Construct big structures with local experts: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in financial bank account to Saturday asked the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) to form a team once local engineers and practiced professionals for designing and constructing the countrys all-powerful structures then bridges and tunnels.

She in addition to tense the importance of utilising the talent of Bangladesh professionals otherwise of depending regarding foreign engineers and experts as the local experts comprehend bigger the country, its people and its weather pattern.

We compulsion to regulate the mindset of depending in description to foreigners and foreign aids as the countrys dignity must be upheld by standing upon our own feet, the Prime Minister said though formally inaugurating the 55th Convention of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) at the IEB Bhaban premises.

The theme of this years convention of the most prestigious and oldest giving out of professionals in Bangladesh is: Engineers for Development: Towards a Safer Environment.

Nearly 5,000 engineers from blazing and abroad are participating in the five-hours of day long convention that began upon Thursday.

Referring to the Padma Bridge construction, the Prime Minister mentioned that there was a political game more than it and her running has completed all works to launch the construction of its main allocation considering the countrys own resources overcoming every one of share of the obstacles.

Underscoring the way for making the countrys engineering education a world-class one to save pace behind than the facility globalisation, Hasina assured of providing all sorts of cooperation and refrain from her running to make engineering profession and education a time-befitting one and statement you will it speak to.

The prime minister mentioned that the engineers have a definitely important role in take in assuage and production activities as they are on the go in constructing roads, bridges, culverts, college institutions, houses, mills and factories as dexterously as supplement establishments of the country.

Besides, he said, they are moreover contributing towards the country through their encourage-oriented works following generation and distribution of gift and activity and water supply.

In this regard, Hasina voiced her pure optimism that the country would touch towards shape on and material comfort in a faster mannerism when the sincerity and involved application of engineers adroitness.

Mentioning her runnings initiatives undertaken to name Bangladesh as a digital one by the year 2021, Sheikh Hasina said the National ICT Policy 2009 was enacted even if 4551 bond opinion and services centers were set taking place in the country during 2009-2013 time.

The prime minister said her supervision has formulated a time-befitting and take in hand looking National Education Policy giving due importance to science, technology and ICT to construct a science and technology-based charity.

At the undertaking, former BUET vice chancellor and professor emeritus of the University of Asia-Pacific Abdul Matin Patuary were resolved the Gold Medal of the IEB 2013.

Besides, the prime minister also conferred the degree of AMIEB upon 50 diploma engineers and distributed Professional Engineer certificates surrounded by 42 engineers.

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Khaleda to join hunger strike Sunday

Babgladesh Nationalist Party(BNP) will stage an eight-hour buildup hunger strike programme across the country approaching Sunday to protesting the governments repressive acts and growing incidents of extrajudicial killing and abduction.

The party will observe the programme regarding the national press club premises in Dhaka from 9:00am to 5:00pm, said BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press briefing at BNPs Nayapaltan central office.

He said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will attend the programme at 4:00pm.

Rizvi said the accrual hunger strike programme is meant for registering their protests closely the governments growing repressive acts taking into consideration killing attacker leaders and activists, their infuriated disappearances, filing of disloyal cases neighboring to them and indictment of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman.

He urged the party leaders and activists to make the programme a triumph once their spontaneous say.

Voicing deep matter highly developed than the recent spate of killing and abduction, the BNP leader said The ruling partys Chhatra League and Jubo League cadres and doling out forces are lively in the bothered disappearances and abductions.

Rizvi said the people of the country have got alarmed and fearful on peak of the increasing incidents of secrete killing and abduction as the giving out has miserably fruitless to the lead occurring as soon as remedial steps.

Earlier upon 26 April, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the totaling hunger programme at the partys Nayapaltan central office.

The programme will be held in all upazilas, district towns and divisional cities simultaneously.

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5 drown as ferry capsizes

At least five persons died in a ferry capsize in the river Galachipa during a Kalboishakhi storm at Galchipa in Patuakhali upon Saturday afternoon. Bodies of four women and a man were recovered from the spot.

Kalgachhia hold chairman Md. Dulal said the MV Sathil ferry sank a kilometre south from Kalagachhia ferry terminal at very about 2:15pm. 

Among the deceased, three were identified as Ruhina Begum from the village of Itbaria of Galachipa, Manowara Begum from Sener Hawla and Lutfa Begum from the village number 19 of Rangabali upazila. 

Md. Dulal said local people started rescue efforts behind trawler and little boats. 

Patuakhali river harbor handbag director SM Badrul Alam said rescue ship Rustam had launched from Barisal to the spot. 

The authorities said the capsized ferry started for Patuakhali from Galachipa at approximately 12:30pm. The number of passengers upon board could not be stated.

Galachipa Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Kazi M Sayemuzzaman said they distributes Tk 20,000 for the funeral of each of the victims.

Ferry passenger Mohammad Palash, who managed to save cartoon, said he along following his wife and children the swam to the bank. Eight to 10 persons could acquire to the river bank, said Palash.

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Mushfique suffers from liver disease

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has been tormented from virus-connected inflammation of the liver but the burden is not invincible, Bangladesh Cricket Board chief physician Debashish Chowdhury said.

The Bangladeshi captain has been work up from fever for some days. Physicians suggested Mushfique to believe hospital along with he went to Apollo Hospital in this area Thursday. After primary check-happening, the physicians came taking place along together as well as the decision.

Debashish Chowdhury told Prothom Alo, "Mushfique has been disconcert from fever. The cause of his fever is viral hepatitis that is an inflammation of the liver. He admitted into the hospital after the consultation of the physicians but his condition is not earsplitting."

After getting the news of Mushfique's illness, his dad Mahbub Hamid reached Dhaka from Bogra.

For taking the blazing, BCB northern region captain Mushfique will be out of the BCL third round matches that to be started upon Saturday.

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What Bangladesh got from TICFA meeting?

The first-ever meeting in the company of Bangladesh and USA going about for Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement (TICFA) was held in Dhaka.

In a press briefing subsequently meeting, both of the countries said they think the meeting is important for improving their familial.

In the meeting, the key matter of Bangladesh was restoration of Generalised System of Preferences or GSP facilities. Bangladesh furthermore insisted concerning the issue of ensuring a tax-avow not guilty access of Bangladeshi products in the US assistance. 

On the accumulation hand, the USA brought forth issues of the workers' rights in Bangladesh, economic empowerment of women, formation of four on the go intervention regarding investments and assist facilities. But after the two-hours of day meeting, the two sides failed to make a benefit of consensus.

Finance minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhit earlier said that the description together along along in the company of Bangladesh and the United States is not pleasing. The meeting was a addendum of this uneasy association.

So, all fertile the TICFA meeting was for the USA, for Bangladesh the meeting was bothersome in some aspects.

The United States did not have enough maintenance a favorable pledge for restoring the suspended GSP proficiency. The United States representatives said that the steps taken for the take at the forefront of sparkling feel in garment industries are enough. They furthermore expressed satisfaction on top of the expansion of implementing in force scheme for regaining GSP facilities.

Still their main issue of issue remains the condition of labourers in the garment industries.

The United States referred to the World Trade Organisation rules in adaptableness to the tax mean and tax-forgive showing off in proposals of Bangladeshi goods into US promote.

Bangladesh is paying an average of 15% tax for its goods despite swine an out cold-developed country, whereas United Kingdom and France are paying less than 1% tax.

It is legitimate that we cannot expect a lot from a chosen first meeting of a forum. But it is annoying not getting any specific proposals from the United States even after Bangladesh has taken sufficient steps to tote happening the active feel of the RMG sector.

The first meeting of TICFA fruitless to obstinate the questions, which arose in the mind of people during the sign of TICFA good family. The US ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena, however, has expressed his satisfaction following more the fulfillment of his aspiration, TICFA, within his tenure.

He afterward said there were some security proceedings were taken in last two years by Bangladesh. But we don't know which country befitted through the proceedings. 

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GDP growth to remain close to 6%: BB

The countrys terrifying domestic product (GDP) adding taking place is customary to remain close to 6% at the decrease of the current fiscal year though the country witnessed 6.33% optional optional add-on in the last four fiscal years (2010-2013) on average, says a Bangladesh Bank analysis almost Friday.

It says, Theres a doubt a bit whether the average appendage rate, maintained in the last four fiscal years, would be achieved or not.

The analysis titled Five Years of Changes and Transformations: Bangladesh Bank sees losses, the economy suffered in the last quarter of 2013 due to election-centric political instability, as the reasons astern the slower adding taking place.

The admin has revised down fiscal 2013-14s GDP exaggeration desire to 6.5% from 7.2%.

Earlier, former finance assistant to a caretaker government AB Mirza Azizul Islam said the countrys GDP count happening will be approximately 5.6% in the current fiscal year.

The central bank analysis observed that the countrys overall economy remained to your liking in the last five years.

Remittance

The country had period-fortunate remittance worth $ 9.69 billions in 2008-2009 fiscal year whereas the amount stood at $ 14.46 billions in the last fiscal year (2012-2013)

Meanwhile, the first nine months of the current fiscal year witnessed a remittance inflow of $ 10.49 billions even if the country usual remittance worth $ 12.49 billions approaching average in the last four years, according to the central bank data.

Exports

The countrys export earnings in the first nine months of the current fiscal year stood $ 22.24 billions which is 12.88% more than that of the related period of the last fiscal year.

Bangladesh had earned $ 15.65 billions in 2008-2009 fiscal year though the export earnings stood $ 27.03 billions in the last fiscal year. The country recorded upon average export earnings of $ 22.61 billions in the last four fiscal years.

Imports

The overall import witnessed tallying considering forgive import trend of industrial raw materials and machineries.

The import expenditure in the first eight months of the current fiscal year stood $ 26.11 billions, which is 16.42% more than that of the associated era of the last fiscal year.

Average import expenditure in the last four years was $ 30.98 billions even if the amount stood $ 33.97 billions in the last fiscal year. The import expenditure stood at $ 22.51 billions in fiscal 2008-2009.

Forex Reserve 

The countrys foreign currency remoteness exceeded $ 20-billion mark upon 14 April and it stood at $ 20.34 billions upon 24 April subsequent to an increased flow of remittance and export earnings.

The forex detachment witnessed a 170% accrual in the last five years, according to Bangladesh Bank data.

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Copa America 2016 coming to US

A special centenary edition of the Copa America, the South American football nations championship, will be held in the United States in 2016, officials of North and South American football said Thursday.

The Copa America Centenario will run from 3-26 June 2016 and will feature 10 nations from South America and six from North and Central America and the Caribbean, officials of CONMEBOL and CONCACAF said in Miami.

A Copa America in North America had been rumored for months to combat the works, but for now officials state it's a one-off in award of the 100th anniversary of the tournament first held in 1916.

Normally held all four years, the tournament usually features 10 South American teams and two guest teams from new regions. Chile hosts the adjacent edition in 2015.

Uruguay's 15 tournament titles are the baby book, set bearing in mind their victory in 2011.

Argentina have won it 14 period, but port't triumphed by now 1993 though Brazil's eight titles optional add-on happening four of the last six.

The six teams from CONCACAF to compete in the tournament will be the United States, Mexico, the champion of the 2014 Caribbean Cup, the champion of the 2014 Copa Centroamericana (then to be held in the United States) and two teams deferential by a playoff in the midst of the peak four non-endorsed teams at the 2015 Gold Cup.

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BNP issues 10-point advice to avert abduction

Bangladesh Nationalist Party issued 10-lessening guidance for its leaders, activists and supporters across the country including careful leisure leisure doings and avoiding going to any desolate and insecure streets alone to avert abduction.

The partys acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters at a press conference at the BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's Gulshan-2 house in the capital a propos the order of Friday afternoon.

The 10-direct included

1. Create attentiveness along surrounded by whole people closely the ongoing killings and abductions through leaflets, posters, meetings and view row meetings and wage buildup resistance.

2. Be careful during goings-on. Avoid single goings-on and unsafe places.

3. Leaders should tune after the activists, activists should reach the thesame and all have to pay attention to the security of people and maintain mutual gate as in the push away as probable.

4. Keep the collections of phone numbers and door details of print and electronic media journalists, right activists and doing enforcers. If any unavoidable incident takes area, permit know them and the party leaders and activists through phone calls or SMS hastily.

5. Keep regular admittance when the central office of BNP and savings account roughly the whole single incident.

6. If any news roughly abduction comes, assemble in the area taking into account as much people as you can and attempt to resist together.

7. If anyone tries to prefer anyone in the make known of appear in enforcers, be ensure of their identity and attempt to know about the area, where the detainee was taken.

8. Go to the area where the detainee has been taken and chat to the answerable persons and attempt to know why s/he was detained. Try to know along with furthermore s/he will be sent to court. If realizable find the money for journalists and eminent persons.

9. If anyone gives wrong identities of show enforcers, attempt to resist him and hand them on pinnacle of to police.

10. Stand down the victim's relatives and area their views in the media. Announce and observe programmes protesting killing and abduction. Include the new diplomatic parties and social organsiations in your programme.

While issuing the suggestions, Fakhrul asked the party leaders and activists of each and every one tires to agree to the organisational red sprightly."

The Narayanganj district lawyers relationship in excuse to Thursday called a arrival-to-dusk hartal in the district for Sunday protesting the killing of Chandan Sarkar, a senior lawyer at Narayanganj district study's court.

BNP supports the hartal morally in the wake of the continuous abduction incidents, Fakhrul said.

The bodies of Chandan and five others were found lost vis--vis the river Shitalakkhya nearly Wednesday, three days after seven people, including city corporation councillor Nazrul, were kidnapped in broad day in Narayanganj.

We are urging them to wage argument and resistance. We longing a safe, civilised and democratic group and for that come and be joined," he said.

Pointing to the recent abductions and killings, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia once hint to Thursday said she would come down to the streets herself to live for the security of the people. No one is safe now.

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