Speakers at a function said rats damage around 15 lakh tonnes of food grains every year affecting food production seriously and hampering the government’s food security efforts.“A female rat can give birth 8-10 times a year and it can conceive within 48 hours after giving birth to its offspring. In this way, a
pair of rats can give birth to about 3,000 offspring yearly. So, the rat-killing drive is not harmful to the ecological balance,” they
said.They made the observation while addressing an inaugural ceremony of Rat Killing Drive-2014 organized by Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) on the premises of deputy director’s office of DAE in the town on Tuesday afternoon.Administrator of Zila Parishad (ZP) Advocate Syed Shams-ul-Alam Hiru addressed the function as the chief guest and district livestock officer Abul Kashem was present as the special guest on the occasion.Deputy Director of DAE Mir Abdur Razzak presided over the ceremony.
The function was also addressed, among others, by Fulchhari upazila agriculture officer Tahajul Islam, assistant coordinator of SKS
Foundation Monjurur Rahman Bablu and farmer Abul Kalam Azad.Terming rat detrimental to crops and structures including underground electric pole and telephone lines, they underscored the need for involving more farmers including schoolboys and girls to make the rat killing drive a success.The chief guest in his speech urged the field level officials concerned to motivate all the members of Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) schools to take part in the drive. -BSS, Gaibandha
