Day: June 24, 2024

Kathmandu: The Bill related to Tilganga Eye University, 2081 was tabled at the meeting today of the National Assembly. The Bill was tabled by Minister for Education, Science and Technology Sumana Shrestha. The upper house meeting unanimously approved the proposal seeking consideration over the Bill relating to Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, 2081. The proposal was put forth by Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet. The National Assembly will meet again on June 27. Source: National News Agency RSS

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is quite okay as she is receiving proper treatment at the hospital. "I want to say that BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is receiving proper treatment at the hospital where she has been admitted, and that is why she is okay till now," the law minister said while talking to newsmen at the secretariat this noon. Anisul further said Begum Khaleda Zia is suffering from a couple of diseases, which are incurable and should be kept under control through continuous treatment and that is being done. "At around 4 pm yesterday, a pacemaker has been implanted in her chest and she is quite okay. The government never hesitated to give permission when the local doctors considered bringing doctors from abroad for Khaleda Zia's treatment. So, the people, who are alleging that she is not receiving proper treatment because of me, are just making a mockery of themselves," he added. Replying to a question regarding BNP's allega tion over his sincerity and humanity, the law minister doubted the mental balance of the accusers, saying they are raising such allegations as they have lost their mental balance. "Despite these, if they want to express their anger and discontent against me at the press briefing, they can do it as there is freedom in Bangladesh. But I hope they would speak the truth, I hope they would not make a personal attack," he also said. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Minister for Health and Population Pradip Yadav has said the longstanding absence of Organisational and Management (O and M) Survey in hospitals has caused troubles in rendering healthcare services. In his response to queries raised in a meeting of the House of Representatives today regarding the Appropriation Bill-2081 BS today, the Minister said the O and M Survey has been awaited for hospitals for over two decades and the quotas allotted previously are inadequate to meet the current demands for healthcare services. He apprised the House about the revisions (increase) in a subsidy of Rs 100 thousand to eight chronic health complications including cancer and head and spinal injury. He said discussions are underway to introduce a subsidy for liver transplantation. Since he assumed the office, he has been effortful in addressing the situation forcing patients to wait for a long for surgery in a central office. A ministerial-level high-level team has been formed to assess the situation, according to the Minister. Extended services have been launched at some federal hospitals to discourage government hospital doctors from visiting private ones, he added. The programme for the upcoming fiscal year is about operating the Kathmandu-Valley-based large hospital into two shifts, implementing the extended service program, and adding a modular surgery room, as stated by the Minister. "I have directed the bodies concerned to make the rate of service charge provided from the hospitals at the time of renewal and upgrading of the operation of health institution appropriate and contextual," he said. Stating that arrangements for treatment of the burn patients would be made at NAMS and at the federal hospitals based in provinces from the upcoming fiscal year, the Health Minister informed the parliament that provision for additional treatment for burn patients would be made in coordination with the Bir Hospital and the Kirtipur-based Burn Hospital. He said that adequate budget has been allocated for the under-co nstruction hospitals of five/10/15-bed-capacity hospitals and on the case of those hospitals which have been completed, the approval of the Ministry of Finance and other related ministries has been sought on the proposal presented by the Ministry of Health and Population seeking the required human resources for the operation of these hospitals. According to the Minister, provisions have been made for operating the Mother Protection Programme, the treatment of eight major diseases and the health insurance scheme so that the patients from the lower economic strata and indigent communities will be able to avail health care services at the private hospitals. He informed that the construction of health infrastructure and managing the required human resources were the major challenges in the health sector at present. "The Ministry has been allocated a budget of only to four to five percent of the total national budget since the past years. It should have been 10 percent of the total national budget as stipulated by the World Health Organisation. But it has not been so far," the Health Minister complained. Minister Yadav urged the Finance Ministry, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration and other related ministries for providing the required support and cooperation to the Ministry of Health and Population, keeping it in special priority. Source: National News Agency RSS

Lawmakers today said the proposed budget FY25 which is sixteenth of the incumbent government and 53rd of the country has paved the way to smart Bangladesh within the stipulated time as the incumbent budget has given significant importance on peoples welfare. Taking part in the general discussion on the national budget for 2024-25 fiscal at the Jatiya Sangsad here, the lawmakers said the proposed budget has given significant importance on fresh employment generation, national security and people's safety which would help to turn the country into a smart one by 2041. Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on June 6 unveiled a Taka 7,97,000 crore national budget for 2024-25 fiscal setting the GDP growth target at 6.8 percent amid an economic meltdown across the world due to ongoing Ukraine-Russia war and Hamas-Israel-Palestine conflict. "The proposed budget has been placed to reach the target of smart Bangladesh as the budget has preferred of creating employment generation and controlling inflation", said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Muhibur Rahman. The budget outlined for materializing the target of smart Bangladesh will enhance the per capita income to US$ 12500, eliminate the extreme poverty, inflation reach between 4 to 5 percent, budget deficit come to less than 5 percent and investment will rise to 40 percent of the GDP, said the state minister. Sharply criticizing the proposed budget, workers party lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon of Barishal-2 said although the budget has reduced the import duty on different imported goods but it has no reflection in the commodity markets due to syndication of the businessmen. The lawmaker, however, urged the government to check corruption, criminalization and plundering of banks as the people can get the benefit of the development. Welcoming the proposed budget, SM Rezaul Karim of Pirojpur-1 said the proposed budget is time-befitting considering the geo-political circumstances across the world. "The proposed 53rd budget titled "March Towards Smart Bangladesh Following the Path of Sustainable Development" which is only 4.6 percent bigger than that of the current fiscal year, would help to build a smart Bangladesh while the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war and Hamas-Israel-Palestine conflict have created an emerging challenge for the economy", said AFM RuhulHaque of Satkhira-3. Treasury bench members, State Minister for Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Shafiqur Rahman of Sylhet-2, State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Faruque of Barishal-5, Golam Faruque of Lakhipur-3, Sabera Begum of Women seat-26, Nuruddin Chowdhury Nayan of Lakhipur-2, Salauddin Miaji of Jhenaidah-3, Nurul Islam Sujan of Panchagarh-2, Jatiya Party lawmaker ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader of Patuakhali-1, Shammi Ahmed of Women Seat-17, Sagufta Yasmin of Munshiganj-2, Syed Muhammad Ibrahim of Cox's Bazar-1, Md.Abdus Sabur of Cumilla-1, Jharna Hasan of Women Seat-36, Sayed Sayedul Haque of Habiganj-4, Abdus Salam of Chittagong-8, Mst Nasima Zaman (Boby) of Women Seat-4, Parul Akter of W omen Seat-25, Khadizatul Anwar of Chattogram-2, Jahangir Alam of Cumilla-3, Bedowra Ahmed Salam of Women Seat-38, took part in the discussion. Earlier, they paid their cordial tributes to the memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders, martyred Freedom Fighters and also those who made their utmost sacrifices during the War of Liberation and all subsequent democratic movements in the country. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City in Banke has presented a budget of over Rs 1.5 billion for the upcoming fiscal year 2081-82 BS. In the 15th Convention of the Sub Metropolis held under the chair of Mayor Prashant Bista, Deputy Mayor Kamaruddin Rai presented the budget of Rs 1,503,886,000 for the upcoming fiscal year. The size of the new budget is less by around Rs 350 million compared to the budget of the existing fiscal year. Of the total proposed budget, Rs 612.4 million will be sourced through the federal government under conditional grants, with Rs 10 million under complementary grants and Rs 15 million under special grants. Similarly, Rs 20.4 million will be sourced through the provincial government under conditional grants and Rs 14 million under complementary grants. Furthermore, fiscal equalization is set to contribute Rs 279.5 million from the federal government and Rs 20.5 million from the provincial government, alongside an estimated collection of Rs 221.1 million under the internal income. According to Deputy Mayor Rai, Rs 355.2 million has been proposed under the current expenditure, Rs one million towards the complimentary expenditure (federal), Rs 14 million towards the complimentary expenditure (province), Rs 7.5 million as other complimentary expenditures and Rs 200 has been allocated to 23 wards. The budget for the new fiscal year accords priorities to the advancements in the education sector and aims to enhance internal revenue collection by expanding taxation efforts. Deputy Mayor Rai said the budget emphasized developing economic, infrastructure, social, forest, and environmental sectors, disaster management, and enhancing institutional governance. While presenting the policies and programs of the local government for the upcoming fiscal year, Mayor Bista stressed the need to promote religious tolerance and develop Nepalgunj as a human-friendly citizen. He said the local government has pursued a policy of identifying various ponds and lakes, to conserve them. Likewise, it has set a policy of taking the initiative to set up a burn treatment center at the Nepalgunj submetropolis-20. Free health checkup facilities and treatment, free ambulance to the target groups, continuity of free surgery of cataract, health insurance for people with disabilities, encouragement of IT-based teaching-learning activities in school, arrangements of implementing local curriculum and textbooks program, disaster management, disabled-friendly infrastructure at school and the building of a gender-friendly environment are among the policies and plans envisaged by the government for the next fiscal year. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: CPN (Maoist Centre) lawmaker Jhakku Prasad Subedi has underscored on the ruling and the opposition parties to work together to control corruption and irregularities as they are the impediments of the national prosperity. Speaking during the 'special hour' in the meeting of the National Assembly today, he said it is regrettable that the person holding the highest position in the bureaucracy has been implicated in corruption case. He was referring to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filing cases against government employees including the Government Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal on corruption charge. Lawmaker Subedi pointed out the need of the ruling and the opposition sides to join hands in the fight against corruption as it is the obstacle to good governance. He expressed sadness over the incident in which a woman who was staying in the Chhaugoth (a shed where menstruating women are kept in seclusion) in Achham had been raped by her relative, and demanded an investigation into the incident and action against the culprits. Nepali Congress lawmaker Kamala Panta said corruption was rife in the country and stressed on carrying out works for its control both at the political and administrative levels. She said corruption takes place through the collusion of these both parties, calling on all to work to control this menace by finding out its causes. Lawmaker Panta described the registration of cases of corruption against some government employees including the Chief Secretary Aryal as regrettable and said this incident has tarnished the image of the entire civil service. She pointed out the need of enacting a powerful bill allowing investigation into, hearing of and prosecution also in the case of policy-level corruption. Lawmakers call for controlling VAW incidents Similarly, the lawmakers in the upper house of the Federal Parliament have called on the government to take stringent measures to control violence against women and children, stating that such incident s have escalated in various places in the country in recent days. Lawmaker Sumitra BC condemned the incident of rape on a 16-year-old girl that took place in Achham on June 17 and demanded that the government find out the perpetrators and punish them. She also urged the Home Minister to brief the parliament on this after finding out the truth. Lawmaker BC also called for bringing to justice the culprit who abetted a 16-year-old woman to commit suicide in Bajura district as well. CPN (Unified Socialist) lawmaker Rajendra Laxmi Gaire called on the bodies concerned to swing into action for the effective implementation of the citizen's right to health which has been enshrined in the constitution as the fundamental right. She drew the government's attention to the shortage of basic medicines as paracetamol, oral rehydration formulations in the remote areas of the country. Gaire also stressed on the need of launching a campaign of demolishing the Chhaugoth throughout the country to banish the harmful practice. L awmaker Bamdev Gautam called attention of the government regarding the Shalgram boulder that was taken from Nepal to Ayodhya of India for using in construction of a Ram Temple there. Source: National News Agency RSS

A Dhaka court today imposed a travel ban on Former National Revenue Board (NBR) member Matiur Rahman and his family following the recent controversy over his wealth. Dhaka Senior Special Judge Mohammad As Samch Jaglul Hossain issued an order banning Matiur, his wife Narsingdi Raipura upazila chairman Laila Kaniz and son Ahmed Taufiqur Rahman Arnab from traveling abroad until further notice. The court issued the order following an application of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The ACC in a recent meeting with its Chairman Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah in the chair decided to launch investigation against Matiur Rahman on charges of illegal wealth acquisition and money laundering. A three-member investigation team led by a deputy director has also been formed to look into the matter. On Sunday, Matiur Rahman, president of the National Board of Revenue's (NBR) Customs, Excise and VAT Appellate Tribunal, was transferred to the Internal Resources Division (IRD) of the Finance Ministry. On the same day, t he government also ordered him not to participate in the board meeting of the state-owned Sonali Bank PLC. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Lawmaker Dhanraj Gurung has briefed the House that Nepali women are being sent to Kuwait and other countries unlawfully and the cases are rising. He drew the government's attention towards the need to address the issues. Though the travel of Nepali women to some countries including Kuwait as domestic help is prohibited by law, it has not been implemented in practice, he said. Airing his views in a meeting of the House of Representatives today, the Nepali Congress lawmaker said out of 41,000 Nepali women migrant workers presently in Kuwait, 27,000 reportedly reached their illegally. He apprised the House that he had information that 10,000 Nepali women were trafficked to Kuwait in the past six months. Similarly, as he said, he happened to meet five youths sent back home from Belgrade while he was on the way back home after attending an event organized by the Nepali Liaison Committee in Kuwait. It was reported that a manpower company in Jhapa facilitated their travel there taking charge of Rs 650, 000 per head. "I want to draw the attention of the House to this matter," he said. Samjhana Thapaliya expressed her concerns over the increasing security threat in Madhesh including in Siraha lately. "The cases of looting and dacoity are on the rise. Money from finance has been looted, but none has been arrested so far." Manish Jha urged the government to take swift action to address the concerns of Federal Parliament employees as soon as possible. Rama Koirala also demanded the government to find a solution to the issues concerning Federal Parliament employees through a dialogue. She also took time to draw the attention of the government to the 'illegal transport' of Nepali workers to Iraq. Ram Krishna Yadav called for an end to 'insecurity, 'unemployment' and 'corruption' in society, expressing his concern over a delay in paying dairy farmers. Though the meeting was scheduled to start at 11:00 am, it was delayed by one and a half hours due to talks held to address the demands of Federal Parliament emplo yees. Source: National News Agency RSS

Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated the "Mujib and Independence" at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. After the inauguration, the Prime Minister visited "Mujib and Independence" installed on the level 1 of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. During the visit, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was present, according to a release from Parliament Secretariat. The Speaker informed the Prime Minister about various still pictures and events shown in "Mujib and Independence". After the visit, the Prime Minister signed the visitors' book and praised "Mujib and Independence". She congratulated all including the Speaker for establishing "Mujib and Independence" in the National Parliament. Deputy Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Md. Shamsul Haque Tuku, Chief Whip Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury, Whip Iqbalur Rahim, Whip Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan, Whip Nazrul Islam Babu, Whip Shaimum Sarwar Kamal, Whip Masrafe Bin Mortaza and Whip Sanjida Khanam were present. Later, members of National Parliament including Cabinet members visited "Mujib and Independence". "Mujib and Independence" is a unique attempt to preserve and spread the history of Bangladesh's great liberation war and independence from generation to generation under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bangalee of all time and the great architect of Independence. In the first room, from the ancient history of Bengal, starting from Bangabandhu's childhood and adolescence, from childhood to becoming "Mujib Bhai" in his youth, the partition of India and the establishment of Pakistan, the turbulent language movement and the change in the political landscape of the 1950s, the six-point of the Bangalee's Emancipation Charter, the mass uprising of the 1970s and shown up to the 1970 election. Starting from the context of victory in the historic elections of 1970, the flow of events in the second room has progressed towards the history of the 1971 War of Liberation. Bangabandhu's historic Speech on March 7, mass killings by Pakistani occup ation forces on March 25, declaration of independence on March 26 in the first hour, the relentless struggle of people from all walks of lives in the long nine-month bloody war and the sacrifices of freedom fighters and heroes have been placed in this room. In the third room, along with the glorious victory of Bangladesh, the heroic contribution of the freedom fighters, there is also the golden history of Bangabandhu's homecoming, reconstruction of the war-torn country, and consolidation of Bangladesh's identity in the international arena. The struggle life of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nessa Mujib and some moments of Bangabandhu's family life are displayed. Then the black chapter of the history of Bangladesh took place on August 15, 1975. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha