travel ban
Travel ban imposed on suspended assistant commissioner Urmi
The government has issued a travel ban on Tapashee Tabassum Urmi, an officer on special duty (OSD) (assistant secretary) of the Ministry of Public Administration and suspended assistant commissioner of Lalmonirhat district administration.
The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification in this regard on Monday.
Urmi was suspended following her controversial remark regarding the interim government on Facebook and process is underway to take departmental action against her.
Earlier, on October 9, a defamation and treason case was filed against Urmi in Lalmonirhat by Tahiatul Habib Mridul, a representative of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
On October 7, she was suspended following her controversial remark.
In a Facebook post, Urmi wrote, “The chief adviser of the interim government which has no constitutional base said a push has been made on the reset button, history got erased. He has removed all histories of the county by clicking the reset button. Is it too easy! your (Yunus) countdown has started, Sir.”
8 hours ago
Travel ban hits tourism businesses in CHT hard
Usually vibrant with tourists during public holidays, the popular tourist destinations in the three hill districts now wear a desolate look after a recent directive by the authorities discouraging people from visiting the region.
Tourism businesses in Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari are set to suffer huge losses as all bookings have been cancelled due to the restriction.
District administrations asked people not to visit the hill districts from October 8 to31 citing “unavoidable reasons”, including safety concerns and the impact of recent natural disasters.
Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan said the decision was made to ensure the safety of tourists, with hopes that the situation will normalise by the end of the month. “We have urged tourists not to visit Rangamati during this period. Later, travel can resume as usual,” he said.
The travel restriction came at a particularly difficult time for the tourism sector. Hotel and resort operators had received advanced bookings for the Durga Puja holiday, the biggest religious festival of Hindus.
Read: Government announces programs to mark World Tourism Day tomorrow
However, he is optimistic that easing the restrictions could help the tourism sector recover from this crisis.
“We are facing a major crisis,” said Ramzan Ali, a leaseholder at the boat dock operated by the Rangamati Parjatan Corporation. “The scenic Hanging Bridge was submerged due to recent rains and floods, and now we have this travel ban. We don't know how we will survive.”
Md. Sultan, manager of Hotel Square Park, echoed similar concerns saying, “All the bookings have been canceled, and our hotels are empty. Normally, we are fully booked at this time of year,” he said.
Local tourism associations have expressed deep concern over the economic impact of the travel ban.
Ten organizations, including the Rangamati Resort Owners’ Association, the Houseboat Owners’ Association, and the Residential Hotel Owners’ Association, submitted a memorandum to the district administration calling for the government to lift the ban immediately.
“We are facing severe uncertainty regarding our livelihoods. The ban sends a highly negative message to tourists and threatens to push the developing tourism sector in these regions to the brink of collapse,” they said in the memorandum.
Read more: Sunamganj tourism suffers Tk 50 crore loss amid floods and ongoing situation
Ten organizations, including the Rangamati Resort Owners’ Association, the Houseboat Owners’ Association, and the Hotel Owners’ Association, submitted a memorandum to the district administration calling for the government to lift the ban immediately.
“We are facing severe uncertainty regarding our livelihoods. The ban sends a highly negative message to tourists and threatens to push the developing tourism sector in these regions to the brink of collapse,” they said in the memorandum.
Adviser to Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Supradip Chakma recently said the ban would be lifted soon. “We are in talks with the Home Affairs adviser, and a decision will be announced shortly,” he said.
3 days ago
Travel ban imposed on S Alam Group owner, family members
A Dhaka court has issued a travel ban on Saiful Alam, the owner of S Alam Group, his wife Farzana Parveen and 11 family members.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Mohammad Zoglul Hossain passed the order in response to a petition from Anti-Corruption Commission’s Public Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam on Monday.
Travel ban imposed on former NSI DG, his wife
In addition to Saiful Alam and his wife, those barred from leaving the country include his sons Ashraful Alam and Ahsanul Alam, brothers Morshedul Alam, Shahidul Alam, Rashedul Alam, Abdus Samad, Osman Gani, and Mohammad Abdullah Hasan, Abdus Samad’s wife Shahana Ferdous, Osman Gani’s wife Farzana Begum, and an unidentified man, Miskat Ahmed.
1 week ago
Travel ban imposed on ex-BFIU chief Masud
A Dhaka court on Thursday issued a travel ban on former head of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit of Bangladesh Bank ( BFIU) Masud Biswas.
The commission decided to initiate investigation on September 26 and formed four committees to probbe alleged corruption of former BFIU chief Masud Biswas
According to the ACC's primary investigations, Biswas allegedly amassed huge wealth within a short time.
He adopted unfair means regarding the aircraft purchase of Sky Capital Airlines Limited, according to the primary investigation.
Read: Travel ban imposed on former fisheries minister SM Rezaul Karim
By taking a bribe from the company,Biswas concluded an investigation of the company without sending a report to the law enforcement agency.
Biswas also approved a report as a general monitoring report instead of an intelligence report under the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations.
The report was related to the embezzlement of Tk 50 billion by NRB Commercial Bank Chairman Tamal Parvez.
Read more: Travel ban imposed on 8 former AL ministers, 6 MPs
As an accomplice of Saiful Alam Masud, chairman of S Alam Group, the ex-BFIU officialsiphoned off billions of taka taking loans from Islami Bank.
1 week ago
Travel ban imposed on ex-NBR official Matiur, wife and son
A Dhaka court today imposed a travel ban on Md Matiur Rahman, the recently removed president of the National Board of Revenue’s (NBR) Customs, Excise, and VAT Appellate Tribunal, along with his wife Laila Kaniz and son Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat, over allegations of amassing illegal wealth.
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad As-Shams Jaglul Hossain issued the order following a petition, according to Aminul Islam, assistant director (prosecution-general) of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Lawyer Mir Ahammad Ali Salam represented the ACC during the hearing.
Read more: Matiur removed from NBR post after goat purchase scandal
On Sunday, Matiur was transferred to the Internal Resources Division of the Ministry of Finance from his NBR position amid widespread criticism and social media uproar over his son’s purchase of a goat worth Tk 15 lakh before Eid-ul-Azha. He also lost his post as a director at state-owned Sonali Bank PLC.
Allegations of amassing illegal wealth surfaced after a video went viral showing Matiur’s son buying a goat for Tk 15 lakh. Matiur has since faced severe criticism over claims of acquiring illegal wealth amounting to thousands of crores in Bangladesh, with alleged investments in Singapore, the United States, Canada, and the UAE.
On Sunday, the ACC also formed a three-member body to investigate these allegations.
Read more: Goat Affair: Govt directive bars Matiur from participating in Sonali Bank board meeting
3 months ago
Ban on tourism in 2 Bandarban upazilas extended till Nov 20
Bandarban district administration has further extended the temporary ban on tourism in Ruma and Rowangchhari upazilas till November 20 as part of high security measures.
A public notice in this regard was issued from Bandarban Deputy Commissioner’s office on Wednesday upon receiving a letter from Bandarban Cantonment.
Meanwhile, the travel ban on Thanchi upazila has been lifted, it added.
Read more: Bandarban: Ban on tourism in 3 upazilas extended till Nov 16
Taking into consideration the safety of tourists, the travel ban on domestic and foreign tourists has been extended in the two upazilas, said the notice signed by Yasmin Parvin Tibriji, Bandarban Deputy Commissioner.
This is the seventh time that such restriction has been extended for the safety of tourists amid anti-militancy drive in the district's remote forested areas.
On November 12, the ban on tourism in the three upazilas was extended till today.
On November 8, the restriction was lifted from Alikadam upazila.
Read more: Tourists leaving Bandarban amid security drive to remove suspected militants, criminals
The administration imposed the temporary restriction on visitors in Ruma and Rowangchhari upazilas on October 18.
Later on October 23, the local administration discouraged tourists from traveling to Thanchi and Alikadam upazilas due to the same reason.
From October 10, law enforcement agencies started a joint drive against the underground extremists and criminals in the district.
1 year ago
Saudi Arabia bans citizens from travelling to 16 countries, including India, over new COVID-19 outbreaks
Saudi Arabia has banned its citizens from travelling to 16 countries following the re-outbreak of COVID-19.
These include Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Indonesia, Vietnam, Armenia, Belarus and Venezuela, reports Gulf News.
Also read: Saudi raises number of hajj pilgrims this year
The ban comes following a steady increase in the number of daily COVID-19 infections over the past few weeks.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has ensured the public that it has not detected any cases of monkeypox in Saudi Arabia yet, Al Arabiya reported.
Dr. Abdullah Asiri, deputy minister of health for preventive health, said that the Kingdom’s health sector is capable of monitoring and discovering suspected cases of “monkeypox” and to combat infection.
He said, “There is a standard definition of suspected cases and the way to confirm them and monitoring and diagnosis methods are available in the laboratories of the Kingdom.”
Also read: Saudi Arabia says it's not responsible for high oil prices
“Until now, cases of transmission between humans are very limited, and therefore the possibility of any outbreaks occurring from it, even in countries that have detected cases, are very low,” he added.
The World Health Organization said about 80 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in 11 countries, warning that more cases are likely to be reported.
2 years ago
Now travel ban issued on lower court judges
The Chief Justice has ordered the judges of the lower courts of the country not to apply for foreign travel unless any emergency.
A notification, signed by Bazlur Rahman, the registrar general of the Supreme Court, was issued in this regard on Thursday.
Read: Govt bars officials from overseas travel until further notice
2 years ago
UK sanctions Russians, including Abramovich
Britain has imposed a travel ban and asset freezes on seven more wealthy Russians, including Roman Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Premier League soccer club Chelsea.
The government said Thursday that Abramovich’s assets are frozen, he is banned from visiting the U.K. and he is barred from transactions with U.K. individuals and businesses.
Also read: New Zealand passes Russia sanctions bill
Abramovich said last week he was trying to sell Chelsea as the threat of sanctions loomed.
Also added to the U.K. sanctions list are industrialist Oleg Deripaska and Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin.
The sanctions are being imposed in response to Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
Also read: Singapore announces sanctions against Russia
2 years ago
NTAC recommends travel ban to contain new variant Omicron
The National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 has recommended a travel ban to Bangladesh from the countries where the new variant of the virus Omicron has spread.
The recommendation was made at the 47th meeting of the committee on Sunday, said Dr Mohammad Shahidullah, president of the NTAC in a press release.
Read:South African scientists brace for wave propelled by omicron
The committee also recommended institutional quarantine for travelers who have traveled to the countries, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, in the last 14 days.
The NTAC also called for setting up screening at all ports of entry and asked to avoid public gatherings.
Moreover, they recommended arranging Covid-19 tests free of cost to encourage people to get tested more frequently.
Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world raced Friday to contain a new coronavirus variant potentially more dangerous than the one that has fueled relentless waves of infection on nearly every continent.
Read: Britain tightens COVID rules as world on alert over omicron
A World Health Organization panel named the variant “omicron” and classified it as a highly transmissible virus of concern, the same category that includes the predominant delta variant, which is still a scourge driving higher cases of sickness and death in Europe and parts of the United States.
2 years ago