Bangladesh
Two cousins drown in Pabna
Two cousins drowned in a pond of Nawagram village in Pabna's Sujanagar upazila on Thursday.
The deceased were identified as Hamza, 10, son of Bakibillah Sheikh of Nawagram in Nazirganj Union, and his cousin Sahab Uddin, 9, son of Sagor Sheikh. Both were students at Udaypur Madrasa.
Quoting locals, the officer-in-charge of Sujanagar Police Station, Abdul Hannan said the duo came home this morning after taking leave from the madrasa.
At noon, they went to take a bath in a pond next to their house and drowned.
Locals spotted them floating in the water body and took them to the Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared them dead.
The bodies were handed over to their families, said the OC.
A pall of gloom descended on the village following the tragic incident.
Education minister inaugurates Glenrich International School (GIS) aiming to promote ‘School of Life’
A premium Cambridge curriculum school in Bangladesh, Glenrich International School (GIS) was launched on Thursday to promote the idea of ‘School of Life’ and prepare the learners for the future world.
Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni inaugurated the campus as the chief guest while Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi as a guest of honour and Deputy Education Minister Mr. Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury as special guest were present.
Education Minister Dipu Moni said that Bangladesh has made notable progress in expanding access to education over the decade.
"The government is trying to bring about significant changes in the education landscape. It is amazing to see that STS Group is also contributing in this regard by launching this premium school called Glenrich. I believe this school will make the learners fit for the future world," he said.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said, "We are pleased to see the beautiful campus of Glenrich International School (GIS) and everything that it promises. Bangladesh is steadily growing in various sectors, including the education industry."
Chairman of STS Group Bob Kundanm said that they are committed to continuously invest in providing best quality education for the future generation of Bangladesh.
"Our focus is to bring the development of Bangladesh’s youth at par with the highest standards of global competency and to do that we have taken the initiative to introduce the concept of School of life – equipping our young with the necessary skillset for the future along with an enhanced curriculum.”
Glenrich is promoting a 'school of life' concept, where students will learn about scholastic subjects and be encouraged to continue creative pursuits in a caring and nurturing environment.
Experts for hypertension treatment at community clinics
Public health experts and heart specialists have said the prevalence of hypertension and hypertension-related various non-communicable diseases and deaths is growing in Bangladesh.
So, ensuring the availability of hypertension treatment facilities at community clinics can be a cost-effective approach, they added.
The experts were speaking at the webinar "Health Risks Associated with Hypertension and the Needful" organised by research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) Thursday ahead of World Health Day Friday.
"One in every five adults in Bangladesh suffers from hypertension, which is very alarming. Availability of hypertension medicines must be ensured at the community clinics to make hypertension treatment accessible to the entire population and necessary budget allocation also must be ensured," they said.
Community Clinic Health Support Trust Vice-Chair Dr Makhduma Nargis said: "The inclusion of hypertension drugs in the drug list of community clinics can be made possible with the consultation of the expert committee of the Community Based Health Care (CBHC) under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). However, importance should also be given to ensuring trained manpower and increasing their number in community clinics."
Dr SM Mustafa Zaman, professor at the Department of Cardiology at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), said: "Awareness should be increased about the accurate measurement of blood pressure, and patients should be given motivation along with medication."
"At the same time, if the existing initiatives to control hypertension can be implemented in a coordinated manner, the prevalence of hypertension can be reduced to a great extent."
HC orders to disclose list of vacant seats of universities for session 2021-22
The High Court (HC) on Thursday directed the authorities concerned to disclose the list of vacant seats which remain idle after completing the admission process through the cluster method at the universities across the country for session 2021-2022.
An HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Khizir Hayat passed the order after hearing a writ petition submitted by three students who were deprived of the enrollment for the last session.
The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why it would not be declared illegal the closure of the admission process despite having vacant seats.
Apart from this, the HC ordered the disclosure of the list of vacant seats prepared on the basis of the units within one month.
The students who submitted the petition will have to be enrolled once they are qualified on the basis of the merit list.
The students are Imam Hossain of Barishal, Md Wahidur Rahman Limon of Cumilla and Shakil Hossain Ratul of Patuakhali.
Counsel ABM Waliur Rahman Khan stood for the petitioners while Deputy Attorney General ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state.
Waliur said the admission tests for session 2021-2022 were held from July 30 to August 23 last year. The three students came out of the tests by securing 51 to 54.5 marks though the pass mark was only 35.
The universities concerned didn’t disclose the final list of enrolled students and even ended the admission process by keeping seats vacant, he said.
