bangladesh
Intern doctors call off nationwide strike upon health minister’s assurance
Intern doctors called off their nationwide strike following an assurance from Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen on Thursday.
The decision to suspend the strike was taken after a meeting with the health minister at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the afternoon.
The meeting was also attended by the state minister for health, the secretary of the health ministry, the vice-chancellors of medical universities, the principals of medical colleges, and the leaders of professional medical organizations.
KMCH interns go on 48-hour strike
The interns had been demanding an increase in their allowance from Tk 15,000 taka to Tk 30,000, an annual increase of 1,000 taka in the allowance, strengthening of security measures in hospitals, risk allowance for doctors, and payment of arrears of allowance.
Addressing the meeting, the health minister said that intern doctors are the lifeblood of a hospital.
He said that they work tirelessly to serve patients and that their demands are justified.
The health minister said that he had personally spoken to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina about the intern doctors' demands and she agreed to take a quick decision on the matter.
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He assured them that the prime minister is sympathetic to their cause and that she would take action soon.
The state minister for health, the health education secretary, and the leaders of professional medical organizations also spoke at the meeting.
10 more dengue patients hospitalised in 24hrs
No fresh death due to dengue was reported in Bangladesh in the 24 hours till Thursday morning, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
However, 10 more patients were hospitalised with viral fever during this period, according to the DGHS.
Bangladesh reports 26 COVID-19 cases in 24hrs
Of them, two were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka city, while the rest were outside the capital.
So far, 1,669 dengue cases have been reported since January 1, 2024.
Last year, a total of 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record.
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The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries last year.
Last year’s September was the deadliest month for the dengue outbreak, with 396 fatalities and 79,598 cases, according to DGHS data.
Yunus Centre issues statement on “Tree of Peace” award
A day after Education Minister’s claim that UNESCO did not confer “The Tree of Peace” award to Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Yunus Centre on Thursday issued a statement to clarify the matter.
In the statement, Yunus Centre said Professor Muhammad Yunus was invited to the Baku Forum XI in Baku, Azerbaijan as a distinguished speaker from March 14-16-2024 .
JICA, BFDC join hands to modernise fish landing centre in Cox’s Bazar
The Secretary General of the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre (NGIC) that organizes the Baku Forum, Rovshan Muradov sent an email to Yunus Centre informing that in addition to addressing the Conference, Professor Yunus would receive an award from UNESCO on the closing day of the conference, it said.
The email also mentioned that Professor Yunus would receive an award from UNESCO.
During the closing dinner of Baku Forum, Professor Yunus was specifically reminded to attend the event to receive Tree of Peace award onstage on 16 March.
Yunus Centre mentioned the award by UNESCO in its press release.
The Tree of Peace presented to Professor Yunus is the same sculpture by the same artist as was presented in 2014 to Prime Minister Sheikh Hadina, it added.
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On a previous visit to UNESCO headquarters on June 2023 Professor Yunus signed a Partnership Agreement between UNESCO and Yunus Sports Hub, an international organization founded by Professor Muhammad Yunus, to drive sustainable development through sport in the context of UNESCO's Fit for Life flagship, said the statement.
Earlier on Wednesday, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, who is also the Chairman of the Bangladesh UNESCO Commission, said the UNESCO did not confer “The Tree of Peace” award to Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
He said, "Dr Yunus was conferred the 'Tree of Peace' award by an Israeli sculptor, upon invitation from the Ganjavi Foundation in Azerbaijan."
The minister said that Dr Yunus’ claim that he received the award from UNESCO is untrue.
47 BNP-Jamaat activists sent to jail in Chuadanga
A Chuadanga court on Thursday sentenced 47 leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat to jail in a case filed for arson.
Chuadanga District and Sessions Judge Md Zia Haider sent the accused to jail after they appeared before the court with a bail plea on Thursday.
Public Prosecutor Advocate Belal Hossain confirmed the information.
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BNP lawyer Adv Shahjahan Mukul said the BNP leaders and activists were on anticipatory bail for six weeks from the High Court in the sabotage case. The anticipatory bail period will end on Sunday, and on Thursday, 107 leaders and activists appeared before the Chuadanga District Judge's Court and appealed for bail again.
Chuadanga District and Sessions Judge Md Zia Haider granted bail to seven of them and sent 47 to jail, he added.
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Fifty-three leaders and activists left the court without appearing, and they were deprived of justice, said the lawyer.
DU admission test results for 2023-24 session published
Dhaka University authorities published the results of undergraduate admission test for 2023-24 session on Thursday afternoon.
DU Vice Chancellor prof. ASM Maksud Kamal unveiled the results from Prof. Abdul Motin Chowdhury virtual classroom of the university.
A total of 109,363 students took part in science unit admission test of the university of which 9,723 students passed against 1851 available seats.
Pratik Rasul, a student of Notre Dame College, secured the 1st position in the test obtaining 111.25 score out of 120.
In Arts, Law and Social Science unit, 102,000 students took part in the admission test against 2934 seats. Only 10, 275 students passed the test.
DU admission test results of all units to be published tomorrow
A female student from Khulna Govt M M City College named Priyoti Mondol, topped the merit list in this unit securing a total of 105.25 marks out of 120.
In Business Studies unit, a student of Chittagong Commerce College secured position in the test scoring 105.50 out of 120..
A total of 4,582 students passed the test and there are only 1050 seats under this unit.
For Fine Arts unit, 530 students passed the test of which only 130 students will be able to take admission.
Badhan Talukder of Bir Shreshtha Munsi Abdur Rauf college secured the 1st position in this unit obtaining total 98.15 score in the test.
The students who passed the tests were asked to fill up subject choice forms from University’s official website in between April 3 to April 25.
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Students can also download subject choice forms from April 1 for analysing subject and taking appropriate decision.
However, the DU VC also hinted that the classes of the new batches may start from July 1.
JICA, BFDC join hands to modernise fish landing centre in Cox’s Bazar
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a grant agreement of JPY 2,294 million (approx. BDT 165 crore) to implement a project for the improvement of Fish Landing Center of Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) in Cox’s Bazar District
The signing ceremony held on Thursday at the Economic Relations Division (ERD).
Under this project, JICA and BFDC will work together for infrastructural upgradations within the center, and improve management skills among the BFDC officials.
The Grant Agreement was signed by Ichiguchi Tomohide, Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh and Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD) Iwama Kiminori, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh; Sayeed Mahmood Belal Haider, Chairman of BFDC; and relevant officials from JICA, ERD, BFDC and the Embassy of Japan were present to witness the signing.
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Bangladesh’s fishery sector, the second-largest earner after textiles, employs 11.8 percent of the population, with 40 percent of artisanal fishers in Cox’s Bazar District.
Yet, natural disasters and aging facilities hinder efficient landing, contributing to a high poverty rate of over 32 percent, surpassing the national average of 24 percent.
The influx of Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs) and COVID-19 have driven up demand for livelihood improvement and poverty reduction.
The Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation Fish Landing Center in Sadar Upazila handles over 85 percent of Cox’s Bazar’s fish catch.
However, damage from a 2012 cyclone has left parts of the quay, jetties and landing facilities in disrepair, making restoration challenging both financially and technically.
Additionally, fishers face income challenges due to declining prices and post-harvest losses from inefficient landing processes and poor handling, impacting the quality and freshness of fish.
Against such a backdrop, the aims to improve the efficiency of landing, handling and quality of fish catch through upgrading landing facilities and related equipment at the (BFDC) fish landing center in Cox’s Bazar District; thereby contributing to the improvement of productivity of fishermen and decrease of post-harvest loss rate in the distribution system.
JICA has already conducted a survey to assess the feasibility of improving the BFDC Fish Landing Center in Cox’s Bazar.
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The survey results indicate that improving the fish landing center will lead to enhanced capacity in the fisheries value chain.
The project will contribute to the achievement of SDG 1(No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 13(Climate Action), and 14(Life below Water).
BAT Bangladesh holds 51st AGM
British American Tobacco Bangladesh Company Limited (BAT Bangladesh) has approved a 100 per cent cash dividend per share for the year 2023.
The approval was given at the 51st annual general meeting (AGM) of the company, which was held online and attended by a significant number of shareholders on Thursday (March 28, 2024).
The shareholders unanimously approved the company’s financial statement for 2023, 100 percent (Tk 10 per share) cash dividend for the year 2023, the election of its Board of Directors, the appointment of statutory auditors, and the appointment of corporate governance auditors.
BAT Bangladesh Chairman Mr. Golam Mainuddin presided over the meeting. Shareholders of the company from home and abroad joined the AGM virtually via BAT Bangladesh’s AGM portal.
In 2023, BAT Bangladesh contributed Tk 32,802 crore as value-added tax, supplementary duty, and other taxes to the national exchequer, making the company one of the highest taxpayers in the country.
