by our correspondent in Dhaka

On Friday, the world stepped into 2021, but this new year is different from others as the world community has one wish — a COVID-19-free life.

The pandemic has wrought havoc worldwide and have so far snatched away 1,827,891lives with a total of 83,912,737 number of cases. A second wave has hit hard the United States and Britain.

Thanks to the scientists who have found vaccines to fight the deadly bug and in many countries its use have started.

Bangladesh is not far away and the first batch of vaccine is set to arrive in mid-January beginning the fight to boot out COVID-19.

Bangladeshis have shown their usual resilience by regaining whatever was lost during the first several months of the pandemic and the economic indicators have surprised the world.

“Bangladesh Economy 2020: Rising from the rubble” headlined a  story on its front page. It quoted the UK-based Centre for Economics and Business Research as saying “Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh was able to escape a contraction in 2020.”

The Asian Age said in a piece titled “We are the World” said “We should make a pledge that we will make the best of our efforts to curtail  the adverse effect of ecological imbalance in 2021.” This appeal is linked to World Health Organisation’s warning that climate change and pandemics have a direct link.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has wished Bangladeshis well in 2021.

In the old parts of Dhaka, revellers welcomed the New Year by partying on roof tops blasting fire crackers and  the sky was dotted with multicoloured fire work display.

The Newsnext team reiterated its appeal to all to stay safe by maintaining government directives to contain the spread of COVID-19 so that 2021 bring Bangladesh a mask less life.

We shall overcome surely!

newsnext/nq/