‘The government is waiting to organize elections, but now the people of the country have to decide what the process will be. Will they go for a small-scale reform program or will they want long-term reforms. If people want quick reforms, then we have set a target to hold elections by the end of this year. And if they say, no - we need long-term reforms and then we will need another six months.’

Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus said this in a meeting with Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Klaus Schwab met Dr. Yunus on the sidelines of the WEF annual conference in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday (January 23).

Highlighting the background of the July mass uprising, the Chief Adviser said that in July last year, Bangladeshi students took to the streets demanding the elimination of discrimination in government jobs. During the movement, students have expressed their aspirations and dreams by painting graffiti on the walls of Dhaka. The new voters who have become voters in Bangladesh in the last 16 years have not had the opportunity to vote, which is very unfortunate.

He stressed on creating a process so that the citizens of Bangladesh can vote in the elections freely and fairly without any obstacles or threats.

Highlighting the interim government's reform agenda, the 84-year-old economist, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, said that the government cannot organize elections without knowing what kind of elections the people of the country want.

Terming the current generation as the most powerful generation in human history, Professor Yunus said that this generation has immense potential. As technology has transformed the current generation, they have now become part of the young generation not only of Bangladesh but also of the whole world. This generation does not want to go back to the old Bangladesh, so a new Bangladesh must be built.

Professor Yunus said that a consensus commission is being formed to build consensus in every aspect of the work of the youth. The 'July Charter' will be prepared based on the consensus of all political parties and civil society organizations.

He further said that his government is working to bring Bangladesh's economy back on a positive track. Already, the foreign exchange reserves and the banking system have regained momentum.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Klaus Schwab was impressed by Yunus' speech and expressed satisfaction with the half-hour conversation. # Source: BSS

Manikganj: The authorities have temporarily suspended ferry services on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat routes in Shibaloy upazila of Manikganj due to dense fog. Four ferries carrying passengers and vehicles were stuck in the middle of the Padma and Jamuna rivers.

The ferry services on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat routes were suspended from 1:30 am on Thursday (January 23) and from 1 am on the Aricha-Kazirhat routes.

Confirming the matter, Nasir Hossain Chowdhury, DGM of the Commerce Department of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation Aricha office, said that fog started falling in the Padma-Jamuna river area since Thursday evening. The Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat river areas were covered in fog at midnight.

Due to dense fog, two ferries named Barkat and Kapoti were anchored in the Padma in the middle of the Paturia-Daulatdia river route due to unavailability of direction. The same situation also occurred in the Aricha-Kazirhat river route. Two ferries named Chitra and Khan Jahan Ali were stranded in the Jamuna in the middle of the Aricha-Kazirhat river route. The stranded ferry is loaded with four passengers and vehicles.

When the fog in the river area decreases, ferry traffic will return to normal. Then the ferries stranded in the river will be brought to the pontoon and ferry traffic will be normalized, said Nasir Hossain.

Chattagram: 73 students of Chattogram University (CU) have been expelled for their involvement in attacks on students and journalists during the anti-discrimination student movement. The university's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr. Kamal Uddin said this.

He said this while delivering a special guest speech at a memorial service organized in memory of those martyred and injured in the anti-discrimination movement held at the Shaheed Minar premises of Chattagram University on Thursday (January 23).

CU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Yahya Akhtar was present as the chief guest, and Pro- Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Dr. Shamim Uddin Khan was present as the special guest. Pro- Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr. Md. Kamal Uddin said, we have expelled a total of 73 students for attacks on students during the student movement and attacks on journalists who supported the students in the movement. We have initially expelled those for whom we have evidence. More students will be expelled later, subject to evidence.

The event was moderated by the university's proctor, Professor Dr. Tanvir Mohammad Haider Arif, and was attended by deans of various faculties of the university, provosts of halls, directors and administrators of various boards, and teachers and students of various departments of the university.

Benapole (Jashore): Despite repeated promises made at high-level meetings between the two countries to stop border killings, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has not kept its word. In the last 15 years, 41 Bangladeshis have been brutally killed by the BSF on charges of illegal infiltration at the Sharsha-Benapole border in Jashore alone. More than a hundred more people have returned from the brink of death after being tortured. Not only ordinary infiltrators, but also Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members have not been spared from the brutality of the force.

The most talked about killing incident at the Benapole border on January 22 last year was the killing of BGB soldier Raisuddin. Most recently, on December 24 last year, the BSF tortured and killed three Bangladeshi infiltrators on the same day at the Putkhali border in Benapole and cut their arms and legs. Not a single one of these killings, violating human rights, has been tried to date. Many of the family members of the deceased have lost their income-generating relatives and are helpless. Human rights activists say, "If we cannot give a strong response to the border killings with our heads held high, this trend will continue."

An analysis of the killings and other incidents that have taken place on the border in the last 15 years shows that due to the ease of communication, people from both countries cross the border via the Benapole border route to smuggle cattle, meet relatives or find work. In addition, many people also cross the border near the zero line for farming or fishing. The controversial shoot-on-sight policy of the Indian Border Security Force has been maintained on the Bangladesh-India border, citing the reason of preventing smuggling and illegal immigration from Bangladesh. In this, the BSF has been firing for no reason. However, now, although the number of shots has decreased, there are more cases of people being tortured and having their hands and feet cut and thrown into the river. However, the only victims of their outrage are Bangladeshi citizens. A large part of these casualties are cattle traders. In the last 15 years, 41 Bangladeshis have been killed on the Sharsha-Benapole border. The identities of the deceased cattle traders have been identified, but many of the deceased people who crossed the border from far away remain unknown. Even after the locals find out, they keep the information secret for fear of prosecution.

The Bangladeshis killed on the Sharsha-Benapole border in the last 15 years are Sharif, Raja, Shawkat, Alamangir, Joy Sikder, Rashedul Islam, Abdul Jalil, Israfil, Makhon Majnu, Baten Ahmed, Tariqul Islam, Monir Hossain, Ashanur Rahman, Safiar, Amir, Gaffar, Majnu, Habib, Liton, Sabuj, Ahmed, Saddam, Sameer, Alauddin, Hazrat, Monir, Hanef Ali, Shahinur Rahman, Riazul Morol, Shariful Islam, BGB members Raishuddin, Shabu Hossain, Jangir Alam, Shakibur Rahman and 6 unidentified Bangladeshis.

Rabeya Khatun, sister of Shahabur of Dighirpar village in Benapole, who was killed in BSF firing, said that she killed her brother and threw his veins in the river. If he had not shot his brother and put him in jail, he would have returned one day. There is no counting how many people he has killed in this way.

Abul Kalam, father-in-law of the deceased BGB member Raishuddin, said that he did not expect the brutal death of his son-in-law in the BSF firing. Even after a year, the murder has not been tried. We are demanding a fair trial from the new government.

Binoy Krishna Mallick, executive director of the human rights organization, Rights Jashore, said that this trend will continue if there is no strict response to these inhuman killings that violate human rights.

Rashed Khan, convener of the Jashore branch of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said that we consider India as a neighboring country and a friendly country. However, they do not give us that respect. According to the information of the human rights organization Odhikar, 588 Bangladeshis have been killed by BSF torture across the country in the last 15 years. Hundreds more were injured during this time. This trend continues because there is no strong protest. I hope the current interim government will change this trend.

Jashore 49th Battalion BGB Commander Lt. Col. Saifullah Siddiqui said that the trial in the incident of the death of BGB soldier Raishuddin is ongoing. At that time, the BGB protested against the incident. Regular awareness campaigns are being carried out on the border to prevent border killings or infiltration of ordinary people. Patrols have been strengthened by the BGB. Only everyone's awareness can avoid border killings or any other unpleasant incident in the future.