24-10-2021

Sunday, Dhaka: October 24, 2021; Kartik 8, 1428 BS; Rabi-ul Awal 16, 1443 Hijri
Bangladesh to formulate integrated energy-power
sector master plan with focus on 3E+S concept
In the red of the blue sky, Kashful is stirring the air. The picture is taken from Jamuna char area
of Bogura district. Photo : Star Mail
Cumilla attack cases to be tried
in speedy trial tribunals:Anisul
DHAKA : Law, Justice and
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul
Huq yesterday said trials of the cases
filed over the recent attacks on Durga
Puja mandaps in Cumilla will be held
in speedy trial tribunals.
"There is a section in speedy trial tribunals
to accept CCTV footages as evidence.
So, there is no bar to accept the
CCTV footages captured during the
incident as the evidence," he said.
The minister said this replying to a question
from a journalist after joining a welcoming
ceremony of the newly appointed
sub-registrars and view exchange meeting
at the Bangabandhu Int’l Conference
Centre in the city. After getting the
investigation reports from the police,
Anisul said, the cases will be sent to
speedy trial tribunals.
About appointment of judges in high
court, the minister said, "Appointment
of judges in high court is a regular
process and it will continue. We are
now thinking of formulating a policy
about judge appointment".
Regarding e-registration process of
land, Anisul said, "A pilot project is
now being implemented. We will get
reports of the project on October 31
this year. Depending on the reports,
we will launch the e-registration
process across the country".
Legislative and Parliamentary
Affairs Division Secretary Md Moinul
Kabir and Law and Justice Division
Secretary Md Golam Sarwar joined
the function as special guests with
Narayanganj District Registrar Md
Ziaul Haque in the chair.
'Need some rest now,' BGB
man says in suicide note
FENI : A Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)
member allegedly killed himself with his
own gun on Friday night apparently having
failed to endure acute poverty.
"Too tired of fighting with poverty for
the past seven years; need some rest now,"
the BGB man said in his Facebook handle
barely an hour before taking his life.
Sohrab Hossain Chowdhury,23, hailing
from Parshuram upazila in Feni district,
killed himself at 39 BGB battalion camp in
Khagdahor area in Mymensingh, said
assistant director of the battalion Yunus
Ali on Saturday. Around 8:03 pm on
Friday, he posted the suicide note on social
media about his job dissatisfaction and
urged all to forgive him. Sohrab narrated
how "shamefully" he had to borrow
money from his uncle for his mother's
DHAKA : Air pollution still remains one
of the top most challenges for
Bangladesh-its capital has been ranked
as the second-most polluted city in the
world, reports UNB.
On Saturday, Dhaka occupied the second
position in the list of world cities
with the worst air quality. Dhaka's air
quality index (AQI) was recorded at 159
around 9.15am, which is considered 'unhealthy'.
The cities of Kolkata and Mumbai in
neighbouring India occupied the first
and third spots, respectively, with an
AQI of 193 and 158.
An AQI between 100 and 200 is considered
'unhealthy for sensitive groups'.
Similarly, an AQI between 201 and 300
is said to be 'poor', while a reading of 301
to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing
serious health risks to residents.
AQI, an index for reporting daily air
quality, is used by government agencies
to inform people how clean or polluted
the air of a certain city is, and
what associated health effects might
treatment last month as he could not
afford it with his small amount of salary.
"Didn't get any chance to do anything for
my physically- challenged younger brother,"
he wrote.
"Amid the situation, people ask me why
I'm not getting married. I never thought of
getting married; only wanted to live a
decent life somehow, but that has not been
possible." "I'm too tired after fighting with
mental pressure and poverty for the last
seven years. Now I need some rest," he wrote
adding, "I seek pardon from my family, seniors,
juniors and friends for this heinous act.
But I had no other alternative."
Bangladesh reports 70% more deaths
from suicide than Covid-19, according to a
recent study by Aachol Foundation published
on March 14, this year.
Dhaka is world's secondmost
polluted city
be a concern for them.
In Bangladesh, the overall AQI is
based on five criteria pollutants -
Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5),
NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone (O3).
Dhaka has long been grappling with air
pollution issues. Generally, Dhaka's air
starts getting fresh when monsoon rains
begin in mid-June. The air remains mostly
acceptable from June to October.
Air pollution consistently ranks
among the top risk factors for death and
disability worldwide.
Breathing polluted air has long been
recognised as increasing a person's chances
of developing heart disease, chronic respiratory
diseases, lung infections and cancer,
according to several studies.
As per the World Health
Organization (WHO), air pollution
kills an estimated seven million people
worldwide every year, largely as a
result of increased mortality from
stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease, lung cancer
and acute respiratory infections.
BNP is infected
with 'suspicion'
virus : Quader
DHAKA : Awami League General
Secretary and Road Transport and
Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on
Saturday said BNP is now infected
with 'suspicion' virus as the party casts
doubt on every matter.
He said this at a regular press conference
on contemporary issues at his
official residence here.
Quader said when all expressed satisfaction
over the arrest of Iqbal
Hossain, who kept the holy Quran at a
puja mandap in Cumilla, BNP secretary
general Mirza Fakhrul Islam
Alamgir is questioning where the
arrested youth was for so many days.
Actually it is BNP's habit to make
any success or achievement (of government)
controversial as the party is
infected with rare 'suspicion' virus.
Pointing to Fakhrul, the minister
said: "You can give information where
Iqbal was in the last several days."
He said a question and suspicion
came in the minds of the people
whether BNP's excessive reaction
over the issue is the party's strategy to
hide their own wrongdoing or not.
"The people know very well about
BNP's double standard. They ask the
thief to steal and house-owner to
remain alert," he said.
Mitu murder case
Arms supplier Bhola arrested in Jeshore
DHAKA : Responding to the suggestions
of energy experts, Bangladesh is finally
moving towards formulating an integrated
energy and power sector master
plan with a focus on the "3E+S" concept,
reports UNB.
"We'll pursue the "3E+S" concept of
ensuring "Energy Security," "Economic
Efficiency," and "Environment" while
focusing on "Safety," said the Japan
International Cooperation Agency
(JICA) in an official statement, adding,
"In view of the need for a long-term lowcarbon
energy policy, we will support the
formulation of the integrated energy and
power master plan."
According to official sources, Tokyobased
consulting firm Institute of
Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ), has
started work following an agreement the
Bangladesh government signed with
JICA on March 15 this year in this
regard.
Official sources said JICA will complete
the formulation of the integrated
energy and power master plan by
December 2022 under a completion
DHAKA : Foreign Minister Dr AK
Abdul Momen on Saturday said there
is shortage of vaccines in Bangladesh,
adding that the vaccination drive in
the country will go on as planned,
reports UNB.
"There is no shortage of vaccines in
Bangladesh. We are also ready to go
into vaccine production," he said
while speaking as the chief guest at an
award ceremony at the Sylhet District
Press Club auditorium. He also said
that Bangladesh has been highly successful
in 'Vaccine Diplomacy' under
the leadership of Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina and guidance of the
Covid-19 management committee.
"Till now, we are providing free jabs
to our citizens. This is a very rare feat
compared to other parts of the globe,"
the FM added.
The FM also spoke regarding the
CHATTOGRAM : Police on Saturday
arrested Ehteshamul Haque Bhola , who
allegedly supplied arms used in the killing
of former police superintendent Babul
Akter's wife Mahmuda Khanam Mitu,
from Benapole in Jeshore district, reports
UNB.
Santosh Chakma, the investigative officer
in the case and PBI Inspector
(Chattogram Metro Zone) said," Members
of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI)
arrested him early Saturday while he was
fleeing to India." There is substantial evidence
that Bhola provided the firearms
and ammunition for killing Mitu.
He was earlier arrested and jailed for
several days.
However, the High Court in September
granted him four weeks' bail.
He recently applied for anticipatory bail
before the High Court after a re-arrest
warrant was issued against him, but the
HC ordered Bhola to surrender to a lower
court. But Bhola tried to flee the country
without surrendering to the lower court.
Tipped off, PBI conducted a drive and
contract of a timeframe of 30 months.
JICA has been funding the entire project
through its grant under a deal with
the Ministry of Power, Energy and
Mineral Resources (MPEMR).
It had provided financial and technical
support for formulating all the previous
power system master plans (PSMPs)
until 2016.
According to official sources at the
MPEMR, for decades, Bangladesh had
prepared two separate master plans-one
for the energy sector and another for
power sector-where there had been
many missing links and lack of coordination
resulting in imbalance between
the energy and power sector's growth.
