Port Link gets permission to operate

Port Link Logistic Limited, a privately-run Inland Container Depot, has finally given permission to operate from Sunday next by imposing particular preconditions. Chittagong Customs House, after a fruitful discussion yesterday in presence of the customs commissioners, has decided to allow the organization to operate by fulfilling some preconditions. Customs Commissioner (import) Mohammad Nasir Uddin confirmed the reporters about the decision. He, however, said that the organization mush have to minimize sound pollution. A written agreement may take place today for formal launching of its operation. Operation of depot has earlier been suspended on charge of polluting sound. Executive Director of the Port Link and Senior Vice Chairman of Bangladesh Shipping Association Ahsanul Haque Chowdhury told the reporters that they would take all necessary steps avert sound pollution by May 1.

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Staff Correspondent
The Daily Pepoles Views

9-man body to probe dumping of edible rice in Ctg

The National Coordination Committee against Corruption and Serious Crimes on Sunday formed a nine-member committee to investigate the attempts to dump a huge quantity of rice declaring it inedible in Chittagong last month. The taskforce commander in Chittagong, brigadier general Hassan Nasir, heads the committee comprising two representatives each from the army and the district administration, one each from the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, food department, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute and customs authorities. The committee has been asked to submit its report by May 31 finding out the persons responsible for declaring 25 containers of rice putrefied and dumping two containers in Halishahar area in the city. Pakistan government sent 22,000 tonnes of rice as assistance for the survivors of the cyclone Sidr in December. A large quantity of the rice has been distributed among the distressed people. According to sources, the food department did not disburse 25 containers of rice terming it decayed and dumped two containers of rice at Halishahar on April 24. Local people started collecting the dumped rice and said they found it edible prompting the joint forces to seize the rest 23 containers with 412 tonnes of rice, of which 356 tonnes were found edible.

Tushar Hayat
Chittagong
PublishOn:
The Daily New Age

Waste management project in 10 CCC wards likely soon

Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has planned to engage private organizations for city's waste management properly for ensuring sound and healthy environment in and around the city. The CCC has apparently proved its failure in managing huge waste across the city over the last few years which virtually polluted overall environment to a large extent mounting sufferings of city dwellers. Temporary or contractual appointments of cleaners are believed to be the key cause behind non-implementation of the cleaning move, commoners said. "We've planned to engage private organizations for the first time simply to keep the city neat and clean apart from ensuring healthy environment," acting Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Alhaj M Monjur Alam told the Daily People's View yesterday over phone. The CCC has primarily selected its ten wards for implementing pilot project of the initiative as part of experiment and it is expected to begin within the next couple of months. If the pilot project is seen successful then it project will be expanded gradually to the remaining wards of the city. The CCC top officials chalked out the plan in its last meeting that held on January 27. The CCC officials said that the selected private organizations would be paid on basis of waste management. Replying to a question The CCC Mayor said," The process is initial level and tender will be floated for selecting private organizations."He informed that a committee had already been formed to oversee the matter. "Dhaka and Khulna City Corporation have also engaged private organizations for waste management and the recently formed committee has been asked to submit reports after evaluating the performances of private organizations which are now working under the two city corporations," he added. Five ward commissioners led by an CCC executive will soon visit two city corporations - Dhaka and Khulna City Corporation to observe the activities of private organizations. It is learnt that a total of 48 vehicles that had been procured for removing wastes but those are seen mostly unused. Most of the vehicles went inoperative recently, the CCC officials informed. Now the CCC has been using 30 vehicles on rent-basis for removing wastes from different parts of the city. The CCC Mayor said that the selected organizations after routine bidding will manage vehicles to remove wastes from the city. Approximately, 1700 workers, mainly working under permanent and temporary basis may lose their job if the latest initiative can be implemented. The CCC acting Mayor, however, said, "It depends on the private organizations. The organizations can recruit people of the project or utilize the current workforce.""Actually it will be finalized after discussion with related parties," he added and steps will be taken so that workers relieved of sufferings," he added. Top officials of the CCC hoped that the fresh move would help in managing wastes of the city perfectly.

Roudro Moin
Publish On:
The Daily Pepole's View

Chittagong-Dhaka highway to be 4 lane

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved a TK 2,168 crore project that would get prominence to make Dhaka-Chittagong highway four lanes. The Dhaka-Chittagong highway project had earlier been included in the annual development programme for fiscal 2007-08, sources in the implementing authority, Roads and Highways here said. The ECNEC, meeting , chaired by chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed at the NEC conference centre in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar has also approved 10 other projects. The widening the highway from two lanes to four began in January 2006, and the road from Dhaka to Daudkandi of Comilla now has four lanes. The basic objective of the project is aimed at developing a better and speedy transportation system for containerized cargoes from Chittagong port to Dhaka inland container depot (ICD) through road links. The four lanes road communications development will also help bolstering of trade and commerce between Bangladesh and neighbouring countries of Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, Thailand and seven sisters of northern states of India. A recent statistics revealed that rail is covering nearly 15% transport along the corridor including container and bulk cargoes moreover, BR's most profitable freight segment is containers which is adding about 22% to BR's freight revenue .The rest 75% containerized goods are transported to Dhaka from Chittagong by truck or covered van, which is, exposed to higher probability of pilferage and damages on transit. The adequate transportation of goods is not possible in Dhaka-Chittagong rail route in absence of improved rail line , necessary locomotives and wagons. The government took up the project in an effort to reduce increasing road accidents, to ease growing traffic congestion and to ensure smooth travelling. The project was also meant to boost the country's economy through setting up an effective transport system between Dhaka and Chittagong. After the meeting, finance adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam told journalists that it would reduce road accidents and ease transport of products to different areas of the country from Chittagong.The ECNEC also approved projects to rebuild the Gouripur-Jaria-Jhangail and Shyamganj-Mohanganj sections of Bangladesh Railway at a cost of Tk 152 crore, develop a link road from the coastal embankment to Chittagong city at Tk 96 crore, develop Khulna city infrastructure and a water supply system at Tk 50 crore, protect Chapainawabganj and Shibganj Upazila from river erosion at Tk 143 crore and develop the Barind irrigation area at Tk 162 crore.

Staff Correspondent
The Daily People's view

Happy Mothers Day

The Week That Was

Hadi made CPA memberMd Hadi Hussain took the office of Member (Admin and Planning), one of the four posts of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).He is the first person to be appointed to the new post of member proposed in 1995.Hadi, former chief of planning of CPA, started his career as a first class officer in 1977.Hadi participated in courses, workshops and international seminars on port management and port planning in different countries like the USA, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India.Hadi, freedom fighter, was conferred honorary citizenship by the Mayor of Orleans city in the USA for his outstanding performance in 1997. He is also a life member of Bangladesh Statistical Association.FFs demand allowance Freedom fighters at a meeting on Thursday demanded allowance for them and extension of the age limit to 65 years for retirement. They said only some of the distressed freedom fighters are getting honorarium, but around 9,000 employee freedom fighters do not get any honorarium or recognition from the state.The demands were made at a meeting of Chittagong Port Institutional Command Muktijoddha Sangsad at Bandar Thana Command Office.The Chittagong Divisional Institutional Command Samannaya Parishad Convener Fazal Ahmed was the chief guest at the meeting with Joynal Abedin in the chair.The Parishad Member Secretary Abul Kashem Bhuiyan and freedom fighters Harunur Rashid, Mohammad Abu Zafar Azad, Humayun Kabir, Syed Mahmudul Haque, Mohammad Ali Mintu, Abdur Razzak, Abdul Quddus Patwari, Rabbani Mian and Kalu Mian spoke at the meeting.Community police launchedSpeakers on Sunday called upon all to come forward and wage a social movement alongside the police force to build a modern society.They made the call at the inaugural ceremony of the “Community Policing Activities” in city's Fishery Ghat area.Sonali Jantrik Samabaya Samity organised the ceremony where Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Deputy Commissioner Mostafa Kamal was present as the chief guest.Speakers said fish traders have a great contribution to country's economy and police have to ensure their security.CMP Kotwali Zone Assistant Commissioner Babul Akter, organisations' leaders Prof Kazi Mohammad Saif Rahman, Mohammad Ali Sawdagar, Babul Sarker and Mohammad Selim also spoke at the function.Later, Mostafa Kamal handed over uniforms, batons and whistles to 14 members of the community police.Trust Bank naval branch opensA new branch of Trust Bank Limited was inaugurated at the BNS Issa Khan Naval Base in the port city on Sunday.Bangladesh Navy Chief Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam inaugurated the branch.Navy chief hoped that the new branch would help social and economic development of the area.The Bank Managing Director Iqbal U Ahmed, other bank and naval officials were present at the function.Scholarship giving ceremony heldChittagong City Corporation (CCC) Acting Mayor M Manjur Alam said kindergarten schools have been playing a vital role in expanding the primary education in the country.“If the pace can be kept uninterrupted we would be able to achieve our ultimate goals,” he said.He was addressing the prize and scholarship giving ceremony of Bangladesh Kindergarten Association Chittagong Divisional Unit at Chittagong Zila Parishad auditorium on Wednesday.The unit President Mohammad Didarul Islam presided over the ceremony while the association Central Secretary General Iskandar Ali Hawlader was the key speaker.World Press Freedom Day observedSpeakers on Saturday emphasised the need for press freedom as it helps ensure transparency, accountability and good governance in a country.“Though right to expression is a fundamental right but all the governments always tried to control the media in different ways,” they said.They were addressing a discussion organised marking the World Press Freedom Day at Chittagong Academy auditorium. Sushasoner Jonney Procharavijan (Campaign for Good Governance) Chittagong chapter organised the discussion.Local Daily Suporabhat Bangladesh Chief Reporter M Nasirul Haque presided over the discussion while the organisation Assistant Secretary Mohammad Harun presented the key-note paper.Speakers said journalists have been providing objective news to the people risking their lives and right to information is badly needed to ensure the access to the government information.They underscored the need for taking steps from the government to ensure security of the newsmen.Chittagong Union of Journalists' (CUJ) General Secretary Nazimuddin Shyamal, Daily Sangbad Chittagong Bureau Chief Hasan Ferdous, organisation member Dr Syed Didarul Munir Rubel, Advocate Jane Alam and Prof Mohammad Jahangir spoke at the discussion.6 tubewells set upBangladesh Muslim Welfare Society and Hazi Abdur Razzak Foundation jointly set up six tubewells at city's Pathar Ghata ward.The initiative aimed at addressing the ongoing water crisis that has been experiencing by the city dwellers since the beginning of the summer. Founder of the Society M Nazim Uddin launched the project on Friday while the Society Vice Chairman Ismail Bali, Abu Mohammad Jamal, Abdul Ahad Azad, Mohammad Manhur Mian, Didarul Alam Diadar and Abul Hasnat Manik were present.

