Report - Devastating Traffic Jam in Dhaka City

Traffic Jam in Dhaka

Mahmudul Hasan, Dhaka, 10 January: The problem of traffic jam is acute in Dhaka. It becomes intolerable especially during the time of beginning of the schools, colleges, and universities. It happens when different vehicles especially rickshaws want to move ahead of each other. The street conditions and violating the traffic rules are other reasons of traffic jam in the country.

People especially the students and the service holders feel much helpless and frustrated when they get stuck in a traffic jam. Many people fail to attend their office in time. The worst victims are the patients carried in the ambulances to the hospitals and clinics. Rickshaw pullers also suffer a lot because they lose their valuable time moving very slowly towards their destination.

The people of this city think that this jam can be removed if some measures can be taken sternly. Widening the roads, reducing the number of rickshaws, and above all developing public awareness are necessary for solving the problem of traffic jam.

The dwellers of the city expect that the government and other authorities concerned would come forward immediately to solve the problem of traffic jam.

Report - Price Hike of Essential Commodities

Price Hike of Essential Commodities

Hasan Mahmud, Dhaka, 10 January: More than ever the prices of essential commodities are going up by leaps and bounds. All previous records of high prices have already been broken. Rice, fish, meat, chicken, edible oils, and vegetables are being sold at exceedingly high prices. The price hike hits the poor people seriously.

However, the prices of rice and vegetables have gone down recently owing to season's new rice and vegetables. But one liter of soybean oil, sold at Tk.120 one month back, is now being sold at Tk. 130. Similarly the price of kerosene oil now brings sufferings to the villagers. The hoarders are mainly responsible for this unusual price hike. Strict measures should be taken by the government to curb the hoarders' ill motive which creates artificial crisis of essential commodities.

The government has already made open sale arrangement of rice to check the price hike and as such it is now under control. But the prices of sugar, washing soap, onion, garlic, spices, and some other necessary items are still beyond the purchasing capacity of the common people. If this trend of rising prices cannot be controlled, the people of low income group will not be able to buy their daily necessaries and so they will suffer from untold sufferings.

The people expect that the authority concerned would look into the matter and take necessary strict measures so that the prices of essential commodities remain within the reach of their buying capacity.

Report - Your Vote Center Observation

Peaceful Atmosphere Persists in the Poll Centers

Hasan Mahmud, Mymensingh, 10 January: Union Parishad Election ended yesterday smoothly without any problem at all poll centers in Gafargaon where I was present to observe the casting of votes. The voters—male and female—started coming to the centers early in the morning. They went to the centers in large numbers.

The male and female voters stood separately in their respective queues waiting to cast their votes when their individual turn came. There was a large turnout of voters who cast their votes maintaining discipline. A festive mood prevailed all the time in the vicinities of the vote centers. A police contingent was deployed to maintain peace and order and the personnel did their job thoroughly well.

One of the voters said that the environment of the voting had been satisfactory. He also expressed his satisfaction at the security and management. Another woman voter said that the polling officers had been very helpful. One of the young voters who came for the first time to cast vote said that he felt very enthusiastic and it had been a new experience for him.

Presiding officer said that the inner atmosphere of the vote center had been safe and sound. The casting of votes began at 8.00 am and voting continued until the voters were still in the queues inside the enclosure to finish their vote casting. However, it was a unique scenario in the context of Bangladesh.