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Smuggled goods worth Tk 161.53 cr seized in July: BGB
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized arms, ammunition, drugs and other goods worth Tk 161.53 crore during anti-smuggling drives across the country , especially in bordering areas in July.
During the period (from July 1 to till July 31), the paramilitary force seized 12,51,573 Yaba pills, 7.425 Kg crystal meth, 12,343 bottles of phensedyl, 24,250 bottles of foreign liquor, 6,650 cans of beer, 1654 kg cannabis, 32,609 kg heroin, 2,58,961 packets cigarettes and bidi, 1,24,979 injections, 6,791 Eskuf syrups, 2424 bottles of MkDil/Cofidil, 11,27,853 different types of medicines and 1,67,950 other tablets, said a BGB media release on Wednesday.
Also read: Smuggled goods worth Tk 184.36 crore seized in June: BGB
Other smuggled items include 8.679 kg gold, 29.700 kg silver, 1,39,637 cosmetics, 36,350 imitation jewelries, 11,450 sarees, 1772 three-piece/shirt-piece/bed-sheet/blankets, 557 cft timber, 7,173 kg of tea leaves, 37,737 kg of coal, 10941 kg of current nets, 12 trucks/covered vans, none pick-up, 84 motorcycles, six private cars/microbuses and 20 CNG/battery auto rickshaws.
Also read: BGB's seizures nationwide in April worth almost Tk 275 crore
Seized arms include one pistol, one air gun, 95 kg salfar and 439 rounds of bullet.
Meanwhile, BGB arrested 235 alleged smugglers, 66 Bangladeshi nationals and 14 Indian nationals who tried to cross the border illegally.
Also read: Smuggled goods worth Tk 112.89 cr seized in March: BGB
KSA to allow over 127,000 Bangladeshis to perform hajj in 2024
The Saudi government will allow 127,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh to perform hajj in 2024.
Secretary to the Ministry of Religious Affairs Md Abdul Hamid Jamaddar said this during a meeting in the meeting room of the ministry Wednesday morning.
He said registration for the hajj in 2024 will begin on September 16, 2023.
Visa issuance will begin on 1 March 2024, and end on April 29, and flights will begin on May 9, he added.
Gas supply to remain off for 6 hours in parts of Dhaka Thursday
Gas supply will remain suspended in different areas of the capital for 6 hours (from 2 pm to 8 pm) on Thursday for emergency works in gas pipeline.
According to Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, the areas where gas supply will remain off include Shaymoli, Adabar, PC Culture, Mohammadia Housing, Japan Garden City, west side of Dhanmondi, Satmosjid Road, Hazari Bagh, and Raerbazar.
Cabinet body approves draft contract to invite int’l bidding for offshore gas exploration
The adjoining areas may experience low pressure in gas supply during the shutdown period, said the Titas Gas regretting for its customers’ inconvenience.
Keeping retail gas tariff unchanged govt resets margins of upstream, downstream companies
12 kg LPG price goes up by Tk 141 in August
Price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has been increased to Tk 94.96 per kg for the month of August from Tk 83.25 in July.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) announced the new price, saying that the retail consumer will now get a 12kg LPG cylinder at Tk 1,140 including VAT instead of previous price of Tk 999.
Prices of other sizes of LPG cylinders – from 5.5kg to 45kg – will go up rationally, Md Nurul Amin, the chairman of BERC, said at a press briefing on Wednesday at the BERC office in Dhaka.
LPG price slashed again, 12kg cylinder to cost Tk 999
The new prices will be effective from 6 pm today (August 2, 2023).
As per the BERC decision, the price of “auto gas” (LPG used for motor vehicles) also increased to Tk 52.17 per litre (including VAT) from Tk 46.59 per litre.
The price of LPG, marketed by state-owned LP Gas Company, will remain the same as it is locally produced with a market share of less than 5 percent.
LPG price drops by Tk 13.42 per kg
BERC officials said the LPG price witnessed a decline in the local market due to the decrease in the prices of Saudi CP (contract price).
Bangladeshi LPG operators normally import their products from the Middle-East market on the basis of Saudi CP.
LPG witnessed the highest price at Tk 1,498 (per 12kg cylinder) in the local market in February this year following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February last year.
12-kg LPG price goes up by Tk 57 to Tk 1235
Comprehensive awareness program needed so that none becomes victim of trafficking: Home Minister
Speakers at a dialogue on Wednesday laid emphasis on joint efforts for comprehensive awareness programmes so that no one becomes victims of trafficking.
They said trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants remain pervasive and are recognized as crimes against humanity, and continue to thrive in situations of vulnerability.
The dialogue, themed "Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind," emphasized the need for a holistic approach to addressing trafficking in persons, committing to comprehensive measures to protect victims and preventing these rights violations.
Addressing the dialogue as the chief guest, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, “We should not only care about rescue, repatriation and rehabilitation but also need to make a comprehensive awareness program so that no one becomes a victim of trafficking.”
Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) with support from the Counter Trafficking in Persons Technical Working Group (CTIP-TWG) of the Bangladesh UN Network on Migration (BDUNNM) hosted the national dialogue in Dhaka marking the World Day against Trafficking in Persons.
Read: Momen denounces Quran burning in address to OIC Council of Foreign Ministers
Speaking as special guest, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen reiterated Bangladesh’s strong commitment and coordinated actions to combat organized crimes including trafficking in persons.
He said, “Under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, consistent efforts are required to address other forms of vulnerability and root causes leading to human trafficking cases. Protection of victims and their welfare are shared responsibility and require sustained attention from all stakeholders.”
Senior Secretary, Public Security Division, Ministry of Home Affairs Md Mustafizur Rahman chaired the dialogue.
He said they are committed to strengthen their national authority for prevention of human trafficking to be more operational and they will work hand in hand with all stakeholders for this.
PM Hasina reaches Rangpur on a day's visit
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived here this afternoon on a daylong visit to attend a number of programmes including addressing a grand rally.
After a helicopter carrying her landed at Rangpur Cantonment at 1:13 pm, the premier was escorted to the Circuit House where she is holding a meeting with Rangpur divisional government officials.
She is expected to arrive in the Rangpur Zilla School around 3pm to attend the grand rally which the Awami Leaders said will be the largest over gathering in the district with a participation of one million of people of all strata of life.
A large boat-shaped stage was built by the workers of Dhaka and Rajshahi where 300 leaders and activists can sit together.
The Awami League president later will address a mammoth public rally from the venue, her first in 12 years to be organised by Rangpur Zilla Awami League.
Rangpur wears festive look to welcome PM Hasina Wednesday
A festive mood has been prevailing among Awami League and its front and associate bodies leaders and activists, and common people for a couple of days over the prime minister’s visit in Rangpur district after around five years since she visited Pirganj and Taraganj on December 23 in 2018.
The entire Rangpur wore a new look with decoration and lighting all over. The city roads have also been decorated to welcome the prime minister.
Posters inscribed with pictures of the Father the Nation and PM Hasina are seen on most of the high-rises, important roads, medians and walls with colourful banners and festoonswhile arches and welcome gates have been erected on roads.
AL never runs away from people: PM Hasina
The Awami League and its associate bodies are serious to turn today’s rally into the biggest-ever one in the history of Rangpur and thus to show strength and public support in favour of it ahead of the next parliamentary elections.Rangpur gears up to welcome PM Hasina on Wednesday
Weather forecast: Light to moderate rain could continue in Dhaka, elsewhere in Bangladesh
Light to moderate rains or thundershowers are likely to occur in Dhaka and other parts of the country, Bangladesh Meteorological Department said today.“Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind are likely to occur at most places in Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions and at many places in Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions, with moderately heavy to very heavy falls at places across the country,” said Met office.
Read: Thanks to rain, Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morningA mild heatwave is sweeping over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions and the districts of Dhaka, Tangail, Faridpur, Kishoreganj, Manikganj, Chuadanga and Kushtia and it may abate.Day temperatures may fall by 2-3 degree Celsius and night temperature may fall slightly across the country.
Read: Rain or thundershowers likely in Dhaka, 7 other divisions
The monsoon depression over the northeast Bay and adjoining areas intensified into a monsoon deep depression in the same area. Monsoon is active over Bangladesh and strong over north Bay.
Low-lying coastal areas could be inundated due to monsoon land depression: BMD
Low-lying areas of Bangladesh's coastal districts and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by the wind-driven surge, at the height of 2-3 feet above normal astronomical tide, under the influence of a full moon and steep pressure gradient.The monsoon deep depression over Khulna and adjoining areas of Bangladesh moved west-northward and weakened into a land depression. It now lies over India's West Bengal-Bihar and adjoining areas, said a Bangladesh Meteorological Department bulletin on Wednesday (August 02, 2023).
Read: Floods around Chinese capital kill at least 20, leave 27 missing as thousands evacuatedIt is likely to move in a west-northwesterly direction further and weaken gradually.Under its influence, a steep pressure gradient persists over the north Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh.
Read: Chandpur wholesale market flooded with hilsa, price coming downSqually weather is likely to continue over north Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh.The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla, and Payra have been advised to keep local cautionary signal no. 3 hoisted. All fishing boats and trawlers over north Bay have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.
Preventing propaganda: CEC, Facebook delegation to hold meeting on Aug 3
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal will hold a meeting with a Facebook delegation on Thursday (August 3, 2023), on preventing propaganda on social media.
The meeting will be held at Election Commission building in Dhaka’s Agargaon at 11 am tomorrow.
Read: Dialogue among political parties needed to resolve crisis: CEC tells US Ambassador
When contacted, Election Commission (EC) Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath said, the Facebook delegation sought time for the meeting.
Asked about the reason behind the meeting, he said, “The national election is approaching. With that in mind, there can be a discussion on how to prevent propaganda on social media.”
Read: US to send pre-election assessment and monitoring team in early Oct: Peter Haas
Three officials from Facebook's Singapore office will meet the CEC. The delegation will be led by head of public policy for Bangladesh at Facebook's parent company Meta, Ruzan Sarwar, the EC official said.
55-year-old convicted prisoner dies at DMCH
A 55-year-old prisoner, convicted in a drug case, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital early Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Shamsul Haque of Damuddya in Shariatpur upazila.
Shamsul was sentenced to life imprisonment in a drug case. He was serving his sentence in Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.
Another death in custody as prisoner dies at DMCH
Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s police outpost, said Shamsul fell ill at Dhaka Central Jail and prison guard Mahbubur and others took him to DMCH on Tuesday night.
Under-trial prisoner dies
Shamsul breathed his last around 2:20 am. The body has been kept at the morgue of the hospital.
Under-trial prisoner dies at DMCH