Archive for July 5th, 2008
Saturday, July 5th, 2008Filling up of eighty percent low lying areas and water bodies in the capital by encroachers is the main reason for water logging in the city, since those used to be the major channels for draining out rain water, said experts.The rivers around the city were also encroached upon over the years worsening the situation, they added.The experts cautioned that the problem of water logging in the city will fast deteriorate if the lost water bodies are not recovered and rehabilitated immediately.Abu Naser Khan, chairman of Save the Environment Movement said, "Although the number of storm drains in the city ...
(read more) Saturday, July 5th, 2008Six people, including five women, were killed when Dhaka-bound intercity train “Mohanagar Express” rammed a private car on an unmanned level crossing near Ghorashal railway station in Palash upazila yesterday.The dead are Rokeya Begum, 60, her daughter Eti Akhter, 14, her son's mother-in-law Shamarthan Begum, 45, Saleh Begum, 58, Shiria Begum, 60, and driver Yusuf Mia, 30.Rokeya Begum died at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital while the rest on the spot.The accident occurred at 1:30pm on Baribari level crossing where there was no signal, no bar and even no guard, said witnesses. They alleged that the level crossing remained unmanned ...
(read more) Saturday, July 5th, 2008Many known grassroots level leaders of major political parties including Awami League (AL) and BNP intend to run for the offices of mayors in the August 4 polls to four city corporations.But disputes have arisen in both AL and BNP over nominating single partisan candidates for the mayoral posts in four city corporations as multiple members of both parties filed for candidacies.The new electoral law and the code of conduct for local government electioneering however stipulate that the polls are absolutely non-partisan, while banning use of candidates' political affiliations, names of the parties they are affiliated with, and any ...
(read more) Saturday, July 5th, 2008Prices of almost all daily essentials including rice, lentils, edible oil and eggs soared by 5-15 percent across the country following the latest price hike of fuel, putting the people of low and limited income group in further distress.The government raised the prices of fuel Monday by a large margin which had an impact on the prices of essentials.Blaming the latest price hike of fuel, among other reasons, for soaring prices of essentials, traders yesterday said their transportation cost has gone up and a section of opportunist businessmen increased the prices even further giving the excuse of high fuel prices.The ...
(read more) Saturday, July 5th, 2008The government has yet to set up the long-sought human rights commission though seven months have passed since it approved an ordinance to that end.Meantime, rights activists and legal experts have observed that the government should seek opinions from the human rights organisations and jurists to form a competent and independent commission.Talking to The Daily Star recently, former adviser to caretaker government Sultana Kamal said a participatory process should be employed to set up the body.She said, "We want the human rights situation here to improve. It will be in the best interests of the nation if the ...
(read more) Saturday, July 5th, 2008The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against former Jamaat lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam yesterday accusing him of amassing wealth worth Tk 18.81 lakh beyond his known sources of income.The case was filed with Shyamnagar thana police in the evening.The joint forces detained Jamaat leader Gazi Nazrul Islam, elected from Satkhira-5 constituency in 2001 election as a 4-party alliance candidate, on March 9 in 2007. He was later released on bail on December 4.The ACC issued a notice on Gazi to submit his wealth statement to the ACC. He submitted a wealth statement showing wealth worth Tk 21.55 ...
(read more) Saturday, July 5th, 2008Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina said the caretaker government should give holding parliamentary elections priority one for the sake of transition to democracy and the country's development rather than holding local body polls.She said the AL always believes in people's power. The AL wants development in the country and for this reason none can stop its victory in the elections if people can exercise their franchise freely, US-based American News Agency (ANA) reports quoting her as saying.She made the remarks during separate views-exchange meetings with Maria Minna, founding chairman of Bangladesh Caucus in Canadian parliament and former immigration affairs ...
(read more) Saturday, July 5th, 2008Price of green chilli plummeted at the capital's Karwan Bazar wholesale market yesterday afternoon. The wholesalers claimed it "the lowest price in a decade".Green chilli hit a low of Tk 2 a kg yesterday afternoon.However, the low wholesale price did not have the expected impact on retail markets of the city. In retail, green chilli was selling between Tk 10 and Tk 20 per kg.Retailers in the capital were charging prices for green chillies at will as most people were oblivious to the declining green chilli price. Visiting different retail markets, the Daily Star correspondent saw most people buying ...
(read more) Saturday, July 5th, 2008BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday demanded immediate withdrawal of the charges against detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman of embezzling funds from Zia Orphanage Trust.He said cases are being filed against the former prime minister to make her ineligible to contest the elections.“Neutrality of this government is open to question for its unfriendly attitude towards BNP,” the BNP secretary general told reporters at his Nam flat in the city.“The Zia Orphanage Trust case involves incidents that date back to 1991-96, still it has been included for trial under the emergency power rules,” he said.The ...
(read more) Saturday, July 5th, 2008The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) launched a special programme yesterday to intercept criminals through putting up 100 checkpoints across the city within minutes on information."The new initiative is part of the capacity building and capacity increase programme of the DMP to curb criminal activities by intercepting the criminals," DMP Commissioner Naim Ahmed told The Daily Star.About seven hundred police personnel, in cooperation with the police stations and police zones concerned, would man the programme.The DMP took the initiative after the recent rise in muggings, snatchings, robberies and other criminal activities, sources said.The DMP commissioner said, "As part of the programme, ...
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