Bangladesh
2 die of suffocation while cleaning septic tank in Dinajpur
Two men died while working inside a septic tank reportedly without any protective gear in a newly constructed building in Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpur today (September 7, 2022), said police.
The deceased were identified as Abdul Mabud, 35, and Saidul Islam, 38, residents of the upazila.
Mason Altaf Hossain entered the septic tank at Noukhoir village around 9am. When he failed to return, van pullers Abdul and Saidul climbed down the tank.
Read: Chandpur: 2 suffocate to death working inside septic tank
After a while, locals rescued the trio in unconscious condition from inside the septic tank and rushed them to Sayedpur General Hospital where doctors declared Abdul and Saidul dead, said Bazlur Rashid, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chirirbandar police station.
Altaf was shifted to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital where he is undergoing treatment in critical condition, he added.
Read: 3 siblings killed in Feni septic tank blast
The bodies were handed over to their respective families without any post-mortem, said the OC.
5 get death sentence for raping teenage girl in Khulna
A tribunal in Khulna today (September 7, 2022) sentenced five men to death for raping a teenage girl in Khalishpur of the district in 2011.
The death row convicts are-Ali Akbar alias Hridoy, Mehedi Hasan alias Ibu, Sohel, Abdullah and Mohon.
Khulna Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-3 Judge Abdus Salam Khan pronounced the judgment.
Read:Primary school teacher sued for raping 9th grader in Kurigram
On March 23 in 2011, convict Mohon abducted the girl from the Bihari Camp in Khalishpur and took her to a banana orchard in Charer Haat.
Ali Akbar and some others raped the girl there, leaving her unconscious near the camp.
Later, a case was filed at Khalishpur police station.
Read: 23 year-old girl invited by ‘friend’ to visit Sylhet, raped by 7
On June 20 of the same year, the investigation officer of the case sub-inspector (SI) Kazi Rezaul Karim submitted a chargesheet against the five.
Among the convicts, Sohel, Abdullah and Mohon were tried in absentia.
India offers free transit to Bangladesh for exports to third countries
India has offered free transit via its territory to Bangladesh for exporting its products to third countries through specified land customs stations, airports and seaports.
In this regard, the Indian side invited Bangladesh business community for using its port infrastructure for transshipment to third countries.
The Indian side informed it during delegation level bilateral talks visiting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi held at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Tuesday.
India has also been providing free transit to Bangladesh for exporting its products to Nepal and Bhutan, according to the joint statement issued on Wednesday.
The Bangladesh side requested rail connectivity with Bhutan through the newly inaugurated Chilahati – Haldibari route.
The Indian side agreed to consider the request, based on its viability and feasibility.
Read:Hasina asks Indian and Bangladeshi youth to interact more to foster friendship
To make this and other cross border rail links viable, the Indian side requested the Bangladesh side to remove port restrictions, inter alia at the Chilahati – Haldibari crossing.
The two leaders agreed to expedite efforts to improve bilateral and sub-regional connectivity through early operationalisation of the BBIN motor vehicle agreement.
The Indian side requested the Bangladesh side for cooperation for initiating new sub-regional connectivity projects including a highway from Hili in West Bengal to Mahendraganj in Meghalaya through Bangladesh and, in this regard, proposed preparation of a detailed project report.
In the same spirit, Bangladesh reiterated its eagerness to partner in the ongoing initiative of the India – Myanmar - Thailand trilateral highway project.
The two leaders underscored the importance of implementing bilateral and sub-regional rail, road, and other connectivity initiatives.
Both sides welcomed the ongoing bilateral initiatives, such as, conversion to dual-gauge of Tongi-Akhaura line, supply of railway rolling stock, capacity building for the personnel of Bangladesh Railway, sharing of IT solutions for improved services of Bangladesh Railway etc.
