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Fewer boys return to schools than girls after long Covid hiatus: Study
The rate of attendance among girls is higher than that of boys as schools reopen after a long hiatus from the Covid pandemic, according to a recent study.
It finds that absenteeism was 16 percent to 37 percent for boys and 14 percent to 35 percent for girls in the primary schools, and 34 percent to 45 percent for boys and 28 percent to 41 percent for girls in the secondary schools.
The research conducted under the "Safe Back to School Campaign" by 21 national and international organisations was unveiled at a programme in Dhaka Wednesday.
It was carried out to capture school attendance, maintenance of health safety measures and mental well-being of the students after the long closures of the schools.
The report identified school-goers' involvement in economic activities, child marriage, migration of families to other places, shifting to other educational institutes – especially Qawmi madrasah, and loss of interest in the study as the primary reasons for absenteeism.
READ: Decisive steps needed to keep boys in school: Unesco
The students felt irritated, lonely, isolated and under mental pressure during the lockdown.
The causes explained by the parents, teachers and education officers include financial crisis, uncertain future, risk of child marriage, risk of discontinuing education, increase in problems in the family, not being able to attend online classes, and difficulties in understanding lessons.
After the reopening of the school, these problems have reduced, but some new issues have arisen, such as learning difficulties, difficulties in understanding lessons and challenges in mingling with others.
The report also found that 74 percent of students wear masks in school and 72 percent overall maintain social distance in the classroom.
Speaking at the programme, Education Minister Dipu Moni said, “We need to have a long-term plan to make up for the losses in the primary and secondary schools. This study coincides with the results of the government studies.”
“We have to work at the grassroots level to bring back the victims of child marriage. We have started training 200,000 teachers to work on mental health. Each educational institution will have at least two trained counselling teachers and a professional counsellor in each district.”
The Safe Back to School Campaign was launched on February 10, 2021 to bring children back to the classroom safely.
Since then, the campaign has been doing advocacy at the local and national levels while also raising public awareness.
Bangladesh Police becomes ASEANAPOL observer
Bangladesh Police has got the observer status of the Association of Southeast Asian National Police (ASEANAPOL).
The recognition was given to Bangladesh Police at the 40th Annual Conference of ASEANAPOL in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in March.
This has created a specific platform for mutual cooperation between Bangladesh Police and ASEANAPOL, which can be instrumental in combating cybercrime, terrorism and militancy.
Members of Bangladesh Police can now undertake training from ASEANAPOL members to enhance their professionalism.
The scope to face regional challenges through real-time intelligence sharing has also been created, said Bangladesh Police in a statement Wednesday.
READ: Bangladesh police will be made worth of a developed country by 2041: IGP
The recognition came after the Police Headquarters, under the direction of Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Benazir Ahmed, had applied to the ASEANAPOL Secretariat for observer status.
Nine agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Bangladesh Police, now have observer status in ASEANAPOL.
ASEAN members formed ASEANAPOL in 1981 to enhance police professionalism, forge stronger regional cooperation in policing, and promote lasting friendship among police officers of member countries.
Home Minister dismisses US HR report as misinformation
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Wednesday said that the US State Department on the alleged abuse of power by Bangladesh security forces contains misinformation.
“Firstly, this allegation is probably from 2021, not 2022. The number of disappearances and murders in 2021 that were mentioned in the report is not same as per our record,” he told reporters at the Secretariat.
“We always have an executive magistrate inquiring if anyone is killed by our security forces in a gunfight, even if the security forces open fire in self-defense,” he said.
The matter is closed only if the fact behind the incident is proved. And if the executive magistrate thinks that the incident occurred due to injustice or carelessness, it is sent to the judiciary, said the minister.
READ: Home Minister warns against violence during Left Alliance's hartal
Asked if the security forces are being used for political purposes, he said, “It was when the BNP was in power. If they talk about it, I don't know.”
Ever since the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came to power, if any kind of torture by the security forces is reported, they will face the law, he said. “That is what I have repeatedly said.”
The minister also said, “We have seen many of those disappearances and murders, many of them may have gone into hiding. Maybe he has faced losses in his business and went somewhere by himself.”
“As you may have noticed a few days ago, a man said after two and a half years that he went missing on purpose due to family unrest.”
The security forces have found many, he added.
“I can still say loudly that the report that has come out contains discrepancies in the information.”
Responding to a question on spreading of rumours, the minister said Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is keeping in touch with Facebook in this regard.
“We also discussed this with them yesterday. They said that a Facebook team from Singapore came to visit us here.”
“We take action against those who spread rumours through Facebook.”
”If anyone gets upset and wants justice against those who spread rumours, we must take action against them,” Kamal added.
He also said that people are now realising that these rumours are being spread deliberately. Because of this, they don’t believe any data shared through Facebook.
Lastly, regarding the security of Pohela Boishakh, he said they have recommended that the law enforcement end programmes on a limited scale by 2 pm considering the Covid situation.
57,856 Bangladeshis to perform hajj this year
As many as 57,856 pilgrims from Bangladesh will be allowed to perform hajj this year after two years of gap due to Covid restrictions.
State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan said this on Wednesday in a video message.
Also read:Saudi raises number of hajj pilgrims this year
Earlier, Saudi Arabia raised the number of Hajj pilgrims from inside and outside the kingdom to one million in 2022, authorities announced in a statement on April 9.
Hajj is open to those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and are under the age of 65, added the statement.
Also read: Hajj management for pilgrims from Bangladesh will be better: State Minister
Pilgrims travelling from abroad will also need to have a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before their departure for Saudi Arabia, the statement added.
Last year, 58,745 pilgrims performed Hajj in the world because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before the pandemic, some 2.5 million people used to travel every year to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.
Nation set to celebrate Pahela Baishakh after 2-year of Covid hiatus
The nation is set to celebrate Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla calendar, on Thursday amid festivities and full enthusiasm after two years of hiatus caused by the Covid pandemic.
The festivities will begin at dawn with the artistes from Chhayanaut welcoming the day with Tagore’s famous song ‘Esho hey Baishakh, esho, esho (come O Baishakh, come)’ under the banyan tree at the Ramna Park.
True to their centuries old tradition, people from all walks of life will throng different popular and historic spots in the capital and elsewhere across the country to welcome the Bangla New Year, 1429 with new hopes and aspirations for a better, peaceful year.
However, as Pahela Baishakh will be celebrated during the holy month of Ramadan, the festivities have been scaled down.
Dhaka University is all set to welcome the Bengali New Year with the vibrancy and festivity.
Regarded as the educational and socio-cultural hub of the country, Dhaka University and its Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA), better known as Charukala, have taken preparations to observe this year’s Pahela Baishakh.
As this year’s Pahela Baishakh is knocking on the door to be celebrated with great enthusiasm after an unfortunate two-year break with restrictions on public gatherings and celebrations of public programmes in 2020 and 2021, this year the DU authority alongside its teachers and students has geared up to welcome the return of the festivities in the campus arena.
Also read: RAB on alert to make Pahela Baishakh festival smooth and safe: DG
Traditionally, every year Dhaka University celebrates this national function with festive traits by arranging different sorts of functions including the colourful procession called the “Mangal Shobhajatra” (March of Good Tidings). The flagship procession was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.
According to the DU authority, this year's “Mangal Shobhajatra” will start from the university's Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) premises at 9 am. The procession will be brought out from the Sarak Deep area of the TSC, as the road in front of the FFA has been narrowed due to the ongoing construction work of Metro Rail.
Mega projects will transform Bangladesh economy, declares Hasina in greeting Bangla New Year
In dispelling the confusion being spread about the mega projects being implemented in the country Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday reaffirmed that her government remains cautious so the loans don’t become a burden.
