Day: April 9, 2024

Kathmandu: The Embassy of Nepal participated in the Travel and Vacation Show, 2024 organized in Ottawa on April 6-7 as part of its economic diplomacy programme to promote tourism in Nepal. The Embassy had set up a stall where tourism promotional materials were displayed and distributed to the visitors. Tourism promotional videos were also played throughout the exhibition, according to Nepali Embassy in Canada. Nepali exportable products such as tea, coffee, pashmina shawls, handicrafts, and items portraying Nepal's artistic and cultural diversity were also displayed on the occasion. Many people visited the Nepali stall and inquired about the touristic attractions in Nepal. They were provided information regarding the season, temperature, and connectivity. The visitors inquired if Nepal caters to the interests of all age group of visitors. Travel agencies, tour wholesellers, hotels, airlines companies, tour promoters of different countries as well as the embassies based in Ottawa also displayed and promote d their tourism products during the exhibition. Source: National News Agency Nepal

CHATTOGRAM, At least two people were killed and six others injured as a passenger bus lost control over its steering and hit a microbus and another truck in Chowdhury Ghata area on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway under Sitakunda upazila today. The victims were bus driver Nur Nobi Shimul and bus passenger Gautom Bhomik. Fire service and highway police sources said the accident occurred this afternoon, leaving the bus driver and passenger dead on the spot and six passengers injured. The injured were rushed to Sitakunda Upazila Health Complex, said Khokan Chandra Gosh, Kumira Highway police outpost in-Charge. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Six persons are from Baijanath Rural Municipality-8 in Banke district out of seven Nepalese killed in a road accident happened at Betalghat of Nainital district in India on Monday night. The deceased are Dhiraj Tharu, Bishram Tharu, Antaram Tharu, Binod Tharu, Tilakram Tharu and Udayram Tharu, Chairman of Baijanath Rural Municipality-8 Bhagan Tharu told the RSS. According to ward chair Bhagan, the villagers who had gone to India to India for jobs were returning home to mark the Nepali New Year 2081 BS. Bhagan added that two more were injured. The relatives and kin of the deceased persons have left for India after the incident. The accident occurred when a rented vehicle fell some 150 meters off the road while loading goods in course of coming to Tanakpur. They had been working there to lay pipelines along the roadside around the incident site. Source: National News Agency Nepal

MYMENSINGH, Eight people including three members of a family were killed in separate road accidents in the district today. The deceased were identified Lutfor Rahman,30, Shahanaj,25,Mahit,4, Maruf,18, Appel Mia,30, Nasima,35 and Abul Bashar,60. Officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model Thana Mainuddin said the first accident occurred at 12 noon when a passenger bus hit another vehicle 'Mahindra' on Muktagacha road in Mymensingh leaving three people of a family dead. Meanwhile, two people died on the spot when a passenger pickup van taking a U-turn was hit by a bus coming from the opposite direction in front of a CNG pump in the Darirampur area of Trishal on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway. In another accident in the afternoon, two people were killed in a road accident on Treshal-Nandail road as a bus hit an auto-rickshaw. On the other hand, a man was died after being hit by a bus in Tarakanda Upazila in the morning, said Wazed Ali, officer-in-charge of Tarakanda Upazila. The deceased was identified as Abul Bashar. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: A writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday demanding the cancellation of the appointment of Khagaraj Adhikari as the Chief Minister of Gandaki Province. Surendra Pandey, leader of the Nepali Congress parliamentary party in Gandaki Province and former Chief Minister of the Province, registered the writ petition stating that Adhikari's appointment was unconstitutional to form a majority government by involving the Speaker of the Province Assembly. Pandey in the petition also demanded an order that Adhikari should not be allowed to function as the Chief Minister. Stating that the Speaker is the neutral person, Pandey argued that no party could get a majority by involving the Speaker. Hearing of the writ petition is slated for coming Wednesday. Earlier, the SC in a similar kind of petition registered by the CPN (UML) against the Nepali Congress in the Koshi Province, had ordered that the Speaker's vote should not be added to form a majority government. Source: National News Ag ency Nepal

DHAKA, The holy Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the greatest religious festivals of Muslims, will be celebrated in the country on Thursday (April 11) as the moon of Shawwal month of 1445 Hijri was not sighted in the sky of Bangladesh today. "The moon of Shawwal month of 1445 Hijri was not sighted today in the sky of the country. So, the holy Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Thursday," said a press release of Islamic Foundation (IF) this evening. The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee at the office of IF at Baitul Mokarram National Mosque with Religious Affairs Minister Md. Faridul Haque Khan, MP, in the chair. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth has shared that preparations are ongoing on the part of the government to increase the number of electric vehicles (EVs). Marking the beginning of a charging station for EVs introduced by Sajha Yatayat in Lalitpur on Tuesday, Mahaseth stressed the need for using EVs for the substitution of petroleum products. On the occasion, Minister Mahaseth expressed his displeasure with the dillydallying in infrastructure building and operation of EVs. During the programme, Minister for Land Management and Cooperative Balaram Adhikari pledged to ensure needed assistance for Sajha Yatayat for the operation of EVs. Mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City Chiribabu Maharjan announced to join hands with Sajha Yatayat and to increase investment in EVs. Likewise, Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising and Chairman of Sajha Yatayat Kanakmani Dixit also shared their views on the occasion. Sou rce: National News Agency Nepal

DHAKA, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has taken five-tier security measures to ensure law and order during Eid-ul-Fitr. "So far, there is no advance information on militant activities centering Eid," said DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman while briefing reporters on the law and order situation in the capital during Eid. He said members of Special Branch (SB) of police and DMP dog squad will be deployed at the Eidgah and its adjacent areas and the whole area will be monitored with CCTV cameras, drone patrols and a watch tower. The main Eid congregation will be held at the National Eidgah at 8.30am, he said, adding that the President, Chief Justice, cabinet members, diplomats and dignitaries are expected to offer Eid prayers. Over 35,000 devotees can participate in the congregation at the National Eidgah, Habibur added. To ensure security, he said police will search people at the entrance with metal detectors and archways. Detectives, SB police and other intelligence agencies will there be in plainclothes. T he Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and bomb disposal unit will be there, the DMP chief added. About traffic arrangement, the DMP commissioner said parking arrangement will be made at 10 places for the main Eid Jamaat. Eight roads will be used as diversions to allow devotees joining the prayers smoothly, he said. The DMP commissioner said separate arrangements will be made to ensure foolproof security as Eid prayers will be offered at 184 Eidgah and 1,488 mosques in the capital. Replying to a question, Habibur Rahman said there is no specific threat in Dhaka centering the activities of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in Bandarban. Additional Police Commissioner (Admin) AKM Hafiz Akhter, Additional Police Commissioner (crime and operation) Dr Khandaker Mahid Uddin, Additional Police Commissioner (Logistic, finance and procurement) Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, Additional Police Commissioner (traffic) Md Munibur Rahman, Additional Police Commissioner (CTTC) Md Asaduzzaman and Additional Police Commissioner (dete ctive) Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid were, among others, present. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Israeli Ambassador to Nepal Hanan Goder held a courtesy meeting with National Assembly (NA) Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal on Tuesday at the latter's office. It is said that the two discussed issues of diplomatic relations between the two countries and mutual cooperation. During the meeting, NA Chairperson Dahal said that it had been already 60 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Israel and expressed his confidence that the ties between the two countries would be stronger and closer in the coming days. Stating that Nepal was in favor of peace, Dahal asserted, "We are always in favor of peace and stability in the Middle East. The mutual cooperation between Nepal and Israel in multilateral platforms such as the United Nations has further strengthened the ties between the two countries." Mentioning that Nepal's peace process was coming to an end after an enduring conflict, the Head of the Upper House said that Nepal was now on the path of economic prosperity. F urthermore, he expressed grief over the untoward incidents that happened to Nepali citizens who went to Israel under the 'Learn and Earn' programme and thus urged the Israeli Envoy to take initiative to search for missing Nepali student Bipin Joshi. It may be noted that a total of 10 Nepalis youths lost their lives in the Hamas militant group's attack on October 7, 2023 in Gaza while the whereabouts of Joshi are still unknown. Stating that around 4,000 Nepalis migrant workers were presently working in Israel, he voiced his concern over their safety and employment. Citing that a notable number of tourists from Israel have been visiting Nepal lately, Chairperson Dahal appealed to Ambassador Goder to contribute to the promotion of tourism in Nepal. In response, Israeli Envoy Goder said that Israel and Nepal shared a close bond and praised that Nepal was rich in arts, cultures, traditions and tourist places. Stating that he had an opportunity to work in Nepal for a long time, he viewed that Sagarmatha (Mt Eve rest), Lumbini, Chitwan, Pokhara, Rara and other tourist destinations had given recognition to Nepal in the world. He shared that the 'Earn and Learn' programme had been started in his initiation and many Nepalis were doing good in Nepal after learning skills in Israel. According to him, he had visited the houses of families of the victims from Nepal in that unfortunate incident. He shared that the government of Israel had pledged to provide support, however small it would be, to the families of the Nepali students who died in Israel. Efforts were being made at present for the search and rescue of missing Bipin Joshi, he informed. Source: National News Agency Nepal

DHAKA, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's journey to run Bangladesh is getting smooth as US officials, after the last general elections of Bangladesh, recognized the new government and pledged to collaborate with it, says US think-tank-The Atlantic Council. 'While the US State Department did say that the elections were not free or fair, US officials recognized the new government and pledged to collaborate with it going forward. With the US weight lifted, Hasina's ship now looks to be sailing in smooth seas,' Gautam Lahiri wrote in an article published on the website of the Washington-based think-tank on April 8 with headline 'Bangladesh's election: Widely boycotted or widely accepted?'. Gautam Lahiri is the president of Press Club of India. He served as an independent foreign observer in the 2024 general elections in Bangladesh. Following is the full text of the article: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is reveling in her golden era. Having already held four terms with thumping mandates, she retains th e laurel of the globe's longest-serving female head of government. Her win in January, which secured her fifth term in office, has elicited a barrage of plaudits from almost all quarters in the region. Hasina presents the rare case where both rival Asian powers China and India agree on the benefits of her place at the helm. Regional powers, irrespective of ideological and political leanings, rushed to congratulate her incoming administration. However, most eyes after the January election were fixed on the United States, given its vocal democracy promotion efforts in Bangladesh as of late. While the US State Department did say that the elections were not free or fair, US officials recognized the new government and pledged to collaborate with it going forward. With the US weight lifted, Hasina's ship now looks to be sailing in smooth seas. Yet, some argue, that election was widely boycotted. The two principal arguments underlying this claim are that the opposition parties boycotted the election and that Bangla deshis resoundingly rejected the poll in solidarity with the opposition's call to boycott. Participation or boycott? While the major opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies did sit out the election, not all opposition parties followed suit. Out of forty-four registered parties, twenty-seven fielded candidates. Additionally, nearly 1,900 independent candidates threw their hats in the ring for three hundred parliamentary seats. So, while the BNP's absence resounded, reasonable multiparty competition and voter choice still transpired across multiple constituencies. The official voter turnout reached 41.8 percent-a lower figure than in Bangladesh's last contested election, albeit not an unprecedented low. Some see this low turnout as one indication that the opposition's boycott reflected popular sentiment. The opposition boycott undoubtedly dampened some voter turnout. However, low participation does not necessarily indicate a blanket public rejection of the polls owing to opposition exhor tations. In the run-up to the vote, the BNP's anti-election protests degenerated into a violent crusade. BNP loyalists were found to be complicit in torching hundreds of vehicles. The BNP called for forty-eight hours of nationwide strikes and blockades on the eve of voting day. Arsonists set fire to polling booths and a train, killing four. This prevailing climate of trepidation likely caused some voters to stay at home on election day. Expanding absentee balloting could be a solution, but barring some exceptions, average citizens cannot vote by mail. Crucially, expats, who account for 10 percent of all voters, were effectively disenfranchised. More tellingly, in constituencies where robust, competing candidates vied for seats, voter turnout topped 60 percent, suggesting genuine electoral contests did mobilize voters. Conversely, anemic turnout in some constituencies seems to have stemmed from lack of competition, not voters boycotting the election outright in solidarity with the BNP. Confusion persists, ho wever, over the Election Commission's reported voter turnout statistics. The Commission initially announced a 27 percent turnout rate at its afternoon press briefing, later announcing a 41.8 percent final turnout. The Election Commission said that the lower afternoon figure was not in real time; it did not yet reflect delayed updates from all polling centers. Since Bangladesh uses a manual paper ballot system, where votes are hand counted and tallied, there were a few hours of lag in transmitting results from rural areas. This lag could explain the gap between the afternoon number and the final announced turnout. In that case, it is not true that 14 percent of the total votes would have had to have been cast in the final hour for the final given turnout to be accurate, as some commentators have stated. And perhaps the Election Commission is right. But with the seeds of doubt sown, the Election Commission could help resolve any lingering doubts by publishing a detailed breakdown of hourly vote counts from all polling stations. Such transparency would provide definitive clarity on the turnout question that confused some observers. Is Bangladesh a one-party state? As Bangladesh charts its course following another landslide election victory for the ruling Awami League (AL), some critics warn that the country is sliding toward effective one-party rule. With AL sweeping 223 seats and its loyalist independents winning 62 more-making 95 percent of