New Zealand, May 12(AP/UNB) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in New Zealand as part of a trip to the South Pacific to highlight the issue of climate change. Guterres plans to spend three days in New Zealand where…
Category: Environment
Unemployment forces people to migrate risking life: Dr Kamal
Dhaka, May 12 – In the wake of the death of dozens of Bangladeshis in Friday’s boat capsize in the Mediterranean Sea in Tunisia, Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain on Sunday said it is shameful for the nation that people…
Bangladeshi migrants drown trying to reach Europe
Dhaka, May 11 (UNB) – A number of Bangladeshis are feared to be among those who drowned in Friday’s boat capsize in the sea while attempting to reach Europe from Libya. Mongi Slim, the head of Tunisia’s Red Crescent, said…
The urban anxieties of the middle class
ACROSS THE GLOBE, THE most common symptom of middle-class life is not the celebration of consumption, opportunity and professional white-collar jobs, but the anxiety that all of those achievements could disappear. It’s seen in our concerns about college admissions, retirement, taxes…
HC order: Remove 52 substandard food products from market
Dhaka, May 12 – The Bangladesh High Court on Sunday asked the authorities concerned to remove immediately from the market 52 food items of different local brands failed quality tests of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI). The HC bench…
‘Fani’ rains bring smiles to Rajshahi mango growers in BD
Rajshahi, May 12 – Mango growers in the Bangladesh district of Rajshahi are expecting a bumper yield this year as they said the rains caused by recent cyclone Fani have brought an extra benefit to them. Dr Alim Uddin, a…
Up to 70 migrants drown after boat capsizes off Tunisia
Tunis, May 11 (AP/UNB) — As many as 70 migrants trying to reach Europe from Libya drowned Friday when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, and at least 16 other people from the boat were rescued, according to U.N.…
Ensuring the ‘lungs of the planet’ keep us alive
Forests are vitally important for sustaining life on Earth, and play a major role in the fight against climate change. With the 2019 session of the United Nations Forum on Forests wrapping up on Friday in New York, we delve…
Plastic waste pact approved with US among few holdouts
Geneva, May 11 (AP/UNB) — Almost every country in the world has agreed on a legally binding framework for reducing polluting plastic waste, with the United States a notable exception, United Nations environmental officials said Friday. An agreement on tracking…
Bangladesh Biman suspends 3 flights for aircraft shortage
Dhaka, May 10 (UNB)– The shortage of aircrafts has forced Biman Bangladesh Airlines to suspended three flights on domestic routes until Monday. One flight on Saidpur, and two on Sylhet routes will remain suspend for now, said Shakil Meraj, Biman’s…
India’s growing solar energy could leave a trail of wastes
Solar power may promise a bright future for India’s energy requirements, but behind the sheen is a growing mountain of waste. While the national government is pushing an ambitious solar power programme for India, it has, so far, failed to…
New Zealand unveils plan to go carbon neutral by 2050
New Zealand introduced legislation Wednesday to make the South Pacific nation carbon neutral by 2050, although greenhouse gas emissions from the economically vital agricultural sector will not have to meet the commitment. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the bill would…
Dhaka to have sweltering hot weather for some more days
Dhaka, May 9 – The people would not get relief from the summer hot spell as the ongoing condition is likely to continue in the next three to four days across Bangladesh, said the met office. The highest temperature recorded…
HC shows grave concern over food adulteration
Dhaka, May 9 – The High Court yesterday expressed grave concerned over the poor activity of government’s organizations in stopping food adulteration and taking legal action against the responsible persons for leading people toward death through supplying contaminated foods. It…
HC seeks list of companies involved in milk adulteration
Dhaka, May 8 (UNB) – The High Court on Wednesday directed the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) to submit a list of the companies involved in adulteration of milk and curd within May 15. A bench of Justice Md Nazrul…
Titash Ekti Nadir Naam: Epic novel by a fisherman’s son
May 9, 2019 – “Titash is a river’s name. Those living beside the river hardly know the etymological source of its name. They never tried to find out, they never felt any need to. There are rivers with significant names…
30 injured as Biman aircraft skids off runway in Yangon
Dhaka, May 8 (UNB) – A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Dhaka to Yangon skidded off the runway while landing at Yangon Airport in Myanmar on Wednesday evening due to inclement weather, leaving around 30 people injured. “Unfortunately, a Biman…
Dhaka seeks clear Rohingya repatriation roadmap from Yangon
Dhaka, May 7 (UNB) – Bangladesh has asked Myanmar to come up with a ‘clear roadmap’ for the repatriation of Rohingyas living in Cox’s Bazar and identify all the issues that are hindering and obstructing the repatriation process. “We’ve also…
Loss of biodiversity puts future generations at risk
PARIS, May 7 2019 (IPS) – An alarming report about the massive loss of biodiversity around the world warns that future generations will be at risk if urgent action isn’t taken to protect the more than one million species of plants…
Deep clean: How ‘blue finance’ can save our oceans
The world’s oceans are running out of breath. In the past 50 years, we have lost nearly half our coral reefs and mangrove forests and the size of marine populations has halved. A third of global fish stocks are already…
Conservation of Sikkim biodiversity needs re-strategising: study
by T. V. Padma on 6 May 2019 • Protected areas in the Himalayan region in India need to be expanded to conserve endemic Himalayan species and minimise the impact of climate change, a new study has shown. • Creating…
Monster Fani batters eastern India, moves on to Bangladesh
PURI, India, May 3, 2019 – Cyclone Fani, one of the biggest storms to come off the Indian Ocean in recent years, slammed into India on Friday, tearing down trees, blowing away food stands and cutting off power and water,…
HC notice to combat air pollution by 2 City Corpns of Dhaka
Dhaka, May 5- The High Court yesterday summoned the chief executive officers of two Dhaka City Corporations to explain their positions over their reports submitted before the court relating to prevent air pollution in the capital. The HC bench comprising…
BD-Burma talks Friday on Rohingya repatriation
Dhaka – Bangladesh and Myanmar are going to sit in Naypyidaw on Friday to discuss the Rohingya repatriation issue as the current crisis steps into almost two years with “zero progress” on Myanmar side that can help Rohingyas return to…
BD-Burma talks Friday on Rohingya repatriation
Dhaka, May 2 (UNB) – Bangladesh and Myanmar are going to sit in Naypyidaw on Friday to discuss the Rohingya repatriation issue as the current crisis steps into almost two years with “zero progress” on Myanmar side that can help…
Protecting Refugees in Bangladesh During Monsoon Season
Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Abdul Momen recently warned that the coming monsoon season will bring serious risk to Rohingya refugees living in settlements in Cox’s Bazar. But instead of calling for practical safeguards against flooding and landslides, Momen doubled down on a controversial plan to…
Protecting refugees in Bangladesh during Monsoon season
Government Should Prioritize Safety in Relocation Efforts Brad Adams, Asia Director Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Abdul Momen recently warned that the coming monsoon season will bring serious risk to Rohingya refugees living in settlements in Cox’s Bazar. But instead of calling…
The beautiful Blue Raintree
Stuttgart, Germany – It looks just beautiful. A beauty does not need to be explained in so many words. The Blue Raintree makes one happy at the first look. At the Stuttgart Garden exhibition held from 25-28, April 2019, I…
BD Water Development Board’s dysfunctional sluice gates
More often than not, structures built by Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) harm the people than benefit them. Another example of this general phenomenon is provided by seven sluice gates that BWDB built to regulate the flow between the Madhumati…
Fani now monster: Alert for BD ports, Evacuation in Odisha
Dhaka, May 1 – The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local warning signal No 4 as the very severe cyclonic storm “Fani” over the West Central Bay and adjoining area moved…