Eid-ul-Fitr
'I Love You': Rock icon James set to release new solo in 12 yrs
Quenching the thirst of the die-hard fans who have been waiting for a brand new James song for the past 12 years, the legendary Bangladeshi rockstar is all set to release his new solo titled 'I Love You' on the eve of Eid-Ul-Fitr.
“I never thought I would get this much crazy affection and love from my fans and supporters even after all these years, and they made me who I am today. Dedicating this new song to their unbound love and support, I named it 'I Love You' as my tribute to the boundless love I received from my audience and fans,” James recently told reporters at Gulshan Club in the capital.
Marking the long-awaited release of his new track after 12 long years, James candidly responded to diversified queries -- from his daily routine to why he did not go for a full-fledged career in Bollywood.
“I am a common man who goes to bed by 12am and wakes up at eight in the morning and pursues photography as a hobby and passion. Never have I ever thought to be called ‘Guru’ which my crazy fans call me with love, I do not consider myself having that much wisdom in anything; nor that I ever imagined my music would create such a massive impact,” James said.
The frontman of Nagar Baul garnered immense popularity among fans all over the world with his versatile style in psychedelic rock, and also established his legacy as a solo artist and a successful playback singer in both Dhallywood and Bollywood.
In 2006, he made his debut in Bollywood as a playback singer in Anurag Basu's film 'Gangstar', and his journey in Bollywood continued with three other films -- 'Woh Lamhe' (2006), 'Life in a Metro' (2007) and 'Warning' (2013).
Read: James sues Banglalink for “breaching” copyright law
Answering the heavily surfaced mystery over the years regarding why he did not settle down in Bollywood despite having a huge success in his short run, he said: “It would make me leave my country, which was not my preference nor priority.”
Coming back to his latest release, James said that although the long hiatus from creating new music was not pre-planned, he was glad to answer the right call after all these years. “I asked Bashundhara Digital if I could submit a one-liner as a single, and they agreed. This is rare in our industry, and what else an artiste needs more than creative freedom?”
The new track is written by James and Bishu Sikder. Eid was unimaginable in the ’90s and later years without new albums by James and other superstars of the Bangladeshi music industry; however, the scenario has been drastically changed as the album culture has been slowly moving into oblivion.
“I am in talks with Bashundhara Digital and planning to bring an album if possible, because if you monitor the global scenario you will see that the album culture is returning. Many artistes have been releasing records and albums while also being simultaneously active in the digital landscape, and that makes me think about doing so in the near future,” an optimistic James said at the presser.
Talking about photography, James said, “I do it because I love it, and I do not have any plan regarding a photography exhibition in the near future.”
While his collaboration with late poet Shamsur Rahman for the iconic song 'Taaray Taaray Rotiye Debo' was a massive success, James expressed his interest to work with another popular Bangladeshi poet Nirmalendu Goon.
The wait is almost over, as the new song is about to hit the YouTube channel on Bashundhara Digital Monday night, making this year’s ‘Chaand Raat’ a bit extra special.
May Day mad rush at Paturia ghat
Thousands of home-bound commuters have thronged the Paturia ferry terminal since the early hours of Sunday in their desperate bid to cross the Padma river ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Hundreds of vehicles, mostly buses, microbuses and private cars, with people on board also remain stranded at the ferry ghat, triggering a 3km tailback in the area.
An official said these people and vehicles have been waiting to board ferries on the Paturia-Daulatdia route, with Eid holidays beginning on Sunday. "At least 200 buses are stranded at the terminal," he said.
While the highway police are controlling vehicular movement in the gridlocked ferry terminal area, the river police are ensuring that the ferries are not taking in passengers beyond their capacities.
READ: Chaos at Paturia ghat as 300 cars wait to cross Padma
Eid-ul-Fitr: National Moon sighting committee to meet on Sunday
The National Moon Sighting Committee will meet on Sunday evening to fix the date of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims.
The Islamic Foundation issued a press release on Saturday saying the meeting will be held at the foundation's Baitul Mukarram office after Maghrib prayers for reviewing information on the sighting of Shawwal moon.
Mohammad Faridul Haque Khan, State Minister for Religious Affairs and also president of the committee, will preside over the meeting, it added.
Read: Solution to pollution: Sprinkling water on Dhaka's roads & construction sites?
People have been requested to inform the committee through the following phone and fax numbers if they see the Shawwal moon anywhere in Bangladesh sky.
The phone numbers are: 02-223381725, 02-41050912, 02-41050916, and 02-41050917 while the fax numbers are 02-223383397 and 02-9555951.
They also can report to the concerned upazila nirbahi officers or the deputy commissioners.
Footpath vendors doing brisk business ahead of Eid
As Eid-ul-Fitr is knocking on the doors, many poor and low-income people look to be on shopping sprees like the well-off classes, as everyone gets ready to celebrate the biggest religious festival with their near and dear ones.
Shoppers on low-budget are swarming the makeshift shops on footpaths and open spaces for buying dresses of their choices and other desired items, including shoes, sandals, cosmetics and jewelry, at cheaper prices.
Hundreds of temporary shops have been set up on the footpaths and open spaces in the most busy areas of the city, targeting mainly the low-income group of eid shoppers.
According to vendors, many middle-class buyers are also flocking to their stalls as they have outfits of various colours and designs and all other products like that of the posh shopping malls at reasonable prices.
Also read: Dhaka to see Eid exodus from Thursday as millions set to head home
The footpath sellers also said they are drawing good customers as people have got a chance for shopping in full swing after a break of two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Visiting different parts of the city on Thursday and Friday, it was seen that people were crowding around the makeshift shops in Gulistan, Bangabazar, Mothijheel, Baitul Mukarram , Paltan, New Market, Jatrabari, Fakirerpool, Mouchak, Rampura, Badda and Mirpur areas.
The vendors were seen trying to woo customers by displaying various items of girls' attires, children's clothes, cosmetics, men's, wears like jeans and gabardine pants, shirts, T-shirts, panjabis, trousers, footwear, belts, caps, lungis, wallets and toys.
Barishal ferry terminal brim with Eid rush
Call it the Eid travel rush at the Barishal ferry terminal, as hundreds of people have begun travelling to their hometowns to celebrate the festival.
Some 23 ferries have been anchored at the Barishal terminal since Friday midnight as authorities have started special services for Eid holidays.
On Thursday, each of these ferries carried 4,000 passengers from Dhaka to Barishal, according to the terminal authorities.
Also read: Smoke in Barishal-bound launch creates panic among passengers
According to the authorities, Rajarhat B was the first vessel to reach Barishal from the capital's Sadarghat around 1am, followed by Royal Cruise, Pubali 7, Farhan 7, Manami, Red Sun, Parbat 10, Prince Awlad 10, Kuakata 2, Sundarban 11 and Surovi 8.
Barapukuria coal mine workers continue demo demanding arrears
The workers of Barapukuria Coal Mine continued their demonstrations for the second consecutive day on Thursday at the entrance of the coal mine to press home their two-point demand including payment of eight months’ arrears.
On Wednesday, the workers along with their families staged demonstrations demanding the authorities allow the workers to return to work and pay their due wages before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Also read: Barapukuria coal mine workers stage demo demanding arrears
The workers have been holding different programmessince March to press home their demands.
Meanwhile, another 400 workers who have been working locked inside the mine compound due to Covid situation for the last two years were staging demonstrations from inside to allow them work coming from home.
Robiul Islam Robi, president of Barapukuria Coal Mine Miners' and Workers' Union said,” around 11,00 local miners excavate coal from the mine under three Chinease contractor companies CMC, XMC and JXMC.”
“Of them 700 were supposed to get monthly Tk 4,000 each as allowance during their lay off due to Covid-19 pandemic but in the last 8 months they neither received any allowances nor were allowed to rejoin work.”
Also read: Barapukuria Coal Mine workers give 72 hour-ultimatum for payment of arrears
Meanwhile, the contracting companies forced 400 workers to stay inside the mine and work without allowing them to meet their families, he said.
“To resolve the crisis the administration and the mine authority have not taken any steps yet,” said Abu Sufian, General Secretary of the workers’ union.
Dhaka to see Eid exodus from Thursday as millions set to head home
The mass exodus of the homebound people from the bustling capital Dhaka is expected to begin on Thursday as it is the last workday of government, semi-government and many private offices before the Eid-ul-Fitr.
Experts and officials said city dwellers in their thousands are set to rush towards their respective village homes on Thursday afternoon to celebrate the festival with their near and dear ones.
Also read: Mad rush of homebound people at Shimulia ferry ghat
They, however, said the frenzied rush of home-goers will reach its peak on Friday and Saturday as one-fourth of the total holidaymakers to head for their native villages in the two days amid the worry of sufferings on the highways, train stations and launch and ferry terminals.
Meanwhile, some holidaymakers have already left the capital to avoid possible hassles while many have sent their families to village homes much ahead of the Eid vacation since the educational institutions remain closed.
Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival of Muslims, will be celebrated either on Sunday or Monday subject to the sighting of the Shawal moon.
Talking to UNB, General Secretary of National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways Ashish Kumar Dey said around 1.20 crore people are expected to leave Dhaka and its adjoining areas during this Eid.
Of them, he said 55 per cent (66 lakh) will go home by road, 25 per cent (30 lakh) by waterways and 20 per cent (24 lakh) by trains.
Ashish said an estimated 65 lakh holidaymakers are supposed to leave Dhaka by road, waterway and rail in eight days in between April 20 to 28. “Over 12 lakh people will head home alone on April 28 (Thursday).
Besides, he said the remaining 55 lakh people will leave Dhaka in between April 29 and May 1-2.
Ashis said the pressure of holidaymakers on the road is much higher this time than in the past as the Covid situation became normal during eid occasion after two years. “Besides, the number of train passengers decreased by 5 per cent due to lack of railway’s capacity.”
In the last four days ahead of Eid, he said 60 per cent (33 lakh) out of 55 lakh homebound people will go home by road. “The remaining 25% (13 lakh 75 thousand) and 15 per cent (8 lakh 25 thousand) people will go home by waterways and railways respectively.
A large portion of the 33 lakh road commuters will travel in various types of vehicles, including buses, private cars, microbuses, local buses, trucks, pickup vans and motorbikes.
As the number of different modes of vehicles, including unfit ones, will increase on the roads, Ashis said the rate of accidents may also increase this time.
Similarly, he said the launches will carry 5-6 times more passengers than their capacity.
Ashis said the condition of most of the rivers before the Eid may become risky with the possibility of nor’westers, strong current and gusty winds due to the influence of new moon as the passenger launch accidents in the country’s inland waterways happen at this time mainly for overloading of passengers, faulty vessels, risky competition, mismanagement and lack of trained, skilled and competent crews.
Contacted, Superintendent of Police (SP- Highway) of Cumilla Md Rahmat Ullah said they have full preparation so that no traffic congestion occurs on Dhaka-Chattoagram highway, especially from Daudkandi to Teknaf, during the rush hours before the Eid day.
“We have already made special deployment on the highway from April 24 as part of an initiative to avert traffic congestion. Besides, we have formed 15 Quick Response Team (QRT) and set up six sub-control rooms, “he said.
Rahmat said they have already evicted roadsides temporary bazars on the highway and permanent bazars will not run during the holidays before the Eid.
Replying to a question, he said there is no possibility of severe traffic congestions on Dhaka-Chattogram highway during the upcoming Eid vacations, except light tailbacks on the toll plazas of two bridges.
Contacted, SP (Highway- Gazipur) Ali Ahmed Khan said no serious traffic congestion may occur on six national highways--Dhaka-Tangail, Dhaka-Mymenshingh, Dhaka-Aricha, Dhaka-Mawa and Dhaka-Sylhet highways-- under his jurisdiction.
He said the road conditions are very good while three flyovers on Dhaka-Tangail highway were opened to traffic.
“The other parts of the national highways are also good. The situation is now better compared to anytime in the past. “We hope the holidaymakers will reach their respective destinations without much hassles," the SP said.
He, however, said that the homebound travellers may suffer in different ferry terminals, including Paturia-Daulatdia, Shimulia-Banglabazar and Shimulia-Majhirkandi terminals.
But another official said the holidaymakers may suffer on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, Dhaka-Tangail-Rangpur highway and in the area from Elenga to Bangabandhu Bridge due to the heavy pressure of vehicles.
Mad rush of homebound people at Shimulia ferry ghat
Several thousand homebound people thronged Shimulia ferry terminal on Wednesday morning to cross the Padma River five days ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
The authorities concerned of the ferry terminal are struggling a lot to manage the huge rush of home bound people as only seven ferries are operating now instead of 18-21.
Also read:Paturia ghat sees huge crowd; Passengers suffer as 2 ferries remain inoperative
People were seen waiting at the ferry terminal for several hours amid the scorching heat.
Talking to UNB, some passengers said this year the number of ferries is less than the previous year and they are going to their homes today to avoid mad rush.
Paturia ghat sees huge crowd; Passengers suffer as 2 ferries remain inoperative
With five days left before Eid-ul-Fitr, Paturia ferry terminal authorities in Manikganj struggle to handle huge rush of passengers, vehicles heading towards 21 South-Western districts of the country. Amid the mad rush of homebound people, two of the 19 ferries- Birsreshtha Ruhul Amin and Enayetpuri- on this route went out of order, increasing the sufferings of passengers.
Also read: New ferry terminal to be launched before Eid to ease holidaymakers’ journey
Three other ferries that also went out of order earlier are now operating again on the route after temporary maintenance, said Shahnewaj, Deputy General Manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Aricha sector. He said on Tuesday some 500 trucks, private vehicles, buses remained waiting in queues for their turn to cross the river. Private cars, microbuses need to wait for two to three hours to cross the river, claimed the passengers.
They alleged that due to excessive goods-laden trucks other vehicles have to wait for a longer period.
Also read:Ferry services resume on Paturia-Daulatdia route after 4 hours BIWTA DGM Shahnewaj said, ”The ferries went out of order due to relentless services for the last few days but within the next two days two more ferries will start operation.” Additional Deputy Inspector General Zihadul Kabir after visiting Paturia Ghat said police along with other law enforcement agencies will work actively to keep the terminal jam-free and ensure safe journey of holidaymakers.
Upto 50% of hotels, motels booked already for Eid holidays
Holidaymakers are set to visit Cox’s Bazar, the longest unbroken sea beach in the world, in droves during the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday as 50 percent hotels and motels were booked ten days before the biggest religious festival.
Cox’s Bazar is the most attractive tourist spot in Bangladesh and Eid vacations come with the opportunity of taking a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
The authorities concerned of many hotels and motels are passing a busy time preparing their respective establishments for tourists.
Also read: Markets, construction works on Dhaka-Ctg highway likely to mount woes of holidaymakers