Bangladesh
Ex-MP Gazi MM Amzad Hossain Milon passes away
Former Sirajganj-3 MP and Tarash Upazila Awami League president freedom fighter Gazi MM Amzad Hossain Milon passed away on Sunday. He was 72.
He breathed his last at 11:30am while receiving treatment at a hospital in Siranjganj, said an AL release.
Also read:Ex-BNP MP dies of Covid-19 in Rajshahi
The valiant freedom fighter left behind wife, two sons, two daughters, and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of MM Amzad Hossain Milon.
In a condolence message, the Prime Minister prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul of Milon and expressed profound sympathy to the bereaved family members.
AL general secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader also mourned the death of the president of Tarash Upazila AL unit, said the AL’s release.
Also read:Awami League MP Aslamul Haq dies
Milon was elected MP with AL’s ticket from Sirajganj-3 constituency in the 2014 general election.
On November 11, 1949, Gazi MM Amzad Hossain was born at Magura Binod village in Tarash Upazila in Sirajganj district.
Inter-bank cheque settlement, e-fund transfer system resumed at BB
Inter-bank cheque settlement and electronic fund transfer system of Bangladesh Bank resumed on Sunday (April 18, 2021) morning after five days of suspension.
The system was suspended on Tuesday (April 13, 2021) last due to a technical fault in the optical fiber of Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL).
Also read: Inter-bank cheque settlement, electronic fund transfer suspended due to technical fault
“The Inter-bank cheque settlement and electronic fund transfer system resumed operation from the morning and there is no problem in this regard as it is working in full swing”, Sirajul Islam, BB spokesperson, told UNB.
According to official sources at the BB, one of the two servers, one located at the central bank and another at Bangladesh Bank Training Academy in Mirpur, became inoperative resulting in disruption in the electronic fund transfer inter-bank cheque settlement.
Read BB signs PAs with 12 banks, 2 FIs to operate Tk1,000 crore TDF
Technicians of both BB and BTCL were working to resolve the problem and finally they became successful in repairing the glitch.
Official sources said the glitch took place following an order from the central bank to stop operation of the system during the all-out lockdown. But after the change in the decision, when the clearing house was asked to resume the system, it started experiencing problems in the server, said a source at the BB.
Also read: Banks to operate from 10am to 1 pm for general transactions ...
2500 sued over Banshkhali incident
Two cases have been filed against 2500 people in connection with the clash at a coal-based power plant in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram that left five people dead on Saturday.
Shafiul Kabir, officer-in-charge of Banshkhali Police Station, said two separate cases-one on behalf of the power plant authority and another by police – were filed with the police station on charge of obstructing police from performing duties on Saturday night.
Some 2000-2500 unidentified people have been made accused in the two cases, said the OC.
Five workers of a coal-based power plant of S Alam Group were shot to death and 25 others injured in a clash between police and workers over payment of their dues in Banshkhali upazila on Saturday.
Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, Banshkhali Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said police fired bullets on workers in self-defence as the workers went on rampage demanding payment of their dues.
But the workers claimed that police opened fire on them during their peaceful demonstration.
Workers said they were asking the authorities concerned to provide their salary regularly and set a new duty time for Ramadan.
Also read: Police firing in Chattogram leaves five workers dead
Besides, the authorities were forcing them to work 10 hours instead of eight hours and on Fridays.
The workers also placed their 11-point demand to the authorities but they showed reluctant attitude towards their demand, forcing the workers to staged demonstrations, they claimed.
“A tense situation was created between workers and the power plant authority over the salary and working hours. Local people also took part in Saturday 's demonstrations and set fire to vehicles and carried out vandalism that forced the law enforcers to take action,” said the UNO.
Besides, local administration has formed a four-member probe committee while police formed a three-member committee over the incident.
The power plant authorities have assured of providing Tk 3 lakh each to the families of the five deceased and Tk 50,000 each to the the injured victims.
Hefazat leader Mamunul Haq finally arrested
Joint secretary general of Hefazat-e-Islam Mamunul Haq was finally arrested from a madrasah in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area on Sunday.
A joint team, comprising members of the police, Detective Branch and other forces, conducted a drive at Jamia Rahmania Madrasah at noon and arrested him, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Media) Iftekharul Islam.
Also read: 2 more senior Hefazat leaders arrested from Dhaka
At a press briefing, deputy commissioner of DMP Harunur Rashid said, “Mamunul was arrested in connection with a case filed over vandalism with Mohammadpur Police Station in 2020.”
Ekushey Padak winning actor SM Mohsin dies of Covid-19
SM Mohsin, one of the renowned theatre activists who was conferred with the Ekushey Padak in 2020, died of Covid-19 on Sunday morning at BIRDEM General Hospital in the capital. He was 73.
The actor’s son Rashek Mohsin told the media that his father breathed his last at 9:30 am.
He will be laid to eternal rest after Asr prayers at the Azimpur graveyard in the capital, according to Directors Guild president Salahuddin Lavlu.
Read Bangla Academy Chairman Shamsuzzaman Khan loses battle with Covid-19
Upon tested positive for Covid-19 on April 5, SM Mohsin was admitted to Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College Hospital. He was then shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Impulse Hospital after his condition worsened.
Then he was taken to BIRDEM General Hospital, where he breathed his last on Sunday morning.
With a career spanning four decades, SM Mohsin cemented his legacy as a prolific persona in the arts and culture sphere of the country.
Also read: Eminent film actor Wasim passes away
He was born in 1948 at Mirzapur, Tangail and completed his alma mater in Bangla and Journalism at Dhaka University. He later channeled his knowledge through becoming a faculty member of the Department of Drama and Dramatics at Jahangirnagar University.
In his esteemed administrative career, Mohsin also served as acting director-general of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and also the first project director of the National Theatre. He became an honorary fellow of the Bangla Academy in 2018.
As an actor, Mohsin acted in many notable theatre productions including Rokte Bheja Shapla, Munier Choudhury-directed play Kobor and Chithi, other plays namely Dipantar, Subachan Nirbasane, Chup Adalat Cholchhe and more. He was actively involved with the theatre troupe Drama Circle. He made his radio debut performing in a play named Padakshep.
Read Eminent Rabindra Sangeet singer Mita Haque passes away
Mohsin garnered mainstream popularity as a television actor with his performances in dramas including Mohor Ali, Sakin Sarisuri, Gorom Bhat Othoba Nichhok Bhuter Golpo, Nilambari and others.
He also acted in films namely Chitra Nodir Pare, Brihannala and others. He completed his last film shooting for the movie Antaratma on April 2, starring Shakib Khan and directed by Wazed Ali Sumon.
Besides winning the Ekushey Padak for his contributions in the cultural sector in 2020, SM Mohsin received Meril Prothom Alo Award for Best Television Actor (2007) and Shilpakala Padak (2017), to name a few.
Also read: Kabori: The doyen of Bangladeshi cinema departs
More people, vehicles on Dhaka roads in defiance of lockdown rules
Despite an alarming spike in Covid-19 deaths in Bangladesh, people continue to defy restrictions on movement as a higher number of people and vehicles were seen on the streets in Dhaka on the 5th day of lockdown enforced by the government from April 14 to contain the spread of the virus.
No public transport is available on the roads but the number of private vehicles, rickshaws and auto-rickshaws are higher than the previous days as garment factories, banks and organizations providing emergency services resume operations after weekly holidays.
Rickshaws are dominating the roads as the movement of people has increased remarkably.
Police are seen checking people’s movement pass at different points and allowing those to go who have valid reasons for going out.
Members of the law enforcement agencies are seen putting up barricades at different parts of the capital for checking people with body-worn camera uniforms which can record any untoward incident.
Also read: Lockdown day 3: Dhaka streets largely deserted
Meanwhile, pressure of vehicles was seen on Uttara-Banani-Mohakhali road where in some places police were seen controlling traffic which was absent in the last four days.
Joint Commissioner Traffic (North) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Abu Raihan MD Saleh said, “Movement of public transport remained suspended and the law enforcing agencies are continuing regular activities at check-posts. People are seen passing with movement pass.In some cases, people have been facing fines or cases while failing to show any valid reason for leaving home.”
Though shopping malls and shops on main roads remained closed, some grocery stores in residential areas were allowed to operate for a few hours in the morning to enable people to buy their daily essentials.
Also read: Lockdown: Many in Dhaka ignore restrictions in open defiance
A surge in coronavirus cases prompted the government to go for a 8-day complete lockdown from April 14. On Saturday the country recorded 101 deaths for the second consecutive day and 3473 new cases.
The complete lockdown will continue till April 21 midnight.
Lockdown instructions
During the lockdown, all government, semi-government, autonomous, private offices and financial institutions will remain closed.
All modes of public transport, including those of road, river, railway and air, will remain suspended.
However, the restrictions will not apply to emergency services. Industries and factories have also been allowed to operate but on condition of maintaining health protocols.
The offices, staffers and vehicles of the organisations providing emergency services, including law enforcement, agricultural products (fertilisers, seeds, pesticides, machinaries), crops, relief distribution, health services, power, water, gas, fire services, port activities, media (print and electronic media) and postal services, have been kept out of the purview of the restrictions.
People’s movement will be restricted and no one will be allowed to go outside except for emergency needs (to purchase medicines, daily essentials, to take medical services and burial/ cremation of bodies, taking Covid-19 jabs etc).
Hotels and restaurants can operate with takeaway/online services only from 12 pm to 7 pm and from 12 am to 6 am.
The government imposed a 'loose' nationwide lockdown for one week from April 5 as part of its move to contain the spike in both coronavirus infections and fatalities.
But the government allowed the resumption of public transport in city corporation areas from April 7 as well as reopening shops and shopping malls for five days from April 9 in the face of protests against the lockdown.
Global Covid-19 cases top 140 mn with over 3 mn fatalities
More than 140 million people have been infected with Covid-19 worldwide with over 3 million fatalities on Sunday, showing a shattering situation of the pandemic.
The total case count from the virus has reached 140,433,831 while the death toll mounted to 3,008,964 as of Sunday morning, according to the data compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
The number of lives lost, as compiled by Johns Hopkins University, is about equal to the population of Kyiv, Ukraine; Caracas, Venezuela; or metropolitan Lisbon, Portugal. It is bigger than Chicago (2.7 million) and equivalent to Philadelphia and Dallas combined, reports AP.
And the true number is believed to be significantly higher because of possible government concealment and the many cases overlooked in the early stages of the outbreak that began in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019.
When the world back in January passed the bleak threshold of 2 million deaths, immunization drives had just started in Europe and the United States. Today, they are underway in more than 190 countries, though progress in bringing the virus under control varies widely.
The US which remains the world’s worst hit country in number of cases and death has logged 31,627,701 cases and 566,893 deaths respectively.
Still, deaths in the U.S. are down to about 700 per day on average, plummeting from a mid-January peak of about 3,400, reports AP.
Also read: Global Covid death toll nears 3 million
Brazil's COVID-19 death toll on Saturday reached 371,678 after registering another 2,929 fatalities, the country's ministry of health reported.
According to the ministry, another 67,636 cases were registered, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 13,900,091.
Since the beginning of this year, the country has been facing a second wave of the virus, which has resulted in the collapse of a large part of its healthcare system.
Also read: Global Covid-19 cases top 134.5 million
In India, the Covid-19 situation has reached at dire state following the spike in Covid-19 cases as the country has been continuing to register over 2 lakh Covid-19 cases for the last couple of days.
So far, India has registered 14,526,609 cases and 175, 649 deaths.
Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh registered a single-day death of 101 from Covid-19 for the second consecutive day in the past 24 hours until Saturday, pushing up the total fatalities to 10,283.
The country shattered its previous all records of single-day death count with 101 fatalities on Friday.
However, 3,473 new cases were detected during the period as the number of tests declined significantly in the last 5-6 days. Only 16, 185 samples were tested during the period.
Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus cases on March 8 last year and the first death on the 18th of that month.
Bangabandhu, 4 national leaders remembered in Ottawa with profound respect
Speakers at a discussion in Ottawa, Canada have said the new generation will be able to know the country’s true history and will be encouraged to contribute in building a ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Bangabandhu through observance of the Mujibnagar Day.
The discussants recalled with profound respect the greatest Bangalee of all time, great architect of independence Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders under whose strong leadership in administering the Mujibnagar Government, the country’s great independence was achieved through nine-month bloody Liberation War.
They highlighted the immense contribution of the Mujibnagar Government, headed by Bangabandhu in absentia, in achieving the much-coveted independence through conducting the War of Independence and maintaining close and strong relations with the international community.
The High Commission of Bangladesh in Ottawa organised the discussion marking the historic Mujibnagar Day on Saturday with due solemnity and fervor.
Because of ongoing pandemic, all the officers and officials joined the event virtually.
Also read: Mujibnagar govt played historic role in freedom struggle of Bangladesh: Envoy
At the outset, the messages of the President and the Prime Minister given on this day were read out followed by a special discussion session.
High Commissioner Dr Khalilur Rahman paid solemn tribute to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders— Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain M Mansur Ali and AHM Qamruzzaman, three million martyrs and 200,000 Biranganas (war heroines) as well as the freedom fighters.
He said that from the political point of view, the formation of Mujibnagar Government was immensely important and significant for the independence in terms of legal basis as it was consisted of elected members from the national and provincial elections in 1970 held under West Pakistan regime.
The envoy emphasized that Mujibnagar Government played a key role to earn the then global support including to guide overall assistance to the nine months liberation was until the victory was achieved on 16 December in 1971.
Also read: Historic Mujibnagar Day to be observed Saturday
The High Commissioner also mentioned the remarkable socio-economic achievements of Bangladesh under the leadership of the able daughter of Bangabandhu, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for which all should work from the respective position to turn Bangladesh a developed country by 2041.
A special “Munajat” was offered for the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders, three million martyrs and 200,000 Biranganas as well as the freedom fighters including for the peace and prosperity of the country.
Eminent film actor Wasim passes away
Popular film actor of Dhallywood's golden era Wasim passed away at a hospital in Dhaka early Sunday. He was 74.
The actor breathed his last at Shahabuddin Medical College Hospital, Gulshan after battling with several old age complications.
Bangladesh Film Artistes’ Association general secretary Zayed Khan confirmed the news.
Read Kabori laid to eternal rest
Although Wasim had been suffering from multiple diseases including brain, liver, and kidney complications, the actor tested negative for Covid-19, according to the hospital sources.
Born as Mesbahuddin Ahmed on March 23, 1947, Wasim started his silver screen career as an assistant director of film Chhando Hariye Gelo (1972), directed by S.M. Shafi. His acting debut came through the film ‘Rater Por Din’ (1973) opposite popular actress Babita, and the film was directed by Mohsin who named him Wasim.
Also read: Kabori: The doyen of Bangladeshi cinema departs
S Asia becoming centre of attention for int'l diplomacy with implications for Bangladesh: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said the South Asian region, as in 1971, is again becoming a "centre of attention for international diplomacy, with profound implications for Bangladesh" and its place in the world.
"I thank all our friends in the international community who have consistently stood by Bangladesh and held on to their faith in our potentials," he said in a video message marking the Foreign Service Day-2021 that falls on April 18.
This year, the Foreign Service Day is being observed as part of twin celebrations for the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh's Independence.
On 18 April 1971, 65 Bengali officials serving at the Deputy High Commission of Pakistan in Kolkata pledged their allegiance to the independent Bangladesh under the leadership of the late M. Hossain Ali, the Deputy High Commissioner at the time.
This was the first time the flag of independent Bangladesh was raised at a Chancery in a foreign soil.
Also read: Hopeful of getting rest of vaccine doses from India as scheduled: FM
Prior to this day, the late Ambassador KM Shehabuddin and Amzadul Haque, two officers then posted to New Delhi, defected from the Pakistan High Commission on 06 April 1971.
These acts of courage and patriotism were followed by a number of Bengali officers serving in diplomatic missions in North America, Europe and other parts of the world, Dr Momen said.
"On this Foreign Service Day, at this critical juncture of our nation, I am joined by my colleagues in the Ministry and our Missions abroad to reaffirm our resolve to face the unforeseen challenges coming our way, and also to seize the unbounded opportunities that beckon Bangladesh, a land of opportunity," he said.
Dr Momen said Bangladesh Foreign Service carries the proud legacy as its innate source of inspiration and guidance and it stands tall on the foundational dictum of ‘Friendship to All, Malice towards None’, boldly asserted by Bangabandhu.
"This succinct motto proved to be time-tested and almost prophetic during the fifty years of Bangladesh’s diplomatic pursuits, even throughout successive regime changes," he said.
The Foreign Minister said Bangabandhu’s diplomatic acumen and foresight, demonstrated before and after independence, have been ably inherited by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
With her characteristic conviction and patience, he said, Sheikh Hasina has taken Bangladesh to new height of international diplomacy – be that for peacefully settling disputes, or opening up new avenues for regional connectivity, or taking lead for the climate vulnerable countries or giving shelter to millions of persecuted Rohingya in a rare humanitarian gesture.
Dr Momen said many accolades showered on her by prominent world leaders during Golden Jubilee celebrations speak for themselves.
Bangladesh received 147 congratulatory messages and 30 video messages from the global leaders.
The geo-political significance of Bangladesh’s economic rise and development credentials are now unmistakable to foreign policy pundits, he said.
The Foreign Minister said they are now grooming new generation of Foreign Service officers who will bravely reach out to the world with Bangabandhu’s vision of a Sonar Bangla engraved in their mind and the ‘can-do’ spirit instilled in their heart by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"I personally feel humbled to see our officials braving the challenges of the ongoing pandemic to render their services in hotspots in different parts of the world," he said.
Diplomacy, Dr Momen thinks, is an art that draws strength from the whole of society and gets supported by the whole of government.
Also read: Coordinated efforts made to ensure expats' comfortable return to 5 countries: FM
"On this auspicious occasion, I pay tribute to our nearly 12 million-strong expatriate community across the globe for their contributions to our nation-building and international branding," he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was hoping to observe the Day in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which they had to defer due to the pandemic-induced strict lockdown currently in place.
Indeed, Dr Momen said, Bangladesh’s contributions to international peace, development and humanitarian work have been the outcome of the dedicated hard work of many at the Foreign Service that the nation at 50th anniversary can definitely feel proud of.
"On this Foreign Service Day, we owe a debt of gratitude to all our officials and their family members serving missions for their contributions to upholding the image of our nation abroad over the last five decades," he said.
Dr Momen extended warmest greetings and felicitations to all his colleagues in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh Missions abroad.