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18 new wards under DNCC struggle to obtain civic services
Although five years have passed, tens of thousands of residents of 18 wards that were incorporated under the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) cannot yet avail the civic services they are entitled to.
This is despite paying holding tax since 2016, leading to disappointment among them.
Residents alleged they have been asked to keep paying holding tax through letters despite not getting civic services from the city corporation.
Read: DNCC holds street march to aware people against mosquitoes
Many dwellers said they have been included in the city corporation only in name. They did not get a single service in the last five years.
In a recent visit to some wards under DNCC, the UNB correspondent found that most of the roads in the new wards remain made of earth. There are no streetlights. Footpaths have been turned into dustbins and many illegal establishments have been constructed on both sides of the road. Waterlogging is a common scenario in these wards during rainfall. Local dwellers have been suffering a lot due to a lack of development work.
Md Wahid, an ex-UP member of No.40 ward, said, “We were included in the city corporation five years ago. But the city corporation didn’t do any development work in our ward. Now DNCC has sent letters to the dwellers to pay holding tax which created discontent among the locals. Why will we keep paying holding tax when we did not get civic services from the city corporation? We have been paying it in 2016. This is unfair.”
Another resident of No. 42 ward Mohammad Kiron said, “All roads in our ward get inundated by the rainwater. Our roads need to be repaired to reduce the suffering of the people."
He also protested the holding tax demanded by the DNCC.
On June 28, 2016, Dhaka North City Corporation had included 18 wards by dissolving 114 square kilometres of Harirampur, Uttar Khan, Dakshin Khan, Badda, Satarkul, and Vatara union parishads adjoining the capital. Five regions were carved out of these wards.
According to DNCC, in July 2020, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved Tk 4,025 crore for the first phase of development works in the new 18 wards. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the development works project in March this year. However, Dhaka North City Corporation didn’t start the development works due to a lack of funds. The government has a plan to run development works in these new wards worth Tk 22,000 crore in the second phase.
Contacted, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam told UNB that Bangladesh Army has been given the contract for the development works in the 18 new wards under the city corporation.
“We have received some amount of allocated money from the state exchequer out of a total of Tk 4,025 crore. The army has already started development works in these areas with this little amount of money,” he added.
Read: Remove haphazard overhead cables by June 30: DNCC mayor
Urban expert and Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) general secretary Dr Adil Mohammed said, “An ideal city corporation ward will have widened roads, drainage system, sewerage system, waste management system, health centres, library, community centre, educational institution, museum, theatre, playground, park, slaughterhouse, public toilet, and bus terminal to ensure service to the dwellers. Such facilities are not available in these new wards.”
He said a maximum part of the government lands in these new wards is occupied by the local musclemen. Occupiers have constructed high-rise buildings at various places and recorded land ownership in the name of persons and organisations.
The authorities concerned should conduct development works in the wards after freeing the occupied lands, and it needs to deal with the matter with an iron hand, added Adil Mohammed.
Selim Reza, additional secretary and DNCC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) told UNB that in accordance with the master plan, Bangladesh Army has started development works at No. 44 and 46 wards with a fund of Tk 300 crore, that is part of the Tk 4,025 crore approved by the government for the first phase of development work. Work in the rest of the wards will start very soon after getting money from the government.
About paying holding tax to the city corporation from 2016, Selim Reza said according to the city corporation law, residents must pay holding tax after the publication of the gazette notification.
Padma Bridge: Hawkers at Daulatdia Ghat in the same boat as ferry services
The hawkers who ply their trade on the Daulatdia-Paturia ferry route are newly worried about running out of business at Daulatdia ferry ghat now that the Padma Bridge opened for traffic on June 25.
The government had provided a clarification prior to the opening that ferry services, at least in terms of availability and legal permits or schedules, could continue as before. But the challenge was always going to be competing with the $3.6 billion bridge as a preferred mode to cross the river.
When it comes to public demand, they simply cannot compete with the bridge in the long run. And it now looks like their demise may come even sooner than expected. Alongside them, hundreds of hawkers who used to depend on the heavy footfall of launch passengers are faced with the same fate.
During a recent visit to the Daulatdia Ghat, UNB’s Rajbari correspondent learned that the shops situated along both sides of the ferry ghat were already closing. Some hawkers had covered their stalls in polythene.
The lack of ferry/launch passengers has also meant the usual bustle of the ghat is gone, and launch staff are no longer engaged in aggressive tactics to pull customers away from competitors.
Besides, passengers have to pay Tk 5 as entry fee to enter the launch ghat. A few passengers were seen waiting at the launch ghat after purchasing their tickets.
Alamin Bapari, a collector of entry fees at Daulatdia ferry ghat, said they used to collect fees from 6 am to 9 pm each day and some 4000/5000 people on average would go through the ghat each day, even just prior to the inauguration of Padma Bridge.
That number has already dropped to a mere 1200-1500, which is way under even half the number of passengers they served before.
Currently, passenger buses are moving over the Padma Bridge from Faridpur and people are using the bus to cross the bridge - a long-cherished dream for many. This is the main reason behind low turnout of passengers, said Alamin.
Also read: Padma Bridge to bring good luck for the Sundarbans tourism
Padma Bridge to bring good luck for the Sundarbans tourism
The Sundarbans, the world’s largest natural mangrove forest, braces for footfalls of greater number of visitors owing to the newly opened Padma Bridge that has brought the famed tourist destination in the south-western region closer to the rest of the country.
Travel to the region will be smooth and fast, according to tour operators and forest officials.
The forest department is already gearing up to welcome the rush of tourists by opening four new ecotourism centers close to the forest, which is shared by Bangladesh and West Bengal in India.
Read: Special cattle train on C'ganj-Dhaka route ahead of Eid
Tourists will now have direct road access to the forest and its adjoining areas Mongla in Bagerhat.
Md Belayet Hossain, divisional forest officer (DFO-east) of the Sundarbans said, “The new tourism centres will be built at Andharmanik in Chandpai range, Ali Banda in Sarankhola range, Sheikher Tek at Satkhira range and Kalabogi under the Sundarban Ecotourism Project at the cost of Tk 25 crore. The four new ecotourism centres will be added to the existing seven at Koromjol Herbaria, Kotka , Kochikhali, Dubla of Chandpai range on the eastern part and Hiran point and Kalagachia of west division.”
In these centres, gazebos, foot trailers, public toilets, watch towers and walkways will be built for tourists, he added.
Padma Bridge to transform Bagerhat’s tourism industry
The much-awaited Padma Bridge finally opened to traffic on Sunday. With this, the tourism industry of the country’s southwest region is expected to undergo massive transformation.
Thousands will get jobs, a new economic corridor will be opened for the region’s people. New establishments will grow centering Khulna, Bagerhat and Kuakata and the number of tourists will increase. Income from the tourism sector will also shot up manifold, according to officials and tour operators.
The expected transformation will be brought about by the Padma Bridge.
Also read: Shariatpur fish traders see huge prospects as Padma Bridge opens
Shariatpur fish traders see huge prospects as Padma Bridge opens
Fish traders of Shariatpur, one of the two districts connected by the Padma Bridge, are expecting that their business will boom as the much-awaited bridge opened to traffic on Sunday.
The fisheries owners expect new business opportunities with the inauguration of the country’s longest bridge.
With the opening of the Padma Bridge, a dramatic change will take place in the communication system of the entire southern region including Shariatpur.
Read: Padma Bridge: Over Tk 2 cr toll collected from vehicles on 1st day
The door of potential for the fisheries sector in Shariatpur district, one of the largest fish producers in the country, will be opened, said local traders and fishermen.
Fish traders expect that now it will be possible to sell fish worth Tk 500 to Tk 600 crore a year in Dhaka markets.
Different fish including hilsa netted from the point of Suresh of the Padma River can be easily sent to at least 40 districts in the country including the capital.
This will not only benefit the existing fish producers economically but will also create many new entrepreneurs and huge employment opportunities.
According to the District Fisheries Department, there are 15,182 fish farms in 2,626 hectares of land in the district.
Fish are transported by road from six upazilas of the district to different parts of the country including Dhaka.
Flood Water receding, but not the diseases, food, and water crisis
Kariman Begum in flood-hit Kharjanir Char in Gaibandha was sitting on a banana tree raft in front of her house hoping to get some relief.
“No one has come yet to see how we are surviving or what we are eating”, she told UNB about her ordeal.
Skin diseases caused by flood water is adding to the miseries of flood-affected people in char upazilas of Gaibandha. Water-borne diseases like diarrhoea are also a concern.
Read: Receding flood waters reveal disastrous damage in Sylhet
Finding no other solution Kariman and her neighbours Halima, Motin Kobazzaman, Mithu Mia from the area said they are applying turmeric mixed with kerosene oil for a little relief from the constant itching.
“I can’t find a moment of sleep due to the painful itching and fear that my seven-year old son can get washed away by flood water any moment. As it happened to many other families,” said kariman.
The authorities have claimed an adequate number of medical teams has been sent to the flood-hit region but none has yet shown up in the neighborhood of Kariman yet
The drinking water crisis in this region is immense. “Even amid this situation of extreme crisis we have to pay boat fare to just bring drinkable water from across the river during daytime,” said Kariman.
The Brahmaputra and Ghaghat River in Gaibandha were flowing a bit below the danger level though some others were receding on Sunday.
Read: Improvement in Kurigram’s flood does little to mitigate sufferings
“Residents of 25 char unions including Kamarjani, Mollar Char, kapasia, Haripur, Fazlupur, Uria, Ratanpur, Fulchari of Sundarganj, Saghata, Fulchari, and Gaibandha sadai upazilas remained stranded by flood water till Thursday,” said Motiar Rahman, Chairman of Kamarjani union.
“Many houses have little dry place to cook food. They are shifting their stoves to rafts and they can't afford cooked meals three times a day. They don't even have any toilets,” he said.
According to the authority, a total of 60 flood shelters have been opened in the district but people could take refuge in only 12 of them. For most of the centres are under water or threatened by river erosion.
“Many people are struggling with their only income source, cattle that could not be sheltered at the centers. Many have crossed the river with their cattle to save them,” said the locals.
“So far only 135 people including men, women, and children have taken shelter in the centres. However, 125 MT of rice, Tk 6 lakh, and another 15 lakhs for buying baby food have been allocated for the assistance of flood-affected people in Gaibandha,” said SM Foyez Uddin, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (in-charge).
Petrobangla to scrap compensation clause in future gas pacts?
After failing to enhance local gas production, state-owned Petrobangla has now initiated a move to modify the current structure of the gas supply agreement (GSA) with future power plants in Bangladesh.
UNB has learnt that a draft of the revised GSA was recently sent to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) seeking its opinion on the proposed move. And on their part, a top BPDB official said, the file has been forwarded to the Power Division with notings.
“We'll soon hold a meeting with all power companies -- public and private -- to discuss in detail the merits and demerits of the revised GSA, before taking a final call on the proposal," said a senior official of the Power Division, who didn’t wish to be named.
He, however, said that the Power Cell, a technical wing of the Power Division, had been asked to analyse the proposal and prepare a detailed report, which would help the Power Division to take a "right decision" on the file.
Sources said that the recent excessive hike in gas prices in the global market due to the Russia-Ukraine war forced Petrobangla to initiate such a move to revise the GSA.
Also read: Beacon of hope: Zakiganj announced Bangladesh’s 28th gas field
Petrobangla is the sole authority of gas supply to any power plant in the country. As a result, the BPDB and a private company have to sign a GSA with Petrobangla before moving for setting up a gas-fired power plant in the country.
“After a series of discussions and negotiations, Petrobangla sign a GSA with a power plant ensuring a timely supply of gas," said an official. "The recent volatility in gas and crude prices in the global market has put the organisation in a dilemma."
Padma Bridge to transform Bagerhat into a new economic hub
The much-cherished Padma Bridge will bring massive changes to the economy of Bagerhat, the southern district of historic sites, world heritage and white gold.
The overall economy of the district is based on agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and the Mongla Port. After the inauguration of the dream bridge, a revolutionary change will happen in the economic scenario of Bagerhat, said the stakeholders.
Farmers of the district can now send their produced vegetables all over the country using the Padma Bridge. Exporting of shrimps and activities of the Mongla Port will also be boosted.
Also read: Padma Bridge: How the nation’s dream turns into reality
People from the district said Padma Bridge will contribute to the economy of Bagerhat besides playing a crucial role in the national economy and contribute more to the country’s GDP.
Covid 4th wave begins in clusters in Dhaka, say public health experts urging caution
As the country’s daily Covid-19 cases crossed the 1,000 mark on Wednesday after nearly four months, experts feared that the fourth wave of the pandemic has begun in some clusters in the capital.
They said two Omicron sub-variants--BA.4 and BA.5--are probably fuelling the fresh spike in Covid infections like in some other countries in the world, and warned that coming weeks could see exponential growth in daily Covid-19 cases as the community transmission may begin soon.
Read: COVID vaccines saved 20M lives in 1st year, scientists say
The public health experts, however, think the new wave is unlikely to be as virulent as the previous ones since a very large number of people have some sort of antibodies gained either by infection or vaccination.
DGHS spokesperson Dr Robed Amin, IEDCR adviser Dr M Mushtuq Husain and former World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Advisor Muzaherul Huq made the observations while talking to UNB.
They emphasised on strict maintaining Covid-19 protocols, including the cent per cent use of masks and ramping up of vaccination to bring the most elderly persons under the coverage of the booster dose of the Covid vaccines to slow down the infection.
Bangladesh recorded 1,319 new cases and one death on Thursday while one death and 1,135 cases on Wednesday.
The country recorded over 1000 Covid cases (1409 cases) with 11 deaths last on February 25.
The daily-case positivity rate jumped to 14.32 per cent from Wednesday’s 13.30 per cent as 9,214 samples were tested, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Padma Bridge: How the nation’s dream turns into reality
Bangladesh is set to witness a historic moment on Saturday with the inauguration of Padma Bridge demonstrating to the world what this country can do on its own, proving the skeptics wrong amid the World Bank’s scrapping of committed loans.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who took up the challenge to go ahead with self-financing the bridge of national pride, will formally open the road-and-rail bridge, a milestone on the connectivity front, nationally and regionally.
Since the start on December 12, 2015 the work on building the country’s longest bridge at 6.15 kilometres did not stop even for a single day despite the Covid-19 pandemic situation and Holey Artisan tragedy.
Read: Padma Bridge a major achievement by and for Bangladeshis: Australian envoy
Praises keep pouring in acknowledging the prime minister’s courage, determination and political leadership amid enormous difficulties to make the bridge into a reality.
Even diplomats stationed in Dhaka spoke highly about her decision and the economic impact of the mega project.
On June 29, 2012, the World Bank posted a long statement on its website mentioning that it decided to cancel its $1.2 billion IDA credit in support of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project, effective immediately.
The global lender claimed that it had “credible evidence” corroborated by a variety of sources which points to a high-level corruption conspiracy among Bangladeshi government officials, SNC Lavalin executives, and private individuals in connection with the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project.
The World Bank provided information from two investigations to the PM Hasina, as well as the finance minister and the chairman of the Anti -Corruption Commission of Bangladesh (ACC) in September 2011 and April 2012.
On December 17 of the year, ACC filed a graft conspiracy case with Banani Police Station in Dhaka against Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, the then Bridges Division secretary; Kazi Mohammad Ferdous, the then superintendent engineer of Bangladesh Bridge Authority, and Reaz Ahmed Zaber, the then executive engineer of the Roads and Highways Department.
The accused also included former local agent of SNC-Lavalin Mohammad Mostofa and its ex-officials Mohammad Ismail, Ramesh Shah and Kevin Wales.