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Covid surge in Bangladesh: Experts for tightening the grip with nighttime curfew
As Bangladesh is experiencing record-breaking Covid cases, experts think ‘health emergency’, ‘nighttime curfew’ and area-based lockdown can be the right measures to slow down the virus transmission.
They think the 18-point directive issued by the government on Monday is not enough as the coronavirus situation is going from bad to worse with both high infection and mortality rates in the country.
The experts warned that Bangladesh may experience an ‘explosive’ Covid situation in the coming months, breaking down the already overwhelmed medical system, if unnecessary public movements and mass gatherings cannot be controlled with the strict enforcement of laws.
They also suggested ramping up contact tracing, mass testing, expanding ICU capacity and ensuring necessary treatment facilities and equipment in every hospital, including upazila health complexes, since the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has identified 31 districts as risky for the virus outbreak with a high infection rate.
Directives not matching with ground realities
Public health expert MH Chowdhury (Lenin), chairman of the medicine department at Health and Hope Hospital, the government’s directives are inconsistent with the coronavirus transmission pace.
“When it’s necessary to stop all the social and political gatherings right now, it was said to be discouraged in the directives. When a nighttime curfew should be enforced from 6pm, people are only asked not to come out of their homes unnecessarily. The shopping malls should be allowed to remain open for at best six hours on a limited scale, but the government said both sellers and buyers in shopping malls must follow the health rules,” he said.
MH Chowdhury said all types of mass gatherings should be controlled strictly, but the government asked to hold public exams maintaining health hygiene rules, which is not possible.
“People are discouraged to go to tourist and recreation spots, movie houses and theatres, and all kinds of fairs. But the Ekushey Book Fair is going on in full swing,” he pointed out.
Dr Lenin said the government has instructed all to maintain health safety rules in public transport, but people do not do that for lack of monitoring. “Strong enforcement of law is necessary to force people to abide by those rules.”
Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed, former director (disease control) of the DGHS, said, “The directives are not time-befitting and consistent with the current pandemic situation. “These instructions should have been given at least one month back when the virus cases started surging.”
Dr Be-Nazir said when elections can be held amid such a situation how the government can ask people not to arrange social programmes and mass gatherings.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh’s caseload now 529,031, fatalities 7,942
Sunflower cultivation in Khulna: Salinity no longer a barrier
Salinization of soil is a serious problem in the coastal areas of Bangladesh as it has adverse effects on crop production. Despite the challenge, farmers in Khulna’s coastal areas have shown success in cultivating sunflower in fallow saline land.
New possibilities have been created to meet the demand for high-quality sunflower oil. Farmers are also expecting bumper yields at low cost.
Research is underway on sunflower cultivation in the Robi season in the Salinity Management and Research Center of Batiaghata Upazila of Khulna under the Gopalganj-Khulna-Bagerhat-Satkhira-Pirojpur Agriculture Development Project (SRDI Organ).
Read Gaibandha women turn problem into profit
Sunflower seeds have been sown in wet soil here by the ‘dibbling method’ after harvesting Aman paddy in mid-November. Then the roots of the seedlings were tied and fertilizer was applied.
Three varieties have been used in the study- Local, Bari Suryamukhi-2, and Haisan-33. Of these, the yield of Haisan-33 variety has been good.
According to the chief scientific officer of the Center for Salinity Management and Research, sunflower is the salinity-tolerant crop. As a result, there is huge potential for sunflower cultivation in coastal areas.
Also read: Khulna farmers strike gold with sunflower
Vast tracts of land remain unused in the south, after harvesting Aman paddy. It is difficult to grow any other crop easily as there is salinity in the soil and water. By cultivating sunflower through the dibbling method, the fallow land will come under cultivation.
‘Berthing delay’ at Chattogram Port ‘irks’ steelmakers
Bangladesh’s steel manufacturers have long been experiencing serious problems as the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) is reportedly taking more time than usual in allowing them to unload their imported raw materials.
President of Bangladesh Steel Manufacturers Association (BSMA) Monwar Hossain in a letter to the CPA chairman on March 3 raised the issue expressing their grave concerns over it and demanded separate jetties for unloading their imported scraps, according to official sources.
He mentioned that the unusual delay in berthing the raw material-carrying ships made the situation horrible for their business.
“The mills are not getting adequate supply of raw materials to continue their production while the importers have to pay huge demurrage to shipping authorities for the excessive berthing delay,” he said in the letter.
“As a result, the price of raw materials for the steel-manufacturing industries is rising,” he added.
Also read: Realty sector hit as short supply pushes steel prices up
According to the BSMA, 58 vessels arrived at Chattogram port with about 1.328 million metric tons of scraps from September 2020 to February 2021 but each vessel had to face excessive delay in unloading the goods -- even up to 26 days.
Providing the statistics, the BSMA said the number of scrap-carrying ships is substantially rising, but the importers have to count huge costs due to the lack of adequate GI-berthing facilities at the port.
Covid-19 surge lays bare another crisis: Scant ICU beds and specialists
The hospitals in Bangladesh are filling up as the country keeps recording a rising number of new coronavirus cases but the battle for survival is somewhat uncertain for the more serious patients who require intensive care.
The hospitals dedicated for treating coronavirus patients in Dhaka have 108 ICU beds but only four are currently available, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
There is nothing unique at private hospitals. There are 188 ICU beds but 144 of them are occupied.
People with low or fixed income prefer government hospitals where the treatment is cheap. The cost at private hospitals is much higher.
Also read:Birdem shuts ICU after detecting coronavirus patients
The acute shortage of much-needed ICU beds means that only a fraction of the serious and critical patients will get life-saving treatment.
Bangladesh on Tuesday recorded 5,042 new coronavirus cases a day after reporting 5,181 infections, the country’s highest since the outbreak in March last year.
“It’ll be very difficult to manage the situation,” said Prof Dr Mohammad Robed Amin, DGHS Director of Non-Communicable Diseases and media cell representative.
Dhaka has so far recorded 5,118 coronavirus deaths, Chattogram 1,631, Rajshahi 501, Khulna 579, Barishal 273, Sylhet 318, Rangpur 373 and Mymensingh 201.
ICU beds at government hospitals
Among the 10 dedicated hospitals, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Kuwait Maitree Hospital have 16 beds, Kurmitola General Hospital has 10, Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) has 10, Sheikh Russel Gastro Liver Institute & Hospital has 16, Sarkari Karmachari Hospital in Fulbaria has six, Central Police Hospital at Rajarbagh has 15.
Two beds each are available at Sheikh Russel Gastro Liver Institute and Hospital and the Central Police Hospital in Rajarbagh.
Meanwhile, the hospitals are running out of general beds as the number of patients keeps increasing. Of the 2,461 beds, 2,127 are currently occupied.
Also read:Media personality Ferdous Bappy in ICU with COVID-19
ICU beds at private hospitals
Among the private hospitals, Bangladesh Specialized Hospital has nine ICU beds, Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Hospital has 30, Square Hospital has 19, United Hospital has 22, Evercare Hospital has 40, Asgar Ali Hospital has 32, Ibn Sina Hospital has five, and Impulse Hospital has 35, and AMZ Hospital has 10.
BIG-B important for Bangladesh, others with enhanced connectivity: Japanese economist
The Initiative of BIG-B or the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt is very important for enhancing and strengthening the relations between Bangladesh and Japan; and beyond ensuring an enhanced connectivity in the region for greater economic progress, says a leading Japanese economist.
“I understand the BIG-B Initiative is very important in regard to enhancing and strengthening the relations and cooperation with Bangladesh,” Daisuke Shintani, Chief Economist of Asia, China & Oceania Department of Mitsui & Co. Global Strategic Studies Institute told UNB in an interview.
He said an enhanced connectivity in all the countries in Asian region will help bring more economic benefits to the people of the region.
The year of 2022 will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Bangladesh.
Towards this milestone year, for further strengthening bilateral relations, Bangladesh and Japan want to make the utmost efforts for further promoting trade and investment with an improved business environment, as well as further deepening mutual understanding and ‘exchange of people’ between Japan and Bangladesh.
From this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of independence, JICA's projects of large-scale infrastructure will gradually be completed one after another to promote Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B) initiative. Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line 6 will be partially open in December this year.
After that, the Special Economic Zone in Araihazar, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Expansion, Matarbari Deep Sea Port and Power Plant Stations, as well as Bangabandhu Railway Bridge will start operating, according to the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka.
Japanese economist Shintani said the development of Bangladesh’s three major cities -- Dhaka, Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar -- using Japanese experience and the implementation of mega projects will help Bangladesh grow further in a faster way.
Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki said the completion of these projects will change the face of the nation and profoundly contribute to the stability and prosperity of Bangladesh. “This country will move one step closer to the realisation of the Golden Bengal,” he said as Bangladesh celebrated 50 years of Independence.
Also read: Economic ties with Bangladesh to make leap: Japanese PM
How Bangladesh can boost apparel exports
Bangladesh has so far failed to cash in on the huge market potential for ready-made garments in both developed and emerging economies, if government figures are to be believed.
Last year's Covid-induced lockdown that saw many garment manufacturing units shutting shop further shattered the hopes of the sector. And now the threat of a second outbreak looms large over the industry.
According to the Export Promotion Bureau, Bangladesh’s readymade garment exports stood at Tk 21033.01 million till February this fiscal, 3.73 percent lower than the corresponding period in the previous financial year. Last fiscal's export figure was Tk 21,847.53 million.
However, experts attribute this setback to the sector overall not being competitive enough, and say that if issues like the lack of technological advancement and skilled manpower can be addressed, the readymade garment industry in Bangladesh may witness a rapid revival.
Expanding the product portfolio as per consumer preference is also needed for the sector's turnaround, they say. All these issues if addressed can increase Bangladesh's market share in readymade garment exports up to 10 percent from the existing 6.8 percent by 2025.
Bangladesh’s five basic items are shirts, trousers, jackets, T-shirts and sweaters -- together they make up more than 70 percent of the total readymade garment exports. But these products go to only five countries -- Germany, the US, the UK, France and Spain.
So, market extension is very significant for Bangladesh, say experts, suggesting that like China, Bangladesh also has to go in non-cotton production to increase its market share as there is a huge potential for these items across the world.
Also read: Coronavirus: RMG sector to get loan on 2pc interest
According to the World Trade Statistical Review (WTSR)- 2020, Bangladesh’s global market share in apparel exports stood at 6.8 percent in 2019, which was 6.4 percent in 2018.
“The total market size of the global apparel industry was $411 billion in 2019. Vietnam was the closest competitor of Bangladesh at 6.20 percent share. Besides, India’s market share was 3.5 percent in 2019 while Turkey’s stood at 3.2 percent."
WTSR-2019 data also showed that of the global apparel export market of $421 billion, Bangladesh grasped $32 billion in 2018, which was $29 in 2017. In 2019, China was the top global garment exporter with a 30.8 percent share, followed by the EU and Bangladesh.
Research Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Khondaker Golam Moazzem told UNB that Bangladesh should produce more diversified products to increase its apparel industry market share across the globe.
“Actually, we export only several basic cotton items. But there is a huge market for non-cotton products across the world. So, Bangladesh has to go in non-cotton products to increase its global market share,” he said.
The economist also called upon the government to provide more "technological" funds to help entrepreneurs improve production of garments to suit the needs of the world.
“We should bring in foreign investors (those who are capable of producing non-cotton products) in our economic zones. The market share won’t increase without value added products. So our capacity needs to be increased alongside infrastructure development."
Underscoring the need for new market extension, the Managing Director of the Giant Group Faruque Hassan said, “If we are elected to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), we will address the issues plaguing the industry."
Also read: Coronavirus: Experts call for paying attention to apparel sector
"If properly addressed, Bangladesh can increase its market share in readymade garment exports to 10 percent in four years," said the panel leader of Sammilita Parishad.
According to Faruque, Bangladesh's export earnings from the clothing sector decreased to $27 billion in the 2019-20 financial year from $34 billion in the previous fiscal. "We will prioritise diversification and innovation production by adopting the latest technology."
