The government has extended the release period of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia by six months. Her release has been extended for the eighth time by executive order of the government. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification in this regard on Wednesday (March 27). Earlier on March 20, Law Minister Anisul Huq said Khaleda Zia's release period would be extended by six months on two conditions. During the extended period, Khaleda Zia will receive treatment from her own residence in Dhaka and she will not be able to leave the country during this time.

Dhaka Metro rail authority has decided to run the metro rail even after 9 pm. The decision will be effective from Wednesday, 16th Ramadan. The decision will remain in force until the day before Eid-ul-Fitr. Metro rail will remain closed on the Eid day. Managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL),  M. A. N. Siddique, disclosed the information at a press briefing on Tuesday (March 26). He said that the last train will leave Uttara North Station at 9:00 pm from Wednesday. The last train will leave Motijheel station at 9:40 pm. He added the metro rail movement time will be extended by one hour from tomorrow (March 26) till the day before Eid-ul-Fitr. Another 10 trains will run in the extra time. 

The deadline of Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2024 has been extended for two more days. As a result, the largest book fair in the country will continue till March 2.  According to the publishers, they will enjoy a surge in sales during two weekly holidays. The publishers could not enjoy a good strat due to earlier preparations and rain. So, many are suffering financially.  Bangla Academy Director General Mohammad Nurul Huda announced the extension date of the book fair from the announcement center at 9pm. He said the book fair has been extended by two days with the kind consent of the Prime Minister. He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has responded to the request to extend the deadline for the book fair by two days. The book fair will continue till March 2.

The much-hyped rapid transport service in the form of overhead electric railway service, popularly known as metro-rail, started operating from Uttara to Motijheel via Agargaon till 8.40pm from today, bringing relief in city life. The dwellers of the capital city, where nightmare traffic congestion is a common phenomenon, are now able to enjoy an advanced, fast and safe transport till night. On Thursday, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which is responsible for operating Dhaka Metro Rail, in an official notification announced that the most effective and modern commuter for city dwellers will operate on Uttara-Motijheel route from 7:10 am to 8:40 pm from Saturday (Jan 20). Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd MAN Siddique said that the first train will leave Uttara for Motijheel at 7:10am and it will continue until 8:30pm, while the last train will leave Motijheel at 8:40pm. Earlier, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6 was operated from 7:30 am to 11:30 am on Uttara-Motijheel section, while it is being run from 7:10 am to 8:00 pm on Uttara-Agargaon section. "We are very much excited as we can enjoy the metro service till night from today. Earlier, I needed nearly 2 to 3 hours to reach my destination in the afternoon. Today, I will be in Uttara from Motijheel area in just half an hour," Nafis Uddin, a private service holder residing in Uttara, told this BSS correspondent. He said he used metro-rail while going to office in Motijheel but during his return journey he had to travel by bus as the metro-operations from Agargaon to Motijheel section remained stopped after 11.30am. Nafis Uddin said it is like dreams come true for them as they got the opportunity to have such an advanced and environment friendly safe transport. Biplab Mallik, a resident of Shewrapara area and an employee of a private office at Karwan Bazar area where he has to attend his work in the afternoon shift, said earlier they had to take bus to reach his office but now he will be able to use metro-rail while going office and returning home. Shamima Hossain, a student of Dhaka University and a resident of Tejgaon are, said due to safety issues, she used to attend her classes at the university by rickshaw or CNG-run auto rickshaw. "But it is very costly. Metro-rail offers a new hope as now we will be able to reach the destitution within just 5-6 minutes which was beyond our imagination once," she said. It needs only 32 minutes to reach Motijheel from Uttara North station with current 10-minute interval and stoppages at all stations which include Uttara North, Uttara Centre, Uttara South, Pallabi, Mirpur 11, Mirpur 10, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Agargaon, Bijoy Sharani, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Shahbagh, Dhaka University, Bangladesh Secretariat and Motijheel. MAN Siddique, Managing Director, (DMTCL) said currently 1.30 lakh to 1.50 lakh people are using the metro rail service daily, which is much higher than the estimation.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has extended the deadline for filing individual income tax to 31 January, 2024, instead of the previously set deadline of 30 November. The National Board of Revenue officially announced the extension on Wednesday (29 November). According to an order which was signed by Md Mohidul Islam Chowdhury, second secretary tax law at the NBR - the tax day would be observed on 31 January, 2024, for individual taxpayers instead of November 30, 2023. As many of taxpayers was unable to take preparations to file tax returns in line with the Income Tax Act-2023, for this reason the tax administration considered the extension after trade bodies demanded more time including the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).  It is told by the FBCCI that it might not be possible for many taxpayers to submit returns by November 30 deadline because of the on going political situation and upcoming elections. A senior official of the NBR said the tax authority considered an extension so taxpayers could file returns in compliance with the new law. This year no tax fair was held, rather the NBR organised a nationwide special support service to help taxpayers submit their income tax returns. at the tax zone office premises  Bangladesh has nearly 94 lakh registered taxpayers. However, NBR data showed that almost 36 lakh taxpayers filed their income and expenditure statement in the year 2022-23.

On Thursday, April 20, government has declared a holiday by executive order before the start of the Eid holiday after the holy Shab-e-Qadr holiday. As a result, this year, the employees will enjoy Eid holiday for six days. This decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held in the cabinet room of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban today.  On Monday, April 10, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting. At the end of the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain confirmed this matter. Md. Mahbub Hossain said, "Next Wednesday, April 19, will be the day of holy Shab-e-Qadr. The next day Thursday (April 20) the office was open for one day.  After that, Eid-ul-Fitr holiday begins.  As a result, the cabinet declared a holiday on April 20 as well. So, this year, there will be a six-days Eid holiday."

The countrywide mass vaccination campaign for  administering the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines will continue till February  28 as the drive has drawn huge response from all eligible people to receive  coronavirus jabs.    "Bangladesh has set the day-long nationwide campaign that began at 8am this  morning aiming to vaccinate one crore people but the authorities has extended  the drive for two days to bring all eligible people under first dose of  vaccination coverage," Health Minister Zahid Maleque said today at a virtual  function held at Manikganj district.    Second and booster dose will continue alongside the mass vaccination  campaign, he said, adding, "I hope that over one crore people will receive  COVID-19 jabs in today's campaign... Bangladesh has created a milestone  progress for administering coronavirus vaccines to huge number of people in a  single day."    "We are seeing that people thronged vaccination centres and booths for  receiving coronavirus jabs, which will create a good impact for containing  the spread of the deadly virus," the health minister added.    "All eligible people are thronging designated vaccination centres and  booths to receive COVID-19 jabs...we are monitoring the nationwide mass  vaccination campaign to make it successful to fight the disease" Director  General of Directorate General of Health Service (DGHS) Prof Dr Abul Bashar  Mohammad Khurshid Alam told BSS.     Earlier, the government has set a target to complete first dose of  coronavirus vaccine today but the government decided to continue the campaign  till February 28 to reach a remarkable progress in the first dose of  vaccination coverage, he added.   "We have adequate quantity of vaccines and urge all eligible people to  receive vaccines to protect themselves from the deadly disease," Alam added.    While visiting different vaccination centres in the capital, people were  seen queuing from early hours of today to receive the COVID-19 jabs.    There are a huge number of people, who are still out of vaccination  coverage, the DGHS chief said this campaign will make considerable  contribution to bring all under vaccination coverage.    "All eligible people will be given vaccines as soon as possible...for this  we are launching such drive to bring 70 percent people under vaccination  coverage," he added.       "Since mid-February, we have geared up significantly the COVID-19  vaccination programme and we will scale up our efforts to reach the target at  the quickest possible time," Alam added.      Dr Ayesha Akhter, a physician of TB hospital at Shyamoli said, "People  started gathering at our hospital from early hours and a large number of  people received vaccines from our hospital and we have conducted vaccination  services throughout the day."     "We will go door to door at grassroots level to bring all people under  first dose of vaccination coverage. For this we have extended the campaign  for two more days," he added.    Health workers have been directed to provide vaccination services till  February 28 so that no one will remain out of vaccination coverage, Alam  added.    The vaccination campaign began at 8am this morning and it continued  throughout the day, the health service chief said, adding the drive which  began early this morning will continue throughout the day.    He attributed the controlling of third wave of COVID-19 that hit  Bangladesh mid-January this year, to expansion of vaccination coverage,  including booster dose.   "We have laid emphasis on vaccination coverage as it (vaccine) has reduced  both fatalities and rising of positivity rate of COVID-19... more than 80  percent deaths linked to coronavirus are unvaccinated people," Alam added.    "We have adequate quantity of vaccines and urge all eligible people to  receive vaccines to protect themselves from the deadly disease." "People was  allowed to receive COVID-19 vaccines without registration or any documents  from any centre," Dr Shamsul Haque, member secretary of the National Covid-19  Vaccine Management Taskforce, said.     "We will complete administering the first dose of vaccination today, but  we will continue the drive two more days to bring maximum people under first  dose of COVID-19 vaccine Shamsul said, adding all respective hospitals and  vaccination centres have been directed to immunize coronavirus vaccine  without any registration.     "The main objective of mass vaccination campaign is to bring all  vulnerable groups of people under vaccination coverage... meaning a  significant progress of administering first dose of COVID-19 inoculation will  be ensured ," he added.       "A total of 30,000 vaccination booths have been set up across the country  alongside mobile inoculation centres from city corporations to union levels,"  he said, adding 1,45,000 health workers have been engaged at these  vaccination booths and inoculation centres.    Anyone will be able to get COVID-19 vaccine only by giving mobile number,  he said, adding that "The people, who will receive the first dose of  coronavirus vaccine, will be given a card... this card is given as a document  for receiving second or booster dose."    After a good progress on first dose of COVID-19 vaccination coverage,  Shamsul said, "We will focus on second and booster dose to scale up  vaccination programme across the country."     Three vaccination centres have been set up at each union across the  country while five mobile vaccination centres will inoculate the people at  each upazila and 20 mobile centres will extend their services at each  district, the health service official said.     As many as 30 mobile vaccination centres have been set up at each zone of  two city corporations of Dhaka while 40 vaccination centres have been set up  at Narayanganj city corporations, Shamsul added.     A total of 60 mobile vaccination centres will immunize at each zone of  Barishal, Sylhet, Cumilla and Mymensingh while 25 mobile vaccination centres  will extend their inoculation services at Khulna, Rajshahi, Chattagram and  Rangpur.    A total of 19,50,81,035 doses of COVID-19 vaccines including booster dose  were administered till February 25, 2022 across the country.    "A total of 10,95,81,331 people have been administered the first dose of  COVID-19 vaccine till yesterday( February 24) while 8,19,39,878 received the  second dose across the country during the same period," according to the data  of Management Information System of Directorate General of Health Services  (DGHS).    As many as 35,59,826 people have so far received the booster dose of  COVID- 19 vaccine to prevent the spread of the deadly virus, it added.    Some 37,585 floating people across the country have so far received the  first dose of vaccine.    As of February 25, a total of 9,48,94,147 people have been registered to  receive COVID-19 vaccines in the country, the DGHS sources said adding, "As  many as 8,81,49,240 people have been registered using NID cards, 14,34,259  registered using passports and 53,10,648 registered using birth registration  certificates." Source: BSS AH

Mujib Barsho, which was announced for celebration of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has been extended up to March 31 next. The timeframe has been extended as it has not been possible to arrange all programmes of the Mujib Barsho properly due to coronavirus pandemic. Cabinet Division has issued a notification in this regard. According to the notification, the government had announced March 17, 2020 to March 26, 2021 as Mujib Barsho. As it was not possible to arrange all programmes properly due to Covid-19 outbreak, the timeframe was extended upto December 16, 2021. Now the government has again announced the extension of the timeframe of Mujib Barsho as well as tenures of and the national committee for celebration of Bangabandhu’s birth centenary and the national committee for implementation of the birth centenary celebration upto March 31 next for arranging the remaining programmes in proper manner. Remaining programme includes paying tributes of Mausoleum of Bangabandhu at Tungipara, folk fair, award giving ceremony of online quiz competition, completing different printing and publications, holding of official works of the national implementation committee, handing over of office equipment, papers, publications to concerned authorities, completing financial activities, closing bank accounts, auditing and others. Source: BSS AH

The government has extended the ongoing lockdown till midnight of July 14 by enhancing more seven days from July 7, said a cabinet division release in Dhaka today (Monday). “The ongoing curb has been extended till July 14 midnight, increasing seven more days from July 7 midnight, considering the present worst novel corona virus situation,” the official release elaborated. All the previous instructions will remain effective during the extended lockdown period. Even, the government has asked the concerned authorities including the armed forces division to take necessary actions during this time. Earlier, the government had decided to impose a nationwide weeklong complete lockdown from July 1. Under the restrictions, public transport movement will remain suspended whereas factories, especially export-oriented ones, are likely to be exempted from the curb. The banks are also likely to operate on a limited scale. No one will be allowed to leave home without emergency reasons, according to the restrictions, adding that the army would be called in to assist the police and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troopers to enforce the 'strict lockdown'. Furthermore, all government and private offices will remain closed during the lockdown. All kinds of transports, except those carrying emergency supplies, will remain suspended during the lockdown. However, ambulances and vehicles used for healthcare services and media would be exempted from the curbs. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 death toll in Bangladesh crossed 15,065 on Sunday, with the health authorities reporting 153 new fatalities. It took only 15 days for the toll to rise by 1,000, according to the media report. The total caseload reached 9,44,917 as 8,661 new infections were reported. Source: BSS AH

The tenure of land border closure between Bangladesh and India has been increased for more 15 days due to the deteriorated coronavirus transmission situation. According to the foreign ministry sources, the land border between the two neighboring countries will be closed till July 14. The foreign ministry sources said, the government on April 26 announced closure of land borders with India at the first phase on pretext of the corona situation. After that decision was taken to extend the closure of borders till June 30 in four phases. On Monday after holding the interministerial meeting Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen informed that the tenure of closure has been extended for another phase. Though the tenure has been increased but the Bangladeshi people, whose visa expired after going to India for treatment, can return to their homes by getting permission from the embassy.   AH