bangladesh
Fire at Ukhia Rohingya camp guts BRAC training centre, 2 houses
A fire broke out at the Rohingya refugee camp in Ukhia upazila of Cox’s Bazar Monday, gutting a training centre of international development organization BRAC and two houses.
The fire started at around 2 pm at camp-17 and two units of Ukhia Fire Service managed to control the flames after three hours, said Naimul Haque, commander of Armed Police Battalion-14 (APBn).
Fortunately no casualties were reported but the origin of the fire is yet to be identified, he said.
A series of fires have broken out at the camps in recent years.
Earlier on January 9, as many as 600 homes were gutted in a fire that broke out at Rohingya camp-16 at Palangkhali Shafuillakata in Ukhia.
READ: Fire in Ukhiya Rohingya camp again; shanties, learning centre gutted
On January 2, another massive fire broke out at a Covid-19 isolation centre located at extension-20 of Ukhia Rohingya camp. Fortunately no casualties were reported in the fire but 70 beds of the hospitals were charred causing damage of at least Tk 8 lakh.
Before that on March 22, last year, 11 people were killed and more than two lakh Rohingya refugees were affected as a massive fire broke out at three Rohingya camps in Ukhia, burning around 10,000 houses.
99% of world's population breathes poor-quality air: WHO
The WHO says 99 percent of the global population breathes air that exceeds its air-quality limits and is often rife with particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs, enter the veins and arteries, and cause disease.
The UN health agency, about six months after tightening its guidelines on air quality, on Monday issued an update to its database on air quality that draws on information from cities, towns, and villages across the globe.
Air quality is poorest in WHO's eastern Mediterranean and southeast Asia regions, followed by Africa.
The database, which has traditionally considered two types of particulate matter known as PM2.5 and PM10, for the first time has included ground measurements of nitrogen dioxide.
Nitrogen dioxide originates mainly from human-generated burning of fuel, such as through automobile traffic, and is most common in urban areas.
Exposure can bring respiratory diseases like asthma and symptoms like coughing, wheezing and difficulty in breathing, and more hospital and emergency-room admissions, WHO said.
The highest concentrations were found in the eastern Mediterranean region.
Particulate matter has many sources, such as transportation, power plants, agriculture, the burning of waste and industry – as well as from natural sources like desert dust.
READ: Efforts being made to improve country’s air quality, says minister
The developing world is particularly hit hard – India had high levels of PM10, while China showed high levels of PM2.5, according to the database.
Particulate matter, especially PM2.5, is capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and entering the bloodstream, causing cardiovascular, cerebrovascular (stroke) and respiratory impacts, the UN health agency said.
There is emerging evidence that particulate matter impacts other organs and causes other diseases as well, it added.
KUET student commits suicide at home
Police recovered the hanging body of a student of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) from Dumuria upazila of Khulna on Monday morning.
The deceased was identified as Antu Roy, 21, a third-year student of Textile Engineering Department of KUET.
His body was recovered from his home in Gutudia union in Dumuria upazila.
It is known that Antu was a talented student. His family was going through financial crisis.
He had a lot of money in arrears at Dr. MA Rashid dorm in KUET where he stayed for his studies, but had returned home.
According to his family members, he committed suicide when no one was in the house. His younger sister came home from tuition at around 11 am and found Antu's body hanging in the room.
READ: 2 farmers’ suicide in Rajshahi: Krishak League leader held
Dumuria police officer-in-charge (OC) Obaidur Rahman said that in the morning his younger sister found Antur's hanging body. It is initially suspected that he committed suicide due to financial crisis.
His body was recovered and sent to Khulna Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy, the OC said.
On November 17 last year, another KUET student, Subrata Kumar, a first-year student of Architecture Department committed suicide by throwing himself under a train in Khanjahan Ali area of the district.
Enough stock of edible oil to keep the price stable: Tipu
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Monday said the government is monitoring the market price of edible oil as there is now a stock of 90,000 tonnes of the essential cooking ingredient..
“Those who will try to manipulate the price will be identified. Besides, the Home Ministry is taking steps to remove any transportation obstacles,” he said told reporters after a meeting of the taskforce on prices of essential items and market situation at the Secretariat.
Following the government’s move to reduce VAT on edible oil, the price of the commodity has come down with the National consumer Rights Association working to keep the supply chain straight, he said.
Replying to a question Tipu, said “The government has fixed the price of edible oil when the global price was $1400, which now sells at $1600. So, we will re-fix the price based on a month-long average.”
Meanwhile, the government has taken steps to unload and transport goods in a short time after completing all necessary processes, he said.
READ: Edible oil price cut by Tk 8 per litre
Besides, steps have also been taken to remove any obstacles in import, retail and dealership level.
The government has strengthened the market monitoring to keep the prices of cooking oil stable. There is no shortage of other commodities in the country, claimed the minister.
Bribery case: Ex-DIG Mizan appeals to HC seeking acquittal
Sentenced to three years in jail in a bribery case, suspended Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mizanur Rahman has appealed to the High Court seeking acquittal in the case.
“The copy of ex-DIG Mizan’s appeal has been received by the Anti-Corruption commission (ACC). The single bench of HC Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman is likely to hear the appeal,” said Md Khurshid Alam Khan, senior lawyer of ACC to UNB on Monday.
Earlier on February 23, Dhaka Special Court-4 judge Sheikh Najmul Alam pronounced the judgement in this case.
The court sentenced ACC director Khandaker Enamul Basir to eight years imprisonment with Tk 80 lakh fine and Mizan to three years.
Basir was sentenced three years jail term for bribery and five years jail term under money laundering act but he will have to spend five years in prison as the two punishments will be served simultaneously, said the court.
DIG Mizan was an additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). He was withdrawn on January 9, 2019 following the allegation of threatening a female news presenter of a private television channel.
READ: Bribery case: Judgment against ex-DIG Mizan, another on Feb 23
He had also reportedly married a woman forcibly and tortured her. Mizan allegedly picked the 25-year-old woman up in July, 2017 and then forcibly married her.
He had also implicated her in a false case whereby she was arrested and remained in jail for three weeks.
Earlier on June 24,2019 ACC director Monjur Morshed filed the case against DIG Mizan, his wife Sohelia Anar Ratna, nephew sub-inspector Mahmudul Hasan and younger brother Mahbubur Rahman.
According to the case statement, the ACC found that DIG Mizan concealed information of wealth worth Tk 3.7 crore in his wealth statement.
Then director of ACC Enamul Basir was made the investigation officer in the case.
During the investigation DIG Mizan accused Basir of claiming Tk 40 lakh as bribe for acquitting him from the charges.
Following the allegation, another ACC director Monjur Morshed was made the investigation officer in the case, withdrawing Basir.
A three-member probe body was formed led by ACC director Sheikh Mohammad Fanafillah to look into the allegations of bribery.
On July 16, 2019, Sheikh Mohammad Fanafillah filed the case over the bribery scandal against Mizan and Basir.
On April 16, 2020, a Dhaka court indicted the two and directed the official beginning of the trial in this case.
SC bans easy bikes from highways to prevent accidents
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered a ban on the plying of electronic three wheelers, known as easy bikes, on the country’s highways to prevent road accidents.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after hearing a petition that was presented by Barrister Tania Ameer and Advocate Maniruzzaman Asad.
The ruling upheld a December 15 order of the High Court to impose a similar ban on the risky accident-prone vehicles in response to a petition filed by Bagh Eco Motors President Kazi Jashimul Islam.
READ: HC orders to halt acid-based battery-run easy bikes for harmful lead
Challenging the HC order leaders of Bangladesh Electric Three-Wheeler Manufacturing and Merchant Association filed a petition before the Appellate Division.
The association has now lost the case.
School days shortened for Ramadan
Secondary and higher secondary educational institutes will remain open till April 20 with two weekly holidays, authorities said on Monday amid demand that educational institutions be closed for Ramadan.
The decision was taken at a ministerial meeting on Monday, MA Khair, Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry told UNB.
READ: Govt primary schools to remain open till 20th Ramadan: Minister
The two weekly holidays will be on Friday and Saturday, he said.
Earlier the ministry requested secondary and higher secondary institutions to continue in-person classes till April 26 to make up for the academic losses of Covid-19 situation.
Gas crisis persists as Bibiyana field yet to resume full production
Gas crisis persisted across the country for the second day Monday as Bibiyana gas field failed resume full production.
The consumers in many areas in the city and elsewhere complained they are not getting gas which forced them to use an alternative oven to cook their meals in the holy Ramadan.
The country’s gas production drastically fell by about 450 MMCFD (million cubic feet per day) on Sunday, the very first day of Ramadan, following a technical fault developed in the Bibiyana gas field.
Officials said the gas field process system noticed that sand was coming out from two production wells which forced the authorities concerned to halt the production of the wells.
The incident had a big impact on the overall gas production as many areas experienced disruptions following the fall in the pressure of gas supply as an outcome of the fault.
