United News of Bangladesh

Light rain or drizzle is likely at one or two places over Sylhet division on Tuesday, according to Bangladesh Metrological Department. Weather may remain mainly dry with partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country, said a Met office  bulletin on Sunday. Read: Weather forecast: Light rain over 6 divisions, says BMD  Moderate to thick fog may occur over the river basins of the country and light to moderate fog elsewhere over the country during midnight to morning. Inland river transport may disrupt temporarily due to thick fog. Night temperature may rise by (1-2)°C and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over thecountry.  

Engineer Sangeeta Kaushik has been appointed the new Managing Director of Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (Pvt.) Limited (BIFPCL) on January 31. Prior to joining this position, she was serving as Executive Director (Business Development, International Business Development & Consultancy) at NTPC Limited, India. According to BIFPCL, Sangeeta was born in 1966 in India. She has graduated with electrical stream from Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, India. She joined NTPC in 1986 as an engineer trainee. She completed her post-graduate diploma in Business Management from MDI, Gurgaon, India. She has served in NTPC’s various functions including International Business Development (IBD) and held various positions including a recent position as Executive Director (Business Development, International Business Development & Consultancy).

Four more devotees died at the Ijtema venue on Saturday (February 03, 2024) night, taking the death toll to 14. The deceased were identified as Md Sanowar, of Gaibandha’s Pangsha upazila, Md Alam, son of Abdul Jalil of Chattogram’s Anowara upazila, Md Shahnewaz Bhuiyah, son of Nurul Huq of Narsingdi and Al Mahmud, son of late Osman Goni of Sirajganj. With the four, a total of 14 people including a policeman died till Sunday morning during the first phase of Ijtema. Read: 3 more devotees die at Ijtema venue Earlier, 10 people died on the Ijtema ground. Of them, three died on the way to the Ijtema venue. Habibullah Raihan, coordinator of Biswa Ijtema media cell and Dr Jahangir Alam, supervisor of Tongi Shaheed Ahsanullah Master General Hospital confirmed the deaths. The first phase of 57th Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest global Muslim gathering, is ending today with continued spiritual activities, including the recitation of Allah’s divine names and sermons. Read: GMP issues traffic directives to reduce sufferings of Ijtema devotees

The first phase of the three-day 57th Bishwa Ijtema – the second largest congregation of Muslims – ended today (February 4, 2024) through “Akheri Munajat” (final prayer). Maulana Hafez Zobair Ahmad, leader of Bangladesh Tabligh Jamaat and head imam of Kakrail Jame Masjid in Dhaka, conducted the prayer this morning. Thousands of devotees sought mercy from Almighty Allah by raising their hands for divine forgiveness, blessings for peace and prosperity of the Muslim ummah. They also prayed for the country’s welfare. Earlier in the morning after the Fajr prayer, Pakistani Tabligh leader Ziaul Huq delivered the sermon, which was translated into Bangla by Bangladeshi Maulana Nurul Rahman. Read: 57th Ijtema: Devotees gather in Tongi for day 2 As part of the rationalized traffic system centring the final prayer, movement of vehicles will remain suspended from Tongi-Kamarpara road on Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway — from Tongi to Bhogra Bypass in Gazipur and from Abdullahpur to Ashulia Bypile — from Saturday midnight (12 am) to 2 pm today. Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mahbub Alam told media that the restriction may end at 2 pm or extend following the final prayer as it will depend on circumstances. He said vehicles heading to Mymensingh and Gazipur have been advised to use Konabari via Gabtoli while vehicles heading to Dhaka from Mymensingh have been advised to use the 300 Feet Road through Bhogra bypass. During this time, no goods carrying vehicles will be allowed to run on these roads. However, all types of traffic movement related to Ijtema will remain normal. On the other hand, Bangladesh Railway has decided to run 17 special trains on the occasion of Bishwa Ijtema. Of these, 14 trains are operating only on the day of Akheri Munajat. Five special trains are running on the Dhaka-Tongi route, five trains on the Tongi-Dhaka route, one on the Tongi-Mymensingh route, one on the Tongi-Tangail route and two trains on the Ishwardi-Tongi-Ishwardi route. Read: Ijtema Phase I: 'Please call us 'Alem e Shura', not followers of Jubayer' Commencing on Friday after Fajr prayers, this edition of Ijtema kicked off with general sermons by the esteemed Maulana Ahmad Buttullah from Pakistan. The grounds of the Ijtema witnessed the influx of several hundred thousand Muslim worshippers from around the world. So far, 14 elderly devotees have died at the Ijtema venue during the first phase of the global congregation, said Habibulla Imran, media coordinator of the Tabligh Jamaat. Of them, four devotees died last night, he said. For security, approximately 15,000 law enforcement officials are on duty at the Ijtema grounds and the surrounding vicinity, supplemented by undercover police and intelligence personnel. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) is also present, with watchtowers erected to oversee and ensure the safety of the congregation. Tabligh Jamaat has been organising the congregation at the venue since 1967. In 2011, it divided Ijtema into two phases to accommodate a large number of attendees. The second phase of Ijtema will be held from February 9-11 this year. Read more: First phase of Biswa Ijtema begins

Shakawath Hossain, a renowned professional in the hospitality & tourism industry in Bangladesh, was bestowed with the prestigious honor of "The Best Hotelier of Bangladesh" at the recent 12th Edition of the HI-AIM (Hospitality Industry – Architecture, Interiors, and Management) Conference held at the Aloft Hotel Kathmandu, Nepal, on February in association with Marriott International. The event, which brings together leading professionals and experts from the hospitality sector across the South Asian region, recognized Mr. Shakawath Hossain for his proven outstanding and unparalleled contributions to the development and enhancement of Bangladesh's hospitality landscape, making him the First Bangladeshi Hotelier to be honored with such prestigious award. During this event five other luminaries including Mr. Rajeev Menon - President, Asia Pacific Excluding China (APEC) of Marriott International, Inc., Mr. Anoop Bali - Director & CFO, Tourism Finance Corporation of India Limited, Mr. Umar Khurshid Tramboo - MD, The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa, Mr. Rajiv Kaul - Former President, The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts Limited and Mr. Suresh Kumar - Former MD of Fortune Park hotels Limited. (Owned by ITC, India) were also honored.   With a career spanning over 20 years, Shakawath Hossain has been a driving force in shaping the hospitality industry in Bangladesh. He is the only Bangladeshi Hotelier who is an industry practitioner, academician, and researcher who is pursuing a PhD in Tourism & Hospitality Management at the University of Dhaka and has been recognized with multiple National & International awards. He is also the only Hotelier in Bangladesh who has started his career at scratch level, worked in different leadership capacities with Starwood International & Marriott International and now as a CEO of Unique Hotel & Resorts PLC., he looks after 3 operational and 4 upcoming international chain hotels. Read: Dr Shehlina receives honorary British award The award ceremony, organized by HI-AIM, celebrated excellence in various categories, with a particular focus on recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, innovation, and commitment to the growth of the hospitality industry. He is also an advocate for social impact and collaborates with NGOs and the government to establish training programs for underprivileged and handicapped youth, providing them with opportunities to thrive in this industry. Read: Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya to receive prestigious Padma Shri award The "Best Hotelier of Bangladesh" award is a reflection of Shakawath Hossain's unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of hospitality. His leadership continues to inspire others in the industry to strive for excellence, setting a benchmark for the future of the hospitality industry in Bangladesh. Shakawath is also continuously dedicated towards adding value in the industry through sustainable business practices, mentoring junior executives onto management positions, providing leadership strategy to the ownerships and management companies on socio economic overview for the hospitality industry. Read more: Winners of Bangla Academy Literary Award 2023 announced

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said that research will be given top priority and importance in the funding of the ministry and its subsidiary Bangladesh Climate Change Trust (BCCT) Fund.  He said that research needs to be increased in the country to solve various problems, and it is not possible to depend on research from other countries, reads a press release.  For this reason, all-out assistance will be provided to researchers and scientists for their research work in the development of science and technology, he said. He said this while speaking as the chief guest at a program organized by the Bangladesh Foundation for Development Research (BFDR) of the University of Skill Enrichment and Technology (USET) at the National Press Club in the capital on Saturday (February 03, 2024) to felicitate Dr. Mohammad Mazharul Islam, a senior researcher in the Department of Chemistry at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom, for receiving the prestigious 'IChemE Global Award 2023' in Chemistry. The Environment Minister said that Dr. Mohammad Mazharul Islam's achievement is a testament to the growing interest of the global community in the contributions of Bangladeshi scientists to the field of knowledge and science. He said that Dr. Mazharul Islam's research work will not only enrich the knowledge of chemistry but also play an important role in the development of our country. The minister also called upon everyone to work together to improve the environment of the country. The meeting, which was chaired by Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Patron of the University of Skill Enrichment and Technology, was also addressed by Professor Dr. Md. Fazlul Haque, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of USET, Dr. M. Asaduzzaman, former Research Director and Economist of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), and intellectual and columnist Dr. Monayem Sarkar, among others.

Some 40 candidates on Saturday submitted their nomination papers for the upcoming election from Sammilito Parishad. The BGMEA board of directors election for 2024-2026 will be held on March 9. Among those who submitted the nomination papers, 31 were from Dhaka region and nine from Chattogram region. President of Sammilito Parishad and former BGMEA President, Tipu Munshi MP, Md. Siddiqur Rahman, former President of BGMEA and also the Chief Election Coordinator of the Sammilito Parishad for the BGMEA Election 2024-2026, Abdus Salam Murshedy MP, former President BGMEA, Md. Shafiul islam Mohiuddin, former BGMEA President, current President of BGMEA Faruque Hassan and Panel Leader of Sammilito Parishad S. M. Mannan (Kochi) were also present.  

 Strong Tobacco Control Law is a must to prevent cancer as tobacco smoke contains approximately 7000 of chemical substances, among which 70 are known to cause or promote cancer. Research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) said  this on Saturday in a press release ahead of World Cancer Day tomorrow   Calling Tobacco a major risk factor for cancer, it said these carcinogens are responsible for 12 types of cancer which includes lung cancer, oral cancer and others. Even exposure to second-hand smoke can also cause cancer. Only the adoption and implementation of a strong tobacco control law can prevent the rise in cases of tobacco-induced cancers, it also said. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 2022 alone saw at least 20 million people getting diagnosed with cancer. The deadly disease also claimed a shocking 9.7 million lives in 2022. What underscores the urgency of tobacco control in cancer prevention is the fact that globally lung cancer patients constitute the majority of this newly diagnosed and deceased.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified smoking as the foremost contributing factor behind lung cancer. As per WHO, quitting tobacco use and some other measures/lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of death from cancer by 30-50 percent.   When it comes to the Bangladesh context, IARC also reports that in 2022, the death toll from cancer in the country stood at 116,598. The high prevalence of tobacco use is worsening this situation.  As per Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2017, 37.8 million (35.3 percent) Bangladeshi adults use tobacco. 8.1 million Bangladeshis fall victim to second-hand smoke exposure at the workplace. At least 25 million adults are exposed to such smoke while using public transport. On average, Tobacco-related diseases claim 161,000 lives a year in Bangladesh.   On the occasion of World Cancer Day 2024, ABM Zubair, Executive Director of research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) said, "The draft amendment of tobacco control law, now awaiting the approval from the Cabinet, must be finalized at the earliest. The longer it takes for the government to adopt and implement the draft amendment, the higher the death toll from cancer and other tobacco-related diseases will rise."  

A fire that broke out in a warehouse of plastic pipe and rubber of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Narayanganj city on Saturday noon was brought under control after around four hours. Tanha bin Zasim, station officer (medical cell) of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters said the flame erupted around 1:23 pm in the No-4 godown of the BIWTA in front of DC Bungalow in Hajiganj area of Narayanganj headquarters. On information, nine firefighting units from several stations rushed to the spot and finally doused the flame around 5:15 pm, he said. The reason behind the fire could not be known immediately, he said, adding that no casualty was reported in this connection. UNB’s Narayanganj correspondent reports the BIWTA hoards valuables of ships in the warehouse. Plastic pipes and rubbers were stored in the damaged warehouse located on the bank of the Shitalakshya River. BIWTA’s Member (Finance) Md Rafiul Hussain said that a committee would be formed to investigate the fire incident.

One more death was reported from dengue in 24 hours till Saturday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 15 this year. During the period, 10 more patients were hospitalised with viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of them, six were hospitalised in Dhaka, while the rest were outside the capital. A total of 1, 093 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. 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