United News of Bangladesh

A fire that broke out in a private bank branch, housed in a four-storey building, on Nawabpur Road in Dhaka’s Gulistan early today was extinguished after over one hour. Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters media cell, said the fire started in the Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited branch on the second floor of the four-storey building on Nawabpur road around 12:50 am. Responding to the call, five firefighting units from the nearby Siddique Bazar station rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control one around 1:55 am, and fully put out around 2:10 am. The reason behind the blaze and damages caused by it could not be known immediately, he said, adding that there was no report of casualty in the fire.

Dr Md. Moniruzzaman and AKM Nurul Alam Apu have been elected Chairman and Secretary-General respectively of the Bangladesh Association of Librarians, Information Scientists and Documentalists (BALID). The biennial general Meeting of Bangladesh Association of Librarians, Information Scientists and Documentalists (BALID) was held recently at the auditorium of Women's Voluntary Association, Dhanmondi, Dhaka. NBR seeks budget proposals from chambers and institutions by February 8 The minutes of the previous general meeting, activity and finance reports of the last council and budget proposals were presented in the day-long event which started with the National Anthem, BALID said a media release on Sunday. All reports and budget proposals, including the minutes of the previous general meeting were approved after open discussion. Govt to formulate action plan to double jute export in next 2-3 yrs In the second phase of the general meeting, a two-member Election Commission under the leadership of Syed Zahurul Amin Kaiyum conducted the election of BALID Executive Council 2024-25. The new committee is elected based on the nominations and endorsements received from several members of BALID. Submit a list of patients died at United Hospital due to negligence in last 15 years: HC The members of new committee are: Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman – Chairman, AKM Mofizur Rahman, Professor Dr. S M Zabed Ahmed, Razina Akhtar – Vice Chairman, AKM Nurul Alam (Apu) – Secretary General, Ahsan Habib – Joint Secretary General, Md. Fazlul Karim – Finance Secretary, Md. Iltutmish – Establishment Secretary, Mahmudun Nahar – Research and Development Secretary, Nasima Akter Rita – Publication and Public Relations Secretary, Dr. Muhammad Hossam Haider Chowdhury, Sasanka Kumar Singha, Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Dr. Md. Anwarul Islam, Muhammad Abdul Karim, Khondkar Asif Mahtab and Md. Mubassir Ahasan – Members.

(UNB)-The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has sought budget proposals from business organisations to make the budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 participatory, balanced and people-oriented. For this, all the chambers and associations of the country have been asked to submit their budget proposals in written form to the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) by February 8. According to the NBR, chambers and associations have been requested to send their respective budget proposals to FBCCI in writing by February 8 for assistance in budget preparation. At the same time, another soft copy of the proposal has been requested to be sent to Chief Budget Coordinator and First Secretary SM Sohail Rahman via e-mail at [email protected]. The proposals will be seriously considered by the National Board of Revenue. Institutions, organizations, or departments that are not members of any chamber or association can also send budget proposals directly through that e-mail. Institutions or departments that are not members of any chamber or association can also send budget proposals directly through e-mail, according to the NBR notification.  

Textiles and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak has said the government will formulate and implement an action plan to double the export income from jute goods in the next 2-3 years. “Bangladesh is exporting jute products worth an average of US$ one billion every year. We want to increase the export income of jute goods to US$ 2 billion in the next 2-3 years. I will formulate and implement the action plan with that goal,” he said. Submit a list of patients died at United Hospital due to negligence in last 15 years: HC The minister made this remark at a press conference at the EPB (Export Promotion Bureau) booth set up in Frankfurt, Germany on Saturday, said a PID handout here on Sunday. Nanak said Bangladesh is the world's second largest garment exporter. Garment is the main export product of Bangladesh, he said. He said a huge demand has been created worldwide for Bangladeshi garments. Germany is the second destination of export products as Bangladesh exports different goods worth some 7 billion US dollars every year. COVID-19: Bangladesh reports 35 more cases in 24hrs Some 90 percent of the goods are garment products, he added. The minister said initiatives will be taken to increase the export of diversified jute products to reduce dependency only on garment products as export products. He said Bangladesh is the 2nd largest jute producing country in the world and quality jute is produced in The county. “Bangladeshi entrepreneurs are producing 282 types of jute products, which are exported to 135 countries of the world,” said the minister. 25 more dengue patients hospitalised in 24hrs Bangladesh Ambassador to Germany Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Executive Director of Jute Diversification Promotion Center Gopal Chandra Das were present at the press conference.

The High Court on Sunday asked the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to submit within three months a list of patients who died at the United Medical College and Hospital run by United Group due to negligence in the past 15 years.The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order.It also asked the DGHS to submit the probe report prepared by it over the death of five-year-old boy Ayaan Ahmed in an affidavit form.Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state while Advocate ABM Shahjahan Akanda Masum stood for the petitioner.On January 15, the High Court asked the authorities concerned to submit a list of the patients who died at the hospital, located at Satarkul, Badda. High Court orders to recruit 285 people with disabilities under quota in govt primary schoolsThe HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the family of Ayaan should not be given Tk 5 crore as compensation.Besides, it also asked the authorities concerned to submit the probe report over the death of Ayaan within seven days.The HC asked the DGHS to submit the list of unauthorised hospitals and clinics across the country within one month. High Court postpones Fakhrul’s bail hearing until next weekFollowing the HC order, deputy director (law) Dr. Parimal Kumar Pal, on behalf of the Director General of DGHS, submitted the probe report today. According to the report, Ayaan had been suffering from childhood asthma and he used to take inhaler and nebulizer for respiratory problems.On Ayaans circumcision day, Ayaan was given an inhaler and nebulizer before the circumcision at the waiting room which was not informed to the physicians, said the report.Besides, during operation normal bleeding was profuse, said the report.The HC fixed Monday for the next hearing.On January 8, Ayaan, died following a circumcision procedure at the United Medical College and Hospital. He was put on life support for seven days after his circumcision.On January 9, Advocate ABM Shahjahan Akanda Masum filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking compensation for the death of Ayaan.The writ petition also sought revocation of the certificates of the physicians involved in Ayaan’s treatment at the hospital and steps against the authorities concerned of the hospital.END/UNB/Corr/MAS/FH

Bangladesh reported 35 more COVID-19 cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning. With the new numbers, the country's total COVID-19 caseload rose to 2,046,998, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). 25 more dengue patients hospitalised in 24hrs The official death toll from the disease remained unchanged at 29,481 as no new fatalities were reported during this period. The daily case test positivity rate stood at 8.06 per cent as 434 samples were tested, said the DGHS. Temperature drops to season’s lowest 5 degree Celsius in Panchagarh’s Tetulia The recovery and death rates remained unchanged at 98.41 per cent and 1.44 per cent, respectively.

No fresh death due to dengue was reported in Bangladesh in the 24 hours till Sunday morning, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). However, 25 more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever during this period, according to the DGHS. Food Minister warns illegal hoarders of jail Of them, two were admitted in Dhaka hospitals, while the rest were outside the capital. A total of 135 dengue patients, including 42 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country. Temperature drops to season’s lowest 5 degree Celsius in Panchagarh’s Tetulia So far, 1006 dengue cases have been reported since January 1, 2024. Last year, a total of 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record. Another Bangladeshi shot dead by BSF along Lalmonirhat border The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3,18,749 recoveries last year. Last year’s September was the deadliest month for the dengue outbreak, with 396 fatalities and 79,598 cases, according to DGHS data.

Issuing a warning to hoarders, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Sunday said those who are involved in hoarding goods illegally will not be spared by slapping fine only, rather they will be jailed if they are not corrected. “To bring the prices of rice at a tolerable level, the traders have to change their mindset of making more profit. Millers, retailers, wholesalers and corporates all are  responsible for the hike in rice price,” he said. Temperature drops to season’s lowest 5 degree Celsius in Panchagarh’s Tetulia The minister came up with the remarks while speaking at a view-exchange meeting with the public representatives and government officials concerned at deputy commissioner’s conference room in Naogaon at noon. He also said the government will soon introduce digital card for OMS products distribution to prevent taking goods by the same person frequently. Another Bangladeshi shot dead by BSF along Lalmonirhat border Referring to the "Production, Storage, Transfer, Transportation, Supply, Distribution and Marketing of Food Products (Prevention of Prejudicial Activity) Bill, 2023, Sadhan said already the bill was passed in parliament. “Stern action will be taken against the illegal hoarders through enforcement of the law.” Dinajpur, Panchagarh shivering in country's lowest temperatures today Besides, he also asked the director general of the Directorate General of Food over phone to issue an order to cancel the leave of all officials concerned during the anti-hoarding drive.

A mild to severe cold wave is sweeping five divisions including Dhaka and some other districts, said Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) on Sunday. According to the regular weather bulletin, “Mild to severe cold wave is sweeping over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna and Barishal divisions and Cumilla, Sitakunda and Moulvibazar districts and it may abate from some place.” Read: Dinajpur, Panchagarh shivering in country's lowest temperatures today This season’s lowest temperature 5 degrees Celsius was recorded in Panchagrh’s Tetulia while the highest temperature 26.3 degrees Celsius was recorded in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf and Chattogram’s Sitakunda upazilas, reads the bulletin. Temperature between 8 to 10 degrees Celsius is considered a mild cold wave, 6 to 8 degrees Celsius a moderate cold wave, and less than 6 degrees Celsius a severe cold wave. Moderate to thick fog may occur at places over the river basins and light to moderate fog at places elsewhere over the country during midnight to morning. Inland river transport may disrupt due to thick fog. Read: Weather forecast for 72 hrs: What BMD is saying about rain in Dhaka, other places Night temperature may rise by (1-2)°C and day temperature may rise slightly over the country. Weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country. People of the country, especially those in the northern part, have been experiencing severe cold for the last couple of days that has thrown normal life out of gear. 

Another Bangladeshi youth was shot dead by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along Aunghorpota border in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat early Sunday within a week of killing a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) member by them along Jashore’s Benapole border . The deceased, Rafiul Islam Tuklu, 33, is son of Afzal Hossain of Dangarpara village under Dahagram union of the upazila. Locals said a gang of five to six smugglers were trying to cross the border between Bangladesh and India early this morning. Sensing the presence of the traffickers, members of the BSF-6 Battalion opened firing, leaving him dead on the spot, they said. Commander Amanuzzaman Aman of the BGB-51 Battalion in Rangpur said the youth was killed inside the India territory, 100 to 150 yards off the border. Later, the BSF members took away the body, he said, adding that a commander-level flag meeting will be held in this connection. The body will be handed over by BSF after autopsy, the BGB officer added.