Bangladesh
Khaleda diagnosed with liver cirrhosis: Medical board
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, now undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital, was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, her medical board member Dr FM Siddique said on Sunday.
“We’ve already informed Madam’s close relatives that she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, and asked them to take steps to send her abroad as soon as possible,” he told a press conference at the BNP chief’s Gulshan residence.
The doctor said Khaleda’s condition is now stable but it can deteriorate anytime in the case of further bleeding from her liver.
“The bleeding has stopped now, but re-bleeding can start anytime. If it happens, her life will be at high risk,” he said.
He said they now feel very helpless over the current condition of Khaleda for lack of technology to treat her.
The physician said Khaleda needs to go to an advanced medical centre abroad urgently for her treatment by applying “TIPS’ technology.
Read: Khaleda free, not in govt custody: Law Minister
He also feared that a time may come when it will be difficult or impossible to shift Khaleda abroad.
Dr Siddique said Khaleda already bled thrice and the third time bleeding was severe, impairing her liver function. "In the last 24 hours, there was no bleeding. “There’s a 50 percent possibility of rebleeding in the next week while 70 percent within the next six weeks. This is obvious.”
"We don't have the supportive technology to control or stop it if Madame bleeds again, we're afraid. If she bleeds again, the risk of her death will increase a lot,” the physician said.
Kuwaiti court jails ex-Bangladeshi MP Papul for human trafficking
Kuwait’s top appeals court has sentenced an ex-Bangladeshi lawmaker Mohammed Shahid Islam Papul to seven years in prison in a high-profile human trafficking case, reports Gulf News.
The court fined the convict of KD2.7 million.
The Court of Cassation also ordered the defendant be deported after serving the sentence.
Read: HC rejects writ challenging gazette on Papul’s MP post
The court also handed down similar jail terms to Kuwaiti Undersecretary of the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry Maj. Gen. Mazen Al Jarrah and Hassan Al Khedr, a manpower director; and ordered their sacking from their government posts on charges of bribery in the same case.
Last February this year, a Kuwaiti criminal court sentenced Papul to four years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of KD1.9 million.
He was charged with receiving money from dozens of workers in return for bringing them in from Bangladesh to Kuwait through a company he managed with illegal assistance from Kuwaiti officials charged in the case.
Read: MP Papul’s parliamentary seat declared vacant
He has reportedly amassed KD5 million worth of assets in the Gulf country.
The Kuwaiti public prosecution contested the rulings handed down to the prime defendant and convicted accomplices and demanded tougher penalties.
Man detained with Tk 5 crore worth Crystal Meth in Teknaf
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Saturday detained a drug trafficker with 1 kg crystal methamphetamine or Ice worth Tk 5 crore from Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar.
The arrestee was identified as Md Rafiq Mia, 37, a resident of Noapara Jele Ghat village in Teknaf, said BGB-2 Teknaf battalion in a press release issued on Sunday.
Following a tip-off about a large shipment of crystal meth being trafficked from Myanmar through the south of the Jaliardwip area, a patrol team of BGB Teknaf battalion took position on Saturday night.
Also read: BGB seizes 1500 grams of crystal meth in Teknaf
Around 9:30 pm a hand-rowed boat crossed the zero line of the border from the Myanmar side and the BGB team immediately advanced towards them but most of the traffickers jumped off in the river and managed to flee, said BGB-2.
The patrol team gheraoed the boat and held Rafiq Mia with the crystal meth in a plastic bag, said the press release.
The procedure is on to hand over the detainee to Teknaf model police station, said BGB.
Also read: Woman arrested with crystal meth in Ctg
Tobacco industry’s interference continues: Study
The incessant interference from tobacco industry has put the public health of Bangladesh under a greater risk as the country's score in the 2021 Tobacco Industry Interference Index stands at 72 which was 68 last year, as per a study.
PROGGA, a research and advocacy organization conducted the study on ‘Tobacco Industry Interference Index: The FCTC Article 5.3 Implementation’.
The study report was revealed at an event jointly arranged by PROGGA and Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) in the city’s CIRDAP Auditorium, said a press release.
