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PMO Senior Secretary Tofazzel new Athletics Federation president
Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Senior Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah has been appointed as the new president of the Bangladesh Athletics Federation (BAF).
The Youth and Sports Ministry issued a government gazette notification in this regard signed by Deputy Secretary of the ministry (Additional Charge) Md Fazle Elahi Wednesday.
Tofazzel earlier served at the PMO in different capacities – secretary, director general, and private secretary to the prime minister.
He started his career in Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) in 1991.
Read: Bangladesh Athletics Federation president Ali Kabir passes away
Ensuring access to medical oxygen would save more lives from hypoxemia: Experts
Ensuring access to medical oxygen would save more lives from hypoxemia, experts said Wednesday.
"Around 21 percent of the air around us is oxygen, and we only require 19.5 percent oxygen in the air we breathe. However, that is not the case for those with less oxygen in their blood – a health condition known as hypoxemia," they added.
Around the world, 73 million people suffer from hypoxemia each year, of which 32 million are children. In Bangladesh, about 42 percent of the children who visit the secondary hospital with pneumonia suffer from hypoxemia.
The experts were speaking at an evidence-sharing session organised by the Icddr,b and Data for Impact (D4I), an initiative of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in Dhaka to mark World Pneumonia Day 2022 and discuss the importance of medical oxygen security.
The session focused on the overall availability of oxygen therapy in Bangladesh, along with low-cost innovations that can supplement health systems and address medical oxygen security.
Read: Newborn twins die due to lack of oxygen at private clinic in Chattogram
Dr Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, associate scientist at the Maternal and Child Health Division at icddr,b, said anyone suffering from hypoxemia requires oxygen as a medical therapy.
Hypoxemia can happen due to a range of medical conditions, largely due to respiratory distress caused by pneumonia, malaria, sepsis, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease, and asthma, among others.
According to the Bangladesh Health Facility Survey 2017, less than one-fourth of health facilities have any of the three oxygen systems – compressed gas systems, portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) or liquid oxygen systems. Among these, an oxygen concentrator was available in 13 percent of facilities, while only 21 percent of facilities had filled an oxygen cylinder with flow metre. Only 6 percent of facilities had an oxygen distribution system and pulse oximetre.
Another icddr,b-led study conducted in April-May 2020 revealed that out of 60 district hospitals in Bangladesh, 72 percent had pulse oximetry devices, and only 7 percent had the provision to perform arterial blood gas analysis.
Read: 2 liquid oxygen plants to be established: Health Minister
In the case of other sources to provide oxygen security, 18 percent had oxygen concentrators, 2 percent had liquid oxygen in bulk storage tanks, and 3 percent had an on-site oxygen plant. Central and sub-central piping was available in only 17 percent of district hospitals, and only 20 percent had flow-splitters available on the day of the visit.
One-fourth of the district hospitals had the provision to provide low-flow oxygen therapy with non-invasive ventilation, whereas only 7 percent could provide basic oxygen therapy with both non-invasive and invasive ventilation. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic-induced extraordinary demand for oxygen supply, the situation may have improved in these hospitals.
The meeting ended with the announcement that Bangladesh will co-chair The Lancet Global Health Commission on medical oxygen security in 2024.
It is expected that this commission will shed light on the burden of hypoxemia, how to define and measure oxygen access, which oxygen solutions work best in different settings, and how to generate the financing and political will to achieve transformational change.
Read: Another Indian Oxygen Express arrives with 200 MT of medical oxygen
Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal leader sent to jail on expiry of remand
A Dhaka court on Wednesday sent general secretary of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal Sultana Ahmed to jail after expiry of her two-day remand in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA), on charges of making derogatory remarks about the prime minister.
Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal is the women front of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Tofazzal Hossain passed the order turning down her bail plea in the case.
Read: BNP women’s front leader sent to remand in case under DSA
Sultana Ahmed was placed on a two-day remand on Sunday after arrest from her residence in the city’s Gulshan.
On the same day, Abdul Hamid, former president of Gopalganj District Chhatra League, lodged a complaint at Paltan police station.
Shaheed Noor Hossain Day Thursday
Shaheed Noor Hossain Day will be observed on Thursday, commemorating the martyrdom of a young pro-democracy activist during the anti-Ershad movement in the late 80s.
On November 10, 1987, Noor Hossain, a leader of Awami Jubo League, was killed in police firing when he had staged protests against the then autocratic rule of Gen HM Ershad at the capital’s zero point near Gulistan.
The 26-year-old took to the streets with the slogan ‘Swairachar Nipat Jak, Gonotantra Mukti Pak’ (down with autocracy, let democracy be freed) inscribed in white on his chest and back. His death sparked a mass uprising that finally overthrew the Ershad regime.
Different socio-political, cultural and professional organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day with due reverence.
Read more: Shaheed Noor Hossain Day on Wednesday
Leaders and activists of different political parties, including Awami League and BNP, and their associate bodies will pay tributes to the martyr by placing wreaths at Noor Hossain Square in the city's Gulistan area in the morning.
‘Zero Point’ in the capital’s Gulistan area was renamed as ‘Noor Hossain Chattar’ (square) after the young man was gunned down in the area.
On the eve of the day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages.
President Hamid, in his message, said November 10 is an important day in the history of the movement for the restoration of democracy in Bangladesh.
He recalled with respect all the martyrs, including Noor Hossain, who sacrificed their lives for democracy.
In her message, PM Hasina said the country's democracy was restored through the sacrifice of the lives of many for the ouster of the dictator.
She prayed for eternal peace for the departed souls of all martyrs, including Noor Hossain, and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved members of his family.
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also issued separate messages on the occasion recalling the supreme sacrifice of Noor Hossain for the restoration of democracy.
In a statement, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader urged all and the leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate bodies to mark the day with due respect.
Strengthening law a must to ensure tobacco-free Bangladesh: Minister
Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Wednesday said it is necessary to strengthen the tobacco control law to achieve the goal of a tobacco-free Bangladesh.
He also said the initiative to fortify the tobacco control law to curb tobacco use is a timely one.
The minister came up with the comments during a meeting with a delegation from research and advocacy organization PROGGA and ATMA (Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance) at the Secretariat, said a press release.
Read: Fallow lands to be brought under cultivation: Agriculture Minister
The meeting was organised to inform the minister about the progress made by the Health Ministry in amending the tobacco control law and the potential role that the Agriculture Ministry can play in the process.
Dr Abdur Razzaque said his ministry has full support for the Health Ministry's proposals for tobacco control law amendment.
The delegation of PROGGA and ATMA informed the minister that currently the prevalence of tobacco use stands at 35.3 percent (37.8 million) of the adult population (15 y/o and above).
They said the tobacco-induced deaths and diseases cost the economy dearly since the financial toll is much higher than the revenue generated from tobacco sector.
Read: No famine risk in Bangladesh right now: Agriculture Minister
Realizing the extent of tobacco’s devastation, the Prime Minister voiced her commitment to build a tobacco-free country by 2040 and accordingly provided the directive to bring time-fitting changes to the tobacco control law, they observed.
Following clear directive from the PM, the Health Ministry took the initiative to amend the law.
Dengue death toll in Bangladesh reaches 187
With five more deaths reported in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, this year’s fatalities from Dengue climbed to 187.
This year’s fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease reached 182 on Tuesday, exceeding all previous records in Bangladesh.
Read more: Dengue death toll in Bangladesh reaches 182, surpassing previous record
During the 24-hr period, 796 patients were hospitalised with the viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Of the latest deaths, three were reported from Dhaka and one each from Chattogram and Khulna divisions.
The new figures raised the death toll in Dhaka division to 117, in Chattogram division to 45 and in Khulna to 10.
Of the new patients, 459 were admitted to different hospitals in Dhaka and 337 outside it, according to the DGHS.
Read more: Govt fixes cost of dengue test
A total of 3,144 dengue patients, including 1,915 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
The directorate has recorded 45,598 dengue cases and 42,267 recoveries so far this year.
Earlier the country recorded the highest 179 deaths from Dengue in a year in 2019.
Bangladesh reports zero Covid death, 62 cases
Bangladesh reported 62 more Covid cases in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.
The total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,426 as no death was reported during the period.
With the new infections, the caseload rose to 2,035,992, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Read more: Updated Covid boosters rev up protection: Pfizer study
The daily case test positivity rate dropped to 1.66 per cent from Tuesday’s 1.72 per cent from as 3,740 samples were tested during the period.
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.45 percent and the recovery rate at 97.40 per cent.
In October, the country reported 60 Covid-linked deaths and 10,043 cases.
Read more: China launches Covid-19 vaccine inhaled through mouth
Bangladesh registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 the same year.
Motorcyclist dies in Dhaka road accident
A motorcyclist died in a road accident in the capital in the early hours of Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Anwar Hossain, 30, a private car driver and son of Harej Ali from Hajipur Datiapara village of Sherpur Sadar upazila.
Sohel Rana, younger brother of the deceased, said Anwar was returning home in Banani’s Karail T&T area on a motorcycle after dropping off his employer at the Dhaka Airport.
Read: 5 dead, 4 injured in Narayanganj road accident
“The accident occurred when the motorbike hit a road divider near Banani’s Gate No 5. Pedestrians rescued him in critically injured condition and took him to the emergency unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where doctor declared him dead around 5 am,” Sohail said.
Bacchu Mia, Inspector of DMCH Police Outpost, said that the body has been kept at the hospital’s morgue for autopsy.
Bangladesh will take IMF loan, but not under hard conditions, says Obaidul Quader
Bangladesh's Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Wednesday that the government will take loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but will not accept any hard conditions.
“Global crises are affecting our national life. Pressure has been created on our reserves, prices of goods are soaring. Besides, we’re also facing a shortage of dollars. That’s why we need money right now,” he told reporters at Bangladesh Secretariat.
“We’ll take loans from IMF but won’t accept any condition the execution of which will be tough for us,” Quader said.
Quader, also the General Secretary of the ruling Awami League, added that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will take part in the next general elections, no matter, what they say.
Read: Bangladesh’s forex reserves now $34.3 billion, as per IMF formula it’s $26.3 billion
“BNP has already taken preparations for the next elections. We’ve information on where they will spend money and from where the money will come. No matter, what they say, we know that they will join the elections finally,” Quader said.
Replying to a question, the Minister said that BNP’s movement is not intended for solving the crisis that the country is going through.
“The only goal of BNP is to assume power, which will be done through elections, not in any other way. In Somalia, one person is dying every 36 seconds due to hunger. But there isn’t any anti-government movement going on in that country. What BNP wants is clearly visible in their statement, which is to oust the current government,” Quader added.
Quader further said that the next general elections will be held under the current Election Commission (EC).
Read: IMF for capacity building of capital market in Bangladesh
“BNP wants an election under a caretaker government, which will never happen. The provision of a caretaker government has been repealed by the court. The current EC may have made some mistakes, which will be corrected with time. I don’t see any reason for not participating in the next election under this constitutional body,” Quader said.
Bangladesh balances energy needs with climate, conservation
Fish, rice, mangrove trees and the lush delta wetlands where the massive Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers drain into the Bay of Bengal.
It’s not luxury. But for the farmers and fishermen who live by the world’s largest mangrove forest, it’s more than enough. Now, the environment is at risk.
A power plant will start burning coal near the Sundarbans this year as part of Bangladesh’s plan to meet its energy needs and improve living standards, officials say. Home to 168 million people, Bangladesh is among the most densely populated countries in the world. Once the power plant begins functioning at its full capacity, it will generate 1,320 megawatts of power, as much as Bangladesh’s largest coal power plant generates now.
The developing world needs its people to live better. But fossil fuel-powered economic growth can create environmental problems and make lives worse.
Read more: Power flow set up from Payra plant to Rampal sub-station