No new dengue case was reported in the last 24 hours until 8am on Friday, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Twenty-one dengue patients, including 12 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country. So far, the DGHS has recorded 843 dengue cases, 810 recoveries, and nine deaths this year. The country logged 281 dengue deaths in 2022 – the highest on record after 179 deaths recorded in 2019. Also, it recorded 62,423 dengue cases and 61,971 recoveries last year.

A 4-year-old boy was killed and four others were seriously injured after a wall of a under-construction building collapsed over a nearby tin shade house in Gazipur on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Mushfiq. The injured are Mst Mukta, 15, Rubel, 35, Md Jahidul Islam, 28, Shahidul Islam, 22. According to police and locals of Konabari area, a local garments owner Md Faruk Ahmed’s under-construction five-storey building’s 15 feet wall collapsed on a the tin shade house during rain early hours of Friday, leaving five residents injured. Locals rescued and rushed them to Konabari Popular Hospital. Mushfiq succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Later, three of the injured were transferred to National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation due to critical condition. At least 18 rooms of the house were also damaged. Sakhawat Imtiaz, SI of Gazipur Metropolitan's Konabari police station, said legal proceeding is underway. 

The Broadcast Journalist Center (BJC) has protested the Digital Security Act (DSA) case filed against Prothom Alo journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams and his arrest over a report published on March 26. If someone is aggrieved by any report published in the newspaper, redress can be sought from Bangladesh Press Council, a press release from BJC said. But going beyond that process, a case under the much contested DSA was filed against Shams despite the government making a clear commitment towards not misusing the law, the press release signed by BJC Chairman Rezwanul Haque and Member Secretary Shakil Ahmed said Thursday. Demanding immediate release of the arrested journalist, BJC said it was not "lawful to pick Shams up from his residence in the dead of the night and later show him arrested." However, BJC also pointed to the questions raised regarding the Prothom Alo report and stressed the need for "responsible journalism." On March 29, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) men picked up Shams from his residence in the Ambagan area, adjacent to Jahangirnagar University, around 4:30 am. The same day, a Jubo League leader filed a case under the DSA against Shams, accusing him of publishing a "false and fabricated report" in Prothom Alo. A Dhaka court on Thursday sent the Prothom Alo reporter to jail in the case filed under Digital Security Act after rejecting his bail petition.  

Bangladesh reported five more Covid-19 cases in 24 hours till Friday morning. With the new number, the country's total caseload rose to 2,038,028, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). However, the official death toll from the disease remained unchanged at 29,446 as no new fatalities were reported. The daily case test positivity rate rose to 0.69 percent from Thursday’s 0.40 percent against the tests of 720 samples. The death and recovery rates remained unchanged at 1.44 percent and 98.41 percent, respectively.  

The broiler chicken was selling at a slightly higher price of Tk220-230,  up from the recent price of Tk200- 210 a kilo in the kitchen markets of Dhaka city. After a recent meeting with broiler suppliers and the Director General of Directorate of National Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP) on March 23, its price was lowered to Tk200 per kg from Tk 260-270 per kg. The retailers said the price of broiler chicken has increased at wholesale and middlemen level, which impacted on retail prices. The Sonali (cock) was selling at Tk 350-360 per kg, while Pakistani Sonali chicken below 1 kg weight was sold at Tk 330-340 per kg on Friday in Dhaka. Layer (mother) broiler chicken price was also stable at Tk 330-340 per kg, while the domestic rearing (indigenous) chicken was sold at Tk 580 to Tk640 per kg. Egg price decreased slightly and it was selling at Tk 130 per dozen on Friday. Beef was selling at Tk750 to 800 per kg based on quality in the city’s kitchen market on Friday while mutton was selling at Tk1000-1100 per kg. Fish prices were also stable at higher prices but the presence of customers in the fish was thin on Friday compared to other times.    Read more: CAB for punishment of broiler chicken market manipulators for 'looting Tk1000 crore' This correspondent found this scenery of chicken items visiting different areas including Karwan Bazar, Khilgaon, Malibag, Shantinagar, Rampura, Basabo and Fakirapol of Dhaka City. The prices of different types of vegetable and fruits items are still stable at higher prices. Ratan Hawlader, a vegetable trader of Karwan Bazar told UNB that the price of vegetables is slightly higher as the production of all kinds of vegetables has fallen in this season. With the arrival of new vegetables, the price will fall gradually, but not below Tk 40 per due to higher transportation and production cost, he said.

