Give interest-free loan in <i>monga</i>-hit areas

Monga (a famine like situation) can be eradicated from the northern region once for all by creating self-employment and income generating activities at the grass roots level.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 66, Infantry Division, Rangpur, Major General Syed Fatemy Ahmed said this while exchanging views with the working journalists of nine northern districts at his conference room in Rangpur Cantonment yesterday.
Citing an example of Coach Shahar village in Gaibandha, the GOC said the villagers drove away monga effectively by producing sweater and blankets at the initiatives of local entrepreneurs at the grass roots level. Workers produced the items by utilising the locally available knitting machines, he said.
General Fatemy said the severity of monga has reduced to a great extent this year following eradication of corruption during distribution of aid to the monga victims.
Terming journalists as companions of development, the general urged them to help identify corruption and publish development-oriented positive news to brighten the image of the country at home and abroad. He also asked them to follow the code of conduct of journalism while doing their professional duties.
Pointing out various aspects of the problem, the journalists stressed on distribution of food as well as allowance to the monga victims in a corruption-free manner for alleviation of poverty and monga in the region.
They also suggested for providing interest-free loan to monga victims by NGO workers who are usually reluctant to give them loan.
Four brigade commanders under 66, Infantry Division were present at the meeting.
Working journalists of Rangpur, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Kurigram Lalmonirhat, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon and Joypurhat attended.