Climate change impacts in Bangladesh
With the Himalayas to the north and the Bay of Bengal to the south, Bangladesh sits on one of the world’s largest and most densely populated deltas, where the Jamuna, Padma and Meghna rivers converge.
Bangladesh
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Drug-resistant TB to be diagnosed in just 2 days
Diagnosing multi drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) will now take just two days' time. In a major announcement on Monday, the World Health Organisation decided to make widely available a path-breaking rapid molecular diagnostic tool that will generate TB test results in two days flat. Currently, standard tests take up to three months. This is why only 2% of MDR-TB cases worldwide are being diagnosed and treated appropriately.
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SAARC leaders to wrestle with food, energy crises in Colombo summit
South Asian leaders will focus on greater connectivity and a common strategy to ensure food security and meet growing demand for energy in the region when they will meet in Colombo. This year's summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, scheduled for August 2-3, is themed on
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G8 to invest $10b for tech to fight warming
The Group of Eight industrialised nations will jointly invest more than 10 billion dollars a year on research and development of technology to combat global warming, a report said Sunday. The plan, including research on underground storage of carbon dioxides, is included in a draft joint statement on economic policy to be adopted at the G8 summit scheduled for July 7-9 in Japan, the business daily Nikkei said.
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Migratory birds responsible for bird flu: Study
Migratory birds are mainly responsible for the outbreak of avian influenza (AI) or bird flu in the country, according to a study report. The report said that migratory birds might be responsible for initial introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), Bangladesh Agriculture University, Chittagong Veterinary University, Department of Livestock Service and Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) jointly conducted the study from February to June this year.
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'Implement noise pollution rules'
Speakers at a seminar underscored the need for implementing the Noise Pollution (control) Rules 2006 immediately to save the people from sound pollution. Although government took the initiative to formulate a rule to control sound pollution in 2004, which was finalised in 2006 but there is no progress since then to implement the rules, they said. Save Environment Movement organised the seminar at Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
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Rural, urban gap in education widens
The record-breaking SSC results demonstrate the widening gap between urban and rural education standard as most urban schools put on outstanding performance, while the bulk of failure goes to rural institutions. As many as 2,272 schools made 100 percent success and 52,500 students secured GPA-5 (grade point average) in this year's SSC examinations, while the number of schools with zero pass is 91. Most of these successful schools and students are from urban areas, while most of the poor performed institutions are in rural areas, according to sources in Inter-Board Computer Section.
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Hundreds become homeless as rivers devour villages in Netrakona, C'nawabganj
With swelling of rain-fed Padma and Someshwari rivers in Chapainawabganj and Netrakona districts, hundreds of people have become homeless in a couple of days. Vast areas of cropland and a number of establishments including educational institutions are facing threats due to the erosion. Erosion has taken a serious turn along the banks of Someshwari River in bordering Durgapur upazila in Netrakona district due to sudden swelling of the river during the last three days due to torrential rain and rolling down of water from hilly areas in India.
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Community-based solid waste management launched
The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) has introduced the community-based waste management to its ward no. 69 aiming at engaging community groups in managing solid waste. The initiatives was taken under the DCC's project titled 'Strengthening of Solid Waste Management (SSWM)' of Dhaka city, which is being implemented from last year with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), said a press release yesterday. Representatives of the community of the ward organised a discussion on Saturday at Majed Sarder Community Centre to launch the project at their ward.
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CNG-run bus, minibus owners asked to display fare chart
The government has asked the CNG-run bus and minibus owners and operators to display the BRTA-approved fare chart at the ticket counters across the city. Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has fixed the fare of the bus and minibus and already provided the list to the transport owners and operators. Stern action will be taken against the bus companies, operators and transport owners if the list is not found at specified places and the passengers are charged additional fare, said an official handout yesterday.
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Take comprehensive plan to offset climate change impacts'
Speakers at a seminar yesterday underscored the need for taking a comprehensive working plan to offset the effects of climate change. They also emphasised creating awareness among both mass people and policymakers to this end. "We will not be able to stop climate change but it is possible to reduce the range of its bad effects,' said Mazharul Alam, research fellow of Bangladesh Centre for Urban Studies, at the seminar held at WVA auditorium in the city. Mazharul along with Sardar Shafiqul Alam of the same organisation presented the keynote paper at the seminar.