special
BNP trying to reach out to anti-govt parties to forge a greater unity
BNP has planned to forge a larger unity of anti-government political parties involving both the right and left quarters for launching a simultaneous movement “like the 90s” with a common demand for holding the 12th parliamentary election under a non-party neutral government.
The party has already had sittings with some left parties informally, and received a positive signal for working on a common issue of polls-time neutral government based on some conditions, a BNP standing committee member told UNB wishing anonymity.
He said their last standing committee meeting discussed the issue with great importance and decided to hold talks with the most opposition political parties to take their suggestions and opinions about how to wage an effective movement to realise their demand ahead of the next national election.
Thakurgaon people wait for bridge for years amid mounting sufferings
People of Ranisankail upazila of Thakurgaon are facing immense suffering for want of a bridge over Kulik River. Their long wait for the bridge is not going to end soon.
They use “Sako” (makeshift bamboo bridge) for crossing Kulik river. The villagers have to walk six to seven kilometers extra for not having a bridge to cross the river.
“It has been heard for many years that a bridge will be built. Measurement has been taken several times but no sign of actual work, said Ramiz Uddin of the area. “It seems like slaying the slain” he said.
Read: Goalundo bridge turns into death trap
'Shaan’ portrays the story of real Bangladeshi heroes: Siam Ahmed
The much-anticipated police action thriller film ‘Shaan’ was all set to hit the theatres on January 7, marking it as the very first film of the New Year.
However, as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is slowly but surely affecting lives in Bangladesh, 'Shaan's theatrical release got postponed on Wednesday.
Speaking of the film, silver screen’s newest sensation Siam Ahmed told UNB that it showcases a very authentic Bangladeshi story about the saga of real people.
“The title character of the film is a hundred per cent inspired by real human beings. I have been saying this again and again because our team has uniquely developed an authentic Bangladeshi storyline for our moviegoers, who won’t have to think that this is an unrealistic hero and unbelievable story,” Siam said at a press meet on Wednesday night in the capital.
READ: 'Shaan' gets Censor Board clearance
2021: A year of challenges for Awami League
The Awami League’s powerful momentum in the country's political landscape continued in 2021 as it did not face any challenge from opponents. There is no political force in the field now to compete with this political party which has been in power for three consecutive terms and 12 years now - a generation has not seen them out of power.
Last year, the Awami League celebrated the golden jubilee of independence in a grand procession and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation through colourful ceremonies.
Millions of leaders and activists participated in the biggest victory rally of the commemorative period.
READ: 'Lack of Transparency' report on Dhaka's Covid response: Awami League
The Awami League and its allies and affiliates have gained a huge reputation standing by the masses during the Corona period.
Though the country's oldest party did not face any challenge from its opponents on the field, it has repeatedly faced embarrassing situations due to exaggerations of the leaders, intra-party conflicts and the rise of the rebel candidates
Quader v Quader
Earlier in 2021, Abdul Quader Mirza, younger brother of Awami League General Secretary, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, came to the discussion directly delivering controversial speeches against his brother. He also criticized the role of the administration in the election. His speech created an embarrassing situation in the political arena. The party, the government and the administration also felt embarrassed.
Taposh v Khokon
The open clash between the running mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and former mayor Sayeed Khokon was the talk of the city over the mayoral nomination. Then in January last year, their dispute over the amount of money deposited in the banks became public.
Barrister Taposh has transferred hundreds of crores of money belonging to the city corporation to a bank he owns, but he is not qualified to be the mayor, alleged Saeed Khokon.
The running Mayor avoided the issue terming Sayeed Khokon's statement as defamatory and that legal action would be taken, warned Barrister Taposh.
Followers of the running and former mayors of DSCC organised processions and human chain over the issue after the fight of words had started.
Both remained silent for months after the intervention of party policymakers. However, on a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in June, the court ordered the seizure of eight bank accounts of Sayeed Khokon's business and family. He again alleged that Taposh was behind the ACC's activities. However, Taposh did not reply and avoided the matter as it is the jurisdiction of the court and the ACC.
Audacity of Gazipur mayor
A video, containing statements of the former Gazipur Metropolitan Awami League general secretary and city mayor Mohammad Jahangir Alam, about the number of martyrs in the Liberation War and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman went viral on social media Facebook last September.
On October 3, the Awami League protested against Jahangir Alam for his activities against the interests of the party and violation of organisational discipline. The party expelled him from the post of general secretary and primary member of the party at a meeting of the party's central working committee meeting on November 19. Then on November 25, the local government ministry also suspended him from the post of mayor.
Rise and fall of Helena Jahangir
Helena Jahangir is another name that has been discussed and criticised on social media for several years. She loved to introduce herself as a journalist, human rights activist, Awami League leader and singer. Last July, Helena was widely criticised for trying to form a nationwide 'Employees League'. Although she had never been involved in Awami League politics before, she became a member of the party's women's affairs sub-committee.
Soaring prices of key items in Dhaka turn up heat in the kitchen
The overheated kitchen markets in Dhaka left the middle class and marginal income groups of people gasping even in the winter season. “We’re now in the middle of winter. The prices of key vegetables should have gone down by the time, but the prices are on fire,” said Shamim Gowher, a businessman. After visiting various kitchen markets, the UNB Correspondent found that the retailers were selling popular vegetables at Tk 50 to Tk 90 per kg claiming that there was a short supply in major wholesale markets. But the wholesalers claimed that the retailers are charging higher prices for vegetables for no reason. According to his market investigation, the price of broiler chicken has shot up to Tk 200 a kg, pinching the pockets of commoners already battered by the surging prices of other essentials like rice, edible oil, sugar and pulses. Visiting some wholesale kitchen markets, the correspondent observed that the winter vegetables are selling at 20 percent to 30 percent higher prices based on quality this year compared to that of the previous year. The price variation of vegetables also is based on areas like Gulshan, Banani and Hatirpool. The prices of vegetables at Karwan Bazar, Mohammadpur Krishi Market, Mirpur, Khilgaon, Fakirapool and Motijheel are almost similar.
Read:Spectre of panic buying returns to kitchen markets ahead of lockdown
Security concern hits Cox’s Bazar tourism hard
Though the authorities concerned are looking for every way to beef up security to prevent unpleasant activities in the beach town, tourists have largely ignored it to visit during the New Year as some recent incidents badly tarnished its image as a safe tourism destination.
“Cox’s Bazar usually sees a surge of tourists on the eve of New Year every year but this year it was almost empty. Restrictions on outdoor events and recent rape incidents and skyrocketing food prices might be the reasons,” said Mahbubr Rahman, a physical teacher of a local school.
Hotel, motel and restaurant owners and those involved in tourism support services are now worried over the fall in the number of tourists during the peak season.
Also read: Cox's Bazar horror: Woman kidnapped & raped by 3 in front of husband & child
They said 50% of rooms in many hotels and motels were vacant during the New Year celebrations.
In the wake of some unwanted activities, law enforcement agencies have taken various steps to ensure the security of tourists while the local administration has set up a monitoring cell following the outcry of people over two rape incidents in the tourist hub recently.
Salahuddin Setu, councillor of Cox’s Bazar municipality, said, “Some 350 big tourist buses had been kept ready in designated parking spaces during the 3-day government holiday starting from December 16, while 250 tourists vehicles were there at local Ilias Mia High School ground to deal with the pressure of tourists. Once 700 buses, carrying tourists, used to arrive in Cox’s Bazar at this time of the year, but this time the number was 50 only, a sharp fall in tourist arrival.”
Gold losing its shine on the back of relentless price rise
Gold has a special place in people's lives not only as an ornamental commodity, but also as a valuable resource and store of value. It’s worth therefore extends from the individual to the state level.
No matter how expensive the paper currency is, its foundation of trust is shaky. People prefer buying gold regarding it as a valuable asset for the future.
Investing in gold is reliable. So everyone wants to save it as an asset. In countries of the region, including Bangladesh, gold has become an 'essential' commodity at the time of marriage.
Also read: Is Gold a Good Investment in 2022?
Of course, the rich are forced to go to the gold shops to protect their social status. But year after year the rise in gold prices has reduced the number of buyers going to the store. Middle-class and low-income families are under great pressure to maintain social norms.
The quantity of a bhori (11.66 gram) of 22 carat gold that could be bought for Tk150 in 1971, now costs more than Tk73,000. A first-class government official can no longer afford to buy even half a bhori of gold with a full month's salary.
What is life really like when five of a family are physically challenged?
Life with physical disabilities is tough for anyone and the struggle turns crueler when the whole family suffers from it. You will hardly find anyone to understand what the Zia Sheikh family in Faridpur is going through.
Zia Sheikh, in his early 40s, is a hearing-impaired man lives with his seven-member family at Megmachi village in the district’s Madhupur upazila. Ironically, five of the family members, including Zia himself, his mother Rina khan, 60, his wife Arjina Begum, 37, and two of their children have physical disabilities.
Read:Light in the abyss: Local engineers turn on GK Project's third main pump
Rina Khan, Arjina Begum and their 6-year-old girl Yasmin suffer with hearing disability like Zia while their elder son Akash, 15, has mental and physical disability by birth. Zia’s other daughter, Helena, 14, and son Tamim, 8, are the only members in the family who are not suffering from any disability.
Zia said his miseries started right after his birth as he was the youngest son of Karim Sheikh, a landless man in the village who had earned livelihood by begging.