Earlier, a legal notice was served seeking for remedy of the issue but they didn’t pay heed to it.
Education secretary and member secretaries of the cluster method admission tests of the universities of Islamic, Shahjalal, Khulna, Hajee Mohammad Danesh, Mawlana Bhashani, Patuakhali, Comilla, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam, Jessore, Begum Rokeya, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Barishal, Rangamti, Chandpur and Jagannath among others were made accused in the petition.
Cop dead, colleague hurt in Mongla road crash
A policeman was killed and another was injured as an unidentified vehicle rammed into their motorcycle in Mongla upazila of Bagerhat district on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Zakaria, 30, a constable of Bagerhat Police Line.
Thakur Dash, sub-inspector (SI) of Mongla police station, said they were returning to Bagerhat after finishing duty at Mongla EPZ.
The accident occurred around 1:30 pm when the vehicle hit the motorbike on the Khulna-Mongla highway in Digraj Apabari area, leaving Zakaria and Mujahid injured.
Locals rescued them and took them to a local clinic. Later, seriously injured Zakaria was shifted to Khulna Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The body was kept in Khulna Medical College Hospital, added the SI.
The vehicle that hit them could not be identified immediately.
No question of scrapping DSA: Info Minister
Comparing the Digital Security Act (DSA) with the ones in the US and Australia, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said that Bangladesh’s DSA is better than that of those countries.
He also ruled out any possibility of scrapping the DSA despite demands from many rights and journalists’ groups and the civil society.
“There is no question of scrapping the DSA,” he said.
The minister came up with the remarks while talking to representatives of Crime Reporters Association in a views-exchange meeting at the Conference Room of the ministry in the capital on Thursday.
He said, “The Law Ministry is working so that journalists are not subjected to harassment due to the DSA, and our law is easier compared to the US.”
Hasan informed that the DSA of the US allows a maximum punishment of 20 years of jail sentence while there is no such long sentence in the DSA in Bangladesh.
Comparing the DSA with the one in the US, the information minister said there is a provision of life imprisonment in the US if someone dies for any digital crime, but the DSA in Bangladesh is easier for similar crimes.
Read more: Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman sued under DSA
“To provide digital security to people the Act was enacted, and every country has such law. Australia's cyber Act is rougher,” he said.
The information minister said they are more vigilant to protect journalists so that they are not subjected to harassment under the DSA.
He said that media people are now being less harassed compared to the past.
Replying to a question, he said the journalists will have to work with courage while threats come from outside while discharging duties.
Bangabazar Fire: 3 on one-day remand for attacking police, obstructing government work
A Dhaka court on Thursday granted a one-day remand to each of the three accused in a case over the attack on police and obstruction of the government work during the capital’s Bangabazar market fire two days ago.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ataullah passed the order after hearing a remand prayer, said Rakib Hossain, general recording officer of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court.
Masudul Hasan, a sub-inspector of Bangshal police station, produced the accused before the court with a plea for a three-day remand.
Turning down the bail plea submitted by the defendants’ counsels, the court granted one-day remand for each of them.
The accused are Md Raju, Shawon and Shahadat Hossain.
Earlier on Thursday, the police station’s SI Israfil Hawlader filed the case accusing 250 to 300 unidentified people in connection with the attack on police and obstruction on the government work.
According to the case statement, some 205 to 300 unidentified people carried out attacks and vandalism on the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters when a massive fire broke out at Bangabazar on Tuesday morning.
Read more: Action if any agency’s negligence is found in Bangabazar fire: Home Minister
The plaintiff and his associates were injured in the attack by the unidentified people when they were barred from damaging the government properties.
At one stage, the miscreants hurled brickbats at the cops and beat up with rods and sticks.
The devastating fire broke out at the market around 6:10 am on April 4 and soon spread. A total of six adjacent markets were also burnt.
Other six markets are--Gulistan Market, AnexK tower, Mohanagar shopping complex, Adarsha market, Banga Islami Market and Barisal Plaza.
Forty-eight firefighting units took part in extinguishing the blaze.
At least 12 people, including several fire fighters, fell sick while they were extinguishing the blaze that needed more than six hours to be tamed.
Tougher measures proposed for offenders in Zoo Bill to protect animals
Any visitors in the zoo will face fines or imprisonment if they irritate and hurt animals, according to the proposed Zoo Bill 2023 placed in Parliament on Thursday.
Tk 2000 administrative compensation would be collected from such visitors for exasperating animals while two months of imprisonment and Tk 5,000 will be imposed for injuring them or giving food without prior permission.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim placed the Bill and and it was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for further examination.
The Committee has been asked to submit its report within 30 days.
If the Bill is passed, all the government zoos of the country will be run under it. Currently, the Bangladesh National Zoo is managed through an advisory committee.
According to the proposed law, if a visitor enters the zoo without an entry fee, he will be charged an equivalent amount of the entry fee.
Tk 2000 compensation can be collected from that person considering the level.
If this law is passed, it will be an offence for any visitor to hurt or injure any zoo animal in any way, or to disobey the instructions of a curator or to give food without permission.
For this, imprisonment for two months or a fine of Tk 5000 or both will be given.
These crimes can be tried through mobile courts.
The Bill allows painless death of an animal in a zoo due to age-related physical disability or infectious diseases to save the life of another animal or to prevent the unbearable suffering of an animal in the interest of public health.
According to the Bill, under no circumstances can an animal of the same species of the same sex be kept in a zoo without a specific reason.
No animal shall be separated or kept singly from animals kept in groups for natural reasons except under the direction of the Veterinary Officer.
Considering the nature of the animal, it should be confined or kept free in cages with minimal natural environment or facilities.
The infrastructure of animal cages should be made considering the natural behaviour of the animals, the safety of the people involved in raising the animals concerned and the visitors.
The government may designate one or more zoos to preserve any endangered species.
According to the Bill, the information obtained from regular examination of each animal according to the applicability to determine the extent or level of diseases-germs or parasites which are transmissible from animal to animal or to humans in the body of animals in zoos must be stored separately for each animal in the manner prescribed by the rules.
It said that no foreign species of wild animals can be bought, bartered, gifted or otherwise collected in any zoo without the approval of the government.
8 vehicles, 6 institutions, and 6 brick kilns fined Tk 20.57 lakh for air pollution in Dhaka
The Department of Environment on Thursday fined eight vehicles, six institutions, and six brick kilns Tk 20.57 in a mobile court drive for polluting the air in Dhaka district.
The drives, led by the DoE’s Monitoring and Enforcement Wing, were conducted in Dhaka’s Manik Mia Avenue, Dhanmondi, Khilgaon, and Dhamrai areas as part of a campaign against environmental pollution.
A total of Tk 20 lakh in fines has been collected from six illegal brick kilns in a mobile court drive in the Dhamrai area of Dhaka.
Is There Any Alternative to Brick Kilns?
Meanwhile, Tk 12,000 was collected as fines from 8 vehicles for polluting the air by releasing black smoke into the air in Dhanmondi.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with the aim to strengthen the environmental conservation campaign, including control of air pollution and noise pollution, initiated a month-long mobile court drive on Wednesday.
Rana Plaza Collapse: HC grants bail to prime accused Rana
The High Court (HC) on Thursday granted bail to Sohel Rana , the owner of the ill-fated Rana Plaza that collapsed in 2013 leaving 1,138 RMG workers dead, in a murder case over the deadly incident in Savar.
The HC bench of Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice Shahid Noor passed the order after hearing a bail petition.
After the order, there is no legal barrier to walk out of jail for accused Rana, said lawyer Kamrul Islam, one of the defendant counsels.
Earlier on March 1 last year, the HC issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why he would not be granted bail in the case.
On April 24, 2013, Rana Plaza, an illegally-constructed building in Savar which housed five garment factories, came down crashing, killing 1,138 people and injuring over 2,000 others.
Trial in the murder case filed over Rana Plaza collapse began officially on January 31, 2022 by recording statements of the witnesses.
On July 18, 2016, Dhaka District and Session Court Judge SM Kuddus Zaman framed charges against the accused and passed an order to begin the trial.
But it got barred as most of the accused appealed to the higher court challenging legality of the order.
Read more: 9 years of Rana Plaza collapse: Bangladesh commemorates its worst industrial tragedy
On January 31 last year, after clearing the appeals, District and Sessions Court Judge AHM Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan recorded the statement of plaintiff, then Sub-Inspector of Savar police station Wali Ashraf.
Over the tragic incident then SI of Savar police station Wali Ashraf filed a murder case accusing the owner and others of dereliction and negligence in building construction.
On June 1, 2015, Assistant Superintendent of Crime Investigation Department (CID) of police Bijoy Krishna Kar submitted charge sheet in the case against 41 people including the building owner Sohel Rana.
A total of 594 people were made witnesses in this case.