United News of Bangladesh

 The Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), a platform of urban planners, on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the interim government's recent move to amend Dhaka's Detailed Area Plan (DAP).   The platform raised the concern at a press conference at its auditorium in the capital.   Addressing the press conference, its President Professor Dr Adil Mohammad Khan said the current population density of Dhaka is over 50,000 per square kilometre on average which will increase more if DAP is amended.   “In some areas like Badda, Rampura, Basabo and old Dhaka over 1 lakh people are living per square kilometre, which might be the highest in the world,” he said.   Professor Adil said many works have to be done for improvement of traffic, utility and waste management to keep Dhaka livable with the existing population density.   When the scope will be created to accommodate more people in the city, it would be turned into an unhealthy and unmanageable city, he added.   Prof Adil said the government is proceeding with the amendment plan under pressure from real estate developers, primarily by increasing the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in most parts of the capital. FAR is a crucial metric that defines the relationship between a building's total floor area and the land it occupies. A higher FAR allows for larger buildings on a given plot, potentially leading to increased density with taller structures and more concrete. He warned that the proposed amendments that ignore the opinions of planners and civil society organisations and that will lead to a significant increase in the number of high-rise buildings in the already overcrowded Dhaka City. This will place an unbearable strain on transport and all forms of civic services, he added. The DAP was gazetted on August 24, 2022, with the goal of creating a planned city by addressing Dhaka's problems through block-based density, transit-oriented development, and a focus on public amenities. Despite provisions for updating the DAP every five years, the current move to make repeated changes under pressure from special interest groups is considered self-destructive and an impediment to effective urban planning, said Prof Adil. The proposed amendments suggest increasing the FAR in most parts of Dhaka by 20 to 60 percent. According to the draft amendments, the FAR is proposed to be increased in several residential areas: Khilkhet: from 2.0 to 4.4 Mirpur DOHS: from 2.5 to 4.1 Badda: from 2.0 to 3.3 Faridabad: from 2.0 to 3.1 Rampura: from 2.0 to 3.5 Mirpur: from 2.8 to 3.4 Basabo: from 2.0 to 3.3   While the FAR in posh areas like Gulshan, Banani and Dhanmondi has been slightly reduced (from 5.7 to 5.5 and 5.1 to 5.0 respectively). The draft does contain some positive recommendations, such as proposals to stop development on agricultural land, wetlands and flood flow zones, a demand long-supported by the institute, said Prof Adil. Syed Shahriar Amin, vice president of BIP, Tamzidul Islam, joint secretary, board members Abu Nayem Shohag and Fahim Abedin also spoke at the press conference.

Police on Wednesday arrested two individuals  for their alleged involvement in stealing  wallet of a Chinese citizen from Mirpur Golchattar area of the capital. The arrestees were identified as Sabbir, 19 and Antu, 27. Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Talebur Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said the moneybag of the Chinese national was stolen from the north side of Metro Rail Station Mirpur-10 while he was passing through the area on August 17. Zinnatul, a friend of the Chinese national, filed a case with Mirpur Model Police Station saying that the bag contained Tk 30,000 in cash, USD 400 and a bank card of China. Analysing  CCTV footage, a team of police identified Sabbir with the help of technology and arrested him from Chalantika slum in Rupnagar area of Mirpur on August 21 along with Tk 2500 from his possession. Following the confessional statement of Sabbir, police arrested Antu from Mirpur-10 area and recovered 300 US dollars from his possession on Wednesday. Both of them are wanted in different other cases, he said.  

The half-decomposed body of a seventh-grade schoolgirl, missing for four days, was recovered from a pond overgrown with water hyacinth near her house in Valukakura village, Nalitabari Upazila of Sherpur district on Tuesday evening. The deceased was identified as Maimuna Khatun, 13, daughter of Mofizul Islam and a student of Kalapagla High School. She went missing on Saturday afternoon while playing near her home. Her family filed a general diary at Nalitabari Police Station on Sunday after failing to find her. Man, grandson killed as timber-laden van overturns in Sherpur Local residents discovered the body in the pond area around 6:30 pm on Tuesday when an odour was spreading from the pond. Md. Sohel Rana, the officer-in-charge of Nalitabari Police Station, confirmed the recovery and said that the body had been sent to the district hospital morgue for autopsy and investigation was underway.

A man and his son were hacked to death on Tuesday over a land dispute in Alokdia area of Chuadanga Sadar upazila. The deceased were identified as Taiyab Ali, 45, a resident of Alokdia Bazarpara, and his 16-year-old son, Miraj. Girl killed after being hit by vehicle Locals said  Taiyab Ali had a long-standing dispute with his cousin Raju. They locked into an altercation around 11 am when Raju and his cousin Babu attacked Taiyab and Miraj with sharp weapons, leaving Miraj dead on the spot and Taiyab injured. Taiyab was initially taken to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital. 5 get life imprisonment for killing college student in M’singh As his condition worsened he was transferred to Kushtia Medical College Hospital and later brought back to Sadar Hospital where he was declared dead around 2:30 pm. Khaledur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chuadanga Sadar Police Station, said police conducted a drive and detained Raju and Babu. Legal proceedings are underway, he said.

A schoolgirl was killed after being hit by a vehicle in Zakiganj upazila of Sylhet on Monday evening. The deceased was identified as Ikra Rahman, 7, daughter of expatriate Habibur Rahman of Khaladafania village under Manikpur union. She was a nursery student at Simantik School in Kaliganj Bazar. Patient dies jumping 9 floors at Sylhet Women’s Medical College Hospital on eve of operation Witnesses said Ikra suddenly ran onto the Sylhet-Zakiganj road in front of Grameen Bank near Kaliganj Bazar around 5 pm when a passenger vehicle hit her, leaving her critically injured. Locals rushed her for treatment, but she died on the way to Sylhet. Her uncle Ataur Rahman, a teacher at the same school, confirmed the death, saying the family was preparing for burial. Officials from Zakiganj Police Station said they did not receive any formal report of the accident.

A patient died after jumping from the 9th floor of Sylhet Women’s Medical College Hospital on Sunday midnight. The deceased was identified as Foyez Ahmed, 30, from Kanaighat, He was admitted to the hospital for bladder and urinary problems and scheduled for surgery on August 25. Fearing the operation, Foyez jumped from a window near the stairs around 1:30am and got fatally injured. 137 named in Sylhet ‘Sada Pathor’ looting; 10 recommendations to stop recurrence He was rescued and admitted to the hospital ICU but died around 3:30 am. Dr. ATM Russel Mishu, Assistant Director of Sylhet Women’s Medical College Hospital, confirmed the incident, saying the patient, whose wife was present, jumped from an unsecured emergency exit area, with preliminary indications of some psychological imbalance. Mohammad Saiful Islam, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, said that the body was handed over to the family.

A Mymensingh court on Monday convicted five people and sentenced them to life imprisonment for killing a college student in 2018. Judge Farhana Ferdous Mymensingh Special Court handed down the punishment. The lifers are—Nishad, Khorshed, Tushar, Sabuj and Parris Diamond of Mymensingh city. Among them Khorshed tried in absentia. The court also fined them Tk 50,000, each in default to suffer six months more in rigorous imprisonment. According to the prosecution, a group of muggers intercepted, Ibrahim Khali, 23, a 3rd year Honours Student of Ananda Mohon College and son of Jalal Uddin of Rouha Maddhyapara in Gafargaon upazila, when he was went to Kewatkhali for purchasing medicine on January 18, 2018. Later, they looted his mobile phone and cash from Khalil. Facing resistance, the muggers stabbed Khalil with a sharp weapon, leaving him injured. Later, Khalil was taken to Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared him dead. A case was filed in this connection with Kotwali Police Station.       END/UNB/Corr/MAS/ssk/

