Month: June 2022

A fire that broke out in Chattogram’s Bakalia power substation on Tuesday was doused.

Four units of fire service managed to douse the fire at around 7 pm, fire service sources said.

Shahidul Islam, a senior official at Chattogram Fire Service Station control room and said upon receiving the news of the fire at the power substation, 4 units of the fire service rushed to the spot and bought the fire under control after an hour of effort.

Meanwhile locals said, a fire broke out at Bakalia power substation at around 5.30 pm when a newly installed 26-megawatt power transformer was started.

Unable to control the fire, the officials informed the fire service, they said.

Source: United news of Bangladesh

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Tuesday opposed the proposal to whiten black money, or legalising smuggled money by paying tax on it in the proposed budget.

“The finance minister has recognised money laundering as a good deed,” he said.

Quader, also Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, said this while participating in the general discussion on the proposed budget for the 2022-23 fiscal.

Quader said that The finance minister used to deny money laundering.

“But with this proposal, he has not only recognized money laundering, he has recognized this act as a good deed.”

Criticizing the budget proposal to legalize money laundering through paying certain amount of tax, GM Quader said that Illegal money will be legalized only if taxes are paid.

“This will not eliminate bad people and nurture good ones. Rather it will encourage bad people and oppress good ones.”

He said that This is against good governance.

“We can never support it. I don’t think money launderers will bring their money back [to the country].”

He said that the government rather should take measures to prevent money laundering and to bring the money launderers under punishment.

Referring to the proposed budget as a debt-based deficit budget, Quader said that This budget is as usual and ambitious.

“Expenditure has increased in all sectors of the budget but no vision has been seen.”

He mentioned that this huge budget is unusual given the instability and economic downturn caused by the Covi-19 and ongoing Ukraine war.

“I don’t think it will be possible to materialize the development budget. The promise of controlling inflation does not seem to be possible, rather it may increase.”

He feared that it would not be possible to collect revenue as per the target.

He demanded the introduction of retirement allowance for MPs.

Meanwhile, opposing the proposal of giving scope to bring back the laundered money, Gono Forum MP Mokabbir Khan said that this proposal is immoral and illegal.

“Giving the traitors a chance to bring back the smuggled money cannot be supported in any way. Steps should have been taken to prevent money laundering abroad.”

Source: United news of Bangladesh

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas thinks that many people are “over-exaggerating” the impact of the sanctions imposed on the elite force Rab and some officials but acknowledges that it did have an impact on the overall relations.

“Yes, the sanctions did have an impact. I think many people are over-exaggerating the impact because the relationship we have is so broad and we deal with so many issues,” he told Voice of America Bangla Service in an interview at the US Department of State.

He said the sanctions is one issue but they continue to work very closely under the security front.

Ambassador Haas said the US stopped providing training to the Rab in 2018 because of concerns as they want to see accountability for the past human rights violations and to reform the Rab so that it does not repeat the same.

On December 10, 2021, Human Rights Day, the United States imposed sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion and some of its serving as well as former officials, based on what the US said was “credible evidence” of serious human rights abuses.

The US envoy said over the past few months the two countries had partnership dialogue, security dialogue, military partnership and high level economic dialogue. “We are cooperating deeply and aggressively on those fronts.”

The US ambassador reiterated the importance of free media and the challenges in Bangladesh.

He said the government-to-government relationship is important but businesses, education and family ties are far more important.

This year, 2022, Bangladesh and the United States are celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken kicked off a busy program of engagements for the year ahead by marking the milestone during their meeting on April 4 in Washington, DC.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Altamis Nabil, a writer, social activist and tech evangelist, has been conferred with Global Youth Leadership Award, 2022 at the Global Youth Leadership Summit held at the Royal Thai Army Club in Bangkok, Thailand.

Young leaders from more than 20 countries participated in the summit held on June 24 and 25.

The summit was organized by Global Youth Parliament & United Nations Peace Keepers Federal Council. Nabil was awarded in recognition of his commendable contribution to skill development of the youth of Bangladesh.

Nabil said, “All recognition in the international arena is a great inspiration. This recognition will work as motivation to work for youth to enhance their skills in future and deal with the various difficulties and inconsistencies in the society in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

Nabil is currently working as in a multinational company called Miaki. He is also the current President of Junior Chamber International-JCI Dhaka West.

He also established a social initiative called B. Positive Foundation.

Besides, he is conducting various workshops for the youth across the country on various topics including personal branding, content writing and application monetization.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, Kalo Manik is hogging the limelight in Khulna’s Rostompur village.

Kalo Manik isn’t any other ordinary bull, technically a steer, a neutered male popular for its meat — the 7ft tall cattle weighs around 32 maund.

Prabir Mazumdar, its owner, said that he reared the bull in his dairy in Rostompur village of Dumuria upazila’s Atalia union along with three more cattle.

Prabir, a former expat worker, started his dairy some five years ago after returning to Bangladesh from abroad.

“For the last two years, I have been rearing Kalo Manik. He eats around 10kg of food daily, which includes wheat bran, rice bran, maze, dried hay and raw grass,” he said.

Everyday locals throng Prabir’s dairy to catch a glimpse of the big bull. Enamul Gazi, a local, said, “I was curious to see the bull with my own eyes.”

Dr Mahmuda Sultana, upazila livestock officer said, “Enough sacrificial animals are available in the upazila. However, farmers are a bit worried about getting good prices.”

Source: United News of Bangladesh

From the middle of June, the north-eastern region of Bangladesh experienced flash floods for the third time this year, and the third wave played havoc with people’s lives and livelihoods in 9 northeastern districts of Bangladesh, with Sunamganj and Sylhet most severely affected.

At its peak, the flood affected 7.2 million in just the seven districts of Sylhet. Around 4 million remain affected. According to the Health Emergency and Control Room of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 84 people died due to the floods from May 17 to June 25 in Sylhet, Mymensingh and Rangpur divisions.

An encouraging feature of the nation’s response to the flood has been the willingness of people and organisations from various sections of society to step forward in their own capacity and stand by the victims. Celebrities, social media influences, clubs and societies from within the country as well as the entire diaspora have stepped up to be counted at a level not seen before.

Farzana Sharmin, Vice-President of the Inner Wheel Club of Dhaka Uptown, expressed her desire to stand by the flood victims on June 18. Determined to support the helpless people of Sylhet, Nafisa Tarannum, the chapter’s president, immediately issued a call for all the clubs of Inner Wheel District 345 to come forward and help the flood victims in Sylhet.

Inner Wheel is an international women’s organisation that aims “to create friendship, service and understanding.” It has local chapters in towns and cities in over 100 countries, and enjoys consultative status at the United Nations.

The chapters, or clubs that came forward to lend their hand in support of the initiative were: Inner Wheel Club of Dhaka Buriganga, Inner Wheel Club of Bailey Garden, Inner Wheel Club of New Ramna, Inner Wheel Club of Lasai Hill, Inner Wheel Club of Kishoreganj, Inner Wheel Club of Krishnachura, Inner Wheel Club of Paradise, Inner Wheel Club of Dhaka North, Inner Wheel Club of Dhaka, Inner Wheel Club of Karnaphuli, Inner Wheel Club of Cox’s Bazar, Inner Wheel Club of Green Bailey, Inner Wheel Club of Greenhill Chattogram.

“We also got a huge response through social media,” Nafisa said, before explaining what motivated them to get involved in the relief effort.

“At present, the people of Sylhet are living in unspeakable misery due to the sudden flood. They have lost everything, including their homes, and they are suffering from a lack of food,” she said. “Given the social mission of Inner Wheel Club, we just knew we had to mobilise whatever resources we could and stand by them, otherwise we would be failing that mission.”

