Ten more people died from deadly virus corona while 8407 people got infected by the virus in the last 24 hours across the country.

This information was sent to the media on Tuesday ( January 18) by DGHS through a press release.

According to the press release, the latest deaths and cases of infection have brought the toll to 28164 and 1632788 respectively.

The release said that 475 people have recovered bringing the recovery figure to 1553795 so far.

During the period 35916 samples were tested in 852 authorized labs making a total 11929321 samples so far.

It may be mentioned here that the first case of corona infection was detected in Bangladesh on last March 8 (2020) while the first death occurred on March 18.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the government is making every effort to keep the country's economy vibrant despite the economic recession caused by the Corona pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war.

The Prime Minister said this in response to the question of Abdul Latif of Chittagong-11 constituency in the question and answer session of the Jatiya Sangsad on Wednesday (May 31). Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury chaired the question and answer session.

Sheikh Hasina said that by dealing with the recession, inflation and instability in the global economy due to the Corona pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war and the resulting negative impact on the country's economy, our government has been able to quickly bring the country's economy back to the pre-coronavirus high growth path. Despite the severe crisis of Corona, our growth in the financial year 2019-20 was 3.45 percent which was one of the highest in the world at that time.

She said that as a result of various steps taken by the government to strengthen the economy, the GDP growth in the fiscal year 2020-21 was 6.94 percent. It further increased to 7.10 percent in FY 2021-22.

At this time, she highlighted various measures taken by the government to keep the economy alive. Notable among these are government expenditure rationalization, social security, electricity-fuel and agriculture sector subsidies, export incentives, increase in remittance flow, monetary policy etc.

In response to the question of Jatiya Party Member Syed Abu Hussain, the head of government highlighted the various steps taken by the government to control the prices of daily commodities and said that as a result of the government's activities, it has been possible to control the prices of daily necessities and the poor people are benefiting from it.

In response to a question from Jatiya Party's Rustam Ali Farazi, the Prime Minister said that the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga section of the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project will be completed in September 2023 and the Bhanga to Jessore section will be operational in June 2024.

Qatar has agreed to increase its supply of LNG (liquefied natural gas) by another 2 million tons per year in a long-term deal. The Division of Energy and Mineral Resources has confirmed the preparations for the signing of a formal agreement between Dhaka and Doha on June 1 in Qatar.

Qatar has been supplying 2.5 million tons of LNG per year under the previous agreement. If the new LNG is added, the quantity will stand at 3.5 million tons. But this gas is not coming to Bangladesh now. It will gradually increase from 2025 onwards. Sources from the Division of Energy and Mineral Resources will come to full capacity from 2027.

On June 1, a high-level team led by Minister of State for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid left for Qatar to sign the agreement. Secretary of Energy and Mineral Resources Division Md. Khaeruzzaman Majumdar is with the State Minister in the team along with Chairman of Petrobangla Janendra Nath Sarkar and Deputy General Manager (LNG) Engineer Abdul Mukit of Transforming Natural Gas Company Limited.

The practice of hiding the price of LNG is noticeable at all times. As usual this time too, none of the officers agreed to open their mouths. However, an official of Petrobangla said that compared to the previous contract, this time the price is slightly lower. But other conditions may be a bit uncomfortable for Bangladesh. He could not give an idea about the conditions.

Recently, before the Prime Minister's visit to Qatar, Minister of State for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said that there is a difference of opinion regarding some conditions for importing LNG from Qatar. Earlier in the agreement, if Qatar could not provide the supply, Qatar would pay Bangladesh the additional price it would cost to buy a cargo of LNG in the sport market at that time. In the new contract, this condition has been lifted and proposed to be 15 percent. That is, if the price is high in the open market, if they sell, Bangladesh will suffer. We have asked for a review of that condition.

According to Petrobangla sources, the existing agreement with Qatar states that the supply will not be below 1.8 million tons per year, and will not go above 2.5 million tons. 2.5 million tons are being imported from Qatar and 1 million tons from Oman under long-term contracts. Besides Qatar, the two countries also agreed to increase the import of LNG by 1 million tons from Oman.

Our two FSRUs have a daily supply capacity of 1,000 million cubic feet, RPGCL sources said. A maximum of 95 percent can be used on average. That is, Bangladesh has the capacity to import up to 6 million tons per year. In addition, discussions with the Summit Group are continuing for the establishment of another FSRU. The third FSRU will have a daily import capacity of 1500 million. Discussions on the fourth FSRU are ongoing. An LNG terminal is also under construction. It will have a capacity of 1 thousand mmcfd.

The government had been importing LNG from the open market as well as long-term contracts. But due to the war in Ukraine, the price of LNG in the open market has gone up a lot. For the first time, LNG was bought from the open market for less than $4 per unit. The same amount of LNG had to be paid up to 37 dollars. Currently it is trading around $14.

