United News of Bangladesh

The number of deaths caused by flooding in Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, has climbed to 33, as officials worked urgently on Monday to evacuate and assist hundreds of families stranded in their homes. According to Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani, ten additional fatalities were confirmed by Sunday evening, adding to the 23 deaths reported a day earlier. He shared the update during a broadcast on state television late Sunday. 773 dead in weeklong fighting as military tries to repel Rwanda-backed rebels: Congo The flooding was triggered by heavy rainfall that began last week, leading the Ndjili River to overflow on Friday and inundate numerous structures. Although the situation showed signs of improvement by Monday morning, some major roads were still impassable, and vehicular movement remained limited. Many residents criticised the government’s response, saying it was too slow. “We lost everything and had to leave it all behind,” said Marie Nzola, who saw her home destroyed. “The rain caught us off guard late at night.” Authorities stated on Sunday that most of the deaths occurred due to walls collapsing shortly after the flooding began. Kinshasa Governor Daniel Bumba announced over the weekend that the main road to the airport—which also connects the capital with other parts of the country—was damaged but would be reopened to all traffic within 72 hours. Flooding also disrupted access to drinking water in at least 16 communes, after water infrastructure was impacted, the interior ministry said in a statement. At least four emergency shelters have been set up by the government, currently housing hundreds of displaced families across the city, the ministry added. Clément Matwidi, another resident affected by the floods, voiced his frustration and appealed for more government assistance. “Everything was lost in the floods, and now we’re just waiting for the authorities to act,” he said. In 2022, similar flooding in Kinshasa claimed the lives of at least 100 people. Dhaka's air ‘moderate’ Monday morning The disaster coincides with an ongoing humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo, over 2,600 kilometers (1,600 miles) from Kinshasa, where conflict with rebels flared up again in February, deepening what is already one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies.

A minimum of four workers have lost their lives after an avalanche struck a construction crew working on a highway near India’s mountainous border with Tibet, the Indian army reported on Saturday, reports AP. The disaster occurred on Friday near the Mana Pass in Uttarakhand’s northern region, trapping 55 construction workers beneath the snow. Rescuers managed to pull out 50 of them, but four later succumbed to their injuries, according to an army statement. 41 workers trapped after being swept away by an avalanche in northern India The search for the remaining five missing workers was still underway, with multiple rescue teams and military helicopters scanning the site. The statement did not disclose the exact number of injured but confirmed that those affected were receiving priority evacuation. Chandrashekhar Vashistha, a senior administrative official, stated that some workers had sustained severe injuries and were undergoing treatment in hospital. Many of the trapped workers were migrant labourers involved in a project to widen and pave a 50-kilometre (31-mile) highway stretch from Mana, India’s last village, to the Mana Pass on the Tibet border. “Rescue efforts were hindered by heavy snowfall, making access difficult,” said Kamlesh Kamal, spokesperson for the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. He added that rescuers faced significant challenges due to deep snow, ongoing snowstorms, and poor visibility. Avalanches in western US claim more lives in recent weeks including a weekend death in Colorado The fragile Himalayan ecosystem, already impacted by global warming, is highly susceptible to avalanches and flash floods. In 2022, an avalanche in Uttarakhand claimed the lives of 27 trainee mountaineers. The previous year, a glacier burst in the state triggered a flash flood, resulting in over 200 deaths.

The United States has said it looks forward to working with Bangladesh to "enhance economic investment" over the next 50 years and beyond. The visiting US delegation met Salman F Rahman, Private Industry and Investment Adviser to PM Sheikh Hasina, to hear how government and private companies are collaborating. Eileen Laubacher, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for South Asia, US National Security Council (NSC); Michael Schiffer, USAID Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Asia; and Afreen Akhter, US Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, are on a three-day visit to Bangladesh. For over 50 years, the US has partnered with the government and the people of Bangladesh, providing over $8 billion to tackle issues like public health, education, energy, environment, food security, natural disasters, and more. Read: Want to create a new chapter in our relations: Foreign Minister says after meeting with US delegation The United States is one of the largest investors in Bangladesh and its largest single country export market, said the US Embassy in Dhaka. "Our leadership from Washington D.C. joined local economic experts to discuss a range of issues impacting the bilateral trade relationship," said the US Embassy. The United States "stands ready" to help Bangladesh create a business climate that attracts more investment from the US. The delegation discussed ways to improve the business environment, making investment in Bangladesh more attractive to American companies. Read: Bangladesh-US relations will be stronger based on environment, climate actions: Environment Minister The three officials, according to the US side, are visiting Bangladesh to discuss with the government of Bangladesh ways to "strengthen diplomatic ties, address challenges, and promote a shared vision for the advancement of mutual interests in the Indo-Pacific region." They also met Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, civil society representatives, labour leaders, youth activists and those engaged in developing a free and uncensored media. "We discussed with the Foreign Minister how our two countries can work on mutual interests, including economic development, security, refugees, climate, labor, and trade," said the US Embassy in a separate message after the meeting. Bangladesh is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific region, it said. Read more: US Deputy Assistant Secretary meets Bangladeshi civil society members including Zillur and Adilur

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (May 15, 2023) apprehend that frequent climate-induced disasters may disrupt Bangladesh’s smooth transition from the LDC to developing country. “Bangladesh has been recommended for graduation from the LDC by 2026. However, the frequent climate-induced disasters may disrupt our smooth transition. Climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction are, therefore, policy priorities of my government,” she said. The Prime Minister expressed her apprehension in her pre-recorded video speech that was played in the 79th Annual Session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) on "Accelerating Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific for Sustainable Development" held in Bangkok, Thailand. Also Read: Almost 3000 shanties damaged, but Rohingya camps spared the worst of Mocha She said that Bangladesh has been hosting 1.2 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals. “Their overdue presence not only poses a serious security threat but also triggers a severe environmental degradation,” she said. She reiterated her call to take concerted efforts to send them back to their homes in Myanmar.  Hasina put forward four proposals for UNESCAP for the betterment of the world to face the climate change. Read More: Climate Change: Leaders gather at annual UN policy forum in Bangkok to tackle the most daunting threat The proposals are: -Climate-vulnerable developing countries, especially in Asia and the Pacific, require adequate finances to implement their NAP as well as to achieve NDC targets. -International Support Measures of knowledge sharing, technology transfer and innovation-driven trade and investment are to be placed for transition towards climate resilience growth for the graduating countries. -Trade facilitation measures, digital trade and IT-enabled services should be available in the developing countries to deal with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and mitigate the challenges of climate change. -Sub-regional cooperation is to be strengthened, especially accelerating the current partnership and developing new partnerships, for promoting the climate actions for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. The prime minister said that climate change is the real challenge of this time. The Asia and Pacific region, home to 60 percent of the world's population, is highly vulnerable to climate change. Also Read: Cyclone Mocha: 10,000 houses damaged in Cox's Bazar, inc 1200 in St Martin She said that this region is facing natural calamities like floods, cyclones, heat waves and droughts in an increased rate due to the impacts of climate change affecting lives and livelihoods. PM Hasina mentioned that Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world although its contribution to global emission is very negligible. “Our development programs, therefore, focus on addressing climate-resilient development efforts,” she told the conference. She said that her government has established 'Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund in 2009’ to help vulnerable communities. About 851 projects costing around half a billion US dollars have so far been executed under the fund. Read More: Many countries can learn from Bangladesh’s approaches to reducing poverty, empowering women, adapting to climate change: WB President In October 2022, she said, Bangladesh has submitted the National Adaptation Plan-NAP to UNFCCC. It has identified 113 interventions across 8 priority areas with a costing outlay of around 230 billion US dollar up to 2050. “Bangladesh has also submitted an ambitious and updated Nationally Determined Contributions-NDC to the UNFCCC in 2021.” She mentioned that the government has adopted the 'Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100', a 100-year strategic plan, for achieving a safe, climate-resilient prosperous delta. She said that Bangladesh is also implementing the 'Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan spanning from 2022 to 2041 with the vision of setting Bangladesh's development trajectory from vulnerability to resilience. “Let us join our hands together to consolidate our partnership to fight against the perilous threats of Climate Change and make the world a safer and better place for our future generation,” she said. Read More: Fakhrul slams govt for alleged inaction on climate change impact

The war in Ukraine helped push the global total of people left internally displaced by conflict or natural disasters to a record high of 71.1 million last year, according to a report released Thursday by the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. By the end of 2022, 5.9 million people had been forced to move inside Ukraine because of Russia's invasion, bringing the global total of people internally displaced by conflict and violence to more than 62 million, an increase of 17% since 2021. Syria had 6.8 million displaced by conflict after more than a decade of civil war. The number of people displaced inside their country at the end of the year because of disasters like floods and famine reached 8.7 million, up by 45% from 2021. The total of 71.1 million internally displaced worldwide was a 20% increase since 2021. Internal displacement refers to people forced to move inside their own borders and the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre's report didn’t take into account those who left for different countries. Also read: Ukraine's occupied nuke plant faces possible staffing crunch Following a year when conflict raged in Ukraine, Syria, Ethiopia and elsewhere, there has been no respite in 2023. The United Nations migration agency said this week that 700,000 people have already been internally displaced in a matter of weeks by the conflict in Sudan between the army and a rival paramilitary group. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre cited the La Nina weather phenomenon, which continued for a third consecutive year in 2022, as a major factor in disaster displacements. It contributed to record levels of flood displacement in Pakistan, Nigeria and Brazil and to the worst drought on record in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, the report said. There was a “perfect storm” of conflict and natural disasters in 2022, leading to “displacement on a scale never seen before,” said Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said that the Padma Bridge will come as divine blessings for the people of the southern region as they will get quick assistance during natural disasters after its opening next week. “I think, the inauguration of Padma Bridge on June 25 will come as a blessing from Allah as we will be able to establish rapid communication with the southern region and promptly help the people in case of floods,” she said. The premier was addressing a reception accorded to the 2021 SAFF Champion Bangladesh Under-19 Women National Football Team at her office in the city. Noting that flood has affected the northeastern region massively this time, she said such deluge will affect the southern region of the country too. Also read:PM seeks support of Japan to become a developed nation Hasina said she opened Bangabandhu Bridge over Jamuna River just before the 1998 countrywide long-lasting flood and this helped maintain communication with the northern part of the country for uninterrupted transportation of goods and other essentials. She said the flood also had affected the southern region at that time and the people of this area got help from the northern districts. “We had been able to face that flood successfully…. Since we had opened the Bangabandhu Bridge, it helped us face the flood in many ways at that time,” she added. The PM said crossing the river like Padma River becomes dangerous due to strong current during such floods and disrupts the communication. She recalled that she got stranded in Tungipara during the 1988 floods. “I could have come to Dhaka at that time had a bridge been there over the Padma River,” she added. “So, when the Padma Bridge is opened, we’ll get the scope to continue relief operations, providing other assistance and medicines in the flood-hit areas,” she said. Mentioning that a devastating flood hits Bangladesh after every 10-12 years, the premier said she earlier warned all government authorities that a different type of flood might affect the country this year and asked them to take preparation accordingly. “We’ve the preparation (for facing the flood). We’re taking proper measures to ease the sufferings of the flood-hit people,” she said. Citing that this time the flood has affected the country in a massive way, Hasina said the government has taken all measures including providing reliefs and assistance to the flood-hit people by the Army, Navy and Air Force to all government agencies concerned. Besides,the leaders and activists of Awami League (AL), Chattra league, Jubo League and Swecchasebak League are also helping the flood-hit people in their respective localities, said Hasina, also the AL president. Mentioning that the flood water has started receding in different places particularly in Sunamganj on Sunday, she said the government has also taken the preparation to ease public sufferings during the post-flood situation. She said when the water recedes other regions downstream will be flooded naturally. “So, our Mymensingh and Ranpur divisions are also likely to be flooded. So, we’re taking precautionary measures and proper preparation in this regard,” said the prime minister. When the flood water recedes from the north eastern part, the central region might be flooded until the Bengali month of Shraban and then the southern region from Shraban to Bhadra. It is rule of nature, she said. “In Bangladesh, we will have to move coping up with its natural environment. So, we’ll continue the activities to ensure normal life alongside facing the natural disasters,” she said adding that Bangladesh successfully hosted the Mini World Cup (The 1998 ICC Champions Trophy) during the 1998 flood.

