Dhaka: World Bank Country Director in Bangladesh Abdoulaye Seck made a farewell call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Monday.

The Chief Adviser thanked Seck, who is retiring in January, for support during his tenure at World Bank-supported projects in critical sectors like infrastructure, climate ressilance, service process digitalisation, education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation.

Seck told the Chief Adviser that on December 19, the World Bank approved nearly $1.2 billion in three financings to help Bangladesh build climate resilience and environmental sustainability while improving health, nutrition, and water and sanitation services in Chattogram city.

On Sunday, the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and the World Bank signed two financings totalling $900 million.

One of the projects will develop secondary cities by constructing climate-resilient and gender-responsive infrastructure along the economic corridor from Cox's Bazar in the south to Panchagarh in the north.

The other financing, a $500 million development policy credit to support green growth, will be disbursed to the national treasury by this month.

The World Bank’s development portfolio stands at about $ 45 billion since 1972 , which has made a significant contribution to the development trajectory of Bangladesh, particularly in reducing poverty, ensuring sustained economic growth, and improving education, health, and disaster management.

Seck also promised the World Bank's support for key reform initiatives that the Interim Government of Bangladesh had undertaken.

The Chief Adviser wished Seck and his family good health on his retirement.

Special Envoy to Chief Adviser Lutfey Siddiqi, senior secretary for SDG affairs Lamiya Morshed and ERD secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky were among others present on the occasion.

The court has banned former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, his wife Sylvia Parvin and two sons Sadman Shahriar and Ahnaf Shahriar from leaving the country.

On Monday (December 23), Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court Acting Judge Md. Ibrahim Mia issued the order in response to an application by the ACC.

The investigating officer in the case, ACC Deputy Director Md. Salahuddin, filed an application today seeking a ban on their leaving the country. ACC Public Prosecutor (PP) Mir Ahmed Ali Salam conducted the hearing. After the hearing, the court granted the application.

The petition states that a three-member investigation committee has been formed to investigate allegations against Shahriar Alam and others for abusing their power and for amassing assets worth hundreds of crores of taka in their own name by embezzling funds from various development projects including TR, Kabikha, and Kabita through various irregularities and corruption. During the investigation, sources revealed that they are secretly trying to leave the country. If they leave the country and flee abroad, it will create disruption in obtaining important records related to the allegations. There is a risk of causing damage and disruption to the overall investigation. In the interest of a fair investigation into the allegations, a ban on their travel abroad is necessary.

The court took cognizance of the petition and ordered a ban on Shahriar Alam, along with his wife and children, from leaving the country.

Chandpur: Five bodies and three others in critical condition have been recovered from a cargo ship docked in Meghna in Chandpur. Two more people died after the injured were sent to hospital. This brings the death toll to 7. It is not yet known how they died.

The news of the bodies was received after 1 pm on Monday (December 23). It is learnt that the ship is named MV Al-Bakhera. The ship was anchored. Naval police and Coast Guard members reached the ship around noon. They then rescued the dead and injured.

Lt. Col. Shams, Staff Officer (Dhaka Zone) of the Coast Guard in Bangladesh, confirmed this information.

Initially, the police believed that the cargo ship was supposed to go to Narayanganj with fertilizer. The cargo ship was robbed by robbers in Meghna in Chandpur last night. This led to the casualties.

The naval police said that the vessel was anchored in the Meghna River of Chandpur Sadar Police Station. It was transporting fertilizer. It is believed that the deceased could be the driver and other workers of the vessel.

Additional Superintendent of Police (SP) of the naval police in Chandpur, Syed Mushfiqur Rahman, said that through 999, they came to know that bodies were found on a vessel named MV Al Bahera. Five were found dead and three are in critical condition. They were rescued in a bloody state and sent to Chandpur Sadar Hospital for treatment. Since there are no passengers on the cargo ship, only staff is present. In that case, it seems that this is not an incident of robbery. Such an incident could have happened due to previous enmity. Details can be given after the investigation. The Coast Guard and the naval police are jointly searching the ship.

Dhaka: Bangladesh has written to the country's Home Ministry to bring back ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Towhid Hossain said.

He said this in response to a question from journalists at the Foreign Ministry on Monday (December 23) afternoon.

Tawhid Hossain said, "We have clearly informed India. We have informed her (Sheikh Hasina) that we want her back for the judicial system."

In response to a question from journalists about what the process of seeking her back might be, he said, "Through a note verbale (diplomatic letter) to the Indian government."

Earlier, at a program organized in Peelkhana on Monday, Home Affairs Adviser LT. Gen. (Rtd) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that a letter has been sent to the Foreign Ministry to take necessary measures to bring back ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He said, a letter has been sent to our Foreign Ministry regarding her return. The matter is under process. In response to a question, the Home Affairs Adviser said that there is an extradition agreement with India. According to that agreement, Indian government will be asked to return Sheikh Hasina.

Earlier on December 5, at the weekly briefing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spokesperson Rafiqul Alam said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not the only 'partner' in the initiative to return Sheikh Hasina. Other ministries are also involved in this matter. The time for us to play our role has not yet come. When the time for us to play our role comes, we will do it.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has been in India since she left the post of Prime Minister on August 5 and fled there. Although some of her party's senior leaders have been arrested, most are still in hiding.

The Awami League government formed the International Crimes Tribunal in 2010 to try crimes against humanity in 1971. Now, the interim government has taken the initiative to try the Awami League government's repression of the student-people's movement as 'genocide' and has taken the initiative to try it in this court.

Between July 5 and August 5, many complaints of 'genocide and crimes against humanity' have been submitted to the tribunal's investigation agency and prosecution office across the country during the student-people's movement.