Bangladesh: Second phase of govt-sponsored scheme yet to start in 6 months

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): The government has failed to start the 2nd phase of its safety inspection to the readymade garment factories even after six months of the completion of the first phase of the assessment due to some technical and procedural complexities. Even the remediation programme at the factories where the government teams found safety risk during the 1st phase of the inspection has not started as the factory owners are yet to get the assessment reports. In the aim of ensuring fire and building safety in the RMG sector, the government in association with the International Labour Organisation on November 22 last year started formal inspection to the factories which are not on the inspection lists published by EU Accord and North American Alliance. In the first phase of the inspection, experts of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology inspected fire, electrical and structural safety in 200 factories by January. After the completion of the 1st phase of the inspection, it took 3-4 months the process of preparing reports as per the requirement of the ILO. Although the BUET prepared the reports on 200 inspected units by January, an ILO-appointed consultancy agency asked the BUET to review the reports further and wanted colour mark grading depending on the risk factors. The BUET submitted the reports to the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments at the end of May. The garment manufacturers said that the government is yet to provide the reports to the factories concerned and owners could not start remediation programme. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association on June 26 wrote a letter to the DIFE requesting it to send inspection reports to the factories concerned so that owners could start necessary correction work. Syed Ahmed, inspector general of the DIFE, told New Age that they had started sending reports to the factory owners from July 1 and all of the reports would be sent to the respective factories within a week. Some technical and procedural complexities over the inspection standard, structure of inspection report and approval of the ILO programme had arise during the inspection that caused delay in the starting of the 2nd phase of the inspection, people involved with the process told New Age. A labour ministry high official said that the complexities had been removed and the work for the next phase would start within a short period of time. A BUET expert, however, said that they were committed to carry out the safety inspection but the ILO was yet to sign any agreement for the 2nd phase. The government-sponsored inspection programme is being implemented under a three-and-a-half-year ILO initiative ‘improving working conditions in the readymade garment sector’ to ensure fire, electrical and building safety and to ensure fundamental rights of workers in the apparel industry in Bangladesh. A government official said that the project had to wait for long time for getting approval from the Economic Relations Division and it was one of the reasons for the delay in starting the 2nd phase. He said that the disagreement over the standard of concrete strength between the BUET and foreign experts and non-completion of previous reports in time were also lingering the process. ‘The complexities have almost been removed. The ERD approved the project and experts resolved the technical issues and we are hopeful that the 2nd phase of the inspection will start within short time,’ labour secretary Mikail Shipar told New Age. Srinivas B Reddy, country director of the ILO, said that the process of launching the 2nd phase of the inspection was well under way and was expected to start very soon. ‘There is no issue with the fund disbursement for the assessment carried out by the BUET. Adequate fund is available for the payment of assessments. The 2nd phase of the inspection for which the term of reference is at the final stage, will begin as soon as contractual arrangements are completed,’ he said. Reddy informed that the issue of PSI was being discussed and all three initiatives (BUET, Accord and Alliance) had agreed on PSI for brick and stone aggregate. After the Rana Plaza building collapse on April 24, 2013 that killed more than 1,100 people, the retailers and apparel brands from the EU and North America separately formed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and Alliance for Bangladesh Workers Safety Initiative. Both the initiatives started their inspection to the RMG factories in Bangladesh from February this year. Accord published a list of around 1,600 factories while Alliance a list of around 620 apparel units for inspection. At the same time the government of Bangladesh and the ILO started a three-and-a-half year initiative aimed at improving working conditions in the readymade garment industry. This $24.21-million programme is funded by Canada, Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Bangladesh: BTRC goes slow on Banglalink anomalies

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission is dillydallying in taking action against Banglalink despite having found several irregularities done by the mobile phone operator during 2010-12. The BTRC found at least four Banglalink service and packages — 7 taka 70 minute, home zone, icon and flat tariff — were run without the regulator’s approval and in violation of other relevant laws between 2010-12 but it is yet to penalise the company for the wrongdoings, said officials. BTRC officials said because of inactive role of some high official of the commission the regulator was yet to take any meaningful action against Banglalink. ‘It is surprising that for so many irregularities for the three years the company is not facing any action,’ a BTRC official told New Age on Monday. He said the BTRC only issued show-cause notice to the company time to time. ‘The commission should investigate whether or not the BTRC officials are taking any advantage out of it,’ he said. BTRC officials said Banglalink earned Tk 19.46 lakh from its unapproved 7 taka 70 minute package which the company lunched in its seventh anniversary on February 11 in 2012. A BTRC investigation report showed that Banglalink launched and campaigned for the service without official approval from the commission and it also violated the minimum tariff rule of the commission. It said after the BTRC came to know the matter it asked the company to immediately stop the service but Banglalink did not stop it despite the regulator’s order. BTRC officials said some high-ups of the commission were aware of the service launch as the company informed them through email. In case of icon package, which was launched on November 25 in 2010 for its VIP subscribers, Banglalink paired up with Qatar Airways for providing complementary air ticket for the icon subscribers. BTRC report said the operators launched the offer without permission and violated BTRC tariff directive which bars gifts like air ticket. Banglalink earned Tk 8.76 crore from the icon package. In daily flat tariff package, Banglalink put a system of collecting Tk 4 daily from the balance of the subscribers registered with the package in 2011, violating section 48 of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Act 2001. The officials said that the commission on August 2 in 2011 had asked Banglalink to stop the service but the operator continued to run it. The BTRC’s August 23, 2012 notice said due to a late implementation of the commission’s directive the subscribers of Banglalink lost Tk 92.33 crore. Later in June 2013, Banglalink admitted to the BTRC that it took Tk 9 crore extra from the subscribers under flat tariff package but, the company is yet to refund the money to the subscribers. In home zone package, Banglalink again violated the interim tariff directive which bars mobile operators to offer a package based on geographic consideration. BTRC officials said the home zone service, launched in 2011, offered lower call rates at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University, Khulna University, and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and their surrounding areas. They said the service was also available in some district headquarters. But the duration of the service could not be confirmed. The BTRC has repeatedly asked Banglalink to submit the financial details of the home zone package but the company failed to provide the particulars. The BTRC legal department in a suggestion to the commission recently said that BTRC could fine Banglalink Tk 100 crore as the company ran two packages even after issuing injunction letters. ‘The BTRC can fine Banglalink Tk 100 crore as the company clearly violated rule 64,’ it said. Asked about the lethargic approach to resolving the Banglalink issue, BTRC system and service department director M Zulfikar said the process was ongoing. ‘The process of resolving Banglalink issues is still going on. We are about to form a committee as the company has requested for a hearing on the issues,’ he told New Age. ‘It is true that the issues are hanging for long. I guess because of the pressure of the regular work it has just got little delayed,’ he said. BTRC chairman Sunil Kanti Bose June last year told New Age that considering the greater interest of the subscribers the BTRC would solve the matter soon. Asked about the issue, Banglalink, however, denied making any comment on the matter.

