The High Court on Tuesday (March 19, 2024) ordered Khulna-4 MP and vice president of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Abdus Salam Murshedy to hand over his residence in Gulshan to the Housing and Public Works Ministry. The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadoth Hossain passed the order and asked Murshedy to complete the process within three months after receiving the copy of the verdict. The court also said that the residence in Gulshan where Salam Murshedy is living is an abandoned property of the government. Govt to guard against complacency: Hasan Mahmud Senior Advocate Mohammad Syed Ahmed stood for Murshedy, Senior Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan for Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) while deputy attorney general Saifuddin Khaled represented the state and Advocate Anik R Haque stood for the petitioner. Advocate Syed said they will file an appeal petition challenging the verdict. On October 30, 2022, Barrister Sayedul Haque Sumon filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking an inquiry into the allegations of corruption against the BFF official. According to the writ petition, the house located in Gulshan-2 was listed as the abandoned house under the gazette in 1986. But Murshedy is living there after occupying it. Three letters of the Housing and Public Works Ministry to the chairman of Rajuk issued on April 13, 2015, January 20, 2016 and July 4, 2022 were attached to the writ petition. The Housing and Public Works Ministry sought explanation from Rajuk Chairman over the occupation of the house by Murshedy . On November 1, 2022, the HC issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the inaction of the authorities concerned in taking legal steps against the AL lawmaker for occupying the house illegally, should not be declared beyond legal authority. BNP claims acting chairman's speech distorted by using AI It also asked the authorities concerned to submit all documents regarding the house to the court. On February 8 this year, the ACC in its investigation found the allegations of forgery and fraud over the house true and on the basis of information of witnesses and documents, the ACC filed a case against five people including Murshedy.

Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC) has finally started the work to lay underground cables that will replace the high voltage overhead transmission lines in Hatirjheel area. “We’ve already laid 2.2km of 132 kilovolt (kV) underground cables, out of a total length of 3.5 km. We hope, by next year people will not see any overhead cables in Hatirjheel,” Bikash Dewan, managing director of DPDC, told UNB. He informed that the cables are being laid underground through digging the roads in southern part of the Hatirjheel area and cables reach the Mogbazar through Rampura Bridge area. The Hatirjheel Lake was artificially created in a vast area of Gulshan, Tejgaon and Rampura as part of the city's beautification and environmental protection plan. But the overhead cables were out of place with the plan. Read more: Dhaka alone experiencing over 600 MW of load shedding during daytime Removing overhead cables from Hatirjheel is a part of the DPDC’s larger plan to take all its overhead cables underground from different areas in the city’s central, west and southern parts. The DPDC undertook a “Power Distribution System Upgrading Project” to improve its network and system in its command area in Dhaka city and signed a contract with the Chinese contractor TBEA in September in 2019 to implement the China-funded Tk 20,500 crore mega project. DPDC officials said that earlier they completed the design of the project in which a total of 190 kms of overhead electricity cables will be removed and taken underground from different areas in the city. Of these, about 115 kms are of 11 kV overhead lines, and 75 kms are 0.4 kV lines, they said, adding that all kinds of overhead electric cables will go underground and no cable will remain visible in a particular part of Dhanmondi area that includes Satmasjid Road, Mirpur Road, City College and Greenherald School area. Read more: Coordination demanded in underground cabling of electricity, internet lines Under the project, 40 substations will be set up in the city and cables in Dhanmondi residential areas will be laid underground. Taking overhead cables underground from Jahangir Gate in Cantonment to Motijheel is also included in DPDC’s other similar project which was already completed. “Of the areas, implementation work of the project in Dhanmondi area is in progress,” said Bikash Dewan, addingwork will be started gradually in many more areas. DPDC officials said the equipment for the project has already arrived from abroad. Under the project in the Dhanmondi area, pole-mounted transformers are being replaced with box-type transformers. Read more: Overhead electricity cables to go underground in major cities: Nasrul Hamid   Some 36 box-type transformers, 296 of 6-way ring main units (RMU), 34 of 3-way RMUs and 130 LV Cabinet will be installed to facilitate the underground cabling system, they informed. They said the project was supposed to kick off in January 2020. But the Chinese engineers who were responsible for designing the works got stuck in their hometown Wuhan following the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. Officials said most of the materials, equipment and system were brought to the country for the Dhanmondi pilot project. Bikash Dewan said once the project is implemented, it will play a vital role in improving the power distribution system and substantially check the unexpected interruption in power supply. Read more: DPDC blames delay in launching Dhanmondi underground cable project on DSCC, hails DNCC cooperation

The cloud kitchen scene has had a boom in the last few years partly due to the health restrictions and safe distancing needs that arose during the pandemic. People got more used to the concept of ordering in and having a great meal from the comfort of their homes or offices. Read More: Bangladesh Cloud Kitchen Business Heralds Improved Food Delivery Services This paradigm shift in dining choice has made way for several cloud kitchens based in different areas of Dhaka. The newest addition is the Dhaka Cloud Kitchen & Catering Services. The cloud kitchen is currently operating in the “tri-state” area (Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara) along with Bashundhara. On March 2, Dhaka Cloud Kitchen pulled off a successful delivery of 150 customised packages and exceptional catering services to Dhaka WASA.

The High Court has banned the streaming of “Faraaz” – an Indian film based on the 2016 terrorist attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka’s Gulshan – on online platforms in Bangladesh. The HC bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir today passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed against the screening of the movie directed by Hansal Mehta. Barrister Rokan Uddin Mahmud and the lawyer Ahsanul Karim stood for the petitioner at the court. Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar represented the state. Read more: Holey Artisan victim's mother vows to fight release of Bollywood film on tragedy The petition was filed against the streaming of the film online and screening at movie theatres by Ruba Ahmed, mother of Abinta Kabir who was one of the victims of the attack. “As the film is yet to be approved by the Censor Board, today’s directive does not mention a ban on screening in cinema halls,” the petitioner’s lawyer Ahsanul Karim told UNB. Produced by T-Series and Benaras Media Works, “Faraaz” is loosely based on the terrorist attack at Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1, 2016. At least 22 people, including 17 foreign nationals, were killed in the attack. Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain and Abinta Kabir were among the victims alongside Tarishi Jain and Ishrat Akhond. Read more: Abinta Kabir Foundation sends legal notice to FARAAZ movie producers Two police officers were also killed in the attack. Since the trailer of Hansal Mehta’s much-talked-about Bollywood film “Faraaz” was released, Ruba Ahmed took to the media to express her objections to releasing and promoting the film in Bangladesh. Ahmed, alongside the mother of Tarishi Jain, an Indian national who was killed in the attack, has also fought a legal battle at Delhi High Court to stop the release of “Faraaz”. However, the Indian court refused to block the film which was released in theatres across India on February 3. Read More: Holey Artisan Victim Faraaz's Heroism is Now on the Silver Screen

A fire that quickly tore through an apartment block in the capital's Gulshan Sunday evening was brought under control after four hours, the authorities said. A man, aged around 30, was killed after the deadly fire engulfed the multistorey building. He was declared dead at 10:25pm after being rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of the hospital's police outpost, said. "Three people were taken to the hospital with burn injuries from the building, which got engulfed in huge flames. Also, 22 people – nine men, 12 women, and one child – have been rescued so far," Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters media cell, said. "The fire broke out on the seventh floor of a 12-storey building in Gulshan-2 at 6:59pm. However, the reasons for the fire mishap and the extent of damage could not immediately be confirmed," he added. In the visuals emerging from the site, huge flames coupled with thick clouds of black smoke were seen billowing out of the building. The number of firefighting units responding to the blaze grew to 19, and the responders tried valiantly to tame the flames, Anwarul said. Later, the army and air force also joined the rescue operation.      

