President Abdul Hamid
President Hamid calls for updating country’s laws
President Abdul Hamid on Tuesday called upon the Law Commission to take necessary steps to modernize and update the existing laws and regulations of the country.
The President made the call while a four-member delegation led by the Commission’s chairman Justice ABM Khairul Haque presented its annual report for 2020 to him at Bangabhaban.
Read: President Hamid calls for boosting ICT skills of judges
Hamid said that impartial implementation of the law is equally important in establishing the rule of law.
The delegation briefed the President about the overall activities of the Commission and various aspects of the annual report.
Read: President Hamid urges ACC to go hard after the corrupt people
Commission member Justice ATM Fazle Kabir was also among others in the delegation while Secretary to the President's Office Sampad Barua and Military Secretary Major General SM Salahuddin Islam were present on the occasion.
Ensure proper hygiene before reopening the campus, President Hamid tells DU administration
President Abdul Hamid on Monday called upon all university administrations to ensure proper hygiene in classrooms, dormitories, campuses and offices before resuming in-person classes.
The President made the call when a delegation led by Dhaka University Vice- Chancellor Akhtaruzzaman called on him at Bangabhaban to brief about the plan to reopen the university of which the President is the Chancellor.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Muhammad Samad, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor ASM Maqsood Kamal and Treasurer Professor Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed were also present at the meeting.
VC Prof Akhtaruzzaman informed the President that class would be started after all the students of the university get at least one dose of vaccine.
Students will be included in the classroom activities step by step, he added.
The university delegation also briefed the President about the preparations for the commencement of classroom physically and the overall activities of the university.
The delegation also informed the President about the preparations for the colourful event to be held on November 1, 2021 to mark the centenary of Dhaka University.
The President said that the students have suffered a lot due to the Corona situation. "If the situation is favourable, teachers and students should try to make up for the loss as much as possible by taking extra classes. But above all there must be hygiene," he also said.
He called upon the university administration to take steps for monitoring and immunization of all students in a short period of time.
Protect e-commerce customers, President asks the Competition Commission
President Abdul Hamid on Thursday asked Bangladesh Competition Commission to protect the e-commerce customers from fraudulence.
The President made the call when a delegation of the commission led by Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi presented the annual report of the commission for FY2020-2021 to the President at Bangabhaban.
He said the commission will have to find effective ways to curb fraudulence with consumers in the growing digital business in the country.
Read: President Hamid urges ACC to go hard after the corrupt people
Deputy Press Secretary to the President Munshi Jalal Uddin told UNB that Chairman of the Commission Mofizul Islam briefed the President about its activities.
Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and member of the commission GM Saleh Uddin, AFM Manzoor Qadir, and Nasrin Begum were present during meeting.
Terming e-commerce as a promising sector, the President said everyone should be careful so that this sector does not stumble at the beginning due to some dishonest traders.
Read: President Hamid calls for boosting ICT skills of judges
He called upon the authorities concerned to crack down on those who work against the interests of the customers.
The President said that the Competition Commission should take steps so the consumers get quality products at reasonable prices as well as protect the interests of traders.
President Hamid urges ACC to go hard after the corrupt people
President Abdul Hamid on Sunday asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to take necessary steps to ensure punishment of the corrupt.
The President made the call while the ACC Chairman Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah and Commissioner Md Zahurul Haque met him at Bangabhaban this evening.
President's press secretary Joynal Abedin told reporters that during the meeting, the ACC chairman briefed the President about the overall activities of the commission and raised the issue of ACC office infrastructure and manpower crisis.
READ: Following complaints, ACC launches drive against Jibon Bima MD
Mentioning that Bangladesh is moving forward on the path of development and progress, President Hamid said that prevention of corruption is essential for making it sustainable.
He said that initiatives should be taken by the educational institutions, society and family so that the young generation can grow up with attitude to hate corruption.
The President hoped that the commission would take strict measures to curb institutional corruption as well as informal corruption.
President Hamid calls for conserving species of local fish
President Abdul Hamid on Tuesday called upon the public and entrepreneurs to come forward for the conservation of various species of local fish alongside the effort to increase fish production.
He made the call while releasing fish fry in the lion pond at Bangabhaban as part of National Fisheries Week.
The President said that the fisheries sector has great potentials in meeting the demand for animal protein as well as earning foreign exchange.
He said that the sector’s expansion is also very important in creating employment.
Read: Indonesian envoy pays farewell call on President Hamid
The President released fry of different species including Rui, Katla, Mrigel, Kali Baus, Pabda, Gulsha, Subarna Rui, Lobster, Mahashol.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister S M Rezaul Karim was present on the occasion.
Secretary to the President's Office Sampad Barua, Military Secretary Major General SM Salah Uddin Islam, Press Secretary Md. Joynal Abedin, Joint Secretary ( attachment) Wahidul Islam Khan and Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Raunak Mahmud along with military and civilian officials of Bangabhaban were alsobpresent on the occasion.
President mourns Prof Ali Ashraf's death
President Abdul Hamid on Friday expressed grief over the death of Comilla-7 MP Prof Ali Ashraf.
In a condolence message, the President said, “Prof Ali Ashraf with his experience and professionalism had played a very positive role in the practice of parliamentary democracy. His role was important in various parliamentary committees and parliamentary activities, including the Public Accounts Committee."
Read: Cumilla-7 MP Prof Ali Ashraf passes away
Hamid said Bangladesh has lost an experienced parliamentarian at the death of Ali Ashraf, which is an irreparable loss to the country's political arena.
The President prayed for the salvation of Ashraf's departed soul and conveyed his deepest condolences to his bereaved family members.
Read: President mourns the passing of Dr SA Farooq
Chiefs of three services exchange Eid greetings with the President
Chiefs of the three services called on President Abdul Hamid separately at Bangabhaban on Sunday evening and exchanged Eid greetings with him.
Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Acting Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral M Abu Ashraf and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sheikh Abdul Hannan also briefed the President about the steps the forces have taken to tackle coronavirus pandemic.
President Hamid calls on OIC to cooperate in poverty alleviation
President Abdul Hamid on Wednesday called upon the OIC member countries to make better use of science and technology in alleviation of poverty through sustainable development.
"Science and Technology will work as a game changer in poverty alleviation and sustainable development," he said while addressing the second OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) summit on science and technology.
The virtual summit at Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan carried the theme “Science, Technology and Innovation: Opening New Horizons”.
Read: SSF chief calls on President Hamid on its founding anniversry
The president said the collaboration can be done on dedicated projects bilaterally or on collective basis. “Many OIC member states have similar strengths and prospects in different areas and we can complement each other,” he said.
He also called upon scientists and researchers from OIC member country to exchange their expertise and knowledge in these fields.
He said that Bangladesh is giving special emphasis to scientific research, sustainable and environment friendly technology, peaceful uses of nuclear energy in the field of food and agriculture, health, power, human resource development, blue economy and so on.
"We have already entered the elite nuclear club by constructing a 2 thousand 400 Megawatt nuclear power plant in Rooppur," he added.
Bangladesh, he said, is promoting nuclear medicine, nanotechnology, food processing and preservation, modern biotechnology, gene banking and blue economy resources.
Hamid also proposed some ideas for joint plan of action like collaboration for Research and Development among OIC member states with OIC institutional support, establishment of high-tech industry and implementation of gradual clustering projects under IDB co-financing arrangement, development of mechanisms, networks and associations of scientists and entrepreneurs, incubation support for OIC-wide commercial application of innovations and job creation and technology transfer among member states.
President, PM greet British Queen on her birthday
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have greeted British Queen Elizabeth II on her 95th birthday which falls on the second Saturday in June.
In separate messages sent on June 12, both the President and the Prime Minister wished her good health, happiness, and long life, and the continued peace, progress and prosperity to the friendly people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, said the Bangladesh High Commission in London.
President Hamid, in his message, said: “I take this opportunity to renew my pledge to work closely with Your Majesty to further strengthen and broaden the existing bonds of friendship between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom particularly as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our diplomatic relations through 2021-22.”
READ: Another cyclone coming, alerts PM Hasina
Prime Minister Hasina, in her message, said: “On this momentous occasion, I pay a special tribute to Your Majesty for the exemplary grace, duty, and service with which you have served your nation and the Commonwealth for the past seven decades.
As the longest-serving Monarch of the world, you continue to inspire us and remain a symbol of unity and solidarity, especially as the Head of our Commonwealth family. Like always, the people of Bangladesh continue to hold Your Majesty in their hearts with the highest of affection and admiration.”
READ: PM Hasina greets Assam’s new CM Dr Sarma
President to attend parliament to witness budget presentation
President Abdul Hamid will attend the parliament at 3pm on Thursday to witness the presentation of the national budget for fiscal 2021-22, his office said.
The budget session ( 13th session) of the 11th Jatiya Sangsad began Wednesday( June 2) under the shadow the Covid-19 pandemic with a limited number of MPs.
Read:Speaker announces 5-member JS panel of chairmen
The president called the session, exercising the power bestowed upon him by Article 72 (1) of the Constitution .
The national budget, the country’s 50th and also the 21st by the incumbent Awami League-led government will be placed in parliament on Thursday (3 June).
Read:Parliament’s budget session set to begin Wednesday
Business Advisory Committee on parliament will finalise the duration and other activities of the budget session while Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal will deliver his budget speech at 3 pm, for the third time in a row.
A limited number of MPs , required to fulfil quorum in the House, will be asked to attend the session on a rotation basis, sources at the Parliament Secretariat said.