The ongoing severe heatwave is disrupting public life and impacting the food production system, particularly the cultivation of summer crops and fruits. Here are 10 essential agricultural practices to consider amidst the intense heat wave sweeping across the nation. These recommendations aim to support those engaged in agriculture:

One. Maintain a water level of at least 2-3 inches in the paddy fields, especially crucial during rice flowering. Insufficient water may lead to paddy spoilage.

Two. In the Haor area, harvest ripe paddy at earliest possible to mitigate potential damage from natural calamities, and promptly collect it from the fields.

Three. Be vigilant for signs of rice blast disease, which can proliferate during this period. Regular field monitoring is advised, and consider applying a suitable fungicide as a preventive measure.

Four. Ensure adequate watering of fruit trees by creating basins at their bases. If possible, spray the plants with water. Remember, insufficient water during this period can lead to reduced fruit production and increased risk of fruit drop at early stages.

Five. Periodically flood fruit orchards, preferably once a week, and mulch with straw to retain soil moisture around the base of the trees.

Six. Incorporate organic fertilizers into the soil when cultivating vegetables to enhance water retention and nutrient levels.

Seven. Maintain a cool environment in livestock and poultry shelters to prevent heat stress. Use insulators under tin roofs, provide ample water and ventilation, and install fans or misting systems.

Eight. Ensure proper ventilation in livestock and poultry shelters by removing surrounding coverings and using nets instead. Regularly bathe cattle to help them stay cool.

Nine. Provide saline water, along with a mixture of salt, vitamin C, and glucose, for livestock and poultry to maintain hydration and health.

Ten. Maintain a minimum water depth of five feet in fish ponds, aerating the water as needed. Supplement fish diet with salt and vitamin C, and monitor oxygen levels to prevent oxygen depletion.

Lastly, farmers should prioritize their own health and safety during this time. Work during cooler parts of the day, stay hydrated with saline water, wear protective clothing, and take breaks to splash water on the face and bathe regularly. Consume easily digestible foods, and seek medical attention if feeling unwell

The historical Abdul Jabbar's boli khela started ignoring the scorching heat of Baisakh.

Although the 115th volleyball season started at 4:25 pm on Thursday (April 15), the Laldighi ground became crowded from noon.

At least 100 people came to participate in this boli khela. The organizing committee registered 80 of them. At the end of the first round is the challenge round. Semi-finals and finals will follow.

Bolikhela was introduced by Abdul Jabbar Saudagar, a businessman of Bakshirhat, Chattogram, in 1909 to encourage the youth to join the anti-British movement. In the course of time, the 'Jabbarer Bolikhela' sitting in the field of Laldighi has become one of the attractions of this city. Just what? The biggest Baisakhi fair in Greater Chattogram is also held here. Since 1909, except for one year of World War II, this fair has been held every year, but the coronavirus stopped this joyous festival in 2020. This fair was not held the next year for the same reason. Even in 2022, the future of this historic event was hanging on a thread. In the end, with the efforts of the City Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, volleyball was organized by making a temporary ring in the middle of the road. Bolikhela has returned to its old address - Laldighi Maidan since last year. This year, the centenary event is also being held there.

Baisakhi fair is going on in a one kilometer area around the field centered on boli khela.

A total of 14 traditional products of the country, including Tangail saree, have been recognized as GI products by the Directorate of Patents, Industrial Designs and Trademarks of the Ministry of Industry.

Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun handed over the certificate to the concerned people at the Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy's Multipurpose Hall on Bailey Road in the capital on Thursday (April 25).

The products recognized as GI products are - Rasgolla of Gopalganj, Amrit Sagar banana of Narsingdi, Chamcham of Porabari of Tangail, Rasmalai of Cumilla, Tile Khaja of Kushtia, Black Bengal Goat of Bangladesh, Hanribhanga Mango of Rangpur, Agar Atar of Moulvibazar, Manda of Muktagacha, Jashore Date Jaggery, Sweet Pan of Rajshahi and Nakshikantha of Jamalpur. With this, the number of traditional products of Bangladesh with GI certification by DPDT stands at 31.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Industry said that Bangladesh is a country with immense potential on the face of the earth. Just as nature has poured her diverse resources into this country of six seasons, similarly, the hardworking people of this country have increased the fame and reputation of Bangladesh in the world by preparing unique products through their artistic crafts. Due to unique and unique characteristics of soil, air, water, environment, skills of artisans etc., numerous geographical indications or GI products are spread all over this small territory. In addition to recognizing these scattered products as GI, attention should be paid to their quality and sustainable preservation.

Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun said, we have to take effective initiatives and steps now to promote and expand GI products in the global market. Bangladesh missions abroad, all international and domestic airports and important places of the country should be centrally arranged for the exhibition of these products. Moreover, GI products can be displayed at various fairs in the country and abroad. He said that the district and upazila administration can take effective steps for the development and promotion of these products with the cooperation of DPDT, BSCIC and SME Foundation under the Ministry of Industry.

The Minister said, Bangladesh is not an empty basket now, it is a full basket. We have no shortage of resources; we just need to make good use of them. These resources and products should be disseminated through necessary sponsorship, technical assistance and training.

Senior Industry Secretary Zakia Sultana said, we have already prepared a preliminary list of 500 products that can be recognized as GI. Although a little late, we have taken effective initiatives in this regard. He said, under the direction of the Hon'ble Prime Minister, we enacted the 'Geographical Indication Products (Registration and Protection) Act in 2013 and later in 2015 we formulated the relevant regulations. The special guest said, we have to protect the GI product and at the same time patent it. To promote GI products, we can give these products as gifts on various festivals, festivals and state occasions. Moreover, measures can be taken to promote the system on social media by making TVCs, documentaries about these products.

Under the chairmanship of DG of DPDT Munim Hasan, Zakia Sultana, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Industries, Ambassador Mashfi binte Shams, Rector of the Foreign Service Academy and Kamrun Nahar Siddika, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Industries spoke as special guests.

Professor Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury, Director of College Administration of the Directorate, was appointed as the Director General (DG) of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (DSHSE). At this time he was supposed to try to get the higher post by proving himself worthy. But instead of doing that, he has been accused of misappropriating money. Legal notice has already been sent. It is said that this professor embezzled a large sum of money from the BCS General Education Society.

Current President of BCS General Education Association Professor Shahedul Khabir of Economics Department served as Acting Secretary General from 2016 to 2022. At present, he has been serving as the president for the last two years. Reliable sources said that during the last six years, during the two posts, he spent the money of the association's general fund and special fund sector from two bank accounts of Janata Bank which raises questions. Apart from this, there was anger among the members about the income and expenditure account of various sectors of the association, including collection of subscriptions from various colleges across the country. As a result, under a lot of pressure, Shahedul formed an audit committee under the leadership of Professor ANM Shahadat Hossain, who is known as Khabir's own man. This committee, while auditing the bank accounts and income and expenditure of the association, found a huge amount of money falsification.

And on the basis of that audit, Abdur Razzak, a lecturer in accounting science department of Ramgarh Government College of Khagrachari district, has sent a legal notice to Shahedul Khabir, the general member of the association.

Supreme Court Advocate Md. Shaheen Ali sent the legal notice on behalf of this teacher.

In this notice, along with Shahedul Khabir, former treasurer of BCS General Education Association, Prof. Khan Rafiqul Islam, Acting Secretary General of the association and currently associate professor attached to Haji Abdul Baten College of Swandip, Chattogram district as OSD, are involved in financial irregularities. Shawkat Hossain Mollya, Treasurer of the association and Kamal Ahmed, Associate Professor of Management currently attached to the same college as OSD, have been sent the same legal notice. They have been asked to respond to the notice within the next 15 days.

Talking to several members of the association, Professor Nasreen Begum and IK Semilullah Khandokar were in charge of the BCS General Education Association until December 2015. During their tenure, Tk. 1 crore 9 lakh was explained to the next committee i.e. president elected in 2016 IK Salemullah Khandokar and secretary general Professor Shahedul Khabir. Two panels participated in the 2016 election of the 123-member committee of the association. One is the panel of IK Salemullah Khandokar, the other is the panel of Shahedul Khabir. Salemullah Khandokar was elected president in this election. No one else from his panel could be elected. The panel of Shahedul Khabir was elected for the remaining 122 posts. As a result, Selemullah Khandokar was left alone in the committee. On this occasion, Shahedul Khabir as Secretary General and his panel treasurer, former principal of Munshiganj Government College and former deputy director of Naeem Khan Rafiqul Islam bypassed the president and took control of all bank accounts of the association. On this occasion, from 2016 to 2022, several crores of taka were withdrawn from the bank under the signature of the two. For the last 6 years they have collected subscriptions from colleges across the country. How much has any college paid during this time? How was this money spent? They did not preserve any continuity of the present account with the previous account.

As a result of this, anger was created among the general members of the association regarding the expenditure and income of various sectors of the committee. Two audit committees were formed on March 7 of this year when the ruling leaders of the association protested such injustice in various ways including social media. This committee submitted the audit report after 24 days on March 31. The two committees were headed by two professors. They are embarrassed themselves by seeing these accounts and bank details. As a result, despite much reluctance, in the audit done by the president's own people, a discrepancy of Tk. 2 crore 84 lakh was mentioned.

The members of the association also complained that the president of the committee and the leaders under his leadership are not obeying any rules, thinking that they are powerful after being elected by the votes of the general members. Besides, many people are also complaining about nine-six in the current committee's vote.

Speaking to several people who participated in the audit, it was revealed that most of the vouchers presented to the audit committee were tampered with. Expenditure sector not mentioned. Even though lakhs of rupees were spent, he could not show his receipts or vouchers. As a result, there is evidence of gross negligence on the part of the BCS cadre professionals in keeping the account of expenses of crores of money. Everyone, including the head of the audit committee, was shocked.

Meanwhile, in the month of October and September 2023, BCS cadre-discrimination, promotion related issues including various demands, BCS general education cadre officers observed a strike for about 15 days. Talking to several teachers who participated in this strike, it is known that Shahedul Khabir was behind the 15-day strike of teachers across the country for various demands including promotion. He led this movement before the elections at the end of the third term of the present government by exerting a lot of pressure in the name of promotion. However, when the tension over his post started, he withdrew from the movement and asked the teachers to desist from the movement. At that time, Shahedul Khabir gave various statements to the media about the movement. The authenticity of which can be found in the online version of various newspapers.

Besides Shahedul Khabir, one of Shawkat Hossain Mollya's associates has been transferred to Sandwip Haji Abdul Baten College, but he has not been going to the college for the past three years. He is collecting salary with the help of college principal without going to college. As he is Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury's own man, no action is being taken against him even though he has not been at work for a long time. With the connivance of this Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury, all the irregularities and corruption of Noakhali Government College are harassing the teachers. Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury has stopped the investigation even though the Education Secretary has ordered a separate investigation against Noakhali Government College Principal Salma Akhter and vice-principal Lokman Bhuyan. Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury is the mentor of corruption in education across the country. Even if someone is caught doing irregularities, there is no investigation due to it. Even if the investigation is done, the paper of the report is not sent to the ministry. There are even allegations of forgery of Cumilla Board letters against members of this syndicate. The investigation of this incident is also blocked by the obstacle of the invisible.

When asked about sending a legal notice against the Director General of the same directorate working in secondary and higher secondary departments, lecturer Abdur Razzak told Barta24.com, "I am an ordinary member of the BCS General Education Association. As such, I have the right to know the financial income and expenditure account of this association. Like all the members of the association, I can ask for the financial account of the association without being angry with anyone. That is why I have sent a legal notice to those involved against the financial irregularities recently revealed in the audit. They have embezzled crores of money by the power of the association. We even see on Facebook that the signature of the check from the treasurer is forged. Where is the justification for signing a blank check? As a cadre service officer they cannot do this. If they can't give proper reply to my notice, can't show valid documents then criminal case will be filed against them.

When asked whether he is afraid of harassment due to sending a legal notice to the DG of the Directorate, this teacher of the accounting department said, "I am a victim of harassment since 2018. I was harassed in various ways for protesting against the corruption of DSHSE 10 school project. At that time I complained. The guilt of 9 persons is proved beyond doubt in that charge. The then Education Minister knew about it. But no action was taken. But I was kept as OSD for two years. From there he was transferred to Noakhali Government College. I have also complained to the ACC and the Education Secretary about the fraud in the examination center, taking money by tampering with the results, widespread corruption in the admission of students. Even there no action was taken against them after getting evidence of corruption. Instead I was transferred to Khagrachari. I'm not afraid of that either. I know I will be harassed. But I will not compromise with corruption as long as I live. Not only that, my promotion has been blocked by making adverse comments on my ACR. My juniors have been promoted. So I won't stop. Even if they are not prosecuted, people should know how they are ruining the education system.

In this regard, Shahedul Khabir, against whom so many complaints were made, could not be contacted. For two consecutive days, his mobile phone was called several times, but he did not receive it. Sent a message on WhatsApp but he did not reply.