Bangladesh: New budget symbol of progress, lawmakers say

Lawmakers from both the treasury and opposition benches on Thursday highly appreciated the proposed budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year terming it a symbol of progress, which is fully possible to implement.

Taking part in the general discussion on the fiscal plan in the Jatiya Sangsad, they said the new budget bears the sign of economic emancipation of the common people and also the reflection of non-communal politics in Bangladesh.

They said the fiscal measures indicate that Bangladesh is proceeding towards a tremendous development with the target of becoming the middle-income country by 2021.

The MPs observed that the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working with only the motto of ensuring development in all sectors particularly education, agriculture, health, infrastructure, ICT and foreign diplomacy.

The lawmakers bitterly criticized the role of BNP-Jamaat saying that BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia ultimately refrained from unleashing terror in the name of hartal and blockade as the people rejected her agitation progarmme against an elected and democratic government.

The lawmakers also praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for solving the longstanding enclaves issue through her farsighted diplomacy and charismatic leadership.

State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, treasury bench members AKM A Awal Saidur Rahman, Md Altaf Ali and Fazley Hossain Badsha of Workers Party took part in the discussion with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

Finance Minister A M A Muhith placed a Taka 2 lakh 95 thousand 100 crore national budget for the fiscal year 2015-16 (FY16) on June 4 in parliament with a 7.0 percent GDP growth aiming at transforming Bangladesh into a developed country by 2041.

Saifuzzaman Chowdhury said the proposed budget is time-befitting and people-oriented one, which is definitely possible to implement if all concerned provide their necessary cooperation.

Despite criticism of some identified quarters, general people cordially hailed the proposed budget as no negative impact was seen in the market prices after announcement of the budget.

The state minister thanked the Prime Minister and Finance Minister AMA Muhith for placing the budget where child issue has been included for the first time of the country.

He demanded that corporate taxes should be reduced and incentive packages included for investor fixing a timeframe to boost the country’s economy.

About the regional connectivity, the minister said it would gear up the development of the country but this connectivity should be applied within the territories as well. (Source: BSS)

Bangladesh revenue board to go online for quick settlement of cases

National Board of Revenue (NBR) is going to introduce software to settle the cases pending in different tax regions, custom houses and Commissionerates.

To this end, the NBR has formed a seven-member committee headed with its Member Hussain Ahmed. The committee would submit report on next 7 working days scrutinizing the necessity to run the software styled “Digital Suit Management System”.

The decision was come at a meeting held with NBR Chairman M Nojibur Rahman in the chair. NBR members and senior officials were present at the meeting.

The NBR Chairman said quick settlement of the pending cases would be possible after introduction the software, which would also help to boost the revenue collection.

He said NBR would continue its innovative efforts to contribute more to the economy. (Source: BSS)

Narsingdi bar council felicitates Bangladesh Chief Justice

Narsingdi Bar Council on Thursday felicitated Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha in a simple ceremony in Dhaka.

Presided over by bar president advocate Amzad Hossain, the function was addressed by the Chief Justice, Narsingdi deputy commissioner Abu Hena Morshed Zaman and administrator of the district administration Advocate Asaduzzaman, among others.

“A total of 3 million cases are pending before different courts in the country. But the backlog of cases can be removed, if the Judges and the lawyers do double shift duty. Twenty-six percent cases have been disposed of in the last three months,” said Justice Sinha.

The Chief Justice at the function made a pledge to take steps to construct a new judicial building in the district. (Source: BSS)

Bangladesh govt to make Panam city as attractive tourist spot

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon on Thursday said the government has taken a mega project to turn Panam city of Sonargaon, the capital of ancient Bengal, into an attractive tourist spot.

“Considering ancient value, the Panam city is an important tourist product of Bangladesh. But only for marketing failure and lack of tourism friendly infrastructure, we failed to utilize potentiality of Panam city,” he said.

The minister made the remarks when exchanging views with the officials of local administration after visiting the Panam city at Sonargaon.

The minister said the government has taken the plan to turn the Panam city as important tourist spot targeting the “Tourism Year” to be observed in 2016.

He urged local people’s representatives and local administration to cooperate in implementing the government’s plan centering the Panam city.

Menon also described various programmes, taken by the present government to build the country’s tourism industry as thrust sector.

Presently there are 600-year-old 52 storied buildings are standing face to face in the Panam city attracting more than eight lakh foreign and domestic tourists every year. Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Khorshed Alam Chowdhury, director general of Sonargaon Lok and Karu Shilpa Foundation Poet Rabindragope and Naraynganj Deputy District Commissioner Anisur Rahman were present during the meeting. (Source: BSS)

Bangladesh: Outgoing Chief of Army Staff calls on Chief of Air Staff

The outgoing Chief of Army Staff General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan made his farewell call on Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Abu Esrar on Thursday at Air Headquarters.

During call on, they exchanged greetings and spent some time with each other. Among others, Principal Staff Officer and senior BAF officers of Air Headquarters were present at that time.

Earlier, on his arrival at Air Headquarters, Chief of Army Staff was presented a guard of honour by a smartly turned out BAF Contingent. He inspected the guard and took salute.

Later, he planted a mango sapling at Air Headquarters premises. He then offered munajat for continued peace and prosperity of the country. (Source: BSS)

KCC announces budget Tk 422.60 cr

Mayor of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Md Moniruzzaman Mony on Thursday announced Taka 422.60 crore budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal.

The budget was announced in a press conference in Shaheed Altaf Auditorium of KCC.

Chaired by the president of Finance and Establishment Standing Committee and 20-no ward councilor of KCC Sheikh Gousul Azam, Panel Mayors, Councilors, KCC Officials, leaders of different professional bodies and civil society, development workers and local journalists, among others, were present.

The budget showing revenue collection Taka 87.70 crore, government donation for development and special projects Taka 295.05 crore and initial balance Taka 39.85 crore.

In the budget, Taka 219.35crore has been allocated for seven approved projects of different donor organizations including Asian Development Bank, German Development Bank, World Bank and FAO.

A total of Taka 40 crore has been allocated for two approved projects under the annual development programme. (Source: BSS)

Bangladesh: Madrasa textbook digitalization to begin in January ’16, says Nahid

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Thursday said transforming textbooks of madrasa education into interactive digital textbooks will begin in January 2016.

The process will begin with four textbooks of six classes at Dakhil level and 12 textbooks of general education, in the first phase, he said speaking as chief guest at a workshop on interactive digital madrasa textbooks at National Academy for Education Management [NAEM] in the city.

“Madrasa education will no more lag behind in any respect,” the minister said.

Presided over by Madrasa Education Board Chairman Sayef Ullah, the function was also addressed by Education Secretary M Nazrul Islam Khan, Additional Secretary SA Mahmud, Roksana Malek, NAEM Director General Hamidul Haq and Jamiatul Modaresin Secretary General Sabbir Ahmed Momtazi, said an official release.

The education minister said radical changes are being brought in the education system to enlighten the new generation with modern education.

For this, technology would have to be applied to every level of teaching, he added.

The minister said ensuring quality education is presently the biggest challenge and the government is taking various steps for this.

Digital version of textbooks would be available for reading with online and offline facilities in computers, tabs and even mobile phones. (Source: BSS)

Bangladesh: Book by DU Prof Dr Dhiman published

A book titled ‘Knowledge and Competitiveness in Elite Institutions in Bangladesh-Implications for Governance’ authored by Dr Dhiman Kumar Chowdhury, Professor of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems of Dhaka University has been published recently.

The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC) published this book. This book is available now at Dhaka University Prokashana Sangstha at TSC. (Source: BSS)

Bangladesh upholds death sentence for top Islamist for war crimes

Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the death penalty for a top Islamist party leader over atrocities committed during the war of independence more than four decades ago, paving the way for his execution.

Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, 67, secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was convicted in 2013 on charges of genocide, killing intellectuals, torture and abduction during the 1971 war to break away from Pakistan, a ruling that triggered violent protests by supporters.

Mojaheed, a minister during former premier Khaleda Zia’s rule from 2001-2006, could be hanged within months, lawyers said.

“Everyone in Bangladesh is pleased over this verdict,” Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told reporters. “There’s no bigger crime than to eliminate the nation’s intellectuals.”

Defense lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain said he would seek a review of the judgment and the Jamaat called for a 24-hour nationwide strike on Wednesday in protest.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened an inquiry into crimes committed during the war in 2010, paving the way for prosecutions by a war crimes tribunal that Islamists have denounced as part of a politically motivated campaign aimed at weakening Jamaat-e-Islami’s leadership.

Two Jamaat leaders have been executed, one in December 2013 and another in April. International human rights groups say the tribunal’s procedures fall short of international standards. The government denies the accusation.

East Pakistan broke away to become independent Bangladesh after the war between India and Pakistan. About three million people were killed.

Some factions in Bangladesh, including the Jamaat, opposed the break with Pakistan, but the party denies accusations that its leaders committed atrocities. (Source: Reuters)

Bangladesh, Myanmar patrols exchange fire along river border

One Bangladesh border guard was wounded and another seized by his Myanmar counterparts on Wednesday after the two sides exchanged gunfire while chasing drug smugglers on a river separating their countries.

The Bangladeshis were pursuing the smugglers by boat near Teknaf on the Naff River separating the neighbouring states near Cox’s Bazar in southern Bangladesh. The border runs down the middle of the wide river that flows into the nearby Andaman Sea.

The smugglers got away, but a Myanmar border patrol boat opened fire on their Bangladesh counterparts, said Colonel M M Anisur Rahman, the local Bangladesh border guard commander in Cox’s Bazar. The Bangladesh patrol fired back.

A Bangladesh guard was seized by the Myanmar patrol after falling in the river and taken away to Myanmar.

“We are trying to hold a flag meeting ... to get back our border patrol member and establish peace on the border,” Anisur said, adding that additional border guards had been assigned to patrol the waters along the increasingly tense border. (Source: Reuters)

Bangladesh tea prices dip for third week amid ample supply

Tea prices in Bangladesh fell for a third straight week at a weekly auction on Tuesday due to tepid local demand amid a supply glut.

Tea prices dropped sharply in the last marketing season on poor demand from local buyers because of the damage to business sentiment caused by renewed political unrest early this year that left more than 120 people dead and disrupted supplies.

Bangladeshi tea fetched an average 196.52 taka ($2.5) per kg at the auction on Tuesday, the seventh of the new marketing season, compared with 204.68 taka at the previous sale, said an

executive with National Brokers Ltd.

“Prices witnessed a sharper decline this week with all varieties easing quite considerably,” National Brokers said in a market report.

About 1.23 million kg was offered at the sole auction centre in Chittagong, of which nearly 11 percent was unsold. In the previous auction, about 6 percent of 1.2 million kg was unsold.

The national budget for the 2015/16 fiscal year unveiled last week raised regulatory duty on tea imports by 5 percent to discourage overseas buying.

The country, however, has moved from being a net exporter to a net importer of tea because of rising consumption. (Source: Reuters)