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Lashed by non-stop rain, Bagerhat’s ‘White Gold' industry stands on the brink
Three days of torrential rainfall have plunged Bagerhat’s acclaimed ‘White Gold’ i.e. shrimp industry into jeopardy once again, with the combined losses in the sector estimated by the authorities at Tk 11 crore.
The ill-fated shrimp farmers of the south-western coastal district are no strangers to excessive rainfall, tidal waves, drought and other natural adversities in the course of a business year, leaving them with heavy losses. This year the pandemic has only increased the burden.
And now the shrimp farmers are demanding a share of the government’s stimuli program for specific industries to recover the damages.
Read Shrimp farmers count losses from cyclone in Koyra
According to Bagerhat Fisheries Department, 16,770 shrimp enclosures, pounds and crab enclosures were washed away in eight upazilas recently by tidal wave and heavy rain.
Kanai Mandal resident of Kainmari village in Mongla upazila said this time the water flowed 1-foot above the enclosures washing away all their nets to save the shrimps.
“Each farmer here lost a minimum of Tk 2-3 lakh worth shrimp and this kind of disaster happens at least twice or thrice every year,” said Kanai Mandal.
Read: Yaas leaves behind Tk 60 crore worth of damage, losses in Khulna
Abdur Rahman from Chandpai village said every year crisis of shrimp fries, virus in enclosures, price fall and natural calamities upsets the shrimp farming in this region.
Model fuel outlets to change Bangladesh's highway landscape?
Be it the development of high-speed carriageways or wayside amenities, investment in highway infrastructure is always considered crucial to the economic development of any nation.
While highways strengthen the road network across a country by facilitating the smooth and fast movement of goods and people from one part to another, wayside amenities like rest areas for drivers and commuters help promote road safety by curbing accidents due to incessant driving.
On the lines of developed countries like the US and Australia, Bangladesh is also all set to market its highways as a global brand -- by setting up what it claims model refuelling stations with spiffier rest areas to welcome motorists looking for a break from the road.
Also read: Summit signs MoU with Commonwealth LNG to help supply fuel to Bangladesh
According to State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, the initiative comes at a time when the government is developing a number of high-speed corridors across Bangladesh, including the Dhaka-Khulna highway.
Many BUET students not ready to sit term final exams online
A number of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) students are worried as the university authority has decided to take the term-final examinations of its undergraduate students online this year.
The students said final exams online cannot be a good option as most students reside in rural areas and face frequent electricity disruption and also a big portion of students haven't got enough logistical support to sit in final exams.
Read: Buet students threaten class boycott if Abrar murder accused continues classes
The decision of holding the exam online came from the academic council meeting of the university held on July 28.
The exams will be taken through LMS and virtual meeting software (Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Moodle) and students will be provided letter grade based on both term-final examination and continuous assessment.
The duration of each exam will be two hours and students will have to submit their answer sheets online through LMS software within 15 minutes of the end of the exam.
Read Challenges of 4IR: DCCI, BUET ink MoC
Exams will be taken, forming a group of up to 35 students for each test room (online meeting app) and two teachers will act as invigilators for each group or team.
Students were asked to use two devices during the exam: one device for video monitoring and another to be used for exam purposes. Students will have to open cameras during the examination.
Talking to UNB, students said most of them cannot manage two devices for exams and Internet connection disruption is a key barrier to sit online exams.
Read: Abrar Fahad murder: Expelled Buet student joins online class after obtaining stay order
The authorities should consider offline exams after ensuring speedy vaccination of all students, they demanded.
Botched road repair prolongs Bishwanath residents' misery
The repair works of a 13-km road in Bishwanath, an upazila of Sylhet, has now gone on for one-and-half years. Not only is the repair project incomplete - serious questions remain over the quality of work that has been completed.
At present work on the repair project has come to a standstill, with about half the 13-km road stretching from Bishwanath GC to the edge of Jagannathpur repaired (for what it's worth). Numerous potholes can be seen on the other half of the road.
Heavy showers cause waterlogging in the road making it even more dilapidated and causing untold sufferings to pedestrians in particular, who frequent this route.
The authorities approved the repair project on December 17, 2019. The contractor Shaon Enterprise got the tender with an allocation close to Tk 23.47 crore.
RCC slab casting, a form of concrete casting, was estimated to be needed on about 18 m in different parts of the 13.09 km road.
Also read: Thousands suffer as road turns unfit within a year of renovation in Sunamganj
However, the contractor took six months from the approval to start the work - among other things, the pandemic caused delays.
After working for a few days, they stopped working for another 3-4 months due to personal reasons. In this situation, when the tender was about to be cancelled, the contractor shifted the responsibility of the repair work to his other associates.
The locals said, "If the work had started on time, we would not have suffered. As half of the road remained incomplete, the road has become more dilapidated due to waterlogging caused by monsoon rains. Potholes are everywhere on the road."
Also read: Waterlogged Fatullah Stadium unfit for cricket
There are also many defects in the completed part of the road.
At present, the work has been in limbo for six-to-eight weeks. In this situation, there is uncertainty about the rest of the repair work.
Govt. moves to boost climate resilience of vulnerable people, says official document
The government is finalising a project aimed at enhancing the climate resilience of vulnerable communities who live on coastal islands and riverine chars in the country.
The project titled, ‘Adaptation Initiative for Climate Vulnerable Offshore Small Islands and Riverine Charland in Bangladesh’ is under process for approval, according to an official document.
Spanning over five years, the project will be implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change following UNDP’s National Implementation Modality.
Read: COP26: Global competition launched to find top climate science communicators
This project has four components. First one is: Enhancing climate resilience of households through climate-resilient housing, electrification and climate-proof water provisioning, and the second is increasing climate resilience of communities through climate-resilient infrastructure, climate risk mapping and inclusive cyclone preparedness.
The third component is improving income and food security of communities by innovating and providing assistance to selected households for climate-resilient livelihoods practices while the 4th is boosting knowledge and capacity of communities, government and policymakers to promote climate resilient development on chars.
According to the project proposal USD 2,007,828 is needed for Component 1 whereas USD 2,317,726, USD 3,397,068 and USD 614,700 will be needed for Component 2, Component 3 and Component 4 respectively.
Project execution cost has been fixed USD 875,000 while Total Project Cost is USD 9,212,322.
Implementing Entity Project Cycle Management Fee Of the project is USD 783,047.
The US$ 9,995,369 has been sought from the Washington based Adaptation Fund (AF) to address the knowledge technical, financial and institutional barriers to climate-resilient housing, infrastructure and livelihoods, the document said.
Dhaka city dwellers breathe clean air throughout July, says study
This past July the Dhaka city dwellers got a special treat from the nature. The air they breathed in was much cleaner as the air quality significantly improved thanks largely to pollution-reducing rain, Eid exodus and Covid restrictions.
Even Dhaka got a niche among the world’s top ten cities having clean air from July 22-31 last, a relief for an overcrowded city known for its severe air pollution.
Read: Dhaka’s air quality improved in lockdown, a blessing in disguise!
According to the data of the US-based IQAir Visual, Dhaka was also among the top five cities for particular times on July 24 and 30 for the good air quality, said Prof Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, the founder and director of Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) of Stamford University Bangladesh.
The city’s air quality significantly improved in July as its Air Quality Index (AQI) score remained less than 100 in the most of days of the month.
The AQI score 0-50 is considered as ‘good’ air quality, while 51-100 as moderate, 101-150 as unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 as unhealthy, 201-300 as very unhealthy and 301 and above as hazardous.
Covid in Bangladesh: Seniors far more likely to face the worst
Elderly people, aged 60 years or above, make up around 7.5% of Bangladesh’s total population, but they account for around 80 percent of Covid fatalities due to comorbidities and weakened immune systems, say health experts.
As the government is set to embark on a special drive to vaccinate one core people in a week from August 7, they said a strategy should be there to immunise the senior citizens on the top priority basis to reduce the growing Covid death rate in the country.
The analysts also said community engagement and mobile vaccination teams are crucial to ensure the vaccines for elderly people, especially in rural areas, as they are less aware of the vaccines while many of them are sick and unable to go to the vaccination centres.
Read: Covid fatality rate 90% among elderly villagers, says health minister
Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday said one crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be administered among people in a festive mood across the country on August 7-14.
Low infection high mortality
Talking to UNB, Robed Amin, spokesman of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said the percentage of people aged over 60 infected with the coronavirus is relatively low, but the mortality rate in this group is very high as they suffer from various critical diseases.
He said the senior citizens are mostly getting infected by young people while 80% of them are dying from the virus infection. “As per our data, around 80% of Covid deaths in our country are among people in their 60s or older.”
Read COVID-19 Delta variant explained: Things to know about this Coronavirus strain
Prof AKM Nurun Nabi, founder Chairman of Dhaka University’s Population Sciences department, said elderly people aged 60 years and above constitute around 7.5% (12.5 million) of the country’s total population. “Elderly people are usually vulnerable to any disease as they lose their resistance power and suffer from various chronic and critical diseases. So, the mortality rate of aged Covid-19 patients is very high all over the world."
Dengue alert: CU survey team finds Aedes larvae at 15 spots in Chattogram
A survey team of Chittagong University has detected Aedes mosquito larvae at 15 spots of the port city after examining samples collected from 99 localities and suggested spraying mosquito repellant medicines to eradicate Aedes.
Chittagong University Proctor Dr. Rabiul Hasan Bhuiyan, the convener of the research team, disclosed it to UNB on Sunday night, although the official results of the survey which started on July 5 are yet to be released.
Read: Dengue control room to function from tomorrow: DSCC
Dr. Rabiul, however, refused to name the places where the larvae were found before the official submission of the survey report to City Corporation authorities.
“We’ve also examined the effectiveness of different medicines on the Aedes mosquitoes. In our report, we’ll provide an overall strategy on how to make anti-mosquito drives more effective,” he added.
Chattogram City Corporation authorities said they will receive the survey report on Monday (Aug 2) and an all-out mosquito eradication drive will be initiated based on that.
Read Dengue vs. COVID-19: Symptoms, when & where to test, ways of prevention
Unauthorized production of lead acid batteries endanger environment, say experts
An uncontrolled growth of Illegally made lead acid batteries and their recycling across the country is posing a great threat to environment and public health, according to officials and environmentalists.
The unauthorized business continues unabated due to the absence of any comprehensive plan and effective watchdog mechanism, they said.
The Department of Environment (DoE), the environment watchdog, can do little with its only 11 designated officials to deal with over 500 illegal recycling and manufacturing plants, official sources said.
Read: Acid, lead from expired batteries threaten health, environment in Khulna
The DoE, however, promulgated a new gazette notification on Feb. 25 this year replacing its old one of 2006 to check the illegal business through some mandatory provisions, but its inadequate logistics made no major impact on the industry.
Environmentalists found the latest DoE move a feudal practice that fails to yield any expected result because of the lack of coordinated and comprehensive plan in its enforcement mechanism.
Battery industry insiders said currently there are over 500 illegal battery recycling and 35 illegal manufacturing plants in operation across the country.
Read: Info-Sarker-3: Lithium-ion battery use “to harm environment”
These came up in last 15 years as the batteries were in high demand for multiple uses, particularly in battery-run easybikes, solar power, industries and motor vehicles.
According to the environmentalists a good number of the unauthorized plants were set up by some Chinese nationals who came to the country on travel visa and got involved in the business in connivance with their local partners.
A big number of these plants were set up in Gazipur, Savar and Demra area while others are in other parts of the country.
Read Demand raised for formation of environment clubs
On the other hand, as per statistics of Accumulators Battery Manufacturers & Exporters Association of Bangladesh (ABMEAB), there are 24 legally-set up battery manufacturing industries of which five have recycling processing facilities meeting the government’s compliances.
Sharif Jamil, General Secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA), a platform of environmentalists, observed that frequent disposal of lead acid battery at open places by battery sellers and illegal recyclers leads to a serious air pollution posing a great risk to human body.
Experts said lead acid batteries are made up of plates of lead and separate plates of lead dioxide, which are submerged into an electrolyte solution of about 38% sulphuric acid and 62% water.
Read: Lead Exposure: Bangladesh 4th worst-hit in terms of child deaths
If the batteries are melted in open places without following modern disposal and recycling system, they said, it interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues including heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems.
They also said lead interfered with the development of the nervous system and was, therefore, particularly toxic to children, causing potentially permanent learning and behaviour disorders.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, confusion, headache, anaemia, irritability, and in severe cases, seizures, coma and death. Routes of exposure to lead include contaminated air, water, soil, food, and consumer products.
The environmentalists said the recent introduction of solar home system and electric vehicles had given a big boost to the use of lead acid batteries, which prompted a number of local and foreign national firms to come into the battery manufacturing business.
Read Experts seek gender-responsive environment for volunteer engagement
Recent closure of about 3000 battery manufacturing plants in China also played a big role in setting up business by Chinese nationals, said a top official at the DoE.
According to battery industry insiders more than 5 million units of batteries are used annually by different sectors in Bangladesh with its 10% growth rate.
Director General of DoE Md Ashraf Uddin admitted the existence of illegal battery recycling and manufacturing business and said his department launches drives frequently against their operators through mobile court across country and file cases on regular basis.
“But on many occasions, the actual owners of these illegal business remain untraceable as they are not found on the spot during our operations”, he told UNB.
Read Environment Minister to highlight Bangladesh priorities at 'COP26 July Ministerial'
He also claimed that the recently promulgated new regulations will play a major role in checking the illegal business as it made mandatory for business operators to meet some compliances to run their business—either in the sales, disposal, recycling or manufacturing.
He, however, expressed his limitations in enforcement of the new law because of lack of adequatelogistics as the DoE has only 11 officials to deal with the matter across the country.
The BAPA general secretary said the DoE’s move will not be able to improve the situation unless there is any comprehensive plan with necessary logistics with strong commitment.
“First of all, the government needs to change its current mind set to deal with the matter”, said Sharif Jamil.
Read Climate action: BYLC holds World Environment Day Creative Competition
About the illegal recycling and manufacturing, an official of ABMEAB said some Chinese nationals come to the country and collect a primary permission from Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and start business without any compliance.
He said the issue was discussed in a tripartite meeting of BIDA, DoE and battery manufacturers, but no positive response came from the BIDA to check this illegal business.
ABMEAB President Munawar Misbah Moin said illegal battery operators not only harm environment and public health, but it also hurt the tax-paying legal plant operators.
Read Environmental Sustainability: Dekko ISHO joins hands with Eco Via
The emerging new normal in the entertainment industry
The festivity of Eid, whether at the end of a month of fasting or with the qurbani (sacrificial offering) of cattle, has traditionally been the most important period of the year for the country's cinema, and general entertainment industry. Each year, the two chunks of holidays were always observed with a number of new movies in the theatre halls and a lot of television dramas for the viewers at home.
Even in the entertainment industry's worst years, or as the number of cinema halls up and down the country kept shrinking, this remained a fixture, with the year's most anticipated movie premieres booked around the Eid holidays and the Bengali New Year.
Read:“Ghotona Shotto” infuriates audiences for insensitive portrayal of children with special needs
The exception occurred finally in 2020, in the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, and now it has carried over and taken away 2021 as well. Another Eid just passed with no new films in the theatre but a significant number of drama productions.
Due to the ongoing global pandemic of Covid-19, two of these biggest yearly festivals were not celebrated with brand new movies in the theatres. However, thanks to the moneymaking platforms like YouTube and OTT platforms as well as the classic medium of entertainment, television - the drama industry saw a massive amount of new productions for Eid-ul-Adha.A large number of new films namely the much-awaited “Mission Extreme”, “Operation Sundarban”, “Bidrohee” and more were scheduled to be released this Eid, which could not be possible because of the current hazardous situation in the country.
Read:Bongo introduces seven original telefilm adaptations Based on books this EidMeanwhile, small screens including television, YouTube and OTT’s took the charge of mass-entertaining people on the festive holidays, which have also been elongated amid the nationwide shutdown and let people watch the contents more comfortably on their cellphones, laptops and smart televisions.According to the producers and various production companies, more than 300 drama productions have entertained the audiences this Eid, uploaded on YouTube after being aired on television. The TV channels aired these dramas on their usual 5 to 7 days special programme schedules, starting from Eid day.
Read Greatest Business Movies for Entrepreneurs: Inspiration to Start Something New
Based on the ‘Trending’ section of YouTube which showcases the interest of the viewers at the platform in specific regions, a handful of recently made and aired drama productions are dominating the top-list among other contents; although ‘Trending’ sometimes changes in a few hours, sometimes for one-two or three, even weeks. Over the last couple of years, a trend has been ongoing to air hundreds of drama productions on Eid occasions. For a considerably long period, Eid dramas were mostly comedy-based productions with monotonous themes and recurring storylines, however, due to the increasing competition on the above-mentioned platforms, makers are now becoming more aware of what kind of drama the audience is interested in and that has been vividly reflected on the trending dramas of this Eid.
Read Best Olympic Movies of All Time: The Greatest Films Enlightening the Kingdom of Olympians