TBS Report

07 November, 2025, 12:50 am

Last modified: 07 November, 2025, 12:54 am

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has announced a suspension of all transfers and postings of doctors working at government healthcare facilities, except in cases of national emergency.

The directive was issued in a circular signed by Mohammad Saiful Islam, joint secretary of the Health Services Division, yesterday (6 November).

According to the circular, physicians serving in medical colleges, specialised institutes, district and upazila hospitals, and other healthcare institutions — including professors, associate professors, and consultants — frequently apply for transfers or temporary appointments to higher positions or preferred workplaces.

However, as the promotion process is currently underway, it is not possible to process these applications at this time.

The ministry further stated that preparations are ongoing to introduce an automated transfer and posting system that will ensure transparency and efficiency, considering doctors’ preferences, BCS batches, and merit order once the promotion process is completed.

Until this automation system is launched, all manual transfer and posting activities will remain suspended except for those required under national emergency needs, the circular added.

Faced with droughts and sharper competition, Greek rice farmers are tapping into a new revenue stream: selling their cheap, broken rice to wedding goers instead of discarding it or using it for animal feed.

The tradition of tossing rice over newlyweds has become a wasteful problem in the Mediterranean country, say farmers, who estimate that nearly 200 metric tons of edible, full-grain rice are lost this way each year.

Under a new initiative, a cooperative in northern Greece’s Chalastra, a major rice-growing region, has since May sold over three tons of broken rice rebranded and sold in white sacks labelled “wedding rice”.

“When there is malnutrition… it is unfair to throw it away,” said Christos Gatzaras, a 52-year-old farmer and head of the cooperative’s rice producers.

Greece is the EU’s third-largest rice producer, exporting most of its 250,000-ton annual production. But the sector is struggling with fierce competition from low-cost imports from South Asia and recent droughts in Greece’s agricultural areas.

“We face many difficulties, the costs have spiked, we are under a lot of pressure,” said farmer Vasilis Matziounis, 34, who backs the initiative.

Tens of thousands of religious and civil weddings are held in Greece each year, and many foreign couples choose the scenic islands of Santorini or Mykonos as a marital backdrop.

Broken rice – damaged during harvesting or processing – accounts for roughly 9% of Greece’s rice exports and channelling it into weddings could help boost the sector.

“Some people will keep tossing edible rice,” said Giannis Gogos, head of sales at Chalastra’s primary cooperative. “But (this way) we can reduce the waste.”

The interim government has strongly condemned the violent attack today (5 November) at an election campaign event of Ershad Ullah, the BNP nominated candidate for Chattogram-8 . 

Immediate investigation by the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) indicates that Ershad Ullah was not the target of the attack, but a stray bullet hit and injured him, said a government statement, released following the incident this evening.  

Ershad was injured and a party supporter was killed in a gun attack during a campaign event in Chattogram, police said.

The incident occurred while Ershad was campaigning in the city’s Chalitatali area in Bayezid around 5:30pm ahead of the upcoming elections.

The deceased, identified as Sarwar Hossain alias Babla, 43, was described by police as a listed criminal. 

Wishing Ershad an early recovery, the government has also ordered a full probe.

“The government expresses its deep concern at this criminal act and reiterates its unwavering commitment to protecting the safety and rights of all candidates and citizens participating in the democratic process,” reads the statement. 

The chief adviser has directed the security forces to “spare no effort” in identifying and apprehending the perpetrators and to bring them swiftly to justice.

“Violence and intimidation have no place in our political and social life,” said the government, adding that the CMP has already launched a manhunt for the attackers.

The interim government called on all political actors and their supporters to uphold calm, show restraint, and ensure that the February election takes place in an atmosphere of peace, dignity, and fairness. 

“The government will do its part by taking all necessary measures to guarantee the secure and peaceful conditions required for free, fair, credible, and festive elections across Bangladesh,” the statement said.