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Junaid Saki files contempt of court case against CEC
Coordinator of Ganasanghati Andolan Junaid Saki on Thursday filed a contempt of court case against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda for not registering his organization as a political party following the High Court’s order.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua filed the case on behalf of Saki at the HC seeking punishment against the CEC in this regard.
On December 28, 2017 Ganasanghati Andolan sent an application to the EC for registering it as a political organisation to which the commission replied on June 19, 2018, in a letter saying it cannot be done.
Also read: Search committee asks political parties to suggest names for CEC, ECs
Followed by receiving the rejection letter Junaid Saki filed a writ petition at the HC in this regard.
On April 11, 2019, The High Court ordered the organisation to complete the legal procedures to provide license to Gansanghati Andolan within 30 days.
Even after receiving clear direction and order from the court the EC did not take any step in this regard within the provided deadline.
On October 10, last year, after getting no results contacting the EC several times a legal notice was sent to CEC KM Nurul Huda.
Also read: Gazette published fixing eligibility and ineligibility criteria for CEC, election commissioners
Receiving no response even to the letter the case was filed today, said Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua.
88% Covid patients in Bangladesh infected with Omicron variant: BSMMU survey
Eighty-eight per cent of the total Covid-19 patients of the country were infected with Omicron variant while 12 per cent with Delta during June 29, 2021 to February 9, 2022, says a study.
Supervisor of the Genome Sequencing Research Project Professor Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), on Thursday revealed the findings of an ongoing study at a press briefing.
Nasopharyngeal samples of total 937 patients from each division of the country were collected as representative samples for genome sequencing during the period.
Also read: 80% Covid patients in Bangladesh of Delta variant: BSMMU survey
According to the survey findings, most of the patients were aged between 30 to 59 years, and children were also infected with the coronavirus, he said.
Of the infected patients, 51 percent were women and 49 per cent men.
Covid-19 patients with comorbidities like cancer, respiratory disease, heart disease and diabetes showed more severe symptoms.
Patients aged above 60 are more likely to die if contracted with the virus for the second time, the study shows.
The genome sequencing analysis of samples of Covif-19 patients in July, 2021, showed 98 per cent were infected with Indian Delta variant, one per cent with South African variant or Beta variant while another one per cent with Mauritius or Nigerian variant.
However, the samples collected from August, 2021 to first week of December, 2021 showed 99.31 per cent were infected with the Delta variant.
80 per cent of the total Covid-19 patients in the country were infected with Delta variant while 20 per cent with Omicron during December 8, 2021-January 8, 2022, said data from the same study revealed on January 18, this year.
Also read: 75% of target population fully vaccinated : Health Minister
The results revealed today were from the findings of seven months and 15 days.
The ongoing research of the BSMMU team aims to create a Covid-19 genome database of Bangladesh, revealing its characteristics, mutation types and its interrelation with the global Covid-19 genome data.
Prof Sharfuddin Ahmed said they are hopeful of updating the results of the coming weeks soon.
The survey is being conducted by a BSMMU team, led by Dr Laila Anjuman Banu, a professor of Genetics and Molecular Biology and chair of the Department of Anatomy, collecting samples of patients across the country, he said.
Bangladeshi, Malaysian recruiters demand end of syndication in manpower business
The manpower recruiting agencies of Bangladesh and Malaysia have jointly expressed their stance against the 25-agency syndicate for sending workers to Malaysia.
Bangladeshi recruiters, virtually joined by recruiters from Malaysia at a city hotel Thursday, demanded equal opportunity for all agencies and cancellation of the recruiting licences of those who are lobbying for further syndication.
"Bangladesh should get the same facilities as other 14 countries like Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Pakistan who can send their workers to Malaysia without any such syndicate," said Abul Bashar, former president of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira).
"All recruiting agencies are of equal qualifications and they have acquired licence by providing the same amount of caution money so they cannot be considered subagents of the 25 chosen ones."
Also read: Recruiting agents oppose 25-agency syndicate for exporting manpower to Malaysia
"Although ten agencies and 210 subagents got approval in 2016, only the ten agencies could send workers to Malaysia. Also, these agencies have been charging two to three times more fees from the expat workers travelling from Bangladesh," Bashar added.
Malaysian Association of Private Employers General Secretary Sukumar Nair said the new initiative of syndication or manipulation would destroy the market and the relations between the two countries.
A debate is going on over syndication in labour recruitment in Malaysia after Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on December 19 last year.
Twenty-five Bangladeshi agents and 250 subagents mentioned by Malaysian Human Resources Minister M Saravanan in a letter to Bangladesh Expatriates' Welfare Minister Imran Ahmad on 14 January sparked the debate.
