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Dhaka tops global list of cities with worst air quality this morning
Dhaka has topped the list of cities around the world with the worst air quality this morning (January 21, 2023).
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 249 at 8:55 am on Saturday, Dhaka ranked first in the list of cities with worst air.
An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be ‘unhealthy’ while 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, and 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Also read: Dhaka's air quality turns ‘very unhealthy' this morning
India’s Kolkata and Iraq’s Baghdad occupied the second and third places with an AQI of 220 and 218 respectively.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants - Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Read More: Air pollution 2nd biggest cause of deaths in Bangladesh in 2019, cost about 3.9-4.4% of GDP: World Bank
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Nursing College student commits ‘suicide’ in Barishal
A student of DWF Nursing College apparently committed suicide by hanging herself in the dormitory of the nursing college on Friday night.
The deceased was identified as Lamia Akter Saima, 22, a third-year student of the college and daughter of Shajahan Molla.
Sudip Kumar Nath, a teacher at the college, said that Lamia did not go to the Sher-E Bangla Medical College and Hospital for her internship with her batchmates due to sickness. She was alone in her room.
Other inmates of the hostel found Lamia hanging from the ceiling in her room at around 8 p.m. and rushed her to the hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
“The reason behind the apparent suicide could not be known. We informed her family,” he said.
SI Moinul of Sher-E Bangla Medical College and Hospital Police Camp said police recovered the body and sent it to the hospital morgue.
A police case will be filed over the unusual death, he added.
Taradevi Foundation distributes wheelchairs, winter clothes, IPS in Chuadanga
Taradevi Foundation has distributed 20 wheelchairs and thousands of blankets to people with disabilities and cold-stricken people in Chuadanga.
Besides, the foundation has distributed three IPS to Chuadanga Govt Orphanage Home.
Dilip Kumar Agarwala, founder chairman of Taradevi Foundation and MD of Diamond World, distributed these materials on the office premises of Taradevi Foundation at 4:30 pm on Friday.
Dilip Kumar, also the General Secretary of Bangladesh Jewelers Association (BAJUS) and Director of FBCCI said, Taradevi Foundation always stands beside people.
If someone needs a wheelchair, Taradevi Foundation will provide, he said, adding that it has also introduced scholarships.
"We are working for people through Taradevi Foundation and the humanitarian activities of this foundation will continue, " he hoped.
BAJUS assistant secretary and vice-chairman of Standing Committee on Law and Membership Masudur Rahman and BAJUS executive member and member of Standing Committee on Law and Membership Pabitra Chandra Ghosh, Executive Member Jaydev Saha were present as special guests.
Mild to moderate cold wave sweeps parts of country
A mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping over parts of the country, and it may continue, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said this evening.
Rangpur division and the districts of Faridpur, Madaripur, Gopalgonj, Rajshahi, Pabna, Naogaon, Sirajgonj, Moulvibazar, Rangamati, Cumilla, Feni, Jashore, Chuadanga, Kushtia, Barishal and Bhola are feeling the bite of low temperatures.
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.
The lowest temperature in the country was recorded at 5.6 degrees Celsius in Sylhet's Srimangal in 24 hours till 6pm today (Friday). The highest temperature was recorded at 29 degrees Celsius in Teknaf during this time.
Besides, moderate to thick fog may occur at places over the river basins and light to moderate fog may occur at places elsewhere over the country from midnight till morning.
"The weather may remain dry with the temporary partly cloudy sky over the country. Night temperature may remain nearly unchanged and day temperature may rise slightly over the country," the BMD said.
Polytechnic student commits suicide in Dhaka
A 22-year-old polytechnic student committed suicide by hanging himself in his house in Purbo Bhatara area of the capital on Thursday night, police said.
Hasibul Hasan Shanto, was son of Abul Khayer and student of Civil Engineering discipline of a private polytechnic college in the capital.
Mohammad Golam Mostafa, a sub-inspector of Bhatara Police Station, said on information they recovered the body hanging from the ceiling with a bed sheet in his room in the morning.
Read more: Housewife 'commits suicide' in Kamrangirchar
Later, the body was sent Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy, he said adding that Shanto committed the suicide in between 9pm to 12am on Thursday night.
The reason behind the apparent suicide could not be known, the SI said, suspecting that the student might have faced problems from his family.
Bangladesh sees 4 more Covid cases, zero death
Bangladesh reported 4 more Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours till Friday morning.
With the new number, the country's total caseload rose to 2,037,416, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
However, the official death toll from the disease remained unchanged at 29,441 as no new fatalities were reported.
The daily case test positivity increased to 0.41 percent from Thursday's 0.32 percent as 1,948 samples were tested.
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.45 percent while the recovery rate rose to 97.70 percent.
Bangladesh reported its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 in 2021 and daily fatalities of 264 on August 5 of the same year.
World Bank managing director to arrive in Dhaka Saturday
World Bank Managing Director of Operations Axel van Trotsenburg will arrive in Dhaka Saturday on his first official visit to Bangladesh.
During his three-day visit, Axel will join a public event in Dhaka on January 22 to mark 50 years of the partnership between Bangladesh and the World Bank Group and celebrate the country's "remarkable" development achievements, said a media statement.
"Bangladesh has shown the world what can be done to dramatically reduce poverty through successful innovations in human development, women’s empowerment, and climate adaptation," Axel said.
Read more: Bangladesh wants low-interest loan from World Bank amid economic woes
"The World Bank is proud of its 50-year partnership with Bangladesh and being part of the country's remarkable development journey. I look forward to my visit and to seeing these achievements firsthand."
Axel will meet with the prime minister, finance minister, senior government officials, civil society representatives, and development partners, and visit the World Bank-supported projects.
World Bank to provide US$300 million to help Bangladesh’s pandemic responseHe will be accompanied by Martin Raiser, World Bank vice-president for South Asia.
Read more:
2 college students killed in Gazipur as their motorcycle tips over
Two college students were killed as their motorbike tipped on its side and crashed into a railing of a bridge in Gazipur's Sreepur upazila Friday, police said.
The deceased – Siam, 18, from Kapasia upazila of the district and Shakil Hossain, 18, from Pakundia upazila of Kishoreganj – were students of BGMEA College.
Mohammad Moniruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Sreepur police station, said the accident occurred around 9am when the bike tipped over and hit the railing of Dumni Pagla Bridge in Prahladpur union.
Read more: 3 teens killed in Barguna bike crash
The students died from the impact of the crash, he added. "The bodies were sent to the Sadar hospital morgue for autopsies."
Season's lowest: Sreemangal shivers at 5.4 degrees Celsius
Biting cold gripped Sreemangal as the lowest temperature in the country this season was recorded at 5.6 degrees Celsius in the upazila in the 24 hours to Friday morning.
The lowest temperature in Sreemangal was recorded at 2.8 degrees Celsius on February 4 in 1968, Mujibur Rahman, an officer at the Srimangal weather monitoring station, said.
Read more: At 6 degree C, Naogaon records lowest temperature in 24 hours
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.
Severe cold with frosty winds and dense fog is disrupting daily life in Sreemangal. The low-income people who get by working every day are being hit hardest.
Many were seen making fires along the roadsides to keep warm. Most people are staying home unless there is an emergency.
Also, the number of diarrhoea and pneumonia patients – mostly children and elderly – is increasing in the hospitals of Moulvibazar, district Civil Surgeon Dr Chowdhury Jalal Uddin Murrshed said.
Read more: Tetulia records season’s lowest temperature at 6.1 degrees C this morning
A mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping Rangpur division; Faridpur, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Rajshahi, Pabna, Naogaon, Sirajganj, Sreemangal, Rangamati, Cumilla, Feni, Brahmanbaria, Jashore, Chuadanga, Kushtia, Barishal, and Bhola districts and it may continue, the BMD said this morning.
Also, moderate to thick fog may envelop the river basins and light to moderate fog may occur elsewhere from midnight to morning.
"The weather may remain dry with a temporary partly cloudy sky over the country. Night and day temperatures may remain nearly unchanged," the BMD said.
2nd phase of Biswa Ijtema begins
The second phase of the three-day Biswa Ijtema, billed as the second largest congregation of Muslims after Hajj, began on the banks of the River Turag in Tongi Friday.
This phase of the 56th edition of the Biswa Ijtema (World Congregation) started with the "a'm bayan" (general sermons) after Fajr prayers with the participation of a large number of devotees, including the followers of Indian preacher Maulana Muhammad Saad Al Kandhalvi.
Read more: 2nd phase Bishwa Ijtema: Metro rail to operate from 8am-5pm on Jan 22
However, Maulana Saad is not attending this year's Ijtema. The sermons were delivered by Pakistani Islamic scholar Maulana Mohammad Osman and were translated into Bangla by Maulana Zia bin Qasim.
Thousands of devotees from home and abroad thronged the banks of the Turag River to listen to scholars reciting and explaining verses from the Quran and to renew their commitment to Islamic values.
In the afternoon, they offered Jumma prayers, led by Maulana Saad's son Yusuf bin Saad Kandhalvi, at the Ijtema ground.
"Additional police personnel have been deployed in and around the Ijtema venue to ensure the security of the devotees. The venue has been brought under closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera surveillance," Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Commissioner Molla Nazrul Islam said.
Health camps were set up for the devotees to provide them with treatment like the previous years.
Read more: First phase of Bishwa Ijtema ends today with ‘Akheri Munajat’
However, a 75-year-old devotee from Barguna, Mofizul Islam, died at the Ijtema venue early Friday due to complications of old age.
The three-day Biswa Ijtema will end on January 22 with Akheri Munajat (final prayers).
Meanwhile, the metro rail service will run from 8am to 5pm on January 22 for the smooth movement of the devotees attending the second phase of the congregation.
The first phase of the three-day Biswa Ijtema ended on January 15 with Akheri Munajat.
Tabligh Jamaat has been organising the congregation in Tongi since 1967. In 2011, it divided Ijtema into two phases to accommodate a large number of attendees.