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No alternative to press freedom to ensure democracy: Speakers
Speakers at a panel discussion in Dhaka on Thursday said there is no alternative to freedom of the press and freedom of expression to ensure democracy.
It is also imperative that the safety and freedom of the press be prioritised to tackle the ongoing environmental crisis and natural disasters, they said.
Marking World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2024, speakers made these remarks at panel discussions organised jointly by UNESCO, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), and Article 19 at MIDAS Centre in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi on Thursday.
The discussions centred on the WPFD theme of this year, “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis.” There were two separate panel discussions where the panellists talked about issues like the ongoing oppression against journalists and their safety concerns in the context of climate-related issues, freedom of expression and the press, tackling misinformation, and access to information.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, TIB executive director,, said, “In the period from 2022 to 2023, while covering environmental issues, there were 23 attacks on the media, resulting in the torture of 43 journalists.
Between 2016 to 2021 alone, 12 individuals, including environmental rights activists, were killed for protesting against coal-based plants.”
He further stated that those who are legally responsible for protecting the environment are the ones leading the destruction of the environment. Therefore, it is imperative to create an environment where journalists and civil society organisations can play their active roles. But in reality, such space is being shrunk by the use of repressive acts like the Digital Security Act.
Taking part in the “zero-sum political game,” journalists and rights activists are harassed by misusing laws, which ultimately benefits a certain faction. The harassment of media workers and civil society actors has been normalised through this process, he added.
There are additional risks while reporting on land grabbing, water bodies' destruction, or the construction of training centres by taking over protected land. To tackle such challenges, those who are responsible in the government have to respect the commitment to freedom of press and speech enshrined in the constitution, so journalists and activists working on environmental issues do not become the victims of "shoot the messenger".
Speaking at the opening session, Susan Vize, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh, said, “Raising public awareness about climate change and other environmental issues in Bangladesh is critical to achieving behavioural change. The media remains the single most influential source of credible public information. WPFD 2024 aims to build the capacity of Bangladesh’s media to ensure accurate and impactful coverage of the current environmental crises.”
Alexandra Berg von Linde, Ambassador to Bangladesh, Sweden Embassy, said, “Public interest is inextricably linked to climate change and environmental degradation. The negative effects of climate change are becoming more visible, affecting people's daily lives. People want to know about the results and effects of negative climate change. Freedom of the media and the ability to report independently on all such matters of public interest are important elements of democracy.”
Responding to a question about the misuse of repressive acts (ICT, DSA and CSA) and the safety concerns of journalists, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad A Arafat said, “We always talk about ensuring freedom of the press. However, in some cases, vested interests exploit this freedom to publish agenda-driven news and disseminate misinformation. Instances of such misinformation regarding Rampal or Adani power plants have been observed. Therefore, alongside ensuring media freedom, accountability must also be ensured.
"If media freedom is misused to spread false information or disinformation, appropriate legal action should be taken. However, I will take necessary steps to ensure the protection of journalists in the country who report on environmental crises or climate issues based on truth and scientific evidence.”
The first panel discussion titled “A Press for the Planet: Free Press and Freedom of Expression in the Context of the Current Global Environmental Crisis” kicked off with the presentations of Shamsuddin Illius, bureau chief of Chattogram, The Business Standard, and Usraat Fahmidah, freelance journalist, regarding the challenges of journalism in environmental issues and training young journalists.
The second panel discussion focused on the safety issues of journalists under the theme of “Media Defence for Crisis Reporting,” where journalists and experts from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka participated.
Govt plans to build open jail in Cox's Bazar’s Ukhiya: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Thursday said the government has taken plan to build open jail in Bangladesh like those in the developed countries.
He said this in reply to a query from ruling Awami League MP Mamunur Rashid Kiran elected from Noakhali-3.
The Home Minister said that 160 acres of land has been acquired in Ukhiya Upazila of Cox's Bazar district for the construction of an open jail following the model of Malaysia's Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP).
“The construction of the open jail will start soon,” he said.
In response to the question of Nizam Uddin Hazari, another ruling AL MP from Feni-2, the Home Minister said that 83,577 posts have been increased in the Bangladesh Police in the past three terms of the current government in order to modernise the Bangladesh Police Force.
“Recruitment of manpower to these posts has been ensured through a transparent and corruption-free process,” he said.
The minister said that the process of adding two sophisticated helicopters is underway to prevent criminal activities and conduct operations and transform the Bangladesh Police into a three-dimensional force.
He said that with the aim of making the police a smart force, various types of modern firearms are being given to them.
For example, the home minister said that 7.62 mm rifles are currently being used instead of the previous .303 rifles.
Also, policemen are being supplied with necessary ammunition including 7.62/9 mm pistol, 9 mm SMG, .45 inch SMG, 12 bore shotgun, 38 mm tear gas, gas gun/launcher.
In response to the question of AL MP Mahbubur Rahman from Chattogram-1, the Home Minister said Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been equipped with modern weapons, vehicles, aircraft and watercraft.
State-of-the-art weapons including 40 ALCOTAN, 12 ATGW, 132 Sniper Rifles, 3 AAMG, 28 APC Amors have been added to BGB.
The vehicles include 259 ATVs, 10 Riot Control Vehicles (RCV), 40 Armored Personal Carrier (APC), among others.
Three helicopters were also included in BGB.
Among the vessels, there are 87 speed boats, 12 high-speed engine boats, 4 air boats, 1 logistics ship, 5 pontoons, 25 motor launches, 4 petrol boats, 15 rescue boats, and 2 water carrier vessels.
In response to the question of AL MP Morshed Alam from Noakhali-2, the Home Minister said, for the first time in the country, seven grams of black cocaine was recovered by the Department of Narcotics Control on December 11, 2023.
JS adopts condolence motion on death Abdul Hyee MP
Parliament on Thursday unanimously adopted a condolence motion expressing profound grief at the death of MP Abdul Hyee and some noted personalities.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury moved the condolence motion in the House at the first sitting of the 2nd session of the 12th Parliament.
As per the tradition, the day’s business of Parliament was adjourned after the adoption of the condolence over the death of Awami League MP Abdul Hyee, who was elected from Jhenaidah-1 constituency, in order to pay respect to him.
Abdul Hyee, the president of Jhenaidah district Awami League, died at the Bumrungrad Hospital in Thailand on March 16. He was 78.
Before passing the condolence motion, Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and a number of MPs took part in an obituary reference on his death.
Hasina in her speech described Abdul Hyee as a brave soul and good organiser as he had made the strong position for Bangladesh Awami League in an adverse area like Jhenaidah.
She said Hyee had been elected time and again from such an adverse place like Jhenaidah, which was once a stronghold for terrorists and outlawed parties.
“He was not only a politician but also a dedicated soul for the development of that area,” she said, adding he had established a women's college in his constituency.
Noting that Hyee was made as the state minister for fisheries and livestock for the 2012-2014 period, the PM said he served his responsibility with utmost sincerity.
Besides, the House expressed deep shock at the death of five former MPs – Shamshul Haque Bhuiyan (Chandpur-4), Abul Hashem (Cumilla-5), Pinu Khan (Women Seat-23), Nazir Hossain (Sunamganj-1) and Mokhlesur Rahman (Rangpur-3).
The parliament also mourned the death of some noted personalities including Ekushey award-winning personality, language veteran, freedom fighter and International Crimes Tribunal’s (ICT) chief prosecutor Gholam Arif Tipu, and Ekushey award-winning veteran journalist and Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim and Ekushey award-winning educationist and Awami League advisory council member Pranab Kumar Barua and Freedom fighter and one of designers of Bangladesh National Flag Shib Narayan Das.
A one-minute silence was observed and a munajat offered eternal peace to the departed souls. Independent MP Mohammad Huchamuddin Chowdhury (Sylhet-5) conducted the munajat.
Miton himself made fake death certificates: DB
Milton Samaddar, founder of charity organization ‘Child and Old Age Care’, used to bury bodies at night, without death certificate, said Harun-or-Rashid, Additional Commissioner and Chief of Detective Chief.
“He used make death certificate using fake seals of city corporation and bury bodies at night illegally,” he said.
“We’ll interrogate him in this regard,” said the DB chief while speaking at a press briefing held at DMP Media Centre on Thursday.
Two more people are waiting at different police stations to file case against him, he added.
Replying to a question, the DB chief said after the completion of the remand of Milton, his wife will be interrogated. “If anyone files case against his wife, she will be arrested too.”
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court placed Milton on a three-day remand in a case over alleged death certificate forgery.
Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain passed the order when sub-inspector of Mirpur zonal team Mirpur and also investigating officer of the case, Mohammad Kamal Hossain produced him before the court with a seven-day remand prayer.
Mohammad Kamal Pasha, sub-inspector of DB of Mirpur division, filed three cases with Mirpur Police Station on Thursday morning.
M Rakib, filed a case against Milton with Mirpur Model Police Station under Human Trafficking Act, said officer-in-charge of the police Station Munshi Sabbir Ahmed.
Besides, Matiur Rahman Mallik, a resident of Mallim Para in Mirpur, filed another case against Milton on charge of physically assault and murder attempt.
Former attorney general Adv AJ Mohammad Ali dies
Former attorney general and also president of Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum A J Mohammad Ali passed away on Thursday.
Mohammad Ali breathed his last while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Singapore around 2pm (Bangladesh time), BNP's media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan told the media.
He left behind wife, a son, a daughter and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.
The time of namaz-e-janaza will be informed following the arrival of the body from Singapore, he added.
Yunus gets bail in embezzlement case
A court here on Thursday granted bail to Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus in a case over embezzling Tk 25.22 crore of the Grameen Telecom Workers' welfare fund.
The hearing date for forming charges against Dr. Yunus and 13 other accused in the case has been postponed to June 2.
Dr. Yunus's lawyer Abdullah Al Mamun confirmed the development.
Today was the date for the hearing, but the court granted more time after Yunus’s lawyer appealed for time.
The 13 other accused in the case are Grameen Telecom MD Nazmul Islam, Director Ashraful Hasan, former MD Parveen Mahmood, Director, Najnin Sultana, Shahjahan, Noorjahan Begum, and S. M. Hazzatul Islam Latifi, all serving as directors, along with Advocate Yusuf Ali, Advocate Zaforul Hasan Sharif, Mo. Kamruzzaman, President of the Union of Gramin Telecom Employees, Firoz Mahmud Hasan, General Secretary Kamrul Hasan, office secretary of the Employees' Union office, and representative Mainul Islam.
Dr. Muhammad Yunus and Parvin Mahmud are currently on bail, while arrest warrants have been issued against the remaining 12 individuals.
Gulshan Anwar, the Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), filed the case as the primary complainant on May 30, 2023.
Khaleda moved to cabin from CCU
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is currently undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital, was shifted to a cabin from the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) on Thursday.
"Madam was previously in the CCU. The medical board has now shifted her to the cabin. She is receiving treatment under the close supervision of doctors in the cabin," Khaleda's personal physician Prof AZM Zahid Hossain told UNB.
In response to a question, Zahid said the BNP chief underwent several urgent tests on Wednesday night. “Based on the test reports, the medical board is now giving her medical treatment.”
Khaleda Zia hospitalised again
Earlier on Wednesday night, Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital and placed in the CCU following the advice of the medical board.
Since her conditional release from prison in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving medical care at the hospital under the supervision of a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.
The 78-year-old former prime minister has long been battling various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and issues related to the kidney, lung, heart, and eyes.
Khaleda's physicians have been advocating for her treatment abroad since she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in November 2021.
Khaleda Zia taken to Evercare Hospital for check-up
On October 26 last year, three US specialist doctors performed the hepatic procedure known as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS procedure) to alleviate fluid accumulation in Khaleda Zia’s abdomen and chest, as well as to address bleeding in her liver.
Who they want to bring to power ousting me: PM Hasina wonders about leftists
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked the country’s leftist parties who they want to bring to power by ousting her.
“The leftists have turned by 90 degrees. Well, they want to oust me. But could they determine who would come next? It is my question. Who would come to power and who would work for the country? But it is not clear who they want to bring,” she said.
The premier said this while addressing a press conference arranged at her official residence Ganabhaban on the outcome of her recent six-day visit to Thailand.
Replying to a question, she said since it is not clear whom the leftists want to bring in power next, none of them don’t get response from the people.
She said yes, movement is being carried out. Staying in a foreign land as a fugitive, someone is doing movement as well as giving orders online everyday thanks to Digital Bangladesh made by her government, she added.
“Let those who are waging a movement do it. We at least are not hindering it,” she said.
PM Hasina blasts US for police action against students protesting Israeli genocide in Palestine
Criticising the US style to curb ongoing demonstrations against Israeli aggression on Palestine, the PM said Bangladesh may now stop the movement here following the American style.
“I think our police now can follow the American police. We asked them (Bangladesh Police) to show patience,” she said, adding that their member was beaten to death in October 2023.
“So, our police can take measures to curb movement in American style,” she went on.
Citing different incidents of human rights violation in the USA, Hasina said the USA should pay attention to it as the human rights are being breached regularly in their country and the common people are getting killed.
“They should tackle their internal issue first,” she said pointing at the US.
Replying to another question, the prime minister said her government’s goal is to make the ongoing upazila election a meaningful one.
In this context, she said a good number of political parties boycott elections as they have no capacity to run in the polls.
“Why do they boycott elections? The reason is that they actually don’t have capacity to compete in the elections,” said Hasina, also the President of ruling Bangladesh Awami League.
In case of the parliamentary election, a political party needs to inform the people about who would be their leader or the prime minister, if it is elected, she said.
“If you don’t have a proper leader, then you look for excuse for boycotting the election,” she said adding that the boycotting election sounds a big matter to them.
“If you present a convicted and fugitive accused (as the leader) before the people, the people won’t accept it. If anyone does politics, the person needs to take risk,” she said, not mentioning the name of BNP leader Tarique Rahman, now living in London.
Noting that some political parties asked the people not to go to polling stations, she said media should talk against the interference in exercising voting rights.
Not naming any political party, but obviously referring to BNP, she said those who are now crying for democracy and the voting rights of the people have forgotten that once they had stolen the voting rights of the people.
AL ensured a smooth graduation of Bangladesh to a developing country: PM Hasina tells ALCWC
In reply to another question, the PM said the 12th parliamentary election was held on January 7, 2024 in the most free, impartial, fair manners, ensuring the voting rights of people for the first time since 1975.
Responding to a question over the AL-led 14 party alliance, she said still the alliance is surely there. The alliance will remain in future and she would meet the leaders of the 14-party combine soon, she said.
Hasina said Awami League has a plan to celebrate its 75th founding anniversary in a massive scale this year.
PM’s Speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam conducted the press conference.
The prime minister returned to Bangladesh on April 29 after concluding her visit, which began on April 24 at the invitation of her Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin.
ADB stresses need for better resource allocation for the elderly in Bangladesh
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said that old age allowance is not adequately meeting the needs of the poorest of the poor in Bangladesh, and more resource allocation is required.
“We did a survey in Bangladesh quite recently. One key critical issue that Bangladesh has to address is that the old age allowance is not meeting the [needs of] poorest of the poor. The coverage is still below 50 percent,” Senior ADB Economist Aiko Kikkawa told UNB while responding to a question during a media briefing on Thursday.
Acknowledging that Bangladesh is in the right direction to address the issue, the author of the report “Aging Well in Asia: Asian Development Policy Report,” released on Thursday by the ADB at its 57th annual meeting, said the government of Bangladesh can do a bit more to improve that. “That is exactly what they are doing, I think.”
The Bangladesh government, the ADB economist said, probably has to find better ways to target and identify the poor, so that they will be able to distribute those funds.
“Currently we have also identified that resources are not enough to meet the demand for the older people. So resource allocation has to be done well,” she said.
The economist noted that different governments have different programs.
ADB's Chief Economist Albert Park said, “We need good data to analyze all of these questions to understand different circumstances.”
Developing Asia is aging rapidly, reflecting its success, but the region remains unprepared to secure old-age well-being, ADB said.
Challenges for older Asians include a growing burden of lifestyle diseases, a lack of decent jobs, limited access to essential services such as health and long-term care, low pension coverage, and increasing isolation and loneliness.
The gender dimension of aging needs greater attention. Policies must address the increased vulnerability of older women while meeting the unmet needs of all women to age well.
Comprehensive aging policies can foster lifetime investment in one's own health, education, skills, financial preparedness for retirement, and family and social ties will foster healthy and productive cohorts of older people and maximize their contribution to economy and society, ADB said.
Early investment is key for Asia to harness its silver dividend, said the ADB economists.
The number of people aged 60 and older in developing Asia and the Pacific is set to nearly double by 2050 to 1.2 billion—or about a quarter of the total population—significantly increasing the need for pension and welfare programs as well as health care services, said the new report.
At the same time, economies have an opportunity to reap a “silver dividend” in the form of additional productivity from older people, which could boost gross domestic product in the region by 0.9% on average, said the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
“Asia and the Pacific’s rapid development is a success story, but it’s also fueling a huge demographic shift, and the pressure is rising,” said ADB Chief Economist Albert Park.
“Governments need to prepare now if they’re going to be able to help hundreds of millions of people in the region age well. Policies should support lifetime investment in health, education, skills, and financial preparedness for retirement,” he said, adding that family and social ties are also important to foster healthy and productive populations of older people and maximize their contribution to society.”
Developing Asia and the Pacific is unprepared to secure the well-being of its rapidly aging population as the growing share of older people in the region faces challenges from low pension coverage to health problems, social isolation, and limited access to essential services, according to the multilateral development bank.
While longer lifespans reflect the region’s development success, comprehensive policy reforms are urgently needed to support the welfare of older people, according to "Aging Well in Asia: Asian Development Policy Report."
According to the report, 40% of people over age 60 in Asia and the Pacific lack access to any form of pension—with women disproportionately affected, as they are more likely to do unpaid domestic work.
As a result, many older people in the region have no choice but to work well beyond retirement age to survive.
Among those still working at age 65 or older, 94% work in the informal sector, which typically doesn’t provide basic labor protections or pension benefits.
Physical and mental health challenges also increase with age.
Around 60% of older people in Asia and the Pacific do not attend or receive regular health checks, while 31% report depressive symptoms owing to illness, social isolation, and economic insecurity.
Older women in the region are also more likely than older men to suffer from ill health, from depression to diabetes and hypertension.
The report recommended a wide range of policy measures to support healthy and economically secure aging.
Among these are government-assisted health insurance and pension plans, improved health infrastructure, and free annual check-ups and lifestyle evaluations.
Policy makers should aim for universal health care coverage, while basic labor protections should be extended to older informal workers, according to the report.
By making mandatory retirement ages more flexible, helping older people stay healthy, and providing them with suitable work opportunities as well as lifelong learning and skills development, economies in the region can help older people stay productive longer.
Bodies of 8 Bangladeshis who died in Tunisia boat capsize arrive
The bodies of eight Bangladeshi nationals who died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe and subsequently drowned near the coast of Tunisia arrived in the country on Thursday noon.A flight carrying the carcasses landed the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 12:30 pm.On February 14, a boat, carrying 52 passengers and a sailor from the coast of Zuwarah on its way to Europe, sank off the Tunisian coast, leaving nine people dead.
Bodies of 8 Bangladeshis who died in Tunisia boat capsize to arrive todayForty-four people were rescued alive after the boat capsized.Among the 44 survivors, 27 are Bangladeshis, eight from Pakistan, five from Syria, three from Egypt and the boat man.Among the nine fatalities, eight were identified as Bangladeshis and one as a Pakistani national.The deceased were identified as Sajal Boiragi, Noyon Biswas, Mamun Sheikh, Sajib Kazi, Rifat Sheikh, Imrul Kayes, Md Kaiser, Apon and Russel Sheikh from Madaripur and Gopalganj districts.Meanwhile, a case was filed with the Airport Police Station.Police arrested two people in this connection.