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DPDC blames delay in launching Dhanmondi underground cable project on DSCC, hails DNCC cooperation
Despite huge efforts Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) has failed to start physical work on taking overhead cables underground in the Dhanmondi area as planned with the utility officials blaming it on the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
“We had full preparation to start the job in September last as per plan. But we did not receive permission from DSCC to dig the streets to lay our cables and install other equipment”, said a top official of the DPDC.
He, however, said they have been receiving good cooperation from the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) to replace the overhead cable with underground one.
"That's why we have been able to implement another similar project from the city’s Jahangir Gate in Cantonment to Bangabhaban, the presidential palace”, he said adding that cables were already laid from Jahangir Gate to Farmgate area.
According to official sources, the DPDC had undertaken a huge project of Tk20,500 crore, funded by China, to take its overhead electricity lines underground as part of a mega plan to ensure an uninterrupted, safe, secured electricity supply to its part in Dhaka city.
“Making the views beautiful by removing the ugly and hazardous cables is another main objective of the project”, said Bikash Dewan, managing director of the DPDC.
He also said the overhead cables from Jahangir Gate to Bangabhaban via Karwan Bazar-Kakrail-Fakirapool-Dainik Bangla crossing will disappear once the project is completed.
He appreciated DNCC for cooperation to implement this project as other utilities like internet and TV cable operators have showed positive attitudes to join the project.
About the failure to start the job in Dhanmondi area in September, Bikash said he is hopeful of settling some issues with DSCC to convince it to give the nod to dig the streets and start the physical work of the project.
READ: Much-hyped work on underground cabling in Dhanmondi set to start in Sept
“I think, during next few meetings we would be able to settle the issue with the DSCC”, he told UNB.
At present, a number of utility bodies including Desco, DPDC, cable TV operators and internet service providers (ISPs) and state-owned land phone operator BDCL use overhead cables to reach their services to consumers.
All these utilities hang their respective cables in the same poles used by the electricity supply company which creates an eyesore and carries a risk of accidents, including fire.
“Indiscriminate network of such cables not only undermines the beauty of the city, but it also poses a big threat of accidents including catching of fire”, said a city resident.
The DPDC officials said their mega scheme also includes setting up 40 substations in the city and moving overhead cables of Hatirjheel Lake underground. Taking overhead cables underground from Jahangir gate in Cantonment to Motijheel is also included in DPDC’s other similar project.
Earlier, DPDC completed its design and plan to implement its proposed underground cabling project to make the city free from overhead power cables.
“Already, some of the equipment reached the country and some are on the way,” he said, adding that pole-mounted transformers will be replaced with box-type transformers under the project.
READ: Desco’s underground cabling plan misses JICA deadline for its own fault
Some 36 box-type transformers, 296 of 6-way ring main units (RMU), 34 of 3-way RMUs and 130 LV Cabinet will be installed to facilitate the underground cabling system, Bikash said.
DPDC officials said the project was supposed to kick off in January 2020. But the Chinese engineers who were responsible for designing the works got stuck in their hometown Wuhan following the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
Massive mangrove forestry planned to protect wildlife and expand forest coverage
The government has taken a plan to create mangrove forestry in 17000 hectors of land during 2021-22 to 2023-24 fiscal aiming to protect and preserve forestry and wildlife, according to an official document.
Besides, an updated version of Climate Fiscal Framework will be published in line with Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 and SDGs.
Addressing climate change towards maintaining sustainable environment and optimum forest coverage is a priority for the government.
The Bangladesh Climate Fiscal Framework 2020 has been developed as an updated version of Climate Fiscal Framework 2014 by Finance Division with support from its Inclusive Budgeting and Financing for Climate Resilience (IBFCR) Project.
The project is financed by Government of Bangladesh and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Bangladesh Delta Plan (BDP) 2100 is a long-term, integrated, and holistic vision of water and land management throughout Bangladesh. It aims to support the country’s long-term development in the face of the opportunities and risks that emerge from the interface between water, climate change, and human activity.
Bangladesh has made great strides in development under the Sixth Five Year Plan (FY2010–FY2015), and aspires to build on this momentum to reach upper middle-income country status and eliminate extreme poverty.
