In the early twenty, this industry started its walking in Hazaribagh. According to the ministry of industry, there were only 30 tanneries owned by west Pakistani businessman in Hazaribagh during 1965. There are about 270 tanneries in the whole Bangladesh. The significant portions of the tanneries (90% of 270) are located in Hazaribagh, a very densely populated area in the megacity of Dhaka in Bangladesh. This industry is located in 25 hectares of land in Hazaribag. There is no denying that most of the urban-based industries in Bangladesh pollute environment. Of them, tanneries do the extreme damage. It has devastating effects on environmental factor like water, soil, air, plants, human beings and other ecological factors. Water in the river Buriganga is like more than poison that is black in color. The physical look and smell of the area is frightening and intolerable.

In a survey of UN Food and Agriculture Organization, it has been identified that more than 7.70 million liter liquid waste and 88 MT solid wastes are produced by this industry everyday only by the tanneries located in Hazaribagh. So think, if these wastes are thrown to the river every day, what will happen to its aquatic plants? Many chemical like sodium sulfide, sodium metabisulfite, sulfuric acid, basic chromium sulfate, acid dyes and formic acid that are very detrimental to the environment, are mixed into the water and soil. The liquid waste causes immense harm to the fish and other living spices in the water. The situation of the environment gets worsened during the rainy season. Each and every business (as per law of labor) should provide the safety of their employee. But the workers who use these chemicals do not have any protective masks and training for using it. They regularly inhale the poisonous and dying agents. That’s why most of them are losing their longevity and are being affected by many incurable and dreadful diseases like skin cancer, bronchitis, agama, high blood pressure, dermatitis, skin lesion etc. Many of them have lost their fingers to run the machine and many workers have almost lost their sight to use the poisonous gas in the process.

The polluted air often causes diarrhea, stomach problem and nausea when it goes into human body. Chemical analysis suggests that tannery wastes are characterized by strong color, high biochemical oxygen demand, high PH and high dissolved salts. Disposal of these wastes into water course or onto land, with or without prior sedimentation, creates a great problem in the environment in the vicinity. During the dry season the waste water is flushed out into the river causing pollution of the river water and affecting the aquatic flora and fauna further. The dumping of the solid wastes is seriously affecting the soil and plants, besides vitiating the air, groundwater and human health. Talking to several people of Hazaribagh, I have gathered a terrific experience that they use the river water for domestic purposes in the dry season when there is a lack of water. As a result, they are also facing food poisoning. Above all, the total environment of this Hazaribagh area is no more suitable for healthy living. Rather, the basic elements of the environment are almost ruined.

The Dhaka city dwellers want to get rid of this unhygienic ecology. If this situation goes on, Dhaka will soon be a rejected city. Although our government has taken an initiative to relocation of tannery industry from the Bangladesh capital city’s Hazaribagh to suburban Savar, it is being delayed for years since the government is yet to set up a common effluent treatment plant (CETP) at the new site. The cost of shifting and the unwillingness of the owner and the mortgage bank are the basic drawbacks for shifting. Besides a lot of families are now dependent on this industry. It is difficult for them to be shifted there. We all expect improve leather processing technologies that will cause least pollution because nobody want to breathe in the poisoned air. So the government should take some pragmatic steps so that environment is saved to save human beings.

Following a call by the Nilphamari unit of Bangladesh Fertiliser Association (BFA) to realise their three-point demand, all the 75 dealers of the district stopped withdrawing fertiliser from the buffer stock in adjacent Dinajpur district for an indefinite period from Tuesday afternoon.

Their demand includes stopping supply of China made ‘low quality’ fertiliser to the local dealers from Parbotipur buffer stock, setting up a buffer stock in Nilphamari, which is a major paddy producing area of the country, and allowing the fertiliser dealers to take delivery of locally produced good quality Jamuna variety of urea fertiliser under ‘district quota’ from factory gate.

“Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) has recently imported low quality urea from China and the buffer stock officials at Parbotipur are compelling us to receive it. As a result we have to incur monitory losses,” said district unit of BFA President Abdul Wahed Sarker.

“To realise our three-point demand, we handed over a memorandum to the BCIC chairman through the deputy commissioner of Nilphamari one month ago but to no effect,” he said.

Nitrogenated urea, most important fertiliser for cultivating paddy, is supplied to Dinajpur and Nilphamari districts from the buffer stock at Parbotipur in Dinajpur district, fertiliser dealers said.

When the farmers are busy in planting ‘amon’ seedlings, the fertiliser dealers’ programme may cause setback in cultivation, as specific doses of urea is to be sprayed in paddy fields three times at certain intervals till harvest, said several farmers.

Many farmers, anxious about availability of fertiliser in days ahead, yesterday crowded the shops of fertiliser dealers and retailers in different markets of the district to purchase urea.

The district unit president of BFA said they have a good stock of urea that can meet the farmers’ demand for about a week.

“But if the authorities concerned fail to meet our demand within a short time, continued agitation programme may create problem in future,” he said.

In July, the government has allocated 2600 tonnes of urea for the district but only a small portion of it was withdrawn before the agitation programme started.

“The fertiliser dealers of Nilphamari stopped withdrawing urea from Tuesday alleging that the urea imported from China is of low quality. I have informed the higher authority of BCIC of the matter,” said Md Shahjahan, the in-charge of Parbotipur buffer stock.

Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner’s Office sources said they are in close contact with the fertiliser dealers and trying to resolve the problem.

They said the plan was endorsed by the cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday, and would soon be put before parliament for approval.

Any citizen would be allowed to file a case in the court – with its headquarters in Dhaka and branches across the country. Targets could include factory owners and builders who illegally grab land and waterways.

All four of Bangladesh’s major rivers, including the Buriganga that provide a lifeline to millions of people in and around Dhaka, have been heavily polluted by industrial and human waste, killing fish and leaving the water unfit for use.

Environmental protection groups have made a series of protests in recent years against such abuses of waterways, while city planners have demanded the reclamation of dozens of canals and parks that had bee illegally occupied and built over.

The proposed court would have the power to jail offenders for up to five years and impose half a million taka (US$7,000) fine, said Abul Kalam Azad, press secretary to the prime minister.

Bangladesh already has an environmental protection law with options for lesser punishments but it has been little used, officials said.

“It is a good initiative to have a court with wider powers to save the endangered environment,” said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, leader of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association. “But how effective it will be remains to be seen.”

Others said prosecuting land grabbers and polluters has often been difficult in the past because of widespread corruption.

Pollution is growing alarmingly in Bangladesh, one of the world’s most densely populated countries with more than 150 million people. Health officials and doctors say millions of Bangladeshis suffer from pollution-related ailments.

A World Bank study last year said four major rivers near the capital Dhaka receive 1.5 million cubic metres of waste water every day from 7,000 industrial units along their banks and another 0.5 million cubic metres from other sources.

As the rain continued to pound, officials feared the toll could rise as scored remained missing.

The country’s flood warning centre said most of the south-east had experienced heavy rainfall during the past 24 hours, with nearly 10 inches falling in many areas.

The mudslides struck early Tuesday in two areas in Cox’s Bazar, 185 miles south of the capital, Dhaka, in a hilly and forested region near the border with Burma.

Rains hampered rescue efforts, with many roads blocked.

Fire fighters and soldiers used cranes and water hoses to clear debris from a makeshift military camp in the Ramu area that was buried under mud, said local photographer Rashedul Majid. Several vehicles were covered by layers of mud and a huge banyan tree had collapsed on a bamboo-and-tin roof shelter, he said.

The heavy rains that triggered the landslides were caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal.

Experts said this gene sequencing would help improve the fibre length and quality, including colours and strength; and develop high yielding, saline soil- and pest-tolerant jute varieties through genetic engineering.

With the successful sequencing of jute genome, Bangladesh becomes only the second country after Malaysia, among the developing nations, to achieve such a feat.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made the announcement of Bangladesh’s scientific achievement in the parliament yesterday amid cheers and desk thumping by lawmakers.

Researchers from Dhaka University, Bangladesh Jute Research Institute and Software Company DataSoft in collaboration with Centre for Chemical Biology, University of Science, Malaysia and University of Hawaii, USA have decoded the genome.

Bangladeshi scientist Maqsudul Alam, a professor of the University of Hawaii, who earlier decoded the genome of papaya in the US and rubber plant in Malaysia, led from the forefront in sequencing the jute genome.

Maqsudul told The Daily Star over telephone yesterday evening, “This is a great accomplishment not only for Bangladesh but for the whole world.” He refused to comment any further saying there would be a formal address to the press today (Thursday).

Dubbing it a historic scientific advancement, Sheikh Hasina told the parliament this would redeem the lost glory of the “golden fibre” as gene mapping of jute would now help breeders develop jute varieties resistant to pests and climatic adversities.

She said genome sequencing would help redeem the lost glory of our jute and jute products, immensely contribute to our economy and help transform jute fibre into the golden fibre and bring smiles to millions of jute farmers.

Jute genome sequencing initiative began in February, 2008 when Maqsudul started exploring the possibilities with several Bangladeshi scientists and academics. The whole process was kicked off with many long conference calls between Maqsudul and plant molecular biologists, Prof Haseena Khan and Prof Zeba Seraj of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Dhaka University. Then the lead researcher had several meetings with Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury.

Genome sequence represents a valuable shortcut, helping scientists find genes much more easily and quickly. A genome sequence allows scientists identify and understand how genes work together for the plant’s different features like growth, development and maintenance as an entire organism. This allows them to manipulate the genes and enhance, reduce or add certain features of the plant.

Contacted, Zeba Seraj of DU told The Daily Star, “As against three billion genetic letters in human genome, jute has one billion. And sequencing of jute genome will open up a new vista of possibilities.”

Jute is the second largest fibre crop in terms of cultivation next to cotton. Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest producer of jute, after India, and the world’s largest exporter of the fiber.

Hasanul Haque Inu, president of Jatio Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), one of the partners of the Grand Alliance, said this at a round-table on health policy held at the National Press Club on Saturday.

Inu said that the health sector should be declared as a ‘universal health care service and a facility for the people’s welfare”.

“The government should discuss with the allies and the parliamentary standing committee before finalising the health policy,” he said.

Inu alleged that the health sector had been in a state of drift for the last 40 years and being run without any proper direction.

“An acute disorder is prevailing in this sector. It has been commercialised. The government should take decision in which the sector will be run under a proper system,” he added.

He urged the government for establishing a regulatory body to oversee the private healthcare sector.

Moreover, he also stressed prioritizing primary and emergency healthcare, women healthcare and safe motherhood before finalising the new health policy.

Workers’ Party president Rashed Khan Menon alleged that partisanship had reached such a pass that it has become a real concern, hampering services at different levels.

“The government must take immediate action on this issue. Otherwise, the sector will simply collapse,” he feared.

Menon said that the upcoming policy was drafted by the bureaucrats. No discussion was held at parliament and in the parliamentary standing committee meeting in this regard.

He emphasised that the government should finalise the policy through discussion with the representatives from different sections of the society, including the parliamentary standing committee members.

The Workers’ Party president advised the government to set up burn units in different government and non-government hospitals for treatment of the victims.

Criticising the prevailing health policy Anu Mohammad, economics professor at Jahangirnagar University, said, “It is unrealistic to expect a public welfare-oriented policy from the government if the present situation goes on.”

The government should have to be more conscious in this regard, he stressed.

The round table was organised by Bangladesh Doctors Association (BDA).

Chaired by BDA president Dr Moazzem Hossain, the programme was also attended by BDA’s former president Dr Rashid-e-Mahbub, women leader Farida Akther and Dhaka University’s pharmacy department’s professors A B M Faruk and Dr Iqbal Hossain.

Power and energy is set to get the most emphasis on Thursday when Muhith proposes the Tk 1320 billion budget for the next fiscal year.

Speaking to journalists at the Secretariat, the finance minister pointed out that the government was facing criticism with dipping popularity just for the energy and power crisis.

“However, even though the focus will fall the most on power and energy, human resource development will get the highest allocation.”

“Then agriculture, and power and energy, and infrastructure will follow in terms of allocations, and in that sequence.” he added.

Muhith is set to table the next budget at 3pm on Thursday.

For the first time in the country, the budget will be placed through a multimedia presentation, the ‘digital’ method as the government prefers to call it.

However, main opposition BNP had earlier declared that they will not be attending Thursday’s proceedings.

Earlier on Monday, in an unprecedented move, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia presented a shadow budget.

But ruling Awami League termed the move ‘unconstitutional’ and urged the opposition to come to the parliament with their suggestions.

Muhith had earlier said the upcoming budget would be around Tk 1320 billion, which is around 20 percent more than that of the current one.

The upcoming budget targets Tk 920 billion in revenue earnings.

The current fiscal’s amended budget stands at Tk 1,100 billion (16 percent of GDP), along with a revenue target of Tk 794.81 billion (11.5 percent of GDP).

According to a report presented in the parliament, 52.6 percent of the total allocation were spent in the first three quarters of the fiscal, which is 16.9 percent more than that of last year.

Responding to a query regarding the Tk 140 billion estimated revenue earning in the upcoming budget, the finance minister said, “Our revenue earnings are increasing. We will be able to meet our target in the current fiscal. We will emphasise it in future too.”

On Feb 11, the minister said at a programme at the Bangladesh Institute of Administration and Management (BIAM) that the number of income tax payers will have to be increased along with Value Added Tax (VAT) collection.

He detailed that it was necessary to decrease reliance on income from imports and increase revenue collection from own resources.

To do this, the number of income tax payers will have to be increased from 30 lakh to 40 lakh and the number of registered VAT payers increased five times from the current six lakh.

It is widely believed that the next budget will see a sharp rise in income tax and VAT.

He also said on various occasions in the past that budget expenditure will have to be increased for the country’s development.

Fittingly, half of the Tk 200 billion increase of the overall budget outlay will be spent on development next fiscal year.

The National Economic Council has already approved Tk 385 billion of Annual Development Programme (ADP).

The amended ADP in the current year was Tk 285 billion.

A new paper published in the open access journal Tropical Conservation Science explores the participation of women in homegarden management activities in Bangladesh. The paper looks at the impact of homegardens on women’s incomes and livelihood, while assessing the Bangladeshi women’s awareness of how homegardens support biodiversity and environmental sustainability, including reducing pressure on the remaining forests.

Through interviews, the study finds that men and women share duties in the homegarden, but women spend on average more time. Reasons for starting a homegarden include substantial benefits, such as food security, extra income from selling products, health care through herbal medicines, and environmental services.

The homegardens not only provide families with better economic circumstances, but help sustain livelihoods across communities, preserve agricultural biodiversity, and aid beleaguered forests.

The study recommends that governments and international organizations recognize the value of homegardens and work to aid families to continue the positive practice through education and incentives.

The National Economic Council on May 25 approved a Tk 38,500 crore Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the next fiscal giving priority to power generation and transport sector development.

The revised ADP for the outgoing fiscal has been fixed at Tk 28,500 crore.

Of the Tk 38,500 crore allocations, Tk 19,700 crore or 51 per cent funds would come from local resources, while Tk 18,800 crore or 49 per cent from external resources to implement 910 projects.

Official sources said the next budget will impose more tax burden on people through raising holding tax, duty on luxurious car, air conditioner and many more. To meet the financial needs the budget will take loan from both internal and international sources.

The sources said the new budget has targeted revenue earnings of Tk 92,850 crore of which Tk 78,000 core will come from NBR and the rest from non-NBR sources. Rest of the money of total expenditure will be colleted from loan and assistances.

The deficit in the upcoming budget will stand at Tk 34,514 crore which is 4.4 per cent of the Gross Domestic production (GDP). Tk 23,680 crore will be taken as loan from international sources while Tk 10,434 crore will be colleted from donor agencies.

Of the Tk 23,680 crore from internal sources, Tk 15,680 crore will be colleted from banking system like treasury bond and bills and the rest Tk 8,000 crore will be supplied from the national saving projects.

Bangladesh Bank sources said during the July-February period the government took Tk 8070 crore as loan from saving tools which is three times higher than the corresponding period of the previous year.

However, this fiscal the government paid more than it took as loan from the banking system.

In the next fiscal the government will need to pay Tk 17,980 crore as interest of loans amounting to US$50 billion taken from both internal and external sources.

Meanwhile, during the first nine months of the outgoing fiscal the budget deficit stands at Tk 4,612 crore. The deficit in the same nine-month period in the last fiscal year was Tk 10,908 crore. The total revised budget deficit for the outgoing fiscal has been estimated at Tk 31,039 crore.