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Quader warns tough action against errant party members
Awami League General Scretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said that the party will be tough on the members who would tarnish the organization’s image and disobey country’s law.
At a regular media briefing at his official residence Quader directed all concerned to refrain from making statements against the party's ideology, interests and discipline.
READ: Govt. is strengthening democratic institutions, says Quader
In this regard he referred to the disciplinary instructions given by Awami League President Sheikh Hasina to the leaders and workers of the party at a meeting of the parliamentary board on Saturday.
Quader reminded the members that no one can dissolve or form a committee or expel anyone from the party without the permission of the central executive committee.
READ: Quader slams BNP for anti-people conspiracy
He also instructed the leaders and workers at all levels to strictly abide by the party discipline.
He said that if there is any problem, the leaders in charge of the division will solve it with all concerned.
The AL leader paid tribute to the memory of Mohammad Nasim, a member of the party's presidium and former minister, on his first death anniversary.
READ: BNP desperate to regain power through dark ways: Quader
Quader also said that the Awami League and the country lost a patriotic, honest and ideal leader in Nasim’s death.
Covid pandemic: Situation in Bangladesh worsening, 47 more die
Amid the growing concern over the rapidly increasing cases and the higher transmissibility of Delta variant, Bangladesh registered 2,436 new Covid cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning.
The deadly virus also claimed 47 more lives during the period, pushing up the fatalities to 13,118, said a handout released by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The fatality rate rose to 1.59% on Saturday from Friday’s 1.58% and it remained unchanged, said the DGHS handout.
READ: 13 more lives lost to Covid-19 at RMCH
The caseload reached 8,26,922 with the logging of the new cases.
The positivity rate declined to 12.99 percent on Sunday from Saturday’s 14.12 percent.
Of the deceased, Dhaka division recorded the highest 15 deaths.
So far, the country has completed testing of 61,75,112 samples, including 18,750 in the last 24 hours.
Of the deceased, all but one were 30 years of age. Of them, 29 were over 60-plus age group.
READ: India reports 80,834 new COVID-19 cases
Vaccination drive
Bangladesh, the prime recipient of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, has suspended the registration for Covid-19 jabs due to vaccine shortage amid a delay in the arrival of shipments from India.
Some 42,05,167 people got the second dose of this vaccine while the number is 58,20,015 for the first one.
Besides, the total number of people receiving their first jab of Chinese Sinopharm vaccine is 2,162.
So far, four vaccines – Oxford-AstraZeneca (Covishield), Sputnik-V, Sinopharm, and Pfizer-BioNTech – have got the approval for emergency use in Bangladesh.
Vaccine procurement update
Bangladesh will soon receive 10 lakh and 800 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine soon under COVAX facility, said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday.
Bangladesh Ambassador to the US conveyed the message of this development to the Foreign Minister.
Bangladesh, earlier sought 2 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine doses from the US for addressing Bangladesh's immediate needs but the US is yet to reply on that particular request.
China will deliver the second consignment of vaccine doses for Bangladesh as a gift of its government by June 13.
READ: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: Positivity rate hits 14.12%, highest in 50 days
Dr Momen said Bangladesh will send two special flights to bring 6 lakh Sinopharm vaccine doses and other medical supplies from China.
Just nine days after the arrival of the first batch of 500,000 doses of gifted vaccine in Bangladesh, China announced the provision of the second batch of gift doses to Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, seven million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covishield reached Bangladesh and India.
Air chief adorned with new rank badge
Chief of Air Staffl Sheikh Abdul Hannan was adorned with the new rank badge of Air Marshal on Sunday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina witnessed the new rank badge-adorning ceremony that took place at her official residence Ganobhaban.
Read: Outgoing air chief calls on President Hamid Quartermaster General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) Rear Admiral M Abu Ashraf adorned the air chief with the rank badge of Air Marshal, PM’s Assistant Press Secretary MM Emrul Kayas said. After the function, the prime minister congratulated the air chief presenting a bouquet, and wished him success in discharging his duties.
Read: President, PM greet British Queen on her birthday The Air chief also greeted the Prime Minister by presenting a bouquet. Prime Minister’s Security Affairs Advisor Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman and PM’s Military Secretary Major General Naquib Ahmed Chowdhury were, among others, present.
Cautionary signal 3 for Bangladesh maritime ports
The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal No 3 as squally weather may affect the maritime ports, North Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh.
The low pressure area over NorthWest Bay and adjoining coastal areas persists, said a Met office bulletin.
Under its influence deep convection is taking place and steep pressure gradient lies over North Bay and adjoining areas, it said.
All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.
According to the regular bulletin of Met office, light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at many places over Dhaka, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions and at a few places over Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions with moderately heavy to heavy falls at isolated places over the country.
Also read: Bangladesh’s maritime ports asked to hoist signal No 3
The low over Northwest Bay and adjoining coastal areas persists.
Under its influence deep convection is taking place and a steep pressure gradient lies over North Bay and adjoining areas. Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and strong elsewhere over North Bay.
READ: Maritime ports asked to hoist Cautionary Signal 1
Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country.
Global Covid-19 cases surpass 175.5 million
More than 175.5 million people have been detected globally with Coronavirus infections amid the emergence of its new variants.
The global case count and fatalities now stand at 175,567,564 and 3,791,424 respectively as of Sunday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
To date, some 2,314, 059,718 people have been vaccinated globally, as per JHU data.
Read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: Positivity rate hits 14.12%, highest in 50 days
The US, which is the world's worst-hit country in terms of both cases and deaths, has so far logged 33,457,378 cases and 599,664 deaths, Johns Hopkins figures reveal.
Brazil registered 2,037 deaths from Covid-19, bringing the death toll in the country to 486,272, the Ministry of Health reported on Saturday.
In the last 24 hours, 78,700 new cases of Covid-19 were reported, for a total of 17,374,818 infections.
The average cases over the last seven days were 66,770, while that of deaths 1,963.
Brazil is currently second in the world in number of deaths from Covid-19, surpassed only by the United States, and third in cases, behind the United States and India.
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 29,359,155 on Saturday, with 84,332 new cases recorded in the past 24 hours, said its federal health ministry.
Read: Global Covid-19 cases surpass 175 million
Besides, 4,002 Covid-19 patients have died since Friday morning, taking the death toll to 367,081.
Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh registered 1,637 new Covid cases with the positivity rate hitting 14.12% in 24 hours until Saturday morning.
The positivity rate went up again from Friday’s 13.39 percent, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
This is the highest in 50 days since April 23 this year when the country reported 14% Covid positivity rate.
Besides, 39 people died due to Covid-19 during the period, pushing up the death toll to 13,071, while the caseload reached 8,24,486 with the logging of the new cases.
Vaccination drive
So far, four vaccines – Oxford-AstraZeneca (Covishield), Sputnik-V, Sinopharm, and Pfizer-BioNTech – have got the approval for emergency use in Bangladesh.
Read: Week-long lockdown in Kushtia municipality areas to contain Covid spread
The country, the prime recipient of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, has suspended the registration for Covid-19 jabs due to vaccine shortage amid a delay in the arrival of shipments from India.
However, Bangladesh will get some 10.8 lakh doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine soon under the COVAX initiative, said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen Friday, adding that the source of this supply has not been disclosed to Bangladesh.
The country needs at least 15 lakh doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine immediately.
7 held as 119 dead chickens seized from restaurant near Dhaka airport
A team of Airport Armed Police Battalion (APBn) seized 119 dead chickens from a restaurant near the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon.
Seven people including the restaurant's manager, cooks and supplier of the chickens were arrested, additional superintendent of Airport Armed Police Ziaul Hoque told UNB.
"A team led by an executive magistrate conducted a drive at ‘Airport Restaurant’ near the Airport Customs House at 2:30 pm and seized the dead chickens,” he said.
Read: Harassment in name of raids at hotel, restaurants unacceptable: FBCCI President
He added that legal action will be taken against the arrestees.
Read: Chandpur: Restaurant, party host fined Tk 1 lakh for violating Covid norms
Child labour begins to creep back up after two decades: UN agencies
Child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide, an increase of 8.4 million in the last four years as countries are trying to turn the corner and break the cycle of poverty and child labour, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Unicef.
They also warn that 9 million more children are at risk as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and this number could rise to 46 million if they do not have access to critical social protection coverage.
6 receive Unsung Women Nation Builders Award 2021
Six individuals were recognised Saturday for their exceptional humanitarian and courageous activities in the fifth season of Unsung Women Nation Builders Award 2021.
The virtual ceremony was jointly organised by IPDC Finance and The Daily Star and the winners received Tk2 Lakh each.
The six winners who received the award were Sabina Yeasmin, who ensured right breast and cervical cancer treatment for 310 women; Rozina Akhter, who supervised the burial of over 60 Covid infected people; Jahanara Islam, a successful self-made entrepreneur in Cox's Bazar; Fauzia Beethi, a teacher who played a significant role in helping the residents of Bogura during Covid-19; Farmis Akhter, an entrepreneur who helped feed 700 families in need in Sylhet and Shapla Devi Tripura, the founder of "Sampari" in Khagrachhari Hill.
"Women have helped us gain independence and made valuable contributions to our community and the overall economy. The Unsung Women Nation Builders Award started its journey to recognise the contributions of women and enlighten everyone about the stories of these brave individuals. Like previous occasions, this year we have brought forward the heroic stories of six women to honour them," said Mominul Islam, managing director and CEO of IPDC Finance.
Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, said: "We have already brought to light the efforts of 30 women who are symbols of inspiration and courage. We have returned this time with the same effort of telling the world the stories of the incredible journeys of six great women."
2 BAF aircraft to depart for China Saturday night to bring vaccine
Two Bangladesh Air Force aircrafts are scheduled to leave for China on Saturday night to bring 6 lakh Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine shots, according to a press release of Inter Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) .
This is the second consignment of Chinese vaccine gift to Bangladesh.
On May 12, Bangladesh received 5 lakh Sinopharm vaccine doses, donated by the Chinese government.
Also read: Air Vice Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan takes over BAF Command
Around 500 students from four medical colleges received the Sinopharm jabs on May 25.
Also, Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) administered the Sinopharm vaccine to over 450 Chinese citizens.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, China and Bangladesh have been supporting and assisting each other in their fight against the pandemic.
Also read: BAF aircraft leaves Dhaka to bring 5 lakh doses of Corona vaccine from China
China has donated and is donating vaccine doses to 80 developing countries with urgent needs, and has provided support under COVAX for the emergency use of vaccines in developing countries.
China says it will continue to make joint efforts with Bangladesh to make positive contributions to Bangladesh’s endeavour of protecting human lives and fight to win the battle against the pandemic, and together to build an even closer community of shared future and health for mankind.
Air Vice Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan takes over BAF Command
Newly appointed Chief of Air Staff Air Vice Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan on Saturday took over the command of Bangladesh Air Force, an Inter Service public relations ( ISPR) press release said.
He took over from the outgoing Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat at a ceremony at Chief of Air Staff’s secretariat.
Also read: BAF's Command Safety Seminar held
Principal Staff Officers along with other senior officers of Air Headquarters were present during the occasion, ISPR said.
Earlier in the morning, the outgoing Air Chief paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his portrait in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.
Also read: 13 trainee officers get BAF Flight Safety Officers' Course certificate
He also laid wreaths at Shikha Anirban to pay homage to the members of Armed Forces who were martyred during the War of Liberation in 1971.