Italy
Walton CEO visits Italy to see ACC's progress on plant dismantling
Walton Hi-Tech Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Golam Murshed has visited the production plant of renowned European electronics brand ACC in Italy.
"The dismantling of the ACC's compressor production plant and the process of bringing all the machinery from there to Bangladesh is going on in full swing. More than 100 Bangladeshi engineers and technicians are now in Italy to get the work done," Murshed said.
Read: Walton launches 6 new models of All-in-One PCs
Walton recently acquired the rights of ACC, Zanussi Elettromeccanica (ZEM) and Verdichter (VOE) along with their trademarks in 57 countries, intellectual properties (patents, design and software licences) and a fully automated inverter and non-inverter compatible compressor plant, according to a media statement.
Businesses for working closely to boost trade, investment between Bangladesh, Italy
Speakers at a discussion have laid emphasis on working closely to promote bilateral economic and commercial relations between Bangladesh and Italy acknowledging huge and untapped potentials between the two countries.
The Embassy of Bangladesh in Rome organised the discussion titled “Mapping Exercise: Bangladesh-Italy Trade and Investment Opportunities” at a local hotel in Rome recently as a part of the first “Economic Diplomacy Week” initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A good number of Italian business leaders spoke and shared their perspectives while expressing their readiness to work closely to explore the opportunities.
Also read: New Chancery building of Bangladesh Embassy in Lisbon inaugurated
Bangladesh-Italy bilateral trade volume stands at around US$ 2.2 billion while Italy is the 6th largest export destination of Bangladesh, according to the Bangladesh Embassy in Rome.
Secretary (West) at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Shabbir Ahmad Chowdhury identified economic emancipation of the common people as the core objective of the War of Liberation of Bangladesh and underscored strengthening economic and trade relations between the two friendly countries.
Gianpaolo Neri, Head of South Asia Desk, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy highly lauded the development journey of Bangladesh.
He expressed all-out support from the Italian government to forge strong economic and commercial links between the two countries.
Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Md. Sirazul Islam emphasized on launching of a Business Council.
Appreciating the huge interest shown by Italian and Bangladeshi stakeholders at the maiden initiative of the Embassy, aimed at attracting foreign investment and promoting bilateral trade, Bangladesh ambassador to Italy, Montenegro and Serbia Md. Shameem Ahsan underscored the importance of exploring the huge untapped potentials to inject dynamism in the existing cordial bilateral relations.
Also read: Sudhakar Dalela likely to be next Indian envoy to Bangladesh
Citing the on-going celebration of the golden jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two friendly countries, he urged the Italian investors and business leaders to invest in Bangladesh in a big way.
The ambassador paid deep tribute to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who dreamt of “Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal)”.
He mentioned that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is carrying the mantle of Bangabandhu to materialize his dream.
The ambassador shared the happy moment of the opening of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge by the Prime Minister which was fully funded by the resources of the country.
Textile, apparel, leather, renewable energy, agriculture and food processing, food retailing and bakery, ICT, ceramics, light engineering, jute and jute products, solar modules, blue economy, robotics for automotive sectors, healthcare equipment and technology were identified, among others, potential sectors of collaboration.
Concerned Directors General at the MoFA, Presidents of FBCCI, BGMEA, BASIS, LFMEAB and Apex Footwear and representatives from Walton, E-CAB joined the interactive session from Bangladesh side while Trade Commissioner at the Italian Embassy in New Delhi, CEOs and representatives of top Italian trade bodies spoke.
Acknowledging untapped huge potentials, they shared their perspectives with specific recommendations so that Bangladesh-Italy relations assume economic significance.
Italy keen to supply LNG to Bangladesh
Italy is keen to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Bangladesh.
Such interest of the European country was expressed when its ambassador to Bangladesh Enrico Nunziata met State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid at his office at the ministry on Thursday.
The Italian Envoy informed the state minister that its state coordinated energy company Eni SPA is interested to supply the LNG and also wants to work with Bangladesh to contribute in the field of sustainable energy, gas exploration, LNG and traditional refinery development, wind, hydrogen and new technology invention.
Also read: Global oil, LNG price hike impact Bangladesh: Momen
He also presented the current state of Italian companies’ operations in energy and technology sectors in Bangladesh.
The Italian envoy discussed different issues including decarbonsation, bio refining, development of renewable energy, hydrocarbon production.
Appreciating the Italian interest, Nasrul Hamid said the European company will be welcomed in Bangladesh.
He said the business model through which the Italian company wants to supply the LNG should be discussed at the expert level.
“Bangladesh and Italy can exchange their experiences in oil and gas exploration and also in the development of hydrogen fuel,” he said.
Also read: Bangladesh purchases LNG, fertiliser at lower rates as prices fall in global market
Both the nations would be benefited if such experiences are exchanged at the officials’ level under a certain framework, he added.
Senior Vice president of the International Affairs Analysis and Business Support Department of Eni SPA Marco Piredda, Vice President of the Business Development Department Mauro Rinaudo, were among others present in the meeting.
Messi inspires Argentina to 3-0 Finalissima win over Italy
Energized at Wembley by Lionel Messi's assists, Argentina's players threw their superstar teammate in the air after he inspired them to a second title in a year.
National team success is finally coming for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, late in his trophy-filled club career.
Argentina collected the first Finalissima trophy on Wednesday by beating Italy 3-0 in a meeting of the South American and European champions, with Messi having helped Argentina win the Copa America last July for his first major title with the national team.
Also read: Bale bids farewell to Madrid, says he fulfilled his dream
And judging by the two assists on his record-extending 161st Argentina appearance, there is no sign of the 34-year-old Messi slowing down with the chance to win a first World Cup title later this year.
“What we experienced here was beautiful,” Messi said. "We knew it was going to be a nice game and a nice setting in which to be champions.”
The opener was created by Messi’s solo brilliance taking him past Giovanni Di Lorenzo and the Argentina captain squared for Lautaro Martínez to slot past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 28th minute.
Martínez turned creator in first-half stoppage time by threading a pass through for Ángel Di María to chip Donnarumma, having got past Giorgio Chiellini. The 37-year-old Italy captain came off at halftime of his 117th and final international appearance.
The win was wrapped up in the fourth minute of stoppage time with Messi gaining possession on the halfway line and rampaging to the edge of the penalty area where he evaded Di Lorenzo's challenge to set up the substitute Paulo Dybala to strike low into the net.
It sealed a second trophy success at Wembley for Messi after the 2011 Champions League win with Barcelona over Manchester United. As they celebrated on the Wembley field, the Argentines threw Messi in the the air before catching him.
Also read:Pogba leaving Unite for free after joining for record fee
It was a painful return for the Italians to Wembley Stadium where they won Euro 2020 last year and as they face up to a second successive failure to qualify for the World Cup.
Argentina will head to Qatar in November with another trophy — one created as part of a UEFA-CONMEBOL partnership that challenges the global supremacy of FIFA.
The choice of London as the location for the game was vindicated by more than 87,000 packing into Wembley, with UEFA picking the stadium despite the unrest at the Euro 2020 final caused by England fans.
High speed patrol boat for Ctg port’s internal communication arrives from Italy
An imported high-speed patrol boat for Chattogram port’s internal communication has arrived from Italy
MV Songa Cheeta, the container ship carrying the boat, was berthed at the CCT jetty of the port on Sunday, said the port authority. It arrived at outer anchorage on Saturday completing a 26-day journey starting from Italy’s Salerno port on April 18.
The speed boat bought from Italy has cost the port authority Tk 22 crore. It will be used for fast movement of port pilots from Patenga to Matarbari deep sea port and to avoid unexpected accidents at outer anchorage.
Also read: First container ship leaves for Italy from Ctg port with RMG goods
The boat with 16.5 meters length and 1.2 meters depth was made at FB Design yard in Italy. The boat has modern navigational equipment, satellite radar, satellite compass, two engines, three generators and other necessary instruments.
The boat can carry 16 passengers at a time and will be able to turn on its own if it capsizes due to catastrophic weather, said the authority.
Also read: Crew of sunken ship stranded in Kolkata for 5 weeks; out of money, may stop getting food
Md Omar Faruq, Secretary of Chattogram port authority said, “The boat can be unloaded after 300 containers. A total of 10 staff, officials of the port’s shipping department are being trained to operate the boat.”
“The boat will be sent for trial operation after unloading and clearance from customs. After trial it will be kept at the service jetty of berth-1,” he said.
Tourists, rejoice! Italy, Greece relax COVID-19 restrictions
For travelers heading to Europe, summer vacations just got a whole lot easier.
Italy and Greece relaxed some COVID-19 restrictions on Sunday before Europe's peak summer tourist season, in a sign that life was increasingly returning to normal.
Greece’s civil aviation authority announced that it was lifting all COVID-19 rules for international and domestic flights except for the wearing of face masks during flights and at airports. Previously, air travelers were required to show proof of vaccination, a negative test or a recent recovery from the disease.
Under a decree passed by Italy's health ministry, the country did away with the health pass that had been required to enter restaurants, cinemas, gyms and other venues. The green pass, which showed proof of vaccination, recovery from the virus or a recent negative test, is still required to access hospitals and nursing homes.
Also read: Australia welcomes back tourists with toy koalas, Tim Tams
Some indoor mask mandates also ended, including inside supermarkets, workplaces and stores. Masks are still required on public transport, in cinemas and in all health care and eldercare facilities.
As of Sunday, visitors to Italy also no longer have to fill out the EU passenger locator form, a complicated online ordeal required at airport check-in.
“It was needed,” said Claudio Civitelli, a Rome resident who was having his morning coffee at a bar near the Trevi Fountain. Until Sunday, patrons had to wear a mask to enter bars and restaurants, though they could remove them to eat and drink. “We have waited more than two years.”
At a nearby table, Andrea Bichler, an Italian tourist from Trentino Alto-Adige, sat with similarly maskless friends.
Also read: India opens to vaccinated foreign tourists after 18 months
“It’s much better,” Bichler said. “Let’s say it’s a return to life, a free life.”
Public health officials say masks still remain highly recommended for all indoor activities, and private companies can still require them.
Even with the restrictions increasingly going by the wayside, public health officials urged prudence and stressed that the pandemic was still not over. Italy is reporting 699 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and is recording more than 100 deaths per day, with a total confirmed death toll at 163,500. But hospital capacity remains stable and under the critical threshold.
Given the virus is still circulating, "we should keep up the vaccine campaign, including boosters, and keep up behavior inspired by prudence: wearing masks indoors or in crowded places or wherever there's a risk of contagion,” said Dr. Giovanni Rezza, in charge of prevention at the health ministry.
Italy was the epicenter of Europe's outbreak when it recorded the first locally transmitted case on Feb. 21, 2020. The government imposed one of the harshest lockdowns and production shutdowns in the West during the first wave of the virus, and maintained more stringent restrictions than many of its neighbors in subsequent waves.
First container ship leaves for Italy from Ctg port with RMG goods
Bangladesh’s first-ever direct export of readymade garments by sea started on Monday with MV Songa Cheeta leaving Chattogram port for Italy.
The ship left the port at around 3 pm for Ravenna port in Italy carrying 950 TEUs (Twenty Equipment Unit) in 493 boxes.
On Saturday, the ship anchored at NCT04 jetty of the port carrying the empty containers.
Port chairman, Rear Admiral M Shahjahan inaugurated the direct ship operation on Bangladesh-Italy route on Monday at NCT jetty of the port.
Also read: Don’t get trapped by traffickers, warns Embassy after deaths in Italy
Terming it as a ground breaking turn of Bangladesh economy he said ships on this route will be prioritized for facilitating with berthing, key gantry crane allotment and other amenities.
Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the EU to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley, Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Enrico Nunziata, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan were present at the inauguration They hailed the direct shipment as a new milestone for Bangladesh in international sea trade.
“Now it will mostly take 15 days to send goods to European ports which used to take one and a half months before. It will decrease the carrying cost by 45 to 50 per cent, “said Md Omar Faruque, a Chattogram port official.
BGMEA leaders and concerned shipping agents said until now the RMG goods for export were sent to Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysian ports in containers on feeder ships from Chattogram port.
From there the containers are carried by larger ships bound for European and US ports, they said.
Also read: Increased capacity of Ctg Port to cut cost of doing business: FBCCI
According to them if direct container ship operation on Chattogram-Italy route remains uninterrupted Bangladesh will be ahead of Vietnam in RMG export as it will save lead time and fare.
On December 23, the first trial ship operation to Bangladesh from Italy began by bringing empty containers.
Italy’s Sofia Goggia ready for Olympics
Sofia Goggia is back on snow and preparing to fly to China to defend her Olympic downhill title two weeks after crashing and injuring her left knee and leg.
Goggia posted a video on Facebook showing herself wearing Italy’s Olympic team jacket and says, “today I got back on skis and it was great.”
She adds, “So much work over these two weeks, so many injuries to cure, so much effort … but so much desire to make it.”
Also read: Emboldened China opens Olympics, with lockdown and boycotts
Goggia sprained her left knee, partially tore a cruciate ligament and has a “minor fracture” of the fibula bone in her leg. She also had some tendon damage after the crash in a World Cup super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Goggia has won the last eight World Cup downhills that she completed.
The Italian says that she’s “always been able to focus on the goal and I never considered it lost.” She adds that she’ll fly to China “soon” and that once there she’ll “put everything together turn after turn like always.”
Also read: More world leaders wish Beijing Winter Olympics, Paralympics complete success
Goggia could race the super-G next Friday. The women’s downhill is scheduled for Feb. 15.
Don’t get trapped by traffickers, warns Embassy after deaths in Italy
Bangladesh Embassy in Rome has urged all concerned not to be trapped by the human traffickers.
The request came following the death of seven reportedly Bangladesh nationals due to hypothermia (prolonged exposure to extreme cold temperatures).
Italian sources primarily confirmed that 273 out of 287 total migrants on board were from Bangladesh, out of which 7 died, and the rest are Egyptian nationals, said the Bangladesh Mission in Rome.
The Embassy expressed its sincere condolences for the victims and deep sympathy to their families; and mentioned that it remains in close touch with the concerned authorities in Italy for next appropriate action.
Seven dead bodies of reported Bangladesh nationals have already been sent to Agrigento (a place in Sicily) to be kept in the mortuary till repatriation and burial.
Discussion is on about procedural formalities for burial or repatriation to Bangladesh, said the Embassy.
Visiting dead bodies need court permission which is in progress but may take some time due to procedural matters, it said.
The officer met and talked with some survivors who have been shifted to various locations or admission centres.
Also read: No good news yet from Italy: FM about expats’ return
On receiving the information of the tragic incident on January 25 causing death of seven Bangladesh nationals, Bangladesh Embassy in Rome has been keeping constant touch with the relevant Italian authorities including two Honorary Consuls General of Bangladesh to Catania and Palermo to gather actual information and for taking appropriate measures from the Bangladesh side, said the Bangladesh Mission in Rome on Friday night.
A two-member team led by Md. Arfanul Hoque, Counsellor (Labour Welfare), accompanied by an Italian-knowing official, reached Lampedusa island, Italy on January 26.
The Labour Counsellor met Deputy Mayor of Lampedusa Prestipino Salvatore (Mayor was outside the station) on January 27.
During the meeting, both sides discussed the tragic incident and possible strategies and arrangements to prevent it in future and on closer coordination between the Italian side and the Embassy.
Also read: Italy includes Bangladesh in "seasonal, non-seasonal workers" programme: FM
He also met senior officials of the Italian Coast Guard (Corpo delle capitanerie di porto - Guardia Costiera) on Friday.
7 migrants die, 280 rescued off Italian island of Lampedusa
Seven migrants have died of apparent hypothermia on a packed wooden boat, the Italian coast guard said Tuesday after rescuing about 280 others off the coast of Lampedusa.
Three people were dead when the coast guard arrived for the rescue in rough waters, and a further four died while being transported to Lampedusa. Most of the migrants were from Egypt and Bangladesh.
Two coast guard boats conducted the rescue while a boat from Italy’s financial police stood by during “an operation made more complex by the rough sea conditions,” the coast guard said.
Italian authorities said the 20-meter (65-foot) boat was in Tunisian waters when the distress call first came in, but that they were unable to locate the boat. It was later found in the Italian search-and-rescue area, the coast guard said.
The NGO Alarm Phone, which forwards rescue calls from smugglers’ boats packed with migrants to authorities, tweeted that it took Italian rescue boats six hours to reach the migrants in distress.
“Their deaths could have been prevented,” the group said.
READ: Immigrants welcome Afghan refugees, inspired by own journeys
Arrivals in Italy this year are significantly higher than the past two winters, totaling 2,051 through early Tuesday, compared with 872 in the same period last year and 835 a year before that. Arrivals typically peak in the summer months.
The International Organization for Migration has marked 2021 as the deadliest for the central Mediterranean crossing route since 2018, with at least 1,315 dead. Bodies aren’t often recovered and the deaths are presumed from the accounts of survivors. More than 23,383 migrants are missing and presumed dead in the Mediterranean since 2014, 80% of those in the central Mediterranean.
READ: 53 die in horror crash of truck smuggling migrants in Mexico