Day: February 14, 2022

Anti- Corruption (ACC) on Monday took the decision of approving the chargesheet against former BCB director Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan and former Dhaka South City councilor Mominul Haque Saeed in the casino scandal.

Secretary of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Mahbub Hossain briefed the reporters.

ACC sued BCB Director Lokman, also the former director in-charge of Mohammedan Sporting Club Ltd, on allegations of acquiring assets worth over Tk6.72 crore through his involvement in various illegal activities in October 2019.

On the other hand, Mominul was sued for accumulating assets worth over Tk5.60 crore in November the same year.

Lokman siphoned off over Tk57 lakh to Australia while Mominul laundered over Tk 78 lakh to three countries: Singapore, Malaysia and Oman.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh and Mauritius will collaborate on potential areas to boost trade and investment to elevate bilateral ties.

Both sides particularly mentioned the pharmaceutical, tourism and IT sectors.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, now on an official visit from February 13-15 February, paid a courtesy call on Mauritius Foreign Minister Alan Ganoo and his counterpart Haymandoyal Dillum where the whole gamut of bilateral issues was discussed.

On Monday, the foreign secretary along with his entourage visited Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Street in the heart of Plaine Verte in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius.

They paid tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Currently, Freelancing has been taken as a popular career pathway by many youths in Bangladesh. In the country many skilled people are earning handsome foreign currencies through freelancing jobs in different outsourcing platforms. However, bringing the money home was quite tiresome even a few days ago. From February 10, 2022, BKash, the payment gateway of BRAC Bank has launched a groundbreaking service to bring any foreign currency into Bangladeshi Taka via Payoneer to bKash transaction system. This article will cover the fund transfer system from Payoneer to BKash.

What is Payoneer

It is an American financial transaction platform that provides online money transfer services.

Customers can make financial transactions using virtual bank account numbers in different currencies, prepaid master and debit cards, and E-Wallet. The money received can be withdrawn through a bank account of any country. In addition, online shopping can be done with the Payoneer debit card. It is providing wire transfer, online payment, and reloadable debit card services in more than 150 local currencies in 200 countries including Bangladesh.

Companies like Google, Amazon, Airbnb use Payoneer to make hundreds of payments worldwide. It is used in E-Commerce marketplaces like Rakuten and Walmart and freelance marketplaces like Fiverr and Envato.

Payoneer to Bkash Fund Transfer System: Step-by-step Process

Payoneer and BKash account holder Bangladeshi Freelancers can enjoy this benefit across the country. Here is the step by step process of transferring funds from Payoneer account to Bkash account.

1 – First the users need to login into the BKash app with the phone number and PIN number as usual.

2 – From the home screen of BKash, they need to go to the ‘More’ option and from there click on remittance.

3 – Here clicking on Payoneer will ask for Payoneer information on the new screen.

4 – If the Payoneer account is not opened in this part, then a new Payoneer account can be opened from here. And if the users already have a Payoneer account, they have to link between Payoneer and BKash accounts.

5 – Then they are required to enter the Payoneer with the username and password on the new screen. And then BKash will be connected with Payoneer.

6 – The Payoneer part in the BKash app will show the customer ID and email number registered with the customer’s Payoneer account. After that, they can choose to bring money. Under the title, the balance in Payoneer in different currencies will be mentioned. From there they can select any of them.

7 – After specifying the amount of the fund that will be transferred to the BKash app, click on ‘Advance’.

In this case, it is important to keep in mind that for the transaction, the users are required to have the equivalent balance of at least BDT.1000 in their Payoneer account. There is no hassle of filling out any form separately, this service is rather available 24 hours a day from anywhere for free.

Bottom Line

Introducing the ‘Payoneer to BKash fund transfer system’ is really a great advancement for the freelancing professionals in Bangladesh. This gateway will get many freelancers rid of the hassles for money transactions. As a result, the suspicion of bringing freelancing money into the country will be removed. Not to mention, this easy money transaction process can move out barriers to take freelancing as a career and encourage many potential Bangladeshi youths to work in the outsourcing platforms and earn more foreign currencies.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Global climate change will lead to local crises and a surge in the number of armed conflicts, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) chief said.

Some countries in the world suffer from severe droughts, which lead to socio-economic crises and political crises, WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas told the media.

“We have countries who are suffering because of these extreme droughts. Ethiopia is now having a severe drought, and so is Somalia.”

“One of the components behind the Arab Spring was drought. In Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Syria, there were several years of drought which led to gaps in food production, unemployment of the rural population, and doubling of food prices. And the unrest in Syria continues, and the situation in Libya is not very stable either,” Petteri said.

“Of course, there were other factors behind those crises, but the risk for such crises will surely increase. We may see more migration of the people, and also local crises and even military crises as a consequence.”

“Also, one of the biggest disasters of our time is floods. We now have more humidity in the atmosphere, which means that when it rains, it often rains more. And some parts of the world have become drier,” the WMO chief continued:

Many of the world’s major rivers originate in mountain glaciers, and as those glaciers shrink, which is happening now, major rivers around the world will be fed less and less water.

“It’s a case in Asia, it’s a case in Europe in the Alps, in the Rocky Mountains in North America, and the Andes in South America. The glaciers are shrinking, we are getting less water for drinking, less water for agriculture, less water for industry. I see these changes in the precipitation and melting of the glaciers as the biggest climate change,” Petteri said.

Food production for the world’s growing population is also a pressing issue.

“We expect to see population growth, especially in Africa, and this is not a very nice equation. That’s a very good reason to be more active in climate mitigation, to avoid this water-related crisis,” the WMO chief added.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) will hold public hearing on the proposed gas tariff hike on March 21-24.

The commission has taken the decision to hold the public hearing if everything remains as usual, said Md Abdul Jalil, chairman of the BERC on Monday.

“We’ve already sent the notice in this regard to the newspapers to publish it as advertisement,” he told UNB.

State-owned 6 gas distribution companies and one transmission company submitted their final proposals to the energy regulator on January 25 seeking a 117 percent hike in gas price at retail level.

Besides, their principal gas supplier Petrobangla also placed its proposal to raise the price of the natural gas at bulk level.

As per the gas distributors’ proposals, the monthly gas price for a double burner will increase to Tk 2100 from existing Tk 975, while price for single burner will rise to Tk 2000 from current Tk 925.

Petrobangla is the bulk supplier to the six downstream distribution companies. They are Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd (Titas Gas), Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company Limited (BGDCL), Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Ltd (JGTDSL), Paschimanchal Gas company Limited(PGCL), Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) and Sundarban Gas Company Limited (SGCL) while the only transmission company is Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL).

Following the submission of the proposals by the companies, a 5-member watchdog body scrutinized and set the schedule for the public hearing.

As per the BERC Act, the commission will invite interested representatives from stakeholders in the gas sector to take part in the public hearing.

After the conclusion of the hearing, the watchdog body will announce its decision within 90 days.

Official sources said Petrobangla and its 7 subsidiary bodies submitted the proposals to raise gas price at the bulk and retail levels following the directive of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

For the last several months, the Energy Division has been under pressure from the Finance Ministry to collect more revenues by raising gas prices to offset subsidies in the energy sector.

A member of the BERC said Petrobangla currently imports only 5 per cent of its daily consumption from a highly volatile international spot market where it has to buy gas at higher price.

It imports its 20 per cent gas from two international companies under long-term contracts where price is static.

“If the local production is raised by 5 per cent, then the country will not need to import the 5 per cent gas from volatile markets at a higher price and finally it would not have to raise the gas price at retail level,” he added.

Normally, the Petrobangla supplies 2,700-3,000, million cubic feet (mmcfd) gas per day of which 2,300 mmcfd is produced locally while 600 mmcfd is imported as liquefied natural gas LNG.

Of this imported 600 mmcfd, 150 mmcfd is imported from spot market at a variable price between $10 and $30 per unit.

Meanwhile, side by side the state-owned power distribution companies also submitted proposals to the BERC to raise the power tariff as well.

About the proposals, the BERC chairman informed that the commission has received proposals from state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and other power distribution companies to raise power tariff as well.

“But we’re yet to complete the scrutinizing job on the proposals”, he said. So, no decision has been made as yet on holding of any public hearing on power tariff hike proposals, he said.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Villagers cheered when their long-cherished bridge at Sitaijhar in Sadar upazila of the district was built over three years ago.

But their joys soon proved short-lived.

The bridge, built at a cost of over Tk.31 lakh, was abandoned shortly after its construction for lack of approach roads on both sides, villagers complained.

Hundreds of people in the three unions of Sadar upazila have expressed their dissatisfaction as there is no one to pay any heed to their problems.

Local administration constructed the bridge with the financial assistance of the Relief and Rehabilitation Centre over three years back.

Soon after the bridge came, floods washed away the approach roads on both sides of it.

During a recent visit to the bridge, this UNB Correspondent learned that the 18-feet long bridge was constructed in FY 2018-19 to ease road communication for the people three unions—Mogolbasha, Panchgacchi and Begumganj unions—in Sadar upazila.

But before the bridge could be opened to public use after construction in 2018 it became useless.

Built over 3 years ago a bridge in Kurigram remains unused for lack of approach roads

However, local people constructed a makeshift bamboo bridge on the road to solve their problem during the monsoon.

Abdul Latif, a local resident, said thousands of people used the road to go to the community clinic, Nayarhat Bazar, Madrasha and Nayarhat High School.

It is difficult for people to go to their destinations using the road during monsoon for lack of a bridge.

“After a long wait we got a bridge but could not set foot on it,” he sighed.

Maidul Islam, a 10th grader, said “During a flood, we have to go through immense sufferings. Sometimes, we fall into water while crossing the bamboo bridge and ruining our dress and books.”

Lokman Ali, a member of Mogolbasha union, said “The approach roads of the bridge broke before its inauguration but the local administration did not take any steps in the three years. We have made a complaint in the local office but no steps are seen yet.”

