Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) got permission to hold their rallies in the capital’s Baitul Mukarram’s South Gate and Nayapaltan respectively. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Headquarters issued separate letters to these parties with 20 conditions. AL got permission at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque while the BNP in front of their party office at Nayapaltan according to that letters.  The conditions state that DMP would only allow people to gather at the venues after 12:00pm. Earlier, AL and BNP submitted applications to the DMP for the permission of the rallies on October 20 and 21, respectively.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has strongly condemned the Lahore district administration’s decision to deny the Aurat March organisers permission to hold a public rally marking International Women’s Day on March 8. In a statement issued Friday, the HRCP said, “It is regrettable that their right to peaceful assembly is routinely challenged by the district administration on the grounds that ‘controversial’ placards and ‘strong reservations’ from the public and religious organisations ostensibly create law-and-order risks. This is a poor defence. The caretaker Punjab government must uphold the Aurat March’s right to freedom of peaceful assembly and provide the marchers with full security.” Source: The News International

The Drug Controller General of India has given its approval to the single-dose COVID-19 vaccine version of the Sputnik V vaccine 'Sputnik Light' to conduct trials on the Indian population to check whether the vaccine gives a similar immune response in trials similar to what it has shown on the Russian population. A Subject Expert Committee (SEC) meeting held on August 5 recommended the trial condition based on the efficacy of the vaccine also to be evaluated on the 42nd, 90th, and 180th day following the second dose. "Interim analysis can be conducted on day 42 as this data was generated during the Sputnik V trials in India after the first dose, which was stated to be available up to day 21," reads the minutes of the SEC meeting. Earlier in the month of April, the two-dose version of the vaccine, Sputnik V, was approved for 'emergency use' by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). According to Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, till now 8- 9 lakh doses of Sputnik V has been administered in India. Sputnik Light, which is the first dose of the original two-dose composition, has shown the efficacy of 79 per cent. Source: ANI

The government is offering all the opportunities at the remote village level under ‘My village, my town’ philosophy of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In this regard to construct a village in a planned way the government is considering the matter that if anyone wants to construct house then he or she has to obtain permission from local Union Parishad authority. The information was delivered by LGRD Minister Md. Tazul Islam. The minister said this as the chief guest while participating a virtual meeting titled ‘Mayor dialogue: Safe, sustainable and inclusive city’ jointly organized by Save the Children and Bangladesh Institute of Planners from his official residence at Mintu Road in the capital on Wednesday. Tazul Islam said, permission should be taken from a proper authority to construct houses, shops, mosque-madrasas, educational institutions, hospitals, clubs or offices or any type of infrastructure at the village level. In this regard Union Parishad can be given the responsibility. He said, if it cannot be controlled by certain authority then unplanned homes and business establishments would be constructed. Union Parishad can be empowered in this regard and to avert misuse committed by them Upazila Parishad will be attached in this process. Punishment will be awarded if anybody misuses his power. Without prior permission nobody will be permitted to construct home or other establishment on the cultivable land. The program was moderated by Bangladesh Institute of Planners general secretary Adil Mohammad Khan where DNCC Mayor and Mayors of other city corporations such as Khulna, Rajshahi, Chattogram, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Mymensingh also participated. AH       

A schedule disaster happened for not getting permission for special flights landing in Riyadh and Dammam of Saudi Arabia. As a result half of the flights were cancelled. On Sunday, all the flights were operated accordingly. Permission for flights landing has been obtained. The permission was got earlier for Jeddah, but it needs separate permission for Riyadh and Dammam, which were obtained later. On Sunday at 10:30 am a special flight took off for Riyadh. As well as special flights also flew towards Muscat and Dubai. The authority of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport said, it was scheduled to operate total 12 flights on the second day. There is no scope to cancel any flight. The government cancelled all international flights scheduled from April 14 during the strict lockdown. As a result the government has permitted more than hundred special flights for the stranded expatriates. The special flights were operated en route to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Singapore. It was known that state flag carrier Biman, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Oman Air, Salam Air, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Ettihad, Air Arabia, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and Fly Dubai have got the opportunity to carry the passengers. AH       

The executive body of National Environment Committee has discouraged filling up of ponds, waterbodies, canals, artificial or natural water reservoirs and changing classification of land. The committee also has taken decision for obtaining permission of Directorate of Environment (DoE) to fill-up land needed for national interest. The decision was taken at the 15th meeting of executive body of National Environment Committee at secretariat on Thursday. After the meeting Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md. Shahab Uddin delivered the information. It was also decided in the meeting that waterbodies and ponds under different ministries, departments and organizations have to be preserved on a mandatory basis and fill-up activities will not be included in the development planning. AH         

The Directorate General of Drug Administration has given permission to local institute Globe Biotech Ltd. to produce their Corona vaccine ‘Bangavax’ for running clinical trial. Globe Biotech Research and Development division chief Dr. Asif Mahmud delivered the information on Wednesday. Globe Biotech, a sister concern of medicine producing institution of the country Globe Pharmaceuticals Group of Companies on July 2 last year claimed that they have invented the vaccine. It is the first institution of the country which has claimed of inventing the Corona vaccine. The institution began their research to invent it on March 8. On October 18 Asif Mahmud said that their vaccine was tested successfully on animals. The World Health Organization has a list of 156 vaccines for pre-experimental use and Globe Biotech has three of them. AH

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is going to take measures for holding examinations for honors and masters level students by the public universities following academic council decision of respective universities. The permission for taking examinations was given at a virtual meeting presided over by the UGC Chairman Professor Kazi Shahidullah, said a press release. Apart from the UGC members Vice Chancellors of 39 public universities were connected virtually in the meeting. Universities have been closed along with other educational institutions from March 17 on the wake of coronavirus pandemic worldwide. Holidays have been declared for all the educational institutions in the country till December 19. Though public universities were holding online classes but they were unable to take examinations. Now permission for semester final and final examinations has been given. UGC has offered seven recommendations on the ground of final examination, practical class and evaluation. 1. To make up the irreparable loss of the students of honors and masters level due to coronavirus crisis the concerned universities can take measures following their academic council decision to hold the semester final examinations. 2. The evaluation and uncompleted practical classes of science, technology, agriculture, medical and other disciplines have to be completed following the health guidelines. 3. To complete semester exams, practical classes and evaluation students of the last semester will get preference. 4. Dormitories of the universities have to remain closed. 5. Examinations and practical classes have to be completed following the health guidelines keeping in mind the health protection measures for the students. Students have to appear one hour before starting of the examinations and they have to leave the campus within one hour after completion of the examinations.   6. The ongoing online learning activities in the educational institutions will continue due to Covid-19 crisis. 7. Have to follow and maintain the directions of World Health Organization in the universities to prevent transmission of virus. In the meeting UGC Chairman said, to take examinations the concerned committees including deans committee and academic council will take the final decisions. It should be kept in mind that no question arises regarding quality of the examination. Not hurriedly, the examinations should be taken by phases according to capability. AH  

There will be no need to obtain permission for flying drones less than five kilograms. But it needs permission from the concerned office if the drone is over five kilograms. Keeping these provisions the cabinet has approved the draft in principle the ‘Drone Registration and Flying Policy 2020’. The draft was approved in principle at the virtual cabinet meeting on Monday. Later Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam briefed the newsmen about the matter. The Cabinet Secretary said, four categories were made for drones in the policy after taking opinions from all. Category ‘A’ for entertainment. Children will use this type of drone as toy. It must be less than 5 kg. Over 5kg will not cover this category. He said, category ‘B’ drones can be used by government and private organizations for non-commercial purpose. In this case the drone can be over 5 kg but there should not be any commercial view such as survey of forest, research or writing books. Anwarul Islam said, drones for commercial use would be over 5 kg under ‘C’ category. For example it can be used for survey of land or crops or for processing industry. Category ‘D’ drones can be used for state of military purpose. For example drones were used in Padma Bridge construction work, it is for purpose for the state. The Cabinet Secretary said, no need to obtain permission for flying A ( for entertainment and games) and D (for state and military purpose) category drones. He said, there are green, red and yellow zones. Toy and entertainment drones cannot be flown over 500 feet. Others need to obtain permission. According to the policy, drone flying will be prohibited in the red zones such as airports, cantonment areas or Padma Bridge. AH     

From now the officials of health directorate have to obtain permission from the Director General (DG) to participate in interviews or talk shows in the media. Besides, at least director level officers will be permitted to participate in the programs. The information was delivered through a press release from the health service division of the health ministry on Friday. There it was said, the officers of health division usually participate in different programs in the media as spokesperson of the organization and represent the organization. But due to some speeches the government feels embarrassed.  So, there should be regulations to represent the government in the media. So, one should take prior permission from the concerned Director General to participate or provide interview in different programs in the media. AH