‘Nine months of sadness, cherished birth to your homeland’



Mansura Chamily, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Barta24.com

Photo: Barta24.com

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Dhaka: Today is a day of unique glory in the thousand year’s history of Bengalis. Bangladesh was liberated on this day in 1971 from the clutches of the enemy due the to the sacrifices of 30 lakh martyrs, struggles and heroism of 7 crore Bengalis.

The glorious golden chapter was achieved after crossing the river of blood! 9 months of abandonment and sacrifices! Which can be called in the language of poetry, ‘Nine long months, nurtured in the aura of sadness / on the green map of the world, shining red sun / born your O homeland’.

And this victory journey started from the partition of India in 1947. Since then, exploitation and deprivation of West Pakistanis has been going on in East Pakistan. The first blow comes on the mother tongue, again, sometimes economically. This story of oppression and discrimination continues to grow day by day. And people continue to be vocal in protest of these injustices. There were sparks of protest in various places.

The final beginning of the liberation from the shackles of subjugation was the 1970 general election in Pakistan. The Awami League led by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won that election. However, the politicians in the West Pakistan were reluctant to hand over power. Unspeakable atrocities began on the people of East Pakistan. In that context, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared independence on March 7 at race course. In this speech, Bangabandhu, the undisputed leader of the Bengalis, called upon the nation to unite to take part in the final battle for independence.

He said, "This time the struggle is for our liberation, this time the struggle is for our freedom."

After the delay in handing over power, the terrible night of March 25, 1971 came. That night the Pakistani military attacked the unarmed, innocent sleeping Bengalis. Numerous civilians, students, teachers, intellectuals and Bengali policemen were killed. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested.

Then a bloody chapter has begun. The heroic sons of the country responded to Bangabandhu's call and emerged in a strong resistance struggle against the invaders. Pakistani aggressors killed 30 lakh innocent people in the bloody 9-month long war of liberation. 3 lakh mothers and sisters were disgraced. Huge loss of resources was caused. One crore people took refuge in neighboring India to save their lives. 3900 Indian soldiers were also killed in the battle.

Finally, on 16 December 1971, at 4:31 pm at the Ramna Racecourse Ground in Dhaka, Lieutenant General A.A.K Niazi, Commander of the invading Pakistani forces with 93,000 troops, surrendered to General Jagjit Singh Aurora, chief of Eastern Command and Joint forces.

On that day independent Bangladesh was born in the map of the world. The victorious Bengalis raised the red-green flag high. The Bengali expedition is raising that flag.

Today is a public holiday on the occasion of Victory Day. On the occasion of the great Victory Day, people will lay wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar. The nation will remember with deep respect and love those martyrs whose sacrifices have earned them dear freedom. However, the atmosphere of this Victory Day celebration is different. Coronavirus has killed millions of people around the world, including Bangladesh. So the day of victory must be celebrated in accordance with the rules of hygiene.

Various arrangements on Victory Day:

On the occasion of the great Victory Day, special prayers will be offered in mosques, temples, churches, pagodas and other places of worship seeking peace and prosperity of the nation. Improved food will be served in hospitals, jails, orphanages, old age homes, government children's homes, various orphanages and various such government institutions. Similar programs will be undertaken at district and upazilla level and also at Bangladesh embassies abroad highlighting the significance of the day. As the sun rises, national flag will be hoisted at all government, semi-government, autonomous and private buildings and illuminated at night. The main roads and road islands will be decorated with national flag and other flag.

 Special supplement has been published in the national newspaper on the occasion of Victory Day. Special programs are being aired on Bangladesh Betar and other radio and television highlighting the significance of the day.

Besides, various political parties including Awami League have taken detailed program. At sunrise, national flags and party flags will be hoisted at the party's central office, Bangabandhu Bhaban and offices of organizations across the country. Wreath-laying at the National Memorial at 9 am. Tribute, ziarat, prayers and milad mahfil at the tomb of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara at 9.30 am. Paying homage to the portrait of the Father of the Nation at the premises of Bangabandhu Bhaban at 10:15 am. A limited discussion meeting will be held at the party's central office at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue at 3.30 pm. The party president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address through video conference.

Opposition party BNP will start its program by hoisting national and party flags at the party's central office in Naya Paltan in the morning. The leaders of the party will pay homage at the National Memorial in Savar at 8.30 am. Returning from there, they will pay homage at the grave of party founder Ziaur Rahman in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. A virtual discussion meeting will be held at 3:30 pm. The party leaders across the country will carry out the program in line with the central program.  

   

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
Photo: Collected

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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Photo: Collected

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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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