Parliament on Monday passed the supplementary budget of Tk 13,987.27 crore for the fiscal 2020-21 to meet the increased expenditures under 19 different ministries and divisions.Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal placed the supplementary budget in the House on June 3 along with the national budget. Read: Poor, jobless people largely ignored in budget: BNPA total of Tk 568,000 crore was allocated in favour of 62 ministries and divisions in the budget of 2020-21 fiscal.In the supplementary budget, the expenditure for 19 ministries and divisions was increased by Tk 13,987.27 crore while the expenditures for 43 ministries and divisions was reduced by 42,481.87 crore.As a result, the budget allocations for these ministries and divisions were reduced by Tk 29,017 crore and the total allocation now stands at Tk 538,983 crore.On Monday, the Finance Minister moved the Supplementary Budget in the House following general discussions on it.Different ministries, divisions and institutions sought increased amount under 19 demands for grant. As many as 190 cut-motions were moved by 11 members. Read:New budget proposals inadequate in tackling poverty, say rights groupsDiscussions, however, were held on two cut-motions – on financial institutions division and health services division.These cut motions were brought by Jatiya Party MPs Kazi Firoz Rashid, Mujibul Huq, Fakhrul Imam, Rowshan Ara Mannan, Shamim Haider Patwary, Liaquat Hossain Khoka, BNP MPs Md Harunur Rashid, Rumin Farhana, Md. Mosharof Hosen and Gonoforum MP Mukabbir Khan and Independent MP Md. Rezaul Karim Bablu.However, those cut-motions were rejected by voice votes.The Local government Division got the highest allocation of Tk 2890.45 crore while the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division the lowest Tk 1.40 crore. Read: New budget underestimated impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, says SANEMThe Prime Minister’s Office got Tk 482.03 crore while the Cabinet Division Tk 9.70 crore, the Election Commission Secretariat Tk 79.09 crore, the Financial Institutions Division Tk 205.59 crore, the Planning Division Tk 242.75 crore, IMED Tk 6.74 crore, the Statistics and information Management Division Tk 142.84 crore, the Primary and Mass Education Ministry Tk 1005.15 crore, the Heath Services Division Tk 2850.48 crore, the Housing and Public Works Ministry Tk 489.37 crore, the Religious Affairs Ministry Tk 384.51 crore, the Industries Ministry Tk 565.37 crore, the Textile and Jute Ministry Tk 1905.68 crore, the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Tk 332.78 crore, the Water Resources Ministry Tk 1039.99 crore, the Transportation and Highways Division Tk 676.62 crore and the Shipping Ministry Tk 676.66 crore.

Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina Islam, who was sent to jail on May 18 in a case filed under the Official Secrets Act, walked out of Kashimpur Women's Central Jail on Sunday afternoon after securing interim bail from a Dhaka court. Rozina came out of the prison around 4:15 pm, according to jail officials. Journalists and people from different walks of life received Rozina at the jail gate with flower bouquets. Her 13 relatives, including sister and brother-in-law, reached the jail gate around 3:25 pm in two microbuses to receive her. The bail-related documents were sent to the jail authorities online and they freed her after examining those. Read: Journalist Rozina Islam finally gets bail until July 15 Earlier in the day, a Dhaka court granted interim bail to Rozina Islam until July 15 in the case. Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billah granted the bail on a bond of Tk 5,000. The court also asked her to submit her passport before the court. On Thursday, the court had fixed Sunday for passing an order after hearing her bail petition virtually. The 42-year-old journalist, known for her investigative journalism, was detained at the Secretariat for over five hours before being handed over to police on May 17.  She allegedly clicked photos of documents related to government negotiations with pharma firms to buy Covid-19 vaccines, according to case documents. An FIR was filed against Rozina under the Official Secrets Act and sections 379 and 411 of The Penal Code on a complaint filed by the Health Services Division with Shahbagh Police Station. Later, on May 18, a Dhaka court sent Rozina to jail after rejecting the police's demand for her five-day remand. Rozina was taken to Kashimpur Central Women's Jail on that day only. Read:Dr Kamal demands immediate release of journalist Rozina The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has formed a three-member probe committee to look into the allegations of the journalist's detention at the Secretariat and also her subsequent handover to the police. Meanwhile, the case filed against Rozina was transferred to the Detective Branch of police on Wednesday. Nationwide protests Rozina’s harassment for hours and her subsequent arrest sparked condemnation across the country. Journalists formed human chains and held rallies in the capital and other parts of the country on Wednesday demanding the "unconditional" release of Rozina and the punishment of those involved in harassing her at the Secretariat. They also demanded withdrawal of the false cases filed against the journalist. UN’s concern The United Nations has said Rozina's arrest is obviously "something concerning”, noting that journalists need to be able to do their work free of any sort of harassment or physical threat anywhere around the world. "Look, I've seen…we've seen the press reports on the journalist who was arrested in Bangladesh. It’s, obviously, something that we’re looking at. It’s something that's concerning," said Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, at a regular briefing on May 18. Read:Rozina Islam: Journalism Vs the Colonial hangover of official secrecy Amnesty’s statement Rozina's arrest and the failure of the Bangladesh authorities to provide concrete evidence pointing to a recognisable criminal offence raise concerns that she is being targeted for her critical reporting, the Amnesty International said on Wednesday. In the absence of such evidence, the authorities must release Rozina immediately and she should not be punished for fulfilling her professional duties as a journalist, the human rights organisation also said. TIB’s condemnation Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) has also strongly condemned the detention and harassment of the investigative journalist at the Ministry of Health while performing her professional duties. In a statement issued on May 18, TIB has demanded immediate withdrawal of charges and unconditional release of Rozina. It has also urged the government to show prudence by ensuring exemplary punishment to the culprits through proper investigation into the incident.

A Dhaka court on Thursday fixed Sunday for passing an order on the bail petition of Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina Islam in a case filed under the Official Secrets Act. Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Baki Billah fixed the date after hearing on the bail petition. Rozina’s counsel Prashanto Kumar Karmakar submitted the petition on May 18 seeking her bail. Read:It's very regrettable; nothing to hide: FM about Rozina issue Public prosecutor Mohammad Abdullah represented the state. The 42-year-old journalist, known for her investigative journalism, was detained at the Secretariat for over five hours before being handed over to police on May 17. She allegedly clicked photos of documents related to government negotiations with pharma firms to buy Covid-19 vaccines, according to case documents. An FIR was filed against Rozina under the Official Secrets Act and sections 379 and 411 of The Penal Code on a complaint filed by the Health Services Division with Shahbagh Police Station. Later, on May 18, a Dhaka court sent Rozina to jail after rejecting the police's demand for her five-day remand. Rozina was taken to Kashimpur Central Women's Jail on that day only. Read:Drop all "oppressive charges" against Rozina: HRW

Rozina Islam, a senior female journalist of Prothom Alo was arrested on the charge of attempting to illegally “collect sensitive government documents and taking photos of them” from the Secretariat on Monday. The Health Services Division filed a case against Rozina Islam with Shahbagh Police Station at night, said Harun ur Rashid, additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of Ramna Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. The journalist rejected all the allegations and said she had been harassed inside the Secretariat. Read Why press freedom matters ADC Rashid said the journalist had been sued under the Official Secrets Act and sections 379 and 411 of The Penal Code. Rozina was handed over to police around 9:45pm after being held at the Secretariat for over five hours. Maidul Islam Pradhan, senior information officer at the Health Ministry, claimed that she had entered the room of the Private Secretary to the Secretary of Health Services Division between 3pm and 3:30pm “without permission”. Read ‘Independent media’ spreading lies against govt: Quader “She took photos of sensitive documents. Some of those were recovered from her by the staff of the Health Ministry, including the PS, Additional Secretary of the Ministry and police Constable Mizanur Rahman,” he claimed. Health Secretary Lokman Hossain refused to speak to the media about the incident.

The government is considering to arrange on-spot registration facilities for senior citizens for Covid-19 vaccination.

The government has extended the closure of schools and educational institutions to January 16, as it looks to allay fears of a potentially brutal 'second wave'  of infections exacerbated by the winter season.

The High Court on Tuesday asked the government to explain why the letter sent by the Health Ministry to stop law enforcement agencies from raiding public and private hospitals should not be declared illegal.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has approved a proposal to recruit some 3,000 medical technologists, technicians and cardiographers soon to improve the COVID-19 test and healthcare services.

The Industries Ministry on Wednesday stated that considering the country’s national economy, the production, supply, marketing, and sale of tobacco products should continue.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday urged the authorities concerned to suspend production, supply, marketing, and sale of all kinds of tobacco products in Bangladesh to help fight against coronavirus.