Central News Hub

Month: December 2024

  • Essex ‘drainage protection’ company shut down 

    Essex ‘drainage protection’ company shut down 

    Company wound-up in the public interest after using hostile and misleading selling tactics…reports Asian Lite News 

    An Essex company which aggressively cold-called vulnerable people to sell drainage and electrical protection plans which had little or no real value, has been shut down.  

    Basildon-based Home Drainage Protection Service Ltd bombarded pensioners and people suffering from medical conditions with up to 20 calls a day, using abusive language and threatening to call the police or bailiffs if they did not sign up to their bogus protection plans.  

    The company claimed to provide replacements and repairs to plumbing and drainage as well as protection plans for items such as satellite equipment and household appliances.  

    Insolvency Service investigations found no evidence that such cover was ever provided to customers.  Home Drainage Protection Service was wound-up at the High Court in London on Tuesday.  Cheryl Lambert, Assistant Director of Operations at the Insolvency Service, said, “We received numerous reports that Home Drainage Protection Service was consistently pressurising vulnerable members of the public, issuing so-called ‘protection certificates’ for household appliances. Their calls were designed to be deliberately intimidating, with the callers swearing, demanding payment from those who were unfortunate enough to pick up the phone, and threatening to send the bailiffs or police to their address. The judge said that the sales techniques used were beyond aggressive, and that they were frightening to people.”  

    “We also found hardly any evidence that the company was selling the protection cover it attempted to force on people. Indeed, the company appeared to be a front for the transfer of millions of pounds of funds through different bank accounts.”  

    The Insolvency Service takes its responsibilities to protect the public from harm and financial wrongdoing extremely seriously which is why we conducted a thorough investigation into the company, resulting in a court order stopping them from trading. 

    Investigations into Home Drainage Protection Service began in April this year after complaints had been made to the agency, the police and Citizens Advice.  

    The Insolvency Service investigated 57 complaints which showed more than £11,000 had been taken from people over a short, but highly distressing, period of time.    

    In addition to threatening victims with bailiffs, the police and taking them to court, the company also said money would be taken out of their accounts anyway and that they would incur additional costs as a result.  

    They also falsely claimed that consumers had previously taken out insurance with them when they had not.  Investigators uncovered payments of more than £6.9 million from Home Drainage Protection Service to 42 companies between April 2021, one month after it was set up on Companies House, and June 2024.  

    The company failed to co-operate with the Insolvency Service’s investigation and did not provide an explanation for these payments. No evidence was found that Home Drainage Protection Service conducted any water collection, treatment, supply, or sewerage works as they claimed. 

    ALSO READ: Saltmarsh being restored in Devon 

  • Man dies after dog attack in east London 

    Man dies after dog attack in east London 

    Police were called to the scene at 04:53 GMT on Wednesday, following reports that a man had been seriously wounded…reports Asian Lite News

    A 42-year-old man has died after being attacked by a dog in east London on Wednesday morning, the Metropolitan Police has said. Leanne McDonnell, 32, has been arrested and charged over the attack, which took place on Shirley Road in Stratford. 

    Police were called to the scene at 04:53 GMT on Wednesday, following reports that a man had been seriously wounded. He was taken to hospital where he later died, the Met said. 

    McDonnell has been charged with owning a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death; failing in the duty, as a person responsible for an animal, to ensure its welfare; and having custody of a fighting dog, the BBC reported. 

    She has also been charged, in relation to a separate incident on 18 November, with three counts of owning a dog dangerously out of control causing no injury. The dog involved in both incidents has been seized by police, the force confirmed. 

    McDonnell was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on Friday. 

    ALSO READ: Saltmarsh being restored in Devon 

  • Upgrade for MI Battalion at Upavon 

    Upgrade for MI Battalion at Upavon 

    A historic aircraft hangar dating back to 1938 has been remodelled to provide Light Aid Detachment workshops, which will enable the repair and maintenance of the Battalion’s fleet and the provision of new Quartermaster storage and offices…reports Asian Lite News

    The £12 million project at Trenchard Lines, Wiltshire has seen the extensive refurbishment of existing military infrastructure to support the capability of 2 Military Intelligence Battalion (2 MI Bn). The project was delivered for the British Army by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), working with AECOM and Kier Construction. 

    A historic aircraft hangar dating back to 1938 has been remodelled to provide Light Aid Detachment workshops, which will enable the repair and maintenance of the Battalion’s fleet and the provision of new Quartermaster storage and offices. Other works on site include the refurbishment of the Battalion headquarters and Junior Ranks’ dining space, and a new extension to the armoury and ammunition store. 

    Major General Richard Clements CBE, Director Basing & Infrastructure, said, “The impressive refurbishment work at Upavon has delivered high-quality, fit-for-purpose and more sustainable facilities that will support the training and operational capability of 2 Military Intelligence Battalion. This project is a great example of the investment being made across our estate to modernise our infrastructure and enable our people to perform at their best.” 

    Warren Webster, DIO MPP Programme Director (Army), said, “This project has provided multiple infrastructure improvements at Trenchard Lines, including refreshed HQ and vehicle management facilities for 2MI. It’s a great example of collaboration between the DIO, our contractors and the receiving unit which will support 2 MI’s vital work for defence.” 

    The capabilities of 2 MI Bn are unique in the army, defence and wider government. The Battalion is the British Army’s lead unit for forensic technical exploitation, including biometrics, fingerprinting, and the examination of electronic media and weapons. The Battalion is also the army’s only specialist counter-intelligence collection asset – a role that requires extensive and demanding training. 

    Jason Taylor, Regional Director at Kier Construction, Western & Wales, said, “It has been a pleasure to deliver this vital refurbishment on behalf of the army and the DIO. Throughout the project, both our team and our outstanding supply chain have worked hard to deliver high-quality upgrades which will benefit military personnel at Trenchard Lines.” 

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  • Coastal towns to get nearly £1 million investment  

    Coastal towns to get nearly £1 million investment  

    Putting local people and economic opportunity at the heart, the fund will help local entrepreneurs, leaders and schools. ..reports Asian Lite News

    Nine maritime clusters across the UK will receive a share of government funding, helping them secure investment for local industry and deliver skills, training and educational programmes – Maritime Minister Mike Kane has announced. 

    The maritime sector is key to unlocking regional economic growth and this targeted support aims to revitalise coastal towns and cities, help build the UK’s economy and break down barriers to opportunity, as well as driving innovation in the sector. 

    Putting local people and economic opportunity at the heart, the fund will help local entrepreneurs, leaders and schools. 

    For example, in Tees, the £117,000 fund will enable the cluster to run maritime training and careers events for hundreds of schoolchildren and thousands of school leavers, students and job seekers. This will upskill young people looking to enter the sector as well as those looking to transition careers, ultimately encouraging people into maritime.  

    Similarly, Maritime UK South West will receive £85,000 to (among other things) establish 4 skills, careers and diversity hubs and run 5 school and college events reaching an estimated 500 people, again supporting and feeding the maritime jobs of the future. 

    As part of the government’s mission to drive jobs and economic growth across the country, this latest funding will enable clusters to connect the maritime sector with local businesses, helping to drive private investment into regional maritime. 

    Maritime Minister, Mike Kane, said, “The UK is a proud maritime nation, with our coastal communities being vital in unleashing our full potential and unlocking economic growth across the country. By investing in our excellent maritime clusters, we can deliver jobs, skills and training for local communities and turbocharge growth by delivering investment into the sector.” 

    In Mersey, £100,000 funding will enable the cluster to establish an annual innovation showcase to attract foreign investors to the region and boost the northwest economy.  

    Meanwhile, Cornwall Marine Network (CMN) will use its £124,100 fund to create a new and innovative business tool for SMEs to improve productivity, profitability and job creation.  

    This fund, managed for the government by Maritime UK, will bolster the already transformational work delivered by some clusters, with CMN having already added £630 million to the local economy, as well as £42 million of private investment into skills.   

    It will also help emerging clusters build up resources, explore networking opportunities, invest in innovation and increase regional activity.   

    The announcement comes on the same day as the Maritime UK National Council meeting and as the Maritime Minister welcomes the new Maritime UK Chairman, Tom Boardley, who will take up his post in the new year.     

    Chris Shirling-Rooke MBE, Chief Executive of Maritime UK, said, “Today is an incredible milestone for the maritime industry across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The maritime cluster development fund will create a real impact and make a tangible difference to our most precious of places – our coastal communities. Having been on this incredible journey with partners at the Department for Transport for more than 6 years, this labour of love for all of us is a testament to the power of collaboration and partnership. I look forward to seeing all of our maritime clusters thrive and creating those vital jobs and growth where they’re needed most.” 

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  • Saltmarsh being restored in Devon 

    Saltmarsh being restored in Devon 

    Precious saltmarsh is being restored in a corner of the River Dart in Devon with £200,000 of funding from the Environment Agency…reports Asian Lite News 

    With £200,000 of funding from the Environment Agency, Duchy of Cornwall, South Hams District Council and South Devon National Landscape, work is well underway to restore around 4 hectares of marshes.  

    The restoration work is important because more than 85% of England’s saltmarsh has been lost in recent centuries to development pressure, land use change and coastal squeeze – with the potential to lose more to sea level rise and climate change. Saltmarshes are essential as they capture carbon, protect shorelines from erosion, provide habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife and help clean water.   

    Emma Magee, the Environment Agency’s South Devon catchment coordinator, said, “These places are too important for people and wildlife to let them just slip away. We need people to see and feel a connection to these places to help care for them.” 

    There is plenty of evidence of that connection with more than 200 hazel and willow bundles being made by volunteers from Parklife South West CIC and nature recovery trainees. These bundles will be staked into the marshes to build up sediment levels and plant life.   

    As well as delivering the bundles, Dart Harbour has also run boat trips to take people out to see the marshes.  

    Just downstream of Totnes, works at the 40ft off and Home Reach marshes are nearly complete. The project team’s attention is now on improving pedestrian access, footpaths and adding signage within Long Marsh, near Steamer Quay. Works start next month and will be completed by March 2025.  

    New, rare and protected plant species have been recorded for the first time and international saltmarsh experts are helping advise on plans to make the most of this opportunity.  

    Paul Britton, Dart Harbour and Navigation Authority’s harbour master, said, “It’s great to be getting spades in the mud. As stewards of this stunning estuary, we are very pleased to be playing our part in restoring these vital habitats, providing our staff, boats and equipment to work alongside scientists and local volunteers on these fragile ecosystems.” 

    The Saltmarsh Artist Collective is planning a Saltmarsh celebration day early next year in Totnes with an installation, workshops and film screenings. Local school children are making seed bombs with seeds collected on the marsh to help colonise new stretches of mud flat. Schumacher College students have also visited the reedbeds at Sharpham.  

    Jane Brady, co-founder of BLC, said, “The significance of this partnership for us is that it elevates the role of a place-based Community Interest Company in restoring a constellation of saltmarsh clusters to health.” 

    Tom Stratton, land steward for the Duchy of Cornwall in Devon, said, “We have a strong interest in the sustainability and resilience of all our natural systems and this project provides an early example of saltmarsh restoration in the South West which we hope will protect this valuable resource for years to come whilst storing carbon and providing unique habitat.” 

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  • Affair with student gets V-C of Buckingham Univ suspended 

    Affair with student gets V-C of Buckingham Univ suspended 

    Tooley, who specialises in education policy, has been the vice-chancellor since 2020, when he succeeded historian Sir Anthony Seldon…reports Asian Lite News

    The vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham in the UK, James Tooley, has been suspended after allegations of an affair with a young woman from India. He is reported to have helped her with paying her university fees. The Indian woman claimed in her diary that she had a sexual relationship with the 65-year-old Professor Tooley. These allegations sprang up after the professor’s wife handed over copies of the diaries written by the young woman to the university. 

    Tooley, who specialises in education policy, has been the vice-chancellor since 2020, when he succeeded historian Sir Anthony Seldon. 

    He issued a statement through his lawyer, and called the claims “baseless and malicious” and expressed confidence that he would be “vindicated”. The allegations surfaced after Tooley’s 42-year-old wife, Cynthia, gave over the copies of the diaries written by the young woman. 

    Cynthia, a Nigerian-born entrepreneur, TV personality and mother-of-two, married Tooley in February 2022. However, the couple parted ways over the summer, and they now communicate through lawyers. 

    The Times, a UK media outlet, stated that the Indian woman had mentioned that she was 18 when she first met Tooley and their relationship became sexual when she was 21, though she later said that she was 25 when the relationship started. 

    During this period, the professor was in his fifties, reported the Daily Mail. 

    The alleged affair started after Tooley got involved in a project in Hyderabad aimed at providing low-cost private schools for poor communities. He is said to have known the woman’s father and contributed to her university tuition fees before their relationship began after she graduated. 

    “Anyone who reads my diaries can see I was in love with him and wanted to be with him. He was kind and thoughtful and always treated me with respect. People will say he used me because he has power and money. But that’s not the case. He is a good man who cares a lot about other people,” the Indian woman wrote in her diary as quoted by The Times, reported the Daily Mail. 

    Cynthia Tooley, wife of the suspended Vice-chancellor, alerted the University of Buckingham to the alleged relationship on October 11, prompting an emergency meeting and Tooley’s suspension. 

    She also made multiple accusations against him, including reporting a “suspicious object” at the vice-chancellor’s residence, which turned out to be a junior air rifle. University managers announced Tooley’s suspension in October. 

    “The Vice Chancellor has been suspended following a number of serious allegations… It is our intention to carry out an independent inquiry to ascertain the veracity of these claims,” said the university managers, reported the Daily Mail. 

    Chief financial officer David Cole, chief administrative officer Chris Payne, and pro vice-chancellor Harriet Dunbar-Morris have been appointed as interim co-heads of the university. 

    Tooley has been a vocal advocate for free speech and academic freedom and has criticised diversity targets and efforts to decolonise the curriculum. 

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  • Illegal Eastchurch waste site to remain shut 

    Illegal Eastchurch waste site to remain shut 

    Anyone entering the site without reasonable excuse or written permission from the Environment Agency will be committing a criminal offence  

    Land on the Isle of Sheppey where the Environment Agency is investigating waste dumped illegally will stay out of bounds to the public. Magistrates have agreed to continue restricting unauthorised access to the area known as Eastchurch Gap, near Third Avenue in Eastchurch, for another 6 months. 

    Anyone entering the site without reasonable excuse or written permission from the Environment Agency will be committing a criminal offence, as will anyone who tampers with the locked gate or the restriction order attached to it. 

    The land was closed in June last year after shredded household and builders waste was dumped there. The gate has been locked ever since, with concrete blocks put in front of the site. 

    Matt Higginson, environment manager for the Environment Agency in Kent, said, “Specialist officers regularly inspect the land at Eastchurch Gap in order to disrupt the illegal dumping of waste. Our priority is protecting the Eastchurch community and environment. The restriction order was originally secured following local people’s concerns and the environmental impact of the tipping of waste at the site, which we share. Our criminal investigation into a number of illegal waste sites in Kent, including Eastchurch Gap, continues.” 

    The updated closure orders for Eastchurch Gap and Hoads Wood come as the Environment Agency consults on proposals to fund more investment in regulation of the waste industry. 

    Plans put out for comment include a waste levy to increase enforcement activity by a third; a greater ability to recoup the costs of regulation; and new charges for certain activities on farms that don’t require an environmental permit.  

    The consultation began last month and stays open until 20 January.   

    The Environment Agency’s powers to stop waste crime include prosecuting those believed to be behind dumping waste illegally, which can lead to prison sentences. 

    Restriction orders, like those used to close Eastchurch Gap and part of Hoads Wood, are among other measures to combat waste crime. Illegal waste activity harms the environment and has a devastating effect on communities. 

    Failure to comply with one is a criminal offence. 

    Enforcement action already carried out as part of the wider criminal investigation into waste crime in Kent includes waste carriers given a combined 9 fixed penalty notices totalling £2,300. 

    In that operation, Kent Police also sanctioned lorries for insecure loads, driving without insurance and/or a licence, not wearing a seatbelt, and a vehicle having defective tyres. 

    Magistrates first granted the Environment Agency a 6-month restriction order closing the site at Eastchurch Gap in June 2023. This was renewed last Christmas and in June this year. 

    The current order, signed at Folkestone magistrates’ court on 29 November, keeps Eastchurch Gap closed until June next year. 

    Magistrates also approved a 6-month extension to a similar order for Hoads Wood, restricting unofficial access to 2 acres of woodland until next summer. The Environment Agency recently appointed a specialist company to clear 30,000 tonnes of waste dumped by shameless criminals.      

    Restriction orders are granted under the Environment Act 1995. 

    While most waste sites are operated responsibly, the Environment Agency acts against those who flout the law. 

    In the year to March 2023, the Environment Agency closed 482 illegal waste sites across England, securing 83 prosecutions against waste criminals who were either jailed or fined a total of £5.7m and ordered to pay another £1.4m in costs. 

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  • ‘No plan for more tax rises’ 

    ‘No plan for more tax rises’ 

    Starmer said he knew some decisions were “not always popular” but voters could judge him at the next general election on whether they feel their living standards have improved…reports Asian Lite News

    Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has told the BBC it is not his “plan” to have any more tax rises before the next election – but says he could not rule them out in the event of “unforeseen” circumstances. 

    The prime minister speaking shortly after setting out six pledges, including a promise to put more money in the pockets of working people. 

    Starmer said he knew some decisions were “not always popular” but voters could judge him at the next general election on whether they feel their living standards have improved. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed the PM’s new pledges as a sign that Labour had not been “ready for government”. 

    In addition to improving living standards, the other “milestones” announced by Starmer in a speech on Thursday included building 1.5 million new homes in England, ending hospital backlogs and increasing the proportion of children who are “ready to learn” when starting school to 75%. 

    Labour has dismissed suggestions the new pledges are a reset following their first few months in government. 

    The chancellor announced a near-£70bn increase in public spending in her first Budget in October, of which more than half will come from higher taxes, with businesses set to bear the brunt of the rises. 

    Employers will see an increase in National Insurance contributions on their workers’ earnings which will raise up to £25bn a year for the government. And there will also be an increase to capital gains tax on share sales and a freeze on inheritance tax thresholds. 

    On the possibility of further tax rises, the prime minister said: “I don’t want to suggest we’re going to keep coming back for more because that isn’t the plan. What I can’t do, is say to you there are no circumstances unforeseen in the future that wouldn’t lead to any change at all. If you look at Covid and Ukraine, everyone knows there are things we can’t see now but I can tell you our intention was to do the tough stuff in that Budget, not keep coming back.” 

    Asked why he thought his popularity had fallen since the election, Starmer said he had chosen to take the “tough decisions” early on in his premiership. He said he knew the decisions would not always be popular but were needed “to turn the country around”. 

    “I just don’t want to do what politicians have done in the past which is to get in the warm bath of empty promises. I’m prepared to roll up my sleeves and tell people its tough – we’re going to do it but you’re going to be better off. You’ll have a better health service, you’ll have better houses, you’ll have better energy bills at the end of this and I’ll be judged, quite rightly, at the end of the parliamentary term whether I’ve delivered on what I said I would deliver on.” 

    In answer to a question about when people would feel better off, Sir Keir said that would be measured at the end of the Parliament but that he wanted people to “feel better off straight away”. 

    He added that a pay rise for those on the lowest wages meant three million people were already better off as a result of the government’s actions. 

    Following Starmer’s speech on Thursday, the Conservative leader said: “The prime minister’s emergency reset confirms that Labour had 14 years in opposition and still weren’t ready for government. 

    “Nothing concrete on immigration – because Labour have no plan to control numbers.” 

    The prime minister has said he wants to reduce migration levels but his six pledges did not include a measurable target. Starmer said that trying to put a “hard cap” on migration numbers hadn’t worked in the past. 

    Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said his party would “hold this government’s feet to the fire on keeping its promises, most of all on fixing the NHS and care. “It was worrying to see no clear plan in these targets to make sure people can see a GP when they need to.” 

    Meanwhile, the Confederation for British Industry has said that household incomes will be held back by budget tax increases in a blow to Starmer’s new goal of “raising living standards in every part of the UK.”  

    Starmer introduced the living standards target in a speech on Thursday, shifting the focus off his election manifesto pledge to deliver the highest sustained growth in the Group of Seven during Labour’s first term in government. 

    However, the CBI warned in forecasts published Friday that the “budget measures will weigh on household spending, due to weaker incomes growth.” The employers’ group added that a trade war with the US under Donald Trump posed only a small threat to the UK. 

    Chancellor Rachel Reeves raised taxes by £40 billion ($51 billion) a year and borrowed an extra £30 billion, which she said “wiped the slate clean” after years of Conservative rule by providing the funds to fix ailing public services and invest in essential infrastructure. But she faces a backlash from business, which bears the bulk of the tax rise. 

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  • UN urges Taliban to reconsider ban on women from nursing 

    UN urges Taliban to reconsider ban on women from nursing 

    If implemented, Dujarric said, the directive would impose yet further restrictions on women and girls’ rights to education and access to healthcare…reports Asian Lite News

    The United Nations urged the Taliban authorities to reconsider implementing restrictions on women and girls’ access to medical training in Afghanistan, a UN spokesperson said. 

    “We have been following the situation in Afghanistan,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN chief, said at a daily press briefing. “We are concerned indeed about a reported directive from the de facto Taliban authorities that is preventing women and girls from attending classes at private medical institutions.” 

    Multiple media reported that the Taliban had ordered private and public institutions to stop providing medical courses for women and girls. Five institutions in Afghanistan said the Taliban had instructed them to close until further notice. 

    If implemented, Dujarric said, the directive would impose yet further restrictions on women and girls’ rights to education and access to healthcare. 

    Ultimately, it would have a detrimental impact on Afghanistan’s healthcare system and development, he added. 

    The spokesperson urged the Taliban authorities to reconsider implementing this directive in view of the negative impact it would have on Afghan women and girls and all people across the country. 

    Several institutions across Afghanistan have confirmed the suspension of these courses, with some students sharing emotional videos online of their abrupt removal. 

    The decision to halt these educational programmes comes as part of the Taliban’s broader policy to restrict women’s access to education, which has been in place since their return to power in August 2021. 

    Under this regime, girls have been barred from attending secondary school and university, leaving midwifery and nursing courses as one of the few remaining avenues for women to pursue education and careers. 

    Five separate health institutes across Afghanistan confirmed that women would no longer be allowed to attend their classes. Videos shared online showed students crying and expressing shock at the news. “Standing here and crying won’t help,” one student is heard saying in a video, urging others to stay calm. 

    Reverse decrees limiting women’s rights, UN urges Taliban.(Photo : Twitter.com/unwomenafghan)

    Another video shows women quietly protesting as they walk out of their institutions, singing as they make their way through the hallways. “This was our only hope after being banned from universities,” said one midwifery teacher in Kabul. 

    The Taliban’s health ministry informed institute directors in a meeting on Monday of the decision. A health official, who requested anonymity, confirmed that no official letter had been issued, but directors were told that female students could no longer study in their institutions, effective immediately. 

    These instructions were delivered in an informal meeting, with little explanation given, and the directors were told simply to comply with the directive from the supreme leader. 

    The suspension of midwifery and nursing education for women is particularly significant for Afghanistan’s healthcare system. The country already faces a critical shortage of medical professionals, with a desperate need for midwives. 

    Last year, the United Nations reported that Afghanistan needed an additional 18,000 midwives to meet its healthcare needs. This shortage is compounded by Afghanistan’s high maternal mortality rate, one of the worst in the world. 

    In 2023, the World Health Organization recorded 620 deaths per 100,000 live births in Afghanistan. 

    For Afghan women, nursing and midwifery had become one of the few career paths available. Under the Taliban’s strict gender-based policies, male doctors are not allowed to treat female patients unless a male guardian is present, making it crucial for women to be trained in these fields. 

    Some students said they were told to “wait until further notice”, with no explanation given as to when or if they would be allowed to resume their studies. “They told us to leave and not to stand in the courtyard because the Taliban might arrive at any moment,” one student said. “We were terrified.” 

    The international community has reacted with concern, with the UK’s charge d’affaires in Afghanistan expressing deep unease over the decision. “This is another affront to women’s right to education and will further restrict access to healthcare for Afghan women and children,” the official said on social media. 

    He response to the closure of midwifery and nursing institutes, several health officials and managers from these institutions have sought clarity from the Taliban government. 

    Some are trying to complete final exams for students, as the closure has disrupted the academic schedule. However, there are fears that the situation could escalate further, leaving Afghanistan with even fewer female healthcare professionals. 

    The closure of midwifery and nursing courses for women will likely exacerbate the already dire healthcare situation in Afghanistan. For women, it represents another devastating blow to their access to education and professional opportunities in the country. 

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  • Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Yunus says country is united

    Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Yunus says country is united

    Yunus stressed the need for unity for the sake of the nation’s interest, noting that they (who are campaigning against Bangladesh) are very powerful in terms of resources and arrangements….reports Asian Lite News

    Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus said that the entire world must know that Bangladesh remains united and all that it has achieved recently was gained through joint efforts, Dhaka Tribune reported. 

    Dhaka Tribune reported that Yunus sought suggestions from all political parties so that Bangladesh could proceed towards the right path without any errors. 

    In his opening remarks at a discussion with political parties at Foreign Service Academy, Yunus said that an imaginary story is being spread about Bangladesh which is not limited to a single country but also to other big countries. He stressed that it is important to prove the perception wrong through joint efforts and establishing the truth. 

    He said that many people do not apparently like ‘new Bangladesh’, Dhaka Tribune reported, adding that the government is open for foreigners to come and see the situation on the ground. 

    Yunus stressed the need for unity for the sake of the nation’s interest, noting that they (who are campaigning against Bangladesh) are very powerful in terms of resources and arrangements. 

    Briefing the press after the meeting, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said the key message of the meeting is that they will remain united for the sake of the country’s interest, sovereignty and existence. “We will never deviate from this,” he said. 

    Nazrul said there is no reason to think of Bangladesh as “powerless, weak and submissive” and Bangladesh will remain united against any propaganda. “We will uphold our unity,” he said, adding that the entire nation remained united against “India’s propaganda”. 

    Advisers Adilur Rahman Khan, Mahfuj Alam, and representatives from various political parties including BNP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami took part in the talks at the Foreign Service Academy. 

    Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moyeen Khan, Syed Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, and AZM Zahid Hossain were among the BNP leaders. Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, Ganosamhati Zonayed Saki, Nagorik Oikya’s Mahmudur Rahman Manna, and Gono Odhikar Parishad’s Nurul Haque Nur and Rashed Khan also joined the meeting. 

    The statement came after Bangladesh drew major backlash from several world leaders following the arrest of ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das. 

    US Congressman Brad Sherman issued a statement on Tuesday calling on Bangladesh’s interim government to protect its Hindu minority and address the ongoing protests by Hindus and minority communities over recent attacks and harassment.  

    New banknotes not to have Mujibur Rahman’s image   

    Meanwhile, Bangladesh is set to remove the image of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of Sheikh Hasina and the iconic figure behind the founding of the country, from its currency notes.  

    According to the Dhaka Tribune, Bangladesh Bank is printing new notes, including the features of the July uprising referring to the student-led protests forcing Hasina to flee the country on August 5.  

    According to the central bank, banknotes of Taka 20, 100, 500, and 1,000 are being printed on the instructions of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.  

    The new notes will not include the image of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.  Religious structures, Bengali traditions and “graffiti” drawn during the July uprising will be included. The new notes are expected to be released within the next six months. 

    Initially, the design of the four notes is being changed, and the others will be redesigned in phases, said authorities.  

    The Finance Ministry’s Finance Institute Division submitted a detailed design proposal for the new notes in September. The protest against the controversial job quota system under the Hasina-led government saw attacks on the legacy of Mujibur Rahman as well. His statues and murals were targeted and damaged by the protesters.  

    Hasina in her first public address attacked Yunus and said he is involved in ‘genocide’ and killing of minorities including Hindus.  The Awami League supremo alleged that there were plans to assassinate her and her sister Sheikh Rehana just like their father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was murdered in 1975. 

    Hasina, who is currently in India, said that the armed protesters were directed towards Ganabhaban. “If the security guards opened fire, many lives would have been lost…I told them (guards) not to fire no matter what happened.”  

    “Today, I am being accused of genocide. In reality, Yunus has been involved in genocide in a meticulously designed manner. The masterminds—the student coordinators and Yunus—are behind this genocide,” she added. 

    After Hasina’s oustal, Bangladesh has been witnessing widespread attacks against minorities. India has expressed deep concerns over the rising incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities. 

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