bangladesh
Hydropower imports from Nepal, Bhutan: Bangladesh for 'visible' Indian cooperation, says Nasrul
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has sought "visible Indian cooperation" for importing hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan.
He joined a bilateral meeting on electricity cooperation between Bangladesh and India in New Delhi on Wednesday.
At the meeting, Nasrul headed the Bangladesh delegation and Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh led the Indian side, the Power Division said in a statement.
Indian private companies' interest in exporting renewable energy to Bangladesh was also discussed at the meeting.
Nasrul talked about the growth of Bangladesh's power sector and said the demand for electricity is increasing continuously in the country.
Read more: Bangladesh trying to import 500 MW hydro-electricity from Nepal: Power Cell DG
"If electricity can be imported from Assam, uninterrupted supply to northern Bangladesh can be ensured. Although we import 1,160MW of electricity from India, we want to import more," he said.
Raj Kumar said India can supply more electricity to the northern part of Bangladesh.
Assuring cooperation regarding electricity import from Nepal, he said: "We can move forward together for the development of Bangladesh's electricity sector."
The issues discussed today may be further examined and decided at the next Joint Steering Committee, he added.
Read more: Bangladesh offers to export electricity to Nepal during winter and import in summer
President urges people to work unitedly to wipe out corruption, militancy
President Abdul Hamid on Thursday called upon the people of the country to work more unitedly to eliminate corruption, terrorism, drugs and militancy.
The President came up with the call in his speech in the 21st session of the current Parliament that began on Thursday.
He said Bangladesh achieved independence through a bloody war under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In this independent sovereign country, the people are the source of all power and the center of all their hopes is great National Parliament.
"You are the people's representatives, so public interest should be placed above everything else. It is our sacred duty to gift a safe, happy, beautiful and prosperous Bangladesh to the new generation," he said.
Read more: PMO's Principal Secretary meets President Abdul Hamid
The President said that the spirit of the Liberation War and the ideals of the Father of the Nation should be adopted to speed up the development of the country.
He termed Padma Bridge as a symbol of Bangladesh's ability and pride as it was built with its own funding and inaugurated on June 25, 2022.
"More than 3 crore people of the country will benefit directly from it. The construction of the southern tube of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman multi-lane tunnel under the Karnaphuli river has been completed,” he said.
He also said he is hopeful that soon the tunnel will be opened for public use.
President Hamid also congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for launch of the first metro train from Uttara to Agargaon.
Referring the year 2022 as the year of challenges, President Hamid said that the nation and the entire world is going through a difficult time.
Read more: President Hamid urges public representatives to work for the people
"We were able to successfully deal with the Corona pandemic and maintain economic progress but the war between Russia and Ukraine has slowed down our progress," he said.
Hamid said amid the global economic crisis currently the amount of food grain stock in the country is 16.14 lakh metric tons, which is satisfactory.
The President said that pension will be introduced for all citizens above the age of 60 from the fiscal year 2022-23.
Bangladesh reports zero Covid death, 22 new cases
Bangladesh reported 22 more Covid cases in the 24 hours to Thursday morning.
With the new numbers, the country's total caseload rose to 2,037,230, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
However, the official death toll from the disease remained unchanged at 29,440 as no new fatalities were reported.
The daily case test positivity dropped to 0.46 percent from Wednesday's 0.62 percent as 4,817 samples were tested during the period.
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.45 percent; the recovery rate rose to 97.60 percent.
Read more: Bangladesh sees another Covid death, 438 cases in 24hrs
In December last year, the country reported seven Covid-linked deaths and 540 cases.
Bangladesh registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 in 2021 and daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 the same year.
Bangladesh reports 31 more dengue cases
Thirty-one more people were hospitalised with dengue in the 24 hours to Thursday morning.
However, no fatalities were reported during this period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Also, the DGHS has not reported any dengue death in the first five days of this year. The country recorded 281 dengue deaths in 2022 – the highest on record after the 179 deaths recorded in 2019.
Read more:Two more dengue patients die, new cases 462
A total of 214 dengue patients, including 101 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
The DGHS has recorded 207 dengue cases and seven recoveries so far this year. It recorded 62,423 cases and 61,971 recoveries last year.
Over 1.27 lakh Bangladeshis likely to perform Hajj this year, Deal with KSA on Jan 9
The government will sign an agreement with Saudi Arabia on January 9 on Hajj and it hopes that over 1.27 lakh Bangladeshis will be able to perform Hajj this year if the previous quota is upheld by the KSA government.
Mohammad Anowar Hossain, senior public relations officer of the Religious Affairs Ministry, told UNB that a three- member team led by State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan will leave for Saudi Arabia on January 7.
The Bangladeshi state minister and Saudi Hajj and Umarh Affairs Minister Dr Tawfiq Bin Al Rabiah will sign the agreement on the behalf of their respective countries.
According to the officials concerned of the ministry, the Saudi government may allow some 1, 27, 198 Bangladeshis to perform Hajj this year considering its population and the improved Covid-19 situation.
Of them, 15, 000 people will perform the Hajj under government management while 1, 12, 198 under private management, the public relations officer said adding that a draft has been prepared as per the plan.
Besides, Bangladesh will request to lift the embargo which restricts people over 65 years to perform Hajj, he said.
Read more: A hajj closer to normal: 1 million Muslims begin pilgrimage
On November 13, 2022, Bangladesh and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed a bilateral document on ‘Route to Mecca’ which will ease visit of Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims to the kingdom.
Under Route to Mecca service agreement, Pilgrims would be able to complete their immigration in Dhaka prior to their departure to Saudi Arabia.
According to the ministry, 1, 27,000 people from Bangladesh performed Hajj in 2019 while the KSA government increased quota for Bangladeshi pilgrims by 10,000 in 2020. But Hajj was not held in the year for Covid-19 pandemic.
Only 60,000 people from Bangladesh were allowed to join the Hajj in 2022 as the Saudi government halved the quotas for pilgrims in different countries.
Read more: PM opens Hajj conference and fair
France lauds Bangladesh's steady, outstanding development
Ambassador of France to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy on Thursday applauded Bangladesh's "steady and outstanding" development, which supports its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2041.
The newly appointed Ambassador of France met Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discussed issues of mutual interest.
Both sides exchanged views on cooperation in aviation, food processing, clean and green energy, climate change, food security, repatriation of the Rohingyas; and free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
The Foreign Minister assured the new Ambassador Marie Masdupuy full support and cooperation during her tenure in Bangladesh.
Read more: Bangladesh hopeful of France's support for its bid for GSP+ facility beyond 2029
Both sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two friendly nations.
The Foreign Minister congratulated Ambassador Marie Masdupuy on her appointment as the Ambassador of France to Bangladesh and expressed his satisfaction at the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries.
He also recalled the support of France and contributions of the French intellectuals like André Malraux during our War of Liberation in 1971.
Read more: Study in France: Scholarship Opportunities and Overview for Bangladeshi Students
Parliament adopts condolence motion
Parliament on Thursday unanimously adopted a condolence motion expressing profound grief at the demise of eight former lawmakers, including one former minister, two former state ministers and an opposition whip, as well as other noted personalities.
The eight former lawmakers include former minister ABM Ghulam Mostafa (who was MP from Cumilla-4), two former state ministers Shah Muhammad Abul Hussain (Barishal-4) and Jafrul Islam Chowdhury (Chattogram-15) and former opposition whip Mashiur Rahman (Jhenaidah-2).
Read more: JS adopts condolence motion at deaths of 5 ex-MPs, noted personalities
The four other ex-lawmakers are Dr SA Malek (Faridpur-1), Dr Alauddin Ahmed (Kishoreganj-1), SM Farooq (Erstwhile Bogura-9) and Shahjahan Khan (Patuakhali-3).
Besides, the House expressed deep shock at the death of a number of noted personalities including former Chinese president Jiang Zemin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother Heeraben Modi, Brazilian soccer legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pele, Rowmari Upazila Awami League president and also an organizer of the great Liberation War Azizul Haque Sarker and Square Group founder Samson H Chowdhury’s wife Anita Chowdhury.
The Parliament also expressed profound grief at the loss of lives in different accidents at home and abroad.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury moved the motion in the House in the beginning of the session.
A one-minute silence was observed and a munajat offered seeking eternal peace for the departed souls. State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan conducted the munajat.
Read more: JS adopts condolence motion
21st Parliament session to continue till Feb 9
The 21st session of the current parliament that began Thursday will continue till February 9.
The session will start at 4:15pm on each working day.
On January 10, a special discussion will be held on the Homecoming Day of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The decisions came at a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the current parliament held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka.
Read more: Parliament back in session; to continue till July 4
Committee Chair and Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury presided over the meeting.
It also decided to hold a special session in April to observe the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad. President Abdul Hamid will address the session and general discussion will be held on Thanksgiving motion of his speech.
It also decided that the Speaker may extend or cut the working days of the current session.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Opposition Leader Raushon Ershad, Amir Hossain Amu, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Obaidul Quader, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Huq Inu, Deputy Speaker M Shamshul Huq Tuku, Anisul Huq, Golam Mohammad Quader, Anisul Islam Mahmud and Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury attended it.
Read more: 19th JS session to continue till September 1
BERC (amendment) Ordinance placed in JS allowing adjustment of gas, electricity prices without public hearing
The “Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (amendment) Ordinance, 2022” was placed in Parliament on Thursday which paved the way for the government to adjust the prices of gas and electricity without public hearing.
Law Minister Anisul Huq placed the ordinance in the House.
President Abdul Hamid promulgated the ordinance on December 1 last year amending the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Act-2003.
The law ministry issued a gazette on December 1 announcing the amendment that allows government to adjust the prices of gas and electricity.
Previously, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources used to adjust the prices of fuel including diesel, octane, kerosene and petrol without any public hearing. Where, the prices of gas and electricity were adjusted by the BERC through public hearings.
Read more: JS passes Bangladesh Patents Bill, 2022
With the amendment of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Act-2003, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources will not be required to hold a hearing to decide new prices for gas and electricity.
The BERC is an autonomous body which was established based on the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Act 2003, aiming at improving power and energy infrastructure in Bangladesh. The law was amended thrice in the past.
The Cabinet on November 28 approved an amendment to the BERC Ordinance 2022 to empower the government to set fuel tariff on its own under special circumstances without waiting for the commission’s public hearing and decision.
Read more: JS passes Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation Bill, 2022
Parliament goes into winter session Thursday
The 21st session of the 11th Parliament, also known as winter session, began on Thursday afternoon with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
President Abdul Hamid started addressing the Jatiya Sangsad during the maiden session of 2023 as per the Article 73(2) of the Constitution.
Later, there will be a discussion over a thanksgiving motion on the President’s speech in the House during the session.
Read more: Parliament’s winter session begins on January 5
The House went into the session after a recess of 59 days as the 20th session of the current parliament was prorogued on November 06 last.
On December 19, the President convened the 21st session, exercising the power bestowed upon him as per the Clause (1) of Article 72 of the constitution.