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Onion price steeper by Tk50 per kg in 3 weeks
Despite being in the middle of the harvesting period the prices of onions increased between 62-71 percent in the last 21 days.
In mid-January, the local variety of onions was selling at Tk 70 to 80 per kg, that by the end of January stood at Tk100 per kg.
Then in the first week of February, onion prices were between Tk 105 and Tk 110 per kg. Yesterday (Friday), the price of a kg onion jumped to Tk120 per kg. Today (Saturday) it was sold in the retail market at Tk130 per kg.
Bangladesh seeks to import more onion and sugar from India before Ramadan
As a result, the price of onion saw an increase by Tk50 per kg in just 21 days.
Alamin Hossain, an onion trader bought onion at wholesale price from Pabna and sold it retail in Dhaka. He said that last week onion was bought wholesale at Tk 80 to 85 per kg in Pabna, and that onion was sold retail at tk100 per kg in the capital.
Last week, onion was bought at Tk 3200 to Tk 3400 per maund (40 kg), now it is Tk 3800 to 3900 per maund in Pabna, he said.
He also said that the harvesting of new Murikata onion is ending. These onions started coming in the market about one and a half months ago, and now the farmer's onions are at the end.
As a result, the supply began to decrease, and the price of onion suddenly increased due to the lack of supply compared to the demand, said Alamin.
Murikata onion price goes over Tk 100 per kg in just 2 days
Now the farmer's main onion, or Hali onion, which is available throughout the year will take some time to harvest. Until then, there may be such additional prices in the market, he pointed out.
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) Assistant Director (Market Information) Nasir Uddin Talukder told UNB that onion was sold in the market on Friday at Tk 120 per kg.
Last week it was sold at Tk90 per kg, and a month ago it was between Tk 85 to 100. But last year at this time onion was sold between Tk 30 and Tk 40 per kg.
We have to deal with civic problems of Dhaka in phases: LGRD Minister
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam said on Saturday that Dhaka is one of the most populous cities in the world, where delivery of civic amenities around the city is faced with various challenges due to unplanned urbanization.
"We have to work step-by-step to solve these problems," the minister was speaking at a seminar titled "Dhaka Traffic Congestion: Impact of Metrorail and Expressway" at CIRDAP Auditorium.
The government has been gradually implementing various projects to make Dhaka a modern city under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since 2009.
"As a result of this, now we have got high-speed Metrorail, Expressway in Dhaka," he added.
Pointing out that all the problems of Dhaka cannot be solved overnight, he said that gradually all problems will be solved by consulting with all concerned.
Referring to the economic development of the country, the minister said that the number of vehicles is also increasing along with the increase in the capacity of people.
The minister also emphasized making footpaths free from encroachers.
He said that if passersby get a pleasant environment to walk on footpaths, they will walk for short distances which will be good for the environment and the health of citizens.
However, in that case, the hawkers should be rehabilitated or an environment should be created to allow them to do business at a certain time, he said.
Regarding traffic congestion, he said, it is high time to think about the registration of multiple vehicles of the same family.
Emphasizing the proper implementation of the law, he said that it has become crucial to bring order to the parking system in Dhaka city.
Agri Minister hails 4-fold increase in production of pulse over 15 years
Minister for Agriculture Dr Md Abdus Shahid said on Saturday that the production of pulses in the country has increased 4-fold in the past 15 years, due to the agriculture-friendly policies of the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Moreover, the invention of some improved varieties and technologies by the country's scientists also contributed to the production, he said.
The minister revealed this information while addressing an international seminar organised by Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) marking ‘World Pulses Day’ at Hotel Le Meridien in Dhaka Saturday afternoon.
He informed that nine lakh tonnes of pulses were produced in the country in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2023 while the production was only two lakh tonnes in FY 2008-09 with a deficit of one-third of the country's demand.
Stressing the need for invention of improved varieties, supplying standard seeds sufficiently and using technology, he said their goal is now to become self-sufficient in pulses.
Moreover, the cultivation of pulses in saline, drought and char areas will have to be increased by inventing climate resilient varieties through collaboration with international research institutes, he said, adding that the government is working towards the goal.
Presenting the keynote paper of the seminar, AKM Mahbubul Alam, chief scientific officer of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), said the demand for pulses in the country is about 25 lakh metric tonnes.
Of them, one-third is produced locally while the rest has to be imported to meet local demand, he said, adding that an amount of Tk 9,000 crore was spent on pulses import last year.
Paddy is cultivated on 76 percent of the cultivable land in the country while pulses are cultivated on only 2.40 percent, he mentioned in the keynote paper.
Chaired by Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akter, Executive Chairman of Agricultural Research Council Sheikh Md Bakhtiar, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) Director General Debashish Sarker, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Bangladesh Representative Jiaoqun Shi and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Country Director Rudaba Khandaker, among others, spoke on the occasion.
A total of 150 representatives from national and international organisations (OCP, OCPF, Morocco, ICARDA, India, World Veg, Thailand and Canada) participated in the event.
Persons with disabilities 'more attentive, responsible at work': State Minister Palak
State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak has said people with disabilities are more attentive and responsible in the workplace than healthy normal youths.
“They (persons with disabilities) are our brothers and sisters and they should be given opportunities,” he said, adding that they will be ahead of others with their hard work, talent and responsibility.
Palak was speaking as the chief guest after inaugurating a job fair at the NGO Affairs Bureau in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Saturday, according to a press release.
Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) of ICT Division organized the fair in collaboration with the Centre for Services and Information on Disability (CSID) and NGO Affairs Bureau of the Prime Minister's Office with the aim of providing employment to specially-abled persons or for the person with disabilities.
The state minister said technology should be used to eliminate discrimination between physical disabilities and the specially-abled.
“No disabled children in our country will stay at home. They will not be a burden to the family or country. By giving a little assistance and opportunity to the disabled, they will become the country's asset and lead Bangladesh to become a smart Bangladesh,” he added.
Palak mentioned that an entrepreneur fair would be organised for persons with disabilities, and that not only will the persons with disabilities have a job fair, but they will also generate jobs for thousands of youth by becoming entrepreneurs.
He called for the use of the "Emporia (emporia.bcc.gov.bd)" portal so that the persons with disabilities can take skills development training at home. At the same time, he requested the director general of the NGO Bureau to provide them jobs in NGOs.
Secretary to the ICT Division Md Shamsul Arefin, Director General (Grade-1) of NGO Affairs Bureau of Prime Minister's Office Md Saidur Rahman and the Executive Director of the CSID Khandaker Jahurul Alam were present as the special guests at the programme.
8 more dengue patients hospitalised in 24hrs
No fresh death due to dengue was reported in Bangladesh in the 24 hours till Saturday morning, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
However, eight more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever during this period, according to the DGHS.
Of them, six were admitted in Dhaka hospitals, while the rest were outside the capital.
A total of 114 dengue patients, including 52 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
So far, 1,202 dengue cases have been reported since January 1, 2024.
Last year, a total of 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record.
The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3,18,749 recoveries last year.
Last year’s September was the deadliest month for the dengue outbreak, with 396 fatalities and 79,598 cases, according to DGHS data.
28-year-old man stabbed to death in Narayanganj
A 28-year-old man was stabbed to death and another was injured in the Chashara Balur Math area of Narayanganj on Friday night.
The deceased was identified as Al Amin alias Daniel, 28 of Fatullah, and the injured was identified as Shuvo, 22 of Shahjalal area.
Daniel was involved in an autorickshaw garage business, and Shuvo is a machine operator in a factory.
Taslim Ahmed, inspector (investigation) of Fatullah Model Police Station, confirmed the matter.
Police and witnesses said some miscreants attacked and stabbed the two and took them away in an autorickshaw. After that, they hit them again in front of Shuvo’s house, in Fatullah's Masdair area, and fled, leaving them on the road.
Later, locals took the injured to Narayanganj General Hospital, where doctors declared Daniel dead. Shuvo was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition.
Relatives have claimed that the murder was preplanned due to previous enmity. There was a dispute with a local named Anik and others.
A few days ago, a local named Anik and his men had a fight with Daniel. Meanwhile, Daniel was attacked on Friday night over a dispute with Romu, said to be Anil's grandfather and a top drug dealer of the area, said the inspector.
Romu has been detained on suspicion of involvement in the incident. Police recovered the body and sent it to Narayanganj General Hospital morgue for an autopsy, he said.
Legal action would be taken after the investigation, added the inspector.
Sound of heavy shooting along Bangladesh-Myanmar border sparks panic in Teknaf
Residents of Whykong union in Teknaf upazila reported sound of heavy gunfire from Myanmar on Friday night and Saturday morning amid clashes between security forces and rebel group Arakan Army.
