MNA Editorial Desk: The new director general (DG) of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Abul Bashar Khurshid Alam has said the government alone is not responsible for corruption in the health sector. He made the remarks after paying homage to the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi Road 32 on Saturday. “There is no way to prevent corruption if we ourselves are not honest,” he said. “If we talk about corruption, I would say that we are all responsible for it. If we only point our fingers at the government, that would ...

MNA National Desk: The Detective Branch of Police arrested Sharmin Jahan, the owner of Aparajita International, on Friday night for supplying fake N95 masks in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). Sharmin Jahan was also a member of the Awami League Central Sub-Committee on Women and Children Affiars. “A team led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ramna zone) Mishu Biswas made the arrest,” Mahbub Alam, joint commissioner of DMP Detective Branch, told The Business Standard. Earlier on Thursday night, the BSMMU authorities filed a case against Sharmin Jahan for supplying fake N95 masks. BSMMU Proctor Dr Mozaffar Ahmad filed ...

MNA Editorial Desk: The United States has taken an initiative to re-investigate the case of the political asylum of MA Rashed Chowdhury, the fugitive killer of Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The country’s attorney general, William Barr, has reopened the case, according to a report published by US political web magazine ‘Politico’ on Friday (July 24). Last month, William Barr secretly decided to reopen the much-discussed case, the report says. Politico says that the Trump administration wants to hand over Rashed Chowdhury to Bangladesh by reopening the case which was settled about 15 years ago. Rashed ...

MNA Business Report: Jewellers in Bangladesh have raised gold prices to a record high amid the coronavirus pandemic. They will sell the yellow metal of the best quality, 22 carat, at Tk 72,783 per Bhori (11.664 grams) from Friday, up around Tk 3,000 from the price set just over a month ago. Dilip Kumar Agarwala, the general secretary of Bangladesh Jewellers Samity (BJS), cited a hike in gold prices in the international market as the reason behind their decision to push the prices in the local market. People are stocking up on gold considering it a safe investment amid the ...

MNA International Desk: Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan joined huge crowds on Friday for the first prayers at Hagia Sophia in nine decades, sealing his ambition to restore Muslim worship at an ancient site long revered in both Christianity and Islam. After the call to prayer rang out from four minarets surrounding the mosque, whose rose-pink walls and huge grey dome have dominated Istanbul since Christian Byzantine times, hundreds knelt in prayer inside the building. Outside, tens of thousands more prayed in a public square and on sidewalks, squeezing into spaces between cars or in cafes, joining a ceremony which many ...

MNA Editorial Desk: The government has appointed Dr ABM Khurshid Alam as the director general (DG) of the Directorate General of Health Services following the resignation of its former chief amid a series scams related to Covid-19 test. Public Relations Officer of the Health Ministry Maidul islam Prodhan told Dhaka Tribune that the appointment of Alam, who heads the Surgery department of the Dhaka Medical College, has been finalized. The new appointment comes hours after the government said on Thursday that it has scrapped the contractual agreement and appointment of Abul Kalam Azad as the chief of the DGHS, a ...

MNA International Desk: The United States has abruptly ordered China to close its consulate in Houston, accusing diplomats of aiding economic espionage and the attempted theft of scientific research as the Trump administration sharply escalates its moves against China. China vowed to retaliate, calling the action illegal. Hours after the administration issued its order on Tuesday, consulate employees burned papers in open metal barrels in a courtyard of the Houston building, prompting police officers and firefighters to rush to the area. The move comes as President Trump’s campaign strategists, anxious about his failures on the pandemic, are pushing a comprehensive ...

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday opened special structures built under ‘Khurushkul Ashrayan Project’ in Cox’s Bazar for 600 climate refugees. The Prime Minister inaugurated the 20 five-storey structures constructed in the first phase of the world’s biggest climate refugee rehabilitation project at Khurushkul on the outskirts of Cox’s Bazar through a video conference from her official residence Ganobhaban. The 600 families are getting their new abodes with all modern facilities in 20 structures, each having 32 flats, constructed in the first phase on the bank of the Bakkhali River, just three kilometres off the beach town. ...

MNA Business Report: The import of fruits, particularly vitamin-C enriched ones such as orange, kinnow and apple recommended by health experts to ward off the coronavirus, has increased amid the pandemic. Although the harvest season is underway for local fruits such as mango, jackfruit and lychee, widely available in the markets, there is also growing demand for kinnow, apple, orange and grapes. Sales of fruits in retail markets across the country have shot up too. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, citrus fruits are in great demand not only in Bangladesh but also around the world as people tend to consume ...