Read: Speakers for amending Smoking and Tobacco Usage (Control) Act
As per the report, the implementation of World Health Organization (WHO)'s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and also the realization of Bangladesh's vision for becoming a tobacco-free country by 2040 are hindered due to aggressive activities of tobacco companies during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment, Forestry and Climate Changes Saber Hossain Chowdhury said tobacco claimed more lives than Covid-19.
“Tobacco is killing more people than COVID-19. Nonetheless, the government is yet to take effective tobacco control measures. The question arises whether the government bodies really hold the spirit of FCTC and the PM's vision of a tobacco-free country,” he said.
Convener of the National Anti-Tobacco Platform and also eminent economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said Bangladesh has made very poor performance in the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index.
“We also scored the poorest among our South Asian peers. Why did we perform so poorly?" he said.
To improve the situation, he demanded divestment of the government's share in BATB and reinstatement of 25% export duty on tobacco.
Read: Raise tobacco prices, taxes: Activists
Noted journalist Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul said the government bodies need to be sensitized for not receiving any aid from tobacco industry.
“Receiving donations from the tobacco industry is a clear violation of FCTC as well as in conflict with the declaration of the Prime Minister,” he said.
The study findings show that interference from tobacco companies has increased during January 2020-March 2021 and there has been no progress in the implementation of FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines.
The tobacco industry's attempts were seen to interfere and exert influence in policy-making via diplomatic channels during the period , as per the report.
Barishal court summons Evaly CEO Rassel in 3 cases of cheque fraud
A Barishal court on Sunday issued summons to controversial e-commerce platform Evaly’s Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rassel in three cases of cheque fraud.
Barishal Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate judge acknowledged the cases filed by three affected consumers of Evaly and summoned the accused, said the plaintiff’s lawyer Mostafizur Rahman.
Read:HC committee seals off 4 warehouses of Evaly
According to the case complaint, Barishal resident Niloy Sharif paid Tk 3.50 Lakh, Sadikur Rahman Suruj Tk 2.71 lakh and Md Ferdous Tk 1.74 lakhs to Evaly for purchasing motorcycles which they did not receive.
Later Evaly provided them cheques to return the amounts they paid but the cheques were returned by the bank authority.
The three victims sent a legal notice through the post office to return their money to which the company did not respond and later they filed three separate cases with the court of cheque dishonor under the Negotiable Instrument Act.
Read:Ministry working to refund Evaly customers’ money: Munshi
Evaly CEO Mohammad Rassel and his wife Shamima Nasrin, the chairman of the platform were arrested on September 16, after a customer named Arif Baker filed a case at Gulshan Police Station alleging that e-commerce platform was not delivering products despite taking advanced payments.
NTAC recommends travel ban to contain new variant Omicron
The National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 has recommended a travel ban to Bangladesh from the countries where the new variant of the virus Omicron has spread.
The recommendation was made at the 47th meeting of the committee on Sunday, said Dr Mohammad Shahidullah, president of the NTAC in a press release.
Read:South African scientists brace for wave propelled by omicron
The committee also recommended institutional quarantine for travelers who have traveled to the countries, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, in the last 14 days.
The NTAC also called for setting up screening at all ports of entry and asked to avoid public gatherings.
Moreover, they recommended arranging Covid-19 tests free of cost to encourage people to get tested more frequently.
Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world raced Friday to contain a new coronavirus variant potentially more dangerous than the one that has fueled relentless waves of infection on nearly every continent.
Read: Britain tightens COVID rules as world on alert over omicron
A World Health Organization panel named the variant “omicron” and classified it as a highly transmissible virus of concern, the same category that includes the predominant delta variant, which is still a scourge driving higher cases of sickness and death in Europe and parts of the United States.
15th parliament session prorogued
The 15th session of 11th Parliament was prorogued on Sunday after nine sittings.
Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury read out the prorogation order of the President in the afternoon.
Earlier, Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivered the valedictory speech.
Read: Bangladesh’s Golden Jubilee of Independence: PM seeks general discussion in Parliament
Nine bills were passed in this session that saw nine sittings.
Besides, a special discussion was held in this session marking the 50 years of the country’s Independence.
Sheikh Hasina placed the proposal for holding the general discussion on the Golden Jubilee of Independence, which was adopted unanimously after 59 MPs spoke for 10 hours and 45 minutes joining the discussion.
Earlier, President Md Abdul Hamid delivered a commemorative speech in the session on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Independence.
