bangladesh
Annual profits from forced labour amount to US$ 236 billion: ILO report
Forced labour in the private economy generates US$236 billion in illegal profits per year, a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) has found.
The total amount of illegal profits from forced labour has risen by US$64 billion (37 per cent) since 2014, a dramatic increase that has been fuelled by both a growth in the number of people forced into labour, as well as higher profits generated from the exploitation of victims.
The ILO report, Profits and Poverty: the economics of forced labour, estimates that traffickers and criminals are generating close to US$10,000 per victim, up from US$8,269 (adjusted for inflation) a decade ago.
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Total annual illegal profits from forced labour are highest in Europe and Central Asia (US$84 billion), followed by Asia and the Pacific (US$62 billion), the Americas (US$52 billion), Africa (US$20 billion), and the Arab States (US$18 billion).
When illegal profits are expressed per victim, annual illegal profits are highest in Europe and Central Asia, followed by the Arab States, the Americas, Africa and Asia and the Pacific.
Forced commercial sexual exploitation accounts for more than two-thirds (73 per cent) of the total illegal profits, despite accounting for only 27 per cent of the total number of victims in privately imposed labour.
These numbers are explained by the huge difference in per victim profits between forced commercial sexual exploitation and other forms of non-state forced labour exploitation – US$27,252 profits per victim for the former against US$3,687 profits per victim for the latter.
After forced commercial sexual exploitation, the sector with the highest annual illegal profits from forced labour is industry, at US$35 billion, followed by services (US$20.8 billion), agriculture (US$5.0 billion), and domestic work (US$2.6 billion).
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These illegal profits are the wages that rightfully belong in the pockets of workers but instead remain in the hands of their exploiters, as a result of their coercive practices.
There were 27.6 million people engaged in forced labour on any given day in 2021.
This figure translates to 3.5 people for every thousand people in the world. Between 2016 and 2021 the number of people in forced labour increased by 2.7 million.
“People in forced labour are subject to multiple forms of coercion, the deliberate and systematic withholding of wages being amongst the most common. Forced labour perpetuates cycles of poverty and exploitation and strikes at the heart of human dignity. We now know that the situation has only got worse. The international community must urgently come together to take action to end this injustice, safeguard workers' rights, and uphold the principles of fairness and equality for all,” stated ILO Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo.
The report stresses the urgent need for investment in enforcement measures to stem illegal profit flows and hold perpetrators accountable.
It recommends strengthening legal frameworks, providing training for enforcement officials extending labour inspection into high-risk sectors, and better coordination between labour and criminal law enforcement.
Yet forced labour cannot be ended through law enforcement measures alone, enforcement actions must be part of a comprehensive approach that prioritizes addressing root causes and safeguarding victims, underlines the report released from Geneva.
The Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930, and the Forced Labour (Supplementary Measures) Recommendation, 2014 (No. 203) provide a strategic framework for comprehensive action.
Promote sustainable production, consumption of plastics through environmentally sound waste management: Experts
Experts at a seminar urged the government to promote sustainable production and consumption of plastics through product design and environmentally sound waste management.
"If we can ensure environmentally sound waste management, it will contribute to the economy. We need a systematic transformation to achieve the transition to a circular economy" said Dr. Jane Gilbert, Circular Economy Expert, and British Standards Institution (BSI) while making her keynote presentation at the seminar.
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Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) and the British Standards Institution (BSI) jointly organised a seminar on "CE to Enhance the Export Possibilities of Plastic Goods" at the BPGMEA conference room in Paltan Tower in the city.
The seminar aims to address crucial issues and strategies for Bangladesh to export to the UK and Europe of plastic products.
With BPGMEA President Shamim Ahmed in the chair, the seminar was addressed by Md. Salim Ullah, Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Industries, Rahman, Joint Secretary (EC4J), Ministry of Commerce, Anwar Hossain, Bengal Group of Industries, Salahuddin Shikder, PRAN-RFL Group, BPGMEA Director and Managing Director of BPCL Khadem Mahmood Yusuf, BSTI Director Ms. Zohra Sikder, Mustain Billah from EC4J, and S M Arafat from UNIDO.
Apart from this, experts in related fields, top leaders of various BPGMEA member organisations, and important members participated in this seminar.
Dr. Jane Gilbert said that it is necessary to promote a national action plan on the circular economy to achieve a sustainable development goal.
She emphasised on working towards the prevention, reduction and elimination of plastic pollution.
"We need a systemic transformation to achieve the transition to a circular economy", she said adding, the global economy is now only 7.2% circular; and it’s getting worse year on year-driven by rising material extraction and use.
She noted that the plastic industry shows promise with a huge growth potential in the domestic market and opportunity to grab a share in the global market.
Dr. Jane Gilbert also said that after LDC Graduation in 2026 Bangladesh will have to adopt International standards for goods & services to enhance export.
BPGMEA President Mr. Shamim Ahmed said that as the country develops, the use of plastic will increase.
"To reduce the use of plastic we need to innovate and on the other hand we need to manage plastic properly".
He also said that investment and infrastructural development is required for waste management.
He said currently 37 percent of mismanaged plastic is being recycled in Bangladesh. The recycling process will be strengthened further.
In expanding the circular economy, he emphasised on increasing competition, taking new market opportunities, expanding products, security of resource sources, and increasing reputation.
The experts at the seminar gave valuable insights into the challenges facing Bangladesh and the steps needed to facilitate their exports.
These include economic development, trade policy, sustainable growth, and capacity building initiatives and exports.
Matarbari seaport will play crucial role for regional connectivity: Speaker
Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Tuesday said that Matarbari deep seaport is a gateway that will facilitate connectivity with landlocked countries like Nepal and Bhutan through Bangladesh.
“Matarbari deep seaport is the right policy decision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” she said.
She said this at a workshop titled 'Bangladesh's First Deep Seaport: Matarbari Opening a New Scene in the Bay of Bengal' organised by the Ocean Policy Research Unit of Japan's Sasakawa Peace Foundation at Parliament’s LD Hall.
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The Speaker said that through Matarbari deep seaport, the socio-economic development of the neighbouring countries will take place while Bangladesh will also benefit.
“This seaport will play a crucial role in facilitating the communication with different states through waterways and will also increase commercial competition,” she said.
She said that this seaport will highlight the importance of the Bay of Bengal among various South Asian countries.
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Bangladesh Enterprise Institute President Humayun Kabir moderated the workshop.
Ocean Policy Peace Foundation Research Fellow Imadul Islam and researcher Kamran Reza Chowdhury presented the keynote of the workshop.
Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Masud Bin Momen, Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam, president of the Ocean Policy Research Institute of Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Japan Hide Sakaguchi, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Kiminori IWAMA and JICA Bangladesh Chief Representative Tamohide Ichiguchi also addressed the workshop.
Different areas in city experiencing acute water, gas crises
Residents of different areas in the city have been experiencing acute water and gas crises.
With the beginning of holy Ramadan, their problems have been aggravated further.
The areas include Mohammadpur, Adabar, Mansurabad, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Malibagh, Gulbagh, Mugda, Manda and Maniknagar.
Of these, the residents of Mohammadpur, Adabar, Mansurabad, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Malibagh, and Gulbagh are experiencing water crisis while the residents of Mugda, Manda and Maniknagar are facing gas crisis.
The affected city dwellers said the water crisis in their areas is so acute that they get water from Dhaka WASA supply lines after every three days.
"But when water comes, it comes along with sand", said Rumana Ramahman, a resident of the Mohammadpur area.
She informed them that they have lodged complaints with Dhaka WASA authority several times. But still the problem is persisting.
Echoing the same, Maniruzzaman of Shewrapara said that they have to collect drinking water from alternative sources to meet the emergency needs as water supply from WASA lines is not available.
"Sometimes, we get water from WASA lines at midnight but at a very low pressure", he told UNB.
Contacted Dhaka (Water Supply and Sewerage Authority) WASA deputy managing director (O&M) Engineer A. K. M. Shahid Uddin admitted the problems.
But he claimed the problems have been resolved after receiving complaints from the consumers.
"Some of the pumps went out of order in those areas. We repaired some of those and replaced some others. Now, there is no problem of waters there", he told UNB.
Shahid also said sometimes some consumers lodge verbal complaints to the media. But when we investigate, we don't find the authenticity of the complaints.
He also noted that sometimes, in-house pumps get out of order, but consumers complain against the WASA.
Dhaka WASA officials, however, claimed that there is no gas between demand and supply of water in Dhaka city. Rather, production capacity is more than the demand for water, they said.
The Dhaka WASA data shows that currently water demand in Dhaka city is 260 crore liters per day while WASA's production capacity is 290 crore liters.
