Bikes are freedom: UN chief



News Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
photo Collected

photo Collected

  • Font increase
  • Font Decrease

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’s has sent a message on World Bicycle Day which is being observed across the globe including Bangladesh.

In his message, Antonio Guterres said, bikes are freedom; bikes are fun.  They are good for one’s health -- physical and mental -- and good for our one and only planet.  Bikes are popular and practical, providing exercise and transporting us not only to school, stores and work but to a more sustainable future.

World Bicycle Day celebrates this great power and highlights the importance of non-motorized transport in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and combating climate change, said a media release from UN Bangladesh on Thursday (June 3).

Today there are an estimated 1 billion bicycles in the world – about as many as passenger cars.  Their use spans the generations, from toddlers to older persons; once you learn, you never forget.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, cycling was a critical mode of transport, and bike-sharing programmes were increasingly common, providing free or affordable access to bicycles for short trips. 

The crisis has changed transport needs and behaviour, and prompted many cities to rethink their transport systems, with bicycles playing a vital role in offering an economical and non-polluting alternative.

This further embrace of cycling must be accompanied by heightened efforts to improve road safety and integrate the bicycle into sustainable transport planning and design. Investments in city infrastructure, including protected lanes and other measure to promote safety and counter the long-standing hegemony of the automobile.  As we look ahead to the United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference in October in Beijing, let us pledge to support cycling and make better biking a reality. 

To all the world’s cyclists on World Bicycle Day, whether out for sport, exercise or an errand, keep those wheels turning!

   

Rebel used to deal in drugs under the guise of a musician



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

  • Font increase
  • Font Decrease

Enamul Kabir Rebel has been caught dealing drugs under the guise of a musician.

Police arrested this musician from Rampura area of the capital on Friday (April 26) night with crystal meth (ice) worth crores of takas.

Additional Deputy Police Commissioner of DMP Khilgaon Zone Rashedul Islam in a press conference at noon on Saturday (April 27) said that Enamul Kabir is a musician of 'Uchcharan' band. He used to deal in drugs under the guise of musician.

He said, Rebel used to work in the team of drug dealer MD. Ripon alias Leetu alias Bhaijaan. According to the information given by him (Rebel), Badda area. Litu's residence was raided. Although Litu was not found in the raid, various evidences including drugs were seized from his house.

This police officer said that Rebel and his driver Ami used to cooperate in Litu's drug trade. Rebel had been assisting Litu in his drug trade for over five years.

He also said that Rebel met Litu from an event. Later a friendly relationship developed between them.

;

Work is going on the advice of Chief Heat Officer: Mayor Atiq



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

  • Font increase
  • Font Decrease

 

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md. Atiqul Islam said, as per the suggestion of Chief Heat Officer (CHO) Bushra Afrin, work is going on to combat the heat.

She is a single person, he said, advising the chief heat officer. She will not implement the works. She gives advice, but the work is actually done by all of us. It is on his advice that we are doing these things to give relief to the people.

On Saturday (April 27), he said these things while inspecting DNCC's water spray (sprinkling water) program to prevent air pollution and keep the city cool during intense heat in Agargaon.

In response to a question about the appointment and salary allowance of Chief Hit Officer Bushra Afrin, he said, "I see that many people are talking about her for the past few days. She is getting salary from city corporation, actually it is not correct. She does not get a single taka from the city corporation. She doesn't even have any seat in the city corporation. But she has no chair.

Heat officers have been appointed by an organization based in the United States (Adrienne Arshot-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center (Arshot-Rock). They have appointed 7 chief heat officers around the world and all seven are women.

Earlier, at 11:30, the mayor Md. Atiqul Islam said at Syed Mahboob Morshed avenue Agargaon while visiting the special van kept for supply of clean drinking water and drank the water himself. Later, when artificial rain began to fall through the spray cannon, he joined the excited children and teenagers and shared the joy with them.

Later, the mayor talked to the journalists. Atiqul Islam said, two spray cannons that provide artificial rain will sprinkle water on the main road. As they are quite large, they cannot enter the street. Ten browsers will work to sprinkle water on the street. Through these the roads will be wet and kept cool. I have also directed the concerned department to arrange artificial rain like spray cannons in the parks of DNCC. In the next one week artificial rain will be arranged in the parks.

He said, on the advice of Chief Heat Officer (CHO) Bushra Afrin, we have taken the initiative of sprinkling water on roads and providing free drinking water to 54 wards of DNCC to relieve the people in the ongoing intense heat. Three special vans (with 500 liter water tanks) have been brought down in each ward to provide water to the pedestrians. The vans will move around the ward with clean drinking water. These vans are made in small size to fit into the alleys of the city. Pedestrians and working people should be able to drink water.

Calling the city dwellers, the mayor said, I have three appeals to the city dwellers in the current situation. 1, I request the shopkeepers, traders and owners association leaders of DNCC area to arrange a drum for drinking water in front of every shop, shopping mall, market. Everyone can drink water. 2, we planted 80 thousand trees last year. This year I will plant another 1 lakh 20 thousand trees. I request the people of the city to take care of these trees. The city corporation is taking care, besides the city residents will take care of the trees in front of their houses, in front of the shops. 3. This year, we started activities before dengue spread. Aedes mosquito season is starting. Everyone should keep their homes, offices, educational institutions and surroundings clean so that Aedes larvae do not grow.

DNCC Chief Executive Officer Mir Khairul Alam, Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes Chowdhury, Chief Waste Management Officer Captain Mohammad Fida Hasan, 28 Ward Councilor Md. Forkan Hossain, reserved councilor Hamida Akhter (Mita) and others were present.

;

Passenger bus caught fire in Banani



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

  • Font increase
  • Font Decrease

A fire broke out in a passenger bus in front of the Banani Navy headquarters in the capital. In this incident, two units of Kurmitola fire station are working to control the fire.

Rashed bin Khalid, the duty officer of the fire service, confirmed this information to Barta24.com on Saturday (April 27).

Rashed Bin Khalid told Barta24.com that there was a fire incident in a passenger bus in front of Banani Navy Headquarters in the capital. The fire incident took place at 4:20 pm. In this incident, two units of Kurmitola fire station are working to control the fire.

He also said that nothing can be said about the origin of the fire or casualties.

;

The plan of BNP to come to power by enslaving foreign masters: Quader



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
photo: Barta24

photo: Barta24

  • Font increase
  • Font Decrease

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said, BNP's predicament is how to come to power by enslaving foreign masters.

He made this comment in response to questions from reporters after paying tribute to Sher-e- Bangla AK Fazlul Haque's mausoleum at the historical Shaheed Suhrawardy Udyan at 8 am on Saturday (April 27).

Obaidul Quader said, BNP is enslaved to get power, to stay in power. They do not consider public support as a key issue. Slavery to foreign masters leads to power. Their dilemma is still how to go to power by enslaving foreign masters.

Mentioning that he does not consider BNP as a democratic party, he said, there is no precedent for establishing democracy in their history. They have killed democracy, turned it into a farce. They never obeyed the democratic rules even within the party. They talk big, when they do the party council? Where did they party council? 7-8 years ago there was a meeting at the Le Meridien Central Committee. Jambu Jam style Committee of 501 people. Those who do not have democracy at home cannot establish democracy in the country.

Obaidul Quader said, national leader Sher-e- Bangla was one of the people who took politics to common people in this country. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman inspired the common people with the mantra of freedom. The farmers of rural Bengal will never forget Shere-e- Bangla. He will forever be remembered among them. He protected usurer moneylenders from tyranny by setting up State and Debt Arbitration(Rin Shalishi Boeard) Board. He is still remembered for that.

Commenting on today's pledge to fulfill their dreams, he said, today our pledge is to form Bangabandhu, Suhrawardy, Maulana Bhasani, Sher-e- Bangla AK Fazlul Haq non-sectarian Bangladesh. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we are fighting to build a humane and non-communal Bangladesh. That is the dream of Sher-e- Bangla AK Fazlul Haque and that is our pledge today.

;