elected members broadly aligned with the ruling party-they argue that no meaningful opposition exists in parliament. But there are a couple of problems here. First, dismissing independent members of parliament simply as AL lapdogs overlooks intricacies within Bangladesh's political landscape. All independents prevailed after intense electoral combat with AL candidates. They will enjoy unchecked freedom to wield their votes and voices in the parliament. Article 70 of Bangladesh's constitution prohibits members of parliament from voting against their party. But as independent candidates lacking formal party affiliation, they are immune from this restriction. In this context, the AL merits praise for taking affirmative steps to foster electoral competition and pluralism, despite lacking a formidable challenger. The AL, by allowing senior party figures to compete as independents, certainly risked potential intraparty discord. Yet, it prioritized providing voters with genuine electoral alternatives and widening the diversity of voices in parliament. Additionally, a party achieving an overwhelming parliamentary majority through an electoral process does not equate to a one-party state. In the past, the AL and the BNP have held similar supermajorities without making Bangladesh a one-party state. Similarly, India and Japan have experienced one-party dominance without losing multiparty democracy. The key question is whether the AL orchestrated this supermajority parliament or if it was an inevitable outcome given the BNP's election boycott. The BNP would argue the former-that there was never a level playing field and that the crackdown and mass arrest of BNP leaders after the October 28 rally precluded any chance of a fair election, deterring their participation. However, even by October 28, the BNP had already rendered itself irrelevant to the polls by refusing participation. The October 28 protest sought to obstruct an election to called by the Election Commission in mid-November. Thus, law enforcement-at that point under the Commission's authority-used force to halt the turmoil and ensure the election proceeded. Therefore, the state's response to the rally should not be construed as barring the BNP's electoral participation. The disproportionate use of force merits separate evaluation, but it is better viewed through a law-and-order lens rather than an electoral one. Accountability starts with showing up Rather than making alarmist claims of creeping authoritarianism, observers should have asked why the primary opposition, the BNP, forfeited the field. Just as the government warrants s crutiny for proportionality of force, the BNP should be held accountable for executing its democratic duties. As a major political party representing 170 million people, the BNP had a duty to give voice to voters in parliament. By boycotting the election over hypothetical unfairness, they severely undermined democratic processes and disregarded people's right to meaningful electoral choice. Even if the BNP's claims are taken at face value that elections under the AL have no precedent of being free and fair, the demand to reinstate a caretaker government still lacks foundation. Bangladesh's Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in May 2011. Moreover, the previous caretaker system overstayed its mandate, invoked a national emergency, and imprisoned leaders across party lines. The boycott only assisted the incumbent AL. This squandered the chance for punitive international actions and domestic resistance had the BNP participated and electoral fraud still demonstrably occurred. As such, one could conclude tha t the BNP pinned higher hopes on spurring a constitutional crisis amid caretaker rule than pursuing a public mandate through elections. Through this self-defeating gambit, the BNP catapulted the AL into power, even as questions linger over the ruling party's commitment to democratic fairness. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Kamalesh Agrawal has been elected the President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) unopposed. Agrawal was elected to the post on Tuesday from the 73rd annual general assembly of NCC. The NCC said that entire members of the committee were elected unopposed. Dipak Kumar Malhotra was elected the senior Vice-President in the new working committee. Likewise, Urmila Shrestha, Dipak Shrestha, Nilkantha Chaulagain and Santosh Kumar Pandey were elected the Vice-Presidents of the NCC. Similarly, Arjun Prasad Sharma was picked as the honorary vice-president of the NCC. Source: National News Agency Nepal

DHAKA, Members of Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) of police today arrested a fugitive death-row convict in eminent writer Prof Dr Humayun Azad murder case. The ATU arrested the convicted Nur Mohammad from Airport Thana of capital yesterday, said ATU additional IGP SM Ruhul Amin at a press conference at ATU office here today. A leader of banned militant outfit JMB, Nur Mohammad, alias Sabu alias Shamim, 40, is the son of Abdul Gani of Jhoraborsha village in Saghatha thana of Gaibandha district. On February 27, 2004, the 56-year-old Humayun Azad was stabbed by militants on the Bangla Academy premises while he was returning from the Ekushey Book Fair. His brother Monjur Kabir filed a case over an attempt to murder with Ramna police station the next day. Critically injured Humayun Ahmed was shifted to Munich, Germany, for advanced treatment where he died on August 12, 2004. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha