United News of Bangladesh

BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Ray on Tuesday called upon people from all walks of life to put a resistance against rapists and perpetrators of violence against women. "We are encouraged by people’s protest against it (rape of a woman on campus on Jahangirnagar University campus)…Such violence against a woman means I say, Bangladesh is raped.. so, no more protest, it’s a time to put up a resistance,” he said. Speaking at a human chain programme, he also denounced the incident of rape of a woman on the Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus allegedly by some members of Chhatra League after confining her husband to a dorm room on Saturday night. Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member said the country and its people will no longer remain safe if the current government stays in power. Nari O Shishu Odhikar Forum, a pro-BNP platform, formed the human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club in protest against the violence against women and the rape incident on the JU campus. Speaking at the programme, another BNP standing committee member Selima Rahman the human it is now imperative to build a social resistance against the oppressors of women and rapists. She called upon the students and youth to wake up and take to the streets to ensure the safety of women and protect the country from misrule. BNP vice-chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo said the main features of the current illegal government are indulging in murder, enforced disappearance, torture, rape and snatching people's rights and destroying the economy. He said it will not be possible to save the nation from rape, persecution, killing and enforced disappearance until the current government is ousted from power. “The fall of this regime must be ensured. I hope that our party's top leaders will soon give programmes to restore democracy and people’s rights by unseating the current government,” the BNP leader said.

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad A Arafat said a policy will be formulated for advertisement of online mass media. The State Minister said this while exchanging views with the officials of the Department of Films and Publications at the Information Building on Circuit House Road in the capital on Tuesday. At the time, the state minister said there should be a policy to fix government advertisement rates for online newspapers and news portals. Necessary steps will be taken to formulate a policy in this regard. Director General of the Department of Films and Publications SM Golam Kibria; Bangladesh Film Censor Board Vice-Chairman Khaleda Begum and senior officials of the Department of Film and Publication (DFP) were present at the time. During the exchange of views, the state minister also said the development activities of the government will have to reach more effectively to the people of the country and the world through the Department of Films and Publications. Now technology has advanced a lot, people's thinking has changed. Keeping these issues in mind, new issues have to be added to the work of the department. Steps will be taken to amend the Printing Presses and Publications (Declaration and Registration) Act, 1973, if necessary, he said. Earlier, the state minister visited the exhibition and sales centre, museum and library of the Department of Films and Publications.

Egyptian Ambassador to Bangladesh Omar Fahmy paid a courtesy call to Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury at the latter’s office here in the city. During the meeting, they discussed different issues of mutual interest, bilateral parliamentary relations between the two countries, parliamentary alliance groups, parliamentary activities and development of the two countries. Read: 500 brick kilns identified as most polluting: Minister  The Speaker said the Bangladesh-Egypt parliamentary friendship group can be formed during the current 12th parliament of Bangladesh as it would play an important role in maintaining good relations between the people of both the countries. She said the two countries will benefit from mutual cooperation and exchange of experience and visits of parliamentarians following the formation of the friendship group. The ambassador said Egypt sincerely believes that Bangladesh is their friendly country. Egypt and Bangladesh have a historical relationship. Read: Some 257,000 acres of forest lands grabbed: Environment Minister    He requested the Bangladesh National Parliament to stand by Egypt. The Egyptian envoy congratulated Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on her reelection as the Speaker, said a Parliament release.  

