42,000 electricity poles destroyed in Kamalnagar

January 15, 2019

Amjad Hossain Amu, Lakshmipur: 42,000 meters of current nets seized in a Coast Guard operation in Kamalnagar, Lakshmipur have been destroyed. Earlier, the nets were seized in a drive in the Meghna River from Monday to Tuesday.

A fake fire was set on the Char Jagabandhu Primary School grounds of the upazila on Tuesday (January 15) afternoon. Kamalnagar UNO Md. Imtiaz Hossain, Fisheries Officer A. Kuddus and Coast Guard Upazila CC Md. Rezaul Karim, Kamalnagar Police Station (OC) Md. Iqbal Hossain, UP Chairman Abul Khair, among others, were present at the time.

Upazila Fisheries Officer A. Kuddus said that catching, selling, transporting and storing small hilsa fry under 10 inches in size from November 1 to June 30 is a punishable offense.

Upazila Coast Guard Officer (CC) Md. Rezaul said that about 42,000 meters of illegal current nets were seized in a two-day raid.



AL forms for reserved women seats begin to be sold

January 15, 2019

Dhaka:

The Awami League has started distributing nomination forms for reserved seats for women in the 11th National Parliament election. Interested women leaders have flocked to the Awami League President's office in Dhanmondi in the capital to receive nominations from the party, which has returned to power for a third consecutive term.

The party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader officially inaugurated the nomination form distribution program at 10 am on Tuesday (January 15). Nomination forms are being distributed from two booths.

Nomination forms are being distributed from one booth for Dhaka, Rajshahi, Barisal and Mymensingh divisions and from another booth for Chittagong, Rangpur, Khulna and Sylhet divisions.

The first person to buy the nomination form was the general secretary of the Dhaka South Metropolitan Committee of the Jubo Mohila League.

Candidates who bought nomination forms have faith in getting the party's nomination. Mahmuda Begum Krik, General Secretary of the Women's Awami League, said, "I am very hopeful of getting the party's nomination as a reserved seat woman MP in the 11th National Parliament. I have been working with the common people and party leaders and activists for a long time. I hope the party will appreciate my work."

Meanwhile, Nazma Akhter, president of the central committee of the Jubo Mahila League, said after collecting the nomination forms, "I am very optimistic about getting the nomination. Still, I will accept whatever decision the party makes. If I get the opportunity, I will work for women's rights."

Arifuzzaman Mia Tutul, a member of the nomination form sales committee and co-secretary of the Awami League central sub-committee, said that the process of selling nomination forms will continue until Friday (January 18). The party has a rally on the next day, Saturday (January 19). Even then, nomination forms will be sold if necessary.

‘"In addition, nomination forms will be sold every day from 10 am to 4 pm. However, if there is a large crowd of aspirants, the time may be extended," he said.

There are 50 reserved seats for women in the National Parliament. The Election Commission (EC) will announce the schedule for the election of these 50 people's representatives in the 11th National Parliament on February 17.

EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said that before announcing the schedule, the EC will write to political parties asking them whether they will vote individually or in alliance. The parties will have to inform their decision on this by January 30.

After that, the EC will prepare the voter list on February 12. And the schedule will be announced on February 17. The schedule will indicate the last date for filing nomination papers, selection of nomination papers and withdrawal of candidacy.



BMGTA leaders pay courtesy call on Education Minister and Deputy Minister

January 15, 2019

Leaders of the Bangladesh Madrasa General Teachers Association (BMGTA) paid a courtesy call on Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni and Deputy Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel. They paid a courtesy call on the Education Minister and Deputy Minister separately on Monday (January 14). The teacher leaders greeted the two with flowers.

Bangladesh Madrasa General Teachers Association Central Committee President Md. Harun Or Rashid led the meeting, which was also attended by the organization's Secretary General Zahir Uddin Howlader, Senior Vice President Sultan Mahmud, Fazlul Bari Belal, Senior Joint Secretary General Md. Shanto Islam, Senior Organizing Secretary Md. Delwar Hossain, Office Secretary Mehedi Hasan Sarkar and Finance Secretary Md. Khorshed.



Education Minister orders closure of coaching business

January 15, 2019

Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni has ordered to change the curriculum of textbooks, including stopping the coaching business, preventing question leaks, collecting additional money from educational institutions, and making education administration more effective. The minister gave these instructions to the officials at a meeting to review the overall activities with the eight wing heads of the secondary and higher divisions of the Ministry of Education at the Secretariat on Monday (January 14). Deputy Minister of Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel was present at the time.

Several officials present at the meeting said that the new education minister held a meeting with the wing heads of the secondary and higher education departments of the education ministry for the first time on Monday after taking office. In the meeting, the wing heads highlighted all the achievements and successes of the last 10 years. Along with this, the existing problems were also mentioned. The meeting lasted from 11 am to 1:30 pm in the meeting room of the education ministry. The meeting was attended by heads and officials of the government-private school branches, two branches of the college branch, universities, development, administration, planning wings.

Deputy Minister of Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, who was present at the meeting, told reporters, "We believe in the continuity of development, so the trend of all developments in the education sector in the past will be maintained. We have been instructed to solve the existing problems quickly. We have also been instructed to be aware of our sense of responsibility."

Officials said that currently preventing the leakage of public examination question papers is a big challenge for the Ministry of Education. New steps have been asked to be taken in this regard. Extra money is being collected in various fields including admissions and form filling in various educational institutions. New steps have been asked to be taken to stop this quickly. The Education Minister has directed to work to make the education administration more effective in managing the education sector, stop the violence of the coaching business and formulate a modern curriculum. In addition, there was a discussion on implementing the Education Act, which has been stalled for a long time. The wing heads commented that if the Education Act is implemented, it will be possible to eliminate many existing problems.

Secondary and Higher Education Department Secretary Md. Sohrab Hossain told reporters that the overall activities of the Ministry of Education were presented to the minister. Along with this, current crises including question paper leaks were also discussed. The Education Minister has ordered to quickly alleviate these problems and make the education administration more effective.

The secretary said, "There has been a discussion about changing the curriculum of textbooks for our children. Therefore, a new curriculum has been asked to be created. Additional money is being collected in the name of various sectors of educational institutions. We have also discussed how it can be brought to a certain level."



Schedule of reserved seats on February 17

January 15, 2019

Dhaka: The schedule for reserved seats in the National Parliament will be announced on February 17, said Election Commission (EC) Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed.

He made this announcement at a press conference held at the Media Center of the Election Building on Monday (January 14).

Helaluddin Ahmed said, according to Article 65(3) of the Constitution, 50 seats have been set aside for reserved seats for women. We will inform those who have political parties by letter. They will send a letter to inform us whether they will form an alliance with any other political party for the election of women's seats. And those who are independent candidates, they must inform us by January 30 whether they will stand alone or in an alliance.

He said, the Election Commission has instructed, when we know by January 30 how they will conduct the elections, then we will prepare the voter list on February 12. The schedule will be announced on February 17. The detailed schedule will include the last date for filing nomination papers, selection of nomination papers and withdrawal of candidacy.



Voting through EVMs in all centers of Sadar Upazilas

January 15, 2019

Dhaka:

The Election Commission (EC) has decided to conduct all the voting in the upcoming fifth Upazila Parishad elections using electronic voting machines (EVMs).

EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed gave this information at a press conference held on Monday (January 14) after the commission meeting at the media center of Nirban Bhaban.

He said, "The Election Commission has taken the initial decision to use EVMs in Sadar Upazilas among the upazilas. In this case, the entire Sadar Upazila will be polled using EVMs."

Helaluddin Ahmed said that the schedule will be set in February and the voting will be held in five phases from the first of March.

In the 11th National Parliament election, the Election Commission conducted voting in all six constituencies using EVMs. Although the voter turnout was lower than expected, the EVMs were used.

For the first time, the election organizing body will be using EVMs to conduct voting in large-scale local elections.
The Election Commission has been conducting elections using EVMs since 2010.

