20-10-2022

Thursday, Dhaka : October 20, 2022; Kartik 4, 1429 BS; Rabi-ul-Awal 23 , 1444 Hijri
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday inaugurated the installation of the reactor pressure
vessel (RPV) at Unit-2 of the 2400MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). Photo : PID
People getting electricity
despite rationing amid
global crisis: PM
DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
on Wednesday said that the people are
getting electricity even though the government
has imposed some austerity measures
amid global crisis.
"People are getting electricity and will
get it, but all have to maintain austerity,"
she said.
"We are also maintaining austerity in
some cases. we are compelled to do so for
the present situation," she said while inaugurating
the installation of a reactor pressure
vessel at the second unit of the 2,400
MW Rooppur nuclear power plant
(RNPP).
She joined the programme virtually
from her official residence Ganabhaban
while it was held at Ishwardi of the northern
district of Pabna. The prime minister
said her government has fulfilled its promise
of providing electricity to all.
"We have kept our promise. We have
been able to reach electricity to every
house of Bangladesh," she said.
Court frames charges against contractor
Shamim, mother in graft case
DHAKA : A Dhaka court on Wednesday
framed charges against "influential"
contractor GK Shamim and his mother
Ayesha Akter in a disproportionate
assets case.
Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam of the
Dhaka Special Judge Court-4, framed the
charges against the mother-son duo for
corruption and fixed November 7 as the
next date for hearing the testimonies of
witnesses in the case, said Belal Hossain, a
court official, reports UNB.
Framing of charge is vital to a criminal
case as it gives the accused precisely what
the prosecution intends to prove against
them. Shamim and his mother have been
charged with graft for acquiring excessive
assets-worth over Tk 298 crore-by corrupt
means, the court official said.
Earlier, on December 22, 2020, the
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)
approved the chargesheet against
Rohingya repatriation
DHAKA : Bangladesh is likely to seek an
update from the Chinese side on Thursday
regarding its efforts to find ways for repatriation
of the Rohingya refugees to
Myanmar.
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li
Jiming is scheduled to meet Foreign
Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at his office
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on
Thursday morning where the Rohingya
issue is likely to be raised, a senior official
told UNB.
Brokered by China, Bangladesh and
Myanmar signed an agreement for starting
repatriation of the Rohingya refugees
to Myanmar under a tripartite mechanism,
but the process remained stalled.
The idea of a tripartite mechanism
among Bangladesh, China and Myanmar
came four years ago in New New York to
evaluate the situation on the ground and
In this connection, she that the current
problem has arisen due to a war like situation
in the world and COVID-19 pandemic.
"...prices have gone up in everything
including transportation. As a result the
developed countries are suffering from
various problems," she said.
She went on saying that the developed
countries also have focused on savings in
every spheres of life. We are also doing
that.
"Because the world is now a global village
one is dependent on another. When
the world is suffering from economic
recession that blow also comes to us," she
said. As a result, she went on, "We have
also started maintaining austerity."
"That does not mean, people of the
country will not get electricity," she said.
She once again blamed the Russia-
Ukraine war and subsequent sanctions for
compounding the problems.
"I hope that the world will get relief from
this situation very quickly," she added.
Shamim and his mother in the graft
case.
He was arrested with illegal firearms
and a huge amount of money from his
Niketan office on September 20, 2019,
during a drive against illegal casinos and
other businesses. Seven of his bodyguards
were also arrested during the raid.
Rab members seized Fixed Deposit
Receipts (FDRs) worth Tk 165 crore, Tk
1.81 crore in cash and a huge amount of
foreign currencies.
A foreign-made pistol, seven shotguns
and a huge cache of bullets were also
seized from the office of 'GKB and
Company Pvt Limited'.
The elite force lodged three complaints -
one under the narcotics control act, another
under the money-laundering prevention
act, and the third under the arms acts
- against Shamim with Gulshan police the
next day.
take steps for the early repatriation and
there had been few meetings.
Ambassador Jiming at a recent event
indicated that they are going to formally
share the "feedback" with the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in Dhaka based on what
they talked with the Myanmar side. "I am
not going to disclose it right now."
Despite assurance from Myanmar, not a
single person was taken back over the last
five years. Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1
million Rohingya in Cox's Bazar and
Bhasan Char.
On October 13, the Chinese envoy said
the key to the Rohingya issue is building
confidence between the stakeholders, not
the unilateral efforts from a certain country.
He said China has been working on
Bangladesh and Myanmar to help to
resolve the Rohingya issue through talks
because both Bangladesh and Myanmar
BNP public rally
Bus services in
Khulna to remain
suspended Oct 21, 22
KHULNA : Khulna bus-minibus owners
association and motor workers'
union have decided to keep bus services
suspended on October 21 and 22
due to the Bangladesh Nationalist
Party's divisional rally on October 22,
reports UNB.
