bangladesh
Singer Pagal Hasan among 2 killed in Sunamganj road crash
Two people including popular singer Pagal Hasan were killed and three others injured in a collision between a bus and a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw in Chhatak upazila of Sunamganj early Thursday.
Pagol Hasan was a resident of Shimultala Muktigaon area and another autorickshaw passenger Sattar Mia, 52, son of Ahad Ali, hailed from Shimultala-Muktirgaon village.
The injured were identified as Layes Mia, Rupon Mia and Jahangir Alam of the same village.
According to locals, they were returning home after performing in a music programme in Dowarabazar area around 6:30 am.
After having tea and breakfast in Chhatak Gol Chattar area, when they were again going to Dowarabazar in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw a bus coming from the opposite side collided with the autorickshaw.
Matiur Rahman Hasan (Pagal Hasan) and Abdus Sattar died on the spot.
Chhatak Fire Service recovered the bodies and the injured were taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.
Police seized the bus and the CNG-run auto-rickshaw and took it to the police station.
Md Shah Alam, officer-in-charge of Chhatak Police Station, said the bodies were sent to Sunamganj morgue for autopsy.
Singer Md. Matiur Rahman Hasan (Pagal Hasan) was the composer of many popular songs including "Jiban Khata", "Aasman Jayo Na Re Bondhu", "Ami Ek Papistha Banda" "Train Engine".
Press Club President Gias Uddin Talukder, General Secretary Anwar Hossain Rin, Organizing Secretary Kazi Rezaul Kirom Reza and other leaders mourned his death.
Jhalakathi road crash ends couple’s life on honeymoon
The newly married couple’s wedding vow was to stay together forever. Little did they know the end would come before the honeymoon days were over.
Bangladesh Air Force’s soldier Imran Hossain, who was posted at Dhaka Cantonment, tied the knot with Nipa Aktar, a resident of Rajapur upazila in Jhalakathi, on March 8 this year, were among the 14 people who perished in Wednesday’s road crash in Jhalakathi.
The car carrying them was waiting to pay toll at Gabkhan Toll Plaza under the Sadar upazila when a recklessly driven truck crushed the vehicle along with four others.
Trucker, helper held over after 14 killed in Jhalakathi road crash
The couple lost four other family members in the accident -Nipa’s elder sister Nahida Akter Sonia, her husband Hasibur Rahman, their children Takia and Tahmid.
Driver Ibrahim of the private car carrying them was also dead in the road crash. All the victims except BAF member were buried at their respective graveyard in Rajapur upazila on Thursday.
The body of Imran, who was the only son of his parents and lone brother among four sisters hailing from hilly Rangamati district, was handed over to his father Nurul Islam upon completion of legal procedures on Thursday morning.
Later, a BAF ambulance carrying the body started its journey for Rangamati where he would be laid to rest at the family graveyard.
While receiving the body, father Nurul said Imran was the youngest among all his children and his mother and sisters broke down after losing their loved one.
17 deaths in Jhalakathi accident: Bus driver had a license for light vehicles, RAB says
Earlier on Wednesday, fourteen people were killed and 25 others injured when a speeding cement-laden truck ploughed through five vehicles before plunging into a roadside ditch near Gabkhan Bridge in Jhalakathi municipality area.
The accident occurred around 1:30 pm when the Barishal-bound truck ploughed through five vehicles including a microbus carrying a bridal party, three auto-rickshaws, and one pickup van standing in front of the toll gate. It then hurtled into the roadside ditch, leaving fourteen people dead and 25 others injured.
Man dies after being hit by bus in Sirajganj
A 35-year-old man was killed as a bus hit him in Dhopakandi area under Salanga police station of Sirajganj district on Thursday.
The deceased Abdul Halim was the son of late Khorshed Alam of Dhopakandi village.
Quoting locals, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Hatikumrul Highway Police Station Monirul Islam, said Abdul Halim left home on Thursday (April 18) at around 12:30 pm to get his haircut.
The unidentified bus hit him while he was crossing the highway near his house, leaving him dead on the spot, he said.
On information, police recovered the body the spot and handed it over to the family as there was no complaint.
A case was filed in this regard, added the officer.
Bangladesh reports one more Covid-19 death, 16 cases in 24hrs
Bangladesh reported one more COVID-19-linked death and 16 fresh cases in 24 hours till Thursday morning.
With the new numbers, the country's total fatalities rose to 29,494 and caseload to 2,049,800 according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
5 more dengue patients hospitalised in 24hrs
The daily case test positivity rate was 4.15 percent as 386 samples were tested, said the DGHS.
The recovery and death rates stood at 98.41 percent and 1.44 per cent, respectively.
It is our duty to defend the motherland: Army Chief tells seminar
Chief of Army Staff General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed on Thursday said Bangladesh Army is doing everything in contributing to achieving Bangladesh’s foreign policy and helping the country become a Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“It is our duty to defend our motherland, to maintain sovereignty of the country and we remain prepared for that. We are doing everything,” he said.
The army chief made the remarks while speaking at a seminar titled “Defence Diplomacy: Strategy for Bangladesh” hosted by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) at its auditorium.
Mentioning Bangabandhu’s foreign policy dictum “Friendship to all, malice towards none” he said they are doing everything to implement this foreign policy
“Diplomacy is nothing but an effort to achieve national interest in any form,” said the army chief, putting emphasis on sustained economic growth with maintaining national security.
He mentioned how the army, in aid to civil power, is doing a lot of nation building activities, disaster management efforts at home and abroad and doing some internal security duties.
The army chief said wherever there is an opportunity, whether it is told and untold, they take the opportunity and do everything for the benefits of Bangladesh.
Talking about military diplomacy, he said they need to enhance the capability by putting in more resources and budget. “We know how to do it but we should have that capability to do it.”
Regarding the Myanmar issue, the army chief said some of the military leaders in Myanmar are facing international sanctions and there is a risk of putting themselves in trouble.
“To make one friend happy, we cannot antagonize another. There are dynamics that we have to look into. Practical connotation has also been taken into consideration. We are doing our best and we are on the right track,” he said.
General Shafiuddin said they have indigenously produced some remotely operated vehicles which are good innovations for Bangladesh Army. “Thus, we are saving a lot of foreign currency as earlier we needed to import these equipment.”
He said military persons not only learn how to fight a war but also know how to prevent or avoid any war to achieve the national interest. “We are on the right track and we will not be failing in discharging our duties.”
At the same time, General Shafiuddin said they never forget the main role of military forces which is to protect the sovereignty of the country and they should be ready in doing that.
He said intention can change overnight but capability does not change overnight. “You are my friend today but what happens if you are not my friend tomorrow? We should be capable of defending our national interest, our motherland but the main foreign policy dictum says every tone for us.”
BIISS Chairman Ambassador AFM Gousal Azam Sarker and its Director General Major General Md Abu Bakar Siddique Khan, among others, spoke.
Chief of General Staff, Bangladesh Army Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman was also present in the seminar.
Dr ASM Ali Ashraf, Professor, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, spoke on “Evolving Notion of Defence Diplomacy and its Role in Achieving Foreign Policy Goals”; ASM Tarek Hassan Semul, Research Fellow, BIISS, talked about “Growing Geopolitical Competition: Challenges and Opportunities of Defence Diplomacy for Bangladesh”; Major General (Retd) Main Ullah Chowdhury, former Deputy Force Commander, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and A/FC, United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), discussed on “Defence Diplomacy in United Nations and Other Overseas Missions: Horizon to Explore” and Air Vice Marshall (Retd) Mahmud Hussain, Distinguished Expert, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University (BSMRAAU), and former Ambassador, Brunei, made a presentation on “Existing Practices of Defence Diplomacy and Future Directions: The Case of Bangladesh”.
There was an open discussion session followed the presentations.
The speakers and discussants, during the open discussion session, noted that defence diplomacy has emerged as an effective diplomatic instrument and mechanism for crisis prevention to further a country’s diplomatic ties vis-à-vis promoting its foreign and security policy objectives.
From Bangladesh’s perspective, defence diplomacy is regarded as an important mechanism for using armed forces in a non-coercive manner that helps to attain the country’s national interests and foreign policy goals, they said.
They also said that participation in the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping missions - a form of defence diplomacy- is an avenue for Bangladesh to demonstrate its commitment towards global peace and stability as well as enhance its importance and influence worldwide.
The speakers mentioned that the concept and appeal of defence diplomacy are evolving in the diplomatic arena of Bangladesh.