Metro rail’s Shewrapara and Uttara South stations opened to the public on Friday. With the opening of the two stations, all 9 stations on the Uttara-Agargaon route are now operational. Meanwhile, MAN Siddique, the managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) said metro rail will run from 8 am to 2 pm instead of 8:30 am to 12:30 pm from April 5. “Considering the passengers' demand and aiming to provide more services, the timing has been changed,” he said in a press conference on Thursday. He also said the metro rail will start in full swing from July this year and people can enjoy the metro service from dawn to midnight. Read more: Metro rail to run following new schedule from April 5 According to DMTCL, the  operation from Uttara to  Motijheel may start by the end of 2024, and Kamalapur by 2025. By December 2024, the metro rail will start operation from Agargaon to Kamalapur route with 24 trains. On December 28, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the country's first-ever elevated metro rail, setting a communication milestone in the country.             

Bangladesh has recommended that the policymakers, and development partners collaborate to ensure greater inclusion of diasporas in policy debates in their host countries, including on issues of official development assistance (ODA). Referring to the contribution of skilled diasporas to the economic development of host and home countries, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen urged the development partners to nurture the innovative ideas and business models of diasporas and invest more in skills development in developing countries, especially in ICT education. He was speaking at the panel discussion "Empowering Diaspora, Migrants and Displaced Persons as Development Agents" organised by International Organization for Migration (IOM) during its 2023 International Dialogue on Migration held at the United Nations Headquarters on Thursday. Bangladesh's journey from a war-ravaged LDC to a "robust development model" has been marked by the significant contribution of migrants and diasporas, said Masud. Read more: Bangladesh-Australia ties expected to strengthen on a large scale: Speakers Highlighting the whole-of-society approach to migration management adopted by the government, Masud shared the experience of Bangladesh in engaging diasporas in mobilising financial flow, especially through remittance. As the consumer of the home country's products, diasporas represent a major export market, he added. "They contribute to developing business models and support their country by sending money to the family and businesses they run in Bangladesh."  

The Canadian House of Commons has passed Bill S-214 on International Mother Language Day (IMLD) Act.  By adopting this bill, Canada will now officially honour IMLD on February 21 every year.  It is a historic moment for Bangladeshi Canadians and the proponents of mother tongues globally, said the Bangladesh High Commission in Canada on Friday.  On the occasion, the high commission acknowledged the contribution of late Rafiqul Islam, Abdus Salam and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for getting IMLD adopted by UNESCO in 1999 and later by the UN.  "We also recognise the contribution of Aminul Islam to take the initiative to get Bill S-214 passed by the Canadian parliament," said the mission. Bangladesh to Canada Khalilur Rahman was present at the House of Commons during the discussion and passing of the bill. Read more: International Mother Language Day: Tribute from UN in Bangladesh in many languages  Ken Hardie MP, who introduced the bill to the House, and Mobina S Jaffer, a senator, who led the passing of the Bill earlier by the Canadian Senate, were also present. The high commission acknowledged the initiative and contribution of the Mother Language Lovers of the World Society and its President Aminul for persisting with Bill S-214 with the MPs and senators for almost a decade. "Adoption of Bill S-214 highlights Canada's commitment to linguistic diversity and cultural heritage. The bill recognises that language is an essential aspect of one's identity and cultural heritage, and linguistic diversity should be celebrated, promoted, and preserved," the Bangladesh mission said.  

Bangladesh has urged the European Union (EU) to consider textile threshold criteria for Bangladesh in the newly proposed GSP provisions. A delegation led by Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah, principal secretary to the prime minister, paid a visit to Heidi Hautala, vice-president of the European Parliament, in Brussels Thursday. It also included Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Faruque Hassan, Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Bangladesh Ambassador to Belgium Mahbub Hassan Saleh, and former Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Nihad Kabir. The issues of bilateral trade, LDC graduation, the proposed EU GSP scheme for 2024-2034, challenges, and preparedness to address them and the continuation of the development momentum of Bangladesh were highlighted at the meeting. Stressing the significance of the EU's continued support for Bangladesh's smooth LDC graduation, the delegation urged the international organisation to extend the transition period from three years to six years. At the meeting, Faruque said apparel exports from Bangladesh had immensely benefited from LDC-specific trade preferences under the generalised system of preferences (GSP) scheme. The readymade garment (RMG) industry has made a significant contribution to the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh, especially poverty alleviation through employment creation and empowerment of women who make up 60 percent of the total apparel workforce, he said. That is why such trade preference from the EU remains extremely important and relevant for Bangladesh even after LDC graduation so that the country's development journey continues, Faruque added. As per the proposed provisions Bangladesh is likely to qualify for GSP+ after its LDC graduation but the specified EU "safeguards" would exclude the country's clothing exports from any tariff preferences. Bangladesh's apparel sector would not benefit from the GSP+ facility and would lose competitiveness in the EU market, which would hurt the RMG sector and millions of lives who depend on the industry for their livelihood, the delegation said. It hoped that the EU would consider the issues and would continue to support Bangladesh so that the momentum behind the country's economic growth continues after LDC graduation. The two sides also discussed other issues, including trade and investment, Everything But Arms (EBA), and Bangladesh's relations with the EU in the post-LDC era. The Bangladesh side highlighted the importance of specific trade preferences under the EU's GSP for the development of Bangladesh.  

Bangladesh has long pursued a nonaligned foreign policy but it appears to be "moving closer to a full embrace" of the Indo-Pacific Strategy pursued by the US and its partners in the region, which revolves around countering China. Last month, Dhaka finalised a draft of its Indo-Pacific Outlook focused on objectives that mirror those of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, such as the need for a free, secure, and peaceful region, according to Foreign Policy's South Asia brief by Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program and Senior Associate for South Asia at the Wilson Center. This move comes as the US and a few key allies have signalled that Bangladesh should be a part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, according to the brief. Last week, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida gave a speech in New Delhi described as a "new plan" for the region, calling for collaborations with Bangladesh, including a new economic partnership agreement. This month, UK Indo-Pacific Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan visited Bangladesh. "It's easy to understand why these countries would want Bangladesh to take part in the Indo-Pacific Strategy," read the brief. "It is strategically located, bordering India and serving as a gateway to both South and Southeast Asia." Dhaka has "friendly ties" with the US, the other members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (known as the Quad), and many European countries. Both of these factors make Bangladesh a good partner. China has stepped up its influence in Bangladesh through infrastructure loans, which US officials have privately described as "bad deals" for Dhaka. China's rivals also worry about its expanded naval presence in the western part of the Indian Ocean, including its military base off Djibouti. All of this lies in Bangladesh's maritime neighbourhood. China is also a major supplier of arms to Bangladesh. "So getting Dhaka's buy-in to the US Indo-Pacific vision would be a strategic victory," said the brief. However, Bangladesh "has never strayed from" the country's founding principle of nonalignment, captured in a 1974 line from Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: "Friendship to all, malice toward none." "Bangladesh aims to balance relations with rival states. India's foreign policy is also nonaligned, but it considers China to be a strategic rival," read the brief. Participating in the US Indo-Pacific Strategy would bring Bangladesh closer to key trade and investment partners. Bangladesh's and India's current governments are close, and New Delhi likely encouraged Dhaka to embrace the strategy, according to the brief. Two years ago, Gowher Rizvi, an advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said: "We are very willing to be a part of the Indo-Pacific relationship and India is our most important partner." "Even as Bangladesh embraces the Indo-Pacific Strategy, it is still trying to placate China. Dhaka's draft Indo-Pacific Outlook stipulates that it seeks to avoid rivalries and has no security goals," read the brief. Observers note that calling it an "outlook" rather than a "policy" or "strategy" has a softer connotation. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – which includes many states that have cordial relations with China – opted for the same term in its Indo-Pacific statement. Dhaka has also not indicated that it would join the Quad. "China nonetheless seems concerned. Last week, the Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh accused Washington of trying to push Dhaka into the US camp," read the brief. Bangladesh "could certainly back off from the US Indo-Pacific Strategy" to deepen relations with China. "Bangladesh appears to believe its interests aren't compromised by stretching the limits of nonalignment," according to the brief.