Development to continue whatever risks come, says PM Hasina



Staff Correspondent
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday vowed to continue the country's development spree whatever risks come, calling all to act cautiously keeping in mind the dangers of disasters.

“We always think the country is ours. So, whatever risks will come, the development spree will surely be continued. We will surely step forward towards the development facing everything. We have been working to pursue the goal,” she said.

The prime minister said this while addressing a function marking 50 years of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) and the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), from her official Ganobhaban residence here through a video conferencing.

She also opened CPP's four units -- Druto Saradan Unit (quick response unit), Pani Theke Uddar Kora Unit (rescue from water unit), Oti Joar Monitoring O Saradan Unit (high-tide monitoring and response unit) and Khelay Khelay Durjog Prostoti Unit (disaster preparedness with fun).

She hoped that these units will help CPP accelerate disaster management work.

The prime minister said Bangladesh is becoming as an ideal country to counter the disasters in the world due to the government's tireless efforts following footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She called upon all concerned to work accordingly to uphold the global dignity of Bangladesh as a disaster resilient country.

State Minister for the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Dr. Md. Enamur Rahman and its Secretary Md. Mohsin spoke on the occasion from Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.

PM's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus moderated the function from the Ganabhaban while local public representatives including lawmakers, government officials and others got connected to it from the Muktijoddha Math, Cox's Bazar end.

The prime minister earlier unveiled a book titled "Durjog Sahonshil Bangladesh Binirmane Sheikh Hasina (Sheikh Hasina in building disaster resilient Bangladesh).

On behalf of the premier, the state minister for the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief distributed "lifetime honorary medal" to three best organizers and six volunteers, including three women, for their outstanding contribution to the field of disaster risk management.

The lifetime awardees are: organizers Saidur Rahman, AKM Hasan Al Rashid, and AJM Golam Rabbani and volunteers, Shova Rani Das, Ratna Rani Dey, Hawa Begum, Fazlul Karim, Abdul Hasim Siraj Kazi, and Md Hanif.

Bangladesh is observing the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction with the local theme "Work together for disaster risk reduction" in line with the global theme for the 2021 edition, "International cooperation for developing countries to reduce disaster risk and disaster losses."

The premier later witnessed a cultural programme that included a brief drama on disaster preparedness, staged at the Cox's Bazar end.

A video documentary on 50 years of CPP: Bangabandhu to Sheikh Hasina was also screened at the function.

 

   

Dhaka is the sixth most polluted city in the world, Seoul is on top



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Today, Dhaka is sixth in the list of the most polluted cities in the world. The air quality of the capital has become 'unhealthy' with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 172 at 6:50 am today.

South Korea's capital Seoul topped the air quality index with 343. South Korea's Incheon, Pakistan's Lahore, Vietnam's Chiang Mai and India's Delhi occupy the second, third, fourth and fifth places in the list with AQI scores of 217, 187, 179 and 177 respectively.

An AQI score between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' for sensitive groups. An AQI score between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy'. And an AQI between 301 and 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing a serious health risk to residents.

AQI in Bangladesh is determined based on 5 parameters of pollution, namely - Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone (O3).

Dhaka has been suffering from air pollution for a long time. Its air quality generally becomes unhealthy during winters and improves slightly during monsoons.

In March 2019, a report by the Department of Environment and the World Bank stated that the three main causes of Dhaka's air pollution are brick kilns, smoke from vehicles and dust from construction activities.

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Taka 400 crores laundered through digital Hundi, controlled by Dubai



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested 5 people for allegedly laundering around Tk. 400 crore abroad through Digital Hundi using Mobile Banking Service (MFS).

CID Chief Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia informed this in a press conference at CID headquarters on Thursday (March 28) afternoon.

The arrested are - Nasim Ahmed (62), the owner of Tasmia Associates, Fazle Rabbi Sumon (32), the territory sales manager of Agent SIM, Md. Kamruzzaman (33), Zahir Uddin (37), representative of Jet Robotics Apps Bangladesh and Khairul Islam alias Pius (34).

Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia said, a gang has smuggled around Tk. 400 crore abroad through digital Hundi using mobile banking services. Five members of this gang were arrested during the operation.

He said that Tk. 400 crores illegally came to Bangladesh through Jet Robotics app in the last few months. Police traced the app through intelligence.

He also said that the money of this gang was transacted from the Chattogram based distribution house. Five members of the gang were arrested in separate raids in Dhaka and Chattogram on Wednesday night.

He said that Tk. 28 lakh 51 thousand cash was seized from them at the time of arrest. He said that they used to rent development agent SIMS and deliver money through them to the grassroots level.

The head of CID said that Mamun, the master of this gang lives in Dubai. He is using agent SIM here. This app used for smuggling cannot work outside 48 SIM along the specific link sent from Dubai. Only seven people can enter this app.

Referring to this as a modern form of Hundi business, he said, money is being circulated in the country through this app by blocking remittances coming to Bangladesh. Already we got 5-7 more such organizations who are working like this.

He said, in the last three months, Tk. 400 crores have been hindered from coming to Bangladesh through Jet Robotic Apps. Five people using these apps have been arrested and their devices seized.

He said, Chattogram's development distribution house Tasmia Associates company has 1000 Bkash Agent SIMs. These agent SIMs who are not performing well, the agent SIMs provide DSOs to the users of Jet Robotic Apps.

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Demand for punishment for those responsible for electrocution death in Moulvibazar



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: barta24.com

Photo: barta24.com

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The death of 6 members of the same family due to electrocution in Moulvibazar is very shocking and heartbreaking. The chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Dr. Kamaluddin Ahmed said that the main responsible person and institution should be brought under accountability.

He made this comment at a discussion on 'Role of Media in Protection of Human Rights and Consumer Rights' organized by 'Business Digest' at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (March 28).

The Chairman of the Human Rights Commission said, after investigating the incident of Moulvibazar, appropriate legal action should be taken against those responsible and necessary measures should be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. We could not do anything for one family, but we have to do for hundreds of such families.

He also said that the issue of rights is directly and indirectly the daily practice of the media. Media can question all the irregularities; make people aware of their rights and duties and play an important role in establishing rights. We can carry out reformative activities only in view of the news published in the media.

Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed called on the media workers to take all-out efforts to spread the necessary knowledge about the constitution, law and rights among the people.

At one stage of the discussion, he said about the recurrence of fires, we have not learned proper lessons from the big fires and explosions in Nimatli, Newmarket and Bangabazar in the past years. Had we taken effective measures, recurrence of fires could have been prevented.

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Suggestion to introduce Human Rights Wing in the Foreign Ministry



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recommended setting up a new wing on human rights to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The suggestion was made at the parliamentary committee meeting held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhavan on Thursday (March 28). After the meeting, this information was informed in a press release of the Parliament Secretariat.

The meeting recommended taking necessary steps to recognize March 25 as International Genocide Day. A proposal was made in the meeting to visit the Rohingya camps Kutupalong and Bhasanchar with the members of the Standing Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chairman of the committee AK Abdul Momen chaired the meeting and members of the committee and Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Shahriar Alam, Nahim Razzak, Nizam Uddin Jalil, Nurul Islam Nahid, Habibur Rahman, Saimum Sarwar, Zara Zabeen Mahbub took part in the meeting. #

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