The New Nation - Internet Edition

Unprecedented land price rise in city

UNB, Dhaka

As the centre of all activities, Dhaka City has experienced an unprecedented increase in land price since the early 70s with Dhanmondi showing 12,000 percent rise since there is no control over the land market.

According to a study, Dhaka City has seen the unusual rise in land price for lack of serviced land compared to the demand. It says age-old land record system, taxation structure and cumbersome land transfer procedure have made the whole system unmanageable in the city where the land-man ratio is among the lowest in the world. The study says real-estate companies have had land development and housing projects allover the city driving up the land price, as they compete with each other for a single piece of land. The land price in areas where developers operate such as Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Segunbagicha, Siddheswari, Shantinagar, Mohammadpur, etc. is much higher.

The study says transformation of land use from residential to commercial knocks up the price further. "The growth rate of land price of Dhanmondi was higher during 1983 to 2005, which was 1,222 percent. In recent years, the land price in Dhanmondi has broken the previous records due to fierce competition among the developers."

The study found only one area in the city, Motijheel, where land price had been rising faster long before independence (between 1947 and 1966). Prices in Motijheel increased by 9,900 percent before independence and by 2,400 percent after independence. It reveals that although there is almost no land transaction in the older part of Dhaka, there are some wards like 62, 63, 64, 66, 68, 69, 70, and 71 where land price is too high because of their commercial importance.

The study, titled 'Land Price in Dhaka City: Distribution Characteristics and Trend of Changes', says the pressure on limited land in Dhaka has not only intensified urbanisation, it has also led to indiscriminate filling of lowland in and around the city to make way for unplanned urban development.

The study has identified some physical factors that influence the land price in Dhaka. These include type of neighbourhood (planned/unplanned), width of the main road, width of access road, surface quality of the road, distance of the main road from the area, duration of water logging and distance of the marketplace and the nearest health facility.

The study suggested setting up of an information database to regulate the market, avoid artificially created land crisis, ensure equitable access to land by citizens and overcome the problem of speculation. It says information about land price help the policymaker and the planners understand and analyze the dynamic urban structure of Dhaka as the capital city.

Suman Kumar Mitra, Md Abu Nayeem Sohag and Mohammad Aminur Rahman of Urban and Regional Planning Department of BUET conducted the study under the guidance of Ishrat Islam, a teacher of the department. "It's like auction the way land is sold in Dhaka city.

There should be a system to regulate the land market in the city," Ishrat Islam told UNB.

According to the 2001 census, 23 percent of the country's population live in urban areas. The increasing rate of urbanisation is the effect of growing population and migration from rural areas. The mounting population pressure on Dhaka City has a severe impact on housing, infrastructure and employment sectors, which require land to meet the demand.

About the land price in Dhaka, a writer in an article says, "It's now an open secret that a gulf of difference exists between the government and market prices of the city land. In this 'imperfect' or 'distorted' market, land becomes arguably the most valued commodity. It is no surprise that land receives more than its fair share of attention from land speculators and developers as well as grabbers. A gainful nexus develops between some of them and a section within the concerned authorities."

He says the developers are now on a rampage for land, creating ecological disasters in and around Dhaka.

DCC asked to stop dumping garbage into rivers

Staff Reporter

Prof Mozaffar Ahmad, President of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA), said yesterday that pollution of river water has been causing damages to bio-diversity, human beings and lands throughout the country.

Addressing a press conference, the BAPA president pointed out that most of the industrial units were not utilising their effluent treatment plants. As s result, the effluents of the industrial units were polluting the river water across the country, he added.

The press conference on " the latest condition of rivers around Dhaka city:

Whose responsibility" was organised by BAPA at the VIP auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).

Engineer Iqbal Habib, Joint Secretary of BAPA, presented some video clips of the contaminated rivers surrounding the Dhaka city and explained the reasons for the contamination of river water.

He put forward certain demands for the consideration of the government.

He suggested that the Government should prevail upon the owners of seven thousand industrial units in the capital to take steps for the treatment of effluents at their industrial premises.

Habib asked the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) to widen its garbage management .DCC must discard the practice of dumping garbage into the surrounding rivers of Dhaka city or on their banks, he said.

He also asked DCC to set up sewerage treatment plant to enhance its capacity to drain out human wastes.

Habib urged the government to approve the report of the River Pollution

Prevention Committee and implements its recommendations.

Speaking at the press conference, Dr Md Abdul Matin, general secretary, BAPA, held EPZ at Savar responsible for the pollution of the water of the river Turag.'

He told the conference that private industries were responsible for the 60 percent pollution of the river water while the state run organizations pollute

30 percent of river water.The members of the public were responsible for the pollution of only 10 percent river water, he noted.

" We don't need such industries which destroy all good things", he added.

Among others, Mihir Bishwas, coordinator of Buriganga Bachao Andolon and Sharef Jamil, Joint Secretary of BAPA attended the conference.

Eastern Bank grant for DU students

Staff Reporter

Eastern Bank Ltd in co-operation with the Dhaka University (DU) Alumni Association has offered financial grant of Tk 5 lakh and 60 thousand for the students of the Dhaka University for the current year.

The amount was distributed among 224 meritorious students belonging to 56 departments of the university at a function held at TSC yesterday. Each student will get a lump grant of Tk 2,500.

Prof SMA Faiz, Vice-Chancellor of the University attended the function as chief guest while AQI Chowdhury, Chairman of the Eastern Bank was present as guest of honour.

Ali Reza Ifthekhar, Chief Executive Official of Easter Bank, was also present at the function which was presided over by Syed Manzur Elahi, President of DU Alumni Association.

The bank in co-operation with the Alumni Association launched this grant programme for the DU students in 2007 and it will continue for five years. The recepients will also get a certificate of excellence under the programme.

SMA Faiz said the issue as to who will bear the cost of higher education of the students is now being discussed all over the world. He was of the view that the corporate bodies should come forward to discharge their social responsibilities for the overall good of the society.

Manzur Elahi said the corporate bodies have now come to realise that they should contribute something out of their profit for the welfare of the society.

Prof Kamrunnahar and Monwar Hossain addressed the function on behalf of guardians while Elora Sharmeen, a 2nd year student of the Public Administration Department, spoke on behalf of the students.

Workers Party demands white paper on caretaker goverment

UNB, Dhaka

Leaders of a faction of Workers Party of Bangladesh have demanded of the caretaker government to publish a white paper on their last 16 months' rule to ensure transparency and accountability about which they are always so vocal.

The demand was made at a press conference at the party office in the city yesterday noon to express their reaction on the Chief Adviser's address to the nation.

Terming the Chief Adviser's recent address to the nation as frustrating, party general secretary Saiful Huq said formulating national charter, mentioned by the Chief Adviser in his address on May 12, is an "alarming signal" for the nation.

"The undemocratic caretaker government has no legality to take the initiative of formulating national charter as it is a very sensitive issue. The elected representative government can only decide to do so, if necessary," he said.

Huq was critical of the initiative of the interim caretaker government that wanted to fix the way of the country's future democracy. "They don't know the country's democracy and peace loving people does not accept it," he said.

He said the Chief Adviser's address to the nation had frustrated the people as there was no specific direction on price-hike of essentials, on food security assurance, government-announced women development policy and even on making level playing fields for holding fair general election.

The Workers Party leaders also placed several demands for holding free, fair and acceptable parliamentary election.

The demands include ensuring democratic right of people by immediately lifting emergency across the country, the government must avoid all the revealed and unrevealed political agendas in holding dialogue, cancellation of all undemocratic conditions imposed on indoor politics, ensuring freedom of media, disqualifying the war criminals, terrorists, corrupt suspects and black money holders from participating in election, and to do away with the government's double standard policy immediately.

Among others, party president Khandoker Ali Abbas, central committee members Bohni Shikha Jamali and Habibul Islam were present.

Low over Bay persists

BSS, Dhaka

The well-marked low over eastcentral Bay and adjoining northeast Bay and Myanmar coast persists at 9 AM yesterday. It is likely to intensify further.

Under its influence, deep convection is taking place over north Bay, Met Office sources said.

Squally weather is likely to continue over north Bay and may affect the maritime ports of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar.

Maritime port of Mongla has been advised to lower local cautionary signal number three.

Maritime ports of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three.

All fishing boats and trawlers over north Bay have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice, the sources said.

Bangladeshi chef becomes jury in Belgium

BSS, Dhaka

A Bangladesh-born chef being rated one of best 50s in Belgium has been made jury of a most popular television programme 'My Restaurant' this month, according to a message received here on Friday.

Mashuk Rahman, who owns Indian restaurant Saffraan in Antwerp, is one of the four foreign chefs in the jury board of the VTM television programme viewed by one million people in Belgium, the Netherlands and other parts of Europe.

The main objective of the programme is to help find promising young couples to materialize their lifetime dream to be an owner of a big restaurant, a fastest growingbusiness in Belgium that focuses on developing young entrepreneurship for future development.

The VTM had earlier selected five couples from the cities of Gent, Ostenda, Hassel, Leuven and Antwerp through a competitive process and provided them 2.5 lakh Euro to start business by their own. The couples have started their business a month ago and two of them have already disqualified.

A big team monitor every aspects of the management, cooking, behaviour, interior decoration and others indicators to find the successful couple, who will be awarded the whole amount of about Taka 2.5 crore to materialize their dreams into reality.

"The programme is very innovative and Bangladesh corporate bodies can start such programmes to develop new entrepreneurs in different sectors as part of their social responsibilities," Mashuk, hailed from Patenga of Chittagong, told BSS over phone.

He said the winner of the two-month long competition would be announced on May 29 on a live programme on VTM television.

Last year, Mashuk's Saffraan restaurant rated one of the best fifty restaurants in Belgium. The restaurant has earned quick reputation in four years of launching in 2003. It now attracts a huge crowd, hungry for Indian spicy food everyday.

Mashuk and his Belgian wife Anouk together run the restaurant and now been planning to expand outlets to other Belgian cities and European countries, where Bangla food has a big demand.

World Telecom Day today

BSS, Dhaka

The World Telecommunications and Information Society Day will be observed in the country as elsewhere of the world today with a call for bringing the people of all races closer to each other around the globe.

This year's theme of the day is: Connecting persons with disabilities: ICT opportunities for all', an official handout said.

On the occasion, President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed gave separate messages, describing the theme as time-worthy and relevant in the present global context.

Welcoming the initiative to observe the day in Bangladesh, the President said telecommunications as well as ICT started facilitating the people of all faiths irrespective of their geographical locations, bringing them closer to each other than ever before.

"I hope people from all walks of life would be able to contribute more towards the nation building activities by using the enormous power of ICT," he said and wished overall success of the day in Bangladesh.

60 skilled garment workers recruited for Russia

UNB, Dhaka

Sixty skilled garment workers have been recruited by a Russian company opening the export of Bangladeshi workers to Russian Federation.

Messrs Visujostoy have recruited these workers for the garments sector with a monthly salary of US$450 with free accommodation, medical and insurance. Each worker will have to spend a total Tk 135,000 for air ticket, immigration fee and language course.

An official of the Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry said they received a demand from Russia for 150 Bangladeshi workers. The Bangladesh Embassy in Moscow has communicated that there is big opportunity of sending manpower to Russia.

The official said that on May 29-30 a conference on recruiting manpower will be held in Vladivostok. Bangladesh will send a delegation to the conference, he added.

In Primoxy province of the Russian Federation, there is demand for skilled and semi-skilled workers of different professions including technicians, engineers and planners.

Meanwhile, 44 skilled workers have recently got employment in Romania.

Last year, some 830,000 Bangladeshi workers were granted immigration clearance, while expatriate workers remitted US$6.5 billion.

Beheaded body of bus helper found in city

UNB, Dhaka

Beheaded body of a bus helper was found at Meer Hazirbagh in the city's Shyampur area yesterday morning.

The victim was identified as Abul Kalam, 30, helper of a bus runs on Dhaka-Mouwa road. Son of Abdul Mannan, Kalam was a resident of 270, Meer Hazirbagh.

Police recovered the body kept in a sack from Engineer Lane of Shyampur at about 8:30am and sent it to Mitford Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Victim's family members identified the body by its wearing dress.

Motives behind the killing could not be ascertained immediately.

Caesar's bust found in river

Internet

Divers in France have found the oldest known bust of Roman dictator Julius Caesar at the bottom of the River Rhone, officials have said.

The marble bust was found near Arles, which was founded by Caesar.

France's culture ministry said the bust was from 46BC, the date of the southern town's foundation.

The ministry described the bust - which shows a lined face and a balding head - as typical of realist portraits of the Republican era.

It said other items had been found at the same site, including a 1.8m (6ft) marble statue of Neptune from the first decade of the third century AD, and two smaller statues in bronze.

Divers taking part in an archaeological excavation made the discovery between September and October 2007.

Luc Long, the archaeologist who directed the excavations, said all the busts of Caesar in Rome were posthumous.

A group of republican senators assassinated Caesar in 44BC.

"I suspect the bust was thrown in the river after he was assassinated because it would not have been good at that time to be considered a follower of his," said Mr Long.

Some of the objects found in the river will be displayed in a museum on ancient Arles, the culture ministry said.

Use of capacitor, energy saving bulb may ease power crisis

Chittagong Correspondent

Country's ongoing power crisis may easily be cut down to a great extent simply by pushing power factor up at the distribution level without even setting up new generation unit, according to engineers looking for the practical way out of the problem.

Relatively low wattage but high performance devices may also help save at least 700 to 900 megawatts of power a day. Nearly 900-megawatt power is consumed a day only for lighting purpose all over the country. Common use of the energy saving bulb (ESB) may easily help save 80% of the electricity - around 720 megawatts.

Fast changing power consumption pattern of the subscribers in the recent decades has left adverse impact on the generation and the distribution system particularly in the form of power factor.

Power generation and management experts alleged that the issue of the 'power factor' had always been missing from the mind of the power policymakers and the distribution network designers.

Otherwise, installation of power factor compensation devices at the distribution points or at the consumers' end should have been made mandatory well before.

Electrical engineers say, generation and consumption of electricity have two inseparable components - the active and the reactive power. Active electricity is consumable while the reactive is not.

Sophisticated electrical and electronic home appliances have constantly pushing the power factor down forcing the generation system to supply relatively higher magnitude of reactive electricity, which is also pushing the generation capacity down to a large extent.

Approximately 30 per cent of the generated electricity is being disappeared from the system simply because of the low power factor.

The active and the reactive electricity are usually differentiated theoretically upon the kilovolt-Amp (KVA) in both generation and consumption stages utilizing power factor as the measuring unit.

100 killed in Nigeria pipeline blast

AFP, Lagos

An oil pipeline explosion killed about 100 people on Thursday near a primary school in a suburb north of Lagos, the Red Cross said.

An earth-moving excavator at a road construction site accidentally burst the pipeline causing the explosion and an inferno which engulfed adults and children stood nearby, Red Cross official Sule Mekudi told AFP from the site of the disaster. The blast erupted near a primary school in the suburban town of Ijegun, and the area was littered with shoes and bags belonging to pupils, a journalist at the scene told AFP.

Local people threw sand and water at the flames in a bid to help firefighters extinguish the blaze, witnesses said.

"About 100 people were confirmed dead in the explosion. We have also evacuated about 20 others to the Ikeja general hospital," Mekudi told AFP. Most of the injured had suffered serious burns, he added.

Pipeline fires are commonplace in Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer, in part because of poor pipeline maintenance but also because of thieves who vandalise pipelines to siphon off petrol to sell on the black market.