United News of Bangladesh

The High Court on Wednesday ordered for retaining 30% freedom fighter quota in government jobs declaring illegal the circular issued on October 4, 2018 cancelling the the quota system. The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order. Senior Advocate Munsurul Haque Chowdhuyr stood for the petitioner while deputy attorney general Sheikh Mohammad (SK) Saifuzzaman Zaman represented the state. HC stays govt primary school teachers' recruitment process for 6 months over question paper leakage The government, through the circular On October 4, 2018, said direct recruitment in all government jobs in 9th grade to 13th grade will be completely based on merit, abolishing quota system. On November 5, 1972, then government through an executive order introduced 30% quota for freedom fighters and 10% for female in the government, semi-government, and defense and nationalised institutions. Later, the government in different times reformed or changed the quota system. Until the abolition, about 56 percent of government jobs had been reserved for candidates from various quotas. Of this, 30 percent were for freedom fighters' children and grandchildren, 10 percent for women, 10 percent for people of underdeveloped districts, five percent for members of indigenous communities and one percent for physically challenged people. HC approves appointment of new Destiny-2000 chairman On June 2, 2018, the government formed a seven-member committee, headed by then cabinet secretary to reform the quota system amid demonstrations by students and job seekers for reforming quota system. Later, the Public Administration Ministry on October 4, 2018, issued the circular cancelling the quota in direct recruitment process in the 1st class and 2nd class government jobs. Ohidul Islam Tushar, president of Bangladesh muktijoddha sontan o projonmo kendrio command council, filed a writ petition challenging the government decision, On December 6, 2021, the High court issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the circular should not be declared illegal. Cabinet secretary, secretary to the Liberation War Affairs Ministry, secretary to the Public Administration Ministry, Chairman of Public Service Commission were made respondent to the rule.  

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Simeen Hussain (Rimi) on Wednesday said eradicating child marriage is a cornerstone of their commitment to safeguarding the rights of children in Bangladesh. “We commend the collaborative efforts of UNFPA and UNICEF and affirm our commitment to working closely and effectively to implement the National Plan of Action to End Child Marriage and roll out the Child Marriage Restraint Act,” she said while speaking at a lunching ceremony in Dhaka. The State Minister said they also must focus on the behavioural aspect for changing people’s outlook as law alone cannot change what is being practiced for long. The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs in Bangladesh, in collaboration with UNFPA and UNICEF, launched today the Phase III of the joint Global Programme to End Child Marriage (GPECM). Set to run till 2030, the Global Programme targets the most marginalized communities across the country and aims to bolster resources and sharpen focus to support the government of Bangladesh on its endeavor to end child marriage. Simeen Hossain briefs JS on steps to prevent rampant child marriage The new phase will focus on strengthening the legal framework against child marriage, increasing education completion rates, and shifting social norms by leveraging the government’s social protection schemes and engaging with communities. To meet Sustainable Development Goal 5, which calls for the elimination of child marriage by 2030, Bangladesh must accelerate its efforts by 22 times. While latest available data indicates a downward trend in child marriage in many districts, an increase is appreciated in others, affecting those most vulnerable - Affluent and educated girls experience more significant reductions, while child marriage remains high among underprivileged, uneducated, and rural girls. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has publicly pledged to abolish marriages for girls under the age of 18 by 2041, according to UNICEF. Supporting the government, the Global Programme will leverage multi-sectoral, scalable, and evidence-based interventions to ensure the full execution of the National Plan of Action to End Child Marriage. “Currently, the rate of reduction of child marriage in Bangladesh is only 2.1 percent per year, which means it will take Bangladesh over two centuries — 215 years — to eliminate child marriage,” said Kristine Blokhus, Country Representative to UNFPA Bangladesh. She said keeping girls in school is a game changer. “Increased, targeted investments in sexual and reproductive health services and comprehensive sexuality education equip adolescent girls with the tools to make informed decisions about their bodies and lives and empower them as agents of change and future leaders." "UNICEF is entering this new phase with a renewed commitment to empowering every child, especially rural adolescent girls and young women with life skills,” said Stanley Gwavuya, OIC Representative of UNICEF in Bangladesh. Child marriage: Bagerhat parents, kazi get 6-month imprisonment “Working in districts with a high prevalence of child marriage, we will work with partners to address the root causes, engage key actors, and provide comprehensive support to both unmarried and married adolescent girls." During the previous phases, UNFPA and UNICEF collaborated closely to assist the government in reaching 5.5 million girls, analysing factors driving child marriage, empowering grassroots organizations, and strengthening services and protection for vulnerable girls in Bangladesh. Over the next four years (2024-2027), UNFPA and UNICEF aims to achieve significant milestones through the joint work plan by engaging over 1,200,000 adolescent girls (aged 10-19) in life skills or comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) interventions. Additionally, over 6,100,000 individuals will be reached with mass media messaging on child marriage, the rights of adolescent girls, and gender equality. The program will also involve 2,174,300 individuals and 1,206,413 boys and men in group education and dialogue sessions in addressing harmful masculinities and gender norms. The joint efforts of UNFPA, UNICEF, and partners underscore the collective determination to ensure every girl and boy in Bangladesh can enjoy their childhood and thrive to their full potential without the threat of child marriage. In particular, the initiative will address the root causes of child marriage such as poverty, gender-based violence, limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, climate shocks, and humanitarian emergencies. Launched in 2016, the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage is the largest global initiative to address child marriage. Pilot project on loans to prevent child marriage lunched in Bogura It is supported globally by the Governments of Belgium, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Zonta International.  

Daraz Bangladesh, the country's leading online marketplace, is going to launch the highly anticipated Eid-ul-Adha campaign, Daraz 6.6 Big Eid Sale, from June 6 to June 12. The Big Eid Sale embraces the spirit of Eid-ul-Adha with exciting offers to enhance festive celebrations at a time of sacrifice, celebration, and gratitude, said a press release issued on Wednesday. Daraz Bangladesh unveils discounts and deals for Eid  Under the tagline "Eid e Daraz Mane Shobar Jonno, Shera Dam e Shera Ponno," the Sale brings the best choices at the best prices across categories including Kitchen and Dining, Fashion, Cooling and Heating Appliances, BBQ Utensils, Qurbani Essentials, Groceries, Beauty, Mobiles, and more. Consumers can enjoy greater savings and an extraordinary shopping experience with Mega Vouchers worth Tk 5 Crore and Mega Deal discounts of up to 70%. On top of the discounts, Bangladeshi consumers can enjoy free delivery for 1 million eligible products from selected sellers with a minimum spend of Tk 299. To avail this, they simply need to collect vouchers by clicking the "Free Delivery" banner on the Daraz app homepage. Daraz launches Bangladesh’s first-ever free delivery festival These vouchers are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and can be combined with other discounts for additional savings. Earlier this year, Daraz launched the Best Price Guaranteed program to provide its consumers with the best available price online. The 6.6 Sale adds to the excitement by featuring 32,000 eligible products with a "Best Price" tag. If buyers find the same product at a lower price on another online platform, Daraz will refund 5X (exclusively on 6.6 campaign) the price difference for valid claims, ensuring they always get the best deal. For more information on the 6.6 Big Eid Sale, please check out the Daraz Bangladesh Facebook page, or browse the Daraz app to make your Eid celebrations memorable with the best prices and exclusive deals.  

Barrister Md Harun-Ar-Rashid took over as the Director General of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Wednesday. Md Harun-Ar-Rashid replaced former Rab DG M Khurshid Hossain as he went on retirement. A gazette notification of the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs was issued on May 29 in this regard. Md Harun-Ar-Rashid started his career as the assistant superintendent police of 15th BCS cadre in 1995 and served in different posts of police including as Deputy Inspector General of Mymensingh range in 2019. Harun, son of Ahmed Ali, obtained his MSC degree from Dhaka University’s Statistics Department in 1994. He also completed his LLB from University of London in 2009 and MBA from Dhaka University in 2016.

When a first year Dhaka University student Tapon Roy came across a post on the facebook that can be summed up as minorities are forced to flee the country due to Awami League and that too from the mouth of a minority community leader he could not believe in his eyes, was taken aback and left in bewilderment. Because all about life of minorities he learnt since his childhood-- his parents and friends from his neighbourhood in a tiny upazila near Bogura that minorities were driven out of this country during the last tenure of BNP, Jamaat combine ruled by Khaleda Zia, then prime minister and his son Tarique Rahman. Brought up in a minority dominated locality, he held a fair sense of idea on how the tides of state sponsored repression driven out minorities form the country, thanks to what has been described “largest pogrom against minorities between 2001 and 2006 sponsored by BNP Jamaat combine”. But the post containing a photo superimposed of Rana Das Gupta, secretary of country’s largest minority community, with a caption “Religious and ethnic minorities are not living the country rather they are being forced to leave the country because Awami League” can be found on the facebook page of BNP’s policy magazine Road to Democracy. Tapon earlier recalled a television report where Rana Das Gupta was seen stating “between 2001 and 2006, as many as 28,0000 incidents of attacks on minorities including rape, loot, killing and land grabbing inflicted on the community across the country”.  

