PRDP-2 arranged a five-day long fish culture training at Jagatpur UCC Bhaban in Titash Upazila, Comilla from 3 to 7 September. A total 18 trainees from 6 VCs as well as UDO, Os, RS and RA from PRDP-2 received the training from Mr. Dewan Mostafizur Rahman (Upazila Assistant Fishery Officer). Pond selection, pond preparation and redress, risk management, fish harvesting and marketing were the main topics that the trainees learned. Not just classroom training, but all the participants got practical training at a pond where fish culture was being carried out under the supervision of Fishery Department. Mr. Mahbubur Rahman, Project Director, PRDP-2, Mr. A.K.M. Aminul Islam Chowdhury, URDO and Jagatpur UP Chairman, Mr. Humayun Kabir also attended the last part of the training program.
Internal Workshop on PRDP-2 Concept
On 21 September 2006 a daylong workshop was held at UCCA hall-room in Meherpur Sadar, Meherpur for sharing the concept, activities and expected roles of PRDP-2 Link Model among all the local stakeholders. Some practical issues such as the art of conducting VCM, writing meeting resolution and site selection and erection of PRDP-2 Notice Boards, were also discussed in the workshop. Mr. Delip Chandra Biswas, UDO of Kutubpur Union conducted the workshop. Participants included all the VC chairmen and members of Kutubpur and Pirojpur Union and some officers such as Mr. Md. Anisur Rahman Khan, Deputy Director, LMC and Mr. Abdur Rashid, URDO.
Hatia Primary School under VC Scheme
Hatia primary school in Salla Union of Kalihati has come under one of the PRDP-2 VC Schemes. The total cost 47,742 Tk. covers provision and repair of school furniture including classroom tables, benches, chairs and lockers. As one of the standard cases in cost sharing, VC, Union and PRDP-2 bear 20, 10 and 70%, respectively.
CIRDAP's Mission Visits Kalihati
A CIRDAP's group, comprised of 20 professional delegates from 14 CIRDAP member countries in Asia and the Pacific region, came to observe PRDP's Kalihati site on 2 September, following their visit of the SLGDFP (Sirajganj Local Government Development Fund Project) of LGD/UNCDF/UNDP on the previous day. Some senior staff of PRDP also attended them in Sirajganj. The group and PRDP staff shared a lively one-day program including morning workshop at Biroti, Ellenga and afternoon field visits to three PRDP villages. In the workshop, PD, Chief Advisor, UDOs, UP Chairmen and VC representatives spoke in briefing and Q&A sessions giving the delegates strong impacts regarding the art of motivating all the stakeholders' participation in the development processes. For the field visits, the group was split into three sub-groups, and visited Korua, Pukria Icchapur and Nandhail VCs, respectively, where lively discussions took place between the delegates and the villagers. Chief Advisor gave them project briefing at a class at CIRDAP Dhaka headquarters, too.
Japanese TV Shooting Team Visits Kalihati
From 17 to 25 September a Japanese TV shooting team including one popular, talented TV personality, Mr. Gamon Kawai, visited PRDP-2 sites in Kalihati. The purpose of the team was to produce one-hour TV program which will be broadcast in Japan for publicizing JICA activities. The shooting covered from project concept including interview of Chief Adviser Dr. Kaida to detailed project activities through five JOCV members in different villages. The scenario goes this way; one Japanese actor who has never been to Bangladesh comes to know a rural development project in which a number of young Japanese are involved, and tries to examine its impacts by actually visiting the project sites and interacting with local people. Along this story, the shooting was focused on the activities of five JOCV members (Ms. Natsuyo Sawaki, Mr. Kei Umezawa, Mr. Takanori Sakamoto, Ms. Aiko Mitsuhashi, and Ms. Aya Suda). Each JOCV member took the actor, Mr. Kawai, to her/his working site and showed how the project provided the villagers with various opportunities to improve their livelihood. The shooting was completed successfully in close cooperation with not only JICA Experts and JOCV members, but also project staffs and many villagers concerned. The program will be on air in Japan on 23 November 2006.
Gender and Development Workshop
On 12 and 13 September, Gender and Development Workshop was held at LMTC, Tangail. Two guest speakers, Professor Abul Kashem and Professor Abdul Momen Mia of Bangladesh Agriculture University, Mymensingh provided our UDO/Os and research staffs with basic concept and skills in dealing with gender issues in rural development practices. Professor Kashem attributed our backwardness in rural development partly to less attention being paid to gender equality, and warned that unless more efforts are directed to eliminate gender disparity in any rural development projects our MDG will never be realized. Professor Mia, in his interactive discussions with the participants, also advocated that all the rural women must be involved in every development activity and given equal facilities as men.
