Bangladesh
Trading suspended in Ctg's Khatunganj wholesale market over worker's death
Trading at the popular Khatunganj wholesale market in Chattogram port city has been suspended since Wednesday morning, with workers embarking on a strike in the wake of the death of a worker in an attack by a driver.
Zahidul Kabir, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said Masud, 29, the worker of the wholesale market, had a heated argument with the pick-up van driver while loading goods in the Chanmia Lane of the market over a small matter on October 17.
The argument turned violent when the van driver suddenly pulled out a knife and stabbed Masud, leaving him injured. He was rushed to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH).
Soon after the attack, hundreds of workers at the wholesale market halted loading and unloading of goods on that day. They also blocked roads by placing carts.
Read: Traders reeling as rotten imported onions dumped in Khatunganj
The aggrieved workers went on an indefinite strike after Masud succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday morning at CMCH, two days after the attack.
Additional police personnel have been deployed at the wholesale market to avert further trouble.“Earlier, a complaint was lodged with the Kotwali Police, and now a process is on to convert the same into a murder case,” said the OC.
Transit: Regular movement of Indian goods using Ctg, Mongla ports at final stage
Bangladesh and India are now at the final stage of operationalization of the agreement to use Chattogram and Mongla ports for transit of goods to and from India. The agreement was signed between Bangladesh and India in 2018.
Following completion of trial runs, necessary permanent standing order or notification would now be issued by the government of Bangladesh for the operationalization and regular movement of goods under this agreement, officials said.
This is a "step forward" in realizing the commitment reiterated at the level of the two prime ministers during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in September 2022.
Read India offers free transit to Bangladesh for exports to third countries
Austerity is on but people will get electricity: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (October 19, 2022) said that the government has imposed austerity in some areas, but that does not mean people of Bangladesh will not get electricity.
“People are getting electricity and that will continue, but we all have to maintain austerity… we are maintaining austerity in some cases. We are compelled to do so under the circumstances,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the installation of a reactor pressure vessel at the second unit of the 2,400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP).
She joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban while it was held at Ishwardi in Pabna.
The prime minister said the government’s target was to provide electricity for all.
“We have kept our promise. We have been able to provide electricity to every house in Bangladesh. And we have succeeded in illuminating Bangladesh,” she said.
In this connection, she said problems erupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Read: PM inaugurates installation of 2nd reactor at Rooppur nuclear power plant
“…Prices were hiked in every sphere, including transportation. As a result, developed countries are facing various problems. They have also focused on savings in every sphere of life. We are not lagging behind either…. The world is now a global village, and one is dependent on other. When the entire world is suffering from economic recession, we will have to endure that blow too,” she observed.
“We have also initiated austerity measures,” she said.
“That, however, does not mean people of the country will not get electricity.”
PM Hasina said Bangladesh sets an example in the world in the use of nuclear power for development and peaceful purpose.
She said the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project is being implemented ensuring overall safety. Once the project is fully implemented, Bangladesh would march further ahead, she added.
Read Power crisis: Parts of Dhaka to experience up to 8-hour load shedding
The PM said that the nuclear power plant project will play a pivotal role in establishing a developed and prosperous Bangladesh through implementation of the long-term perspective plan for 2021-2041.
She described electricity generated from nuclear power plant as “environment friendly”.
She hoped that the first unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will come into operation next year, while the second unit will begin electricity generation in 2024 and a total of 2400 MW of electricity will be generated from the two units together.
She said that Bangladesh has already been recognised as a developing country because of tireless efforts of her government.
Highlighting success stories of her government over the last three terms, Hasina extended her thanks and gratitude to all concerned, particularly the Russian engineers and Bangladeshi experts and scientists working in the nuclear power project.
Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman, Director General of Russia’s Rosatom State Corporation Alexey Likhachev and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology Ziaul Hasan also spoke at the event. A documentary on the 2,400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was also screened at the programme.
Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC observes ‘Sheikh Russel Day’
Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA, Muhammad Imran, has called upon youths to develop themselves as good citizens and work for establishing a prosperous Bangladesh imbued with the ideology of Bangabandhu.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on Tuesday observed "Sheikh Russel Day", marking the 59th birthday of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's youngest son Sheikh Russel in a befitting manner.
The embassy arranged programmes in memory of Sheikh Russel at the Bangabandhu Auditorium in the afternoon.
Taking part in the discussion, Ambassador Imran highlighted Shaheed Sheikh Russel's unique virtues which he demonstrated in his short life.
In spite of being a child, Shaheed Sheikh Russel had great love in his heart for the people, Ambassador Imran noted.
The Ambassador also paid deepest homage to the Father of the Nation and other members of his family who were brutally assassinated in the 15 August 1975 carnage.
More rains likely to drench Bangladesh
The weather department has predicted more rains across the country in the next 24 hours.
“Light rains or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty winds are likely to occur at one or two places over Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions,” the department said in its bulletin on Wednesday.
Weather may remain mainly dry in these divisions, with a temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country, it said.
Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country, it added.
The mercury reached 34.7 degrees Celsius – the highest – in Bhola, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 19.3 degrees in Tetulia of Rangpur division.
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon has withdrawn from the northern part of Bangladesh. Conditions are favourable for further withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from the remaining part of Bangladesh, as per the bulletin.
PM inaugurates installation of 2nd reactor at Rooppur nuclear power plant
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Oct 19, 2022) inaugurated the installation of the second and final reactor at the country's first Rooppur nuclear power plant.
The reactor pressure vessel was installed at the second unit of the 2,400 MW Rooppur nuclear power plant (RNPP).
She joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban while it was held in Ishwardi of the northern district of Pabna.
The country’s lone nuclear power plant, being constructed at Rooppur in Ishwardi at a total cost of US$ 12.65 billion, has two units with a power generation capacity of 1200 MW each.
Read: Bridge cranes installed at Unit 2 of Rooppur NPP
In October last year, the prime minister inaugurated the reactor pressure vessel of the plant's first unit.
According to the Rosatom, the Russian contractor of the project, the VVER-1200 reactor vessel passed the input control in accordance with all regulatory requirements before its installation Wednesday.
Rosatom officials said the operation to install the VVER-1200 reactor vessel of the second power unit in the design position was carried out in several stages.
A Liebherr-11350 heavy crawler crane lifted the reactor vessel onto the transport portal of the power unit.
Read PM to open installation of reactor pressure vessel at Rooppur Power Plant's 2nd unit Wednesday
Then, on a special transport trolley, it was moved to the central hall of the reactor compartment. Further, with the help of a polar crane, the reactor vessel was turned into a vertical position and installed on a support ring in the reactor shaft.
According to the RNPP officials, the first unit of the project has already made 70 per cent progress in physical work, and with the installation of the reactor pressure vessel at the second unit the project will have overall 53 percent of physical work completed.
“With the installation of the reactor pressure vessel, the project’s second unit’s physical work will achieve over 45 per cent of the target”, Dr Md Shawkat Akbar, the project director in the country’s biggest scheme in power generation, told UNB on Tuesday.
Read Fourth Russian shipment for Rooppur arrives at Mongla Port
The government undertook the project in 2009 and after a long discussion signed an $11.385 billion credit agreement with Russian Federation on July 26 in 2016 to implement the project through appointing the Russian state nuclear energy firm—Rosatom--as its contractor.
In addition, on August 6, 2019, Bangladesh signed a nuclear fuel supply agreement with Russia for the project.
Under the deal, the Russian state-owned nuclear fuel firm TVEL Joint Stock Company will supply nuclear fuel for the entire life span of the power plant.
Read Rooppur NPP: Hydro-accumulators’ testing begins in Russia
Each unit of the power plant will have to reload one-third of the total required nuclear fuel after every 18 months and the first, second and third reloads will be provided by the Russian firm free of cost.
Each reloading of nuclear fuel will cost $62 million, equivalent to Tk 550 crore.
Shawkat informed that after the installation of the pressure vessel at the second unit, the major work that will remain unfinished include pre-operational testing and fuel loading.
“We hope, we’ll perform these work by June next year”, he said adding, some more work will be required to be completed before commissioning the project.
Read Manufacturing of hydro-accumulators of Rooppur NPP underway
“Construction of power grid line and building of communication and security systems are among the important work required to be completed before mid 2024”, he said.
The second half of the year 2024 is set to be the deadline to start commercial operation of the 1200 MW first unit of the nuclear power plant while the second unit in 2025, said Shawkat, also managing director of the Nuclear Power Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL), a dedicated company to deal with nuclear power plant.
Initially, a target was set to start the commercial operation of the first unit from 2022 and second unit from 2023 and then the target was deferred.
Read Auxiliary reactor building construction at Rooppur unit-1 ends ahead of schedule
Officials of the NPCBL said about 14,000 foreign workers from different western countries, including Russia and Belarus, are now engaged in the Rooppur nuclear power plant project under the contractor and its sub-contractors to execute different works.
Train services between Dhaka and northern Bangladesh resume after 8 hours
Train services between Dhaka and northern districts of Bangladesh resumed Wednesday morning, after remaining suspended for nearly eight hours due to the derailment of a frieght train in Gazipur a little after midnight Tuesday.
The services resumed at 8.30am after a wagon of a North Bengal-bound train that veered off the track was removed, station master of Joydevpur railway junction, Rezaul Islam, told UNB.
The wagon derailed soon after the train reached the Baj Hijltali area of Kaliakair upazila around 12.30am, halting train movement between Dhaka and northern districts, he added.
After the derailment, a rescue train from Dhaka reached the site early this morning and started the salvage operation.
"Passengers on the route suffered immensely due to the derailment as several trains, including Panchagarh Express, Nilsagar Express, got stuck at stations."
Fortunately, no casualties were reported, said the official.
Dhaka's air quality is 'unhealthy'
Dhaka’s air quality continued to be in the 'unhealthy' zone on Wednesday morning.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 141 at 9.30am, the metropolis ranked ninth in the list of world cities with the worst air quality.
Canada's Vancouver BC, the United Arab Emirates' Dubai and China's Chengdu occupied the first three spots, with AQI scores of 195, 169 and 161, respectively.
An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
Similarly, an AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'poor', while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, is used by government agencies to inform people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Jhenaidah: Jamaat leader gets 17 yrs in jail in arms act case
A Jhenaidah court has sentenced a local Jamaat-e-Islami leader to 17 years in jail in an arms act case.
Judge Md Nazimuddoula of the Jhenaidah Senior Special Tribunal Judge's Court, handed down the punishment to Muabia Hossain, secretary of the Jamaat-e-Islami's Kotchandpur upazila wing, on Tuesday.
According to the prosecution, police arrested Muabia, also a former vice-chairman of Kotchandpur upazila parishad, from near the parishad office on February 22, 2016.
Based on his interrogation, police recovered a gun and six rounds of bullets from the Sulemanpur area.
Later, a case was filed against him at Kotchandpur Police Station in this connection.
After the investigation, police submitted a chargesheet to the court on May 25, 2016.
"After examining the records and witnesses, the court handed down the judgment," said Public Prosecutor Ismail Hossain Badshah.
Global Covid cases near 631 million
The overall number of global Covid-19 cases is gradually nearing 631 million.
According to the latest global data, the total case count mounted to 630,870,984 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,574,212 on Wednesday morning.
The US has recorded 98,907,747 cases so far, while 1,091,086 people have died from the virus in the country, both highest counts around the world.
India recorded 1,542 new cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours, taking the tally to 44,632,430 in the country, according to the federal health ministry data released on Tuesday.
The country also logged eight related deaths in 24 hours, pushing the overall death toll to 528,913 since the beginning of the pandemic, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, Malaysia reported 1,873 new Covid-19 infections as of midnight Tuesday, bringing the national total to 4,870,275, according to the health ministry.
Three new deaths have been reported, pushing the death toll to 36,426.
Covid in Bangladesh
Bangladesh reported six more Covid-linked deaths and 287 fresh cases in 24 hours till Tuesday morning.
The country's total fatalities rose to 29,408 with the new deaths and the new cases raised the total caseload to 2,033,119, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The daily case test positivity rate rose to 6.97 per cent from Monday’s 6.92 per cent as 4,120 samples were tested during the period.
Among the latest deceased, five were men and another was a woman and they were from Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi and Mymensingh divisions.
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.45 per cent and the recovery rate rose to 97.16 per cent.
In September, the country reported 40 Covid-linked deaths and 13,251 cases.
Bangladesh registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and its highest number of fatalities of 264 on August 10 the same year.