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BGB recover 70 thousand yaba worth Tk 2.1 core from Naf river
BGB’s Teknaf Battalion has recovered 70,000 pieces of yaba pills worth Tk 2.1 crore foiling an attempt to smuggle the drugs from Myanmar to Bangladesh.
After a tip-off yaba is being smuggled from Myanmar to Bangladesh through the border river Naf near the Damdamiya BOP, a BGB patrol team took position.
At around 10 pm two people were seen crossing the river with a bag. When the patrol team challenged the two, they tossed the bag into the river and jumped in the water. They then crossed the zero line into Myanmar, said a BGB media release.
READ: BGB seizes smuggled goods, drugs worth Tk 80cr
The patrol team later recovered the bag containing the drug.
The two men have been identified as Md. Hasan Abdullah, 38, and Md. Yusuf, 28.
READ: ‘Need some rest now,’ BGB man says in suicide note
Preparations are being made to hand over the tablets to Teknaf police station and file a case against the accused.
Covid-19 in Bangladesh: Both fatalities and cases increase in 24 hours
Bangladesh logged six more Covid-linked deaths and reported 215 fresh infections in 24 hours till Monday morning.
The new casualties marked a slight increase from Sunday’s four deaths and 178 cases.
Meanwhile, the daily-case positivity rate also rose to 1.28 per cent from Sunday’s 1.17 per cent, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The fresh numbers took the total fatalities to 27,901 while the country’s caseload mounted to 1,571,228.
Also read: Covid claims 4 more lives in Bangladesh, infects another 178
On the 44th epidemiological week of pandemic from November 1 to 7, Bangladesh saw 74.1 per cent comorbidity in the 27 Covid-linked deaths.
The comorbidity rate has increased 23 per cent from the previous week, said the DGHS
Comorbidity means the simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient.
Of the 27 deceased, 23 didn’t receive any vaccine against Covid-19 while three were fully vaccinated and another received the first dose.
Also read: Fuel price hike a fresh blow to Covid-hit economy: Experts
However, on Monday the mortality rate remained static at 1.78 per cent.
The fresh cases were detected after testing 16,812 samples, said the DGHS.
Also, the recovery rate remained unchanged at 97.70 per cent with the recovery of 209 more patients during the period.
Dengue cases keep rising: 151 more hospitalised
Bangladesh reported 151 new patients being hospitalized with dengue fever in 24 hours till Monday morning.
With no fresh death during the period, the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease this year remained unchanged at 95, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Of them 87 people died in Dhaka division alone, two each in Chattogram, Mymensingh and Khulna divisions and one each in Rajshahi and Barishal divisions.
Also read: Dengue cases keep rising: 127 more hospitalised
Among the new patients, 103 were undergoing treatment in hospitals in Dhaka while the remaining 48 cases were reported from outside the division.
Some 662 patients diagnosed with dengue are receiving treatment in the country as of Monday.
Of them, 523 patients are receiving treatment at different hospitals in the capital while the remaining 139 were listed outside Dhaka.
Since January, some 24,795 patients have been admitted to different hospitals with dengue in the country. So far, 24,039 dengue patients have left hospitals after recovery, said DGHS.
In September, the country recorded the highest number of 7,841 dengue cases of the current year with 23 deaths.
In October, the number of dengue cases came down to 5,604 with 22 deaths recorded.
Also read: No let-up in dengue cases in Bangladesh; 138 more hospitalised
Correlation with climate change
A World Bank (WB) report released last week has found a wider link between the shifting climate conditions and the increase in dengue and some other diseases in Bangladesh.
It says with falling humidity levels, rising temperatures and increasing rainfall caused by climate change, the risk of dengue spread can be higher in the country, mainly in Dhaka and Chttogram cities, in the future.
Bangladesh has experienced a 0.5° Celsius increase in average temperature between 1976 and 2019 and is slowly losing the variations between seasons, the report added.
Summers are becoming hotter and longer while winters are warmer, and the monsoon seasons are being extended from February to October.
The report also predicted that average temperatures across Bangladesh will rise by 1.4° Celsius by 2050 while annual rainfall is likely to increase by 74 millimetres by 2040-2059.
Bankers to enjoy 24 holidays in 2022
Bangladesh Bank has released a holiday list chalking out 24 holidays for the schedule banks in the country in 2022.
The department of Off-site Supervision of the central bank released the holiday list on Monday and sent it to the managing directors and chief executive officers of scheduled banks to follow it in 2022.
Of the holidays, four will fall on Fridays and three on Saturdays that are included in in Bangladesh’s weekly holidays.
Australian, Japanese, EU, US envoys visit St Martin’s Island
Ambassadors of Australia, Japan, European Union (EU) and the United States (US) have visited St Martin’s Island and witnessed the impact of climate change on the Island which is considered as a piece of heaven on earth.
“The stark impact of climate change is a reality on St Martin’s Island, including coastal erosion, bleaching of corals and depletion of sea life,” Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the EU to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley tweeted on Monday afternoon.
READ: Mohib's murder: US, UK envoys express deep shock
Transport fare, fuel price hike a “trick to loot people”: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday termed the hike in fuel price and transport fares an ‘arranged game’ of the government to “pick public pockets”."This is a pocket-cutting government whom people call a pocket picker. It’s always picking public pockets by increasing the prices of essential items,” he said.Speaking at a human-chain programme, the BNP leader also said the government first took steps to cut public pockets by raising the prices of diesel and kerosene. “It did the same thing for the second time by increasing bus fares. These’re their tricks and sort of arranged games.”
READ: Lack of democracy worsens situation in Bangladesh: Fakhrul
BNP’s Dhaka South and North city units arranged the human chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club in protest against the fuel price hike.Fakhrul said the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) made a surplus profit of Tk 43,000 crore in the past. “When the oil prices fell in the international market, the BPC didn’t reduce fuel prices. “They brought money out of the pockets of the people with high fuel prices.”Though the oil prices have started rising in the international market, he said the BPC officials stated that they could keep the previous fuel prices for at least six months without a fresh hike in fuel prices.“But the government did not do that as its nature is to indulge in looting public money. They’re making their pockets heavier through plundering and cutting people's pockets. They’re also siphoning off thousands of crores of taka abroad,” the BNP leader said.Fakhrul said the prices of all essentials will now go up further as an impact of the hike in fuel prices and transport fares.On Wednesday, the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosene at the retail level.The BNP leader said people’s backs are pushed against the wall by increasing the prices of all commodities and necessary things.He said the government is taking mega projects and building, bridges and flyovers to show development, but common people are becoming poorer gradually.Referring to media reports, he said people are killing themselves along with their children having failed to manage food and the cost of living.He said the government has created an anarchic situation everywhere for lack of good governance and accountability.
READ: Govt’s logic behind fuel price hike ‘unacceptable': Fakhrul“Steps have been taken to execute a death penalty before the verdict by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court…two people had been hung a few days back before the verdict was delivered by the Appellate Division. ”It means there’s no accountability and discipline anywhere.”
Ferry service resumes on Shimulia-Banglabazar route
Ferry services on Shimulia-Banglabazar route resumed on Monday after over two months of suspension,
Medium sized ferries carrying light vehicles will operate on this route during the day time for now, said Ashikuzzaman, Director (commerce) of BIWTC.
Currently four ferries are plying on this route while passengers are being carried by 87 launches and 101 speedboats, he said.
Also read: Ferry movement suspended on Shimulia-Banglabazar route
All the ferries were seen moving with ease under the Padma bridge.
On August 18, BIWTC suspended all ferry services on the route for an indefinite period due to strong current in the Padma River.
The decision came after at least five ferries hit the Padma Bridge pillars between July and August this year.
Also read: Ferry services on Shimulia-Banglabazar route resume after 48 days
Major General Ziaur Rahman new Chairman of BEPZA
Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman took over as the Chairman of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) on Sunday. He replaced Major General Md Nazrul Islam. Before joining BEPZA, Ziaur Rahman was General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 7 Infantry Division. Prior to that, he served as the Defence Adviser to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, India. His military career spanned over command, staff and instructional appointments. He served as Logistics Staff Officer and also as Operations, Planning & Intelligence Staff Officer at Brigade, Army Training & Doctrine Command and Army Headquarters.
READ: Agreement signed to speed up development of BEPZA EZ
Ziaur Rahman also served in the prestigious appointment of ‘Directing Staff’ at the Defence Services Command and Staff College of Bangladesh and Instructor at Bangladesh Military Academy. In his decorated service life, Major General Ziaur Rahman also served at various capacities at Battalion level.
READ: BEPZA gives highest priority to workers’ safety, welfare: Law Minister Besides, he has served at the UN mission in Haiti and Sudan.
4 arrested over attack on Noakhali temples
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have arrested four people for their alleged involvement in the attacks on Hindu temples during the Durga Puja celebrations at Choumuhani in Begumganj upazila of Noakhali district.
The arrestees are Md Monir Hossain alias Rubel, 28, Zaker Hossain alias Rabbi, 20, Md Ripon, 21, and Md nazrul Islam alias Sohag, 36, of Noakhali's Begumganj upazila.
Read:Cumilla communal violence: Another case filed
According to a media release of Rab Headquarters, Rab-11 teams conducted separate drives at Demra in Dhaka, Begumganj upazila in Noakhali and Narayanganj port area on Sunday night and arrested them.
The criminals were identified after examining CCTV footages collected from the spots, it said.
At this time, Rab members seized some looted worship items including bronze idols, lamp stand, utensils, imitation necklaces, jewelries, brass ornaments and cash money.
During the interrogation, the arrestees reportedly said that the Rubel, Rabbi and Ripon directly participated in the attack after being provoked by social media posts.
Read: All communal violence instigators, attackers identified: Minister
On October 15, some miscreants vandalized and carried out arson attacks on puja mandaps, Hindu temples and some shops in Chowmuhani Bazar area.
Fuel Price Hike: BNP announces two-day demo
BNP on Monday announced a two-day demonstration programme in protest against the fresh hike in diesel and kerosene prices.
As part of the programme, BNP’s all metropolitan city units, except Dhaka ones, will stage demonstrations and protest rallies on November 10 (Wednesday).
Besides, the party’s all the district units will observe the similar programme in the district headquarters on November 12 (Friday).
Read:Fuel price hike a fresh blow to Covid-hit economy: Experts
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came up with the announcement at a human-chain programme.
BNP’s Dhaka South and North city units arranged the human-chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club in protest against the fuel price hike.
Fakhrul said the prices of all essentials will now go up further as an impact of the fuel price hike, leaving common people in a miserable condition.
Fakhrul said the protest against the increase in fuel prices now needs to spread across the country to save people from sufferings.
Read: Govt’s logic behind fuel price hike ‘unacceptable': Fakhrul
“We’ve to wake up people. As long as the Awami League government is in power, public sufferings will increase and people will become more helpless and poorer. So, we’ve to unite people to take to the streets and oust this regime,” he observed.
On Wednesday, the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosene at the retail level.
The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) said the petroleum prices have been readjusted against the backdrop of the price hike of petroleum on the international market.