“Once these (mega) projects are implemented, the face of our economy will change. We’re taking loans from domestic and foreign sources. However, we’ve a careful eye so that they do not become a burden,” she said in an address to the nation on the eve of Pahela Boishakj, the Bangla New Year’s Day.
The address was telecast live by Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar and also private TV channels.
The nation is set to celebrate the Pahela Boishakh-1429 on Thursday amid traditional cultural festivities.
Also read: Govt to build cultural centre at each upazila to promote art and culture: PM
About the mega projects, Sheikh Hasina said the Padma Bridge is being constructed with own funds as no loan was taken. Other mega projects were undertaken through economic studies by local and foreign experts. And many projects are being implemented on the basis of foreign partnerships.
“Our main goal is to accelerate economic activities, create employment, increase resources and make the lifestyle of people easier through infrastructure development,” she said.
The prime minister said 2022 and 2023 will be milestones for Bangladesh in terms of infrastructure development. The much-desired Padma Bridge will come into operation in just a few months. The bridge is expected to contribute 1.2 per cent to GDP, she said.
She said the Metrorail will be launched on the 14-km Uttara-Agargaon route by the end of this year. It is expected to bring a revolutionary change in the transport system in the capital, she added.
The country's first underwater tunnel, Karnaphuli River Tunnel in Chattogram, will be opened in October next, said Hasina.
ICCB highlights Bangladesh’s graduation, its consequent challenges
In order to remain competitive and keep the economic growth steady after 2026, Bangladesh should focus on knowledge-based economy, mobilize both foreign and local resources and ensure congenial business environment, says a leading chamber on Wednesday.
The economy of Bangladesh has fared quite well despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the editorial of the current News Bulletin (Jan-Mar’ 2022) of International Chamber of Commerce-Bangladesh (ICCB) released on Wednesday.
It laid emphasis on ease of doing business, shift towards manufacturing high-value goods, seriously promote FDI and export-oriented industries, with the same incentive as has been provided to RMG and increase regional and global connectivity on a priority basis.
"The country must make plans to turn the challenges into opportunities in the coming days; we believe, Bangladesh can do it, Inshah Allah," said the ICCB.
Before the onset of the coronavirus, the economy was growing rapidly.
In FY20 the growth became slower, however the economy recovered fast the following year and in FY 21 GDP growth was 6.9 percent, which is very high compared to comparable developing economies.
Today, ICCB said, Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. "For all this, our farmers as well as industrial output have played a key role despite all odds."
Bangladesh’s journey of 50 years since its independence in 1971 has been "tremendous" and to many it is a ‘land of impossible attainment’.
The dominant narrative of Bangladesh has been of an economic miracle, ICCB says.
Countries impressive score card is built on her success in terms of attaining a consistency, high pace of economic growth and an impressive performance with regard to various development indicators, including those relating to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The success in economic growth has led to Bangladesh’s dual graduation-graduation from a Low-Income Country to a Lower Middle-Income Country and eligibility for graduation from the group of Least Developed Countries (LDC) to a Developing Country.
UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on Graduation of Bangladesh to Middle Income Country in 2026. This is a landmark achievement in Bangladesh’s development journey.
Graduation from the LDC group essentially means acquiring a seal of global approval for development achievements, which will brighten Bangladesh's image in the world court, according to the ICCB.
READ: Bangladesh needs 34,000 MW of electricity by 2030 to sustain its growth: ICCB
Graduating to the developing countries group is the fruit of Bangladesh's judicious macro-economic management and planned investment for infrastructural and human resource development, it said.
However, the chamber says, investment for mega projects government must take adequate care for additional expenses and timely implementation; our experience, however, seems otherwise; including the most prestigious ‘Padma Bridge’!
Various Research institutions and experienced economists citing post-graduation challenges, apprehend serious hurdles on its elevation, if Bangladesh fails to devise smooth transition strategies for confronting the challenges posed by this transition, it said.
As graduation will affect certain preferential treatment and domestic infant industries, Bangladesh has to handle this prudently to make the transition sustainable.
