Day: May 20, 2024

President Mohammed Shahabuddin has directed the REHAB authorities to be diligent in ensuring that buyers do not suffer any form of harassment while purchasing plots or flats. 'None gets harassed while buying plots or flats anyway,' the President told the delegation of the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) when they called on him at Bangabhaban here today. The delegation led by REHAB President Md Wahiduzzaman also formally invited the Head of State to attend the 'Rehab Fair 2024', slated for next December in Dhaka, as the chief guest. Later, president's press secretary Md Joynal Abedin told the BSS that the President was apprised of the overall activities of the REHAB and their various programs. The delegation also highlighted the contribution of REHAB to the housing sector in Bangladesh. President Shahabuddin said, 'The role of REHAB is very significant in the development and growth of the housing sector in Bangladesh.' Terming housing as one of the basic needs of people , the President said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is implementing various programs, including, shelter houses, to ensure that no one will be homeless in Bangladesh. The REHAB authority sought the cooperation of the government to overcome the various problems in this sector. Secretaries concerned to the President Office were also present there. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Hom Lal Shrestha of the Tribhuvan Army Club has won the title of Pathibhara Marathon held today under Taplejung Tourism Festival. He completed the 48 kilometers race from Phuling to Pathibhara in four hours, five minutes and 27 seconds. Shrestha received Rs 151,111 and a certificate. Similarly, Tilak Sunuwar of the Tribhuvan Army Club secured second position by completing the distance in four hours 12 minutes and 48 seconds. He received Rs 111,111 and a certificate. Likewise, Pratap Thamsuhang of the same club secured third position and got Rs 51,111 and a certificate. He completed the distance in four hours 13 minutes and 24 seconds. A total of 114 people had participated in Pathibhara Open Marathon. Towards Women Half Marathon, Army Club's Sunsari Rokaya clinched the title. She completed the 39-kilometer distance from district headquarters-Kaflepati in three hours 44 minutes and 52 seconds. Kumari Gurung of Phungling-6 became the first runner-up by completing the distance in four hours 22 minutes and 53 seconds. Similarly, Binita Tamang of Mauwakhola rural municipality completed the distance in four hours 27 minutes and 49 seconds and became the second runner-up. The winner, first runner-up and second runner-up received Rs 81,111, Rs 51,111 and Rs 31,111 and certificate respectively. A total of 47 runners had participated in the Women Half-Marathon, said Coordinator of Pathibhara Marathon Race Management Sub-Committee, Binod Bharati. The Taplejung Festival that began from May 16 concluded today. The festival was organised with an objective of tourism promotion and development of the district. Source: National News Agency RSS

A Chattogram court today sentenced two arms traders to 10 years Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) each for possessing arms and ammunition in 2020. The court of 1st additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Kamal Hossain Sikdar awarded arms carriers Priyo Chakma alias Janopriyo, 31, and Prokash Talukdar,29, to 10 years imprisonment each for possessing arms and ammunitions. According to the prosecution story is in brief that Biazid Thana police, acting on a tip-off, detained two arms traders with arms and ammunition from Baluchara area in the city on June 9 in 2020. Biyazid Thana police filed a case against them in same day. Police submitted charge-sheet against them before the court on February 3, 2021 while the court framed charges on August 23 in 2020. After examining, a total of eight, out of 15, prosecution witnesses the court passed the verdict in absence of the convict Priyo Chakma. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: The joint meeting of the central working committee and the parliamentary party of the main opposition party Nepali Congress, is being held on May 22. NC Central Office Chief Secretary Krishna Prasad Paudel shared that the meeting was being held to discuss contemporary political developments. He said that the meeting will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday at the party's central office in Sanepa, Lalitpur. Source: National News Agency RSS

Leaders of BFUJ-Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists today demanded the formation of the 10th wage board immediately. They placed the demand before the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in a meeting held at Jatiya Press Club (JPC) with BFUJ President and Chief News Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Omar Faruque in the chair, a press release said. Leaders of the apex body of journalists recalled that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave instructions to form the 10th wage board during a BFUJ conference held on November 2, 2023, in JPC. Awami League, in its Election Manifesto-2024,also pledged to form the wage board soon, they mentioned. But the directive of the Prime Minister is yet to be implemented, the leaders lamented. The leaders took the decision to form the 'Sangbadik-Saramik-Karmachari Oikyo Parishad' to ensure the better livelihood, safety and dignity of journalists and media workers. They vowed that they would take to the street soon to realize their demands. BFUJ Secretary Gen eral Dip Azad conducted the meeting, while BFUJ Vice-President Madhusudan Mondal, Treasurer Khairuzzaman Kamal, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Sohel Haider Chowdhury, BFUJ Office Secretary Sebika Rani and Executive Member Nure Jannat Akter Sima also spoke, added the press release. In the meeting, a three-member committee was formed to conduct the Khulna Union of Journalists (KUJ) elections. Former BFUJ President Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul was made chairman of the committee, while ex KUJ President Sheikh Abu Hasan and SM Zahid Hossain became members of the committee. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: The main opposition party, Nepali Congress, has expressed dissatisfaction over the role of Speaker Devraj Ghimire, accusing him of being biased. Determining that the role of Speaker Ghimire in today's meeting of the House of Representatives was not compatible with his position, a meeting of the NC Parliamentary Party held today raised questions over it. The party questioned the role of the Speaker, saying the Speaker forwarded the agenda of the parliament meeting amidst the protest and slogan of the opposition party. "A situation where a person in the position of the Speaker of the Parliament is used as a party member undermines the parliamentary norms and values. So this meeting draw the serious attention of the Speaker to carryout activities in order to protect the parliamentary norms and values", reads the decision. The NC Parliamentary Party meeting blamed the Speaker of forwarding the proposal related to vote of confidence of the Prime Minister amidst protests and sloganeering of the opposi tion party and not allowing NC lawmakers to put forth their views. At a news conference organised to inform about the meeting of the NC Parliamentary Party, Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak said the Speaker should not behave like a party cadre. The meeting drew the conclusion that parliament meeting should not be run by ignoring the democratic and parliamentary norms and values. Chief Whip Lekhak mentioned that instead of forming a parliamentary probe committee as per the demand of the opposition parties, it was not appropriate to complete the process of taking vote of confidence even after having enough time for the same. All opposition parties in the parliament including NC have been demanding formation of a parliamentary probe committee to ensure free and impartial investigation on embezzlement in the financial cooperatives' money. Source: National News Agency RSS

President Mohammed Shahabuddin has expressed deep shock and sorrow at the deaths of Iranian President Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and members of the entourage in a helicopter crash. In a condolence message to Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber today, the President said, "President Raisi's visionary approach as well as courage and dignity in dealing with difficult issues stand as a model and inspiration for all of us. Iran has lost a wise and erudite leader whose empathy with the people made him outstanding." The President prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family members and the brotherly people of Iran. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: As of the end of the month of Basaikh (mid-May) of the current financial year, the country has suffered trade deficit worth Rs 1177 billion. Goods worth Rs. 1303 billion was imported while the export was limited to just Rs 126 billion, according to the Department of Customs. In the first 10 months of the current year, the country saw foreign trade transaction worth Rs.1429 billion, which is a decline by 2.50 per cent in compared to the corresponding period of the previous financial year. Furthermore, imports have decreased by 2.39 percent and exports by 3.61 percent during the same period. During the review period, Nepal suffered a trade loss of Rs. 729 billion with India. Goods worth 815 billion rupees were imported into Nepal from India while the export to India from Nepal was a mere 86 billion rupees. Likewise, the second highest foreign trade deficit was recorded with neighboring China, equal to 238 billion rupees. In 10 months, China exported goods worth Rs 240 billion to Nepal while it impo rted goods worth only Rs 22.74 billion from Nepal. As of mid-May, the largest import was of petroleum products, including petrol worth Rs.115.67, diesel worth Rs.56.80 billion and cooking gas worth Rs.46 billion. In addition, Nepal imported mobile phones worth Rs. 24 billion during the same period. Nepal's highest export was of carpet, worth Rs 8.79 billion followed by cardamom worth Rs 6.91 billion, iron worth Rs 5.52 billion and palm oil worth Rs 5.60 billion. Source: National News Agency RSS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given clearance to plying of battery-powered rickshaws only in Dhaka city considering the suffering of low-income people and impacts of commodity prices amid the ongoing global crises, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said today. "But, the movement of battery-run auto-rickshaws will remain suspended on 22 highways of the country as per earlier decision," he said while addressing a discussion at the Awami League's Bangabandhu Avenue central office in the capital. The discussion was organised on the occasion of the founding anniversary of the Awami Olama League. Quader, also the Awami League General Secretary, said: "We are coming up with new policy. Which is the first priority - livelihood or life? If an easybike collides with a truck and bus, none riding by bus or truck will suffer but all the passengers and drivers of the easybike will be killed. In such situation, we have restricted the movement of easybikes on the 22 highways." He said Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has been asked to hold a meeting with the representatives of auto-rickshaw drivers and talk to them to this end. Noting that training of drivers and vehicle size should be brought under a rule, the road transport and bridges minister said the size and wheels of vehicles should be realistic, while BRTA will take effective measures to reach the instructions that the premier has given in this regard to all. About the arrest of BNP leaders, he said BNP leaders have been sent to jail as offenders, not as BNP members. "The offenders have no party. Their only identity is miscreants and terrorists." Quader said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had important contribution to the flourishing of holy religion Islam in Bangladesh, while they built many Islamic institutions during their regimes and no other rulers of the country did so like them. Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary and Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap and Religious Affairs Secretary Sirajul Mostafa, among others, spoke at the meeting with Olama League President KM Abdul Momin Siraji in the chair. Olama League General Secretary Aminul Haque moderated the meeting. Claiming that BNP-Jamaat has now become the friend of Jews, Dr Hasan Mahmud said none of Zia-Ershad-Khaleda fulfilled the demands of Alems-Ulamas. BNP and their allies have used the religious sentiments of the Alems and Ulamas and did politics, he said. Hasan said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina does not use Alems-Ulamas but works for them, while she built 1.2 lakh mosque-based maktabs (seminaries). He said the AL government built so many eye-catching mosques in the country with its own funds. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Two people were killed and 21 others injured in a bus accident in Surkhet today. The deceased have been identified as Sher Bahadur Khadka, 65, from Dullu municipality-10 in Dailekh and currently residing in Thakurbaba municipality-5 in Bardiya and Bhimsen Rana of Dungeshwor rural municipality-6 in Dailekh, according to Spokesperson for the District Police Office, Surkhet, Deputy Superintendent of Police Birendra Bir Bishwakarma. The bus (Karnali Province 02001 Kha 0852) coming towards Surkhet from Dailekh fell off the road and got stuck in a tree near Katkuwa of Birendranagar municipality-7. Among the injured, one is said to be in critical condition while others are out of life-threatening conditions. The injured are being treated at the Karnali Province Hospital, Surkhet, and Birendranagar-based health facilities. The accident could have resulted in more fatalities if the vehicle had not lodged into the tree. The accident is due to over-speed, according to the police preliminary evaluation. Source: N ational News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: It is estimated that the cost of promoting the multi-hazard early warning system will be around Rs 81 billion 40 million and 80 thousand (US$ 614 million). This cost is required to implement the government strategy to integrate the multi-hazard early warning system with the goal of minimizing the potential loss of property due to various disasters and making the early warning system effective. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has said preparations are being made to organize the multi-disaster early warning system and it has made a preliminary estimate that it will cost more than Rs 81 billion to update the system. According to the Authority, preparations are being made to promote a multi-disaster early warning system with the goal of providing early warning of future disasters and assisting in increasing the response capacity to reduce potential risks. Despite the development of early warning system in Nepal related to floods, landslides there is no provisio n for early warning of other natural disasters in Nepal. For the first time, the government is starting preparations with the goal of enhancing disaster response capacity by installing early warning system on multi-disaster scenarios. Anil Pokharel, the executive head of the authority, has informed that the estimated cost for the next seven years will be Rs 81 billion. "After the development of flood forecasting in Nepal, there are multiple examples of saving many lives and preventing the loss of millions of property. But the effective system for getting prior information about natural disasters such as landslides, lightning, forest fires, floods, cold waves, avalanches, windstorms, hailstorms, and air pollution was not developed so far," he said. Since the loss of property is increasing due to these disasters, we have aimed to develop an early warning system to reduce the possible damage caused by such multi-catastrophic events. He said that discussions are being held with relevant stakeholders for the dev elopment of a multi-disaster early warning system with the goal of reducing the human and economic losses caused by all kinds of disasters. The NDRRMA chief informed that the information collected from the multi-source information system will be provided in the local language so that it could be understood by the general public. Source: National News Agency RSS