Bangladesh
3 new Appellate Division judges take oath
Three newly appointed judges to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court took oath of office on Thursday.
Those who took oath are Justice Muhammad Abdul Hafiz, Justice Md. Shahinur Islam and Justice Kashefa Hussain.
288 Myanmar security personnel sent back from Bangladesh
Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan administered the oath at the Supreme Court Judges’ Lounge around 10:30 am.
On Wednesday, the three judges of the High Court were appointed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
The Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard.
Mohammad Yunus appointed as new CDA chairman
Currently, there are five judges in the Appellate Division: Obaidul Hassan (now Chief Justice), Justice M Enayetur Rahim, Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, Justice Md Abu Zafor Siddique, and Justice Jahangir Hossain.
Heatwave alert extended in Bangladesh for 72 hours
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has issued a warning that the ongoing heatwave is likely to persist for 72 hours starting Thursday (April 25, 2024) morning.
The BMD cites increased moisture incursion as a factor contributing to the sustained uncomfortable conditions.
Met office issues heat alert for another 72 hours
This announcement follows earlier alerts issued on April 19 and April 22, as the BMD continues to monitor and respond to the challenging weather patterns affecting the region.
25-year-old dies of heatstroke in Ctg
288 Myanmar security personnel sent back from Bangladesh
In a coordinated early morning operation on Thursday, Bangladesh repatriated 288 members of Myanmar's security forces who had sought refuge across the border. This group included members from the Border Guard Police (BGP), army, and immigration units.
According to Shariful Islam, a public relations officer for the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the operation commenced at 6 am at a site managed by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA). The repatriation involved a carefully staged handover of the individuals to the Myanmar BGP.
173 Bangladeshis repatriated from Myanmar
The decision followed detailed discussions between representatives of BGB and BGP, culminating in the formal handover at the BIWTA ghat. Prior to the handover, Myanmar officials confirmed the identities and checked the documentation of all returnees.
This incident marks the second recent repatriation of Myanmar personnel to their homeland, following the February 16 return of 330 officials, including BGP members, army personnel, and customs officials, under stringent security measures.
Another 13 Myanmar border guards take shelter in Bangladesh
Settle disputes through dialogue, say 'no' to wars: PM Hasina at UNESCAP meet
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday called for speaking out against all forms of aggression and atrocities, and to say ‘no’ to wars.
“We must speak out against all forms of aggression and atrocities, and say ‘no’ to wars," she said, adding that Bangladesh supports the UN Secretary General’s ‘New Agenda for Peace.
The prime minister was addressing the 80th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) held at the ESCAP Hall (2nd floor), United Nations Conference Center (UNCC)here.
She arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday on a six-day official visit to Thailand.
The prime minister also urged the world leaders to stop all wars and conflicts saying that people are suffering and women and children are the worst sufferers.
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“War is going on and genocide is going in Palestine. It must be stopped. War can’t bring any solution,” she said.
Referring to the “Chittagong Hill Tract Peace Accord” in Bangladesh during her first regime from 1996-2001, PM Hasina said she restored peace among people in the region.
She said the pre-condition for sustainable development is lasting peace and security.
“We must settle regional disputes and tension through dialogue. Our mutual respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity must remain paramount,” she said.
Hasina called upon the Asia-Pacific region, especially ASEAN, to redouble their efforts to end Rohingya crisis as all efforts at regional connectivity, integration, and prosperity will continue to be marked by a missing puzzle without it.
“The origin of their crisis has been in Myanmar, and its solution also lies in Myanmar," she declared.
"As long as that solution remains out of reach, all our efforts at regional connectivity, integration, and prosperity will continue to be marked by a missing puzzle. Let us redouble our efforts to put that puzzle back in place,” she said.
She said that in August 2017, when thousands of Rohingya men, women, and children from Myanmar fled to Bangladesh, Bangladesh offered them temporary shelter.
“With an ever growing population, this has now become one of the largest humanitarian situations in the world,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that In the backdrop of ongoing armed conflicts in Myanmar, the Rohingya repatriation process is also getting delayed.
Need to boost adaptive capacity to build a safe world: PM Hasina
“This is creating serious security risks within and beyond our territories,” she said.
She called upon the Asia-Pacific region, especially ASEAN, to play a proactive role in resolving the volatile situation in Myanmar.
“We must ensure that the Rohingya can go back home in safety and dignity at the earliest possible,” she said.
The prime minister said that the Asia-Pacific region must stand united against its common enemies of poverty and hunger.
She said Bangladesh has reduced poverty from 41.51 percent to 18.7 percent between 2006 and 2022.
It also reduced extreme poverty from 25.1 to 5.6 percent during the same period.
“We remain confident about eradicating extreme poverty by 2030,” she said.
She mentioned that Bangladesh has made notable progress on food security, with focused interventions on maternal and child nutrition.
“Our current priority is to address inequalities through income distribution, asset ownership, and social protection,” she said.
The prime minister said that Asia-Pacific region must put up a united front in tackling the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and transboundary pollution.
“We need to push for ambitious climate financing goals beyond 2025 at COP-29. We need to cooperate on cross-border water management and air quality improvement. We must all prepare for growing extreme weather events,” she said.
In this connection, she suggested looking into Bangladesh’s experience in disaster risk reduction.
“We appreciate UN-ESCAP’s support in improving our early warning capabilities,” she added.
Briefly describing various development programmes and achievements of her govebrment, the prime minister said that much of the development gains are affected by climate impacts.
“As a low-lying delta, Bangladesh has no option but to invest heavily in climate resilience,” she said.
She mentioned that Bangladesh is already recognised as a global leader in climate adaptation.
“We are happy to share our traditional and innovative solutions with other vulnerable countries," she said.
She said that Bangladesh has urged developed and emerging economies in the region to raise their time-bound emission reduction targets.
“For economies in transition, it is important to have a just energy transition.”
In Bangladesh, she said, "we are working on long-term energy security with a sound mix of clean and renewable energy."
No political case filed against BNP men: PM Hasina
“We shall continue to do our part in pursuing a circular and low-carbon economic growth pathway.”
She underscored the need for increased and easy access to financing and technology from both the public and private sectors.
“I invite UN-ESCAP to help build the capacity of climate-vulnerable countries to mobilise adequate international climate financing.”
PM Hasina said that Bangladesh now provides critical links to the Trans-Asian Highway and Railway networks.
“Our physical and digital infrastructures are being developed to foster regional trade and connectivity.”
She said Bangladesh offers access to the Bay of Bengal for land-locked territories in its neighbourhood.
“We stand ready to work together with all regional partners through mutual understanding and cooperation," said the prime minister.
Earlier, on her arrival at the conference hall of the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC), Bangkok, the audience welcomed her with a standing ovation. The audience applauded her speech with loud clapping repeatedly.
The Prime Minister also visited “Smart Bangladesh Pavilion” installed by the ICT Division on the venue after her address.
Later, United Nations Under-Secretary General and also Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Executive Secretary Armida Salsian Alisjahbana met the Bangladesh prime minister at the meeting room of the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC).
Dhaka’s air ‘unhealthy’ this morning
Dhaka has ranked 15th on the list of cities with the worst air quality, with an AQI score of 119, at 8:59 am this morning.
The air quality of the city today was classified as 'unhealthy' for sensitive groups.
India’s Delhi, Egypt’s Cairo, and Nepal’s Kathmandu occupied the first, second and third spots on the list, with AQI scores of 385, 187 and 171, respectively.
Dhaka’s air quality 5th worst in the world this morning
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
Dhaka’s air quality 4th worst in the world this morning
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
Mother, child die after jumping under train in Chandpur
A mother along with her one-and-a-half-year-old child allegedly committed suicide by jumping under Chattogram-bound Sagarika Express train on Wednesday afternoon.
The deceased were identifed as Tahmina Akhter,24 and her son Abdur Rahman, residents of Dewanji Bari of Dhadda village of Hajiganj upazila. She has a five year old daughter named Muntaha.
According to locals, Tahmina, wife of Masuduzzaman, might have committed suicide over family feud.
Earlier on March 28, Tahmina filed a written complaint against her husband and family members with Hajiganj Police Station.
Relatives and locals said she did not get any solution after the complaint.
Chandpur Railway (GRP) Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Masudu Rahman said, police recovered the bodies from the spot.
The bodies were sent to Chandpur General Hospital morgue for autopsy, he added.
Legal action will be taken after investigating the incident. said the OC.