Khandaker Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Project Implementation Officer (PIO), said “The authorities concerned started their work to construct approach roads on both sides of Sitaijhar Bridge last year, but it again got damaged by the flood. Steps are being taken to construct the approach roads soon.”

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Habibur Rahman has been appointed as the Chief Economist (CE) of Bangladesh Bank (BB).

He was serving in the central bank as the executive director with additional charge at the chief economist section of the BB.

Besides working as the CE, he will perform other responsibilities to be given by the central bank governor.

The central bank on Sunday issued an office order for this appointment. Earlier, the Board of Directors of Bangladesh Bank approved the appointment of Habibur Rahman as CE on January 20.

Bangladeshi nationals with foreign degrees and work experience with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) are usually hired for the post.

Deviating from this practice someone from within the central bank was appointed to this important post.

Habibur Rahman started his career in the BB joining as research officer at the research department. He served in different departments of the central bank.

He obtained a bachelor’s and master’s degree in economics from Jahangirnagar University. He later obtained a PhD in applied economics from the University of Eastern Michigan and the University of Western Michigan in the United States.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The leaders of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation urged an initiative to save the bidi industry and prevent the workers from falling into unemployment.

They made the demand from a discussion meeting held at the journalist Abdus Salam Auditorium of the National Press Club on Monday.

The speakers said, “Thousands of bidi workers, including the helpless, disadvantaged, extremely poor, physically-handicapped and widows, make a living by working in the ancient labor-intensive bidi industry of the country.”

But the industry is being destroyed by the conspiracy of foreign multinational companies, they said.

“Some corrupt local officials are taking advantage of foreign multinational companies and imposing excessive taxes on bidis. Bidi owners are being forced to close the factory as they cannot bear the tax burden,” they said.

As a result, the workers are unemployed and living a dehumanized life.

General Secretary of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation Abdur Rahman was present as the chief guest. The meeting was chaired by Md. Harik Hossain, Joint General Secretary of the Federation.

Md. Lokman Hakim and Nazim Uddin Vice-Presidents of the Federation, organizing secretary Abdul Gafur, Publicity Secretary Shamim Islam, Executive Member Anwar Hossain, among others, spoke in the function.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

A fire that broke out on the 4th floor of the 12-storeyed Tax Commissioner’s building at Dhaka’s Segun Bagicha on Monday has been doused.

“The fire started at 13:45pm and four firefighting brought the blaze under control around 2:15pm,” Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters Deputy Assistant Director (media cell) Shahjahan Sikder said.

However, the origin for the fire could not be known immediately, he added.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

OPEC Fund international development provides Bangladesh USD $ 75 million as budgetary support loan which will be used to implement urgent reforms to facilitate rapid recovery from the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A loan agreement for financing sustainable economic recovery program (SERP) was signed between Bangladesh and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) on Monday.

Fatima Yasmin, Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, Director General, OFID signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.

The purpose of loan is to provide budgetary support which will be used to implement urgent reforms to facilitate rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically by creating – fiscal space to support critical public expenditure, and a favorable environment to foster the growth of Cottage, Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, to create generating employment and income opportunities.

The loan’s interest rate is fixed at 1.35 percent and would carry a commitment fee charge of 0.25 percent annually. Front-end fee 0.25 percent and would have a maturity of 20 years including a grace period of 5 years.

OFID is one of the largest Development Partners of Bangladesh. It has been providing economic assistance to Bangladesh for the development program/project, particularly in the area of road transport and power sector since the fiscal year of 1974/75.

So far, OFID has provided development assistance of $ 552.61 million to Bangladesh in 30 development projects.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained two people along with 20 gold bars from the Putkhali border at Balunda village in Benapole port area on Monday.

The detainees were identified as Liton Hossain, 25, son of Ali Hossain and Hafizur Rahman, 28, son of Azizur Rahman of the village.

Tipped off, a team of BGB-21 conducted a drive in the area and detained two people along with the gold bars, weighing 3.89 kgs, said commanding officer of BGB-21, Lieutenant Colonel Manjur-e-Elahi.

The market value of the gold bars is Tk 2.5 crore.

They were handed over to Benapole Port Police.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Monday said the government is in a dilemma over the subsidy in fertilizer when the price of fertilizer increasing in international market.

“The price of fertilizer has risen abnormally in the international market pushing up its import cost. As a result, this year Tk 28,000 crore will be needed on subsidy,” he told reporters at a press briefing over fertilizer stock, subsidy and other issues at the conference room of his ministry.

He said that the government is in a dilemma as there is a need of Tk 19,000 crore more on subsidy with the budget providing only Tk 9,000 crore for it.

In the current FY2021-2022, the government has not hiked the price of fertilizer nor reduced subsidy despite a three-hold rise in its price in international market, Razzaque said.

The minister said that increased cost of production due to high price of fertilizer will push up the price of food grain too.

Source: United News of Bangladesh