United News of Bangladesh

Approximately Tk 90 lakh, including both official and personal funds, was lost during the vandalism and looting that took place in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on August 5. This figure was revealed during a meeting held on September 4, 2024, to discuss the overall situation of the Parliament building. The meeting, presided over by Acting Secretary Zebunnesa Karim (Additional Secretary, Committee Support Wing), outlined the steps to address the aftermath of the incident, according to a press release. In response to the losses, a decision was made to take appropriate measures to recover the stolen cash. Additionally, authorities resolved to compile a detailed inventory of lost and damaged goods from various offices, sub-sections, and sections within the Parliament building. This inventory is to be submitted to the respective heads of each department for further action. Heads of departments at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban attended the meeting, where they emphasized the urgent need for repairs in their respective areas. The meeting also resulted in the formation of three committees tasked with enhancing the overall security of key locations, including the Parliament House, the Parliament Member Houses in Manik Mia and Nakhal Para, the Old MP Hostel, Minister Hostel, Secretary Hostel, and surrounding residential areas. The committees have been directed to conduct on-site inspections of the damaged and lost goods, with findings to be reported to the oath room. Urgent measures will be taken to repair damaged computers, printers, scanners, internet connections, telephone exchanges, lines, and other essential equipment within the Parliament building. Various department heads and related officers were present during the meeting. Soon after Sheikh Hasina fled the country, hundreds of thousands of agitators ran into the Jatiya Sangsad and broke through the barricade put on different roads leading to the parliament building and marched towards it. Within minutes, the staircase in front of parliament was filled with thousands of protesters. Vandalism and looting were noticed at that moment.

The third session of the 12th Parliament, which is also the Budget Session, that started on June 5 was prorogued after 19 working days. Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury read out the prorogation of the President at 09:05pm. Finance Minister AH Mahmood Ali placed the Tk 7.97 lakh crore budget on June 6 while the Finance Bill 2024 was passed on June 29 and the budget for 2024-25 fiscal on June 30. Some 228 MPs discussed the proposed budget for 38 hours and 25 minutes. Of the total number, the number of ruling party members is 172 (29 hours and 12 minutes) and 56 opposition and Independent MPs (9 hours and 13 minutes). Some seven bills have been passed in this session. A total of 117 questions were received for the Prime Minister while she answered 67 questions. The session received 2300 questions for different ministries while the number of the answered questions was 1522. Under the call attention notice, some 105 notices were submitted while none of the notices was discussed in Parliament.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday defended her government's decision to allow transit facilities to India stressing that Bangladesh can’t keep its doors closed in this current global situation. “There is objection as to why we gave transit to India. We already had given transit earlier.  What is the loss for it? Rather we are getting tolls for from the use of roads. The people of our country are getting its benefits. We can earn some money……We can’t keep our doors closed,” she said.  The leader of the House said this while delivering the valedictory speech at the budget session (third session) of the current 12th parliament. Taking a swipe at the critics of her recent visit to India, she said opposition parties continue saying many things about her visit. Govt has no plan to raise age limit to enter govt jobs: Minister She said Bangladesh needs to join trans-Asian highway. “We’ve also gained transit (facilities) from India for (to carry goods to) Nepal and Bhutan,” she said. Noting that Bangladesh brings fuel from Assam, India to Parbatipur depot through pipeline, she said, “We can purchase fuel at cheap rate.”  The PM said the government has a plan to bring the fuel to Natore through the pipeline. She depicted how the interests of the country were neglected during the regimes of military dictators Ziaur Rahman and HM Ershad, and also Khaleda Zia. She said Ziaur Rahman opened Bangladeshi market for Indian goods. Zia and Ershad did nothing to solve enclaves and Tin Bigha corridor issues and Khaleda Zia forgot to raise the Ganges water treaty issue during her visit to India in 1990s.  Hasina said she gave objection to sell gas to India before the 2001 general election and rather Khaleda Zia agreed to it and gave undertaking on this. As a result, her party Awami Leauge got the larger percentage of votes but not majority  of seats in that election, she added. First budget session of 12th JS prorogued “We couldn’t form the government since I didn’t agree to sell gas. So, who sold the country? It was Khaleda Zia, HM Ershad and Ziaur Rahman who did it. Awami League doesn’t do it” she continued. The prime minister sought cooperation from MPs so that the recently passed national budget and annual development programme (ADP) are properly implemented in the new fiscal year of 2024-2025. Talking about the Ashrayan project, she said a total of 8,67,977 (8.68 lakh) landless and homeless families have been rehabilitated under the scheme. The total number of beneficiaries is more than 43.39 lakh, she added. The budget session, which started on June 05 last, was prorogued on Wednesday evening after 19 sittings.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told parliament that the government has taken a plan to generate electricity from hydrogen and ammonia alongside the production of solar and wind power in the country.  “It is expected that it would be possible to use hydrogen energy on pilot basis in the country by 2035,” she said replying to a question from Awami League lawmaker Habibur Rahman (Sylhet-3). Earlier, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury tabled the written question-answer in the House  at the start of the day’s sitting at around 5pm. The prime minister said a cell has been formed at the Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL) under Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) to collect the results of ongoing researches and the data of the activities undertaken in the developed world over sustainable and reliable methods of producing hydrogen as energy.  The cell will design a project proposal after receiving reliable information in this regard, she added.  Besides, the PM hoped that the 1,200-megawatt first unit of the 2,400-megawatt Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will go on commercial production by the end of this year. She said a target has been set to generate 40 percent electricity from clean energy (renewable) by 2041 in the country. In reply to another question from AL lawmaker Ali Azam (Bhola-2), the premier said the government is committed to ensuring justice on the basis of equality for all, irrespective of the rich and poor, and establishing justice in the society by making visible improvements in the judiciary system.  She said the current government has relentlessly been working to establish the rule of law in the country by providing assurance of fair trial to alleviate the suffering of the people seeking justice. A total of 1,429 judges were recruited in lower courts since 2009, said Sheikh Hasina. Responding to ruling party lawmaker Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury (Feni-1), the PM said a total of 8,67,977 (8.68 lakh) landless and homeless families have been rehabilitated under the Ashrayan project. She said the total number of beneficiaries is more than 43.39 lakh. “So far 58 districts and 464 upazilas have been completely freed from the landless and homeless people. Five divisions --Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Khulna and Rajshahi are now completely freed from landless and homeless people. That means, there are no landless homeless people in all these districts, upazilas and divisions,” she added. Answering to a question from AL lawmaker SM Ataul Haque (Satkhira-4), the prime minister said the allocation for the social safety sector has been increased by 9.12 times from Tk 13,845 crore in the 2008-09 fiscal year to Tk 126,272 crore in the current fiscal year of 2023-24, which is 16.58 percent of the total national budget. 

The National Primary Education Academy Bill, 2024 was passed in Parliament on Wednesday,  bringing the National Primary Education Academy in Mymensingh under a law. The Academy had been established under an Ordinance. State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Rumana Ali moved the Bill and it was passed by voice vote. According to the objective of the Bill, National Academy of Primary Education is a national level training and research institute under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education located in Mymensingh. Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024 passed in Parliament In 1978, this institution was established under the name of Academy for Fundamental Education under the Ministry of Education. The institution was renamed as National Academy of Primary Education in 1985 and it has been functioning as a statutory body from October 1, 2004. One of the responsibilities of this academy is to organise various short-term trainings including basic training for about five lakh field level teachers under the Directorate of Primary Education, conduct research to improve the quality of primary education, provide basic training for teachers held in PTIs, prepare resource books and instructor guides for trainees, Conducting examinations with academic supervision of basic training and issuing certificates to successful trainees. Several training and research institutes were run in Bangladesh in accordance with The Government Educational and Training Institutions Ordinance, 1961. But at present the said institutions have enacted separate laws to carry out relevant activities such as the National Planning and Development Academy Establishment Act, 2018. Parliament passes Local Govt Amendment Bill with new administrator appointment rules National Primary Education Academy, Mymensingh, with the prior approval of the 14-member Board of Governors constituted under the powers conferred by the said Ordinance; Resolution 2004 enacted a resolution and the National Academy of Primary Education is currently operating as per the directives provided by the resolution. It is expedient to enact a law for the National Academy of Primary Education as it is absolutely necessary to conduct systematic training and conduct research activities for the implementation of the National Primary Education Curriculum. Recruitment of manpower is not possible due to lack of National Academy of Primary Education Act or Rules. Officials under various Ministries/Organizations/Department of Primary Education are appointed and join the Academy on deputation, but as most of the officers do not have research and training work experience, it is not possible to involve them in the core work of the Academy. Due to lack of rules and regulations of National Academy of Primary Education, or NAPE, problems are also created in promotion, transfer, posting, orderly arrangements, administrative activities of National Academy of Primary Education employees, while pensions and gratuity allocation code are witheld by the Finance Ministry. Unfit vehicles, factory emissions, dust key culprits in Bangladesh’s air pollution crisis: LGRD Minister tells Parliament It was thus thought to be imperative to enact a separate law to strengthen the legal basis of NAPE, including its own manpower recruitment, promotion and settlement of financial matters. As per the specific directives of the Act/Rules, the National Primary Education Academy would function as a fully autonomous organization and can contribute significantly to the domestic and international arena as a national training and research institute.

Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain on Wednesday said the government has no plan to raise the age limit to 35 years for entering government jobs. “The number of candidates in different jobs will increase at a large extent. As a result, there may be more competition in recruitment. This may cause frustration among candidates below 30 years of age,” the minister said in parliament while replying to a tabled query of independent MP elected from Pirojpur Md. Shamim Shahnewous. Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024 passed in Parliament He said as there is no session jam in educational institutions at present students complete Master's degree in 22/23 years with SSC in 16 years. As the maximum age limit for entry into the government jobs is 30 years, they get at least 6/7 years to apply for a job even after obtaining a master's degree. Besides, he said, if a candidate applies within the age limit of 30 years, it takes 2/1 year to complete the recruitment process. “As a result, the demand to raise the minimum age for joining the service from 30 years to 35 years is actually closer to that.” Parliament passes Local Govt Amendment Bill with new administrator appointment rules Referring to the report of the Public Service Commission, the minister said that according to the age and gender-wise statistics of the candidates who passed the 43rd BCS examination, the number of recommended candidates in the younger age group (23-25) is the highest (37.68 percent) and the number of recommended candidates in the older group (above 29) is the lowest (1.71 percent). The minister also said that the number of vacancies has naturally decreased due to the increase in the retirement age from 57 years to 59 years. In this context, he said that if the age limit for entering the job is increased, the number of candidates in different jobs will increase at a large rate. Parliament passes national budget for FY 2024-25 targeting GDP growth at 6.75pc, inflation at 6pc If the age limit is increased  those who are currently above 30 years of age will get the opportunity, but there may be disappointment among the candidates below 30 years of age, he added.

Since 2009, Bangladesh has undertaken 178 river bank protection projects at a cost of Tk 58,118 crore, State Minister for Water Resources Zaheed Farooque said on Wednesday. Out of these, 115 projects have already been implemented, while 63 projects are ongoing, Farooque said, responding to a question from independent MP Muhammad Saiful Islam in the Parliament. Flood situation in northeastern region may remain static: FFWC Additionally, in response to a query from AL MP AK Abdul Momen, Law Minister Anisul Huq informed the House about the government's plans to address the backlog of under-trial cases. The government plans to increase the number of women and children repression prevention tribunals to reduce the backlog of under-trial cases, Huq said.

Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury emphasized the critical role of the Blue Economy in Bangladesh's economic growth and sustainable development during her speech at the 'International Conference on Ocean Prosperity: Catalyzing Blue Economy in Bangladesh' held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center on Wednesday. Higher education should foster human values, not just job skills, says Speaker Shirin Sharmin The Blue Economy has opened up an area of immense potential in increasing the utilization of marine resources, she said. The Speaker said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman realized the importance of marine resources and established the first marine research institute in 1973. “He enacted 'The Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act' in 1974, which was an important step.” She praised the progress made under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, noting that PM Hasina has confirmed Bangladesh's sovereign rights over the vast area of the Bay of Bengal. “Hence, challenges such as controlling overfishing, marine pollution, and addressing the effects of climate change have emerged alongside the sustainable use of marine resources.” UCEP Bangladesh is working to create skilled human resources: Speaker She stressed the need for collective effort in the Blue Economy sector, stating, “If the government, development partners, private sector, and international community work together, it is possible to ensure the fair use of marine resources.” The Speaker also underscored the importance of investment in research and development. Investment in the research and development sector is essential to unlock the full potential of the Blue Economy, she said. Private enterprise in the Blue Economy can significantly increase knowledge and technological capacity, she added.

Three opposition and independent MPs on Tuesday blasted the government for the deplorable condition of the banking and financial sector. Jatiya Party MP Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, and two independent MPs—Pankaj Nath and Hamidul Haque Khandker alleged that when it comes to financial institutions and banks, panic grips among everyone. “Interest waivers are being given to big companies on lame excuses. Bangladesh Bank cannot exercise its powers in this regard,” they complained. The lawmakers made this strong criticism while participating in the discussion during passage of the 'Payment and Settlement Bill-2024’ in the Parliament. However, Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali did not respond to the criticism of the MPs. Participating in the debate on the bill, Pankaj Nath highlighted the report of a national daily on the interest waiver of four industrial establishments. Cosmos Group hosts seminar on cybersecurity in banking sector with Thales  “Tk 6,497 crores interest waived for four institutions for not complying with the rules. Special approval of Bangladesh Bank was required. I will not go into detail, I will not say the names of the organizations.” Pankaj Nath said that this special approval given by Bangladesh Bank, the state-owned bank - Janata Bank is dying. Criticizing the interest waiver, Pankaj Nath said that natural calamities, death of borrowers are causing the interest to be waived. But nothing happened, not even a disaster. Interest waivers have been given with dubious and lame excuses. Without mentioning the name of Matiur Rahman, Pankaj Nath said that the name of a controversial person is being discussed every day due to corruption. Arbitrary introduction of mergers caused further unrest in banking sector: TIB “One person holds three to four important positions in the state, from a government bank, director of NBR, chairman of appellate tribunal. The controversy over his political identity started 15 years ago.” He questioned who recommended his name to go to these important positions. “The ghost remains within the mustard. No one can remove this ghost except the Prime Minister.” In the discussion of the bill, Jatiya Party MP Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that PK Halder had left for India with the smuggled money. Many companies are bankrupt today. It is not clear whether there is a provision in this law or not for those who have deposited money in the leasing company and will get it back. The law is there but there is enforcement of the law. Failure to communicate rationale behind consolidation in banking sector driving panic among customers, employees Hafiz Uddin said that Bangladesh Bank cannot exercise its power. The bank has become like a frog's umbrella. 10-20 banks are closed today. Their financial condition is fragile. Hamidul Haque Khandker said, when it comes to our financial institutions and banks, everyone gets panicked.

A parliamentary standing committee on Tuesday recommended a quick resolution as per the report of the enquiry committee formed to investigate the reasons behind the failure to send thousands of workers to Malaysia. The parliamentary standing committee on the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Welfare Ministry made the recommendation at its meeting at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. According to meeting sources, the parliamentary watchdog discussed sending workers to Malaysia. According to the ministry, the report was submitted on June 24 upon investigation of the incident. But it is not complete. It will be reviewed further. Discussions will be held with stakeholders. However, the parliamentary committee is not satisfied with the report of the investigation committee, since it thinks that there are questions about the capacity of the investigation committee. Malaysia-bound workers scammed: HC wants to know what actions have been taken against those responsible The parliamentary committee wants to take a strong position regarding the persons involved behind creating such a situation surrounding the Malaysian labor market. The ministry told the meeting that three to four thousand complaints were received by those who could not go to Malaysia. The committee asked to find out specifically how many migrant workers actually failed to go to Malaysia. Imran Ahmad, a ruling Awami League MP and chief of parliamentary watchdog, told reporters that they have asked the ministry for documents to know exactly how many workers could not go to Malaysia. Malaysia aspirants to be compensated, state minister informs Parliament He also said that the committee in its next meeting will further discuss what can be done for the migrant workers who failed to go to Malaysia. Committee members and State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury, Muhibur Rahman Manik, Abdul Motaleb, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Nizam Uddin Hazari, Mazharul Islam, Abul Kalam Azad, Sirajul Islam Molla and Shammi Ahmed participated in the meeting.