CRISIS of diesel has been hampering the cultivation of Irri-boro in Kurigram as the farmers are unable to operate their shallow tube wells to irrigate land for want of this fuel.
   Most of the farmers said they were moving from pillars to posts to procure diesel for the irrigation of their boro land. The farmers are now purchasing diesel at a very exorbitant price. Its price has shot up to Tk 42 per litre from Tk 37 about one month ago.
   When contacted, several farmers informed that the crisis of diesel started in Kurigram, Gaibandha and Jamalpur when the floating oil depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation at Chilmari upazila ran out of diesel about four months ago. The floating depot was set up at that upazila in 1987 to ensure the supply of diesel to the boro growers of char areas in these three districts during the period of boro cultivation.
   Hossain Ali, president, Oil Traders’ Association, called for supplying diesel in adequate quantity to the growers immediately as the boro cultivation season is fast running out.
   Many farmers are operating diesel-based shallow tube wells to supply water to boro land instead of power pumps due to frequent load-shedding and power outage.

A MAN strangled two of his daughters and then committed suicide by taking poison in a remote village under Sujanagar upazila in Pabna on Sunday.
   The deceased were fisherman Nabi Pramanik, 32, and his minor daughters Mukta, 8, and Meherun, 4, of village Majidpara under Sujanagar upazila headquarters.
   Locals said Nabi Pramanik married Shahina Khatun, 28, daughter of Yunus Ali of the same village 12 years ago and they were blessed with two daughters.
   Following a family feud Nabi allegedly tortured Shahina and his wife divorced him (Nabi) a few months ago and went to Dhaka to work as a maidservant.
   Nabi went to Dhaka to take his wife back but she rejected his proposal four days ago. At this Nabi became angry and took his daughters home on Saturday.
   Nabi strangled his daughters and poured poison into their mouths and later took poison at that night. They were taken to Pabna General Hospital where all died early Sunday.
   The bodies were sent to hospital morgue for post-mortem examinations. A case was recorded with the police.

A MAN hacked his 10-month-old daughter to death and injured his wife over dowry at a Nilphamari village on Saturday night.
   The deceased is Sumona and injured is Rikta Begum, 20.
   Critically wounded Rikta was taken to Jaldhaka Upazila Health Complex where he told journalists that she married Fazlul Haque, 32, in December 2004. At the time of marriage her father gave Tk 20 thousand to her husband as dowry.
   But after four months he (Fazlul) began pressing her to bring additional Tk 20 thousand from her father. But her father expressed his inability to meet the new demand.
   For this he now and then tortured her.
   In the evening of Saturday, he was locked in an altercation with his wife over the issue and at one stage hacked them with a sharp weapon.
   Neighbours took Rikta to the hospital. They also detained Fazlul and handed him over to the police on the same night.

THE target of potato cultivation may not be achieved in four districts in the current season due to seed crisis.
   The districts are Jhenaidah, Magura, Jessore and Narail. Farmers apprehended that the price of potato would rise due to fall in production.
   An agency imported 90 tonnes of potato seeds from India on Saturday through Benapole land station apprehending rise in the price of seeds.
   Sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension said a target has been set to bring 6,835 hectares of land under potato cultivation in these four districts in the current season.
   Farmers said BADC so far supplied about 3,000 tonnes potato seeds in these districts against the demand of 11,000 tonnes.
   They said that due to the prevailing crisis they were forced to buy low quality seeds from the local markets at high prices.

A YOUNG man sustained burn injuries as his brother-in-law allegedly hurled acid at him in the Dhuhorer Kumarpota area under Satkhira sadar upazila Saturday night.
   Injured Kased Ali, 30, of village Dhulihar Taltala under the same upazila, was admitted to hospital in critical condition.
   Witnesses said Kalam, brother-in-law of Kased, with the help of his accomplice Sadeq threw acid on Kased when he was returning home from Dhulihar Bazar at about 9:45pm.
   Previous enmity was the reason behind the acid attack, they said.

THE police arrested a man in possession of looted goods worth Tk 30 lakh from Sundarganj upazila in Gaibandha on Saturday.
   The police said a truck loaded with stationery goods and machinery parts started for Dinajpur from Dhaka through Shahin Transport on November 11. But on way, the truck along with the driver and helper went missing.
   Failing to trace the truck, the transport authorities filed a case with the Kotwali police in Dhaka on December 1.
   Tipped off, the police raided the shop of Nurul Islam at Taluk Falgachha Bridge at Sundarganj and recovered the looted goods.
   They also arrested Nurul Islam but could not trace the truck and the driver and helper.