Cases of information theft filed against journalist Rozina Islam



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Amid widespread protests and condemnation the Health Services Department of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has filed a case against Rozina Islam, a senior journalist of Prothom Alo under the Official Secrets Act.

On Monday (May 17), Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Health Services Dr. Md. Shibbir Ahmed Osmani lodged the complaint against her at Shahbagh police station on behalf of the ministry. The police later filed the complaint in the form of a case.

As stated in the statement of case, With due respect it is stated that on Monday 17.05.2021 at 02.55 pm a woman entered in the office of the Private Secretary to the Secretary of the Ministry of Health Services, Health and Family Welfare, Rozina Islam, father-deceased Muslim Mia, mother – Mst.- Taslima Begum, Husband- Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, house-972, 5th floor, police station-Shahjahanpur, Dhaka, mobile number-01712-120552. At that time the private secretary was in the secretary's room for official work. The woman hid important papers in different parts of her body and took snaps with her mobile phone. At the secretary's office, the police member in charge Mizanur Rahman Khan (Constable No. 33271, Secretariat, DMP, Dhaka) saw it and interrupted her and wanted to know what she is doing in the room in the absence of the designated officer.

At this time she introduced herself as a journalist. Later, Additional Secretary Kazi Jebunnesa Begum, Deputy Secretary Zakia Parveen, Senior Assistant Secretary Sharmin Sultana, Private Secretary to the Secretary Saiful Islam Bhuiyan, Senior Assistant Secretary Mosaddeq Mehedi Imam, Office Assistant Mahfuzul Islam, Sohrab Hossain and other officials and staff came to the spot. Additional Secretary Kazi Jebunnesa Begum searched and recovered a mobile phone with some important documents and snap shots from her. It appeared that she was stealing the documents. At that time, female police personnel of Shahbagh Police Station led by the Additional Commissioner of Police in charge of the security of the Secretariat came to the spot and took her into custody.

It is to be noted that negotiations on purchase / procurement of vaccines in Bangladesh are underway with various countries and draft Memorandum of Understanding and Non-Disclosure Agreements are being prepared. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are being exchanged between the parties through letters and e-mails, which contain important state information. Among the documents that the woman was photographing were the important documents mentioned. If all this information is  disseminated to the public, there is a danger that Bangladesh's relations with the countries concerned will be damaged. The said documents are kept in the Ministry as they are important, which will be displayed later as per the directions of the wise court. It was delayed to file a complaint after discussing with the higher authorities. Therefore, it was requested to take legal action in this regard.

Incidentally, journalist Rozina Islam went to the Ministry of Health in the Secretariat this afternoon to perform her professional duties. She was locked in a room there and her phone was confiscated. At one point she fell ill there. In that condition she was taken to Shahbagh police station.

Meanwhile, journalists are protesting in front of Shahbagh Police Station demanding stopping of harassment of Rozina Islam and her release. At the same time, they demanded the punishment of the corrupt officials of the Health Ministry and the resignation of the Health Minister.

Leaders of various organizations and journalists have expressed their anger over the incident. Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman GM Quader has strongly condemned the arrest and harassment of journalist Rozina Islam. He said in a statement that an impartial investigation was needed into the harassment of journalist Rozina Islam inside the ministry. The treatment meted out to her is shameful. He said it was the responsibility of the state to ensure independent journalism and the safety of journalists.

   

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



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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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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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
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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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