United News of Bangladesh

Thirty-one more people were hospitalised with dengue in 24 hours till Thursday morning. Of the new patients, 5 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka city and the rest outside it, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Currently, 131 dengue patients are receiving treatment at several hospitals across the country. So far, 2,714 dengue cases have been reported since January 1, 2024, said DGHS. Last year, a total of 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record. The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries last year, according to DGHS data.

More than 25 percent area of DSCC will be brought under afforestation, said Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said on Thursday. “And Dhaka South City Corporation will stand first to achieve the target of 25 percent afforestation announced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said. He said these at the opening ceremony of the 'Tree Plantation and Sapling Distribution Programme' organised by Dhaka Metropolitan South Chhatra League on Nagar Bhaban premises Thursday morning. Taposh said, "Our afforestation was below 10 percent. It has now reached 17 percent through implementation of  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's announcement,. But to combat the effects of climate change, she directed us to increase our afforestation from 17 to 25pc.” At that time, he expressed his optimism to achieve the target through their ongoing projects and activities and with the united efforts of Dhaka Metropolitan South Chhatra League. He also urged the leaders of Mahanagar South Chhatra League to plant trees in Osmani Udyan and Panthkunj Udyan and on both sides of Adi Buriganga Channel, Shyampur, Jirani, Manda and Khalunagar Canal. He distributed saplings among the student affairs secretary of Metropolitan South Chhatra League and Khilgaon Model College Chhatra League unit. Later, he planted a sapling of Krishna on the premises of Nagar Bhaban. At that time, Metropolitan South Chhatra League announced that they would plant 2 lakh trees in the Dhaka South City Corporation area.

Dr Fahmida Khatun, executive director of Center for Policy Dialogue, a private think tank, on Thursday said that financial sector in Bangladesh suffers from lack of good governance and accountability. The central bank has closed its doors for journalists to facilitate the financial oligarchy, she said while speaking on a keynote at a dialogue on ‘What Lies Ahead for the Banking Sector in Bangladesh?’ “The country's financial sector depends on banks. The role of this sector is the most important in the development of the country. But fragility has appeared in that banking sector. There has been a loss of good governance and accountability,” she pointed out. Tk 22,776: CPD recommends min wage for tannery workers amid rising costs Dr Fahmida said loan approval, rescheduling, write-off, and foreclosure are all being done in the banks whimsically. The central bank is not acting independently under external pressure not on their will. This situation should be changed. She said that when wrong information is published, the policy measures will be wrong depending on it. Real-time information has to be provided on the websites of the central banks for the development of the financial sector. Instead, the central bank has decided to restrict media’s access to it making information and data gathering difficult for journalists, she said. Dr Fahmida said it is difficult to restore the good governance of the banking sector when the regulatory body (BB) itself can’t work independently. “They (central bank) themselves are being subordinated to a department of the Ministry of Finance, and they are not independent. In this situation, there is no alternative to form an independent banking commission to restore the health of the banking sector,” she suggested. 34% of Bangladesh's revenue spent on debt repayment: CPD “The commission should have the power to work independently and highlight the overall health of the banks,” she said. In a paper presented at the dialogue, CPD illustrated that the total volume of non-performing loans (NPL) in the country has more than tripled in the last ten years, from Tk 42,725 crore in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011-12 to Tk 1,45,633 crore in Q2 of FY24. Both public and private banks are in the same position. However, foreign sector banks are performing well in regard to bank management. The liquidity crisis is gradually emerging in Islami Bank. Liquidity in Sharia sector banks was 39 percent from January 2011 to December 2016. However, from March 2017 to February 2024, the bank's liquidity fell to 25 percent after changing the operational leadership in January 2017. Professor Mostafizur Rahman, distinguished fellow of CPD said, that if the banking sector has to be pulled out of this situation, political decisions must be taken from the highest level, and transparency and accountability must be ensured. CPD wants adjustment in capacity charges instead of raising power tariff to reduce subsidy Because, “We have seen in the past that the privatization of profits and the nationalization of losses of the banking sector,” he pointed out. MA Mannan, former minister of planning, Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, deputy leader of opposition in the parliament, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, former governor of Bangladesh Bank, Dr Ahsan H. Mansur, executive director of PRI, Mohammad Nurul Amin, former chairman, Association of Bankers, Bangladesh, among others, spoke at the event.

Dr Mushtaque Chowdhury has been elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of DBH Finance PLC. The decision was made at the 149th meeting of the Board of Directors of the company, said a press release issued on Thursday. Dr Chowdhury was the Vice Chair of BRAC, the world’s largest non-governmental organization. He is a Professor of Population and Family Health at the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University in New York. During 2009-12, he worked as the Senior Adviser and Acting Managing Director for the Rockefeller Foundation. He also served as a MacArthur Fellow at Harvard University. In recent times, he worked for the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, USA as a Visiting Scholar. He was the founding Dean of the Brac University James P Grant School of Public Health. Dr Chowdhury holds a PhD from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, an MSc from the London School of Economics and a BA (Hon’s.) from the University of Dhaka. Dr Chowdhury was a coordinator of the UN Millennium Task Force on Child Health and Maternal Health, set up by the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. He is a co-recipient of the ‘Innovator of the Year 2006’ award from the Marriott Business School of Brigham Young University in USA and in 2017, he received the ‘Medical Excellence’ award from the Chicago-based Ronald McDonald House Charities. Dr Chowdhury has published over 150 articles in peer-reviewed international journals and also received the ‘Best impactful book’ award given by the University Press Limited. His biography “Amar Brac Jibon” was recently published by Prothoma. Dr Chowdhury is a founder of the Bangladesh Education Watch and Bangladesh Health Watch, two civil society watchdogs on education and health, respectively. He is on the boards and committees of several organizations and initiatives, including BRAC University, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), Social Marketing Company, London School of Economics and the Management Sciences for Health (MSH). He has been a Director of DBH, nominated by BRAC, since February 2015.  

The low-pressure area over Southeast Bay and adjoining West central Bay moved slightly north eastwards and intensified into a well-marked low over West central Bay and adjoining southwest Bay. It is likely to intensify further, said a special bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department. All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay and deep sea have been advised to come close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice. They were also advised not to venture into the deep sea.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday said the body of Jhenaidah-4 MP Anwarul Azim Anar, who was murdered in Kolkata, India, has not yet been recovered. “We have not been able to recover the body yet. Until we can recover everything, we cannot provide you with any information.I reiterate that the intelligence agencies of both countries are working on this,” said the minister. However, the intelligence agencies of both countries have almost identified everything of the murder  including  the perpetrators, he said while talking to at the secretariat on Thursday afternoon. The minister said, “We are very close to identifying those who committed the murder. Only the announcement remains. We will make the announcement once the intelligence agencies of both countries agree.” The Home Minister also mentioned that they have not received anything new so far. “Our police, intelligence, Indian police, and Indian intelligence are all working. We are certain that he was murdered. We have heard from those who killed him, but we have not yet recovered the body,” he said. In response to a question about whether any Indian was involved, he said, “We have not ruled out the possibility of Indian involvement. We have said that the investigation is ongoing. We have not yet said who are involved. We have said that we have a general idea. We are working based on that idea. So far, we are working with the information we have received.” When asked about Shahin, who is claimed to be one of the key planners of the murder, the Home Minister said, “What we have heard that he did not come to Bangladesh that day. He tried to go to another country via India, but none of this is confirmed information. We have received information and are working accordingly.”

The movement of bulkhead will be halted for 11 days from June 13 during the Eid-ul-Azha to ensure hassle-free movement of vessels. Besides, all trucks and covered vans except cattle-carrying vehicles or perishable goods-laden vehicles will remain suspended for seven days during the Eid-ul-Azha. The decision was taken at a meeting on the movement of ferries, steamers, launches and other vessels during  Eid-ul-Azha at the secretariat with State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair on Thursday. JS body recommends raising wages of river vessel workers However, the number of ferries in Kazirhat and Paturia ferry terminals will be increased while the number of launches will be increased. Claiming that the Eid journey was safe last year, the minister said like the previous years, steps were taken so that the home-bound people can travel safely. Lighter vessel rams Kalurghat Bridge: 3 crews arrested Besides, all are working to ensure safe transportation of sacrificial animal-carrying vessels, he said. He also urged people to follow the weather bulletin regularly while transporting passengers and sacrificial animals during Eid.  

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the High Court order for accepting the nomination paper of Shahadat Hossain, younger brother of Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, in the upcoming Companiganj Upazila Parishad Election. A seven-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Senior Justice M Enayetur Rahim passed the order. Advocates Ekramul Haque Tutul, Taposh Kumar Biswas and Tamanna Ferdous stood for Shahadat while Advocate Sheikh Mohammad Morshed for another candidate Golam Sharif. High Court orders Dhaka court to hold hearing of Mirza Fakhul’s bail petitions in 10 cases On May 14, the High Court ordered the authorities concerned to accept the nomination paper of Shahadat as a chairman candidate in Noakhali’s Companigonj upazila parishad election slated for May 29. High Court postpones Fakhrul’s bail hearing until next week Four people including Quader’s younger brother Shahadat Hossain submitted nomination papers to contest the polls. The remaining candidates were Upazila Jubo League’s former convenor and businessman Mohammad Golam Sharif Chowdhury Piplu, former upazila parishad chairman and upazila Awami League’s incumbent General Secretary Mizanur Rahman Badal and US expatriate Omar Ali. On May 5, Shahadat’s nomination paper was rejected on charge of concealing information regarding cases and income in the affidavit during scrutiny. Later, he submitted an appeal to Noakhali’s deputy commissioner and returning officer Dewan Mahbubur Rahman who also rejected his nomination paper after a hearing on May 9. Shahadat Hossain filed a petition to the HC challenging the order.  

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today (May 23, 2024) said that investigation will determine whether the deceased MP of Jhenaidah-4 constituency, Anwarul Azim Anar, was involved in any illicit activities in India. “I cannot say anything before the investigation is complete. There is no place for criminals in the Awami League,” Quader asserted. Bangladeshi MP’s macabre death in Kolkata: What we know so far He made these remarks during an introductory meeting with the newly formed Youth and Sports Sub-committee members at the Dhaka district Awami League office. Anwarul Azim Anar, who was nominated for the third time due to his popularity, is under scrutiny following his death, with Indian media alleging his involvement in smuggling activities. Abduction case filed over MP Anar's death “Sheikh Hasina does not spare any wrongdoer, even if they are from the party. Her policy regarding crime is zero tolerance,” Quader emphasized. Quader also questioned the timing and scope of these allegations, saying, “Why did this issue not come up in any investigative report by journalists in our country before his death?” Locals mourn MP Anar as 'a man of the people'

Export and import activities between India and Bangladesh through Benapole land port resumed on Thursday morning after being closed for five days. Thousands of goods-laden trucks were seen waiting to enter both countries at the Benapole and Petrapole port areas this morning. Kamal Uddin Shimul, Vice President of the Benapole C&F Agents Association, said that all types of import-export activities were halted at the country's largest land port due to the Lok Sabha elections in India, Upazila Parishad elections in Jashore’s Saharsa, and the public holiday for Buddha Purnima. Bangladeshi cattle trader injured in BSF firing in Benapole He also mentioned that the continuous five-day halt in import-export through Benapole port has disrupted the production at many industries and garment factories in the country. The government earns revenue of TK25 crore from this port daily. Due to the five-day closure, the government has lost approximately TK1.25 billion in revenue, he said. Dowry killing: Jashore man who set wife on fire arrested from Benapole Azharul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Benapole Checkpost Police Immigration, said that Bangladeshi tourists with passports were banned from traveling to India for three days due to the Lok Sabha elections. Only patients and Indian passport holders were allowed to travel. This ban came into effect from 6 PM last Friday (May 17). 370 tonnes of imported potatoes still wait for unloading at Benapole