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BEPZA EZ gets $28m more in investment
Nova Intima, a Hong Kong-British Virgin Island-owned ladies' undergarment manufacturing company, will invest $28 million in BEPZA Economic Zone (BEPZA EZ) in Mirsharai, Chattogram.
The company signed an agreement with the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) in Dhaka Monday.
Ali Reza Mazid, member (investment promotion) of BEPZA, and Vijay Uttam, managing director of Nova Intima, signed the deal. Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman, executive chairman of BEPZA, was also present.
Read: Dutch Co. to invest $ 10.52 million in BEPZA’s Economic Zone
Nova will annually produce 60 million units of ladies' undergarments and fabrics and accessories for producing those clothing items, employing more than 5,625 Bangladeshis.
Two other companies in Chattogram and Karnaphuli EPZs, under the same owner, invested around $22 million in the production of ladies' undergarments, employing around 6,000 Bangladesh nationals.
ACC files case against chairman of Lakshmipur Model Union
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday filed a case against chairman of Lakshmipur Model Union of Chandpur Sadar Upazila and the owner of Shapla Media Production Company Salim Khan as the commission found illegal wealth of TK 34 crore and concealing the information of about Taka 67 lakh.
ACC Assistant Director and Investigation Officer Ataur Rahman filed the main case wirh Dhaka Co-ordinated Office-1 of ACC.
As the complaint against Salim Khan was initially proved, a notice of submission of assets statement was issued against him with the approval of the commission, the ACC Secretary said.
After verifying the asset statement submitted by him, evidence of concealment of information of assets of Tk 66 lakh 99 thousand. In addition, the investigation of the ACC found evidence of assets outside the known income of TK34 crore 53 lakh 81 thousand and the case has been approved against him under Section 26 (2) and 27 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004.
Also read: ACC sues Khulna food inspector, wife
Earlier, on April 26, Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Kayes banned Salim Khan from traveling abroad for 60 days in view of ACC's application. Later the time is extended in view of reapplying.
On September 20, 2020, the ACC issued a notice to Salim Khan and his wife Shahanara Begum asking for an account of their assets as preliminary evidence of illegal assets was found during the investigation. After checking various documents including income tax statement of Salim Khan, his family expenditure account was found to be TK34 lakh 88 thousand 800 taka while his total income is 61 lakh 72 thousand taka including the salary and allowance received as the chairman of the union council.
A notice to file a statement of assets was issued after the ACC's investigation found evidence of illegal assets,he added.
Also read: ACC's spree continues against relatively small fry
In addition, on April 6 of this year, an enforcement team led by ACC assistant director Rafi Nazmus Sa'dat conducted an operation by the enforcement team for verifying the allegations against Salim Khan.
During the operation, the ACC team made a spot inspection of the proposed land for Chandpur Science and Technology University at a distance of 800 meters from the Meghna River along the Chandpur-Haimchar road at Lakshmipur Mauza of Chandpur Sadar Upazila.
The education minister's family has recently been accused of irregularities in the acquisition of land for the proposed Chandpur University of Science and Technology.
It is alleged that the education minister's family members, relatives and his close friends bought and sold land in Lakshmipur Mauza of Sadar Upazila while his elder brother Dr. Jawadur Rahim Wadud 99 percent of one acre land in 6 deeds, his cousin Zahidul Islam 61 percent of one acre and Laxmipur UP chairman Salim Khan also bought 19 acres of land there.
Bangladesh receives D-8 peace award
Bangladesh has got an "International Peace Award " as one of the founding member of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation.
The award was given in memory of the Prime Minister Prof. Dr. Necmettin Erbakan of the Republic of Turkey.
President of the Board of Trustees of Prof. Dr. Necmettin Erbakan Foundation, Dr. Fatih Erbakan sent a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina informing her of the matter, said a press release of PM’s press wing.
Also read: Rani Yan Yan in race for Women Building Peace Award
Mosud Mannan, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Turkey accredited to Georgia, Turkmenistan and D-8 handed over the crest of the award along with the letter from Dr. Fatih ERBAKAN to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Also read: PM receives ‘Tagore Peace Award 2018’
Urea fertilizer gets pricier by Tk 6 kg: Ministry
Farmers are to pay Tk. 6 more for a kilogram of urea fertilizer effective Monday, the Agriculture Ministry announced citing price hike in the global markets.
In a handout the ministry said that urea fertilizer will now be sold at Tk. 22 per kg, up from Tk. 16 per kg at the farmers’ level. At the dealers’ level the price has been re-fixed at Tk. 20 per kg, up from Tk. 14 per kg.
According to the handout, the price of per kilogram of urea fertilizer in the international market is currently Tk 81. Despite the raise in the local market by Tk 6 per kg, the government will have to provide Tk 59 in subsidy per kg.
Also read: Govt looks for alternative sources of urea fertilizer: Agri Minister
In 2005-2006 fiscal year, the government provided Tk 15 a kg as urea fertilizer subsidy, it said.
The price of fertilizer has shot up 3-4 times in the international market and as a result the government’s subsidies on the essential agro inputs rose by four times.
In FY2020-21, the government provided Tk 7,717 crore as subsidy in fertilizer while Tk 28,000 in FY2021-22. .
Also read: Incessant rains in Kurigram force Boro farmers to go for early harvesting
Bangladesh reports 1 more Covid death, 349 cases
One more person died from Covid, and 349 tested positive for the virus in Bangladesh in the 24 hours to Monday.
While the country's total fatalities reached 29,292, the new number took its caseload to 2,005,606, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The daily case positivity rate dropped to 5.86 percent from Sunday's 6.38 percent as 5,953 samples were tested.
Also read: Bangladesh reports 3 more Covid deaths, 365 new cases
The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.46 percent. The recovery rate rose to 96.90 percent from Sunday's 96.87 percent.
Bangladesh reported its first zero Covid death on November 20 last year since the pandemic broke out here in March 2020.
Also read: Covid-19 vaccine consignment for kids arrive in Dhaka
The country registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 in the same year.
Dengue: 87 new patients hospitalised in 24 hrs
Another 87 dengue patients were hospitalised across the country in 24 hours till Monday morning, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Among them, 66 patients were hospitalised in Dhaka while the 21 in other places, it said.
As many as 344 dengue patients including 267 in the capital are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
Read: Lightning kills two, injures 7 in Natore
On Sunday, this year’s death toll from the mosquito-borne viral disease rose to10 with another death reported from Dhaka metropolitan area. Among the deaths, six were reported from Cox’s Bazar while four from Dhaka.
On June 21, the DGHS reported the first death of the season from the viral disease.
This year, the DGHS has recorded 2,747 dengue cases and 2,393 recoveries so far.
Step up efforts, invest in breastfeeding support policies, progs: UNICEF, WHO
United Nations Children's Fund – UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) have called on governments, donors, civil society, and the private sector to step up efforts to prioritize investing in breastfeeding support policies and programmes, especially in fragile and food insecure contexts.
“As global crises continue to threaten the health and nutrition of millions of babies and children, the vital importance of breastfeeding as the best possible start in life is more critical than ever,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a joint statement on the occasion of World Breastfeeding Week.
World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration which is held every year from August 1 to 7 across the world.
This World Breastfeeding Week, under its theme “Step up for breastfeeding: Educate and Support”, UNICEF and WHO are calling on governments to allocate increased resources to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding policies and programmes, especially for the most vulnerable families living in emergency settings.
During emergencies, including those in Afghanistan, Yemen, Ukraine, the Horn of Africa, and the Sahel, breastfeeding guarantees a safe, nutritious and accessible food source for babies and young children.
It offers a powerful line of defense against disease and all forms of child malnutrition, including wasting, according to the UN agencies.
“Breastfeeding also acts as a baby’s first vaccine, protecting them from common childhood illnesses,” reads the joint statement.
Read: Bangladesh ranks 'first in the world' for breastfeeding
Yet the emotional distress, physical exhaustion, lack of space and privacy, and poor sanitation experienced by mothers in emergency settings mean that many babies are missing out on the benefits of breastfeeding to help them survive.
“Fewer than half of all newborn babies are breastfed in the first hour of life, leaving them more vulnerable to disease and death. And only 44 per cent of infants are exclusively breastfed in the first six months of life, short of the World Health Assembly target of 50 per cent by 2025,” according to the joint statement.
Protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding is more important than ever, not just for protecting our planet as the ultimate natural, sustainable, first food system, but also for the survival, growth, and development of millions of infants.
“That is why UNICEF and WHO are calling on governments, donors, civil society, and the private sector to step up efforts to equip health and nutrition workers in facilities and communities with the skills they need to provide quality counselling and practical support to mothers to successfully breastfeed.”
Read: Children want govt investment in education, health, protection: UNICEF
UNICEF and WHO called for protecting caregivers and health care workers from the unethical marketing influence of the formula industry by fully adopting and implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, including in humanitarian settings.
They called for implement family-friendly policies that provide mothers with the time, space, and support they need to breastfeed.
Administering 2nd dose of oral cholera vaccine begins August 3 in 5 Dhaka areas
icddr,b, under the supervision of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), will administer the second dose of oral cholera vaccine from August 3-10.
It will administer the second dose of oral cholera vaccine from 8am until 4pm (except Friday, 5 August and Ashura Day on Tuesday, 9 August).
A total of 2.36 million residents of Jatrabari, Dakshin Khan, Sabujbagh, Mohammadpur and Mirpur of Dhaka city who received the first-dose of oral cholera vaccination will be given the second-dose during this vaccination drive.
Those who received the first-dose between 26 June and 2 July can receive the second-dose by presenting their vaccine card at their respective vaccine centres.
Also read: 2.4 million Dhaka residents to receive oral cholera vaccine in one week
On this occasion, the Director of Disease Control and Line Director Disease Control Programme, DGHS, Professor Dr Mohammad Nazmul Islam, said they have received an overwhelming response from the residents of five areas of Dhaka and have been able to vaccinate a record number of residents in a very short time.
“We hope that those who have received the first dose of cholera vaccine must protect themselves against the disease by receiving the second dose as well,” he said.
Dr Firdausi Qadri, Senior Scientist and Acting Senior Director of Infectious Diseases Division at icddr,b urged everyone to get vaccinated with the oral cholera vaccine, and maintain disease preventive measures such as the use of safe water, safe sanitation and personal hygiene, to be protected from many infectious diseases including diarrhoea.
The two-dose Euvichol-Plus Cholera vaccine produced by EuBiologics Co. Ltd., South Korea, which is given at least 14 days apart, will be administered to those who are above one year of age.
Also read: Cholera vaccination drive to begin from Jun 26: Health Minister
This vaccine is prequalified by the World Health Organization, and can be given to all except pregnant women and those who have received any other vaccine within the last 14 days.
icddr,b is undertaking the largest cholera vaccination campaign with support from the Dhaka North and South City Corporation and under the supervision of the DGHS.
The campaign is also supported by the National Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), World Health Organization, UNICEF, International Red Cross and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, and MSF. It is being funded by The Vaccine Alliance, GAVI.
The vaccination drive is being implemented through 700 vaccination centres in Jatrabari, Dakshin Khan, Sabujbagh, Mohammadpur and Mirpur.
Residents of these areas are being urged to take precautionary measures against COVID-19 while taking the cholera vaccine to prevent the disease and to assist in the vaccination campaign.
PM: BNP plundered national resources during its rule
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said saving power and fuel oil does not mean that there had been looting in the sector.
“Rather, BNP plundered during their regime. We after coming to power stopped that indiscriminate looting and developed the country,” she said.
The prime minister said this while inaugurating a blood donation programme arranged by the Bangladesh Krishak League in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32. She joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.
Krishak League arranged the programme and discussion as part of the month-long programme of Awami League and its associate organizations to mark the National Mourning Day commemorating the martyrdom of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Hasina slammed the BNP for staging hurricane lamp protest against government's power saving measures.
"Hand them hurricane lamps instead, and show them the door," she said.
The PM said that all countries across the globe have been gone for austerity in power and fuel oil in the wake of worldwide crisis due to Russia-Ukraine war as the entire world including the developed countries are in hardship.
Read: PM urges the youth to acquire skills to become entrepreneurs
“All have to keep that in their mind. When the developed countries are facing serious troubles, we have taken pre-cautionary measurers to avoid falling in any danger in the coming days,” she said.
"Keeping that in mind we are maintaining austerity," she added.
She said that the present AL government upgraded the power sector with the capability of producing 24,000MW from only 3500MW.
“It was not possible if there were any looting here. When there is looting in any sector, it shrinks,” she said.
Hasina, also the ruling AL chief, said that those who reduced the electricity production from 4300MW to 3000MW were engaged in looting.
“And those who have been able to increase the production they utilise every penny for the betterment,” she added.
She said her government has taken all necessary measures keeping in mind the possible hardship due to Ukraine war so that the common people do not have to suffer.
She mentioned that the BNP and its allies destroyed the spirit and ideology of the nation on what Bangladesh emerged through huge sacrifice and long struggle under the leadership of Bangabandhu.
Read: PM: Useless Ukraine-Russia war benefitting only arms producers
Pointing out misrules of the regimes after 1975, the prime minister said, Zia snatched the voting rights of the people forming a party by staying in the state power illegally and gave curfew democracy instead.
The people had no rights during the tenure of military dictator Zia and so was during the Ershad regime, she said.
The PM said BNP leaders should not talk about election as the BNP staged fake voting at Magura, Mirpur and in Dhaka-10 constituency in the past.
In her speech, the Awami League President highlighted long struggles and sacrifices of the Father of the Nation since 1948 for the cause of the rights of mother tongue and establish independent Bangladesh.
Talking about the August 15 massacre, Hasina, the eldest child of Bangabandhu, in an emotion-chocked voice said that her father, mother and brothers were killed by the Bangalees for whom her father sacrificed his whole life.
“I never find the answer of this question, how the Bangalees could do such kind of hypocrisy and dishonesty?” she wondered.
She mentioned that just before 1975 there were false propaganda against Bangabandhu and his family members, and Awami League leaders.
The prime minister said that her party had been able to restore democracy in the country through long movement and struggle.
“If real democracy prevails in a country then fate of the people changes totally. Today’s Bangladesh is the example of that," she said.
She said the AL grew from the mass people and its leaders and activists are ready to sacrifice for the nation. So when this party comes to power and runs the government with ideology and policy then the country must develop, she added.
“The present Bangladesh is the great example of that,” she said.
She said that since assuming office in 2009 the government has been working tirelessly for improving the living standard of the people.
Hasina asked the Krishak League leaders and workers to continue to work following Bangabandhu’s ideology and build a hunger-and-poverty-free prosperous Bangladesh.
She mentioned that Bangabandhu was killed at a time when the nation was progressing fast towards socio-economic development under his dynamic leadership after the independence.
She thanked Krishak League for arranging the blood donation programme programme aimed at saving the life of the critical patients.
Awami League presidium member Matia Chowdhury, Presidium member and Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque, Joint Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Agriculture Secretary Faridunnanahar Laily, Organising Secretary Advocate Afzal Hossain and Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua also spoke at the programme.
Krishak League President Krishibid Samir Chanda presided over the function, while its General Secretary Umme Kulsum Smiriti, spoke, among others.
A minute of silence was observed in memory of the martyrs of August 15 massacre.
We can’t let blood of slain Bhola Swechchasebak Dal leader go in vain: Fakhrul
Stating that the blood of Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim will not go in vain, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday vowed to intensify their anti-government movement by turning the grief into strength.
“The fascist Awami regime has made it clear that it wants to suppress the movement by resorting to repression through firing bullets by police. But Abdur Rahim’s blood in Bhola has proved that the people of this country will never accept the repressive policies of the despotic government,” he said.
In a brief address prior to a gayebana namaz-e-janaza in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Fakhrul said the people of Bjola has also sent out a message that they will restore democracy and free the country from misrule even by sacrificing their lives and blood.
“We cannot let Abdur Rahim's blood go in vain. So this grief has to be transformed into strength. We must move forward holding the spirit of his (Rahim’s) sacrifice of life and blood and we have to defeat this government by intensifying our movement.”
Fakhrul alleged that police opened fire on a peaceful rally in Bhola, killing Swechasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and injuring over a hundred people, including BNP central leader ABM Mosharraf Hossain, there.
"The blood of my democracy-loving brothers has been shed by the police firing in Bhola. It was a completely peaceful rally demanding electricity. But the police of Sheikh Hasina's fascist government fired bullets on that rally,” he said.
As part of BNP’s countrywide demonstration programme protesting the load shedding and mismanagement in the power sector, the leaders and activists of the party gathered in front of their district party office in Bhola on Sunday morning.
Read: Hope that will get you through: Fakhrul to BNP activists
At one stage, police obstructed them when they tried to stage demonstrations at Kalinath Roy Bazar around 11:30 am, triggering a clash.
Later, police fired bullets and lobbed teargas shells that left Abdur Rahm dead and injured many other leaders and activists of the party.
BNP announced a two-day nationwide programme, including gayebana janaza in protest against police firing at the rally.
As part of the programme, the party leaders and activists joined the gayebana namaz-e-janaza in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in memory of Abdur Rahim.
BNP senior leaders and over a hundred leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies participate in the programme.
The party will also stage demonstrations in all districts, including in Dhaka, on Tuesday in protest against the killing of Abdul Rahim, member secretary of Bhola’s South Dighaldi Union Swechchasebak Dal.