United News of Bangladesh

Eighteen people were hospitalised with dengue fever in 24 hours till Friday morning. Of the new patients, seven were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka city and the rest outside it, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Currently, 110 patients are receiving treatment at different hospitals across the country. The DGHS, so far, has reported 2,853 dengue cases 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. The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries last year.

Seven of thirteen upazilas in Sylhet have been inundated due to the incessant rains and onrush of water from upstream, leaving more than five lakh people stranded. "Around 5,33,202 people are marooned and 42 unions of these upazilas have been affected," a notification signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Sheikh Russel Hasan said on Friday. So far 547 shelters have been prepared to accommodate the people. In the meantime, 4,802 people have already taken shelter in these places. According to the sources, Jokiganj, Jaintapur, Gowainghat, Companyganj and Kanaighat are the most affected upazilas. Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Russel said: “We are keeping an eye on the overall situation. Flood victims are being rescued and brought to shelters and relief materials are being distributed among them.” Besides, union-based medical teams have been formed to provide health care in flood-affected areas and dry and cooked food and fresh water are being distributed, he said. “Considering the flood situation, the number of shelters will be reduced or increased.” Meanwhile, the flood situation has suddenly worsened in Beanibazar upazila. The swelling of the Surma and Kushiara rivers have marooned about 20,000  people in five unions of the upazila. “Cattle farms and fish enclosures were washed away. Most areas of Alinagar, Charkhai, Dubag, Sheola and Kurarbazar Union of the upazila went under water.” Shah Mohammad Sajib Hossain, assistant meteorologist of Sylhet Meteorological Office,  said they recorded about 61 millimeters of rain from 6 am on Thursday to 6 am on Friday According to the Water Development Board, the water of Surma River is flowing 99 cm above the danger level at 6 am on Friday (May 31) at Kanaighat Point in Sylhet while the water of Kushiara River in Zakiganj upazila is flowing 209 cm above the danger line at Amalsid point. However, Sari River water is flowing below the danger level at Gowainghat Point. Meanwhile, Sylhet District Disaster Management Committee meeting has been held to tackle the flood situation. Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Russell Hasan visited the upazilas to monitor the situation and look for the affected people. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Chief Executive Officer of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) said that the corporation is ready to deal with any kind of situation. Gowainghat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Touhidul Islam said that 75pc areas of the upazila have been inundated. “We had prepared 56 shelters in advance due to flood forecast. About 300 people have taken shelter till Friday morning,” he added.

National flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate a special flight on Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur route at 7:15pm on Friday for some Bangladeshi migrant workers. The special flight has been arranged following a letter from the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare, the airlines said in a press release signed by Md. Al Masud Khan, manager (public relations). A total of 271 passengers will be carried on this flight, it added. Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) representatives will provide the list of names of the passengers and necessary documents to the Biman sales office in Motijheel under the supervision of the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare. The tickets can be purchased in cash following a list provided by BAIRA. Considering the convenience of the passengers, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has fixed the ticket price at Tk 73,616 per person.  

The prices of all types of spices have shot up ahead of Eid-ul-Azha along with the prices of fish, chicken, meat, potato, and green chili.The traders have blamed the fluctuating exchange rate of US dollars for rise in the price of spices. They also said inflation and devaluation of local currency vastly impacted the soaring prices of goods produced in the country. Currently, cumin is retailing at Tk 850 to 1000 per kg, up from Tk 570 to 650 in the first week of this month, while the minimum retail price for cardamom rose to Tk 3800 from Tk 2,800. The premium quality of cardamom that was previously priced at Tk 3,200 is now being sold at Tk 4200 per kg.On Friday, garlic is selling from Tk 220 to 270, ginger at Tk 240 to 300, local variety of onion at Tk80 per kg, green chili at Tk 180 to 230, dry red chili at Tk 550 to 650 per kg in the capital.Shourab Saha, spice retailer in the Karwan Bazar told UNB on Friday that spice items are usually raised ahead of Eid festival, but this year, prices up due to the dollar price jumped at all-time higher.He said the wholesalers are raising the prices of spice every week claiming higher import costs due to costlier the US dollar price. The US dollar is usually used in Bangladesh for international trading, so any ups and downs of this foreign exchange affected the prices of consumer items.Additionally, the wholesale price of white pepper has risen to Tk 1,300 from Tk 1,000. Cashew nuts are now selling at Tk 1400, compared to Tk 1,200 earlier, while chickpeas have seen an increase from Tk 102 to Tk 130 per kg.Ramzan Ali of Chadpur Traders in Karwan Bazar, who used to procure spices twice a week from the Moulvi Bazar wholesale market in Old Dhaka, expressed disappointment at the recent price surge."Just 2 weeks ago, I purchased cumin at Tk 570-580 per kg, but now I've to pay Tk 700, although these spices were imported well before the new dollar rate came into effect," he said. "It appears to be the work of a syndicate, "he added.A staffer at another store said, "Just six months ago, cardamom was priced at Tk 1700-1800 per kg, but now it's selling for Tk 3800-4200. Clearly, a syndicate is controlling the spice trade."A spice wholesaler at Moulvi Bazar wholesale market told UNB over mobile phone that importers instructed them to raise prices in line with the increased dollar rate.Egg prices has remained in a rising trend since last since the beginning of this month and was selling this popular protein item at Tk160 to 170 per dozen on Friday in the capital. It saw an increase of price by Tk30 per dozen in this month.Special quality farm eggs are priced at Tk220 to Tk250 per dozen. Eggs of domestic rearing hens sell at Tk 85 to 90 per hali (4 pieces) and duck eggs sell at Tk 75 to 80 per hali.The price of broiler chicken and Pakistani-origin Sonali chicken have increased by Tk10 to 20 per kg compared to the last two weeks. The boiler chicken was selling at Tk 220 to 240 per kg based on size and quality. Apart from this, the price of Sonali chicken has also increased and is being sold at Tk 360 to 370 per kg based on size and quality.Similarly, cock chicken is being sold at Tk 370 to 390 per kg, layer chicken at Tk 300 to Tk350 per kg, and Indigenous (desi) chicken at Tk 670 to Tk 765 per kg.The traders of the concerned sectors said that prices of chicken increased due to price hikes of chicken food and chicks. Besides, the ongoing heat wave also affected chicken farms, which also impacted the price hike. Beef was selling between Tk 750 to 780 per kg on Friday based on quality, and saw a rise of price by Tk 30 per kg than other days of the week. Mutton and goat meat was selling at Tk1000 to 1180 per kg based on quality, which saw an increase of Tk 50 per kg.Hilsha weighing about 450 grams was selling at Tk650 per kg while Hilsha weighing 1.0 kg plus were selling at Tk 1800 to 2000 per kg at Karwan Bazar fish market on Friday. Hilsha weighing 700 to 800 grams was selling at Tk 900 to 1000 per piece.Fish like Ruhit and carp were selling between Tk 300 to 450 per kg based size and quality. Others fish including riverine small fish were selling at Tk400 to 700 per kg on Friday.The prices of vegetables have remained stable at higher rate this time compared to the previous years. Traders blamed inflation for this higher price. Vegetables including eggplant, okra, drumsticks, string beans, and bitter gourd were stable between Tk 50 to 60 per kg on Friday. The prices of tomatoes have increased as the season is ending. Good quality tomatoes were selling between Tk 60 to 70 per kg.Vegetables like brinjal and others were selling between Tk 50 to 60 per kg, bottle gourd, ash gourd, and cauliflower at Tk 50 to 60 per piece.The prices of other commodities including rice, wheat, flour, milk, soybean, aromatic rice, and sugar, have remained unchanged.

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) has stood beside the victims of the recent cyclone Remal, responding to the call of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. BCL, the AL’s student wing, is distributing relief items including rice, pulse, edible oil, onion, potato and oral saline among the cyclone-affected poor in the country particularly in the coastal areas. As part of the relief distribution programme, the BCL distributed relief items among 1,000 cyclone-victim families at Kalapara and Rangabali Upazila in Patuakhali on Wednesday last, BCL general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan told UNB on Friday.

A human chain was formed on Friday demanding establishment of an Indian visa centre in Faridpur to mitigate the suffering of visa seekers in the greater Faridpur region. One ‘Faridpur Development Council’ organised the human chain in front of the Faridpur Press Club with the participation of leaders from the five districts of greater Faridpur around 9:30am. Presided over by Dr. MA Jalil, former president of the Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip), speakers including author Mofiz Imam Milon, cultural activist Ashok Kumar Singh Roy, Principal Mosaheb Hossain Dhali, former principal of Government Yasin College Shila Rani Mondal, Faridpur Nagarik Manch convener Awlad Hossain Babar and Abrab Nadim Itu spoke on the occasion. Demanding immediate establishment of the visa centre, the speakers said that the establishment of such a center would benefit not only Faridpur district’s people but also the neighbouring districts, saving time and money for the residents. Currently, obtaining a visa going to the capital causes suffering and financial losses, they said.

The death toll of animals from the flooding in the Sundarbans has climbed to 100 after Cyclone Remal hit the world’s largest mangrove forest on Sunday. According to the Forest Department, the carcasses of 96 deer and four wild bears were recovered from the forest till Thursday evening, indicating a great loss to wildlife. The animals were found dead in several areas including Kotka, Kochikhali, Karamjal, Pakhi Char, Dimar Char, Shelar Char and Narikel Baria. Moreover, 18 deer and one python were rescued in a critical condition. After giving first aid, they were released into the forest. Alongside the wildlife losses, damages to various infrastructures in the forest were estimated at around Tk 6.27 crore. However, the non-monetary damages were even more severe, according to the forest department. Over 100 ponds in the forest were flooded with saline water, causing distress to both wildlife and the local residents. An 11-kilometer area known as Gol Bagan was also damaged. However, it will take more time to fully assess the extent of damages to the trees and animals in the forest. Officials of the Forest Department said this time the forest faced an unusual situation due to cyclone Remal as it experienced two high tides and two low tides within a 24-hour period, flooding parts of the forest. Mihir Kumar Dey, forest conservator in the Khulna range, said that the Sundarbans faced an unprecedented situation this time after the cyclone. It will take more time to ascertain the full impact and gather accurate information, he added.

Speakers at a seminar on Thursday urged people to eat more fruits, emphasising that formalin has no role in fruit preservation and ripening. They said this during the seminar titled "The Role of Family Practice and Nutrition to Ensure Food Nutrition," organised by the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) at its office training room, according to a press release. They explained that formalin is a highly volatile substance that reacts with protein foods but does not interact with fruits. BFSA Chairman (Additional Secretary) Zakaria, the chief guest at the seminar, stressed the importance of inter-agency coordination. He noted that many government organizations are involved in managing the food business, making it a complex and time-consuming task to unify these efforts. "However, through gradual cooperation, a safe food environment can be ensured in the country," he said. Member of the Authority Mohammad Mostafa delivered the welcome speech, while Khaleda Islam, the director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at Dhaka University, presented the main paper at the seminar. In her presentation, she discussed the importance of safe food, its relationship with sustainable development, food hazards, foodborne diseases, the current status of food safety in the country, the adverse effects of unsafe food consumption, food wastage, food waste management, misconceptions about formalin, and the use and harmful effects of trans fatty acids in food. She also detailed the steps to be taken in cooking and preservation, and the role of using safe water. Dr. Umme Salma Munni, a nutritionist and consultant at Monowara Hospital in the capital, also spoke at the seminar. She emphasized the importance of spreading knowledge and experience from those working in the nutrition sector to the wider public. "A safe food environment can only be ensured through proper coordination and the exchange of experiences," she added. The seminar was attended by officials from the Food Ministry, food safety officials, food traders, leaders of the restaurant owners' association, representatives from various food establishments, media workers, and many others.

The government has further increased retail prices of diesel, kerosene, petrol, and octane for the month of June. As per a gazette notification on Thursday, the prices of diesel and kerosene have been raised by Tk 0.75 to Tk 107.75 per litre from the existing Tk 107. The price of petrol has been set at Tk 127 per litre, up by Tk 2.50 from Tk 124.50 per litre. Similarly, the price of octane has been set at Tk 131 per litre, up by Tk 2.50 from Tk 128.50 per litre. Govt raises retail prices of diesel, kerosene, petrol and octane The new prices will come into effect on June 1. Earlier, fuel prices were increased for the month of May. LPG price slashed by Tk 3.34 per kg The Energy and Mineral Resources Division set the new automated price through a gazette notification as per the government decision on Thursday. The Energy and Mineral Resources Division explained that although the prices of petroleum decreased in the global market, the devaluation of the taka against the US dollar has caused an increase in fuel prices locally. Govt sets new automated prices of petroleum fuels The first automated price came into effect on March 7. On March 1, the government issued "Fuel Pricing Guidelines" through a gazette notification to set an automated price for petroleum fuel across the country. According to these guidelines, local prices will fluctuate in line with international prices, and such prices will be announced monthly by the government for one-month tenure.

Newly appointed managing director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Md Jahidul Islam Bhuiyan, has said he would work for the national carrier with the highest sense of responsibility and dedication. He said this at a views exchange with senior officials of Biman and leaders of various unions and associations related to the airline at Biman's head office on Thursday. Jahidul also directed the officials to work for the development of Biman with the highest sense of responsibility and dedication. Jahidul was appointed as the Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited MD on May 29. Prior to this, he served as a private secretary for the Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment adviser.