Day: May 29, 2024

Severe cyclone Remal that hit the coastal belts of the country on Sunday with winds reaching speeds of up to 90 kilometers put its trail of devastation in the mangrove forests as numerous infrastructures and trees have been damaged, apart from leaving 40 deer dead. 'Since Sunday afternoon, cyclone Remal's rampage and tidal waves have caused significant damage to the wildlife of the Sundarbans,' said Mihir Kumar Doe, conservator of the Forest of Khulna Circle. The violent storm destroyed massive infrastructure, a good number of trawlers, and numerous trees, washed away water basins, intruded saline water into over 80 sweet water ponds; and destroyed the abode of the wild animals. 'Carcasses of 40 deer and one boar were recovered, so far, 17 deer were set free to the forest after treatment, over 70 jetties, 25 forest outposts, and trees were destroyed,' Mihir added. He said that forest employees, bawalies, fishermen, and wildlife are now facing a scarcity of sweet drinking water as saline water intruded in to ponds. Mihir warned that, besides the deer, more wild animals might have died, and forest guards are actively searching for these animals. The cyclone has also damaged various infrastructures at the Karamjal Wildlife Breeding and Tourism Center in the East Sundarbans. 'In addition to the loss of trees, various forest department offices, patrol boats, solar panels, and infrastructure have been extensively damaged,' he said. The jetty in the Katka Sanctuary has been washed away into the Bay of Bengal by the tide. Tin sheds of infrastructure, including kitchens of 25 patrol posts and various forest offices in Dubla, Katka, Kochikhali, and Bogi, were blown away by the strong winds, he added. Hawladar Azad Kabir, officer-in-charge of the East Sundarbans Karamjal Wildlife and Breeding Centre, said that the wooden poles for tourist traffic were damaged by Cyclone Remal, and many trees were broken. 'We are yet to ascertain the entire loss caused by the cyclonic storm,' he added. Dr. Sheikh Faridul Islam, ch airman of the Save the Sundarbans Foundation, emphasized the importance of maintaining sufficient high hills and shelters for the wild animals of the Sundarbans. The banks of freshwater ponds should be raised to prevent floodwater from entering, he opined. Talking to BSS, KaziMdNurul Karim, Divisional Forest Officer of East Sundarban, told BSS that forest officials are working to assess the damage to forest resources and wildlife caused by the cyclone. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said he feels that climbers are like his family members. Remembering the Sagarmatha ascent by his daughter-in-law and late son in the past, PM Dahal viewed climbers give sense of his family members. The PM was moved at a programme where he was the chief guest. The programme was held to announce a 'climbers' welfare fund'. It was conducted to mark the Sagarmatha Day. "I assure you of my initiatives to set up the fund by coordinating with the Finance Ministry. Tax discount will be mulled for fostering mountaineering tourism and entrepreneurship," PM Dahal mentioned. The Sagarmatha Day would help increase arrival of tourists, conserve mountain, reduce waste in mountain region and take action against climate change impact in this sensitive zone. According to him, the government would formulate a policy and programmes to ensure safe mountaineering and dignity to climbers recognizing the Sagarmatha ascent. On the occasion, Minister for Culture, Touri sm and Civil Aviation, Hit Bahadur Tamang, informed that the government had aimed at welcoming 1.6 million tourists next year. For realizing the goal, the ministry was at work for collaboration and coordination with concerned stakeholders, he added. A taskforce was formed to study environmental impacts at Sagarmatha base camp in the wake rising temperate and human activities in the mountain region. Similarly, Chief Minister of Koshi Province, Hikmat Karki, hoped province would get cooperation from the federal government for conservation of the Sagarmatha region. The government has decided to observe the Sagarmatha Day every year. The day is marked on May 29, the day the first climbers were atop the world's highest peak, Sagarmatha. It has been 71 years since Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary climbed the highest peak. Nepal had begun observing the day in 2008. Meanwhile, noted tourism entrepreneur and climber Lakpa Sonam Sherpa has been conferred on the International Sagarmatha Award in recognition to his five decades long contribution to tourism and mountaineering. The award carries a purse of Rs 100 thousand. Several other climbers were provided batch and identity cards. Source: National News Agency RSS

A representative team of Awami League (AL) today went to the country's southern region to visit cyclone Remal-affected areas. The team led by AL joint general secretary agriculturist AFM Bahauddin Nasim will visit Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Khulna, Sathkhira, and other affected areas of the region, according to a release here. The other members of the team include AL organizing secretary Advocate Afzal Hossain, international affairs secretary Shammi Ahmed, central committee members Golam Rabbani Chinu and Anisur Rahman, Swechasebak League president Gazi Mezbaul Hossain Sacchu, and acting general secretary Khairul Hasan Jewel, among others. Nasim said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is regularly enquiring about the affected people and the areas as well. It is expected that the Premier will visit the affected areas tomorrow, he added. He said Awami League leaders and activists are standing beside the affected people as per the directive of the Prime Minister. The government is also working for the welfare of the common people, he said. He said many people, including farmers, were affected by the cyclone Remal. "We, on behalf of the Awami League, are enquiring about the affected people. The Awami League is a party of mass people,' said Nasim. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari has said that the government is moving forward on the way of prosperity by ending negative discourse and harnessing possibilities and opportunities. Speaking after observing the photo exhibition organized by Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) on the occasion of Republic Day-2081 BS, Minister Bhandari said that the government is focused on ending the challenges and difficulties encountered in the journey of prosperity. He was of the view of easing legal provisions for increasing investment in the country. He further added that the government was prioritizing the agricultural production and its marketing. Minister Bhandari shared that the problem of brain drain should be addressed with creation of job opportunities in the country. "Recently unveiled budget has prioritized the infrastructure development therefore developmental activities will be speed up," he said. Minister Bhandari said that the photos displayed by the RSS have reflected t he infrastructure developments that have taken place in the Republican era of the country. Source: National News Agency RSS

The 3rd phase of 6th upazila election to two upazilas- ManikganjSadar and Saturiaof the district was held peacefully. Returning Officer and also the Additional District Magistrate(ADM) Mohammad Ali said BSS the election was held peacefully at 170 voting centres. Voting started at 8 am and continued till 4pm without any break. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Finance Minister Barshman Pun has said that the budget for the new financial year 2023/24 has been introduced with the welfare of the citizens at the center. Speaking at an interaction on the budget presented at the joint meeting of the Federal Parliament on Tuesday, Finance Minister Pun asserted that we expect that the budget will instill hope not only in the people, but also in the businesspersons and entrepreneurs. "The government will begin a new phase of economic reforms through the budget of the next financial year while a policy has been pursued to try to build an economy that suits our geographical location ", he said. Stating that the change in tax rate was carried on the basis of need and with justification, he said the policy is to protect domestic industries and manufacturing sector."The budget is focused on increasing domestic production by prioritizing sectors such as agriculture, energy and information technology." Finance Secretary Madhukumar Marasini said that budget resources h ave been managed within the limits of the budget given by the National Resource Estimation Committee and the domestic loan raising limit set by the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission. Revenue Secretary Dr Ram Prasad Ghimire said that rather than raising more revenue, the revenue policy is focused towards making the economic sector viable and protecting the domestic industries. Also speaking at the event, Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Mahaprasad Adhikari said that the budget has come within the limits set by the Resource Estimation Committee. The federal government can resort to internal borrowing when the province and local levels fail to do so. Finance Minister Pun had presented a Rs 18.6 trillion budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2023/24 at the joint meeting of both houses of the federal parliament on Tuesday. Source: National News Agency RSS

Over 1.19 lakh children aged between six months to 59 months will be fed Vitamin A plus capsules during the National Vitamin A plus Campaign on June 1. Civil Surgeon Dr. Shamim Kabir disclosed the information today to the local journalists at a press conference held at the conference room of the Civil Surgeon's Office to make the National Vitamin A plus Campaign-2024 a success. Medical Officer Dr Azaz Ahmed Roci, Dr Rokeya Parveen Shanta, Senior Health Education Officer Zillur Rahman, Junior Health Education Officer Hayat Hossain, General Secretary of Magura Press Club Shamim Khan, among others, spoke. The campaign will be conducted under the auspices of the Public Health and Nutrition Institute and National Nutrition Services under the Ministry of Health and Family Planning with the assistance of UNICEF. Civil Surgeon Dr. Shamim Kabir said intake of Vitamin A plus capsules will ensure normal growth of children along with maintaining good eyesight and immunity. There is an opportunity to provide vitamin A to the children through food diversification and supplementary feeding, he said. According to the Civil Surgeon's Office, a total of 1,19,593 children in the district will be given Vitamin A capsules on June 1. Civil Surgeon office sources said a total of 2,271 volunteers including health workers will provide the Vitamin A plus capsules at 940 centres in the district from 8 am to 4 pm on the day. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Chairperson of CPN (UML) KP Sharma Oli has said that women are working in the front line to save the party just like the goddesses entered the field in the Devasura Sangram (war between god and devil). Addressing an inaugural session of the UML's two-day National Women's Conference here in the capital today, former Prime Minister Oli said that even when some evil forces were trying to destroy the UML, women and youth came to the forefront carrying the party's flag and defeated them. He also urged the women to be more assertive to save the nation and party further promoting the entrepreneurship. He said every woman should come with a new vision and entrepreneurship to materialize the national campaign of ' Prosperous Nepal: happy Nepali. Oli further said that the 33 percent of women's participation in every state organ was not enough. About 5,000 women representatives of various party committees and wings are attending the event inaugurated by former president Bidya Devi Bhandari. Source: Nati onal News Agency RSS

British citizens living abroad are now eligible to register to vote in the United Kingdom (UK) general elections, regardless of how long they have been living outside the UK. A new law has removed the previous 15-year time limit, according to an official release issued by the British High Commission in Dhaka today. Supporting the awareness-raising campaign of the UK's Electoral Commission, the British High Commission Dhaka is calling on British residents living in Bangladesh to check if they are eligible. The Commission is the independent and impartial organisation that oversees elections in the UK, the release added. It said: "Those who have previously lived in or been registered to vote in the UK now have the right to vote in UK parliament elections. They can register online at www.gov.uk/registertovote and will need to confirm their personal information every three years." Anyone on a UK electoral register is also considered a permissible donor to UK political parties and campaigners. Brit ish High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke said: "A change in UK law means that more British citizens living abroad are now eligible to vote in UK Parliament elections. It's important that eligible people are made aware of the changes so that they can register to vote and cast a ballot when the time comes." "If you used to live in the UK or know anyone who did, let them know they may be able to have their say at the next UK general elections. It only takes five minutes to register, and it can be done online at gov.uk/registertovote. It's also now possible to apply online to vote by post or proxy," she added. Applicants will need to provide details of the address and time they were last registered or resident. Local authorities must be able to verify an applicant's identity and past connection to the area. Many voters living abroad choose to apply for absent votes. Applications to vote by post or proxy in Great Britain can now also be done online. The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Chairperson of the National Assembly, Narayan Prasad Dahal, has said media can inform people about the achievements made after the adoption of republic like- physical infrastructures, IT, human development indicators. Chair Dahal said it while observing the photo display the RSS has organized on the occasion of the 17th Republic Day at its head office, Bhadrakali. The exhibition is going on under the theme: "Achievements of Republic: Infrastructures of Prosperity". Dissemination of correction information helps create hope among people, he added. He expressed the belief that the initial achievements following the republic have paved the way for huge a potential of development. "The RSS photos are an indication of a solid foundation to spread hope among people," he commented, admitting that he was also unaware of some of the development projects going on in different parts of the country. Dahal took it as an opportunity to learn about the country's development projects with the inspection of photo s. He, however, admitted that people could not be ensured feeling of change on the economic and social fronts as envisaged during the people's movement. So, the track towards prosperity should not be derailed. He also prided on the mainstreaming of underprivileged classes and communities including women empowerment in the federal republic. The time has come to strike a balance between human needs and development works. "From the perspective of physical infrastructures, it may be progress, but people's income level and meaningful change in their life counts much," he underlined, adding that there are a lot of areas to work effectively as in the human development index. He shared that a 'province government' scheme was launched to link the National Assembly with lower bodies of the State. The Chair lauded that National Assembly witnessed issues in a comparatively positive manner. NA is at work to make its role further effective, according to him. Moreover, Chair Dahal observed that RSS was established as an organization that produces and disseminates factual and credible news stories. "Reading RSS news is being confirmed of unfolding issues and events," he stressed. Source: National News Agency RSS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit Cyclone Remal-hit areas in Kalapara of Patuakhali tomorrow. "The prime minister will leave for Patuakhali by a helicopter at 11am tomorrow," PM's Deputy Press Secretary MM Emrul Kayas told BSS this afternoon. The district administration is taking all-out preparations over the premier's visit to Patuakhali. As many as 327,000 people have so far been affected in the district while some 235 houses were completely and 1,865 others were partially destroyed, sources said. They said the agricultural sector suffered losses of over Tk 260 million, while the fishery sector's losses are estimated to be over Tk 280 million. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha