`Bangladesh is working with great reputation to maintain peace in the world'



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is a responsible and reliable name in the global efforts to maintain peace and security, noting that Bangladesh has been working with great reputation as the highest sentencing country and an active participant in UN peacekeeping operations for 35 years.

She said, "We are recognized by everyone and are role models in the world." Behind this achievement is the contribution and sacrifice of the smart, hardworking and dedicated members of our armed forces and police forces.

On this auspicious occasion of celebrating 35 years of Bangladesh's participation in UN peacekeeping operations, Sheikh Hasina congratulated all the peacekeepers, including the Bangladeshi peacekeepers working in the UN mission.

The Prime Minister said these at the 'International UN Peacekeeper Day-2023' celebration at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital on Monday.

"Following the foreign policy of the Father of the Nation to establish world peace and the constitutional obligation, Bangladesh became a member of the 'Blue Helmet' family of the United Nations," she said. Later Bangladesh Police in 1989 and Bangladesh Navy and Air Force in 1993 were engaged in enforcement. For the last 35 years, Bangladesh has been working with great reputation as the highest sentencing country and an active participant in UN peacekeeping operations.

Sheikh Hasina said that following the ideals of the Father of the Nation and working to establish world peace, Sheikh Hasina said, "Apart from the peacekeeping mission, we are actively participating and contributing in other international forums. We raised the 'Culture of Peace' resolution at the United Nations in 1997, which was unanimously adopted in 1999. Since then, Bangladesh's flagship resolution Cultural of Peace has been unanimously accepted at the United Nations every year. Later, the United Nations declared 2000 as the 'International Year of Culture of Peace' and 2001-2010 as the 'Cultural of Peace and Decade of Non-Violence'.

She said, 'I believe that establishing a culture of peace is essential to perpetuate the message of peace and implement Agenda 203. Our actions to ensure women's rights and gender equality are making significant contributions to the 'Women, Peace and Security Agenda'.

"Ensuring peace in the world has become much more difficult than in the past," Sheikh Hasina said, "with the recent development and advancement of technology, new threats from evil forces are increasing. As a result, peacekeepers in UN peacekeeping missions have to deal with complex multidimensional situations. Hence the need to enrich peacekeeping missions with advanced technology has now increased manifold.

She said, 'We have always prepared the Bangladeshi peacekeepers with timely training so that they can deal with the complex situations created in the most challenging and dangerous regions of the world. We have ensured supply of clothing and other necessary items along with advanced technology military equipment compatible with the environment, weather and terrain of the mission area. We have added modern mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles to the Bangladesh contingents and state-of-the-art technology for communication of peacekeepers.'

The Prime Minister also said, "I think the theme of the 2023 International UN Peacekeepers Day - 'Peace Begins With Me' is very timely." With this motto, we will work for the establishment of world peace in the way shown by the Father of the Nation and give a safe and peaceful world to the future generations - this is our pledge today.'

All the efforts of our government will continue so that the peacekeepers of Bangladesh can respond to the call of the United Nations with more confidence. I hope that the Bangladeshi peacekeepers will keep the country's honor and image bright by working with their skills, professionalism, courage and devotion.

She thanked the Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, Bangladesh Police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all those involved in this event.

The head of government said, "At present, 7036 peacekeepers of Bangladesh are engaged in UN peacekeeping missions and activities. This number is about 9.8% of the total number of peacekeepers deployed in the world. Among them are 572 Bangladeshi women peacekeepers. We continue our efforts to increase the number of women peacekeepers.

   

"Administration becomes happy when journalists are beaten"



Special Correspondent, Barta24.com Chattogram 
"Administration becomes happy when journalists are beaten"

"Administration becomes happy when journalists are beaten"

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Journalist leaders and teachers have complained that journalists are being repeatedly attacked with the help of the Chittagong University (CU) administration. They said, "The officials of the administration are rather happy to beat up the journalists." Because journalists are highlighting various corruption and irregularities in the administration. That may be why the attackers are treated humanely instead of facing punishment.

The speakers of the human chain organized by Chittagong University Journalists' Association (CUSS) and Chittagong University  ex-Journalists Network (CUGN) to protest the torture of journalists said these things.

 The human chain was organized in front of the administrative building of the university at 11:30 on Tuesday (September 26).

Chattogram Journalist Union President Tapan Chakraborty, General Secretary Md. Shamsul Islam, Chattogram University Communication and Journalism Alumni Association President Shimul Nazrul, CUJN President Hamid Ullah and others.

The dean of the Faculty of Sociology of the University, Siraj Ud Daullah, the teacher of the Communication Journalism Department of Chittagong University spoke in solidarity with the human bond. Ali Azgar Chowdhury, Khandkar Ali and Raji and Shahab Uddin.

