Unplanned embankment poses threat to river
The ongoing construction of an embankment on the Sandhya river in Barishal has sparked outrage among locals who believe the structure will damage the river crucial to their livelihoods. Locals in Banaripara
Daily Star (Bangladesh)
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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.
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Ensure access to land, forest resources for women, indigenous people
Primary and Mass Education Adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Raja Devasish Roy at a workshop yesterday called for ensuring access to land, water and forest resources for the poor, women and indigenous people. Raja Devasish Roy stressed the need for amending the 1927 Forest Act and called for bringing reforms in the court system so that poor and indigenous people get their access to justice.
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Save environment (letter)
We do not think about the ill effects of detrimental toxic CO2 and CFC gas because we are not concerned about our environment. Actually, we are destroying our environment in many ways like producing CO2 and CFC gas from vehicles, air coolers, and not following the perfect waste management procedures. Apart from these, we are cutting down trees.
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Workshop on empowering rural areas through CeC held
A two-day workshop on 'Empowering Rural Areas through Community e-Centre' was held on June 18 and 19 in the capital aiming at raising awareness among key stakeholders on the project. The Ministry of Science and ICT (MoSICT), Asian Development Bank, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) under the project titled 'Empowering Rural Areas through Community eCenters (CeC)' jointly organised the workshop.
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WHO launches initiative to reduce maternal mortality
The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday launched an initiative to strengthen the Menstrual Regulation (MR) programme to reduce maternal mortality in Bangladesh. The objectives of this programme are to ensure quality of MR and to share the knowledge of safe motherhood. WHO has invited interested NGOs working on MR and research institutions to submit concept notes and project proposals. Independent experts will be awarded grants through a competitive process.
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Sanitation in tea gardens very poor
Muhammad Mustafizur Rahman speaks at a consultation at the DPHE conference room in the city yesterday. On his right is Jan Mollar Hansen and on his left is Abu Bakar Siddique. Photo: STAR Safe water supply and sanitation in the tea gardens of the country is very poor, said the speakers at a consultation yesterday. Moreover, the administrative barriers make it hard to carry out development programmes there, they added.