Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a Switzerland-based international development organisation, has come forward with consultancy assistance to set up shops at RMG factories to sell goods at comparatively lower prices to the workers.     Under the initiative, about 80,000 people (20,000 female workers and 60,000 family members) are likely to get benefits. This announcement came at a kick-off meeting titled ‘RMG Workers’ Access to Affordable Nutritious and Safe Food’ at a hotel in the capital on Tuesday. Read more: BGMEA for more partnerships between Bangladesh, Germany to unlock trade, investment potential GAIN organised the meeting with the participation of partner organizations and stakeholders to chalk out future strategy on technical assistance and how to make the initiative success. Mohammad Ehsan-E-Elahi, secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, attended the meeting as chief guest while Moniruzzaman Bipul, portfolio lead of GAIN Bangladesh, delivered the welcome address and GM Reza Sumon, manager of workforce nutrition project of GAIN Bangladesh, presented the keynote paper. With Dr Rudaba Khondker, country director of GAIN Bangladesh, in the chair at the meeting where Dr Hasan Shariar Kabir, director general of Bangladesh National Nutrition Council and Faruque Hassan, president of BGMEA, among others spoke at the event. It was shared at the meeting that the project aims at ensuring access to nutritious foods for RMG workers with affordable prices and strengthening the food marketing management. It also aims at working for ensuring nutritious and safe foods for RMG workers so that they can play more productive role for production in the RMG sector. Praising the initiative, Mohammad Ehsan-E-Elahi called for the expansion of such facility to other factories across the country. Speakers said it is imperative to give priority to the issue of safe and nutritious food for the workers, for implementing the government’s Perspective Plan 2021-2041 and achieving SDGs. The speakers called upon those involved in production, processing, supply and marketing of foods to establish fair price shops with nutritious foods at factory areas along with encouraging the workers to take such foods.  Read more: Bangladesh to stay safe, sustainable apparel sourcing destination: BGMEA Mentionable, several shops have so far been set up at two factories at Ashulia and Gazipur with the support of GAIN. About 15,000 RMG workers along with their family members are entitled to buy essentials from those shops with a special discount.    

At least 20 shops were gutted in a fire at Attghar Kuriyana Bazar in Swarupkathi upazila of Pirojpur district early Sunday. Locals said the fire might have started from a sweetmeat shop around 5am and soon engulfed the adjoining shops. On information, several firefighting units from Swarupkathi fire station rushed to the spot and doused the flame after two hours. Read: Kushtia filling station fire kills two Abdus Salam, station officer of Swarupkathi Fire Service and Civil Defense, said the fire might have originated from an electric short-circuit. Abir Mohammad Hasan, officer-in-charge of Swarupkathi police station, said the origin of the fire will be known after investigation.

The authorities on Sunday fined seven wholesalers of edible oil Tk 16,000 for stockpiling and selling soybean oil at a price higher than that fixed by the government during a raid in Sylhet. The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection has launched a nationwide drive to prevent stockpiling and overpricing of soybean oil in the market, following the record hike in the cooking oil’s house. On the instructions of the director general of the department, the Sylhet district and divisional office conducted a drive in Sylhet from 11 am like the rest of the country. Also read: Around 23 million litre soybean oil arrives at Chittagong port amid growing demand During the drive, warehouses and shops of soybean oil dealers in Kalighat, Kazir Bazar, Lama Bazar, Madina Market, Akhalia and Tuker Bazar of Sylhet city were inspected. However, no evidence of stockpiling of soybean oil was found in any warehouse in the Kalighat area of the city. Traders claim that enough oil is not being supplied from the oil company's depots. On the other hand, the depot authorities informed that the oil supply was a little less due to the Eid holidays. However, they have started getting enough soybean oil from Sunday. Also read: Soybean oil price jumps as Indonesia bans export of palm oil Assistant Director Shyamal Purkayastha and Md Amirul Islam Masud, Assistant Director of the Department were also present during the drive along with Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and law enforcers.

A fire broke out at Safipur Bazar in Gazipur ‘s Kaliakair upazila on Friday noon. Although no casualties were reported, fire gutted 14 shops, said fire service sources. According to the shop owners, fire broke out at Latif Hossain's shop and quickly spread to the other shops. Locals tried to bring the fire under control but as they failed, they informed the fire service. Saiful Islam, in-charge of Kaliakair Fire Service, said that two units of the fire service reached the spot and brought the fire under control after an hour of effort. READ: Fire at Kamrangirchar polythene factory under control Initially, it was suspected that the fire could have been caused by an electrical short circuit. However, the cause of the fire and the extent of damage will be ascertained after an investigation, he said. Meanwhile, the affected traders claimed that the amount of loss caused by the fire is about Tk 1 crore.

Rajshahi district administration has ordered closure  of shops, shopping malls, recreation centers, restaurants and all business establishments by 8 pm amid an alarming surge in Covid cases in the district. The directive will be effective from January 29 along with all other directives imposed by the government to curb Covid-19 until any further notice, according to a notice issued by Abdul Jalil, Deputy Commissioner of the district. DC Abdul Jalil said the decision was taken on Friday night in an emergency meeting of the district Covid control and prevention committee. Also read: Covid breaches BPL, Dhaka’s Isuru tests positive The decision it was announced through mike on Friday, he said. Besides, a team was formed and police administration was informed to enforce the decision. On Friday the case positivity rate in the district stood at 64.52 per cent after detecting 120 cases among 186 sample tests, said Brigadier General Shamim Yazdani, director of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH). Also read: Environment Minister contracts Covid again On Thursday the positivity rate was at 74.84 per cent, he said. Four more people died of Covid at RMCH in the last 24 hours till Saturday morning, he said

Fifteen shops were gutted in a fire which broke out at Kushumhati market of Sherpur Sadar upazila early Sunday. Jabed Hossain Tareq, deputy assistant director of Sherpur Fire Service, said the fire broke out at the market around 6am and spread soon. Read: Seven fire incidents reported during 31st celebrations in Dhaka On information, firemen rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control after two hours of frantic effort. Evidence of the fire originating from an electrical short circuit was found in primary investigation, said the official. Read: Launch fire tragedy: 47 confirmed dead now, at least 58 still missing Meanwhile, the affected shop owners claimed that the estimated loss caused by the fire could go up to Tk 1 crore. Necessary action will be taken if the traders file a complaint in this regard, Jabed Hossain added.

Shops and shopping malls will be allowed to remain open from 10am to 9pm instead of earlier-announced 5pm amid the lockdown enforced by the government to contain the transmission of Covid-19.  Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Shariful Islam confirmed the matter. Earlier on April 23, Cabinet Division issued a notice permitting shops and malls to reopen from April 25 maintaining proper safety protocols. Also read: Pandemic in Bangladesh: Shops, malls reopen doors The second phase of lockdown started on April 22 and is supposed to continue until April 28.  Earlier on April 5, public transports, shops and shopping malls were directed to remain shut in capital Dhaka as the country started a 7-day lockdown. Talking to UNB, local and international health experts, however, predicted Bangladesh is unlikely to see any improvement in the Covid-19 situation before June next as the country is still in the grip of its second wave. Also read: 'Strict’ lockdown again if health rules violated: Quader Using a mathematical model, Bangladesh Como Modelling Group, a group of experts from both Bangladesh and Oxford University, also projected that the country will witness the similar infection rate intermittently till the end of May while the situation may improve in June. Meanwhile, after a slight fall for several days, Bangladesh’s daily coronavirus death toll crossed the 100-mark again on Sunday with a sharp fall in new cases. Also read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: Daily deaths shoot past 100; new cases fall dramatically Fatalities climbed to 11,053 with 101 deaths in the past 24 hours until the morning. The virus also infected 2,922 people, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in a handout. Bangladesh has so far confirmed 745,322 coronavirus cases.

Sixteen shops were gutted in a fire which broke out at East Lailaghona Bazar in Baghaichhari upazila early Thursday.