bangladesh
Bangladesh, India enjoy excellent relations: Information Minister
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said Bangladesh and India have a very good relationship and unity is needed to take the relationship forward.
“It is very normal that we have a good relationship with India as the country contributed to our Liberation War. We have no major differences of opinion. To carry forward the relationship, we have to work together,” he said.
Hasan Mahmud said this while addressing the Bangladesh-India relations-based reporting award on the occasion of Connections 2022 of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication Alumni Association-Bangladesh (IIMCAA B) at Dhaka Club in the capital on Saturday.
Mentioning that relations between the two countries has reached a new height led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, the minister said, “India had sheltered one crore Bangladeshi refugees during the Liberation War. Late Indira Gandhi had travelled to many countries to campaign for independence of Bangladesh and to free Bangabandhu from Pakistani jail. For these reasons, India’s name will be written forever in the history of Bangladesh.”
He also congratulated the award winners, saying IIMCAAB graduates can play an active role to accelerate the relationship between the two countries.
In the programme, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiwami said as a bosom friend India is committed to cooperating with Bangladesh to its level best.
IIMCAAB president and prime minister's press secretary Ihsanul Karim presided over the programme while IIMCAAB general saecretary Zahid Newaz Khan, senior journalist Azizul Islam Bhuiyan, among others, were present.
UNB Editor Farid Hossain also spoke at the event. He was the chief of the jury board of the Bangladesh-India relations-based reporting award.
News24 television's "Team Undercover" programme won the 2019 award for its in-depth investigation of how firearms are being smuggled into Bangladesh from India.
Prothom Alo Special Correspondent Raheed Ejaz won the 2020 award for his report: "Bangladesh-India relations through the lens of Dhaka: India wants Bangladesh as geopolitical partner."
Shamima Dola, editor of News Now Bangla, won the 2021 award for the reports "Line of credit: One of the bedrocks of India-Bangladesh ties," and "Implementation of motor vehicles agreement to increase Bangladesh-India trade by 25 percent."
IIMCAAB Joint Secretary Angur Nahar Monty conducted the programme while its Senior Vice President Azizul Islam Bhuiyan gave vote of thanks.
Also read: Huge scope of India-Bangladesh power, energy cooperation: Experts
Kishoreganj farmer killed by lightning strike
A farmer was killed in a lightning strike at Kamarkona village in Pakundia upazila in Kishoreganj district Saturday noon.
Deen Islam, son of Abdul Aowal of the village, was planting paddy on the land near his house when it suddenly started raining. At one point Deen was struck by lightning.
Read: Lightning kills 19-year-old in city
Locals took him to Pakundia Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, said Mohammad Sarwar Jahan, officer-in-charge of Pakundia Police Station.
Lightning strikes in Bangladesh
Lightning strikes have turned into one of the deadliest natural disasters in Bangladesh claiming over 200 lives each year due to the loss of natural defenses and lack of precautionary measures, say experts.
They blame deforestation, worsening air pollution and global warming, climate variability, and the growing use of mobile and other technological devices for the increase in the frequency of lightning strikes.
Read: Youth drowns in Padma River
According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, 2,164 people died in lightning strikes in the country from 2011 to 2020. Considering the upward trend, the government in 2016 declared it as a natural disaster, making victims' families eligible for compensation.
About 70 percent of the total lightning strikes usually occur between April and June, and farmers like Deen Islam happen to be the most frequent victims, due to the long periods they spend outdoors working in their fields.
Youth drowns in Padma River
A youth drowned in the Padma River in the Baliaghat area of Dikrirchar union of Faridpur Sadar on Saturday afternoon.
The deceased was identified as Md Shakil, 21, son of Md Nuruddin of the Goalchamot area of the town. He worked in an eatery in the town.
According to locals, Shakil along with his friends came to visit the Baliaghat area for bathing in the Padma River. At one stage, Shakil was swept away by the current. Shakil’s friend tried to rescue him but failed.
Read: Bus-pickup collision leaves 2 dead in Gazipur
Later, locals informed the Faridpur fire service.
On information, a diving team of Faridpur Fire Service recovered Shakil's body around 4 pm, said Mehedi Hasan, UP chairman of the Dicrirchar Union.
Faridpur Fire Service senior station officer Subhash Barai said Shakil's body was found drowning at a distance of about 20 to 25 meters from the place where he had drowned.
Experimental lights lit on Padma Bridge
Experimental lights were lit up on the much-awaited Padma Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
Dewan Md. Abdul Quader, the executive engineer of Padma Bridge, said they have tested lights at 10-12 lampposts from pillar 14 to pillar 19 at Munshiganj end.
Around 5-6 days were needed to experiment with all the lights of lampposts of the bridge, he added.
According to the Padma Bridge authority, lights have been installed at 415 lampposts of the bridge.
Also Read: BNP can't accept Padma Bridge: Anisul Huq
Munshiganj Palli Bidyut Samity has already completed the work of the electricity connection from the No-1 pillar at Mawa end.
On the other hand, Shariatpur Palli Bidyut Samity has completed the electricity connection work on the bridge at the Jazira end.
Chuadanga: Child dies falling off roof of under-construction building
An 8-year-old minor boy died after falling from the roof of an under-construction building in Sadar upazila of Chuadanga on Saturday afternoon.
The deceased was identified as Ahad Ali, son of Arif Hossain of Doulatdiar village of the upazila.
Family members said Ahad was playing on the roof around 5 pm. Suddenly he slipped and fell on the paved road.
Read: Truck driver held after engineer’s death in Bagerhat road crash
He was rushed to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Tahsin Sadia, the doctor of the emergency department of Chuadanga Sadar Hospital, said there was bleeding from the nose.
Missing youth from Kuakata sea beach found in India
A youth who went missing while swimming at Kuakata sea beach in Patuakhali has turned up in the Indian city of Chennai.
The missing tourist Firoz Shikder, 27, himself contacted his family from Chennai on Saturday at 5 pm after remaining missing for the last seven days, said his brother Masud to UNB.
On May 27, Firoz, a resident of Amkhola village in Patuakhali, went missing as he was swimming with some of his friends at Kuakata.
Also read: Missing gold trader found dead after 5 months
Quoting his brother, Masud said,”Firoz was pulled into the deep sea during high current and somehow found a log to hold on to. After some 24 hours of floating some Indian fishermen rescued him and handed him to Indian Coast Guard.”
The Indian Coast Guard took Firoz to Chennai state and he is currently under the custody of the Indian government.
Also read: Kishoreganj ferry tragedy: Woman drowns, child goes missing
Abdul Khaleque, Assistant Superintendent of Kuakata tourist police said Firoz’s brother has informed them about the incident and they are looking into the matter.
Bus-pickup collision leaves 2 dead in Gazipur
Two people were killed and three others were injured after a bus and a pickup van crashed into each other at the Shallabari area of Kapasia in Gazipur on Saturday morning.
The deceased were identified as Zinnah, driver of the pickup van and its passenger Delwar.
However, the identities of the injured are yet to be known.
The accident occurred around 7am when a Dhaka-bound bus and a Kishoreganj-bound pickup van collided head-on at the Shallabari area of Dhaka Kapasia Road in Gazipur, said AFM Nasim, officer-in-charge of Kapasia police station.
Also read: Man killed in Kurigram road accident
The driver and passenger of the pickup were killed on the spot and 3 others were injured.
On information, police recovered the bodies and sent them to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy, added the OC.
Also read: Road accidents claim 7 lives in 3 districts
The vehicles were seized, said the OC, adding that legal action will be taken in this regard.
Schoolgirl commits suicide in Kurigram
A 14-year-old schoolgirl committed suicide in Nagdaho area of Phulbari upazila of Kurigram district Saturday morning.
The deceased was identified as Srabonti Roy Khushi, 14, daughter of Santosh Chandro Roy of the area. She was a class VII student of Rabaitari Girls High School.
Police said that her mother scolded Khushi for not giving attention to her studies.
Being agitated, Rina locked the door of her room and hanged herself from the ceiling with a scarf around 6.30am.
Also Read: KUET student commits suicide at home
Later, with the help of neighbours, Rina's mother broke the door of the house and brought the body down, said Md. Fazlur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Phulbari police station.
An unnatural death case has been filed in this regard, added the officer.
Improvement in services can play vital role to turn Bangladesh into regional aviation hub: Speakers
Speakers at seminar on ‘Prospect of Bangladesh as Regional Aviation Hub’ have suggested the government to improve the services at the country’s domestic and international airports.They said only improvement in aviation services could attract the foreign tourists that would play vital role to turn Bangladesh into a regional aviation hub.Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice Marshall M. Mafidur Rahman, presiding over the function, said after completion of the construction of third terminal of the Shah Jalal International Airport, aviation passengers will see a substantial improvement in the services.“We will maintain international standard in our service… We’ve already appointed foreign consultants in this regard’, he told the seminar, held on the sideline of the international travel and tourism fair titled : Triplover Dhaka Travel Mart-2022, at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
Also read: Bangladesh to be turned into a global aviation hub: Hasina
Organised by The Bangladesh Monitor the seminar was also addressed by Md. Abdullah Al Mamun, Managing Director of US-Bangla Airlines; Mofizur Rahman, Managing Director of Novoair; and A T M Nazrul Islam, Managing Director of United Airways Bangladesh Ltd.Representatives from different stakeholders of the country’s aviation industry including regulators, airlines, concerned apex trade bodies, aviation experts, and aviation reporters also spoke on the occasion.The participants mainly discussed on the existing hurdles and opportunities in development of Bangladesh aviation sector, and how to harness the potentials in establishing Bangladesh as a regional aviation hub, in line with the aspiration of the nation.
Also read: Aviation sector growth to triple in next 15 years: State Minister
Kazi Wahidul Alam, Editor The Bangladesh Monitor, moderated the session.
Tea production increasing by 5 percent each year: Commerce Minister
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Saturday said quality tea production is increasing by 4 to 5 percent each year in the country.
Despite this increase, Bangladesh’s tea export is not increasing in line with the production as domestic consumption of tea increased with the purchasing ability of people, he said.
People in the rural areas are also accustomed to tea, as a result, on an average people are taking 10 crore cups of tea every day in the country, the commerce minister said.
Also read: Panchagarh all set to see record high tea production
Tipu Munshi said this while addressing as the chief guest at the inaugural function of 'Tea Day' at Osmani Auditorium in the capital on Saturday. The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Bangladesh Tea Board.
Expatriate Welfare Minister Imran Ahmed, FBCCI President Jasim Uddin, Bangladesh Tea Board Chairman Major General Ashraful Islam, Bangladesh Tea Association Chairman M Shah Alam and Tea Traders Association Chairman Omar Hannan, among others, spoke on the occasion. Senior secretary of commerce ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh presided over the function.
Also read: Time to invest in Bangladesh, Tipu Munshi tells Nordic countries
Tipu Munshi said the production of tea increased to 96.51 million kg in 2021 which was 60 million kg in 2009. If the production would not grow, tea consumption is required to meet by importing.
The minister urged the tea garden owners to work more for the welfare of 1.49 crore workers, who are working hard to develop this sector.