Newly elected mayors of three city corporations — Abul Khair Abdullah of Barishal, Talukder Abdul Khaleque of Khulna and Jayeda Khatun of Gazipur — took oath this morning. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina administered the oath at a ceremony held in Shapla Hall of her office. Later, 157 newly elected councillors of general wards and female councillors of the reserved seats of the three city corporations also took oath at the same venue. AL-backed mayoral candidate Abul Khair Abdullah wins Barishal City Corporation election Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam administered the councillors’ oaths. Local Government Division Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim conducted the oath-taking ceremony. State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Swapan Bhattacharjee was present on the occasion. AL-backed mayor candidate Talukder Abdul Khaleque wins Khulna City polls On June 12, Awami League mayoral candidate Abul Khair Abdullah (Khokon Serniabat) won the Barishal City Corporation election with 87,807 votes. His nearest rival Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Mufti Syed Mohammad Faizul Karim bagged 33,828 votes. Awami League mayoral candidate Talukder Abdul Khaleque won the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election with 1,54,825 votes. His nearest rival Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Md Abdul Awal got 60,064 votes in the polls held on June 12. AL not embarrassed by results of Gazipur city election: Agri Minister Razzaque On May 25, independent candidate Jayeda Khatun won the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) polls with 238,934 votes, defeating her nearest rival Awami League-nominated candidate Azmat Ullah Khan who bagged 222,737 votes.  

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh has sent a legal notice to The Daily Star, seeking Tk 100 crore, for publishing a “defamatory” article about cutting down trees in the Dhanmondi area of the capital. The mayor’s lawyer Barrister Mejbahur Rahman briefed reporters on Wednesday (June 7, 2023). The legal notice was sent to The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam, Executive Editor Syed Ashfaqul Haque, and writer Naziba Basher on June 5. Also read: DSCC mayor Taposh sued for remark on ex-chief justice   They have been asked to remove the relevant content online within 24 hours of receiving the notice and take necessary action within seven days. Lawyer Mejbahur Rahman said that a “column” titled “Cutting trees to make way for air” was published in The Daily Star newspaper on May 13. “In the column, the name of Dhaka South City Corporation was distorted to make Dhoka South Town Corporation,” he said while speaking to reporters at the Supreme Court premises. Also read: June 14 set for hearing on contempt of court case against DSCC Mayor Taposh Besides, the name of Mayor Taposh has also been distorted, he said. Lawyer Mejbahur Rahman said the DSCC Mayor has directed him to take legal action after seeing the report.  “In the notice, we asked for two things – one is to remove the text in the online version and they must apologise unconditionally and will have to pay Tk 100 crore as compensation,” he said. “Seven days have been given to them. If they do not take any action by this time, the next decision will be taken at the behest of Mayor Taposh.” Also read: Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman gets bail in DSA case In the legal notice, The Daily Star was asked to pay the money within seven days of the date of receipt of the legal notice served “for creating and publishing defamatory imputation in your national daily, in online publication and on social media and network with criminal intention to insult, humiliate and persecute our client, thus intentionally harming hard earned reputation of my client, his family and his institution.” In a statement, published on The Daily Star’s website, the editor and publisher wrote: “We want to state that we have indeed received the said legal notice dated June 5, 2023, from the Lex Counsel late in the afternoon of June 6, 2023, and it allows us only 2 days to respond. We will publish our response within that time.” Also read: Prothom Alo reporter Shams gets bail in another DSA case “We, however, want to point out that our piece was termed a ‘report’ or a ‘column’ at the press briefing. This is factually incorrect. It was a satirical piece, which is a globally accepted and common practice in journalism, on an issue of urgent public concern, and that too was published in our designated weekly satirical page titled ‘Satireday,’' the statement added.

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday asked the authorities concerned to complete the investigation into corruption allegations against Gazipur City Corporation’s former mayor Jahangir Alam within six months. An HC bench of Justice Md Nazul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order during the hearing of a writ petition. Advocates ZI Khan Panna and Ekramul Hoque Tutul stood for the writ petitioner, Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik stood for the state at the hearing. Md Abdur Rahim, a resident of Paschim Bhirulia Sarkar Bari under the GCC, moved the HC with a writ petition to dispose of the investigation into corruption allegations against Jahangir on Tuesday. Apart from this, the court wanted to know why directives won’t be given to quickly complete the investigation into the corruption and take proper initiatives as per the rule. The investigators were asked to submit a probe report before the court. ACC chairman, Local Government secretary, additional secretary, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, GCC incumbent acting mayor and former mayor Jahangir were respondents to the rule. In a recent newspaper report, it was said that the former mayor Jahangir and his cohorts embezzled Tk 12.43 crore from a project on garbage drainage for the fiscal years 2018-2019 to 2020-2021. Besides, allegations of corruption involving a huge amount of money were brought against the former mayor, who was sacked from the post of general secretary of Gazipur city unit of Awami League following his derogatory remarks on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2021.  Read more: Cyber tribunal orders probe against suspended Gazipur mayor under DSA

