Day: May 27, 2024

Two people: one woman and a six-year-old boy have gone missing since last night after they were swept away by a river at Marma rural municipality-5. According to the District Police Office, Jhupa Tamata, 25, and Ain BK, 6, were swept away by the Ganyad StreOffice's information officer Gyanendra Bahadur Singh, they are aunt and nephew by relation. The incident occurred as the two were trying to cross the river turned swelled after the rains, said Marma rural municipality-5 ward chair Surendra Mahata. A police squad from the Area Police Office, Latinath has been mobilized to undertake a search and rescue operation for the missing, it is said. Source: National News Agency RSS

The death toll from the multiple-vehicle collision that took place on Sunday night at the Narayangadh-Muglin road section in Chitwan has reached two. The deceased are Soyan Pun, 13, from Naubahini rural municipality-3 in Pyuthan, and Rajan Subedi, 21, from Ramche of Barhabise municipality in Sindhupalchowk who is an assistant to a truck driver. The boy died last night while Subedi breathed his last amidst the treat at Chitwan Medical College at 8:45 am today, the police confirmed. The collision involving four vehicles: three buses and a truck occurred at 17-Kilo of Bharatpur Metropolis-29, the police said. According to District Police Office, Chitwan's Spokesperson Deputy Superintendent of Police, Bheshraj Rijal, the accident involved the truck ( Na 3 Kha 7925), and three buses ( Ba 4 Kha 9086, Na 7 Kha 3248 and Na 6 Kha 8968). Twenty-one people who were injured in the accident are being treated at the Chitwan Medical College. The roadway remained obstructed for some hours after the incident. However, the two-way traffic began this morning, Rijal added. Source: National News Agency RSS

Schools in Birgunj metropolis have been closed for three days. Due to the rise in temperature in the area around Birgunj, the schools are going to be closed for three days from May 29 to 31. With this decision, both community and private schools will suspend their classes for three days. Arvindalal Karna, head of Birgunj Metropolitan City Educational Administration Division, said that due to the extreme heat, they decided to close the schools. He added that they were reported to close the schools for few days from parents, students and teachers. It is said that the decision was taken as heat-wave could significantly impact the students' and teachers' health while conducting the classes in schools. According to the decision of Education Committee of the metropolis on April 29, it was decided to start classes from 6 am because of unfavorable weather (extreme heat) during the day time. The classes were conducted in the morning since May 2. There are 92 community schools and 138 private schools in the metrop olis. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: Major opposition party, Nepali Congress leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala has said that the ruling parties went ahead against the belief that the parliament belongs to the opposition in the parliamentary system. Speaking in the welcome Programme for new comer students organized by Nepal Students' Union, Ayurved Campus Committee here today, he said that the ruling parties should not teach the Congress about the parliamentary system. "In the parliamentary system, the parliament is said to belong to the opposition, but here the ruling parties are trying to move ahead without listening to the opposition", Dr. Koirala said, "Congress does not need to be taught about the parliamentary system by any political party. Congress is firm to its stand.' Leader Dr. Koirala urged the government to end ongoing deadlock in the Parliament by forming a parliamentary probe committee demanded by the NC on the misappropriation of cooperative funds. Dr Koirala said, "Congress is in no hurry mood to join the government. We ar e clear about moving forward by prioritizing the country and peoples' agendas." Dr. Koirala emphasized that the importance of Ayurvedic education in Nepal. He said its relevancy is increasing day by day and that the state should focus on addressing the issues surfaced in the field of Ayurvedic science. Source: National News Agency RSS

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested an alleged arms trader with three one shooter guns from Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila here last night. The arrested person was identified as Md. Hasim, 28 of Sheroil Colony under Chandrima Thana in Rajshahi district. The RAB officials said, acting on detective information, an operation team of the elite force conducted a raid at Nayagola Ghatpara area in Chapainawabganj municipality at around 11 pm and arrested Hasim with the fire arms. Later, he was handed over to the police of Chapainawabganj Sadar Thana after filing a case, the sources added. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

DHAKA, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today urged his party leaders and workers, and all public representatives to stand beside the people, who have been affected by cyclone 'Remal.' 'Several deaths due to cyclone Remal are reported and tidal surges took place in the coastal areas. Homesteads and other infrastructure have been widely damaged,' he said at a press conference held at the AL President's political office in the city's Dhanmondi. Quader said the government is providing dry foods and drinking water to the Remal-affected people. Work is underway to assess the damages caused by the cyclone, he said. He said, 'Our divisional teams will provide assistance to the affected areas.' The AL general secretary said Bangladesh has achieved the ability to tackle any kind of disaster due to the time-befitting steps taken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the last 15 years. Bangladesh has played a pivotal role in disaster management as well, he said. On the other hand, Quader said, BNP doesn't stand beside the countrymen during any disaster. 'But they (BNP) do only photo sessions,' he said. He said the Awami League distributed Ifter items among the distressed people across the country during Ramadan as per the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. On the other hand, BNP organized the 'Iftar party', he said, adding, 'BNP didn't play any political role as the opposition party.' AL joint general secretary AFM BahauddinNasim, organizing secretaries - BM MozammelHaque, Mirza Azam, SM Kamal Hossain, and Sujit Roy Nandi, office secretary Barrister BiplobBarua, publicity secretary DrAbdusSobhanGolap, relief secretary Aminul Islam, deputy publicity secretary Syed Abdul AwalShamim and deputy office secretary Sayem Khan, among others, were present. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

DHAKA, A total of 13 officers of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have received advance training on practical traffic system along with its road traffic safety and accident data analysis from Japan. The traffic related police officers also received training on its simulations, traffic concerned, public relations and awareness building along with practical and important concepts on advanced traffic management. The police team visited to Japan to get training on 'Dhaka Road Traffic Safety' under Japan International Cooperation Agency's (JICA) Dhaka Road Traffic Safety Project (DRSP) from May 8-23 2024. The trainees today paid a courtesy call on DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman at his conference room. Members of the team are-DMP joint commissioner (Traffic-South) SM Mehedi Hasan, Deputy Commissioner Traffic Mohammad Mainul Hasan, Additional Deputy Commissioners Kazi Romana Nasreen, K N Roy Niyati, Assistant Commissioners Md Sakib Hossain, Baha Uddin Bhuiyan, Md Halimul Harun, Inspectors Md Sujauddaula Cho wdhury, Mostafa Kamrul Hasan, Md Abu Zafar, Sergeants Biplob Hossain, Minhajul Hossain Khan and SM Kamran. They presented details about the training to the DMP Commissioner through power point presentation. During the call on, they discussed on how to use the experience of Traffic system in Japan in Dhaka city and making aware about the traffic laws. The DMP Commissioner gave a patient hearing in details about the experiences of the training course. One of the strategies of the Japan Traffic Police is to set up "Children's Traffic Park" to inform and familiarize the people with traffic rules from childhood. Realising the necessity of setting up Children's Traffic Parks in Dhaka, Habib asked his officers to verify the feasibility of setting up a traffic park at Basila and Uttara Diabari. He also initiated to establish of Traffic Research Center for the Accident Data Research familiar with the model of Japan. The commissioner expected that the trained officers will work to modernize the traffic system of D haka city by making proper application of their knowledge. DMP Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Md Munibur Rahman, JICA officials and senior officials were present at the meeting. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

DHAKA, A severe cyclone dubbed as 'Ramel' lashed Bangladesh coastlines killing 10 people, leveling thousands of homesteads, smashing seawalls and flooding scores of villages and towns along the southwestern shorelines. State minister for disaster management and relief Mohibbur Rahman said 10 people were killed in the official count so far while the storm entirely damaged over 35 households and affected over 3.75 million people. Officials in coastal areas said, of the dead some drowned and others were crushed when their houses collapsed. The cyclone brought with it strong gales and heavy downpours alongside high tides cutting power and road communication lines while officials said many lives were saved as some 800,000 people were moved to cyclone shelters further inside the mainland. Weather officials said the expansive Sundarbans forest, the world's largest mangrove vegetation where the three major rivers of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna meet the sea helped dissipate the worst of the storm. Accordi ng to the met office, southwestern Patuakhali was the worst victim of the severe storm where the wind speed rose up to 111 kilometers per hour with tidal surges accompanying the storm flooded and ravaged huge infrastructure including thatched houses. 'The crashing waves virtually washed away everything as it proceeded through the area, particularly Khepupara . . . it became extremely fierce for over half an hour from 1.30 am after the midnight,' a cyclone control room official in Patuakhali said by phone. The cyclone-driven surges breached a major town protection embankment on the country's Manpura Island inundating the most parts of the island. Power ministry officials said they shut down electricity supply to some areas in advance to avoid accidents, while in several coastal areas fallen trees and snapped electricity lines further disrupted supply. They said nearly three million people in Bangladesh were without electricity while power supply disruptions affected the capital Dhaka as well while resident s said their cell phone services too were inoperative as the devices could not be recharged. With the improvement of the situation, the authorities have started restoring the power transmission and distribution system gradually after necessary checking, said Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB). According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, over 3,758,096 people were affected and 35,483 houses were destroyed in 19 districts-Khulna, Satkhira, Bagherhat, Jhalokathi, Barishal, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Barguna, Bhola, Feni, Cox's Bazar, Chattogram, Noakhali, Lakhipur, Chandpur, Narail, Gopalganj, Shariatpur and Jashore. Around 10,000 mobile towers or base transceiver stations (BTS) went out of service due to power supply disruption, hampering mobile and internet services in the southern districts. The capital Dhaka witnessed heavy rainfall since morning creating water logging in different parts that mounted suffering of the city dwellers, especially the officer-goers, as the CNG-driven aut o-rickshaws and rickshaw-pullers charged extra fares. The weather office said after ravaging the southwestern coastlines, the 'severe cyclone' weakened into storm but continued to cause heavy downpours in most parts of Bangladesh including the capital Dhaka which also suffered from electricity disruptions. 'It (cyclone) is likely to move northeastwards further and weaken into a land depression by giving precipitation,' the latest met office bulletin said adding fishing boats to stay in safe shelters until Tuesday. Ramel hit Bangladesh coasts after 8 o'clock in the evening packing speeds of up to 135 kilometre per hour, hitting the southern Mongla seaport and the adjoining Sagar Islands in India's West Bengal late on Sunday before weakening on Monday morning A journalist in Patuakhali said the residents expected the cyclone to last for few hours but Ramel lasted for hours instilling into people a deep fear. Remal was the first cyclone in the Bay of Bengal ahead of this year's monsoon season, which runs fr om June to September. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

DHAKA, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibbur Rahman today said the severe cyclone Remal that made landfall on the Bangladeshi coast on Sunday night killed 10 people in the coastal districts of Bangladesh affecting over 37 lakh people and destroying thousands of houses. He disclosed the information in a press conference at his ministry conference room at the Secretariat this afternoon. Mohibbur Rahman said 10 people were killed in Khulna, Satkhira, Barishal, Patuakhali, Bhola and Chattogram districts while 37, 58,096 people have been affected by the cyclone. Of the deaths, three people each in Barishal and Bhola, and one each in Khulna, Satkhira, Patuakhali and Chattogram. The state minister said 19 districts have been affected in the cyclone. The districts are Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Jhalakathi, Barishal, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Barguna, Bhola, Feni, Cox's Bazar, Chattogram, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Narail, Gopalganj, Shariatpur and Jashore, he said. A total of 35,483 ho uses have been destroyed completely while 1,14,992 houses damaged partially in the cyclone. Mohibbur Rahman said 107 upazilas and 914 unions and municipalities have been affected in the cyclonic storm. He said a total of 9,424 shelter centers have been opened in the coastal areas as over eight lakh people took shelter at the centers as well as educational institutions. A total of 52,146 cattle have also been sheltered, he added. The state minister said 1,471 medical teams have been formed to provide treatment to cyclone-affected people. He said Taka 6.85 crore have been provided for the affected people. Of the allocation, Taka 3.85 crore cash money have been allocated for 15 districts, 5500 metric tons of rice, 5000 packets of dry food, Taka 1.50 crore for children's food and Taka 1.50 crore for feed were also allocated. The state minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been constantly monitoring the overall situation. At her directives and sincere efforts of all concerned, it has been possible t o protect the country from bigger damages, he said. In the press conference, Chief Meteorologist of Strom Warning Center of Bangladesh Meteorological Department Dr Shamim Hasan Bhuiyan said due to effects of cyclone Remal, rain and gusty wind may continue till tomorrow while Sylhet region may witness heavy rainfall. He said Dhaka saw 125 millimeters of rain today, while Chattogram 138mm, Cox's Bazar 139mm and Patuakhali 121mm rain. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

DHAKA, Speakers at a seminar of World Hypertension Day today said that 25 percent of adults in the country suffer from high blood pressure and about 50 percent of them do not know about this. The speakers said these things at a public seminar at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute auditorium on Monday. State minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Rokeya Sultana was present as the chief guest with president of National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh professor Professor Dr. Khondker Abdul Awal Rizvi in the chair. Speakers also said that high blood pressure is a silent killer. High blood pressure is one of the most serious risk factors for various complications including heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. For this reason, it is imperative to increase awareness among the public and all, including doctors, for the prevention, control and treatment of high blood pressure diseases. However, the patient with high blood pressure must follow the doctor's advice. Preventing and controlling high blood pressure requires a healthy and controlled lifestyle, speakers said. Professor Dr Ahmedul Kabir, additional director general of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Professor Fazila-Tun-Nesa Malik and Professor Sohel Reza Choudhury spoke in the seminar. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

DHAKA, The government has appointed Md. Jahidul Islam Bhuiyan, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office, as the new Managing Director (MD) and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, a notification said. The public administration ministry issued the notification regarding this appointment on Sunday. After working in various positions at the field level, Bangladesh Civil Service-BCS (Administration) 18th batch officer, Bhuiyan has served in the industry, commerce and expatriate welfare ministry. He also served as the first secretary (Labor) at the Bangladesh Embassy, in Seoul. Earlier on May 21, Shafiul Azim, who is serving as the Biman MD and CEO since December 2022, was appointed as the Secretary of the Election Commission. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha