Mild Earthquake in Dhaka city

A mild earthquake jolts Dhaka city about 20 minutes ago (it's now 1:09 am, Sunday, July 27, 2008 Banladesh time).
So far there is no report of any casualties. It's also felt from the surrounding districts of Dhaka.

We need to get prepared for earthquake disaster. There are a lot of old buildings in Dhaka city which are highly vulnerable to earthquake attack. Those are mostly brick built structures.

Excessive use of glossy floor tiles

All the market and shop owners of Dhaka city are now on the race of placing tiles on their floors. All the expensive supermarkets already have tiles in their floors. Now even the ordinary markets mostly used by middle class people which are very much ordinary in their look and decor are also now placing tiles on floors. The main reasons are reduction of price of tiles in recent years and competition among the shop owners to attract shoppers.
There is no harm of using floor tiles. But the problem is that the owners are invariably using very much glossy floor tiles which are attractive and reflects light but dangerously slippery at the same time. Such floor tiles shouldn't be used in public places like markets. Specially where the children will go frequently, floor tiles used must not be slippery.
I regularly go to the 'Noorjahan Shopping Centre' of 'Anarkoli Super Market'. When I went there with my little boy he always enjoyed a lot since the shop has a lot of free space inside. So he enjoyed running to and fro inside the shop and even outside the shop. My experience of last visit few days ago was terrible. Now the floor of the shop is covered with glossy floor tiles. My little boy was stumbling while trying to walk and even fell down on the floor. Then I had to refrain him from walking inside the shop. I fear whether I shall enjoy shopping at 'Noorjahan Shopping Centre' like before.
This is only a case-study. But it's not a exceptional evidence. The shop and market owners are on severe competition to cover their floors with tiles (and obviously slippery & glossy tiles). May in the near future our markets will not be safe for our children.

Potato fair

On last Thursday (8th May 2008), I visited potato fair a Bangladesh China Friendship Centre. It's a good initiative to change our food habit. We are so much depended on rice. We need to diversify our foods: both for heath concern and for avoid food crisis. We are habituated of eating potato. But we eat potato as an alternate of vegetables while potato is actually an alternate of rice or wheat. Potato shouldn't be considered a alternate of vegetables. We must eat vegetables along with potato.

A lot of food varsities made of potato amazed me. I bought potato chicken roll. Everyone of my family liked it.

I hope potato will be a good substitute of rice in our country.

Got National ID Card

On last Monday (24th March, 2008) I got my National ID Card. National ID Card project is one of the historical job done by current caretaker government. Thanks to the government for taking this enormous job which is already 60% finished.
Getting the National ID Card is obviously a thrilling event. But it made me anxious at the same time. Spelling of name on my card as well as my wife's card is wrong. I don't know how to make the correction. I am anxious that I have to face difficulties with these faulty ID cards in the future. Address on my mother's ID card is wrong. I wonder how so many errors occurred. Another frustration is quality of the photo. Image used to prepare the ID card is very low resolution.

I hope the National ID Card project of Bangladesh government will be successfully completed and a trust-worthy, error free voter list will be prepared.

Sound pollution by Faizur Rahman Ideal Institute

"Faizur Rahman Ideal Institute" is a school located at Khilgaon B block, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is founded by the veteran ex-principal of Motijheel Ideal School.
The school has gained good success and earned credential among the people. It's now operating on three buildings. I wish every success of this school.

But they are creating unnecessary sound pollution in every morning while doing physical exercises for the students. They use microphone to give commands to the students in parade ground which is totally unnecessary. Perhaps they do so as part of publicity of their school. But we don't except such annoyed unwanted activities from a educational institute who suppose to teach their students how to be a good citizen. Aren't they conveying the message to their students indirectly that you may music in high volume whenever you like and make your neighbors annoyed since they are doing so early in the morning everyday?

I hope they will realize their mistake soon. May the almighty bless us all!

Call Center in Bangladesh very soon

Finally Bangladesh Government has taken step to set up call centers in the country. Congratulations to the care taker government to take the decision which the political government couldn't. Also thanks to the BTRC authority.

I hope our country will compete with India and earn good amount of foreign currency using the call centers.

Transportation problem of Dhaka city

Transportation is a big problem of Dhaka city. Traffic jam, scarcity of motorized vehicles, excessive number of non-motorized vehicles (mostly rickshaws) are some prominent problem of Dhaka city.
Government's policy controls number of motorized vehicles as permission is required to import motorized vehicles like CNG baby taxi. But there is no mechanism in force to control the number of non-motorized vehicles. Since number of motorized vehicles are controlled and there is demand, the number of non-motorized vehicles is increasing day by day to fill up the increasing transport demand. This increased number of non-motorized vehicles is creating further traffic jam on the roads.
Without controlling the number of non-motorized vehicles it is useless to control the number of motorized vehicles. If we have more motorized vehicles plying on the road then demand for rickshaws will be less. Which will help to reduce traffic congestion in the Dhaka city.