Day: August 23, 2022

Amid inflation woes, the Bangladesh government has raised the prices of soybean oil by Tk 7 per litre.

Bottled soybean oil will now be available at Tk 192 per litre instead of the earlier Tk 185. Similarly, loose soybean oil will be retailed at Tk 175 per litre while a five-litre bottle of the commodity will cost Tk 945.

This is according to a notification issued by the Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners and Bonaspati Manufacturers Association.

Also read: Importers press for soybean price hike by Tk 20 per litre

According to the notification signed by Nurul Islam Molla, the executive officer of the association, the new prices will be effective from Tuesday.

The decision to increase the soyabean oil prices was taken after discussions with the country’s Trade and Tariff Commission and the Ministry of Commerce on August 17.

The association sought a 20 percent price hike at the meeting.

Similarly, the prices of one litre of loose palm oil has been fixed at Tk 145.

The edible oil marketing companies cut the prices of soybean and palm oil on July 17, adjusting the costs in line with global market rates.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, in the fiscal year 2021-22, about 5.15 lakh tonnes of crude soybean oil were imported into the country — about 75,000 tonnes more than the previous year.

However, during the same period, the import of soybean seeds was 13.31 lakh tonnes, about 2.37 lakh tonnes more than the previous year. The import of refined soybean oil in the fiscal year 2021-22 was a little over 15,000 tonnes.

Also read: TCB to procure 125 lakh litres soybean oil, 5000 kg lentil from 7 local suppliers

No refined soybean oil was imported during the previous financial year. In the fiscal year 2021-22, about one million tonnes of refined and non-refined palm oil were imported.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Another significant section of the devastated Beirut Port silos collapsed on Tuesday morning in a cloud of dust. No injuries were reported — the area had been long evacuated — but the collapse was another painful reminder of the horrific August 2020 explosion.

The collapse left the silos’ southern part standing next to a pile of charred ruins. The northern block had already been slowly tipping over since the initial explosion two years ago but rapidly deteriorated after it caught fire over a month ago due to fermenting grains.

The 50 year old, 48 meter (157 feet) tall silos had withstood the force of the explosion on Aug. 4, 2020, effectively shielding the western part of Beirut from the blast that killed over 200 people, injured more than 6,000 and badly damaged entire neighborhoods.

Emmanuel Durand, a French civil engineer who volunteered for the government-commissioned team of experts, told The Associated Press that the speed of the tilt rapidly accelerated overnight on Monday, just hours before the collapse.

“There was a very sharp acceleration, which was expected,” Durand explained. “When this happens, you know it’s going to go.”

The country’s caretaker environment minister, Nasser Yassin, told Lebanese TV that the government will now look into how to ensure the southern block remains standing. He urged residents near the port to wear masks, and said experts would conduct air quality tests.

In April, the Lebanese government decided to demolish the silos, but suspended the decision following protests from families of the blast’s victims and survivors. They contend that the silos may contain evidence useful for the judicial probe, and that it should stand as a memorial for the 2020 tragedy.

Read: Part of Beirut port silos, damaged in 2020 blast, collapses

In July, a fire broke out in the northern block of the silos due to the fermenting grains. Firefighters and Lebanese Army soldiers were unable to put it out and it smoldered for over a month. Officials had warned that the silo could collapse, but feared risking the lives of firefighters and soldiers who struggled to get too close to put out the blaze or drop containers of water from helicopters.

Survivors of the blast and residents near the port have told the AP that watching the fire from their homes and offices was like reliving the trauma from the port blast, which started with a fire in a warehouse near the silos that contained hundreds of tons of explosive ammonium nitrate, improperly stored there for years.

The environment and health ministries in late July issued instructions to residents living near the port to stay indoors in well-ventilated spaces.

Durand last month told the AP that the fire from the grains had sped up the speed of the tilt of the shredded silo and caused irreversible damage to its weak concrete foundation.

The structure has rapidly deteriorated ever since. In late July, part of the northern block collapsed for the first time. Days later on the second anniversary of the Beirut Port blast, roughly a fourth of the structure collapsed. On Sunday, the fire expanded to large sections of the silo.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

UNHCR has appealed for further investment from the international community to ensure Rohingya refugees can benefit from skills development, including vocational training and other forms of capacity-building for adolescent and adult refugees.

This will allow refugees to support their communities and live with dignity in Bangladesh, and above all to prepare them for rebuilding their lives when they can voluntarily and safely return to Myanmar, said the UN agency on Tuesday.

The support from the international community has been and is crucial in delivering lifesaving protection and assistance services for Rohingya refugees but funding is well short of needs, UNHCR said.

Read: Nearly 1 mn still await life at world’s largest displacement camp

The 2022 response plan seeks over US$881 million for more than 1.4 million people, including Rohingya refugees and more than half a million most affected host communities, and is so far funded at only 49 per cent, with US$426.2 million received.

Together, UNHCR said, the international community must do more to ensure that the Rohingya do not continue to languish in displacement and redouble efforts for increased political dialogue and diplomatic engagement to create conditions for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

With China’s biggest freshwater lake reduced to just 25% of its usual size by a severe drought, work crews are digging trenches to keep water flowing to one of the country’s key rice-growing regions.

The dramatic decline of Poyang Lake in the landlocked southeastern province of Jiangxi had otherwise cut off irrigation channels to nearby farmlands. The crews, using excavators to dig trenches, only work after dark because of the extreme daytime heat, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

A severe heat wave is wreaking havoc across much of southern China. High temperatures have sparked mountain fires that have forced the evacuation of 1,500 people in the southwest, and factories have been ordered to cut production as hydroelectric plants reduce their output amid drought conditions. The extreme heat and drought have wilted crops and shrunk rivers including the giant Yangtze, disrupting cargo traffic.

Fed by China’s major rivers, Poyang Lake averages about 3,500 square kilometers (1,400 square miles) in high season, but has contracted to just 737 square kilometers (285 square miles) in the recent drought.

As determined by water level, the lake officially entered this year’s dry season Aug. 6, earlier than at any time since records began being taken in 1951. Hydrological surveys before then are incomplete, although it appears the lake may be at or around its lowest level in recent history.

Along with providing water for agriculture and other uses, the lake is a major stopover for migrating birds heading south for the winter.

Read: China and US spar over climate on Twitter

A wide swath of western and central China has seen days of temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in heat waves that have started earlier and lasted longer than usual.

The heat is likely connected to human-caused climate change, though scientists have yet to do to the complex calculations and computer simulations to say that for certain.

“The heat is certainly record-breaking, and certainly aggravated by human-caused climate change,” said Maarten van Aalst, director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre in the Netherlands. “Drought is always a bit more complex.”

The “truly mind-boggling temperatures roasting China” are connected to a stuck jet stream — the river of air that moves weather systems around the world — said Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

She said a an elongated area of relatively high atmospheric pressure parked over western Russia is responsible for both China’s and Europe’s heat waves this year. In China’s case, the high pressure is preventing cool air masses and precipitation from entering the area.

“When hot, dry conditions get stuck, the soil dries out and heats more readily, reinforcing the heat dome overhead even further,” Francis said.

In the hard-hit city of Chongqing, some shopping malls have been told to open only from 4 to 9 p.m. to conserve energy. Residents have been seeking respite in the cool of air raid shelters dating from World War II.

That reflects the situation in Europe and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, with high temperatures taking a toll on public health, food production and the environment.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Tea garden workers in Moulvibazar resumed strike Tuesday noon disobeying the decision of the leaders of Bangladesh Tea Workers Union.

Most of the workers in different upazilas joined work Monday morning upon assurance from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to settle the issue. Later, a group of workers brought out a procession abstaining from work at noon for raising their wage to Tk 300 from Tk 120.

Workers said that they didn’t see or hear PM’s directive regarding wage hike on television. “The leaders are asking us to join work in the name of the Prime Minister,” said Aban Tanti of Sreemangal Kalighat tea garden.

Tea workers blocked railway track in School Choumhani area in Kulaura upazila and Moulvibazar-Kulaura regional road around 4 pm today.

The agitated workers stopped the Sylhet-bound ‘Paharika Express’ train, snapping the country’s rail communication with Sylhet for an hour.

Later, they withdrew their blockade after an hour on request of Kulaura Upazila Administration, Municipality Mayor, Kulaura Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC).

Besides, the workers in Lachna area of Sreemangal demonstrated on Dhaka-Moulvibazar road in front of Sreemangal Labor House and in various tea gardens including Maulvi tea garden in Samsher Nagar and Kamalganj upazilas.

Santan Raghav Goala, a worker of Sreemangal Khaichra tea garden, said, “Why did we go on a strike for so long if we have to return to work with the previous wage?”

Dilip Bhuiya of the same garden said they will not return to work until PM’s announcement on fixing daily wage at Tk 300.

Meanwhile, workers in Kulaura, Baralekha, Juri, Rajnagar Kamalganch upazila joined their work at various tea gardens and were seen working in the gardens spontaneously, said Javed Ali, assistant manager of Kulaura Gazipur tea garden.

Bijay Hazra, organising secretary of tea workers union said, “We are joining work. I hope the Prime Minister will consider our demands soon.”

Read:Tea workers: Chasm opens up over 3am deal signed without workers’ knowledge

Moulvibazar tea workers resume strike defying union leaders’ decision

On Sunday night, an emergency meeting was held between the tea worker leaders and Moulvibazar district administration, apparently on the instructions from the Prime Minister to resolve the current situation.

After the meeting led by Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner Mir Nahid Hasan, a joint statement signed by both parties on five conditions was issued.

According to the written statement, Bangladesh Tea Workers Union reg No-B 77 would “withdraw their strike and join work from Monday, keeping faith and trust on the prime minister”.

Regarding the wage, it mentioned the workers will resume work at the current daily wage of Tk 120 for the time being.

The union leaders claimed they appealed for holding a video conference with the prime minister before the Durga Puja celebration this year to present their demands through the district administration.

Other demands of tea workers will be submitted in written form to the Deputy Commissioner which will be sent to the Prime Minister’s office for consideration.

However, on Monday morning when two leaders went to call the workers of Kalighat tea garden in Sreemangal upazila for suspending the strike and returning to work, a group of general workers got agitated over the decision of the union leaders.

On August 9, the Bangladesh Tea Workers Union started two-hour work abstention a day demanding daily wage hike.

Workers demanded an increase of their wage to Tk300, with inflation rising and the currency depreciating. The workers of 241 tea gardens across the country went on a full-scale strike on Aug 13, after four days of two-hour work abstention.

Bangladesh is producing a record amount of tea every year through the toil of the tea workers. In 2021, a record 96 million kilograms of tea was produced in the country thanks to the hard labour of the underpaid tea workers.

Although two agreements on increasing wages were signed, the fate of more than 1.5 lakh tea workers in the country hasn’t changed a bit.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Bangladeshi company trendy textiles limited will invest USD $39 million to establish a knit composite textile industry in Dhaka EPZ.

The company will produce annually 15 million pieces of T-Shirt, Tank-Top, Polo-Shirt, Sweatshirt, Cotton-CVC Fleece jackets, Trousers, Hoody jackets, Fancy Ladies-Children Wear, and sportswear.

The company has signed an agreement to reopen a closed factory of Dhaka EPZ.

Read: BEPZA EZ gets $28m more in investment

The trendy textiles will create jobs opportunity for 2993 Bangladeshi nationals.

Ali Reza Mazid, Member (Investment Promotion) of BEPZA and Nafees Muntasir Khan, Managing Director of Trendy Textiles Limited signed an agreement to this effect on behalf of their respective organizations on Tuesday.

BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman, witnessed the agreement signing ceremony.

Members (Engineering) Mohammad Faruque Alam, Nafisa Banu (Finance) executive directors Nazma Binte Alamgir, Md. Tanvir Hossain and Md. Khorshid Alam, among other, were present at the function.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has reiterated Bangladesh government’s resolve to work closely with the government of Japan to promote the existing bilateral relations to a new height.

A documentary titled “Welcome Bangabandhu 1973” on the historic visit of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Japan on 18-24 October 1973 was screened on Tuesday afternoon at the Foreign Service Academy.

The Japan government-made documentary was screened by the Embassy of Japan in Dhaka in association with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pay profound respect to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the 50th anniversary year of Bangladesh-Japan bilateral relations.

Momen joined the event as the chief guest while State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam joined as special guest.

Read:UK ready to send independent observers to Bangladesh national polls: Envoy

Dhaka to work closely with Tokyo to take relations to a new height: FM

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh Ito Naoki, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges Rowshan Ara Mannan, chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Waseqa Ayesha Khan, Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other senior officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives from JICA, JETRO and Japanese community living in Bangladesh, students from the Institute of Modern Language and the Department of Japanese Studies of Dhaka University, members from print and electronic media, among others, joined the event.

Foreign Minister Momen highlighted the significance of Bangabandhu’s visit to Japan in 1973 in fostering today’s exemplary relations between our two friendly nations.

He also credited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in forging ever-lasting bonds of friendship between Bangladesh and Japan by elevating the relationship into “Comprehensive Partnership” level.

State Minister Shahriar Alam said Bangabandhu’s historic visit to Japan initiated the legacy of a steadfast and lasting friendship between our two countries.

