Latest Bangladesh News Online
After long negotiations with different stakeholders in Moldova, they have agreed to take Bangladeshi workers.
In the first batch 28 Bangladeshi workers were issued Moldovian visa, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told UNB on Saturday.
They will work in an aluminum window making factory and 40 more are in pipeline, Momen said.
Moldova stopped hiring workers from Bangladesh more than a decade ago.
Source: United News of Bangladesh
Speakers at a discussion have said there are immense opportunities for Bangladeshi businessmen in China’s Yunnan province, which is two hours air travel distance from Dhaka.
The province’s natural beauty also easily attracts travel-loving people of Bangladesh, they said.
They came up with the remarks at a program on “Colorful Yunnan” jointly organized by Chinese Embassy in Dhaka, the foreign affairs office (China) of the Yunnan Province, and the Yunnan Commercial Representative Office in Dhaka.
The program was held at Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center (BBCFEC) in the capital on Saturday.
Speaking as the chief guest, State Minister for Cultural Affairs K M Khalid said, “Around 80 per cent area of Yunnan is hilly . There are thousands of varieties of flowers in the province and its natural beauty easily attracts tourists.”
Li Jiming, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, said, “The distance between Bangladesh and Yunnan is not too much and it takes only two hours by air. The landscape, hills, diversified culture, and foods easily attract tourists.”
The program was organized to celebrate 73 years of the National Day People’s Republic of China.
The culture and heritage, natural beauty, flowers, organic food, and many other products of the province were displayed at the function.
Governor of Yunnan Province Wang Yubo, Director of Yunnan Commercial Representative Office in Bangladesh Li Xiao, among others, spoke at the function.
Source: United News of Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today categorically assured that people will cast their votes freely in the upcoming election and said that BNP has nothing to be worried about.
“I think they (BNP) get anxious when there’s a fair election, because they are not going to get the scope to come to power through vote-rigging and keeping 1.23 crore fake voters on the voters’ list. Otherwise, there is nothing to be worried about,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while responding to a question at a press conference held at Bangladesh Permanent Missions in the UN.
Sheikh Hasina said that elections are always free and fair under AL government, and that was not the case in the past.
“Who are they who want to raise questions regarding elections? Awami League has always fought to establish democracy in the country,” she said.
She also said that AL never came to power through rigging votes.
“AL always takes office through peoples’ votes,” she added.
“People will cast their votes in the election freely. The 2009, 2014 and 2018 elections were held under such environment,” she said.
Talking about BNP’s participation in the upcoming national election, she said, BNP did not participate in the 2014 election, and that was their decision.
“They knew that they do not have any possibility to come to power through a proper election process. They are used to taking over through murders, coup and conspiracy. That is the reality,” she said.
The Prime Minister said that the AL government has ensured people’s right to vote.
Sheikh Hasina also claimed that the AL government has put the election process of the country on the right track which was derailed during the military regimes and BNP-Jamaat tenures.
Regarding use of electronic voting machine (EVM), she said that EVM is a modern system and used in many countries around the world.
“We saw that elections where EVM was used got faster election results and people could give their votes freely,” she said.
She, however, said that it is true there are some people against EVM use.
Source: United News of Bangladesh
Islami Bank Bangladesh has won the “Best Bank in Bangladesh” honour at the South Asian Business Excellence Awards 2022 presented by the South Asian Partnership Summit.
Planning Minister MA Mannan handed over the award to Mohammed Monirul Moula, managing director and chief executive officer of the bank, Thursday at a Dhaka hotel, according to a media statement.
Morshed Alam MP and Asha Jayamanne, founder and chair of the South Asian Partnership Summit and Business Excellence Awards, were also present.
Islami Bank is a joint venture public limited company engaged in commercial banking business based on Islamic shariah.
Established in 1983 as the first Islamic bank in southeast Asia, it is listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange and Chittagong Stock Exchange.
Source: United News of Bangladesh
The foreign debt flow to Bangladesh has decreased by 24.38 percent – to USD 86.43 crore – in July-August of the current fiscal year (FY), compared to the previous FY.
The latest report of Economic Relation Division (ERD) revealed that Bangladesh received USD 86.43 crore in the first two months (July-August) of the current fiscal year, which was USD 1.14 billion in the same period last fiscal year. It shows a decrease of 24.38 percent in foreign credit.
The fiscal year 2022-23 started with a jump in foreign credit flow in continuation of the last financial year. In July, the first month of FY 2022-23, nearly USD 49 crore in foreign debt came into the country which was 48.50 percent more than July last year.
But, in August it stumbled. Donors have written off USD 37.63 crore credits this month, which is about 23 percent less than the previous month.
Bangladesh set a record in receiving low-interest foreign loans in FY 22 in the global situation that was turned upside down by the shock of the Russia-Ukraine war after pandemic. Donors waived more than USD 10 billion in foreign credits in FY 22.
The ERD, a wing of the Finance Ministry, released data on foreign credit waivers on Thursday, showing that USD 86.43 crore was received from donors in the first two months (July-August) of FY 23. Of them, project aid came to USD 83.29 crore. And the donation received is USD 3.14 crore.
During the same period last year, project assistance was USD 1.10 billion. Grants came in at USD 3.42 crore.
Bangladesh’s foreign credit continues to increase from the fiscal year 2017-18. In the same year, the foreign credit increased from USD 3 billion to USD 6.37 billion in one jump. Then in FY 2018-19, the debt was USD 6.54 billion.
Source: United News of Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that she is returning from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) with friendship for Bangladesh.
She made the remark in response to a query regarding what she was returning home with from the 77th UNGA.
