Helemul Alam

"Jahaj Bari", the ship-shaped building on Chawk Circular Road famous for its aesthetic value, is under threat of demolition.

Ignoring fire risk, most shopping malls and markets in the capital have been running without mandatory safety measures for years, posing a serious threat, according to Fire Service and Civil Defence.

The capital's mosquito population seems to be rising, but the two city corporations are doing little to contain the menace.

The authorities on several occasions after 2010 Nimtoli fire urged the traders of Old Dhaka to relocate their chemical factories and warehouses from residential areas. But they did not pay heed to the repeated requests.

It seems nothing has changed in West Shaheednagar area of Old Dhaka.

Most shops and markets in Mitford, Babu Bazar and Chawkbazar areas that carry either chemical or plastic products are still without fire fighting equipment.

More than eight years after the devastating fire in Old Dhaka's Nimtoli that killed 123 people, chemical warehouses, considered prime fire hazards, are still being run in the old parts of the city, due to lack of proper action by authorities concerned.

Brick kilns are the top air polluter in seven major cities in the country, particularly during dry season when most bricks are made, turning the air quality of these metropolises “severely unhealthy”.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is working to revamp 26 parks and playgrounds of the capital, with an eye on inclusiveness of people of all ages.

Even a decade back, the around five-bigha pond in the capital's Gandaria was a source of fresh water for the residents, but the waterbody is in death throes now due to sheer negligence of the authorities concerned.

Some good Samaritans rescued 10-year-old Russell from the rail lines in Kamalapur Railway Station and rushed him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on November 8 with serious injuries.

Shohag Chowdhury was admitted to the emergency unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) with injuries sustained from a road accident last month. There, he was prescribed a number of blood tests, ultrasound and an X-ray by a doctor.

Concerns for public health, environment and animal welfare at Dhaka's five age-old slaughterhouses will soon be addressed, as both city corporations have embarked on a project to modernise the facilities.

Thank you mayor Annisul Huq for showing us what a city father could do if he had the vision, capability and resolve to improve a city. Sad that you died too early and too suddenly. Tomorrow will be a year since you left us, while on the path to make your dream come true.

Graveyards are meant to be a calm place where one could grieve quietly for their loved ones or pray for the eternal peace of the deceased. And every visitor to a graveyard expects the personal space to pay respect to their loved ones.

The number of recorded cases of dengue infection this year hit 9,531 yesterday, the highest in 18 years, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

After years of neglect and a bit of experiment, the government is set to make rainwater harvesting mandatory.

Even a year ago, it took commuters some 30 minutes to travel a 1.5-km stretch on Natunbazar Road in Dhaka's South Paikpara as the narrow road remained congested with traffic.

Despite long-time demand from residents and commuters, a foot over-bridge at Shankar bus stop area in Dhanmondi has remained in a skeletal form for years.

Two city corporations of Dhaka have started to set up 50 passenger-sheds at as many bus stops in the city, to bring the city's chaotic traffic under discipline.