BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has questioned how former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed and his family members “left the country without obstruction” despite the allegations of amassing assets illegally. Speaking at a discussion on Saturday, he also said this exposes the ruling party leaders’ claims of not sparing wrongdoers as “mere eyewash and deception.” “I saw a media report that Benazir and his family went to Singapore, leaving the country on May 4. Before leaving, he emptied all his bank accounts and withdrew around Tk 60 crore. I don’t know whether the amount is much bigger,” Fakhrul said. Govt bears responsibility for misdeeds of Aziz, Benazir: Fakhrul The BNP leader further said, “My question is, how did he leave the country? What is the significance of a court order to confiscate his assets and freeze his bank accounts and the Anti-Corruption Commission’s move to file a case against him? When he was told he wouldn’t be allowed to go anywhere, how did he sneak off to Singapore right under the government's nose?” He said the ruling party leaders also made remarks that no one involved in corruption would be spared. “Do they (the government) think people are stupid? They understand all these are eyewash and deceptions. You’re ruling the country by resorting to trickery.” Bangladesh Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad, a platform of pro-BNP professionals, organised the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 43rd death anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman. Fakhrul said the government not only nurtured Benazir and Aziz Ahmed (former army chief) but also promoted countless corrupt individuals. He said that Awami League has turned Bangladesh into a “safe haven for plundering.” Why Aziz, Benazir yet to be arrested, asks Manna “We must protect the country from it. We believe that through the struggle of the people of Bangladesh, we will defeat this monster that is wreaking havoc everywhere, establish a government of the people, and restore true democracy," the BNP leader said. Fakhrul said BNP, together with many other opposition parties, have long been carrying out a movement for the restoration of democracy.Stating that they must achieve victory and success in their struggle, the BNP leader said their party will never step back from its ultimate goal of establishing people’s voting rights and democracy. “Our goal remains unwavering. Strategies may change over time; we will decide that through discussions…we’re working hard to organise them all. We believe we have not failed. We have started working again. Inshallah, victory will be ours as we’re fighting on the path of truth and justice," Fakhrul observe. Law to take its own course, says Salman F Rahman about Aziz, Benazir

In the heart of Southeast Asia, Singapore stands as a cosmopolitan hub that seamlessly blends tradition with modernity. Amidst its towering skyscrapers and cultural landmarks, the city-state offers an incredible shopping experience that caters to every taste and preference. This article will explore the bustling markets, luxurious malls, and hidden gems that make shopping in Singapore an unparalleled experience. Most Popular Shopping Malls in Singapore ION Orchard ION Orchard is situated in the heart of Orchard Road standing as a luxurious shopping haven. This stylish architectural marvel illuminates like a futuristic beacon, drawing fashion enthusiasts and luxury shoppers. With flagship stores of global brands, it beckons those in pursuit of high-end fashion, exquisite jewellery, and sophisticated lifestyle products. VivoCity VivoCity, situated on the HarbourFront, is the largest shopping mall in Singapore, boasting over 300 stores. Renowned for its diverse offerings, it features top-notch fashion brands, entertainment choices, and a breathtaking rooftop view. VivoCity is aptly labelled as a shopping, entertainment, and lifestyle hub rolled into one. Read more: Shopping in Malaysia: What to Buy, Where to Buy from

Faruque Hassan, President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), held a meeting with representatives from the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Enterprise Singapore (ESG). The meeting, held in Singapore on January 30, was attended by Francis Chong, Senior Director (Emerging Markets) MTI; Uma Muniandy, Deputy Director (Emerging Markets) MTI; Vann Ang, Senior Assistant Director (Emerging Markets) MTI; G. Jayakrishnan, Executive Director (South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa) at Enterprise Singapore. BGMEA requests Singapore port authority for faster, seamless transshipment of Bangladeshi RMG goods Asif Ashraf, Director, BGMEA, Shams Mahmud, Chair of BGMEA Standing Committee on Foreign Mission Cell, and Sanjay Kumar Naha, Director of Rose Intimates Ltd were also present at the meeting. Discussioncentreded around exploring potential avenues for enhancing trade and investment collaboration between Bangladesh and Singapore. They also discussed the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries and the mutual benefits that could be derived from such an agreement. FICCI leaders call on BIDA Chairman In the meeting, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan presented Bangladesh as an attractive destination for foreign investors, citing its growing infrastructure, specialized economic zones, and other investment-friendly facilities. Highlighting the increasing trend of investments from countries including Japan, Korea, and China in Bangladesh, he suggested that Singaporean investors consider exploring emerging sectors such as textile machinery, man-made fiber and technical textiles, recycling industry, light engineering, and shipbuilding. The BGMEA President stressed the importance of organizing reciprocal visits by businessmen from both countries to foster mutually beneficial trade and investment opportunities. Prothoma book fair held at Nagad’s head office He sought the cooperation of the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry in facilitating interactions between traders and investors from Bangladesh and Singapore. Faruque Hassan also underscored the potential of Singapore as a market for Bangladeshi garment exports and called for support in exploring market opportunities in the region.

