was the special guest at the workshop presided over by Ibrahim Khalil, Director General (DG) of Agriculture Extension Department (DAE).

Speaking as chief guest, State Minister for Agriculture said we must create alternative employment opportunities, alongside developing and diversifying agriculture in the monga affected areas.

He said the government wants to promote agro-based small and medium industries in the region but investors are not coming forth.

They think that investment in this region would not be profitable.

On the other hand, agriculture is not regarded by many as profitable profession now like before.

It is the time to think how agriculture in the region could be made profitable for farmers, he added.

Deputy Minister Asadul Habib Dulu said that 30 years back, labourers from other regions would come to the eight districts for employment. But now the situation is completely reversed.

The BARI Chief Scientific Officer said that in the absence of private sector, the government should come forward with plans for setting up of small and medium industries in the area. Interest-free loans should also be provided to people for setting up of cottage industries.

He said increase agriculture production through crop diversification is possible. He named 30 crops, cultivation of which can create employment during the monga period and change the situation.

Project Director of NCDP Zakir Hossain also spoke at the workshop.