Day: June 26, 2024

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said she will die if she is isolated from the public, asking the Special Security Force (SSF) not to detach her from the people. "If you make me isolated from the people, it doesn't need to shoot me to death. I will die anyway because they (people) are my life-blood," she said. Sheikh Hasina was addressing the Darbar of the SSF on its 38th founding anniversary at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) here. The prime minister asked the SSF personnel not to ever isolate her from the people with whom and for whom she does politics. "We do politics. I have no other strength. People are my only strength. We do politics with the power of the people. So, make sure that I will not be isolated from the public," she said. She reminded all that the people were with her when she was not in power. In this regard, the premier mentioned that a very ordinary person, rickshaw- puller purchased a piece of land after her name with his hard earned money. She said she later built a house on t hat land and gave it to the rickshaw-puller with its ownership. "So, I won't allow isolating these people from me. They give me power to march ahead. Everyone should keep it in mind," she added. The prime minister asked the SSF personnel to perform their duties in ensuring security for the VVIPS with firmness, efficiency, discipline, honesty, responsibility and topmost professionalism. "If you have no firmness, honesty and responsibility, it will not be possible to be successful," she said. Sheikh Hasina said she always thinks about the safety and security of the SSF personnel as they are entrusted with ensuring protection of her risking their lives. The prime minister said several attempts were made on her life in which many of her party leaders and activists were killed. She continued 22 leaders and activists including late president Zillur Rahman's wife Ivy Rahman were killed in August 21, 2004 grenade attack. She said she prays for all including the SSF personnel as they remain safe. Sheikh Hasina said her government is doing everything to ensure safety of the SSF personnel. She said her government first built shooting range for SSF after assuming power for the first time in 1996. The shooting range is now being modernised with updated equipment, she added. The prime minister said they have made Bangladesh Digital and are now working to transform it into a smart country by 2041 and change the fate of the people by giving them beautiful and improved life. She said her government is now implementing Delta Plan-2100 to give generation after generation better and secured life. PM's Security Affairs Adviser Major General (rtd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and PM's Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah were present on the dais. SSF DG Major General AKM Nazmul Hasan gave the address of welcome. The Presidential Security Force (PSF) which was later renamed SSF came into being on June 15, 1986. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The government has appointed Tareq Md Ariful Islam, the serving Bangladesh Envoy to Sri Lanka, as the new permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations (UN) offices in Geneva. Tareq is going to succeed Ambassador Mohammad Sufiur Rahman in this capacity, a foreign ministry press release said here today. Tareq, a career diplomat belonging to the 17th batch of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Foreign Affairs Cadre, joined the service in 1998. Prior to taking up the current position in November 2020, he was serving as the Deputy Permanent Representative in the Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, the press release said. Tareq had another stint (from 2005 to 2009) in the New York Permanent Mission as First Secretary initially, and later as Counsellor. He also served the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, India (2009-2012) as counsellor. At the headquarters, he served as Director General (South Asia Wing) and before that in various other capacities. Tare q obtained a Masters of Diplomacy and Trade degree from Monash University, Australia and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), added the press release. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Civil aviation and tourism minister M Faruk Khan today asked Biman Bangladesh Airlines to take necessary measures for overcoming its pilot shortage issue. He directed Biman to recruit pilots and cabin crews soon by maintaining existing recruitment policies with due transparency to overcome the issue regarding the pilot shortage. The minister said the national carrier needs more both cockpit and cabin crews as Biman started flight operations in several new international destinations in last few years while more new routes are on card. He made the directives while holding an exchange views meeting with the Biman's management at the Biman headquarters Balaka in the capital, a press release said here. During the meeting, the Minister was briefed on the various issues of Biman Bangladesh Airlines' operations. The minister also put emphasis on passenger service quality and asked officials to make sure that the Biman's call centre remains open 24 hours. He also gave stress on undertaking aircraft maintenance r egularly on due time following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Biman Board of Directors chairman and former Senior Secretary Mustafa Kamal Uddin and Biman's Managing Director and CEO Mohammad Zahidul Islam Bhuiyan along with directors and senior officials of the airline attended the meeting. Earlier, Faruk Khan along with Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader inaugurated a shuttle bus service of BRTC at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) for tourists, expatriates and general passengers to reduce their sufferings. Road Transport and Highways Division secretary ABM Amin Ullha Nuri, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) Chairman Md Tazul Islam, among others, were present in the programme. Later, Faruk Khan held a meeting with CAAB high officials at its headquarters. The minister gave directives to the CAAB to increase its revenue earn ings as well as to ensure transparency in procurements and development projects. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Two siblings were killed and five others injured in a collision between a truck and a CNG-run auto-rickshaw on the Dhaka-Pabna highway in Dhopa Ghata area under Sadar upazila of the district today. The deceased were identified as Prodeep Halder, son of Rajkumar Halder of Bera municipality of the upazila, and his sister Sampa Rani, wife of Dinesh of Natore district. The accident occurred in the area when they were going to Pabna from Bera upazila by a CNG-run auto-rickshaw. On the way, the auto-rickshaw collided head-on with a truck coming from the opposition direction around 12:30pm, leaving seven passengers of the CNG-run auto-rickshaw injured, officer-in-charge (OC) of Pabna Sadar Police Station Roshan Ali said. The injured were taken to the Pabna General Hospital where on-duty doctor declared two of them dead, he said. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha