Month: May 2022

Thousands of home-bound commuters have thronged the Paturia ferry terminal since the early hours of Sunday in their desperate bid to cross the Padma river ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Hundreds of vehicles, mostly buses, microbuses and private cars, with people on board also remain stranded at the ferry ghat, triggering a 3km tailback in the area.

An official said these people and vehicles have been waiting to board ferries on the Paturia-Daulatdia route, with Eid holidays beginning on Sunday. “At least 200 buses are stranded at the terminal,” he said.

While the highway police are controlling vehicular movement in the gridlocked ferry terminal area, the river police are ensuring that the ferries are not taking in passengers beyond their capacities.

Md Khalid Newaz, deputy general manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), said they are literally struggling to control the mad rush of people at the Paturia terminal.

Currently, 21 ferries are operating on the Paturia-Daulatdia route to deal with the huge pressure of vehicles and passengers.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Traffic snarls are not new to Bangladesh, but the gridlock seems to be scaling new highs with each passing day — commuting even on a national holiday has now become a nightmare.

In Gazipur, for instance, with the country in the grip of the Eid rush, commuters heading home were trapped in monster traffic snarls on the two national highways on Sunday — a public holiday on account of May Day.

A 5km tailback was witnessed on both the Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways in Gazipur in the morning due to a mad rush of vehicles carrying home-bound people ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Chandona intersection and Chandra areas of Gazipur district were the worst hit.

Abdullah Al Mamun, deputy commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said, “We have been working relentlessly to make the home-bound journey people a comfortable one for the past week.”

“The early closure of a number of garment factories for Eid triggered Sunday’s snarls,” he added.

A reality check by UNB revealed that both the carriageways of the two highways are gridlocked, with tailbacks stretching as far as 5km.

Moreover, lack of public transport vehicles like buses and launches forced many to hire microbuses, CNG auto-rickshaws and even pickup trucks to reach their destination.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The body of AMA Muhith, former Finance Minister, diplomat, Freedom Fighter and language veteran, reached Sylhet around 10 pm on Saturday where people were waiting to see one of the region’s proudest sons for the last time.

Later, the body was taken to the city’s Hafiz Complex.

His body will be taken to the central Shaheed Minar in Sylhet on Sunday (May 1) at 12 noon where people from all walks of life will pay last respects to Muhith, one of the giants of Bangladesh’s political arena whose role stretches through the entire history of independent Bangladesh.

His last namaz-e-janaza will be held at 2 pm at Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa ground.

After Janaza, he will be buried next to his parents at his family graveyard at Rayanagar in the city.

AMA Muhith, one of the country’s longest-serving finance ministers, the only one who commanded the economy for 10 consecutive years, and the principal architect of the Awami League’s era of development, breathed his last in the wee hours of Saturday.

Muhith’s first namaz-e-janaza was held around 10.45 am at Gulshan Azad Mosque in the city on Saturday.

Later, his body was taken to Central Shaheed Minar where people from all walks of life paid homage.

The second namaz-e-janaza of the Awami League advisory council member was held at Dhaka University central mosque after Zohr prayers on Saturday.

Muhith had been keeping unwell for quite some time. In July 2021, he tested positive for Covid-19, but fought that back. Then in March, he was hospitalised again as he became enfeebled in his old age.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who entrusted him with authoring the Awami League’s manifesto as the party charted its comeback ahead of the 2008 election, expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Muhith.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has conveyed greetings to all on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr.

In a video message on Sunday, the premier said, “Let us share the joy and happiness of Eid-ul-Fitr among us all.”

Hasina urged all to devote themselves to the welfare of country and its people from their respective positions imbued with the glory of Eid-ul-Fitr.

“Stay well and be safe, Eid Mubarak,” she said.

Bangladesh will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Tuesday as the Shawwal moon was not sighted here on Sunday evening.

The decision was announced after a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee that reviewied the information of Shawwal moon sighting at the Baitul Mukarram office of Islamic Foundation.

Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims, comes after a month of fasting.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

May Day was observed in Bangladesh on Sunday as elsewhere across the world with due respect.

This year, the theme for this historic day in Bangladesh was “Sramik-Malik Ekota, Unnoyoner Nischoyota” (roughly translated reads: Workers-owners unity, assurance of development).

May Day, also known as the International Workers’ Solidarity Day, commemorates the historic uprising of working people in the US city of Chicago at the height of a prolonged fight for an eight-hour workday in the late nineteenth century.

Officials of the Ministry of Labour and Employment and leaders of different labour unions placed wreaths at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s portrait led by State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian in observance of the day.

Monnujan Sufian said, “Bangabandhu was vocal for ensuring the rights of working people and fought for their rights throughout his life. In May ,1972 he recognized May Day as the National Solidarity Day.”

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages ahead of the day.

President Hamid called upon all stakeholders to work together to ensure the welfare of the country’s workers.

“In order to survive in today’s competitive world, workers and employers along with the government will need to be more dedicated to maintaining a good relationship to boost production,” the President said.

The Prime Minister in her message said, “Our government has taken all possible measures to tackle the Covid situation, including distribution of relief among the working people to stand beside them.”

She urged all to build a happy, rich and Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Bangabandhu by working for the welfare of the working people and the country.

Newspapers published supplements while radio and television channels aired special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.

Different organisations, political parties arranged dedicated programmes to observe the day.

On May 1, 1886, 10 workers were killed when police opened fire on a demonstration in Chicago near Hay Market demanding an eight-hour working day instead of a 12-hour shift. At the height of agitation, authorities had to accept the workers’ demand and the eight-hour day was introduced universally.

On July 14, 1889, an international workers’ rally in Paris declared May 1 as the International Workers’ Solidarity Day in recognition of the Chicago workers’ sacrifice and achievement and since 1890, the day has been observed globally.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Residents of Shadra and Shamserpur villages in Hajiganj upazila of Chandpur district are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr on Sunday in line with the celebration in Afghanistan, Niger and Mali.

The main congregation of Eid-ul-Fitr was held at the Shadra Darbar Sharif Madrasah premises at 10:30 am led by Pir of Darbar Sharif Mufti Allama.

Dr Mufti Baki Billah Mishkat Chowdhury, head pir of the Darbar Sharif told UNB, “ As per Hanafi, Maliki and Hambli if the moon is sighted in the western part of the earth and the news reaches the eastern part of the earth through reliable means, then fasting is Farz (obligatory) for Muslims in the eastern part and Eid is also obligatory or wajib”.

“As the moon was sighted in Afghanistan, Niger and Mali on Saturday and we received the news through a reliable source we are celebrating Eid today. Besides, Eid Jamaat was also held at Khanka, Askona at Sadarghat area in Dhaka and Badarpur Darbar Sharif in Patuakhali,” he said.

Mowlana Faruque Ahmed, Bazlur Rahman and some local muslims said villagers in Shadra and Shamserpur started fasting for Ramadan one day ahead of elsewhere in the country on April 2 this year.

Every year, people of 40 villages in Hajiganj, Matlab North, Kachua and Sharasti start Ramadan fasting and celebrate Eid-ul-fitr line with the KSA and oter middle east countries countries.Late Maulana Ishaque introduced the practice of

Eid celebration in Chandpur in line with the celebration in Saudi Arabia in 1931. Since then, his followers have been celebrating Eid following Saudi Arabia for the last 93 years.

Meanwhile, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday as the crescent moon for Shawwal was not sighted on Saturday.

The remaining 38 villages in Chandpur will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday according to the decision of KSA.

The National Moon Sighting Committee in Bangladesh however will meet on Sunday evening to fix the date of Eid-ul-Fitr celebration.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Eleven countries have reported salmonella food poisoning, linked to Kinder chocolate products produced in Belgium, according to the UN health agency.

There have been more than 150 suspected cases of salmonellosis – from Belgium to the US – after UK regulators flagged a cluster of salmonella typhimurium cases a month ago, leading to a global recall, the World Health Organization (WHO) said recently.

By April 25, 151 genetically related cases of salmonella typhimurium suspected to be linked to the consumption of the implicated chocolate products were reported from Belgium (26), France (25), Germany (10), Ireland (15), Luxembourg (1), the Netherlands (2), Norway (1 case), Spain (1 case), Sweden (4), the UK (65) and the USA (1).

Children under 10 have been most affected – comprising around 89 percent of cases – and available data indicates that nine patients were hospitalised. There have been no fatalities.

The risk of spread in the WHO European region and globally is assessed as moderate until the information is available on the full recall of the products, the WHO said.

Genetic sequencing of the salmonella bacteria which sparked the food scare showed that the pathogen originated in Belgium.

At least 113 countries across Europe and globally have received Kinder products during the period of risk, the UN agency said, adding that salmonella bacteria matching the current human cases of infection were found last December and January, in buttermilk tanks at a factory run by chocolate makers Ferrero, in the Belgian city of Arlon.

The factory was ordered to temporarily close earlier this month.

The outbreak strain of salmonella is resistant to six types of antibiotics, according to the WHO.

Symptoms of salmonellosis are relatively mild and patients will make a recovery without specific treatment, in most cases.

However, the risks are higher for some children and elderly patients where dehydration can become severe and life-threatening.

Although there are around 2,500 strains of salmonella bacteria, the majority of human infections are caused by two serotypes – typhimurium and enteritidis.

Salmonellosis is characterised by acute fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea that can be bloody as in most of the current cases of infection.

Symptoms typically begin between six and 72 hours after ingestion of food or water contaminated with salmonella, and sickness can last from two to seven days.

Salmonella bacteria are widely found in domestic and wild animals, such as poultry, pigs, and cattle.

Pets are not immune either, and salmonella can pass through the entire food chain from animal feed, primary production, and to households or food-service establishments and institutions.

In humans, salmonellosis is generally contracted after eating contaminated food of animal origin – mainly eggs, meat, poultry, and milk.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The overall number of Covid cases has surged past 513 million amid a rise in new infections in parts of the world.

According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 513,457,336 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,235,231 Sunday morning.

The US has recorded 81,349,060 cases so far and 993,712 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.

India’s Covid-19 tally rose to 43,075,864 on Saturday, as 3,688 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry’s data.

This is the third day when the number of new cases breached the 3,000-mark, after lying low for the past several months.

Besides, as many as 50 deaths across the country due to the pandemic since Friday morning took the total death toll to 523,803.

Situation in Bangladesh

Bangladesh reported 17 fresh Covid cases in 24 hours till Saturday morning, taking the total caseload to 19,52,691.

As per the latest government data, the country’s total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,127 as no one died during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The daily positivity rate slightly dropped to 0.58 per cent from Friday’s 0.63 per cent after testing 2,938 samples during the period.

On Friday, the number of infections was higher as 30 new cases were reported with zero deaths.

Besides, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent.

The recovery rate rose to 97.07 per cent with the recovery of 358 more patients during the 24-hour period.

In March, the country reported 85 Covid-linked deaths and 8,000 new cases while 66,639 patients recovered from the disease, according to DGHS.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Two sisters were found dead on Sunday two days after their father took them with him promising to buy dresses for Eid-ul-Fitr in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha.

Police recovered the bodies of Hashi,12, and Khushi,13 from the Teesta River at Haripur village on Sunday after they remained missing for the last two days, Iftekharul Mokaddem, officer-in-Charge of Sundarganj police station.

Aduri Begum, mother of the two girls, alleged that their father and her ex-husband Hamidur Rahman, resident of Kani Charitabari village, killed the two girls.

Aduri Begum said she was living with her two daughters at her father’s house in Bajra village in Kurigram since Hamidul divorced her over a family fued.

“Two days ago Hamidul came to Bajra and took Hashi and Khushi saying he would buy Eid dresses for them. But they remained missing since then,”said Aduri Begum.

Meanwhile, locals of Haripur village on Sunday noon found the floating bodies of the two girls in the river and informed police.

OC Iftekharul Mokaddem,” We are investigating the matter. It might be a murder incident as the father remained absconding since the recovery of the bodies.”

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Prices of beef and all kinds of chicken have shot up in the capital’s kitchen markets ahead of Eid-ul -Fitr with the rise in demand.

The price of beef has increased by Tk 30 to Tk 50 to Tk 700-750 per kg while prices of all kinds of chicken went up by Tk 20 to Tk 30 per kg in the capital on Sunday.

Visiting kitchen markets in different areas including Khilgaon, Malibag, Shantinagar, Rampura Basabo, the UNB correspondent found that the traders are selling beef at Tk 700 (average) per kg to Tk 750 (premier quality) per kg.

Beef is selling at Tk 750 per kg at meat shops in Mugda area though the list shows the price at Tk700 per kg.

Traders said from the first to the 26th of Ramadan, the rate was Tk 650 to Tk 680 per kg and from Friday beef is being sold at Tk700 per kg due to rise in demand during Eid like the previous years.

Besides, high cattle prices and their high carrying costs have pushed up beef prices , they said.

Yaqub, a resident of Shantinagar ,who came to the market to buy beef said that the price goes up every day.

“At the beginning of Ramadan I bought one kg of beef at Tk 650. I bought it today (Sunday) at Tk750. We have nothing to say,” he said.

Besides, the price of broiler chicken has gone up.

Sohag, a chicken trader at Kaptan Bazar, said he sold broiler chicken at Tk 170 per kg on Saturday which is Tk 190 per kg today.

“I sold it at Tk 160 per kg a week ago. Sonali and layer chicken prices have also increased. Today (Sunday) Sonali (cock) chickens are being sold at Tk350 to Tk360 per kg, which was between Tk 290 to Tk 300 per kg at the beginning of Ramadan.”

Layer (red) chicken is being sold at Tk280 per kg white layer chicken at Tk250 per kg.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

May Day is being observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere across the world on Sunday.

May Day, also known as the International Workers’ Solidarity Day, commemorates the historic uprising of working people in the US city of Chicago at the height of a prolonged fight for an eight-hour workday in the late nineteenth century.

The day is a public holiday in Bangladesh.

This year, the theme for this historic day in Bangladesh is ‘Sramik-Malik Ekota, Unnoyoner Nischoyota” (roughly translated reads: Workers-owners unity, assurance of development).

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages ahead of the day.

President Hamid called upon all stakeholders to work together to ensure the welfare of the country’s workers.

“In order to survive in today’s competitive world, workers and employers along with the government will need to be more dedicated to maintaining a good relationship to boost production,” the President said.

The Prime Minister in her message said, “Our government has taken all possible measures to tackle the Covid situation, including distribution of relief among the working people to stand beside them.”

She urged all to build a happy, rich and Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Bangabandhu by working for the welfare of the working people and the country.

Newspapers published supplements while radio and television channels are airing special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.

Different organisations, political parties have chalked out dedicated programmes to observe the day.

On May 1, 1886, 10 workers were killed when police opened fire on a demonstration in Chicago near Hay Market demanding an eight-hour working day instead of a 12-hour shift. At the height of agitation, authorities had to accept the workers’ demand and the eight-hour day was introduced universally.

On July 14, 1889, an international workers’ rally in Paris declared May 1 as the International Workers’ Solidarity Day in recognition of the Chicago workers’ sacrifice and achievement and since 1890, the day has been observed globally.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

A breakthrough for Rohingya refugee children living in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps in Bangladesh sees the first 10,000 children enrolled to receive education based on the national curriculum of their home country Myanmar, says UNICEF.

This milestone will be reached this month, said the UN agency on Sunday.

The Myanmar Curriculum Pilot, launched by UNICEF and partners in November 2021, is a critical step forward towards ensuring the fundamental right to education for Rohingya refugee children. It will help prepare the children for their return to Myanmar.

“There is a tremendous demand for education among Rohingya refugee children, and UNICEF and partners are on the ground in the camps, responding to that demand,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh.

There are over 400,000 school-aged Rohingya children in the Bangladesh refugee camps.

With approximately 300,000 of these children attending learning centres, UNICEF and partners are running a mammoth education operation in what is the largest refugee settlement in the world.

There are 3,400 learning centres across multiple camps, of which 2,800 are supported by UNICEF.

To date, most of the children have been learning through the so-called Learning Competency Framework Approach (LCFA), which covers levels one to four and caters primarily to children aged 4-14.

The LCFA was created as an emergency measure for Rohingya refugee children and is a largely informal learning system.

The curriculum that is now being piloted is based on the Myanmar national curriculum, and it provides Rohingya refugee children with formal and standardized education.

In addition, the Myanmar Curriculum fills a critical secondary education gap: It provides schooling also for older children who have largely lacked access to education.

The Myanmar Curriculum Pilot initially targets 10,000 children in grades six to nine.

In normal circumstances, grades six to nine cater to children aged 11-14.

However, many Rohingya refugee children have fallen behind in their education, and so most children enrolled in grades six to nine are aged 14-16.

UNICEF aims to scale up in phases so that by 2023, all school-aged children are taught through the Myanmar curriculum.

Despite much progress, approximately 100,000 school-aged Rohingya refugee children are not in school, said the UN agency.

UNICEF and partners are working to reach out to these children and to remove the barriers that prevent them from going to school.

Private and community-based learning facilities that meet the needs of both boys and girls, and which are operated with sufficient oversight, could also play a role in providing educational services.

UNICEF engages with all stakeholders who play a role in the effort to provide Rohingya refugee children with equitable and inclusive access to standardized education.

“We need to do all we can to give these children hope, to provide them with education, to prepare them for their futures in Myanmar. UNICEF will continue to work with the Rohingya refugee community, the Government of Bangladesh and partners until every refugee child is reached with quality education,” said Yett.

Source: United News of Bangladesh