Bangladesh
Barguna fishermen rejoice at abundant hilsa catch
Fishermen in Barguna have been delighted after netting huge quantity of hilsa after a 65-day ban imposed by the government ended on Saturday.
Huge hilsa netted from the Bay of Bengal and different rivers have flooded the wholesale fish market of the district.
On the first day after the ban lifted, the fishermen of Patharghata coast went to rivers and the sea for netting hilsa and brought those to the market as well.
Joy spread among the trawler owners, traders and fishermen as the fishing trawlers arrived at the Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC)ghat with a load of fish.
Read: Hilsa will soon be on platter of common people, says Rezaul
During a visit the UNB correspondent found around 20 to 25 fishing trawlers are anchored at Patharghata fish landing centre and workers are picking up fish from the trawlers.
Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, president of the District Fishing Trawler Owners’ Association, said at least 25 fishing trawlers came to the ghat on the first day and the fishermen are getting good prices.
Biplab Kumar Sarkar, marketing officer of BFDC, said that a total of 11,869 kg of fish, including 7,780 kg of hilsa, were sold at Tk 67.56 lakh at the BFDC fish market on the first day. Out of this, the government received a revenue of Tk 84,460.
4 CU students suspended over ‘sexually assaulting’ two students in 2021
Chattogram University on Monday suspended four students for their alleged involvement in sexually assaulting two female students of the university last year, officials said.
Those suspended are Junayed of Arabic Department of the university, Rubel, Islamic History and Culture Department, Md Raju and Md Emon, of Philosophy Department of the university.
All of them were suspended for one year, said CU Registrar (Acting) SM Manirul Hasan while talking at a press briefing held at the conference room of the VC.
The university authorities also asked to resolve two more allegations received by Sexual Repression Cell.
Read: CU student assault: Police seek 7-day remand for arrestees
Already three allegations received by Sexual Repression Cell were resolved and the authorities concerned also warned two more teachers of the university of the allegations brought against them, said Manirul.
On September 16, two students of Communication and Journalism Department were allegedly sexually assaulted in front of CU Central Mosque.
Besides, another female student was sexually assaulted by five youths while she was going to the Botanical Garden from Pritilata Hall of the campus with his friend on July 17, this year.
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) detained four people in connection with the alleged assault of a female student that sparked protests on the campus.
Over 14,000 children die in Bangladesh due to drowning every year
Marking the World Drowning Prevention Day, WHO and UNICEF on Monday called on the governments, development partners, communities and individuals each to do their part to raise awareness and work to prevent the untimely deaths of thousands of children across the country.
Each year, over 14,000 children in Bangladesh die due to drowning.
Although largely unrecognized, drowning is the second leading cause of death for children under the age of five in the country, making it a major public health problem.
“It is heart-breaking that so many lives are lost each year in this country. We know that these deaths are preventable. We urge individuals, communities and the government to join us in raising awareness and doing all we can to ensure every child’s right to survive and thrive,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh.
Globally, drowning claims the lives of over 230,000 people every year.
Nine in ten drowning cases occur in low- and middle-income countries, with children under the age of five being at the highest risk.
Read: Drowning kills 2.5 million people in last decade: WHO
In Bangladesh, where large areas of land remain submerged due to yearly floods, the absence of awareness and swimming skills can prove to be life-threatening.
Children in rural areas who grow up near bodies of water are also exposed to the risk of drowning daily.
Drowning is a significant public health concern and the third leading cause of unintentional death worldwide. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death among children in Bangladesh.
WHO recommends strategies and interventions to prevent drowning and continues to promote a multisectoral approach. By enhancing multisectoral collaboration, promoting strong leadership on drowning prevention, and implementing necessary actions, we can prevent the tragedy of drowning and achieve a safer, healthier future for all,” said Dr. Bardan Jung Rana, WHO Representative to Bangladesh.
Evidence shows that drowning is preventable through low-cost solutions. Increased awareness among families and communities, providing safety and swimming skills for children and adolescents, ensuring childcare facilities for pre-school children, and national policies and investments for prevention can make a significant difference.
