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Cox’s Bazar airport expansion: Officials hope to get direct international flights by 2023
As the work on the expansion of Cox's Bazar Airport runway gains momentum, officials involved with the project hope to get it ready for direct international flights by 2023, almost a year before the schedule.
“The runway expansion work is going on really fast,” director of the project Yunus Bhuiyan told UNB in a recent interview.
“Although the project is scheduled to be completed in May 2024, our target is to complete the work by November 2023,” he said.
Read World-class third terminal of Dhaka Airport to be visible by Dec: CAAB
Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority Air Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman said that Cox's Bazar will have an international standard airport once the runway expansion work is completed.
He said Cox's Bazar airport is going to find a place in the list of world's most beautiful airports. Tourists from different parts of the world can come directly to the tourist centres of the region.
“Pretty soon it would turn into an international airport. New generation Boeing 777-300 ER, B-747, Airbus and other big planes will be able to take off at this airport. This would create a regional aviation hub at the airport,” he noted.
Read PM inaugurates work on Cox's Bazar Airport’s runway upgradation
The runway will be expanded to 10,700 feet to become the longest runway in Bangladesh after the expansion project is completed. And 1,300 feet of the runway will run into the sea.
As part of the renovation the authorities have already completed construction of a new terminal building, increased supply of power, installation of airfield ground lighting system and other works
Sea sand filling work is underway near Sonadia Island in Maheshkhali, work on the terminal building inside the airport is nearly completed. Infrastructure and casting work on the terminal building has already been completed; finishing works will be done soon. Besides, the old terminal building is being repaired.
Read Cox's Bazar Airport set to get a spectacular maritime runway
EU to remain “steadfast partner” of Bangladesh on Rohingya front: Envoy
Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Bangladesh Ambassador Charles Whiteley has said they will continue to be a “steadfast partner” of Bangladesh in meeting the needs of the Rohingya and the host community with continued pressure on Myanmar for their safe return to their place of origin in Rakhine State.
“Clearly, I think, the majority of the Rohingya do want to go back to home,” he told UNB in an interview mentioning that everyone, including the government of Bangladesh, underlined that any return has to be “voluntary and safe” for the refugees.
Responding to a question on the EU's business link with Myanmar, the EU envoy said they are very careful when it comes to the economy as some people say why the EU does not suspend the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme.
Read: ‘Sky is the limit’, says new EU envoy eyeing dynamic relations with Bangladesh
Myanmar has been a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 1995 and, as a least developed country, benefits from the EBA scheme, which grants unilateral duty- and quota-free access for all exports, except arms and ammunition, to the EU.
Social entrepreneurs give rural Bangladesh access to retail banking
Where brick and mortar banks face a tough time reaching customers, agency banking provides the answer -- by delivering the last-mile financial services to the unbanked.
The unique concept has spurred a revolution in retail banking in several underdeveloped and developing countries the world over, creating social entrepreneurs who drive change.
This is also a win-win for all. Agency or "branchless" banking allows banks to expand their geographical presence in a cost-effective way, while customers gain from access to regulated financial institutions and agents benefit financially.
Read: Citigroup to exit retail banking in India
In Bangladesh, the role of agency banking got magnified during the pandemic and the consequent lockdown. All the stakeholders -- the banks, their agents and the underserved population benefitted from doorstep banking.
"Through us, a number of people in the villages now deposit their savings in banks rather than local NGOs," said Md Firoze, an agent based in Tangail's Mirzapur.
In fact, banks benefit from customers' money as the funds they lend come from deposits. And agency banking fuelled the growth of many banks in the past two years, according to figures available with UNB.
Read Nine public sector banks hold 27 percent assets, deposits in banking sector
"During the first wave of Covid-19 last year, I disbursed over Tk 67 crore inward remittances to beneficiaries in Mirzapur through the outlet of a private sector bank," he said, adding that adhering to all bank rules "is the biggest challenge".
While access to financial resources during the Covid-induced lockdown gave several families the ability to absorb the shock, many banks literally thrived and witnessed substantial growth even during the world's greatest crisis.
Seaweed farming can transform Bangladesh’s blue economy: Experts
Seaweed farming holds enormous prospect for Bangladesh to expand its blue economy as the marine plants and algae have multipurpose applications in industries like food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and fertilizer in local and global markets, according to experts in this field.
To promote seaweed farming commercially, the country needs to develop its market value chain which is missing yet, they said.
This world’s fast-growing sector still remains almost unexplored in Bangladesh despite having a large sea area in the Bay of Bengal following the disposal of maritime disputes with two neighbouring countries –Myanmar and India, said the experts.
Read Be the flag-bearer of Bangladesh's blue economy, President tells Navy
“Bangladesh can produce seaweed commercially alongside the fisheries and other marine resources in a bid to unlock the full potential of the blue economy,” said Dr Md Kawser Ahmed, Professor of Oceanography Department at Dhaka University.
He said the contribution of seaweed is enormous not only to the economy but also to the environment and ecology.
Read: Bangladesh's Blue Economy Cell falters; no progress in 4 yrs
‘Sky is the limit’, says new EU envoy eyeing dynamic relations with Bangladesh
The European Union wants to bring greater dynamism in its relations with Bangladesh engaging deeply in every way stating that “sky is the limit” when it comes to cooperation in boosting trade and investment.
“Sky is the limit when we cooperate with…the world is changing very quickly. The European Union is changing. Bangladesh is changing. We’ve to make sure that our relationship reflects that change,” Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the EU to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley told UNB in an interview.
The Ambassador, who came back to Bangladesh after 12 years of his first posting here, said he wants to see the growing relationship between Bangladesh and the EU “deepened politically” engaging all segments of Bangladesh society, civil society and with robust trading ties.
He said the relationship needs to be characterized in terms of new challenges and exploring opportunities in the digital sphere.
Also read: Additional €12 mn to be provided for Rohingyas, host community: EU
“Bangladesh has such a big batch of young people who are educated and tech savvy. That’s a huge resource for Bangladesh. We want to be with Bangladesh on that journey,” said the envoy.
Wave of Investment
The EU diplomat said they want to see a “wave of investment” in Bangladesh from Europe with a level-playing field in place after addressing the challenges. “We’ll be working together as partners.”
RU may turn to UGC to improve food options for students
As universities have opened their doors again following the long closure caused by the pandemic, and healthy lifestyles foremost in people's minds, residential and non-residential students of Rajshahi University have raised concerns over the eating options available to them at one of the largest public universities in the country.
Even the chief medical officer at the university's own medical centre has admitted meals served at the university's dining centres fall short of providing the daily nutritious intake recommended for a person to lead a healthy life.
Students meanwhile allege they are being served food cooked in unhygienic conditions and even stale meals at the cafeterias and hall dinings.
Most of the residential students take their regular meals from their respective hall dinings. Sometimes they allege insects and other unhealthy items are found in the meals of hall dinings.
Earlier on the day of the admission test at the university, many students allegedly suffered from food poisoning after having food from the cafeteria.
Abdus Sabur Lotus, a 2nd-year student of Mass Communication and Journalism department of the university, told UNB that he suffered from food poisoning after having lunch at the central cafeteria.
Read: Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar appointed as VC of Rajshahi University
Cox’s Bazar gears up to become world-class tourist destination
With the easing of restrictions at home and abroad, Bangladesh’s tourism sector looks forward to a quick recovery from the huge losses it has suffered due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Both the government and private operators are banking more on Cox’s Bazar that boasts of the world’s longest unbroken sandy beach along the Bay of Bengal.
For attracting both globetrotters and local holidaymakers Bangladesh government has taken up a master plan centring the most frequented tourist spot in the country, Cox’s Bazar. The multiphase plan aims to redesign the region into an exclusive and international tour magnet.
After the setback caused by the pandemic, this plan appeared as an effort to regain the momentum of Bangladesh tourism which will become visible within two years.
Detailed master plan
Chairman of Cox’s Bazar Development Authority Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Forkan Ahmed told UNB the preparation to implement the master plan has started from a small part of the district at first and it will be implemented in phases.
The administrative nod to the Development Project Plan sent for this master plan covering 690.67 acre square kilometres of the district has already been provided, said Forkan.
A year has been invested in the planning phase just to collect opinions and suggestions of the locals for turning Cox’s Bazar into the planned, modern and dream tourism capital of Bangladesh, he said.
Forkan said the master plan includes details of the locations of hotels, resorts, rest houses, hospitals and houses to be built and where restrictions will be imposed for movements.
“The whole plan will also be implemented considering the conservation of biodiversity of the region,” he added.
Poor hospital hygiene in Bangladesh: Patients concerned about appalling neglect
There is a growing tendency among middle-class patients in Bangladesh to avoid knocking on hospital doors, even in the case of any critical condition. The reasons they describe are not pleasant at all.
Poor hygiene management in hospitals and care facilities, the horrible conditions of toilets, dirty floors, bad smell in the air, overcrowding, noise, ‘unfriendly behaviour by nurses and doctors’ and surging medical bills are among the reasons why people try to avoid going to hospitals in Bangladesh.
“Maintaining hygiene in hospitals and clinics is extremely important, and then comes the compassionate approach by hospital staff, including nurses and doctors. That’s great amiss in Bangladesh’s medical service ‘industry’. And this is one of the reasons why many people go abroad for medical treatment,” said Shamsur Rahman (not his real name), in his mid-50s.
Also read: Medical equipment lying packed at 16 hospitals; HC orders probe
“In May 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic was surging at an alarming rate in Bangladesh, I was admitted to a city hospital and had to spend over three weeks there. For the first time in my life, I saw things, I mean hospital management, from inside,” he said.
Waste-to-energy: Bangladesh’s two dream projects face speed bumps
As city authorities are struggling to catch up with the growing waste management problem, the government is trying to handle it shifting its focus on waste-to-energy projects, but the projects taken so far failed to make any breakthrough.
Two much-sought waste-to-energy projects – one in Dhaka and another in Narayanganj – could not start the ground work even after getting the approval from the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase a year ago.
Dhaka, the national capital that generates some 6,000 tons of garbage every day, is expected to see a sea change in garbage disposal once the proposed waste-to-energy plant at Aminbazar could be implemented.
Also read: Cabinet purchase body nods 42.5MW waste to energy power project
The 42.5MW Aminbazar project, aimed at using the garbage of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), got the clearance from the committee on November 12, 2020 while the 6MW plant received its nod on September 16, 2020 to be set up at Jalkuri, Narayanganj.
Kindergartens in Chandpur struggle to recover from Covid-19 shocks, many stay closed
Kindergarten schools in Chandpur district reopened amid enthusiasm on September 12 after a long Covid-induced lockdown. Yet, 41 of them located in seven upazilas of the district have remained closed because of shortage of teachers and staff.
According to the Bangladesh Kindergarten Association five Kindergarten schools in Chandpur Sadar, ten in Faridganj, six each in Matlab Uttar, Hajiganj and Shahrasti, four each in Matlab Dakshin and Kochua Upazilas have remained closed even after mass reopening. Locals said these KG schools are about to shut down completely.
READ: Coronavirus: Primary schools, kindergartens to remain shut until May 29
Being hit by financial crisis during Covid lockdown, many of the teachers and staff of these Kindergarten schools shifted their jobs elsewhere for survival. Meanwhile, the students of these schools are now attending local government primary schools while many are attending local madrasas.
Bangladesh Kindergarten Association’s District President Omar Faruque and General Secretary Sabuj Bhodro said there were a total of 897 Kindergarten schools in this district. About 12 thousand teachers and 13 hundred staff were working in these schools.
However, many are unlikely to come back to these KG schools to reopen.
In addition, in most closed schools, furniture and other instruments used for teaching were sold out to pay rents to the landlords.
Meanwhile, those KG schools that opened have only a few students. About 40-45 per cent of students are absent from these schools.
Principal of Modern KG School on Bank Colony Road in the town Omar Faruque, who is also Bangladesh Kindergarten Association’s District President, said they are visiting the houses of the absentees to bring them back to the schools.
The authority of Modern KG School also asked its students to pay half the tuition fees but most of the guardians are unable to pay the amount.
READ: Govt plans to raise number of classes in schools, colleges: Dipu Moni
“That’s why we cannot pay our teachers and staff members who are leading lives in hardship as they didn’t get any assistance from the government during the lockdown. Only about 400 teachers received Tk 1,000 each as financial assistance from DC’s relief fund,” said Omar Faruque.
When contacted, District Primary Education Officer Md Shahabuddin said, “We are not aware of how many Kg schools remain closed in this district but we can say about 80 per cent students of government primary schools are attending classes in the district.”