United News of Bangladesh

Power Division has formed a 5-member National Committee, headed by retired High Court Division Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury, to review the contracts signed under the Speedy Increase of Power and Energy Supply (Special Provisions) Act, 2010, during previous Awami League governments. The other members of the committee are Professor Abdul Hasib Chowdhury of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department of BUET; Ali Ashfaq, former COO of KPMG Bangladesh, Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA); former lead economist of the World Bank Zahid Hossain and Moshtaq Hossain Khan, Professor of Economics, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of London. As per a gazette notification issued on Thursday by the Power Division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, under the scope of work of the committee, it can collect information from any source and audit any necessary documents; may call any person or organization concerned to the hearing. The committee will examine whether the interests of the government have been protected in the contracts already signed under Speedy Increase of Power and Energy Supply (Special Provisions) Act, 2010. The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources will provide secretarial and ancillary support to the committee based on the audit and make recommendations for further action.

Adviser for Youth and Sports, and Labour Affairs Asif Mahmud on Thursday said there is no scope for rehabilitation of the fascists in politics until their trials are fully completed.   “We have already seen some programmes to rehabilitate the defeated fascist forces in many ways,” he told reporters in a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, Deputy Press Secretaries Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar, and Apurba Jahangir were also present. Though he did not mention any political parties, he referred to those political parties and alliances which “established the fascist regime”. He said they leave it to the people whether the fascists will be allowed to do politics or not in the country. The Adviser said the government has not discussed specifically yet on how it will be implemented (banning public programmes by fascists). “But we will certainly discourage it (public programmes).” He said the law ministry has already taken initiatives so that they are tried for their “crimes against humanity.”  Responding to a question about whether Awami League will be banned or not, he said it will be decided by the people of the country. The Advisory Council also decided to form a Review Commission to review short term demands of the workers of all the sectors. It will also have representatives from the owners, Adviser Asif Mahmud told a briefing in the evening. “This committee will not review the long term demands like wage or labour law reform as those will require much time. This committee will deal with the short term demands which can be addressed quickly,” he added.

Following the celebration of one month anniversary of the removal of the ‘fascist Hasina government’ and the remembrance of the sacrifice of the martyrs, the students and general public brought out rallies and processions with banners and placards portraying the sacrifices of the martyrs and the injured ones. The program of the celebration named ‘Shahidi March’ (procession for the martyrs) was declared yesterday by the Anti-Discrimination Students movement's coordinators. From the Shahidi March, the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Students movement(ADS) announced five-point demands. The demands are to arrest all the culprits who were involved in committing genocide, to provide economic and legal support to the families of the victims as soon as possible, to mark the corrupted and fascist in the administrative sectors, and bring them to the justice, to declare the ‘Gonovobon’ (the resident of the prime minister) as the ‘July-Memorial Museum’ and to quickly announce the roadmap of the state reformation. Coordinator Sarjis Alam, said, "We have achieved this freedom by sacrificing blood. We removed fascist government and for this, we had to shed blood. If fascism tries to return and if needed, we will shed blood again as we had done it before. There will be no irregulation, syndicate, and extortion. Blood of martyrs shall not go in vain." Students from Madrasah, Schools, colleges, Universities, and masses from all walks of life joined the central procession chanting slogans and showing placards of the Martyrs. Besides people and students separately formed processions on the Dhaka University campus. Starting at 3.40 pm, the central procession was launched from the premises of the Anti-terrorism Raju Monument of Dhaka University which was led by all the coordinators of the Anti-discrimination students' movement including Hasnat Abdullah, Sarjis Alam, Hasib Al Islam, Abu Baker Majumdar, Abdul Hannan Masud. Mohammad Ali Hossen, a school student said, “Today I came here to join the Sahidi March program bunking classes. This is our second freedom. The first freedom gave us land and from the second freedom, we are expecting our basic needs and rights to be preserved. It was a fight that we fought against Bangladeshi fascists and we won the struggle. If fascism returns, all the sacrifices will go in vain. Restoration of democracy is a must.” Khalid Maruf, a Madrasha Student came to join the procession with his friends. He said, “During the movement, we were on the Jatrabari Junctures. Some of my brothers and fellows got severely injured being hit by bullets. Some are still at hospitals.” “During the previous government, we couldn’t come out with our demands, we couldn't speak freely our thoughts. We were tagged and portrayed as terrorists and fundamentalists. The freedom which we have now, had never been. We achieved this freedom by sacrificing blood and lives. This freedom has to be preserved. And the martyrs of 2024’s mass uprising shall be remembered and recognized nationally.” Those, who were a bit late and couldn’t join the central precession, stayed in the Dhaka University campus area and later went to central Sahid Minar chanting revolutionary slogans against corruption, crime, indian aggression, and seeking justice for mass killings by the Hasina led government.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Thursday called upon the students to return to their classrooms and campuses as a well-educated and competent generation is required to reap the benefits of the revolution.  “Now it's time to go back to study.  Schools, colleges and universities have been opened. I urge you to return to the classrooms and campuses. Because, we need a well-educated and skilled generation to take home the benefits of the revolution,” he said.  The Chief Adviser made the call in a statement delivered on the occasion of one month of the fall of prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s regime in the face of a student-led mass uprising.  “Today (Thursday) we are celebrating the first month of Bangladesh's second independence. Hundreds of students and people from all walks of life made the supreme sacrifice for one of the most glorious revolutions in history,” he said.  Pointing at the students, he said during the revolution, they had to leave study and pass sleepless nights worrying about their friends, and take to streets in daytime to resist the brutal regime, telling each other goodbye forever.  Prof Yunus said the students guarded the religious minority communities and their places of worship as well as took the responsibility of managing traffic across the country after the revolution ended. “I know your study witnessed a huge disruption,” he added. Noting that Sheikh Hasina fled the country leaving behind a corrupt state and a fragile economy, he said, “We’ve taken the responsibility to establish our Bangladesh in its full glory.” The Chief Adviser said he is committed to fulfilling the dream that young revolutionaries have awakened in the minds of the people of the country to build a new Bangladesh. “Being inspired by the sacrifices of the martyrs, we want to change the course of history. I want to introduce a new era,” he said. Noting that only one month elapsed after the interim government took the charges, he said the government started important reforms to achieve the actual goal of the revolution.   “Our first task is to ensure justice and accountability for the killings occurred in July and August,” he said adding that they invited the UN Human Rights Office to conduct an independent and impartial inquiry into the genocide and the UNHR also sent it team to Bangladesh and started work in this regard. Besides, he talked to top international legal experts to form an international standard tribunal to try the people who committed crimes against humanity in July and August, said Prof Yunus. “We want the extradition of the killers and the repatriation of the money embezzled by corrupt individuals, politicians and bureaucrats during the regime of the dictator. This is why I’ve started talking with expert firms,” he said. He said one of their main responsibilities is to ensure free treatment for thousands of people who sustained seriously injured during the revolution. “We’re continuously working to prepare a complete list of martyrs and injured. The main list has already been prepared,” he said, adding that now only the information of those whose dead bodies were taken far away is being collected. The Chief Adviser said the formation of a foundation is in the final stages to look after the hundreds of injured people who need long-term treatment or expensive treatment and oversee the families of the martyrs. “We will never forget those whose martyrdom gave birth to this new Bangladesh,” he said. He said his government has formed a commission to investigate every incident of forced disappearance during the 15-year fascist regime. “The Aynaghars (secret prisons) have been closed. Very soon we will know about the pains and sufferings of the brothers and sisters who are victims of enforced disappearance,” he said. Talking about important reform initiatives, Prof Yunus said the government is regularly holding talks with political parties, editors, business leaders, civil society leaders and diplomats. “They supported our reform initiatives.  “We’re impressed by receiving the overwhelming support from our foreign friends. Our brave and patriotic expatriates are also engaged in efforts to rebuild the nation,” he said extending his sincere thanks to them. Expressing the deep gratitude to the families of martyrs and injured persons, he said he would invite the family members of every martyr and meet them within few days. “I want to assure them that we will never betray the dreams of martyrs,” said the Chief Adviser.

The Advisory Council of the interim government has decided to convert Gonobhaban, official residence of former Prime Minister Sheikh hasina, into "July Revolution Memorial Museum", keeping the memory of the student-led mass uprising that toppled Hasina-led government on August 5. The decision was taken at the meeting of Advisory Council held at Chief Adviser's Office with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in the chair on Thursday. “Visible steps will soon be taken,” Adviser for Youth and Sports; and Labour Affairs Asif Mahmud told UNB while responding to a question during a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy. Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, Deputy Press Secretaries Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar, and Apurba Jahangir were also present. Asif Mahmud said they would look into examples in other countries to build the memorial museum and keep it open to the public. He said they would keep it unchanged (as it stands now) and there will be a museum inside Gonobhaban. The Adviser said Gonobhaban could not emerge as people’s building truly and the students and common people won it through uprising. “It will be kept open for the people,” he said, adding that it will bear all the memories of martyrs of the uprising, tortures and injustice of the previous government. The Adviser said the Ministry of Housing and Public Works; and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will jointly implement the initiative. Thursday marked one month since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned amid student-led mass uprising and fled to India leaving the country in a leadership vacuum for a couple of days. The country was in a state of lawlessness until Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus returned home from Paris and took oath as Chief Adviser of the interim government on August 8, chosen by the student leaders and backed by the army. Hasina’s fall was so dramatic that she had only 45 minutes to leave her official residence Ganobhaban, which was stormed by jubilant protesters shortly after her exit. The student protests began in July against a quota system in government jobs that critics said favoured people with connections to Hasina’s party.

Chief of Army Staff General Waker-uz-Zaman does not have any personal social media accounts, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). In a media statement on Thursday, ISPR urged the public not to be misled by posts from fake social media accounts using the name or photo of the army chief.

