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Fire at Dhaka Shishu Hospital doused
A fire that broke out in the cardiac ward of Dhaka Shishu Hospital in the capital’s Agargaon area on Friday afternoon, has been doused, fire service said.
Five firefighting units doused the fire at 2:39pm, said Talha Bin Zasim, station officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters media cell.
He said the fire originated in the cardiac ward on the fourth floor of the hospital around 1:47 pm.
The origin of the fire could not be known immediately, he added.
No casualties were reported.
Matarbari Power Plant not getting payment against power supply to national grid
Although Matarbari Coal-fired Power Plant has been supplying electricity to the national grid since the commissioning of its first unit in December 2023, it has not received any payment from the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).
“We’ve so far not received any payment against our supply of electricity to the national grid," said Abul Kalam Azad, managing director of the Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL).
The CPGCBL, a state-owned company of the government, set up the Matarbari coal-fired plant with ultra-critical technology under the financing of the Japan International Cooperation Agency ((JICA).
The 1200-MW power plant, having two units each with 600 MW capacity, is on 1,414 acres of land in Matarbari and Dhalghata unions of Maheshkhali upazila of Cox's Bazar district.
A deep-sea project was developed to facilitate coal unloading from ships.
The first unit of the Matarbari Coal-Fired Power Plant was synchronised with the national grid in July of this year.
Since the start of the commercial operation of the first unit, the plant has been supplying power to the national grid on a regular basis as per the demand of the BPDB.
“But we’re not getting the payment. Our paying bill amount will be about Tk 700 crore," Abut Kalam Azad told a group of reporters who were visiting his plant on Thursday.
Officials informed me that the plant needs about 10,000 metric tonnes of coal per day if it runs at full capacity.
If the payment against power supply is not received by the CPGCBL, it will be very difficult to continue the supply as the company has to import coal from abroad, said another top official of the plant.
Officials also said the government’s cash crunch might have been the main reason behind the non-payment of the bills submitted by the CPGCBL.
A loan agreement on the project was signed between the Government of Bangladesh and JICA on June 16, 2014. The project cost has been estimated at Tk 51,800 crore.
Of this, Tk 43,921 crore will be given as project support by JICA, and the remaining Tk 7,933 crore will be provided from the own funds of the Bangladesh Government and CPGCBL.
Arafat stresses investment in arts and culture for a peaceful society
State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad A Arafat has emphasised the importance of increasing investment in arts and culture to build a peaceful and prosperous society.
He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 12th Liberation DocFest Bangladesh, an international documentary film festival on liberation and human rights, held at the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Thursday.
Highlighting the importance of arts and culture in building a developed Bangladesh by 2041, the state minister acknowledged the significant economic progress made over the past 15 years. However, he stressed the need to prioritise investment in arts and culture over the next five years.
"If we want to fight against extremism, fundamentalism, and evil forces, no weapon can be more powerful than art and culture," he declared. "The development of art, literature, and culture is essential for us now. At the same time, innovative talent is crucial in the field of art, literature, and culture," he also said.
Arafat emphasized the state's responsibility to provide economic support and advancement to the arts sector, enabling the flourishing of talent and the dissemination of humanity and human values through art.
"Ultimately, we want to build a humane world and become global citizens," he stated.
The junior minister expressed the government's commitment to fostering a conducive environment for the healthy development of the arts industry. He assured his ministry will play a proactive role in achieving this goal.
In 50 years Bangladesh created business elite group who makes policy and drives government: Speakers at book launch
Speakers at a book launching programme on Thursday said that without a strong political agenda, implementation of economic reforms is quite impossible in Bangladesh.
There are several elite groups created in the last one decade in the country. Business elite is also one of them, who is driving the business sector and at the same time participating in policymaking in favour of them while ignoring mass people'd benefits, observed the speakers.
They said this at a book launching programme titled ‘Fifty Years of Bangladesh: Economy, Politics, Society and Culture’ published by international publisher Routledge from London in January this year.
They said that a clear scenario of such understanding the people get when they look at the banking sector and garment sector of the country.
The garment owners are getting exclusive benefits. On the other hand, many private banks are facing destruction due to looting by the bank directors. The government and administration are helping to destroy the banks. Again, they are getting seats in parliament and cabinet from two parts, they pointed out.
Take action immediately if unauthorised landfilling is identified: Land Minister
The reviewer of the book Dr Zahid Hussain, former lead economist of the World Bank, Dhaka office, said in the last five decades there have been development in agriculture, industries, and service sectors, but wages have not grown as per standard.
“The development of Bangladesh happened by keeping mortgage of our future, and an iconological injustice has also been done in last 51 years, that is more than the British and Pakistan period even,” he pointed out from different articles of the book.
He also mentioned that the institutional and regulatory capacity of the country is not improving along with the development of different sectors, resulting in an institutional imbalance, and regulatory weakness is witnessed in many sectors.
Another book reviewer Matiur Rahman, editor of Daily Prothom Alo in analysis and interpretation of the book said it mentioned the country is an authoritarian state, which is currently going on.
The business has grown over the past few decades. But all businessmen's capacity for getting equal action and participation in decision-making has declined, he said.
Bangladesh’s second quarter GDP growth slowed to 3.78%: BBS
“Currently it is trying to push the weak banks over the good banks. From these two parts, we have seen many people get important posts in business and cabinet positions in Parliament. They are influencing state policy in favour of them while small traders struggling to survive lack of policy support,” he pointed out.
Book reviewer Professor Firdous Azim, chairperson, Department of English and Humanities BRAC University, said women's participation in economic activities has increased in the country in the last five decades.
But cultural conflict widened, new generation grew with the Muslim conservative ideology along with modern mentality, there is a challenge of making a combination in society among the progressive and conservative community, she pointed out.
Govt's silence about capital market loss suspicious: AB Party
A total of 15 writers including a foreigner wrote articles on the book covering Bangladesh’s achievements in the last 50 years and suggested a way forward for sustainable development.
Professor Rehman Sobhan, founder and chairman of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), and Professor Rounaq Jahan, distinguished fellow, of CPD edited the book. Rounaq Jahan moderated the programme.
Among the authors of the book Professor Dr Mustafizur Rahman, CPD, Professor Selim Raihan, Executive Director SANEM, Dr Syed Akhtar Mahmood, Former Lead Private Sector Specialist World Bank Group, Professor Dr MM Akash, the University of Dhaka Dr Iftekhar Iqbal, Professor Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman Executive Chairman Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC), Dr Mirza M Hassan Senior Research Fellow BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Dr Ali Riaz Distinguished Professor Illinois State University, USA, Dr Selim Jahan Former Director, Human Development Report Office (HDRO) UNDP, New York, Dr Fakrul Alam Supernumerary Professor Department of English, DU, Dr Sohela Nazneen, Senior Fellow Institute of Development Studies (IDS), spoke in the programme in person and digitally.
The University Press Limited (UPL) works as the local distributor of the book.
Seminar on Military Justice System held at BAF headquarters
A seminar on "Military Justice System and Their Relationship to Civil Criminal Justice System" was held at Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) headquarters on Thursday.
Chief of Air Staff of the BAF Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan, attended as the Chief Guest and announced the ‘End’ of the seminar, organised by Judge Advocate General Branch of BAF and delivered the closing speech.
In the morning, Abu Mohammad Amin Uddin, Attorney General for Bangladesh, inaugurated the seminar and delivered the opening speech.
President visits Military Hardware Exhibition
Judge Advocate General of the BAF Group Captain Md. Tahidul Islam delivered the welcome speech, says an Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR) media release.
In his closing speech, the Chief of Air Staff said, "The seminar organised by the Judge Advocate General Branch of the Bangladesh Air Force will play a vital role in developing a modern and sustainable legal framework of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, in establishing justice for crimes within the forces, in improving the professional standards of law officers and in coordinating the justice system in the civil and military environments".