Dhaka to work closely with Tokyo to take relations to a new height: FM

Highlighting Japan’s footprints in almost all our socio-economic sectors, the State Minister hoped that Japan will stand beside Bangladesh in realizing Bangabandhu’s dream of ‘Sonar Bangla’.

Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh Ito Naoki echoed the influence of Bangabandhu’s Japan visit towards fostering a time-tested robust Bangladesh-Japan relations.

Foreign Secretary Masud shared that during our Liberation War and thereafter, particularly, following the Bangabandhu’s visit, Japan has transited to be a true partner in fulfilling Bangabandhu’s vision towards turning Bangladesh into a prosperous country like Japan.

The Ambassador of Japan handed over a photo album containing 50 memorable photos of Bangabandhu’s landmark visit to Japan in 1973 to Foreign Minister, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Chairpersons of the Parliamentary Standing Committees on the Ministries of Road Transport and Bridges; and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, and Foreign Secretary.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited (AIBL) on Tuesday organized a seminar titled ‘Bangabandhu and Bangladesh’ marking the 47th Death Anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The event was presided by Managing Director and CEO Farman R. Chowdhury while Director Kh. Mesbah Uddin Ahmed was present, according to a press release.

Read: AIBL signs agreement with Padma Diagnostic

Chairman of the Bank Alhajj Salim Rahman was present as the chief guest on the occasion.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University AAMS Arefin Siddique discussed as key speaker on the occasion.

Among others, Deputy Managing Directors and Senior Executives of the Bank participated in the seminar.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

India on Tuesday sacked three Air Force officers after they were inducted by a court of inquiry set up to probe the “accidental firing” of a supersonic missile into neighbouring Pakistan in March this year.

A BrahMos missile that was “accidentally” fired on March 9 from an Air Force base in the northern Indian state of Punjab landed inside Pakistan’s Punjab province.

In a statement on March 11, the Indian Defence Ministry said, “On 9 March 2022, in the course of routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile. The Government of India has taken a serious view and ordered a high-level court of enquiry.”

Read: Police break up Muslim gathering in Kashmir, dozens detained

More than six months on, the Defence Ministry held the three Air Force officers responsible for the “misfire” of the Brahmos missile, with a strike range of 400kms, and sacked them, sources said.

In fact, a day after the “accidental firing”, Pakistan’s military spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar said, “On 9 March, at 6.43pm, a high-speed flying object was picked up inside the Indian territory…”

“From initial course, it deviated and entered Pakistan territory and fell in Pakistani territory, causing some damage to civilian installations, but no loss of life was reported,” he had said.

India and Pakistan are arch rivals and have fought at least three major wars since 1947 over the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday asked master operator( Mechanical Division) of Chattogram Port Authority Azam Khan and his wife to submit their wealth statements.

Deputy Director of ACC Public relation office Muhammad Arif Sadeq told UNB, a notice was issued in this regard.

Read:Ranjit Kumar Roy in ACC’s crosshairs

The notice sought statements declaring all immovable or movable properties acquired in their own names and their dependents.

The source of income and the detailed information on how those were acquired will have to be submitted to the ACC within 21 working days of receiving the notice.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Gold ornaments weighing around 46 bhori were stolen from the flat of a former Additional IGP in the city’s New Eskaton Garden on Monday night.

The incident took place in the duplex flat of former Additional IGP Khandkar Mozammel Haque at the New Eskaton Garden under Ramna police station on Monday night.

Contacted, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ramna Police Station Monirul Islam said Moutosi Khandker, daughter of Khandkar Mozammel Haque, filed a case with the police station on Tuesday.

Read: 7 held in city for extortion, blackmailing

In her complaint, she mentioned that gold ornaments weighing around 46 bhori were stolen by thieves who entered the duplex flat by cutting the grill of a window, Monirul said. A bhori is a measurement of the weight of gold used in the Indian Subcontinent. A single bhori works out to around 11.7 grams. It means the total gold stolen weighed over half a kilogram.

“We have been scrutinizing the CCTV footage and trying to identify the perpetrators,” the OC added.

Mitali Hossain, wife of Mozammel Haque, told reporters that she along with her husband has been living on the lower floor of the duplex flat and other family members on the upper floor. The upper floor was empty on Monday night. The room was closed, she said.

When she opened the door in the morning, the window grill was cut. The locker of the cupboard in the room was broken. And gold ornaments weighing 46 bhori were stolen from the cupboard, Mitali Hossain added.

Source: United News of Bangladesh