Bangladesh
Farmer dies from electrocution in Meherpur
A farmer died due from electrocution at Debipur village in Gangni upazila of Meherpur on Thursday.
The deceased was Abdul Hannan,75, of Debipur village.
Local UP member Hirok Ahmed confirmed the matter and said that Abdul Hannan died on the spot while turning on his irrigation pump near his house.
Later, the locals recovered his body.
Shariful Islam, Sub-Inspector of Bamandi police camp, said that after receiving the news they visited the spot.
Sajek road crash: BRTA to provide families of deceased Tk 5 lakh each
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) will provide a compensation of Tk 5 lakh to each of the family of the victims who lost their lives in an accident in Rangamat's Sajek.
The injured victims will be provided Tk 2 lakh.
Shireen Akhtar, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Baghaichhari upazila, said this while talking to reporters at the Khagrachhari Modern District Hospital on Thursday morning.
Upazila Administration will provide TK10,000 for transporting the bodies, she said.
Earlier today, police brought the bodies of 5 deceased from Sajek to Khagrachhari Modern District Hospital.
Abdul Awal Chowdhury, Additional Superintendent of Police of Baghaichhari Police Circle, informed that after the autopsy of the 9 deceased of Mro community the bodies will be handed over to the families.
Among the injured undergoing treatment at Khagrachhari Modern District Hospital, Ahir Uddin and his son Samiul have been transferred to Dhaka for advanced treatment in the morning.
Currently, 4 people are undergoing treatment at Khagrachhari Modern District Hospital, said Ripal Bappi Chakma, Resident Medical Officer of the hospital.
On Wednesday, a truck carrying goods and labourers from Gazipur and other areas were heading to Udaypur to work in the border road construction project.
The truck lost control while descending from a steep mountain road known as 90 degree area and fell into a ditch, leaving five people dead on the spot.
Local residents rescued the injured and transported them to Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital.
Upon arrival, doctors on duty pronounced four people dead, while six others were admitted in critical condition.
Cuet closed as tensions flare over 2 students’ death in road crash
Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) was declared closed for an indefinite period on Thursday as students burst into protests demanding road safety after the deaths of two fellows in a fatal road accident on April 22.
The decision to close the university was taken in the 151st emergency meeting of the academic council led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mohammad Rafiqul Alam, said the university’s Deputy Director (coordination) Fazlur Rahman.
All academic activities including exams will remain suspended during the period, he said.
The male students were asked to vacate dormitories by 5pm on Thursday and the female students by 9am on Friday.
Two Cuet students—Shanto Saha, a 3rd year student and Tawfiq Hasan, a 2nd year student of Civil engineering department, died when a bus of ‘Shah Amanat’ paribahan hit a motorbike on Chattogram-Kaptai road at Zianagar in Rangunia upazila on Monday.
As soon as the news spread, some Cuet students vandalised three buses and set one more on fire on that day.
The students took to the streets boycotting classes and examinations and continued their protests till Wednesday blocking the Chattogram-Kaptai road by setting fire on logs and tyres to press home their 9 point demand for safe road.
They demanded arrest of the bus driver and his assistant and their exemplary punishment.
The other demands include providing compensation to the deceased and bearing the medical expenses of the student injured in the accident, establishment of modern treatment centre with all facilities on the campus, proving ambulances with modern equipment, stopping movement of all local buses including Shah Amanat and AB Travels on the road, examining liscences of the buses and CNG-run auto-rickshaws that ply the road , making the Student Welfare Council under accountable and forming students representative group.
Bus driver Md Tazul Islam was arrested from the Kotwali area of Chattogram city on Wednesday afternoon,
JnU to continue virtual classes
Due to the heat wave, the Jagannath University administration has decided to continue online classes until further notice.
No examinations will be held during the period, said a circular signed by Prof. Dr. Ainul Islam, acting Registrar of Jagannath University (JnU) on Thursday.
According to the notice, due to the ongoing heat wave all over the country, all classes will he held virtually and examinations will remain suspended until further notice considering health safety.
The notification also requested students to follow rules to avoid health risks during the ongoing heat wave.
Earlier, the university administration decided to take all the classes virtually for a week in an emergency meeting on April 21.
National Heart Foundation calls for increased tobacco taxes in budget
The National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and Platform Doctors Foundation have called for raising the prices of all tobacco products in the upcoming budget for the fiscal year 2024-2025 as the government spends more on treating diseases than it earns from the tobacco sector.
They made this demand during a press conference titled 'Demand for Increase in Tobacco Tax in the 2024-25 Fiscal Year Budget for a Tobacco-Free Bangladesh,' held at Jahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall, on Thursday.
They also said about 3.78 crore people, which is 35.3 percent of the population, use tobacco in the country. Additionally, around 15 lakh individuals suffer from tobacco-related illnesses.
According to the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and Platform Doctors Foundation, tobacco-related diseases claim the lives of around 161,000 people annually, resulting in substantial economic losses. In the fiscal year 2017-18 alone, tobacco usage incurred Tk 30,560 crore in economic losses, while revenue from the sector amounted to Tk 22,810 crore.
The organisations proposed a significant increase in tobacco taxes, arguing that higher prices lead to decreased consumption. They suggested specific tax rates for different grades of tobacco products, with prices set at Tk 60 for low-level cigarettes, Tk 80 for mid-range, Tk 130 for high-level, and Tk 170 for premium-grade cigarettes.
Implementation of these tax measures, the organisations claim, could reduce cigarette consumption from 15.1 percent to 13.80 percent, potentially preventing the premature deaths of 540,656 young individuals. Additionally, it is estimated to generate approximately Tk 47,000 crore in revenue, marking a 28 percent increase from the previous year.
Tanvir Shakil Joy, Member of Parliament for Sirajganj-1 Constituency, expressed support for the initiative, reiterating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's vision of achieving a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040. He emphasised the need for a simplified taxation system to deter tobacco consumption and safeguard public health.
Professor Khandkar Abdul Awal Rizvi, President of the heart foundation, highlighted that 18 percent of citizens aged 15 and above are smokers, with millions more exposed to secondhand smoke daily. To protect this vulnerable population, Rizvi emphasized the importance of effective taxation as a globally recognized strategy for reducing tobacco use.
The press conference was attended by key figures including Associate Professor Shafiun Nahin Shimul from the Institute of Health Economics at Dhaka University, Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury from the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, Rashed Bappi, President of the Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum, along with representatives from various anti-tobacco organizations and media outlets.
Seheli Sabrin made next Consul General of Bangladesh Consulate in Florida
The government has appointed Seheli Sabrin, Director General (public diplomacy wing) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as Consul General of Bangladesh Consulate in Florida, USA.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a notification on Thursday regarding her new role. She is also serving as spokesperson at the MoFA.
The transfer order will be effective from the date of her joining at the Mission.
She joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 2, 2005 as a member of 24th BCS (Foreign Affairs).
Seheli served as First Secretary at Bangladesh High Commission in Canberra, 2012-2014 and as Counsellor at Bangladesh Embassy in Jakarta, 2014-2017.
She also served as Director General (Consular & Welfare) from 2021 to 2022.
US wants Bangladesh to become a ‘net security provider’ in Indo Pacific region: Expert
The United States wants Bangladesh to become a “net security provider” in the region in a “responsible way”, and wants Bangladesh to be able to respond to natural disasters and other issues positively with its growing capabilities.
“Bangladesh has made a lot of progress over the years, and we are proud to be part of that effort. We would hope that the Bangladesh government sees the Indo Pacific Strategy (IPS) as an opportunity to cooperate with us and our partners to help address some of Bangladesh's security concerns,” said Maxwell Martin, an IPS expert at the US Embassy in Dhaka, on Thursday.
While briefing a select group of journalists at the embassy on “Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) and its implications for Bangladesh”, he said Bangladesh-US cooperation to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific is just one aspect of their wide-ranging bilateral relationship.
“The US-Bangladesh relationship is driven by our nations’ shared history, common values, and future potential. It is not defined by India, China, Russia or any third country,” Martin said.
Responding to a question, he said, they look at their relationship with countries in the South Asia region and Indo Pacific in general, on a bilateral basis.
Bangladesh criticises US Human Rights Report for systematic use of ‘unfounded’ allegations
“We don't look at our relationship with other countries through the lens of another country. This is something that we hear sometimes in Bangladesh, in the media and kind of just in the commentary, that the United States looks at Bangladesh through the lens of India. And I don't think that's true,” said the IPS expert.
He said they look at their relationship with Bangladesh in terms of a set of shared interests and bilateral priorities.
Traditional Jabbarer Boli Khela kicks off in Ctg amid scorching heat
The 115th edition of traditional ‘Jabbarer Boli Khela’ (wrestling competition) kicked off at historic Laldighi ground in the port city of Chattogram on Thursday afternoon amid the countrywide scorching heat.
Like every year, interested competitors submitted their names to the organising committee to participate in this year's Boli Khela. Their names were taken till 11 am on Thursday.
For the competition, the stage of 'Boli-Khela' was built on 165 poles at Laldighi ground, said organisers.
Though the main event started today, a ‘Baishakhi Mela’ centring the competition started Tuesday. The crowd at the fair venue started to increase from Wednesday noon.
On the other hand, organising the Boli Khela amid the prevailing heat wave sparked criticism on social media. Although some are in favour of continuing the game others are suggesting its postponement.
Bangladesh criticises US Human Rights Report for systematic use of ‘unfounded’ allegations
Bangladesh has criticised the recently released US State Department’s 2023 Human Rights Report, noting that the report “fails to appreciate, rather undermines” a number of valued State institutions, including the independent judiciary and certain statutory bodies, which is detrimental to the morale and functioning of such institutions.
