Around 10,000 junior doctors have defied a government order to return to work. They're protesting plans to increase the annual medical student intake, but polls suggest an unsympathetic public. South Korea's government on Monday began taking steps to suspend the licenses of junior doctors still on strike, several days after its February 29 deadline for them to return to work passed.  Roughly 10,000 physicians walked out almost two weeks ago in a protest against government plans to drastically increase the annual medical student intake. The prolonged strike has led to the cancellation of treatments and surgeries, with the government raising its public health alert to its highest level in response. South Korean law permits the government to order medical professionals to end strike actions or risk suspension or even imprisonment if it perceives public health risks because of their absence. Doctors protested in numbers on Sunday in the capital, including many who are not on strike, with banners carrying slogans like "we are not criminals."  Government moves to suspend licenses Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said at a press conference on Monday that the number of doctors returning to work since the government deadline expired "has been minimal."  Around 9,000 remained on strike and only 565 had returned, according to Park. "Starting today the government is enforcing legal measure," he said, saying that inspections would be conducted at hospitals to confirm which doctors were absent.  "If they violate the government's back-to-work order, a three-month suspension is inevitable," Park said. "We again strongly urge them to return to patients."  The minister warned that such a suspension would lead to a delay of at least a year in the doctors getting their specialization medical certificate and could damage their career prospects. Why are South Korean doctors on strike? The government in South Korea is aiming to increase medical school admissions by 65% — from roughly 3,000 to around 5,000 a year — saying that the country is struggling with an aging population and one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios among developed nations. Medical professionals have argued the reform will erode the quality of medical education and later service. They also say it could lead to inflated costs and unnecessary treatments, and argue that new recruits will gravitate towards higher-paying, non-essential areas like plastic surgery and dermatology. Critics, however, argue that the doctors are more interested in protecting their salaries and status. Polls suggest around three-quarters of the public oppose the work stoppages. The striking junior doctors only make up a fraction of the roughly 140,000 doctors in South Korea. However, they also account for almost half the staff at some major mainly urban hospitals, where they assist senior doctors while training. Senior doctors have not joined the strike but have staged a series of protests to show their support for it.  "The government is very aware of the reasons why all doctors are opposing the increase in the medical school admissions but are exploiting policies to turn doctors into slaves forever," Kim Taek-woo of the Korea Medical Association said at a rally in Seoul on Sunday. In theory, medical professionals who strike against government orders in South Korea can face the suspension of their license or a fine or even up to three years in prison.

All classes of Primary schools suspend for 4 days due to excessive hot weather condition. Due to the intense heatwave across the country, the government has declared the suspension of the class activities in primary schools, considering the students health safety. On Saturday, June 04, the Senior Information Officer of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Mahbubur Rahman Tuhin, confirmed the matter through a press release. On June 5-8, the class activities will remain suspended in all primary schools throughout the country, the press release said. Over the past few days, a gradual transition from intense to mild heatwave has been felt across the country, including the capital.  The weather department has stated that this situation may continue for the next three days as well.  According to the 24-hour weather forecast of the weather department released on Sunday morning, June 04, the intense heatwave are affecting Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Jessore, and Chuadanga districts.  In addition, Dhaka, Barisal, Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Khulna divisions, as well as Mymensingh, Maulvibazar, Chandpur, Noakhali, and Feni districts, are experiencing a moderate to mild heatwave, which may remain unchanged.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has expressed concerns over the continued misuse of the Digital Security Act (DSA) in Bangladesh and urged immediate suspension of its application. "I am concerned that the Digital Security Act is being used across Bangladesh to arrest, harass and intimidate journalists and human rights defenders, and to muzzle critical voices online," he said, according to a UN press release issued in this regard on Friday. “I call again on the authorities to impose an immediate moratorium on its use and to comprehensively reform its provisions to bring them in line with the requirements of international human rights law. My Office has already provided detailed technical comments to assist with such a revision,” Türk said. More than 2,000 cases have been brought under the Act, which came into force on October 1, 2018, according to the release. The release also mentions the recent cases filed against Prothom Alo reporter Samsuzzaman Shams, Editor Matiur Rahman, and a photographer. In February, a young man, Poritosh Sarkar, was sentenced to five years in prison under this law after being accused of hurting religious sentiments in a post on Facebook, stated the release. Türk said his office has consistently raised concerns about the overly broad and ill-defined provisions of the Digital Security Act. He also called out the government for failing to deliver on certain promises with regard to the law's application. “The government has promised there will be safeguards against the arbitrary or excessive application of the law but that is not enough when arrests continue. The law itself needs a proper overhaul,” he said. The High Commissioner called for the creation of an independent judicial panel to review all pending cases brought under the Digital Security Act with a view to those accused being released.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has expressed concerns over the continued misuse of the Digital Security Act (DSA) in Bangladesh and urged immediate suspension of its application. "I am concerned that the Digital Security Act is being used across Bangladesh to arrest, harass and intimidate journalists and human rights defenders, and to muzzle critical voices online," he said, according to a UN press release issued in this regard on Friday. “I call again on the authorities to impose an immediate moratorium on its use and to comprehensively reform its provisions to bring them in line with the requirements of international human rights law. My Office has already provided detailed technical comments to assist with such a revision,” Türk said. More than 2,000 cases have been brought under the Act, which came into force on October 1, 2018, according to the release. The release also mentions the recent cases filed against Prothom Alo reporter Samsuzzaman Shams, Editor Matiur Rahman, and a photographer. In February, a young man, Poritosh Sarkar, was sentenced to five years in prison under this law after being accused of hurting religious sentiments in a post on Facebook, stated the release. Türk said his office has consistently raised concerns about the overly broad and ill-defined provisions of the Digital Security Act. He also called out the government for failing to deliver on certain promises with regard to the law's application. “The government has promised there will be safeguards against the arbitrary or excessive application of the law but that is not enough when arrests continue. The law itself needs a proper overhaul,” he said. The High Commissioner called for the creation of an independent judicial panel to review all pending cases brought under the Digital Security Act with a view to those accused being released.