Civil society leaders on Tuesday demanded special allocation in the 2022-23 fiscal's budget for facing natural disasters in the country's southwestern coastal areas, which are very vulnerable to climate change.  They also demanded that Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat districts be declared as disaster-prone areas, and also to take necessary measures to protect the people and their property from the damage caused by natural calamities.    Also read:Kamal thanks ADB for budget aid during pandemic The demands were made from a press conference in Dhaka Reporters Unity jointly organised by Local Environment Development and Agricultural Research Society (LEDARS), a non-government organisation, and Sundarbans and Coastal Belts Protection Movement (SCBPM).  LEDARS' executive director Mohan Kumar Mandal presented his keynote in the press conference moderated by Coordinator of SCBPM Nikhil Chandra Bhadra.  The press conference was informed that in the 16 years from 2004 to 2020, the average annual loss per family in the coastal areas of Satkhira and Khulna was Tk 102,479 (over Tk 1 lakh). Families suffered a maximum loss of Tk 50.40 lakh and a minimum loss of Tk 45,200.   Bangladesh faced a total of 198 major natural disasters in between 1991 and 2020 due to climate change, which created different crises including livelihood, resources, food, water, and shelter of the people of the coastal belts.  Among others, Member Secretary of Unnayan Dhara Trust Aminur Rasul Babul, former president of DRU Rafiqul Islam Azad, BMA office secretary Dr. Md. Shahidullah, SCAN general secretary Moniruzzaman Mukul, SKUS chairman Jasmine Prema, Faith in Action Program Coordinator Timon Barai also spoke at the press conference.   In his presentation, Mohan Kumar Mandal urged the government to implement the undertaken government's projects, including construction of sustainable coastal embankments and supply of potable water and taking new projects for the people of disaster-prone areas.  Also read: National Budget to be placed in Parliament on June 9 : Mustafa Kamal Speakers raised demands at the press conference include setting up adequate cyclone shelters and preventive measures in the coastal areas, ensuring sustainable solution for coastal potable water and taking effective measures to protect the Sundarbans.  The other demands also include formation of a coastal development board to look after the coastal people facing frequent natural disasters, fragile infrastructure, poverty, long-term salinity and endangered agriculture. 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday “in principle” approved a proposal to purchase 11 aerial platform ladders, some rescue items, primary treatment accessories and personal safety gears for conducting rescue operations during earthquakes and other disasters. The Department of Disaster Management (DDM) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief will purchase the equipment from suppliers through direct procurement method (DPM) without following the open tender process. Read: Cabinet approves President’s draft speech to be delivered in Parliament These items, which will be procured under different packages, also include vests, raincoats, hardhats, gumboots and lifejackets. However, the cost and suppliers’ names were not disclosed at this stage as the proposal will again be placed in the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase (CCPP) for final approval, said the concerned officials. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting while members of the committee attended it. Meanwhile, a total of 13 procurement proposals of different departments were approved by the CCPP at a separate meeting. These proposals include setting up of an 114,300 mt capacity Steel Silo for wheat storage in Chattogram at a cost of Tk 537.57 crore under “Modern Food Storage Facilities Project (MFSP)” of the Food Ministry. Joint Venture of 1. Confidence Infrastructure Limited, Bangladesh and 2. The GSI Group LLC, USA won the contracts of the project. Read: Cabinet committee seeks Law Division’s opinion to retrieve e-commerce customers' money stuck in gateways Another 76,200 mt capacity Steel Silo for wheat will also be built in Khulna which was awarded to Joint Venture of 1. Max Infrastructure Limited, Bangladesh and 2. ALTUNTAS of Turkey at Tk 355.91 crore. The committee also approved proposals for appointment of consultants for Rajshahi WASA water treatment projects, awarding Tk 2,877.93 crore contract to TAEYOUNG Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd., South Korea for underground sewerage project in Chattogram, construction of high-rise multi-storage apartment building at Mirpur by the Public Works Department.

Two farmers were killed when a thunderbolt struck them at Agrapanch baria village in Shahjahanpur upazila of Bogura district on Saturday evening. The deceased were- Shahidul Islam, 28, son of Abul Hossain and Rakibul Hossain alias Rakib, 27, son of Khoka Mia of the village. Read:Lightning strike kills 17 in Chapainawabganj, injures 11 Quoting witnesses, Nannu Khan, inspector of Shahjahanpur Police station,said a streak of thunderbolt struck on Shahidul and Rakib while they were planting chilli on their field, leaving them dead. Lightning strikes in Bangladesh Lightning strike has turned into one of the deadliest natural disasters in Bangladesh claiming over 200 lives every year due to the loss of natural defense and lack of precautionary measures. Read:Lightning strike turning into deadliest disaster in Bangladesh: Experts According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, 2,164 people died in lightning strikes in the country from 2011 to 2020. At least 216 people die every year on average in lightning strikes, more than by floods, cyclones and other natural calamities.  Experts said about 70 percent of the total lightning strikes usually occur between April and June, and advise everyone to move with caution during this time.

The government has allocated Tk7.70 crore and 22,830 tonnes of rice for the people who have been walloped by natural disasters and Covid-19 restrictions. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief made the allocation Sunday. Around 5,450 metric tonnes of rice and Tk3.01 crore have been allocated for 64 districts under the district administrations; 3,280 tonnes of rice and Tk3.28 crore in favour of 328 municipalities. Also read: Covid: 77pc families in Bangladesh hit hard by first wave, says study Rice and cash will be distributed as aid on a priority basis to unemployed and deprived people, including transport workers, considering the impact of Covid-19 and natural disasters, Md Selim Hossain, senior information officer of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, said. The eligible people can get food assistance – rice, pulses, salt, oil, potatoes – from the allotment after calling the national helpline 333, he added. Also read: More homeless families set to receive homes Sunday "Also, 14,100 metric tonnes of rice and Tk1.41 crore have been allocated in favour of 64 district administrations to assist the people affected by Covid-19, floods, river erosion and natural calamities," Selim said.