bangladesh
Razzaque predicts possible surplus in fish, meat, and eggs 'in 3-5 years'
Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque has said that Bangladesh will have surplus production of fish, egg, meat and milk in the space of the next 3-5 years.
He said, "One of the main challenges of the current government is to ensure nutritious food to all.We recognise that the fisheries and livestock sector can play a vital role in that."
"We are gradually becoming self-reliant in food for the steps taken by the government in the last few years. Not only that, if we keep up the good work, we might have surplus productions of fish, milk, meat and egg in the next 3-5 years," the minister hoped.
Also read: Govt to procure 5-6 lakh metric tonnes of rice to reduce shortage: Razzaque
He came up with the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a virtual discussion meeting organized by Bangabandhu Veterinary Council on the occasion of World Veterinary Day 2021 on Saturday.
Addressing the veterinarians, the agriculture minister said the sector needs to be taken further through technology expansion and entrepreneurship. He also advised them to work hard in ensuring nutritious and safe food for all.
Dr. Razzaque added that in order to ensure nutritious food, people's incomes must be increased and employment must be created. Otherwise, even if enough food is produced, people will not be able to buy and enjoy it.
Also read: Will take initiative to harness potential of mushrooms: Razzaque
The minister also emphasised on the importance of agriculture in alleviating poverty at the event.
"The government is working tirelessly to bring down the poverty rate to 12% and extremely poor to 5%......The fisheries and livestock sector can play a huge part in that," he concluded.
From the margins to frontliners: Trans volunteers step up
The strict lockdown imposed countrywide from April 14 to put a leash on the soaring transmission of Covid-19 in Bangladesh will stay in force till at least April 28.
As boundless agonies of marginal income earners become more evident every day, some of them have taken the initiative to turn the table on the face of crisis by volunteering as frontline workers providing critical and emergency services during the pandemic.
Also read: Bangladesh’s Covid death toll nears 11,000 as cases surge
A UNB photojournalist had the opportunity to witness one such extremely vulnerable group – who identify as third gender or transgender – hard at work to earn their keep, even as the lockdown presents a whole new set of risks and dilemmas.
Many of them depend entirely on irregular incomes from daily work in the informal sector. But many have lost their basic income source as the lockdowns come down particularly hard on informal work.
Also read: Govt issues circular extending lockdown until April 28
Brought together by Brihonnola, a platform for the transgender community, these volunteers have stepped forward to fill a critical gap serving Covid-19 patients and their families, fully aware that the risk of infection is far greater in such settings.
The photos were taken as they went about their work at Dhaka Medical College Hospital's Covid-19 unit.
Also read: Transgender community members hold cleanup campaign at DU
Abandoned newborn rescued by police after man calls 999
Police rescued a baby girl from the pavement in front of Premier University at the WASA intersection of Chattogram, following a 999 call early Saturday morning.
Local resident Al-Amin, an accounting officer at a university, said he came down from his house hearing a noise at around 1am to see a newborn baby lying on the sidewalk.
Also read: Body of newborn found at Natore Hospital
He immediately called the national emergency hotline 999 and was connected to Md Alamgir, officer-in-charge of Chawkbazar police station.
"I told him the incident and within ten minutes the OC himself appeared with his force. They took the newborn baby to Chittagong Medical College Hospital."
Also read: Mother sells newborn to pay hospital bills
OC Alamgir verified Al-Amin version's of events and said,"I immediately went to rescue the newborn and admitted her to the hospital. Doctors said the baby was safe."
"CCTV footage of the scene is being collected to find out who left the child," he added.
Also read: Newborn’s body found in Buriganga
OC Alamgir made headlines in 2017 with a similar act: some may recall the incident of a newborn being rescued from a dustbin in the Colonel Hat locality of the Port City.
Another top Hefazat leader held in city
Detective Branch (DB) members of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested another top leader of Hefazat Islam Bangladesh from the city's West Agargaon area on Saturday afternoon.
The arrestee is Dr Ahmad Abdul Kader, the Nayebe Ameer of Hefazat Islam Bangladesh.
Also Read: Hefazat leader Qurban Ali Kasemi arrested in Dhaka
Tipped off, a team of the DB (Tejgaon Division) police conducted a drive at West Agargaon around 7 pm and arrested Dr Abdul Kader, said DMP Additional DC (media) Iftekharul Islam.
Dr Abdul Kader, who was the former president of Islami Chhatra Shibir, was arrested in connection with several cases filed with different police stations including Paltan police station recently.
Also Read: 2 more top Hefazat leaders held
Many Hefazat leaders have been arrested in the country recently following the vandalism and arson attack carried out by its activists across the country against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh last month.
OCAB forms new convening committee
A new convening committee of the Overseas Correspondents Association Bangladesh (OCAB), a platform of Dhaka-based journalists working for foreign media outlets, was announced on Saturday (April 24, 2021).
The nine-member committee, headed by BBC’s Correspondent Qadir Kallol, will be working to hold a new election within six months (minimum). Germany’s news agency DPA’s Nazrul Islam Mithu has been made Member Secretary of the committee said a press release.
The convening committee will also conduct regular activities of the prestigious organisation before holding a new election.
The committee was formed at a virtual meeting of OCAB presided over by senior member Farid Hossain.
Read Rajshahi University journalists’ body gets new executive committee
The other members of the newly formed committee are: Zahiduzzaman Faruque, Farid Hossain, Rafiqur Rahman, Bashudeb Dhar, Shafiqul Alam, Julhas Alam and Harunur Rashid.
At the meeting, the OCAB members adopted a condolence motion on the deaths of some members of the organisation.
They extended their sympathy to the families of Hassan Shahriar, Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Zahurul Haque, AZM Anas and others.
Read Commerce minister asks journalists to bring up development challenges accurately
The meeting also congratulated OCAB member Pavel Rahman on being awarded with Ekushey Padak this year.
The meeting also provided membership to 11 Dhaka-based journalists working for foreign media.
OCAB members Zahiduzzman Faruque, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Pavel Rahman, Amir Khasru, Nizamuddin Ahmed, Bashudeb Dhar, Waliur Rahman Miraj and Anisur Rahman, among others, attended the meeting.
Read Efforts to be accelerated to support journalists: Planning Minister
Online Eid Fair: UNDP-backed online marketplace teams up with Joyeeta Foundation
"Anondomela" an online marketplace initiated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for small and medium enterprises, has partnered with Joyeeta Foundation to organise the largest online fair for Eid during the COVID pandemic.
Anondomela Facebook page (facebook.com/anondomelashop) will remain active for the fair from April 24 to May 6, from 8 am to 8 pm, with an array of clothing, jewellery, home decor, food items and other knick-knacks from women-led small and medium enterprises, according to a UNDP press release.
Anondomela was launched by UNDP in April 2020 as an online marketplace for SMEs struggling to make sales amid the pandemic.
Read Retailers brace for flood of returns from online shopping
"Our initiative aims to ease the pressure that the Covid-19 crisis has put on these very small and largely informal entrepreneurs, at a time when most feel naturally inclined to demonstrate more social solidarity and care during the holy month," said Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh Sudipto Mukerjee.
Joyeeta Foundation is a long-running initiative of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. The foundation empowers women entrepreneurs and artisans by creating a secure channel for them to showcase and sell their products.
"During this ongoing crisis in Bangladesh, when our entrepreneurs are struggling to survive, we are glad to be organising this online fair that will give them an opportunity to sell their products to a large audience. This online fair is part of our continuous efforts to come to people's aid in their time of need," said Joyeeta Foundation's Managing Director Afroza Khan.
Read Walton offers big discounts on online purchases
The online fair will have five 30-minute slots that will be divided among entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs can post details about their products and directly connect with buyers.
They can also promote their businesses through this opportunity.
Interested SMEs are encouraged to join Anondomela as a seller to participate in the fair. Their products can be delivered seamlessly through 'ekshop' delivery.
Read Lockdown: Shops, shopping malls to reopen from Apr 25
Up to 500 Tk Cashback on card to bKash ‘Add Money’
Customers can Add Money from their debit card of Visa and Mastercard to bKash account 24/7 without any cost. For more convenience in the pandemic, bKash has brought three cashback offers from 50 to 500 Taka on ‘Add Money’ from both debit and credit cards of Visa and Mastercard.
Upon doing ‘Add Money’ of 1000 Taka or more from Visa or Mastercard to own or other bKash account for the first time through bKash app, customer can get 100 Taka cashback. The offer is valid till 17th May, 2021, said a press release.
Also read: Tk 150 discount coupon on Add Money from Bank/Card to bKash
A customer can receive the cashback only once during the campaign. Cashback amount will be sent to the customer's account on the next 2-3 working days of the transaction. Customers can find the details of the offer on the website: https://www.bkash.com/add-money-new-user.
Customers who have added money from Visa or Mastercard to bKash account through bKash app in 2020, but did not avail the service from 1st January to 12th April 2021, can avail 100 Taka cashback upon doing ‘Add Money’ of 1000 Taka or more from Visa or Mastercard through bKash app.
Read Over 1mn Covid-affected families to get PM’s Eid gift through bKash
This offer will be valid till 17th May 2021. A customer can avail the offer only once during the campaign and the cashback amount will be sent to the customer's account on the next working day of the transaction. More details can be found on the website: https://www.bkash.com/add-money-100tk-cashback.
In addition, customers can avail 50 Taka instant cashback up to 500 Taka, upon doing ‘Add Money’ of 4500 Taka from Visa or Mastercard through bKash app. Customer gets 50 Taka cashback each time after doing 4,500 Taka Add Money, which means he/she can get cashback up to 500 Taka in 10 times. This offer will continue till 17th May 2021. For details, customers can visit the website: https://www.bkash.com/add-money-500tk-cashback.
Also read: bKash customers can send money to five 'Priyo numbers ..
Cashback under all these offers will be available on the bKash account to which the 'Add Money' has been done. In case of Add Money from credit card to bKash, charges might be applicable by certain banks. Customer can contact the bank for details.
During this pandemic, the facility of instant fund transfer through Add Money service has enabled customers to enjoy convenient bKash services like Send Money, Mobile Recharge, utility bill payment, offline/online merchant payment, donation to humanitarian organizations, payment of fees of educational institutions, payment of various online registration fees, etc. In addition, they can Cash Out the money in emergency from 240,000 agent points spread across the country by maintaining health hygiene.
Read bKash offers 1 pc cash bonus on receiving remittance
BNP-Jamaat behind recent Hefazat violence: Minister
Information Minister Hasan Mahmud on Saturday said the arrested Hefazat leaders recognised the involvement of BNP-Jamaat alliance in the violence carried out in the country last month.
"You’ve seen that the Economic Times of India and some local newspapers have reported on how BNP-Jamaat alliance actively participated in the violence and funded the miscreants…Pakistani intelligence also helped them,” he said.
Also read: Govt has link with Hefazat, alleges BNP
Hasan Mahmud came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after inaugurating a food distribution programme in his hometown Rangunia via online.
He said the recent violence were not isolated events, as those were part of a bigger plan by the BNP-Jamaat alliance to grab power by ousting the government.
Also read: BNP involved in Hefazat violence: Obaidul Quader
"No one involved with the incident will be spared," he warned.
Study needed before going for energy storage system: Experts
Energy experts on Saturday said Bangladesh should go for a comprehensive study first before taking any move to build an energy storage system.
“We need to conduct a study on where and what capacity of an energy storage system we should build. This involves a huge cost,” said Prof Hasib Chowdhury of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
Also Read: Power supply reliability more important than access to industrial consumers
He was addressing a webinar titled: “Storage Application in Bangladesh Power System” organised by Power and Energy Magazine.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid also spoke on the occasion.
He said Bangladesh needs an energy storage system as both power generation and consumption are growing.
“But an energy storage system has to be cost effective for Bangladesh,” he said adding that such a system will help increase power generation from renewable sources.
He said the use of electric vehicles will be easier if an energy storage system is built in the country.
The seminar was also addressed by energy expert and BUET Prof Nurul Islam, Prof Ziaur Rahman, Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda) Chairman Mohammad Alauddin, Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain, and GIZ programme coordinator Al Modabbir Bin Anam.
Also Read: Green energy's share of power generation lagging far behind
Dr Ahmed Saber, Vice President of ETAB, a US-based automation and power solution software company, made a presentation on the topic while magazine editor Mollah Amzad conducted the seminar.
Dr Saber said an energy storage system needs to be built through a different way as the battery system is the most suitable and flexible one having up to 90 percent energy efficiency. If a storage system is built in combination with solar, wind and battery ones, then it will work properly, he said.
Through this system, he said, the energy generated from solar and wind could be consumed as per requirement. “But its success depends on its proper modeling.”
Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) executive engineer Adil Chowdhury said a power storage system will be helpful for Bangladesh to address the low-voltage problem in its northern region.
According to him, the captive generation can be replaced with grid power through a storage system.
Mohammad Alauddin said the government is committed to increasing the power generation from renewable energy which is reflected on its 5-year plan.
Al Modabber, an energy expert, said Bangladesh now has over 1 million electric vehicles which could use electricity for recharging through the storage system.
Buet admission test: Application deadline extended to May 3
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) has stretched the application deadline of April 24 for its 2020-21 undergraduate programme to May 3.
Now, the candidates can submit their application for the Buet entrance test by 3pm on May 3.
Read Walton, BUET to work together on research
The decision was made at an emergency meeting of the admission committee on Saturday, Professor Dr Khandaker Shabbir Ahmed, chairman of the committee and also dean of architecture and planning faculty, confirmed UNB.
Earlier Buet said, admission seekers would be required to sit for preliminary selection exams, from which candidates would be selected for the final exam scheduled to be held on June 10.
The eligibility list for the preliminary admission test, slated to be held on May 31 and June 1, will be published on May 5; and the one for the final exam will be released on June 5.
Read Huawei joints with BUET to make ICT talent ecosystem in country