SOHRAB HOSSAIN,
Patuakhali
Harnessing the current of sluice gate water, a man in Barguna has devised a way to generate electricity at no cost.
Using a self-designed device, Monirul Islam of Purbo Burir Char village in Sadar upazila produces enough power to light over 50 electric bulbs for 15 to 18 hours a day on a limited scale.
Monirul’s home stands near the Payra River by the Purakata ferry ghat. An irrigation sluice gate connects the river to nearby farmlands. He has installed his device at the sluice gate, where the force of flowing water spins it to generate electricity.
A fuel trader by profession, Monirul said the project was the result of three months of effort and cost him Tk 70,000. The Payra river experiences tidal surges twice a day, enabling continuous power generation for up to 18 hours, he said.
“Given the opportunity, I could light up village after village at no cost. Wherever there is water current, this technology can work.”
Jamal Mia, a workshop mechanic who helped in the project, said, “We are producing electricity by harnessing nature’s force at minimal cost. The light from this electricity is brightening up the village.”
Locals said such initiatives could open a new horizon in cost-effective electricity production if supported and expanded.
Contacted, Sheikh Abdur Rahman, deputy general manager of Patuakhali Palli Bidyut Samity, said, “We are not aware of electricity generation using sluice gate water, but it is something worth looking into.”
Anthrax cases reach 17 in Rangpur
UNB,
Rangpur
The number of confirmed anthrax infections has climbed to 17, with four new individuals diagnosed in three upazilas of Rangpur.
Among the new cases, two were identified in Kaunia, one in Pirgachha and one in Mithapukur upazilas.
The district’s civil surgeon, Shaheen Sultana, said they have so far received 23 suspected anthrax cases, of which 17 tested positive.
The first 13 infections were detected in Pirgachha, where two people died in July and September with symptoms of the disease, she said.
A team from the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research arrived in Pirgachha last month.
On September 13 and 14, they collected samples from 18 suspected patients, and 13 were found infected with anthrax.
Livestock samples collected from the affected areas were also found to be infected, according to IEDCR sources.
Health experts warn that anthrax spreads to humans through contact with infected animals or their products -- meat, blood, hides and bones -- but not from person to person. The disease typically causes skin lesions and ulcers.
Livestock officials said vaccination drives have been intensified.
The District Livestock Office reported that over 165,000 cattle, goats and sheep have been vaccinated in Pirgachha, Kaunia, Mithapukur and Rangpur Sadar since August 26.