Bangladesh
British Council brings 'Artists Make Space' to celebrate 70 years in Bangladesh
The British Council has commissioned a project to nurture the collaboration and co-creation between young Bangladeshi and UK artists and to commemorate its 70 years in Bangladesh.
Britto Arts Trust Bangladesh, Tara Theatre UK and the British Council have jointly organised "Artists Make Space."
In collaboration with Chittagong University, the inaugural exhibition of this project was launched at the Rashid Chowdhury Art Gallery of the Fine Arts Institute of the university on November 6.
This exhibition will continue till November 12 and remain open for everyone from 3pm to 7pm every day.
Chittagong University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Shireen Akhtar was present at the launching event as the chief guest with Professor Benu Kumar Dey as a special guest. Professor Mahbubul Haque, artist Dhali Al Mamun and artist Nazlee Laila Mansur were also present.
Read more: 23rd Young Artists' Fine Arts Exhibition ends
Couple killed after covered van rams motorcycle in Nilphamari
A motorcyclist and his wife were killed as a covered van hit their vehicle on Nilphamari-Syedpur road in Sadar upazila of Niphamari on Wednesday, police said.
The deceased were identified as Paresh Chandra Roy, 40, and Maya Rani Roy, 28. They worked at Nilphamari Export Processing Zone (EPZ).
The accident occurred in the evening when the covered van crashed into the motorcycle with a lot of force near Shimultala while Paresh and Maya were returning from work, Shawkat Ali, officer-in-charge (OC) of Nilphamari Sadar Police Station, said.
Read more: Four die in horrific road crash in Gazipur
The couple died instantly from the impact of the crash, the OC said. "Police could not seize the vehicle as its driver sped away after the accident."
Speaker Shirin Sharmin for more participation of women in peacebuilding
Speaker of the Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Wednesday stressed the need for increasing the participation of women in establishing peace and security.
She was speaking at the programme "Orientation on Localization of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security" at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.
In collaboration with the UN Women, Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangstha (BNPS), an organisation working for women's rights, arranged the function participated by members of parliament (MPs).
The speaker said the MPs can play an important role in making laws to implement the national action plan related to women, peace and security.
Read more: Sheikh Hasina pioneer of women empowerment: Speaker
"The role of women in peacebuilding is inherent. That is why they are able to play an effective role through local dialogue and negotiations," she said.
Women are always more vulnerable to war, natural disasters and climate changes, she said, putting emphasis on increasing the skills of women through training.
BNPS Executive Director Rokeya Kabir delivered the welcome speech while gender expert Sheepa Hafiza presented a report.
Director General (UN Wing) of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Toufiq Islam Shatil spoke about the progress of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, which was adopted in 2019.
Country Representative of UN Women Gitanjali Singh, Australian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Jeremy Brewer and Counselor (Political) of Canadian High Commission in Bangladesh Bradley Coates also spoke at the event.
ReadShirin leaves for Tashkent to attend women speakers' summit more:
Among the MPs, Mir Mushtaque Ahmed Robi, Shabnam Jahan, Sayeda Rubina Akter, Kazi Kaniz Sultana, Monira Sultana, Selima Ahmad, Aroma Dutta and Adiba Anjum Mita also talked about the localisation of the national action plan, said a media statement.
Increase supervision to ensure quality service: IGP tells officers
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun on Wednesday ordered the police officers to enhance their monitoring capacity to ensure quality service in the police station.
The service quality of the police station has to be increased and the service seekers who come to the police station should be treated well, the IGP said.
The IGP gave this directive in his closing speech on the last day of a two-day Police Headquarters Quarterly Conference held at the Bangladesh Police Auditorium in Rajarbagh on Wednesday.
Read more: IGP promises stern action against anyone breaking the law
He said that police are capable of facing any challenge as its capacity has been enhanced a lot. The police have great success in controlling law and order, he added.
The IGP instructed the police officers to increase supervision so that thana police perform their duty with sincerity and goodwill in providing the expected service to the people.
The IGP also directed the field level police officers to discharge their duties with professionalism, dedication and integrity.
Referring to National Emergency Service '999', the top officer of the police force said, '999' has become a symbol of trust and reliance for the people. He asked the police officials to ensure the provision of this service at the earliest.
Read more: Militancy under full control in Bangladesh: IGP
The two-day Police Headquarters Quarterly Conference started on Tuesday. All Additional IGPs, Commissioners of Metropolitan Police, Range DIGs and District Superintendents of Police (SPs) participated in the conference.
In the conference in the third quarter of this year (July-September) the overall crime situation across the country was reviewed and necessary guidance was provided to the field level officers.
Tashnuva Anan becomes first Bangladeshi to be elected to ILGA World board
Tashnuva Anan, the first transgender news anchor in Bangladesh, was elected as a board member of ILGA World at its conference in the US this year.
ILGA World is a global federation of over 1,700 organisations from over 160 countries and territories that advocate for the human rights of sexual and gender minorities.
Tashnuva was elected as the chair of the transgender steering committee in the ILGA World board election, where organisations from around the world supported her candidacy. Two of her counterparts were prominent Argentine and British activists.
Read more: Meet Tashnuva Anan Shishir: the first transgender woman in Bangladesh to present the news
The Executive Board is the primary governing body of ILGA World. Typically, representatives are elected during world conferences.
Inclusive Bangladesh, where she serves as executive director, nominated and supported Tashnuva. As a graduate of public health, Tashnuva has spent many years advocating for the SRHR of SOGIESC people in South Asia, with the advancement of SOGIESC people's human rights constituting the core of her advocacy work.
She has worked with numerous human rights and SOGIESC organisations for more than ten years. In addition to being the founder of Shree, a platform for gender minority groups, she has other honorary positions at various non-profit organisations.
Read more: Tashnuva Anan makes history as first transgender woman to present the news in Bangladesh
Through her new position at ILGA World, Tashnuva intends to promote the transgender rights initiatives of many states, particularly Bangladesh, so that others will adopt them.
PMO Senior Secretary Tofazzel new Athletics Federation president
Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Senior Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah has been appointed as the new president of the Bangladesh Athletics Federation (BAF).
The Youth and Sports Ministry issued a government gazette notification in this regard signed by Deputy Secretary of the ministry (Additional Charge) Md Fazle Elahi Wednesday.
Tofazzel earlier served at the PMO in different capacities – secretary, director general, and private secretary to the prime minister.
He started his career in Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) in 1991.
Read: Bangladesh Athletics Federation president Ali Kabir passes away
Ensuring access to medical oxygen would save more lives from hypoxemia: Experts
Ensuring access to medical oxygen would save more lives from hypoxemia, experts said Wednesday.
"Around 21 percent of the air around us is oxygen, and we only require 19.5 percent oxygen in the air we breathe. However, that is not the case for those with less oxygen in their blood – a health condition known as hypoxemia," they added.
Around the world, 73 million people suffer from hypoxemia each year, of which 32 million are children. In Bangladesh, about 42 percent of the children who visit the secondary hospital with pneumonia suffer from hypoxemia.
The experts were speaking at an evidence-sharing session organised by the Icddr,b and Data for Impact (D4I), an initiative of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in Dhaka to mark World Pneumonia Day 2022 and discuss the importance of medical oxygen security.
The session focused on the overall availability of oxygen therapy in Bangladesh, along with low-cost innovations that can supplement health systems and address medical oxygen security.
Read: Newborn twins die due to lack of oxygen at private clinic in Chattogram
Dr Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, associate scientist at the Maternal and Child Health Division at icddr,b, said anyone suffering from hypoxemia requires oxygen as a medical therapy.
Hypoxemia can happen due to a range of medical conditions, largely due to respiratory distress caused by pneumonia, malaria, sepsis, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease, and asthma, among others.
According to the Bangladesh Health Facility Survey 2017, less than one-fourth of health facilities have any of the three oxygen systems – compressed gas systems, portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) or liquid oxygen systems. Among these, an oxygen concentrator was available in 13 percent of facilities, while only 21 percent of facilities had filled an oxygen cylinder with flow metre. Only 6 percent of facilities had an oxygen distribution system and pulse oximetre.
Another icddr,b-led study conducted in April-May 2020 revealed that out of 60 district hospitals in Bangladesh, 72 percent had pulse oximetry devices, and only 7 percent had the provision to perform arterial blood gas analysis.
Read: 2 liquid oxygen plants to be established: Health Minister
In the case of other sources to provide oxygen security, 18 percent had oxygen concentrators, 2 percent had liquid oxygen in bulk storage tanks, and 3 percent had an on-site oxygen plant. Central and sub-central piping was available in only 17 percent of district hospitals, and only 20 percent had flow-splitters available on the day of the visit.
One-fourth of the district hospitals had the provision to provide low-flow oxygen therapy with non-invasive ventilation, whereas only 7 percent could provide basic oxygen therapy with both non-invasive and invasive ventilation. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic-induced extraordinary demand for oxygen supply, the situation may have improved in these hospitals.
The meeting ended with the announcement that Bangladesh will co-chair The Lancet Global Health Commission on medical oxygen security in 2024.
It is expected that this commission will shed light on the burden of hypoxemia, how to define and measure oxygen access, which oxygen solutions work best in different settings, and how to generate the financing and political will to achieve transformational change.
Read: Another Indian Oxygen Express arrives with 200 MT of medical oxygen
UN expert urges Bangladesh to step up efforts to prevent trafficking
UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons Siobhan Mullally has called for greater accountability and said urgent action is necessary to prevent trafficking, and ensure assistance and protection without discrimination.
The UN human rights expert called on Bangladesh to step up efforts to prevent trafficking in persons, especially for purposes of sexual exploitation, child marriage, and forced labour, and urged authorities to improve rights and protection for victims.
“Child trafficking is a significant risk, which must be addressed through expanded child protection and increased efforts at birth registration. No community should be left behind,” the UN expert said.
She met the media at the city hotel on Wednesday afternoon concluding her 10-day visit in Bangladesh.
Read more: COVID-19: US vaccine donations to Bangladesh exceed 100 million
The UN expert urged Bangladesh to step up efforts to prevent trafficking particularly for sexual exploitation of persons of diverse gender identities who were at grave risk.
Mullally met with a range of survivors and victims of trafficking during her visit, including those who had been trafficked for sexual and labour exploitation, domestic servitude, child and forced marriage.
Mullally’s visit took her to Dhaka and Cox’s Bazaar, and to refugee camps hosting almost 1 million Rohingya refugees, and to the city of Sylhet.
She also visited shelter homes for children at risk and victims of trafficking.
“More efforts to combat child trafficking is essential, including by improving rates of birth registration for all communities and ending child marriage. We know that the children of sex workers are at great risk, and are often not registered at birth,” Mullally said.
Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal leader sent to jail on expiry of remand
A Dhaka court on Wednesday sent general secretary of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal Sultana Ahmed to jail after expiry of her two-day remand in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA), on charges of making derogatory remarks about the prime minister.
Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal is the women front of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Tofazzal Hossain passed the order turning down her bail plea in the case.
Read: BNP women’s front leader sent to remand in case under DSA
Sultana Ahmed was placed on a two-day remand on Sunday after arrest from her residence in the city’s Gulshan.
On the same day, Abdul Hamid, former president of Gopalganj District Chhatra League, lodged a complaint at Paltan police station.
Attack on ex-justice Manik: 3 leaders of BNP, associate bodies remanded
A Dhaka court on Wednesday placed three leaders of BNP and its front organisations on one-day remand each in a case over the attack on former Supreme Court Judge JAHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik.
Those remanded are- BNP’s Dhaka Metropolitan South unit joint convener Harunur Rashid Harun, Swechchhasebak Dal's Central Committee vice-president Rafiq Howlader, and Jubo Dal's central committee former vice-president Ali Akbar Chunni.
Dhaka's Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Tofazzal Hossain passed the order when the investigation officer of the case and sub-inspector of Detective Branch of police Md Forman Ali produced them before the court with a five-day remand prayer.
Read: BNP women’s front leader sent to remand in case under DSA
The counsel of the accused Masud Ahmed Talukdar submitted a petition seeking their bail after canceling the remand order.
On Tuesday, DB police arrested the trio from the city.
On November 3, 11 leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal(JCD) were placed on a two-day remand in the case.
According to the case statement, the attack was made from a procession of the BNP in Nayapaltan area on November 2.
Read: Attack on ex-justice Manik: 11 JCD activists put on 2-day remand
The retired Supreme Court judge came under attack on this way to attend a TV talk show.
A case was filed against 50 unidentified BNP men in connection with the attack.
The former judge’s gunman Md Rafiqul Islam filed the case against the BNP men at Paltan police station.