- Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s participation at the G20 Summit in New Delhi will add yet another feather to the ‘Golden Chapter’ in Dhaka-Delhi ties. "We look forward to working together with G20 partners to find multi-dimensional solutions to the multiple crises plaguing our world," he said. The Foreign Minister was speaking as the chief guest at the opening session of a discussion titled “G20 Summit: Dhaka to New Delhi”, at Foreign Service Academy. Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin, who is discharging his responsibilities as the Bangladesh Sherpa for G20, and President of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry and G20 Employer Advocate Selima Ahmad, MP spoke at the opening session. The recognition by G20 — under the Indian Presidency — that the status quo is no longer sustainable for multilateralism to function is a major turn-around, Momen said. The Foreign Minister hoped that Bangladesh can make visible and meaningful contributions to the G20 processes through multi-stakeholder participation. The Prime Minister has been invited to the Summit to be held in New Delhi on September 9-10, and she guided the nature and level of engagements with the different G20 processes. “We thank them as they have honored us. We are among the nine countries which are invited. We feel very honored,” Foreign Minister Momen told reporters at a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Read more: Bangladesh's prosperity under Sheikh Hasina's leadership highly commendable: US Congressman Robert Pittenger

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday (August 30, 2023) said some major powers of the world want to establish a loyal government in Bangladesh because of importance in its geographical location. “Actually, due to the geographical location of Bangladesh, some big countries want that there will be a government here (in Bangladesh)which will just lick their feet,” she said. The premier said this while addressing a discussion on the occasion of National Mourning Day. Read more: PM Hasina’s participation at G20 Summit to add yet another feather to the ‘Golden Chapter’ in Dhaka-Delhi ties: Momen Dhaka City Awami League North and South units organised the discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Center. She alleged that big countries always have their big brotherly attitude. “If they become friends of anyone then there is no need for any enemy,” she said without mentioning any country’s name. In this connection she said that Ukraine has been their friend. “What is the condition of Ukraine today. Women and children there are facing untold miseries. Their country has been demolished for this kind of friendship. That is the reality,” she said. Hasina, also the president of ruling Awami League, came down on these countries for their unnecessary nose poking in the country’s election. “There are some countries which are searching democracy all the time,” she said. In this regard, she said that Awami League always struggled for establishing democracy and voting rights of the people in the country. Read: Some foreign powers are taking interest in Bangladesh's election to hinder progress: PM Hasina “Leaders and activists of this party gave their blood to establish democracy. And now, we have to listen from some countries which are searching for democracy and rights for casting votes,” she said. The PM said that people of the country laid their lives and gave blood to attain independence under the leadership of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “This sacrifice and blood must not go in vain, we will not allow that,” she said. Talking about BNP’s demand for democracy, sheikh Hasina said she gets surprised when she hears them talking about the democracy. She said BNP was born through killings, coup and conspiracy, established by the illegal power grabber and its journey began through snatching away people's right for voting and the vote rigging. "So the word democracy does not go with them,” she said. She also alleged that BNP has some masters who "are saying that democracy has to be established in Bangladesh". She questioned where were they while Ziaur Rahman ( BNP founder) killed the father of the nation, imposed martial law and grabbed the state power. And when HM Ershad grabbed the power by proclaiming martial law. Read: Foreign powers can be friends but can’t bring election win: Quader “At that time we struggled and fought to establish democracy, but did not saw them,” she said. South and North City Corporation Mayors Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Atiqul Islam, addressed the function.Dhaka North City Awami League President AKM Bazlur Rahman presided over the discussion while Dhaka South City AL President Abu Ahammed Monnafi spoke at the discussion while its General Secretary Humayun Kabir conducted it. Dhaka North City AL Vice Presidents, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Sadek Khan,MP, and Abdul Kader Khan, Joint General Secretary Motiur Rahman Moti, Organising Secretaries AKM Mazhar Anam and Md Azizul Haque Rana, Family Affairs Secretary Meherunnesa Mery and Dhaka South City Awami League Vice Presidents, Dr Dilip Kumar Roy, Mizbaur Rahman Bhuiyan Ratan and Sajeda Begum, Joint General Secretary Qazi Morshed Kamal, Organising Secretaries Akhter Hossain and Golam Sarwar Kabir, among others, also spoke at the discussion. At the outset of the meeting, one minute silence was observed to show respect to the martyrs of the August 15, 1975 carnage and August 21,2004 grenade attack. Read more: No concern among US businessmen about upcoming elections: Salman F Rahman

BSEC Member Abdul Halim said on Monday that the stock exchange regulator was working to punish any willful wrongdoing for short-term gains by brokerage houses, which are injecting distrust among the investors. He said that many small investors have been affected by two incidents in stock markets in 1996 and 2010. Since then, rules and regulations have been reformed, and punitive action has been taken, he said, adding that the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has been working to gain the investors’ confidence back. “Despite such effort, some malpractices remain among the brokerage houses as they are committing suicidal activities for short-term gains,” he said.. Halim made the statement while he spoke at a virtual discussion on the share market on Monday as part of the observance of the World Investor Week. The BSEC commissioner gave an example, saying that in 2015 the DSE team visited a brokerage house and found irregularities. The Board of Directors of the company had gaven loans to their relatives, officers and employees, violating rules. “It gave margin loans to purchase 'Z' category shares, and those who do not have money in the code got the opportunity to buy shares. They also gave loans to those people who did not have a contract with their brokerage house,” Halim said. “They (owners of the brokerage house) thought we didn't know much about law,” he said.  Read: Takes 6-12 months to identify a share market manipulator in existing system: BSEC Chairman After discovering faults, they said that it was a mistake, he said, adding that they  want another chance to correct them. But, he said, many other brokerage houses have also been committing similar ‘mistakes’. He said some houses even bought and sold shares before depositing the cheques of the investors. “Share trading has been done through different accounts of the same person just for increasing commission,” he said. He said some brokerage houses even mortgaged the customer's money in the bank and loans have been taken against it. Such houses provide false information to investors while they even do not care about giving incorrect information to regulators. He warned that the people who deal with technology should also be honest. According to the World Bank's 2021 report, the contribution of the country's capital market to the GDP is 27 per cent, and the size of our GDP is a little more than $416 billion. The GDP is expected to cross $600 billion by 2025 if the trend of growth continues, the projection said. The capital market will be a sector worth $300 billion or Tk30 lakh crore by then if things are on the right track, it said.    DSE Chairman Yunusur Rahman presided over the discussion while Acting Managing Director of DSE Saifur Rahman Majumder moderated the program.

Speakers at a conference on Sunday underlined the need to establish the ideology of Prophet Mohammed (SM) in every sphere of life.They termed Prophet Mohammed (SM) as the best man ever, saying that those who could fall in his love are the real believers.Bangladesh Ashikane Awlia Parishad organised the Rahmatullil Alamin Conference at Jatiya Press Club to mark the Eid-e-Miladunnabi, the day of birth and demise of prophet.Founder president of the organisation and Pir of Sureshwar Darbar Sharif Alhaj Syed Shah Sufi Belal Noori Al Sureshwari presided over  the conference while nuclear scientist Prof Dr M Shamsher Ali spoke in the function as the chief guest.Moderated by senior vice president of Ashikane Awlia Parishad and Sazzadanshin of Sureswar Darbar Sharif Syed Shah Sufi Muktadir Al Noori, the conference was addressed by vice chancellor of Bangladesh University Prof Dr Anisuzzaman, former education secretary Nazrul Islam Khan, former chairman of Madrasha Education Board Prof Dr Md Abu Bakar Siddique, director of Bangla Academy Mufti Dr Md Harun Or Rashid and founder president of Worldwide Human Rights Foundation Prof Dr Emdadul Haque Khan addressed the function as the special guests. Read: Holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi observed Speaking as the chief  guest, Prof Shamsher Mobin said Muslims are not communal and cannot be communal.He mentioned that the Holy Quran is the book of  guidance for the entire mankind and the Prophet (SM) is the mercy of the whole world.Pir of Sureshwar Darbar Sharif Alhaj Syed Shah Sufi Belal Noori Al Sureshwari said, "Love and affection for the Prophet is true faith. Those who love the Prophet are true Muslims."He said that some scholars are reluctant to observe the Eid-e-Miladunnabi (SM) and claim that Miladunnabi did not exist during the era of the Prophet (SM) and his companions (sahabas) - this is not correct. Rather, prophet Mohammed (SM) celebrated the day by fasting.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has claimed that the power supply situation has been better in the current month than that in the previous month. “The power supply situation will further improve in the next month….the situation in energy supply will also improve”, he told a virtual discussion meeting organized by Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) to observe the 15th August National Mourning Day on Saturday. He said the Russia-Ukraine war made the global economic situation vulnerable. It created huge uncertainty in the global energy market.  With BPDB chairman Mahbubur Rahman in the chair, the event was also addressed by former principal secretary to the Prime Minister  Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and power secretary Habibur Rahman. Reiterating his call to the people to be more patient to face the power and energy crunch, the Nasrul said Bangladesh will become a rich country under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He mentioned that there was 16-18 hours of load shedding across the country before Awami League assumed power in 2009. Read: Govt to slash fuel price when it goes down globally: Nasrul Hamid From that situation, the PM implemented a programme to reach electricity to every house in Bangladesh, he added. He said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman proved his great leadership by purchasing five gas fields from Shell Oil Company which now meet 40 per cent of the country’s total gas requirement.   He made the right to electricity as part of the constitution to ensure that people in rural areas get electricity.  

Speakers at a discussion marking International Youth Day on Friday stressed the need for more involvement of youth in policy-making. Brac Youth Platform organised the discussion on "Unleashing the power of young people towards a new Bangladesh: Ageism as a barrier’ today in the city. Youth employment, health, access to justice and good governance, and political participation dominated the open discussion, according to a press release. BRAC's Migration Programme and Youth Initiatives head Shariful Hasan said empowering the youth, their views prevail at BRAC. But unfortunately in Bangladesh, the youth do not dominate the policy-making space. “The involvement of youth in policy making and decision making is very necessary,” he added. The speakers also discussed the limited opportunities of the youth and its possible causes at various stages of decision-making, programme management, planning and implementation at the state, social and institutional levels. Read: Int’l Youth Day: TIB for suitable environment to utilise youths for development The issues of proper recognition, initiatives and contributions of youths were also emphasised in the discussion. BRAC’s Youth Platform, a recently initiated programme, is working with several initiatives to assist youths in developing their innovative and creative capacities, ensuring mental and physical health and wellbeing, and promoting their participation in solving social issues.   It has also established the Amra Notun Network to develop and integrate individual and social empowerment and values, innovative skills and leadership qualities of the youths. Through this network, BRAC’s Youth Platform provides regular training to young people, particularly aged from 18 to 25 years, and supports them to implement community projects.

The Russian House in Dhaka, with the participation of the Liberation War Academy Trust and the Compatriots Association "Rodina", hosted a discussion on "Past-Present-Future." The discussion was held on Saturday in connection with the 77th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The Head of the Russian House in Dhaka, Maxim Dobrokhotov, congratulated all on that memorable event and reminded about the history of the Great Patriotic War of 1941–45, said a media release on Sunday. Freedom fighter Md. Abdur Rauf Bhuiyan, as well as other speakers - former principal of Dhaka Mohanagar Mohila College (Dhaka Metropolitan Women's College), Prof. Md. Shazeedul Islam, Chairman of the Liberation War Academy Trust Dr. Abul Kalam Azad, and Bangladesh Supreme Court lawyer Md. Abu Touhid talked about the key role of Soviet Union in fighting Nazi Germany and the consequences of this victory for the whole world at that time till nowadays. Also read: Bangladeshi-American professionals prime movers in shaping Dhaka-Washington ties: Faruk Khan Representatives from media, students, freedom fighters and their family members were present and took part in the discussion. The speakers paid tribute to the all 27 millions martyrs of the Great Patriotic War and also expressed their gratitude to the Soviet Union and present-day Russia for cooperation in the overall post-war development of Bangladesh and the ongoing projects of the country. Also read: Launch cyber battle against anti-Bangladesh propaganda: Faruk Khan At the end, a minute of silence was observed in memory of the Russian warriors who lost their lives in the Great Patriotic War.

