Bangladesh High Commission

London

 

News Brief

London, 11 January 2018

President Md. Abdul Hamid has asked police to remain steadfast and neutral while performing their duties maintaining democratic values and human rights. The President said this while addressing senior police officials on the occasion of Police Week 2018 at Bangabhaban yesterday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon countrymen extend all-out support to accelerate the country's ongoing development pace. The PM made the call while addressing a discussion meeting marking Bangabandhu's Homecoming Day in Dhaka yesterday. The PM said, the Father of the Nation has fought his whole life to establish the rights of the oppressed people. He won the mass support for liberating the country and united the nation to achieve the goal. She mentioned, Pakistani rulers were compelled to set him free from jail amidst international pressure. After coming back home, she said, Bangabandhu reinforced his plan to build up the country's devastated economy. The Premier said, her government started working to build Bangladesh with the ideology of Bangabandhu after coming to power in 2009 and within nine years took the country to a prestigious position on all fronts.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the nation on Friday, marking the completion of her government's four years in office after the January-5, 2014 national election. The PM's speech will simultaneously be broadcast by BTV, Bangladesh Betar as well as private TV channels and radio stations.

The government is set to arrange a three-day 'Development Fair' at upazila and district levels across the country from today aiming to show the government's multiple development initiatives and successes. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the fair through a video conference from Ganobhaban.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said, the government is pledge-bound to take legal action against those who earned money through corruption and siphoned off the money abroad. The PM gave the strong warning while replying to a question during her question answer session in the Parliament yesterday. The PM warned of taking strong action against looting and smuggling of public property.

The Cabinet Committee on Purchase has approved Tk 401 crore under seven proposals, including the ones for gas pipelines for importing liquefied natural gas (LNG). The committee's meeting was held at the cabinet division yesterday with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair. The committee also approved Tk 120 crore for supplying medicine to 13,500 community clinics.

The Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry has set a target of 20 percent growth for the year 2018. The new target has been set on having successfully increased manpower export by some 33 percent last year. In 2017, Bangladesh created a record by sending 10 lakh workers abroad while it was 7,57,731 persons in the year 2016. In 2018, the country's target for exporting manpower abroad has been set to12 lakh, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam told journalists while addressing a press briefing at the ministry in Dhaka yesterday.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali has said, the issue of Rohingya influx with Myanmar remained as an irritant in bilateral relations between the two countries and hoped there will be a new beginning with Myanmar through Rohingya repatriation. The Foreign Minister was addressing a seminar titled 'Changing Global Dynamics: Bangladesh Foreign Policy' at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies in Dhaka yesterday.

Canada has expressed willingness to help Bangladesh in the areas of certification of aircraft, aviation safety and security. Canada has also expressed interest to provide aircraft which are friendly with Bangladesh weather. Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka Benoit Prefontaine conveyed it during his meeting with Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister AKM Shajahan Kamal at the latter's Secretariat office yesterday. The Minister sought specific proposals from Canada regarding cooperation in the areas mentioned. They also discussed the purchase of three Dash-8 aircrafts for Biman Bangladesh Airlines from Canadian Company Bombardier.

The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday awarded death penalty to two members of Razakars Bahini from Moulvibazar and jail until death to three others for committing crimes against humanity during the country's Liberation War in 1971. Of the convicts, Md Nesar Ali and Md Ujer Ahmed Chowdhury were sentenced to death and three others-Shamsul Hossain Tarafder alias Ashraf, Yunus Ahmed and Mobarak Mia-were sentenced to jail unto death.

Press Wing