President Zillur Rahman directed the members of the President Guard Regiment (PGR) to keep continue their duties with utmost sincerity and skills showing firm loyalty to the leadership. He said this while addressing the Darbar of the PGR in Dhaka yesterday to mark its 34 founding anniversary.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged the military forces concerned to perform their duties with skill, discipline and loyalty in ensuring security of the statesmen and hoped they would go ahead keeping complete confidence in their leadership. Addressing a function marking the 34th founding anniversary of the President Guard Regiment (PGR) in Dhaka yesterday, she said, the construction of the 500-bed hospital with the Armed Forces Medical College will be completed soon, adding, the government is also considering expansion of the soldiers’ housing facilities inside the cantonment. Referring to providing collateral free loan from the Trust Bank in maintenance of residences of the soldiers, the Prime Minister said, the government has a plan to increase the loan facilities to this end. She said that her government has already directed the authorities concerned to bring equality in rationing system of the three services along with increasing their daily allowances.
Prime Minister said that if necessary, private airliners would be commissioned to carry Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims from the upcoming season. She said this when a delegation of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh called on her in Dhaka yesterday. The government also has a plan to set-up permanent hajj-mission offices in Makkah and Madina for ensuring proper hajj management, she added.
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told the House that the government has taken up a plan to print currency notes of Tk 5 to Tk 1000 with the picture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman that will be implemented from the year 2010 in phases. The tax on SIM card would not be reduced in the near future, he added. He told that Tk 108.39 crore were deposited to the national exchequer against whitening ‘undisclosed’ money to the tune of Tk 787.68 crore during the last fiscal 2008-09. Besides, Bangladesh has applied for the membership of Egmont Group, a coordinating company of over 100 financial intelligence units across the world, in an effort to bring back siphoned off money, he added.
Post and Telecommunications Minister Razi Uddin Ahmed Razu told the House that the government earned revenue of Tk 3,122 crore from private mobile phone companies from July 2008 to January 2009. He said, the state-run Teletalk will soon add new features in its network for providing better services, and the activities are in progress to expand its network at upazila level.
The authorities decided to keep three galleries of the National Museum closed to refurnish those with the right and authentic history of the War of Liberation. The decision was taken at a review meeting at the National Museum with Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad in the chair.
The Parliament yesterday unanimously passed two bills, including the Fertilizer (Management) (Amendment) Bill 2009 and the National Agriculture Award Fund (Amendment) Bill 2009. Besides, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Information Ministry placed its report on The Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Protection Bill for Bangladesh Television-2009 and the Committee on the Establishment Ministry placed its report on the Public Servants (Marriage with Foreign Nationals) (Amendment) Bill, 2009 in the House yesterday. The Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2009 was also placed in Parliament seeking to change the name of the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Authority to Bangladesh Bridge Authority.
State Minister for Housing and Public Works Advocate Abdul Mannan told the House on behalf of State Minister for Power that the government is committed to resolve the power crisis within the shortest possible time through procuring power from all sources at home and abroad, adding, it has also taken steps for formulating a national coal policy and extract coal from northern coalmines without creating environmental hazards.
Commerce Minister Lt Col (Retd) Faruq Khan said, the government has deployed intelligence agencies to trace the people behind the recent violence in the apparel sector and stern action would be taken against the perpetrators of the incidents.
Food Minister Dr. Abdur Razzak said, the government has set a target of procuring 28 lakh tons of food-grains in the current fiscal year. Addressing a press briefing yesterday, he said, at least 23 lakh tons of food-grains will be distributed under various social safety net programmes.
The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase at its meeting yesterday with Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith in the chair, approved proposals for import of 1,20,000 tons of petroleum oil and 5,75,000 tons of urea fertilizer.
Addressing a workshop in Dhaka yesterday, Education Minister Nurul Islam Naheed said, the government has decided to provide books free of cost to all students along with the primary level from the next year to encourage students of poor families to continue their studies.
Speaking at a views-exchange meeting in Savar yesterday, State Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Advocate Quamrul Islam said, no terrorist would be spared and they, irrespective of political affiliations, would be sternly dealt with.
Bangladesh Postal Department has taken steps to introduce mobile money order service in the country’s post offices for reaching money to the clients within an hour, Director General of Postal Department told newsmen yesterday.
The government launched online tax return system in a bid to make the tax payment easier and free from hassles. Large Taxpayers’ Unit of the NBR opened the system for the Bangladesh Insurance Association.
Remittance recorded a 22.32 percent growth during last fiscal year compared to FY2007-08 despite the ongoing global recession. Remittance figures stood at $10 billion in fiscal 2008-09, taking the foreign currency reserve to $7.42 billion yesterday.
People from all walks of life paid their last respect when the body of the celebrated poet, and distinguished academic Alauddin Al Azad was brought to the Central Shaheed Minar yesterday. President’s Private Secretary placed wreath on his coffin on behalf of the President, while PM’s Assistance Personal Secretary paid respect on behalf of the Prime Minister.
A three-member sub-committee, with member of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Ministry Md. Mujibul Haque as convener, has been formed to formulate a transparent and modern guideline for police recruitment process as well as their deployment in UN peacekeeping missions.
The government asked all the Deputy Commissioners to demarcate boundaries of the rivers and wetlands as well as to evict illegal occupation on the river banks, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Land Ministry told newsmen yesterday.
National Road Safety Council at its meeting with Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain in the chair yesterday approved in principal the fifth National Road Safety Plan 2008-09.
Addressing the inaugural session of a training course yesterday, Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman cautioned the commercial banks against any bid to manipulate the country’s capital market through unfair means, and suggested close monitoring of the country’s share market to protect investors’ interest.
Dhaka Stock Exchange’s general index lost 103.66 points, or 3.38 percent, to close at 2,966.05, while its blue chips index, DSE20, shed 79.16 points, or 3.15 percent to finish at 2,430.47.
Source: The News Brief has been prepared reviewing the national dailies.
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