press conference
55 companies invited in global bid for Bangladesh offshore exploration; Energy Advisor optimistic
Prime Minister’s Energy Advisor Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury has said that the international bidding for offshore oil and gas exploration will draw a huge response.
“This round, we have introduced some new aspects like linking gas price with Brent and per year cost recovery at highest 75 percent to make the bidding more attractive,” he told reporters at a press conference at Petrobangla headquarters in Dhaka on Monday.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Division organised the press conference to brief about the “Oil and Natural Gas Exploration Under Bangladesh Offshore Bidding Round 2024”, for which Petrobangla invited international oil and gas companies (IOCs).
Intensify efforts to scale up renewable energy technology: Energy Advisor
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, Energy Secretary Md Nurul Alam and Petrobangla chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker also addressed the event.
The tender notice was published in local newspapers and websites of concerned government entities including Bangladeshi missions abroad on Sunday giving six months’ time until September 9, 2024 for submission of the bids.
As per the floated tender, a total of 24 offshore blocks — of which nine are shallow blocks — and 15 deep sea blocks are available for the bidding round.
The nine shallow sea blocks are SS-01, 02, 03, 05, 06, 07, 08, 10 and 11) and 15 deep sea blocks are DS-08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22.
Gov wants AIIB to invest more in energy, power sectors: Nasrul
The bidder, singly or in association with other companies, can bid for one or more blocks.
Contracts will be signed with the successful bidders in line with the Bangladesh Offshore Model Production Sharing Contract 2023, said the tender.
Tawfiq Elahi Chowdhury informed that so far, the bidding invitation was sent to 55 IOCs who have contacted the government as potential bidders.
He, however, averted a question on the geopolitics that might appear to be a factor in the participation of the IOCs in the bidding round.
Nasrul Hamid said it’s an open bidding and any company eligible can bid for any block. He said a pre-bid meeting will be arranged after Ramadan for the interested bidders.
Read more: Petrobangla invites offshore bidding for oil, gas exploration
Govt is not harassing Dr Yunus with false cases: Law Minister
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday (February 01, 2024) said the government is not harassing Noble Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus by filing false cases.
“The government is not doing anything to harass Dr Muhammad Yunus. No false case is being filed against him. First a case was filed by workers and then the directorate responsible for protecting the rights of the workers filed a case.”
He said this at a press conference on contemporary issues at the secretariat today.
Read: 3 awarded life terms for 2015 murder in Cumilla
“Despite undisputable evidence, it is being spread abroad that the allegations against him (Yunus) are false, and it is being said that we are doing this to harass him,” said the minister.
The minister said that the efforts being made at home and abroad to defame various institutions in Bangladesh centring on Yunus's case will be defeated.
"As you know, according to the provisions of the Bangladesh Labour Act, an inspector can inspect any company if it is found that they are violating the law. In this case, on February 2, 2020, the inspector of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) first inspected Grameen Telecom as per the provisions of the Labour Act,” said Anisul.
"He found out that some laws were being violated. Later, on March 1, he wrote a letter to Grameen Telecom seeking their explanation about these violations and asking them to correct those,” he said.
Read: Take measures in preventing price hike of daily essentials: IGP
“Grameen Telecom's response was not satisfactory, and they (DIFE) inspected Grameen Telecom again on August 17, 2021. After seeing violations of the same law there, a letter was sent on August 19 stating that the law was being violated.
In such a situation, a case was filed against Dr Yunus and Grameen Telecom on September 9,” added Anisul.
Bangladesh sets $72 billion export target with 11.52% growth for FY 2023-24
Bangladesh's Ministry of Commerce has set an export target of $72 billion with 11.52 percent growth for the fiscal year 2023-24.
Export target for goods has been set at $62 billion while for the service sector, the target was set at $10 billion.
Export target achieved in FY 2022-23 was $64.55 billion, which saw a growth of 5.88 percent.
RMG exports to EU grew 9.93% in FY 2022-23: Export Promotion Bureau
Goods worth $55.55 billion and services worth $9 billion were exported in FY 2022-23, and the growth were 6.67 percent and 1.25 percent respectively.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi today (July 12, 2023) made the announcement of the export target and achievements in the previous fiscal in a press conference at the ministry.
Prior to the announcement, the minister met with leaders of different business organizations and ministry officials.
RMG exports in FY23 almost $47bn, 85% of total exports
Business leaders at the meeting urged the government to ensure uninterrupted gas and electricity supply to industries at affordable rates.
Otherwise, exports would be negatively impacted, they told the minister.
While announcing the new export target, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said the global economic slowdown has been considered when setting the new target.
Gas and power crises have also been considered while setting the target, the minister said.
Exports raked in $55.56bn in FY23, highest in history
While replying to a query, the minister said Bangladesh has some advantages including trained labour force, and affordable cost of products.
Besides, global entrepreneurs are relocating industries from China due to geo-political reasons, and Vietnam has a labour crisis, the minister said.
If Bangladesh can utilize these opportunities, exports can go beyond the target, the commerce minister said.
Dollar exchange rate for repatriated export income increased to Tk107.5
PM starts addressing media on her recent three-nation visit
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has started addressing a press conference on the outcome of her recent three-nation visit to Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom from April 25 to May 09, 2023.
The press conference began at 4:05pm on Monday at her official residence Ganabhaban here.
On April 25, Hasina left Dhaka for Tokyo on a four-day official visit to Japan on the first leg of her three-nation visit at the invitation of her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.
Also Read: PM Hasina: Climate-induced disasters may disrupt Bangladesh’s smooth LDC graduation
During her stay in Tokyo, the Bangladesh PM met Emperor of Japan Naruhito, held summit meeting with her Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio.
She and her Japanese counterpart witnessed the exchange of eight instruments, mostly memorandums of cooperation signed between Dhaka and Tokyo to boost cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, metro-rail, industrial up-gradation, ship-recycling, customs matters, intellectual property, defense, ICT and cyber security.
She also attended an investment summit and a community reception as well as handed over the “Friends of Liberation War Honour” to two Japanese nationals for their special contribution to the Liberation War of Bangladesh.
Also Read: Bangladesh's next general election will be fair, PM Hasina tells UK
Besides, Hasina held meetings separately with Foreign Minister of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi, President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Dr Tanaka Akihiko, Chairman of Japan-Bangladesh Committee for Commercial & Economic Cooperation (JBCCEC) Fumiya Kokubu, Chairman and CEO of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Ishiguro Norihiko and President of Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League (JBPFL) Taro Aso.
On April 28, the PM left Tokyo for Washington DC on a six-day official visit to the USA on the second leg of her three-nation tour in a bid to attend the celebration of the 50 years of partnership between the World Bank and Bangladesh.
Also Read: PM Hasina off to Tokyo on first leg of a two-week official visit to Japan, USA and UK
She attended a seminar titled "Reflection on 50 years of Bangladesh-World Bank Partnership" organized at the headquarters of the World Bank in Washington DC, USA on May 1.
In Washington DC, Sheikh Hasina also had meetings separately with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and President and CEO of US Chamber of Commerce Suzanne P. Clark.
Besides, she attended a high-level executive roundtable with the US business delegation and a community reception.
On May 04, the premier left Washington DC for London on a five-day official visit to the UK to attend the coronation of UK's King Charles III, hosted by Buckingham Palace on May 06.
Read More: PM attends coronation of King Charles III
In London, Hasina had interaction with King Charles III, and held a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Also Read: PM Hasina reaches Tokyo to begin four-day official visit to Japan
She also attended the Commonwealth Leaders Event, the King's reception for heads of states, governments and overseas representatives at Buckingham Palace in advance of the coronation of the King and the Queen Consort, and a community reception.
She had a meeting with and Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema there.
Also Read: PM returns home after 15-day foreign visit
Besides, PM Hasina had interactions with Presidents of Egypt and Rwanda, Prime Ministers of Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Gambia, Namibia and Uganda in the coronation programme of King Charles III.
Sheikh Hasina returned home on May 09.
‘I wasn’t abducted’: newlywed bride at press conference
A newlywed couple in Rajshahi held a press conference today to declare that the bride had not been abducted.
“I was not abducted. I came to know my family was preparing to file a case against my husband, so I wanted everyone to know, yesterday I left my home willingly and married the love of my life,” the bride said in the press conference, dispelling allegations from her family's side.
Twenty-one-year-old Fatima Tabassum’s family forced her into marrying a Saudi expatriate in 2019. She came back to Bangladesh 18 months later, in 2021.
Also Read: Love in Dhaka. Marriage in India...
Fatima and her husband, Fazle Rabbi, 26, are residents of the Bou Bazar area of Ramchandrapur.
The groom, a businessman by profession, said in the press conference that Fatima’s parents had disapproved of their marriage and filed a false lawsuit against him.
“They still couldn’t break our bond and forced Fatima into marrying another man in 2019. She was being tortured at home since she came back from Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Also Read: ‘Louder than Words’ launched as part of youth activism to eliminate early, forced marriage
Mentioning that he is concerned that Fatima's family will file another fraudulent lawsuit against him, he said, “I’m prepared for it. Fatima will tell the truth in court,” he added.
Mazharul Islam, officer-in-charge of Boalia police station, said Fatima’s family informed the police about the incident, but no complaint has yet been filed.
BNP to hold press conference this afternoon
Following yesterday's police action at Nayapaltan, BNP will hold a press conference on the incident this afternoon.
The press conference will be held at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office at 3pm, said Sayrul Kabir Khan, a BNP media cell member.
Yesterday, the party announced to hold a press conference at 3:30pm but it was postponed.
Read more: Drive inside BNP head office was against attempts for subversive activities, says DMP Commissioner
One person was killed and over 100 were injured, and nearly 300 BNP leaders and activists were arrested yesterday after a clash between police and opposition activists in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
Read more: Fakhrul barred from going into BNP’s Nayapaltan office
An unparalleled memory created today for Tigresses and Bangladeshi football fans
When the flight from Kathmandu landed in Dhaka, Bangladesh football team captain Sabina Khatun, who was on board, had no idea what was waiting for her and her team outside the airport.
Sabina knew her team had the capabilities to lift the title and win the crown of football excellence in South Asia. Still, she had no idea what the capital city had planned for her.
When they completed immigration process and came out to the media corner, Sabina came to know there were hundreds of media personnel waiting with cameras to snap their photos, and there were thousands of fans waiting with flowers to greet them for their victorious journey that ended with the ultimate prize.
Read: “Our SAFF achievement is understandable if you look at our journey”
Along with fans, band parties were also waiting for them with the cadence of patriotic songs. They were ready with flutes, drums and other musical instruments on the trucks decorated with photos of Sabina and her team.
A press conference was scheduled at the airport. But that failed to materialise due to the overcrowded presence of media personnel. The airport authority failed to manage the crowd. There were hundreds of police personnel to handle the situation, but they failed. There were hundreds of Ansar members too. They too failed to contain the passionate fans.
Being unable to host the press conference there, the authority was forced to call it off. It took them around an hour to disperse the crowd and restore order.
Read: SAFF Champion Tigresses return home
Fuel prices hiked in line with global market: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the government has rationally raised the fuel oil prices amid the price hike in the international market as a large amount of subsidy is provided to this sector.
“We provide Tk 23,000 crore subsidy to only diesel every year. We provide a total of Tk 53,000 crore as subsidy against diesel, electricity and related others. You just tell me how much money should be given as a subsidy,” she said.
The Prime Minister was speaking at a press conference at her Ganobhaban in the afternoon on the outcome of her recent two-week visit to the United Kingdoms and France.
Some journalists were also connected to the event virtually from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Hasina said fuel prices have gone up in the international market and there will be no more development in the country if the larger amount of the budget is given as a subsidy.
“If we procure diesel at a high rate and provide it at the cheapest rate by giving a larger amount of subsidy, how can we balance it? I’ve to consider the matters which are pragmatic,” she said, asking all to consider it.
Read:Consensus over climate finance a significant achievement: Hasina
Khaleda’s treatment
The Prime Minister said she has given enough facilities to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia by allowing her to stay in her residence and receive medical treatment.
