Probir Bidhan: A Journo's Diary

Sharing Information And Thoughts

ক্যাটাগরি Industrial Pollution

  • Sundarbans Oil Spill: Is Bangladesh capable of facing disasters?

    Now ‎Dolphins‬ started dying after the ‎Sundarbans‬ oil spill. Fishes, birds, crabs are already dying. Next are the deer and tigers, and what not! However, it’s no big deal for this ‪‎government and the administration of 2014‪ Bangladesh! Its minister says the oil spill will not harm the forest much! They are building two 1320MW coal-run power plants – despite knowing…

  • High Court may act now for Rampal

    The High Court on Tuesday will hear for the second day a public interest litigation four lawyers have filed against a massive coal-run power plant in Bangladesh coastal district Bagerhat and construction of an anchorage for unloading coal in the reserve forest area. The plant site has 1834 acres on the bank of a river…

  • Callousness over Rampal power plant, and cruelty

    They started work on awarding India a job of building and operating coal power plants back in early 2010 – soon after the prime minister signed a 55-point joint communique with Manmohan Singh including the one involving power sector cooperation. No protests were there about the agreements until early 2011 when the PDB held a…

  • DoE defends approval of EIA for Sundarbans coal plant

    The Department of Environment (DoE) gave the EIA green signal after eight revisions and imposing a number of conditions to protect the World Heritage Site, declared by the Unesco, and river Pashur which is a sweet-water dolphin sanctuary. The final environmental clearance for the project would be given after implementation of the project “only if…

  • Is Bangladesh on the right path centring environment?

    The government is moving ahead with its priority on the climate change issues. Though climate change is a slow process, we’ve already been experiencing the impacts. The efforts taken now for adaptation and mitigation would be better for the country in the future only if those are executed properly. Bangladesh in the last couple of…

  • Tanneries in Dhaka: No more menace please!

    Probir K Sarker & Abu Bakar Siddique Published in Dhaka Tribune on June 5; bottom has latest development When tanneries were initially allowed to operate in the Hazaribagh area, at the western part of the capital, close to Turag river, no planning had taken place. Now, the number of tanneries exceed 200, over the last six decades,…

  • Nuclear power plants: Bangladesh and global

    Bangladesh plans to produce 2000MW of electricity by 2023 and another 4000MW by 2030; the plan for setting up the country’s first-ever nuclear power plant was initiated in 1961; The estimated cost of the proposed plant at Rooppur in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna district is set $1.5-2bn; The first phase (1000MW) of the project will…

  • ইটের ভাটা মালিকেরা কি এতই শক্তিশালী!

    নগরায়ন ও শিল্পায়নের দ্রুত বিকাশের কারনে নির্মান উপকরনের মধ্যে ইটের ব্যবহার দিন দিন বাড়ছে পাল্লা দিয়ে। তাই ইটের ভাটাগুলোর বিশ্রাম নেই, খুব বৃষ্টি না হলে মালিকরা চুলা বন্ধ করেনা। আর তদারকী কর্তৃপক্ষেরও নিষেধ নেই, উন্নয়ন বলে কথা। হুম, উন্নয়ন কে না চায়! কিন্তু কিসের বিনিময়ে সেই উন্নয়ন (!) অর্জিত হচ্ছে এবং সেই অর্জনের ভাগীদার কে…

  • শ্রমিকের অধিকারঃ আন্দোলন বনাম দালালী

    শ্রমিকশ্রেনীর জন্য কি করেছে আনু মুহাম্মদ-টাইপ নেতারা? এরা তো বাল-ছাল, খালি পারে ভাষন দিতে। এই টাইপ একটা প্রশ্ন ছিল একজন বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় শিক্ষার্থীর। আমার এই পরিচিত বালকটি যেটা মুখ ফস্কে বলতে পারেনি তা হলো, ‘একটা শ্রমিককে তো চাকরী দিতে পারলো না’… যার টাকা আছে, সে টাকা বানাতে সেটা খাটাবে, তার দরকার শ্রমিক আর সেই গরীব-অর্ধশিক্ষিত-চাষাদের ঠিকভাবে কাজে…

  • Who are to blame for the Savar factory ‘killings’?

    The municipal mayor of Savar has been suspended over charges of abuse of power, inefficiency and negligence in approving the design and lay-out plans of the building that housed markets, bank showroom, and five garment factories with thousand machines and heavy generators. Further measures would be taken against him if the allegations are proved. The…

  • Tree-felling needs to be controlled

    Deforestation has become a grave concern these days for the Bangladesh environmentalists who are monitoring the trend and also the rate of change in climate and at the same time, its adverse impacts. Even though there are laws, the smugglers with the help of influential individuals and forest officials have been robbing the forests in…

  • Who is to stop these polluters?

    Highly polluting brickfields are still operating unabated across the country including on the outskirts of Dhaka posing serious health risks in this dry season, harming the nature and damaging arable land. Most of these conventional chimneys are baking bricks round the clock burning wood, tyres and low-quality coal. Replacing the chimneys with improved modern ones…

  • Save the Sundarbans, shift Rampal coal-power plant

    The govts of Bangladesh & India have started officially the work of Rampal power plant by holding the first-ever meeting of the joint venture company in Dhaka. The Bangladesh govt seems to be pleased to show India that it can keep its words. The Daily Star has again done the job of a mouthpiece of…

  • Impacts of brickfields neglected, still!

    We are so constrained a people, situationally and conditionally, that we tend to ignore many implied ills for a single apparent gain. Such an issue is the ever-expanding “brick-making industry”, given the fact that brick appears to be an essential item in this era of urbanisation and industrialisation. But, unfortunately, many consequential problems have arisen…

  • হায় ফুলবাড়ি! তোমার কপালে কি কেবল দু:খ লেখা?

    [slideshow]এই বিষয়ে লেখা ঠিক আগের ব্লগটিতে আশংকা করেছিলাম “এসব কর্মকান্ড প্রতিহত করতে চাইলে জনগনের উপর আবার খড়গহস্ত হবে বর্তমানে শেখ হাসিনার তত্বাবধানে থাকা পেটোয়া বাহিনী!” হ্যাঁ, তাই হয়েছে আজ। ফুলবাড়িতে স্থানীয়দের জনসভা বানচালে সরকার ১৪৪ ধারা দিয়েছে। আমি ধিক্কার জানাই। এশিয়া এনার্জিকে আবার উন্মুক্ত খনি খননকাজে সহযোগিতা করার সিদ্ধান্ত বাস্তবায়নের পূর্বে মাননীয় প্রধানমন্ত্রী আপনার উচিত…

  • Brickfields like necklace for Dhakai people

    [slideshow] When will we go tough against the polluters who bully laws, and harm people and the environment only for profits? Will the time come after witnessing a disaster or in the beginning of a gradual decline, or must before whole system collapses? However, in the case of ensuring clean environment, I prefer ‘better late…

  • Bangladesh’s real estate and housing firms big polluters

    Realtors real violators L-R: Filling low-lying wetlands and destroying aquatic life and ecology. Not following the directives related to the surroundings of a site including keeping open space. Photo: STAR (left), writer (right) Published in The Daily Star on November 10, 12 Even though the Department of Environment ‘DoE’ and Rajuk have been penalizing real…

  • ফুলবাড়িঃ শুধু প্রতিশ্রুতিভঙ্গ নয়, এটা লুটপাট

    উন্মুক্ত কয়লা খনি ও এশিয়া এনার্জিকে বাংলাদেশ থেকে তাড়ানোসহ ৬দফা দাবিতে আগস্ট মাসজুড়ে আন্দোলনের এক পর্যায়ে ২৬ তারিখে আইনশৃঙ্খলা বাহিনী গুলি চালায় আন্দোলনকারীদের উপর যাদের মধ্যে এলাকার ছেলে-মেয়ে-বুড়ো সবার পাশাপাশি সারা দেশ থেকে সমব্যাথীরাও ছিলেন। আমিন, সালেকিন ও তরিকুল প্রাণ হারালেন। তখনকার বিএনপি-জামায়াত জোট সরকার সমঝোতায় আসতে রাজী হলো ৩০ তারিখে। রাজশাহীর মেয়র মিজানুর রহমান…

  • Open-pit, Asia Energy (GCM plc) prioritised again for Phulbari mine!

      [slideshow] The government panel to assess a suitable coal extraction method has, evidently, suggested open-cut method for Phulbari mine and review of a previous proposal by a multinational company citing many reasons to establish the opinion. The news was published first on Saturday by The Daily Star, which has been questioned for its pro-government…

  • Top firms polluting much

    [slideshow] Pollution in Savar area When the local businesses are growing fast, it’s alarming to witness that many renowned companies have been ignoring environmental rules. These incidents are recently being revealed thanks to the enforcement drives by the Department of Environment (DoE), led by a director, Mohammad Munir Chowdhury. This man must be applauded, though…

  • Key rivers encroached by grabbers as government backs

    The Daily Star Environment September 29, 2012 Click to see photos of Buriganga Are the top government officials, specially the public representatives and public servants, all aware of the significance and importance of the four rivers around the mega city Dhaka? Do they have any long-term plans to save these rivers from still unabated encroachment…

  • Stop Hill Cutting Now, Save the Nature for Future

    Down with the hills! The Daily Star September 8, 2012 Hill cutting continues unabated despite ban  Though Bangladesh is prominently a plain land, its Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban and Sylhet have hilly areas with forests and rich biodiversity. These areas are full of natural resources fulfilling needs of the people and other living…

  • Relocation of industries a must to make Dhaka City liveable

    Published in: The Daily Star August 23, 2012 The number of industries in Dhaka is huge, and it is ever-increasing while causing serious pollution to water, air and land of the densely-populated capital. Although there are quite a few designated industrial areas in Dhaka, many industries have been set up in different other areas too, cashing…

  • Let’s save the environment, Earth

    Left: Denudation of forests goes on unabated. Right: River water remains polluted to the extreme. The Daily Star/Environment August 4, 2012 Amid growing industrialisation and pressure of increasing population, and consequent massive pollution due to gross violation of environmental rules, the government has cut this year the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Environment and…

  • Business, protection of environment equally important

    Ship-breaking: Still considered a hazardous polluter The Daily Star June 30, 2012 It was audacious, but at the same time a logical sequel of irregularities by government officials, to see major business leaders of the steel mills, re-rolling mills, plastic factories and brickfields demanding that they be relieved from being penalized for polluting the environment.…

  • Rio+20 roundup, and Bangladesh

    Is ‘green economy’ the answer? The Daily Star June 17, 2012 The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) must take decisive action on population and consumption regardless of political taboos or it will struggle to tackle the alarming decline of the global environment. The warning came from the world’s leading scientific academies on Thursday. “The…

  • Buriganga must live amid industrial development and urbanisation

    Save the lifeline from going deadly and dying L-R: The pitch black water tells the tale of the river’s extreme pollution. Indiscriminate dumping of solid waste not only pollutes the river but desperately shrinks its flow. Probir Kumar Sarker The Daily Star June 9, 2012 Millions of people living and working on the Buriganga and…

  • Save Savar from further environmental degradation

    L-R: Brickfields in Ashulia burn firewood and emit carbon in the air. Discharge from industrial establishment at Bank Town polluting adjacent waterbody. Click for more photos The daily Star May 26, 2012 Environment Probir Kumar Sarker Over the recent years, Savar is experiencing immense pressure of new industrial, commercial and residential establishments. But most of…

  • Trees can save Dhaka from heat and air pollution

    (Clockwise) : Congested concrete structures conserve heat to the inconvenience of urban dwellers. The more an urban area is interspersed by greenery the better it is for reducing its heat and air pollution. Treelined streets not only add to serenity but provide cooling effect to urban surrounding. The Daily Star Environment Saturday May 19, 2012…

  • Shipbreaking saves iron, steel imports, say industrialists

    Shipbreaking saves iron, steel imports, say industrialists

    bdnews24.com Sep 3, 2009 Bangladesh’s shipbreaking industry, operating along the Chittagong coastline, and under fire for environmentally unsound practices including destruction of forests and coastal pollution, remains the only local source of raw materials for the country’s iron and metal industry, industrialists said Thursday. The breaking yards supplied over 1.5 million metric tonnes of scrap…

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