“Friendship, I’m returning home with friendship for Bangladesh. Everyone tried to mention Bangladesh’s development,” the PM said.
PM Hasina was speaking at a press conference held at Bangladesh’s Permanent Mission in the UN.
“The most important thing is that we want peace. I don’t want war, I don’t want conflict. I think I have been able to convey this message to everyone and everyone has appreciated Bangladesh and our role,” she said.
Replying to another question on investment of expatriates in Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said that investment opportunities have been created so that expats can invest without hassles in the country.
“The government is establishing 100 economic zones for domestic and foreign investment,” she added.
In response to another question, she said, expats who do not have NID can open bank accounts with their passports. “That arrangement has already been made.”
Source: United News of Bangladesh
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday issued a warning to the government that they will no longer tolerate the killing of people in police firing.
“The country’s people won’t tolerate it anymore if you arbitrarily open fire, send people to jail and resort to arson attacks,” he said.
Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader also said the government will not be able to stop or suppress the movement of people and upsurge that has started by killing opposition activists like Shaon, Abdur Rahim and Noor-e-Alam.
Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal arranged the programme in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, protesting the killing of its activist Shahidul Islam Shaon in police firing in Munshiganj.
Fakhrul called upon people of all walks of life, including youth and students, to wake up across the country to protect the country and restore democracy. “We don’t say to take BNP to power. We talk about putting people of Bangladesh in power as they’re the owners of the country.”
He also urged all political parties to get united to wage a fierce mass movement to defeat the monstrous government and force it to step down.
“We would like to clearly tell the government to quit before time runs out and hand over power to a non-party caretaker government by dissolving the parliament for establishing a government of people through a credible election,” the BNP leader said.
He said they want to avenge the blood of Shahidul Islam Shaon, Abdur Rahim, Nur-e-Alam and Shaon Pradhan by removing the Awami League government. “Let’s all move forward with more determination to resist the automatic regime. This is only way left for us.”
Fakhrul denounced the killing of Shaon in police firing on a programme of BNP in Munshiganj and demanded punishment to those involved in the incident.
Speaking at the programme, Shaon’s father Chowab Ali Bhuiyan said a case was filed against his dead son. “ How is it possible! What country do we live in? I am a poor man. My son joined the procession and he was shot dead there. I want you to put those who shot and killed my son on trial.”
Saying that some people are threatening him to implicate in a case, Bhuiyan urged the government to ensure security for him and his family.
“Please, you all pray for my son. You can’t understand the pain I am going through losing my son,” he said in an emotion choked voice.
Source: United News of Bangladesh
Unidentified assailants stabbed Chandpur Awami League politician and freedom fighter Rafiq Ullah, 70, to death Saturday, police said.
Around 6:30pm his body was found at a residential hotel in the Natun Bazar area of Chandpur city with injuries all over it.
Rafiq was declared dead after being taken to Chandpur General Hospital, Chandpur Additional Superintendent of Police Sudipta Roy said.
The Awami League politician did not get married and used to live alone, locals said.
“Efforts are underway to nab the assailants. The caretaker of the hotel, Miraz, is being questioned,” Sudipta said.
Source: United News of Bangladesh
Abdur Rahim Roni, the prime accused in Noakhali schoolgirl Adita rape and killing case, gave a confessional statement before court on Saturday.
Roni, a former coaching teacher of the girl, was produced before Noakhali Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court on Saturday where he gave the confessional statement under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), Md Shahidul Islam, superintendent of Noakhali district police told a press briefing at his office.
In his statement, Roni confessed that he first strangulated Aditi to death and later confirmed her death by slitting her throat.
Earlier on Thursday night, police arrested four people including Roni in connection with the rape and murder of the schoolgirl.
On Friday, the court placed Roni on a three-day police remand for interrogation and the next day Roni gave his confessional statement before the magistrate.
On Thursday afternoon, Roni along with the other accused entered the girl’s house and violated her. She was alone there at that time as her mother went out, said the local SP.
Returning home, Adita’s mother found her daughter in a pool of blood with her throat slit and immediately called police.
Police recovered the body around 9pm and sent it to hospital for an autopsy, said the police official.
Source: United News of Bangladesh
The Saudi Arabian women’s football team, launched in October 2021, will play their first game on home soil at the Prince Sultan Stadium in Abha, the capital of Asir. The hosts will face Bhutan on September 24 and 28. These are the third and fourth matches to be played by the Green Falcons. According to the Khaleej Times, they won their opening games 2-0 against Seychelles and Maldives.
Saudi Arabia wants to encourage the participation of women in sports at all levels as part of its Vision 2030. Women’s football is one of the seven main strategic priorities for the Saudi Arabian Football Federation because it is the most popular sport in the country.
“Win, lose or draw, these home matches are a historic moment in the transformative journey that women’s football is on in Saudi Arabia. Following an unbeaten opening two games against Seychelles and the Maldives.” “This is a landmark moment for the women’s game and is a first opportunity to play on home turf and in front of friends and family.” Saudi Arabia’s Football Federation President Yasser Al Misehal told Khaleej Times.
“As well as developing and improving on-pitch, the team’s impact is being felt by the number of women and girls throughout the country, who are being inspired to play and follow football.” He also added.
The Saudi Arabian women’s football team’s German head coach, Monika Staab, said: “After the historic opening matches for our country’s women’s team, these fixtures give our players the chance to play on their home soil for the first time. As a team, we continue to improve and get better, while as a sport, we’re making huge progress at all levels and are proudly making history together. ”
Source: United News of Bangladesh