others
Areas in Dhaka where gas supply to be suspended Sunday
Gas supply will remain suspended for 4 hours from 1 pm to 5 pm at different areas in the city on Sunday.
According to Titas Gas Supply and Transmission Company Ltd, the areas include Kamlapur Rail Station to Titipara slum, Saydabad bus terminal, Mugda, Golapbagh, Beltala, Maniknagar, Atish Dipankar Road, RK Mission Road, Gopinagh, Uttar Jatrabari, Dhalpur.
Also read: Gas supply disrupted in Narayanganj, Munshiganj
The gas disruption will take place due to relocation works of gas pipeline from Titipara to Golapbagh to facilitate the implementation of the Padma Bridge Rail project, said Titas Gas.
It also said the consumers in the areas adjacent to those named above may experience low pressure for the relocation works.
Also read: No gas supply to several capital areas Thursday
Environmental Sustainability: Dekko ISHO joins hands with Eco Via
Dekko ISHO Group has signed a monetary and strategic capital investment agreement with Eco Via, a bioplastic initiative with its own innovation in compostable polymer, led by three young entrepreneurs from Dhaka.
The signing ceremony was held in Dekko ISHO’s corporate office and attended by Prottoy Hossain, Director of Dekko ISHO Group, and the co-founders of Eco Via: Rashik Hassan, Riasat Zaman, and Ashfaqul Azam.
“This endeavor is a step towards integrating more sustainable practices in our business operations,” said Prottoy Hossain, Director.
He said they believe Eco Via will play a big role in ensuring global environmental sustainability and they are proud to be a part of their future endeavors.
Also read: PM calls for massive tree plantation to save environment
Demand raised for formation of environment clubs
Speakers at a virtual discussion laid emphasis on the formation of environment clubs in all the educational institutions across the country to raise awareness among the new generation about the conservation of nature and biodiversity.
They also urged the young generation to strengthen the movement to protect the environment with their active participation and thus force the authorities to take effective steps in this regard.
Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba), a voluntary environmental organisation, arranged the discussion, marking World Environment Day.
Speaking at the programme as the chief guest, former Dhaka University (DU) Vice-Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique said awareness among the people of all walks of life is necessary to protect the environment. “Nature can’t be destroyed with our greed for wealth.”
Also read: PM calls for massive tree plantation to save environment
He said various harmful viruses are spreading while disasters are emerging due to attacks on nature and onslaughts on the environment. “So, the young generation should play an active role in saving the environment and biodiversity.”
Prof Arefin said environmental awareness and education among the new generation is necessary to check the pollution and protect nature.
“We’ve to try to bring nature back to its old order. It's encouraging that the young people are coming forward and getting involved in various initiatives to protect the environment,” he observed.
Poba general secretary Eng Abdus Sobhan said, “We need concerted efforts to protect the environment and nature. Active participation of people from all walks of life, especially the youth, are necessary in this regard.”
Also read: Kerry in Dhaka to convey Biden's commitment to environment
He said sustainable development without harming the environment will be possible only if the young generation can understand the extent of the damages being done to the ecosystem in the name of unplanned development.
Poba chairman Abu Naser Khan, green activist MA Waheed Russell, Poba secretaries Mesbah Sumon and Nishat Mahmud, Green Force member Farzana Yasmeen Poppy and Dhaka University Environment Parliament President Abu Sadat Sayem, among others, spoke at the programme.
Lightning strikes kill four in Dhaka amid rain
Four people, including three children, were killed by lightning strikes in Malibagh Chowdhurypara and Adabar areas in the capital during rains on Thursday.
The victims were identified as Sabina Pakhi, 10, Shoma alias Jhoma, 12, Abdul Hoque, 65, and Alu, 14.
Deputy Commissioner (Tejgaon Division) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Md Shahidullah told UNB that thunderbolts struck them between 2:00pm and 2:30 pm.
Of them, two children and a sexagenarian man were killed near Malibagh Abul Hotel under Hatirjheel police station while another girl, aged around 14, died in Adabar area, he said.
Also read: Lightning strikes to kill 3 in Chapainawabganj
Sources at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) said when Sabina Pakhi and Shoma alias Jhoma were playing in front of their tin-shed house a lightning strike hit them around 2:15 pm, leaving them unconscious, said Habib, who rescued Pakhi and took her to the DMCH.
New budget proposals inadequate in tackling poverty, say rights groups
Several rights groups on Saturday termed the revenue collection strategy in the budget proposals for 2021-22 fiscal as inadequate in tackling the poverty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The budget lacks in direction to ensure justice in the redistribution of proposed budget resources, they said at a virtual press conference of the groups and networks led by EquityBD.
EquityBD Chief Moderator Rezaul Karim Chowdhury conducted the event, while Ahsanul Karim of the same organization presented the written points.
Ahsanul said the finance minister did not mention anything about recovery approach of the poor and the middle class, even though it plans to collect Tk. 3.30 trillion in revenue and expanded tax and VAT in rural areas.
Also read: New budget unveiled with focus on protecting lives and livelihoods
This is a discriminatory approach in present situation of unemployment and redistributive justice, they said.
The activists also demanded an overall reformation of the banking sector aimed at curbing illicit money laundering from the country.
“Better the government should declare at least VAT exemption on daily essentials to ease the livelihood pressure on poor and middle classes”, he said.
He put five demands: strengthen governance mechanism and its practices in financial sector especially in bank sector; capacitate NBR with modern technologies to strengthen the income tax collection; declaration of VAT exemption for poor and middle classes on at least on ten daily essentials and declare unemployment allowance for job losers as direct financial support package.
Government must take necessary step in reducing corruption in all sector specially focusing on public procurement practices, he said.
Also read: New budget: Tracking prices going up and down
Md. Abdul Awal from SUPRO [Campaign for Good Governance], Md. Hasan Mehedi of CLEAN [Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network], Syed Aminul Hoque of EquityBd and Md. Mostafa Kamal Akand from COAST Foundation also spoke in the press conference.
Abdul Awal said that government’s development ideology and budgeting plan is somehow unable to reach the poor and marginal people.
Hasan Mehedi said that country’s debt burden is now around 40% of GDP and the proposed borrowing plan will increase the burden again indeed.
Rezaul Karim said that government has created confusion on black money whitening.
The proposed budget, he said, is silent on how to stop capital flight which could be a great source of resource mobilization. This is an injustice considering the values of the Liberation War, he added.
BGMEA wants continuation of 0.5 per cent source tax
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on Saturday demanded that the government continue the existing 0.5 per cent source tax for the next five years in the new budget.
“We demand the continuation of the existing rate of 0.5 per cent source tax as it is suitable for long-term business planning,” said BGMEA President Faruque Hassan.
Also read: It’s a very significant budget: BGMEA
The budget for 2021-22 fiscal did not include the proposals made to the authorities for the benefit of the RMG sector, he said at press conference at its headquarters in Uttara.
The BGMEA president welcomed the proposal to reduce import duty on some machine parts and chemicals used in the garment sector.
Also read: New budget unveiled with focus on protecting lives and livelihoods
2 Rohingyas killed in landslide at Rohingya camps
Two Rohingyas were killed on Saturday in landslides following heavy rainfall in Ukhiya and Teknaf in Cox's Bazar.
The deceased have been identified as Rahim Ullah, 35, and Nur Hasina, 20.
The fatal incidents took place at Mainarghona camp in Ukhiya’s Balukhali union and at Chakmarkul camp in Teknaf’s Hoaikong union.
Also read: Lockdown extended in Rohingya camps, Teknaf upazila
The captain of the 14th Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and Superintendent of Police MD Shihab Kayser confirmed the news to UNB.
“Rahim Ullah died in the landslide at around 10:30 am in the morning while he was cutting soil. Upon receiving the news a team of APBn recovered the dead body and handed it over to the concerned authorities,” Kayser said.
Also read: Cyclone Yaas: 25 villages flooded in Hatia, Bhasan Char Rohingya camps not affected
“The house of Nur Hasina was demolished due to a landslide at around 2pm. APBn rescued Hasina and rushed her to a local medical facility where the on-duty doctor declared her dead,” said 16th APBn Additional Superintendent of Police Tariqul Islam.
The dead bodies were handed over to police, who sent them to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy, reported our local correspondent citing APBn sources.
Rains bring much-sought relief from heat
Different parts of the country, including Dhaka, experienced light to moderate showers on Saturday, bringing relief from heat and pains for pedestrians in the capital.
Officials at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) 56 millimeters of rain were recorded in the capital from 12pm to 3 pm, sending many city roads under water.
As monsoon approaches fast, Bangladesh might witness incessant rains from June 10, the BMD officials said.
“Moderate rains are likely to continue for a day or two, while incessant rains may start from June 10,” meteorologist Md Omar Faruque told UNB.
New budget underestimated impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, says SANEM
The South Asian Network for Economic Modeling (SANEM) has said the proposed national budget has failed to make a proper assessment of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
“Issues of poverty, job market, SME sector and vaccination against COVID-19 have been underestimated in the budget, which would lead to limitations in formulating policies,” said Dr. Selim Raihan, Executive Director of SANEM at a virtual press conference.
Research Director of SANEM Dr Sayema Haque Bidisha also spoke at the event to present the think-tank’s reaction to the fiscal 2021-22 budget placed in Parliament on Thursday by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.Dr Selim , professor of Dhaka University economics department, said “If the policymakers remain in their comfort zone during such a crisis, then they will not feel the need to create and implement appropriate policies.”He said “Emphasis must not only be placed on financial recovery, but also on social recovery.”He mentioned that recovery of education, health, social security, poverty and inequality needs to be addressed. “In brief, the solutions presented seem to be on an ad hoc basis, rather than overall planning in regards to the COVID-19 crisis.”Dr Raihan further states that budget implementation is a major issue. Although the budget has three stages, there is always little discussion about the revised and actual budgets later in the year.From SANEM’s research it has been found that for the past 10-12 years, the proportion of the proposed budget that is actual spending is around 75-78%. Public health expenditure, education and social protection are currently very small portions of GDP, which does not align with international SDG norms.
Ideally, these expenditures should be doubled to achieve SDGs, however it would be impossible if the budget is only around 17.5% of GDP.He said that the revenue GDP ratio (11.3%) seems to be unrealistic and historically high for the upcoming fiscal year, as per our current situation, and needs to be toned down.“Most notably, there is no mention of the ‘New Poor’ and inaccuracies in the lists of ‘Old Poor’ and ‘Non Poor’ – which would lead to issues in providing support to these groups.”He thanked the finance minister for prioritising the vital sectors
But the "roadmap" on how the budget will be implemented in these priority sectors is missing, he said.Dr Sayema, also a teacher at Dhaka University Economics Department, welcomed the increased allocations in social security and health sectors as positive.“The budget is, overall, business friendly which is positive and there
is visible effort in reviving the economy.”However, she said it is not clear how much the general public, the low-income people and the middle class will benefit from the efforts made to boost businesses.
Govt. launches first-ever IT desk at London mission to bring FDI in IT sector
The government has launched its first ever IT Desk and B2B Connectivity Portal, the `Bangladesh IT Connect-UK’, at the Bangladesh High Commission in London to attract more foreign director investment in the IT sector.
The desk will also help create greater business connectivity between entrepreneurs and vendors from IT Industry in Bangladesh and the UK, said a press release from the London mission.
It has been developed by the LICT Project of Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under the ICT Division of the Government in collaboration with the London High Commission.
Read: Virtual desk at Bangladesh's UK mission soon to attract FDI
The Virtual IT Desk and B2B Connectivity hub was inaugurated on Friday by State Minister for ICT, Zunaid Ahmed Palak with British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad, at a high-profile B2B event tilted,Bangladesh-UK@50 : Forging a Digital Economy Partnership.
Lord Ahmad pledged UK’s unremitting support and collaboration in promoting a knowledge and technology-based digital economy partnership.
He said: “Tech collaboration between the governments and the people of Bangladesh and the UK will take bilateral relations of the two countries into the next digital age”.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak said, “The virtual desk would help foster Bangladesh-UK trade and investments as well as knowledge partnerships in the technology and BPO sectors of both countries.”
The Minister recommended signing of an MoU between
Bangladesh and the UK in the ICT sector towards further strengthening of technological and business co-operation in ICT, digital businesses, skills, knowledge and innovation.
High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem in her welcome remarks said, the London mission is proud to launch the Virtual IT Help Desk on the occasion of 50 years of “our historic diplomatic relations that was pioneered since 08 January 1972 by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and British Prime Minister Sir Edward Health.
The virtual desk to be manned by a dedicated officer of the Mission will work as a ‘one-stop IT portal.” Already nearly 100 firms have registered in our portal”, said the press release.