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Govt to launch international news analysis programme on BTV: Arafat
The government is going to launch a two-hour international news analysis programme on Bangladesh Television (BTV), said state minister for information Mohammad A Arafat on Thursday.
He came up with this announcement while talking to reporters after a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Kumar Verma in his office at the Secretariat on Thursday.
BTV produced many renowned artists: Info Minister
He said, " We have discussed cooperation on various issues, particularly about the international news analysis programme on BTV. Discussion was held whether it is possible to cooperate with Indian news agency ANI."
The state minister said, "Since BTV is shown in India, we will gradually increase the time of this news analysis. We will try to make it an international standard. There will be news from various South Asian countries. We would also try to attract Indian viewers so that they watch them," he added.
“Collaborating with the Indian Film and Television Institute, we have to see whether any more co-productions like ‘Mujib: The Making of a Nation’ film can be done or not.”
BTV to air Buddha Purnima special programme 'Jaytu Buddha Sasanang’
Singer Pagal Hasan among 2 killed in Sunamganj road crash
Two people including popular singer Pagal Hasan were killed and three others injured in a collision between a bus and a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw in Chhatak upazila of Sunamganj early Thursday.
Pagol Hasan was a resident of Shimultala Muktigaon area and another autorickshaw passenger Sattar Mia, 52, son of Ahad Ali, hailed from Shimultala-Muktirgaon village.
The injured were identified as Layes Mia, Rupon Mia and Jahangir Alam of the same village.
According to locals, they were returning home after performing in a music programme in Dowarabazar area around 6:30 am.
After having tea and breakfast in Chhatak Gol Chattar area, when they were again going to Dowarabazar in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw a bus coming from the opposite side collided with the autorickshaw.
Matiur Rahman Hasan (Pagal Hasan) and Abdus Sattar died on the spot.
Chhatak Fire Service recovered the bodies and the injured were taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.
Police seized the bus and the CNG-run auto-rickshaw and took it to the police station.
Md Shah Alam, officer-in-charge of Chhatak Police Station, said the bodies were sent to Sunamganj morgue for autopsy.
Singer Md. Matiur Rahman Hasan (Pagal Hasan) was the composer of many popular songs including "Jiban Khata", "Aasman Jayo Na Re Bondhu", "Ami Ek Papistha Banda" "Train Engine".
Press Club President Gias Uddin Talukder, General Secretary Anwar Hossain Rin, Organizing Secretary Kazi Rezaul Kirom Reza and other leaders mourned his death.
Man dies after being hit by bus in Sirajganj
A 35-year-old man was killed as a bus hit him in Dhopakandi area under Salanga police station of Sirajganj district on Thursday.
The deceased Abdul Halim was the son of late Khorshed Alam of Dhopakandi village.
Quoting locals, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Hatikumrul Highway Police Station Monirul Islam, said Abdul Halim left home on Thursday (April 18) at around 12:30 pm to get his haircut.
The unidentified bus hit him while he was crossing the highway near his house, leaving him dead on the spot, he said.
On information, police recovered the body the spot and handed it over to the family as there was no complaint.
A case was filed in this regard, added the officer.
One held with 2 kg crystal meth in Cox’s Bazar
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have arrested a young man along with two kgs of crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth or ice) in Ramu upazila of Cox’s Bazar district on Wednesday night.
The arrestee was identified as Sain Mong Thoai Marma, 18, son of Mongsain Marma of Bandarban district.
Acting on secret information that a big consignment of drugs will be smuggled into the country from Myanmar, a team of BGB intercepted a CNG-run auto-rickshaw at Moricha checkpost and seized two kgs of crystal meth, kept in a shopping bag, from it, said a press release of BGB.
CID seizes assets worth Tk 179 crore of 10 drug traffickers
Later they arrested the driver for possessing drugs. He was later handed over to Ramu Police Station.
Two drug peddlers held with phensedyl in Kurigram
Dhaka’s air quality remains ‘unhealthy’ amid heat wave
As heat wave continues to impact daily life, Dhaka’s air quality has been again marked ‘unhealthy’.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 156 at 8:59 am this morning, Dhaka ranked ninth on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.
Pakistan’s Lahore, India’s Delhi and Nepal’s Kathmandu occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 206, 191 and 178, respectively.
No improvement in Dhaka’s air quality, still ‘unhealthy’
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, 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.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
Dhaka’s air quality 5th worst in the world this morning
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.
Tamabil land port to remain closed on April 18-19 for Indian general election
Import-export and immigration activities through Tamabil land port in Sylhet will remain suspended on Thursday and Friday.
Indian immigration police verbally informed Tamabil immigration police that import-export and immigration activities at Tamabil land port will be closed for the next two days on the occasion of the 18th general election of India.
Runu Mia, In-charge of Tamabil Immigration Police, confirmed the matter on Wednesday.
He said no letter has been received yet in this regard.
The 18th general election of India will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1.
It is to be noted that voting will be held in the first phase on April 19 in the two Lok Sabha seats of Meghalaya state, India, located opposite to Tamabil land port.
