Others
Derailment snaps Sylhet’s rail link with Dhaka, rest of the country
Train communication between Sylhet and Dhaka and rest of the country remained suspended since Saturday morning as a train derailed at Kamalganj upazila in Moulvibazar district.
Srimangal Railway Station Master Shakhawat Hossain, said the engine and two bogies of the Sylhet-bound ‘Udayan Express’ train from Chattogram veered off the tracks after hitting a tree that fell on the track due to storm while passing the Lawachara National Park around 5 am, halting train movement.
The authorities concerned are working to restore the rail connection.
Also read: Train communication with Sylhet resumes after 4 hours
The operation of Dhaka-bound inter-city ‘Kalni Express’ train remained suspended following the derailment, said Bhanugach Station Master Kabir Ahmed.
Dhaka’s air quality ‘unhealthy’ this morning
Dhaka's air quality is in the ‘unhealthy’ zone this morning.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 155 at 8:53 am today, Dhaka ranked 6th in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.
India’s Delhi, Pakistan’s Lahore and China’s Beijing occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 203, 168 and 163, respectively.
An AQI between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy', AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Also read: Dhaka’s air quality ‘unhealthy’ this morning
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Work hard to make dreams come true: Hasan Mahmud
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud on Friday highlighted the significance of developing multidimensional skills and stressed that dreams can only come true through strong efforts and unwavering dedication.
"A university experience encompasses more than just academic education. It is a pivotal phase where you must equip yourselves to overcome obstacles and strive towards personal growth”, he said.
The minister said this while speaking as a chief guest at a program organized by East Delta University on occasion of its new session titled ‘Session Opening Ceremony’ held on campus.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sayeed Al Noman, the founder Vice-Chairman of the university, addressed the new students and highlighted the university's core values. He said, "East Delta University was not constructed solely with financial resources; it was built with passion and dedication.”
The event, chaired by the University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Sikandar Khan, and moderated by Faculty Member Tabassum Chowdhury, was attended by esteemed dignitaries including the Treasurer, Prof. Shams-Ud Doha, Registrar, Dean, Proctor, HR Director, faculty members, new students along with their proud parents, as well as EDU alumni and staffs.
Salman calls for reintroduction of direct flights with Uzbekistan
Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F. Rahman has called for the reintroduction of direct flights between Bangladesh and Uzbekistan to enhance bilateral trade and promote the tourism sector.
This call was made during a meeting with a delegation led by Uzbekistan's Deputy Foreign Minister, Bakhrom Aloev on Friday afternoon.
He emphasized the benefits of opening direct flights and simplifying visa procedures between the two countries, stating that it would facilitate visits by businessmen from both countries and enable them to explore investment opportunities.
He highlighted that such initiatives would lead to increased government-to-government and business-to-business communication, strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing overall trade prospects.
Stating Bangladesh's successful export of medicines to over 152 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, and Australia, he also underscored the significant potential for cooperation in the field of pharmaceutical products and technology transfer between Bangladesh and Uzbekistan.
Describing Uzbekistan as an important friend and growth partner, he emphasized that trade and economic cooperation were key priorities in the Dhaka-Tashkent relationship.
He identified textiles, pharmaceuticals, and information technology as sectors offering opportunities for collaboration, and highlighted Uzbekistan as a potential market for ready-made garments, medicines, and ICT products.
He said the introduction of direct flights between the two countries would significantly boost bilateral trade.
He further expressed that both countries possessed immense potential for business and tourism sector development and encouraged Uzbekistan's investors to take advantage of these opportunities by investing in the country's special economic zones and hi-tech parks.
Uzbekistan's Deputy Foreign Minister, Bakhrom Alayev, who was visiting Bangladesh, announced plans to launch direct cargo flights between Uzbekistan and Bangladesh in order to expand trade.
He also expressed a willingness to provide visa facilities for Bangladeshis under easy conditions. Alayev invited Bangladeshi businessmen to invest in Uzbekistan and expressed his determination to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
During the meeting, Alayev said, "The time has come to expand the relationship between Bangladesh and Uzbekistan. While transportation and communication are concerns, we are actively working on resolving them. We are fully prepared to enhance bilateral trade between our two countries."
11pc of Bangladesh budget allocated for disaster risk reduction: State Minister
State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman on Thursday attended at a two-day high-level international meeting on disaster risk reduction begun at the United Nations headquarters in New York and highlighted the relentless work of the Bangladesh Government to address the disaster risk reduction challenges and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
On the first day of the meeting on Thursday, the state minister highlighted its achievements, challenges and future commitments on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh.
Pointing out that Bangladesh become a role model in the world in terms of disaster management activities and the government has allocated 8.8 percent of the national budget for disaster risk reduction in the last seven years, Dr Enamur Rahman said, "The disaster risk reduction strategy has been included in the standing order on disasters and the national plan for disaster management 2021-2025."
