Significance of Ramadan and Fasting



Dr. Mahfuz Parvez, Associate Editor, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Ramadan is an Arabic word, the root of which is ‘Ramiya’ or ‘R-Ramam’, which means ‘temperature’ or ‘dryness’. During this month, it is obligatory on every adult Muslim man and woman to observe Saum. ‘Saum’ is an Arabic word, which is called ‘Roza’ in Persian. In Bangladesh, Pakistan and India in the South Asian subcontinent, both the words 'saum' and 'roza' are used. For example, both the words ‘salat’ (Arabic) and ‘namaz’ (Persian) are commonly used in this region. Persian was the main and official language of the subcontinent during the centuries of Muslim rule. As a result, many important-necessary-practical words and topics used in daily life are spoken orally in Arabic as well as in Persian.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the month in which Muslims around the world observe Ramadan. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is the third of the five obligatory or obligatory acts of Islam. The place of fasting after faith and prayers to Allah (SWT). Then, of course, the other two obligatory duties are Hajj and Zakat.

The month of Ramadan is 29 or 30 days depending on the sighting of the moon. The month of Ramadan is at the center of interest and attention of every Muslim. In other words, in Islamic way of life and culture, every Muslim man and woman is eagerly waiting for the month of Ramadan or Roza. He even waited and prepared for Ramadan from the seventh month of Rajab and the eighth month of Sha'ban. The Prophet (PBUH) himself used to recite this prayer more and more in the months of Rajab and Shaban and that is: ‘Allahumma barik lana fi Rajab wa Shabaan, wa ballig na Ramadaan’. Which means: ‘O Allah, bless us with the month of Rajab and the month of Sha’ban; Ramadan is our destiny '(Musnad Ahmad: 259).

In preparation for Ramadan, the Prophet (PBUH) used to observe 10 naafil fasts in the month of Rajab and 20 naafil fasts in the month of Sha'ban. The Prophet (PBUH) used to perform the most supererogatory prayers, fasts, and acts of worship in the month of Shaban, the month before Ramadan, except for the full month of Ramadan. He said, "You keep account of the moon of Shaban for Ramadan."

According to Islam, Rajab is the month of Allah Ta'ala, Shaban is the month of the Prophet and Ramadan is the month of the Ummah. This means cultivating the land of the mind through Ibadat in the month of Rajab, sowing seeds in the land of the mind through more Ibadat in the month of Shaban and arranging to reap the harvest of success in the month of Ramadan through maximum Ibadat-worship.

As a result, before the arrival of the very important month of Ramadan, from the months of Rajab and Shaban, the message of the arrival of this great month of Ramadan began to be announced and every Muslim man and woman kept on praying and preparing to Allah Subhanahu Ta'ala for Ramadan.

The main purpose of preparing for Ramadan and the significance of fasting is: to achieve one's spiritual and physical purification, to attain piety or taqwa, and to make every effort to attain the mercy, blessings, salvation and forgiveness declared in Ramadan. Therefore, just as we have to wait and prepare for the most blessed and auspicious month of Ramadan every year, so it is the duty of every Muslim man and woman to be diligent and attentive in using the days and nights of Ramadan, that is, every second, minute, hour, accurately and effectively. 

   

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



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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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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