United News of Bangladesh

The 12th parliament will go into the first budget session on June 5 next for the placement of the proposed national budget for the fiscal 2024-2025 on the following day there. President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Monday summoned the 3rd session (budget session) of the 12th parliament, exercising the power bestowed upon him as per the Clause (1) of Article 72 of the Constitution. The parliamentary session, the 3rd in 2024, will start at 5pm on June 05, said a parliament secretariat release. The size of the next national budget of Bangladesh, for the fiscal year 2024-25, will be Tk 8 lakh crore with a Tk 265,000-crore Annual Development Programme (ADP). The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday last approved the ADP with an outlay of Tk 265,000 crores, keeping the highest allocation of Tk 70, 687.75 crore (26. 67pc of allocation) for transport and communication sector. Besides, the NEC approved some Tk 13,288.91-crore ADP of the autonomous bodies or corporations. So, with the 13,288.91 crore ADP for autonomous bodies or corporations, the total size of ADP for 2024-2025 has stood at Tk 278,288.91 crore. In the ADP, the total number of projects is 1,321 including 1,133 investment projects, 21 survey projects, 87 technical assistance projects and 80 projects from the autonomous bodies and corporations. Local Government Division among the ministries and divisions is going to receive the highest 10 allocation of some Tk 38,809 crore (15pc of allocation) in the ADP. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has recently said her government will be able to place the budget properly and will implement it as well. On May 09 last, the second session of the 12th Parliament was prorogued after six working days, which started on May 02.

The government has decided to introduce the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Peace Medal for awarding an individual or organisation at local or international levels for their contribution to the establishment of peace. The cabinet on Monday approved the draft of "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Shanti Padak (Peace Medal) Policy-2024" to introduce the award. The approval came from the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office here in the city. “The medal will be conferred every two years,” said Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain while briefing reporters at the Bangladesh Secretariat after the meeting. He said one individual or organisation will usually be honoured with this prestigious medal each time. According to the policy, US$ 100,000, an 18-carat gold medal weighing 50 grammes, and a certificate will be given to the awardee. The name of the nominated individual or organisation will be announced on March 17, the birthday of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Children's Day. But the medal may be conferred on or around May 23, as Bangabandhu had been honoured with the Julio Curie Medal of Peace on that date in 1973. Mahbub Hossain said the process of awarding this medal will start this year, and the conferment of this medal can start next year.

With a vision to improve nationwide power grid frequency, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Power Division jointly organised a workshop at the Power Division on Monday. Md Habibur Rahman, senior secretary of Power Division, Md Mahbubur Rahman, chairman of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and Ichiguchi Tomohide, chief representative of JICA Bangladesh office, attended the workshop along with relevant officials from the government and development partners. Following the grid failure and countrywide blackout incident on October 4, 2022, JICA conducted a study to prevent blackouts and improve grid stability. In the report, the JICA study team shared their findings and recommended several short-term, mid-term, and long-term countermeasures to improve power quality. The power grid of Bangladesh needs to be immediately prepared for more sophisticated power sources like the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, which is scheduled to evacuate about 2400 MW of power through the national grid in the coming years. According to the Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan, a large number of grid- and household-level renewable energy sources are also expected, further adding to the complexity. At the workshop, participants discussed these issues, their proposed solutions, as mentioned in the report, and their practical implications. Upgradation of the National Load Dispatch Centre, capacity development of the officials, and several other mid- and long-term activities are also proposed in the report. During the workshop, Ichiguchi Tomohide said, “Reliable and quality power is vital to attracting foreign and domestic investors to expand their businesses in Bangladesh. “Hence, power stability is crucial for rapid industrialization and sustaining high economic growth for the country,” he said.

Speakers at a seminar laid emphasis on effective mass response against osteoporosis. “Osteoporosis is a silent killer, and we need to build strong public awareness to prevent this," said Prof. Dr. Abul Khair Mohammad Salek, Chairman of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department of BSMMU. The scientific seminar was held on Monday in the capital’s Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) to mark the relaunch of the country’s very first calcium supplement brand containing calcium carbonate. Sandocal, the calcium supplement brand from Novartis, is once again available in the Bangladesh market, it was informed. BGMEA calls for policy support to maintain RMG industry’s competitiveness Multiple eminent healthcare professionals from the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Department of BSMMU graced the event with their presence. Prof. Md. Moniruzzaman Khan, Pro VC of BSMMU, and Prof. Dr. Abul Khair Mohammad Salek, Chairman of the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Department of BSMMU, joined the event, along with Fahmid Wasik Ali, Managing Director of Novartis (Bangladesh) Limited. The role of calcium supplements in the management of osteoporosis was majorly highlighted during the scientific discussions at the event. Industry experts also appraised the success of Sandocal in this regard.   Sandocal was the first-ever calcium supplement introduced in Bangladesh by Novartis in 1997. The Swiss pharmaceutical company’s heritage dates back to 1927, when it pioneered the foundation of modern calcium therapy by introducing the first-ever human calcium supplement in the world, setting a precedent for nearly 100 years. Prof. Dr. Salek underlined the need for an effective mass response against osteoporosis. Novartis representatives also emphasized their commitment to ensuring access to quality medicines, including Sandocal, for patients in Bangladesh.    

Amid drivers’ protest against ban on battery-run three-wheelers, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday said these vehicles will be allowed to ply Dhaka roads only. Considering the suffering of the low-income people, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has permitted the movement of battery-run three-wheelers only on the Dhaka city roads, Quader said at a programme at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital. Drivers stage demonstration for day 2 against ban on battery-run three-wheelers However, the battery-run rickshaws will not ply the 22 highways as per the earlier decision, he added. Earlier on May 15, the minister instructed the authorities concerned to take steps to stop the movement of battery-run three-wheelers on the roads in Dhaka city. The ban on the three-wheelers sparked violent protests by drivers in different areas of the capital including Mirpur, Pallabi, Rampura and Demra on Sunday and Monday.  Half-day road, waterway blockade called by UPDF underway in Rangamati Demanding the withdrawal of the ban, the drivers staged demonstrations blocking roads in different areas, vandalised some vehicles and set fire to a police box at Kalshi in Mirpur.

Drivers of battery-run three wheelers staged demonstration blocking roads in Dhaka’s Rampura and Demra Staff Quarter areas for the second consecutive day on Monday demanding withdrawal of a ban on the movement of the vehicle in the capital. Vehicular movement remained suspended for around one hour in the areas, causing immense suffering to commuters. Ariful Islam, assistant commissioner (traffic-north) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said three-wheeler drivers took to the Rampur road and started chanting slogans against the government decision around 10:30am. Paltan and Sayedabad-bound buses from Rampur remained could not move due to the demonstrations, he said, adding that later the protesters headed towards Malibagh’s Abul Hotel. Vehicular movement returned to normal around 11:30pm, he added. He informed that hundreds of vehicles got stuck on Khilgaon and Malibagh flyovers due to the demonstration. Moreover, three-wheeler drivers took to Hajjinagar Road in the Demra Staff Quarter area and blocked it by putting barricades around 10am. The drivers also tried to vandalise vehicles but failed, said Mostain Billah Ferdous, assistant commissioner of Demra Traffic under the DMP. On Sunday, several hundred three-wheeler drivers gathered in the Mirpur-10 intersection to press home their demand. They staged demonstration in Mirpur, Pallabi, Agargaon, Taltola, Kalshi and Mirpur-13 areas. Earlier on Wednesday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader instructed the authorities concerned to take steps to stop the movement of battery-run three wheelers on the roads in Dhaka city.

A 56-year-old woman was killed by a wild elephant in Lohagara upazila of Chattogram last night. The incident occurred at 9 pm in Hanif's Para, near the western side of the Putibila Poharchanda Ashrayan Project in Lohagara Upazila. The deceased, Hamida Akter, was the wife of late Nazir Hossain from the area. Local Union Parishad member Abdul Mannan said that the woman was walking to a shop after Esha prayers when she encountered the wild elephant on the road. The elephant struck her with its trunk, causing severe injuries. Local residents attempted to rescue her, but she died on the way to the hospital, he said. Lohagara Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Rashedul Alam, confirmed the incident saying that a police team was sent to the scene upon receiving the news of the attack.

Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun on Sunday said that Bangladesh police has been working as 'Smart Police'. "We are working towards making Bangladesh Police a smart police," the IGP said while talking to local journalists in Sylhet on Sunday. The police chief said the police recruitment process has been modernized; Curriculum of various training institutes has been modernized. The use of information technology in the investigation of cases is increasing, he added, saying, "We are working to ensure the high quality of professionalism of Bangladesh Police as a whole." The top officer of the police force also said that a stable law and order situation is a prerequisite for the development of a country. The members of the police force are striving to maintain law and order in the country by fulfilling their duties with devotion. Earlier, the IGP inaugurated the Operations Control Room of Sylhet Range as well as the 'Bangabandhu Corner' at Sylhet District Superintendent of Police. Later he participated in a special welfare meeting as the chief guest along with officers and forces of all units working in Sylhet division. DIG (Sylhet Range)  Shah Mizan Shafiur Rahman, Sylhet Metropolitan Police' Commissioner Md Zakir Hossain Khan, Sylhet District SP Md Abdullah Al Mamun and other senior officials were present.

The second phase of the country’s sixth Upazila Parishad election will be held withthe balloting in 156 different districts in the country on Tuesday. The votes will be cast from 8:00am to 4:00pm without any recess. Some 1,824 candidates, including 603 chairman contenders are in the electoral race in the 156 upazila parishads, against a total of 468 posts –-chairman post, vice chairman and women vice chairman posts in each upazila. More than 3.52 crore voters – 1,79,05,464 males, 1,72,99,047 females and 237 transgender persons -- are registeredunder 13,016 polling stations in the 156  upazilas, according to the factsheet provided by the Election Commission on Sunday. Among them, the electronic voting machines will be used at 24 upazilas in nine districts, while the traditional ballot papers in the rest upazilas. On April 02, the Election Commission announced the election schedule for 161 upazila parishads in the second phase. But all the candidates in two upazilas –  Cumilla Adarsha Sadar and Raozan in Chattogram– have already been elected uncontested, finding no rival contestant for their respective posts. Besides, the elections to five other upazilas were postponed on different grounds, but two upazilas were included afresh for the second phase. The polls to Babuganj, Wazirpur and Banaripara upazilas in Barishal district were deferred to the 4th phase, but Muladi and Hizla upazilas in Barishal were incorporated in the second phase. The elections to Moulvibazar Sadar upazila and Ruma upazila in Bandarban were postponed due to administrative reasons and legal complexities respectively. A security team of 17-19 members would guard each polling station in the plain districts, while a security team of 19-21 members would protect a polling station in the Chittagong hill tracts and very remote areas. This time, the Election Commission is arranging the sixth Upazila Parishad election in four phases.  The commission has already declared the election schedule to hold polls in some 480 upazilas out of the country’s 495 Upazilas. The first phase election was held in 139 upazila parishads of 59 districts on May 08 last. The third phase election will be held in some 110 Upazilas on May 29 and 4th phase polls more than 50 upazilas on June 05.

Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said government efforts are underway to improve the E-waste management system in Bangladesh. E-waste management rules have been formulated and an e-waste management plant will be built under the BEST project, he said while talking to reporters after a meeting with Manisha Dogra, Senior Vice President of Telenor Asia, at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday. He also said the government is strongly committed to implementing a sustainable agenda that includes increasing energy efficiency, expanding the use of renewable energy, and reducing single-use plastics. Leather industry must embrace eco-friendliness to thrive: Saber Saber also said the government is working to build Bangladesh a Climate resilient country. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) targets will be revised soon, he said adding “The drafting of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines will be finalized by June.” He urged Telenor to continue collaboration to foster a greener Bangladesh. Manisha Dogra said Telenor Asia is committed to environmental sustainability and climate action in the region and is dedicated to supporting the Bangladesh government in its journey towards a sustainable future. Want to deepen ties with US to combat climate change: Saber During the meeting, discussions centered around efforts to address pressing environmental challenges to enhance sustainable development. Both parties expressed a shared vision for a greener, more resilient future.