“If our panel gets a chance, we will also work closely with the Bangladesh government and the European Union to retain duty-free market access in the region upto 2031. It’s possible through apparel diplomacy,” he added.
The panel leader also said that they would form a special task force for an effective negotiation with the global trade partners and buyers to help the sector overcome the existing challenges.
“The dominance of cotton products in the fashion industry declined sharply in the last three decades. Besides, nearly 70 percent of the market is captured by man-made fibre. We have only 25 percent of products made of cotton. So, there is a huge opportunity," he said.
"However, we will appoint lobbyists in the US to get duty-free market access for Bangladeshi apparel products if elected. We will also reform customs policy and automate import and export data activities."
Meanwhile, the incumbent BGMEA President Dr Rubana Hug said she would also help strengthen the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
“If our panel is elected again, we will finish our unfinished work. We have been able to change many things in the sector in the last two years. We will now use our experience to overcome the challenges of the sector," she added.
As Shadhinata Parishad joined with Sammilita Parishad, two panels are contesting this year's BGMEA election. Chairman of Hannan Group ABM Shamsuddin is leading the Forum panel.
S Korea sees brighter ties with Bangladesh with multifarious success stories: Envoy
South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun has said the future of Bangladesh-South Korea relations “looks very bright and it will get brighter” with diversified success stories with a significant one already created by Youngone.
“We see the future of our relations very, very bright. The reason is very simple…,” said Ambassador Lee responding to a UNB question sitting beside Chairman and CEO of Youngone Kihak Sung at Korean EPZ.
Also read: S Korean Ambassador-designate Lee in city
The South Korean Ambassador noted that the shining accomplishment that Bangladesh has shown not only to its people but the entire world is something that offers many opportunities ahead.
Both Sung and Ambassador Lee welcomed the members of Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at the KEPZ to show the facilities there. KEPZ President Jahangir Saadat was also present.
Referring to South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun’s recent remarks, the Korean envoy said his Prime Minister’s message captured all the elements of the bilateral relations and Korea’s assessment over the future of bilateral relations.
"We'll be the most trusted friends to Bangladesh, ushering in a shining future together," Korean Prime Minister Chung recently said, mentioning that Bangladesh, with its remarkable economic development and rapid emergence in the heart of Asia, is echoing the miracle on the Han River, a major river in South Korea.
He said the international community has been deeply impressed to see that Bangladesh, even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic when the world economy has slowed down, succeeded in achieving the greatest level of economic growth.
Also read: Bangladesh, Korea to explore untapped potential
“We’ve enjoyed an excellent relationship in the past decades. Our future relationship looks much better,” said Korean Ambassador Lee, adding that both Bangladesh and Korea achieved remarkable economic growth even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the KEPZ is a symbol of Korea-Bangladesh cooperation and relations and Youngone came here 40 years ago setting a shining example.
Inspired by his love of nature and outdoor pursuits, Kihak Sung founded Youngone Corporation in 1974.
“The relations between Korea and Bangladesh are very unique in many senses, especially in terms of the RMG sector it is very, very unique,” said the Ambassador.
He said the Korean companies have grown up together with Bangladesh and the readymade garment or RMG is already the main industry of this country.
Showing around the facilities at KEPZ, Youngone Chairman Sung said some Korean companies are very interested to come to this zone. “I’m pursuing them to come and contribute to the industrial development of Bangladesh.”
He said infrastructure in and around Chattogram is progressing very well. “I must say I’m very optimistic that we’ll be doing much better. We’re doing a very good job in bringing more investment.”
Dhaka-Khulna highway turns death trap
The 35 kilometre stretch between Faridpur Sadar and Kamarkhali Bridge in Madhukhali on the Dhaka-Khulna highway has become a virtual death trap for commuters.
In the past 13 months, at least 30 people have reportedly died in different road accidents on the high-speed corridor. Apart from claiming lives, road crashes on the stretch have caused permanent disabilities in hundreds of victims.
