Day: May 2, 2024

Kathmandu: Ambassador of Nepal to Canada Bharat Raj Paudyal has presented the letters of credence to Governor General of Canada, Mary J. May Simon. Ambassador Poudyal presented the credentials at a special ceremony held in Ottawa, Canada on Wednesday. During the audience following the presentation of the credentials, Ambassador Poudyal conveyed greetings and best wishes from President Ramchandra Paudel and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' to the Governor General for her personal health and happiness as well as for the continuous peace, progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Canada, the Nepali Embassy in Ottawa said today. Ambassador Poudyal apprised the Governor General of friendly bilateral relations between Nepal and Canada and shared major priorities of the Nepal government, including the consolidation of democracy and accelerating the economic development efforts. He also highlighted the efforts being made to ensure smooth and sustainable graduation from the Least Developed Cou ntry (LDC) status and attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. While appreciating Canada for its continued cooperation in times of the need, he expressed his commitment to work closely with the Canadian government and private sector to promote bilateral trade, tourism, investment and technology transfer, strengthen people to people relations and mutually beneficial economic partnerships. According to the Embassy, the Governor General expressed her best wishes to the leadership of Nepal and expressed satisfaction on the excellent state of bilateral relations. The Director General also assured him of full support of the Government of Canada to further strengthen the bilateral ties. Also present on the occasion were high-ranking officials of the Canada government and the employees of the embassy. Source: National News Agency Nepal

New committees of four upazilas of Brahmnbaria district units of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League (JL) have been formed today. The four upazilas of Brahmnbaria district are -- Brahmnbaria Sadar Upazila, Bijoynagar upazila, Bancharampur upazila and Brahmnbaria municipality units, said a press release. Brahmnbaria district Jubo League president Advocate Md Shahanur Islam and general secretary Advocate Sirajul Islam Ferdous announced these committees. In Brahmnbaria sadar upazila unit of JL, Md Ali Azam, Md Jashim Uddin Rana and Md Bellal Ahammed were elected as president, general secretary and joint general secretary respectively. Al-Amin Sawdagar as president, Akbar Hossain Liton as general secretary, Amzad Hossain Rony and Md Emran Hossain Masud as vice-presidents were elected of Brahmnbaria Municipality unit of JL. In Bijoynagar upazila JL unit, Md Rafiqul Islam, Md Rasel Khan and Muklesur Rahaman were declared as president, general secretary and vice-president respectively. Besides, Shamapto Ranjan Saha a s president, Abu Nasir Uddin as general secretary, Md Zakir Hossain as vice-president, Md Imtiaz Uddin Belal as vice-president, Md Alamgir Hossain as joint general secretary, Ruhul Amin Tipu as joint general secretary and Mainuddin as organizing secretary have been elected of Bancharampur upazila unit of Jubo League. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against seven persons including union parishad chairman in Sarishabari upazila of the district for embezzling about Taka 66 lakh of 15 projects. ACC, Integrated district office, Jamalpur filed the case against Borhan Uddin Badal, Chairman, Bhatara Union Parishad in Sarishabari upazila of the district its Members- Md Moyna Miah, Md Robiul Islam, Atiqur Rahman Dulal and Jahanara Begum, Assistant Upazila Education Officer, Sarishabari upazila, Moniruzzaman and Project Implementation Officer (PIO), Sarishabari , Md Humyun Kabir. The office said the sued persons in connivance with them made fake documents of 15 projects of rural infrastructure development programme in the fiscal year 2020-2021 in Bhatara Union. They withdrew Taka 56.82 lakh of labourers wages without doing any work and misappropriated the amount. Deputy-Assistant Director, ACC Integrated district office, Jamalpur, Md Zihadul Islam filed the case with Senior Special Judge Court on April 28 . Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today asked the ministers and her party's members of parliament (MPs) not to influence the upcoming upazila election, rather all have to work for free and fair polls. She said that those who will not comply with the order, they will have to face the music. She sounded the note of warning while presiding over the meeting of the Awami League Parliamentary Party (ALPP) at the meeting room of ruling party at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Meeting sources said, the Prime Minister has instructed all to extend all-out support to the field administration to hold the Upazila election in a free, fair, credible and impartial manner. The Premier said they will go for actions who are taking part in the election defying party's decision. Leaders and activists of the party need space and respect, she added. The Awami League President said it will not set good example that relatives of the lawmakers will only vie in the election, rather everyone should get chance. She ikh Hasina went on saying that the Awami League family should be made bigger. Referring to the 12th parliamentary elections, the Prime Minister said the fairest election was held on January 7, 2024 after 1975. She wants such an election in upazila polls, too. The Premier said she will also sit with independent lawmakers and other political parties and asked all concerned not to create any trouble for the independent lawmakers as they did election with her consent. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Five people, including a woman, were killed in a head-on collision between a private car and a truck in Haritala area on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway under Madhabpur upazila of the district in early hours of today. The deceased were identified as Jamal Mia, 40, son of Moz Ali of Boalia village in Galachipa upazila of Patuakhali district, his wife Kamrun Nahar, 35, and their son Md Anant, 11, Jamal Mia's younger brother Enamul, 35, and private car driver Harun Bepari, son of Yunus Bepari of Barpasha village under Bakerganj upazila of Barishal district. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shaistaganj Highway Police Badrul Karim said that four members of Jamal Mia's family rented a private car from Savar Hemayetpur in Dhaka on Wednesday morning went to visit Sylhet Hazrat (RA) Shahjalal's shrine. When they were returning to Savar after visiting the shrine, a head-on collision with a Sylhet-bound truck took place in the area around 1:30am, leaving five people dead on the spot, he said. On information, police and fire servi ce personnel recovered the bodies from the spot and sent to the Habiganj Sadar Hospital morgue. Police seized the vehicles from the spot. Necessary legal action is underway, he added. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun today said the 'National Logistics Policy, 2024' will be a document for the development of business and industrialization of the country. "Under the policy, we can create the necessary infrastructure, logistics and skilled human resources according to the demand of future," he told a meeting on the "National Logistics Policy, 2024" as the chief guest at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the city. State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu and Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) president Mahbubul Alam spoke on the occasion as special guests. Prime Minister's Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah presided over it. Senior Secretary of the Commerce Ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan Abdoulaye Seck, Chairman of Policy Exchange Bangladesh M. Masrur Reaz and former MCCI president Barrister N ihad Kabir, among others, took part at the discussion. PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin gave the welcome speech. "Due to the development of the last 15 years, Humayun said, it is essential to formulate a logistics policy. "It's the time to implement the logistics policy," he added. Mohammad Ali Arafat said the Padma Bridge is a symbol of Bangladesh's capability. Like the bridge, Bangladesh has demonstrated its capability by formulating the National Logistics Policy, he added. Ahsanul Islam Titu said there are challenges in implementing the National Logistics Policy. "Developing a multimode vehicle system is essential to ensure the necessary logistics. There should be an integrated communication system with the sea port by road, rail and air," he added. He called on international development partners to come forward to build such a communication system. Tofazzel Hossain said the National Logistics Policy, 2024 has been formulated in consultation with private sector, experts and international developmen t partners. He expressed hope that if this policy is implemented, a world-class logistics and supply chain system will be developed in the country. As a result, domestic and foreign investment will be attracted and created, he added. A publication and website on National Logistics Policy, 2024 were launched on the occasion. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Many Chinese investors are considering Bangladesh as an ideal destination for investment in the current global geopolitical and economic situation. They are, therefore, interested in shifting investments to Bangladesh including placing new investments. The Chinese investors expressed this interest in a side table discussion at the end of a seminar titled "Investment Opportunities in the Export Processing Zones and BEPZA Economic Zone of Bangladesh" organized by Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) in Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, China. BEPZA in association with the Quanzhou Maritime Silk Road Industry and Commerce Association organized the seminar on 30th April 2024, said a press release here today. About 100 participants attended the seminar of various Chinese investment organizations/industrial groups who have their interest in investing in Bangladesh. BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Abul Kalam Md Ziaur Rahman, BSP, ndc, psc attended the seminar as the Chief Guest. P resenting an overall picture of the current favourable investment climate prevailing in Bangladesh, especially Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) he said that Bangladesh has experienced tremendous growth over the last decade. The strategic geographical location, demographic dividend, large and expanding domestic market, stable socio-political environment, etc. are the key contributors to the rapid economic development, he added. Major General Zia said that the main attraction of investment in Bangladesh is the most inexpensive, productive, abundant and easily trainable workforce. He said that Bangladesh has been consistently liberalizing its foreign investment policies over the time. The Government has formulated "One Stop Service Act" for the Investment Promotion Agencies of Bangladesh to provide faster and better services, he added. Mentioning the expansion plan of BEPZA the Executive Chairman said, along with the 8 operational EPZs, BEPZA is establishing an Economic Zone in Mirsharai, Chattogr am which has already attracted 28 industries in its development stage, and few of them started production. Moreover, establishment of 3 new EPZs are also under process which will be ready for the investors by the end of 2025. He urged Chinese investors to invest in these zones under BEPZA. In the welcome speech, Lino, one of the senior members of the host association thanked BEPZA delegation and expressed his positive impression about Bangladesh. Mr Changsong Chen, the Vice Chairman of Quanzhou Maritime Silk Road Industry and Commerce Association, in his speech as the Special Guest, highlighted the long-standing friendly relations between Bangladesh and China and invited Chinese investors to invest in Bangladesh. In the evening, the BEPZA delegation attended a dinner hosted by the city mayor. Some investors interested in investing in Bangladesh also attended the dinner where bilateral investment issues were discussed. During the dinner, discussions were also held regarding organizing training p rograms between China's Fujian Province and Bangladesh for the workers-employees. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan today said different law enforcing agencies have arrested over 1.20 lakh people and filed 97,241 cases under anti-drug operation in last year. "The Department of Narcotics Control and other law enforcing agencies have filed 97,241 cases and arrested 1,20,287 persons for their alleged involvement in drug smuggling in the country in 2023", he said. The home minster told responding to a query of treasury bench lawmaker Mostaque Ahmed Ruhi of Netrokona-1 during the question-answer session tabled at the Jatiya Sangsad here with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. During this period, members of the law enforcing agencies recovered 31 thousand 622 bottles of phesidyls, 72.828 kilograms of heroin, 186.632 kilograms of Ice and 2 lakh 75 thousand 571 pieces of tapentadole tablets. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has said that its serious attention was drawn to the internet service disruption by some privately-owned internet service providers. Issuing a press statement this evening, the Ministry's Assistant Spokesperson Bishal Sapkota has urged all the internet service providers not to disrupt the essential service like internet. The Ministry has also asked the internet service providers and network service providers to timely pay the rural telecommunications development fees and royalties to be paid to the state as per the law, which was collected from the internet service users prior. The Ministry has stated that most of the 122 internet service providers and 23 network service providers registered in the Nepal Telecommunications Authority have already cleared the fees to be paid as per the laws, and the Ministry is regularly making recommendations for them for the foreign currency exchange on the recommendation of the Nepal Telecommunications A uthority. Source: National News Agency Nepal

Police today arrested a youth along with seven gold bars weighing 783.50 grams worth around Taka 70 lakh from a bus in the city today. The arrested was identified as Abul Kalam, 34, hailed from Ramnagar Laxipur village under Boalmari upazila in Faridpur. Officer-in Charge of Labanchara Police Station of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) Md Momtazul Haque told BSS, being informed, police intercepted a bus 'Imad Paribahan'at Sachibunia area under Labanchara area today. Police seized the gold bars which was concealed underneath Kalam's shoes and later arrested him. The passenger bus was going to Satkhira from Dhaka, he said, adding that Kalam was carrying it with a view to smuggling the gold bars to India from Keraniganj of the capital. The market value of the seized gold bars, weighing about 738.50 grams, is approximately Taka 70 lakh, the OC added. A case was filed at Labanchara Police Station in the city. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Professor Dr Hemraj Pant has been appointed as Vice Chancellor of Far Western University. Prime Minister and Chancellor of the University Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' today appointed Pant to the post on the recommendation of the committee formed under Education Minister Sumana Shrestha. The recommendation committee had submitted the names of three people including Pant to the Prime Minister for the appointment to the post. Source: National News Agency Nepal

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder today urged mill owners to market unpolished rice from next Aman season considering health benefit of people. The nutrition value of rice reduces when it is making thin and shinny after husking repeatedly in the mills, he said and urged all concerned to raise public awareness to take unpolished rice. The minister made the remarks while exchanging views with the officers and employees of district food department at Circuit House to make the Boro Procurement Drive-2024 a success. Sounding a note of caution against any irregularities or harassment to the farmers and millers in the process, he said stern action would be taken against those who will be responsible in this regard. Responding to media queries, he said steps have already been taken to write names of rice varieties and their prices on the sacks so that consumer gets a total idea about the product. In this connection, he said the retailers won't be able to blame the millers for increasing rice price, if rice p rices are written on the bag at the mill gate. The minister said the rice production in the country has increased many folds during the last couple of years due to the action taken by the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Now we have reached a rice exporting country from the rice deficit country due to timely steps taken by the government, he added. He mentioned that Bangladesh has witnessed bumper rice production when Awami League government was in power. Chaired by Deputy Commissioner Golam Mawla, Superintendent of Police Mohammad Rashidul Haque and Regional Food Controller of Rajshahi Md Zahirul Islam Khan spoke on the occasion. Representatives of district agriculture department and mill owners association were present, among others. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha