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Bangladesh reports hospitalization of 211 more Dengue patients
As many as 211 new dengue patients were admitted to different hospitals in 24 hours till Friday morning as dengue infection rate keeps rising in Bangladesh amid the worsening Covid-19 pandemic.
Among the new patients, 210 were admitted to government and private hospitals across capital Dhaka.
Read:Dengue spike in Bangladesh: 242 more hospitalized in 24 hrs
So far, 24 suspected dengue deaths were reported to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) but it is yet to confirm any death from dengue yet, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Some 952 patients diagnosed with dengue are receiving treatment in the country as of Friday morning, according to the DGHS.
Most of the cases have been reported in the capital so far, said the health authorities.
Read:Uptrend in Dengue cases: 226 more hospitalized in 24 hrs
Of them, 884 patients are receiving treatment at different hospitals in the capital while the rest were listed outside Dhaka.
Bangladesh started seeing an uptrend in dengue cases from June. It started seeing over 200 Dengue cases every day since August 1.
Read:Dengue spike: 213 more patients hospitalized in 24 hrs
Some 5,645 patients have been admitted to different hospitals with dengue since January, and 4,669 of them have been released after they recovered from the disease.
Dengue fever was first reported in Bangladesh in 2000, claiming 93 lives that year. In the years that followed, the country learned to deal with the disease much better, but it did become endemic. Fatalities almost fell to zero at one stage, before spiking again in 2018, leading to the horrific crisis the following year.
PM mourns death of AL leader Abdur Rahman
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday expressed deep sorrow at the death of Awami League Jatiya Parishad member and former president of Feni Awami League Abdur Rahman B.Com.
Abdur Rahman, also a freedom fighter, breathed his last at his home at the age of 80.
Also read: PM mourns death of Bangabandhu’s nephew Bablu
She prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family members.
Abdur Rahman left behind wife, three sons, two daughters and a host of relatives, colleagues and well-wishers.
Also read: PM expresses condolences at death of Talukder
AL general secretary and Highways and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader also condoled Abdur Rahman’s death.
Remembering Tareque Masud, Mishuk Munier on 10th death anniversary
The 10th death anniversary of late filmmaker Tareque Masud, a storyteller who is recognized for his creative brilliance and critical acclaim from home and abroad throughout his lifetime, is being observed in the country.
Tareque and Mishuk Munier along with three others were killed in a fatal road accident on Dhaka-Aricha highway in Ghior Upazila of Manikganj on August 13 in 2011. The accident happened when a microbus carrying the two short-lived celebrities crashed into a bus on the highway while they were returning to Dhaka from Manikganj after visiting a shooting location.
Read:Tareque Masud, Mishuk Munier’s 9th death anniversary today
The day is being observed this year through various programmes organized by different organisations, including Tareque Masud Memorial Trust, Moviyana Film Society, Kathaprokash and Lagvelki, to name a few, adopting the new normalcy of virtual events.
Tareque Masud Memorial Trust and publishing house Kathaprokash jointly organized a virtual book launching ceremony on Thursday night, publishing the remastered edition of Tareque Masud’s book titled ‘Chalachchittrajatra’,
Catherine Masud, Tareque's widow, an American-born producer-filmmaker, Tareque Masud Memorial Trust chairperson and joint editor of the book joined the event alongside filmmaker and joint editor of the book Proshoon Rahman, Moviyana Film Society president and joint editor of the book Belayet Hossain Mamun, Indian film scholar Sanjay Mukhopadhyay, artist Dhali Al Mamoon and Kathaprokash owner Jashim Uddin.
Lagvelki, the first online pay-per-view movie streaming platform in the country, is organising an online discussion programme at 5 pm on Friday. Scheduled to be streamed live from LagVelki’s official Facebook page, the event will be joined by filmmaker Proshoon Rahmaan who will talk about his new book, ‘Tareque Masud O Tar Shwapnoshonkranto’, alongside Lagvelki founder Shariful Islam Shaon.
Read:Tareque Masud’s 63rd birth anniversary observed
Indian film scholar Sanjay Mukhopadhyay will deliver the Tareque Masud Memorial Lecture on Friday at 8.30 pm, which will be streamed live on Moviyana Film Society’s Facebook page. The event, being organized by Tareque Masud Memorial Trust and Moviyana Film Society, will be joined by Catherine Masud and Moviyana Film Society president Belayet Hossain Mamun.
Born on December 6, 1956, in Faridpur, Tareque was involved with the film society movement in the late 70s. His maiden film is ‘Adam Surat’, a documentary on the legendary artist SM Sultan which was released in 1989.
'Matir Moyna', the most acclaimed film made by Tareque Masud, earned the FIPRESCI Prize in the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and became Bangladesh's first film to compete for the Academy Award for the best foreign-language film in the same year. His other major films are ‘Runway’, ‘Ontorjatra’ ‘Muktir Gaan’ and the unfinished 'Kagojer Phul'.
In addition to filmmaking, Tareque was also a pioneer of the independent film movement in Bangladesh. He was a founding member of the Short Film Forum, the leading platform for independent filmmakers. He organised the country’s first International Short and Documentary Film Festival in 1988.
Read:Google honours Tareque Masud with a Doodle
For his majestic and influential role in modern Bangladeshi filmmaking, Tareque Masud was posthumously awarded Ekushey Padak in 2012.
Mishuk Munier was a former faculty member of the Department of Journalism at Dhaka University and a well-revered cinematographer. He was the son of cultural activist Lily Chowdhury and Bangla Academy Award-winning educationist, playwright, literary critic and political activist Munier Chowdhury, an intellectual martyr who was assassinated by Pakistan Army and its local collaborators on December 14, 1971.
Some areas in Dhaka to see disruption in gas supply Saturday
Gas supply will remain suspended in different areas of the national capital for 10 hours from 9 am to 7 pm on Saturday.
According to Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, the areas include Boro Moghbazar, Taltala Gali, Jahabox Lane, Gabtala, Wahab Road, Nayatola, Chairman Gali, Modhubagh and their adjoining areas.
READ: Gas supply to remain suspended in parts of Narayanganj
The consumers of the areas will either have no gas supply or experience low pressure in supply due to works on gas pipeline relocation, said Titas Gas.
READ: Consumers may experience disruption in gas supply until June 16
Covid: 13 more die at Rajshahi hospital
Thirteen more Covid-related deaths were reported at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) in 24 hours, health officials said on Friday.
Five of them were confirmed Covid-19 patients while seven showed symptoms and another died of post-corona health complications, said hospital director Brigadier General Shamim Yeazdani
Of the deceased, eight were from Rajshahi district, three from Pabna, and one each from Chapainawabganj and Natore districts. Seven of them were men while the remaining were women.
READ: Rajshahi sees 9 more Covid deaths in 24 hrs
Shamim said that 40 new patients have been admitted to the corona unit of the hospital in the past 24 hours. On the other hand, 44 people were discharged from the hospital after recovery during the period.
Besides, some 325 people are currently undergoing treatment at the 513-bed corona unit of the hospital.
READ: Covid: 10 more people die in Rajshahi
RMCH has been one of the most stretched hospitals in the country during the second wave of Covid-19, particularly since the latter part of May when the deadly Delta variant of the virus was identified in multiple samples of Rajshahi division.
Russian, German envoys present credentials to President Hamid
Recently-appointed ambassadors of Russia and Germany to Bangladesh on Thursday presented their credentials to President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban in the evening.
Two envoys are- Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation Alexander Vikentyevich Mantytskiy and Ambassador (designate) Achim Tröster of the Federal Republic of Germany
President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin briefed the reporters after the meeting.
Welcoming the new envoys, the President said Bangladesh always maintains a very excellent relations with Russia and Germany and the ties are gradually expanding in various fields, particularly in trade and investment, with the countries,
He gratefully recalled Russia's cooperation in rebuilding the economy and infrastructure of the war-torn country after the 1971 Liberation War and Bangladesh Independence.
Referring to the forcibly displaced Rohingyas taken shelter in Bangladesh as a huge problem for Bangladesh, the President sought Russia's cooperation in repatriating the Rohingyas to their homeland in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
The President Hamid urged the new Ambassador to take initiatives to harness the immense potentials for trade and investment between Bangladesh and Russia.
The President also thanked the Russian government for its technical and financial support in various projects, including the establishment of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh.
Saying Germany is one of the development partners of Bangladesh during the meeting with German ambassador, President Hamid said Germany is one of the important export destinations of Bangladesh. There is an opportunity to increase trade with Germany in various sectors, including readymade garments (RMG), leather goods and frozen foods.
Hamid hoped that trade between the two countries would further increase during his tenure as the new envoy.
He asked for German investors to invest in various sectors, including special economic zones and high-tech parks as a very trade-conducive environment is prevailing here.
On the Rohingya repatriation issue, President Hamid sought Germany's cooperation, expressing the hope that the German government would continue to put pressure on Myanmar authority to take back their displaced citizens.
Both the ambassadors sought President’s all-out cooperation in discharging their duties during their assignment in Bangladesh.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, President's Office Secretary Sampad Barua, Military Secretary Major General Salahuddin Islam , Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin, Secretary (attachment) Md Wahidul Islam Khan were present on the occasion.
A smartly turned-out contingent of the horse-mounted President Guard Regiment (PGR) gave the envoys guards of honour on their arrival at Bangabhaban.
