Bangladesh
25-year-old found dead at Khulna rehab centre
A 25-year-old youth was found dead under mysterious circumstances at a rehabilitation centre near Royal Mor area of Khulna city on Monday morning.
The deceased was identified as Nabin Biswas, son of Narayan Chandra Biswas of Haroria village of Narail district.
Nabin, a drug addict, was admitted to Pragati Mental Illness and Drug Rehabilitation Center on May 24, according to the centre.
Also read: Missing man found dead in Sylhet
Tanmoy Biswas, a sub-assistant medical community officer said, Nabin went to the veranda after brushing around 8:30 in the morning.
Around 9am, "we found him hanging from the grille of the window with a towel".
Later, he was taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival, Tanmoy added.
Meanwhile, Hasan Shahriar Siam, another patient at the rehab centre, said, "Nabin often told me that he didn't want to stay here and he wanted to go home.
Also read: College student found dead in Sylhet
Khulna Sadar Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Hasan Al-Mamun said, "we are not sure whether Nabin Biswas committed suicide or not. "We will investigate the death," he added.
2 sentenced to life for murder in Kushtia
A Kushtia court on Monday sentenced two people to life imprisonment for killing a farmer in Kumarkhali upazila in 2015.Kushtia Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-1 Judge Muhammad Tajul Islam passed the order.The accused Md Bappy Pramanik and Alamin Sarder have also been fined with tk 25,000, and will have to spend an additional year in jail if they fail to pay.The convicts were present at the court during the hearing and they have been sent to Kushtia jail after the order, said Public Prosecutor advocate Anupam Kumar Nandi.
Also read: Man gets death sentence for killing wife over dowry in TangailOn September 12, 2015, Sabu Mia, 20, son of Md Swapan Mandal from Jagannathpur union went to Chapaigachi Bazar from his house and did not return home.The next day, his body was recovered from a local named Kader Biswash’s banana orchard.A murder case was filed in this regard at Kumarkhali police station following the complaint of Sabu’s father Swapan Mandal.After a long investigation the investigative officer filed a chargesheet against Bappy and Alamin in this case.
Also read: Triple murder in Kushtia: 3 sentenced to jail unto deathThe court fixed Monday for final hearing in this case after hearing testimonies of 18 witnesses, said PP Anupam Kumar.
Regional commander-level meeting in progress between BGB and BSF
A four-day long Region Commander of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Frontier IG level of Indian Border Security Force (BSF)-level border conference begins in Sylhet on Monday.
The frontier talks between Region Commander, BGB (Sarail, Chattagram and Cox's Bazar Region and Mymensingh Sector) and Frontier Inspector General (IG), BSF (Meghalaya, Mizoram and Kachar, Guwahati and Tripura frontier) have begun under management of BGB Sarail Region headquarter. it would end on Thursday, said Public Relation Officer (PRO)of the BGB Headquarter Md Shariful Islam.
Region Commander of BGB's Chattragram Region Headquarters Brigadier General Tanvir Gani Chowdhury has been leading a 13-member Bangladesh delegation, while Inspector General (IG)of India's Tripura Frontier Shri Sumit Sharan has been leading a six- member Indian delegation in the conference.
Also read: BGB destroys seized drugs worth Tk 395 crore in Cox’s Bazar
Apart from senior BGB officials, the Bangladesh delegation also includes officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Land Records and Survey.
Various important issues like border killings, illegal entry, other smuggling including drugs, trafficking of women and children, various development activities within 150 yards of the international border, development of existing bilateral relations between the two countries would be discussed in the four-day long border conference. Besides, various initiatives to enhance mutual trust between BGB and BSF would be also discussed.
Also read: 10 held by BGB for 'illegally entry'
It may be mentioned that after the conference, the BSF delegation will return to India on Thursday.
Bangladesh, Portugal to sign MoU to establish direct shipping links
Bangladesh and Portugal are working to connect the two countries through direct shipping links to create new prospects for fast, cost-effective and reliable shipping for the Bangladeshi exporters while sending regular consignments to Europe by sea.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam has expressed his satisfaction on the progress achieved towards signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Chattogram Port Authority and Leixoes Port Authority for the establishment of direct shipping link.
He also expressed satisfaction over the progress towards formation of a working group for the timely implementation of the MoU and assured his full support in this regard.
Also read: Bangladesh seeks productive partnership with Portugal; identifies priority areas
The State Minister received the Leixoes Port Authority delegation, led by the President of its Board of Directors Eng. Nuno Araújo at the Embassy during his current visit to Portugal.
Cabinet orders prompt action against rice hoarders
The Cabinet on Monday directed the relevant authorities to find out why the rice price is so high during the peak harvest season.
The directive came from the Cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office.
The meeting decided to conduct drives against illegal rice hoarders like the recent drives carried out against the edible oil hoarders in the country, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam.
Also read: Strict action if anyone tries to destabilise rice market: Food Minister
“Today a directive was given to take quick action, if anyone is engaged in the unauthorized business and hoarding of rice,” he said, adding that prices of rice and oil were elaborately discussed at the meeting.
Anwarul said the Cabinet instructed to go on action after conducting a market survey to know why the prices of rice went up in the full season and whether the rice is being hoarded and whether anyone is engaged in rice business illegally.
He said there is information that some (businessmen or companies) might get engaged in rice business breaking the memorandum of association. So, the meeting asked to monitor and supervise the rice market strongly, he added.
Also read: PM urges fixing war-disrupted global supply chains to tame rising prices
An instruction was given to the commerce minister, the food minister, the commerce secretary, the food secretary and the agriculture secretary to sit in a meeting for conducting the market survey soon in order to find out the reason behind soaring rice price.
Bagerhat: Man jailed until death for raping woman & killing two grandchildren
A Bagerhat tribunal on Monday sentenced a man to life imprisonment unto death in a case filed for violating a woman and killing her two grandchildren in 2014.
Bagerhat Woman and child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Md Nure Alam handed the punishment to Bachchu Mridha, 58.
The tribunal also ordered the convict to pay a fine Tk 20,000 to the rape survivor.
Also read: Rape at police station: fugitive police inspector sent to jail on surrender
The tribunal acquitted an accused of the case identified as Khokon Khan as allegations brought against him could not be proved.
According to the prosecution, Bachchu along with his associates barged into the house of Farhad Mridha on September 11, 2014 and violated the woman when she was sleeping with her two grandchildren—Mirajul and Riajul.
When the two children woke up they started screaming.
Later, Bachchu and his associates killed them and dumped their bodies in a water body adjacent to the house.
They also beat the woman up and left her presuming her to be dead.
Also read: Triple murder in Kushtia: 3 sentenced to jail unto death
Lokman Hossain lodged a complaint with Morrelganj Police against five people and police later registered an FIR in this connection the following day.
On July 10, 2015, police submitted charge sheet against two people
Biker, pillion rider killed in Hatirjheel road crash
Two people including a motorcyclist were killed in a road accident in the city's Hatirjheel area on Monday.
The deceased were identified as pillion rider Fahim Hossain ,20, and motorcyclist Mohammad Mamun,25.
The accident occured around 10:15 am when the motorcycle ploughed through the island after the motorcyclist lost his control near Madhubagh intersection , said sub-inspector (SI) Sajib of Hatirjheel police station.
Also read: Two die as bike hits electric pole in Barishal
Mamun died on the spot. Rider Fahim was taken to Dhaka Medical College hospital (DMCH) where he succumbed to his injuries later, he said.
Talking to reporters at DMCH, Fahim's uncle Kabir Hossain said he was son of Mizan Hossain (CNG autorickshaw driver) of Bagh Srirampur village under Kachua upazila in Chadpur district.
The two bodies were kept at the DMCH morgue for autopsy.
Also read: Four bikers killed in separate road accidents
Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 1 death after a week with 34 cases
Bangladesh registered one death from Covid-19 in 24 hours till Monday morning after one week taking the total fatalities to 29,13, health authorities said.
Besides, the caseload mounted to 1,953,481 with 34 new cases recorded during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The country last saw two Covid-linked deaths with 31 cases on May 23.
On Sunday, the country saw 40 new cases with zero death.
Also read: Global Covid cases near 532 million
The deceased was a woman from Dhaka Division.
Of the 2 deaths recorded from May 23 to May 29, 100 per cent received two shots of Covid vaccines but did not receive a third dose or booster dose, the DGHS mentioned.
None of the patients who died during the week had Comorbidities.Comorbidity means the simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient.
The daily test positivity rate slightly dropped to 0.63 percent from Monday's 0.79 percent as 5,362 samples were tested, according to theDirectorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 percent.
The recovery rate remained unchanged at 97.39 percent as 169 patients recovered during this period.
