Month: January 2022

A cold wave is sweeping different parts of the country and it may continue during the next couple of days, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).

“Mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping Rajshahi, Rangpur, Tangail, Gopalgonj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Rangamati, Feni, Moulvibazar, Jashore, Kushtia, Chuadanga, Barishal and Bhola districts and Sitakunda upazila and it may continue,” said a Met office bulletin.

In its forecast for the next 24 hours (till 9am Sunday), it said weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country.

Moderate to thick fog may occur over north-western part and river- basins and light to moderate fog may occur elsewhere over the country during midnight to morning.

Night and day temperatures may rise slightly over the country.

The lowest temperature of the country was recorded at 6.8˚C at Tetulia in Panchagarh on Sunday morning.

The Met office has recorded 13.0 ˚C temperatures in Dhaka while the country’s highest temperature was recorded 23.7˚C in Kutubdia.

The people of the country as well as the residents of Dhaka are feeling the pinch of winter in the last couple of days due to the dip in mercury.

Most people preferred to stay indoors due to the shivering cold and it is difficult for the day labourers to stay inside as they have to hand to mouth.

UNB Kurigram Correspondent reports :Department Agriculture Extension (DAE) authoriitesare fearing damage of standing crops due to cold weather.

The number of patients with cold-related problems are rising in hospitals and many people are seen standing in long queues at the local hospitals to take medical treatment.

Deputy Director of District DAE, Md Abdur Rashid said the standing crops are likely to get damaged slightly if the temperature dips below 8 degrees Celsius. “Potato fields might see late blight disease while boro seedbeds might face damage,” he said.

Resident Medical Officer of Kurigram General Hospital said some 296 people are undergoing treatment in the hospital.

Deputy Commissioner Rezaul Karim, said blankets were distributed among 70,000 people while 6,000 warm clothes were also disbursed in the district.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Popular Turkish series “Love makes you cry” is coming to OTT platform Bongo as “Akash Jure Megh.”

“Sometimes Love comes by the road of fire.”

The video streaming platform Bongo brings the popular Turkish series “Love Makes You Cry” to Bangla to show such a story to the viewers. Based on a heart-touching love story, the series is being released under the title ‘Akash Jure Megh.”

From Tuesday (February 1), viewers on Bongo can watch this epic love story, said a press release on Sunday.

The famous duo Hafsanur Sancaktutan and Deniz Can Aktas have played the roles of Ada and Yusuf in the noted drama series.

The story of the series is based on the life struggle and love story of a 19-year-old girl named Ada Meryem Varli, who lost her mother from her very childhood & lived in a secluded village. In the cruel irony of fate, her greedy uncle forced her to get married. That’s the time when another orphan, Yusuf, comes to her rescue, how they fled from the village and moved to Istanbul. Did their love succeed? If you want to know more, don’t forget to watch “Akash Jure Megh” on Tuesday, February 1 in Bongo.

Khaled Sajeeb, Senior Manager (Content & Publishing), Bongo, said, previously our viewers love to watch Turkish drama Jannat & Shohossro Ek Rajani. This time we bring ‘Love Makes You Cry’. Bongo will come up with many more new contents to bring healthy and beautiful entertainment to everyone in Bangla.”

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The gazette on the Election Commission formation law has been published fixing three eligibility and six ineligibility criteria for the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.

The ‘Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Act, 2022’ was published in an extraordinary gazette by the National Parliament of Bangladesh on Saturday with immediate effect.

Three eligibility criteria are:

According to the law, there must be three qualifications for CEC and Election Commissioners and those are: They must be Bangladeshi citizens; minimum 50 years of age; and have at least 20 years of work experience in important government, judicial, semi-government, private or autonomous posts or professions.

Six ineligibility criteria are:

if a person is declared insane by any appropriate court; has not been released from the liabilities after being declared as ‘ bankruptcy ‘; acquires the citizenship of or affirms the allegiance to a foreign country; has been sentenced imprisonment being convicted for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude; convicted under International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973 or Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order, 1972 ; and is disqualified for holding such posts by or under any law , he or she would not be eligible for the post of CEC and election commissioners.

Search Committee

As per the law, the President shall form a six-member search committee to recommend the names of qualified persons against the vacant posts of CEC and Election Commissioners.

An Appellate Division justice, nominated by the Chief Justice, will be the head of the search committee. The five other members will be a justice of the High Court Division, nominated by the Chief Justice; the Comptroller and Auditor General; the Chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission; two other eminent personalities including one woman nominated by the President.

The search committee would take decisions on majority votes and in the case of equal votes, the meeting’s chair would have the authority to cast the second or deciding vote as per the law.

The committee can seek names from political parties and professional organisations for the posts of CEC and election commissioners.

The search committee will recommend two names against each vacant post before the President.

The Cabinet Division will provide secretariat assistance to the Search Committee.

Background

On January 27 last, Parliament passed the Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Bill, 2022 in order to have a law under the Article 118 (1) of the Constitution. The President assented to the bill on January 29.

The government framed the law as the incumbent Election Commission, headed by KM Nurul Huda, is set to fulfil its five-year tenure in mid-February.

In absence of this law, the President appointed the CEC and commissioners in the past.

The last two election commissions, headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad and KM Nurul Huda, were constituted in 2012 and 2017 through search committees formed by the President following dialogues with political parties.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday said they believe that international organisations would not take individuals’ letters or instigation into their consideration as the government is sending facts-based briefings to them.

“They (individuals) might keep writing. It’s being written at an individual level. We believe those organisations won’t take this into their consideration,” he told reporters, apparently referring to excitement among a particular group of people following the sanctions imposed on Rab and some individuals.

Dr Momen talked to reporters after attending the closing ceremony of 16th National Wushu Championship as the chief guest at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium, Mirpur.

The Foreign Minister, however, did not mention the name of the organisations but said they are sending fact-based briefings to those organisations describing what he says the actual scenario of the country.

He hoped that various types of instigations by some individuals will not work and the existing relations with those organisations will remain unhurt.

The Foreign Minister said the government has also sent such fact-based briefings to Bangladesh Missions abroad to share those with relevant departments upholding Bangladesh’s actual situation.

“We’re having meetings continuously and we take whatever decisions we need to take through discussion,” he said while responding to a question.

Asked by a reporter whether steps will be taken against the BNP for spreading disinformation, Dr Momen said, “You decide, you tell us what steps can be taken against those who don’t want the country’s welfare.”

Earlier on Saturday, Dr Momen urged the patriotic citizens abroad to put in their stronger efforts to counter conspiracies against the country’s interest, noting that there might be more “assaults” on the country and its interests based on propaganda and disinformation.

“It seems to me there might be various types of assaults and conspiracies against us in the next two years,” he said.

Pointing finger at “conspirators”, the Foreign Minister said the country’s interest and people’s welfare should be the priority if anyone wants to get involved in politics.

Referring to the letter written by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Ivan Stefanec to High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, Momen said: “When I was reading the letter, I felt that I was reading about another country as the letter’s content doesn’t go with the situation of the country.”

He said there is a possibility that the opposition parties might engage more such people to write against Bangladesh.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Pradeep Kumar Das, former OC of Teknaf Police Station, has filed a petition in the High Court seeking the cancellation of an indictment order in a case over acquiring wealth illegally.

Advocate Masud Alam filed the petition on behalf of OC Pradeep, confirmed Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan on Sunday.

The petition also sought the suspension of the judicial proceedings of the case.

On December 15 last year, a Chattogram court indicted Pradeep in this case.

Earlier on September 1, the court accepted a charge sheet in the graft case against the sacked OC and his wife Chumki.

ACC Chittagong Assistant Director Md Riaz Uddin submitted the charge sheet on July 26.

However, Chumki has been absconding since Pradeep’s arrest.

On August 23 in 2020 ACC filed the case against Pradeep, now in jail and undergoing trial in Major (retd) Sinha murder case, and his wife for amassing wealth worth Tk 4 crore.

ACC sources said the anti-graft watchdog’s investigation against Pradeep started in 2018.

On April 20 last year, Pradeep and his wife were asked to submit their wealth statement and they submitted their wealth statements in June that year.

After a long investigation, the ACC found evidence that the couple acquired assets worth more than Tk 4 crore illegally.

On July 31 in 2020, Sinha was shot dead at the Shamlapur police check-post in Baharchhara Union of Cox’s Bazar while returning to town after filming for a documentary.

On August 5, Sinha’s sister, Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous, filed a case with Teknaf Senior Judicial Magistrate Court accusing nine members of law enforcement agencies of being involved in the killing, including Pradeep Kumar Das and Baharchhara police outpost inspector Liakat Ali.

On December 13, 2020, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) submitted a charge sheet against 15 people, including police source Ayaz and three APBn members, in connection with the case filed over Sinha’s murder at a checkpost manned by APBn, where officers of the Teknaf police station intercepted Sinha’s car.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of joint secretary of Jamalpur unit Awami League Advocate Sarwar Jahan Mukta.

She prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.

Advocate Sarwar Jahan Mukta breathed his last at 4am at a city hospital on Sunday at the age of 66.

He left behind his wife and a host of relatives and well wishers to mourn his death.

Meanwhile, AL general secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader also expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Sarwar Jahan Mukta.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Birth registration is the primary process of getting state certification as a citizen of a country. From the context of Bangladesh, it is the first and foremost important document to enjoy any form of state facilities granted to the Bangladeshi citizen. While it is a must-have document for all kinds of official needs, many people do not have and in fact, do not know how to get one. This article will outline the detailed process and steps of obtaining a birth registration certificate in Bangladesh.

Why is a Birth Registration Certificate Important?

Apart from the obvious fact that a birth registration validates a person as a citizen, there are other benefits and necessities to it. The most recent one is the registration for the Covid-19 vaccination. To register for vaccination, a person had to either submit their NID number or birth certificate number. And to get a NID in Bangladesh, a person needs a birth registration certificate.

A birth registration certificate is also needed to get enrolled in school or start a business. A person cannot vote if they don’t have a birth certificate. Basically, every kind of amenities and right that a citizen is entitled to become invalidated without a birth certificate.

How to Get a Birth Registration Certificate in Bangladesh

Previously the process of getting a birth registration certificate in Bangladesh was quite a hassle. For city areas, the birth registration duties fall under the domain of the respective city corporation and wards. For rural areas, the equivalent authority like the Union Parishad issues the birth registration certificate.

Up until recently, there was no digital registration process for the birth certificate. The registration had to be done through the local city corporation office or at the Union Parishad level. The documents along with the bureaucratic system made it cumbersome to obtain a birth certificate.

However, the government has made it mandatory since 2021 to register for the birth certificate online through its dedicated portal.

The application process through the online portal is much easier compared to the physical application. The detailed process is discussed in the latter part. But first, let’s look at the essential documents for the application. And there are a lot of them.

Required Documents for Birth Registration Certificate

There are several alternating documents associated with birth registration. The documents are meticulously vetted by the registration officer. The documents required for birth certificate registration online are similar to the ones required for physical application.

However, there have been some changes to make the process more transparent and smoother.

The current application is divided into two different types – registration of children below the age of five and registration above five. The documents required for each of these are also different.

Documents for Registration Under the Age of Five

The list of documents includes –

Attested Copy EPI Card

The EPI or Extended Program on Immunization is a state-sponsored vaccination program against contagious and fatal diseases. Every toddler is issued an EPI card at birth to track the successive vaccinations. An attested copy of the EPI card can be attached to the application.

Attested Copy of Birth Certification by the Hospital

The hospital issues a clearance/ birth certificate for every newborn. This document needs to be attested and attached with the application.

Other Documents

In case none of the above documents is available for the newborn, the office of registration may ask for other relevant documentation as it may seem fit.

Documents for Registration Over the Age of Five

The list of documents includes –

Clearance Certificate from Locality

The applicant needs to provide two clearance certificates. One should be from an MBBS doctor certifying the age. And Another is the clearance certificate issued by the ward councilor or chairman of the permanent residence of the applicant.

