Bangladesh
Collection, submission of AL nomination forms for women’s reserved seats begins tomorrow
Those who want to be nominated from the ruling Awami League (AL) for reserved women’s seats in the 12th National Parliament have been asked to collect and submit the nomination forms between February 6 and 8.
According to a media release signed by AL Officer Secretary, Barrister Biplob Barua, on Sunday night, the aspirants will be able to collect and submit the forms between 10 am and 4 pm every day during this period.
The candidates have been asked to collect and submit nomination forms from the central office of Bangladesh Awami League at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue following the administrative division, it reads.
The nomination forms for Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Chattogram divisions will be distributed on the first floor of the central office while forms for Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barisal divisions will be available on the second.
Forms for all divisions will have to be submitted on the ground floor of the office, according to the release.
The aspirants have been asked to collect and submit the nomination forms by herself or by her competent representative, and directed against creating a gathering of additional people.
DORP's street theatre demands strengthening of tobacco control laws
Development Organization of the Rural Poor (DORP) on Sunday organized a street show to protect public health and implement the pledge to make Bangladesh tobacco-free before 2040 announced by the Prime Minister.
The street drama titled “Strong Tobacco Control Act to Build a Cancer-Free Bangladesh” was organised on the occasion of World Cancer Day 2024.
Through street plays organized by the DORP Youth Forum, the public is informed about the cancer risk of using tobacco products. At the same time, the need to amend the existing tobacco control laws to achieve a cancer-free Bangladesh is highlighted.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), only in 2022, 2 crore new cancer patients were diagnosed in the world and 97 lakh people died while the number of lung cancer cases and deaths is the highest among all the types of cancer.
The World Health Organization has identified smoking as the leading cause of lung cancer. According to the organization, the risk of dying from cancer can be prevented by 30 percent to 50 percent by taking certain steps, including avoiding tobacco use. Strengthening tobacco control laws is one of the ways to reduce the prevalence of tobacco.
Among the recent recommendations made by the Ministry of Health to strengthen the existing tobacco control laws and align them with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) are the abolition of designated smoking areas in all public places and public transport for the protection of non-smokers, the promotion of tobacco products Ban on display of tobacco products at points of sale, ban on tobacco company social responsibility activities, ban on import and manufacture, use and marketing of e-cigarettes or emerging heated tobacco products, ban on all forms of retail and open sale of tobacco products and increase of pictorial warning size from 50 percent to 90 percent.
Assistant Director of Directorate of Youth Development Ferdous Ahmed and Information Officer Tania Sultana spoke in a short discussion on the occasion of Cancer Day 2024 after the end of the street show.
They expressed solidarity with the demands of the DORP Youth Forum and urged all concerned parties to take initiative to amend the Tobacco Control Act quickly to protect public health.
Dorp has been involved in various development programs since 1987 and is best known for introducing maternity allowance. In line with this, DORP is currently working on amending the Tobacco Control Act and raising tobacco taxes and implementing various projects to achieve the government's sustainable development goals.
Online gambling apps to be stopped: Palak
State Minister for Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Sunday said online gambling apps will be completely stopped.
He asked the authorities concerned to take strict measures to stop online gambling apps at any cost.
The state minister gave this instruction while visiting the Cyber Threat Detection and Response Centre set up at the Headquarters of the Telecommunication department in the city.
He said propaganda on social media is extremely harmful to individuals, institutions and the country. He directed the authority concerned to take strong action to stop it at any cost.
Earlier, Palak at a view exchange meeting instructed the officials of the Telecommunication Department on how to get better results by using less resources, said a PID handout.
Posts and Telecommunications Division Secretary Abu Hena Morshed Zaman, additional secretary Golam Sarware Kainat, Director General of Telecommunications Department Rafiqul Islam, among others, were present.
Decision to constitute a coordinating committee on evaluation methods and curriculum
A coordination committee on evaluation system and curriculum will be formed headed by an additional secretary of the Ministry of Education.
It was decided to form this committee in the review meeting related to curriculum and textbook distribution and improvement in a meeting at the ministry on Sunday.
According to the decision of the meeting, representatives of NCTB, representatives of various departments under the ministry, and representatives of boards will be members of this committee.
Surjer Hashi Network’s Cancer Walk 2024 unites people nationwide to fight against cervical cancer
As a testimony of observing World Cancer Day, Surjer Hashi Network (SHN) has organized rallies in 8 divisional cities of Bangladesh participated by employees of Surjer Hashi Clinics, local communities and representatives from GoB on Sunday.
The initiative has been co-sponsored by Incepta pharmaceuticals Ltd and inspired by Global Health Catalyst (GHC).
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer of female in Bangladesh. Surjer Hashi Network, which delivers health care services mostly to women and children through its 134 clinics, has been working to fight against this deadly disease by spreading awareness and educating people in remote areas of Bangladesh.
Surjer Hashi has focused on amplifying the urgent need for increased awareness, education, and counselling in the global fight against cancer. The processions have been streamed live on social media, extended the reach of this vital message, transcending geographical boundaries.
Rape in JU campus: accused students' certificates revoked
The certificates of the accused in a rape case have been revoked by a special syndicate of Jahangirnagar University on Sunday.
Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nurul Alam read out the decisions at the syndicate meeting.
He said BCL leader Mostafizur Rahman has been declared unwanted on the campus.
The other accused students are Murad Hossain, Sabbir Hossain Sagor and Mostafa Monwar Siddique. The certificates of Hasanuzzaman and Shah Paran were also suspended.
Earlier on Friday, a resident of Ashulia was gang raped on the campus after keeping her husband confined at No 317 room of Mir Mosharraf Residential Hall.
A case was filed against six people with Ashulia Police Station.
Later, police have arrested four people including the BCL leader in this connection
Meanwhile, teachers and students of the university formed a human chain demanding punishment of those involved in the rape.
17 journalists awarded for reporting on China-related affairs
Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI) and Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) awarded 17 reporters for reporting on connectivity with China in the business, technology, and education sectors of Bangladesh.
State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu was present as the chief guest in the award-giving ceremony. FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam and Yan Hualong, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of China were present as special guests.
Among others, BCCCI president Gazi Golam Murtoza, ERF president Mohammad Refayet Ullah Mirdha, BCCCI General Secretary Al Mamun Mridha spoke at the function while ERF Secretary Abul Kashem moderated the programme. The function was held in a hotel in the capital on Sunday.
BCCCI-ERF award winners’ category-1, trade, and investment relationship between Bangladesh and China are Ziadul Islam (Amader Shomoy), SAM Hamid-Uz-Zaman (Jugantor) and Tanjila Khanam Sathi (Boishakhi Television).
Category-2, How the high-quality development concept/policy of China helped Bangladesh award winners are Mohammad Jahidul Islam (Business Standard), Jasim Uddin Haroon (The Financial Express), and Sushanta Sinha (71TV).
Category-3: Science and technology (opportunities of technology transfer between Bangladesh and China, AI, Fourth Industrial Revolution, etc. award winners are- Doulot Akter Mala (The Financial Express), Ibrahim Hossain Ovi (The Business Post) and Tawhidur Rahman (ETV).
Category-4: Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) award winners are Abbas Uddin Noyon (Business Post), Iqbal Ahsan (Channel -24), and Md. Hasanul Alam Shaon (NTV).
Category-5: Others (such as blue-economy, tourism, culture, education, and hospitality industry, etc. award winners are Babu Kamruzzaman (News 24), FHM Humayan Kabir (The Financial Express), Ahsan Habib (The Daily Star), SMAlamgir (Somoyer Alo) and Hasan Arif (The Business Post) last three reporters won the award jointly.
Tangail residents protest India getting GI status for Tangail saree
Handloom entrepreneurs and residents of Tangail have formed a human chain protesting India obtaining GI (geographical indication) status of Tangail sharee and demanded recognition of it as a Bangladeshi product.
According to industry insiders, Tangail saree is a 200-year-old tradition of Bangladesh so it can't be Indian.
"We demand immediate cancellation of the GI status of India, Tangail sarees demand GI recognition as a product of Bangladesh," they said.
Ragunath Basak, president of Tangail District Handloom Owners' Association, said that the origin of Tangail saree was meant to be Tangail.
"We strongly protest the recognition of Tangail saree as a GI product of India," he said.
Eminent poet Mahmud Kamal said, Tangail's saree is a few hundred years old.
He demanded that the government should start the process to get the GI rights of Tangail sharee soon.
Tangail District Administrator Kaisarul Islam said, "We are starting process to get the GI status of three products, including handloom saree. We are hopeful to get it soon."
a2i, Netcom Learning to work together to create skills and jobs
Aspire to Innovate-a2i project of the government and Netcom Learning Global Limited will work together to build skills and create jobs in the modern technologies including AI-Robotics.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Sunday at the ICT tower in the city’s Agargaon area.
A2I Project Director Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan and Chairman and Managing Director of Netcom Learning Global Mamun Sardar (Russell Sardar) signed this MoU on behalf of their respective parties. ICT Secretary Samsul Arefin was present at the time.
Under this MoU, A2i's e-learning platform 'Muktopaath' (muktopaath.gov.bd) and skill and employment matchmaking platform 'NISE' (nise.gov.bd) of Netcom Learning Global Limited will enhance latest technical skills among job aspirants in the country.
They will work to improve the skills of the country's job aspirants and increase employment opportunities through training on artificial intelligence (AI)-robotics and modern technology of the fourth industrial revolution era, said a press release.
Demonstrations in DU demand justice for JU gang rapists
At least four demonstration rallies have been held on the Dhaka University campus demanding justice for the gang rape led by BCL leader Mustafizur Rahaman in Jahangirnagar University last night (Feb 3).
The demonstrations were organized by student organizations and student groups.
A group of Dhaka University students staged a demonstration rally demanding Justice of group-rape take place in the Jahangir Nagar University last night near the Meer Mosharraf Hossen Hall of the University.
The demonstration was held at the foot of anti-terrorism Raju monument of Dhaka University around 1.45 pm today.
Abdullah Al Noman, a student of Islamic Studies department of Dhaka University, said, " in this digital Bangladesh, we never thought about group rape in a University like Jahangirnagar University.
Demanding Justice for the victims and to take urgent measures against alleged, he said, “We can’t not imagine incident like this where University students rape a woman abducting her husband. This is nothing new in this country. We saw Such incident in the Sylhet MC College. Where culprits and accused left unpunished. If they were punished, this incident would not been happened."Mentioning the incident of Manik, a former student of Jahangirnagar University who celebrated hundred rapes on the campus, Oditi Islam, a student of philosophy Department, said, "Once there was a culture of raping women and in the Jahangirnagar University. We saw the repetition of that rape culture. Where some students raped a woman in group abducting her husband. When students protested, the friends and hall Provost helped the accused to escape from the hall."
"The victims were harassed in the police stations too. When they went to file a case about the incident in the Ashulia police station, they did not take the case and referred the victims to Savar police station," she added, demanding exemplary punishment of the accused Mostafizur Rahman and the involved.
After the demonstration, the protesters marched toward VC intersection of the Dhaka University chanting slogans and demanding punishment of the culprits.
Another protest rally was organized by Democratic Students Force, a new student organization, at the same place around 4.30 pm on the same incident.
Akhter Hossein, convener of Democratic Students Force convener, said, BCL leaders and activists raped a housewife after the election of 2018 again after the election of 2024, they did it again. As they do not abide by law and there is no law for them.
"The incident which happened last night in the Jahangirnagar University was a planned rape. We demand a quick judicial trial of this incident," he said.
Demanding removal of proctor and hall provost, he said, "BCL gained its notoriety from rape, extortion, killing and doing other crimes lot before today but the authority of Jahangirnagar University set a heinous example by helping the culprits to escape. As a result, the main culprit, Mustafizur Rahman is still hidden."
Asad Bin Roni, General secretary of Dhaka city (North) Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, expressed his anguish in a protest rally held under the banner of Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Parishad at the Raju monument over recent incidents of rape.He said, “Earlier police offered the wife of bodybuilder Faruk, who has been killed in police station from torture, to sleep with them. Which is nothing but a representation of fascism. This situation is beyond our imagination. And after two days, the leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of ruling AL government, raped a woman in the jungle in group near Meer Mosharraf Hossain hall of the Jahangirnagar University using hall dormitory to abduct her husband. "
Demanding punishment of Mostafizur Rahman, the main accused of the gang rape, he said, "Asking Justice is nothing but a far cry because all the sectors of the state have been affected by fascism. Otherwise, the victims wouldn’t be harassed in police stations or University teachers wouldn’t help the accused to escape from the University using a backdoor."
In the evening, Democratic Students’ Alliance- a Union of left leaning students organizations, brought out another procession from TSC demanding justice.