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The recent political impasse has hindered the construction work of the eight-kilometre Jatrabari-Gulistan flyover, sources in the Dhaka City Corporation said.
   ‘Although we have already lost 38 days due to political unrest, we hope to complete the work on time, if everything goes on unhindered,’ said an official of the corporation.
   The construction work of the flyover began on June 5, 2006 and the project is scheduled to be completed by three years.
   ‘We have already completed some works, including pile load test and construction of the site office and accumulation of equipment and construction materials,’ the official added saying that making of guarders and piling of the pillars would start within one month.
   The city people have already started facing traffic jam due to road block fully or partially at different points including Gulistan.
   The Belhasa-Acom JV will construct the flyover on a build-own-operate-transfer system. Belhasa will be funding the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the project during the concession period, when Belhasa will have the rights to charge and collect toll.
   The concession period will span 24 years, and the company will recover the cost from tolls taken from vehicles within the period, the official said.
   Apart from entry and exit at both ends of the main flyover at Gulistan and at Shanir Akhra, a total of 13 ramps have been provided at various locations for smooth traffic movement to and from the main flyover, said an official of the corporation.
   Among 13 ramps six are provided for entry into the flyover at New Dayaganj Road junction for traffics approaching from Dayaganj moving towards Gulistan, at Tikatuli junction for traffics from Tikatuli moving towards Jatrabari, exclusive entry for buses from Sayedabad termnal towards Jatrabari, at Sayedabad for traffics approaching from Atish Dipankar Road heading for Jatrabari, at Sayedabad junction for traffics approaching from Atish Dipankar Road moving towards Gulistan with an at grade intersection at Sayedabad and at Jatrabari junction for traffic approaching from Narayanganj moving towards Sayedabad and Gulistan.
   Seven exits are from flyover at New Dayaganj Road junction for traffics from Jatrabari moving towards Dayaganj, at Sayedabad terminal for bus approaching from Gulistan side, at Sayedabad terminal for bus approaching from Chittagong, Narayanganj, at Sayedabad junction for traffics from Jatrabari moving onto Atish Dipankar Road towards Khilgaon, at Jatrabari junction for traffic approaching from Gulistan moving towards Demra, at Jatrabari junction for traffics approaching from Gulistan moving towards Narayanganj and at Jatrabari junction for traffics approaching from Chittagong heading for Narayanganj.
   The main flyover will be equipped with modern marking system, lighting and drainage facilities for storm water discharge.

The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha received two applications for approval of building plans under the Building Construction Rules 2006 in the past seven months as the old rules remained effective alongside the new one till December 31, 2006, Rajuk sources said.
   Both of the applications were dropped after December 31, 2006 although the new rules came into force on April 16, 2006, they added.
   The Building Construction Rules 2006 should have
   been scrapped with the bringing in force the new rules, but the authorities were compelled to extend the effectiveness of the old rules till December 2006.
   Rajuk also experienced a huge rush of applicants to get their building plans approved under the old rules, the sources said adding around 8,000 applications had been submitted between April 16 and December 31, 2006.
   The new rules keep a provision for keeping unused at least 50 per cent of the land while constructing buildings and it prompted the land owners to have their plans okayed under the old rules, a senior Rajuk official said.
   The revised rules also have a provision for floor area ratio which is modern and effective and in use in many developed and developing countries.
   It ensures keeping open space to reduce the clumsiness of the newly-developed areas.
   Authorities had hoped that the number of applications for building construction under new rules would increase once the old rules expired on December 31.
   But sources in planning section of Rajuk said they received only two applications for land use clearance at Sabujbagh and at Dhanmondi, first step of getting the approval of building plan under the new rules.
   The response was poor as a huge number of plans had already got approval under old act, the sources in the Rajuk added.
   Besides, many plans are under approval process under the old act as those were submitted before December 31, 2006. These plans have to be approved by January 31.
   On an average, 1000 application had been submitted each month in last eight months under the old act.
   Real estate firms as well as a huge number of land owners rushed to
   Rajuk to get their plans approved taking the old act’s advantage, a section of the Rajuk officials and employees collected huge bribe.
   Cashing in on huge rush to the officials also approved different disputed land, sources in the office alleged.
   The government on the other hand has failed to convince Department of Environment in sending representatives to one-window
   service cell although the
   cell has already started functioning.
   Chairman of Rajuk MA Harun said all member organisations of the cell except DOE had submitted the names of their representatives.
   ‘As we haven’t got the name of representative of the DOE we decided to take their clearance for every application, sending it to them,’ he said.
   DoE did not send the names of their representatives as the new rules have contradicted some of the environment rules.
   ‘The problem has to be solved in inter-ministerial meeting and till then we will take their clearance sending the proposal to them,’ he said.

The forensic department of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital is in a sorry state for lack of modern equipments, adequate work force and its own building.
   More than 300 students of the department are not getting proper education while people coming for post-mortem examination of dead bodies also face various problems, including interrupted water and power supply and unhealthy environment, said sources in the department.
   The morgue building is in a dilapidated condition. Teachers and students of the department expressed apprehension that the building rooftop might collapse anytime.
   The department is lacking separate morgue for male and female dead bodies, modern sterilisation equipments, autoclave, sucker machine, electrical saw machine, separate X-ray, pathology and serology centre.
   Ovinash, the only sweeper, locally called ‘dom’, who helps the physicians dissect the bodies, has been working with the department for about 20 years but his job is yet to be regularised, he alleged, adding that he led his life with the tips given by the claimants of the bodies.
   Ovinash joined the department after his father Nishipada had died, and if ever he would express reluctance to dissect the bodies, the operation of the department would collapse, teachers and students also said.
   The teachers of the department alleged that they were also being deprived as the college authorities did not pay them for additional duties.
   Physicians of the department said for modernisation of the department, including DNA test, a project proposal involving Tk 2.96 crore was submitted to the ministry concerned, but it was yet to be approved.
   Talking to the newsmen, forensic department head Dr Ashraful Alam said for lack of manpower and other supports, the department was suffering a setback.
   As the department has no class rooms of its own, the teachers take their classes in their private chambers and many students attend classes standing.
   The students alleged that the department was lacking tutorial rooms, conference room and separate office rooms.
   The lone deep refrigerator of the morgue for preserving the dead bodies has remained out of order for several years.
   The students and teachers often express their reluctance to enter the morgue room because of obnoxious smells from the dead bodies.

A madrassah in Barisal strongly prohibits its students from reading newspapers, magazines, novels and storybooks.
   Students of Jameya Islamia Mahmudia Madrassah in the city have to sign an undertaking covering 12 conditions for admission. The rule is being applied since its inception in 1947.
   In line with the agreement, students cannot read newspapers, magazines, novels or any book written by ‘anti-Islamic thinkers’.
   Kari Maulana Abdul Quader, a teacher of the madrassah and imam of the city’s Baitul Mokarram mosque, said the madrassah was financed by some Islamic countries. Some ‘disputed’ conditions are imposed on the students to make the donors happy, he added.
   Chief of the madrassah Maulana Obaidur Rahman admitted that reading newspapers was prohibited in the madrassah.
   He said the undertaking did not allow students to get involved in politics. Newspapers have been banned because newspapers may distort students’ way of thinking and persuade them to join politics, Obaidur added. The embargo has been on for several decades.
   About 550 students study in the institution and 300 of them reside in madrassah dormitories. None of the resident students is allowed to read newspapers, he added.
   Chairman of the Barisal Education Board Md Hasanuzzaman declined to comment on the matter. ‘It’s not under my authority,’ he said.

Almost all the CNG-run auto-rickshaw and taxicab drivers in the Dhaka city have now been taking passengers with switching the meters of their vehicles off.
   The city dwellers mainly the middle class have become helpless victims of higher charge collecting by the CNG-run three-wheeler and taxicab drivers on whim. Even they charge double than fare meters violating the rules, sufferers alleged.
   On the other hand, many drivers of the taxicabs which ply on meter usually tamper their meters to show extra fares escaping the notice of the cab travellers.
   In most cases, the three-wheeler drivers charge passengers exorbitant fares for short distance where non-motorised rickshaws have been made off-limits. But in long distance, drivers also charge extra fares that range from Tk 10 to Tk 50.
   Shamima Sultana, a college student, said, ‘Few days back, I hired a CNG-run auto-rickshaw to travel from Jatrabari to Agargaon at Tk 200 on contract basis.’
   All the drivers demanded such an amount with showing the excuse of traffic jam, she added saying that the normal fare on meter would be less than Tk 100.
   CNG-run auto-rickshaws are supposed to charge Tk 12 for first two kilometres while black cabs Tk 15 and yellow cabs Tk 20. But almost all drivers do not go by the fare system.
   The CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers said as they had to deposit extra money so that they were charging passengers extra fares. But the CNG-run auto-rickshaw owners’ association leader blamed price hike of essentials for bypassing meters.
   The government is yet to take any effective step to stop it.
   AKM Mahfuzul Haque, additional commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told New Age about two months back that they would launch a drive anytime during the period of the caretaker government. He could not be contacted for comment in this regard on Saturday.
   The deputy commissioner (south) of the DMP Traffic Division, Morshedul Anwar, told New Age, ‘It is unlawful. Steps will be taken against the drivers who take passengers bypassing meter fare, if we get complaints.’
   There is a complaint centre in the DMP where people can make complaint against the auto-rickshaw and cab drivers for refusing to go any distance and charging extra.
   A police official said such sort of complaints and actions are not effective as none remains on the spot after making complaints. The sergeant standing nearby the place is sent there, he added.
   ATM Nazmul Hasan, general secretary of Dhaka Mohanagar CNG Auto-rickshaw Baboshayee-Malik Samity, defended the drivers blaming the price hike of essentials for taking extra fare.
   Nazmul said they take about Tk 500 from the drivers each. But some owners collect Tk 550 or Tk 600 per day from a section of drivers.
   Barkat Ullah Bulu, president of the samity, also echoed the same. ‘It is difficult for the drivers to lead livelihood with the income they earn by plying scooters on meter as prices of essentials have gone up.’
   There are 12,700 registered auto-rickshaws and about 10,000 cabs in the city, transport owners’ sources said.

Twin sisters of Bangladesh have won prizes in an essay writing competition arranged by UNESCO on ‘education for sustainable development’.
   The winners are Nadia Hossain and Tania Hossain, both students of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Girls’ High School, a press release of the Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO said.
   The prizes were handed over to them at a function held at Banbase Bhaban at Nilkhet on Monday.
   The winners received 500 US dollars each and certificates of UNESCO.

The Bangladesh Film Censor Board has temporarily suspended the censor certificates of two full-length Bangla films — Challenger Mukhe and Kathor — for screening vulgar and obscene scenes, said a press release.
   Screening of the films is banned till next notice for screening, said the release.

Election to the Sylhet Bar Association was held on Monday.
   The voting was held from 10:00am to 4:00pm at the 2nd bar hall without any break. Forty-four aspirants contested the election for 21 posts out of 22.
   Badrul Hussain had been elected as vice-president-2 unopposed, association sources said. A total of 649 voters out of 844 franchised their voting rights.
   Abdul Hai Khan, a former president of the association, contested for the post of president against the incumbent president Golam Rabbani Chowdhury.

Dry weather will prevail all over Bangladesh in the next 24 hours till 6:00pm today while light to moderate fog may also occur over the river basins during late night till early morning, said Met Office in a forecast on Monday.
   Moderate to severe cold wave is sweeping over the Rajshahi division and the region of Srimongal and mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping over the Dhaka division and the regions of Rangamati, Comilla, Sylhet and Jessroe which may spread over Barisal and Khulna divisions during the next 24 hrs.

Phensidyl seized
in Barisal
The Barisal kotwali police seized 135 bottles of smuggled Indian phensidyl and rounded up three women drug peddlers in this connection from the city Sunday noon. The police said the drug peddlers were identified as Nusrat Jahan, 18, Sharmin Jahan, 20, and Yeasmin Jahan, 18, all from Nazirer Pole area of the city. The police said a police team led by SI Atiar Rahman on a tip-off raided the house of one Badshah Mia at 11:30am and seized the phensidyl packed in gunny bags and rounded up the three women from the house. A case was filed in this connection with the kotwali police.
— BSS

BOU introduces
BBA course
Bangladesh Open University has introduced Bachelor of Business Administration course under the School of Business. The university vice-chancellor, Professor M Ershadul Bari, on Monday formally inaugurated the course by unveiling the cover of admission forms. The distribution of forms began on Monday and it will continue till February 15. The university authorities organised a workshop on the Gazipur campus to prepare the curriculum of the programme. A total of 50 teachers, regional directors and officials, including 20 coordinators of different universities and colleges, took part in the workshop.
— BSS