United News of Bangladesh

Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin on Monday said the government has been working to dismantle the powerful syndicates formed over the past 15 years centring the leather industry. Speaking to journalists after inspecting preparations for managing sacrificial animal hides at the largest leather market in the southwest region at Rajarhat in Jashore, the Adviser emphasised the government’s commitment to protecting the interests of orphanages and madrasas involved in the leather trade. He said the country’s leather industry has suffered from extensive mismanagement and chaos over the past 15 years, leading to its significant decline. “Our efforts prioritise the welfare of madrasas and orphanages, while also focusing on the overall recovery and future of the leather sector. The government is taking nationwide action to break illegal syndicates and revive the industry,” Bashir said. 7.74 Lakh Qurbani rawhides preserved in Chattogram Division To ensure fair pricing and preservation of raw hides, the government has distributed 7.5 lakh maunds of salt across the country, the Adviser said, criticising seasonal traders for mishandling hides due to a lack of knowledge, which resulted in financial losses.  

The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has urged passengers using the capital’s metro rail service to wear masks as a preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19. In a press release issued on Monday, DMTCL made a special request to commuters to follow this precautionary step amid a recent uptick in coronavirus infections. Despite the request, a visit to several metro stations in the city revealed that the majority of passengers were not complying with the guideline and seen travelling without masks. According to health authorities, 36 people tested positive for COVID-19 from 134 samples collected in the past week.  Covid-19: Railways Ministry urges Eid holidaymakers to wear masks One person died during this period due to complications related to the virus. Officials reminded the public that wearing masks in crowded or enclosed spaces remains a simple yet effective method of preventing transmission, especially in public transport settings like the metro rail.

A father and his son were washed away while bathing in Cox’s Bazar sea beach on Monday afternoon.  With this, four people drowned in the past two days in the sea. The victims were Shahinur Rahmanm, 60, and his son Mohammad Sifat, 20, of Rajshahi Sadar. Executive Magistrate of the District Tourism Cell Nafis Intesar Nafi said both the father and the son drowned around 1:30pm at the Kolatoli point of the beach while bathing.  Earlier on Sunday afternoon, 35-year-old tourist Rajib Ahmed of Chattogram’s DC Road, went missing while swimming at Laboni Point.  His body was found late that night near the Diabetic Point area. Also on Sunday morning, Mohammad Nuru from Cox’s Bazar's Baharchhara area went missing while fishing for fun at Shaibal Point.  2 minor children drown in Magura pond His body surfaced Monday morning near Nazirartek Point, at the estuary of the Bakkhali River. Quoting locals, magistrate Nafis said Shahinur had arrived in Cox’s Bazar with his wife and two sons and checked into Hotel Sea Crown.  He and one son were swept away by strong waves while bathing.  Lifeguards pulled them from the water in critical condition but both were declared dead at Cox’s Bazar District Hospital. Their bodies were kept at the hospital morgue.    

Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan on Monday said the Election Commission will announce the election roadmap in due time, keeping in mind the tentative schedule of the national election in the first half of April. He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after exchanging Eid greetings with locals at Jahapur Bazar in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla. In response to queries about both the national and local government elections, Adviser Asif said political parties had earlier expressed concerns that holding local government polls might delay the national election.  “Now that the Chief Adviser has set the national election timeline for April, there is no longer any such possibility,” he added. Nagorik Coalition call for election roadmap with buy-in from parties, Consensus Commission Underscoring the importance of local elections, he said the majority of public services are delivered through local government bodies.  “Due to the absence of elected representatives, these services have long been disrupted. While the interim government has undertaken various public welfare activities at the local level, there is no alternative to elected representatives to ensure daily services,” said Asif. He said the government has always shown genuine interest in holding local government elections.  “There are multiple tiers within the local government system, and assessments are being carried out to determine what can realistically be done. Based on the government’s decision, the Election Commission will be instructed to hold the elections,” he said. BNP disappointed over absence of clear election roadmap Cumilla Superintendent of Police Mohammad Nazir Ahmed Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Poddar and Muradnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Abdur Rahman, among other senior administrative officials, were present at the event.

Twenty-eight more new dengue cases were reported in the 24 hours leading up to Monday morning, bringing the total number of cases to 4,977 this year. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), new cases were reported as follows: 10 in Chattogram Division (Out of CC), six in Dhaka Division (out of CC), ten in Dhaka South City Corporation and two in Dhaka North City Corporation. The number of deaths remained at 23, with no new fatalities reported during this period, the DGHS added. Currently, 417 dengue patients are receiving treatment in hospitals across the country. Dengue: 26 more cases reported in 24hrs Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 575 people. According to the DGHS, there were 101,214 dengue cases and 100,040 recoveries in the same year.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) conducted a special security drill on Monday ahead of the upcoming international football match between the national teams of Bangladesh and Singapore. The drill took place at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Gulistan in the morning, with the objective of demonstrating emergency response strategies, testing preparedness, and ensuring a robust security plan for the high-profile event. Led by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of DMP, the exercise involved participation from the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, Bomb Disposal Unit, and the K-9 Unit. According to DMP, the simulation aimed to evaluate operational capabilities in managing potential emergency situations and ensuring the safety of players and spectators during the match. DMP bans rallies, processions outside CA’s residence, Secretariat To maintain security and manage traffic, necessary measures have been put in place by the DMP.  A significant number of uniformed and plainclothes police officers will be deployed in and around the stadium.  The Bomb Disposal Unit, SWAT, and K-9 teams will remain on standby to respond to any special circumstances. Senior officials of various ranks within the DMP, along with journalists from print and electronic media, were present at the drill. DMP ensures foolproof security for Eid congregations in Dhaka Dhaka Metropolitan Police has requested full cooperation from all attendees to ensure a safe and secure environment for the match.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Shahjahan Mia on Monday said some 31,226 tonnes of sacrificial waste have been removed over three days of Eid-ul-Azha until Monday noon. Speaking at a press conference held at the WASA Bhaban in the capital, Shahjahan Mia said, “All the waste from the first phase was removed within 12 hours on the day of Eid. Waste from the following two days has also been cleared by DSCC.” He said aside from the day of Eid, a significant number of animals were slaughtered over the next two days.  “On the second day, 32,000 animals were sacrificed, and on the third day, the number stood at 16,000. All related waste was removed in phases,” said Shahjahan. This year, a total of 12,853 cleaning workers — 10,000 from the city corporation and over 2,000 from private organisations — were deployed by Dhaka South to handle waste removal.  85% of sacrificial waste cleared by evening: DNCC Administrator According to the DSCC administrator, the volume of waste was higher this year compared to the previous year, when around 22,000 tonnes were cleared. As part of the waste management initiative, 140,000 waste bags were distributed among residents of Dhaka South. Waste removal efforts are still ongoing, the administrator said. Since the day of Eid, DSCC has received 21 complaints related to waste disposal.  Shahjahan Mia said action was taken immediately upon receiving each complaint. “Although waste was seen in many areas of the south in the morning, newly generated waste was removed promptly. No one will see piles of waste lying around in Dhaka South anymore,” he said, adding that regular waste management operations will resume from Tuesday. Environment ministry urges people to ensure eco-friendly disposal of Qurbani waste Addressing the issue of waterlogging in Dhaka South, Shahjahan mentioned that recent rainfall had caused water accumulation in a few locations.  DSCC is currently working on those areas to resolve the issue, he added.

Police recovered the hanging body of a Khulna University student from her residence in the city’s Labanchora area on Monday morning. The deceased was identified as Mahfuza Afrin Upoma, 23, a third-year student of the Law department and daughter of Md Mahbubur Rahman, a resident of Amir Hossain Lane in Jinnapara. Quoting locals, police said Upoma went to bed after dinner around 11pm on Sunday.  Family members noticed she was not responding on Monday morning and upon peeking through her room's window found her hanging.  Police recovered the body and sent it to Khulna Medical College Hospital for autopsy. Husband-wife commit suicide in the face of financial crisis Labanchora Police Station Officer-in-Charge Touhiduzzaman said, “Upoma was known to be a bit stubborn. Her parents were aware of her suicidal tendencies and deliberately did not install a ceiling fan in her room. However, she used a scarf to hang herself from a fan hook.” An unnatural death case was filed with the police station in this regard.  The body will be handed over to the family after all legal formalities, he added.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Mohammad Azaz on Monday said some 20,889 tonnes of sacrificial animal waste have been removed from the northern part of the capital in three days following Eid-ul-Azha. He shared the update during a press briefing held at Gulshan Nagar Bhaban, where he discussed the overall progress of waste management operations during the festival. According to Azaz, more than 4.5 lakh animals were sacrificed in Dhaka North this year, with cows being the highest in number, followed by goats, sheep, and buffaloes. No camels were sacrificed in the DNCC area this time. Although the number of sacrificial animals was lower compared to last year, the volume of waste was higher, he said.  The waste removal target of 20,000 tonnes was met by Monday afternoon, with household waste transported to Secondary Transfer Stations (STSs) before being moved to the landfill. 85% of sacrificial waste cleared by evening: DNCC Administrator Azaz said waste from city streets was prioritised first, while cleaning of makeshift cattle markets would begin from Tuesday. “There is no scope for negligence or irresponsibility when it comes to street waste. While there may be some delays in timing, there has been no lack of effort from the city corporation,” he added. He also expressed gratitude to the residents of Dhaka North for their cooperation, saying, “Those who performed sacrifices this year were far more conscious. Their support made it possible to remove such a large volume of waste so swiftly.” On the issue of complete waste removal, the DNCC administrator remarked that it is nearly impossible to ensure 100% waste removal in a city like Dhaka due to continuous waste generation.  Environment ministry urges people to ensure eco-friendly disposal of Qurbani waste He, however, affirmed that the DNCC remains committed to its efforts towards achieving full cleanliness.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Monday that the overall law and order situation across the country, including the capital, remained satisfactory during Eid-ul-Azha, except for a few isolated incidents. He made the remarks while speaking to reporters after visiting Jatrabari Police Station. “The law and order and security situation during Eid-ul-Azha was satisfactory. Except for a few isolated incidents, no major untoward events were reported in the capital or elsewhere,” he said. As part of his routine inspections to ensure public safety during Eid and the post-Eid holidays, the Home Adviser visited several police stations in Dhaka city. Home Adviser confident about Dhaka's security during Eid, says 500 patrol teams deployed At Jatrabari Police Station, he inspected the duty officer’s desk, the women and children’s desk and the lock-up facilities. He also enquired about the accommodation and food quality for police personnel, and exchanged Eid greetings with them.