Bangladesh is also the sixth most vulnerable country in the world to natural hazards such as flooding and cyclones. The frequency and intensity of these natural hazards will increase with climate change.
In medium term, as per the document, initiatives will be taken to implement projects or programmes for adaptation to, and mitigation of, climate change, reduction of environment pollution, improvement of biodiversity and enhancement of mangrove forest in coastal areas.
Moreover, the target of distributing dividends among the beneficiaries involved in social forestry has been set Tk 93 crore for the fiscal year of 2023-24.
The ministry of water resources is managing integrated water resources management and thus complying with its responsibility of ensuring sustainable water supply in the country.
The ministry has given highest importance to excavation and re-excavation of rivers and canals, constructing and maintenance of infrastructures and development of Haors and Baors.
As part of Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, the official document stated, initiatives have been taken to reconstruct small rivers, canals and water bodies in 64 districts.
“Steps have already been taken to establish Climate Smart Integrated Coastal Resource Database (CSICRD).”
CSICRD includes raising the navigability of rivers by dredging to prevent river erosion. This will also ensure supply of water during the lean season.
Read Kuakata Sea Beach, Bangladesh: Magnificent sunrise, sunset views to remember
NCC poll: Electioneering ends with exchange of blows, allegations
All eyes from around the country are trained on Narayanganj now, with the city corporation polls just one day away.
Narayanganj city will go to the polls to elect a mayor for the third time Sunday. The time for electioneering is now over, as of Friday midnight.
Although seven candidates are running for the post of the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) mayor, ruling party nominee Ivy and her principal rival – Advocate Taimur Alam Khandaker, a veteran BNP leader who is fighting as an independent candidate – have stolen all the attention.
People are expecting a tight contest between them. Supporters of both candidates have made electioneering neck and neck.
Also, things have hotted up as the two mayor hopefuls are trying to get the last word in, making promises and trying to put the record straight.
This time the NCC elections have 517,357 voters – including 257,519 females. As the candidates are trying to woo voters with promises, all the voters want is the development of their city.
The candidates' qualifications, popularity, party symbol, gender, age, electronic voting machines (EVMs), and turnout could be the deciding factors this year. Women and youth are expected to play a pivotal role. All the heavyweight mayoral candidates are making last-minute efforts to win their votes.
However, there are some 42,418 first-time voters. Whoever wants to win the election must bag a major chunk of the first-timers, according to popular perceptions.
And Shamim Osman never seems to be out of the picture. Despite not being among the seven mayoral candidates, what Shamim does and which way he swings has been at the centre of discussions surrounding the election once again.
Also, the use of EVMs can be another big issue as many will use them for the first time. The NCC polls this year will be held using EVMs instead of traditional ballot papers. Many of the voters have little idea about the machines.
However, a trial using EVMs started at each polling centre in Narayanganj Friday, from morning till evening. Election officials organised the mock elections to explain the use of EVMs to voters.
On the two previous occasions, it was held – since Narayanganj became a city for administrative purposes – the election captured the imagination of the entire country – particularly the first time in 2011.
It was very much the arrival on the scene of Dr Selina Hayat Ivy. The original "rebel candidate," she took on and defeated the Awami League's heavyweight in the area, Shamim Osman, by over 1 lakh votes. That was the start of her enduring rivalry with Shamim – the two torchbearers of two very different strands of the Awami League in Narayanganj.
In 2016, Ivy won again – this time as the Awami League candidate. Shamim by then had become a member of parliament in 2014. He did look to deprive Ivy of the Awami League nomination, but the party's central command defied the recommendation of its Narayanganj unit – with which Shamim held great influence – to back the popular incumbent.
This time, in 2022, the NCC election has once again breathed some life into politics. The city is now awash with campaign posters and banners.
Politicians and their supporters took to the field, carrying out activities in 27 wards of NCC. Candidates were seen campaigning hard to win the polls, going door to door and meeting voters face to face until late into the night.
Although his equation with Ivy is possibly irredeemable – as anyone who has seen their open warfare on the set of a private television channel can understand – questions were being raised as to whether Shamim's drive to put one over Ivy was making him even neglect his duty towards his party by not campaigning for the candidate.
This week Ivy threw a spanner in the works by alleging the man being viewed as Taimur is actually the candidate of the Osman brothers, Shamim and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Selim Osman.
However, Shamim said Monday: "The game will be on and we will win it on January 16."
Following his announcement, most of the Awami League leaders, activists in Narayanganj were seen in full campaign mode for Ivy, who has served as mayor since 2011.
But Ivy said on the same day that "it has become clear from Taimur's activities that he is the candidate nominated by Shamim Osman."
This was the same claim she made earlier, that ruffled feathers in the Awami League high command and forced Shamim to come out and clarify his stance ahead of the election.
Thursday, regarding Shamim Osman's support, Ivy said: "I did not say I will not need his support. The party has nominated me and the partisans, voters will cast votes for me. If one or two votes do not get cast it will not matter."
Taimur said, "My opponent is assuming I got support from certain people and is trying to assassinate my character."
"Also, my supporters, party activists, and leaders are being threatened through police visits to their homes."
Taimur's coordinator and campaign in-charge, also the convener of district BNP Monirul Islam Robi, was arrested by police from his residence in Hirajhil.
Despite good services Dhaka Nagar Paribahan fails to lure enough passengers
Commuters travelling by the red-and-green buses of Dhaka Nagar Paribahan (DNP) since the pilot launching of the public transport company late last year has so far been happy with its disciplined services and reasonable fare.
For the passengers there is neither any hassle in buying the tickets nor any arguments about fare. Passengers get on and off at designated stations. Inside, there are enough seats to sit and they are comparatively clean. Drivers are civil and helpers are helpful.
In spite of the delivery of the services it has promised the pilot service is being shunned by many regular commuters. The common complaint is that the buses are too slow to reach the stops resulting in long frustrating wait for the passengers.
This drives many passengers to take the otherwise rough-driving higher fare-charging buses simply because they can reach them to their destination faster.
Red cabbage cultivation makes farmer Belal happy
Belal Hossain has been a successful vegetable farmer earning enough for his five-member family.
This year Belal added a new vegetable: red cabbage, a novelty in this northern distruct. And profitable too.
Due to its newness and taste red cabbage has quickly become a popular veg used as salad and for making other curry.
Belal soon has found that this new crop is profitable both in yield and price.
He sells red cabbage per piece at price ranging from Tk30 to Tk40. He is expecting a profit of Tk 2 lakh from this yield, he said.
Also read: Laxmipur betel leaf growers record Tk 200cr sale
Central bank devalues taka to boost exports, remittances
The exchange rate of the Taka has depreciated by 25 percent in the last 13 years against the US dollar, and fell to an unprecedented Tk 86 against the dollar at the start of the week, as the central bank looks to adopt a policy of devaluation to boost exports and remittances.
Devaluation can boost a country’s exports by making its products more competitive in international trade. As the country has adequate forex reserves of over $44 billion, Bangladesh Bank (BB) officials suggest not to be worried of taka depreciation. But the common people may have to bear the brunt of higher prices due to the impact of taka depreciation. In the last five months, the Bangladeshi currency has lost its value by Tk 1.20 or 1.41 percent against the US dollar. The taka was devalued once again by 20 poisa on the inter-bank exchange market on Sunday against the dollar. Despite holding a stable position for a month and a half, the depreciation occurred on Sunday.
Bellwether Bangladesh banks on supply chain resilience to beckon businesses
Thanks to its resilient supply chain networks, Bangladesh managed to turn the Covid crisis into an opportunity for a major shift towards a manufacturing-friendly environment.
Over the past two years, Bangladesh focussed on the development of mega economic zones and building infrastructure to woo global firms desperately looking for new production hubs as a hedge against future risks in the wake of a Covid-induced supply chain disruption in China.
In fact, in one month alone -- in December 2021 -- Bangladesh shipped goods worth over 4.9 billion US dollars, creating a record and propelling the overall export earnings to 39.14 billion US dollars in that year alone, as per the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) figures.
This clearly exhibited the country's ability to become a key manufacturing hub for global buyers, according to economists.
Read: Increased capacity of Ctg Port to cut cost of doing business: FBCCI
Economist AB Mirza Azizul Islam said that utilising the easy availability of cheap labour and geographical advantage amid the pandemic, "Bangladesh has already earned the trust of global buyers that it can retain the supply chain even during a crisis".