In 2021, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 25 as World Drowning Prevention Day to acknowledge drowning as a leading cause of death around the world and highlight that every drowning death is preventable.
WHO and UNICEF have been working with Government and non-government partners around the country to increase awareness on drowning prevention and provide children and adolescents with safe swimming skills.
Case against Prof Yunus: Final hearing on scrapping case on Aug 11
The High Court on Monday fixed August 11 for the final hearing on the appeal to scrap the case filed against Nobel Laureate and Chairman of Grameen Communications Dr Muhammad Yunus over violation of the Labour Law.
The HC bench of Justice SM Quddus Zaman and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar Kajol passed the order.
Lawyer Md Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments while lawyer Abdullah Al Mamun stood for Prof Yunus.
On June 13, the Appellate Division stayed the trial proceedings of the case for two months.
The SC also ordered the HC bench led by Justice SM Kuddus Zaman to dispose of the rule seeking explanation as to why the case against Prof Yunus should not be cancelled, said Attorney General AM Amin Uddin.
On June 7, the Appellate Division ordered disposal of the rule within two months.
Read: Case against Dr Yunus: SC stays trial proceedings for 2 months
On September 9 last year, Labour Inspector Arifuzzaman of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, filed the case with Dhaka third labour court.
Other accused in the case are- Ashraful Hasan, Managing Director of Grameen Telecom, its director Nurzahan Begum and Shahjahan.
According to the case, in an inspection visit to Grameen Telecom inspectors of the department found that 101 workers and staff who were supposed to be permanent were not made so.
No participation fund and welfare fund was formed for them and five per cent of the company’s profit was not provided to the workers following the law.
Upon the complaint a criminal case was filed under section 4, 7, 8, 117, 234 of the Labour Act.
On October 12, the labour court granted bail to the all four accused.
Later on December 7, Prof Yunus filed a petition with the High Court seeking cancellation of the case.
On December 12, HC stayed the procedure of a case for six months.
The court also issued a rule asking the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments why the case will not be set aside. The court asked secretaries of the ministry of law, ministry of labour and employment and others involved to respond to the rule.
Southeast Asian MPs condemn barbaric executions of 4 political prisoners in Myanmar
The recent executions of four political prisoners at the hands of the illegal military junta in Myanmar is an act of judicial barbarism, Parliamentarians from Southeast Asia have denounced on Monday, after the state media announced that the death sentences have been carried out on an unspecified date at Insein Prison, in Yangon.
The four executed men, all charged under anti-terrorism laws, are Phyo Zeya Thaw, former lawmaker for the National League for Democracy (NLD); the prominent activist Kyaw Min Yu, widely known as ‘Ko Jimmy’; Aung Thura Zaw; and Hla Myo Aung.
These death sentences are the first known judicial executions in Myanmar since 1988, according to Amnesty International, which hitherto has considered the country as “Abolitionist in Practice”.
“These executions are nothing but appalling acts of evil committed by a brutal junta that has shown no qualms about waging a war against the Myanmar population in order to cement its power. The global community, and all ASEAN members in particular, should take these cold-blooded assassinations as yet another wake up call on the true nature of the regime of terror that the Myanmar military is attempting to impose in the country,” said Eva Sundari, former member of the House of Representatives in Indonesia and Board Member of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR).
According to the Myanmar group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), as of 22 July there were 76 prisoners in Myanmar sentenced to death, including two children, while 41 people have been given the death penalty in absentia.
Since the coup on 1 February 2021, at least 2114 people have been killed by the self-styled State Administration Council (SAC), led by General Min Aung Hlaing, in its campaign to suppress the widespread opposition to military rule.
Read: Myanmar executes NLD lawmaker, 3 other political opponents
These death sentences should be viewed as an attempt by the Myanmar military to provide a veneer of legality to political assassination.
Yet it is evident that these sentences were handed without fairness, by military tribunals conducting trials lacking in any respect for due process, APHR denounced.
