Bangladesh
Case filed over killing Bogura Polytechnic student
A case has been filed over the murder of a Bogura Polytechnic Institute student in Bogura town.
Victim’s father Anishur Rahman Babu filed the case with Bogura sadar police accusing six people including Arif and Sohan, said Sajjadul Islam, sub-inspector (SI) of Banani police outpost of Shajahanpur.
Read: AL expels UP chairman Selim Khan
Al Jamiul Boni, 22, a fifth-semester student of Computer Science at Bogura Polytechnic Institute, was stabbed to death allegedly by some miscreants in Colony area Friday evening.
Police said a month-long weaving and textile fair was underway at Bogura Mohammad Ali Hospital playground. As a part of this fair, some youths were selling lottery tickets in front of Taj Pharmacy in the Colony Battala area Friday evening.
Boni bought a lottery ticket from them. When Boni went to put down the lottery into the lottery box, he had an altercation with another youth named Sohan.
At one stage, some others along with Sohan hacked Boni mercilessly, leaving him seriously injured.
Later, he was taken to Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital where he died after a while.
Read: 11 held while preparing to stage robbery in capital
The body was handed over to his family after an autopsy at around 1:15 pm on Saturday, the SI added.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Bogura sadar police station Selim Reza said the real cause of the crime is yet to be known. However, efforts are on to arrest the accused, he added.
AL govt fails to protect rights of minorities: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday alleged that the current Awami League the government has failed to protect the rights of the country's minority communities.
"This government always tries to speak out against communalism…but unfortunately attacks have been made on the members of Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities and their lands and homes during its rule,” he said.
Speaking at a prayer programme at Dhakeswari National Temple, the BNP leader said the government could not ensure the security of the minority communities and prevent attacks on them.
He said the USA in its report on ‘International Religious Freedom’ has clearly stated that the Awami League government has failed to protect the rights of the minority communities in Bangladesh. “This is the reality.”
Also Read: BNP, Biplobi Workers Party agree to oust govt thru movement: Fakhrul
The Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Kalyan Front arranged the programme, marking BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s birth anniversary and paying tribute in memory of the organisation’s convener Gautam Chakraborty who died recently.
Mirza Fakhrul said there is no democracy in the country while people have lost all democratic rights.
He said their party has been trying to unite the country’s 17 crore people to restore democracy, human rights, and peace in the country and uproot all the seeds of communalism.
The BNP leader also said they want to truly establish that Bangladesh the nation dreamt of in 1971.
“So, we have to continue our struggle for the restoration of democracy. We pray that democracy, the truth and beauty be established in our country,” he said.
Criticising the government for resorting to repressive acts, Fakhrul said BNP Chairperson Khaleda has been kept under house arrest out of political vengeance.
He also said their party’s around 600 leaders and activists were made disappeared while over 1,000 others were killed and 35 lakh opposition leaders and activists have been implicated in ‘false’ cases.
AL expels UP chairman Selim Khan
Widely discussed Awami League leader and Laxmipur union chairman Selim Khan has been expelled from the party.
Chandpur district Awami League at an extended meeting removed the criticized chairman, who excavated sands illegally from the Meghna River, from his post on Saturday.
Nasir Uddin Ahmad, president of Laxmipur union Awami League confirmed the matter to UNB.
Also Read: Laxmipur UP Chairman Salim Khan can’t extract sand from Meghna: SC
Party sources said Selim Khan has been expelled from the party permanently for tarnishing the image of the party.
Earlier on May 29, the Appellate Division canceled the High Court judgement allowing Selim Khan to extract sand from the Meghna River in Chandpur.
END/UNB/Corr/GR/ssk/2022
American boy crosses seas to marry girl from Gazipur
A 27-year-old US national has once again proved that love transcends all boundaries by crossing the barriers of religion and country to marry the love of his life from Gazipur in Bangladesh.
Ryan Coffman, an operator of a plastic factory at Kansas city in Missouri State flew all the way to Bangladesh on May 31 to marry the love of his life Saida Islam, 26 , from Bhogra Moddhopara area in Gazipur municipality.
The US national converted to Islam from Christianity and married Saida on June 1 with the permission from both the families following Islamic rules and Bangladeshi cultural norms.
Read: Kardashians take Portofino for Kourtney-Travis wedding
Since the nuptials Ryan has been living with his newly wed wife’s family in Gazipur and enjoying all the hospitality a Bangladeshi new son-in-law receives despite being a different nationality.
“From the moment I reached here the cordiality and hospitality of Bangladeshi people has impressed me and I feel proud to find my life partner here,” said Ryan to UNB.
Saida said it has been a year since they fell in love and Ryan decided to come to Bangladesh after they decided to spend the rest of their lives together.
11 held while preparing to stage robbery in capital
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Saturday arrested 11 robbers from Boliyarpur area of Dhaka’s Savar, while they were preparing to stage a robbery.
The arrestees are Md. Shamim aka Sabdul, Md. Anisur Rahman aka Thanda, Md. Salauddin, Md. Ikhtiyar Uddin, Md. Saiful Islam, Md. Jahangir Sarkar, Md. Sajib Islam, Md. Jiban Sarkar, Shri Swapan Chandra Roy, Md. Minhazur Islam, and Shri Madhav Chandra Sarkar.
On the basis of a tip-off, Rab members conducted an operation in Boliyarpur area around 1 am and arrested the robbers while they were preparing for a robbery, said ASP Imran Khan, Assistant director, legal and media wing of the Rab headquarters.
Also read: Six robbers held in city
Rab members seized different tools used in robbery from the arrestees which include a foreign made gun, a pipe gun, two one-shooter gun, six rounds of ammunition, a magazine, two machetes, three iron rods, three axes, two knives, house cutter, 11 hacksaw blades, two laser lights and a hammer.
During the interrogation, the arrestees said that they have been planning to rob a battery factory in Savar. They also said that they have long been involved in robbery of houses, shops, warehouses, even from passenger buses and freight trucks.
Also read: Gang leader killed as two robber gangs clash in Cox’s bazar
Build ‘Padma Bridge’ as economic corridor for greatest benefit: Speakers
Speakers at a discussion termed the ‘Padma Bridge’ as a symbol of national aspirations and urged the government to build it as an economic corridor for both sides of the river for the greater benefits of the country.
They emphasize that this bridge needs to be made an economic corridor. If economic zones and industrial parks can be built around the river, it will be able to contribute to economic development and employment.
They came up with the suggestion while speaking in a discussion on 'Current Status of the Macroeconomic: Bangladesh Perspective,' jointly organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) and Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) at the CA Bhavan Auditorium in Karwanbazar on Saturday.
Also read: All 64 districts to celebrate Padma Bridge's inauguration
Planning Minister MA Mannan, the chief guest of the discussion, said the government is working to check waste of state money in every sector of the country.
"We are working to prevent waste, sometimes we are relaxed. It has to be rushed. Now there are 1800 projects. We are designing the priority projects based on importance and need,” the planning minister added.
Prof Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellow, Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said the Padma Bridge is a symbol of national aspiration. It should not only be used for transportation, it should be made an economic corridor.
“There were plans to build 17 economic zones around the Padma Bridge. They have to do that. Then it will be able to contribute to the national economy and employment,” he said.
Ahsan H. Mansur, Executive Director, the Policy Research Institute (PRI) and Chairman Brac Bank, said that it is important to keep the exchange rate of taka stable, it is also important to strengthen local currency.
“The price of the US dollar was between 82, 83 and 84. But suddenly the taka depreciated severely, there is a reason also. But a stable exchange rate is important for the economy,” he said.
Also read: Padma Bridge is a blessing for southern people: Minister
Regarding the budget, Mansur said, “Our budget is only 14 percent of GDP, which is less than other countries. Again, a large expenditure of our budget goes to pay salaries and allowances. The rest of the money is used for government development work. It is better to make the budget at least 20 percent of GDP.”
Rains to cool off Bangladesh
As high temperatures continue to bake large swaths of Bangladesh, the weather department has predicted showers across the country in the next 24 hours.
Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at many places over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at a few places over Rajshahi, Khulna, and Barishal divisions with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places over the country, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said Saturday.
Also Read: Rain's coming, says weatherman
The mercury today reached 36.4 degrees Celsius – the highest – in Jashore, while the minimum temperature was 22.4 degrees in Bogura and Mymensingh.
The weather department recorded 61mm rainfall – the highest – in Bogura in the last 24 hours till 6pm Saturday.
Day temperature may rise slightly, and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged, the BMD said.
Decision on gas price hike proposal Sunday
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is set to announce its decision on Sunday on the proposal to raise the price of natural gas.
BERC chairman Abdul Jalil will announce the decision at 3 pm at a virtual briefing.
The state-owned transmission company and 6 gas distribution companies submitted their final proposals to the energy regulator on January 25 seeking a 117 per cent hike in gas price at the retail level.
Besides, principal gas supplier Petrobangla also placed its proposal to raise the price of the natural gas at the bulk level.
Also read: Hike in power, gas prices won’t be big burden on people: Nasrul
Earlier on March 21-23, the BERC held a 4-day public hearing at at the city’s BIAM auditorium where state-run Petrobangla’s proposal to hike retail gas price faced stiff opposition from consumers, citizens, businesses and professionals.The consumer rights groups said that any rise in gas price will be totally illogical and unfair at this moment when the people are struggling amid price hike of essentials resulting from Covid-19 pandemic shock.The Petrobangla officials claimed that the annual expenditure of the organization will increase to Tk 65,225.75 crore due to import of LNG (liquefied natural gas) and other cost escalations.As a result, on an average gas price needs to be increased to Tk 20 from the existing Tk 12.60 per cubic meter.A technical team of the BERC disagreed with the claim of Petrobangla and placed its report saying that state-run agency still has a unutilized fund of about Tk 2500 crore as surplus after meeting its expenses.
Also read: Consumers in five south-western districts brace for gas price hikeOpposing the claim of the Petrobangla, Prof Shumsul Alam, advisor of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) challenged the authenticity of the data and statistics provided by its officials.
Next election sans BNP won’t be acceptable: Ex-CEC Nurul Huda
Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda on Saturday said the next general election will not be acceptable without the participation of BNP, one of the major parties in the country.
Speaking at a shadow parliament debate competition programme, he also said it is the responsibility of the ruling Awami League to ensure BNP’s participation in the polls.
“I think the next election will not be acceptable if BNP does not participate in it as BNP is a very big political party,” he said.
Also read: Quader asks BNP to shun undemocratic path, join polls
Huda, however, urged BNP to take part in the election as he thinks no problem can be solved by boycotting the election. “You should sit in talks and discuss how you will go to the polls.”
The debate for Democracy arranged the programme at Film Development Corporation (FDC), Bangladesh.
Stating that the work of Election Commission is challenging not only in Bangladesh but also in the entire world, the former CEC said fair elections are not possible without political consensus.
“The Election Commission has no role in creating political negotiations. The Election Commission also should not interfere in it. The government and the political parties should reach an agreement on the issue through discussions," he said.
Huda thinks the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) should be used in the elections for checking various irregularities like snatching ballot boxes.
“We have seen how people snatched ballot boxes and cast fake votes. This culture has been stopped by using EVMs… considering the political practices in Bangladesh, I think EVM should be used for at least the next 20 years,” he observed.
The ex-CEC also said if people participate in the election in unison braving intimidation and obstacles, no force can suppress them.
Replying to a question, he said, “It is challenging for the Election Commission to conduct polls under a partisan government, but it is possible to overcome this challenge if voters can come to the polling stations freely.”
Also read: No scope to manipulate polls flexing muscle power: CEC
Huda also bemoaned that it was uncomfortable for him as hundred percent votes were cast at some polling stations and some MPs were elected unopposed during his tenure as the Chief Election Commissioner. “Because we can't take any action after the presiding officer announces the results. Only then the court can resolve the issue.”
He suggested the use of CCTV cameras in the polling stations to ensure transparency.
Three held over gang rape of schoolgirl in Chattogram
Police have arrested three youths for raping a ninth-grader in Boalkhali upazila of Chattogram.
The arrestees were identified as Emran Hossain Sagar, 19, son of Md Badshah Mia, Saniullah Ali Rimon, 20, son of Mohammad Rustom Ali Basek and Md. Kamal Uddin, 26, son of Mohammad Kofil Uddin.
Read: Councillor arrested for rape attempt in Gazipur
They were arrested after girl’s mother filed a case with Boalkhali police station Saturday morning.
According to the case statement, she left her home following a dispute with her mother around 10:00pm on Friday night and met Alamgir, one of her friends, on the way.
When they were crossing the area some youths appeared there and picked them up in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw and took them to a place adjacent to the Boalkhali Fire Service Station.
Read: Crimes against humanity: Fugitive death row convict held
They consumed drugs and raped the girl in the autorickshaw by turns after holding her friend hostage around 2:00am, it said.
Officer-In-Charge(OC) of Boalkhali police station Md Abdul Karim said that they were sending the girl to Chattogram Medical College Hospital(CMCH) for medical examinations.