Gallery Cosmos is organising an Art Camp titled ‘Sheikh Hasina: On the Right Side of History’ on Friday in collaboration with Cosmos Atelier71 and supported by the Cosmos Foundation.

Twenty-one leading and promising painters of the country will participate in the day-long camp, which will begin around 11:30am and run until 5:30pm.
 
Renowned artists Alakesh Ghosh, Jamal Ahmed, Ahmed Shamshuddoha, Sheikh Afzal, Nasir Ali Mamun, Bishwajit Goswami, Raneshwar Shutradhar, Rasel Kanti, Monjur Rashid, Sourav Chowdhury, Maneek Bonik, Jayanta Sarkar, Azmol Hossain, Fida Hossain, Amit Nandi,  Didarul Limon, Tamanna Afroz, Fahim Chowdhury, Miskatul Abir, Proshun Halder, and Shurovi Sriti will participate in the camp.
 
The Art Camp will be held at Cosmos Centre (Studio, Books and Rooftop) in Malibagh.
 
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The global death toll from Covid-19 reached 1,409,301 on Wednesday as the confirmed cases neared six million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

Coronavirus is affecting 191 countries and territories around the world, infecting 59,762,055 people since the first cases were reported in China in December last year.

The United States has recorded the most cases (12,591,165) since the start of the pandemic followed by India and Brazil.

India's Covid-19 tally reached 9,222,216 on Wednesday as 44,376 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, the federal health ministry said.

According to it, the death toll mounted to 134,699 as 481 patients died since Tuesday morning.

Delhi has seen a sudden spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases. As many as 6,224 new cases were registered and 109 people died here in the past 24 hours, showed the official data.

There are still 444,746 active cases in the country, while 8,642,771 people have been discharged from hospitals, according to the ministry.

Brazil's Covid-19 death toll surpassed 170,115 on Wednesday, after 630 new deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, according to Brazil's Ministry of Health.

The country also registered 31,100 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the caseload to 6,118,708.

Situation in Bangladesh

Bangladesh on Tuesday announced detection of 2,230 new cases, pushing the total to 451,990. During the period, 32 more patients died from Covid-19 which took the death toll to 6,448 with a fatality rate of 1.43 percent.

So far, 366,877 patients (81.17 percent) including 2,266 new ones, have recovered.

Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8 and the first death on March 18.

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Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of general secretary of Narail district unit of Awami League and Narail Municipality Mayor M Jahangir Biswas.

She prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.

Jahangir Biswas breathed his last at 12:50pm at a hospital in the capital. He was 55. He left behind his wife, three sons and host of relatives and well-wishers.

Meanwhile, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader also expressed his profound sorrow and shock at the death of Jahangir Biswas.

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Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday said the government of Bangladesh, with visionary woman leader Sheikh Hasina at the helm, is pledge-bound to build a safer society for women and girls.

"We consider sexual violence against women a social evil. Therefore, its prevention requires a “whole of society approach” involving men, boys, youths, families, and parents," he said in a message marking the 'International Day of Eliminating Violence Against Women'.

Dr Momen said it is the responsibility of all, specially men, to come forward to end violence against women.

He said sexual violence against women is an affront to the whole of humanity.

Unfortunately, he said, no country of the world is immune of this scourge.

The government of Bangladesh maintains a strong position against all forms of sexual violence against women and has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to counter this menace through socio-economic, legal, and technological interventions, said the Foreign Minister.

Economic independence of women leads to their empowerment which, in return, provides security from violence.

"Therefore, the Government of Bangladesh has taken various measures to integrate women into economic activities. Today, more women are engaged in workforce like RMG, agriculture, industries and other service sectors," he said.

On the legislative side, Dr Momen said they have enacted stringent laws with the provision of the highest possible punishment. "Efforts have been stepped up for implementation of the existing laws."

Reaping the benefit of digital tools such as toll-free hotlines, mobile tracking apps, the government has been trying to extend immediate support to the victims of violence, he said.

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At least 55 shanties were gutted after a fire broke out at a slum in Mirpur's Kalshi area early Wednesday.

Russel Shikdar, duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence Control room, said the fire broke out around 2:10am.

Twelve firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control around 3:10am.

The fire was extinguished around 6:28am, said Russel.

Around 55 shanties were burnt and no casualty was reported, he said.

However, the cause of the fire and extent of damage could not be ascertained yet.

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