Munna's blog

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...

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 ...

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 ...

    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 servi...

    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...

 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, the...

    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 Pl...

  By Mehedi Hassan Munna Keraniganj, a suburb of the capital Dhaka, is set to emerge as a potential shipbuilding zone. Lying along the Buriganga, once the lifeline for Dhaka, Keraniganj already boasts of at least 60 shipyards and hundred dockyards that employ some 20,000 workers. Although the industry is based almost on the old pattern and technology, it still holds a sound future. According to sources, 60 to 70 ships are built and more than 500 are being repaired every year. Around eight to 10 types of vessels such as water vessels, passenger vessels and MPC vessels are being built and repaired in the area. Industry owners said that uninterrupted electricity and gas supplies for the sector may open up a new era of economic development in addition to creating hundreds of jobs for people in the region. Filling up the local demand, the shipyard companies are exporting small and medium-sized ships and water vessels to some foreign countries including the United Kingdom,...

  Zahid Hossain Biplob with Mehedi Hassan Munna Despite double the demand for potato is produced in Bangladesh, the volume of export of the vegetable is not up to par. It is said that decreased potato exports are due to low-quality potato, lack of stimulus package and inadequate preservation. These are the reasons that have led to the export of only 1.15 percent of the total potato yield in the country. Sources said Russia earlier used to import 75 lakh tonnes of potato per year from here, but things have fallen apart. According to sources, potato export is on the slide as Russia is yet to lift a May 2015 ban on food safety grounds after detecting some contaminated consignments. Russia aside, Bangladeshi businessmen export to Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, the Maldives, Oman, Cambodia and Brunei in small volumes. According to the government’s agricultural marketing department, the domestic potato harvest hit all-t...

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...

  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 al...

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 f...

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 s...

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...