A team of Bangladesh Diabetic Association (BADAS) met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban on Tuesday. The team members include BADAS president and national professor AK Azad Khan, vice president Dr Sarwar Ali, secretary general Mohammad Saif Uddin, joint secretary general Prof Rashid-e- Mahbub and national council member and National Professor Dr Mahmud Hasan. PM’s personal physician Prof Dr ABM Abdullah was present at the time, PM’s assistant MM Emrul Kayas told UNB. During the meeting, the premier assured to extend support for implementing several initiatives taken by Bangladesh Diabetic Association (BADAS), including connecting 300 digital healthcare centres with community health centres. The BADAS leaders on behalf of their association congratulated Sheikh Hasina for naming her as the global ambassador of diabetes recently by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). When requested for time to formally congratulate the premier for being the ever-first global ambassador in the history of the IDF, she gave her consent to attend their event at a convenient time in the future. During the meeting, it was noted that Bangladesh Diabetic Society has an outstanding role outside the government in creating manpower in the field of healthcare. Philippines, Sri Lanka and India create international quality doctors and nurses and arrange overseas employment for them in the western countries and thus they are earning huge amount of foreign currencies, said the BADAS leaders. BADAS, if given the opportunity, can also play a role in creating international quality doctors and nurses abroad, they said. If such an institution can be established, boys and girls of different countries will also have the opportunity to study here in Bangladesh and their countries will also be able to earn such foreign currencies, they added. Read more: Despite being environment-friendly, jute not getting the attention RMG industry draws: PM For this purpose, Bangladesh Diabetic Association is working to establish some more nursing colleges and medical colleges. After knowing the matter, the Prime Minister assured to extend her cooperation to this endeavor. The Bangladesh Diabetic Association has already launched an online healthcare program as well as has taken an initiative to launch 300 digital healthcare centres and link these centres with the government community health centres with the help of the government. In this regard, the Prime Minister assured her support to BADAS and expressed her satisfaction knowing that such activity has already started in Khoksa Upazila of Kushtia district. The ministries concerned will provide assistance to this initiative, she said. Sheikh Hasina agreed to inaugurate the two mobile vans at a convenient time, which were received by BADAS from the Local Government Department, to deliver dialysis services and diabetic services in the rural area. The premier was informed that the interest of the loan taken for the Healthcare Development Project (HCDP) of BADAS has not been fully paid. BADAS leaders said the 50 percent interest has been paid at the PM’s initiative and sought her assistance for payment of the remaining interest as well.

Spanish Ambassador to Bangladesh Francisco de Asis Benitez Salas met President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban Thursday. The Spanish envoy handed over a letter of greeting from the king of Spain on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and Spain, President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told the media. Read: 84 die in first 3 days of Spain's heat wave Calling Spain one of Bangladesh's development partners, President Hamid hoped that the bilateral cooperation between the counties in trade and tourism would be further expanded. The president also hoped that Spain would continue to pressure Myanmar to create conditions for the repatriation of Rohingyas. Hamid thanked the Spanish government for its support in publishing Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's autobiography "The Unfinished Memories" in Spanish. He expressed regret over the damage caused by the heatwaves in European countries, including Spain, and stressed working together to combat climate change.