Category: General

a private commercial bank in Bangladesh, and the US Department of State today inked an agreement to collaborate on the EBL Climate Change Adaptation Award. The prize will be announced annually with the aim of recognizing and celebrating the best practices by corporations, manufacturing companies, NGOs operating in Bangladesh, and climate activists who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in implementing climate change adaptation projects and initiatives. The agreement was signed by visiting Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and EBL Acting Managing Director Ahmed Shaheen at the EMK Centre, Dhaka, said a press release issued by the US embassy here. In his speech, Donald Lu said, 'The United States and Eastern Bank share a common goal of promoting work to combat climate change among Bangladeshi businesses, civil society, and elsewhere. We look forward to supporting EBL's establishment of this important new climate change adaptation award.' US Amb assador to Bangladesh Peter Haas said, 'US Embassy Dhaka is excited about this new partnership with Eastern Bank. By helping EBL recognize businesses and organizations doing exceptional work in climate change in Bangladesh, we hope to help inspire more action in this critically important area.' EBL's Acting Managing Director said, 'Extreme weather events worldwide are urging us to act quickly on climate adaptation, mitigation, and finance.' Terming this initiative a unique one, Shaheen said the program aligns with EBL's vision of being a socially responsible and environmentally friendly bank. The award categories cover a wide range of sectors and themes, such as renewable energy, water conservation, sustainable agriculture, urban resilience, biodiversity protection, and disaster preparedness. The award winners will be selected by a panel of judges, comprised of experts from academia, civil society, media, and international agencies. The nomination process for the EBL Climate Change Adaptation Award 2024 will be announced soon through newspaper, electronic media and EBL website and social media platforms, the release said. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) today issued fresh heatwave alert message for five divisions for the next 48 hours. The prevailing heatwave over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dhaka, Khulna and Barishal divisions may continue during next 48 hours commencing from 6 pm today. Due to increase of moisture incursion, the discomfort may continue. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A mango trader was killed while a speedy truck hit him at Fakhirhat Town Noapara this morning. The trader was identified as Suhel Hawlader, 43, son of Abdur Rahman hailed from Kalibari of Morrelganj upazila of the district. Mango traders Suhel was returning from Rajshahi carrying mango on a pickup died on the spot as a truck hit him when he was looking for another vehicle on the Khulna-Mawa road as his pickup became out of service at Town Noapara, said Sub Inspector Ashraf of Katakhali Highway police station. His body was taken to Fakirhat health complex. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A court here today sent five people including former Narsingdi-2 lawmaker Kamrul Ashraf Khan Poton to jail in a case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for allegedly embezzling fertilizer worth around Taka 581 crore. The other accused in the case are- Poton Traders', a contracting firm owned by Poton, general managers Md Shahadat Hossain Nipu and Nazmul Alam Badal, its North Bengal representative Sohrab Hossain and Khulna representative Md Ataur Rahman. Dhaka Senior Special Judge Mohammad Ash Shams Zaglul Hossain passed the order, scrapping bail of the five accused. ACC deputy director Md Rafikuzzaman filed the case on November 26, 2023, against the five for embezzling the fertilizer imported by the government from November 1, 2021, to July 30, 2022. Poton Traders was assigned to carry the fertilizer to the warehouses from the port within 50 days of releasing from there. But it allegedly embezzled around 72,000 tonnes of imported chemical fertilizer. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A 17-year old student drowned in a pond while taking bath in Bakshiganj upazila of the district today. The victim was identified as Rifat Miah, 17, son of Abdul Halim Sarker, a resident of Dighar Par area in Sherpur Sadar upazila. Police said Rifat Miah came to his elder brother's house in Bakshiganj upazila two days ago. He drowned in the Upazila Parishad pond while taking bath along with some of his friends around 12.30 pm. Fire Service and Civil Defence, after two hours, recovered the body. Police said Rifat passed the SSC examination getting GPA-5 from Sherpur Victoria School and College recently. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The ruling Awami League (AL) has taken elaborate programmes marking the 44th homecoming day of Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina that falls on May 17. As part of the programmes, the party leaders will greet the premier, the eldest daughter of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at her Gonobhaban residence here at 9 am on Friday. A discussion will be held at Dhaka District AL Bhaban in city's Tejgaon area at 3:30 pm with AL Presidium Member Engineer Mosharraf Hossain in the chair. National leaders and intellectuals will address the meeting. Special doa and prayers will also be offered at mosques, temples, churches and pagodas to mark the day. Doa will be offered at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Jummah prayers. Christian Community will hold special prayer at Mirpur Baptist Church at 9 am on the day while Buddhist Community at International Buddhist Monastery in city's Merul Badda at 10 am and Hindu Community at Dhakeshwari National Temple at 11.30 am. On May 17, 1981, Sheikh Hasina returned home after a long exile. Boarding on an aircraft of the Indian Airlines, Sheikh Hasina reached the then Kurmitola Airport here from the Indian capital of New Delhi via Kolkata at 4.30pm on that day. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was brutally killed along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975 and his two daughters-- Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana --- luckily escaped the carnage as they were abroad. In a national council session of Awami League on February 14, 15 and 16 in 1981, Sheikh Hasina was elected as party president in her absence and then she returned to the country on May 17. AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader asked the party leaders and workers and its associate bodies across the country to take programmes in line with the central ones. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A court here today sentenced three people to life-term imprisonment for killing a farmer in Sadar upazila of the district in 2005. Joypurhat Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-1Judge Md. Nurul Islam pronounced the verdict this afternoon. The convicts sentenced to life term are - Bachhu Mia, son of Samsuddin Mia, resident of Dostpur village in Puranapail union of Sadar upazila, Emran Ali Nuh, son of Ganiraj Mia of the same village and Babu Mia, son of Mokhshed Ali of Ausgarh village under Sadar upazila of the district. The court also fined them Taka 50,000 each, in default, they will have to suffer two years more in jail. According to the details of the case, on April 3, 2005, victim Bulu Mia left home around 7 pm. When he did not return home at night, Bulu Mia's wife and son Taherul started searching for Bulu Mia. Later, police recovered the body of Bulu Mia from inside the biogas tank, 200 yards away from the house of Amjad Hossain, a resident of Dostpur village area. Nazrul Islam, younger b rother of victim filed a case at Sadar Police Station as the plaintiff in this connection. The investigation officer of the case filed the charge-sheet in the court on July 9, 2005. After examining the record and witnesses, the court found them guilty. Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Advocate Uday Chandra Singh confirmed the matter. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Youth leaders of different political parties have pointed out the need of changing form of governance and the electoral system for attaining political stability in the country. They stressed on it in a group discussion on 'How the political stability is possible?' conducted under the ongoing Student Fest-2081 organised by the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) in Kathmandu. Saying though there is political stability in the country, it is facing instability due to the governance system, CPN (UML) Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai underscored the need of changing such system. He said the present form of governance and the electoral system as envisioned by the constitution could not maintain stability in country's governance system, adding there should be a provision of directly elected executive head. The country should adopt directly elected executive chief and proportional electoral system for the stability of the government and system, Bhattarai underscored, adding he, however, said disc ussion could be held on making the National Assembly fully proportional or making inclusive arrangement in direct election in order to make the parliament inclusive. Similarly, Nepali Congress leader Pradeep Poudel mentioned that stability of governance should be sought within this system. He expressed the view that there is no stability in the governance system due to selfishness of the leaders of the political parties. Likewise, Manushi Yami, leader of Nepal Samajbadi Party, opined that the country would get stability only if directly elected head of the government and fully proportional electoral system is adopted. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: A meeting has held between the heads of the ruling parties- CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist Center) and Rastriya Swatantra Party. Prime Minister and CPN (MC) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and RSP President and DPM Rabi Lamichhane met at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers at Singhdarbar earlier today and discussed contemporary issues including ways to bring the stalled parliament into operation. During the meeting, RSP Chair and DPM Lamichhane said he raised the matter with Prime Minister Dahal and Leader Oli that he should be allowed to speak in Parliament after accusations were leveled against him in the House. "I should get the opportunity to speak in the House after a question has been raised about me, then if my response is not satisfactory, they (Congress) can use their right to protest, which I duly respect", Deputy Prime Minister Lamichhane said. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: The Supreme Court has issued an interlocutory order, staying the Election Commission decision to register a new political party, after the split of Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Nepal. A single bench of Justice Binod Sharma ordered the Election Commission not to proceed with the registration of the JSP formed under the leadership of Ashok Rai. The SC summoned both the Election Commission and petitioner to appear before the court for the discussion on it, as it requires logical conclusion at a time when some of the decisions of Election Commission were enforced while some are awaiting for it. The Commission had made various decisions on May 6. Objecting to Election Commission's decision to authenticate Rai's faction as a political party, JSP Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav had filed a writ petition. Yadav has demanded invalidation of Rai-led party. The Election Commission had given authenticity to leader Rai's application for party legitimacy on May 6. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: The weather will be partly cloudy in the hilly areas of the country including Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini and Karnali provinces, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said. Light rain is taking place at one or two places of the hilly region in Koshi province. According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the hilly region of Koshi province and partly cloudy in the Tarai region this afternoon. Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at a few places of the hilly regions of Koshi and Gandaki provinces and at one or two places of the hilly regions of the rest of the provinces. Light snowfall is likely to occur at one or two places of the high hilly and mountainous regions of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali provinces. Similarly, the weather will be partly cloudy in the hilly regions of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali provinces tonight. There is a possibility of light snowfall at one or two places of the high hilly and m ountainous regions of Koshi and Gandaki provinces. In the next 24 hours, light rain accompanied by thunder, gusty winds and lightning is likely to occur at a few places of the hilly regions of Koshi and Gandaki provinces and at one or two places of the hilly regions of the rest of the provinces. In view of possible snowfall at one or two places of the high hilly and mountainous regions of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali provinces, the Department has urged the people to remain alert as there will be partial impact on daily life as well as agriculture, health, tourism, mountaineering, road and air transport in the region. Source: National News Agency RSS

Mild heat wave is sweeping over four divisions and several districts across the country, said a met office forecast for the next 24 hours begins from 9am today. "Mild heat wave is sweeping over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna and Sylhet divisions and the districts of Tangail, Faridpur, Madaripur, Kishoreganj, Netrokona, Rangamati, Cumilla, Noakhali, Fani, Cox`s Bazar, Bhola and Patuakhali. It may continue and spread", it said. Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind are likely to occur at one or two places over Sylhet division. Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country. Trough of low lies over West Bengal to North-west Bay. Day and night temperature may rise slightly over the country. Maximum temperature on Tuesday was recorded 38.4degree Celsius at Sayedpur and minimum 24.4 degree Celsius at Tetulia today. Maximum rainfall for the last twenty-four hours till 6am today was recorded 16 millimeters (mm) at Bogura. The sun sets today at 06:34 pm and rises tomorrow at 05:16 am in the capital. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha