A ‘mockup train’ coach of Metro Rail was brought here from Japan and kept in the city’s Uttara area on Monday for giving people an idea about Metro Rail.

The ‘mockup’ coach was opened at Diabari Metro Rail Depot in Uttara, said MAN Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Limited.

“The coach was installed at the depot for giving the city dwellers an idea about metro rail as it’s going to be a new service in Bangladesh. It’s not for transporting people,” he said.

The replica train coach will be kept at the Metro Rail exhibition and information centre with other equipment, and the information centre will be opened to public in March,” said Siddique.

It will help people to know how to buy tickets, how to enter the coach and get down from it, he said.

The coaches of the metro rail are scheduled to arrive in the country on June 15.

On May 29, 2019, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the country’s first metro rail will formally be launched on December 16, 2021.

Once the 20.1-kilometre metro rail with 16 stations goes into operation, it is expected to transport around 60,000 passengers every hour.

The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute Bill 2020 to provide better healthcare services to children.

The approval came from the weekly Cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh in the chair at her office in the city.

“The bill was designed in line with the Dhaka Children Hospital Ordinance, 2008,” said Cabinet Secretary Khander Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters at the Secretariat.

The draft law was prepared merging Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital and Bangladesh Institute of Child Health for ensuring better healthcare services for  children, he said.

Now Bangladesh Institute of Child Health is the academic wing of Dhaka Shishu Hospital.

The Cabinet Secretary said the Dhaka Shishu Hospital Ordinance, 2008 was promulgated during the caretaker government in 2008.

Some 54 ordinances, out of 122, promulgated during the caretaker government were approved in Parliament following the recommendations of the special committee of the 9th parliament. But the Dhaka Shishu Hospital Ordinance and 67 others were not endorsed at that time, he said.

So, there is no complete law or ordinance over regulation and supervision of the activities of Dhaka Children Hospital, said Khander Anwarul Islam.

As per the 21 article of the draft law, there will be a 12-member board of directors to run the hospital as an autonomous body.

The Cabinet also approved the draft of the proposed agreement to be signed between Bangladesh and Greece over education and cultural cooperation, said the Cabinet Secretary.

He said Bangladesh has already signed agreements over cultural cooperation with 44 countries to strengthen cultural ties with those.

In reply to a question from reporters, the Cabinet Secretary said the Korean government wants to provide Bangladesh with newer technology to scan any kind of virus.

“But the Korean government is yet to place any written proposal in this regard. After getting formal letter, we will inform you (media) the matter,” he said.

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Monday told parliament that there is one judge for every 1 lakh people in Bangladesh while the number in India is 50,000 people.  

Replying to a query from Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque the minister admitted that the number of judges comparing to the country’s population is very low.

He mentioned that there is one judge for 20,000 people in England while one judge for 10,000 people in the USA, France and Italy.

The Law Minister informed the House that the number of pending cases in the higher and lower courts in the country is around 36.40 lakh as of September last year.

“I don’t have any hesitation to admit that the number of judges is inadequate in the country to dispose of the pending cases,” he said in a tabled answer.

He said there are only seven judges in the Appellate Division to dispose of 22,596 cases while 97 judges in the High Court to dispose of some 4.91 lakh cases.

Anisul Huq also said there are 1967 judges in the lower courts to dispose of some 31.28 lakh cases.

The law minister mentioned the government’s various measures including increasing the number of judges to expedite the trial process and reduce the backlog of cases.

“Like the judiciary of other countries, the government will create more posts for judges comparing to the number of population,” he also said.

Responding to a query from Treasury Bench MP Shahiduzzaman Sarker, Anisul Huq said vehicles will be arranged for all judges in phases for their transportation.

Replying to a query from JP MP Rustum Ali Faraji, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain informed the House that 153 women are working as Upazila Nirbahi Officer.

There is no need to keep all the China and Singapore returnees in hospital quarantine, said director of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora on Monday.

“We see pressure from people and departments concerned to keep China and Singapore-returnees in hospital isolation. If someone comes from these countries doesn’t mean that he/she is COVID-19 infected,” she said at a press conference at IEDCR auditorium in the city.

A misconception has been created among people over China and Singapore-returnees, she said.

Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora.

“COVID-19 hasn’t broken out in all provinces of China. So, there’s no need to keep all China or Singapore-returnees in hospital quarantine,” she said.

Drawing attention to the administration outside Dhaka, Dr Flora said, “We’ll keep people in quarantine upon suggestions from the Health Directorate only when the returnee has any symptom.”

Dr Flora urged district and upazila officials not to take any decision over COVID-19 infection but to cooperate with and inform the local health authorities in this regard.

“We’re keeping China and Singapore-returnees suffering from fever and cough isolated, testing them and suggesting others to stay in self-quarantine,” she added.

Over 66 Bangladeshis were tested till Monday, said Dr Flora adding that nobody was found infected with COVID-19 virus.

The virus outbreak that began in China has infected more than 71,000 people globally and claimed 1,770 lives in China’s mainland with five in Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines and France till Monday, reports AP.

Also read: Coronavirus has infected more than 71,000 people globally

Bangladesh has brought back 312 of its nationals from China on February 1 and sent them back home after 14-day quarantine in Ashkona.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming on Monday said some technical issues were obstructing the return of remaining registered Bangladeshis from Hubei province.

Also read: Technical issues hindering return of Bangladeshis from Hubei: China

Talking to UNB, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said a total of 198 students are willing to return home now from Hubei province.

Police on Monday arrested a man as he allegedly cut off his wife’s hair over a family feud in Asa village of Mehendiganj upazila in Barishal.

An elderly man made a call to the emergency helpline 999 in the morning and informed police that his neighbor Jewel, 26, was torturing her wife and cut off her hair.

Duty Officer of Mehendiganj Police Station talked to the caller instantly while Sub-Inspector Yadul Mia rushed to the spot and detained Jewel.

The wife was admitted to a hospital for treatment, said a press release of the emergency service.

The couple got married two months back following an affair and Jewel used to torture his wife suspecting that she had an extra marital affair, said the release.