MNA International Desk: Pakistan wants strong relations with Bangladesh, cricketer turned politician Imran Khan said on behalf of the people and government of Pakistan. Pakistan desires to further strengthen its relations with Bangladesh based on the principles of mutual respect and understanding, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said. “Our two countries have common aspirations for regional peace, prosperity and development and these commonalities provide a firm foundation upon with we can build the edifice of our cooperation in the years to come,” he said. He made the remarks while greeting his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of the ...

MNA Business Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today stressed the need for using developed and modern methods to save the local varities of fishes from extinction. “Coming out of the traditional methods, we’ve to adopt developed and modern ones to protect local species of fishes from extinction,” she said after inaugurating the National Fisheries Week, 2020. The premier formally opened the week by releasing fish fries into Ganabhaban lake here this mornin, reports BSS. The National Fisheries Week is being observed across the country this year from July 21 to July 27. The theme of the week is “Machh Utpadan ...

MNA Editorial Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed Hossain Putul has been chosen as a ‘Thematic Ambassador’ by Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) under the thematic domain of ‘Vulnerability’, a foreign ministry statement said on Wednesday. Saima Wazed is also serving as the Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Autism. CVF has nominated four ambassadors. Apart from Saima, the CVF also made Speaker and former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of the Philippines Loren Legarda and Lead Climate Change Specialist of DR of Congo Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu as its “Thematic Ambassadors” ...

MNA National Desk: Selina Islam, wife of lawmaker Kazi Shahid Islam Papul, claimed her husband is a victim of conspiracy in Kuwait. She made the remark while coming out from Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) headquarters where she was quizzed on allegations of possessing illegal wealth. Selina said, “There are thousands of workers who work in Papul’s organisation in Kuwait. Because of conspiracy on the part of some people, he is in trouble. I have no undisclosed wealth and document of my properties were submitted to ACC.” ACC is investigating the wealth of Selina Islam who is a parliament member of reserved ...

MNA National Desk: Expressing dissatisfaction for delay in implementation of development projects, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday asked different departments concerned to strengthen coordination among them to avert delay in project activities. “Lack of coordination (in implementation of projects) came to her (PM’s) notice…she repeatedly asked different departments to strengthen it (coordination),” said Planning Minister MA Mannan at a virtual briefing after the weekly ECNEC meeting. While revising the Khulna Shipyard Road project, the prime minister expressed her resentment for slow pace in the project works and asked the authorities concerned to find out the reasons behind the delay, ...

MNA Editorial Desk: Abul Kalam Azad has resigned as the chief of the Directorate General of Health Services, a key agency in the fight against the pandemic, amid a series of scams related to COVID-19 tests. The director general of health services submitted the resignation letter to the public administration ministry on Tuesday, Health Secretary Abdul Mannan told media. Prior to his appointment as director general in 2016, Azad was the additional director general for planning and then administration at the DGHS. The government extended his appointment on contract after the end of his tenure. He had also worked as ...

MNA National Desk: The National Moon Sighting Committee made the announcement after a meeting on Tuesday evening Bangladesh will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslim community, on August 1 this year. The National Moon Sighting Committee made the announcement on Tuesday evening following a meeting, according to a Bangla Tribune report. The new moon for the month of Zilhajj was not sighted anywhere in Bangladesh on Tuesday, the report stated. This means the 30th or the last day of Zilqad will end and the month of Zilhajj will begin on Wednesday evening in Bangladesh. The ...

MNA Business Report: Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has fixed 11 spots to set up makeshift cattle markets ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. The DSCC authorities took the decision on Sunday, reports UNB agency citing a press release signed by Md Abu Naser, DSCC public relations officer. The spots are Uttar Shahjahanpur Moitri Songho Math, Hazaribag Leather Technology College Math, Postogola Shoshan Ghat , Kamalapur Little Friends Club and Aftabnagar haat,Meradia bazar, Dania College Math, Dupkhola Math, open places adjoining Dholaikhal Truck Terminal, Amulia Model Town and Rahmatganj Khelar Math. This year, cattle markets will be set up in open areas under ...

MNA International Desk: Climate activist Greta Thunberg plans to donate a 1 million euro ($1.14 million) prize to organizations focused on the environment and climate change. The 17 year old Swede was named winner of the inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity on Monday. In a video, she described herself as being “incredibly honored and extremely grateful … this means a lot to me and I hope that it will help me do more good in the world.” “All the prize money will be donated through my foundation to different organizations and projects who are working to help people on the ...

