Deputy British High Commissioner and Development Director Matt Cannell on Tuesday said the US and UK are strong allies and they are joining forces to be an even more reliable and effective development partner for Bangladesh. USAID Bangladesh’s Office of Population, Health and Nutrition’s Deputy Office Director Marvin Crespin-Gamez highlighted how working together, they have seen how the government of Bangladesh has intensified efforts to fulfill its commitment toward ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 by 2030. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the British High Commission in Dhaka, jointly with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), co-hosted an event on Tuesday celebrating Bangladesh’s progress over the last decade towards ending preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children. The 2012 Call to Action was a groundbreaking event that catalyzed a global movement to dramatically improve maternal and child survival, according to Save the Children in Bangladesh. Following Bangladesh’s Call to Action launch ten years ago, the government reiterated its commitment to end preventable child deaths by 2035 by building on its previous successes in reducing child mortality. Also Read: Matt Cannell new British deputy high commissioner, development director to Bangladesh This remains a priority for both USAID and the BHC, as evidenced by the UK’s 2021 Ending Preventable Deaths of Mothers, Babies and Children approach and USAID’s Getting to 2030: Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Technical Roadmap and their annual Acting on the Call reports. Dr. Md. Anwar Hossain Howlader, Secretary of Health Service Division and Md. Azizur Rahman, Secretary of Medical Education and Family Welfare Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) spoke at the event, which was also attended by event development partners, NGOs, and members of academic institutions and professional organizations. This event was organized to mark the 10th anniversary of the Child Survival Call to Action and USAID, UNICEF and the governments of India, Senegal and the United Kingdom co-hosted a global celebration in Washington D.C. the same day.  

State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haq Khan said on Tuesday that the cost of Hajj package will be reduced a bit. “We requested the Saudi government to lessen the cost of hajj packages and an announcement will come from the government on Wednesday in this regard,” he said while addressing an ‘intra- religious dialogue’ at the collectorate conference room of the district. The Saudi government increased the cost by around Tk one lakh for each pilgrim as they added some new facilities for hajj pilgrims to the previous ones, he said. On February 1, the government fixed at Tk 6, 83,018 as hajj cost for each pilgrim which was around Tk 1.61 lakh more the past year. The increased hajj cost drew huge criticism as it is higher than that of the neighbouring countries . Of them, an amount of Tk 1, 97,797 was fixed as airfare for each passenger. Read more: No scope to reduce hajj flight fare this year: Biman MD The High Court on March 14 questioned how common people will perform hajj at the cost of the package set by the government. It questioned, “Why doesn't the government allocate budgets for the hajj like other countries in the world?” The High Court bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Ali came up with this observation while hearing a writ petition over revising the hajj package offered by the government this year. The HC asked the authorities concerned to take initiative to cut the hajj cost following a hearing on the writ petition on March 15. On March 17, the Ministry of Religious Affairs gave directives to the authorities concerned to rationally reduce the airfare of Biman. On March 19, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director Shafiul Azim said there is no scope to reduce the fare of hajj flights this year. 

Saudi Company for Visa and Travel Solutions, a subsidiary of Tahakom, a PIF company, has announced the formal launch of the Saudi Visa Service Centre in Dhaka. Essa Al Duhlain, Ambassador of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh, inaugurated the centre at Jamuna Future Park in the capital. Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed, Consul General of  Embassy of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Dhaka  Meshari Al Thaebi,  Programme Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the KSA Fahad Abothnain, and CEO of Saudi Company for Visa and Travel Solutions Fahad Al Amoud were present. Read More: Saudi Arabia arrests several Bangladeshis in clampdown on illegal visa trade The Saudi Visa Service Centre in Dhaka will provide several facilities to applicants, local governments, Saudi government, the Saudi Embassy, and the broader community, said a media release on Tuesday. The centre will provide a streamlined and efficient process for visa applications, reducing wait times and improving the overall visa application experience, it said. This initiative will also provide a boost to tourism and business in Saudi Arabia, thereby contributing to the economic growth of the country. Currently, the centre is accepting applications for tourism, business, family visit and other categories of visit visas, and the process for submission of work visas will commence shortly. Read More: Romania likely to issue visas to more than 15,000 Bangladeshis during March-September Saudi Company for Visa and Travel Solutions operates Saudi Visa Service Centres in 33 countries under the brand name Tasheer. The centres are operated in partnership with VFS Global, world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist serving 67 client governments in 145 countries. Speaking on the occasion, Fahad Sulaiman Al Amoud, CEO of Saudi Company for Visa and Travel Solutions, expressed his gratitude to the Ambassador and the Government of Bangladesh for their support and guidance in starting the Saudi Visa Service Centre in Dhaka. He also mentioned that the centre contributes to Vision 2030 of Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Bin Salman, towards attracting tourism and business to Saudi Arabia. Read More: Indian Visa Application Centre at JFP launches Visa Application Facilitation Centre  The launch of the Saudi Visa Service Centre in Dhaka is a significant step towards realizing the goals of Vision 2030. By making it easier for Bangladeshi citizens and residents to obtain visas for Saudi Arabia, the centre is helping to attract more tourists and business visitors to the country, creating new opportunities for economic growth and development in Saudi Arabia, and strengthening the ties between the Kingdom and other countries around the world. Al Amoud expressed his commitment to supporting the country's efforts to diversify its economy and build a more sustainable future for all. "We are honored to be a part of the vision and mission of Saudi Arabia's leadership," he said. "We thank the leadership of Saudi Arabia for their vision, guidance, and support, and we look forward to working closely with them to achieve our shared goals."  Al Almoud also shared the future plans of setting up an additional Saudi Visa Service Centre in Bangladesh to cater to the growing demand of travel of workers and visitors from Bangladesh to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Read More: Bangladesh seeks ease of visa process, investment from Guatemala

