United News of Bangladesh

Finance Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Friday said building greater trust and confidence among countries could be key to leverage enormous opportunities for cross border energy trade and attract international finance in energy transition projects in South Asia. Speaking at a SASEC knowledge event here, the Finance Minister presented Bangladesh’s vision for clean and green energy transition.  While speaking as panelist, he focused on building greater trust and confidence among South Asian countries to leverage their additional capacities in hydro, solar and other non-fossil fuel sources for meeting region’s growing energy needs in a sustainable manner. Citing personal anecdotes on a number of South Asian projects, Minister put emphasis on creating enabling environment for domestic and foreign investors to bring finances in bankable energy projects. He sought ADB’s support  to this connection. As 2024 ADB annual meeting progressed into its second day, Bangladesh’s Finance Minister attended the SASEC knowledge event on “Financing the Clean Energy Transition in South Asia." On the sideline, ERD Secretary and Alternate Governor of Bangladesh to ADB met the US delegation headed by Alexia Latortue, Assistant Secretary for International Trade and Development, US Treasury for discussing climate cooperation and the progresses attained on financial and fiscal sector reforms. Clinging to the interest of US delegation, Secretary, ERD revealed Bangladesh’s expectations from the ‘Bangladesh Climate and Development Platform’ (BCDP) which has been formed recently by Bangladesh partners to leverage international adaptation and mitigation investments. While ERD Secretary stressed upon accessing larger concessional and blended climate finance alongwith easing access to finance, he also cited that huge investment would be required for Bangladesh’s climate transition, so Bangladesh perceives that BCDP financing will be in excess to DPs’ regular interventions in the climate field. Bangladesh and US delegation also exchanged views on the reforms Bangladesh is currently undertaking for consolidating financial and fiscal discipline. The secretary apprised the US delegation that reforms are on track. He also sought US support for implementing the long term economic vision of Bangladesh towards building ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041.

The women and children of the Filistin Sanghati Committee Bangladesh have staged demonstrations against Zionism and western imperialism, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza where thousands of innocent women and children are being killed every day in the name of so-called war. The demonstration was held in front of the national museum at Shahbag around 4 pm. Professor Emeritus Sherajul Islam Chowdhury presided over the demonstration and joined the program as the chief guest. The demonstration was joined by several left-leaning political parties where women and children from other districts joined spontaneously with placards and paintings in their hands. Expressing deep sympathy with the people of Gaza and West Bank, president of socialist women forum, Shompa Boshu said, we are always standing with you, Palestinians.  Palestine has to be free from Israeli Zionism and western imperialism which is directly patronizing Israeli aggression against the Palestinians. CPB women cell president Tahera Begum said, “Palestinians have been fighting against imperialism and sacrificing for their lives for the last 75 years since 1948. Since last  October, Zionism and their supporters have been openly and directly committing humanitarian acts against the women, children, and people of Gaza in the name of war against Hamas.” “The women and the children of Gaza are being deprived of their basic needs.  Even, they are not getting minimum medical treatment. The pregnant and newborns are not getting the minimum care due to the situation created by Israeli zionists,” she added.  Marking the struggle of palestinians as their own struggle and expressing hope for the success of the palestinians, she said, we don’t want mothers' chests to be empty and the toys of the babies to be lost under rubble. We want the mothers to be happy and smiling, and we want the babies to grow up cheerfully. Prof. Serajul Islam Chowdhury, the chief guest of the program, in his speech marked the acts of Israeli president Benjamin Netaniyahu as the ‘new Hitlar’ and the western media as the ‘new Goebbels’ who are patronizing the crimes against human kind and framing their deeds as legal using their media as like Joseph Goebbles did for Hitlar. Emphasizing on the incidents of Gaza, he said, the incidents that are happening in Gaza are not anything normal. These are the outcries of all the people of the world. Palestinians are the representatives of the tortured and oppressed people of the world. “Those who are marking the Israeli genocide as the war of Hamas, are the slaves to neo-Goebbels and imperialism. We are not only against a few Hitler and Goebbels, but we are against the system that supported and produced Hitler and Goebbels,” he added. Expressing support and sympathy for Palestinians, he said, “There is no room for defeat in our struggle. We have to win. Because defeat means death. Palestinians are fighting imperialism which we are fighting all around the world.”

This year's maiden hajj flights from Chattogram will start from May 14. Biman's Boeing 717, carrying 419 pilgrims, will depart from Shah Amanat International Airport for Madinah at 3:50am on May 14, Biman's Chattogram district manager Md Shahdat Hossain confirmed. This year, 22 direct flights will be operated from Chattogram to Saudi Arabia for the transportation of pilgrims, he added. Of them, 20 flights will go directly to Jeddah and two flights will go to Madinah. Meanwhile, the first flight with pilgrims from Dhaka will leave for Saudi Arabia on May 9. Then the next flights will leave as per the schedule.

All candidates who are contesting in the sixth upazila parishad election are equal to us, Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana said on Friday. The commission will take strict action against those who will violate the electoral code of conduct where party and candidate would not be considered, she said. She was speaking at a view exchange programme with the aspirants in the sixth upazila parishad election and related officials at Shahid M Monsur Ali Auditorium in Sirajgonj on Friday. "We have no partiality as to who are more or less powerful candidates," she added As the chief guest, Rashida Sultana said the commission is working actively to keep the environment in a free, fair and neutral manner. So, there is no chance of deteriorating the situation, she said. “We have tried our best to make an atmosphere where the voters can cast their vote without any fear.” She asked the candidates to confirm polling agents in every voting centre to hold a free, fair and credible election further adding that polling agents can protest against any kind of injustice and irregularities. EC Commissioner said polling agents will stay at the polling station at the end and leave the centre with the result list signed by the presiding officer. Rajshahi Division Commissioner Dewan Md Humayun Kabir chaired the programme while Rajshahi Range Police DIG Anisur Rahman, Rajshahi Regional election officer Delwar Hossain, Sirajgonj DC Mir Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman and Superintendent of Police Arifur Rahman Mondal were spoke.

Three more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Friday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 27 this year. 24 dengue patients hospitalised in 24hrs During the period, nine more patients were hospitalised with viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of them, three patients were hospitalised in Dhaka city, while the rest were outside the capital. 15 dengue patients hospitalised in 24hrs A total of 116 patients are now receiving treatment at several hospitals across the country. A total of 2,248 dengue cases have been reported since January 1, 2024. 19 dengue patients hospitalized in 24hrs Last year, a total of 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. Last year’s September was the deadliest month for the dengue outbreak, with 396 fatalities and 79,598 cases, according to DGHS data.

The government is extending all-out support to the agri-entrepreneurs and providing them with all sorts of stimulus packages and young people should take this opportunity to be the agents of change in the transformation of agriculture. Minister of State for Women and Children Affairs Simeen Hussain (Rimi) was speaking in a day-long training program organized for agricultural entrepreneurs at Barun High School in Kapasia of Gazipur district on Friday. United Commercial Bank PLC (UCB) organized this training under the agricultural support scheme, titled ‘Bhoroshar Notun Janala’, which is being implemented as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project in accordance with the directive of the Bangladesh Bank. ATM Tahmiduzzaman, Additional Managing Director and Company Secretary, UCB PLC; Abul Alam Ferdous, Additional Managing Director of UCB PLC; Rezaul Karim Siddique, popular presenter of BTV’s agriculture-based show ‘Mati O Manush’ & an agricultural analyst, were present among other distinguished guests. With the presence of 200 selected agri-entrepreneurs hailing from different upazilas of Gazipur district, the day-long training program shed light on different important issues related to business planning, marketing, managerial skills, banking and financial aspects of agricultural enterprises, and answered the various queries of the entrepreneurs as well. Simeen Hussain opined, “Farmers are a great source of inspiration for us, so is our youth. It feels so good to see that many young entrepreneurs are nowadays getting interested in agriculture and contributing to the economy. But they need proper guidance. I feel that this initiative by the UCB bank will enlighten them and guide them to prosperity.” Abul Alam Ferdous, Additional Managing Director of UCB PLC, said, “Our special CSR project will open a new window of trust in the minds of agri-entrepreneurs in the country. It will help to find a way to stand by the side of the farmers involved in agriculture and inspire them.” ATM Tahmiduzzaman, Additional Managing Director of UCB, said, “Equipping the farmers and agri-entrepreneurs with the right information and knowledge is very crucial to making sure that the country is moving forward in the right direction to achieve food security. UCB aims to do that through our CSR project ‘Bhoroshar Notun Janala’ that has been designed to facilitate and empower entrepreneurs across the country.”

Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam on Friday distributed umbrella, bottled water and saline among rickshaw pullers to protect them from scorching heat as the county continues to experience a heat wave for the past few days. He made the distribution at the sector No-4 in Dhaka’s Uttara on Friday morning. Mayor said, "The heat wave is getting worse day by day. Every day the suffering of those who have to go out for livelihood increases. People with limited income, especially rickshaw pullers, suffer even more.” He said the city corporation is providing umbrellas so that they can at least stay in the shade of the umbrella. Atiqul said all the registered rickshaws under the DNCC will be delivered to this umbrella in phases. Earlier, he inaugurated the walkway upon completion of the renovation work at the sector No. 4 Park. Local lawmaker Khasru Chowdhury,  RAJUK Chairman Major Gen Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Sarker and Ward Councillor Md Afsar Uddin Khan, among others, were present on the occasion.

At least four people were injured as a commuter train crashed into a stationary oil carrying freight train at Outer Signal of Joydebpur Railway junction in Gazipur on Friday morning, said railway officials. Several compartmentds of both the trains derailed after the accident that occurred around 11am, disrupting rail communication with Dhaka and northern and western parts of the country. Sub Inspector Setafur Rahman, In-Charge of Joydebpur railway police outpost, said the accident happened around 10:50am when the Dhaka-bound Tangail Commuter Train hit the Gazipur-bound freight train due to a mistake of the signalman on the south end of the station. The accident left four compartments of the commuter train and five compartments of the freight train derailed, he said, adding that four people including the loco master of the commuter train sustained injuries. Measures were being taken to remove the derailed compartments from the rail tracks, he said

Bus movement on the Dhaka-Gazipur route has remained suspended since Friday morning following a clash between students of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (Duet) and transport workers in Gazipur Sadar upazila on Thursday night. Bus passengers were bearing the brunt of it, as no buses from the Gazipur Bus Stand left for Dhaka as of filing this report around 11:00 am on Friday. However, bus movement on other routes from Gazipur remained normal. Nandalal Chowdhury, inspector (investigation) of Sadar Police Station under Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP), said two Duet students narrowly escaped a road accident late Thursday night when a bus hit one of the motorbikes carrying them from behind in the bus stand area on their way to campus from the Shibbari intersection. Later, an altercation broke out between the students and the transport workers, centring on the matter, he said. As the news of the clash spread on the Duet campus, aggrieved students from the university rushed to the spot, carried out an attack on the workers, and vandalised the windows of some buses, the inspector also said. Protesting the attack and demanding justice, the transport workers held a protest procession and kept buses off since the morning, he said. Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Syed Rafiul Karim Rafi said they were trying to resolve the matter so that bus movement could be resumed.

The Arakan Army, a rebel group in Myanmar, has released 12 Bangladeshi fishermen who were abducted from the Thaiingkhali Rahmaterbazar border area in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar, while fishing in the Naf River. They were released after 7 pm on Thursday. Around 8 pm, a young man named Abdul Jalil from the Hoikyang Lambabil area of Teknaf upazila, who was among the abductees, confirmed the release of the 12 Bangladeshis. He said, "The Arakan Army had taken us from the Bangladesh side of the Naf River. After confirming our identity as Bangladeshis by checking our national ID cards, they wanted to release us at noon. But considering the border situation, they later released us at 7 pm in an area called Balukhal on the Bangladesh side of the Naf River at the border. We are all fine." On Wednesday morning around 8 am, they were taken from the Naf River on the Thaiingkhali Rahmaterbazar border in Palongkhali union of Ukhiya. Confirming the release of the abductees, Palongkhali Union Parishad Chairman M Gofur Uddin Chowdhury said, "The fishermen were abducted while fishing in the Bangladesh side of the Naf River. They were released after 7 pm on Thursday." The released fishermen are: Jane Alam (35), son of Hossain Ali of Rahmaterbazar Bil area of Palongkhali union; Abdur Rahim (40), son of deceased Abdus Salam; Anwarul Islam (37) and Saiful Islam (30), sons of deceased Jalal Ahmed; Ayubul Islam (30), son of deceased Ali Ahmed; Shah Alam (20), son of Abu Taher; Abdur Rahim (52), son of Ali Ahmed of Gaujgona area; Osman Gani (30), son of deceased Mia Hossain of Putibania area; Osman (35), son of deceased Abul Sham; Abul Hashim (35), son of Ayub Islam; Abdul Jalil (32), son of Roman Ali of Hoikyang Lambabil area of Teknaf upazila; Hossain Ahmed (55) of Daingyakata area. Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Tanvir Hossain said, "Since they were abducted from the border area, the matter has been informed to BGB." Without directly mentioning the name of the Arakan Army, Tanvir Hossain said he has also heard that a separatist organisation in Myanmar was involved in the abduction of the fishermen. No statement could be obtained from BGB in this regard.