Helemul Alam

Just 10 days after a massive drive by Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to reclaim encroached footpaths and roads, many areas across the capital have again been occupied by hawkers.

Ignoring concerns raised by environmentalists, the government has constructed a around 20-foot-wide road through Osmani Udyan, connecting Fulbaria’s Phoenix Road with Abdul Gani Road to facilitate vehicular movement towards the Secretariat.

Bangladesh is likely to face a large-scale dengue outbreak this year unless authorities act swiftly to identify mosquito hotspots, eliminate breeding grounds ahead of the monsoon, and intensify public awareness campaigns, experts have warned.

As part of government directives, Dhaka’s two city corporations are set to take coordinated measures to ease traffic congestion, which include clearing footpaths and roads, introducing semi-automated traffic signals, and bringing rickshaws under a regulated framework.

With millions of residents leaving Dhaka ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, prompted by a seven-day holiday, experts have warned of a possible spike in dengue cases if preventive measures are not taken in time.

On a recent Thursday afternoon, traffic pressure was high at the Sonargaon intersection in Dhaka.

At Abul Hasnat Road in Satraowza, Old Dhaka, the aroma of sizzling paratha and simmering halim drifts through the narrow lanes every afternoon during Ramadan. Inside the century-old Ananda Confectionery, customers crowd the counters, carrying forward a culinary tradition that has endured for more than a hundred years.

Ananda Confectionery, founded in 1920, continues to anchor Old Dhaka’s iftar tables with timeless delicacies

Saiful Alam, a resident of Mirpur-12, has been suffering from severe mosquito bites over the past month as the mosquito menace has sharply increased in the area.

Rokshana Akhtar, a resident of Narayanganj, came to Chawkbazar with her son, Fuad Al-Fida, who recently passed his HSC examination, to enjoy the traditional iftar items at the historic market.

The new prime minister will decide on his official residence as the interim government has not finalised it so far, said Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan yesterday.

With only a day left before the national election, Dhaka wore a deserted look yesterday as many city residents left the capital to cast their votes in their respective constituencies.

Once a bustling thoroughfare just four to five years ago, the road stretching from the Dayaganj crossing to Jurain Railgate has now turned into a neglected and damaged route after Bangladesh Railway built a boundary wall along the rail line, significantly narrowing the road.

After decades of delays, the National Urban Development Policy-2025 has finally been approved, which aims to guide the country’s rapid urbanisation in a more planned and sustainable manner.

With 68 new dengue cases reported in the last 24 hours till yesterday, the total number of cases this year reached 1,02,861, the second-highest tally recorded in Bangladesh over the past 25 years.

Although dengue cases have declined significantly due to the current cold weather, the country has already recorded 412 deaths and 1,02,673 cases as of December 29 this year.

With 70,402 dengue cases reported from divisions outside Dhaka out of a total 101,597 nationwide as of December 20, the mosquito-borne disease has spread far beyond the capital this year.

With three more dengue deaths reported yesterday, the total number of fatalities this year has risen to 401 – the third-highest since Bangladesh began recording dengue deaths in 2000.

Fifteen-year-old Rahat Miaji, who was recovering from severe electrocution near a madrasa in Chauddogram, Cumilla, has fallen into danger once again after contracting dengue.

The urgency of a central authority heightened after a recent 5.7-magnitude earthquake