Day: September 11, 2023

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali moved the bill which was unanimously passed by voice votes in the House with Deputy Speaker Shamsul Huq Tuku in the chair.

Placing the bill, the state minister said the proposed law will replace "Bangladesh Biman Corporation Ordinance, 1977".

The existing Bangladesh Biman Corporation Ordinance 1977 is no longer needed as it is a public limited company, he said.

The draft of the new 'Bangladesh Biman Corporation (Repeal) Act-2023' has been approved in principle, he told the parliament.

Opposing the draft law and demanding for seeking public review, the opposition lawmakers said the law has lot of anomalies and it would be challenged in the court in future.

Rejecting the public review claimed by the opposition lawmakers, the state minister said the law will help to develop expertise in operation of the national carrier and then the demand was null and void by the voice votes of the treasury bench lawmakers.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Bangladesh and United Kingdom (UK) will hold 5th strategic dialogue here tomorrow to discuss shared commitment to developing a modern economic partnership.

UK Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Sir Philip Barton arrived here today for a two-day visit to join the dialogue.

Foreign Ministry's Director General (North America) Khandakar Masudul Alam received him at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport this morning.

"Sir Philip's main focus will be the fifth UK-Bangladesh Strategic Dialogue chaired by Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen," a press release issued by British High Commission said here.

Building on the UK and Bangladesh's historic links, the strategic dialogue reflects the two countries' shared commitment to develop a modern economic, trade and security partnership, said the release.

The dialogue will cover political and diplomatic relations, economic, trade and development partnerships, and global, regional and security issues, including the Rohingya crisis.

It will also provide an opportunity to boost economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, cooperation on COP28 and joint work on climate financing, adaptation and resilience to climate impacts, and showcase the UK's substantial economic development investment offer.

During his time in Dhaka, the Permanent Under-Secretary will also meet politicians, civil society organisations, business leaders and youth representatives, said the British High Commission.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The US embassy in Dhaka is ready to continue to support Bangladesh in adopting new technologies for mitigating the effects of climate change to ensure food security, said US Embassy's Charge d' Affaires Nathan Flook.

Speaking at a dialogue, Nathan Flook said using biotechnology, scientists can accelerate the rate at which they can introduce new plant varieties able to respond to changing environmental conditions.

Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Wahida Akter joined the dialogue on the Nexus of Climate Smart Agriculture and Innovative Biotechnology, said a press release today.

Throughout the three technical sessions scientists, academics, regulators, and policy makers shared the newest policies and research related to biotechnology.

During the opening session Wahida Akter and Nathan Flook highlighted the importance of precision biotechnology to build climate resilience in the agricultural sector. Salinity intrusion, drought, and new pests have made it harder for farmers to produce food profitably, they opined.

Charge d' Affaires Flook underscored the importance of agricultural biotechnology as a safe tool to build resilience in agriculture and enhance global food security.

He noted that, "The Biden Administration has made safeguarding and supporting biotechnology innovation a priority," he said, adding that the U.S. regulatory system uses scientific risk-based procedures to enable farmers have access to new tools as quickly as possible.

As members of the Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate and the Global Methane Pledge, the United States and Bangladesh have a shared mission to support farmers' livelihoods by being able to adapt to climate change.

Biotechnology has a role to play in mitigating the impacts agricultural production has on the climate, while increasing productivity. Charge d' Affaires Flook emphasized that Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A man was killed and four others were injured in a road accident on the Ikram-Alam Bazar regional road in Baniachong upazila of the district last night.

The deceased was identified as Chan Mia, 55, son of Suruj Mia, resident of North Sangar village of the upazila.

The accident occurred as a battery-run easy bike "Tomtom" overturned on the way when it was going to North Sangar from Alambazar area around 9pm, leaving five passengers of the Tomtom injured, officer-in-charge (OC) of Baniachong Police Station Delwar Hossain said.

Later, the injured were taken to Habiganj 250-bed Modern District Sadar Hospital, where the on-duty doctor declared Chan Mia dead, he said.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A female student was killed and another injured when they were hit by a tractor in Paushgara area under Hakimpur upazila of the district today.

The deceased was identified as Naima Sultana, 8, daughter of Mojam Mia, resident of Belkhuria village under Birampur upazila of the district. She was a fourth class student.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Hakimpur Police Station Abu Sayem Miah said the accident occurred when Naima was going to house of her private tutor on his brother's motorcycle. On the way a 'massey tractor' hit the motorcycle coming from the opposite direction around 1:30pm, leaving them seriously injured.

Locals rescued them and took to Birampur Upazila Health Complex where the on-duty doctor declared Naima dead.

The body was sent to Dinajpur M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital morgue for post-mortem.

Police seized the tractor from the spot, but its driver managed to flee, the OC added.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A construction worker was killed and five others were injured in a road accident on the Bhola-Charfashion regional highway in Banglabazar area under Daulatkhan upazila of the district today.

The deceased was identified as Al Amin, 35, son of Md. Ruhul Amin, resident of Shibpur union of Sadar upazila.

The accident occurred as the driver of a battery-run three wheeler "Nasimom" lost control over the steering and overturned on the way while going to Daulatkhan upazila from Sadar upazila around 6am, leaving six workers injured, officer-in-charge (OC) Daulatkhan Police Station Satyaranjan Khaskel said.

Locals rescued the injured and brought them to Bhola Sadar Hospital where Al Amin died while undergoing treatment, he said.

The body has been sent to the hospital morgue for post-mortem, the OC added.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The government today suspended additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Harun-or-Rashid.

Senior secretary of the public security division of the home ministry Md Mostafizur Rahman signed a notification in this regard.

The notification said the ADC has to be refrained from all government activities for public interest.

