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PM talks tough against drugs
Khaleda Zia confined in jail without any fault: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, Begum Khaleda Zia is counting her hard times confined in an abandoned jail. She has been confined without doing any fault over a false case. The future of democracy of the country will be destroyed if participatory election is not ensured. He said these at an iftar program organized in honor to the diplomats at a hotel in the capital on Sunday. The party Secretary General welcomed the diplomats in the iftar mahfil in absence of party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia who earlier hosted the program every year. He said, I am sure that today you are realizing the absence of Begum Khaleda Zia. She is passing hard times confined in the jail. She is being deprived of justice continuously. Mirza Fakhrul said, we are sharing the current situation with our foreign friends in this era of globalization. But our struggle should be brought forward by ourselves. Sixteen High Commissioner and Ambassadors, including Dean of Diplomatic Corps Ambassador of Vatican to Bangladesh Archbishop George Kocherry, Chines Ambassador Zhang Zuo, Indian High Commissioner Harsha Bardhan Shringla, Canadian High Commissioner Benoit Préfontaine, Australian High Commissioner Julia Niblett, and Netherlands’ Ambassador Leoni Margaretha Cuelenaere, were present. Besides, envoys from the USA, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Norway, Pakistan, Denmark, Sweden, Vietnam, France, the Maldives, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iran, the EU and some other countries and international organizations attended the program. Apart from Fakhrul, BNP senior leaders Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mahbubur Rahman, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Abdullah Al Noman, Hafizuddin Ahed, Abdul Awal Mintoo, Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Mir Mohammad Nasir, Selima Rahman, Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed were, among others, present. A special munajat was offered before the iftar seeking progress and prosperity of the country along with release of Khaleda Zia from jail and recovery of BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman. AH
Bangladesh team declared against Afghanistan
Prince Harry and Meghan married at Windsor
Magistrate suggests not buying mangoes for next 15 days
Khaleda Zia angry over cases one after another: Khondoker Mahbub
AL’s Khalek new city father of Khulna
Awami League mayoral aspirant in the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election Talukder Abdul Khalek has become the new city father of Khulna. He won in the election by bagging 1 lakh 76 thousand 902 votes for the party symbol ‘boat’ as per unofficial results. His nearest competitor BNP mayor candidate Nazrul Islam Manju with the symbol ‘sheaf of paddy’ bagged 1 lakh 8 thousand 956 votes. Talukder Khalek was declared as victorious from the election results collection and declaration center set up at divisional women sports complex at Sonadanga area of the city on Tuesday night. Returning Officer Yunus Ali declared Talukder Khalek as winner of the election unofficially following the results of center based vote counting. Earlier voting took place from 8 am to 4 pm without any break. BNP candidate Nazrul Islam Manju brought allegation of forced out of his agents from 25 polling centers at first and then from 30 centers while conversation with the media. Meanwhile BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at the party office brought allegation of vote fraudulence in 26 centers. He also mentioned the centers. Earlier, Election Commission (EC) Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said, Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election was a local government election. Everybody’s attention was on this election. We are satisfied over the election so far conducted. He said, voting suspended in the three centers out of 289 centers under KCC and voting took place in 286 centers in a peaceful manner. There were 4 lakh 93 thousand 93 voters in Khulna City Corporation election. Of them male voters were 2 lakh 48 thousand 986 and female voters were 2 lakh 44 thousand 107. Total vote centers were 1 thousand 178. 4 thousand 972 officials performed their duties in the voting centers and voting rooms. There were 289 Presiding Officers, 1 thousand 561 Assistant Presiding Officers and 3 thousand 122 Polling Agents. Besides, huge numbers of law enforcing agencies members including BGB, RAB, Police, Ansars were deployed in the city corporation area. AH
Quota agitators should show more patience: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, I have earlier said that there will be no quota. Since then, ultimatum and threat for movement are also being given. There is no logic for that. We will do it. But should it be done at once? It needs time to do that. Since then it is excess to give threat. The agitators should show more patience. The premier said these in informal discussion after holding cabinet meeting. A source from the meeting told this. The source said that Commerce Minister Tofael Ahmed discussed about quota reform issue in the informal meeting. Seeking the Prime Minister’s attention Tofael Ahmed said, certain quarters are spreading confusion regarding the quota issue. He also requested her to think about the matter whether it may be done faster. The Prime Minister at that time said, I have given my decision over the quota issue earlier. Then why the movement should take place demanding gazette of quota reformation? It will take time to implement the quota issue. She said, threat of stalling everything for the demand of gazette, what is this? It has no logic. We have given our decision. But time may need to implement the decision. But it is excess to give threat, to give ultimatum regarding this. Meanwhile, the general students and job seekers have blocked the Shahbag intersection demanding gazette of quota reformation in government recruitment process as per declartion by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. They took their position in Shahbag intersection from 1 pm. Two joint conveners of Bangladesh General Students Rights Protection Council Nurul Haque Nur and Mohammad Rashed Khan have said that the blockade will go until the gazette is published. AH     
No prior appointment for Indian visa application submissions
No appointment date is required for submission of visa applications at the Indian Visa Application Centers (IVACs) in Sylhet, Mymensingh and Barishal. As part of the ongoing initiatives by the Indian High Commission to further liberalize, streamline and ease access to the Indian visas for Bangladesh nationals, it has been decided that applicants for tourist visas can walk-in and submit their applications at the IVACs in Sylhet, Mymensingh and Barishal without prior appointment from May 20 onwards, said a press release on Sunday. Reports UNB. Applications will be accepted from 8 am to 12 noon at the respective IVACs. The other existing walk-in schemes of submission of visa applications for non-tourist visas -- medical, business, conference and other types of visas -- will continue as before. Separate counters for walk-in tourist visas for senior citizens and freedom fighters will also continue, the press release added.  This pilot initiatives started at IVACs in Chattogram on July 9, 2017, Rajshahi and Rangpur on September 10, 2017 and Mirpur Road, Dhaka on October 10, 2017 and is being extended to IVACs at Sylhet, Mymensingh and Barishal on a similar trial basis, it said. These measures are aimed at easing access to the Indian visa and strengthening people-to-people contacts between India and Bangladesh, the press release said. AH
Government will be formed in every district: Muhith
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said, we hope Awami League will form government in every district by the year 2023 if it wins in the election. The matter will be written in the Awami League’s election manifesto. He said these at a book publishing program organized at the national museum in the capital on Sunday. The book ‘Independence of Bangladesh: Expectation and Achievement’ written by former permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations and ambassador Dr. AK Abdul Momen. The Finance Minister said, at present the GDP growth rate is more than 7 percent. To make it 10 we have to form government in every district. He said, it does not mean that there will be no central government if district government is formed. There will be central government. Central government will work as the core point of all development. AMA Muhith said, benefit will come for undertaking development plan according to the demand of locality if district government is formed. Quality of service for people will increase. It will be done as every people can get all types of service from the district. He said, Awami League government has done many development works. From which people are being benefitted. There will be no poverty by the year 2024. Dhaka University Professor Emeritus Dr. Anisuzzaman, former DU Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique, writer and researcher Mofidul Haque and BFUJ president Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul were present among others on the occasion. AH      
Sensing deep conspiracy: Rizvi
Senior joint secretary general of BNP Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said, we are sensing implementation of a deep conspiracy. We are strongly expressing condemnation and protest over the ignorance and dillydallying by the jail authority in support with the government regarding BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s illness. Rizvi was speaking at a press conference organized at the party central office at Nayapaltan in the capital on Friday evening. He said, we have informed you about the deteriorating health condition of Khaleda Zia in the last several days. On Friday the family members of Khaleda Zia went to see her but could not meet her for illness. Rizvi claimed that the pain in Khaleda Zia’s leg, knee and whole body was so severe that she could not move from jail room to the waiting room. Rizvi said, the jail authority informed the family members after keeping them waiting for one and half an hour that Begum Zia was unable to meet them due to illness. This means the jail authority has acknowledged that Khaleda Zia is sick. He said, we have informed through the newsmen about the negligence of jail authority over Khaleda Zia’s sickness. But the jail authority did not respond to the matter. Even they are acting as an associate to implement the government’s evil planning. He alleged that the jail authority is barring Khaleda Zia’s personal physicians to see her. He also said, the government recommended medical board suggested for providing orthopedic bed to Khaleda Zia but the jail authority did not supply it.  In the press conference the BNP leader demanded unconditional release of Begum Khaleda Zia and also for taking steps to admit her in the United Hospital according to her choice. AH 
Agitators allege of taking to DB office blindfolded
The leaders of Bangladesh General Students Rights Protection Council have alleged that they are at security risk as they were picked up to Detective Branch (DB) office blindfolded. They allegation came in from a press conference held in front of the central library of Dhaka University on Monday after the leaders came back from DB office. Council conveners Nurul Haque Nur, Rashed Khan and Faruk Hasan who were picked up by DB, spoke at the press conference. While speaking they demanded security to the government. In the press conference Rashed Khan said, my father is innocent. He should be released. He has sent me to learn through hardship. Efforts are going on to take acknowledgement from my father by force. Nurul Haque Nur said, we were blindfolded after buying ‘gamchha’ from Gulistan. Then we were given helmets to wear and taken to DB office. Faruk Hasan said, we were taken saying that attack could be happened on us. There may be security issue. We would certainly go there if they call us. They should not pick up in such a way. He said, we want water to drink but were not given. We demand security for our family members. They said, they picked up us saying that a video will be shown to us. But it was not shown. They released us saying that we have to go there if they call us. We came back as the matter spread in the media. Later a protest rally was brought out demanding security for the students and leaders of quota reform movement. Earlier, three leaders of Bangladesh General Students Rights Protection Council were picked up by plain cloth police from Chankharpool area in the capital on a microbus. Later they were released from DB office. Joint Commissioner of DB Abdul Baten told media that they were not detained or arrested. Cooperation was sought from them to know some information. They have gone back. AH       
China imposes additional tariffs in response to US duties
China has slapped extra tariffs of up to 25 percent on 128 US products including frozen pork, as well as on wine and certain fruits and nuts, in response to US duties on imports of aluminium and steel, China’s finance ministry said. China’s Ministry of Commerce said it was suspending its obligations to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to reduce tariffs on 120 US goods, including fruit. The tariffs on those products will be raised by an extra 15 percent. Eight other products, including pork, will now be subject to additional tariffs of 25 percent, it said, with the measures effective from April 2. ‘China’s suspension of its tariff concessions is a legitimate action adopted under WTO rules to safeguard China’s interests,’ the Chinese finance ministry said. China has imposed the additional tariffs amid escalating trade tensions between Beijing and Washington, sparking fears of a full-blown trade spat between the world’s two biggest economies. US President Donald Trump is preparing to impose tariffs of more than 50 billion dollars on Chinese goods intended to punish Beijing over US accusations that China systematically misappropriated American intellectual property - allegations Beijing denies. China has repeatedly promised to open its economy further, but many foreign companies continue to complain of unfair treatment. China warned the United States on Thursday not to open a Pandora’s Box and spark a flurry of protectionist practices across the globe. In a statement published on Monday morning, Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the United States had ‘seriously violated’ the principles of non-discrimination enshrined in World Trade Organization rules, and had also damaged China’s interests. ‘China’s suspension of some of its obligations to the United States is its legitimate right as a member of the World Trade Organization,’ it said, adding that differences between the world’s two largest economies should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation. Source: The Hindustan Times. AH
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