Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said that the main goal of the ruling Awami League (AL) is to work for the welfare of the toiling people of the country. &nbsp; &ldquo;The goal of AL is to change the fate of farmers, workers and the toiling people,&rdquo; he said in a statement sent to the media today, protesting the misleading and provocative statements of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Recalling BNP-Jamaat&rsquo;s tenure, the AL general secretary said that when the BNP-Jamaat evil forces were in power, the people of the country had to live in misery due to their misrule.
&ldquo;Today, they talked about the rights of working people. But they never increased the wages of the workers while in power,&rdquo; he added.
Highlighting BNP-Jamaat&rsquo;s atrocities, he said this evil force shot dead laborers who were agitating for salary and bonus, killed farmers who were agitating for fertilizer and murdered ordinary people who were agitating for electricity.
Thus, the BNP-Jamaat clique crushed Bangladesh by holding people hostage at gunpoint, he said.
Obaidul Quader said that they made the life of working people miserable by shutting down different factories, including the Adamjee Jute Mills. &nbsp; On the other hand, Awami League has increased the salaries of garment workers as well as tea workers after coming to power, he said, adding that the living standard of all, including working people, has improved.
Quader further said that Awami League always comes to power with people's vote.
Awami League is not like a political party which came into being from the pocket of a military dictator, he said, adding that this party led the struggles for establishment of all rights, including democratic rights, of the people of this country, he said.
In continuation of that, Awami League is working to establish people's voting rights and other rights, he added.
He said that the 12th national election, held on January 7 last, was fairer than all the elections held in the country after 1975.
&ldquo;Awami League has come to power through elections by ensuring people's right to vote and is running the country with people's mandate,&rdquo; he said.
Obaidul Quader said that BNP had always taken away the voting rights of the people to grab the power. &ldquo;For this, they are afraid of elections and they don't want to participate in it,&rdquo; he added.
&ldquo;Once they excluded half a crore voters from the list to make smooth their way to grab power. They also created 1.23 crore fake voters,&rdquo; he said.
He said that issues like democracy and right to vote do not fit in the mouth of those who undertook different tactics to snatch the voting rights of the people.
&ldquo;The main objective of BNP&rsquo;s politics is to seize power by any means,&rdquo; he continued.
They seized state power and used it illegally to make Bangladesh a dysfunctional state through corruption and looting, he said.
Bangladesh had the stigma of being the champion of corruption for five times because of BNP, he said.

AL’s main goal is to work for welfare of toiling people: Quader

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked the country&rsquo;s leftist parties who they want to bring to power by ousting her.
&ldquo;The leftists have turned by 90 degrees. Well, they want to oust me. But could they determine who would come next? It is my question. Who would come to power and who would work for the country? But it is not clear who they want to bring,&rdquo; she said.
The premier said this while addressing a press conference arranged at her official residence Ganabhaban on the outcome of her recent six-day visit to Thailand.
Replying to a question, she said since it is not clear whom the leftists want to bring in power next, none of them don&rsquo;t get response from the people.
She said yes, movement is being carried out. Staying in a foreign land as a fugitive, someone is doing movement as well as giving orders online everyday thanks to Digital Bangladesh made by her government, she added.
&ldquo;Let those who are waging a movement do it. We at least are not hindering it,&rdquo; she said.
Criticising the US style to curb ongoing demonstrations carried out against Israeli aggression on Palestine, the PM said there is a possibility now for Bangladesh to stop the movement here following the American style.
&ldquo;I think our police now can follow the American police. We asked them (Bangladesh Police) to show patience,&rdquo; she said, adding that their member was beaten to death in October 2023.
&ldquo;So, our police can take measures to curb movement in American style,&rdquo; she went on.
Replying to another question, the prime minister said her government&rsquo;s goal is to make the ongoing upazila election a meaningful one.
In this context, she said a good number of political parties boycott elections as they have no capacity to run in the polls.
&ldquo;Why do they boycott elections? The reason is that they actually don&rsquo;t have capacity to compete in the elections,&rdquo; said Sheikh Hasina, also the President of ruling Bangladesh Awami League.
The prime minister returned to Bangladesh on April 29 after concluding her visit, which began on April 24 at the invitation of her Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin.

Who they want to bring to power ousting me: PM Hasina wonders about leftists

Staff Correspondent

The government will take steps to bring the people and groups involved in anti-state activities under surveillance to protect the country but media will be given full freedom, said the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad A Arafat.
&ldquo;Government has no intention to control the media, the government is committed to freedom of the media,&rdquo; he said while participating in a discussion meeting organised by UNESCO, Transparency International Bangladesh and Article 19 on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on Thursday (2 May).
&ldquo;Media in Bangladesh is open because of which anyone can do what they want&rdquo;, he added.
Stating that the media has the freedom to criticise the government, Arafat said, &ldquo;There is no obstacle to healthy journalism in the country.&rdquo;
However, the minister urged people to be aware so that the law is not misused.&nbsp;
&ldquo;If anyone abuses the law under the pretext of media freedom, they should be booked,&rdquo; he added.
The global theme for this year's Press Freedom Day is "A Press For The Planet: Journalism In The Face Of The Environmental Crisis".
Speaking at the event, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said environmental journalists in the country have come under attack many times while in the line of duty.
"Bangladesh has played a commendable role in combating global warming. However, increasing land grabbing, destruction of biodiversity in the name of development and encroachment in the name of urbanisation have now become normal.&nbsp;A section of the ruling class is benefiting from attacks on the environment and those who are supposed to enforce the law are not doing their work,&rdquo; he added.
&ldquo;In the 2022-23 year, a total of 23 incidents of cases and attacks have happened because of publishing reports related to environmental degradation news. In those incidents, at least 43 journalists have been injured,&rdquo; he further said.
The TIB executive director said such incidents are not isolated incidents that have become common.

People involved in anti-state activities will be brought under surveillance: Arafat

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address a press briefing on the outcome of her recent Thailand visit on Thursday (2 May) morning.
"The press conference will be held at her official Ganabhaban residence here at 10am on Thursday," said an official release of the prime minister's press wing.
The premier returned home from Bangkok on 29 April wrapping up her six-day official visit to Thailand.
During her visit, Sheikh Hasina had a bilateral talk with Thai Prime Minister Thavisin at the Government House (the Thai Premier's Office) as five bilateral documents were signed on visa exemption, cooperation on energy, tourism and customs matters, and negotiation of free trade agreement (FTA) between Bangladesh and Thailand in the presence of the two leaders.
The Bangladeshi premier also paid a courtesy call on King and the Queen of the Kingdom of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshan at Amphorn Satharn Throne Hall in Dusit Palace.
Apart from these, she addressed the 80th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in Bangkok.

PM to brief media on Thailand visit tomorrow morning

Bangladesh Awami League will celebrate its 75th founding anniversary in a befitting manner on June 23, said party&rsquo;s General Secretary Obaidul Quader.
He came up with the announcement after a meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s official residence Ganabhaban Tuesday (30 April) night.
Quader told the journalists that the committee decided to celebrate the founding anniversary gorgeously.
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.
AL President Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s homecoming day on May 17, Sheikh Kamal&rsquo;s birthday and National Mourning Day on August 15 were also tabled in the meeting, he said.
No discussion on the upazila parishad election was held in the meeting, he responded to a query, adding that the situation is being observed deeply.
Stern actions will be executed in due time if anyone violates organizational directives, he went on saying.

AL to celebrate its 75th founding anniversary gorgeously

Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) will hold a meeting at 7 pm today (30 April).
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the meeting to be held at her official Ganabhaban residence in the city.
AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader has urged all the members of the central working committee to attend the meeting in due time.

AL Central Working Committee's meeting today

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said BNP is becoming weak organizationally day by day for adopting ill-strategy avoiding pro-people politics.
"As a political party, BNP cannot add any new dimension in mass politics. So, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is making same remarks on media regularly. He is constantly presenting fake and baseless stories of repression and torture," he said in statement.
Quader said BNP has adopted a new ill-strategy for concealing their failure in calling any pro-people political programme. The party leaders are making evil efforts to get sympathy by presenting them as repressed and tortured, he said.
"Because of such evil strategy, BNP is becoming organizationally weak day by day," he said.
The AL general secretary said Awami League remains in power with people's mandate. Different countries and originations and their leaders congratulated successful statesman Sheikh Hasina for her election as the prime minister for the fifth time and recognized her government, he said.
BNP, which itself is facing the crisis of existence and reached near political bankruptcy, is now talking about the government's existence, he said.
Noting that BNP is an artificially created political party, the AL general secretary said BNP always makes evil efforts to create artificial political crisis through presenting fake, fabricated and politically motivated remarks.
Quader said BNP should realise that the government has to work to control anti-state activities, not the opposition party.
So, keeping own party leaders and workers away from anti-state and terrorist activities will be better for BNP, he said.
Quader said the people's democratic rights remain protected at the hands of Awami League. On the other hand, the people don't forget the misrule, corruption and looting of BNP government, he said.
During the BNP tenure, the entire country became a safe haven of terrorism and militancy, said Quader.
The people don't want to return to the dark days, the AL general secretary said.

BNP becoming organisationally weak avoiding pro-people politics: Quader

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday (28 April) expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of her party's advisory committee member and Ekushey Padak winning educationist and former secretary general of the Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha Prof Dr Pranab Kumar Barua.
In a message of condolence, she prayed for salvation of the departed soul and expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.

PM mourns Ekushey Padak winning educationist Prof Pranab Kumar Barua's death

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday said Bangladesh is now a one-party state, with the parliament having turned into a place of recreation in the absence of the opposition party.&nbsp;
The BNP leader made this remark while addressing a programme to distribute potable water among common people amidst the heatwave in Pallabi, Dhaka, on Saturday (April 27).
Referring to the prime minister&rsquo;s instruction to Awami League leaders and activists to follow the ideology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Rizvi said, &ldquo;Sheikh Mujib&rsquo;s ideology was a one-party ruling system, &lsquo;Bakshal,&rsquo; which you have established over the last 16-17 years. The situation has already worsened, and it will take a worse turn with your call to follow Sheikh Mujib."
Rizvi said, &ldquo;53% of places outside Dhaka are without electricity, with people languishing amidst heatwaves.
"The Awami League is turning the country into a death valley. Agricultural yields have dropped in some districts in the Southern region, thanks to the coal-run power plant. People in Pabna are living at risk of any accident that may result in the loss of many lives."
Commenting on the ban on the entry of journalists to the Bangladesh Bank, Rizvi questioned why reporters are being barred from entering the central bank, as "there are hundreds of documents recording graft there."
Rizvi said, &ldquo;BNP leaders and activists have never isolated themselves from social service, even after being subjected to oppression, imprisonment, killings, and forced disappearances. They do not forget people after being freed from jail but rather take to the streets to work for the people.&rdquo;
Acting convenor of Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP Farhad Ali Donar, member secretary Aminul Haque, and other leaders and activists of various organizations were present at the event.

Parliament turns into a place of recreation in absence of opposition party: Rizvi

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that the BNP should take lessons from the statements made by Pakistan's prime minister regarding Bangladesh's development.
Quader stated that Pakistan appreciates Bangladesh's development, while the BNP indulges in falsehoods and propaganda against the government's development efforts.
"Today, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif feels ashamed when he sees the progress and achievements of Bangladesh," Quader said while talking to reporters at a press conference on Friday.
Quader also commented that Bangladesh is progressing well in terms of democracy and elections without the involvement of the BNP.
He stated that the upcoming upazila (sub-district) elections will be conducted fairly, and Awami League will neither support nor oppose the BNP's participation.
Quader also warned that if the BNP violates party directives during the upazila elections, appropriate organizational measures will be taken in due time.

BNP should learn from Pakistan PM's statement : Quader

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked the leaders and activists of Awami League to work for the development of the country and its people as well as spread the ideals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. &nbsp; "You should work for development of the country and its people alongside spreading the ideals of Bangabandhu," she said. &nbsp; The premier made this call when a delegation of Thailand Awami League unit paid a courtesy call on her at her place of residence, PM's Speechwriter Md. Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the call on. &nbsp; Mentioning that Bangabandhu is her source of inspiration, Sheikh Hasina told the leaders and activists that the Father of the Nation was killed untimely but "his ideals remained among us and that is why I am working to materialise his ideals" as he (Bangabandhu) had dream to bring smile among the face of poor and destitute people of the country. &nbsp; Referring to the remarkable progress and development the country witnessed in last 15 years, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Awami League, said that this has been possible to attain the progress as they are in power uninterruptedly for long. &nbsp; The leaders and activists told the Prime Minister that many Bangladeshis have attained the citizenship of Thailand, but they also want to keep dual citizenship. &nbsp; For this dual citizenship, they sought the Prime Minister's intervention. &nbsp; In reply to them, the premier said that she would talk with the Thai government in this regard. &nbsp;

PM asks AL men to work for country, its people

The BNP has expelled 73 grassroots leaders for taking part in the first phase of upcoming upazila elections violating the party's decision.
The punitive action was taken against the party leaders as per its constitution, said a press release, signed by BNP Senior Joint General Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, on Friday.
It said the 73 leaders of BNP and its associate bodies who are contesting for the post of chairman, vice chairman and female vice chairman in the first phase of upazila polls in violation of the party's decision have been expelled from all party positions, including its primary membership.
Of them, 28 are vying for the post of upazila chairman while 24 for the vice-chairman post and 21 for the position of female vice-chairman.
A total of 152 upazilas across the country will go to polls in the first phase on May 8 as per the schedule announced by the Election Commission.
The elections to a total of 492 upazilas will take place in four phases. The second phase of upazila polls will be held on May 23 while the third phase on May 29 and the fourth phase on June 5.
The BNP high-command earlier decided not to join any elections under the current government and the Election Commission.

BNP expels 73 leaders for contesting first phase of upazila polls

Action would be taken if the relatives of Awami League ministers and lawmakers disregard the party's instruction not to participate in the upazila parishad elections, AL&nbsp;General Secretary Obaidul Quader warned on Wednesday.&nbsp;
"The deadline for the withdrawal of candidature in the first phase of the election has passed. Some individuals said that 'if we had been informed about the matter earlier, it would have been easier for us to make a decision'. Nonetheless, there is still an opportunity to step back from the race," said Quader at a press conference at the AL president's political office in Dhanmondi.
He said disciplinary measures would be enforced if party directives were not adhered to, adding, "Just as action was taken against those who defied the party's decision in the 12th national parliament election, the party will assess its own actions.
Those who persist with their candidacies until the final stage of the election will face timely action from the party, Quader warned.

Action if relatives of ministers, MPs contest upazila polls: Quader

Upazila parishad elections to 55 upazilas will be held in the 4th phase on June 5 as the Election Commission (EC) announced the schedule after a meeting today.
EC secretary Md Jahangir Alam announced the schedule after a meeting at the Agargaon's Nirbachan Bhaban with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal in the chair.
According to the schedule, the last date for submission of nomination paper is May 9 and nomination papers will be scrutinized on May 12.
Appeals can be made against the decisions of returning officers from May 13 to 15. Appeals will be settled from May 16 to 18.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 19 and symbols will be allotted on May 20. &nbsp; The EC secretary said votes will be held in two upazilas using electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballots will be used in the remaining 53 upazila.

Fourth phase of upazila parishad polls slated for 5 June

Union Parishad (UP) chairmen can participate in the UP elections without resigning from their positions, the &nbsp;High Court (HC) dictated in an order passed today (23 April).
A High Court Division Bench comprising Justice Sheikh Hasan Arif and Justice Md. Bazlur Rahman passed the order.
The High Court passed the order in view of the writ brought by the Chairmen of the Union Parishad for the two upazila elections of Kushtia and Sylhet.

UP Chairmen can participate in polls without resigning: HC

Vested quarters both inside the country and from abroad are trying to topple the democratically elected government of Bangladesh, said Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
&ldquo;We have been noticing the plot of vested quarters inside the country and also from abroad to oust the elected for a long time,&rdquo; he said while speaking as the chief guest at an event organised by AL&rsquo;s publicity and publication sub-committee at the party&rsquo;s central office on Tuesday (23 April).
&ldquo;Even though the election process was transparent and the voter turnout was satisfactory, some local and foreign circles continue to spread propaganda and lies,&rdquo; he added.
Obaidul Quader said, &ldquo;We all have to build a united resistance against the evil forces against democracy, peace and development. We must unite to resist them.&rdquo;
AL believes that people are the source of all power., Quader said, adding, &ldquo;Sheikh Hasina came to power and stopped the politics of killing.&rdquo;

Foreign and domestic vested quarters conspiring to topple democratically elected govt: Quader

BNP has postponed its rally scheduled for April 26 due to the extreme heatwave.
The party announced the postponement of the rally in a statement on Thursday.
The rally was supposed to be held in front of the party&rsquo;s central office in Dhaka's Nayapaltan.
BNP Dhaka Metropolitan South Unit&rsquo;s office secretary, Saidur Rahman, said a new date for the rally will be announced later.

BNP postpones April 26 rally due to heatwave

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today termed BNP as communal force, kingpin of corruption and money laundering and urged all to resist them.
&ldquo;BNP is the main obstacle to the country&rsquo;s overall progress. They should be resisted,&rdquo; he told a discussion marking the 52nd founding anniversary of Krishak League at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in the capital&rsquo;s Khamarbari.
Quader said BNP is now disoriented as its leader is staying in London and workers have become frustrated. BNP workers also don&rsquo;t believe that the party has any future, he said.
Those who failed in waging movement and resisting polls are now criticizing the government, he said.
The AL general secretary those who perpetrated assassination of Bangabandhu and most of his family members and killing of four national leaders are now talking about democracy.
He said BNP itself remains in crisis so that they are saying the country is in crisis. As long as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remains in power, the country will never lose its path, he said.
Krishak League President Samir Chanda chaired the discussion while AL Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretary Mirza Azam, Agriculture and Cooperative Affairs Secretary Faridunnahar Laily and Krishak League acting General Secretary Biswanath Sarker Bitu also spoke. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Quader terms BNP as communal force, kingpin of corruption

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today (18 April)&nbsp; said the upazila parishad election will be held in a free, impartial, fair and peaceful environment though BNP leaders are making &nbsp;confusing statements over the polls going beyond political etiquette.
&ldquo;Bangladesh Awami League is determined to develop democratic culture. Elections at different tiers of local government are immensely important for empowerment of people. Upazila Parishad elections will be held in a free, neutral, fair and peaceful environment,&rdquo; he said.
Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said this in a statement sent to the media to protest the &lsquo;false and fabricated&rsquo; remarks of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and its other leaders.
He alleged that BNP leaders are making confusing statements about the upazila elections, going beyond political etiquette.
&ldquo;BNP as always has taken a stance against the elections and the country's democracy. That is why people have turned away from them,&rdquo; said the AL leader.
Noting that Awami League had to take a strategic stance regarding the upazila election in the context of BNP&rsquo;s an anti-election stance, he said Awami League is not allocating it&rsquo;s symbol (Boat) this time.
&ldquo;Awami League expects that persons, who are acceptable to the party (AL) and the people outside the party, would be elected,&rdquo; said Quader.
He said Awami League has given strict organisational instructions so that ministers, MPs and party leaders can&rsquo;t make any sort of interference in the upazila parishad elections.
Extensive electoral campaigns and spontaneous participation of the people are being noticed in the first phase upazila election, said the AL general secretary.
&ldquo;When the people of the country are spontaneously participating in the elections, the BNP leaders are taking steps to question the country's democratic system and elections as always. BNP wants to disrupt the electoral system and destroy the democratic process,&rdquo; he said.
Quader said BNP leaders including BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir have been continuously lying.
&ldquo;In fact, they have no respect towards democracy and the rule of law. On one hand they are nurturing arson terrorists and on the other hand they are raising false allegations of suppressing the opposition when the law enforcement agencies take legal action against the terrorists. BNP has continuously been engaged in conspiracies to destroy the continuation of democracy and stability of Bangladesh,&rdquo; he said.
The AL leader alleged that BNP leaders are trying to protect terrorists by making false allegations of suppression of opposition parties.
&ldquo;We want to say in an unequivocal voice that Awami League does not believe in suppressing the opposition parties. But there is no exemption for terrorists and they must face justice no matter what party they belong to,&rdquo; he said.
The AL general secretary urged everyone to be aware and alert about the anti-democratic activities of BNP.
Besides, he asked his party&rsquo;s leaders and activists to extend full cooperation to the Election Commission for arrangement of free, fair and peaceful elections.

Upazila parishad polls to be held in free, fair environment :Quader

Desk Report

The ruling party, Awami League, has issued a directive barring the children, family members, and close associates of ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs) from participating in the upcoming upazila parishad elections.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader conveyed these directives of the prime minister during a meeting with the party's divisional leaders held today (18 April) at the party's political office in the capital.
"During the meeting, our secretary general informed us about the Prime Minister's directive to ensure that the children, brothers, or relatives of ministers and MPs to not become candidates in the upazila elections," the party&rsquo;s organising secretary SM Kamal Hossain told the Bangladesh First.
Those who defy this order and persist in their candidacy may face disciplinary action, possibly resulting in expulsion from the party, said party sources.
The upazila parishad elections are scheduled to be held in four phases across 485 out of 495 upazilas. The Election Commission will organize voting in the remaining areas afterward.
The first phase, slated for 8 May, will witness voting in 150 upazilas.
Meanwhile, a local media report reveals that in 14 upazilas of the first phase, the children, family members, and close relatives of ministers and Members of Parliament are running for the chairman's position.

AL prohibits ministers' and MPs' relatives from upazila polls

The recent increase in the number of road accidents in the country is due to the negligence and mismanagement of the government, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
&ldquo;Currently, road accidents have taken a terrible form. The level of road accidents has increased due to mismanagement and negligence of the government,&rdquo; he said in a statement issued over the death of 13 people, including 4 members of the same family, in a head-on collision between a bus and a pickup van in Dignagar Tentultala area of Faridpur Sadar on the Dhaka-Khulna highway on Tuesday (16 April).
The BNP secretary general also expressed deep grief over the accident.
In the statement, he expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and expressed deep concern over the loss of lives in such accidents across the country.

Road accidents have increased due to govt’s negligence: Mirza Fakhrul

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&rsquo;s actions against Palestinians are similar to Adolf Hitler&rsquo;s atrocities during World War II, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said.
&ldquo;Netanyahu has emerged as more dangerous than Hitler,&rdquo; he said at a press conference held at the political office of the AL president in Dhanmondi on Tuesday (16 April).
&ldquo;Today the whole world has become a battlefield. The arrogance and warlike attitude of Hitler during WWII can be seen again in world politics. The Holocaust that Hitler caused killed 6 million Jews. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu appears more terrifying than Hitler. They are already killing 14,000 children in Gaza,&rdquo; he added.
Awami League General Secretary said, that after Iran attacked Israel, the world's influential countries, including the United States, told Israel to remain calm, but Netanyahu decided to attack Iran again.
&ldquo;It seems that Netanyahu is the most powerful person in the world today. His power seems to surpass that of Hitler,&rdquo; he said.
Regarding the first round of upazila parishad elections, the AL general secretary said that there will be no party in the first round of elections on 8 May.
&ldquo;The prime minister has instructed not to interfere in any way so that the election is conducted peacefully and fairly. The administration will not interfere in any way,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;The Election Commission has arranged for smooth voting. Although BNP openly opposes the upazila elections, we know many of them will participate,&rdquo; he added.

Netanyahu is behaving like Hitler: Quader

Claiming BNP&rsquo;s falsehood over the number of its imprisoned party men, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today sought the list of imprisoned BNP leaders, otherwise BNP have to seek apology to the nation.
&ldquo;The number of BNP&rsquo;s captive leaders was 20,000 and how it becomes 60 lakh&hellip;so, reveal the list of 60lakh jailed activists, otherwise Mirza Fakhrul Islam must have to seek apology to the nation for his falsehood&rdquo;, he said.
Quader also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister made this comment while briefing the journalists at Awami League President&rsquo;s political office at Dhanmondi here this afternoon. Talking about the Mujibnagar Day on April 17, the ruling party leader said &ldquo;it [April 17] is the oath day of the first government of the Independent Bangladesh &hellip;but BNP does not accept it.&rdquo;
Even they refuse June 7, a red-letter day in the history of freedom movements of the people of Bangladesh and the nation has since been observing June 7 as the historic Six-Point Day, he said.
&lsquo;So, I never believe that BNP will do positive politics with the spirit of Bengali culture&rdquo;, Quader added.
Sharply criticizing that the BNP was born to destroy the Spirit of Liberation of Bangladesh, the road transport and bridges minister said they want to strike on the root of the land [Bangladesh]. &ldquo;Suddenly one became an announcer of our independence through blowing a whistle and it was the role of BNP in 1971&rdquo;, he noted.
Replying to a query on Israel and Palestine, the minister said &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t want war&hellip; We want peace&rdquo;.
Asked about the continuation of government&rsquo;s step on checking commodity price like the holy Ramadan, Quader said the programme would be continued till fulfill the peoples&rsquo; requirement.
Awami League Joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing secretaries BM Mozammel Huq, Mirza Azam, Relief and Social Welfare Affairs secretary Aminul Islam Amin, Cultural affairs secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil and deputy office secretary Sayem Khan, among others, attended the function.

Reveal BNP’s jailed leaders list, otherwise seek apology to nation: Quader

BNP is spreading lies and fabricated narratives about forced disappearances and torture of its activists, said Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
&ldquo;At a time when the countrymen are celebrating Eid, BNP is spreading lies about forced disappearances and torture to mislead people,&rdquo; he said in a statement on Saturday (13 April).
&ldquo;Information given by Mirza Fakhrul about the disappearances and murders of BNP activists and the number of cases filed against them is completely fabricated. They [BNP] are now making blatant lies with fabricated information,&rdquo; he added.
Quader said BNP leaders are spreading anti-government propaganda to gain favours from foreign powers.
&ldquo;If there is any violation of law and rights, the government will look into the matter seriously. But Mirza Fakhrul is trying to gain political advantage by spreading propaganda, he added.
Obaidul Quader further said, &ldquo;When the BNP was in power, The 21 August 21, 2004 grenade attack was carried out to completely wipe out the Bangladesh Awami League. Between 2001 and 2006, a total of 1,223 Awami League leaders and activists were killed in crossfire and police custody by law enforcement forces.&rdquo;
&ldquo;But Awami League does not believe in revenge. Awami League government is determined to establish democracy and the rule of law in the country at any cost,&rdquo; he said.

BNP spreading lies about forced disappearances and torture: Obaidul Quader

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday said that the people of country are going to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr tomorrow in a festive mood but there is no joy of Eid in the families of BNP leaders and activists.
He said this in an Eid gift distribution programme organised by BNP Dhaka Metropolitan North&rsquo;s Kafrul Thana unit in the city.
Rizvi said a sad ambience has been prevailing at BNP leaders and activists&rsquo; families as someone has lost a leg, and someone lost an eye in law enforcement agencies&rsquo; brutal torture.
&ldquo;When we visit any BNP leader or activist&rsquo;s house , we see that the party activist missing for a long time or was subject to extra judicial killing earlier&rdquo;.
Families of BNP leaders and activists are celebrating Eid with tears for their son, brother, father, husband and so on, he said.
In the 15 years BNP leaders and activists either went to jail, hospital or got out of jail, he added.
On the one hand, the ruling party is driving steam roller on BNP, on the other hand, Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s close one was placed Forbes Magazine top twenties richest list by looting country&rsquo;s poor people&rsquo;s money, he claimed.
&ldquo;In the name of development like Padma Bridge, metro rail, quick rental, Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s looters made Begum Para in Canada, Gulshan 3 in Dubai, second home in Malaysia by looting poor people&rsquo;s money.&rdquo;
This is not fairy tale, it is real, Rizvi said.
Not only the BNP men but also the mass people are suffering due to AL misrule, said Rizvi further adding that a father sold his son after failing to pay treatment bill in hospital, mother sold her child in market due to extreme poverty.

No Eid joy in BNP leaders, activists’ families: Rizvi

The ruling Awami League has been invited by India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to serve the world's largest democracy's Lok Sabha polls, reports The Indian Express.
India's ruling party however has not yet extended an invitation to BNP.
The leaders of the invited parties from abroad will be in India at the invitation of BJP which seeks a record third term under Inidan Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the seven-phase elections beginning 19 April.
BJP has asked the political parties to send their representatives.
However, none of the political parties from the US has been invited but the Conservative and Labour parties of the United Kingdom and the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats of Germany have been invited.
BJP has also invited all leading political parties of Nepal.
13 parties have so far accepted the invitation.

BJP invites AL to observe Lok Sabha polls

BNP Leaders and activists are trying to sow seeds of despair among the people, said Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
&ldquo;Such activities are against the interest of the country and the people,&rdquo; he said in a statement signed by Awami League Office Secretary Biplab Barua on Tuesday (9 April) afternoon.
&ldquo;There is no vision in BNP leadership. They see nothing positive, always trying to mislead the people of the country,&rdquo; he added.
Obaidul Quader said BNP is following the wrong policies.
&ldquo;BNP's politics is in dire straits. Their leaders and activists are depressed due to wrong politics,&rdquo; he added.
Referring to BNP as an enemy of democracy and an internationally identified terrorist group, Obaidul Quader said in his statement, &ldquo;BNP's policies, ideals and practices are contrary to democratic values.&rdquo;
He also said Awami League is working tirelessly to protect the freedom, sovereignty and democracy of the country under the leadership of PM Hasina.
&ldquo;We will take Bangladesh forward against all odds. Future Bangladesh will be a developed, prosperous, safe and smart Bangladesh,&rdquo; he said.

BNP trying to sow seeds of despair among the people: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said BNP has no responsibility towards the country's democracy rather the party is the main obstacle to implement the democratic norms here.
"When killers of democracy talk about democracy, then it should be understood that they have different purpose. This is nothing but their crocodile tears for democracy. BNP has no responsibility towards democracy," he said in a statement.
Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said such outcry of BNP for democracy is to push back the country towards the misrule of Tarique Rahman, who is the mastermind of August 21 grenade attack, kingpin of "Hawa-Khwab Bhaban" and key player of corruption, terrorism and criminalization.
Today the democracy-loving people of this country are united against the evil force, he said.
The AL general secretary said BNP, which was born at the hands of dictator, is carrying out ill-attempts to destroy the spirit and values of Liberation War and democracy as well under an orchestrated plan.
He said BNP leaders should have sought unconditional pardon from the nation for their undemocratic activities. But without doing so, they are making their traditional ill-motivated comments, he added. &nbsp; The minister said BNP founder cruel military dictator Ziaur Rahman had seized the state power down the barrel of a gun.
Ziaur Rahman forced President Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem to resign at gunpoint and became the President of Bangladesh, he said.
Quader said Zia had ruined the country's democratic values and election system in the name of farcical elections of "Yes-No" vote in 1977.
Following the footprints of Ziaur Rahman, Begum Khaleda Zia held farcical elections on February 15 in 1996, he said.
"She (Khaleda) gifted the nation Mirpur and Magura types rigged by-elections," he said.
BNP formed Aziz-type Election Commission and created voter's list of 1.23 crore fake voters to seize the state power through election manipulation, Quader said. The AL general secretary said BNP had set a worst example of repression and torture on leaders and workers of opposition party in the name of "Operation Clean Heart".
During the tenure of the BNP-Jamaat coalition government in the post 2001 period, as many as 21,000 leaders and workers of Awami League were killed, Quader said.

BNP has no responsibility towards democracy: Quader

History laughs when a political party like BNP, which was founded by a military dictator talks about democracy, said Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader
&ldquo;When BNP &ndash; a party founded by Ziaur Rahman after orchestrating the killing on 15 August, 1975 talks about democracy and human rights, history laughs,&rdquo; he said in a statement on Monday (8 April).
&ldquo;Military dictator Ziaur Rahman, the founder of BNP, seized power illegally and held the nation hostage at gunpoint in an unconstitutional manner. Begum Khaleda Zia followed in the footsteps of Zia,&rdquo; he added.
Obaidul Qauder said the BNP continues its attempts to subvert the ideals and values of the great liberation war and democracy.
&ldquo;BNP is the main obstacle to the implementation of democratic ideals in this country. Its leaders should have apologised to the nation for their undemocratic actions. But instead of doing that, they are making false statements as always,&rdquo; he added.
&ldquo;When the killers of democracy talk about democracy today, they have different intentions. BNP&rsquo;s cry for democracy is mainly to take the country back to the misrule of Tarique Rahman,&rdquo; he further said.
Obaidul Quader also said the democratic and patriotic civil society is united today against the evil forces who are trying to hinder the country&rsquo;s progress.

History laughs when BNP talks about democracy: Quader

The High Court (HC) has ordered the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) to reinstate the dormitory seat of its student and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leader, Imtiaz Hossain Rahim Rabbi.
Following a petition filed challenging the legality of the suspension, an HC bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar Kajol issued the directive on Monday (8 April).
Barrister Harun Ur Rashid has filed the writ in the High Court on behalf of Rabbi.
The university revoked the dormitory seat of Rabbi, a student of the civil engineering department, following protests by a group of students demanding his punishment for accompanying BCL leaders during their entry onto the campus.
Earlier, following a writ filed by Imtiaz Rabbi, the High Court stayed the effectiveness of the university's notice banning student politics.
BUET banned student politics on campus following the murder of Abrar Fahad in the university's Sher-e-Bangla Hall on 7 October 2019.

HC orders reinstatement of BCL leader Rabbi's seat in BUET dormitory

BNP is trying to make an issue out of the recent attacks by the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) to cover up the party&rsquo;s own failures, said Awami League General Secretary and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
&ldquo;They [BNP] are looking for an issue again over the KNF incident,&rdquo; he said during a briefing at the Awami League president's political office in Dhanmondi on Sunday (7 March) afternoon.
&ldquo;KNF cannot hamper the peace in the hill areas. The government has taken a strong stand in this regard. This is an isolated incident. Overall, the peace in the hills will not be disturbed,&rdquo; he added.
AL Organising Secretary BM Mozammel Haque, Mirza Azam, Sujit Roy Nandi, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan among others were present during the briefing.&nbsp;

BNP trying to make an issue out of the Kuki-China attack to cover up its failure: Quader

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Friday said BNP is talking nonsense out of its fear for political existence.
He said this in response to questions from journalists about the BNP's stance on India at Kasba upazila parishad in Brahmanbaria.
He said, &ldquo;When any political party fears about its existence, they tend to say things that make no sense. Whatever the BNP is saying is not to be taken seriously.&rdquo;
Later, he joined a programme as the chief guest to distribute laptops among 80 female entrepreneurs at the upazila auditorium.
The district administration and the Brahmanbaria Information and Communication Technology Department organised the event, chaired by the Deputy Commissioner, Mohammad Habibur Rahman. Special guests included Police Superintendent Mohammad Shakawat Hossain, Kasba Upazila Chairman Rashedul Kaisar Bhuiyan Jibon, and Upazila Executive Officer Shahriar Mukhtar.

BNP uttering nonsense out of fear for its political existence: Law minister

Newly elected mayors of two city corporations --Tahsin Bahar Suchona of Cumilla and Ekramul Haque Titu of Mymensingh&mdash; as well as chairmen of five Zila Parishads took oath on Thursday morning.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina administered the oath at a ceremony held in Shapla Hall of her office.
The chairmen of five Zila Parishads are ANM Obaidur Rahman of Kurigram, Abdul Majid of Thakurgaon, Shamim Talukder of Sirajganj, Billal Miah of Brahmanbaria and Aleya Akhter of Habiganj.
Later, some 44 newly elected councillors of general wards and female councillors of the reserved seats of Mymensingh City Corporation also took oath at the same venue.
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam administered the oath of the councillors.
Local Government Division Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim conducted the oath-taking ceremony.
Cumilla City Corporation has got the first female mayor as Tahsin Bahar Suchona, daughter of Cumilla-6 MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar. She won the by-election to the city corporation on March 9 last.
Ekramul Haque Titu was elected the mayor in the Mymensingh city corporation election held on the same day.

Newly elected Cumilla and Mymensingh city mayors take oath

It is tradition for the Awami League (AL) to stand by people in their times of need, said AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
&ldquo;Awami League's tradition is to stand by people in times of need. Today's event is part of that tradition,&rdquo; he said while speaking as the chief guest at the Prime Minister's Eid gift distribution programme in front of the Bangabandhu Museum at the capital&rsquo;s Dhanmondi on Wednesday (3 April).
He said that some poor people come in the hope of charity but there are no instances of people dying on the streets without food.
Pointing to opposition leader GM Quader's statement regarding the security of the city dwellers, Obaidul Quader said, &ldquo;No one's safety was disturbed even late at night while shopping.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, we do the politics of standing by the helpless people,&rdquo; he added.
In response to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's statement about his party people getting tortured by police, the AL general secretary said, &ldquo;I have told Mirza Fakhrul Sahib to publish the list. If one is accused of killing people, or arson, then it is a crime. I don't know why BNP is crying so much when they go to jail for committing crimes.&rdquo;
Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh was also present at the programme under the chairmanship of popular actor Ferdous Ahmed, the member of parliament of Dhaka-10 constituency.x

Awami League's tradition is to stand by people in times of need: Quader

Senior Correspondent

BNP Senior Joint Secretary-General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said his party will not let Bangladesh lose its sovereignty and turn out like Kashmir.
&ldquo;The whole world did not recognise Sheikh Hasina's illegal election. Be it 2014, 2018 or 2024 elections. But our neighbouring country, who claim to be democratic are advocating for AL all over the world, trying to legitimise illegal elections,&rdquo; he said speaking as the chief guest at the Eid gift distribution ceremony on behalf of BNP Acting Chairman Tariq Rahman at Nayapaltan on Tuesday (2 April).
"They do not respect the people of Bangladesh, they do not believe in the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh. They just want a party in Bangladesh to be in power and take care of them. That is why people are protesting against them, boycotting their products," he added.
&ldquo;Our neighbouring country does not respect Bangladeshi people, they do not want free and fair elections in the country,&rdquo; Rizvi said.
&ldquo;India wants to control Bangladesh, wants to be its master. Bangladesh should not be made a subservient state, the people will not allow it,&rdquo; he further said.

Will not let Bangladesh become another Kashmir: Rizvi

Minister-MPs will have no chance to interfere in the upcoming Upazila Parishad elections, said Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
&ldquo;The elections will be held impartially in a fair and peaceful environment. Ministers-MPs will not have any chance to interfere there,&rdquo; he said in a press statement on Tuesday (2 April).
&ldquo;Administrative personnel engaged in the work of conducting the elections, including the law and order forces, will also maintain hundred percent neutrality. Legal action will be taken against any illegal interference,&rdquo; he added.
In the statement, he said, &ldquo;The 12th Jatiya Sangsad elections were held in a peaceful environment on 7 January. This election is a milestone in Bangladesh's democratic journey. There was a multi-pronged conspiracy to derail the election. Despite those obstacles, voters came to the polling centres and the elections clearly reflected public opinion.&rdquo;
Obaidul Quader said even though AL leaders and workers are participating in this election, the party symbol is not being allocated.
&ldquo;Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her determination to give full cooperation to the Election Commission in conducting the elections impartially in a fair and peaceful environment,&rdquo; he added.
&ldquo;Voters will cast their votes without any disturbance. Organizational instructions are being given to the party MPs and activists, including the ministers, to not be involved in any interference in the election,&rdquo; Obaidul Quader further said.

Minister-MPs have no chance to interfere in upazila elections: Obaidul Quader

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said the contribution of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) to the country&rsquo;s liberation war is undeniable while around 17,000 BCL men sacrificed their lives in the 1971 war.
&ldquo;Under the undisputed leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Awami League played a leading role in achieving the country&rsquo;s independence. The Chhatra League's contribution to Bangladesh's liberation war is undeniable,&rdquo; he said in a statement.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said BCL is always working to implement the spirit of liberation war.
BCL is a student organisation run by its constitution and principles, while it does not believe in occupation, he said.
Recalling that occupation of educational institutions was started by military dictator Ziaur Rahman, the AL general secretary said Zia used students as tools to consolidate his illegal power, while luring power and money, Chhatra Dal was established by deviating student leaders from ideals.
He said the student leaders were used to materialistic thinking and luxurious life by avoiding their principles and ideals and as a result, a stigmatised trend was established in student politics.
Similarly, he said, the politics of Pakistani ideology was established in Bangladesh under the direct supervision of Ziaur Rahman.
Quader said Zia reestablished the defeated anti-liberation forces in the country&rsquo;s politics and introduced religion-based communal politics. &nbsp; Its wave touched the educational institutions too and disrupted the democratic environment of education in the educational institutions, he said, adding that BCL continues its struggle against the forces having no principle and ideology.
The AL general secretary said BNP leaders do not understand that if they continue to lie about the country&rsquo;s independence and liberation war, they will further be isolated from people.
After assuming power, BNP created a trend of anti-state politics by making anti-Awami League statements through distorting the country&rsquo;s history and in continuation of that, they continue to try to create controversy about the declaration of the country&rsquo;s independence, he said.
Quader said the contribution of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Awami League to the Great War of Liberation is established logically.
Bangladesh, AL and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman are synonymous, he added. The road transport minister said making statements against Bangabandhu and Awami League means taking a stand against the history.
He said the defeat of those who stand against history is obvious. &ldquo;As a result, we see that the anti-history evil forces, BNP and its allies, are now detached from the core spirit of Bangladesh and they are on the brink of extinction after being repeatedly rejected by the country&rsquo;s people,&rdquo; he added.
Mentioning that the BNP leaders were delivering false and fabricated statements of torture, Quader said BNP men followed the path of terrorism and violence to foil the 12th general elections and that was why legal action was taken against them.
But, now their leaders and activists are being released gradually, he added.

BCL’s contribution to 1971 liberation war is evident: Quader

The ruling Awami League (AL) spent a total of 2.76 crore as expenses for the 12th Jatiya Sangsad elections held on 7 January this year, AL Treasurer HN Ashikur Rahman said.
&ldquo;A total of Tk2,76,88,120 have been spent. Our expenditure limit was Tk4.5 crore,&rdquo; he said after submitting the party's expenditure account to the Election Commission on Monday (1 April).
&ldquo;District-level leaders carried their expenses on their own out of loyalty to the party. So, our expenses are reduced,&rdquo; he added.
In response to the question where the money was spent, he said that it was spent on posters, public meetings and publicity programmes. 
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Barrister Biplab Barua said, &ldquo;As a registered party, we will submit the income and expenditure account. Details will be there.&rdquo;
AL presidium member Kazi Zafarullah, Publicity and Publication Secretary Abdus Sobahan Golap, Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan were present at the event.

Party expenditure for 12th JS polls was Tk2.76 crore: AL

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said there is no credit in projecting the country negatively at home and abroad.&nbsp;
He urged all to positively uphold the country, refraining from spreading propaganda.&nbsp;
"It's the responsibility of the media to call it white if it is white, and to call it black if it is black," said the Minister.&nbsp;
He was speaking as the chief guest at a discussion at Jatiya Press Club hosted by International Relations Reporters Forum, Bangladesh.
Former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, International Relations Reporters Forum President Hasan Mahamud and General Secretary Mahamudul Haque Sujon also spoke at the event.
The Foreign Minister said that the opposition is working overtime to project Bangladesh negatively.&nbsp;
He said that some of their &ldquo;paid agents&rdquo; spread propaganda that creates confusion among people.&nbsp;
"Mainstream media need to work against those who spread propaganda," he said.
The Foreign Minister referred to how the same group circulated propaganda centering the Padma Bridge and during the Covid-19 pandemic on vaccine issues.&nbsp;
Criticizing BNP for its call to boycott Indian products, Hasan said such politics does not bring any good for the country.&nbsp;
"There can be criticism but not at the cost of the country&rsquo;s image," he said.
Hasan appreciated journalists for their efforts despite the profession facing multiple challenges.&nbsp;
"Journalists work under pressure from multiple fronts. They are engaged in journalism as they love this profession. They are brilliant," he said.&nbsp;

No credit in projecting the country negatively: Foreign minister

Leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League, staged a rally at Shaheed Minar premises to advocate for the systematic reinstatement of student politics at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
Commencing at 12 pm on Sunday, the rally was moderated by BCL General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan and presided over by President Saddam Hossain.
During the rally, participants chanted slogans against Jamaat.
Chhatra League organised the rally, denouncing the ban on student politics at BUET as illegal and unconstitutional. They also protested the decision to cancel the hall seat&nbsp; of BUET's Civil Engineering student Imtiaz Hossain, a member of the Central Committee of the Chhatra League.
On 28 March, BCL President Saddam Hossain and a group of activists entered BUET, prompting student protests on campus. Students demanded disciplinary action, including academic and hall expulsion, against those involved in facilitating the entry of BCL members. Additionally, they called for a boycott of all academic activities, including term finals scheduled for 30 and 31 March as part of the protest.
BUET students have outlined five demands, which include the resignation of the director of the Directorate of Students' Welfare.&nbsp;
BUET administration responded to the agitation by revoking the enrollment of Imtiaz Hossain from Rahim Hall due to the ongoing student unrest.

BCL holds rally calling for restoration of student politics at BUET

The government will take action if evidence suggests militant activities are being carried out in Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), said Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
&ldquo;Action will be taken if BUET is being turned into a factory of militancy under the guise of banning student politics,&rdquo; he said during an exchange meeting with leaders of the party's Chattoogram division at the AL&rsquo;s Dhaka district office in Tejgaon on Sunday (31 March).
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the ruling party's student wing, has announced a protest rally in the capital's Central Shaheed Minar on 31 March at 11am, demanding student politics be allowed back on the BUET campus.
The move comes as the students of BUET are staging a protest for the second day in front of BUET Shaheed Minar against the entry of BCL leaders on the campus.
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In response to the protest, the university authorities swiftly acted by revoking the dormitory allotment of Imtiaz Rabbi, a student of the Civil Engineering department and a central BCL leader.
BUET administration, in a press release, also confirmed the formation of a committee to investigate the entire issue. It added that actions will be taken as per the university's regulations upon receipt of the committee's report.
"The Buet administration has obstructed the constitutional right to association of Imtiaz Hossain Rahim Rabbi by revoking the allotted seat," BCL said in a statement on Saturday (30 March).
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"According to the Engineering and Technological University Ordinance, 1961, Buet is an educational institution run with the expense of the people of Bangladesh and governed by the Constitution and the prevailing laws of the state. Even though the Act does not give Buet the power to ban student politics, the Buet administration is implementing the ban illegally and unconstitutionally," it added.
Despite the ban on student politics at the Buet campus following the murder of Abrar Fahad, a few leaders and activists of the Chhatra League allegedly entered the campus and conducted political activities on&nbsp; Wednesday (27 March) night.
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Expressing their anger at this incident, the protesting students boycotted all sorts of academic activities and made several demands to the Buet administration in written form yesterday afternoon.<a class="also-read" href="https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/education/buet-student-protest-enters-day-2-ultimatum-issued-expulsion-bcl-leader-5"><picture class="ratio ratio__16x9"><source srcset="https://www.tbsnews.net/sites/default/files/styles/big_2/public/images/2024/03/30/buet_students_protest_2.jpg 1x" media="(min-width: 1024px)" data-srcset="https://www.tbsnews.net/sites/default/files/styles/big_2/public/images/2024/03/30/buet_students_protest_2.jpg 1x" data-aspectratio="/"></picture></a>
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Govt will take action if evidence of militancy is found in BUET: Quader

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said the members of parliament (MPs) cannot influence or interfere in upazila elections.
"The elections will be held without the party symbol. So, the purpose of the polls must be made successful. Lawmakers cannot interfere in the polls," he said while exchanging views with the party's leaders and workers of Rangpur division at AL's Bangabandhu Avenue central office.
Quader, who also serves as the road transport and bridges minister, said, "Upazila polls are approaching. At your request, the prime minister has introduced new opportunities for you to participate in the elections through open competitions."&nbsp;
Those who want to contest the polls can take part in it, he said. "We want a free and fair election without any influence from anyone. From the very beginning, we are monitoring the organisational process. If anyone makes any irresponsible comment, it puts an impact on the entire party discipline," he said.
Organisational actions will be taken if anyone violates party discipline, he added.
The minister said many people made different comments over the national elections. There were concerns over the polls but everything was overcome through the completions in the elections, he said.
A total of 80 countries and 32 organisations extended congratulations to Sheikh Hasina on her reelection as the prime minister of Bangladesh and expressed their willingness to jointly work with Bangladesh, he mentioned.
The AL general secretary urged the party leaders and activists to create a bridge with the common people and make an organisational bridge between districts and upazilas, and upazilas and unions.
AL Presidium Member Shajahan Khan chaired the meeting while AL Joint General Secretary and Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and Asaduzzaman Noor, MP, were also present.
AL Organizing Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, who is in charge of Rangpur division, moderated the meeting.

MPs cannot interfere in upazila elections: Quader

Students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) continued their protest for the second consecutive day on Saturday, condemning a late-night gathering of Chhatra League activists on the campus.
The demonstration began early this morning as students from various academic batches gathered in front of the Shaheed Minar at 8:00am.&nbsp;
Despite the ban on student politics following the tragic murder of Abrar Fahad, several leaders and activists of BCL breached campus restrictions and engaged in political activities around 2:00am on Thursday.
Expressing their outrage, students presented a list of demands to the Buet administration yesterday afternoon. Wishing anonymity, a student revealed that Imtiaz Hossain Rahim, a 21-batch civil engineering student, had previously promised to resign from his position to restore campus harmony amidst student protests. However, he failed to uphold his pledge and continued to partake in political activities openly. He was actively involved in facilitating the entry of outsiders onto campus, conversing with security personnel, and organising political gatherings on the premises.
In response to the uproar, Buet authorities revoked Imtiaz's residential privileges at Titumir Hall last night and formed an investigation committee following student protests, as stated in a university press release.&nbsp;
Students are demanding not only Imtiaz's expulsion from the institution but also the expulsion of other Buet students involved in the incident.
Highlighting the breach of regulations, a protesting student questioned how leaders from other universities gained access to the campus at 2:00am when entry is prohibited after 10:30pm.&nbsp;
Additionally, the student criticised the unauthorised use of the seminar room for political events, stressing that permission from the Director of Student Welfare (DSW) is mandatory.&nbsp;
The protesting students demand the removal of the DSW if he fails to provide a satisfactory explanation.
Buet authorities imposed a ban on political activities following the tragic death of Fahad Abrar, a second-year student, allegedly at the hands of BCL activists at Sher-e-Bangla Hall on 7 October 2019.

Buet students continue protest for second straight day against BCL gathering on campus

A group of students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) demonstrated on the university campus on Friday, protesting against the entry of Bangladesh Chhatra&nbsp;League (BCL) leaders onto the campus last night despite a ban on political activities.
Buet authorities had banned all forms of political activities on the campus following the brutal murder of its 2nd-year student Abrar Fahad in 2019.&nbsp;
According to students participating in the protest, BCL activists have recently resumed political activities on the campus despite the ban.
During the protest rally, they held a press conference where they announced the boycott of all academic activities, including participating in exams scheduled for 30 and 31 March.&nbsp;
Gathering in front of the office of the Director of the Directorate of Students' Welfare (DSW) of the university, they chanted slogans such as &ldquo;Buet won&rsquo;t be the home of politics,&rdquo; &ldquo;No politics in Buet,&rdquo; and "The blood of Abrar Fahad has yet to dry."
During the press conference, they also announced a five-point demand, including the suspension of students from the university and dormitories who assisted BCL leaders in their entry onto the campus at night. They sought clarification on how BCL leaders were allowed to enter the campus.
They also warned of a tougher program, including the removal of Prof. Mizanur Rahman, Director of Students' Welfare (DSW), if the authorities fail to meet the demands by 2:00 pm tomorrow.
BCL President Saddam Hussain, along with leaders and activists, entered the Buet campus last night.&nbsp;

Buet students protest over entry of BCL leaders on campus

The people of Bangladesh are doing somewhat well, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said.
&ldquo;All over the world there is a crisis going on and it is affecting our country as well. Still, the people of Bangladesh are fairly well off because of the prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,&rdquo; he said during the Iftar and Eid gift distribution programme of AL&rsquo;s sub-committee on relief and social welfare in front of the party&rsquo;s central office on Friday (29 March).
&ldquo;We are much better under Sheikh Hasina's leadership than the people in other countries,&rdquo; he added.
Obaidul Quader said, &ldquo;BNP holds Iftar party, but Awami League distributes Iftar among people. Awami League and its allied organisations are distributing iftar items among the poor people who are suffering in this moment of crisis instead of enjoying themselves.&rdquo;
The minister said BNP is spreading misinformation and lies against the Awami League.
&ldquo;Bangladesh is in our heart. Bangladesh is in our consciousness. That is what we hold in our hearts,&rdquo; he added.
Awami League Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Aminul Islam Amin presided over the event and Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organising Secretary Babu Sujit Roy Nandi, Industry and Commerce Affairs Secretary Siddiqur Rahman and others were also present at the event.

People of Bangladesh are doing fairly well: Obaidul Quader

Natore-1 Constituency Member of Parliament Advocate Abul Kalam Azad has said he will recover his election expenses even if it requires him to delve "a little" into unfair means.
&ldquo;I had no wealth except my five years' salary. During this election, I had to spend Tk1.26 crore. I will recover it anyway. I will delve a little into unfair means, I will not do it again,&rdquo; the MP said while speaking at an event organised to commemorate Independence Day in Natore on Tuesday (26 March).
Abul Kalam Azad was previously an MP from 2014 to 2018, referring to that period, the member of parliament said, &ldquo;I did not spend a single amount at that time. I only had to deposit Tk25 lakhs in the bank, I kept it. I didn't spend a single amount, I raised Tk25 lakh. I bought a car worth Tk27 lakh, a tax-free car. I could buy it at Tk1 crore if I wanted. When I didn't have money, I bought it for Tk27 lakhs. I will recover the Tk1.26 lakh I spent during the election.&rdquo;
During the MP&rsquo;s speech, Lalpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sharmin Akhtar, Upazila Parishad Chairman Esakh Ali, Upazila Awami League President Aftab Hossain and many others were present onstage with him.
When the speech of MP Abul Kalam Azad went viral on social media, he faced backlash.
Speaking to the media, he said the remarks were made as a joke.
"I did not say those things seriously. It was a jest. I don't want to build a mountain of money in the coming days, I just want to raise money for expenses &ndash; not through unfair or illegal means. I want to earn from my salary. There is no reason to think about this in a distorted way,&rdquo; he added.

'I will recover election expenses, if necessary by unfair means': Natore-1 MP

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday (28 March) said that BNP wants to nullify the meaning of the independence, as they did not believe in the spirit of the War of Liberation and democracy.
&ldquo;Every person in the country is now getting benefits of the freedom. People never responded to the fascist philosophy of BNP, which is anti-democratic and communal evil; so BNP has always stood against the people,&rdquo; he said in a statement.&nbsp;
This statement was issued to condemn and protest the false, fabricated and misleading statements of BNP leaders.
&ldquo;With Pakistani ideology, the BNP&rsquo;s only motive is to grab power and confirm their fortune. People of Bangla were duped by them. So people of Bangla do not want to see this fraudulent group in power anymore,&rdquo; Quader said.
Responding to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's statement about houses and businesses of BNP leaders and activists were being taken over, the Awami League General Secretary said, &ldquo;He (Mirza Fakhrul) has given fabricated and baseless statements without providing any concrete evidence. Rather, we can see the BNP leaders and activists have been doing business and trading under the existing regime. Nowhere is being victimized by political revenge.&rdquo;
He said that after BNP came to the power in 2001, millions of Awami League leaders and activists had to leave their homes due to political violence by BNP leaders and activists, adding, &ldquo;Awami League leaders and activists were faced intolerable torture for giving votes to boat. Thousands of women were raped by BNP-Jamaat cadres. 21,000 Awami League leaders and activists were killed across the country.&rdquo;
Quader said that the greatest Bangali all time of the nation, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, achieved the independence in 1971 through a united armed struggle against the Pakistani occupation forces.&nbsp;
After the independence, Bangladesh was led by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the spirit of the Liberation War.&nbsp;
He said that the father of the nation gave the constitution to the nation based on the ideals of the Liberation War. &ldquo;Communal politics on the basis of religion is prohibited. But after the brutal killing of the father of the nation and his family, the Zia-Mushtak gang destroyed the spirit of the liberation war and the democratic values.&rdquo;
The Awami League General Secretary said that the military dictator Ziaur Rahman used the religion card to strengthen his illegal and unconstitutional power and he also began religion-based politics.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Autocrat Zia established ultra-communal groups in politics as well as all levels of the state and society. Since then, state-sponsored steam roller of torture was run to eliminate the opposition, especially the Awami League,&rdquo; he added. &nbsp;

BNP wants to nullify meaning of independence: Obaidul Quader

BNP Secretary General &nbsp;Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has accused the government of utilizing the electoral process as a tool of repression.
He said around 80% of BNP leaders and activists have faced persecution at the hands of the state.
Fakhrul made these remarks during a programme on Thursday, where Eid gifts were being distributed to the families of martyrs, as well as to those who went missing or were left disabled during the movement for the restoration of democracy.
Highlighting the government's actions, Fakhrul said, "The Awami League government has initiated a campaign of oppression against Khaleda Zia, fully aware that they cannot retain power without resorting to such tactics."
He also mentioned Khaleda Zia's deteriorating health, revealing, "Khaleda Zia fell severely ill on Wednesday. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, stabilizing her condition proved to be challenging."
Continuing his address, Fakhrul emphasized the necessity of collective action, stating, "We must resist this oppressive regime through united efforts. Regardless of political affiliation, everyone must come together to combat dictatorship. It is imperative that we stand firm and defeat it."

Govt weaponising electoral system: Mirza Fakhrul

Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina today said the history of the proclamation of independence in 1971 by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was distorted after his assassination in 1975.&nbsp;
"Bangabandhu's independence proclamation was spread through wireless and his party men reached it elsewhere in the country. But after his assassination, the history was distorted," she said.
The premier made this remark while chairing a discussion at the AL office in the city's Tejgaon area, organised by her party on the occasion of the Great Independence Day 2024.
"In the distorted history, it was said one Major standing on a drum blew the whistle and Bangladesh got independence. But, any country can't attain independence this way. If it happened, then Bangladesh&rsquo;s history would have been written differently," she added.
Sheikh Hasina, however, questioned Ziaur Rahman's loyalty to Bangladesh during the War of Liberation in 1971.
She said: "There is a question of if his loyalty was for Bangladesh or for Pakistan as Pakistani army officer Mirza Aslam Beg wrote a letter to Zia for his satisfactory activities".&nbsp; &nbsp; She also said, "(Mirza) Aslam Beg (who was an army officer at that time in Bangladesh) wrote a letter to Ziaur Rahman during the Liberation War expressing satisfaction with his activities."&nbsp; &nbsp; In that letter, the premier mentioned that Mirza Beg also said that the wife and sons of Ziaur Rahman were fine in Dhaka Cantonment.&nbsp; &nbsp; "The question is why the Pakistanis took care of the wife and sons of that person who proclaimed the independence in cantonment and wrote a letter stating satisfaction over his job," she added. &nbsp; General Mirza Aslam Beg served as the Pakistan Army Chief from 1988 until his retirement in 1991. His appointment came when his predecessor, President General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, died in an air crash on 17 August, 1988.

Bangabandhu's independence proclamation history was distorted after 1975: PM Hasina

BNP Secretary General &nbsp;Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has strongly condemned and protested against the killing of two Bangladeshi nationals at the border by India's Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday (27 March).
"The brutal killing of one individual and the detention of another after shooting him by the BSF on our Independence and National Day is deeply troubling. These incidents underscore the lack of security for Bangladeshi citizens and highlight a crisis in our independence and sovereignty," said Fakhrul in a statement today (27 March).
The victims, identified as Al Amin and Liton Mia (aged 19), were shot by BSF members at the border along Porsha upazila in Naogaon and Durgapur border in Aditmari upazila, Lalmonirhat, respectively. Liton Mia succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in India last night.
Fakhrul said such bloodshed on Independence Day undermines the nation's self-respect.
He criticised the silence of the current government and its ministers, noting, "Despite the loss of Bangladeshi lives and blatant violations of our sovereignty, the government remains silent and even accepts these incidents. The knee-jerk policies of the current administration have left Bangladeshi citizens vulnerable and have compromised our independence and sovereignty for the sake of political power."
Fakhrul further lamented that not only are people shot and killed at the border, but incidents of looting, assault, vandalism, and even rape within Bangladesh go unprotested by the government.
Accusing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of holding the country hostage to retain power, Fakhrul warned that the people will not spare those who destroy everything to remain in power.
He called upon individuals from all political affiliations to raise their voices against the killing of Bangladeshis at the border, asserting that only a government elected through free and fair elections can ensure the security and sovereignty of the country's citizens.

India killing of Bangladeshis on border proves country’s freedom is in dire straits: Mirza Fakhrul

Reuters

The success of ballistic missile defences facing their first complex, high-stakes combat scenarios in Israel, the Red Sea and Ukraine will encourage militaries globally to invest in the pricey systems, experts say - and intensify missile arms races.
Iran launched as many as 120 intermediate-range ballistic missiles at Israel on 13 April, US and Israeli officials say. US SM-3 and Israeli Arrow interceptors destroyed nearly all of them, leaving drones and smaller threats to the Iron Dome system. &nbsp; In previous months, interceptors fired from US Navy destroyers stopped Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles, while in Ukraine, US-made MIM-104 Patriot batteries have shot down advanced Russian Iskander and Khinzal missiles.
Reuters spoke with six experts who said more militaries would look to invest in ballistic missile defence, a potential windfall for companies such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, which build those types of systems. &nbsp; "It's undeniable that any wealthy country with the technological wherewithal will continue to invest in missile defence," said Ankit Panda of the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a defence and security think tank. "All of this is a recipe for a conventional arms race."
European countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Poland already operate RTX subsidiary Raytheon's Patriot batteries, the most common Western advanced ballistic missile defence system. &nbsp; Saudi Arabia has used its Patriots for years to defend against Houthi attacks; it and the United Arab Emirates also operate the Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system.
Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain have Patriot batteries as well, and Oman has expressed interest in missile defence.
In the US, Lockheed Martin in April won a $17.7 billion contract for a next-generation interceptor for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) programme - designed to shoot down small numbers of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) aimed at the continental United States. &nbsp; But the impact may be most acute in Asia, where China has invested heavily in conventionally armed ballistic missiles.
A 2023 Pentagon report said the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force has about 500 DF-26 missiles, designed to accurately strike targets thousands of kilometres away.
That puts US and allied bases in Japan and Guam within range of an attack that may only come with 20 to 30 minutes' warning.
Ballistic missile defence works by spotting an attacking weapon either at launch or in flight, then using a surface-based radar to guide an interceptor to the target.
Interceptions can occur in the atmosphere or in space, and each domain requires different hardware. For instance, fins won't work outside the atmosphere - interceptors must have small steering rockets to function there.
The necessary high-powered computers, far-seeing radars and missiles as large as telephone poles are not cheap, together stretching into the billions. In 2022, for example, the US approved the sale of both Patriots and THAAD systems to Saudi Arabia, in deals worth as much as $5.3 billion.
In the Indo-Pacific region, wealthier countries such as Japan, Australia and South Korea are prime candidates for missile defence, Lewis said, while nearly every country in Asia is already investing in missiles.
Japan's defence ministry said the country "needs to fundamentally and swiftly reinforce its defence capabilities, including integrated air and missile defence". It said it is investing in improved Patriot missiles, better radars and enhanced naval anti-missile capabilities.
In its latest defence budget, South Korea increased funding by 12% for its Korea Air and Missile Defense System to expand it "from the existing lower-level defence concept," the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
"Cases such as the Israel-Hamas conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war have reaffirmed the importance of a 'ballistic missile defence system' to respond to increasingly sophisticated missile threats," the ministry said.
In mid-April, Australia announced a A$500 million ($328 million) contract with Lockheed Martin to deliver its Joint Air Battle Management System for tracking and destroying aircraft and missiles.
The cost of a ballistic missile is often much cheaper than the system meant to stop it.
But that isn't the right way to consider cost, said Yoji Koda, former commander in chief of Japan's Self-Defense Fleet, and an advocate of stronger missile defences in his country.
"In a war economy, the cheaper the better. But sometimes what is necessary, is we need to protect key infrastructure, or key command centres, at any cost. Because without them we would lose."
THE CHINA QUESTION
Most of China's conventionally armed ballistic missiles are designed to hit targets on land.
But it also fields steerable warheads meant to hit ships at sea, including the DF-21D and variants of the DF-26, developed by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
Such anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) had never been used in combat until late 2023, when Houthi forces in Yemen began firing Iranian-made models at ships in the Red Sea.
Between November - the first documented use - and April, U.S. Central Command reported at least 85 ASBMs fired in the region, with 20 interceptions and one civilian ship reported sunk.
CENTCOM has declined to provide specifics about the effectiveness of Iranian ASBMs but has noted missiles posing no threat were not engaged and most that were not intercepted landed harmlessly.
The effectiveness of missile defences on land and at sea will catch China's attention, said Tong Zhao, a senior fellow with the Nuclear Policy Program and Carnegie China.
"It raises the possibility that the US and its allies could depend on missile defence significantly against a ballistic missile attack," Zhao said.
Although the technical specifics of China's missiles are closely held secrets, the country's heavy investment means they are likely to be more reliable, and are widely believed to use complex countermeasures to complicate interception.
"For opponents such as China which have missile stockpiles an order of magnitude larger than that of Russia or Iran and which field more sophisticated systems ... it's not clear that the lessons learned invalidate existing operational constructs," said Sidarth Kaushal, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.
But the political and practical incentives to invest in missile defence will be too attractive for many countries to ignore, Lewis said.
"All defence procurement decisions are ultimately about politics," he said. "The politics of this stuff is really simple: do you want to defend the country or not? And the winning answer is always 'Yes'."
($1 = 1.5225 Australian dollars) &nbsp;

Missile defence successes in Israel, Ukraine fuel global urgency to acquire systems

Under mounting political pressure, US President Joe Biden broke his silence on campus unrest over the war in Gaza on Thursday, saying Americans have the right to demonstrate but not to unleash violence.
"There is a right to protest, but not a right to cause chaos," Biden said in remarks at the White House.
With television images of campus unrest that have swept the country in recent days playing out on news networks, Biden has faced criticism of his handling of the situation. He had been leaving it largely up to his spokespersons to comment.
The Democratic president, seeking re-election in November, has walked a careful line of denouncing antisemitism while supporting young Americans' right to protest and trying to limit longer-term political damage.
Biden said both sides had a point, that peaceful dissent was critical to a democracy but that violence would not be tolerated.
"Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It's against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancelling of classes and graduations -none of this is a peaceful protest," he said.
Biden said the United States was not an authoritarian nation that silences critics but that "order must prevail."
"Dissent is essential to democracy but dissent must never lead to disorder or denying the rights of others so students can't finish the semester and college education," he said.
Biden, asked whether state governors should call in National Guard troops to restore order if necessary, replied "no."
In response to a reporter's question, Biden said the campus protests had not forced him to reconsider his policies in the Middle East.
Student protesters are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and demanding schools divest from companies that support Israel's government.

Biden breaks silence on college protests over Gaza conflict

Police forcibly removed scores of defiant pro-Palestinian protesters at several colleges on Thursday, including taking down an encampment at UCLA in a jarring scene that underscored the heightened chaos that has erupted at universities this week.
In the pre-dawn hours, helmeted police swarmed a tent city set up at the University of California in Los Angeles, using flash bangs and riot gear to push through lines of protesters who linked arms in a futile attempt to halt their advance.
Hundreds were arrested at UCLA and other schools.
"I'm a student here," one UCLA protester told cameras as he was led away, his hands bound. "Please don't fail us. Don't fail us."
Hours later, the student, who would only give his first name as Ryan, was back on campus and vowed he would not stop fighting.
"We will be back," said Ryan, who was cited for unlawful assembly. "We will be disrupting. We will be demanding divestment."
Students have rallied or set up tents at dozens of universities in recent days to protest Israel's war on Gaza. Demonstrators have called on President Joe Biden, who has supported Israel's right to defend itself, to do more to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and demanded schools divest from companies that support Israel's government.
Many of the schools, including Columbia University in New York City, have called in police to quell the protests.
Biden broke his silence on the demonstrations on Thursday after the UCLA raid, saying Americans have the right to protest but not to unleash violence.
"Destroying property is not a peaceful protest," he said at the White House. "It's against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancelling of classes and graduations - none of this is a peaceful protest."
Biden, who is seeking re-election in November against Republican former President Donald Trump, has walked a careful line as he confronts criticism from both the right and the left over his Israel policy.
VIOLENCE ON CAMPUS
At UCLA, police repeatedly urged demonstrators to clear the protest zone, which occupied a central plaza about the size of a football field, before they moved in.
Dozens of loud explosions were heard from stun grenades, fired by police, while demonstrators, some carrying makeshift shields and umbrellas, chanted "push them back" and flashed bright lights in officers' eyes.
Live TV footage showed officers taking down tents and tearing apart makeshift barricades.
Some of the protesters had been seen donning hard hats, goggles and respirator masks in anticipation of the siege a day after the university declared the encampment unlawful.
By morning, the plaza was strewn with detritus from the destroyed encampment: tents, blankets, food containers, a Palestinian flag, an upturned helmet. Police remained on hand during the first half of the day as the area was cleaned of debris.
In Portland, Oregon, police entered the Portland State University library on Thursday morning, where demonstrators had barricaded themselves since Monday. Several dozen protesters ran out of the building and rushed into a phalanx of officers in riot gear, who arrested them.
In New Hampshire, police arrested approximately 100 protesters in separate incidents at Dartmouth University and the University of New Hampshire overnight, breaking up encampments.
The protests follow the deadly Oct 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip, which killed 1,200 people and saw dozens taken hostage, and an ensuing Israeli offensive that has killed about 34,000 and created a humanitarian crisis.
The campus demonstrations have been met with counter-protesters accusing them of fomenting anti-Jewish hatred. The pro-Palestinian side, including some Jews opposed to Israeli actions in Gaza, say they are being unfairly branded as antisemitic for criticizing Israel's government and expressing support for human rights.
UCLA had cancelled classes for the day on Wednesday following a violent clash between the encampment's occupants and a group of masked counter-demonstrators who mounted a surprise assault late Tuesday night on the tent city.
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, in a written statement, said that officials had allowed the encampment to remain on campus for several days as it was peaceful at first, but that the clashes with the pro-Israeli crowd clearly put students in harm's way.
"It led to unsafe conditions on our campus and it damaged our ability to carry out our mission," Block said of the encampment. "It needed to come to an end."
Taylor Gee, a 30-year-old pro-Palestinian protester and UCLA law student, said the police operation on Thursday felt "especially galling" to many protesters given the slow police response a night earlier.
"For them to come out the next night to remove us from the encampment, it doesn't make any sense, but it also makes all the sense in the world," he said.
UCLA officials said the campus, with nearly 52,000 students, would remain shuttered except for limited operations on Thursday and Friday.

Fresh chaos, arrests on US college campuses as police flatten camp at UCLA

AFP/BSS

Seventy percent of environmental journalists from 129 countries, polled in March, reported experiencing attacks, threats or pressure related to their job, UNESCO said Thursday.
Of those, two in five subsequently experienced physical violence, it said in a report released on World Press Freedom Day. More than 900 reporters were questioned for the poll.
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization warned of an increase in violence against and intimidation of journalists reporting on the environment and climate.
"Without reliable scientific information about the ongoing environmental crisis, we can never hope to overcome it," UNESCO director general Audrey Azoulay said in a statement.
"And yet the journalists we rely on to investigate this subject and ensure information is accessible face unacceptably high risks all over the world, and climate-related disinformation is running rampant on social media."
UNESCO said at least 749 journalists and news media outlets reporting on environmental issues were "targeted with murder, physical violence, detention and arrest, online harassment or legal attacks" between 2009 and 2023.
More than 300 of those attacks occurred between 2019 and 2023 -- a 42 percent increase on the preceding five-year period.
"The problem is global, with attacks taking place in 89 countries in all regions of the world," the agency added.
At least 44 environmental journalists have been killed for their work in the past 15 years, with convictions in only five cases, said the report.
On top of hundreds of reported physical attacks, "a third of journalists surveyed said they had been censored," it added.
"Almost half (45%) said they self-censored when covering the environment due to fear of being attacked, having their sources exposed, or due to an awareness that their stories conflicted with the interests of concerned stakeholders."
At a press freedom conference in Chile this week, UNESCO will announce the launch of a grants program to provide legal and technical support to over 500 environmental journalists facing persecution, said the statement.

70% of environment journalists report attacks, threats, pressure: UN

Quebec Premier Francois Legault said on Thursday the encampment at Montreal's McGill University should be dismantled as more students erected pro-Palestinian camps across some of Canada's largest universities, demanding they divest from groups with ties to Israel.
The Canadian protests come as police have been arresting hundreds on US campuses and the death toll in Gaza has been mounting.
While McGill had requested police intervention, law enforcement had not stepped in Thursday to clear the encampment and did not respond to Reuters' questions about their plans. Students also set up encampments at Canadian schools including the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia and the University of Ottawa.
"We want the camp to be dismantled. We trust the police, let them do their job," a spokesperson for Legault said.
There was also a pro-Israel counter-protest in Montreal Thursday. The two sides were kept separate.
On Thursday morning, students at the University of Toronto set up an encampment in a fenced-off grassy space at the school's downtown campus where some 100 protesters gathered with dozens of tents.
According to a statement from organisers the encampment will stay until the university discloses its investments, divests from any that "sustain Israeli apartheid, occupation and illegal settlement of Palestine" and ends partnerships with some Israeli academic institutions.
Israel says it does not participate in apartheid and that its assault on Gaza does not constitute genocide.
A university spokesperson told Reuters it was "in dialogue with the protesters" and that, as of midday, the encampment was "not disruptive to normal university activities."
University of Toronto graduate student and encampment spokesperson Sara Rasikh told Reuters they will remain until their demands are met.
"If public disruption is the only way to get our voice heard, then we are willing to do that," she said.
Some Jewish groups have accused protesters of being antisemitic. Organisers deny that charge, noting that some protesters are Jewish.
Asked to comment on the encampments, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office pointed to a statement he made on Tuesday, saying "Universities are places of learning, they&rsquo;re places for freedom of expression ... but that only works if people feel safe on campus. Right now ... Jewish students do not feel safe. That&rsquo;s not right."The protests follow the deadly Oct 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip, which killed 1,200 people and saw dozens taken hostage, and an ensuing Israeli offensive that has killed about 34,000 and created a humanitarian crisis.

Students erect pro-Palestinian encampments across major Canadian universities

The United&nbsp;Nations said Thursday that the post-war reconstruction of Gaza would require an&nbsp;international effort unseen since the aftermath of World War II, estimating it&nbsp;could cost up to $40 billion.
It came as Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh struck an optimistic tone over a&nbsp;possible truce and hostage release deal for Gaza, after weeks of largely&nbsp;stalled negotiations.
There have been reports of sticking points between the group and Israel nearly seven months into the war that has devastated the Palestinian&nbsp;territory.
But Haniyeh, head of the militant group's Qatar-based political bureau,&nbsp;said in calls to Egyptian and Qatari mediators that Hamas was studying the&nbsp;latest proposal with a "positive spirit".
Much of Gaza has been reduced to a grey landscape of rubble and the United&nbsp;Nations estimated the cost of reconstruction at between $30 billion and $40&nbsp;billion.
"The scale of the destruction is huge and unprecedented... this is a&nbsp;mission that the global community has not dealt with since World War II," UN&nbsp;assistant secretary-general Abdallah al-Dardari told a briefing in the&nbsp;Jordanian capital Amman.
The UN official said "72 percent of all residential buildings have been&nbsp;completely or partially destroyed".
Reconstruction is made more difficult by the presence of large quantities&nbsp;of unexploded ordnance in the debris that Gaza's Civil Defence agency says triggers "more than 10 explosions every week".
The war started with Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel that resulted in&nbsp;the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of&nbsp;Israeli official figures.
Israel estimates that 129 captives seized by militants during their attack&nbsp;remain in Gaza. The military says 34 of them are dead.
Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has killed at least 34,596&nbsp;people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Mediators have proposed a deal that would halt fighting for 40 days and&nbsp;exchange Israeli hostages for potentially thousands of Palestinian prisoners, according to details released by Britain.
An Israeli official not authorised to speak publicly said Israel was still&nbsp;waiting for Hamas's formal response to the latest proposal.
Before Haniyeh's comments on Thursday, Hamas officials had given it a&nbsp;generally negative reception.
Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told AFP late Wednesday that the&nbsp;movement's position on the proposal was "negative" for the time being.
Another senior Hamas official, Suhail al-Hindi, said the group's aim&nbsp;remained an "end to this war" -- a goal at odds with the stated position of&nbsp;Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
But the militant group has come under intense pressure from mediators to&nbsp;accept the latest offer.
"Hamas needs to say yes and needs to get this done," US Secretary of State&nbsp;Antony Blinken said in Israel Wednesday on his latest Middle East crisis tour.
&nbsp;

Gaza needs biggest post-war reconstruction effort since WWII: UN

Myanmar's junta has suspended the issuing of permits for men to work abroad, it said, weeks after it introduced a military conscription law that led to thousands trying to leave the country.
The labour ministry had "temporarily suspended" accepting applications from men who wish to work abroad, the ministry said in a statement posted by the junta's information team late Thursday.
The measure was in order to "take more time to verify departure processes and according to other issues," it said, without giving details.
The Southeast Asian nation has been in turmoil since the military seized power in 2021, sparking massive armed opposition it has failed to crush.
In February, it said it would enforce a law allowing it to call up all men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 to serve in the military for at least two years.

Myanmar junta bans men from applying to work abroad

Japan and India are struggling economically because they are "xenophobic," US President Joe Biden told a campaign event, lumping the American allies in with rivals China and Russia as countries rejecting immigrants.
"Why is China stalling so badly economically? Why is Japan in trouble? Why is Russia in trouble? And India? Because they're xenophobic. They don't want immigrants," Biden said on Wednesday, with a transcript not made public until Thursday.
The 81-year-old Democrat, who is seeking reelection against Republican rival Donald Trump in the November presidential vote, made the remarks at a campaign fundraising event in Washington marking the start of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month.
Such events are neither filmed nor recorded, but a small number of journalists attend and provide a written account.
"One of the reasons why our economy is growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants," the president said.
While China and Russia are considered US rivals, Biden's remarks on Japan and India came as a surprise.
Since taking office in 2021, Biden has made a point of strengthening ties with US allies in Asia, in particular with New Delhi and Tokyo.
He has hosted state dinners -- a rare high-level diplomatic gesture -- for both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The White House sought to downplay the president's remarks on Thursday.
"The broader point the president was making, and I think people all around the world recognize this, is that the United States is a nation of immigrants, and it's in our DNA," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
"Our allies know very well how much the president respects them, values their friendship, values their contributions," he added.

Biden calls ally Japan 'xenophobic' along with India, China

Turkey said Thursday it was suspending all trade with Israel until it allows aid to enter Gaza unhindered during its offensive against Hamas in the territory.
"Exports and imports to and from Israel have been suspended," the trade ministry said in a statement, adding: "Turkey will apply these new measures... until the Israeli government authorises an uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza."
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz had earlier on Thursday accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of breaking agreements between the two countries by blocking Israeli exports and imports.
The move is the latest incident degrading relations after Turkey, one of the few Muslim-majority nations to recognise Israel, restricted exports to the country in April.
The Gaza Strip is suffering a humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's war against Hamas that has been raging since 7 October, with the United Nations and aid agencies warning of impending famine.
The war started with Hamas's unprecedented 7 October attack on Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel estimates that 129 captives seized by Hamas during their attack remain in Gaza. The military says 34 of them are dead.
Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has killed at least 34,596 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

Turkey says suspending all trade with Israel

Chattogram division is likely to experience rain and thundershowers accompanied by gusty winds, with the possibility of hail at isolated spots, according to BMD&rsquo;s weather bulletin for Friday.
Similarly, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Barishal, and Sylhet divisions may see rain in one or two places, alongside temporary gusty winds. Elsewhere in the country, the weather is expected to remain dry with partly cloudy skies.
A severe heatwave continues to grip districts including Rajshahi, Pabna, Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia.
Meanwhile, Dhaka, Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Barishal divisions, along with parts of Rajshahi, Khulna, and the district of Chandpur, are experiencing mild to moderate heatwave conditions.
There are expectations that this heatwave may begin to ease in some areas, it said.
Daytime temperatures are expected to slightly decrease, and night temperatures may fall by 1-2 degrees Celsius across the country, added the bulletin.

Rain, thunderstorms likely in Dhaka, Chattogram

Dhaka's air quality was categorised as &lsquo;unhealthy&rsquo; this morning.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 158 at 9:33am, Dhaka ranked sixth on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.
India&rsquo;s Delhi, Nepal&rsquo;s Kathmandu and Pakistan&rsquo;s Lahore occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 318, 197 and 193 respectively.
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered &lsquo;unhealthy for sensitive groups&rsquo;, between 150 and 200 is &lsquo;unhealthy&rsquo;, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. &nbsp;

Dhaka air ‘unhealthy’ this morning

AP/UNB

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled an international framework for regulation and use of generative AI on Thursday, adding to global efforts on governance for the rapidly advancing technology.
Kishida made the announcement in a speech at the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
&ldquo;Generative AI has the potential to be a vital tool to further enrich the world,&rdquo; Kishida said. But &ldquo;we must also confront the dark side of AI, such as the risk of disinformation."
When Japan chaired the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations last year, it launched a Hiroshima AI process to draw up international guiding principles and a code of conduct for AI developers.
Some 49 countries and regions have signed up to the voluntary framework, called the Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group, Kishida said, without naming any. They will work on implementing principles and code of conduct to address the risks of generative AI and &ldquo;promote cooperation to ensure that people all over the world can benefit from the use of safe, secure, and trustworthy AI,&rdquo; he said.
The European Union, the United States, China and many other nations have been racing to draw up regulations and oversight for AI, while global bodies such as the United Nations have been grappling with how to supervise it.

Japan's Kishida unveils framework for global regulation of generative AI

Bangladesh recorded a substantial increase in remittances, receiving $2.04 billion in April, marking a 21.3%&nbsp; rise compared to the same period last year.
According to Bangladesh Bank, from January to April this year, the country received a total of $8.31 billion from expatriates, spurred by various bank initiatives aimed at encouraging the flow of remittances.
The figures show a consistent upward trend with $2.11 billion received in January, $2.16 billion in February, $1.99 billion in March, and $2.04 billion in April. This influx has been a boon to the economy, particularly during the ongoing foreign exchange crisis.
Dr Ahsan H Mansur, a noted economist, told UNB that Bangladesh could further increase remittances through legal channels by offering more financial and non-financial incentives to expatriates. He highlighted the preference among remitters for using the hundi system, an illegal money transfer method, due to its higher exchange rates, which are Tk5-7 more per US dollar compared to the official rates.
To counter this, Dr Mansur proposed that the government could introduce various benefits for legal remitters, including health cards, insurance coverage, and pension schemes, to make formal channels more attractive and dissuade the use of illegal methods like hundi.

Bangladesh secures $8.31 billion remittance in first 4 months of 2024

Earthquake warning smartphone apps have surged in popularity in Taiwan due to high demand from people eager to get a few extra seconds to take cover after more than 1,300 aftershocks rattled the island in the past month following a large temblor.
Taiwan's east coast was struck by a 7.2 magnitude quake on April 3, killing 17 people.
The frequent aftershocks since then - including more than 200 tremors in a 24-hour period starting April 22 - have unnerved many.
While the government has an automated quake warning system, sent in the form of an text message accompanied by a loud alert sound meant to sound a few seconds before the shaking starts, it can be patchy. In the capital Taipei it did not sound before the April 3 quake, prompting criticism of the system.
That, along with the rising demand to stay more informed about forthcoming earthquakes, have helped a surge in popularity in privately-developed quake warning apps.
"What we offer is customised earthquake early warning. You get to set your own threshold," said Kuo Chen-yu, the 20-year-old co-founder of Disaster Prevention Information Platform, whose users jumped to nearly 370,000 from around 3,000 in recent weeks.
Lin Ruei, another co-founder of the app launched in 2022, said their app tracks fast-moving seismic waves from more than 130 seismic sensors the team installed across the island to give users early warnings. For instance, he said, the app could give users in more populated western Taiwan up to 30 seconds warning for a quake from the remote eastern coast.
"Some people might feel quite panic with just an earthquake of intensity 2, then they can download our app," said Lin, a 17-year-old student.
"If you get a 10-second early warning and you move to a secure spot, maybe it would be a life-saving tool for you."
The official, government-run warning system only goes to phone users in areas where major earthquakes with estimated intensity of 4 or above are expected, which authorities say are powerful enough to move some furniture, cause wall cracks or disrupt power or water supplies.
Wu Chien-fu, Director of the Central Weather Administration's Seismological Center, told Reuters they encourage development of alternative tools which provide innovative means for disaster response, adding authorities were aware of calls to lower thresholds for official alerts, a system designed for bigger tremors that are more likely to bring damage.
"We will consider whether to issue warnings to the whole of Taiwan for big earthquakes," Wu said.
Still, many are drawn to the privately-developed apps extra functionalities, such as automatic flashlight switch-on before the shaking starts, a countdown timer, or alerts for smaller quakes that did not trigger the government warnings - a reassurance for those who wish to stay more alerted for the frequent tremors.
"The 30-second countdown gave me enough time to mentally prepare myself, grab my survival kit, and dash to my child's room," one user wrote in the review of Taiwan Earthquake Quick Alert, currently one of the most-downloaded apps for iPhones in Taiwan which issues a countdown to the first shock waves.

Quake warning app demand surges in earthquake-rattled Taiwan

A delegation of the Near East South Asia (NESA) Centre for Strategic Studies, a pre-eminent institution of the US Department of Defense (DoD), visited Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on Wednesday and joined an interactive session with officials of the mission.
Dr. Hassan Abbas, the distinguished professor of the NESA Centre for Strategic Studies, led the 46-member team. The delegation comprised of participants of 28 countries in a seminar organised by the NESA Centre in Washington DC, said a press release.
Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Muhammad Imran welcomed the NESA Centre delegation at the embassy and presented a keynote speech at the event.
In his keynote speech, Ambassador Imran highlighted the history of Bangladesh and the country&rsquo;s recent socioeconomic development. He also focused on the Rohingya crisis issue, Bangladesh&rsquo;s success in countering terrorism and extremism and the progress on Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF).
The ambassador stressed the need for undertaking coordinated and concerted efforts by all countries to effectively address the global challenge of terrorism. Terrorism is a global challenge and no country can handle the challenge alone, he said.
While talking about the protracted Rohingya crisis, Ambassador Imran reiterated Bangladesh&rsquo;s stance on durable and dignified repatriation of all displaced Rohingya people to their homeland in the Rakhine State of Myanmar.
If the problem persists further, it may affect the security and stability of the entire region and jeopardize development initiatives, he said.
While addressing the interactive session at the Bangabandhu Auditorium in Embassy, Dr. Abbas, highly commended Bangladesh&rsquo;s success in combating terrorism, violent extremism as well as climate change challenges.
Referring to Bangladesh&rsquo;s rich history, culture and heritage, he said he was highly inspired by the historical figures of Bangladesh in his personal and professional life.
Dr Abbas said his institution&mdash; NESA Centre for Strategic Studies &mdash; is looking forward to closer relationship between Bangladesh and the United States and wished more prosperous and developed Bangladesh.
First Secretary of the Mission Wahiduzzaman Noor highlighted the various initiatives and successes of Bangladesh in combating terrorism and extremism before the delegation.
First Secretary of the Mission Ataur Rahman moderated the event, while Counsellor and Head of Chancery Shamima Yasmin Smriti was in the overall coordination of the session.

US NESA Centre delegation praises Bangladesh’s success in combating terrorism

Russian military personnel have entered an air base in Niger that is hosting US troops, a senior US defence official told Reuters, a move that follows a decision by Niger's junta to expel US forces from the country.
The military officers ruling the West African nation have told the US to withdraw its nearly 1,000 military personnel from the country, which until a coup last year had been a key partner for Washington's fight against insurgents who have killed thousands of people and displaced millions more.
A senior US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Russian forces were not mingling with US troops but were using a separate hanger at Airbase 101, which is next to Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, Niger's capital.
The move by Russia's military puts US and Russian troops in close proximity at a time when the nations' military and diplomatic rivalry is increasingly acrimonious over the conflict in Ukraine.
It also raises questions about the fate of US installations in the country following a withdrawal.
"(The situation) is not great but in the short-term manageable," the official said.
The Nigerien and Russian embassies in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The US and its allies have been forced to move troops out of a number of African countries following coups that brought to power groups eager to distance themselves from Western governments. In addition to the impending departure from Niger, US troops have also left Chad in recent days, while French forces have been kicked out of Mali and Burkina Faso.
At the same time, Russia is seeking to strengthen relations with African nations, pitching Moscow as a friendly country with no colonial baggage in the continent.
Mali, for example, has in recent years become one of Russia's closest African allies, with the Wagner Group mercenary force deploying there to fight jihadist insurgents.
Russia has described relations with the United States as "below zero" because of US military and financial aid for Ukraine in the war now approaching the end of its second year.
The US official said Nigerien authorities had told President Joe Biden's administration that about 60 Russian military personnel would be in Niger, but the official could not verify that number.
After the coup, the US military moved some of its forces in Niger from Airbase 101 to Airbase 201 in the city of Agadez. It was not immediately clear what US military equipment remained at Airbase 101.
The United States built Airbase 201 in central Niger at a cost of more than $100 million. Since 2018 it has been used to target Islamic State and al Qaeda affiliate Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) fighters with armed drones.
Washington is concerned about Islamic militants in the Sahel region, who may be able to expand without the presence of US forces and intelligence capabilities.
Niger's move to ask for the removal of US troops came after a meeting in Niamey in mid-March, when senior US officials raised concerns including the expected arrival of Russia forces and reports of Iran seeking raw materials in the country, including uranium.
While the US message to Nigerien officials was not an ultimatum, the official said, it was made clear US forces could not be on a base with Russian forces.
"They did not take that well," the official said.
A two-star US general has been sent to Niger to try and arrange a professional and responsible withdrawal.
While no decisions have been taken on the future of US troops in Niger, the official said the plan was for them to return to US Africa Command's home bases, located in Germany.

Russian troops enter base housing US military in Niger, US official says

Shamsunnahar Seba

With the world yet to be civilized enough to see a girl as a human being akin to a man, &ldquo;Laapataa ladies&rdquo; played the role of a wake-up call, alerting those oblivious to the struggles of girls living in the lowest echelons of our multi-layered society.
Just as the life of Jaya, who was barred from pursuing her dreams despite showing potential, sheds light on the struggles of Afghan girls who are prevented from continuing their studies after completing their academic year in schools.
Meanwhile, Phool, one of the two brides who were swapped, leading to the exposure of the flaws of patriarchal society that sets norms to handicap women for its survival, represents those who are unaware of their rights.
She was content with society until she had to face the world alone. Phool found herself unable to take a single step without the support of others, making her realize the hypocrisy of the paternalistic patriarchal society.
It showcases the independent nature of women through the portrayal of Manju Maai, who embodies strength and humanity simultaneously.
Apart from depicting the harsh reality, the movie possesses every element to captivate an audience. Especially, the love story of Deepak and Phool touches the hearts of the audience and provides satisfaction with their reconciliation. The joyful moments of people with limited or no access to entertainment uphold the notion that wealth or fame has nothing to do with happiness. It can be attained anywhere through the right approach to life.
Additionally, the flawless cinematography lends the movie a semblance of reality. Director Kiran Rao did not compromise on the length, cast, or timing required to film the perfect version of the movie.
Kiran Rao, the ex-wife of Bollywood actor Amir Khan, has already garnered acclaim both domestically and internationally for this outstanding movie. I believe the movie will surely endure beyond its time, much like the struggle of women.

Laapataa Ladies: Heart wrenching yet wonderful

After a relentless month of fierce heatwave, Dhaka finally witnessed the much-desired rain, bringing a breath of cool relief.&nbsp;
The first drops fell around 9 pm on Thursday, as if the sky itself sighed in relief.&nbsp;
Across the capital, the rains whispered their arrival. The evening had already cloaked the city in heavy clouds, with occasional flashes of lightning piercing the gathering darkness, hinting at the impending downpour.&nbsp;
The Meteorological Department had forecasted this welcome change, signaling it as the clouds began to rumble in the evening. Lightning flickered, lighting up the sky, a prelude to the rain that would soon quench the heat-oppressed city.&nbsp;
The promise of rain lifted spirits, and prompted some to prepare to step out and embrace the cooling showers.&nbsp;
The lightning and the patter of rain gradually quieted, leaving behind a serene hush over Dhaka. Streets, dusty and dry till this evening, now glistened under the lamplight, reflecting the calm after the storm. The fleeting showers, though short-lived, provided a temporary escape from the persistent heat, whispering promises of cooler days ahead.

Rain arrives in Dhaka after prolonged heatwave

Palestinians may be gratified to see American university campuses erupt in outrage over Israel's offensive in Gaza, but some in the embattled enclave are also wondering why no similar protests have hit the Arab countries they long viewed as allies.
Demonstrations have rocked US universities this week, with confrontations between students, counter protesters and police, but while there have been some protests in Arab states, they have not been nearly as large or as vociferous.&nbsp;
"We follow the protests on social media every day with admiration but also with sadness. We are sad that those protests are not happening also in Arab and Muslim countries," said Ahmed Rezik, 44, a father of five sheltering in Rafah in Gaza's south.&nbsp;
"Thank you students in solidarity with Gaza. Your message has reached us. Thank you students of Columbia. Thank you students," was scrawled across a tent in Rafah, where more than a million people are sheltering from Israel's offensive.&nbsp;
Reasons for the comparative quiet on Arab campuses and streets may range from a fear of angering autocratic governments to political differences with Hamas and its Iranian backers or doubts that any protests could impact state policy.&nbsp;
American students at elite universities may face arrest or expulsion from their schools, but harsher consequences could await Arab citizens protesting without state authorisation.
And US students may feel more motivation to protest as their own government backs and arms Israel, while even those Arab countries that have full diplomatic relations with it have been strongly critical of its military campaign.&nbsp;
When asked about the conflict, Arabs from Morocco to Iraq have consistently voiced fury at Israel's actions and solidarity with Gaza's embattled inhabitants, leading to muted Ramadan celebrations across the region last month.&nbsp;
Some rallies to support Palestinians have erupted, notably in Yemen where the Houthis have joined the conflict with strikes on shipping in the Red Sea.&nbsp;
And Arabs around the region have also shown their horror at the war and support for their fellow Arabs in Gaza on social media, even if they have not taken to the streets.&nbsp;
But whatever the reason for the lack of public protests, some people in Gaza are now drawing unfavourable comparisons between the tumult in the United States and the public reaction they can see in other Arab countries.&nbsp;
"I ask Arab students to do what the Americans have done. They should have done more for us than the Americans," said Suha al-Kafarna, displaced by the war from home in northern Gaza.&nbsp;
PUBLIC OPINION
In Egypt, which made peace with Israel in 1979 and where President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has largely outlawed public protests, the authorities fear that demonstrations against Israel could later turn against the government in Cairo.&nbsp;
At state-sanctioned protests over the war in October, some demonstrators veered off the agreed route and started chanted anti-government slogans, prompting arrests.&nbsp;
"One cannot see the lack of large public protests against the war and the muted reaction on the Egyptian street in isolation from a broader context of crackdown on all forms of public protest and assembly," said Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights.&nbsp;
At the American University in Cairo security forces are less likely to intervene on campus and there have been some protests. But a student activist there who requested anonymity said they could still face consequences for demonstrating.&nbsp;
"Being arrested here is nothing like being arrested in the US It's completely different," he said, adding that there was "the factor of fear" preventing many from taking to the streets.&nbsp;
In Lebanon, where success in studies has become even more personally important to many young people after years of political and economic crises that have shrunk their shot at future prosperity, that calculation is even tougher.&nbsp;
Several students Reuters approached at campus protests in Beirut declined to be interviewed, saying they feared repercussions from university authorities.&nbsp;
The complex histories of Lebanon and other Arab states such as Jordan that host many Palestinian refugees also play into the question of public protests.&nbsp;
In Lebanon, some people blame Palestinians for triggering the 1975-90 civil war. Others fear any overt displays of support for Palestinians might be hijacked by the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has been trading fire with Israel since the start of the Gaza conflict.&nbsp;
"The Arab world is not reacting like Columbia or Brown (US universities) because they don't have the luxury to do so," said Makram Rabah, a history professor at the American University of Beirut.&nbsp;
Besides, he added, with public opinion already largely backing the Palestinian cause it was not clear what protests there would achieve.&nbsp;
"The dynamics of power and the way you change public perception are just different in the Arab world compared to the US," he said.

Why Palestinians can count on American students but not Arab allies to protest

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Thursday said the government has taken plan to build open jail in Bangladesh like those in the developed countries.
He said this in reply to a query from ruling Awami League MP Mamunur Rashid Kiran elected from Noakhali-3.
The Home Minister said that 160 acres of land has been acquired in Ukhiya Upazila of Cox's Bazar district for the construction of an open jail following the model of Malaysia's Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP).
&ldquo;The construction of the open jail will start soon,&rdquo; he said.
In response to the question of Nizam Uddin Hazari, another ruling AL MP from Feni-2, the Home Minister said that 83,577 posts have been increased in the Bangladesh Police in the past three terms of the current government in order to modernise the Bangladesh Police Force.
&ldquo;Recruitment of manpower to these posts has been ensured through a transparent and corruption-free process,&rdquo; he said.
The minister said that the process of adding two sophisticated helicopters is underway to prevent criminal activities and conduct operations and transform the Bangladesh Police into a three-dimensional force.
&nbsp; He said that with the aim of making the police a smart force, various types of modern firearms are being given to them.
For example, the home minister said that 7.62 mm rifles are currently being used instead of the previous .303 rifles.
Also, policemen are being supplied with necessary ammunition including 7.62/9 mm pistol, 9 mm SMG, .45 inch SMG, 12 bore shotgun, 38 mm tear gas, gas gun/launcher.
In response to the question of AL MP Mahbubur Rahman from Chattogram-1, the Home Minister said Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been equipped with modern weapons, vehicles, aircraft and watercraft.
State-of-the-art weapons including 40 ALCOTAN, 12 ATGW, 132 Sniper Rifles, 3 AAMG, 28 APC Amors have been added to BGB.
The vehicles include 259 ATVs, 10 Riot Control Vehicles (RCV), 40 Armored Personal Carrier (APC), among others.
Three helicopters were also included in BGB.
Among the vessels, there are 87 speed boats, 12 high-speed engine boats, 4 air boats, 1 logistics ship, 5 pontoons, 25 motor launches, 4 petrol boats, 15 rescue boats, and 2 water carrier vessels.
In response to the question of AL MP Morshed Alam from Noakhali-2, the Home Minister said, for the first time in the country, seven grams of black cocaine was recovered by the Department of Narcotics Control on December 11, 2023.
&nbsp;

Govt plans to build open jail in Cox's Bazar’s Ukhiya: Home Minister

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia returned to her Gulshan residence on Thursday night after receiving treatment for just a day at Evercare Hospital in the capital.
"She was discharged from the hospital as per the advice of the medical board. The board took the decision after reviewing her medical test reports," said her personal physician, AZM Zahid Hossain.
He said the BNP chairperson will now be provided with proper treatment at home.
The BNP chief left the hospital at 8:20 pm and reached home around 9:00 pm, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.
Earlier on Wednesday night, Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital and placed in the CCU following the advice of the medical board.
She was shifted to a cabin from the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) in the afternoon.
Dr Zahid said the BNP chief underwent several urgent tests on Wednesday night.
Based on the test reports, the medical board determined her next course of medical treatment.
Since her conditional release from prison in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving medical care at the hospital under the supervision of a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.
The 79-year-old former prime minister has long been battling various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and issues related to the kidney, lung, heart, and eyes.
Khaleda's physicians have been advocating for her treatment abroad since she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in November 2021.
On October 26 last year, three US specialist doctors performed the hepatic procedure known as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS procedure) to alleviate fluid accumulation in Khaleda Zia&rsquo;s abdomen and chest, as well as to address bleeding in her liver.

Khaleda returns home from hospital

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation, led by Chris Papageorgiou, engaged in discussions with key Bangladeshi energy officials on Thursday. The meetings, centered around the pressing financial challenges in the country&rsquo;s power and energy sectors, remained closed to the media.
The delegation first met with officials from the Power Division, led by Power Secretary Habibur Rahman, before progressing to talks with the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, and concluding with Petrobangla, the nation&rsquo;s energy corporation.
Despite the high-profile meetings, officials were tight-lipped about the discussions. "Right at this moment it&rsquo;s really tough to comment on the issues discussed in the meeting,&rdquo; Rahman told UNB, reflecting the general reluctance among the participants to disclose any outcomes.
Sources close to the matter indicate that the primary focus of the discussions was on reducing the subsidies provided in the power and energy sector and adjusting power and gas tariffs accordingly. The IMF voiced concerns over pending dues amounting to approximately Tk 50,000 crore ($5 billion), pressing for a detailed plan on how the government intends to settle these substantial bills.
The IMF's visit forms part of a broader review of Bangladesh's adherence to economic commitments, including the implementation of an automated price adjustment system for petroleum fuels and recent hikes in power and gas prices aimed at curbing financial losses. Despite these measures, the disparity between government spending and income in these sectors continues to necessitate significant subsidies.
The ongoing negotiations also touched on the necessity of further tariff adjustments as a means to bridge the financial gap, a stance that the IMF has consistently maintained. As Bangladesh navigates these economic reforms, it anticipates the next installment of the IMF&rsquo;s $4.7 billion loan, with hopes pinned on an upcoming tranche worth around $690 million.
Previously, the IMF had disbursed an initial $476 million in January 2023, following the government's commitment to economic reforms, and a subsequent $690 million in December 2023, despite not meeting revenue and forex reserve targets.

IMF wants to know govt plan on settling energy dues

The authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have published a list of 80 Saudi companies that are keen to invest in various sectors of Bangladesh, said Salman F Rahman, Private Industry and Investment Adviser to the Prime Minister.
Salman, who is currently visiting Saudi Arabia, attended meetings with the Saudi Ministers and various important persons in the country and discussed potential investment opportunities in Bangladesh.
After attending the special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Salman held these meetings with Saudi officials, according to a press release on Thursday.
He also met with the Chief of Staff and Secretary General of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saad Alkroud.
&ldquo;PIF Secretary General praised the economic development of Bangladesh and gave this information in a meeting: 80 Saudi companies have expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh,&rdquo; Salman said.
He said Saudi Arabia is interested in energy cooperation with Bangladesh. Saudi Arabia's Assistant Minister of Energy, Mohammed Al Ibrahim, said that the Saudi government is actively considering the proposal to buy crude oil on a deferred payment basis from Bangladesh. At this time, they discussed various issues of partnership between the two countries.

80 Saudi companies keen to invest in Bangladesh: Salman F Rahman

Press Release

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has called upon the UK government to collaborate with Bangladesh to establish a peaceful and conflict-free world and to put an end to the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
During his speech as the Guest of Honour at a high-profile diplomatic reception hosted by Bangladesh High Commission, London to celebrate the 54th Independence and National Day of Bangladesh on Wednesday, the Foreign Minister emphasized the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in conflict zones worldwide, including Gaza and Ukraine, reads a press release.&nbsp;
He stressed that stopping the killing of innocent people is crucial to restoring normalcy and establishing peace.&nbsp;
Speaker of the UK&rsquo;s Parliament Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle was the Chief Guest at the event where Leader of the House of Commons Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt, UK FCDO Minister for Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and United Nations Lord Tariq Ahmad, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed, and Chairman of All-party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh Rushanara Ali spoke as special guests.&nbsp;
International Affairs Adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Dr Gawher Rizvi, Former Foreign Minister and Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs Dr AK Abdul Momen and State Minister for Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury attended the reception.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem gave welcome remarks at the reception held at the historic Churchill Room of Queen Elizabeth II sited in a magnificent setting centering the British Parliament.&nbsp;
In his speech, the Foreign Minister Dr Mahmud paid profound homage to Bangladesh's Founding Father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the 3 million martyrs, and the valiant freedom fighters of the 1971 War of Liberation. He expressed his gratitude to the UK Government, its citizens, and the British-Bangladeshi diaspora for their support during Bangladesh's War of Liberation, and pledged to elevate Bangladesh-UK historical relations to new heights under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He paid tribute to British Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath, who warmly welcomed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib as the President of independent Bangladesh at No 10 Downing Street on 8 January 1972.&nbsp;
The Minister also paid tribute to the then opposition Leader and two-time British Prime Minister Sir Harold Wilson, who welcomed Bangabandhu in London and later mourned his brutal assassination on 15 August 1975.
&ldquo;Bangabandhu&rsquo;s shared values of democracy, secularism and progressive aspirations with these stalwart British leaders and his special love and affection for his British Bangladeshi compatriots set the foundation of today&rsquo;s Bangladesh-UK friendship&rdquo;, he said.
Dr. Mahmud thanked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for emphasizing his commitment to enhancing the economic and security partnership between Bangladesh and the UK in his congratulatory letter to Prime Minister Hasina after the national election on 7 January 2024.&nbsp;
He stated that Prime Minister Hasina remains dedicated to strengthening their robust trade, investment, aviation, climate, defence, security, and migration cooperation to the next level in her current term, as agreed upon by the two Prime Ministers in London last May.
The minister termed the UK as a true friend of Bangladesh and hoped that Bangladesh-UK friendship would continue to thrive, as they are an important partner in ensuring peace, prosperity, and security in the Bay of Bengal and a free, open, peaceful, and secure Indo-Pacific region.&nbsp;
He also emphasized the importance of the UK's support in the early repatriation of 1.2 million Rohingyas back to their ancestral home in Myanmar.
In his speech, he highlighted the sustained economic growth of Bangladesh over the past one and a half decades under the globally acclaimed dynamic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who has leapfrogged Bangladesh from 41st to the world&rsquo;s 34th largest economy- just over the past decade. Today, the world has its eyes on Bangladesh, which is set to become the 9th largest consumer market by 2030, and a tech-based &lsquo;Smart Bangladesh&rsquo; by 2041.&nbsp;
The minister commended the Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK for launching the 'Bangabandhu-Edward Heath Friendship Award' and the 'Bangabandhu-Harold Wilson Friendship Award.'&nbsp;
Speaker of the UK's Parliament Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle in his speech paid tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and recalled the contribution of the British-Bangladeshis to the War of Liberation in 1971.&nbsp;
He reaffirmed that the UK would remain a steadfast partner of Bangladesh efforts towards a developed country.
Penny Mordaunt commended Bangladesh's recent progress and assured that the UK would collaborate with Bangladesh to build a better and prosperous future.&nbsp;
He also praised the significant role of the British-Bangladeshi diaspora for their contribution to the UK&rsquo;s economy and society.
Lord Tariq Ahmad lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for upholding the values and spirit of Bangabandhu in creating a self-sustaining, inclusive, and secular Bangladesh, which is now one of the world's most rapidly growing economies.&nbsp;
He said that Sheikh Hasina is a leader who showed the world the magnanimity of humanity by hosting over a million of Rohingya displaced from the country Myanmar.&nbsp;
Lord Tariq Ahmad also praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her efforts in upholding the values and ideals of Bangabandhu, which has resulted in a self-sustaining, inclusive, and secular Bangladesh.&nbsp;
He also highlighted Bangladesh's rapid economic growth, which has made it one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Lord Ahmad further acknowledged Sheikh Hasina's compassionate leadership in providing refuge to over a million Rohingya people who were displaced from Myanmar.
Paying deep homage to the Father of the Nation and 1971 martyrs, High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem in her welcome remarks said: &ldquo;Bangabandhu founded Bangladesh on democratic, secular, and progressive values. Now, as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina relentlessly strides to realise Bangabandhu's vision of a prosperous Bangladesh, the UK remains a crucial partner in achieving this goal&rdquo;.&nbsp;
The High Commissioner thanked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his congratulatory message to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following January election, and also recalled the bilateral meeting of the two Premiers where they agreed to take Bangladesh-UK relations to new heights towards a sustainable, greener and more prosperous future.&nbsp;
High Commissioner also thanked the UK Government for its continued support to the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh, and urged the UK to take stronger diplomatic leadership for the return of the Rohingyas to their ancestral home in Myanmar.&nbsp;
In her speech, the envoy thanking the Foreign Minister Lord David Cameron for his congratulatory message to Bangladesh Foreign Minister, also highlighted the significant collaborations between Bangladesh and the UK in various fields including in trade, investment, climate, aviation, and defence, and said that the first-ever home office dialogue between the two countries would be held later this month.
The Foreign Minister along with the UK&rsquo;s Speaker, High Commissioner and distinguished guests unveiled the exclusive &ldquo;Mujib and Britain&rsquo; publication by Bangladesh High Commission, London and handed over the Bangabandhu-Edward Heath Friendship Award&rsquo; and the &lsquo;Bangabandhu-Harold Wilson Award&rsquo; to two great friends of Bangladesh Lord Marland and Lord Swaraj Paul respectively to honour their extraordinary contributions in promoting Bangladesh-UK Friendship.
The event's highlights included an Exhibition on Bangabandhu, a colourful cultural performance by British-Bangladeshi prominent performers; and a traditional Bangladeshi Saree exhibition. It was well attended by the vibrant presence of a distinguished selection of guests including UK parliament members, UK government officials, eminent British Politicians, high commissioners and ambassadors, senior representatives from Commonwealth and International Maritime Organisation (IMO), and representatives from the diplomatic missions in London, think tanks, members of the media, academia as well as members of the Bangladesh community in the UK.

Bangladesh wants UK on its side to end war in Gaza for world peace: FM Hasan in London

Speakers at a panel discussion in Dhaka on Thursday said there is no alternative to freedom of the press and freedom of expression to ensure democracy.
It is also imperative that the safety and freedom of the press be prioritised to tackle the ongoing environmental crisis and natural disasters, they said.
Marking World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2024, speakers made these remarks at panel discussions organised jointly by UNESCO, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), and Article 19 at MIDAS Centre in Dhaka&rsquo;s Dhanmondi on Thursday.
The discussions centred on the WPFD theme of this year, &ldquo;A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis.&rdquo; There were two separate panel discussions where the panellists talked about issues like the ongoing oppression against journalists and their safety concerns in the context of climate-related issues, freedom of expression and the press, tackling misinformation, and access to information.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, TIB executive director,, said, &ldquo;In the period from 2022 to 2023, while covering environmental issues, there were 23 attacks on the media, resulting in the torture of 43 journalists.
Between 2016 to 2021 alone, 12 individuals, including environmental rights activists, were killed for protesting against coal-based plants.&rdquo;
He further stated that those who are legally responsible for protecting the environment are the ones leading the destruction of the environment. Therefore, it is imperative to create an environment where journalists and civil society organisations can play their active roles. But in reality, such space is being shrunk by the use of repressive acts like the Digital Security Act.
Taking part in the &ldquo;zero-sum political game,&rdquo; journalists and rights activists are harassed by misusing laws, which ultimately benefits a certain faction. The harassment of media workers and civil society actors has been normalised through this process, he added.
There are additional risks while reporting on land grabbing, water bodies' destruction, or the construction of training centres by taking over protected land. To tackle such challenges, those who are responsible in the government have to respect the commitment to freedom of press and speech enshrined in the constitution, so journalists and activists working on environmental issues do not become the victims of "shoot the messenger".
Speaking at the opening session, Susan Vize, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh, said, &ldquo;Raising public awareness about climate change and other environmental issues in Bangladesh is critical to achieving behavioural change. The media remains the single most influential source of credible public information. WPFD 2024 aims to build the capacity of Bangladesh&rsquo;s media to ensure accurate and impactful coverage of the current environmental crises.&rdquo;
Alexandra Berg von Linde, Ambassador to Bangladesh, Sweden Embassy, said, &ldquo;Public interest is inextricably linked to climate change and environmental degradation. The negative effects of climate change are becoming more visible, affecting people's daily lives. People want to know about the results and effects of negative climate change. Freedom of the media and the ability to report independently on all such matters of public interest are important elements of democracy.&rdquo;
Responding to a question about the misuse of repressive acts (ICT, DSA and CSA) and the safety concerns of journalists, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad A Arafat said, &ldquo;We always talk about ensuring freedom of the press. However, in some cases, vested interests exploit this freedom to publish agenda-driven news and disseminate misinformation. Instances of such misinformation regarding Rampal or Adani power plants have been observed. Therefore, alongside ensuring media freedom, accountability must also be ensured.
"If media freedom is misused to spread false information or disinformation, appropriate legal action should be taken. However, I will take necessary steps to ensure the protection of journalists in the country who report on environmental crises or climate issues based on truth and scientific evidence.&rdquo;
The first panel discussion titled &ldquo;A Press for the Planet: Free Press and Freedom of Expression in the Context of the Current Global Environmental Crisis&rdquo; kicked off with the presentations of Shamsuddin Illius, bureau chief of Chattogram, The Business Standard, and Usraat Fahmidah, freelance journalist, regarding the challenges of journalism in environmental issues and training young journalists.
The second panel discussion focused on the safety issues of journalists under the theme of &ldquo;Media Defence for Crisis Reporting,&rdquo; where journalists and experts from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka participated.
&nbsp;

No alternative to press freedom to ensure democracy: Speakers

Maximum temperature in the country started falling on average one or two degrees Celsius from today, the Met Office said predicting temperature may dip more from 5 May as almost all parts of the country may witness much awaited rainfall. &nbsp; "Maximum temperature has started one or degree Celsius . . . it is an indicator that rainfall is likely to occur from May 5 in most areas in the country," Md Omar Faruq, a meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) told BSS today.
Analyzing the mathematical model of rainfall index, he said, Bangladesh may witness heavy to very heavy downpour from the next three or four days meaning intense of heat will decrease significantly providing some relief as the entire country braced for more extreme heat since 1 April.
Large swaths of Khulna and Rajshahi division are sweltering through a heatwave as the Met office logged highest temperature above 40 degree Celsius in most stations located in the two divisions since 1 April, Omar said predicting rains are likely to occur in different areas of the two division.
"Northeastern, central parts including Sylhet division and some parts of Mymensingh and Dhaka division are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall from 2 May," Dr Abul Kalam Mallik, BMD meteorologist said.
The meteorologist attributed uncomfortable feelings of unbearable hot-weather to high humidity persisting in the air during the afternoon and evening period suggesting avoiding movement between 12 noon to 4pm as the sunlight is getting too hot as it (the Sun) provides sunlight vertically with intense heat.
"Normally we record temperature from the air," Mallik said the highest temperature was found between 12 noon and 4pm because of vertical position of the Sun.
Analyzing humidity indexes, Mallik continued, "There is a close relation of temperature and humidity . . . discomfort feelings will increase, if high humidity persists in the air with high temperature. "Although temperature decreases after 4pm, but we feel very hot weather due to high humidity," he added. &nbsp; The Met Office today recorded 41.7 degree Celsius at Chuadanga, the highest temperature of the current year while the temperature in Dhaka was recorded at 37.9 degrees Celsius but the high humidity has exposed the residents to massive discomfort.
The BMD official said the country witnessed the longest duration of the heatwave for the past 30 days since April 1 and the met office warned the phenomenon would continue throughout the next month.
"But unlike the previous heatwaves, this year it spread all over the country," commented meteorologist Abul Kalam Mollik, who was supported by Zebunnesa as well.
Visibly for the first time the meteorologists acknowledged that the climate change phenomenon caused the erratic weather pattern with gradually expanding areas of heatwave, joining the voice with the climate experts and activists.
According to the weather bulletin of BMD issued here today, very severe heat wave is sweeping over the districts of Jashore, Khulna, Chuadanga, Pabna and Rajshahi and severe heat wave is sweeping over the districts of Tangail, Faridpur, Gopalgonj and rest parts of Khulna division.
Mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping elsewhere over the country and it may abate from some places over eastern part of the country, the bulletin said adding day temperature may fall slightly over western part and it may fall by (1-2)oC elsewhere over the country
April is typically hot in Bangladesh as it is in other South and Southeast Asian countries, but according to meteorologists, temperatures this month have been unusually high which was highlighted by international media outlets as well.
According to the New York Times, hundreds of millions of people in South and Southeast Asia were suffering from a grueling heatwave that has forced schools to close, disrupted agriculture, and raised the risk of heat strokes and other health complications.
The recent report also specially acknowledged the Bangladesh scenario saying temperature in some areas soared above 42 degrees Celsius but the "numbers don't quite capture how extreme humidity makes the heat feel even worse".
The schools across the country were closed due to the extreme weather but students are struggling to or doing anything at home as well.
The heatwave has forced the healthcare facilities to take emergency measures to provide medical services with higher number of patients reporting to hospitals with heat-related ailments since the beginning of April while the children and elderly people appeared as the most vulnerable during this prolonged hot weather.
"Large numbers of people are becoming ill with heatstroke, dehydration, exhaustion and breathing problems and they are suffering from other heat-related diseases as well," Director of Mugda Medical College and Hospital Dr Md Niatuzzaman told BSS.
The other hospitals and healthcare facilities including Shishu Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital and International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) reported identical scenarios.
"Nearly, 500 diarrhoea patients have been admitted to the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B). A significant number of patients are getting admission to ICDDRB daily," ICDDR'B spokesman AKM Tariful Islam Khan said. &nbsp; The health ministry issued a directive to take extra measures to face the crisis in hospitals across the country.
Doctors suggested people to stay indoors as much as possible and wear weather-suitable clothes during exposure to sun to protect themselves from heatstroke and take rest after one or two hours during working period alongside consuming more liquid food beside water to avoid dehydration during the heatwave.
"Our brains can tolerate certain level of temperature, if it exceeds people may faint, suffer heatstroke besides suffering from dehydration causing electrolyte imbalance and other complications including kidney dysfunction," former Suhrawardy Hospital director Professor Dr Khalilur Rahman said.

Temperature starts falling, may dip more from 5 May

Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali has sought increased support from the development partners including ADB to improve Bangladesh's food distribution system, develop market connectivity and scale up innovation in agriculture in the wake of climate challenges.
The Finance Minister said this while addressing a High-Level panel titled "Harvesting hope; ensuring a food secure, climate resilient Asia and the Pacific" as a distinguished speaker at the 57th annual meeting of ADB at Tbilisi in the capital of Georgia today. &nbsp; Ali is currently leading a seven-member Bangladesh delegation to the 57th annual meeting of ADB at Tbilisi, said a press release received here today.
In his remarks, the Finance Minister said despite being a land scarce country, Bangladesh emerged globally as the third largest producer of rice and vegetables by increasing food production, supporting agriculture and expanding social safety net programmes under the guidance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's inclusive development policies.
On the same day, The Finance Minister met ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa to discuss bilateral issues.
In the meeting with the ADB President, the Minister sought policy based lending (PBL) supports for undertaking trade policy, logistics, climate, and LDC graduation reforms.
He also requested ADB to increase concessional climate finance, facilitate cross-border energy trade, assist Bangladesh in its initiatives for tax sector reforms, undertaking projects for river restoration and developing some of the thrust sectors of its economy such as, jute, leather and tourism towards Bangladesh's drive for diversifying economy.
In response, the ADB President praised Bangladesh government's strong climate and development agenda, and assured ADB's continued support both in sovereign and non-sovereign resources, in Bangladesh's prioritized sectors.

Finance Minister seeks increased support from development partners to improve food distribution system

The price of gold has dropped for the consecutive eighth time as the Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) reduced prices again on Thursday (2 May).
The price of 22-carat gold was downed by Tk1,878 per bhori (11.664g).
Each carat of top-quality gold will now cost Tk1,09,163, BAJUS said in a statement on Thursday.
The new revised prices will be effective from 3 May, it said, adding that the price will remain in effect until further notice.
Meanwhile, each bhori of 21-carat gold will cost Tk1,04,194 while 18-carat gold&rsquo;s price now stands at Tk89,331.
The traditional gold price has been set at Tk 74,276. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Gold prices reduced for 8 times straight

Expatriate Bangladeshis sent $2.04 billion remittances in April, which is 21.3 per cent higher than the corresponding period of the preceding year.
The country received $1.68 billion remittances during the month of April, 2023.
According to bankers, the flow of remittances usually rises during Eid.
In March, remittances dipped below the $2 billion mark after two months amid the weakening of the dollar against the Taka.
Data from the Bangladesh Bank show expatriate Bangladeshis sent home $1.99 billion in March.

Remittance rises 21% in April

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto made it clear that his side won't make any experiment in the five-match series against Zimbabwe, despite taking it as the preparation platform for the T20 World Cup.
Considered as the third biggest cricket extravaganza, the T20 World Cup will be held in West Indies and USA from June 1-29. Apart from these five matches, Bangladesh will play three more T20 Internationals against hosts USA later this month.
Bangladesh are keen to sort out their shortcomings and other technical issues in these eight matches before the World Cup.
"World Cup is knocking at the door, so the series is a preparation platform for us. What matters is that how we would prepare ourselves and how we can gain the confidence," Shanto said in Chattogram today.
"While the World Cup preparation will be in our mind, at the same time, we want to win the series and that's our first goal. Normally when a preparation goes on, teams make experiment but I think there is no need to make any experiment because the 15 players who were included in this team, are capable enough to beat this Zimbabwe. I think the series will give us the insights about our shortcomings and where to focus to rectify our mistakes."
The selectors rested Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman for the first three matches. Shanto said when these two players will be included, the World Cup squad will be complete. According to him, there is hardly any chance that the squad will be changed, sans injury and other issues.
"The team that was given for this series, is originally the World Cup squad. Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman will be added later and may be one or two changes may come but I think it's the original squad barring injury and other issues," he said, adding that Saifuddin's inclusion after 18 months will bolster Bangladesh's lower order.
"A key component is T20 cricket is how the lower order fires. Our lower order batters -- Taskin, Shoriful, Rishad can bat well and when Saifuddin will be added, it will be a good lower order."
Shanto further said, lower order strength doesn't necessarily give every player the freedom to bat at his will.
"The thing is that everyone has a role in the team and he should play it well," he said. "The lower order's strength won't give you the license to come hard at the bowlers at will. Yes there is freedom to play the shots without any reservation but at the same time, there will be specific role for everyone. A boundary or over boundary from lower order always helps. So it's a good sign that our lower order can play shots."

Our first target is to win series against Zimbabwe: Shanto

India's Kerala state has closed all schools and colleges until Monday due to scorching temperatures, urging people in the coastal region to limit exposure to the sun and take care to prevent wildfires.
With most parts of India reeling from high temperatures, the weather department has forecast an unusually high number of heatwave days for April to June, as the country stages a general election that has seen a low voter turnout.
Heatwaves are rare in Kerala and data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows that the state recorded five heatwave days in April.
Referring to the current El Nino weather pattern, the IMD said on Wednesday that El Nino years typically have more heating, with hot and dry weather in Asia and heavier rains in parts of the Americas.
Fewer thunderstorms and an anti-cyclonic circulation near India's southeastern coast were causing heatwaves, the IMD said.
Kerala's state government on Thursday directed people to minimize exposure to the sun and urged authorities to monitor situations to avoid fires. With several districts issuing heatwave warnings, the government asked all educational institutions to be shut till Monday.
Heatwaves have forced school closures in parts of Asia and North Africa too, widening learning gaps between developing nations in the tropics and developed countries, experts told Reuters.
Local media reported that at least two people died earlier this week in Kerala, but authorities are yet to confirm if their death was due to extreme heat.
On Thursday, temperature in state capital Thiruvananthapuram touched 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) but the IMD said it felt like 46 (115) due to high humidity.
Soaring temperatures and dry spells have caused frequent forest fires in other parts of India, and the blazes have been worsened by people burning the forest to collect a flower used to brew alcohol in Odisha state.
&nbsp;

India's Kerala shuts schools, colleges amid sweltering heat

Special Correspondent

Forced mergers will not save poorly performing banks, said Dr Mohammed Farashuddin, veteran economist and former governor of Bangladesh Bank.
&ldquo;Mergers should be ensured through discussion among parties instead of enforcing force,&rdquo; he said while presenting a keynote at an event titled &ldquo;Conversation with ERF members&rdquo; arranged by the Economic Reporters&rsquo; Forum (ERF) in Dhaka on Thursday (2 May).
ERF General Secretary Abul Kashem moderated the event while ERF President Mohammad Refayet Ullah Mirdha chaired it.
&ldquo;The number of banks in Bangladesh has not exceeded the limit. But the pattern of loan disbursement is a major problem,&rdquo; he added.
Dr Mohammed Farashuddin said a bank branch in Bangladesh serves 15,000 people, while the number is around 12,000 in India and Pakistan.&nbsp;
&ldquo;So, there can be more bank branches in proportion to population but the distribution of deposits and loans should be balanced,&rdquo; he added.
For example, he said that many banks disbursed around 80% of their loans from the branch in Motijheel and the remaining 20% through the remaining branches across the country.
Highlighting the country&rsquo;s present economic condition, he said, &ldquo;Bangladesh is one of the many countries in the world that are maintaining the continuity of GDP growth for the last couple of decades. The economy of 16 countries was stable during the Covid-19 crisis and Bangladesh is one among these countries.&rdquo;
Bangladesh has been maintaining geopolitical balance, the former central bank governor said.
However, the economist has expressed concern over the rising and persistent inflation.
&ldquo;Bangladesh failed to reduce inflation while most economies all over the world have succeeded in taming commodity price hikes,&rdquo; he said, urging for coordination among fiscal and monetary measures and also effective market monitoring to reduce the price of the essential commodities.
Dr Farasuddin said, &ldquo;Ministers are saying that people are doing well even after inflation of 9.7%. &nbsp;That is unrealistic. Salaries for certain groups of people may have gone up a little but the majority is not better off due to this inflation.&rdquo;
He also said the central bank should have stronger rules from the Ministry of Finance for transparency in the financial sector.
&ldquo;The former finance minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhith announced the formation of the banking reform commission, but it was not done. This commission needs to be formed and active,&rdquo; he added.
Dr Farasuddin also said that there is no need for a reform commission if there is a strong central bank and an efficient finance ministry.
Expressing concern over the recent rise in inequality in the country, the former central bank governor said, &ldquo;When a capitalist economy grows, the kindness of people decreases.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Maybe that's what's happening now. That is why the inequality has increased,&rdquo; he added.

Forced mergers won’t save troubled banks: Farashuddin

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India's largest private port operator, posted a 76% rise in its fourth-quarter profit on Thursday, helped by record cargo volumes.
The company, which is part of billionaire Gautam Adani's conglomerate, said its consolidated net profit rose to 20.40 billion rupees ($244.6 million) in the quarter ended March 31, from 11.58 billion rupees a year earlier.
Adani Ports achieved its highest ever quarterly volumes at 109 million metric tonnes (MMT) in the January-March period, helping revenue rise by 19% to 68.97 billion rupees as business activities picked up pace in the early months of 2024.
APSEZ operates 13 ports and terminals in India, including the country's largest container handling port in Mundra in the western state of Gujarat.
The Adani group company last month said more than a fourth of India's cargo volumes was routed through its ports in FY24, while flagging a growing share of cargo volumes for its non-Mundra ports.
APSEZ handled 420 MMT cargo in FY24, surpassing its guidance of 370 MMT-390 MMT.
In March, the company said it would acquire 95% of Odisha's Gopalpur Port for $162 million to expand its east-coast presence.
Shares of APSEZ were up 1.5% after the company reported its results. So far this year, the stock has risen about 31%, outperforming a 4.5% gain in the blue-chip Nifty 50 index (.NSEI).
($1 = 83.3970 Indian rupees)

India's Adani Ports Q4 profit soars 76% on record cargo volumes

The death toll from the collapse of an expressway section in China's Guangdong province that caused vehicles to tumble down a slope has risen to 48, with rescue work hampered by mudslides, state media reported on Thursday.
The road collapsed in the wee hours of Wednesday, the first day of the five-day May Day holiday break as millions in the country travel.
The collapse, triggered by heavy rain, occurred at around 2:10 a.m. on the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway, Xinhua news agency reported, adding that 17.9 meters (58.7 feet) of the road gave way and caused 23 vehicles to plunge. Another 30 people sustained injuries, it said.
Meizhou is one of the areas in southern China's Guangdong that has been badly hit by heavy rain and hail since late April which set off dangerous mudslides, inundated homes and destroyed bridges.
Meizhou officials told a press conference on Thursday livestreamed on state broadcaster CCTV that 577 relief personnel and more than 80 rescue vehicles and equipment had been dispatched to the site but rescue work proved difficult as some vehicles were buried deep in the mud after their fall.
Video from state media showed a twisted metal guardrail and a big hole in the path of the forested green area where the collapse happened. Rescue personnel with cranes and excavators as well as a few damaged cars could also be seen.
Some vehicles fell and caught fire, according to social media accounts in China. A driver of a vehicle said in a video posted on Weibo he saw a crack in the road in front of him and mistook it for a puddle, but sped off before the road collapsed.
President Xi Jinping called for the utmost efforts to save lives and eliminate danger as rainy weather continued in the region, according to a Xinhua report.
Task forces from the central and local governments have been dispatched for the rescue work, the report added.
&nbsp;

Road collapse in southern China kills 48, state media reports

Rajshahi University (RU) has attained its place among 500 top universities in Asia.
Times Higher Education (THE), a periodical related to education based in the United Kingdom (UK), has recently published a ranking list of 2024 showing RU's place among 401-500.
In the list, 21 universities in Bangladesh including RU have come, said a press release issued by RU Public Relation Office here today.
The ranking list has been made based on some indicators, including education standard, teachers-students ratio, research standard and citation rate and international students. &nbsp;
Published in THE's website on April 30 the list showed RU, Dhaka University and Brac University grabbed the third position jointly among Bangladesh's universities.
The release added that RU Vice-chancellor (VC) Professor Golam Sabbir Sattar has joined a conference on 'Going Global Asia Pacific' held in Singapore in November 2022 and talked with the THE education and research officials about planning towards taking the RU to world standard through development.&nbsp;
Subsequently, the VC has adopted all sorts of time-fitting steps and implemented those efficiently.

RU among 500 top universities in Asia

UNB/AP

Over 1,000 pro-Palestinian protesters have been arrested in recent days according to US media reports, as the anti-war demonstrations at over 20 American universities continued on Tuesday.
Some schools including Columbia University, where the protests initially erupted, have seen a further intensification of the protests, while on some other campuses, the situation appears to be cooling down.
Early Tuesday, dozens of protesters at Columbia University's Manhattan campus moved furniture and metal barricades to block the entrance of Hamilton Hall, one of several buildings occupied by students during the 1968 civil rights and anti-Vietnam War protests.
Protesters formed a human chain in front of the building and said that they would only leave unless the school meets their demands, which include the university's divestment from Israeli-related companies, disclosure of all financial assets, and amnesty for students and faculty disciplined in the protests.
In a statement Tuesday, a Columbia spokesperson said that "students occupying the building face expulsion."
The university spokesperson stated that the protesters were offered an opportunity to depart peacefully and complete the semester. However, those who does not comply with the conditions outlined since Monday should face suspension.
"Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation -- vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances -- and we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday," the spokesperson said.
On Tuesday night, New York police entered Columbia University campus and started to make arrests after pro-Palestinian protesters refused to leave.
In light of the escalation, the White House expressed disapproval of the actions taken by the protesters at Columbia University.
"The president believes that forcibly taking over a building on campus is absolutely the wrong approach, that is not an example of peaceful protests," White House national security communications adviser John Kirby told reporters. "Taking over a building by force is unacceptable."
"A small percentage of students shouldn't be able to disrupt the academic experience, the legitimate study, for the rest of the student body," Kirby said.
At a demonstration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earlier Tuesday, police entered the protest camp and arrested about 30 people.
Later in the day, protesters returned to the site and replaced the American flag in the center of the campus with a Palestinian flag. They linked arms and formed a circle around the flagpole, and could be heard chanting "Intifada" and "Free Palestine," according to the school newspaper. Law enforcement officers later switched back to the American flag.
In the northwestern state of Oregon, protesters occupied a library at Portland State University overnight. On Tuesday, the university urged protesters to leave the library and asked the police for help.
Clashes between police and protesters turned violent in some cases. Police used riot gear and pepper spray to break up a protest at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond late Monday after protesters threw objects at officers and used chemical spray, officials said. Thirteen people, including six students, have been charged with unlawful assembly and trespassing.
Since protests broke out at Columbia University on April 18, more than 1,000 protesters have been arrested on over 20 U.S. college campuses in recent days, the New York Times reported.
While tensions have increased on some campuses, they appear to be cooling on others.
On Tuesday, police managed to end an eight-day occupation of the administration building at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. Protest camps at Yale University and the University of Pittsburgh also appeared to have been emptied.
Northwestern University announced an agreement with protesters late Monday, saying it would re-establish an Investment Responsibility Advisory Committee in the fall with participation of student, faculty and staff representatives.
The agreement calls for the removal of tents set up by protesters and in exchange, the school allows students to demonstrate peacefully on the grass until the end of the semester on June 1.
The multi-day wave of campus anti-war protests is a manifestation of young Americans' discontent with how the Biden administration is managing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
A recent CNN poll found that 71 percent of American adults surveyed were dissatisfied with the Biden administration's handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Among those under 35, 81 percent were dissatisfied.

Over 1,000 arrested so far in protests on US college campuses nationwide

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has renewed the Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) license of Fiber@Home Limited.
BTRC Chairman Engineer Mohiuddin Ahmed handed over the renewed license to Fiber@Home Limited on Thursday (2 May).&nbsp;
Fiber@Home Limited &nbsp;Managing Director Brigadier General Md Rafiqul accepted the renewed license on behalf of the company.
The commission has already granted NTTN license to six companies including three government and three private companies.
Fiber@Home Limited was the first among the private companies to get a license from BTRC for 15 years on 7 January, 2009.
The company's license was valid till 6 January this year.&nbsp;
Later, given the application for renewal on 12 November 2023, its NTTN license was renewed for the next 15 years &ndash; effective from 7 January this year.

BTRC renews Fiber@Home’s transmission license for 15 years

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is currently undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital, was shifted to a cabin from the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) on Thursday.
"Madam was previously in the CCU. The medical board has now shifted her to the cabin. She is receiving treatment under the close supervision of doctors in the cabin," Khaleda's personal physician Prof AZM Zahid Hossain told UNB.
In response to a question, Zahid said the BNP chief underwent several urgent tests on Wednesday night. &ldquo;Based on the test reports, the medical board is now giving her medical treatment.&rdquo;
Earlier on Wednesday night, Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital in the capital and placed in the CCU following the advice of the medical board.
Since her conditional release from prison in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving medical care at the hospital under the supervision of a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.
The 78-year-old former prime minister has long been battling various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and issues related to the kidney, lung, heart, and eyes.
Khaleda's physicians have been advocating for her treatment abroad since she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in November 2021.
On October 26 last year, three US specialist doctors performed the hepatic procedure known as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS procedure) to alleviate fluid accumulation in Khaleda Zia&rsquo;s abdomen and chest, as well as to address bleeding in her liver.

Khaleda moved to cabin from CCU

Milton Samadder, chairman of Child and Old Age Care, has been placed on a three-day remand in a case filed in connection with forging death certificates.&nbsp;
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court passed the order on Thursday (May 2) after police produced him in the court seeking a 7-day remand.
Earlier on the day, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Kamal Pasha at Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Detective Branch (DB) in Mirpur Zone filed the case against Milton at Mirpur Model Police Station.
Apart from this, two more cases on charges of human trafficking and illegal detention are under process, police said.
According to the case statement, &ldquo;Milton Samaddar used to forge death certificates of people who died in his shelter centre. He used to forge doctors&rsquo; signatures and seals in the death certificates of those who would die at the centre.
&ldquo;Milton Samadder is not a registered medical practitioner. No registered doctor has been appointed in his institution. He fraudulently made money by creating institutions in the name of child and old age care services.&rdquo;&nbsp;
It stated that Milton and his manager Kishore Bala cheated anonymous children and elderly people in the name of service to humanity.
A team of Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) detained Milton Samadder from Mirpur, Dhaka on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Milton Samadder on 3-day remand in death certificate forgery case

A lower turnout so far in India&rsquo;s long general election has rattled Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s campaign managers, raising into question whether his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies can achieve the landslide victory predicted by opinion polls just one month ago.
The lack of momentum has been partly blamed on apathy among party workers believing victory is assured and seems to have prompted Modi to change tack in his campaign speeches to try to fire up the Hindu majority, the party&rsquo;s support base, and get them out to voting stations, political analysts said.
The last major opinion poll had predicted that the BJP and its allies could win three-fourths of parliament's 543 seats at stake on the back of Modi's popularity, strong economic growth, handouts and the inauguration of a Hindu temple on a contested site in the Hindu majority country.
At the last election in 2019, the BJP won 303 seats and its allies won around 50 seats. Its slogan before this year's election began was "Ab ki baar, 400 paar" or "This time, above 400".
More than half a dozen BJP leaders and political analysts that Reuters spoke to said a lack of momentum in the two initial phases of the seven-phase election have dampened hopes of a huge majority for the party, although they said it was still likely to retain power in the world's most populous nation.
What could be affected is the BJP's aim to get a two-thirds majority in the chamber, or 362 seats, which would let the party usher in far-reaching constitutional changes.
"The fall in polling turnout is mainly due to apathy among party workers and voters," said Sanjay Sharma, one of the members of the BJP's campaign committee in the northern state of Haryana.
Some candidates were being affected by an anti-incumbency wave, he said, adding the party was facing a "tough fight" in the state where it won all ten parliamentary seats in 2019.
Modi himself has shifted in his campaign speeches from a focus on the administration's successes in his 10-year tenure to targeting minority Muslims and the opposition Congress party.
"After the first phase, we saw a definite change of strategy by the PM...delivering Islamophobic kind of speeches," said Arati Jerath, a Delhi-based political commentator.
"Obviously, he has now decided to polarise the campaign."
A total of 190 seats went to the polls on April 19 and 27 with approximate voter turnout at about 66%, the Election Commission has said. The number was only slightly lower than the last election in 2019, although there was a drop of 5-8 percentage points in voting in the BJP and allied-ruled states Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.
The BJP had been hoping for a high turnout, believing that would signal that its supporters had voted in force.
Polling ends on June 1 and votes will be counted on June 4. The government bans the publication of exit polls until all voting is concluded.
'BELOW EXPECTATIONS' Gopal Krishna Agarwal, BJP's national spokesman, said the voting numbers were "below expectations" but would not have much impact on the final results.
"Many voters have become lethargic as they are convinced about the victory of the party," he said.
The BJP's shift in tack may have backfired with some voters.
"We have lost interest because the BJP is seeking votes by communalising the campaign, and not on its performance," said Vikash Kumar, a voter in Rajnandgaon in the state of Chhattisgarh.
Kamal Abbas, a Muslim shopkeeper in the city of Lucknow, the capital of politically vital Uttar Pradesh state, reflected the sense of apathy. He said he would not waste time and money to travel to his hometown Prayagraj to vote as Modi's party was set to win the election.
"Minority votes do not stand anywhere in the majoritarian government... there is no point in wasting time," he said.
Anirudh Singh, one of the district campaign managers of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, said the party would have reaped rich electoral dividends if the election was held during February-March, when fervour over the construction of the Ram Temple was at its peak.
"The party has failed to encash public support for Modi after the inauguration of the temple," said Singh, noting that the religious feel-good mood had by and large been replaced by issues like jobs and inflation.
"So far there's neither a communal wave, nor a Ram wave, nor a Modi wave in the election,&rdquo; said Jerath, the political commentator, noting Modi would have to re-invigorate his party workers and supporters if he hoped for a sweep.
After being battered by Modi in the two last general elections, opposition parties are hopeful of a better performance.
The shift in the language and style of Modi's campaign reflected a sense of nervousness, said Jairam Ramesh, a Congress party general secretary.
"The initial voting trends show there is no Modi wave. In states where we were wiped out in 2019, this time the trends are encouraging," he said.
Gilles Verniers, a political analyst who teaches at Amherst College in Massachusetts, said the BJP appeared to have revised its expectations and was feeling a bit rattled at the moment.
"But it's still a very long campaign. There's still room for events and surprises that may alter the course of the election," he said.
"The balance of probability continues to tilt in favour of the BJP, but not maybe as strongly as they would have hoped."

Low turnout, apathy in India election a worry for Modi's campaign

The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) has argued that it is possible to withdraw the subsidy provided in the energy sector without raising power tariffs, as suggested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
&ldquo;The government can withdraw the power subsidy without hiking electricity prices by addressing issues such as irregularities, waste of resources, extravagance, and mismanagement prevailing in the sector,&rdquo; CAB&rsquo;s Energy Adviser M Shamsul Alam said on Thursday.
He read out a written statement from CAB at a press conference held under the banner &ldquo;Energy justice, not price hike, is needed to save the graft-hit electricity and fuel business&rdquo; at the auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity in Segunbagicha.
Earlier, on April 25, during a meeting with the budget sub-division under the Finance Division, the IMF delegation, which visited Bangladesh to evaluate the progress of conditions set as part of its $4.7 billion loan agreement, suggested that the government withdraw subsidies provided in the power, gas, and fertilizer sectors and adjust prices upward at the consumer level. The team also suggested using the money saved from the budget allocated as a subsidy in the social safety net.
The Finance Division informed the team that the government will continue subsidies in agriculture given the importance of ensuring food security.
Criticizing the government&rsquo;s response to the IMF proposal, the CAB energy adviser said, &ldquo;It seems the government is indifferent to ensuring energy security. Don&rsquo;t they understand that it is not possible to ensure food security if energy security is not ensured?&rdquo;
He further added, &ldquo;It would be possible to meet the deficit of around Tk40,000 crore without a price adjustment if the plundering expense and profit made in the energy sector could be prevented. But the IMF does not offer any such suggestion, as donor organisations like IMF want to turn Bangladesh into an export destination for electricity and fuel.&rdquo;
Speaking at the conference, Shamsul Huda, Executive Director of the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD), said, &ldquo;World Bank, IMF could not help any nation to be self-reliant, to come out of the crisis by providing them with loans since their century-old journey. So it is merely an injustice to create a burden for common people to meet their conditions to secure a loan.&rdquo;

CAB opposes IMF proposal to hike power tariff, withdraw energy subsidy

WHO Regional Director for Southeast Asia Saima Wazed addressed the Regional Consultation on WHO South-East Asia Priority Programme Initiative in New Delhi, marking a significant step in her first year of leadership.
Wazed's opening remarks came after completing the first quarter of her tenure, a period she described as full of learning and valuable interactions with Member States and the WHO team.
During the consultation, Wazed emphasised the creation of a roadmap for the Priority Programmes that will guide the strategic direction during her term. These programmes were developed with contributions from Member States, aiming to address key health issues across the region and achieve transnational and multigenerational benefits.
Wazed shared her vision for the region, focusing on a holistic approach to health and well-being.
She emphasised prioritising the health of women, children, and marginalised groups such as persons with disabilities and underscored the goal of achieving universal health coverage within primary health care.
The WHO Regional Director highlighted the need for strong partnerships and collaborations beyond traditional health system boundaries to address determinants of health outside these systems.
She stressed that in working with a new and expanded range of partners, WHO's technical leadership, drawn from an extensive network of health professionals, could enrich all collaborations.
The consultation will delve into technical and non-technical aspects necessary for promoting health and well-being in the region. Wazed called for country engagement and ownership of the regional Priority Programme Initiatives as a tactical strategy to meet these ends.
Participants are expected to discuss and contribute to the draft strategic framework known as the Regional Roadmap for Results and Resilience. This roadmap aims to drive results, promote resilience, and enhance the health and well-being of communities across the region. It is synchronised with the WHO 14th General Programme of Work to support the accelerated progress towards SDG3 through five key action points: Promote, Provide, Protect, Power, and Perform.
Reflecting on the collective effort required, Wazed stated, "The roadmap for these programmes is now in your hands. I urge all of you to take ownership of it. This is not my roadmap - it is ours. Please give it the best of your intuition, experience, and expertise."
As the region faces various public health challenges, Wazed's call to action sets a hopeful tone for strategic health improvements driven by local solutions and collaborative efforts across South-East Asia.

WHO Regional Director Saima Wazed calls for collaborative health leadership in South-East Asia

The price of a 12 kg cylinder of Liquefied petroleum gas has been reduced by Tk 49 from Tk1,442 to Tk1,393 for the month of May.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission announced the new rate on Thursday (2 May).
The new prices will be effective from this evening.
According to the announcement, the retail price of private LPG has been fixed at Tk116 per kg at the consumer level including tax.
Price of LPG supplied in liquid form by private companies in the reticulated system has been fixed at Tk112 per kg inclusive of the price.
Besides, the price of autogas has been fixed at Tk63.92 at the consumer level.
Earlier in April, the price of 12kg cylinder was reduced by Tk40 to Tk 1,442.

Price of 12kg LPG cylinder drops by Tk49

A senior US official on Thursday urged China and Russia to match declarations by the United States and others that only humans, and never artificial intelligence, would make decisions on deploying nuclear weapons.
State Department arms control official Paul Dean told an online briefing that Washington had made a "clear and strong commitment" that humans had total control over nuclear weapons, adding that France and Britain had done the same.
"We would welcome a similar statement by China and the Russian Federation," said Dean, principal deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence and Stability.
"We think it is an extremely important norm of responsible behaviour and we think it is something that would be very welcome in a P5 context," he said, referring to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
Dean's remarks come as the administration of US President Joe Biden tries to deepen separate discussions with China over both nuclear weapons policy and the growth of artificial intelligence.
The Chinese defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The spread of artificial intelligence technology surfaced during sweeping talks between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on April 26.
The two sides agreed to hold their first bilateral talks on artificial intelligence in the coming weeks, Blinken said, adding that they would share views on how best to manage risks and safety surrounding the technology.
As part of normalising military communications, US and Chinese officials resumed nuclear weapons discussions in January, but formal arms control negotiations are not expected any time soon.
China, which is expanding its nuclear weapons capabilities, urged in February that the largest nuclear powers should first negotiate a no-first-use treaty between each other.

US official urges China, Russia to declare only humans, not AI, control nuclear weapons

&lsquo;Synergy Solutions and Advisory Limited&rsquo; has started its journey as a business consulting firm.
&lsquo;Synergy&rsquo; will put forth a combined effort to bridge the link between public and private sectors, reads a press release.
The firm says they will significantly contribute to both business facilitation and sustainability, which will significantly help to improve the nation&rsquo;s &lsquo;Ease of Doing Business&rsquo; index as a whole.
In line with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s vision, &lsquo;Synergy Solutions and Advisory Limited&rsquo; is committed to facilitate Bangladesh on its path to become a developed and smart nation by 2041, the release added.
Wahid Haider, Synergy&rsquo;s Managing Director, said, &ldquo;From the experience of more than a decade and a half of working in various departments of different business organizations and multinational companies, we are today&rsquo;s &lsquo;Synergy&rsquo; and from our acquired experiences, we will move forward with the conviction of playing an instrumental role in the business world through Synergy.&rdquo;

Consulting firm Synergy begins journey

All primary and secondary level educational institutions which remained closed because of the countrywide heat wave will reopen on Saturday (4 April)
The Ministry of Education issued a notice in this regard on Thursday (2 May).
"Classes will resume from Saturday," reads the notice signed by the ministry&rsquo;s public relations officer MA Khayer.
Schools and colleges were scheduled to reopen on 21 April after the end of the Eid holidays but the closure was extended till 27 April due to sweltering heat across the country caused by heat waves.
Classes resumed on 28 April although there was no remarkable change in the heat wave condition, worrying the guardians, especially those of primary level students.
The authorities extended the closure of primary and secondary level educational intuitions till 2 May following a High Court order to keep those shut.
The HC passed the suo moto order following reports of death and sickness of people including teachers and students after the reopening of the educational institutions

Road accidents have increased due to govt’s negligence: Mirza Fakhrul

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