Dhaka, May 20 (UNB)- Job Seeking Blind Graduates Association on Monday urged the government to remove barriers and ensure better facilities for the visually-impaired community of the country. 

Additionally they demanded special recruitment for blind graduates in all types of jobs, which sounds like a quota.

They made the call at a discussion on removing obstacles to joining work for the visually impaired at Jatiya Press Club. 

Representing the graduates, association convener Md Ali Ahsan said, “We (the vision impaired community) face more adversaries than a physically sound candidate in the race for jobs.”
 
He mentioned that even competent college graduates  are left jobless simply for being visually impaired – even though the term covers a wide range of seeing ability.
 
Other members of the association voiced their struggles and bitter experience they faced in several recruitment exams. They remarked how the adverse conditions they faced in the examination process forcing them to lag behind despite being competent candidates. 

State Minister for Social Welfare Sharif Ahmed in his speech as chief guest assured the members that the ministry has contacted Public Service Commission (PSC) to look for means to improve the recruitment method for visually impaired graduates in several sectors.
“Current government is dedicated to provide opportunities for physically challenged and other hindered communities,” he said. 

He also confirmed that steps will be taken to arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and selected members of the association to meet their demands. 
The association put forward a set of demands seeking better facilities for the vision impaired graduates.
 

Dhaka, May 20 (UNB) – Agriculture Minister Dr. Abdur Razzak bashed critics of the government regarding recent claims that farmers are not getting adequate support.  He questioned how food production could increase in recent years without the government helping the farmers all around.

The minister also said that the government is always helping the farmers, thus it reduced the prices of agricultural equipment and tools.

The minister expressed his views at a car-giving ceremony for Upazila Krishi Officers, under the ‘Handing over of technology at upazila level’ titled training project (3rd stage) that took place at the Krishibid Institution of Bangladesh (KIB)’s auditorium in the capital’s Farmgate on Monday, regarding the ongoing criticism.

“Due to the successful industrialization in the country, the number of farmers is decreasing day by day and this is why the implementation of agro-mechanization is necessary. The government provides 50 to 70 percent subsidy to the agro-mechanization and will cordially look at the needs of agriculture and farmers,”Dr Razzak said.

He informed that total Tk 9,000 crore was allotted to the agricultural sector this budget. The government spent Tk 6,000 cr for the betterment of agriculture, and Tk 3,000 crore will be used for agro-mechanization purposes.

“Under the leadership and guidance of our prime minister, we have now become a country with surplus amount of foods. Now, we are focusing on achieving the same success regarding nutrition,”he added.

Regarding the recent price-dropping of rice, Razzak said “We are discussing this issue with several people and authorities, and the problem will be resolved very soon. We are well aware to keep the promises of our election manifesto- and we will definitely ensure the mechanization-modernization-industrialization of our agriculture.”

Later, the minister handed over the car keys to 88 upazila agricultural officers as part of the project. Other officers will also get cars as part of  the process, the minister informed.

The ongoing 2012-2018 project is planned with a budget of around Tk 315 crore. Through this project, ta total of 106 training centers will be made for farmers in 106 upazilas of 48 districts, and farmer helping centers will be established in 20 unions- with the motive to increase the activities and developments of the farmers.

Chaired by the Department of Agricultural Extension’s director Mir Nurul Alam, the program was also attended by Additional secretary (extension) of Agricultural Ministry Sanat Kumar Saha as the special guest. The welcome speech was presented by the project director Tajul Islam Patowary.

Chattogram, May 20 (UNB) - The government on Sunday imposed a 65-day ban (from May 20 to July 23) on fishing in the Bay of Bengal, aiming to boost commercial fishing in the country.

Catching all types of saltwater fish has been prohibited during the ban. All the commercial trawlers have been requested to abide by the government order, said Syeda Shirin Sultana Khatun, deputy director of Fisheries and Livestock Ministry.

According to the Ministry, the government since 2015 has imposed a periodic ban on fishing in the seas for creating a safe environment for aquatic or semi-aquatic mammals in Bangladesh’s exclusive economic zone in the Bay of Bengal and for ensuring safe and sustainable accumulation of fish reserves.

Earlier, Fisheries and Livestock Ministry issued a notification in this regard on May 10.

Liton Das, president of Uttar Chattrala Coastal Jol-das Cooperatives Welfare Federation, said the government has imposed the ban without arranging any alternatives for 50,000 families dependent on the profession in the coastal region. 

He also requested the government to reconsider the decision.

Dhaka, May 20 (UNB) - The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways on Monday placed a 10-point set of recommendations before the government, above all removing all kinds of unregistered, unfit or without-permit vehicles from plying, to ensure security and safety of passengers on road, rail and water ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Committee president Md Shahid Mia and secretary-general Ashish Kumar Dey submitted the recommendations, based on their observations and people’s experiences during Eid holidays over a number of years, through a joint statement.
They also called on the authorities concerned for setting up sufficient CCTV cameras at bus terminals and ticket counters and ensuring tight security at all terminals and on highways.

Further included in the recommendations are mobile court drives against buses, trucks or trains carrying passengers on roofs, and to prevent pick-up vans plying the national highways and inter-district roads.  

Other suggestions include involving district and police administration with mobile court across the country at a time.  

The national committee also sought tough action to prevent extra bus-fare collection and ticket scalping, or ‘black’. 

It also urged the police administration to crack down on reckless driving, overtaking on the wrong side and other violations of traffic law. 

NCPSRR also sought delegation of  powers to district and police administration for taking steps against fake driving license,  drivers below the legal age, and drivers using mobile phones in the ‘running’ position, i.e. with the brakes released.  

The right body urged the authority concerned to stop all kinds of three-wheelers, including auto-rickshaws and easy bikes, plying national highways and inter-district roads.  

It also sought to remove illegal structures from the Dhaka-Chattogram, Dhaka-Aricha, Dhaka-Tangail, Dhaka-Mawa and Dhaka-Sylhet highways. 

Dhaka, May 20 (UNB) – The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food Ministry on Monday recommended the government to stop the rice import in the interest of local farmers.

It also suggested the government to procure rice directly from farmers to protect the interests of farmers.

The parliamentary watchdog came up with the recommendations at its second meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad with its chairman Mohammad Nasim in the chair, said a Parliament Secretariat handout.

The committee also suggested the government to continue the drive against food adulteration throughout the year and increase the manpower of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority to strengthen and expand its activities up to the district level.

Committee members Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar, Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu, Md. Ayeen Uddin and Md. Atiur Rahman Atik attended the meeting.