bangladesh
Flood situation improves in Sunamganj; water levels of rivers fall
The water levels of various rivers in Sunamgan have started to fall due to lack of rains.
The water levels of different rivers in the north-eastern part of the country will continue to decrease in the next 48 hours, according to the Water Development Board.
Also read: Flood submerges 10 villages in Sunamganj, rain continues
Water Development Board sources said on Thursday that Surma River was flowing 30 cm below the danger level at Sunamganj point.
Madhyanagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (Additional In-charge) Sheetesh Chandra Sarkar said, "The decrease in water is a matter of relief for us.”
“If there is a flood situation, we have all kinds of preparations to deal with it,” said Mamun Hawlader, executive engineer of Sunamganj Water Development Board. “There is no threat of flooding in Sunamganj now.”
Also read: Heavy rains may trigger short-term flood in Sylhet, Sunamganj
“In the last 24 hours, Sunamganj and Meghalaya’s Cherrapunji saw very little rainfall. If there is no rain, the situation will improve further,” he said.
Abul Kalam, a resident of Nishchantpur village of Bansikunda South Union said, "In the last few days, I was in trouble with my cattle and paddy. The water started receding on Tuesday.”
Aslo read: Sunamganj: Thousands affected by second round of flooding
“If it doesn't rain, the water level will decrease.” ABM Jewel Talukder, a trader of Bansikunda Bajar, said, “Although the flood water did not enter the market, there was fear among the traders. However, during the rainy season, such condition is common here.But we have dredge our rivers to protect us from floods.”
Rohingya leader stabbed to death in Ukhiya
A Rohingya leader was stabbed to death by some miscreants at Ukhiya Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar on Thursday.
The deceased was Mohammad Ebadullah, 35.
Also read: Rohingya leader shot to death in Cox’s Bazar
Ukhiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Mohammad Ali said he came under attack around 10:30 am at A/9 block of Camp-1-West of Kutupalong in Ukhia.
The miscreants stabbed Ebadullah to death and fled, he said.
Also read: Rohingya youth shot dead in Cox’s Bazar
The body was sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy.
Also read: Rohingya teen killed during clash between ARSA and RSO
The motive behind the killing is yet to be known, added the OC.
3 get 10 years jail for killing woman in Natore
A Natore court sentenced three people to 10 years in jail for killing a woman in Singra upazila of the district on Thursday.
Judge Muhammad Abdur Rahim of Natore Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal announced the judgement.
The convicts are victim’s husband Saniul, mother-in-law Sabina and sister-in-law Riva.
The convicts were fined Tk 20,000 each.
Special Public Prosecutor Anisur Rahman said Khadija Kabri Lima, a housewife of Gutia village in Singra upazila, was regularly tortured by her in-laws for Tk 2.5 lakh as dowry.
On October 2, 2011, Lima was found dead at the balcony of the house. Later, Lima's father filed a case in this regard.
PM to visit Rome later this month to attend UN Food Systems Summit; bilateral deals on energy, migration likely
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to visit Rome, Italy later this month to discuss bilateral issues and attend the UN Food Systems Summit.
The 2023 UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment will be held in Rome, Italy on July 24-26 at the premises of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
It will be hosted by Italy in collaboration with the Rome-based UN Agencies (FAO, IFAD, WFP), the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, and the wider UN system.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to be in Rome from July 23, said a diplomatic source.
Also read: PM Hasina to visit Japan on April 25-28
She is likely to have a bilateral meeting with her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni during the visit.
PM Hasina will speak at the Food System Summit in Rome while her Italy visit is likely to see the signing of half a dozen bilateral documents in the areas of energy, migration, ICT and cyber security.
Bangladesh and Italy have been discussing a possible memorandum of understanding (MoU ) on mobility and migration — to encourage regular migration and prevent irregular ones.
“We want to go further in our cooperation on migration issues. In particular, creating and enlarging the existing legal channels or legal pathways for migration while stemming the irregular one,”
Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Enrico Nunziata told UNB in an interview recently.
Also read: PM leaves Geneva for home ending 3-day visit
The envoy said the two countries have to deepen cooperation for preventing irregular migration, trafficking and so on.
Ambassador Nunziata recalled one of the deliverables during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Italy in 2020 — reinsertion of Bangladesh in the list of countries whose nationals can benefit from a quota for work.
Talking about collaboration in the defence sector, he said there is possibility of collaboration and transfer of know-how as well on a win-win basis. “So this is another important sector.”
The ambassador said a memorandum of understanding in the cultural sphere for programmes of cultural exchanges is also in the pipeline.
Also read: PM to brief media on the outcome of her Switzerland visit on Wednesday
The Italian ambassador also said they want to collaborate in the shipbuilding industry for the Navy or Coast Guard by sharing know-how and technologies with Bangladesh. “I mean that level of know-how that Bangladesh has not reached in shipbuilding yet. Together we can do more on that in shipbuilding as well as in other sectors.”
The 2023 UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment will build on the momentum of the 2021 Food Systems Summit and will create a conducive space for countries to review commitments to action that were made during the Summit, share stories of success and early signs of transformation, maintain the momentum for bold acceleration and bold action to further the resilience of food systems, advocate for their adaptation to climate change, ensure they contribute to communities’ resilience to further shocks and crises, and boost the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Read more: PM Hasina leaves for Geneva to attend World of Work Summit
Transport worker hit by train dies in Dhaka’s Malibagh
A transport worker has died after being hit by a train at Dhaka’s Malibagh rail crossing.