On January 18, Imran sent a letter to the Malaysian government reiterating the ministry's position against any sort of syndication in manpower export to Malaysia, which was lauded by the Bangladeshi recruiters.
Also read: Malaysia for elevating ties with Bangladesh to 'strategic level'
Recently, the Bangladesh and Malaysia chapters of Transparency International jointly called for releasing the details of the MoU signed on December 19.
They called on the governments of the two countries to take preventive measures against all possible corruption, including the control of syndicates in the recruitment process.
Letter seeking names for EC formation sent to BNP
BNP on Thursday received a letter from the search committee formed by the president seeking 10 names for the appointments of the new Chief Election Commissioner and the Commissioners.
“A letter from the Cabinet Division reached our central office today (Thursday). We received the letter,” said party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Read: BNP sold out the War of Liberation sharing power with anti-independence forces: Quader
He, however, said their party will not recommend any name as per a decision of their party’s standing committee meeting. “Our party secretary general has already said we won’t give any names to the search committee."
Earlier on February 7, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said their party thinks it is valueless and meaningless to give names to the search committee. “So, there's no question of giving any name by us.”
Water tariff hike to be an anti-people decision: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Thursday opposed the government’s move to increase the water tariff of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa), saying it will be an anti-people decision.
“If the water tariff is increased, the suffering of people will worsen further. So, it won't be justified to raise the prices of water in any way,” he said.
The Jatiya Party Chairman also said the Dhaka Wasa’s proposal of increasing the water of water by 20 per cent is not acceptable in any way. “Increasing water tariff will be an anti-people decision.”
He came up with the remarks while addressing a meeting of Jatiya Party’s additional secretaries general at party chairman’s Banani office.
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said many people have lost their jobs due to the Covid pandemic.
“The number of unemployed, who lost their jobs and businesses, in the country is now several crores. In such a reality, ordinary people are struggling to make ends meet,” he observed.
The Jatiya Party chief also said people are going through a tough time to cope with the growing price hike in essential commodities.
He said common people have an allegation that they are not getting enough water from Dhaka Wasa despite paying water bills every month. “Many people also complained that the water of Wasa is dirty, stinky and not drinkable.”
8 proposals including 10-km road in Munshiganj get cabinet body nod
The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase (CCPP) in a meeting on Thursday approved a total of eight procurement proposals including construction of 10-km bi-level road in Munshiganj.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the virtual meeting while members of the committee attended it.
While briefing reporters on the outcomes of the meeting Additional secretary of the Cabinet Division Shamsul Arefin said the committee has approved a proposal of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) to award a contract for construction of the bi-road from Narayanganj's Panchabati to Munshiganj's Muktarpur Bridge.
Chinese joint-venture of (1) Shandong Iuqiao Group Co. Ltd and (2) China Shandong International Economic and Technical Cooperation group Ltd., obtained the project at a cost of Tk 1206.06 crore.
The widening of the existing road over which the bi-level will be built was also included in the project.
He said the bi-level road is not a new one in Bangladesh as the existing Dhaka Elevated Expressway is a similar kind of project.
He said that toll-plaza and other facilities are also included in the project.
Another Chinese firm - Joint Venture of (1) National Development Engineers Ltd and (2) China Gezhouba Group Company Ltd obtained a contract for construction of new diagnostic imaging centres at medical colleges in 7 divisions at Tk 401.78 crore.
Two proposals of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) received the clearance of the cabinet body to award contracts for supplying suction dredgers.
Of these, the BIWTA will procure two 24-inch cutter suction dredgers and associated equipment from Ananda Shipyard and Slipways Ltd at a cost of Tk 212.63 crore while it will procure two similar kinds of dredgers and associated equipment from Karnafuly Shipbuilders Ltd at Tk 213.61 crore.
The Cabinet body approved a proposal of the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) to import 30,000 metric tons of phosphoric acid at a cost of Tk 231.68 crore.
Two proposals of the Bangladesh Computer Council under the ICT Division received nod for raising costs of its two projects for construction of computer infrastructure at 2600 unions across the country.
For this, Tk 42.83 crore will be raised for a project being implemented at 1293 unions while Tk 32,96 crore for another projects covering 1307 unions.
Covid-19 in Bangladesh: Positivity rate declines further; 41 more die
Bangladesh logged 41 more Covid-linked deaths with 7,264 fresh cases in 24 hours till Thursday morning.
The daily positivity rate slightly declined further to 16.95 per cent from Wednesday’s 18.83 per cent after testing 42,867 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
On Wednesday, Bangladesh reported 33 more Covid-linked deaths with 8,016 fresh cases.
The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,744 while the caseload mounted to 1,894,535.
Read: 75% of target population fully vaccinated : Health Minister
Among the new deceased, 27 were men and 14 women.
Twenty-two of the deaths were reported in Dhaka division while six in Chattogram, five in Rajshahi, and three each in Khulna, Rangpur and one in Sylhet divisions.
Meanwhile, the mortality rate recorded at 1.52 per cent.
However, the recovery rate slightly increased to 86.81 per cent with the recovery of 11,064 more patients during the 24-hour period.
Evaly’s 7 cars sold auctioned at Tk 2.90 crore to pay customers
The court-appointed board of directors of e-commerce platform Evaly has sold seven vehicles of the company at auction to pay customers.
The cars were sold at auction for Tk 2, 90, 55,000 (2 crore, 90 lakh and 55 thousand) on Thursday.
Seven buyers bought the cars at the highest bid after a long auction process. At the end of the auction, all the organizers and participants expressed their satisfaction.
Supreme Court's former Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik, chairman of the board of directors, informed this after the auction at the Victoria Convention Center in Dhanmandi.
After the auction, Justice Manik expressed his satisfaction regarding the auction process and price.
“We are happy with the price of the car", he said.
Read: PM witnesses BFDC complex design
The E-commerce company Evaly's Range Rover car has been sold at Tk1. 81 crore and 50 thousand. 15 people participated in the auction for this car. Among them, a person named Engineer Habibur Rahman bought the car at the highest price. At the beginning of the auction, the minimum auction price of the car was fixed at Tk 1.60 crore.
Evaly's Toyota Prius car has been sold at Tk17.30 lakh. A buyer named Mohammad Ripon Islam bought the car at this price.
The maximum price of the Toyota CHR model car of Evaly has been sold at Tk 23.80 lakh. A buyer named Proshanto Bhowmik bought the car at this price. The base price of the car was Tk 18.
The Toyota Axio model car sold at Tk15.35 lakh. A buyer named Abul Hasnat Russell bought the car at the highest bid. The base price of the car at auction was Tk 9.18 lakh.
The highest bid of the second Toyota Axio model car was Tk15 lakh. The base price of the car at auction was Tk 9.18 lakh. Proshanto Bhowmik bought the car with a maximum price of Tk 15 lakh. He bought two cars through the auction.
The highest bid at the auction of Evaly's Honda Vezel car was Tk18.60 lakh. Kaniz Fatima, the only female buyer in the auction, bought the car at a price of Tk18.60 lakh. The base price of the car at auction was Tk16 lakh.
Read: BB asks banks to cut tax on service value of non-resident nationals
Evaly'sToyota brand microbus was sold at last in the auction. The maximum price of the microbus in the auction was Tk 20 lakh. At this price, a buyer named Mohammad Riaz Uddin bought the car. The base price of the car at auction was Tk12 lakh.
The buyers paid 17 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on the price of auction value of the cars.
PM witnesses BFDC complex design
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday witnessed the design of the new complex of Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC).
She witnessed the design virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban in the capital, said her Deputy Press Secretary KM Shakhawat Moon.
The Prime Minister asked the officials concerned to bring necessary changes in the design and give the necessary guidelines in this regard.
Also read: Peace essential for development: Hasina
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Mokbul Hossain, BFDC Director General (DG) Nuzhat Yasmin and other officers concerned were connected with the event virtually from the conference room of the Cabinet Division.
PM's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus was present at the Ganabhaban end.
Also read: Make overseas employment process transparent, PM asks ministry
No area of economy has negative growth: Finance Minister
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has said that there is no sector of the economy that has negative growth.
He made the claim while briefing reporters on the outcomes of the two consecutive meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase.
He presided over the two meetings held virtually on Thursday.
“You can easily find a calculation of the economy. There is no inflation while our exchange rates remain stable. When globally remittance was facing tough times, our (inward) remittance achieved 15 per cent growth”, he said defending his claim.
Also read: Bangladesh’s economy to grow by 6.4% in 2021-22 FY: WB
He also said that the country’s revenue generation obtained 30 percent growth while the import and IT sector witnessed growth too.
Kamal said though remittance is not considered while calculating the GDP growth, it comes to the per capita income’s calculation.
“These are the areas of the economy...If there is any negative growth, it will be reflected into the economy”, he said.
Referring to his budget speech, the finance minister said his prediction in the previous fiscal year 2020-21 proved correct in the economic growth. The predictions were close to the World Bank’s projections.
He said it was possible because of the people's participation and efficient leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Also read: Govt favours circular economy for sustainable growth: Minister
“Our expansionary monetary policy has played a role in this regard. We followed this policy when many countries in the world didn’t dare to take this path”, he said adding, these were reasons for the economic growth.
He said that whatever the way you calculate the economic growth, finally you find the same result. “We have given the clarifications.”
Kamal said somebody may say that it was not a correct calculation, but you can yourself see our achievements.
“Nobody can show this achievement anywhere”, he said.