Mild to moderate heatwave is sweeping over eight&nbsp;divisions across the country, said met office forecast for the next 24 hours begins from 9am today.
"Mild to moderate heatwave is sweeping over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh,&nbsp;Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and it may continue," the forecast said.
Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur&nbsp;at one or two places over Sylhet division with hails at isolated places.
Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over&nbsp;the country, it added.
Trough of westerly low lies over West Bengal to North-west Bay.
Country's maximum temperature on Thursday was recorded 39.5 degree Celsius at&nbsp;Ishwardi and today's minimum temperature 24.0 degree Celsius was recorded at&nbsp;Tetulia.
Maximum rainfall for the last twenty-four hours till 6am today was recorded 3 millimeters (mm) at Rajshahi.
Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country. Due&nbsp;to increase of moisture incursion, the discomfort may persist.
The sun sets at 6:35 pm today and rises at 05.15 am tomorrow in the capital.

Mild to moderate heatwave sweeps over country

Dhaka has ranked 10th on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI index of 127 at 9:10am this morning (17 May).
Today&rsquo;s air was classified as 'unhealthy', according to the air quality index.
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered &lsquo;moderate&rsquo;, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, 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.
India&rsquo;s Delhi, Pakistan&rsquo;s Lahore and Democratic Republic of the Congo&rsquo;s Kinshasa occupied the first, third and fourth spots in the list, with AQI scores of 216, 188 and 174, respectively.
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.

Dhaka’s air quality ‘unhealthy’ this morning

Staff Correspondent

Prices of vegetables have been high in the kitchen markets of the capital despite a steady supply.
Visiting the capital's Karwan Bazar kitchen market on Friday (17 May), truckloads of goods were were seen to be unloaded and stacked on the side of the road.
Traders claim the supply from wholesale market to the retail market has been less than the demand.
"Even though there is sufficient supply of all products in the kitchen market, the prices of everything are high," complained a buyer named Amjad Hossain.
Meanwhile, vegetable trader Masum said, "Many vegetables are coming in the kitchen market. But it is less than the demand. So the price is a bit high. Basically, both production and import are less in summer. So the price always seems high to the customers."
Potatoes are being sold at Tk50-55 per kg. 
However, the price of onion has decreased slightly from Tk70 per kg and now it is being sold at Tk 55-60. 
Besides, the price of ginger and garlic has increased slightly. 
Ginger is selling at Tk240-280 per kg and garlic at Tk200-240 per kg.
Gourds are being sold at the rate of Tk70-80 per piece in the market, radish at Tk80 per kg, lemon at Tk40-50 per hali (set of four), bitter gourd at Tk80 per kg, brinjal at Tk100 per kg, radish at Tk60 per kg, Papaya at Tk100 per kg and pumpkin at Tk60 per piece.
Prices remain high in meat and fish markets
As before, beef is being sold at higher prices than the price set by the government.
Beef is being sold at Tk780-800 per kg, while mutton is being sold at Tk1150 per kg.
Besides, broiler chicken is being sold at Tk205-210 per kg.
Large and medium size hilsa are being sold at Tk1,400-2,000 per kg.

Vegetable prices high despite steady supply

The government has decided to appoint Major General Syed Tareq Hussain, OSP, awc, psc as the new ambassador of Bangladesh to Kuwait, said a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A decorated high official of Bangladesh Army, Major General Tareq was commissioned in 1989.
During his distinguished military career, he has served in various staff, instructional and command appointments.
Just before being deputed to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was serving as Senior Directing Staff of National Defense College.
His major assignments throughout the career include Commandant of Bangladesh Ordinance Factory, GOC of 19 Infantry Division and Commander of 44 and 72 Infantry Brigades.
Major General Tareq had also the distinct honour of serving in United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in Angola and C&ocirc;te d'Ivoire. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Major General Tareq had the unique opportunity to obtain graduate degrees from some of the most prestigious military institutions across the globe; namely Defence Services Command and Staff College in Mirpur, Bangladesh, Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, India and US Army War College in Pennsylvania.
He also obtained three post-graduation degrees- Masters in Defence Studies from National University of Bangladesh, Masters in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University, India and Masters in Strategic Studies from US Army War College. &nbsp;&nbsp;
In personal life, Major General Tareq is married to Bilkis Begum Simi and the couple is blessed with two daughters.
His favourite pass-times include reading books, listening music and playing golf.&nbsp;

Major General Syed Tareq Hussain appointed Bangladeshi ambassador to Kuwait

The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs is going to widen the service of its National Helpline "164300" to boost its effort to provide free legal aid to the people's doorstep.
The National Legal Aid Services Organisation (NLASO) is going to recruit six officials to give legal advice on a contractual basis to run the national helpline call centre, according to the ministry.
"After the appointment, citizens would be able to get free legal advice around the clock. People can dial the toll-free number "164300" from anywhere in the country and get legal advice," it said.
Law Minister Anisul Huq approved the necessary documents in this regard on May 15. He also asked the NLASO director to complete the appointment process very soon. At the time, he reiterated his call to take legal aid service to people's doorsteps to make it more successful.
Ministry sources said the responsibilities of the newly appointed officials would be to: receive phone calls, provide legal information, give legal counselling and aid, provide primary information on filing cases, forward any complaint regarding legal aid service via supervisor to appropriate authorities, and enter data regarding caller name, address, problem, and solution. To provide detailed information about where the indigent person can go or how to get legal aid, and to perform any other duties assigned by the National Legal Aid Agency.
The educational qualification for recruitment of legal counsel officers is - LLB (Honour's) or equivalent degree from a recognised university with a second-class or equivalent CGPA.
Candidates with experience working as advocates will be given preference in this regard.

Law ministry to expand duration of national helpline service to provide free legal aid

District Correspondent

At least five people were killed when a bus lost control and fell into a ditch in Chauddagram upazila of Cumilla.
The incident occurred in the Basantpur area of the upazila on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway early on Friday (17 May),&nbsp;Miabazar Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Lokman Hossain told media.
"A bus of Relax Paribahan was going from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar early on Friday morning.&nbsp;When the bus reached Basantpur area of Chauddagram upazila on the highway, it lost control and fell into the nearby ditch. 5 people died on the spot. About 15 people were injured," he added.
The injured were rescued and admitted to Chauddagram Upazila Health Complex.
Fire service and police are engaged in rescue operations at the scene.
&nbsp;

5 killed in Cumilla road accident

Congratulating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her reelection, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said he looks forward to working with PM Hasina to strengthen their bilateral relationship and together contribute to regional peace, prosperity and security.
&ldquo;As Indian Ocean nations, we share an interest in a region that is grounded in sovereignty, promotes the prosperity and security of our citizens, and addresses the threat of climate change," he said in a letter written to PM Hasina.
The Australian PM highlighted the importance of their partnership in promoting "peace, prosperity and security" in the Indian Ocean.
He affirmed his support for growing bilateral and regional cooperation between Australia and Bangladesh.
&ldquo;We have many common interests in increasing our trade and investment, promoting human rights, cooperating on people smuggling and addressing the Rohingya issue,&rdquo; Albanese wrote.
He, on behalf of the government and people of Australia, congratulated Sheikh Hasina on her reelection as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Awami League President and daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina took oath as the prime minister for the historic fifth time as well as her consecutive fourth term in January this year.

Australian PM together with PM Hasina keen to contribute to regional peace, prosperity, security

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday (16 May) expressed profound shock and sorrow and highly condemned the incident of shooting at Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic with an intention of killing him, according to a press release of Press Wing of PM.
In a letter addressed to President of the Slovak Republic, Zuzana Caputov, she said, "The people of Bangladesh and I are deeply shocked and alarmed to learn the heinous assassination attempt on the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico."
"I pray and hope for his quick and complete recovery, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family members and the people of Slovakia," she also said.
Sheikh Hasina continued: "Such a senseless act of violence is an&nbsp;assault on global democratic norms and values, and I condemn it in the&nbsp;strongest terms."
"I assure you that at this time of distress, we stand by the&nbsp;side of Slovakia," she said.

PM condemns attempt on life of Slovakian Premier

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said that environment-friendly, energy efficient green buildings are the need of the hour.
&ldquo;Along with saving energy in all areas, initiatives to make buildings energy efficient should also be continued,&rdquo; he said.
He was addressing the open architectural design competition for Design of the NESCO Main Control Center (MCC) in Rajshahi at the Institute of Architects, Bangladesh building on Thursday.
Northern Electricity Supply Company (NESCO) PLC has taken initiative to construct the Main Control Center for monitoring and controlling all NESCO substations in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions.
NESCO organised the open architectural design competition in collaboration with the IAB to make the proposed building attractive and iconic.
A team of 12 students, led by Mohammad Naimul Ahsan Khan, stood first in the competition.
Nasrul Hamid said that in the 1960s, architects designed buildings keeping climate change in mind.
Buildings in the power sector will be constructed keeping the country in mind, in sync with local culture, he added.
He noted that as green building construction activities increase, a healthier environment will be developed faster, creating a positive outlook towards an eco-friendly future.
With IAB President Professor Dr. Khandkar Sabbir Ahmed in the chair, the function was also addressed by Senior Secretary of Power Division Md. Habibur Rahman, Chairman of Power Development Board Md. Mahbubur Rahman, Chairman of the Board of Directors of NESCO and Additional Secretary of Power Division Dr. Masum Ahmed Chowdhury and Managing Director of NESCO Zakiul Islam. &nbsp;

Time to build environment-friendly, energy efficient green buildings: Nasrul Hamid

As it watched the country&rsquo;s foreign exchange reserves keep draining away, from the peak of $48.1 billion in August 2021 to a net figure that may be less than $13 billion today, Bangladesh Bank became engaged in studying the minutiae of different types of calculations and definitions of a country&rsquo;s reserve holdings, and all their different interpretations, like an A Levels Macroeconomics student.
The convoluted discussion it created around the country&rsquo;s reserves - this formula, that formula, IMF manuals, and payouts from the reserve in the form of loans that were not initially disclosed, have all contributed to a cloud over the entire situation for a while now. &nbsp;Consumers are forced to grapple with all kinds of different information becoming and some unethical traders are cashing in on this by increasing prices arbitrarily.
As a result, common people are suffering as businesses and different trading syndicates have taken to using the pretext of &lsquo;the dollar crisis&rsquo; to hike prices. Talking with common people, economists and businesses, the correspondent got this opinion.
Mohammed Alam, 50, from Charfashion in Bhola, has been working in the Moghbazar area of Dhaka as an electrician for the last 17 years. He is self-employed and works on call if anybody needs an electric line installed, a fan to be setup, etc.
For the last one month, since Eid ul Fitr, Alam has been charging a minimum bill of Tk500 for any call leading to a home visit. Till Eid this year, and for the longest time in fact, this service was charged Tk300.
&ldquo;We would not be able to provide service if anyone offered below Tk500, as prices of food, medicine, utility bills, our own expenses have shot up since the dollar crisis started. Why can&rsquo;t our service bill increase,&rdquo; said Alam.
Alam himself had to ask the UNB correspondent, if there is really a dire emergency over the reserves, because almost all shopkeepers have started charging a higher price for any product.
When Alam asked about the reason behind the higher price, they always replied &ldquo;price hiked due to the dollar crisis in Bangladesh.&rdquo;
Ekabbar Ali, 60, from Jamalpur Meladhoh Upazila, has worked as a rickshawpuller for the last 25 years, living in the capital&rsquo;s Rampura area. He is now charging a minimum fare of Tk 30-40 for the same distance that he used to charge Tk20 to at times Tk25 till Eid ul Fitr.
Ali said that the garage from which he leased out &lsquo;his rickshaw&rsquo; had increased the daily deposit it charged from its pullers each day. Everything increased recently claiming a &lsquo;dollar crisis&rsquo;.
&ldquo;The prices of food, medicine, and all our bills have increased due to the dollar crisis. Imports had soared, as a consequence prices of almost all goods and services rose. If rickshaw fare is not increased, we cannot survive,&rdquo; Ali said with absolute conviction.
Habibur Rahman, a grocery trader in Bara Moghbazar rail gate area, said that his suppliers are hiking prices several times a week, again claiming higher price of dollars. So they (traders) have to sell goods at an additional rate.
The central bank of Bangladesh provides 3 figures of Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserves, measured by three methods.
Bangladesh Bank's &lsquo;total reserves&rsquo; fell to $23.77 billion (May 14) after meeting the liabilities of March and April to the Asian Clearing Union (ACU). Total reserves is a method of BB, which also includes the reserves money spent in the export development fund (EDF).
According to the IMF&rsquo;s BPM6 method, the gross reserve figure is $18.32 billion. While actual or usable reserves are slightly less than $13 billion. In calculating actual usable reserves showed excluding different debt liabilities. This method is also followed by the IMF to understand the financial health of Bangladesh.
According to a central bank official, the amount of usable reserves is slightly less than $13 billion, which is referred to as net reserves in the media. This calculation of reserves excludes the money repaid for loans from the Export Development Fund, as well as the dollars held as SDRs by the IMF.
However, the central bank never publishes the net reserve data officially.
Dr Ahsan H. Mansur, executive director of the Policy Research Institute and a former senior economist at the IMF&rsquo;s Washington office, told UNB that the gross reserves are now $18 billion-plus. It means reserves are not at risk yet.
But there is a lack of confidence in the money market and macroeconomic situation, and the reserves of Bangladesh remain in an unstable situation, he said.
Uncontrolled money laundering has created a sense of alarm over the Bangladesh economy, which is bringing instability in reserves and macroeconomic management as well, Dr Mansur pointed out.
Dr Zahid Hussain, the former chief economist of the World Bank in Dhaka, said that there are two principal risks associated with rapidly dwindling forex reserves. One is the inability to make dollar payments, which would usually be required for imported goods. The associated fall in imports may lead to increased prices in domestic markets.

‘Dollar crisis’ being seized upon by unethical traders to hike prices

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud today said the UNHCR may involve India and China more in the process of commencing the Rohingya repatriation from Bangladesh to their land of origin Myanmar.
"Internal conflicts in Myanmar are almost a century old. He emphasized that there is no alternative to increasing effective international pressure on Myanmar regarding the repatriation of Rohingyas," he said.
The foreign minister made the remark while the UNHCR representative in Bangladesh Sumbul Rizvi called on him at the foreign ministry here.
During the meeting, Rizvi informed the minister of the ongoing armed conflicts between Myanmar army and other conflicting groups inside Myanmar.
They also talked about the fleeing members of the Myanmar forces to the Bangladesh border.
The foreign minister proposed that in addition to education in the Rohingya camp, various trade training can be provided to Rohingya people by forming small groups for enhancing their skills.
This training will help them to build their professional career when they return to their home country, he said. &nbsp; Hasan also laid emphasis on the relocation of more Rohingyas to Bhasanchar and regular maintenance of the facilities there.
Later, the Foreign Minister met the Spanish ambassador to Bangladesh Gabriel Chinchetru and discussed various bilateral issues. &nbsp; Pointing out that Spain is Bangladesh's second-highest export destination in the European Union, the foreign minister urged the country to invest in Bangladesh's special economic zones and IT villages.
Besides, the minister and the envoy agreed in principle on inking the 'Migration Mobility Agreement' with Spain.
Currently Bangladesh has the 'Migration Mobility Agreement' with Greece and negotiations are underway with Italy, Austria and Malta.
The Spanish Ambassador said there are about 60,000 Bangladeshi expatriates living in Spain and contributing to the Spanish economy.
He invited the foreign minister to visit Spain at his convenience.

UNHCR may involve India, China more in Rohingya repatriation: Hasan

Special Correspondent

Bangladeshi politicians prefer economists to be obedient if not servants, said eminent economist Professor Mohammed Farashuddin.
&ldquo;There are asymmetric relationships between politics and economy. The politicians like to see economists as obedient if not servants,&rdquo; he said today at an event to launch a book written by himself titled "Bangladesh's Future Development: Agenda for Reforms&rdquo; arranged by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).
Mashiur Rahman, Economic Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister, made remarks as chief guest at the event held at the BIDS auditorium.
Wahiduddin Mahmud, former advisor of the caretaker government, Fahmida Khatun, executive director of the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), and others spoke at the event, which was moderated by Binayak Sen, director general of the BIDS.
Wahiduddin Mahmud highlighted the significant disparity between the economic analysis of project outcomes and the gains and losses of political parties, a phenomenon known as political economy.
He said governments often lack the resources and capacity to conduct necessary policy analysis and implementation. This is exacerbated by challenges in reforming administrative processes, leading to a notable gap between political decisions and economic realities.
He noted the deviation caused by the political government's failure to act on advice based on economic analysis. He criticized the political strategy that allowed some individuals to accumulate wealth unfairly overnight, stating that it was unnecessary.
He added that real industrial entrepreneurs who have grown fairly are being deprived, and the business environment has suffered due to this discrimination.
Farashuddin said economists frequently share their knowledge in the media, and political leaders should heed their advice.&nbsp;
"I am not a renowned economist. However, I believe steps should be taken to alleviate poverty through industrialization rather than conventional methods," he said.&nbsp;
He also suggested that the position of the governor of Bangladesh Bank should be elevated to a constitutional status and recommended that the governor's term be set for six years.
Mashiur Rahman said there should be no disagreement about the autonomy of the central bank and its governor, but acknowledged that current practices diverge from this ideal.
Binayak Sen said politics and the economy cannot coexist harmoniously. He stressed the need to reduce the influence of the wealthy on politics, noting that this is a global concern.
Commenting on the lack of good governance in the banking sector, Fahmida Khatun said banks are not places for games. She emphasized that people have deposits in banks, and there should be no opportunity to play with these deposits.

Politicians prefer economists to be obedient: Mohammed Farashuddin

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Muhammad Faruk Khan today&nbsp;urged Ankara to invest in Bangladesh&rsquo;s tourism industry, as Turkiye has a longstanding&nbsp;experience in the travel and leisure sector.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Bangladesh ensures the most investment-friendly environment in the South Asian region while our labour cost is more realistic compared to other countries&rdquo;, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;
The minister made the call during a meeting with Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen at the secretariat, according to a press release here.&nbsp;
Pointing out that Bangladesh has a huge internal market with high potential, the minister assured the ambassador of all assistance for the Turkish businessmen to invest in Bangladesh&rsquo;s tourism sector.&nbsp;
Noting that the relations between Bangladesh and Turkey are historically deep-rooted, Khan said, it can be transformed into people-to-people ties with the help of the tourism sector.
The minister also sought Turkish assistance to train the Bangladeshi workforce working in the tourism and leisure sector. &nbsp; &nbsp; He also recommended that Turkish scholarship awards for Bangladeshi students be given to study tourism-oriented subjects.
In reply, the Turkish envoy assured the minister that his country is ready to share its extensive experiences in the tourism sector with Bangladesh.
Sen said he will discuss and encourage Turkish investors to invest in different areas of Bangladesh&rsquo;s tourism industry.
Emphasizing the importance of aviation and tourism for the Bangladesh economy, he said &ldquo;We want to make our existing ties more tangible in the aviation sector&rdquo;. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Sen said that he would contact the Turkish institutes to train Bangladesh's tourism sector&rsquo;s employees. &ldquo;We will highly consider any institutional proposal about training&rdquo;, he added.
Besides, the envoy assured that he would inform the respective authority to consider the Turkish scholarship awards for Bangladeshi students in tourism-oriented subjects.&nbsp;

Faruk seeks Turkish investment in tourism sector

Desk Report

Workers of goods-laden transport vehicles have announced a 36-hour strike in Chattogram city and adjoining five districts, set to begin on 19 May.
The strike, called by the Greater Chattogram Goods-laden Road Transport Workers Coordination Parishad, aims to press for several demands, including the construction of designated terminals for transport vehicles.
Rabiul Maola, coordinator of the Parishad, made the announcement at a press conference held at the Chattogram Press Club.
The Parishad comprises nine workers' unions operating in the Chattogram region.
The strike will involve workers from various types of goods-laden transport vehicles, including trucks, trailers, covered vans, container-carrying prime movers, and mini trucks, running from 6:00am on 19 May to 6:00pm on 20 May.
The workers' demands include the issuance of appointment letters, easing the process of obtaining driving licenses, stopping alleged harassment by law enforcers, and amending the Road Transport Act.
"Our demands include issuing appointment letters to workers, easing the driving license issuance process, stopping harassment by law enforcers, and amending the Road Transport Act," said Maola.
Maola also claimed that different unions collect a service fee at loading points to create a welfare fund for workers, but law enforcers in Chattogram harass them during this process.
He further criticized the Road Transport Act, stating that various clauses are against workers' interests and that the absence of appointment letters in the transport sector violates labour laws, depriving drivers and helpers of due pay and rights.
The press conference was attended by Parishad Member Secretary Md Abul Khair and leaders of various unions.

Cargo transport workers call 36-hour strike in Ctg starting 19 May

Police headquarters ordered field level police officers to implement the 'No Helmet, No Fuel' policy to prevent road accidents.
The order was given from the monthly crime review meeting held at the police headquarters on Thursday with Additional IGP (Crime and Operations) Md Atiqul Islam in the chair.
Commissioners of Metropolitan Police, Range DIGs and District Superintendent of Police (SPs) joined the meeting virually, while DIG Operations &nbsp;Md Anwar Hossain, DIG (Crime Management) Jaydev Kumar Bhadra and concerned officials were present in the meeting in person.
During the meeting, Additional IGP Atiqul Islam directed the police officials to complete the investigation of the road accident cases fairly.
He said special drive against unfit vehicles will continue.
Atiqul Islam emphasised proactive policing with the aim of creating public awareness to prevent suicide by investigating the real cause of suicide.
The meeting discussed the overall crime review for the month of April, 2024, arrest warrants issued, case investigation and trial results, conviction rates and recent important events in detail. &nbsp;

Implement ‘No Helmet, No Fuel' policy: Police HQ asks field level officers

Currently about 70 per cent of total public procurement are being conducted through electronic Government Procurement (e-GP).
Mirza Ashfaqur Rahman, Director (Additional Secretary) of Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA), informed this while addressing an awareness workshop on BPPA&rsquo;s functions and e-GP in Netrakona on Thursday.
He said the public procurement system has been digitized through implementation of e-GP, resulting in widespread increase in the use of the system.
Describing the progress of e-GP, he said, through the e-GP system, the average processing time of public procurement has come down to 57 days from 87.7 days.
At present, 100% of tender notification and contract award notices are being published in the e-GP system.
He noted that the use of the e-GP system saves 600 million US dollars every year.
Besides, 105 crore pages of paper so far have been saved which has reduced 1.54 lakh tonnes of carbon emissions, he added.
&nbsp; The workshop, organised under the Digitizing Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project (DIMAP) of BPPA, was facilitated by Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP).
With Rafiquzzaman, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), Netrakona, in the chair, the workshop was attended by representatives of procuring entities, tenderers and journalists.
Dr. Zeenat Sultana, Program Director and Deputy CEO of Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) was also present at the programme.
It was informed in the event that aiming at building Smart Bangladesh under the Vision 2041, the government is working to ensure sustainable development as part of the 8th Five Year Plan and the Perspective Plan.
For this, all concerned must maintain maximum transparency and accountability while conducting public procurement in order to ensure the best use of public money. &nbsp;

Currently 70 per cent of public procurement is made through e-GP system: BPPA

Indian High commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma today paid a courtesy call on Land Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda at the latter's office here today.
The land minister expressed his strong optimism for strengthening the strategic, commercial and global partnerships between the two countries while lauding the various initiatives taken by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;
He apprised the high commissioner of the smart land management programmes of Bangladesh.
High Commissioner Pranay Verma lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's strong leadership in the rapid industrialization and development of Bangladesh.&nbsp;
Bangladesh-India is two friendly-countries, he said. Terming the digitalization of land services in Bangladesh as a great achievement, he said service digitalization empowers people and increases transparency of the government initiatives as it reduces the exploitation of middlemen to a great extent.
Land Secretary Md Khalilur Rahman, Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry Ziauddin Ahmed and officials of the ministry and Indian High Commission, among others, were present.&nbsp;

Indian High Commissioner calls on Land Minister

Senior Correspondent

Amid the lack of carbon trade-related knowledge among potential stakeholders, as well as insufficient management manpower and infrastructure in Bangladesh, discussants emphasized the need for top-notch coordination and policy coverage to finance climate change adaptation by tapping into the international carbon market.
During a seminar titled 'Application of Carbon Financing: Challenges and Policy Options for Bangladesh', held at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS in Dhaka on Thursday, participants said that the government should streamline the Clean Development Mechanism to generate carbon credits from all emitting industries, in addition to the RMG sector.
The discussants requested government initiatives to ensure the sale of quality carbon credits, backed by proper baseline evaluation, auditing, and verification, in developed country markets that pay higher prices.
To achieve the net-zero goal by 2050, carbon financing, sometimes translated as green financing, is an innovative funding tool that assigns a financial value to carbon emissions and allows companies to offset their own emissions by acquiring carbon credits from sustainable projects.
It is noteworthy that the Kyoto Protocol-defined Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows a country to implement an emission-reduction project.
Such projects can earn saleable certified emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide, which can be counted towards meeting Kyoto targets.
In Bangladesh, the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) is authorized to sell CERs. Among the panelists, IDCOL&rsquo;s executive director and CEO, Alamgir Morshed, said, &ldquo;The big challenge is there is no common marketplace for carbon credits. Amidst this, Bangladesh needs a framework because the country&rsquo;s CDM has phased out. Without a framework, we cannot register a project that would qualify for the carbon credit.&rdquo;
Another panelist, the World Bank&rsquo;s senior environment specialist Eun Joo Allison Yi, said, &ldquo;Many entities are working around green growth and green financing, but they are not together. Bangladesh needs a central entity to take the leadership, to coordinate green financing.&rdquo;
Keynote presenter and BIISS research director Mahfuz Kabir provided several recommendations, including the establishment of a strong domestic demand-driven voluntary market. He requested the government to raise awareness among big businesses about their carbon footprint and encourage them to take the necessary steps to purchase carbon credits.
During the open discussion, prominent climate change expert Professor Ainun Nishat expressed his confusion about the realization of the Kyoto Protocol, especially when its Articles related to carbon financing have not been finalized yet.
State Minister for Finance, Waseqa Ayesha Khan, said that more confusion will arise if different ministries and departments explore the international carbon market separately.
&ldquo;Besides coordinated efforts, Bangladesh also needs to learn how to negotiate for benefits in the volatile carbon markets,&rdquo; she said.
Chaired by BIISS chairman Ambassador AFM Gousal Azam Sarker, the seminar was also addressed by BIISS director general Major General Md Abu Bakar Siddique Khan, additional foreign secretary (bilateral East and West) Dr Nazrul Islam, UNDP Bangladesh&rsquo;s nature, climate and energy programme specialist Arif M Faisal, BGMEA director and Shasha Denim managing director Shams Mahmud, among others.

Bangladesh needs coordinated framework to harness benefits of carbon financing

State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury assured that the Malaysian labour market will remain open for Bangladeshi workers.
"The government is actively working to secure and expand the labour quota in Malaysia. We have been in contact with Malaysian authorities, and I can confidently state that Malaysia's labour market will not be closed. It will remain open," the minister said at a program at the ministry on Thursday (16 May).&nbsp;
Under the current quota, the Malaysian government has mandated that workers from 14 labour-sending countries, including Bangladesh, must enter Malaysia by 31 May 2024.&nbsp;
"We are working diligently to ensure that all our workers are sent to Malaysia within the stipulated timeframe," the minister added.
The ministry has also requested an extension for this deadline to ensure that all workers can be deployed as per the quota.&nbsp;
"Even if the extension is not granted, we are prepared to meet the 31 May deadline," Shafiqur Rahman assured.
All the workers remaining in the quota are in the process of going to Malaysia.
He said that our technical training centres are working to create skilled manpower and send them abroad as per the instructions of the honourable Prime Minister.&nbsp;
"Skilled manpower is one of the tools for Bangladesh to move forward. Freedom fighters made Bangladesh independent, remittance fighters are working to make the country prosperous and smart," said the minister.
Since October 2022, Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOSEL) has been sending manpower to Malaysia free of cost.&nbsp;
A total of 1,308 workers have been sent through Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOSEL) so far.&nbsp;
Another batch of 73 workers will move to United Plantations Berhad, one of Malaysia's largest plantation companies.

Malaysia's labour market will not be closed: Minister

The heatwave in Bangladesh and other South Asian countries became 45 times more likely due to climate change, says a new report.
According to a recent finding by the World Weather Attribution (WWA), if the global temperature rises from the current 1.2 degrees Celsius to 2 degrees Celsius, the recurrence of extreme heat incidents is more probable.
These findings are part of the WWA's report on heatwaves in Asia, which quantifies the effect of human-caused warming on extreme temperatures.
Bangladesh has been facing increasing heatwaves during summer for the last couple of years.
2024 is the hottest year yet, recording average temperatures of 40 to 42 degrees Celsius in all the districts. The population and biodiversity of the country are at stake due to such an unprecedented catastrophe.
Extreme temperatures above 40&deg;C that impacted billions of people across Asia in April were made hotter and more likely by human-caused climate change.
The study highlights how heatwaves intensified by climate change are making life much tougher for people living in poverty across Asia and the 1.7 million displaced Palestinians in Gaza.
The scientists also analyzed historical weather data for a South Asian region including India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia.
In this area, 30-day heatwaves typically occurred once every 30 years. However, due to climate change, they have become 45 times more likely and 0.85&deg;C hotter. This aligns with previous WWA studies, indicating April heatwaves became 1&deg;C hotter and 10-30 times more likely. Additionally, analysis shows similar heatwaves are twice as likely during El Ni&ntilde;o conditions.
In South and Southeast Asia, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam broke records for their hottest April day, and the Philippines experienced its hottest night ever.
In India, temperatures reached as high as 46&ordm;C. The heat was also extreme in West Asia, with Palestine and Israel experiencing temperatures above 40&deg;C.
The month was the hottest April on record globally and the eleventh consecutive month in a row a hottest month record was broken.
Heat-related deaths were widely reported, with at least 28 in Bangladesh, five in India, and three in Gaza during April. Surges in heat deaths have also been reported in Thailand and the Philippines this year.
These are only preliminary figures, and because heat-related deaths are notoriously underreported, it is likely there were hundreds or possibly thousands of other heat-related deaths in Asia during April.
The heat also led to crop failure, loss of livestock, water shortages, mass die-off of fish, widespread school closures, and low voter turnout in Kerala, India.
&ldquo;From Gaza to Delhi to Manila, people suffered and died when April temperatures soared in Asia. Heatwaves have always happened. But the additional heat, driven by emissions from oil, gas, and coal, is resulting in death for many people. If humans continue to burn fossil fuels, the climate will continue to warm, and vulnerable people will continue to die,&rdquo; said Friederike Otto, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science at Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London.

Climate change makes heatwave in South Asia including Bangladesh 45 times more likely: Report

The Bangladesh Writers Club has announced the winners of the 'Bangladesh Writers Club Award 2022 and 2023'. Fifteen poets and writers will be awarded in five different categories.
Club senior member Poet Asad Mannan unveiled the names today (16 May) in the presence of poet Mohammad Nurul Huda, Director General (DG) of Bangla Academy.
In 2022, Shah Mohammad Sanaul Haque and Rishad Huda will receive awards in poetry. Malik Md. Razzak won the award in the categories of Liberation War and Bangabandhu. Bilu Kabir will receive the award for essays, Anjir Liton for children's literature, Yusuf Reza for translation, and Zulfia Islam for prose.&nbsp;
Additionally, poet Khurshid Anwar will be honoured with a lifetime achievement award.
In 2023, Minar Mansur and Maruful Islam will receive awards in poetry. Asadullah will be recognised for essays, Jayashree Das for oral literature, Najma Begum Naju for Liberation War and Bangabandhu, Amirul Islam for children's literature, and Anisuzzaman, a Mexican expatriate, for translation.
These poets and writers will be formally honoured on 19 May.

15 poets and writers to receive Writers Club Awards

Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdur Rahman said on Thursday that there would be an ample supply of sacrificial animals for Eid-ul-Adha.
"The government is fully prepared for the supply and management of sacrificial animals for this Eid," said the minister during an inter-ministerial meeting at the Directorate of Livestock's conference room regarding demand assessment, supply, and ensuring free transportation of sacrificial animals for the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha.
He said the current stock of sacrificial animals stands at 1,29,80,367, an increase of 4,44,034 compared to the previous year.
Emphasising on border control, the livestock minister said steps have been taken to prevent illegal entry of cattle into the country.
He said, "Ailing animals will not be allowed to be sold in the market."
To maintain law and order, the minister announced the deployment of a sufficient number of law enforcers in the market and suggested that cattle traders opt for digital transactions instead of cash.
Furthermore, he informed that, similar to last year, the online platform for selling sacrificial animals will continue nationwide, ensuring a favorable environment for both buyers and sellers.
He also added that law enforcement agencies would be asked to prevent extortion on highways and in cattle markets, and a control room (hotline-16358) will be operational at the Directorate of Livestock.

No shortage of sacrificial animals for Eid-ul-Adha: Livestock minister

Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs is going to expand the service of its National Helpline 164300 to accelerate its effort to provide free legal aid to the citizens. &nbsp; Confirming the matter to BSS, ministry spokesperson Dr Md Rezaul Karim said National Legal Aid Services Organisation (NLASO) is going to appoint six officials to give legal advice, on contractual basis to run the national helpline call centre. &nbsp; &nbsp;"After the appointment, citizens would be able to get free legal advice 24/7. People can dial the toll-free number 164300 from anywhere in the country and get legal advice," he said. &nbsp; &nbsp;Karim further added that Law Minister Anisul Huq approved necessary documents in this regard on May 15 and asked NLASO director Mohammad Al Mamun to complete the appointment process very soon. The minister at the time reiterated his call to take legal aid service to people's doorstep to make it more successful. &nbsp; Ministry sources said the job of the newly appointed officials would be- receive the phone calls, providing legal information, giving legal counseling, giving legal aid, providing primary information on filing cases, forwarding any complaint regarding legal aid service via supervisor to appropriate authorities, entering the data regarding caller name, address, problem and solution, among others. &nbsp; The educational qualification for recruitment of legal counsel officers is - LLB (Honours) or equivalent degree from a recognized university with second class or equivalent in CGPA. Candidates with experience of working as advocates will be given preference in this regard. &nbsp;

Law ministry to expand nat’l helpline service to provide free legal aid

Members of the civil society, human rights advocates, and leaders from minority communities have expressed shock and dismay at what they termed the United States&rsquo;s &ldquo;over-reliance&rdquo; on dubious sources in its most recent human rights report.
Critics are particularly alarmed by the US report&rsquo;s seeming endorsement of political freedoms for Jamaat-e-Islami, an entity they say has consistently opposed the foundational values of Bangladesh and, prior to the last election, explicitly aimed to establish Sharia law in the country.
Haroon Habib, a distinguished rights activist heading a national coalition of war heroes, criticised the US for its apparent support for Jamaat, which continues to honour individuals involved in wartime atrocities.
&ldquo;Advocacy for such a group demonstrates a profound hypocrisy in the US approach to human rights,&rdquo; stated Habib.
He also pointed out the lack of US recognition for the genocide during Bangladesh&rsquo;s 1971 Liberation War, despite acknowledgment from numerous international entities including the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention.
This omission, according to Habib, starkly contradicts the Biden administration&rsquo;s proclaimed commitment to upholding human rights globally.
The report&rsquo;s glaring omission of violent incidents, such as arson attacks on public transportation and brutal killings of law enforcement officers, reportedly orchestrated by BNP-Jamaat activists under the directives of Tarique Rahman, has also drawn severe criticism.&nbsp;
Rahman, the acting chief of BNP, who is currently residing in the UK and has been convicted on multiple charges including money laundering, was also noted for inciting street violence months before the national election, urging followers to &ldquo;decide the fate of the country on the streets&rdquo; rather than through democratic means.
Adding to the controversy, the US report neglects significant allegations against Odhikar, a local human rights organisation.
Odhikar&rsquo;s leadership, including Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and Director ASM Nasiruddin Elan, had been previously criticized for producing a report deemed biased and flawed following violent events in Dhaka in 2013, described by a mainstream English newspaper as a &ldquo;composition of half-truths, biased and one-sided presentation of what happened on 5 May and in the early hours of 6 May in the capital.&rdquo;
Shahriar Kabir, a renowned Bangladeshi journalist and human rights activist, recounted his interactions with American policy experts at a meeting organised by the Atlantic Council. Kabir observed a disconnect between the US policymakers&rsquo; perceptions and the realities in Bangladesh.
&ldquo;It seemed that there was a considerable lack of awareness about the scale of Jamaat&rsquo;s atrocities,&rdquo; Kabir noted, expressing frustration over the US&rsquo;s tendency to equate Jamaat with legitimate democratic political parties.
Rana Dasgupta, another vocal rights activist and leader from the minority community, sharply questioned the integrity of the US report, criticizing its dependence on &ldquo;biased sources&rdquo; that misrepresent Bangladesh.
&ldquo;Such citations attempt to lend credibility to sources that are fundamentally flawed, thereby undermining the overall credibility of the US itself,&rdquo; Dasgupta added.

Activists say US human rights report 'biased', overlooked violence and key issues

Press Release

Experts at a World Hypertension Day discussion emphasised the urgent need for increased funding to control hypertension and curb non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Bangladesh. 
The event, held at BMA Bhaban in Dhaka, was organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), reads a press release.
Highlighting the growing prevalence of hypertension, speakers noted that one in every four adults in Bangladesh suffers from the condition, which is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, cancer, kidney disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes.
According to WHO&rsquo;s first Global Report on Hypertension 2023, 273,000 people died of cardiovascular disease in Bangladesh in 2019, with 54% of these deaths attributable to hypertension.
Despite NCDs accounting for 70% of total deaths in Bangladesh, only 4.2% of the health budget is allocated to combat these diseases.
Emeritus Professor Dr. A.B.M. Abdullah, Personal Physician to the Prime Minister, praised the government's decision to provide anti-hypertensive medicine through community clinics but stressed the need for sustained budgetary support.
&ldquo;Controlling hypertension can significantly reduce the prevalence of NCDs,&rdquo; he said.
Dr. Md. Enamul Haque, Director General (Additional Secretary) of the Health Economics Unit, emphasized the economic benefits of investing in hypertension control.
&ldquo;Research shows that investing Tk 1 for hypertension screening and medicines can yield an overall benefit worth Tk 18,&rdquo; he stated.
Dr Md. Quiume Talukder from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) discussed efforts to ensure the availability of anti-hypertensive medicine at all Upazila Health Complexes and Community Clinics.
&ldquo;Successful implementation of this program will pave the way for a substantial reduction in hypertension and NCDs,&rdquo; he added.
Md. Zakir Hossain, Deputy General Manager of Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL), expressed optimism about ensuring the availability of these medicines in the upcoming fiscal year 2024-25.
Other notable speakers included Dr Laila Akhter from the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), Professor Dr. S M Mustafa Zaman of BSMMU, Professor Dr. Syed Abdul Hamid of Dhaka University, and several others from prominent health institutions.
The meeting was chaired by Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead of GHAI, and moderated by Journalist Sukanta Gupta Alak. The keynote presentation was delivered by PROGGA&rsquo;s Coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova.
This year, World Hypertension Day will be observed under the theme &ldquo;Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.&rdquo;

Control hypertension to curb NCDs, experts urge at World Hypertension Day discussion

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given instructions to the concerned authorities to put extra effort into completing the projects being built with foreign loans quickly.
The directives came following the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by PM Hasina and organised to give final approval to the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the next financial year on Thursday (17 May), Planning Minister Abdus Salam&nbsp;told media during a press briefing following the meeting.
PM Hasina also directed to send progress reports every three months to speed up the work of such projects, he added.
He said instead of taking small development projects based on small areas, the meeting decided to take big projects on the district level under a master plan.
"Monitoring and evaluation becomes difficult if upazila-based small projects are taken. The prime minister instructed in the meeting to ensure a feasibility study before taking up the project," he added.
"ADP of Tk2.65 thousand crores was approved for the next financial year. Out of this, 1.65 lakh crore rupees will come from the government's own funds and Tk1 lakh crore will come from foreign aids and loans," Planning Secretary Satyajit Karmakar said speaking at the briefing.
The secretary said after Bangladesh's LDC graduation, the facility of foreign loans on flexible terms will decrease.
Before this, it was possible to advance the economy by ensuring the maximum use of foreign aid, he added.
"Due to lack of capacity, only 70% of the money allocated to ADP is being used. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged to increase this rate," the government official said.
The secretary also said that the premier has directed to ensure maximum utilisation of the training taken by the officers under the development projects.

Put extra effort to quickly complete development projects being built with foreign loans: PM

The date for the submission of investigation report in the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi has been deferred for the 108th time.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubul Haque set the new date to June 30 after the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) failed to submit the report today, the&nbsp;court&rsquo;s GR officer from Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Thana, Masud told Bangladesh First today.
Maasranga Television news editor Sagar Sarowar and his wife, ATN Bangla senior reporter Meherun Runi, were found dead in their apartment in the city's West Rajabazar area on February 11, 2012. The following day, Runi's brother, Nousher Ali Roman, filed a case with the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station.
Initially, a sub-inspector from the police station was in charge of the investigation. After four days, the case was transferred to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DB). Despite more than two months of investigation, DB was unable to determine the motive behind the murders.
Subsequently, on April 18, following an order from the High Court, the investigation was handed over to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
So far, law enforcement has arrested eight people in connection with the case.

Sagar-Runi murder: Probe report submission deferred for 108th time

Mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping over eight divisions across the country and it may continue, said a met office forecast here today.
"Mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and it may continue", it said.
The weather may remain mainly dry with a temporary partly cloudy sky over the country.
Country's maximum temperature on Wednesday was recorded 39.0 degrees Celsius at Dinajpur and minimum temperature today was recorded 23.1 degree Celsius at Tetulia.
Maximum rainfall for the last 24 hours till 6am today was recorded 03 millimeters (mm) at Tetulia.
Trough of westerly low lies over West Bengal to North-west Bay.
Day and night temperature may rise slightly over the country.
Due to increase of moisture incursion, the discomfort may persist.
The sun sets at 06:35 PM today and rises at 05:15 AM tomorrow in the capital.

Mild to moderate heat wave sweeps over 8 divisions

Nine young Bangladeshi entrepreneurs have been featured in Forbes' &ldquo;30 Under 30 Asia&rdquo; list for 2024. 
The list announced on Thursday (May 16), showcases 300 young entrepreneurs, leaders, and trailblazers under 30 across the Asia-Pacific region. They were selected in 10 categories for leading the transformation of industries and finding innovative ways to navigate new business realities in the region.
The nine Bangladeshis were selected across four categories including Finance &amp; Venture Capital; Consumer Technology; Media, Marketing &amp; Advertising; and The Arts. The honorees are:&nbsp;
Mehedi Shoron
Cofounder of HelloTask, an app described as the "Uber for maid service" in Bangladesh. HelloTask offers hourly bookings, monthly subscriptions, maid verification, and safety features to protect employees from exploitation or violence.
Fahad Ahmed
Fahad Ahmed is the cofounder of Wind.App, a cross-border remittance platform utilizing blockchain technology and stablecoins for faster and cheaper transactions. Founded in 2022, Wind.App secured $3.8 million in pre-seed funding led by Global Founders Capital and Spartan Group in November. Fahad previously helped launch services at Pathao, including food delivery, payments, and ride-hailing.
Mumtahina Anika and Sultan Moni
Founded by Mumtahina Anika and Sultan Moni, Zatiq is a Dhaka-based fintech startup helping small businesses manage accounting with user-friendly software and hardware. Zatiq raised $1.6 million in pre-seed funding led by Dekko ISHO Venture Capital in August.
Shahidul Islam, Abdul Gaffar Sadi, and Tushar
The three young men cofounded Drutoloan which facilitates loans for micro and small businesses by assisting with paperwork and credit assessments. Since its inception in 2019, Drutoloan has disbursed over $2 million in loans and raised $125,000 in pre-seed funding in November.
Redwan Ahmed
An award-winning freelance journalist, Redwan Ahmed is known for his coverage of the Rohingya crisis and investigations into garment factory worker exploitation. He co-founded the Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media and was a fellow in the 2021 Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalism program.
Anusha Alamgir
A multidisciplinary artist with a master&rsquo;s degree in architecture from the Royal College of Art in London. She was the only female Bangladeshi to exhibit at the 2023 Venice Biennale. Her work explores contemporary issues in Bangladesh through various artistic mediums. Anusha also founded the online thrift store Colors Dhaka.
This year&rsquo;s list also features notable individuals from across the region, including the K-pop girl band Ive; Singapore&rsquo;s track and field athlete Veronica Shanti Pereira; Japan&rsquo;s youngest mayor Ryosuke Takashima; and many others who have made significant contributions in their respective fields.

9 Bangladeshis named in Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia 2024 list

Several markets and more than 50 tin-roof houses were gutted in a fire at Bhogra bypass area in Gazipur city early Thursday.&nbsp;
The fire started from a tea shop at around 3am.&nbsp;
Senior Station Officer of Bhogra Fire Service, Md. Ruhul Amin Mollah, said the fire broke out in the market and tin roof houses built on a land owned by one Rafi Matbor, a resident of Bhogra bypass area.
On information, two units of Bhogra Fire Service rushed to the spot.
Later, two units of Konabari Fire Service joined and brought the fire under control after an hour's effort.
The cause of the fire and the extent of damage can be ascertained after investigation.
Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Tangail highway remained suspended for about two hours due to the fire incident.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Over 50 houses gutted in Gazipur fire

Dhaka has ranked 6th on the list of cities with the worst air quality, with an AQI score of 126 at 9:00am this morning.
Today&rsquo;s air was classified as 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', according to the air quality index.
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered &lsquo;moderate&rsquo;, 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.
Pakistan's Lahore, Democratic Republic of the Congo's Kinshasa and India's Delhi occupied the first, second and third spots on the list, with AQI scores of 272, 205 and 188, respectively.
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 Organisation (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.

Dhaka’s air ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ this morning

Jahidul Islam

The Local Government Division, which topped the Annual Development Programme (ADP) allocations for the current fiscal year, is set to face a reduction of Tk1,189.21 crore in the next fiscal year, while the Power Division, the second highest recipient in the current fiscal, will see a decrease of Tk6,263.75 crore in its allocation.
Allocations for 10 ministries and divisions, which rank among the top 15 recipients in the current fiscal, including the Road Transport and Highways Division, Ministry of Railways, Bridges Division, and Secondary and Higher Education Division, are set to be reduced, said sources at the Planning Ministry.
The proposal of the ADP for the fiscal year 2024-25, worth Tk2,65,000 crore with a breakdown of Tk1,65,000 crore from the own funds of the government and Tk1,00,000 crore from the external sector as loans and grants to be placed for the final approval of the National Economic Council (NEC).
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasnia is scheduled to preside over the NEC meeting to be held at the NEC conference centre of the capital on Thursday (16 May).&nbsp;
The NEC approved ADP worth Tk2,63,000 crore for the current fiscal year while Tk1,69,000 crore from the government exchequer and Tk94,000 crore from foreign sources.
The size of the ADP for the next fiscal will be increased by only Tk2,000 crore, mere 0.76% from the current fiscal year.
The commission proposed a decrease of Tk4,000 crore, about 2.37% from the current fiscal year from the government funds but proposed an increase of Tk6,000 crore, 6.38% higher from foreign sources.
Analysis of the Planning Commission's proposal reveals that the ongoing economic crisis, characterised by slow revenue collection, banking liquidity challenges, and a decline in foreign aid concessions, has hindered the allocation process in meeting the demands of ministries and divisions in the new ADP.
All of the implementing agencies placed demand worth Tk2,76,402.46 crore, but the Planning Commission finalised allocation of a lower amount which will make a shortage of Tk11,402.46 crore.
The Planning Commission proposed allocation Tk20,391.19 crore less than the combined demand of all of the ministries and divisions to avail from the domestic fund.
All of the ministries asked for Tk1,85,391 crore from the government and the commission managed to allocate only 89% of the demand.
Whatever, the Planning Commission would impose an allocation worth Tk8,988.73 crore from the external sector, out of the demand to the implementing agencies.
The commission wants to allocate a total of Tk1,00,000 crore, Tk8,988.73 crore higher than the requirement of Tk91,011.27 crore to all ministries and divisions from foreign aid.
The NEC cut down the ADP of the current fiscal year due to sluggish implementation and financial crisis and approved Revised ADP (RADP) worth Tk2,45,000 crore. The size of the next ADP to increase by Tk20,000 crore, about 8.16% comparing the RADP of the current fiscal.
Analysing the series data of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the Planning Ministry, it found that the allocation from government exchequer reduced slightly in the fiscal year 2008-2009, when the economy was facing several types of financial crises in the caretaker government regime.
The IMED statistics claim that government allocation for development has never decreased in any year since independence.
Allocation for large agencies to decrease:
Tk38,808.88 crore is being allocated in the next financial for the Local Government Division which is at the top with allocation of Tk39,998 crore in the current fiscal.
Despite the increase in nine projects, the division&rsquo;s allocation to reduce by Tk1,189 crore or about 3%.
The allocation of Power Division, which is in the second position with an allocation of Tk35,440 crore, has set to be decreased by Tk6,264 crore or about 18%. With an allocation of Tk29,177 crore in the new ADP, the position of the division to be dropped to the third position.
The second highest allocation of Tk32,042 crore is allocated to the Road Transport and Highways Division in the next ADP, which is also reduced by Tk813 crore. Tk32,855 crore was allocated under the division in the current financial year.
Tk13,726 crore will be allotted to the Ministry of Railways next year, a 4.5% lower than the allocation of Tk14,373 crore in the current financial year.
Tk11,388 crore is to be proposed for the Secondary and Higher Education Division in the next financial year, which is about TK -1805 crore less than the current year's allocation of Tk13,193 crore.
Completion of two major infrastructure projects like Padma Bridge and tunnel under Karnaphuli River pushed to reduce ADP allocation of Bridges Division to decrease by about Tk1,619 crore in the next financial year.
The division is set to be allotted Tk7,309 crore in the next fiscal to implement &nbsp;six projects, which is 18% less than the allocation of Tk8,928 crore in the current fiscal.
The analysis revealed that top ten ministries and division to receive an allocation over Tk1,86,965 crore, which is more than 72% of the total ADP size.
Highest priority on transport and communication:
In the continuation of the last few years, the transport and communication sector would get the highest priority in the development budget of the next financial year.
The sector would be allocated TK70,688 crore, around 26.67% of the total ADP. Power and energy sector would secure the second place receiving an allocation of Tk40,752 crore, about 15.38% of the ADP.
The third most priority sector education would receive Tk31,529 crore, about 12% of total ADP allocation.
The health sector would be recognised as the fifth priority sector following the housing and community facilities sector. Allocation of Tk20,683 crore will be proposed for health sector, 7.8% of the ADP.
10 projects to receive about 20% of the ADP
The top 10 projects out of total 1258 would receive allocation of over 51,975.47 crore, about 20% of the total ADP in the next fiscal, according to the proposal of the Planning Commission.
The Fourth Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP-4) will receive the highest allocation of Tk11,056 crore.
The Directorate of Primary Education is implementing the programme since 2018 with an estimated cost of Tk38,292 crore.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is slated to receive the second-highest amount of Tk10,503 crore followed by the Matarbari Power Plant with Tk6,005 crore.
The proposal indicates a significant emphasis on the transportation and communication sector, which will receive the highest priority in the development budget.&nbsp;
The power and energy sector will be the second-highest priority, followed by the education sector.&nbsp;
Notably, four projects each from the transportation and communication sector and the energy and power sector are among the top 10 recipients of allocations. The other two projects at the top of the allocation are education and health.
Among other mega projects, the Ashulia Elevated Expressway will receive Tk3,797 crore, ranking fourth in the ADP.&nbsp;
The Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-1) will secure the fifth position with an allocation of Tk3,594 crore.
Additionally, projects such as power grid network strengthening under PGCB and the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project will receive Tk3,594 crore and Tk3,544 crore respectively, ranking sixth and seventh in allocation.
The expansion of Hazrat Shajalal International Airport Project, aiming to develop the third terminal, will rank eighth in terms of allocation with Tk3,536 crore under the transportation and communication sector.&nbsp;
Furthermore, the expansion and strengthening of power systems under DPDC areas will receive Tk3,384 crore, ranking ninth.&nbsp;
Lastly, the only project in the health sector among the top 10 priorities will receive Tk3,000 crore of allocation.
Autonomous institutes will spend Tk13,286 crore from own funds:
Proposal from the Planning Ministry revealed that the autonomous institutes and the corporations of the government will spend Tk13,286.19 crore in the next fiscal year to implement several development projects.
The size of the next ADP would be Tk2,78,286.19 crore calculating the appending of such allocations, according to the Ministry of Planning.
However, the ADP size stands at Tk2,65,000 crore, according to the Ministry of Finance, which is reluctant to add the expenditure of autonomous bodies and corporations to the development of the government.
Proposal of the Planning Commission revealed that the autonomous institutes and the corporations of the government are implementing 79 projects with own financing only while they are financing for 102 more projects as a share with the government and foreign loans.

Tk2,65,000 crore ADP proposal to be placed at NEC for approval

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Wednesday said judges of all courts, including the Supreme Court, should make every effort so that that litigants can get justice easily.
He said this when newly appointed Justice Muhammad Abdul Hafiz, Justice Md Shahinur Islam and Justice Kashefa Hossain of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court met the president.
President's press secretary Joynal Abedin briefed the journalists after the meeting.
President Shahabuddin said the Supreme Court is the last resort for justice seekers.
Congratulating the new judges, the president hoped that the new judges would use their talent and experiences so that people can get justice quickly and easily.
President's secretary Md. Wahidul Islam Khan, military secretary Major General SM Salahuddin Islam were also present during the meeting. &nbsp;

Work to ensure justice for litigants: President tells judges

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said their party believes the United States maintains the same position as before regarding the issue of free and fair elections in Bangladesh.
"Basically, what we have seen is that they (US) have consistently spoken in favour of a free, fair, and impartial election and they still continue it," he told reporters in response to a question on US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu&rsquo;s visit to Bangladesh.
The BNP leader also said the US has been maintaining relations with the current Awami League government as per diplomatic norms.
"A country has to maintain ties with the governments of other countries, even with a military regime. In view of the current situation of Bangladesh, they (US) are doing what they think is necessary for their country. But they are not doing it against the people of Bangladesh," he said.
Referring to the Human Rights Report on Bangladesh released by the US in April, Fakhrul said it contained much more criticism than what Bangladeshi media reported. &ldquo;It has proved that they are not a bit pleased with the current situation of Bangladesh."
He alleged that the current government has destroyed all the institutions in the country by establishing one-party rule. &ldquo;The ruling party and government are deceiving the people all the time by lying and providing false information and data.&rdquo;
The BNP leader said the government is trying to obstruct the factual information as it imposed restrictions on journalists from entering the Bangladesh Bank. "
"It's the same everywhere. It means they are clinging to power by completely depending on lies and they want to continue it based on lies. It is not possible to sustain relying on lies,&rdquo; he observed
Fakhrul mentioned they have continued talks with opposition political parties to work out the strategy of their simultaneous movement.
A group of leaders from Gonoforum and the National People&rsquo;s Party had a meeting with the liaison committee of BNP, led by Fakhrul, at the BNP chairperson&rsquo;s Gulshan office.
&nbsp;

Fakhrul sees no noteworthy change in US position

A delegation from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), headed by President S. M. Mannan (Kochi), held a meeting with Mohammad Fyzur Rahman, Commissioner of Custom House, Chattogram, to discuss crucial concerns regarding customs procedures impacting the readymade garments (RMG) sector.
The meeting, held on May 15, aimed to address the complexities and challenges surrounding customs-related services, including documentation problems and HS Code classifications, which have been affecting the RMG industry's operations.
BGMEA First Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam, Senior Vice President Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Vice President (Finance) Md. Nasir Uddin, Vice President Abdullah Hil Rakib, Vice President Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, and Directors Directors Shovon Islam, Haroon Ar Rashid, Mohammad Sohel Sadat, Md. Ashikur Rahman (Tuhin), Shams Mahmud, Mohiuddin Rubel, Md. Nurul Islam, Mohammed Musa, M. Ahsanul Hoq, Gazi Md. Shahid Ullah, former First Vice Presidents S.M. Abu Tayyab, Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, Moinuddin Ahmed Mintu, former Directors M. Mahbub Chowdhury, Anjan Shekhar Das, Saifullah Mansur, and AM Shafiul Karim Khokon were present at the meeting.
President of C&amp;F Association A K M Akther Hossain, owners of garment factories and high officials of Customs House Chattogram were also present at the meeting.
During the discussion, BGMEA President S. M. Mannan (Kochi) emphasized the urgent need for simplifying customs-related procedures and removing hassles in services to facilitate smoother and faster services for the RMG sector.
He highlighted the adverse effects of customs-related challenges on export-import activities, leading to increased production costs and unnecessary delay in business procedures, especially amidst the current global economic slowdown and reduced consumer spending on clothing.
The BGMEA President stressed the importance of reducing lead times to enhance competitiveness in the global fashion market.
The government support and cooperation in ensuring the sustainable growth of the RMG industry is very essential for Bangladesh&rsquo;s RMG sector to remain competitive in the global market.
He said that money laundering under the the name of export is condemnable. Genuine exporters never indulge in such malpractices, and BGMEA does not morally support such actions. BGMEA believes that those who harm the country's economy should be brought to justice.
At the same time, the BGMEA President called on the Commissioner of Customs House Chattogram to bring exemplary punishment to those who obstruct exports, harass exporters, and damage the country's economy, ensuring they are held accountable under the law.
The delegation urged the customs authorities to promptly address these issues and streamline services for the RMG sector to alleviate operational bottlenecks and enhance efficiency.
In response, the Customs Commissioner acknowledged the significant contributions of the RMG industry to the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh.
He assured the BGMEA delegation of the Customs House's cooperation to addressing their concerns and facilitating a conducive environment for the industry's growth.

BGMEA urges Customs House Chattogram to address customs related problems of RMG industry

European commercial aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus is interested in building a strong and long-term collaboration with Bangladesh to contribute to the sustainability and advancement of the country's aviation sector.
This proposal was came up while visiting Airbus Executive Vice President (International) Wouter van Wersch held a meeting with the civil aviation and tourism minister Muhammad Faruk Khan at the secretariat here. &nbsp; The Airbus Vice president was accompanied by French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy and British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke.
"Airbus is keen to provide different types of technical assistance as well as offering training to the workforce working in Bangladesh's aviation sector. That's why we are working to build up a strategic partnership with Bangladesh's Aviation University", Wouter said. &nbsp; He said his company would like to be a partner in making Bangladesh as an aviation hub.
Currently, a negotiation is going on between the state-owned Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Airbus as Bangladesh government to purchase new aircraft for the national flag carrier. &nbsp; Fauk Khan said Biman has formed a high level evaluation committee to review the Airbus's financial proposal in this connection. &nbsp; Meanwhile, the minister said Boeing has likewise given a decent proposition which is also under Biman's review. "Which will be good for Bangladesh and Biman and we will consider that", Faruk added. &nbsp; He said as per Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's directive his ministry is working to transform Bangladesh into a major aviation hub in South Asia.
Later, French multinational company Thales International Bangladesh Country Director Benoit Nalin held a separate meeting with Faruk Khan.
In the meeting, Nalin showed his keen interest to provide technical assistance to Bangladesh aviation's Air traffic management, developing the Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Smart airport management.
Thales designs, develops and manufactures electrical systems as well as devices and equipment for aerospace, defence, transportation and security sectors.

Airbus keen to build long-term tie with Bangladesh

The students of Jahangirnagar University have seized 16 buses of transport service company Moumita Paribahan, in protest against the alleged molestation of a female student of the University by one of the bus helpers.
JU students intercepted 16 buses of Moumita Paribahan bound for Dhaka-Nabinagar at the main gate (Dairy Gate) area of the university on Wednesday morning.
However, the bus owners have alleged incidents of snatching mobile phones and wallets with cash from the seized bus drivers and helpers by the students.
Earlier on Tuesday, a student of the 51st batch of the university was allegedly assaulted by a helper of a Moumita Paribahan bus in Radio Colony area of Savar on her way back to the university from Savar. She lodged a written complaint to the university proctor regarding this on Wednesday.
In the complaint, the victim wrote: "I was coming to the campus by Maumita bus after getting tuition from Bank Town around 6:30 pm on Tuesday. When I paid the bus fare, the helper said that he had no change and would give it later. When the bus got close to Radio Colony, the helper said that the bus would not go further. All the passengers of the bus then got down and left. When I asked the helper to return the change, the helper said, let's take you to Dhaka.
"At that time, there were only three people on the bus. Bus driver, helper and one with them. As the driver did not stop the bus, being scared, I jumped off the bus and got serious injuries in my knee.
&ldquo;I was mentally disturbed after this incident. When I informed my batchmates, they brought me to the hospital.&rdquo;
Sohel Rana, a friend of the victim, said: "A bad incident happened with their friend yesterday. In protest, we stopped the bus of Maumita Paribahan. Later, We, along with the university proctor and the police of Ashulia police station went to the spot. But surprisingly, despite all the CCTV footage, no footage of the period from 6.10 to 6.18 was found. We demand a fair trial of this incident."
In this regard, Assistant Proctor Monir Uddin Shikder said, "We visited the spot along with the police of Ashulia police station and the students. But we could not find any incident by checking the CCTV. We are looking at the matter very seriously. On behalf of the university, security officer Sudipta Shaheen will file the case as the plaintiff."
&ldquo;The buses will remain here until the incident is resolved,&rdquo; he added.
Regarding snatching mobile phones by the students, he admitted that some of the students did this in excitement, but these were later returned.
"Later, they returned those mobiles in my presence within an hour,&rdquo; the assistant proctor said.
University &nbsp;Proctor Professor Dr Alamgir Kabir said they informed the bus authority to identify the helper and driver of the bus and inform them immediately.
&ldquo;Police are also trying to identify the culprits,&rdquo; he said.

JU students seize 16 buses of Moumita Paribahan following student's complaint of molestation by helper

Foreign minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today sought 100 million US dollars in assistance from Japan for making Bangladesh's ship-breaking industry safe and sustainable.
"I requested Japan to help us with 100 million US dollars for developing the shipbreaking sector which is one of the biggest in the world," he told reporters after holding a meeting with visiting Japanese Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Hosaka Yasushi at the foreign ministry here.&nbsp; &nbsp; The foreign minister said Bangladesh breaks 8000 scrapped ships annually while neighbouring India breaks 10000 annually.&nbsp;
"They (Japan) had helped India to improve their shipbreaking industry . . . so in line with that I also sought their help in this regard," he said.&nbsp;
During the meeting, Hasan also sought the continuation of Japanese support, a long-term plan for the development of Southern Chattogram under the BIG-B initiative to enhance connectivity in the region and beyond.
He also emphasised more Japanese investments in Bangladesh, particularly in the Special Economic Zones in Araihazar and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar at Mirsarai in Chattogram.&nbsp;
The foreign minister thanked Japan for sending the Trade Negotiating Team for EPA which will visit Dhaka from May 19-23, 2024 for the 1st round of Japan-Bangladesh Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Negotiations. &nbsp; He apprised the Japanese vice minister that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government would like to strengthen the existing strategic partnership between Bangladesh and Japan to further height and engagements.&nbsp;
Hasan expressed satisfaction at the good progress of JICA-assisted mega-infrastructure projects, including Matarbari deep seaport, Matarbari Coal Fired Power Plant, Dhaka Metro Rail.&nbsp;
He thanked Japan for the continued efforts towards a durable solution for the safe, sustainable and dignified return of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals Rohingyas to the Rakhine State for peace, stability, and security in the region.&nbsp;
The foreign minister expressed hope that an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) would be concluded to get Japanese financial concessions by 2026 when Bangladesh will graduate from LDC status.&nbsp;
Both the Vice Minister and Foreign minister expressed satisfaction at the close cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan in different multilateral fora and hoped that both the countries will continue close cooperation for international peace and security, and sustainable development.
The foreign minister thanked the Vice Minister for representing the government of Japan in the ICPD30 Global Dialogue in Dhaka.&nbsp;

Hasan seeks $100m from Japan for ship breaking industry

Three dengue patients died from dengue disease and 21 were hospitalised in the last 24 hours till this morning, according to the daily statement of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). &nbsp; During the period, 11 dengue patients were hospitalised in Dhaka city while 13 were admitted to different hospitals outside the capital, the statement added. &nbsp; This year, the total number of cases rose to 2,545 while 32 deaths from dengue disease were reported during the same period. &nbsp; In the past 24 hours, four dengue patients were discharged from different hospitals. Among the total cases, 2,377 patients have already been released, the DGHS statement added. &nbsp; Last year, the country recorded 1,705 dengue-related deaths and a total of 3,21,179 dengue cases.

Three dengue patient die, 21 patients hospitalized

Journalist leaders of different organisations on Wednesday said that Bangladesh Bank (BB) has made a great mistake by banning journalists at the central bank.
They urged Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder to withdraw the ban immediately saying that the journalists are working to disseminate the right information about different sectors which also helps the government to make the right decision.
The journalist leaders were speaking in a meeting on the central bank&rsquo;s ban held at the auditorium of the Economic Reporters&rsquo; Forum (ERF) in Paltan.
They said the free flow of information is a must to overcome the economic crisis and understanding the upcoming budget.
They threatened that if the ban is not withdrawn , the leaders of various journalists' organizations including the National Press Club, journalists' unions, and Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) will wage a movement in the future against this &lsquo;illegal&rsquo; ban.
They also alleged that the central bank is helping the corrupt businesses in looting bank money and giving protection to them by banning free access of journalists at the central bank headquarters.
&nbsp; ERF president Refayet Ullah Mirdha said journalists' access to Bangladesh Bank has been restricted for the last one and a half months and the central bank has been contacted several times for withdrawing the ban but it is still effective.
In such a situation, the meeting has been organised to take suggestions and opinions on what can be done to remove the restrictions on data collection and free access, he said.
The ERF president urged all to give opinion for the sake of journalism staying above political ideology.
General Secretary of Jatiya Press Club and Editor of Bhorer Kagoj Shyamal Dutta said that there would be no benefit to banning journalists from entering the central bank.
&ldquo;Because in this digital era, it is not possible to keep information secret. Either way, the data will be extracted.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Did the thieves have to come to the Bangladesh Bank when the reserve money was stolen? The thieves did not need to come to Bangladesh. Now the information of theft cannot be kept secret by banning the entry of journalists,&rdquo; he said.
President of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Ruhul Amin Gazi, Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, Founding Convenor of ERF and Editor of English Daily the Financial Express Shamsul Haque Zahid, Editor of UNB Farid Hossain, Dhaka Union of Journalist Union-DUJ (one faction) president Sohel Haider Chowdhury, Sajjad Alam Khan Tapu, president of the other faction of DUJ Shahidul Islam, President of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) Syed Shukur Ali Shubo, General Secretary Mohiuddin Mahi, Ex-President of ERF Manwar Hossain, former general secretary of ERF Ziaur Rahman, SM Rashidul Islam, among others, spoke in the event.
ERF General Secretary Abul Kashem moderated the programme.

Restricting reporters’ access to central bank a great mistake, say journalist leaders

State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak today said the semiconductor sector can be a US$10 billion industry by 2041.&nbsp; &nbsp; "The semiconductor manufacturing industry has great potential to be a billion-dollar sector in Bangladesh. Here in Bangladesh there are a few design houses and they are doing well but in chip fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging we still lag behind. Proper policy support and required incentives can create a $10 billion semiconductor industry by the year 2041," he said.&nbsp; &nbsp; Palak said this while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on "Unleashing the potential of the semiconductor industry in Bangladesh" organized by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at DCCI in the city. &nbsp; In his speech, Palak said that the uses of microchips, Nano chip and the manufacturing of semiconductors are growing day by day and if the government can give the right policy support to the sector, it will be possible to earn at least $10 billion from exporting semiconductor items by 2041.&nbsp; &nbsp; He again reiterated the urgency and need for a semiconductor policy for the faster development of this sector.&nbsp; &nbsp; At the same time, he also urged for an industry-academia collaboration to create a highly skilled and technologically advanced workforce especially compatible with this sector as the demand is very high at home and abroad.&nbsp; &nbsp; He later said that the government has already established hundreds of digital labs, 5G testing is going on, more than 13 crore internet users inside the country, 19 crore mobile users, and nearly 100 percent electrification across the country; these are some of the indicators of Bangladesh's digital progress and readiness.&nbsp; &nbsp; "And if we can give proper policy support, incentives and guidelines coupled with skilled manpower having high-end sophisticated technology then we will be able to achieve the target of smart Bangladesh by 2041," he added.&nbsp; &nbsp; He also said that we have to make plans to create at least 50 thousand chip designers in the country.&nbsp; &nbsp; Later he said that with the help of talented entrepreneurs and the enthusiastic private sector, the country will be able to become knowledge-based smart Bangladesh by the year 2041. &nbsp; &nbsp; DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed suggested that for the successful implementation of import substitution industrialization and export diversification, Bangladesh should prioritize the development of the semiconductor industry.&nbsp; &nbsp; Many countries are investing heavily in the semiconductor industry, creating a high demand for skilled workers, he said.&nbsp; &nbsp; He mentioned that the government should focus on cultivating a skilled workforce required to meet the growing demands of the semiconductor industry in Bangladesh. &nbsp; He also underscored the importance of simplification of administrative procedures for setting up semiconductor businesses, including licensing, permits, and import/export regulations.&nbsp; &nbsp; He further said that a transparent and efficient regulatory environment will encourage investment and reduce operational hurdles.&nbsp; &nbsp; He also recommended ensuring robust protection for intellectual property (IP) to encourage innovation and attract foreign investors.&nbsp; &nbsp; Bangladesh also needs a holistic framework to develop an ecosystem for sustainable and inclusive growth of the semiconductor industry taking into account the views of stakeholders, he later opined.&nbsp; &nbsp; Managing Director of the Bangladesh High-Tech Park Authority G S M Jafarullah informed that the government is developing innovation hubs in ten universities in the country.&nbsp; &nbsp; In Shibchar, Madaripur, on the 70 acres of land, the government is establishing the Sheikh Hasina Institute of Frontier Technology, he informed.&nbsp; &nbsp; He said work of 21 high-tech parks out of the targeted 94 has nearly been completed.&nbsp; &nbsp; Moreover, he mentioned, that the government is facilitating private sector entrepreneurs with land and space at the knowledge parks and software parks. &nbsp; He invited the private sector to invest in the semiconductor industry more.&nbsp; &nbsp; The government is also considering the best possible tax benefits to the ICT sector so that we can attract more local investment or FDI in this sector, he added. &nbsp; &nbsp; Department of Nanomaterials and Ceramic Engineering of BUET Professor A. S. M. A. Haseeb presented the keynote paper.&nbsp; &nbsp; Managing Director of Bondstein Technologies Ltd Mir Shahrukh Islam, Co-founder and vice president of Software Teton Private Ltd. Razib Hasan, and Additional Managing Director of Walton Digi-Tech Industries Liakat Ali, among others, spoke on the occasion.&nbsp;

Semiconductor sector can be $10 billion industry by 2041: Palak

Mobile phone users could be facing higher expenses as the National Board of Revenue (NBR) considers increasing the supplementary duty on mobile phone calls and internet services in the upcoming budget.
Sources at the NBR have indicated that the board is mulling to place the proposal for hiking the supplementary duty to 20% from 15%.
In 2015, the government initially imposed a 3% supplementary duty on call rates and internet services. Subsequently, this rate was increased to 15% over three increments.
There are already existing VAT charges and surcharges on mobile phone calls and internet services.
Contacted, Mohammed Shahedul Alam, Robi's Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer, has expressed concerns regarding the potential increase in the supplementary duty rate for various services within the mobile telecommunication sector.
He said, &ldquo;Such an increase would negatively impact the usage of mobile internet services among customers.&rdquo; Shahedul Alam mentioned that the number of mobile internet users has been declining over the past few quarters, and imposing higher taxes would exacerbate this downward trend.
He added that raising the tax rate overall would not effectively boost revenue as it would likely lead to reduced consumer spending.

Call rates and internet prices may rise next fiscal year

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) today issued fresh heatwave alert messages for five divisions for the next 48 hours. &nbsp;&nbsp; The prevailing heatwave over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dhaka, Khulna and Barishal divisions may continue during the next 48 hours commencing from 6 pm today (15 May).&nbsp;
Due to the increase in moisture incursion, the discomfort may continue.

Met office issues heatwave alert for next 48 hours

The waiver from complying with Public Procurement Rules (PPR) for Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has been extended for another year up to June 2025.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in a meeting with Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali in the chair took the decision.
The finance minister virtually joined the meeting as he tested Corona positive after returning from abroad.
Briefing reporters about the outcomes of the meeting Md. Mahmudul Hossain Khan, Secretary, Coordination &amp; Reforms at the Cabinet Division, said after the approval, the state marketing agency TCB can import or procure any essential product through direct purchase method (DPM).
&ldquo;The TCB will not need to mandatorily follow the PPR in its direct purchase of any product. This facility has been given to TCB so that it could collect products for low income people who buy products from open market sale (OMS),&rdquo; said the official.
He said sometimes TCB has to procure directly on an emergency basis as part of a market control mechanism. &nbsp;
Meanwhile, in a separate meeting, Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) approved a proposal of the TCB to procure 10,000 metric tons (MT) of lentil through open tender process from local supplier Ease General Trading and Nabil Naba Food Products at a total cost of Tk 101.40 crore with each kg at Tk 101.84. &nbsp;
Of these, the EASE Trading will supply 6,000 MT of lentils while Nabil Naba will give the remaining 4,000 MT. The product will be sold through OMS. &nbsp;

TCB can import or procure essential products through DPM up to June, 2025

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu on Wednesday described his Bangladesh visit as an effort to "rebuild the trust" between the people of the two countries.
"Last year, there were a lot of tension between US and Bangladesh," he told reporters in a brief statement, noting that they want to look forward.
Lu had a courtesy meeting with Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud at his office and discussed ways to deepen the relations between the two countries.
The United States said they stand with Bangladesh in building a "prosperous, secure, and democratic" future.
"Our discussion with the Foreign Minister today reaffirmed our shared commitment to cultivating economic growth, bolstering the workforce, improving security cooperation, addressing the climate crisis and reinforcing our values of respecting democracy and human rights," said the US side.
Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lu said they want to find ways to strengthen the relationship.
"So I spoke about working the hard issues. We have lots of hard issues -- RAB sanction, labour reforms, we have human rights, business climate reforms," Lu said.
In order to work on hard issues, Donald Lu said, they want to build up cooperation on positive issues.
"We are talking about new investments, more Bangladeshi students who want to study in the US and how to work on clean energy," he said.
The US also wants to support Bangladesh in fighting corruption, hold the officials accountable, ensure transparency and help widen the tax net.
Lu said the US worked very hard to promote free, fair and non-violent elections which caused tension. "It is common in our relationship."
In a separate briefing, Foreign Minister Hasan said Lu came to Bangladesh to improve the relations.
On the GSP issue, the foreign minister said the US wants to help Bangladesh get it back when they reintroduce the programme.
He said the US also wants to help Bangladesh strengthen its reserve.
They also talked about modernisation of the taxation system, Rohingya repatriation issue and genocide in Palestine.
"He told me that they also want to see peace in Gaza. They are hopeful and agreed that peace needs to be established there," Hasan said.
Senior Foreign Ministry officials and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas, among others, were present.
Assistant Secretary Lu held a meeting with Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury and discussed bilateral issues with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin on Wednesday.
Lu arrived here on Tuesday to "strengthen bilateral cooperation" and to demonstrate US support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
His visit was aimed at deepening Bangladesh-US cooperation, including deepening the economic ties in ways that the two countries can collaborate further to address climate issues, said Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the US Department of State Vedant Patel.

US wants to rebuild trust between Dhaka and Washington leaving behind tension: Lu

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said that following her government&rsquo;s steps to offset the impacts of climate change, the vulnerability of the poor and marginalized community has declined.
&ldquo;Various measures have been taken by the government to offset the impacts of climate change, which also pulled down the vulnerability of the poor and the marginalized community,&rdquo; she said when the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Under-Secretary-General Dr Natalia Kanem called on her.
Prime Minister&rsquo;s Speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam briefed the reporters after the meeting held at InterContinental hotel here.
In case of natural disasters, the premier said, the rate of casualties has sharply reduced in Bangladesh.
During the meeting, different issues, including child and mother mortality rates, reproductive health, child marriage and girls education came up for discussion.
The UNFPA Executive Director said Bangladesh has made an excellent performance in reducing the child and maternal mortality rates.
She said the reproductive health of women is being affected due to the adverse impacts of climate change.
Turning to women's education, Sheikh Hasina said that female students surpassed boys both in number and academic performance in the school examinations in Bangladesh.
&ldquo;Girl students have surpassed the boys both in number and pass percentage in the recent school examinations (SSC examinations). And it has been possible for our girl-friendly policy,&rdquo; she said, adding that many parents even were not willing to send their girls to schools in the past.
Coming into power in 1996, Sheikh Hasina said, her government framed policy to promote girls education in line with her experiences gathered after she returned home in 1981.
She focused on different steps including introduction of stipend programme for students and school feeding scheme.
Besides, now a larger number of girls are coming to schools as employment scopes for girls have widened, she noted.
Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, State Minister for Health Rokeya Sultana, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin and Medical Education and Family Welfare Division Secretary Azizur Rahman were present.

Govt’s climate actions reduce vulnerability of poor, marginalized people: PM

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in a meeting on Wednesday approved the draft &ldquo;Export Policy 2024-27&rdquo; setting a target to increase the annual export to $110 billion by 2027 from the current target of $80 billion.
Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali virtually presided over the meeting as he tested Covid-19 positive after returning from abroad.
Briefing reporters about the outcomes of the meeting Md. Mahmudul Hossain Khan, Secretary, Coordination &amp; Reforms at the Cabinet Division, said different issues including the upcoming challenges in the country against the backdrop of the graduation from LDC have been highlighted in the new draft export policy.
He said now the draft policy will be sent to the Cabinet for final approval.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to graduate from the LDC in 2026 and some new challenges are coming ahead in our export business...Which sectors should get the priority and which products need branding were focused in the new policy,&rdquo; he said.
He noted that some new issues have been included the new export policy.
Strategies to overcome the impact of the Covid-19, Russia-Ukraine War, 4th industrial revolution, support for small and medium entrepreneurs, raising the participation of the women entrepreneurs, and environment-friendly initiatives are among the new initiatives included in the new export policy.
He said directives were given in the new export policy to take supporting measures for the women entrepreneurs to promote their exports and finding alternative measures to the financial incentives to the exporters.
Some new items have been included as potential export items including vegetables, handicrafts, dyeing and printing while drugs and equipment manufacturing have got extra focus in the new policy.

Cabinet body okays draft policy with target to raise export to $110 billion by 2027

Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr AK Abdul Momen has said there is no alternative to quick repatriation of the displaced Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar.
&ldquo;The Rohingya situation is getting complicated day by day&hellip;So, there is no alternative to Rohingya repatriation in the fastest possible time,&rdquo; he said.
Momen, also a former minister for foreign affairs, made this remark when a delegation, led by Chairman of Malaysian advisory group on Myanmar Affairs Tan Sri Syed Hamid Bin Albar, made a courtesy call on him at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban here on Monday. &nbsp;
He stressed the need for finding out the reasons behind hampering repatriation of the Rohingya people from Bangladesh as the repatriation is being delayed though both the governments have agreed on this issue.
&ldquo;We have to unearth the real cause behind hampering repatriation of these forcibly displaced Myanmar people while these repressed community is very much eager to return to their own land,&rdquo; said the former minister.
Referring to the visit to the Rohingya camps by the members of the parliamentary standing committee, the JS body chief said, &ldquo;The Rohingyas are living there in a very inhuman condition and the situation is getting worse day by day.&rdquo;
&ldquo;If the Rohingya crisis lingers, this will ultimately create insecurity and instability in this region,&rdquo; he said, adding: &ldquo;This problem is not only for Myanmar and Bangladesh but also a big threat for other countries of this region.&rdquo;
Even it [Rohingya crisis] is likely to emerge as a global threat also, the former foreign minister explained. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Responding on the request of seeking utmost security and ensuring favorable working environment for the Bangladeshi expatriates in Malaysia, the visiting Malaysian delegation chief called for getting proper documents, including E-Visa provided by the Malaysian government, departure certificate of Bangladesh Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) Bureau and airlines travel tickets for sending Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia.
Chairman of Malaysian advisory group on Myanmar Affairs Tan Sri Syed Hamid Bin Albar also hailed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for giving shelter to huge displaced Rohingyas in Bangladesh.
&ldquo;As the Prime Minister has given them shelter considering the humanitarian grounds, they have to go back to their homeland&rdquo;, he said. &nbsp;
The only solution of the Rohingya crisis is safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation, said Syed Hamid Bin Albar, also a former Malaysian minister, adding, &ldquo;The Malaysian government is beside Bangladesh and will remain so in the future to make the repatriation a success.&rdquo;
Malaysia will chair the ASEAN in next year.
The Malaysian envoy in Bangladesh and other visiting advisory group members were present during this time.

No alternative to quick repatriation of Rohingyas: JS body chief

After months of uncertainty and apprehension, Engine Cadet Aiyub Khan and 22 other crew members of MV Abdullah reunited with their family members at Chattogram Port on Tuesday.
But freedom did not come easily for them. Aiyub said they went through tough times during their month-long captivity by Somali pirates, who he said released them only after receiving a substantial ransom, a claim consistent with a Reuters report stating that the pirates were paid $5 million in ransom.
Aiyub said, &ldquo;We were counting the days until our release. One day, we learned via an interpreter that the pirates had communicated with our ship owner and agreed on a ransom amount.&rdquo;
He continued, &ldquo;Two or three days after Eid-ul-Fitr, a bag containing dollars was dropped onto the ship from a helicopter. After receiving the ransom, the pirates divided into three groups and left the ship.&rdquo;
Aiyub Khan, son of the late Azhar Miah of Rakhalia village in Raipur upazila of Lakshmipur, said, &ldquo;I was very worried about my mother because our ship was hijacked only a month after my father's death. I don&rsquo;t know how my mother tolerated all these shocks.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The reunion with my mother has healed all the suffering I went through in the last two months,&rdquo; said Aiyub.
On March 12, Somali pirates hijacked MV Abdullah along with 23 crew members in the Indian Ocean. The pirates took the ship to the Somali coast and released it on April 13.

Ransom money dropped onto MV Abdullah from helicopter: Engine Cadet Aiyub

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) busted a 'den of Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa)' near Ukhiya Rohingya camp in Cox&rsquo;s Bazar district and arrested two suspected Rohingya criminals early Wednesday (15 May).
One of the arrestees was identified as Md Shahnur alias Master Salim, 38, chief coordinator and commander of Arsa, son of Syedul Abera and Md Riaz, 27, son of Mohammad Nur.
The elite force also recovered huge arms and ammunition including one revolver, nine ammunition, one LG gun, three cartridges, five grenades, three rifle grenades, ten hand-made grenades, and rocket shell from the den, said Commanding officer of Rab-15, Lieutenant Colonel Sazzad Hossain.
The seized grenades, bombs and rocket shells were destroyed in the presence of the bomb disposal unit of Bangladesh Army.
The members of RAB-15 encircled the Lal Hill along Rohingya Ukhiya camp around 2 am on Wednesday.
Sensing the presence of the elite force, the criminal opened fire on RAB, prompting them to fire back, triggering a gunfight.
In 2023, 64 people were killed by terrorist groups in Rohingya camps for various reasons, including establishing dominance in the camps. In 2024, 16 Rohingyas have so far been killed in the camp, according to RAB.

'Arsa den' busted in Cox's Bazar, 2 'Rohingya criminals' arrested: RAB

Reuters

Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola closed a decades-in-the-making chapter of his long career on Thursday as his passion project "Megalopolis," a 138-minute epic science-fiction tale drawn from Roman history, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
With "Megalopolis," the Oscar-winning director of "The Godfather" is in the running for the Palme d'Or for the first time since "Apocalypse Now" netted him the top prize in 1979.
Critics were on the whole unimpressed by the film but many found it had at least a smidgeon of entertainment value.
Entertainment news outlet Vulture summarised the general reception with the headline "Megalopolis is a work of absolute madness," while The Hollywood Reporter's quick take described it as "a folly that's not without a certain fascination."
Adam Driver stars as Cesar Catilina, an architect-scientist who wants to better a fictional version of New York City called New Rome, pitting him against Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who prizes authority and institutions over change. &nbsp; Catilina falls in love with the mayor's daughter, Julia, played by "Game of Thrones"' Nathalie Emmanuel, as she helps him work towards his vision and re-ignites his power to stop time.
Attesting to Coppola's cachet, even the supporting cast is particularly well-stocked with famous names such as Shia LaBeouf, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne and Dustin Hoffman.
Almost as epic as the film itself is the long, winding road it took from concept to cinemas: Coppola first began developing the concept in the early 1980s, working on it in fits and starts in the succeeding decades with a number of actors attached.
Coppola said his plot inspiration came from an attempted coup d'etat in 63BC by the popular Roman aristocrat Lucius Sergius Catiline, who also lends his name to Driver's character.
After almost giving up on the project in 2007 due to a lack of support, Coppola decided to follow through on it after turning 80, followed by the pandemic, which involved selling a piece of his wine business to self-finance the film's production. &nbsp; "Megalopolis," with a $120 million budget, has not yet found a US distributor but, according to reports, will have a limited global release at Imax theatres at some point this year.

After decades, Francis Ford Coppola's opus 'Megalopolis' finally debuts at Cannes

A group of US billionaires and business titans working to shape public opinion of the war in Gaza privately pressed New York City&rsquo;s (NYC) Mayor Eric Adams last month to send police to disperse pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, according to communications obtained by The Washington Post and people familiar with the group.
The WhatsApp chat cited by the Washington Post included prominent businessmen such as former CEO of Starbucks Howard Schultz, Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell, hedge fund manager Bill Ackman and Joshua Kushner, brother of former President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser on Middle East issues, Jared Kushner.
Business executives including Kind snack company founder Daniel Lubetzky, hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb, billionaire Len Blavatnik and real estate investor Joseph Sitt held a Zoom video call on 26 April with NYC Mayor Eric Adams, about a week after the mayor first sent New York police to Columbia&rsquo;s campus, a log of chat messages shows.
During the call, some attendees discussed making political donations to Adams, as well as how the chat group&rsquo;s members could pressure Columbia&rsquo;s president and trustees to permit the mayor to send police to the campus to handle protesters, according to chat messages summarising the conversation.
Protests, including rallies, demonstrations, campaigns, and vigils, relating to the Israel&ndash;Hamas war have occurred nationwide across the United States since the conflict's start on 7 October 2023, occurring as part of a broader phenomenon of the Israel&ndash;Hamas war protests around the world.
In the first ten days of the war, pro-Israeli demonstrations in support of Israel in the wake of the Hamas-led attack and focusing on the Israeli hostage crisis were most common, but they have since been outnumbered by pro-Palestinian anti-war protests demanding a ceasefire and an end to the Israeli occupation.
Pro-Palestinian protestors criticised US military and diplomatic support to Israel and Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip and its war conduct, which some called a genocide. These protests included Jewish groups and some US administration staffers.
By December 5, more than 1 million Americans had participated in protest over the conflict, across over 2,600 events: 442 in support of Israel, and 2,100 in support of Palestine.
An escalation of pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses began on 17 April, 2024.

US business titans privately urged NYC mayor to use police on pro-Palestine protesters: Washington Post

The Republican-led US House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would force President Joe Biden to send weapons to Israel, seeking to rebuke the Democrat for delaying bomb shipments as he urges Israel to do more to protect civilians during its war with Hamas.
The Israel Security Assistance Support Act was approved 224 to 187, largely along party lines. 16 Democrats joined most Republicans in voting yes, and three Republicans joined most Democrats in opposing the measure. &nbsp; The act is not expected to become law, but its passage underscored the deep US election-year divide over Israel policy as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government seeks to wipe out militants who attacked Israel on&nbsp; 7 October, killing around 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Palestinian authorities say at least 35,272 civilians have been killed during Israel's campaign in Gaza. Malnutrition is widespread and much of the population of the coastal enclave has been left homeless, with infrastructure destroyed. &nbsp; Republicans accused Biden of turning his back on Israel after facing widespread pro-Palestinian protests. &nbsp; "This is a catastrophic decision with global implications. It is obviously being done as a political calculation, and we cannot let this stand," Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told a news conference with other party leaders on Wednesday.
Democrats also accused the other party of playing politics, saying Republicans are distorting Biden's position on Israel. &nbsp; "It is not a serious effort at legislation, which is why some of the most pro-Israel members of the House Democratic caucus will be voting no," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told a news conference before the vote.
Israel, a major recipient of US military assistance for decades, is still due to get billions of dollars of US weaponry, despite the delay of one shipment of 2,000-pound (907-kg) and 500-pound bombs and the review of other weapons shipments by the Biden administration. &nbsp; As recently as Tuesday, the State Department had moved a $1 billion package of weapons aid for Israel into the congressional review process, US officials said. &nbsp;

US House votes to force weapons shipments to Israel, rebuking Biden

AP/UNB

Japan and the United States on Wednesday signed an arrangement to jointly develop a new type of missile defense system as the allies seek to defend against the growing threat of hypersonic weapons, which are possessed by China and Russia and being tested by North Korea.
The project was initially agreed between Japan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden at their summit last August and reaffirmed between the leaders during Kishida's April visit to Washington. The Glide Phase Interceptor is planned for deployment by the mid-2030s.
Wednesday&rsquo;s agreement determines the allocation of responsibility and decision-making process, a first major step in the project, Japanese defense ministry officials said. They hope to decide on Japanese contractors and start the development process by March 2025.
Hypersonic weapons are designed to exceed 5 Mach, or five times the speed of sound, posing a threat to regional missile-defense systems with their speed and maneuverability. Developing interceptors of them is a challenge.
Japan's defense ministry called it a &ldquo;pressing issue&rdquo; and noted that hypersonic weapons in the region have dramatically improved in recent years.
Under the arrangement, Japan is responsible for developing a part at the interceptor's tip that separates in space to destroy the incoming warhead, as well as its rocket motors, officials said.
Japan has earmarked 75.7 billion yen ($490 million) for initial development and testing of the interceptor, according to the defense ministry.
The cost includes making components for the two companies, Raytheon Technologies and Northrop Grumman, that are developing the weapon in a competition led by the US Missile Defense Agency. One will be chosen for the project.
The MDA has estimated the cost to develop the hypersonic missile interceptor will exceed $3 billion, including Japan's share of $1 billion.
The interceptors will be deployed on Aegis-class destroyers, like the ship-to-air Standard Missile-3 that Japan previously co-developed with the United States.
Japan has been accelerating its miliary buildup as it stresses the need to fortify its deterrence against growing threats. Japan has also significantly eased its weapons export policy to allow co-developed lethal weapons to third countries.

Japan, US move ahead in co-developing hypersonic weapons interceptor as regional threats grow

BSS/AFP

World champion N'Golo Kante will make a surprise return to international football as France coach Didier Deschamps announced Thursday the 25 players that will make up the French squad at Euro 2024.
Kante left English side Chelsea last summer to join Saudi club Al Ittihad and has not represented France since June 2022.
"He played a full season (Kante struggled with injury during his time with Chelsea), albeit not in a European league, as he is in Saudi Arabia," said Deschamps on French TV channel TF1.
"He's back to full fitness. With his experience, I'm convinced that the French team will be stronger with N'Golo Kante."
The 2018 World Cup winner was the big surprise in Deschamps' squad, but the 33-year-old's experience will doubtless be a help to youngsters Warren Zaire-Emery and Bradley Barcola, who also made the squad after fine seasons at Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Winger Barcola, 21, is the only uncapped player in the squad but forced his way in with a strong finish to the season, impressing particularly with his performances in the knock-out stages of the Champions League against Real Sociedad and Barcelona.
Also making a return to the international fold is Real Madrid defender Ferland Mendy, who has not played for France since September 2022, but has been a regular this term for his club who are on course to complete a Spanish league-Champions League double.
Star attacker Kylian Mbappe was also included in the squad, as were Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and Arsenal defender William Saliba.
Mbappe comes into the tournament in fine form, despite uncertainty about where he will play his football next season after confirming he would leave PSG this summer.
The France captain has scored 44 goals so far this season and can add to that tally in his team's remaining Ligue 1 match and the French Cup final.
Exams can wait&nbsp;
After a stunning breakthrough season at PSG, Zaire-Emery earned his first call-up in November of last year, marking the occasion with a goal in a 14-0 rout of Gibraltar.
"Very happy to be on the list, it's one of the best competitions to play with France and I'm very happy and proud to represent my country," said Zaire-Emery via video link on TF1.
The 18-year-old added that he had been granted a special dispensation to sit his final school exams later in order to perform at his best at the Euro during the summer.
"I asked to be able to do it in September to be calm and focussed on football," said Zaire-Emery.
Aurelien Tchouameni, who is a doubt for June's Champions League final, Mike Maignan and Kingsley Coman all made the squad despite currently carrying injuries.
PSG's Lucas Hernandez missed out after rupturing his anterior cruciate knee in May.
After defeat in the final at home in 2016 and a disappointing early exit in 2021, France come into Euro 2024 among the pre-tournament favourites to win a third European Championship after victory in 1984 and 2000.
France will begin their Euro campaign in Germany on June 17 against Austria, before taking on the Netherlands four days later and completing their group-stage matches against Poland on June 25.
France squad
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham/ENG), Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Brice Samba (Lens)
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Marseille), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool/ENG), William Saliba (Arsenal/ENG), Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ESP), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA), Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid/ESP), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich/GER), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)
Midfielders: N'Golo Kante (Al Ittihad/KSA), Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus/ITA), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid/ESP), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco)
Forwards: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich/GER), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan/ITA), Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint-Germain), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan/ITA)

Kante returns from wilderness as Deschamps announces France Euro squad

The BNP has expelled 55 grassroots leaders for participating in the third phase of the upcoming upazila elections defying the party's directive.
Four leaders were expelled on Thursday (16 May) and 51 leaders on Wednesday (15 May), according to a press release signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi issued on Thursday.
It said that these leaders have been dismissed from all party positions, including primary membership, as outlined by party rules.
So far, BNP has expelled 204 grassroots leaders for taking part in the upazila elections.

