Munna's blog

Staff Correspondent Munshiganj, famous as a potato production hub, witnessed a booming yield of the crop this season, thanks to favourable weather conditions coupled with timely agri-inputs from local agriculture officials.   The potato acreage has gone up to a great extent in the district over the years as it fetches megabucks every year. Now-a-days more farmers are switching to the farming seeing it a profitable venture.   The harvesting of potatoes is now nearing completion which started in the last week of February. While visiting different potato fields in the district, this correspondent found many farmers engaged in reaping potatoes. They expect a bumper production this year like previous years. But the optimum production has come as a bane for growers as they are not getting fair prices of their produce. Nevertheless, they are bound to sell their potatoes at throwaway prices in absence of adequate storage facilities. The existing cold storages can house only hal

  By Mehedi Hassan Munna Encroachment of the Buriganga river goes on unabated, with a new sequence, the spring up of bamboo-malls under both sides of the second Buriganga Bridge (Babubazar Bridge, adding to the river’s death pangs. Sources say, around 40 to 50 bamboo-selling shops have been constructed there illegally. Not only that, some portion of the area has also been filled up with sand at individual initiative. As a result, navigability of the river in this area has reduced. Garbage and rotten bamboos are contaminating river water. A provision of the National River Protection Act No. 9 says construction of illegal structures, and irregularities beside river banks, which hamper normal water flow will not be allowed, and will be prevented at any cost. However, the owners of the bamboo malls are doing business disobeying the act. Allegation runs rife the mall owners continue business under surveillance of law enforcement agency. Some local influentials are also allege

By Mehedi Hassan Munna A large number of people, mostly teenagers and younger adults in Bangladesh, are being affected with mental diseases. A government survey on mental health reveals that 16.1 percent adults and 18.4 percent children and adolescents suffer from some form of mental disorder. Common mental illnesses in adults are anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and substance-abuse. In children and adolescents, mental retardation is found to be 3.4 percent and autism 0.8 percent. Around 2 million people in the country are affected with mental illnesses. Moreover, the numbers of mental patients have drastically increased over the past five years, says a source in National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital. Mental health experts are of the opinion, the number of mental patients in Bangladesh is increasing gradually due to social instability, unequal competition in the establishment, addiction to foreign drama-serials, social and family ties, joint

    The Farmgate Park remains off-limits     to city residents due to illegal occupation.  By Mehedi Hassan Munna The Farmgate Park is virtually off-limits to most of the city dwellers as it remains under the reign of grabbers, muggers and drug addicts for long. Children, in particular, are being deprived of opportunities to play outside. Many people attributed the problem to the negligence of the authorities concerned. Located at the middle of Khamarbari and Indira Gandhi road, it is a lone open place for the nearby residents. But the environment of the park has worsened as the authorities are turning blind eye to tackling anti-social activities inside the park. While visiting the park, this correspondent found huge amount of foul-smelling waste and garbage lying there.  The park’s boundary walls are also in ruins. Several concrete-made seats get damaged. Plastic bottles and other materials collected from city corporation dustbins are

By Mehedi Hassan Munna Cervical cancer is the second-most common cause for female mortality after breast cancer in Bangladesh. Around 11,956 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the country every year, and over 6,582 of them die of the disease, reveals a study of International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Child marriages, frequent birth-giving at an early age, and unhygienic lifestyle are the main reasons for cervical cancer in most of the women. Dr Habibullah Talukder Raskin, an associate professor at the National Cancer Research Institute and Hospital said, “Middle-aged women are comparatively more exposed to be affected with cervical cancer than the old-aged. Women under the age of 35 are seen common to be affected with such a disease.” “Women of rural and impoverished families are more prone to cervical cancer.” Health experts say, cervical cancers are caused by infection with one of the high-risk Human papillomavirus (HPV) types. However, since n

By Mehedi Hassan Munna Dholaikhal, a large cauldron of scrap motor vehicles and parts in the old part of Dhaka city, is reportedly losing its character of mechanical healing. Allegations are now that the place, where the mechanical cure was readily available, is supplying poor and faulty vehicle parts and accessories. Some 5000 plus shops, run by self-taught craftsmen and unorthodox entrepreneurs, have made Dholaikhal as the country’s largest second hand parts  of motor bikes and cars. More than 50,000 people are employed there. But their reputation has been questioned for supplying low quality reconditioned machineries. While visiting the spot, this correspondent has noticed that almost all shops are heavily dependent on reconditioned tools. The motor cars’ accessories thare are available at Dholaikhal are motor engine parts, piston ring, steering, dynamore, motor socket, shelf, looking glass, hemi, gear box,  bearings, socket jumper and many other items are sold here.

