Narayanganj, Apr 27 (UNB)-The incidents of murder have gone up sharply in the district as police recorded a total of 35 murders during the last three months of the current year.

District police sources said police recovered 115 bodies from different locations across the district within the first three months of the current year and they identified 35 incidents as murder. 

In January, 12 people were murdered by miscreants.  In February, six were victims of mass beating and feud among groups. 

In March, a total of eight persons were killed including Chhatra League leader Sohel Mia (27) and an expatriate named Tofazzal Hossain Babul. 

Police recovered 17 dead bodies from various locations in the district within 18 days of the month of April. Previously they recovered 29 bodies  in January, 28 in February and 41 in March. 

Superintendent of Narayanganj District Police Harun-ur-Rashid confirmed the increasing number of abnormal deaths and said police are investigating the murder cases to identify the culprits. 

Apart from the murders, 35 cases of death in road crashes and 56 cases of suicide, drowning and fire accident were recorded during the period. 

On April 12, Farid Ahmed (38), a Sub-inspector (SP) was crushed under a covered van on Dhaka-Chattogram highway. 

On March 31, an engineer named Mahbub Hasan Jewel (43) drowned in Balu river at Rupganj. On the same night three people, including  a presiding officer, drowned in the river while returning to Dhaka finishing Sonargaon Upazila Election process when a trawler carrying them capsized after hit by storm. 

Besides, bodies of 16 people who reportedly committed suicide in separate places were recovered  and seven people died throughout 108 days being victims to fire incidents. 
 

Dhaka, Apr 27 (UNB)- Students at Dhaka University’s residential halls say many of their house tutors, tasked with supervising them and ensuring their welfare, largely skirt their assigned duties and responsibilities.

Many students even said that the tutors, supposed to regularly visit the halls, are rarely seen. But these tutors do not shy away from enjoying the facilities provided by the university, and rejected the allegations raised against them.

The Dhaka University Ordinance 1973 specify that the role of a house tutor includes monitoring the arrival and departure of residential students, daily roll call, seeking explanations from absentees, vetting leave applications and looking after the dining rooms, canteens, furniture and other hall properties.

Currently, the university has around 150 house tutors and 112 assistant house tutors, apart from 19 provosts for as many residential halls. The university allocated Tk 69.5 lakh (almost Tk 7 million) to cover their allowances during the 2018-19 fiscal.

Nine house tutors and three assistant house tutors are being appointed against 2,564 students at Surja Sen Hall. Provost Dr ASM Maksud Kamal said the number is meager. 

“It’s impossible to properly maintain a dorm and its environment with such a small manpower,” he told UNB. “The administration must increase manpower if it wants to run the dorms properly.”

He admitted that pressure from political parties’ student wings did hamper their work at times. “Sometimes, the hall administration and especially house tutors are forced to avoid some of their duties in the face of pressure from the student wings,” he said.

The university pays Tk 2,100 allowance to a house tutor and Tk 1,400 to an assistant house tutor per month. Besides, they get points for promotion, and residential accommodation near the hall they are assigned to, on condition of completing duties in timely fashion.

A number of residential students of Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall complained that their house tutors rarely visit the dining rooms to ensure the food quality or the kitchen’s environment.

Simul Shahriyar, a residential student of Bijoy Ekattor Hall, echoed others. He pointed out that regular visit by house tutors can solve issues such as seat allocation and help ensure that students are served standard meals.

But an assistant house tutor of the hall, Md Juel Mia, rejected the allegations, saying that they try to visit the students regularly and provide their best services.

However, Tanvir Hasan, a residential student of Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall, said he does not even know who his house tutor is. 

“I haven’t seen any house tutor in the last one month in his block,” he said.
 

Rangamati, Apr 25 (UNB) – The fall of water level in the Kaptai Lake, the largest manmade lake in Bangladesh, and emergence of shoals in it are creating various problems, including the suspension of transportation and decline in production in the hydroelectric project.
 
The movement of launches in the lake remained suspended for the last several days due to its poor navigability, causing indescribable sufferings to two lakhs people of the district, officials said.
 
They said the Kaptai Lake was built over the Karnaphuli River as part of the Kaprai Hydroelectric power plant project in 1960. After its opening, it became the source of livelihood of local people through fish farming, river communication, irrigation, tourism and others.
 
Locals said no step was taken to dredge the lake in the last 59 years for improving its navigability despite their repeated demands.
 
During a recent visit to the Kaptai lake area, the UNB correspondent found a number of hidden shoals emerged in different parts in Naniarchar, Baghaichhari, Longdu, Barkal, Jurachhari and Bilaichhari upazilas of the district.
 
The drastic fall of water level in the lake is disrupting communication between the district headquarters and its upazilas. However, Rangamati Launch Owners Association have been providing services through engine-run small boats.

 
Besides, the production in Kaptai Hydroelectric plant has declined due to the fall in water level.
 
The authorities concerned of the power plant have been producing 110 MW of power through a rationing system from the 230-MW capacity power plant.
 
ATM Abjjur Zaher, project manager of Kaptai Water Power Plant, said the water level in the lake has dropped sharply. “Currently, there has been 80.16 points of water in the lake instead of 83.80 MSL (Mean sea level) and 110 MW power of is being produced through three units from the existing five units by rationing system.”
 
He said this situation will remain unchanged until there is adequate rainfall.
 
Moin Uddin Selim, president of Rangamati River Transport Owners Association, said launch movement in the Kaptai Lake remained suspended since Monday, causing immense sufferings to local people.
 
Commodore Mahabubul Islam, chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said the disruption in the movement of launches in the lake is unfortunate.
 
He stressed the need for dredging in the lake for improving its navigability saying that no dredging work was carried out in it since its construction in 1960.
 
AKM Mamunur Rashid, deputy commissioner of Rangamati district, said, “We’ve sent a letter to the high officials concerned demanding capital dredging of the lake. Already, a BIWTA delegation has conducted a survey in this regard.”
 

Dhaka, Apr 26 (UNB) — Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the 21-year-old all-rounder of Bangladesh national cricket team, is all set to appear in his first World Cup with the senior side when it is played from May 30 to July 14 in England and Wales. Previously he led the Bangladesh U-19 team that reached the semifinals of the 2016 U19 World Cup held in Bangladesh.

Later that year, Mehidy was fast-tracked into the Tigers senior team. In a memorable Test debut, he stunned England bagging 12 wickets with his disciplined off-spin. Since then, he never looked back. The right-handed all-rounder has established himself as an integral part of the Tigers set-up. Mehidy (MM) sat down for a chat with UNB Staff Writer Saif Hasnat (SH) recently. Excerpts:

SH: Dhaka Premier League just ended. You played eight matches and scored 64 runs with taking nine wickets. It is believed that the league was a chance for good preparation for the players who will take part in the World Cup. Was it really like that? How good was your preparation?

MM: Yes, it was a golden chance for getting prepared ahead of the World Cup. I have tried a lot to perform better. But I could not do it up to the expectation due to injury or sometimes it was too hard for the body due to extensive workouts. However, in the end, it was a very good platform to prepare before the World Cup.

SH: It will be your first World Cup. How does it feel to play in the biggest stage of cricket?

MM: It is a very big opportunity for me. It was my dream to play the World Cup since I started playing cricket for Bangladesh. If I can play better it will be helpful for my country and at the same time, it came as a big opportunity to show my worth to the World. If I get a chance in the playing XI, I will try to give the hundred per cent in the field.

SH: You played in the ICC Champions Trophy in England in 2017. Do you think that experience will help you here in the World Cup now?

MM: Yes, it will help us in the World Cup. We really played a good brand of cricket in the Champions Trophy. We reached the Semi-Finals which was our best performance in an ICC event after playing Quarter-Finals in the World Cup 2015. However, we have lost the semi to India. But, this time, I hope we will do something memorable.

SH: As per the record, you are very effective as a bowler in the sub-continent. But you have failed on various occasions in the other countries. You have to work hard to take wickets outside the sub- continent. How do you see this challenge in the World Cup which is scheduled to be played in England, which is not friendly to spinners?

MM: I get help on the wickets of Asia. But when the game is outside Asia, it is tough for the spinners because we don’t get much spin in those conditions. I have played the last Asia Cup in UAE where I did well with the ball (4 wickets in 6 matches conceding 171 runs). But when the games are in Europe, my main target remains to concede fewer runs and support the pace bowlers. If a spinner is economical, it helps the pace bowlers to attack. I will try to do this in the World Cup as well.

SH: In your cricketing days at age level, you used to say that you are a batting all-rounder. And you also have some good knocks at the age level. But currently, your bowling is the most talked-about side of your game. Do you think your battling is being neglected somehow?

MM: Actually, I am not getting much opportunity to show my batting ability. But whenever and wherever I get the chance to bat I try to give my best. I believe I will get chance to bat at a toper place in the batting line in the future which will help me flourish as a batsman in the national team.

SH: What do you think about Bangladesh’s chances in the World Cup?

MM: I think the upcoming World Cup will be a special World Cup for us because we have some senior cricketers who have been playing for the Tigers for a long time now and they are capable of doing big things. We have four players who have played three World Cups. So we can expect big things from them. At the same time, there are some world class players in the junior bunch of the guys. If we can create a good combination mixing both of them, it will be a World Cup which will be memorable to all of us.

Dhaka, Apr 25 (UNB) - Local solar module manufacturers have demanded a provision in the upcoming national budget for the mandatory use of 20-30 percent local products in different public development projects like Kabikha (food for work), Kabita (money for work) and solar irrigation pump. 

Solar Module Manufacturers’ Association of Bangladesh (SMMAB), a business body of local module manufacturers, has made the demand while placing their proposals for the national budget for 2019-20 fiscal year to the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

SMMAB leaders said such a provision is essential to support the growth of the local industry to achieve the government’s target to generate 3,100 MW of electricity from renewable sources by 2021. 

Local solar module manufacturers said there are a good number of development projects being implemented by the government where solar system is used or distributed. These include Kabikha, Kabita, solar irrigation, solar pump, solar rooftop and streetlight, and net metering.  

“But, there’s no quota or priority for local manufacturers to supply local products. As a result, huge substandard solar modules are being used in the projects without checking their quality,” SMMAB president Munawar Misbah Moin told UNB.

“We want the government to keep aside a specific quota for local products to be used in such projects. We want to supply our products maintaining standard to be set by the government,” he added.

The local module manufacturers said the local demand is now met mostly by imported solar panels ignoring the local products.  

Such a policy is not supportive to grow the local industry where local entrepreneurs have invested a huge amount of money, said another SMMAB leader wishing anonymity.

He said neighbouring India has been supporting the local solar-manufacturing industries since their inception. “That’s why the Indian solar industry is virtually thriving,” he added.

Local manufacturers said they are currently capable of producing 100 MW solar modules. 

SMMAB chief Munawar Moin said the local solar modules are now exported to different countries as well where they have to maintain international standard and quality. 

He said such industry needs at least a five-year income tax exemption to attract more investment which will ultimately create huge jobs.