Bangladesh
Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand presents credentials
Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Mohammed Abdul Hye has presented his letter of credence to Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn at the Ambara Villa, Dusit palace in Bangkok.
While receiving the credentials, the King welcomed the Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand.
He recalled his fond memories of visiting Bangladesh twice and mentioned the warmth and hospitable nature of the people of Bangladeshi.
The Ambassador conveyed warm regards from the President and Prime Minister of Bangladesh and conveyed the invitation on behalf of the President to visit Bangladesh.
Also read: Abdul Hye new Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand
The King of Thailand appreciated the Bangladesh Ambassador as he is familiar to Thailand due to his earlier stint in the Kingdom from 2004-2007.
The King wished Abdul Hye the success in his assignment.
Following the presentation of the credentials, a reception was hosted by the King in honour of the new Ambassadors on Tuesday.
The event was broadcast at the national media of Thailand with due importance.
Covid-19 in Bangladesh: 95 more die with infection rate falling to 15.07pc
Bangladesh registered 95 more Covid-related deaths in 24 hours until Wednesday that pushed up the total number of fatalities to 10,683.
Besides, 4280 people were found infected during the period after testing 28,408 samples, the Directorate General of Health Services said in a handout.
With the latest figure, the mortality rate rose to 1.46 percent while the infection rate declined to 15.07 percent from Tuesday’s 16.85 percent.
On Monday, the country had broken all the previous records of Covid-19 deaths registering 112 fatalities.
Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus cases on March 8 last year and the first death on the 18th of that month.
Health authorities have so far confirmed 732,060 cases. Among them, 635,183 people - 86.77 percent of all patients – have recovered.
Also read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: PM allocates Tk 10.50cr for affected poor
April, the deadliest month
April has been the deadliest month since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in the country as the highest 1637 deaths and 117,292 new cases were recorded in 21 days of the month.
The virus claimed 568 lives in January this year, 281 in February and 638 in March.
Indian Cabinet approves MoU with Bangladesh
The Indian Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its ex post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bangladesh on the establishment of a framework of cooperation in the area of trade remedial measures.
The MoU seeks to foster better cooperation between the relevant authorities of both the countries so as to discourage unfair trade practices and promote rule based bilateral trading between the two countries, said the Press Information Bureau of India on Tuesday.
Also Read: Bangladesh, India partners in development: Riva
Director General of Trade Remedies, Republic of India and the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission signed the MoU on March 27.
The primary objective of the MoU is to promote cooperation between the two countries in the area of Trade Remedies, covering the broad activities related to exchange of information, undertaking capacity building activities and activities in accordance with various provisions of World Trade Organization in the area of anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard measures in bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh.
Also Read: Bangladesh, India need to work together: Jeffrey Sachs
Domestic flight suspension extended for another week
The ongoing suspension of domestic flights and charter flights of helicopter/general aviation passenger flights has been extended until April 28.
The restriction came after the government decided to extend the strict lockdown to contain the rapid spike of Covid-19 infections and deaths.
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) issued a circular in this regard on Monday. The order will come into effect from April 21.
Read US-Bangla to operate international flights on four routes from Saturday
All other conditions of the circular under reference will remain unchanged, the circular said.
Flight operations on domestic routes were suspended after the government enforced a lockdown in the first week of April.
Covid-19 situation update
Bangladesh again broke all previous records of Covid-19 deaths registering 112 fatalities in a 24-hour period until Monday morning.
Also read: US-Bangla to operate international flights on four routes from SaturdayThe country saw over 100 deaths for the fourth consecutive day.
The latest fatalities pushed up the death tally to 10,497 with a mortality rate of 1.45 percent, according to a handout from the Directorate General of Health Services.Besides, 4,271 new cases were reported during the period. The infection rate was 17.68 percent, down from 19.06 percent on Sunday.
Also read: Over 200 protest flight cancellation at Dhaka airport
Day 4 of lockdown: Dhaka wears a deserted look
Residents of Dhaka woke up to deserted roads as the Covid-19 lockdown in Bangladesh entered the fourth day on Saturday.
The complete lockdown, which came into effect on April 14 morning to contain the spread of Covid, will continue till April 21 midnight.
On Saturday, fewer private vehicles were seen plying on the city's roads as most of the otherwise busy stretches, including Bijoy Sarani and Mirpur Road, remained empty.
At all the important junctions of the city, the police have set up barricades and check posts to monitor the movement of vehicles as well as people.
Rickshaws, which provide last-mile connectivity to the residents, were, however, seen plying in the bylanes. Kitchen markets in the city too remained open though the footfall was low as compared to other days.
Bangladesh economy shows early signs of recovery amid uncertainties, says WB report
Bangladesh’s economy is showing nascent signs of recovery backed by a rebound in exports, strong remittance inflows, and the ongoing vaccination program.
The World Bank said it in its new report titled “Bangladesh Development Update- Moving Forward: Connectivity and Logistics to strengthen Competitiveness,” that was launched on Monday.It said that after being severely affected by the COVID 19 pandemic—which slowed growth and for the first time in two decades reversed the poverty reduction trend—the economy is recovering gradually.Over the first half of FY21, factories reopened and exports rebounded. However, the economy faces elevated risks in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.In Dhaka and Chittagong, the country’s two largest cities, recent surveys pointed to a recovery in the labor market in the first half of FY21.The report mentioned that with gradual restoration of livelihoods, food security in poor and slum areas improved. In Chittagong, the percentage of adults working had returned to pre-COVID levels by February 2021.
Also read: World Bank prediction on Bangladesh economy inconsistent: Finance Minister“Despite the uncertainty created by COVID-19, the outlook for Bangladesh’s economy is positive. Much of the pace of recovery will depend on how fast mass vaccination can be achieved,” said Mercy Miyang Tembon, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan.He said that World Bank will support a resilient recovery, helping Bangladesh achieve green, smart, and inclusive growth.In FY21, growth will be supported by a recovery in manufacturing as export demand strengthens, a rebound in construction supported by accelerating public investment, and robust service sector growth as the vaccination campaign progress. inflation is projected to remain close to Bangladesh Bank’s 5.5 percent target, and the fiscal deficit is projected to remain at 6 percent of GDP.But the report said that risks to the outlook remain elevated. A fragile global economic recovery could dampen demand for RMG products and limit job opportunities for migrant workers.The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated financial sector risks stemming from nonperforming loans and weaknesses in bank governance and risk management.It also mentioned that improving logistics performance could help accelerate the recovery and improve competitiveness.The report outlined opportunities to modernize the logistics system to ensure business continuity and build resilience.
Also read: WB projects 1.6 pc GDP growth for Bangladesh in 2020-21This can be achieved through a system-wide strategy to increase logistics efficiency; improve the quality, capacity, and management of infrastructure; improve the quality and integration of logistics services; and, achieve a seamless integration of regional logistics services.“The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented global recession,” said Bernard Haven, World Bank Senior Economist, and co-author of the report.He said that protecting households affected by the pandemic remains an urgent priority, while structural reforms can help accelerate the recovery.The Bangladesh Development Update is a companion piece to the South Asia Economic Focus, a twice-a-year World Bank report that examines economic developments and prospects in the South Asia Region, and analyzes policy challenges faced by countries.The Spring 2021 edition titled South Asia Vaccinates, launched on March 31, 2021, shows that economic activity in South Asia is bouncing back, but growth is uneven, recovery remains fragile, and the economic outlook is precarious.The report also focuses on the different dimensions of vaccine deployment and provides a cost-benefit analysis of vaccination in the region.
US focuses on Myanmar issues; lauds Bangladesh's extraordinary generosity
John Kerry, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, on Friday said the US remains very focused on helping all concerned in finding a solution to the Rohingya crisis and restoring democracy in Myanmar.
He appreciated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership in demonstrating an "extraordinary active generosity" which, he thinks, is obviously “very expensive” for Bangladesh.
Kerry made the remarks while responding to a question at a joint briefing at State guesthouse Padma after his meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Shahab Uddin, Saber Hossain Chowdhy, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, Special Envoy for the Vulnerable Forum Presidency Abul Kalam Azad, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller were present.