Bangladesh: Pollutant, listed cos not to get tax rebate

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): The industrial units which will pollute environment will not get income tax rebate facility the government has offered in the budget for this fiscal year for newly-established industrial units and the industries to be relocated from overcrowded city corporation areas, officials of the National Board of Revenue said. They said the companies listed with the country’s stock exchanges would not also get the benefit. The income tax wing of the NBR on July 1 issued a statutory regulatory order, setting some conditions for getting tax rebate facility. In the budget for the fiscal year 2014-2015, the government offered 20 per cent tax rebate benefit for newly-established industries and for industries to be relocated outside of the city corporations between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2019. The industries will get the benefit for 10 years from the date of its commercial operations while the industries which have already started its commercial activities will get the tax rebate at the rate of 10 per cent for the next 5 years. The facility is offered to encourage industrialisation in the country as well as relocation of the existing industries from the overcrowded cities like Dhaka, Chittagong, Gazipur and Narayanganj. According to the SRO, the industries which get tax holiday, income tax exemption and pay income tax at reduced rate will not be allowed to enjoy the benefit during the period they enjoy the facilities. Tax rebate offer came into effect from July 1. Officials of the revenue board said that the companies listed with the country’s two stock markets had already got special tax benefit as they pay income tax at the rate of 27.5 per cent whereas other companies pay income tax at the rate of 35 per cent. So, the listed companies are kept out of the benefit, they said. On the other hand, the government has decided to encourage environment-friendly industries to protect environment from pollution.

Bangladesh not to take any fee for food transport to Tripura

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): The Bangladesh government has waived the transhipment charge from Food Corporation of India, to facilitate transportation of 10,000 tonnes of rice for Tripura by 700 Bangladeshi goods carriers via Ashuganj river port, reports Times of India. ‘We have been informed that the Bangladesh government will not charge anything for transhipment and transportation of rice through its port and roads for Tripura as a goodwill gesture,’ said a senior official of the state administration. The official added that the Bangladesh government had already cleared transhipping of rice from Haldia port in West Bengal to Ashuganj. Bangladesh foreign ministry has also intimated its Indian counterparts to allow tax-free transportation of rice from the port to the Akhaura land custom station. They also decided to renovate 58-km roads from the port to the land custom station at its own cost. The renovation will help a smooth and speedy movement of trucks, officials said. Earlier, Zee News reported that the food grain would be ferried by small ships from Kakinada port in Andhra Pradesh to Ashuganj and then by road to Tripura in Bangladeshi trucks. Ashuganj is 31 kilometres from Tripura capital Agartala. ‘The FCI had earlier floated tenders to select Bangladeshi transporters. After a series of diplomatic and administrative parleys involving various Bangladeshi ministries and India’s food, finance, shipping and external affairs ministries, the long-pending matter was settled recently,’ Tripura’s principal secretary (food, civil supplies and consumer affairs) BK Roy told the IANS. Earlier, in 2012, Bangladesh had allowed India’s state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation to ferry heavy machinery, turbines and cargo through Ashuganj for the 726 MW Palatana mega power project in southern Tripura. The Indian government had spent several millions of rupees to develop the port and related infrastructure. ‘After Tripura, food grains would be ferried through Bangladesh for other north-eastern states, including Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam, to save time and costs, besides ensuring certainty,’ an FCI official said. ‘Due to shortage of rail wagons, inadequate storage facilities and various other bottlenecks, the north-eastern states have been suffering from poor supply of food grains for most part of the year, especially during the monsoon (June to September),’ Tripura’s food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Bhanulal Saha told the IANS. ‘In view of conversion of railway lines from metre gauge to broad gauge, the Northeast Frontier Railway would stop train services in Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram and southern Assam from October. In view of this, transportation of food grains and other essentials from different parts of the country to northeast India via Bangladesh is very vital,’ the minister added. The eight north-eastern states, including Sikkim, are largely dependent on the bigger states of India for food grain and essential commodities. Surface connectivity is a key factor as the mountainous region is surrounded by Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and China, and the only land route to these states from within India is through Assam and West Bengal. During the monsoon season, road transport becomes very difficult due to floods and landslides. For ferrying essentials, goods and heavy machinery from abroad and other parts of the country, India has for long been asking Bangladesh land, sea and rail access to the northeast. Agartala via Guwahati, for instance, is 1,650 km from Kolkata and 2,637 km from New Delhi. The distance between the Tripura capital and Kolkata via Bangladesh is just about 350 km. The FCI would carry the food grain via Bangladesh in association with the Inland Waterways Authority of India. Indian and Bangladeshi waterways connect West Bengal and Assam. The IWAI and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority are operating vessels on these routes. The two neighbours share 2,979 km of land border and 1,116 km of riverine boundary and also share 54 rivers, including eight rivers flowing from Tripura.

Bangladesh: Dhaka stocks gain for 2nd week on budget review

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): Dhaka stocks advanced last week, two week in a row, after the government had reviewed capital market-related budget proposals. The key index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, gained 0.61 per cent, or 26.78 points, in the week to close at 4,436.21 points on Thursday, last trading day of the week. The market remained closed on Tuesday due to half-yearly bank closing. The DSEX advanced sharply by 1.76 per cent or 77.64 points on Sunday after the government on Saturday had approved the finance bill 2014, scrapping the proposal of imposing 3-5 per cent gain tax on individual investors. The finance bill for the next fiscal year also scrapped some other capital market-related proposals that had dejected investors. The approved finance bill also restored 10 per cent tax rebate for the listed companies, increasing the dividend payment limit by 10 per cent to 30 per cent. Except Sunday, the market fell all other three trading sessions of the week due to the half yearly closing share sell-offs by the institutional investors to realise some profit, operators said. On the other hand, profit taking sell-offs by the retail investors and reduced participation by the institutional investors after the half yearly closing on June 30 was also observed, they said. The Finance Bill 2014 and the national budget for FY 2014-15 were duly passed last week, leaving a bundle of opportunities for the capital market and especially for investors, IDLC Investments said in its weekly market commentary. ‘Especially, removal of proposed capital gain tax and prolonging of 10 per cent tax exemption on increased (from 20 per cent to 30 per cent) dividend payment by companies influenced investors much favourably,’ it said. ‘Going ahead, the later part of the week continuously faced hit from profit booking and portfolio re-balancing due to cashing out mania,’ said IDLC. DS30, the blue-chip index of the bourse, finished at 1,621.89 points, adding 0.33 per cent or 5.29 points. The Shariah index of DSE, DSES, however, fell by 0.33 per cent, or 3.31 points, to finish at 1,002.92 points. Of the 305 shares and mutual funds traded, 137 advanced, 140 declined and 28 remained unchanged. Daily average turnover of the bourse increased to Tk 321.76 crore from Tk 287.34 crore in the previous week. BEXIMCO led the turnover leaders in the week with its shares worth Tk 99.93 crore changing hands. Grameenphone, Lafarge Surma Cement, Appollo Ispat Complex, United Airways (BD), Square Pharma, Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company, Meghna Petroleum, BSRM Steels and Padma Oil were among the other turnover leaders. Fine Foods topped the gainers’ list with a 21.99-per cent increase in its share price, while Meghna Life Insurance was the worst loser with a 13.67-per cent decline in its share price.

Bangladesh: Imports rise by 14.93pc in 11 months

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): The country’s imports increased by 14.93 per cent in the first 11 months of the current financial year 2013-14 compared with that of a negative growth of 9.09 per cent in the corresponding period of the FY13 due mainly to rise in imports of food products. According to the latest Bangladesh Bank data, settlement of letters of credit, or generally known as actual imports, stood at $33.88 billion in July-May of the FY14 against that of $29.48 billion in the same period of the FY13. BB officials said mainly higher import of food grains ahead of Ramadan pushed up the overall imports in the first 11 months of the FY14. Ramadan, fasting month for the Muslims, began on Tuesday. LC opening, or generally known as import orders, in the first 11 months of the FY14 also posted a growth of 13.30 per cent compared with that of a negative growth of 1.53 per cent in the same period of the FY13. LCs worth $37.52 billion were opened in July-May of the FY14 against LCs worth $33.11 billion opened in the same period of the FY13. The BB data showed that import of rice and wheat registered 125.84 per cent growth in July-May of the FY14 compared with that of a negative growth of 30.49 per cent in the same period of the FY13. Settlement of LCs in the first 11 months of the current financial year for rice and wheat was worth $1.31 billion against $580.40 million during the same period of the FY13. A BB official told New Age on Thursday that fall in food product prices including rice and wheat prices on the global market was one of the key reasons for the jump in the country’s import of the two products in the period. The rise in the rice prices on the local market also encouraged the importers, he said. He said that appreciation of the local currency against the US dollar also prompted the importers to import the essential items more to meet the growing demand. The BB official said the import of industrial raw materials and capital machinery also increased in the first 11 months of the FY14 as the businesspeople were now importing the products due to an eased situation on the political front. The political unrest slightly relaxed in the last few months that encouraged the businesspeople to import the two products although political uncertainty is still persisting in the country, the central banker said. The imports of industrial raw materials and capital machinery increased by 12.53 per cent and 16.96 per cent to $13.50 billion and $2.28 billion respectively in July-May of the FY14 from $12.00 billion and $1.95 billion in the same period of the FY13, the BB data showed. The BB data showed that import of petroleum products also registered a 3.64-per cent growth in July-May of the FY14 compared with that of a negative growth of 9.06 per cent in the same period of the FY13. Settlement of LCs in the first 11 months of the current financial year for petroleum products was worth $4.07 billion against $3.93 billion during the same period of the FY13.

Bangladesh: Beximco Pharma gets GMP nod from Taiwan drug admin

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited has recently announced that it has received GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) accreditation from Taiwan Food and Drug Administration as the first Bangladeshi company, said a news release. The company has received the recognition for its oral solid, inhaler and sterile eye drop facilities, it said. ‘We are very pleased to reach such an important milestone with the Taiwan FDA approval,’ said Nazmul Hassan, managing director of Beximco Pharma, on the occasion.

Bangladesh: Pvt hospitals go on strike after KU students assault intern

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): All private clinics and hospitals, laboratories and private chambers of physicians have gone on a 48-hour strike starting Saturday in protest of the attack on Gazi Medical College Hospital and the abduction and assault of an intern by a group of students of Khuilna University last Wednesday. Khulna units of Bangladesh Medical Association and Bangladesh Private Clinic and Diagnostic Owners’ Association called the strike. The incident was sparked off centering the death of Khulna University student Amit Roy in a road accident Wednesday morning after he was allegedly refused treatment on a head injury by the intern Tanvir Ahmed Bappa. Roy succumbed to his injuries while on way to Dhaka for better treatment. The angry students beat up Tanvir on campus after abducting him from the emergency ward of privately-owned Gazi Medical College Hospital Thursday midnight. Tanvir was rescued by police from a room of the university early morning Friday. Khulna unit of BMA and Diagnostic Owners’ Association called the strike in protest of the attack and demanded the culprits be arrested. All private clinics and hospitals, laboratories and private chambers of physicians will remain closed till Sunday. Leaders of BMA and DOA said they will go on an indefinite strike from Monday if the students involved are not arrested by Sunday. Banga Kamol Basu, superintendent of Gazi Medical College Hospital filed a complainant with Sonadanga police station Friday evening naming 15 students of Khulna University and 200 unnamed others for being involved in the attack. We are trying to arrest the accused, said Sonadanga station officer-in-charge Maruf Ahmed.

Bangladesh: Khaleda hosts iftar party for diplomats

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Saturday hosted an iftar party for the foreign diplomats in Dhaka. Khaleda, also former prime minister, exchanged pleasantries with the invited guests at the iftar party at Hotel Westin. It was followed by dinner. During iftar, the BNP chief was flanked by the dean of diplomatic corps, Shaher Mohammad, also the ambassador of State of Palestine in Dhaka, Saudi Arabian ambassador Abdullah Bin Naser Al Busaire, US ambassador Dan W Mozena, British high commissioner Robert Gibson, European Union ambassador to William Hanna, his wife Paola Fornari Hanna, Egypt ambassador Mahmoud Ezzat, Nepal ambassador Hari Kumar Shrestha and BNP vice-chairman M Mosrshed Khan, also former foreign minister. Ambassadors, high commissioners, mission chiefs and other envoys from different countries including India, Pakistan, China, Afghanistan, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Iran, Oman, Norway, Turkey, Qatar and Indonesia, also attended the party. Senior BNP leaders, including acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members RA Gani, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Tariqul Islam, Sarwari Rahman, ASM Hannan Shah, Rafiqul Islam Mia, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Mirza Abbas, and BNP vice-chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, chairperson’s advisers Reaz Rahman, Sabihuddin Ahmed, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Mir Nasir Uddin and Inam Ahmed, attended the iftar party.

Bangladesh: BRUR VC released after 36 hours

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): Vice chancellor of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, AKM Nurunnabi, who had been beseiged by employees of the university since Thursday noon, was released Friday night after around 36 hours. A group of employees of the university detained the vice chancellor  demanding their jobs be regularised and all due salaries be paid. One of the leaders of the   employee’s union, section officer Atiquzaman Suman   said,   ‘we gave the VC fifteen days to meet our demands. If he fails within that timeframe, we will launch a larger movement.’ The VC went back to his residence Friday night around 9.00pm. According to University sources, some 679 teachers and employees have been working in the university against 428 approved posts. Of them, some 132 are working as teacher against 112 approved posts by the UGC. Some 668 teachers and employees were appointed during the term of the previous vice chancellor Abdul Jalil Miah against UGC-approved 260 posts.

Bangladeshis in Iraq safe, says envoy

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): Bangladeshi nationals living in trouble-hit Iraq are so far safe and no Bangladeshi nurse has been held hostage in Tikrit, a strategically important city of Iraq, said the Bangladesh Ambassador in Baghdad on Saturday. A number of local media quoting Indian media claimed that 10 Bangladeshi nurses, employed in a Hospital in Tikrit city, have been in the captivity of the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham supporters. ‘There was no Bangladeshi nurse (in that hospital). Indian nurses were there,’ ambassador Major General Rezanur Rahman Khan said over phone. The envoy, however, said some 31 Bangladeshi male workers, mostly cleaners, used to work in the hospital and they had been taken to a safe zone. ‘We are in touch with them and they are fine,’ he said. Responding to a question, the envoy said, ‘Nothing is favorable here, but the good news is that there is no report of casualty (of Bangladesh nationals).’ Meanwhile, India brought back 46 nurses on Saturday by a special Air India flight who were freed by militants in war-torn Iraq on Friday evening, reports NDTV. An official in Dhaka, preferring anonymity, said that most of the Bangladeshis were unwilling to come back home from the war-hit Iraq saying they were yet to recover the money invested to go to Iraq. Earlier, the government suspended sending workers to Iraq till confirmation of safe and secure environment there. It was estimated that over 14,000 Bangladesh nationals were working in Iraq, mostly in the construction sector, according to the foreign ministry in Dhaka. 

Bangladesh: Advance bus tickets for Eid from 15th of Ramadan

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): Long route bus operators are likely to start selling advance tickets from the 15th Ramdan for the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, said transport operators. Launch owners said they would start selling tickets 10 days ahead of Eid. Intercity transport operators at the capital’s Gabtoli and Sayedabad bus terminals said every year they usually start selling advance tickets from the mid-Ramadan. Some transport operators may, however, delay the service by one or two days, they added. Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners’ Association leader Ramesh Chandra Ghosh told New Age that they were likely to make schedule of the buses between July 12 and July 15. Buses for the country’s northern and southern areas and Chittagong, Sylhet Rangamat and Cox’s Bazar operate from these two terminals. There is no advance ticket system at Mahakhali bus terminal which is used by buses for Tangail, Bogra, Mymensingh and Sirajganj. Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation operation department deputy general manager Rafiqul Islam Talukder told New Age that they would fix date for selling advance tickets within this week. Mohammad Shahabuddin Milion of Bangladesh Inland Waterways Passengers’ Carriers said they were likely to start selling advance tickets for different routes 10 days ahead of the biggest Muslim festival. Meanwhile Bangladesh Railway is likely to start selling train tickets on July 20. 

Bangladesh: CPB, SPB protest at price rise

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): Leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Socialist Party of Bangladesh at a rally in the city on Saturday urged the government to take measures to control price hike of essentials during Ramadan. CPB and SPB organised the rally in front of the National Press Club to press for controlling price hike, controlling traffic and paying wages and festival allowances of workers before 20th Ramadan. The SPB general secretary Khalequzzaman, who chaired the rally, said commerce minister Tofail Ahmed had said before Ramadan that prices of essentials would not increase but failed to keep his commitment as prices shot up on the eve of Ramadan. Hoarders are responsible for the price rise but the government has failed to control them, the left leader said. Syed Abu Zafar Ahmed, general secretary of CPB, said workers are generally deprived as they get low wages. They will not be able to enjoy Eid if their wages and festival allowances are not given before 20th Ramadan, Zafar said. He called on the government to activate the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh to check market manipulation by hoarders. CPB central leaders Ahsan Habib Labu, Sajedul Haque Rubel and the SPB central leader Bazlur Rashid Firoz spoke at the rally. The rally was followed by a procession that paraded through different city roads. 

Bangladesh: Cha Shramik Sangha demands release of leaders

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): Leaders and activists of Cha Shramik Sangha, a front organisation of Bangladesh Trade Union Sangha, blockaded the Sylhet airport road Saturday afternoon, demanding immediate release of two arrested leaders of the organisation. Local people said Cha Shramik Sangha leaders and activists staged the demonstration on the airport road near Malnichhara Tea Garden suspending traffic on the road for about an hour. The demonstrators issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the release of BTUS district unit general secretary Rupak Das and district convener Nurul Islam Makbul of Krishak Sangram Samiti, another front organisation of BTUS. The Biman Bandar police said they resumed the traffic movement on the road at about 1:15pm dispersing the demonstrators. BTUS district president Abul Kalam alleged that the Biman Bandar police arrested Rupak Das and Nurul Islam Makbul without any specific allegation while they were returning home after attending a programme of Kalagul Tea Garden near the Sylhet airport Friday night. Biman Bandar police officer-in-charge Shah Zaman claimed that the arrested were accused in a case filed in connection with the attack on Kalagul Tea Garden workers on June 19. They were produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate court on Saturday noon and the court ordered them to be sent to jail, he added. However, tea garden workers said the BTUS leaders were trying to establish dominance over other workers’ organisations. They alleged that BTUS leaders also tried to resist them from registering their names on the voter list of Cha Shramik Union, the main forum of tea garden workers.

Bangladesh: 2 agencies accused of charging higher prices for Saudi visa

Dhaka, July 6, 2014 (New Age): Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies has accused two of its member agencies of charging an exorbitant amount of Tk 600,000 to Tk 700,000 for a visa for Saudi Arab. The recruiting agencies are Rabbi International, RL. No 258 and Assurance Services Company, RL No 1122, said BAIRA officials. BAIRA president Abul Bashar in a letter to expatriates welfare and overseas employment minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain urged immediate legal action against the agencies. Officials told New Age on Saturday that it was the first incident in which BAIRA accused its members of charging higher migration cost. According to the BAIRA letter, a total of 1322 Saudi visas were collected from Seder Group Trading & Contracting Co based at Riyadh in the KSA. Rabbi International bought 400 visas while Assurance Services Company bought 600 visas at the higher cost. A few other agencies were also trying to purchase the remaining 322 visas, the letter mentioned. BAIRA alleged that these agencies embarrassed the government as well as BAIRA by increasing the cost through visa trading. - See more at: http://newagebd.net/28182/2-agencies-accused-of-charging-higher-prices-for-saudi-visa/#sthash.T3Y1vR6Q.dpuf

Bangladesh: 2 agencies accused of charging higher prices for Saudi visa

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies has accused two of its member agencies of charging an exorbitant amount of Tk 600,000 to Tk 700,000 for a visa for Saudi Arab. The recruiting agencies are Rabbi International, RL. No 258 and Assurance Services Company, RL No 1122, said BAIRA officials. BAIRA president Abul Bashar in a letter to expatriates welfare and overseas employment minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain urged immediate legal action against the agencies. Officials told New Age on Saturday that it was the first incident in which BAIRA accused its members of charging higher migration cost. According to the BAIRA letter, a total of 1322 Saudi visas were collected from Seder Group Trading & Contracting Co based at Riyadh in the KSA. Rabbi International bought 400 visas while Assurance Services Company bought 600 visas at the higher cost. A few other agencies were also trying to purchase the remaining 322 visas, the letter mentioned. BAIRA alleged that these agencies embarrassed the government as well as BAIRA by increasing the cost through visa trading. 

Bangladesh: Arms, Phensidyl seized from BCL leader’s house

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): Police recovered arms and drugs from the house of a Bangladesh Chhatra League leader in the city’s Khalishpur area early Saturday. The law enforcers also arrested two people in this connection. Tipped off, a team of police conducted a drive at the house of former pro-vice-president of Haji Mohammad Mohsin College Studetns Union and Chhatra League leader Lutfar Rahman Munna in Puratan Colony in the early hours, said SM Quamruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Khalishpur Police Station. During the drive, the law enforces recovered two homemade pipe-guns, three pipes used for making firearms, two springs, one machete and eight bottles of Phensidyl syrup.