Local people on Monday staged a demonstration by blocking roads demanding effective measures to stop the devastating erosion of the Meghna River. Several hundred residents of Shibpur and Medua unions took position in front of the Water Development Board, Bhola and besieged the office at Jugirghol around 10 am. The protesters also brought out a procession before blocking roads. Vehicular movement on Bhola-Charfassion road remained suspended for an hour following the road blockade programme, creating a long tailback on both sides of the road. The protesters said vast areas have already been engulfed by the river and no steps were taken yet regarding the issue. Locals said they had earlier submitted memorandums to the district administration and Water Development Board (WBD) urging action against riverbank erosion, but no effective steps were taken. As a result, hundreds of homes, croplands and even the earthen embankments have been lost, severely affecting agriculture and livelihoods. Every year during the monsoon, large portions of the three unions are swallowed by the Meghna. The erosion is destroying homes, roads, mosques, madrasas and schools. Many families have been rendered helpless and the lives and livelihoods are now in grave danger, said the protesters. The protesters said that the ongoing erosion has increased waterlogging and prolonged flooding, putting around 50,000 residents and more than 100 educational institutions in these unions at risk. They demanded the urgent construction of sustainable embankments using CC blocks. They also feared that the Bhola town might go under water if permanent solutions are not taken soon. The protesters also threatened to launch tougher movements if their demands are not met. Later, following assurances from WDB Executive Engineer Md Zia Uddin Arif and Executive Magistrate Ziaul Haque from the DC office, the protesters withdrew the blockade. Zia Uddin said that emergency protective work using geo-bags and tube-bags would begin immediately in the erosion-hit areas, including Shibpur. A Tk 730 crore project proposal has been submitted for the protection of a 4-km stretch of the riverbank and construction of a 6-km flood control embankment. Work will start promptly once the project receives approval, he added.  

Two young men were killed in a head-on collision between two motorcycles in the Mokaddesnagar area of Saniajan Union under Hatibandha Upazila in Lalmonirhat on Sunday evening. The deceased were identified as Sabuj, 26 and Fahim Mia, 28, both residents of the Nayankhola Dangarhat area in Kishoreganj Upazila of Nilphamari district. Another rider, Sohag, 27, was seriously injured and is currently undergoing treatment at the Hatibandha Upazila Health Complex. According to locals, the accident occurred when a motorcycle heading towards Barakhata from the Doani Bridge area collided head-on with another motorcycle coming from the opposite direction. One of the motorcycles veered off and struck a roadside tree, leaving two riders dead on the spot. Locals rescued the injured and sent him to Upazila Health Complex. Hatibandha Highway Police In-Charge OC Abu Sayeed Chowdhury said they recovered the bodies. The bodies will be handed over to the families after due procedures, he added.

Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan on Sunday said the government has taken a multimodal transport plan, aiming to integrate all modes of transport — road, rail and waterways — based on suitability. “Land acquisition is a costly process. We need to move away from this and give more importance to other modes of transport,” he said while talking to reporters after inaugurating a 18-kilometre stretch of the 48-kilometre Dhaka Bypass Road — from Bhogra in Gazipur to Madanpur in Narayanganj—at the Bhogra Bypass area. The adviser said due to a lack of skilled engineers in the country, foreign professionals are often brought in to build roads and railways. “Yet, thousands of engineers graduate from BUET every year. We must reduce dependency on foreign experts and focus on developing skilled engineers within the country,” he said. Talking about the higher costs of road construction, the adviser said “Our road construction costs are higher than in neighbouring countries, as corruption plays a significant role here. If we can curb corruption, construction costs can be reduced by 20–30 percent.” Gazipur City Corporation Administrator Sharaf Uddin Chowdhury, Police Commissioner Dr Nazmul Karim Khan, Deputy Commissioner Nafisa Arefin, and senior project officials were present at the event. The 48-kilometre Dhaka Bypass project — stretching from Bhogra in Gazipur to Madanpur in Narayanganj — is being implemented under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP). The Joydebpur-Debgram-Bhulta-Madanpur Road is being upgraded to a four-lane highway at a cost of around Tk 3,500 crore. The project is being implemented under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Maintain (DBFOT) model. The road connects major national highways including the Dhaka-Chattogram, Dhaka-Sylhet, Purbachal Expressway, Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail routes. On Sunday, 18 kilometres of the road were opened to traffic. Project authorities expect construction to be completed by June next year. As a result of the project, cargo vehicles will be able to travel from Chittagong port to Mymensingh, Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions in less time without entering Dhaka city, reducing both traffic congestion and accident risks within the capital.