In April, the country reported only five Covid-linked deaths and 1,114 new cases, while 14,100 patients recovered from the disease, according to the DGHS.
Among the five deaths during the period, two were unvaccinated patients while three were vaccinated with two doses of the Covid vaccine.
The country reported its first zero Covid death in a single day on November 20 last year, along with 178 cases, since the pandemic broke out here in March 2020.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 40 new cases, zero death
On January 28, Bangladesh logged its previous highest positivity rate of 33.37 per cent.
The country registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 in the same year.
World No Tobacco Day tomorrow
World No Tobacco Day will be observed in the country on Tuesday as elsewhere in the globe.
The theme of the World No Tobacco Day for 2022 as set by the World Health Organization (WHO) is “Tobacco: Threat to our environment.”
This theme is particularly relevant for Bangladesh and other developing countries where 90 percent of all tobacco production is concentrated, said a press release from PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), an anti-tobacco platform.
The President and thePrime Minister have issued separate messages on the occasion.
Also read: 18 anti-tobacco groups want duty hike on tobacco products
President Abdul Hamid called upon the government as well as civil society members, professional organizations, non-governmental organizations and the media to make concerted efforts to save people, especially the younger generation, from the dangers of smoking and tobacco.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “At the South Asian Speakers Summit 2018, I announced that Bangladesh will be tobacco free by 2040. Our government is working relentlessly towards that goal as we need healthy and strong population to build a developed and prosperous Bangladesh."
Tobacco causes over 84 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually and creates the world’s most littered item, cigarette butts.
Bangladesh ranks 14th in the world on the basis of area used for tobacco cultivation, 12th for tobacco production in quantity, and holds a share of 1.3% of global tobacco production.
According to Tobacco Atlas, tobacco cultivation accounts for 31 percent of deforestation in Bangladesh.
The use of tobacco causes around 161,000 deaths in Bangladesh a year. It has been ranked as the fourth major contributing factors behind premature deaths in the country.
Also read: Experts want THR in tobacco control plans
PROGGA suggests amending existing tobacco control law, hiking cigarette and tobacco product prices imposing specific excise taxes, divesting government’s investment from British American Tobacco, promoting alternative farming and livelihood options, expediting the adoption of a code of conduct in line with FCTC Article 5.3 for all government officials as necessary measures to curb the prevalence of tobacco use.
Momen: Dhaka seeks New Delhi's advice on Russian oil purchase despite sanctions
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Monday said he sought suggestion from India on how they are managing their purchase of oil from Russia, noting that the energy issue has become a real problem for Bangladesh, too.
“We are dependent on energy (import). Russia offered us energy and wheat. It has become a real problem. We are afraid of it (energy crisis). We sought their (India) suggestions on how they are doing it. This is more of a friendly discussion,” he told reporters, apparently keeping the fear of sanctions in mind.
Momen attended the two-day NADI Conclave in Guwahati on May 28-29 together with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.
The Indian government has defended the move to buy Russian oil, saying what it buys from Russia in a month is less than what Europe buys from Russia in an afternoon, according to BBC.
Read: FM Momen rues long delay in Teesta deal with India
As calls continue for India to keep its distance from Moscow over the Ukraine issue, its oil purchases from Russia have more than doubled from last year, reports BBC.
India has taken advantage of discounted prices to ramp up oil imports from Russia at a time when global energy prices have been rising.
Without naming any country, Momen said, “You are seeing that they keep bossing us and you (journalists) also encourage them. Every day, they come up with new issues. We used to call them development partners. They don’t pay for the development but keep giving advice.”
Momen also claimed that to impede the development, they put forward many things and add various conditions to create instability. “These are not acceptable.”
Responding to a question, the foreign minister said Bangladesh, being a peace-loving country, always welcomes stability in the world.
“We are very inter-dependent,” he said, adding that Bangladesh will get affected if there is instability in the USA and Europe – two big markets for Bangladesh’s export.
At the same time, if there is instability in the Middle East, Bangladesh’s remittance earnings will get hurt, he said.
Read: Assam CM praises Sheikh Hasina's leadership
“We don’t want to get into any problem. We want peace in the world,” Momen said, adding that the rich countries will also be affected and it is good for all to end the war as soon as possible.
The foreign minister said he also discussed with Jaishankar how regional organizations are made stronger to resolve issues regionally to ensure stability and security.
He, however, said Bangladesh does not want to see that multilateralism gets weaker. “We are a big promoter of multilateralism."