United News of Bangladesh

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said that automation in fuel management has been a need of the hour. That's why the government moved for automation in fuel system, he said while visiting the main establishment of the state-owned Padma Oil Company in Chattogram. He advised the officials and employees of the Padma Oil Company to be smart as it has been a 154-year-old entity having long heritage. He directed not to do any negligence in measuring petroleum fuels and measuring quality. Nasrul Hamid also urged the officials to ensure international standards in the transportation of the petroleum fuels. This will bring the system under a specific policy guideline, he said.  "You have to put emphasis on ensuring both physical and cyber security in fuel management", he told the officials. The storage capacity of various types of fuel in Padma is about 290,000 tonnes.  The state minister asked the officials to expeditiously install a modern radar type auto trunk gauging system to replace the existing manual system at the Padma Oil's main installations. It will help maintain the storage system and supply operations smoothly. The automation will further improve the system, he added. Chairman of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) ABM Azad, and other officials of Padma Oil Company Limited were present during the visit. Later, the State Minister visited the main facilities of state-owned Meghna Petroleum Limited and Jamuna Oil Company Limited.

Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) celebrated International Women’s Day on Wednesday, two days before the global celebration, highlighting the achievements of women and seeking gender equality. The discussion convened successful women of different fields including new State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Rumana Ali, this year’s Bangla Academy award-winning writer Shamim Azad, first female boxer Tamanna Haq and spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Seheli Sabrin. DCAB, a 26-year-old association of reporters, also honoured Seheli Sabrin appreciating her role as the spokesperson since the beginning of the foreign ministry’s weekly media briefing last year. The International Women’s Day on March 8 is themed “Invest in women: Accelerate progress”. Writer Shamim Azad stressed the need to invest in changing the mindset about women. Boxer Tamanna Haque said determination is the key to success. “When I first started learning boxing, my relatives used to tell my father ‘What is your daughter doing”... I faced so many negative comments. There was no female coach. But I was determined I’d stay on the field. Now they say you are our inspiration.” The state minister said sensitivity towards women should be included in the textbooks.“We should inculcate in the tender hearts of children the sense of friendliness, harmony, sensitivity, and respect for women.” “Investment should be increased for women, this investment will create their financial capacity and through this, women will gain the ability to make decisions,” she said. “Bangladesh will be a developed country in the world before 2041 if all men and women work shoulder to shoulder without any gender discrimination,” she added. DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib presided over the programme conducted by Israt Jahan Urmi, an EC member. General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Apu delivered the welcome remarks. Former President Angur Nahar Monty also spoke. The Asia Foundation supported the event.

In an era defined by rapid technological advancements, environmental challenges, and shifting geopolitical landscapes, the input of the youth is not just valuable, but indispensable, said the Ambassador & Head of Delegation of European Union in Bangladesh Charles Whiteley.   He said this at an event titled "Empowered Youth Through Informed Opinions", held on Wednesday at the capital.  Funded by the European Union, DW Akademie and Article 19 launched this project in November 2022. It aimed to empower young adults, especially first-time voters, with critical thinking skills for informed democratic participation, reads a press release.  In his speech, Charles Whiteley said, “The European Union at its very core, is a testament to the power of dialogue, collective action and informed decision making. Our union was built on the foundational belief that diversity is our strength and that the voices of the citizens matter. It is this belief that brings us to support projects as this one, to nurture platforms where people’s voices are not only heard but are instrumental in shaping the decisions that affect their lives and communities.”  “For the European Union, the ambition to reach out and resonate with approximately 900 students and young adults from universities and colleges across the country lies at the core of this project, implemented with the invaluable partnership of DW Akademie and Article 19 Bangladesh and South Asia. These young minds, aged between 18-25 years, including female and minority students, represent not just the demographic backbone of Bangladesh, but are the very agents of change poised to define the future direction of the country,” he added. Dr. Esther Dorn-Fellermann, Project Manager, Lecturer, and Consultant of Media Development at DW Akademie, and Sheikh Manjur-E-Alam, Regional Director of ARTICLE 19 South Asia, represented their organisations at the event. 

Ahead of the month of Ramadan, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will start selling five goods at subsidised prices from Thursday among 10 million family cardholders across the country. A consumer with a family card can buy a maximum of 2 litres of soybean oil, 2 kg lentils, 1 kg of sugar, 5 kg rice and 1 kg dates. Take measures in preventing price hike of daily essentials: IGP In this case, the price of soybean oil will be kept at Tk 100 per litre, sugar at Tk 100, per kg lentils at Tk 60 per kg, dates at Tk 150, and rice at Tk 30 per kg. The TCB increased the price of sugar by Tk30 to Tk100 per kg this time, which was Tk60 per kg last year. S Alam Group to import 12 lakh MT of daily essentials for Ramadan In this regard, TCB spokesperson Humayun Kabir told UNB that the price of sugar has been increased to adjust the price in the market. Earlier, TCB sold sugar at a relatively low price. The last time sugar was supplied to the dealers three months ago, the price was falling. Now the price of sugar in the market has increased a lot, he said. Controlling prices of daily essentials to get priority in election manifesto: Commerce Minister According to the TCB, the distributors will conduct this activity according to the scheduled date and time in cooperation with the city corporations, district and upazila administrations. During the campaign, family cardholders can buy products from the distributors' shops or designated places in their respective areas. State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu will inaugurate the Ramadan sales programme on Thursday at Ward No. 24 of the Dhaka North City Corporation.

Leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) on Wednesday criticised the government's move for raising fuel prices in phases and said that this is being done only to benefit commission agents and pro-government businessmen. They said this at a mass rally in front of the Mukti Bhaban on Wednesday while celebrating the party’s 76th founding anniversary.   With CPB President Mohammad Shah Alam in the chair, the rally was addressed, among others, by General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince and Assistant General Secretary Mihir Ghosh. Awami League-backed syndicates behind price hike: Farroque CPB presidium member Shaheen Rahman, Professor AN Rasheda, Paresh Kar, Secretary Anwar Hossain Reza, Treasurer Dr. Fazlur Rahman and the members of the central committee of the party were present on the occasion. The leaders said that despite Bangladesh's own resources of gas and renewable energy, the energy sector has been turned into a big burden for the national economy and as well as for the common people. “This is the result of rampant corruption and wrong policies of the government… Now they are trying to shift the onus of the blunder to the shoulder of the masses’, said Ruhin Hossain Prince. “People will never accept their misdeeds”, he added. Prince urged to speed up the struggle to establish democracy and voting rights, saying that those elected without voting will never work in the interest of the people. Power sector in deep crisis: Rizvi He said such people will have no accountability. “There will be no transparency. So, the hardworking people have to join the struggle for establishing voting rights and democracy along with their demands,” he said. After the rally, a colourful red flag procession passed through different areas including Old Paltan, Dainik Bangla, Motijheel, Dilkusha, Gulista, and National Press Club and ended at the party office. CPB President Alam and General Secretary Prince respectively hoisted the national and party flags before the rally. National Anthem and Communist International song were played at this time. Before this, songs were performed by Udichi performers. On the 76th foundation day, national and party flags were hoisted in front of party offices across the country.

Banks have disbursed agriculture credit of Tk2,473 crore more in the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2023-24 compared with the disbursement in FY2022-23. According to the latest report of the Bangladesh Bank (BB), the achievement of the agriculture credit disbursement target was 60.44 percent or Tk21,154 crore in the first seven months of FY 2023-24. During the same period of the previous fiscal year the amount of loan disbursement was Tk18,684 crore or 60.64 percent of the target. While the total amount increased the percentage rate has decreased slightly as the total volume of agriculture credit was raised in FY 2023-24. The BB-set agriculture credit disbursement target in FY2023-24 is Tk35,000 crore, which was Tk30,811 crore in FY2022-23. At the same time, five banks have disbursed 100 percent of targeted agriculture credit. Foreign lender Habib Bank has made a record of the highest agricultural and rural loan disbursement. The bank achieved 222.8 percent disbursement during the current fiscal year under the review period. At the same time the AB Bank disbursed 173.3 percent, Dhaka Bank 145.3 percent, State Bank of India 121.8 percent, and Bank Al Falah disbursed 105.3 percent of loans. According to the data, in the first seven months of the current financial year, eight state-owned banks disbursed agricultural loans of Tk 7,551 crore, which is 62.77 percent of the total target. Private and foreign banks disbursed loans of Tk 13,603 crore during the same period, which is 59.22 percent of the total target. Among the private sector banks, the Padma Bank has disbursed agriculture loans 0.38 percent, Madhumati Bank 4.93 percent, Social Islami Bank 12.77 percent, Global Islami Bank 14.55 percent, Simanto Bank 17.72 percent and South East Bank 18.10 percent. Local Citizen Bank and foreign Woori Bank could not disburse a single penny in the first seven months of the current fiscal year. The BB reduced the dependency of private banks on Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) to reach farmers at low-interest rates. The central bank has made it mandatory to disburse at least 50 percent of agricultural loans through the bank's own network. It was 30 percent earlier.    

A 14-year-old boy was electrocuted while trying to hoist the national flag on the school premises in Dhaka's Kadamtali area on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Riyan Badshah, son of Faruk Hossain of Mymensingh's Trishal upazila and a class IX  student of  Palashpur Ideal School. Jannatul Ferdous, a teacher of the school who brought the victim to the hospital, said that Riyan was electrocuted when he tried to hang the national flag of the school at 10 am. Later, he was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in an unconscious state where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) police outpost, said the body was kept at the hospital morgue for post-mortem. The matter was reported to the concerned police station, he added.

The first meeting of the high-level committee consisting of five members under the leadership of Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah to review foreign-funded projects was held on Wednesday. The committee was constituted to review the progress on a quarterly basis with a view to timely implementation of the foreign-funded projects. The meeting was held at the NEC conference room of the Planning Commission with Principal Secretary in the chair, according to a press release. There was a detailed discussion on the fund disbursement and progress review of 47 ministries/departments under the ADP of the fiscal year 2023-24. It also discussed the project determination in the light of Green and Climate Resilient Development (GCRD) principles and online project processing through the Project Planning System (PPS) software developed by the Planning Division. The Principal Secretary called upon the concerned to take necessary steps to speed up the implementation of such projects. He said that before sending the proposal for inclusion in the ADP/RADP to the Planning Commission, the ministries/divisions should duly check and send details online through the PPS software to the Planning Commission. Besides, instructions were given in the meeting to send projects to the Planning Commission after due verification in the light of Green and Climate Resilient Development (GCRD) policy for obtaining foreign financing. In the meeting it was said that in the proposed RADP for the financial year 2023-2024, out of 47 ministries/divisions in the project loan/grant sector, 10 ministries/divisions got about 80 percent of the total allocation of project loans/grants in the RADP. These ministries and divisions are: Power Division, Local Government Division, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Science and Technology, Road Transport and Highways Division, Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, and Health service Division, Bridges Division, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Ministry of Water Resources. The RADP implementation progress largely depends on the implementation progress of these ministries/divisions, so the implementation progress of these ministries/divisions was discussed in the meeting. At the same time, the meeting also discussed projects of the ministries/divisions that have progressed below 34 percent in project loan/grant utilisation for the proposed RADP for FY 2023-2024. Besides, reasons/challenges for slow progress of foreign funded projects were discussed in detail in the meeting. In view of this, the chief of the Committee M Tofazzel Hossain Miah emphasised on the project directors forming pool according to the circular and providing training on the necessary issues related to the use of project loan/grant and simultaneously appointing PDs at the time of project approval. Besides, he requested the Economic Relations Department (ERD) to hold meetings with all concerned, including ambassadors, if necessary, with a view to facilitating the issue of obtaining consent/no objection (NoC) from development partners at each stage of the procurement process for implementation of foreign-funded projects. At the same time, the committee chief directed the ERD to take necessary steps to quickly resolve the complications arising in some projects implemented through the line of credit (LoC). In green and climate resilient development, Tofazzel Hossain Miah put emphasis on increasing the production and use of renewable energy. He directed that no solar plants can be set up on agricultural land (regardless of crop) to meet the target of renewable energy production and asked them to strictly enforce it. He requested all senior secretaries/secretaries to be closely attached to the implementation of the schemes and to monitor them regularly. Above all, he asked them for regularly holding meetings of the committee formed to review the implementation progress of the foreign-funded projects. He expressed hope that through joint efforts, the funding and implementation progress of the foreign-funded projects will increase.

The historic 7th March, a memorable day in the history of Bangalees’ long arduous freedom struggle, will be observed across the country on Sunday in a befitting manner. On this day in 1971, Bangabandhu, the undisputed leader of Bangalees, had delivered his epoch-making speech of independence before a mammoth rally at the historic Racecourse Maidan, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka city. In 2017, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) recognised the historic March 7 Speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a world documentary heritage. In his 19-minute extempore speech before a million freedom-loving people, Bangabandhu had made a clarion call for a non-cooperation movement asking the nation to prepare for the war of independence to liberate the country from the exploitative Pakistan regime. “The struggle this time is for freedom, the struggle this time is for independence, Joy Bangla,” Bangabandhu declared from the massive rally. His speech worked like a magic spell inspiring the entire Bangalee nation to join the struggle for independence from the autocratic and repressive rule of the then Pakistani military junta. Awami League and different socio-political and cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes marking the day. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths at Bangabandhu's portrait on the premises of Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi at 7am. At 10:30 am, the premier will attend a programme at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on this occasion. A discussion will be held at AL’s Dhaka District Office in the city’s Tejgaon at 4pm. Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will chair the discussion. AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader urged leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies and the people to observe the day with due respect across the country. Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television as well as private television channels and radio stations will air special programmes while national dailies will publish supplements marking the day. The Cabinet on October 7, 2020 declared March 7 as ‘Historic Day’ instead of the ‘National Historic Day’ in a bid to observe the day nationally and internationally, commemorating the historic speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.  

The city corporations of the country were allocated Tk 40cr to tackle dengue in the current fiscal year, said Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam. “A total of Tk 40 crore has been allocated in the Annual Development Programme(ADP) for the fiscal year 2023-24 to tackle dengue in different city corporations of the country,” he said .   He said this while talking to reporters after a session of the Deputy Commissioner Conference in Dhaka on Wednesday. Of the allocation, Tk 32 crore has been kept for combating dengue and strengthening cleanliness activities, and Tk 8 crore for publicity and advertisement expenses. At the same time, he said, the deputy commissioners have been instructed to raise public awareness and take effective steps in the campaign. According to him, raising awareness is the best approach to combat dengue worldwide. “Ninety percent of the measures to prevent dengue depend on awareness; the other ten percent can be done by technology or suing insecticide," he said.