Bangladesh
‘A friend can give advice to another’: Momen on Bangladesh-US relations
The government has made a commitment that it would hold a free and fair election as the Election Commission was given absolute authority in this regard, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said in New York on Monday.
“It requires utmost sincerity from all, irrespective of their political background and views, for the arrangement of a free, fair and violence-free election. If so, we Inshallah will be able to hold a free and fair election. We want to set an example in the world that we can do it,” he said.
Momen made the remarks while replying to a question at a press briefing over Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s engagements in New York.
He said the Election Commission is constituted under a law, and the Prime Minister doesn’t appoint election commissioners.
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“The election commissioners can’t be terminated even if the President or the Prime Minister wants. The EC can suspend, terminate or punish any government employee in case of irregularities,” he added.
Besides, the EC can cancel voting at a polling station in case of vote-rigging or irregularities, he went on.
“The Election Commission was given absolute authority (regarding election),” he reiterated.
In reply to another question, the Foreign Minister said Bangladesh has a warm relationship with the US.
“We have a very warm relationship with the US. US President Joe Biden wants to strengthen and embolden this relationship further,” he said.
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He said the US president sent more than one delegation (to Bangladesh) to deepen this relationship, and “they gave us some advice as our friend.”
Noting that a friend can give advice to another, he said, “We have accepted many of their advice as well. We said that if the advice is objective, we’ll definitely accept it.”
Citing an example, Momen said the US expressed concern over our Digital Security Act, saying that it was being misused to some extent. “So, we worked on it… We’re working together.”
He said that the US announced the new visa policy against those would undermine the election.
“This is good for us. Because, we want all to join the election, the polls to be free and fair, and none to create disruption or commit violence. The US is working with us. We’re working very closely on these issues,” the Foreign Minister said.
Read: Bangladesh welcomes ICJ ruling in favor of Guyana: Momen
Talking about the PM’s engagement in New York, Momen said the Director General of World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Monday, called on her.
“During the meeting, the WHO director general highly lauded the government for taking steps to develop the overall health system and ensure health services for all in Bangladesh,” he said.
Momen said community health clinics are an innovation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and the clinics provide 30 types of medicines free of cost. This initiative has reduced child and maternal mortality sharply in Bangladesh, and the average life expectancy has gone up significantly, he added.
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“Today we have told the WHO director general that we would like to share our experiences and expertise with other countries whose health sector faces similar problems,” he said.
Amnesty calls out govt for ‘weaponising’ labour law against Dr Yunus
Authorities in Bangladesh must stop ‘weaponising’ the country’s labour laws and immediately end their harassment and intimidation of the Nobel Peace Laureate Mohammad Yunus, Amnesty International said today.
“Mohammad Yunus’ case is emblematic of the beleaguered state of human rights in Bangladesh, where the authorities have eroded freedoms and bulldozed critics into submission. The abuse of laws and misuse of the justice system to settle vendettas is inconsistent and incompatible with international human rights treaties including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Bangladesh is a state party,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International.
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“It is time for the Government (of Bangladesh) to put an end to this travesty of justice,” she added.
Amnesty believes that initiating criminal proceedings against Mohammad Yunus and his colleagues for issues that belong to the civil and administrative arena is ‘a blatant abuse of labour laws and the justice system and a form of political retaliation for his work and dissent’.
The statement goes on to note the relatively lenient pursuit of those accused of much more egregious crimes under the Bangladesh Labour Act, yet have managed to avoid criminal prosecution.
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“The unusual speed in which the trial against Mohammad Yunus is proceeding stands in stark contrast with other labour rights-related court cases in Bangladesh. This includes the fires at the BM Container Depot in 2022 and the Hashem Foods Factory in 2021 where almost 100 factory workers were killed due to the employer’s alleged negligence and non-compliance with safety standards. In both cases, the company owners faced no known criminal liability and evaded accountability by paying paltry compensations,” it said.
“The Bangladesh government’s relentless smear campaign against Mohammad Yunus shows the desperate lengths the current regime is willing to go to set an example through the hounding of an 83-year-old Nobel laureate,” said Callamard, a former UN special rapporteur.
Also read: ‘Interfering in Dr. Yunus’ trial’: 198 Bangladeshi Americans criticize letter from global personalities
She suggested the labour law would be put to better use against those guilty of serial violations, rather than misusing it to go after the microcredit pioneer: “Those violating labour rights must undoubtedly be held accountable. However, rather than misusing labour laws and criminal justice to harass Mohammad Yunus, the authorities should focus on combatting extensive threats to labour rights such as unsafe factories which continue to claim the lives of thousands of workers in Bangladesh.”
Dr Yunus, the chairman of the board at Grameen Telecom, is accused of employment-related violations and faces a criminal case under the Labour Act 2006. Three other board members, Ashraful Hasan, Nur Jahan Begum and Mohammad Shahjahan, face the same charges.
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Khalil-ur-Rahman appointed BTRC DG
Brigadier General Mohammad Khalil-ur-Rahman has been appointed as the new director general (DG) of the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
A notification in this regard was issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on Monday (September 18) placing the service of Brigadier General Mohammad Khalil-ur-Rahman under the Posts and Telecommunications Division.
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On the other hand, BTRC’s former director general Brigadier General Md. Nasim Parvez has been brought back to the Bangladesh Army. His service was placed under the Armed Forces Division.
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HC grants 8-week anticipatory bail to 13 BNP lawyers in case alleging attack on police
The High Court (HC) on Monday granted eight weeks' anticipatory bail to 13 BNP-affiliated lawyers including Joint Secretary General Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan in a case filed over an attack on police from a rally on Dhaka Judge Court premises on September 12.
An HC bench of Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain and Justice Mohammad Showkat Ali Chowdhury passed the order after hearing a plea filed for bail in this regard.
Those who secured bail are BNP’s Law Affairs Secretary Barrister Kaisar Kamal, Executive Committee Member Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, Supreme Court Bar Association’s former Secretary Barrister Ruhul Kuddus Kajal, lawyers Mohammad Ali, Mahbub Rahman Khan, Dewyan Humayun Kabir Ripon, Al Faisal Siddique, Md Kaium, Md Shahdat Hossain Adil, Russell Ahmed, Mahidul Islam Shipon and Ashraf Jamal Khan Manan.
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According to the case statement, the BNP-minded lawyers and others under the banner of United Lawyers’ Front gathered on the ground floor of Dhaka Bar Association with anti-government banners and placards and were chanting slogans as part of their scheduled rally on September 12.
At one stage, they took position on the main road in front of the Bar Association and blockaded it, causing a disruption of vehicular movement.
An attack was carried out on the police when they asked the demonstrating people to leave the road. Later police were bound to disperse them to ensure usual movement of general people.
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Several police personnel including Kotwali Zone’s Additional Commissioner Muhit Kabir Serniabhat, Assistant Commissioner Shahinur Islam, Kotwali Police Station’s Officer-in-charge Shahinur Rahman were injured when the BNP supporters pelted brickbats and used sticks.
On September 13, police filed a case against 66 people, including BNP joint secretary general Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan, for "attacking" the police during the road march.
Crime in the capital 'under control': DMP Commissioner
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq on Monday said that the law and order situation in the capital is quite stable at present and crime is under control.
The law and order situation has improved in the capital because the DMP is working as a team and 'Team DMP' is ready to face any situation in future as well, he said.
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The DMP Commissioner came up with the remarks while addressing the monthly crime review meeting for the month of August 2023 at the DMP headquarters on Monday.
The DMP chief also said that following the prevailing laws of the country, all police officers should perform their duties with professionalism to maintain law and order and control crime.
The top officer of the DMP asked the officers to give more importance while executing arrest warrants, investigating theft and dacoity cases, as well as recovering stolen vehicles and drugs.
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He also asked them to strive for gaining public trust through public engagement.
About the activities of Beat Policing, the DMP Commissioner said that a close relationship between the people and the police will be developed if the activities of Beat Policing are implemented successfully.
The distance between police and people will decrease and for this, people will be able to inform the police about their problems very easily. Crime control will also be much easier by gathering intelligence through beat policing activities, he added.
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During the meeting, the DMP Commissioner awarded various levels of policemen of the DMP in recognition of their good work in maintaining law and order and public safety provisions of Dhaka city.
FAO, IsDB, and IFAD collaborate to strengthen food security technologies for smallholder sarmers
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have joined hands in a significant partnership agreement aimed at enhancing global food security and nutrition.
This trilateral cooperation agreement focuses on empowering rural smallholder farmers by providing them with accessible, affordable and adaptable technologies crucial for ensuring food security, according to an official press release.
IsDB’s Vice President of Operations Dr. Mansur Muhtar emphasized the significance of this collaboration in addressing the pressing challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition that confront numerous IsDB Member Countries, particularly among small-scale farmers and pastoralist communities.
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He stated, "Our partnership with FAO and IFAD will play a pivotal role in identifying technologies suitable for integration into IsDB's Food Security Response Program (FSRP) and other agricultural initiatives." This alliance is poised to usher in transformative change in agricultural sustainability and food security across diverse regions.
“A majority of countries in the Near East and North Africa region projects increasing rates of food insecurity and malnutrition. These challenges are particularly more prevalent amongst small-scale farmers and pastoralist communities. The new tripartite cooperation between FAO, IsDB and IFAD will facilitate identification of technologies that have the potential for mainstreaming throughout the crop value chain to improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers and food security among the entire populations,” said AbdulHakim Elwaer, FAO assistant director-general and regional representative for the Near East and North Africa (NENA).
“This cooperation is important to FAO, as it is a first building block in the partnership between FAO and IsDB since the signing of an MoU in 2020.” Elwaer added.
“Technology has enabled small-scale producers to effectively contribute to sustainable agricultural development and food security. Despite the huge efforts to introduce new technologies to support farmers across the value chain, there is still an urgent need to increase capacities and accelerate innovation through partnerships. The cooperation agreement is a major milestone in our joining forces with other partners to help reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Saudi Vision 2030," said IFAD’s Director of Sustainable Production, Markets, and Institutions Division Thouraya Triki.
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She added: "We aim through this agreement to share our knowledge and technical expertise with FAO and IsDB and benefit from this joint initiative to promote the scale of these technologies and strengthen the capacities of rural farmers to help them to reduce costs and increase production, income and food security.”
These transferable, adoptable, smart agricultural technologies and digital solutions will support the development of low carbon agriculture, improve resilience, contribute to poverty alleviation, create employment and reduce vulnerability to climate-related risks.
Aligned with the digital era, this collective initiative aspires to harness innovative tools and approaches with the objective of empowering rural households and smallholder family farmers to thrive despite multifaceted challenges.
These technologies and solutions are anticipated not only to improve agricultural productivity but also to pave the way for sustainable, low-carbon practices. By enhancing resilience, reducing poverty, creating employment opportunities, and mitigating vulnerabilities linked to climate-induced risks, this partnership emerges as a source of optimism.
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This tripartite agreement represents a synergistic collaboration, harnessing the expertise and resources of FAO, IsDB, and IFAD to empower rural households, uplift smallholder family farmers, and contribute to elevated global food security. Through the integration of cutting-edge technologies into agricultural practices, this partnership seeks to cultivate a sustainable and resilient food supply, fostering prosperity for communities worldwide.
Man hacked to death over extramarital affair in Rangpur
A 38-year-old man was allegedly hacked to death over an extramarital affair in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur on Sunday night, said police.
The deceased Mostafizur Rahman Chengtu was son of late Boyes Prodhan at Aga Chatra village in Chatra union of the upazila. He was a farmer by profession.
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Police and locals said Chengtu was in an extramarital relationship with Rowshan Ara Begum, wife of one Rustam Ali of the same village, for the past few years. A rivalry was prevailing between them over the matter.
Rustam took position under a banyan tree in the village on Sunday night and hacked Chengtu with sharp weapons after intercepting him on his way home from a local market, they said.
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Chengtu was left critically injured and rushed to Upazila Health Complex by locals where he succumbed to his injuries around 11:15pm.
Anwarul Islam, officer-in-charge of Pirganj Police Station, said the victim’s son Sajib Mia filed a murder case on Monday morning.
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Though the accused is now on the run, they were trying to arrest him, the OC added.
Follow three steps with Nagad to win iPhone 15
Nagad, a popular mobile financial service provider in Bangladesh, has come up with an exciting offer for gadget lovers to follow three steps, suggested by star cricketers Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah Riyad on their respective Facebook pages, and win newly launched iPhone 15.
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The MFS recently launched a unique campaign titled “One, Two, Three: iPhone 15” – the first of its kind in Bangladesh – to give its customers a chance to get hold of this exciting phone from their favourite cricketers. The campaign will continue until further notice, says a press release on Monday.
Tamim and Riyad made the announcement of this campaign through Facebook posts on their verified pages, having tagged Nagad’s page.
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To stand an opportunity to get an iPhone 15 handset from Tamim Iqbal, firstly, a customer needs to add BDT 3,500 or more to his or her Nagad wallet from banks or cards. Secondly, they will have to click on the submission link given in the caption of Tamim’s Facebook post and register their Nagad wallet number. Thirdly, they have to share the post as a public post.
Likewise, to win another iPhone 15 and receive it from Mahmudullah Riyad, firstly, a customer will have to recharge BDT 50 or more to their mobile numbers, then they need to click on the submission link given in the comment section of Riyad’s Facebook post and register their Nagad wallet number. Thirdly, they have to share the post as a public post.
At the end of the campaign, Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah Riyad will announce the names of the winner through random selection and hand them over iPhone 15 handsets.
Talking about the iPhone giveaway offer, Sadat Adnan Ahmad, chief marketing officer of Nagad Ltd, said, “We’re not just promoting digital transactions; we’re trying to create a digital lifestyle. Our latest iPhone giveaway offer is a symbol of our commitment to making cashless transactions not only convenient but also enjoyable.”
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“Through different campaigns, we are trying to incentivise and encourage more people to make the shift towards digital payments, ensuring a seamless and rewarding experience for all,” he added.
S Alam Group’s 1320 MW Banshkhali coal-fired power plant starts commercial operation
S Alam Group’s 1320 MW coal-fired SS Power Plant at Banshkhali in Chattogram started commercial operation on Monday.
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The SS Power Plant started commercial generation as the 660-megawatt capacity first unit started supplying electricity to the national grid at full capacity from 12:01 am on 18 September 2023, said a release of the S Alam Group.
The Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPBD) conducted inspections at the power plant, it noted.
Earlier, the power plant, which started its official induction into the national grid on 14 January, has two units, each with a capacity of 660 MW.
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The first and second units began their test runs, respectively on 24 May and 28 June. Now, the S Alam Group, Chinese company SEPCOIII and HTG owned SS Power Plant’s one unit went into full-fledged commercial power generation.
Md. Ebadat Hossain Bhuiyan, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of SS Power Plant, said, "Today is an exciting day for the people of our country. With the cooperation of BPDB and all concerned, we have successfully started commercial production”.
The electricity from the plant is being added to the national grid. The commercial production of this power plant will contribute significantly to the daily lives of the people and the national economy, he added.
This thermal power plant at Banshkhali holds great importance in various aspects. It is the country’s first large private coal-based thermal electricity project.
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The S Alam Group said the power plant, by far, is the highest investment from a single private entity, with an investment of $2.6 billion, or Tk 28,000 crore.
Moreover, S. Alam Group holds the record for facilitating foreign investment in a private project. In this project, leading home-grown company S. Alam Group owns 70 percent of the stake, whereas the rest of the 30 percent stake is owned by Chinese companies SEPCOIII and HTG.
If the plant is in full production, it will be able to supply about 2.93 crore units of electricity per day and about 88 crore units per month.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping jointly initiated the project of the SS Power Plant in 2016 after the BPDB and SS Power signed an agreement.
After the commencement of operations, the SS Power Plant has been successfully brought into commercial production much earlier than other power projects, said the press release.
Death toll from dengue rises to 839 with 17 more deaths in 24hr
Seventeen more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Monday morning, raising the fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 839 this year.
During the period, 3,084 more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Of the new patients, 894 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and the rest outside it, according to DGHS.
Read: Record 3,122 dengue patients hospitalised in a day; 2273 infected outside capital
A total of 10,032 dengue patients, including 3,861 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
So far, the DGHS has recorded 170,768 dengue cases, 159,897 recoveries.
In the first two weeks of September, the Aedes mosquito-borne Dengue has claimed the lives of 174 people across the country. 33,336 cases were reported during the same period.
Read: No dengue patients should be sent to Dhaka from outside: DGHS