Dhaka, Oct 25 (UNB) – BNP has taken an initiative to make active its former MPs, who are known as ‘reformists’ for their role against the party during the 1/11 government in 2007, ahead of the next general election.

As part of the move, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir held a meeting with 12 ‘reformist ex-MPs at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office on Thursday afternoon.

Former BNP state minister Alamgir Kabir, ex-whip Abu Yusuf Khalilur Rahman, ex-MPs Abu Heana, GM Siraj, Sarder Sakhawat Hossain Bakul, Najir Hossain, Dr Ziaul Haque, Ataur Rahman Angur, Elen Bhuttu, Shafiqul Islam Talukder, Shahidul Alam Talukder and Jahiruddin Swapan attended the meeting.

Of them, Alamgir Kabir and Abu Yusuf Khalilur Rahman left BNP in 2007 and joined Oli Ahmed-led LDP while the others became inactive in politics after 1/11 political changeover as they together with party’s then secretary general Abdul Manna Bhuiyan took position against the party seeking its vigorous reforms.

Party insiders said BNP has decided to withdraw the expulsion orders against the ‘reformist’ MPs and bring back those who quit the party at different times to make the party stronger ahead of the election.

On February 23, 2017, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia had a meeting with Sakhawat Hossain Bakul and Jahiruddin Swapn, and asked them to actively work in their respective areas.

A BNP standing committee member, wishing anonymity, said the party has already withdrawn expulsion order against some ‘reformist’ leaders, including its former office secretary Mofiqul Hasan Tripti.

He said Fakhrul will also hold meetings with other leaders who are now inactive in politics for various reasons.

Meanwhile, BNP at a press release said the party has taken a step for having its leaders and activists at all levels united and active following the formation of Jatiya Oikyafront.

It said Fakhrul held the meeting with the 12 ex-BNP MPs as part of the party standing committee’s decision.

At the meeting, the press release said, the BNP secretary general urged the ex-MPs to become fully active in the party and implement its all programmes and thus strengthen the party.

Besides, it said, the meeting discussed various issues, including ongoing national crisis, Khaleda Zia’s release, withdrawal of false cases against Tarique Rahman, and the release of all party arrested leaders and activists in false cases.

Dhaka, Oct 25 (UNB) – The Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday passed the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) Bill, 2018 raising the board members to nine from the existing five.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid moved the Bill in the House, which was passed by voice vote.

The Bill was designed in Bangla bringing a few changes to the National Curriculum and Textbook Board Ordinance 1983.

In the existing law, there is a provision of a five-member board headed by a chairman, but the number of its members has been increased to nine in the bill.

The eight separate businesses were defined for eight board members in the new law.

In the bill, there is a provision for formulating separate textbooks for small ethnic minority groups in their respective mother tongues as the matter is not there in the law.

Besides, a provision was incorporated in the Bill to formulate digital and interactive textbooks.

As per the bill, the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), a statutory body, will place its annual report before the government by March 31 every year.

Dhaka, Oct 25 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged China to put pressure on Myanmar so that it takes back Rohingyas who were displaced from their homeland in Rakhine state.

She made the call when visiting Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi met her at her official residence Ganobhaban in the city.

After the meeting, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

Sheikh Hasina hoped that China will play a positive and constructive role in resolving the Rohingya crisis, saying Chinese initiative will significantly help end the problem.

Talking about the longest sea bridge built in China, she said Bangladesh is a riverine country and it needs to construct many bridges, seeking Chinese cooperation in this regard.

Seeking more Chinese investment in Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said her government has kept aside land where Chinese entrepreneurs can develop their industries.

In reply, the Chinese State Councillor hoped that the investors of his country will respond to the call.

He said China always supports Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign country.

Highly praising dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Zhao Kezhi said Bangladesh’s development in recent years is just amazing.

Noting that China itself is a developing country, he said Bangladesh has also been graduated to a developing nation.

Raising the issue of terrorism, the Prime Minister mentioned her government’s zero-tolerance policy and recently enacted law to combat cybercrimes.

In response, the Chinese Public Security Affairs Minister said his country is ready to provide necessary technical assistance to Bangladesh in this regard.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Nojibur Rahman, PM’s Military Secretary Major General Mia Md Jainul Abedin, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary, Security Services Division Secretary Farid Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury and Public Security Division Secretary Mostafa Kamal Uddin were present.
 

Dhaka, Oct 25 (UNB) – Four major factors, including scarcity of raw materials and lack of skilled manpower, have stood in the way of the development of industrial sector in the country, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu told Parliament on Thursday.

The two other obstacles are electricity and gas crises, and lack of adequate experienced and knowledgeable entrepreneurs, he mentioned while replying to a question from independent MP Abdul Matin (Moulvibazar-2).

To overcome the obstacles, the minister said, the government has taken various steps, including modernisation of worn-out industries and institutions, simplification of loan conditions, formation of a special fund for industrial loan and setting up of new industrial estates, economic zones and hi-tech parks.

Besides, he said, the government has taken initiatives for providing technical education to youths, reducing import duty on industrial raw materials, giving gas and power connections to industries and factories under a special arrangement and formulation of industry-friendly National Industrial Policy, 2016 having provisions of giving various incentives to foreign entrepreneurs.

The minister said dynamism has come in the industrial sector with the good industrial growth following various steps taken by the government.

Replying to another question by Awami League MP Didarul Alam (Chattogram-4), State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) brought 62,244 villages fully and 14,647 villages partly under electricity coverage.

He said 6,928 villages under the jurisdiction of BREB still remain out of electricity coverage.

The state minister said the government is implementing 15 projects to bring all the 83,819 villages under the jurisdiction of BERB under full electricity coverage by installing 84,000 kilometers of distribution lines.

Dhaka, Oct 25 (UNB) – Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Thursday said Dr Kamal Hossain is deceiving the country’s people through forming Jatiya Oikyafront with BNP-Jamaat.

“Dr Kamal said he has no relation with Tarique Rahman but he has been associated with BNP where Tarique is its acting chairman. Besides, he said he has no relation with Jamaat but Jamaat is in alliance with BNP. He is actually deceiving people through his remarks,“ Tofail said.

He was talking to reporters after inaugurating the 6th BAPA Foodpro International Expo 2018 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.

Responding to a query, the minister said BNP must take part in the upcoming general election to save its existence. “If they don’t participate in the polls, the election won’t wait for them. The election will be held in time.”

BNP has to face tougher action if it tries to create any anarchy, including attacking people, hurling petrol bombs and observing strikes and blockades, as they did in 2014, he said.

Mentioning that the upcoming national election will be held under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Tofail said BNP’s demand for an election-time government will remain as a dream.