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Rice price is increasing beyond control despite having highest stock: Razzaque
The price of rice is increasing being control despite a record production and the highest stock in silos, Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said on Sunday.
Since rice is the staple food the country will have to further boost the grain production at any cost, the minister said at a meeting to review the progress of his ministry’s Annual Development Programme at Bangladesh Secretariat.
“We are unable to control the price hike,” he told the meeting.
He urged scientists, agriculture extension officials and all others concerned to work sincerely for increasing food production.
Also read: Edible oil price may go up further: Tipu Munshi
He asked officials not to waste time in lobbying to become projects directors in the hope of earning extra money through corruption and irregularities.
“The project directors are recruited after considering professional skill, eligibility and leadership quality,” he said.
“Please do not go for lobbying to become a project director for taking illegal facilities through irregularities and corruption,” he said.
He said those who are in charge projects have to maintain transparency in spending funds.
Also read: Textile millers oppose plan for gas price hike
Razzaque also asked the officers concerned of the ministry to monitor the project work strictly.
According to the ministry, it has 71 projects in FY2021-2022 with a total allocation of Tk 2,928 crores. So far, 32 percent work has been implemented till December 2021, higher than the national ADP implementation of 24 per cent.
Father, son go missing in Karnaphuli River
A fisherman and his son went missing while fishing in the Karnaphuli River near Evergreen Ghat in Chattogram on Sunday.
They are Tapan Das, 45 and Samir Das,15 of Kolagaon in Patia upazila.
Read: Fisherman goes missing as boat sinks in Arial Khan
Senior officer of Nandakanan Fire Service Mohammad Ali said Tapan, his son Samir and another one went to the Karnaphuli River for fishing around 5 am.
At one stage, Samir fell into the river first and when Tapan jumped into the river to rescue his son their boat sank.
On information, divers from the local Fire Service rushed to the spot and conducted a rescue operation.
Conserve Bangladesh hill forests to save it from climate disaster: Speakers
Speakers at a consultation on the formulation of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) on Sunday stressed the conservation of the hill forests in Bandarban to save the region from climate disaster.
The consultation was jointly organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Economic Relations Division (ERD) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The speakers expressed concerns over the native species destroying plantation and horticulture practices. Although horticulture is bringing economic benefit to the farmers, rampant use of pesticides has emerged as a major threat to biodiversity, they said.
Considering different vulnerability factors including extreme level water scarcity, deforestation, worsening biodiversity, flash flood Bandarban district was selected to conduct the consultation.
Bandarban has been ranked second among the climate-vulnerable 10 hotspots in Bangladesh.
Read: Massive mangrove forestry planned to protect wildlife and expand forest coverage
The country on the other hand is ranked seventh among the climate-vulnerable countries globally (South Asian hotspots, World Bank, 2018).
Additional Secretary of the MoEFCC and National Project Director of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Formulation Project Md Mizanul Haque Chowdhury informed the participants about Bangladesh’s priorities outlined in SDG, Delta Plan 2100, Perspective plan, five-year plan and its ambition to graduate from a Least developed country to a middle-income country.
“We are committed to implementing the Glasgow Climate Pact signed during the COP26. We will work in close coordination with all the public and private entities, development partners and the people to keep the temperature well below 1.5 degrees Celsius and protect the biodiversity”
He explained that the objective of the consultation was to understand the local vulnerability issues and get feedback from the participants on these for incorporation in the NAP.
Mizanul Haque was present as the chief guest while Amal Krishna Mandal, Join Secretary, Wing Chief, Economic Relations Division (ERD) was present as the special guest.
Bandarban Deputy Commissioner Yasmin Parvin Tibriji, chaired the consultation.
More than 80 representatives from district administration, local government representatives, civil society representatives, sectoral experts, professionals, journalists and academia attended the event and provided their valuable comments and feedback to enrich the plan with locally specific climate adversities and adaptation needs.
Participants from different parts of the Rangamati and Khagrachari districts joined over zoom.
While delivering the keynote presentation, Professor Dr Ainun Nishat, Team Leader of the NAP Formulation Consortium said, “We will incorporate the locally-led adaptation practices in the NAP”.
He drew examples from the changing patterns of the climate and added that Chattogram Hill Tracts is heavy rainfall region and it is a major contributing factor to flash floods causing havoc.
