United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) has demanded a sustainable solution in regard to the power and gas crisis, saying that the domestic industries have been facing tough challenges due to high inflation and high rate of interest on bank loans. The lone chamber in the industrial sector made the demand when its delegation, led by BCI president Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez) called on Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun at his ministry office on Thursday. The BCI delegation, comprised of its board of directors, said that the country’s industrial sector has been passing through a transitional period. No industry in the country is able to run at its full potential, sales of all companies have dropped due to high inflation, low gas pressure, high interest rate of loans. With these all together, the domestic industries have been facing tough challenges, said the BCI leaders. Action against officials of Petrobangla companies if fail to achieve target: Nasrul The BCI president said the prices of electricity and gas were increased in the hope that the government would ensure their continuous supply in the pretext of their increasing prices on the international market. “But despite the declining trend of energy prices in the international market, it is being heard that the prices of electricity and gas will be increased again”, he added. “It is important to have a sustainable solution to the problem. If a long term plan is given to the industrial sector in terms of power and gas supply, it can move forward accordingly,” he noted. At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister was presented with floral greetings from the BCI Board of Directors and a frame with BCI's 'My Product My Country' logo. Incidents of moral degradation in educational institutions unfortunate: NHRC chairman The BCI president said they have recently sat with the Governor of Bangladesh Bank to know about the policy of the Bangladesh Bank regarding all these problems of the country. He said that due to some policies of Bangladesh Bank, banks are being encouraged to invest in bonds. As a result, there will be a liquidity crisis in the bank. “New investment will not come in and the unemployment rate will rise due to such a move by the central bank. It is very important to save our current industries”, he added. He said that the industrial sector of the country is suffering for various policies of the National Board of Revenue (NBR). More than 6,000 abandoned houses are in Dhaka city: Housing Minister He observed that running the businesses have become difficult due to new policies at various times. He requested the Minister to call a meeting with the Chairman of NBR. Senior vice-president of BCI Preeti Chakraborty  said that in the meeting that service industries in the country are still paying utility bills at commercial rates. She requested the minister to take necessary measures to make utility bills at industrial rates. BCI vice-president Mohammad Yunus, executive committee, Dr. Delwar Hossain Raja, Zia Hyder Mithu, Mizanur Rahman, Nazmul Anwar, Sohana Rauf Chowdhury, Md Salim Jahan, Md Mahfuzur Rahman and Senior Secretary of Industries Ministry Zakia Sultana were present at the meeting.

The government will provide around Tk 7.49 crore as incentives to farmers to boost jute cultivation across the country. A total of 3, 36, 600 small, marginal and medium farmers would get free seeds, said a press release on Thursday. Each farmer will get one kilogram BJRI Tosha Pat-8 (Robi-1) seeds for one bigha of land under jute cultivation, it added. The disbursement of the intensives will start soon at the field level, said the press release.

Three new Bangladeshi products have been recognised as Geographical Indicator (GI) status. The items are-- Date Molasses of Jessore, Sweet Betel Leaf of Rajshahi and Nakshi Kantha of Jamalpur With this, Bangladesh got the ownership of a total of 31 GI products, according to an Industries Ministry press release. GI is a special name or symbol used for a material which is determined by the geographical location or source (such as a country, region or city) of a particular item. No other country or individual in the world can claim ownership of these products. In 2013, the Geographical Indication Products (Registration and Protection) Act was enacted.

Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus on Thursday alleged that Grameen Bank has forcefully occupied eight of his institutions housed in the Grameen Telecom building. “We go through many kinds of calamities but I have never seen such a disaster that suddenly some people came from outside and told us to move away from our own offices,” he said. Dr Yunus, the founder of the Grameen Bank, came up with the allegation at a press conference at the Grameen Telecom building in the city’s Mirpur area. Despite seeking police intervention, he said that he has so far not got any cooperation from the law enforcers in this regard. The noted economist said they have fallen into a dreadful situation as they constructed a beautiful building with the offices of their institutions, including Grameen Telecom, when they were with Grameen Bank, to work there peacefully. “Suddenly, four days back (February 12), we saw outsiders were usurping our offices. We became outsiders to them. They are trying to run it according to their wish. I couldn't understand how this happened," he said. Dr. Yunus said they informed the police about what happened and urged them to visit the spot and take necessary steps. “But the police did not initially lodge the complaint. Then, they came to the spot, but they didn't find any problem. We told them (police) the usurpers were padlocking our offices and reopening those in the morning. That situation still persists." Stating that some people staged a procession with brooms in front of their office, Dr. Yunus said he did not understand the reason behind it. “Have we suddenly reached a position where we deserve the brooms? We are at our own place. And we don't want to get involved in anyone else's trouble." Dr. Yunus said the headquarters of all institutions they have established are in the same building. “Each institution housed in this building was set up with the profit of the business. Grameen Bank has no authority to interfere in these institutions. None of these establishments have been established with Grameen Bank's funds." The eight institutions that have been reportedly padlocked are Grameen Telecom, Grameen Kalyan, Grameen Fisheries and Livestock Foundation, Grameen Agriculture Foundation, Grameen Samagrai, Grameen Fund, Grameen Shakti, and Grameen Communication. Grameen Telecom's managing director Nazmul Islam, Grameen Kalyan's managing director AKM Mainuddin Chowdhury, and other officials from different institutions were present at the press conference. The Grameen Telecom building is located at Mirpur National Zoo Road where there are 16 companies owned by Dr. Yunus.

Railways Minister Zillul Hakim on Thursday said that the estimated financial loss of the railways due to BNP-Jamaat arson terrorism on the eve of the 12th general elections was Tk 9 crore. “On the eve of the 12th National elections, BNP, Jamaat and their allies set fire to the train through arson attacks. According to the preliminary data, the estimated financial loss of the railway is Tk 9.28 crore.” The minister said this while responding to a question from a ruling party lawmaker elected from Noakhali Morshed Alam. He said that 99 railway projects have been taken up since 2009. He mentioned that some 947.99 km new rail lines have been constructed in the last 12 years. He also said that in this tenure some 340.17 km of meter gauge railway line converted to dual gauge while 1391.32 km of railway lines rehabilitated or reconstructed. The minister also said that 148 new station buildings have been constructed while 238 station building rehabilitated/reconstructed, 1062 new railway bridge constructed, 794 railway bridge rehabilitated or reconstructed  and development and modernisation of signalling system at 137 stations were done. In response to the question of Independent MP elected from Dhaka Muhammad Saiful Islam, Zillul Hakim said that the expenditure of railways in the last 2022-23 fiscal was Tk 3007 crore. “At that time, the revenue of the railway was Tk 1,783 crores,” he said.

The Metro Rail authorities will run train after every 8 minutes during peak hours from Saturday, increasing the number of trips to 178 from 152 each day. At present, the trains run every 10 minutes during peak hours and in every 12 minutes during off-peak hours. The new timings are applicable for peak hours only. M A N Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), revealed this at a press conference at Metrorail Authority headquarters on Thursday afternoon. He said that earlier the number of trains' trips were 152 every day, now it will increase to 178. Metrorail headways or the time between two trains has been reduced by two minutes. Metrorail will operate from Saturday according to the new time schedules, he said. Siddique said that currently metro trains carry about 2.70 lakh passengers on an average every day. About the new timings, Siddque said, three trains will run from Uttara at 7:10 am to 7:30 am respectively from Saturday. This is a special off-peak. After that, the train will run after every 8 minutes during peak hours from 7:31 to 11:48. After that 11:49am to 3:12pm off peak hours after every12 minutes as before. Trains will run after every 8 minutes during peak hours from 3:13pm to 8:00 pm. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the first metro rail in Dhaka on December 28, 2022. At that time metro train was running from Uttara to Agargaon. Later the prime minister inaugurated the Agargaon to Motijheel section of the Metro Rail on November 4 last year. The next day, on November 5, metro rail service started from Uttara to Motijheel.

Grameen Bank founder and former managing director Muhammad Yunus is faced with the biggest threat till now to his legacy, as he described a brazen attempt to forcefully occupy the building housing the group of social business enterprises inspired by his anti-poverty philosophy. At an embattled press conference Thursday on the ground floor of Grameen Telecom Bhaban, Yunus was flanked by Grameen Telecom managing director Nazmul Hasan and Grameen Kalyan managing director AKM Moinuddin Chowdhury where they recounted their harrowing experience starting from last Monday, together describing what comes off as a blatant attempt to grab the land, the building and as many as possible of the 16 social enterprises housed there. All the social enterprises at Telecom Bhaban, a modern office block with green certifications built on a 53-acre site on Mirpur’s Zoo Road in Mirpur, have Yunus as an unsalaried chairman. The building itself is owned by the Grameen Telecom Trust. Arriving 30 minutes late at the press conference after being held up by extraordinary scenes outside the building, where a group of women took out a ‘broom procession’, Yunus in his short opening statement described how they had moved to the “beautiful, new building” recently and were enjoying working peacefully there, till everything started falling apart on Monday. “Out of nowhere, some outsiders came and forcefully occupied the building, and we became the outsiders,” said the Nobel laureate. “They started running the building according to their own rules and desire, just like that.” He said they took the matter to the police, but were given short shrift. “At first they wouldn't even receive the complaint. Then they came by once, and apparently nothing seemed out of place to them,” said Yunus. “They (grabbers) are enjoying the ownership of the place. They are locking the place in the evening, unlocking in the mornings. Even whether we would be able to hold the press conference here was uncertain,” he added. “Despite being in our own home, we are the ones being treated as outsiders. Can a country run like this?” he questioned. Dr Yunus said one member of the group told him the plot used to be owned by his father. “Even if it was,” the famed crusader against poverty posited, “Is forcefully grabbing it the way to reclaim it? What is the point of having the law and courts there then? The purpose of calling the press conference, he said, was to hold up in front of the nation the situation they are in, and to know from them what they (he and his colleagues) should do. “We were only in our own home, minding our own business. We don’t go looking for trouble. Why did it have to come looking for us?” he questioned, adding: “Well we have faced many dangers before, but this to me seems like the most dangerous situation we have ever faced.” The group numbered some 20-22, according to Grameen Kalyan MD Moinuddin Chowdhury, and their behaviour across the two days was beneath civil. He alleged the intruders created a hostile environment and even resorted to verbally abusing one of their finance officials, and had the staff bring them food. Chowdhury said he was able to recognise one of them as a Col (retd) Jahangir from his military days, who told him he was now working as a consultant with Grameen Bank.  Legal Wranglings At the heart of the outside group’s attempted takeover, it would seem, is an effort to weaponise Dr Yunus’ most prized achievement, Grameen Bank, against him. Perhaps anticipating this line of attack, Yunus took the opportunity to definitively state that none of the social enterprises had any Grameen Bank monies invested in them - not a single taka. Nazmul Islam, managing director of Grameen Telecom, revealed that the intruders, claiming association with Grameen Bank, cited a 1995 Act to justify their actions, suggesting Grameen Bank had the authority to change Grameen Kalyan's leadership. However, Nazmul Islam clarified that this claim was erroneous, as the relevant rule was amended in 2009 and Grameen Kalyan operates independently. He, like the other two, however refused to be drawn into the legalese too much, which they advised to raise with their legal counsel. The legal issues were then more clearly explained in a second press conference held by Barrister Abdullah Al Mamun, legal advisor to Grameen Telecom, at the same location around an hour later.  He said according to articles of association drawn up in 1995 for Grameen Telecom and 1996 for Grameen Kalyan, Grameen Bank had the authority to nominate, not appoint - a key difference - three directors to the board of Grameen Telecom and two to the board of Kalyan. They could also nominate the chairman. Using muscle power, Grameen Bank was now apparently forcefully appointing the chairman of the two entities, but this was unlawful, Barrister Mamun said. After staging the initial grab at around 4.30pm on Monday,  they said a ‘letter was coming (from Grameen Bank) appointing new chairmen’ for Telecom and Kalyan. They subsequently padlocked those two offices. The letter arrived around 9pm, but as per Barrister Mamun’s interpretation, the circumstances in which they arose do not allow for any validity to their contents. “Their nominations have to be accepted in a meeting by the two entities themselves. There is no scope for them to force their choice and seat them as the chair or director,” he said. “Besides, after the changes in 2009, the articles of association were changed and notified to the Joint Stock Registrar of Companies.”

Train communication on Jamalpur-Mymensingh route remained suspended since Thursday noon as three bogies of a local train derailed near Piyerpur rail station in Jamalpur district. Assistant Station Master of Jamalpur railway station Ujjal Mia said three bogies of the No 256 local train veered off the tracks at noon, halting the train movement. Read: 3 killed in Rangamati road crash  However, no casualty was reported. A relief train from Mymensingh ‘Ekota Express’ reached the spot to salvage the bogies. Read: Six cops injured in road accident during vehicle check in Sylhet  The Dhaleshwari Express train from Mymensingh  and ‘Teesta Express’ have been stranded at the stations.

