Coastal land in Aila-hit areas turns barren due to salinity Ahammad Ali Gazi sighed as he surveyed his salt-covered land that once produced rice. “This is the land where my family grew rice for years,” said Gazi, a 60-year-old farmer at Gabura in Satkhira district close to Bay of Bengal. “Today, there is nothing but ... Read more
Headlines
Lake City lacks fire safety
Massive apartment complex in city poses fire risk The developer of Lake City Concord Housing scheme in the capital’s Khilkhet area has sold and handed over most of its apartments to about 5,000 occupants defying fire safety rules. The law clearly states that high-rises as those in the housing complex must have special fire safety ... Read more
Rangamati authorities allow Kaptai Lake grab
Encroachment on significant areas of Kaptai Lake in Rangamati is taking place as both the Rangamati district council and the district commissioner’s office are leasing land over the lake for residential and business purposes including for hotels and shopping complexes. The district’s municipality is also willingly providing trade licences and permits to build on this ... Read more
CNG price now Tk 25 a unit
The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission has again increased the price of compressed natural gas by about 50 per cent to Tk 25 a cubic metre from Tk 16.75 with effect from midnight past Thursday. The commission announced the decision at a press conference on Thursday afternoon. The chairman and two members of the commission met ... Read more
Caretaker system declared illegal
HIGHLIGHTS o 13th amendment unconstitutional o Caretaker govt may hold next 2 JS polls for ‘safety’ o Judges may be kept out of caretaker govt The Supreme Court has declared illegal a 15-year-old constitutional provision that mandates an elected government to transfer power to an unelected non-partisan caretaker administration to oversee a new parliamentary election on completion of ... Read more
Balu filled up for a ‘bridge’
Rajuk responsible, river custodian oblivious Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has filled up the Balu river at Mashkul in Khilkhet narrowing it down to nearly half its width for constructing a bridge. This has choked the river to such an extent that two engine boats can hardly pass together through the point. Rajuk has no approval ... Read more
Trial for vitamin A-rich rice soon
Bangladeshi scientists ready for developing further the genetically-engineered variety Bangladesh is all set for developing further the world’s first-ever vitamin A-rich rice. A genetically engineered variety, the Golden Rice will go through Green House and field tests before advancing into production phase. And if everything goes well, Bangladesh, within 5 years, will be able to ... Read more
Consumers subjected to ‘serious health risks’
Millions of residents in Old Town of Dhaka are exposed to serious health risks such as cancer through the water supplied to them by the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, according to experts. The water used by many living in Old Town comes from the River Buriganga and is treated at the Chandnighat Water Treatment ... Read more
U-loop to take care of Kanchpur chaos
Ministry goes for it to ease gridlocks on Sylhet, Ctg highways The communications ministry has finally chosen U-loop as an easy option to solve gridlock on the Kanchpur Bridge leading to Sylhet and Chittagong highways. Though experts prescribed the scheme two years back, officials of the communications ministry and roads and highways department (RHD) realised ... Read more
Pahela Baishakh celebrated
The nation celebrated the Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla calendar, on Thursday amid traditional fanfare and festivity leaving behind the gloom of past and pledging to uphold the nation’s heritage. Tens of thousands of people from all walks of life dressed in traditional clothes poured into the streets, parks and open spaces ... Read more
Pahela Baishakh today
Dhaka: The nation is all set to welcome Bangla year 1418, with festivities and gaiety, with the rising of the sun on Thursday, leaving behind all sorrow and despair. Thousands of men, women and children, in traditional colourful clothes, will throng Ramna Batamul and other prominent venues for new year celebrations in the capital and ... Read more
Wetland Grabbing: None jailed in 10 yrs
Not a single person has been jailed for filling up rivers, canals or wetlands in the capital in the last one decade since the Wetland and Open Space Conservation Act, 2000 came into effect. Even though the government vowed to save the rivers around the capital, in no instance was the earth used for filling ... Read more
Work goes on, may finish by 2012
Mirpur-Airport Road Flyover Work goes on, may finish by 2012 Started in January, construction work of Mirpur-Airport Road flyover over the restricted zone of Dhaka cantonment and Banani Staff Road level-crossing is progressing in full swing to meet the target of completion by October 2012. People living in Mirpur and Pallabi areas will be immensely ... Read more
Tigers’ Dutch demolition
So, sanity has been restored. There were no heart stopping or topsy-turvy moments, and more importantly there were no roller-coaster rides that have been associated with the Tigers in the tournament, as they comfortably posted a six-wicket victory over the Netherlands to take a bold step towards the quarterfinals of the ICC Cricket World Cup yesterday. ... Read more
Tigers devour Lions in epic battle
“One must desire something to be truly alive,” said a great novelist. The Bangladesh cricket team definitely was the perfect example of this belief after the way they bounced back against England in a dramatic and nail-biting game to keep their quarterfinals hopes alive in the ICC Cricket World Cup yesterday. The thrilling two-wicket victory ... Read more
Anti-graft hope hinges on JS
Parliamentarians, civil society warn against changes to ACC law without proper consultation Amendments without having the opinion of the public and experts will weaken the Anti-Corruption Commission law, parliamentarians and civil society members observed. Former and current parliamentarians gave their reactions after the government on Monday placed a bill in parliament proposing some changes to ... Read more
Yunus ‘removed’
Central Bank issues letter to Grameen Bank; Grameen terms it a legal issue, insists the Nobel hero still holds office Dr Muhammad Yunus, the man who brought a Nobel Prize for Bangladesh, and the most celebrated living Bangladeshi around the globe, was unceremoniously relieved of his duties at Grameen Bank yesterday through a Bangladesh Bank ... Read more
Tk 21cr goes down rivers
Buriganga-Turag Cleaning Project Tk 21cr goes down rivers Contamination remains as grave as ever due to failure in plugging pollution sources Pinaki Roy Though the government has already spent over Tk 21 crore on its much-hyped Buriganga-Turag River Cleaning Project, the rivers remain contaminated with toxic wastes, as the pollution sources could not be plugged. ... Read more
Cricket gala begins
The 10th Cricket World Cup, a 49-match six-week sporting marathon was formally launched by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amidst thunderous cheers here this evening in the renovated Bangabandhu National Stadium in a blaze of colour and pageantry. “ It gives me great pleasure to declare the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup open,” said Sheikh ... Read more
Metro rail in 4 years possible
Study finds a ride from Uttara to Jatrabari will take only 45 minutes, Tk 50 A commute by metro from Uttara to Jatrabari will take about 45 minutes and cost Tk 50, according to studies conducted as part of the government plans for improved public transport in the capital. The planned electric railway will carry ... Read more