Bangladesh
With eye on 3 SEZs, Japan wants to boost its investment in Bangladesh
Japan eyes three special economic zones (SEZs), including the one at Araihajar, Narayanjanj, to give a big boost to Japanese investment in Bangladesh but things depend on the success of the first one, says Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito.
“This (Araihajar EZ) should provide the best possible environment and the best possible incentives for the investors,” he said, adding that a special economic zone is a very important key to invite an increasing number of Japanese companies to invest in Bangladesh.
Ambassador Ito said he has been advocating that Araihajar should be the best possible economic zone in Asia, beating its rivals in countries like Vietnam, Myanmar and the Philippines.
The envoy said they will look into opportunities at Mirsarai under Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar, being developed on a contiguous land of 30,000 acres, and a possible economic zone in Maheshkhali-Matarbari area if Araihajar becomes successful.
He shared the plans on the three potential economic zones for the Japanese investors in Bangladesh while responding to questions at a virtual dialogue titled “Bangladesh-Japan Relations: Prognosis for the Future” where he delivered the keynote speech.
Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, hosted the dialogue as part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series.
The opening remarks were delivered by the Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan. The session was chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government.
Md Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy, Climate Vulnerable Forum; Hayakawa Yuho, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office; Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; Prof Masaaki Ohashi, Professor, University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo; Manzurul Huq, Columnist, writer and academic; Prof Takahara Akio, Dean, Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo and Ambassador (Retd) Tariq A Karim, Honorary Advisor Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation comprised the panel of discussants.
Read: Ambassador Ito sees 5 challenges ahead to elevate Dhaka-Tokyo ties
Ambassador Ito said the Economic Zone at Araihajar will be ready for its operation by the end of the next year.
Ambassador Ito sees 5 challenges ahead to elevate Dhaka-Tokyo ties
Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito has identified five challenges ahead that Bangladesh and Japan need to address together to elevate the solid partnership to a higher level with multifaceted greater cooperation as the two countries are set to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations in a big way next year.
The five challenges, he said, are: to develop Bangladesh-Japan strategic partnership, make Bangladesh more attractive for business, expand people-to-people exchange, enhance cooperation with Bangladesh as a partner to realize Free and Open Indo-Pacific and strengthen efforts to increase Bangladesh’s stature in the region and beyond.
“We need to move forward. I think our relations will naturally deepen in each of those agendas but we shouldn’t take it for granted,” Ambassador Ito said while delivering the keynote speech at a virtual dialogue that premiered on Sunday evening.
Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, hosted the dialogue titled “Bangladesh-Japan Relations: Prognosis for the Future” as a part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series.
The opening remarks were delivered by the Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan. The session was chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government.
Md Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy, Climate Vulnerable Forum; Hayakawa Yuho, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office; Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; Prof Masaaki Ohashi, Professor, University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo; Manzurul Huq, columnist, writer and academic; Prof Takahara Akio, Dean, Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo and Ambassador (Retd) Tariq A Karim, Honorary Advisor Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation comprised the panel of discussants.
Ambassador Ito said the two countries should make “conscious and constant efforts” to continue to enjoy the current state of relationship and develop it even further. “We shouldn’t be complacent about ourselves.”
He said the year 2022 will provide an excellent opportunity to elevate the partnership even to a higher level and wished that the two countries could call the partnership as “truly strategic partners”.
Ambassador Ito who already spent 20 months in Bangladesh said the development of quality infrastructures and the strengthening of connectivity under the Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth (BIG-B Initiative) will be beneficial not only to the development of Bangladesh but also to regional peace and stability.
“Our leaders are really conscious that this BIG-B is important - not only for the development of Bangladesh but also for the stability of the entire Bay of Bengal region, beyond Bangladesh itself,” he said.
Enayetullah Khan said even as Japan’s geo-strategic role and position grows in great strides, Japan has remained faithful in its commitments to Bangladesh that significantly contributed to Bangladesh’s current emergence as a development success story.
“To me, it seems Bangladesh-Japan friendship is a function of not just mutual benefits, but mainly of pure fellow-feeling. From whichever perspective you view Bangladesh-Japan friendship, it’ll stand out in all weathers and seasons as does in 36 views of Mount Fuji in the famous paintings of HOKUSAI,” he said.
Japan to grab any opportunity to resolve Rohingya crisis for regional stability
Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito has said Japan will seize the opportunity to find a “long-term and lasting solution” to the Rohingya crisis with the Myanmar side, noting that the issue is very relevant to the future stability of the entire region.
“What we can say right now is Japan will seize the opportunity to raise this very, very important issue with the Myanmar side and its military now whenever appropriate,” he said.
The Japanese envoy said his country will do its best to create an enabling environment for the early repatriation of Rohingyas and will continue to raise the issue with the Myanmar side whenever appropriate.
He was responding to a question at a virtual dialogue titled “Bangladesh-Japan Relations: Prognosis for the Future” where he delivered the keynote speech.
Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Cosmos Group, hosted the dialogue as a part of its ongoing Ambassador’s Lecture Series.
The opening remarks were delivered by the Cosmos Foundation Chairman Enayetullah Khan. The session was chaired by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government.
Md Abul Kalam Azad, Special Envoy, Climate Vulnerable Forum; Hayakawa Yuho, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh Office; Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; Prof Masaaki Ohashi, Professor, University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo; Manzurul Huq, Columnist, writer and academic; Prof Takahara Akio, Dean, Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo and Ambassador (retd) Tariq A Karim, Honorary Advisor Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation comprised the panel of discussants.
Also read: Ambassador Ito sees 5 challenges ahead to elevate Dhaka-Tokyo ties
Ambassador Ito said humanitarian assistance and humanitarian crises are very much part of their vision when they talk about stability and peace of the region.
He said it is very difficult to predict what is going to happen in Myanmar right now in light of the current situation in that country since the February 1 military coup with a complete standoff.
Lockdown Day 3: Banks reopen, 587 arrested, Tk 12.7 lakh fined
The third day of the ongoing strict lockdown saw increased number of people and vehicles on the streets of capital city on Sunday as police made more arrests and collected bigger sum of fines.
The increased movement may partly be due to the reopening of banks and return of Eid holidaymakers to the city, police said.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 587 people and traffic police collected Tk 12,72,000 as fines from 521 vehicles for violating lockdown rules on Sunday.
Meanwhile, 233 people across the city were fined Tk 1,00,950 by mobile courts for not following the restrictions and health guidelines.
Read: Day 2 of reinforced lockdown: 383 arrested in capital
RAB and Army personnel patrolling the streets of the city alongside local police, were seen monitoring the movement of vehicles and people setting up strategic check-posts in different areas.
Though check-posts were set up from Gabtoli-Mirpur Road-New Market to Uattara-Airport-Mohakhali, to prevent unwanted movement, people on the streets showed different excuses when caught by law enforcers, Traffic officer Asaduzzaman of Mohakhai said.
“Many people were still returning to the city after the Eid holidays.”
Though some were seen carrying luggage on foot, a good number of people were halted at the entry points of the city including Abdullahpur, Uttara, Tongi, Amin Bazar bridge and Babu Bazar bridge, he said.
Read: 403 arrests on day 1 prove lockdown back in earnest
However, as per the government instructions, only ambulances and those in emergency services were allowed to enter the capital.
On Thursday, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told UNB that this lockdown would be stricter than the one imposed last time. "Police, the paramilitary Bangladesh Border Guard and the Army will keep a strict vigil on the roads."
The second round of strict lockdown started on 8 am of July 23 that would continue till Aug. 5 unless further extended.
Chiefs of three services exchange Eid greetings with the President
Chiefs of the three services called on President Abdul Hamid separately at Bangabhaban on Sunday evening and exchanged Eid greetings with him.
Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Acting Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral M Abu Ashraf and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sheikh Abdul Hannan also briefed the President about the steps the forces have taken to tackle coronavirus pandemic.
South Breeze Housing fined during anti-Aedes drive
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) on Sunday fined owners after Aedes mosquito larvae was detected in ten buildings, including an under-construction house of real estate developer South Breeze Housing, during an anti-mosquito drive.
After inspecting 114 houses and under-construction buildings, three DSCC mobile court teams fined Tk 2,30,500 and filed ten cases after finding environment conducive to Aedes breeding in ten of them.
The drive was led by Zonal Executive Magistrate Merina Najnin and Suye Men Joe in the city's Dhanmondi, Jhilpar area of Mugda and West Jurain areas.
Read: DSCC drive: Aedes larvae found in 5 buildings including DOM-INNO’s
Executive Magistrate of DSCC Zone-2, Suye Men Joe said, “ Today we have collected fines from owners of three buildings in Jurain after finding excessive amounts of larvae in them.”
Also ten building owners were warned to improve the environment in a couple of days so that Aedes mosquitoes can’t breed there, he added.
In defiance DSCC will fine the owners with highest amount, he added.
Read: DNCC drive: Aedes larva found at 67 establishments
The drive came amid a rise in the number of dengue patients with authorities reporting 105 news cases in 24 hours until Sunday morning.
Across Bangladesh, some 460 patients diagnosed with dengue are receiving treatment for the disease as of Sunday morning, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The vast majority of them are in the capital.
PM greets Tigers for T20 series win against Zimbabwe
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday congratulated the Bangladesh cricket team for their T20 series win against the hosts Zimbabwe.
In a congratulatory message, the prime minister greeted the players, coaches and officials of the national cricket team.
Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by five wickets today to win the three-match T20 series 2-1.
NU undergrad admission window opens Wednesday
The National University (NU) will open the application window for its 2020-21 undergraduate programmes Wednesday, and the process will end on Aug. 14 midnight.
The students will be required to fill the admission forms on www.nu.ac.bd/admissions. Also, the admission seekers will have to pay application fees by Aug. 16 through mobile banking services.
Read Studying Abroad: Major Pros and Cons You Need to Consider
Online classes for first-year students will start on September 15.
The NU officials have been asked to complete the entire process online while complying with health rules.
This decision was taken at a meeting of the admission committee on July 12, with Vice-Chancellor Dr Md Mashiur Rahman in the chair, the university said in a notification Sunday.
Read How to Pick a College or University Abroad for Higher Education in 2021
Covid patient dies at home hours after fleeing hospital
A woman died at her home Sunday noon four hours after she fled a upazila health complex where she was under treatment for Covid-19.
The deceased was identified as Nithi Begum, 25, a housewife from Borobari village of district's Chitalmari upazila.
A health official said Nithi left Bagerhat Upazila Health Complex’s Covid-19 ward around 8 am without informing anyone and later she breathed her last around 12pm in her own home.
Upazila health and family planning officer Dr Mamun Hasan said Nithi was admitted to the hospital with Covid symptoms Saturday.
She was being treated for Covid and provided oxygen as her samples came out positive for Covid-19 and she was having breathing issues, he said.
Read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: 200+ deaths, 11,291 new cases recorded
Informed of her death at her home we have sent a team of Islamic Foundation for her burial, he added.
Meanwhile, the district's health division reported two coronavirus related deaths in the district in the last 24 hours.
So far, 115 people died of Covid-19 in the district while 74 died with symptoms of it.
Civil Surgeon of the district KM Humayun Kabir said 115 people came out Covid positive during the 24 hours from 490 tested samples in Bagerhat.
So far, 5,558 people have contracted the virus in the district and of them 4,790 have recovered.
TCB to sell essentials on streets from Monday
Amid the ongoing strict lockdown the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will continue selling daily essentials at subsidised price.
The daily essentials would be available on dealer trucks from July 26 to Aug. 26 across the country, said a TCB press release Sunday.
READ: Consumers showing little interest in Tk15 kg Turkish onion of TCB
However, the trucks won't be available on public holidays.
People could purchase edible soybean oil at Tk 100 per liter, lentils Tk 55 per kg and sugar Tk 55 per kg, the release also said.
READ: Onion supply glut in Khulna puts TCB in dilemma