Senior officials from different ministries, high officials from embassies and high commissions, former diplomats, senior civil and military officials, media, academia, researchers, faculties and students from various universities, and representatives from international organisations participated in the seminar and enriched it by presenting their valuable questions, opinions, comments, suggestions, and observations during the open discussion session.
PM Hasina’s upcoming visit to Thailand to open new windows of cooperation: MoFA
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay an official visit to Bangkok, Thailand from April 24 to 29 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand Srettha Thavisin.
The scheduled bilateral visit of the prime minister will be the first-ever visit at the level of Head of Government from Bangladesh to Thailand since establishment of diplomatic relations, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
The visit is significant for both Bangladesh and Thailand as it will open new windows of cooperation between the two friendly countries, MoFA said.
The PM would lead a high level delegation which includes a number of ministers, advisers, secretaries and senior officials of the government.
Marina Tabassum named in TIME’s list of the 100 Most Influential People for 2024
Finance Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and PM’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman will accompany the prime minister during the visit, a senior official told UNB.
State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu will also be part of the Bangladesh delegation, he said.
On April 26, PM Hasina will be formally received by her Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin while a ceremonial guard of honor will be accorded to her.
On the same day, the Bangladesh premier will hold bilateral talks with PM Thavisin at the Government House.
During the visit, the prime minister will have a Royal audience of Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshan, King and Queen of the Kingdom of Thailand at the Palace.
Hasina is also scheduled to attend a state lunch to be hosted by her Thai counterpart in her honour.
A number of MoUs and agreements are expected to be signed during the visit, according to the MoFA.
PM Hasina is scheduled to attend the 80th Session of the Commission for UNESCAP.
She will deliver a speech at UNESCAP on April 25. On the same day, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Armida Salsiah Alisjabana will call on the prime minister.
Guided by the theme “Leveraging digital innovation for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific”, the eightieth session will be an opportunity to strengthen region-wide cooperative action on leveraging digital innovation for the accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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The session will bring together government leaders and ministers from across Asia and the Pacific and other key stakeholders to discuss how digital innovation can more inclusively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals across multiple disciplines.
Moreover, participants will be able to identify opportunities to fully unleash the transformative potential of digital innovations and discuss pathways to strengthen their contribution to sustainable development, said the organizers.
A digital innovation fair will provide space to engage with a broad range of partners and stakeholders showcasing digital innovations that are already contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals across the region.
Asia and the Pacific is uniquely placed to leverage digital technologies to overcome sustainable development challenges.
Already, the region is recognized as a dynamic hub for digitally driven innovation fueled by pioneering technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital Finance, GovTech, and the Internet of Things.
Yet to encourage further ingenuity and tap digital innovation to bolster the huge collective effort required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the region needs a plan.
Trucker, helper held after 14 killed in Jhalakathi road crash
Police arrested the truck driver and his helper in connection with the road accident in Gabkhan Toll Plaza area that claimed the lives of 14 people on Wednesday.
The two were held from a house at Basonda in Sadar upazila of Jhalakathi district, said police.
The arrestees were identified as Al Amin, 30, truck driver and son of Ansar Ali Hawladar of Baroigati village and Nazmul Sheikh, 27, son of Kalu Sheikh of the upazila.
14 killed as truck ploughed thru several vehicles in Jhalakathi
Shahidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said both the driver and his helper were hiding at a house and the local people kept them confined there when they sought help from them.
Later, they were handed over to police on Wednesday afternoon.
Earlier on Wednesday, fourteen people were killed and 25 others injured when a speeding cement-laden truck sloughed through five vehicles before plunging into a roadside ditch near Gabkhan Bridge in Jhalakathi municipality area.
The deceased were identified as Nahida Akter Sonia, 27, Hasibur Rahman, 32, Takia, 4, Tahmid, 8, Nipa, 22, Imran Hossain, 26, Ibrahim, 35, Shafiqul Majhi, 50, Atiqur Rahman Sadi, 11, Nurjahan, 7, Tahmia, 25, Sania Begum, 30, Ruhul Amin, 23 and Shahidul Islam.
17 deaths in Jhalakathi accident: Bus driver had a license for light vehicles, RAB says
The accident occurred around 1:30 pm when the Barishal-bound truck ploughed through five vehicles including a microbus carrying a bridal party, three auto-rickshaws, and one pickup van standing in front of the toll gate. It then hurtled into the roadside ditch, leaving fourteen people dead and 25 others injured, said Jhalakathi police super Mohammad Afrujul Haque Tutul.