They took the decision on Wednesday
night. General secretary of motor workers'
union Jakir Hossain said movement of all
buses from Khulna will remain suspended
on October 21 and 22. The BNP will
organize the rally on Sonali Bank premises
in the city.
District unit BNP general secretary
Monirul Hasan Bappi alleged that the
decision was taken to restrict the BNP
leaders and activists of different upazilas
of Khulna district and nine districts of
Khulna division from joining the rally.
"We apprehended the matter earlier
and have taken preparations accordingly,"
he said. The BNP activists were asked to
come to the city few days ahead of the rally
and stay in hotels or relative's houses, he
added.
DSA an additional threat
for Bangladeshi
journalists : Envoy
DHAKA : Canadian High Commissioner
to Bangladesh Lilly Nicholls on
Wednesday said the Digital Security Act
(DSA) puts additional threat for journalists
in Bangladesh. She said the media
plays a vital role to ensure democracy and
transparency in a country.
"Media freedom is deteriorating all
around the world including Bangladesh.
Media also plays a key role to hear from
different sections of the people and represents
the voice of the unheard," said the
Canadian envoy while speaking at a dialogue
on safety of women journalists,
reports UNB.
Discussants also included Barrister Sara
Hossain, President of Bangladesh Nari
Sangbadik Kendro Nasimun Ara Huq
Minu and Coordinator of Women
Journalists Network Bangladesh Angur
Nahar Monty. Faruq Faisel, Regional
Director for ARTICLE 19 South Asia,
moderated the dialogue session.
Rumky Farhana, Senior Program
Officer of ARTICLE 19, presented the
keynote paper pointing out the objectives
and scope of these upcoming series of dialogues.
Dhaka may seek updates on Beijing's efforts
are China's friendly neighbors.
The envoy said though the present
domestic condition of Myanmar is still
facing uncertainty, the communication
between the two sides is not interrupted
under the "mediation of China" and
actually, the incumbent authority of
Myanmar is showing a positive attitude
to this issue.
Thus, he said, the Chinese side hopes
Bangladesh and Myanmar could work in
the same direction so that the repatriation
could start at an early date.
On October 17, Momen said Myanmar
"should keep their promise" for the repatriation
of the Rohingya to "their place of
origin in Rakhine State."
"We are ready to send them back.
Myanmar should keep their promise.
They should come forward and do their
part of the job," he said.
Legal experts think CC
camera at secret booth
violates privacy:Hasan
DHAKA : Information and
Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan
Mahmud yesterday said legal experts
and specialists are of the view that to see
who is voting for whom by installing CC
camera at secret booth is the violation of
personal privacy.
"As per the legal experts, the Election
Commission has interfered with the
fundamental rights of citizens by doing
that in Gaibandha-5 by-polls. I also saw
the issue at social platforms and different
online portals which published news
and articles criticizing it," he said.
The minister said this to reporters,
replying to a query at the meeting room
of his ministry at Secretariat in the capital.
Hasan said, "It is not my own statement.
The opinions of people at social
platforms, journalists of mass media
and other intellectuals are that the secret
booth is secret and people will cast their
vote secretly. This is his or her right. The
secret booth will not be secret if anyone
sees who is voting for whom by
installing CC camera and if the scene is
shown to others. So, the legal experts are
saying that it is 'infringement of privacy'
or violation of personal privacy. The
opinions of common people and legal
experts are that it is interference with
the fundamental rights of people."
DHAKA : The government on
Wednesday approved separate proposals
to procure some 90,000 metric
tons of fertilizer and 1.65 crore
litre soybean oil in line with the
growing demand of the country.
The approvals came from the 31st
meeting of the Cabinet Committee
on Government Purchase (CCGP) in
this year held yesterday virtually
with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa
Kamal in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting
virtually, Cabinet Division additional
secretary Md Rahat Anwar
said that the day's CCGP meeting
approved a total of six proposals.
He informed that Bangladesh
Agricultural Development
Corporation (BADC) under the
Ministry of Agriculture would procure
some 50,000 metric tons of
MOP fertilizer from Canadian
Commercial Corporation, Canada
under the 6th lot under state-level
agreement with around Taka 437.06
crore. Under such agreement, per
ton of fertilizer would cost $821.
Anwar said the BADC under the
Ministry of Agriculture would procure
another 40,000 metric tons of
DAP fertilizer under the 9th lot
under state-level agreement from
OCP, SA, Morocco with around Taka
The minister said once Shamim
Osman had shown in front of the media
whom he voted for. As a result, the EC
gave him a notice and said that 'you cannot
show it before the mass media or
people', said Hasan, also Awami League
joint general secretary.
He said it is 'infringement of privacy' if
the Election Commission, which served
notice earlier, see it themselves.
He said there might be CC camera at
polling centers to see any untoward situation
and there is no obligation if the EC
think that it will be helpful. But the
experts are claiming that it interfered on
the fundamental rights to see who is voting
for whom by installing CC camera.
He said the field level officers of that
election are telling that the polls were
held in a fair manner. On the other
hand, the EC, by seeing CC camera
footage, thought that there were other
people in polling centers, he added.
He said, "I'm voting for long, but didn't
vote by EVM. I should have known
how to vote with EVM. And the people
of village normally ask 'how to vote'.
That time, agents of candidates or
polling officers help those people. The
Election Commission watched it by telescope.
I don't know how they identified
who is agent, who is officer or who is
outsider."
Govt to procure 90,000
MTs fertilizer, 1.65 cr
litre soybean oil
302.38 crore.
The Cabinet Division additional
secretary said that following a proposal
from the Ministry of
Commerce, Trading Corporation of
Bangladesh (TCB) would procure
some 1.10 crore litres of soybean oil
from Meghna Edible Oil Refinery
Limited, Dhaka with around Taka
189.03 crore with per litre soybean
oil costing Taka 171.85 while the previous
price per litre was Taka 185.
He informed that the TCB would
procure another 55 lakh litres of soybean
oil from Super Oil Refinery
Limited with around Taka 87.97
crore with per litre soybean oil costing
Taka 159.95.
The state-run corporation would
also procure some 8,000 metric tons
of lentil from a Turkish company
with around Taka 70.98 crore where
the price of per KG lentil would be
Taka 88.73.
Meanwhile, the day's CCGP meeting
approved a proposal from the
Ministry of Primary and Mass
Education under which 24 suppliers
would ensure printing, binding and
supply of s ome 2,48,35,990 copies
of textbook to the National
Curriculum and Textbooks Board
(NCTB) with around Taka 78.68
crore.
First non-Gandhi president in 24 yrs
India's Congress elects
Mallikarjun Kharge
NEW DELHI : India's main opposition
Congress party on Wednesday
elected 80-year-old Mallikarjun
Kharge as its first non-Gandhi president
in over 24 years.
Kharge, considered close to the Gandhi
family, defeated a relatively young Shashi
Tharoor, a former UN diplomat, by a huge
margin, reports UNB.
"Of the over 9,000 votes cast in the
party's internal election held on
Monday, Kharge bagged nearly 8,000,"
a spokesperson for the party told the
media in Delhi. Kharge will take over the
reins of the grand old party from interim
Congress president Sonia Gandhi soon.
After the results were announced at
2pm (local time), former Congress chief
Rahul Gandhi congratulated Kharge.
"Congress president is the supreme
authority," he said.
Earlier in the day, Tharoor alleged
"extremely serious irregularities" in the
party's internal election process.
The Congress held the election on
Monday, where 96% of the 9,915 eligible
Congress delegates, representing all
Indian states and Union territories, cast
their votes.
Govt cheating nation
in name of dev before
democracy, says
GM Quader
DHAKA : Jatiya Party Chairman GM
Quader on Wednesday alleged that the
nation is being deceived in the name of
development before democracy.
"Acceptable elections are the gateway to
democracy. Democracy cannot be practised
without free, fair and acceptable elections,"
he said.
Speaking at a programme at Jatiya
Party Chairman's Banani office, GM
Quader also said the main objective of
their party's politics is to establish democracy
and ensure people's rights, reports
UNB.
He alleged that some people want to
misinterpret democracy in the name of
development as they say development
should be given the priority over democracy.
"In fact, there is no such thing as developmental
democracy. The nation is being
cheated in the name of such democracy,"
the Jatiya Party chief observed.
He said that the country's development
and good governance will be ensured if
democracy is established. "All the rights of
people will be ensured only if democracy is
guaranteed."
At the programme, renowned physician
Manjur-A-Khoda joined Jatiya Party by
presenting a bouquet to the party chairman.
GM Quader welcomed the physician
and urged him to play a role in strengthening
the organisational capacity of Jatiya
Party. Jatiya Party presidium members
Advocate Md Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan,
Mostafa Al Mahmud and Office Secretary-
2 MA Razzak Khan, among others, were
present at the programme.
A drive was conducted at the site of construction of illegal settlements which was done by cutting a hill of
5 acres of government land. Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Zakaria has directed
the Forest Department and Environment Directorate to take legal action against those involved in cutting
hills, felling trees and selling government hills. The drive was carried out on Wednesday afternoon in
Paschim Larpara area west of Cox's Bazar bus terminal.
Photo : Star Mail