United News of Bangladesh

On Wednesday, the start of Falgun, the eleventh month in the Bengali calendar and officially the start of the joyous Spring season of Bengal, falls on the same day as Valentine's Day, for the fifth year in a row.  Every year on February 13, the Bangladeshis used to celebrate Pahela Falgun, the second biggest festival in the Bengali calendar. However, in 2020, Bangla Academy changed the Bangla Calendar to align it with the Gregorian calendar, and Pahela Falgun was combined with Valentine's Day, which has always been celebrated on February 14. The country is now all prepared to welcome the first day of Falgun amid colourful celebrations and festive attires of yellow and red. Welcoming the king of all six seasons, which offers vivid sunlight and a mild temperature increase in the weather following the short-lived Winter season. Bangladeshi citizens will also celebrate Valentine’s Day with their loved ones tomorrow, keeping pace with the rest of the world, to symbolise and celebrate love among their beloveds. Although the added festivities of Pahela Falgun brought a new and refreshing tone to the day, netizens especially the youths have been observing the day for the last couple of decades now as a mandatory opportunity for celebration. The tradition of celebrating the Pahela Falgun in Bangladesh started in the Bengali calendar year 1401. Since then, the Jatiya Bawshonto Utsab Udyapan Parishad has been celebrating Pahela Falgun regularly with jovial cultural festivity at the Bakultala of Charukala (Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art) in the morning. This year, the organisation will begin the Pahela Falgun festivities in Charukala Bakultala at 7 am and 3 pm with two different seasons. It will also host similar festivities in the afternoon on the open stage at Uttara Rabindra Sarani and Bahadur Shah Park in the capital. Different organisations including the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) and many other organisations, institutions and businesses will be celebrating this year’s festive February 14 with multiple festivities, BSA will greet the day with a special dance recital titled ‘Bawshanto Nrittyo’ in the capital’s Ramna Park at 3:30 pm with 225 dance artists. A festive procession will be heading to the BSA premises after that, and the cultural event at the open premises of the academy will feature musical performances, recitations, dance recitals and choreography of Spring-themed Bengali fashion.  Minister of Housing and Public Works, RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury will join the event as the chief guest, while Cultural Affairs Secretary Khalil Ahmed will join as the special guest. The ongoing Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2024 at Bangla Academy and Suhrawardi Udyan already observed an influx of crowds on the long-standing usual day of Pahela Falgun in the past, and the book-sellers and fair authorities are expecting an even bigger crowd on Wednesday amid the festivities. As per the Valentine’s Day specials, several top entertainment artists are releasing multiple new songs, dramas and OTT content to entertain their fans on this festive day. Television channels, OTT platforms, FM Radio stations, social media platforms and YouTube content creators are also scheduled to air special programmes marking the occasion.  To make it even more memorable for couples and FnF (friends and family), several restaurants, resorts, five-star hotels, and dining establishments are also offering appealing packages on this festive day.    

The Executive Committee of National Economic Council on Tuesday approved a project for providing freelancing training to educated and young jobseekers in 48 districts involving Tk 299.99 crore, aiming to create employment opportunities. The approval came from the Ecnec meeting presided over by Ecnec chair and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the NEC Conference Room in the city. The Ecnec approved total nine development projects, including the one on freelancing training , involving a total of Tk 4,453 crore. Focus on rural dev along with infrastructure: PM Hasina tells ECNEC The project tilted “Employment Generation through Freelancing Training for Educated Youth Jobseekers in 48 Districts” will be implemented by December, 2026. “Today 10 projects were placed in the meeting. Of them, nine projects were approved,” said Planning Division Senior Secretary Satyajit Karmaker at a press briefing. The overall estimated cost of nine projects is Tk 4,453.21 crore (only additional costs of three revised projects counted here), he said. Of the cost, Tk 3,909.21 crore to be drawn from the government’s fund, while Tk 289.57 crore from the own funds of the organizations concerned and the rest Tk 254.43 crore as foreign loan, said the Planning secretary. Ecnec nods 44 projects worth Tk 39,094 crore The other fresh projects include “Development of Important Rural Infrastructures in Dhaka District”with Tk 1,123.40 crore to be implemented by December, 2027, Extension of the operations of PDBF, 2nd phase involving with Tk 529.61 crore; Integrating Climate Change Adaptation into Sustainable Development Pathways of Bangladesh with Tk 60.99 crore; Smart prepaid metering (2nd phase) for West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited areas with Tk 761.31 crore; and Construction of new buildings of ACC divisional offices of Khulna, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet and upward extension of Mymensingh divisional office with Tk 133.48 crore. Three revised projects are Establishment of Super Specialized Hospital (2nd revised) under BSMMU with an additional cost of Tk 151.39 crore; Climate Resilient Infrastructure Mainstreaming Project (CRIMP) (1st revised) with an additional cost of Tk 290.65 crore; and Urban Resilience Project (URP): Project Coordination and Monitoring Unit (PCMU), 4th revised with an additional cost of Tk 3.31 crore. Besides, the meeting extended the timeframe for Secondary Education Sector Investment Programme (3rd revised) till December 2024. But the first revision of Sewerage System Installation (Phase-I) of Chattogram City Project didn’t get clearance in the meeting. In the meeting, the Prime Minister put emphasis on taking concerted steps for disbursement of foreign loans and grants in pipeline without any hassle, said the planning secretary. She asked the authorities concerned to give utmost importance to the section process of projects and speedy completion of the ongoing projects.  

The Ministry of Commerce has declared 77 industries as winners of the National Export Trophy for the fiscal year 2021-22. Among them, Rifat Garments Ltd is set to receive the highest award, the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Export Trophy, according to a notification on Monday. State recognitions are given to different manufacturing sectors for bringing the highest export proceeds in the country each year. The companies will be awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals in different categories. Tarafder Sohel Rahman, deputy secretary, of the Ministry of Commerce signed a notification in this regard.  In the ready-made garment sector (Oven), Windy Apparels won Gold, Apparel Gallery Silver, and Chittagong Asian Apparels Bronze trophy. Govt okays project to provide freelancing training to youths in 48 districts In Readymade Apparel (Knitwear) Liberty Knitwear won Gold, Divine Intimates Silver, Flamingo Fashions Bronze Trophy. In the yarn category, Badsha Textiles won the Gold, Square Textiles Silver, and Kamal Yarn Bronze trophy. In the Textile Fabrics sector, Nice Denim Mills bagged Gold, Ha-Meem Denim got Silver and Four H Dyeing & Printing got the Bronze trophy. Commodity Sector Home and Specialized Textiles category Jaber & Jobair Fabrics got Gold, Momtex Expo got Silver, and ACS Textiles (Bangladesh) got Bronze trophy. In the Terry towel sector, Noman Terry Towel Mills gets the gold trophy and ACS Towel gets the silver trophy. In the frozen food sector, Pict Fish Processing Industries bagged the Gold, Priam Fish Export Silver, and MUC Foods the Bronze trophy. In the raw jute sector- Popular Jute Exchange gets Gold, Tasfia Jute Trading Silver, and International Jute Traders get the Bronze trophy. Janata Jute Mills gets gold and Akiz Jute Mills silver trophy in the jute products category. Picard Bangladesh gets gold and ABC Footwear Industries silver trophy in the leather goods category. In the footwear sector, Bay Footwear got Gold, Edison Footwear got Silver, and FB Footwear got the Bronze trophy. In the agricultural products sector (excluding tobacco), Indigo Corporation bagged gold, Mansoor General Trading Co. silver, and CSS International bagged the bronze trophy. HRFB demands justice over domestic worker’s death at journalist’s residence Habiganj Agro bagged Gold, Pran Agro Silver, and Pran Foods Bronze trophy in the Agro Processing Products category (excluding tobacco products). On the other hand, in the handicrafts sector, Karupanya Rangpur got gold, BD Creation got silver and Classical Handmade Products BD got the Bronze trophy. Melamine gets a gold trophy in durable plastic category while Silver and Bronze are not awarded in this category. In the plastic products sector, AllPlast Bangladesh Ltd got gold, Akiz Biox Films got silver and Banga Plastics International got the Bronze trophy. In the Ceramics category, Shinepukur Ceramics gets Gold, Artisan Ceramics Silver, and Pratik Ceramics Bronze trophy. In the light engineering sector, M&U Cycles bagged gold, Meghna Bangladesh silver, and Rangpur Metal Industries Bronze trophy. Walton Hi-Tech Industries Plc bagged the Gold and BRB Cable Industries got the Silver trophy in the Electrical & Electronics Products category. In the other industrial products category, Marine Safety Systems bagged Gold, Asia Metals Marine Services Silver, and Tasnim Chemical Complex won the Bronze trophy. In the pharmaceutical sector, Beximco Pharmaceuticals bagged Gold, Incepta Pharmaceuticals Silver, and Square Pharmaceuticals Bronze trophy. Service Engine gets gold and Golden Harvest Infotech silver trophy in the computer software category. Universal Jeans got Gold, Pacific Jeans got Silver, and Shasha Denims got the Bronze Trophy in the 100 percent Bangladeshi Owned (C Category) Manufactured Garment Industry Sector (Knit & Oven) under EPZ. In the packaging and accessories product category, Montrims bagged the silver and Uniglory Paper & Packaging the Bronze trophy. Bangladesh Safe Food Authority proposes new regulations to combat misleading food advertisements In other primary product categories, Hair Style Factory bagged the gold trophy, Roy Trade International got the silver and Eco Fresh International got the Bronze trophy. In the other services sector, Expo Freight gets the gold trophy and Mir Telecom gets the silver trophy. Besides, in the sector reserved for women entrepreneurs or exporters, Pioneer Knitwears (BD) got the gold trophy, Beacon Knitwear got the silver trophy and Ibrahim Knit Garments got the bronze trophy.

The Human Rights Forum Bangladesh (HRPB), a human rights body,  has expressed deep concern and demand fair probe into the death of a domestic worker after falling from the eight-floor of the building in the city's Mohammadpur. Priti Urang, 15-year-old daughter of  tea worker of Mittinga village in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar district Lokesh Urang, used to work as domestic help at the house of Daily Star executive editor Syed Ashfaqul Haque in the capital’s Mohammadpur and died falling from journalist’s flat on February 7. Police arrested journalist Ashfaqul and his wife Tania Khandaker on that day. Effects of Domestic Violence on Children A court also sent them to jail after rejecting their bail petition. The court permitted police to interrogate them at the jail gate for three days. Prity had been working at the house of Ashfaqul for two years. Meanwhile, the HRFB also placed some demands to ensure security of the domestic workers. These are—stopping use of children as domestic help, taking initiative from both the government and private organisations in this regard, implementing the House help safety and welfare policy 2015 and to enact a law, enlist the work of domestic workers under risk sector and taking  effective steps to strengthen the registration process of domestic workers from the state-run organisations. Twitter, UN Women team up to provide life-saving info to domestic violence survivors Besides, Naripakkho, a women rights organization, demanded a fair probe into the death of Priti and punishment of those involved in the death. It also urged the government to take steps so that the culprits do not get acquittal using power and effective steps to stop recurrence of such incident. Tea workers on Sunday demanded a fair investigation into the death of Priti Urang. During a programme, Priti's parents told the gathering that Priti went to work at the Daily Star executive editor Ashfaqul Haque's house through Moulvibazar district correspondent representative of the newspaper Mintu Deshwara. MJF expresses concern over rising domestic violence From the beginning, they lost touch with her. In two years, they could not meet her even once. “On the day of Priti's death, Mintu Deshwara asked us to come to Srimangal," said Lokesh, the father. "When Srimangal came, he said Priti was seriously ill and was taken to Dhaka. After going there, we were directly taken to the police station and heard the news of the girl's death. I came home with the dead body of the girl from the police station.” "We don't even know whether our case has been registered at the police station. We just want justice for our daughter's murder," he said. Speakers said that instead of sending the child Priti to school, tea garden journalist Mintu Deshwara, who works for the Daily Star, sent her to work at the residence of Syed Ashfaqul Haque, executive editor of the same newspaper.

A fire broke out last night in Sadar upazila of Gaibandha, resulting in the destruction of at least 12 shops, encompassing a range of businesses including a grocery store, pharmacy, clothing outlets, and a salon. The fire is believed to have started around 11:30 pm in one of the grocery shops located in Dariapur Bazar, according to Nasim Reza, the station officer of Gaibandha Fire Service and Civil Defence. The fire quickly spread to adjacent shops, causing widespread damage. Upon receiving information about the incident, a team of firefighters from the local station, assisted by local residents and others, responded promptly to the scene. They managed to bring the blaze under control by around 1 am. While the exact cause of the fire remains undetermined, initial estimates suggest that the damages could amount to approximately Tk 1.5 crore. The incident has left the local community and shop owners grappling with the sudden loss, as investigations continue to ascertain the specific origin and cause of the fire.

