Sheikh Hasina
Avoid public gatherings, wear masks to fight Covid surge, PM urges all
EdsSeeking cooperation from all to check the rapid transmission of coronavirus, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged people to avoid public gatherings, unnecessary outside stay and wear face masks everywhere.
“This time the virus is spreading very rapidly. This resurgence is not only seen in our country but also throughout the world. So, I would like to tell all that we’ll have to check the coronavirus again this time as we controlled everything in the first time,” she told Parliament.
The Prime Minister made the call participating in the discussion over the condolence motion placed in the first sitting of the 12th session of Parliament at the death of MP Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury (Sylhet-3).
She said though coronavirus was largely controlled in Bangladesh initially, the sudden surge in the virus infection has recently been seen as people ignored hygiene rules after the Covid-19 inoculation programme started.
Sheikh Hasina said public movement and gatherings went up excessively, though she repeatedly asked all to wear masks and follow the health rules even after getting vaccinated.
Noting that the government has already issued some directives to check the transmission of Covid-19, she said, “We’re trying to bring it under control gradually. But cooperation from people is needed in this regard.”
“I would like to request to pay special attention so that no public gathering takes place anywhere,” she said.
She suggested all to avoid large gatherings of people in social programmes like wedding and return home within a short time after completing their tasks in shops and markets.
“I would like to request all, no matter who is infected or not (by Covid-19), to wear masks always,” said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister suggested people to take the hot water steam and use mustard oil in their nose. Though the use of mustard oil is rural practice, it can be effective in many cases, she said.
“I always use mustard oil in my nose whenever go outside after the outbreak of Coronavirus,” she added.
Also read:PM issues directives to tackle Covid-19
Pak scholar wants their govt to apologise to Bangladesh
Internationally renowned scholar from Pakistan Husain Haqqani has said the people of Pakistan should urge their government to offer a formal apology to the people of Bangladesh for all the atrocities that were committed in 1971.
“To this day, no apology has been forthcoming.... an apology is the most courteous thing ...," he said who served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States from 2008 to 2011.
Referring to the general elections of 1970 in the then Pakistan and the Pakistan military, Haqqani, now living in the United States, said the military’s reaction in the form of imprisoning Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and initiating genocide against the Bengalis.
He made the remarks in a virtual talk on ‘‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: An Iconic Leader of People’s Struggle for Freedom’’ organised by the Embassy of Bangladesh to Belgium and Luxembourg, and Mission to the European Union in Brussels on Monday.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen joined the event as chief guest while Bangladesh Ambassador in Brussels, Mahbub Hassan Saleh, moderated the event.
Ambassador Husain Haqqani, currently a Senior Fellow and Director for South and Central Asia at Hudson Institute, a top think tank in Washington, D.C., United States, said Bangabandhu is not only the greatest Bengali of all time, he is one of the greatest leaders emerging out of South Asia.
He also said Bangabandhu is a great leader in the history of the world, and an iconic figure of struggle for freedom that the world has seen throughout the 20th century.
Covid-19: Hasina seeks global action to address liquidity crisis, debt burdens
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday underscored the need for having ambitious and concentrated global action plans to address the liquidity crisis and sovereign debt burdens now and during the post-Covid-19 era.
The Prime Minister said this in a video message delivered at the ‘Financing for Development in the Era of Covid-19 and Beyond Initiative: International Debt Architecture and Liquidity’.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and UN Secretary-General António Guterres convened the meeting of world leaders to urge the international community to take additional and urgent action to ensure a robust economic recovery.
The high-level virtual meeting aims to underscore the urgency of the need for more audacious and concrete action to provide liquidity and address debt vulnerability.
Moderated by BBC news anchor Laura Trevelyan, the meeting of heads of state and government featured opening remarks by António Guterres, Justin Trudeau and Andrew Holness.
Sheikh Hasina said a strong leadership is needed from the G7, G20 and OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries.
Also read: PM Hasina leads from front in battle against pandemic: Envoy
She said developed countries, MDBs (Multilateral development banks) and IFIs (International financial institutions) should scale up liquidity for vulnerable countries, such as large and new ‘Special Drawing Rights’ allocation.
“International debt architecture also needs to be revisited for suitable reform,” she said.
The Prime Minister also put emphasis on fulfilling the 0.7% ODA commitment of the developed countries. “They should also expand fiscal stimulus, concessional finance and debt relief measures for vulnerable economies.”
Finally, Sheikh Hasina said, there must be new international support measures for the graduating LDCs, at least till 2030, commensurate with the SDGs.
She said more than one year has elapsed since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the world is still struggling to overcome the socio-economic challenges posed by it. “The UN has estimated that the global economy is expected to lose nearly 8.5 trillion dollars in output over the next two years.”
Talking about Bangladesh, she said the government adopted comprehensive plans to minimise the impact of the pandemic on the lives and livelihoods of people.
Also read: Hasina to South Asian leaders: Work together for common prosperity
“We immediately rolled out a stimulus package worth more than 1.24 trillion taka equivalent to USD 14.58 billion, which is around 4.44% of our GDP.”
