Bangladesh
Global Covid cases top 394 million amid Omicron spread
The overall number of Covid cases has surpassed 394 million, with Omicron variant’s rapid spread across the globe.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 394,771,347 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,738,938 Monday morning.
The US has recorded 76,505,442 cases so far and 902,624 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
Russia is reporting a record daily count of new coronavirus infections, a tenfold spike from a month ago as the highly contagious omicron variant spreads through the country, reports AP.
Read:Omicron amps up concerns about long COVID and its causes
The figure of 189,071 new infections released by the state coronavirus task force on Sunday was about 2,800 cases more than the previous day and continued a surge that began in mid-January, when daily new cases were around 17,000.
Although the number of infections has increased dramatically in recent weeks, the country's task force reported that daily deaths from COVID-19 are holding steady or marginally declining: 661 more deaths were recorded Sunday, compared with 796 on Jan. 6.
For the entire course of the pandemic, Russia has reported 12.8 million infections and 335,414 deaths, the highest death toll by far in Europe.
India has registered 107,474 new cases in the past 24 hours, with the tally reaching 42,188,138 on Sunday, the health ministry's data showed.
The ministry also reported 865 deaths since Saturday morning, bringing the death toll to 501,979.
Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since last January, registered 197,442 COVID-19 infections and 1,308 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing its nationwide counts to 26,473,273 and 631,802 respectively, the National Council of Health Secretaries said Saturday.
Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh logged 29 more Covid-linked deaths with 8,345 fresh cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning.
The daily positivity rate slightly declined to 21.50 from Saturday’s 23.83 percent after testing 38,247 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,589 while the caseload mounted to 1,861,532.
Read: Follow health guidelines; new Omicron to be more contagious: DGHS
Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained static at 1.54 percent.
However, the recovery rate slightly increased to 86.09 percent with the recovery of 8,159 more patients during the 24-hour period.
The cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 have jumped to 187 in Bangladesh with the detection of 81 fresh infections till Monday, according to GISAID, a primary source that provides open access to genomic data of Coronavirus.
Bangladesh's Omicron tally rises to 187
The cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 have jumped to 187 in Bangladesh with the detection of 81 fresh infections till Monday, according to GISAID, a primary source that provides open access to genomic data of Coronavirus.
The latest cases were detected at the lab of PRAVA Health that was later submitted by Genomic Research Lab of Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) on Sunday.
Read:Omicron amps up concerns about long COVID and its causes
Bangladesh reported its first two Omicron cases on December 11 last year in two members of the Bangladesh women's cricket team that had been forced to return early from the ICC Women's World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe, deep in southern Africa, where the most transmissible variant of SARS-CoV-2 till now is believed to have originated.
The newly detected sub-variant of Omicron, the South African variant of coronavirus, can be even more contagious, warned the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Citing various studies, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that this sub-variant, which has already been detected in 57 countries, might be more contagious than before and if it is more infectious it may create greater risks, DGHS spokesperson Dr Md Nazmul Islam said at the daily briefing on Covid-19 situation on February 2.
Read: Follow health guidelines; new Omicron to be more contagious: DGHS
There is no alternative to abiding by the health protocols to stay safe, the official added.
Search committee asks political parties to suggest names for CEC, ECs
The six-member search committee, tasked with suggesting names for the formation of the next Election Commission, has called upon the registered political parties to send nominations for the posts of chief election commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners (ECs).
The Cabinet Division issued a circular today, urging the registered political parties to recommend up to 10 names for CEC and ECs by 5pm Thursday.
Also, individuals interested to serve as either CEC or EC can also send their own names.
The names will have to be emailed to [email protected] or directly to the Cabinet Division (snail mail) within this time, the circular added.
President Abdul Hamid formed the search committee, headed by Justice Obaidul Hassan, in line with the new law on forming the Election Commission.
The other members of the committee are Justice SM Kuddus Zaman, Comptroller and Auditor General Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury, Public Service Commission Chairman Md Sohorab Hossain, former election commissioner Sohul Hussain, and writer Anwara Syed Haq.
The "Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Act 2022" was published in an extraordinary gazette by the National Parliament.
Search committee
The search committee would take decisions on majority votes and in the case of equal votes, the meeting's chair would have the authority to cast the second or deciding vote as per the law.
The committee can seek names from political parties and professional organisations for the posts of CEC and ECs.
The search committee will recommend two names against each vacant post before the president.