The ICT wing of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) recently organised a discussion on the holy month of Ramadan, and hosted an iftar party in the capital. Mohammed Monirul Moula, managing director and chief executive officer of the bank, addressed the programme as chief guest. Md Omar Faruk Khan, additional managing director of IBBL, and Mohammad Ali, chief risk officer of the bank, spoke as special guests. Mohammad Jamal Uddin Mazumder, senior executive vice-president and head of the ICT wing, presided over the programme. IBBL is a joint venture public limited company engaged in commercial banking business based on Islamic shariah. It is listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange and Chittagong Stock Exchange.

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) organised a discussion and prayer ceremony online on Independence and National Day Saturday. Professor Md Nazmul Hassan, chairman of the bank, addressed the programme as the chief guest. Professor Md Salim Uddin, chairman of the executive committee, Mohammad Solaiman, chairman of the audit committee, Major General (Retd) Abdul Matin, chairman of the risk management committee of the bank, spoke as special guests. Also read: IBBL Cumilla holds business development conference Mohammed Monirul Moula, managing director and chief executive officer of the bank, presided over the programme. IBBL directors Md Joynal Abedin, Professor Dr Qazi Shahidul Alam, Professor Dr Md Fashiul Alam; Shariah Supervisory Committee Chairman Professor Mohammad Gias Uddin Talukder also spoke. IBBL directors Professor Md Kamal Uddin, Syed Abu Asad, Mohammad Quamrul Hasan, Khurshid-Ul-Alam, Mohammed Nasir Uddin, and Md Kamal Hossain Gazi were present at the programme. Additional managing directors Muhammad Qaisar Ali, Md Omar Faruk Khan; deputy managing directors JQM Habibullah, Md Mostafizur Rahman Siddiquee, Md Altaf Hossain, Md Nayer Azam; Chief Risk Officer Mohammad Ali, and IBTRA Principal SM Rabiul Hasan also joined it.

Russian House in Dhaka hosted a discussion marking the International Mother Language Day jointly with Liberation War Academy Trust. Director of Russian House in Dhaka Maxim Dobrokhotov paid deep respects to all language martyrs and young students from Dhaka University, who made on this day in 1952 their sublime sacrifice for establishing Bangla as a state language of the erstwhile Pakistan.  He also said that in recognition of the Language Movement in Bangladesh, UNESCO declared February 21 International Mother Language Day to promote linguistic and cultural diversity in the UN member-states.  READ: Russian House lauds growing presence of online journalism in Bangladesh The declaration was made on November 17, 1999. He reminded that The Language Movement inspired the Bengali nation to fight against injustices and exploitation unto achieving national independence in 1971. Language activist and renowned linguist Dr. ABM Amanullah highlighted that despite the status of the official language, Bengali is not still used as mother tongue properly in Bangladesh and often replaced by English and this is really shameful. Seventy-seven percent of primary schools in Bangladesh do not have language martyr memorials to pay homage to them and so many students construct martyr's minaret on their own initiative, said Asif Mazhar, a linguistic expert and academician, quoting several dailies in Bangladesh.  Freedom fighter Md. Abdur Rauf Bhuiyan recalled that this year is a year of celebration of the 50th anniversary of friendly relations between Bangladesh and Russia and recited an emotional self-written poem on 50 years of friendship between the two countries, said a media release on Tuesday.  Liberation War Academy Trust Chairman Dr. Abul Azad also spoke on the occasion.  Prominent freedom fighters of the country, family members of freedom fighters, cultural activists and students of various educational institutions were present.