The company’s Independent Directors Mr. AKM Aftab UL Islam, Mr. KH Masud Siddiqui and Dr. M Harunur Rashid; Non-Executive Directors Ms. Zakia Sultana, Mr. Shirajun Noor Chowdhury, Mr. Md. Abul Hossain, Ms. Monisha Abraham, Mr. Wael Sabra, Mr. Gary Tarrant, Mr. Stuart Kidd, and Mr. Francisco Toso Canepa; Managing Director Mr. Shehzad Munim, Finance Director Ms. Nirala Singh and Company Secretary Mr. Md. Azizur Rahman joined the AGM.
Bangladeshi teen shot dead by NYPD officers; brother contradicts law enforcers’ account
In a tragic incident in Queens, New York, 19-year-old Win Rozario, a Bangladeshi immigrant, lost his life at the hands of the police on Wednesday (local time).
The confrontation occurred in his family's apartment in Ozone Park, leaving the community shaken, reports The Now York Times.
According to police officials, officers responded to a 911 call reporting a person in mental distress. Upon arrival, they encountered Win, who allegedly brandished a pair of scissors. Despite attempts to subdue him with tasers, the situation escalated when his mother intervened inadvertently, leading to the fatal shooting, it said.
However, the deceased’s brother, Ushto Rozario, who witnessed the incident, disputed the police account, stating that their mother was holding Win when the officers opened fire. He insisted that lethal force was unnecessary, emphasising that Win posed no serious threat, especially considering the presence of two armed officers.
Francis Rozario, Ushto and Win’s father, said that the family had immigrated to New York from Bangladesh 10 years ago and that Win’s dream was to join the US military. His plans had been held up, however, by a delay in the family’s obtaining their green cards, which the elder Rozario said had been approved last year, according to media reports.
The tragedy underscores broader issues surrounding police responses to mental health crises. Critics argue that the current approach lacks sufficient sensitivity and often leads to deadly outcomes. In New York City, initiatives have been implemented to address this, including a pilot program where mental health professionals respond alongside law enforcement. However, these efforts have yet to be fully adopted citywide, leaving gaps in crisis intervention, as evidenced by Win’s death in a precinct without such services, said the NYT report.
Community members and officials have called for urgent action in response to this tragedy. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards stressed the importance of expanding mental health services, echoing broader calls for systemic change in how society addresses mental health crises, the report also said.
Bangladesh, China exchange survey report to sign FTA agreement
Bangladesh and China exchanged a draft feasibility study report with a view to initially signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries to increase trade and investment.
The two countries exchanged the survey report in a ceremony in the conference room of the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.
Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, and senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce and related ministries and divisions were present.
Speaking on the occasion, senior secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Ghosh said that Bangladesh's transition from a LDC to a developing country is a significant achievement in the economic sector.
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“This achievement will create a positive image of Bangladesh in the world and new opportunities in investment and trade, but it will also create challenges,” he said.
Among the challenges, LDCs lose duty-free quota-free access to developed and developing countries after 2026 and rate of value addition, he pointed out.
As a result, the export products of Bangladesh will have to face the generally imposed duties when entering the market of those countries, said Ghoshy.
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There is a possibility of shrinking the export market of Bangladesh in those countries,he said adding FTA will help to promote the export of Bangladesh products.
During the visit of the President of China to Bangladesh on October 14-15, 2016, a memorandum of understanding was signed regarding the joint feasibility study of the signing of the FTA between Bangladesh and China.
Bhutanese king visits Special Economic Zone in Kurigram
Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on Thursday visited the proposed Special Economic Zone for Bhutan in Madhabram area under Bhogdanga union in Kurigram.
He arrived here with his entourage in the morning and visited the SEZ around 1:30 pm.
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State minister for Information M A Arafat, state minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, member of parliament Dr Hamidul Haq Khandaker, among others, were present.
Later the King left for Bhutan through Sonahat Land Port in Bhurungumari upazila via India.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury saw him off there.
Bhutan has already conveyed its appreciation to Bangladesh for offering the Special Economic Zone in Kurigram, which is 190 km from the southern city of Gelephu, Bhutan.
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An MoU has been signed in this regard by the authorities of Bhutan and Bangladesh.
The Economic Zone will add a "new horizon" in the area of bilateral trade and investment between the two countries and also for achieving greater prosperity in the South Asia region, the two South Asian countries hope.
The King arrived here on Monday on a four-day state visit to Bangladesh to attend a series of programmes including Independence Day celebrations.