Partha Chakrabortty

Time has not been kind to the Rezakhoda Mosque, one of the historic relics from the group of monuments in Bagerhat, declared as World Heritage by Unesco in 1985. Yet, the apathy of the Department of Archaeology is pushing the historic ruins into further state of decay.

Signboard Bazar to Kachua road, a 7.5-kilometre-long regional highway that connects Kachua upazila with the Bagerhat district headquarters, is one of the busiest in the district. But it has been in a deplorable state for the past one year.

Thousands of shrimp farmers in five upazilas of Bagerhat are counting heavy losses as shrimps are dying in numbers due to high water temperatures and salinity in shrimp enclosures.

Patients are deprived of proper healthcare services at the 100-bed Bagerhat Sadar Hospital due to shortage of doctors.

People of five upazilas of the coastal district are facing acute drinking water crisis as most of the pond sand filters (PSFs) installed by the government remained inoperative for various reasons.

Acute larvae scarcity coupled with excessive salinity and ammonia in water have forced almost all prawn hatcheries in Bagerhat to close their business.

A blame game over an outstanding electricity bill of over Tk 11 lakh is now blocking operation of the newly con-structed building of the state-run hospital in Bagerhat.

Over 150 employees of Bagerhat sub-registrar and land record offices have been working in a tattered building for the last seven years despite serious risks.

Indiscriminate catching of egg bearing crabs continues in the Sundarbans, defying the two-month government ban meant for protecting the species during the ongoing breeding season.

Commercial cultivation of local variety delicious fish patari sees success in Danpota area of Fakirhat upazila adjacent to the Passur river in the district, thanks to the initiative of five farmers.

Dublar Char and several other areas in the Sundarbans are now buzzing with activities as a large number of fishermen are engaged in drying fishes after netting them from the sea.

Construction of the six storied building of 250-bed hospital in the town was completed in January this year but it is yet to become operational due to bureaucratic problems.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has declared 73 percent forest area of the Sundarbans under Sharankhola Range as Wildlife Sanctuary without ensuring alternative livelihoods of the dwellers living near the world's largest mangrove forest.

Tanmoy Das of Sreerampur village under Kachua upazila of the district has gained success by rearing layer chickens.

With increased salinity in many waterways, following more-than-usual evaporation during last dry season, around 49 of the fish

With Eid-ul-Azha around the corner, more than a few thoughts are focused on cattle. In three Bagerhat upazilas, thanks to an ongoing artificial insemination programme being implemented by the livestock department, the cows are looking especially robust.

Cattle rearing has become difficult in the district as the grazing fields are turning into shrimp enclosures and homesteads.

Rats, mites and high salinity have caused damage to green coconuts, much to the worry of farmers in the coastal district.

People of nine upazilas in the coastal district urged the authorities concerned to build more cyclone shelters as the existing ones are dilapidated as well as inadequate in number.

A section of unscrupulous people have continued using current and mono filament nets for catching fish and spawn in different rivers