Barishal City Corporation (BCC) Mayor Serniabat Sadik Abdullah today (October 17, 2022) had an incident with Barishal Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Moniruzzaman while entering a polling centre during the ongoing Zila Parishad election. In a video shared from the Barishal mayor’s Facebook page, it was seen that the mayor tried to enter Barishal Zila School polling centre with a group of public representatives and the UNO barred him. Read: Barishal clash: Two cases filed against UNO Munibur Rahman “Have I entered the polling centre yet? Why are you creating a scene? Am I a child who doesn’t know the rules? Why are you talking like a stupid person?” Sadik asked Moniruzzaman during an angry outburst. Shocked, the UNO then tried to recollect himself by telling Sadik that he didn’t say anything to him. Later, the UNO told journalists that the news of an altercation between him and the Barishal mayor was “unfounded”. Read Polls underway at 57 Zila Parishads On August 18, 2021, BCC Mayor Sadik got into a heated argument with former Barishal Sadar UNO Munibur Rahman over removing banners. Gunshots were fired during the incident, and three cases were filed with the local police station over the matter.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam said on Wednesday that there would be no finance allocated for development plans with roads less than 20 feet wide. “Financial allocation won’t be approved for carrying out development work with roads less than 20 feet wide,” he said. Mayor Atiqul made the remarks while addressing a corporation meeting on the sixth floor of the Nagar Bhaban in the capital’s Ghulshan area  as chief guest. Warning of strict action against the perpetrators, he said coordinating with the corporation’s estate department to widen the roads is a must. Besides, RAJUK will have to be informed in writing about the development work of the road, he said, adding that any road gets narrowed due to illegal occupation.   At the meeting, different issues including halting the movement of illegal battery-run auto-rickshaws to save power, opening online councillor certificate system, issuing trade license, coordination with traffic police to reduce congestion, early removal of waste, cleaning waste drainage and shifting the Karwan Bazar kitchen market were discussed. DNCC Secretary Mohammrd Masud Alam Siddique conducted the meeting where the corporation’s councillors, Chief Executive Officer Md Selim Reza, Chief Health Officer Bridger General Md Zobaidur Rahman, Chief Engineer Bridger General Muhammad Amirul Islam and Chief Waste Management Officer Cdre S M Sharif-Ul Islam were all present, among others. Also read: No project to be allowed to continue unless public safety is ensured: Atiqul  

No hawkers will be allowed on important roads, to be marked “red”, under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) from next week, Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said today (September 7, 2022). The DSCC mayor said this after laying the foundation stone of the 10-storey Bangabandhu Avenue Biponi Bitan in the city. “Hawkers will be rehabilitated at the market. We will identify the most important roads under Dhaka South City Corporation and mark them ‘red’ from next week. The drive to evict hawkers from ‘red marked’ roads will start from next week,” he said. Read:Closing timings of hospital pharmacies to be revised: Taposh The construction work of the 10-storey market will be completed within two years and the hawkers will be able to start their businesses at the market, he said. Asked about the dengue menace, the DSCC Mayor said, “We have taken necessary steps in advance to prevent the outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease and we have started combing operations to tackle dengue.” Read: Bus service on 3 routes under route rationalization prog to be launched on Sept 1: Taposh Saying dengue is under control in DSCC, Taposh said according to the report of the health authorities concerned, the number of dengue patients is 40 under DSCC, which is the highest number this year. Besides, two people died from dengue in DSCC this year. He also blamed climate change for the increasing number of dengue patients.

Barishal City Corporation’s former Mayor and BNP leader Ahsan Habib Kamal passed away at a city hospital on Saturday night. He was 68. Kamal breathed his last at 11pm while undergoing treatment at the United Hospital in the capital, said BNP media cell convenor Zahir Uddin Swapan. He was suffering from kidney complications, Swapan added. He is survived by wife, a son and a daughter. BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy expressed deep shock at the death of Ahsan Habib Kamal. Read: Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi passes away in NY Kamal’s mortal remains will be taken to his home in Barishal city on Sunday. His first namaz-e-janaza will be held at Barishal Zila School premises around 2pm this noon, said family sources. Ahsan Habib Kamal is the former President of Barishal unit BNP and the former fisheries affairs secretary of BNP central committee. He was also a former chairman of Barishal Municipality.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam on Thursday asked for the government's help to stop the use of electric rickshaws.  “Almost every locality in Dhaka city is filled with battery-run rickshaws nowadays. A battery-run rickshaw contains four batteries which keep charging throughout the night, consuming large amounts of electricity. The time has come to put an end to this practice,” Atiqul said. Atiqul said this at DNCC’s budget meeting held at the Nagar Bhaban in Gulshan-2. Replying to a question, Atiqul added that those who have electric rickshaws will revert to traditional rickshaws. “Pedal-run rickshaws will remain available. So, there won’t be any problem for the rickshaw pullers,” Atiqul added. DNCC’s Tk 5,048 crore budget for FY2022-23 has been approved at today’s meeting. Besides, the revised budget for FY2021-22 has also been approved at the meeting. The meeting was presided over by DNCC Secretary Mohammed Masud Alam Siddique. DNCC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Md Selim Reza and Chief Health Officer (CHO) Brig Gen Md Zobaidur Rahman, among others, were present at the meeting. Also read: Vehicles' movement in capital should be regulated based on number plates: Mayor Atiqul

Rescuers dug through debris Tuesday of a building collapse in southwestern Iran that killed at least 11 people, fearful that many more could still be trapped beneath the rubble as authorities arrested the city's mayor in a widening probe of the disaster. The collapse Monday of an under-construction 10-story tower at the Metropol Building exposed its cement blocks and steel beams while also underscoring an ongoing crisis in Iranian construction projects that has seen other disasters in this earthquake-prone nation. Also read: Iran Revolutionary Guard colonel is shot dead in Tehran Video from the initial collapse Monday showed thick dust rise over Abadan, a crucial oil-producing city in Khuzestan province, near Iran's border with Iraq. The Metropol Building included two towers, one already built and the other under construction, though its bottom commercial floors had finished and already had tenants. On Tuesday, an emergency official interviewed on state television suggested that some 50 people may have been inside of the building at the time of the collapse, including people moving into its basement floors. However, it wasn't clear if that figure included those already pulled from the rubble. At least 39 people were injured, most of them lightly, officials earlier said. Aerial drone footage aired Tuesday showed the floors had pancaked on top of each other, leaving a pile of dusty, gray debris. A construction crane stood still nearby as a single backhoe dug. State TV said at least 11 people had been killed. An angry crowd at the site chased and beat Abadan Mayor Hossein Hamidpour immediately after the collapse, according to the semiofficial ILNA news agency and online videos. Police later arrested Hamidpour and nine others, Iranian media reported Tuesday. Initially, authorities said the building's owner and its general contractor had been arrested as well, though a later report from the judiciary's Mizan news agency said Tuesday that the two men had been killed in the collapse. The conflicting reports could not be immediately reconciled. Authorities offered no immediate word on whether those detained faced charges and it wasn't immediately clear if lawyers represented them. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi offered his condolences and appealed on the local authorities to get to the bottom of the case. Iran’s vice president in charge of economic affairs, Mohsen Razaei, and Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi visited the site. Lawmakers opened a separate parliament inquiry into the case Tuesday, trying to determine why the building on Amir Kabir Street collapsed during a sandstorm. However, there was no major earthquake recorded Monday near Abadan, some 660 kilometers (410 miles) southwest of Tehran. A local journalist in Abadan had repeatedly raised concerns about the building's construction, beginning from last year, publishing images that he said showed sagging floors at the first tower. He also alleged corruption in the building permits process. Also read: Iran says interactions with Israel can't ensure Arab states' security Later Tuesday, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted Faramarz Zoghi, a construction expert and adviser to Iran's construction engineers league, as saying that “definitely national construction measures were not observed” at the site. Authorities also declared a one-day mourning period Wednesday over the disaster. Abadan became the focus of development by the British beginning in 1909 as they built what became the world's largest oil refinery at the time. Iran later nationalized its oil industry in the decades before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iraq's long war on Iran in the 1980s saw Abadan and the surrounding region destroyed in the fighting. In the years since, fast private and state-linked construction projects rebuilt the area, amid complaints of shoddy construction practices. The collapse reminded many of the 2017 fire and collapse of the iconic Plasco building in Tehran that killed 26 people. Abadan previously has suffered through historic disasters as well. In 1978, an intentionally set fire at Cinema Rex in the city killed hundreds. Anger over the blaze triggered unrest across Iran’s oil-rich regions and helped lead to the Islamic Revolution that toppled Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Mayor of Washington DC Muriel Bowser has extended her heartfelt greetings to the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of the country's 52nd Independence and National Day to be celebrated on March 26. "In recognition of your National Day on March 26, 2022, I would like to wish you a Happy Independence Day," the Mayor said. The Washington DC Mayor conveyed the greetings through a message sent to Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States M Shahidul Islam, according to a message received from the Embassy. READ: US Under Secretary Nuland due Saturday to deepen ties with Bangladesh On behalf of the residents of Washington, DC, Muriel Bowser also wished the people of Bangladesh continuous peace, progress and prosperity.