Govt
Govt to create digital ID, smart cards for farmers
The government plans to create digital ID and smart cards for real farmers to promptly reach them incentives and other services, officials said on Monday.
The project will be placed at the ECNEC meeting for approval on Tuesday.
The use of smart agriculture cards as digital identity will ensure area and demand based agricultural services for each farmer and exchange of necessary farming information through digital analysis and management.
For this, digital profiles will cover 1.62 crore farmers out of 5 crore farmers. Among them 1.9 crore farmers will be given smart agriculture cards. Agriculture Extension Department workers and agricultural experts will communicate with the 1. 62 crore farmers digitally, exchange information and conduct service activities according to the area based needs.
Such initiatives are taken under Smart Agriculture Card and Digital Agriculture Project.
The proposed total cost of the project is estimated at Tk 107.92 crore. The project will be implemented by September 2024.
Also read: Commerce Ministry launches digital business ID for e-commerce sector
A senior official in charge of agricultural economics and planning, project implementation and ICT wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension, told UNB various problems arise when banks disburse incentives to farmers.
Besides, many farmers have lost Tk10 agricultural cards.
For these reasons, smart agriculture cards will be given to millions of farmers initially.
After that all the farmers of the country will come under the project in phases. Through this, crop field monitoring will be done digitally at field level, the official said.
He further said that all the information about how much land the farmer has, how much money he can get loan and eligibility of incentive will be justified instantly by installing the system.
“Our field level agriculture officer will collect this information and give input. Here you will find information on what crops farmers will grow this year and what crops they should grow next year. We also will include farmers in the digital platform,” the official said.
Also read: Govt focuses on digital and vocational education to build skilled manpower: Official document
Smart agriculture cards will be issued in 9 districts of 14 agricultural regions based on geo-nature including the head office of the Department of Agricultural Extension.
The districts are Gopalganj, Sunamganj, Tangail, Barisal, Jessore, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Bandarban and Mymensingh.
Govt allows Bangladeshi companies to make overseas equity investment
The government has issued a gazette notification on “Capital Account Transaction (Overseas Equity Investment) Rules 2022 that will permit Bangladeshi businesses to invest abroad.
From now on, exporters will be able to invest abroad subject to adequate status of their Export Retention Quota (ERQ), according to the notification issued on Wednesday.
The Foreign Exchange Investment Department of Bangladesh Bank (BB) issued a directive in this regard titled 'Capital Account Transaction (Equity Investment Abroad) Rules 2022' and sent it to all the authorized dealers of foreign exchange transactions on 26 January.
The directive states that on January 9, 2022, the Financial Institutions Division of the Ministry of Finance has issued the Capital Account Transaction (Equity Investment Abroad) Rules, 2022 under Section 26 of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947.
Read: NBR chairman asks businesses to come directly with any complaints
Under the rules, exporters will be able to invest equity abroad from their retention quota accounts.
In this case certain conditions have been laid down in the rules. The applicant will be able to invest 20 per cent of the average annual export earnings of the organization for five years or less than 25 per cent of the net assets shown in the latest audited annual financial report as equity abroad.
According to the rules, the applicant organization has to apply to the BB through the authorized dealer bank along with the required documents. A 15-member selection committee has been set up to scrutinize the applications.
The committee will be chaired by the governor of Bangladesh Bank. The decision of the committee will be notified to the approved dealer bank and a copy of the letter will be given to the applicant organization.
The detailed guidelines on setting up companies abroad are mentioned in the rules.
Read: Commonwealth to assist Bangladesh in post-graduation economic growth
All the debts of the company formed abroad, such as profit or dividend, interest, proceeds of sale of shares, balance due to liquidation of investment, salary, royalty, technical knowledge fee, consultation fee, commission, etc. must be remitted to Bangladesh within 30 days of receipt.
The rules state that investment misuse will be treated as money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
No increase in edible oil price now, govt decides after meeting with traders
The price of edible oil will not be increased until the integrated and uniform pricing system is finalized.
The decision was taken after a tripartite meeting at the commerce ministry on Thursday afternoon, said AHM Safiquzzaman, additional secretary (Import and Internal Trade).
Read: Soaring prices of key items in Dhaka turn up heat in the kitchen
Safiquzzaman told reporters that the proposal of price hike by Tk 8 to Tk 10 for per litredible oil was not approved.
At present the price of bottled soybean oil is Tk160 per litre. The traders proposed to increase the price of this edible oil by Tk 8 per liter. In that case, the price in the retail market would be Tk168 per litre. The mill's gate price would be Tk158, and the distributor price would be Tk 162 per litre.
Fakhrul for fierce movement to force govt to send Khaleda abroad
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday urged their party leaders and activists to intensify their current movement as the government is not willing to allow seriously ill Khaleda Zia to go abroad for treatment.
"Begum Khaleda Zia is seriously ill and doctors have said it’s essential for her to go abroad immediately for the treatment she now needs…the government isn’t willing to allow her to do that (go abroad),” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, he also said it is not enough to only make a demand for sending Khaleda abroad for treatment. “We must intensify the movement we’ve started, and turn it into a fierce one by changing its pace to force the government to ensure her treatment abroad.”
Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal arranged the programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), marking its 41st founding anniversary.
He said though Khaleda is fighting for life at the hospital, the government is not paying heed to her doctors’ advice to send her abroad as it fears if she remains alive she will awaken people to fight against injustice and unfairness. “Rather, they (govt) are making discourteous comments.”
Also read: Khaleda being deprived of human rights: BNP
Fakhrul asked BNP leaders and activists to strengthen their organisational capacity to achieve success in their movement. “If the organisation is not strong, you won’t succeed in any movement.”
Stating that farmers are facing various problems, including deprivation of fair prices of their produce, he asked the leaders and activists of Krishak Dal to focus on farmers’ problems and organise them across the country to realise their demands and establish their rights.
Fakhrul said Awami League is no longer a political party as it has become a “monster”. “In practice, they don’t run the country. Bureaucrats are now running the country going beyond democratic norms.”
About the US sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and its seven current and former top officials, he said the Awami League government has created such a situation by using state institutions to cement its power,
“The USA imposed the sanctions on Rab while the high-ranking officials of the organisation are not allowed to go there. If they have any property there, it will be confiscated. It’s a matter of shame,” the BNP leader said.
Fakhrul alleged over 600 people were made disappeared, 1,000 people were killed unlawfully and over 1, 000 people were maimed during the rule of the current government.
Also read: BNP reacts to PM’s remark on Khaleda’s treatment; says it’s “unexpected”
He said the law enforcers have become desperate as the government used them to protect its power. "In this way, the government has destroyed all the institutions of the country. We are saddened that our former army chief has been banned in America. Neither he nor his family members will be able to enter America.”
Fakhrul called upon people of all walks of life to get united to protect the country from the grasp of Awami League and restore democracy.
Govt focuses on less current expenditure and increased capital spending: official document
The government has moved to reduce its current expenditure with a focus on increasing capital expenditure to stimulate economic growth and offset the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, according to an official document. Public expenditure broadly includes all government consumption, investment and transfer payments. Current expenditure and capital expenditure are the two major categories of budget allocation, said the document recently obtained by UNB. Current expenditure consists of wages and salaries paid to the government employees, purchase of goods and services, subsidy and transfer payments and interest paid for domestic and foreign loans. Expenditures of account of 'food account operation' also includes into current expenditure category.
READ: Govt targets 17% expenditure of GDP for next two fiscals: Document
On the other hand, capital expenditure comprises addition to and creation of productive assets. The Annual Development Programme (ADP) and non-ADP capital expenditure are the two major categories of capital formation through government expenditures. Moreover, capital expenditure includes loans and advances, development programme financed from revenue budget, non-ADP project, and non-ADP FFW (Food For Work) and transfer. Considering the context of developing countries like Bangladesh, expanding the size of current expenditure is important for improving the quality of public service delivery and meeting the demand for maintaining the existing infrastructure network. On the other hand, growth of capital expenditure is desirable to meet the growing demand for public investment. In this situation it is critical for Bangladesh to arrive at an optimum mix of current and capital expenditures through budgetary process that will help stimulate economic growth and push the economy on a higher growth path. According to the government document, the current expenditure of the government has been projected at 52.9 per cent of the total budget in medium term basis (2023-24 fiscal) while it is set at 54.2 per cent of the total budget in the running 2021-22 fiscal. It said the projection for 2022-23 fiscal is 53.2 per cent of the total budget while it was 56.6 per cent, 57.4 per cent, 56.7 per cent, 57.3 per cent, 61.6 per cent and 59.9 per cent in 2020-21, 2019-20, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17 and 2015-16 fiscals respectively. On the other hand, the capital expenditure for 2023-24 fiscal has been projected at 47.1 per cent of the total budget raising from 45.8 per cent of the running 2021-22 fiscal with 46.8 per cent in 2022-23 fiscal. The document mentioned that the capital expenditure for 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 fiscals were 40.1 per cent, 38.4 per cent, 42.7 per cent, 43.3 per cent, 42.6 per cent and 43.4 per cent respectively. It means that the capital spending as a percentage of total expenditure was on the declining trend from fiscal 2015-16 to fiscal 2016-17. Whereas, ADP was only 4.3 per cent GDP in 2014-15, it was 5.4 per cent of the GDP in 2019-20 fiscal. The revised estimate of ADP in 2020-21 fiscal stood at 6.4 per cent of the GDP, it said. The document said that the current expenditure has been hovering around 8 per cent of GDP during 2015-16 fiscal to 2019-20 fiscal.
READ: Tk6 trillion budget in the works for 2021-22; govt eyes increased outlay on capital expenditure For the 2023-24 fiscal the projection of the current expenditure is 9 per cent of the GDP. The ratio is same for the 2022-23 fiscal while it is 9.5 per cent of the GDP for the running 2021-22 fiscal. In 2020-21 fiscal, 2019-20 fiscal, 2018-19 fiscal, 2017-18 fiscal, 2016-17 fiscal and 2015-16 fiscal it was 9.9 per cent, 8.5 per cent, 8.7 per cent, 8.3 per cent, 8.4 per cent and 8.3 per cent respectively, as per the document.
Govt plot behind communal incidents, alleges BNP
BNP on Thursday blamed government agencies for the communal incidents in Cumilla and elsewhere in the country, saying these are part of a plot to mislead people.
Speaking at a discussion, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded prompt action against the perpetrators.
"The government has completely failed to maintain law and order and stability in the country…some untoward incidents happened centring the Durga Puja of Hindu brothers in Cumilla and Chandpur. Three people were killed in Chandpur as police opened fire indiscriminately,” he said.
Also read: None of those involved in Cumilla incident to be spared: Obaidul Quader
The BNP leader said these incidents are an outcome of the government’s ‘plot’ to destroy communal harmony and stability in the country. “We strongly condemn and protest these incidents.”
About the desecration of the holy Quran in Cumilla, Fakhrul said the main intention behind this is to destabilise the country. "You’ve heard that the holy Quran was kept in the puja mandapa. Who did it? Those who’ve done it have a motive to ruin the communal harmony.”
He also alleged that law enforcers opened fire on people in different places over the incident also for the same reason.
“It’s a country of communal harmony. We’ve been living here very peacefully for thousands of years… These incidents have been carried out completely by the government agencies to create unrest in the country and to divert people’s attention to a different direction from the real crisis.”
Jatiyatabadi Samabay Dal arranged the discussion programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, marking its 11th founding anniversary.
Also read: Several identified, suspected instigators held over Cumilla incident: Home Minister
He said there are many problems in the country, including the lack of democracy, freedom of expression and other rights, while a ‘terrible fascist’ regime has been in power like a ‘monster’.
“When we’re talking about the problems and working on it, they (govt) want to divert the attention of people to another direction by carrying out these (communal) incidents,” he observed.
Accusing the government of destroying the country’s election system, the BNP leader said elections in Bangladesh have now become a ‘laughing stock’ and people have forgotten about good elections. “The last election was held in 2001 and there has been no other election since then. What happened in 2008 was under an illegitimate government.”
He said there is no scope to hold a credible and neutral election in Bangladesh unless it is held under a non-party polls-time government.
Fakhrul said it will not be acceptable to people if the government constitutes the next election commission through a search committee.
“Our position is clear that we won’t allow any more games in the name of election. The government must step down, handing over power to a neutral administration for holding a meaningful election,” he said.
The BNP secretary general also called upon the people of all walks of life to unite to bring a change in the current situation of the country.
BGMEA urges govt to speed up airport dev projects
The apparel sector's apex body has urged the government to speed up implementation of the projects aimed at upgrading major airports, including the construction of new terminals and extension of runways in Dhaka, Chattogram, Cox's Bazar and Sylhet.
Also, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) called on Bangladesh Biman Airlines to increase the number of flights to Dubai and London and to operate flights to long routes – Toronto, New York, Manchester, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome and Barcelona.
READ: BGMEA calls for urgently fixing inoperative scanners at airport
It requested the government to procure four cargo freighters (cargo aircraft) to meet the increased demand for air shipment of import-export goods.
"Global merchandise trade has begun to recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, and trade flows are expected to continue in the coming days. Many countries are relaxing their travel restrictions based on the Covid situation. So, both business travel and air transportation of goods are increasing," BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said.
The megaprojects undertaken by the government for upgrading airports of the country, including the construction of the third terminal of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, will help meet the future demand for air transportation and contribute to further economic growth, he added.
The call was made when the BGMEA leaders, led by President Faruque Hassan, met with State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali at the secretariat Sunday.
The BGMEA leaders said as the economy of Bangladesh is expanding; the volume of import, export and investment is also growing. "So, the launch of a new terminal with modern facilities will speed up and boost the trade of the country."
They expressed hope that this new terminal would be a blessing for passengers and businesses as both the cargo and passenger capacities will increase.
BGMEA vice-presidents Shahidullah Azim, Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, and Md Nasir Uddin attended the meeting.
READ: BGMEA health fund receives Tk 1 mn donation from bKash for garment workers
Md Mokammel Hossain, secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Sajjadul Hassan, chairman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, and Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal, managing director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, were also present.
Govt planning to take classes one day a week initially: Nowfel
The Ministry of Education is planning to take classes one day a week after the reopening of schools and colleges on September 12, said Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel on Saturday.
Nowfel said this while talking to journalists after attending a function at Chattogram Medical College and Hospital.
“We’re hopeful of starting physical classes following the Education Minister’s announcement and our primary plan is to take classes one day a week but it may be changed,” he said.
Also read: Schools, colleges to reopen on Sept 12: Dipu Moni
Efforts will continue to take the SSC and HSC exams through in-person presence with a brief syllabus but the assignment works will continue as before, he said.
The long closure of schools and colleges due to the Covid-19 pandemic has created a mental pressure on the students and there had been efforts to continue education online but that was not enough, Nowfel added.
Govt must take responsibility of disappeared people’s families: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said the government must take the responsibility of the families of those who were ‘subjected to enforced disappearance’.
“Who will take the responsibility for the helplessness of these families? There’re many people who have not been found for 9-10 years. Over 500 of our leaders and workers, including Ilias Ali and Chowdhury Alam, remained missing for many years,” he told a human-chain programme.
The BNP leader said the children of the victims of the enforced disappearance still wait for the return of their fathers.
“You’ve heard the cries of the children of the victims. You (govt) say these (disappearances) do not happen here. If so, where did they go? It’s your responsibility to trace them and give them back to their families one by one. You must do it. Otherwise, you’ll be tried in people's court.”
BNP’s human rights cell arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
The family members of many victims of the enforced disappearances joined the programme holding the photos of their missing near and dear ones.
Speaking at the programmes, the aggrieved family members appealed to the government for taking effective steps to find out the whereabouts of their fathers and sons and brothers.
Fakhrul bemoaned that Bangladesh has now become such a country where children go missing, but no one find their whereabouts.
“Law enforcers pick them up, but the government don’t give any answer to it. We can't hold back our tears seeing the pain and agony and the helplessness of the relatives of the victims,” he said.
Expressing solidarity with the distressed family members, the BNP leader called upon the government to return the missing people to their parents, children, wives and brothers and sisters.
Fakhrul urged the people of all walks of life to be vocal to stop the culture of enforced disappearance and get rid of such a crime against humanity.
He alleged that the current government is “destroying” the entire nation just to hang onto power “illegally”. "It has destroyed our constitution, our democratic rights and economy, and politicised the entire administration.”
Fakhrul called upon people to get united to install a democratic and pro-people administration by politically defeating Awami League government. “Let’s work together and launch a movement to remove the monstrous regime.”
Govt to lay traps for taking BNP to 2023 polls: Gayeshwar
Questioning the reason behind launching a fresh investigation against Mirza Abbas by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Monday feared that the government will try to take their party to the next general election by setting various such traps.
“As the 2023 election is approaching fast, the government will work from now on to suppress us and take us to a stage-managed election like the 2018 one,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, he said, “The ACC suddenly initiated an investigation against BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas after 13 years. They (govt) will lay various such traps to force us to join the polls in 2023.”
Also read: Barishal incident exposes govt’s internal feuds: BNP
Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member, urged the party high command to take a prompt decision whether they will join that polls or not under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “We also need to make preparations to implement our plans if we don’t want to participate in that election.”
He warned that the next election will not be held in a free and fair manner even with the appointment of an 'angel' as Chief Election Commissioner under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking its 41st founding anniversary.
Gayeshwar said BNP must launch a one-party movement to force Sheikh Hasina to quit power. “All problems can be solved only through a one-point movement as people’s struggle never turn futile.”
Also read: Govt 'extremely harming' future of students: BNP
He said they will not wage the movement to make Khaleda Zia or Tarique Rahman the Prime Minister. “We’ll launch the movement to restore people’s voting rights, democratic governing system, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.”
The BNP leader urged the party leaders and activists to get ready to sacrifice their blood on the streets for the sake of democracy instead of dying of coronavirus sitting at home.