Four more patients were hospitalised with dengue in the 24 hours till Tuesday morning. Of the new patients, one was admitted to a hospital in Dhaka and the rest outside it, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Eighteen dengue patients, including 10 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country. So far, the DGHS has recorded 813 dengue cases, 786 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.  

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said that Bangladesh is on the right track under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in realizing the ‘Sonar Bangla’ – as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He made the remark as the keynote speaker at a roundtable discussion, titled “Bangladesh: Achievements, Challenges and Way Forward”, organized by The Ash Center of Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University on March 20. The discussion was well-attended, with significant participation of faculty members, researchers and post-graduate students of Kennedy School. The event provided a unique opportunity for policymakers, academics and experts to engage in discussions on Bangladesh’s success in the domestic and international arena, the challenges it is currently facing, and promises it holds, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The foreign minister emphasized the country’s phenomenal progress in economic and developmental landscapes, including poverty alleviation, women’s empowerment, natural disaster management, digital transformation, as well as power and transport infrastructure development.  

Islamic Foundation has urged the mosque authorities across the country to follow the same procedure of ‘Khatam Taraweeh’ during the holy Ramadan.    It made the call through a media release on Tuesday. The release said Muslims recite a specific part of the Holy Quran during Taraweeh prayers in almost all the mosques of the country. But some mosques do not follow this, said the release. But Muslims who travel different places can’t maintain continuity in the recitation of the Quran that creates dissatisfaction among them. Read more: Offer Tarabi prayers at home: PM The foundation requested to recite first nine paras of Quran in the first six Ramadans with 1.5 paras every day and 21 paras (one para each day)   from the seventh Ramadan to complete the whole Quran recitation within the night of Shab-e-Barat. Mosque committees, Imams and others concerned were requested to follow the procedure of reciting the Quran during Ramadan, it reads. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Bangladesh maintains close ties with everyone, not only with any particular country. “We’re close to everyone – China, USA and India. Those who support our development, we’re with them,” she said in an interview with CNN, aired today. The premier made the remark when CNN’s senior journalist Richard Quest mentioned that the US believes and is concerned that Bangladesh is “getting too close” to China. Sheikh Hasina said China is one of Bangladesh’s development partners. China is investing here and they are involved in construction. “That’s all. We’re not dependent on anyone,” she said. When her attention was drawn to Bangladesh’s stance on the so-called “Chinese debt trap”, the PM said, “We’re extremely cautious when taking loans or undertaking development project.” She said Bangladesh takes majority of loans from different institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. “When it comes to Chinese loans, our case is not like Sri Lanka’s or others,” she said. The PM said her government always considers the returns and the benefits before undertaking any development project. Read: ‘Enjoying her own recipe for tea’: CNN’s Richard Quest tweets photo with PM Hasina “Another thing is that we always try our best to develop our country with our own resources. We don’t take unnecessary loans or big projects. We always consider from which project we can get returns and to what extent people will be benefited,” she said. 'Bangladesh never supports any invasion' The prime minister also told CNN that Bangladesh never supports any kind of invasion, rather it believes in peaceful resolution through dialogue. “We believe in peaceful resolution. If there is any conflict, it can be solved through dialogue. We never support any kind of invasion or conflict,” she said. Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh’s foreign policy is clear and transparent: “Friendship to all, malice to none.”  “So, when we see any human rights violation or invasion, we definitely oppose it,’’ she said. She asked the global community to come forward to stop the war in Ukraine. ‘’I feel that the world should come forward to stop the war. Because, people are suffering,” she added. She said a war cannot be dragged on by one side; it needs involvement from both sides. “I believe, each country has the right to maintain and protect its territory,” she added. 'International community should exert pressure on Myanmar to repatriate Rohingyas' The premier said Bangladesh has called upon the international community to exert pressure on Myanmar to take their nationals back to their country. She said this while replying to a question on what Bangladesh needs from the global community to deal with the Rohingya crisis. Read: BGMEA ties up with CNN to promote 'Made in Bangladesh' Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is continuing a dialogue with Myanmar. But unfortunately Myanmar is not responding positively. She said her government had already talked to China, ASEAN countries, Japan, USA and others countries and requested them to put pressure on Myanmar to take back their nationals. “Unfortunately, the Myanmar government is not listening to anybody. That is the problem,” she said. The PM said Bangladesh had given shelter to the Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds. She said the Rohingya (12 lakh) are becoming a “big burden” for Bangladesh as it has to feed them alongside ensuring their basic rights despite the fact that the country is overpopulated.  “I have to feed them (Rohingyas). I have to ensure their basic needs,” she said.    The first episode of the interview was aired in the early hours of Tuesday and the second episode will be aired soon.  

Meat, eggs, and milk will be sold at lower prices in Dhaka from March 23, and it will continue till the 28th of Ramadan. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will sell meat, eggs, and milk at 20 points in Dhaka to meet public demand during the holy month of Ramadan, Iftekhar Hossain, public relations officer of the ministry, told UNB. Read More: Have enough stock, no scope of price hike during Ramadan: Tipu Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim will launch the sale of these items -- beef, mutton, dressed broiler chicken, milk, and eggs -- formally at a function in Dhaka on Thursday. The Department of Livestock will conduct the sales. However, prices of the items are yet to be fixed, he added. These essential items will be sold at "cheaper prices" to facilitate households' protein intake throughout Ramadan, Iftekhar Hossain added. Read More: If people don’t buy in excess, there will be no price hike of essentials ahead of Ramadan: Tipu Munshi

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) last night arrested Faridpur’s Saltha upazila unit president of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) for “attacking” family members of a girl who had earlier protested him harassing her. The arrestee is Roy Mohan Kumar Roy, 28. KM Sheikh Akhter, commander of Rab-8, confirmed the news of arrest this morning. The RAB officer said that Mohan was arrested from a bus terminal in Bhanga upazila of the district and handed over to Saltha Police Station later. Sheikh Md Sadik, officer-in-charge of Saltha Police Station, said the local BCL leader had been making advances to the girl, a student of a government college in the district, over the last four years, and she had been rejecting him. Following the rejection, Mohan and his associates allegedly attacked family members of the girl on March 10, he said, adding that the victim threatened that she would “commit suicide” unless she gets justice within the next 24 hours after the incident. The girl’s family filed a case accusing Mohan and others in this connection later, he said. On March 13, the victim’s family held a press conference at the upazila, demanding immediate arrest of the local BCL leader and justice for her. Meanwhile, the district unit of BCL has formed a six-member committee to investigate the allegations of attacks and harassment.    

A 25-year-old man was hacked to death at Gangni village in Sadar upazila of Magura district in the area on Monday night. The deceased was identified as Shahidul Islam, son of Badsha Mollah of the village. Officer-in-charge of Magura Police Station Jobbarul Islam said local AL leader  Abdur Rahman and Biplob Hossain, son of former UP chairman Nazrul Islam Montu, had a longstanding dispute over establishing supremacy in the area. Sahhidul Islam and Manik Mollah, supporters of Abdur Rahman, came under attack allegedly by the rival group around 8:30pm on Monday. The attackers hacked them with sharp weapons indiscriminately, leaving Sahhidul dead on the spot and Manik critically injured. Injured Manik was taken to Magura 250-bed Sadar Hospital. A clash broke out between the two groups following the death. Read more: Mirsharai Jubo League man hacked to death On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Three people including 2 policemen were injured during the calsh A case was filed at Magura Police Station in this regard, said the OC, adding that they have detained eight people from the spot.