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Alok Sharma in city to discuss climate issues ahead of COP26
COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma arrived here on Wednesday morning on a two-day visit to to strengthen support for UK COP26 climate priorities ahead of hosting the crucial UN climate change summit in Glasgow this November.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam received Sharma at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 09.20am upon his arrival.
He will hold a meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at 12:30pm at Foreign Service Academy.
Sharma is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban at 11:30am.
He will also attend "UK- Bangladesh Climate Partnership Roundtable" at 2pm at Foreign Service Academy before holding a joint briefing at 3pm.
During his engagements in Dhaka, Sharma will discuss shared priorities with Bangladesh which remains a "crucial" partner on the road to COP26.
Also read: COP26 President-Designate Sharma due Wednesday to discuss climate issues
He will discuss the needs of countries most vulnerable to climate change, to ensure they are equipped to deal with its current and damaging effects ahead of COP26.
Preventing deforestation while ensuring development and trade is sustainable will also be high on the agenda, as COP26 looks to highlight the protection of nature and biodiversity as a key tool in limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C.
With less than six months to go before COP26, he will meet leaders from government, business and civil society to press his personal priority for a move to global clean power, critical to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C.
Read:BUILD Chairperson meets new FBCCI president
Bangladesh is among the fast growing economies with significant renewable energy potential, said the UK government.
The visit will highlight their growing leadership and how the UK Presidency will work with countries to support workers and communities to make the transition to good green jobs.
It builds on the recent Climate and Environment Ministerial meeting where, under the UK’s leadership, G7 nations agreed to end all new direct government support for international coal power, and to increase support for clean energy alternatives like solar and wind.
G7 nations also agreed to work to increase the quantity of finance for climate action in order to meet the $100bn per annum target to support developing countries.
Ahead of his visit, Sharma said last week, the G7 made history with a major step towards consigning coal to history and moving to a decarbonised power system but tackling the climate crisis must be a global effort, which leaves no one behind.
Read:Bloomberg writer pours his heart out while praising Bangladesh’s progress
"COP26 is our best chance of safeguarding our planet for our children, building a brighter future with greener jobs and cleaner air, and keeping the 1.5C target alive," he said.
Global Covid cases top 171 million
Notwithstanding a drop in the number of fresh cases in several countries, the global Covid-19 tally topped 171 million on Wednesday.
The global caseload and fatalities currently stand at 171,034,625 and 3,557,281, respectively, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
Some 1,931,508,270 doses of vaccine have been administered globally to date, as per the university data.
The US, which is the world's worst-hit country in terms of both cases and deaths, has so far logged 33,287,110 cases and 595,207 deaths, Johns Hopkins figures reveal.
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 28,175,044 on Tuesday, with 127,510 new cases reported in 24 hours, said the federal Health Ministry.
The daily spike of new cases in India has been falling over the past couple of weeks. The cases registered in a day have fallen to the lowest level in nearly two months.
Besides, 2,795 deaths were reported since Sunday morning, taking the death toll to 331,895, according to the Ministry.
Brazil on Tuesday reported 2,408 more deaths from Covid-19, taking the nationwide tally to 465,199, the Ministry of Health said.
Also read: Global Covid cases approach 148 million
A total of 78,926 new infections have been detected in the country to date, raising the caseload to 16,624,480, the ministry said.
Brazil has the world's second-highest Covid-19 death toll after the United States, and the third-largest caseload after the United States and India.
Situation in Bangladesh
Amid a growing trend in both coronavirus infections and fatalities, Bangladesh on Tuesday logged 41 more deaths, pushing up the fatality toll to 12,660.
Besides, health authorities detected 1,765 new cases after testing 18,250 samples during the period.
With the new cases, the total caseload has risen to 8,02,305, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus cases on March 8 last year and the first death on the 18th of that month.
Also read: Bangladesh sees rise in Covid infections; 41 more die
Vaccine procurement
The first batch of 1.06 lakh doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine arrived in Dhaka on Monday night under the global vaccine initiative Covax.
On May 27, the Directorate General of Drug Administration approved the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine.
So far, four vaccines – Oxford-AstraZeneca (Covishield), Sputnik-V, Sinopharm, and Pfizer-BioNTech – have got emergency use authorisation in Bangladesh.
The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on May 27 gave the final approval to a proposal of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry to procure 1.5 crore Chinese Sinofarm Covid-19 vaccine.
As per the approval, the Health Services Division under the Health and Family Welfare Ministry will procure a total of 15 million (1.5 crore) vaccine doses in three months—June, July and August.
Vaccination drive
Bangladesh launched its vaccination drive on February 7 with Oxford-AstraZeneca doses acquired from India's Serum Institute.
The administration of the first dose of the vaccine has, however, remained suspended since April 26.
Also, the country, the prime recipient of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, has suspended the registration for Covid-19 jabs due to vaccine shortage amid a delay in arrival of shipments from India.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad discusses media freedom
The national committee for prevention of violence against women-girls and social injustice at Bangladesh Mahila Parishad arranged an online discussion Tuesday on Constitution, Freedom of Media and Persecution of Journalist Rozina Islam. Chairperson of the national committee Barrister M. Amir-ul Islam moderated the meeting in presence of experts, advocates and the organization members.
A written statement was presented by Adv. Masuda Rehana Begum, member of the national committee and Co-General Secretary of the Central Committee of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad. Citing the constitution, she said that the state must ensure an environment for the media and journalists to perform their duties independently and fearlessly.
READ: Sept sees highest rape incidents since 2010: Mahila Parishad Initiatives will be taken to repeal various sections of the law which are considered to be against the existing civil rights to ensure media freedom and protection of journalists through laws, she added.
Speakers at the meeting praised journalist Rozina Islam for her objective reports and fearless activities seeking truth.
Expressing disappointment at the recent incident, they said it was shocking that Rozina did not get any reward from the government for her fearless reporting, and rather got harassed.
Human rights activist Adv. Sultana Kamal said the people own this country. They have the right to live a corruption free life. Harassment of a journalist is not acceptable in any way. The social justice enshrined in the constitution must be ensured.
READ: Bangladesh Mahila Parishad president Ayesha Khanam dies
Farida Yasmin, president of the National Press Club, said journalists are being harassed in the name of searching allegedly stolen information.
Journalists must be protected by law. Without freedom of the press, democracy and the state cannot move forward, she said.
Bangladesh Air Force gets new Air Marshal
Air Vice Marshal Sheikh Abdul Hannan has been promoted to the post of Air Marshal for Bangladesh Air Force.
He would join as the Air Marshal on June 12, read an ISPR press release on Tuesday.
Sheikh Abdul Hannan was been appointed to this position for a period of three years.
2 die from electrocution on waterlogged Dhaka road
Two people were electrocuted on a waterlogged road in the capital’s Uttara on Tuesday.
The deceased are Md. Abdur Razzak, 50, son of Wahab Miah of Bargharia village in Karimganj upazila of Kishoreganj and Zia, 45, son of Matiar Rahman of Deupara village in Sirajganj.
The two got electrocuted while wading through rainwater between 7:30-8:00 am on Road no-21 of Uttara Sector-10, said Officer-in-Charge of Uttara West Police Station Shah Md Akhtaruzzaman Ilias.
Also read: 2 brothers die from electrocution in Chapainawabganj
The used to work for charging batteries of auto-rickshaws and they were residing in a rickshaw garage in the area.
They might come in contact with a live electric wire on the waterlogged road, he said.
Also read: Man, nephew die of electrocution in Kishoreganj
Seriously injured Zia was taken to Uttara Mansur Ali Medical College Hospital and Razzak to Bangladesh Medical College Hospital.
Both were declared dead by doctors there, the OC said.
Rab nabs four members of international women trafficking gang
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has arrested four alleged members of an international women trafficking gang, including its ring leader Ashraful Mandal alias Boss Rafi and his close associate Madam Shahida
The arrests came as Rab launched an investigation on trafficking of women to neighboring India and over the recent alleged rape and torture of a Bangladeshi woman by fellow Bangladeshis there, an official said on Tuesday.
The two other arrestees are Md. Ismail Sardar,38, and Md. Abdur Rahman Sheikh alias Arman Sheikh (28).
Based on secret information, Intelligence wing of the Rab headquarters and members of Rab-3 battalion jointly conducted simultaneous drives in Jhenaidah Sadar, Abhaynagar and Benapole in Jessore from May 31 to June 1 morning and arrested the four members of the International women trafficking syndicate.
Last week a case was filed with Hatirjheel police station in the Capital Dhaka over the abuse of the Bangladeshi woman.
Summit Power installs heavy-duty gas turbine at Meghnaghat plant
Summit Power International has successfully installed a heavy-duty gas turbine at its upcoming power plant in Meghnaghat, the company said on Tuesday.
Meeting the project timeline, the GE 9HA.01 gas turbine has been placed on the foundation at the site of Summit Meghnaghat II power plant.
The plant is expected to be commissioned in 2022, said a press release of the company.
“Summit wants to support Bangladesh’s growth trajectory by providing the citizens with primary infrastructure”, said Muhammed Aziz Khan, Founder Chairman of Summit Group of Companies.
He mentioned that Bangladesh is still one of the lowest per capita consumers of electricity in the Indian subcontinent while GDP growth per capita-wise, the highest.
READ: EGCB signs MoU with Marubeni to build 100 MW solar plant in Sonagazi
“We look forward to using GE’s advanced HA technology for the first time in Bangladesh to generate affordable and reliable electricity,” he added.
Summit’s Meghnaghat II is the single largest private sector power project investment in Bangladesh, the company said.
The GE 9HA.01 gas turbine is the fastest growing fleet of gas turbines in the world in its class, which was manufactured in Belfort, France,
It can deliver up to 63.7% record-setting net combined-cycle efficiency in the 50 Hz segment and offers lowest total cost of ownership in the industry, driven by most cost-effective conversion of fuel to electricity and industry-leading flexibility.
Additionally, with lowest air emissions (NOx and CO2), lower capex, extended maintenance intervals and reduced maintenance cost - the HA-technology further contributes to generate electricity sustainably.
“Today, Bangladesh is actively defining new trends in the power sector aligned to its national objective to provide uninterrupted and quality Electricity to All,” said Deepesh Nanda, CEO, GE Gas Power, South Asia.
READ: Solar power plant in Manikganj starts commercial operation
Under the turnkey EPC contract the equipment to be provided by GE for this power project include: one 9HA.01 gas turbine, one three-pressure level with RH-reheater drum type Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), one steam turbine, one gas turbine generator, one steam turbine generator, one condenser and associated systems, along with balance of plant (BOP) solutions.
Additionally, GE will be providing maintenance and repair services for the gas turbine and generator over a period of 22 years, said the Summit Power.
Ecnec rejects Tk 17,290-cr primary school meal project
The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday turned down a Tk 17,290.23-crore project designed to provide ‘Khichuri’ or other food items as midday meals to primary school students.
“The project hasn’t been approved as the Prime Minister is concerned about its structure (modus operandi). She said cooking Khichuri in schools might hamper the study of students,” said Planning Minister MA Mannan.
The minister was briefing reporters after an Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room in the city.
Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting, joining it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.
Also read: All above 14 to get smart NIDs; Ecnec clears project
The meeting, however, cleared nine other projects involving an estimated total cost of Tk 5,239.62 crore, the minister added.
Of the cost, he said, some Tk 250 crore will come as loan from foreign sources.
Among the nine projects, six are fresh and three others revised ones.
About the midday meal project, Mannan said the project will not be placed for approval anymore, but new projects over the midday meal may come in different formats.
Police: Planning minister mugged of his mobile phone in capital
Not even Planning Minister MA Mannan could protect his mobile phone from being mugged.
The mugging happened at around 7 pm Sunday when his SUV was stuck up in traffic at Dhaka’s Bijoy Sarani while returning from office.
Selimuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Kafrul Police Station, confirmed the incident to UNB on Tuesday.
The mugger snatched the minister’s phone through a lowered window of the SUV and ran away, the OC said.
Personal secretary of the minister filed a case with Kafrul police station over the incident,” he added.
Police found neither the snatcher nor the phone until Tuesday afternoon.
“We are trying to capture the snatcher and recover the phone as soon as possible.” Selimuzzaman said adding “an investigation is under way.”
Bangladesh sees rise in Covid infections; 41 more die
Amid the growing trend in both the Coronavirus infections and fatalities, Bangladesh logged 41 more deaths, pushing up the death toll to 12,660.
Besides, health authorities detected 1,765 new cases after testing 18,250 samples during the period.
The country’s daily death record remained below 40 since May 25 while it stayed below 50 since May 9.
With the new cases, the total caseload rose to 8,02,305, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The daily infection rate slightly increased to 9.47 percent from Monday’s 9.41 percent while the mortality rate remained static at 1.58 percent.
The country has so far tested 59,65,763 samples.
Read:Covid: WHO renames UK and other variants with Greek letters
The DGHS handout says 92.50% of the people infected till now have recovered, including 1,779 who tested negative during the period.
Bangladesh reported its first Coronavirus cases on March 8 last year and the first death on the 18th of that month.