Dhaka, Nov 14 (UNB)- Bangladesh has been enlisted as the highest bribery threat risk bearing country in South-Asia by Trace, a globally recognised anti-bribery business association based in the United States. 

But when it comes to global context, the country is ranked 178th in the upward slope with a risk score of 72. 

In South-Asia, Bhutan is leading the less risk bearing countries with a risk score of 41. It was placed on 52nd position among less bribery threat risk bearing countries in global context. 

Apart from these, India attained bribery threat risk score 48 while the score of Pakistan was 62. Besides, the Maldives attained a risk score of 57 while Nepal 56, Sri Lanka 55 and Afghanistan- 66. 

About determining the score, Trace said this is a composite of the four domain scores. These domains are business interactions with government, anti-bribery deterrence and enforcement, government and civil service transparency and capacity for civil society oversight.

Each country is given a score from 1 to 100 for each domain and for the total bribery risk. A higher score indicates a higher risk of business bribery, it added. 

However, Somalia, South Sudan and North Korea respectively attained highest bribery threat risk scores in the world while New Zealand, Norway and Denmark respectively were enlisted as lowest threat risk bearing countries. 
 

Dhaka, Nov 14 (UNB- A total of 142 national-level tax card winners, including 75 individuals, 57 companies and 10 under other categories have been awarded by National Board of Revenue (NBR).

The state revenue collection agency also awarded 521 top district-level taxpayers on the basis of highest or long-term tax payment.  Of them, 374 were selected on the basis of highest tax payment and 147 for long-term tax payment.

As the chief guest, Finance Minister Mustafa Kamal distributed the awards among the top income taxpayers of the 2018-19 fiscal at a programme held at the Radissan Blu in the capital on Thursday.

Minister Kamal said paying tax is a virtue. “So I urge you to encourage all people to pay tax.

Kamal also said he would fulfil an oath he took and collect Tk3 lac 2500 crore. We will reduce tax rate if it is needed.

NBR chairman Mosarraf Hossain Bhuiyan said that it is an important day for the country, rewarding those who play important role in our economy.

"A competition is need paying tax in the country," he also said.

Mosarraf said, "we started initiatives to create new taxpayers here. We encourage people arranging such programme so that the number of taxpayers is increased. The country is developing. It will further be developed."

According to NBR separate gazettes dated November 5, 2019, Hazi Mohammad Kaus Mia, Syed Abul Hossain, Kamrul Ashraf Khan, Mohammad Kamal, and M Aslam Serniabat have been awarded for the tax cards under "businessmen" category.

Besides, under "ready-made garments (RMG) category, Youngone Hightech Sportswear Industries Ltd, Refat Garments Ltd, GMS Composite Knitting Industries Ltd, Ha-Meem Denim Limited, That's It Sportswear Ltd, Pacific Jeans Ltd, and Four H Fashions Ltd got tax cards.

Under "banking category", Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh, National Bank Limited, The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, BRAC Bank Limited, Pubali Bank Limited, Southeast Bank Limited, and United Commercial Bank Limited have been nominated.

Media Star Limited, East West Media Group Limited, Transcraft Limited, and Media World Limited won the tax card under "print and electronic media" category.

Of the individual taxpayers, Mahfuz Anam, Mohammad Abdul Malek, Matiur Rahman, Shykh Seraj, and Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul received the tax cards under "journalist" category.

Besides, Apex Footwear Limited, Bata Shoe Company (Bangladesh) Limited, and Atlas Footwear Limited received the tax cards under "leather industry" category.

Nestle Bangladesh Limited, Olympic Industries Limited, and Square Food and Beverage Limited won the tax cards under "food and beverage" category.

Under "Jute industries" category, Akij Jute Mills, Janata Jute Mills, and Super Jute Mills got the tax cards.

Coats Bangladesh Limited, Badsha Textiles Limited, ACS Textiles (Bangladesh) Limited, Noman Terri Towel Mills Limited, Apex Textile Printing Mills Limited, Envoy Textile Limited, and Fakhruddin Textile Mills Limited received the tax cards under "spinning and textile" category.

Under "pharmaceuticals and chemical" category, Unilever Bangladesh Limited, Square Pharmaceuticals Limited, Incepta Pharmaceuticals Limited, and Renata Limited won the tax card.

Under "real-estate" category, Rangs Properties Limited, Equity Property Management Limited, and Bay Development Limited received the tax cards

ASA, Bureau Bangladesh, R S Trading, British American Tobacco Bangladesh Company Limited, American Life Insurance Company, Sadharan Bima Corporation, and Toma Construction and Company Limited won the tax card under "other" category.

Under "player" category, Tamim Iqbal, Sakib Al Hasan, and Mashafe Bin Murtaza got the cards.

Under "senior citizen" category, Golam Dastagir Gazi, Engineer Khandaker Badrul Hasan, Anita Chowdhury, Ali Hossain Akbar Ali FCA, and Dr Mostafizur Rahman have been awarded the tax cards.

At the programme, Prime Minister's economic adviser Moshiur Rahman, among others were in attendance.
 

Chairman of Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Limited (BCSCL) Dr Shahjahan Mahmood on Thursday said that a consultant will be appointed within the next 3-4 weeks for launching the country’s second satellite, following in the footsteps of Bangabandhu -1.

He informed this at a views-exchange meeting with the Telecom Reporters Network Bangladesh (TRNB) at BCSCL office in the capital.

“We have taken up plans for the second satellite. We think that this satellite will be a hybrid one as per the demand of stakeholders. The satellite-2 will have the scope of multi-purpose use,” said the BCSCL Chairman.

 “We have used only 30-40 percent of the transponder of Bangabandhu Satellite-1, much below capacity. So the next satellite-2 which will be a hybrid one, that can be used for communication and to receive weather information,” he added.

It will be possible to launch the second satellite at much lower cost than Bangabandhu Satellite-1.

Replying to a query, he stated that government will decide from which country the satellite would be purchased. As per the election commitment the satellite will be launched during the present tenure of the government, he added.

“Application has already been submitted for four orbital slots on behalf of Bangladesh for launching the satellite-2.” The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is being contacted by BTRC for slot.

Dr Shahjahan Mahmood said 35 TV stations of Bangladesh have availed the service of Bangabandhu satellite-1, which is a fully communications satellite, over last one year. “We are working so that these TV channels can be covered everywhere including the Middle East.”

The brief 5th session of the 11th Parliament was prorogued on Thursday after five sittings that passed three bills.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury read out the prorogation order of the President that began on November 7.

During the session, some 146 notices were placed under Section 71 of the Rules of Procedure, of which three were received and one was discussed in the House.

Besides, 30 notices were discussed under Section 71 (Ka) of the Rules of Procedure.

A total of 69 questions were received for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, of which she replied to 17 in the 5th session.

The session received a total of 1605 questions for different ministers with the ministers replying to 670 of them.

It also adopted a historic motion declaring a planetary emergency on account of the existential crisis of climate change and calling on the global community to act urgently and decisively in achieving the net zero (carbon) emissions well before 2050.
 

Sangsad Bhaban, Nov 14 (UNB) – As the onion price has hit all-time high of Tk 200 per kg, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said there is enough stock of onions but those are not being released to the market.

“It seems there’s stock of onions in the country and these are being rotten in many places. But onions are not being released to the market,” she said while delivering her valedictory speech of the 5th session of the 11th parliament.

The Prime Minister said some 50,000 tonnes of onion, which will arrive here soon from Egypt, will be sold through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB). “LC (Letter of Credit) has already been opened for importing 50,000 tonnes of onion from Egypt. These will arrive within a few days,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said she has already given directives that the TCB will distribute these onions through tucks at the district level.

She said the government has taken an initiative to import onions from Egypt and Turkey. “We’re also looking whether onions can be imported from other places.” 

Pointing at the remarks of an opposition MP that onion price is only Tk 8-10 in India, she said such a low price is only in one state of India as the supply of onion from this state to other states is kept suspended.

Noting that onions are being sold at 100 Rupees throughout India, the Prime Minister said India also imports onions due to shortage.

Turning to frequent train accidents, she the government will take proper steps to investigate whether there was any ill motive or conspiracy behind the recent train accidents. “It’ll be investigated whether there was any sort of ill motive or conspiracy behind such accident. We’ll take proper steps following the investigation. We always see when such an incident occurs, there’s recurrence of similar incident in a row,” she said mentioning the Ullapara train accident.

Hasina said the train accident in Brahmanbaria’s Kasba took place as its loco masters did not see the signal due to fog.

She also said the government will examine why the number of train accidents rises during winter.

Noting that an accident needs to be taken as an accident, she said the government will take all possible measures to prevent train accidents.