DNCC
Eviction drive begins in city’s Lautala area
Eviction of illegal establishments surrounding Lautala canal at Basila of the city’s Mohammadpur began on Monday morning.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md. Atiqul Islam was present during the drive. He said that the canals must be freed to save the city from waterlogging. Lautala canal will be freed and connected to the Buriganga to create water flow in it.
READ: DSCC starts eviction drive at Fulbaria market
Every canal in the city will be freed of occupants accordingly, he said.
The drive started with evicting the illegally occupied truck terminal in the area.
READ: Eviction drive recovers 14 bighas occupied by Haji Selim in Sonargaon
Along with the Mayor, other DNCC officials were present during the drive.
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.
Most DNCC vehicles' registration and fitness certificate out of date
The registration and fitness certificates of most vehicles under the Dhaka North City Corporation have not been updated, according to a probe body formed to investigate a fatal accident involving a DNCC garbage truck.
A three-member probe committee, formed on the same day to ensure proper investigation into the matter.
The committee led by Commodore SM Sharif-ul-Islam, chief waste management officer of Dhaka North, included Supervising Engineer (Mechanical) Abul Hasnat Md Ashraful Alam, and General Manager (Transport) Md Mizanur Rahman.
Read: Cumilla balloon cylinder blast: 3-member probe body formed
In November last year, Ahsan Kabir, 46, a reporter of ‘Daily Shangbad’ was going to his workplace in Mirpur from Moghbazar by a ride-sharing motorbike.
When the bike reached the Panthapath area around 2:30 pm he fell down from the bike after being hit by a garbage truck of DNCC. Later, Ahsan was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
According to the investigation report, driver Md Hanif can be held accountable for the accident because he failed to notice the motorbike and lost control of the wheel. Besides, he did not have a license to drive a heavy vehicle. The motorbike driver can also be convicted at the same time since the pillion rider fell from the vehicle as a result of him losing control of it.
The probe report said that the incident couldn't be ascertained explicitly due to the lack of clear CCTV footage or eyewitnesses present at the location of the accident. The report also said the vehicle involved in the accident did not have any registration or fitness certificate.
As per data from the Department of Transport, Mechanical Circles and Waste Management, most of the Dhaka North vehicles have not updated their registration and fitness certificates.
Read: 140 policemen leave for Mali to join UN mission
The DNCC also does not have the required number of drivers relative to their total number of vehicles, while most of the drivers' licenses have not been updated.
The probe body has made several recommendations including taking responsibility for the victims family.
The other recommendations are- Installing dashboard cameras and Vehicle Tracking Systems (VTS) on all DNCC vehicles, managing vehicles and drivers through a department (transport pool), arranging regular training sessions on road safety laws and regulations, ensuring up-to-date vehicle registration, fitness and licensing for drivers, recruiting new drivers in proportion to the number of vehicles, providing at least one licensed second seater for a heavy vehicle with the required number of helpers. City corporation garbage trucks can be run on roads from evening till 7am in the morning.
Several activities have been completed by Dhaka North City Corporation including providing training to light licensed drivers for heavy licenses after the incident.
Dhaka North City Corporation has already taken the responsibility for the victim's family.
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.
Fire breaks out at Gulshan building
A 12-storey building in the city’s Gulshan area caught fire on Monday.
Farhad Abdul Momin, duty officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence control room, said the fire broke out on the 9th floor of the building near DNCC Market around 4 pm and it spread around soon.
Also read: Mugda fire: Another victim dies at DMCH
He said seven units of firefighters extinguished the blaze around 4:40 pm.
But he could not say what actually caused the fire. However, there was no report of any casualty till the filing of the report around 5:45 pm.
Also read: Massive fire rages on in Ctg chemical factory
First-ever DNCC Mayor Cup begins on Nov 15
The first-ever Saif Powertek Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Cup, powered by Runner and co-powered by Daraz, will begin here on November 15.
DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam made the official announcement of the meet at a press conference at a local hotel on Monday. Managing Director of the Mayor Cup’s title sponsor Saif Powertek Limited Tarafder Mohammad Ruhul Amin was also present on the occasion.
READ: SAFF Championship: Bangladesh lose 0-2 to Maldives
Three leading sports—Cricket, Football and Volleyball- are including in the first version of the DNCC Mayor Cup.
Former captain of National Cricket team Khaled Mashud Pilot will act as technical director of cricket while former star footballer Sheikh Mohammad Aslam and joint secretary of Bangladesh Volleyball Federation Fazle Rabbi Babul will act as the technical directors of football and volleyball respectively.
Former captains of national cricket team Mashrafe Bin Mortaza MP and Akram Khan, ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, captain of national football team Jamal Bhuiyan, volleyball player Horshit Biwas, film actor Ferdous and actress Purnima will feature in the Mayor Cup campaign.
Fifty four ward councillors and 18 women’s ward councillors (for reserve seat) will form their teams to compete in the Mayor Cup, where every citizen under DNCC will be entitled to participate for their respective ward teams.
READ: SAFF Champs: Bangladesh to play hosts Maldives Thursday night
DNCC is organizing the Mayor Cup on the occasion of birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the Bangladesh independence.
BGMEA donates high flow nasal cannulas to DNCC Covid-19 Hospital
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has donated emergency Covid-19 medical equipment and face masks to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital to meet the health needs of patients and help save lives.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan handed over 15 German-made high flow nasal cannula with BiPAP and 50,000 masks to DNCC Mayor Md. Atiqul Islam at a programme held at the hospital on Tuesday.
BGMEA Vice President Md. Shahidullah Azim, Vice President (Finance) Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Directors Md. Mohiuddin Rubel, Rajiv Chowdhury and Director of DNCC Covid-19 Hospital Brigadier General AKM Nasiruddin were present at the handover ceremony.
READ: BGMEA wants end of RMG goods theft on highways
Atiqul warns stern legal action for Covid rule violation in cattle markets
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam on Saturday said strict legal action would be taken if the hygiene rules and regulations were not followed properly at the sacrificial animal markets.
The mayor issued the warning while addressing a meeting of the monitoring team at Gulshan Nagar Bhaban.
The 15-member team was formed to scrutinize whether lease conditions for nine cattle markets, including the permanent one, were followed properly. The cattle hats have been set up on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
Also read: Mask-wearing campaign kicks off at cattle markets in 2 cities
The team, headed by Councilor of Ward No-19 Md. Mofizur Rahman, comprises 13 Ward councillors and two veterinary officers.
The cattle hats have been set up on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
He said each animal market under Dhaka North City Corporation has a mobile court led by one Executive Magistrate in charge of DNCC to ensure compliance with the health rules and regulations
He said Shakti Foundation has provided 200 trained volunteers, 200 vests and a sufficient number of masks at each market. In addition, the leaseholders have provided hand sanitizers and other health care items in all the cattle markets.
Also read: 10 cattle markets to be set up maintaining health rules: DNCC Mayor
The mayor said that in order to maintain proper social distance in the cattle markets, both buyers and sellers have to wear masks and use hand sanitizers.
He said that "DNCC Digital Hat-2021" has been organized to prevent the spread of coronavirus by avoiding physical presence at the cattle markets.
Among others, DNCC Executive Officer Md Selim Reza and Deputy Executive Director of Shakti Foundation Imran Ahmed were present at the meeting.
10 cattle markets to be set up maintaining health rules: DNCC Mayor
Dhaka North City Corporation will set up 10 cattle markets in its area ahead of Eid-ul-Azha maintaining Covid health rules and government restrictions, Mayor Atiqul Islam said Sunday.
The mayor said this while attending a meeting with the sacrificial animal haat monitoring committee and lease holders of the haats.
Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, one permanent and nine makeshift haats will be set up in the DNCC area, he said.
Also read: Authorities disperse an illegal cattle market in Panchagarh
To monitor the 10 haats, a 14-member committee has already been formed including 12 councillors, 2 veterinary officers, where ward-19 councillor Md Mofizur Rahman was made the convener, he added.
Atiqul Islam said, in every haat, 100 volunteers will be appointed from the Shakti Foundation with enough surgical masks while leaseholders will ensure hand sanitizers and necessary hygiene materials in every haat.
Enough number of body temperature measuring machines will be made available at the haats, he said.
Also read: Authorities permit 3 makeshift cattle markets in Chattagram, set 17 conditions
Traders and buyers all will have to maintain social distance and health rules in the haat as the area will be under surveillance by CCTV cameras, said the mayor.
The DNCC mayor said, sacrificial animals brought in the haats will also be available online for customers to see.
Atiqul warns of legal action if shops are kept open
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam on Monday warned that legal action including revoking of liscence will be taken if anyone keeps shop open violating the government directives.
“The shopping mall and shop owners should abide by the government instructions,” said the DNCC mayor while visiting Bijoy Sarani area of the capital.
The DNCC has taken various welfare activities during the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.
Also read: ‘All-out’ lockdown extended by another week
The emergency food service of the government is active and destitute people can seek food assistance by making a call @ 333, said the mayor.
“We have to follow the health guidelines to make our family, city and country safe,” said Atikul.
Besides, he also assured of taking necessary steps to activate the fountains under DNCC in the city.
Also read: Lockdown: 496 vehicles fined Tk 12.8 lakh in Dhaka; 618 arrested
Moreover, DNCC dwellers can log complaints or provide their opinions about roads, mosquitoes, street lamp, dumping station, waterlogging, public toilet and illegal establishment by an app named ‘Shobar Dhaka’ to get quick solution to the problems, he said.