Mirza Shakil

Mohammad Fazlul Haque, a bookstall owner in Tangail’s Ghatail upazila, could not pay rents of his shop and house for the last few months due to abnormal drop of sales in his shop since outbreak of the deadly coronavirus.

Tangail is in for a bumper mustard yield this year due to favourable weather conditions. Farmers are also very happy being offered better prices in local markets.

The canals flowing through different areas in Tangail town are disappearing one after another, thanks to the illegal grabbing and negligence by the authorities.

Each time a newborn baby girl sees the light of the world in his area, Sub-Inspector Mosharaf Hossain, in-charge of Tangail’s Kagmari police outpost, greets her with gifts, a personal initiative breaking stereotypes about gender.

Refaz Uddin, a traditional sari weaver based in Nagarpur upazila of Tangail, has been struggling to maintain his business for a few years now due to a fall in demand.

Eighty-year-old valiant freedom fighter Dilip Kumar Dey has been earning a living by performing popular Bangla songs like Eto sur ar eto gaan jodi konodin theme jai in markets, schools, colleges and bus stands for the last few decades.

Abdus Samad could not harvest a single grain of coriander (dhoney) or sesame (til) or an ounce of jute from his five bighas of land due to this year’s prolonged flood.

There is no permanent bus terminal in Tangail’s Gopalpur upazila, causing immense sufferings to commuters as well as transport owners and workers.

Park Market, the main kitchen market in Tangail town, sees no development in 33 years, causing immense sufferings to the buyers and sellers.

A grim future awaits nearly 5,000 fish farmers of Tangail whose investments were washed away in recent floods in all save one of the district’s 12 upazilas.

More than 1 lakh farmers of crops and vegetables in Tangail incurred a loss of Tk 141 crore due to the prolonged and devastating flood this year.

Jony Miah’s factory of 48 power looms at Singair Mondhyopara village in Kalihati upazila has remained shut since 26 March, when the government directed a general shutdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Seasonal traders, engaged in rawhide business centring the Eid-ul-Azha, face huge losses this year too as only a small number of buyers are showing up at the markets in Tangail and offering very low prices for the items.

The power lines hanging dangerously low over the waterbodies and now flooded places in Tangail have turned into death traps.

When the famous Madhupur pineapple started losing its reputation amid use of excessive hormones for increasing the size and early ripening of the popular fruit, several growers returned to its production in natural ways, bringing back its original taste and flavour.

Work on a much-needed water treatment plant in Tangail municipality is not yet completed, though five years have passed since work began. Originally meant to be completed in two years, construction was delayed due to errors in planning and unscrupulous contractors.

The bridge on the Dhaleswari river at Charabari in Tangail Sadar upazila lies in a vulnerable condition as earth got displaced from one of its approach roads due to heavy rain for the last few days and increasing current on the river.

Who would have thought that a girl with childhood physical disabilities, born in an impoverished family, could pursue education in this country?

Abdus Sattar, a small trader selling wooden chairs and tables beside a road in Tangail town, is struggling for survival for the last four months as the number of buyers sees a drastic fall due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation.

A specially designed ‘safety chamber’ in Tangail’s Kalihati Upazila Health Complex, set up for ensuring protection from coronavirus infection during treatment of general patients at the outdoor, has received appreciation from all concerned.