Bangladesh
Heat wave may continue for 4/5 more days: BMD
The mild heat wave which is sweeping over parts of Bangladesh for the last couple of days may continue for four or five more days, according to Bangladesh Metrological Department(BMD).
“The heat wave may continue for four or five more days,” assistant meteorologist of BMD Afroza Sultana told UNB.
The heat wave is sweeping over Dhaka, Khulna and Barishal divisions and the regions of Rajshahi, Pabna, Rangamati, Chandpur, Maizdi Court and Feni.
Read:Mild heat weave sweeps parts of country
Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at a few places over Sylhet division and at one or two places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions and the region of Cumilla, said a Met office bullein.
Weather may remain dry elsewhere over the country commencing around 9 am on Monday which is valid for 24 hours, it said.
Besides, the day and night temperature may rise slightly over the country.
The maximum temperature of the country was recorded at 38.0 degrees Celsius in Rangamati on Monday.
JPC strongly condemns Israeli brutality, airstrike targeting media houses
The Jatiya Press Club (JPC) has strongly condemned the Israeli brutality and airstrike that targeted and destroyed a Gaza City building housing the AP, broadcaster Al-Jazeera and other media.
The JPC leaders held a meeting virtually on Monday chaired by its President Farida Yasmin and conducted by its General Secretary Elias Khan.
The Israeli attacks leveled the 12-story al-Jalaa tower.
Read:Media demand Israel explain destruction of news offices
The JPC leaders in the virtual meeting discussed the overall situation in Palestine amid brutality carried out by Israeli and expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine, according to a media release signed by JPC Joint Secretary Mainul Alam.
The JPC also conveyed condolences over the loss of lives in Palestine amid Israeli attacks.
The JPC leaders urged all concerned to ensure peace and stability there and safety and security of the people including the members of the media in the conflict zones.
Rubel uncertain over Sri Lanka ODIs for back pain
Bangladesh speedster Rubel Hossain is uncertain over playing the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting from May 23 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The pacer has been suffering from back pain since the New Zealand tour earlier this year.
While talking to UNB on Monday, Rubel said he still feels pain while delivering a ball. He thinks it won’t be possible for him to make the final squad for the Sri Lanka series.
Read:Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: ODI Series Preview
“I still have some pain in the back,” Rubel told UNB. “It’s tough for a pacer to keep playing without this sort of injuries. I have been in rehab for a while now. But still, some pain is here. I think it won’t be possible for me to play the Sri Lanka series.”
Debashis Chowdhury, the chief physician of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), told the same. He also said that it’s up to the pacer and the selectors to take the final decision about his participation in the Sri Lanka series.
“He has been playing at the top level of cricket for more than a decade, and these kind of bowlers often suffer from back issues. Rubel is not different from the others. It’s a reaction from bowling for a long time. He needs to stay in rehabilitation for more,” Debashis told the media.
Rubel last played an ODI in New Zealand earlier this year and bagged three wickets conceding 70 runs. He also played a T20I in that tour but failed to grab any wicket.
Read:Sri Lanka team arrive in Dhaka to play ODI series against Bangladesh
BCB announced a preliminary squad on May 1 including Rubel. The final squad will be announced this week which might see an omission of the right-handed pacer.
The first match of the series will take place on May 23 while the remaining games will be played on May 25 and 28 respectively. All the day-night affairs will take palace in Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka.
Preliminary squad: Tamim Iqbal, Naim Sheikh, Imrul Kayes, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Musaddek Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam and Shohidul Islam
Want to help Palestinians? Now there is a way
A week of Israeli air raids in the Gaza Strip has left over 200 Palestinians killed and rendered over 40,000 homeless. Most harrowingly, it would seem to be children who are disproportionately affected - at least 58 of the dead are children. While viral stories of children looking through rubble for a favourite toy, or left distraught by the thought of starting all over, or going back to save their pet goldfish in one instance, have undoubtedly tugged at people's hearts around the world. Bangladesh has always stood firmly by the cause of Palestinian statehood. And during the present flare up, many Bangladeshis have extended their hand of cooperation in their personal capacity as well. Responding to a keen enthusiasm among the public to donate money that can go towards aiding Palestinians, the Palestinian Embassy in Dhaka has shared some mobile phone numbers on its official Facebook page for those willing to send financial support.
Read Address Palestinian issue: Bangladesh to UN Security Council
There is also a provision for those who would like to donate by cash to go to the Embassy in Baridhara from 9am to 5pm on weekdays.
Against the backdrop of the ongoing military atrocities and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Israeli air and land forces on innocent Palestinians, the State of Palestine is being reduced to rubbles, the Facebook post reads.
Read Israeli military says it bombed home of a top Hamas leader
There was some confusion among netizens as to whether the Facebook page was genuine, since it is not verified.
Palestinian Ambassador Yousef SY Ramadan, however, confirmed to UNB that it is indeed their official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/palestinembassydhaka/).
Read Israeli airstrikes on Palestinians worst example of barbarism: GM Quader
"We will be posting extra information InshaAllah. So, you can follow the guidelines accordingly," the ambassador wrote in a Whatsapp message.
Coronavirus: Primary schools, kindergartens to remain shut until May 29
The recent spurt in Covid-19 cases has forced the government to extend the closure of primary schools and kindergartens until May 29 to protect the students from virus infection.
The decision was taken Sunday, said a handout from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.
But classes will continue online during the closure, it said.
Read: Bangladesh extends lockdown until May 23
Students have to abide by health guidelines and regulations issued from time to time by the Prime Minister's Office, Cabinet Division, Ministry of Public Administration and Health Services Department.
The government also extended the closure of secondary and higher secondary level educational institutions until May 29.
Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh recorded 363 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours until Sunday morning as the number of sample tests declined drastically since the beginning of Eid holidays.
Only 5,430 samples were tested during the period. The number was much higher before the Eid-ul-Fitr.
Besides, the country recorded 25 deaths, taking the death toll to 12,149, according to a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Read: Bangladesh sees only 363 new Covid cases as sample testing falls amid Eid
The mortality rate rose to 1.56 percent from Saturday’s 1.55 percent while the infection rate is 6.69 percent.
So far, 7,80,159 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the country.
The government has extended the ongoing lockdown until May 23 considering the overall situation.
Bangladesh sees only 363 new Covid cases as sample testing falls amid Eid
Bangladesh recorded 363 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours until Sunday morning as the number of sample tests declined drastically since the beginning of Eid holidays.
Only 5,430 samples were tested during the period which were two or three times higher before Eid-ul-Fitr. So far, 5,707,716 tests have been carried out.
Besides, the country saw 25 deaths taking the death toll to 12,149, according to a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Read:Bangladesh extends lockdown until May 23
Bangladesh reported 25 Coronavirus fatalities on March 24 and the number continued to go up since then. It experienced a surge in cases in April but the daily count fell below 2,000 in early May.
The mortality rate rose to 1.56 percent from Saturday’s 1.55 percent while the infection rate stood at 6.69 percent, the DGHS said.
Bangladesh has so far confirmed 780,159 Coronavirus cases. The country reported its first cases on March 8 last year and the first death on March 18, 2020.
Meanwhile, 601 people have recovered from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, putting the recovery rate at 92.55%.
Lockdown extended till May 23
The government extended the ongoing lockdown for another week until May 23 with two new directives alongside the existing ones to contain the spread of Covid-19.
A circular was issued by the Cabinet Division in this regard on Sunday.
It said all offices and agencies relating to revenue collection will be considered as emergency service providers.
Read:Return to Dhaka after lockdown ends: Mayor Taposh
Besides, restaurants and eateries will remain open with only takeaway/online services.
As coronavirus cases kept growing at an alarming rate since mid-March, the government imposed a nationwide lockdown from April 5 as part of its move to contain its spread. But with no improvement in sight, the government went for stricter lockdown and extended it in phases.
Schools, colleges to remain closed until May 29
The government has again extended the closure of secondary and higher secondary level educational institutions until May 29.
The decision was taken considering the safety of students, teachers and staffers after consultation with the National Advisory Committee on Covid-19, the Education Ministry said in a handout.
During the closure online classes will continue, it said.
The government shut educational institutions on March 17 last year, just over a week after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases.
Read:Closure of schools, colleges extended until May 29
The closure was extended several times, most recently until May 23 this year.
On February 22, the education minister announced that university classes would resume on May 24.
Residential halls were scheduled to be reopened on May 17.
Bangladesh extends lockdown until May 23
The government has again extended the ongoing lockdown for another week until May 23 with two new directives alongside the existing ones to contain the spread of Covid-19.
The Cabinet Division issued a circular in this regard on Sunday.
On May 5, the government extended the countrywide lockdown until May 16.
Read:Covid-19: Ongoing lockdown to be extended until May 23
The circular said all the offices and agencies relating to revenue collection will be considered as emergency service providers.
Besides, restaurants and eateries will remain open with only takeaway/online services.
As coronavirus cases kept growing at an alarming rate since mid-March, the government had imposed a ‘loose’ nationwide lockdown for one week from April 5 as part of its move to contain its spread.
Later, a ‘stricter’ lockdown was announced from April 14 to 21. On April 28, the government again extended the lockdown until May 5 and issued six fresh directives as the country is struggling to contain the Covid-19 transmission.
On April 23, the Cabinet Division issued a notice allowing shops and shopping malls to operate from April 25 (10am-5pm) on a condition that they would maintain proper safety protocols.
Read:Return to Dhaka after lockdown ends: Mayor Taposh
Covid situation in Bangladesh
Covid-19 claimed 22 more lives in Bangladesh in 24 hours until Saturday morning, which was the lowest daily deaths in the country in nearly two months.
Bangladesh saw 26 Covid deaths on Friday and 31 on Thursday.
With the deaths logged on Friday, the official Covid-related death count in the country reached 12,124.
However, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.55%, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Read:Covid-19: 22 more lives lost, lowest daily deaths in 7 weeks
Bangladesh witnessed a sharp drop in the number of new cases as the tests have declined dramatically.
Only 261 infections were logged in the 24-hour period after examining 3,758 samples.
The country also confirmed 779,796 Covid-19 cases in total, said a DGHS handout.
"Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale" to be rescreened on May 17 by TV channels
Acclaimed both locally and globally, the docudrama titled "Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale", will be rescreened on BTV and BTV World at 3:30 pm on her Homecoming Day on May 17.
Some private television channels will also screen the visual.
On this day in 1981, Sheikh Hasina, now the Prime Minister, at the end of six years of waiting following her father - Bangabandhu's assassination, landed on the country whose flag and freedom owe to the leadership of her father.
Read: Hasina greets Freedom Fighters on Eid
A phone call from the other end of the world transmitted the most nightmarish news to Sheikh Hasina, now the Prime Minister and Sheikh Rehana that their father, also the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with his entire family was assassinated in Bangladesh.
That changed the course of their lives and also the course of the history of her land.
The ordeals, the ups and downs, and the turnaround Sheikh Hasina, came across since that moment on August 15, 1975, was narrated in her voice in the docudrama titled "Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale"directed by Piplu Khan.
Earlier, the film, produced by —Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Nasrul Hamid Bipu— two trustees of the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), was screened at Dhaka Lit Fest, Bangladesh Film Festival in Kolkata, and International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Read: Don’t let Covid to spike with unguarded Eid celebrations: PM Hasina
Assam Chief Minister thanks FM Momen
Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma has thanked Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr AK Abdul Momen for his very warm good wishes, noting that the next 25 years are crucial for both the countries.
"We all share the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said recently in Bangladesh that the journey of both countries in the next 25 years in the 21st Century is crucial," he tweeted.
Earlier, Dr Momen congratulated the Chief Minister on assuming office.
Read: It's very regrettable, says FM on China's Quad remarks
The Foreign Minister noted that Bangladesh´s centrality in enhancing connectivity for India´s North East and increasing relevance in India´s "Act East Policy".
Dr Momen hoped Assam will progress towards greater peace and prosperity under his leadership.
Sarma, BJP's key strategist in the northeast, defeated his nearest rival, Congress' Romen Chandra Borthakur, by 1,01,911 votes in recent elections.
India widens gap between two doses of Covishield to 12-16 weeks
India on Thursday extended the gap between the first and second doses of the Serum Institute-produced Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield to 12-16 weeks from the existing six-eight weeks, amid a huge surge in corona cases and an acute shortage of jabs.
Covishield is also being used in Bangladesh's mega inoculation drives. Though Bangladesh has inked a deal with the Serum Institute to acquire 30 million doses of Covishield, a recent surge in Covid cases in India has made the delivery of the remaining doses uncertain.
"Based on available real-life evidence, particularly from the United Kingdom, the Covid-19 Working Group has agreed to increase the dosing interval between two doses of Covishield to 12-16 weeks," the Indian government said in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the world's largest Covid vaccination drive in India on January 16. Covishield and local pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech's Covaxin are currently being given to the citizens of India.
Also read: India to begin Covaxin vaccine trials for children
The Indian government has, however, not announced any changes in dosage intervals for Covaxin, which remains at four to six weeks. "No change in intervals for Covaxin was recommended," the statement said.
Serum's CEO Adar Poonawalla has welcomed the government's announcement. "This is beneficial both from efficacy and immunogenicity standpoints... good scientific decision to increase the gap," he told a local news channel.
Also read: India returnee tests Covid-19 positive in N’ganj, house put under lockdown
Poonawalla also cited a study in international medical journal The Lancet, linking widening of Covishield doses to increased efficacy.
India's main opposition Congress party has, however, expressed apprehensions over the government's latest move, given the fact that there has been a change in Covishield dosage intervals for the second time in three months.
"First, it was four weeks for the second dose, then six-eight weeks and now we are told 12-16 weeks. Is this because there are not enough stocks of vaccines or because professional scientific advice says so?" senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted:
"Can we expect some transparency from the Modi government?" he added.
India is not only reeling under the twin burdens of a huge surge in Covid-19 cases and an acute shortage of jabs, but also facing a deadly crunch of medical oxygen. In the past one month, at least 120 patients have died at different hospitals in India due to oxygen shortage.
With Prime Minister Modi's government failing miserably to stem the oxygen crisis, the Supreme Court last week set up a 12-member National Task Force to assess the availability of the life-saving gas across the country and help resolve the crisis at the earliest.
Also read: Stranded Bangladeshis in India: 3 more land ports to be reopened
"The rationale for constituting a Task Force at a national level is to facilitate public health response to the pandemic based on scientific and specialised domain knowledge. We expect leading experts in the country shall associate with the Task Force," judges had said.