Bangladesh
Social Protection: EU lauds Bangladesh govt’s progress in achieving budget support targets
The European Union (EU) has transferred EUR 35 million (around Tk 3.5 crore) to the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) to advance the national social protection reforms, in line with the 2015 National Social Security Strategy and its action plans.
This payment was made against the government’s progress in achieving agreed targets within the framework of the EU budget support operation (2019-2025) in social protection, amounting to EUR 247 million.
EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley said social protection is a human right and a major tool to tackle poverty and social exclusion.
"It is also a powerful socio-economic stabilizer and a key tool to build political stability," he said.
The Ambassador commended the important progress of the Bangladesh government in achieving the agreed budget support targets and especially the decision to increase investment in the early years and to develop a government-owned workers’ database.
"Under the global challenging economic context, social protection expenses should not be relegated to the second plan. The EU will keep working hand in hand with the GoB to increase its domestic resource mobilization and strengthen a sustainable national social protection system to enhance people’s resilience in times of crisis and shocks," he said.
Budget support is a means of delivering effective aid to partners’ countries and of backing them to accelerate social reforms, based on their national and international commitments and priorities.
It also aims to strengthen the capacity of the partner country in the implementation of the policy and public finance systems, and in improving the accountability of the government towards its citizens, the EU Embassy in Dhaka said today.
In fiscal year 2021/2022, in line with its commitments, the Bangladesh government strengthened its social protection institutional arrangements, increasing the number of beneficiaries paid through the Government to People (G2P) system and further developing the current Single Registry into a comprehensive database of social protection beneficiaries, for better targeting, inclusion and monitoring.
Moreover, on the programme reforms, the government increased the coverage of the Mother and Child Benefit Programme of 20%, bringing the total number of beneficiaries from 1.045 million in FY 21/22 to 1.254 in FY 22/23 and launched the country’s first employment injury insurance (EIS) scheme.
This scheme will provide financial coverage for all workers in the 100% export-oriented apparel industry in Bangladesh, for long term benefits in the event of death and permanent disability arising out of the workplace accident and injuries, said the EU.
Finally, through the approval of the Labour Management Information System project, the government paved the way for the establishment of a Digital Workers’ Registry, which is an essential feature for the timely and effective delivery of social protection benefits.
The disbursement of this payment comes after a positive decision of the Budget Support Steering Committee of the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnership in March 2023.
Bangladesh reports 5 more dengue cases
Five more people were hospitalised with dengue in the 24 hours till Tuesday morning.
The new patients were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Fifteen patients, including nine in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
So far, the DGHS has recorded 857 dengue cases, 833 recoveries, and nine deaths this year.
The country logged 281 dengue deaths in 2022 – the highest on record after 179 deaths recorded in 2019. Also, it recorded 62,423 dengue cases and 61,971 recoveries last year.
'999' service suspended due to Bangabazar fire
National emergency service – 999 – has been suspended due to the massive fire at Bangabazar in the capital, said Police Headquarters.
It also requested people to contact local police stations or fire stations in case of emergency.
The massive fire broke out at Bangabazar market in Dhaka around 6:10 am on Tuesday (April 04, 2023) and spread soon.
Read More: Bangabazar Market fire: 5 fall sick from inhaling smoke
The blaze was brought under control around 12:36 pm, said Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters.
However, black smoke is still coming out from different places and firefighters were still working to fully douse the fire, he said.
Forty-eight firefighting units were engaged in extinguishing the blaze.
Read More: Bangabazar Market fire in Dhaka causes huge traffic jam
However, what caused the fire could not be known yet.
At least five people fell sick while trying to extinguish the fire.
Man burned to death in Bhola cotton warehouse fire
A man was burned to death in a fire at a cotton warehouse in Western Para Sagar Bekari area of Bhola Sadar Upazila on Monday night.
The deceased was identified as Ibrahim, 45.
The fire also burned down three adjacent houses.
Bhola fire service and civil defense inspector Md. Suman said that four fire service units brought the fire under control after one and a half hour effort.
It is initially believed that the fire broke out from an electrical short circuit in the cotton warehouse, he added.
However, the extent of damages has not been confirmed yet.
Bangabazar Market fire in Dhaka causes huge traffic jam
The devastating fire that broke out at Bangabazar market in Dhaka on Tuesday (April 04, 2023) morning caused an unusual traffic jam around the market area due to the closure of adjacent roads.
Fire service, police, RAB, army, air force and navy are trying to extinguish the blaze that broke out around 6:10 am.
Read More: Bangabazar fire: Shahidul, Moinuddin watch their businesses go up in flames
Jayita Das, senior assistant police commissioner of DMP Traffic Lalbagh Zone, said that traffic movement in the adjacent areas has been stopped to ease the fire control activities.
Traffic movement has been closed and limited on the roads in front of the High Court-Gulistan, Banga Bazar, Golap Shah Mazar police headquarters to Dhaka Medical, he added.
This instruction about traffic movement will remain in force in this area until the situation turns normal, said the officer adding that general public are requested to use alternative roads.
Read More: Fire at Bangabazar market still raging
Bangabazar fire: Shahidul, Moinuddin watch their businesses go up in flames
Shahidul’s life goals and plans were shattered within a matter of minutes as three of his shops burned down in the massive fire that broke out at Dhaka's Bangabazar Market earlier today (April 04, 2023).
“I came here around 6:30 am only to see the fire engulfing the whole market. The firefighting units are trying to bring the fire under control but haven't yet managed to do so,” Shahidul lamented at Government Employee’s Hospital.
“I had some hope that the firefighting units would be able to save Annex Tower where my shop and two warehouses are located but the fire engulfed it also,” he said.
Shahiful, hailing from Shahrasti upazila of Chandpur district, opened his shop at Phulbaria Bangabazar Market in 1991. Later, he became the owner of three more shops.
Also read: Fire at Bangabazar market still raging
He claimed that he purchased goods worth Tk 8 crore for his four shops ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, but the fire turned everything into ash.
“I could not imagine that I would lose everything before Eid,” said Shahidul.
Like Shahidul, Moinuddin, another businessman and owner of Dolon Garment store in the market, said, “Everything has been lost.”
“I failed to do business for the last two years due to Covid-19. During this period, I faced a loss of several lakhs of taka. This year, I hoped that I will be able to make up for the losses but the fire has ruined everything.”
Read More: Bangabazar market fire causes huge traffic jam
“I can’t continue my business anymore,” he said.
A massive fire broke out at Bangabazar Market this morning. 48 firefighting units are still working to extinguish the blaze.
1 in 6 affected by infertility around the world: WHO report
A large number of people are affected by infertility in their lifetime, according to a new report published today (April 04, 2023) by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Around 17.5% of the adult population – roughly 1 in 6 worldwide – experience infertility, showing the urgent need to increase access to affordable, high-quality fertility care for those in need.
The new estimates show limited variation in the prevalence of infertility between regions.
The rates are comparable for high-, middle- and low-income countries, indicating that this is a major health challenge globally.
Read More: Every 2 minutes a woman dies due to pregnancy or childbirth: UN agencies
Lifetime prevalence was 17.8% in high-income countries and 16.5% in low- and middle-income countries.
“The report reveals an important truth – infertility does not discriminate,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General at WHO.
“The sheer proportion of people affected shows the need to widen access to fertility care and ensure this issue is no longer sidelined in health research and policy, so that safe, effective, and affordable ways to attain parenthood are available for those who seek it,” he said.
Infertility is a condition of the male or female reproductive system, defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.
Read More: Unintended pregnancies surge amid Covid-19
It can cause significant distress and stigma, affecting people’s mental and psychosocial well-being.
Despite the magnitude of the issue, solutions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility – including assisted reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) – remain underfunded and inaccessible to many due to high costs, social stigma and limited availability.
At present, in most countries, fertility treatments are largely funded out of pocket – often resulting in devastating financial costs. People in the poorest countries spend a greater proportion of their income on fertility care compared to people in wealthier countries.
High costs frequently prevent people from accessing infertility treatments or alternatively, can catapult them into poverty as a consequence of seeking care.
Read More: French conservatives protest bill allowing IVF for lesbians
“Millions of people face catastrophic healthcare costs after seeking treatment for infertility, making this a major equity issue and all too often, a medical poverty trap for those affected,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO, including the United Nations’ Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP).
“Better policies and public financing can significantly improve access to treatment and protect poorer households from falling into poverty as a result,” he observed.
While the new report shows convincing evidence of the high global prevalence of infertility, it highlights a persistent lack of data in many countries and some regions.
The WHO report calls for greater availability of national data on infertility disaggregated by age and by cause to help with quantifying infertility, as well as knowing who needs fertility care and how risks can be reduced.
Read More: Ensure reproductive health rights of all: UN chief
12 people injured in Bangabazar fire
At least 12 have been injured in the devastating fire in Dhaka’s Bangabazar.
Mohammad Russel, head of Rapid service of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, a formed for emergency response in the medical college hospital, said, "Till now there is no severe case and most of the injuries was minor. Twelve people came here from Bongobazar for treatment till now. Of them eight people are under observation and four people have been admitted in the wards."
Visiting the Bangabazar area, the correspondent found that the businessmen of nearby City Plaza and other markets are shifting their products to safe zones.
PM Hasina: Bolster regional & global efforts to mitigate climate change damages
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the global and individual country’s efforts need to be streamlined through responsive policy, planning and governance, to make the actions regarding climate change issue successful.
“Since origins of the climate change are global, their solution and management would also have to be global,” she said.
The prime minister came up with this view while delivering her pre-recorded speech in the two day 5th International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
The International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) is the annual conference of Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and its partners. It brings together member countries, organizations, institutions and infrastructure actors and stakeholders to strengthen the global discourse on disaster and climate resilient infrastructure.
The programme was held with the theme of ‘Delivering Resilient and Inclusive Infrastructure: Pathways for Risk Informed Systems, Practices and Investments’. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke at the programme.
Hasina, however, assured that Bangladesh is ready to join any initiative at the regional and global level dealing with the impacts of climate change.
“I call upon for coordinated global efforts and shared vision for climate adaptation, mitigation and resilient infrastructures,” she said.
She said that commitment and compliance on financing mechanisms are indispensable for addressing the unforeseen crises.
“A greater sense of solidarity among governments, international and regional organisations, private sectors are required to build a sustainable and resilient future for all of us,” she said.
At the same time, she said, "we need to bring changes in our way of thinking in this discourse by incorporating science, technology, innovation, resilient transition."
She reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to working with the global community hand in hand to ensure a better world for all.
The International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2023 brings a purposeful focus on demonstrable solutions towards a call for action to realize resilience of infrastructure.
ICDRI 2023 will engage decision-makers, thought leaders, academia and institutions from across the world working on solutions for infrastructure resilience.
PM Hasina said that due to the adverse impacts of climate change, all are facing unpredictable climatic events and disasters, which are damaging establishments and resources in massive scales.
“Strong and resilient physical infrastructure is needed to withstand and adapt to changing conditions, and from shocks and stresses.”
Recently, she said that the world has witnessed a series of catastrophes like massive earthquakes in Turkey, Syria and Afghanistan, hurricanes in the Caribbean, the US and Canada and flood in South Africa.
Last year, she mentioned that Bangladesh, experienced a series of natural disasters, including floods and cyclones, causing huge economic losses.
“It is important that all future infrastructure construction and systems must be resilient to disasters to protect our investments," she stated.
She said that as one of the most climate vulnerable countries, Bangladesh experiences frequent natural calamities like flood, tidal surge, cyclone, storm, drought and thunderbolt.
“IPCC report 2022 predicts, Bangladesh is at the risk of 2 to 9 per cent of GDP losses by the mid and end of the century due to climate change," she noted.
She said that In 2009, her government established the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund with own resources where nearly 800 projects have so far been implemented at a cost of USD 480 million.
During the recent Presidency of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, Bangladesh launched Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan to build a climate resilient prosperous country, she added.
She said that In 2022, the government launched the National Adaptation Plan, with a projected need for USD 230 billion by 2050.
