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ARTICLE 19 applauds government for taking initiative to amend Digital Security Act
ARTICLE 19, an international human rights organization working on freedom of expression and right to information, has appreciated the decision of Bangladesh government to amend the Digital Security Act (DSA) 2018.
From its inception, ARTICLE 19 has been calling for necessary amendment, where applicable, particularly those that curtail freedom of expression and defamation.
Right after the enactment of the Act, ARTICLE 19 fully analyzed the law in the light of international human rights standards and advocated continuously since 2018 with the highest levels of government, including the Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications.
ARTICLE 19 concerned by DSA case against RTV reporter
Faruq Faisel, the Regional Director of ARTICLE 19 South Asia said in a statement sent to the media on Wednesday, “The Cabinet decision to amend the DSA 2018 is positive. We hope that the provisions of the newly proposed 'Cyber Security Act 2023' in place of this Act should be consistent with international human rights standards. In particular, the new law should not become an obstacle in practicing freedom of expression, freedom of media, dissent, free thought."
He said they hope that the government will enact the new proposed law in consultation with all stakeholders based on the suggestions and opinions of all.
ARTICLE 19, DW Akademie launch 2nd online course on misinformation, fact-checking
"ARTICLE 19 is ready to provide any kind of assistance in this regard if needed,” he added.
The Information and Communication Technology Act was enacted in 2006 to deal with crimes related to information technology.
Article 19 applauds authorities for clearing journalist Rozina of charges
Sayedabad bus terminal services to be relocated to Kanchpur; construction work begins
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh on Wednesday inaugurated the construction work of Dhaka city inter-district bus terminal at Kanchpur.
Once the construction work is completed, the services of Sayedabad inter-district bus terminal will be relocated to Kanchpur within the next six months, accosting to a DCSS press release.
Also read: Plan to shift city’s inter-district bus terminals makes slow progress
"In light of the decision of the committee meeting of the bus route rationalization committee to make the public transport management in Dhaka city disciplined, we inaugurated the construction work of Dhaka City Inter-District Bus Terminal in Kanchpur today,” said the DSCC mayor.
“It's been a long wait. After 1984, no inter-district bus terminal was built. The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges has given 12.5 acres of land here. Once the terminal is completed, inter-district bus services to 16 districts of Chattogram and Sylhet divisions will be operated from here,” he said.
Also read: DSCC working to improve Dhaka’s place in liveability index: Taposh
DSCC is constructing the terminal with its own funds and it will take full responsibility to operate it, said Taposh.
Also read: Bus service on 3 routes under route rationalization prog to be launched on Sept 1: Taposh
"In the initial phase, mud filling, construction of boundary wall, bus entry and exit and accommodation for workers will be done. The initial phase of the work will cost Tk 28 crore. We are hopeful that the initial phase of work will be completed in the next six months,” added Taposh.
War crimes accused dies at DMCH
A war crimes accused died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Wednesday.
The deceased was Md Fajr Ali Gazi, 71, of Kadamtala village in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira district and an accused in a case over crimes against humanity in 1971.
Read:Metro rail service resumes after two hours of suspension
Inspector Md Bachchu Mia, in-charge of DMCH police outpost, said Fajr fell sick at Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj and he was pronounced dead when he was taken to the emergency department of the hospital around 7am on Wednesday.
He said the body has been kept to the DMCH morgue for an autopsy.
Read: Weather forecast: Bangladesh may see less rain over 72 hours, says BMD
Metro rail service resumes after two hours of suspension
Metro rail service in Dhaka resumed after two hours of suspension due to a technical glitch in the electric line on Wednesday morning.
The rail service remained halted from 9:40am till 11:40am, said Nazmul Ahsan Bhuiyan, Deputy Project Director of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project.
Dhaka Metro Rail a symbol of Japan’s contributions to Bangladesh’s fast development: Nishimura Yasutoshi
Nazmul Ahsan said the problem was caused after the failure of the electric line at the power substation on the metro rail line at Shewarapara.
However, Metro rail again started its operation after 12pm, he added.
Metro Rail: Japanese Minister, Shahriar Alam pay tributes to victims of Holey Artisan incident
Efforts on to invite int’l bidding within a month for gas exploration: Energy Secretary
Bangladesh government's Energy Secretary Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder has said that the government has planned to invite international bidding for offshore hydrocarbon exploration within a month.
“Last week the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the New Model Production Sharing Contract (PSC). Now we’re making our highest efforts to go for international bidding within a month,” he told a webinar on Wednesday (August 09, 2023).
The Energy and Mineral Resources Division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources organized the webinar to observe “the National Energy Security Day”.
Next two years to be critical for energy sector: Nasrul
The energy secretary said the government is assuming that this time a huge response will be received from international oil companies (IOCs) as the Model PSC has been modified making it more attractive.
“We’re already getting some positive indications in this regard,” he added.
He said the government has been working for ensuring energy security and part of it LNG is being imported to supply the gas to the industries on priority basis.
Dr Tawfiq Elahi said that the issue of gas exploration has to be on a realistic basis.
Improving energy efficiency will be important for Bangladesh: WB
“It’s unrealistic to determine a gas reserve in any place until we find gas through drilling, “he said adding, the possibility of having new 10 trillion cubic feet (TCF) at different locations could be a class-room lecture.
“But until we drill and find it, we should not have prospects of 10 TCF gas,” he said criticizing Prof Anwar Hossain’s statistics about prospects of new gas in the country.
Anwar Hossain in his speech said if the government drills 18 new wells, it can find 9-10 TCF gas easily as the country’s success ratio in drilling is 1:3.
Mollah Amnzad said that drilling of wells is a very costly matter. So, the foreign companies can be engaged in this regard.
He mentioned that the government is experiencing a dollar crisis and now it’s failing to pay the IOCs, private power producers and also the LNG suppliers.
Energy Division achieves 103.04 percent progress in RADP implementation
He said the government has made many good policies. But its problem with implementation has now created the current energy crisis.
Power secretary Habibur Rahman said that the government has taken a move to generate 2000-3000 MW of electricity from renewable sources in the next 2-3 years.
Bangladesh encourages enhancing share of renewable energy in fuel-mix: Nasrul
BMD forecasts rains in eight divisions
Bangladesh Meteorological Department predicted rains across the country in 24 hours starting from 9 am on Wednesday.
“Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely at many places over Rangpur and Chattogram divisions and at a few places over Rajshahi, Dhaka, Barishal, Mymensingh, Khulna and Sylhet divisions with moderately heavy falls at places over the country,” said the morning bulletin of the Met office.
Country’s highest 128 mm rainfall was recorded in Kutubdia of Cox’s Bazar district in 24 hours till 6am on Wednesday.
Read: Weather forecast: Bangladesh may see less rain over 72 hours, says BMD
Day temperature may rise by (1-3) °C and night temperature may rise slightly over the country.
Rainfall may increase at the end of period, it said.
Read: Torrential rains inundate Khagrachhari with hundreds of families stranded
The axis of monsoon trough runs through Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal to Assam across Northern part of Bangladesh. One of its associated troughs extends up to North Bay.
Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate over North Bay, it added.
Dhaka's air quality ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ this morning
Dhaka's air quality was marked as 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' this morning.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 110 at 8:26 am, Dhaka ranked 7th on the list of cities worldwide with worst air quality, according to IQAir.
Read: Continued rain keeps Dhaka's air quality ‘moderate’
Jakarta of Indonesia, Santiago of Chile and Johannesburg of South Africa occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 155, 154 and 150 respectively.
An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’ with acceptable air quality. However, there may be a health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. AQI between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy', and between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Read: Amidst rain, Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long grappled with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in the winter and improves during the monsoon.
Public Service Commission was plagued by corruption, depriving meritorious candidates during BNP-Jamaat govt: Sajeeb Wazed
A spree of rampant corruption at Public Service Commission (PSC), significant amounts of money in exchange of government jobs, and question leaks were some headlines testifying to a reign of corruption plaguing the public service exams and depriving meritorious students during the last BNP-Jamaat government between 2001 and 2006, Prime Minister’s ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed noted in a post attached with a video on his verified Facebook page.
Also read: ‘Does media not have the right to speak the truth that goes against BNP?’ — Sajeeb Wazed asks
The PSC turned into a “bribery hub” as exposed by media reports, the video posted yesterday says.
Even promotion of doctors who were appointed to serve were made on the basis of political allegiance in a blatant disregard of service rules. A news report cited in the video is headlined as “500 pro BNP-Jamaat doctors promoted.”
Also read: Mirza Abbas had terror links under BNP regime, says Sajeeb Wazed Joy
Media reports featured in the video reveal “for every appointment, a candidate was required to pay a staggering Tk 500,000 (half a million). While the written answer paper was manipulated, the viva part was tampered too, with candidates paying for highest numbers.”
On the other hand, over 150 cadres of BNP-Jamaat were appointed in the Election Commission, aimed at manipulating the election in 2006 by the BNP-Jamaat coalition, reads a media report in the video shared by Sajeeb Wazed.
His post came in light of the recent results published by the Public Service Commission with full-scale transparency and on the basis of merit.
“Bribery and political allegiance emerged as the main criterion for appointments while appointments on the basis of merit took a backseat,” the video states.
Also read: BNP-Jamaat fielded '300 cadres' as local government election officers ahead of 2007 polls: Joy
“Under the premiership of Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League-led government has ensured transparency and accountability in public service recruitment, turning it into a most sought after job opportunity for meritorious students,” Sajeeb Wazed wrote.
Technology should be smart, people-friendly, cost-effective: Speakers
President of Engineers' Institution, Bangladesh (IEB) and Science and Technology affairs Secretary Abdus Sabur on Tuesday urged the engineers to create smart, people-friendly and cost-effective technology.
He said this at a seminar titled "Proposed Net-Metered Rooftop Solar in Bangladesh and the role of Engineers" held at the Council hall of IEB in the city.
He also asked all concerned to come forward along with the government to build a Smart Bangladesh as overall development means building Smart Bangladesh.
PM Hasina to provide free houses and lands to over 22,000 families Wednesday under Ashrayan project
In a major push to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Ashrayan project over 22,000 families across the country will on Wednesday get houses and lands they can finally call their own.
Mohammad Kashem Shaikh, a 65-year-old day labourer is one of them. He is overjoyed.
“I used to live in others’ houses. I had never thought of having my own house on my own land. Today my dream has come true,” he said standing in front of his semi-pucca house he got free from the government at Sujanagar in Pabna district.
Also read: PM Hasina's Ashrayan project is enabling Bangladesh’s inclusive growth, India Today writes
He said his family will no longer worry about sleepless nights they had passed in broken houses that belonged to others.
“I will not have any discomfort sleeping from tomorrow,” he said.
Thanks to the successful implementation of the Ashrayan-2 project up to 22,105 families will be given the ownership documents of the houses and lands virtually by PM Hasina.
They are from 12 districts and 123 upazilas which will be declared free of homeless and landless people.
Also read: 4 lakh coastal people took refuge at Ashrayan homes during Sitrang: PMO
The prime minister will make the announcement and open the distribution of the semi-pucca houses to the beneficiaries through a videoconference from her official residence Ganabhaban.
With these, a total of 21 districts and 334 upazilas of the country will be without any homeless and landless families.
The prime minister will hand over the keys of 22,101 houses along with the ownership documents of a two-decimal of lands to the families. Some 115,000 people will be rehabilitated in the houses on this day.
She has so far given houses to a total of 8,29,607 families under Ashrayan projects and other programmes. Some 4,148,035 people have been rehabilitated in those houses.
Also read: 230 ethnic minority families to get ‘Machang Ghar’ in Bandarban under Ashrayan scheme
Of them, 2,778,085 people (of 555,617 families) have rehabilitated only under the Ashrayan project, run by the Prime Minister's Office (since 1997 to July 2023).
Some 4,148,035 people were given houses, which is a rare instance in the world as there is no other such programme that the landless people are being given free houses and lands.
Free electricity connections are given, the water supply is arranged, and other facilities are ensured for them.
Earlier, Hasina handed over the houses to the landless and homeless families on five occasions since the Mujib Year.
The PM will be connected with the beneficiaries and local people of three places while distributing the houses on the sixth occasion on Wednesday.
The three places are Barasat Sonar Bangla Palli Ashrayan Project site in Terokhada Upazila under Khulna, Chakla Ashrayan-2 project site in Bera Upazila under Pabna, and Amanullahpur Ashrayan project site in Begumganj Upazila under Noakhali district.
The 12 districts that will earn the distinction of becoming free of landless and homeless families are Manikganj, Rajbari, Mymensingh, Sherpur, Dinajpur, Naogaon, Natore, Pabna, Kushtia, Pirojpur and Jhalakathi.
The 123 upazilas include Gosairhat in Shariatpur district; Kuliarchar, Nikli, Hossainpur, Bajitpur, Mithamoin and Karimganj in Kishoreganj; Ghatail, Nagarpur, Mirzapur, Kalihati and Basail in Tangail; Shibaloy, Harirampur and Sadar in Manikganj; Sreenagar and Tongibari in Munshiganj; Goalanda in Rajbari; Sonargaon, Rupganj, Araihazar and Sadar in Narayanganj; Boalmari, Charbhadrasan, Bhanga and Sadar in Faridpur; Iswarganj, Haluaghat, Dhobaura, Gafargaon, Muktagacha and Sadar in Mymensingh; Sreebardi and Sadar in Sherpur; Islampur and Sarishabari in Jamalpur; Pekua, Ukhia and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar; Hathazari and Anwara in Chattogram; Matlab Dakkhin and Kachua in Chandpur; Begumganj, Sonaimuri, Chatkhil, Senbug and Sadar in Noakhali; Nangalkot, Barura, Homna, Titas, Meghna, Meghna and Burichang in Cumilla; Daganbhuiyan in Feni, Palashbari in Gaibandha; Badarganj in Rangpur; Bochaganj, Birganj, Chirirbandar, Parbatipur, Fulbari, Birampur, Hakimpur, Ghoraghat and Sadar in Dinajpur.
The other upazilas are Pirganj, Ranisankail and Sadar in Thakurgaon; Domar and Jaldhaka in Nilphamari; Atrai, Badalgachi, Manda, Niamatpur, Porsha, Sapahar and Sadar in Naogaon; Tarash, Shahjadpur and Kamarkhanda in Sirajganj; Gabtoli, Adamdighi and Sadar in Bogura; Singra, Naldanga and Sadar in Natore; Chatmohar, Bera, Faridpur, Bhangura and Sujanagar in Pabna; Jhenaidah Sadar; Kaliganj and Sadar in Satkhira; Jashore Sadar in Jashore; Khoksha in Kushtia; Dighalia in Khulna; Kalia in Narail; Pirojpur Sadar in Pirojpur; Jhalakathi Sadar; Kalapara and Galachipa in Patuakhali; Patharghata, Betagi, Taltali in Barguna; Beanibazar, Companiganj,Golapganj, Gowainghat and Zakiganj in Sylhet; Sreemangal, Moulvibazar Sadar, Kulaura, Barlekha and Juri in Moulvibazar; Shayestaganj, Bahubal, Lakhai, Habiganj Sadar and Madhabpur in Habiganj; and Shalla and Dharmapasha in Sunamganj.
Earlier, the premier declared nine districts – Panchagarh, Magura, Madaripur, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Joypurhat, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Chuadanga – as landless and homeless people-free districts on two occasions.