Month: December 2021

Bangladesh logged seven Covid-linked deaths with 509 fresh infections in 24 hours till Thursday morning.
With the detection of the fresh cases after testing 22, 668 samples, the daily-case positivity rate slightly declined to 2.25 per cent from Wednesday’s 2.37 per cent during the period, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The fresh numbers reported on Thursday took the country’s total fatalities to 28,070 while the caseload mounted to 15,85,027.
Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained static at 1.77 per cent during the period.
Besides, the recovery rate remained static at 97.72 per cent with the recovery of 395 more patients during the 24-hour period.
Bangladesh reported daily covid cases above 500 after two months. On October 13, the country logged 518 new Covid cases with 17 deaths.
Meanwhile, three more Covid cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in Bangladesh, raising the total tally to seven, according to GISAID, a global initiative on sharing all influenza data, shared the results on Wednesday.
On December 9, Bangladesh again logged zero Covid-related death after nearly three weeks as the pandemic was apparently showing signs of easing.
The country reported this year’s first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 along with 178 infections since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020.
Bangladesh reported the highest number of daily fatalities of 264 on August 5 this year, while the highest daily caseload was 16,230 on July 28 this year.

SOURCE: UNITED NEWS OF BANGLADESH

European Investment Bank (EIB) provides Bangladesh USD $ 283.06 million (EUR 250 million) to purchase Covid-19 vaccine and strengthen the healthcare system.
A finance contract (FC) was signed in this regard between Bangladesh and EIB under a project titled ‘Bangladesh Covid-19 Public Health Programme’.
Fatima Yasmin, Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD) and Edvardas Bumsteinas, head of Asia and Pacific Division, and Imanol Lecue Gurtubay, Legal Counsel, signed the loan agreement on behalf of Bangladesh and EIB respectively.
The main objectives of the finance programme are to purchase and supply vaccines for the prevention of Covid-19 infections, strengthening the healthcare system and expanding social security in the health sector.
“It’s a concessional loan to the government of Bangladesh, with a repayment period of twenty years, including five years’ grace period. This is their first-ever highest contribution as part of their development cooperation to our country,” Yasmin said.
EIB is an important development partner of Bangladesh. It co-financed four projects along with ADB amounting to $423 million (USD) in railway and water treatment plants of Dhaka Wasa. Unlike the previous co-financed contribution, this is the first time standalone contribution for Bangladesh.

SOURCE: UNITED NEWS OF BANGLADESH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday reiterated her call to all to get vaccinated against Covid-19 as the government is going to take the vaccination drive to the grassroots level.
“We’ve already decided to continue the vaccination programme through every community clinic and health centre so that rural people can take jabs soon. No one should remain unvaccinated. All must avail of it,” she said, adding that many people still show reluctance to receive the vaccine.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing a function at the city’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, joining it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.
At the function, she published the results of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and its equivalent examinations-2021 and inaugurated the distribution of free textbooks among students up to the secondary level for the academic year of 2022.
Hasina said since the Covid-19 jabs will be given through community clinics or other health centres, all of those who have not yet received the vaccine will have to take it.
Noting that the government has already vaccinated the teachers of educational institutes, she said now the jabs are being given to students.
The PM directed the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education to be sincere so that all the students receive vaccines.
Pointing at the guardians of students, Hasina said not only the parents but also their children will have to take vaccines.
Sheikh Hasina directed the Education Ministry to continue their online education programmes as the Corona infection rate goes up and down.
Mentioning that it was noticed that the outbreak of this pandemic witnessed a surge immediately after the winter season, she said the Education Ministry will have to take preparations from right now to continue the online education programmes in the case of possible surge in Covid-19 infections.
“Since it would not be possible to keep schools open in case of a fresh outbreak of Covid-19, you’ll have to take measures to ensure the access of online teaching to every house,” she said.
She also urged guardians to assist students over online education.
Focusing on the Awami League government’s development measures for the education sector, the PM said her government gives importance to two issues –nutrition and mental health awareness—of the students.
Hasina said the government started a school feeding programme. But parents or guardians also have to pay attention to the nutrition of their kids, she added.
She said one lakh teachers and officials have been given training on nutrition issues while two lakh teachers on mental health issues.
Noting that many of this country are not aware about their children’s mental health, the PM said sometimes many kids cannot concentrate on their education and classroom teaching, which is one type of disability and a different type of syndrome.

SOURCE: UNITED NEWS OF BANGLADESH

Another person died and 31 new dengue patients were hospitalised in 24 hours till Thursday morning, health authorities said.
With the latest death, fatalities from dengue rose to 105 in the current year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
It said 95 people died in Dhaka division alone, four in Mymensingh, two each in Chattogram, and Khulna and one each in Rajshahi and Barishal divisions.
Among the new patients, two were undergoing treatment at hospitals in Dhaka while the remaining 29 cases have been reported from outside the division.
Some 63 patients who were diagnosed with dengue are receiving treatment in the country as of Thursday.
Of them, 34 are receiving treatment at different hospitals in the capital while the remaining 29 were listed outside Dhaka.
Since January, some 28,425 patients have been admitted to different hospitals with Dengue in the country. So far, 28,257 dengue patients have left hospitals after recovery, said the DGHS.

SOURCE: UNITED NEWS OF BANGLADESH

Two pedestrians, including a US expatriate, were killed after being hit by a seized bus being driven by a police officer in the city’s Gulistan area on Thursday.
The deceased were identified as US expatriate Shukkur Mahmud, 58, hailing from Narayanganj and Raisul Kabir Tushar, 35, resident of the city’s Jurain area.
Md Abdul Ahad, Deputy Commissioner of Motijheel division of DMP, said Assistant Sub-inspector Emdadul was driving the bus of ‘Sraban Paribahan’, that was seized after being in an accident earlier in Gulistan where a police man was injured. The driver and the helper of the bus escaped the scene after the accident.
Later, ASI Emadul was taking the bus to the nearest police box in Gulistan but ploughed into a crowd after losing control over the steering in front of Gulistan Trade Centre around 4pm, leaving two pedestrians injured, said Abdul Ahad.
The injured were rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where the doctor declared Shukkur dead on arrival. Tushar succumbed to his injuries at DMCH in the evening
ASI Emadul was arrested after the accident, confirmed DC Abdul Ahad.
The relative of US expatriate Shukkur will file a case at Paltan police station, said the DC.

SOURCE: UNITED NEWS OF BANGLADESH