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Mild heat wave sweeps over parts of Bangladesh
A mild heat wave is sweeping over the regions of Rajshahi, Pabna and Jashore and it may continue, said a Met Office bulletin.
“Rain or thunder showers with intense lightning flashes is likely to occur at a few places over Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rangpur division and the districts of Kishoregonj and Brahmanbaria,” it said.
READ: Mild to moderate heat wave sweeps over Dhaka, Barishal divisions
Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country.
Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.
Man crushed under train in Chattogram
A 28-year-old man was crushed under the wheels of a train on Barabkunda Shuklalhat Rail track in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram district on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Helal Hossain, son of Siraj Mia of Subarnachar in Noakhali district.
READ: CU student harassed on shuttle train
Khorshed Alam, sub-inspector of Sitakunda Railway Police outpost, said local people spotted the body of Helal on the track around 7 am and informed police.
Police recovered the body and sent it to a local hospital morgue.
Nalka bridge in Sirajganj to be opened to traffic partially to ease traffic jam during Eid
One lane of Nalka bridge over the Fuljor River in Salanga upazila will be opened to traffic before Eid-ul-Fitr to mitigate the sufferings of home-bound people caused by traffic jam during Eid journey.
The construction work of Nalka Bridge on the western side of Bangabandhu Bridge is going on in the full swing and it is expected to be completed before Eid, said Project Manager of the Bridge Ekhlas Uddin.
Besides, a total of 450 policemen will work on highways linked to Bangabandhu Bridge to ensure smooth journey of holidaymakers, said police.
Lutfur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Hatikumrul Highway Police Station, said the policemen will work to ensure security of the commuters and ease movement of traffic.
READ: Padma Bridge to be opened to traffic in June, Quader reiterates
Every year, home-bound people suffer a lot due to 36-kilometer long tailback on Dhaka-Sirajganj highway from Hatikumrul Gol Chattar via Chandaikona.
To ease the suffering of commuters, the government has taken a project to upgrade the Bangabandhu West Side to Dhaka-Rangpur-Burimari highway into a four-lane one.
As the construction work has not been completed yet, Eid holidaymakers might experience severe traffic jam this year like the previous years.
Municipality councilor held for attempt to steal motorcycle in Thakurgaon
Police have arrested a municipality councilor of Ranishankail upazila of Thakurgaon who was held by locals during his bid to steal a motorcycle from a mosque in Pirganj upazila.
The arrestee is Abdur Razzak, 43, a councilor of ward 6 of Ranishankail municipality and a resident of Bhandara village.
According to police, Abdus Razzak was held by the locals at Baitul Aman (Belayet) Mosque in Pirganj upazila when he was trying to flee with a stolen motorcycle during the Tarabi prayers on Saturday night.
READ: DNCC driver arrested over death of motorcycle passenger
The stolen motorcycle was reportedly set ablaze by some agitated locals and a person was injured.
Pirganj police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jahangir Alam said Abdur Razzak is the leader of a motorcycle theft gang in the district. He is accused in 45 cases of motorcycle theft filed at different police stations, he said.
During preliminary interrogation, he confessed to involvement in the theft. Razzak will be sent to court on Sunday, the OC said.
Youth’s body recovered from Natore madrasha
Police have recovered the body of a young man from a madrasha in Gurudaspur upazila of Natore.
Gurudaspur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Matin said locals informed police when they found the body of the 22-year old youth wrapped with a polythene on the verandah of Udbaria Dakhil Madrasa Saturday night.
READ: Minor girl dies in Natore road crash
Police, PBI and CID Crime Scene Unit collected evidence from the spot and sent the body to hospital morgue, he said.
Police suspected that the young man was strangulated to death and then his body was left on the verandah of the madrasha. However, an investigation is underway, added the OC.
Historic Mujibnagar day being observed
The historic Mujibnagar Day is being observed today(Sunday) marking the formation of Bangladesh's first government that led the Liberation War in 1971.
The day began with hoisting the national flag and placing wreaths at Mujibnagar Liberation War Memorial center at 9 am in Meherpur.
Later freedom fighters, members of police force, BGB, Ansar, VDP, BNCC, scouts, girls guide, and students will participate in a gorgeous parade at the mango orchard of Mujibnagar.