During the discussions and also after the Workshop, the response and reaction by the participants, particularly UDO/O, were remarkable. They invariably told that in their future activities in PRDP-2 they would place the issues of gender equality the topmost priority, and hope for the society in which women will help men and men will help women in both daily livelihood and development..
PRDP-2 arranged a five-day long fish culture training at Jagatpur UCC Bhaban in Titash Upazila, Comilla from 3 to 7 September. A total 18 trainees from 6 VCs as well as UDO, Os, RS and RA from PRDP-2 received the training from Mr. Dewan Mostafizur Rahman (Upazila Assistant Fishery Officer). Pond selection, pond preparation and redress, risk management, fish harvesting and marketing were the main topics that the trainees learned. Not just classroom training, but all the participants got practical training at a pond where fish culture was being carried out under the supervision of Fishery Department. Mr. Mahbubur Rahman, Project Director, PRDP-2, Mr. A.K.M. Aminul Islam Chowdhury, URDO and Jagatpur UP Chairman, Mr. Humayun Kabir also attended the last part of the training program.
On 21 September 2006 a daylong workshop was held at UCCA hall-room in Meherpur Sadar, Meherpur for sharing the concept, activities and expected roles of PRDP-2 Link Model among all the local stakeholders. Some practical issues such as the art of conducting VCM, writing meeting resolution and site selection and erection of PRDP-2 Notice Boards, were also discussed in the workshop. Mr. Delip Chandra Biswas, UDO of Kutubpur Union conducted the workshop. Participants included all the VC chairmen and members of Kutubpur and Pirojpur Union and some officers such as Mr. Md. Anisur Rahman Khan, Deputy Director, LMC and Mr. Abdur Rashid, URDO.
Hatia primary school in Salla Union of Kalihati has come under one of the PRDP-2 VC Schemes. The total cost 47,742 Tk. covers provision and repair of school furniture including classroom tables, benches, chairs and lockers. As one of the standard cases in cost sharing, VC, Union and PRDP-2 bear 20, 10 and 70%, respectively. 
A CIRDAP's group, comprised of 20 professional delegates from 14 CIRDAP member countries in Asia and the Pacific region, came to observe PRDP's Kalihati site on 2 September, following their visit of the SLGDFP (Sirajganj Local Government Development Fund Project) of LGD/UNCDF/UNDP on the previous day. Some senior staff of PRDP also attended them in Sirajganj. The group and PRDP staff shared a lively one-day program including morning workshop at Biroti, Ellenga and afternoon field visits to three PRDP villages. In the workshop, PD, Chief Advisor, UDOs, UP Chairmen and VC representatives spoke in briefing and Q&A sessions giving the delegates strong impacts regarding the art of motivating all the stakeholders' participation in the development processes. For the field visits, the group was split into three sub-groups, and visited Korua, Pukria Icchapur and Nandhail VCs, respectively, where lively discussions took place between the delegates and the villagers. Chief Advisor gave them project briefing at a class at CIRDAP Dhaka headquarters, too.
From 17 to 25 September a Japanese TV shooting team including one popular, talented TV personality, Mr. Gamon Kawai, visited PRDP-2 sites in Kalihati. The purpose of the team was to produce one-hour TV program which will be broadcast in Japan for publicizing JICA activities. The shooting covered from project concept including interview of Chief Adviser Dr. Kaida to detailed project activities through five JOCV members in different villages. The scenario goes this way; one Japanese actor who has never been to Bangladesh comes to know a rural development project in which a number of young Japanese are involved, and tries to examine its impacts by actually visiting the project sites and interacting with local people. Along this story, the shooting was focused on the activities of five JOCV members (Ms. Natsuyo Sawaki, Mr. Kei Umezawa, Mr. Takanori Sakamoto, Ms. Aiko Mitsuhashi, and Ms. Aya Suda). Each JOCV member took the actor, Mr. Kawai, to her/his working site and showed how the project provided the villagers with various opportunities to improve their livelihood. The shooting was completed successfully in close cooperation with not only JICA Experts and JOCV members, but also project staffs and many villagers concerned. The program will be on air in Japan on 23 November 2006.
On 12 and 13 September, Gender and Development Workshop was held at LMTC, Tangail. Two guest speakers, Professor Abul Kashem and Professor Abdul Momen Mia of Bangladesh Agriculture University, Mymensingh provided our UDO/Os and research staffs with basic concept and skills in dealing with gender issues in rural development practices. Professor Kashem attributed our backwardness in rural development partly to less attention being paid to gender equality, and warned that unless more efforts are directed to eliminate gender disparity in any rural development projects our MDG will never be realized. Professor Mia, in his interactive discussions with the participants, also advocated that all the rural women must be involved in every development activity and given equal facilities as men. 
