Day: August 22, 2023

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, is calling on the international community to renew its commitment to the nearly one million Rohingya refugees who have fled persecution in Myanmar for neighbouring Bangladesh.

This week marks six years since over 700,000 mostly-Muslim Rohingya men, women, and children joined the hundreds of thousands of others already sheltering in Bangladesh, following a brutal crackdown by security forces in Myanmar.

As humanitarian conditions in the world’s largest refugee settlement worsen, however, the challenges surrounding this protracted crisis continue to increase.

Funds running out

Steep declines in funding are forcing humanitarian actors to focus on only the most critical of humanitarian needs, said UNHCR.

This – for the first time - has led to a reduction of food assistance, raising concerns over consequences such as rising rates of malnutrition, child labour, and gender-based violence.

“In Bangladesh, funding shortfalls are already adversely affecting the wellbeing of nearly one million Rohingya refugees. Any further cuts to the Rohingya response will severely impact access to food, shelter materials, cooking fuels, sanitation facilities, and livelihood activities,” said UNHCR in Bangladesh.

Sustainable return

A dignified and sustainable return to Myanmar remains the primary solution to the crisis, the refugee agency stressed. Many Rohingya refugees say they want to return to Myanmar but only when it is safe for them to do so voluntarily; and the international community must now renew its efforts to make that possible.

UNHCR is calling for access to education and vocational training for refugees. This will not only equip them for their eventual return to Myanmar, but also ensure their dignity, safety, and productivity while in Bangladesh.

While the UN remains ready to support a sustainable return of refugees, it is crucial that UNHCR and partners are provided unimpeded access to Rakhine State in Myanmar, so they can assist and monitor returns.

Until refugees can safely do so, they remain in camps off the coast of the Bay of Bengal, a region vulnerable to extreme weather events and the impacts of climate change.

As a result, UNHCR continues to prioritize a climate action strategy, advocating for weather-and fire-resistant shelter materials. The strategy can also save millions of dollars in maintenance and rebuilding costs.

Responsibility to act

With nearly one million Rohingya refugees within its borders, Bangladesh has demonstrated humanitarian commitments and a generosity that must be acknowledged through continued investment in both the refugee and host communities, the agency stressed.

International stakeholders will have a chance to boost support and commitments to the Rohingya at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva in December.

As of mid-August, funding for the Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis totalled less than a third of its $876 million overall appeal.

“The Rohingya response is facing a severe funding crisis, illustrated by two recent cuts in food assistance. There is an urgent need to invest in collective efforts to allow Rohingya to become self-reliant as they cannot, and do not wish to, remain dependent on humanitarian aid,” said UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh Johannes van der Klaauw.

Source: EMM/ United Nations

Kathmandu, Aug 22: The telecommunications companies have been hesitating to implement the telecommunications traffic monitoring and fraud control system (TERAMOX) while the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has made it clear that it was brought for quality service.

NTA had brought the technology for over Rs 3 billion for making telecommunication service credible and qualitative. Although three data centres of NCell were connected to the technology, they were not implemented yet, according to NTA chairman Purushottam Khanal. Similarly, Nepal Telecom is also unwilling to install the technology.

Chairman Khanal viewed although the technology was being implemented for the quality service to consumers, misleading information was spread on it. He further said it was unnecessarily rumoured that TERAMOX was introduced to tap individual's SMS, call details and surreptitiously collect sensitive data.

Khanal refuted the news report made with such messages. "TERAMOX is brought not for collecting call details and SMS, but for quality enhancement," he underscored.

According to him, the service providing companies could read the certificate provided to NTA by the related company. "We purchased the technology in a customized design as per law," he shared. The NTA has not right/jurisdiction at all to intercept customers' SMS and call details. It can be viewed only after court order and with cooperation of related service provider.

If the NTA had purchased the technology that could intercept call details, it would cost double. In the wake of media reports on the latest purchase, the NTA has issued a white paper on TERAMOX technology, its features and functions.

"The TERAMOX technology is brought in a bid to monitor whether the service provider has taken fee as per rule. It helps us know whether telecommunications companies have provided quality service to the customers," Khanal reiterated.

The TERAMOX technology not only monitors service quality but also recommends compensation to the customers. It further makes companies accountable to customers and State, NTA asserts. Also monitored by the TERAMOX are call bypass and declined telecom services.

It has been shared that number of customers to telecommunication companies is declining, thereby denting income of late.

"TERAMOX technology would be useful to study why the income was lessening while use of data was on rise," Khanal viewed.

As per report of the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police, Nepal lost more than Rs 12 billion in revenue from 2068BS to 2076BS due to call bypass.

Source: National News Agency-Nepal

Triveni (Nawalparasi), Aug 22: Twenty-nine passengers were injured in a bus accident occurred at Binay Triveni of Nawalpur along the East-West Highway this morning.

Deputy Superintendent of Police at District Police Office, Nawalpur, Bed Bahadur Paudel, informed that a bus heading to Kathmandu from Dhangadhi (Su Pa Pra 01-001 Kha 2986) overturned on the road due to brake failure.

Those injured in the accident have been receiving treatment at Madhyabindu District Hospital, and Damkibas Health Post, DSP Paudel added.

However, all of the injured are out of danger. There were 35 passengers in total in the bus.

Source: National News Agency-Nepal

Kathmandu, Aug 22: The country has recorded 92 percent paddy plantation till August 18.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has informed that 1.48 million hectares of land has been cultivated with rice plantation across the country.

Joint Spokesperson at the ministry, Tapendra Bahadur Bohara, said Karnali Province and Sudurpaschim Province each witnessed 99 percent paddy plantation while Koshi Province 97 percent, Lumbini Province 95 percent, Gandaki Province 94 percent, Bagamti Province 93 and Madhes Province 82 percent.

In the same period last year, there was 95 percent paddy plantation, which declined to 92 percent due to delayed rainfall this year.

It is worrying that Madhes Province, which has fertile land for cultivation, recorded least paddy plantation this year.

Source: National News Agency-Nepal

Citing testimonies of a day labour Joj Miah, who had been framed by BNP-Jamaat led government to cover up their role in the heinous grenade attack, Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy reminded a grueling patronization of militants and the cabal of BNP leaders, led by Tarique Rahman, behind the blast.

With a video posted on twitter, Joy remarked: "How Tarique Rahman Hired and Unleashed Militants for 21st August Grenade Attack and Later Farmed a Youth named Joj Miah"?

Known as Hawa Bhaban plot, the carnage descended on an AL rally in 2004, when militants, directed by Tarique Rahman, hurled grenades leaving at least 24 dead with then opposition chief Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaping death with ear injuries.

Hawa Bhaban was featured heavily in media reports as alternative powerhouse operated by Tarique with access limited to his cabal of confidantes including politicians, government officials, militants and businessmen, between 2001 and 2006.

According to verdict, in the run up to the attack Tarique met militants, now serving sentences, enquired and endorsed the plot that mainly focused on physical liquidation of Sheikh Hasina.

But after the attack, a cover up drama was churned by then BNP-Jamaat led government that saw a youth presented before the press by law enforcement only to be unraveled by media investigations that Joj, picked up by law enforcers had no connection with the blast, thrown behind bars in exchange of money offered by police.

The video also contains another confession of dreaded militant leader Abdul Hannan who led the Harkat-ul Jihad al Islami (HuJI) that found responsible for the attack, where the now convicted militant admitted to conspire with BNP's top brass in the mission to eliminate Sheikh Hasina.

"In that chilling plot, a number of militants received state patronage who took part in the deadly grenade attack on AL rally that left at least 24 Awami League activists dead.

Then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped the assassination attempt with ear injuries. To cover up that state sponsored attack, Joj Miah, a hapless youth, had been framed by law enforcers and then leaders of BNP Jamaat led government held him responsible for the carnage" reminds Sajeeb Wazed Joy on twitter.

This video brings flashback to the ordeals of Joj Miah and BNP-Jamaat's blatant patronization for militants to decimate Awami League and progressive camps.

The video also contains interviews from senior journalists who unraveled the drama churned by BNP-Jamaat led government back then.

Meanwhile, Almost two decades of BNP top brass' denial of "orchestrating" the grisly August 21 grenade attack aimed at then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina and the elevation of Tarique Rahman as the acting chief of the party despite being sentenced to life imprisonment for "masterminding the attack" negated BNP's claim of being a democratic party and upended Bangladesh's political landscape forever, political analysts say.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said BNP killed about 22,000 AL leaders and activists during its regime from 2001-2006 when there was no room for democracy in the country.

“BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged that we killed 22 of their leaders and activists. Fakhrul Saheb, you (BNP) have killed our 22,000 leaders and activists. You now talk about democracy but where was the democracy during your rule,” he told a views-exchange meeting here.

The views-exchange meeting was held between the leaders of AL central committee and Dhaka and neighbouring districts’ units at Dhaka District Awami League office in Tejgaon this afternoon.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said when the BNP-Jamaat alliance government came to power in 2001, they started torturing on AL leaders and activists.

He said, Bangladesh is not a land for the friends of Pakistan, communalists and money launderers. AL leaders and workers will jointly resist militancy, terrorists and communal forces.

Tarique Rahman left the country giving undertaking that he would never come to politics. So, people of Bangladesh will never accept him as their leader, Quader said.

The AL general secretary blasted Fakhrul for her remark that the present government is staging drama, saying it’s BNP which staged a ‘Joj Miah drama’ after grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina on August 21, 2004.”

About the inauguration of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway on September 2 next, the road transport and bridges minister said the inauguration ceremony will turn into an ocean of masses and he is eagerly waiting to see the joyous moment.

He said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the architect of the country’s political independence while his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the architect of its economic emancipation.

As long as Bangladesh will exist, the country will carry the legacy of Bangabandhu and his daughter Sheikh Hasina. They will remain alive in the hearts of the country’s people forever.

AL presidium members Dr Abdur Razzaque, Colonel (retd) Faruk Khan and Advocate Kamrul Islam, organising secretary Mirza Azam, office secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, industry and commerce affairs secretary Siddiqur Rahman, education and human resource affairs secretary Shamsun Nahar Chapa, deputy office secretary Sayem Khan, deputy publicity secretary Abdul Awal Shamim, and central committee members Sahabuddin Farazi and Mohammad A Arafat were present, among others.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Leaders of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) today expressed deep concern over the defamation case filed by city's Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital authority and Prof Dr Masum Siraj, head of Cardiac Surgery of the hospital, against newspapers and journalists.

BFUJ President Omar Faruq and its Secretary General Dip Azad, DUJ President Sohel Haider Chowdhury and its General Secretary Akhter Hossain issued a joint statement to this end.

In the statement, they said Prof Dr Masum Siraj filed a case against a member of BFUJ and DUJ and some national dailies and televisions.

Earlier, Journalist Kanchan Kumar Dey, 62, filed a complaint with the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) seeking justice on June 5 last due to maltreatment at Ibrahim Cardic Hospital, said a BFUJ press release.

Based on that complaint, reports were published in several national dailies and TV channels including the Daily Ittefaq, Dainik Bhorer Kagoj, the Daily Star, the Daily Observer, Sarabangla.net and Citizen TV and Ekushey TV.

BFUJ and DUJ leaders demanded immediate withdrawal and unconditional apology for lodging the case against journalist Kanchan Kumar Dey (who is still in danger) and the national dailies and television channels.

They added that as per the law, anyone can visit the 'Bangladesh Press Council' for remedy over publishing any report by journalist or any media.

But the authorities of Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital and the accused Dr Masum Siraj filed a case in the court without going to the Press Council, they said. As a result, they (the hospital authorities and Dr Siraj) choose the path of harassing editors and journalists of various media outlets, they added.

Since complaint is pending in the BMDC, the leaders said that filing a case is nothing but an attempt to cover up their (hospital authorities and Dr Siraj) own guilt and fraud.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha