The responsibility of 26 canals in Dhaka has been handed over from Dhaka WASA to Dhaka South (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). These canals have been handed over through signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Dhaka WASA, DSCC and DNCC at Rupashi Bangla grand ball room in Hotel Intercontinental on Thursday. Local Government Minister Tazul Islam was present as the chief guest in the program. Tazul Islam said, 26 canals have been handed over to DSCC and DNCC from Dhaka WASA. Now two corporations will perform the maintenance responsibility. In this way there will be no water-logging in the capital. The government has taken different initiatives to improve service for the inhabitants of Dhaka. These are being implemented by phases. AH

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) today (Tuesday) said no public gathering at open spaces including rooftops will be allowed on the night of December 31 amid the coronavirus pandemic. The DMP asked not to arrange cultural programme on rooftops, roads and public places, said a press release. Dhaka University campus will remain restricted for outsiders after 6:00pm on December 31, said the release, adding teachers and other employees of Dhaka University residing on campus can enter the university premises through Nilkhet and Shahbagh entrances after showing their ID cards. On 31st night, no outsiders will be allowed to enter Gulshan and Banani areas after 8pm on December 31, but residents can enter through Kakoli and Amtoli points. Moreover, after 8:00pm no one would be allowed to stay in Hatirjheel area. The DMP also requested the residents of Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas to return home before 8:00pm on December 31. City dwellers are requested not to carry any licensed arms in public places from 6:00pm on December 31 to 6:00am on January 1, added the release. Source: BSS AH

CCECC Bangladesh Limited, the Contractor Company, donated blankets and winter cloths (Men, Women & Children) to Dulalpur Village in Brahmanpara Upazila, Cumilla. The Program titled “Winter Relief Programme-2020” is a part of Corporate Social Responsibity (CSR) of CCECC Bangladesh Limited to share the love and affection to stand beside disadvantaged People in this Winter season amid Pandemic. CCECC Bangladesh Limited distributed the relief among 2,000 disadvantaged poor People of Dulalpur village through this Programme. The Village representatives, Personnel from CCECC Bangladesh Limited, Social workers and disadvantaged poor villagers together with local community attended the Programme. From the Guests panel, Advocate Md. Mominul Haque Bhuiyan, Senior Vice President of Human Rights Commision, Cumilla City said “The donation in Winter amid Pandemic to disadvantaged poor vilagers of Dulalpur is really great support by CCECC Bangladesh which will be remembered by Villagers. I hope this kind of support to local community will be continued by CCECC”. Mr. Anisul Haque Bhuiyan (Ripon), Union Parishad Chairman of Dulalpur said, The kind guestures made by our Chinese friends made all the disadvantaged People so happy. I would like to express gratitudes to your kind contributions and I hope in the future more people can join programmes of such kind to make our underdeveloped communities cozy places for all disadvantaged to live in. All kind of necessary administative support shall be provided us”. Mr. Joynal Abedin Bhuian, Senior Social Worker of Dulalpur has closed the Program through delivering his valuable speech, he said “The Donation means a lot to our community and the initiative amid Pandemic by Chinese Friends of CCECC really made our villagers smily. I am thankful to CCECC on behalf of my Villagers”. On behalf of CCECC Bangladesh Limited, Mr. Shahjalal Rashid Chowdhury and Mr. Shahnewaz Hossain Chowdhury represented the whole Programme. The also mentioned “We take it as our corporate social responsibility to contribute to the improvement of infrastructure connectivity, facility availability and beneficiaries’ livelihood.”  The local support to conduct the Programme been provided by “Rafiq Chairman Foundation” which established after the die of Mr. Rafiqul Haque Bhuiyan, the First Upazila Chairman of Brahmanpara. The reprentative of the Foundation, Mr. Ariful Haque Bhuiyan supervised the Program. Please note that, As one of the ENR-listed top 100 global contractors for consecutive nineteen years with a global business network in 103 countries and regions, CCECC has been engaged in a wide spectrum of infrastructure projects worldwide in diverse fields such as railway, road, elevated expressway, bridge, marine works including dredging, and housing projects in the capacity of an EPC Contractor or a private investor. Since its incorporation in Bangladesh from 2015, CCECC has been engaged in 10 no.s infrastructure development projects totaling more than 2.0 Billion US Dollars in the domains of railway engineering, dredging and marine works, and roads and highways.  

At 2:16 am two madrasa students came near the sculpture of Bangabandhu by foot wearing paijama and Panjabi. Then they stepped up with help of a ladder on the sculpture of Bangabandhu at the panch rasta intersection in Kushtia town. They first hit the pointer finger of Bangabandhu's sculpture with hammer that they brought in a back pack. After that they vandalized the hand of the sculpture then the face of it. Nearly about nine minutes they stepped down with the ladder and left the place by walking. Police have arrested four persons including those two madrasa students. The information was delivered by Khulna range DIG Dr. Mohid Uddin at a press briefing over the incident of vandalizing Bangabandhu’s sculpture. The press briefing was arranged at Kushtia police line conference room on Sunday. He said, after analyzing the CCTV footage they interrogated two madrasa students. They recognized the two students who vandalized the sculpture. Based on their information after night long drive police arrested Sabuz Islam Nahid (20) from Philipnagar Golabari village under Daulatpur bordering India and Abu Bakkar Mithuun (19) from Shingpur of Mirpur upazila. They are the students of hefz department of Ibne Masud Madrasa at Jugia Paschimpara in Kushtia town. After interrogation it was known that two teachers of the madrasa inspired them to vandalize the sculpture and also helped them to flee. Police then arrested those two teachers named Al Amin (27) and Yusuf Ali (26). The DIG said, nobody will be spared. We are saddened like the whole nation. Investigation will go on to find out whether there is linkage with others. We have got some information. AH     

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Wednesday urged all to refrain from holding any meeting, rally and taking out any procession in the capital without prior permission. In a press statement, DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam also warned of taking legal action if such a programme is held defying the request. “Recently, it has been noticed that various socio-political and religious organisations are arranging rallies, meetings and mass gatherings in Dhaka metropolitan areas without any prior permission of the authorities concerned,“ the statement reads. It says traffic and public movement are being disrupted due to various obstrucions on the roads caused such unauthorised programmes. According to the DMP Ordinance, the statement says, there is an obligation to take prior permission from the DMP Commissioner to hold such programmes and use sound equipment in the DMP areas with a view to maintaining civic amenities, law and order and controlling traffic. Otherwise, it is not possible to maintain discipline and security of those who arrange the rallies or processions. “On the other hand, some parties or quarters get the scope to degenerate the law and order and damage public property by illegally arranging rallies, the statement mentions. The DMP authorities sought cooperation from all for the sake of maintaining peace, law and order and overall public security in the metropolitan areas. Source: UNB AH