6.392m tonnes Boro rice tobe produced in N-region

RANGPUR, Nov 17 (BSS): The government through the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has fixed a target of producing 63,92,194 tonnes Boro rice from 16,21,682 hectares land this season in northern Bangladesh, officials said. To make the programme successful, the government has taken adequate steps to ensure all facilities and inputs for the farmers with adoption of the latest agro-technologies for maximum rice production. Officials at Rangpur Zonal Office of the DAE told BSS that the government has fixed nationwide target of producing 1,87,00,555 tonnes Boro rice from 47,80,000 hectares land this season. Of the fixed national target, nearly 34.20 percent Boro rice will be produced in sixteen northern districts during this season. Under the programme, 12,06,297 tonnes hybrid Boro rice will be produced from 2,68,066 hectares, 51,74,160 tonnes high yielding variety from 13,47,946 hectares and 1,26,000 tonnes local variety rice from 5,670 hectares land in northern region. Of them, 30,88,559 tonnes Boro rice will be produced from 7,75,284 hectares land in eight northern districts under Rangpur Agriculture Zone (RAZ), Horticulturist Mezbahul Islam Khandker of the DAE said. "The farmers have already prepared Boro seedbeds in 3,393 hectares land by yesterday against the requirement of preparing the same in 37,032 hectares, as part of bringing 7,75,284 hectares land under Boro farming in the RAZ this season," he said. One commits suicide Our Correspondent reports: A young man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his sister's residence at Dangirpar area in Rangpur Sadar on Wednesday noon. The deceased was identified as Akhtaruzzaman Harun (24), son of late Abdul Zabber of Nobonidas village. According to police and victim's family sources Harun, a student of Rangpur Carmichael College had been living for few years in his sister's house at Dangirpar area in Rangpur Sadar. He went to sleep in his room Wednesday at noon but did not get up from bed at afternoon. Later, his family members found his body hanging from a ceiling in his room and informed the police. On information police rushed to the spot and recovered the body and sent it to Rangpur Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. However, the reason behind the suicide could not be known immediately. 'Laily' dies A lion died at Rangpur Zoo Wednesday noon owing to old age complications. The lion named Laily had been at Rangpur Zoo for 18 years. Concerned sources said the lion which belongs to Indian origin was brought in Rangpur Zoo from Dhaka Zoo in 1993. 'It had been suffering from various diseases for a few months and could not take any food. Consequently it got very feeble and died at last,' said Abul Kashem, deputy curator of Rangpur Zoo. A lion normally live 16 to 18 years but surprisingly Laily survived 20 years, he added.