In the Eighth five-year plan of 2021 to 2025, about 9 to 11% of the national budget is allocated for disaster risk reduction, the state minister added.
The high-level international meeting on disaster risk reduction will end on Friday (May 19). State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman is leading a five-member Bangladesh delegation to the meeting.
Bangladeshi youth demand G7 nations stop financing deadly fossil fuels
Youth activists in Bangladesh have called on global leaders from G7 countries to immediately halt the financing of fossil fuel-based power projects and prioritize investments in renewable energy.
During a climate strike held Today (19th May) in front of the National Press Club in the capital, Fridays for Future Bangladesh and YouthNet for Climate Justice pledged to end fossil fuel financing and reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuel imports, primarily liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Speakers said Oxfam's latest analysis reveals that the Group of Seven (G7) nations have an outstanding debt of $13.3 trillion (€12.3 trillion) to low- and middle-income countries in unpaid aid and funding for climate action.
This urgent plea comes ahead of the 49th G7 Summit, scheduled to take place on May 19–21, 2023, in Hiroshima, Japan. The summit will address regional and global crises, including the pressing climate crisis.
“Bangladesh, as a developing country, is deeply concerned about the transition to renewable energy and urges developed nations to sever their ties with fossil fuels,” they said.
In their passionate plea, the youth activists also emphasize the importance of loss and damage financing while cautioning against false solutions such as hydrogen and ammonia.
Bangladeshi youth activists demand that the G7 countries prioritize energy security and clean energy, particularly by refraining from investing in fossil fuels within Bangladesh and by providing support for renewable energy financing.
They shed light on the existing ambiguity, delays, and instability surrounding discussions on fossil fuel and renewable energy financing within the G7.
Unfortunately, commitments from member countries are currently stagnant or even moving in opposite directions, youth activists opined.
The passionate youth of Bangladesh call upon critical stakeholders to address the electricity crisis in their nation, highlighting the detrimental consequences of importing expensive fossil fuels like LNG, which burden the country financially.
They further emphasize the compounding challenges posed by escalating living costs, inflation, and frequent power outages. Their strong advocacy for a higher proportion of renewable energy in the new power sector master plan aims to ensure national energy security and promote equitable transitions.
In addition, the Bangladeshi youth demand that developed nations adhere to the Paris Agreement, strictly limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and discourage multinational corporations from investing in fossil fuel power generation, thereby reducing harmful carbon emissions.
Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet for Climate Justice, declares, "We cannot afford to wait for tomorrow to realize the urgent need to phase out harmful and expensive fossil fuels. The time for action is now.’’ He added, The world is already suffering from the climate and energy crisis, and substantial investments in renewable energy and fair compensation from global leaders like the G7 nations are imperative. We cannot afford any further delays; they must awaken to the urgency of this moment."
The young activists also emphasize the need to substantially increase global commitment to climate financing, advocating for an annual commitment of $100 billion, with at least 50 percent allocated specifically for renewable energy financing.
Furthermore, they firmly demand that G7 countries, including Japan, refrain from imposing untested, debatable, and expensive technologies like hydrogen fuel and ammonia upon developing nations like Bangladesh.
Prof. Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, Chairman at the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), adds, "We must act promptly to combat climate change and curb air pollution, for there are two interrelated challenges. Let us unite as individuals, businesses, and financial institutions to facilitate investments in renewable energy and pave the way toward a sustainable future. Each breath we take and every heatwave we endure is a stark reminder of the urgent need for action."
Prof. Saleemul Huq, COP28 President's adviser and Director of the International Centre for Climate Change & Development (ICCCAD), asserts, "The climate crisis is not a distant threat confined to the future; it is already wreaking havoc on vulnerable communities in Bangladesh and worldwide, despite their minimal contribution to its creation."
"It is high time for wealthy nations and fossil fuel corporations, the main culprits, to take responsibility and compensate for the damage they have caused, ensuring a just and sustainable future for all. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to act decisively now before it is too late," he added.
17 fishermen arrested with illegal current nets
Law enforcement authorities arrested 17 fishermen and confiscated four wooden boats along with 16,20,000 meters of illegal current nets from Lakshmipur today.
The market value of the confiscated nets is estimated to be around Tk 5,67,00,000.
The patrol team from the Bangladesh Coast Guard conducted the operation.
Following the arrest, Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Shantunu Chowdhury, the Executive Magistrate of Ramgati, Lakshmipur, ordered the release of the detained fishermen, and the return of the seized wooden boats to their owners.
To deter future illegal fishing activities, the confiscated current nets were publicly destroyed in the presence of the local community in the Munsirhat area.
RAB rescues 3-year-old kidnapped child; masterminds arrested in Dhaka
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) rescued a three-year-old child from Goplagonj who had been kidnapped from Dhaka’s Mohammadpur and sold later.
