Bangladesh
New law in the offing to save croplands: Minister
Dhaka, Feb 24 (UNB) – Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury on Sunday told Parliament that his ministry has taken an initiative to enact a law titled “Arable Land Protection and Land Use Bill 2019” to save croplands and ensure their best use.
HSC, equivalent exams to begin on April 1
Dhaka, Feb 24 (UNB) - The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent examinations will begin across the country on April 1.
Those fail to deliver are dishonest too, ACC chief to its officials
Dhaka, Feb 24 (UNB) – Pointing to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officials, its Chairman Iqbal Mahmood on Sunday said those who cannot or do not perform their duties properly are as dishonest as those engage in corruption.
Consumers’ awareness key to prevent gas cylinder blast: Nasrul Hamid
Dhaka, Feb 24 (UNB) – State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid has said that consumers’ awareness has been the key to prevent any accident in the use of LNG and LPG gas cylinder.
He made the remarks while talking to reporters on the sideline of a workshop on ‘Web-based Electricity Cost Modeling’ at Daffodil University in the city on Sunday.
The junior minister’s comment came against the backdrop of growing concern over the number of recent fire incidents from the explosion of LNG gas cylinder in motor vehicles and LPG gas cylinder in households across the country.
Nasrul Hamid said the government has been working to create awareness among people to avert any accident caused by gas cylinder explosion.
Speaking at the workshop, the State Minister said that the government will petronise invention of new technologies in the power and energy sector.
“We’ll continue to support innovative ideas and people-friendly technologies in power and energy sector”, he said at the function organisaed by the Daffodil University with Prof ASM Shamsul Alam moderating the workshop.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) chairman Monowar Islam, Power secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Bangladesh Enewrgy and Power Research Council Chairman Shahin Ahmed Chowdhury, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Chairman Khaled Mahmud and Power Cell director general Mohammad Hossain also addressed the function.
Nasrul Hamid said the government has taken a number of steps to increase the digital and automated services for the electricity and gas consumers in the country.
He said 93 percent area of the country brought under electricity network and the government is now making its effort for providing quality and uninterrupted power supply at an affordable price.
“Some 10 million people are now consuming electricity as lifeline customers who pay Tk 3.5 per unit of electricity while average production cost is 6.25 per unit”, he said adding that the average tariff of electricity is now Tk 4.84 per unit.
The gap in the production cost and sales price is being covered by the government subsidy, he said.
Mastermind held in city over Naniarchar Upazila chairman murder
Dhaka, Feb 24 (UNB) – Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested the mastermind of the murder of Naniarchar Upazila chairman Shaktiman Chakma in Rangamati district from the city’s Sher-e-Banglanagar area on Sunday.
Stop stone extraction from Sangu, Matamuhuri Rivers: HC
Dhaka, Feb 24 (UNB) – The High Court on Sunday directed the authorities concerned to stop stone extraction from Sangu and Matamuhuri Rivers and their adjacent reserved forest areas in Bandarban district.
Bid to ‘hijack’ Biman aircraft foiled; suspected hijacker killed
Chattogram, Feb 24 (UNB) – Foiling his alleged bid to hijack a Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft, members of joint forces killed a passenger at Shah Amanat International Airport here on Sunday evening.
The suspected hijacker, Mahadir, was overpowered and arrested during an eight-minute combing operation that began around 7:17pm, said Air Vice Marshal M Naim Hassan, Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), while briefing reporters at his office in the capital.
“We heard that he died later,” said Major General SM Matiur Rahman, general officer commanding of 24th Infantry Division and Area Commander of Chattogram, at a press briefing at the airport here.
He said Bangladesh Air Force first came to know through their aircraft traffic system around 5:33pm that the aircraft was hijacked.
After the aircraft made its landing at the airport, BAF and other security agencies took initial steps to manage the emergency situation, Matiur said.
Later, para-commando members who are staying at BNS Issa Khan rushed in after being informed around 6pm and the hijacking drama came to an end through a successful operation, he said.Mentioning that there was only a hijacker aged around 25-26, the army official said the commando unit urged him to surrender which he refused to do. “As he tried to being attacking, the normal action was taken and the hijacker was first injured in firing with us and later we came to know that he has already died.”
No alternative to competent leadership to continue development: President
Noakhali, Feb 24 (UNB) – Mentioning that there is no alternative to proper and competent leadership to continue the trend of development and progress, President Abdul Hamid on Sunday stressed the need for developing leadership quality among university students.
JS mourns death of 67 people in Old Dhaka fire
Dhaka, Feb 24 (UNB)- Parliament on Sunday unanimously adopted a condolence motion expressing profound shock at the death of 67 people in the devastating blaze at Churihatta in Old Dhaka.
Thakurgaon firing: Court takes compliments against BGB men into cognisance
Thakurgaon, Feb 24 (UNB) –A court here took into cognisance the complaints filed by the families of the three victims killed during a clash between alleged cattle smugglers and members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on February 12.