Day: May 29, 2024

The upcoming fiscal year's budget announced on Tuesday has allocated the budget for the operation of new projects in Karnali Province. Finance Minister Barshaman Pun said that the areas of Hima and Tila rivers in Jumla would be developed as the Marsidhan corridor and the adjoining areas of Sharada river in Salyan and Rukum districts would be developed as the agriculture corridor. Under the Prosperous Mountain Programme, farms would be run for rearing sheep, Himalayan goats and yaks, and for growing apples and nuts as well as medicinal herbs. Likewise, the Prosperous Karnali Entrepreneurship Programme-based on agriculture and forest produces would be run in the province. He also stated that the province would be developed as a hub for medicinal herbs. Similarly, Minister Pun said Rs 820 million has been allocated for the integrated irrigation development project in all 10 districts in the province. Finance Minister Pun said that the airports in Surkhet and Jumla would be upgraded and the Bheri corridor 400 KV transmission line would be advanced. According to Minister Pun, the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences would be upgraded to the facilities of 500 beds and plans to establish a medical college in Surkeht would be advanced. Minister Pun has allocated Rs 21 billion for the reconstruction of physical properties in Jajarkot and Rukum Paschim damaged in Jajarkot earthquake. Source: National News Agency RSS

Over 51 lakh children aged 6-59 months will be administered vitamin 'A' Plus capsules in the 11 districts of Chattogram Division on June 1. This was disclosed at a press conference by Acting Chattogram Divisional Director (Health) Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed held at its respective office at city's Cinema Palace on Wednesday. The meeting was organized by the Office of the Divisional Director (Health) in Chattogram. Over 13.5 lakh children aged 6-59 months will be administered vitamin 'A' Plus capsules on Saturday in Chattogram to prevent all types of diseases including measles, diarrhea and night blindness. The campaign will begin from 8am and continue uninterruptedly till 4 pm on National Vitamin 'A' plus campaign-24 in the city and district without government holidays. A total of 4,861 temporary vaccination centers will be set up by Civil Surgeon office (CCC). CCC will set up 1,288 temporary centers in 41 wards to carry out the program. Over 20,000 volunteers and health workers including 4,848 by CCC would be engaged for giving vitamin 'A' Plus capsules to the children aged from 6 months to 5 years. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers-2024 was observed in Rajshahi in a befitting manner like the other parts of the country today. Marking the day, Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) in the morning organised a rally from Circuit House premises in the city to honour the memories of the UN peacekeepers who laid down their lives for the cause of peace and security in war-torn countries across the world. The theme of the day, "Fit for the Future: Building Better Together", calls on each of us to join the global movement for peace, while recognizing the service and sacrifice of the peacekeepers past and present, including over 4,200 peacekeepers who have given their lives under the UN flag. Principal of Bangladesh Police Academy (BPA), Sardah Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police of Rajshahi Range Anisur Rahman and RMP Commissioner Biplob Bijoy Talukder flanked by other high-ranking military, police and civil officials led the rally. Subsequently, they opened the day's programmes through releasing festoons, balloons and pigeons and they also planted a tree-sapling on the occasion. A discussion was also held at the RMP Headquarter premises highlighting the remarkable contributions and sacrifice to the UN Missions made by the Bangladeshi Peacekeepers. BPA Principal Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan, who is Additional Inspector General of Police, and Rajshahi Range DIG Anisur Rahman addressed the discussion as chief and special guests respectively with RMP Commissioner Biplob Bijoy Talukder in the chair. Among others, Director of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital Brig Gen Shameem Ahmed, BPA DIG Rakfer Sultana, Principal of Rajshahi College Prof Abdul Khaleque, Additional DIG Faisal Mahmud and Additional Commissioner of Rajshahi division Kabir Uddin and representatives of Bangladesh Army, BGB, RAB, fire brigade and Rajshahi Central Jail were present. Masurur Rahman Bhuiyan said the purpose of observing the day is to underscore the importance of maintai ning global peace, pay tributes to those who are involved in the peacekeeping missions and honour the UN peacekeepers who have already lost their lives for global peace. The Day, 29th May, offers a chance to pay tributes to the contributions of the uniformed and civilian personnel to the work of the organisation and to honour scores of peacekeepers who have lost their lives in serving under the UN flag since 1948. Combined Forces of Bangladesh (BCF) and Bangladesh Police (BP) are working with the International Peacekeeping activities for over the last three decades and performing their duties successfully, he added. Bangladesh is one of the largest contributors to the UN peacekeeping operations. First UN force to serve with the Organization in 1988, to help to monitor the armistice between Iran and Iraq. Since 1988, Bangladesh has participated in 56 peacekeeping missions in 40 different countries over five continents with more than 188,558 uniformed personnel, including over 1,800 female peacek eepers. Bangladesh has sent its personnel to at least 45 UN Peacekeeping Operations and more than 83,000 personnel of Bangladesh have served in those missions. Apart from this, Bangladeshi peacekeepers have never retreated in the face of danger when confronted with 'unknown enemies on foreign soil'. Peacekeepers working under complex and dangerous circumstances often endangered their lives. So far, 167 peacekeepers, including 22 police, from Bangladesh have lost their lives while serving in the UN peacekeeping operations. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the third phase upazila (UZ) election was held in a festive mood and it was peaceful and participatory. 'No casualty was reported during the third phase polls except a few sporadic incidents. Strict decisions were taken to hold the election fairly. The voter turnout was satisfactory and the voters exercised their franchise without any hassle,' he said. The AL general secretary said this at a press conference held at the AL president's political office in city's Dhanmondi this evening. Quader said the voter turnout was initially found to be around 35 percent in the third phase of Upazila Parishad polls. The exact figure will be known tomorrow, he said. He extended thanks to the Election Commission (EC) and other officials for holding the polls peacefully. He said it was expected that a few voters would come to the polling centers as many roads and streets were damaged due to cyclone Remal. But the voter turnout was satisfactory, he added. Criticising a comment of BNP leaders over former police chief Benazir and former army chief Aziz, the AL general secretary said, 'Who created Ashraful Huda, Rakibul Huda and SP Kahinur? Who had created the 'Hawa Bhaban', the place of corruption? Did BNP carry out any trial against them?' Quader said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has courage. For this, she has declared 'zero tolerance' against corruption. Two contractual appointments of two officials at the Prime Minister's office have been canceled today, he said, adding they might have some negligence in performing their responsibilities. He said no one thought in that way about Benazir and Aziz Ahmed seeing their talent, degree and intelligence. Their offences are their personal issues and they will have to face the music, Quader said. AL organizing secretaries BM Mozammel Haque, SM Kamal Hossain and Mirza Azam, liberation war affairs secretary Mrinal Kanti Das, relief and social welfare secretary Aminul Islam, office secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, deputy publicity secretary Syed Abdul Awal Shamim and deputy office secretary Sayem Khan, among others, were present. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at a few places over three divisions and at one or two places over other two divisions. "Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at a few places over Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Dhaka and Chattogram divisions. Weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country", said a met office forecast for the next 24 hours begins from 9am today. The land depression over Sylhet and adjoining area moved eastwards and weakened into a low pressure over Assam and adjoining area and has become unimportant. Country's maximum temperature was recorded 37.0 degree Celsius at Rangpur and minimum temperature today was recorded 22.0 degree Celsius Sylhet. Maximum rainfall the last twenty-four hours till 6am today was recorded 146 millimeters (MM) at Sylhet. The sun sets today at 6:41pm and rises tomorrow at 5:11am in the capital. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat today urged the country's mass media to work with utmost sincerity safeguarding the interest of the country and its people, saying that the government is working to ensure a congenial atmosphere for journalism. 'The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina always stands by the people working in the media with different types of incentives so they can work professionally with responsibility,' he said. The state minister said this while addressing the Bangladesh Press Council (BPC) Padak-2023 distribution ceremony at Tathya Bhaban Auditorium in the city's Circuit House Road this afternoon. Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Ministry Kazi Keramat Ali, Senior Secretary of the ministry Humayun Kabir Khandaker, and jury board chief and Professor of Dhaka University (DU) Mass Communication and Journalism Department Dr Abul Mansur Ahmed spoke at the function with BPC Chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq Nasim in the chair. Reiterating the government's commitment to foster professional journalism, Arafat said, 'We believe that freedom of the press is the part of our Liberation War spirit'. The protection of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression and freedom of the press is the large part of the dream based on which the country was liberated, he said, adding, 'But later, it was snatched from us after August 15 in 1975 following the assassination of the country's architect and the greatest Bengali of all time Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman'. Later, the country witnessed that the evil force came to the state power and pushed the country towards darkness by establishing military rule, killing democracy, suppressing mass media, gagging the freedom of expression, destroying the human rights and ruining all the spirits of the Liberation War while the reactionary and anti-liberation forces were rehabilitated, the state minister said. From that reality, he said, Prime Minister Sheik h Hasina has been trying to bring the country out of the darkness and push it towards light and the spirit of the Liberation War for the last 15 years since 2009. Noting that the government of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina welcomes all kinds of constructive criticism made by the media, Arafat said, 'Today's award is an evidence of that as one of the awardees got the award for his report criticizing the government'. He termed the media as the eye of the government and said it helps the government in taking right decisions. Urging the media to publish reports based on authentic information, the state minister said, 'We want to see the media as a supportive force of the government. I want to assure you that if you publish any report based on factual and authentic information identifying the government's mistakes, we will welcome those and recognize with award'. 'But the problems which are created when anti-Bangladesh conspirators engage in conspiracy riding on the mass media and abusing the press freedom against the country and its interest, and misguide the people by spreading misinformation and disinformation; we don't want to recognize those as criticism and journalism rather we term those as propaganda, bad journalism, misinformation, crime and conspiracy,' Arafat said. Referring to German broadcaster Deutsche Welle's (DW) recent documentary on Bangladesh's human rights issue, he said, 'If you watch the documentary attentively, you will see it was not against any individual or the government, but against the country and its important institution - Bangladesh Army'. The DW made an ill-motivated, malicious and misleading documentary to tarnish the reputation of Bangladesh Army, which has gained fame for its extraordinary role in the UN peacekeeping missions, the state minister added. Making a nexus, he said, a vested quarter is spreading such kind of propaganda to tarnish the image of the Bangladesh Army and the country by using the international media. Referring to Germen government's stance regarding the Gaza war, Arafat said DW should prove its press freedom and commitment to human rights by airing documentary unveiling the genocide being carried out by Israeli Defence Forces, going against their government's stance. Otherwise, their so-called commitment to human rights and press freedom will be considered as fake, he added. The US had raised a question over freedom of expression in Bangladesh as a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team entered BNP office following a bomb blasting there, he said. But their (US) character has been unmasked following the police action against the peaceful demonstration of students and teachers protesting the genocide in Gaza, Arafat said. SWAT members entered BNP office following standard of the international law as it is specially trained on tackling explosive substances, but the US used its SWAT team to scatter the peaceful and unarmed agitators, he pointed out. BPC Secretary Shyamol Chandra Karmakar delivered the welcome address at the event. Form er editor of Begum Patrika Nur Jahan Begum got the lifetime award (Posthumous) while Bhorer Kagoj in the institutional category, Dainik Cox's Bazar in regional institutional category, Somoy TV Patuakhali district correspondent Shikdar Jabid Hossain in rural journalism, BTV news producer Md Iqbal Hossain in development and Bhorer Kagoj senior reporter Jharna Moni got the award in women journalism category. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)arrested Rubel, a seven year fugitive convict who was sentenced to life in a drug case, in city's Kadamtoli area on Tuesday evening. Acting on a tip-off, the members of the RAB-2 arrested him after conducting a combing operation in Kadamtoli police station area in the city at 5.15pm, said senior ASP and Senior Assistant Director (Media) of RAB-2, Shihab Karim. Fugitive convict Rubel, 45, son of Atiqullah hailed from Dhaka district under Shayampur police station were on run for seven years. Earlier, Rubel was detained by the law enforcing agencies with heroin on May 18 in 2018.He absconded after getting bail from the court. Later, the court issued arrest warrant against him and gave him life sentence while the allegation was proved undoubtedly. RAB handed him to the Kadamtoli Police Station. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal today expressed his satisfaction over the polling in the 3rd phase of Upazila Parishad election. "Today's election has been satisfactory," he told the reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in city's Agargaon area after the polling. The sixth upazila parishad election was held in a peaceful manner ensuring around 30-35 percent voter turn-out, he said, adding that it will take more time to get proper information regarding the voter turnout. Mentioning that a few untoward incidents had occurred, he said 30 people have been arrested for irregularities, including attempting to rig vote. Two of them have been sentenced to jail, he added. Besides, one assistant presiding officer was arrested, he said. "The election was held in a free and fair manner. Administration and law enforcement agencies were active during the polling time,' he said. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors has approved two projects totaling $700 million to provide basic services and build disaster and social resilience for both the host communities and displaced Rohingya population in Bangladesh. Nearly one million Rohingya have fled violence in Myanmar to Bangladesh since 2017, making it one of the largest forced displacement crises in the world. "We greatly appreciate the Government of Bangladesh's generosity in supporting nearly one million Rohingya people. We also recognize the enormous pressure placed on the host communities," said Abdoulaye Seck, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan. He said, "With the crisis entering its seventh year, long-term planning and sustainable solutions have become critical, while also addressing short-term, urgent needs. We are fully committed to supporting the Government of Bangladesh to address this complex crisis and support the wellbeing of both the Rohingya and host communities." The $350 millio n Inclusive Services and Opportunities for Host Community and Displaced Rohingya Population Project and the $350 million Host and Rohingya Enhancement of Lives Project will together provide support to the Bangladeshi host communities and the Rohingya people as this crisis enters its seventh year. The interventions supporting the Rohingya population will be financed by the World Bank as grants under the IDA20 Window for Host Communities and Refugees. The Inclusive Services and Opportunities for Host Communities and Displaced Rohingya Population (ISO) Project will build on active investments in livelihoods and essential health, nutrition, family planning, gender-based violence response and prevention services for at least 980,000 people in the Rohingya and host communities. The project will prioritize investment in human capital development, with the aim to support the education of 300,000 Rohingya children under the age of 12. "The protracted displacement crisis that the Government of Banglades h is addressing is ultimately a challenge about supporting people, whether they are in the host community or in the displaced Rohingya population," said S. Amer Ahmed, World Bank Task Team Leader for the ISO Project. "The ISO Project will be supporting vulnerable households in both communities to invest, protect, and use their human capital through support for temporary work, training, education, child protection, primary healthcare, nutrition, family planning, and gender-based violence response and prevention services."added Amer. The Host and Rohingya Enhancement of Lives Project (HELP) will improve access to basic services and enhance the resilience of at least 645,000 people in the Rohingya and host communities. Project activities will encompass urgently needed investments in water, sanitation, and hygiene; climate resilient roads; renewable energy; and multi-purpose disaster shelters - underlying foundations critical to supporting productive livelihoods. The project will also focus on pro viding skills building for operations and maintenance at both the government and community levels, aiming for a dual benefit of infrastructure sustainability and longer-term skills development. "Disaster and climate resilience are ever more critical as the crisis became protracted. The Rohingya people continue to live in extremely congested settlements and have minimal access to basic services. The host communities are also deeply impacted, with continued additional pressure on limited resources," said Swarna Kazi, World Bank Task Team Leader for HELP. "The Host and Rohingya Enhancement of Lives Project will provide key investments to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure and further work to ensure they are sustained and maintained in the medium to long-term." added Kazi. Around 70 percent of the displaced Rohingya people in Bangladesh are women and children, and half are less than 15 years of age. The two projects recognize the differentiated impact of the crisis on women, childr en, and other vulnerable groups. Focused activities to address this include investments in gender-based violence prevention; safely managed, gender-sensitive, and climate resilient sanitation and hygiene facilities; solar streetlights for safety; and focused trainings for women on community-based disaster risk management. The two projects follow the World Bank's support of $590 million grant since the onset of the crisis and are underpinned by the lessons learned through these earlier interventions, as well as learning from forced displacement crises around the world. The World Bank has helped the Rohingya people and host communities on disaster preparedness, basic infrastructure, social protection, collaborative forest management, and income generation opportunities for the host communities. The World Bank was among the first development partners to support Bangladesh following its independence. Since then, the World Bank has committed more than $40 billion in grants and interest-free credit s to Bangladesh. In recent years, Bangladesh has been among the largest recipients of the World Bank's interest-free credits. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha