Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going to inaugurate the dream Padma Bridge today Saturday (June 25). All preparations for the inauguration have already been completed. The Padma Bridge can be seen on the web mapping platform Google Maps even before the inauguration. A search on Google maps reveals the location of the bridge. Satellite view is also available.

A search of the destination on Google Maps shows that it will take about an hour and a half to drive from Dhaka to the Mawa end of the Padma Bridge.

Padma Bridge is being considered as a sign of change in the destiny of the people of 21 districts of the south. All preparations have already been completed to open the 6.15 km long Padma Bridge for vehicular traffic. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Padma Bridge today Saturday (June 25) morning by unveiling the inaugural plaque at Mawa Point.

Three people burnt in a chemical explosion at a rickshaw garage in Rajabari Kamarpara area of Turag in the capital died on Saturday night and early Sunday in the intensive care unit of the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (SHNIBPS).

Dr. S, M, Ayub Hussain, resident surgeon of SHINBPS told BSS that on Saturday around 11:30 pm, Md Shah Alam, 23, succumbed to his injuries. Later around 2 am, the garage owner Gazi Mazharul Islam, 47, and Md Noor Hussain, 70, died.

The other burn victims- Md Mizan, 35, Md Alam Mia, 20, Md Masum, 35, Md Al-Amin, 30, Md Shaheen, 25 and Shafiqul Islam, 32, are being treated at the SHNBPS Institute with 45-95 percent burns, and their condition is critical, he said.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of DMP Turag police station Mehdi Hasan told BSS thata chemical blast occurred at the junkshop in Turagaround11:30 am on Saturday.The fire spread in the adjacent rickshaw garage.

The Turag Police and locals rescued the injured and sent them to the hospital.

- BSS

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu said that load shedding will be reduced to half from September. He also said that the production of electricity will also be increased.

He said this to reporters after a meeting with traders at Bidyut Bhaban on Sunday (August 7).

He said that efforts are being made to increase production. If the production increases, load shedding will be normal from October.

The state minister also said that the decision taken to close area-based factories to save electricity and reduce load shedding.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) Vice President Fazle Shamim Ehsan said that despite accepting the decision to close the factories in the area, no assurance has been given from the ministry regarding uninterrupted power supply.

In a meeting with the Minister of State, the leaders of FBBCI said that if the price of oil increases, the cost of supply will increase. Meanwhile, the FBBCI leaders demanded to fix the fares of trucks.

The state minister said, this problem is temporary. The power department thinks that it will slowly come out of load shedding from next month. We will be much better off than we are now.

Stating that gas and electricity will be coordinated, the state minister said, we will increase production and try to balance by increasing the amount of gas. From October we will be able to move towards uninterrupted electricity. I request everyone to be patient.

Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak said that the increase in the price of fuel oil will affect the agriculture sector. He made this comment in response to questions from journalists after speaking as the chief guest at a workshop organized by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute in Comilla Shilpakala Academy on Sunday (07 August) at 11 o'clock.

He said that the increase in the price of fuel will reduce the profit of farmers. But production will not decrease. Earlier, 40 kg of paddy was sold for 1100 or 1000 taka and profit was 100-150 taka. Now maybe the profit will be less. But production will not decrease. The farmers of this country are so selfless that they sell their wife's jewelry, sell cows and goats to buy fertilizer and apply it to land.

He also said that the Honorable Prime Minister has repeatedly said that the price of oil in the international market will decrease only when the Russia-Ukraine war ends. We will reduce oil prices again. Now a huge amount of subsidy has to be paid on oil, as a result of which government warehouses, government reserves will be completely reduced, then the whole nation will be under a threat.

Under the chairmanship of Agriculture Ministry Secretary Saidul Islam, Comilla City Corporation Mayor Arfanul Haque Rifat, Agriculture Extension Directorate Comilla Deputy Director Mizanur Rahman, Rice Research Institute Comilla CEO Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Commissioner Kamrul Hasan and Police Superintendent Farooq Ahmed were present.

The road transport and highway department of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges has issued a notification rescheduling the fares of diesel-powered buses and minibuses after the increase in fuel prices. This notification is issued under the authority given in Section 34 (2) of the Road Transport Act-2018.

On Sunday (07 August) by order of the President, Deputy Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Department Md. Monirul Alam signed the notification.

According to the notification, in the case of buses and minibuses plying on inter-district and long-distance routes, the maximum fare per passenger per kilometer of the Road Transport and Highways Department is 2 taka 20 paisa instead of 1 taka 80 paisa; In the case of buses plying in Dhaka and Chittagong cities, the fare per kilometer has been fixed at 2 taka 50 paisa instead of 2 taka 15 paisa per passenger.

Besides, in case of minibuses plying in Dhaka and Chittagong metropolis and buses and minibuses plying within the districts under Dhaka Transport Coordinating Authority (DTCA) (Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi, Gazipur, Manikganj and Dhaka), the fare per passenger per kilometer is Tk 2.40 paisa instead of Tk 2.05 paisa; The minimum fare for buses and minibuses plying in Dhaka and Chittagong cities has been fixed at Tk 10 and Tk 8 respectively.

In case of re-arrangement of seats of buses/minibuses for comfortable travel by reducing the number of seats authorized by BRTA, the fare rates shall be fixed proportionately as per clause above. In that case, the authority approving the route permit should get proportional fare approval from BRTA or Passenger and Goods Transport Committee.

The fare hike will not be applicable to gas powered vehicles. All notifications and orders issued earlier regarding fare fixation of diesel buses and minibuses are cancelled. Fare rates must be posted in a visible place on every bus and minibus. This fare rate issued in public interest will be effective from August 7.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The meeting was held at Ganobhaban on Sunday (07 August) morning.

Earlier, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi participated in a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen. The meeting was held at Hotel Sonargaon in the capital. Four agreements were signed in the meeting.

The Chinese Foreign Minister arrived in Dhaka at 5 pm on Saturday (06 August) for a two-day visit. Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak welcomed him at the airport. In the first program of the visit from the airport, the Chinese foreign minister paid tribute to the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at number 32 Dhanmondi in the capital.