Thirty thousand garment workers became jobless during last nine months



Ismail Hossain Russel, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Barta24.com

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About thirty thousand garment workers have become jobless from January to September of current year. During these nine months 59 garment factories were closed. Under these circumstances, the garments organizations demanded additional incentives in garment sector like other countries.

According to the sources of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association(BGMEA) that from 2009-10 to 2013-14 fiscals the export growth was 96 percent or 12 billion dollars. From 2014-15 to 2018-19 fiscals the growth was 34 percent or 8.6 billion dollars. So the growth of this sector is reducing every year for many reasons. During last five years (2014- 2018) in US market the price fall was 7.4 percent and in European market the fall was 3.64 percent. Lastly in October the prices of all items fell. So in relation to competing countries the growth of Bangladesh is much less. 

Recently the garment businesses held a meeting with the Commerce ministry regarding their problems. The businesses pointed out that the export clearance; shipment, high rate of interests of bank loan and other problems. The businesses also demanded the revaluation of dollars. Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi agreed to their proposals and informed that there was a discussion about the high rate bank interests in ECNEC. 

In the meeting with the Commerce Ministry the BGMEA leaders recommended on the expansion of tax net. If this is done then the pressure on the businesses will reduce, they mentioned.

In the meeting the Finance Secretary assured that the problem of bank credit and interests will be considered after discussing with Bangladesh Bank. NBR chairman said that to reduce extra pressure the rate of tax will be reduced.  

It is learnt that in this sector Indian government has allocated 50 thousand crores of Rupee as Reimbursement of Taxes & Duties for Export Promotion and also withdrew Goods and Services Taxes. Again the Vietnam government has given total tax exemption for first 4 years, 50 percent exemption for next 9 years and only 10 percent for next 15 years. Even Pakistan has also arranged only 7.5 percent interest for garments’ export under Export Refinancing Scheme.  

On the other hand, Bangladesh government is providing 4 percent incentives in garments’ export sector for the new markets. This incentive has increased the export growth 450 percent or 3.8 billion dollars during last ten years.  In 2019-20 fiscal the government has increased the source tax on cash incentives / subsidy at the rate of 10 percent instead of 3 percent. They demanded the complete withdrawal of ten percent income tax in this sector.

Besides, the businesses also demanded the complete write off of the bank loan amounting to Taka 238.49 crore principal amount and interests earlier financed to 133 sick industries provided by the both government and private banks.  The BGMEA also gave several proposals for the protection small and medium industries.

   

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



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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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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