Bangladesh
Global Covid cases near 234 million
The overall number of global Covid cases is fast approaching 234 million even with mass inoculations underway in several countries.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 233,691,159 while the death tally from the virus reached 4,781,886 on Friday morning.
The US has recorded 43,457,690 cases to date and more than 697,832 people have died so far from the virus in the country, as per the university data.
Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January, registered 21,427,073 cases as of Thursday. Brazil's Covid-19 death toll has risen to 596,800.
Also read: Woman who survived Spanish flu, world war succumbs to COVID
Besides, India's Covid-19 tally rose to 33,765,488 on Thursday, as 27,300 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, as per the federal health ministry's data.
Besides, as many as 282 deaths due to the pandemic since Tuesday morning took the total death toll to 448,372.
Situation in Bangladesh
Covid-19 in Bangladesh claimed 23 more lives and infected 860 others in 24 hours till Thursday morning, showing a slight increase in the number of fatalities and decrease in cases compared to that of the previous day.
On Wednesday, the country logged 17 Covid deaths and 1,178 cases .
The new cases were detected after testing 28,599 samples.
The daily case positivity rate declined further to 3.24 percent from Wednesday’s 4.12, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
With this, the daily case positivity rate of Covid-19 in the country remained below 5 percent for the ninth consecutive day.
Also read: Am I fully vaccinated without a COVID-19 vaccine booster?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), if the daily-case positivity rate remains at 5 percent or below for 14 days, it is considered safe for mass unlocking.
The fresh numbers took the total fatalities to 27,510 while the caseload mounted to 15,55,911, said the directorate.
However, the mortality rate remained static at 1.77 percent.
The recovery rate slightly increased to 97.43 percent with the recovery of 979 more patients during the period.
So far, 15,15,941 people have recovered from the deadly virus infections, the DGHS said.
Hasina leaves Washington for home
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Washington for home on Friday night wrapping up her two-week official tour to attend the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
A VVIP chartered flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying Sheikh Hasina and her entourage took off Dulles International Airport, Washington for Dhaka at 05:28pm (Washington time), PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim told UNB.
He said that Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA M Shahidul Islam and Permanent Representative to the UN Rabab Fatima saw the PM off at the airport.
Also read: PM opens Bangladesh House in Maryland, USA
The aircraft carrying the Prime Minister will reach Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on Friday morning (local time) and then the flight will depart the airport for Dhaka after a two-hour stopover there.
The aircraft is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10:15 pm on Friday (local time).
On September 17, the Prime Minister left Dhaka to attend the 76th UNGA. She reached New York on September 19 after a two-day stopover in Finland.
During her stay in New York from September 19 to 24, Sheikh Hasina addressed the UNGA general debate (September 24), attended high-level events and bilateral talks with heads of governments, states and organisations.
Also read: 'Thank You, PM', says Bangladesh
She also planted a honey locust tree and unveiled a bench at the UN gardens dedicating these to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the occasion of his birth centenary.
Later, the Prime Minister went to Washington DC on September 25.
During her stay in Washington, Sheikh Hasina opened the newly constructed ‘Bangladesh House’ and planted a fringe tree on its premise.
85 more news portals including Prothom Alo, Daily Star e-papers get approval to registrar
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Thursday granted approval to 85 more online news portals for being registered.
The ministry has published the approvals in two separate orders and asked the portals to complete registration within 20 working days submitting the fees determined by the government.
The online news portals include EN Prothom Alo, Prothom Alo epaper, Daily Star epaper, Shongbad, Independent24, News Today, Khoborpatra, Daily Nawroj online portals.
Of the approved news portals, 62 are online versions of daily newspapers and 23 are online news portals.
Until November 29, 2020 the government approved registration to online portals of 92 daily newspapers and 82 online newspapers.
Applications of 2,000 more online news portals are currently under processing at the Ministry.
On September 28 this year, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to implement an order of the High Court started closing unregistered news portals and few registered ones got closed during the process.
Later the registered news portals were opened and 14 more days were sought from the court to close the unregistered ones.
HC wants to know of steps against teachers in Rabindra University incident
The High Court on Thursday asked the Vice-Chancellor and the registrar of Rabindra University to inform it about steps taken against the teachers who were involved in forcefully trimming the hair of 14 students as punishment.
The court gave the respondents a month.
Bench of Justice Md Mojibur Rahman Mia and Md Kamrul Hossain Molla passed the order with a rule issued during a hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.
In the rule the court questioned why giving unlawful punishment of trimming hair before staff, students and inciting to suicide will not be considered illegal.
The court also questioned why legal actions will not be taken against Chairman of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department of RU, Farhana Yeasmin Baten, assistant professor Rajib Adhikari and Jannatul Ferdous Moon, as well as why direction to compensate the humiliated students with Tk 20 lakh each should not be given.
Read: Haircut humiliation: Rabindra University students continue protests
The rule also questioned why a directive to introduce a code of ethics for teacher, students would not be given to prevent such oppressive incidents at educational institutes.
Education secretary, Secretary of Home Ministry, RU VC, Registrar , Farhana Yeasmin Baten, professor Rajib Adhikari and Jannatul Ferdous Moon, Sirajganj Superintendent of police and Sadar police station’s Officer-in-Charge were made respondents to the rule.
Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab presented the petitioner’s side during the hearing while Deputy Attorney General Nowroj Md Rasel Chowdhury stood for the state.
On September 29, Supreme court lawyer Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab and Mohammad Kausar filed the writ petition at the court.
“The punishment was not only illegal, it was humiliating to the students so much that one of them attempted suicide hence we filled the writ petition,” said barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab.
Read: Humiliation of students: Rabindra University teacher quit internal posts
On September 29, amid student protests, teacher Farhana Yeasmin Baten quit the three positions of assistant proctor, head of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department and syndicate member.
Earlier, the university authorities formed a five-member committee to probe the incident.
On September 26, while entering the examination halls to sit for their final exams, Professor Farzana Yasmin instructed an office assistant to trim the hair of 14 first year students, and he did it accordingly.
Unable to bear the humiliation, Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, 25, a student of the department and a resident of Magura district, consumed sleeping pills on Monday in an effort to take his own life.
He was undergoing treatment at Enayetpur Khaza Yunus Ali Medical College and Hospital.
However, Farhana denied the allegation and claimed it all is propaganda against her as she did not defer the exam as per the request of a few students.
Illegal phones to expire Friday with dying SMS
All types of illegal mobile phone sets in Bangladesh will shut off automatically from Friday with an SMS notification to the users, the country’s telecommunications regulator said Thursday.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has taken the decision to stop the use of illegally imported mobile phones.
According to a statement circulated Thursday, BTRC has ensured the receipt or delivery of various government services through registration of each mobile phone by tagging with NID card and registered SIM card, ensuring collection of government revenue by stopping the use of illegally produced or imported mobiles, prevention of theft and misuse of used mobiles.
Read: BTRC shuts 59 unregistered, illegal IPTVs
The National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) was launched on 1 July to prevent theft and misuse of mobile phones and to provide assistance to law enforcement agencies for the sake of national security, added the BTRC release.
In this regard, the BTRC requested customers to check the validity by sending an SMS – KYD and 15 digit IMEI number from the message option (example - KYD 123456789012345) – to 16002 before buying a new handset.
Read: BTRC reminds users of least-promoted service: 'Do Not Disturb' for promo texts!
They also requested users to complete the registration through http://www.neir.btrc.gov.bd before using legally imported or purchased or gifted mobile phones.
At the same time, the commission urged importers and local mobile phone handset manufacturers not to produce or sell illegal mobile phones. It also requested the vendors to refrain from selling illegal phone sets.
RU to reopen halls Oct 17
Rajshahi University on Thursday decided to reopen its residential halls on October 17 before resuming academic activities on October 20.
The decision came from an academic council meeting of the university held on Thursday afternoon.
English department professor and academic council member Abdullah Al Mamun confirmed the development, adding that both the summer and winter vacations would be foregone this year to make up for time lost to the pandemic.
Aviation sector growth to triple in next 15 years: State Minister
The growth of Bangladesh's aviation sector will triple in the next 15 years, noted the state minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali on Thursday.
By 2017, Bangladesh's aviation market has almost doubled, and passenger and cargo transportation has grown at a rate of about 10 per cent over the past 10 years, he said while speaking at Jashore Airport on the occasion of inauguration of direct flights of US Bangla Airlines on Jashore-Chattogram and Jashore-Cox's Bazar routes.
“If growth happens as expected, it will lead to huge employment opportunities as well as improve the socio-economic condition of the country,” he added.
Read: Bangladesh to be turned into a global aviation hub: Hasina
He also acknowledged how the state-owned and private airlines are doing well in business.
“They have gained the trust of the customers through their services. Day by day they are increasing the number of their destinations on international and domestic routes,” he said.
Thanking US Bangla Airlines for launching new routes to connect different districts by air, Mahbub said that the increase in air connectivity would not only create easier and more comfortable travel opportunities for the people but also help in expanding regional trade and commerce.
He also hoped that the aviation sector will play an important role in reviving the tourism industry in the county.
Trafficked to India 2 years ago 12 teenage girls return home from jail
Twelve Bangladeshi teenage girls, who were trafficked to India with fake job promises, returned home on Thursday evening after serving two years of jail term in India for illegal entry.
They were handed over to two NGOs namely, Justice and Care and Bangladesh Women Lawyers Association after their return through Benapole Immigration check post.
Benapole Immigration Police officer-in-charge Ahsan Habib told UNB that the girls were illegally sent to Hyderabad of India by human traffickers two years ago.
They were promised of a good job and better future, he said.
But once they figured that they were manipulated, they tried escaping and were later caught by local police.
Later an Indian court sentenced them to two years in prison, said Ahsan.
On completion of their jail term, they were kept at a shelter called Prajwala.
Bangladesh government issued a special travel permit for their return home, the OC said.
IU students demand reopening of halls
A group of students of Islamic University demonstrated on the campus in Kushtia on Thursday demanding reopening of the residential halls for the students of the university.
Around 30 students from different departments gathered in front of the vice-chancellor residence and staged a sit-in programme there around 3:30pm.
The agitating students chanted different slogans to press home their demand of reopening the halls within October 8.
The university started taking examinations of various departments keeping all the residential halls closed.
The authorities should consider the incapacity of the students from low or middle income families as they could not afford accommodation on their own, said Azizul Hoque, a student of the Islamic History and Culture department.
The protesters threatened to intensify their protest movement unless the halls are reopened.
Later, IU assistant proctor Shofiqul Islam went to the spot and tried to bring the situation under control but failed
The students withdrew their demonstration as the university proctor assured them of looking into the matter very soon.
The decision of reopening the halls would be taken in an academic council meeting scheduled to be held on October 4, IU VC Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam said.
On September 14, the university authorities decided to reopen the campus after September 27 ensuring hundred percent Covid-19 vaccination of all students.
But there is still no progress on that front as we step into October.
Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah buried in Ukhiya camp
Slain Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah was buried in Lambashia camp-1 in Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhiya upazila on Thursday afternoon.
Mohib Ullah’s namaz-e-janaza was held at Lambashia mosque attended by a large number of Rohingyas from refugee camps Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas, said his brother Habib Ullah.
Unknown gunmen sprayed 46-year-old Mohib with bullets on Wednesday night as the chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH) at Kutupalong camp.
Mohib Ulah was first rushed to a local medical facility and later referred to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.
Also read: Rohingya leader Mohibullah assassinated