President of CUJN Hamid Ullah said, "The character of none of the BCL has changed since the camp. Today, those who are carrying out various anarchy in the name of Chhatra League, it will be seen from the news that they were followers of some other party earlier. Journalists are being attacked because they are writing about injustices and irregularities. We don't want to stand in such protest anymore. In the future, we will stand in front of the houses of the administration officials.

Sabur Shubo, general secretary of CUJN said, "Instead of bringing the attackers to justice, the university has received humane treatment from the authorities." Remember, as we know how to write, we also know how to protest.

Professor of mass communication and journalism department Ali Azgar Chowdhury said, "The attack on Musharraf was completely planned. The attackers were punished as show. If you fail to punish, we will assume you are patronizing them. We have even seen those who attacked journalists get an opportunity to take the exam despite being expelled. It is not possible without the help of the administration.

Professor Siraj Ud Daullah, dean of the Faculty of Sociology, said, "Journalists had to stand in human chain to demand justice." It is embarrassing for the university or the state. We hope that the attack on Musharraf Shah will not be repeated. Besides, I am in complete solidarity with the demands of the journalists from the human chain. I call on the administration to implement it in action, not just in words.

General Secretary of Chattogram Journalist Union Shamsul Islam said, "Today, our colleague Musharraf is laying on the hospital bed after being attacked by the Chhatra League which we never expected. Today the expelled, non-students are staying in the hall. This makes your failure clear. Expel those who attacked Musharraf from the campus. If you can't, then leave the administration chair.

Chattogram Journalist Union President Tapan Chakraborty said to the Chhatra League, "You fight yourselves, vandalize the vice-chancellor's residence, then you also attack journalists." I want to say to the vice chancellor, why are you indulging them? We have come to know that various irregularities are taking place here under your umbrella including recruitment trade, extortion. If action is not taken against those involved in this incident within 24 hours, we will go to the honorable Prime Minister if necessary.

CUSS president Mahbub A Rahman said in the closing speech, "Those who shed the blood of Musharraf Shah, they shed the blood of all the journalists of the country." Journalists act as representatives of students. If journalists are not safe today, how safe are the students here?

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“EC is working to bring observers from SAARC countries"



News Desk, Barta24.com
“EC is working to bring observers from SAARC countries"

“EC is working to bring observers from SAARC countries"

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Election Commissioner Md. Alamgir said that observers from SAARC countries will be invited to observe the upcoming national elections.

He said this while talking to reporters on Tuesday (September 26).

EC Alamgir said that if the 12th National Assembly elections are not held by January 29, 2024, a constitutional vacuum will be created. Although the European Union (EU) did not send a full team to that election, many other countries did.

SAARC countries (Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) will be invited by the Election Commission. He said that a letter will be sent inviting them next month.

At this time, in response to another question of the journalists, he said, we want more number of local and foreign observers to observe the election. He expressed hope that foreign observers will come before the vote.

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Bangladesh’s Historic Dengue Outbreak



News Desk, Barta24.com
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Christina Lu, on behalf of prestigious journal 'Foreign Affairs' focuses on this week's 'World Brief', where she looks at U.S. efforts to counter China’s Pacific diplomacy, the exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh, and Bangladesh’s deadly dengue outbreak.

Bangladesh’s historic dengue outbreak

Bangladeshi officials are scrambling to respond to the country’s worst-ever dengue outbreak as rising case numbers test the country’s medical infrastructure and drive up the prices of some treatments.

Dhaka has already documented more than 900 dengue-related fatalities in 2023, officials announced on Monday—a sharp increase from 281 deaths last year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently supporting Dhaka’s efforts to bolster lab capacity, surveillance, clinical management, risk communication, and vector control, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this month.

“We have trained doctors and deployed experts on the ground,” he said. “We have also provided supplies to test for dengue and support care for patients.”

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The EC has lifted the ban on the use of motorcycles by journalists



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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The Election Commission (EC) lifted the ban on the use of motorcycles by journalists on the day of the 12th National Assembly elections.

EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath gave the information on Monday (September 25).

He said that the policy regarding the use of motorcycles by journalists has been amended. According to the new decision, journalists can use motorcycles on polling days.

Earlier, the Election Commission had issued a policy on April 12 regarding journalists gathering news on polling day.

According to the policy, a reasonable number of vehicle stickers will be issued for journalists to travel. However, motorcycles cannot be used.

The policy also states that only journalists with valid cards issued by the Election Commission can directly enter polling stations.

However, after entering the polling station, the presiding officer can be notified to collect information, take pictures and video of the polling process. However, you cannot take pictures of the inside of the secret room.

At the same time, more than two media journalists cannot enter the same polling booth and cannot stay in the polling booth for more than 10 minutes.

In addition, journalists cannot interview election officials, election agents or voters in polling booths.

Not only that, there can be no live broadcast from inside the polling booth. At that time, the EC issued a total of 13 directives for journalists.

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