During the session that began on November 14 last, 42 notices were placed under Section 71 of the Rules of Procedures.
Read: Cabinet approves President’s draft speech to be delivered in Parliament
Forty-one 41 questions were received for the Prime Minister to respond. She replied to 10 questions.
The session received 1,012 questions for different ministers and they replied to 566 questions.
Dhaka seeks enhanced trade with Malé through PTA, investment protection deal
Bangladesh has laid emphasis on enhancing trade with the Maldives through conclusion of bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and bilateral Investment Protection Agreement.
Bangladesh and the Maldives also discussed the possible ways for expansion of the scope for employment of Bangladeshi nationals in Maldives through skill development training and regularization of those who are already staying in Maldives.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on Sunday met Vice President of the Maldives Faisal Naseem at the latter’s office in Malé.
Read:Hasina for strengthening connectivity with Maldives
He also met Minister of Economic Development of the Maldives Ismail Faiyyaz.
During the two meetings, they discussed the issues of mutual interest.
During the call on with the Vice President; the Foreign Secretary was accompanied by Ambassador Mashfee Binte Shams, Secretary (East) and other officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Vice President of the Maldives recalled his recent visit to Bangladesh and thanked Bangladesh Government for arranging a successful visit which has brought out tangible outcomes.
Foreign Secretary Masud briefed the Vice President about the Foreign Office Consultations successfully completed between him and his Maldivian counterpart.
Both sides underscored the necessity to collaborate with each other on the area of skill development, human resources development, trade, commerce, connectivity and cooperation in tourism.
Presiding officer, police stabbed in Cumilla poll violence
A presiding officer and a policeman were stabbed at a polling centre in Cumilla’s Barura upazila during the ongoing UP polls on Sunday, police said.
The injured were identified as Presiding officer Golam Sarwar Bhuiyan and SP Abu Hanif.
Read: Cumilla councillor's murder: 2 more accused held
Police said Presiding Officer Golam Sarwar Bhuiyan was stabbed on his left hand and SI Abu Hanif was hacked in his waist when they tried to stop some miscreants from capturing the polling centre at Dewatali Government Primary School in Jalam union at 11am. The miscreants also snatched the SP’s pistol.
Later, the presiding officer was sent to the Upazila Health Complex while the SP Hanif was sent to Cumilla Medical College Hospital in critical condition.
Read: Ward councillor among two shot dead in Cumilla gun attack
In this regard, Barura Upazila Election Officer Azharul Islam said the polling at the centre will be cancelled due to the violence.
Iqbal Bahar, officer-in-charge of Barura Police Station, said additional forces have been deployed to prevent further violence.
Saudi entrepreneurs eye Bangladesh for investment, says its minister
Saudi Minister for Transport and Logistic Services Eng Saleh Nasser A Al-Jasser has said their country’s public and private companies are keen to invest in Bangladesh’s infrastructure development, energy sector and ports.
Al-Jasser said this when he met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office on Sunday.
Read: Graduation to help brand Bangladesh: Hasina
According to a media release issued by the Prime Minister Office (PMO), the Saudi Minister conveyed the regards of King Salman, the custodian of two holy Mosques, to Sheikh Hasina.
The Prime Minister thanked the minister for his visit to Bangladesh.
Al-Jasser congratulated the Prime Minister on 100 years of the Father of the Nation of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of Bangladesh’s independence.
The Saudi minister said he is highly impressed with the development and stability of Bangladesh and thanked the Prime Minister for Bangladesh’s support to Saudi Arabia in international platforms.
Hasina said Bangladesh has opened the door for investment from even East Asia, South East Asia and the Middle East.
The Saudi minister appreciated the Bangladesh government’s policies and said some major companies of Saudi Arabia are doing very well in the construction and power sectors. “More than 30 Saudi companies are looking for scopes to invest in Bangladesh,” he said.
Read: Grab investment opportunities in Bangladesh, PM Hasina to global investors
The Saudi minister thanked the Prime Minister for her dynamic role in steering Bangladesh towards development and said Saudi Arabia is giving top priority to strengthen relations with Bangladesh.
Hasina thanked the minister and his delegation for their participation in the International Investment Summit.
She hoped that both countries would work together for common development.