United News of Bangladesh

Information and Broadcasting Minister Mohammad Ali Arafat said on Monday that efforts will be made to bring more cleanliness and accountability under each ministry's jurisdiction in every field.He said he does not want to be personally involved in the decision-making process in every instance. If a committee is formed in a professional capacity and decisions are made with cleanliness, then there is no reason for him to interfere as the head of the ministry.He was speaking at the end of a discussion with the leadership of the National Press Club at the conference hall of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday.Arafat stated that his ministry deals with both technical and administrative aspects of information. If he is busy with administrative matters, he will think about technical issues and find ways to address them when necessary.He said that to think about political matters, sometimes needs to be allocated. Thinking is also a task. If he is involved in every committee, every task, and every decision-making process, it will not be easy to find solutions to fundamental issues.As much media freedom as necessary should be maintained, but misinformation needs to be controlled. He emphasized that there should be no dual standards in this matter. “If these are true, then we need to find ways to control misinformation.”In response to a question, the junior minister said, “There are some commercial issues, and some go beyond personal interests. Socially, no one should prioritise personal interests. We cannot make everyone happy with every decision. The effort will be to protect balance and make the right decisions, considering broader interests in the end.”National Press Club President Farida Yasmin led the view exchange meeting where the vice-president Rezwanul Haque Raja, joint secretary Ayub Bhuiya, and Ashraf Ali, treasurer Shahed Choudhury, committee member and UNB editor Farid Hossain, Shahnaz Siddiqui Soma, Kalyan Saha, Julhas Alam, and Mohammad Momin Hossain, took part.

Criminal Investigation Department (CID), a specialized police unit, has found technological negligence for the incident of cyber heist of $101 million from Bangladesh Bank’s account in 2016 during their investigation into the case. "Investigation of the case is at the final stage. During investigation, what we found was technological negligence as the BB was not technologically sound when the incident took place, that is the reality," said CID Chief Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia, while exchanging views with the newly elected Executive Committee (EC) of Bangladesh Crime Reporters Association (CRAB) at the CID headquarters in the city on Monday. Death of Bangladesh Bank official: HC asks why failure to keep footpaths safe should not be declared illegal DIG Mainul Hasan, Additional DIG Khondkar Rafiqul Islam, Md Kamrul Ahsan and other senior officers of the CID, while CRAB President Kamruzzaman Khan, Vice President Shaheen Abudal Bari, General Secretary Sirajul Islam and other members of the executive committee attended the view exchange meeting. When asked about the progress in the money laundering case from the Bangladesh Bank Reserve, the CID chief said, "We are investigating the case, the investigation is almost in a good position." Bangladesh government is also trying to bring back the stolen money. Besides, there is also a case registered in a court in New York regarding this. The judge in that case in New York has already concluded the hearing, the CID chief said. "Without the support of Interpol, we will not be able to arrest the accused," he added. Bangladesh Bank unveils SMART-derived interest rates for January He, however, said, what we want is how to bring back the fund. Replying to a question, the CID chief said: "Although the Bangladesh Bank was not technologically sound when the forex reserve was stolen, the Bangladesh Bank's Governor recently informed us that they have already overcome the problem and there is no more technological weakness. Now they are technologically sound." International hackers stole $101 million from the Bangladesh Bank account with the Federal Reserve Bank through fraudulent instructions against their target of about $1 billion in February 2016. Bangladesh Bank authorises 90-day buyers' credit to import essentials for Ramadan Bangladesh has so far recovered around $18 million of the $81 million transferred to the Philippines. It was later suspected that Dridex malware was used for the attack. On March 15, 2016, Deputy Director of Accounts and Budgeting Department of Bangladesh Bank Zubair Bin Huda lodged a case against unidentified people under Money Laundering Prevention Act at Motijheel police station.

The High Court has issued a rule over the death of a Bangladesh Bank official in the capital's Mouchak Market area. The High Court has asked why the failure of the government to keep footpaths safe should not be declared illegal. The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Mosharraf Hossain. 2 gold bars recovered passenger’s rectum in Benapole Road Transport and Bridges secretary, home secretary, CEO of Dhaka South City Corporation, chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha and Dhaka Deputy Commissioner have been made respondents to the rule. However, the court did not pass any interim order in this regard. The High Court said that a case of unnatural death has been filed and investigation is underway. No interim order will be issued. Mild to moderate cold wave sweeps three divisions including Dhaka: Met Office Dipannita Biswas Dipa (Dipu Sana) was working as assistant manager of Sadarghat Branch of Bangladesh Bank. After work on January 10, she was walking home after getting down at Shantinagar from the office bus. When she came in front of the Party Centre at 1171 New Circular Road around 7:30 pm, a brick made of cement and sand suddenly fell on her head and she fell on the ground. Later, locals took her to Sirajul Islam Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared her dead. Fire at bank in Dhaka’s Gulistan extinguished Dipannita's husband Tarun Kumar Biswas filed a murder case at Ramna Model Police Station on the same day. Unknown people have been accused in the case. Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sultan Sohag Uddin set February 18 for submitting the report in the case.

Two gold bars weighing 233 grams were recovered from a passenger’s rectum  at Benapole customs in Jashore on Monday morning. According to customs intelligence sources, Mehedi Hasan, son of Abdul Baten of Joag village in Chandina upazila of Comilla, was challenged for his suspicious movement and then detained.  Read: 10 crude bombs recovered from Benapole  Deputy Commissioner of Benapole Customs Intelligence Arefin Jahedi said they recovered the gold bars from his rectum after interrogation. The detainee will be handed over to Benapole Port Police Station, he said. A case will be filed in this regard, he added. 

A mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping  three divisions including Dhaka and some other districts and it may abate in some places, said Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) on Sunday. According to a regular weather bulletin, “Mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping Dhaka, Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions and Moulvibazar, Cumilla, Feni, Jashore, Chuadanga, Barishal and Bhola districts and it may abate from some places.” This lowest temperature 5.7 degrees Celsius was recorded in Dinajpur while the highest temperature 28 degrees Celsius was recorded in Chattogram’s Sitakunda upazila over the last 24 hours till 6 am on Monday, reads the bulletin. This season’s lowest temperature, 5 degree Celsius, was recorded in Panchagarh on Sunday. Temperature between 8 to 10 degrees Celsius is considered a mild cold wave, 6 to 8 degrees Celsius a moderate cold wave, and less than 6 degrees Celsius a severe cold wave. Moderate to thick fog may occur over the river basins and light to moderate fog elsewhere over the country during midnight to morning. Inland river transport may disrupt temporarily due to thick fog. Night temperature may rise slightly and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country. Weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country. People of the country, especially in the northern part, have been experiencing severe cold for the last couple of days that has thrown normal life out of gear.

A fire that broke out in a private bank branch, housed in a four-storey building, on Nawabpur Road in Dhaka’s Gulistan early today was extinguished after over one hour. Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters media cell, said the fire started in the Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited branch on the second floor of the four-storey building on Nawabpur road around 12:50 am. Responding to the call, five firefighting units from the nearby Siddique Bazar station rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control one around 1:55 am, and fully put out around 2:10 am. The reason behind the blaze and damages caused by it could not be known immediately, he said, adding that there was no report of casualty in the fire.

Dr Md. Moniruzzaman and AKM Nurul Alam Apu have been elected Chairman and Secretary-General respectively of the Bangladesh Association of Librarians, Information Scientists and Documentalists (BALID). The biennial general Meeting of Bangladesh Association of Librarians, Information Scientists and Documentalists (BALID) was held recently at the auditorium of Women's Voluntary Association, Dhanmondi, Dhaka. NBR seeks budget proposals from chambers and institutions by February 8 The minutes of the previous general meeting, activity and finance reports of the last council and budget proposals were presented in the day-long event which started with the National Anthem, BALID said a media release on Sunday. All reports and budget proposals, including the minutes of the previous general meeting were approved after open discussion. Govt to formulate action plan to double jute export in next 2-3 yrs In the second phase of the general meeting, a two-member Election Commission under the leadership of Syed Zahurul Amin Kaiyum conducted the election of BALID Executive Council 2024-25. The new committee is elected based on the nominations and endorsements received from several members of BALID. Submit a list of patients died at United Hospital due to negligence in last 15 years: HC The members of new committee are: Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman – Chairman, AKM Mofizur Rahman, Professor Dr. S M Zabed Ahmed, Razina Akhtar – Vice Chairman, AKM Nurul Alam (Apu) – Secretary General, Ahsan Habib – Joint Secretary General, Md. Fazlul Karim – Finance Secretary, Md. Iltutmish – Establishment Secretary, Mahmudun Nahar – Research and Development Secretary, Nasima Akter Rita – Publication and Public Relations Secretary, Dr. Muhammad Hossam Haider Chowdhury, Sasanka Kumar Singha, Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Dr. Md. Anwarul Islam, Muhammad Abdul Karim, Khondkar Asif Mahtab and Md. Mubassir Ahasan – Members.

