Parliament
Legal process underway to bring home laundered money: Finance Minister
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told the Parliament on Tuesday that legal proceedings are underway to recover the money laundered from the country based on specific information,
The minister, in reply to a tabled question from Jatiya Party MP Mashiur Rahman Ranga, said that due to various procedural and legal complications, recovery of laundered money takes a long time.
He also mentioned that determining the amount of laundered money is very difficult.
He, however, reiterated the government’s determination to bring home the laundered money. Various development organisations and research organisations use different methodologies to estimate the amount of money smuggled out of the country.
“But even those organizations do not claim to be accurate in their methodologies,” he said.
The finance minister said, the reports of these organizations show conflicting information about the amount of money laundered from Bangladesh.
“In fact, quantifying money laundering is extremely difficult. But regardless of the scale or amount of money laundering from the country, the government is determined to stop the possible sources of money laundering as well as prevent money laundering and bring the money back to Bangladesh,” Kamal said.
He said that for this purpose, all the government’s agencies are working together.
Read more: Finance Minister Mustafa Kamal urges global leaders to ease economic crisis
The finance minister expressed hope that money laundering will reduce to a large extent in the future due to the government's actions.
Kamal said that Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has been collecting information from foreign financial intelligence agencies about smugglers or smuggled money and providing it to various investigating agencies including the Anti-Corruption Commission, CID of Bangladesh Police and the National Board of Revenue.
He also said that several cases related to buying flats or houses abroad (including Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, United Kingdom, USA, Canada etc.) or in any other manner are currently under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Besides, proceedings of several cases related to money laundering filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police are ongoing.
On the other hand, the inter-agency task force under the leadership of the Attorney General is working to recover the money smuggled abroad.
Besides, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been designated as the central authority to provide mutual assistance in matters related to crime in order to ensure mutual legal cooperation with various countries.
In response to a question from Workers Party MP Lutfun Nesa Khan, the finance minister said that Bangladesh is far below the risk limit as per the percentage of foreign debt-GDP.
He said that the economy of Bangladesh is at a risk-free and satisfactory level in terms of foreign loans.
Read more: $4.5bn IMF loan: 1st instalment expected next Feb, says Mustafa Kamal
The finance minister claimed that there is no major risk in the medium and long term repayment of Bangladesh's foreign debt.
Quoting the IMF report, the minister said that Bangladesh is risk-free in terms of foreign debt including domestic debt till 2032.
In reply to another query, the finance minister said that 217 people have been sent to jail for defaulting on loans during the tenure of the current government. The incident of taking 12 farmers to jail for defaulting on loans (in Pabna) is related to Bangladesh Sambay Bank Ltd. It is not a scheduled bank under Bangladesh Bank.
The minister also said it is not appropriate to comment on the issue of sending loan defaulters to jail as it under the jurisdiction of the courts.
Bill placed in JS to establish universities in Meherpur, Naogaon
Two bills were placed in Parliament on Tuesday to establish universities in Meherpur and Naogaon.
These two bills are --‘Mujibnagar University’ in Meherpur and ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University’ in Naogaon.
Read more: JS passes Bill replacing 1982 Ordinance for SC judges
Education Minister Dipu Moni placed the two bills.
Both Bills were sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education Ministry.
The committee was asked to submit their reports within one month.
Read more: Review of mass media employees bill gets another 60-day extension
Haat and Bazar (establish and management) Bill placed in JS
The Haat and Bazar (establish and management) Bill, 2022 was placed in Parliament on Sunday to replace the related Ordinance of 1959 to make it time befitting.
Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury placed the bill and it was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for further examination. The Committee was asked to submit its report within 15 days.As per the Bill, there are 26 articles in the proposed law. As per the law, no one can set up any haat and bazar without permission from the government.
If any unauthorised haat or bazar is set up in any area the government will take over that as Khas land.
The district administration and the government will manage the lands of haat or bazar and no land can be transferred permanently.
Also read: 21st Parliament session to continue till Feb 9
As per the proposed law, if anyone or a group of people illegally occupy Khas land of any haat and bazar and construct any establishment will be fined not more than Tk 5 lakh or get one year of imprisonment or both.
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
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.
Parliament’s winter session begins on January 5
President Abdul Hamid on Monday convened the 21st session of the 11th Parliament on January 5, 2023.
The President convened the first session of 2023, exercising the power bestowed upon him as per the Clause (1) of Article 72 of the constitution, said a press release of Parliament Secretariat.
The winter session will begin at 4pm on January 5.
Read more: PM thanks JaPa for playing positive role in parliamentary democracy
The President has to address the first parliament session in a new year, according to Article 73(2) of the Constitution. Later, there’ll be a discussion over a thanksgiving motion on the President’s speech in the House during the session.
Earlier, the 20th session of the current parliament was prorogued on November 06 only after six sittings. So, the House is going into session after a recess of 59 days.
Read more: 5 parliamentary seats now vacant after BNP MPs’ resignation: Speaker
South Africa's parliament votes against impeaching Ramaphosa
South Africa's parliament voted against starting impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa over a report that says he held undeclared foreign currency at his farm in 2020.
The lawmakers voted 214 to 148 against the move to impeach Ramaphosa. The ruling African National Congress party, which holds a majority in the parliament, largely stood with Ramaphosa, preventing the motion from getting the two-thirds vote needed to proceed with impeachment.
Four ANC members of parliament, however, showed their opposition to Ramaphosa by voting in favor of impeachment and a few more did not show up for the vote.
Read more: Anger in rural areas fuel protests against Peru government
The crucial vote came after a damning parliamentary report alleged that Ramaphosa illegally hid at least $580,000 in cash in a sofa at his Phala Phala game ranch. It said he did not report the theft of the money to the police in order to avoid questions over how he got the foreign currency and why he had not declared it to authorities.
The report has brought Ramaphosa's opponents — opposition parties and even rivals within his ANC party — to call for him to step down.
At least four ANC lawmakers broke ranks with the party line and voted along with the opposition parties in favor of the impeachment process, including Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, currently a minister in Ramaphosa’s Cabinet and high-ranking ANC leader.
Dlamini-Zuma lost against Ramaphosa for the ANC presidency at its last national conference in 2017.
Other notable figures who voted in favor of Ramaphosa’s impeachment were Supra Mahumapelo and Mosebenzi Zwane, known rivals of Ramaphosa and allies of former president Jacob Zuma, indicating the extent of divisions within the ANC.
During the Tuesday seating. ANC lawmakers argued that the panel that drafted the report did not present enough evidence to warrant the impeachment of Ramaphosa. They said that other law enforcement agencies are still probing the matter.
They also cited Ramaphosa’s application for a judicial review of the report, saying parliament should await the outcome of that process before proceeding with any move against the president.
The parliamentary vote comes in a week where Ramaphosa will also be fighting for his political life as he seeks to be re-elected the leader of the ANC at its national conference starting in Johannesburg on Friday.
Read more: Congress removes Peru's president amid political unrest
The conference will also elect members of the party’s National Executive Committee, which is the party's highest decision-making body.
Ramaphosa must be re-elected as the ANC leader in order to stand for re-election to a second term as South Africa's president in 2024.
UNF
Comedian and actor Adam Sandler to get 2023 Mark Twain Prize
New York, Dec 13 (AP/UNB)- Over the years, The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor has gone to such luminaries as Richard Pryor, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, George Carlin and Ellen DeGeneres. Next year, it's going to the guy who made us crack up as Happy Gilmour.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts said Tuesday that Adam Sandler would receive the prestigious award at a gala on March 19.
“Adam Sandler has entertained audiences for over three decades with his films, music, and his tenure as a fan favorite cast member on ‘SNL,’” said Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter in a statement. “Adam has created characters that have made us laugh, cry, and cry from laughing."
The 56-year-old actor-comedian, who this year starred in the well-received Netflix basketball drama-comedy “Hustle,” has created a list of funny films, like “Happy Gilmore,” “Billy Madison,” “Grown Ups,” “Big Daddy,” “The Longest Yard” and “The Waterboy.”
His role as Howard Ratner in “Uncut Gems” garnered Sandler several nominations and awards, including winning the National Board of Review and the Independent Spirit Award.
BNP MPs resigned to impede democracy: Hasan Mahmud
Information Minister Hasan Mahmud has said that the Members of Parliament (MPs) of BNP have resigned with an intention to thwart the democratic system of the country.
The Minister said this while exchanging views with journalists at the conference room of his ministry at the Secretariat on Sunday.
Read more: 5 BNP MPs submit resignation to JS Speaker
“At their rallies, BNP have been continuously asking the government to resign. But now their own MPs have quit. This shows how undemocratic the BNP politicians are. The government or parliament won’t be affected by these resignations,” Hasan said.
Asked about BNP’s rally at Golapbagh, the Minister said that it was nothing compared to political programmes held by the ruling Awami League (AL).
“BNP had said that at least one million people will attend their Dhaka rally. In reality, only 50,000 came. More people attend our small-scale, local political programmes than what BNP was able to manage. By rejecting bigger venues proposed by the government, BNP proved that they don’t believe in their capacity to attract people to their events,” Hasan said.
The Minister added that BNP’s 10-point demand is another plot to create anarchy in the country.
Read more: 5 BNP MPs submit resignation to JS Speaker
“BNP couldn’t come out from their habit of creating terror. BNP’s 10 demands are nothing new, they’re making these demands for a long time. Law enforcement agencies and our party members are ready to thwart any sabotage plan by them,” Hasan added.
5 BNP MPs submit resignation to JS Speaker
Five out of seven BNP members of the parliament (MPs) submitted their resignation to Speaker of the Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Sunday, as part of their anti-government movement with a 10-point demand that includes dissolution of parliament.
The BNP MPs submitted their resignation letters at 12:20 pm, Mohammad Siraj, MP of Bogura-6, told UNB.
The MPs who resigned are: Md. Zahidur Rahman, Thakurgaon-3; Md. Mosharof Hosen, Bogura-4; Gulam Mohammad Siraj, Bogura-6; Md. Aminul Islam, Chapainawabganj-2 and Rumeen Farhana, from women’s reserved seats.
Read more: BNP declares start of ‘simultaneous anti-govt movement’ on Dec 24
Md. Harunur Rashid of Chapainawabganj-3, who is now in Australia and ailing MP of Brahmanbaria-2 Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan could not submit resignation to the Speaker today.
They will tender their resignation later as they have to submit it in person as per the constitution, said Mohammad Siraj.
Speaking to reporters at the Jatiya Sangsad, BNP’s international affairs secretary Rumeen said they submitted their resignation to the Speaker following their demand for dissolution of parliament.
“This is just the beginning. Now the other MPs from different political parties who support democracy should also come forward and resign,” she added.
Read more: BNP activists, locals complain of internet service disruption in and around Golapbagh rally venue
Earlier, Rumeen Farhana announced the decision from the party’s Golapbagh rally on Saturday.
The MPs sent their resignation through an email on Saturday.
BNP on Saturday unveiled a 10-point charter of demands from Golapbagh rally aimed at unseating the government through a simultaneous movement.