"Policy support, infrastructure development, easing the connectivity of ports with the domestic manufacturing and export processing zones, simplification of the financial system and development of backward linkage supply channels in line with the finished goods all help keep the country ahead to becoming a trusted manufacturing hub," he told UNB.
Though the pandemic caused the global export market to suffer in 2020, Bangladesh's export earnings were 33.6 billion US dollars. Export earnings increased by 16.46% in 2021, according to statistics. Readymade garment exports contributed to about 20 billion US dollars, or more than 80% of the total exports in the July-December period.
Overseas employment turns the corner after Covid-induced slump
In an encouraging sign of normalcy returning to the overseas labour market for Bangladeshis, the number of workers receiving immigration clearance in a single month from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training crossed 100,000 (1 lakh) last November.
Only once before, in March 2017, had so many workers (above 1 lakh) received BMET clearance in a single month. But the November figure gains far more significance coming on the back of the post-Covid lockdown slump witnessed in the international labour market.
Shahidul Alam, Director General of BMET, told UNB that 102,863 (1 lakh 2 thousand 63) workers were provided clearance to go abroad in November 2021, by far the highest in a single month since the start of the pandemic.
Also read: Supreme Court rules against immigrants with temporary status
According to BMET numbers, 35,732 workers were cleared to go abroad in January 2021, followed by 49,510 in February and 61,653 in March. However, during the second wave of the pandemic in the country, the number of migrating workers decreased due to the reimposition of lockdown in April, dropping to 34,145 and then even further to 14,200 in May.
Omicron surge in India slams travel through Benapole land port
The number of passport-holding passengers travelling to and from India through the Benapole land port has declined significantly for various reasons, including strict precautionary measures taken to contain the spread of the new variant of coronavirus Omicron.
Bangladeshi passengers said an alarming spike in Covid cases in the neighbouring country, two times Covid test for passengers and hassles caused by brokers are the main reasons why the number of travellers is declining.
Those who need to travel to India for medical, business and education purposes have been suffering a lot, they said.
According to the port authorities, about 3000 passengers travelled through the land port per day on average last week, but the number of passport-holding passengers dropped to 1000 in the current week.
On January 1, 375 people went to India while 709 returned from the country and on January 2, some people left the country through the port while 864 people returned home from the country.
Read: All students to be vaccinated by Jan 31: Dipu Moni
On January 3, the number of India-bound passengers was 491 while that of returnees was 611 and on January 4, some 442 people went to India and 639 returned. On January 5, the number of India-bound passengers was 481 while that of the returnees was 597.
Port sources said some 18 lakh passengers travel to and from India for different purposes every year.
On March 13, 2020, India imposed restrictions on travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it allowed domestic flights from May, 2020, and the entry of foreigners except tourists from October.
Abdul Jalil, deputy director (traffic) of Benapole port, said, “The number of passengers travelling to and from India and Bangladesh has dropped significantly. From January 1 to January 5, some 5,687 people traveled between the two countries.”
Alarmed by the rising Omicron cases, India's federal government two weeks ago warned states that "the variant is three times more transmissible than the Delta" and directed them to take action to rein in its spread.
Mushroom farming: The story of a jobless youth becoming an entrepreneur in Jashore
Foysal Ahmed, a 26-year-old villager, was happy to share his success story in farming mushrooms and earn handsomely.
In the two years since the youth from a low-income family took to mushroom farming he earned Tk. 1.5 lakh in profit from an investment of Tk. 3 lakh.
“Mushroom is a profitable business and I’m earning well. From spawn to harvest, it needs only 25-30 days and that continues for three months,” said the youth From Darajhat village in Bagharpara upazila of Jashore district.
Read: Betel leaf cultivation is uplifting farmers in Jashore’s Abhaynagar
Foysal, an Imam of Chatiantala Dakhil Madrasha, was so determined to change his fate that he sold his mobile phone and a goat to collect capital for starting the cultivation in his own backyard.
He resorted to YouTube to know about the cultivation process. At first he made 1000 beds of mushrooms in 2020 and got a profit of Tk 20,000 which made him enthusiastic in continuing the business.
Mushrooms are edible fungus and eaten as vegetable.