Bangladesh
Man to die for killing niece after rape in Natore five years ago
A tribunal on Monday convicted a man and sentenced him to death for killing his niece after rape in 2019.
Natore Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Muhammad Abdur Rahim handed down the punishment.
The tribunal also fined Tk 20,000 to the condemned convict Shahadat, 35 of Deugacha village in Singra upazila of the district.
Double life sentence for man who abducted and raped teenager
According to the prosecution, Abdur Razzaque of Deugacha village in Singra upazila along with his wife Sonavan went to one of his relatives' houses, leaving behind his 16-year-old daughter alone on August 4, 2016.
Finding his niece alone at the house, the convict Shahadat violated the girl and strangled her to death.
However, local people caught Shahadat red-handed while he was trying to flee the scene.
A case was filed in this connection.
Madrasa girl raped in Bhola; one of two accused arrested
Dhaka pulling out all the stops to welcome Emir of Qatar after nearly two decades
President Mohammed Shahabuddin welcomed Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday afternoon as Bangladesh rolled out the red carpet complete with gun salute at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The Emir of Qatar arrived at 5pm for a two-day state visit at the invitation of the president of Bangladesh.
The president and the emir exchanged flowers at the airport on his arrival and exchanged greetings with the representatives of Bangladesh and Qatar in the presentation line after receiving the salute.
During the trip, President Shahabuddin will host an official lunch in honour of the emir at Darbar Hall followed by a cultural programme at Bangabhaban on Tuesday.
On the other hand, the visiting emir will sign the visitor's book after the courtesy meeting with the president.
Bangladesh and Qatar will sign 11 cooperation documents- six agreements and five MoUs, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud came up with the update while briefing the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
Such a high-level 24-hour visit is taking place from friendly country Qatar nearly after 19 years.
The then Emir of Qatar Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani visited Bangladesh in April, 2005.
On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will receive the emir at her office.
They will have tête-à-tête (one-to-one) meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office which will be followed by a bilateral meeting, witness the signing of multiple cooperation documents between the two nations, including 6 MoUs, and join a joint press meet.
After signing the visitors' book there, the emir will head for Bangabhaban on Tuesday afternoon where the president will receive him.
Alongside, the emir will inaugurate the park in Kalshi area of Mirpur under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and a road running from Mirpur ECB Chattar to Kalshi Flyover at 3pm, which will be named after the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, the visiting emir's father and predecessor.
He is scheduled to depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by a special flight at 6pm Tuesday while he foreign minister will see him off at the airport.
Qatar recognised Bangladesh as a sovereign state on March 4, 1974 following the 2nd OIC Summit held in February 1974.
Bangladesh opened its diplomatic mission in Doha on June 25, 1975. The State of Qatar reciprocated by opening its diplomatic mission in Dhaka in 1982.
More than 400,000 Bangladeshis work in Qatar and they are appreciated as dedicated and hard working.
Recently the two nations have engaged in extensive economic cooperation in the vital energy sector, as the tiny Gulf state is home to the world's largest per capita reserves of hydrocarbons, while Bangladesh since 2022 has been a major buyer in the region of LNG (liquefied natural gas) in particular, of which Qatar has been the world's highest supplier.
Liberation war affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, foreign minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, chiefs of the three services, principal secretary to the prime minister, foreign secretary, Inspector General of Police (IGP), secretaries concerned to the president office and senior military and civil officials were present there.
Money Embezzlement Case: HC issues rule on bail of Major Mannan and 6 others
The High Court on Monday issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the bail of 7 people including Ex-MP and Bangladesh Industrial Financial Company Limited's former chairman Major (retd) Abdul Mannan in a case filed on charges of embezzling over Tk 9 crore, should not be cancelled.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ibadat Hossain issued the rule following the plea made by the ACC seeking the cancellation of their bail.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.
Attempted murder case: Court summons Pori Moni
The others accused are Bangladesh Industrial Financial Company Limited (BIFC) former director ANM Jahangir, Rois Uddin, Rokeya Ferdous, DMD Inamur Rahman, director AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed and senior vice president Syed Fakhre Faisal.
On December 1, 2022, ACC Deputy Director Abdul Majed filed the case with its integrated district office in Dhaka-1, against 12 people, including Major Mannan over the embezzlement.
The accused in connivance with each other, in the name of Razia Sultana of M/s Telecom Service Enterprise, received Tk 9,77,94,892 loan from BIFC.
Later, they transferred the money to different bank accounts.
On March 7, the Senior Special Judge of Dhaka Metropolitan granted them bail.
One kg gold seized at Chattogram airport
Members of National Security Intelligence (NSI) and Customs Intelligence seized one kg of gold from three Dubai returnees at Shah Amanat International Airport on Monday.Director of Shah Amanat International Airport group captain Taslim Ahmed, said a flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines BG-148 landed at the airport around 6:30 am.Tipped off, a joint team of NSI and Customs Intelligence challenged three passengers of the flight and seized one kg gold from their possession.
2 held with 40 gold bars worth over Tk 4 cr in JhenaidahThe three passengers are Mobarak Ali of Chakaria in Cox’s Bazar, Nazmul Haque of Satkania in Chattogram and Anwar Shah of Sandwip.They were not arrested yet. Investigation is going on in this regard.2 arrested with foreign cigarettes, gold bars at Ctg airport
Bangladesh taking up long-term programmes to tackle climate change impacts: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership (BCDP) has been created to synchronise with the international stakeholders to face the climate change impacts in their global programmes.
This BCDP will work with the stakeholders, developed countries and international organisations and fund programmes to mitigate the climate change issues, she said.
The prime minister said this while Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Simon Steele called on her at a bilateral meeting room at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC).
According to a release from PM’s Press Wing the prime minister said that Bangladesh is taking long-term programmes to tackle the impacts of climate change.
She briefly described various adaptation and mitigation programmes of Bangladesh including Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to face the adverse impacts of climate change.
Hasina said that due to the adverse impacts of the climate change Bangladesh is often facing various types of cyclones, heavy rain and heatwaves.
Need to boost adaptive capacity to build a safe world: PM Hasina
“We are encouraging social movement for forestation, created 84000 volunteers and build multipurpose cyclone shelters,” she said.
She also said that researchers in Bangladesh have invented saline, flood and drought resilient rice varieties.
She said that from June next tree plantation programmes will be started across the country during the rainy season.
In this connection, she said that her Party Awami League is the pioneer in this movement.
Simon Steele appreciated the prime minister for creating climate fund on her own initiative.
He said that Bangladesh not only works for facing the climate change impacts, rather it is taking various types of social programmes for adaptation and mitigation.
These matters are obviously examples for the whole world, he said.
He mentioned that PM Hasina is the longest serving leader of Bangladesh and she attended various international forums where she talked about the climate change issues.
“You can share your experiences for facing the adverse impacts of climate change issues with the world leaders in these forums to expedite the movement for the climate change issues,” he said.
Won’t allow anyone to undermine independence and sovereignty: PM Hasina
He said that other couturiers could adapt these experiences of Bangladesh to mitigate the impacts of climate change to formulate their own adaptation and mitigation plans.
“Bangladesh is leaving behind its footprints regarding climate change issues across the globe, not only in its own country,” he said.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Principal Secretary Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Farhina Ahmed were present.
Security guard killed in road crash at Merul Badda
A security guard was killed being hit by an unidentified vehicle when he was on-duty at Merul Badda U-loop bridge in the city on early Monday.
The deceased was identified as Md Farid Mia, 65.
Quoting witnesses police said the road accident took place under Merul Badda U-loop Bridge while he was on duty around 4:30 am on Monday.
Bishwanath village in shock as minor cousins drown in pond
Being informed, a team of Badda police station rushed to the spot and rescued seriously injured Farid.
Then he was taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) at around 6:30 in the morning, where the doctor on duty declared him dead.
Nazmul Islam, the grandson of the deceased who brought him to the DMCH hospital, said that his grandfather was on-duty to guard the busses, which were parked near Merul Badda temple at night.
Heat wave: 3 more said to die from heatstroke
In-charge of DMCH Police Camp Md. Bachchu Mia said the body was kept in the hospital morgue and the concerned police station is aware of the matter.
‘Baishakhi Mela and Curry Festival’ held in Japan
The 23rd edition of ‘Baishakhi Mela & Curry Festival’ with participation of around 10, 000 Bangladeshis living in Japan was held at Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Park in Japan’s Toshima city on Sunday.
A book tilted ‘Father of the Nation Bangabandhu' on the struggling life of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman written in Japanese Manga form drew huge attention in the fair.
NRB Scholars Publishers Limited from Bangladesh participated in the fair with the book this year.
M E Chowdhury Shamim, author and publisher of the book and founder of Centre for NRB Foundation, was present at the fair.
PM Hasina to leave for Thailand Wednesday on official visit to boost ties
He said Bengali, English and Japanese versions of the book, which won bronze prizes in the 17th International Manga Awards in Japan, were sold at the stalls.
However, a large number of Japanese bought the book written in Japanese Manga form to know the role of Bangabandhu in the Liberation War of Bangladesh, the author said.
Besides, expatriate Bangladeshis collected the book for their second generation living in Japan, he said.
Qatar Emir’s visits to Bangladesh, Nepal should prioritise migrant workers' protections: HRW
Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Shahabuddin Ahmed distributed the book among Bangladeshi children at free of cost.
The book was unveiled in the form of Japanese 'Manga' on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-Japan friendship on April 5 last year.
Later, the book was handed over to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo during Sheikh Hasina's visit to Japan on April 28.
Met office issues heat alert for another 72 hours
The prevailing heat wave condition over the country may continue for 72 hours commencing Monday.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department issued an alert in this regard on Monday.
Due to increase of moisture incursion, the discomfort may persists, it said.
Earlier, the Met office issued a heat alert on April 19.
PM Hasina to leave for Thailand Wednesday on official visit to boost ties
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay a six-day official visit to Thailand from Wednesday at the invitation of her Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin to strengthen ties between the two countries.
Bangladesh and Thailand will sign a number of cooperation documents including a letter of intent on negotiations for free trade agreement between the two countries, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told reporters at a media briefing on Monday.
The foreign minister said Bangladesh and Thailand are likely to sign an agreement on visa exemption for official passport holders, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation while two more MoUs on tourism sector cooperation and duty related mutual cooperation to expand the relations.
Primer Minister Sheikh Hasina will witness the signing of the documents.
"It's both bilateral and multilateral visit," he said while responding to a question.
He said Bangladesh will also seek support from Thailand regarding Rohingya repatriation.
The foreign minister said the issue of shipping connectivity will also be discussed. "I am very much interested to raise the issue."
He said Bangladesh will seek increased investment from Thailand.
The scheduled bilateral visit of the prime minister will be the first-ever visit at the level of head of government from Bangladesh to Thailand since establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972.
The visit is significant for both Bangladesh and Thailand as it will open new windows of cooperation between the two friendly countries, Minister Hasan said.
The PM would lead a high level delegation which includes a number of ministers, advisers, secretaries and senior officials of the government.
Finance Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and PM’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman will accompany the prime minister during April 24-29 visit.
State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu will also be part of the Bangladesh delegation.
On April 26, PM Hasina will be formally received by her Thai host Srettha Thavisin while a ceremonial guard of honor will be accorded to her.
On the same day, the Bangladesh premier will hold bilateral talks with PM Thavisin at the Government House.
During the visit, the prime minister will have a Royal audience of Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshan, King and Queen of the Kingdom of Thailand at the Palace.
Hasina is also scheduled to attend a state lunch to be hosted by her Thai counterpart in her honour.
In her multilateral engagement PM Hasina is scheduled to attend the 80th Session of the Commission for UNESCAP.
She will deliver a speech at UNESCAP on April 25. On the same day, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Armida Salsiah Alisjabana will call on the prime minister.
Guided by the theme “Leveraging digital innovation for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific”, the eightieth session will be an opportunity to strengthen region-wide cooperative action on leveraging digital innovation for the accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The session will bring together government leaders and ministers from across Asia and the Pacific and other key stakeholders to discuss how digital innovation can more inclusively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals across multiple disciplines.
Moreover, participants will be able to identify opportunities to fully unleash the transformative potential of digital innovations and discuss pathways to strengthen their contribution to sustainable development, said the organisers.
A digital innovation fair will provide space to engage with a broad range of partners and stakeholders showcasing digital innovations that are already contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals across the region.
Asia and the Pacific are uniquely placed to leverage digital technologies to overcome sustainable development challenges.
Already, the region is recognized as a dynamic hub for digitally driven innovation fueled by pioneering technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital Finance, GovTech, and the Internet of Things.
Yet to encourage further ingenuity and tap digital innovation to bolster the huge collective effort required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the region needs a plan.
Man killed over previous enmity in Mymensingh; 3 arrested
A 34-year-old man was stabbed to death allegedly by his rivals over previous enmity in Nandail upazila of Mymensingh on Sunday night.
The deceased was identified as Rana Ahmed, son of Abul Hashem of Banati village under Rajgati union of the upazila.
Police and locals said there was a long standing enmity between Abul Hashem and Bakul in the village.
The killers attacked Rana with sharp weapons when he was operating a mobile phone near his house on Sunday night, leaving him critically injured, they said.
Hearing his screams, locals rushed to the spot and took him to Upazila Health Complex where physicians declared him dead, they said.
Nandail Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Majid said the previous rivalry between Hashem and Bakul might lead to the killing.
Three suspects have so far been arrested in this connection and drives were on to arrest the others, he said.