After getting the clearance for his much-anticipated film ‘Shonibar Bikel’ (Saturday Afternoon) from Bangladesh Film Censor Board on Saturday afternoon, acclaimed filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said that he is thankful but does not want any filmmaker to experience what he had to endure film for the last four years. “I feel relieved to get this news finally after all these years. At the same time, I just want to say that whatever I have gone through for this film - I don’t want any filmmaker to go through those,” Farooki told UNB on Saturday. For the last four years, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s 8th directorial film Shonibar Bikel - a Bangladeshi-German-Russian co-production, a political thriller inspired by the 2016 Holey Artisan massacre in Gulshan shot almost entirely in a single take, was stuck and denied the censor certificate from Bangladesh Film Censor Board. It features an ensemble cast of Nusrat Imrose Tisha, Zahid Hasan, Mamunur Rashid, Iresh Zaker, Nader Chowdhury, Gousul Alam Shaon, Indian-Bengali film actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee and Palestinian actor Eyad Hourani in the lead characters, and received multiple awards at different festivals across the world since being ready for its theatrical release in 2019. Read: ‘Shonibar Bikel’ gets censor clearance on a Saturday afternoon Despite the filmmaker claiming several times that the film was fictionalised based on the incident and not direct documentation of the event, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud previously stated that the Bangladesh Film Censor Board did not grant the film its censorship as the board's members at the time considered a number of factors, including the internal security and external reputation of the nation. He also stated that the film did not properly highlight the contribution of members of the police, RAB and army during the 2016 Holy Artisan attack. “Unfortunately, it has been banned in Bangladesh on the grounds it could “damage the country’s reputation” and incite religious hatred. The only thing this Bangladesh-Germany co-prod could do to the country’s reputation is improving it, and its plea for religious tolerance is nothing short of touching. While the body of the film is shot in a single, excited take, it opens with a series of shots emphasizing the deceptive stillness of Dhaka on a lazy Saturday morning,” The Hollywood Reporter reviewed the film in May 2019. Although Farooki and Shonibar Bikel continued fighting for its approval and censor certificate, Bollywood, in the meantime, moved forward with the movie ‘Faraaz’. The Hansal Mehta directorial is based on the same incident and is scheduled to have its theatres release in India on February 3, and the film narrates a more direct reflection of the actual event than ‘Shonibar Bikel’, many audiences and film observers opined after the release of its theatrical trailer. Read: Holey Artisan victim's mother vows to fight release of Bollywood film on tragedy When Shonibar Bikel's clearance was not granted before ‘Faraaz’, Farooki and numerous other acclaimed and renowned artists, cultural personalities and filmmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the media and demanded justice for the film. The filmmaker and associates raised their united voice in two major events in the past year against the ‘unnecessary censorship’ and injustice against the film - first at a unique press conference on August titled “Golpo Bolar Swadhinata Chai” at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital, and also at the maiden edition of the daylong summit on December 30 titled ‘FAB Fest 2022’, organised by Film Alliance Bangladesh, a think-tank comprising stakeholders in the film industry and media professionals of the country. Finally, when the release date of ‘Faraaz’ was announced and the trailer of the film got released on the T-Series YouTube channel last week, a united outrage cast over the social media platforms and many urged the censor board to rewatch and review the decision. Read More: Holey Artisan Victim Faraaz's Heroism is Now on the Silver Screen The members of the appeal board - consisting of actress and lawmaker Suborna Mustafa, Jatiya Press Club general secretary and former censor board vice chairman Shyamal Dutta, eminent silver screen actress Sucharita and former Additional Secretary Nurul Karim, saw the film on Saturday, before announcing that there are now no obligations to theatrically release the film. According to Shyamal Dutta, since the film is not an exact adaptation of the events of Holey Artisan, there is no obstacle to its release. There is no need to add or modify any scenes; the events of this film have nothing to do with the events that took place in Holey Artisan. This is not a direct depiction of the events of Holy Artisan, and the appeal board suggested the director make such a declaration before realising the film. “How does it feel to watch everyone else sprint while you remain still? I felt so useless for a very long time! Although I have no idea how it appears from the outside - but I can tell from the inside, there are no lonely people like artists. The feeling that engulfed me, along with my own worthlessness on ‘Shonibar Bikel’ for the past four years, was loneliness,” Farooki said, as his last theatrical work was the late Indian actor Irrfan Khan starrer 2017 film ‘Doob’ (No Bed of Roses), which was the Bangladeshi entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards. Read More: Foreign envoys remember those killed in Holey Artisan attack Finally relieved with the clearance, Farooki told UNB: “I want to convey my gratitude to the Film Alliance of Bangladesh (FAB) alongside my colleagues and friends from the filmmaking community and most importantly, our audiences. Many people from different sectors of our society raised their voices for the film, and I am immensely grateful to all of them.” “To receive the film censor board's approval for ‘Shonibar Bikel’ - I had to wait four long years. I sincerely hope that no other filmmaker goes through something similar. The appeal board has yet to send us a formal letter regarding the censorship. We will complete all necessary procedures, include a disclaimer, and submit the letter after receiving it. We want the movie to be out on February 3 or sooner," Farooki said. Read More: Govt satisfied with Holey Artisan attack verdict: Law Minister.

A case has been filed against five people, including a leader of Swechchhasebak League leader, over firing in the capital’s Gulshan area that left two people wounded on Sunday. The accused are- Abdul Wahid Mintu, vice-president of Dhaka North city unit of Swechchhasebak League, his associates Arif Hossain and Monir Ahmed, and two others -- Shariful and Humayun. Read more: Pedestrian shot during clash in city’s Gulshan Aminul Islam, who sustained bullet injuries, filed the case at Gulshan police station on Sunday night, said Shakir Hasan, a sub-inspector (SI) of the police station. Police arrested Arif Hossain, Mintu and Monir Hossain along with 14 rounds of bullets, two magazines after the incident. Police also recovered seven bullet shells from the spot. “Efforts are on to arrest two others,” said the SI. On Sunday afternoon, Arif Hossain locked into an altercation with Alim, an employee of a shop named Alfa Departmental store, over transferring money worth Tk 75,000 through MFS (Mobile Financial Services) near Gulshan DCC Market at Gulshan-1 behind Gloria Jeans café. Alim claimed that he transferred the money as Arif asked him to send the money but later Arif denied to pay the money. Alim along with others kept Arif confined to the shop . At one stage, Arif called his brother-in-law Monir Hossain over phone. Monir along with Abdul Wahid Mintu and three others went to the spot. Mintu opened fire, leaving two people wounded, Abdul Ahad, deputy commissioner of Gulshan division, said. Read more: Rickshaw-puller shot dead over “trivial matter” in Pabna Aminul, a private car driver, sustained a bullet in his leg and van puller Abdur Rahim received slight injuries, he said. Aminul was taken to United Hospital. The gun which Mintu used for firing is licensed, said the police officer.

Dhaka has a rich history dating back 400 years. According to legend, pre-Mughal Dhaka comprised 52 bazaars and 53 alleys. During this time, the major settlement was located between the rivers Buriganga and Dholai Khal, with its centre around Bangla Bazar. Dhaka developed in the commercial sector under the Mughal, and it spanned the region currently known as old Dhaka. Today the commercial areas have spread and got into a new shape. Let’s take a look at the prime commercial areas in Dhaka city in the twenty-first century. Top 8 Important Commercial Areas in Dhaka City Motijheel The central business district of mega city Dhaka is located here. It stands in the city's center, as the General Post Office is considered the zero point of Dhaka. There are more offices and business institutions in Motijheel than in any other area of the city, making it the main business and commercial centre of Dhaka.  The majority of corporate headquarters in the country are located there. The majority of corporate headquarters in the country are located there. This is the neighbourhood that contains the City Center, Bangladesh Bank Building, Agrani Bank Bhaban, WAPDA Bhaban, Janata Bank Bhaban, Sena Kalyan Bhaban, Dhaka Stock Exchange, Ittefaq Bhaban, Rajuk Bhaban, and many other major enterprises.  Read Share Market Investment Guide: How to Invest in Stocks in Bangladesh Motijheel is home to some of the most prestigious educational institutions in Bangladesh, including Notre Dame College (NDC) and Ideal school and college. Numerous news, magazine, print, and other media companies have their headquarters here. Dhaka Railway Station is not far from Motijheel. The focal point where all of the main access roads to the area meet is Shapla Square's famous landmark. BDT 60 to 100 per square foot will be a price range for commercial office premises. However, the price may vary depending on specific locations and structure types. Gulshan Businesses demand modern office space, technology, proper parking, security, emergency preparedness, and safety. Gulshan can offer all of these facilities, beyond its residential zones. In recent years, Gulshan has emerged as one of the prime business districts of Dhaka. Many significant corporations in Bangladesh have headquarters in Gulshan. Read Best Instagrammable Rooftop Restaurants at Gulshan in Dhaka

Being the upscale corporate hub of Dhaka, Gulshan is a place that has become a cosmopolitan in its own right. Centering around its vibrant office culture, several restaurants have popped up over the years that bring a traditional and oriental experience. Are you looking for an amazing rofftop restaurant at Gulshan in Dhaka? If yes, stay with us to know about 8 such restaurants that offer rooftop or outdoor seating arrangements to enjoy the Gulshan skyline and take some Instagram-worthy pictures. Top Rooftop Restaurants in Gulshan with Amazing Views Grill on the Skyline Kebabs and grills have been an integral part of Bengali cuisine even though their roots are in the Mughal delicacies. While it's common to see these items at almost every corner of the city, Grill on the Skyline brings an upscale experience to the delicacies. The restaurant is part of the Dhaka Regency Hotels and Resorts. The luscious rooftop of the hotel houses the restaurant overlooking the Gulshan circle 1 and 2. The rooftop décor makes for an impressive natural setup. The live grill is set on one side with the seating arrangements made on the other. needless to say, the location of the hotel makes it perfect for clicking pictures up on the 20th floor. Price per person ranges between 1000 to 1500 BDT for a single course menu with drinks. Read Instagrammable Rooftop Restaurants in Uttara Bunka The strip from Gulshan 1 to 2 houses several upscale offices and restaurants. Crossing the Regency Hotels, Six Seasons Hotels is situated in the heart of the Gulshan 2 circle. The hotel has a few upscale diner options but most are indoors. However, one of their flagship oriental places, Bunka is situated on the 18th-floor rooftop Bunka offers over 100 items ranging from Chinese, Korean Japanese, and Thai. The restaurant also has its separate A La Carte menu. The sprawling open terrace offers a great view of Gulshan Lake on the east and the diplomatic zone on the west. Bunka has designed the rooftop in contemporary Chinese architecture making it one of the more picturesque restaurants in Dhaka. The price range for the main course meal for a person is between 2000 to 2500 BDT. Read Best Rooftop Restaurants in Dhanmondi with Instagrammable Views Savva Savva is another great destination for oriental food and a picture-perfect location. Hussein Hammoudeh and Simon Johnston are the lead executive chef for this restaurant. The place is decorated in a contemporary minimalism style. The bare seating arrangements with wide open spaces bring a sense of serene openness to the place. The rooftop side of the restaurant has been styled with glass domes designed with geometric patterns. The place definitely invokes a sense of style and art as it stands out from the rest. The food menu is comprised of continental and oriental dishes. In addition to that, visitors can also try out the signature dishes of the chef. The price range differs depending on the courses. Expect to spend around 2000 BDT per person for the main course option. Read Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Cafes in Dhaka City for Family Dine Outs Tagore Terrace Care to immerse in the world of the legendary bard? Tagore terrace has been themed after the creation of Rabindranath Tagore to be a coffee and reading place. The restaurant doesn’t really offer a wide variety of menus. Instead, it focuses more on the décor and the light snackable to complement the poetic ambiance. The open outer terrace has grass and creeper arrangements that create a sense of nature all around. Expect to spend around 700 BDT per person for a light snack and a coffee. Izumi Izumi is your quintessential Japanese diner located at the heart of Gulshan. The two-storied building has a Japanese-styled courtyard and garden rooftop experience. Besides, this is the only Japanese restaurant in the city that employs a trained Japanese chef. At Izumi, guests are treated to the authentic taste of Japan. Being a seafood-heavy menu, Izumi directly imports their fishes from the famous Tsukiji market of Tokyo every week. Visitors would love their art décor inspired by Japanese contemporary art. Overall, it's an amazing option for a standalone fine dining experience. The main course meal will cost around 3000 to 3500 BDT per person. Read Top 10 Buffet Restaurants in Dhaka City Sky Dine Dhaka Sky Dine Dhaka is situated in Niketan, the urban residential area of greater Gulshan. The restaurant is situated on the 14th floor. Niketan being on the outskirts of Gulshan offers a beautiful panoramic view of Hatirjheel lakes. The place offers a mix of traditional and oriental cuisines. Unlike the other places on this list, sky dine isn’t really a fine dining option. Rather it’s a casual go-to place that offers comfort food and a great view. The price range is also between the affordable range. 500 to 1000 BDT should be enough per person. Read Visit Sajek Valley: Amazing Hilltop Cottages, Resorts, to Spend Your Vacation Prego – The Westin Prego is an amazing authentic Italian restaurant situated on the top floor of Westin Dhaka. The restaurant is part of a chain of establishments in Westin that offers authentic dishes. The rooftop of Westin is decorated with grass and plants. The east side of the restaurant has the infinity pool which overlooks the Gulshan skyline. The restaurant offers a range of cuisines from pasta, pizza, and lasagnas. The food is equally eye-catching as they are tasty. Expect to shell out between 5000 to 6000 BDT per person for a two-course meal along with drinks. Read Best Resorts near Dhaka for Day out or Weekend Away Jatra Biroti Though technically Jatra Biroti doesn’t fall under Gulshan, it's right on the outskirts taking a left turn from Gulshan circle 2. Jatra Biroti is unlike any other restaurant featured in this restaurant. The place employs marginalized people as waiters and cooks. The female chefs come from all corners of the country specializing in authentic rural items. Also, Jatra Biroti has a fully vegetarian menu. Jatra Biroti has a quintessential rural Bengal set up all around. There is the thatched roof style to replicate huts, bamboo seating areas and traditional painting all around the rooftop premise. The place exudes cultural heritage with regular cultural nights and open mic shows. Expect to spend around 500 BDT per person for a light snack and seasonal drink here. Read NOVOAIR offers two nights free hotel in Cox's Bazar Final Words Rooftop restaurants are increasingly becoming common in the Dhaka metropolitan area. However, Gulshan was one of the early adopters of the trend and now the place has some of the best rooftop experiences in all of Dhaka city. So far, we have discussed some popular Gulshan rooftop restaurants. There is a diverse range of cuisines available in each of these restaurants. Just be ready to spend a hefty sum as the places aren’t that cheap.

Two people were killed in separate road accidents in the city’s Rampura and Gulshan areas on Monday. At Rampura, a 31-year-old man was killed when a covered van ran over him in front of Rampura TV Centre around 5am. The deceased was identified as Sadman Sakib, son of Zahurul Haque of Sadar upazila in Bogura district. Also read: NSU student killed in city road crash Sadman met the tragic incident while crossing the road on his way home after finishing his night shift at work. At Gulshan, a 48-year-old businessman was injured when a pick-up van struck the road divider as its driver lost control near the Gulshan-2 circle around 6am. Abdul Latif, hailing from Kishoreganj, succumbed to his injuries around 9 am at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. Also read: Worker dies falling off city flyover The two bodies were kept at the mortuary of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, said Inspector Bachchu Mia, in –charge of the hospital police camp.