11-07-2019

NEWS
THURSDAY,
JUlY 11, 2019
2
A discussion titled 'Improving Safety for Ready-made Garment Workers: Experiences and the Way
Forward' was held at a Hotel at Gulshan-1 in the capital recently.
Photo : Courtesy
Docu-Fiction film "Jonmobhumi"
on Rohingya screened at UNHQs
DHAKA : In commemoration of World
Refugee Day, Permanent Mission of
Bangladesh to the UN has recently
hosted the screening of a docu-fiction
film on the forcibly displaced
Rohingyas residing in the camps in
Cox's Bazar, reports UNB.
The event, held at the United Nations
headquarters, was co-sponsored by the
Permanent Mission of Kenya to the UN
and United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The film titled "JonmoBhumi" or
"The Birthland" is a life story of a
Rohingya woman named Sophia, who
was forced to flee her homeland, the
Rakhine state of Myanmar, to escape
atrocities, said a media release on
Wednesday.
Sophia's dilemma-whether to return
to her birth-land to give birth of her
child, or remain in the camps in
Bangladesh, was vividly captured in the
film.
The persecution Rohingyas faced in
Rakhine State, their conditions in the
camps and Sophia's determination and
resilience are some of the film's main
take away.
The film was directed by Proshun
PM mourns
death of
Rushema
Begum MP
DHAKA : Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina on
Wednesday expressed
profound shock and sorrow
at the death of Awami
League MP Rushema
Begum, also known as
Rushema Imam, reports
UNB.
In a condolence message,
she said Rushema was a
member of the Awami
League family and had been
working for the welfare of
the people throughout her
the life.
Sheikh Hasina prayed for
the eternal peace of the
departed soul and offered
sympathies to the bereaved
family.
Rushema, wife of Awami
League's former Faridpur
unit chief Imamuddin
Ahmad, was elected from
the reserved seat.
She died on Tuesday night
at the Faridpur Heart
Foundation Hospital after
suffering a heart attack.
She was 85.
Man hacked
to death in
Chattogram
CHATTOGRAM : A man
was hacked to death over a
trivial matter in Bayejid
Bostami colony of the city on
Wednesday, reports UNB.
The deceased was
identified as Md Kalam, 28,
a local shopkeeper in
Bayejid Bostami area.
Sub-inspector Rajesh of
Bayazid Bostami Police
Station said that some
miscreants hacked Kalam
with a knife leaving him
severely injured.
Later, doctors declared
him dead after being taken
to the hospital, he said.
Rahman and produced by Ashik
Rahman under the banner of Bengal
Multimedia.
A brief discussion on the forcibly
displaced people in the world in general
and Rohingyas in particular was held
before the screening where the
Permanent Representative of
Bangladesh to the UN, Ambassador
Masud Bin Momen made opening
remarks.
Jurg Lauber, Ambassador and
Permanent Representative of
Switzerland; Ambassador Koki Muli
Grignon, Deputy Permanent
Representative of Kenya; Arjun Jain,
Senior Policy Advisor of UNHCR;
Ashik Rahman, Producer of the Film; &
CEO RTV and Raj Hameed, Distributor
of the film in USA took part in the
discussion.
Miss Teen International Beauty and
Miss Bharat New York 2009, a
Indonesian-American teenager Suzan
Koch also spoke.
Ambassador Masud spoke about the
plight of Rohingyas particularly the
atrocities perpetrated against women
and children.
The PR highlighted the generosity
DHAKA : Bangladesh is set to officially
celebrate its capital Dhaka's achievement as
"OIC City of Tourism 2019" from today
aiming at showcasing rich Muslim heritage of
more than 400-year old city before the global
community, especially the Muslim tourists.
Dhaka was chosen as the "City of Tourism
for 2019" by the tourism ministers of the OIC
member states at the closing session of the
10th Islamic Conference of Tourism
Ministers (ICTM) that was held last year
here.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will
inaugurate the two-day official celebration at
Hotel InterContinental here today morning
in the presence of representatives from more
than 30 OIC member states including OIC
Assistance Secretary General Musa
Kulaklikaya.
Musa will read out a statement of OIC
secretary general Dr Yousef bin Ahmed Al-
Othaimeen. To be presided over by State
Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M
Mahbub Ali, the celebration programme will
also be addressed by Foreign Minister Dr AK
Abdul Momen.
After the inaugural session, the Bangladesh
Tourism Board (BTB) will arrange technical
Dhaka city tours for the OIC member state
representatives in the afternoon. The OIC
delegation will visit nearly 500-year old
Panam City in Narayanganj on Friday.
The BTB under Civil Aviation and Tourism
Ministry will arrange concert, laser show and
fireworks at Hatir Jheel on Friday night as
part of its celebration programme.
The board will also host cultural functions
as well as welcome and farewell dinners for
the foreign guests on Thursday and Friday
night.
"We will showcase Dhaka's rich cultural
and Muslim heritage, especially the
archaeology, in front of the OIC member
state representatives for encouraging them to
promote our tourism in their respective
countries," Civil Aviation and Tourism
Secretary M Mohibul Haque told BSS.
The secretary hoped that the OIC
reorganization of Dhaka as a habitat of
Muslim heritage will create huge interest
about Bangladesh among the Muslim and
other tourists across the globe.
Noting that currently Bangladesh is the
current chair of ICTM, he said the OIC
understands that Bangladesh has huge
potential in tourism sector and encouraged
Bangladesh to discuss ways of cooperation
among the member states.
and humanity of Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina and the people of
Bangladesh.
He also reiterated Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina's appeal to the
international community for safe,
voluntary and dignified return of the
Rohingyas to their homeland.
"This movie echoes Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina's sentiments" the PR
added.
Ambassador Lauber presented the
Swiss perspective about protracted
refugee crises in the world.
He also spoke about Switzerland's
cooperation and aid to the Rohingya
refugees.
Ambassador Grignon mentioned the
Global Compact for Migration as a tool
for multilateral cooperation in
achieving a sustainable solution to the
worldwide humanitarian crises arising
from displacement.
Arjun Jain spoke on the world
refugee crises, and UNHCR's role in
addressing them.
Thirteen year old Suzan Koch sought
the cooperation of international
community to resolve the Rohingya
crisis.
Dhaka's celebration of 'OIC City
of Tourism' starts today
"This celebration will be a wonderful
platform to create a closer interaction and
cooperation among the OIC member states
and the related stakeholders involved in
tourism industries," Bangladesh Tourism
Board CEO Dr Bhubon Chandra Biswas said.
He said the celebration will focus Dhaka as
the unparallel city of history, heritage and
culture among the OIC member countries. "It
will also tighten the bond and extend the
areas of cooperation in relation to
development of tourism among the member
states," he said.
After the deceleration of Dhaka as the City
of Tourism, Bangladesh had sent project
proposals to OIC headquarters through the
foreign ministry seeking support for
conservation and development of Islamic
heritage in Bangladesh as well as capacity
build up of Islamic University of Technology
(IUT) in Gazipur for creating skilled human
resources for the travel and hospitality sector.
"Our proposals will be discussed at the 11th
Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers
(ICTM) to be held in 2020 at Azerbaijan," the
BTB chief said.
Dhaka achieved the award defeating four
other cities of OIC member countries and its
closest contestant Gabala of Azerbaijan was
made the City of Tourism for 2020 in the
10th ICTM last year, he said.
With a market potential of more than 50
Muslim countries and no less than 1.6 billion
Muslims, tremendous opportunities await
those who are willing to meet the demands
for Muslim-friendly tourism products and
services.
BIWTC to build
own oil tankers
within 2021
DHAKA : Bangladesh Inland Water
Transport Corporation (BIWTC) will build
two shallow draft oil tankers within June,
2021.
Shipping Ministry secretary M Abdus
Samad yesterday disclosed it while presiding
over a meeting at his office, a press release
said here.
The capacity of each tanker will be four
lakh liters and the corporation will build
those with its own fund. High officials of the
ministry and BIWTC were present at the
meeting.
'Robber' killed in
Pabna 'gunfight'
PABNA : A suspected robber
was killed in a 'gunfight' with
police at Hashampur in
Sujanagar upazila early
Wednesday, reports UNB.
The deceased was
identified as Saiful Islam
alias Gyada Lal, 30, a
member of inter-district
robber gang and son of
Habibor RahmanMollah of
Narsinghapur village.
Arbinda Sarkar, officer-incharge
of Sujanagar Police
Station, said police arrested
Gyada Lal on Tuesday night.
Later, a team of police
along with Gyada went to
Hashampur Eidgah Math
for recovering arms around
2:30 am.
Sensing presence of the
law enforcers, the associates
of Gyada opened fire on
police, forcing them to fire
back that triggered the
gunfight.
At one stage, Gyada was
caught in the line of fire and
died on the spot.
He was wanted in several
cases including that of
robbery and murder.
Police recovered one
shutter gun, two bullets and
a sharp weapon from the
spot.
Youth electrocuted
in Khulna
KHULNA : A young man
died from electrocution at
Satkhali village in
Paikgaccha upazila on
Wednesday, reports UNB.
The deceased was
identified as Nazmul Haque,
34, son of Rakibul Islam of
the village.
Nazmul came in contact
with a electric wire when he
switched on a pump of a fish
enclosure at Hariadanga in
the village around 5 am, said
sub-inspector of Paikgaccha
Police Station Anish Kumar.
Later, he was taken to a
local hospital where doctors
declared him dead.
Barishal nursing
students continue
strike
BARISHAL : Students of
Barishal Nursing Training
College continued their
strike for the fifth
consecutive day on
Wednesday to force the
authorities accede to their
four-point demands.
They boycotted classes,
examinations and clinical
practices like the previous
days
Bangladesh Basic
Graduate Student Nurses
Association (BBGSNA)
called for the demonstration
programme in front of the
nursing college, reports
UNB.
The protesters brought out
a procession and marched
through the campus and
vowed to continue
demonstration until their
demands are met.
Tanvir murder:
3 Madrasa
students jailed
in Natore
NATORE : A court here on
Wednesday sentenced three
students to jail for killing
Mohammad Tanvir, a
student of Ashraful Ulum
Madrasa, reports UNB.
District Women and
Children Repression
Prevention Tribunal Judge
Mohammad Mynul Haq
delivered the verdict at noon.
Humaid Hossain and
Bayejid Hossain were jailed
for 10 years while Naim was
given an eight-year
imprisonment.
Earlier on August 25, 2015,
Bayezid and Hossain and
their friend Naim called
Tanvir to their room at night.
They slaughtered Tanvir and
dumped the body in a septic
tank.
Later, they demanded Tk5
lakh as ransom from
Tanvir's father.
Tanvir's father later filed a
general diary in this
connection with sadar police
and informed the Rapid
Action Battalion.
Call to ensure safety of RMG
workers who are lifeblood
for the sector
Terming workers as lifeblood for Readymade
Garments (RMG), which is one of
Bangladesh's largest export sectors,
speakers at a programme called for
ensuring their occupational health and
safety in the interest of the sector, a press
release said
Health safety is a big issue, because if the
workers' health is affected, the RMG sector
cannot sustain. So, steps are needed to
ensure their both physical and mental
health, otherwise, the sector will collapse,
they said.
Referring to importance of the sector, they
observed that the sector is earning 82
percent of total export income and
contributing to 18 percent of the country's
GDP.
They also called for improving building
and fire safety for the workers, taking
measures for stopping sexual harassment
and introducing trade union and safety
committee in all the garment factories.
They remarked while addressing a
discussion titled 'Improving Safety for
Ready-made Garment Workers:
Experiences and the Way Forward' at a
Hotel at Gulshan-1 in the capital recently.
The workers, especially female ones, work
in unhealthy environment at their work
places. Hence, they are suffering from
diseases such as anaemia, TB and pain at
different parts of their bodies, putting their
BREB DGM Conference to be
held on 13th July
The Deputy General Manager (DGM)
Conference of 80 Palli Power Association
under the Bangladesh Rural Electrification
Board (BREB) will be held at its
Headquarters on July 13. At that conference,
more than 300 hundred deputy general
managers (DGM) of 80 Palli Power
Association will participate of 80 Palli Power
Association. In this conference, discussion
will be done for celebrating the birth
anniversary of the Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
'Mujib Barsho' , a press release said.
BREB's 8 targets for 'Mujib Barsho' (Mujib
Year) are, to celebrate Mujib Year as the year
of service, ensuring 100 percent electricity
for the people, continuation of 'Alor
Feriwala' program to resolve customer
harassment, to ensure uninterrupted power
in building 'My village-my city', enforce 'zero
tolerance' policy against corruption, to
War crimes case: Verdict on
ATM Azhar's plea against
death penalty any day
DHAKA : The Appellate Division will deliver it verdict on the
appeal filed challenging the death sentence of Jamaat leader
ATM Azharul Islam for war crimes, reports UNB.
A four member bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud
Hossain passed the order after closing the law-point
arguments from both sides.Earlier, the Appellate Division on
June 18 started hearing the appeal filed by war criminal ATM
Azharul Islam challenging his death sentence.
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced Jamaat-e-
Islami's Assistant Secretary General Islam to death on
December 30, 2014, for crimes against humanity committed
in Rangpur during the Liberation War.
He was found guilty of five of the six charges brought
against him. Islam moved the top court on January 28 the
next year.
Indian FM invited to
visit Bangladesh
DHAKA : Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed
Muazzem Ali has recently met Indian External Affairs
Minister S Jaishankar at his office in New Delhi and
discussed various issues of mutual interest, reports UNB.
During the meeting, Syed Muazzem conveyed Bangladesh
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen's invitation to his
Indian counterpart to visit Bangladesh, said the High
Commission on Wednesday.Jaishankar told the envoy that
he would travel to Bangladesh at a mutually convenient
time.Syed Muazzem also conveyed Dr Momen's
congratulations to Jaishankar on taking up his new
assignment and wished him success.
lives at risk, they added.
"Ensuring a decent risk free working
condition at the factories will help us realize
the goal No. 8 of SDGs".
American Center for International Labor
Solidarity (Solidarity Center-Bangladesh)
organized the event.
Shibnath Roy, Inspector General of
Department of Inspection for Factories and
Establishments (DIFE), attended as the
chief guest.
In his address, Roy called upon all
concerned to supplement the government
efforts in this regard, as the government
alone will not be able to ensure the safety of
the workers.
He informed that an Occupational Safety
and Health Institute at a cost of Tk. 150
crore in collaboration with the Danish
government will be established in Rajshahi.
Jon Hartough, Country Program Director
of the Solidarity Center, Kelly Fay
Rodriguez, Deputy Program Director, Keith
L Goddard, representative of US
Department of Labour, Rakibul Hasan,
Program Officer, among others, spoke at
the event, which was moderated by
Advocate AKM Nasim, senior legal advisor
of the Solidarity Center.
Representatives from BGMEA, RMG
labour unions, workers, national and
international labour rights organizations
also participated in the programme.
introduce 'paperless office' for building
digital Bangladesh, to install eco-friendly
2,000 solar irrigation pump, training the
unemployed youth to become skilled
manpower to achieve 'Energy of youth -
achieving prosperity of Bangladesh'.
Apart from this, implementing joint visits
of various lines of projects, audit disposal
and financial capacity building, brokers,
extortion, bribe and corruption prevention
programs, completion of e-filing activities, e-
filing of all documents, preserving all
documents in digitalization Prepaid Meter
for all customers, implementation progress
in the up gradation project and store
management system.
In the conference, Chairman of the Board
of Rural Electrification Board Major General
(Retd) Moin Uddin will be present as the
chief guest. Besides, senior officials of BREB
will give directional points at the conference.
The Appellate Division will deliver it verdict on the appeal filed challenging the death
sentence of Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam for war crimes. Photo : Courtesy
Ershad is getting
world class treatment
at CMH: GM Quader
DHAKA : Acting Chairman
of Jatiya Party (JP) GM
Quader yesterday expressed
satisfaction over the
treatment of ailing JP
Chairman HM Ershad at
Combined Military Hospital
(CMH), saying doctors are
giving world class medical
treatment to him.
"Leader of the opposition
in Parliament Ershad is
currently undergoing
intensive treatment under
sedation at CMH and doctors
are giving world class
medical treatment to him,"
he said.
He said this at a press
briefing on the latest
condition of Ershad's health
at the JP chairman's Banani
office here.
He (Ershad) tried to open
his eyes to respond to the call
of the doctor in yesterday
morning, said Quader,
quoting the CMH doctors.
Ershad's blood pressure
and oxyzen intake are
normal and his lung infection
has decreased too, he said,
adding that the Pallibandhu
(Ershad) was given dialysis
due to lack of proper
functioning of his kidneys.