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Fire breaks out in Gazipur warehouse
A fire broke out at a textile waste warehouse in the Majukhan area of Gazipur city early on Wednesday, gutting two adjacent houses.
No reports of casualties were reported till the filing of this report.
Abdul Hamid Mia, deputy assistant director of Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defense, said the fire broke out in the warehouse at 5.30am and spread to the nearby houses.
Also Read: N’ganj factory fire under control
Four fire tenders were pressed into the service and it took them over two-and-a-half hours to douse the flames, he said.
"A probe has been ordered to ascertain the exact cause of the fire," the officer added.
Global Covid cases top 562 million
The overall number of Covid cases has now surpassed 562 million amid a rise in new infections in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
According to the latest global data, the total case count mounted to 562,846,844 and the death toll from the virus reached 6,376,711 Wednesday morning.
The US has recorded 90,683,223 cases so far and 1,046,613 people have died from the virus in the country, the data shows.
India reported 13,615 fresh cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours, taking the total tally to 43,652,944, as per the federal health ministry data released on Tuesday.
With this, the number of active cases in the country rose to 131,043.
According to the ministry, 20 deaths related to Covid have been recorded in 24 hours, pushing the overall death toll to 525,474 in the country.
Covid in Bangladesh
Bangladesh registered nine more Covid-linked deaths with 556 cases in 24 hours till Tuesday morning amid a rapid surge in new infections.
Also read: Covid: Bangladesh logs 4 months’ highest 12 deaths with 2,285 cases
The fresh numbers took the country's total caseload to 1,991,031 and the fatalities to 29,212, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The daily case positivity rate slightly increased to 13.78 per cent from Monday’s 13.18 per cent as 4,799 samples were tested during the period, said the DGHS.
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.47 per cent. The recovery rate rose to 96.22 per cent as 1,542 patients recovered during the period.
Dhaka's air quality is 'good'
Dhaka's air quality has turned 'good'.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 37 at 9.04am, the densely populated metropolis ranked 39th in the list of world cities with the worst air quality.
Indonesia’s Jakarta, Pakistan’s Lahore and Chile’s Santiago occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 160, 151 and 124, respectively.
An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
Similarly, an AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'poor', while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Read: Global pollution kills 9 million people a year, study finds
AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, is used by government agencies to inform people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
A report by the Department of Environment (DoE) and the World Bank in March 2019 pointed out that the three main sources of air pollution in Dhaka "are brick kilns, fumes from vehicles and dust from construction sites".
With the advent of winter, the city’s air quality starts deteriorating sharply due to the massive discharge of pollutant particles from construction work, rundown roads, brick kilns and other sources.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Couple found dead in Naogaon river
A couple was found dead on a boat in the Shib river in Niyamatpur upazila of Naogaon district on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.
The deceased were identified as Raihan Ali, 25, son of Adam Ali of Bil Surshunia village, and his wife Tarabanu, 19, daughter of Iskendar Ali of Srikla village.
Humayun Kabir, officer-in-charge of Niamatpur Police Station, said Tarabanu and Raihan got married six months ago without the consent of their families.
READ: 2 farmers’ suicide for irrigation water: Agriculture secy vows strict action
Local people spotted the bodies in the river and informed the police. Cops suspect they died by suicide.
Rauf sets 3 priorities as new governor of Bangladesh Bank
Abdur Rauf Talukder, the new governor of Bangladesh Bank (BB), has set three priorities for the domestic economy.
"The main task of Bangladesh Bank is to control inflation, second is to control the exchange rate and the third is to increase the foreign exchange reserves,” the new governor told reporters.
Abdur Rauf Talukder spoke about the three priorities after a meeting with the central bank officials on Tuesday, his first day in office.
Read: New BB governor Abdur Rauf joins office
He wants to stem the rise of commodity prices, keep the value of currency (Taka) against the dollar, as well as increase foreign exchange reserves.
He takes charge at a time when the world economy is under pressure. Uncertainty is running high in the country due to rising commodity prices and fuel prices. Bangladesh is no exceptio, he said.
Child dies falling out of electric rickshaw
A 7-year-old child died after falling from her grandmother's lap while they were on a battery-run rickshaw in the capital's Konabari on Tuesday afternoon.The deceased is Tahmina Akter Tanisha, daughter of Abul Kalam of Matlab upazila of Chandpur.The victim's paternal uncle Mehedi Hasan Sajal said the child lived with her family in Jatrabari.He said Tanisha along with two other children were going to Dogair Bazar from Matuail by a battery-run auto-rickshaw. On the way, Tanisha fell on the road from the lap of her grandmother, leaving her seriously injured.She was rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital where Tanisha succumbed to her injuries under treatment.Confirming the matter, Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost in-charge Bacchu Mia said the body was kept at the hospital morgue and Jatrabari police station has been informed about the matter.
New UN Resident Coordinator meets Fakhrul
Newly appointed UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis met BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday.
The meeting was held at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office.
BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and organising secretary Shama Obayed were also present at the meeting.
Contacted, Amir Khasru said it was just a courtesy call with the newly appointed UN envoy.
Read: No conspiracy can stop country’s development spree: Quader
He declined to give any details about what they discussed in the over hour-long meeting.
This is the first meeting between Gwyn Lewis and the BNP leaders since she was appointed as the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC) in Bangladesh.
Abdul Kader joins BCBL as Deputy Managing Director
Md Abdul Kader has joined Bangladesh Commerce Bank Limited (BCBL) as Deputy Managing Director.
He was the Senior Executive Vice President of Union Bank. He started his banking career at First Security Islami Bank Ltd. as a probationary officer.
Read: New BB governor Abdur Rauf joins office
Abdul Kader obtained his Honors and Masters from the University of Dhaka. He attended numerous seminars and training sessions arranged by Bangladesh Bank and World Bank at home and abroad.
Besides, his articles were published in various international journals.
Md Abdul Kader was born in a renowned Muslim family at Khilbaichha village of Laxmipur district.
8 drown in 5 districts during Eid holidays
Eight people, including seven children, drowned in Chattogram, Sylhet, Chapainawabganj, Sherpur and Brahmanbaria districts during Eid holidays.
In Chattogram, two children drowned in a canal in Kolpolok residential area in Bakolia of the city around 1pm on Tuesday while playing near the canal.
The deceased were identified as Md Shamim, 10, and Rabiul Islam, 7, residents of the area.
Sadiqur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) (investigation) of Panchlaish police station, said locals rescued the children and took them to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) where doctors announced them dead on arrival.
In Sylhet, a tourist drowned in the river at Jaflong, a tourist destination, this noon, said Md Ratan Sheikh, in-charge of Jaflong Tourist Police.
The deceased was identified as Mahidul Islam, 19, of Narsingdi district. He was a 2nd year student of Narsingdi Ideal College.
He among three people drowned in the river while taking bath, however, two of them managed to swim to the shore, said the official.
Later, fire service divers recovered Mahidul’s body from the river around 6pm, he added.
Read: Child Drowning Prevention: Water safety tips to save your kid from drowning
In Chapainawabganj, a 12-year-old boy drowned in the Mahananda River in the town this noon, said Mozaffar Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chapainawabganj Sadar police station.
The deceased was identified as Kawsar, son of Mesbaul Hoque of the district town.
Later, divers of the fire service rescued the boy and rushed him to district Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead, the OC added.
In Sherpur, a schoolboy drowned in a pond at a college playground in Pakuria union in the morning while playing football, said Naeem Md Nahid Hasan, inspector (Investigation) of Sherpur Sadar police station.
The deceased was identified as Munayem Islam Mishuk, a class X student of Sherpur Government Technical School and College.
Fire service divers recovered the body around 11am, said the OC.
In Brahmanbaria, two siblings drowned in a pond in Nabinagar upazila Monday evening.
The deceased were identified as Jannat Aktar, 10, and Sadia Aktar, 7, daughters of Md Atik Mia of the upazila.
The siblings slipped into the pond adjacent to their house and drowned, said Md Aminur Rashid, officer-in-charge (OC) of Nabinagar police station.
Later, locals recovered the bodies from the pond, he added.
In the district town, a schoolboy drowned in a canal at Kautali Sunday morning while bathing a sacrificial animal in the canal.
The deceased was identified as Nabil Rahman, a grade seven student of Ideal Residential School and College.
Fire service divers rescued Nabil's body from the Karulia canal after five hours of drowning, said district Fire Service Team Leader Md Jewel Mia.
Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 9 more deaths, 656 new cases
Bangladesh logged nine more Covid-linked deaths with 656 cases in 24 hours till Tuesday morning amid a surge in cases again in Bangladesh.
The new numbers took the country's total fatalities to 29,212 while its caseload to 1,991,031, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The daily case positivity rate increased to 13.78 from Monday's 13.18 per cent as 4,799 samples were tested during the period.
Four of the deceased were men while five were women.
Read: Covid-19 and economic crisis will end soon, hopes Hasan Mahmud
Seven were from Dhaka while one each from Chattogram and Mymensingh divisions.
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.47 percent. The recovery rate rose to 96.22 percent as 1,542 patients recovered during the period.
In June, the country reported 18 Covid-linked deaths and 20,201 new cases, according to the DGHS.
Bangladesh reported its first zero Covid death on November 20 last year since the pandemic broke out here in March 2020.
The country registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 in the same year.