But lack of a proper system to rationally supply the water sometimes creates problems when a deep water pump in any area gets out of order.
In the existing system, it becomes difficult to recover the shortage of that area, he said.
Every year in summer water shortage occurs in different areas of Dhaka. The main reason for this is the dependence on underground sources.
In 2010, 80 percent of the water produced by Dhaka Wasa was from underground sources, which are being drawn through deep tube wells and 20 percent was surface water.
The Dhaka WASA planned to increase surface water production to at least 70 percent by 2021. However, the target was not achieved. Still 70 percent of WASA's daily water production comes from underground sources.
About the gas crisis, Al Amin, a resident of the Manda area informed that most of the times of a day, the area remains without gas.
"We receive natural gas in the Titas pipeline only at midnight and it remains for 3 hours from 1 am to 4 am" he told UNB.
But Titas gas officials admitted that the gas crisis is part of the overall shortfall in the national grid.
The Titas officials said the country's gas demand is about 4000 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) while the state-owned Petrobangla can hardly supply 2660 MMCFD leaving about 1400-1500 MMCFD as
Police trying to ensure safe eid journeys for common people
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun on Tuesday said that the police have been trying to ensure that common people will reach their respective destinations during their Eid journey.
The IGP came up with the remark when the leaders of the Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh (CRAB) paid a courtesy call on him at the police headquarters on Tuesday.
The IGP said that all measures have already been taken so that Eid holiday makers can reach their destinations safely. Apart from this, security measures have been arranged during Iftar, Taraweeh and Sehri in such a way that the safety of devotees are not disturbed.
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Regarding the traffic jam, he said that the DMP commissioner himself broke the fasting on the street to ease the traffic jam during the fasting. Every member of the traffic department is working tirelessly to decongest the traffic. Besides, the policemen are on alert to maintain law and order on the occasion of holy Ramadan.
Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun also said that instructions have been given to police officers across the country to ensure the safety and service of the common people.
He said the policy of 'zero tolerance' on militancy-terrorism, extortion and drugs is continuing and it will remain continue in the future.
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Referring to the policy of 'zero tolerance' in the case of drugs, the police chief said that even if any member of the police is involved in drug related cases, the policy of 'zero tolerance' is being shown.
CRAB president Kamruzzaman Khan and general secretary Sirajul Islam along with other executive committee members were present.
TIB voices concern on relaxing wealth statement provision for govt servants
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Tuesday voiced deep concern over the move to amend the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules 1979 by relaxing the provision for mandatory submission of wealth statements.
As a result of this initiative, some 15 lakh government employees will be exempted from accountability as well as corruption will be encouraged, said a TIB press release.
The Bangladesh chapter of Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) urged the government to cancel the initiative.
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the annulment of provision of wealth statement submission will create a situation where the dishonest government officials would become more corrupt.
"The proposed amendment of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules is exactly opposite to the government's electoral pledge and the government’s top leadership’s declaration of zero tolerance policy against corruption," he said.
He said there was a provision to submit the assets statement every year, but later it was relaxed and made the provision for submitting wealth statements after every five years due to the reluctance of the government employees.
Now the removal of the obligation means in a sense to massively promote the government employees to become corrupt, said the TIB Executive Director.
“If there is no provision to submit the wealth statement, the tendency among the government employees would go up to acquire illegal wealth through adopting corruption fearlessly,” he said.
At the same time, the suffering of people to avail the services in government offices will increase, illegal money transactions will enhance manifold and overall the government’s dream of ensuring a well-governed system will end in failure, said Dr Iftekharuzzaman.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden witnesses climate change resilience efforts in Bangladesh
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, serving as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 2023, visited Khulna and Chattogram on 19 March to witness firsthand the impact of climate change and UNDP's initiatives on climate change adaptation in Bangladesh.
With a focus on climate change adaptation and sustainable development, Crown Princess engaged with community members including climate displaced population particularly women, who have undergone transformational changes to become active change-makers in their communities. By immersing herself in locally-driven solutions, the Crown Princess gained invaluable insights into the development of comprehensive resilience models.
Throughout the day, the Crown Princess observed UNDP interventions undertaken in partnership with other UN agencies and the Governments of Bangladesh, with support from the Government of Sweden and other development partners.
In Moheshwaripur Union of Koyra Upazila, Khulna, she observed climate adaptation initiatives programme adopted by UNDP and UNCDF with support from the Swedish government. Additionally, she visited a UNDP-supported a2i digital service delivery center, where rural populations are empowered to access essential public services through ICT services and inaugurated a smart post center.
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A key highlight of the visit was the interaction with empowered female leaders championing locally-led adaptation approaches. In Jele Para Dakshin, Chattogram she interacted with a climate-displaced community and witnessed their resilience-building efforts led by women. The Crown Princess also observed innovative interventions, including an embankment wall constructed through collaboration between the UK and Bangladesh governments, facilitated by UNDP.
The visit also included a stop at the Asian University for Women in Chattogram, where Her Royal Highness interacted with female students and observed UNDP-supported initiatives, including innovative training courses aimed at empowering women and fostering sustainable development.
The Crown Princess was accompanied by Ulrika Modéer, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of External Relations and Advocacy at UNDP and Johan Forssell, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, Stefan Liller, UNDP Bangladesh Resident Representative, Alexandra Berg von Linde, Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh and others.
Her visit underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in tackling climate change and promoting gender equality, reaffirming UNDP's commitment to building resilient and inclusive communities in Bangladesh and beyond.
2 get life imprisonment for violating teenage girl in Tangail
A Tangail court on Tuesday sentenced two people to life imprisonment for violating a 13-year-old girl in 2022.
The convicts are Sagar Ahmed, 21, son of Aslam and Ahmed Nabil, 21, son of Abu Syed of Sakhipur upazila in Tangail district.
Tangail Woman and Child Repression Tribunal Judge Mahbubur Rahman handed down the punishment.
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According to the prosecution, Sagar developed a love affair with the girl, a resident of Basarchala in Sakhipur upazila.
On June 29, 2022, Sagar called the girl to meet him at a place at Basarchala village over phone.
When the girl appeared there, Sagar and Nabil took her to an abandoned place and violated her in turns.
On July 2, father of the girl filed a case against Sagar, Nabil and Farhad Hossain and police submitted chargesheet against them on February 28, 2023.
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After examining records and witnesses, the court acquitted Farhad as allegations brought against them could not be proved.
Govt to convert local post offices into smart service points: Palak
State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak said that the government has adopted a plan to convert local post offices into smart service points in the journey to build Smart Bangladesh.
As a result, post offices will provide more than 325 e-government services as well as regular postal services, he said.
In this continuation, even from remote villages, people can easily receive all e-government services including banking, agent banking services from those smart post service points, he added.
Along with economic inclusion, it will play an incredible role in eliminating the digital divide in the country.
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The state minister said these things while talking to reporters after inaugurating SmartPost Center Koira at Koyra in Khulna on Tuesday.
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Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Director General of Postal department Tarun Kanti Sikdar, and Policy Adviser of A2I, Anir Chowdhury were present at the event.
Palak said “Initially, we have started the work of converting 5 post offices into smart post centers on an experimental basis. SmartPost Centre, Koira is the first journey of this initiative. We will soon implement 500 more SmartPost Centers in continuation of this.”
He also emphasized on the need to create a digital inclusive society and said that our goal is to deliver services to the doorsteps of every person in the country, including remote areas, using the vast network of post offices, huge infrastructure and manpower.
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“We have started the journey to reach another dream destination of building Smart Bangladesh by 2041. With the smart postal system, it will be possible to deliver goods through various hubs centered around 10,000 post offices in the country,” he said.
The State Minister said the Smart Service Point (SSP) initiative is a concerted effort to integrate digital solutions with traditional postal services.
He expressed strong optimism that these service points will revolutionize accessibility and efficiency in rural areas of Bangladesh by hosting facilities like parcel tracking, bill payment and e-commerce facilities.
Hospitals asked to be ready to provide treatment to dengue patients: Health Minister
All hospitals across the country have been asked to take measures to provide proper treatment to the patients infected with dengue, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen.
“People will be made aware about mosquito breeding and dengue spread and we will take prevention in every ward, to make people aware, to make people understand dengue,” he said while speaking at an inter-ministerial meeting with the mayors of two city corporations about the prevention of dengue and chikungunya.
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“Patients infected with dengue have been asked to take treatment at hospital as soon as possible without any delay,” he said.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam, who was present there, said DNCC is going to import BTI mosquito kill directly for the first time and work is going on.
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He also urged all to work together and take the responsibility by itself of their own organisations.