“She (Khaleda) has been allowed to stay in her residence and receive medical treatment by exercising the executive authority I have. The rest is a legal matter,” she said, replying to a question if she takes any initiative for the treatment of ailing Khaleda Zia.
“Isn’t it enough that Khaleda Zia was allowed to stay in her residence instead of jail and receive treatment there?” questioned the PM.
In a counter question, she asked the journalist whether he would receive a person with a garland who had tried to kill him and rewarded the killers of his family members by giving them jobs in different missions abroad and by not bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Hasina said Khaleda Zia made Colonel Rashid, a killer of Bangabandhu, the opposition leader in Parliament through the February 15 election in 1996, and she also gave an accused Khairuzzaman a job in the Foreign Ministry and sent him to foreign mission as an ambassador.
Khaleda Zia also promoted another killer of Bangabandhu, Pasha posthumously, who was in the army and ensured all retirement and other benefits for his family, she said.
After the August 21 grenade attack, Khaleda had remarked that she (Sheikh Hasina) carried the grenades in her vanity bag. The Awami League was not allowed to discuss the attack in Parliament, even for a single day, though 22 people were killed and many others injured, she said.
Before the Kotalipara bomb plantation, Khaleda Zia had commented that Sheikh Hasina can never be the opposition leader, let alone the Prime Minister. “She thought I would die,” said Hasina.
“Even then we are not inhumane (like them). This is why she has been allowed to stay in residence by applying my executive authority….. I showed humanity for such an inhumane person,” she said.
PM to meet the press at 4pm
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to address a press conference at 4pm on Monday on the outcome of her recent visit to the United States for joining the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The Prime Minister will attend the press conference at her official residence Ganobhaban. Some journalists will be in the Ganobhaban, while others will remain connected from the Prime Minister’s Office through a virtual platform.
Read: PM to address press conference Monday
Sheikh Hasina returned home on Friday last from Washington, wrapping up her two-week foreign trip.
On September 17, the Prime Minister left Dhaka to attend the 76th UNGA. She reached New York on September 19 after a two-day stopover in Finland.
During her stay in New York from September 19 to 24, Hasina addressed the UNGA general debate (Sept 24), attended high-level events and bilateral talks with heads of governments, states and organisations.
She also planted a honey locust tree and unveiled a bench at the UN gardens dedicating these to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the occasion of his birth centenary.
In New York, Hasina was honoured with the ‘SDGs Progress Award’ in recognition of Bangladesh’s achievement in sustainable development from 2015 to 2020.
Read: Hasina places six proposals before world to fight Covid
The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and other several organisations, including the Earth Institute of Columbia University and the Centre for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, jointly conferred the award on her.
Later, the Prime Minister went to Washington DC on September 25.
During her stay in Washington, Hasina opened the newly-constructed ‘Bangladesh House’ and planted a fringe tree on its premises.
PM to address press conference Monday
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address a press conference on Monday afternoon on the outcome of her recent visit to the United States for joining the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The Prime Minister will attend the press conference at 4pm on Monday, said PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim.
Read: PM Hasina leaves Finland on way back home from USA
Sheikh Hasina returned home on Friday last from Washington, wrapping up her two-week foreign trip.
On September 17, the Prime Minister left Dhaka to attend the 76th UNGA. She reached New York on September 19 after a two-day stopover in Finland.
During her stay in New York from September 19 to 24, Hasina addressed the UNGA general debate (Sept 24), attended high-level events and bilateral talks with heads of governments, states and organisations.
Read: Hasina leaves Washington for home
She also planted a honey locust tree and unveiled a bench at the UN gardens dedicating these to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the occasion of his birth centenary.
In New York, Hasina was honoured with the ‘SDGs Progress Award’ in recognition of Bangladesh’s achievement in sustainable development from 2015 to 2020.
The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and other several organisations, including the Earth Institute of Columbia University and the Centre for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, jointly conferred her with the award.
Read: Hasina places six proposals before world to fight Covid
Later, the Prime Minister went to Washington DC on September 25.
During her stay in Washington, Hasina opened the newly constructed ‘Bangladesh House’ and planted a fringe tree on its premises.