United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor-elect BNP leader Ishraque Hossain has pledged to quickly remove the wastes during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha festival and keep the city clean. In a verified Facebook post on Friday morning, Ishraque referred to himself as the ‘people’s mayor’ and committed to supporting both DSCC and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) in managing waste during the Eid. “Taking the oath is merely a formality. As the people’s mayor, I bear responsibility to ensure adequate waste management preparations before the upcoming Eid,” he wrote. He also assured residents that he would assist the administration and conservancy workers in the north until a new mayor is elected there. “We’ll aim to restore a comfortable environment within 16 hours of Eid day,” he added. To speed up the cleanness drive in the south, Ishraque announced the formation of zonal monitoring teams involving former councillors and past election candidates. Ishraque postpones protests after HC verdict He also expressed willingness to personally join conservancy workers on the ground. Earlier on Thursday, the High Court cleared the way for him to take the mayoral oath. The ruling, issued by Justices Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Debashish Roy Chowdhury, rejected a writ petition seeking a bar on him. Ishraque was declared winner in the 2020 mayoral election against Awami League candidate Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh by an election tribunal.

The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has dismissed as misleading the social media criticism accusing the government of bias for deploying a water-spraying vehicle at a rally led by the National Citizen Party (NCP) in front of the InterContinental Hotel in the capital. In a press release issued on Friday (May 9), DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz clarified that the water-spraying vehicle was deployed purely for public health reasons, in response to the ongoing heatwave in Dhaka. NCP calls for ‘greater rally’ after Jummah prayer demanding AL ban He stated, “Due to the extreme heat over the past several days, DNCC has been deploying water spray vehicles in any area experiencing large gatherings — not just rallies but also busy markets and terminal areas — to reduce heat stress on people.”

It was midday on a busy Sunday. A speeding Ramzan Paribahan bus from Demra Staff Quarters area suddenly came to a halt opposite to Mouchak Market in Dhaka, with another from the same company stopping abruptly behind it as both appeared to be racing recklessly to pick up more passengers. At that moment, 45-year-old Synthia Islam, who was standing on the edge of the main road, was forced to jump onto the nearby footpath out of fear. She narrowly escaped being run over. Shaken and unable to speak at first, she eventually shared her harrowing experience. “Most footpaths in Dhaka are in a dire state and not suitable for pedestrians. On top of that, vehicles drive at reckless speeds-- all the burden falls on pedestrians,” Synthia said with a sigh. She was waiting for a bus to Shahbagh at the time. “Drivers race against each other on the roads. That’s why pedestrians become victims—some lose their lives while others are left permanently disabled. Families are devastated,” Synthia said. She believes the root cause is the lack of rules and enforcement. “Drivers engage in these deadly races just to complete more trips and pick up more passengers. That’s why these accidents happen,” the housewife added. Synthia’s words reflect the findings of a recent study conducted in collaboration with the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS). According to the research, in 2023, 123 people died in road accidents within the DNCC area. Of these, 87% were hit-and-run cases, and 61% of the victims were pedestrians. Motorcyclists were the next most affected group, comprising 24% of the victims. The study also revealed that 83% of the deceased were male. All the women who died in these accidents were pedestrians. The study, led by Dr Tanvir Ibn Ali, Surveillance Coordinator for BIGRS in Dhaka North, analysed data collected from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) headquarters between October 2024 and February 2025. This included First Information Reports (FIRs) and written complaints from the DNCC’s 25 police stations in 2023. Airport Police Station Area Deadliest Researchers received reports of 117 fatal road accidents from DNCC’s 25 police stations. Airport Police Station had the highest number with 13 accidents, followed by Khilkhet (11), Uttara West (10), Mohammadpur and Mirpur (9 each), Turag and Banani (8 each), Hatirjheel and Darus Salam (7 each), Rupnagar and Bhatara (5 each), and several others with lower counts. No fatal road accident reports were received from Bhashantek, Dakshinkhan, Gulshan and Uttar Khan. Notably, 55% of the deaths occurred in just seven police station areas, with the most fatalities recorded on the east side of the Airport Flyover and Mirpur 1 junction. Hit-and-Run Incidents The study shows that most pedestrian deaths in Dhaka are caused by buses and trucks. More fatalities occur at night than during the day. Of the accidents reported, 87% were hit-and-run cases. Data-driven measures essential to curb road accidents in Bangladesh: Seminar Three primary types of collisions led to fatal accidents: pedestrian run-overs (65%), rear-end collisions (37%), and head-on crashes (6%). Collisions with roadside objects, parked vehicles, and during road crossings each accounted for about 1% of the deaths. Of these, 58% of the collisions involved pedestrians. In the case of motorbike-related deaths, 65% resulted from rear-end collisions. Who Are the Victims? In 2023, 61% of the 123 people killed in road accidents in Dhaka North were pedestrians, according to the report. The breakdown includes 75 pedestrians, 29 motorcyclists, 8 rickshaw pullers, 6 CNG auto-rickshaw passengers, 3 car passengers, and 2 bicyclists. The report says three out of every five road fatalities in Dhaka are pedestrians, and one in every four is a motorcyclist. Among the deceased, 83% were men. Of the 118 individuals for whom data were available, 98 were male and 20 were female. All 20 female victims were pedestrians, as were 50 of the 98 male victims. Men accounted for four out of every five road deaths, while two out of every five pedestrian fatalities were women. Most fatalities occurred among those aged 20–49. Specifically, 26 were aged 30–39, 24 aged 40–49, 21 aged 20–29, and 14 aged 50–59. Seven children were also killed, alongside one individual aged 70–79 and another over 80. Pedestrian fatalities spanned all age groups, with the highest number in the 40–49 bracket. Nighttime Deadliest The study noted that more people die per hour during the night. Twelve people died between 11 pm and midnight. Other high-risk time slots include 8–9 pm (9 deaths) and 4–5 pm (7 deaths). Which Vehicles Are to Blame? In 2023, buses were responsible for hitting 17 pedestrians, one bicycle, four buses, two CNGs, and five motorbikes. Trucks hit 15 pedestrians, one truck, three CNGs, 17 motorbikes and four rickshaws. Four-wheeled vehicles like sedans, SUVs, and microbuses struck seven pedestrians, two motorbikes, and one rickshaw. Motorbikes hit six pedestrians, one bus, and one four-wheeler. CNGs collided with four pedestrians, one bicycle, one other CNG and three rickshaws. Rickshaws were responsible for just one collision with a motorbike over the entire year. Of the 49 pedestrian fatalities reviewed, 17 were caused by buses, 15 by trucks, 7 by four-wheelers, 6 by motorbikes, and 4 by CNGs. In other words, one in every three pedestrian deaths involved a bus. For motorcyclists, the majority of fatalities were caused by trucks (19 out of 29), followed by buses (5), four-wheelers (2) and motorbike-on-motorbike crashes (1). Two-thirds of these deaths were due to truck collisions. Road Users Globally at Risk According to the World Health Organization’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023, at least seven people die in road crashes globally every three minutes. Though 60% of vehicles are in low- and middle-income countries, these countries account for 92% of all road deaths. In Bangladesh, WHO estimates 86 people die daily in road crashes—underscoring the dire state of road safety in the country. Over 600 killed in road accidents across Bangladesh in March Dhaka’s population density and economic activity are growing rapidly. Around 35% of Dhaka residents travel by bus, 5% by motorbike, 1% by bicycle, and 23% on foot—highlighting the significant risk to a large portion of road users. Recommendations The study calls for prioritising pedestrian safety to improve overall road safety in Dhaka. Recommendations include ensuring walkable footpaths, zebra crossings, speed bumps, and pedestrian refuge islands. It also suggests creating narrow lanes and slow-speed zones around schools and pedestrian-heavy areas, increasing designated bus stops, and redesigning existing ones to be more efficient and passenger-friendly. Given that buses and heavy vehicles are responsible for most injuries and deaths, the study recommends reducing their speed and addressing the dangers they pose. Improving police training for investigating hit-and-run cases is also advised. The report notes that if drivers believe they can escape punishment after killing someone, they will not be deterred from driving recklessly. Study Purpose When asked about the reason behind the research, Dr Tanvir Ibn Ali said, “Police document accident data, but beyond legal proceedings, they don’t really use it. We want to highlight how this data can be useful for road safety too. From the data, we get a complete picture. It helps us identify priority areas.” 322 people killed in 315 road accidents during Eid: Jatri Kalyan Samiti He went on to say, “We’re seeing that most deaths are caused by buses and trucks, and that certain junctions are more dangerous than others. Since we don’t have unlimited resources, we need to prioritise where to change infrastructure and who is most at risk. For law enforcement, knowing that motorbikes are causing more deaths or which areas see the most accidents helps them take targeted action.” Dr Tanvir said the data will assist policymakers and legislators, as it provides concrete evidence upon which decisions can be made. A broader study covering all of Dhaka from 2021 to 2023 is currently underway, he added.

Mohammad Atiqul Islam, former mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), was arrested in the capital on Wednesday. A team of Mohammadpur police arrested him from Mohakhali DOHS area in the evening, said Deputy Commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Talebur Rahman. DB arrests ex-food minister Sadhan Chandra from Dhaka’s Bhatara The police official, however, did not disclose in which case he was arrested.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md. Mahmudul Hasan announced on Tuesday that the ongoing renovation works on the main streets of Dakshin and Uttarkhan will be completed by December. After a visit to the roads in the afternoon, he said this while exchanging views with locals and assured them of addressing problems. "By November, the main roads in Dakshin and Uttarkhan will be made usable for vehicular traffic, with full completion expected by December," he said. "We are committed to sustainable development in this area. While the ongoing construction has caused some inconvenience, particularly during this year’s heavy rains in September and October, we are focused on accelerating the work to alleviate the difficulties faced by residents", the administrator shared. DSCC administrator promises improvement in road conditions by November He emphasized that all necessary preparations are in place to ensure the project progresses with utmost importance. "This initial phase of infrastructure development aims to provide all citizens in these newly integrated wards with essential services. Once the first phase is completed, we will move on to the next phase." Responding to a question from reporters on dengue, the administrator said "We have intensified our regular activities to combat dengue, implementing morning larviciding and afternoon fogging across the area,” he said. The cleanliness drives are going on. Though the number of dengue cases has decreased compared to last year, the DNCC aims for zero fatalities, he said. Brig. Gen. Mohammad Moin Uddin, Chief Engineer of DNCC, and Mohammad Arifur Rahman, Additional Chief Engineer (Drainage Circle), among others, were present on the occasion.

A move is underway to acquire a 50-acre piece of land by the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) to develop a modern waste management facility alongside the existing Landfill Site (LFS) in the city’s Amin Bazar area. According to official sources, the new site will be an expansion of the current LFS, which was also developed on 50 acres of land.   The current LFS in Amin Bazar is close to being filled up with the waste collected from the areas under DNCC. “The LFS in Amin Bazar is overfilled and went to 80 feet high from the level. Now it has become risky for workers to further fill the land with waste,” Captain Mohammad Fida Hasan, Chief Waste Management Officer of the DNCC, told UNB. DNCC completes sacrificial animal waste removal on second day of Eid He said the DNCC has completed all the necessary procedures to receive the land from the district administration once the allotted fund is released by the Finance Ministry. The DNCC will need Tk 450 crore from the GoB (Government of Bangladesh) fund to acquire the land. Fida Hasan also informed that the new LFS will be developed alongside the establishment of the proposed 42.5 MW Waste-to-Energy power plant which is expected to start power generation from July 2026. When such a power plant is being developed as part of the waste management system, why is such a new LFS required?-responding to such a question, the DNCC Chief Waste Management Officer said that the new site will have different facilities like electronic waste management, medicate waste treatment, and solid waste management. This will require new land to develop the facilities, which also include establishment of a training centre and vehicle parking area. Currently, Dhaka city is collecting 3,000 mts of solid waste from different areas which is about 80 percent of the total waste. DNCC completes 100% removal of sacrificial animal waste within deadline As per a plan, this total waste will be supplied to the Waste to Energy project daily while CMEC will set up an incineration plant to generate 42.5 MW power and BPDB will purchase the electricity from the plant at US21.78 Cents, equivalent to Tk 18.295, per kilowatt hour (each unit) over a period of 25 years. But DNCC officials said if any additional wastes are collected, those will be filled in the new modern LFS. They also said this new system will be developed under its “New Clean Dhaka Master Plan 2018–2032” which was envisioned to introduce “Environmentally Advanced City with Integrated and Sustainable Solid Waste Management: Toward Zero-Waste”. According to the Master Plan, the core target of the DNCC is collecting more waste generated at households by increasing the collection capacity, reducing waste by introducing waste separation and recycling, and minimizing the volume of the remaining waste that goes to the LFS with intermediate treatment so that the lifespan of LFS can be extended. This Master Plan highlights four indicators: waste collection, waste reduction, recycling, and to quantitatively monitor landfill disposal. Read more: E-Waste Crisis: Effects of Electronic Waste on Environment and Human Health

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will set up 30 sell points in Dhaka to sell milk, eggs, meat, and fish at affordable prices throughout the month of Ramadan. Under the programme, liquid milk will be sold at Tk 80 per litre, beef at Tk 600 per kg, mutton at Tk 900 per kg, dressed broiler at Tk 250 per kg, and eggs at Tk 9.17 per piece. Will enhance market surveillance from today: State Minister for Commerce Fisheries and Livestock Minister Md. Abdur Rahman said these at the conference room of the Department of Livestock Services on Sunday. The minister said the programme will be conducted from 25 places in the capital from the first to the 28th Ramadan. Besides, the products will be sold at five more points at several permanent markets in the city. The 25 sale centers are: Natun Bazar (Badda), Korail slum (Banani), Khamarbari (Farmgate), Azimpur Matrisadan (Azimpur), Gabtoli, Diabari (Uttara), Japan Garden City (Mohammadpur), Shatfoot Road (Mirpur), Khilgaon (south of the rail crossing), beside the Secretariat (Abdul Gani Road),  Segun Bagicha (kitchen market),  Arambagh (Motijheel), Rampura, Kalshi (Mirpur), Jatrabari (at the mouth of Maniknagar Goli),  Bosila (Mohammadpur),  Hazaribagh (Shikshan), Lukas (Nakhalpara), Arambagh (Motijheel), Kamrangirchar, Mirpur 10, Kalyanpur (Jhilpara), Tejgaon, Old Dhaka (Bangabazar), and Kakrail. The five selling points at permanent markets are Mirpur Shah Ali Bazar, Mohammadpur Krishi Market, Natun Bazar (100 feet), Kamala Bazar, and Kazi Alauddin Road (Anandbazar). Well-equipped pickup cool vans will be used to sell the products. The cooling vans will reach each sale center by 9 am with the products and selling will start from 10 am, the minister said. BGB-BSF border conference wraps up with pledge to bring down border killings to zero Additionally, the Department of Fisheries has taken initiatives to sell fish at four designated spots in Dhaka North City Corporation and four designated spots in Dhaka South City Corporation. The spots are Bangabandhu Square at Farmgate’s Khamarbari, Mirpur-1 (Eidgah Ground); Segun Bagicha Bazar; and Merul Badda Bazar under Dhaka North City Corporation; and Mughdapara (Madinabagh Bazar); Jatrabari (Dayal Bharosa Market); Motijheel (Southeast Corner of Bangladesh Bank) and Palashi intersection under Dhaka South City Corporation. The fish sale will continue from 10 am to 3 pm every day, starting from March 11, and will continue for 15 days, the minister said. Read more: As Ramadan is about to begin, prices of essentials high in Khulna kitchen markets

Cordaid’s plastic waste management project RESILIENT in Dhaka North City Corporation and Narayanganj City Corporation marks a new milestone with the launch of one of the key components of the initiative, Buy-Back Centre (Plastic Bazar) in Narayanganj, according to a press release. The project was made possible due to a grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation, it said. By establishing Buy-Back Centers, the project aims to elevate two waste collectors to the level of aggregators, creating green entrepreneurs and enhancing plastic waste collection methods to eliminate plastic waste from ecosystems. High-level delegation of ADB meets LGRD minister  These centre act as community recycling facilities, where recyclables like plastics, paper, cans, glass, and PET bottles are purchased, sorted, and resold to aggregators and recyclers. This system allows 400 local waste collectors and approximately 11,000 community members to earn an income by selling their recyclables. Mohammad Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive Officer of Narayanganj City Corporation inaugurated the centre. In addition, Abul Kalam Azad, Program Director, Cordaid and Md Firoz Alam, Project Manager – RESILIENT, Cordaid Bangladesh were present at the time, among others. Nasrul Hamid seeks ADB's help to create regional power market One of the key contributors behind the thought process of the Buy-Back center, Narayanganj Mayor Dr Salina Hayat Ivy said that, “The City Corporation has been working tirelessly to make Narayanganj city green, clean, vibrant, and pollution-free. Creating green Narayanganj has always been our dream. In line with this, innovative approaches like Plastic Buy-Back Centers will further accelerate our work. This is a commendable initiative and it will financially enable the waste workers, especially female waste workers. I appreciate everyone associated with this initiative, including the residents of the city, and urge everyone to work together to tackle the issue of plastic pollution more effectively.” While Buy-Back Centres offer transformative benefits for all waste collectors, women are more encouraged to participate and benefit from this initiative as they are less privileged in this sector. These centres provide a more formalized and stable platform for selling recyclable materials, potentially leading to consistent and higher incomes, added the release. UCB taking steps to offer easy loans to agricultural entrepreneurs Cordaid, with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation, is implementing the RESILIENT project (Recycling for the Environment by Strengthening Income and Livelihood of the Entrepreneurs) in Dhaka North City Corporation and Narayanganj City Corporation. This project aims to enhance plastic waste management through capacitating both formal and informal plastic waste actors and collaborating with local service providers, city corporations, civil society organizations, and the private sector. The project focuses on at-source segregation of plastic waste in targeted clusters, ensuring the recovery of unsoiled plastic for increased income and livelihood opportunities. The Coca-Cola system in Bangladesh and The Coca-Cola Foundation are playing a significant role in supporting Bangladesh to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. Local initiatives of the company’s global initiatives such as Plastic collection, Water Stewardship and Women Business Centre actively contribute to community development. 

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked between Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Detroit city in the state of Michigan in the USA to exchange knowledge and experience to build a better city. Under the deal, the Detroit City will provide the DNCC with any kinds of cooperation while the Bangladeshi city corporation will share better activities with their counterpart, a DNCC press release, signed by its Public Relations Officer Mukbul Hossain, said. DNCC Mayor Md Atiqul Islam and Detroit City Mayor Michael E Duggan signed the deal on behalf of their respective organisations in the USA on Thursday (local time). Detroit City Deputy Mayor Todda A Batison, DNCC Secretary Mohammed Masud Alam Siddique and Bangladesh American Public Affairs Committee Chairman Ehsan Takbim among others were present during the signing ceremony.   Mayor Atiqul said the relationship between the USA and Dhaka will be strengthened through cooperation by the Detroit City on several issues including cleanliness, traffic management, drainage system and urban development as per the deal. Read more: DNCC to launch school bus services He said the DNCC will be turned into a sister city—refers to a city which will be developed by exchanging all good sides with another city like the Detroit City. Terming the bilateral relations between the countries as healthy, he said a new history was made through signing the MoU between the cities. Mayor Atiqul said his counterpart wanted to know about handling the densely populated city as the density of their population is also very high. Addressing the need for rearranging the traffic management in Dhaka, he said they will use the strategy applied by Detroit to bring discipline in the traffic system. The DNCC mayor confirmed his counterpart Michael E Duggan’s visit to Bangladesh in February next year.  

Dhaka North City Corporation will be setting up holiday markets in all 54 wards under its jurisdiction, according to mayor Atiqul Islam. He said this while addressing the opening ceremony of a holiday market in the Agargaon area of the capital. The holiday market, an initiative of the DNCC and Oikko Foundation, will enable SME entrepreneurs to promote their products. It will be open to all every Friday and Saturday. “We organized this kind of market for the first time to promote the SME sector. If this pilot project runs smoothly, we will initiate setting up holiday markets like this in all 54 wards of Dhaka North,” he said. “Mainly SME entrepreneurs will sell their products in this market. There will be no middlemen, so they will sell their products directly to the customers at an affordable price,” he added. Mentioning that DNCC is working to restore the sidewalks as per the mayor’s election manifesto, he also said a pilot project for hawkers is underway at Mirpur 10. “Certain hawkers will be allowed there five days a week, after 4 p.m. We have also thought about establishing evening markets,” he said. Also read: Save our cities and people: DNCC mayor at COP27 In his inaugural speech, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi praised the initiative and urged involving more women entrepreneurs in all such initiatives. “Take steps so that women can come forward with their ventures,” he said.  Following the inauguration ceremony, the DNCC Mayor, along with the chief guest and other guests, visited the stalls. The market has a total of 100 stalls. SME entrepreneurs set up stalls for leather products, jute products, handicrafts, fashion and lifestyle products, home decor products, organic agricultural products, agricultural products, food, and beverages. Additional Police Commissioner of DMP Mir Rezaul Alam, Chief Executive Officer of Dhaka North City Corporation Selim Reza, and local councillors were also present at the ceremony.