Panthakunja to be turned into an aesthetic Udyan before July: Taposh
Panthakunja will be turned into an aesthetic Udyan before July, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said on Wednesday.
He came up with the announcement during an exchange of views with journalists after inspecting the cleaning programme of Panthpath box culvert inside Panthakunja Park in the morning.
Taposh said Panthakunja is a very important park in this area. In 2017, initiatives were taken under the mega project for its development but the work of this park was stopped due to taking Dhaka Elevated Expressway in this direction.
Motijheel kitchen market: Taposh hands over keys to 57 shops allotted in 1997
“After taking charge, I discussed with them several times over the issue. As a result, they decided to work in specific areas leaving the rest of the place for the Udyan. Later, we started working at that place. Currently, its infrastructure development is going on,” he stated.
He also said, “We want to present an aesthetic Udyan to the people of Dhaka city. However, due to the elevated expressway work, a large part of the park will be lost to it. Even so, as much as we have been able to save, we will soon be able to open it up for the city dwellers."
Stating that new initiatives have been taken to resolve the waterlogging in the Newmarket area, Mayor Taposh said that last year there was waterlogging in a few places, particularly in front of Newmarket and in Shantinagar areas.
“Pointing out the reasons, we have already solved it. Hopefully, there will be no waterlogging this time.”
Construction work of Kanchpur inter-district bus terminal to be completed by mid-2024: Taposh
Later, he visited Sayedabad Super Market adjacent to Sayedabad Terminal, Zaheer Raihan Cultural Program Center Library in Gandaria and Tajuddin Memorial Library in Wari.
Among others, the Corporation's Chief Executive Officer Md Mizanur Rahman, Secretary Akramuzzaman and Acting Chief Engineer Ashikur Rahman were also present.
Cabinet okays draft law to expedite implementation of mega schemes in Maheshkhali
The Cabinet on Wednesday in principle approved the draft Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority Act, 2024, aiming to expedite implementation of different projects including mega schemes in Maheshkhali and thus transform it into an industrial and commercial area.
The approval came from the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office here in the city.
The Prime Minister’s Office placed the proposed law in the meeting, said Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain at a press briefing in the Bangladesh Secretariat.
“Under the law, an authority will be formed and there will be a 17-member governing board headed by a chairman for it. The Finance Minister and several other ministers will be in the board,” he said.
He said the main task of the authority will be designing and implementing a master plan in the designated area. “The main objective will be to attract foreign investment,” he said.
“There will be 55,968 acres of land in the entire economic zone,” said the Cabinet Secretary.
Besides, the cabinet gave the final approval to the draft Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Remuneration and Privileges) Act, 2024 to enact a law in place of the existing ordinance of 1983.
“No change was brought in the draft law. The remuneration and privileges related provisions, which were given earlier (in the existing ordinance) have been kept here as well,” said the Cabinet Secretary.
Now CEC enjoys the same privileges as a justice of the Appellate Division does, while election commissioners get the same privileges as the justices of the High Court Division do.
Bangladeshi diaspora in Canada holds Eid reunion
The Bangladeshi diaspora in Calgary, Canada recently held a reunion on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, marking the end of fasting month Ramadan.
The Centre for Children and Community Development, an organization of Bangladeshi community members living in Calgary, arranged the programme at Mac Islamic School Centre.
Over a hundred community members, including children, joined the event that featured songs, games, and various cultural activities.
MLA Parmeet Singh Boparai, Community Organisers Saima Jamal and Pavit Singh, First Nations representative Michael Robinson, and Bangladeshi community leaders Mohammad Monirul Alam and Kaniz Fatima, among others, were present at the event held on March 13.
Speaking at the programme, Parmeet Sing, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Falconridge, praised the role of the Centre for Children and Community Development in inspiring the youth to be involved in community activities.
He also provided certificates to Mohammad Monirul Alam, Kaniz Fatima and UNB Special Correspondent Muhammed Abdur Rahman Jahangir appreciating their contributions to the development of the community.
Jahangir has been working as a communication specialist for the Centre for Children and Community Development.
“We’ve brought the families and youth together through this reunion of our community members. The youth played the main role in organizing this event,” said Kaniz Fatima, one of the organizers.
She said the event was arranged to create a scope for the youth to know how to be involved in community activities and be a leader.
Meherpur witnesses season’s highest temperature at 40.7°C
Meherpur district recorded the highest temperature of this season at 40.7 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
People are experiencing blistering heat as a severe heat wave is sweeping the district.
Chuadanga Weather Observatory Centre recorded 40.7 Degrees Celsius in Meherpur at 3pm on Wednesday, said Jaminur Rahman, in-charge of the Observatory Centre.
Heatwave sweeps over 8 divisions as temperatures soar
The situation may persist for a few more days, he said adding that there is no possibility of rain at this moment.
Earlier on Tuesday, Chuadanga recorded the highest temperature of this season at 40.6 degrees Celsius.
The people of the district especially the low-income people are in dire straits due to intense heat.
Working people were seen resting under trees and in shady places hoping for some relief.