22-10-2021

Friday, Dhaka: october 22, 2021; Kartik 6, 1428 BS; rabi-ul awal 14, 1443 hijri
After a long wait, Ctg city dwellers to
get complete Sewerage system
Seven people were injured in a fire on the fifth floor of mugda medical College hospital in the city yesterday.
the fire that broke out at the hospital was brought under control around 2.10 pm.
Photo : tBt
Chattogram Bureau
Chattogram city's long wait for a proper
sewerage system and a waste treatment
plant is finally going to end. For 56 years
since its establishment Chattogram Water
Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWASA)
has gone without having any proper
sewage responsibility, its activity limited
mainly to supply of pure drinking water.
In the absence of a scientific sewerage
system in the country's second largest city,
wastes are dumped into the Karnaphuli
and Halda rivers through canals and from
there to the sea. If the new project is
implemented, the wastes will be treated at
plant before being dumped.
The project will be implemented by
dividing the entire city into six zones. In
the first phase, out of 41 wards, 2 million
urban dwellers of 11 wards will be brought
under the sewerage system.
According to sources at WASA, the
sewerage project (first phase) of
Chattogram metropolis was approved by
the Executive Committee of the National
Economic Council (Ecnec) at the end of
2018. The main objective of this project
is to build a sewerage system for
Chattogram dwellers through construction
of proper sanitation facilities.
Even though the authorities are yet to
pick up the contractor for the project
worth Tk 3,808,58,77,000 , it is certain
that the work will go to a foreign company.
Out of the total expenditure, the government
will provide Tk 3,758 crorewhile the
remaining Tk 50 crore.
Sources close to the project said South
Korean contractor Taiyong Engineering
and Construction Company Ltd is in hot
pursuit of the work.
It also has got the work order for
Bhandal-Juri Treatment Plant of
Chattogram WASA and the Sheikh Russell
Water Treatment Plant in Madunaghat.
According to sources, Chinese and
Korean companies have bought 36 tenders
for the implementation of the Chattogram
WASA Sewage Treatment Plant Project
and related activities. Of these, 33 tenders
were bought by Chinese companies and
the remaining by Korean companies.
In this regard, Project Director (PD) and
supervisor of Chattogram WASA Engineer
Ariful Islam said international tenders
were invited for 3 packages for WASA's
wastewater treatment plant project. Of
these, one company has bought 36 tenders
and another has won 33 tenders. No order
has been issued to any organization yet. It
is under process.
>(Contd. on page-11)
Attack on Hindus is attack on
altar of BD's spirit: Hasan
DHAKA : Information and
Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan
Mahmud on Thursday said any attack
on the Hindu community is an assault
to the altar of the spirit of Bangladesh
and the government as well.
"They (miscreants) wanted to blame
the government after staging those
incidents. The conspirators conducted
the attacks to destroy our relations
with the Hindu community and the
neighbouring country to kill two birds
with one stone," he told newsmen at
his Secretariat office here.
Earlier, the minister addressed the
triennial conference of Awami
League Dhamoirhat upazila unit of
Naogaon virtually.
Food Minister Sadhan Chnadra
Majumder, AL Organizing Secretary
SM Kamal Hossain, Health Affairs
Secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana and AL
Naogaon district unit President and
Freedom Fighter Md Abdul Malek,
among others, addressed the conference
with AL Dhamoirhat upazila unit
president Md Deldar Hossain in the
chair.
Hasan said BNP and Jamaat do
communal politics in Bangladesh and
they give anti-Indian slogans during
the elections. They prohibit the Hindu
voters to go to the polling centers, he
added.
He said it is proved through investigation
that a Muslim youth left the
holy Quran Sharif. "It will also be
cleared why he did this and on whose
instigation . . . everything will be clear
DHAKA : Civil society organizations
(CSOs) on Thursday called for an inclusive
process from the government to
strengthen country's interest in the
upcoming UN climate conference CoP
26, reports UNB.
In a virtual seminar on Thursday,
they also opined that, as one of the
Most Vulnerable Countries (MVC),
Bangladesh should adopt a firm stance
in support of a legally binding commitment
under the Paris Agreement in
order to secure additional funding for
improved adaptation activities and to
avoid recurrent loss and damage.
The online seminar titled "CoP-26:
Government position and CSO perspectives"
was jointly organized by COAST
foundation, An Organization for Socio-
Economic Development (AOSED),
Centre for Participatory Research and
Development (CPRD) Coastal
Development Partnership (CDP) and
Coastal Livelihood and Environmental
Action Network (CLEAN) and Equity
and Justice Working Group, Bangladesh
(EquityBD).
Coast foundation also hosted an
online session titled "CoP-26:
Government Position and CSO
Perspectives" during the seminar.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury MP and
like the daylight," said Hasan, also AL
joint general secretary.