“We have to adopt measures on how to tackle such challenges”, he said.
For successful implementation of the NAP, he underlined incorporation of the NAP in the local, national and sub-national development planning and transformative capacity building.
Khan Jamal Lusai, botanist and former academic emphasised on maintaining the navigability of the rivers and regular flow of water in the hill Charas would transform the life and livelihood of the hill people.
“As there is no cultivable plain land, the hill people have no other choice but to do Jhum cultivation and produce cotton, vegetables and fruits”.
He also said that Jhum cultivation is not as productive as it was in the past.
“We need to look beyond Jhum cultivation and introduce economic activities that support the livelihood of the hill people,” he said.
Ripon Chakma, executive director of Trinomul Unnayan Sangstha said that Use of herbicide and pesticide in mango cultivation is destroying the hill ecosystem. Large scale horticulture destroying the native species is likely to harm the ecosystem and biodiversity in the entire hill tracts regions.
Rafiqul Islam, deputy director, Department of Agricultural Extension said, “We can consider conducting a study on season-specific availability of water in different regions. Based on the findings, we can erect permanent dam and reservoirs on an experimental basis and harvest rainwater”.
Buddhojoti Chakma, Correspondent of Prothom Alo said that destroying the biodiversity will only result in destroying the natural sources of water.
Monirul Islam Monu of Kalerkantho said that Introduction of exotic horticulture without any study can be deadly for the biodiversity of the hill region.
“Furthermore, we must stop burning our forests in the illegal brick fields and stone excavation.”
Read:Environmental organizations protest dysfunction of rules to protect forest-wild animals
A K M Azad Rahman, Programme Officer-Climate Change, UNDP said, “Bandarban and the entire CHT needs special adaptation measures” He advocated for Village Common Forest (VCF), a traditional practice to conserve community land for ecosystem services among other adaptation measures.
Amal Krishna Mandal said, “We are confident that we will have a country driven NAP that will document locally led adaptation efforts”.
Yasmin Parvin thanked the participants and said that The NAP should put utmost priority on solving the water crisis and land slide in the Bandarban as well as the entire CHT region.
“We will continue such dialogues with all the relevant public agencies and stakeholders to address our local problem in a coordinated way.”
The country on the other hand is ranked seventh among the climate-vulnerable countries globally (South Asian hotspots, World Bank, 2018).
7 Bangladeshis died on way to Italy identified
Bangladesh Ambassador to Italy Shameem Ahsan has said they are working closely with the Italian side to repatriate the bodies of identified seven Bangladeshi nationals to Bangladesh.
He said they have been informed that burial will not take place tomorrow (Monday) in Italy as reported by some people.
"We strongly urged the Italian side to stop burial by any means and bodies must be sent to Bangladesh and they agreed," he said in a message.
The seven Bangladeshis who died on the way to Italy from Libya due to prolonged exposure to extreme cold have been identified.
Read Also: Dozen migrants feared drowned in capsising off Libya: UN
Their identities were disclosed on Sunday, said officials at the Bangladesh Mission in Rome.
The deceased were identified as Imran Hossain, Ratan, Shafayet, Zahirul, Bappi of Madaripur district, Sazzad of Sunamganj district and Saiful of Kishoreganj district.
Sources in Italy primarily confirmed that 273, out of 287 migrants, on board were from Bangladesh, and seven of them died, and the rest are Egyptian nationals, said the Bangladesh Mission in Rome.
A two-member team of the Bangladesh Mission in Rome talked to other migrants and confirmed their identities.
However, no identification was received from the Italian authorities.
The seven bodies of Bangladesh nationals have already been sent to Agrigento (a place in Sicily) to be kept in the mortuary till their repatriation and burial.
On receiving the information of the tragic incident on January 25, the Bangladesh Embassy in Rome has been in constant touch with the relevant Italian authorities, including two Honorary Consuls General of Bangladesh to Catania and Palermo to gather authentic information and take appropriate measures from the Bangladesh side, said the Bangladesh Mission in Rome on Friday night.
Also read: 20 migrants dead off Tunisia after boat sinks, more missing
A two-member team, led by Md Arfanul Hoque, Counsellor (Labour Welfare), accompanied by an Italian-knowing official, reached Lampedusa island, Italy on January 26.
The Labour Councillor met Deputy Mayor of Lampedusa Prestipino Salvatore (Mayor was outside the station) on January 27.
