Bangladesh
OECD delegation calls on BGMEA president
The visiting delegation of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) paid a courtesy call on BGMEA President Faruque Hassan and discussed different trade-related issues and future challenges of Bangladesh, in anticipation of the country's graduation from the LDC category.
The OECD team led by Dr. Annalisa Primi, Head of Division of Economic Transformation and Development, Development Centre of the organisation visited the BGMEA president’s office in Gulshan on Tuesday, said a press release.
Talk on Bangladesh’s possible implications on the economy and preparedness to continue the growth momentum by defying all the hurdles of the post-LDC era were also discussed.
They also talked about the issue of policy support and other measures needed to retain Bangladesh’s export competitiveness and maintain its standing in the global market in the post-LDC era.
The BGMEA President gave an overview of the garment industry’s contribution to the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh, especially through export earnings and employment generation for millions of people.
READ: BGMEA chief for working harder to safeguard progress, prospects
He apprised the OECD team about how Bangladesh’s RMG industry has undergone massive transformation over the last few years to become one of the safest industries while making impressive strides in the area of environmental sustainability.
He also briefed them about the unprecedented impacts of Covid-19 on the apparel industry of Bangladesh, how the sector faced the challenges and turned around.
Faruque Hassan also shed light on the RMG industry’s future priorities, including changing business model, upgrading business capabilities and embracing innovation to address future challenges of the RMG industry, especially after LDC graduation.
Daniel Robert Gay, Adviser on Trade and Economic Development, Structural Policies and Innovation Unit, OECD Development Centre, Dr. Manuel Toselli, Economist, Structural Policies and Innovation Unit, OECD Development Centre; Ms. Mereseini Bower, Inter-regional Adviser, Economic Analysis and Policy Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs at the United Nations (UN); and Md. Mazedul Islam, Development Coordination Officer at UN Bangladesh were present at the meeting.
BGMEA Vice President Miran Ali, Director Tanvir Ahmed and Chair of BGMEA Standing Committee on Foreign Mission Cell Shams Mahmud also attended the meeting.
Nordic countries hold business promotion event
To promote Nordic businesses and investments in Bangladesh, the Embassies of Denmark, Norway and Sweden in collaboration with the Nordic Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bangladesh (NCCI) on Tuesday organized a business promotion event with a specific focus on sustainability.
The event was arranged as a part of the Nordic countries’ celebration of 50 years of bilateral relations with Bangladesh this year.
Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Industries Minister, attended the event as the chief guest and highlighted the long standing, and friendly relations between Bangladesh and the Nordic countries.
He expressed his hope that these ties will be strengthened even further in the imminent future, with more Nordic-Bangladeshi cooperation in areas like sustainability and business investment.
The Nordic countries were among the first to recognize Bangladesh, on 4 February 1972.
Over the years, the volume of trade and investment between the Nordic countries and Bangladesh has grown steadily and there is an increased interest in expanding the overall business relations.
More than 100 Nordic companies do business in Bangladesh, which is a signal of a dynamic partnership in transition. Some of the Nordic investments and imports have gone beyond business purposes and helped empower millions of people (e.g., Grameenphone, H&M and Arla).
During the event, the Ambassador of Denmark, Winnie Estrup Petersen, the Ambassador of Norway, Espen Rikter-Svendsen and the Ambassador of Sweden, Alex Berg von Linde stressed the importance and need for sustainability, where Nordic companies are well-placed to supply many advanced skills, goods, services and technical solutions that Bangladesh will need to continue on its path of sustainable development and economic growth.
A number of Nordic companies with engagement in Bangladesh attended the event together with the Bangladesh business community, prominent business chambers and associations, government bodies and companies, development partners and representatives of the diplomatic community.
READ: Denmark, Norway, Sweden celebrate 'NordicWeek,' 50 years of ties with Bangladesh
The event provided an arena for discussions between a wide range of relevant stakeholders.
Four breakout sessions focused on business sectors like telecom & ICT; energy and power; agriculture and food and logistics and manufacturing.
The event also created an opportunity for the Nordic companies to network with Bangladeshi counterparts, and highlight their work related to sustainability in Bangladesh.
The scope for increased commercial interaction between the Nordic countries and Bangladesh was emphasized during the event, and the added value of the Nordic companies in areas such as sustainability, the green transition, blue economy, smart cities, urbanization, and digitalization.