Both sides also welcomed the new initiatives, namely, Kaunia-Lalmonirhat-Mogalghat-New Gitaldaha link, establishing a link between Hili and Birampur, upgradation of track and signaling systems and railway stations along the Benapole-Jashore line, link restoration between Burimari and Changrabandha, construction of a container depot at Sirajganj.
And both sides agreed to explore funding of these projects through a range of financial instruments under the bilateral development cooperation.
The Bangladesh side welcomed the gesture of India for providing 20 broad-gauge diesel locomotives on grant.
Read:Dhaka, Delhi reiterate strong commitment to eliminate terrorism
The two leaders welcomed the successful completion of trial runs under the agreement on the use of the Chattogram and Mongla Ports (ACMP) and looked forward to its full operationalisation at the earliest.
The Indian side reiterated its request to work towards the expansion of the bilateral Coastal Shipping Agreement of 2015 to include third-country EXIM cargo.
The two sides agreed to expeditiously explore direct shipping links between the two countries.
They also agreed to implement the decision to start riverine services under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT) routes 5 & 6 (Dhulian to Rajshahi -extension to Aricha) and 9 & 10 (Daudkandi to Sonamura).
The Indian side requested Bangladesh to complete remaining infrastructure, immigration, and customs facilities for the operationalisation of the Maitri Bridge over River Feni, connecting Tripura with Bangladesh, at an early date.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is making an official visit to India from September 5-8 at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
During the visit, she called on President of India Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region G. Kishan Reddy called on her.
Cabinet committee approves contract extension of 4 rental power plants, 200,000 MT rice import from Myanmar
Some 11 proposals including extension of four rental power plants and import of 200,000 metric tons of rice from Myanmar received the nod of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) on Wednesday.
Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque presided over the meeting due to non-availability of Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.
According official sources, rental plants are 100 MW Julda, Chattagram, plant of Acorn Infrastructure Services Ltd, 50 MW Katakhali, Rajshahi power plant of Northern Power Solutions Ltd, 100 MW Keraniganj plant of PowerPac Mutiara Keraniganj Power Plant Ltd and 50 MW Amnura, Chapainababganj plant of Sinha Power Generation Company Ltd.
Read: Nasrul to businesses: Stop talking about rental power plants
They said the four HFO-based power plants received the approval for two year extension of their contracts under which the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will purchase electricity for next two years.
“But contracts will be extended under a new term and condition—No Power, No Payment—basis. The operators will not get any capacity payment as per new condition”, said a senior official at the Power Division.
He also informed that as a result of the new condition, the new tariff will be applicable in purchasing electricity.
“The sponsors of the rental plants will get only fuel cost plus a minimum operation and maintenance expense”, he added.
The CCGP approved a Food Ministry’s approval to import 200,000 MT of while rice (Atop) from Myanmar under a G-to-G contract.
The entire consignment will cost a total of $90.1 million while each ton will cost $465.50, said a top official of the Food Ministry.
The Cabinet committee also approved proposals on import of a total of 115,000 metric tons of fertilisers.
Read: Despite 40 pc surplus capacity, BPDB buys 6 pc of electricity from pricier rental power plants
Of these, 50,000 MT of MOP fertiliser from Canadian Commercial Corporation, 40,000 MT of DAP fertiliser from Maadeen of Saudi Arabia and 25,000 MT of TSP fertiliser from GCT of Tunisia will be imported by the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) of the Agriculture Ministry.
However, the price of the fertiliser was not learnt as there was no briefing from the Cabinet Division about the outcomes of the CCGP meeting.
National Committee for reducing metro rail fare by 50%
The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) has urged the government to reduce the fare of metro rail by 50 per cent.
President of the organization Md. Shahid Mia and General Secretary Ashis Kumar Dey issued a statement in this regard today (September 7, 2022).
Read: Dhaka Metro Rail fare set at Tk 5/km
Criticizing the government's decision to set the fare at 5 taka per kilometer and a minimum of 20 taka, the statement of the civic organization said, where the minimum fare of private buses is 10 taka, the fare of state transport companies like railways is completely unfair, unexpected and unacceptable.
As a result, travel expenses of general people will increase, on the other hand, private transport owners, including buses and minibuses, will be benefited more, the statement said.
The leaders of the NCPSRR said that due to increase in fuel price, the cost of transportation has increased excessively.
Read:Metro Rail (MRT Line-6) project cost goes up by Tk 11,486 cr; Gets Ecnec nod
At the same time, due to abnormal hike in prices of essential goods, including medicines, people's living cost has increased by more than 40 percent.
The statement said, low and fixed income people are struggling to support their families.
The National Committee strongly demanded that the minimum fare of this state-run transport should be reduced by 50 percent to Tk 10 and the fare per kilometer should be reduced from Tk 5 to Tk 3.
Getting Kushiyara water is a big success of PM’s India visit: Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ongoing visit to India has been successful.
Quader said this at a dialogue organized by Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters’ Forum (BSRF) at the Secretariat’s Media Center in the capital on Wednesday.
He cited the agreement on sharing the water of Kushiyara River as a big success.
“Yes, there has not been any deal on Tessta, but we have got Kushiyara’s water. We are not returning empty-handed,” he said adding that Dhaka and New Delhi signed seven MoUs during Hasina’s four-day visit to India from Monday.
Quader also expressed his hope that the Teesta water sharing issue will be resolved soon.
The Teesta water sharing issue, he said, has been pending due to some reservations of the chief minister of West Bengal, he observed.
“I really hope that all sides will reach a middle ground and the Teesta issue will be resolved soon,” added Quader.
Quader, also the General Secretary of the ruling AL, criticized the statement of BNP’s Secretary General about PM’s India visit and highlighted the past BNP government’s failure to discuss important national issues with India.
He claimed that during one her visits to India then-PM Khaleda Zia admitted that she had forgotten to raise the issue of water sharing problem.
Read: Up to PM to decide whether Momen will remain foreign minister or not: Quader
On the other hand PM Hasina has always discussed the water sharing issue with India, he said.
Quader also brushed aside the allegation that the Cabinet is weak.
“Some members of the Cabinet have come from the grassroots level. They may have some personal weakness but in general, the Cabinet isn’t weak. The weaknesses of some Cabinet members are being covered by the PM herself. That’s why the government is moving ahead swiftly without any impediments,” he said.
Replying to a question, Quader said that there shouldn’t be any age limit for politicians.
“A politician should only retire when both he and his party think that the time has come for him to step aside. Otherwise, a politician must do politics as long as he is able to do it. A person becomes a politician after dedicating his entire life in doing politics. It’ll be unfair if he isn’t allowed to do politics during his final years,” said the minister.
Tapan Bishwas, President of BSRF, presided over the dialogue. It was conducted by BSRF General Secretary Masudul Haque.
No hawkers on important South Dhaka roads from next week: Taposh
No hawkers will be allowed on important roads, to be marked “red”, under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) from next week, Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said today (September 7, 2022).
The DSCC mayor said this after laying the foundation stone of the 10-storey Bangabandhu Avenue Biponi Bitan in the city.
“Hawkers will be rehabilitated at the market. We will identify the most important roads under Dhaka South City Corporation and mark them ‘red’ from next week. The drive to evict hawkers from ‘red marked’ roads will start from next week,” he said.
Read:Closing timings of hospital pharmacies to be revised: Taposh
The construction work of the 10-storey market will be completed within two years and the hawkers will be able to start their businesses at the market, he said.
Asked about the dengue menace, the DSCC Mayor said, “We have taken necessary steps in advance to prevent the outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease and we have started combing operations to tackle dengue.”
Read: Bus service on 3 routes under route rationalization prog to be launched on Sept 1: Taposh
Saying dengue is under control in DSCC, Taposh said according to the report of the health authorities concerned, the number of dengue patients is 40 under DSCC, which is the highest number this year. Besides, two people died from dengue in DSCC this year.
He also blamed climate change for the increasing number of dengue patients.
Hasina asks Indian and Bangladeshi youth to interact more to foster friendship
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (September 7, 2022) asked the youth of Bangladesh and India to interact more closely and work in close collaboration like their leaders did in the past.
“We feel, youths of both the countries need to interact more closely and connect to the shared history because they are the future leaders and leaders across the borders must work in close collaboration, like our leaders did in the past,” she said.
The prime minister was addressing a function marking the distribution of Mujib Scholarship awards among the direct descendants of soldiers or officers of defence forces of India who had been martyred or critically wounded during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.
Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and Bangladesh Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq, also spoke at the function held at the Ball room of ITC Maurya hotel here in New Delhi.
Bangladesh has introduced the scholarship in honour of the country’s founding leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Hasina, now on a four-day official visit to India, said she would really love to see that the descendants of the war heroes act as ambassadors of Bangladesh-India friendship and draw parallels with their great forefathers.
“I would like to conclude by praying to the Almighty to bless the new generation so that they may carry the torch of friendship forward for the next 50 years and beyond,” she said.
The prime minister said the event is especially very close to her heart as this is an opportunity for paying sincere homage to all the martyrs - both from Bangladesh and India, who laid down their lives during our Liberation War in 1971 and to the war veterans of both the countries.
“I am truly delighted to reconnect with you – the descendant family members of our war heroes,” she said.
She mentioned that the Bangalee nation under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman waged struggle for economic, cultural and democratic emancipation for 24 years.
Read:Dhaka, Delhi reiterate strong commitment to eliminate terrorism
“Responding to the clarion call of our great leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib, they fought for the liberation of the country in 1971. We witnessed an unparalleled gesture of friendship from the government and people of India, as we were provided with empathy, shelter and resources,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina, on behalf of the people of Bangladesh, expressed gratitude to the Indians who sacrificed their invaluable lives and shed blood for the cause of the war of liberation.
“It is always an honour for us to remember those noble persons who sacrificed their lives. My salutations to you, to the brave hearts ---our heroes!” she went on.
She said Bangladesh government commenced a programme to honour the foreign friends who contributed to the Liberation War in 1971.
“We were fortunate to be able to hold the first ceremony of award in 2011 when the highest Civilian Award to foreign friends ‘Bangladesh Freedom Award’ was conferred on the former Indian Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi," said the Bangladesh premier.
Subsequently, more awards were conferred on the deserving Indian leaders, including former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former President Pranab Mukherjee, she said.
“War heroes and members of civil society of India were also honoured in a phased manner. A total of 340 foreign nationals and organizations were honoured. Among them, 226 were from India alone,” she said.
In April 2017, she had the great honour to confer awards upon the war veterans of India through their descendants and immediate family members in the presence of Indian PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi, said Sheikh Hasina.
“I would like to appreciate the kind gesture of government of India for extending their support to our Freedom Fighters for their treatment in India as well as offering scholarship to the family members of the Freedom fighters.”
She said it certainly demonstrates India’s continued support and goodwill for the war heroes of Bangladesh who fought for the emergence of an independent and sovereign Bangladesh.
The prime minister said that conferment of 200 Mujib Scholarships, 100 each at Class-X and Class-X II level, to the descendants of Indian war veterans is a token of our homage to the heroes who made supreme sacrifice in 1971 for our cause.
“As we aspire to carry forward the legacies of our great forefathers from generation to generation, this is our humble effort to reconnect the younger generations to the historic past of which they are a proud part.”
Read:Hasina, Modi direct officials to start CEPA negotiations this year
She mentioned that the awardees of the scholarship would have an opportunity to revisit the memories of valour of their forefathers, relate it to the present circumstances and would continue to bridge between the two countries.
The relationship between Bangladesh and India goes far beyond strategic partnership and has further strengthened during the last decade, she continued.
“Having forged a strong partnership over the last 50 years, both countries are working on an increasingly wide range of sectoral collaboration.”
In this regard, Hasina said resolution of longstanding issues of demarcation of maritime and land boundaries bear testimony to that effect.
“The relationship is known to be the ‘Role Model for the Neighbourhood Diplomacy’ worldwide.”
She said Bangladesh and India are passing through a path of friendship and 2021 was a landmark year in our relations.
She said in March last year said that she had the opportunity to welcome Modi in Dhaka in the historic celebrations of the Birth Centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence and 50th anniversary of the establishment of Bangladesh and India diplomatic relations. The president of India also joined the glorious celebration of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s victory in the War of Liberation in December 2021.
To celebrate these occasions, she said, a number of joint programmes were held. Among them, the release of commemorative stamps on Bangabandhu and Mahatma Gandhi and Bangladesh-India friendship; Bangabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition; participation of Bangladesh Contingent in the Republic Day parade of India were noteworthy.
Sheikh Hasina said that Joint production of the biopic on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman titled ‘Mujib: the Making of the Nation’ is underway, and is expected to be released soon.
She said Bangladesh and India have jointly celebrated December 6 as ‘Maitree Diwas’, the day being a historic one when India recognised Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign state in 1971, in 20 selected cities, including Dhaka and New Delhi.
“Through this joint celebrations, Bangladesh and India have projected the good neighbourhood which is based on mutual trust and respect, to other countries around the world,” she said.
The Prime Minister said that people of Bangladesh should not forget that India, its government, its people and armed forces stood beside Bangladesh during its Liberation war.
"I want that our friendship will last forever,” she said.
Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her precious and generous gesture for introducing the scholarship.
He said that the existing good relations between the two neighbouring countries will deepen further in the coming days.
Dhaka, Delhi reiterate strong commitment to eliminate terrorism
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have reiterated their strong commitment to eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
They decided to further strengthen their cooperation to counter and prevent the spread of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation in the region and beyond.
Noting with satisfaction that the number of deaths due to incidents along the border has significantly reduced, both sides agreed to work towards bringing the number down to zero, according to a joint statement issued on Wednesday.
Both sides noted with appreciation the stepped up efforts by the two border guarding forces against smuggling of arms, narcotics and fake currency and to prevent trafficking, particularly of women and children, it said.
Read:Indian investors can set up industries in Bangladesh through buy-back arrangement: PM
Both prime ministers held a restricted meeting and tête-à-tête followed by delegation level talks on Tuesday.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the excellent state of bilateral relations, based on deep historical and fraternal ties and shared values of democracy and pluralism, which is reflected in an all-encompassing bilateral partnership, based on sovereignty, equality, trust and understanding that transcends even a strategic partnership.
PM Hasina is paying a state visit to India from September 5-8 at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Modi.
Read:Dhaka to list Indian Oil as G2G supplier of refined petroleum products
During the visit, she called on President of India Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region G. Kishan Reddy called on her.
Hasina’s programme also includes launching of "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Student Scholarship” for 200 descendants of Indian Armed Forces personnel martyred and critically injured during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.
She also addressed a business event, jointly organized by Indian and Bangladesh business communities on Wednesday.
Dengue: 279 more hospitalised in 24hrs
Another 279 dengue patients were hospitalised in 24 hours till this morning (September 7, 2022).
Of them, 196 were admitted to the hospitals of Dhaka and 83 outside it, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
A total of 889 dengue patients, including 706 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
Read: Dengue claims five more lives in 24 hrs, 284 others hospitalised
This year's death toll from the mosquito-borne viral disease rose to 31 on Tuesday with five more deaths reported from Dhaka, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar districts.
Of the deceased, 15 were from Cox's Bazar, 13 from Dhaka and another from Chattogram.
On June 21, the DGHS reported the first death of the season from the viral disease.
This year, the directorate has recorded 7,676 dengue cases and 6,756 recoveries so far.