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More homeless families set to receive homes Sunday
Over 53,340 homeless and landless families are going to receive well-built homes on Sunday as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s focus on addressing the accommodation problem of the homeless continues even during the pandemic.
These families will be provided with modern homes and land ownership documents across the country under Ashrayan-2 project on the day.
Read:Ashrayan-2: Over 53,000 houses set to be distributed in June
The Prime Minister will inaugurate the second-phase distribution of semi-pucca houses in the Mujib Year through a videoconference from Ganobhaban.
“The houses will be given to 53,340 more homeless and landless families on June 20 next (Sunday),” said PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus at a press conference in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Thursday.
The joint ownership documents of the two-decimal homes along with a tin-roofed pucca dwelling will be given to both the husband and wife of a family ensuring gender equality, he said.
Besides, 100,000 more houses will be given by December next as part of the government’s move to rehabilitate the country’s homeless people in the Mujib Year, said Dr Kaikaus.
Read:Ashrayan project: 50,000 more houses for homeless in April
On January 23 last, 70,000 such houses along with documents were given to homeless and landless people in the first phase of the project in line with the Prime Minister’s announcement that there would be no homeless and landless people in Bangladesh, Dr Kaikaus said.
He said it is Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s unique model in the world to rehabilitate homeless people.
The Principal Secretary said this is how each family is getting overall property worth Tk 2.6 lakh.
Mentioning that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had undertaken the Ashrayan project in 1997, Dr Kaikaus said a total of 373,562 houses have so far been given to homeless and landless families under the Ashrayan project run by the PMO.
Read: Hasina inaugurates home distribution under Ashrayan-2 Project
On Sunday next, the highest 12,436 houses will be given in Rangpur division, while 10,547 in Chattogram, 7,630 in Dhaka, 7,172 in Rajshahi, 37,153 in Barishal, 911 in Khulna, 2512 in Mymensingh and 1979 in Sylhet divisions.
According to the lists prepared under the Ashrayan project, the number of homeless and landless families (under class-K) is 293,361 in the country, while that of just-homeless families (under class-Kha) is 592,261.
Enayetullah Khan joins NU Singapore’s NIC as Distinguished Council Member
Enayetullah Khan, Editor-in-Chief of United News of Bangladesh and Dhaka Courier, and founder of Cosmos Group, has joined the National University of Singapore’s Medicine International Council (NIC) as a Distinguished Council Member.
Kishore Mahbubani, Chairman of the NUS Medicine International Council, has extended the invitation to Enayetullah Khan.
Read:Enayetullah Khan represents Bangladesh at 17th OANA General Assembly
The NIC is an exclusive network of international leaders, academics, and experts who not only help address the greatest challenges in healthcare, public health policy, population studies, and ground-breaking research in cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases but also identify promising opportunities and innovations across multi-disciplinary areas, including information technology, engineering, computing, social sciences, and medicine.
In his letter to Enayetullah Khan, Mahbubani said, “We are delighted that you have accepted our invitation to join the NUS Medicine International Council. Given your long and distinguished career, I have no doubt that you will make a significant contribution to the work of the Council. I share your confidence that by pooling our efforts together, we can bring health and happiness to the global community.”
Read:Afsan Chowdhury joins UNB, Dhaka Courier as Editor-at-Large
Mahbubani also mentioned, “If there is one big lesson that we should learn from Covid-19, it is that public policy makes a huge difference in the field of medicine. Why did 500,000 people die in the US (a rate of 1,543 per million)? Why did far fewer people (a rate of 5 per million), die in New Zealand, also a western democracy? The answers are complex but one clear difference was that the quality of public policies implemented by New Zealand in response to Covid-19 were superior.”
Extending his gratitude to Khan for joining the NIC, he added, “Our recent experiences with Covid-19 have sent us a clear message: good public policies in medicine save lives. Hence, I hope that when this professorship is established, it will also result in research that will save even more lives in the future.”
Read:Veteran journalist Farid Hossain joins UNB as Advisory Editor
NIC members are recognised for their service and scope of generosity to medical research and development and are actively engaged as the NUS Medical School’s ambassadors to the wider world. This distinguished group of men and women includes leaders in government, business, finance, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, law, and other fields from around the world.
Global Covid cases top 177 million
The global Covid-19 caseload has now surged past 177 million, with the world still struggling to contain the second outbreak of the virus.
The total caseload and fatalities from the virus stand at 177,039,063 and 3,832,951, respectively, as of Thursday morning, as per the latest data released by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
Read:Covid-19 affected 60 million-plus domestic workers in informal economy: ILO
So far, 2,444,222,311 Covid vaccine doses have been administered across the globe, as per the university data.
The US has logged 33,498,468 cases and 600,653 deaths to date, according to the university. The death toll in the United States is the highest in the world.
Brazil on Wednesday registered 2,997 more deaths from Covid-19 in 24 hours, pushing up the national death toll to 493,693.
A total of 95,367 new infections were detected during the period, raising the total caseload to 17,628,588, the federal health ministry said.
Brazil has the world's second-highest Covid-19 death toll, after the United States, and the third-largest caseload, following the United States and India.
Read:Italy launches production of Sputnik V Covid-19 jab's test batch
Besides, India's total Covid tally reached 29,700,313 on Thursday morning, while the death toll in the country surpassed 381,903.
Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh recorded 60 Covid-related deaths and 3,956 new cases in the past 24 hours till Wednesday morning, showing an alarming sign of deterioration in the pandemic situation.
With the new figures, the death toll jumped to 13,282 while the death rate stood at 1.59 percent, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Bangladesh’s fight to tackle the second wave of coronavirus has become tougher after the detection of the Delta variant of the virus in different parts of the country.
The higher infection rate in frontier districts and limited capacities in district hospitals have become a challenge amid the worsening situation.
Read: Alarming Covid surge in Bangladesh, 60 more die
The total caseload reached 8,37,247 with the new cases.
Lockdown extended
The government has extended the ongoing countrywide lockdown till 15 July as the Covid-19 situation continues to worsen in the country.
However, all government, semi-government, autonomous private offices, banks and financial institutions will remain open maintaining health protocols.
Barishal authorities advised to suspend road communications with Khulna: DGHS
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has recommended the suspension of road communications between Barishal and Khulna divisions, to prevent the transmission of coronavirus.
Presenting the Covid-19 infection rates and other data in the southern districts, the recommendation to snap links with Khulna was made to the Barishal divisional commissioner, said the divisional health director Dr. Basudeb Kumar Das.
Covid-19 infection rate in Barishal division is still very low, in contrast to the situation in Khulna division, which is seen as alarming.
Already people in Jessore, Bagerhat and Khulna districts have confirmed infections with the highly infectious Delta variant first spotted in India. The death rate is also higher than other divisions in Khulna.
Dr. Basudeb said the same three districts were directly connected to Barishal division by road. The virus could transmit to the division through the people travelling between the two divisions if road communications remain unrestricted.
Risk of virus spread could be reduced if some restrictions could be placed on the passenger and freight movement from Khulna into Barishal.
Dr Basudenb further said that a proposal was submitted in this regard and the divisional commissioner office committee to prevent coronavirus would decide whether to implement it or not.
According to the DGHS report, so far in Barisal division, 16,056 people were infected of which 14,326 people have recovered and 290 people died.
Govt. assures vaccination for RMG workers on priority basis
Health Minister Zahid Maleque has assured the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) of vaccinating garment workers on priority basis after sufficient vaccine doses are available in the country.
The assurance came after a delegation of BGMEA led by President Faruque Hassan met with the health minister and made the request to him for ensuring vaccines for the RMG workers on priority basis considering them as front liners as they have been doing their jobs amid the pandemic to protect the economy of the country.