Case against seven cops in Cumilla for looting cash and jewellery
A court case has been filed Wednesday against seven members of police for looting cash and gold jewellery from a house in Brahmanpara upazila in Cumilla.
Resident of Chandla Village, Abul Kalam and his wife Salma Akter filed the case at the civil court of Cumilla Senior Judicial Magistrate-2.
Acknowledging the case, Judge Begum Mithila Jahan Nipa directed the District Police Superintendent to investigate the matter and submit the report on September 29.
The accused are Sub-Inspector of the Brahmanpara police station Saiful Islam, 35, Jiban Krishna Majumdar, 32, and Kamal Hossain, 35, Assistant Sub-Inspector Krishna Sarkar, 35, and Matur Rahman, 38, and police members Nurujjaman, 30, and Jamal Hossain, 35.
Ten more anonymous police members were accused in the case, said lawyer of the plaintiff advocate Mohammad Golam Mostafa.
Salma Akter said,on the evening August 3, a team of plainclothes police members led by SI Saiful Islam came to their house and started searching rooms for her brother Lokman Hossain introducing themselves as Brahmanpara station police.
At one point, when the family asked about the warrant, ASI Krishna Sarker broke down the glass of a showcase and took Tk 2 lakh cash, 96 carats of gold jewellery and cell phone sets in the name of searching, she said.
The police members also beat up her husband and father brutally as they came in hearing her scream. Both of them are currently being treated at Cumilla Medical College and Hospital.
Officer-in-charge of Brahmanpara police station Oppela Raju Naha said Lokman Hossain, brother of Salma Akter is accused in nine cases including of looting and was on the run.
As the team of police went to arrest Lokman, Salma, her husband and some other locals attacked them, he said.
Police have arrested her husband Abul Kalam and also her brother Lokamn during a dive later from Cumilla, said the OC.
District police Superintendent Faruq Ahmed said, we have received the court's order and the complaint is under investigation.
Import duty on rice reduced to 25%
The import tariff on rice has beencslashed to 25 % from 62.5% an official announcement said on Thursday.
The change would be made effective from October 30 next.
Read: None will be allowed to make rice market unstable: Food Minister
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) issued a gazette notification in this regard.
According to the notification, rice importers have to pay 5% Advanced Tax (AT) and 5% Advanced Income Tax (AIT) in addition to a 15% customs duty.
Read: Bangladesh to import 550,000 mt of rice soon to boost stock
However, it will only be applicable to the imports of boiled and unboiled Atap rice.
Previously, the revenue authority had also reduced the tariffs to 25% last year in a bid to control the price hike by encouraging imports, but that facility was only valid till April this year.
Public hearing on LPG pricing postponed again
Public hearing on fixing the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has been postponed again.
Earlier, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) had set a new date for the hearing on August 17-18 at AKM Shamsul Haque Khan Auditorial of Bangladesh Institute of Public Administration (BIAM) in the city.
Also read: Public hearing on LPG pricing postponed
But again, it issued a public circular on Thursday announcing the postponement of August 17-18 hearing until further order.
The BERC first scheduled the hearing for July 7-8. But it had to suspend the hearing due to the countrywide strict lockdown that began on July 1.
Also read: LPG to cost more from Aug 1 as regulator refixes retail price
The energy regulator had announced the public hearing responding to the appeal of the LPG operators who oppose the present pricing formula for LPG.
The BERC, held its last public hearing on LPG price fixing in January this year, and it has been fixing the price every month from April this year in compliance with a court order.
Evidence on Zia’s involvement in Bangabandhu killing to be made public: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Haque said on Thursday said Ziaur Rahman was involved in the assassination of Bangabandhu and the evidence on it will be made public.
“The evidence of Ziaur Rahman's involvement in the assassination will be made public through a commission,” the minister said.
Read: 'Will prove Zia's involvement in Bangabandhu killing': Minister
He made the remarks while talking to reporters at his Gulshan residence.
The minister said Ziaur Rahman was not charged with the murder when the case was investigated because he was dead at the time and there is no provision to accuse a deceased of murder.
Read: Bangabandhu's killer Majed finally hanged
A commission will, however, be formed to find the masterminds of Bangabandhu's assassination and the evidence of Zia’s involvement would be brought in front of the nation through it, Anisul Haque said.
“The government is firm in bringing back the fugitive killers of Bangabandhu and executing the court's verdict. The process is underway but I won’t discuss it as it may hamper things,” the minister added.
Replying to a question whether Muslim Uddin, the fugitive killer of Bangabandhu, is hiding in disguise in India, the minister said,” So far, we haven’t found anything like that despite crosschecking with multiple sources.”