Also read: 8 killed in separate road crashes in Faridpur 2 Shares
What's worrying is that accidents and fatalities are on the rise on the stretch despite the local police setting up a number of check posts in accident-prone areas to curb speeding.
On March 21 this year, as many as nine people, including six members of a family, were killed in a collision between a microbus and a truck at Majhkandi on the Dhaka-Khulna highway. All the victims were from Jhenaidah district.
On January 6, 2020, six people, including four members of a family, lost their lives on the same highway when a bus rammed a microbus at high speed.
Read 17 killed Rajshahi road accident
Cops attribute the rise in the number of accidents on the highway to speeding as well as careless and negligent driving.
Superintendent of Faridpur Highway Police, Mostafizur Rahman, told UNB that a number of check posts have been set up on the highway. "But nothing seems to be working."
"Despite accidents on the highway stretch claiming a number of lives every year, there's no end to motorists' fetish for speed," he added.
Also read: Bangladesh's roads remain perilous; 37,170 killed in 5 years
Advocate Shipra Goswami, however, said that "stricter enforcement of law is the need of the hour". "Those involved in reckless driving should be brought to book."
Mohammad Kabirul Islam Siddique, president of Faridpur Press Club, agreed. “Police must strictly enforce traffic rules to curb speeding and accidents on the highway. At the same time, motorists should adhere to speed limits," he said.
Shahrier Rumi, executive engineer of Faridpur Roads and Highways Department, also urged motorists and other occupants of vehicles to stay alert while using the highway.
The highway also known as N7 connects the Daulatdia Ferry Terminal on the south bank of the Padma River near Dhaka with the Port of Mongla in Bagerhat district. It serves some of the largest cities and towns in southwestern Bangladesh, including Faridpur, Magura, Jhenaidah, Jessore, and Khulna.
Also read: 3 dead in Jashore, Panchagarh road accidents
Prices in kitchen markets on the up ahead of Ramadan
The prices of most vegetables have doubled in the capital’s kitchen markets compared to a week ago due to supply crunch, according to consumers.
At several kitchen markets in the city on Sunday, each kg broiler chicken was selling at Tk170-180 which was Tk150-160 a week ago. It was sold for Tk120-130 last month.
Besides, the prices of different daily essential commodities including soybean and palm oil, chicken, flour and sugar keep on soaring in Dhaka’s kitchen markets ahead of the month of Ramadan.
The consumers urged the government to take proper steps to control the prices at the kitchen markets in the holy month of Ramadan amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Also read: Prices of daily essentials soar in kitchen markets
Shariful Alam, a resident of Amulia, said he has to purchase most vegetables at double the prices compared to a week ago. “Today I bought a kg of aubergine and cucumber at Tk50 which was Tk25 respectively in the last week. Besides, I purchased a kg broiler at Tk170 which was Tk150 a week ago,” he also shared.
A hali of lemon (four pieces) was selling at Tk40-60, each kg arum at Tk40-50, bitter gourd at Tk50-60, papaya at Tk40, bean at Tk40-60 and yardlong bean at Tk50, lady's finger at Tk60, calabash at Tk40-50, and patal (pointed gourd) at Tk50-60 in capital.
Neither radicalism nor westernization the answer for Muslims: Iranian scholar Dr Mousavi
Visiting Iranian scholar Dr Syed Mahdi Mousavi has said pursuing a 'middle path' rejecting both radicalism and westernization can provide a perfect solution to the current 'crisis' that the Muslim world is passing through.
He observed that some of the islamic clerics don’t want to understand the situation of the modern time.
“Rather, they see a paradox between the Sunnah tradition and modernization and that is the root cause of all problems,” he observed in an exclusive interview with UNB.
Also read: Hatred, agitation against Ahmadis: Hundreds demand declaring them non-Muslims
Professor Mousavi is the faculty member at the University of Religions and Denominations, Qom in Iran. He is a specialist in divine and non-divine religion. As a scholar of religion he wrote many articles on Islamic unity, Sufism, Religions and sects.
He said some Islamic clerics cannot maintain tolerance in the modern situation. “We cannot maneuver a conflict between Islam and modernization. But step by step that grows inside Islam like a cancer”, he said adding, it first grows in a cell and then spread all over the body.
According to Dr Mousavi, Muslims have forgotten their inherent mental power, power of science, rationalism and knowledge.
“We try to expand Islam on the surface, but didn’t make any progress in the deep understanding of Islam”.
He also observed that from the outside, the enemies of Islam understand that Islam has the capacity to conquer and cover all around the world. “Islam has the ability to defeat all of the civilizations. So, they try to restrict Islam and make it it very limited”.
From a cultural perspective, the Iranian scholar has a different view. He believes Muslims are in a very big trouble with cultural aspects, especially in a fight against Western culture.
“We didn’t find any solution to this as the Western culture attacks us with a very modern network—they have modern films, clips, and art. But unfortunately we’re talking on the issue through a very traditional way”, he said.
Dr Mousavi said all these perspectives cause that Muslims feel that they should depend on others and they are losing their inherent strength.
But the Muslims, he said, have to fight against the cultural influence in the equal way. They have to produce films, clips, and establish cultural networks.
“We should explain to all scholars that Islam does not refuse the existence of women. That means we can have actors and actresses for films. We can introduce very good actresses with normal covering like that is now in Iran, not with the Western values where women are presented as products”, he said.
“The Muslim women and men should be allowed to participate in films, in movies, but in very suitable and simple situation, not in a very decorated way”.
Responding to a question on the issue that Sunni scholars don’t allow any mixing of men and women for films or movies, he said all the Sunni scholars are not of that view.
“Some scholars and intellectuals at al-Azhar University in Egypt like Ahmed Tayeb are giving very good verdict on the issue," he said, adding women in Al-Azhar University are participating in the classes, giving lectures and engaged in other social works.
Also read: Babri mosque: India's Muslims feel more abandoned than ever
Referring to quotes from the Holy Quran, he said Muslims must follow a middle path, neither a radical way, nor a Western way.
He noted that some radical groups Ike ISIS or Boko Haram are unfortunately giving new narration of Islam which creates big problems. “But none of the Muslim scholars agree with such narration”.
Responding to a question on the Shi’a and Sunni conflicts, the moderate cleric of Islam said there are many sects in Islam like Hanafi, Safeyi, Maleki, Hamboli, and Shi’a. They have differences of opinions. But all of the scholars agreed that once a Muslim believes in Allah, in Prophet, in Ka’ba, his blood should be safe and secured.
Unfortunately, there are radical groups in Islamic worlds, who are imposed from outsides. They create problems. But Muslim Ulemah and scholars should introduce moderate Islam to Muslims, Dr Mousavi said.
He said top Islamic scholars had given a fatwa that assaulting any key person of Islam is forbidden or Haram. Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic has said that those who make the dispute between Shia and Sunni are neither Shia or Sunni, they are not actually Muslims.
On the issue of women empowerment, the Iranian scholar said: ”Unfortunately we introduce it in the Western narration. Women in Western countries are a product and an instrument for provocation."
He believes there should be two parts of human—one civic identity and another personal identity. Both women and men have two areas of life. A wife is for husband and a husband is for wife. But in terms of civic identity, they are equal and there is no difference between men and women. So, women should be allowed to play a role in civil society side by side with men.
On the issue of Bangladesh and Iran cultural relation, Mousavi said there has been a strong cultural relation between the two nations for over 700 years.
Also read: Concern among Muslims over halal status of COVID-19 vaccine
“More than 8000 Persian words exist in Bangla language. This indicates the cultural relation is very close to each other. We should revive the situation,” he said, adding that there is huge scope for improving trade and business relation between the two nations.
Bangladesh has many areas where it has good potential to do business with Iran like labour manpower, clothing, and agriculture. Iran has great needs in these areas while there are some areas where Iran can play a good role in Bangladesh in regard to trade and business.
Responding to a question on the Rohingya issue, he thanked Bangladesh for playing a very vital role in sheltering them. He observed that this is not a issue for Bangladesh to deal with Myanmar, but an issue of Muslim world.