Day: August 30, 2023

Thousands of Bangladeshi protesters have marched demanding information on hundreds of people they say security forces have abducted during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's nearly 15 years in power.

Opposition supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies joined families of those missing to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, many with black gags over their mouths.

"I am not just afraid... every single day I wake up, I am absolutely terrified," a BNP official Humam Quader Chowdhury said on Wednesday.

He said he had been detained by security forces for seven months.

Chowdhury told protesters in the capital Dhaka that, during his detention, he saw a senior official on television deny he was in custody.

Ten-year-old Mariam Bushra held a photograph of her missing father, activist and lawyer Ahmad Bin Quasem. "I want the return of my father," she said.

Human Rights Watch said security forces have committed "over 600 enforced disappearances" since Hasina came to power in 2009, and nearly 100 remain missing.

The others were later released, produced in court or reported to have "died during an armed exchange with security forces", HRW said.

"Bangladesh authorities are fooling nobody by continuing to deny the reality of enforced disappearances, and instead are prolonging the suffering of families," Julia Bleckner, HRW's senior Asia researcher, said on Wednesday.

Government denies accusations

The government denies the allegations of disappearances and extrajudicial killings, saying some of those reported missing drowned in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe.

National elections are due in Bangladesh by the end of January, but rights groups and foreign governments have long raised concerns over efforts by Hasina's government to silence criticism and stamp out political dissent.

Security forces are accused of detaining tens of thousands of opposition activists, killing hundreds in extrajudicial encounters and disappearing hundreds of leaders and supporters.

Source: TRTworld.com

Janakpurdham, Aug 30: CPN (UML) Senior Vice-Chair Ishwor Pokhrel has said the party will move ahead with a new resolve following its 25th Secretariat Meeting.

"The Fourth General Convention of the party is the foundation and launching point of the place where the UML stands in Nepal's political realm at present. It was from this general convention that people's leader the late Madan Bhandari had propounded the principle of People's Multi-party Democracy," he said.

The UML is holding its Secretariat Meeting at Bishnupurkatti Sarreambas in Siraha district from today. The UML's Secretariat Meeting is taking place at the same place where the then CPN (Marxist and Leninist) held the Fourth General Convention from August 25 to 30, 1989.

Talking to media persons at Janakpurdham Airport today before going to the Meeting venue, senior vice-chair Pokhrel said, "We have returned to the same historic venue after 34 years. Sure, we will take some historic decisions once more and forge ahead taking the UML to a new height. This meeting will be a historic in making the UML's present role in the national politics more effective."

He opined that the Bishnupurkatti Sarreambas Meeting will play a significant role in establishing the UML's place in Nepali politics. Leader Pokhrel expressed the belief that the party will make another historic decision from the same place which played a role in establishing the UML as an important political force of Nepal by electing people's leader Bhandari as the party general-secretary.

On a different note, the UML Senior Vice-Chair reiterated that the present government should function as per the people's aspiration. Stating that it was because of the stance taken by the UML that the government became ready to form a high-level commission for a detailed investigation into the gold smuggling scam, he said his party will provide full cooperation for finding out the facts and truth behind this scam by means of this commission.

Vice-Chairs Yubaraj Gyawali, Ashta Laxmi Shakya, Ram Bahadur Thapa, Bishnu Poudel, Subas Chandra Nembang, deputy general-secretary Pradip Gyawali, secretaries Lekhraj Bhatta, Raghuveer Mahaseth, among the leaders are accompanying Pokhrel in connection with attending the Secretariat Meeting.

The leaders arrived in Janakpur on a next plane of the Buddha Air after their earlier flight could not land in Janakpur due to technical reason in the morning today. UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and other leaders will reach Siraha for the Meeting via Biratnagar. Presently, there are 18 members in the 19-member Secretariat remaining as the 'high command' of UML.

Secretariat member and party secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi is suspended after being implicated in the fake Bhutanese refugee scandal. The Secretariat Meeting which was scheduled to convene on August 26 was deferred due to incessant rains.

Source: National News Agency-Nepal

Rampur (Palpa): Three people who were killed in a jeep accident at Jorte of Rabdikot rural municipality-2 in Palpa today have been identified.

They are Yam Bahadur Bohara, 32, a police constable at the Gulmi District Police Office, Mankala Chudara, 50, of Resunga municipality-7 in Gulmi and Binod Timilsina, 31, Hemja of Pokhara metropolis-25, Kaski district.

Information Officer at the District Police Office, Palpa, Birendra Thapa, said the three persons died on the spot when a dry landslide buried the jeep (Lu 1 Ja 4600) en route to Palpa from Gulmi.

Others eight have been injured in the accident and they are being treated at the Lumbini Medical College. The accident took place at around 8:30 am today, Ribdikot rural municipality-2 ward chair Om Prakash Pokhrel said. Further investigations into the accident are underway, it is said.

Source: National News Agency-Nepal

Prime Minister's Information and Communication Technology Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy has said the universal pension scheme is for common people.

"The universal pension scheme is for the people of Bangladesh and this money is owned by the people of Bangladesh. This scheme is for the common man, whatever the government, your pension money is yours and your nominee's," he added.

The PM's adviser said this while answering different questions about the universal pension scheme by releasing a video on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday.

At this time, he gave direct answers regarding various misleading information spread on social media about the universal pension scheme introduced by the government recently.

Responding to a question of comment box, Joy said, if the depositor dies after depositing the money, his/her nominee will get that money.

Replying to another question on the registration process, he said due to internet connection problems, registration can fail sometimes.

"Another thing is that, when many people try together, such a problem can take place. You can try little off-peak hours. Hope registration will be completed without any problems," he added.

In the comments of his Facebook post, many people thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for introducing the universal pension facility.

On the other hand, the official Facebook page of Awami League (AL) thanked Sajeeb Wazed Joy for presenting detailed information about universal pension. Apart from this, AL thanked the people who got answers to their various questions.

The video provides detailed information on the registration process for the universal pension scheme. Also, its various benefits and rules are clearly described.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid today said the interest of US companies is increasing gradually to invest in Bangladesh's power and energy sector as an investment-friendly atmosphere is prevailing here.

"US firms have shown interest in conducting drills in the deep sea. US company Excelerate Energy has been given approval to set up another FSRU in the deep sea at Pyara," he said when a 15-member delegation of the US-Bangladesh Business Council paid a courtesy call on him at the Secretariat here.

Nasrul said there are opportunities to invest in gas and power transmission, construction of smart grids, installation of modern technology in the power and energy sector, renewable energy, offshore and onshore wind power, lithium battery factories, cyber security, and oil and gas exploration.

Lauding the progress of Bangladesh, US-Bangladesh Business Council president former ambassador Atul Keshap said the US companies are very interested in investing in Bangladesh, so deep sea exploration is possible.

Mentioning that the US companies want to work with the Bangladesh government, he said if mutual commitment and sharing of experiences are ensured, both countries will get benefits.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The US senior congressman and Parliamentary Security Intelligence Forum (PSIF) Chairman Robert Pittenger today lauded Bangladesh's economic progress, saying Bangladesh is a close partner of the US in combating terrorism in South Asia.

"Bangladesh has maintained strong economic progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. And the country is a close partner of the US in combating terrorism in South Asia," he said.

Pittenger said this while Bangladesh's Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud met with him today, said a release received here.

The minister is now visiting London to attend the PSIF, the leading international security forum providing expertise and collaboration among parliamentarians and government officials, conference.

The meeting was held at the Library Hall of Mariot Hotel of London.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to London Syeda Muna Tasnim was present in the meeting.

Pittenger said relations Between Bangladesh and the US is very important. "And we have observed a strong economic progress of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The United States gives great importance to countering global terrorism," he added.

Dr Hasan praised the role of the US in progress and development and combating militancy and terrorism in Bangladesh.

The minister hoped that the cooperation will be continued and will become strengthened in future.

Dr Hasan is leading the PSIF on behalf of Bangladesh which will be held from August 31 to September 1 at the central hall of Westminster.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha