United News of Bangladesh

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has directed all the authorities concerned to take necessary action against hoarding of goods and intensify market monitoring to prevent price hike during the holy month of Ramadan. Besides, the PMO has instructed the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to keep the gas and electricity supply normal during Iftar and Sahri as well as to ensure that the law and order won’t deteriorate in the holy month. Don’t listen to rumours involving commodity prices: PM  The directives came from a meeting held at the PMO ahead of Ramadan to review the stock, supply and prices of essential commodities, gas and electricity supply and upcoming Eid-ul Fitr exodus, said a press release on Tuesday. PM’s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah chaired the meeting, while secretaries from different ministries and divisions concerned were present. The Principal Secretary said there are larger stocks of foodgrains and essential commodities for this Ramadan compared to the previous year. Commodity prices continue to rise before Ramadan compounding consumer woes “Sufficient foodgrains and daily essentials are available in the market. We have been able to take preparation properly for the month of fasting. There will be no problem if the people purchase the commodities as much as they need. We will be able to celebrate Ramadan and Eid very well,” he said. Tofazzel Hossain said, “We are satisfied if there is a reserve of 12 lakh metric tons of foodgrains during this period every year. But this year, now we have a stock of some 17 lakh metric tons of food grains.” He said they also reviewed stock of other essential commodities particularly sugar, onion and edible oil. “There is enough sugar available in the market and more sugar is being imported, so we’re not worried of any possible sugar crisis. There is an adequate supply of edible oil in the market. So, there would be no problem with edible oil,” he added. The Principal Secretary said they’ve instructed all the authorities concerned to ensure the smooth supply chain of commodities so that the daily essentials items would reach the people during Ramadan. As part of the government food-friendly programmes – the food items will be distributed among the poor through OMS and TCB in installments during Ramadan. “We will give twice edible oil, sugar, pulses, chickpeas, onions and dates to one crore people in the month of fasting,” he said. In the review meeting, the issues of easing transport ticket system, and maintain discipline on highways during Eid exodus, renovating roads and bridges before Eid, increasing the number of ferries, preventing carrying of excess passengers, increasing domestic flights by air and proper disbursement of salary among the garment and jute-mill workers ahead of Eid festival were discussed and necessary instructions were given in this regard. PMO Secretary, secretaries of Public Security Division, Road Transport and Highways Division, Railways Ministry, Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, Local Government Division, Industries Ministry, Labour and Employment Ministry, Cabinet Division (Coordination and Reform), Bridges Division, Textile and Jute Ministry, Food Ministry, Power Division, Religious Affairs Ministry, Shipping Ministry and chiefs of different agencies were present.  

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Tuesday said that the government wants the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to invest in a greater way in the energy and power sector in Bangladesh. Welcoming a delegation of the Beijing – based multilateral development bank, he said, “We want the AIIB to play a greater role in the sectors.” The delegation, led by Rajat Misra, Vice President of the AIIB, met the state minister at his ministry office . Currently, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB), a state entity, has been implementing four transmission projects in the power sector with $956.41 million financial support from AIIB while another six projects worth $3068 million remain as proposals for the multilateral bank’s investment.    The state minister said that there are huge investment opportunities in gas pipeline projects, underground transmission lines, modernisation of distribution lines, renewable energy, gas meters, storage systems, wind fuel and their sub-sectors. “We want to provide quality and uninterrupted power supply. Want to the AIIB to be our partner in our journey of progress.” He said the government wants to expedite its effort to increase per capita power to 1500 kilowatt hours (kWh) from the existing 602 kilowatt hours. This is a huge task which needs huge investment, he added. Rajat Misra said Bangladesh is one of the partners of AIIB. Commenting on the energy master plan and Rooppur nuclear power transmission system, he said, AIIB is working on development of a distribution system in Bangladesh. During the meeting, the issues of privatisation of transmission systems, renewable energy, electricity import-export came up for discussion. AIIB's Energy Specialist Haribhaskar Rangarajan and Senior Transport Specialist Farhad Ahmed, Energy Division’s Additional Secretary Md. Humayun Kabir and Power Division’s Additional Secretary Tania Khan were present during the meeting.  

Detectives in separate drives arrested 33 members of so-called ‘teen gangs’ from Wari and Gulshan areas of the capital. DB Chief and Additional Commissioner of Police Harun-or-Rashid revealed this information while briefing reporters on Tuesday at DB’s Minto Road office. Most of the arrestees were wanted in different cases. Madrasa girl raped in Bhola; one of two accused arrested Recently, police found involvement of 21 councillors for patronising teen gangs and if police found the name of councillors, action will be taken against them, he said. The arrestees have long been involved in eve-teasing, stalking and mugging in Badda, Bhatara, Turag and 300 feet areas, he added. They are also involved in drug peddling, said the DB Chief. BGB thwarts gold smuggling attempt, arrests woman with 11 bars in Chuadanga

The private bus transport sector is under the control of powerful bus owner-worker associations and syndicates, often with ties to the ruling political party that extends to the extent that even governmental authorities appear powerless against their influence, according to a new research Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). The anti-corruption organisation stated this while releasing its research study ‘Integrity in Private Bus Transport Business’ at a press conference on Tuesday. To overcome the challenges in the sector, TIB presented a 15-point charter of recommendations. MPs’ block allocation: TIB voices concern over ‘misuse’ , ‘wastage’ of public money The TIB research report shows that control of the transport business by the ruling party members and its patronised quarter is at the centre of rampant corruption and irregularities in the bus transport sector, reads a press release. Most of the leaders of the owners’ associations in the sector are associated with the ruling party. The 22 companies (13.1 percent of the total number of companies), included in TIB’s study, own 81.4 percent of the bus transport business. Almost 92 per cent members of the board of directors of these large bus companies are directly affiliated with the ruling party (80 percent) and other political parties (12 percent). They have monopolised authority in the owners’ and workers’ associations alongside creating impediments in law formulation and implementation by capturing policy mechanisms, thus taking the sector hostage. Bangladesh’s election was one-sided and a crafted competition: TIB Mentioning political patronage and role of syndicates as the root causes of irregularities and corruption in the bus transport sector, TIB Executive Director (ED) Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, “The private bus transport business is entirely plagued by irregularities and corruption. Its root cause is the collusion between bus owners’ and workers’ associations, empowered by political patronage.” “According to our research, almost 92 percent of the bus owners are associated with political parties, of whom 80 per cent are from the ruling political party and 12 percent are from other parties. As a result, despite expectations centering the transport sector that it would become a public-friendly one, in reality, it has been held hostage by the owners’ and workers’ associations, and their syndicate is taking undue advantage of this hostage situation. The hostage situation is so severe that the owners and workers, due to their collision, seem more powerful than the government. The government is failing in implementing its own laws and regulations to control corruption and irregularities in the private bus transport sector. Also, the expected services cannot be ensured, and at the same time, general workers in the sector are being deprived of their basic rights including a fair wage,” he added. Criticizing the role of the stakeholders associated with the transport sector, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman added, “Extortion and illegal transactions of various dimensions take place in bus transport. The city corporations, highway police, and owners’ and workers’ associations work in collusion in this regard. The BRTA has definitely failed to discharge its specified duties, and to mask the failures the agency is giving the excuse of manpower shortage. The corruption and irregularities alongside illicit transactions in the BRTA are taking place in collusion. The situation is becoming more critical, as all the concerned are sharing the economic benefit, made through corruption. We call for exemplary punitive measures against everyone involved in corruption and irregularities in this sector. Because, corruption thrives further when it is uncontrolled.” World Bank, ADB support to cope with Rohingya crisis must be grant, not loan: TIB  

A Dhaka court on Tuesday sent BNP vice-chairman Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed to jail in case filed with Gulshan Police Station over obstructing police in perfoing duty and vandalism. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury passed the order when the BNP leader surrendered before the court and sought bail in the case. On December 28 last year, a court sentenced BNP leader Hafiz and Altaf Hossain Chowdhury to 21-month jail in the case. Altaf was released from jail after securing bail but BNP leader Hafiz failed to appear in court as he was abroad due to medical treatment. Former BNP leader Major (Retd) Md Hanif was also sentenced to jail in the case. BNP leaders Altaf, Hafizuddin jailed in sabotage case The court also fined them Tk 5,000, each, in default to suffer one month jail. Besides, the court also sentenced MA Awal Khan, Md Russel, Moinul Islam, Babul Hossain alias Babu and Alamgir Hossain alias Raju to three and a half months jail under another section of the case. The court also acquitted 11 people as allegations brought against them could not be proved. BNP leader Hafizuddin off to India for treatment According to the case statement, on June 4, 2011, the BNP leaders and activists held a rally in front of Mohakhali Wireless Gate and obstructed police from discharging duties. They also vandalised vehicles and set some vehicles on fire during the rally. Sub-inspector of Gulshan Police Station Quamrul Hasan submitted a chargesheet against them on April 29, 2014.    

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 57 people and seized 12 faulty gas cylinders conducting separate drives in the city's Wari and Kamrangichar areas on Monday night. Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC-Wari Zone) of the DMP Masudur Rahman on Tuesday told the media that the drives were conducted in 31 restaurants and hotels in Wari area. They checked whether the restaurants have exit gate or not and whether the gas cylinders were secured or not.  Legal action will be taken against the arrestees, the ADC (Wari Zone) said. Fire at Shahbagh scrapyard under control Assistant Commissioner (Lalbagh Zone) of the DMP Md. Imran Hossain Molla on Tuesday told the media that drives were launched   in various areas including Rasulpur, Ashrafabad, Lohar Bridge in Kamrangichar areas and 24 people were arrested. He said that the operation was conducted in 24 restaurants to see whether the owners of the  eateries are aware of the use of flammable substances.   

A fire that broke out at the scrapyard behind the Shahbag Police Station has been brought under control. The fire broke out around 2:45 on Tuesday, said Lima Khanam, duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence control room. Three firefighting units brought the blaze under control within a few minutes. The origin of the fire couldn’t be known yet, she added.    

A Narayanganj court on Tuesday sentenced four people to death for killing an eight-year-old boy after kidnap in 2018. Narayanganj Additional District and Sessions Judge Umme Saraban Tahura handed down the punishment. The condemned convicts are—Shaheen, 35, son of Sirajul Islam of Rupganj, Alamgir, 27, son of Jahangir of Balainagar, Ashik Chandra Das, 30, son of Santosh Chandra Das and Anik Chandra Das, 27, son of Rajkumar of Baniadi area. All of them except Shaheen were tried in absentia. 2 to die for murder in Jhenaidah According to the prosecution, the convicts kidnapped Joyonto from Rupganj area and took him to an abandoned tin-roof house on June 5, 2018. Later, they demanded ransom for the release of Joyonto from his family. Failing to get the money, the convicts killed the child. A case was filed in this connection and police submitted chargesheet against four people. Fire breaks out at Chattogram sugar mill

The government has approved import 39, 000 metric tonnes of onion from India though Sonamajsid land port in Chapainawabganj to meet local demand ahead of holy Ramadan.   Somir Ghosh, deputy director of Sonamasjid Land Port Plant Quarantine Center, confirmed the information on Tuesday. He said 31 importers of the land port got approval and the import will begin before Ramadan. At least 18 houses, 2 cattle burnt to ash in another Ctg fire On December 8 last year, India restricted export of the onion to Bangladesh and other countries until March 31 to check soaring prices in local market. India has permitted the export of 64,400 tonnes of onions to UAE and Bangladesh through the National Cooperative Exports Ltd, according to notifications issued by the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry on March 4. 

Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, Saima Wazed on Tuesday said focusing on improving care around the time of birth and the first week of life is important to ensure every child survives and thrives to reach their full potential. The World Health Organization on Tuesday launched implementation guidance in the South-East Asia Region for universal screening of newborns for hearing impairment, eye abnormalities and neonatal jaundice, to help prevent disabilities caused by these conditions if not detected early and managed adequately. “The regional implementation guidance will facilitate capacity-building for newborn or neonatal screening that aims at pre-symptomatic detection, shortly after birth, of serious treatable conditions,” said Saima Wazed. She said that backed by referral, diagnosis, management, and follow-up for appropriate treatment, these screenings will enable prevention of long-term disability or premature death. The guidance incorporates simple tests with non-invasive tools that can be integrated within the existing health systems. These screenings should be done prior to discharge after a health-facility, or at the first postnatal care contact in an outpatient setting after a home birth, according to a message received from New Delhi. The guidance has been developed through a consultative process with technical experts from member countries of the region. With persistent collaborative efforts over the years, the WHO South-Asia Region witnessed 45% decline in under 5 mortality rate between 2010 and 2021, the steepest among all WHO Regions and against the global reduction of 26%. However, the contribution of birth defects to under 5 mortality in the region has increased from 4% to 11% during the last two decades (2000 to 2021) as countries successfully addressed other major causes of death. “Our Region is committed to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal targets for maternal, newborn and child mortality. I urge all our Member States and stakeholders to adopt, internalize and use the implementation guidance for introducing and conducting these three screening tests for all newborns before hospital discharge, including appropriate management of babies,” Wazed said. “We owe the next generation our collective actions to standardize these screening practices, to achieve the SDG targets - and, most importantly, to meet the needs of every newborn, everywhere’, the Regional Director said.