| Local Issue Mobilization |
|
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 03:07 PM GMT+06:00 Published On: 2009-12-11
Save Louhajang river from land grabbers, polluters
A human chain followed by a rally was held in Tangail town yesterday demanding immediate steps to save Louhajang river from the land grabbers and industrial pollution.
Tangail district unit of Sushasaner Janno
Procharabhijan (Supro), a non-governmental organisation, arranged the
progra-mmes at Nirala intersection on the occasion of the World Human
Rights Day. Hundreds of people including students, professionals and representatives from different non-governmental organisations joined the human chain. They also held rally on the local Shaheed Minar premises. Speakers at the rally welcomed the government's move to save rivers across the country and demanded steps by local administratio to free Louhajang river, flowing through Tangail town, from grabbers and polluters. They alleged that a number of influential people have already occupied the shoreline of Louhajang river turning it into a narrow canal. The encroachers have farmed vegetables, raised fruits orchards and constructed concrete structures there to justify their rights, they alleged. Citing example they said, a certain textile mills in Taratia and a yarn dying firm in Tangail BSCIC estate have been polluting the river water by releasing harmful untrea-ted industrial and textile wastes for long. The aforesaid textile mills has an effluent treatment plant (ETP) but its authorities never run it to cut costs while the yarn dying firm has just started their ETP. These all are happening under the nose of the local administration and nothing was done to save the river from the pollution and grabbers so far, they alleged. They demanded immediate move to ensure the natural flow of the river water. Khandakar Nazimuddin, district unit president of Supro, presided the rally. Among others, Tangail upazila chairman Abdur Rashid Lebu, secretary of district unit Supro Manju Rani Pramanik and senior researcher of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA) Somnath Lahiri spoke at the rally. Later, a memorandum was submitted to the minister of water resources through Tangail deputy commissioner in this regard.
Published On: 2009-08-10
Save Ichhamati from encroachers' grip
Human chain in Pabna town demands
A human chain was formed in Pabna town yesterday demanding immediate steps of the government to save Ichhamati river from the grip of encroachers.
Organised by Sushashoner Jonno Pracharavijan (SUPRO) Pabna district unit, teachers, students, businessman and representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) joined the human chain in front of Pabna Press Club in the morning.
 Addressing a rally at the venue, the speakers urged the authorities concerned to remove illegal structures from the banks of the river flowing through the district town.
They said encroachment on the river continues unabated despite strong protests from different bodies. The authorities concerned are yet to take any steps to save the river, they alleged.
Besides, they said, the encroachers have also made false documents in favour of their illegal occupation.
Later, a memorandum was submitted to the deputy commissioner demanding removal of illegal structures from the banks of the Ichhamati.
The district administration, Water Development Board and Zila Parishad conducted a joint survey in 2003 and identified 285 illegal structures. But no steps were later taken to remove those. The last caretaker government had started demolishing the structures, but could not complete the task. Land officials said a fresh survey is going to identify the illegal structures. On completion of the survey, the government will take steps to remove those, they added. Meanwhile Pabna Pourasava has taken a step to dredge the river in 4-km area of the district headquarters to ensure smooth water flow. Sources in the municipality engineering department said Tk 2.82 core has been sanctioned for this purpose. 
SUPRO (Bangladesh) Observed World Health Day 2009
Health for All. In the name of Users Fee, Stop Commercialization and Privatization in Health Sector.
State must take the responsibility of people's health. Stop
Commercialization and Privatization in Health Sector in the name of
‘User Fees’. State must take initiative to re-open all Community
clinics in rural areas of Bangladesh. The draft health policy should be
finalized focusing people’s rights, not profit. Raising and shouting
these demands, SUPRO observed the World Health Day 2009 in 35 districts
of Bangladesh and in Dhaka. Hundreds of people from various stake of
the society enthusiastically took part in the rally and cultural event
of SUPRO on World Health Day.
The slogan of the day was “Ensure Health Care for All, Stop Privatization and Commercialization of Health Care Services.”
SUPRO Dhaka Campaign Group organized a Human Chain at Shahbag of Dhaka
city. A street drama was also demonstrated at that time highlighting
the problems of public health care system in Bangladesh
The speakers in the human chain said, the public health care system of
Bangladesh lacks in human resource, technology and materials. More than
seven thousand posts of doctors are vacant; there are lack of beds and
medicine in hospitals. The market lobby is trying to privatize public
health care system making it dysfunctional. Following that immediate
past care-taker government declared a draft health policy giving more
importance to private sector; which indicates the intention of policy
makers towards privatization and commercialization of public health
care system; which will deprive the poor and marginalized people from
health rights. Speakers urged that the draft health policy should be
finalized after discussion with all concerned section of the society.
The speakers also criticized the recently declared user fee in upazila
and district hospitals and demanded immediate cancellation of it.
Speakers also criticized the malpractices, corruption in public health
care system and demanded immediate steps from government to eliminate
these.
SUPRO placed the following demands on the occasion of World Health Day:
Shushashoner Jonno Procharavijan or in English Campaign for Good
Governance- (Bangla acronym SUPRO) is a transformed name of Campaign
for Political Reform (CAPRE).
During the last quarter of 2001 the national council members reviewed
the campaign and feel the need of continuation of the network with
greater agenda of good governance, especially to promote pro-active
local NGOs, and CSO (civil society organization) in this respect. CAPRE
has been renamed as Shushashoner Jonno Procharavijan or SUPRO in the
beginning of 2002 a five-year plan has also been prepared with a
vision, mission and a set of strategies, which are below.
We like to see a People's Republic of Bangladesh where true democratic
culture and good governance is practiced in all spheres of life.
We do like to organize strategically important activities that will
facilitate the cultivation of democratic culture; good governance and
various rights based social movements on behalf of poor.
Strategy 1. SUPRO prioritize the principles to work in the grass root, 2. SUPROwants to assist pro poor power structure, 3. SUPRO practice democratic values in our organization, 4. SUPRO talk politics, but position is non-partisan, 5. SUPRO work with all social & political forces. YPSA is the national committee member & is giving secretariat Support of Chittagong division. There are 18 local NGOs member of SUPRA Chittagong committee. Activities implemented last year by SUPRA Chittagong Committee' are as following
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|