Day: April 4, 2023

Mayor of Rangpur Md. Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa has said the proposed Integrated Solid Waste Management Improvement Project will be launched soon to ensure an eco-friendly, hygienic and clean environment in Rangpur city.

"Implementation of the project will improve public health and quality of life by reducing exposure to pollutants and disease vectors associated with solid waste and strengthen capacity to implement effective waste management services," he said.

Mostafa said this while addressing a stakeholder consultation on "Integrated Solid Waste Management for Rangpur City Corporation" held at the hall room of Rangpur City Corporation (RpCC) here on Monday afternoon as the chief guest.

Technical Assistance Project on Integrated Solid Waste Management Improvement Project for Integrated Solid Waste Management of the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) organised the event.

The event was arranged aiming at speeding up preparatory activities for launching the LGED-proposed project marking the visit of an eight-member delegation of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to Rangpur city.

Executive Engineer of RpCC Md. Anisuzzaman presented the overall picture of Rangpur City Corporation in the event.

Presided over by Chief Executive Officer of RpCC Md. Ruhul Amin Miah, Project Director of the Second City Region Development Project of LGED Md. Hamidul Hoque, Financial Management Expert of AIIB) Yogesh Bom Malla, Waste Concern Consultant Architect and City Planner Abu Hasnat Md. Maqsood Sinha and Civil Engineer and City Planner Iftekhar Enayetullah spoke as special guests.

Superintending Engineers of RpCC Md. Asaduzzaman and Md. Abu Taleb Sarkar, its Executive Engineer Md. Azam Ali, Chief Revenue Officer Joyoshree Rani Roy, Property Officer Md. Ahsan Habib, Urban Planner Md. Nazrul Islam, City Councilors, professionals and civil society members participated in the open discussion

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Farmers have harvested around 34.78 lakh

tonnes of potatoes from around 1.49 lakh hectares of land in all eight

districts under Rajshahi division during the current harvesting season.

The latest official data said 2.22 lakh tonnes of potatoes were produced from

95,403 hectares of land in four districts under Bogura Agricultural Zone,

while another 1.26 lakh tonnes from 53,652 hectares of four other districts

under Rajshahi Agricultural Zone.

At present, growers are seen happy with their harvested cash crop along with

its sale price. Abundance supply of the tuber crop in both wholesale and

retail markers also made the consumers in general happy.

Market sources said potatoes are now being sold at Taka 800 to 900 per mound

at wholesale markets on an average, while at Taka 950 to 1,000 in retail

markets and vendors level.

In all perspectives, potato farming has become a lucrative business as many

people attained successes in terms of making them financially solvent in the

region, including its vast Barind tract, for the last couple of years.

Abdul Baqui, 54, a resident of Mollapara area in Rajshahi city, had

cultivated potato on 80 bigha of land at Krishnapur area under Tanore upazila

in the district this year with the hope of making profit through his venture.

Talking to BSS here Monday afternoon, he said he has harvested 120 mounds of

yield from each bigha of land as the climatic conditions remained till the

harvesting end.

Baqui said potatoes are being sold at Taka 850 to Taka 900 per mound in the

wholesale markets, while at Taka 950 to 980 in retail markets on an average

at present.

Mosarraf Hossain, 45, another commercial farmer of the Krishnapur area, said

potato cultivation eventually inspired the local farmers. Potato cultivation

in Tanore had expanded to around 6,000 hectares of land.

He is witnessing a revolution in potato farming in the last couple of years.

Tanore and Godagari upazilas are now considered the second largest source of

potatoes.

Hossain is estimating that potatoes worth around Taka 550 crore will be sold

from only Tanore this season.

Now, however, the land owners are no longer appeased with just a sack of

potatoes. They lease their land out for Taka 8,000-10,000 for potato

cultivation on one bigha of land.

As the potatoes of the Barind area are high in both quality and quantity,

farmers sell one sack of 70kg for Taka 150-200 higher than elsewhere. They

produce 40 per cent of the potatoes harvested in Rajshahi district.

Kazi Rashidul Islam, another potato farmer from Mohanpur, is cultivating

potatoes on 300 bighas of land this year. Besides farming, he sells potato

seeds. This year he will collect 300 tonnes of seeds. Of these, he has sowed

100 tonnes of seeds for his own scheme.

Seeing the business opportunity, Abdul Awal, a resident of Mundumala under

Tanore, has started potato farming on lease basis. He has cultivated potatoes

on 85 bighas of land.

Many Tanore and Godagari residents sold their one-crop fields to buyers from

different areas. Now potatoes are being produced on these lands.

Mijanur Rahman, an operator of deep-tube-well in Krishnapur village, said the

farmers are seen cultivating potatoes more instead of Boro paddy in the

Barind area and the Tanore and Godagari upazilas in particular.

He identically mentioned that the farmers are interested in potato farming as

it's being adjudged as a less-irrigation consuming crop than the Boro paddy.

In the previous season, over 36.25 lakh tonnes of potatoes were produced from

around 1.65 lakh hectares of land in the division making the farmers happy

due to its good yield and cherished market price during the current season.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam claimed 5-58 as Bangladesh kept them slightly ahead of Ireland despite the visitors staged a superb fightback late on day one at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.

Ireland which is playing its first Test since 2019 failed to deal with Bangladesh's much-vaunted spin attack as it was expected.

Offspinner Mehidy Hasan and pacer Ebadot Hossain took two wickets each to complement Taijul's effort as Ireland were shot out for 214 in its first innings.

Skipper Shakib Al Hasan, a left-arm spinner who holds the record of highest test wickets for Bangladesh, bowled just three overs, much to the relief of Ireland which handed six players a debut in this match.

But Ireland bowlers bowled intelligently to give the side something to cherish as they reduced Bangladesh to 34-2 before the bails were drawn for day one.

They ended the day on high indeed after taking out Tamim Iqbal, thanks to offspinner Andy McBrine for 20 on what was the last ball of the day.

Mominul Haque was batting on 12 as Bangladesh were trailing by 180 runs.

Before the dismissal of Tamim, pacer Mark Adair made inroad in the first over, dismissing Najmul Hossain Shanto for duck in the first over.

Harry Tector was the top-scorer for Ireland with 50 and Lorcan Tucker made 37 to help Ireland proper past 200 runs mark after being reduced to 48-3. Curtis Campher was the other notable scorer with 34.

Bangladesh got success in fifth over after Ireland opted to bat first with pacer Shoriful Islam trapping Murray Commins, one of the six debutants of Ireland, leg-before on 5.

Fast bowler Ebadot Hossain had opener James McCollum caught by Najmul Hossain Shanto on 15, ending his shaky stay in the crease.

Captain Andrew Balbirnie and Tector looked confident and the latter made his intention clear to dominate the spinners, hitting offspinner Mehidy HasanMiraz the only six in this session over mid-on.

Tector also hit two fours, all two against left-arm spinner Taijul Islam who looked threatening and found some turn and bounce.

Taijul, however, reaped the reward of his persistency, removing Balbirnie (16) with one that spun sharply. He reviewed the leg-before decision in vain.

Campher joined Tector and they combined for a 74-run for the fourth wicket stand and things looked ominous for Bangladesh.

Miraz broke through with the wicket of Tector who struck six fours and one six in his 92-ball-knock.

In the next over, Taijul joined the party, taking the wicket of Peter Moor, who is playing his first Test for Ireland after switching from Zimbabwe.

After trying to loft a turning delivery, Moor got a leading edge which was taken with ease by Tamim Iqbal at mid-off.

Taijul then baffled Campher with an arm delivery to put Ireland in troublesome situation.

As it looked Ireland's innings will come to an end quickly, Tucker and Mark Adair resisted.

Tucker stitched two little but important partnerships-34 with Andy McBrine who scored 19 for the seventh wicket and 40 with Adair for eighth wicket. These two partnerships pushed the side's total past 200 runs.

Taijul however got Tucker and Adair to complete his 11th five-for in Test cricket. Miraz thereafter brought an end to the Irish innings, dismissing Graham Hume for 2.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Bangladesh made a rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic supported by prudent macroeconomic policies, but the economy now faces considerable challenges with global economic uncertainty, rising inflationary pressure, energy shortages, a balance-of-payments deficit, and a revenue shortfall, said the World Bank (WB) in its twice-year-update.

Released today, the Bangladesh Development Update April 2023 entitled 'Trade Reform: An Urgent Agenda' said that accelerating the implementation of structural reforms, including trade reforms and export diversification, will help Bangladesh face the current challenges and a sustained growth momentum in Bangladesh is expected to accelerate over the medium term. In FY24, growth is expected to pick up to 6.2 percent.

The government has set GDP growth target of 6.5 per cent for FY23.

While releasing the report at WB Dhaka office, Abdoulaye Seck, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, said Russia's invasion of Ukraine and global uncertainly have impacted countries around the globe. Bangladesh's post-pandemic recovery has been disrupted by elevated commodity prices, rising interest rates, and slowing global growth.

The World Bank stands ready to support Bangladesh with reforms to accelerate growth and strengthen resilience, he added.

As per the update, higher commodity prices have contributed to inflationary pressure. The balance-of-payments deficit reached $7.2 billion in the first half of FY23, up from $5.3 billion in FY22 creating considerable pressure on foreign exchange reserves.

A multiple exchange rate system has contributed to the balance of payments pressure disincentivizing export and remittance inflows. Moving towards a single market-based exchange rate will help restore external balance. Domestic banks faced challenges with tighter liquidity and increasing non-performing loans. The fiscal deficit widened in FY23, with higher financing from domestic banks. However, the January 2023 joint World Bank-IMF Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) assessed that Bangladesh remained at low risk of debt distress.

Improving trade competitiveness for export diversification will be critical to achieving Bangladesh's aspiration of upper middle-income status by 2031.

Bernard Haven, World Bank Senior Economist and co-author of the report, said the ready-made garments sector accounts for about 83 percent of Bangladesh's exports.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the risk of overreliance on a single sector, he added.

He said, "Diversifying exports and improving competitiveness will help Bangladesh achieve upper middle income status by 2031. For this, it will be important for Bangladesh to reduce both tariff and non-tariff barriers. A comprehensive reform program can strengthen regional integration, particularly with South Asia and Southeast Asia"

The Bangladesh Development Update is a companion piece to the South Asia Economic Focus, a twice a-year World Bank report that examines economic developments and prospects in the South Asia region and analyzes policy challenges faced by countries. The Spring 2023 edition titled "Expanding Opportunities: Toward Inclusive Growth, launched on April 4, 2023", shows that South Asia's growth prospects have weakened due to tightening financial conditions, with large downside risks in most countries given limited fiscal space and depleting reserves. It also analyzes the high level of inequality of opportunity in the region and offers recommendations to achieve more equitable and inclusive growth.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Ratna (not real name) and her classmate Shafiul Islam Safi of a madrasha student in Paba upazila in the district.

Shafi opened a fake facebook ID after using the name and photograph of Ratna and sent her photo to messengers of different persons through the fake ID.

Sensing the matter Ratna had lodged a complaint with Paba Police Station for her own security. Subsequently, the case came to the Rajshahi Divisional Cyber Tribunal upon completion of the legal procedures.

After examining the recorded depositions of the prosecution witnesses and other relevant evidence the tribunal convicted and sentenced Shafi to jail.

Ratna said she got justice from the tribunal within a short time.

The tribunal was established here on April 4, 2021 for disposal of the cases filed under the Digital Security Act in eight districts in Rajshahi division.

In the last two years, the tribunal received 573 cases and 466 of those were disposed of, attaining success of 81.33 percent.

Advocate Ismat Ara, Public Prosecutor of the tribunal, told BSS that they have 107 under-trial cases, including 41 on investigation stage and 66 others on recording of depositions, at present.

She said each of the cases was disposed of in three months on an average.

All the information related to the cases remained online and the litigants can get their respective information related to the date for hearing through using the "Amar Adalat App" from anywhere and anytime easily.

Advocate Ismat Ara said the rate of cases in their tribunal is reducing compared to other tribunals in the country. "This is our success," she added.

She also said the tribunal shows tolerance to the accused who came for the first time and arranged probation for them so that they can correct themselves.

During the probation period, they were inspired to read books on the war of liberation and tree plantation as an effort to let them return to normal life.

The effort also motivated others to remain abstain from the crime, she added.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary

gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at one or two places and weather may

remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the

country.

"Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is

likely to occur at one or two places over Mymensingh, Barishal, Chattogram

and Sylhet divisions and weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly

cloudy sky elsewhere over the country," said a met office forecast for the

next 24-hour begins from 9am this morning.

Day and night temperature may rise slightly over the country.

Trough of westerly low lies over the West Bengal and adjoining areas.

Seasonal low lies over the South Bay.

Country's highest temperature on Monday was recorded 35.5 degrees Celsius at

Chuadanga while today's minimum temperature 19.0 degrees Celsius today was

recorded jointly at Dimla and Rajarhat.

Maximum rainfall for the last twenty-four hours till 6am today was recorded

09 millimeters (mm) at Cox's Bazar.

The sun sets at 06.15 pm today and rises at 05.47 am tomorrow in the capital.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has arrested six alleged snatchers from the city’s Polo Ground area last night.

The arrested people were identified as Md. Bablu, 28, Md Al Amin, 22, Md. Arafat, 25, Md. Arman Hossain, 20, Md Suruj,19 and Md Delwar Hossain,26.

Sub-Inspector (SI) Borhan Uddin, in-charge of CRB Police Outpost under Kotwali Thana told BSS that the arrested snatchers were taking preparation for a robbery to the pedestrians of the city’s station road and Polo ground area at 11pm last night.

Based on secret information, a team of police arrested them from the said area with six knives.

A case filed with Kotwali thana in this connection.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A total of 500 small and marginal farmers in Bhaluka upazila of the district were given seeds and fertilizers free of cost as agro incentive for the cultivation of Ufshi Aush paddy in the current Kharif season.

To increase the interest of farmers in Aush cultivation, Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) distributed the incentives among the farmers, DAE office sources said.

The amount of incentive support and the number of farmers have been increased significantly in the current financial year in the district.

Member of Parliament of Mymensingh-11 constituency Alhaj Kazim Uddin Ahmed inaugurated the distribution function and handed over the incentive among the farmers at a function at the upazila hall room as the chief guest this morning with Upazila Agriculture Officer Jasmine Jahan in the chair.

Under the programme, each farmer was given five kilograms of Ufhsi Aush paddy seed, 10-kg of Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizers and 10-kg of Muriate of potash (MOP) fertilizers free of cost for cultivating one bigha of land.

Joint General Secretary of Upazila Awami League Nain Hasan, Upazila Krishak League President Ahsan Habib, among others, were present.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan today said the passenger train service will run on Mawa-Bhanga section from September this year after formal inauguration by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The first train crossed the Padma Bridge on trial basis packed with enthusiastic political leaders and activists today on the section via the Padma Bridge after inauguration, he said.

Water Resources Deputy Minister AKM Enamul Hoque Shameem, Chief Whip of Jatiya Sangsad Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury, lawmakers Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Naeem Razzak, Shagufta Yasmin Emily, Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Iqbal Hossain Apu and Faridpur Zila Parishad chairman Shahadat Hossain were present.

Railway minister Nurul Islam Sujon experienced the trail run along with chief whip and deputy minister for water resources and local MPs.

Addressing a press briefing, the minister said the passenger train will run on the section from September this year after formal inauguration by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Sujon said, "Today is a historic moment for Bangladesh. The inauguration of the dream Padma Multipurpose Bridge took place earlier. But there was a drawback as the rail link was not opened at the Padma Bridge. It is also going to be completed with the opening of the rail link. As a result, there will be tremendous changes in our rail communication system in the country."