(UNB)-The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has sought budget proposals from business organisations to make the budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 participatory, balanced and people-oriented. For this, all the chambers and associations of the country have been asked to submit their budget proposals in written form to the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) by February 8. According to the NBR, chambers and associations have been requested to send their respective budget proposals to FBCCI in writing by February 8 for assistance in budget preparation. At the same time, another soft copy of the proposal has been requested to be sent to Chief Budget Coordinator and First Secretary SM Sohail Rahman via e-mail at [email protected]. The proposals will be seriously considered by the National Board of Revenue. Institutions, organizations, or departments that are not members of any chamber or association can also send budget proposals directly through that e-mail. Institutions or departments that are not members of any chamber or association can also send budget proposals directly through e-mail, according to the NBR notification.  

Textiles and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak has said the government will formulate and implement an action plan to double the export income from jute goods in the next 2-3 years. “Bangladesh is exporting jute products worth an average of US$ one billion every year. We want to increase the export income of jute goods to US$ 2 billion in the next 2-3 years. I will formulate and implement the action plan with that goal,” he said. Submit a list of patients died at United Hospital due to negligence in last 15 years: HC The minister made this remark at a press conference at the EPB (Export Promotion Bureau) booth set up in Frankfurt, Germany on Saturday, said a PID handout here on Sunday. Nanak said Bangladesh is the world's second largest garment exporter. Garment is the main export product of Bangladesh, he said. He said a huge demand has been created worldwide for Bangladeshi garments. Germany is the second destination of export products as Bangladesh exports different goods worth some 7 billion US dollars every year. COVID-19: Bangladesh reports 35 more cases in 24hrs Some 90 percent of the goods are garment products, he added. The minister said initiatives will be taken to increase the export of diversified jute products to reduce dependency only on garment products as export products. He said Bangladesh is the 2nd largest jute producing country in the world and quality jute is produced in The county. “Bangladeshi entrepreneurs are producing 282 types of jute products, which are exported to 135 countries of the world,” said the minister. 25 more dengue patients hospitalised in 24hrs Bangladesh Ambassador to Germany Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Executive Director of Jute Diversification Promotion Center Gopal Chandra Das were present at the press conference.

The High Court on Sunday asked the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to submit within three months a list of patients who died at the United Medical College and Hospital run by United Group due to negligence in the past 15 years.The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Atabullah passed the order.It also asked the DGHS to submit the probe report prepared by it over the death of five-year-old boy Ayaan Ahmed in an affidavit form.Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state while Advocate ABM Shahjahan Akanda Masum stood for the petitioner.On January 15, the High Court asked the authorities concerned to submit a list of the patients who died at the hospital, located at Satarkul, Badda. High Court orders to recruit 285 people with disabilities under quota in govt primary schoolsThe HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the family of Ayaan should not be given Tk 5 crore as compensation.Besides, it also asked the authorities concerned to submit the probe report over the death of Ayaan within seven days.The HC asked the DGHS to submit the list of unauthorised hospitals and clinics across the country within one month. High Court postpones Fakhrul’s bail hearing until next weekFollowing the HC order, deputy director (law) Dr. Parimal Kumar Pal, on behalf of the Director General of DGHS, submitted the probe report today. According to the report, Ayaan had been suffering from childhood asthma and he used to take inhaler and nebulizer for respiratory problems.On Ayaans circumcision day, Ayaan was given an inhaler and nebulizer before the circumcision at the waiting room which was not informed to the physicians, said the report.Besides, during operation normal bleeding was profuse, said the report.The HC fixed Monday for the next hearing.On January 8, Ayaan, died following a circumcision procedure at the United Medical College and Hospital. He was put on life support for seven days after his circumcision.On January 9, Advocate ABM Shahjahan Akanda Masum filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking compensation for the death of Ayaan.The writ petition also sought revocation of the certificates of the physicians involved in Ayaan’s treatment at the hospital and steps against the authorities concerned of the hospital.END/UNB/Corr/MAS/FH