Nur Ahmed Anwari, chairman of Whykong union said, “Sound of heavy gunfire was heard across the border last night. From this morning today, the intensity of the gunfight increased.”
RPG recovered from Bandarban’s Naikhongchhari
Locals are rushing to safety and fish farmers cannot go to the fish enclosure, he said.
Around 12 pm on Saturday, a mortar shell landed on the Bangladesh side of the border in Naikhongchhari upazila’s Tumbru border region, said Ghundum UP Chairman Jahangir Aziz.
Myanmar border unrest: Tourist ship services on Teknaf-Saint Martin’s route suspended indefinitely
“Although the border was calm for the last two days, clashes have started again from today,” he said.
A tense situation has been prevailing along the border between Bandarban's Naikhongchhari Ghumdhum and Tumbru amid fierce fighting, skirmishes and gunfire between the armed forces of the military junta and insurgent groups inside Myanmar for two weeks.
BGB pushes back 4 Rohingyas trying to enter through Teknaf
Over 300 Myanmar forces and border guards have so far taken shelter in Bangladesh as of Wednesday noon in the wake of conflicts along the border.
Meanwhile, two people--a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man-- were killed when mortar shells from the Myanmar side landed on a kitchen at Jalpaitli village of Ghumdhum union in Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban on Monday.
Dhaka’s air ‘very unhealthy’, 3rd worst in the world this morning
Dhaka ranks third on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality, with an AQI score of 263 at 9:53 am this morning.
Dhaka’s air was classified as 'very unhealthy', according to the air quality index.
China’s Shenyang, India’s Delhi and China’s Shanghai occupied the first, second and fourth spots on the list, with AQI scores of 630, 326 and 220, respectively.
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Dhaka’s air quality ‘unhealthy’, 5th worst in the world this morning
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Dhaka’s air quality 4th worst in the world this morning
As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
Teenage boy killed in city road crash
A 16-year-old teenage boy was killed after being hit by a microbus at Elephant Road in the capital on Friday night.
The deceased was identified as Md Yusuf, a worker at a shoe shop and son of Ayub Ali of Hazaribagh area.
The accident occurred around 9 am when the microbus hit him while crossing the road, leaving him injured, said Sabuj Mia, sub-inspector of New Market Police Station.
4 killed, 5 injured in Faridpur accident
Later, he was first taken to Popular Hospital and later shifted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared him dead around 11 pm.
The body was kept at the hospital morgue, said SI.
BRTA's number of deaths from road accidents in 2023 shows significant departure from JKS
Holidays are for the kids at Boi Mela; sales surge, and catching Sisimpur live
Friday being a holiday, the entire fair was very lively marked by an increased presence of children crowding the Children's Corner from the morning. In fact all day, the fairgrounds were crowded with children and young people clearly there with more than just books on their minds.
The Children's Corner, adjacent to the temple gate of Suhrawardy Udyan, was almost always overcrowded, with children and teenagers of different ages browsing the stalls and flipping through the pages of books looking for their favorite books.
Sisimpur, an educational TV series specially designed for kids, is a regular attraction at each year's Boi Mela, especially on the weekends. Today, as always, you could see wide-eyed children who come to the fair and see their favourite characters with their own eyes, piquing their curiosity.
Meanwhile, the arrival of people increased as the day progressed. Publishers, vendors at pavilions and stalls said that book sales were increasing hour by hour with the influx of people.
Go for digital book publication to globally promote Bengali literature:PM Hasina tells publishers at Ekushey Book Fair
Like last year, little Mahatav came to the fair with his mother to buy books. His mother, Tahnuma Haque, bought him two science books and one story book.
She said that she brought her son to the book fair mainly to create an interest in him early on for reading books. Coming here, her son is very happy to see Sisimpur directly.
Five-year-old child Tausif Arian says he likes watching cartoons. So he bought some cartoon books and enjoyed seeing Sisimpur in the morning.
CRI stall ready to welcome visitors at Ekushey Book FairMeanwhile, visiting the bookstores of Children's Corner, we learned that book sales had increased due to the increase in 'footfall' thanks to the holiday, compared to the rest of the week.
In this regard, Khandkar Sayem, the salesman of Doito Prakash stall, located in the Children's Corner, said that today (Friday) the sales was 'quite good'.
Parents who bring their children obviously must buy them books. They are mainly attracted to cartoons and comic books.
Slightly older age group, say teenagers, are more interested in juvenile novels and thriller.
End/UNB/AHT/ssk