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People who engage in anti-Bangladesh propaganda abroad to be punished, PM tells JS
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told Parliament that the government is working to punish Bangladeshis who are engaged in propaganda against the country and the government abroad.
“The government has been working to bring those…to book and punish,” she said.
She said those people are engaged in anti-government activities and they regularly make provocative and fabricated statements from abroad.
Read more: Opposition out to destabilise politics amid crisis: PM tells Parliament
The PM made the statement while replying to a question from Awami League lawmaker Nur Uddin Chowdhary Nayan (Laxmipur-2) during the question-answer session in the House.
She said the expatriate Bangladeshis brighten the name and image of Bangladesh through their positive activities in the host countries alongside sending remittance. They can play role to protect the interests of Bangladesh, staying in the host countries, she added.
“Alongside playing the positive role by the expatriate Bangladeshis, unfortunately some people among the expatriate Bangladeshis are engaged in propaganda against the country and the government,” said the PM.
She also mentioned that steps have been taken to brighten the image of Bangladesh and stop propaganda abroad.
Read more:Do your best to boost food production to keep Bangladesh free from famine: PM Hasina urges youth
Hasina said regular efforts continue to publish factual news stories and articles in international media for depicting the positive image of Bangladesh and facing propaganda.
If an untrue and propaganda story is published in the international media, the public diplomacy wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sends objective and factual rejoinder to the news outlets, she said.
The fabricated and baseless social media posts of those who spread propaganda are under watch, said the PM.
JS passes Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation Bill, 2022
The Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation Bill, 2022 was passed in Parliament to expedite exploration of oil, gas and mineral resources in the country. The new law will replace the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation Ordinance, 1985 that is declared void by the court as it was promulgated during the regime of a military dictator. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid moved the Bill and it was passed by voice vote.
Read more: Atomic Energy Commission (amendment) Bill passed in JS As per the Bill, a Corporation will be established titled the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation for carrying out the purposes of this Bill. The Corporation may also be called PETROBANGLA. This will be a body corporate, having perpetual succession and a common seal with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and shall by the said name sue and be sued. The main office of the Corporation will be established in Dhaka whereas, if necessary, its offices can be set up in any place in and outside the country taking prior permission from the government. The authorised capital of the Corporation shall be Tk 10,000 crore, which was Tk 200 crore, while the paid-up capital will be Tk 200 crore.
Read more:BSCIC Bill placed in JS aimed at streamlining small and cottage industries The Board shall consist of a Chairman to be appointed by the government, an officer not below the rank of a Joint Secretary of the Ministry or Division dealing with energy and mineral resources to be nominated by that Ministry or Division, an officer not below the rank of a Joint Secretary of the Ministry or Division dealing with finance to be nominated by that Ministry or Division, an officer not below the rank of a Joint Secretary of the Ministry or Division dealing with planning to be nominated by that Ministry or Division and five directors to be appointed by the government. Chairman of the Corporation shall be appointed from the Additional Secretaries of the government. As per the Bill, it can deposit its fund in any scheduled bank as term deposit or invest in any government approved securities.
New secretary joins Election Commission
Newly appointed secretary Jahangir Alam joined the Election Commission on Wednesday.
EC additional secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath and other officials welcomed him to the commission.
He served as additional secretary at the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs before being appointed as the secretary of the commission.
Opposition out to destabilise politics amid crisis: PM tells Parliament
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told the Parliament that the opposition parties are trying to create political instability in the country, taking advantage of the ongoing economic crisis.
“When the country is in a transition period (crisis), I’ve not seen such worry among those who are in our opposition. Rather I’ve seen that they are trying how to create a political instability, taking its advantage. Is it fair to do that?” she said.
The premier said this while replying to a supplementary question from Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque (Kishoreganj-3) if the government would take any initiative for a unity among all political parties to face the existing economic crisis.
Read more:People who engage in anti-Bangladesh propaganda abroad to be punished, PM tells JS
She said the opposition parties should demonstrate patriotism when the country faces difficulties. Why are they not doing it?, she asked.
“When there is a crisis throughout the world, we should avoid the tendency to unstable the political situation and catch fish in the troubled water,” said Hasina, the leader of the house.
She said her government has been developing the entire Bangladesh and the mass people, without considering which area voted for AL or not.
The PM said her government didn’t sit idle in facing disasters. Many people continue criticizing the government, but they didn’t stand beside the people even giving a fist of rice, she added.
She said unity is not a matter of just words. Everyone will have to come forward spontaneously. “We always believe in unity. We’ll work together with whoever comes forward,” she added.
Read more:Do your best to boost food production to keep Bangladesh free from famine: PM Hasina urges youth
In reply to another supplementary question from BNP MP Rumeen Farhana, the prime minister advised the MPs to stand beside the people instead of finding faults amid the global crisis.
Hasina said the price of every commodity soared following the Russia-Ukraine war and the sanctions and the people of the entire world are now victims. “The MPs should think what they can do for the people of Bangladesh as lawmakers, instead of finding faults in Bangladesh,” she said.
Earlier, Rumeen referred to the think tank CPD and a newspaper questioning what steps are being planned by the government to control the inflation as the food prices are the highest in Bangladesh in South Asia and Bangladesh is among the 42 countries that may face famine.
The premier said everyone should consider the price-hike of essentials in Bangladesh, comparing that in the world markets.
“I am not denying that the prices have not increased in Bangladesh. Since the prices have soared, we are providing subsidies and the goods at low prices to those who cannot afford,” she said.
Responding to a supplementary question from Gonoforum MP Sultan Muhammed Mansur Ahmed (Maulvibazar-2), the PM said Bangladesh still remains in a better position than even many developed countries amid the economic recession.
She said there are also some unscrupulous businessmen who consider only their profits - not the sufferings of the people - and they sometimes hoard goods and create artificial price-hikes.
Sheikh Hasina said she has already taken steps against those who try to hoard goods and create artificial hike in prices and these will continue.
Dengue death toll rises to 152 with 4 more deaths
With four more deaths from dengue confirmed in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning, the official death toll from the disease rose to 152 in 2022 – the second-highest on record after the 179 deaths recorded in 2019.
Of all the patients who died in the last 24 hours, three were from Dhaka division, and another was from Chattogram. The latest numbers took Dhaka division and Chattogram's death toll to 94 and 40, respectively.
During this time, 1,094 more patients, including 600 in Dhaka city, were hospitalised with the mosquito-borne disease, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
A total of 3,750 dengue patients, including 2,332 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
DGHS has recorded 40,101 dengue cases and 36,199 recoveries so far this year.
Even before the country's healthcare system has been able to fully recover from the blow of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is being hit hard by a recurrence of an outbreak of dengue, the disease that is endemic to Bangladesh.
Doctors and health experts say that measures taken by the city corporations and other authorities are not proving to be effective. The publicity and drives carried out by the authorities to destroy larvae of Aedes mosquito are proving to be inadequate.
Dengue outbreaks in Bangladesh exceeded all previous records in 2019, mostly in the capital city of Dhaka. A total of 101,354 dengue cases with 179 dengue-related deaths were officially recorded.
BFIU finds proof of illegal transactions by e-orange owner Sonia, her husband, brother
Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has found proof of irregular transactions from the bank account of e-commerce site e-orange by the company’s owner Sonia Mehjabin, her husband Masukur Rahman and her brother sub-inspector (suspended) Sheikh Sohel Rana.
BFIU submitted a report to the High Court (HC) bench of Justices Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Khijir Hayat in this regard on Wednesday.
According to the report, Sonia in association with her husband, brother and uncle transferred Tk 18.56 crore from the bank account of e-orange to their personal bank accounts to buy properties.
“Instead of providing products to customers, Sonia and her associates took advance payments and embezzled the money, which is tantamount to fraudulence,” the report reads.
The report says that the transactions were made by opening a total of 13 accounts with different banks and financial institutions. Between January 2019 and September 2021, Tk 1111.45 crore had been deposited and Tk 1109.97 crore had been withdrawn from these accounts.
Most of the transactions happened between January 2020 and July 2021, the report added.
In the report, BFIU said that banks provided information of all the transactions made by e-orange to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police on June 23, 2021. On CID’s request, transactions in these bank accounts were suspended on August 25, 2021 following Section 23(1)(C) of Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012.
Read more: Reported suspicious financial transactions up by 62.32% in FY22: BFIU
The High Court on April 7, 2022 directed the Anti-Corruption Commission and Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit to investigate the allegation of money laundering and embezzling customers’ money against e-commerce platform E-orange and submit their report within four months.
The HC also wanted to know about the steps taken for bringing back the fugitive accused of e-commerce platform.
Read more: BFIU sought illegal money information from Swiss banks repeatedly: BB
It also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why directives should not be given to the authorities concerned to take legal action against those involved in siphoning off money of the customers of e-commerce platform E-orange after investigation.
The customers of E-orange ordered products from the e-commerce platform by collecting e-ticket after clearing payments.
But the company did not provide the products to the respective customers.
In this circumstances, on April 3, 2021, some 547 customers filed a writ petition seeking return of Tk 77.46 crore and directives for investigations into the allegation of money laundering against the company.
Bangladesh reports 183 more Covid cases, zero death
Bangladesh reported 183 more Covid cases in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.
The total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,424 as no death was reported during the period.
With the new infections, the caseload rose to 2,035,517, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The daily case test positivity rate dropped to 4.81 per cent from Tuesday's 5.01 per cent as 3,802 samples were tested during the period.
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.45 per cent and the recovery rate rose to 97.34 per cent.
Read: Covid-19: One death, 69 new cases reported
In September, the country reported 40 Covid-linked deaths and 13,251 cases.
Bangladesh registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and its highest number of fatalities of 264 on August 10 the same year.
New price of 12kg LPG, increases by Tk 51 to Tk 1251
Price of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) has increased by Tk 4.25 per kg to Tk 104.26 from previous rate of Tk 100.01 per kg as the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Wednesday (November 02, 2022) announced the new value of the petroleum gas for the month of November. As per the new price, a retail consumer will get a 12-kg LPG cylinder at Tk 1251 instead of previous price of Tk 1,200.
The prices of LPG for other sizes of cylinders from 5.5 kg to 45 kg will go up rationally, said BERC chairman Abdul Jalil, who announced the new price at a virtual press briefing.
Read more: LPG could be ready solution to energy problem for industries: Speakers As per the announcement, the price of auto gas (LPG used for motor vehicles) was increased too to Tk 58.28 per litre from previous price of Tk 54.33 per litre, up by Tk 3.95 per litre. The new price will be effective from 6 pm on Wednesday (Novemer 2). Jalil informed that the US Dollar rate was considered at Tk 106.25 in refixing the price of the LPG as private operators import it from Middle East through foreign currency.
Read more: MoU signed for movement of Indian POL, LPG carrying vehicles through Bangladesh He said though the LPG price has substantially come down in the global market, consumers are not getting full advantage of the downward trend due to the high dollar price in the local market. Last month, the dollar exchange rate was considered Tk106.64.
The price of LPG, marketed by state-owned LP Gas Company, will remain as usual as it is locally produced with a market share of less than 5%.
Read More Omera launches online system to provide doorstep delivery of LPG to customers in Dhaka The LPG price went up to the highest Tk1,439 (a 12kg cylinder) in the local market, following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February this year. The LPG price in Bangladesh was the lowest at Tk1,225 for a 12kg cylinder in January this year and it witnessed continuous hikes in February, March and April.
Bank official killed in city road crash
A bank official was killed as a lorry ran over him in the capital's Jatrabari area on Tuesday night.
The deceased was identified as Aftab-e -Alam,45, of Shimulhati village of Kishoreganj district. He was a principal officer of Pubali Bank's Islampur branch.
The lorry hit Alam on his way home in Shanirakhra area of Jatrabari around 9:30 pm, leaving him dead on the spot, said Mostafizur Rahman, sub-inspector of Jatrabari police station.
Read more: Couple among three killed in Cumilla road accident
Police recovered the body and took it to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy, added the SI.
Police arrested the driver and seized the lorry, he said.
Serve people with devotion, change their fate, PM tells newly appointed govt officials
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked a team of the newly appointed public servants to devote themselves for changing the life of the people.
“All have to indulge with patriotism, you have to devote yourselves to change the fate of the people of the country,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing the certificate-giving and closing ceremony of the 124th, 125th and 126th Law and Administration Training Courses at Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy in capital’s Shahbag area.
She also directed them to identify themselves as “the servants of the public.”
“I want that you will serve the people aiming to advance the country towards development,” she said.
She reminded them that a country needs to concentrate on developing communication infrastructure, health, agriculture, education, power systems to build it as a developed and prosperous one alongside taking welfare programmes for the people.
“I believe our new officers act accordingly,” she added.
The Prime Minister also asked the new officials to prepare themselves for the transition in 2041 as the government has fixed the deadline to transform the country into a developed one by then.
“Many things depend on the new officials of the administration and they will have to advance with appropriate plans,” she said.
The new officials of the administration have the scope to change the fate of the commoners, she said adding that her government puts priority on developing the country from the grassroot level.
Read: Do your best to boost food production to keep Bangladesh free from famine: PM Hasina urges youth
Quoting from the speech delivered by Bangabandhu in 1972, the Prime Minister said that the government officials will have to dedicate themselves for delivering services and give priority on the national interest rising above all.
She mentioned that patriotism and sense of self dignity of the government officials is very important.
Hasina put emphasis on educating the people and creating employments for the youths and said that her government has opened the private sector.
She mentioned that no nation can achieve desired development unless both male and female can advance together in a society.
Pointing out Covid pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war followed by sanctions and countersanctions, the Prime Minister renewed her call to increase production to ensure food and nutrition security in the country.
She said that the government has been able to keep the wheels of the country’s economy running despite Covid-19 pandemic.
Hasina, however, mentioned that people around the world including developed countries like the United States and other countries in Europe have been suffering due to the Ukraine war.
She called upon the field level officials to play their role to encourage the rural people to increase food production to face the situation.
She also stressed the need for establishing food processing industries in the country while setting up of new industrial units are planned.
Hasina also underscored the need for maintaining cleanliness and planting saplings across the country to protect the environment.
Referring to her government’s steps of gifting homes to homeless people, the PM reiterated that not a single family will remain homeless in Bangladesh and it was the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She reminded all that there were no Bangalees on the posts of secretary, general and major general rather only a colonel during the Pakistan period.
She said now in independent Bangladesh everybody is getting that opportunity.
Read:None can chew up forex reserve, it’s for the people: PM Hasina
The PM asked the new officers to study the secret documents on Bangabandhu--a compilation of the Pakistani intelligence reports against the independence leader since 1948.
She said that eleven volumes of the 14-volume set of the secret documents have already been published, adding there is no country in the world, which published secret documents of their leaders.
“I think, if everyone reads it, it will be easy to know the history of Bangladesh and protect the generation from knowing distorted history alongside knowing the ways to make the country developed,” she said.
She advised that the new officers should read the Ausamapta Atmajiboni (The Unfinished Memoirs), Karagarer Rojnamcha (The Prison Diaries), and Amar Dekha Naya Chin (The New China as I Saw), to know the true history of the Liberation War or how much struggle and sacrifice Bangabandhu endured for achieving the country's independence.
The PM said that her government has been establishing 100 economic zones across the country to stop indiscriminate building of industries mainly to protect the arable land and generating huge employment.
To this end, she asked the freshers to educate the masses about protecting the environment through forestation and tree plantation.
The Prime Minister also distributed certificates and awards among 103 trainees of the 124th, 125th and 126th law and administration training courses.
Earlier, she unveiled the plaque of Bangabandhu Study Centre there and visited it. She also unveiled the wrap of a compilation book containing her speeches at the Academy.
A video documentary on Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy was also screened.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain, senior secretary of the Ministry KM Ali Azam and Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy Rector Mominur Rashid Amin also spoke at the programme.