19-05-2022

Thursday, Dhaka: May 19, 2022; Jaishtha 5, 1429 BS; Shawal 17, 1443 Hijri
New int'l development
strategy to deepen economic,
security ties globally : UK
DHAKA : The recently launched new
"international development strategy"
will deepen economic, security and
development ties globally, while delivering
jobs and growth in both the UK
and partner countries, says the UK government.
.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has set
out her vision for the future of UK international
development which will help
address increasing global challenges.
The British Foreign Secretary published
the "International Development
Strategy" to respond to a world increasingly
affected by geopolitics, according
to the British High Commission in
Dhaka.
The UK will use aid and investment
to create global economic growth and
challenge dependency on malign actors
to offer honest alternative for low- and
middle-income countries.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office (FCDO) will prioritise
bilateral programmes to ensure
money is spent on key priorities including
educating girls and providing lifesaving
humanitarian support
The strategy, which builds on a proud
record of global leadership on development,
will challenge dependency on
malign actors, offering choice and
bringing more countries into the orbit
of free-market economies.
The strategy will help address
increasing global challenges, delivering
investment, supporting women and
girls, getting humanitarian assistance
to those who need it most, and continuing
our work on climate change,
nature and global health.
Development will be at the heart of
the UK's foreign policy which uses all
the levers available - including development,
diplomacy, investment, trade,
defence and intelligence - to deliver on
our foreign policy objectives.
The strategy will use British
International Investment and other
tools to provide honest and reliable
finance to help low- and middleincome
countries take control of their
futures, giving them an alternative so
they are not burdened with unsustainable
debt with strings attached.
This approach will help deliver the
Clean Green Initiative, supporting
countries to grow their economies sustainably.
The UK government will also use the
strategy to rebalance the aid budget
towards bilateral programmes.
This will give the Government greater
control on how money is spent allowing
a focus on priorities and improve lives
around the world.
"In an increasingly geopolitical
world, we must use development as a
key part of our foreign policy," said
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
The new strategy, launched on
Wednesday, will ensure that their international
development work brings benefit
across the globe and here at home.
Our strategy will deepen economic,
security and development ties globally,
while delivering jobs and growth in
both the UK and partner countries.
Hasan goes to France
to inaugurate trailer of
Bangabandhu's biopic
A mobile
court of BRTA
conducted
drive in the
capital on
Wednesday to
stop the
movement of
vehicles without
fitness.
Photo :
Star Mail
DHAKA : Information and
Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan
Mahmud left here for France on
Tuesday night to join the inaugural
function of the trailer of the film
titled 'Mujib: The Making of a
Nation' to be held at 75th Cannes
Film Festival.
The inaugural function will be
held at the Indian Pavilion today in
the Marché du Film of the Cannes
Film Festival that began on May 17,
said a press release.
Information and Broadcasting
Minister and Awami League Joint
General Secretary Dr Hasan
Mahmud, Minister of Information
& Broadcasting and Youth Affairs &
Sports of India Anurag Singh
Thakur, biopic's director Shyam
Benegal, screenwriter Shyama Zaidi
and Atul Tiwari and key actors and
officials will attend the opening of
the trailer of the biopic jointly produced
by Bangladesh-India on the
life and works of Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman.
Executive Director of the biopic
and Bangladesh Film Development
Corporation (BFDC) managing
director Nuzhat Yasmin, casting
director of Bangladesh part Bahar
Uddin Khelon, BFDC director Md
Ishan Ali Raja Bangali, deputy secretary
Md Saiful Islam, Arefin
Shubho, protagonist and acted as
role of Bangabandhu, Nusrat Imroz
Tisha who acted as the role of
Bangamata will also attend the
event.
Shooting of the film began at the
outset of 2021 and it is scheduled to
be released this year. In the biopic,
Nusrat Faria acted as the role of
Sheikh Hasina and Reaz Ahmed
performed in as the character of
Tajuddin Ahmad.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday inaugurated a newly constructed eco-friendly multi-storey office building of the Cox's Bazar
Development Authority, joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence.
Photo : PID
Humayun for
enhancing use of
tech in financial
institutions
DHAKA : Industries Minister
Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun
said the use of technology in financial
institutions needs to be further
enhanced and these services
should be taken up to the village
level for the overall development of
the nation.
"At present, besides banks, nonbank
financial institutions (NBFI)
are also playing a vital role in the
development of small and medium
entrepreneurs.
NBFIs are coming up with small
and medium-sized enterprises
(SME) loans up to 35 per cent on
their loan portfolio, which is very
encouraging," he said.
Industries minister made the
remarks while speaking as the chief
guest at the inaugural function of
'BLFCA Fair 2022' on non-bank
financial institutions held at a city
hotel yesterday, said a press
release.
Daily Bonik Barta and
Bangladesh Leasing and Finance
Companies Association (BLFCA)
jointly organised the fair.
Humayun said NBFIs are facing
various challenges in Bangladesh
as they are working with limited
capital. But, there are a lot of
opportunities in this sector and for
this, the sector has to be brought
under discipline.
Bangladesh Bank has taken various
initiatives in this regard, he
added.
Among others, Chairman of
BLFCA Mominul Islam, Editor of
Daily Bonik Barta Dewan Hanif
Mahmud and high officials of
BLFCA and Bonik Barta were also
present at the fair, added the press
release.
President Hamid urges
global efforts to combat
climate change
DHAKA : President Abdul Hamid on
Wednesday called for comprehensive
global steps to combat the adverse effects
of global warming on food security.
"We must turn our words into action.
Climate change knows no boundary," he
said while addressing virtually the
International Conference on Climate
Change and Food Security in South Asia
at the senate building of Dhaka
University. The porgramme was organised
by the Int’l Committee of CCFS.
Saying 'the world is more united than
ever before in addressing the threats of
climate change considering the vulnerabilities
and the worst effect,' the president
said none can remain idle until this misfortune
actually unfolds.
"The time of action cannot be delayed,"
he emphasised.
Consolatory commitments, showy
speeches, attractive slogans and presentation
of substantial papers are not enough to
mitigate the problem, he also said.
Hamid hoped that the international
community, particularly historically high
greenhouse gas emitters, multinational
organizations, development partners,
scientists, media, policy makers and civil
society will come forward to provide
assistance in tackling the loss of lives and
livelihood due to climate change.
"It is a global issue that demands global
response. The time for action is now
and there is simply no time for delay," he
added.
Hamid expressed his happiness as the
organizers kept a session on "HAOR
FLOODING and Livelihood Management".
Mentioning Mithamoin, a remote haor
area as his birthplace, he said "I know the
real situation and problem of this area. It
is a matter of great satisfaction that scientists
from home and abroad have come
forward to solve the problem."
He also mentioned that he noticed the
eagerness of the international community
regarding the impact of climate change
on Bangladesh, especially in the coastal
areas.
The president said the present government
is trying relentlessly to ensure a
sustainable environment for comfortable
living of the present and future populations
of the country and has taken the
'Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100' to secure
the future of water resources and mitigate
the likely effects of climate change
and natural disasters.
Dhaka University vice-chancellor
Professor Dr. Md Akhteruzzaman presided
over the session, addressed also by
Secretary General of World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) Professor Dr. Petteri
Taalas and Country Representative of FAO
Robert Douglas SImson.
Corruption in NSU's land acquisition
Hearing on 4 trustees'
bail plea today
DHAKA : The High Court on Wednesday
fixed Thursday for the hearing of the bail
petitions of four trustee board members
of North South University (NSU) in a
case over embezzling money in the name
of buying land for the campus.
The four members of the board of
trustees of the university who sought bail
were MA Kashem, Benazir Ahmed,
Rehana Rahman and Muhammad
Shahjahan. The HC bench of Justice Md
Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi
Md Ejarul Haque Akondo fixed the date
after hearing of the case yesterday.
Barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC, former
Attorney General AF Hassan Ariff and
former Attorney General Fida M Kamal
and Barrister Mizan Sayeed appeared for
the accused in the court while Attorney
General AM Amin Uddin ,Additional
Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad
Morshed and Deputy Attorney General
AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented
the state.
On May 5, the Anti-Corruption
Commission (ACC) sued the chairman of
the board of trustees of North South
University (NSU) Azim Uddin Ahmed
and five others for embezzling money in
the name of buying land for the campus.
The other accused are: Managing
director of Ashalaya Housing and
Developers Limited Amin Mobammad
Hilali and NSU Board of Trustee members
MA Kashem, Benazir Ahmed,
Rehana Rahman and Muhammad
Shahjahan. The investigating officer of
the ACC's Deputy Director Farid Ahmed
Patwar filed the case.
According to the Private University
Act, 2010, the Board of Trustees is the
highest governing body of a private university
like North South University.
According to the Memorandum of
Association and Articles (Rules and
Regulations) of the University, the
University is a charitable, welfare oriented,
non-commercial and non-profit educational
institution.
The case states that over 9088 decimal
land was bought in the name of campus
development of NSU with the consent of
some members of the Board of Trustees
bypassing the approval of the University
Syndicate, University Grants Commission
and the Ministry of Education.
They later withdrew cash from the
buyer through cash checks in their own
names and kept FDR in their own
names. They unjustly benefited themselves
by committing illegal activities
through misuse of power and embezzling
university and government funds,
according to the case.
Bangladesh's
power, energy gain
tremendous success:
Singapore Envoy
DHAKA : Non-Resident Singapore High
Commissioner to Bangladesh Derek Loh
on Wednesday lauded tremendous success
of Bangladesh's power and energy
sector.
"Power and Energy sector of
Bangladesh can issue bond or join the
capital market as Singaporean market
is open for all," he said while paying a
courtesy call on State Minister for
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources
Nasrul Hamid at the latter's ministry
office here.
During the meeting, they discussed
various issues including mutual interest
of both the countries.
The State Minister said Bangladesh's
power and energy sector is investment
friendly. "To update the overall system of
power and energy sector with modern
technology, we can work on a partnership
basis," he added.
Besides, a joint committee can be
formed to explore what else can be done
with Singapore, Nasrul added.
Side by side with wonderful success in
economic development of Bangladesh,
he said the two countries can work
together for planned urbanization, energy,
education and technology sectors.
Among others, head of mission of the
Singapore High Commission in
Bangladesh Sheela Pillai, Deputy
Director of the Commerce Ministry in
Singapore Uma Muniandy, Country
Officer for South Asia Affairs of
Foreign Ministry in Singapore
Nathanael Lee, Director of Enterprise
in Singapore Jayakrishnan
Gopalakrishanan and Global Director
of Enterprise Singapore Audrey Tan
were present in the meeting.
US keen to deepen
ties with Bangladesh:
Ambassador Haas
DHAKA : US Ambassador to Bangladesh
Peter Hass on Wednesday expressed his
country's willingness to deepening ties
with Bangladesh as the two countries discussed
"action oriented" issues to that
end.
"We had a conversation about how we
can continue moving our relationships
forward and how we can (have) action
oriented deepening relationship," he
said.
The US Ambassador made the
remarks while talking to reporters after
his meeting with foreign secretary
Masud Bin Momen at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
Bangladesh and the US had a series of
bilateral dialogues at different levels this
year.
During his meeting with Masud,
Ambassador Haas said they talked about
the "totality" of the bilateral issues
between the US and Bangladesh and
how the two countries can move forward.
The Ambassador said they also discussed
issues related to all bilateral dialogues
between the two countries held in
past couple of months.
They also talked about the upcoming
Bangladesh-US high level economic
forum to be held in Washington in the
first week of next month.