JAMALPUR. Aug 7: The cultivation of papaya has been gaining popularity here in the recent year.

A large number of farmers have been cultivating papaya for the last two years with much enthusiasm considering its economic aspects.

Papaya can be grown at any place round the year. It needs less care. Besides, it is less vulnerable to pest. May people, including housewives, have planted papaya plants near their houses to meet their domestic requirement. The local markets are now full of both green and ripe papayas.

The prices of papaya are within the reach of the common people. It is delicious as vegetable and as fruit

Alleged mugger arrested

BARI SAL, Aug 7: Police arrested a mugger along with arms and ammunition from C&B road in the town on Friday, reports UNB.

Police said arrested Abdul J alii and four ofhls accomplices tried to intercept a patrol tempo of Detective Branch Police at 3 am. mistakenly thinking it of a passenger tempo. Finding police inside the tempo his accomplices managed to flee the scene. Police also recovered a loaded revolver from his possession.

Indefinite strike

BAGERHAT. Aug 7: Workers of Bagerhat Municipality began an indefinite strike from Thursday suspending all utility services, reports UNB.

President of Municipality Workers Union M Shahjahan All said the strike has been called for realising their six-point demand, including payment of their arrears. The workers said they would not return to work unless payment of their unpaid salaries. They blamed municipality chairman Atahar Hossain Abu for dilly-dallying in payment of their salaries. Due to the strike enforcement, water supply, conservancy and other activities of the municipally remained stopped from Thursday noon creating untold sufferings to the town dwellers.

Blacksmiths in misery

SHARIATPUR. Aug 7: Blacksmith community here has been passing their days in great economic hardship due to price-hike of inputs and lack of marketing facilities of their products, reports UNB.

Many of the 6000 blacksmiths left their profession to earn bread and butter. Chitta Ranjan Karmakar, a blacksmith in Burirhat bazar told that with price spiral of the inputs, the production cost could not be realised by selling the products. Moreover, he said, the financial Institutions do not provide loan to them to run their business. The blacksmiths once used to produce various apparatuses like machete, spade, axe. knife, scissors, kitchen knife, sickles and hoe. used In household work. But now-a-davs, foreign-made Items are available in the market with comparatively low price.

Cattle lifters arrested

PATUAKHA1J. Aug 7: Police arrested six members of a cattle-lifter ring on Wednesday and Thursday from Barlsal and PatuakhaU districts, reports UNB.

Patuakhall Sadar Police arrested three thieves Jaman. 25. Tofail, 33. and Noor Islam. 25, from village Dharandi on Wednesday night and reco\-ered five cows from their possession. Hailed from Keshabpur village in Baufal upazila. the burglars theft the cows from char areas of Bhola district three days back.