Hasina mentioned that the government has provided adequate liquidity and loanable funds in the market to ensure uninterrupted business operation. “We undertook supportive policy interventions to minimise shocks on foreign exchange market, foreign trade and finance, remittances, external borrowing etc.”
Despite the pandemic, the Prime Minister said, Bangladesh has still been comfortably servicing its debt with the reputation of ‘non-defaulting party’ because of the prudent borrowing policy of the government.
According to the UN website, the Covid-19 pandemic, which has claimed more than 2.6 million lives and resulted in more than 120 million confirmed cases to date, has gone beyond a health and humanitarian crisis to also become an unprecedented global development emergency.
Unprecedented action over the last year has helped control the spread of the deadly virus and mitigate its socioeconomic impact.
These emergency policies succeeded in flattening the curve of contagion and saved lives, but they also resulted in a 4.3% drop in global GDP, the first increase in extreme poverty since 1998, and the equivalent of 255 million jobs being lost in 2020.
Also read: Bangladesh achieved enviable successes in socio-economic indicators: PM Hasina
Covid-19-related economic shocks have already caused rating agencies to downgrade the credit worthiness of 42 countries since the start of the pandemic, including six developed countries, 27 emerging market economies, and nine least developed and low-income countries.
The current economic situation has also exacerbated inequalities between and within countries that pose significant threats to global efforts to build back better. The risk of a global sovereign debt crisis, in addition to the fourth global debt wave that the world entered prior to the pandemic, is now greater than ever.
Following a high-level roundtable with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank Group President David Malpass, OECD Secretary-General Ángel Gurría and WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, approximately 20 heads of state and government will recommend measures to overcome debt and liquidity problems to help the world recover better and invest in the SDGs.
Extreme poverty to fall to 3% by 2030: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday said extreme poverty rate will come down to 3 percent by 2030 and that the country will be free of poverty after 2041.
"Once 80 percent people were poor in Bangladesh but now the poverty rate stands at 20 percent thanks to good initiatives. The Sheikh Hasina government laid emphasis on eliminating poverty from the country in 2009," he said at the unwrapping ceremony of the book titled "Sheikh Hasina Sarker" at Jatiya Press Club in the capital.
Momen said Bangladesh needs the incumbent government for its further development.
Also read: SANEM survey: Population below poverty line doubled, extreme poor trebled in 2020
"Once our annual average growth rate was 2.2 percent. Now it’s 6.9 percent. It's an unbelievable development. Bangabandhu brought freedom and his daughter fulfilled his dreams," he said.
Momen said Bangladesh once faced serious food crisis. The government announced to resolve the problem providing subsidy in agriculture sector. Now there is no food crisis.
"Earlier, power cuts were common [but now] the government has increased power production to 24,000MW from 2009-2020," the minister added.
The Foreign Minister said the government took lots of initiatives to make the population skilled to eliminate unemployment. Besides, the government took steps to tackle climate change impact.
He said that is why the Prime Minister won champion of the earth award and earned the respect of the global audience.
Also read: PM vows to wipe out poverty through united efforts
About Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka, Momen said we are honoured that he chose Bangladesh to be his first tour abroad since the coronavirus outbreak.
He added that 65 countries sent messages to appreciate Bangladesh. They also appreciated Sheikh Hasina for the Rohingya response.
Momen highlighted Bangladesh’s development and said the country currently has a forex reserve of $44 billion and is regarded as a leader in South Asia.
Also read: COVID-19 could push over 1 bln into extreme poverty: UNDP
The author of the book Razu Alim said he tried to include various information about the government of Sheikh Hasina in his book. Jatiya Press Club President Farida Yesmin and Awami League Office Secretary Biplob Barua were also present at the event.
Shab-e-Barat on Monday night
The holy Shab-e-Barat, the night of fortune and forgiveness, will be observed in the country on Monday with due religious fervour.
According to Muslim belief, it is the night when Allah arranges the affairs of the following year. On this night, Allah writes the destinies of all the creations for the coming year by taking into account their past deeds.
Muslim devotees will offer special prayers, reciting from the Holy Quran, hold religious gatherings seeking divine blessings for the wellbeing of mankind.
They will pass the whole night offering prayers.
This year worshipers will offer prayers following health protocols amid a growing number of coronavirus cases and an alarming uptrend in the daily infection rate.
Also read: Shab-e-Barat holiday rescheduled to March 30
Bangladesh reported 3,908 new cases and 35 Covid-related deaths during a 24-hour period until Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) imposed a ban on the transport and use of fireworks and firecrackers on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat.
Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, private TV channels and radio stations will air special programmes while newspapers will publish articles highlighting the significance of the night.
Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages on the occasion.
Also read: Shab-e-Barat to be observed on March 29
In his message, the President said the holy night opens up an opportunity for the mankind to get special blessings and forgiveness of the Almighty Allah.
“I pray to Almighty Allah during the holy night for the continued progress and welfare of the country and greater unity of the Muslim Ummah,” he said.