This year, the government declared the day as a public holiday at Mujibnagar upazila in Meherpur district.
On the eve of the day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages.
President Abdul Hamid urged the people of the country to perform their respective responsibilities in building the nation inspired by the spirit of the Liberation War on the eve of Mujibnagar Day.
“Through the celebration of the historic Mujibnagar Day, the present generation will be able to know the true history of the Liberation War and contribute to building ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Bangabandhu being inspired by patriotism,” he said.
The Prime Minister called upon all to uphold the great ideals of the Father of the Nation and the spirit of the Liberation War on the 51st anniversary of Mujibnagar Day.
“Let us work together to build the hunger-poverty-free and prosperous 'Golden Bangladesh' as dreamt by the Father of the Nation by resisting all immediate conspiracies” she said in her message.
READ: Historic Mujibnagar Day observed in Seoul
Different socio-cultural and political organisations will observe the day with elaborate programmes.
National dailies brought out special supplements while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, and private radio and television channels aired special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.
Similar programmes at district, upazila level, and Bangladesh embassies in different countries will be arranged to highlight the significance of the Independence Day.
Senior leaders of Awami League assembled at Baidyanathtala, a mango orchard, which was later named as Mujibnagar, in Meherpur district on April 17, 1971 to form the provisional government of independent Bangladesh in the absence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was arrested and flown to Pakistan after Pakistan military had cracked down on the Bangalees on the night of March 25, 1971.
Bangabandhu was declared the first President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, while Vice-president Syed Nazrul Islam became the acting president in the absence of Bangabandhu.
Tajuddin Ahmad was appointed the first Prime Minister, while Khandoker Moshtaque Ahmed, M Mansur Ali and AHM Quamaruzzaman were named cabinet members.
Global Covid cases top 504 million
The overall number of Covid cases has surged past 504 million amid a rise in new infections in parts of the world.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 504,079,223 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,196,927 Sunday morning.
The US has recorded 80,625,120 cases so far and 988,609 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 43,041,995 43,039,972 on Sunday, as 2023 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.
Besides, as many as 38 deaths due to the pandemic since Saturday morning took the total death toll to 521,781 521,743.
Covid Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh logged 51 fresh Covid cases in 24 hours till Saturday morning, taking the total caseload to 19,52,275.
As per the latest government data, the country’s total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,124 as no deaths were reported during the period.
READ: Global Covid cases top 503 million
The daily positivity rate increased to 1.28 per cent from Friday's 0.64 per cent f after testing 3,994 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
On Friday, the number of infections was lower as 27 new cases were reported with no death.
Besides, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent.
The recovery rate rose to 96.84 per cent with the recovery of 252 more patients during the 24-hour period.
In March, the country reported 85 Covid-linked deaths and 8,000 new cases while 66,639 patients recovered from the disease, according to DGHS.
Prime accused in Cumilla journo murder case killed in 'gunfight’ with Rab
The prime accused in the murder of a local journalist was killed in a reported gunfight with members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Adarsha Sadar upazila of Cumilla early Sunday.
The deceased were identified as Md Raju, son of Sadek Mia of Bishnupur village in Cumilla Adarsha Sadar upazila.
Tipped off, a team of Rab-11 conducted a drive in the area to arrest Raju at Golabari around 2 am, said Major Mohammad Sakib Hossain, company commander of Rab-11.
Sensing the presence of the elite force members, he opened fire on Rab, forcing them to fire back, he said.
At one stage, Raju was caught in the line of fire and sustained injuries.
READ: 4 killed in gunfight between unidentified groups in Bandarban: Police
Later, he was taken to Cumilla Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Mohiuddin Sarker Naim, a staff reporter of local newspaper 'Cumillar Dak', was shot dead by suspected drug peddlers along Hayderabadnagar border in the upazila on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, a murder case was filed at the Burichang police station on a complaint from the deceased journalist’s mother Najma Akter.
Md Raju, 24, wanted in several narcotics cases, was named as the main accused in the case filed against nine people including three unnamed ones.
On April 15, police arrested four accused.
Darshana-Daulatganj land port projects left in the lurch
Despite having huge prospects, two land ports of Chuadanga district remain neglected for years following their upgrade from customs stations.
Darshana Land Port and Daulatganj Land Port are situated in Damurhuda and Jibannagar upazila respectively, in the western part of the country.
According to the Bangladesh Land Port Authority, Darshana and Daulatganj land customs stations were declared land ports on January 12, 2002, and July 31, 2013, respectively, to facilitate import and export with the neighbouring country India.
But these two land ports are still not operational several years later due to reluctance on the part of the authorities concerned.
At present import-export activities are partially done through the Darshana customs station by railway. Goods transport is still a far cry from the land port.
Chuadanga district administration said the distance from Dhaka to Kolkata will be reduced by around 70 kilometres after the launching of these two land ports. These two land ports will also decrease the journey time with capital Dhaka by 2-3 hours compared to the Benapole Land Port.
If distance and time decrease, businessmen will transport their goods through these two ports. So, it will be easier, faster, and cheaper to import goods from India through this port.
As a result, the government can earn more revenue compared to other land ports in the country.
Proponents claim it will be possible to unload at least 200 trucks of goods daily through Darshana and Daulatganj Land Ports. As a result, these two ports will decrease financial losses to the importers due to traffic chaos at Benapole port by releasing pressure on it.
Yakub Hossain Malik, president of Chuadanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said if the two ports are made operational for trade, a new horizon will open in business in the district.
“Businessmen from all over the country will come here to import goods from India and change the financial scenario of Chuadanga,” he said.
READ: Fake Covid-negative certificates from govt's screening booth at Darshana checkpost
Darshana land port is located on the Darshana border. Gede border under Krishnanagar subdivision of India’s West Bengal is situated opposite the port. The route of this port is the Darshana-Gede railway link and road.
The distance from Dhaka to Darshana land port is about 258 kilometres. This land port is well connected to Dhaka and other parts of the country by road and rail. So, once the port is launched, goods transportation will be easy through this port.
Bangladesh Land Port Authority Chairman Md Alamgir visited Darshana Land Port on March 22, this year. After visiting the port, he briefed journalists saying Darshana port will get its full-fledged shape within the next two years. His organisation will take necessary measures for land acquisition and infrastructural development of the port.
“Whenever we come here, we talk to the Indian land port authority. They want to know how much progress we have made to open the port. We received the approval letter of this port in 2004. Since then, we have closely been working taking opinions from both sides of India and Bangladesh,” he said.
On December 13, 2021, Indian Land Port Authority Chairman and Border Management Secretary N N Sinha visited the Darshana-Gede area. His Bangladesh counterpart had also visited the spot at the same time.
Later, a delegation led by National Board of Revenue (NBR) member Zakia Sultana studied the feasibility of 450 bighas land acquisition for the port. After completing the land acquisition process, all necessary port infrastructures including a truck terminal, rail yard shed, warehouse, and the residential area will be constructed.
Aminul Islam Khan, the deputy commissioner of Chuadanga, said, “Darshana Land Port is under process. We will inform concerned ministries in black and white to complete the rest of the works of the port.”
BPDB to incur over Tk 30,000 cr loss if bulk power tariff not raised
The state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will incur an annual loss of Tk 30,251.8 crore if the bulk power tariff is not raised.
Such a claim was made in a proposal placed by the BPDB to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), appealing to raise the bulk power tariff in order to offset its loss.
Responding to the appeal, the energy regulator decided to hold a public hearing on May 18 as per the BERC Act 2003.
In the proposal, the BPDB also claimed that it will require approximately Tk 74,189 crore to generate 88,993 million units of electricity in the calendar year 2022.
“The bulk power tariff needs to be readjusted considering the possible hike in gas tariff. The BPDB is expecting an income of Tk 43,937.2 crore. So, the gap between income and expenditure will be Tk 30,251.8 crore," said the BPDB in the proposal.
It attributed blamed increasing fuel costs and other soaring expenses for its losses, saying that the production cost of electricity has gone up to Tk 4.24 per unit in 2022 from Tk 2.13 in the fiscal year 2019-20.
The state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board moved the proposal a few months back urging the energy regulator to set the bulk power tariff at Tk8.58 instead of the existing Tk 5.17 per kilowatt-hour.