The present study was conducted to assess the impact of investment provided under "Rural Development Scheme" (RDS) of the "Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited" (IBBL) on the basis of using data collected from 25 respondents of each of group of investors, agriculture and business of the five selected villages in sadar upazila of Mymensingh district. Total household annual incomes were Tk. 59696 and Tk. 87332 respectively for the agriculture group and business group. The beneficiaries have increased their income (61 percent in agriculture sector and 89 percent in business sector) by using RDS credit. After joining the RDS, there was a remarkable improvement in the living standard of the participant households. Thirty one percent of total credit received from RDS was utilized for agricultural purposes, 53 percent for business purposes and 15 percent for family expenditure on an average. Recovery rate of the current credit was 100 percent. None of the respondents of the group was allowed to have new credit until preceding credit was paid back. The findings suggest that the monitoring mechanism should be improved so that clients do not utilize their invested money to any unproductive activities. It is also suggested that adequate size of the investment has to be provided to pursue income generating activities properly.

The present study estimates profitability of MV Boro rice production under shallow tubewell irrigation system. The study was conducted in Ghatail upazila of Tangail district. In the study, 60 water buyers from 5 villages were randomly selected. The survey covered a whole period of MV Boro production (January to May 2008). The major findings of the study were that about one third of total cost shared by irrigation charge. Though, the water buyers made a significant profit from MV Boro paddy production but the buyers were not fully satisfied with the prevailing one-fourth water charge and claimed for reduction of water charge. Education and farming experience was the important tools to increase profit in MV Boro paddy production. A considerable further scope apparently exists for expansion of STWs by reducing water charge to enhance the productivity of MV Boro paddy and to increase farm income of water buyers.

The organophosphorus insecticide, diazinon that is widely used in agricultural field and private industrial premises to control pests, easily accumulates in aquatic ecosystems and exerts toxic effects on aquatic animals. The study aimed to evaluate the acute toxicity (LC50) of diazinon on Glossogobius giuris and histopathological alterations of its gonads, liver and kidney due to the effect of this insecticide. G. giuris were exposed to different concentrations of diazinon ranging from 0.00025 ppm to 2.048 ppm with parallel untreated control. At the doses of 0.0005 ppm, 0.001 ppm, 0.002 ppm, and 0.004 ppm 40%, 50%, 70%, and 90% mortality of G. giuris were observed within 96 hrs, respectively, whereas, 100% mortality was observed at doses above 0.008 ppm. Based on probit analysis, the LC50 value of diazinon for 96 hrs of exposure on G. giuris was found as 0.001 ppm. During the exposure trial several behavioral alterations including restlessness, sudden and quick movements, loss of equilibrium, increased opercular activities and paralysis were observed in the fish. The histopathological changes observed in the tissues of G. giuris indicate that sub lethal concentration as well as higher concentration caused moderate to severe alterations in the liver, kidney as well as gonads. Kidney was found to be the most seriously affected organ compared to gonads and liver. Major histopathological changes like fragmentation of testis and ovary with ruptured wall, karyolysis, hypertrophy, pyknosis and degenerative changes such as necrosis of tubular and haematopoietic cells of kidney, necrotic hepatocytes, pyknosis, hypertrophy, haemorrhage and vacuolation were observed in the liver cells. The present study demonstrated that diazinon is highly toxic especially to G. giuris and thus, indiscriminate use of this insecticide in the agriculture and industrial sectors should be strictly controlled.Progressive Agriculture 27 (4): 530-538, 2016