United News of Bangladesh

Once considered a fish largely associated with the southern rivers of Bangladesh, hilsa is increasingly making its presence felt in the rivers of the north, raising hopes of new opportunities for fishermen in the region. The Teesta, Dharla, Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers are now occasionally yielding the prized fish, with fishermen reporting catches in several areas of Rangpur division. According to the Department of Fisheries, around 58 tonnes of hilsa have been caught so far this season in 11 upazilas across Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts. The figure was 39 tonnes in the previous season and 32 tonnes in 2024, indicating a gradual increase in the region’s hilsa catch. The fish is being found in six upazilas of Kurigram, four in Gaibandha and one in Lalmonirhat, particularly in stretches of the Brahmaputra and Teesta rivers. However, the volume remains considerably lower than in the country’s traditional hilsa-producing areas. With the nationwide 22-day fishing ban, observed from October 8 to 29 to protect mother hilsa during the peak breeding season, now over, fishermen have returned to the rivers. But many are struggling to resume fishing because of a shortage of boats and the high costs involved. Kurigram District Fisheries Officer Jahirul Islam Akand said hilsa is occasionally found in the Teesta, Dharla, Brahmaputra and Jamuna, but the rivers’ poor navigability has emerged as a major obstacle to fishing. Fishermen also lack adequate technical assistance and the necessary equipment to make the most of the opportunity, he said, adding that the matter had been brought to the attention of the ministry. Nayan Chandra, a fish farmer from Majhipara in Ulipur, said hilsa catches in the Brahmaputra has been relatively low this season. He said he sold hilsa weighing around one kilogram at Tk 1,200-1,300 per kg in the wholesale market. The government’s assistance during the fishing ban has provided some relief, with eligible fishermen receiving 25kg of rice each, he added. Kanchan Kumar, a fisherman from Kurigram, said the number of fishing boats has declined, making it increasingly difficult for fishermen to go out into the river. “Fishermen now have to spend at least Tk 2,000 to go fishing, apart from boat rental costs. The amount of fish they catch often does not cover the expenses, making fishing unprofitable,” he said. He said smaller hilsa weighing less than half a kilogram are selling for Tk 500-600 per kg, while larger ones fetched Tk 1,200-1,400. Hilsa usually remains available in the Brahmaputra until Kali Puja, after which catches become extremely rare, he added. Abdul Gani, a fisherman living along the Teesta in Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat, said they have caught only around 15kg of hilsa from the river this year. He blamed the shortage of fishing boats and the river’s poor navigability for their limited catch. Sahadat Hossain, senior fisheries officer in Nageshwari upazila of Kurigram, said hilsa catches in his area are lower than in neighbouring Rajibpur and Roumari. Why hilsa is disappearing from some northern stretches Fisheries experts say the availability of hilsa in northern rivers is closely linked to their connection with the Bay of Bengal and the seasonal flow of water. Hilsa is an anadromous fish, meaning it lives mainly in the sea but migrates through river systems into freshwater to reproduce. The Padma-Meghna river system and its tributaries have traditionally been the country’s major hilsa habitats. However, hilsa is not confined to the southern region. It has been recorded in around 100 rivers across Bangladesh, although its distribution and abundance vary considerably from one river system to another. Hilsa is particularly abundant in the Padma and Meghna basins, their tributaries, coastal rivers and estuaries. The fish generally takes eight months to a year to mature after hatching. Retired fisheries survey officer Zubayer Ali said hilsa migrates from the sea into rivers that maintain a connection with marine waters. During the monsoon, the Brahmaputra becomes more turbulent, creating conditions that allow hilsa to move upstream into the northern region. The Teesta was also once a strong-flowing river, and hilsa used to migrate into it from the sea for spawning. But the fish is now rarely found in the river, he said. Restoring the rivers’ navigability and natural flow is essential to bringing hilsa back in greater numbers, he added.

