bKash partners with Visa to offer wallet load facility through cards



Central Desk, Barta24.com
photo: collected

photo: collected

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bKash, the largest mobile financial service provider in the country, has partnered with Visa, the global leader in payments technology, to enable the loading of bKash wallets through Visa cards by ‘Add Money’ service. Soon, millions of bKash customers will be able to load their wallets using Visa debit and credit cards and pay for their daily purchases.

With this partnership, customers can login to their bKash app and link their Visa card credentials to the wallet to add money using Visa cards. With this ‘always on’ service, bKash customers can experience a seamless and secure way of funding bKash wallets. Eastern Bank Ltd (EBL) will provide the technological support for this service and ensure interconnectivity between Visa and bKash for other services as well.

TR Ramachandran, Group Country Manager, India and South Asia of Visa; Ali Reza Iftekhar, Managing Director and CEO of EBL and Kamal Quadir, CEO of bKash; exchanged the agreement at a simple ceremony at bKash head office yesterday. Soumya Basu, Director, Business Development Leader, South Asia, Visa; M. KhorshedAnowar, Head of Retail and SME Banking of EBL and Mizanur Rashid, Chief Commercial Officer of bKash were also present there along with other high officials.

TR Ramachandran, Group Country Manager, India and South Asia, Visa said, “Visa is committed to deepening its partnerships in Bangladesh. We are proud to partner with bKash and provide a seamless experience to millions of Visa customers funding their wallets using Visa cards. As mobile payments are becoming one of the preferred ways to pay, Visa will continue to partner with new age enablers of digital payments and provide the best of its payment services to the country.”

Ali Reza Iftekhar, Managing Director and CEO of EBL said, "This bKash and Visa handshake will go further for the cause of digital Bangladesh and create an ecosystem for card users to have greater reach and touch points for cashless transactions"

Kamal Quadir, CEO of bKash Limited said, “The partnership will cater superior customer experience for both VISA and bKash. The time consuming process of standing in queues for credit card bill payment will no longer be required. It also opens opportunities for VISA and banks to design products and services for common people which now can be channeled through bKash.”

Over the coming months, Visa will also enable bKash customers to pay their Visa credit card bills through the bKash App. A first-of-its-kind service, this will ensure a hassle-free, fast, secure and reliable experience for the growing number of users adopting Mobile Financial Services in Bangladesh.

Launched in 2011, bKash, a joint venture of BRAC Bank, US based Money in Motion, International Finance Corporation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Ant Financial, operates as a payment service provider offering a broad range of digital financial services under the regulation of Bangladesh Bank.

   

'KNF forced to drive at gunpoint' driver's statement in court



District Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Chand’s  car driver Kofil Uddin Sagar of Thanchi gave a confessional statement that KNF members forced him to drive hostage at gunpoint during the Sonali and Krishi bank robberies, attack on mosques, robbery of money and weapons and abduction of bank manager in Ruma and Thanchi in Bandarban.

On Wednesday (April 24) afternoon,  Chand's car driver of Thanchi Kofil Uddin Sagar said this in his confessional statement under Section 164 before Judge Nurul Haque of the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court.

On the other hand, the court sent Kofil Uddin Sagar and six other members of the car arrested on suspicion of being members of Kuki-Chin National Front in the case of bank robbery in Ruma-Thanchi of Bandarban after two days of remand.

When they were produced in the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court at 3.30 pm on Wednesday, Judge ASM Emran ordered them to be sent to jail.

Bishwajit Singh, GRO of Bandarban Court, said that today they were sent to jail after 2 days of remand when they were presented in court.

So far a total of 78 people including 77 KNF members and a Chand’s car driver have been sent to jail. 23 of them are women



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6 workers killed, 8 injured when a truck fell into a ditch in Rangamati



District Correspondent, Barta24.com, Rangamati
ছবি: বার্তা২৪.কম

ছবি: বার্তা২৪.কম

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6 laborers were killed when a drum truck lost control and fell into a ditch on Udaipur border road in Sajek of Rangamati. 8 more workers were injured in this incident.

The accident took place in the 90 degree area of Udaipur border road on Wednesday (April 24) afternoon.

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All four bay-terminals will be foreign-invested: Port Chairman



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Chattogram
Photo: Barta24.com

Photo: Barta24.com

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Chairman of Port Authority Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail said that all four Bay- Terminals in Chattogram port will be foreign investment.

He said, Bay-Terminal is the biggest mega project of our country. Planning is underway. We got land. The master plan is done. The deepest channel will be here. Channels of 12-14 m draft. All designs are finalized. The good news is that there were supposed to be three terminals here. Now there will be four terminals.

The Chairman of Chattogram Port Authority said these things during an exchange of views with journalists on the occasion of the 137th Port Day on Wednesday (April 24).

The Port Chairman said that the multipurpose terminal will be managed by the Chattogram Port Authority. Terminal 1 will be managed by Singapore Port Authority and Terminal 2 will be managed by Dubai-based Company DP. They will build and operate two terminals with an investment of one and a half billion to three billion dollars. A liquid bulk terminal will be built by a domestic company. Half a billion dollars are being invested there.

A total of 9 to 10 billion dollars will be invested in the bay-terminal. Foreigners will invest one billion dollars in the port's multipurpose terminal. We will also make that agreement. In other words, the Bay-Terminal will be entirely foreign investment. In all, 9 to 10 billion dollars will be invested here. It is the biggest investment in the history of Bangladesh, he said.

The Port Chairman said that the Covid pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, recent tensions in the Middle East have slowed down the expected pace of the global economy, but have not had much impact on container handling at the Chattogram port. After completing the unloading of the ship in maximum 2 days, I will release it to the next destination. Container handling in the first 9 months of FY 2023-24 increased by 8.2 percent over the same period of the previous fiscal. If the growth continues, this time there will be 3.2 million TEUs of container handling.

Last year was successful. We have been able to hire foreign operators in the PCT. This will benefit the port as well as the state. Foreign income will increase. 100% recruitment has been given. All the equipment will come in one and a half years. We have started operating the port in the landlord system out of the traditional system, he said.

Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail said that we have kept the waters safe with the cooperation of Bangladesh Navy, Coast Guard and others. Chattogram port is safe. Employment opportunities are increasing when foreign investment comes to the port. Information technology, use of modern equipment will increase.

In response to a question, he said, we want competition. And the buyer wants the order to be delivered properly. If there is logistics support in the country, the orders of garment factories will increase. 250,000 container handling fee per year in PCT to be paid to the foreign operator who gets the work order. Everyone has an account of the needs of Bangladesh. If the Bay-Terminal and deep sea port are opened, the existing port jetties will be able to accommodate lighter vessels and passenger ships.

Chairman of Chattogram Port Authority said that in the first 9 months of the financial year, general cargo handling was 9 crore 16 lakh 49 thousand tons. At this time, 3 thousand 1 ships were handled. 43 thousand square meter container yard has been constructed in the last year. As a result, there is an opportunity to keep 7 thousand containers of 20 feet. A chemical shed of 4 thousand 275 square meters has been constructed. 2 thousand 850 meters revetment work has been completed on both banks to protect the navigability of Karnaphuli river.

He also said that Matarbari seaport will start operations in its own terminal in three-four years. Efforts to procure support vessels continue so that the terminal is not closed even for a day. Survey work for acquisition of 700 acres of land in second phase in Matarbari is going on.

Regarding Karnaphuli occupation pollution, he said, Karnaphuli is the heart of Chattogram port. This river is like our mother. River digging, waste removal is being done regularly. The operation is being conducted by its own magistrate. Nets will be placed at the mouth of the canal by the port to prevent waste. But it is not possible for anyone to protect the river alone. Ports have many challenges. The port is running on the tariff fixed in 1986. Now the price of fuel has increased. Our tariffs are low compared to neighboring countries. We have made recommendations. It is important.

Commenting on the safe release of MV Abdullah, the image of the country has been brightened, the Chairman of Chattogram Port Authority said that the image of the country has been brightened as the ship MV Abdullah was safely freed from the pirates of Somalia. This has been made possible by the sincerity of the government including the Prime Minister, diplomatic activities of Bangladesh. It is a positive aspect.

Chattogram Port Board Member (Engineering) Captain Mahbubur Rahman, Member (Administration and Planning) Habibur Rahman, Member (Finance) Shahidul Alam and Secretary Omar Farooq were also present. 

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Rana Plaza Tragedy: Even after 11 years, the relatives could not forget grief



Raju Ahmed, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Barta24

Photo: Barta24

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Rahena Khatun of Jhikargacha area of Jashore district. Her daughter Mukta Akhtar took a job in 2010 at the 8th floor garments in Rana Plaza to support her parents' poor family. After joining the service, she took care of all the expenses of her mother's family. The family found some relief from the life of misery in the income of Mukta. But that happiness did not last. Mukta was killed in the Rana Plaza tragedy in 2013. Mukta's mother Rahena Khatun became destitute.

Even after 11 years of losing her daughter, this helpless mother did not mourn. Sixty-six-year-old Rahena Khatun came to Savar with a heart-filled cry. She was crying because of the pain of losing her daughter.

Mukta's mother Rahena Khatun was speaking on Wednesday (April 24) morning. Recalling the memory of her daughter, she said that she will take hold in the world of poverty. So came to Dhaka. Mukta was 18 years old. She used to send money to me. She used to send money by bKash or by any transport. When I wanted, she would pay Tk. 500, Tk. 800. That girl doesn't call me. She does not call the owner is killing my daughter by force. I can't open the girl's picture. The chest bursts. I come hoping to find a girl, but every year I don't get a girl.


Meanwhile, Khursida Begum of Shimal Tali area of Jamalpur Mesta Union lost her eldest son in a tragedy. After his father's death, Khurshad's eldest son Al Amin, unable to bear his mother's grief came to Dhaka for quiet work. Unable to find a job anywhere, Al Amin took a job at Rana Plaza Garments. However, the fortune of his son's income changed Khurshida's life. Affectionate son of mother has disappeared from the world when he came to erase his mother's pain.

Khursida Begum said, my son still floats in my eyes. Ponce walks in wearing sandals. Mom calls mom. My son used to call me and tell me to eat. I won't eat if you don't eat. You are my mother. You take care of yourself mom. Now my son does not call.

Khursida also said that my crazy son wanted to repay his mother's debt. He came to Dhaka to take good care of his mother. I also wanted to eat my son's earnings. He left on his own to do his duty to me.

1175 families have tragic stories like those of Khursida and Rahena Khatun who lost their children and loved ones in the Rana Plaza tragedy. On April 24, 2013, the multi-storied building called Rana Plaza, built next to Savar bus stand, collapsed. At that time, the building had a market on its own floor and a garment factory up to the 8th floor. About 5 thousand workers were working in the garment factory. Among them 1175 were killed. More than 2,000 people are still alive with fear after being injured in that terrible accident.


The complaints of the relatives of the deceased and the injured have not been fulfilled even after all these years of the Rana Plaza tragedy. Despite assurances, 11 years have passed but the culprits in the Rana Plaza tragedy have not been punished. In this world's third largest industrial accident, the fair demands of the workers were not met. As a result, the families are going through the pain of losing a relative for years with frustration and anger.

Meanwhile, the labor leaders said that due to the lack of goodwill of the government, the workers have not yet received their fair dues where the world is witness. There, the trial of the guilty is being carried out under the pretext of accepting the testimony of the workers. As a result, they demand to take quick initiatives to compensate the victims and reduce their suffering.

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