Bangladesh
2 killed in separate city accidents
Two youth were killed in separate road accidents in the capital’s Jatrabari area early Friday, police said.
The deceased are Md. Miraz Mia, 25, a garment worker, and Md. Selim, 23, a bus driver.
In one accident that occurred around 4:45 am at Jatrabari Chourasta Mor, a bus hit Miraz and fled the scene.
He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where the duty doctor declared him dead on arrival.
In another accident that took place in Matuail area, Selim was on his way to Sonirakhra when a bus hit the rickshaw he was riding at around 2 am.
The rickshaw puller and another passenger suffered minor injuries.
The local police station has been informed of this matter, said Inspector Md Bachhu Miah, in charge of the DMCH police outpost.
Man electrocuted in Dhaka’s Fakirapool
A man has died from electrocution in Dhaka’s Fakirapool, police said Friday.
The incident happened around 11:15 pm on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Shah Alam (40), an electrician, of Cumilla’s Homna.
He was taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in an unconscious state around 12:00pm, where doctors declared him dead.
Md Mamun, who brought Shah Alam to the hospital, said, "Shah Alam became unconscious due to electrocution while working on an electric motor at my house in Fakirapool. Later, when he was brought to the medical centre, the doctor declared him dead.”
DMCH Police Outpost In-charge Inspector Bachchu Mia said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue for an autopsy. The matter has been reported to the concerned police station.
Severe heat wave sweeping over 4 districts
Severe heat wave is sweeping over the districts of Rangpur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi and Sayedpur and mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping over Dhaka, Mymensingh and Khulna divisions and the rest parts of Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions and the districts of Sylhet, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Chandpur, Noakhali and Feni and is likely to continue.
Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at one or two places over Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy skies elsewhere over the country, according to BMD’s morning bulletin.
Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country, it said.
The prevailing heat wave condition over the country is likely to continue for the next 72 hours.
A man dies in Shyamoli building fire, 23 evacuated
An unidentified man died and 23 others were evacuated after a fire broke out at a high-rise building in Dhaka’s Shyamoli, fire service confirmed on Friday.
The fire broke out on Thursday night and was brought under control at 2:04 am on Friday.
Twenty-three people were safely evacuated from the building during the fire.
Also read: High-rise building catches fire in capital's Shyamoli
The body of a man was recovered from the 19th floor of the building, said Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters media cell.
The fire originated on the seventh floor of the 20-storey Rupayan Shelford building around 11:25 pm, he said.
On information, six firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control, he added.
Momen condoles death of wife of Social Welfare state minister
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has expressed shock and sorrow over the death of State Minister for Social Welfare Md Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru’s wife and Netrokona District Mahila Awami League President Kamrunnesa Ashraf Dina.
In a condolence message, he prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members, according to a press release.
Dina passed away at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) on Thursday night.
8 injured in clash between two BCL factions in CU
At least eight people were injured in clashes between two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League at Chittagong University in the last two days.
An assistant proctor of the university, police and six activists of Chhatra League were reportedly injured in the clashes which started on Wednesday morning over a trivial incident.
High-rise building catches fire in capital's Shyamoli
A fire broke out at a high-rise building in the Shyamoli area of Dhaka on Thursday night.
The fire started on the seventh floor of the 20-storey Rupayan Shelford building around 11:25 pm, said Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters media cell.
On information, six firefighting units rushed to the spot and are trying to tame the blaze.
No casualties were reported as yet, he added.
Two cousins drown in Chandpur
Two cousins drowned in a pond of Gohat village in Chandpur's Kachua upazila on Thursday.
The deceased were identified as Eva Sultana, daughter of Babul Hossain and Saira Rahman Adiba, daughter of Arifur Rahman of the village.
Both were 5 years old and students at Latifia Dakhil Madrasa.
Quoting locals, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kachua Police Station, Md Ibrahim Khalil said the children fell into the pond while playing on its bank in absence of their family members.
Locals spotted them floating in the water body and took them to the Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared them dead.
The bodies were handed over to their families, said the OC.
A pall of gloom descended on the village following the tragic incident
Truck overturns on Dhaka-Chattogram highway, killing 2
At least two people were killed and another injured when a paddy-laden truck overturned on Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Chattogram's Mirsharai upazila on Thursday afternoon.
The deceased were identified as truck driver Zahid Hossain, 25, of Firoz Shah Colony of Akbarshah Police Station in Chattogram and paddy trader Md. Sajeed Mia,24.
The identity of the injured could not be ascertained immediately.
The accident occurred around 5:30 pm when the truck driver lost control of the overloaded vehicle, said Delwar Hossain, sub-inspector (SI) of Zorarganj highway police station.
"The truck overturned at Sufia Road area near Gulistan CNG filling station of Mirsarai Upazila, leaving two people dead and another injured on the spot," he added.
"Police recovered the bodies and seized the truck, the police officer said, adding that the bodies will be handed over to their families after due procedures."
Proposed budget targets are challenging: FICCI
The proposed targets are challenging however if achieved, it will bring momentum to the economy, the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said in its reaction to the proposed budget placed by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal for FY2023-24 in Parliament on Thursday.
The Chamber appreciated the increase in allocation in the power & energy sector. However, allocation for the health, agriculture, and educational sectors does not seem to be adequate. We feel that the Government should concentrate on enhancing the quality of spending, which could bring further efficiency as well as generate employment. It also expresses concern about bridging the deficit from banking sources which may further tighten the liquidity situation.
It appreciated the following proposals, made in the proposed budget:
•Increase of initial threshold for tax-free income by Tk 25,000 to Tk 50,000 for different classes of assesses. However, considering the high inflationary trend, this may not be adequate.
•Introduction of environment surcharge for owning multiple motor cars is a nice initiative for protecting the environment. However, corporations should be excluded as they would need multiple vehicles for its operation.
•The Chamber welcomes the decision to enact a new Income Tax Act 2023 if it includes reformation aligning with vision 2041 of smart Bangladesh. At this stage the Chamber can not comment on the details as it has not been made available in today’s budget session. However, the Chamber expects an English version of the Income Tax Act 2023 will be made available simultaneously for review of the foreign investors.
Apart from the above, Chamber has the following concerns:
•Application of change in the tax rate/amendments with retrospective effect has not been considered to make it prospective.
•In order to enjoy a preferential corporate tax rate of 20% provision of cash transaction limit based on expenditure incurred by a company has not been addressed and floating shares through IPO only has not been amended to include RPO.
•Chamber request for rationalizing the definition of input in line with the global best practice has not been addressed.
•There is no new incentive for local industry development however, government has imposed additional VAT for some local manufacturer e.g. smartphone manufactures, software development and customization, etc.
•Chamber’s proposal for integrated IT strategy, introduction of e-invoicing in line with other developed markets for bringing transparency in revenue collection has not been considered.
•Chamber’s concern on customs duty valuation process in line with the Customs Valuation Rules, 2000 has not been addressed.