The interim government on Thursday said there is no situation in Bangladesh that should bar any foreign country from restricting their visa for Bangladeshis, stressing that no other country has taken such restrictive measures. “I don’t think there is any situation in Bangladesh that should bar any foreign country from restricting their visa for Bangladeshis because no other country has done that,” Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan told reporters while responding to a question at a media briefing at Foreign Service Academy in the capital. Bangladesh condemns terrorist attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries in Ankara She said the government of Bangladesh definitely wants a good and strong relationship with India but it is important in any relationship that the both sides “listen” to each other and “understand” each other. The Adviser said the fact is that the people of Bangladesh are “unhappy” about India following the restricted policy on visa and it is definitely something that the Indian government has heard. She mentioned what India has categorically been saying - till the situation is normalised. “I don’t think there is any situation in Bangladesh that should bar any foreign country from restricting their visa for Bangladeshis because no other country has done so.” The Indian High Commission in Dhaka, however, keeps on issuing only emergency medical visas. Rizwana said it is also very important for the government of Bangladesh to note that many of the people who had committed atrocities against the students and people are reportedly in India. “They have taken shelter in India.” “Perhaps, that is what India means by change in the situation. We don’t know. Because no other country – whether it is the US, Japan or European Union – have restricted visa policy for Bangladesh,” she added that it is perhaps something that India can rethink or reconsider. Responding to a question on minority issues, the Adviser said for the first time in the history of Bangladesh that the government listened to their demands and declared a two-day holiday for Durga puja. “We have categorically said our doors are always open for dialogue and discussions as they have other issues,” Rizwana said. She said if they opt for street agitations it indicates there is still need for more dialogue and discussion. “I strongly believe anything can amicably be dissolved through discussion.” Rizwana said she does not think any street demonstration is required and if there is any solution that has to come, that has to come from the government of Bangladesh and no other government will be able to do that. “Our doors are always open.” Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Mahfuj Alam and Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam were also present at the media briefing.

Bangladesh has responded to a statement made by the Indian government, noting that Dhaka finds such allegations baseless and assertions uncalled for. "The interim government would like to reassure the international community that it continues to do its best to uphold the long standing secular and inclusive credentials of the people of Bangladesh," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. The ministry said the attention of the government has been drawn to a Statement by spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs of India on October 12, 2024 calling upon “….the Government of Bangladesh to ensure safety and security of Hindus and all minorities and their places of worship, especially during this auspicious festival time.” The same statement also alleges “…a systemic pattern of desecration and damage to temples and deities…”. The Government of Bangladesh finds such allegations baseless and assertions uncalled for. Ensuring safety and security of all citizens, particularly the members of religious minorities, in Bangladesh remains a duty of the government of Bangladesh. Bangladesh committed to upholding its secular identity: Ministry Upholding the rights of every citizen regardless of one’s identity, religion or faith must be recognised as an internal affair of Bangladesh," Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry said. There were just a handful of incidents reported on which the government authorities acted promptly in ensuring safety and security of Hindus and other minorities throughout the festival times, Dhaka said. Communal harmony and peaceful coexistence remains a time-honoured feature of liberalism and democracy in Bangladesh uniting all people. "The Government of Bangladesh attests in strongest terms that every individual regardless of his/her faith, religion or belief has the right to establish, maintain or perform respective religious rituals or practices, without any hindrance," the ministry said. This was vindicated by peaceful observance of Durga Puja in over 32,000 Puja Mandaps that were spontaneously set up across Bangladesh. On the reported theft of a golden crown at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple in the southern Bangladesh district of Satkhira on 10th October 2024, it had been confirmed that the head priest performed his regular puja rites until 2:30 pm (afternoon) till which time the crown was intact inside the temple. Investigations are underway to determine as to why the priest and temple staff left such a precious possession unguarded and insecure, the ministry added. Four people have already been arrested in connection with the theft case.

Bangladesh has exported 532 metric tonnes of hilsa to India in 11 days till Saturday night on the occasion of Durga Puja against this year’s export approval for 2420 mts. The government had permitted 49 companies to export 2,420 mts of hilsa during this period, but the actual quantity export between September 26 and October 12 was significantly lower. A total of 3.6 mts of hilsa was exported to India through Benapole land port until 10 pm on Saturday, the last day of this year’s export as the fishing window closed due to the government restriction ahead of the start of the breeding season. A 22-day ban on hilsa netting, hoarding and transportation was imposed from Saturday midnight . A total of 168 trucks carried the hilsa from Bangladesh’s Benapole port to India’s Petrapole port during the 11-day period. Hilsha selling like hot cake in wholesale market Each kilogram of hilsa was sold at $10, equivalent to approximately Tk 1,180. In total, the exports generated $532,000, or around Tk 6.28 crore. Despite the lower than expected exports, domestic prices of hilsa have continued to rise. On Saturday, hilsa weighing less than a kilogram was being sold at Tk 1,300 per kg in the Benapole market, while larger fish were selling between Tk 1,800 and Tk 2,000 per kg. In contrast, the same size hilsa exported to India is being sold at a price range of Tk 600 to Tk 800 per kg, raising concerns about price discrepancies between domestic and export markets. Aswadul Islam, Inspector of Fisheries Inspection and Quality Control at the Benapole Land Port, acknowledged the gap between export and domestic prices. He said the export rules had been set a few years ago and suggested that a price adjustment might be considered to address the disparity. According to the Department of Fisheries, Bangladesh exported 665 mts of hilsa in the 2023-24 fiscal year, significantly below the permitted 2,420 mts. Previous years also saw missed targets, with 477 mts exported in FY 2019-20, 1,880 mts in FY 2020-21, 1,211 mts in FY 2021-22, and 1,376 mts in FY 2022-23. 

The state government of Meghalaya, of India, is keen to deepen economic and trade ties with Bangladesh. Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, discussed this when the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India, Md. Mustafizur Rahman, paid a courtesy call on him at his office on Wednesday. The Chief Minister apprised the High Commissioner about the opportunities and possibilities of expanding trade and commerce in the state of Meghalaya. Read more: 'Dhaka, Delhi satisfied over bilateral cooperation' In particular, he highlighted the possibility of direct import of garment, plastic and electronic products, processed food and frozen food from Bangladesh, according to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.    

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma has said Bangladesh's Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's legacy remains a "guiding light" for Bangladesh-India relationship and the driving force for India's steadfast partnership with Bangladesh on its journey towards progress and prosperity. The high commissioner and his wife visited Tungipara and paid tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his mausoleum Friday. Read more: Pranay Verma reaffirms India's commitment to development partnership, cooperation with Bangladesh The high commissioner also laid a floral wreath at the mausoleum to pay homage to Bangabandhu. In his written remarks at the mausoleum, Verma highlighted the importance of March in the history of Bangladesh and underlined Bangabandhu's vision for the development of the Bangladesh and India-Bangladesh partnership. Read more: Pranay Verma highlights importance of youth as "precious link" between Bangladesh, India The high commissioner also took a guided tour of the museum, which showcases Bangabandhu's life and legacy, and the supreme sacrifices that he made for the independence and progress of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu's fight for democracy, inclusivity and social justice continues to inspire people across the world, said Verma.

President of India Droupadi Murmu on Monday said Bangladesh occupies a special place in India’s ‘neighbourhood first’ policy and she looks forward to “stronger and deeper” cooperation between the two countries in all aspects in the coming days. Murmu recalled the joint celebrations of “Mujib Year” marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s War of Liberation and 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties. She made the remarks when newly appointed Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Mustafizur Rahman presented his credentials to the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Mentioning the immense political will to take forward the relations, Murmu recalled her recent meeting with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this September in New Delhi and later in London. She has also mentioned that Bangladesh is India’s largest trade partner in South Asia and highlighted the largest visa operations of India in Dhaka.  Read: Dictionary.com chooses `existential' as word of the year By welcoming and congratulating the new envoy, President Murmu has said that India-Bangladesh relations are bounded by language, culture, and history and the unique tie is forged in shared sacrifices. High Commissioner Rahman appreciated for the opportunity to present the credentials and conveyed greetings from Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The high commissioner has said Bangladesh remains grateful to the Government and people of India for extending their moral and material support during the War of Liberation fought under the leadership of Bangabandhu in 1971. The Indo-Bangladesh cooperation had, in fact, begun on the battlefield of 1971, he recalled. He said that the India-Bangladesh relation has reached a new height and it is described as a model of “neighbourhood relations”. The envoy assured the Indian President that he would try to further expand and consolidate bilateral cooperation. Read: Work together to keep 1971 legacy alive: Indian envoy at 'Maitri Alumni Reunion' He underscored Hasina’s persistent efforts to further promote regional and sub-regional cooperation on a win-win basis. He thanked the government of India for inviting Bangladesh to the G-20 Summit.  Rahman takes up his India assignment after serving as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Offices, WTO and other International Organizations in Geneva from 2020-22. He was also Bangladesh's ambassador to Switzerland.

Bangladesh media delegation has concluded its week-long visit to India with a series of meetings in multiple cities as part of the "Familiarisation Programme." The Ministry of External Affairs, India hosted the programme for the 20-member media delegation from July 14 to 21.  The media delegation returned home on Thursday night.  Bangladesh and India eye further strengthening the socio-economic and cultural ties between the two friendly countries.   

 Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has emphasised working with India and developing a better system for water management and regulations to avoid flood damages. "We have to work together; we have 54 rivers that come from India to Bangladesh. And right now when I am talking, I have a devastating flood in my own constituency in Sylhet. It came from Assam and Meghalaya," he told WION in an interview in New Delhi Saturday. Momen said they would like to share their expertise and data so that they have an early warning about this sort of disaster. "Before Pakistan was created, we used to have floods, but not as devastating as we have now," he said. The foreign minister is now in Delhi to co-chair the seventh meeting of the Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) with his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar Sunday. Read: Sylhet: A city tries to cope with its worst flood in living memory During his conversation with WION, Momen said he would discuss the Rohingya issue with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar. "If Bangladesh, India and Myanmar work together, we can resolve it. We can have a sustainable solution to it." Sunday's JCC meeting will be the first such physical meeting of the mechanism since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the previous edition taking place virtually in 2020. Momen said they have been supportive of Sri Lanka during the financial difficulty. "We provided funding of around $250 million, food, a gift of 25,000 tons of potato, and a few thousand tons of medicines. And we are ready to help them as much as we can."

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said the proposed comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) will usher in a win-win situation for Bangladesh and India in trade and commerce. He urged the Indian businessmen to invest in the two specialised economic zones of Bangladesh – namely, Mongla and Mirsharai dedicated to Indian investors. Momen stated that the government of Bangladesh, based on its development aspirations, especially emphasises economic diplomacy to achieve Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Muzibur Rahman's dream of ‘Shonar Bangla’. He made the remarks while delivering his keynote address in the seminar "Economic Diplomacy" in New Delhi, arranged by the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Read: Momen sends birthday greetings with 100 roses to Modi’s mother Momen stressed economic diplomacy as the most significant element of diplomacy in the face of ongoing global economic unrest and recent political developments in Europe. He stated that Bangladesh, once known to be a basket case, after 50 years of its independence is now the 41st largest economy in the world and set to be the 25th largest by 2035. The minister noted that Bangladesh – once known for femine, food and aid dependency – is now not only self-sufficient in food production but also one of the largest producers of rice, grains, vegetables, some fruits and freshwater fish. He said Bangladesh proved its capacity to undertake mega projects like the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, the country's longest bridge by its funding which is scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on June 25. Momen expressed satisfaction as Bangladesh and India have made remarkable progress in bilateral cooperation during the last decade and emphasised complementing each other's necessities and priorities for the overall development of the people of the countries. He noted that bilateral trade grew steadily over the years and crossed $16 billion last year despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. Read: Fighting hate speech a job for everyone: UN chief The minister emphasised that the businessmen and the private investors of the two countries should look beyond the border and work as partners towards building a prosperous and economically vibrant region. Momen arrived in New Delhi in the afternoon to attend the 7th JCC meeting, to be co-chaired by the foreign ministers of Bangladesh and India Sunday. The Bangladesh foreign minister is expected to interact with the concurrently accredited ambassadors to Bangladesh with residents in New Delhi and call on important dignitaries of the Indian government during the visit. Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami, Mashfee Binte Shams, secretary (east) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Confederation of Indian Industry President Sanjiv Bajaj spoke on the occasion. They emphasised enhancing business connections and partnerships between the two countries for mutual prosperity and progress.  