MNA Editorial Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the distribution and plantation of one crore saplings across the country marking the ‘Mujib Year’. She reiterated her government’s goal of increasing the country’s forest coverage to 25 percent. From the same event, the premier also inaugurated the National Tree Plantation Campaign 2020. This campaign is highly important considering different factors. Though we have seen some initiatives as such on different occasions, unfortunately, most of those trees have become history. Hence, not only plantation but also preservation of these trees will be required the most. The total area of forest land ...

MNA National Desk: Health Services Division Secretary Abdul Mannan today said Bangladesh would be among the first to get any Covid-19 vaccine developed in any country across the world. “First of all, Bangladesh will get the vaccine free of cost,” Mannan said addressing a special meeting with the National Technical Advisory Committee to tackle the outbreak of coronavirus held at the secretariat in Dhaka this noon. Mannan said many countries, including the US and China, are on the verge of developing the Covid-19 vaccine, reports UNB. Countries with a per capita income of less than 4,000 dollars will get the ...

MNA International Desk: The moon of the month of Jilhaj was not sighted in the sky of the Middle East nations, including Saudi Arabia. So, the month of Jilhaj will start next Wednesday in the Middle East countries. Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court said on Monday that the Day of Arafat will fall on Thursday, July 30, and the Eid Al-Adha holiday will be on Friday, July 31. The first day of Eid Al Adha always falls on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijja and one day after Arafat Day. Saudi Arabia will sight the crescent of Dhu Al Hijja, ...

MNA Editorial Desk: A coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford appears safe and trains the immune system, reports BBC. Trials involving 1,077 people showed the injection led to them making antibodies and white blood cells that can fight coronavirus. The findings are hugely promising, but it is still too soon to know if this is enough to offer protection and larger trials are under way. The UK has already ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine. The vaccine – called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 – is being developed at unprecedented speed. It is made from a genetically engineered virus that ...

MNA Business Desk: The government has estimated crop losses from flash floods at Tk 3.49 billion, Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque has said. “The floods have destroyed harvests of paddy, vegetables, jute and other crops. The government has taken measures such as creating alternative seedbeds, cultivating other crops on damaged lands and monitoring weather conditions to mitigate the damages,’ the minister said during a programme on Monday. In the first phase, floods from June 25 to July 8, affected approximately 76,310 hectares of paddy fields in 14 districts where a total of 344,000 farmers were victimised, Razzaque said. In the second ...

MNA Editorial Desk: Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) on Sunday approved the icddr,b to conduct the phase-3 human trial of Covid-19 vaccine developed by a Chinese company. “The approval to conduct the Phase-3 clinical trial of Covid-19 vaccine, developed by Chinese company Sinovac Research and Development Co Ltd, will be informed formally within two to three days,” BMRC Director Dr Mahmood-uz-Jahan told media. About a month ago, icddr,b applied to BMRC for permission to conduct Covid-19 vaccine’s phase-3 clinical trial in Bangladesh, he said adding that their application has been approved on Sunday. “We went through their application and reviewed ...

MNA National Desk: A team of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has suddenly gone to the office of the Directorate General of Health Services early Sunday afternoon. They entered the Health Bhaban at Mohakhali in the city at 12:45pm and came out of the building at about 3:30pm. The four-member ACC team led by deputy director Abu Bakar Siddique went to the DGHS and talked to the DGHS Director-General Professor Dr Abul Kalam Azad. Abu Bakar Siddique later told journalists that they sought some documents related to Regent Hospital appearing at the DGHS in person. “But, they didn’t give us those ...

MNA International Desk: Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has built a commanding 15-point national lead over President Trump in his bid for the White House, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. The survey, which was released on Sunday, found that 55 percent of registered voters say they would vote for the former vice president if the 2020 election were held today, while 40 percent say they’d back Trump. The findings represent a substantial shift in support for Biden, who led Trump by just 2 points in a similar poll released in March and by 10 points in ...

MNA Career & Education Desk: The government is set to start the process of enrolment to grade 11 in colleges on August 9 after deferring its plans to do so in June due to a worsening coronavirus epidemic. Students who have passed the SSC and equivalent examinations can apply for college admission online until September 15, the education ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Details about the admission process will be published on Dhaka Education Board’s website, it added. Schools and educational institutions across the country have been closed from March 17 amid the outbreak of the coronavirus, reports ...