Marina Tabassum named in TIME’s list of the 100 Most Influential People for 2024
Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum has been named in influential US weekly TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the world for 2024. Tabassum was named in the Innovators section of the list for her commitment to sustainable design that “prioritises local cultures and values, as well as the perils faced by our shared planet.”
The citation for Tabassum, written for TIME by Sarah Whiting, dean of the Harvard School for Design, says: “Tabassum’s altruism even extends to buildings themselves. She cares for her creations as creatures partaking in the resources of our earth: describing her Bait Ur Rouf Mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which won the prestigious Aga Khan Award, she said a building “has to be able to breathe without artificial aids.” Elsewhere in the country, which faces increased flood risks due to climate change, she has developed houses that are cost-effective and easy to move—clearly, buildings shouldn’t just breathe; they should avoid getting their feet wet. While she practices very locally, she teaches, lectures, and is recognized internationally, modeling architecture not as an individual signature but as a collective Esperanto.”
Athens Conference: FM Hasan calls for responsible, sustainable ocean management
Tabassum's work was previously honoured with the 2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture and with the Soane Medal by the American Academy of Arts and Letters Awards in 2021.
She was also named as the winner of the Millennium Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lisbon Architecture Triennale in 2022.
Tabassum is the principal architect of Marina Tabassum Architects, which she founded in 2005. Previously she was at URBANA, which she co-founded in 1995, shortly after graduating from BUET in 1994.
She broke into the limelight with her design for the Bait ur Rauf Mosque in Abdullahpur, that won her the Aga Khan Award, and pioneered a new generation of architects in embracing indigenous design principles for mosques, distinguished by the lack of domes, the use of plinths, the earthen palette, and the intelligent, at times bewitching use of light streaming in through perforations on the roof and walls.
Read more: 'Architecture is truly global, can also be deeply local'
PM Hasina rues lackings in extraction of sea resources despite potentials
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said it's unfortunate that Bangladesh has not been able to extract resources from the deep sea although it has attained vast maritime territories.
“Actually we are not getting any entrepreneurs for this purpose. This is the reality,” she said.
The PM said this while addressing the inaugural session of the Livestock Services Week and Fair to promote poultry and the dairy farmers and development of the sector.
The Department of Livestock Services of the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry organised the 2-day fair at the old Trade Fair (Banijjo Mela) Ground at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar beside the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).
Hasina said that Bangladesh has attained huge maritime boundaries and to utilise the marine resources it has also announced a plan for blue economy.
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“But it is unfortunate that we have not been able to extract resources from the deep sea,” she said.
She said that the prime aim of her government is to ensure food security first then ensure nutrition.
“…and we have taken that step. We have given priority to research as it is not possible to produce high yield varieties without it,” she said.
She also mentioned that the government is working to mechanise agriculture and for that a special attention has been given on this issue, including providing subsidies.
“Besides, we have taken huge programmes to increase the production of protein in the country,” she said.
She put emphasis on more research works as no country can advance without it.
PM Hasina also emphasised on improving the storage capacity of all kinds of products including food grains, and fish and meat items for ensuring food security.
She asked the people concerned to provide safe food to the fisheries and livestock for making food safe for humans.
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She encouraged the private sector to step forward for improving poultry, fisheries and livestock items in the country.
“The government will provide all kinds of support,” she said.
She asked to follow international norms in packaging along with cleanliness in agricultural production and its processing.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdur Rahman and Fisheries, BPIC joint convenor Moshiur Rahman, BDFA president Mohammad Imran Hossain and Livestock secretary Md Selim Uddin also spoke.
A documentary on the development of the country's livestock sector was also screened at the programme.
4 shops, warehouses gutted in Gazipur fire
Four shops and several warehouses, used to keep daily essential products, were gutted in a fire that broke out at Alupotti in Tongi Bazar of Gazipur on Wednesday midnight.
The fire broke out at a warehouse around 11:45 pm near Tongi Sonavan Market and spread soon, said Shafiqul Islam, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defense (Uttara zone).
Onion, potato and daily essentials items were stored in the warehouses.
Man dies in Gazipur road crash
Five firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze after one hour.
The cause of fire and the extent of the damage could not be determined immediately.
Gazipur cylinder blast: Death toll rises to 16