During the meeting, both sides discussed the tragic incident and possible strategies and arrangements to prevent it in the future and closer coordination between the Italian side and the Embassy.
PM mourns death of Jamalpur AL leader Sarwar Jahan
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of joint secretary of Jamalpur unit Awami League Advocate Sarwar Jahan Mukta.
She prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.Advocate Sarwar Jahan Mukta breathed his last at 4am at a city hospital on Sunday at the age of 66.
READ: PM mourns Joynal Hazari’s death
He left behind his wife and a host of relatives and well wishers to mourn his death.
Meanwhile, AL general secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader also expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Sarwar Jahan Mukta.
READ: PM mourns Mushtari Shafi’s death
5 held with 18,600 Yaba pills in city
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) detained five people along with 18600 Yaba pills from Jatrabari area in the capital early Sunday.
The detainees are Shohag Chowdhury, 25, Riazul Islam, 24, Afriz Chowdhury, 25, Shaon, 20 and Mahabubul Alam Shubho, 25.
READ: 1.80 lakh Yaba pills seized in Cox’s Bazar
Tipped off, a team of Rab-3 conducted a drive in the area and detained them along with the Yaba pills, said a press release of Rab Headquarters.
The detainees were involved in selling drugs after purchasing it from Cox’s Bazar, the release added.
READ: 12 lakh yaba, firearms recovered in Cox’s Bazar
Bangladesh, S Korea ink MoU on scientific, technological cooperation
The Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh and the Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries.
South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun, during a recent meeting with Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman handed over the MoU cross-signed by his Korean counterpart, Minister Lim Heysook.
Upon agreement on the text, the MoU signed by Minister Yeafesh was sent to Korea in November last year through a diplomatic channel, said the South Korean Embassy in Dhaka on Sunday.
Due to the pandemic situation, both sides could not hold a face-to-face signing ceremony, it said.
READ: MoU signed with KL to send Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia
The MoU was concluded to strengthen the implementation of the agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the two governments signed in May 1995.
The MoU stipulates various areas and forms of cooperation including the establishment of a joint committee.
On the occasion of the signing, Ambassador Lee said the MoU has laid an important institutional foundation to further promote cooperation in the area of science and technology between the two countries, and expressed his commitment and willingness to this end.
READ: MoU signed to establish ‘Sheikh Mujib-Bangladesh Room’ at FAO HQ
During the meeting a variety of issues on scientific and technological cooperation were discussed.
Booster doses to be available for citizens above 40: Minister
People above 40 years will be eligible to take Covid booster shots as the government has lowered the minimum age limit for it, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday.
“We’ve nine crores of Covid vaccine doses in hand. The government has lowered the age limit for receiving Covid booster shots to 40 from 50. Some people have taken booster shots. So, the government has decided to lower the age limit to 40,” he said.
The minister came up with the information at a press briefing at Mohakhali BCPS Auditorium in the morning over the overall Covid situation in Bangladesh.
READ: COVID-19 vaccine booster drive is faltering in the US
“We’ll bring all those above 12 under the vaccination programme. Earlier, we provided vaccines to school and college students but now all above 12, including the madrasah students, will be brought under the vaccination programme,” he said.
Replying to a question about the vaccination process, the Health Minister said, “Those above 12 can get the vaccine when they’ll go to the vaccine centres. We won’t let anyone go unvaccinated.”
Answering a question about vaccinating children above five years, the minister said, “We’ve had discussions with the World Health Organisation over the issue and they said they’ll let us know.”
The government has taken a decision to give Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the floating population including day labourers as one dose of the vaccine can prevent Covid-19, he said.
“We have got some Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses from the US under COVAX facility and the vaccination will start soon,” he added.
On January 20, some 3.36 lakh doses of J & J vaccine arrived in the country.
On December 28 last year, Bangladesh officially began administering booster doses of a Covid-19 vaccine but "on a limited scale".
Initially, citizens, aged above 60, received the booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
On January 12, the Directorate General of Health Services’ (DGHS) instructed to administer Moderna vaccine instead of the Phfizer jabs as the third or booster dose at all vaccine centres across the country.
On January 17, the government lowered the age limit for receiving the Covid booster dose up to 50.
Covid situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh reported 21 more Covid-linked deaths with 10,378 fresh cases in 24 hours till Saturday morning.
