bangladesh
Covid in Bangladesh: 7 more dead, 253 infected
Bangladesh logged seven more Covid-linked deaths and 253 fresh infections in 24 hours till Friday morning, according to Directorate General of Health Services.
Of the deceased three were men and four women, said DGHS.
The daily-case positivity rate increased to 1.40 from Thursday’s 1.25 per cent.
The fresh numbers took the total fatalities to 27,946 while the country’s caseload mounted to 15, 73,711, said DGHS.
READ: Covid kills 5 more, infects 244 in Bangladesh
Dhaka division logged six Covid-related deaths while Chattogram division logged one during the period, it said.
However, the mortality rate remained static at 1.78 per cent.
The fresh cases were detected after testing 18,124 samples, the DGHS added.
READ: Bangladesh bracing for third Covid wave?
Besides, the recovery rate remained the same as 97.72 per cent with the recovery of 294 more patients during the 24-hour period.
Sandstone workers march against UP chairman in Tahirpur
Waving brooms thousands of sandstone workers on Friday held a protest in Tahirpur upazila against what they said a conspiracy to close a sand and stone quarry in the trans-boundary Jadukata river.
They chanted slogans against Karuna Sindhu Chowdhury, the chairman of Tahirpur Upazila Parishad of Sunamganj blaming him for the move.
Several thousand workers from Tahirpur and Bishwambharpur upazilas including Maharam, Laudergarh, Shahidabad, Bariktila, Baragoptila, Mudergaon, Suhala, Miarchar marched through the streets from Tahirpur Naukaghat area.
Later, they held a protest rally and formed a human chain at Sheikh Russell Mini Stadium in Tahirpur.
In eulogy, S African FM calls Bangabandhu, Mandela great visionary leaders
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Dr Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor has paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman termed both Bangabandhu and President Nelson Mandela as great visionary leaders for humanity.
She recognized the unparalleled dedication and sacrifices of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and also highlighted the values and ideals of the Father of the Nation.
Dr Pandor visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Thursday accompanied by officials of the South African Foreign Ministry and South African High Commissioner in India.
The South African Foreign Minister was received by Bir Prateek Lieutenant Col (retd) Quazi Sajjad Ali Zahir and the officials of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.
Read: Bangladesh bracing for third Covid wave?
The officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present during the visit to the Memorial Museum.
The South African Foreign Minister was briefed about the life and glorious historical role of the Father of the Nation in the national history of Bangladesh and his supreme sacrifice.
Dr Pandor laid a wreath to pay tribute to the memories of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Read: Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum scoops Soane Medal
She visited the different corners of the museum accompanied by Sajjad Zahir and officials of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.
US Bangla launches Dhaka-Male-Dhaka direct flights
US-Bangla Airlines launched maiden direct flights to the Maldives' capital Male on Friday.
A 164-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft of the private carrier left Dhaka for Male at 10:55 am carrying 129 passengers in its first flight on this route.
The private carrier will initially operate flights on the Dhaka-Male route on every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
Read: Cox’s Bazar airport expansion: Officials hope to get direct international flights by 2023
The minimum fare on the Dhaka-Male route, including all taxes and surcharges, has been fixed at Tk29,508 one-way and Tk45,545 for return.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali inaugurated the flight in a ceremony arranged at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
He said direct flights will play an important role in reviving tourism between the two SAARC countries as well as connecting the air routes.
Read: US-Bangla to resume Dhaka-Kolkata flights from October 21
He said Bangladesh’s aviation sector will grow by three times in next 15 years.
Three more private airlines will take to the skies next year, he said.
Raped by two, eighth grader ends life in Joypurhat
Eleven days after she was allegedly raped, a Class VIII student ended her life in Khetlal upazila of Joypurhat district on Thursday night.
According to her family members, the girl took the extreme step unable to bear the trauma and embarrassment. She allegedly committed suicide by hanging from the ceiling of her house.
The alleged rape occurred on November 7 when the teen was returning home around 5 pm after attending a ceremony in her high school.
Also read: Speech-impaired teen raped in city
Shahinur, a local youth, offered to drop her on his motorcycle but instead took her to an abandoned school building and allegedly raped her. His friend too came to the spot took turn to violate her. The girl was later rescued by local residents.
On November 8, a case of sexual harassment was filed against Rafikul and Shahinur following a complaint lodged at the Khetlal police station by the girl's family.
However, the accused remained absconding while the girl’s family claimed that they had been being threatened by the accused.
Also read: Housewife ‘gang-raped’ in Bhola’s Monpura: Police
Officer-in-charge of Khetlal police station Nirendranath Mandal said that "efforts are on to arrest the accused in the sexual harassment case".
“Another case will be filed against the accused if evidence of abetment to suicide is found during the investigation," he said.
Depression over Bay likely to weaken: Met dept
A depression formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas has moved west-northwestwards and is likely to weaken, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).
The depression has crossed northern Tamil Nadu and adjoining southern Andhra Pradesh coast between Pondicherry and Chennai in India, according to its bulletin.
Also Read: Bangladesh bracing for third Covid wave?
It is likely to move in a west-northwestwardly direction further, weaken gradually and become unimportant, the Met office said.
However, all fishing boats and trawlers in the deep seas have been advised to proceed with caution till the evening.
Also Read: 11 fishers rescued as trawler capsizes in Bay of Bengal
2 killed, 8 injured in separate road accidents in Dinajpur
Two persons were killed and eight others injured in separate road accidents in Dinajpur on Friday.
The deceased were identified as Narayon Chandra Roy, son of Khokaram Roy of Chakarampur village, and Shasodhor Babu Roy of the area.
Also Read: 6 killed in bus-auto collision in Gaibandha
The first accident occurred when a speeding truck hit a rickshaw on the Dinajpur-Fhulbari Highway in the Pachbarirhat area of Fulbari upazila in the early hours.
While Narayon died on the spot, Shasodhor Roy succumbed to his injuries at Dinajpur M Abdur Rahim hospital around 9.30am.
The eight people were injured in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a truck in the Shibkuri area of Amtoli later in the morning.
Also Read: Thousands of Afghans seek temporary US entry, few approved
Of them, five injured were admitted to Dinajpur M Abdur Rahim Medical College, said the officer-in-charge of Chirirbandar Police Station.
6 killed in bus-auto collision in Gaibandha
At least six people were killed in a head-on collision between a bus and an auto-rickshaw on the Dhaka-Rangpur highway in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha on Friday morning.
Officer-in-charge of Gobindaganj police station Mostafizur Rahman said that the accident occurred when the Rangpur-bound passenger bus of Hanif Paribahan hit the auto rickshaw coming from the opposite side near the Bakchar area of the highway.
The crash left three occupants of the auto dead on the spot.
Also read: Two sisters killed in Laxmipur road accident
"Five other passengers of the three-wheeler were rushed to the upazila health complex by the local fire service. Of them, three died of their injuries at the hospital," said the OC.
The identities of the casualties could not be known yet. "The bus has been seized but its driver and his assistant are absconding," he added.
Also read: 4 killed in Kurigram road accident
'Rohingya crisis an impediment to economic integration of South, SE Asian economies'
Describing the Rohingya crisis as a "big challenge" for the region, Bangladesh's envoy in the US has listed it as an obstacle in the greater integration of South and Southeast Asian economies.
"(However), Bangladesh welcomes any regional initiatives that support the country's development aspirations and bring greater good for the region and beyond," Ambassador M Shahidul Islam said at a webinar on Thursday.
"Bangladesh maintains friendly relations with all countries of the world, including its neighbours, and believes in resolving any bilateral issues through dialogues and negotiations," he added.
Also read: Speakers call for mounting int'l pressure on Myanmar to resolve Rohingya crisis
The webinar titled 'Bangladeshi perspectives on regional economic cooperation' was organised by leading US think-tank Atlantic Council on Thursday in partnership with the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC.
During a Q&A session post-discussions, Ambassador Shahidul responded to questions from the moderator and the audience about Bangladesh perspectives on QUAD, RCEP, free-trade zone among the Asian countries, sharing of Teesta water, and killings at the Bangladesh-India border, among others.
Senior advisor of Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center and former US Ambassador to Fiji Osman Siddique, moderated the event.
Ambassador Shahidul also highlighted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s vision for transforming the country into a connectivity hub in South Asia "to foster economic cooperation and people to people contact in the region".
He also highlighted Bangladesh’s proactive role to support cooperation among the regional countries in areas such as power and energy, Covid-19 collaboration, and climate change.
Also read: Indonesia to send strong message to Myanmar over Rohingya crisis, says its FM
The Ambassador also shared his thoughts about the possible role and relevance of the US to promote economic integration of South Asia.
Speakers the webinar praised the impressive economic growth that Bangladesh has registered in recent years despite various challenges, including the pandemic and the Rohingya crisis
Osman, on his part, highlighted the tremendous socio-economic development that Bangladesh has achieved since her independence by comparing some of the economic indicators between the past and the present.
Wild Asian elephant calf found dead near Sherpur border
A wild Asian elephant calf was found dead near the Panihata border of Sherpur's Nalitabari upazila Friday, forest officials said.
This is the second carcass of a wild elephant that has been recovered from the area in the past 10 days.
Nalitabari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Helena Parvin and Modhutila range officer Md Abdul Karim from the forest department confirmed the recovery of the carcass of the two-year-old elephant.
Forest official Md Shah Alam said they recovered the male elephant calf's carcass early on Friday after being informed by locals.
Also read: Case against 4 in Sherpur over killing Asian elephant
Meanwhile, president of Bird Conservation Society of Sherpur, Sujoy Malakar, said the locals were trying to bury the elephant calf.
On November 11, the forest department of Sreebordi upazila for the first time in the district filed a case against four farmers for killing an endangered Asian elephant by electrocution on November 9.
The elephant had died while searching for food after being trapped in electrified wires installed by local farmers around their farms at Sonajhuri Hillock in the upazila.
Trainer of elephant response team in the district, Adnan Asif, said the large area under Garo Hill tracts in Sherpur has been reduced to a small portion in the past 20 to 30 years.
Due to increasing human invaders in the hill area, the number of wildlife has decreased and the remaining few elephants are facing food crisis, he said.
Also read: Another Asian elephant found dead, this time in Chakaria reserved forest
According to forest officials, in the last two decades some 30 wild Asian elephants have died in the hilly area of Sherpur district.
Of them many died by gunshots, electrocution and poisoning, while some died due to accidents, ageing and sickness, said the officials.