Bangladesh
Bangladesh reports 183 more Covid cases, zero death
Bangladesh reported 183 more Covid cases in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.
The total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,424 as no death was reported during the period.
With the new infections, the caseload rose to 2,035,517, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The daily case test positivity rate dropped to 4.81 per cent from Tuesday's 5.01 per cent as 3,802 samples were tested during the period.
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.45 per cent and the recovery rate rose to 97.34 per cent.
Read: Covid-19: One death, 69 new cases reported
In September, the country reported 40 Covid-linked deaths and 13,251 cases.
Bangladesh registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and its highest number of fatalities of 264 on August 10 the same year.
Sylhet important to close Dhaka-London relationship: Javed Patel
British Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh Javed Patel visited Sylhet on November 1-2 and discussed the important contribution Sylhet makes to Bangladesh.
The Deputy High Commissioner also thanked them (people from Sylhet) for their support to British Bangladesh communities.
Read more: 'Your father was Bangladesh’s voice abroad': Momen to Ted Kennedy, Jr
“I am delighted to be back in Sylhet, which is so important to close UK-Bangladesh relationship,” he said speaking from Sylhet.
The diplomat met Deputy Commissioner Md. Mozibor Rahman and Sylhet Metropolitan Additional Police Commissioner Jubaedur Rahman.
Read more: Kennedy Jr uses platform honouring his father to call for more inclusive societies
During his visit, the Deputy High Commissioner visited the Bholaganj border area to see the areas affected by devastating floods earlier this year, and hear about efforts supporting the recovery.
Defaming PM: Chamber Judge stays bail to Rajbari Mahila Dal leader
The Appellate Division on Wednesday stayed the bail the High Court granted to Sonia Akter Smrity, a Mahila Dal leader of Rajbari, in a case filed over posting ‘offensive’ content on facebook against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division M Enayetur Rahim passed the order after hearing the plea of the state side.
The court stayed the bail order till November 7.
The court also said that the hearing on the state’s plea will be on top of the cause list of the Appellate Division.
Senior lawyer AJ Muhammad Ali and Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal appeared for the petition in the court while Additional Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad Morshed for the state.
On Tuesday, the High Court granted interim bail to Smrity in the case.
Smrity, wife of Md Khokon Mia of No 3 Beradanga area of Rajbari Sadar, is a member of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal’s Rajbari district unit and founder president of Rajbari blood donors club.
Police arrested Smrity on October 4 in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) for posting offensive status on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Facebook .
Arefin Chowdhury, member secretary of Rajbari district Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote, lodged an FIR against her.
On October 5, Judge Kaisun Nahar Surma of Rajbari No 1 Judicial Magistrate Court rejected Smrity’s bail plea and ordered to send her to jail.
Read more: HC summons 3 Khulna lawyers to face contempt charges
On October 26, Rajbari Sessions Judge Court also denied bail to Smrity which prompted her to seek bail from the HC.
In her bail plea, Smrity requested the HC to consider her as a woman and a mother of two children.
According to the FIR, the accused BNP activist made insulting remarks about PM Sheikh Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, from her personal Facebook account in two separate statuses on August 31 and September 28.
Read more: HC suspends Bangladesh Bank Assistant Director recruitment exam for a month
“In the statuses Sriti wrote Sheikh Hasina threw abusive words to their leader Khaleda Zia, also prime minister of three times, while delivering speech,” according to the FIR.
“No sound word comes out of her (premier) mouth,” it said Sriti wrote in the posts.
New price of 12kg LPG, increases by Tk 51 to Tk 1251
Price of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) has increased by Tk 4.25 per kg to Tk 104.26 from previous rate of Tk 100.01 per kg as the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Wednesday (November 02, 2022) announced the new value of the petroleum gas for the month of November. As per the new price, a retail consumer will get a 12-kg LPG cylinder at Tk 1251 instead of previous price of Tk 1,200.
The prices of LPG for other sizes of cylinders from 5.5 kg to 45 kg will go up rationally, said BERC chairman Abdul Jalil, who announced the new price at a virtual press briefing.
Read more: LPG could be ready solution to energy problem for industries: Speakers As per the announcement, the price of auto gas (LPG used for motor vehicles) was increased too to Tk 58.28 per litre from previous price of Tk 54.33 per litre, up by Tk 3.95 per litre. The new price will be effective from 6 pm on Wednesday (Novemer 2). Jalil informed that the US Dollar rate was considered at Tk 106.25 in refixing the price of the LPG as private operators import it from Middle East through foreign currency.
Read more: MoU signed for movement of Indian POL, LPG carrying vehicles through Bangladesh He said though the LPG price has substantially come down in the global market, consumers are not getting full advantage of the downward trend due to the high dollar price in the local market. Last month, the dollar exchange rate was considered Tk106.64.
The price of LPG, marketed by state-owned LP Gas Company, will remain as usual as it is locally produced with a market share of less than 5%.
Read More Omera launches online system to provide doorstep delivery of LPG to customers in Dhaka The LPG price went up to the highest Tk1,439 (a 12kg cylinder) in the local market, following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February this year. The LPG price in Bangladesh was the lowest at Tk1,225 for a 12kg cylinder in January this year and it witnessed continuous hikes in February, March and April.
Bank official killed in city road crash
A bank official was killed as a lorry ran over him in the capital's Jatrabari area on Tuesday night.
The deceased was identified as Aftab-e -Alam,45, of Shimulhati village of Kishoreganj district. He was a principal officer of Pubali Bank's Islampur branch.
The lorry hit Alam on his way home in Shanirakhra area of Jatrabari around 9:30 pm, leaving him dead on the spot, said Mostafizur Rahman, sub-inspector of Jatrabari police station.
Read more: Couple among three killed in Cumilla road accident
Police recovered the body and took it to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy, added the SI.
Police arrested the driver and seized the lorry, he said.
Two arrested over hoarding OMS rice in Khulna
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members arrested two people for illegally hoarding 14,000kg rice meant for poor people under the government’s Open Market Sale (OMS) programme in Khulna on Tuesday morning. The arrestees are Nadim Ahmed, son of Hashem Sheikh from the district’s Sonadanga area and Rabiul Islam, son of Abul Khaleque from West Baniakhamar area.
Read more:Whole-wheat flour packets under OMS to be available from Oct 1 Among the arrestees, Nadim is the owner of the warehouse where the rice was kept. According to Rab, the elite force had kept some rice warehouses in the city’s Barmashil road area under their watch after receiving the information that some unscrupulous traders were selling the government’s OMS rice in the black market at high rates instead of selling to the poor at low rates. “Nadim and Robiul were unloading the rice from government-sealed sacks and putting it inside some unmarked sacks when Rab caught them red-handed. During the drive, we recovered 100 sacks of 50kg rice and 390 sacks of 25kg rice from them. We’ve also lodged a complaint against them in this regard,” said Tahan Chakma, Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (Senior ASP) of Rab-6 (Khulna).
Read more:OMS will continue till rice market is stable: Food Minister Lt. Colonel Mohammad Moshtaque Ahmed, Director of Rab-6, said an investigation has started to find out how some rice traders are getting OMS rice and who are assisting them in this practice.
9 ‘robbers’ arrested in Gazipur
Police in a drive arrested 9 suspected robbers from Gazipur's Tongi area on Tuesday night.
The arrestees are Shafiqul Islam Babu,19, Abdur Rahman Ashiq,18, Tauhid,28, Shorov,19, Alamin,25, Iman,21, Arif,19, Yasin,19 and Shakil,19. They hail from different areas in Tongi.
Tipped-off, a team of police conducted a drive from Tongir Station Road to Abdullahpur Bridge area and arrested the nine robbers along with sharp weapons including knives, said Ashraful Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Tongi East Police Station.
Read: 2 more held over Thakurgaon Matsyajibi League leader murder
During preliminary interrogation, the arrestees admitted that they are active members of an organised robbers’ gang. They have been involved in looting valuables from bus passengers and pedestrians in Tongi Bazar and Dhaka-Mymensingh highway for a long time, he added.
A case was filed in this regard, added the OC.
2 more held over Thakurgaon Matsyajibi League leader murder
Detectives arrested two more accused from Dinajpur's Phulbari upazila on Monday night in a case filed over the killing of a Matsyajibi League leader in Thakurgaon.
The arrestees are--Manik Ali, 28 and Kubbat Hossain, 25, of Haldibari Bazar area of Bhanor Union of Thakurgaon's Baliadangi Upazila.
They were sent to jail on Tuesday, said sub-inspector Sultan Ali, investigating officer of the case.
Read: Khoksha upazila Chattra League president’s brother sustains bullet injuries over By-election to UP
With these, police have arrested 8 people so far in this connection, he added.
Police made the arrest after conducting a drive in the area, said the officer.
On September 3, a clash broke out between UP Chairman Rafiqul Islam and Jubo League leader Sayed Alam at Haldibari Bazar of Bhanor Union of Baliadangi Upazila over derogatory remarks on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Sayed Alam's brother Shakil Ahmed died during the clash.
Read: 8 get life term for killing schoolboy in city
Later, a murder case was filed at Baliadangi police station following a complaint lodged by victim's brother Sayed Alam accusing 20 people including UP Chairman Rafiqul Islam.
Serve people with devotion, change their fate, PM tells newly appointed govt officials
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked a team of the newly appointed public servants to devote themselves for changing the life of the people.
“All have to indulge with patriotism, you have to devote yourselves to change the fate of the people of the country,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing the certificate-giving and closing ceremony of the 124th, 125th and 126th Law and Administration Training Courses at Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy in capital’s Shahbag area.
She also directed them to identify themselves as “the servants of the public.”
“I want that you will serve the people aiming to advance the country towards development,” she said.
She reminded them that a country needs to concentrate on developing communication infrastructure, health, agriculture, education, power systems to build it as a developed and prosperous one alongside taking welfare programmes for the people.
“I believe our new officers act accordingly,” she added.
The Prime Minister also asked the new officials to prepare themselves for the transition in 2041 as the government has fixed the deadline to transform the country into a developed one by then.
“Many things depend on the new officials of the administration and they will have to advance with appropriate plans,” she said.
The new officials of the administration have the scope to change the fate of the commoners, she said adding that her government puts priority on developing the country from the grassroot level.
Read: Do your best to boost food production to keep Bangladesh free from famine: PM Hasina urges youth
Quoting from the speech delivered by Bangabandhu in 1972, the Prime Minister said that the government officials will have to dedicate themselves for delivering services and give priority on the national interest rising above all.
She mentioned that patriotism and sense of self dignity of the government officials is very important.
Hasina put emphasis on educating the people and creating employments for the youths and said that her government has opened the private sector.
She mentioned that no nation can achieve desired development unless both male and female can advance together in a society.
Pointing out Covid pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war followed by sanctions and countersanctions, the Prime Minister renewed her call to increase production to ensure food and nutrition security in the country.
She said that the government has been able to keep the wheels of the country’s economy running despite Covid-19 pandemic.
Hasina, however, mentioned that people around the world including developed countries like the United States and other countries in Europe have been suffering due to the Ukraine war.
She called upon the field level officials to play their role to encourage the rural people to increase food production to face the situation.
She also stressed the need for establishing food processing industries in the country while setting up of new industrial units are planned.
Hasina also underscored the need for maintaining cleanliness and planting saplings across the country to protect the environment.
Referring to her government’s steps of gifting homes to homeless people, the PM reiterated that not a single family will remain homeless in Bangladesh and it was the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She reminded all that there were no Bangalees on the posts of secretary, general and major general rather only a colonel during the Pakistan period.
She said now in independent Bangladesh everybody is getting that opportunity.
Read:None can chew up forex reserve, it’s for the people: PM Hasina
The PM asked the new officers to study the secret documents on Bangabandhu--a compilation of the Pakistani intelligence reports against the independence leader since 1948.
She said that eleven volumes of the 14-volume set of the secret documents have already been published, adding there is no country in the world, which published secret documents of their leaders.
“I think, if everyone reads it, it will be easy to know the history of Bangladesh and protect the generation from knowing distorted history alongside knowing the ways to make the country developed,” she said.
She advised that the new officers should read the Ausamapta Atmajiboni (The Unfinished Memoirs), Karagarer Rojnamcha (The Prison Diaries), and Amar Dekha Naya Chin (The New China as I Saw), to know the true history of the Liberation War or how much struggle and sacrifice Bangabandhu endured for achieving the country's independence.
The PM said that her government has been establishing 100 economic zones across the country to stop indiscriminate building of industries mainly to protect the arable land and generating huge employment.
To this end, she asked the freshers to educate the masses about protecting the environment through forestation and tree plantation.
The Prime Minister also distributed certificates and awards among 103 trainees of the 124th, 125th and 126th law and administration training courses.
Earlier, she unveiled the plaque of Bangabandhu Study Centre there and visited it. She also unveiled the wrap of a compilation book containing her speeches at the Academy.
A video documentary on Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy was also screened.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain, senior secretary of the Ministry KM Ali Azam and Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy Rector Mominur Rashid Amin also spoke at the programme.
IMF suggests updating GDP report every 3 months
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised updating the gross domestic product (GDP) information of Bangladesh every 3 months, as per international standards.
The visiting IMF delegation had a meeting with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on Tuesday (November 01, 2022).
The IMF team also trained BBS officials on utilizing some tools for calculating GDP.
Read: IMF wants to know Bangladesh Bank’s strategy for risk management
The IMF team was led by its Mission Chief Rahul Anand. BBS Director General (Additional Secretary) Md. Matiar Rahman led the team in the discussion.
According to BBS, the organization will start providing quarterly information as per IMF recommendations.
Bangladesh’s GDP growth is measured with FY 2005-06 as the base year. An initiative was taken in 2017 to change it to FY 2015-16.
Read: Visiting IMF team will meet BSEC to discuss capital market on Nov 7
However, in the last 5 years, BBS could not change the base year.
Currently, BBS provides GDP growth data twice a year. IMF has suggested scrapping this method and publishing it four times a year so that developments in the financial state of the country are always known.
August inflation data has been released late this time. The IMF wanted to know whether the delay in releasing the data was due to high inflation. BBS Director General informed them in detail about this.
Read More: Bangladesh Bank will go slow in calculating reserves following IMF formula
Bangladesh seeks $4.5 billion credit from IMF as budgetary support as foreign exchange reserves went down in recent months.