Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder said, it was a necessary matter to formulate law for forming Election Commission. But the government failed to do that. Election is infected with some complex diseases. Democracy is in deep crisis due to the side effects. He said this to the newsmen at his office chamber at the Election Commission on Sunday afternoon. Mahbub Talukder mentioned that if there is no consensus regarding the election process then there is chance of anarchy and loss of lives. He said, election is infected with some complex diseases. Democracy is in deep crisis due to the side effects. It cannot be saved by single doctor. There is no alternative to form a medical board. It is very necessary to turn the democracy back to normal life. We have to decide whether we would want election without democracy. Informing about his experience of visiting the by-election for the post of ward councilor in ward number 73 under DSCC on October 7, the Election Commissioner said, 20 per cent votes were cast there using the EVMs. The election was peaceful. But low turnout of voters made me frustrated. On the other hand, 70 per cent votes were cast through EVMs in the by election for the post of councilor in ward number 9 under Rajshahi City Corporation. The reason of this discrimination should be found out. Efforts should be given to increase the number of voters. Desired results will not be attained if these barriers are driven out. In his written speech Mahbub Talukder said, the debate for formation of election commission is getting momentum. But for the last 50 years law was not formulated to appoint the commission according to the constitution. Though it is compulsory but all the previous governments have violated this. To establish voting rights and if there is faith on empowering people and democracy this law has to be formulated. To establish multiparty democracy this law cannot be formulated without consensus of all party. But formulating law is not enough. Formulation of law for election is the prime way and that must be acceptable to all party. If there is no consensus regarding formation of election commission, election process and election management then there might be anarchy and loss of lives across the country, which is not wanted. AH

In the last 24 hours 25 people died after being infected with coronavirus across the country. With this figure the number of deaths has surged to 12,149. But 363 people have been detected with coronavirus infection in the country in the last 24 hours. With this figure the number of detected cases has reached at 7,80,159. The information was delivered through the regular press release of the health directorate on Sunday. On Saturday the number of deaths was 22 and the detected cases number was 261. The press release said, 601 people have recovered from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. With this figure the recovery count has risen to 7,22,036. Total 5,508 samples were collected and 5,430 samples were tested in this period. The detection rate is 6.69 percent considering the samples which were tested. Of the 25 deceased 13 were from Dhaka division, 11 from Chattogram division and one from Barishal division. Of the deceased 18 were male and 7 were female. So far of the total deceased 8,797 were male and 3,352 were female. According to the age based analysis, of the deceased in last 24 hours 13 were aged over sixty, 6 were aged between 51 to 60 years, 4 were aged between 41 to 50 years and 2 were aged between 31 to 40 years. AH    

In the last 24 hours 22 people died from coronavirus infection across the country. With this figure the number of deaths has reached at 12,124. In this period the number of traced cases has reached the least level and the figure was 261. So far the number of detected cases has reached at 7,79,796. The information was delivered through a regular press briefing of the health directorate. On February 13 the number of detected cases was 291. Of the 22 deceased 13 were from Dhaka division, 8 from Chattogram division and one from Khulna division. Again of the deceased 17 were male and 5 were female. All of them died in the hospitals. Meanwhile, of the total 12,124 deceased 8,779 were male and 3,345 were female. According to the age based category, 12 of the 22 deceased were aged over sixty years. Besides, 6 were aged between 51 to 60 years and 4 were aged between 41 to 50 years. Mentionable, after emerging from China the deadly coronavirus spread worldwide in December 2019. In our country the first coronavirus case was traced on March 8 last year. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus crisis as pandemic on March 11. The first death occurred on March 18 in Bangladesh. AH   

BNP Chairperson and former prime minister of the country Begum Khaleda Zia is infected with coronavirus, said the health directorate. It was informed that a medical report published on April 11 said the result of Begum Khaleda Zia’s corona test sample came out as ‘positive’. But Khaleda Zia’s personal physician and her nephew Dr. Mamun said, it is not true. I regularly check her up. Part of the regular check up her blood samples are tested. As part of that to collect the blood sample I went to ‘Firoza’ along with the technician. It is not part of corona test procedures. It is nothing but confusion created over her corona test result. Meanwhile, in the report of corona test result it was seen that the sample was deposited for testing on April 10 at the ICDDR,B laboratory. Later the sample was tested in the RT PCR method. On the other hand, Senior Information Officer of health ministry Maidul Islam Prodhan said that he has talked to the health directorate. From there it was confirmed that Begum Khaleda Zia is corona positive. Sources said, Begum Khaleda Zia was suffering from fever for the last several days. To determine whether she is infected with coronavirus or not her blood sample was collected from her Gulshan residence ‘Firoza’ on Saturday afternoon. AH

Senior joint secretary general of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Ruhul KAbir Rizvi has been infected with coronavirus. He delivered the sample to examine coronavirus infection at a private hospital in the capital. The report came out as ‘positive’. BNP Chairperson’s press wing member Shairul Kabir Khan delivered the information on Wednesday. Shairul said, he has been suffering from fever for last three-four days. When he went to the hospital to perform CT scan then corona sample was also supplied. And that report came out positive. AH

The number of death due to coronavirus infection has increased in the last 24 hours. 23 deaths were occurred and 1,308 people were infected during the period. Yesterday 19 deaths were occurred and 1,094 cases were traced. So far 5,803 deaths were occurred in the country due to the deadly virus. The information was delivered through a press release signed by Additional Director General of the health directorate Dr. Nasima Sultana on Sunday. The press release said, the number of infections has surged to 3,98,815. In the last 24 hours total 1,544 patients have recovered who were under treatment in the hospitals and homes across the country. With this the number of recovered people has increased to 3,15,107. According to the list of Johns Hopkins University Bangladesh is on the 18th position regarding the number of infections and also on the 31st position regarding the number of deaths. AH     

Information Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud has been infected with coronavirus. Public Relations Officer of the information ministry confirmed the information on Friday night. He said, Information Minister has been infected with coronavirus. He was admitted at a private hospital in the capital. He is doing well at the moment and has no major physical complexity. He has sought doa from the countrymen for his recovery. AH

45 per cent capital dwellers are infected with coronavirus. Of them 24 percent are aged over 60 years. The information was revealed through antibody tests till July in a research jointly conducted by government’s Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and non-government institution International Center for Diarrheal Diseases and Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B). The information was delivered in the research on corona contraction situation and gene transformation at a hotel in the capital on Monday. United States donor agencies USAID and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided financial assistance in the research. In the research 25 wards from 129 wards under DNCC and DSCC were selected through randomization. One ‘mahalla’ was selected in every ward. 120 households were selected from every ‘mahalla’. Besides, 8 slums were attached in the survey. Samples from the households were taken from mid-April to mid-July and the samples from the people of slum dwellers were taken from mid-July to mid-August. After analyzing the gene the researchers assume that the first coronavirus infection happened in the month of January. Researchers and scientists from IEDCR and ICDDR,B  presented the research results in the program. Additional Director General (planning and development) of the health directorate Professor Dr. Meerzady Sabrina Flora presided over the program. Health Minister Zahid Maleque Swapan joined the program through online. It was seen in the research that three-fourth population of the slum dwellers have already been contracted with coronavirus. 45 per cent city dwellers were found infected with coronavirus through the blood tests though they had no symptoms of the disease. AH     

Awami League presidium member and former state minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanak has been infected with coronavirus. His Personal Assistant Masudur Rahman Biplob has said that Nanak’s corona sample test report came positive on Friday. Biplob said, to participate in the Awami League central working committee meeting his sample was tested. There the report came positive. But sir is doing well at the moment. He is under home quarantine. He and his family members sought blessings from the countrymen for his early recovery. AH  

Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, the state minister for shipping, has been diagnosed with coronavirus. “His test report came positive yesterday,” Shipping Ministry’s Senior Information Officer Md Jahangir Alam Khan told UNB. The state minister is currently in isolation at his home, Khan said. Bangladesh on Tuesday saw a rise in both the number of coronavirus deaths and new reported cases. The country’s health authorities announced 43 deaths in 24 hours on Tuesday, pushing up the death tally to 4,802. During the period, 1,724 new cases were detected after testing 14,050 samples at 94 RT-PCR labs, said a handout from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Bangladesh reported its first cases on March 8 and the first death on March 18. The country’s confirmed cases soared past 300,000-mark on Aug 26. Source: UNB AH