United News of Bangladesh

Gas supply will remain suspended for all categories of customers at different areas in the city for 12 hours from 9 am to 9 pm on Saturday for emergency works in the gas pipeline. According to Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution company Ltd, the areas where gas supply will remain off include Shanir Akhra, Baraitala, Chhapra Mosque, Dania, Jurain, Dholairpar and Kadmatoli. The adjoining areas may experience low pressure in gas supply, said the Titas Gas regretting the temporary inconvenience of the consumers.

The government is constantly working to bring equality between men and women, establish women's rights and eliminate discrimination against women, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Simeen Hussain (Rimi) said on Friday. The government is also working on including women's domestic work in the GDP as recognition of economic activities along with determining the specific value of it, she said. She was speaking at the National Assembly Meeting-2024 organized by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad at Chittagong Hill Tracts Complex on Friday as the chief guest. The state minister said, the position of women now we are currently seeing was not like this before.Women's empowerment in Bangladesh has been ensured through the adoption of women-friendly policies under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after 2008, she added. "Women are working with reputation in home and abroad as per their qualifications. Women are playing an important role in all fields including information technology, research, sports, entertainment and bringing fame to the country." The state minister said that the government has taken various steps for the development of women's society, including the Prevention of Women and Child Abuse Act 2020, Dowry Prevention Act 2018, Child Marriage Prevention Act 2017. "Digital Security Act 2018 was enacted to protect women from cyber bullying on online platforms," she said.

Two people including a school student died in separate road accidents in Dhaka’s Mugda and Gendaria areas. The accidents occurred on Thursday night and early Friday. The schoolboy was identified as Md Mahin Ahmed, 13, son of Masum Ahmed of Kishoreganj’s Bajitpur upazila but he used to live with his family in Mugda area. The victim’s elder brother Mahfuz Ahmed said Mahin, a class seven student of Motijheel Government Ideal School, went out of the house to meet a friend on Thursday night. A vehicle of Dhaka South City Corporation crashed into him while walking on the Mugda road around 9:30pm, leaving him critically injured, he said. He was first rushed to Mugda General Hospital and later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment, said the DMCH’s police outpost In-Charge Md Bachhu Mia. In another incident an unidentified vehicle hit a woman while she was crossing the road in Padma Bridge Railing Project Ghonti Ghar area under Gendaria police station around 3am. The impact of the accident left her critically injured, said pedestrians. Later, she was taken to DMCH’s emergency department where she was declared dead, Bachhu Mia said. The concerned police stations were informed about the road crashes, he added.

Bangladesh Metrological Department (BMD) forecast rain or thundershowers in Chattogram and Sylhet divisions country in 24 hours commencing 9:00 am on Friday. “Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at one or two places over Chattogram and Sylhet divisions with hails at isolated places,” said a met office bulletin. Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country. Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country. Due to the increase of moisture incursion, the discomfort may persist, it said. However, a very severe heat wave is sweeping over the districts of Chuadanga and Jashore and severe heat wave is sweeping over rest part of the Khulna division and the districts of Tangail, Faridpur, Gopalgonj, Manikgonj, Rajshahi, Pabna, Dinajpur & Nilphamari. Mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping over Barishal division and the districts of Dhaka, Madaripur, Kishoregonj, Narsingdi, Bagura, Naogaon, Sirajgonj, Rangpur, Kurigram, Panchagarh, Mymensingh, Maulovibazar, Rangamati, Chandpur, Feni and Bandarban and it may continue, read the bulletin. Country’s highest temperature was recorded in Jashore at 42.4 degree Celsius over the past 24 hours till 6 am today. On the other hand, the lowest temperature was recorded in Panchagarh’s Tetulia at 20.6 degree Celsius.

The bodies of a teenage couple were recovered from their rented flat in a high-rise building in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur on Friday, said police. The deceased were identified as Md Israfil, 17, son of Mafizul Huq of Sherpur’s Jhenaigati upazila and his wife Rokeya Khatun, 15, daughter of Abul Kashem of Iswarganj upazila in Mymensingh. Rokeya’s elder brother Md Borhand Uddin said his sister got married with Israfil around seven to eight months back without family's consent after developing an affair. After the marriage, they started to live in a rented flat in Mawna Mulaid area of the upazila. Israfil was a workshop worker while Rokey worked for a readymade garment factory, he said. Israfil went away from his residence recently following a dispute with his parents, who live in a separate flat of the same building, Borhan said. Mafizul said they spotted the body of Israfil hanging from a ceiling fan with a scarf while Rokeya’s body was on the bed. Sreepur police station’s Inspector (investigation) Md Shakhwat Hossain said being informed they recovered the bodies from the house. The wife seems to have first committed suicide and the husband followed , he said, adding that legal actions would be taken in this regard.

A 50-year-old farmer was trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants in Nalitabari upazila of Sherpur district on Thursday night, an official said. The deceased was identified as Omar Ali Mistri, son of Tamij Uddin of bordering Batkuchi village under the upazila. The farmer came under attack by the wild elephants coming from a nearby jungle while he was guarding off the Boro paddy at night, leaving him killed on the spot, said Rafiqul Islam, Madhutila Range officer of the Forest Department on Friday. Locals recovered the body after the elephants left the spot, he added. Forest officials and local public representatives rushed to the spot after hearing about the attack. According to locals, they frequently come under attacks by wild elephants especially at night when they guard their croplands in Nalitabari and Jhenaigati upazilas of Sherpur.

Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury has highlighted Bangladesh's significant advancements in skills development, notably in ensuring accessibility and equity for marginalized groups such as women, indigenous communities, and persons with disabilities. These endeavours align closely with the government's stated political objectives and developmental priorities.  Nevertheless, the minister stressed the need to bridge the skills mismatch between the high-skills needs of industry and the generally low-skilled labour force, both nationally and more generally. Speaking at a high-level panel discussion in Geneva, he called upon industry sectors and development partners to take proactive steps in promoting lifelong learning and enhance skills development, especially in emerging industry sectors like pharmaceuticals, ICT, and agro-food processing. The Global Skills Forum, hosted by the ILO Skills and Employability Branch on April 23 and 24, which had invited constituents and development partners to discuss skills challenges and partnerships in a changing world, featured an exclusive session dedicated to Bangladesh. The high-level panel, held at ILO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, was  attended by Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury, as well as senior representatives from Employers' and Workers’ Organizations and key Development Partners, the European Union and the Government of Canada. During the session, participants deliberated on Bangladesh's achievements, ongoing challenges, and proposed strategies for advancing the national skills system through targeted strategies and collaborative partnerships. The essential role of skills and lifelong learning is well-recognised in enhancing the labour force’s employability and productivity, attracting investment and fostering national economic growth, said ILO on Thursday. Recognising the crucial role of skilled labour in driving higher-value production and economic advancement, the Government of Bangladesh has since 2007 multiplied its investment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and skills development, and after one and a half decade the results of these numerous efforts are tangible.  Bangladesh has formulated a National Skills Development Policy and established a unified national qualifications framework to enhance recognition of skills qualifications and upskilling of the workforce. Moreover, the traditional TVET system has evolved into an industry-relevant and skills-focused model. These transformations reflect the government's commitment to its development vision, complemented by significant financial contributions by development partners and technical expertise provided notably by a.o. the International Labour Organization (ILO). However, challenges persist in realising the Bangladesh government’s vision for the national skills system.  Srinivas Reddy, Chief of the Skills and Employability Branch at ILO moderated the session, commencing with a video showcasing Bangladesh's main achievements in skills development. Gilbert F. Houngbo, the Director General of ILO, graced the session with his presence and joined the high-level panel for his intervention.  Houngbo commended the beneficial long-term partnerships between the Government of Bangladesh, the ILO, the EU and Canada, recognizing their mutually reinforcing contributions to Bangladesh’s skills development objectives.  Houngbo underscored the importance of climate change mitigation and adaption through green skills development, as well as promoting social cohesion and employment through ensuring accessibility and inclusivity of the skills development system. Farooq Ahmed, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Employers’ Federation, highlighted the essential role of the private sector in skills development, including the need for more apprenticeships in skills development and job creation, as well as facilitating a seamless transition from education to employment. He advocated for incentives to encourage businesses to adopt and increase the quantity and quality of apprenticeships models applied and emphasized the comprehensive need for industry-relevant TVET. Rezwana Saki, Secretary of the Bangladesh Free Trade Union Congress, brought attention to the obstacles encountered by workers striving to acquire advanced skills suitable for the labour market. She advocated for social dialogue and greater involvement by Workers' Organizations and the need for accelerating the implementation of the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework in order to facilitate lifelong learning and formal recognition of workers' skills. Charles Whiteley, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh highlighted the EU's commitment to enhancing the capabilities of the Bangladeshi workforce, not only for domestic employment, but also for international labour markets. He emphasized the EU’s support for upcoming talent partnerships between Bangladesh and key EU Member States for skilled migration of Bangladeshi workers to the EU through legal migration pathways, as well as plans to support the diversification of the production base of industry sectors through Gateway collaboration. Thomas Wagner, Ambassador, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva, affirmed the EU's ongoing support for the modernization of skills systems in partner countries across regions, particularly focusing on enhancing industry-relevant skills provision in the forthcoming years. Patricia McCullagh, Minister-Counsellor, Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN in Geneva highlighted Canada's recent initiatives funding projects aimed at empowering vulnerable communities through skills training and job creation. She reiterated Canada's commitment to collaborating with the ILO and Bangladesh to ensure decent work opportunities for millions of Bangladeshi citizens. All panel representatives commended the Government of Bangladesh, the ILO and Development Partners for their long-term partnership since 2007, yielding significant transformations of the national skills system, and expressed their commitment to continue the beneficial partnerships in the future for the further strengthening of the Bangladesh economic and social development, in line with the Government’s vision. 

System loss in gas distribution segment has been brought down to 7.5 percent now from a 22 percent two years before. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid disclosed this while visiting the headquarters of the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited in the city on Thursday. Coordination between power transmission, distribution system being done rapidly to ensure uninterrupted supply: Nasrul Hamid “Now our target is to bring the system loss to a zero level in the next two years, " he said, giving a description of the recent moves of the Titas Gas Company. Titas has been the largest entity in the gas distribution segment having about 2.8 million retail consumers, out of a total 4.8 million of the country. The state minister said that in the last two years a total of 865,000 illegal gas connections have been snapped. Of this, 336 are industrial connections, 475 commercial connections, 97 captive power plants, 13 CNG stations. Bangladesh, Thailand nearing energy cooperation MOU: Nasrul Hamid “A total of 989 kilometers of illegal pipelines have been removed and Tk 604 crore has been fined from the illegal consumers”, he added. Briefing reporters, Nasrul said the government has been intolerant in taking action against illegal connections. He, however, admitted that some influential quarters including local lawmakers, public representatives of different levels have been the main impediments. “But mind it, the minister of the energy and power ministry is the Prime Minister herself and she has strong directives to remain uncompromising in this regard, " he said. Petrobangla chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker and Titas managing director Engr. Md. Haronur Rashid Mullah were present on the occasion. Nasrul Hamid highlights Nepal's huge hydropower potential, Bangladesh's growing energy demands Nasrul informed that the Titras Gas Company has initiated a move to implement a Tk 12,000 crore project in the areas under Dhaka and Narayanganj cities to replace the old pipelines to stop gas leakages. Apart from this, Titas Gas has been negotiating with different donor agencies including Asian Development Bank, World Bank and JBIC of Japan to install pre-paid gas meters to reduce system loss in the gas consumption. Petrobangla chairman Zanendra Nath  said that all the distribution and transmission companies have installed meters to ensure accountability in gas trading among them.

A cargo vessel capsized in the Bay of Bengal on the east side of Island upazila Hatiya in Noakhali amid inclement weather on Thursday afternoon. All the 12 crew of the vessel were reportedly floating in the Bay till filing of this report around 6:30pm. The crew members called the national emergency service-999 seeking help. Mehedi Jaman, in-charge of river police in Hatiya, said they were going to the spot with a trawler but it will take time for them to reach the spot as the sea remained rough. He, however, said the crew were all floating on the upper part of the sunken vessel. Meanwhile, a team of Hatiya Coast Guard left for the spot with a trawler and it will take them one to two hours to reach the scene. Mohammad Wahedul Islam, a representative of the owners of the vessel ‘MV Moumoni’, blamed the adverse weather for the capsizing of the vessel. Members of the Coast Guard were trying to rescue the crew, he said, adding that the vessel was heading towards Dhaka from Chattogram with goods.

The National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and Platform Doctors Foundation have called for raising the prices of all tobacco products in the upcoming budget for the fiscal year 2024-2025 as the government spends more on treating diseases than it earns from the tobacco sector. They made this demand during a press conference titled 'Demand for Increase in Tobacco Tax in the 2024-25 Fiscal Year Budget for a Tobacco-Free Bangladesh,' held at Jahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall, on Thursday. They also said about 3.78 crore people, which is 35.3 percent of the population, use tobacco in the country. Additionally, around 15 lakh individuals suffer from tobacco-related illnesses. According to the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and Platform Doctors Foundation, tobacco-related diseases claim the lives of around 161,000 people annually, resulting in substantial economic losses. In the fiscal year 2017-18 alone, tobacco usage incurred Tk 30,560 crore in economic losses, while revenue from the sector amounted to Tk 22,810 crore. The organisations proposed a significant increase in tobacco taxes, arguing that higher prices lead to decreased consumption. They suggested specific tax rates for different grades of tobacco products, with prices set at Tk 60 for low-level cigarettes, Tk 80 for mid-range, Tk 130 for high-level, and Tk 170 for premium-grade cigarettes. Implementation of these tax measures, the organisations claim, could reduce cigarette consumption from 15.1 percent to 13.80 percent, potentially preventing the premature deaths of 540,656 young individuals. Additionally, it is estimated to generate approximately Tk 47,000 crore in revenue, marking a 28 percent increase from the previous year. Tanvir Shakil Joy, Member of Parliament for Sirajganj-1 Constituency, expressed support for the initiative, reiterating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's vision of achieving a tobacco-free Bangladesh by 2040. He emphasised the need for a simplified taxation system to deter tobacco consumption and safeguard public health. Professor Khandkar Abdul Awal Rizvi, President of the heart foundation, highlighted that 18 percent of citizens aged 15 and above are smokers, with millions more exposed to secondhand smoke daily. To protect this vulnerable population, Rizvi emphasized the importance of effective taxation as a globally recognized strategy for reducing tobacco use. The press conference was attended by key figures including Associate Professor Shafiun Nahin Shimul from the Institute of Health Economics at Dhaka University, Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury from the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, Rashed Bappi, President of the Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum, along with representatives from various anti-tobacco organizations and media outlets.