The government-set price of a 12-kg LPG cylinder has risen gradually in 2026 to reach Tk 2,060 in November, which is 57.73 percent higher than at the start of the year, while  consumers apprehend paying Tk 2500 or more in the absence of strict market monitoring. The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Monday raised the price of a 12-kg liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder by Tk 223 to Tk 2,060. In January the price stood at Tk 1,306, meaning the cost per cylinder has gone up by Tk 754 in 11 months. Criticising the government's decision, AHM Shafiquzzaman, president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), told UNB that LPG prices have been raised in succesive rounds since April, with some token reductions in between, and the overall increase far outweighs the occasional reductions in between. The government, through BERC, sets the price of LPG at the start of each month. On top of that it is a given that the price the consumer pays at the retail level will exceed that by at least a few hundred taka.   "The price of a 12-kg cylinder has now crossed Tk 2,000, which is deeply distressing for ordinary consumers," Shafiquzzaman said. "On behalf of consumers, we repeatedly urged the government not to raise LPG prices in November under any circumstances. More than 80 percent of LPG is used by ordinary consumers. But disregarding consumers, the government has raised the price to protect the interests of businesses," he said. BERC held a public hearing on LPG pricing on October 29. At the hearing, CAB submitted a written complaint saying traders were seeking a price hike by citing supply shortages. The BERC however, would seem to have sided with them anyway. CAB alleged that, despite import records and available stocks, businesses were creating an artificial crisis by withholding supply from the market, yet no one was holding them accountable. It also said importers cited higher shipping charges, dollar exchange rates and other costs, but the actual documents behind those claims were not being verified. The organisation demanded that the public be told how much costs had actually risen in terms of the Saudi contract price, freight and trade premiums, insurance and exchange rates. "The price was raised on the pretext of rising costs, but the public never learned how much costs had actually gone up. Pressure on consumers has increased, while businesses are happy. This decision is entirely to please businesses. In the name of a public hearing, consumers have been outright deceived this time," Shafiquzzaman said. He said the hike would hit small hoteliers and salaried consumers hard and push up their monthly expenses. "A family of four to five members needs one and a half 12-kg cylinders a month. Traders will sell LPG at prices even higher than what the government has set, and the government will be unable to do anything about monitoring this. A small family will now spend Tk 3,500 to Tk 4,000 a month on LPG alone," he said. Consumers said that they have to buy LPG at prices above the government-set rate. They fear that after the latest increase, a 12-kg cylinder will take the price they have to pay close to Tk 2500. Moinul Hasan, an employee of a private company, said that although the October price of a 12-kg cylinder was Tk 1,837, he had to pay Tk 400–500 more. "In reality, the price of a 12-kg cylinder has been above Tk 2,000 for a while. The last time I bought one, I paid Tk 2,350. Now that the price has gone up, I am sure I will have to pay more than Tk 2,500," he said. Another consumer, homemaker Fahmida Akter, voiced her frustration. "To cut LPG costs, I bought an electric cooker two months ago. But as the electricity bill came in higher, I increased my LPG use again. Now the LPG price has gone up again. We consumers are just swinging like a pendulum at the mercy of market prices," she said. It is not only households that are affected. Imran Hossain, general secretary of the Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association, warned that the price hike would become a huge burden for small restaurant operators. "The condition of restaurant businesses in the country is already dire. People do not have money to eat out. If food prices are raised in line with rising costs, restaurants will be empty. On top of that, the government keeps raising LPG prices. The entire restaurant-based food chain will come under threat," he told UNB. BERC has been setting LPG prices since April 2021, when the price of a 12-kg cylinder was first fixed at Tk 975. There are currently 35 actively registered LPG importing companies in the country, of which 23 have the infrastructure and capacity to import. Despite 23 companies having the capacity, only 10 firms imported LPG in September, according to the National Board of Revenue (NBR). At the BERC public hearing, these companies had sought to raise the existing commission of Tk 200 per 12-kg cylinder: Omera proposed Tk 478, Petromax Tk 349 and Delta Tk 360, while Meghna Group proposed Tk 300. "These corporate businessmen and distributors are holding the people hostage, and this time the government has made a decision on their behalf," M Shamsul Alam, CAB's energy adviser, told UNB, expressing anger. He said oligarchs were running rampant in the LPG import market, and the government, having yielded to them, was repeatedly putting ordinary people under pressure. Unless the energy policy is overhauled, he said, people-friendly energy decisions cannot be made. The energy expert called for a complete overhaul of the entire energy policy and expressed hope that the government would make BERC effective in setting people-friendly energy prices.

Sections of the Rangpur-Dinajpur Highway repaired only days ago are being repaired again after the newly laid cement blocks crumbled, bitumen peeled off and potholes reappeared, triggering anger among local residents and drivers. The affected sections were hastily repaired ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to Rangpur on October 20. But the repairs did not last even a week in some places, prompting the Roads and Highways Department to undertake repair work on the same sections again. The repeated repairs have raised questions about the quality of the work, supervision and the use of public money. Local residents and drivers, who earlier expressed doubts about the durability of the rushed repairs, said the condition of the road has proved their concerns right within days. The Roads and Highways Department, however, blamed the deterioration on overloaded vehicles and the poor foundation of the road. The problem was visible along at least two kilometres of the roughly 10-kilometre stretch from Paglapir to Medical Mor on the highway. More than 100 damaged sections of the highway were repaired ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit. Workers removed old brick pavements from the damaged sections, installed new cement blocks and applied bitumen over them. During a visit to the area on Saturday, repair work was found underway again at several of the same sections. Seeing the repaired portions being repaired again within such a short time, local residents and drivers expressed their frustration. Ershad Uddin, a resident of CO Bazar area, alleged that the road was not being repaired properly. “Roads are deliberately not repaired properly. Contractors and officials make money when the road is repaired. That is why the work is done in such a way that it gets damaged quickly,” he said. Saju Islam, a businessman from Kellaband area, said the brick pavement of the affected section was removed and cement blocks were installed only about a week earlier. “The cement blocks have crumbled because of the poor quality of the work. Now they are repairing the same section again. But the work being done now will also be damaged,” he said. According to the Roads and Highways Department, Rajshahi-based Don Enterprise was awarded a Tk 26.89 crore contract in the 2024-25 fiscal year for repairing a 17-kilometre section of the Rangpur-Saidpur Highway. A 10-kilometre section of the highway was repaired until, though complaints were raised about the quality of the work. Anarul Islam, a worker involved in the roadwork, said they simply followed instructions from engineers. “Engineers give us instructions and we carry them out. If public money is wasted, the government will bear the loss, but ordinary people are the ones who suffer,” he said. Another worker, Abdul Hadi, said the road was repaired hastily ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit. “We worked on October 17, 18 and 19 because the Prime Minister was coming. Now the work is not holding up. We only do the work. The government and engineers should see whether the road becomes durable,” he said. Mohammad Kamal Pasha, sub-divisional engineer of the Rangpur Roads and Highways Department, acknowledged that the repair work is ongoing. “The work is ongoing. We are repairing it, but the bitumen keeps peeling off. We repair it repeatedly, but it comes off again. The bricks are breaking, so we are removing them and installing blocks, but those are also breaking,” he said, attributing the deterioration to overloaded vehicles. “The foundation underneath this road is poor, which is why nothing is lasting. There is no alternative to rebuilding the road,” he said.

As many as 758 of the 1,464 government primary schools in Gaibandha are operating without head teachers, affecting classroom teaching and administrative activities at the institutions, particularly in remote and char areas. According to the District Primary Education Office, the vacancies are spread across all seven upazilas of the district. Of the 259 government primary schools in Sundarganj, 89 have no head teacher. The figure is 111 out of 171 in Saghata, 82 out of 199 in Sadullapur, 125 out of 215 in Palashbari, 164 out of 270 in Gobindaganj, 81 out of 129 in Fulchhari and 106 out of 221 in Gaibandha Sadar. Assistant teachers have been assigned to serve as acting head teachers at the schools with vacant posts. However, local residents have alleged that the arrangement has affected supervision and regular teaching and administrative activities at some schools. A visit to several schools found varying situations, with local residents alleging that some schools are effectively operating only in name. They alleged that some acting head teachers attend schools only occasionally, citing meetings and official duties, while some others spend time at upazila education offices or remain busy with personal affairs, leaving other teachers to handle routine responsibilities. Md Saiduzzaman Sakar, chairman of Mollarchar Union Parishad, said primary school teachers have many responsibilities but often fail to give adequate attention to the education of children living in char areas. He alleged that some teachers visit schools mainly at the end of the month to sign attendance registers for their salaries. The UP chairman said when a school has no head teacher, an acting head teacher may sometimes sign the attendance register for several days at once and then leave for personal work, making it difficult to ensure accountability. The situation is particularly concerning in 165 char-area primary schools in Saghata, Fulchhari, Sundarganj and Gaibandha Sadar upazilas, local representatives said. They called for measures to ensure that head teachers remain in their respective school areas, either through permanent appointments or suitable local arrangements. They also warned that when other teachers find that an acting head teacher is absent, some of them may also stay away from school or become involved in personal affairs, depriving children of regular classroom instruction. Contacted over the issue, Gaibandha District Primary Education Officer Lakshman Kumar Das said the 758 schools with vacant head-teacher posts are currently being run by acting head teachers. “We have informed the higher authorities of the vacancies and requested steps to recruit head teachers,” he said. The prolonged vacancies have raised concerns over regular teaching and effective management of primary schools, particularly in remote char areas of the district.

When eminent economist and former adviser to the caretaker government Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud took the podium at the 11th Annual Bank Conference in Mirpur, he did not merely diagnose the ailments of Bangladesh’s financial architecture; he laid bare a multi-decade chronology of systemic decay. Organized by the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM), the gathering served as a sobering reminder that the banking sector—the beating heart of the national economy—has been pushed to the brink not by sudden misfortune, but by calculated structural failures and unbridled political patronage. For readers accustomed to sterile economic data, Dr. Mahmud’s address offered a refreshing, unsparing narrative. He divided the downfall of Bangladesh’s banking sector into two distinct, progressively destructive eras: the original sin of the loan-default culture, which later metastasized post-2010 into an unmitigated bank-looting culture. The empirical weight underpinning Dr. Mahmud’s warnings is starkly reflected in the central bank's latest disclosures. According to Bangladesh Bank reports, the country's non-performing loans (NPLs) surged to Tk 6.07 lakh crore (606,555 crore) by mid-2026, pushing the default loan ratio to an alarming 32.78 percent of total disbursed loans. This means that nearly one in every three-taka lent across the banking sector has turned sour, positioning Bangladesh among the highest default-rate jurisdictions globally. Financial analysts note that while previous years masked true asset quality through aggressive loan rescheduling and accounting leniency, rigorous asset quality reviews and domestic audits following recent political shifts have unmasked the true magnitude of anonymous lending, systemic irregularities, and governance failures. From Default to Daylight Robbery Reflecting on past reform efforts, Dr. Mahmud noted that restoring discipline in earlier decades required rigorous, painstaking regulatory frameworks that successfully elevated several private banks to international benchmarks. However, the post-2010 era swept away all regulatory pretenses. Bypassing statutory safeguards, vested interests engaged in systemic looting, effectively siphoning funds directly out of financial institutions unchecked. The roots of this vulnerability stretch back to the initial, unvetted authorization of private commercial banks without adequate regulatory frameworks. Historically, this allowed entrepreneur-directors to absorb nearly one-third—approximately 35 percent—of total deposits as insider loans. The absence of robust "anti-trust" or anti-monopoly laws meant single families or interest groups could effortlessly cement control over multiple banking institutions, turning public depositories into private fiefdoms. The consequences of this deregulation have not remained confined to corporate balance sheets; they have inflicted profound human suffering. Dr. Mahmud drew poignant attention to the tragedy of bankrupt financial institutions that had accepted public sector and institutional deposits—including teachers' salaries, welfare reserves, and pension funds. The total collapse of these institutions left millions of takas belonging to impoverished, MPO-registered educators permanently trapped. It is a scathing indictment of a system where the life savings of grassroots nation-builders were gambled away through reckless, unscrutinized licensing and political patronage. No analysis of Bangladesh's banking crisis is complete without examining the role of political influence. Dr. Mahmud launched a sharp critique against the use of state-owned banks as distribution hubs for political favors. "If political administrations wish to dispense political favors, they should choose sectors that do not inflict major damage on the national economy," Dr. Mahmud asserted, emphasizing that utilizing the financial sector for political patronage is entirely inappropriate. For decades, state-owned lenders and vulnerable specialized and Islamic institutions have shouldered the burden of non-performing assets generated by politically connected borrowers. As speakers at the BIBM conference—including Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor Dr. Md. Kabir Ahmed, BAB Chairman Abdul Hai Sarker, World Bank Country Director Abdoulaye Seck, and ABB Chairman Mashrur Areffin—pointed out alongside keynote presenter PRI Chairman Dr. Zaidi Sattar, insulated central bank autonomy and deep governance reforms are non-negotiable if the country wishes to break this cycle. As the economy navigates a period of liquidity stress, soaring default ratios, and slowing growth, current policymakers face a delicate tightrope walk. Calls have grown to relax certain rules to rescue distressed lenders. However, Dr. Mahmud offered a vital caveat: while extraordinary times may demand temporary regulatory breathing room, policymakers must ensure that relaxing rules does not inadvertently reopen Pandora's box for fresh plunder. To move forward, the financial system must implement rigorous vetting mechanisms to ensure capital reaches honest, genuine entrepreneurs rather than speculative syndicates. Blindly mimicking international prescription models without grounding reforms in local realities will yield little success. Ultimately, as Dr. Mahmud aptly noted, laws and regulations alone cannot enforce integrity; corporate, banking, and political leadership must cultivate a foundational ethical compass. Without genuine political will to insulate the financial sector from partisan capture and address the staggering Tk 6.07 trillion default mountain, Bangladesh risks falling right back into the old, familiar traps.

Amid concerns over adulterated honey in the market, Saddam Hossain, a young entrepreneur from Chhupria village in Sadar upazila of Satkhira district, is pursuing an unusual dream — placing a beehive in every home so people can enjoy naturally collected, pure honey. Over the past decade, Saddam has turned his passion for beekeeping into a small but growing business, installing 200 wooden beehive boxes on house rooftops, mosque ledges, institutional buildings and beside gardens across different parts of Satkhira. Using small bees that naturally nest in tree hollows and crevices, he collects honey from the boxes, bottles it and sells it through his enterprise, 'Moumachi Kutir', established with approval from the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC). His venture now earns him around Tk 3.5 lakh to Tk 4 lakh annually. Alongside running the business, he is training 10 young people in beekeeping to help them become self-reliant. “My main goal is to raise awareness about pure honey and make it available to every household. If each home has a beehive, family members can collect natural honey for their own needs,” Saddam said. He believes the initiative can do more than provide a source of nutritious food. Expanding bee populations can also support pollination, help maintain ecological balance and create income opportunities for rural communities. Inspired by Saddam's work, around 80 people have already installed beehive boxes at their homes and institutions. They collect honey for their families, reducing their dependence on commercially available products. For Saddam, the idea of a beehive in every home is not simply a business ambition. It is an effort to reconnect people with nature and encourage them to take responsibility for the quality of the food they consume. Many consumers find it difficult to distinguish pure honey from adulterated products. Saddam's approach allows people to observe honey collection directly and gain confidence in its natural origin. Several people, including government officials, have visited his beehives, watched the collection process and purchased honey after tasting it. Mizanur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Kalaroa Police Station, said he had never previously witnessed honey being collected directly from a beehive. He purchased honey along with a beehive from Saddam for his family. Such experiences, Saddam hopes, will encourage more families to adopt small-scale beekeeping and understand the value of bees in the natural environment. Saddam's initiative is also creating opportunities for young people seeking alternative sources of income. Young trainees said they were learning beekeeping to become financially independent and eventually establish their own ventures. By combining practical training with commercial production, Saddam hopes to spread the practice beyond his own business and build a community of small-scale beekeepers. Gourab Das, deputy manager of BSCIC in Satkhira, described Saddam's work as an exemplary initiative that demonstrates the potential of small-bee farming in the district. Around 600 registered beekeepers are currently operating in Satkhira, he said, adding that beekeepers are receiving support through training and access to loans. Gourab also stressed the importance of expanding beekeeping in coastal Satkhira, where climate change and environmental risks make the conservation and growth of bee populations increasingly significant. An initiative is being considered to promote beekeeping, training and public awareness in several coastal districts, including Satkhira, he said. Despite its potential, Saddam's initiative faces resistance from some orchard owners. He said many owners of jujube orchards in Satkhira were reluctant to allow beehive boxes near their gardens because they feared the bees might damage flowers or reduce fruit production. Saddam believes the opposite is true: bees play an important role in pollination and can contribute to improved agricultural productivity. He has called for coordinated efforts by researchers, the agriculture department and relevant authorities to dispel misconceptions among farmers and encourage cooperation between orchard owners and beekeepers. Jamal Uddin, additional deputy director of the Satkhira Department of Agricultural Extension, said bees were beneficial to flowers and crops. He noted that some mustard and jujube growers, due to a lack of awareness, sometimes destroy beehive boxes or cause losses to beekeepers. Agricultural field officers have been instructed to raise awareness among farmers about the benefits of bees, he said. According to Jamal Uddin, more than Tk 2 crore worth of honey is collected annually in Satkhira from mustard and jujube flowers alone. The activity generates income for beekeepers, creates employment and can improve crop production through pollination, he added. While demand for pure honey is growing, unscrupulous traders are taking advantage of consumers by producing and selling adulterated products, leaving buyers vulnerable to fraud. BSCIC officials have advised consumers to inform the administration if they have specific information about the sale of adulterated honey. Saddam believes that encouraging household beekeeping could help build greater awareness of natural honey and reduce people's dependence on products whose authenticity may be difficult to establish. For him, the ultimate measure of success will not be the number of boxes he owns or the income his business generates, but the number of families that embrace the idea. With 200 beehive boxes already in operation and dozens of households inspired by his work, Saddam is steadily moving towards his goal. His dream is simple: one day, every home will have a beehive, every family will have access to naturally collected honey, and more young people will find a sustainable livelihood by working with nature

The government has taken a series of reforms to the bonded warehouse system, customs procedures and export incentives to reduce business costs, simplify import and export operations, and help diversify Bangladesh’s export base beyond readymade garments (RMG). According to the budget document, the measures aimed to extend bond facilities to more export-oriented industries, reduce regulatory hurdles for compliant businesses, speed up customs clearance and encourage investment in new export sectors. The bonded warehouse system, which allows export-oriented industries to import raw materials duty-free for producing goods for export, has played a major role in the growth of the RMG sector. The government now wants other promising industries to benefit from similar facilities. Under the reforms, existing bond-related rules will be amended to allow all export-oriented sectors to import raw materials under bond facilities and export finished products. To ease compliance requirements, the government has taken initiatives of withdrawing the annual bond audit requirement for fully export-oriented compliant RMG enterprises. It has also taken moves for extending the validity of general bonds for fully export-oriented leather goods, footwear, towel, linen and home textile enterprises from one year to three years. The changes would allow units located within 60 kilometres of their principal establishments to come under the Continuous Bond facility, irrespective of commissionerate jurisdiction. The government also plans to remove the limit on the quantity of raw materials that can be stored at bonded warehouses at a time. Another initiative seeks to simplify the transfer of bond licences by abolishing the requirement for both the outgoing and incoming owners to appear in person before customs officials for interviews. The deadline for bonded enterprises to obtain Utilisation Permission (UP) before the expiry of a shipment period would be relaxed from 48 hours to 24 hours. The government has also moved for allowing fully export-oriented enterprises without bond licences to procure raw materials duty-free against back-to-back letters of credit. To promote export diversification, a new notification is proposed under the bonded warehouse system to allow duty-free imports of raw materials for jewellery production and the export of jewellery manufactured from those materials under transparent and compliant procedures. In another major step, 10 new sectors would be allowed to import raw materials without bond licences, subject to bank guarantees. The sectors are motorcycles, speedboats, fish processing, handicrafts, diversified jute products, diapers and sanitary napkins, crockery, tents, recycled cotton bags and terry towels. The government has also taken steps for abolishing the legal requirement for a minimum 30 per cent value addition on goods produced using duty-free raw materials imported against bank guarantees without bond licences. To encourage more businesses to benefit from the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, the rate of goods clearance under the system-based self-assessment method is proposed to be doubled. The requirement for compliant businesses to submit updated audit reports when applying for AEO benefits would also be withdrawn. The measures further seek to reduce delays in customs clearance by allowing imported goods to be tested at private laboratories recognised by the Bangladesh Accreditation Board and meeting ISO standards, alongside government laboratories. For local pesticide and agrochemical manufacturers, annual entitlement-based certification from the Ministry of Agriculture would replace the existing invoice-based certification requirement for importing raw materials under concessional facilities. The government has also taken measurers for abolishing the minimum fine of Tk 50,000 for inadvertent general deviations involving small, low-value consignments arriving through postal or courier services. The reforms are intended to reduce procedural complexity, improve the ease of doing business and create opportunities for a wider range of domestic industries to compete in export markets.

A rice field showcasing a wide range of rice varieties has opened up a new opportunity for farmers in Sunamganj to compare different varieties and select the ones best suited to their land and local conditions. The exceptional “Rice Garden” has been developed at Sadarpur village in Shantiganj upazila under the initiative of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI). The demonstration, established during the current Aman season with funding under the LST project, aims to familiarise farmers with rice varieties suitable for haor areas and encourage them to adopt improved varieties. Located beside the Sylhet-Sunamganj regional highway, it features high-yielding, short-duration, zinc-enriched, aromatic and improved cooking-quality rice varieties. The display also includes varieties tolerant of drought, floods and waterlogging. Nameplates placed beside each variety allow farmers to directly observe differences in plant growth, height and panicle characteristics, helping them choose varieties suitable for their own land. Farmer Sahel said he had never seen so many rice varieties together before. “I have not even heard the names of many of these varieties. Now, I can see how they grow in front of my eyes. From here, I will choose the variety that is best and high-yielding for my land,” he said. Other beneficiary farmers also said they previously cultivated mostly familiar rice varieties but are now getting the opportunity to learn about new ones. “By seeing which variety gives better yields and which is suitable for our area, we will be able to make better decisions. If we can select good varieties, yields will increase, and we will also benefit,” one of the farmers said. Alongside the display of rice varieties, the BRRI Sunamganj regional office is also working on disease and pest management, balanced fertiliser application, bio-coated urea and the use of solar-powered light traps. It is also showcasing the use of rice transplanters, weeders and combine harvesters to help address labour shortages in agriculture. Farmers are also being provided with training, advice and support in obtaining seeds. The rice varieties displayed in the garden include BRRI Dhan-112, 111, 110, 109, 103, 95, 94, 93, 91, 90, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75, 73, 72, 71, 70, 66, 62, 57, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 49, 46, 44, 38, 39, 40, 41, 37, 34, 33, 32, 30 and 31; BINA Dhan-25, 23, 22, 11, 10, 5, 4 and 3; and hybrid rice varieties 4 and 6. Increasing rice production while coping with natural challenges is a major challenge in haor agriculture. Against this backdrop, showcasing different rice varieties in a single field and demonstrating modern technologies are creating new opportunities for farmers. Encouraging farmers to select suitable varieties and follow improved cultivation practices can help increase rice production in haor areas while reducing cultivation costs. Dr Md Rejwan Bhuiyan, head and principal scientific officer of the BRRI Sunamganj Regional Office, said farmers will be able to select varieties suitable for their areas from the Rice Garden featuring different rice varieties. “Research is also underway on various technologies, including fertiliser application, weed and pest management,” he said. Rejwan expressed hope that the initiatives will contribute to increasing rice productivity in haor areas and play an important role in ensuring food security in the country.

Travelling along a 40-kilometre stretch of the Cumilla-Sylhet highway has been a test of patience for commuters for around 24 years, with potholes, damaged pavement, roadside encroachment and persistent traffic congestion turning daily journeys into an ordeal. The stretch, under the Cumilla Road Division, is part of the highway that serves as a vital transport link for several eastern districts. Of the roughly 54 kilometres under the division, around 40 kilometres remain in poor condition, leaving passengers and drivers struggling. At some places, the pavement is riddled with large potholes, while the asphalt has peeled off at others, said locals. Rainwater accumulates in damaged sections, further worsening the road surface. Encroachment on the highway at markets and unauthorised parking of auto-rickshaws add to the congestion, while ongoing repair work has brought further disruption. A visit to at least 20 kilometres of the highway covering Mainamati, Kangsannagar, Jafarganj, Kalikapur, Phulgachhtala, Debidwar, Pannarpul, Bhinglabari and Companyganj, revealed extensive damage at several points. Buses, trucks, covered vans, CNG-run auto-rickshaws, microbuses and motorcycles are navigating the broken road with risk and at Kangsannagar and Jafarganj markets, roadside trading and auto-rickshaw parking further narrow the carriageway. For passengers, the consequences are often hours of wasted time. Drivers said a single vehicle breaking down on the damaged stretch can bring traffic to a standstill, leaving motorists stranded for three to four hours. Syed Khalilur Rahman Babul, a resident of Debidwar town, said people have been suffering on the Cumilla section of the highway for nearly 24 years. “Sometimes we suffer because of traffic congestion caused by encroachment, and at other times because of the damaged road. The problems never seem to end,” he said. He called for more manpower to expedite the repair work and stronger traffic management to reduce public suffering. Truck drivers Jamir Uddin and Mehedi Hasan, along with bus driver Md Liton, described the highway as a major source of daily hardship for road users. The road is full of potholes and damaged sections, and traffic congestion is a regular occurrence, they said. When a vehicle breaks down, the resulting congestion can leave other vehicles stuck for three to four hours. The prolonged delays affect not only passengers but also goods transportation, increasing travel time and making journeys more difficult for transport workers. Jamil Ahmed Khandaker, president of the Cumilla Motor Association, said the Cumilla-Sylhet highway is one of the key routes for communication and goods transportation across several eastern districts. He stressed the need for durable, quality repairs rather than temporary fixes, alongside the speedy completion of ongoing work.  “Given the importance of this highway, the authorities must ensure sustainable repairs that can withstand regular traffic. The work also needs to be completed quickly to ease the suffering of passengers and transport workers,” he said. Mohammad Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, sub-divisional engineer of the Cumilla Road Division, said repair work is underway on around 20 kilometres of the damaged highway. “We expect to complete the repair work by June. Work on the remaining 20 kilometres may begin next year,” he said. He said the department is carrying out repairs on one side of the road while trying to minimise public inconvenience as much as possible. However, with only part of the damaged stretch currently under repair and work on the remaining section yet to begin, commuters continue to face uncertainty over when their long-running ordeal will end.

Small and marginal farmers in Sirajganj are increasingly turning to early winter cucumber cultivation, expecting a bumper harvest and better profits as hybrid varieties have already started arriving in local markets with encouraging prices. Farmers across the district, particularly in the riverine char areas along the Jamuna, have begun cultivating local and hybrid varieties of cucumber during the Kharif-II season. With production costs relatively low and market prices favourable, many growers are optimistic about earning good returns this year. According to agricultural sources, a target has been set to cultivate early winter cucumbers on around 300 hectares of land across nine upazilas of the district. Farmers have already planted seeds on nearly 200 hectares, with sowing expected to be completed by the first week of November. The crop is being cultivated extensively in Ullapara, Tarash and Raiganj, known for their agricultural production, as well as in Kamarkhand, Kazipur and Sirajganj Sadar. Farmers have also started growing cucumbers on char lands and along rivers, canals, wetlands, homesteads, pond banks and other fallow plots. In the Jamuna basin, farmers in Chauhali, Belkuchi, Shahjadpur, Kazipur and Sirajganj Sadar began planting early cucumbers nearly two months ago. Hybrid cucumbers grown in these areas have already started reaching the markets, bringing relief and renewed optimism to growers. The cucumbers are currently selling at Tk 60 to Tk 80 per kilogram on average, making early cultivation particularly attractive to farmers. Traders are purchasing the produce directly from growers and supplying it to Dhaka and other parts of the country. Farmers say the combination of relatively low cultivation costs and good market prices has encouraged them to expand cucumber farming. Many now expect early winter hybrid varieties to generate higher profits than other seasonal crops. Women are also playing an important role in tending cucumber fields, contributing to crop care and cultivation in different parts of the district. Agricultural officials said char areas have traditionally produced good yields of early hybrid cucumbers, and they expect the trend to continue this season. Jerin Ahmed, additional deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said farmers had been receiving advice on early winter cucumber cultivation, as in previous years. She said cultivation was particularly widespread in Tarash, Raiganj and Ullapara, including areas of the Chalan Beel region, as well as in various char areas across the district. Ahmed added that fresh hybrid cucumbers had already begun entering local markets and farmers were pleased with the prices they were receiving. With cultivation expanding and early produce fetching encouraging prices, growers are hopeful that the season will bring a bumper harvest and improve their livelihoods.