Coastal salinity has a severe impact on agriculture



Pinky Akter
Coastal salinity has a severe impact on agriculture

Coastal salinity has a severe impact on agriculture

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Md: Abbas Uddin. Bholar is living in high fashion. According to family sources, his occupation is agricultural work. 52-year-old Solaiman Miah has been working in agriculture for about 32 years.

He cultivates paddy and various kinds of vegetables in his 2 acres of land. However, in recent years, his agricultural land has not yielded as expected. And this farmer blames the effect of climate change on less rain, and weather variation as the main reason.

Climate change has had a negative impact on agricultural land. Agriculture in saline areas is at grave risk. They are facing various problems including irrigation water.

Talk to more farmers in Charfashion. They said that this year's low rainfall has adversely affected production. There has been an increase in the number of insects on the land. Green leafhoppers eat rice chlorophyll. There may also be various crop diseases

But the bigger problem is salt water. which mixes with agricultural soil and destroys crops. Talked to Solaiman of the local farmers association. He said the arable land is becoming uncultivated due to the intensity of salinity. Yields are falling, crops are deepening economic wounds in coastal areas. Farmers said that they could not sow rice seeds on time due to the weather this year.

But the acute problem is that of irrigation water in the land. The decrease in the navigability of the rivers and the increase in the height of the salt water of the sea is due to the fact that the salt water of the sea is entering the agricultural land through tributaries from the river. In this area, it is not possible to irrigate the land from river or pond water in the coastal agricultural land, so the farmers have to irrigate the land by raising water through tube wells.

Farmers say that we used to irrigate the agricultural land by retaining the rainwater, but this year due to less rain, it will have a negative impact on paddy cultivation. In addition, due to less rain, irrigation will have to be done by extracting underground water, in this case, the production cost will also increase.

in this regard, Dr. Ainun Nishat, former vice-chancellor and climate expert of BRAC University, said that the situation is getting worse due to salinity. Farmers are unable to use surface water for irrigation, she further added that if the land is not made arable, it will affect people's life and ecology. Apart from this, salt water should be prevented from entering by constructing and rebuilding dams in this area. Integrated planning and its implementation are essential for overall development.

Researchers from Ohio State University and Arizona State University have conducted a study on the effects of climate change. The study was published in the journal Nature Climate Change under the title 'Coastal Climchange The study was published in the journal Nature Climate Change under the title 'Coastal Climate Change, Soil Salinity and Human Migration in Bangladesh'. The researchers estimated that a moderate increase in salinity would reduce a farm's agricultural income by 21 percent annually. 40 percent of agricultural land in southern Bangladesh will be under serious threat.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Founder Director Professor Dr. M. Tofazzal Islam Shaheen said, due to climate change, the agriculture sector is suffering severe damage. Crop diseases are increasing. Day by day the underground water level is going down, rivers are drying up, and deserts have appeared in some areas. He also said that high yield is possible without water irrigation in agriculture. The problem of climate change is becoming more pronounced on the coast of Bangladesh. Due to saline water in agriculture, they are not able to provide artificial irrigation. He talks about the discovery of agricultural production with less irrigation. Besides, Tofazzal Islam also suggested developing new technology and increasing research in agriculture.

3,000 liters of water is required for the production of each kilogram of rice. Maize and wheat require one-tenth of water.

A study by the Soil Resources Research Institute (SRDI) has revealed that coastal districts are deprived of more than 3 million tonnes of foodgrain production every year due to salinity alone.

SRDI recently conducted a study to assess the impact of salinity on agriculture in coastal areas. It has emerged that salinity has a large negative impact on the overall socio-economic situation including food security in the southern part of the country. As the salinity increases, the activity of microorganisms in the soil of the coastal region is decreasing. At the same time, the availability of organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the soil is also decreasing. On the contrary, copper and zinc levels are increasing.

Ripon Kumar Mandal, Chairman of the Department of Agricultural Economics of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University said, "we have started climate tolerant agricultural production. Various adaptations including aqua culture are being adopted on the coast.

Three coordinators in DB for interrogation



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Pic: Collected

Pic: Collected

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Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has taken three people, including Nahid Islam, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, into custody from Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in the capital. The other two coordinators are Asif Mahmud and Abu Baker Majumdar.

A DB source confirmed this information on Friday (July 26) night.

DB said three coordinators have been brought to the DB office for security and interrogation purposes.

All three of them are students of Dhaka University.

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What the Home Minister said about lifting of the curfew



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Pic: Collected

Pic: Collected

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Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, everyone has to wait a little with the curfew till public life becomes normal. We are looking at whether the curfew can be relaxed.

He said these things while talking to reporters about the ongoing situation on Friday (July 26) night.

The Home Minister said, we are seeing if the curfew can be relaxed. Police BGB, Army are working. We have to wait a little until public life becomes normal. People should be patient. He also said that a decision may be made subject to discussion on Saturday (July 27).

At that time, he mentioned that there were brutal killings in the name of the movement, and he said, who will take responsibility for this loss of the country? BNP said they are not involved in violence. So who did it? It is a question of the people.

Regarding the arrest of the quota activists, the Home Minister said that the quota agitator leaders themselves are suffering from insecurity. For their safety, law enforcement has been called. Further action will be taken after the inquiry.

Incidentally, the government clamped a curfew from 12 midnight on July 19 to keep the situation normal around the quota reform movement. The army was also deployed.

The curfew was later relaxed for a specified period but has not yet been lifted completely.

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Government to provide treatment & income to all injured: Prime Minister



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Photo: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the government will provide treatment and income to all those injured in the recent violence, regardless of party affiliation.

She said this while visiting the injured at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Friday (July 26). Meanwhile, she inquired about the physical condition of the injured.

Sheikh Hasina said that the government will do whatever is necessary for the treatment of those injured in the violence. The government will take responsibility for the treatment of the injured, whichever party they belong to.

She also said, even after accepting all the demands on the quota, why is the movement not ending? Everyone at home and abroad should be vocal against the violence and brutality of BNP-Jamaat.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister visited several wards of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and inquired about the injured. She talked to doctors and nurses. She ordered to give all kinds of treatment to the injured.

Earlier in the morning, the head of government visited the Bangladesh Television (BTV) building damaged by vandals' attack and fire at Rampura in the capital.

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BRUR administration provided financial assistance to the family of Abu Sayed



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Rangpur
BRUR administration provided financial assistance to the family of Abu Sayed

BRUR administration provided financial assistance to the family of Abu Sayed

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The university administration has provided financial assistance to the family of Abu Sayed, a 12th batch student of the English department of Begum Rokeya University of Rangpur(BRUR), who was killed in the quota reform movement.

On Friday (July 26) at 10:30 a.m., a check of Tk. seven and a half lakh was handed over to the family of the deceased Abu Sayed.

At that time, Maqbul Hossain, the old father of the deceased Abu Sayed, said that at that time the VC sir spoke to me on the mobile phone. He asked about our welfare. He promised to be by our side. I told sir that one of our family should be given a job in the University. VC sir assured.

Maqbul Hossain also said, the piece of my liver was Abu Sayed. My family was running on the money saved from his private tuition. I have lost a child; there is no consolation for this grief.

University Proctor Shariful Islam, General Secretary of Teachers' Association Asaduzzaman Mandal Asad and President of Officials' Association Ferozul Islam were present while providing financial assistance on behalf of the University administration.

Proctor Shariful Islam said, the University administration is always in touch with the parents of Abu Sayed on the instructions of the VC. VC sir himself is looking for Sayed's family, he has promised to stand by the family. As a part of this, financial assistance of Tk. seven and a half lakh has been provided today. He said that this cooperation will continue.

Incidentally, on last Tuesday (July 16) there was a clash between the police and the Chhatra League at the park junction adjacent to Begum Rokeya University with the protesting students demanding quota reform. In this, Abu Sayed, who was in the front of the procession, died by gunshot. After this incident, the movement gained momentum throughout the country. Abu Sayed was one of the coordinators of Begum Rokeya University quota reform movement.

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