Dhaka University (DU) campus is losing its environment-friendly atmosphere day by day as the authorities are constructing a number of new buildings cutting a large number of trees on the campus.

Sources said around 150 trees were felled in last five years to create space for new buildings making the campus a concrete jungle.

The university authorities virtually did not take any significant steps to plant new trees on the campus to make up for losses.

Moreover, new buildings are being constructed wherever the minimum space for their construction is available.

Six people were admitted to different hospitals in the capital yesterday with dengue infection.

With these six patients, at least 27 have so far been diagnosed with dengue in the city since July 1 till July 16, said Nasim-us-Seraj, the chief entomologist of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC).

Aside from the six patients hospitalised yesterday, 15 others hospitalised before are still undergoing treatment, he added.

China overtakes US: China has edged ahead of the US as the world

South Asian leaders will focus on greater connectivity and a common strategy to ensure food security and meet growing demand for energy in the region when they will meet in Colombo. This year's summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, scheduled for August 2-3, is themed on

The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) has introduced the community-based waste management to its ward no. 69 aiming at engaging community groups in managing solid waste. The initiatives was taken under the DCC's project titled 'Strengthening of Solid Waste Management (SSWM)' of Dhaka city, which is being implemented from last year with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), said a press release yesterday. Representatives of the community of the ward organised a discussion on Saturday at Majed Sarder Community Centre to launch the project at their ward.

The LGRD and cooperatives adviser, M Anwarul Iqbal, on Wednesday urged the CIRDAP member countries to create a common fund to arrange more training and research on rural development. He made the call while presenting a country paper at a ministerial meeting of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific in New Delhi, according to a message received in Dhaka.

BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation will be holding a ministerial meeting on poverty alleviation in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 9. Burma, as a member of BIMSTEC, will attend the meeting, but there is no information yet on which Burmese Minister will be present. According to an official report, senior officials from the member countries will meet in Dhaka a day before the ministerial meeting to prepare the groundwork for the event.

The Saarc ministerial meeting on climate change will be held in the city on July 3. Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed is expected to inaugurate the meeting that will be preceded by an expert level meeting on July 1 and 2. The meeting will be held in the backdrop of growing concern for adverse impact of climate change, particularly sea level rise of some countries of the region, official sources said yesterday. In view of growing concern for climate change, the 29th session of the Saarc council of ministers in New Delhi in December last year decided to hold the ministerial meeting.

Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka yesterday announced that a plot of land would be allocated for setting up a water-pump at Ward No 48 (Hazaribagh area) in the city for supplying of pure drinking water. He said a modern community centre would also be constructed in the ward for holding social and familial ceremonies. He made this announcement while addressing as the chief guest at a meeting on the occasion of inaugurating a newly built Surjer Hasi Clinic at Gojmohol area of Hazaribagh.