Earlier, it formulated a long-term Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 with the aim of building a resilient and prosperous delta for our future generations.
“My government now attaches importance to science-based infrastructure design and implementation. We recognise the need for involving our local communities to make the infrastructures work for them,” she said.
In this regard, she said that the government has implemented a thousand flood control, drainage and irrigation schemes to cover more than 6 million hectares of land. It has conducted dredging and re-excavation of 1,400 kms of rivers.
“We have built nearly 22,000 km of embankments, alongside 139 coastal polders. These infrastructures are giving protection to more than 20 million flood vulnerable people. We have so far conducted 1,229 km of riverbank protection work.”
For disaster response, she mentioned that Bangladesh has 4,530 cyclone shelters, some of which also serve as schools in regular times.
“We are now constructing 550 Mujib Killas on raised grounds for multiple uses, including sheltering people and livestock during natural calamities.”
Under the flagship Ashrayan project, she said, her government has so far built over 700,000 houses and those were handed over to the landless and homeless people at free of cost.
“These houses are strong enough to endure any natural disaster. We have also built 139 five-storey buildings in Cox’s Bazar to rehabilitate climate-displaced people,"
The PM said that her government is scaling up nature-based solutions like coastal green belts, floating vegetable cultivation and millions of palm tree plantation.
“We are using our local-level trained volunteers as well as digital information and service centres to provide early warning. As a result of our actions, the number of deaths due to natural disasters has decreased significantly in recent years," she said.
The global community also recognised the efforts of Bangladesh and as recognition, the country has been awarded with ‘Champion of the Earth’ and many more accolades, she said.
Let’s ensure an inclusive world for persons with autism: Foreign Secretary at UN
Bangladesh has urged all to work together to come up with innovative solutions to better integrate individuals with disabilities into society and ensure that none is left behind.
“We reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that 75 million people in the world who live with autism can make the most of their talents and participate fully in our societies," said Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen.
He was speaking at a high-level event, titled “World Autism Awareness Day 2023: Inclusion for health through the life course”, which was jointly organized by the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh, Qatar, World Health Organization and UNICEF at the United Nations Headquarters on Monday.
Ambassador Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of Qatar, and Ambassador Muhammad A Muhith, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, delivered the welcome remarks.
In his keynote speech, Foreign Secretary Momen said that Bangladesh has seen tremendous increase in awareness on autism in the past decade, thanks to Saima Wazed, Chairperson of Bangladesh National Advisory Committee on Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
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He highlighted the various initiatives of the Government of Bangladesh which includes, among others, enactment of Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act 2013; Neuro-development Trust Act 2013; establishment of more than 100 Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorder centers and introduction of capacity building trainings for caregivers.
“Simultaneously, with our national efforts, we had been advocating the issue at the UN, including through adopting UNGA resolution, and co-hosting the World Autism Awareness Day every year since its launching in 2007. We also made specific commitments in the Second Global Disability Summit 2022 to address the challenges persons with autism face while receiving education and healthcare,” he further added.
In his welcome remarks, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh Muhammad A Muhith referred to various challenges that children with developmental disabilities face in accessing healthcare services, education and opportunities for social participation, and underscored the importance of introduction of early interventions, inclusive education, creative expressions, artificial intelligence enabled personalized assistive technology to better integrate individuals with disabilities into the community and leave no one behind.
Moderated by Werner Obermeyer, Director, WHO, the event was attended by a significant number of permanent representatives, UN high officials, civil society representatives and media personalities.
In addition to that Foreign Secretary Momen had bilateral meetings with Under Secretary General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary A. Dicarlo, Executive Director of the UN Women Sima Sami Bahous, and Mohamed Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General, Department of Political Affairs.
He also had a bilateral meeting with the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations Björn Olof Skoog. During these meetings, the Foreign Secretary briefed them about the developments concerning the upcoming general election of Bangladesh, current situations in the Rohingya camps and Bangladesh’s partnership with the UN in various socio-economic sectors.
The Foreign Secretary sought the support of the UN in the early repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar in a voluntary, safe and dignified manner.
The counterparts assured the Foreign Secretary of their understanding and commitment for continued partnership with Bangladesh.