A construction worker died after falling from an under-construction building in the capital's Aftab Nagar area on Thursday afternoon. The victim was identified as Md Nasir, 40, of Charmanpur village in Sadar upazila of Chapainawabganj district. Sources said Nasir fell from the 8th floor of the 10-storey under-construction building in Aftab Nagar around 2pm. Later, some of his co-workers first took him to the Kurmitola Hospital. "When his condition worsened, he was taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital at 3.30pm for better treatment where doctors declared him dead after examination." His body is now at the hospital morgue and the concerned Police Station has been informed, said DMCH police outpost in-charge Bacchu Mia.

The United Group has issued a rejoinder objecting to parts of a UNB report titled: “United Group power plants getting gas at concessional rate, but selling electricity at commercial rate to EPZs”. We are reproducing the rejoinder in full, with our response below: “Two private power plants have been receiving gas supply from the two subsidiaries of the state-owned Petrobangla at public power plant’s rate, but after producing electricity, selling it at commercial rate to two export processing zones (EPZs).” Response: (a) Exactly same as PDB or REB, no difference. The gas price is determined by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC). These two power plants were set up under full compliance of Policy Guidelines for Enhancement of Private Sector Participation, 2008 where these power plants are entitled to IPP license “Officials of the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development (BPDB) alleged that such a business by the United Group is totally unethical and also contrary to the existing law which does not allow a private firm to receive gas from Petrobangla at power plant rate, but sell the produced electricity to consumers at commercial rate.” Response: (a) These two power plants were set up under full compliance Policy Guidelines for Enhancement of Private Sector Participation, 2008 - Not contrary to any law. (b) These plants sell electricity to the two EPZs at exactly the same rate PDB or REB would do, as determined by Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) “Interestingly, the United Group sells the electricity at the weekend to the BPDB as an IPP at the power plant rate when the industries in the two EPZs remain closed.” Response: (a) Electricity is sold as per the 2008 policy at a tariff determined by BERC. This tariff is lower than tariff at which PDB sells electricity to its distributors, meaning PDB is earning a profit by buying electricity from these plants “The BPDB official also mentioned that if the United Group buys gas at power plant rate, its electricity should be sold at Tk 5.5 per unit to the BPDB and then BPDB will sell to a distribution company to sell to the EPZs.” Response: (a) These two power plants were set up in 2008 when investors in EPZ were recalling investment due to lack of uninterrupted, reliable electricity supply from PDB and REB. (b) BEPZA’s governing board did not decide to establish dedicated power plants without reason. Decision to set up dedicated power plants were taken for all EPZs. Not just Dhaka and Chattogram EPZ. (c) Selling price to BEPZA is determined by BERC and Selling price to PDB and REB is determined by BERC. These power plants cannot determine their own commercial tariff. “The BPDB officials also alleged that the BEPZA, as a state-owned entity, has been purchasing electricity without any competitive bidding process which also a violation of the Public Procurement Act 2006 and Public Procurement Rule 2008.” Response: (a) Power plants were procured and electricity purchased under BEPZA Act 1980. In full compliance of laws of Bangladesh and No violation of any government procurement rules. End of rejoinder. The rejoinder expands on the statement on behalf of United Group that was contained within the report. UNB stands by its report based on information and allegations from the BPDB.

Three more death were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Thursday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 91 this year. During the period, 358 more patients were hospitalised with viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of them, 57 dengue patients were admitted in hospital under Dhaka North City Corporation while 108 were hospitalized in Dhaka South City Corporation.  Some 1,409 patients are receiving treatment in different hospitals across the country. A total of 14, 686 dengue cases have been reported since January 1, 2024. Last year, 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record. The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries last year.

The Criminal investigation Department (CID) has decided to investigate the allegation of money laundering against Bashundhara Group chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, managing director (MD) Sayem Sobhan Anvir and others concerned. Additional Superintendent of CID media wing Azad Rahman, said , the CID has decided to investigate the allegations of embezzlement, laundering of thousands of crores of taka through fraud, forgery, duty evasion, VAT evasion, under-invoicing/over-invoicing against various organizations related to Bashundhara Group. According to various sources, Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and Sayem Sobhan Anvir were involved in laundering money to Dubai, Singapore, Cyprus, London, Malaysia and other countries. Bashundhara Group had allegedly bought land at Tk 20-25 lakh per bigha by adopting fraudulence. It borrowed more than TK 42,000 crore from bank showing the price of per katha land at Tk 3 crore. Although some part of the land of Bashundhara Residential Project has the approval of RAJUK, most of the projects were implemented without RAJUK's approval by filling government properties canals, beels, rivers, khas lands, graveyards, etc.   Besides, there are allegations of grabbing a huge amount of land by East West Properties Limited in different blocks of Bashundhara Residential Area, which is estimated to be worth more than Tk 1.5 lakh crore.