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DB chief warns of strict action against hoarding of onions
Chief of Detective Branch of Police Harun-Or-Rashid on Sunday warned that strict action will be taken against traders hoarding onions or selling them at higher prices.
“Some unscrupulous traders are stockpiling onions and trying to sell them at higher prices. They should be brought under law,” Harun, also additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said these while talking to reporters at his office.
Read: Annual circus around onions enacted again as each kg sells at over Tk200
However, the DB police are working at Chwakbazar and Shyambazar areas to control onion price, he said.
The price of onion jumped over Tk 200 per kg in Dhaka and other parts of the country on Saturday, after Indian authorities announced export ban on the essential kitchen item till March 2024.
Read: Onion prices go up by Tk 50-60 per kg in Khulna as India bans export
EC orders withdrawal of Barishal, Sylhet police commissioners, 1 DC and 5 SPs
The Election Commission has ordered withdrawal of police commissioners of Barishal and Sylhet divisions, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Brahmanbaria and superintendents of police (SPs)of five districts ahead of the 12th national election.
Already the EC sent letters to the senior secretary of the Public Administration Ministry and senior secretary of the Public Security Division of the Home Ministry to fill up their posts with experienced and eligible officers, said a press release signed by its assistant director (public relations) of Election Commission Md Ashadul Haque on Sunday.
Some 560 aspirants file appeal with EC against ROs’ decisions
It ordered withdrawal of the SPs of Habiganj, Pirojpur, Noakhali, Satkhira and Meherpur.
Besides, the EC sent letters to the senior secretary of the Public Security Division to send transfer proposal of the officers-in-charge of Manikganj Sadar police station, Singair police station in Manikganj and Sripur police station in Gazipur to the EC.
29 more organisations get EC’s registration as election observers
Petroleum oil, gas reserve found in Sylhet Gas Field
Petroleum oil has been found in well no. 10 of Sylhet Gas Field, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid announced today while briefing reporters at his office in the ministry.
He, however, said the accurate reserve of oil can be learnt 3-4 months later when necessary calculations are complete.
Also read: Summit Group gets final nod for setting up new LNG terminal in Moheshkhali
“Our officials have identified the reserve of petroleum oil at a depth of 1400 metres in the underground. We hope, we can produce 500-600 barrels of oil per day from the new discovery,” Hamid told reports.
The energy state minister also said that in addition to petroleum fuel, a reserve of 43.6-106 billion cubic meter gas was also discovered in the field. The average value of the gas would be about Tk 8500 crore.
The state minister said the gas layers are located at 2460 to 2475 metres, 2540 to 2576 metres and 3300 metres in the underground.
Also read: Govt acting against clean energy transition, increasing dependency on coal and LNG: CPD
The digging of well no. 10 at the Sylhet Gas Field has been implemented with the financing of Gas Development Fund and Sylhet Gas Fields Limited. An agreement was signed with Sinopec International Petroleum Service Corporation, China on September 11 last year.
Energy and Mineral Resources Division Secretary Nurul Amin and Petrobangla Chairman Janendra Nath Sarkar were present at the press briefing on the oil and gas reserve discovery.
Also read: New gas structure found at well No-10 of the Sylhet Gas field
BNP-led opposition to enforce 36-hr blockade from Tuesday
The BNP and like-minded parties on Sunday announced a 36-hour road-rail-waterway blockade across the country starting from Tuesday morning to protest the schedule for the next national election announced by the Election Commission (EC).
It will be the 11th round of the blockade programme of the opposition parties since October 31.The blockade will begin at 6am on Tuesday and end at 6 pm on Wednesday.
Speaking at a virtual press briefing, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi called upon the country's people and the supporters of BNP and other opposition parties to observe the programme spontaneously to make it a success.
Vehicles of the newspapers or media, ambulances and vehicles transporting oxygen cylinders and medicines will remain out of the purview of the blockade.
Bangladesh is number one in the world in terms of human rights violation: BNP
Rizvi said the fresh blockade programme is also meant for mounting pressure on the government to quit, hold the next election under a non-party neutral government and release party leaders and activists, including its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He said other opposition parties, who have long been carrying out the simultaneous movement with BNP, will also observe a similar programme.
BNP forms human chain in front of JPC on Human Rights Day
After enforcing countrywide blockades in 10 phases and hartal in three phases for the last one and a half months since October 29, BNP announced human chain programme for Sunday marking the International Human Rights Day. BNP leaders face extreme human rights violation in jails: Rizvi
Sultana Kamal continues to be a guiding figure in the country’s sports arena
Inspiring athlete Sultana Kamal, daughter-in-law of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was recalled on her birth anniversary today.
“Sultana Kamal Khuki was an iconic athlete in erstwhile East Pakistan and post-independence Bangladesh. As a natural athlete, she excelled in 100-metre Hurdles, 100-metre Sprint, Long Jump and High Jump. She is an inspiration for future women athletes in Bangladesh. Today is her birth anniversary,” Centre for Research and Information (CRI) posted on Facebook.
Also read: Foreign Ministry pays homage to Sheikh Kamal on his 74th birth anniversary
Sultana Kamal, known as Sultana Ahmed before her marriage to Sheikh Kamal, continues to be a guiding figure in the country’s sports arena 48 years after her passing.
She soared to prominence during the inter-school athletics in 1962-63. By 1968, she set a remarkable record at the Pakistan Olympics. Two years later, in the 1970 edition at Lahore, she surpassed her own record.
Also read: Sheikh Kamal was multi-talented: FM Momen
Post-liberation, Sultana showcased her prowess at the first Bangladesh National Athletics competition in Dhaka, where she excelled in nine events. She emerged as the champion in the 100-meter hurdles, long jump, and broad jump, securing second place in the 100-meter sprint.
In 1975, during the national athletics competition held in February, Sultana once again displayed her track dominance, clocking in at 17.05 seconds, setting a new national record.
Sultana Ahmed tied the knot with Sheikh Kamal, eldest son of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, on July 14, 1975, a month before she was assassinated along with her family on August 15, 1975.
Also read: PM Hasina distributes Sheikh Kamal sports award to 10 people, 2 orgs
Police foil Jamaat’s human chain in Dhaka’s Jatrabari
Police foiled a human chain of Jamaat-e-Islami it formed marking the Human Rights Day in the capital’s Jatrabari area on Sunday.
Besides, police arrested a number of leaders, activists and supporters of the party and its student wing Islam Chhatra Shibir.
Several party leaders said they led by Jamaat central committee’s member and Dhaka metropolitan south unit nayeb-e-ameer advocate Dr Helal Uddin were forming a human chain in protest against the unjust verdict over the party’s political registration case, lopsided polls schedule, secret killing, mass arrest, persistent violation of Human Rights and marking the International Human Rights Day.
Read: Gaus Khan elected president of Uttara Club
Suddenly police obstructed them by firing bullets, lobbing tear gas shells and using sound grenades, they alleged.
Central committee executive member and also Dhaka south unit Ameer (head) Nurul Islam Bulbul and General Secretary Dr Shafiqul Islam Masud immediately condemned and protested the attack.
Jatrabari police station’s Officer-in-charge (OC) Farman Ali said they dispersed the Jamaat-Shibir leaders and workers by charging batons and using tear gas shells when they were staging protests on Shaheed Faruk Road in the morning.
Three supporters of the party were detained in this connection, he said.
Read: Some 560 aspirants file appeal with EC against ROs’ decisions
Before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court declared Jamaat’s registration illegal, the Jamaat had been observing anti-government programmes like blockade and hartal with BNP simultaneously since the end of October this year.
After the court judgment, the party refrained from observing any political programmes openly.
After a long time, they took to the streets marking the International Human Rights Day on Sunday.
Gaus Khan elected president of Uttara Club
Gaus U Khan, a successful entrepreneur and chairman of Assurance Moni Group, has been elected the president of Uttara Club for the year 2024.
In the election held on Friday the club also chose ten directors.
They are: Capt. Fariel Bilkis Ahmed, Salman Mahmood, Shahdat Reza (Shamim), Mohammad Nakib Uddin Sarker Apu, A.M. Mahmudur Rahman, Kazi Sharwar Habib, Tanvir Rahman, Md. Golam Mawla, Md. Taimur Azad and Shabana Alam.
Uttara Club, located at Sector 1 of Uttara Model Town, is a leading social club in Dhaka. The club’s 2,400 members include academics, intellectuals, businesspeople, social workers and politicians.
New commuter train services launching on Jashore to Khulna-Mongla route
Three pairs of commuter trains will begin operating on the Jashore to Khulna-Mongla route to improve transportation for residents of the southern districts of Khulna and Jashore. The new train services will start from January 1, 2024.
The information was confirmed by Khulna Railway Station Master Masud Rana Chaklader following the inauguration of the new Khulna-Mongla route by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on November 2. According to Bangladesh Railway (BR) authorities, two pairs of trains will run between Jashore and Mongla, while one pair will operate between Khulna and Jashore.
The schedules for these trains are as follows: A train will depart from Khulna at 6 am, arriving in Jashore at 7:20 am. The return journey from Jashore begins at 7:55 am, reaching Khulna at 10:25 am. Another train will leave Mongla at 10:45 am for Jashore, arriving at 1:05 pm, with the return journey starting at 1:55 pm and ending in Mongla at 4:25 pm. Additionally, a train from Mongla will reach Jashore at 7:10 pm, leaving at 4:55 pm, and the return train will depart from Jashore at 7:40 pm, arriving in Khulna at 9 pm.
Ticket prices vary based on the class of seating: Tk 125 for a Shovan general seat, Tk 150 for a Shovan chair seat, and Tk 200 for a first-class seat. The journey covers a distance of 117.5 km and takes approximately three hours and 12 minutes.
Dense fog disrupts Daulatdia-Paturia ferry services
Ferry services between Rajbari’s Daulatdia and Manikganj’s Paturia have been suspended due to dense fog since midnight, causing immense suffering of commuters.
Nur Ahmed, assistant manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at Daulatdia point, confirmed the development, saying that they were forced to suspend the ferry services to avoid accidents.
As of filing this report around 8:30 am, the ferry services remained halted due to poor visibility, he said, adding that the services will be resumed when fog dissipates.
According to the local BIWTC office, the fog started getting thicker last night and impacted visibility. The ferry services were suspended at 1 am to avert accidents.
Four ferries carrying more than hundred vehicles remained stranded in the middle of the Padma River since the suspension of the ferry services, they said.
Increasing shift to EVs to reduce carbon emissions significantly: Nasrul Hamid
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said that increasing the number of electric vehicles will reduce carbon emissions significantly.
“Moreover, the engine efficiency of electric vehicles is higher than that of fuel oil-run vehicles. The government is working on the expansion of renewable energy in plans such as Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan, Delta Plan, and Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan (IEPMP) 2023," Nasrul Hamid said.
He was addressing the award distribution ceremony of the 'Dispersion 2.0' innovation competition organised by Young Bangla in collaboration with Power Cell and Green Delta Insurance Company at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University on Saturday.
Hamid said that the creative, unique and innovative thinking of the youth will effectively contribute to building a Smart Bangladesh.
He said science and technology are constantly modernising and changing. Young society can quickly adapt to this change.
Read: Annual circus around onions enacted again as each kg sells at over Tk200
"It is only a matter of time to build a developed, prosperous, environmentally friendly Bangladesh if we can give timely leadership to the youth from their respective positions," said the state minister.
He underscored the need for creating a working environment for the next generation.
“Bangladesh's power and energy sector is growing steadily. A smart and environmentally friendly solution is needed to the problems that arise. We have to solve our problems in our own way. The problem of three-wheelers or battery-powered vehicles in Bangladesh is ours alone,” he emphasised.
He said a platform is required to be created for the youth so that the next generation feels that the government is with them.
The state minister informed that the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has launched an Internship program to give early exposure to government work and other ministries are in the process of starting Internships too.
Read: COP28 High Level Segment: Despite limited resources, Bangladesh on low carbon development path
It was noted that some 700 ideas were submitted in the 'Dispersal' innovation competition in 7 categories (Smart Production, Environment & Energy, Distribution & Management, Smart Grid Solutions, Energy Demand Forecasting, Smart Operation & Energy Monitoring and IT Based Power & Energy Solutions).
It was decided that financial, technical, and management support will be provided to make the best 10 ideas into reality.
Some 7 teams were given awards: BD Highway Turbine, Team Epilogue, Sol Kill, The Alchemist, Smart Power Distribution with Smart Dustbin, Development and Optimization of a Gravity-Powered Electricity Generator Using Neodymium Magnets and Coil Pathways and Energy Chain:Blockchain Solution for P2P Energy Trading using Light weight Consensus Mechanism.
Vice-Chancellor of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Dr Md Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan, member of the University Grants Commission Prof Dr Md Sajjad Hossain, Director General of Power Cell Engineer Mohammad Hossain, Managing Director and CEO of Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd. Farzana Chowdhury and Young Bangla Team Leader Prof Md Rashidul Hasan spoke on the occasion.