Secretary of Dhaka Uptown, Suraiya Akter Chishty distributed chira, molasses, biscuits, saline, candles, and matchboxes among the flood victims at Sunamganj Sadar Upazila Lalpur, Amberi Ghat area on the first day. On the second day, chira, molasses, biscuits, saline, rice, pulses, salt, candles, and matchboxes were distributed among 300 families at Haoria Alipur of Jamalganj Upazila, Islampur, Islampur Baghati, Mashalghat, Shibpur village. Social worker Md. Tofazzal Hossain, Khandaker Shahidul, and Shagor Mia also accompanied them in the distribution process.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The first dedicated Hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines from Sylhet left Osmani International Airport Tuesday morning.

The flight BG-3131 with 419 pilgrims on board departed the airport at 10:00 am and is scheduled to reach Jeddah at 01:30 pm (local time), said a Biman press release.

A total of 60,000 people are going to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(KSA) from Bangladesh to perform the hajj this year. Among them, 50 percent of the total hajj pilgrims will be transported by Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ 67 dedicated flights including two from Sylhet.

The next Hajj flight from Sylhet will leave on June 30.

Md Nowsad Hossain, deputy secretary and finance director of Biman, was present as the Chief Guest at the inaugural function of the direct Hajj flight from Sylhet.

Abdul Gani, acting director, Sylhet Osmani International Airport, Zahirul Kabir Chowdhury, president, Sylhet Zone, HAAB, Ziaur Rahman Khan Rezwan were among others present at the programme.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Tuesday alleged that the government has no plan to help and rehabilitate the flood victims in the country’s northeast region.

“We express our sorrow to the flood victims. You have seen in the newspapers how people are living in inhumane conditions in flood-hit areas. We’re observing that the government has no plan to deal with catastrophic floods and to… rehabilitate the victims,” he said.

Speaking at a round-table discussion, the BNP leader also said the government did not come forward to stand beside the flood-affected people.

“It’s unfortunate that they (govt) were busy with other things. If the government is not elected by people’s vote and if there is no government of people, then public suffering and grief won’t get priority over the interests of individuals and groups,” he observed.

The South Asian Youth Research Center arranged the programme titled “The Issue of Water Sharing between Bangladesh and India” at the Jatiya Press Club.

Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, said the government has so far not calculated the extent of damage caused by the severe floods in the country.

Referring to the recent Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting with India participated by Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, he said it was nothing but an eye wash.

He said the minister only gave a lip service at the meeting without any report from the Joint River Commission.

The BNP leader said when many areas of Bangladesh were being inundated in flood waters India opened all the gates of the Farakka barrage.

“We’re submerged with water from the upstream when we don’t need water. When we need water for saving our lives and livelihoods, then upstream water is being diverted to other areas (of India), turning Bangladesh into a desert,” he observed.

The BNP leader also said a big bridge over the Jumna River was constructed but bullock carts run under the bridge now during the dry season. “This is happening for the barrage and dams in India,” he said.

He also said most rivers in Bangladesh are losing their depths and widths due to the unilateral withdrawal of water from the common rivers by India during the dry season, causing floods during the rainy season.

Mosharraf alleged that it has been long the current government has failed to ink the Teesta water-sharing deal and ensure a fair share of waters from other common rivers due to its knee-jerk foreign policy.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Ferries from Mawa terminal will operate as per people’s demand, said State Minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on Tuesday.

“We did not stop ferry services in the Padma River after the opening of the Padma Bridge as currently six ferries are operating on the route. As per the government decision the ferry operation will continue,” he said.

The minister said these while talking to reporters after attending an award giving ceremony at the ministry.

Talking about the ban on plying of motorbikes on the Padma Bridge, Khalid said the government banned plying of motorbikes on the Padma Bridge temporarily and decision will be taken in this regard after installation of speed gun and CCTV on the bridge.

Talking about the removal of nuts from the Padma Bridge by a person, Khalid said it was the ornament of the Padma Bridge and someone attempted to snatch it.

Referring to the development of river routes across the country, the state minister said, “We are taking initiatives keeping the development of river routes in mind and the bridges are being constructed without hampering navigability of rivers.”

Source: United News of Bangladesh