After his father’s death, Zia looked after his mother. One day he got married and started his own family but they have to live in a tin-roofed and clay-made room. Zia somehow supported the family working as a day-labourer and tending palm and coconut trees of their in his village and adjacent areas. Arjina also tried to help him working in a factory but she could not continue because of her illness.
More sufferings hit the ill-fated family when Zia, the only breadwinner, got his spine broken as he fell from a palm tree. After taking a long treatment at Faridpur Bangabandhu Sheikh Medical College and Hospital, doctors said he needs a surgery to walk like before but Zia failed to manage the money for it.
Zia now can walk only with the help of a stick. “Our only recourse is a 1300-sqf land we bought by selling a cow we had. And we had bought it with money provided by an NGO.”
Beshi Joss dreams of taking Bangladeshi guitars and drums global
Who could think of a Bangladeshi acoustic drums brand six years back? When most drummers dreamt of having a western branded set of drums, Nafeez Al Amin was struggling to make one for himself. It all started out of dismay in 2015. One of his snare drums was stolen and he could barely afford another.
After trying several times, he succeeded making a snare all on his own and that’s when the story of Nafeez Al Amin’s Beshi Joss Customs began. Though it began as a one-man-project at his home garage, now Nafeez has a factory and a dedicated team working to take musical instruments, made in Bangladesh, to the next level.
Nafeez, who happens to be the drummer of a renowned Bangladeshi band, Arbovirus, said, "We never say no to anything, whatever demand someone comes up with, we do it our way. We have come all these way through many ups and downs, we had hurdles but we kept trying. We believe something which is done or achieved by trying relentlessly is ‘Beshi Joss’ and that’s how the brand stands."
Nafeez, also an assistant professor at Daffodil International University, was much appreciated by his peers after he succeeded in making his snare drum. This inspired him to make drums for others. So, he started the Beshi Josh Drums, the first custom acoustic drums manufacturing brand of Bangladesh.
Later, the brand began making cajons, custom electric and acoustic guitars, and that’s why the brand was titled to Beshi Josh Customs. Reuben Custom guitars, Beshi Joss drums and Ocean cajons- all these are now produced under the same roof at Beshi Joss Factory in the capital’s Baigartek area.
Pandemic had been hard for Beshi Joss Customs team as they had to leave their previous place in Ashulia. Besides, as the lockdown was imposed across the country their sales went down. However, the team passed through the hard days. They started working with a new spirit at the new factory-place as the lockdown was eased.
Read:Top five Bengali web series in 2021
Though it started with acoustic drums Beshi Joss did already make a good number of custom electric guitars on orders. They have been producing cajons on mass scale which are sold in different musical instrument stores across the country.
Nafeez has turned himself a master luthier, has a dedicated team that he has trained up and is being highly appreciated by the musicians and music enthusiasts across the country, and beyond the borders. Now it’s time to take this dream project to the next level. Nafeez says, “For our survival we must export. Though the demand in our country has been increasing day by day, it’s not always possible for domestic customers to afford these products. As many of our buyers are students and struggle to gather money for their required instrument.”
Light in the abyss: Local engineers turn on GK Project's third main pump
Irrigation is critical for crop production in Bangladesh and the heart of most irrigation systems are pumps.
There are 15 pumps – three main devices and 12 subsidiaries – in the Ganges-Kobadak Irrigation Project or GK Project – a large surface irrigation system set up by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) on the right bank of the River Ganges – the River Padma in Bangladesh.
The pumps – with a total lifting capacity of 153 cumec – are used to draw water from the Padma through an intake channel to supply it to the fields by gravity canals.
GK, the first major step in Bangladesh to provide supplemental irrigation to traditional rice varieties, covers an area of 197,500 hectares in Kushtia, Chuadanga, Jhenaidaha and Magura districts.
Read: EGCB signs MoU with Marubeni to build 100 MW solar plant in Sonagazi
Thirteen upazilas – Kushtia Sadar, Kumarkhali, Khoksa, Mirpur, Bheramara, Chuadanga, Alamdanga, Jhenaidaha, Harinakunda, Shailkupa, Magura Sadar, Sreepur and Daulatpur – are served by the project in two seasons.
However, the project, the largest lift-cum-gravity irrigation system in the country, largely missed its targets – raising food production, cropping intensity; improving cropping patterns and the socio-economic conditions of the farmers.
It is facing multiple setbacks both at the implementation and operational stages like other irrigation projects in Bangladesh.
Hundreds of farmers in four districts of the Khulna division have been deprived of irrigation facilities from the project for years. GK is now in the grip of land grabbers, mismanagement, and negligence.
Read Bangladesh’s single largest rooftop solar power plant inaugurated in Korean EPZ
The area of the project is shrinking day by day as land sharks continue to fill up the irrigation canals. Now only 116,000 hectares of land of GK is net irrigable.
Also, as there is no proper drainage system, most of the water supplied from the project is wasted. The system needs to be improved to prevent waterlogging of low lands as well.