Mostafa Yousuf

On the banks of the Halda at Uttar Mohra point, within the boundaries of Chattogram city corporation area, a lone brick kiln emits plumes of poisonous smoke.

Dried fish producers in Cox's Bazar's Nazirar Tek village, the largest dried fish producing village in the country, are still using toxins even though an NGO has been putting in efforts to make them switch to organic fish-processing methods.

Chittagong Development Authority's (CDA) decision to rent out space under Aktaruzzaman flyover's ramp -- on dividers of a major road of the port city -- in an apparent bid to manage maintenance cost of the flyover, has drawn flak.

About 400 indigenous people of Tripura Palli, a remote village in Chattogram, were elated to have finally gotten electricity in their homes, 47 years after Bangladesh gained independence.

For the last one week, dwellers in various parts of the port city have been experiencing low pressure of gas in their burners due to the inadequate LNG supply.

Sayed Mohammed Ibrahim, candidate of Jatiya Oikyafront from Hathazari (Chattogram-5) came under attack on Wednesday afternoon, while he was campaigning at Forhadabad area of the upazila. At least seven people, including a woman, were injured in the attack, while five vehicles were vandalised.

The arson attack on Hindu houses in Banshkahli's Muhuripara area nearly six years ago still haunts the villagers.

Known as the stronghold of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, Banshkhali (Chattogram-16) is likely to see a hard-fought contest this time as all four heavyweight candidates have a strong presence in election campaign.

Come election time, the country usually remains abuzz with people gossiping, speculating and above all showing their allegiance to the party of their preference.

The largest solar park in the country glistens in the sun on Arakan Drive road that connects Teknaf and Cox's Bazar.

As evening falls, 15-year-old Noro Nobi shivers in the cold.

It's a bustling area with thousands of homes, shacks, and markets, farms, factories, brick kilns, and places of worship on the east and west of the roundabout of Shah Amanat Bridge at Bakolia of Chattogram city.

The Roads and Highways Department is razing parts of Hazarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary in Chattogram to build a 12km road without assessing its environmental impact or obtaining permission from the environment ministry.

Residents of Chattogram city yesterday woke up to find that there was no gas to turn the stove on to prepare the day's breakfast.

The government would have to face unimaginable “punishment” if it did not meet the Jatiya Oikyafront's demand for fair polls, said Dr Kamal Hossain, a top leader of the alliance, at a rally in Chattogram yesterday.

Some locals now keep boats, not cars, in their garages. Before going out to work, people here always check the tide schedules. During the high tide, businesses come to a grinding halt while students attend classes sitting on high benches as the ground floors of schools go under knee-deep water.

The 16-kilometre Chattogram City Outer Ring Road, being built by the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), is likely to help mitigate traffic congestion in the port city.

Bamboo and soft wood worth around Tk 10 crore have been rotting at Karnaphuli Paper Mill (KPM) for over two years, after production of pulp was halted following “technical glitches” in machines at the pulp mill.

On a January afternoon, 80-year-old Amrito Bala was at home alone. Some people arrived at her doorstep and identified themselves as census bureau officials.

Bangladesh has planned to begin the relocation process of the Rohingya refugees, who fled the brutal military crackdown in Myanmar last year, from all refugee camps to Bhashan Char from September.