Bangladesh: Scandal-hit BASIC Bank chairman quits

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): Bangladesh Small Industries and Commerce Bank Limited chairman Sheikh Abdul Hai Bacchu has quit amid growing allegations that he misappropriated funds by approving shady loans of several thousands crore takas. The controversial chairman of the state-owned bank handed his resignation to the finance minister AMA Muhith Friday afternoon at the latter’s residence, two months before expiry of his tenure. Muhith, while talking to reporters Saturday at the secretariat, acknowledged that Hai, who was appointed chairman in 2009, was rewarded reappointment in 2012. The finance minister did not disclose the reason cited by Hai in his resignation, which, according to even many government officials, was long overdue given the unprecedented nature of the loan scam that has left the bank ailing. Bangladesh Bank detected anomalies worth more than Tk 4,500 crore and urged the finance ministry to dissolve the BASIC Bank board of directors, a couple of months ago. The finance ministry had been dillydallying on taking a firm decision on the loan scam in the BASIC Bank – a specialised bank once touted as one of the best-run public sector banks – first detected in November 2012. Muhith said Hai will be brought to book if found guilty. He also said they will reconstitute the board of directors of the bank and appoint a new a chairman. He said a notification in this connection may be issued on Sunday. Finance ministry officials said four bankers, including current Krishi bank chairman Alauddin A Majid, and a bureaucrat, are under consideration for the position of the new chairman, who will face the daunting challenge to lift the bank from its abysmal state. The default loans of BASIC Bank soared to Tk 2,557 crore last March from Tk 1,417 crore in February. Before making the recommendation to the finance ministry, the BB had fired the managing director of BASIC Bank for his direct involvement in the loan scam. The central bank signed a memorandum of understanding with the bank last July in a desperate bid to bring discipline.  The bank, however, failed to comply with the MoU.

Bangladesh: Iftekhar, 2 others injured in Rangamati attack

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): Three people, including Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission member Iftekharuzzaman, also the Transparency International Bangladesh executive director, were injured as the commission’s motorcade came under attack in Rangamati on Saturday. The motorcade was attacked while Bengali settlers were demonstrating against the commission’s visit accusing the commission of being biased towards the hill people. Alongside Iftekharuzzaman, Rangamati Kotwali police station officer-in-charge Monu Sohel Imtiaz, who was escorting the commission members, and rights activist Ilira Dewan also sustained injuries when the attackers threw bricks on their vehicles. Ilira was given treatment at Rangamati Combined Military Hospital. The Bengalis under the banners of six organisations including Parbatya Bangali Chhatra Parishad and Parbatya Chattagram Sama-Odhikar Andolan were demonstrating against the commission’s visit to the hill districts, witnesses said. The protesters laid siege to Parjatan Motel where the commission members were staying and also blocked highways and waterways in Rangamati and Bandarban. ‘The protesters launched the attack all on a sudden as a vehicle carrying the commission members was leaving the motel for Rangamati district town under police escort,’ said the superintendent of police in Rangamati, Amina Begum. None was arrested in connection with the incident, Amina said, claiming that the situation was now normal. The Parbatya Chattagram Sama Adhikar Andolan coordinator, Moniruzzmaman Monir, said that ‘agitated mob’ might have attacked the car carrying the commission members. The commission team left Rangamati for Chittagong under police escort at about 3:00pm cancelling their programme in Rangamati and Bandarban, said the commission coordinator Hana Shams Ahmed. The six-member delegation of the commission already visited Khagrachari on July 3 to see if there were any incidents of human rights violation following the government move to establish Border Guard Bangladesh battalion headquarters at Dighinala. The team was scheduled to visit Rangamati and Bandarban also. Rangamati police, however, said the commission members were there as guests of Chakma Raja Debashish Roy to attend his wedding. Six organisations — Sama Adhikar Andolan, Parbatya Gana Parishad, Parbatya Nagarik Parishad, Parbatya Bangalee Chhatra Parishad, Parbatya Bangalee Chhatra Oikya Parishad, and Parbatya Sama Adhikar Chhatra Andolan — on Friday called 36-hour road and waterway blockade in Rangamati protesting against the commission’s visit. They withdrew the blockade after the commission returned to Chittagong. 

Bangladesh: BNP prepares for movement, election: Fakhrul

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): The acting Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said that the party was being reorganised for intensifying movement after Eid-ul-Fitr and preparing for early elections simultaneously. He made the statement while talking to reporters after visiting BNP chairperson’s media wing official Shamsuddin Didar at a hospital at Mirpur. Shamsuddin was injured in a traffic accident on June 30 when he was returning home after attending an iftar party hosted by the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, at Eskaton. Fakhrul said that the government was not elected by people, but it was holding the power forcibly. Replying to a question about the prime minister’s comments that Awami League would foil BNP’s movement after Eid, the BNP leader said, ‘The ministers are talking nonsense. They are not elected by the people. The Awami League took away the peoples’ right to vote through the January 5 elections. The people now want them to quit.’ Doctors Association Bangladesh joint secretary SM Rafiqul Islam and BNP chairperson’s media wing official Sayrul Kabir Khan were present. 

Bangladesh: 25 hurt as fire breaks out at Tongi RMG factory

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): At least 25 people were injured in a fire which has broken out at a readymade garment factory at Sataish of Tongi in Gazipur on Saturday. Quoting survivors, fair service and police said the fire originated around 4:30 pm at SS and Fame Sweaters that is housed on the fourth floor of Chaity Complex and fire immediately spread to other floors of the building. All the injured had given treatment to different hospitals including Tongi Government Hospital. Seven units from Tongi and Gazipur and Kurmitola fire services rushed to the spot to douse the flame. Tongi fire service suspect that the fire originated from electric short-circuit. They said loss and damaged could not be known immediately. Officer-in-Charge of Tongi police station Ismail Hossain told BSS that at least 25 workers were injured. He said the fire was brought under control in the evening.

Bangladesh: Canal grabbing threatens city sewer system

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): Unplanned development and illegal construction encroaching on natural canals, flood-flow zones and low-lying areas in the city and on its outskirts have jeopardised Dhaka’s sewer system, causing water-logging during monsoon every year, urban experts have said. They told New Age that absence of a common city development control authority had caused a lack of coordination among the public utilities that resulted in the mismanagement in the city’s drainage system. According to them, Dhaka did not have a proper drainage and sewerage infrastructure. The city, moreover, is expanding both horizontally and vertically at an uncontrollable pace, along with its growing population. In comparison, the drainage and sewerage facilities made little improvement over the years. Encroachment on natural canals, including Katasur canal, Ramchandrapur canal, Segunbagicha canal, Jirani canal, Shahjahanpur canal, Mohakhali canal, Debdholai canal and Kalyanpur canal was a major reason for water-logging, they said. Some of them said the existing drainage facilities could not operate at full capacity because of poor maintenance. ‘The city’s drainage system has broken down with its natural canals, water retention zones and low-lying areas gobbled up by land developers,’ said Jamilur Reza Choudhury, former vice-chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. Urban expert professor Nazrul Islam, also the former chairman of University Grants Commission, said the problem of water-logging was rooted in the ad-hoc plans of the policymakers. ‘Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority or Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha or the city corporations do not have a long-term and coordinated plan to address the longstanding problem,’ he said. Had Dhaka city been developed in line with the Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan, it would not have encountered this problem, he noted. Nazrul said no plans were executed as those were taken on an ad-hoc basis. On the other hand, he said, the government had no control over the unauthorised and unplanned development occupying canals and water bodies in and around the city. Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon joint secretary Iqbal Habib, also an architect, said the entire sewer system had turned ineffective due to ‘mismanagement by WASA, RAJUK and city corporations.’ The WASA has converted all the canals under its jurisdiction into ‘box culverts’ worsening the situation. The experts said that a city government system should be in place to streamlines the development with a long-term plan for the fast-growing city of Dhaka. According to officials of the respective agencies, the two city corporations have 999.468 kilometres of open sewers and 1052.19 kilometres of storm sewer network while the Dhaka WASA has 240 kilometres of storm sewer lines, including eight kilometres of ‘box culverts’, but none of the agencies took special measures to address water-logging before the start of monsoon.

Bangladesh: Downpours paralyse life in capital, other cities

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): Capital Dhaka and the other cities woke up to heavy rains and congested traffic on Saturday. The downpour disrupted morning rush hour traffic in all the cities and several district towns. Traffic crawled on water logged roads with commuters finding it difficult to reach destinations. The non stop rains from Friday night caused water logging on several roads and low lying areas in the capital and other cities and towns disrupting normal life and economic activities. Dhaka city witnessed huge traffic congestion at many places with the roads going under water. Shortage of transports further aggravated public sufferings. In the capital pavement and slum dwellers were the worst sufferers. Makeshift shops and hawkers’ markets remained closed in most of city areas and kitchen markets had fewer buyers. Increased fares charged by rickshaw pullers and auto-rickshaw drivers hurt commuters’ purses. The met office in Dhaka, recorded 70 mm  of rainfall in Dhaka,  49 mm in Khulna, 40 mm in Barisal and 45mm in Rangpur in 12 hours ending 6 PM on Saturday. Coastal district of Patuakhali was battered by the highest rainfall of 154 mm during the period. The Met Office said light to moderate rains or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind would be experienced in most places in Khulna, Barisal and Rajshahi, Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Rangpur divisions in the next 24 hours from 6 PM on Saturday. Dhaka Met Office weatherman Arif Hossain  said the intensity of the rains might decrease on Sunday but normal monsoon rains would continue. The maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazaar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to lower the local cautionary signal no three. According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, the water flow in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and the Meghna were rising and water level had risen at 34 out of 83 monitored points. Only Kansha at Jariajanjail are flowing above their danger levels. In Dhaka, most of the areas of Shantinagar, Mouchak, Malibagh, Mogbazar, New Market, Mirpur, Green Road, Matijheel, Shahbagh, Gulistan, Chankharpool, Nimtali, Basabo, Jatrabari, Khilgaon, Demra and Pallabi went under water causing traffic jams. Flyover construction and wayside storage of construction materials multiplied the woes of the commuters especially at Moghbazar, Mouchak, Shantinagar, Shahjahanpur, Eskaton, Satrasta, BFDC, Panthapath, Dhanmondi and Gulistan areas, commuters alleged. Several auto rickshaws broke down with water entering their engines at water logged roads at Kazipara, Mirpur causing a huge tailback behind them, a commuter Ashraful Islam told New Age. He said it took him almost three times the   normal time to reach his office at Karwanbazaar from Mirpur. Thousands of other commuters had similar stories to tell. New Age correspondent in Khulna reports, heavy rains disrupted normal life in Khulna city Saturday. The rains caused water logging in most of the important roads and low-lying areas of the southern city. Slum dwellers became the worst sufferers with their shanties deep under water. Except for a few rickshaws most other vehicles stayed off the roads in the southern city under knee-deep water. The city’s low-lying areas were inundated particularly Labonchara, Harintana, Arhonghata, Rupsha strand road, Mistripara, Mohirkhalparh and Natun Bazar. New Age Correspondent in Barisal reports that non stop heavy rains for 10 hours  paralyzed normal life in Barisal city and disrupted its river communication with outlying areas. Barisal River Port authority suspended operations of smaller water transports on the river routes since 8 AM, Md Shahidullah, Barisal river port officer told New Age. Most people stayed home. In the district towns of Patuakhali, Madaripur, Feni, Maijdi Court, Syedpur and Bhola he stuation was no different,  reported district correspondents. 

Bangladesh gets back 75 bigha lands from India

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): Bangladesh has got back 75 bighas of land in Benipur frontier at Jibannagar upazila in Chuadanga that was occupied by India 67 years ago. The Border Guard Bangladesh took possession of the land from Indian Border Security Force on May 4 following a series of negotiations and handed over the possession of the land to Chuadanga district administration on Saturday. The Border Guard Battalion 6 director, Lieutenant Colonel SM Moniruzzaman, told New Age that the land was occupied by Indian in 1947. He said, ‘Indians had been cultivating the lands since 1947. The Indians, however, stopped to cultivate the lands in 2005, as the Bangladesh border force barred them from cultivating the lands claiming Bangladesh’s ownership of the lands showing valid documents.’ Moniruzzaman said that the border guards had several meetings with Indian land officials and border forces and finally the BSF handed over the possession of the land to the border guards on May 4 as they failed to show any document on their claim of ownership. ‘Earlier, the border guards tried to take possession of the lands thrice when Border Security Force of India had foiled the attempts,’ he said. The additional deputy commissioner (revenue) in Chuadanga, Abu Sayed, who take possession of the land from the border guards on Saturday, told New Age that the Border Guard Bangladesh officials wanted to build its camp on the lands and told him that they would apply to the authority concerned seeking allocation of the lands. 

Bangladesh: FFs database work suspended

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): The work of building up a database with detailed information of freedom fighters, started by the liberation war ministry in 2011, has been suspended due to an unusually large number of applications. About 300,000 people applied to be enlisted on the database, when the number of gazetted freedom fighters is around 209,000, and many of them did not even apply. The ministry, however, is scrutinising the applications cross-checking it with Mukti Barta (Lal boi), a list of freedom fighters prepared by the Awami League government while in power in 2001, which includes around 154,000 names, said officials involved with the database project. The ministry is currently at a dilemma about what to do with the applications that do not belong to any previous list. ‘We can’t outright reject names not included in the Mukti Barta as the enlistment of freedom fighters is a continuous process. So, we archived the entries of all applications,’ said an official of the ministry, preferring anonymity. The liberation war affairs ministry in 2011 initiated the Tk 4.46 crore database-building project, which will include a full list of freedom fighters, their background details and certificates on parchment paper containing nine security bar codes. The project was scheduled to be completed in June 2014 by two outsourced companies. The database was uploaded in February 2013 on the ministry’s website but was taken off last March when problems were identified. There were mistakes in the data entries and many of names included on the list were not freedom fighters, said an official of the ministry. Japan-Bangladesh Security Printing and papers Ltd, the company contracted to enter the information on the database, completed about three lakh entries. ‘We handed over our work to the ministry last year and now we are making 188,000 certificates,’ said Akramul Hoque, an official of Japan-Bangladesh Security Printing and papers Ltd. Another company, Saffron Corporation Limited, has been hired to scrutinise the information on the database. Saffron’s managing director Nirmal Goshwami, however, refused to talk on the issue. The ministry, meanwhile, has already requested the finance ministry to extend the database project. The liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Huq said after solving the ‘problems’, the project will be resumed soon.

Bangladesh: Govt plans fresh fuel price hike

Dhaka, July 6, 2013 (New Age): The government is planning to raise fuel oil prices to increase its revenue by at least Tk 1,000 crore a year although it is already counting profit from the sector, officials said. It is yet to finalise the level of hike in the fuel oil prices and when it would come into effect, they said. In a bid to achieve the goal, the government increased the tariff value of crude petroleum oil to $40 per barrel, up from $32 per barrel and that of other refined petroleum products to $0.40 cent per litre, up from $0.31 per litre, the officials said. The previous rate of tariff value enabled the government to earn about Tk2,400 crore in 2013-14 financial year by realising taxes from the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation even after paying the state-run agency Tk 2,400 crore in subsidy for the year, the officials said. The BPC, however, incurred a loss of about Tk 3,000 crore in the last fiscal, a petroleum corporation official said. He said that the tariff value hike would cause the BPC to count an additional Tk 1,000 crore in loss a year, in the form of tax it would pay to the government. The government would shift the entire burden on the consumers by increasing the fuel oil prices, the official said. The NBR, on behalf of the government, realises tax based on the tariff value of a product which implies in a way that the more the tariff value the more the tax. The National Board of Revenue issued a circular in this regard immediately after finance minister AMA Muhith on June 5 proposed in his budget speech for increasing the tariff value of the petroleum products. The BPC informed the energy division about the possible impact of the increased tariff value of crude and refined oils on its financial status, BPC chairman Md Eunusur Rahman told New Age. When asked, he said that the BPC would count up to Tk 2 in loss per litre for the increased tariff value of petroleum products. ‘We would seek more money to make up for the additional loss,’ he said. In the 2013-14 financial year, the BPC paid about Tk 7.14 in taxes on an average for each litre of fuel oil to the government’s exchequer, a petroleum corporation official said. Now the government would increase the price of fuel oils at the consumer’s end so it would not have to pay it back to the BPC in subsidy, he said. BPC estimated that it would incur a loss of about Tk 3,000 crore in the 2013-14 fiscal year although the government gave it Tk 2,400 crore to make up for the loss, the official said. The government, showing the BPC as a losing concern, already raised the price of diesel and kerosene by Tk 24 per litre, from Tk 44 to Tk 68, and that of petrol and octane by Tk 22 per litre in five phases between May 2011 and January 2013. It also increased the price of furnace oil by Tk 36 per litre, from Tk 24 to Tk 60 per litre, in 2011. The NBR, in a desperate move to raise the revenue to make up for a potential budget deficit in 2014-15 fiscal year, issued a circular asking the BPC to pay taxes for imported crude considering the new tariff value. Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, in his budget speech in parliament on June 5, 2014, argued that the international price of petroleum products had increased significantly in the last 10 years but their tariff values had not been revised during the period. On June 29, 2014, parliament approved the budget of Tk 2,50,506 crore for the new financial year, with a deficit of Tk 67,552 crore.