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HC calls money launderers ‘enemies of state’, seeks info on them
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22 Nov 2020, 22:39
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The High Court on Sunday sought information on money launderers it termed as “national traitors” and “enemies of the state” who should be brought to book.
It issued a rule asking the government to explain why the ineffectiveness of government institutions concerned to prevent money laundering should not be declared illegal.
The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel issued the suo–mote rule after noticing the comment of the Foreign Minister published in different newspapers.
It also ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Bangladesh Bank governor and National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman to submit the list of those involved in money laundering with their names and identification to the court within December 17.
Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state while Advocate Khurshid Alam stood for the ACC.
On November 18, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said government officials are involved in siphoning-off money.
“I thought that the number of the politicians (involved in money laundering) would be higher but [according to] the report I received … many government officials have houses in foreign countries and their children are studying there. I’ve received 28 cases and among them four are politicians while some are RMG businessmen. We’re trying to collect more information,” he said at a programme at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.
A number of newspapers carried the minister’s remarks.
A report of the Global Financial Integrity (GFI) in March said that Bangladesh lost Tk 63,924 crore ($7.53 billion) a year between 2008 and 2017 to trade misinvoicing.
According to Swiss National Bank's (SNB) annual report for 2019, deposit of money by Bangladeshis and enterprises went down by 2.38 percent to 603 million Swiss Francs (CHF) in 2019 from 617 million CHF in the previous year.
Bangladesh is gearing up for a crackdown on black money. The government is reportedly planning to sign taxation agreements with as many as 12 countries for allowing exchange of information in order to bring back black money stashed abroad.
In the latest budget, the government introduced a scope to whiten black money.
Source: UNB
AH
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Notable Deaths of 2024
From Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to British actress Maggie Smith and US music titan Quincy Jones, here are some of 2024's most notable deaths.
February
4 February: HAGE GEINGOB, Namibia's President and its first post-independence prime minister, aged 82
9 February: ROBERT BADINTER, former French justice minister who ended capital punishment in 1981, 95
16 February: ALEXEI NAVALNY, the top opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is in prison aged 47, after over three years behind bars
29 February: ALI HASSAN MWINYI, former Tanzanian president, who introduced multi-party democracy, 98
March
1 March: IRIS APFEL, New York fashion celebrity known as the "geriatric starlet", 102
1 March: AKIRA TORIYAMA, creator of Japan's "Dragon Ball" comics and anime cartoons, 68
April
2 April: MARYSE CONDE, French writer, and chronicler of the lives of the descendants of Africans taken as slaves to the Caribbean, 90
8 April: PETER HIGGS, British physicist whose theory of a mass-giving particle -- the so-called Higgs boson -- jointly earned him the Nobel Physics Prize, 94
10 April: O.J. SIMPSON, ex-American football star acquitted in 1995 following the televised "Trial of the Century" of the murder of his ex-wife and her male friend. A 1997 civil trial found Simpson liable and he then served nearly nine years in prison for a bungled 2007 armed robbery, 76
30 April: PAUL AUSTER, American novelist who wrote "The New York Trilogy", 77
May
9 May: ROGER CORMAN, American B-movie filmmaker, 98
13 May: ALICE MUNRO, Nobel Prize-winning Canadian author known for her mastery of the short story, 92
June
5 June: AKIRA ENDO, Japanese biochemist who discovered cholesterol-lowering statins, 90
11 June: FRANCOISE HARDY, a French singer who shot to international stardom in the 1960s, 80
18 June: ANOUK AIMEE, French film star of Claude Lelouch's box-office smash "A Man and A Woman", 92
20 June: DONALD SUTHERLAND, Canadian actor of "The Dirty Dozen" and "The Hunger Games", 88
July
1 July: ISMAIL KADARE, Albanian novelist whose novels defied the communist
dictator Enver Hoxha, 88
13 July: SHANNEN DOHERTY, US actress of the high school drama series "Beverly Hills 90210", 53
19 July: NGUYEN PHU TRONG, general secretary of Vietnam's Communist Party, considered the country's top leader, 80
27 July: EDNA O'BRIEN, radical Irish writer whose first novel "The Country Girls" was burned and banned in her native country, 93
31 July: ISMAIL HANIYEH, Hamas political chief, killed in Tehran in an attack blamed on Israel, 62
August
14 August: GENA ROWLANDS, award-winning US actress and muse of her first husband, director John Cassavetes, 94
18 August: ALAIN DELON, French film legend known for his roles in classics "Purple Noon" (1960) and "Le Samurai" (1967), 88
September
11 September: ALBERTO FUJIMORI, Peru's former president, who spent 16 years in prison for crimes against humanity, 86
27 September: MAGGIE SMITH, Britain's double Oscar-winning actress, 89
27 September: HASSAN NASRALLAH, Hezbollah chief, killed in an Israeli strike, 64
28 September: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, US country music legend, 88
October
9 October: RATAN TATA, Indian industrialist, head of the Tata Group, 86
10 October: ETHEL KENNEDY, human rights activist and widow of assassinated US politician Robert F. Kennedy, 96
16 October: LIAM PAYNE, a former member of the best-selling boys band One Direction, having fallen from the third floor of a Buenos Aires hotel, 31
16 October: YAHYA SINWAR, Hamas political chief, killed by Israeli troops, 61
20 October: FETHULLAH GULEN, a Muslim cleric and bitter enemy of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in exile in the United States, 83
November
3 November: QUINCY JONES, US music industry titan, 91
24 November: BREYTEN BREYTENBACH, South Africa's award-winning writer and anti-apartheid activist, 85
Source: BSS
John Alfred Tinniswood, World’s Oldest Man, Dies at 112
John Alfred Tinniswood, celebrated as the world’s oldest man, passed away peacefully at the age of 112 on Monday in a Southport care home. A devoted Liverpool FC supporter, Mr. Tinniswood gained the title of the world’s oldest man in April 2024, following the death of Juan Vicente Pérez Mora.
Born on August 26, 1912—the year the Titanic sank—Mr. Tinniswood was acknowledged as the UK’s oldest man in 2020 and earned global recognition this year from the Guinness Book of Records.
A widower, he is survived by his daughter Susan, grandchildren Annouchka, Marisa, Toby, and Rupert, and great-grandchildren Tabitha, Callum, and Nieve. His family remembered him as wise, courageous, and eloquent, traits he displayed during his service in World War II with the Royal Army Pay Corps, where he oversaw logistics and accounts.
In 1942, he married his wife Blodwen, with whom he shared 44 cherished years until her death in 1986. After the war, Mr. Tinniswood pursued a career with Royal Mail and later as an accountant for Shell and BP, retiring in 1972. He remained active in retirement, serving as a church elder and delivering sermons at Blundellsands United Reform Church. His family shared that he passed “surrounded by music and love.”
Special Weather Bulletin on Cyclone Fengal
A deep depression located in the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjacent areas is moving further north-northwestwards. If the deep depression develops into a cyclone, it will be named Fengal. It may cross the north Tamil Nadu coast by Saturday (November 30) morning.
This information was revealed in the special weather bulletin (serial number 08) on Friday (November 29).
The Meteorological Department said that a deep depression located in the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjacent areas is moving further north-northwestwards and is located in the same area (10.5° north latitude and 82.6° east longitude).
It was located 1,655 km southwest of Chattogram Seaport, 1,600 km southwest of Cox's Bazar Seaport, 1,540 km southwest of Mongla Seaport, and 1,535 km southwest of Payra Seaport at 6 am today. It is likely to move further northwestwards and cross the north Tamil Nadu coast by Sunday morning.
The maximum sustained wind speed within 48 km of the center of the deep depression is 50 kmph, increasing to 60 kmph in gusts or squalls. The sea is rough in the area near the deep depression.
The seaports of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla, and Payra have been asked to hoist distant warning signal number 1. All fishing boats and trawlers in the north Bay of Bengal and deep sea have been asked to proceed with caution near the coast until further notice.
SSC Form Fill-up Fee Increased
The form-filling fee for students appearing for the 2025 SSC and equivalent examinations has been increased. According to the new decision, the fee for each category (Science, Commerce, and Humanities) has increased by Tk100 compared to last year (2024).
The form-filling process will start from next Sunday (December 1). This process will continue until December 9 without a late fee.
This information was revealed from the complete form-filling notification recently published by the Dhaka Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board. The same fee has been fixed for other general education boards as well.
According to the notification of the education boards, students will be able to fill out the form online from December 1 to December 9 without a late fee.
The last date for submitting the online fee without a late fee is December 10. If the form cannot be filled within this period, the candidates will be able to fill the form by December 14 by paying a fine of Tk100. The last date for submitting the late fee is December 15.
In addition, the fee for all categories has been increased by Tk100 compared to last year. Like every year, separate fees have been fixed for the Science, Humanities, and Business Education departments.
The maximum fee for students in the science department will be Tk2,240 this year. Last year, the maximum fee set for students in this department was Tk2,140. Similarly, the fee for the humanities and business education departments has been set at Tk2,120. Last year, i.e., in the 2024 SSC examination, this fee was Tk2,020.
The boards have informed us that this fee for filling out the form also includes practical tests and center fees. Moreover, no matter when the examination is held, no more than 24 months of salary and session charges can be charged to students in combined classes of 9 and 10.
Dengue Claims 47 Lives in A Week
The dengue outbreak in the country is not decreasing in any way. Along with the deaths, the number of infected people is also increasing. The pressure of patients in hospitals increasing.
According to the dengue report of the Department of Health, 47 have died of dengue this week (November 23 to November 29) and 5,968 have been admitted to hospitals.
