Staff Reporter :
The law enforcement agencies arrested 79 people since March for spreading rumour and disinformation on social media, the Centre for Genocide Studies said Tuesday.
But the nationwide number of rumour-related arrests associated with COVID-19 decreased to zero in early May.
The centre says so far 14 incidents have been reported in a week (April 26-May) associated with stigma over COVID-19. Bangladesh Peace Observatory (BPO) team of the Centre said stigmatising decreased by 33.33 percent than the previous week.
But, incidents in which medical professionals or their family members are harassed or forcefully evicted because of social stigma associated with COVID-19 sharply increased from April 26 to May 2, it said.
The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives has suspended 42 public representatives (17 UP chairmen, 23 UP members, a district council member, and a municipal councillor) for irregularities in distribution of relief among the poor amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
At least 650 (36.40 percent drop than last week) were detained or fined or penalised and 32 were arrested all over Bangladesh from April 26 April-May 2.
A total of 48 (17 traders, 19 politicians, and 12 aides) were detained or arrested or fined of penalised for relief rice embezzlement.
The week showed a gradual decrease in the contribution of the educational institutions and a huge rising in the contribution of the political organisations.
The student wings of major political parties helped farmers to harvest paddy. Some 170 such charity initiatives were recorded this week -10.99 percent lower than the previous week.
The nationwide number of protests from various actors ranging from transportation workers to common villagers demanding food and reliefs increased pointedly from April 26 to May 2, according to the report sent by the Centre.
At least 25 incidents of protests were reported in the week, according to Bangladesh Peace Observatory (BPO) team of the Centre for Genocide Studies, University of Dhaka.
