ECNEC reconstituted with PM as chairperson



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ECNEC meeting, file photo

ECNEC meeting, file photo

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The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has been reconstituted with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as its chairperson. Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali is made the alternate chairperson.

A notification in this regard was issued by the Cabinet Division on Monday (January 22).

According to the notification, the government of Bangladesh has formed the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

The terms of reference of the 15-member committee are: Consideration and approval of Development Project Proposals (DPPs) of all investment projects; Considering and approving the recommendations of the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) meeting of the projects with total investment cost above Tk 50 crore in the public sector; Review the progress of implementation of development projects; Consideration of proposals from private ventures, joint ventures or participatory investment companies; To monitor the economic situation of the country and review the overall economic activities and related policy-making issues; and Considering and approving annual targets for foreign aid and reviewing progress towards achieving these targets.

According to the notification, the meeting of the committee will be held as needed. The Planning Department will provide secretarial support to the committee. It has also been informed that the previous notification of the Cabinet Division has been canceled.

   

Prime Minister calls on IOM to collect funds for Rohingyas



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called on the IOM to raise more funds for Rohingya relief in Bangladesh from new sources.

She said that as funding to support displaced Rohingya from Myanmar has dwindled, IOM should find new partners to raise more funds.

The Prime Minister said this when International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General (DG) Amy Pope paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister's official residence, Ganabhaban, on Tuesday morning (May 7).

At the end of the meeting the Prime Minister's speech writer Nazrul Islam briefing reporters at Sheikh Hasina's official residence Ganabhaban said the Prime Minister has also asked IOM to help relocate Rohingyas in Bhasanchar because, housing system with all facilities including education, healthcare services and employment has been created for one lakh Rohingyas. So far 30-35 thousand Rohingya have been shifted to Bhasanchar.

In the meeting, the IOM Director General visited the Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar and raised the security issue of the Rohingya camp to the Prime Minister.

Sheikh Hasina said that her government has appointed sufficient number of security personnel to ensure their safe stay and security in the Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar.

The Prime Minister said the Rohingyas are divided into various groups and sub-groups and are engaged in internal conflicts. She said that as the Rohingyas are more in number, the local people have now become a minority in their area.

Amy Pope emphasized on providing proper training in language and culture to the immigrants to enhance their skills according to the needs of the host country. In response, the Prime Minister said that her government has given top priority to providing proper training in profession and language to understand someone from another country.

She also said that they have set up 112 technical training centers across the country to provide training to create a skilled population.

The Prime Minister said that migration is a natural process. She opines, however, that if poverty is reduced, the number of emigration will decrease significantly.

The Prime Minister said her government has taken various programs for the migrants, including collateral-free loans. Sheikh Hasina said that both host and source countries have to protect the interests of migrants, as they are working for the socio-economic progress of both countries.

She said, people have also migrated internally due to climate change. The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to the harmful effects of climate change and people are being displaced internally due to river erosion, floods and cyclones.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has given homes to more than 4,000 climate refugees in Khurushkul, Cox's Bazar.

She said her government was building climate resilient houses and floating houses for flood-prone areas and provided free houses to the homeless.

At this time, the Principal Secretary of the Prime Minister Tofazzal Hossain Mia and Secretary of Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment Ruhul Amin were present. 

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Businessmen are getting information, journalists are not: Debapriya Bhattacharya



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
photo: Collected

photo: Collected

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Debapriya Bhattacharya, honorary fellow of the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said that something is wrong in Bangladesh Bank that is why the central bank has barred journalists from entering.

Criticizing the central bank, he said that some are getting information and some are not. Businessmen are getting information while journalists are not. If information is given to traders, the market is affected and prices rise.

Debapriya Bhattacharya said these things at the Moazzem Hossain memorial lecture organized by the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) at the organization's office in Nayapaltan of the capital on Tuesday (May 7).

He said, Bangladesh Bank is a place of people's expectations, a big pillar of information. Prior to the release of BBS data, economists, analysts and policy makers relied on central bank data on financial indicators including exports and imports. Now why the information has been compromised, it will damage the reputation of Bangladesh Bank.

Regarding Bangladesh Bank, Debapriya Bhattacharya also said that it is a state institution. But journalists are not allowed to enter there. His question, if the information is published will it be a major sabotage? Are financial journalists saboteurs?

Addressing the journalists, Debapriya said, you are important people; you are being honored through the fact that the central bank has taken control of the data.

Debapriya Bhattacharya complained that the public representatives are also not being given information. He said, they are also not entitled to get information. Their grief is no less than journalists. As people's representatives have weaknesses, they cannot speak loudly in front of bureaucrats.

Shamsul Haque Zahid, editor of English daily Financial Express, was the special guest at the event. Moderated by ERF Secretary Abul Kashem, it was chaired by organization president Refayetullah Mridha.

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Admission test qualifiers in CU will have to undergo dope test



CU Correspondent, Barta24.com, Chattogram
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Chattogram University (CU) administration has decided to conduct a dope test for the students who qualified in the admission test. If the dope test report is positive, the administration will cancel the nomination.

On Sunday (05 May) in a meeting of the Deans Committee chaired by CU Vice-Chancellor Professor Md Abu Taher this decision of dope test was taken.

According to the decision, the students will have to pass the dope test before final admission to CU. The entire process will be completed at Chattogram Medical College Hospital(CMC).

CU Vice Chancellor Professor Md. Abu Taher confirmed the matter. The VC told the media that drugs are destroying our society, family and culture. So we have decided to conduct a dope test for students who have passed the admission exam this year. First, those who have successfully cleared the admission test, will be subjected to a dope test. We will then gradually roll out our other students, faculty and staff to ensure accountability and transparency.

The Vice-Chancellor also said that we have spoken to CMC Hospital to start this process. It is not yet clear who will bear this cost. But we are trying to fix a limit—Tk. 200 to Tk. 500.

Professor Siraj Ud Daula, Dean of the Faculty of Sociology told the media, 'We have taken this initiative in the interest of the country. All male and female students are required to submit their blood or urine sample and the results of the test will be submitted to the administration for final tabulation. If someone is positive, then he/she cannot get admission.'

It should be noted that a dope test or drug test is to check whether a specific drug is present in the body of an animal from a sample of any part of its body. Those who regularly take drugs or alcohol, some amount of these addictive substances remain in their bodies. And that was caught through the dope test. A medical test is done to check whether a person is addicted to drugs or not.

In this case, a sample of the person's urine or blood, and sometimes both, is tested. Drug samples can be obtained from oral saliva in the last 1 week, blood samples in the last 2 months, hair samples in the last 12 months or 1 year. 

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The President directed the authorities to increase the quality of education in the University



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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To increase the quality of education, the president Md. Shahabuddin has ordered to strengthen the supervision activities of the appropriate authorities of the University.

The President said, "In addition to the expansion of higher education, it is very important to ensure the quality of education." The overall supervision of the relevant authorities of the Universities can play an important role in the spread of higher education across the country.

President and Chancellor of Universities Md. Shahabuddin said this during a courtesy meeting on Monday (May 6) at Bangabhaban with a delegation of National University.

After the meeting, the President's press secretary Zainal Abedin told the reporters, "At the meeting, the delegation informed the President about various work plans including the educational programs of the university."

National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Moshiur Rahman the delegation of four members also included Pro- VC Architect Dr. Nizamuddin Ahmed, Treasurer Professor Abdus Salam Howlader and Registrar Mullah Mahfuz Al-Hossein.

The press secretary said that the delegation has invited the President to attend the second convocation of the National University.

President said that students can get a higher degree and establish themselves in the national and international arena, and emphasized on formal education programs as well as non-formal education programs.

The Chancellor of the University directed the authorities to take effective steps for higher training of teachers in the National University. He also suggested introducing skill-based programs along with education programs.

At that time, the concerned Secretaries of the office of the President were present.

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