Bangladesh

Last week, two soldiers were wounded and two more killed in an attack claimed by the Kuki National Army, which is active just north of the cyclone-hit area. In the meantime, the United Nations reports that at least 800,000 people need immediate assistance.

Md. Siddique, three, was lured and sold to a childless couple. His father was overwhelmed with joy when he was rescued three weeks after he was taken. Kidnappers, middleman, and buyers were all arrested. Child abduction is a growing problem in Bangladesh. For Hindus and majority Muslims, having children is essential and adoptions rare.

It had been granted in 2016 after the massacre at the Holy Artisan Bakery. The foreign minister justified the measure by saying Bangladeshi representatives do not enjoy the same privileges. The opposition accuses the executive of "irresponsibility and arrogance."

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On the World Day dedicated to those who carry out this profession, the testimony of Juliana S. Palma, a Catholic, serving in the burns unit of a large public hospital in the capital. In Bangladesh, the problem of the shortage of nurses, who are a quarter of those the country needs, remains serious.

A group of 27 members visited several villages built in Maungdaw district, but to return to Myanmar they demanded security guarantees and citizenship. The pilot project, supported by Beijing, plans to involve at least 1,100 refugees. Previous attempts have failed due to fears of a resurgence of violence.

Notre Dame University was established by the Holy Cross congregation. The colleges of Dhaka and Mymensingh are also considered among the best universities in the country. The anniversary celebration was attended by many alumni of different religious denominations.

Members of the Catholic parish in Mundumala formed a human chain to get the authorities to intervene. As groundwater drops, wells have run dry; as a result, drinking water has become more and more expensive. Mithusilak Murmu, a Christian writer, told AsiaNews that water supplies were plentiful in the past, but intensive fish farming has contributed to the crisis.

On 24 April 2013, a building housing factories supplying major brands collapsed, killing more than 1,100 people, most of them women. Despite some initial progress, wages continue to be low, unions have little room to operate, and survivors are hard-pressed to find work because of persistent health problems. Bangladesh is the world's second-largest garments exporter after China.

Recent temperatures are 12 per cent higher compared to the same period last year. The government has cut power supplies to cope with rising energy demand. Muslims prayed in a mosque for rain, while Christian women sang traditional songs and visited families.

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