Published On: The Daily Star

2008-05-08

Commuters suffer as CNG drivers ignore new fare structure

Drivers of the autorickshaws are forcing the passengers to pay additional fares in the port city following the doubling of the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).They are not following the new fare structure fixed by the government on April 26.The traffic department of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) succeeded to force the drivers use meters in their vehicles and charge the government-fixed fare since January 1.But the commuters could enjoy the benefit only for four months as the drivers stopped using the meters and increased the fare on the pretext of price hike of CNG. The government raised the price of a cubic meter of CNG to Tk 16.75 from Tk 8.50 on April 24, asking the owners and drivers of the CNG-driven transports not to increase the fares until the new rates are settled. But, the drivers made no waste of time to stop using meters and hike the fares by 50 per cent blaming the price hike of CNG.Although the government promptly raised fares for CNG-run autorickshaws and other transports to adjust with the new price of CNG, but the drivers continue to realise extra fare.Under the new fare structure, initial charge has been fixed at Tk 18 for any distance up to two kilometres as against Tk 13.50 previously. Fare for each extra kilometre has been raised to Tk 6 from Tk 5.50.But the drivers are charging higher than the government fixed fare, causing sufferings to the commuters in the port city. Sharfuddin, a passenger, said according to the new fare structure it might take not more than Tk 36 to reach Anderkilla from Choumuhani, a distance of five kilometres, but the drivers charge Tk 50 and on some occasions more than that. Passengers said the meters have neither been calibrated according to the new fare structure nor the drivers have hung any chart of fares in their vehicles.No meter was found calibrated in the autorickshaws in the city on Sunday. Besides, the drivers did not hang any price chart in their vehicles.The autorickshaw owners and drivers said they have yet to get new price chart from Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to hang it in their vehicles.Deputy Commissioner (DC) CMP (traffic) Mohammad Ali Mia said they still did not get new price chart from the BRTA. He, however, said they will take steps in this regard immediately after getting the price chart.Additional Director (AD) of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Chittagong Sheikh Md Ataullah Chowdhury said they have taken steps to publish advertisement on the new fare list in the newspapers. He said they have sent letters to the leaders of CNG-auto-rickshaw owners association and the meter installation companies to start calibration of meters immediately according to the new chart.

Dwaipayan Barua
Published On: 2008-05-08
The Daily Star