Indian High Commissioner met CCC Mayor



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Indian High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das met CCC Mayor AJM Nasiruddin

Indian High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das met CCC Mayor AJM Nasiruddin

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Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das made a courtesy call on Chattogram City Corporation(CCC) Mayor AJM Nasiruddin on Monday (June17).

The High Commissioner went to Mayor’s office and both had some discussions about the development of the city.

The Mayor mentioned that the role of India in the liberation war of Bangladesh is an epic. India gave shelters to about one crore of refugees who fled their homeland due to the atrocities of the occupation Pakistan army. The love and sacrifice made by India is a rare incident in world history, the Mayor said.

Informing the High Commissioner, the Mayor said that the capacity of Chattogram port has increased manyfolds during last ten years. For capacity building of the port, the Prime Minister personally is also working for the development of the greater Chattogram.

Government has taken initiatives to construct Bay terminal and setting up of container terminals, the Mayor informed the High Commissioner. Mayor Nasir further told the visiting guest that when these projects are completed the capacity of the port would be doubled.

Mayor AJM Nasir also told the High Commissioner about Matarbari deep sea port, a project of the present government, Economic zone of Mirsarai, the ongoing construction of tunnel under Karnaphuli river and about all other on going development projects of Chattogram.

The Indian High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das told that Indian government also wants that Bangladesh make advancement in every sector. The Indian cooperation would be continued in future days and India is committed to stand by Bangladesh in her development efforts. There is a friendly relation between the people of the two countries as India considers Bangladesh as its very close friend.

She further said that the Chattogram port could be used in manifold ways when it would be connected with the ‘Seven Sisters’ of India that would help the economic development of the two countries. If the highest and multifold use of Chattogram port could be ensured the labor market, employment, capital investment, infrastructural improvement and economic development of this area of the two countries would increase.

Riva Ganguly said that as a symbol of friendship under a soft loan scheme Indian government has presented LED project in Chattogram. This is a ground work of Indian government. This LED would not only be used in domestic purposes but it would also help lighting of the roads and streets of the 41 wards of Chattogram city by the LED bulbs. This LED bulbs would bring down the electricity consumption in the night time when there will be peak demand of electricity.

During the meeting Assistant High Commissioner Anindya Banarjee, Embassy Counselor Saibal Das Suman, Chief Executive Officer of CCC Mohammad Shamsuddoha, Chief Revenue Officer Mufidul Islam and Chief city planner AKM Rezaul Karim were present among others.

   

Dhaka is the sixth most polluted city in the world, Seoul is on top



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Today, Dhaka is sixth in the list of the most polluted cities in the world. The air quality of the capital has become 'unhealthy' with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 172 at 6:50 am today.

South Korea's capital Seoul topped the air quality index with 343. South Korea's Incheon, Pakistan's Lahore, Vietnam's Chiang Mai and India's Delhi occupy the second, third, fourth and fifth places in the list with AQI scores of 217, 187, 179 and 177 respectively.

An AQI score between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' for sensitive groups. An AQI score between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy'. And an AQI between 301 and 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing a serious health risk to residents.

AQI in Bangladesh is determined based on 5 parameters of pollution, namely - Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone (O3).

Dhaka has been suffering from air pollution for a long time. Its air quality generally becomes unhealthy during winters and improves slightly during monsoons.

In March 2019, a report by the Department of Environment and the World Bank stated that the three main causes of Dhaka's air pollution are brick kilns, smoke from vehicles and dust from construction activities.

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Taka 400 crores laundered through digital Hundi, controlled by Dubai



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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Photo: Collected

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Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested 5 people for allegedly laundering around Tk. 400 crore abroad through Digital Hundi using Mobile Banking Service (MFS).

CID Chief Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia informed this in a press conference at CID headquarters on Thursday (March 28) afternoon.

The arrested are - Nasim Ahmed (62), the owner of Tasmia Associates, Fazle Rabbi Sumon (32), the territory sales manager of Agent SIM, Md. Kamruzzaman (33), Zahir Uddin (37), representative of Jet Robotics Apps Bangladesh and Khairul Islam alias Pius (34).

Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia said, a gang has smuggled around Tk. 400 crore abroad through digital Hundi using mobile banking services. Five members of this gang were arrested during the operation.

He said that Tk. 400 crores illegally came to Bangladesh through Jet Robotics app in the last few months. Police traced the app through intelligence.

He also said that the money of this gang was transacted from the Chattogram based distribution house. Five members of the gang were arrested in separate raids in Dhaka and Chattogram on Wednesday night.

He said that Tk. 28 lakh 51 thousand cash was seized from them at the time of arrest. He said that they used to rent development agent SIMS and deliver money through them to the grassroots level.

The head of CID said that Mamun, the master of this gang lives in Dubai. He is using agent SIM here. This app used for smuggling cannot work outside 48 SIM along the specific link sent from Dubai. Only seven people can enter this app.

Referring to this as a modern form of Hundi business, he said, money is being circulated in the country through this app by blocking remittances coming to Bangladesh. Already we got 5-7 more such organizations who are working like this.

He said, in the last three months, Tk. 400 crores have been hindered from coming to Bangladesh through Jet Robotic Apps. Five people using these apps have been arrested and their devices seized.

He said, Chattogram's development distribution house Tasmia Associates company has 1000 Bkash Agent SIMs. These agent SIMs who are not performing well, the agent SIMs provide DSOs to the users of Jet Robotic Apps.

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Demand for punishment for those responsible for electrocution death in Moulvibazar



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: barta24.com

Photo: barta24.com

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The death of 6 members of the same family due to electrocution in Moulvibazar is very shocking and heartbreaking. The chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Dr. Kamaluddin Ahmed said that the main responsible person and institution should be brought under accountability.

He made this comment at a discussion on 'Role of Media in Protection of Human Rights and Consumer Rights' organized by 'Business Digest' at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (March 28).

The Chairman of the Human Rights Commission said, after investigating the incident of Moulvibazar, appropriate legal action should be taken against those responsible and necessary measures should be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. We could not do anything for one family, but we have to do for hundreds of such families.

He also said that the issue of rights is directly and indirectly the daily practice of the media. Media can question all the irregularities; make people aware of their rights and duties and play an important role in establishing rights. We can carry out reformative activities only in view of the news published in the media.

Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed called on the media workers to take all-out efforts to spread the necessary knowledge about the constitution, law and rights among the people.

At one stage of the discussion, he said about the recurrence of fires, we have not learned proper lessons from the big fires and explosions in Nimatli, Newmarket and Bangabazar in the past years. Had we taken effective measures, recurrence of fires could have been prevented.

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Suggestion to introduce Human Rights Wing in the Foreign Ministry



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recommended setting up a new wing on human rights to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The suggestion was made at the parliamentary committee meeting held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhavan on Thursday (March 28). After the meeting, this information was informed in a press release of the Parliament Secretariat.

The meeting recommended taking necessary steps to recognize March 25 as International Genocide Day. A proposal was made in the meeting to visit the Rohingya camps Kutupalong and Bhasanchar with the members of the Standing Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chairman of the committee AK Abdul Momen chaired the meeting and members of the committee and Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Shahriar Alam, Nahim Razzak, Nizam Uddin Jalil, Nurul Islam Nahid, Habibur Rahman, Saimum Sarwar, Zara Zabeen Mahbub took part in the meeting. #

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