The Cabinet Division will provide secretarial assistance to the committee.
On January 27 last, Parliament passed the Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Bill 2022 to have a law under the Article 118 (1) of the Constitution. The president assented to the bill on January 29.
The government framed the law as the incumbent EC, headed by KM Nurul Huda, is set to fulfil its five-year tenure in mid-February.
In absence of this law, the president appointed the CEC and commissioners in the past.
The last two election commissions, headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad and KM Nurul Huda, were constituted in 2012 and 2017 through search committees formed by the president following dialogues with political parties.
Mild cold wave sweeping over country
A mild cold wave is currently sweeping over the districts of Nilfamari, Panchagarh, Kurigram, Jashore, Chuadanga Pabna, Moulvibazar and the upazila of Sitakunda, said the Met office.
The cold wave is likely to continue and spread over the surrounding areas, according to a forecast of Bangladesh Meteorological Department for 24 hours till Monday evening.
Moderate to thick fog may occur over north-western part and the river basins and light to moderate fog may occur elsewhere over the country during mid-night to morning, said BMD.
Night temperature may fall slightly and day temperature may rise slightly over the country, said the forecast.
Weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country, predicted the Met office.
The lowest temperature in the country was recorded at 6.9 degree Celsius in Tetulia while the highest temperature was 28 degree Celsius recorded in Teknaf.
5 Jamaat leaders arrested in Pabna
Detective Branch of Pabna Police on Sunday arrested five top leaders including the Ameer of Pabna district Jamaat-e-Islami from Bus terminal area of Pabna town.
The detainees are Pabna District Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Prof Abu Taleb Mandal, Naib-e-Ameer and former chairman of Atgharia Upazila Parishad Maulana Zahurul Islam Khan, Naib-e-Ameer Professor Nazrul Islam, Finance Secretary Maulana Abdus Shakur and Workers Welfare Federation Pabna District President Rezaul Karim.
Acting on a tip off that Jamaat leaders were holding secret meetings for planning anti-government and sabotage activities, police conducted a drive at Darul Aman Trust campus in Pabna at noon and arrested them, said Abdul Hannan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Detective Branch of Pabna Police.
However, Pabna district Jamaat secretary principal Hafeez Maulana Iqbal Hossain said it was not a party meeting but a meeting of the board of trustees of Darul Aman Trust.
JCD activists clash with police in city; 20 injured
At least 20 people were injured, including five law enforcers, in a clash between the activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and police in the city's Nayapaltan area on Sunday evening.
The trouble began around 6pm as a group of JCD activists brought out a procession in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office and put a barricade on the road there around 6:30pm.
As police obstructed the JCD men, they engaged in an altercation with the law enforcers, witnesses said.
At one stage, police charged batons on the JCD activists and lobbed teargas shells to disperse them.
The JCD men also hurled brickbats at the police, leading to a clash that left around 20 people injured.
Later, police arrested at least 10 JCD leaders and activists from the spot.
Contacted, Salahuddin Mia, officer-in-charge of Paltan Police Station, said some police remains deployed near the BNP office every day for security reasons.
He said they came to know that JCD’s thana-level leaders and activists had a programme at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office. “But they suddenly blocked the road in front of the BNP office with a procession, halting traffic.
“As our police members asked to remove the barricade, the Chhatra Dal leaders and activists attacked them with bricks and bats,” the OC said.
He said five members of the police, including assistant commissioner Abul Hasan and sub-inspector Rezaul Islam, were injured.
Later, Salahuddin said, police brought the situation under control by charging batons and firing teargas shells.
He said they also arrested at least 10 people from the spot in connection with the clash.
Meanwhile, at a press conference at their party office at 9:30pm, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that police attacked the JCD men without any provocation. “We strongly condemn and protest the police action.”
He said at least 15 JCD leaders and activists were injured by the police attack while around 20 leaders and activists of BNP and the Chhatra Dal, including Dhaka south city unit BNP member secretary Rafiqul Alam Mojnu, were arrested.
The BNP leader demanded the government immediately release the arrested leaders and activists of BNP and JCD.
KOICA to render pre-survey on introducing metro rail in Chattogram
A pre-survey mission from South Korea is visiting Bangladesh as part of the transport master plan and preliminary feasibility study for urban metro rail transit construction in Chattogram metropolitan area.
The team will stay in Bangladesh till February 16, said the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) on Sunday.
KOICA, in collaboration with Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD), Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, launched the pre-survey for the two years project titled "Transport Master Plan and Preliminary Feasibility Study for Urban Metro Rail Transit Construction, Chattogram Metropolitan Area."
Also read: KOICA celebrates 25 years of its presence in Bangladesh
DTCA, under the Road Transport and Highways Division, will partner with KOICA to implement this project.
The team will also visit Chattogram city's different road sections to see the current condition.
After the field survey, the team will share the result on February 15, 2022, with Secretary RTHD.
The main purpose of this project is to prepare for the basis for urban transport infrastructure according to the concentration of population, urban expansion, and traffic congestion.
KOICA team participate kick-off meeting of the pre-survey mission with Nazrul Islam, Secretary of RTHD, including officials from RTHD and DTCA.
Also read: KOICA for enhancing treatment of neurodevelopmental disabilities for children in Bangladesh
KOICA would provide US$ 6 million grant aid to develop the master plan and basic plan.
The KOICA expert team will have a series of discussions with all the relevant stakeholders, including Bangladesh Roads Transport and Highway Division (RTHD), Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), Divisional Commissioner's Office, Chattogram, Police Commissioner, Chattogram Metropolitan Police, Chattogram Port Authority, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, RHD, Chattogram.
South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun and Deputy Country Director of KOICA Bangladesh Office Taehyun Kim had a courtesy meeting with Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and briefed the plan.
Kim hoped that this project will support the Bangladesh government in developing a master plan for mass transit and reducing traffic congestion in the port city.
Dhaka-Washington’s 8th partnership dialogue likely in March-end
Bangladesh and the United States plan to hold the next round of “partnership dialogue” in March as the two sides seek to have a “deeper engagement” on core issues of mutual interest, officials say.
Both sides are now in discussions to find a convenient date in the third week of March for the 8th Bangladesh-US partnership dialogue, an official told UNB on Sunday.
Issues related to cooperation on development, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, governance, particularly human rights, security, counterterrorism; and cooperation on Covid-19 front are likely to be reviewed and discussed in the partnership dialogue.
Also read: Bangladesh an important security partner, says US
Once the date is finalised, US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Ambassador Victoria Nuland will arrive here to co-chair the partnership dialogue with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, said a diplomatic source.
Ambassador Victoria Nuland was sworn-in as Under Secretary for Political Affairs in April 2021. Prior to that, she was Senior Counselor at the Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategic advisory and commercial diplomacy firm based in Washington, DC.
US Ambassador-designate to Bangladesh Peter D. Haas is likely to arrive here next month prior to the partnership dialogue, said an official.
Also read: Don’t believe wholesale sanctions on Bangladesh warranted: Congressman Meeks
In the last partnership dialogue held on June 10, 2019 in Washington D.C., the two countries discussed issues regarding freedom of expression and assembly; protection of human rights and combating trafficking in persons.
The two governments in the last partnership dialogue also agreed to continue to “cooperate closely” to advance a shared vision of a “free, open, inclusive, peaceful, and secure” Indo-Pacific region.
5-year old boy dies falling from rooftop at Jatrabari
A 5-year-old boy died on Sunday after falling from the rooftop of a two storied building in the city's Jatrabari area.
The deceased was identified as Md Bappy, son of Md Swapan, a pickup van driver living Islamia General Hospital Lane at North Jatrabari.
Also read: 11-year old dies falling off roof in city
Bappy’s mother Hosne Ara Begum said he went to play with the other children in the neighborhood and at around 2 pm she heard Bappy fell from the rooftop of a building.
He was first taken to local hospitals and later transferred to Dhaka Medical College hospital, where the duty doctor announced his death at 4 pm.
The body was sent for an autopsy, said Bacchu Mia, in charge inspector of DMCH police outpost.
Also read: Savar drug peddler falls off roof while fleeing arrest bid, dies
Peer Habibur’s legacy to continue to inspire across generations
Indian High Commission in Dhaka has expressed deep sorrow at the demise of veteran journalist Peer Habibur Rahman.
Journalist Rahman, an eminent political analyst and columnist, played an important role in development of journalism in Bangladesh and his legacy will continue to inspire across generations, the High Commission said in a message shared on its verified Facebook page on Sunday.
Also read: Veteran journo Peer Habib passes away
He died on Saturday while undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of private hospital in the city.
The 58-year-old journalist and executive editor of Bangladesh Pratidin was suffering from cancer and kidney diseases.
Also read: Indian High Commission hosts send-off reception for new ICCR scholars