The government will import a cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG), having 33.66 lakh MMBtu, from the Vitol Asia Pte Ltd of Singapore at a cost Tk 429.40 crore to meet the growing gas demand in the country. Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in a meeting, with Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali in the chair, approved a proposal of state-owned Petrobangla in this regard. As per the proposal, placed by the Energy and Mineral Resources on behalf of the Petrobangla, each unit of the LNG will cost $9.93, a price lowest in last two years. Govt to procure LNG, fertiliser, lentil and edible oil After the meeting, Additional Secretary of the Cabinet Division Syed Mahmud Khan informed the reporters that the supplier was selected from the limited listed companies through a bidding in the international spot market under Master Sale and Purchase Agreement (MSPA). The Rapid Increase in Supply of Electricity and Energy (Special Provisions) Act 2010 (Amendment 2021) was followed in this regard. Sources in the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said that Bangladesh has planned to import a total of 13 LNG cargoes from January to June this year. This has been the second cargo as the first one was given approval in the last week’s meeting on  January 22 under which Switzerland-based company 'TotalEnergies Gas and Power Limited' will supply a cargo having the same volume 33.66 lakh MMBtu with each unit price  $10.88. Gas supply to Ctg, elsewhere starts improving as LNG terminal resumes production Earlier the government signed 'Master Sale and Purchase' Agreement (MSPA) with 22 shortlisted companies  to import LNG from the international spot market. Imports of LNG from the spot market were suspended from July 2022 to January 2023 as the price of LNG from the spot market increased many times while the government was facing dollar crisis. Currently, the country has been experiencing a severe gas crisis as production came down to nearly 2500 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) while the demand is about 4000 mmcfd. As a result, household consumers in many areas are not getting gas for cooking while power and industrial productions are being seriously disrupted due to gas shortage.  In the meantime, the government increased the gas price for both captive power and public sector power generation on January 18, 2023. Cabinet body nods import of refined petroleum, LNG  Through an order, the price of gas used for power generation was set at Tk 14 per cubic metre, while the price of gas to be used in captive power and industry was set at Tk 30 per cubic metre. Meanwhile, the CCGP approved two separate proposals to import a total of 60,000 metric tons (MT) of urea fertiliser from Qatar and Saudi Arabia at a cost of Tk 223.84 crore under the state contracts.

Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader returned home from Singapore on Thursday evening after a routine health checkup in Mount Elizabeth Hospital. Ershad, Khaleda rewarded main perpetrator of Ctg mass killings: Foreign Minister A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the minister landed in Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) from  Singapore in the evening, said a media release signed by Sheikh Wahlid Fayez, senior information officer of the ministry. Global leaders congratulating new govt is driving BNP insane: Hasan Mahmud Quader, also general secretary of Awami League, left Dhaka for Singapore on January 23 for going through his health check-up, reads the release. Party symbol to be withheld in upazila elections: Quader

BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain will be taken to Singapore again on Sunday for advanced treatment as his condition deteriorated. “My father has suffered a brain haemorrhage. His physical condition is not good,” his younger son Barrister Khandaker Maruf Hossain told UNB on Saturday. He said the BNP leader is being taken to the National University Hospital in Singapore tomorrow (Sunday) on the advice of the doctors of Evercare Hospital. Jatiya Party a victim of conspiracies for a long time: GM Quader “We have completed all preparations to take him to Singapore on a Singapore Airlines flight at 11:30 pm on Sunday,” Maruf said. He urged the country’s people, including the leaders and activists of BNP, to pray for early recovery of his ailing father. Mosharraf Hossain is now undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital under the supervision of neuro specialist Dr Prof Khandaker Mahbubur Rahman. Opposition will not leave streets until democracy is restored: BNP Mosharraf, the 76-year-old former health minister,  was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital on June 18 last year after suffering a stroke. He received treatment there for eight days. On the advice of Evercare Hospital doctors, the BNP leader went to Singapore National Hospital for treatment on June 27 for better treatment. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour while undergoing treatment in Singapore. Considering his age, doctors gave him upfront radiotherapy to manage the adverse impacts of the tumour, instead of conducting a surgery. Govt considering framework to hold those spreading disinformation accountable: Info State Minister He returned home from Singapore on September 5 after receiving treatment for two months and 10 days. As he fell ill again, he was admitted to Evercare Hospital on December 5.

Hosts Bangladesh Women's team needed just a draw against touring Singapore women's team to win the two-match FIFA Tier-1 Women's International Friendly Football Series here on Monday ( Dec 4). The 2nd and last match of the series between 130th ranked Singapore and 142nd ranked Bangladesh will kick- off at 3:pm on Monday at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Shipahi  Mohammad Mostafa Stadium in Kamalapur in the capital. Independence Cup Football: Quarterfinals begin Sunday Bangladesh women's team comfortably dominated the two-match series 1-0  outplaying Singapore women's team by 3-0 goals in the first match at the same venue last  Friday ( Dec 1), featuring two goals by occasional  striker by Tohura Khatun and rest one by defender Afeida Khandakar With this well-merited victory, Bangladesh women's football team not only dominated the series but also took sweet revenge of their 0-3 goals defeat against hosts Singapore  in a Development Tournament there six year ago. Women's Football: Bangladesh too hot to handle for Singapore This was the first victory for Bangladesh national women's team in international football within  about 14 months after winning the historic title of  the SAFF Championship held in Kathmandu in September' 2022. Ahead of Monday's match, both the Bangladesh and Singapore teams made their final practices at the match venue Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Head of the Mission of Singapore Embassy in Dhaka accorded a reception in honour of the touring  Singapore women's football team at a local hotel Saturday night. Women's Int'l Football: Bangladesh to play Singapore on Friday Members of the Bangladesh women's football team and the Bangladesh Football Federation  (BFF) officials also attended  the function.

World Town Planning Day, also known as "World Urbanism Day," aims to encourage community planning to address diverse environmental and socio-economic factors involved in the development of a town. The 74th World Town Planning Day 2023 is being celebrated worldwide on November 08 with the theme 'Learn Globally, Apply Locally.' According to the 2023 IMD Smart City Index, Singapore is ranked as the 7th smartest in the world, and topped among the smart cities in the Asian subcontinent. Singapore has overcome diverse urban challenges through the utilization of the latest ICT technologies. The city is able to provide necessary urban amenities including water treatment, public housing, transportation, energy management, etc. Singapore's pathway of being a smart city offers great lessons for Dhaka. Scenario of Dhaka and the Vow of Smart City Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is a mega city inhabited by 10.2 million people as of 2022. According to World Bank data approximately three to four lakhs people migrate to Dhaka from different regions of Bangladesh each year. A lion's share of these migrants are climate refugees. With above three percent population growth rate Dhaka has gained the title of fourth most populous city in the world. The uncontrolled migration and unplanned urbanization are posing a threat to the existence of Dhaka city. As a result Dhaka is facing multifarious challenges such as air pollution, traffic jams, insufficient public amenities and services, inadequate public transport facilities, inadequate infrastructure, etc. Read more: Bangabandhu Tunnel: Tk 25 lakh toll collected on first weekly holiday since opening The government of Bangladesh have taken the initiative to build Dhaka as a Smart City. The term smart city refers to a technologically advanced urban area that promises quality of life for residents by optimizing city functions, promoting economic growth, and utilizing various technologies. Now, it is a burning question that how can Dhaka city assure quality life to its inhabitants by improving healthcare, public transportation, housing, urban amenities, and advanced payment systems which are the key components of a smart city? Read more: Focus on digital education for Smart Bangladesh: Speakers

United News of Bangladesh (UNB) Editor-in-Chief Enayetullah Khan and Director Nahar Khan have participated in discussions that delved into the use of technology to enhance business performance in media. The two-day-long AsiaNet Board Meeting and Forum started at 9 am at Carlton City Hotel in Singapore on Monday (October 23, 2023). Also read: UNB Editor-in-Chief, Director attend AsiaNet's board meeting in Singapore The biannual board meeting included representatives from member organisations. At the event, Director Nahar Khan made a presentation on UNB’s technology-driven strategies, highlighting the use of technology for data insights, customer experience enhancement, process automation, social media engagement, and the exploration of artificial intelligence (AI) applications. During her presentation, Nahar Khan highlighted how UNB, as a leading news agency in Bangladesh, is embracing technology — particularly use of AI — while remaining cautiously aware of the challenges like misinformation it brings along. “With the widespread use of AI, there has been a surge in misinformation that needs proactive gatekeeping. Innovations such as deepfakes and chatbots also pose a credibility challenge. At UNB, constant focus is given to fact-checking and news verification to combat these challenges,” she said. Also read: Enayetullah Khan opens data science training programme The overarching theme of the event was “Embracing Technology and Innovation.” UNB Editor-in-Chief Enayetullah Khan took part in a panel discussion along with Bruce Davidson of Medianet, Pannee Yongpiyakul of dataxet, and Cao Yang of Xinhua – focusing on how each organisation uses technology to improve business performance. The discussion was moderated by Amrita Sidhu. AsiaNet delivers far-reaching digital and social media exposure coupled with premium email and news wire services across 27,000 combined media outlets, 198 distribution options in Asia under 18 news categories, and in 12 translated languages. Also read: Ambassador Farooq Sobhan joins Cosmos Foundation as Honorary Advisor Emeritus

Singapore will upgrade its consulate in Dhaka to a high commission from October 1. The upgrade reflects the enhanced economic and people-to-people relations between Singapore and Bangladesh, said the government of Singapore. Singapore's support sought for Rohingya repatriation, Dhaka's inclusion as ASEAN Dialogue Partner The development was shared by Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, to Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on September 20 during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York. The high commission’s operating hours will be from 9 am to 5 pm, Sundays to Thursdays (closed on Bangladesh’s public holidays and Singapore’s National Day). Foreign minister seeks to expand economic ties with Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Momen had earlier requested the Singapore Foreign Minister to set up a full-fledged mission in Dhaka that would benefit both countries. Momen called for more investment from Singapore in Bangladesh and said that Singapore can take the opportunity to invest in Bangladesh’s special economic zones. Singapore delegation meets BGMEA leaders to discuss trade potential