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Botched road repair prolongs Bishwanath residents' misery
The repair works of a 13-km road in Bishwanath, an upazila of Sylhet, has now gone on for one-and-half years. Not only is the repair project incomplete - serious questions remain over the quality of work that has been completed.
At present work on the repair project has come to a standstill, with about half the 13-km road stretching from Bishwanath GC to the edge of Jagannathpur repaired (for what it's worth). Numerous potholes can be seen on the other half of the road.
Heavy showers cause waterlogging in the road making it even more dilapidated and causing untold sufferings to pedestrians in particular, who frequent this route.
The authorities approved the repair project on December 17, 2019. The contractor Shaon Enterprise got the tender with an allocation close to Tk 23.47 crore.
RCC slab casting, a form of concrete casting, was estimated to be needed on about 18 m in different parts of the 13.09 km road.
Also read: Thousands suffer as road turns unfit within a year of renovation in Sunamganj
However, the contractor took six months from the approval to start the work - among other things, the pandemic caused delays.
After working for a few days, they stopped working for another 3-4 months due to personal reasons. In this situation, when the tender was about to be cancelled, the contractor shifted the responsibility of the repair work to his other associates.
The locals said, "If the work had started on time, we would not have suffered. As half of the road remained incomplete, the road has become more dilapidated due to waterlogging caused by monsoon rains. Potholes are everywhere on the road."
Also read: Waterlogged Fatullah Stadium unfit for cricket
There are also many defects in the completed part of the road.
At present, the work has been in limbo for six-to-eight weeks. In this situation, there is uncertainty about the rest of the repair work.
Govt. moves to boost climate resilience of vulnerable people, says official document
The government is finalising a project aimed at enhancing the climate resilience of vulnerable communities who live on coastal islands and riverine chars in the country.
The project titled, ‘Adaptation Initiative for Climate Vulnerable Offshore Small Islands and Riverine Charland in Bangladesh’ is under process for approval, according to an official document.
Spanning over five years, the project will be implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change following UNDP’s National Implementation Modality.
Read: COP26: Global competition launched to find top climate science communicators
This project has four components. First one is: Enhancing climate resilience of households through climate-resilient housing, electrification and climate-proof water provisioning, and the second is increasing climate resilience of communities through climate-resilient infrastructure, climate risk mapping and inclusive cyclone preparedness.
The third component is improving income and food security of communities by innovating and providing assistance to selected households for climate-resilient livelihoods practices while the 4th is boosting knowledge and capacity of communities, government and policymakers to promote climate resilient development on chars.
According to the project proposal USD 2,007,828 is needed for Component 1 whereas USD 2,317,726, USD 3,397,068 and USD 614,700 will be needed for Component 2, Component 3 and Component 4 respectively.
Project execution cost has been fixed USD 875,000 while Total Project Cost is USD 9,212,322.
Implementing Entity Project Cycle Management Fee Of the project is USD 783,047.
The US$ 9,995,369 has been sought from the Washington based Adaptation Fund (AF) to address the knowledge technical, financial and institutional barriers to climate-resilient housing, infrastructure and livelihoods, the document said.
Dhaka city dwellers breathe clean air throughout July, says study
This past July the Dhaka city dwellers got a special treat from the nature. The air they breathed in was much cleaner as the air quality significantly improved thanks largely to pollution-reducing rain, Eid exodus and Covid restrictions.
Even Dhaka got a niche among the world’s top ten cities having clean air from July 22-31 last, a relief for an overcrowded city known for its severe air pollution.
Read: Dhaka’s air quality improved in lockdown, a blessing in disguise!
According to the data of the US-based IQAir Visual, Dhaka was also among the top five cities for particular times on July 24 and 30 for the good air quality, said Prof Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, the founder and director of Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) of Stamford University Bangladesh.
The city’s air quality significantly improved in July as its Air Quality Index (AQI) score remained less than 100 in the most of days of the month.
The AQI score 0-50 is considered as ‘good’ air quality, while 51-100 as moderate, 101-150 as unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 as unhealthy, 201-300 as very unhealthy and 301 and above as hazardous.
Covid in Bangladesh: Seniors far more likely to face the worst
Elderly people, aged 60 years or above, make up around 7.5% of Bangladesh’s total population, but they account for around 80 percent of Covid fatalities due to comorbidities and weakened immune systems, say health experts.
As the government is set to embark on a special drive to vaccinate one core people in a week from August 7, they said a strategy should be there to immunise the senior citizens on the top priority basis to reduce the growing Covid death rate in the country.
The analysts also said community engagement and mobile vaccination teams are crucial to ensure the vaccines for elderly people, especially in rural areas, as they are less aware of the vaccines while many of them are sick and unable to go to the vaccination centres.
Read: Covid fatality rate 90% among elderly villagers, says health minister
Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday said one crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be administered among people in a festive mood across the country on August 7-14.
Low infection high mortality
Talking to UNB, Robed Amin, spokesman of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said the percentage of people aged over 60 infected with the coronavirus is relatively low, but the mortality rate in this group is very high as they suffer from various critical diseases.
He said the senior citizens are mostly getting infected by young people while 80% of them are dying from the virus infection. “As per our data, around 80% of Covid deaths in our country are among people in their 60s or older.”
Read COVID-19 Delta variant explained: Things to know about this Coronavirus strain
Prof AKM Nurun Nabi, founder Chairman of Dhaka University’s Population Sciences department, said elderly people aged 60 years and above constitute around 7.5% (12.5 million) of the country’s total population. “Elderly people are usually vulnerable to any disease as they lose their resistance power and suffer from various chronic and critical diseases. So, the mortality rate of aged Covid-19 patients is very high all over the world."
Dengue alert: CU survey team finds Aedes larvae at 15 spots in Chattogram
A survey team of Chittagong University has detected Aedes mosquito larvae at 15 spots of the port city after examining samples collected from 99 localities and suggested spraying mosquito repellant medicines to eradicate Aedes.
Chittagong University Proctor Dr. Rabiul Hasan Bhuiyan, the convener of the research team, disclosed it to UNB on Sunday night, although the official results of the survey which started on July 5 are yet to be released.
Read: Dengue control room to function from tomorrow: DSCC
Dr. Rabiul, however, refused to name the places where the larvae were found before the official submission of the survey report to City Corporation authorities.
“We’ve also examined the effectiveness of different medicines on the Aedes mosquitoes. In our report, we’ll provide an overall strategy on how to make anti-mosquito drives more effective,” he added.
Chattogram City Corporation authorities said they will receive the survey report on Monday (Aug 2) and an all-out mosquito eradication drive will be initiated based on that.
Read Dengue vs. COVID-19: Symptoms, when & where to test, ways of prevention
Unauthorized production of lead acid batteries endanger environment, say experts
An uncontrolled growth of Illegally made lead acid batteries and their recycling across the country is posing a great threat to environment and public health, according to officials and environmentalists.
The unauthorized business continues unabated due to the absence of any comprehensive plan and effective watchdog mechanism, they said.
The Department of Environment (DoE), the environment watchdog, can do little with its only 11 designated officials to deal with over 500 illegal recycling and manufacturing plants, official sources said.
Read: Acid, lead from expired batteries threaten health, environment in Khulna
The DoE, however, promulgated a new gazette notification on Feb. 25 this year replacing its old one of 2006 to check the illegal business through some mandatory provisions, but its inadequate logistics made no major impact on the industry.
Environmentalists found the latest DoE move a feudal practice that fails to yield any expected result because of the lack of coordinated and comprehensive plan in its enforcement mechanism.
Battery industry insiders said currently there are over 500 illegal battery recycling and 35 illegal manufacturing plants in operation across the country.
Read: Info-Sarker-3: Lithium-ion battery use “to harm environment”
These came up in last 15 years as the batteries were in high demand for multiple uses, particularly in battery-run easybikes, solar power, industries and motor vehicles.
According to the environmentalists a good number of the unauthorized plants were set up by some Chinese nationals who came to the country on travel visa and got involved in the business in connivance with their local partners.
A big number of these plants were set up in Gazipur, Savar and Demra area while others are in other parts of the country.
Read Demand raised for formation of environment clubs
On the other hand, as per statistics of Accumulators Battery Manufacturers & Exporters Association of Bangladesh (ABMEAB), there are 24 legally-set up battery manufacturing industries of which five have recycling processing facilities meeting the government’s compliances.
Sharif Jamil, General Secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA), a platform of environmentalists, observed that frequent disposal of lead acid battery at open places by battery sellers and illegal recyclers leads to a serious air pollution posing a great risk to human body.
Experts said lead acid batteries are made up of plates of lead and separate plates of lead dioxide, which are submerged into an electrolyte solution of about 38% sulphuric acid and 62% water.
Read: Lead Exposure: Bangladesh 4th worst-hit in terms of child deaths
If the batteries are melted in open places without following modern disposal and recycling system, they said, it interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues including heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems.
They also said lead interfered with the development of the nervous system and was, therefore, particularly toxic to children, causing potentially permanent learning and behaviour disorders.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, confusion, headache, anaemia, irritability, and in severe cases, seizures, coma and death. Routes of exposure to lead include contaminated air, water, soil, food, and consumer products.
The environmentalists said the recent introduction of solar home system and electric vehicles had given a big boost to the use of lead acid batteries, which prompted a number of local and foreign national firms to come into the battery manufacturing business.
Read Experts seek gender-responsive environment for volunteer engagement
Recent closure of about 3000 battery manufacturing plants in China also played a big role in setting up business by Chinese nationals, said a top official at the DoE.
According to battery industry insiders more than 5 million units of batteries are used annually by different sectors in Bangladesh with its 10% growth rate.
Director General of DoE Md Ashraf Uddin admitted the existence of illegal battery recycling and manufacturing business and said his department launches drives frequently against their operators through mobile court across country and file cases on regular basis.
“But on many occasions, the actual owners of these illegal business remain untraceable as they are not found on the spot during our operations”, he told UNB.
Read Environment Minister to highlight Bangladesh priorities at 'COP26 July Ministerial'
He also claimed that the recently promulgated new regulations will play a major role in checking the illegal business as it made mandatory for business operators to meet some compliances to run their business—either in the sales, disposal, recycling or manufacturing.
He, however, expressed his limitations in enforcement of the new law because of lack of adequatelogistics as the DoE has only 11 officials to deal with the matter across the country.
The BAPA general secretary said the DoE’s move will not be able to improve the situation unless there is any comprehensive plan with necessary logistics with strong commitment.
“First of all, the government needs to change its current mind set to deal with the matter”, said Sharif Jamil.
Read Climate action: BYLC holds World Environment Day Creative Competition
About the illegal recycling and manufacturing, an official of ABMEAB said some Chinese nationals come to the country and collect a primary permission from Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and start business without any compliance.
He said the issue was discussed in a tripartite meeting of BIDA, DoE and battery manufacturers, but no positive response came from the BIDA to check this illegal business.
ABMEAB President Munawar Misbah Moin said illegal battery operators not only harm environment and public health, but it also hurt the tax-paying legal plant operators.
Read Environmental Sustainability: Dekko ISHO joins hands with Eco Via
The emerging new normal in the entertainment industry
The festivity of Eid, whether at the end of a month of fasting or with the qurbani (sacrificial offering) of cattle, has traditionally been the most important period of the year for the country's cinema, and general entertainment industry. Each year, the two chunks of holidays were always observed with a number of new movies in the theatre halls and a lot of television dramas for the viewers at home.
Even in the entertainment industry's worst years, or as the number of cinema halls up and down the country kept shrinking, this remained a fixture, with the year's most anticipated movie premieres booked around the Eid holidays and the Bengali New Year.
Read:“Ghotona Shotto” infuriates audiences for insensitive portrayal of children with special needs
The exception occurred finally in 2020, in the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, and now it has carried over and taken away 2021 as well. Another Eid just passed with no new films in the theatre but a significant number of drama productions.
Due to the ongoing global pandemic of Covid-19, two of these biggest yearly festivals were not celebrated with brand new movies in the theatres. However, thanks to the moneymaking platforms like YouTube and OTT platforms as well as the classic medium of entertainment, television - the drama industry saw a massive amount of new productions for Eid-ul-Adha.A large number of new films namely the much-awaited “Mission Extreme”, “Operation Sundarban”, “Bidrohee” and more were scheduled to be released this Eid, which could not be possible because of the current hazardous situation in the country.
Read:Bongo introduces seven original telefilm adaptations Based on books this EidMeanwhile, small screens including television, YouTube and OTT’s took the charge of mass-entertaining people on the festive holidays, which have also been elongated amid the nationwide shutdown and let people watch the contents more comfortably on their cellphones, laptops and smart televisions.According to the producers and various production companies, more than 300 drama productions have entertained the audiences this Eid, uploaded on YouTube after being aired on television. The TV channels aired these dramas on their usual 5 to 7 days special programme schedules, starting from Eid day.
Read Greatest Business Movies for Entrepreneurs: Inspiration to Start Something New
Based on the ‘Trending’ section of YouTube which showcases the interest of the viewers at the platform in specific regions, a handful of recently made and aired drama productions are dominating the top-list among other contents; although ‘Trending’ sometimes changes in a few hours, sometimes for one-two or three, even weeks. Over the last couple of years, a trend has been ongoing to air hundreds of drama productions on Eid occasions. For a considerably long period, Eid dramas were mostly comedy-based productions with monotonous themes and recurring storylines, however, due to the increasing competition on the above-mentioned platforms, makers are now becoming more aware of what kind of drama the audience is interested in and that has been vividly reflected on the trending dramas of this Eid.
Read Best Olympic Movies of All Time: The Greatest Films Enlightening the Kingdom of Olympians
BSMMC ICU in Faridpur suffer from shortage of doctors
Authorities of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College (BSMMC) hospital in Faridpur have been struggling with the increasing number of patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The number of doctors assigned for the unit is far from enough and no new recruitment has been made since the ICU was established in 2016, hospital authorities said.
Visiting the hospital, the UNB correspondent found all the first-class posts for the 16-bed advanced ICU to be vacant.
Also read: ICU at Faridpur BSMMCH hamstrung by lack of staff, equipment
The ICU unit should have had one assistant professor, two junior consultants, two assistant registrars and two medical officers as per the rules but only Ananta Kumar Biswas, Assistant Professor of Anesthesia department, was made in-charge of the ICU as an additional responsibility.
Mushfiqur misses out for BCB pandering to Australia
Right after arriving in Bangladesh, the Australian cricket team went into a three-day quarantine in a hotel in the capital from Thursday. This is dictated by Bangladesh government's Covid-19 protocol, and the Bangladesh cricket team, which arrived back from Zimbabwe the same day, is also now going through the mandatory quarantine of three days.
That should be straightforward enough, but what is proving a far bigger ask is maintaining the strict bio-secure bubble, or biobubble, according to Australia's requirements, and Mushfiqur's exclusion from it.
The experienced wicketkeeper-batsman sought to enter the bubble on July 22, two days after it came into effect.
As per the agreement between the two cricket boards, both the squads have to maintain a ten-day bio-secured bubble ahead of the series. Since both Bangladesh and Australia were touring Zimbabwe and West Indies respectively, it was not possible for them to maintain a ten-day quarantine period in Dhaka ahead of the five-match T20I series-opening game on August 3.
So both the boards came to an agreement to include their respective bio-bubbles in Zimbabwe and the West Indies as part of the pre-series ten-day quarantine in Dhaka which is mandatory.
“It’s really unfortunate for Mushfiqur. He had to come back from Zimbabwe as both of his parents were sick, and while staying with them, he missed the quarantine deadline. He was so eager to take part in this series. In that sense, it’s very unfortunate and unfair for him,” Faruque Ahmed, former Bangladesh captain and former chief of the national selector panel, told UNB.
Read: BAN vs. AUS 2021: How Bangladesh Team Shapes Up Without Tamim, Mushfiqur?
“We know that before a series, all the involving boards came to an agreement. I’m sure it took place ahead of this series as well. Since we have been living in a pandemic for more than one and a half years, Australia came up with some conditions to ensure their safety, and BCB agreed to that as Australia are visiting Bangladesh after a long time,” he added.
Mushfiqur had earlier decided to skip the T20Is against Zimbabwe to be fit and available for the Australia series. However, he had to come back from Zimbabwe early for his parents’ sickness.
Bangladesh team members also believe that it was unfair that Mushfiqur was not allowed to enter the bio-secure bubble. Some of them pointed to the absurdity of not allowing Mushfiqur to enter the bubble following appropriate testing, when the entire team had gone through four airports - Harare, Johannesburg, Delhi and Dhaka - on their return trip from Zimbabwe, and that didn't violate the bubble apparently.
“We came in a commercial flight passing through three airports so I don't know if it makes much sense to keep Mushfiqur out of the series. He went back home from the middle of a tour for a family problem. So to not allow him to enter the quarantine after just two or three days, is not right,” a Bangladesh team member was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Read: Mushfiqur to miss T20 series against Australia over isolation norms
Bangladesh are going to miss the services of Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das as well. Mustafizur Rahman is also doubtful for the first couple of matches as the pacer has been suffering from an ankle injury sustained during a tour match in Zimbabwe. There are worries over Shakib Al Hasan’s fitness as well.
Indeed to fulfil Australia’s demand, Bangladesh had to manage quarantine for match officials, ground staff, and technicians who operate DRS. Bangladesh also managed a direct path for the Australian team to get to their team hotel from the airport tarmac, bypassing immigration.
The five-match series will be packed into a week, with the first match on Monday, August 3. Then again on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and the final fixture on Sunday, August 9. All the matches will be hosted at the single venue— Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Covid-19: What life is like when hospitals refuse admission!
Even if you have the money, there is no guarantee that you will be able to get admitted to a hospital for Covid-19 treatment right away as hospitals are overwhelmed and extremely unequipped, says Rafiqul Islam, a resident of Dakkhin Surma upazila of Sylhet.
“My father tested positive five days back and is struggling for breath. He needs an ICU bed but all beds are occupied everywhere. We had been to Osmani Medical College Hospital and then to two private hospitals but there was no ICU bed to get him admitted," Rafiqul, a working man in his late 40s, told the UNB correspondent in front of North East Medical College Hospital.
“Even the wait at every hospital and every desk was frustrating. We were frequently advised to have patience as they were having a very difficult time. Our medical system has collapsed!” says Rafique.
There is nothing unique in Rafiqul Islam’s case. It is now a common scenario in Sylhet as the number of cases has skyrocketed here in recent weeks as elsewhere in the country.
Relatives of Covid-infected patients are running from one hospital to another to have an ICU bed for them.
READ: Sylhet division reports highest single-day Covid cases of 802
Every day the relatives are having the names of patients listed with the hospitals here in an effort to get an ICU bed once it becomes available.