bangladesh
Covid in Bangladesh: 70 more deaths, 2,430 cases reported
Bangladesh logged 70 Covid-19 deaths and 2,430 cases in 24 hours till 8 am on Sunday, showing a slight uptrend in the fatality rate from a day earlier.
Besides, the case positivity rate declined slightly to 9.66% from the previous day’s 9.82%, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Read: RU student volunteers to engage Gram Bangla on Covid-19
The fresh numbers pushed the country’s total fatalities to 26,563 while the cases reached 15,14,456, the DGHS said.
The new cases were detected after testing 24,819 samples during the 24-hour period.
The recovery rate rose to 95.81%, while the case fatality remained static at 1.75 per cent compared to the corresponding period.
Among the new deaths, 31 died in Dhaka division, 20 in Chattogram, three each in Khulna and Rajshahi, six in Sylhet, and four in Rangpur, two in Barishal and one in Mymensingh divisions.
Of them, 40 were men and 30 women.
Bangladesh logged 61 Covid-19 deaths and 1,743 cases on Saturday.
The country last saw 112 Coronavirus-related deaths on June 29 and the upswing in the fatalities reached its peak on August 5 and 10 when 264 deaths were recorded.
Read: Ensuring global access to Covid vaccines EU’s priority: Teerink
However, the situation was much more catastrophic from June to the better part of August as the country experienced a surge of Covid-related caseloads and deaths during that time.
Between May and June this year, there was a 273% rise in monthly caseloads and 162% in fatalities. In July, there was a 150% increase in caseloads and a 170% rise in deaths compared to the previous month, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dengue: 1 more dies, 315 more hospitalised
Dengue claimed one more life in the past 24 hours raising the death toll to 52, said a report of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Sunday.
Among the dead 48 were in Dhaka city alone, two in Chattogram division, one in Khulna and one in Rajshahi.
Read: Dengue death toll crosses 50 with 2 more deaths, 265 more hospitalized in 24 hrs
Besides, a total of 315 new patients were admitted to different hospitals during the period, it said.
Among the new patients, 262 were admitted to government and private hospitals in Dhaka while the remaining 53 cases were reported from outside the division, according to DGHS.
Some 1,280 patients diagnosed with dengue fever are receiving treatment in the country as of Sunday morning, according to DGHS.
Of them, 1,131 patients are receiving treatment at different hospitals in the capital while the remaining 149 were listed outside Dhaka.
Some 11,816 patients have been admitted to different hospitals with dengue since January.
Read: Dengue: 1 more die, 255 more hospitalised
So far, 10,481 dengue patients have been released from hospitals after recovery, said the DGHS.
Health authorities have been recording over 200 dengue cases per day since August 1.
The dengue outbreak has become a cause of major concern as the country is battling the deadlier Delta variant of coronavirus with its limited health care facilities for the last few months.
Philippines to lift travel ban on Bangladesh Monday
The Philippines will lift the restrictions imposed on travellers from Bangladesh and nine other countries from Monday.
In a statement, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the recommendation of the pandemic task force to lift the ban on travellers coming from these countries.
The countries are Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, according to a news carried by Philstar.com and shared by the Embassy of Philippines on its verified Facebook page.
Also read: Delta concerns: Philippines extends travel ban for Bangladesh, 9 other countries
The travel ban was imposed in a bid to ward off the hyper contagious Delta variant, which is now driving a surge in COVID-19 infections in the country.
International travellers coming from the abovementioned countries will, however, have to comply with the appropriate entry, testing and quarantine protocols, depending on the country’s approved ‘listing.'
Also read: Philippines reopens gyms, museums as surge ebbs
Charges against Hefazat’s Mamunul in explosive case on Oct 10
A Khulna court Sunday set October 10 to frame charges against Mamunul Haque, former joint secretary general of Hefajat-e-Islam in a case filed under the Explosive Substances Act.
Additional metropolitan session court judge SM Ashikur Rahman announced the date after Mamunul was brought before the court from Khulna district jail, said public prosecutor advocate KM Iqbal Hossain.
According to the charge-sheet of the case, on February 22, 2013 a demonstration of around 3,000 members of 12 parties including Jamaat-e-Islam, BNP and Hefazat took place in Khulna demanding abolition of International Crimes Tribunal, release of arrested war criminals and chanting anti-government slogans.
Also read: Mamunul sent to jail after remand
Headed towards the Gonojagoron Moncho in the city the procession at one point faced police obstruction and allegedly started attacking police with cocktail bombs and gun fires.
In self-defense police also fired 20 rounds of bullets in the air.
In the attack some members of police got injured by the blast and some 26 people were arrested from the spot.
Later in the day, Sub-Inspector of Sonadanga police station, Alamgir Kabir filed a case against 26 people including Maulana Mamunul Haque.
According to the charge-sheet of the case, Mamunul Haque directed his followers to vandalize Gonojagoron Moncho and attack police during an waz mahfil held at Moylapota mosque roundabout a day before the attack.
The charge sheet was submitted on April 21, 2015 by investigation officer of the case SI Md Moktar Hossain against 107 people.
On September 3, Mamunul was transferred to Khulna district jail from Kashimpur high security central jail in Gazipur.
A Narayanganj court on June 5, sent Mamunul to Kashimpur Central Jail on completion of his 18-day remand in six separate cases.
On April 18, a joint team of Tejgaon Division police and DMP's Detective Branch arrested Mamunul from Jamia Rahmania Arabia Madrasah in Mohammadpur.
Also read: ACC investigating Hefazat leaders Babunagri, Mamunul for graft, fund embezzlement
He was remanded for 18 days till June 5, in six different cases over rape, vandalism and Hefazat mayhem. Among them, three were filed by the district police, two by the CID, and one by the PBI.
The former Hefazat leader currently has 27 cases against his name.
Educational institutions being prepared for reopening Sep 12
Education minister Dr Dipu Moni has said that the country's educational institutions will be ready to host students by September 9, before finally reopening three days later - bringing to an end what Unicef has called the world's second-longest schools closure due to Covid-19.
“Ministry officials will complete field inspections within Sep 9 to observe whether the institutions are fully prepared to open their doors for students,” she said.
“No one will be allowed entry to school and colleges without a mask after reopening. The parents will have to play a vital role in this,” she added.
Dipu Moni was speaking to the press after an inter-ministerial meeting at the cabinet division on Sunday.
The decision to reopen all the primary, secondary and higher secondary-level educational institutions on September 12 was finalised at the meeting.
After the reopening, the SSC and HSC examinees of 2020-2021, and the students of class 5 will attend classes regularly while the students of class 1-4 and 6-9 will attend classes once a week initially, Dipu Moni further said. Eventually, all the classes will be held regularly.
Also read: UNICEF welcomes Bangladesh’s decision on reopening schools
Inspector Sohel Rana, held in India, is unlikely to be brought home: DMP chief
Police inspector Sheikh Sohel Rana, who has been held in India for illegal entry into the country, is unlikely to be repatriated to Bangladesh as he is facing a case in the neighbouring country.
Indian media reported that Sohel was arrested on Friday near the Changrabandha border under Cooch Behar in the Indian state of West Bengal on his way to Nepal.
Read: Owner of e-orange.shop, 2 others land in jail
A Cooch Behar judicial magistrate court remanded him for three days in police custody in the trespassing case filed with the Mekhliganj police station when he was produced before the court on Saturday.
Contacted, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner (DMP) Md Shafiqul Islam told UNB that they will try to bring back Sohel Rana but it may not possible at this moment as he is an accused in a case there filed by the Indian authority.
He said that “We will try to bring him back but it will not be possible because we are not sure that they will hand over him to us until the case is settled.”
Since the case has been filed there (India), “we do not know whether they will give him to us without trial, he further said.
Sohel and nine others were accused in a case filed on Thursday with the Gulshan police station on charges of embezzling money of customers of e-orange, allegedly owned by Sohel and his family members.
Read: Owner of e-orange.shop, 2 others placed on 5-day remand
Before fleeing the country he was posted at Banani Police Station as inspector (investigation).
Contacted, officer-in-charge of Banani Police Station Nur-e-Azam said Sohel was on duty on last Thursday but he had been absent since Friday morning.
Inspector Sohel is reportedly involved with e-commerce platform E-orange. He apparently left his workplace without permission after E-orange customers filed the case with Gulshan police station. His sister and brother-in-law, who used to run the company, are in jail now.
Kurigram road crash leaves 3 dead
Three people were killed and three other sustained injuries in a collision between an auto-rickshaw and a tractor in Kurigram on Sunday.
The deceased were identified as Habibullah,22, a college student, Rabeya Khatun,62,and Nur Ali,55.
The accident occurred near the Kurarpar area on the north side of Kurigram Dharala bridge road.
Also read: 2 killed in Dhaka road accidents
Officer-in-Charge of Kurigram sadar police station Khan Md Shahriar said the Kurigram-bound autorickshaw collided with the tractor coming from the opposite direction, leaving Habibullah and Rabeya dead on the spot.
Another passenger, Nur Ali, succumbed to his injuries at Kurigram General Hospital, said Dr Pulak Kumar Sarkar, resident medical officer of the hospital.
Of the injured, a passenger named Nur Mohammad was referred to Rangpur Medical Hospital as his injuries were critical, said the doctor.
Also read: 7 die in separate accidents in Bagerhat
Another passenger Habibur Rahman and autorickshaw driver Iman Ali are being treated at Kurigram General Hospital.
Always stay ready to defend country: Hasina to Armed Forces
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said Bangladesh Armed Forces must have necessary preparedness to protect the country’s independence and sovereignty keeping pace with technological development of the modern world.
“We need to have all kinds of preparedness, equipment and training to protect our country from the attack of outside enemies,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing the Selection Board Meeting of Bangladesh Navy and Air Force at Dhaka Cantonment.
Read: Bangladesh-New Zealand T20 series: PM greets Tigers for going 2-0 up
She joined the meeting at the headquarters of the Navy and Air Force through a videoconference from her official residence Ganobhaban.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh never wants war with any country, rather it wants peace as no country can achieve desired development without peace as war only brings destruction.
“We don’t want to go down the path of destruction. But if anyone attacks us, we have to make all kinds of preparations to protect our country,” she said.
Hasina said the government is building the armed forces in such a way so that it can protect the country’s independence and sovereignty.
No decision yet on vaccinating the under-18: DGHS
The government is yet to take any decision on bringing people below 18 years under Covid-19 vaccination, said the Directorate General of Health Services on Sunday.
“So far we know, no decision has been taken yet. But the government is thinking about it. Measures will be taken as per the decision of the National Advisory Committee,” said Dr Shamsul Haq, director of DGHS Vaccination Programme.
He said some university students were vaccinated as per the list of the University Grants Commission.
Those who don’t have NID cards and are yet to get vaccinated may get their jabs showing birth certificates, he added.
Also read: PM: Govt has arranged to bring one crore Covid vaccine doses a month
However, on Saturday Health Minister Zahid Maleque said students below 18 can be vaccinated with Pfizer and Moderna jabs following the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) directives as per the availability of vaccine doses.
About 80% teachers and students involved in medical treatment have been brought under vaccination campaigns, the minister added.
Besides, pregnant and lactating women can get jabs without SMS from nearby vaccination centres at any convenient time after registration, Dr Shamsul Haq said on Sunday.
"We have changed the previous rules for vaccinating pregnant and lactating women and given new instructions," he added.
Moreover, Dr Shamsul said pregnant and lactating women must take a doctor's advice card before getting the jab. They can go to the vaccination centres and get a jab by signing a letter of consent.
UNICEF welcomes Bangladesh’s decision on reopening schools
UNICEF has "wholeheartedly" welcomed the decision by the government of Bangladesh to reopen schools.
“Together with other development partners, we will continue to work closely with the government to keep schools open safely," said Tomoo Hozumi, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh on Sunday.
Read: Schools, colleges to reopen on Sept 12: Dipu Moni
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said on Friday said primary, secondary, and higher secondary educational institutions in the country will reopen on September 12.
“The decision was taken in a joint meeting of the Education Ministry, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and the National Technical Advisory Committee held on Thursday night,” she said at a function in Chandpur Sadar upazila.
UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Mia Seppo joined the UNICEF in welcoming Bangladesh decision to safely reopen schools.
"(It's) Important to give special consideration to the children who are the hardest to reach and who have the biggest challenges catching up on lost learning," she tweeted.