United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh reported one more COVID-19-linked death and 11 fresh cases in 24 hours till Saturday (May 18, 2024) morning. With the new numbers, the country's total fatalities rose to 29,495 and caseload to 2,050,234, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The daily case test positivity rate stood at 3.46 per cent as 318 samples were tested, said the DGHS. The recovery and death rates remained unchanged at 98.41 per cent and 1.44 per cent, respectively.  

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul on Saturday said there is no need for journalists to enter the central bank because all the information they require are available on the bank’s website. "In which country can one enter the central bank freely? Can anyone enter India's central bank? Everything is on the website. Why do you need access?, he said. Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said these while replying to journalists regarding their access to the central bank at a press conference in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi. Responding to a query regarding lifting the US ban on RAB, the minister said, "I will be clear about it once I talk to the Prime Minister's adviser whether his statement in front of journalists after dinner was properly published. He (the PM's adviser) might have asked the US Assistant Secretary of State to withdraw it (sanctions)." Regarding BNP's anti-India stance, the minister said he saw in the media that BNP will reconsider its anti-India stance. “Instead of opposing, can they adopt a middle path? They have no issue at hand; they bring something up just to show they existence. In the end, from the mass uprising, they had to resort to leaflet distribution." The press conference was attended among others by Awami League joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, organising secretary Mirza Azam and Sujit Roy Nandi.

Plastic pollution poses significant threats to both human health and the environment. With its rapid urbanisation, Bangladesh has seen a significant rise in plastic usage and pollution. According to a report by The World Bank, merely a fraction of plastic waste undergoes recycling in Bangladesh, with 48 percent ending up in landfills, rivers, or clogging urban drainage systems. In Dhaka, the epicenter of the nation's plastic consumption, recycling rates hover at 37 percent. However, the efficacy of these efforts is marred by outdated technology and inadequate safety measures for the workforce engaged in recycling activities. The dire need for modernization and adherence to safety protocols looms large as the country grapples with the fallout of rampant plastic consumption. UNB Photographer Mir Hossain captured the following pictures from  a plastic recycling factory in an area adjacent to Loha Bridge in Kamrangaringr char on Friday.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has said the Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament provides an opportunity to promote gender equality, eliminate gender-based violence, empower women and support women leadership. “This summit is an excellent platform to exchange experiences on global issues,” she said on Friday. She said this while addressing a conference titled "Preparatory Committee for the Fifteenth Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament" at the headquarters of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva, Switzerland, according to a press release from Parliament Secretariat. Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin said that one of the features of this summit is to establish link among parliament speakers of different countries. Parliamentary diplomacy can help in facing challenges of present world: Speaker She said the speakers can find solutions to national and international issues by sharing ideas and experiences on a common platform. The speaker said that in the past summits, commendable work has been done on gender equality, women leadership and women empowerment. She expressed hope that the 15th Women Speakers Summit will take strong steps for the overall development of women through various activities. President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Tulia Ackson and IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong were present. Bangladesh highly vulnerable to climate impacts despite being least carbon emitter: Speakers

Parliamentarians from Southeast Asia on Saturday urgently called on the United Nations, ASEAN, and the wider international community to take immediate action in order to prevent the mass killing of Rohingyas who are under siege by the Arakan Army in northern Rakhine State. “We are extremely alarmed and concerned by reports that the Arakan Army is indiscriminately attacking Rohingya civilians in northern Rakhine State,” ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) Chair and Indonesian Member of Parliament Mercy Chriesty Barends said. “It is imperative that the international community act quickly in order to prevent further catastrophic loss of life and potential genocide.” According to reports received by APHR from reliable sources, Rohingya civilians in Buthitaung town and surrounding villages have been under attack from heavy weapons by the Arakan Army since Friday, May 17. According to an eyewitness, Buthitaung Town was arsoned by the Arakan Army, who also forced Rohingya to leave the town. Several Rohingya houses, including the house of U Shwe Maung, APHR Board Member and former MP of Buthitaung township, was burned down. There have also been unconfirmed reports that the Arakan Army is conducting mass killings of Rohingya in Tatmin Chaung, Kyauk Phyu Taung, Letwedat Pyinshay, Ngakyi Dauk village tracts in Buthitaung township. Previously, in 2017, Myanmar security forces conducted a “clearance operation” in Rakhine State in which whole villages were massacred, tortured, raped, and burned – resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, as well as the displacement of over 730,000 people. In 2019, Gambia, with the backing of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), filed a case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing them of violating the Genocide Convention. In January 2020, the ICJ adopted provisional orders ordering Myanmar to prevent all genocidal acts against the Rohingya. Neither the Myanmar military junta, nor the Arakan Army, is abiding by these provisional measures, according to a message received from Jakarta. “There is no doubt that if no action is taken, countless lives will be lost, with even more displaced from their homes, further exacerbating the refugee crisis in the region,” said Barends. “The Rohingya people have already experienced so much adversity for so long; allowing further atrocities against them to go unanswered would be an unforgivable abandonment of the principles of decency and humanity that the international community profess to uphold. We urgently call on the UN, ASEAN, ASEAN member states and all countries that claim to value human life to take immediate action to put a stop to this barbarity.”

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has predicted rains or thundershowers in different parts of the country including Dhaka in 24 hours commencing 9 am on Saturday.“Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely at a few places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rajshahi, Rangpur and Barishal divisions with hails at isolated places,” it said.Besides, a mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna and Barishal divisions and the districts of Moulvibazar, Rangamati, Chandpur and Feni and it may abate. Rains likely to drench Dhaka, six other divisions in 24 hoursDay temperature may fall by 1-2 °C and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.A trough of westerly low lies over West Bengal to North-west Bay.Flash floods kill over 300 people in Afghanistan after heavy rains: UN  

A light rain drenched the capital on Saturday morning, offering city dwellers some relief from scorching heat. The sky had been gloomy since early morning and the much-awaited downpour started around 8:30 am. Light rain was reported in different areas of the capital including Shyamoli, Jatrabari, Agargaon, Farmgate, Kawran Bazar, Asadgate, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Jigatala, New Market, Kalyanpur and Banglamotor areas. Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has predicted rains or thundershowers in different parts of the country including Dhaka in 24 hours commencing at 9 am on Saturday. “Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely at a few places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rajshahi, Rangpur and Barishal divisions with hails at isolated places,” it said.

The fire that broke out at the Mutual Trust Bank’s Dholaikhal branch was fully doused on Saturday. Deputy-assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defense  headquarters media cell Shahjahan Sikder said the fire broke out at the bank located on the 1st floor of a six-story building around 10:40 am and engulfed it. On information, five firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire around 11:57 am. However, no casualty was reported. The origin of the fire and the extent of the damages could not be ascertained immediately.

A fire which broke out at a hotel in the city's Karwan Bazar on Saturday morning has been doused, said Fire Service authorities. Lima Khanom, duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defense Control Room, said the fire broke out at the generator room of Hotel La Vinchi around 10:17 am. On information, six firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze shortly. However, what caused the fire could not be ascertained yet.

The prevailing heat wave over the western part of Dhaka division, Rangpur, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions  may continue  for the next 48 hours, said Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). BMD issued the heat wave alert at 6 pm on Friday. Due to the increase of moisture incursion, the discomfort may continue.