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Bangladesh and NTPC Limited, a joint venture between India and Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited (BIFPCL) are implementing state-of-the-art Maitri Super Thermal Power Project in Rampal Upazila of Bagerhat District. Job circular has been published for recruitment of manpower in different posts in that project. Interested candidates need to apply online. 1. Position Name: Operator / Technician-Mechanical (Staff Level-4) Number of posts: 35 Eligibility and Experience: Minimum HSC (Vocational) or HSC (Science) 3-month related trade certificate course in Mechanical-related trade from a recognized institution. Minimum 5 years working experience in the relevant field in any organization. Preference will be given to those who have work experience in thermal / gas / oil based power plants. Must have communication skills in Bengali and English. Age: 45 years Basic Salary: TK. 23,000. Apart from this, according to the policy of BIFPCL, rent allowance, medical facilities, bonus, CPF, gratuity and other fringe facilities will be provided. READ: International NGO Job Circular : Jobs in ActionAid in multiple positions 2. Position Name: Operator / Technician-Electrical (Staff Level-4) Number of posts: 20 Qualifications and Experience: Minimum HSC (Vocational) or HSC (Science) 3 months related trade certificate course in Electrical-related trade from a recognized institution. Minimum 5 years working experience in the relevant field in any organization. Preference will be given to those who have work experience in thermal / gas / oil based power plants. Must have communication skills in Bengali and English. Age: 45 years Basic Salary: TK. 23,000. Apart from this, according to the policy of BIFPCL, rent allowance, medical facilities, bonus, CPF, gratuity and other fringe facilities will be provided. Read Perfect Resume: 12 Effective Tips for writing professional CV 3. Position Name: Operator / Technician-IT / Computer (Staff Level-4) Number of posts: 1 Eligibility and Experience: Minimum HSC (Vocational) or HSC (Science) 3 months related trade certificate course in IT / Computer related trade from any recognized institute. Minimum 5 years working experience in the relevant field in any organization. Must have communication skills in Bengali and English. Age: 45 years Basic Salary: TK. 23,000. Apart from this, according to the policy of BIFPCL, rent allowance, medical facilities, bonus, CPF, gratuity and other fringe facilities will be provided. READ: Jobs in Bkash: Digital Marketing Job Circular 4. Position Name: Fire Inspector (Staff Level-4) Number of posts: 1 Qualifications and Experience: Minimum Bachelor's degree in any subject from a recognized university / institute or minimum 5 years working experience in the relevant field in any institution with minimum HSC / equivalent. Preference will be given to those who have work experience in thermal / gas / oil based power plants. Must have communication skills in Bengali and English. Must have basic working ability in computer application software. Age: 45 years Basic Salary: Rs. 23,000. Apart from this, according to the policy of BIFPCL, rent allowance, medical facilities, bonus, CPF, gratuity and other fringe facilities will be provided. Read How to ace a Job Interview? 5. Position Name: Operator / Technician-IT / Computer (Staff Level-6) Number of posts: 1 Eligibility and Experience: Minimum SSC (Vocational) or SSC (Science) 3 months related trade certificate course in IT / computer related trade from a recognized institute. Minimum 5 years working experience in the relevant field in any organization. Must have communication skills in Bengali and English. Age: 35 years Basic Salary: TK. 16,000. Apart from this, according to the policy of BIFPCL, rent allowance, medical facilities, bonus, CPF, gratuity and other fringe facilities will be provided. Job type This job is contract based. According to the policy of BIFPCL, the term of the initial contract of employment is three years including one year apprenticeship period. Applicable up to the age of 60 years on the basis of renewal every three years thereafter subject to satisfactory performance. General condition Third division / class will not be acceptable at any stage of education. Candidates who have passed the grading system should have at least 2.0 on a scale of GPA 5 and 2.25 on a scale of CGPA 4 at all levels. ·         Candidates working in Government / Semi-Government / Autonomous Bodies / Government Owned Institutions have to apply through the appropriate authorities. ·         Candidates who have passed from foreign universities / institutes should have equivalent certificate / certification issued by a suitable authority / government agency. ·         Candidates who have passed from foreign universities / institutes should have equivalent certificate / certification issued by a suitable authority / government agency. ·        No color blind person can apply. Read Best Job Searching Websites in Bangladesh How to apply on Power Project in Rampal Interested candidates need to fill up the application form through this website. (http://bifpcl.teletalk.com.bd/home.php) If you have any problem to apply online, you can call 121 from Teletalk number or e-mail to [email protected]. The details of recruitment, application and submission of application fee can be found on BIFPCL's website, (https://www.bifpcl.com/)  Teletalk from BIFPCL's link and Teletalk's job portal.