"But for the first time, we're going to
formulate an integrated master plan
putting equal emphasis on development
of both the sectors in order to support
the current robust economic growth,"
said Mohammad Hossain, Director
General of Power Cell.
In the context of imbalanced growth in
power and energy sectors in the last one
and a half decades, the country's energy
No shortage of vaccines
in Bangladesh: FM
recent incidents of communal violence
in the country in an earlier program
at the office of Electronic Media
Journalists Association (EMJA) in
Sylhet.
Mentioning that there were provocations
behind the recent communal
violence in the country, the minister
said," A specific group is trying to
destabilise the country ahead of the
national election which is two years
from now."
"Bangladesh is 'number one' in the
world in religious harmony. People of
all religions are living in peace in this
country," he added.
Mentioning that there is no beef
between Bangladesh and India over
the recent act of violence, the FM
said," India (Indian government) is
very happy with the steps taken by us
on the issue of communal attacks."
arrested Bhola from Durgapur Bazar
Road in Benapole Bazar along the border.
On June 5, 2016, unidentified assailants
gunned down Babul's wife Mitu at the port
city's GEC intersection while she was
going to drop her son for a bus of
Chittagong Cantonment Public School
and College.
Soon after the crime, a murder case was
filed at Panchlaish Police Station against
three unidentified men, following a complaint
by Babul.
On May 12 this year, PBI submitted its
Election of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ)was held in festive mood on Saturday. Photo : TBT
experts have long been urging the government
to formulate an integrated plan
to bring coordination among the two.
In the last 12-13 years, the country's
power sector witnessed a robust growth
with increased power generation from
4,500 MW to 21,000 MW while growth
in the energy sector remained non-significant
as a new discovery was not made
for gas exploration nor low cost primary
fuel was ensured.
Officials said Bangladesh has to now
import a significant amount of primary
fuel-specially, liquid petroleum, liquefied
natural gas (LNG) and coal-to meet
the demand of the power and industry
sector.
Welcoming the move for an integrated
master plan, eminent energy expert Dr.
Tamim said this initiative will definitely
bring a positive impact on ensuring low
cost primary energy for affordable
power generation.
He said many power plants have to
face uncertainty in their operation
because of lack of primary fuel supply
guarantee.
BNP is infected
with 'suspicion'
virus : Quader
DHAKA : Awami League General
Secretary and Road Transport and
Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on
Saturday said BNP is now infected with
'suspicion' virus as the party casts doubt
on every matter.
He said this at a regular press conference
on contemporary issues at his official
residence here.
Quader said when all expressed satisfaction
over the arrest of Iqbal Hossain,
who kept the holy Quran at a puja mandap
in Cumilla, BNP secretary general
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is questioning
where the arrested youth was for
so many days.
Actually it is BNP's habit to make any
success or achievement (of government)
controversial as the party is infected
with rare 'suspicion' virus.
Pointing to Fakhrul, the minister said:
"You can give information where Iqbal
was in the last several days."
He said a question and suspicion came
in the minds of the people whether
BNP's excessive reaction over the issue
is the party's strategy to hide their own
wrongdoing or not.
"The people know very well about
BNP's double standard. They ask the
thief to steal and house-owner to remain
alert," he said.
Clean energy to
be imported from
neighbouring
countries:Nasrul
DHAKA : Steps will be taken to import
clean energy from the neighbouring
nations alongside the ongoing efforts to
increase the share of renewable energy in
the energy mix, said State Minister for
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources
Nasrul Hamid, reports UNB.
He revealed the plan while addressing a
presentation session of the Power Grid
Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) on the
country's power transmission plan at a city
hotel on Saturday. Nasrul said new
sources of renewable energies are coming
up to boost the energy mix against the
backdrop of global climate change.
Held with power secretary Habibur
Rahman in the chair, the function was also
addressed by Planning Commission member
Sharifa Khan. Additional secretary of the
power division Nurul Alam conducted the
event. Director of Power Grid Company India
Limited Abhay Chowdhury made a presentation
on the topic.
Nasrul mentioned that efforts are being
made to modernize and streamline the
transmission system of the country.
"The process of modernizing the transmission
and distribution systems is
underway. Various projects have been
taken to develop the distribution system,"
he added.
Nasrul said there must be an automatic
frequency control for all kinds of electricity
like renewable energy, coal-fired power,
nuclear power, oil and gas-fired power
plants to synchronize with the transmission
system.