By reducing the temperature of natural gas to minus 160 degrees Celsius through cooling technology, the gas becomes a liquid. This liquefied natural gas is called LNG. When natural gas is liquefied at normal atmospheric pressure, its volume is reduced by about 600 times. That is, 600 liters of gas can be converted into LNG and filled in a small bottle of only one liter. LNG is made for ease of transportation. After being brought to Bangladesh, it is regasified and supplied to the line.

Milk is the best for preventing unwholesome deficit and malnutrition. But despite the increase in milk production through various initiatives of the government, there is a huge shortage. According to official estimates, currently 193.38 milliliters of milk is available per capita against the daily demand of 250 milliliters. The deficit is 54 grams. According to the current demand in the country, this deficit has reached 8 thousand 921 metric tons.

According to nutritionists, milk is the best for maximum nutritional value. Lactose is the essential component of milk, which helps in body structure, development and intellectual growth. Milk is the main ingredient for protecting human health. A large section of the population of Bangladesh is deprived of liquid milk. Cow's milk contains essential amino acids, various vitamins and minerals such as chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, iodine and selenium. The composition of cow's milk is 86.5% water, 4.8% lactose, 4.5% fat, 3.5% protein and 0.7% vitamins and minerals.

According to the Department of Animal Husbandry, cows are the main source of milk in the country. Ninety percent of milk comes from cows, eight percent comes from goats and two percent comes from buffaloes. The growth rate of milk production from 1989-90 to 2001-02 financial year is 2.4 percent, from 2009-10 to 2019-20 financial year the growth rate of milk production is 16.44 percent. At present, 193.38 ml is available per capita against the daily demand of 250 ml of milk.

President of Bangladesh Dairy Farmers Association Imran Hossain said, without increasing the number of cows, we should think about increasing per capita production. That is why there is no alternative to breed development. Although the milk production of indigenous cows is 5-7 kg, a cow of improved breed gives milk up to 20-40 kg. Breeds should be improved by cross breeding by collecting seeds of improved varieties.

He also said that the production of buffalo milk should be increased through breed development. For this, we have to go towards selective breeding by bringing Indian Gir or any other breed. Various public and private institutions should come forward. Farmers should be given various suggestions including modern sheds, silage, vaccines. Above all, the government should take measures so that the farmers can safely sell the milk produced. Only then will our milk shortage be met.

Thursday (June 1) is World Milk Day. As always, this year too, the Directorate of Livestock under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has taken various programs nationwide on this day. On this occasion, 'World Dairy Day Celebration' and 'Dairy Icon Celebration' programs have been organized at Krishibid Institution Auditorium in the capital. Bangladesh Government and World Bank funded and implemented by the Directorate of Livestock is providing support in the organization of the 'Livestock and Dairy Development Project (LDDP)'.

Apart from Dhaka, multifaceted programs have been taken on the occasion of World Milk Day 2023 in 61 districts covered by the LDDP project. Feeding of children of various primary schools/orphanages, quiz competition, essay and drawing competition, rally and meeting will be organized and prizes will be distributed.

According to related sources, 41 successful farmers and entrepreneurs of the country's dairy sector were awarded in four categories. Organized for the second time in the country, the number of sector-wise selected organizations are - 20 in the dairy farm category, 8 in the animal feed processing category, 9 in the milk/meat processing category and 4 in the farm mechanization category. Each prize is worth TK. 1 lakh. Along with that every institution will be given crest and certificate. Earlier in the year 2022, 39 institutions were awarded in 4 categories.

Chaired by Director General of Animal Resources Dr Md Emdadul Haque Talukder, Minister of Liberation War Affairs A.K.M. Mozammel Haque will attend the event as the chief guest and present the awards to the selected dairy icons. Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, President Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu MP, Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Nahid Rashid will be present as special guest.

Nobel laureate Dr. Yunus's tax evasion is proven. As demand by National Board of Revenue (NBR) he has to pay Tk. 12 crore for tax evasion for the three years from 2011 to 2013.

On Wednesday (May 31), the High Court bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar and Justice Rashed Jahangir announced the verdict. This is the first High Court verdict against him on tax evasion.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin heard the state's side in the court. At the end of the verdict, he said about the observation of the High Court, he made the trust for personal gain. Yunus. Giving money out of fear of death is one of his tricks.

Barrister Md.Mostafizur Rahman Khan pleaded for Dr. Yunus.

According to the source of the case, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) sent a notice demanding tax of about 12 crore 28 lakh 74 thousand against a total donation of 61 crore 57 lakh 69 thousand taka in the tax year 2011-12 according to the Donor Act of 1990.

In the tax year 2012-13, against donation of 8 crore 15 lakh taka, 1 crore 60 lakh 21 thousand taka was claimed as donation tax. And in the tax year 2013-14, against the donation of 7 crore 65 thousand taka, NBR issued a notice demanding tax of 1 crore 50 lakh 21 thousand taka.