BNP expels 55 more leaders

Lionel Messi's record $20.45 million annual salary from Inter Miami makes him by far the best paid player in Major League Soccer but also puts him ahead of the entire squads of 25 of the league's clubs, according to data released by the MLS Players Association on Thursday.
The players union regularly releases the full pay details of the entire league and while it was no surprise to see the eight-times Ballon d'Or winner at the top, the gulf with other players and indeed teams is striking.
Messi has a guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667 made up of a base salary of $12 million plus various bonuses.
The figures from the players' union do not include the huge income the Argentine World Cup winner receives in commercial deals, endorsements and sponsorships from companies such as Adidas and Apple.
Messi signed his last contract with Spanish club Barcelona in 2017, a four-year deal that gave him the potential to earn 138 million euros per season including salary and add-ons.
Messi moved to Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, after his contract with Barca ended and was reported to be earning between 30-35 million euros with the French club.
The 36-year-old joined Miami in July last year on a deal which runs until the end of the 2025 season but he may still be receiving payments from Barca.
Joan Laporta, the Barca president, said in January 2022 that the club were scheduled to make deferred salary payments to the player until 2025.
Toronto's Italian striker Lorenzo Insigne, who was MLS's best-ever paid player until Messi's arrival, was second on the list with a guaranteed income of $15.4 million from the Canadian club.
Messi's Spanish team-mate, Sergio Busquets, the 35-year-old former Barca midfielder, is the third top earner in the league on $8.8 million guaranteed.
Miami's former Barca duo of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez and Spanish full-back Jordi Alba each earn $1.5 million per year.
Inter Miami's total wage bill is $41.68 million with Toronto second on $31.41 million. Current league champions, the Columbus Crew, had a total salary cost of $15.19 million, ranked 21st in the league.
Messi shares a dressing room with a number of team-mates earning just a tiny fraction of his income -- defender Noah Allen, a regular part of the matchday squad, earns a total of $91,383.
The average MLS salary is $594,390 in 2024 which is up 12.1% from last year.
Miami are able to pay Messi such a high salary because of the 'Designated Player' rule which was brought in to allow Los Angeles Galaxy to sign David Beckham in 2007 on a base salary of $6.5 million a year with his total deal earning him around $50 million in five years.
While Messi's income is huge by MLS standards it is well below the levels of top performers in other major sports in the USA.
Last year Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow signed a five-year deal worth $55 million per season, a new league record.
The NBA's top earner Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors makes $51.9 million.

Messi's record $20.4 million salary dwarfs entire MLS teams

Eight students of Chattogram University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) have got scholarships for higher education at Egder University in Norway.
Under CUET's 'Care' project, three students will study for two years and rest five students for five months at Egder University.
CUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Rafiqul Alam made the disclosure at a meeting on Thursday (16 May) afternoon at the syndicate conference room of the university's administrative building.
CUET Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Jamal Uddin Ahmed, Registrar (Additional Duty) Prof Dr Sheikh Mohammad Humayun Kabir, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Kazi Afzalur Rahman and head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, among others, attended the function.

8 CUET students to go to Norway for higher education

The 44th homecoming day of Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is being observed today (17 May). &nbsp; The ruling Awami League (AL) has taken elaborate programmes marking the 44th homecoming day of Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina. &nbsp; As part of the programmes, the party leaders will greet the premier, the eldest daughter of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at her Ganabhaban residence at 9 am on Friday. &nbsp; A discussion will be held at Dhaka District AL Bhaban in the city's Tejgaon area at 3:30 pm as AL Presidium Member Engineer Mosharraf Hossain will chair it. National leaders and intellectuals will address the meeting. &nbsp; Special doa and prayers will also be offered at mosques, temples, churches and pagodas to mark the day. Doa will be offered at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Jummah prayers. &nbsp; Christian Community will hold special prayer at Mirpur Baptist Church at 9 am on the day while Buddhist Community at International Buddhist Monastery in the city's Merul Badda at 10 am and Hindu Community at Dhakeshwari National Temple at 11.30 am. &nbsp; AL's relief and social welfare subcommittee has also taken elaborate programmes to observe the day. &nbsp; As part of the programmes, food will be distributed among the orphans of Tejgaon's Rahmate Alam Islam Mission orphanage today. &nbsp; Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will attend the programme. &nbsp; On May 17, food will be distributed among the orphans of Azimpur Salimullah Muslim Atimkhana, Salimullah Road's Atimkhana in Mohammadpur, Sobhanbag Masjid Atimkhana and Badda Beraid Rahim Ullah Atimkhana. &nbsp; Food will also be distributed among the orphans of the atimkhanas (orphanages) adjacent to Hazrat Shahjalal (R) Mazar (shrine) in Sylhet, Hazrat Shah Amanat (R) and Garib Ullah Shah (R) in Chattogram on the same day. &nbsp; The members of the subcommittee will also distribute food among orphans in different districts across the country. &nbsp; On May 18, Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud will distribute food among the inmates of Chattogram's Kadam Mobarak Orphanage.
On May 17 in 1981, Sheikh Hasina returned to the country after a long exile. &nbsp; Boarding on an aircraft of the Indian Airlines, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina reached the then Kurmitola Airport in Dhaka from the Indian capital of New Delhi via Kolkata at 4.30pm on that day. &nbsp; Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was brutally killed along with most of his family members on 15 August in 1975 and his two daughters-- Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana --- luckily escaped the brutal assassination as they stayed abroad. &nbsp; In a national council session of the Awami League on 14, 15 and 16 February in 1981, Sheikh Hasina was elected as party president in her absence and then she returned to the country on 17 May. &nbsp; A large number of people had gathered outside the Kurmitola Airport in Dhaka to receive Sheikh Hasina on that day. They had come from every corner of the country and the whole thoroughfare from the Farmgate point to Kurmitola in the city was full of jubilant crowds. &nbsp; After a long hovering over the airport, an aircraft of Indian Airlines carrying Sheikh Hasina from New Delhi via Kolkata, touched the runway at 4:30 pm. &nbsp; "I have returned to the country not to become a leader of the Awami League, rather to participate in the struggle for freedom by staying beside the people," said the AL president in a heart touching reception awarded by nearly 1.5 million people at the airport at that time. &nbsp; She added: "I want to stay beside you as your sister, as your daughter, and as a worker of Awami League, who believes in the ideals of Bangabandhu." &nbsp;

Sheikh Hasina's homecoming day today

A new exhibition opens this week tracing a century of British royal portrait photography, from the official coronation image of King Charles III to an intimate portrait of his late aunt Princess Margaret.
"Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography" is the first exhibition in the newly reopened King's Gallery at Buckingham Palace, which was previously known as the Queen's Gallery.
Displaying 150 photos by 40 photographers, the exhibition brings together works by renowned photographers including Cecil Beaton, who captured the royal family across four decades.
The photographs are all drawn from the Royal Collection -- one of the largest art collections in the world -- and includes portraits by Dorothy Wilding, Princess Margaret's husband Lord Snowdon, and Annie Leibovitz.
- Century of change -
Starting from the 1920s, the exhibit charts royal portraiture from its beginnings in black-and-white photography, to colourful, modern depictions in the 21st century.
The exhibition opens with a small but imposing blue room, with just two photos: one marking the engagement of Prince Albert and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon -- the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth -- in 1923.
The other is their grandson King Charles III's official coronation portrait in 2023.
Taken 100 years apart, curator Alessandro Nasini said one was a private commission, while the other was distributed across the world in seconds.
One photo by Snowdon of four royal mothers with their newborn babies in 1964 is on public display for the first time.
"Royal Portraits" also displays many iconic photos of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022, including her coronation portrait by Cecil Beaton.
The black-and-white photo shows the queen in full regalia in the Green Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, in front of a painted backdrop of Westminster Abbey.
On show too are Andy Warhol's 1985 screenprint based on Peter Grugeon's original portrait of the Queen, and Jamie Reid's controversial 1977 cover picture for the Sex Pistols' punk single "God Save the Queen".
The song and cover were seen as an attack on the monarchy, and the song was banned by most radio stations at the time.
- Modern age -
Photography has been an important way for the British royal family to project a careful public image while also appearing accessible.
According to curator Nasini, royal portrait photography can uniquely "maintain the historical role and function of a royal portrait while placing the royal family firmly in the modern age".
In the digital age, where images are shared globally in seconds and accessible by millions, royal photos may have lost some of their ability to control the perception of the royal family.
But Nasini wants visitors to pay attention to the value of the original portraits and to "appreciate their materiality and beauty".
"It's so important to look closely at those prints and take your time, especially today when images are consumed so quickly through the smartphone", Nasini told AFP.
Asked about his favourite shot in the collection, Nasini pointed to a 1968 portrait of the late Queen taken by Cecil Beaton.
The photo shows Queen Elizabeth II wearing a simple black cape, against a stark white backdrop.
He said it "shows the queen, perhaps more as a woman, as the person who came up behind the monarchy" -- and reminded him of a letter her mother, Queen Elizabeth, wrote to Beaton in 1963.
"She writes, and I quote, 'I feel that as a family we must be deeply grateful to you for producing us as really quite nice and real people.'," he said.
The exhibition opens on Friday and runs until October 6.

100 years of British royal photography goes on display in London

Cristiano Ronaldo topped Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes for the fourth time in his career while Spanish golfer Jon Rahm moved up to second following his sensational switch to Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
Ronaldo became the world's highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr and Forbes said the 39-year-old's estimated total earnings were in the region of $260 million, an all-time high for a soccer player.
His on-field earnings amounted to $200 million while his off-field earnings were $60 million thanks to sponsorship deals where brands make use of his 629 million Instagram followers.
Twice major winner Rahm joined LIV Golf in December in a big-money move that sent shockwaves through the sport after media reports said the current world number five would be paid at least $300 million.
Apart from that guarantee, Rahm has earned $218 million and joins Ronaldo as the only two athletes to earn over $200 million.
Third on the list is record eight-times Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, who made a lucrative switch to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, helping the Argentine World Cup winner earn $135 million.
The 36-year-old has earned $65 million in on-field earnings but $70 million off it thanks to deals with major sponsors such as Adidas and Apple.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is fourth at $128.2 million and although the 39-year-old, the first NBA player to score 40,000 career points, is nearing the end of his career, the American is set to have one last crack at the Olympics.
Fellow NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo ($111 million) of the Milwaukee Bucks rounds out the top five while France soccer captain Kylian Mbappe has dropped down to sixth ($110 million).
Mbappe announced he would be leaving Paris St Germain after seven years in the French capital where he became the club's all-time leading scorer and the 25-year-old is expected to join Spanish giants Real Madrid in the close season.
Former PSG star Neymar, who also moved to the Saudi Pro League to join Al-Hilal, is seventh ($108 million) despite sitting out the majority of the season with a torn ACL.
French striker Karim Benzema, who also moved to Saudi Arabia, is eighth ($106 million) on the list followed by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry ($102 million).
Lamar Jackson is the only NFL player on the list in 10th place ($100.5 million) thanks to the signing bonus that was negotiated into his new Baltimore Ravens contract last year.

Ronaldo tops Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes again, Rahm second

In a joint statement, 7,000 words long in Russian, Xi and Putin pledged a "new era" of partnership between the two most powerful rivals of the US, which they cast as an aggressive Cold War hegemon that was sowing chaos across the world.
They proclaimed opposition to the United States on a host of security issues and a shared view on everything from Taiwan and Ukraine to North Korea and cooperation on new peaceful nuclear technologies and finance.
There was little detail on what actual deals they agreed, though the meat of the meeting was expected to be hashed out informally over tea.
Putin took his new defence minister, Andrei Belousov, and a large delegation with him.
* Putin's China trip signals priorities:
By picking China for his first foreign trip since being sworn in this month for another six-year term, Putin is sending a message to the world about his priorities and the strength of his personal ties with Xi.
Xi greeted Putin on a red carpet outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where they were hailed by marching People's Liberation Army soldiers, a 21-gun salute on Tiananmen Square and children waving the flags of China and Russia.
* Russia and China detailed a host of grievances against the United States:
- Russia and China have serious concerns at "U.S. attempts to violate the strategic balance"
- Examples of this include: US global missile defence involving the deployment of parts of it in regions around the world and in space.
- Developing high-precision non-nuclear weapons for potential &ldquo;decapitation&rdquo; strikes
- "Extended nuclear deterrence" with allies including Australia.
- Plans to deploy ground-based intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles (INF) in the Asia-Pacific and European regions, including their transfer to its allies.
- "The parties strongly condemn these extremely destabilizing steps, which pose a direct threat to the security of Russia and China."
- "The parties oppose the hegemonic attempts of the United States to change the balance of power in Northeast Asia by building up military power and creating military blocs and coalitions."
* Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller was not on the trip:
Gazprom, which holds about 16% of global gas reserves and employs 492,200 people, was once one of Russia's most powerful corporate empires - so powerful it was known as "a state within the state".
But the loss of a massive chunk of the European gas market due to Russia's war in Ukraine has hit it hard.
"Alexei Miller held talks with the Iranian leadership on the dates of Putin's visit to China," Gazprom said, referring to a working visit by Miller to Iran this week.
It was not immediately clear what Miller was talking to Iran, a major producer of natural gas, about. Miller, 62, is a close ally of Putin who has run Gazprom since 2001.

Top takeaways from Putin's trip to China

South Africa asked the top U.N. court on Thursday to order a halt to the Rafah offensive as part of its case in The Hague accusing Israel of genocide, saying the country "must be stopped" to ensure the survival of the Palestinian people.
The hearings at the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, come after South Africa last week asked for additional emergency measures to protect Rafah, a southern Gaza city where more than a million Palestinians have been sheltering.
It also asked the court to order Israel to allow unimpeded access to Gaza for U.N. officials, organisations providing humanitarian aid, and journalists and investigators. It added that Israel has so far ignored and violated earlier court orders.
Israel's military campaign has targeted tens of thousands of children and woman, destroyed civilian infrastructure and starved the population, said Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, attorney for South Africa.
"From the onset Israel's intent was always to destroy Palestinian life and to wipe them off the face of the earth. Rafah is the final stand," he said.
"Israel must be stopped. South Africa is before you again today to respectfully ask the court to invoke its powers. ..to order a remedy that will stop Israel," said Adila Hassim, another lawyer for South Africa.
Israel, which has denounced South Africa's claim that it is violating the 1949 Genocide Convention as baseless, will respond on Friday. In previous filings it stressed it had stepped up efforts to get humanitarian aid into Gaza as the ICJ had ordered.
'MAN-MADE STARVATION'
South Africa's attorney Max du Plessis said Israel's declared safe zones were a "cruel distortion" because people were often too starved to flee. Those strong enough to leave to shelters were sometimes attacked by Israeli forces.
"There is nothing humanitarian about these humanitarian zones," he said. "Israel's genocide of Palestinians continues through military attacks and man-made starvation."
Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations told Army Radio on Wednesday the short notice the court gave for the hearings did not allow sufficient legal preparation, adding that was "a telling sign".
The Israel-Hamas war has killed nearly 35,000 people in Gaza, according to health authorities there. About 1,200 people were killed in Israel and 253 taken hostage on Oct. 7 when Hamas launched the attack that started the war, according Israeli tallies.
South Africa accuses Israel of acts of genocide against Palestinians. In January, the court ordered Israel to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza, allow in more humanitarian aid and preserve any evidence of violations.
The hearings on May 16 and 17 will only focus on issuing emergency measures, to keep the dispute from escalating. It will likely take years before the court can rule on the merits of the case.
The ICJ's rulings and orders are binding and without appeal. While the court has no way to enforce them, an order against a country could hurt its international reputation and set legal precedent.

'Israel must be stopped,' South Africa tells World Court

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on Thursday to deepen their "strategic partnership" while scolding the United States for a series of moves that they said threatened their countries.
Following are the key points of the joint statement, which is 7,000 words long in Russian, on "the deepening of the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation entering a new era."
* Russia and China "are determined to defend their legitimate rights and interests, resist any attempts to hinder the normal development of bilateral ties, interfere in the internal affairs of the two states, and limit the economic, technological or foreign policy potential of Russia and China."
* TAIWAN: Russia "reaffirms its commitment to the principle of 'one China', recognizes that Taiwan is an integral part of China, opposes the independence of Taiwan in any form, and firmly supports the actions of the Chinese Side to protect its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as to unify the country.
* UKRAINE: "The Russian side positively assesses China's objective and unbiased position on the Ukrainian issue."
China "supports the efforts of the Russian side to ensure security and stability, national development and prosperity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and opposes outside interference in Russia's internal affairs."
* UNITED STATES: Russia and China have serious concerns at "U.S. attempts to violate the strategic balance":
- U.S. global missile defence and deploying parts of it in regions around the world and in space.
- Developing high-precision non-nuclear weapons for potential &ldquo;decapitation&rdquo; strikes
- "Extended nuclear deterrence" with allies including Australia. eg AUKUS
- Plans to deploy ground-based intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles (INF) in the Asia-Pacific and European regions, including their transfer to its allies.
- "The parties strongly condemn these extremely destabilizing steps, which pose a direct threat to the security of Russia and China."
- "The parties oppose the hegemonic attempts of the United States to change the balance of power in Northeast Asia by building up military power and creating military blocs and coalitions."
"The United States still thinks in terms of the Cold War and is guided by the logic of bloc confrontation, putting the security of 'narrow groups' above regional security and stability, which creates a security threat for all countries in the region. The US must abandon this behavior.
*NORTH KOREA: "The parties oppose the actions of intimidation in the military sphere carried out by the United States and its allies, which provoke further confrontation with the DPRK, fraught with armed incidents and escalation of the situation on the Korean Peninsula."
* NUCLEAR WAR: "There can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should never be fought."
* MARKETS: increase the share of national currencies in bilateral trade; encourage debt issuance in both markets; develop insurance and financial markets.
* INDUSTRY: develop civil aircraft construction, shipbuilding, carmakers, machine tool industry, electronics industry, metallurgy, iron ore mining, chemical industry and forestry.
* AGRICULTURE: expand mutual access of agricultural products, increase the volume of trade in soybeans, pig breeding, water production, grain, fat and oil, fruits and vegetables, nuts and other products.
* TECHNOLOGY: develop cooperation in information and communication technologies, including artificial intelligence, communications, software, Internet of things, open source, network and data security, video games, radio frequency coordination, specialised education and industry research activity.
* ENERGY: "Strive for the stability and sustainability of the global energy market, strengthening value chains in the fuel and energy complex. Develop market-based cooperation in the field of oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), coal and electricity, ensure the stable operation of relevant cross-border infrastructure and the creation conditions for unimpeded transportation of energy resources."
* NUCLEAR: Deepen partnership in peaceful nuclear energy. Including thermonuclear fusion, fast neutron reactors and the closed nuclear fuel cycle.

What is Putin and Xi's 'new era' strategic partnership?

A corporate agreement was signed between Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC and Astra Airways Limited (Air Astra) at the Islami Bank Tower on 15 May.
Under this agreement, all debit and credit cardholders, as well as employees of Islami Bank, will receive a special discount on the purchase of air tickets, reads a press release.
In the presence of Mohammed Monirul Moula, Managing Director of the Bank, and Imran Asif, Chief Executive Officer of Astra Airways Limited, Md. Maksudur Rahman, Senior Executive Vice President of the Bank, and Sohail Majid, Chief Commercial Officer of Astra Airways Limited, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.
Muhammad Qaisar Ali, Additional Managing Director, Miftah Uddin, Deputy Managing Director, Md Omar Hayat Chowdhury, Vice President, and A M Shahidul Amran, Senior Assistant Vice President of the Bank, as well as Mozammel Haque Bhuiyan, Head of Sales, and Sakib Hasan Shovo, Deputy Manager (Public Relations) of Astra Airways Limited, along with executives and officials from both institutions, were present on the occasion.

Islami Bank cardholders receive discount on Astra Airways air tickets

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned what they cast as increasingly aggressive US behaviour on Thursday and pledged to deepen their countries' already close defence and military ties.
In a clear snub to Washington, whose top diplomat flew into China last month to try to persuade Beijing to scale back its relationship with Moscow, Xi signalled Beijing and Moscow saw eye to eye on a range of important issues, including on Ukraine, and would resist Western pressure to downgrade their ties.
"The China-Russia relationship today is hard-earned, and the two sides need to cherish and nurture it," Xi told Putin.
"China is willing to ... jointly achieve the development and rejuvenation of our respective countries, and work together to uphold fairness and justice in the world."
A joint statement spoke of concerns about what were described as US efforts to violate the strategic nuclear balance, about global US missile defence that threatened Russia and China, and about US plans for high precision non-nuclear weapons.
Putin, on his first overseas trip since being inaugurated this month for a new presidential term, described Moscow and Beijing's co-operation in world affairs as one of the main stabilising factors in the international arena.
"Together we are defending the principles of justice and a democratic world order reflecting multipolar realities and based on international law," Putin told Xi.
Putin's visit comes weeks after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken flew into China to raise concerns about what he said was China's support for Russia's military and a day after he said Washington would continue to impose sanctions on Chinese companies supplying Russia's defence sector.
Blinken's China trip appears to have been an unsuccessful attempt to undermine a "no limits" partnership proclaimed when Putin visited Beijing in February 2022, just days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine triggering the deadliest land war in Europe since World War Two.
SENDING A MESSAGE By picking China for his first foreign trip since being sworn-in this month for a six-year term that will keep him in power until at least 2030, Putin is sending a message to the world about his priorities and the strength of his personal ties with Xi.
The joint statement was described as deepening the strategic relationship and spoke specifically of how joint cooperation in the defence sectors between the two nations improved regional and global security and of plans to step up military ties.
It also condemned initiatives to seize assets and property of foreign states, a clear reference to Western moves to redirect the profits from frozen Russian assets or the assets themselves to help Ukraine.
Xi said both sides agreed that a political settlement to the Ukraine crisis was the "right direction" and the joint statement said both countries were opposed to a drawn out conflict in Ukraine and its possible transition to an uncontrollable phase.
Putin, who arrived on Thursday for a two-day visit that will include talks on Ukraine, Asia, energy and trade, said he was grateful to China for trying to solve the Ukraine crisis, adding that he would brief Xi on the situation there, where Russian forces are advancing on several fronts.
Describing his initial talks with Xi as "warm and comradely", he outlined sectors where the two countries were strengthening ties, from nuclear and energy co-operation to food supplies and Chinese car manufacturing in Russia.
Informal chats between the leaders and senior officials of both sides to be held over tea and dinner later on Thursday are expected to be key to the two-day trip.
Putin's newly appointed defence minister, Andrei Belousov, as well as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov will also attend, along with Russia's most powerful CEOs.
CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS OF TIES Putin, 71, and Xi, 70, will participate in a gala celebration marking 75 years since the Soviet Union recognised the People's Republic of China, which Mao Zedong declared in 1949.
The United States casts China as its biggest competitor and Russia as its biggest nation-state threat, while US President Joe Biden says this century will be defined by an existential contest between democracies and autocracies.
Putin and Xi share a broad world view, which casts the West as decadent and declining, just as China challenges US supremacy in everything from quantum computing and synthetic biology to espionage and hard military power.
Putin will also visit the northeastern city of Harbin, which has historic ties to Russia. A mall devoted to Russian-made goods from about 80 Russian manufacturers opened on Thursday, the China Daily said.
China has strengthened trade and military ties with Russia in recent years as the United States and its allies imposed sanctions on both countries, particularly Moscow, for its invasion of Ukraine.

Xi and Putin condemn US, pledge closer ties as Russia advances in Ukraine

Apparel Resources Group, India, has awarded 40 Bangladeshi young entrepreneurs under the age of 40 for their contributions to the ready-made garment (RMG) industry.
Apparel Online Bangladesh (AOB) organised the &ldquo;40 under 40&rdquo; event at a city hotel on Wednesday (15 May), reads a press release.
At the event, many of the high-spirited young entrepreneurs shared how adventurous and meaningful their business journeys were, highlighting the changes they implemented within their organisations. These changes proved highly instrumental in the tremendous growth of their trade, creating significant employment opportunities for thousands of Bangladeshi people and empowering them financially and socially.
The award winners include Akib Rahman, director of Hams Group; Maisha Abdullah, director of Mitali Group; Usama Sorwar, chairman of Usama Textile Ltd, Abrar Hossain, Sayem, CEO of Merchant Bay, Rezwan Habib, head of business operations of DBL Group and Harsh Kumar, business development manager of CLO Virtual Fashion INC.
Appreciating the spirit of young entrepreneurs Mayank Mohindra, director of Apparel Resources said, &ldquo;We salute these young flag bearers of the apparel industry who have contributed their best to ensure the growth of not only their businesses but also created opportunities for the entire supply chain.&rdquo;&nbsp;
He further added that Apparel Resources will continuously support the RMG industry with its various initiatives, be it global sourcing and technology events or networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities. &nbsp;
Md Siddiqur Rahman, fomer president of BGMEA; Shehryar Burney. executive director of Yellow Retail; Asif Ibrahim, vice chairman of Newage Group and Past President of DCCI and Sharif Zahir, managing director of Ananta Group handed over the awards to award winners and expressed hope that such inspirational steps will further motivate the young achievers to perform more aggressively.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The '40 under 40' initiative will motivate the young generation to excel and ensure the tremendous growth of the RMG industry, we are thankful to all the stakeholders who were part of this prestigious initiative,&rdquo; said Bhumica Bansal, director of Apparel Resources. &nbsp;

40 under 40: Apparel Resources acknowledges Bangladesh RMG industry’s young achievers

India on Thursday offered citizenship to 300 members of religious minorities, who migrated to the country by 2014, under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The Modi government amended India&rsquo;s citizenship act in 2019, accelerating the pathway for Indian citizenship to members of religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who arrived in India by 2014 to escape religious persecution.
The act drew criticism of injustice against the country&rsquo;s largest religious minority group Muslims.
Home secretary A K Bhalla handed over citizenship certificates to 14 applicants in New Delhi, and others got the much-awaited document digitally, &nbsp;reports The Times of India.
Home minister Amit Shah lauded the development and termed it "historic", an assertion which was seen also as a political statement in the context of continuing resistance to CAA from opposition parties like CPM, Trinamool Congress and DMK which have vowed not to implement the law for not keeping Muslims within its purview.
"Modi's guarantee... guarantee of fulfilment of promise. Today is a very historic day. Today, the wait of decades has ended and through CAA, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian brothers and sisters who came to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious persecution have started getting Indian citizenship. Today, Narendra Modi ji has fulfilled the promise made at the time of independence. I express my gratitude to Modi ji for giving justice," Shah said in a social media post.

300 members of religious minorities get Indian citizenship under CAA

Dozens of Thai cannabis advocates urged the government on Thursday to abandon its plans to re-list marijuana as an illegal narcotic, a week after it announced its dramatic U-turn just two years after decriminalizing it.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has made a push to allow cannabis use only for medical purposes, promising a tough stand on illicit drugs that he said were causing addiction and destroying the future of young people.
Pro-cannabis groups met the health minister on Thursday and urged him to rethink the policy reversal.
"Even for medical use, don't bring the people's plant into the system. It has been our recipe for hundreds of years. When you need licenses there is corruption," said Prasitchai Nunual, secretary-general of Thailand's Cannabis Future Network.
Thailand first legalised cannabis for research and medical use in 2018 and two years ago removed the plant from the national narcotics list, allowing people to grow, sell and consume cannabis.
That led to an explosion of recreational use, with thousands of cannabis cafes and dispensaries popping up nationwide, especially in tourist hotspots, in an industry projected to be worth up to $1.2 billion by 2025.
Critics say liberalisation was rushed by the previous government, with no cannabis bill drafted or clear rules in place in Thailand, causing widespread public confusion and misuse.
Thailand has a long tradition of using marijuana to relieve pain and fatigue, with use also in traditional medicine and recipes. Public Health Minister Somsak Thapsutin told the group cannabis should be used only for medical purposes.
But many cannabis businesses say the problem is not recreational use of cannabis, but the haze surrounding rules or regulations.
"There is nothing more reasonable than a comprehensive Cannabis Act, which already addresses the safety concerns like use among children and controlled growth," activist and cannabis retailer Chokwan Chopaka said.
"We do not support a wild west of marijuana in Thailand, but a policy that backs farmers, retailers and medical users."

Thai cannabis groups urge government to rethink plan to re-criminalise marijuana

Bangladesh has undergone significant development, achievement, and modernization since Sheikh Hasina's return to the country on May 17, 1981, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Thursday.
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been in power for the last 15 years. There is no similarity between Bangladesh now and 15 years ago. There is a night and day difference between Dhaka today and 15 years ago. The country has transformed in terms of development, achievement, and modernization. And the driving force behind this transformation is Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," said Quader.
He made these remarks at a food distribution programme at Rahmat-E-Alam Islam Mission &amp; Islam Mission Orphanage in Tejgaon, Dhaka. The Awami League&rsquo;s sub-committee on Relief and Social Welfare organised the programme to celebrate Sheikh Hasina's homecoming day.
Quader said, "Everything, including democracy, the ideology of independence, and the historic March 7 speech, was sent into exile following the murder of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15. We regained them through the homecoming of Sheikh Hasina."
"It has been possible to bring the war criminals and the murderers of Bangabandhu to justice due to the return of Sheikh Hasina," Quader added.
He further noted, "We have established an independent Election Commission by enacting a law in parliament and built the metro rail and constructed the Padma Bridge with our own financing."

Sheikh Hasina's homecoming sparked Bangladesh's transformation: Quader

The National Economic Council (NEC) approved the Annual Development Programme (ADP) worth Tk2,65,000 crore for the next fiscal year.
The approval came following a meeting of the NEC chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the NEC auditorium in the capital on Thursday (17 May).
After the meeting, Planning Minister Absus Salam briefed the media.
Planning Secretary Satyajit Karmakar and other members of the planning commission were also present during the briefing.&nbsp;
"ADP for the current fiscal was Tk2,63,000 crore, Tk1,69,000 crore came from the government exchequer and Tk94,000 crore from foreign sources,"&nbsp;said Satyajit Karmakar.
Of the total approved amount, Tk1,65,000 crore would be managed from the government&rsquo;s own funds and Tk1,00,000 crore from external sectors in the form of loans and grants.
The size of the ADP for the next fiscal increased by Tk2,000 crore a mere 0.76% increased compared to the current ADP for the current fiscal year.
Planning Commission proposed a decrease of Tk4,000 crore - about 2.37% from the current fiscal year from the government funds but proposed an increase of Tk6,000 crore, 6.38% higher from foreign sources.

National Economic Council approves Tk2,65,000 crore ADP for next fiscal year

The Israeli military said on Thursday that five soldiers were killed in the northern Gaza Strip when they were struck by Israeli tank fire.
Israeli ground forces re-entered parts of northern Gaza this month to crack down on attempts by the Islamist group Hamas to regroup.
"There was a tank crossfire of the 202 battalion resulting in the death of 5 soldiers and some soldiers injured. The soldiers were evacuated for further medical treatment, the families were updated," the military said of the incident that occurred on Wednesday.

Five Israeli soldiers killed by Israeli tank fire in Gaza, military says

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

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