Replying to a comment of BNP secretary
general Mirza Fakhrul Islam
Alamgir, the minister said, "We want a
strong opposition party in Bangladesh.
We believe that a strong opposition
party strengthens democracy. But it is
regrettable that BNP could not become
a strong party. Many leaders have
already fled and left the party (BNP).
Even, many leaders of BNP's central
committee left the party through declaration."
He said the incidents of Cumilla and
Pirganj are isolated incidents as people
of any community in Bangladesh are
not communal. So, the miscreants carried
out the incidents and the government
has been able to control the situation,
he added.
Hasan said, "We also stand beside
the people politically. But the plotters
will continue their conspiracies."
In the conference, the minister said
attacks were carried out centering the
Durga Puja when the country is
marching ahead and the communal
harmony is in place, to create a difficult
situation for Awami League and the
government and to destroy the good
relation with the neighbouring country.
He said Awami League and its leaders
and workers are working to protect
communal harmony and stand beside
the Hindu community. Hasan urged
the AL leaders and workers to remain
alert against the culprits.
JS body for
conducting research
on less water
required varieties
DHAKA : The parliamentary standing
committee on the agriculture
ministry yesterday recommended
for taking necessary steps to continue
research activities to develop such
varieties which require less water
and also reduce the height of maize,
reports BSS.
The recommendation was placed at
the 18th meeting of the parliamentary
committee held at the Jatiya Sangsad
Bhaban here with its chairman Matia
Chowdhury in the chair.
In order to further increase the
cultivation, the parliamentary
watchdog recommended taking adequate
measures to preserve adequate
quantity of seeds of short-variety
(short-grown varieties) of Aman
planted in the current season and to
set up an exhibition field of Aman in
each union.
Committee members Agriculture
Minister Dr M Abdur Razzaque,
Muhammad Imaj uddin Pramanik,
M Moslem Uddin, Anwarul Abedin
Khan and Hosne Ara, among others,
attended the meeting.
The meeting reviewed progress of
the implementation of the decisions
taken in its earlier meeting and the
overall issues of the Ministry of
Agriculture.
The meeting was attended by the
Secretary of the Ministry of
Agriculture, heads of various
departments and concerned officials
of the Ministry and JS
Secretariat.
CSOs demand inclusive process from govt
to Strengthen Country Interest at CoP 26
the Chair of Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Environment, Forest
and Climate Change Ministry was the
Chief Guest, while Asheq Ullah Rafiq
MP Cox's Bazar-2 was the Special
Guest in the seminar moderated by
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of
EquityBD.
Syed Aminul Hoque from EquityBD
presented the key note paper of the
seminar. Syed Aminul Hoque said that,
the CoP 26 is crucial since it will take a
main stocktake on newly submitted
Nationally Determined Contributions
(NDCs), establish the Loss and
Damage Mechanism, and providing
$100 billion in Green Climate Fund
(GCF).
In this context, Bangladesh's government
should play a critical role in safeguarding
the country's interests, particularly
in protecting vulnerable people
and reducing the effects of regular loss
and damage caused by climate change.
He addressed a number of demands
to the government delegation, including,
Continued revision of NDCs by
developed and polluter countries based
on their fair contribution and economic
volume in order to keep global temperature
below 1.5 degrees Celsius,
Developed countries must secure additional
funding beyond the GCF to mitigate
and adapt to loss and damage.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury stated
that Bangladesh will undoubtedly play
an effective part in CoP 26 in order to
divert the negotiation flow in the country's
favour. 'Apart from that, our
prime minister will participate and
speak out openly to encourage developed
countries to adhere to realistic
GHG reduction targets and to get $100
billion in GCF funding," he added.
"We have drafted a country position for
CoP 26 and are coordinating issues
among government officials," said Mirza
Sawkat Ali, Director of Department of
Environment,
He also said, "the government's position
has primarily focused on finance
and technology, and we will endeavour
to reach a consensus to balance the
GCF fund for adaptation by 50 per
cent. CSOs should also be considered
separately."
Among others, Md. Shamsuddoha of
CPRD, Rabeya Begum, Co-Chair of
CANSA-BD, Md. Jahangir Hossen
Masum of CDP, Mohan Kumar
Mondal of LEADERS, Shamim Arefin
of AoSED-Khulna, Hasan Mehedi of
CLEAN, Kawser Rahaman of
Janakhanta spoke on the occasion.
Islamic speaker arrested for
allegedly inciting temple attack
DHAKA : An Islamic preacher from Keraniganj was arrested on Thursday for comments
that allegedly incited temple attacks over desecration of the holy Quran in Cumilla, reports
UNB. The arrestee was identified as Maulana Abdur Rahim Biplobi,39, resident of
Dholaipar in Dhaka. He was arrested at 7:20 am outside Chunkutia Purbapara Jame
mosque under South Keraniganj police station by a team of Crime Investigation
Department (cyber monitoring cell) led by inspector Mst Shajeda Lata.