Certification From Educational Institute

Certification from the school or college principal regarding age and residence can be submitted as an alternative document.

In addition to these two, the documents mentioned for registration under five can also be attested and submitted as part of the vetting process.

Other Documents

In case of unavailability of all of the documents mentioned above, the office of registration will determine a set of the document as it may seem fit. The applicant must submit those documents to prove their age and residency status.

The online Application process for Birth Registration Certificate

The online application is completed in several steps. These include –

– Visiting the Birth Registration website designated for the same.

– Select “New application” from the menu.

– Selecting either permanent or current address for verification.

– On the second page, the applicant needs to fill out personal information and birthplace information.

– On the third page, parental information should be filled out.

– For anyone born after 2000, the birth certificate of parents will be required for application.

– After that, the applicant needs to fill out permanent and current address details.

– The last page will show all the provided information in an application form.

– The application form should be submitted and printed out.

The birth registration process in Bangladesh is still not completely automated. The primary application can be submitted online. But the relevant attachments require physical intervention. Applicants need to download and print the applicant form. They should attach the relevant documents with the application and submit them to the ward office.

Usually, it takes 15 days for the birth certificate to be approved. But there are currently about 100,000 applicants per day. The oncoming applications have created a huge backlog. As a result, it might take a few weeks to months even.

For children born to Bangladeshi parents abroad, the same process should be followed. But instead of a verification address, the applicant needs to choose the Bangladeshi consulate.

Final Words

The process of birth registration certificates is now easier than ever. All thanks to the online application portal. However, the infrastructure of verification is still very weak and slow. And there is the issue of rampant corruption. The situation will eventually get better but it is still a long shot from complete automation.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said the newly enacted law on the formation of the Election Commission (EC) is like a Baksal one.

“Awami League has moved forward gradually with various steps over the last 14 years to do what it could not successfully accomplish in 1975. There’s now a cover of multiparty democracy, but there’s no multiparty democracy in practice,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a virtual discussion, he said the ruling party also arranged the last two elections “under cover” depriving people of their voting rights.

“They’ve now enacted a law just like that Baksal one. The Baksal law was made in 11 minutes while this time they passed a law (on EC) in parliament by seven days,” the BNP leader said.

BNP’s national committee on celebrating Golden Jubilee of the country’s independence organised the virtual event, marking January 25 as ‘Baksal Day’ commemorating what it says introduction of one-party rule in the country on this day in 1975. BNP leaders from both home and abroad joined the programme.

Earlier on January 27, parliament passed the “Appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Bill-2022″ by voice vote to ensure a legal framework for selecting the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners

Law Minister Anisul Huq placed the Bill in parliament on January 23 seeking to give a legal shield to the current and previous Election Commissions formed through search committees.

Fakhrul said Bakshl has now become an “abusive” word as through it the county’s economy, politics and the dreams of freedom fighters were destroyed in 1975. “They (AL) had plunged the country and the nation into deep darkness by establishing a one-party rule at that time.”

In the same way, he said Awami League has now politicised everything and created a scope for plundering public money. “The activities of all political parties are being brutally suppressed and the pro-democratic people and free-thinkers are being annihilated by resorting to killing and enforced disappearance.”

The BNP leader also alleged that the government is suppressing the words of protests and people’s voices by making various oppressive laws, including the Digital Security Act.

Stating that the government has been making various blueprints to restore Baksal, he called upon BNP leaders and activists to come up with a strong resistance together with people.

Fakhrul said they will put in their best efforts to establish a pro-people elected government and parliament ousting the current ‘fascist’ regime.

He said the Awami League must quit and had over power to a non-party neutral government to pave the way for holding a credible nation election to be conducted by an impartial Election Commission.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said Awami League and democracy cannot go together. “This party had established one-party Baksal rule in 1975 by obliterating democracy while it has been on power for the last 14 years by “force” snatching votes at night.”

He alleged that the ruling party has already established a one-party Baksal rule under cover of democracy.

The BNP leader called upon the people of all walks of life and political parties to get united to restore democracy by holding an acceptable election under a non-party neutral government.

Source: United News of Bangladesh