According to the home ministry sources, the ADC was first transferred to the public order management (POM) department on Sunday from the Ramna division following an allegation of torturing few central leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL). The Police Headquarters also transferred him to the Armed Police Battalions with attachment order.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A man was killed in a road accident on the Dhaka-Khulna highway near Daserhat Shiva temple area under Muksudpur upazila of the district today.

The deceased was identified as Bidyut Kumar Bhowmik, 46, son of late Biren Bhowmik, resident of Daserhat village of Muksudpur upazila. He was a grocer in Gerakhola Bazar in the area.

The accident occurred as a Khulna-bound microbus from Dhaka hit him when he was taking a morning walk along the road side on the Dhaka-Khulna highway around 6:30am. He died on the spot, officer-in-charge (OC) of Muksudpur Police Station Muhammad Ashraful Alam said.

Police recovered the body from the spot and sent it to Muksudpur Upazila Health Complex.

Later, the body was handed over to the relatives without post-mortem due to the request of the family, the OC added.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Bangladesh Awami League (AL) today paid homage to its former Presidium Member and former Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury by placing wreaths at her grave in the city's Banani graveyard.

AL Presidium Members Kazi Zafar Ullah and Abdur Rahman, Organizing Secretary Afzal Hossain, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua and Banani Thana AL's General Secretary Mir Mosarraf Hossain, among others, were present.

Kazi Zafar Ullah said Sajeda Chowdhury played an important role in keeping the AL organized at a critical moment after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975.

Abdur Rahman said Sajeda Chowdhury kept an important role for the trial of the justice of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

He also said Sajeda Chowdhury had worked her whole life for the party.

The veteran politician died at Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Dhaka on September 11 in 2022 at the age of 87. Sajeda Chowdhury joined Awami League in 1956.

In 1976, Sajeda Chowdhury became the AL's acting general secretary. Later, she was the party's general secretary from 1986 to 1992. Before that, she was the general secretary of Mahila Awami League from 1969 to 1975.

In 2019, she was elected Member of Parliament from Faridpur-2 constituency for the seventh time and elected deputy leader of the House for the third time. Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, one of the organizers of the Liberation War, was born in a respected Muslim family in Magura in 1935.

Her father's name was Syed Shah Hamid Ullah and her mother was Syeda Achia Khatun. Sajeda Chowdhury's husband Golam Akbar Chowdhury died in 2015.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A four-day training course on the office management for officers of Rajshahi University (RU) began at the campus today aimed at making them competent in official works.

Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of the RU is hosting the training course on Office Management at its conference hall.

RU Pro-vice-chancellor (Administration) Prof Sultan-Ul-Islam inaugurated the course as chief guest with IQAC Director Prof Dulal Chandra Roy in the chair. Registrar of the university Prof Abdus Salam and IQAC Additional Director Prof Mosihur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.

Assistant Director of Regional Public Administration Training Centre Abdullahel Baqui, Deputy Director of the Local Government department Shahana Akhter Jahan and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi Sarker Asim Kumar are conducting the training sessions as resource persons.

In his remarks, Prof Sultan-Ul-Islam urged the participating officers to make the best use of their knowledge to be acquired from the training, in their practical field.

"We have to take the responsibility of taking the RU's academic and administrative activities forward for the sake of generating knowledgeable human resources," he added.

Around 200 officers are taking part in the training course in four batches.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

French President Emmanuel Macron today visited Bangabandhu Museum and paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Macron stayed about one hour at Bangabandhu Museum, carrying the memories of Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu as well as evidences of brutal killing of the great leader along with his family members on August 15,1975.

“I wanted to pay tribute to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who dedicated his life to the fight for the independence of his nation, its language and its culture and for the people of Bangladesh," Macron wrote in visitors' book in French language.

"Surrounded by his family, in the memory of those who fell alongside him, I want to express here the respect and friendship of the French people," he also wrote.

During the visit, Bangabandhu’s youngest daughter Sheikh Rehana and her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq accompanied Macron. From them Macron listened the saga of the deadly night of August 15 and ordeals of a new born South Asian nation within three and half years of independence following Bangabandhu’s killing.

Macron was informed about the illustrious life and work of Mujib and how an ordinary boy from a remote village emerged as a national leader behind whom Bengalee people rallied to fight for their language and freedom against Pakistan occupational forces.

Grisly memories of August 15 and killing spree unleashed on that house gripped the visitors while they were looking at photos of Sheikh Mujib, an embodiment of Bangalee nation.

That midnight massacre did not even spare a 10 year kid Sheikh Russell, youngest son of Bangabandhu. Mujib’s eldest daughter Sheikh Hasina along with her two kids- Joy and Putul, and her youngest Sheikh Rehana survived as they are abroad.

During the visit, the French president also watched a hologram on the country’s founding father, officials of the museum said.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A man was arrested on Monday for killing his mother-in-law in city’s Kalsidighi area under Bandar thana.

Police arrested Md Azim, the prime suspect in the Manjura Begum Murder case, from Supariwala Para area of city’s Doublemooring thana at around 10 am on Monday.

Kishore Majumdar, Sub Inspector (SI) of Bandar thana told BSS that mother-in-law Manjura Begum,50, was strangulated to death allegedly by her son-in-law Azim with a pillow over a family feud at any time between 10 am and 6 pm on the 4th floor of Gholam Mohammad Chowdhury's building and ran away from the spot.

In preliminary interrogation, Azim confessed before the police regarding his involvement in the killing of his mother-in-law, he said.

The accused said that he killed her mother-in-law in a pre-planned manner out of anger for creating turmoil over various family matters, he added.

Manjura Begum's body has been sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) morgue for postmortem.

A murder case was filed with Doublemooring Thana in this connection.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha