Dhaka – Seventy percent of the total land area of Bangladesh is vulnerable to earthquake risk and 80 per cent of the total population under earthquake threat. Besides, 61% areas of the country are in flood risk, 23% flash flood…
Category: Urban issues
US’ FDA will curb nicotine in tobacco
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking to limit nicotine content in tobacco products, for the first time in its history. The policy announced on Friday has a goal of cutting back on nicotine levels in order to…
RU campus inundated by light rainfall of last few days
Rajshahi – The students of Rajshahi University (RU) have been suffering from waterlogging caused by light rainfall of the last few days. The problem of water logging is being faced for many years due to the poor drainage system, informed…
DU to cancel routes if its buses ply wrong road
Dhaka University (DU) authorities have decided to cancel the routes of its buses if those ply wrong sides of roads violating traffic rules. The authorities took the decision in an internal meeting, said DU acting proctor AM Amzad Ali on…
Residents, tourists in Greece sleep outdoors after quake
Kos, Jul 22 (AP/UNB) — Hundreds of people on the eastern Greek island of Kos have spent the night sleeping outdoors after a powerful earthquake killed two tourists and injured nearly 500 others across the Aegean Sea region in Greece…
Dhaka can reclaim its lost canals ‘as Seoul did’
Abdur Rahman Jahangir, UNB Staff Writer Dhaka, July 22 – Though it looks to be a daunting task to recover the capital’s 43 lost canals and many other wetlands to restore its natural drainage network, green activists think well-thought-out plans,…
English shoppers shun plastic bags with 5p levy
London — The number of plastic carrier bags handed out by large stores in England fell by 83% since they started charging a levy for their use, government data showed on Friday.
Dubai Municipality offers new drone survey service
Dubai – Dubai Municipality has announced the launch of a new aerial survey service using drones to provide orthophotos and topographic maps. The organisation said maps provided through this method would offer 200 times better clarity and 88 per cent…
Toilets as the path to health and dignity
Guangzhe CHEN Mollar Bosti is a crowded slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh, home to 10,000 people: garment workers, rickshaw drivers, and small traders, all living side-by-side in tiny rooms sandwiched along narrow passageways.
BD community leader Helal A Sheikh contests New York City polls
New York Correspondent NY – Most popular Bangladeshi community leader Helal A Sheikh candidate for Council Member of New York City. He officially starts his work to become the next New York City Council Member from District 32.
Dhaka’s average traffic speed kmph
The average traffic speed in the capital has dropped from 21 kms per hour to 7 kms, slightly above the average walking speed, in the last 10 years, according to a new World Bank analysis. The traffic congestion in Dhaka…
Halting sexual exploitation of children in tourism
By Baher Kamal Rome, Jul 18 (IPS) – While the business sector jumps for joy as the number of tourists grew in 2016 for the seventh consecutive year to reach 1.2 billion, and as the first four months of 2017…
Dhaka South City suspends staff holidays to fight mosquitoes
Dhaka, July – Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has cancelled holidays of its officials and employees next week as part of initiative to strengthen its ongoing ‘crash programme’ to eliminate Chikungunya.
Dhaka North Mayor says ‘sorry’ for his comment on chukungunya
Amid huge criticisms, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Annisul Huq on Saturday apologised for his remarks over the responsibility of his city corporation in preventing Chikungunya.While speaking at a press briefing at Nagar Bhaban on Friday, Annisul Huq claimed…
Dhaka Mayors deny responsibility for Chikungunya epidemic
Dhaka, July 14 – While Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Annisul Huq has claimed that the DNCC is not responsible for the Chikungunya epidemic in the area under his jurisdiction, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon has said…
Saudi Arabia world’s least active country
Saudi Arabia has been ranked as the least active country in the world, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at US-based Stanford University. People in the kingdom were found to take an average of 3,807 steps a day,…
Overnight rains cripples city life
Dhaka – Heavy overnight rains crippled the life in Dhaka as most of the roads, lanes and bylanes of different parts of the capital went under ankle to knee-deep water, causing immense hardship to the commuters and city dwellers. The…
Remove stairs of Hanif Flyover: SC
Dhaka – The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the HC order asking the authorities concerned to remove all the illegal stairs from Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover. A three-member Appellate Division bench led by Chief Justice SK Sinha disposed of the…
Grenfell fire: Series of failings identified
A series of failings that hampered the efforts of firefighters to tackle the Grenfell Tower fire and rescue the building’s residents have been identified by a BBC investigation. Crews cited low water pressure, radio problems and equipment that was either…
Unesco declares Hebron’s Old City, Ibrahimi Mosque World Heritage site
Unesco has designated Hebron’s Old City and the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the occupied West Bank a Palestinian World Heritage site despite Israeli protests. A resolution passed by a committee of the UN cultural agency also put them on…
Illegal structures in residential areas must go: HC
Dhaka – The High Court Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday gave 10 months to the owners to remove their illegal establishments from Gulshan, Banani and Dhanmondi areas of the city.
Eid in Laxmipur, Satkhira, Chandpur, Bhola
Dhaka, Jun 25 – Dwellers of eight villages in Laxmipur, several villages in Satkhira, Chandpur and Bhola districts are celebrating the holy Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslims, on Sunday amid much enthusiasm and religious fervour.
Dhaka more expensive than Washington for expats
Dhaka, Jun 23 – Dhaka city is more expensive than Washington, capital of the United States in terms of cost of living for expatriates, according to Mercer’s 2017 Cost of Living Survey.
Lack of public awareness ‘key challenge to RTI implementation’
Dhaka – Making people aware of the Right to Information Act 2009 and encouraging them to use it is the main challenge in implementing the law, says the Information Commission. -UNB
China’s ‘straddling bus’ heads for scrap yard
It seemed like a glimpse into the city of tomorrow – but China’s “straddling bus” was riddled by doubts early on and now is headed for the scrap yard. The futuristic idea was a bus that would drive above traffic,…
Grenfell Tower type cladding used in around 600 UK high rises
Around 600 high rises across England are using similar cladding to Grenfell Tower, Downing Street estimates. Tower blocks across the UK are being examined after the London blaze, which left 79 people dead or missing, presumed dead. Three samples have…
UK resolute in face of adversity: Queen
The Queen has said it is “difficult to escape a very sombre national mood” following tragedies in London and Manchester in recent weeks. Her message comes as residents caught up in the Grenfell Tower fire which killed at least 30…
UK PM orders tower block fire inquiry
UK Prime Minister Theresa May has ordered a full public inquiry into the massive fire that engulfed a west London block of flats, killing at least 17 people. That figure is expected to rise, as fire chiefs have said they…
London fire death toll rises to 17
At least 17 people died in a massive fire that engulfed a west London block of flats, police said, as they warned that figure could rise further. Earlier, the fire service said rescuers did not expect to find any more…
Hotel trader shot in city
Dhaka – Extortionists stormed the residence of a hotel trader in the city’s Mohakhali area early Tuesday and shot him for his refusal to pay them toll. -UNB