A six-member probe committee has been established to investigate the failure of recruiting agencies to send workers to Malaysia by the May 31 deadline. The Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry announced the formation of the committee, which is led by an additional secretary from the ministry. The committee will examine why workers were not sent to Malaysia despite having received approval and smart cards issued by the Bureau of Manpower Employment Training (BMET), according to a revised notice issued today. Nearly 17,000 people failed to go to Malaysia: State Minister for Expatriate Welfare The notice also urges workers who missed the deadline to submit their details—including name, full address, mobile phone number, recruiting agency name, passport number, and a copy of the BMET smart card—via email to [email protected]. Additionally, workers can lodge their complaints and submit their information through mobile phones and WhatsApp. The contact details are as follows: - Gazi Md Shahed Anwar, Deputy Secretary of the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry: 01924277083 - Sazzad Hossain Sarkar, Deputy Secretary of BMET: 01715228307 Approximately 17,000 workers who had planned to go to Malaysia missed the deadline, said State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury, on Sunday.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's community clinics have become a global model in the healthcare sector, according to Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Samanta Lal Sen. He emphasized the importance of maintaining this reputation by enhancing the quality of healthcare services, medical education, and the competence of healthcare professionals. Dr. Sen made these remarks during an orientation program for first-year MBBS students at Dhaka Medical College’s Dr. Milon Auditorium on Wednesday. He highlighted the need to elevate Bangladesh's healthcare system and promote a positive global perception of the country’s medical services and professionals. "At various World Health Organization (WHO) events, health ministers and representatives from different countries have praised Bangladesh’s healthcare system," Dr. Sen noted, reflecting on his recent visits to the UK and Switzerland. Addressing the audience of teachers, students, parents, and other attendees, Dr. Sen remarked, "Getting admitted to medical college is a challenging and arduous task. Congratulations to you all. Doctors are born with the blessings of the creator. You must uphold the dignity of the doctor's apron. To do so, you need to study diligently and become competent doctors, adhering to discipline.” He also highlighted the opportunities brought by digital advancements in education and urged students to leverage these tools to develop their skills and qualifications. Furthermore, Dr. Sen informed the students about the establishment of an accreditation council to facilitate their education abroad, ensuring they can easily pursue studies overseas to enhance their skills and knowledge. The event was attended by several prominent guests, including Secretary of Health Education and Family Welfare Division Md. Azizur Rahman, Secretary-General of Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip) Prof. Dr. Kamrul Hasan Milon, President of Swachip Dr. Jamal Uddin Chowdhury, President of the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Dr. Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Principal of Dhaka Medical College Prof. Dr. Md. Shafiqul Alam Chowdhury, and Director-General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof. Dr. Md. Tito Miah.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has predicted rain or thundershower across the country including Dhaka over 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.“Light to moderate rain or thundershower accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at most places over Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions; at a few places over Rajshahi, Chattogram and Dhaka divisions; and at one or two places over Khulna and Barishal divisions with moderately heavy to very heavy falls at places over Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions,” said a regular bulletin of the Met Office. Rains likely to drench Dhaka, 7 other divisionsBesides, a mild heatwave is sweeping over the districts of Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, Jashore and Chuadanga and it may continue.Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country. Due to excessive moisture content the discomfort may persist. BMD forecasts light to moderate rains across countryA trough of low lies over West Bengal in India to northwest Bay across southwestern part of Bangladesh.Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate elsewhere over north Bay.  

The United States has said it is closely monitoring the developments in the case against Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. “We will continue to encourage the Bangladeshi government to ensure a fair and transparent legal process for Dr. Yunus as the appeals process continues,” said Mathew Miller, spokesperson for the US Department of State, during a regular briefing on June 4. Miller expressed concerns that these cases might represent a “misuse” of Bangladesh’s labor laws to “harass and intimidate” Dr. Yunus. Court sets June 12 for decision on whether Yunus to go on trial in embezzlement case “We also worry that the perceived misuse of labor and anti-corruption laws could raise questions about the rule of law and dissuade foreign direct investment,” he added. The government of Bangladesh has maintained that it is not a party to the case involving Dr. Muhammad Yunus and emphasized the independence and transparency of its judicial process. “With due respect to Dr. Yunus, I would like to say that the judicial process of Bangladesh is transparent. That's why many members of the ruling party face trials and even jail sentences,” Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told journalists recently. Dr Yunus suffering for deceiving 1.05 cr Grameen Bank members, says the bank’s Chief Legal Advisor

An unidentified man was killed as a speeding covered van crashed into his motorbike from behind in the Jatrabari area of Dhaka on Tuesday night. Sub-Inspector (SI) Saiful Islam of Jatrabari Police Station said while he was on duty near Matuail Mother and Child Hospital, a covered van hit the motorcycle around 9pm, causing the rider to be thrown onto the road. The victim was immediately taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital where physicians declared him dead, he said, adding that the body was sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy. Road crash leaves two dead in Dhaka's Jatrabari SI Saiful also said that the identity of the deceased could not be known immediately. Efforts were on to know his identity. The driver of the covered was detained and the vehicle was also seized, he added. Young woman killed in city road crash