Bangladesh
Not right to enact EC formation law in a haste: Law minister
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said it would not be right to enact a law for forming the Election Commission in a haste.
The minister said this in a conversation with the journalists today at his Gulshan office.
Earlier, a representative team led by Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of civil rights organization Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) handed over the copy of ‘Draft Election Commission Enrolment Law’.
Also read: EC to be constituted through search committee: PM
The Minister said, “It won’t be right to put the law into practice sidestepping the parliament,” after Dr Badiul Alam suggested issuing an ordinance to enact the law.
Anisul Huq said the tenure of current EC will end by February next year while the next parliamentary session is scheduled for February.
“It is impossible to formulate the law for EC formation within this short time,” he said.
Also read: Forming EC by enacting law not possible now: Law Minister
He reiterated that the current rule of forming EC through a search committee is almost a law as it is constituted by the president himself.
BGMEA chief for exploring cost-effective and eco-friendly dyes, chemicals
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan has called on dyes and chemicals manufacturers to explore more cost-effective and eco-friendly dyes, chemicals and technologies for ensuring sustainable textile manufacturing.
He also urged the technicians working in the textile sector to stay updated on the latest technologies so that they can reduce the wastage of chemicals and dyes during the production process.
Read:BGMEA for branding 'Made in Bangladesh'
He made the call while addressing a programme organised on the 25th anniversary of Swiss Colours Bangladesh in Dhaka Wednesday.
Faruque said prices of yarn, chemicals and other raw materials have gone up in the global supply chain, increasing production costs in garment manufacturing.
He requested brands and buyers to increase prices considering the issue.
Covid vaccines to be administered in all schools to vaccinate students
School-going students, aged 12-17, will be vaccinated in schools across the country, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque on Thursday.
The minister said, “We have been vaccinating students of four to five schools through one school till now.”
“In this case, we see that various complications were being created including registration. So, we decided to go to every school and vaccinate the students,” he added.
Read: Vaccination campaign for school students to begin on Nov 1
The minister informed this at a function organized by the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) in the capital on Thursday afternoon.
Asked about when this activity would start, Zahid Maleque said “We're getting ready. We'll be able to start vaccinating in schools in a few days,” the minister added.
Besides, this vaccination program will also be conducted regularly in the schools which are already being vaccinated, he said.
The minister also said, “Vaccinating school students is a huge challenge.”
On November 1, the new campaign to vaccinate school students, aged 12-17, against Covid-19 kicked off at 12 centers in Dhaka.
The school students are vaccinated with US-made Pfizer vaccine as it is suitable for them.
“However, the catastrophe that awaits us even bigger than Covid-19 is antimicrobial resistance,” said the minister.
Read: 112 Manikganj students vaccinated under trial run
Stopping consumption of antibiotics unnecessarily is the only solution to prevent antimicrobial resistance, he said. The purchase and sale of antibiotics without a registered physician, dentist and veterinarian should be stopped completely.
Zahid Maleque said, "We will enact a law to stop buying or selling antibiotics without a prescription. The law is awaiting final approval."
Earlier, the health minister inaugurated the online drug license, a new initiative of the DGDA.
Fire at Ctg Chamber of Commerce old building
A fire broke out at the old building of the Chattogram Chamber of Commerce at Agrabad in the city on Thursday evening.
The fire broke out around 8:30 pm from an electric short circuit and spread throughout the six-storied building within a few minutes, said Faruq Sikder, assistant director of the Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defense.
Read: Bangladesh’s fire problem: 285,000 incidents occurred in 2 decades
Until writing this report 7 units of the Agrabad and Bandar fire service stations were trying to douse the fire with the help of locals.
Around 9:30 pm the flames were brought somewhat under control, said the fire service official.
So far, no casualties were reported and the amount of damage could not be ascertained immediately, said Faruq Hossain.
Truck helper killed falling off truck in city
A 30-year-old truck helper was killed falling from a truck at Nayabazar in the city early Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Md Akhil Islam, son of Nurul Islam, of Kahalu upazila of Bogura.
Idris Ali, a co-worker of the deceased, said Akhil suffered severe injuries falling of a truck while fastening goods with a rope in front of Armanitola Market at Nayabazar.
Also read: Auto-truck collision leaves 2 dead in Jamalpur
Later, he was rushed to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where doctors declared him dead.
Mokhlesur Rahman, sub-inspector of Bangshal Police Station. said the body was kept at DMCH morgue for an autopsy.
Also read: Truck driver, helper killed in Sylhet road crash
Rangpur school teacher gets life term for raping student
A Rangpur court on Thursday sentenced a school teacher to life time imprisonment in a case filed over raping a ninth grader last year.
Rangpur Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-2 Judge Md Rokonuzzaman pronounced the verdict and fined the convict Tk one lakh.
Read: 10 get life terms for killing youth in Pabna
The lifer is Monwarul Islam Mithu, 40, English teacher of Suger Mills High School in Shyampur.
According to the case statement, on June 30, 2020, the class IX student of Suger Mills High School met Monwarul Islam near Shyampur Railway station on her way home from a coaching center around 10 am.
Monwarul asked the student to go to school immediately for filling up information form for students.
When she went to school she found no one else there except Monwarul who raped her in a classroom.
Read: Teacher gets life in jail for raping minor student in Kurigram
Monwarul later threatened the girl not to inform the matter to others.
The same day the girl filed a complaint at the Badarganj police station with the help of her family members and then police filed a case.
On November 12, 2020, investigation officer in the case submitted the charge sheet in the case.
Low over Bay intensifies into depression
A depression over the Southwest Bay and adjoining area intensified into a well-marked low, said Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) on Thursday.
The depression was centred at 12pm on Thursday about 1625 kms southwest of Chattogram port, 1570 kms southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 1500 kms southeast of Mongla port and 1505 kms southeast of Payra port, according to a Met office bulletin.
It is likely to intensify further and move in a west-northwesterly direction, the Met office said.
Also read: Deep depression intensifies into Cyclone ‘Gulab’; Rain likely across country
Maximum sustained wind speed within 44 kms of the deep depression centre is about 40 kmph rising to 50 kmph. However, sea will remain moderate near the coast.
All fishing boats and trawlers have been advised to come closer to the North Bay. They are advised not to venture into the deep sea.
Also read: Maritime ports asked to warn vessels of depression over Bay
WTO Ministerial: Bangladesh’s focus should be on transition period extension
While Bangladesh is graduating from LDC, the first and foremost priority for Bangladesh in the upcoming the 12th Ministerial Conference of the WTO should be on the extension of the transition period for 12 years, said BGMEA president Faruque Hassan.
“The LDC group has made a submission to the WTO for extending the timeline for 12 years. A consensus on this proposal will not only help us to sustain the growth momentum but also crucial to build internal capacity,” he said.
Read:BGMEA for branding 'Made in Bangladesh'
He made the remarks while speaking at a webinar on “Upcoming MC 12: Bangladesh’s Expectations and Possible Stance” organized by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) on Thursday.
CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan presided over the session while Syed Manzur Elahi, Treasurer of the CPD Board of Trustees, Md. Hafizur Rahman, Director General, WTO Cell, Ministry of Commerce, Dr. Nazneen Ahmed, Country Economist, UNDP, Dr Mostafa Abid Khan, former Member, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, and Dr. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director, CPD attended as panelists. Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellow, CPD was the keynote speaker.
In his speech Faruque Hassan said trade competitiveness is going to be crucial in the upcoming days, especially for the graduating LDCs like Bangladesh.
“We have to make use of support programs like UNCDF, LDCF, UN technology bank for LDCs etc. We need to make most use of these options.”
Read: BGMEA, Jetro want to expand Japan-Bangladesh trade
Laying emphasis on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) he said, “While we keep engaging through multilateral trade system, given the rise in regional and bilateral FTAs, it will be very difficult for Bangladesh to cope up with competitors if we cannot make our ways through to that direction.”
Along with exploring potential and emerging markets, in the upcoming days, Bangladesh will have to focus on intra-regional trade block, he added.
The BGMEA President also stressed the need for capacity building for trade negotiation.
“We have to work on our internal capacity building as far as trade negotiation and economic diplomacy is concerned.”
Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centre to be set up in Kishoreganj
An IT training and incubation centre named after Sheikh Kamal will be set up in Kishoreganj.
President Abdul Hamid was briefed about the various aspects of the Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Center at Kishoreganj Circuit House on Thursday.
The project will be implemented by the ICT department at a cost of Tk 60 crore with the aim of building skilled manpower and creating self-employment through training in IT.
Also read: Make country’s health sector more vibrant to tackle Covid-like crisis: President
Praising the initiative to set up an IT Training and Incubation Center, President Hamid said that it would pave the way for creation of skilled manpower.
The president also emphasized on taking initiative from the very beginning to ensure that the quality of training is world class.
Members of Parliament Afzal Hossain and Rezwan Ahmed Tawfiq, Senior Secretary of ICT Department and Secretaries to the President were present on the occasion.
Also read: President Hamid calls for taking development benefits to people
Later, President Md. Abdul Hamid visited Gurudayal Government College.
Coaching centres to remain shut for 39 days as HSC exams begin on Dec 2
All coaching centres across the country will remain shut from November 25 to January 3 ahead of the Higher Secondary Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations, said Education Minister Dipu Moni on Thursday.
The decision was taken at a meeting with law enforcement agencies at the Ministry of Education on Wednesday regarding the HSC exam security.
HSC and equivalent examinations for the academic session 2020-21 will begin on December 2, Dipu Moni said at the press briefing.
Also read: SSC exams: Coaching centres to remain shut from Nov 8 to 25
This year the SSC and the HSC examinations could not be held as per the schedules due to the Covid-19 pandemic and then the government decided to hold the examinations with shortened syllabuses.