Month: February 2022

Posted on

Benapole customs report growth in revenue despite pandemic

Benapole Customs House has recorded a 29.78 per cent growth in revenue earning in the first seven months of FY2021-2022, up from 19.48% during the corresponding period last year despite Covid-19 disruptions, customs sources said.

According to the sources at Benapole Customs House, revenue earning from trading along this border already crossed Tk. 2436 crore from July to January against the fiscal year’s target of Tk 5100 crore. Earning during the first seven months of the last fiscal was over Tk.2225 crore.

However, many importers are avoiding the country’s largest land trading route because of its zero-tolerance policy against malpractices, said one official.

Joint Commissioner of Benapole Customs, Abdur Rashid, said measures such as digital automation, prevention of tax dodging and smuggling and auction of goods for failure to on-time collection have helped streamline the trading along this route.

Besides, strict action was also taken against the importers and CandF Agent Association for false declaration and fraudulence, he said.

Already, three licences have been cancelled and 14 others suspended the last seven months for flouting rules, said Rashid.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

Retired postmen to become Nagad entrepreneurs

All postmen or bearers of the Directorate of Posts can now become uddokta (entrepreneurs) of mobile financial services (MFS) provider Nagad upon their retirement.

Nagad has taken up a scheme to provide a guaranteed income opportunity to the retired postmen.

One has to apply to Nagad through the respective post office to become an entrepreneur. Nagad will provide overall support to these new uddokta, starting from branding to technical issues.

Nagad Managing Director Tanvir A Mishuk said, “Retired postmen can spread the service of Nagad in the remotest part of the country as our representatives. Because of the initiative, they can stay at work even after their retirement, and can earn extra money.”

At present, the number of Nagad entrepreneurs is 2.42 lakh. According to the latest data, there are 9,886 post offices across the country, employing almost a similar number of postmen.

A significant number of postmen retire every year. In most cases, they have no work after that.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

BGB seizes smuggled goods, drugs worth Tk 211.67 cr in January

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members seized smuggled goods including drugs worth around Tk 211.67 crore in various drives across the country in January.

According to BGB media release, 17,52,991 Yaba pills, 21.23 kgs of crystal meth, 32,194 bottles of phensedyl, 16,427 bottles of foreign liquor, 2,109 cans of beer, 2,126 kg cannabis, 7.13 kg heroin, 2,249 injections, 6,761 bottles Iskaf syrups and some other drugs were seized.

Around 2.70 kg gold, 59.07 kg silver, 1,38,228 cosmetics, 13,429, imitation jewellery, 8,490 sarees, 1,625 readymade garments, 3,060 cubic feet of wood, 7,714 kg of tea leaves, 13,700 kg of coal, 12 trucks/covered vans, five private cars/microbuses, 18 pickups, 30 CNG/battery run auto rickshaws and 63 motorcycles were among the smuggled goods.

Besides, three pistols, two different types of guns, five magazines, five mortar shells, 16 rounds of bullet, six detonators and six IED were also seized.

Besides, legal action has also been taken against 267 people for their involvement in smuggling. Some 218 Bangladeshis and 13 Indians were held for illegal border crossing.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

46 gold bars seized at Chattogram airport

Customs officials on Tuesday seized 46 gold bars, weighing 5.33 kg, at Shah Amanat International Airport.

Tipped off, a team of Customs Officials conducted a drive at the ground servicing area of Biman Bangladesh Airlines and seized the gold bars, said Wing Commander Farhad Hossain, director of the airport.

The gold bars worth Tk 3.54 crore were concealed in a wheel of a vehicle parked in the area.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

HC seeks list of chemical warehouses, factories in Old Dhaka

The High Court on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to submit by April 17 a list of buildings that house chemical warehouses, factories and shops in Old Dhaka.

The virtual HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Maniruzaaman passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) in the form of public interest litigation.

Secretaries to the Ministry of Industries, Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dhaka South City Corporation’s (DSCC) mayor, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) chairman, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence, Director General of Department of Explosives were asked to submit the list.

Besides, the court sought progress reports on establishing permanent and temporary Chemical Estates in Munshiganj, Shyampur, and Tongi.

Advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan appeared for the writ petition while Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas for the state.

Bela, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD), Ain O Shalish Kendro (ASK), Fatema Akhter and Md Nasir Uddin on behalf of the affected people filed this writ.

The HC also issued a rule asking why 11 agencies concerned will not be declared illegal for failing to take action as per the reports given by the government after various fire incidents and take action against the owners of all illegal chemical warehouses, factories and buildings.

Bela in the press briefing said that 71 people were killed and many others injured in a devastating fire that broke out on February 20, 2019 at Churihatta in Chawkbazar of Old Dhaka.

But no members of the affected families have received compensation yet and are living an inhuman condiiton.

The rule also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to compensate and rehabilitate the families of the victims of Churihatta fire within four weeks.

At the same time, the court wanted to know why the authorities concerned will not be directed to implement adequate water supply and hydrant points in Old Dhaka and the recommendations for widening roads there.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

Minor boy dies falling off building in city

An eight-year-old boy died after falling off a seven-storey building while flying kite in the city’s Gendaria area on Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Jisan Hossain Jim, son of Jamal of Gaibandha district.

Jisan’s father is a rickshaw puller while his mother works as a domestic help. They live at Faridabad Madrasha Road in Gendaria.

Jisan went to the roof of the seven-storey building where his mother works for flying kite around 11:30 am. At one stage, he slipped and fell on the tin roof of an adjacent house.

Later, he was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead, said Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police camp.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

Making the virtual world a safer place for kids!

To promote a safer internet environment for children, State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak has launched a new digital initiative.

The ‘Safe Internet and Early Childhood Development’ initiative is the brainchild of Sesame Workshop Bangladesh, the producer of favourite children’s programme Sisimpur.

In 2021, around 30% of children faced different types of abuse on virtual platforms and 8% of them even encountered sexual harassment.

Keeping this concerning data in mind, this initiative will work to ensure a safer internet by increasing access to and awareness of safe online web spaces, Sesame Workshop Bangladesh said.

As part of the initiative, Sesame Workshop Bangladesh will develop guidelines for parents and caregivers to promote safe internet practices with their children.

Besides, a new mobile game on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-related topics, as well as new story books and digital materials for schools across the country, will be designed.

Under this programme, beloved Sisimpur friends like Tuktuki, Halum, Shiku, and Ikri will join in an awareness campaign to promote safe internet practices.

Funded by the Internet Society Foundation (ISF), Sesame Workshop Bangladesh will also conduct research on children’s safety in the virtual world and best practices for online education platforms.

Among others, Guilherme Gonsales Rocca e Souza, Grant Specialist, ISF, Dr BM Mainul Hossain, Associate Professor, Information and Technology Institute, Dhaka University, Sabila Enun, Director of DCASTALIA, and Mohammad Shah Alam, Managing Director of Sesame Workshop Bangladesh, attended the inauguration event on Monday.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

HC orders Bagerhat municipal mayor to surrender

The High Court has ordered Bagerhat municipality mayor Khan Habibur Rahman to surrender within three weeks in a corruption case.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukdar and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman rejected his anticipatory bail and passed the order on Monday.

Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik said the High Court didn’t grant him anticipatory bail rather asked to surrender within three weeks.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on November 25 last year filed two separate cases against Bagerhat municipality mayor Khan Habibur Rahman for embezzling government money for project and illegally appointing employees.

According to the sources, a case was filed accusing 18 people of Bagerhat municipality including the mayor, for illegally appointing 17 people and embezzling Tk 1.26 crore from the government treasury.

Another case was filed against the mayor Khan Habibur Rahman and former secretary of Bagerhat municipality Mohammad Rezaul Karim for embezzling Tk 1 crore instead of constructing a complex building of Abahani Club and a Diabetic Hospital complex building in Bagerhat.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

HC directs to shut illegal brick kilns in Dinajpur, Moulvibazar

The High Court on Monday directed to shut down all the brick kilns operating without any license across Dinajpur and Moulvibazar district within seven days.

The court also directed the Deputy Commissioners of the districts and director of the Environment Department to submit a list of these illegal kilns within the next six weeks in affidavit format.

The bench of Justice JBM Hasan and Fatema Najib passed the order during a hearing on the writ filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).

The court asked to be informed of the development in this regard within two weeks and issued a rule as to why respondents’ inactivity to shut these brick kilns will not be declared illegal.

Lawyer Monjil Morshed presented the petitioner’s side assisted by advocate Sanjay Mandal while Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy appeared for the state.

Advocate Monjil Morshed said according to Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kiln Establishment (Control) (Amendment) Act, 2019, no brick kiln without a license can operate in the country and its owners will be punished for two years in jail for doing so.

But the administration did not take any action against the illegal kilns that are operating across Dinajpur and Moulvibazar which are harming the environment and creating health risks, he said.

Following the reports published in different media, HRPB filed the writ petition in public interest, he said.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

30-year-old rapes schoolgirl in Magura, held

A 30-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping a schoolgirl in Magura’s Sadar upazila.

The arrestee has been identified as Kajal Hossain, 30, son of Altaf Biswas of the upazila.

Monjurul Alam, officer-in-charge of Magura police station, said that Kajal used to tease the girl on her way to school.

“On Saturday night, Kajol barged into the girl’s house and raped her. Hearing her screams, neighbours rushed to her house but the accused managed to flee,” he said.

On January 30, police arrested Kajal on rape charges. “The girl has already recorded her statement before a judicial magistrate after her medical examination,” the OC added.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

Worker dies at Sitakunda shipyard

In a freak accident, a 27-year-old worker died at a ship recycling factory in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram in the early hours of Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Ariful Islam Sujan, a resident of Fultala village in the district’s Sonaichari union. He worked as a cutter at Kabir Steel Shipyard.

The accident occurred at 1.30am when Sujan suffered a hit by an iron rod while working. His co-workers rushed him to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Sitakunda police station, said the body will be handed over to family after an autopsy.

“Legal procedure is underway in this regard,” the OC added.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Posted on

Coming soon: Window on Korea at IUB

After Dhaka University, the South Korean government has decided to set up a Korea-devoted section in the library of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).

The ‘Window on Korea (WOK)’ will be installed at IUB this year through the National Library of Korea, the South Korean Embassy in Dhaka has said in a press release.

This programme is aimed at increasing the understanding and interest of IUB students in Korean culture and history through a wide range of books and study materials related to Korea, according to the release.

Under this programme, the National Library of Korea will fund the purchase of facility equipment such as computers, chairs, desk and signboard as well as books and materials related to Korea from 1,500 to 3000 volumes in the first year and 200 volumes yearly during the next five years.

Dhaka University installed the Korea Corner at its central library in 2013 with support from Korea Foundation (KF).

In addition to the Window on Korea, IUB is expected to host a King Sejong Institute, a Korean language education programme, this year with the support of King Sejong Institute Foundation of Korea.

Source: United News of Bangladesh