The eco-system of Lawachhara National Park in Moulvibazar is at risk because of indiscriminate destruction of forest resources, a heavy rush of visitors even into the deep forest and lack of proper maintenance and scarcity of wild animals. The district administration has already expressed concern about the worrying state of the environment protection system in ... Read more
Nation
Kuakata boat has historical value
Says expert A French-born Bangladeshi expert on local traditional boats has examined an ancient boat that surfaced from beneath the sandy beach in Kuakata recently and said it was a national heritage bearing ethnic history. “I have never seen such an unusual traditional boat,” Yves Marre told The Daily Star after examining it on the ... Read more
Rubber dam inflates hope in Dinajpur
An inflatable rubber dam being built on the Atrai river in Dinajpur will be completed by the end of this year, facilitating irrigation using surface water instead of underground water as well as fish cultivation. The dam — 135-metre long and four-metre high– will create a 44- km long reservoir in the river that usually ... Read more
Fishes spawn in Halda amid rain
Hundreds of spawn collectors with their boats and nets started collecting released eggs of indigenous species of carps from the Halda river in Chittagong for the second time this year, ignoring incessant shower yesterday morning. The Halda, which flows through Hathazari and Raozan upazilas, is one of the world’s major natural sweet water fish breeding ... Read more
Newly built bridge undergoes repair well before handover
Most of the upper surface of a nearly completed bridge over the Buri Teesta River at Soillaghat in Dimla upazila under the district had to undergo repair as the contractor used low quality materials for the construction work, said officials. The Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) in the district decided to construct the 171-metre-long ... Read more
‘Protect Jadunath’s palace complex from grabbers’
Locals formed a human chain on Friday urging the government to take necessary steps for protection of the historic palace of Raja Jadunath Roy at Balasur in Bhagyakul under Sreenagar upazila. An NGO named ‘Agrasar Bikrampur Foundation’ took ‘illegal’ lease of 5.71 acres of land at the archaeological site and causing damage to its heritage ... Read more
Lathi Khela to celebrate Tangail Free Day
Lathi Khela (A traditional Bangladeshi martial art form) was held in Tangail town last Sunday to celebrate Tangail Free Day (December 11). Tangail district was freed from the Pakistani Armed Forces on this day during the Liberation War. Lathial Mohammad Azhar and his group from Aloa Bhabani village, Tangail staged a performance at Shaheed Memorial ... Read more
Cheers for a noble bid
Mid-day meal introduced in school set up by day labourers It does not matter how old the saying, “Unity is strength”, is. The truth is that the outcome of a collective effort has never lost its glory. Do you remember the primary school that was set up by 17 enthusiastic day labourers in a remote ... Read more
Manpower crisis defers launch of SBMCH ICU
The launch of two-storey 80-bed intensive care and casualty unit of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital was deferred due to acute manpower crisis that hit the hospital unit after its inauguration in April 2011, said the hospital authorities. The SBMCH director, Abdur Rashid, said that the unit with modern equipment was set up to ensure ... Read more
Tale of a torchbearer
Visually-impaired ex-cotton mill worker runs free education centre for children in Tangail Rafiqul Bari indeed knows what it means to see nothing. He was born with normal organs, but a slight stomach problem at the age of two changed his life forever. Wrong treatment by a quack made him blind. So to ease a little ... Read more
Too old yet allowance eludes her
Country observes International Day of Older Persons International Day of Older Persons, observed across the world yesterday, holds very little meaning for centenarian Asironnesa of Arpara village in Magura sadar upazila. Several efforts made towards obtaining an old-age or widow allowance for Asironnessa are yet to bear fruit. Asiron is physically too weak to move ... Read more
Doctor for the poor
Kiwi living his dream in Bangladesh, providing healthcare to the helpless for close to 30 years Thousands of miles away from home, someone is living up to his childhood promise: helping the helpless. In a rare example of love and sacrifice, he has been treating poor patients in Madhupur reserved forest area in Tangail for ... Read more
Experts for microgrids to ease power woes
As frequent power outages and government inability to increase electricity production have gripped mass psyche, one element is, perhaps, eluding all eyes. That is delay in adoption of a digital power monitoring system is costing the country hard, which could have otherwise saved up to 500 Mw every day. Power generation, on a daily basis, ... Read more
World Indigenous Day: Celebration amid commotion
Leaders of the indigenous communities yesterday termed the government a “promise breaker” and vowed to continue movement until their demand of constitutional recognition as “indigenous” is met. Expressing solidarity with them, rights defender Prof Mizanur Rahman hinted the decision of recognising indigenous people as “tribal” or “ethnic minorities” was wrong. He added the National Human ... Read more
Chitra river rots with jute
A portion of the Chitra river has become seriously polluted, as farmers are rotting jute plants in it. The pollution that extends some 40km on both sides of the river very badly affected nearly 40,000 people of Narail sadar and Kalia upazilas of the district. Fishes and other aquatic creatures are dying in hundreds, and ... Read more
Mahamaya lake-a tourist spot spoiled
Security in one of country’s most preferred tourist spots under threat Chittagong: Mahamaya, the second largest man-made lake in the port city, is fast becoming prey to human greed and negligence. Thwarted by pollution and land-grabbers, it is slowly getting girdled by shanties that have robbed the lake of its pristine beauty. Besides, heavy vehicles ... Read more
Hilsa catches too frustrating for fishermen, traders
The ongoing hilsa season sees poor netting of the popular fish in the coastal waters, much to the frustration among fishermen and traders. Fishermen’s families are passing hard days as the catches are not sufficient even to recover the cost of deep sea trips on trawlers for the purpose, according to our correspondent in Patuakhali. ... Read more
Erosion makes 300 families homeless in a week
Lalmonirhat, Kurigram Erosion makes 300 families homeless in a week Erosion by Teesta and Dharla rivers in Lalmonirhat and Brahmaputra in Kurigram has rendered around 300 families homeless in the last one week. At least a hundred families at five villages under two unions in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila became homeless due to erosion by Teesta ... Read more
Handicraft brings the joy of self-reliance
Tackling poverty with handicraft business Handicraft brings the joy of self-reliance The economic hardship has gone from the life of Basana and her family since she has started a handicraft business. Basana Rani, a 35-year old woman of Adhairpur village in Badalgachhi upazila of Naogaon, is now self-dependent and able to take a square meal ... Read more
Risky ride on abandoned bridge
A ‘death trap’ for people of at least 4 districts A large number of people have continued risky ride on the awfully dilapidated bailey bridge over the Nautara River near Nautara Bazar in Dimla upazila of Nilphamari on Dalia-Sardarer Hat road as authorities failed to make any alternative arrangement. Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) ... Read more