The child, identified as Md. Siddique, 3, was lured away from his siblings with chocolates by an unidentified individual. The incident occurred on April 26, around 12:30 pm in front of Dhaka Udyan.
According to eyewitnesses, the unknown person approached Md. Delwar Hossain's elder daughter, Humaira, 8, and asked her to go home while promising to buy mangoes for her brother.
When Humaira refused to leave, the perpetrator threatened her and abducted her younger brother.
Md. Delwar Hossain, the father of the abducted child, immediately initiated a search but was unable to locate his son. He lodged a general diary at Mohammadpur police station and subsequently filed a case under the Women and Child Torture Act at the same station.
Growing frustrated with the delay in rescuing his son, Md. Delwar Hossain reached out to RAB-2 for assistance.
A team of RAB-2 initiated surveillance and a shadow investigation to locate the abducted child and apprehend the kidnapper.
After reviewing CCTV footage and gathering intelligence, RAB-2 discovered that a couple named Piyush and Riddhita were the masterminds behind the kidnapping.
Investigations revealed that the Piyush couple was paid TK 2 lakhs by Pallava Kanti Biswas, 52, and his wife Bebi Sarkar, 46, through an intermediary named Sujan Sutar, 32, to facilitate the sale of the kidnapped child.
Acting on the information provided by Sujan Sutar, who was arrested on May 18, RAB-2 conducted a raid in Tarasi village in Gopalganj district.
There, they rescued the abducted child, Md. Siddique, from the custody of Pallava Kanti Biswas and Bebi Sarkar. The child was found unharmed.
Piyush had previously been involved in human trafficking, resulting in a case being registered against him at Banani police station in DMP for the same offense. He had been released on bail after spending some time in jail.
Legal proceedings are underway in this regard.
Convicted fugitive in attack on Sheikh Hasina's convoy case arrested in Satkhira
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested Ripon Hossain, who was given a life sentence for his involvement in a 2002 attack on Sheikh Hasina's convoy, from Satkhira's Kalaroa.
The arrest took place on Thursday night in the vicinity of Nizbari near Kalaroa Upazila Health Complex.
The captured suspect, Ripon Hossain, a resident of Kalaroa Municipality, had been evading authorities for a considerable period.
Major Ghalib, the RAB Satkhira camp commander, revealed that a confidential tip-off led to the discovery of Ripon Hossain's whereabouts.
“It was found that he had been hiding in a specially constructed tunnel beneath his bedroom's bed, cunningly designed to elude arrest at his residence adjacent to Kalaroa Upazila Health Complex,” he said.
Acting upon this information, RAB members conducted a raid on Thursday night.
He was handed over to the Kalaroa police station on Friday afternoon.
On August 30, 2002, Sheikh Hasina, the opposition leader at the time, visited Satkhira Sadar Hospital to meet the wife of a freedom fighter who had been a victim of rape.
On her way back to Jessore around 11:40 am, a group of BNP leaders launched an attack on a passenger bus in front of the Kalaroa Upazila BNP office.
During the assault, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the district Awami League president, journalists, and ten other individuals were subjected to physical violence.
On April 18, a Satkhira court handed down a life imprisonment sentence to four individuals, including BNP central leader Habibul Islam Habib and Ripon Hossain, in connection with the case.
Furthermore, 44 other accused individuals received a seven-year prison term from the same court.
Assimilated govt. college teachers demand job security
The assimilated Sarkari College Shikkhok Samity (Government College Teachers' Association) on Friday gave 5 points of demand to the government for immediate implementation.Among them, assimilated teacher-employee allowances should be determined by maintaining the grades and scales obtained during the non-government status period, teachers of government status colleges, should be promoted to the post of Assistant Professor (Non Cadre), Professor (Non Cadre) as per sequence of seniority and quality, determination of salaries and allowances, determination of seniority, promotion by counting as hundredth percent of the continuous service of previous tenure at the college and recruited teachers-staff, the jobs of the teachers and employees of the colleges should be confirmed.The association complains that around 16000 teachers and employees of the colleges, which transform as government from each upazila by a declaration of the Prime Minister, are facing uncertainty in jobs.After getting government status, the teachers and employees of these colleges, serving at those colleges even 12 to 25 years, are deprived of government job facilities due to different bureaucratic complexity.They also demand that the recruitment process of assimilated teachers and staff should be completed as soon as possible.President of the Jatiya Press Club Farida Yasmin was the chief guest at the conference, the government college teachers’ association.The meeting was presided over by the president of the Government College Teachers Association Md. Ishaq, moderated by the General Secretary Md. Kamrul Hasan Pathan.The leaders of the association from different districts join in the conference. New committee also took charge from the conference of the teachers’ association.