According to the statistics of the last seven days,
November 23: 10 died, 886 hospitalized
November 24: 11 died, 1,079 hospitalized
November 25: 2 died, 934 hospitalized
November 26: 10 died, 990 hospitalized
November 27: 4 died, 888 hospitalized
November 28: 7 died, 837 hospitalized
November 29: 3 died, 354 hospitalized.
So far this year, 90,793 people have been hospitalized due to dengue. Of these, 87,281 have been discharged. 485 died.
Atiqur Rahman, a specialized doctor at DMCH said that dengue is no longer seasonal, it occurs throughout the year. It increases when it starts raining. In addition to using mosquito repellents to prevent dengue, the city corporation must also conduct campaigns everywhere. At the same time, everyone must be aware of it.
Entomologist Dr Manjur Chowdhury says that not only public awareness will work to control mosquitoes. Appropriate measures must be taken by conducting proper surveys and using skilled manpower.
It is worth noting that in 2023, the highest number of dengue patients in the country's history was 3,21,179, and 1,705 people died.
Cyclone Fengal Moves Northwestwards Over Bay
Cyclone Fengal, which is located in the southwest Bay of Bengal and its vicinity, is gradually moving northwestwards.
The maximum sustained wind speed within 54 km of the cyclone center is 62 km/h, which is increasing to 88 km/h in gusts or squalls. The weather forecast says that the cyclone will hit the Tamil Nadu coast of India by midday today (November 30).
Meanwhile, the cyclone's impact is also being observed in the country's maritime region. The sea is very rough in the area near the cyclone center. As a result, maritime ports in Bangladesh have been instructed to keep distant warning signal number two hoisted as Cyclonic Storm Fengal intensifies over the Southwest Bay of Bengal.
This information was given in a special notice issued by meteorologist Md. Omar Faruk on Saturday (November 30).
According to a special bulletin from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), as of 6 am today (30 November), Fengal was positioned approximately-
1,650 kilometres southwest of Chattogram port,
1,605 kilometres southwest of Cox's Bazar port,
1,505 kilometres southwest of Mongla port, and
1,515 kilometres southwest of Payra port.
The storm, which has sustained winds of around 62 km/h near its centre, with gusts reaching up to 88 km/h, is moving in a north-westerly direction.
In this situation, all fishing boats and trawlers in the North Bay of Bengal and deep sea have been asked to move with caution near the coast until further notice.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said in its latest update that Cyclone Fengal will cross the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast. During its passage, the wind speed will be 70 to 80 km/h in and around Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, which may exceed 90 km/h with gusts.
Bangladesh Reports Highest AIDS-Affected Patients This Year
In the last year, 195 people have died of AIDS in the country. This year, 1,438 people have been newly infected with AIDS. This is the highest number of AIDS cases since the first HIV (AIDS virus) positive case was identified in Bangladesh in 1989. Of these, 55 percent are married.
This information was obtained from the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy, and AIDS Control Program (TB-L & ASP) of the Department of Health.
Today is December 1, World AIDS Day. On this occasion, the Department of Health will present various statistics related to AIDS in the country. The theme of this year's World AIDS Day is 'If rights are ensured, HIV/AIDS will go away'.
Thoughts on young people and two risk groups
This year, 63 percent of the newly infected people are between 25 to 49 years old. 21 percent are between 20 to 24 years old. Last year, 16 percent of young people were between 19 to 24 years old.
Among patients, 10 percent of the total infected people are Rohingya. Last year, the rate was 12 percent. Transgender people account for 1 percent of the total infections. Last year too, the infection rate among them was similar.
These three groups, including homosexuals, female sex workers, and intravenous drug users, are also considered vulnerable to HIV.
Dr Md. Mahfuzar Rahman Sarkar, Line Director of TB-L & ASP at the Directorate General of Health Services, said, "Globally, the younger population is considered vulnerable to HIV. We are no exception here. And while living in Myanmar, HIV infection was relatively high among the Rohingya. Testing has increased among Rohingya and transgender people than before. Therefore, more are being identified."
Dr Saima Khan, Country Director for Bangladesh at UNAIDS, said, the scope of identifying and providing services to HIV-infected people has increased. However, campaigning can be increased to prevent the increase in infections among the young generation. More awareness topics need to be added to the curriculum on this issue.
Infection is more common among married people, fear of death
Of those infected with AIDS this year, 55 percent are married. 40 percent are single. 5 percent are widowed or divorced.
Last year, the infection rate among married people was 60 percent. Among single people, it was 31 percent. Like last year, this year too, the Dhaka division has the highest number of HIV infections.
Last year, the number of deaths due to HIV was 266. This year, the number is 195. Although the number of deaths has decreased, it is still at an alarming level, says Nazrul Islam, former vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). This virologist said that the HIV treatment system is now quite advanced. The cause of death may be that the infected people are not taking regular and proper treatment. Again, it is necessary to pay attention to whether the drugs being given are becoming resistant or not.
