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TIB urges involvement of relevant stakeholders in revising guidelines for foreign election observers
As the Election Commission took the initiative to revise the foreign election observer policy for the upcoming national elections, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) urged to amend the policy in light of the opinions of experts, media workers and other stakeholders and international practices.
In a statement issued on Sunday, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, "The existing policy must be amended, because the spontaneous presence and free movement of local and foreign observers is essential in a fair, impartial and participatory election."
Read: TIB guardedly welcomes Cabinet’s decision to scrap DSA
“If policies are formulated only through the opinion-based decisions of government institutions, on the one hand, the ongoing crisis of confidence in the Election Commission will deepen, and on the other hand, it will discourage foreign observers again like 2018,” he added.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman also called for the consideration of the free presence of foreign observers as an important means of ensuring a level-playing field in making the policy "contemporary".
He said "one the one hand, the Election Commission is not solely responsible to hold a fair election, one the other hand, it should not be forgotten that organizing a transparent and acceptable election is a constitutional responsibility of the commission.
Read: TIB disappointed over two city corporations' initiatives to prevent dengue in Dhaka
Therefore, the policy should be formulated in the light of international practices including the opinions of non-party experts, media personalities and other stakeholders and the positive and negative experiences of Bangladesh in the past, Dr Iftekharuzzaman added.
Need to inspire young generation with ideology of Bangabandhu to build a Smart Bangladesh: Nasrul Hamid
State for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said that it needs to inspire the young generation with the ideology of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to build a Smart Bangladesh.
“If the young generation becomes skilled and competent, Bangladesh will soon become a prosperous Bangladesh,” he said while addressing a webinar on Sunday, organised by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) to commemorate the National Mourning Day -2023.
He said youths should be developed as skilled craftsmen to build the fourth industrial revolution and smart Bangladesh.
With BPDB Chairman Md. Mahbubur Rahman, in the chair, the seminar was also addressed, among others, by Senior Secretary of Power Division Md. Habibur Rahman and BPDB Mahmudul Kabir Murad.
The State Minister said that Bangabandhu laid the foundation to build poverty-free Bangladesh in a very short period of time.
“But when the initiative to achieve economic liberation was progressing all development came to a standstill with the killing of Bangabandhu along with his family,” he added.
Nasrul Hamid said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given a program to build a smart Bangladesh. To implement it, the soldiers of Bangabandhu's ideology should contribute from their respective positions with unity.
One held with 46 gold bars in Chuadanga
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) arrested a man along with 46 gold bars along the Sultanpur bordering area in Darshana upazila of Chuadanga district on Sunday.
The arrestee was identified as Ariful Islam, 30, son of Manjur Ali Biswas of the upazila.
Read more: Man detained with gold bars at Dhaka airport: APBn
Tipped off, a team of Chuadanga BGB-6 conducted a drive in the area and intercepted a man passing through the bordering area at noon, said a press release of BGB.
Read more: Tk 28.4 cr gold seized at Dhaka airport; 3 held
Later, the BGB men seized 46 gold bars, weighing 4.600 kg from his possession.
Read more: Suspected smuggler arrested with 11 gold bars worth Tk 70 lakh in Chuadanga
He was handed over to Darshana Police Station and the seized bars were deposited to the Chuadanga Treasury Office.
Anti-Aedes drive: DSCC fines 9 establishment Tk 1.03 lakh
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has fined 9 establishments a total of Tk 1.03 lakh for finding larvae of Aedes mosquitoes, the dengue vector, on Sunday.
Also read : 3 DSCC hospitals offer free dengue test from Thursday
DSCC conducted seven mobile courts to eliminate breeding grounds of Aedes mosquitoes in Central Road, Naba Roy Basak Lane, Tati Bazar, Wari, Rankin Street, Pear Ali Gali, Kadam Ali Road, Manda, Signboard, Demra, Sontek, Sheikhdi, South Kajla, Rayerbagh and Kadamtali areas of the corporation.
Also read : Anti-Aedes drive: DSCC fines 13 offenders Tk 1.4 lakh
During the drive, people associated with nine houses and under-construction buildings were fined Tk 1.03 lakh as the larvae of Aedes mosquitoes were found.
A total of 355 houses and establishments were inspected in today's drive.
Also read : Dengue outbreak: DSCC distributes leaflets in mosques to raise awareness
Bangladesh has recorded 466 dengue deaths this year, the highest on record. At the same time, the country has seen over 90,000 dengue cases since the beginning of the year.
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) urged swift action as dengue cases surge in Bangladesh.
“The higher incidence of dengue is taking place in the context of an unusual episodic amount of rainfall, combined with high temperatures and high humidity, which have resulted in an increased mosquito population throughout Bangladesh,” WHO said.
Abdus Samad Labu elected as Chairman of Al-Arafah Islami Bank
Alhajj Abdus Samad Labu has been elected as the Chairman of Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited.
He was elected unanimously in the 390th meeting of the Board held on August 20.
Abdus Samad is one of the founder Directors of AIBL.
He is a renowned name in the business arena of the country and manages various business houses in different capacitor, said a media release.
He is the Vice Chairman of S. Alam Group, one of the largest industrial groups of the country Chairman of S. Alam Cold Rolled Steels Ltd. Vice Chairman of Ekushey Television (ETV), a leading satellite TV channel of the country.
Abdus Samad is a great philanthropist who is involved in many social welfare and humaniterian activities, said the media release.
He is an Executive Member of Baitus Saraf Foundation and Chattogram Samity, Dhaka.
FBCCI appointed Md Alamgir as secretary general
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has appointed Md Alamgir as the secretary genera of the trade body.
Read more: FBCCI delegation pays homage to Bangabandhu in Tungipara
He joined FBCCI on Sunday. Prior to that, Alamgir was serving as the Chairman of the Bangladesh Land Port Authority. He also worked as the Managing Director at the Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon, Dhaka. He is a former Additional Secretary.
Md. Alamgir, with a 28-year career in government service, brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to FBCCI. His journey began in 1990 as an Assistant Commissioner in the Patuakhali DC office and he had the privilege to work in the Khagrachari Hill District for the welfare and development of diverse ethnic minorities.
Read more: FBCCI and ICC discuss strengthening trade ties
Md. Alamgir worked in the Economic Relations Division (ERD) under the Ministry of Finance, in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Department of Environment (DOE) under the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) and Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism (MOCAT).
He completed his graduation in English language and literature from Chittagong University. He pursued his Masters's degree in Public Policy from the National University of Singapore (NUS), making him the first civil servant from Bangladesh to attain this degree from NUS.
Besides this, Md. Alamgir pursued his higher education from the University of Sussex, UK on Managing Migration under the Chevening Fellowship and from Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, USA on 'Substance Use, Reduction, Treatment, and Policy' under the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship of the United States.
Read more: FBCCI to vote to elect new directors on Monday
He has also completed his diploma in Planning and Development from Academy for Planning and Development, Dhaka, and Developing Economies from IDEAS Advanced School, Tokyo, Japan. He attended much training both at home and abroad, a press release said.
UNDP inks deal with govt to fund village courts at 3,041 unions, improve social tolerance
The government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Sunday signed deals to implement two projects for strengthening village courts and improving social tolerance in Bangladesh.
The Economic Relations Division (ERD), a wing of the Ministry of Finance, signed two separate projects documents titled-‘Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh, Phase-III’ (AVCB) and ‘Partnerships for a More Tolerant, Inclusive Bangladesh, Phase-II.’
Sharifa Khan, Secretary of ERD, and Stefan Liller, Resident Representative of UNDP witnessed the signing ceremony. AKM Sohel UN Wing Chief of ERD moderated the signing ceremony.
The Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh, Phase-III project, implemented by the Local Government Division, aims to strengthen village courts at 3041 unions across the country as effective platforms for local dispute resolution.
With a total budget of USD $50,016,785, the project is funded by the Government of Bangladesh ($18,639,941), the European Union( $28,376,844), and UNDP ($ 3,000,000).
This phase builds on the success of prior activations in 1,416 Union Parishads (UPs) and will extend activation to 3,041 additional UPs.
The Partnerships for a More Tolerant, Inclusive Bangladesh, Phase-II project, led by the ICT Division, focuses on engaging youth to promote peace, tolerance, and inclusivity.
The project empowers young advocates to counter hate and radicalism, fostering a harmonious society.
The total budget for this phase is USD $757,453, with contributions $ 326,472 from UNDP $424,528 from Norway, and $6,453 from govt of Bangladesh.
Road accidents: Govt to provide Tk 5 lakh as compensation to families of deceased, Tk 3 lakh to injured
The government will provide Tk 5 lakh as compensation to the family members of those who died in road accidents while Tk 3 lakh to those who lost limbs, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday.
Read more:Road accident leaves youth dead in the city
“We have decided to provide compensation as per the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and she will inaugurate the compensation programme on National Road Safety Day in October,” he said while talking to reporters after a meeting at the Ministry.
Read more: Sheikh Hasina's government needed again: Obaidul Quader
Replying to a question, chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Nur Mohammad Majumdar said, “The arrangements to provide compensation to road accident victims started in January and so far, we have received 243 applications till August 17. The cheques will be prepared after completing all procedures.”
Read more: ASI dies, constable injured in Cumilla road accident
In response to a query whether it will be a continuous process, the BRTA chairman said, “It will continue.”
Bangladesh Business & Disability Network, CSR Centre join hands to promote disability inclusion
With a spirit of unity and shared purpose, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was recently signed between Bangladesh Business & Disability Network (BBDN) and CSR Centre, marking a significant milestone towards an inclusive world of work for persons with disabilities.
Shahamin S. Zaman, CEO of CSR Centre, and Murteza Rafi Khan, CEO of BBDN, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations, underscoring their commitment to fostering disability confidence in the private sector and driving inclusive progress, according to a press release.
The event was attended by trustees from both organisations.
Also read: Empower youth with disabilities to foster inclusiveness: Youth Day speakers
CSR Centre’s vision is to be a catalyst for a better society by encouraging public, private and development sectors towards promoting responsible business. While the CSR Centre looks at multiple areas, BBDN in particular aims to facilitate a more disability inclusive workforce in Bangladesh. As such, both organisations have overlapping objectives related to diversity and inclusion. By working together, the CSR Centre and BBDN aspire to create a more inclusive society, aligning their efforts with the Sustainable Development Goal of inclusive growth by “leaving no one behind.”
To this end, CSR Centre and BBDN aim to jointly conduct advocacy with policymakers, government entities and relevant stakeholders to bring about desired changes, in addition to mobilising the private sector to work on building their disability confidence and meeting diversity and inclusion goals. Both organisations will actively engage with these stakeholders in various areas, including awareness raising, promoting the benefits of diversity and inclusion, policy advocacy, training for businesses, identifying the sectoral industry demands for inclusion and so on within the scope of collaboration.
Also read: Bangladesh Business & Disability Network paves the way for inclusivity in hospitality sector
Speaking on the occasion, Farooq Sobhan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of CSR Centre, expressed his satisfaction that this partnership was taking shape. He also reaffirmed the CSR Centre’s commitment to effective collaboration with BBDN.
Anis A. Khan, trustee of both BBDN and the CSR Centre, extended his heartfelt appreciation to both organisations for this united initiative to foster a common goal. He also appreciated organisations like DBL Group and Shwapno who have already hired persons with disabilities, while suggesting to ramp up public awareness on the matter.
Also read: Experts for policy intervention to promote parenting education to reduce disability risks
In her speech, Rupali Chowdhury, trustee of BBDN, emphasised the importance of personalised outreach and urged the need to work directly with individual companies. She recommended creating inspirational examples for showcasing the connection between SDGs, poverty alleviation, and diversity, thereby reinforcing the message of inclusivity.
Salahuddin Kasem Khan, Chairman, Advisory Council, BBDN expressed his appreciation for the CSR Centre's positive consideration to collaborate. He highlighted the importance of engaging relevant stakeholders to actively work on disability inclusion. To this end, he emphasised that incorporating persons with disabilities into the workforce is not an act of charity, but a strategic move that can contribute to national economic growth.
Syed Ali Jowher Rizvi, trustee CSR Centre; Sabbir Nasir, trustee CSR Centre; Monsur Ahmed Chowdhury, trustee, BBDN; Faiaz Rahman, trustee BBDN; and representatives from DBL Group were also present at the signing ceremony.
Through this powerful alliance, the CSR Centre and BBDN aim to inspire a transformational change in the corporate landscape, fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce that embraces the talents and potential of every individual, irrespective of disabilities.
Also read: Limited efforts towards skills development, work opportunities and atmosphere still limit disability inclusion
What are the toll rates for Dhaka Elevated Expressway?
Bangladesh's Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on August 20, 2023 announced the toll rates for Dhaka Elevated Expressway, partially opening today (September 02, 2023).
Tolls will be collected from vehicles plying the expressway in four categories, the minister said in a press briefing at the conference room of the Ministry of Road, Transport and Bridges in Secretariat on Sunday.
Also read: Dhaka Elevated Expressway’s airport to Farmgate section to be inaugurated by PM on Sept 2
Private cars, microbuses (<16 seats) and mini-trucks (<3 tonnes) will have to pay Tk 80, medium-sized trucks (up to 6 wheels) and large trucks with more than 6 wheels will pay Tk 320 and Tk 400 respectively.
Meanwhile, all buses and minibuses with 16 or more seats will have to pay Tk 160 to ply the Kawla-Farmgate section of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway.
Also read: PM to inaugurate Agargaon-Motijheel section of Dhaka Metro Rail on Oct 20
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the 11.5 km section of the much anticipated Dhaka Elevated Expressway on September 2. A rally will be held at the old trade fair ground in Dhaka’s Agargaon marking the inauguration.
Also read: Toll rates fixed for Karnaphuli tunnel