Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (July 13, 2023) inaugurated the operation of South Asia's largest single sewage treatment plant in Dasherkandi near Dhaka's Aftabnagar. The Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant is the country's first modern STP and sludge drying-incinerator with capacity to treat 500 million litres sewage. The inaugural ceremony was held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC). The plant will play an enormous role in preventing environment pollution and improving the water quality of Rampura canal, Balu River, Shitalakshya River and other water bodies, the authorities said. We are strengthening armed forces to protect independence, not for war: PM Hasina Constructed on the East of Aftabnagar area, the plant is being hailed as a milestone in the country’s sewage treatment. In the plant, some 45 metric tons of fly ash will be generated from sewage sludge a day, which can be used as raw materials in cement factories. The Dasherkandi STP will treat sewage coming from a number of the city’s areas, including Tejgaon, Niketan, Badda, Banani, Gulshan (part), Banani, Ramna, Eskaton, Nayatola, Magbazar, Wireless, Mouchak, Outer Circular Road, Mohanagar Housing, Hatirjheel, Kalabagan and Dhanmondi (part). The Dasherkandi plant will be able to treat 20-25 percent of the 2,000 million litre sewage generated in Dhaka city daily. Now is the time to act together globally to achieve UN SDGs: PM Hasina The plant has been built as part of a master plan taken up by WASA to construct five STPs to treat 100 percent of the sewage generated in Dhaka, in a modern and environment-friendly way, Dhaka WASA Managing Director Taqsem A Khan told reporters on Tuesday. He mentioned that the plant is modern and environment-friendly one. The quality of water treated in the plant is good enough. The four other modern sewage treatment plants will be constructed in Pagla, Rayerbazar, Uttara and Mirpur aiming to gain the capacity to treat 100 percent sewage of Dhaka city by 2030. Also on Thursday, the prime minister laid the foundation stone of Pagla sewage treatment plant by renovating the existing one. Govt planning to upgrade DMCH so that 4,000 patients can be treated at a time: PM When the Pagla sewage treatment plant is completed, some 40 percent of sewages generated in Dhaka can be treated. The Dasherkandi STP was implemented on 62 acres of land at the cost of Tk 3,482 crore. Of the cost, Tk 1,106.42 crore came from the government’s fund, while Tk 10 crore from Dhaka WASA, and Tk 2,366 crore from EXIM Bank of China. The work of the China-funded project started on July 01, 2018. The operation and management of the plant will be run by its contractor, HydroChina Corporation, for one year. According to the project outline, a waste lifting station on the west side of Rampura Bridge, a five-kilometre trunk sewer line from Rampura to Aftabnagar and Dasherkandi plant and the main treatment plant at Dasherkandi have been constructed. Bhatara’s sorrow: Living a year amid stagnant sewage and garbage

President  Abdul Hamid on Monday asked the authorities concerned to continue their efforts to increase the number of scouts alongside ensuring their quality through effective training. The President, also the Chief Scouts, came up with the directions while inaugurating the 50th Annual General Meeting (Golden Jubilee) of the National Council of Bangladesh Scouts and the awards giving ceremony at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the city.  The President virtually joined the function from the Gallery Hall of the Bangabhaban while Bangladesh Scouts President Md Abul Kalam Azad and Chief National Commissioner Md Mozammel Haque Khan also took part in the event there. Lauding the significant role of the scouts in serving the victims of disasters, including floods, cyclones, tidal surges and fires, in creating awareness about tree plantation, sanitation, health education, EPI programs, power and energy conservation, traffic management and the environment leading their respective fields of service. "Bangladesh Scouts have formed 48 disaster response teams to deal with disasters. The scouts are also playing an important role, ” said Abdul Hamid Mentioning scouting as an international voluntary, non-political and educational movement and in addition to conventional education, he also called upon all concerned to involve more youths in scouting side by side with the academic feat to build them good citizens. Also Read: President Hamid unveils inaugural envelope of census  He added that the main objective of scouting is to develop children, adolescents and youths as ideal citizens through education through continuous and planned programs as scouting is a complementary education system. Hamid said the scout movement is advancing with its outstanding contributions as well as glory in 171 countries across the globe while the number of scouts in Bangladesh at present is around 22 lakh. The President said the government has extended all possible cooperation to promote the scout movement in Bangladesh. Through this, the capacity of Bangladesh Scouts will be further enhanced and the Scout members will be able to play a more effective role in building the country and the nation by imparting advanced training. Emphasizing on empowerment of women in Bangladesh, he said boys as well as girls should be equally involved in scouting and if girls are left behind, the country’s development will be hampered. Extending his best wishes and congratulations to all the scouts and rover scouts and leaders and guardians who have won the 'President's Scout Award', the highest award of 794 scouts in 2020 and the 'President's Rover Scout Award', the highest award of 14 Rover Scouts, he advised the scouters to reflect the scout ideology in everyone’s respective works in their personal, family and social life and dedicate themselves to the country’s development as a true patriot and volunteers. The President said that nowadays, especially in urban areas, young boys are getting involved in various criminal activities including drugs and juvenile gangs.  He said scouting as one of the most important tools to keep children, adolescents and youth away from criminal activities, bigotry, sectarianism, terrorism and militancy.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Sunday said that women leadership is crucial in dealing with the adverse effect of Covid-19 in Bangladesh.

Prime Minister's International Affairs Advisor Dr Gowher Rizvi on Wednesday said the government is the guarantor of social justice and governance is an indispensable element to ensure the equitable share of people's access and opportunity.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday vowed to eradicate poverty from the country through united efforts of all. "If we all work together, there will be no poverty in the country," she said while addressing a programme virtually titled 'Gift of house to the homeless people in Mujib Barsho'. The programme was organised to handover 160 homes among the homeless people at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC).

State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman on Monday said that the government is going to purchase rescue equipment worth Tk 2,200 crore to fight against different natural disasters.

Digital Bangladesh Mela 2020, an exposition aimed at showcasing IT and ITES products and services in Bangladesh, is going to be held from January 16 -18 at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the capital.

The people are going to experience 5G demonstration for the first time in Bangladesh. Huawei, the titanium sponsor of the fair,  is going to run the 5G show in the 'Digital Bangladesh Mela 2020' which is set to begin this Thursday at Bangabandhu International Conference Center at Agargaon in the Capital.