250-bed Habiganj Sadar Hospital: Tk 30-cr building lies useless without manpower, equipment
The new eight-storey building of 250-bed Habiganj Sadar Hospital. Photo: Star
An eight-storey building was built for it at a cost of Tk 30.25 crore, but the 250-bed Habiganj Sadar Hospital has yet to start its operations after more than four years of its inauguration.
Inaugurated by the late Mohammed Nasim, the then health minister, on July 20, 2016, the completed building of the hospital has no equipment, nor has it any beds.
Although the 100-bed Habiganj Modern Sadar Hospital was upgraded to a 250-bed hospital on paper that year, the activities of the hospital are still being conducted in the old building, with the same manpower that is not even adequate for the smaller facility.
Traders breathe a sigh of relief for better Eid sales
Shoppers coming out of a shopping mall in the capital. The photo was taken before Eid-ul-Fitr. Photo: Amran Hossain
Brisk business during the just concluded Eid shopping season helped traders breathe a sigh of relief amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown and other measures in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Following requests from various economists and trade bodies, the government relaxed its hardline stance on public restrictions, allowing traders to reopen their stores 15 days ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival in Bangladesh.
All types of businesses enjoyed good customer turnout during this period, which came as a much-needed respite following a year of poor sales due to the advent of Covid-19 in March last year.
Eid sales drop to one-fifth this year
Economic Reporter :
Eid sales of domestic fashion and other lifestyle products have come down to around one-fifth of pre-pandemic time this year as the people have lost income.
Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival for Muslims, is also the largest occasion for retailers, who said about 60 to 70 per cent of their revenues come from the sales during this period.
But the retailers struggled to sell their products due to the ongoing restriction on people s movement and suspension public transport ahead of the Eid.
According to the Bangladesh Shop Owners Association, a platform of retailers, Eid-ul-Fitr sales this year came down to around Tk 5,000 crore, which was about Tk 25,000 crore in 2019.
Homebound people leaving capital even on 2nd day of Eid
Photo: Collected Star Digital Report Star Digital Report
Hundreds of city dwellers are leaving the capital today for their homes even on the second day of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Sixteen ferries are plying on the route of Shimulia in Munshiganj and Banglabazar in Madaripur. Over 100 people and 150 vehicles were seen waiting at the ferry terminals around 12:30pm, reports our Munshiganj correspondent from the spot.
Profullo Chowhan, manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) in Shimulia terminal, told The Daily Star, Even on the second day of Eid, a significant presence of passengers is seen at the ferry ghat. Each ferry crossed the Padma river full of passengers since this morning. Many people are still leaving Dhaka. Besides, those who earlier went to their homes for Eid celebration have started coming back to Dhaka, but their numbers are not very high.
Violating health rules: Market in Dhaka’s Paltan shut down for 4 hours
Shopkeepers gather in front of China Town shopping mall after Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity shut down the market for around four hours due to lack of health safety rules. Photo: Amran Hossain
Star Digital Report
Star Digital Report
China Town shopping mall in Dhaka s Paltan area was shut down for around four hours after its authorities failed to follow health safety rules this morning.
Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity, an association of shop owners, shut down the market around 9:30am after its leaders found violation of health rules there.