Text, voice messages help close health gap
Bangladesh is moving to boost maternal health services in poorly-served rural areas by targeting voice and text messages at expectant and pregnant mothers and their families. The aim is to educate and support mothers in places where health services are weak.
“There is a gap between rural and urban areas in terms of maternal health services. Government and non-governmental organizations must address the gap to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG),” Iqbal Anwar, a reproductive health researcher at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB) in Dhaka, told IRIN.
Maternal, child mortality reduced within decade
Bangladesh is a classic case of a low- and middle-income country achieving the unachievable which many others failed to. It reduced its maternal mortality by 66 per cent between 1990 and 2010; the reduction was 40 per cent between 2001 and 2010 alone.
These were achieved by lowering the maternal mortality rate (the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) from 574 to 194 during the period 1990 to 2010. The reduction was substantial even in a short span of eight years (1990 to 1998) — 574 to 322 per 100,000 live births.
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Saree diplomacy between India and Bangladesh
It is time for saree diplomacy in the South Asian region. What started of as a one –off affair a month ago between India and Pakistan, has now reached Dhaka marking the first stand alone foreign visit of Sushma Swaraj, the Indian External Affairs Minister.
Former premier Khaleda Zia presented two Jamdani sarees to Swaraj at her 30-minute meeting (one of the sarees was a gift for the visiting minister’s daughter) on Friday. The Indian officials have described the Zia-Swaraj meeting as Delhi’s effort to reach out to all sections of Bangladesh society. .
On Thursday the Indian minister met Prime Minister Sheik Hasina and presented a cream-coloured saree. In return Hasina gifted her famous Bangladeshi Jamdani saree.
74 forced disappearance victims this year
At least 74 people are known victims of forced disappearance from January to May, according to a human rights body.
Twenty-three were found dead with eight others released by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) said at a Tuesday (June 24th) press conference, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
ASK director Nur Khan said, "Police do not want to register cases when victims' families go to any police station."
"On December 4th, 2013, I handed over my son, Adnan, to some people who identified themselves as RAB members. They told me that...
Twenty-three were found dead with eight others released by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) said at a Tuesday (June 24th) press conference, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
ASK director Nur Khan said, "Police do not want to register cases when victims' families go to any police station."
"On December 4th, 2013, I handed over my son, Adnan, to some people who identified themselves as RAB members. They told me that...
Gogoi reiterates his opposition to visa-free entry to Bangladeshis
A loosely worded summary of a key foreign ministry meeting may have left the Narendra Modi government fighting allegations of facilitating illegal immigration from Bangladesh, reports The Telegraph, India.
Ironically, it’s a charge the Prime Minister is better known for levelling at others than for facing himself.
The External Affairs Ministry of India rejected Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi’s suggestion that India was thinking of allowing Bangladeshi nationals entry without visa if they were aged over 70 or under 10. Gogoi made the allegatio...
The External Affairs Ministry of India rejected Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi’s suggestion that India was thinking of allowing Bangladeshi nationals entry without visa if they were aged over 70 or under 10. Gogoi made the allegatio...
Bangladeshi General extends open invitation to Liberian army
The reformed Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) continues to get international goodwill from friends and partners as the rebuilding process of a new and vibrant army remains on course.
Currently soldiers of the army are making contributions to the United Nations Peace Keeping Mission in Mali for the first time in over two decades, but at the same time other friendly nations are offering support to the army.
A senior official of the Bangladeshi army, one of the countries serving as major contributor of troops to United Nations Missions around...
A senior official of the Bangladeshi army, one of the countries serving as major contributor of troops to United Nations Missions around...