The Election Commission is already manufacturing EVMs from Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory for large-scale machine voting. This time, voting will be held under party symbols in the upazila elections.



Process to bring back Tarique Rahman begins: Law Minister

January 15, 2019

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haque said that the process to bring back BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, who is abroad, has begun.

He told reporters after inaugurating the four-month-long 38th basic training course for assistant judges/like-minded officials at the Judicial Administration Training Institute in the capital around 12:30 pm on Sunday (January 13).
He also said that the process has begun to bring back not only Tarique Rahman, but all criminals residing abroad. This process is ongoing.

The program was presided over by Justice Khandaker Musa Khaled, Director General of the Judicial Training Institute. The institute's Director (Training) Golam Kibria delivered the welcome speech.



Prime Minister to exchange views with all political parties

January 15, 2019

Dhaka: Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that all parties should prepare now for the upcoming upazila elections. We hope that BNP-Unity Front and other parties will participate in these elections.

"We don't consider the opposition as weak. It's nice to see them contest the elections," he said.

He made these remarks at the beginning of a joint meeting at the Awami League central office on Bangabandhu Avenue at 11:30 am on Sunday (January 13).

The joint meeting was attended by the presidents, general secretaries, party MPs and other public representatives from the districts surrounding Dhaka. Obaidul Quader presided over the joint meeting.

Obaidul Quader said, before the 11th National Parliament election, Awami League President Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had invited all political parties for dialogue. 75 political parties including BNP, Oikyafront, Juktafront participated in the dialogue. The dialogue was held at Ganabhaban. Now the election is over. Our party president said in the joint meeting of the party's executive council and advisory council on Saturday (January 12) that he will invite and call those with whom he had the dialogue. He will exchange views with them on some issues and make arrangements for their entertainment. We have all agreed on this. Those who came to the dialogue then will be invited to the dialogue again. Everyone will be invited to Ganabhaban together. That will be announced very soon. There is Oikyafront, there is Juktafront, there are 14 parties, there is Jatiya Party, all other parties will be invited by letter.

In response to a question from journalists, the Awami League General Secretary said, Dr. Kamal Hossain made a mistake by uniting with BNP, which is Jamaat. If he makes this confession, the nation will be happy. Everyone knows that Jamaat is with BNP. Was he not aware of this? Jamaat is with BNP, it is not something new. He acted like 'I drank poison knowingly'.

The Awami League will hold a grand rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on January 19 after winning the 11th national election by a huge margin. The joint meeting was called to prepare for the grand rally.

In this context, Obaidul Quader told the leaders, "We want to celebrate the victory. We hope there will be a huge attendance at the rally. You will come to the rally with banners, festoons, and drums. Our party president, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will give a guiding speech at the rally. She will give guidance on how the party and the government will run in the coming days."



Dhaka wins by 2 runs in a thrilling match

January 15, 2019

Rangpur Riders and Dhaka Dynamites faced off in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Friday at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. Batting first, Dhaka scored 183 runs. Batting in pursuit of a target of 184 runs, Rangpur Riders scored 181 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. As a result, Dhaka Dynamites left the field with a 2-run victory.



Two arrested with weapons in Ramgati

January 15, 2019

Lakshmipur:

Police have arrested Jewel Rana Das (22) and Md. Jewel (14) with weapons in Ramgati, Lakshmipur. A country-made single-barrel gun, nine cartridges and three ramdas were seized from them.

Ramgati Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Arichul Haque confirmed the matter on Friday (January 11) afternoon.

Earlier, on Thursday (January 10) night, they were arrested with weapons from the Hazirhat area of Chargazi Union of the upazila.

The arrested Jewel Rana is the son of Krishna Chandra Das of Char Bagua village under Char Jabbar police station in Noakhali district and Md. Jewel is the son of Maksud Hawlader of the same village.

OC Arichul Haque said, "Based on a secret tip-off, they were arrested along with weapons in a raid. A case has been filed against them under the Arms Act in this incident. They have been sent to jail after being shown arrested in that case."