Development wheel of the Southern region will run on Payara bridge in October



Jahir Rayhan, Barta24.com, Baishal
ছবি: সংগৃহীত

ছবি: সংগৃহীত

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There is a touch of development in the south. Sustainable development in the south, including large-scale infrastructure development, ports, industrialization, factories, universities, cantonments, engineering colleges, has touched the south. The communication system has changed radically. Industrial factories and employment are developing. Besides, business relations will be established with the whole country.

The Payara Bridge will connect the southernmost Kuakata with the Dhaka region's ferry-free communication system by road. After the inauguration in October this year, the wheel of development of the entire southern region will run on this bridge which is a milestone in the new development of the current ruling Awami League government.

According to the Payara Bridge Construction Project, on March 19, 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the foundation stone of the bridge over the Payara River at Lebukhali on the Dhaka-Barishal-Patuakhali Highway.

Then on July 24, 2016, the construction work of Pigeon Bridge started. The work order of the bridge project has given 33 months for construction work but the duration of the project has been extended in two phases till June 30, 2022. However, before that, the concerned authorities are working to launch the bridge by next October.

The bridge is 1,470 meters long and 19.7 meters wide with two abutments, 31 pillars, two spans of 200 meters each and 130 meters long piles at the bottom of the river.

However, it is learned that 99 percent construction work of this bridge including construction of 1,026 meters approach road, toll plaza, administrative building, electrification and four- lanes have been completed.

 The Payara Bridge has been constructed in an aesthetic design in the style of the third Karnafuli Bridge in Chittagong at a potential construction cost of around Tk. 1,500 crore which is the most attractive bridge in Barishal and of the whole southern region.

According to the Tourism Corporation and local administration sources, there is huge potential in the tourism industry across the Barishal division. Especially Kuakata of Patuakhali, Payra seaport and its adjoining areas like Gangamati, Kawarchar and Barishal. In these commercial zones, various types of development oriented institutions including industrial factories are being formed in the area.

Locals and traders say the south has always been neglected. Now that the Padma and Payara bridges are fully operational, trade and commerce will expand in the south. Many small and big industrial-mills-factories including hotels-motels are being built around these two bridges.

 As a result, there will be a radical change in the communication system of different departments including the capital Dhaka with the south. Besides, business relations will be developed. And along with the development of the tourism sector, new doors of possibilities will be opened.

Barisal District Awami League General Secretary and former Member of Parliament Bir Muktijoddha Advocate Talukder Yunus told Barta24.com that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamt of building the Padma Bridge. And it is being implemented by his worthy daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He added that the construction of the dream Padma and Payra bridges will change the socio-economic condition and livelihood of the south-west. The South is lagging behind in terms of investment and trade. The Padma and Payara bridges will create huge opportunities for the economic prosperity of this town.

Subhash Chandra Nandi, manager of Kuakata Tourism Corporation, told Barta24.com that modern standard hotels, motels and industrial establishments are being set up in different tourist areas including Payra Seaport, Gangamati, Kawarchar and Kuakata with Padma and Payra bridges in front.

With the launch of the Padma and Payara Bridges, tourists from home and abroad will be able to visit the tourist areas here in a short period of time. The Kuakata and Payra seaports will attract more tourists. In addition, if the rail connection is introduced, the communication system here will also change. This will reduce the unemployment rate in the south as well as make the traders here self-sufficient.

Payara Bridge Construction Project Director Engineer Mohammad Abdul Halim said the four -lane Payara Bridge has been built on the Payara River in Lebukhali with the aim of opening a ferry-free road link with Dhaka to Kuakata Beach and Payara Seaport.

The bridge is now fully visible after completion of the complete construction of the main bridge as per the design of the project. Now it is just waiting for the opening. After the inauguration, if the traffic starts, the long cherished dream of 5o lakh people of the coast will be fulfilled which will be a new milestone in the continuous development of the present government.

Barisal Divisional Commissioner Saiful Hasan Badal told Barta24.com that if vehicles are fully introduced on the Padma and Payara bridges of dreams, the communication system of various departments including the capital Dhaka will be radically changed. At the same time, trade relations of the southern region will be developed with these regions.

Besides, mills and factories will be set up in the whole southern region including Payra seaport. This will increase the investment of the backward people of the south and will create employment.

On Wednesday (September 15) at noon during the virtual inauguration of 11 bridges from Dhaka connecting with Barishal Division Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader MP said the Payra or Lebukhali bridge is like another Padma bridge for the people of the south. We hope that the Payara bridge at Lebukhali in Barisal will be able to move through the inauguration by next October.

   

Dhaka is the sixth most polluted city in the world, Seoul is on top



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Today, Dhaka is sixth in the list of the most polluted cities in the world. The air quality of the capital has become 'unhealthy' with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 172 at 6:50 am today.

South Korea's capital Seoul topped the air quality index with 343. South Korea's Incheon, Pakistan's Lahore, Vietnam's Chiang Mai and India's Delhi occupy the second, third, fourth and fifth places in the list with AQI scores of 217, 187, 179 and 177 respectively.

An AQI score between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' for sensitive groups. An AQI score between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy'. And an AQI between 301 and 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing a serious health risk to residents.

AQI in Bangladesh is determined based on 5 parameters of pollution, namely - Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone (O3).

Dhaka has been suffering from air pollution for a long time. Its air quality generally becomes unhealthy during winters and improves slightly during monsoons.

In March 2019, a report by the Department of Environment and the World Bank stated that the three main causes of Dhaka's air pollution are brick kilns, smoke from vehicles and dust from construction activities.

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Taka 400 crores laundered through digital Hundi, controlled by Dubai



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested 5 people for allegedly laundering around Tk. 400 crore abroad through Digital Hundi using Mobile Banking Service (MFS).

CID Chief Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia informed this in a press conference at CID headquarters on Thursday (March 28) afternoon.

The arrested are - Nasim Ahmed (62), the owner of Tasmia Associates, Fazle Rabbi Sumon (32), the territory sales manager of Agent SIM, Md. Kamruzzaman (33), Zahir Uddin (37), representative of Jet Robotics Apps Bangladesh and Khairul Islam alias Pius (34).

Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia said, a gang has smuggled around Tk. 400 crore abroad through digital Hundi using mobile banking services. Five members of this gang were arrested during the operation.

He said that Tk. 400 crores illegally came to Bangladesh through Jet Robotics app in the last few months. Police traced the app through intelligence.

He also said that the money of this gang was transacted from the Chattogram based distribution house. Five members of the gang were arrested in separate raids in Dhaka and Chattogram on Wednesday night.

He said that Tk. 28 lakh 51 thousand cash was seized from them at the time of arrest. He said that they used to rent development agent SIMS and deliver money through them to the grassroots level.

The head of CID said that Mamun, the master of this gang lives in Dubai. He is using agent SIM here. This app used for smuggling cannot work outside 48 SIM along the specific link sent from Dubai. Only seven people can enter this app.

Referring to this as a modern form of Hundi business, he said, money is being circulated in the country through this app by blocking remittances coming to Bangladesh. Already we got 5-7 more such organizations who are working like this.

He said, in the last three months, Tk. 400 crores have been hindered from coming to Bangladesh through Jet Robotic Apps. Five people using these apps have been arrested and their devices seized.

He said, Chattogram's development distribution house Tasmia Associates company has 1000 Bkash Agent SIMs. These agent SIMs who are not performing well, the agent SIMs provide DSOs to the users of Jet Robotic Apps.

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Demand for punishment for those responsible for electrocution death in Moulvibazar



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: barta24.com

Photo: barta24.com

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The death of 6 members of the same family due to electrocution in Moulvibazar is very shocking and heartbreaking. The chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Dr. Kamaluddin Ahmed said that the main responsible person and institution should be brought under accountability.

He made this comment at a discussion on 'Role of Media in Protection of Human Rights and Consumer Rights' organized by 'Business Digest' at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (March 28).

The Chairman of the Human Rights Commission said, after investigating the incident of Moulvibazar, appropriate legal action should be taken against those responsible and necessary measures should be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. We could not do anything for one family, but we have to do for hundreds of such families.

He also said that the issue of rights is directly and indirectly the daily practice of the media. Media can question all the irregularities; make people aware of their rights and duties and play an important role in establishing rights. We can carry out reformative activities only in view of the news published in the media.

Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed called on the media workers to take all-out efforts to spread the necessary knowledge about the constitution, law and rights among the people.

At one stage of the discussion, he said about the recurrence of fires, we have not learned proper lessons from the big fires and explosions in Nimatli, Newmarket and Bangabazar in the past years. Had we taken effective measures, recurrence of fires could have been prevented.

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Suggestion to introduce Human Rights Wing in the Foreign Ministry



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Photo: Collected

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Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recommended setting up a new wing on human rights to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The suggestion was made at the parliamentary committee meeting held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhavan on Thursday (March 28). After the meeting, this information was informed in a press release of the Parliament Secretariat.

The meeting recommended taking necessary steps to recognize March 25 as International Genocide Day. A proposal was made in the meeting to visit the Rohingya camps Kutupalong and Bhasanchar with the members of the Standing Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chairman of the committee AK Abdul Momen chaired the meeting and members of the committee and Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Shahriar Alam, Nahim Razzak, Nizam Uddin Jalil, Nurul Islam Nahid, Habibur Rahman, Saimum Sarwar, Zara Zabeen Mahbub took part in the meeting. #

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