The Prime Minister in her message said Shab-e-Barat is a night of fortune which brings the blessings of Almighty Allah for the mankind.
She urged all to offer prayers during the Shab-e-Barat night maintaining the social distancing rules and hygiene.
Quick steps needed to stop fresh Covid surge: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said she wants quick steps to fight the fresh surge of Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.
“A fresh surge of Coronavirus is visible. Different variants of this virus have come here. So, we’ll have to take prompt steps as we did in the past,” she said while addressing a virtual discussion.
Bangladesh Awami League arranged the discussion at its Bangabandhu Avenue central office, marking the Independence Day.
Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League, presided over the discussion, joining it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 3,908 new cases, 35 more deaths
The Prime Minister said health protection guidelines and safe physical distance will have to be maintained in every programme like seminar, training, workshop and other programmes. “All should use face masks. All must ensure it (masking up),” she said.
Dhaka, Delhi want enhanced connectivity for prosperity
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Saturday reiterated the importance of enhancing connectivity for facilitating regional economic integration for the benefit of all parties involved.
To facilitate better connectivity and simplify movement of passengers and goods between the two neighbouring countries, both leaders agreed to an early operationalisation of the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement through expeditious signing of the enabling MoU for Bangladesh, India, and Nepal to commence the movement of goods and passengers, with provision for Bhutan to join at a later date.
India expressed gratitude for Prime Minister Hasina’s initiative of revitalising the pre-1965 rail connectivity as well as for Bangladesh’s support for the numerous connectivity initiatives through rail, road and waterways, according to joint statement issued on the occasion of the visit of Prime Minister of India to Bangladesh.
In the same spirit, Bangladesh reiterated its eagerness to partner in the ongoing initiative of the India–Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway project.
Bangladesh side also requested India for favourable consideration of the new connectivity routes proposed by Bangladesh, namely allowing additional land ports of Bhadrapur-Bairagi Galgalia, Biratnagar-Jogmani and Birganj-Raxaul to be connected with Banglabandha-Fulbari and Birol-Radhikapur by road as alternative routes.
India was also requested to consider connecting Birol-Radhikapur and Rohanpur-Singhabad rail-interchanges with Biratnagar-Jogmani as this would help reduce the distance and cost of transportation of goods by rail from Bangladesh to Nepal.
Bangladesh side also sought rail connectivity with Bhutan through the newly inaugurated Chilahati-Haldibari route.
Also read: Hasina seeks fair share of Teesta water
Dhaka, Delhi to accelerate momentum; eye next 50 years of diversified ties
Bangladesh and India have agreed to accelerate the momentum that exists between the countries with an eye on the next 50 years of cooperation in diversified areas.
Emphasis was also put on enhanced connectivity, not just between Bangladesh and India but beyond the two countries to ensure broader economic benefits.
“We not only need to continue the momentum, we need to accelerate the momentum,” Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said sharing the outcome of talks between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Saturday evening.
Modi had a “productive meeting” with Hasina and reviewed the full range of Bangladesh-India relations and discussed ways to deepen economic and cultural linkages in the times to come.
He said Prime Minister Hasina raised the Teesta issue while the Indian Prime Minister reiterated India's commitment to that end, sharing India’s sincere and continued efforts to conclude the agreement.
Also read: Hasina seeks fair share of Teesta water
The Indian Foreign Secretary said cooperation in the areas of common rivers water is an important issue.
Hasina, Modi jointly open five projects
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday jointly inaugurated five projects.
They inaugurated the projects virtually after bilateral talks between Bangladesh and India that took place at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The projects are Ground-breaking ceremony for Infrastructure Development for Power Evacuation Facilities of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, introduction of a new passenger train service, ‘Mitali Express’, between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri and extended development work at Rabindra Bhawan Kuthibari in Shilaidaha, Kushtia.
Also read: Bangladesh, India for progress of whole world: Modi
The other projects are laying the foundation stone of a monument at Ashuganj in memory of martyred members of Indian Allied Forces in Ashuganj and three new Border haats along the India-Bangladesh border.
Bangladesh-India bilateral talks begin at PMO
The bilateral talks between Bangladesh and India have started at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is leading the Bangladesh delegation at the meeting while visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading his side. The meeting began around 5:40 pm.
Also read: Hasina-Modi Talks: Focus on connectivity, trade, health
Before the formal talks, the two leaders also had a tête-à-tête for some time.
Earlier, on his arrival at the PMO, the Indian Prime Minister was received by his Bangladeshi counterpart at the Tiger Gate of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Meanwhile, at least five MoUs are likely to be signed after the bilateral meeting, according to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen. He said the MoUs are aimed at strengthening cooperation in various sectors of the two neighbouring countries.
Also read: FM discusses bilateral, connectivity issues with Modi
They will inaugurate some joint projects virtually and witness the signing of the MoUs between the two countries after the talks.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Friday morning on a two-day official visit to attend the celebrations of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the country’s independence.
Also read: Ideologies, forces behind inhuman acts remains active: Modi