Several accidents in the highways have been reported in the media today, claiming substantial casualties. The roads linking to Dhaka are jammed in most of the cases, people returning home in thousands.

Speaking the truth have led Barrister Nazmul Huda loose all his position from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He has been expelled from the party today. Earlier he had pointed out the lapses of the lawyers of the Leader of Opposition, who had to quit her residence in the Cantonment due to their negligence. Barrister Huda also opined that the general strike called by the Opposition Party on the eve of Eid had caused much suffering for the home bound people and had been responsible for loss of image of the Leader of the Opposition to the public.

Freedom of speech is the crux of democracy, thus it is abused in the so called democratic parties. In reality, we are still living in a society with zero tolerance towards criticism. When we are not ready to hear our own shortcomings, how can we think of developing better democratic practices.

If this could train could be commissioned between Dhaka and Chittagong, then it will take only half any hour to travel between these two cities, less time duration of air travel. But alas, who is going to invest billions and billions of dollars for this, and even someone did, are we in a position to travel on this, perhaps the fares would be exorbitantly high, higher than air travel.

The reality is that, some of our past key persons responsible for communications of the country had seen khoab (dream) to introduce such a fast train in our country, fortunately, their dream didn’t materialize, though they had already started physical preparation for this. This was good, as our present economic situation do not permit to do so, however, there is nothing wrong for us to have a vision, one day in near future we will have such a train system for even faster from maglev train in our country, when we shall be able to stand on our own foot. Until then let us start working to have a good train system, perhaps an electric one with much speed and develop the present dilapidated train communication system, perhaps we could travel to Chittagong from Dhaka within three hours or little more.

Polybags as we call in the local colloquial term, had been banned a several years ago in the country as it was felt as a impending threat to the environment. Virtually, a thick coating of polythene waste has been created the soil surface, eventually everywhere. This has created a sort of insulation like a coat which prevents the natural degeneration of the waste, regeneration of the soil. It is true that a thick coat of several feet of polythene sheets has been developed, on the river bed of Buriganga.

The good news is that the Department of Environment has started a drive in the capital against the sale and storage of banned polythene shopping bags. Yesterday a mobile court had fined 22 shopkeepers to the tune of Taka 1,32,500 in the city. We hope and pray that this drive continues and we the city dwellers get a relief from the polythene menance.

The introduction of these e-bikes in the Dhaka city as a substitute of rickshaws is a praise worthy decision. Licenses for these e-bikes shall be awarded on one condition, for a new e-bike license, the owner has to hand over one rickshaw license to the Dhaka City Corporation Authorities. In this process, becomes successful, gradually rickshaws of Dhaka will be replaced by e-bikes.

The e-bikes are green transport. These are battery powered electric three wheelers, once charged can ply about 50 to 60 kilometers. These are eco friendly with zero emission of carbons. No waste of fossil fuel, no pollution. The cost is also relatively cheaper.

The traditional rickshaws are pulled by humans, which is totally inhuman. Mechanized vehicles have taken place of ox carts long time ago, but people still pull these rickshaws.

Dhaka had seen a number of these e-bikes plying in the roads for the last several months, but this the first time this has been recognized by the Government as an acceptable mode of transport.

This was a day of difference in Dhaka, most of the people stayed indoors. The low lying areas submerged, water ran through the houses, people kept them busy taking care of their houses. Shops were submerged, their goods too damaged. Gradually the city was coming back to life in the afternoon when the water started receding.

The headline of the day was that rice was being sold only at Taka 5 per kg and Taka 150 to 200 per sack of 80 kgs. This is unbelievable but it was true, only the rice was wet. The shopkeepers in Mohammadpur Krishi Market sold their rice today at this cheap price when their stock of rice got wet in the water for the rains.

This day was a break for the city dwellers. Hope we will have a nice day tomorrow, if it does not rain tonight.

I am writing this piece because today the 24th of June 24, 2009, such advertisements had been published in the Daily Star and Ittefaq and I presume it has been published in several other dailies also.

The published advertisement is an announcement of a design context, invited by the Waste Management Department of Dhaka City Corporation and JICA, Japan Official Development Assistance. The contestants have to compete for creating a new logo design for the Waste Management Department.

The winners will be rewarded. The first prize is a desktop computer, second and third prizes are mobile phones. Now how much does a desktop computer cost ? Maximum 50,000 Taka if it is a branded one. How much does a mobile phone cost, the high end ones are about 30,000 Taka.

The reason for stating these costs is to point out the ratio of cost of publicity and the prize money of the context. The cost of prize is much more than cost of the publicity in this contest. It would be more acceptable and better recognition of our artists if the ratio would be vice versa, i.e the prize money should be much higher. It seems that DCC and JICA are more interested to publicize the context rather than rewarding the winner, for this, perhaps the prizes may not attract the contestants. It is common that such potential artisans possess a computer and cell phones.

I end with a bangla saying “Khanjnar Cheye Bazna Beshi” and in this manner the overseas funds for development for our country are mismanaged.

The BTRC is the Regulatory Authority of the telecommunications sector of the country and its orders are meant to be orders for the players of the telecommunications in Bangladesh.

Surprisingly, none till today none of the Internet Service Providers had reduced their monthly internet charges since this announcement had been made. The ISPs still charge from Taka 600 to Taka 800 per month for unlimited utilization of internet via their channels.

It is a matter of surprise why notification was not implemented by the ISPs or it was just an eyewash for the consumers. We understand that there are enough mechanism present to ensure the implementation of the new rate in the BTRC else, it indicates that it might have been a slip of tongue.

Only yesterday according to newspaper reports, the concerned Minister assured to look into the matter.

Last week record high temperature prevailed throughout the country. The temperature recorded in Jessore was 42 degrees celsius, highest in last 14 years. In Dhaka the highest was 38 degrees. Most of the schools remained closed due to the intense heat. The frequent electricity failure added to the misery of the people and also the scarcity of water in the city.

Now with the rains the people are relieved from the heat. Hope this prevails for the next few days, until the moonson comes.