Shamiran-Biswas | Daily Observer

Farmers deprived of fair prices become victims of middlemen, lose interest in farming

Shamiran Biswas

Bangladesh is an agro-dependent country. A large part of the country's economy, employment and food security depend on agriculture. However, even after 50 years of independence, adequate agro-based industrial institutions, modern rice mills, cold storage and processing industries have not been developed in the country. As a result, farmers are being deprived of fair value ...

Unprotected drainage channels death traps in our cities

Shamiran Biswas

In Bangladesh's urban development discourse, the recurrent fatalities linked to open and mismanaged drainage infrastructure highlight a profound failure in civic planning, public safety enforcement, and environmental governance. Despite notable advancements in technology and infrastructure elsewhere, unprotected drainage channels remain a persistent hazard. During the monsoon season, when heavy rainfall causes widespread inundation, these systems ...

AI-powered agriculture and economic transformation in Bangladesh

Shamiran Biswas

Bangladesh sits at the cusp of a digital revolution. As global GDP growth increasingly hinges on data?driven decision making, harnessing AI in agriculture, manufacturing, finance and services can catapult our economy onto a new trajectory. This article digs deeper into cutting?edge AI architectures, advanced deployment strategies, sectoral integration and policy frameworks needed to realize a ...

Concerted efforts adopted to protect our biodiversity

Shamiran Biswas

Biodiversity in agriculture refers to the diversity of all living organisms that are directly or indirectly related to the agricultural system. It includes various types of crops, plants, livestock, poultry, fish, insects, soil and water-dependent microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, which play an important role in the agricultural environment. Biodiversity in agriculture is not ...

Budget should focus on agriculture

Shamiran Biswas

In Bangladesh, to determine the budget background of the agricultural sector, the country's overall agro-based economy, food security, the impact of climate change, and the context of improving the living standards of farmers must be considered. Economic importance and contribution: Agriculture contributes about 12-14% of Bangladesh's GDP and a large population (about 40%) of the ...

We need to focus on cultivation of salt-tolerant crops

Shamiran Biswas

The amount of saline land has increased in many places, including the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Ordinary crops cannot yield good yields on these lands. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on cultivating salt-tolerant crops. Among them, Mug bean, sunflowers, peanuts and watermelons are notable. Cultivation of these crops can bring saline land underutilization.Advantages and ...

Is Bangladesh prepped to face strong quakes?

Shamiran Biswas

Bangladesh is located in a geologically earthquake-prone region. The country is located at the junction of three major tectonic plates: the Eurasian Plate, the Indian Plate, and the Burma Microplate. Due to the collision of these plates and the accumulated geological stress, Bangladesh is likely to experience moderate to large earthquakes. Bangladesh experienced three earthquakes ...

Crop land grabs hit our agriculture

Shamiran Biswas

The trend of social and moral degradation is increasing all over the world, including Bangladesh. Due to the crisis of morality, greed, political instability, and personal vendetta, human cruelty towards innocent plants, crops, and the environment is increasing day by day. On the one hand, natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and climate change are ...

Export potentials of our fruits, vegetables

Shamiran Biswas

Horticulture is one of the most important parts of Bangladesh's agricultural sector, which includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices and medicinal plants. Due to fertile soil, favorable climate and increasing technological advancements, the production of horticultural crops in Bangladesh is increasing significantly. In addition, the export potential is also significant as the demand ...

Boosting Boro rice production to compensate for Aman losses

Shamiran Biswas

The country produced more than 16.6 million tons of rice in the Aman season of the 2023-24 fiscal year. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) had set a target of 16.8 million tons in the current fiscal year for Aman. But due to the impact of floods, about 1.1 million metric tons of rice were ...