Bangladesh and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) or the French Development Agency have entered credit facility agreements (CFA) for three crucial development projects, totalling EUR 277 million (approximately USD 303 million).  The CFAs were signed on June 22 by Sharifa Khan, secretary to the Economic Relations Division, representing Bangladesh, and Benoit CHASSATTE, AFD country director for Bangladesh. Under the CFAs, AFD will provide EUR 62 million for the BRT project, EUR 175 million for the Chattogram Metropolitan Sewerage Project, and EUR 40 million for the BEST Project.  Also Read: BHBFC-AFD hold bilateral meeting on green-featured buildings The first project, known as the Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project (BRT Company Component), aims to establish a sustainable urban transport system in Gazipur City Corporation (GCC). This project will introduce a 20 km Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor — serving as a pilot project to provide a holistic solution for integrated urban mobility.  The second project, the Chattogram Metropolitan Sewerage Project for North Kattoli, addresses the long-awaited needs of Port City dwellers. It involves the construction of a sewerage system and wastewater treatment infrastructure for the North Kattoli catchment area, located in the northwest part of Chattogram city. The third project, called the Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation (BEST) project, is a joint effort between AFD and the World Bank. It aims to enhance environmental regulations and enforcement in Bangladesh. The project focuses on curbing pollution and improving environmental quality by strengthening the country's technical and administrative capacity. Also Read: France keen on meeting Bangladesh’s needs for green investments: AFD Executive Director AFD, a bilateral development agency responsible for implementing official development assistance on behalf of the French government, has been actively operating in Bangladesh since 2012.  AFD’s support encompasses a wide range of development projects, including urban development and infrastructure initiatives such as water and sanitation, public transport, and urban services. They also focus on power and green energy projects, including energy efficiency and renewable power, as well as corporate and social responsibility endeavours aimed at enhancing safety standards and environmental and social performance. To date, AFD has committed EUR 2,101 million in technical assistance projects and has provided Bangladesh with a budget support loan of EUR 300 million, demonstrating its sustained commitment to the country's development. Read More: HCA signed, €609 million in loans approved by AFD for Bangladesh

Early voting has been peaceful  and the law and order situation is also good, said Zayeda Khatun, an independent mayoral candidate in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) elections. She made the remark while talking to reporters after casting her vote at Kanaia Government Primary School polling station around 10 am. There has been no complaint so far against the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), she said adding “I am hopeful about my victory in the  election.’ Also read: Voting underway in Gazipur City Corporation election She also urged the voters to cast their votes at the respective polling stations. Meanwhile, Gazipur City Corporation's (GCC) former mayor Jahangir Alam also cast his vote at the same polling station with his mother. Voting in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election began on Thursday using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in all polling stations in a peaceful manner. The voting began around 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break. Read more: Voting underway in Gazipur City Corporation election

Voting in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election began on Thursday (May 25, 2023) using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in all polling stations in a peaceful manner. The voting began around 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break. Eight candidates are contesting for mayoral posts in the election and there are 248 councillors and 79 female councilor candidates. A total of 11,79,476 voters are eligible to vote and of them, 5,92,762 are men and 5,86,696 are women, and the number of transgender people is 18. Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana said that Gazipur City Corporation voting will be held in a free and fair environment and voters can cast their vote peacefully. Also read: Gazipur city polls will be free and fair, says EC commissioner The commissioner said this while exchanging views with journalists after a meeting with magistrates on maintaining law and order in the Gazipur City Corporation election at Gazipur Circuit House on Wednesday. The election commission will monitor the election through CCTVs, which were set up in all polling stations. Tight security A total of 13,000 law enforcers have been deployed to maintain law and order during the election, said Commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Molla Nazrul Islam on Wednesday. “ 20-22 members of law enforcement agencies will perform duty at each centre. I hope a free and fair election will be held with the efforts of all amid foolproof security,” he told UNB. Twenty platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members have been deployed alongside 30 teams of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and Ansar members, said Returning Officer Faridul Islam. Read more: 13,000 law enforcers to be on polls duty: GMP Commissioner Mobile teams will be there in 57 wards while 19 striking forces led by 19 magistrates will remain vigilant at the polling centers.

Bangladesh and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Bahrain on the sidelines of the Manama Dialogue. Under this MoU, both sides will hold regular consultations for political, economic, cultural, people-to-people contact, climate change, agriculture, food security and environment protection cooperation. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and GCC Secretary General Nayem Falah M Al-Hajraf signed the MoU Friday. Before that, the foreign minister and the GCC secretary general had a meeting. At the meeting, Ambassador Mashfee Binte Shams, secretary (east) of the foreign ministry, Bangladesh Ambassador to Bahrain Md Nazrul Islam and concerned officials of Bangladesh and GCC were present. The secretary-general thanked the foreign minister for his invitation to visit Bangladesh. He expressed his willingness to visit Bangladesh at his convenient time. Read more: Special move is under way for return of Bangladeshi workers to Bahrain: Envoy He said the MoU would work as the legal framework for cooperation between Bangladesh and GCC through a joint action plan, joint working group and technical team, joint business council and forums of GCC with Bangladesh. The foreign minister emphasised that Bangladesh and GCC have a lot of scope to work together for skill development, food security, energy security, climate change, crisis management, peace management, afforestation and IT cooperation, and preferential trade agreement or free trade agreement. Reada more: Bangladesh requests Bahrain to recruit more skilled workers, IT professionals  

The High Court on Tuesday issued a rule asking the government to explain why the suspension of Mohammad Jahangir Alam from the post of mayor in Gazipur City Corporation should not be declared illegal. The HC bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed and Justice Akhtaruzzaman issued the rule after hearing a writ petition challenging the decision of suspension. The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives has been asked to respond to the rule within the next two weeks. On August 14, a writ petition was filed with the High Court challenging the legality of the suspension of Jahangir . After a hearing on August 17, the bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed and Justice Akhtaruzzaman fixed the date. Read: Complainant tortured at police station: Manikganj OC withdrawn In September last year, videos of Jahangir making some derogatory remarks on Bangabandhu and some martyred freedom fighters at a programme went viral on social media. On November 19, the Awami League expelled him from his position for his derogatory remarks. On November 25, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development & Co-operatives suspended GCC Mayor Jahangir, six days after his expulsion from Awami League. Earlier, seven cases were filed against the suspended mayor in different parts of the country for his derogatory remarks about Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the great Liberation War.  

Newly appointed Ambassador of Bangladesh to Oman Mizanur Rahman has presented the “Letter of Credence” to Sultan of Oman Sultan Haitham bin Tariq at the Palace located adjacent to the capital city of Muscat.

Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) Mayor Md Zahangir Alam on Monday said it is important to support women especially those who are employed in apparel industry so that they can maintain better sanitary health during COVID-19 pandemic.  

Gazipur, Aug 28 (UNB) – Japan will help Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) to produce electricity from wastage, said mayor Md Jahangir Alam.