The BGMEA president also requested for ensuring Covid vaccines for the officials of foreign apparel brands and buyers working in Bangladesh on priority basis and the minister said it would be considered.
4 arrested for embezzling Tk 2.57 crore from DBBL, ringleader remains at large
Detectives on Tuesday night arrested four people in connection with embezzling Tk 2.57 crore by changing the electronic journal of Dutch Bangla Bank Limited’s ATM.
However, the ringleader of the racket , Mir Md Shaharuzzaman Rony, a senior officer at DBBL's Alternative Delivery Channels Division still remains at large with detectives suspecting that he may have fled the country.
The arrestees are, Rony's wife Saima Akhter, Al-Amin Babu, Mehedi Hasan Mamun and Asaduzzaman Asad.
AKM Hafiz Akhtar, additional commissioner (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police revealed the information to the press on Wednesday .
“The social media crime investigation team arrested them from different areas of Dhaka and Narayanganj on Tuesday following a series of raids,” he said.
“Rony changed the electronic journal of the ATM -- making 1,363 transactions through 637 accounts and embezzled Tk 2.57 crore," he added.
Rony may have fled the country, the detective suspected.
Take action against Dhaka Boat Club: BNP MP
BNP MP Harunur Rashid on Wednesday demanded action against the much-talk-about Dhaka Boat Club as a businessman allegedly attempted to rape and kill actress Pori Moni there a few days back.
Joining a discussion on the passing of the Child Daycare Centre Bill-2021 in Parliament, he came up with the demand.
“Action must be taken against the boat club as there had been an incident there a few days back. It triggered various debates on social media,” the MP said.
He said there have been speculations that the boat club was built on a piece of grabbed land of the Turag River. “The Inspector General of Police (IGP) is its president.”
Stating that the employment of women has increased in the country, Harun said the government will have to ensure their safety on their way to work.
“Women have been subjected to rape on their way to workplaces. The state must send out a strong message against it,” said the BNP MP from Chapainawabganj-3.
He said college student Mosarat Jahan Munia has also been subjected to sexual harassment in the capital, but no action was taken against those involved in it. “The offenders must be brought to justice.”
Harun also opposed sending female workers abroad as they have to face horrific incidents there.
On Monday, Nasir U Mahmud, former president of Uttara Club Limited, and four others were arrested from a Uttara flat in the capital following a case filed over his reported attempt to rape and kill actress Pori Moni.
Pori Moni, in her verified Facebook page, sought justice from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "I’ve been physically assaulted and they even attempted to rape and kill me. I want justice," she stated in her post.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court placed Nasir and another co-accused Tuhin Siddique Omi on a seven-day remand each in a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act.
Rab arrests fake scientist for fraud on innocent people
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested 16 people, including a ringleader named Saiful Islam alias Scientist Saiful, on charges of misappropriating crores of taka and huge land in the name of implementing self-invented projects climate change, power plant project, corona prevention system.
They were rounded up from Dhaka and Tangail.
By Introducing himself a fake international standard scientist, Saiful and his other associates, were involved in cheating people in the name of making fuel less generators, setting up power plants, researching and mitigating the effects of climate change, as well as other recent fictitious inventions, said Company Commander of Rab-1 battalion Major Bin Yamin Hasan Bhuiya.
Other arrested people were identified as Bakuli Yasmin (48), Md. Imran Raja (25), Md. Kakuli Akhter (19), Md. Roman Badsha (18), Md. Anisuzzaman Siddiqui (53), Md. Nazmul Haque (30), Md. Tareq Aziz (40), Md. Bellal Hossain (61), Md. Abdul Mannan (50), Md. Shimul Mia (24), Md. Nurnabi (45), Md. Abul Hashem (42), Md. Ali Hossain (38), Md. Shawkat Ali (50), Md. Roknuzzaman ( 50), she added.
One foreign made pistol, one magazines and ammunition were recovered from thier possession during the period.