PM Hasina opens military hardware display 2024
Justice of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar, Registrar General of the Supreme Court (Senior District and Sessions Judge) Md. Golam Rabbani, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Senior District and Sessions Judge Dr. SK Golam Mahbub and Judge Advocate General of Bangladesh Air Force Group Captain Md. Tahidul Islam presented their valuable speech as subject matter experts in the said seminar.
A total of 53 officials including senior officials of Bangladesh Air Force and Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Navy participated in the seminar.
END/UNB/MJ/FH
Police constable injured after being sandwiched between two buses in Dhaka
A police constable sustained injuries after being sandwiched between two racing buses of Turag Paribahan in Jatrabari Chawrastra intersection in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon.
The injured, Mithun, is undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Ashraf Imam, deputy commissioner (Wari Zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, confirmed the matter saying that the on-duty constable got trapped between the buses while they were in a race.
The buses were seized, he added.
6 die in road accidents in 3 districts
6 people were killed in road accidents in Habiganj, Sunamganj and Kishoreganj districts on Wednesday night and early Thursday.
Two people were killed in a road accident in Nabiganj upazila of Habiganj on Dhaka-Sylhet highway on Wednesday night.
The deceased were identified as Hasan Mia, 24, and Sadek Mia, 40, of Monglapur village in Nabiganj upazila.
Locals and police said a Sylhet-bound bus of Al Mubaraka Paribahan ran over the two, leaving them dead on the spot.
Parimal Deb, officer-in-charge of Sherpur Highway Police Station, said they seized the two vehicles, recovered the bodies and sent those to the morgue for autopsy.
In Kishoreganj, two motorcycle riders were killed when a bus hit them in Kamaliachar area of Sadar Upazila on Thursday.
The deceased are Ashraful Islam Mamun (25) and his nephew Laden (22) of Bajitpur upazila.
According to police, a Dhaka-bound Ananya Parihaban bus from Kishoreganj rammed the motorcycle from behind in New Kamaliachar area, leaving the motorcyclist and his nephew dead on the spot.
Mohammad Golam Mostafa, Officer-in-charge of Kishoreganj Sadar Model Police Station, confirmed the matter and said that police recovered the bodies and sent those to Kishoreganj Sadar Hospital morgue.
In Sunamganj, two people including popular singer Pagal Hasan were killed and three others injured in a collision between a bus and a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw in Chhatak upazila of Sunamganj early Thursday.
Pagal Hasan was a resident of Shimultala Muktigaon area and another autorickshaw passenger Sattar Mia, 52, son of Ahad Ali, hailed from Shimultala-Muktirgaon village.
The injured were identified as Layes Mia, Rupon Mia and Jahangir Alam of the same village.
Take action immediately if unauthorised landfilling is identified: Land Minister
Land Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda has directed the divisional commissioners to take measures to prevent the unauthorised use of farmland for housing, commercial, and industrial purposes.
Additionally, he directed them to take the necessary measures to prevent unauthorised land filling activities with sand or soil as soon as they are discovered.
Land Reforms Board's capacity will be increased: Land Minister
The minister gave the directive while addressing the divisional commissioner coordination meeting as the chief guest at the Secretariat on Thursday.
The land minister reiterated the prime minister's directive to protect double- and triple-crop farmland for food security and environmental protection. He emphasised the need to build a social movement to prevent the illegal cutting of land's top layer or filling of land with sand or soil.
If any such incident occurs, locals should be encouraged to promptly inform the relevant office, and quick measures should be taken to prevent further illegal activities, added Narayon.
He informed the divisional commissioners that the Land Zoning and Protection Act, 2024 (draft) is in the final stage to protect agricultural land and the environment.
Provide land service through sincerity and good behaviour: Land Minister to ACs Land
The land minister said the purpose of this law is to prevent unplanned urbanisation, housing, construction of houses, development activities, and construction of industries and roads; to protect the environment and continue the production of food crops while maintaining the class or nature of the land; To ensure planned and optimum use of land, including protection of agricultural land, forests, hillocks, hills, rivers, canals, and water bodies; and to ensure the use of land and state discipline in the best use of land through planned zoning.
1, 333 more city and union land offices to be constructed across country: Land Minister
Additional Secretary Md Abbas Uddin chaired the meeting. Among others, chairman of the Land Appeal Board, AKM Shamimul Haque, chairman of the Land Reform Board, Md.Abdus Sabur Mondal were present in the meeting, among others.
Upazila parishad polls to be held in free, fair environment: Quader
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said on Thursday said the upazila parishad election will be held in a free, impartial, fair and peaceful environment though BNP leaders are making confusing statements over the polls going beyond political etiquette.
“Bangladesh Awami League is determined to develop democratic culture. Elections at different tiers of local government are immensely important for empowerment of people. Upazila Parishad elections will be held in a free, neutral, fair and peaceful environment,” he said.
Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said this in a statement sent to the media to protest the ‘false and fabricated’ remarks of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and its other leaders.
BNP's ‘wrong’ political strategy has left its leadership perpetually embroiled in conspiracies: Quader
He alleged that BNP leaders are making confusing statements about the upazila elections, going beyond political etiquette.
“BNP as always has taken a stance against the elections and the country's democracy. That is why people have turned away from them,” said the AL leader.
Noting that Awami League had to take a strategic stance regarding the upazila election in the context of BNP’s an anti-election stance, he said Awami League is not allocating it’s symbol (Boat) this time.
“Awami League expects that persons, who are acceptable to the party (AL) and the people outside the party, would be elected,” said Quader.
He said Awami League has given strict organisational instructions so that ministers, MPs and party leaders can’t make any sort of interference in the upazila parishad elections.
Extensive electoral campaigns and spontaneous participation of the people are being noticed in the first phase upazila election, said the AL general secretary.
CHT situation to be normal soon: Quader
“When the people of the country are spontaneously participating in the elections, the BNP leaders are taking steps to question the country's democratic system and elections as always. BNP wants to disrupt the electoral system and destroy the democratic process,” he said.
Quader said BNP leaders including BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir have been continuously lying.
“In fact, they have no respect towards democracy and the rule of law. On one hand they are nurturing arson terrorists and on the other hand they are raising false allegations of suppressing the opposition when the law enforcement agencies take legal action against the terrorists. BNP has continuously been engaged in conspiracies to destroy the continuation of democracy and stability of Bangladesh,” he said.
Joint operations in Bandarban: Obaidul Quader assures control amid challenges
The AL leader alleged that BNP leaders are trying to protect terrorists by making false allegations of suppression of opposition parties.
“We want to say in an unequivocal voice that Awami League does not believe in suppressing the opposition parties. But there is no exemption for terrorists and they must face justice no matter what party they belong to,” he said.
The AL general secretary urged everyone to be aware and alert about the anti-democratic activities of BNP.
Besides, he asked his party’s leaders and activists to extend full cooperation to the Election Commission for arrangement of free, fair and peaceful elections.
Biman recruits 84 ground service assistants to improve passenger services
Aiming to enhance passenger services and ground handling capacity, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has recruited 84 ground service assistants.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director and CEO Shafiul Azim officially issued the appointment letter to 84 new ground service assistants at Biman Head Office on Thursday.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Director (Customer Service) Motiul Islam Chowdhury was present at the event along with various Biman officials.
Expatriate Bangladeshis in Venice ecstatic over launch of Biman flight to Rome
Biman CEO said the newly recruited ground service assistants will play an important role in the continuous improvement of Biman Bangladesh Airlines' passenger services and increasing the capacity of ground handling.
He instructed the recruits to discharge their duties with integrity, efficiency and professionalism.
A total of 1100 people have been appointed in various positions of Biman in the last one year and the recruitment process of 550 people is on.
Biman resumes Dhaka-Rome-Dhaka flight after 9 years
Besides, equipment worth approximately 1000 crores has been purchased to increase the capacity of ground handling.