Bangladesh
WUDC 2022: Bangladeshi duo wins 'world cup of debating'
Sajid Asbat Khandaker and Sourodip Paul of BRAC A have won the open final of the Belgrade World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) 2022, the "world cup of debating."
BRAC A was the first team from Bangladesh to make it to the finals and become champions of the world's biggest debating tournament, held annually in English with teams representing universities from across the globe.
The WUDC is governed by the World Universities Debating Council, which sets the parameters of the tournament with the rules of debate, eligibility to participate, and the selection of the annual host. Serbian capital Belgrade hosted the tournament this year. The event was held online due to Covid-19.
Sajid and Sourodip ranked fifth in the open category during the preliminary rounds of the tournament, breaking previous records of any Bangladeshi team.
In the final, streamed live on the Belgrade WUDC Live Streams Facebook page, the Brac University students faced Princeton University, the National University of Singapore, and Ateneo de Manila University.
The WUDC uses the British Parliamentary debate format where 15 minutes prior to each round, a "motion" is announced. Motions are drawn from a wide range of topic areas, including domestic and foreign policy, philosophy, political theory, and so on. Debaters have no idea what the motion will be until it is announced.
Four teams compete in each round, two on each side. Each team in the round has to rebut any arguments made by the two teams on the other side of the motion and do a better job of defending the motion than the other team on its own side.
Each of the four teams comprises two members, each of whom gives one speech with an upper time limit of seven minutes. After all eight speakers have made their case, the adjudicators collectively rank the teams from 1 (best) to 4 (worst).
Also read: Bangladesh wins Unilever Future Leaders' League 2022
RU aspirants' protest: Padma Express leaves Rajshahi after 2.5 hours
Padma Express, bound for Dhaka, left Rajshahi Wednesday evening nearly two and a half hours after Rajshahi University (RU) admission seekers barred the train from leaving the platform, protesting the sale of tickets on the black market.
The train left Rajshahi Railway Station at 6:25pm for Dhaka, Ashim Kumar Talukder, general manager of Railway's West Zone, said. "The students called off the protest after a new compartment was added to Padma Express."
The RU admission test ended with the examination of "B" unit at 2pm.
The aspirants blocked Padma Express around 4pm as they were told to get off the train, which already exceeded its maximum capacity, Ashim said.
Protesting students alleged that many RU admission seekers were not being able to return home as extra train coaches were not arranged for them and tickets were sold on the black market.
Also read: Admission seekers’ blockade snaps Dhaka’s rail link with other parts for over 3 hrs
US commerce department partners with DNCC for municipal organisation, planning workshop
The US Department of Commerce's Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) conducted a workshop on municipal organisation, planning, and green initiatives in collaboration with Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and the US Embassy in Dhaka during July 24-26.
CLDP municipal experts covered topics such as green procurement, identification of capital projects, and key legal issues that will help DNCC strategically design, review, and implement important infrastructure projects to mitigate air and water pollution.
DNCC Mayor Md Atiqul Islam, DNCC CEO Md Selim Reza and CLDP Deputy Chief Counsel Joe Yang provided opening remarks.
As part of the long-term partnership, DNCC, CLDP, and the US Embassy in Dhaka are planning more workshops, consultations, and municipal exchanges that will take place in Bangladesh, the US, and the Indo-Pacific.
Created in 1992, CLDP provides technical assistance in the commercial law arena to the governments and private sectors of developing countries in support of their economic development goals.
The assistance consists of long-term training and consultative partnerships with government officials, lawmakers, regulators, judges, lawyers, educators, and other stakeholders.
Also read: DNCC demolishes two police boxes from in front of SSMCH
Global economic outlook worsens as recession looms: IMF
Still reeling from the Covid pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the global economy is facing an increasingly murky and uncertain outlook, according to the latest report of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
"The World Economic Outlook Update July 2022: Gloomy and More Uncertain," released on Tuesday, highlights the significant consequences of the stalling of the world's three main economic powerhouses – the US, China and the major European economies.
The outlook has darkened significantly since April, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, IMF economic counsellor and director of research, said. "The world may soon be teetering on the edge of a global recession, only two years after the last one."
The baseline forecast for global growth is for it to slow from 6.1 percent last year, to 3.2 percent in 2022 – 0.4 percent lower than forecast in the last Outlook update in April.
With higher-than-expected inflation – especially in the US and the largest European economies – global financial conditions are becoming tighter.
In the US, reduced household purchasing power and tighter monetary policy will drive growth down to 2.3 percent this year and one percent next year, according to the outlook.
China's slowdown has been worse than anticipated amid Covid outbreaks and lockdowns, with negative effects from Russia's invasion of Ukraine continuing.
Also, further lockdowns and a deepening real estate crisis there have pushed growth down to 3.3 percent this year – the slowest in more than four decades, excluding the pandemic.
And in the Eurozone, growth has been revised down to 2.6 percent this year and 1.2 percent in 2023, reflecting spillovers from the Ukraine war and tighter monetary policy.
As a result, global output contracted in the second quarter of this year, Pierre-Olivier said.
Read: IMF voices concern over rising bad loans in banks
Despite the global slowdown, inflation has been revised up, in part due to rising food and energy prices.
This year it is anticipated to reach 6.6 percent in advanced economies and 9.5 percent in emerging market and developing economies – representing upward revisions of 0.9 and 0.8 percentage points respectively. And it is projected to remain elevated for longer.
Broadened inflation in many economies reflects the impact of cost pressures from disrupted supply chains and historically tight labour markets, the IMF official said.
The report outlines some risks ahead, including that the war in Ukraine could end European gas supply from Russia altogether; rising prices could cause widespread food insecurity and social unrest; geopolitical fragmentation may impede global trade and cooperation.
Inflation could remain stubbornly high if labour markets remain overly tight or inflation expectations are too optimistic and prove more costly than expected.
And renewed Covid outbreaks and lockdowns threaten to further suppress China's growth.
"In a plausible alternative scenario where some of these risks materialise…inflation will rise and global growth decelerates further to about 2.6 percent this year and two percent next year, a pace that growth has fallen below just five times since 1970," said the IMF economist.
"Under this scenario, both the US and the Euro area experience near-zero growth next year, with negative knock-on effects for the rest of the world."
Current inflation levels represent a clear risk to macroeconomic stability, according to the outlook.
Responding to the situation, central banks in advanced economies are withdrawing monetary support faster than expected, while many in emerging markets and developing economies began raising interest rates last year.
The resulting synchronised monetary tightening across countries is historically unprecedented, and its effects are expected to bite, with global growth slowing next year and inflation decelerating, Pierre-Olivier said.
While acknowledging that tighter monetary policy would have economic costs, the IMF official upheld that delaying it would only exacerbate hardship.
And hampered by difficulties in coordinating creditor agreements, how and whether debt can be restructured remains unpredictable.
He argued that domestic policies responding to the impacts of high energy and food prices should focus on those most affected, without distorting prices.
Governments should refrain from hoarding food and energy and instead look to unwind barriers to trade such as food export bans, which drive world prices higher, the IMF official said.
UP polls violence: Child killed in police shooting
A child was allegedly killed in a police shooting during a clash at Ranisankail upazila in Thakurgaon Wednesday during the union parishad (UP) election.
The deceased was identified as two-year-old Asha of the upazila, Ranisankail Upazila NIrbahi Officer (UNO) Sohel Sultan Zulkar Nain told UNB.
Asha's mother went to Bhangbari polling centre to learn about the Bachore union parishad election results. At one stage, supporters of two member candidates locked into a clash.
Read: Teenager, another killed in Ctg UP polls violence
The child died on the spot in the lap of her mother as police opened fire to bring the situation under control, Zulkar Nain said.
Later, agitated locals brought out a procession carrying Asha's body.
Additional police forces have been deployed to maintain law and order, Zulkar Nain added.
Roundtable: Bangladesh must act fast to offset fallout of Ukraine conflict
Speakers at a roundtable have said Bangladesh remains in a good position with workable human resources, food production and geographical location but laid emphasis on enhancing energy exploration along with a diversified policy for conventional and renewable.
But despite these advantages, the country has fallen backward in the last one and half a decade in its own energy exploration due to lack of a sustainable policy, they said.
The experts raised the issues at the roundtable titled “A World in Turmoil: The Fallout from the Ukraine Conflict” jointly organized by Cosmos Foundation and Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) at a city hotel on Wednesday.
Chairman of Cosmos Foundation Enayetullah Khan and President of BIPSS Major General (Retd) ANM Muniruzzaman moderated the discussion.
Former foreign secretary Md Touhid Hossain, assistant professor, department of international relations, Bangladesh University of Professional (BUP) Umme Salma Tarin and assistant professor, department of economics, East West University Parvez Karim Abbasi spoke as panelists.
Golam Sarwar made Law and Justice Division Secretary
Md Golam Sarwar has been made secretary of the Law and Justice Division under the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
The Law Ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard on Wednesday.
He had been performing as the acting secretary of the Law and Justice Division since August 8, 2019.
Golam Sarwar joined the judicial cadre service through the 10th BCS examination.
He started his career at Dhaka district judge court as an apprentice assistant judge on December 11, 1991.
Also read: PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim gets another 2-year extension
Taskforce on road crashes wants ban on movement of inter-district motorcycles
The taskforce, formed to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the National Roads Safety Council to restore discipline on roads and highways, wants an end to plying of inter-district motorcycles to reduce road accidents.
Former shipping minister Shahjahan Khan and a member of the taskforce said this after the meeting of the taskforce at the Home Ministry on Wednesday.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal presided over the meeting.
Read: Restriction on motorcycle driving, ride-sharing for a week during Eid
Shahjahan said, “There will be no inter-district ride sharing. The matter was discussed in the meeting. We have taken the matter seriously as around 40 per cent of road accidents occur due to motorcycles. We have decided to control it.”
Shahjahan, also the president of the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, said, “Many people are saying that motorcycles are being controlled due to the conspiracy of the bus owners. This is ridiculous. We have only suggested stopping long route ride sharing. The government will decide on the matter.”
Mentioning that the country has limited dope test centres for drivers, Shahjahan Khan said they requested the authorities concerned to increase the number of dope test centres and reduce dope test fees from the existing Tk 900.
The meeting also recommended increasing the number of employees at BRTA and recruiting more highway police personnel to maintain discipline on roads, he added.
Regarding the appointment letter of the transport workers by the owners, he said Road Transport or Home Minister will soon inaugurate the mass appointment letter handover ceremony all over the county through the virtual platform.
Dhaka taking IMF loan as a precaution, not for bail out: Kaikaus
Prime Minister’s principal secretary Ahmad Kaikaus on Wednesday said the current foreign exchange reserve of the country can meet all types of import expenditures for more than five months.
“We have import expenditure for more than five months in our reserve where as it is said that having more than three months of import expenditure is the symbol of strong economy. We do not have any risk,” he said.
The principal secretary said this while briefing reporters at his office on some misleading news in news papers and other media.
He mentioned that as per the prediction from various organisations like IMF, Word Bank, ADB and others the world is likely to have an economic turmoil in the coming days.
“We have given proposal to the IMF on how could we get possible fund from them as part of taking precautionary measures,” he said.
He said that he has strong objection to using ‘bail out’ words (in some media reports).
“Why bail out, is the country in a deep crisis so that we have to make the bail out?,” he asked.
He mentioned that using the terms like Bail Out is hitting country’s dignity as it is not in such kind of situation.
Read:Nothing wrong in economy as Bangladesh seeks IMF loan: Finance Minister
Kaikaus requested the media to check the matters with the IMF mission in Dhaka whether Bangladesh has fallen into a deep economic crisis like Pakistan or Sri Lanka.
“This was a regular discussion between the finance ministry and the IMF,” he said about the recent move of the government to get funds from the IMF.
He stated various types of fund assistance from the IMF by various governments of Bangladesh in 1993, 2003, 2012 and 2020.
“We are taking funds from IMF, ADB and World Bank on regular basis,” he said.
But he mentioned that Bangladesh is getting budgetary financing now, not the project financing, from them as they have trust on the country as it could utilise the fund more efficiently.
“This time we sought budget assistance, this is for meeting the deficit in balance of payment, not bail out. It is basically the money that we need as foreign currency to spend for our development activities,” he said.
Talking about the power situation, he said that the government is also concerned like others about the power so that it does not become a crisis in future.
“Thats why we are saving our power now for the coming days,” he said.
Regarding the misleading news of Indian Adani Group and Meghna Ghat power plant, he said it is just baseless.
“…why are you making horror stories. Tell the truth,” he requested the media.
He mentioned that these types of news will be harmful for he country and its possible investments from abroad.
The principal secretary said that the recent move by the government to save power through area-based load shedding has been effective and there is no need to increase it.
“We are saving 2000-3000 MW electricity and we are under our target,” he said.
Responding to a question regarding import of fuel oil from Russia, he said, if other countries can import, why can't we.
He also mentioned that the government is exploring new pockets for cheap fuel oil import.
Country has adequate stocks of petroleum fuel: Energy Division
The Energy and Mineral Resources Division has said that the country has adequate stocks of petroleum fuel.
In a clarification on Wednesday, it said the country has stocks of 431,835 metric tons of diesel for 32 days’ consumption while Jet-A1 fuel for 44 days’ consumption and furnace oil for 32 days’ consumption.
Requesting the people not to be misguided, it also said that a vested interest group is spreading false and fabricated information about fuel oil reserves, which is misleading the common people.
The entire petrol is locally produced while 40 percent of octane is also produced by the country, it added.
Read: Petroleum price may go up next month: Nasrul Hamid
The process of importing 6 months’ petroleum fuel is in pipeline.
“We strongly say that companies under the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation have sufficient fuel oil reserves. At present there is no shortage or crisis of petroleum fuel in the country. There is no fear of crisis,” it said.
In July 2022, the country has so far received some 255,000 metric tons of diesel from 9 vessels, about 43,000 metric tons of Jet-A-1 from 2 vessels, 24,677 metric tons of octane from one vessel and 53,358 metric tons of furnace oil from 2 vessels.
In August 2022, some 218,000 metric tons of diesel will arrive in 8 ships while 25,000 metric tons of Jet-A-1 in one ship and 25,000 metric tons of octane through one ship.
According to the import plan, these bulk fuels will arrive in Bangladesh in next 6 (six) months. Of these, 50 percent will be procured through G-to-G contract and the remaining 50 percent through open tender. There is no risk of shortage.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Division requested all to be cautious and economical in the use of fuel which is being supplied in subsidised rates.