Based on a specific allegation, a operational team of Rab-1 conducted a drive on the new office of the fraudulent organization "Raja-Badsha" group in Uttara area at around 11:30 pm on Tuesday night and arrested the 16 people, including the ringleader Saiful.
Arrested Saiful Islam was the mastermind of organized fraud syndicate. He has been conducting fraudulent activities since 2011 by forming a fake organization called "Raja-Badsha Group".
He introduced himself as the chairman of the group. His family members are also actively involved in this syndicate. Among them, wife Bakuli Yasmin, sons Md. Imran Raja and Md. Roman Badshah and daughter-in-law Kakuli Akter . They are all said to be in important positions in the fake company.
Opposition lawmakers blast finance and health ministers
Jatiya Party and BNP on Wednesday came down heavily on the health and finance ministers for what they said their failure to curb corruption and stop money laundering.
Opposition Jatiya Party MP Pir Fazlur Rahman, while participating in the discussion on the proposed budget for 2021-22 initiated the attack on Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal for his lack of knowledge about launderers.
“The finance minister should know very well who are laundering money from the country,” he said.
“Money is being laundered abroad. But the finance minister cannot stop it,” he said.
He also alleged that Mustafa Kamal failed identify who are behind “loot of the share market.”
“The Financial Intelligence Unit of Bangladesh Bank says that evidence of money laundering has been found in 1,024 cases in 5 years. Then why the finance minister does not get the information?”
The JP MP said, “PK Haldar is enjoying abroad after laundering huge amount of money and his girlfriends are being put to sleep in jail here.”
He said the finance minister has sought from the MPs a list money launderers.
“How the lawmakers will provide the list? He is in charge of the Ministry of Finance. He should provide the list of money launderers.”
Pointing to CAG audit report, the JP lawmaker said, "Every audit report has the information--how irregularities and corruption are taking place in different sectors. The finance minister can get information about who is smuggling money from there.”
Fazlur also criticized Mustafa Kamal for being absent during the general discussion on budget.
"We are delivering speech in parliament on the proposed budget. But we did not find the finance minister in parliament yesterday (Tuesday) either. Not even today (yesterday).”
Pir Fazlur Rahman said the Anti-Corruption Commission has identified 11 areas of corruption in the health ministry.
Pointing to media reports, he said, in the 2017-18 fiscal, there was corruption of at least one thousand crore taka in the purchase of equipment in the health sector.
He called upon the health minister to take actions against those involved in corruption in health sectors.
“At least let our conscience be awakened during this time of Covid-19. Catch these corrupt people. Ensure treatment of people. We want to ensure Covid-19 vaccination for people,” he said.
Speaking in the proposed budget, BNP MP Mosharof Hosen strongly criticized the government for making an additional secretary OSD on June 6 for disclosing the price of vaccine.
“Coronavirus vaccines are being purchased with people’s money, people have the right to know the price. It is sad that an officer sent to OSD for this.”
Jatiya Party MP Sayed Abu Hossain Babla lambasted the health minister for his failure to stop widespread corruption in the health sector.
Authorities investigate disappearance of Islamic preacher: Minister
Law enforcement agencies are investigating the disappearance of Islamic preacher Md Afsanul Adnan, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said on Wednesday.
“We are aware of the situation and looking for clues,” the minister told reporters at the six-month basic training concluding parade of Ansar and Battalion Ansar of the village defence force at Safipur in Gazipur .
Popularly known as Abu Taw Haa Muhammad Adnan the preacher has been missing since last Friday, his family said.
The minister said that the overall law and order situation is under control and praised the concerned bodies for it.
“Whenever there is a crime, whatever the place, it is being brought under the law. It will be done in the future as well,” he said.
He also praised the law enforcement agencies for fulfilling their responsibilities sincerely during the coronavirus pandemic.
The event took place at the parade ground of Ansar and VDP Academy at Safipur in Gazipur in the morning.
Later, the Minister presented crests and prizes among the accomplished trainees.