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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Powerful aftershock hits China: 1 killed
One of the most powerful aftershocks to hit quake-ravaged central China killed one person, left dozens more injured and levelled homes yesterday, as soldiers carrying explosives hiked to a blocked-off river to alleviate the threat of floods. Some 260 people were injured in the aftershock Sunday afternoon, the government-run China News Service said, with 24 in serious condition. The agency said many homes had collapsed and roads were damaged, but gave no specific figures.
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Warning to forest grabbers (Editorial)
Agencies concerned should follow it up by appropriate action THE chief adviser's voicing of resolve that zero tolerance has been ensured in all spheres of forest administration to curb corruption, mismanagement and malpractice is reassuring. Evidently, it is set against the revealing tales of plunder of forest resources by officials of the forest department denying the national exchequer millions in revenue. Their misdeeds exemplified the classic aberration of the gateman becoming poacher.
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Accentuating environmental degradation: Impact on development
Dr. Shamsul Alam Mohan and Offoh Priscilla Ifeoma
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'Restrict alien species of trees, animals to save biodiversity'
Experts at a discussion yesterday urged the government to restrict introduction of alien species of trees and animals into the biological diversity of the country as they harm biodiversity and agriculture. Mass awareness should be created along with the long-term plan to protect the biodiversity of the country, they added. The discussion was organised by Water Resources Planning Organisation (Warpo) to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity in the city with its Director General (DG) M Enamul Haque in the chair.
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Proper laws needed to check food adulteration
Upgradation of moral values, raising mass awareness, and formulation of proper laws and their strict implementation are the imperatives to check food adulteration in the country, said the speakers at a seminar yesterday. They urged the government to take punitive actions against those involved in the production and sale of adulterated food and run the anti-adulteration drive frequently to save the nation from ruin.
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Water pollution (letter)
Water is the most vital element and crucial for the survival of all living organisms. The environment, economic growth and development are highly influenced by water. Spatial and seasonal availability of surface and groundwater is highly responsive to the monsoon climate and physiography of the country and upstream withdrawal for consumptive and non-consumptive uses. Our country is the lower riparian of three major river systems, the Ganges-Padma, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and the Meghna (GBM). The problem is that we have too much water during the monsoon and too little in the dry season.
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Child infected with bird flu virus cured
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) yesterday said a child was infected with the deadly H5N1, the strain of bird flu that infects people, in January this year and was cured before diagnosis. The DGHS, as part of its routine surveillance, sent a swab with samples from naso-pharyngeal of the 16-month-old boy to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta which confirmed the H5N1 infection Wednesday.
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Tk 520cr Aussie support for poverty reduction
Australia will donate Tk 520 crore over the next four years to lift the extreme poor out of poverty and improve health of women and children, says a press release. Visiting Deputy Director General of AusAID Richard Moore yesterday signed an agreement with representatives from Brac and UNICEF to this end. From the fund Tk 236 crore is provided to Brac to lift over four million people from extreme poverty in four years. The programme will provide grants to enable women set up small enterprises such as owning livestock, poultry or growing vegetable.
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Frozen fish meets demand for uncontaminated fish
Staff of Peninsula Sea Fish Limited are busy packing frozen fish. The company has started to supply frozen sea fish to the domestic market to meet the rapidly growing demand for uncontaminated fish. One of the country's leading fish exporters has started to supply frozen sea fish to the domestic market to meet the rapidly growing demand for uncontaminated fish. Peninsula Sea Fish Limited (PSFL), a concern of the Peninsula Group, claims to be the first Bangladeshi company selling fish frozen at sea in the local market in any scale.