The daily positivity rate dropped to 31.10 per cent from highest-ever 33.37 per cent recorded on Friday after testing 33,373 samples during the period, according to the DGHS.
The country logged its earlier highest daily positivity rate at 32.55% on July 24 last year reporting 6,780 cases and 195 deaths.
READ: Booster shots needed against omicron, CDC studies show
On Friday, Bangladesh reported 20 Covid-linked deaths with 15,440 fresh cases.
The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,329 while the caseload mounted to 1,731,149.
Meanwhile, the mortality rate further declined to 1.60 per cent.
However, the recovery rate also declined to 88.18 per cent with the recovery of 1,109 more patients during the 24-hour period.
10 Zebras’ death: Probe panel visits Safari Park
The inquiry committee formed to investigate the death of 10 zebras at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Gazipur visited the park on Sunday.
The inquiry committee contacted foreign experts and experienced doctors to prevent such deaths of zebras.
The committee also talked to South African farm owners from where the zebras were imported.
READ: Another zebra dies at Gazipur Safari Park
Symptoms of disease and test results have been emailed to them, said a media release.
The members of the medical board held meetings on January 25 and 29 at the Safari Park to provide emergency medical care to zebras to prevent their death.
The safari park authorities have been taking measures as per the 10-point recommendation given by the medical board.
The 10 Zebras died within a month till Saturday at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park.
Nine of the 22 zebras in the park died between January 2 to 24 , park authorities disclosed on Tuesday.
On Saturday noon, the members of the medical board held an emergency meeting in the park.
The members of the medical board are Dr ABM Shahidullah, former curator of National Zoo, Professor Dr Rafiqul Alam, and Professor Dr Abu Hadi Md Nur Ali Khan from of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Hatem Sazzad Md Julkarnine, veterinary doctor of the safari park.
READ: Committee to probe death of 9 zebras in Bangabandhu Safari Park
Dr Shafiul Ahad Sardar, Director of Central Veterinary Hospital and Dr Golam Ajam Chowdhury, Chief Scientific Officer of Central Disease Investigation Laboratory joined the meeting as experts.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change formed the five-member inquiry committee to find out the real cause of death of 1o zebras at the Gazipur safari Park.
The committee was asked to submit the investigation report to the ministry within 10 (ten) working days.
People shiver as cold wave persists in Bangladesh
A cold wave is sweeping different parts of the country and it may continue during the next couple of days, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).
“Mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping Rajshahi, Rangpur, Tangail, Gopalgonj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Rangamati, Feni, Moulvibazar, Jashore, Kushtia, Chuadanga, Barishal and Bhola districts and Sitakunda upazila and it may continue,” said a Met office bulletin.
In its forecast for the next 24 hours (till 9am Sunday), it said weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country.
Moderate to thick fog may occur over north-western part and river- basins and light to moderate fog may occur elsewhere over the country during midnight to morning.
Night and day temperatures may rise slightly over the country.
The lowest temperature of the country was recorded at 6.8˚C at Tetulia in Panchagarh on Sunday morning.
Read: Winter rain lashes Dhaka, more likely on Thursday in parts of Bangladesh
The Met office has recorded 13.0 ˚C temperatures in Dhaka while the country's highest temperature was recorded 23.7˚C in Kutubdia.
The people of the country as well as the residents of Dhaka are feeling the pinch of winter in the last couple of days due to the dip in mercury.
Most people preferred to stay indoors due to the shivering cold and it is difficult for the day labourers to stay inside as they have to hand to mouth.
UNB Kurigram Correspondent reports :Department Agriculture Extension (DAE) authoriitesare fearing damage of standing crops due to cold weather.
Read: Rain, thundershowers likely in parts of Bangladesh
The number of patients with cold-related problems are rising in hospitals and many people are seen standing in long queues at the local hospitals to take medical treatment.
Deputy Director of District DAE, Md Abdur Rashid said the standing crops are likely to get damaged slightly if the temperature dips below 8 degrees Celsius. “Potato fields might see late blight disease while boro seedbeds might face damage,” he said.
Resident Medical Officer of Kurigram General Hospital said some 296 people are undergoing treatment in the hospital.
Deputy Commissioner Rezaul Karim, said blankets were distributed among 70,000 people while 6,000 warm clothes were also disbursed in the district.