30-03-2018

NEWS
FRIDAY,
MARCH 30, 2018
2
A discussion meeting was held at the Monoranjon Kapuria High School of Kalia Narail yesterday on
the achievement of present government.
Photo : TBT
Grameenphone
CEO Michael
Foley new
AMTOB
president
DHAKA : Association of Mobile
Telecom Operators of Bangladesh
(AMTOB) has elected Michael Foley,
chief executive officer of
Grameenphone, as its new president,
reports UNB.
He will be replaced by chief
executive officer of Banglalink Erik
Aas.
Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, managing
director and CEO of Robi has been
reelected as vice-president of the
association. The decision was taken at
the association's board meeting on
Wednesday.
AMTOB is a national trade
association representing all mobile
telecom operators of Bangladesh.
Airtel, Banglalink, Citycell,
Grameenphone, Robi and Teletalk -
the six Mobile Network Operators are
the general members of the
association and mobile network
solution providers Ericsson, Huawei
and Nokia are its associate members.
World’s top cocoa
producers fight to protect
forests
MONT PEKO NATIONAL PARK :
Park rangers in the world's top cocoa
producer, Ivory Coast, are waging a
campaign to protect national forests
from the illegal farming of the raw
ingredient in chocolate, reports UNB.
Last year the governments of Ivory
Coast and other top cocoa producer
Ghana, along with food giants Nestle,
Mars and Hershey, pledged to work
together to end deforestation in the
West African nations.
The president of the World Cocoa
Foundation, Rick Scobey, called it a
landmark decision and an "important
environmental achievement."
Last year an investigation by
environmental group Mighty Earth
found that many of Ivory Coast's
national parks and protected areas
"have been entirely or almost entirely
cleared of forest and replaced with
cocoa-growing operations." One of
them, Mont Peko National Park, is
home to endangered species such as
chimpanzees and pygmy
hippopotamuses.
Chocolate producers should "really
give customers peace of mind that
chocolate eating isn't contributing to
killing chimps or elephants," said
Etelle Higonnet, a campaign director
for Mighty Earth. "Let's have total
transparency all the way from the bar
in your hand or the Nesquik that you
drink or the Nutella that you spread on
your bread, down to the farm."
On a recent patrol in Mont Peko
National Park, it didn't take long for
park rangers to find cocoa growing
illegally. Using machetes, the team set
to work removing it.
There has been limited progress,
said Kpolo Ouattara, head of the Mont
Peko sector for the Ivorian Office of
Parks and Reserves. "Roughly, more
than 800 hectares (1,975 acres) of
cocoa has been cut. Compared to the
park's total area of 34,000 hectares,
that's very little."
While mindful of tensions that have
lingered in the wake of the country's
deadly political violence in recent
years, Ivory Coast has turned to
security forces to evict thousands of
illegal cocoa farmers from parks.
However, authorities say some
WB debars Belgium-based
company for misconduct
in Bangladesh
DHAKA : The World Bank (WB) has
announced the debarment of Belgium-based
medical device company Eckert & Ziegler
BEBIG s.a. for two years in connection with
fraudulent and collusive practices under the
Health Sector Development Program in
Bangladesh, reports BSS.
The World Bank on Wednesday
announced the debarment against a total of
three companies and a settlement including
Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG s.a. with
sanctionable practices under projects in
Bangladesh, India and Timor-Leste, said a
press release.
The release said the debarments make
Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG s.a., RKD
Construction Pvt. Ltd. (RKD), and Egis
International Indonesia ineligible to
participate in World Bank Group-financed
projects for periods ranging from 15 months
to two years.
They are part of three separate settlement
agreements, under which the companies
acknowledge responsibility for the
underlying sanctionable practices and agree
to meet specified corporate compliance
conditions as a condition for release from
debarment.
The settlement agreement reflects the
Bank's findings that Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG
s.a. engaged in fraudulent practices by
misrepresenting the commission amounts it
had agreed to pay to its local agent in relation
to bids for two contracts, one of which the
company received under the program.
The Bank also found that the company and
its local agent engaged in collusive practices
by arranging with procurement officials to
artificially inflate the prices of the company's
bids in relation to these contracts.
RKD, a construction operations company
based in India, has been debarred for 18
months in connection with fraudulent
practices under the Odisha State Roads
Project.
The project was designed to remove
transport bottlenecks in targeted corridors in
the state of Odisha (formerly known as
Orissa).
Egis International Indonesia-a subsidiary
of Egis International-was debarred for 15
months in connection with a fraudulent
practice under the Road Climate Resilience
Project in Timor-Leste. The project was
designed to deliver sustainable climate
resilient road infrastructure.
The debarment of Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG
s.a., RKD, and Egis Indonesia qualify for
cross-debarment by other multilateral
development banks (MDBs) under the
Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of
Debarment Decisions that was signed on
April 9, 2010.
Parent company Egis International was
sanctioned with conditional non-debarment
for 15 months. During this period, the
company remains eligible to participate in
World Bank Group-financed projects if it
complies with its obligations under the
settlement. Otherwise, the conditional nondebarment
will convert to a sanction of
debarment with conditional release, and the
company then will become ineligible to
participate in World Bank Group-financed
projects until the conditions for release set
out in the settlement agreement are met.
The settlement agreements provide for a
reduced period of sanction in light of the
companies' cooperation and voluntary
remedial actions.
As a condition for release from sanction
under the terms of the settlement
agreement, the companies commit to
develop integrity compliance programs
consistent with the principles set out in the
World Bank Group Integrity Compliance
Guidelines.
The companies also commit to continue to
fully cooperate with the World Bank Group
Integrity Vice Presidency.
CCD Bangladesh’s
youth conference
held in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI : Speakers at a function here
on Wednesday said the youths,
particularly the students at higher
educational institutions, should be
groomed up as active citizens so that they
can contribute to society and the nation
positively.
Terming the young generation a vital
power for the nation, the speakers viewed
they must be built as worthy citizens
through enhancing their level of
confidence. Time has come to generate
leadership characteristics among the
youths, they said.
They were addressing a daylong youth
conference styled "Active Citizens
Regional Achievers Summit" in
Shilpakala Academy auditorium. CCD
Bangladesh organised the event in
association with British Council's Active
Citizens Project.
More than 2,000 students both male
and female ones from various educational
institutions attended the programme
comprising various life skill development
sessions.
Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation
Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul, Ayen
Uddin, MP, former vice-chancellor of
Rajshahi University Prof Sayedur
Rahman Khan, English Department
Chairman of Varendra University Prof
Shahidur Rahman and British Council
Deputy Director Andrew Newton
addressed the meeting.
CCD Joint Director Shahana Parveen
chaired the session. "Globally Connected,
Locally Engaged" was the main theme of
the programme.
Mayor Bulbul stressed the need for
arranging leadership training for the
students for equipping them with modern
knowledge for the sake of cherished
national development.
He viewed that there is no alternative to
generate community leadership among
the students to take forward the nation
successfully and that is very important to
bring a qualitative change everywhere in
the society.
Prof Saidur Rahman Khan
disseminated his expertise on various
youth development issues and mentioned
that each of the youths should have
commitment of building a poverty-free
and self-reliant Bangladesh.
Lawmaker Ayen Uddin viewed that time
has come to generate more and more
student leadership in the society for
making them time-fitting social actor to
free the society from various crimes and
malpractices like drug-addiction.
Material
prices put
construction
sector under
threat
DHAKA : Bangladesh
Association
of
Construction Industry
(BACI) on Thursday
threatened that they will
stop all construction
activities if the
government does not take
necessary steps to bring
down the prices of rod and
cement to a tolerable level
by April 15, reports UNB.
"We urged the
government to identify the
syndicate behind it.
Otherwise we will be
bound to stop all
development and
construction activities,"
Munir Uddin, president of
the organization, said at a
press conference held at
Dhaka Reporters' Unity
auditorium here.
The construction
industry reached a
standstill due to the
unusual price increase, he
further said.
BACI member Shafiqul
Haque Talukdar read out
the written statement
saying, "Construction
companies' contribution to
the country's GDP is about
9 percent. But, due to the
continuous price hike over
the past few months,
construction works in the
whole country become
slower, some of them even
closed."
He alleged that the
country's manufacturing
companies
are
continuously raising
prices as there is no rules
and regulations in the
sector.
Rod related works in any
infrastructure
construction is 20 to 25
percent. So, if the value of
MS Rod increases, the cost
of construction of the
entire structure increases
by 7% to 8%, he said.
"So if the prices continue
to rise, it is not possible for
us to continue our ongoing
works. If such situation
prevails, we will be forced
to stop all construction
works from April 15," he
said.
Among others, former
presidents of the
organisation Sheikh Md
Rafiqul Islam, Shafiqul
Alam Bhuiyan, Atiqur
Rahman and Aftab Uddin
Ahmed and former Vicepresident
SM Khorshed
Alam were present.
247 Netrakona
freedom fighters
accorded
reception
NETRAKONA : Two
hundred and forty-seven
freedom fighters were
accorded a civic reception
at the local auditorium in
Barhatta upazila under
Netrakona district on
Wednesday.
Barhatta Jubo Samaj
accorded the reception to
the freedom fighters for
their contribution to the
country's liberation war.
Renowned freedom
fighter and general
secretary of Awami League
(AL) Netrakona district
unit Ashraf Ali Khan
Khasru addressed the
reception as chief guest
while former commander
of Barhatta Upazila
Muktijoddha Sangsad
Abdul Kadir was in the
Chair.
The reception was
addressed, among others,
by former commander of
district Muktijoddha
Sangsad Nurul Amin,
organizing secretary of AL
Netrakona district unit
Iftekharuddin Khan
Masud, Freedom Fighters
Affairs Secretary Abdur
Rahim, general secretary
of district Red Crescent
Society Gazi Muzammel
Haque Tuku and office
secretary of AL Netrakona
district unit Mazharul
Islam.
None can exert influence
in the market singlehandedly
: Tofail
DHAKA : Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on
Thursday said none can exert influence in the market
single handedly, rather all concerned would have to work
with due responsibility to ensure competition, reports
BSS
"The government has taken all necessary measures to
ensure competition in the market," he said.
The Minister was addressing a seminar titled
"Ensuring competition in trade and commerce: the role
of Bangladesh Competition Commission," held at the
CIRDAP Auditorium in the city. The newly formed
Bangladesh Competition Commission organized the
seminar, said a ministry press release.
Chaired by Bangladesh Competition Commission
Chairperson M Iqbal Khan Chowdhury, Commerce
Secretary Shubhashish Bose, FBCCI President Shafiul
Islam Mohiuddin spoke at the seminar as special guests.
Business Studies faculty dean of Dhaka University Dr
Shibli Rubaiyat ul Islam presented the key-note paper at
the seminar.
Senior research fellow of Bangladesh Institute of
Development Studies (BIDS) Dr Naznin Ahmed,
Emeritus fellow of Unnayan Somunnoy Dr Enamul
Haque and chief economist of Bangladesh Bank Dr
Faisal Ahmed also spoke at the seminar.
Speaking on the occasion, the Commerce Minister said
the government is working with due priority to keep the
price of all commodities including the price of essentials
at a normal level side by side ensuring sufficient supply
of the commodities.
"The government has been taking strict measures so
that any artificial crisis is not created in the market or no
one dares to create such crisis," he added.
Tofail said the newly formed Bangladesh Competition
Commission would work to ensure competition in the
market adding that the Commission would be made time
befitting to protect the interest of the consumers and as
a whole the country's people.
Create more open public
spaces for healthy
living: Experts
DHAKA : Urban experts on Thursday underscored the
need for creating more open public places or green
spaces like amusement parks and playgrounds for
ensuring healthy living and wellbeing of city dwellers,
reports BSS
"In comparison to the increased number of residential
areas, shopping malls, high-rise buildings and other
establishments the number of open spaces is not
increasing significantly. Sufficient open public places are
a must to ensure healthy living of the city dwellers," Dr
Sarwar Jahan, professor of Urban and Regional Planning
(URP) department of BUET, told a view-exchange
programme at JPC here.
He said the open public spaces are decreasing day by
day due to paucity of proper supervision and
conservation.
URP department of Bangladesh University of
Engineering and Technology (BUET) organized the
view-exchange chaired by department's Professor Dr
Mohammad Shakil Akther while Dhaka North City
Corporation (DNCC) Environment, Climate Change and
Disaster Management Circle Superintending Engineer
Tariq Bin Yousuf, Work for A Better Bangladesh Trust
director Gaus Piyari, Bangladesh Institute of Planners
(BIP) Vice-President Dr Akhter Mahmud and RAJUK
assistant urban planner Nabayan Kisha, among others,
addressed it.
In his address, Akhter Mahmud urged the concerned
organizations including city corporations and Urban
Development Directorate to play more responsible role
to retrieve grabbed playgrounds and parks, conserve the
existing public spaces and create new ones.
Engineer Tariq Bin Yousuf said the DNCC is working to
retrieve grabbed playgrounds and amusement parks
within shortest possible time while the existing public
places are being renovated and repaired.
Manikganj rivers dying
MANIKGANJ : The most of the rivers of Manikganj
district have lost their navigability due to continuous
siltation and grabbing, affecting the tradition, life-style
and livelihood of local people.
Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board said
once the length of the local rivers was about 241
kilometres, but the span of these rivers is rapidly
declined in recent years. People living on the banks of the
rivers have already built houses on chars of rivers and
haat-bazaars were also set up there.
The two major rivers - Jamuna and Padma - are
flowing through the west and the south side of the
district, which are now facing poor navigability during
the dry seasons as a number of chars have emerged on
the beds of the two big rivers.
Besides, there are nine rivers, which are flowing
through the district, are Kaliganga, Dhaleshwari,
Eachhamoti, Kantaboti, Bhuboneshwar, Khirai,
Monolokhani, Manda and Gazikhali. All the rivers are
now dying for lack of water flow.
Dhaleswari River was originated from the Jamuna
River, and flowing 60 km in Manikganj through Ghior,
Saturia and Singair upazilas, it joins Buriganga River.
Now, most parts of this river are disappeared, the
officials said.
During the rainy season, a little flow is found there.
But, they said, Kantaboti, Monolokhani, Manda and
Khirai rivers are disappeared today.
Echhamoti another longest river of the district has lost
its navigability and existence in many places.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority
(BIWTA) has taken up dredging projects to restore the
Hazratpur-Zabra, Char Tekerhat-Shibchar and Khulna-
Noapara river routes at a cost of Tk.97.82 crore, BIWTA
Superintendent Engineer Saidur Rahman told BSS.
He said the dredging would restore the river routes and
the restoration of these river routes would help increase
agricultural production in many areas and farmers
would be able to irrigate their fields with the water from
these rivers.
Govt steering
nation towards
progress :
Mustafa Jabbar
NETRAKONA : Post,
Telecommunication and
ICT minister Mustafa
Jabbar yesterday urged the
people to cast their votes in
favour of boat, the election
symbol of AL, in next Jatiya
Sangsad election to make
Sheikh Hasina victorious for
continuing the current
development trend, reports
BSS.
The present government
under the dynamic
leadership of prime minister
Sheikh Hasina has been
making untiring efforts for
building the country as
poverty and exploitationfree
"Sonar Bangla" as
dreamt by Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The minister said the
government's sincere efforts
has helped the country
graduate to a developing
country from least
development country (LDC)
group.
He was addressing a civic
reception accorded to him
on Khaliajury college
premises in Khaliajury
upazila town in the district
under the auspices of Awami
League (AL) Khaliajury
upazila unit.
Chaired by president of AL
Khaliajury upazila unit
Golam Kibria Jabbar, the
meeting was addressed by
the district level and local
leaders of AL and it's front
organizations and local elite,
including Motiur Rahman
Khan, Ashraf Ali Khan
Khasru and Iftekharuddin
Khan Masud.
FBCCI for
business-friendly,
hassle-free
revenue system
DHAKA : Leaders of
theFederation of
Bangladesh Chambers of
Commerce
and
Industry(FBCCI) on
Thursday demanded that a
business-friendly and
hassle-free system be
devised for effectively
collecting revenue, reports
UNB.
They came up with the
demand at a meeting with
the National Board of
Revenue (NBR) at the
FBCCI Conference Centre.
The business leaders
urged the NBR authorities
to make the revenue
collection hassle-free so
that they can contribute
properly to the country's
development process.
They hoped that the
proposals of the business
community relating to
VAT, import duty and
income tax should be
reflected in the upcoming
national budget.
Primary proposals on
import duty, income tax
and VAT were being
formulated on the basis of
proposals of the member
bodies of FBCCI.
NBR chairman Md
Mosharraf Hossain
Bhuiyan who was the chief
guest at the programme
assured that the import
duty and the tax level will
be kept within the
tolerable level in the next
budget and a multi-layer
VAT rate will be created
for different sectors.
He said the local
industry will be protected
in the upcoming budget
and sought cooperation
from the business
community to achieve
revenue target.
The NBR Chairman also
urged the business
community not to misuse
the bond facilities in
export activities.
FBCCI President Md
Shafiul Islam (Mohiuddin)
presided over the meeting
where FBCCI Senior Vice-
President Sheikh Fazle
Fahim, Vice-President Md
Muntakim Ashraf, its
directors, former Director
Golam Dastagir Gazi and
BGMEA President Md
Siddiqur Rahman were
also present.