e_Paper 7-11-2016

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6 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, <strong>2016</strong> DT News Erosion renders 4,000 people homeless • Tribune Desk Thousands of people in Gopalganj and Kurigram districts have become homeless due to erosion. In Gopalganj Erosion by Madhumati has taken serious turn at different points of Gopalganj Sadar causing immense sufferings to the people living beside the river due lack of maintenance, reports Manoj Kumar Saha, our correspondent. The erosion caused by the river has been continuing for 25 years in Dubsi, Charghaga, Ichhakhali and Dhalaikhali areas. People of the areas alleged that thousands acres of land, homesteads, schools, colleges, madrasas, mosques and temples went under the bed of the river and 3,000 people already have become landless due to the erosion. They also alleged that they oraganised several programmes demanding to save the areas from the clutches of the erosion but the authorities did not give any heed. Power poles, croplands and a lot of homesteads are now facing newly threat of erosion. Locals demanded to the authority to take steps immediately. Gazi Rafiqul of Dubsi area said: Erosion of the Madhumati River threatens different parts of Gopalganj Sadar upazila with destruction. The photo was taken in Dubsi area yesterday “We had lost already ten villages in the river bed. If the situation is going on, the total area will be lost in future.” He urged the Prime Minister to take steps for saving the area. The people of Charghaga, Ichhakhali and Dhalaikhali echoed the words of Rafiqul. M Suparul Alam, chairman of Jalalabad uion council in Sadar upazila said the people of Dubsi had been most sufferer due to the erosion of 25 years. He said he had informed the matter to local MP Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and the authorities of the Water Development Board. Meanwhile, Executive Engineer Moinuddin of the WDB said he had visited the areas recently and sent a report to the ministry of the WDB. In Kurigam At least 200 families at Mogholpasa union in Sadar upazila have become homeless due to erosion caused by the Dharla River over the last week, reports Ariful Islam, our correspondent. Locals said erosion by the river had continued to devour homesteads, business establishments and crop lands. Besides, the only one road connecting the union with the district headquarters is at risk and may go into the gorge of the river. Abul Kabiraj, a victim, said, “I have lost everything as the river had devoured everything in the sudden erosion. I just managed to DHAKA TRIBUNE save the tin-roof of my house and took refuge at the road side”. Dudu Mia, another victim, said, “I have managed to remove my houses but I have been starving with my family for the last four days. The local administration did not provide us with any money or food.” Mokhlesur Rahman, deputy-divisional engineer of Water Development Board said initiative had been taken to stop the river erosion. • Sand lifting from Hurasagor goes unabated • Aminul Islam Rana, Sirajganj A section of influential people and relatives of ruling party Awami League leaders, have been lifting sand illegally from the Hurasagor River in Sirajganj district under the nose of local administration causing risk to the river bank, nearby cultivable lands and establishments. Locals wishing anonymity said Belkuchi Upazila Chairman Mohammad Ali Akand and Bablu Biswas, a relative of ex-minister Abdul Latif Biswas, are lifting sand from Hurasagor River illegally and selling them to locals under the nose of local administration. District Fisheries department and upazila river preservation committee could not take any actions against them as they are so powerful. Locals alleged that the gang lifting sand from the river by bribing the upazila nirbahi officer. Due to illegal sand lifting hundreds of houses, schools, mosques and markets are at risk in several upazilas in the district, said several sources. Mohammad Saiful Islam, uno of Belkuchi upazila, said: “There is no legal sand quarry in Belkuchi. We finished dredging in Hurasagor River on June 2014 but local influential still continuing sand lifting illegally from the river.” Saiful also the president of river preservation committee, said: “Due to sand lifting flow of water in the river is changing courses, and locals are becoming subject to multifarious losses.” He alleged that Belkuchi upazila chairman Mohammad Ali Akand and Bablu Biswas, a relative of an ex-minister along with others influential controlling the illegal sand lifting so administration failing to take actions against them. “But recently being informed by locals we seized a ‘bangla dredger’, pipes and other materials,” said the uno. When contacted, Sadar upazila UNO Brainjon Chambugong, said: “We conduct drives against the sand lifters frequently and we will take actions against this illegal sand lifter gang.” Apart lifting sand from Hurasagor, this gang also lifting sand from Meghulla point of Jamuna River, which triggering erosion. During his visit our Sirajganj correspondent has found that several people were lifting sand from Maijhail, Someshpur, Khidromatia, Jognala, Baniagati and other areas of Hurasagor River by using bangla dredgers. In this time, few workers told this reporter that they are working for Akand chairman and Bablu. Bablu Biswas, who posing himself as a relative of ex-minister Abdul Latif Biswas, said: “I am lifting sand from my own land not from the river.” However, Mohammad Ali Akand said: “We are lifting sand from Hurasagor River as we won a tender about sand lifting from the river.” He also blames Bablu Biswas for illegal sand lifting by saying: “Bablu is lifting sand from Hurasagor River illegally by bribing local administration and upazila nirbahi officer.” He urged the authorities concerned to take action against Bablu gang to save the River Harusagor from the sand lifters. When contacted, Sirajganj Deputy Commissioner Kamrun Nahar Siddiqi said: “We will take proper actions against illegal sand lifters after discussing with district fisheries official.” Natore sugar mill lays off • M Kamal Mridha, Natore Sugar production had to be stopped in Natore North Bengal Sugar Mill yesterday, as farmers are not supplying sugar-canes to the mill. The mill authorities said they had inaugurated the sugar production of the mill on October 28 aiming to produce 20 thousand metric tons sugar from 2 lakh 50 thousand sugarcanes for this fiscal. But, they have to declare the lay off on Saturday noon for want of sufficient sugarcanes. The farmers did it in protest of introducing E-gazatte and mobile banking system by the government, which will be effective from this fiscal, and closing of sugarcane gur (molasses) producing business. The farmers demanded restoration of previous system of giving the farmers slips locally known as Purzi, mentioning their names and amount of sugarcanes they can supply. Ibrahim Khalil, president of Natore North Bengal Sugar Mill sugarcane farmers’ association, said the production costs of sugarcane were higher than the current prices of it at the mill gate. •
News 7 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, <strong>2016</strong> Toxic vessel imported, beached in Chittagong DT • FM Mizanur Rahaman, Chittagong The North Sea Producer, a highly contaminated vessel has been imported by Janata Steel Corporation and docked at the shipbreaking yard in Sitakunda, violating national and international laws. First commissioned in 1984, it is a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel used by the offshore oil and gas industry to produce and process hydrocarbons for the storage of oil. Formerly owned by Maersk, the vessel was stationed at the North Sea working the MacCulloch oil field for ConocoPhillips. When the MacCulloch field was closed, the FPSO was brought to Teesport in Middleborough, England where it was laid up in 2015. The vessel allowed into Bangladesh on a fake certificate saying it did not contain any hazardous materials Having operated in the North Sea as an FPSO, the vessel contains large amounts of slops and residues that are contaminated by NORM (natural occurring radioactive material) and sulphur. Bangladeshi law dictates the taking of No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Department of Environment (DoE), Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) and other concerned bodies. The importer, Janata Steel Corporation, did not take any NOC from DoE and MMD according to DoE sources. Rather it has been anchored as a “producer” in the document, said DoE sources. DoE Chittagong Region’s Director Md Masud Karim told the Dhaka Tribune that the importer did not obtain any NOC from them and they have already issued a show-cause notice to the importer taking the issue into cognizance. Expressing grave concern over the environment and health hazards of Bangladeshi Ship breaking workers, an organization named NGO Shipbreaking Platform and a several news media ran reports earlier this month. The NGO sent an official letter to UK Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs secretary Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP on October 25 citing the illegal manner in which the ship was imported to Bangladesh via third party cash only company violating EU rules and regulations for hazardous waste disposal management of such vessels. The organisation has also sent a copy of the letter to the European Commission. According to UK based newspaper the Gazettelive, Maersk’s Head of Sustainability, Annettee Stube has said: “The company has not been good enough to ensure that the ship was sent to scrap to a secure yard. Maersk is really, really sorry that this has happened.” The NGO and local news reports also mentioned that the vessel allowed into Bangladesh on a fake certificate saying it did not contain any hazardous materials. According to a report by a Dutch research centre, Danwatch, the shipbreaking yards in Bangladesh are not equipped with any infrastructure that could safely remove and dispose toxic waste. The Danwatch report, in collaboration with local daily newspaper Politiken and Broadcaster TV2, also showed footage from Sitakunda from September showing that four workers climbing a rope ladder on the side of vessel without any safety gear. According to the NGO report, the ship was sold to cash buyers, Global Marketing Systems (GMS), one of the world’s largest companies that specialises in selling end-of-life tonnage via Conquistador Shipping Corporation, a post box company, in St Kitts and Nevis. Aman Uddin, managing director of Janata Steel Corporation said over phone: “There is no hazardous toxic in the vessel and the ship was beached in compliance with the law.” “We received permission from DoE, Explosive Department, Ministry of Industry for beaching the ship,” he added. Contacted, Chief Engineer and Principal Officer of DoE Sofiqul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune: “No permission was taken for the North Sea Producer to be beached and cut.” According to the High Court verdict on March 17 in 2009, to export a scrap ship, the ship-breaking yard must obtain NOC from DoE while waste should be removed or dumped before beaching at shore. The court also directed to ensure the occupational safety of the ship-breaking workers. • Janata Steel Corporation docks North Sea Producer, a highly contaminated vessel at a ship breaking yard violating national and international laws. The photo was taken at Sitakunda, Chittagong yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE
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Page 5: Bangladesh’s focus adaptation fin
Page 9 and 10: World Iraq forces gain ground in Mo
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Page 13 and 14: Business 13 BTRC switches Citycell
Page 15 and 16: Kuwait launches foreign bond sale t
Page 17 and 18: Health 17 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2016
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Page 21 and 22: Opinion 21 DT MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2
Page 23 and 24: Opinion 23 A little less conversati
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