“It is clear that these executions are made to strike fear among representatives of the democratic forces and political activists who oppose the junta . We believe that all those accused by the military junta are tried in secret, unfair and biased trials with no legal safeguards. Many political prisoners are subjected to torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and now there are dozens of prisoners in Myanmar jails who could be executed at any moment,” said Tom Villarin, former Philippine MP and APHR Board Member.
“Not even the previous military regime, which ruled the country between 1988 and 2011, dared to carry out the death penalty against political prisoners. This means yet another increase in the junta’s brutality, which comes from a sense of impunity largely fostered by the failure of the global community to do anything effective to prevent it from committing further atrocities,” said Charles Santiago, Member of Parliament from Malaysia, and APHR Chairperson.
The executions also serve as proof that the SAC led by Min Aung Hlaing has no intention to engage in any meaningful political dialogue with the pro-democracy forces led by the National Unity Government of Myanmar (NUG). Such a dialogue, one of the key points of the Five-Point Consensus agreed by ASEAN member states and Min Aung Hlaing’s junta in April 2021, has never materialized.
The Consensus also called for an immediate cessation of violence, something that the Myanmar military, which continues shelling villages and killing protesters, has also failed to implement.
Yet the Myanmar military, in its all-out war over its people is committing “systematic and widespread human rights violations and abuses” that may amount to “war crimes and crimes against humanity,” according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
“The junta’s contempt for the agreement it signed is clear, especially considering that the announcement of these executions comes two weeks after the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair to Myanmar, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, visited the country. The Special Envoy, and ASEAN members, should condemn these executions, and seriously rethink their approach to the crisis in Myanmar. For starters, they should begin exerting pressure on the SAC with targeted sanctions and travel bans in the region in order to show Min Aung Hlaing and his men that they cannot commit their crimes with impunity,” said Kasit Piromya, former MP and Foreign Minister in Thailand, and APHR Board Member.
Parts of Sylhet city to experience 13-hour load shedding per day
Sales and Distribution Division of Sylhet Power Development Board (PDB) on Sunday published a new schedule of load shedding which shows some areas in Sylhet city won’t have electricity for 13 hours a day.
Electricity generation falls in the country due to soaring prices of fuel in the world market. To save electricity, the government enforced area-wise load shedding for one to two hours all over the country from July 19.
Following the decision, Sylhet PDB decided to resort to load shedding for four hours (Two hours in the morning, two hours in the evening) in Sylhet city area on a daily basis.
Read:Most distributors cross targeted load shedding amid lean power supply
But, PDB’s schedule failed as Sylhet city residents experienced load shedding for seven to eight hours per day.
The authorities said the schedule could not be maintained as supply of electricity less than half compared to the demand.
The rural areas of Sylhet are also facing a disastrous situation as electricity remains for only four to five hours a day there, said locals.
Abdul Kadir, Chief Engineer of Sylhet PDB, said that in the five power divisions in Sylhet city, electricity demand was 200 MW on Sunday afternoon. But, they managed to supply only 90 MW of electricity.
“Load shedding is happening for longer hours due to a shortage in electricity supply,” Kadir said.
Kadir hoped that the situation might improve within next two to three weeks.
Monsoon showers likely in parts of country
The weather department has predicted showers in parts of Bangladesh in next 24 hours commencing 9am on Monday as Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate elsewhere over North Bay.
“Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at many places over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at a few places over Dhaka, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places over the country,” the department said in its bulletin Monday morning.
Day temperature may rise slightly over western part and it may remain nearly unchanged elsewhere over the country. Night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, it added.
Read: Rain brings relief from scorching heat
The weather office recorded the highest rainfall at 81mm in Patuakhali of Barishal division in 24 hours till 6am on Monday.
The highest temperature was recorded at 33 degrees Celsius in Rajshahi, while the lowest temperature was recorded at 24 degree Celcius in Sitakunda.
The axis of monsoon trough runs through Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal to Assam across central part of Bangladesh.
One of its associated troughs extends upto Northwest Bay, as per the bulletin.
Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi’s mortal remains arrive in Dhaka
The mortal remains of Deputy Speaker Md Fazle Rabbi Miah arrived in Dhaka on Monday.
A flight of Emirates Airlines carrying Fazle Rabbi’s body from New York reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 8:40 am, said additional SP of Airport Armed Police Mohammad Ziaul Haque.
His first Namaz-e-Janaza was held at the National Eidgah premises around 10:30am.
His body will be taken to Bonarpara Kazi Azahar Ali High School premises in Saghata Upazila of Gaibandha around 1:40 pm by a helicopter of armed forces from Dhaka.
His body will be kept at Bharatkhali High School premises in Saghata upazila for people to pay their last tributes where his second Namaz-e-Janaza will be held around 3pm.
Then his body will be taken to Gotia village where another Namaz-e-Janaza will be held.
Read: Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi passes away in NY
The Deputy Speaker will be buried beside his two sons’ graves at the family graveyard in his village following a guard of honour by the government around 5pm, according to the Parliament Secretariat.
Advocate Fazle Rabbi breathed his last on July 22 at 3.55pm (NY Time) at Mt Sinai Hospital in New York. He was 76.
The valiant freedom fighter fought against the Pakistan Army in Sector 11 during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.
Fazle Rabbi, a seven times lawmaker from Gaibandha-5, is survived by his three daughters. His wife Anwara Rabbi passed away in May 2020.
He was a reputed organizer and contributed much in creating public opinion in favor of the Liberation War abroad.
Fazle Rabbi was Chairperson of Bangladesh Association for Voluntary Sterilization (BAVS), Gaibandha from 1980 to 81.
He founded a good number of schools, colleges and madrasas in his own constituency.
A reputed organiser who contributed much in creating public opinion in favour of the Liberation War abroad, Fazle Rabbi was born on April 16 in 1946 and was the founding Secretary of Gaibandha Law College from 1979 to 1986.
He was also an elected Secretary of the Gaibandha Bar from 1978-79.
Dhaka’s air quality remains ‘moderate’
Dhaka's air quality continues to be in the 'moderate' zone.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 88 at 9 am on Monday, the metropolis ranked 10th in the list of world cities with the worst air quality.
An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’ with an acceptable air quality. However, there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Chile’s Santiago, Iran’s Tehran and Peru’s Lima occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 161, 156, 128, respectively.
An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
Read: Dhaka’s air quality turns 'unhealthy' again
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.
A report by the Department of Environment (DoE) and the World Bank in March 2019 pointed out that the three main sources of air pollution in Dhaka "are brick kilns, fumes from vehicles and dust from construction sites".
With the advent of winter, the city’s air quality starts deteriorating sharply due to the massive discharge of pollutant particles from construction work, rundown roads, brick kilns and other sources.
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.
Global Covid cases top 575 million
The overall number of Covid cases has surged past 575 million amid a rise in new infections in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
According to the latest global data, the total case count mounted to 575,154,225 and the death toll reached 6,403,161Monday morning.
The US has recorded 92,194,892 cases so far and 1,051,996 people have died from the virus in the country, the data shows.
After reporting over 21,000 daily cases for three straight days, India's daily COVID-19 caseload came down to 20,279 on Sunday, officials said.
Read: 70% of Covid deaths among unvaccinated: DGHS DG
According to federal health ministry data released on Sunday morning, the 20,279 new cases reported during the past 24 hours took the total tally to 43,888,755 in the country.
The cases reported on Sunday mark a decrease in comparison to the daily caseload of Saturday which was 21,411.
The country also logged 36 related deaths during this period, which has pushed the overall death toll to 526,033 since the beginning of the pandemic, the ministry said.
Covid situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh recorded four more Covid-19-linked deaths with 430 new cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning.
With the latest figures, the country's total fatalities reached 29,266 while the caseload to 2,001,775, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The daily case positivity rate dropped to 7.04 per cent from Saturday’s 10.10 per cent as 6,114 samples were tested.
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.46 per cent. The recovery rate rose to 96.71 per cent from Saturday's 96.67 per cent.