In a significant move towards ensuring food safety and consumer protection, the Bangladesh Safe Food Authority (BFSA) hosted a meeting on Monday to present and solicit feedback on the "Safe Food (Advertisement and Claims) Regulations, 2024." Held in the BFSA training room, the gathering aimed at refining the draft regulation, which comprises 16 comprehensive articles addressing various aspects of food advertising and claims. Under the proposed regulation, penalties will be imposed for false advertising, use of language that offends community sentiments, obscene content, and false superiority claims about food products. The draft meticulously outlines conditions for advertising, including nutrition and no-salt claims, use of additives, health support claims, and prohibited claims. It also details the process for handling advertising complaints and the penalties for non-compliance. Read: Ghorer Bazar offers safe food products, focusing on health, sustainability Abdul Qayyum Sarkar, Chairman of the BFSA, chaired the meeting and encouraged the integration of stakeholder feedback into the final regulations. The session featured discussions led by notable participants, including Rezaul Karim, former BFSA member, and Nazma Begum, who delivered the welcoming address. Highlighting the regulations' objectives, Nazma Begum stated, "These regulations aim to halt misleading or inaccurate advertisements by considering consumer demands and adhering to Codex principles." Read: Ensure safe food: Food minister Professor Razia Begum of Dhaka University's Department of Marketing emphasized the importance of strict enforcement and broad media dissemination post-implementation. The event saw active participation from representatives of various food establishments, who contributed their insights, with the BFSA assuring consideration of all input received. Nazneen Akhter, a scientific officer at the BFSA, presented the keynote, while the meeting was moderated by Sheikh Ferdous Arafat, a law officer at the authority. This initiative represents a critical step toward enhancing food safety standards and consumer trust in Bangladesh. Read more: First 'Safe Food Carnival' in the country starts from Feb 8

Visa applications from Bangladesh in 2023 continued to remain strong. According to VFS Global, the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, visa applications from Bangladesh in 2023 rose by 195% compared to 2022. Even in comparison to the pre-pandemic period of 2019, visa application volumes last year rose by two-fold (233%). “We continued to witness unprecedented demand from Bangladesh and the entire South Asia region as a whole in 2022, which led to an extended peak outbound travel season with steady volumes witnessed until December. We remain committed to providing exceptional customer service through technology-led, seamless, highly secure, and reliable solutions,” said Santanu Bhattacharya, Head, Bangladesh, VFS Global, on Monday. Bhattarcharya added that applicants must be wary of fake websites and social media pages impersonating VFS Global and selling appointments in exchange for money. “Appointments are free and available only on www.vfsglobal.com on a first-come, first-served basis. As a responsible service provider, we will continue to create awareness against the menace and urge applicants to plan their travel early.” Another defining trend noticed in travellers’ behaviour was the wider adoption of personalised service, which began since the pandemic. Bookings for premium optional services such as Visa At Your Doorstep (VAYD), which enables travellers to book the entire visa experience at a location, recorded a 195% increase in 2023 in comparison to 2022. Premium Lounge, another optional service that enables personalised assistance at the visa application centre, also registered 134% growth. The company caters to 16 client governments in Bangladesh, with visa application centres in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet.

Shafiul Alam, a resident of Ghumdhum’s Jalpaitoli, a once quiet village in the border district of Bandarban, is now counting his days wracked by a complex cocktail of human emotions. His life took an unexpected turn on February 5, as his mother lost her life when a stray mortar shell fired from Myanmar landed in their under-construction house, which also left his two children with shrapnel wounds on their feet, and took the life of a Rohingya construction worker. He is not even in a situation to grieve properly as he has to think about how to treat his children with little to no help. The children only survived as they were inside their home at the time, while their grandmother was serving lunch to the construction worker.   2 SSC exam centres along BD-Myanmar border relocated Bandarban's Deputy Commissioner Shah Mojahid Uddin and Superintendent of Police Saikat Shahin later paid a visit to the family. A mere donation of Tk 20,000 was offered as immediate assistance, but the bereaved family expressed dissatisfaction with the government's support process.  Their plea is clear: they seek international intervention to ensure justice and an end to their current situation of fearing for their lives every moment of the day. Shafiul is not alone, the repercussions of Myanmar's civil war extend beyond Shafiul's family. Thousands of bordering residents of the country are now passing each day fearing for their lives. Don’t want to share specific date but Myanmar security forces to go back soon: Hasan Mahmud In Tumbru and surrounding areas, at least 12 people have been shot and injured, their suffering further exacerbated by the lack of medical treatment and government support. The victims are now only pleading for assistance, to save their lives which reveals a bitter reality of the toll that geopolitical strife takes on ordinary lives. Unidentified man’s body found along Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Cox’s Bazar

Independent MP AK Azad on Monday (February 12, 2024) demanded a list of those who have laundered money abroad taking loans from banks be placed in Parliament. Azad, who was elected MP for the first time, came up with the demand while participating in the discussion on the thanksgiving motion on the President’s speech. He said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is totally against corruption and Awami League's manifesto also cited that. “First of all, good governance will have to be established in the banking sector,” Azad said. Read more: Bangladesh Bank sets an 11-point roadmap to realise default loans Welcoming Bangladesh Bank's roadmap for reforming the banking sector, Azad, also President of Newspapers Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), said the amount of defaulted loans in Bangladesh is around Tk 1,45,633 crore. “But in reality, the amount is much more. But through write off, the amount of debt is shown less. Those who have taken loans and invested in factories and failed to repay, may be exempted subject to investigation,” he said. He demanded to bring to justice those who did not invest loan money in any business, and instead laundered the money. “They made home at Begum Para, and second homes. Their list should be published in the parliament,” he demanded. Read more: Bank MDs working under increased stress due to default loans, board interference: Experts He also commented that Bangabandhu's dream will not be realised unless they are brought under the law. The independent MP said that those who looted banks are responsible for the rise in commodity prices and inflation. Azad said that he wants to be accountable to the countrymen and voters through this parliament. Azad also said he wants to make the parliament effective and lively through constructive criticism of the government. He expected cooperation of the Speaker in this regard. Read more: Businesses should get opportunities to turn around before wholesale declaration of loan defaulters: FBCCI President

While agriculture is vital for people's livelihood and employment in Bangladesh its contribution to the economy has reduced to 11.22 percent  from 17 percent over the last one decade till 2020, speakers said on Monday. They said NGOs are working as catalysts to support the government, especially in disseminating knowledge of improved agricultural techniques. It was told at an event titled ‘Improved Agricultural Practices in Char and Haor and What More to Do’ jointly hosted by USAID’s Strengthening Household Ability to Respond to Development Opportunities (SHOUHARDO) III Plus Activity of CARE Bangladesh and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Gazipur, at the BSMRAU campus on Monday. Residents of remote border village feel helpless in crossfire of geopolitics USAID’s Strengthening Household Ability to Respond to Development Opportunities (SHOUHARDO) III Plus Activity of CARE Bangladesh has researched five agricultural practices on which they worked in 8 districts of the Char and Haor regions. The programme was organised to disseminate the research findings. At the event, the speakers discussed how improved agricultural practices enabled the poor and extremely poor people to improve their livelihoods and to what extent, according to a press release. Professor Tofayel Ahamed, Treasurer of BSMRAU, said, “We at BSMRAU want to work with CARE Bangladesh in the future and collaborate for a better future for development, especially for agriculture.” A panel discussion addressed the government's actions, inputs from academia and other players in the sector, and the existing gaps. Publish list of loan defaulters who laundered money abroad in JS: AK Azad Stressing the importance of collaboration for a SMART Bangladesh at the peak of climate-associated vulnerabilities, Ramesh Singh, Country Director of CARE Bangladesh, said, “It is important to collect and curate all the good practices. This collaboration of research and action between the NGOs and academia is very important.” In a time of dire need for adaptation in agricultural practices, Marc Nosbach, the Chief of Party, SHOUHARDO III Plus, CARE Bangladesh, urged everyone to “act now for climate change and address the climate crises.” “We need to work jointly to make adaptation quicker,” he said. Climate change affects all agricultural practices worldwide, and Bangladesh is no exception. Research organisations in Bangladesh, including the universities, are working continuously to bring new and improved varieties of crops to combat climatic effects like drought, cold, and salinity. The participants also discussed the specific varieties and techniques used in the char and haor regions for tackling these issues. Lead panelist Professor Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam, BSMRAU, said: “Agricultural technology could not be adapted as a standalone object; it must match the environmental and climatic conditions.” Chair of the Event, Professor Dr. Md. Abiar Rahman, Director (Research), BSMRAU, sai: “We especially thank CARE Bangladesh for organising the event here. We have to find more opportunities to work with development organisations like CARE. We must identify the needs of the farmers so the right intervention can be taken.” New book 'Thorny Path of Journalism' launched Researcher Dr. Faisal Kabir brought attention on how SHOUHARDO III Plus Activity worked to disseminate the knowledge of improved agricultural practices among the uninformed poor and extrem poor of the char and haor regions. He has shown transformative changes in five agricultural practices--adaptive rice varieties, homestead gardening, cattle farming/loft goat rearing, hatching basket, and hand pollination, and increase of income.