Dhaka, Jul 21 (2010) (UNB)- A major part of the premises of Ganobhaban, the official residence of the Bangladesh Prime Minister, has taken on the look and feel of a farm having been allocated for operating various agricultural farms on model basis.
With the small-scale projects of Fiber Glass Biogas Digester, farming of fish, pearl, mushrooms, vegetables and honey, the Prime Minister’s residence has established itself as a role model for the government’s planned “One House, One Farm” project.
“My dream is to make every family of the country economically and socially self-reliant,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said while visiting the projects strewn across various corners of her residence.
Upon returning from the inaugural function of the National Fisheries Week’ 2010 held at the Osmani Auditorium on Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Hasina released over 5,000 fries of various fish species in the Ganobhaban pond.
Thereafter, the Prime Minister visited the model projects accompanied by her grandchildren.
Staying there for over an hour, the Prime Minister wanted to know about the pros and cons of every project and expressed her happiness over the launching of the projects.
“Not a single inch of farmable land will be allowed to be wasted. Bangabandhu’s Golden Bangladesh is possible if we can utilize our resources and brains appropriately,” the Prime Minister said.
While briefing the Prime Minister, biogas expert ATM Mahbubul Alam said this type of plant is the ever first bio-gas plant in Bangladesh, with fiberglass technology used extensively.
Alam said two biogas plants have been set up using wastages of four foreign big cows and two cubs.
A two kilowatt generator, one double burner biogas hitter, two bio- hajjak (lantern) lights are being operated everyday respectively for three, six and four hours by the electricity generated from the biogas plants.
Moreover, an irrigation pump is also being run by the electricity generated by the biogas plant, Alam said.
About the effectiveness of the fiber glass technology, Alam said biogas plants have not gained much popularity in the country so far due to concrete-made digesters of the plants, as such digesters do not work for long time.
But the fiber glass-made digester is so light that it can be carried to any remote place and its maintenance cost is also very cheap, he said.
Moreover, 40 percent portion of the fiber glass digester can be manufactured using the country’s local jute which can also pave a new era for the jute industry, the expert said.
Another innovative project inside the Ganobhaban area is pearl farming, which is being run by the Fisheries Department.
Apart from farming various local fish in the Ganobhaban pond, pink pearls are also being farmed in the water body, although in small scale.
“We have started to cultivate pearls in the Ganobhaban lake following directions from the Prime Minister. She wants to experience the results of pearl farming on her own,” said a Ganobhban spokesperson.
The official said pearl farming began in the pond on a model basis as the Prime Minister has a plan to spread the practice of pearl farming in every village and family of the country.
“The Prime Minister believes that pearl farming can be very effective in eradicating unemployment of people, particularly of the women,” he said.
Mahbuba Moonmoon, a female agriculturalist was telling the Prime Minister about the prospects of mushroom cultivation in Bangladesh.
Standing in front of a small tin-shed house set up at the eastern corner of the Ganobhaban for mushroom farming, Moonmoon said mushroom cultivation does not require any land, rather a small house is enough for farming the globally popular food item.
“Mushroom cultivation can remove lack of nutrition for a family as well as poverty,” Moonmoon said.
Later talking to UNB, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said these projects show how a family can meet their needs of electricity, food and employment.
“Our Prime Minister wants to see a Bangladesh where every family has its own capacity for generating electricity, managing necessary food and nutrition, and earning its livelihood,” Azad said.