The deceased was identified as Najir Ahmed (40), son of late Abul Hossain of Chattogram’s Chawkbazar upazila.
Also read: Saudi expatriate killed as train hits him in Dhaka's Malibagh
Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Dhaka Railway Police Station Faruk Ahmed said the body was recovered from the spot and sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue on Thursday morning after legal proceedings.
Najir was hit by a train and died on the spot after suffering severe head injuries on the railway crossing, ASI Faruk said, quoting witnesses.
Also read: 70-year old jumps before train in Dhaka’s Khilgaon, dies
Najir Ahmed used to work with a bus service at Malibagh Railway Gate and used to stay there.
Flood situation in Netrokona’s low-lying areas may improve in 24 hours: FFWC
Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) predicted that the flood situation in low-lying areas of Netrokona districts may improve in 24 hours.
FFWC, in its regular bulletin, said Brahmaputra River remains unchanged but Jamuna river water is in a rising trend, which may continue in 24 hours starting from 9 am on Thursday (July 06, 2023).
Read: Rise in Teesta water may cause short-term flood in Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari in 24 hours: FFWC warns
Water in the Ganga-Padma Rivers is in a rising trend, which may continue in 72hours, it reads.
Besides, major rivers in the northeastern region of the country are in a falling trend except Khowai, Monu and Dhalai, which may continue in 48 hours, the bulletin said.
Read more: Better flood management: China offers assistance for dredging rivers in Bangladesh
Indian External Affairs secretary Saurabh Kumar in Dhaka
Secretary (East) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India Saurabh Kumar is visiting Bangladesh.
He arrived in Dhaka on Thursday to discuss BIMSTEC issues with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen.
Read: Over 50% of trafficked children victims of domestic trafficking: IOM-Harvard Report
Director General (South Asia) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs A.T.M. Rokebul Haque received Secretary Saurabh Kumarupon his arrival in Dhaka.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma was also present.
Weather forecast: Light to moderate rain likely in Dhaka, other parts of Bangladesh
Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) predicted light to moderate rain or thundershowers in Dhaka and seven other divisions of the country over 24 hours, starting from 9 am today (July 06, 2023).
“Light to moderate rain/thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind are likely to occur at most places in Rangpur, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions; and at many places in Rajshahi and Dhaka divisions with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places over the country,” said a Met Office bulletin.
Read: Rain, few vehicles on the street during Eid holidays make Dhaka air quality ‘moderate’
Day temperature may fall slightly and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.
The axis of monsoon trough runs through India’s Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal to Assam across the central part of Bangladesh. One of its associated troughs extends up to North Bay.
Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate over North Bay.
4 dead, 3 injured as truck collides with ambulance in Gopalganj
Four people were dead and three sustained injuries in a head-on collision between a truck and an ambulance at Purba Miapara of Gopalganj Sadaru pazila on the Dhaka-Khulna highway around 7 am today.
At the time of filing this report, one of the four victims was identified. The identified deceased was Momin, driver of the ambulance.
Read: Toxic gas leak in South Africa has killed 16 people, including 3 children, police say
Injured truck driver Md Ali said, "I left Dhaka, and when I reached Gopalganj, suddenly I saw an ambulance coming from the wrong side at a fast pace. I had a total of four people on my truck; I don’t know how they’re doing.”
Officer-in-Charge of Gopalganj Sadar Police Station Md Jabed Masud said the accident occurred while a Dhaka-bound ambulance collided head-on with a truck coming from the opposite direction at Purba Miapara area of Gopalganj Sadar on Dhaka-Khulna highway, leaving three people dead on the spot and four injured.
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On information, police and fire service personnel rushed to the spot and took the injured to the Gopalganj 250-bed General Hospital, where the ambulance driver succumbed to his injuries, the officer added.
Over 50% of trafficked children victims of domestic trafficking: IOM-Harvard Report
A report conducted by International Organization for Migration (IOM) and François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University (FXB) revealed that more than half of child trafficking victims are trafficked within their own countries.
The report also found that in cases of international trafficking, children are mostly trafficked to neighbouring, wealthier countries.
Close to half of the child victims of trafficking were being trafficked for forced labour (mainly boys), in a wide range of industries, such as domestic work, begging and agriculture. Sexual exploitation, including through prostitution, pornography, and sexual servitude, is also prominent — affecting 20 percent of trafficked children, predominantly girls.
According to the report titled ‘From Evidence to Action: Twenty Years of IOM Child Trafficking Data to Inform Policy and Programming’, child victims trafficked for sexual exploitation were commonly trafficked internationally, while those trafficked for forced labour were more likely to be trafficked domestically. Involvement of family and friends in their recruitment, is a prominent trend with more than half of child victims experiencing this.
Read: US condemns murder of labour leader Shahidul Islam, calls on authorities to hold perpetrators accountable
Irina Todorova, Head of IOM’s Core Protection Unit said, “The report shows that child trafficking is a multifaceted and complex phenomenon that continues to spread and evolve within and across borders. No age range, no gender, and no nationality is immune to child trafficking; it is a truly global phenomenon.”
For instance, boys were almost twice as likely to be trafficked as children than girls and had 39 percent less likelihood of being trafficked internationally than domestically, as compared to girls, it said.
The report further stated that victims with little or no education were more than 20 times more likely to be trafficked than victims who had attended high school while children from low-income countries were five times more likely to be trafficked as a child (rather than as an adult) when compared to victims from high-income countries.
Read: Better flood management: China offers assistance for dredging rivers in Bangladesh