Bangladesh
Lakshmipur Jubo League leader’s eye gouged, no arrest so far
Miscreants gouged a local Jubo League leader’s eye in Sadar upazila of Lakshmipur last night.
The victim, identified as Kamal Hossain, is president of Awami League’s youth wing Jubo League’s ward 3 unit under Bashikpur union and a fruit seller at the local Poddar Bazar.
Police and locals said Kamal came under attack on his way to Poddar Bazar from his house around 8:30 pm.
The miscreants obstructed his way, attacked him with rods and gouged his right eye when he reached Nandigram, leaving him critically injured, they said.
Hearing his screams, locals rushed to him and took him initially to Sadar Hospital. He was later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) due to his critical condition.
Dr Anowar Hossain, resident medical officer of Sadar Hospital, said there were marks of injuries on several parts of his body including head, face, nose and eyes.
Due to his critical condition, he was referred to DMCH, he said.
Chandraganj police station Officer-in-Charge Md Enamul Hoque said there had long been a dispute between the victim and a fertilizer trader of the Poddar Bazar. This dispute might have led to the attack.
Drives are on to arrest the accused involved with the incident, the police officer said.
Gazipur gas cylinder blast: Death toll rises to 11
One more person who suffered burn injuries in the gas cylinder blast in Gazipur’s Kaliakair upazila, died on Monday evening, raising the death toll from the incident to 11.
Tawhid (7), died at the ICU of the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery while undergoing treatment at 6:45 pm on Monday, Associate Professor Hossain Imam of the institute confirmed the matter.
Gazipur gas cylinder blast: Death toll rises to 10
Tawhid had 80 percent burn injuries on his body. Earlier on Saturday, his younger sister Tayyaba (4) died, he said.
At present, 17 more people are under treatment at the hospital, added the doctor.
Earlier, four more people including died from burn injuries.
With 3 more demises today, death toll from Gazipur gas cylinder blast rises to 6
The deceased were identified as Golam Rabbi, 11, Solaiman, 9, Jahirul Islam, 40, and Motaleb, 40.
Dr Partha Shankar Pal, a resident physician at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery said victims breathed their last at the ICU of the burn institute from Sunday night to Monday morning.
RMG worker injured in Gazipur gas cylinder blast dies
The bodies were kept at the hospital morgue, he added.
Rabbi suffered 90 percent burns, Solaiman 80 percent, Zahirul 65 percent and Motaleb 95 percent, he said.
At least 35 people, including women and children, sustained burn injuries after a gas cylinder exploded in Kaliakair on Wednesday evening.
One patient was admitted with 100 percent burns while three were hospitalised with 95 percent burns, and 16 were hospitalised with over 50 percent burns, according to sources at the hospital.
Locals said a fire broke out from a gas cylinder at a house in Telir Chala area of Mouchak in Kaliakair around 6 pm on Wednesday. When the residents of the house threw it out on the road, the explosion occurred.
FM thanks Ireland for opening its Honorary Consulate in Dhaka
Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has thanked Ireland for opening the Honorary Consulate in Dhaka and requested to increase the employment of Bangladeshis in Ireland.
He especially requested to ease the student visa process by allowing students to submit their visa applications to the Honorary Consulate in Dhaka.
Irish Minister Simon Coveney officially opens its first Honorary Consulate in Dhaka
The Foreign Minister also sought Ireland's support to continue the Everything But Arms (EBA) benefits of the European Union even after Bangladesh's graduation.
The issues were discussed when the Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney met the Foreign Minister at his office.
Irish Minister Simon Coveney pays homage to Father of the Nation at Dhanmondi-32
Ireland's Minister said he views the visit as his country's first full ministerial visit to Bangladesh with great importance and expressed consensus that more manpower and students from this country would go to Ireland.
He also responded positively to the Foreign Minister's call for increased investment and diversification.
Irish Minister Simon Coveney to meet PM Hasina Monday
Earlier, the Irish Minister officially opened Ireland’s first Honorary Consulate in Dhaka, which is seen as an “important milestone” in the relations between Bangladesh and Ireland.
In its desire to further expand the bilateral relations with Dhaka, Ireland has recently appointed Cosmos Group Deputy Managing Director Masud Jamil Khan its Honourary Consul in Bangladesh.
Ambassador of Ireland to India, Kevin Kelly, and Masud Jamil Khan, among others, were present during the opening ceremony.
The Irish Minister arrived in Dhaka on Sunday on a two-day official visit aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment.
He met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Adviser Salman F Rahman separately on Monday.
State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam (Titu), MP hosted an iftar-dinner in honor of the visiting Irish Minister Sunday evening at the State guesthouse Padma.
Bangladesh Embassy in Cairo celebrates 104th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation, National Children's Day
Bangladesh Embassy in Cairo on Sunday celebrated the 104th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Children's Day 2024 with due dignity and solemnity.
The program of the day begins with the official hoisting of the national flag.
Ambassador Samina Naz formally hoisted the national flag along with the national anthem at the embassy premises. The officials and employees of the embassy were present on the occasion.
Recitation from the Holy Qur'an and special prayers were offered seeking the prosperity and development of the country and also the peace for departed soul of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In the special discussion meeting at the embassy Ambassador Samina Naz remembered the great architect of independence, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The ambassador mentioned that Bangabandhu gave the Bengali nation a country, flag and map.
Due to his extraordinary leadership, he was not only considered as the undisputed leader of Bengal, but he also established himself as a great leader of the world at that time, she said.
On the day, an age-based painting and writing competition was organized with the participation of Bangladeshi children living in Egypt.
In the competition, several young children and teenagers submitted their paintings and compositions to the embassy. The ambassador distributed the prizes to the winners of the competition.
Bangladeshi teachers and professionals working in various universities, international organisations, Bangladeshi businessmen in Egypt, and Bangladeshi students studying in various universities were present at the event.
An Iftar with dinner was hosted by the embassy on the occasion.
Journalists' safety will be ensured everywhere while performing duty: Arafat
The government would ensure the safety of the journalists so that they don’t face any harassment while seeking information, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat said on Monday.
The state minister was speaking at a function on the occasion of cheque distribution of Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust (BJWT) at Tatya Bhaban in the city’s circuit house road this afternoon.
“We want to ensure that no journalist anywhere in the country faces any kind of harassment or trouble while performing their professional duties,” he said.
Govt always welcomes constructive criticism: Arafat
"It is the responsibility of the government to ensure journalists' safety and welfare. The media will do their job with complete independence. We want to build such a society where journalists would be allowed to criticize authorities and the government" he added.
“The government of Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thinks nothing beyond this,” he said.
About the imprisonment of a journalist outside Dhaka, the state minister said, he inquired about the incident and the Information Commission immediately took the incident into its cognizance.
He also urged the media owners to pay the arrears of the 9th wage board as soon as possible.
At the event, he distributed the grant among 42 journalists of Dhaka district in the second phase of the fiscal year 2023-2024.
Bangladesh's ranking on RSF's Press Freedom Index 'incorrect': Arafat
The government allocated a total of Taka 2.03 crore for the disbursement of BJWT grant among 263 journalists and their families across the country in the second phase.
He said the financial assistance is being given to the journalists as part of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s endeavor to ensure safety and security of the journalists. She took the initiatives for all journalists irrespective of their political views and ideologies considering their necessity.
BJWT Trustee Board members Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) Director General Zafar Wazed, BFUJ- Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists President as well as Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) acting Chief News Editor Omar Faruque, Managing Editor of Dainik Sangbad Kashem Humayun and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Sohel Haider Chowdhury and DUJ General Secretary Akhter Hossain spoke on the occasion with BJWT Managing Director Shubash Chanda (Badol) in the chair.
PM calls upon UNDP to raise more funds for Rohingya
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday urged the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to make an effort to raise a larger international funds for the support of the Rohingya people.
She made the call at a meeting with visiting UNDP goodwill ambassador and Crown Princess of Sweden Victoria at a city hotel here.
PM’s speech writer Md Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.
The prime minister said Bangladesh had given shelter to forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar on humanitarian grounds and arranged improved accommodation for them in Bhashanchar, ensuring many facilities for them. Now some one lakh Rohingya can reside there in Bhashanchar, she added.
PM seeks Ireland’s support to get EU's GSP support until 2032
She sought assistance from the UNDP to relocate more Rohingyas to Bhashanchar.
Princess Victoria arrived in Dhaka on Monday on a four-day visit to Bangladesh during which she will tour Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar and Bhashanchar.
Bilateral and multilateral issues including climate change came up for discussion during the meeting with the PM.
The princes said there is a huge scope to deepen the bilateral relations between Sweden and Bangladesh.
She expressed her optimism for strengthening the bilateral ties between the two countries specially in trade, business and investment.
The Bangladesh prime minister urged the Swedish businesses to make investment in Bangladesh particularly in special economic zones.
Won't allow anyone to take the country back to darkness: PM Hasina
The PM said Bangladesh is one of the worst victims of climate change. Bangladesh’s contribution to carbon emission is negligible but the country is badly affected. Bangladesh faces different natural calamities like floods and cyclones due to climate changes, she said.
About the local climate adaptation and mitigation programmes, she said Bangladesh formed a climate trust fund to protect the local community and their livelihood.
The PM said her government’s main goal is poverty alleviation as it has already reduced the poverty rate to 18.7 percent from 41 percent and the extreme poverty rate to 5.6 percent from 25.1 percent.
She said the government has been providing the homeless people with free cyclone-resistant houses throughout the country so that there will be no homeless people in Bangladesh
She said her government constructed cyclone shelter centres on the coastal areas.
Hasina recalled her first visit to Sweden in 1969 when her husband was there for study.
Premier Div Hockey: Dhaka Abahani Ltd earn 5th consecutive win crushing Victoria SC 16-0
Former champions Dhaka Abahani Limited registered their 5th consecutive wins in the 11-team Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League crushing Victoria Sporting Club by 16-0 goals at the Moulana Bhashani National Stadium here on Monday.
With the day' s feat, Dhaka Abahani Limited comfortably dominated the league table with an all-win record securing full 15 points from straight five matches.
Earlier, they outplayed Dilkusha SC 10-1 goals, Usha KC by 2-1 goals, Azad SC by 10-1 goals and Sadharan Bima KS by 3-0 goals
In the day's match, Ashraful Islam, Pushkar Kisha Mimo and Obaidul Hossain Joy made hattricks for the popular sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani.
Premier Div Hockey: Mohammedan SC return to winning in style crushing Dilkusha SC 11-1
Besides, Hujaifa Hossain scored two, Farhad Ahmed Shitul and Rakibul Hasan Rocky scored one each for the Abahani Ltd.
In the match, Abahani Ltd scored eight field goals, seven goals from penalty corners and one from penalty stroke.
Abahani dominated the first quarter by 5-0, took 9-0 lead in the 2nd quarter, dominated by 13-0 in the 3rd quarter and finished the match by 16-0 goals in the 4th and last quarters.
Earlier in the day's first match, Ajax SC beat Azad SC by 4-1 goals at the same venue Monday afternoon.
Premier Div Hockey: Holders Mariner Youngs Club win 11-2 over Victoria SC
Indian player Lesham struck two, another Indian Deepik and Subrota scored one goal each for the winners while Khorshed scored the lone goal for the losers
HC stays Dr Yunus’s jail term until disposal of appeal in labour law violation case
The High Court on Monday stayed a Labour Appellate Tribunal order that had stayed the effectiveness of the jail sentence awarded to Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus and three others in a Labour Law violation case, until disposal of the appeal petition.The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadoth Hossain passed the order saying the conviction could not be suspended.Declaring the verdict of the Labour Appellate Tribunal illegal, it also stayed the effectiveness of the jail sentence and fine till disposal of the appeal petition filed by Dr Muhammad Yunus.Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun stood for Dr Yunus while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.
