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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22pc above 40 affected with chronic pulmonary diseases
Bangladesh Lung Foundation and University of Development Alternative (UODA) jointly organised a seminar on UODA campus in the city yesterday commemorating the World No Tobacco Day. World Health Organisation (WHO) also assisted the programme. Speakers at the seminar titled 'Youth free from Tobacco' said, "Some 21.6 percent people aged above 40 in the country are affected with chronic pulmonary diseases related to smoking. So it is a must to stop using tobacco right now, as smoking never brings any positive result for our health.'
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1.5 lakh die of cancer a year
Experts at a discussion yesterday said there are around 12 lakh cancer patients in the country and two lakh new patients are added annually of which 1.5 lakh patients die due to the disease. If detected earlier, 90 percent cancer is curable especially in the case of cervical and breast cancer, they added. Experts said this at the discussion organised by Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) at the National Museum auditorium to mark the World Cancer Survivors' Day.
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Grabbers turn Ichhamoti into canal in Pabna town
Ichhamoti River flowing through Pabna town has narrowed down to a canal as unscrupulous people have grabbed over 60 acres out of 84-acre river areas in the town during the last several decades. After takeover of the present caretaker government in January last year, the district administration demolished several illegal structures beside the river and fresh survey also started to recover the river areas but the task seems tough as many illegal occupiers have already made land documents.
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Call to increase public transport
Speakers at a discussion meeting suggested providing fuel subsidy for transport sector and increasing the number of public transport to ease suffering of the commuters. They also suggested giving priority to bus service in the transport planning because people from middle and lower income group use buses for their communications. The meeting was organised by Save the Environment Movement in the city on Thursday. Maruf Rahman of WBB Trust presented the keynote paper at the discussion presided over by Prof KM Moniruzzaman of Urban and Regional Planning Department.
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Open pit mining to affect food security in Dinajpur
Leaders of National Oil, Gas, Power, Mineral Resources and Port Protection Committee said here yesterday the food security will be affected in the district if the coal in Phulbari is extracted through open pit mine method. They said about 40 square mile land in four upazilas in the district will be damaged in the process. The committee leaders were addressing a meeting titled, 'People's Demand and Phulbari Coalmine,' held yesterday at Rabeya Community Centre at Phulbari where three persons were killed during a carnage there on August 26, 2006.
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Unsafe Use Of Injections
At least 20 million Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), 2.0 million Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and 0.26 million HIV new infections are associated with unsafe use of injections every year across the world, experts quoting a WHO report said yesterday. They also warned that South East Asia is a red zone of unsafe use of injections, saying that half of the total use of injections in the world is unsafe. Experts said this yesterday at a seminar on 'Injection use and risk of HBV, HCV and HIV infection: Intervention for risk reduction' at the British Council auditorium in the city.
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Myanmar praises UN cyclone relief
Myanmar state media Tuesday praised the UN's relief efforts after the cyclone that left 133,000 dead or missing, in a marked shift of tone after weeks of claiming the military could distribute aid on its own. "The United Nations and its agencies took prompt action to carry out (the) relief and rehabilitation mission with the contributions of international organisations," the official New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.
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Avian flu a real health security threat
National and international experts yesterday began a brainstorming workshop to find out prospective solution to combat pandemic Avian flu before a disaster breaks out in the country. Inaugurating the four-day workshop organised by the Bangladesh Armed Forces and US Pacific Command, Armed Forces Medical College Principal Maj Gen Muhammad Maswood said Avian influenza is a real health security threat for the world community.
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Turn wastes into manure to protect environment
As chemical fertilisers are causing gradual degradation of soil, huge wastes generated from human and animal excreta, and household rubbish should be turned into natural manure by using efficient technologies to protect soil and environment. Besides, to prevent rivers around the urban centres from getting polluted, management of wastes is also very important as such polluted water enters the food chain causing serious diseases.
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'Implement Hatirjheel project as per original plan'
Residents of West Merul in the city yesterday demanded implementation of the Hatirjheel project according to its original plan to save numerous residential quarters and business establishments from destruction. At a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday under the banner of 'Committee to protect houses and business organisations from Hatirjheel project acquisition' they said they have been residing in the area for around three decades.