“Regrettably, many of the improvements and achievements of the government have not been acknowledged in the report. On the other hand, isolated and unfounded allegations continue to be flagged as part of a systematic trend,” Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Seheli Sabrin, told reporters on Thursday.
While briefing reporters, she said a thorough reading of the report would make it evident that it is replete with references to individually reported or alleged incidents that were used to draw broad, generalised inferences.
The government of Bangladesh reiterated its concerns about the continued trampling of human rights in Gaza by the Israeli occupation force and hopes that the US will play a leadership role in the ongoing efforts of the international community to stop serious human rights violations, killing of innocent women and children, and crimes against humanity in Palestine.
One of the grossly missing items in the report is the systematic campaign launched last year by the anti-state and anti-government elements in the lead up to the 12th National Election in order to create unrest, violence and anarchy under different pretexts and using diverse interest groups, said the foreign ministry spokesperson.
Sabrin said it is also apparent that the report mostly relies on assumptions and unsubstantiated allegations drawn from local and international non-government organisations (including anonymous sources), many of which are supported by the US government or related entities.
“As such, some of the inherent biases in the reporting pattern are quite evident,” she said
The government of Bangladesh, however, appreciated the continued interest of the US administration in the Human Rights situation across the globe.
“No matter how much we aspire, the human rights situation is not perfect anywhere in the world. Though human rights are non-hierarchical, fulfillment of them can be incremental as socio-economic constraints often put limits to the pace of realising those rights,” said the spokesperson.
She said the government of Bangladesh has been doing its best to uphold human rights of its citizens. “Indeed, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the human rights situation has significantly improved in Bangladesh.”
Mindful of the areas that need further improvement, the current government, during its consecutive terms in office since 2009, continued to invest in realising meaningful advancement in the human rights situation.
“Any discerning observer would notice that such efforts resulted in significant improvement in women’s empowerment, gender parity, children’s rights, rights of elderly persons, workers’ rights, grievance redressal, access to justice, religious freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of assembly and so on and so forth,” the spokesperson observed.
While the report alleges the law enforcement for use of excessive force in some cases, it fails to reflect the violence and vandalism perpetrated by BNP and its political allies, which often disrupted lives of general people and resulted in damage of public and private property.
“It is ironic that when the State was engaged in protecting public life, order and property against such orchestrated campaign, it has been held responsible in the report for even taking recourse to some lawful actions and remedies,” she said.
The spokesperson said it must be registered that the law enforcement agencies of Bangladesh exercised utmost restraints and dealt with any law-and-order situation with full professionalism.
“Coupled with government’s sincere support and professional conduct of elections by the Election Commission, 28 of 44 registered parties participated in the 12th National Election with 42% people exercising their voting rights despite boycotts from BNP and some other parties,” she said.
It is unfortunate that despite having a series of dialogues with the US authorities on human rights and labour rights issues, a number of recurrent complaints or allegations have been flagged in the report discounting the state/ government perspective on those matters, Seheli Sabrin said.
For instance, she said, the Rohingya people continue to be termed as ‘refugees’ or ‘stateless persons’, thus undermining their legitimate claims to be recognised as the citizens or residents of Myanmar.
In another instance, certain ethnic minority groups continue to be labelled as ‘indigenous peoples’ contrary to the constitutional provisions of the country, which often amounts to attempts to incite unwarranted tension and divisions, she said.
Again, in certain cases, the report tends to omit or neglect substantive evidence or information shared with the US authorities on individual cases.
For instance, in the alleged killing of Messers Shaheen Miah and Mohammad Raju, information had been shared on the judicial proceedings that found the incidents to be within the purview of law.
Yet again, she said, the judicial processes undertaken in the case of Jesmin Sultana were not adequately reflected in the report, especially the issue of ongoing due process.
“Along similar lines, a number of cases have been flagged in the report concerning labour rights issues, especially on trade union registration and activities, that have been discussed with the relevant US officials on a number of bilateral or plurilateral platforms,” said the spokesperson.
As usual, she said, the report wrongfully characterises lawful actions taken by the law enforcement authorities in case of unwarranted obstructions or vandalism carried out in the name of workers against factories, establishments, public properties, or management staff.
The report continues to maintain the trend of projecting incidents committed by private individuals or entities as part of systemic abuse of human rights, without often elaborating on the subsequent administrative and judicial measures taken to ensure redress and accountability, she noted.
In general, the government of Bangladesh takes note of the overall report and looks forward to remaining engaged with the UN Human Rights mechanisms, the US and other international partners, and stakeholders towards upholding its commitment to ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by all citizens under any circumstances.
Bangladesh reports 16 COVID-19 cases in 24hrs
Bangladesh reported 16 more COVID-19 cases in 24 hours till Thursday morning.
With the new numbers, the country's total COVID-19 caseload rose to 2,049,931, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The official death toll from the disease remained unchanged at 29,494 as no new fatalities were reported during this period.
The daily case test positivity rate was 4.09 percent as 391 samples were tested, said the DGHS.
The recovery and death rates stood at 98.41 percent and 1.44 per cent, respectively.