Others
GK Shamim, Khaled Mahmud put on 7-day remand
Dhaka, Oct 27 (UNB) – A court here on Sunday placed ‘Jubo League leader’ Golam Kibria Shamim alias GK Shamim and expelled organising secretary of Jubo League’s Dhaka south city unit Khalid Mahmud Bhuiyan on a 7-day remand each on charge of accumulating illegal wealth.
Karnaphuli Oil Spill: Ship owner fined but river ‘at stake’
Chattogram, Oct 27 (UNB) – An environmental court here on Sunday fined the owner of Desh-1 oil tanker Tk 3 crore for polluting the Karnaphuli River as oil from the tanker spilled into the river following its collision with another vessel on Thursday.
11th Bangladesh Denim Expo to focus on responsibility
Dhaka, Oct 27 (UNB) - The eleventh edition of Bangladesh Denim Expo, an international exposition to promote Bangladeshi denim goods, will focus on driving the country’s denim industry towards the direction of responsibility, organizers said on Sunday.
BNP deeply worried about Khaleda’s ‘falling health’
Dhaka, Oct 27 (UNB) – BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday voiced deep concern over the life of their party chairperson Khaleda Zia as what he said her condition is now very ‘critical’ and she might ‘not recover’.
21 DSCC councillors served show-cause notices for skipping meetings
Dhaka, Oct 27 (UNB) – Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has issued show-cause notices on 19 councillors from general wards and two from reserved seats for being absent in over three board meetings.
Local solar module manufactures place 7-point demand
Dhaka, Oct 27 (UNB) - Country’s solar module manufactures have placed a 7-point demand, including introduction of 30 percent mandatory quota system for the use of local products in the public projects.
Placing the demands, the leaders of Solar Module Manufacturers Association (SMMAB), a representing body of the sector, said their industry has grown up to a level that they can now meet the entire demand of the country.
“But if there’s no policy support from the government, many manufacturers will be discouraged to continue their growth,” said Munawar Moin, president of the SMMAB, while addressing a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club on Sunday.
He, however, thanked the government for its support with cash incentives for PV module exports, but said currently, they have been facing an uneven competition at home for imported panels without maintaining any standard and quality.
Golam Baki Masud, general secretary of the SMMAB, read out a statement and placed the demands of the association while other leaders of the organisation were present on the occasion.
The other points of the demand include setting up a testing lab for solar panels and other related products, expediting the government’s move to replace 1.34 million diesel-run irrigation pumps with solar-run ones, and rollout of annual target-based rooftop solar on all government facilities, planned rollout of mini grid in identified 1000 villages where grid electricity will not reach, 10-15 years bank loan at 5 percent interest rate as green industry, regular stakeholder meeting at ministries concerned in every three months, ensuring at least 15 percent duty gap between import of raw materials and finished products, incorporating representatives of SMMAB in different committees of Sreda and other ministries concerned, and financial incentives for users of solar power.
The leaders said some nine companies are now having capacity to produce solar panels equivalent to about 100 MW against the current annual demand of similar level.
In this case, due to the uneven competition from cheap importers for panels from China and India, some of the companies either keep their production capacity unutilized or some use the capacity to export their products.
257 new dengue patients hospitalised in 24 hrs
Dhaka, Oct 27 (UNB) – A total of 257 more people have been admitted to hospitals with dengue across the country in 24 hours till Sunday morning.
HC wants breastfeeding corners at workplaces, elsewhere
Dhaka, Oct 27 (UNB) – The High Court on Sunday issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why directives should not be given to set up breastfeeding and baby-care corners at workplaces, airports, bus stops, railway stations and shopping malls.
It also wanted to know why the Women and Children Affairs Ministry should not be directed to formulate guidelines to establish breastfeeding corners in public places and private institutions.
The cabinet, women and children affairs, health, social welfare, and civil aviation and tourism secretaries were, among others, asked to reply to the rule within four weeks.
The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman came up with the rule after hearing a writ filed in the form of public interest litigation.
On October 24, nine-month-old baby Umair Bin Sadi and his mother Advocate Israt Hasan filed the writ seeking a safe atmosphere for breastfeeding.
Barrister M Abdul Halim together with Advocate Rashidul Hasan and Jamiul Haque Faisal stood for the writ petitioners.
This is for the first time that a nine-month-old boy filed the writ petition for which he had to take permission.
Israt Hasan said mothers have to undergo sufferings for lack of breastfeeding corners at many workplaces, bus stops and railway stations. “Mothers can’t feed their babies for lack of a congenial atmosphere and fearing sexual harassment,” she said.
A report published in a newspaper on the necessity of breastfeeding corners was also attached with the writ.
According to the report, the benefit of breastfeeding and homemade food for children is enormous.
It said the Prime Minister in 2009 directed for setting up daycare centres and breastfeeding centres at all private organisations so that babies can grow up in a healthy environment.
However, the directives are yet to be implemented.
Sonu Rani’s failure: a bellwether for the Harijans?
Narayanganj, Oct 27 (UNB) – Sonu Rani Das, the lone graduate from the Harijan community here, wanted to be a teacher to establish her own language, but could not yet materialise the dream.
Drive against corruption to continue: PM
Baku (Azerbaijan), Oct 26 (UNB)- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday reaffirmed that the drives against corruption, terrorism and drugs will continue as she is tirelessly working for the country's welfare.