Bangladesh
BNP-leaning United Lawyers’ Forum to boycott Chief Justice's reception
The United Lawyers Front (ULF), a front of BNP-leaning lawyers, has announced it will boycott the reception of the country's 24th Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, citing various engagements since his appointment as objectionable.
The announcement was made at a press conference held at the South Hall of the Supreme Court Bar Association on Tuesday.
Also read: Obaidul Hassan appointed chief justice of Bangladesh
In a written statement, Front Convener and BNP Vice-Chairman Advocate Zainul Abedin said, "The ad-hoc committee of The Supreme Court Bar Association of Bangladesh has already decided to boycott the so-called reception of the Chief Justice at the Court Room-1 of the Appellate Division on behalf of the members of the Bar on October 8 and the subsequent courtesy meeting of the respected judges with the members of the Bar."
“The ULF expresses its deepest regret with the decision of the Supreme Court Bar to boycott the so-called reception on October 8 with the aim of restoring the dignity, dignity, dignity of the post of Chief Justice and the confidence of the people of Bangladesh in the judiciary. A protest march and lawyers' rally will be held from 10 am to 1 pm in support of the decision to boycott the Supreme Court Bar Premises on October 8,” he said.
Also read: Justice Obaidul Hassan to take oath as country’s 24th Chief Justice on Sept 26
“All the people of the country, including the lawyers of the Supreme Court Bar, expected Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan to maintain the dignity and long-standing judicial tradition of the supreme chair of the court. Although his political past and as a lawyer in the bar, his regular participation in all kinds of activities of the current government and the ruling party is known to the legal community,” said the BNP leader.
"Since the appointment of the Chief Justice of Bangladesh, at one stage he received floral greetings from the president and general secretary of the student organization of the ruling party and the central committee of Bangladesh Chhatra League, whose pictorial reports were widely circulated in the media and social media," Zainul said.
"This is an unprecedented event in the 52-year history of the Supreme Court and, in the words of senior lawyers, a moment of extreme pain for the judiciary," he added.
“Noadt only that, two days after taking oath, the legal community of Bangladesh has been disappointed and surprised after the picture of the Chief Justice receiving a large "sword" as a gift from controversial police officer, lawyer abuser and regular human rights violator DB Harun at a reception of a district association. The reception and various statements have raised questions about the highest constitutional judicial post like the Chief Justice,” he also said.
Also read: Justice Obaidul Hasan takes oath as 24th Chief Justice of Bangladesh
“Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan has damaged the dignity and dignity of neutral posts like the Chief Justice by accepting reception from the Awami League. This deepens the public's distrust of the judiciary. The judiciary will be plunged into a deep crisis. Nevertheless, we believe that as the head of the judiciary on behalf of any party, you will have a responsibility to remain neutral and maintain the independence of the judiciary in order to make this organization reflect the will of the people,” Zainul also said.
ULF co-convener Subrata Chowdhury, BNP legal affairs secretary Barrister Kaiser Kamal, senior advocate AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal and Adv Mohsen Rashid were present at the press conference, among others.
Unidentified man stabbed dead on Kanchpur Bridge
An unidentified man was stabbed to death allegedly by miscreants on Kanchpur Bridge in Siddhirganj upazila of Narayanganj on Tuesday afternoon.
The victim, aged around 45, was wearing a shirt and pants.
Siddhirganj police station’s OC Golam Mostafa said two people riding on a motorbike appeared at the bridge of Dhaka-Chattagram Highway and stabbed him in the chest with sharp weapons, leaving him critically injured.
Read: UP member stabbed dead in Gaibandha
He was rushed to a nearby private hospital where physicians declared him dead, the OC said, adding that at this stage they were trying to identify the victim.
A legal process was underway in this connection, he added.
Read more: Man stabbed dead over land dispute in Narsingdi
BGB's seized contraband in September worth Tk 192 crore: BGB
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized arms, ammunition, drugs and other contraband items worth Tk 192 crore during anti-smuggling drives across the country, especially in bordering areas in September.
On the other hand, last August the BGB seized goods worth Tk 215 crore, an increase by Tk 22.8139 crore compared to last September.
During the period (from September 1 to 30), the paramilitary force seized 8, 69,557 Yaba pills, 10.991Kg crystal meth, 11,706 bottles of phensedyl, 23,839 bottles of foreign liquor, 5,719 cans of beer, 1,212 kg cannabis, 30.415 kg heroin, 4, 53,106 packets cigarettes and bidi, 35,678 injections, 4,107 Eskuf syrups, 2, 744 bottles of MkDil/Cofidil,14, 33,106 different types of medicines and 1,448 other tablets, said a BGB media release signed by its Public Relations Officer Md Shariful Islam on Tuesday.
Read: Over 5kg crystal meth seized in Cox's Bazar: BGB
Other smuggled items include 31.19 kg gold, 26.706 kg silver, 5,69,468 cosmetics, 19,056 imitation jewelries, 24,312 sarees, 10,806 three-piece/shirt-piece/bed-sheet/blankets, 1720 cft timber, 6,535 kg of tea leaves, 118,910 kg of coal, 11 idols of hard rock , five pickup vans, six private cars, four local vehicles, 35 CNG-run autorickshaws and 87 motorbikes.
Read: Two detained with 31 gold bars in Satkhira: BGB
Seized arms include four pistols, nine guns of several types, seven magazines and 26 rounds of bullets.
Meanwhile, BGB arrested 256 alleged smugglers, 79 for crossing territory, four Indian nationals and 131 Myanmar nationals.
Read more: Smuggled goods worth Tk 215.29 cr seized in August: BGB
Speaker Shirin Sharmin stresses early operationalization of BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement for greater sub-regional connectivity
Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has stressed early operationalization of the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement for greater sub-regional connectivity.
She hoped that once the construction of the Buddhist monastery funded by the Bangladesh government is completed, it will boost religious tourism.
The Speaker of the parliament stressed initiating a Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh-Nepal relations, while interacting with a high-level parliamentary delegation from Nepal, led by Dr. Arzu Rana, Chair of the Agriculture, Cooperatives, and Natural Resources Committee.
The delegation is visiting Bangladesh to learn about Bangladesh’s success stories in Agriculture, especially achieving self-sufficiency in food and see some agriculture projects in Bangladesh, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Read: Nepal parliamentary delegation meets Speaker Shirin Sharmin
During the interaction, the Speaker noted that the two countries can cooperate with each other in sectors like power, connectivity and tourism to further strengthen the relations.
The delegation started their official program in Bangladesh by paying tribute to the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32, Dhaka.
During the visit, they mentioned that Bangladesh is lucky to have such a charismatic leader like Bangabandhu.
Following their visit to the memorial, the delegation met the Standing Committee on the Ministry of Agriculture of Bangladesh Parliament.
The delegation was briefed about the tremendous success achieved in the agriculture sector of Bangladesh.
Both sides stressed on sharing and exchange of the ideas and best practices in the agriculture sector.
Read: High-level parliamentary delegation from Nepal visits Bangabandhu Memorial Museum
In the afternoon, the parliamentary delegation called on Md. Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the Ministry.
They discussed various areas of cooperation to further strengthen the bilateral relations.
The discussion focused on power, and connectivity, among others.
The visiting delegation appreciated the current government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for making phenomenal socio-economic progress during the last 14 years.
The delegation called on Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, the Minister for Agriculture.
The two sides emphasized on scientific expertise sharing and facilitating technology transfer for bolstering agricultural cooperation between the two nations.
The delegation would visit places like Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), SAARC Agriculture Center (SAC), Bangladesh Seed Association (BSA) as well as various agriculture projects in Bangladesh in the next couple of days.
The delegation would depart Dhaka on October 7, 2023.
Read more: Nepal for promoting economic partnership with Bangladesh as centerpiece of bilateral relations
Brighten Bangladesh's image abroad: PM Hasina says in London
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday reiterated her call to the expatriate Bangladeshis to work for brightening the country’s image abroad.
“I would like to call upon all of you to brighten the image of the country,” she said.
The prime minister said this while leaders of the UK Awami League along with its front and associate bodies met her in her place of residence here.
Also read: Arson violence won't be allowed before national election: PM Hasina
Hasina, also the chief of ruling Awami League, regretted that a group of people living abroad are making slander deliberately against the country.
“Some people, who have left the country after committing various crimes or misdeeds or corruption as well as lost jobs due to illegal acts are spreading slanders against the country deliberately,” she said.
She observed that they don't see any good and development works (of the government) rather always find faults.
Also read: PM Hasina reiterates commitment to hold next election in a free and fair manner during meeting with APPGs for Bangladesh
Issuing directives to her party members to get involved with the activities in digital and social platforms to tackle this despicable propaganda, the prime minister laid emphasis on the necessity to carry out publicity of the development works of the government by the AL along with its front and associate bodies before the people.
Asking the critics (of the government and its development works) to travel all over Bangladesh, the premier said that there is no complaints heard in the rural Bangladesh.
“I can claim that living standard of the rural people in Bangladesh has been upgraded, and if AL remains power, we will do all other remaining necessary works for their developed life,” she added.
She mentioned that poverty in Bangladesh has been brought down to 18 percent from 41 percent, while extreme poverty reduced to only 5 percent and unemployment rate now stood at only 3 percent due to different initiatives of the Awami League government.
Also read: No way to return to caretaker government, PM Hasina in VoA interview
Sheikh Hasina said after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, they started the movement of restoring democracy in Bangladesh from London in 1980, as Ziaur Rahman and other military dictators grabbed power illegally.
She said that Bangladesh has been witnessing a stable democratic journey till now in 2023 as AL formed government in 2009 after winning 2008 election.
“The country has witnessed this unprecedented development due to establishment of the democracy,” she said, adding, “We’re pulling the country ahead overcoming various difficulties- both local and global such as arson terrorism inside the country.”
Hasina, also elder daughter of Bangabandhu, said that “My father has brought the independence of the country and this independence can’t be failed. The benefits of this independence have to be reached to all people of the country, and my struggle is for this.”
The prime minister listened to the leaders of AL along with its front and associate bodies. They said Bangladesh will march ahead towards implementing Sonar Bangla envisioned by Father of the Nation under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Leaders from AL, Chhatra League, Jubo League, Mohila League, Swechhasebak League and other associate bodies demanded unanimously to the AL President and Prime Minister to strengthen their organisation through holding conference and forming new committees.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen also spoke. Bangladesh High Commissioner in London Saida Muna Tasneem was on the dais. AL leaders from different European countries were also present.
Citizens aged 14-18 can open MFS Accounts without NID: Bangladesh Bank
Bangladesh Bank (BB) has given an opportunity to the youth aged 14-18 to open mobile financial accounts without National Identity Card (NID).
The Department of Payment Systems of the central bank issued a circular in this regard on Tuesday and sent it to the mobile financial service providers for immediate execution.
The circular said youth between 14-18 years can open MFS accounts without their own NID through a guarantee of parents.
However, both the person interested in opening account and the parent must be citizens of Bangladesh.
Read: Bangladesh Bank to form Escrow implementation committee soon as part of cleaning up e-commerce
While opening the MFS account of the youth , the parent/guardian must provide his/her national identity card number and the birth certificate of intending youth. The parent's MFS account shall be compulsorily used as a linked MFS account for account opening.
This account should be opened by confirming the authenticity of the MFS account of the parents or guardians.
Read: Bangladesh Bank sets max interest rate of 10.20% on industrial loans for 6 months
The MFS account should be opened with the consent of the parent or legal guardian. As part of the parental consent process for account opening, they must send OTP to their mobile phone.
Besides, in case of transactions in these accounts, it should be ensured that the messages are sent to the account holder's mobile phone number. At the same time, the transaction information should be reported to the parents.
Read more: Bangladesh Bank introduces dollar booking policy for max 1 year
Man attacked by rivals over land dispute in Lalmonirhat dies
A 55-year-old man, who sustained injuries in an attack allegedly by his rivals over a land dispute in Patgram upazila of Kurigram on Monday, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Rangpur on Tuesday.
The deceased Aminur Rahman was son of late Abdul Ali of Rahmatpur village under Patgram union of the upazila.
Locals said there was a longstanding dispute between Aminur and his neighbour Ramjan Ali over ownership of a piece of land in the village.
Read: 2 murdered, 25 wounded over land dispute in Habiganj
On Monday morning, the duo got locked into an altercation over the matter. As a consequence, Ramjan, accompanied by his fellows equipped with arms attacked Aminur, leaving him critically injured.
He was first rushed to Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in the morning.
Ferdous Wahid, officer-in-charge of Patgram police station, said they heard about the death.
Read more: Man killed over land dispute in Sylhet
A murder case was filed in this connection, he said, adding that drives are on to nab the accused.
Nepal parliamentary delegation meets Speaker Shirin Sharmin
A visiting Nepalese Parliamentary delegation paid a courtesy call on Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Tuesday at the latter’s office in the city.
Nepalese MP Dr Arzu Rana led the visiting team during the meeting, said a press release.
In the meeting, different issues including trade and business, climate change, global challenges, agriculture, women empowerment, culture and impressive development of Bangladesh came up for discussion.
Read: Invest in children to develop good citizens: Speaker
Speaker Dr Chaudhury said the Bangladesh-Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group can work on different areas including mitigating the impacts of climate change, hydropower generation, prevention of child marriage, prevention of gender violence through the exchange of mutual experiences.
If the two countries jointly develop a tourism package with the world's longest beach, Cox’s Bazar, in Bangladesh and Mount Everest in Nepal, both countries can be benefited, she said.
The Speaker said Nepal has been a true friend of Bangladesh since the independence of the country and a strong bilateral relation prevails between the two countries.
The Speaker focused on the development of Bangladesh and successes attained Bangladesh in different fields under the bold leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Read: Women's participation in the tourism industry should be increased: Speakers
Dr Arzu said she is very impressed visiting the Bangladesh National Parliament describing it as very charming. The main building of parliament and its library are truly unparalleled, she added.
The Nepalese MP said the development of Bangladesh is really commendable among the Southeast Asian countries.
She hoped that the cooperation between the two countries will continue for the sake of mutual interests.
Other Nepalese parliamentary delegation members were Anisha Nepali, Binita Kathayat, Surya Kumari Shrestha, Rupa Chowdhury, Prakash Pantha, Sharda Devi Bhatta and Shigha Bahadur Bishwakarma.
Besides, Nepalese ambassador to Bangladesh Ghanshyam Bhandari and high officials of Bangladesh Parliament were present.
3 students, inc. ex-BCL activist expelled by IU
The Islamic University in Kushtia on Tuesday expelled a student, a former activist of the ruling Awami League-backed student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League for vandalising the medical centre, and two others for torturing a fresher of human resource management department, of the university.
The university administration, however, suspended three other students for one year for their involvement in torturing the fresher, the practise of ragging that universities have been trying to clamp down on across the country.
The decision was made at a meeting of the university’s disciplinary committee held at IU administration building with vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam in the chair in the morning.
Also read: IU- issued open notice for information
The students expelled permanently are- Rezwan Siddiqi Kabbo, a student of law department under 2018-19 academic session and also a former activist of IU BCL unit and Hisham Nazir Shuvo of human resource management department under 2021-22 academic session and Mizanur Rahman Emon of the same department under the same session of the university.
The students’ suspended for one year are- Shahriar Pulok, Sheikh Salauddin Shakib and Sadman Shakib Akib. All are students of the human resource management department of the university.
IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam issued the expulsion order against Kabbo, Shuvo and Emon for violating rules and regulations of the university, proctor Professor M Shahadat Hossain Azad said.
Kabbo was expelled as the probe bodies found his involvement in vandalising the medical centre while Shuvo and Emon were expelled for their involvement in torturing a fresher of human resource management department of the university, the proctor said.
Also read: Fresher tortured by IU students again
The university authorities suspended three others: Pulok, Shakib and Akib, for abetting Shuvo and Emon in torturing the fresher of the Department of Human Resource Management.
The decision was taken against them as per the university act, the proctor added.
Earlier, Kabbo and two of his cohorts vandalised equipment in Islamic University’s medical centre on the campus in Kushtia on July 11 over a trivial matter.
The university administration suspended them from the university temporarily over the issue on July 15.
On September 3, a group of students, including Hisham Nazir Shuvo, Mizanur Rahman Emon, Shahriar Pulok, Sheikh Salauddin Shakib and Sadman Shakib Akib of the human resource management department brought a fresher of the same department to Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman Auditorium area as his orientation class was held the previous day, and tortured him mentally. They tortured him again on September 3.
Also read: 3 IU BCL activists suspended over medical centre vandalism
The victim filed the complaint with proctor M Shahadat Hossain Azad, student adviser professor Shelina Nasrin and acting registrar HM Ali Hasan in this connection seeking punishment of the accused involved in torturing him on September 10.
The university authorities formed a five member probe body led by IU business administration faculty dean Professor M Shaiful Islam to look into the matter.
Deaths from dengue now 1,030 as 13 more die in 24hrs
Thirteen more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, raising the fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 1030 this year.
During the period, 2,799 more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever, according to the DGHS.
Of the new patients, 682 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and the rest outside the capital--indicating a worsening situation across the country, DGHS said.
Read: Dengue death toll crosses 1000-mark
A total of 9,198 dengue patients, including 2,940 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
So far, the DGHS has recorded 211,683 dengue cases and 201,455 recoveries this year.
Read: Deaths from dengue now 975 as 8 more die in 24 hrs
September has so far been the deadliest month for the dengue outbreak this year with 396 fatalities and 79,598 cases, according to DGHS data.