The strong relation between the Nordic countries and Bangladesh was reaffirmed as well as the opportunities to expand even stronger economic ties through trade and investment.
Youth gets life term for raping Thakurgaon woman
A Thakurgaon court on Tuesday sentenced a youth to life term imprisonment for raping a woman in 2010.
The lifer is Asaduzzaman alias Rizvi, of Ranisankail upazila.
Thakurgaon Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Md Golam Faruk delivered the judgment.
The court also fined the convict Tk 10,000, in default, to suffer six more months behind the bars.
According to the case, the victim was a student of Thakurgaon Polytechnic Institute and used to live in a female mess at Gavindanagar in Thakurgaon.
READ: Seven get life term for raping Bangladeshi woman in India
On May 27 in 2010, the convict Rizvi called the victim and raped her at a residential hotel at Ranisankail.
On May 29, the victim's father lodged a complaint with Ranisankail Police Station.
'Sexual assaults will decrease one day in the country'
Sexual abuse and exploitation have become a curse in Bangladesh. Countrymen have little chance to pass a day without being informed of any kinds of sexual violation news on the media. It occurs daily everywhere including homes, educational institutions, and the workplace.
Data available from a number of sources say that most sexual exploitation of children is perpetrated primarily by extended family members, relatives, and neighbours. Many celebrities in the entertainment and sports world often publish their childhood abuse tragedy by their extended family members and relatives.
Women are not safe anywhere in the country. Garment workers are reportedly being sexually exploited at their workplaces. Educated female employees working at private organisations including media, off and on, often bring allegations against their male colleagues. Street children get sexually assaulted regularly by local goons at the very corner of the capital.
Terre des Hommes Netherlands - an international development organisation - has run several projects to eliminate sexual exploitation and assault in the country. It also works to cut commercial sexual abuse of children and child trafficking.
Recently, it has concluded a project named Building Back Better (BBB) project which has worked against the sexual exploitation of children.
Mahmudul Kabir, Country Director at Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH), said, "We work to stop child abuse and child trafficking in the country. TdH has implemented many projects to eliminate sexual harassment and assault of children including the BBB project and Combating Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CCSEC) in Bangladesh. Sexual exploitation will decrease gradually by our united efforts."
"We believe, if we work properly to stop child exploitation besides the government, the situation will surely improve one day in the country," Mahmudul asserted.
Also Read: Sexual exploitation of children: BBB project plays a crucial role to eliminate child sexual exploitation
The new domain of sexual abuse is the internet. There is a lot of content on the internet to spread exploitative sexual behaviour among people including children. Children are getting pornographic content by browsing internet easily impacting them badly.
The availability of the internet has introduced commercial webcam sex - a new phenomenon of its kind. A large number of children are being used for this purpose. Bangladesh is at risk of online sexual activity, it might happen at any time in the country due to its global connectivity and easy access to internet.
The government is very active to prevent any kinds of sexual exploitation in the country. Law enforcers are taking punitive actions against the offenders. Nevertheless, the number of sexual exploitation has been increasing all over the country.
People concerned observe ensuring promote justice can reduce the number of sexual exploitation. Besides, mass awareness is also an important tool to bring the menace under control.
Schoolboy drowns in city pond
A 17-year-old schoolboy drowned in a pond at the city’s Badda area on Tuesday, said police.
The deceased was identified as Miladun Nabi Mahim, a resident of the capital’s Aftab Nagar area.
Mahim drowned in the pond of Chinese Project at Aftab Nagar while bathing along with some friends in the afternoon.
READ: Police: 2 teens drown in Chapainawabganj
Later, the fire service divers recovered his body and rushed him to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where the doctor declared him dead, said Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of DMCH Police Outpost.
The body was kept at the hospital morgue for an autopsy, he added.
Unidentified man’s body found inside plastic drum in city
Police recovered the body of a man from inside a plastic drum in the city’s Jatrabari area Tuesday.
The identity of the deceased, aged around 30-40, could not be ascertained immediately, said police.
Also read: Student dies falling off university building in city
Md Ershad Alam, sub-inspector (SI) of Jatrabari police station, said they recovered the body from inside a blue plastic drum near the canal at Mridha Bari Zia Sarani Road around 6am.
The body was sent to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) morgue for an autopsy, he added.
Illegal Indian products worth Tk 30cr seized in 10 months at Benapole border
Customs officials have seized illegal products worth Tk 30 crore at Benapole border from the India returnees in the past 10 months.
The Commissioner of Benapole Customs House Md. Azizur Rahman and Joint Commissioner A. Rashid Mia at the check-post searched the luggage of the passport holders returning from India and seized the products.
During this time, officials have filed 1,613 departmental cases regarding the seizure of illegal products.
The seized Indian products include 3,549 sarees, 2,930 salwar-kameez, 2,702 kg chocolates, 10,422 cosmetics, 262 medicines, 86 litre alcohol, 451 kg jewellery, 996 kg fabrics, 123 kg, Blankets, 4,465 kg parts and machinery, 104 kg sandals and 10 mobile phones.
According to customs sources, a gang was importing goods outside the baggage rules for a long time, evading taxes upon the products.
READ: 8 held over clash at Benapole port, trade resumes
A. Rashid Mia, joint commissioner of Benapole Customs House, said customs officials have been working to curb smuggling. The check-post have remained unprotected for a long time and it was easy to smuggle
“But now we have adopted a zero-tolerance policy on smuggling,” he said.
Rajshahi, Chapai both get GI certificate for Fazli
The juicy Fazli variety of mangoes has been declared as "Rajshahi-Chapainawabganj’s Fazli mango" concluding the hearing about the ownership of the fruit as both the neighbouring district claimed that Fazli mango is their own.
The Department of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks (DPDT) of the Ministry of Industries announced the Geographical Indication (GI) certificate for Fazli mango on Tuesday. According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation, GI is a stamp used on products that have a specific geographical origin.
Alim Uddin, chief scientific officer of Rajshahi Mango Research Centre confirmed the matter to UNB.
The full judgment will be published next Sunday, he added.
If any side has an objection to the judgment, they have been directed to go to court within the next two months.
READ: Early harvesting of mangoes puts Satkhira farmers in trouble
The GI of Fazli mango will be published in the gazette after two months if they do not go to court.
On October 6, 2021, DPDT published an article in its GI journal declaring Fazli mango as "Rajshahi's Fazli mango". The state agency also published it in two international journals as Rajshahi Fruit Research Centre applied for it on March 9, 2017.
Later, Chapainawabganj Krishi Association opposed the GI of Rajshahi for Fazli mango claiming Fazli is its fruit. In this situation, DPDT arranged the hearing.
Alim Uddin, chief scientific officer of Rajshahi Mango Research Centre, and Munzer Alam, general secretary of Chapainawabganj Krishi Association have participated in the hearing on behalf of the respective district.
Alim Uddin said they will take further steps after getting a full copy of the judgment.
Cosmos dialogue on Dhaka-Jakarta ties to premiere on Wednesday
Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, will host a dialogue titled “Bangladesh-Indonesia Relations: Prognosis for the Future” to be premiered on Wednesday evening.
Indonesian Ambassador to Bangladesh Heru H Subolo will deliver the keynote speech at the latest episode of Cosmos Dialogue.
Also read:US ambassador voices concern over DSA in Bangladesh
It will be held as part of Cosmos Foundation's ongoing Ambassador's Lecture Series.
The opening remarks will be delivered by Cosmos Foundation Executive Director Nahar Khan.
The session will be chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, a renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government.
Professor at Department of International Relations, Dhaka University Dr Lailufar Yasmin, Honorary Advisor Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation Ambassador (Retd) Tariq A Karim and Dhaka Courier Executive Editor Shayan S Khan will join as the panel of discussants.
Also read:Washington in touch with Dhaka on newly launched IPEF: US embassy spokesperson
Bangladesh and Indonesia celebrate the 50 years of bilateral relations this year.
Police: 2 teens drown in Chapainawabganj
Two teenage boys drowned in the Pagla River in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj district on Tuesday, said police.
The deceased were identified as Momin, 12, and Abu Taher, 14, of the upazila.
Also read: Minor siblings drown in Bandarban
The duo drowned in the river while bathing at around 4pm, said Arif Ali, sub-inspector (SI) of Shibganj police station.
Later, locals recovered the bodies and informed police.