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Expedite work on Sheikh Hasina Nakshipalli Jamalpur project: JS body
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles and Jute Ministry on Sunday recommended the ministry to take steps for expediting implementation of ‘Sheikh Hasina Nakshipalli, Jamalpur (Phase I)’ project.
The recommendation came from the 12th meeting of the committee held at the Parliament Bhaban with its chairman Mirza Azam MP in the chair.
The parliamentary watchdog asked the ministry for necessary steps to complete the implementation of the project soon by re-fixing a logical deadline as its original deadline expired in December 2021.
On March, 2019, the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the project involving an estimated cost of Tk 722 crore, aiming at enhancing facilities for Nakshi entrepreneurs, handloom and handicraft workers, alleviation of poverty of Nakshi and handloom workers and improvement of their livelihood condition.
Bangladesh Handloom Board is implementing the project on a 300-acre land in Jamalpur.
Besides, the parliamentary body suggested the implementation of a project titled "Sheikh Hasina Sonali Ansh Bhaban" (Sheikh Hasina Golden Fiber Bhaban), which was approved by Bangabandhu Memorial Trust, through a sharing method between a developer firm and Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation.
The meeting discussed BJMC manpower issues, the progress in enlistment of jute products as agricultural goods, the steps taken by the ministry to solve the existing problems in jute sector including waiving bank loans against private jute mills, and the measures taken to ensure enforcement of the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act 2010.
Committee members Mouazzem Hossain Ratan, Ranajit Kumar Roy, Nazrul Islam Chowdhury and Shahin Akter attended the meeting.
Budget needs to protect marginal sections' purchasing power
Speakers at virtual discussions stressed that the budget for the next fiscal needs to protect marginal and lower-middle classes from the adverse impact of spiraling prices of essentials.
They also highlighted that losses caused by the pandemic in the areas of economic activities, education and health should be the priority of the upcoming national budget.
The speakers came up with remarks while addressing a virtual dialogue organized by Citizen's Platform for SDGs Bangladesh on Upcoming National Budget 2022-2023, held on Sunday.
At the dialogue, representatives of the disadvantaged population groups and the partner organizations of the Citizen's Platform shared their views and expectations on the upcoming national budget, in view of the challenges faced by the disadvantaged communities at the grassroots level.
Also read: Budget needs realistic expenditure plan for pandemic recovery: CPD
The speakers said the outbreak of Covid-19 has caused both national and global repercussions. As the world was preparing to mitigate the losses, the conflict in Ukraine emerged as another shock.
“Bangladesh is also bearing the consequences. The prices of different commodities have soared in the domestic market. Indeed, the global and national disruptions in the supply chain have caused the prices of necessary items to go up, making the daily necessities out of the reach of low and lower-middle income groups,” they added.
The overall public expenditure should be increased, especially in the areas of agriculture, education, employment, health and social safety net programmes, said Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Convener, Citizen's Platform for SDGs and Distinguished Fellow, CPD.
He stated that the general public should have the opportunity to respond prior to the actual budget if a draft of the budget or budget policy is shared. A targeted expansionary monetary policy is now needed, he said.
The next budget, for the 2022-23 fiscal, is due to be tabled in June.
Khandekar Jahurul Alam, Executive Director, Centre for Services and Information on Disability (CSID) specified that education, health and employment are the three areas where persons with disabilities have been most affected. He informed that more than 40,000 children with disabilities dropped out of school during the pandemic.
Shakeb Nabi, Country Representative, Cordaid, highlighted that the majority of the small and marginalized farmers are in the informal sector. Md. Mostofa Ali, Senior Program Officer, Oxfam in Bangladesh also said that the agriculture budget should be farmer-friendly and include the farmers.
Also read: Govt aims to reduce budget deficit to 5.7% in upcoming financial year, says official document
Shima Moslem, Joint General Secretary, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad emphasis should be given to establishing women's political, economic, and human rights to bring them to the mainstream level.
Biplob Chandra Das, student, Government Bangabondhu College, said that a large section of Horijon children dropped out of school while child marriages increased during the pandemic.
Avra Bhattacharjee, Joint Director, Dialogue and Outreach, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said the national budget should address the issues along with the government's commitment to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Hike in tobacco prices demanded to curtail harm
A human chain was formed on a virtual platform on Sunday, demanding that the government increase taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products to protect the young generation from harms.
Participants from different parts of the country joined the event by uploading their pictures with festoons and placards on Facebook to press home the demand, using #RaiseTaxSaveLivesBD hashtags.
Also read: Govt urged to reject offer for Covid-19 vaccine from any tobacco company
The event was organised by an anti-tobacco advocacy organisation, PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), with support from Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids (CTFK), said a release.
In the function, the enhancement of the prices of tobacco products was demanded through imposing specific supplementary duties in the upcoming FY 2022-23 National Budget.
The anti-tobacco organisations demand that the retail price for the low-tier cigarettes should be set at BDT 50 for 10 sticks by imposing BDT 32.50 as specific supplementary duty (SD) in the next national budget.
The retail price of the medium tier cigarettes should be set at BDT 75 for 10 sticks with BDT 48.75 supplementary duty and that of the high-tier cigarette at BDT 120 with BDT 78.00 SD and the premium tier at BDT 150 with BDT 97.50 SD.
If the tobacco prices are raised at the suggested rates, it would encourage 1.3 million adults to refrain from smoking, to prevent the premature deaths of 4.45 lakh adults and 4.48 lakh youths in the long run, and help the government to earn additional revenue of BDT 9,200 crore.
Besides, the anti-tobacco organisations demand the retail price of non-filtered bidis should be increased at BDT 25 for 25 sticks with BDT 11.25 as specific supplementary duty.
Also read: Tobacco industry’s interference continues: Study
In case of smokeless tobacco products, the retail prices for 10 grams of jarda should be raised to BDT 45 with BDT 27 as 60 percent supplementary duty. For 10 grams of gul, the retail price should be enhanced to BDT 25 with BDT 15 as specific supplementary duty.
“Increasing tobacco products’ prices by imposing specific supplementary duties would raise government revenues and reduce tobacco-related deaths and losses,” said PROGGA Executive Director ABM Zubair.
Coordination demanded in underground cabling of electricity, internet lines
Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers Association (BMPCA) has demanded proper coordination in underground cabling of electricity and internet lines in Dhaka city.
In a statement on Monday the BMPCA president Mohiuddin Ahmed said that the Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC) has been working to take overhead cables underground across its commanding areas in Dhaka city.
Also read: Overhead electricity cables to go underground in major cities: Nasrul Hamid
As part of the project, it has laid underground cable in 19 kilometer in the two sides of the main roads from Jahangir Gate in Cantonment to Bangabhaban to replace the existing overhead electricity cables to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
It is very essential to ensure coordination with this project to take the overhead internet cables underground, he said.
Similarly, the DPDC has initiated a move to replace the overhead cables in 10 km areas from Gabtoli to Azimpur. For this project different transformers, ring main unit, low tension distribution bops and other necessary equipment will be installed.
If internet cables are not taken underground through coordination with the underground electric cables of DPDC, it will not be possible to free the Dhaka city from the hazards of the overhead cables. As a result, the harassment of the consumers will increase and continue to rise. People will be deprived from the hazardous free internet service.
Also read: DPDC blames delay in launching Dhanmondi underground cable project on DSCC, hails DNCC cooperation
So, the Power Division and the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) should work together to remove the overhead cables from the city through coordination, said the BMPCA.
The internet service providers should be involved in the coordination process, it added.
Bangladesh logs 51 Covid cases with zero death
Bangladesh logged 51 fresh Covid cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning, taking the total caseload to 19,52,326.
As per the latest government data, the country’s total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,124 as no deaths were reported during the period.
Also read: It’s not over: COVID-19 cases are on the rise again in US
The daily positivity rate slightly dropped to 1.04 per cent from Saturday's 1.28 per cent f after testing 4,892 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
On Saturday, the number of infections was same as 51 new cases were reported with no death.
Besides, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent.
The recovery rate rose to 96.85 per cent with the recovery of 326 more patients during the 24-hour period.
In March, the country reported 85 Covid-linked deaths and 8,000 new cases while 66,639 patients recovered from the disease, according to DGHS.
Among the 85 deaths during the period, 44 were unvaccinated patients, 11 were vaccinated with the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, 28 with the second dose and two with the third dose.
Also read: Bangladesh logs 35 Covid cases, no deaths
The country reported its first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 last year, along with 178 infections, since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020.
On January 28, Bangladesh logged its previous highest daily positivity rate at 33.37 per cent reporting 15,440 cases and 20 deaths.
Besides, the country registered the highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year, while the highest number of daily fatalities was 264 on August 10 last year.
Stop DJ party at educational institutions in the name of Rag Day: HC
The High Court on Sunday ordered the authorities concerned to take necessary steps within 30 days to stop DJ party, dance, bulling and obscenity at educational institutions in the name of Rag Day.
The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by a lawyer.
The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the inaction of the authorities concerned in stopping DJ party, dance, bulling and obscenity at the educational institutions in the name of Rag Day should not be declared illegal.
Also read: DU bans 'inhuman, unethical' Rag Day
Secretaries to the Education Ministry, Information Ministry, Cultural Affairs Ministry, University Grants Commission Chairman, Vice-Chancellors of Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, Jahangirnagar University, Khulna University and Barishal University, Inspector General of Police, Director General of the Department of Secondary and High Secondary Education have been made respondents to the rule which is returnable in four weeks.
On April 7, Advocate Mohamamd Quamrul Hasan filed the writ petition.
According to the writ petition, it has been noticed recently that some educational institutions organize DJ party in the name of ‘Rag Day’ and the images and video footages of those parties go viral on social networking sites.
The teachers were supposed to guide students to build their lives with moral values but under the patronage of the educational institution such immoral activates are going on. So it is needed to stop these activities to save the next generation from this bad culture, it said.
BTCL launches prepaid services for high speed internet, telephone
Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL)on Sunday launched prepaid services for its customers to ensure high speed internet and telephone services.
Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar inaugurated the services at BTCL’s Easkaton office.
Managing director of BTCL Rafiqul Matin, said the prepaid package include telephone and internet bundle packages and customers can get telephone package after recharging Tk 150 for 30 days.
For internet package, the BTCL has introduced 11 packages from 5mbps to 100mbps ranging from Tk 500 to 4200.
If any customer wants to purchase the package with telephone facilities, then s/he will have to provide additional Tk 100 for each package and the tenure of the package will remain for 30 days, said Rafiqul.
READ: No more line rent for BTCL connections
The BTCL launched the service under its Modernization of Telecommunication Network Project.
Customers of BTCL can apply for the prepaid service and choose their packages through BTCL portal http:mybtcl.btcl.gov.bd at home.
Besides, customers will get unlimited talk time facility from BTCL to BTCL at Tk 100 for 30 days while for other operators the call rate will be Tk 48 paisa per minute .
Customers can recharge their packages through Nagad, bKash and bank cards.
Mild heat wave sweeps over parts of Bangladesh
A mild heat wave is sweeping over the regions of Rajshahi, Pabna and Jashore and it may continue, said a Met Office bulletin.
“Rain or thunder showers with intense lightning flashes is likely to occur at a few places over Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rangpur division and the districts of Kishoregonj and Brahmanbaria,” it said.
READ: Mild to moderate heat wave sweeps over Dhaka, Barishal divisions
Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country.
Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.
Man crushed under train in Chattogram
A 28-year-old man was crushed under the wheels of a train on Barabkunda Shuklalhat Rail track in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram district on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Helal Hossain, son of Siraj Mia of Subarnachar in Noakhali district.
READ: CU student harassed on shuttle train
Khorshed Alam, sub-inspector of Sitakunda Railway Police outpost, said local people spotted the body of Helal on the track around 7 am and informed police.
Police recovered the body and sent it to a local hospital morgue.
Nalka bridge in Sirajganj to be opened to traffic partially to ease traffic jam during Eid
One lane of Nalka bridge over the Fuljor River in Salanga upazila will be opened to traffic before Eid-ul-Fitr to mitigate the sufferings of home-bound people caused by traffic jam during Eid journey.
The construction work of Nalka Bridge on the western side of Bangabandhu Bridge is going on in the full swing and it is expected to be completed before Eid, said Project Manager of the Bridge Ekhlas Uddin.
Besides, a total of 450 policemen will work on highways linked to Bangabandhu Bridge to ensure smooth journey of holidaymakers, said police.
Lutfur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Hatikumrul Highway Police Station, said the policemen will work to ensure security of the commuters and ease movement of traffic.
READ: Padma Bridge to be opened to traffic in June, Quader reiterates
Every year, home-bound people suffer a lot due to 36-kilometer long tailback on Dhaka-Sirajganj highway from Hatikumrul Gol Chattar via Chandaikona.
To ease the suffering of commuters, the government has taken a project to upgrade the Bangabandhu West Side to Dhaka-Rangpur-Burimari highway into a four-lane one.
As the construction work has not been completed yet, Eid holidaymakers might experience severe traffic jam this year like the previous years.