BSS, Khulna :
The government has fixed a target of producing over 1.30 lakh tonnes winter vegetables from 6,555 hectares of land for all nine upazilas including two metropolitans area in Khulna during the current season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said adequate steps including providing necessary agro-inputs have been taken to achieve the target of vegetable production.
Deputy Director of the DAE of Khulna Agriculturist Pankaj Kanti Majumdar said the DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation and other agri organisations are supplying necessary agri-inputs including quality seed alongside providing latest technologies to farmers. He said farmers are expanding farming of winter vegetables after getting bumper productions with fair price in recent years.
“Side by side with cultivation of winter vegetables by farmers on the mainland, hundreds of char people are farming winter vegetables on char lands in riverine areas in coastal district Khulna to reap huge benefits in recent years,” he said.
The farmers are early varieties of winter vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, radish, bean, carrot, brinjal, ‘tomato, ‘potol’, ‘Jhinga’,’Kakrol’, green chili and other crops, he added.
He also predicted a bumper yield of winter vegetables during this season following favourable climatic condition. “Cultivation of vegetables round the year has become a highly profitable venture bringing self-reliance to thousands of farmers in the mainland areas in Khulna,” Pankaj added.
Hygienic sanitization underscored for
preventing diseases
Officials and experts at a post-rally discussion today underscored the need for ensuring hygienic sanitization and maintaining cleanliness to prevent waterborne and other diseases.
They also put stress on ensuring eco-friendly sanitation and safe water for all to protect public health.
They came up with stresses at a meeting held at the conference room of the deputy commissioner’s office coincided with the National Sanitation Month and the World Hand Washing Day-2019.
Khulna Divisional Administration, Khulna District Administration, Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) jointly organised the meeting with the motto of “Clean Hands for All”.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Habibul Haque Khan addressed as the chief guest with Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Ziaur Rahman in the chair.
Superintendent of DPHE engineer SM Wahedul Islam, Director of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Khulna Dr. Rasheda Sultana, Executive Engineer of DPHE, Mongla Md. Khairul Hasan, CEO of Khulna City Corporation Palash Kanti Bala, among others, addressed it.
The chief guest said the main objective of national sanitation month and hand washing day is to create awareness among the people about sanitation and health.
He said the government has been taking effective initiatives including establishing low cost sanitary latrine, public and community toilet and wash blocks in primary schools across the country to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Earlier, a rally was brought out from Shaheed Hadis Park and ended it in front of DC’s office after parading different streets in the city.
Local government officials and employees, students from different educational institutions, representatives of NGOs, civil society members and local elite participated in the rally.