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Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Chattogram-10 lawmaker and former primary and mass education minister Dr Afsarul Amin.
In a condolence message, she prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
Dr Afsarul Amin died while undergoing treatment at a city hospital this afternoon. He was 65.
Amin had long been suffering from cancer.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, Birpratik, today expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Netrakona district Mohila Awami League President Kamrunnesa Ashraf Dina, also the spouse of State Minister for Social Welfare Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru.
In a condolence message, the minister prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
Azampur Football Club Uttara relegated as they played to a 1-1 goal draw with Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra in the Bangladesh Premier League football held today (Friday) at Rafiq Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh.
According to the bylaws of Bangladesh Premier League, two teams will be relegated from this league and play in the Bangladesh Championship League. Muktijoddha Sangsad is at 10th position with 15 points from 17 matches, Chittagong Abahani has 16 points from 16 matches and Rahmatganj Muslim and Friends Society has 17 points from 16 outings, all are also fighting to avoid relegation.
In the day's match, Colombian forward Richard Maturana scored for AFC Uttara while Ivorian midfielder Kpehi Didier Brossou netted for Sheikh Russel.
The match was locked 1-1 at the breather.
Richard Maturana put AFC Uttara ahead in the 22nd minute while Kpehi Didier Brossou scored the equalizer for Sheikh Russel in the 45+3rd minute of the match.
With the day's outcome, Sheikh Russel secured 23 points from 17 matches while bottom-ranked AFC Uttara bagged five points playing the same number of matches and it will not be possible from them to avoid relegation if they win their remaining three matches of the league.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
Abahani Limited Dhaka become runners-up in the Bangladesh Premier League football beating Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by 3-0 goals held today (Friday) at Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium in Cumilla.
In the day's match, Nigerian-born Bangladesh forward Eleta Kingsley, his compatriot Emeka Ogbugh and Costa Rican forward Daniel Colindres scored one goal each for Abahani Limited, who led the first half by 2-0 goals.
Kingsley put Abahani Limited ahead in the 23rd minute while Emeka doubled the lead scoring the second goal in the 45+2nd minute of the match.
After the breather, Colindres completed the tally scoring the third goal for Abahani Limited in the 48th minute of the match.
The six times league champions Abahani Limited completely dominated the entire proceeding and notched their deserving victory on the day while Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club were totally off-colored.
The day's win saw, the popular sky blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani Limited secured 37 points from 18 matches. Losing the remaining two matches in the league will not affect the second position.
On the other hand, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club remained at their previous credit of 21 points playing 17 outings.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder today ruled out any possibility of creating inflation in the country from the target of government borrowings including from bank borrowings set in the proposed budget for the next fiscal year (FY24).
"Currently, the inflation in the country is not because of the supply side, rather it is absolutely imported inflation," he said.
The central bank governor said this while replying to a question during the post budget press conference held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the capital this afternoon.
Out of the total budgetary outlay of Taka 7,61,785 crore for the FY24, the budget deficit has been estimated at Taka 2,61,785 crore of which Taka 1,32,395 crore will come from the banking sector.
Rouf also told a questioner that the central bank would not try to contain inflation through printing cash notes and there is no such possibility.
He informed that the central bank would deliver the monetary policy statement on June 18 where there would be in details about the measures for containing inflation.
The Governor said that there would be supply side intervention in the budget so that the inflation remains in control. He said although a huge amount has been spent in payments of interest and subsidies, but it would not put any impact in controlling inflation. "Besides, there will be no such austerity in utilizing the ADP."
He said that the country would be able to meet the import bills of five months with the current level of foreign currency reserves.
"Our main task is now to make the financial account positive and hopefully it will be in a stable state within a few months. Then the foreign currency reserve will increase gradually," he added.
When asked about the measures in the budget for improving the financial sector, Rouf said that the draft of the amended Bank Companies Act has already got approval of the cabinet and will be placed in Jatiya Sangsad while the draft of the Secured Transactions Act will also go into Jatiya Sangsad. Besides, the draft of the Insolvency Ac is at the final stage.
The central bank Governor said efforts are on to bring down the NPL trend at the private banks at 5 percent while that of the public banks within 10 percent.
"We've already identified some problematic banks and thus took corrective measures. Whatever erosion has taken place will be addressed in phases,"
Asked about the measures for improving the stock market, the Governor said that some 3 to 4 major policy issues were solved over the last one year while the central bank has extended necessary policy support in this regard.
But, now it is high time to develop the bond market whether the central bank has been extending necessary support to the BSEC in this regard, he added.
Responding to another question about the possibility of attaining government's target of 75 percent cashless society by 2027, Rouf said that some pilot schemes are being implemented in this regard while interoperable platform has also being developed alongside the unique QR code and national debit card.
The Governor said that the digital bank initiative in the country would be entirely virtual and it would help to establish a digital society as almost six crore people of the country now use smart phones.
"Once digital bank is established, it will increase the pace of transactions and thus it will be possible to attain the target by 2027," he added.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
Fourteen mountaineers including four foreigners have today successfully reached atop the Mount Kanchenjunga.
The climbers who scaled the third highest peak of the world included Yukta, Phursana, Tej, Mingmar, Dawa Yangjom, Dima, Pasang Dorji and Dima Dawa, and four foreigners (one from the United States, two from Taiwan and one from France), said Mingma David Sherpa, manager of the Elite Expedition, which managed their expedition.
Prior to this ascent of the mountain, they successfully scaled the Mount Everest, he said.
Source: National News Agency Nepal
Two local levels in Jhapa district have closed community schools within due to rising temperature. The temperature has soared in Jhapa district to as high as 40 degree on Wednesday.
Mechinagar Municipality has directed all community, religious and institutional schools within to shut classes for two days on June 1-2. Similarly, the schools in Kachanakabal Rural Municipality will remain closed for five days from June 1 to 5. Classes affected by the school closure will be compensated by reducing the time allocated for the summer leave, it has been said.
Source: National News Agency Nepal
Leaders of Awami League (AL) and its associate bodies today held processions and rallies at various wards and thanas in the city hailing the proposed national budget for fiscal 2023-24.
They welcomed the proposed budget and termed it as pro-people, development-oriented and people-friendly.
AL Dhaka City South unit brought out a procession in front of the party's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue which paraded different city streets.
Led by AL Dhaka South City unit President Abu Ahmed Mannafi, the procession was joined, among others, by its Vice Presidents Hedayetul Islam Swapan and Dilip Roy, General Secretary Humayun Kabir, Joint General Secretary Mohiuddin Mahi, Organizing Secretaries Golam Ashraf Talukdar and Golam Sarwar Kabir.
Noting that the budget is a 'self-reliant budget to save lives and livelihoods', the AL leaders said that the government has given a realistic and time-befitting budget by prioritizing lives and livelihoods in the time of crisis.
Central leaders of Bangladesh Krishak League, Bangladesh Awami Swechasebak League, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Awami Jubo League and Awami Matsyajibi League brought out rallies and distributed sweets as a gesture of appreciation towards the budget.
A joyous procession of Chhatra League started from the 'Madhur Canteen' of Dhaka University (DU) at 4:45 pm and ended in front of the 'Raju Bhaskorjo' parading various roads of the DU campus.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal today placed the national budget of over Taka 7.61 lakh crore for the next fiscal year (FY24) at the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) with the main philosophy of turning Bangladesh into a happy-prosperous, developed 'Smart Bangladesh' by 2041.
He presented the budget proposal in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with JS Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
The theme of the budget is 'Towards Smart Bangladesh Sustaining the Development Achievements in a Decade and a Half.'
This is the country's 52nd budget and the 24th of the Awami League government in five terms.
This budget for FY24 is the 5th consecutive budget of incumbent Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said the ruling party never scores on an empty field and it always wants competitive elections.
"We always want competitive elections. The Awami League believes the people are the only source of power. The AL never goes to the state power through conspiracy or using the backdoor," he said in a statement.
Responding to a statement of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the AL general secretary said Mirza Fakhrul talked about scoring on empty field but for the last seven decades, the Awami League has been continuing struggles to establish the democratic rights of the country's people and the rule of law.
Avoiding the bloodshot eyes of barbarian Pakistani rulers and military dictators, the Awami League had maintained the trend of the country's democratic movements and struggles, he said.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said using its leaders and workers, BNP has been carrying out terrorist acts and destructive works in the name of so-called movement.
The BNP killed several hundreds of innocent people through arson terrorism and they (BNP leaders) have been sponsoring extremist evil forces and terrorists to destroy the country's democratic environment and political stability, he said.
The AL general secretary said these terrorist forces of BNP cause damage to the lives and properties of the common people, but when measures are taken against them as per the law of the country, they raise fabricated allegations of 'suppression of opposition party' through media.
Mentioning that the government is committed to protecting the people and their assets and maintaining zero tolerance policy against terrorism, Quader warned that anyone involved in terrorist activities must be brought to justice and this is the universal policy.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
Awami League (AL) will sell nomination forms for
a By-election to the Dhaka-17 constituency, nine Municipality and 37 Union
Parishad (UP) from June 3-6 as Election Commission has announced schedule of
the polls.
Aspiring candidates can collect the forms from AL President Sheikh Hasina`s
Political Office at Dhanmondi between 10.30 am and 4.30 pm, said a press
release signed by AL Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua.
The AL has also asked the aspiring candidates to strictly maintain all Covid-
safety protocols during the collection and submission of the nomination
forms.
The party also has asked all the candidates to bring their National Identity
Cards (NIDs) to collect the nomination forms. Nomination forms will be
submitted by June 6, the release added.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
Two officials of 'Sundarban Air Travels and
Tours' today testified in a graft case filed against BNP acting chairman
Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman.
Senior Sales officer Golam Kibria and Accountant Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of the
travel agency submitted their depositions at the court of Dhaka Metropolitan
Senior Special Judge Mohammad Asaduzzaman this afternoon.
The court adjourned the hearing of the case till June 4.
Total 10 people among 56 witnesses in the case have testified before the
court so far.
Earlier on November 1, 2022, the court issued arrest warrants against the duo
after accepting the charges pressed against them. On February 6, this year,
the court issued a gazette asking the couple to appear before the court.
On September 26 in 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case
against Tarique, Zubaida and Tarique's mother-in-law Iqbal Mand Banu for
amassing illegal wealth of Taka 4.81 crore and concealing information about
the assets, said the case documents.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
Md Ayub Hossain Mondal, vice-president of
Niamatpur Upazila Unit of Awami League in Naogaon District, passed away this
morning.
He was 72.
He breathed his last while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Rajshahi.
He left behind his wife, a son, two daughters and a host of relatives and
admirers to mourn his death, said a press release, signed by AL Office
Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua.
AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader
expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of Mondal.
In a condolence message, Quader prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul
and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha