bangladesh
Two bikers killed after being hit by truck in Dhaka's Gendaria
Two motorcyclists were killed and another was injured as a speeding truck knocked them down in Dholaikhal area of Dhaka's Gendaria early Monday.
The deceased were identified as Abul Khair,30, a furniture trader who was riding the bike, and Sabbir Hossain,26, an employee of another furniture shop. They hailed from Faridpur and Gopalganj districts respectively.
Nayem,17, who suffered minor injuries, was treated at a nearby hospital.
The truck hit the motorbike when the two were returning home from their shops around 3:30 am, said Mizanur Rahman, sub-inspector (SI) of Gendaria Police Station.
Abul Khair and Sabbir Hossain died on the spot and their bodies were sent to Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital (Mitford) morgue for autopsy, he added.
Efforts are on to locate the truck and arrest its driver, said the SI.
Bangladesh number one place to engage 3 big powers and play a bridging role: Prof Kanti Bajpai
Despite some difficulties, Bangladesh is the number one place to engage all three big powers – India, China and the United States - in a bridging role, says a Singapore-based foreign affairs analyst.
“Anything to do with China and India has a shadow over the United States as well. And so I think Bangladesh is the number one place to engage all three in a bridging role,” said Professor Kanti Prasad Bajpai, Vice Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School, National University of Singapore.
He was speaking at a discussion this week as part of Cosmos Dialogue Distinguished Speaker’s Series, entitled “China-India Relations: Implication for South Asia.”
“I think its (Bangladesh’s) diplomatic links with both China and India, probably the strongest amongst all the countries of South Asia. The kind of positive equidistance that Bangladesh has between China and India probably no other country in this region can match. It also has fairly good relations with the United States,” Prof Bajpai said.
Read More: China "unswervingly mediating" between Bangladesh, Myanmar to promote Rohingya repatriation: Ambassador Yao
The discussion was chaired and conducted by President of Cosmos Foundation and renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.
Gazipur factory fire brought under control
The fire that broke out at GJ Caps and Headwear Ltd factory in Sataish area of Tongi upazila on Sunday night, was brought under control at around 11.36 pm on Sunday.
Eight Fire Service and Civil Defence units worked to douse the fire. Alongside, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) bulletin around 11pm said the Army was deployed to control the fire.
Md. Solaiman, the owner of the factory building, said that factory workers were observing day-long movement over the pending salaries and allowances.
At one stage they started beating up the factory officials at around 9 pm and set fire to the fifth floor of the factory, he added.
Deputy Assistant Director of Gazipur Fire Service Abdullah Al Arefin said that eight units of the Fire Service reached the spot and worked to douse the fire.
Toddler dies after falling in bucket water
A two-year-old boy died after falling into a water bucket at a house in the capital's Azimpur area on Sunday night.
The deceased was identified as Ayman Dhali, son of Mozammel Dhali, a Saudi expatriate of Kurigaon village in Munshiganj's Lauhajang upazila.
Quoting Khushi Begum, grandmother of the child, Inspector Bachhu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police camp, said Ayman and his mother came to her house a few days ago.
Ayman went to the washroom of their house around 8 pm. while her mother was busy cooking.
Later, he was found inside a water bucket in the washroom after his mother started searching for him. The balti was filled with water.
The family then rushed him to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared Ayman dead upon arrival.
"The body has been kept in the hospital morgue," Inspector Bachhu Mia added.
Tagore’s 162nd birth anniversary on Monday
Monday marks the 162nd birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, one of the most revered poets and litterateurs in history, who towers above everyone else in the canon of Bangla.
Born on May 7, 1861 at Jorasanko mansion in Kolkata, Tagore was a poet, visual artist, playwright, novelist, as well as a composer whose works reshaped Bangla literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Asia's first Nobel laureate after winning the Nobel Prize in literature for Gitanjali in 1913, Tagore was the youngest of 13 surviving children of Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi. Bangladesh and India's national anthems are based on two of his songs.
Marking the occasion, different government and private cultural organisations are scheduled to host cultural programmes, discussions and awards ceremonies across the country on Monday.
The state event this year will be held at Patishar in Naogaon district. In addition to that, the poet Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary will be commemorated as part of the national event at the the Shahjadpur of Sirajganj, the Dakshindehi and Pithavog of Khulna, and the Shilaidah of Kushtia.
Chhayanaut, country's leading cultural institution will commemorate the occasion with two-day cultural festivity. The programmes will commemorate the occasion with different programmes.and.cultural presentations including song, poetry and dance recitals.Besides, different cultural organisations including Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangla Academy and others will celebrate the birth anniversary with various events.
RMG: US lauds progress; highlights importance of carrying forward accomplishments
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has praised the RMG industry of Bangladesh for its huge progress in ensuring workplace safety and workers’ rights and welfare, stressing on the importance of carrying forward the accomplishments.
He also expressed hope that Bangladesh’s garment industry would continue its development initiatives in the coming days.
Ambassador Haas met BGMEA President Faruque Hassan at BGMEA Complex in Uttara on Sunday.
The US Ambassador emphasized their commitment to work together to spur progress on fundamental labor rights in the industry.
The BGMEA President underscored ethical buying practices and fair prices of products to build a more resilient supply chain system where workers' rights and welfare are considered with high importance.
He also appraised the envoy about the formation of Minimum Wage Board by the government of Bangladesh for garment workers' minimum monthly wages.
The achievements have made the industry a role model for others to emulate, he added.
Faruque Hassan said Bangladesh's apparel industry was giving special emphasis on diversifying from basic to value-added garments, especially those made from non-cotton and technical textiles while making huge efforts and investment in technological upgradation, skills and efficiency enhancement in order to continue the sector's growth momentum.
He requested the U.S. government to allow duty-free access of the garments made of the cotton imported from the US, saying it would benefit both Bangladeshi RMG exporters and US cotton growers, thus creating a win-win situation.
Faruque Hassan sought cooperation of the USA in making the process of importing cotton from the USA easier.
The BGMEA President informed the U.S. Ambassador about the BGMEA’s initiative to organize the Bangladesh Apparel Summit in the USA in October 2023 and requested him to expend support in organizing the event.
135 Bangladeshi evacuees reach Jeddah from crisis-hit Sudan
A total of 135 Bangladeshi nationals have reached Jeddah from crisis-hit Sudan by special flights of the Royal Saudi Air Force as fighting between the army and a paramilitary force continues in the African country.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin said flights carrying 135 Bangladeshi nationals reached Jeddah airport on Sunday.
Mohammad Javed Patwary, Bangladesh's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Consul General of Bangladesh in Jeddah Md Nazmul Hoque welcomed the Bangladeshis.
They were kept at the Jeddah-Bangladesh International School, where necessary arrangements have been made. All these evacuees will leave for Dhaka on a flight from Jeddah Airport tonight on a Biman Bangladesh flight.
Son held for killing father in Netrakona
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested a youth for killing his father in Mohanganj upazila of Netrakona, police said.
The elite force arrested Arman Shah, 23, son of Abul Shah of Bara Betham village of Mohanganj upazila, from Square Masterbari area of Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh district on Saturday evening, said Anwar Hossain, senior assistant director of RAB-14, on Sunday afternoon.
According to RAB, Arman Shah slaughtered his father, Abul Shah, 55, at his home on the night of March 18.
Later, he informed his friend Ashiqur Rahman Abir and planned to hide the body. According to the plan, they dug a hole in a canal near the house and buried the body under the ground up to the neck.
Not finding him, his uncle Hira Mia informed police after two days.
Police detained Arman's friend Abir and interrogated him. Based on the information given by Abir, police recovered the body of Abul Shah from the canal. Abul Shah's wife Rubahar, daughter Chinta Moni were detained by the police. Arman went into hiding soon after the incident was revealed.
Later, his uncle Sohrab Shah filed a murder case in the name of four people, making Arman the main accused.
Police sent Rubahar, Chinta Moni and Abir to jail after showing them arrested.
Arman confessed his involvement in the murder, said the RAB official, adding that he has four cases at Mohanganj police station, including murder and robbery.
SI Kanai Lal Chakraborty, investigating officer in the case, said Arman was sent to the court on Sunday afternoon.
Govt may procure upto 8 lakh MT of paddy to ensure fair prices: Food Minister
The government will procure 7-8 lakh tonnes of paddy instead of the existing target of 4 lakh tonnes if needed, to ensure fair prices for farmers in the current Boro season, said Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Sunday.
“The government wants farmers to get good prices for their crops. If farmers get good prices we’ll happy. We are working to ensure it,” he said.
The Food Minister said this at a press briefing after he inaugurated the Collection of Boro paddy and rice-2023 through a virtual platform from his office room in the Bangladesh Secretariat.
“The government has decided to collect 400,000 tonnes of Boro paddy in the current Boro season. But if the farmer does not get the prices of paddy properly, then the government will procure 7-8 lakh tonnes of paddy if necessary. Besides, 12.5 lakh tonnes of rice will be procured (in this season),” he said.
The minister, however, said there will be no compromise on the quality of rice during the collection drive. The field officials have already been instructed to complete the collection properly, ensuring the quality of the rice, he said.
He said the government is buying paddy at a higher price this time considering the interests of the farmers.
Sadhan Chandra said the paddy should be harvested within the next 15 days so that the crops would not be damaged in any natural calamity.
He said the food officials were directed to blacklist mill owners who did not sign contracts to supply rice to the government in the last season and not send their names incorporating these in the fit list. Those who helped the government by signing contracts are in the good book of the government.
During the current season of Boro collection-2023, a target was set to procure 4.00 lakh tonnes of paddy, 12.50 lakh tonnes of boiled rice and 1 lakh tonnes of wheat. The collection will continue till August 31, 2023.
The collection price of boro paddy has been fixed at Tk 30 per kg, while that of boiled rice at Tk 44 and wheat at Tk 35 per kg.
In 2022, the prices of paddy, rice and wheat were Tk 27, Tk 40 and Tk 28 respectively, said a press release.
Youth 'beaten to death' by lover’s father in Cumilla
A young man was beaten to death by his lover’s father and uncle, according to family sources, at Majhigacha village of Cumilla Adarsha Sadar Upazila on Sunday. Shortly after hearing of the son’s death, his father had a cardiac arrest and died on the same day.
The young man beaten to death was Mahin Mia, and his father was Hiron Mia, resident of Majhigacha village of Cumilla Adarsha Sadar Upazila.
Locals said Mahin Mia had a love affair with Tanni Akter, daughter of neighbor Musa Mia. Earlier, Hiran sent a marriage proposal to Musa Miah but the girl's father rejected the proposal.
On Thursday night, Tanni's father and uncle severely beat Mahin, binding his hands and legs, leaving him critically injured.
Later, he was taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital immediately and was brought home on Saturday morning after his condition improved. But on Sunday morning, he fell sick again and was again admitted to Cumilla Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at around 11am.
On receiving the news, Mahin’s father Hiran Mia fell ill and died from cardiac arrest.
Cumilla District Police Additional Superintendent Md Kamruzzaman visited the spot and said that no case has been registered yet.
The cause of the death can be confirmed after autopsy, he added.
Mahin's girlfriend Tanni Akter alleged that Mahin was picked up by her father and uncle and physically assaulted.
“Mahin died due to torture. I want the execution of these two people,” she added.