Others
Illegal sand lifting from Kaliganga endangers homesteads
Manikganj, Aug 30 (UNB) – Many houses and establishments, especially a widely used bridge in the district town, stand threatened due to riverbank erosion caused by illegal sand lifting from the Kaliganga River.
Law enforcement agencies most corrupt: TIB survey
Dhaka, Aug 30 (UNB) – Law enforcement agencies are the most corrupt service sector in the country, said a household survey of the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Thursday.
Befitting reply in case of anarchy in movement’s name: Quader
Gazipur, Aug 30 (UNB) – Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday said if anyone tries to create any anarchy in the country in the name of national unity and movement then there will a befitting reply.
AL now depends on machine, says BNP
Dhaka, Aug 30 (UNB) – Strongly opposing the Election Commission’s move to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the next general election, BNP on Thursday said Awami League is now ‘depending on machine losing confidence in people’.
Speaking at a press conference, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also warned that the Election Commission (EC) of paying a heavy price if it does not revoke its plan to use the EVMs which will only create a scope for ‘digital vote rigging’.
“People in no way accept the conspiracy of looting their huge money in the name of procuring EVMs with an evil motive. So, we once again ask the EC to immediately rescind its move to buy EVM/DVM,” he said.
Otherwise, the BNP leader said, people’s lack of confidence in the EC will deepen further, and the Commission will be held responsible for any emerging situation.
“We would like to strongly tell the Election Commission to retreat from the path of digital rigging. Or else, all the conspirators will have to pay a price for such evil efforts,” he warned.
BNP arranged the press conference at its Chairperson’s Gulshan office to give the formal party’s reaction to the EC’s plan to use EVMs in 100 constituencies in the 11th parliamentary polls.
Fakhrul presented various examples and logics defending the party’s opposition against the EVM use as it can be manipulated.
Mentioning that Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda assured people of not using the EVM after he had taken the charge of the Commission, he questioned what now prompted the Commission to hurriedly procure 1.5 lakh EVMs spending Tk 4,000 crore.
The BNP leader said the election results can be manipulated through the EVMs while five votes can be given with one click.
He urged the Election Commission to engage in talks with all the stakeholders and take steps for ensuring a fair voting through the customary ballot paper system.
Fakhrul also presented 11 proposals for taking necessary steps for a credible election by spending Tk 4,000 core instead of procuring EVMs.
The proposals include, installing closed-circuit cameras at 44,000 polling stations, developing the infrastructure of the educational institutions to be used as voting centres, providing upazila election officers with necessary transport facilities, setting up a modern printing press for printing ballot papers, enhancing the capacity of officers involved with the election process, providing all the upazila election offices with video cameras, taking a ‘voter education and awareness programme’ and ensuring sufficient honorarium for election officials and Ansar-VDP and village police members.
Trapped barking deer rescued in CU
Chattogram, Aug 30 (UNB) – A barking deer (Maya Horeen) which was trapped in the net of a window of the science faculty building in Chittagong University (CU) campus was rescued in critical condition on Thursday.
Candidate complains of ploy to thwart BAIRA election
Dhaka, August 30 (UNB) – Ahead of the BAIRA election, a presidential candidate Shafiqul Alam Firoz alleged on Thursday that businessman Salman F Rahman has been trying to thwart the election.
Photo exhibition on Rohingya children’s life begins in city
Dhaka, Aug 30 (UNB) - A photo exhibition based on the daily lives of Rohingya children and their families in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar begun at Courtyard Bay's Park Heights in the capital’s Dhanmondi on Thursday.
The exhibition titled ‘Remember Rohingya: One Year On’ will showcase images taken by Save the Children’s staff photographers in Cox’s Bazar which includes shots of children taking part in special playgroups known as 'Child-Friendly Space', as well as receiving health care services, said a press release.
Save the Children’s Country Director in Bangladesh Mark Pierce said the images provide an incredible insight to the struggles of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who fled Myanmar and have now been generously received in Bangladesh.
“The challenges and struggles – and some joys along the way – have been beautifully captured in this photo exhibition and I hope it serves as a powerful reminder to all that the crisis is far from over, and that far more help is needed”, he added.
Attendees will also get to experience life in the camps, with a virtual reality movie taken in Cox’s Bazar available to view during the exhibition.
The event is part of a week of activities carried out by Save the Children in Bangladesh to raise awareness of the crisis.
The exhibition will be held from Thursday till Saturday and will be open from 10 am to 8 pm each day.
Difference of opinion in EC normal: Tofail
Dhaka, August 30 (UNB) – Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Thursday said that there may be conflict of opinion in the Election Commission and it is normal to disagree on something.
‘Drug trader’ injured in Lalmonirhat gunfight
Lalmonirhat, Aug 30 (UNB) – A suspected drug trader sustained bullet injuries in a reported gunfight with police in Aynarpul area of Aditmari upazila early Thursday.
Int’l conference on Rohingyas at DU begins on Saturday
Dhaka, Aug 30 (UNB) – A two-day-long international conference on Rohingya refugees will begin at Dhaka University (DU) from Saturday.