India tests over 8 lakh samples for COVID-19 on second consecutive day
New Delhi: Focusing on the "test, track and treat" strategy, India has tested more than 8 lakh samples for COVID-19 for the second consecutive day in a row, taking the cumulative tests to 3,17,42,782 so far, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
With a strong resolve to rapidly increase the number of tests done per day to touch 10 lakh per day testing capacity, 8,01,518 samples were tested in a span of 24 hours on Tuesday.
The total recoveries from COVID-19 have surged to 20,37,870 in the country, pushing the recovery rate to 73.64 per cent, according to the Health Ministry data updated at 8 am.
"The cumulative testing as on date has reached 3,17,42,782. The Tests Per Million have seen a sharp rise to 23,002," the ministry said.
"It is only by aggressive testing that positive cases can be identified, their contacts tracked and isolated as well as prompt treatment can be ensured through timely medical care.
"The sustained level of high testing has played a key role in India's increasing rate of recovery, widening gap between the recovered and active cases, and also progressively declining fatality rate," the ministry said.
India followed the track of a graded and evolving strategy, steadily strengthening its nationwide network of labs in the public and private sectors. Starting from one lab in January 2020, presently there are 1,486 labs in the country, with 975 labs in the government sector and 511 in the private sector.
With 64,531 people testing positive in a day, India's COVID-19 tally increased to 27,67,273, while the death-toll climbed to 52,889 with 1,092 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
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BCB official calling Tamim 'an Indian agent' invites wrath of Bangladesh players
Dhaka (PTI): A senior Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official calling former captain Tamim Iqbal "an Indian agent" has not gone down well with the players in the country.
Tamim, one of the finest openers to have come out of Bangladesh, had advised the BCB to not be driven by emotion while deciding the way forward on the national team's participation in the T20 World Cup in India.
Nazmul, chairman of BCB finance committee, called the left-hander opener "an Indian agent" in a Facebook post.
"This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent," he wrote.
The post received immediate backlash from former and current cricketers, including Taskin Ahmed, Momimul Haque and Taijul Islam.
Even the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) expressed shock at Nazmul's comments.
"A comment made by BCB director M Nazmul Islam regarding former national captain Tamim Iqbal has come to the attention of the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh. We are stunned, shocked, and outraged by it.
"Such a remark by a board official about the most successful opener in Bangladesh's history, who represented the country for 16 years, is utterly condemnable.
"Not only because it concerns a player like Tamim, but such comments about any cricketer of the country are unacceptable and insulting to the entire cricketing community," the players' body said in a statement.
The 36-year-old Tamim played 70 Tests, 243 ODIs and 78 T20 Internationals for his country in a fairly accomplished career.
"We strongly protest against this comment. When a responsible board director makes such remarks on a public platform, it also raises serious questions about the code of conduct of board officials," it said.
"We have already submitted a protest letter to the BCB president, demanding a public apology from the concerned board director and that he be brought under accountability. We hope the BCB president will take appropriate action as soon as possible," CWAB added.
Bangladesh wrote to the International Cricket Council to move their T20 World Cup games out of India after the BCCI instructed IPL franchise KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman ahead of the 2026 edition without giving a specific reason.
"Cricket is the life of Bangladesh. A recent comment surrounding a former national captain who has made a major contribution to the game has caused many to reflect," said pacer Taskin.
"I believe that such remarks directed at a former cricketer of the country are not helpful in the interest of Bangladesh cricket. I hope the concerned authorities will consider the matter seriously and adopt a more responsible stance in the future," he said.
Mominul added: "The comment made by BCB director M Nazmul Islam regarding former national captain Tamim Iqbal is completely unacceptable and insulting to the country's cricketing community. Such behaviour towards a cricketer is in direct conflict with the board's responsibility and ethics," said Mominul.
"A senior cricketer was not given even the minimum respect; instead, he was deliberately humiliated in public. Such remarks show a lack of even basic decorum regarding where and how to speak while holding such a high responsibility.
"I strongly condemn this comment and firmly demand a public apology from the concerned director and that he be brought under accountability. I call upon the BCB to take swift and strict action," said Mominul.