Also read: Consumers experiencing shortage, low pressure in gas supply
The major impact was on the power generation as the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) had to shut down a good number of power plants immediately which led to load shedding at different districts across the country.
Both the Chevron and Petrobangla officials were trying to fix the problems as early as possible. But no significant progress was made yet.
However, Chevron Bangladesh in a statement said that it is making progress in returning the Bibiyana Gas Plant to full capacity, with production at one of the two process trains affected at the plant and one well in the field resuming Monday.
The plant is running at a reduced rate after suspension of operations at two of its two trains and six production wells in the field on April 3 following the discovery of some production anomalies.
Also read: Illegal gas connections still in system despite repeated moves: Titas MD
Safety of workers, nearby communities and protection of the environment are top priorities for teams working to bring the second train and all remaining wells back online. The cause of the unplanned shutdown will be investigated, it added.
Official sources said the country’s gas production was recorded at 2524.4 MMCFD of which Bibiyana was producing 886.9 MMCFD on April 3 while its production capacity is 1200 MMCFD.
The BPDB data shows that the operation of over 20 power plants, having a generation capacity of 2069 MW remained closed for gas shortage.
Meanwhile, state-owned Petrobangla in a statement said that gas shortage may occur in different parts of the country due to the reduced supply of gas for emergency maintenance work of Chevron-operated Bibiyana gas field.
Regretting the people’s temporary inconvenience from the gas shortage, Petrobangla hoped that the gas supply situation would be normalized as soon as possible by completing the maintenance and repair work.
Meanwhile, consumers in many areas in the city including Mohammadpur, Shekhertek, Rayerbazar, Dhanmondi, Shankar, Kanthalbagan, Mudhubazar, Kalabagan, Rampura, Wari, Maghbazar, Arambagh, Fakirapul, Banasree, Gopibagh, Mirpur, and Iskatan complained that they are not getting gas for cooking their meals.
The low pressure in gas supply also put the CNG-run motor vehicles in problem as the vehicles had to be waiting in long queues for refuelling when the government had rescheduled the operation time of the filling stations.
As per the latest order, the CNG stations must be kept closed for 6 hours a day from 5 pm to 11 pm during the holy Ramadan to facilitate gas supply to household consumers and power plants.
Cop suspended for harassing woman for wearing Teep
A police constable accused of harassing a female college teacher for wearing teep has been suspended, said police.
The suspended policeman was identified as Nazmul Tarek, a constable (Protection division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said Biplab Sarkar, deputy commissioner of Tejgaon Division, on Monday.
The punitive action was taken against the policeman as he admitted his guilt, said a press release of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
Besides, a two-member probe body has been formed to investigate the incident and the committee was asked to submit its report within three working days.
READ: Cop who ‘harassed woman for wearing Teep’ identified
Earlier in the day, the DMP identified the police constable who allegedly harassed a college teacher for wearing ‘teep’ in the city’s Farmgate area on Saturday, triggering condemnation from women’s and rights groups.
The issue went to the Parliament when actress-turned-lawmaker Suborna Mustafa raised it in the House on Sunday, demanding punishment to the offender.
The harassed teacher Dr Lata Samaddar, a lecturer of the Theatre and Media Studies Department at Tejgaon College, filed a general diary at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station.
She said the incident took place in front of Shezan Point shopping mall in the Farmgate area.
“Following the GD, police identified the constable after two days of frantic effort,” said Biplab.
On Saturday, the lecturer of Tejgaon College was allegedly harassed and verbally assaulted by a policeman for wearing ‘teep’ on her forehead in Farmgate area while going to her workplace.
She also alleged that the policeman also threatened her and tried to hit her with his motorbike when she resisted.
Women in Bangladesh and other South Asian nations wear teep, better known as bindi, on their forehead as part of culture.
Driver, helper die as truck overturns in Chuadanga
A truck driver and his assistant died in Alamdanga upazila in Chuadanga on Monday as the vehicle turned over and fell into a roadside canal.
The deceased were identified as Alamin, the truck driver, son of Wahidul Islam, and Ashik Hossain, 27, the driver’s assistant, son of Mofizur Rahman. Both were residents of Ibrahimpur village in Damurhuda upazila.
The accident occurred around 1:30 pm near Srirampur community clinic on Alamdanga –Kushtia Highway.
Also read: 2 killed in Rampura, Gulshan road crashes
According to witnesses, the corn- laden truck headed towards Narayanganj lost control while overtaking another truck and hit a roadside tree before falling into the canal, said Saiful Islam, OC of Alamdanga police station.
Both the driver and his assistant died on the spot, said the OC from the spot.
Also read: 3 die in Dhaka road crashes