Day: June 27, 2024

Russia's navy is receiving more and more warships and boats year by year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on shipbuilding, citing year-on-year statistics. According to the president, one of Russia's objectives is "to comprehensively upgrade the Navy, including its ship, aircraft and coastal components, as well as the infrastructure of bases, to strengthen its positions in the strategically crucial areas of the world ocean, and to drastically improve its combat potential." "A lot has been done in this area, as our Navy is getting new ships," Putin said adding that "repairs and profound refurbishments of equipment" are being carried out. The president said that compared to 2022 when the Navy was provided with 24 new ships and boats, in 2023 the number was 33, while more than 40 ships and boats are planned to be handed over in 2024. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated the National Primary Education Week-2024 with a renewed pledge to ensure quality education for children. She opened the week as the chief guest at a function at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium here this morning. The prime minister also distributed Primary Education Medal-2023 among the stakeholders on the occasion. As part of the week, a total of 126 stakeholders were honoured with the medal in 18 categories as 36 students, 15 persons and three organisations received the medal directly from the prime minister. The theme of the week is 'Shishu Bandhov Prathomik Shikkha, Smart Bangladesher Deekkha'. State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Rumana Ali and Secretary Farid Ahmed spoke at the function. A video documentary on the activities of the development of primary and mass education across the country was also screened. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Incentive distribution programme on cotton cultivation was inaugurated in the district today for the fiscal year 2024-2025. Additional Deputy Commissioner Mizanur Rahman inaugurated the program at Akandbaria govt primary school this morning in Sadar upazila. Deputy Director of district Department of Agricultural Extension Bivash Chandra Saha chaired the function. Cotton Development Officer Debashish Sen, district Cooperative Officer Kazi Babul Hossain, Cotton Unit Officer Atikur Rahman and Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Afrin Binte Aziz were present. As many as 1690 cotton farmers in the district would get cotton seeds, fertilizers and pesticides free under the incentive programmes. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Two motorcyclists were killed as a truck hit their motorcycle in Dupchanchia upazila of the district last night. The deceased were identified as Sadiqul Islam, 25, and Mosaddekul Islam, 21. They were the residents in Zianagar area in the upazila. They were college student. Officer-in-Charge of Dupchanchia Thana Sanaton Chandra Sarker said the accident occurred at around 8 pm in front of JK College. Mosaddekul died on the spot while Sadiqul was declared dead at Dupchanchia Upazila Health Complex. Bodies were handed over to their family members. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A court here today fixed July 28 for the hearing of charge framing against seven persons, including BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman's former personal assistant (APS) Mia Nuruddin Ahmed Opu in a money laundering case. Judge (in-charge) Sheikh HafizuR Rahman of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-10 set the new date over Opu's poor health ground. The other accused in the case are- Hundi trader Atikur Rahman Atik, Nafiz United Corporation manager and proprietor Mahmudul Hasan Ferdous, his nephew AM Ali Haider Nafiz, Amena Enterprise and Services manager Joynal Abedin and employees Alamgir Hossain and Faizur Rahman. According to the case document, on December 24, 2018, RAB conducted a raid at an office in the city center of Motijheel and recovered a huge amount of money from there. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Ambassadors, high commissioners and heads of mission of about 20 countries in Dhaka today visited safe mango production activities in Chapainawabgani district as mangoes are being produced there following the good agricultural practices (GAP) to increase its export abroad. In the afternoon, they visited the mango orchard of farmer Ruhul Amin, who is following good agricultural practices in mango production, in Kandbona village under Nachole upazila. During the visit, the envoys appreciated this initiative of Bangladesh and were impressed by the safe mango production process, said a press release of the Agriculture Ministry. Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdus Shahid, State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu, State Minister for Rural Development and Cooperatives Md Abdul Wadud, local lawmaker Md Ziaur Rahman, Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akter, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Executive Chairman Dr Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar and envoys of Brunei Darussalam, Austr alia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Spain, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, Bhutan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Libya were present during the visit. Besides, the Bangladesh representative of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations joined it. After the visit, Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdus Shahid said the mangoes of Bangladesh are unique in taste and smell, and are very popular abroad too. Bangladesh has the potential to export a huge amount of mangoes every year, while it can export only about 3000 tonnes of mangoes now, he said. The agriculture minister said the main obstacle behind the mango export was the lack of good agricultural practices in its production. 'So, we have started producing safe mangoes following the good agricultural practices. Today, the envoys of different countries visited this programme,' he added. State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu said: 'We, the agriculture, commerce and foreign affairs ministries, will do branding of our mangoes abroad together so that we can increase mango export.' Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akter said Bangladesh has started following good agricultural practices in mango production. The envoys witnessed safe mango production activities today, which will help increase the country's mango export, she added. Currently, Bangladesh is exporting mangoes to 38 countries. In 2021, mangoes worth about US$ 1.5 billion were exported. Around 1,757 tonnes of mangoes were exported in fiscal 2021-22, while 3,100 tonnes in fiscal 2022-23. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A report on population and housing census of the district was published at a programme at the conference room of Deputy Commissioner, here, this morning. Deputy Commissioner, Md Shafiur Rahaman as the chief guest unfolded the cover of the report. District Statistics Office disclosed the report of the census carried out on population and housing in Jamalpur district on June 15, 2022, under the supervision of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. In the census report it revealed that population in Jamalpur was 24,99,738 of whom 18,49,245 lived in rural and 6,50,493 lived in urban area in 2022. Of the population 12,16,204 male, 12,83,423 female and 111 transgender. Besides total housing in the district were 6,76,452 of which 5,12,275 in rural area and 1,64,177 in urban area. The census showed that 99.17 percent people enjoyed electricity facility in the district. On the other hand literacy rate from 7 years old to upper age people in the district was 61.70 percent compared to the national rate 74.80 percent. Dep uty Commissioner, Md Shafiur Rahaman said the census was carried out maintain the world standard. He said the census would help government for implementing priority base development work for general people. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Gen), Shitesh Chandra Sarkar presided over the meeting. Deputy Director, District Statistics Office, Md Firoz Ibne Eusuf presented the report on the census. Government officers, elite section, members of NGO and journalists took part in the meeting. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The authorities of Dhaka University (DU) today approved a Taka 9.45 billion budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 which was Taka 9.13 billion in the current fiscal year. Allocation for research has been increased to Taka 5 crore from the last year totaling total research allocation to Taka 20 crore which is 2.12 percent of the total budget, according to the budget. DU treasurer Md Mamtaj Uddin Ahmed placed the new budget in the annual session of the university senate yesterday with vice-chancellor Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal in the chair at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban. The proposed budget was approved today in the final session by the senate members. Like the previous years, a big chunk of the budget will be spent for salary and allowances of teachers and officials-employees of the university. Of the total amount, 31.65 percent has been allocated for salary, 23.12 percent for allowances, 23.33 percent for supply and service expenses, 11.95 percent for pension and retirement benefits, 2.12 perce nt for research grants, 2.94 percent for capital grants, 3.68 percent for other grants, 0.21 for other capital grants, 0.18 percent for transport, 0.45 percent for ICT logistics, 0.29 percent for special facilities for retirement allowance beneficiaries and the lowest 0.08 percent for health. Altogether 85.11 percent of the budget that is about Taka 804.41 crore has been sanctioned by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and 9.52 percent or Taka 90 crore will come from the university's internal sources while the rest Taka 74.45 crore or 5.37 percent has been showed as the deficit. DU Pro-VC (education) Dr Sitesh Chandra Bachar, Pro-VC (Admin) Dr Mohammad Samad, Proctor Dr Masudur Rahman and senate members, among others, were present on the occasion. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

State Minister for Women and Child Affairs and Awami League Presidium Member Simeen Hussain (Rimi) today said children need proper care for development of their intelligence. "The importance of art in education is immense in creating a beautiful future for children," she told the inaugural function of the second National Children's Painting Exhibition organized by Bangladesh Shishu Academy at Bangladesh Shishu Academy here this afternoon. The seven-day long second National Children's Art Exhibition will continue till July 3 with the best 100 pictures selected from the 4,500 pictures sent from all over the country. She said that today's children are incredibly talented and will have to give proper care and guidance to the children for their proper development. She also said color is expressed through pictures. She urged children to draw pictures and read books for enlightenment of their minds. Director General of Bangladesh Shishu Academy Anjir Liton, Emeritus Professor Shilpi Rafiqun Nabi, Professor Syed Abul Barak Alvi, Professor Dr. Farida Zaman, Professor Nisar Hossain and senior officials of the Ministry of Women and Children, among others, were present. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A court here ordered the appointment of more official receivers for some more immovable properties of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, his wife Jissan Mirza, and their three daughters. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain passed the order, allowing a plea filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Confirming the matter to BSS, ACC public prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir said the court ordered the appointment of official receivers for four six-katha plots at Ananda Housing Society in Rupganj, a three-katha plot in Gulshan and infrastructures raised on the land, two office spaces and car parkings in Rupayon Millenium Square in Badda, six flats in Adabor PC Culture Society and 25 acres of land in Bandarban. On June 6, the court ordered the appointment of an official receiver for those attached properties of the Benazir family, apart from four Gulshan flats. This receivers' main duty would be maintaining the attached properties, and informing the cour t at regular intervals about the income and expense of the properties, the public prosecutor told BSS earlier. Earlier on May 23, the court had ordered the freezing of 33 bank accounts and attaching properties bought under a total of 83 deeds of Benazir and his family. On May 26, the court again ordered to attach properties bought under 119 deeds, four 100 percent owned companies, and 15 partially owned companies. The court also ordered the freezing of four BO accounts. Accusing the former IGP of amassing an illegal wealth of Taka hundreds of crores under his and his family members' names both at home and abroad, the anti-graft body in its plea on that day had said the accused are trying to sell or hand over the properties and launder the money abroad and if they succeed in doing so, the state would incur a huge loss. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Two youths were killed and some others injured when a passenger bus hit a truck on the Cumilla-Sylhet highway in Syedabad area under Kasba upazila of the district this morning. The deceased were identified as Saif, 20, son of Tajuddin Ahmed, resident of Tikkalhati village of Nikoli Police Station in Kishoreganj district and Raju, 20, son of Kashem Mia, a resident of the same area. The accident took place in the area when a Cumilla-bound bus of Bismillah Paribahan hit the truck from behind, leaving some passengers of the bus injured, officer-in-charge (OC) of Khatihata Highway Police Station Ashish Kumar Shaynal said. Of the injured, Saif and Raju were taken to Brahmanbaria General Hospital where the on-duty doctor declared them dead, he said. Police seized the vehicles. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A task force comprising local administration, BGB and police conducted drives in different frontier areas under Kalmakanda upazila of the district and seized 3,046 sacks of smuggled Indian sugar. Police sources said during the operation, the task force led by assistant commissioner (land) and executive magistrate Mohammad Shahidul Islam cordoned off bordering areas of Chengni, Bolmat, Kurakhali and Kochugora villages under Kalmakanda upazila and seized 3,064 sacks of smuggled Indian sugar worth about Tk 2 crore from different houses last night. However, none could be arrested during the drives as smugglers managed to flee sensing the presence of the law enforcers, said the sources said. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha