Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus has called on South Korea to invest more in Bangladesh.

He also called for more workers to be employed in the country's shipbuilding industry.

He made the call when South Korean Ambassador Park Young-shik came to meet the Chief Adviser's office in Dhaka on Monday (November 4).

Addressing the Ambassador, Professor Yunus said, "We look forward to a broader and better relationship with South Korea. We want to take our existing relationship to a higher level. This will be beneficial for both countries."

Expressing concern over the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, Ambassador Park Young-shik noted that North Korea has sent troops to the Russia-Ukraine war and recently conducted ballistic missile tests. The Chief Adviser called for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

The Ambassador informed the Chief Adviser that many South Korean companies are interested in investing in Bangladesh as the business environment in the country has taken a positive turn.

He informed the Chief Adviser about his government's interest in employing Bangladeshi workers in the Korean shipbuilding sector.

He also said that many South Korean companies are operating garment factories in Bangladesh's export processing zones.

The Ambassador said that Bangladesh is the largest recipient of assistance from South Korea's Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and Bangladesh is a very important development partner.

Korea's total ODA (Official Development Assistance) loan to Bangladesh is 3 billion dollars. This financing is available for 34 projects.

There are 14 more EDCFA projects that are ongoing or under feasibility study. If this project is funded, the amount of Korean investment will increase to 7 billion dollars.

The South Korean Ambassador said, "We look forward to moving forward with the ongoing projects smoothly."

Ambassador Park Young-shik said that just 50 years ago, Korea itself was an ODA recipient. So we are aware of the difficult situation in Bangladesh and can be good partners by sharing development experiences.

He stressed the need for early negotiations on the EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) between Bangladesh and South Korea.

The Chief Adviser thanked Korea for its continued support to Bangladesh in various fields.

Lamia Morshed, Principal Coordinator for SDGs in the Office of the Chief Adviser, and Md. Shahriar Quader Siddiqui, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division, were present at the time. 

The death toll in the horrific fire at a Mymensingh gas pump has risen to 2. A total of 7 people were injured in the incident. 5 of them have been transferred to Dhaka for better treatment and 2 are undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. The district administration has already formed a 3-member committee to investigate the incident.

The deceased are private car driver Himel, a resident of Kishmat village in Sadar upazila, and Abdul Quddus, son of Ismail Hossain of Rahmatpur area. The names of the injured are not yet known.

Abdul Quddus died while undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital on Monday (November 4) evening. Mymensingh Medical College Hospital Deputy Director Md. Shafiq Uddin confirmed this information.

Mymensingh District Fire Service Deputy Director Md. Mofazzal Hossain said that at the time of the incident, gas was being discharged from an LPG gas tank truck brought from Dhaka. A private car was being filled with Titas gas a short distance away. At that time, the fire broke out suddenly due to a gas leak. Seven cars were burnt to ashes at the scene. Among them, one was a private car, three were CNG cars and other cars.

The body of a burnt person named Himel was recovered from the burnt private car. Six people, including a woman, were burnt in the incident. They were rescued and sent to Mymensingh Medical College. Four people are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Earlier, after receiving information about the fire at around 2:45 pm, seven units of the Fire Service tried for two hours to bring the fire under control. However, the extent of the damage has not yet been assessed. Fire Service personnel are working at the scene and efforts are underway to assess the extent of the damage.

Meanwhile, Mymensingh Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md. Mufidul Alam immediately visited the scene after receiving information about the fire. At that time, officials from various levels of the district administration were present with him.

DC Md. Mufidul Alam said that a 3-member investigation committee headed by Additional District Magistrate Lutfunnahar Nahar has already been formed in the fire incident. The committee has been instructed to submit an investigation report within the next 3 working days. Necessary action will be taken against those responsible for the incident once the report is received. Along with this, how the fire incident occurred and the actual extent of the damage caused by the fire will be known in the report.

94 lighter ships have been allocated on the inaugural day of the berthing meeting of the Bangladesh Water Transport Coordination Cell (BWTCC). The people concerned are happy to have been allocated ships at lower fares for transporting goods than before.

BWTCC sources said that the fare per ton for transporting clinker from the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port to Dhaka and Narayanganj destinations was previously 574 taka, but now it has been reduced to 550 taka. The rent for gypsum, which was 606 taka, has now been fixed at 568 taka, the rent for ball clay has been fixed at 550 taka instead of 583 taka, the rent for TSP or DAP has been fixed at 594 taka instead of 641 taka, the rent for salt has been fixed at 675 taka, the rent for coal and sugar (bags) has been fixed at 612 taka instead of 666 taka, the rent for wheat has been fixed at 610 taka instead of 662 taka, and the rent for stone (10 mm) has been fixed at 581 taka instead of 625 taka.

Not only Dhaka or Narayanganj, the new list includes fares for Meghna, Muktarpur, Kachpur, Aliganj, Nitaiganj, Barishal, Chandpur, Khulna, Mongla, Nagarbari, Tepakhola, Baghabari, Ashuganj, Bhairab, Daudkandi, Ghorashal, Palash, Ruposhi, Sandwip, Bhola, Jhalokati, Patuakhali, Basila, Chhatak, Sunamganj, Mollarhat, Shariatpur, Mawa, Itna, Babuganj, Barguna, Lalmohan, Payra, Aricha, Mirsarai Economic Zone, Cox's Bazar, and Chattogram's Banshkhali, Baharchhara, Gandamara, Shikolbaha, Kalurghat Bridge. The products also include sugar raw materials, rice, rock sulfur, rock phosphate, HR coils, billets, pulses, corn, soybeans, mosaic stones, poultry feed, bamboo, pipes, rods, etc.

The new fare has been effective from Monday (November 4).

Commodore Mohammad Maqsud Alam, Director General of the Department of Shipping, was the chief guest at the inauguration of the berthing meeting program at the BWTCC auditorium in Agrabad on Monday afternoon.

He said, 'In order to make the shipping sector safe, fair and orderly like other transport sectors in the country, initiatives have been taken to ensure that lighterage ships can transport goods from Chattogram port in a serial manner. This will boost the country's economic development by ensuring normal and safe import, export and trade.'

The meeting was chaired by BWTTC Cell Convener Sayeed Ahmed and was attended by Chief Engineer and Ship Supervisor of the Department of Shipping Mohammad Manjurul Kabir, Cell Officer Haji Shafiq Ahmed, Engineer Mehboob Kabir and others as special guests. Members of Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association, Coastal Ship Owners Association of Bangladesh, Inland Vessel Owners Association of Chattogram, Local Agent Association, Cargo Agent Association and other business leaders were present at the meeting.

The meeting expressed gratitude to Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M. Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser to the Ministry of Shipping and Director General of the Department of Shipping, Commodore Mohammad Maqsud Alam for approving the ‘Goods Transport Policy 2024 in Sea Ports of Bangladesh through Lighter Ships Licensed by the Department of Shipping’.

The meeting was informed that in the policy formulated on October 15, the sole responsibility of serialization, allocation and determination of ship fares of lighter vessels has been assigned to the private organization Bangladesh Water Transport Coordination Cell (BWTCC). According to the new policy, a 10-member supervisory committee headed by the Director General of the Department of Shipping will monitor the activities of this cell. Convener Sayeed Ahmed said that BWTCC is a business organization, which will be free from politics. Its main goal is to make this sector free from corruption. To solve the problems of stakeholders quickly. To create a transparent and accountable cell. To prevent misuse of expenses. To protect the mother vessel's goods from demurrage and to brighten the country's image abroad. 

The US presidential election is just around the corner. So, Republican Party candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris are touring the swing states in the last few days. The polls conducted on the election indicate a fierce fight between the two candidates.

However, the question has become whether the crazy Donald Trump will take over the White House again. If he loses the presidential election, darkness may descend on his life. He may have to go to prison.

This time, Trump, who is desperate to take over the White House, has more importance than power. From inciting a riot on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021, to bribing a porn star, income tax fraud, trying to illegally influence the judiciary, to not depositing gifts given by foreign heads of state into the government treasury—Trump is accused in a total of 34 cases in the US federal court.

On May 31, a 12-member jury in a federal court declared that all charges brought against Trump were proven! Although convicted, the former US president has not yet been sentenced.

Republican Party candidate Donald Trump's lawyers have repeatedly requested the court to postpone the sentencing date. Due to which the date has been changed several times. According to the latest order, Trump, who was convicted in the criminal case, may be sentenced on November 26. That is, 20 days after the election. Before the sentencing, Trump has to fight for the presidential election. Much depends on the results of that election.

International media is saying that if the crazy Trump wins, America will have the first 'criminal' president in history. According to legal experts, if Trump becomes president, the criminal case against him may be suspended. However, if he loses, Trump will have to face another legal battle.

According to news published in international media, the former president's lawyers may take various measures to save their client from punishment. A hearing may also be requested. According to American law, Trump is supposed to be sentenced to prison or a fine, or both. However, everything depends on the results of November 5. Trump's campaign spokesman Stephen Cheung said that Trump will win at the ballot box!

It is alleged that Donald Trump paid a bribe of 130,000 dollars to keep her quiet during the 2016 presidential election after he had a physical relationship with porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump falsified the documents of his business company to keep the payment secret. He was found guilty of that allegation. The sentence may be announced in late November.

Trump is accused of distorting the results of the 2020 election. The hearing of the case was supposed to be held earlier this year. But it was postponed due to the intervention of the Supreme Court. If he is re-elected president, Trump has announced that he will first fire Attorney General Smith. As a result, the future of the case will be in question.

Georgia, in the southeastern part of the country, played a major role in the tight race in the 2020 election. However, there is controversy over the election there. Trump is accused of interfering in the election results. Although that case is currently suspended.

In addition to the criminal case, Trump is also involved in several civil cases. A case of illegally acquired property is ongoing in a New York court against the former US president. The Attorney General has filed a civil case against Trump, alleging that he illegally acquired 300 million in property while he was president. If convicted, he will not be jailed, but will have to pay a fine.

With all these allegations, Donald Trump is facing a tough test in the election field. Now the big question is, is Kamala Harris going to become the first female president of the United States, or is Donald Trump going to occupy the White House for the second time?