Dipan Nandy

A young boy sits on a footbridge with a worn-out polythene bag clutched tightly in his hands. His eyes reflect a haunting emptiness instead of being filled with curiosity. Soon his vision gets blurred as he starts sniffing the pack.

The Dhaka Orphanage Society (Hindu), located in a narrow  Farashganj road, is facing numerous challenges that have drawn attention to its neglected state.

In the heart of Old Dhaka, there lies a neighbourhood with a captivating history, centuries-old buildings and a thriving spice market. Farashganj is located on the northern bank of the Buriganga river. Established in 1780, its principal thoroughfares are BK Das Road and Ahsanullah Road. In today’s issue of the Weekend Read, we will explore the history, mystery, and spice of Farashganj.

Taqsem A Khan is likely to continue as the Dhaka Wasa managing director for another three-year term as the board of the state-owned agency is going to propose his name for another extension.

The very drums, the locked rooms, the abandoned cars and tins heds that fill the compound create a breeding ground for these disease-carrying insects

On average, at least one mugging incident takes place every two days in the capital, according to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police. The data was compiled based on reported cases during the first three months of the year.

On July 1, the last day of the Eid holidays, the intermittent rain in the morning followed by an hour-long downpour in the afternoon  submerged several neighbourhoods of Dhaka  in knee- to waist-deep water, effectively washing away  tall claims of monsoon preparedness by the city corporations.

With only two days left for Eid-ul-Azha, one of the biggest religious festival of Muslims, blacksmiths and the knife sharpeners all over the capital are experiencing busy times in their shops.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has taken an initiative to collect cow dung from the cattle markets ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha for using those in its tree plantation programme

Around 4,000 owners and 15,000 shop workers, that were affected by the devastating fire at the capital’s Bangabazar about a couple of months ago, are still waiting for their financial compensation.

The ever-memorable song starts playing while children, sitting on the metallic horsebacks, delightfully start going round and round -- this is a memory many Dhaka residents can still relate to.

Anamika Roy, a resident of Azimpur’s New Paltan Lane, has been without tap water supply at home for five days.

In the rainy season, waterlogging is a regular occurrence in Mohammadpur, Kalyanpur, Mirpur. The water of these areas is deposited in Kalyanpur retention pond (reservoir).

Dhaka South City Corporation authorities have decided to bring all the kitchen markets under licencing to properly monitor those.

Life for those who are planning to get married in the southern side of Dhaka city is about to get a little more difficult than it usually is.

Investigation officer of the Anti-Corruption Commission has recommended filing a case against Wasa Managing Director Taqsem A Khan and nine others for indulging in irregularities in appointment of two directors.

The government appointed Sujit Kumar Bala as the new chairman of Dhaka Wasa on Sunday and he would be taking up the role of Gholam Mostofa whose tenure expired six months ago.

Dhaka Wasa board Chairman Gholam Mostofa has said the orgnisation has become a “personal property” of its managing director, Taqsem A Khan.

City life comes with rapid change. But for the residents of Dhanmondi what didn’t change for long were the trees and plants on the median of Saat Masjid Road. Bursting with blossoms in spring and summer, the krishnachuras and the radhachuras, among other trees, became a part of their lives.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is planning to start the construction of a multi-storey market on the Bangabazar market grounds, following the devastating fire which occurred there a month ago.