Bangladesh
Shahjahanpur double murder: Main accused held
Police said on Sunday that they arrested the prime accused in the killing of an Awami League politician and a female college student in city’s Shahjahanpur from Bogura district on Sunday.
Arrestee Masum Mohammad Akash, 34, admitted to have shot and killed AL politician Zahidul Islam Tipu, who was in a microbus, and Samia Afrin Preeti, a 22-year-old college, who was a rickshaw stuck in a jam on Thursday night, police said.
Tipped off, Khilgaon Zonal team of Detective Branch (Motijheel Division) under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), conducted a drive in Bogura district with the help of local police and arrested Akash, said Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
During police interrogation, Akash admitted that he followed Tipu to kill and when the vehicle carrying Tipu reached near Shahjahanpur Rail gate he opened fire on him.
Akash was also wanted in four other criminal cases, said police.
Read:Shahjahanpur murders: Perpetrators not to be spared
Briefing reporters at DMP media centre on Sunday afternoon, Additional Commissioner (DB) of the DMP KM Hafiz Akhtar said
the day before the killing shooter Akash planned to kill him. He followed Tipu when he was on his way home from a restaurant but failed because there were too many people.
After the killing, the shooter Masum was supposed to leave the country through the border. For this reason, he left for Joypurhat by a rented car on the day of the incident. He was supposed to cross the border from there. Unable to go on the first day, Masum moved to Bogra. The next day he was to cross the border to India. Later, a team of Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police arrested Masum with the help of Bogra district Superintendent of Police (SP), he said.
Hafiz said one of Akash's associates was also behind the incident and he would be arrested. Police also hope to find the motorcycles and weapons used in the murder.
Asked how much money was contracted for Tipu's murder, the DB chief said it was not known how much. However, there are several cases in the area against arrested Akash. He got the contract to kill Tipu to escape from those cases, he added.
On the day of the incident, on March 24, an unidentified person stayed at the Grand Sultan restaurant owned by Tipu and started to update Akash. The shooter then shot and killed Tipu on his way home. Preeti Jamal, a ricksha passenger and also a college student, killed in the same firing.
Replying to another question, Hafiz said, "Our data, the information obtained from the investigation, the information collected from the previous day all tell us that Akash was the shooter in Tipu's murder." He also admitted that he fired the shots.
According to DB, Akash runs has a dish cable business in Goran area of the capital. After he called his wife after the killing, it was confirmed that he had killed Tipu.
Read: Case filed over Shahjahanpur double murder
Tipu was a former general secretary of AL Motijheel committee and Priti was a student of Begum Badrunnesa Government College, were killed. Tipu’s driver was injured.
The crime occurred in front of Islami Bank Hospital around 10.15pm when Zahidul was returning home in his car and Samia on a cycle rickshaw with her friend, police said.
"They were all stuck in a traffic jam in the area when a biker wearing a helmet and a mask appeared from nowhere and fired at them.
The three sustained bullet injuries and were soon rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, where Zahidul and the student died of their injuries hours later.
Later a case has been filed against unidentified people over the double murder on Friday.
Govt working to restore Liberation War spirit: Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said that her government seeks to restore the spirit of the Liberation War and build a non-communal society free from poverty and hunger
The prime minister said this at a meeting of the National Implementation Committee for Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's 100th Birth Anniversary Celebration at Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
She said that after Bangabandhu’s assassination in 1975, Bangladesh had gone far away from the spirit of the Liberation War.
Read: PM unveils postage stamp on Independence Day
"It was an attack on the entire Bangalee nation rather than on us (our family) only," she said.
She said that Bangabandhu had dedicated his entire life to liberate the people and ensure them a beautiful and improved life.
Hasina, also chairman of the implementation committee, said her government has transformed Bangladesh into a developing country in 2021 when the nation celebrated the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation and golden jubilee of the country's independence.
The prime minister said her government has been materializing the dreams of Bangabandhu one after another.She mentioned that the cent per cent electrification of the country achieved last week.
"The day is not so far when not a single person will remain without an address or homeless and landless," she reiterated.
She said that she has a plan to build a separate e-library on Bangabandhu at Dhanmandi 32 on a large scale. People from across the globe will have access to the library to study and conduct research using the documents to be preserved in the library.
Sadarghat launch fire doused
A fire that broke out in a launch at Sadarghat Launch Terminal in the capital on Sunday has been doused.
The fire broke out at launch ‘Adventure-9’ at 10:52 am and spread soon, Md Shahjahan Shikdar, Deputy assistant director (media cell) of Fire Service and Civil Defence.
On information, seven firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire around 2 pm.
Read: Death toll rises to 12 in N'ganj launch tragedy
India renews scholarship scheme for Freedom Fighters’ descendants
The government of India has extended the scholarship scheme for the descendants of Freedom Fighters by another five years beginning 2022-23.
This year, a total of 1,497 students (501 students from HSC and 996 from UG level) have been selected for scholarship under the scheme in line with India’s strong commitment, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on Sunday.
The Ministry of Liberation of War Affairs extended their support to identify and select the students from all corners of Bangladesh.
The scholarship amount will be credited directly to the bank account of the student by the method of Direct Bank Transfer (BDT).
Each year the government of India awards scholarship to descendants of Freedom Fighters to commemorate the invaluable contribution of Muktijoddhas towards the Liberation of Bangladesh.
This year, 1,497 such students are receiving this scholarship.
READ: Bangladeshi students to get FAU scholarships
The ‘Muktijoddha scholarship scheme’ was started by the government of India in the year 2006 for the descendants of the Freedom Fighters.
Originally, scholarships were awarded to Higher Secondary and Undergraduate level students.
Undergraduate students were awarded Tk 24,000/- per year for four years and Higher secondary students were awarded Tk 10,000/- per year for two years.
The award of these scholarships even during the Covid-19 Pandemic is in furtherance to the visit of the Prime Minister and the President of India to Bangladesh.
It exemplifies the abiding commitment of the Government and people of India towards friendship with their brethren in Bangladesh.
The scholarship was re-launched in April 2017 during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India.
This new scheme was set to benefit 10,000 students from Bangladesh for a period of five years at the Higher Secondary (Tk 20,000/-) and Undergraduate (Tk 50,000/-) Levels. As of now, 19,082 students have benefited under this scheme, and an amount of Tk 44.99 crore has been utilised for this purpose.
Kazakhstan national killed in Rooppur Nuke plant site
A Kazakhstan national was killed and another injured at a house in Ishwardi Rooppur Residential Project Green city under Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project in Pabna district Saturday night.
The deceased was identified as Vladimir Soviet, an employee of contractor firm Nikim at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
Masud Alam, additional superintendent of Pabna Police, said after getting information from locals, a team of police rushed to the spot and recovered the body of Vladimir around 8:30 pm from a room of Building No 6 of the Green City Project.
READ: Rooppur power plant not to be affected directly by War: Planning Minister
“The body bore several stab injury marks. Another Kazakhstan national was also found injured in the room and he was sent to Dhaka for treatment,” said the SP.
Three Belarus nationals were detained from the area for their involvement in the killing.
Dentist stabbed dead ‘by muggers’ in city
A 34-year-old dentist was stabbed to death allegedly by muggers at Shewrapara in the city’s Mirpur area early Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Ahmed Mahi Bulbul who worked in a clinic at Moghbazar. He was well known as ‘Gariber Doctor (The doctor of the poor)’ in his locality.
Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Mirpur Model Police Station, said police recovered the body of Ahmed lying in a pool of blood under the Metrorail pillar no-278 on the road of Shewrapara around 6 am and sent it to Suhrawardi Medical College and Hospital morgue.
READ: 28-year-old govt staff stabbed to death in Bagerhat
Primarily it is suspected that he was killed by muggers, said the OC.
However, police also recovered cash Tk 12,000 and a mobile phone set from his possession.
Police are investigating the incident, he said.
Meanwhile, a relative of the victim said Dr. Ahmed Mahi Bulbul was a kind man. Always smiling face Dr Bulbul got the title 'the doctor of the poor' providing free treatment. So he is not supposed to have such enemies. But besides medicine, he was in the contracting business for about 5 years, he said requesting anonymity.
Bulbul recently got a work order worth Tk 12 crore. He was supposed to go to Noakhali in the morning for that purpose. He was supposed to take Saurabh, a painter, with him.
Talking to reporters at Suhrawardi Medical College and Hospital morgue, Sourav said the decision to go to Noakhali was taken last night (Saturday). “Sir (Bulbul) called me around 4:00 am this morning (Sunday). After picking up the phone, he asked me to come to Farmgate after Fajr prayers.”
“When I came to Farmgate and called him, he told me that he had started for Farmgate. But after some time, I could not get Sir on the phone. I repeatedly rang him,but did not get any response. About an hour later, someone picked up the phone and said he is police,” Sourabh added.
“As I was asked to go to the hospital, I went there, I saw that Sir was dead,” he said.
Independence Day celebrated in Washington
The Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington DC has celebrated the Independence and National Day of Bangladesh with a renewed vow to materialise the dreams of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the martyrs of the great Liberation War.
The day's programmes began with hoisting of the National Flag by Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States M. Shahidul Islam on the Chancery premises.
Later, the Ambassador, accompanied by the Embassy officials, placed a floral wreath at the bust of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
After laying the wreath, they stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the great leader.
The messages issued on the occasion by the President M Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam were read out.
Later, a discussion session was held at the Bangabandhu Auditorium of the Embassy.
Taking part in the discussion session, Ambassador Shahidul Islam termed the great Independence Day as a glorious day of Bangladesh and extended his heartfelt greetings to all Bangalees across the USA on the occasion.
He also paid deep homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and three million martyrs of the War of Liberation.
The Ambassador recalled the bloody massacre in Dhaka perpetrated by the Pakistani military junta, breaking the silence of the night of 25 March in 1971 as they mercilessly killed hundreds of thousands of innocent sleeping Bangalees, including teachers, students, police members, soldiers, pedestrians and rickshaw-pullers.
Ambassador Islam said in the wake of the Pakistan army's barbaric attack on the unarmed Bangalees, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh at the first hour of 26th March in1971.
The nation, he said, soon launched the War of Liberation at the call of the Father of the Nation, and under his fearless leadership, Bangladesh achieved long-cherished independence on December 16 in 1971 after the nine-month bloody war against Pakistan.
The Ambassador said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman fought throughout his life for transforming Bangladesh into a peaceful and prosperous 'Sonar Bangla' (Golden Bengal).
But Bangabandhu could not materialise his cherished dream as he was brutally assassinated by the anti-liberation elements on the black night of 15th August in 1975, Ambassador Islam continued.
"So we have to work unitedly and ceaselessly to turn Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous country being imbued with the ideology of the Father of the Nation and the spirit of the War of Liberation," he concluded.
The programmes ended with offering a special prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the Father of the Nation and the martyrs of the Liberation War.
"Genocide Day” Observed
The Embassy also observed the “Genocide Day” on Friday, recalling one of the most brutal genocides in world history that was committed by the Pakistan army on 25th March in 1971 in Bangladesh.
The Embassy organized elaborate programmes to pay deep homage to the martyrs who were killed mercilessly by the Pakistan military junta's operation code named "Operation Searchlight” on the black night of 25th March that year.
The day's programmes began with observance of one-minute silence to pay profound respect to the martyrs of the War of Liberation. This was followed by screening of a documentary titled "Recognising the 1971 Bangladesh Genocide: An Appeal for Rendering Justice".
Later, the messages issued by the President and the Prime Minister were read out.
A special prayer was offered seeking divine blessings for eternal peace of the departed souls of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the martyrs of the War of Liberation.
Ferdousi Shahriar, the Charge d'Affaires of the Bangladesh Embassy, Professor Irene Victoria Massimino, Co-founder and Co-President of the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, and Dr. Tawheed Reza Noor, Visiting Scholar of the State University of New York and Member of International Association for Genocide Scholars (IAGS) spoke at a discussion session held virtually at the Embassy.
Dr. Tawheed Reza Noor, son of martyred intellectual and renowned journalist Serajuddin Hossain, worked with the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention (LIGP) that on 31 December, 2021 recognized as "Genocide" the Pakistan army's atrocities during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971.
READ: Independence Day celebrated in New Delhi
Noor played an instrumental role behind the historic recognition as the US-based organisation responded positively to his appeal which he initiated with the institute in mid-November last year, the year that commemorated 50th anniversary of Independence of Bangladesh.
The Visiting Scholar of the State University of New York said Genocide Watch, another US-based organisation, recognised as genocide the brutal crimes committed by the Pakistani occupation forces a month after LIGP's recognition.
Prof Massimino, in her remarks, paid tributes to the victims of genocide in Bangladesh and said that the genocide was committed in 1971 against Bengali nation and identity.
Praising the Bangladesh government for its efforts to earn international recognition of the genocide, Prof Massimino, also a lawyer from Argentina, said there are many legal elements to recognise the genocide committed in 1971.
The Co-founder of Lemkin Institute recalled her visit to different sites that bear the marks of genocide in Bangladesh.
Both the speakers shared their thoughts on the efforts of the Bangladesh government and suggested to take a well laid out plan to move forward with the recognition process.
The Charge d'Affaires, in her speech, paid deepest respect to the greatest Bangalee of all times, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and three million martyrs of the Liberation War.
Ferdousi Shahriar said Bangabandhu formally proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh at the first hour of the 26th March 1971 after the Pakistan army's barbaric attack.Under Bangabandhu's fearless leadership, Bangladesh achieved ultimate victory on December 16 in 1971 after the nine-month bloody war against Pakistan, she said.
READ: Independence Day celebrated at DU
The programmes of the Embassy ended with staging 'Candle Light Vigil' in memory of the martyrs of the War of Liberation.
Experimental Dhaka-Toronto direct commercial flight launched
The much-awaited direct commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Dhaka-Toronto route was launched on Saturday on experimental basis, marking the Independence Day.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mahbub Ali inaugurated the flight at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday night, said a press release of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Dhaka-Toronto direct flight was a long-standing demand of Bangladeshi expatriates living in Canada, said Mahbub.
The national carrier used one of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on the Dhaka- Toronto route.
READ: Biman hopes to launch regular Dhaka-Toronto commercial flights from June
He also expected to operate the flight three days in a week from June.
Representatives from Canadian High Commission in Dhaka Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, chairman of parliamentary standing committee on the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry and Managing Director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal were present there.
Bangladesh’s Independence, National Day observed in Colombo
Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo on Saturday observed the Independence and National Day of Bangladesh with due fervor and festivities.
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa and Madame Shiranthi Rajapaksa joined the National Day reception hosted by the High Commission in a manifestation of the goodwill between the two countries, said a press release.
This year’s observance in Sri Lanka had special significance as on 4th March 2022, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka marked 50 years of their diplomatic relations.
The reception was attended by a large number of high dignitaries including Speaker of the Parliament, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, top political leaders, Heads of Diplomatic Missions as well as professionals, business leaders and Bangladesh community members.
Minister for Industry S.B. Dissanayake, and State Minister for Regional Cooperation Tharaka Balasuriya were among the ministers present.
While addressing the guests, High Commissioner Tareq Md Ariful Islam conveyed greetings and shared happiness on 50 years of Bangladesh-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations.
READ: Resolution marking 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence introduced in US House
The guest of honour, Industries Minister expressed goodwill for Bangladesh and its people and wished for further deepening of bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Prime Minister joined the High Commissioner and Minister for Industries in cutting a cake - wishing long-lasting friendship between the two countries.
Earlier, the day-long celebration commenced in the morning with the ceremonial hoisting of the national flag at the Chancery by High Commissioner Tareq Md Ariful Islam.
Then one-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to the martyrs of the War of Liberation.
It was followed by placing of floral wreath at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; reading out of messages of the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs; and offering of special prayers seeking eternal peace for the martyrs, Father of the Nation and his martyred family members as well as continued peace, progress and prosperity of the country.
A documentary on the day was also screened.
Taking part in the open discussion on the significance of the Day, the speakers paid rich tribute to Bangabandhu and reflected on the history of the War of Liberation.
High Commissioner Tareq paid deep homage to the Father of the Nation, the martyrs, valiant freedom fighters, heroic women as well as the foreign friends and friendly foreign nations who supported Bangladesh’s War of Liberation.
He also highlighted Bangladesh’s development journey under the pragmatic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Special supplements were published in the Daily Mirror and the Financial Times, the top two English dailies of Sri Lanka and also on some online news portals.
Dhaka’s air quality still ‘unhealthy’
Dhaka's air quality continues to be 'unhealthy', but the densely populated capital of Bangladesh is no longer the world's most polluted city.
With an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading at 166 at 10:24am, the capital has slipped to the third position in the latest list of world cities with the worst air quality.
Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Delhi occupied the first two spots, with AQI scores of 256 and 179 respectively.
An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
READ: Dhaka’s air quality still ‘unhealthy’
Similarly, an AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'poor', while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, is used by government agencies to inform people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
A report by the Department of Environment (DoE) and the World Bank in March 2019 pointed out that the three main sources of air pollution in Dhaka "are brick kilns, fumes from vehicles and dust from construction sites".
With the advent of winter, the city’s air quality starts deteriorating sharply due to the massive discharge of pollutant particles from construction work, rundown roads, brick kilns and other sources.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.