Archive for March 26th, 2008
Wednesday, March 26th, 2008Groundwater table in the capital has dropped down to 61.18 metres below the surface, 35 metres in the last eleven years, due to lack of recharging which has put the sprawling metropolis at great risk.In 1996 the groundwater table was only 26.6 metres bellow the surface. But it went 61.18 metres below in 2007, declining at the rate of over three metres on average every year.Experts say as an increasing number of city people cannot use surface water due to consequent pollution, pressures on groundwater have increased, resulting in declination of water table."If water table continues to fall then ...
(read more) Wednesday, March 26th, 2008The horrors of March 25 night return to haunt the nation as it observes the 37th Independence Day today to salute those who traded their lives for freedom.The massacre of innocent civilians on that night in 1971 was carried off so flawlessly and on such a scale that the international media had no doubt that Bangalees' struggle for independence had been crushed.But proving them wrong, the valiant sons of the soils put up a great fight against the occupation forces as a formal declaration of independence came the following day.Numerous atrocities and brutalities over the next nine months could not ...
(read more) Wednesday, March 26th, 2008The finance and foreign advisers yesterday lambasted rich countries for failing to make a "firm commitment" in the Bali Declaration to cut greenhouse gas emissions and insisted they pay the adaptation costs of nations most vulnerable to climate change effects.Inaugurating a day-long Bangladesh-UK conference on climate change yesterday, Foreign Adviser Iftekhar A Chowdhury said the Bali Declaration is a "weak" document because "it lacked a firm commitment on emission cuts" and it is not equitable in mitigation responses.At the conference, donors pledged financial support for long-term adaptation and mitigation programmes in Bangladesh.The conference, which brought together government officials, experts and ...
(read more) Wednesday, March 26th, 2008Trucks loaded with Indian rice started entering Bangladesh through Benapole and Sonamasjid land ports yesterday after being held up for twenty days.The trucks were allowed to enter Bangladesh as the central commerce ministry of India approved the export of rice at $ 505 a tonne.At least 50 trucks with 900 tonnes of rice entered Bangladesh through Benapole while 600 tonnes of rice entered through Sonamasjid yesterday afternoon.The import of rice through Bhomra land port in Satkhira is likely to resume today, while the import through Hili land port in Dinajpur is expected to resume tomorrow.Abdul Kuddus, a customs (cargo) ...
(read more) Wednesday, March 26th, 2008The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has apparently been careful in the last one year to improve its image marred greatly at home and abroad because of the huge number of deaths in "crossfire" as such extra-judicial killings have reduced significantly during the period.Thirty-four incidents of crossfire took place since June 2007 while the figure was 179 during the 10 months from August 2006 to May 2007.Rab officials said for the first time since its inception there was no incident of crossfire throughout the month of February this year.A total of 472 alleged criminals have so far been killed in the ...
(read more) Wednesday, March 26th, 2008Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday said the present caretaker government and the Election Commission are giving much importance to bringing about a qualitative change in the country's political culture ahead of the next general elections.He made it clear that election and democracy are not synonymous, but introduction of democratic process begins through election.The head of the caretaker government made the remarks while addressing the Independence Award 2008 giving ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.“It is unfortunate but true that a democratic and exploitation-free society for which people from all walks of life of this country joined ...
(read more) Wednesday, March 26th, 2008Army chief General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday said the government would definitely consider the demand for trial of war criminals."There is a government… it would look into the matter and also consider what the people want," Gen Moeen told reporters after a Reception programme at the National Parade Square in the capital.The reception was organised for the members of Freedom Fighters' Contingent who are to participate in the National Independence Day parade today.Speaking at the programme as chief guest, the army chief said this year the country's main problem is the price hike of food grain and there is no ...
(read more) Wednesday, March 26th, 2008The caretaker government yesterday formed a “core committee” on food stock and market situation with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed as its chief to prepare a package of measures for providing income support to the people, particularly fixed-and low-income groups, for purchasing foodstuffs.The other members of the top-level committee are advisers for finance, agriculture, food, and commerce, secretaries of the line ministries, BDR director general (DG), the cabinet secretary and the secretary to the chief adviser.In its first meeting yesterday afternoon with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair, the core committee discussed short-term economic stimulus package for next April ...
(read more) Wednesday, March 26th, 2008The jail authorities yesterday moved five high-profile prisoners to different district jails from the Dhaka Central Jail as a punitive measure while three others were shifted to the prison cells from the cabins of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital.The punitive measures were taken against them for violating the jail code in various ways, including use of cellphones and ipod.According to jail sources, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, political adviser to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, was moved to Bogra jail, former BNP lawmakers Mossaddak Ali Falu to Panchagarh jail, Salauddin Ahmed to Bandarban jail, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu to Lalmonirhat jail ...
(read more) Wednesday, March 26th, 2008The underground water table of Dhaka can be recharged easily during the rainy season by artificially infiltrating water through the topsoil layer of ground into the sub-soil reservoirs, local geologists said.Hydrologists in many countries experiencing rapid depletion of underground water table apply artificial methods to keep their water table healthy and prevent subsiding of the ground.In Germany, coal mine companies practise a cheap, simple yet intelligent method to recharge their sub-soil water reservoirs depleted because of mining.According to the German hydrologists, water is pumped back to the underground reservoir using simple infiltration wells and ditches.The topsoil of the land that ...
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