Dhaka
60-year-old woman killed in Dhaka's Elephant Road as bus hits her
A 60-year-old woman was killed when a speeding bus hit her in Dhaka's Elephant Road Wednesday, police said.
Rokeya Begum lived in a rented house in Demra's Konapara along with her daughter Rawshon Ara Begum. She used to work as a caregiver for an elderly person at a house in the New Market area.
Read more: 11 people killed in road crashes in 5 dists
The 60-year-old came out from the house Wednesday to catch a bus at Elephant Road BATA Signal to meet her daughter in Demra, police said.
"A bus of Malanch Paribahan hit Rokeya as she was trying to get on a bus. She died on the spot," Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Police Outpost, said.
Read more: Road crash leaves elderly man dead in Narail
"The body has been kept at the DMCH morgue for postmortem," he added.
Dhaka's air most polluted in the world this morning
The densely populated capital of Bangladesh has once again topped the list of world cities with the worst air quality.
The capital's air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 259 at 9.55 am on Wednesday (January 11, 2023).
China's Chengdu and Chongqing occupied the next two spots, with AQI scores of 212, and 206, respectively.
Read More: Effects of Air Pollution on Unborn Children, Neonates, Infants
An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be ‘unhealthy’ while 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, and 301 to 400 is ranked 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Read More: How to Reduce Air Pollution in Bangladesh?
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
BNP, like-minded parties set to observe sit-in protest in Dhaka, other divisions Wednesday
BNP and other like-minded opposition parties, alliances and organisations are set to observe a mass sit-in programme in Dhaka and other divisions in the county as part of the simultaneous movement to unseat the current government.
The four-hour programme will be observed from 10am to 2pm separately by the opposition parties and the organistaions to realise their 10-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government.
It will be the second programme of the simultaneous movement after the mass procession by the 33 opposition parties on December 30.
Read more: BNP’s 27 points parts of anti-govt movement: Amir Khosru
BNP policymakers said the programme was worked out for January 11 keeping in mind the political changeover that took place on that day in 2007 - an episode popularly known as 1/11 in the country.
Meanwhile, BNP vice chairman Dr AZM Zahid Hossain along with party law affairs secretary Kaiser Kamal met Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq on Tuesday evening.
Coming out of the DMP office around 7:20pm, Dr Zahid said they got permission for observing the sit-in programme in front of their party’s Nayapaltan central office from 10-am to 2pm.
DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq said they urged BNP to observe the programme keeping traffic normal. "They (BNP) have to take the responsibility if there is a disruption in traffic."
BNP senior leaders, including secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Mirza Abbas, will address the programme.
Besides, Ganatantra Mancha will hold the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club while the 12-Party Alliance at Bijoy Nagar Water Tank, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote at Purana Paltan, LDP at FDC Crossing and Ganatantrik Bam Oikya in the east side of the Jatiya Press Club and Gonoforum (Montu) at Arambagh.
Though Bangladesh Jamaat Islami joined the mass procession programme with BNP and other parties on December 30, the Islamist party has decided not to observe the sit-in programme due to a strategic region, said a senior leader of the party.
After the sit-in, the opposition parties and alliances are likely to announce fresh programmes to intensify the simultaneous movement.
Besides, BNP senior leaders will take part in the mass sit-in programme in different divisions.
Read more: Restoring people’s ownership of country is BNP’s main challenge: Mosharraf
As per the plan of BNP, party standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy will lead the programme in Sylhet Division while Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan in Rajshahi, Nazrul Islam Khan in Mymensingh, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in Chattogram, Selima Rahman in Barisal, and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku in Rangpur, Vice-Chairmen Barkat Ullah Bulu in Comilla, Shamsuzzaman Dudu in Khulna and Advocate Ahmad Azam Khan in Faridpur.
Earlier on December 30, BNP and 32 other like-minded opposition parties staged a mass procession programme in different parts of the capital and Rangpur city as the first programme of the simultaneous movement.
They also separately announced the sit-in programmes across the country for January 11 as their next course of action, to press home their 10-point demand, including the resignation of the current government and formation of a polls-time caretaker government.
Earlier on December 24, BNP held the mass-procession programme in all divisional cities and district headquarters. Due to the national council programme of the ruling Awami League and Rangpur city polls, BNP rescheduled the same programme in Dhaka and Rangpur for December 30.
AQI: Dhaka’s air remains ‘very unhealthy’
Dhaka's air quality continued to be in the 'very unhealthy' zone on Monday morning.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 218 at 9 am, the metropolis ranked third in the list of world cities with the worst air quality.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be ‘very unhealthy’, while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar and India’s Delhi occupied the first two spots with an AQI of 270 and 223, respectively.
Meanwhile, an AQI between 151 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', while AQI between 100 and 150 unhealthy for sensitive groups.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
No unauthorised clinics in Dhaka city, health minister tells JS
Bangladesh's Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday (January 08, 2023) said there are no unauthorised clinics operating in the capital.
The minister made the comment while responding to a tabled question of AL MP Habib Hasan.
He said that if an unauthorised private clinic is found, necessary measures are taken as per the rules, including suspending the operation of the clinic by operating a mobile court with the help of law enforcement agencies.
Also Read: Review of mass media employees bill gets another 60-day extension
In response to the question from ruling Awami Leaague MP M. Abdul Latif, the health minister said that the process of starting the geriatric department for the treatment of the elderly in the medical college hospitals of the divisional cities across the country has started.
Activities will start soon to provide modern medical care to patients aged 65 years and above at this department, he said.
In response to AL MP Habib Hasan's question, the health minister said that the number of approved private hospitals and clinics in Dhaka city is 484.
Read More: Policies must to stop misuse, overuse of antibiotics: Health Minister
In reply to another question from AL MP Anwarul Abedin Khan, Zahid Maleque said that the government has a plan to increase the number of beds in all upazila health complexes in the country.
He said that upgradation of upazila hospital from 31 to 50 beds is ongoing. Already five upazila health complexes have been upgraded to 100 beds.
The government plans to upgrade all the 50-bed upazila hospitals to 100 beds as per requirement in phases, he said.
Read More: “Won’t allow anyone to do business in the name of healthcare.”
In response to the question of Didarul Alam, the minister said that the government has taken up the project of establishing one full-fledged cancer hospital at each divisional city where it will be possible to ensure the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients of all ages including children.
Youth dies after being hit by truck in Dhaka’s Rayerbazar
A 22-year-old man was killed as a truck hit a rickshaw van in the capital’s Rayerbazar area on Sunday morning.
The deceased was identified as Rabbi, an employee of a chicken wholesale shop at Rayerbazar.
Read more: 3 family members among 5 dead in accident involving truck, pick-up and microbus on Dhaka-Sylhet highway
The accident occurred near Martyr Intellectual graveyard around 6 am when the truck hit the van carrying Rabbi on his way back to his shop after delivering chickens at Nabisco area of Tejgaon, said his co-worker Ohid Mia, who was peddling the van.
Rabbi fell from the van and was crushed under the wheels of the truck, he added.
Read more: Teen girl dies after truck overturns in Ctg
He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where doctors declared him dead, said Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of DMCH police outpost.
The body has been kept at the hospital morgue, he added.
Dense fog: 8 int'l flights diverted, 7 delayed at Dhaka airport
Flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka were disrupted on Sunday (January 08, 2023) as heavy fog covered the capital like the past few days.
Eight international flights have been diverted and operations of seven others were delayed due to dense fog, Group Captain Kamrul Islam, executive director of the airport, told UNB.
Read more: Two flights from Middle East make emergency landing in Sylhet due to dense fog
Flights of Salam Air, Kuwait Air, Air Arabia, Jazeera Airlines, Gulf Air, Malindo and BG-350 airlines were diverted to Kolkata airport in India while the flight of Air Asia airline to Yangon in Myanmar.
Flights of seven airlines-- Oman Air, Biman Bangladesh, Qatar Airways, Emirates Airlines, Saudia Airlines, Himalaya Airlines and Fly Dubai Airlines—were delayed due to poor visibility caused by dense fog.
Earlier on January 4, an international flight was diverted to Hyderabad in India and operations of seven others were delayed due to the same reason.
Read more: Dense fog: 1 int'l flight diverted, 7 delayed at Dhaka Airport
On January 3, two international flights carrying passengers from Qatar and Saudi Arabia headed for Dhaka airport made emergency landings at Sylhet Osmani International Airport due to dense fog.
Dhaka again tops list of cities with most polluted air
Dhaka has once again topped the list of world cities with the worst air quality on Sunday morning.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 205 at 9am today, Dhaka ranked first in the list of cities with the worst air pollution.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be "very unhealthy," while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered "hazardous," posing serious health risks to residents.
Read more: Dhaka air 4th most polluted in the world this morning
Pakistan’s Lahore and China’s Wuhan occupied the second and third spots in the list, with AQI scores of 205 and 203, respectively.
Meanwhile, an AQI between 151 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', while AQI between 100 and 150 unhealthy for sensitive groups.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants – particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. The city's air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during monsoon.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
Read more: Dhaka's air in 'very unhealthy' zone with AQI score of 209
Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person's chances of developing heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Dhaka's air in 'very unhealthy' zone with AQI score of 209
Dhaka's air quality continued to be in the ‘very unhealthy' zone on Friday morning.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 209 at 9:20 am, the metropolis ranked third in the list of world cities with the worst air quality.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be ‘very unhealthy’, while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
China’s Wuhan and Pakistan’s Lahore occupied the first two spots with an AQI of 256 and 246, respectively.
Meanwhile, an AQI between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Bangladesh reports 31 more dengue cases
Thirty-one more people were hospitalised with dengue in the 24 hours to Thursday morning.
However, no fatalities were reported during this period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Also, the DGHS has not reported any dengue death in the first five days of this year. The country recorded 281 dengue deaths in 2022 – the highest on record after the 179 deaths recorded in 2019.
Read more:Two more dengue patients die, new cases 462
A total of 214 dengue patients, including 101 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
The DGHS has recorded 207 dengue cases and seven recoveries so far this year. It recorded 62,423 cases and 61,971 recoveries last year.