Describing the environment as the most neglected cause in the country over the years, the business leaders demanded the government to build central effluent treatment plants (CETP) on a priority basis at different industrial clusters.

The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority has planned to install 50 more deep tube-wells to lift water from the deeper aquifer as groundwater level in the city has fallen drastically.
WASA sources said they have already installed 45 tube-wells to lift water from 700-1000 feet beneath the ground, which falls into the deeper aquifer.

Netherlands has shown interest to work with Dhaka for supporting its climate change and disaster mitigation programmes.

Outgoing Netherlands Ambassador Ms. Bea Ten Tusscher said this to Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque during her farewell meeting at the Secretariat yesterday.

The High Court of the country responding to the jointly voiced call of the print and electronic media to save the rivers in order to save Dhaka issued a few days back the directives to the government to immediately remove illegal structures and encroachments from the either bank of the rivers surrounding Dhaka.

The High Court (HC) yesterday asked the government to accurately demarcate Dhaka's river system conducting cadastral survey within four months, for protecting the boundaries of the city's major rivers.

At the same time, the government has been asked to form a committee to make recommendations to protect all navigable rivers cross the country.

THE verdict that the High Court delivered on Tuesday in respect of a public interest litigation writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers

Greater Dhaka has been a major engine of growth and prosperity in Bangladesh, representing more than 40% of Bangladesh's national GDP. This rapidly growing city of 12 million inhabitants has also emerged as a major hub for over 7000 small and medium scale industries.

The authorities on Friday confirmed the first case of swine flu in Bangladesh a week after a United Nations agency had declared a swine flu pandemic.
The case was detected on Thursday when a passenger travelling by air from the United States tested positive for the virus, the health and family welfare ministry said in a statement.

The UK government has pledged to commit around $150 million to the Multi-Donor Trust Fund to be formed by Bangladesh to cope with the climate change.

Speaking in parliament, State Minister for Environment and Forest Mostafizur Rahman said formation of the fund is now at the final stage with donor agencies and countries promising the government necessary financial assistance.

Dhaka may not have sovereign authority over the proposed multi-donor trust fund for addressing climate change challenges in view of the involvement of aid agencies in the operation of the compensation package, said highly placed sources in the government.