On October 13, Maulana Rahim in a waj mahfil in Dhaka said if the perpetrators who
kept holy Quran with a Hindu idol don't get arrested by October 14 an unruly protest will
start from each mosque the next day after Jumma prayer. He also said, "No puja mandap
will be spared in Bangladesh." Maulana Rahim also blamed police for killings in Chandpur
during communal violence and made extremist comments about the law enforcing forces.
His comments spread on social media created extreme reactions among the netizens
and public, said CID in a press release.
Also his comments had contributed to deterioration of law and order across the country,
it said. Cyber monitoring cell of CID immediately marked Abdur Rahim after it came
into their notice. In primary interrogation Abdur Rahim confessed to making inciting
statements regarding puja mandaps in his waz, said CID.
CID filed a case at the Paltan model police station against Abdur Rahim under the
Digital Security Act.
ASK seeks implementation of HC guideline
on preventing sexual harassment
DHAKA : Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), a human rights body, on Thursday filed a writ petition
seeking implementation of a decade old order of the High Court on prevention of sexual
harassment of woman and children at workplaces and educational institutions, reports
UNB. On behalf of ASK advocate Md Shahinuzzaman and Sayeda Nasrin submitted the
writ against the Public Administration secretary and 42 others.
The bench of Justice Md Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Molla
is likely to hear the petition next week, said court sources.
In 2009, the HC passed a guideline with direction to form a five-membe committee at
every organization for preventing sexual harassment.
The direction was not implemented and even the Supreme Court Bar Association has
no such committee to prevent sexual harassment, said ASK's lawyer Md Shahinuzzaman.
On August 7, 2008 advocate Salma Ali, director of Bangladesh National Woman
Lawyers' Association (BNWLA) filed a writ petition before the High Court in public interest
seeking directions to put a stop to sexual harassment at educational institutes and
workplace. On May 14, 2009, HC passed the order to form a 'Sexual Harassment
Prevention Committee' at all organizations including educational institutions, media
organizations, national and private institutions.
In the second such incident in about a month a ride-sharing biker
set fire to his vehicle as a traffic police 'attempted to fine him' at
Palashi intersection in Dhaka thursday afternoon. Photo : tBt
Nat’l Road Safety
Day today
DHAKA : The National Road Safety Day
will be observed in the country today,
reports BSS,
This year's theme of the day is "Gatisima
Mene Choli, Sarak Durghotona Rodh
Kori" (Let us abide by speed limit, prevent
road accident".
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday
issued separate messages on the eve of the
National Road Safety Day.
The President, in his message, said the
number of vehicles on streets is rapidly
increasing with the increase of developed
road infrastructure in Bangladesh.
Uncontrolled speed of these vehicles is
one of the major reasons of road accident,
he said adding that it is essential to abide
by speed limit to stop loss of life and property.
In this regard, he said, the theme of
this year is a perfect and time-befitting
one. Developed communication infrastructure
and sufficient transport services
are perquisites to sustainable socio-economic
development, he said.
Abdul Hamid said it is very important to
minimize transport cost and valuable time
through building an advanced communication
system in the perspectives of globalization.
The government has continued its
relentless efforts for the modernization of
transport system through using domestic
resources and foreign investments, he said.
The President said upgrading the
national highways to four-lane, construction
of expressways, mass rapid transit
and bus rapid transit are among the ongoing
important works in this sector.
He urged all concerned to work with
sincerity for making the road safety programme
as sustainable. In her message,
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said before
the independence, there was no notable
road network in the country.
She said the Greatest Bangalee of All
Time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took different
programme and plans to build a modern
road transport system in the war-ravaged
Bangladesh. Bangabandhu's government
formed Planning Commission and adopted
the first five-year plan, she said.
Another ride-sharing
biker sets his bike
on fire to protest
"police excess"
DHAKA : In the second such incident in
about a month a ride-sharing biker set
fire to his vehicle as a traffic police 'attempted
to fine him' at Palashi intersection
in Dhaka Thursday afternoon,
reports UNB.
Confirming it, MM Morshed, officerin-charge
of Lalbagh Police Station said
that Ilias Mia (30) set his bike on fire out
of anger as a sergeant fined him for traffic
rule violation.
After being fined, he drove to Kataban
from Palashi and burned it around
2:45pm. He was fined twice earlier, the
OC added. The OC informed that after
the incident, a police team rushed to the
spot to talk with Ilias .
He said the man came to Dhaka a
month ago and took to ride-sharing job
after suffering heavy loss in business
during the Covid pandemic.
Earlier on September 27, another
biker, Shawkat Ali, set his motorcycle on
fire after a traffic sergeant "attempted to
file a case" in Dhaka's Badda area.