Card payment giants Visa and Mastercard announced Saturday they will suspend operations in Russia, the latest major US firms to join the business freeze-out of Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. "Noting the unprecedented nature of the current conflict and the uncertain economic environment," Mastercard said it had "decided to suspend our network services in Russia." Visa, for its part, said that "effective immediately" it would "work with its clients and partners within Russia to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days." Major corporations across a range of industries have halted business in Russia since its invasion began 10 days ago, including everything from US- based tech firms such as Intel and Airbnb to French luxury giants LVMH, Hermes and Chanel. Visa and Mastercard had already announced that they were complying with US and international sanctions imposed on Russia in the wake of its attack. "Our colleagues, our customers and our partners have been affected in ways that most of us could not imagine," Mastercard said, stating that its cards issued by Russian banks would no longer be supported by the company's network. Visa similarly said that cards issued in Russia would no longer work outside the country. Both companies said cards issued abroad would no longer work in Russia. "We are compelled to act following Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed," Visa CEO Al Kelly said. Russia's major banks, including its largest lender Sberbank and the Russia Central Bank, downplayed the effects that the cards' suspensions would have on their clients. "All Visa and Mastercard bank cards issued by Russian banks will continue to operate normally on Russian territory until their expiration date," the Russia Central Bank said. Sberbank said in a statement on its official Telegram account that the cards "can be used for operations in the Russian territory -- to withdraw cash, make transfers using the card number, and for payment at offline as well as at online Russian stores." The cards would continue to work on Russian territory, it said, because all payments in Russia are made through a national system and do not depend on foreign systems. However, the central bank warned that Russians traveling abroad should carry alternate means of payment. Mastercard added that it would continue to provide pay and benefits to its nearly 200 employees in Russia. Source: AFP/BSS AH

Following India’s decision of suspending all visas, barring a select few categories, Biman Bangladesh Airlines and three private airlines have announced to halt all of their flights to India from March 14 to April 15. The three private airliners are US-Bangla Airlines, Novoair and Regent Airways. India on Wednesday announced the suspension of all existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/international organizations, employment and project ones, till April 15. Tahera Khandakar, Deputy General Manager (public relations) of Biman, said they have decided not to operate any flight during the period. She also said passengers who have already bought tickets will get refund or can travel once the ban is withdrawn. Novoair Senior Manager Mahfuzul Alam also echoed Tahera. Meanwhile, General Manager (public relations) of US-Bangla Airlines Kamrul Islam told UNB that they will maintain complete flight suspension from March 17. They will operate flights from Chennai to Dhaka till March 14 and from Kolkata to Dhaka till March 16, he said. Regent Airways Director Sohel Majid said their flights will bring Bangladeshis from Kolkata till March 15. However, the aircraft will carry no passenger while going there, he added. Source: UNB AH

Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni said, students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) have agreed to suspend their movement. They will be back to their classes on next Saturday. The minister said these after holding four hour long meeting with the representatives of agitating students on Thursday. She said, I have fruitful discussion with three representatives each from seven dormitories. All of their demands are logical. Those will be implemented by phases. Some of the demands can be implemented by the academic council. Some of the demands are under ministry. We will try to implement those fast. Dipu Moni said, we have told the students to submit their demands in written. They said that they will submit in that way. She said, after receiving the written demands those will be implemented by phases from Friday. Mentionable, BUET students began their movement from last Saturday to press home their 16-point demand. They took their position on roads after abstaining from classes and examinations. AH    

Telecasting of all the channels of Zee network are suspended. According to that telecasting of Zee tv network’s channels like Zee Bangla, Zee Bangla Cinema, Zee Cinema and Zee tv are suspended throughout the country. Distributors’ organization of Bangladesh has kept the telecast of these channels suspended. But Information Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud said, the government did not suspend telecasting of any channel. Only laws are applied. He said, due to not abiding by the law the advertisement market of Bangladesh in television sector has gone outside. The Information Minister said, the decision was taken after conversation that the downlinked foreign channels will be telecasted in the country without advertisement. The concerned channels can telecast clean feed (without advertisement) programs. According to the subsection 19(13) of the Cable Television Network Act 2006, showing advertisement in any foreign channel for the audience of Bangladesh is a punishable crime. But after that a vested quarter is telecasting advertisement in foreign channels by taking money illegally. In this circumstance the government has taken strict measures about applying law. On Monday the information ministry issued show cause notices to two distributor organizations named Nationwide Media Limited and Jadu Vision Limited. After getting the notice Jadu Vision suspended telecasting of all channels of Indian Zee Network. The Information Minister said, they were not directed to suspend the channel telecasting. They were served notices. On Tuesday at the secretariat when questions were asked in this regard Dr. Hasan Mahmud said, why Zee Bangla, Zee Cinema channels are not being showed in Bangladesh, that can say the distributors. We have told for showing the channels without advertisement but advertisements are being showed, laws are being violated. This type of law is available in India, UK, USA and Europe and other countries- informing that the minister said this type of law is followed in those countries. AH