By Mehedi Hassan Munna The 19-kilometre Dhaka-Narayanganj rail route has become vulnerable, posing a threat to the lives of people commuting every day. A poor signalling system coupled with a shortage of efficient manpower is contributing to train accidents frequently. At least four people were killed in a collision while they were crossing the Jurain level-crossing in a pick-up van on December 31 last year. In addition, at least seven were killed in the last two months in separate accidents at various crossings. Besides, many more were injured in the mishaps, according to Dhaka Railway police sources. Though there are 13 authorised level-crossings on the Kamalapur to Narayanganj route, more than 20 illegal crossings have sprung up. There are three crossings in Galachipa of Narayanganj while Aligarh, Fatulla, Nandalalpur, Bhangarpul and Bou Bazar of Shympur have two each. The unauthorised level crossings on this route have been credited for the unexpected deat

By Mehedi Hassan Munna Dholaikhal, located on the bank of the river Buriganga, is famous as the country’s largest market for old motor vehicles and parts, and likewise, notorious as the hub for allegedly stolen cars and motorbikes. Along two sides of the road and footpaths, and inside a residential area, there are around 5,000 shops that sell second hand, normally termed ‘reconditioned’ chassis and parts of motor vehicles as well as other accessories. The shops employ nearly 50,000 people. The area is overpopulated for the trade and there is hardly any space to even walk freely. From nuts and bolts to heavy engines, chassis to bearings, wheel drums, springs and small parts of motor vehicles are available at Dholaikhal. Thousands of buyers come every day for their vehicle needs as the apparatus is good in quality, and cheap in price. However, thieves and snatchers countrywide, especially in Dhaka area, have reserved the place as their source of income. They steal moto

By Mehedi Hassan Munna With a view to ensuring smooth passage of vehicles, work on the construction of the 13.31-kilometre long flyover from the capital’s Shantinagar to Dhaka-Mawa road via Babubazar Bridge is going on in full swing. The project is being implemented by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkhaya through Public Private Partnership at an estimated cost of Tk 2500 crore. The China railway construction company cooperation is carrying out the work on the country’s longest four-lane flyover. The flyover will have five up and down ramps alongside three toll plazas. Erecting a hanging-bridge over the second Buriganga Bridge is the most attractive aspect of the project, said a RAJUK official. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave the approval to the project on 9 January, 2013. “Necessary actions have been taken to ensure uninterrupted traffic movement during the flyover construction”, said road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader after the board meet

By Mehedi Hassan Munna To accelerate the country’s road transport and communications development, work on expansion of roads in Jurain, Kuchiamura, Srinagar and Atadi areas has been coming on fine. Sources said expansion of road in the capital’s Jurain-Postagola area began a few months ago. During a spot visit, this correspondent found an initiative to evict illegal habitants and tear down shops and kitchen markets in Jurain area. Besides, all unauthorised installments and hawker markets on both two sides of Dhaka-Narayanganj railway in Jurain area will be started soon. It was learnt that a project has been taken under the government’s road transport and bridges ministry for the development of highways. The project titled ‘Development project from Dhaka-Khulna (N-8) Jatrabari interceptor highway, including Ekuria-Babubazar link road, to Mawa and four-lane development project with separate lanes for slowdown vehicles in Pacchar-Bhanga part. Roads and highway depar

 By Mehedi Hassan Munna Some 1.22 lakh people are diagnosed with various kinds of cancer in Bangladesh every year, of which 91,300 people die prematurely. The information was disclosed at a press briefing ahead of the World Cancer Day, at the United Hospital of the capital on Saturday. As the rate of cancer patients continues to rise every year, medical experts at the briefing have stressed the need to create awareness on cancer alert signs so that anyone can seek medical help at the soonest, as early detection can save lives in most of the cancer patients. At the conference, United Hospital also announced a special discounted rate of Tk50,000 for positron emission tomography and computed tomography tests, commonly known as PET CT Scan, for early cancer detection and treatment during whole month of February. The hospital also highlighted the special scheme of 50% reduced rate of whole radiotherapy course for financially insolvent patients. For cancer screening tests, t

By Mehedi Hassan Munna Although the much-awaited footbridge at the capital's Dhania area of Jatrabari has been built and inaugurated, pedestrians still continue to jaywalk on the road to cross the busy thoroughfare.  The 30-meter long bridge was built recently on meeting point of the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet highway costing Tk 1.6 crore to thwart accidents, said sources at the Roads and Highway Division. Vehicles on the highway usually cross the point without stopping, and many accidents took place in recent times that claimed several lives. Thousands of people cross the highway every day. Following a demand from locals, the road and highways department constructed the footbridge which was inaugurated by  Road Transport and Bridge minister Obaidul Quader on February 2 this year. During a visit to the spot, this correspondent found some people were refraining from using the footbridge to cross the Dania-North Jatrabari junction, putting both vehicles and th

By Mehedi Hassan Munna Drinking water in jars and bottles is commonplace in almost every office, house and roadside shop in the capital city. However, this water is unsafe in most cases because of harmful elements in it. A research finds intense level of coliform bacteria mingled in almost all such jar water sold across the capital. A group of researchers at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) studied the level of minerals in jars and bottled water in Dhaka in December last year and collected samples from around 250 jars in the city’s Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Elephant Road, New Market, Chawk Bazar, Sadarghat, Keraniganj, Jatrabari, Motijheel, Basabo, Malibagh, Rampura, Mohakhali, Gulshan, Banani, Uttara, Airport, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Gabtoli, and Aminbazar, Savar and Ashulia areas. The level of coliform bacteria in the samples collected from Elephant Road, Chawkbazar, Basabo, Banani, Gulshan, Paltan, Motijheel and Sadarghat areas was found to

  By Mehedi Hassan Munna A string of problems has gripped the Specialized National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital, rendering it less able to offer proper healthcare to patients. The 250-bed public hospital, with all latest facilities, was built in the capital’s Agargaon area in 1989, but it is now offering inadequate services to patients. The hospital has 13 most-modern operating theatres, beds, ICUs and post-operative rooms. It also has a specialised outdoor and emergency department for patients round the clock. The hospital authorities are of the opinion that patient presence is still limited due to lack of publicity. During a visit to the hospital, this correspondent found eight rooms at outdoor department. An autistic corner aside, there are separate arrangements for aged patients who need not wait in a queue for a ticket. There are nine separate departments—cataract, cornea, glaucoma, retina, oculoplasty, pediatric ophthalmology, neuron ophthalmology, commu

 Staff Correspondent With superior quality products and competitive pricing, the country’s ceramic industry is fast becoming a booming sector. It was not long ago that foreign ceramic products like floor tiles, table wares, basins and commodes used to dominate the local market. However, things have changed for the better in the recent years as a good number of local manufacturers have successfully penetrated the market with high quality products. According to a competent source, there are more than 60 ceramic industries in the country while another 20 will hit the market by June 2018. The local companies such as RAK Ceramics ltd, Akij Ceramics, Fu-Wang, AG, Great Wall, Mir, Hiawatha, DBL, Star, Mirpur ceramics and others are the prominent manufacturers in the country. These industries mainly produce tiles, tableware and sanitary ware. Following the source of Bangladesh Ceramics Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BCMEA), the industry has experienced 200 per cent gro

By Mehedi Hassan Munna Deaths from heart-related diseases are escalating in Bangladesh. The middle-aged and the elderly are mostly being struck down with the diseases. Sources said most of the deaths per year are for cardiovascular diseases next to cancer here. Almost half the deaths at hospitals countrywide in 2017 had been due to heart diseases, reveals a bulletin of the health directorate. The deaths were reported in 514 public hospitals from January 2016 to September 2017. Most of the patients suffered major non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular, peripheral vascular, cerebrovascular or stroke, cancer, diabetes, chronic pulmonary and renal diseases. Prof Dr Asit Baran Adhikary, chairman of cardiac surgery department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said fatty food intakes, smoking, excessive alcohol, depression, hypertension and other factors lead to coronary diseases. According to public health experts, changing dietary habits, rapi

   By Mehedi Hassan Munna Despite the shifting of all tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar estate, pollution of the Buriganga continues unbridled. Thousands of factories and inhabitants on either bank of the river dump loads of garbage and other waste into its water, putting the river into great risk. A visit to the area by this correspondent revealed that the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority and Dhaka South City Corporation are jointly dumping millions of tons of trash and garbage without treatment into the river through a hundred points. With tanneries of Hazaribagh, some hundreds of polythene and plastic recycling factories in Lalbagh, Islambagh, Kamrangirchar, and more than two hundred dyeing factories have sprouted in Keraniganj, on land grabbed from the river banks. In addition chemical-mixed water from thousands of different mills and factories near Shyampur, Pagla and Fatulla areas is polluting the water of the river. Although thousands of tons of trash and garb

  By Mehedi Hassan Munna Panthakunja Park, which lies in the heart of Karwanbazar-Banglamotor intersection in the capital, has almost lost its real face. Lacking a boundary wall, and proper care of the concerned authorities, the whole park lies bare to a plethora of risks. This correspondent found stacks of unused broken tiles of a ceramics shop lying on the park ground. Numerous rejected materials such as bottles, plastic and other pieces of rubbish collected from city corporation dustbins are loaded in a storeroom inside the park. The floating people leave excreta at will, although there is a public toilet inside the park. Trees are also being cut down also due to the entire park area having no boundary wall. In addition, some inhabitants have settled after grabbing land on the western side of the park. As a result, there is no place for people to walk on the footpath of Paribagh road. Besides, garbage of the southern part spreads such a bad odour that passersby cannot