Corona inflicts a loss of Taka 352 crore in tourism sector in greater Barishal



Jahir Rayhan, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Barishal
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As a result of the global pandemic Coronavirus (Covid-19), business establishments including residential hotels and motels in various tourist centers and places of interest including Barishal and the entire southern region of Kuakata have suffered extreme losses.

Businessmen involved in the tourism industry have claimed that about Taka 351.64 crore was lost in these establishments (in the tourism sector) during the shutdown under the government's directive to stop the spread of corona. After being closed for a few months, these tourist areas are normal again as per the instructions of the administration, but due to the corona, the number of domestic and foreign tourists has decreased.

Sources at various tourist centers said:

Kuakata: Kuakata is one of the most scenic beaches in Bangladesh and the largest tourist destination in the southern region. The Patuakhali district administration has announced closure of 13 tourist spots and more than 150 small and medium-sized hotels, motels, water buses, tourist boats and other activities in Kuakata Sea-Beach area from March 16 to June 30 this year.

Extreme losses have been incurred by small and medium and large local traders in 32 sectors including hotels, residential and motel traders, tourism related Burmese market, sea-beach oyster market, Rakhine women's market, dry goods shop, restaurant, museum, hilsapark.

According to the Kuakata Hotel-Motel Owners Association, there are more than 150 hotels and motels, including 80 listed by the association. M Motaleb Sharif, general secretary of the Kuakata Hotel-Motel Owners Association, told Barta24.com that the hotels and motels lost about Taka 200 crore during the shutdown.

Hossain Amir, senior vice-president of the Kuakata Tourism Management Association (Kutum), told Barta24.com that the transport sector, including small and medium enterprises in about 32 sectors related to the tourism industry, has lost another Taka 150 crore.

Bhimruli Floating Guava Hat in Jhalokati: The largest floating guava market in Asia is located at the mouth of the local Bhimruli canal in Jhalokati district of Bangladesh. Crowds of domestic and foreign tourists and travelers flock here to see the floating guava market. But this year, the number of tourists from far and wide has dropped several times due to the corona situation. As a result, the rent of more than 300 boats and more than 150 engine-driven trawlers and the sale of all kinds of business establishments, including the well-known Baudi floating hotel, has come down to 3 per cent from 10 per cent last year. Local farmer Naveen Chandra Haldar, a fellow vendor of a floating hotel in Baudi and Suken, a trawler trader, said that this is less than Taka 40/45 lakh so far as compared to last year.

Red Lotus Flower Canal of Barishal: Red Lotus grows in about 10,000 acres of wetlands of this village named North Satla in Uzirpur of Barishal district. Tourists from home and abroad, including the entire southern region, can be seen in this water body. But because of the corona, the number of thirsty people traveling on the Red Lotus Flower is less than last year. Local traders are also claiming that the average monthly turnover of local traders is less than Taka 14/15 lakh including the rent of more than two and a half hundred small and big boats claimed local businessman Kalimullah.

Planet Children's Park: This children's park in Barishal city has been closed for three months from March 20 to July 19 in corona situation, causing a loss of Taka 13/14 lakh in all sectors including entrance fee, according to the park authorities.

Durgasagar: The traditional tourist center of Barishal district Durgasagar Dighi was closed from March 16 to August 6. Barisal Deputy Commissioner SM Aziar Rahman told Barta24.com that entry fees worth around Taka 7-8 lakh were not sold at Durgasagar during the five-month shutdown. Several traders also said that a loss of Taka 8 to 10 lakh was incurred due to the collapse of trade and commerce in the area.

There are also Baitul Aman (Guthia) Mosque in Barisal, Muktijoddha Park, Trish Godown, Swadhinata Park, Arj Ali Matabbar, Barisal University, Pirojpur DC Park, Jhalokati Eco-park, various bridges and tourist attractions.

Besides, Patuakhali's Paira River Port (reserved), Barguna's Sonakata Eco-park, Haringhata Park, Shuva Sandhya, Bhola's Jacob Tower, Sheikh Russell Shishu and Bangabandhu Park, Barishal's Chakhar Sher-e-Bangla Museum and other tourist areas in the south have lost crores of rupees.

Arifur Rahman, director of Jal Tarani Tabughar and a young entrepreneur told Barta24.com that corona not the only hit the big business in the tourism industry. At the same time, the relentless work to further develop the tourism industry has also put young and enterprising entrepreneurs on the path. In this situation, the entrepreneur also thinks that it is not possible to keep this tourism industry alive without the stimulus allocation of the government.

   

Dhaka is the sixth most polluted city in the world, Seoul is on top



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Today, Dhaka is sixth in the list of the most polluted cities in the world. The air quality of the capital has become 'unhealthy' with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 172 at 6:50 am today.

South Korea's capital Seoul topped the air quality index with 343. South Korea's Incheon, Pakistan's Lahore, Vietnam's Chiang Mai and India's Delhi occupy the second, third, fourth and fifth places in the list with AQI scores of 217, 187, 179 and 177 respectively.

An AQI score between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' for sensitive groups. An AQI score between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy'. And an AQI between 301 and 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing a serious health risk to residents.

AQI in Bangladesh is determined based on 5 parameters of pollution, namely - Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone (O3).

Dhaka has been suffering from air pollution for a long time. Its air quality generally becomes unhealthy during winters and improves slightly during monsoons.

In March 2019, a report by the Department of Environment and the World Bank stated that the three main causes of Dhaka's air pollution are brick kilns, smoke from vehicles and dust from construction activities.

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Taka 400 crores laundered through digital Hundi, controlled by Dubai



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested 5 people for allegedly laundering around Tk. 400 crore abroad through Digital Hundi using Mobile Banking Service (MFS).

CID Chief Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia informed this in a press conference at CID headquarters on Thursday (March 28) afternoon.

The arrested are - Nasim Ahmed (62), the owner of Tasmia Associates, Fazle Rabbi Sumon (32), the territory sales manager of Agent SIM, Md. Kamruzzaman (33), Zahir Uddin (37), representative of Jet Robotics Apps Bangladesh and Khairul Islam alias Pius (34).

Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia said, a gang has smuggled around Tk. 400 crore abroad through digital Hundi using mobile banking services. Five members of this gang were arrested during the operation.

He said that Tk. 400 crores illegally came to Bangladesh through Jet Robotics app in the last few months. Police traced the app through intelligence.

He also said that the money of this gang was transacted from the Chattogram based distribution house. Five members of the gang were arrested in separate raids in Dhaka and Chattogram on Wednesday night.

He said that Tk. 28 lakh 51 thousand cash was seized from them at the time of arrest. He said that they used to rent development agent SIMS and deliver money through them to the grassroots level.

The head of CID said that Mamun, the master of this gang lives in Dubai. He is using agent SIM here. This app used for smuggling cannot work outside 48 SIM along the specific link sent from Dubai. Only seven people can enter this app.

Referring to this as a modern form of Hundi business, he said, money is being circulated in the country through this app by blocking remittances coming to Bangladesh. Already we got 5-7 more such organizations who are working like this.

He said, in the last three months, Tk. 400 crores have been hindered from coming to Bangladesh through Jet Robotic Apps. Five people using these apps have been arrested and their devices seized.

He said, Chattogram's development distribution house Tasmia Associates company has 1000 Bkash Agent SIMs. These agent SIMs who are not performing well, the agent SIMs provide DSOs to the users of Jet Robotic Apps.

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Demand for punishment for those responsible for electrocution death in Moulvibazar



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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The death of 6 members of the same family due to electrocution in Moulvibazar is very shocking and heartbreaking. The chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Dr. Kamaluddin Ahmed said that the main responsible person and institution should be brought under accountability.

He made this comment at a discussion on 'Role of Media in Protection of Human Rights and Consumer Rights' organized by 'Business Digest' at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (March 28).

The Chairman of the Human Rights Commission said, after investigating the incident of Moulvibazar, appropriate legal action should be taken against those responsible and necessary measures should be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. We could not do anything for one family, but we have to do for hundreds of such families.

He also said that the issue of rights is directly and indirectly the daily practice of the media. Media can question all the irregularities; make people aware of their rights and duties and play an important role in establishing rights. We can carry out reformative activities only in view of the news published in the media.

Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed called on the media workers to take all-out efforts to spread the necessary knowledge about the constitution, law and rights among the people.

At one stage of the discussion, he said about the recurrence of fires, we have not learned proper lessons from the big fires and explosions in Nimatli, Newmarket and Bangabazar in the past years. Had we taken effective measures, recurrence of fires could have been prevented.

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Suggestion to introduce Human Rights Wing in the Foreign Ministry



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recommended setting up a new wing on human rights to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The suggestion was made at the parliamentary committee meeting held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhavan on Thursday (March 28). After the meeting, this information was informed in a press release of the Parliament Secretariat.

The meeting recommended taking necessary steps to recognize March 25 as International Genocide Day. A proposal was made in the meeting to visit the Rohingya camps Kutupalong and Bhasanchar with the members of the Standing Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chairman of the committee AK Abdul Momen chaired the meeting and members of the committee and Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Shahriar Alam, Nahim Razzak, Nizam Uddin Jalil, Nurul Islam Nahid, Habibur Rahman, Saimum Sarwar, Zara Zabeen Mahbub took part in the meeting. #

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