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The goat rearing programme of the government to reduce poverty of the people has been facing setback in Jamalpur mainly for the lack of loan facilities and training and high prices of veterinary drugs.
   Shortage of manpower under the livestock department is also blamed for the slow progress in the implementation of this programme undertaken by the government all over the country about two years ago.
   Local sources said the rural people need counselling and motivation to make the programme a success.
   But the motivational campaign could not be launched on a wide scale in the district for the lack of manpower.
   The people also need to be trained on the proper ways of rearing black Bengal goats and protecting them from various diseases especially peste des petite ruminants (PPR), a deadly viral disease of goats.
   The outbreak of PPR has killed hundreds of goats at seven upazilas of the district during the last several years.
   There is no special drug to treat the goats attacked with the PPR. The only way to combat the disease is to vaccinate the goats.
   Short supply of the PPR vaccine and the shortage of manpower have been hampering the vaccination drive.
    Some people associated with this programme were of the view that the high prices of the veterinary drugs were standing in the way of treatment of affected goats.
   The government should take appropriate steps to make drugs available to the rural people at cheap prices, they suggested.
   The government has so far distributed a loan of Tk 1,59,18,580 among 4,716 people of seven upazilas under this programme.
   The loan was distributed through Sonali Bank, Bangladesh Krishi Bank, Janata Bank, Agrani Bank, Rupali Bank and four government and non-government organisations.
   People involved in this programme emphasised the need for increasing the amount of loan of this programme and bringing more people under its network.
   The programme would not be able to produce desired results unless the large segment of the poverty-hit people could be brought under its network, they opined.

The Bangladesh Rural Development Board has taken up a Tk 30 crore poverty alleviation programme for the destitute men and women of 11 upazilas in Narail and Jessore.
   Implementation of eight projects for this purpose is now going on at sadar, Lohagora and Kalia upazilas in Narail and Jhikargacha, Chougacha, Abhoynagar, Monirampur, Keshabpur, Sarsa, Bagharpara and sadar upazilas in Jessore.
   A good chunk of the total allocation has already been disbursed among the target people for augmenting food production and improving socio-economic status of the distressed women and marginal farmers.
   The BRDB has so far disbursed Tk 90 lakh among 1,175 farmers for the cultivation of boro paddy, Tk 2.55 crore among 5,799 farmers for the cultivation of different crops and Tk 4.48 crore for the betterment of the economic condition of the destitute women.
   The women beneficiaries will utilise the loan money for goat and poultry rearing, cow fattening, starting small enterprises and establishing kitchen gardens.
   Besides, Tk 3 crore and 85 lakh will account for the implementation of self-employment projects for the poor womenfolk of these eleven upazilas.
   Tk 8.82 crore out of the total allocation of Tk 15 crore under the ‘Palli Jibikayan Prakalpa’ has been distributed among 10,496 members of 477 samities for establishing small and cottage industries, vegetable production and raising poultry and dairy farms.
   Tk 32 lakh has been earmarked for the uplift of the insolvent freedom fighters. Of this amount, Tk 23 lakh has been disbursed among 304 freedom fighters and their dependants.

Most of the estimated 89 sawmills operating at five upazilas in Panchagarh slice timbers which are smuggled from the reserved forests.
   Local sources said only 20 sawmills in the district have valid license. The remaining 69 sawmills have been carrying on their business through underhand deal with a section of corrupt employees of the local administration, the sources added.
   The major chunk of income of these sawmills comes from the slicing of smuggled timbers from the reserved forests.
    In the past, forest area in the district covered 1,252 hectares. The total forest area has now declined to 60 per cent because of logging of trees indiscriminately.
   The law of the land prohibits the establishment of sawmill within 10 kilometres of any forest.
   Yet many saw mills have been operating adjacent to forestlands defying the prohibition of the government.
   The sawmills are supposed to stop operation after sunset. But they are found slicing timbers till midnight without any interference from the concerned authorities.
   Cases were filed against several owners of sawmills for operating their sawmills without obtaining license.
   In most cases they managed to get bail showing the treasury copy of Tk. 2,000 submitted for obtaining license.
   The sawmill owners have been carrying on their business for a long time by showing the treasury copy. As a result, the government is being deprived of revenues.

Two female artistes of Dinajpur who came to perform song at a May Day function at Dimla upazila in Nilphamari were raped Sunday.
   In protest against the incident, all May Day programmes were suspended and processions and meetings were held demanding the arrest of the rapists.
   It is known that two labour unions chalked out programmes at the Sutibari Haat under Gayabari union of Dimla upazila to observe the May Day.
   The organisations hired two female artistes, one from Kosba Para village, and the other from Dhaka Para village of Dinajpur town.
   They reached Goyabari on April 30 night. They were passing the night at a room in Goyabari Union Parishad building. At dead of night a gang of 9 to 10 criminals raped them, it was alleged.
   As the incident was exposed to the labourers, it created strong resentment. They cancelled all the May Day programmes and brought out procession and held rallies demanding the arrest of the rapists.
   Labour leaders Mofazzam Hossain, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leaders, Liaquat Ali and Jahangir Alam spoke at the rally.
   Local people and labourers of Sutibari Haat doubted that newsmen that one Alam, son of Goyabari Union Parishad Chairman, Shamsul Haque, UP Secretary, Nurul Haque, UP member, Amzad Hossain, former UP member, Salman Ali, Mahbub, Dilip, Monjur Hossain Monju and others raped the artists.
   To suppress the incident, the chairman of Goyabari UP threatened the two victims not to open mouth and forcibly sent them to Dinajpur by a rented car.
   As a tense situation was prevailing, the officer-in-charge of Dimla thana visited the spot on Sunday with a contingent of police.

The election to Gazipur Bar Council was held at the bar council building in Gazipur on Saturday. The Awami League backed panel ‘Combined Lawyers Committee’ bagged majority of the posts in the election.
   Md sultan Uddin of the Nationalist Alliance Committee and Amzad Hosain Babul of Combined Lawyers Committee were elected president and general sectary respectively.
   14 were elected from the Combined Lawyers Committee and 7 from the Nationalist Alliance Committee.
   A total of 42 candidates took part in the election.