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Neonatal heart diseases up

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By Mehedi Hassan Munna Heart-related diseases among newborns are alarmingly increasing in the country. Congenital heart disease, which affects a child during heart-start to proceed in mother’s womb, is leading to premature deaths overwhelmingly. Sources say, most of the affected infants die prematurely because of not having proper medical facilities in the hospitals of the country. National Heart Foundation sources say more than three lakh children are affected with heart-related diseases, especially congenital heart disease in the country. In addition, around 25 to 30 thousand are being newly affected every year. In this context, around 2 lakh 30 thousand children are growing with heart diseases. Most of them die before or after surgery. Experts are of the opinion, babies whose mothers have pregnancy diabetes, malnutrition and anemia are more likely to be infected with heart disease. Illiteracy, poverty, health unawareness, taking unnecessary medicines, not taking care du
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Quota reform movement: a protest against discrimination

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By Mehedi Hassan Munna Recent quota reform movement has greatly convulsed not only to the the students and job seekers, but also all walks of people. The demonstrators have successfully enabled to spred the movement countrywide so far. The running 55% quota preserved in governmement jobs for the freedom fighters' offspring and their grandchilds has been questioned after 45 years of independance. The quotasless job seekers, who are majority in number, have remarkably been deprived from their place where they could be adapted. In this sequence,  on February 25, a memorandum was submitted to the Prime Minister on this issue. On March 4, the job seekers and students protested at Shahbag. Even the protests are still going on. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, "The quota allocated for the freedom fighters, their children and grandchildren will not decrease. But meritorious students will be chosen for the vacant posts." Such a speech
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Cheating in name of 'sitting service' continues

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By Mehedi Hassan Munna There is an unabated cheating uptrend in the name of bus ‘sitting service’ in the capital. The majority of buses plying in the capital and its outskirts are being operated as sitting service ones, but only in name. Passengers allege that they are forced to pay additional fares and are facing hassles as these so-called sitting service buses make random stops to pick up and drop off passengers. There was a decision by the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) that banned the service from April 16, but it was later reviewed, and then came the decision to legalize the so-called sitting or gate-lock service, as interested bus owners were providing the same. While visiting some transport routes in the capital, this correspondent noticed that there was no distinct guideline either for sitting or local services. Mahfuz Towhid, a private firm employee who commutes from Sadarghat to Mohakhali through Ajmeri Glori, said , “I come from and go
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Dhaka Kendra: A treasure trove

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    By Mehedi Hassan Munna You cannot visualise how decorative and momentous a building can be, unless you have its interior glimpse. I am talking about Dhaka Kendra, a treasure trove, popularly known as Moula Bakhsh Sardar Memorial Trust, located at 24 Mohini Das lane of Old Dhaka, a slice of beauty and respite for historians, researchers and young generation. The two-storey building poses much curiosity and attraction for its visitors. On the second floor of the building, there are three well-furnished rooms— full of antique collections, including accessories used by noble families, rare photographs and books of the 400-year-old city. On top of the building, there is a spacious green lawn with various species of herbs and plants that charm visitors. The collections here would definitely take a visitor back to the historical past of the 400-year-old city at his first sight. Since its inception back in 1997 by Mohammad Azim Buksh, the building has been serving people
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Bahadur Shah Park sinking into atrophy

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    By Mehedi Hassan Munna Bahadur Shah Park, once the Victoria Park, the only strolling spot in the Sadarghat area of Old Dhaka, is gradually losing its real face and identity, due to inadequate maintenance and monitoring. The park bears witness to historical events of the British colonial rule in the Indian-subcontinent. It was built in 1858 at the initiative of Nawab Khwaja Abdul Ghani. Victoria Park until 1947, it was later named after Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal emperor. It is learnt that most of its historic infrastructures, namely an Obelisk which commemorates the ascending of the throne of Queen Victoria as Empress of India and the British Empire, and a monument built in honour of the martyrs of ‘Sepoy Mutiny’ (the first attempt of revolt against the British rule, in 1857), during which a good number of mutineers, including a woman, were hanged to death at the spot and kept hanging there for a couple of days, are in a ramshackle condition due to negligen
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Porters rampage continue at Sadarghat terminal

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 By Mehedi Hassan Munna Chandpur-going Masudur Rahman just alighted from a rickshaw outside Sadarghat launch terminal with two heavy bags. As he reached gate-3, three men surrounded him and asked to give his bags to them for carriage in exchange for Tk 1,000. Masud refused to pay the porters the money and sought to carry the bags alone, but they gripped him tightly and forced him to pay. Such a scene is not uncommon at Sadarghat launch terminal. Such daylight robbery by porters remains unchecked where passengers are taken hostage when they visiting the jetty with luggage. Sources said porters harass passengers even in front of the strong surveillance of police and BIWTA personnel. With support from local political figures, the sources added, they are doing the illegal job fearlessly. During a spot visit, this correspondent noticed that whenever a passenger reaches the terminal, porters rush in and force him or her to carry their bags. If anyone protests, they ar
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TB patients increasing countrywide

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    By Mehedi Hassan Munna The number of tuberculosis (TB) patients is on the rise across the country. A National TB Control Programme source says around 40 people here die of tuberculosis every year while around 221 in every one lakh are infected with TB. According to the Global TB Report 2017 of the World Health Organisation, a total of 223,922 people were detected with tuberculosis, including 9,700 multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients. Bangladesh, listed among the 30 high TB burden countries, has an annual occurrence of 225 out of every 1, 00,000 people and, on average, 45 out of every 1, 00,000 die annually because of tuberculosis. Bangladesh is classified by the WHO as having a high MDR-TB burden, with around 4700 cases notified every year, WHO reveals. WHO is providing technical support to authorities to strengthen activities in addressing the challenges of TB/HIV, MDR-TB in Bangladesh. WHO has launched a five-year National Strategic Plan Bangla
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