bangladesh
New Delhi mission pays homage to Sheikh Kamal
Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Thursday paid homage to valiant freedom fighter Captain Sheikh Kamal on the occasion of his birth anniversary.
Capt. Sheikh Kamal was assassinated along with Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most members of his family on the brutal night of August 15 in 1975.
The 72nd birth anniversary of Sheikh Kamal was observed with due solemnity through holding of discussion and placing wreaths at his portraits at Bangabandhu Corner at the chancery building.
Read: Sheikh Kamal’s birthday: PM releases postage stamp
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran led the officers and staff of the mission in laying the wreaths.
IDB, Bloomberg launch financial education programme in 9 countries including Bangladesh
The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Bloomberg LP will work together to deliver a financial education programme for university students in nine countries in Asia and Africa.
The nine IDB member countries involved in the programme are Bangladesh, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.
The IDB and Bloomberg will announce participating universities over the coming months.
Read UAE becomes world’s most vaccinated nation against COVID-19: Bloomberg's Vaccine Tracker
The programme will leverage the Bloomberg Terminal to support the growth of the Islamic finance sector and empower students in leading universities with the financial skills needed to excel in the professional world.
The programme will equip the next generation of leaders in sectors with the foundational principles of financial markets. By delivering practical real-world experiences, training will enable students to build competencies and transferable skills that are highly sought after by employers.
It is also designed to support the long-term growth of the Islamic finance industry through specialised training on market infrastructure and areas like transparency, connectivity and compliance across central banks and regulators.
Read: Financial support to vulnerable countries must for effective climate adaptation: Shahab
Mahbub Ali Khan’s 37th death anniversary Friday
The 37th death anniversary of Rear Admiral (retd) Mahbub Ali Khan, also a former minister for communications and agriculture, will be observed on Friday.
Elaborate programmes have been chalked out to observe the day, both at home and abroad, with due respect.
Special prayers will be offered and Quran khwani will be held at different mosques in Dhaka, Sylhet, Bogura, Jamalpur, and Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the USA and the UK to mark the day, said a press release on Thursday.
Read: Mahbub Ali Khan’s death anniv Thursday
Besides, wreaths will be placed at his Banani grave in Dhaka on Friday morning on the occasion.
Surovi, a voluntary organisation founded by MA Khan’s wife, will arrange special prayers for the salvation of the departed soul.
Special prayers and Quran Khawani will also be held in different orphanages in Dhaka throughout the week. Coronavirus awareness programmes will be carried out in these orphanages.
Read: Mahbub Ali Khan’s death anniv Tuesday
Mahbub was also the father-in-law of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
Ali Khan Memorial Committee is scheduled to arrange a virtual discussion-cum-doa mahfil in the UK in observance of the day on Friday.
Special prayers will be held at Brick Lane Mosque in London. Food items will be given to food banks in London. Special prayers will be held in Washington, D.C. and New York City, USA.
Bangladesh to receive 34 lakh Sinopharm vaccine doses next week: FM
Bangladesh will receive another consignment of 34 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine next week while 60 lakh doses of Pfizer vaccine in the first week of September, said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday.
Apart from that, Bangladesh will also receive 10 lakh doses of AstraZeneca vaccine soon which is likely to come under the COVAX facility, he said.
“We’ve lined up well. We think we’re on the right track,” he told reporters at State guesthouse Padma after attending a function there.
Referring to the Health Ministry, Dr Momen said Bangladesh has a stock of 1.23 crore vaccine doses and some of the doses (AstraZeneca) will be kept for the second dose.
Read: No movement without vaccine will be allowed after Aug. 11: Minister
On coproduction of vaccine, he said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on coproduction of Sinopharm vaccine in Bangladesh will be signed at any moment.
The Law Ministry has already cleared it after vetting and it will be signed at any moment, said the Foreign Minister adding that “Everything is final.”
Dr Momen said the coproduction of vaccine doses in Bangladesh is essential. “I want the start of coproduction.”
Earlier, he said the MoU is with the Health Ministry and the Health Ministry should dispose of it very quickly.
Read: Vaccine coproduction deal with Sinopharm ready for signing: FM
Dr Momen said the government of Bangladesh, Sinopharm and a local company (Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd) will sign the agreement.
Incepta will bring in bulk and bottling, labeling and finishing of the vaccine will be done locally making the price relatively very cheap.
Asked whether there is any shift from the government plan to vaccinate 1 crore people each week, Dr Momen said it is their target as per the Health Ministry and hoped to vaccinate 8 crore people within two months.
Pori, Raj ringleaders of organised gang: Rab
Film actress Pori Moni and her associate Nazrul Islam Raj were the ringleaders of an organised crime gang, said Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of Legal and Media Wing of Rab, on Thursday.
He came up with the remarks while briefing reporters about Pori Moni’s arrest at its headquarters in the afternoon.
They carried out their activities in different posh areas of the capital, including Gulshan, Baridhara and Banani, targeting people from the affluent section of society and had been selling drugs in the name of holding parties or DJ parties.
“Pori Moni had a minibar at her home and it was often used as a venue for such parties,” said Rab Commander Moin.
A case was filed against Dhallywood actress Pori Moni under the Narcotics Control Act on Thursday following her detention on Wednesday.
Two more cases -- one under the Narcotics Control Act and another under the Pornography Control Act—were filed against her associate Nazrul Islam Raj, owner of Raj Multimedia.
Read: Dhallywood actress Pori Moni detained from Banani residence
The elite force filed these cases with Banani Police Station, said the Rab official.
On Tuesday night, Rab arrested Sharful Hasan alias Mishu Hasan ,31, and his accomplice Md Masudul Islam alias Jishan, 39, along with firearms and huge stash of contraband items from Bashundhara Residential Area, he said.
High levels of toxic chemical found in machine-delivered receipts: ESDO report
A high level of toxic chemical has been found in the cash receipts that customers get through machines at payment counters of restaurants, super shops and ATM booths, according to a study report released on Thursday.
Bisphenol A affects not only the humans but environment, animals and plants as well, said the study by Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) in its new research report on "BPA in Receipt: Toxin in Finger" in a virtual event.
The report said BPA, initially created as an estrogen supplement, has been linked to development problems in infants and children, and cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease in adults.
Researchers said that BPA is broadly used as a plasticizer that is bound in polymers to make plastic bottles and food can liners and on thermal imaging paper used to print credit-card and cash register receipts, point-of-sale receipts, ATM receipts, prescription labels, airline tickets and other machine-generated receipts.
According to this study the percentage availability of BPA in Cash Receipts is 0.08% - 3.7% by weight which is higher than the EU’s standard rate 0.02% by weight.
ESDO research team leader Dr. Shahriar Hossain said that thermal paper is usually used in cash register receipts in restaurants, food stores doing BPA contamination of food from fingers and hands.
He said BPA from thermal paper can be absorbed through the blood faster. At the levels measured in this study, many illnesses like diabetes and disorders like obesity can increase, he added.
The study revealed that BPA from receipts seeps into the skin, dramatically increasing the amount of BPA in the human body. And the hand disinfectant increased the absorption rate. Additionally, commonly used skin care products also appear to increase the rate of absorption of BPA, the researchers commented.
ESDO research team assessed the situation through a baseline survey carried out from February 2019 to January 2020 on total 1350 people (Consumer and retailers) to assess public perception on Bisphenol-A (BPA) in thermal papers used in popular outlets in Bangladesh.
Besides, cash receipts have been collected from local shops (Fast food, super shop, restaurants, pharmacy, ATM etc.) and ATM booths of the surveyed areas by ESDO research team.
The laboratory tests of thermal papers found the presence of BPA in quantities ranging from 10 – 53 μg/cm2 where 0% of the population surveyed was aware of thermal paper containing BPA and its adverse effects.
Former Secretary and ESDO Chairperson Syed Marghub Murshed, who presided over the session, said the current outlook is based on a review by the ESDO of numerous studies, as well as its in-depth research on BPA.
He urged the government to work seriously on this subject, while ESDO will assist the government in integrating the issue of BPA into regulations.
Joint Secretary of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Keya Khan attended the event as special guest.
She stated that as children and pregnant women are vulnerable to BPA, the health and environmental hazards needs to be assessed and regulated through proper monitoring.
Additional Secretary of Health Service Division Enamul Haque of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare appreciated the initiative and called for taking necessary steps to look for environmental friendly alternative immediately.
ESDO Executive Director Siddika Sultanacalled for a proper waste segregation and management for BPA coated receipts to prevent BPA contamination of drinking water and food.
Director General of Department of Environment (DoE) expressed his concern over the issue while delivering his speech as chief guest. He said “The threat arising from BPA in receipts should not be overlooked.”
He spoke of the need for formulating regulation to tackle the problem.
Former Chairman of Department of Chemistry in the University of Dhaka Prof. Dr. Abu Jafar Mahmud, , Former Chairman of Department of Chemistry in Jahangirnagar University Prof. Dr. Abul Hashem, Director of DOE Masud Iqbal Shameem,
,Project Coordinator of Environmental Intervention Unit, icddr,b Dr. Md. Mahbubur Rahman also spoke at the programme.
218 more dengue patients hospitalized in 24 hrs :DGHS
A total of 218 fresh dengue cases were reported in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours till Thursday morning.
Since August 1, the country has been seeing over 200 dengue cases daily which are adding worries to the already overburdened health sector with Covid-19 patients.
Read: Is it tackling dengue or tackling Porimoni
Of the new dengue cases, 208 were reported in Dhaka while the rest from outside the capital, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
According to the (DGHS), 1,055 patients are currently receiving treatment at different hospitals across the country. Of them 1,012 patients were reported to be admitted in Dhaka hospitals.
Some 3,901 patients have been admitted to different hospitals with dengue since January and 2,836 of them have been released after they recovered.
So far, 10 suspected deaths by dengue were reported to Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) but none of them has been reviewed and confirmed yet, said the DGHS.
Read: Dengue surge:237 more hospitalized in 24 hrs
Dengue fever was first reported in Bangladesh in 2000, claiming 93 lives that year. In the years that followed, the country learned to deal with the disease much better.
The fatalities had almost fallen to zero at one stage, before surging again in 2018, leading to the severe outbreak the following year.
UK becomes Dialogue Partner of ASEAN
The UK has agreed a new partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The partnership, which is the first ASEAN has agreed in 25 years, will lead to closer cooperation between the UK and the region on a range of issues such as trade, investment, climate change, the environment, science and technology, and education.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will join a virtual ceremony with ASEAN Foreign Ministers where they will welcome the UK as an ASEAN ‘Dialogue Partner’.
Also read: Bangladesh keen to expand ties with Asean countries: FS
Since the UK submitted its application to become a Dialogue Partner in June 2020, the Foreign Secretary has attended two UK-ASEAN Ministerial Meetings and hosted the ASEAN Chair at the G7 Foreign & Development Ministers meeting in May.
ASEAN is an influential group of ten member countries in the Indo-Pacific.
By becoming a Dialogue Partner the UK will formalise its relations with the group - including through attending annual Foreign and Economic Ministers meetings along with other Ministerial engagements.
Dialogue Partner status puts the UK at the heart of the Indo-Pacific.
The UK will work with ASEAN and its members on key shared challenges such as maritime security and transnational crime, boost our economies through trade, and strengthen our cooperation on issues such COVID-19 and climate change.
Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab said: “I am delighted that the UK has, today, formally become a Dialogue Partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc – the first new country in 25 years.”
“This is a landmark moment in the UK’s tilt towards the Indo Pacific. Our closer ties with ASEAN will help create green jobs, reinforce our security cooperation, promote tech and science partnerships, and safeguard key pillars of international law like the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
The new agreement will also help the UK to deepen economic links with ASEAN, which has a combined GDP of $3.2 trillion.
Total trade between the UK and ASEAN was £32.3 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2021 with huge potential to boost this trade, creating jobs at home.
International Trade Secretary, Liz Truss said this is great news and shows Global Britain in action, forging stronger relationships around the world as an independent trading nation.
Also read: Greater efforts sought from envoys to enhance trade with Asean
"Along with CPTPP accession and deals with countries like Singapore and Vietnam, this will help unlock opportunities for British businesses in a high-growth region of more than 650 million people, allowing them to expand and create jobs across the UK.
Bangladesh shatters its own records; reports 264 single-day Covid deaths
Grappling with the worst coronavirus wave spurred by the highly contagious Delta variant, Bangladesh reported 264 more deaths in 24 hours till Thursday morning, shattering all the previous records.
The country saw the highest-ever 258 Covid deaths on July 27 before that.
Besides, 12,744 people came out positive with the virus after the test of 46,995 samples during the 24-hour period, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The fresh numbers took the total fatality to 21,905 while the caseload to 1,322,654.
The case positivity rate during the period fell slightly to 27.12% from Wednesday’s 27.91%, while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5% or below rate.
The country has been seeing over 14,000 cases and 230 deaths every day on average for the last seven days.
The recovery rate, however, rose to 87.47%, with the recovery of 15,786 people during the period.
However, the case fatality rose to 1.66% again from yesterday’s 1.65% during the same period, the DGHS added.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh announces new restriction rules
Dhaka division remained the worst hit region, logging 87 deaths followed by 56 in Chattogram, 35 in Khulna, 23 in Sylhet, 19 in Rajshahi, 18 in Rangpur, 12 in Rajshahi, 16 in Barishal and 10 in Mymensingh divisions.
Of them, 140 were men and 164 were women.
Bangladeshi youth shot dead in US
A 28-year-old Bangladeshi youth was shot dead allegedly by an unidentified gunman at South Philadelphia in Pennsylvania of United States on Tuesday night, his friends and police said.
The youth was identified as Moazzem Hossain Saju, son of Shams Uddin of Baradesh village under Muria union of Beanibazar upazila of Sylhet. He lived with his family in Northeast Philadelphia of Pennsylvania.
Read: 6 relatives dead in apparent murder-suicide at Texas home
Mashukul Islam Khan, president of Beanibazar Social and Cultural Association Pennsylvania Inc., said Saju was with friends on the streets of South Philadelphia on Tuesday night when a masked gunman tried to rob them.
A scuffle took place between the two sides during which the gunman shot Saju leaving him seriously injured.
He was rushed to Jefferson University Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
Philadelphia police have not yet arrested anyone involved in the killing of the Bangladeshi youth.
However, police said the gunman was wearing a black dress and covered his face with a mask.