If Aedes larvae found in building construction sites, works to be stopped: Taposh
If Aedes larvae are found in the construction sites of buildings, the work will be stopped if necessary, Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh warned on Wednesday.
"Our surveys found that under construction buildings are ideal sources for breeding of Aedes mosquitoes . . . tougher action will be taken against owners and authorities of under construction buildings if they ignore the directives to destroy breeding grounds of Aedes Mosquito," he said .
He was talking to reporters after visiting renovation works of Dr Kazi Bashir Auditorium in the capital's Gulistan.
He urged all developer organizations and their association REHAB to play their due role in destroying breeding grounds of mosquitoes.
He said, "We have taken all necessary measures to tackle any outbreak of dengue disease . . . we will launch our drives from the beginning of next month to prevent the mosquito-borne disease."
According to the action plan, the campaign to control dengue will be conducted from May and view exchange meetings will be held with all stakeholders, said Taposh.
The main purpose of the meeting is to regularly keep all the buildings and residences under their control neat and clean.
"All relevant organizations have to work in a coordinated manner to combat mosquito-borne diseases as the country witnessed a severe outbreak of dengue last year," he added.
Taposh also inspected the post-renovation work of Bangabandhu Fountain at Gulistan Junction, inaugurated the existing pipe line and open drain cleaning program at Ward No. 20 and Ward No. 13 and inspected the ongoing waste removal program at Shyampur Canal.
6 workers die as truck overturns in Rangamati
Six workers died and eight others were injured after a truck fell into a roadside ditch at Sajek in Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati on Wednesday evening.
Maruf Ahmed, additional superintendent of Rangamati Police, confirmed the matter.
Bus driver that killed 2 Cuet students arrested; fellow students continue demo
According to the locals, the victims were engaged in road construction work along the Udaipur border. On the way back from the border, the truck lost control and plunged into the ditch, killing six workers and injuring eight others.
Man, niece killed as train hits auto-rickshaw in M’sing
Shirin Akhtar, upazila nirbahi officer of Baghaichhari, said that the army rescued the injured and sent them to Khagrachhari General Hospital. However, no one was immediately identified.
1 killed, 7 hurt as bus crashes into tree in Sirajganj
A team of Sajek police is on the way to the spot. The details of the incident will be known later, said the police official.
Intense heat causes surge in snake bites
The scorching heatwave not only leaves humans gasping for relief but also prompts a surge in snake bites, creating a pressing concern for both people and animals alike.
Volunteers report a notable increase in daily calls for snakebite treatment this year compared to the previous year, attributing the trend to the relentless heat.
According to Snake Rescue Team Bangladesh, a voluntary organisation dedicated to snake-related issues, the current intense heat poses a heightened risk of encountering snakes across the country. The organization urges caution during this period.
Md Zubaidur Rahman, vice president of the organisation, told UNB that they have been tirelessly working for years to raise awareness about snake bites and undertake snake rescue operations.
The organisation has been inundated with calls from families of snakebite victims and requests to rescue snakes from various parts of the country. "This year, we're receiving four to five emergency calls daily, a significant increase from last year," Zubaidur said.
He emphasised that only those trained and certified under the Forest Department can engage in wildlife rescue operations.
Dr M Monirul H Khan, Professor in the Department of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University, explained to UNB that snakes, being cold-blooded creatures, are more active in summer and less so in winter.
"In Bangladesh, snakes remain active throughout the year, except for a few weeks in December-January," he added.
Research conducted in the US revealed that snakebite rates increase by six percent with every 0.8 degrees Fahrenheit rise in temperature. "External temperature fluctuations directly impact the body temperature and behavior of snakes," the study noted.
Mohammad Yunus appointed as new CDA chairman
Freedom fighter Mohammad Yunus has been appointed as the new chairman of Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) for the next three years.
The matter was confirmed in a notification signed by Bhaskar Debnath Bappi, deputy secretary of the Contract and Foreign Recruitment Branch of the Ministry of Public Administration, on Wednesday.
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Yunus was born on February 4, 1955. He was involved in student politics. He served as the organising secretary of the Chattogram City Chhatra League for two terms, from 1973 to 1975.
At present, Yunus is serving as the Secretary General of Bijoy Mela Parishad of Chattogram Liberation War and Convener of Bangabandhu Murder Resistance Fighters Forum '75.