The most common economic challenges that every LDC graduate faces, is the loss of LDC-specific international support measures.
"The decline of existing privileges and preferences- may adversely hit the exports of Bangladesh, since the country relies heavily on the RMG sector, which has been bringing in more than 80 percent of the country's export earnings for the last several decades," said ICCB.
To avoid these consequences, it said, the country should diversify its export basket by promoting the export of new products such as pharmaceuticals, plastic products, leather goods, handicrafts, agro-products, fish and frozen foods etc.
Besides, the chamber said, the government should analyse the markets in different regions, such as Latin America, the Middle East, South & Far East Asian Region and formulate strategies for penetrating those markets as part of diversifying export destinations.
Bangladesh should also join different regional trade blocs and signing of FTA with potential individual countries will also help in reducing the probable negative impact of graduation on the balance of trade, according to ICCB.
RAB on alert to make Pahela Baishakh festival smooth and safe: DG
Rapid Action Battalion has taken special measures ahead of Pahela Baishakh across the country, said Director General (DG) of the elite force Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun on Wednesday
“We have taken measures to eliminate any militant threat, even though there is nothing specific right now,” said the Rab chief.
“Like previous year, special security arrangements have been taken on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh.
After inspecting security arrangements in Ramna and surrounding areas, the hub of the festival, he said adding additional Rab forces will be there to avert any untoward incident
Rab strengthened intelligence vigilance to ensure overall security across the country ahead of the festival, he said.
READ: Pahela Baishakh celebrations must end by 2 pm: DMP Commissioner
Apart from Ramna Batamul, security arrangements have been boosted in Dhaka University, Rabindra Sarobor, Shilpakala Academy, BICC Bhaban, Nazrul Academy, Uttara ground and other places where the programmes of Pahela Baishakh are scheduled to be held, he said.
Check posts have been installed in TSC, Shahbagh, Suhrawardy Uddyan and Ramna Batamul while observation posts also set up for security reasons.
Alongside these, important venues will be swept through the bomb disposal unit and dog squad of Rab.
A commando team of Rab will be kept ready to tackle any sabotage activity or deal with any unwanted situation, he said.
The air wing team of Rab will patrol by helicopters to oversee the situation.
Rab will also take steps for cyber monitoring to check spread of rumour in social networking sites, he said.
Mujibnagar Day: Govt declares public holiday on April 17 at Mujibnagar
The government has announced April 17 as a public holiday at Mujibnagar in Meherpur district marking the historic Mujibnagar Day.
The Public Administration Ministry issued a notification in this regard on Wednesday.
The holiday has been declared as part of the national programme organised by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.
Also read: Mujibnagar govt played historic role in freedom struggle of Bangladesh: Envoy
On April 17 in 1971, senior leaders of Awami League assembled at Baidyanathtala, a mango orchard, which was later named as Mujibnagar, in Meherpur district 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.
Work to ensure food safety round the year: Minister
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Wednesday urged all concerned to work for ensuring food safety for the consumers, not only during Ramadan but also throughout the year.
He instructed the officials concerned to take effective steps to raise mass awareness about safe food. “Please work to reach safe food to the consumers.”
The minister was addressing a view-exchange meeting titled ‘Measures to Ensure Food Safety during Ramadan’ virtually at the Bangladesh Secretariat as the chief guest.
“Activities of the food offices at the grassroots level need to be visible. If consumers are not aware, then it will not be possible to become successful. That’s why awareness has to be raised among people. Food offices will have to work closely with the businessmen, people’s representatives, and administration to ensure adulteration-free food alongside raising awareness among people.”
READ: Self-reliance in seed production essential for food security: FBCCI
Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) Chairman Abdul Kaiyum Sarker presided over the programme while food secretary Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum spoke as the special guest.
Nazmanara Khanum said food officials have been working in the country with various limitations.
BFSA Chairman Abdul Kaiyum Sarker said a total of 2,560 food traders have been given training on safe sehri preparation and food marketing across the country.