Neighboring Nepal has sent a tariff proposal to Bangladesh to export 40 MW of electricity. According to a report of a new Nepalese daily “The Kathmandu Post”, the tariff of per unit electricity (each kilowatt hour) is below Nepalese Rupee 10. One (1) Nepalese Rupee equivalent to Bangladesh Tk 0.83. “We recently sent a tariff proposal to the Bangladeshi side in a sealed envelope,” said Pradeep Kumar Thike, the deputy managing director who oversees power trade at the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). “The rate that we have proposed is approximately equivalent to the rate that we are charging India under a five-year power purchase agreement,” he told the Nepalese daily. He, however, said he doesn’t want to divulge the actual tariff the NEA has proposed. “But based on a five-year long power purchase agreement signed between the NEA and the Indian NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN) Limited back in May last year, the tariff could be below Rs10 per unit. In September last year, the southern neighbour granted Nepal an approval to sell 110MW of power generated by the 83.42MW Solu Khola (Dudh Koshi) and 26.19MW Dordi Khola Hydropower Project to India as per the agreement signed between the NEA and NVVN Limited. According to NEA officials, tariff is the final part of the ongoing negotiation with Bangladesh regarding the sale of 40MW. Earlier, Bangladesh’s Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in a meeting on December 6 last year approved a proposal in principle to import the power from the Himalayan nation. However, the tariff of the Nepalese electricity was not disclosed in the meeting as this proposal will be placed next in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP). Earlier on August 28 this year, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said that import of hydropower from Nepal was almost final. There was a plan to import electricity from Nepal before the winter so that in return Bangladesh can get the opportunity to export its surplus electricity to Nepal during peak demand in winter in the Himalayan nation. Electricity demand decreases during winter in Bangladesh while it increases in Nepal. According to official sources, after a long discussion at political and bureaucratic levels among the countries, India finally agreed to allow Bangladesh to initially import 40 MW electricity from Nepal through Indian transmission infrastructure. Sources said the decision to start the import of 40 MW power from Nepal was finalised in a two-day meeting of the joint steering committee (JSC) and joint working committee (JWC) on Bangladesh-Nepal power and energy sector cooperation on May 14-15 this year in Patuakhali in Bangladesh. Ahead of the meeting, Nepalese Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud visited Dhaka and held a meeting with Bangladeshi public and private sector officials where he urged them to invest in the hydropower sector in the Himalayan nation, holding about 60,000 MW of clean energy potentials. Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain said that 40 MW electricity will be imported through Baharampur-Bheramara transmission lines which have enough capacity to import electricity from Nepal through Indian territory. Sources said under the planned arrangement, Bangladesh will import electricity from Nepal through an Indian company as a service provider which will first import electricity from Nepal through an Indian transmission line and then sell it to Bangladesh. They said Bangladesh and Nepal prefer a tripartite or regional agreement while India wants a bilateral deal in this regard. Currently, Bangladesh is importing electricity from India through a similar arrangement where the Indian company NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN) is selling power to BPDB. In case of electricity trade between Dhaka and Kathmandu, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) will have to sign agreements with both NVVN and BPDB. Apart from the 40 MW import plan, Bangladesh wants to import 500 MW of hydroelectricity from Nepal via Indian company GMR. Officials said Bangladesh and Nepal are still pursuing India to sign the tripartite deal to facilitate the sub-regional power trade among the three nations.    

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said the International Labour Organization (ILO) has said it would be better if the amendment to the labour law is discussed more instead of hurrying to pass it. He said this while replying to questions from reporters after a meeting with an ILO delegation at the conference room of the Law Ministry at the Secretariat on Tuesday. In response to a question, the law minister said, “Today we sat about amending the labor law. Earlier, when I sat down, the Ministry of Labour informed me about bringing some new amendments in the amendments that were mentioned. Moreover, the ILO also requested some statements in this regard." “A four-member ILO team from Geneva also joined the meeting virtually on Tuesday. Almost every section of the labour law was discussed in the meeting. We wanted the labour law to be passed in the current session of parliament. But the ILO delegation said it would be better if more could be done by discussing and not rushing,” he also said. “I told them clearly that an allegation has been pending against us in the ILO for the last three years. Every March, it is said that it will not be decided in March, it will be decided in November. Again in November, it is said that it will not happen this time, it will be in March. That is why I have made it clear that if you say in the meeting of the governing body in March, it will go again in November. “We are not ready to accept that. If we can enact the Comprehensive Labour Act with their advice, it will not be an obstacle to discussing our grievances this March, but it will have a positive impact on the discussions we are holding,” Anisul added.

Police recovered the body of a teenage domestic help from in front of a multi-storey building at Shahjahan Road of Mohammadpur in Dhaka on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Preeti, 15, hailing from Moulvibazar district. Youth’s body cut into nine pieces recovered; ex-BCL leader, 4 others arrested Being informed, Mohammadpur Thana police recovered the body at around 8 am and later, it was sent to Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for post-mortem. Quoting locals, police said that Preeti's body was found in front of the building. Later, locals informed the police, and police recovered the body. Woman's dismembered body recovered in BrahmanbariaOfficer-in-charge (OC) of Mohammadpur Police Station Mahfuzul Haque said that Preeti had been working at the flat of Syed Ashfaqul Haque, executive editor of The Daily Star, who said that the domestic help died after falling from the building. Haque and his wife have been brought to the police station and they were being interrogated in connection with the incident, the OC said. Haque told police that they were sleeping when the incident happened. They woke up and came to know that Preeti's body was found in front of the building. Body found inside luggage at bus terminal in Faridpur "Investigation is being carried out," the OC said. "After completion of primary interrogation and investigation, we will come to know the reason behind the death." Haque and his wife were kept in custody in Mohammadpur police station till filing of this report.

Anti-Corruption Commission Secretary Mahbub Hossain on Tuesday said that the banking sector is being deprived of foreign currency equivalent to approximately Tk 100 crore every day due to illegal buying and selling of foreign currency. The ACC Secretary gave this information in a briefing to the journalists. He said that the ACC has found evidence that some money exchangers including Janata, Sonali, Agrani, Mutual Trust, Pubali, Prabasi Kalyan, Jamuna Bank inside the airport area are involved in illegal buying and selling of foreign currency worth more than Tk 100 crore every day and money laundering. Read: BB publishes a list of 39 firms to audit banks and finance companies He also said that after receiving information from intelligence sources and following a specific written complaint, an enforcement operation was conducted yesterday under the supervision of Deputy Director of the Commission Syed Nazrul Islam. After conducting the operation, an organized syndicate of banks and money exchangers involved in the black market of foreign currency was found. According to the ACC, the valuable remittances brought in cash and foreign currency by expatriate wage earners and air passengers at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport are supposed to be deposited in the national reserve through banking channels. But the unscrupulous bankers use the money of the bank without showing that it is collected in the banking channel and sell it in the market by themselves, which is later smuggled abroad again through money laundering. Thus the economic structure of the country is being damaged by smuggling valuable foreign currency of the country. He also said that usually every day thousands of expatriate workers and travelers from abroad come to Bangladesh through the airport.  "The foreign currency they bring with them is encashed in local currency Bangladeshi Taka) at bank booths and money exchangers at the airport. Foreign currency encashment vouchers are to be paid to the encasher as per laws, rules and regulations. But some officials of banks and money exchangers accept foreign currency directly without giving vouchers or with fake vouchers and give money in exchange," he added. He also added that they also issue unsigned, fake vouchers/encashment slips. Banks and money exchange institutions buying this foreign currency do not include it in their principal account/authorized account of the institution.  Read: 92 percent of registered companies did not file tax returns: NBR  As a result, all these foreign currencies are not added to the central reserve of foreign currency, as a result of which Bangladesh has a shortage or crisis of foreign currency, the secretary commented. The ACC raids involved Janata Bank, Sonali Bank, Agrani Bank, Mutual Trust Bank, Pubali Bank, Pravasi Kalyan Bank, Jamuna Bank etc. and some money exchange institutions, namely Etiya Money Exchange and Imperial Money Exchange, in illegal buying and selling of foreign currency and money laundering at the airport and found ita authenticity. The Secretary also informed the journalists that the ACC operation found information true regarding the illegally purchased Dollars, Euros, Rials, Ringgits, Pounds, Dinar and other foreign currencies and illegally supplying them to foreign currency smugglers, foreign currency black market and money laundering abroad from Bangladesh.  During the operation, the enforcement team of ACC has collected primary data evidence, multiple fake vouchers and unsigned vouchers related to purchase and sale of foreign currency by banks and money exchangers without encashment slips and collected important information about the institutions and other related individuals involved in illegal foreign currency buying and selling, smuggling and black market. The suspects and the involved bank officials are under the surveillance of the commission officials. Information about their patronizers and associates is also being collected on the orders of the commission, the secretary informed. He also informed that further legal action will be taken according to the Commission Act and Rules in this regard.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Faruk Khan said on Tuesday that aircraft would be purchased for national flag carrier Biman from the company, (Boeing or Airbus) that benefits Bangladesh. Replying to questions from reporters, the minister said, “The United States definitely wants to add more Boeing aircraft to Bangladesh Biman. But we would take the best decision considering everything, including financial and technical aspects. We will buy from the company, which will be beneficial for Bangladesh.” Haas visits CAAB HQ: US support sought for aviation sector The minister came up with the remarks after a meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas at his secretariat office on Tuesday. “We have worked together in the past to advance tourism and aviation in Bangladesh, and we have agreed to work together in the future. We asked them how the United States could do more to help us in these two areas,” said the minister. Increase revenue, quality of services at airports: Faruk Khan tells CAAB “In some cases, even if there is a difference of opinion, we (Bangladesh and USA) have resolved it by discussing it for the sake of friendship. We have discussed this with the ambassador so that we can further strengthen our partnership in the tourism and aviation industry, especially in New York, so that we can get back our air slots as soon as possible,” he added. US Ambassador Haas told reporters that the partnership between Bangladesh and the United States for the development of Bangladesh's tourism and aviation industries will continue to move forward. Bangladeshi-American professionals prime movers in shaping Dhaka-Washington ties: Faruk Khan He added that US airplane manufacturer Boeing has submitted its proposal for the purchase of new aircraft for Biman Bangladesh Airlines. “We want Boeing to be able to participate in the purchasing process, and this process should be done through fair competition.” “The issue of launching direct flights between Bangladesh and the United States was discussed. There is still some process left in this regard; we will help the Civil Aviation Authority and Bangladesh Biman to complete it quickly,” said the ambassador. Asked when the FAA audit on the launch of direct flights to New York could be completed, Faruk Khan said, “An audit team of ICAO is currently working at the Civil Aviation Authority. After they leave, we will invite the FAA for an audit at a convenient time. But that will be this year.”

Bangladesh Bank (BB) finally has published a list of 39 firms, including 8 new farms authorised to audit banks and finance companies. The central bank prepared a list of 31 chartered accountant firms that canceled some farms due to a lack of efficiency to audit banks and finance companies. Read: Bangladesh Bank sets an 11-point roadmap to realise default loans After being appealed by several audit farms, the BB allowed more 8 farms after a comprehensive review. The list of audit farms are-A. Qasem & Co, A Wahab & Co, ACNABIN, Ahmed Zaker & Co, Ahsan Manzur & Co, Anil Salam Idris & Co, Arun & Company, Aziz Halim Khair Choudhury, Basu Banerjee Nath & Co, Chowdhury Bhattacharjee & Co, Das Chowdhury Dutta & Co, Dewan Nazrul Islam & Co, G Kibria & Co, Hoda Vasi Chowdhury & Co, Hoque Bhattacharjee Das & Co, Howladar Yunus & Co, Hussain Farhad & Co, Islam Aftab Kamrul & Co, Islam Jahid & Co, K M Alam & Co, Kazi Zahir Khan & Co, Khan Wahab Shafique Rahman & Co,  M J Abedin & Co, M M Rahman & Co,  M Z Islam & Co, MABS & J Partners, Mahamud Sabuj & Co, Mahfel Huq & Co, Malek Siddiqui Wali, Masih Muhith Haque & Co, MRH Dey & Co, Nurul Faruk Hasan & Co, Pinaki & Company, Rahman Rahman Huq (KPMG), SK Barua & Co, Shafiq Basak & Co, Snehasish Mahmud & Co, Syful Shamsul Alam & Co, Zoha Zaman Kabir Rashid & Co.  

The government is going to set up state-of-the-art Research and Innovation Centers (RICs) in ten universities to empower the brightest minds to solve critical national problems through research and innovations with a distinct focus on market-oriented products. This university-based RICs will serve as a dynamic hub fostering collaborative research and innovation that would connect academia, industry and government to effectively address national challenges through groundbreaking initiatives. An agreement was signed in this regard on Tuesday at the Enhancing Digital Government and Economy (EDGE) project office at Mirpur Youth Tower between the World Bank financed EDGE Project of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under ICT Division and 10 universities, said a press release. EDGE Project Director Shakhawat Hossain, along with Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University (BSMRAAU) Air Vice Marshal A K M Manirul Bahar, Vice-Chancellor of Khulna University Mahmood Hossain, Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University Professor Dr A Q M Mahbub and Vice-Chancellor of Rangamati Science & Technology University Professor Dr Shelina Akhter and representatives from Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Jahangirnagar University, Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, and Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University separately signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations and universities. The function was addressed among others by ICT Secretary Md Shamsul Arefin, Executive Director of BCC Ranajit Kumar, vice chancellors, EDGE Project Director Shakhawat Hossain. Faruq Ahmed Jewel, Co-Team Leader of EDGE Project (component-3) presented a keynote paper citing objectives and goals for establishing RICs in the universities. ICT Secretary Md Shamsul Arefin said many universities are grappling with a funding crisis, hindering their ability to actively engage in cutting-edge research and innovation endeavors. “We are encouraging for establishment of a Corporate Research Responsibility Fund (CRRF) to mitigate the fund crisis for conducting research and innovation,” he said adding the industry, academia and government could play a pivotal role to create CRRF. The ICT Secretary said the establishment of RICs in the ten universities is an effort to encourage collaborative research and innovation that connects academia, industry and government to effectively address national challenges through groundbreaking initiatives.“We want to build state-of-the-art research and innovation ecosystem in the universities to empower brightest minds to solve critical national problems,” he said.