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Civic body fails to keep Nachol hydrated
Amid soaring temperatures during the fasting month of Ramadan, residents of Nachol in the northern district have been struggling to get something as basic as potable water.
The aggrieved residents claim that water scarcity is an annual occurance in Nachol, but the authorities concerned have so far failed to provide any relief. In fact, repeated complaints to local civic body officials have only fallen on deaf ears, they say.
Every morning, long queues of people can be seen before water tankers in several areas. The lucky ones get water, others are forced to return home empty-handed.
Abdur Rakib, a resident of ward-8, said, “We get water supply once a day and that's not enough for drinking, cooking, bathing and other purposes. The municipality has hiked taxes but failed to provide water to people.”
“It feels like we are living in a desert amid Ramadan. We have been forced to use water from a nearby pond for cleaning of utensils for the past few days,” Shahnewaj Parvin, a housewife from the area, said.
Local farmers fear that this water scarcity may snowball into a food production crisis. "Without water, we will not be able to water our crops. It's high time that the authorities woke up from slumber," said a farmer.
When contacted, Abdul Malek, assistant engineer of Nachol Municipality, was quick to admit the water crisis.
Read Also: Govt working to resolve water crisis: Minister
Shab-e-Qadr to be observed tonight
The holy Lailatul Qadr or Shab-e-Qadr, the holiest and most blessed night for Muslims, will be observed across the country on Thursday night with due solemnity and religious fervour.
Muslim devotees will spend the night seeking divine blessings for peace and progress of the country as well as the Muslim Ummah.
According to the holy Quran, this is superior to a thousand nights as the Quran was revealed to the greatest Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) on this glorified night to show mankind the path of worldly and eternal emancipation.
Read: Shab-e-Barat observed with religious fervour
Devout Muslims usually pass the night offering special prayers, recitation from the holy Quran, holding milad mahfils, zikr and other religious rituals at mosques and in their houses.
They also visit graveyards to seek divine blessings for the departed souls of their near and dear ones.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted the countrymen and the Muslim Ummah across the world on the occasion.
Newspapers will publish special articles while state-run Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and private television channels will air special programmes highlighting the significance of Lailatul Qadr.
Palak calls for Global Internet Governance Council & Frontier Technology Guidelines under UN
State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak on Wednesday called for the formulation of Global Internet Governance Council and Frontier Technology Guidelines under the support of the United Nations to protect the data and privacy of citizens.
“Through global inclusive participation, we will be able to protect the rights of our citizens as well as the economy in cyberspace,” said the state minister during a panel discussion titled ‘Diminished Democracies: Big Tech, Red Tech, and Deep Tech’ at RAISINA Dialogue 2022 in New Delhi.
Palak said Bangladesh is drafting a digital protection law. “We should cooperate with each other to innovate new and emerging technologies.”
He said, “We are using digital technology for the economic development of the country and the welfare of the citizens under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”
“In the interest of security, we do not want to allow Big Tech, Red Tech and Deep Tech technology to interfere. Bangladesh is working on 4 pillars to protect our political, economic and cyberspace.”
READ: Palak visits Indian Institute of Technology, NASSCOM in New Delhi
The panel discussion, moderated by Kanchan Gupta, senior adviser of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, was attended by Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology of India Rajiv Chandrasekhar, US Deputy National Security Adviser for Cyber and Emerging Technology Ann Newberger, US CEO of General Atomics Global Corporation Vivek Lal and Evan Nanjira Sambuli, a representative of the US Technology and International Affairs Program.
On Monday, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the second edition of ' RAISINA Dialogue 2022'.
RAISINA Dialogue is a multilateral flagship conference which has been held annually in New Delhi since 2016 on International Geopolitics.
'25-agency syndicate' hurting labour export to Malaysia, say recruiters
Alleged malpractice by "a 25-agency syndicate" is hurting Bangladesh's prospects in the Malaysian migrant market, according to some recruiting agencies and former leaders of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruitment Agencies (BAIRA).
They alleged that former secretary-general BAIRA Ruhul Amin Swapan, also the proprietor of Catharsis International, is the main leader of the syndicate.
At a press conference held on Wednesday under the banner of BAIRA Anti-Syndicate Grand Alliance (BASGA) at the Jatiya Press Club, the leaders demanded that the licences of all the recruiting agencies named in the syndicate, including Swapan be revoked.
Ali Haider Chowdhury, the organiser of the grand alliance and former secretary-general of BAIRA, read out a written statement while former BAIRA president Abul Bashar, former secretary general Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury Noman replied to various questions from the media.
Former BAIRA vice presidents Shahadat Hossain and Abul Barkat, former finance secretary Fakhrul Islam, Recruiting Agency Unity Council President M Tipu Sultan and Secretary General Arifur Rahman were also present at the programme.
The press conference was organised to brief the media about the latest development of reopening the market without any syndication and to demand that Bangladeshi migrants are to Malaysia like the way 13 other labour-exporting countries are doing.
READ: Factory owners must pay workers before the Eid holidays: State Minister for Labour
They also demanded the alleged syndicate leaders be taken to task.
Former leaders of BAIRA demanded that Bangladesh should be allowed to send workers to Malaysia in the same process as the other 13 source countries.
They sought the intervention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Malaysian government and all concerned to resolve the standoff.
Abul Bashar said the migration cost of workers increased several times due to 10 syndicates in the past. "If it is syndicated again, the cost will increase more. In addition, those involved in the syndicate have laundered money in various countries, including Canada in the past,” he alleged.
"The Malaysian market is not opening because of their misdeeds,” he said demanding that the government cancels the licenses of those whose names appear in this syndicate.
The former BAIRA president also said due to the syndicate, the migration cost of workers will increase manifold. "They will smuggle money abroad,” he said.
Ali Haider said some Malaysians are trying to make Bangladesh a "money-making machine" with the help of a local clique. "Syndication will increase irregularities, corruption and immigration costs as before. Hundreds of manpower traders will be deprived. There will be anarchy in the labour market."
He said Malaysia is hiring workers from 13 more source countries. In that case, it would be disgraceful for Bangladesh as an independent country to take workers from Bangladesh only through the syndicate.
Shamim Ahmed said the government does not want this syndication. "The traders also do not want that now and did not want it earlier. All valid licences must have the opportunity to send workers to the country."
Ex-chairmen of 61 zila parishads appointed administrators
The government has appointed recently retired chairmen of 61 zila parishads as administrators.
The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives (LGRD) issued a gazette notification Wednesday.
On April 17, the zila parishad councils (district councils) of 61 districts were dissolved as their five-year tenure ended.
Tetultala playground now police property: Home Minister
Tetultala playground has been allotted for police and now it is their property, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said .
“Since the allotment has been made, this place belongs to Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) now,” said he while responding to questions from reporters after a meeting with some environmental activists on Wednesday.
The decision regarding construction of a police station at an alternative place instead of Tetultala ground in the city’s Kalabagan area will be taken after discussions with the Prime Minister, he said.
Also read: Decision on Kalabagan playground after discussion: Home Minister
He will also discuss with the DMP Commissioner about stopping the construction of wall at the playground.
The environmental activists came to the secretariat seeking steps to arrange an alternative place for police station construction and stopping wall construction.
After the meeting, Khushi Kabir, rights activist and a coordinator of ‘Nijera Kori’ told reporters, "We wanted to stop what is going on here.”
“He (Home Minister) has said that he will discuss. He will discuss the matter with the Prime Minister,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Home Minister said Tetultala was not a playground and it was a vacant and an abandoned property. “Our new police stations in Dhaka city work mostly in rented houses. Our police force is facing various difficulties for this reason.”
“That’s why we asked the Deputy Commissioner (DC) to see whether any place can be allotted at Kalabagan by acquiring land," he said.
The DC then allotted Tetultala playground after seeing it and talking to public representatives.
“DMP has also deposited the money and the DC later handed it over to the DMP. This is the main thing,” said the minister.
"We heard children in this area used to play here. But we are clear, we need space, we also need a police station building at Kalabagan.”
Cabinet purchase body approves import of diesel, Jet fuel, LNG and fertilizer
The government will import 300,000 metric tons of diesel (gas oil), 75,000 MTs of Jet-A-1 fuel, 33.60 lakh MMBtu LNG and 60,000 MTs of fertilizer to meet the domestic requirements.
Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase (CCPP) in a virtual meeting on Wednesday approved different proposals in this regard.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting while its members attended it.
As per the proposals, the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) will import 300,000 MT of diesel from PT. Bumi Siak Pusaku Zapin, Indonesia, at a cost of Tk 3,274.32 crore and 75,000 MT of Jet-A-1 fuel from Unipec Singapore Pte Ltd at Tk 780.06 crore.
State-owned Petrobangla will import 33.60 lakh MMBtu of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Vitol Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore, at a cost of Tk 991.76 crore as each MMBtu will cost US$29.25.
READ: Govt has no plan to increase diesel subsidy for farmers: Razzaque
The Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) will import 30,000 MTs of TSP fertilizer from OCP, S.A Morocco, at Tk 259.39 crore while the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will import 30,000 MTs of Bulk granular urea fertilizer from Muntajat, Qatar, at Tk 240.42 crore.
The committee approved a proposal of the Department of Immigration and Passport to extend the cost of the e-passport project by Tk 39.93 crore to import 3 million e-passport booklets instead of conventional booklets from Veridos GmbH.
President Hamid congratulates Macron on re-election
President Abdul Hamid on Wednesday congratulated Emmanuel Macron on being re-elected as the President of France.
In a congratulatory message, Hamid said your re-election testifies the trust and confidence the French people have reposted on your leadership and your all inclusive projects and commitments for their better future.
"I hope, under your stewardship, France will continue a leading role in ensuring global peace, prosperity and security," he also said.
READ: Romanian ambassador presents credentials to President Hamid amid hope of growing Dhaka-Bucharest ties
He said that Bangladesh and France enjoy excellent bilateral relations which are rooted in shared values, democracy, equality and fraternity.
"We also recall moral and material support of the French people during our Liberation war in 1971. Since our independence, our relations have grown over the years and expanded in many areas of co-operation through meaningful engagement," he also said.
Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 23 new cases, zero death
Bangladesh logged 23 fresh Covid-19 cases in 24 hours till Wednesday morning taking the total caseload to 19,52,625.
As per the latest government data, the country’s total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,127 as no death was reported during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The daily positivity rate slightly increased to 0.47 per cent from Tuesday's 0.38 per cent after testing 4,888 samples during the period.
On Tuesday, the number of infections was lower as 19 new cases were reported with zero death.
Besides, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent.
The recovery rate rose to 97.02 per cent with the recovery of 334 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.
READ: Bangladesh reports 19 new Covid cases, no death
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.
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.
Digitalisation helped B’desh retain economic growth despite pandemic: Joy
Despite the Covid-induced disruptions in the global labor market with millions of job losses, Bangladesh managed to prevent employment shrinkage and retain its growth levels owing to its rapid digitalisation, said Prime Minister's ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
He made this observation in an article, carried by The Washington Times headlined 'Digital leaps helped Bangladesh navigate the pandemic'.
"Many industries and governments are struggling to adapt. But in Bangladesh, a government plan to modernize and digitize its economy, education sector, and health care has provided some answers," he observed.
Also read:Bangladesh has no strong opposition due to conspiracies of dictators: Joy
Reflecting on benefits of the country's digital transformation, Joy said, "The Digital Bangladesh initiative, which started to be implemented 2009, quickly increased internet access and paved the way for multifaceted economic development. In short order, Digital Bangladesh replaced slow, paper-based government services with easy-to-use internet and smartphone-based programs."
"The plan worked. The government created a network of more than 8,500 Digital Centers that provided online services from cradle to grave. In 2008, those services were all but inaccessible; only 800,000 people in Bangladesh had access to the internet. Now, Bangladesh boasts more than 120,000,000 internet users. The internet covers 98% of the country," he added.
Referring to a gamut of government initiatives in the virtual sphere, including 86000 digital classrooms and training for 1.5 million students in information and communications technology (ICT), he mentioned that information technology exports have soared from about $25 million in 2008 to $2 billion in 2021.
"Indeed, freelancing is booming in Bangladesh. The country is the world’s second-largest supplier of online freelancers. According to a survey conducted by the Centre for Policy Dialogue, 50,000 Facebook-based entrepreneurs live in Bangladesh. With about 43 million Facebook accounts in Bangladesh, the platform provides business opportunities on a broad scale. It also proved to be a resilient employment model during the pandemic as work shifted away from an in-person office environment," he further said.
Also read:History says religion card cannot be played on Bengali people for long: Joy
Appreciating the government initiative to launch Bangabandhu-I satellite, he remarked that Bangladesh’s first geostationary communication satellite, Bangabandhu-1, has accelerated digital work. The satellite, which was launched in 2018, extends Bangladesh’s internet coverage to its remotest regions, allowing even rural Bangladeshis to receive telemedicine support, e-learning, and e-banking.
"Freelance jobs include computer programming, web design, tax preparation, search engine optimization, and marketing. Asia has become the number-one region for providing outsourcing services to the rest of the world," he added.
Bangladesh’s youthful population (nearly 65% are under the age of 25) is well-positioned to take advantage of Digital Bangladesh and the new types of employment it affords. Bangladesh retooled its educational system and now graduates 500,000 digital workers annually, Joy further said.
"The fruit borne by Digital Bangladesh ripened at just the right time to address the economic ravages of COVID-19. As the world was still trying to figure out what the new workplace looked like, Bangladesh provided a model because of its rapid digitization and the transition to remote work that it enabled," he concluded.