A large swathe of wetland in Khulna city’s Khalishpur has been filled with sand to make way for a housing project. This has not only hampered the biodiversity but also increased the chances of flooding in the area. Such unplanned housing projects are largely behind the shrinking of agriculture lands and wetlands. The photo was taken recently. Photo: HABIBUR RAHMAN

Parents waiting with their sick children at the Dhaka Shishu Hospital yesterday. According to doctors, the hospital sees around 60-70 new patients every day, most of them suffering from pneumonia, diarrhea and other cold-related illnesses. PHOTO: PRABIR DAS

NO GAS... An empty filling station in the Paribagh area of Dhaka yesterday. It had to shut down operations around 2:00pm due to a countrywide gas shortage. Photo: Anisur Rahman