Dhaka south to get 5,000 bins for cleaner city

Star file photo of DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon.

Star Online Report

A total of 5000 bins will be set at different points of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) by 2016, its Mayor Sayeed Khokon said today.
“We are trying to raise awareness among people about cleanliness,” he said while addressing a programme of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) “Clean Dhaka 2016.”
Sayeed Khokon, who was the programme chief guest, also observed that every citizen should play a role in order to keep Dhaka clean and tidy. “Citizens should dump wastes at designated places,” he urged.
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“At first, we will ensure cleaning facilities in the city. Then we will go for strict measures. For example, any defaulter will be fined after the awareness raising programmes are over, but it will take time,” the mayor said.
Sayeed Khokon also informed that such awareness programmes will be carried out throughout the year.
Regarding the development works, the mayor informed that all the city street lights will be replaced with LED lights from February 21, while repair works of some 275 to 300 city roads have already begun.
He urged all the city dwellers to bear with the inconvenience till the repair works are done.
Actor Sabbir Ahmed and actress Bidya Sinha Mim attended today’s programme and expressed solidarity with the move.
Addressing the programme, Mim said, “If everybody cooperates, it is easy to keep Dhaka city clean. Everybody should play their role in the process.”
BRTC Chairman Mizanur Rahman chaired today’s programme.

‘A dollar for you’: Hafeez comes to Amir’s rescue

Mohammad Amir of Pakistan walks from the field injured during the first one-day international between New Zealand and Pakistan at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on January 25, 2016. Photo: AFP

Dawn

As Mohammad Amir ran in to bowl at the pacy Basin Reserve in Wellington on Monday, a section of the crowd began to taunt him.
Amir must have anticipated such a scenario as he was preparing to make a comeback from a five-year spot-fixing ban.
But what transpired during the first ODI left the 23-year-old disturbed, sources in the team revealed.
As Amir returned to his fielding position on the boundary, an individual from the same section of the stands began waving currency notes.
Observing the situation from a distance, Pakistan’s senior players and former captain Mohammad Hafeez – who had been among the ones most vocal against Amir’s return into the squad – stepped in to the young fast bowler’s rescue.
Hafeez and the other players reported it to the Pakistan team’s security in-charge and the ground staff was requested to intervene. The Basin Reserve’s security proceeded to the stand and issued a sound warning to that individual.
After the match ended, sources said that the person in question was told to ‘behave’ or face ejection from the stadium.
Hafeez and one-day international skipper Azhar Ali were strictly against Amir’s return to Pakistan colours. They went as far as boycotting a national training camp because of the left-arm pacer’s presence.
But Hafeez in particular had taken an extremely harsh stance on the issue. He had reportedly turned down an offer from a Bangladesh Premier League franchise having Amir in their lineup, and refused to face the young fast bowler during one of the nets session at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Hafeez had always maintained that “it is about the image of Pakistan cricket”.
Today in Wellington, donning Pakistan colours, seeing his teammate being sledged at, Hafeez lived up to his words.
In a separate development, a bunch of reporters in Lahore posed a tricky question to PCB supremo Shaharyar Khan after Amir bowled a wide off his first delivery back in ODIs.
Khan, who took over the board’s chairmanship in August 2014, was quick in rubbishing their suspicions.
“A wide and a no-ball in cricket is as natural as winning and losing. I am satisfied with Amir’s performance,” he said.

Expats assured of barrier-free investment climate

The government will remove all barriers to make the expatriate Bangladeshis’ investment in the country smooth, the expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment minister Nurul Islam said. Star file photo

Star Online Report

The government will remove all barriers to make the expatriate Bangladeshis’ investment in the country smooth, the expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment minister said today.
Nurul Islam said this when a 17-member delegation of the British Bangladeshis called on him at Dhaka’s Probashi Kalyan Bhaban.
The minister assured the expatriates that they would be provided with all facilities from his ministry for investing in the country.
“The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is investment friendly and providing all facilities for investment. The trend will continue in the future too,” the minister added.
The government will also produce skilled workforce regarding the demand of the investors by expanding skill training facilities. Now, the government is sending skilled manpower to different countries in the world, he mentioned.
Mejbaur Rahman, chairman of Desh Foundation in the UK, led the delegation while Monowar Hossain, Najinur Rahim, Selim Ahmed Siddique and Mujibul Haque among others spoke at the meeting.
They demanded that the government set up a one-stop service centre for the expatriate Bangladeshis in the country and at the three international airports.
Expatriates’ Welfare Secretary Khandker Md Iftekhar Haider, Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training Director General Begum Shamsun Nahar also informed the expatriates about different activities of the ministry.