Rancon Motors Ltd (general distributor of Mercedes-Benz) has  partnered with Genex Infrastructure Ltd to set up EQ charging station in Dhaka and other important locations in Bangladesh.  The MoU signing ceremony was held at Mercedes-Benz showroom in Rangs Babylonia Tower at Tejgaon recently. They said the Mercedes-Benz Dhaka is planning to launch its EQ lineups by April 2024 with 5 different models. For smooth operation and ensuring ease of customers' life Genex and Rancon are planning to set up charging stations nationwide before the launch of the EQ cars, they also said. The company informed that  seven EQ charging stations will be established in Dhaka by April 2024 while 14 EQ charging stations will be set up in important locations across the country.  It also said that Bangladesh is an ideal country for EV vehicles, as usual journey routes are not more than 300km. All EQ lineup vehicles from Mercedes have an advertised range of over 450km-650km/charge.  For that, Mercedes-Benz and Genex Infrastructure Ltd will set up 21 EQ charging stations nationwide covering premium hotels, tourist destinations, highway restaurants, shopping malls and critical commercial areas, it added. IFC, EU and MCCI join hands to boost women’s employment in Bangladesh private sector According to experts, electric vehicles are widely deemed as the promising technology in sustainable transportation field, again less import duty and reduced fuel cost is a key factor for customers to move forward to own electric vehicles.  According to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) sources, the "Electric Vehicle Charging Guidelines" have been prepared to provide a framework to establish a wide network of charging stations across the country taking it as priority for future automotive transformation.  During the event Imran Zaman Khan, Divisional Director of Rancon Motors Limited said, “We are all working together to achieve the goal of Smart Bangladesh. Our aim is to work towards increasing the penetration of electric vehicles in Bangladesh and ensure a seamless and convenient experience for our customers through charging stations.”   The initiative of Rancon Motors Limited is also helping to support the government’s vision, he also said. FBCCI and CWEIC will work together to enhance trade in Commonwealth countries Mahmudul Hasan Lorance, Deputy General Manager, Genex Infrastructure Limited said, “As more people start using electric vehicles, the demand for charging stations will increase. Our skilled and dedicated EPC team is ready to complete the project properly for a seamless customer experience.” From Rancon Motors,    Chief Executive Officer Redwanul Zia, Head of Marketing Chowdhury Md Nabil Hasan were present while  chief operating officer  Syed Shafiqul Hassan, Deputy General Manager (Finance)Mahmudul Hasan Lorance, Sr Manager (Solution and R&D) Pallab Kumar Paul, Assistant Manager Business Engagement of Genex Infrastructure Ltd Ghalib Mohammad Karim were present at the event.

Bangladesh's State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resource Nasrul Hamid has said that each of the companies of the Petrobangla will be given target to drill wells in the gas fields for hydrocarbon exploration and if they fail, the officials concerned will be removed from  their posts. “Nobody will be speared and no persuasion will be accepted against any failure”, he told a seminar titled: “Gas Demand-Supply Scenario; Scope of Seismic Survey and Enhancement of Drilling Activities to Expedite Hydrocarbon Production” organised by Petrobangla at its auditorium in the city on Thursday (February 15, 2024). Expressing frustration over the activities of the Petrobangla, he said that there is huge deficiency in the organisation and its subordinate bodies to work as a team. “They don’t work in a coordinated manner. As a result, sometimes gas is found in a well, but processing plant remains unprepared  to supply the gas to the national grid,” he said. Read: Dhaka’s air quality still 'unhealthy', 2nd most polluted in the world this morning  “Sometimes it takes 4 years to get gas supply from a well to the national grid,” he added. He said Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and other entities in power sector have been successful in achieving the goal of 100 percent electricity access as they worked as a team. The seminar, with Petrobangla chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker in the chair, was also addressed by Energy Secretary Md Nurul Alam. Bakhrabad Gas Distribution Company’s Managing Director Anwarul Islam and Petrobangla’s general manager Meherul Hasan made presentation on the topic of the seminar. Nasrul Hamid said the Petrobangla planned to drill 48 wells to produce 500 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) while the country’s demand will go up by 2000 mmcfd. Read: New executive committee of BSFA pays homage to Bangabandhu  “We’re all looking at Petrobangla to see effective results of its plan…, there is huge prospects in the gas sector,” he added. He said the country has many inefficient captive power plants which efficiency is 20 percent when some new power plants installed with 62 percent efficiency. “If we can divert gas to those efficient new power plants, power production cost will come down by 70 percent,” he noted. In the presentation the Petrobangla officials showed that it has planned to drill 100 wells across the country from which 1500 mmcfd gas will be produced by 2027 when gas demand will go up to 6000 mmcfd. Read more: Nasrul Hamid seeks ADB's help to create regional power market