Mahbubur Rahman Khan

The government’s condition of maintaining health guidelines for allowing cattle markets ahead of Eid-ul-Azha seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

Investigators have found the involvement of Proshanta Kumar Halder alias PK Halder and 74 others in embezzling about Tk 2,000 crore through forgery from two non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs).

Just a day after the health directorate’s grim warnings over the deteriorating Covid situation, the government yesterday announced relaxing the ongoing “strict lockdown” ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha.

Except those engaged in emergency services, no public or private vehicle would be allowed on ferries, said Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) yesterday.

With Covid deaths and infections surging, the Prime Minister’s Office has directed the divisional and deputy commissioners to take steps to raise the number of beds and ensure oxygen supply at public hospitals treating coronavirus patients.

Nazim Uddin did not have any other choice.

Anyone who goes outdoors without an urgent cause will face severe punishment during the seven-day lockdown starting tomorrow.

The government’s efforts to protect the proverbial heart of the country, its capital, from a worsening Covid-19 situation could be foiled by the influx of people from riskier districts to cattle markets in the lead-up to Eid-ul-Azha.

Bangladesh has approved the human trial of a Chinese Covid-19 vaccine in the country, a move experts say will help develop skills needed for producing the vaccine locally.

For years, a fear of eviction chased labourer Md Anis as he had been living as an illegal occupant at a khas land once owned by zamindars of Manikganj.

A few yards south of the capital’s Bahadur Shah Park, near Sadarghat terminal, is a bend where you will find the age-old Banglabazar Government Girls High School and missionary-run Heed International School. And surrounding them is a long series of book stores and stationery shops, where students and their guardians would throng to on a usual day to buy books, pens and pencils.

A steel almirah typically costs about Tk 23,000, but the authorities of the 250-bed TB Hospital in the capital bought 100 such items at Tk 96,000 each, according to an Anti-Corruption Commission enquiry.

Concerned over the sharp rise in Covid cases, the civil surgeons in six bordering districts have called for complete lockdown in the infection-prone areas to prevent further spread of the virus.

The price of computers and IT accessories has shot up 20 per cent in the last 14 months as pandemic-induced restrictions prompted educational institutions and businesses to heighten focus on home-based schooling and work.

Two assistant professors of Pabna University of Science and Technology have allegedly plagiarised from a book in their joint paper published in an academic journal last month.

At least two dozen river dredging and embankment protection projects aimed at combating floods and erosion across the country are set to miss the deadline of this June due to fund crunch, red tape, and mistakes in assessments.

The government has extended the closure of educational institutions till June 12, saying the reopening is subject to the drop in Covid infection rate below 5 percent and inoculation of university students.

The Anti-Corruption Commission has formed a three-member committee for an enquiry into the illegal wealth of Hefajat-e-Islam leaders.

The pending requests with the Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) on running trial of vaccines might see some positive outcome as the ethical committee is expected to hold a meeting in a day or two over the issue.

At a time when the country has begun to see a decline in Covid-19 infections and deaths, the government decision to reopen shops and malls can jeopardise all its efforts to fight the virus and worsen the situation, experts warned.