Regarding the complete train movement, the minister said that the project is scheduled to start in June next year, adding, "By this time, work of the project up to Jashore is supposed to be completed. We are going from Bhanga in Faridpur to Mawa in Munshiganj. Expect to launch from Mawa to Dhaka next September."

A significant number of political leaders and activists crammed the train amid risk.

The Bangladesh Railway ran the train with plus and minus 20 km speed.

According to Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, work of four stations, 13 major bridges and four signaling systems were completed.

Progress of Mawa-Bhanga part is recorded 91 per cent progress while progress from Mawa to Dhaka was 72.50 per cent and Bhanga-Jashore 68 per cent.

The BR has been implementing PBRL project at a cost of Tk 392.46 billion to establish totally new rail track from Dhaka to Jashore through the country's longest bridge for developing shorter rail communication with southwestern districts mainly with 2nd port of Mongla.

The expensive project has been implemented with Chinese government loan amounting to Tk 210.36 billion.

The fast track project was approved on January 01, 2016 targeting to complete by 30 June, 2024.

The loan agreement was signed on April 27, 2018 and physical work began on June 03, 2018. China railway group limited (CREC) was awarded the work with contract valued US $ 3.138 billion. The signing was, however, done on August 08, 2016.

The PBRL project was taken with a major target to run the train through rail-cum-road bridge on the first day of opening. But due to delayed start of construction, the BR could not launch the train operation on the inaugural day. The trail run took place 10 months after the inauguration of road part of the bridge on June 25.

Besides, 100 new coaches are expected to be brought from China to ply on Dhaka-Jashore route via Padma Bridge and 45 coaches have already arrived in the country.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Bangladesh Navy (BN) warship 'Samudra Jai' today provided medical and food aid to 500 families living on Saint Martin Island.

Navy personnel distributed free medicine and medical services among 500 poor families at the Islamic High School ground, said a press release.

The Bangladesh Navy regularly conducts such activities with the help of the people of Saint Martin Island.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan today said it will be easy to alleviate poverty in the country if Zakat Fund and Zakat Board are strengthened.

He said this while addressing as the chief guest at the seminar titled 'Role of Zakat in Poverty Alleviation' organized by Zakat Board at Islamic Foundation's meeting room at Agargaon.

Faridul Haque Khan said that in the history of the Zakat Board, a record of Tk 10 crore was collected as Zakat in the last Ramadan. This year, it has targeted collection of Tk 20 crore as Zakat, he added.

The government passed the Zakat Fund Management Act 2023 in order to make Zakat management more organized, he said, adding that it is the moral responsibility of all to strengthen the Zakat Fund.

Director General of the Prime Minister's Office Md Shahidul Islam was the special guest at the event while Islamic Foundation Director General (Additional Secretary) Md Bashirul Alam presided over the programme.

Dr Mohammad Abdur Rashid, professor of Islamic Studies Department of Dhaka University, presented the keynote on the occasion.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Brigadier General Md Main Uddin, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence, today said Bangabazar was declared to be a risky place in 2019 by the fire service, and it was prone to fire or accident.

"On April 2, 2019, we declared it to be a risky establishment. We also hanged a banner outside it to warn the people...Notices were given to the authorities concerned several times," he said at a press briefing held in front of the Fire Service headquarters this afternoon.

The fire service DG said that the fire fighters had to face obstacles while dousing the fire due to enthusiastic crowds, gusts of strong wind and scarcity of water.

"The fire originated at Adarsha market at around 6:10am and spread quickly. With the help of the Armed Forces, Navy, Air Force, BGB, Police, RAB along with our 650 workers of 48 units, we were able to bring the fire under control at around 12:36pm," Main Uddin said.

While asked about the damage, the fire service head said, "A five-member probe body has been formed to look into the incident. Everyone is putting their best efforts into probing the matter... Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself is constantly monitoring the overall situation."

According to Fire Service headquarters sources, eight fire fighters were injured during this operation. Being in critical condition, two among them were taken to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (SHNIBPS).

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha