United Kingdom (UK) has made its citizens alert staying in Bangladesh just after one day of holding eleventh national parliament election. The alert was given in a notice of UK government website. The notice is mentioned here: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all but essential travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts. This does not include the city of Chittagong or other parts of Chittagong Division. Visas on arrival are usually for a period of 1 month, but as of 24 December we’ve received some reports that shorter visas have been issued to some tourists. You should be aware that overstaying your visa could risk the imposition of penalty fines for overstaying. Voting for the Bangladesh National Elections took place on 30 December 2018. During the elections campaigning period there were reports of violence and the use of improvised explosive devices in politically motivated attacks. There were also reports of violence on election day. Political rallies with the potential for disorder, or clashes between groups and with law enforcement agencies, may still take place. You’re advised to avoid large gatherings and political rallies. As a result of ongoing violence in Burma since August 2017, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees have arrived in the south-east of Bangladesh, close to the border with Burma. They’re concentrated in the sub-districts of Ukhia and Teknaf in the southern part of Cox’s Bazar district. The Bangladeshi authorities regulate access to the areas where the Rohingya are accommodated. You should exercise caution and consult the local authorities about the latest situation before visiting Ukhia and Teknaf. You may need to meet access requirements. We encourage all humanitarian assistance to be coordinated through recognized humanitarian agencies registered with the Bangladeshi authorities. Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Bangladesh. The threat extends across the country. The last terrorist attack was the murder of Shahzahan Bachchu on 11 June 2018 when he was attacked and killed in the Munshiganj area of Dhaka Division but there is a risk that future attacks could target public gatherings. There is also the risk that foreign nationals could be directly targeted in future attacks. The Bangladeshi authorities have successfully disrupted a number of planned attacks and remain at high alert; there may be increases in security force presence and restrictions on movement may be put in place at short notice. Crowded areas and places where foreign nationals are known to gather may be at higher risk of attack. You should minimize your exposure to these areas, consider your movements carefully and follow any specific advice of the local security authorities. Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL) has claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks in Bangladesh since September 2015. Groups affiliated to Al Qaeda in the Indian Sub-continent (AQIS) are also active. Tropical cyclones and flooding can affect parts of the country. You should monitor the progress of approaching weather systems on the website of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, and follow the advice of local authorities. Bangladesh lies in a zone of seismic activity. In the event of an earthquake you should remain vigilant, stay in a place of safety and follow any advice provided by the local authorities. Up to 150,000 British nationals visit Bangladesh every year. Most visits are trouble free. AH

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has expressed deep concern as the results turned questionable and controversial following allegation of code of conduct violation including applying force and loss of 19 lives. Besides, the organization has demanded for judicial inquiry over the incident of Representation of People Order (RPO) violation throughout the country including Dhaka known through mass media. TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman upheld this demand in a statement on Monday. He said, we demanded that level playing grounds be created for all stakeholders from the beginning. However, news of attacks, repression and lawsuits intended to harass the candidates and their supporters of a contending alliance as reported by the national and international media is an ominous sign for democracy. Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, such harassment allegedly continued even the night before and day of elections. The most worrying fact is that people might lose their confidence on the system of democracy. He said, the way the Chief Election Commissioner tried to shrug off the allegations regarding the polling agents of an alliance is embarrassing and the concern has deepened whether the commission could effectively carry out its constitutional duty. He also said, the negative incidents like violation of RPO happened even in the capital in the name of lunch time break in the election. The way it was published in the local and international media in the reports that cannot be said as propaganda. Besides, leaving the spot with box fill up with ballot papers before the voting starts, running short of ballot papers before casting votes of many voters, assaulting candidate in the vote center-TIB thinks that these incidents need immediate investigations.     Iftekharuzzaman said, Ensuring justice through a judicial probe of the allegations will be of immense value for the credibility, self-confidence and public trust of a government that is being formed in the wake of an unprecedented outcome of an unprecedented election. AH    

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Friday announced an unchanged squad for the second and final T20 against Sri Lanka which is to be played in Sylhet on February 18 (Sunday). Bangladesh began its march in T-20 with a defeat in the first match. The followers of Mahmudullah are very eager to beat Sri Lanka to make the series 1-1 level. Earlier the tigers were defeated in the final of Tri-nation ODI series against Sri Lanka and were also defeated in the test series by the Islanders. The final match will take place in Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Tigers for the first time are going to play in Sylhet. The match will commence at 5 pm on Sunday. Both the teams have already reached in Sylhet. Earlier Sylhet hosted 6 International T-20 matches. The first round matches in group B of T-20 World Cup were held here in 2014. Bangladesh T-20 squad: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad (Captain), Shabbir Rahaman, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Md Saif Uddin, Abu Jahed Rahi, Ariful Hoque, Mahedi Hasan, Zakir Hasan, Afif Hossain, Abu Haider Rony, Nazmul Hasan Apu and Mohammad Mithun. AH

UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar Yanghee Lee laid emphasis on "justice" for Rohingyas and holding perpetrators accountable seeking their safe and dignified return to Myanmar.  “Enough is enough. Justice is the key demand of Rohingyas I spoke to,” she said while responding to a question at a press conference in the capital on Sunday. Reports UNB. Asked about possibility of referring Myanmar to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate atrocities committed against Rohingyas, Lee said there are two permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) who are friends of Myanmar. Without mentioning the names of the two countries, Lee said they might not make this happen. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein recently urged the UN Security Council to immediately refer Myanmar to the ICC so that all allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide perpetrated against the Rohingya as well as allegations of war crimes against other ethnic groups can be investigated.   He also requested that the Human Rights Council recommends to the General Assembly the establishment of a new international, impartial and independent mechanism, complementary to the Fact-Finding Mission to assist the criminal investigation of individual perpetrators. Lee said she has joined the call and she has made the call too but the UNSC has to refer to the ICC.  “This is why I am recommending accountability mechanism to be established immediately,” she said. Asked whether she communicated with China to facilitate her visit to Myanmar, she said Myanmar is a sovereign state and China is not the guardian of Myanmar. Lee said Rohingya people are going to stay here for longer period as the repatriation is unlikely to start anytime soon and this is so sadly because conditions are not conducive yet. She mentioned that the joint response plan is only 26 percent funded. She appealed to the donors to step up and provide the funding that is urgently needed to move to medium and longer term planning. Lee said the international community should not forget the host community in Cox’s Bazar who have been sharing their resources with Rohingyas.  The special envoy said she had asked the government of Bangladesh to facilitate a visit for her to see the conditions of the Bashanchar Island. “It was conveyed to me by the Bangladeshi officials that construction on the island is going on, and that my visit would only be possible after rainy season.” She said it is more than clear now unless the cycle of violence and persecutions is broken, violations of human rights and international humanitarian law will continue in Myanmar. “The enduring impunity must come to an end.”      Lee urged the international community to come together without delay and establish the mechanism at the Human Rights Council session in September. She said Rohingyas living in Bangladesh must be recognized as Rohingya refugees by all, including by host governments such as Bangladesh and they must be referred to as refugees in all public and private statements by all actors. The special envoy said accountability for the atrocities committed is urgently needed, and must be delivered. “Government of Myanmar has made no progress or showed any real will to dismantle the system of discrimination and make Rakhine State safe. The Rohingya refugees will not be returning to Myanmar in the near future,” Lee said. She laid emphasis on education for all, access to meaningful livelihood opportunities and vocational training and giving Rohingyas a dignified life. Lee bemoaned that the government of Myanmar continues to deny her access despite the call by the Human Rights Council for Myanmar to cooperate with her mandate. She said she requested India too on several occasions seeking permission to visit Rohingyas living in India but she did receive no reply. Lee wants to visit China too.  The special envoy is determined to reach out as much as possible to victims of human rights abuses in Myanmar who are located elsewhere and other locations in order to learn more about their experiences to understand better the human rights situation in Myanmar. The Special Rapporteur spent days in Dhaka meeting UN and government officials and then travel to Cox's Bazar where she met UN agencies, the humanitarian and protection sector, health and GBV actors, NGOs and government officials. Following her visit to Bangladesh, the human rights expert will share her findings when she presents a report to the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in October 2018. Yanghee Lee was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2014 as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.   AH

The government will continue the existing tax-free income limit in the financial year 2018-19. Finance minister AMA Muhith made the proposal Thursday while placing the national budget in the Jatiya Sangsad. Reports BSS. “I proposed that the tax exemption threshold and tax rate remain unchanged for the next year except that the threshold for a parent or guardian of a person with disability will be higher by Taka 50 thousand for each of such child or dependent, he said in his budget speech. The existing tax exemption threshold is Taka 2,50,000 in general cases. But the threshold was higher for special classes of taxpayers including female taxpayers. Explaining the reasons of not changing the tax exemption limit, Muhith said in developed countries, tax exemption threshold is generally less than 25 percent of per capita GDP, and in developing countries it is mostly equal to per capita GDP. In Bangladesh, he said, tax exemption threshold is almost 200 percent of per capita GDP. “That means our tax exemption threshold is high in global comparison. Moreover, the increase of tax exemption threshold puts a significant number of taxpayers out of the tax net,” he added. The existing tax exemption for the female taxpayers and senior citizens aged over 65 years is Taka 300,000. Existing minimum tax for a taxpayer, except company taxpayer, residing in Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation and ChittagongCity Corporation is Taka 5 thousand, residing in any other city corporation is Taka 4 thousand, and residing in other area is Taka 3 thousand. Muhith also proposed these rates to remain unchanged. AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made a courtesy call on President Mohammad  Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban in the capital on Tuesday evening. “Sheikh Hasina exchanged Eid greetings with the President,” President’s Press Secretary Mohammad Joynal Abedin told BSS. The Premier apprised the President of the outcome of her recent visits to Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Australia, India and Canada, he said. President Hamid congratulated the Premier for getting Doctor of Literature (D. Litt) degree from Kazi Nazrul Islam University at Asansol in India. Earlier, Sheikh Hasina reached Bangabhaban at 7.36 pm. On her arrival, the Prime Minister was received by President Abdul Hamid with a flower bouquet. Secretaries concerned and high officials of both the President and Prime Minister’s offices were present. Source: BSS AH