Chattogram
8 injured in gas pipeline blast in Chattogram
Eight people were injured in blast apparently from leakage in a gas pipeline at Balirhat in Chattogram port city early Thursday.
Bahar Uddin, senior station officer of Kalurghat Fire Station, said the explosion occurred in a semi-pacca building in the area near the residence of one Makbul Haji around 3 am, leaving eight people injured.
A portion of a wall was blown away during the explosion.
On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and rescued the injured victims.
Later, they were taken toa local hospital and given first aid.
Month-long trade fair in Chattogram kicks off today
The month-long 30th Chattogram International Trade Fair (CITF) kicks off today at the Railway Pologround.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud will inaugurate the trade fair at 3 pm.
The fair, being hosted by Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industries, will remain open to visitors from 10 am to 10 pm every day. Like every year, India, Thailand, Iran and other countries will showcase their products at the fair.
There will be 20 premier pavilions, 56 premier stalls, 94 gold stalls, 48 mega stalls and 11 food stalls at the fair while 300 organizations will showcase their products at 400 stalls in three separate zones.
Also read: Prime Minister opens month long DITF-2023
Law enforcement agencies will perform their duties in three shifts to ensure security at the fair premises.
Besides, the trade fair has an open plaza on 12,320 square feet.
Visitors have to pay Tk 20 for entering the fair but students — from playgroup to class 7 — can attend for free.
Freight train carrying diesel derails in Ctg, 40,000 litres spill into nearby canal
A freight train carrying diesel derailed in Chattogram’s Halishahar area and around 40,000 litres spilled from three wagons into a nearby canal.
The derailment happened around 6pm when the train was entering Chittagong Goods Port Yard (CGPY) depot after loading diesel from depots of Padma, Megha and Jamuna in Patenga area.
Abdul Malek, a master at CGPY, said the train was supposed to go to Dhaka from Chattogram but it derailed after loading.
“Efforts are on to recover the derailed train,” he said.
A three member probe committee was formed to investigate the incident, Tarek Imran, an official at Eastern Railway Transport department, said.
According to the railway security department, every wagon can contain 38,000 to 40,000 litres of oil. Three wagons overturned within 15 to 20 minutes after they were loaded with oil when it was entering the depot.
Experts said oil spilled from the wagons into the water bodies will pose a serious threat to the aquatic ecosystem.
Read more: Ten people hurt in collision between locomotive and train in Nilphamari
Fire breaks out in Ctg’s VIP Tower
A fire broke out in VIP Tower, a multi-storeyed shopping mall-residential building, located in Kazir Deuri of Chattogram city early Wednesday (February 15, 2023).
Locals said that repair work was going on on the second floor of the building. A fire broke out while doing welding work with gas there. Later it spread to the building.
Read more: Jute godown gutted in city fire
Abdul Mottaleb, fireman of Nandankanan Fire Service, said that two teams of firefighters rushed to spot and fire is now under control.
“As far as I know, the fire started from an electrical short circuit,” he added.
Read More: Fire at textile mill in Dhaka's Shyampur under control
A festival of flowers in Chattogram
A nine-day flower festival at Faujdarhat-Port Link Road in Chattogram is drawing visitors in droves.
The site used to be considered “unsafe” and was frequented by drug users after dark, according to locals. But now, various types of flowers and the birds they attract are vying for the attention of nature-lovers.
The local administration took the initiative to turn the abandoned place as ‘DC Flower Park’ where the first “flower festival” of Chattogram is taking place.
Also read; Five-day long Bangla film festival starts at DU
The festival started on Friday evening and will continue till February 18.
Already more than 5,000 flowers of 122 local and foreign varieties have been planted on the 194 acres of khas land.
BPL 2023: Rangpur overpower Chattogram by seven wickets
Rangpur Riders beat Chattogram Challengers by seven wickets in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Wednesday in Mirpur.
It was the last match of Chattogram in the league. They lost nine of the 12 matches they played. However, with today's win, Rangpur still have the chance to top the table.
Chattogram won the toss and elected to bat first, but they were able to score only 132 runs for eight wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
Rangpur Riders chased down the target in just 16 overs, scoring 135 runs for the loss of three wickets.
Opener Max O'Dowd was dismissed for 11 off 9 balls while Usman Khan scored only two runs.
Mehedi Maruf was caught by Hasan Mahmud off Haris Rauf after scoring four runs. Afif Hossain scored 15 runs with three boundaries.
Tawfique Khan top scored 28 runs off 26 deliveries for Chattogram with three boundaries and a six.
For Rangpur Riders, Haris took two wickets for just 14 runs in his four overs.
Chasing 136 runs, Rangpur Riders started well as Mohammad Naim and Rony Talukdar put on a good partnership. Naim was the first wicket to fall, scoring 20 runs off 12 deliveries. Talukdar scored 28 runs off 27 deliveries.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz top scored 46 runs off just 30 deliveries for Rangpur Riders. After his dismissal, Nurul Hasan and Tom Kohler-Cadmore played responsible innings to take their team over the line. Nurul scored 15 not out and Kohler-Cadmore 20 not out.
In their last league phase match, Rangpur will take on Comilla Victorians on February 10.
Read more: BPL observes one-minute silence for earthquake victims in Turkey, Syria
Bangladeshi boy Ratul to be returned to family: Shahriar Alam
Ratul Islam Fahim, the boy found inside the cargo container of a vessel that travelled from Chattogram to Malaysia's Port Kelang on January 17, will soon return to his family in Bangladesh.
"He is feeling better after taking treatment in a hospital. Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur has taken all necessary preparations to return him to his family," said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Tuesday night.
Ratul, from Cumilla, went missing from his home in Monoharganj upazila more than two months ago.
Read more: Bangladeshi boy rescued from container shipped to Malaysia
The state minister shared a video from his verified Facebook account which showed Ratul in conversation with his family through a video call.
In the video call, Ratul was heard assuring his father that he will be returning home.
South Korean envoy bats for Chattogram MRT project
South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun has said South Korea can and will be the best partner for Bangladesh in developing the modern metro system in the second largest city of Bangladesh.
"For Bangladesh to achieve its grand dream of becoming an advanced country by 2041, the face of the city street should be changed. And the Chattogram MRT project after the Dhaka MRT project will be what Bangladesh needs urgently," he said.
The Ambassador said Korean companies such as Hyundai and Daewo have ample experience and world's top technology in constructing rail and subways not only in Korea but also around the world.
Hyundai alone participated in the 14 MRT or metro projects in seven countries.
The Ambassador was speaking at the Kick-off ceremony of the Chattogram Transport Master Plan and Preliminary Feasibility Study of the Chattogram MRT.
"And Korea is very happy to be a partner of Bangladesh in this very significant project for the future of this country. I am confident that the Korean government and the Korean companies participating in this project will not disappoint you," said the envoy.
"I am sure that through this partnership, Chattogram will not remain just the gateway to Bangladesh But it will be the engine of Bangladesh and Bangladesh’s glorious economic development," he added.
Read more: Bangladesh, S Korea bilateral trade reach record high crossing USD 3 billion in 2022
During the course of implementing this project, Bangladesh will work with a number of Korean experts, companies and agencies with world top level.
The Korean experts will share their knowledge, technology and know-how which will be crucial in developing and managing the modern urban metro system in Bangladesh.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader joined the function virtually.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury and KOICA's Young-Ah Doh were present.
For Bangladesh, the Ambassador believes that the Chattogram MRT project will be the next big thing that shows how Bangladesh is advancing toward its goal of becoming an advanced economy by 2041, after the opening of the Padma Bridge and the Dhaka MRT last year, and the Karnaphuli Tunnel which will be inaugurated soon.
Underground water levels in Dhaka, Chattogram receding fast
Underground water level of Dhaka is receding by two to three meters every year, while the rate is three meters a year in Chattogram city.
LGRD Minister Tajul Islam on Monday said this in parliament while replying to a tabled question from ruling Awami League MP elected from Noakhali Morshed Alam.
He also said at present the average underground water level in Dhaka city is 38 meters to 82 meters, depending on the areas.
For Chattogram city, the average underground water level is 100 meters at present.
Also Read: JS passes ‘Nursing and Midwifery Council (amendment) Bill 2023
The LGRD minister said that currently Dhaka WASA is supplying 66 percent of its supplied water from underground while 34 percent from surface.
He also mentioned that the government has undertaken to construct three big water treatment plants for reducing the dependency on underground water in Dhaka city by 2025.
“It is hoped that by 2025, it (Dhaka WASA) will be able to ensure water for Dhaka dwellers--70 percent from surface and 30 percent from underground.”
For the Chattogram city, the minister said at present the rate of water harnessing from underground is 8 percent while the remaining 92 percent water comes from the surface.
Read more: How to Build Dhaka as a Water Wise City
Bangladesh-Turkiye Friendship Golf held in Chattogram
The Bangladesh-Turkiye Friendship Golf Tournament, sponsored by the Bangladesh-Turkiye Business Forum, was held at the Bhatiary Golf and Country Club Saturday.
Thirty-five golfers from Tigers Golf Club and 16 golfers from Bhatiary Golf Club took part in the day-long tournament.