DINAJPUR, Jan 30, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate for the Dinajpur-6 constituency Dr AZM Zahid Hossain pledged to carry out development activities in an inclusive and discrimination-free manner if elected in the 13th National parliamentary election on February 12. He said proper implementation of the 31-point reform agenda announced by BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman would meet the expectations of people from all walks of life and ensure sustainable national development. Dr Zahid made the remarks this morning while conducting door-to-door campaigning in the Dalar Darga area under Nawabganj Upazila of Dinajpur-6, responding to questions from local residents regarding his election campaign. The BNP candidate said he believes in development that includes people of all religions, castes and professions, adding that unity and equal opportunity are essential for the overall progress of the constituency. Meanwhile, voters from various professions and communities across the four upazilas of the country's largest parliamentary constituency, Dinajpur-6, are warmly receiving BNP candidate Dr AZM Zahid Hossain during his ongoing campaign.

  RANGPUR, Jan 30, 2026 (BSS) - With the improvement of cold wave conditions, the pace of planting Boro rice seedlings is increasing day by day, keeping farmers busy and creating huge jobs for agricultural workers in Rangpur agricultural region.     Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said the interim government has taken sufficient steps to assist the farmers and make the intensive Boro rice cultivation programme successful and increase rice production in the current Rabi season.   "The momentum of the transplantation process of Boro rice seedlings is increasing everyday amid sunny weather in all five districts of the region," Additional Director (Incharge) of the DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Shirajul Islam told BSS.   The DAE and other agriculture-related departments, organizations and institutions are providing the latest technologies to farmers to increase rice production at reduced cost by adapting to the adverse impact of climate change for strengthening food security.   "Getting assistance from the interim government through the DAE and other organisations, farmers have engaged their all-out efforts to make the Boro rice farming programme a success this season across the region," he said.   Enthusiastic farmers have already prepared Boro rice seedbeds on 27,713 hectares of land exceeding the fixed target of preparing the same on 23,175 hectares by 4,538 hectares of land or 19.58 percent in the region during the current 2025-2026 Rabi season.   "Farmers have already transplanted Boro rice seedlings on 73,080 hectares of land by Thursday as the process will get full momentum by this month end in," Shirajul Islam said.   Meanwhile, transplantation of Boro rice seedling is nearing completion on the low-lying lands, beels and riverine areas as harvest of the crop will complete there by May next before commencement of the next rainy season.   The DAE has set an all-time record target of producing 23,08,715 tonnes of clean Boro rice (34,63,0672 tonnes of paddy) from 5,09,094 hectares of land for Rangpur agricultural region this season.         Of them, farmers will produce 11,13,909 tonnes of hybrid variety Boro rice from 2,30,316 hectares of land, 11,75,867 tonnes of high yielding variety rice from 2,77,753 hectares and 1,939 tonnes of local variety Boro rice from 1,025 hectares of land.    Extensive steps have been taken to assist farmers succeed in the Boro rice cultivation programme to further increase rice production in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat of the region this season.   To attain the goal, the DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Barind Multipurpose Development Authority, Rural Electrification Board and commercial banks are assisting farmers in Boro rice cultivation.   The authorities concerned are ensuring smooth supply of high quality Boro rice seeds, fertilisers, modern technologies and power to farmers for even cultivation of Boro rice.   In addition, field level DAE officers are providing necessary support and latest technology to farmers for successful Boro rice cultivation to increase rice production for ensuring food security amidst adverse effects of climate change.   Md Mamunur Rashid, a PhD Fellow in the Department of Agricultural Extension at Haji Mohammad Danesh University of Science and Technology, said farmers are happily transplanting Boro rice seedlings amid a better and sunny weather across the region.   Enthusiastic farmers are showing more interest in applying organic fertilisers and balanced fertilisers to their Boro rice crop fields more and more to get better yield and hygienic rice production this season.    Farmers are likely to adopt conservation agriculture technologies like Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation methods in Boro rice cultivation to reduce groundwater extraction, save electricity, and improve the environment this season.   "Farmers would not face any hurdle as the interim government has taken adequate steps to assist them in all possible ways for cultivating Boro rice successfully this season," he said.   Farmers Manik Mia, Jahurul Haque, Golzar Hossain and Shariful Haque of different villages in Rangpur Sadar upazila told BSS that they are continuing transplantation of seedlings on their croplands to complete the process by February 15 next.