Dr Yunus, seven others granted bail upon surrender in graft caseA petition was filed with the High Court against the Labour Appellate Tribunal’s order on February 4.Besides, the petition was also filed seeking a bar on traveling abroad without the permission of the court.Earlier the Labour Appellate Tribunal on January 28 granted bail to Dr Yunus and three others in the case.
Prof Yunus remains a dear friend of UN throughout his career: SpokespersonChairman of Labour Appellate Tribunal MA Awal stayed the punishment of the Nobel laureate and three others and fixed March 3 for next hearing.On January 1, Dhaka 3rd Labour Court Judge Sheikh Merin Sultana sentenced Dr Yunus and three top officials of Grameen Telecom to six months’ jail in a case over violation of labour law.The court also fined them Tk 30,000 each.The other convicts were-- Ashraful Hasan, CEO of Grameen Telecom Trust; trustee Nurjahan Begum; and managing director M Shahjahan.On September 9, 2021, Labour Inspector Arifuzzaman, of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, filed the case with Dhaka’s 3rd Labour Court.On June 6, 2023, Dhaka Labor Court-3 framed charges against the four accused.Dr Yunus and the three others filed a petition challenging the legality of the charge framing and seeking a stay order on trial proceedings in the case.The High Court on July 23 last year issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the indictment order against the four should not be scrapped.On August 3, the Appellate Division directed the High Court to dispose of the rule questioning the charge framing against Dr Yunus and others by the lower court in the case.According to the case, during an inspection visit to Grameen Telecom, inspectors of the department found that 101 workers and staff members who were supposed to be permanent were not made so.No participation fund and welfare fund was formed for them and five percent of the company’s profit was not provided to the workers following the law. Upon a complaint, a criminal case was filed under sections 4, 7, 8, 117, 234 of the Labour Act.
Teenager jumps off 7-storey building, dies
A 17-year-old boy killed himself by jumping off the roof of a 7-storey building in the capital's Bangshal area on Monday, police said.
Ariful Islam Rifat, a salesman at Nawabpur market, lived with his parents in Bangshal.
Md Alauddin, sub-inspector (SI) of Bangshal police station said, the matter is being investigated by taking into account the complaints of the victim’s family.
Collision between pick-up van, three wheeler leaves six dead in Sylhet
The body has been kept at the hospital morgue. It was initially reported that he died after jumping, he added.
Victim's parents claimed that they bought a flat from a person named Afzal six years back. But there were no gas, water and electricity connections. Although they got water and gas cylinders a year ago, they were not connected to electricity. Afzal has been delaying since then.
Rifat's father alleged, "After buying the flat, we have been suffering with my sick mother Angura Begum from the beginning despite all the facilities the building has.”
On Monday afternoon, Afzal’s brother met with Rifat’s family to talk over the issue but he informed that it would not be possible to provide an electricity connection now.
Gazipur gas cylinder blast: Death toll rises to 10
“At that time, Rifat also talked with Iqbal and requested him to give electricity connection. But he refused to do it now.”
“Then my son left the room saying "I can't take it anymore" and ran out to the roof. Later I saw that he jumped from the roof and fell,” Rifat’s father said.
2 held with 32 gold bars in Jashore
Detectives in a drive arrested two people along with 32 gold bars, weighing 3.35 kg, from Khajura Bus Stand in Jashore New Market area on Monday.
The arrestees were identified as Shahidul islam, 30, son of Imanur Rahman of Putkhali village in Benapole and Sumon Hossain, 28, son of Alauddin of Sharsha upazila in Jashore district.
Man held with gold powder, bar at Chattogram airport
Tipped off, a team of DB police conducted a drive in the area around 3 pm and intercepted a private car carrying two people, said Additional Superintendent of Jashore Police Jewel Imran.
Later, police seized 32 gold bars, wrapped in scotch tape and kept hidden tactfully, after searching the vehicles.
BGB thwarts gold smuggling attempt, arrests woman with 11 bars in Chuadanga
Police also seized the private car.
The market value of the gold bars is Tk 4 crore.