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What started as an informal attempt to ease congestion and reduce the physical toll on pedal rickshaw pullers has now evolved into a dominant transport mode across Dhaka’s North and South city corporations.

The EPA, which enforces federal environmental laws, said it would stop estimating the economic value of health benefits from reducing ozone and fine particulate matter, even though it acknowledges that they contribute to pulmonary disease, heart attacks, and premature deaths. 

With 2026 designated the Year of Water, Blue Davos seeks to shift perceptions – elevating water from a peripheral issue to a core developmental and economic priority.

The NCCEBL survey found that over 80 per cent of rescued workers did not have a First Information Report (FIR) registered, a prerequisite to hold exploiters legally accountable. Moreover, 63 per cent did not receive interim financial assistance.

Experts warn that slowing global growth and elevated price levels could combine in a scenario akin to stagflation, while debt vulnerabilities across public, corporate and household sectors could amplify financial instability.

Over 30 exporters, nine importers and around 50 Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) from Assam participated in the conclave, reflecting growing interest in the region’s export potential.

This tradition spans generations: families arrive annually, relying on the Magh Mela as a vital source of income through boat services for pilgrims. Many carry licenses from previous years as proof of their long-standing participation. Yet this year, a bureaucratic hurdle has left them stranded.

Crucially, medium-scale irrigation proposals aimed at bolstering water access in Madhya Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region were discussed alongside measures designed to enhance water regimes for both human use and wildlife needs, particularly for reptiles like gharial crocodiles.