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Central bank seeks info on upazila election candidates, ostensibly to identify defaulters
Bangladesh Bank (BB) has asked all the returning officers to provide the information of the candidates in the second phase of the Upazila Parishad election, ostensibly to shield against loan defaulters becoming candidates.
The second phase of the sixth ‘Upazila Parishad’ election will be held on May 21, 2024.
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Md Anisur Rahman, additional director of the credit information bureau, issued a letter to the returning officers, to provide information related to the debt of the candidates who filed nomination papers for the second phase of Upazila Parishad elections as per the prescribed form.
Shapla Chattor sought full name, father's name, mother's name, husband's name (if applicable) in Bengali and English, national identity card number, taxpayer identification number, and date of birth of all candidates.
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The information also asked to include permanent and present address should be duly filled as per the attached table and sent through e-mail after giving the name of the returning officer/assistant returning officer along with seal, signature, and phone (mobile) number.
Around 2055 candidates have submitted their nomination papers in the second phase of upazila polls.
Election Commission Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath said that 730 people have filed nomination papers for the post of chairman, 763 for the post of vice chairman, and 562 for the post of female vice chairman.
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ACC appoints committee to probe allegations against ex-IGP Benazir, his family
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) formed a committee to investigate the alleged corruption of former inspector general of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed and his family.
ACC secretary Khorsheda Yeasmin informed the update at a briefing held at the headquarter of the Commission on Monday.
She said a report of illegal acquisition of wealth against former IGP Benazir Ahmed was published in a national daily newspaper on March 31 while similar complaints were published in some other electronic media on April 1 and 2.
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Mentioning the reports, ACC secretary said proceedings were initiated under Rule No. 3 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Rules, 2007 regarding the complaints.
She also said "The decision to investigate the fomer IGP was taken on April 18 in the first meeting after the long Eid Holiday."
According to the relevant laws and regulations, legal action will be taken by completing the investigation within the prescribed time frame, she added.
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Earlier, a writ was filed in the High Court seeking a corruption probe into former IGP of Police Benazir Ahmed.
On Monday (April 22), Supreme Court lawyer Salahuddin Regan filed the writ in the relevant branch of the High Court. In the writ four persons including ACC chairman and secretary were made defendants.
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
Faridpur road crash: Probe body finds bus driver’s drowsiness, over speed of bus, pickup
The 7-member probe body formed to investigate the road accident in Faridpur on April 16 that claimed 15 lives identified over speed of both the bus and the pick up van and drowsiness of the bus driver behind the deadly road crash.
The committee led by additional district magistrate Md Ali Siddique submitted the report to Deputy Commissioner Md Qamrul Ahsan Talukder on Sunday afternoon.
DC Qamrul said they will forward the report to the higher authorities concerned to take measures as per the report.
Probe committee head Md Ali said,”We talked to people from all departments concerned about the accident. I visited the spot and tried to find out why this tragic accident occurred, I tried to make some recommendations to prevent deaths in road crashes.”
The drowsiness of the bus driver due to long time driving after the Eid and over speed of the bus and the pickup van were blamed for the fatal accident, reads the report.
The report also put forward some recommendations to prevent such road accidents.
All those driving on the roads or highways should know and abide by the relevant law, set up a road divider or widen the road in the accident prone areas, drivers of vehicles should not drive without break, autorickshaws or small risky vehicles shouldn’t be allowed on the highways, said the report.
On April 16, at least 15 people including six women and two children were killed and 15 others injured in a head-on collision between the bus and the pickup van on the Dhaka-Khulna highway in Sadar upazila.
All the victims were passengers of the pickup van although carrying passengers in pickup vans or trucks is prohibited in the country.
The deceased included five members of a family.
Later, Rapid Action Battalion arrested the bus driver Khokan Mia from Jhenaidah.
A case was filed accusing the bus driver with Kotowali police station in this regard.
Very severe heat wave grips Pabna, Chuadanga, no respite from scorching heat for 5 days: BMD
Very severe heat wave is sweeping Pabna & Chuadanga districts, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
Besides, severe heat wave is sweeping Rajshahi, Tangail, Jashore & Kushtia districts and mild to moderate heat wave is lashing Rangpur, Barishal & Mymensingh divisions and parts of Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khluna divisions, Srimangal & Chandpur district, said a met office bulletin on Monday.
The heat wave condition may continue and no marked change in likely in five days commencing 9am on Monday.
Dhaka’s air quality again ‘unhealthy’ this morning
Country’s highest temperature was recorded in Chuadanga at 42.2 degree Celsius on Sunday and 56 mm rains were recorded in 24 hours till 6 am on Monday.
“Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely at one or two places over Mymensingh, Chattogram & Sylhet divisions with hails at isolated places. Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country,” it said.
Day temperature may fall slightly and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country during the period.
Due to increase of moisture incursion, the discomfort may persists.
Medical Tourism Conclave held with cross-border participation
The Medical Tourism Conclave-2024 was held at the Dhaka Club on Sunday.
The initiative by Byatikram MASDO, a socio-cultural organisation based in India's Assam, was supported by Bangladesh Assistant High Commission, Friends of Bangladesh, and Sampriti Bangladesh.
Specialists from various hospitals and institutes from both Bangladesh and India participated in the conclave, aiming to reduce healthcare disparities and enhance mutual cooperation in the field of health between the two countries.
Co-ordinator of the conclave, Prof. Dr Mamun Al Mahtab of Bangabandhu Sheikh Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), presented the keynote paper .
He hoped this conclave will work as the bridge in new scopes of assistance between the two country’s health sector.
Former state minister of foreign affairs, Shahriar Alam spoke as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony.
Shahriar Alam said currently the cooperation between Bangladesh and India has reached the highest level ever and emphasized more cooperation in the health sector. "If cooperation between Bangladesh and India in the health sector is increased to ensure better medical care for the people of the country, it will help save the country's valuable foreign currency, he said.
The participation of representatives from numerous governmental and non-governmental hospitals and pharmaceutical industries from Bangladesh facilitated discussions and exchanges to ensure universal healthcare services for the people of both countries.
UNDP urged to scale up support for accessing international climate financing
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has urged UNDP to scale up its support for accessing international climate financing through capacity building of the concerned public and private sector entities.
He made the request when UNDP Country Representative Stefan Liller called on him at his office on Sunday.
The Foreign Minister acknowledged the importance of expediting and streamlining the internal approval processes for grants-based climate financing.
He underscored the need for UN system-wide scanning to assess the status of project approval for further inter-ministerial coordination.
Foreign Minister Hasab recalled his long association with the UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner and reiterated his invitation to the latter to visit Bangladesh this year.
He also expressed satisfaction at the recent successful visit by the UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
The UNDP Country Representative appreciated Bangladesh’s role as the UNDP Board President in 2024.
He also thanked Bangladesh for being the only LDC among the top core budget contributors to UNDP.
He reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to support Bangladesh on its development pathway towards a smooth and sustainable LDC graduation.
The Foreign Minister welcomed UNDP’s offer to contribute further to capacity building for climate diplomacy, implementing Blue Economy strategy, and addressing trans-boundary marine and air pollution.
He commended UNDP’s support for digital innovation and public service delivery in Bangladesh.
The UNDP Representative observed that a number of such innovations are being replicated in other developing countries under the framework of South-South Cooperation.
Drug-addict uncle stabs nephew to death in Kamrangirchar
A drug addict uncle reportedly stabbed his nephew to death in the capital's Kamrangirchar area on Sunday.
The deceased Tanin Hossain Sifat, 22, was the son of Md Jamil Khan, a plastic trader of Kazi Pagla village of Louhajang upazila of Munshiganj district.
At that time, the victim's elder brother Tamim Hossain Shrabon, 23, sustained injuries who is receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital with stab wounds in the throat.
Currently, they used to live in a rented house with family in Keraniganj Amirabad.
Victims' maternal uncle Ripon Mia said the brothers were employed at his electric shop in Kamrangirchar.
Around 4pm, they came to our home and discovered that my younger brother, Rakib Hossain, was physically abusing my mother for money for consuming drugs.
"When they tried to restrain Rakib from assaulting her, he attacked them with a knife, leaving them injured" he said.
They were rushed to DMCH where doctors declared Sifat dead around 6:15pm, he added.
Ripon Mia said his brother Rakib is a drug addict and is unemployed
The body was kept at the hospital morgue for an autopsy, said Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) police outpost.
The matter was informed to the concerned police station, he added.
DB pursuing fake certificate syndicate in earnest, as raid in Mirpur yields new leads
Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) may question the chairman of Technical Education Board, in case he is found to be involved in any capacity with the fake certificate syndicate, which doesn't necessarily have to be incriminating.
The sleuths of the DMP recently raided a fake certificate manufacturing factory in the city's Mirpur area and also arrested two people from there. In the raid's aftermath, Shahela Parveen (54), the wife of Ali Akbar Khan, chairman of the Technical Education Board, was arrested from Uttara.
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DB will also interrogate Ali Akbar Khan if it deems it necessary in connection with this incident.
Additional Commissioner of the DMP, and also the DB chief, Md Haroon Or Rashid disclosed all this while briefing reporters at DMP Media Center on Sunday.
Harun said that Bangladesh Technical Board Chairman Ali Akbar Khan will be interrogated if found to be involved in any capacity to the fake certificate circle.
The DB chief said, "We will not spare anyone, no matter who is involved in this incident. We have not exempted anyone so far. If we find any evidence of the chairman's involvement, we will also question him. We will call him for questioning any time."
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He said that after the arrest of two people from Mirpur this month, according to the information given by them, two of the gang were arrested. Prof Mostafizur Rahman (48) of Kamrangirchar Hillful Fuzul Technical and BM College was arrested on April 18, and Md Maksudur Rahman alias Mamun (40), director of Dhaka Technical School and College, was arrested the next day on April 19.
Based on secret information, a team of the DB arrested Sanjida Akhtar Koli, director of Garai Survey Institute in Kustia district, from Sadar Thana area of the district on April 5. Later, Shehela Parveen (54) was arrested from Uttara.
DB dismantles fraudulent loan scheme: Election Commission employee among 4 arrested
Earlier on April 1 this month, the detectives conducted a raid at a house in Pirer Bagh area of Mirpur of the capital and arrested the Bangladesh Technical Education Board's computer cell system analyst AKM Shamsuzzaman and the same organization's sacked and currently Shamsuzzaman's personally paid assistant Faisal. A large number of mark sheets, fake certificates and registration cards and admit cards were recovered from them.