Kerry said what is happening to the people of Myanmar now is one of the greatest challenges of the planet, and the Biden Administration is very grateful for the incredible spirit and helping hand that Bangladesh has given to the Rohingyas.
He said the global community needs to help and step up efforts as this is not a responsibility for Bangladesh alone.
Kerry said this is really one of those things under the UN but noted that individual countries are stepping up which is helpful.
Also read: Climate Change: Biden's administration urged to take genuine leadership role
“I know that we fought very hard and tried to see Myanmar moving in a different direction. We had high expectations. I personally visited Naypyidaw and met with the generals,” he said, recalling that they had tried very hard to ensure accountability but have not honored that.
Weightlifter Mabia wins gold in Bangladesh Games
Country's celebrated weightlifter and SA Games gold medal-winning Mabia Akhter Simanta clinched gold with new record in her favourite 64 kgs weight category event of the Bangabandhu 9th Bangladesh Games held in Mymensingh District gymnasium on Wednesday.
Mabia, a lifter of Bangladesh Ansar, smartly clinched the event's gold medal with new national mark lifting total 181 kgs -- 80 kgs in snatch and 101 kgs in clean & jerk.
Read: 3-day Bangabandhu 44th National Athletics commences
The previous best record of Mabia was 179 kgs made in the Inter-Services Weightlifting Competition held in 2018.
Mila Akhter of Bangladesh Army won the event's silver lifting 132 kgs while Laboni Akhter of Shipahi Bagh JS took the bronze lifting 116 kgs.
Read 3 IU female students win medals in Bangladesh Games
Daraz becomes sponsor of national cricket team
The country’s leading e-commerce platform Daraz has become the new sponsor of the Bangladesh National Men's, Women's, A Team and Under-19 Cricket Team till November 30, 2023.
Daraz has been awarded the rights under which its logo will appear on the kits of the Bangladesh National Men’s and Women’s, Bangladesh A Team and the Bangladesh Under 19 Team.
Meanwhile, Hungrynaki, a sister concern of Daraz, will be the Team Kits Partner. The sponsorship is effective from April 7, 2021, and will run up to November 30, 2023.
Read: Tigers return home after disastrous New Zealand tour
BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury welcomed Daraz to Bangladesh cricket.
"Within a very short period, Daraz has become one of the leading e-commerce sites in Bangladesh and arguably the most popular. The way Daraz has provided customer service at the doorsteps of millions of people, especially during the challenging period of the Covid-19 pandemic, has been admirable," he said.
The BCB is delighted to form a partnership with an organisation of international repute and one that has a progressive and innovative outlook, the BCB CEO said.
Read Walton becomes title sponsor of Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test series
"I thank Daraz for coming forward and associating its brand with Bangladesh Cricket. I'm sure this will be a strong and durable relationship as we work towards the common goal of pursuing successes for Bangladesh cricket,” he added.
Daraz's Managing Director Syed Mostahidal Hoq said: “This's an auspicious moment for us because it always gives you immense pleasure to be able to do something for the country. By sponsoring our National Cricket Team we feel that we have become a part of the passion and glory associated with the game in Bangladesh and we look forward to celebrating many achievements in the years to come.”
Read: Tamim Iqbal wants to retire from one format
World Health Day today
The World Health Day is being observed in the country as elsewhere across the globe on Wednesday.
The theme of this year’s day is: Building a fairer, healthier world for everyone
This is a global health awareness day observed every year on April 7 under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO) marking its birthday.
To mark the day, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Directorate General of Health Service and various non-government organizations chalk out elaborate programmes including seminars, publishing souvenirs and supplements in national dailies and cultural programmes in Dhaka and elsewhere every year.
But no programme has been arranged this year due to the 7-day lockdown amid rising Covid cases.
Read: World Health Day: WHO calls for fairer, healthier world post-COVID-19
However, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) will hold a virtual discussion marking the day.
From its inception at the First Health Assembly in 1948 and since taking effect in 1950, the celebration has aimed to create awareness of a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern for the World Health Organization.
Over the past 50 years this has brought to light important health issues such as mental health, maternal and child care, and climate change, according to WHO.
The celebration is marked by activities which extend beyond the day itself and serves as an opportunity to focus worldwide attention on these important aspects of global health