A total of thirty-nine students, teachers and employees of Rajshahi University tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday. Dr. Tabibur Rahman, chief medical officer of RU medical center, informed that they collected samples of 68 teachers, students and employees of the university and sent them to the RT-PCR lab for testing. Thirty nine of the samples of them were positive for Covid-19. "We have arranged to keep them in home quarantine so that other students do not become infected with the virus. Most of the university teachers, students and employees had symptoms of the virus," Dr Tabibur said. READ: Rajshahi University dormitories reopen after 18 months Meanwhile, the university authority called for an emergency meeting on Thursday with the deans of all faculties and the chairmen of all departments to take decision in this regard, said Pradip Kumar Pandey, Public Relations Office Administrator of the university Earlier on Wednesday morning, RU Teachers Association met with the university vice chancellor Professor Golam Sabbir Sattar and urged to suspend in-person classes and start online classes to reduce the risk of infecting Covid-19. READ: Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar appointed as VC of Rajshahi University 

The operation of a RT-PCR lab to conduct Covid-19 tests for departing passengers started at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram on Monday, three months after launching its operation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Prof Dr Ahmedul Kabir, Additional Director General (Administration) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) inaugurated the RT-PCR lab at the Chattogram Airport. Earlier, the trial operation of the RT-PCR lab to test Covid-19 started on December 29 at the airport. Also read: Ministry to bear Covid test expenses of UAE-bound passengers With the opening of the RT-PCR lab, people can now go to the UAE from Chattogram airport, too. The UAE made it mandatory for returning migrant workers to get a rapid PCR test six hours before flying from a Bangladesh airport. Dr Kabir said those who are scheduled to go to the UAE can undergo Covid-19 tests at the airport and they have to reach the airport six hours before their departure to provide their samples. Besides, they have to come with their passports, tickets, Covid-19 vaccine certificates and the photocopies of their visas. “This lab offers free tests. A seven-member committee has been formed to ensure smooth operation of the lab in a coordinated way and the test reports will be available within three hours of collecting samples,” he said. Also read: Covid testing at Dhaka airport awaits UAE’s approval: State Minister Five booths have already been set up outside the airport to facilitate registration. Once the registration is done, the passengers will go to their respective booths for providing samples, said Dr Kabir. On September 6, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said PCR booths will be set up at three international airports of Bangladesh to facilitate passengers to take Covid-19 tests four to six hours before boarding their flights.

Bangladesh has signed an agreement to collect doses of Oxford University's Covid-19 vaccine.

Coronavirus caseload has reached 11,853 in Sylhet division with detection of 106 new cases on Friday.

Health authorities in Bangladesh on Sunday reported 1,973 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, which was the lowest since August 4 when 1,918 cases were detected across the country.  With the latest ones, the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country jumped to 2,94,598 in the 24th

Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader on Thursday said people are going through serious sufferings amid the rise in coronavirus infections for lack of testing facilities in every district.