Category: Bangladesh

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None can play ducks and drakes with Bangladesh: Hasina

Hasina calls for more collaboration to ensure food security

Hasina said that Bangladesh is now advancing towards development and prosperity at an irresistible pace….reports Asian Lite News

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina boldly declared on Saturday that there is none who can play a game with the fate of Bangladesh and its people.

“None will be able to play with Bangladesh and none will be able to play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people of Bangladesh,” she said.

The Bangladesh premier made these remarks while virtually addressing the opening ceremony of the four-day long ‘Joy Banglar Joyotsob’ at the historical Suhrawardy Udyan from her official residence, Ganabhaban.

The Cabinet Committee on Golden Jubilee organised the event as part of the closing ceremony of the celebrations of 50 years of the country’s Independence.

She said that as per the Constitution that was given by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman just after nine months of attaining Independence, the present government is moving ahead following every footstep of Bangabandhu.

“We have to maintain the pace of this advancement,” the Prime Minister said, adding that her government has formulated the Perspective Plan-2041 for the future generations while implementing the eighth five-year plan.

Hasina said that Bangladesh is now advancing towards development and prosperity at an irresistible pace.

In this connection, she called upon the new generation to maintain the pace of the development following the future plans of the government.

She said the Awami League-led government has presented its plans for the future generations.

“We’ve implemented the Vision-2021, we’ve entered the satellite era, we are building nuclear power plants, we are doing infrastructural development, we are creating employment opportunities, we are setting up 100 economic zones,” Hasina said.

“We have to remain advanced in education, knowledge, technology, science and every sector. Now no one can neglect Bangladesh while people of this country can stand up with their heads high in the world arena,” she added.

“The Delta Plan-2100 has been formulated and we have started to implement some of it with an aim to give a better life to the people of this country,” she said.

With the Minister for Liberation War Affairs A.K.M. Mozammel Haque in the chair, Secretary in the Ministry, Khaja Miah, delivered the welcome address.’

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Asia News Bangladesh

Bangladeshi diaspora in Europe seeks int’l recognition of 1971 genocide

A total of around 72 participants, mostly university students from different universities in the Netherlands joined the conference and took part in the discussion during the two Q&A sessions….reports Asian Lite News

Highlighting the great importance and an absolute necessity to honour the victims of genocide and their descendants, speakers at an international conference have demanded international recognition of the Bangladesh genocide that took place during March-December 1971.

The demand came during an international conference held on Thursday titled, ‘Bangladesh: Justice after genocide’ held at Leiden University in the Hague and organized by Europe based Bangladeshi diaspora organization European Bangladesh Forum (EBF) in collaboration with the Leiden University UNICEF Student Team the Hague & SESA (Southeast and South Asian) Club by CIROS (Community of International Relations and Organisations Students).

A total of around 72 participants, mostly university students from different universities in the Netherlands joined the conference and took part in the discussion during the two Q&A sessions.

Former member of the Bangladesh Parliament M Mahjabeen Khaled shared her personal story saying, “that topic is very personal to me and my family” and “The war of liberation defines me and what I am today.” She further stated, “1971 liberation war has narrated thousands of personal stories and I hope that in the 21st century the global community will stand alongside Bangladesh, not just to remember, but also to recognise the Bangladesh Genocide of 1971.”

Paying rich tributes to Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, founder of Bangladesh, former ambassador of Pakistan to the US Hussain Haqqani said, “had he lived, I am certain he would have supported the idea of a formal apology from Pakistan for the tragedy inflicted on the people of Bangladesh during their war of liberation. This demand is supported by fair-minded people, like Pakistani dissidents like me,” the Pakistan diplomat said adding, “collective apologies help heal wounds and enable nations to deal with past wrongdoing. Bangabandhu’s (Sheikh Mujibur Rehman’s) life and struggle make him a hero for the people of Bangladesh and other nations but in a fairer world, he would not have had to face the repression and injustice that he fought at great cost to himself and his family,” Haqqani further said.

EBF also plans to organize a two-day long demonstration in front of the historic ‘Broken Chair’ at the UN building in Geneva, Switzerland starting today. The demonstration is being organized in collaboration with the International Human Rights Commission Bangladesh, Geneva. The demonstration will reiterate the demand for trial of the perpetrators responsible for the genocide in Bangladesh and international recognition of the 1971 genocide committed by the Pakistan army.

During the 1971 Genocide in Bangladesh, the Pakistan military deliberately harmed hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi citizens. Rights group says the horrors of 1971 are considered one of the worst mass atrocities in history.

The damage they inflicted can be described in the following numbers. As many as three million people were believed to have been killed, up to 200,000 women were violated and over 10 million people were forced to cross the border to India to seek shelter. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Human chain in Dhaka for int’l recognition of 1971 genocide

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Bangladesh Cricket Sport

Bangladesh scripts history with first ODI win

Before this tour, South Africa had never lost to Bangladesh at home in 20 years…reports Asian Lite News

Bangladesh registered their maiden ODI series win in South Africa, after sealing it 2-1 when they beat the host by nine wickets in the third and final match, here on Wednesday.

Taskin Ahmed’s first five-wicket haul (5/35) in eight years helped Bangladesh bowl out South Africa for 154. Janneman Malan (39 off 56) and Keshav Maharaj (28 off 39) were the top-scorers for the Proteas.

In reply, skipper Tamim Iqbal (c) smashed a fine unbeaten fifty (87 off 82) as Bangladesh chased down the target in only 26.3 overs. Apart from Tamim, Liton Das (48 off 57) and Shakib Al Hasan (18 not out off 20) also played valuable knocks while Keshav Maharaj (1/36 picked the only wicket for South Africa.

Before this tour, South Africa had never lost to Bangladesh at home in 20 years.

The 2-1 series loss also dents South Africa’s progress towards automatic qualification to the 2023 World Cup, given they are down in ninth place on the ODI Super League points table.

Brief scores: South Africa 154 in 37 overs (Janneman Malan 39, Keshav Maharaj 28; Taskin Ahmed 5-35) lost to Bangladesh 156/1 in 26.3 overs (Tamim Iqbal 87 not out, Liton Das 48) by 9 wickets.

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Human chain in Dhaka for int’l recognition of 1971 genocide

The leaders condemned the massacre of Bangladesh people by the Pakistan Army on March 25 in 1971 when a black veil just showed up over the history of mankind….reports Asian Lite News

Scores of people protested in front of National Museum, Shahbag in Dhaka to mark the genocide by the Pakistan Army in Bangladesh in 1971 in which thousands of people, including children, were slaughtered.

The protest organised by Bangladesh Conscious Citizens Committee (BCCC), commemorating Genocide Remembrance Day, saw participation by prominient people including Muktijoddha Professor Dr Neemchand Bhowmik.

Leaders and participants of the human chain protest demanded international recognition of this genocide or Operation Searchlight – a planned military pacification carried out by the Pakistani Army. They also demanded an apology by the Pakistan Government and a trial of Pakistani War Criminals immediately.

Pic credits ANI

The protest was addressed among others by political analyst FF Major General M A Sikder, Co-Convenor F F M D Salauddin, Member Secretary and Chairman of Bangladesh Bharat Sampriti Parishad FF Fazle Ali, Journalist Basudeb Dhar, Secretary-General of Bangladesh Bharat Sampriti Parshad FF Mehidi Hasan Chowdhury and HBCUP leader Nirmal Chatterjee, Professor Sadia Sharmin.

The leaders condemned the massacre of Bangladesh people by the Pakistan Army on March 25 in 1971 when a black veil just showed up over the history of mankind.

Pic credits ANI

The Pakistan Army turned entire Bangladesh into a killing field with its indiscriminate killing, torture of innocent people and unprecedented scale of rapes for nine months.

That was the kickoff of one of the biggest genocides in the world, led by General Yahya Khan of Pakistan, causing the biggest ever humanitarian catastrophe after World War II. They killed 30 lakh people and violated two lakh women and children. Freedom fighters and researchers claim that still, many mass graves in the district and upazila levels remain unidentified. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Six dead after ferry collided with cargo vessel in Bangladesh

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Bangladesh India News

CWS 22: India beat Bangladesh by 110 runs

Not to forget that the Mithali Raj-led India will also have to win their last league game against South Africa at Christchurch on March 27…reports Asian Lite News

Yastika Bhatia scored a half-century, while Sneh Rana came up with all-round heroics (27 and 4/30) in a must-win situation as India secure a convincing 110-run victory over Bangladesh in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup league match at Seddon Park here on Tuesday.

The win helped the runners-up of 2017 edition of the tournament move up to third spot on the points table with three wins and an equal number of losses. But more importantly, it’s the healthy +0.768 Net Run Rate (NRR) that could help India make the semifinal knockouts if multiple teams finish their assignments on identical points.

Not to forget that the Mithali Raj-led India will also have to win their last league game against South Africa at Christchurch on March 27.

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It wasn’t all smooth sailing for India, though, as they were struggling at 176/6 before Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar finished with a flurry to set Bangladesh a target of 230. Yastika Bhatia was the star of the show with a patient 80-ball 50. As wickets kept falling, she stitched two crucial partnerships with Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh to keep the scoreboard ticking in the middle overs.

Rana was brilliant with the ball as well, finishing with four wickets that broke the back of Bangladesh’s batting line-up. All the Indian bowlers looked unplayable from the word go and were rewarded for their tight bowling with wickets as the required run rate kept climbing for the opponents.

Bangladesh’s chase never took off as only five batters registered double-digit scores, with Salma Khatun top-scoring with 32.

Defending 230, India chose to open the bowling with pace-bowling stalwart Jhulan Goswami and spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Rajeshwari broke through first by dismissing Sharmin Akter while the veteran pacer kept things tight at the other end. India struck once again in the Powerplay through Pooja Vastrakar, who trapped Fargana Hoque in front of the stumps.

With spinners operating at both ends on a slow track, Bangladesh found getting runs tough. Sneh Rana, who created several chances in her first spell, was rewarded with the wicket of Nigar Sultana, who holed out at mid-on attempting to accelerate. Poonam Yadav claimed her first World Cup wicket by dismissing Murshida Khatun, whose 54-ball 19-run innings came to an end in the 16th over.

Rumana Ahmed’s stay at the crease didn’t last long either, with Rana picking up her second wicket of the game as Bangladesh lost half their side. Lata Mondal and Salma Khatun provided some resistance with a 40-run stand before Goswami got in on the act to remove Khatun.

Rana picked up wickets in consecutive overs and eventually finished with a four-for. Goswami finished things off with a wonderful yorker to dismiss Ritu Moni as Bangladesh fell short by 110 runs.

Earlier, Shafali Verma (42) and Smriti Mandhana (30) got India off to a flying start after they opted to bat first, with the duo putting on 74 for the opening wicket until disaster struck on the final ball of the 15th over. Mandhana hit Nahida Akter straight to Fargana Hoque and then Ritu Moni got in on the act during the next over to turn the game on its head quickly.

Shafali Verma tried to hit one out of the ground and was stumped, before skipper Mithali Raj hit her first ball straight to Fahima Khatun at cover as India were quickly reduced to 74/3.

Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur repaired the innings but it came at the cost of the run rate falling – their 34-run partnership came in 70 balls before Hoque’s direct hit caught Kaur short of her crease.

India once again had to rebuild their innings with Ghosh joining Bhatia at the crease. The wicketkeeper-batter took the attack to the bowlers early on, smashing Lata Mondal for consecutive boundaries in the 30th over. The duo kept finding the boundaries regularly but just when they looked set, Ghosh was caught behind trying to cut a ball that was too close to the body.

Bhatia got to her second fifty of the tournament but fell off the very next ball attempting the paddle sweep. At 180/6 at the end of 44th over, India needed to finish well and Rana and Vastrakar did just that. Their partnership of 48 in 38 balls propelled India to 229/7.

Brief scores: India 229/7 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 30, Shafali Verma 42, Yastika Bhatia 50, Richa Ghosh 26, Pooja Vastrakar 30 not out, Sneh Rana 27; Ritu Moni 3/37) beat Bangladesh 119 in 40.3 overs (Salma Khatun 32; Jhulan Goswami 2/19, Pooja Vastrakar 2/26, Sneh Rana 4/30) by 110 runs.

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Bangladesh

Six dead after ferry collided with cargo vessel in Bangladesh

Rescuers have recovered six bodies from a river in Narayanganj district outside Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka after a ferry collided with another vessel and capsized on Sunday, a senior official said…reports Asian Lite News

Jayedul Alam, Narayanganj district’s police chief, told a news agency that the ferry named “MV Afsar Uddin” sank after being hit by the cargo vessel in the Shitalakkhya River in Narayanganj district.

“The bodies of six people including three women, two children and a man have so far been retrieved,” he was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

According to the official, the ferry carrying some 25 to 30 passengers sank in the river at around 2:15 p.m. local time (0815 GMT) Sunday.

Alam said one person has been confirmed missing.

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But local media reports put the number of missing people at dozens and feared the death toll may rise with the search and rescue operation still underway.

Bangladesh’s river police seized the cargo vessel, “MV Rupshi-19”, and detained its master and eight other crew members.

Bangladesh’s Shipping Ministry has formed a committee to look into the negligence claims as footage of the sinking ferry found on social media showed its passengers shouting in panic.

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Hasina thanks Modi for airlifting Bangladeshis from Ukraine

Earlier this month, in a carefully planned operation, India was able to evacuate over 500 of its students along with several Bangladeshi nationals and one Pakistani national…reports Asian Lite News

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has thanked Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi for the evacuation of Bangladeshi nationals from war-torn Ukraine’s Sumy.

In a letter to PM Modi, Hasina expressed her sincere thanks to him and the Indian government for extending support and assistance in rescuing and evacuating some Bangladeshi nationals along with the Indians who were stranded in Sumy Oblast, Ukraine.

“The wholehearted cooperation that your government has been extending in this regard is a testament to the unique and enduring relationship that our two countries have had over the years,” PM Hasina said in the letter on March 15.

Recalling PM Modi’s visit to Bangladesh last year for the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in March last year, Hasina said, “Our bilateral ties have been further consolidated through meaningful engagement at all levels over the past years.”

“I am confident that both Bangladesh and India will continue to stand by each other all the time and work together to realize the collective aspirations of the peoples of the two countries.

Earlier this month, in a carefully planned operation, India was able to evacuate over 500 of its students along with several Bangladeshi nationals and one Pakistani national.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said earlier this week that despite the challenges posed by the serious ongoing conflict, India ensured that about 22,500 citizens returned home safely from Ukraine.

In a suo motu statement in the Rajya Sabha on the ‘Situation in Ukraine’, he had said, “The Sumy evacuation, which was the last one on a significant scale, was also extremely complex as our students faced the prospect of being caught in crossfire. Their evacuation from the city needed a credible ceasefire, a daunting challenge in the current situation.”

“This finally materialized due to the personal intervention of the Prime Minister himself with the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia. Noting the extraordinary challenges before us, we also dispatched a special team of senior officers to the vicinity of Sumy,” Jaishankar said.

He had further stated that in line with India’s principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, foreign nationals were also evacuated from conflict zones and brought to India.

“They included about 150 citizens, 147 to be exact of 18 countries, among them our immediate neighbours like Bangladesh and Nepal,” Jaishankar had told Rajya Sabha.

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‘Let his dreams resonate in every Bangladeshi hearts’

Joy also said it was very painful to say that the curtain on the togetherness came down on August 15, 1975, when Bangabandhu, and almost his entire family, were assasinated….reports Sumi Khan

Bangabandhu’s grandson Sajeeb Wazed Joy on Thursday reminisced about his interactions with his grandfather Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, saying these were among a few childhood memories that never faded all these decades.

“The only occasion when my grandmother objected was when my grandfather allowed me a puff on his lighted pipe. While my grandma turned furious, my grandfather let out his trademark uproarious laughter as I coughed my little lungs out,” Joy said in a Facebook post on his verified account on the occasion of Sheikh Mujib’s 102th birth anniversary.

Wishing his grandfather, he also attached a smiling photograph of Bangabandhu with the poetry of legendary poet Annada Shankar Roy.

Joy also said it was very painful to say that the curtain on the togetherness came down on August 15, 1975, when Bangabandhu, and almost his entire family, were assasinated.

Joy, who is also his mother and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ICT Affairs Adviser, said since then, life has been one of ceaseless struggle to survival for each surviving member of the family.

“The steely resolve of my grandfather to build Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) was passed down to my mother,” he said.

Stressing that the birth anniversary of his grandfather evokes the dream that he promised to his countrymen, he said: “Let it resonate in every heart and get us closer to the realisation of Vision 2041.”

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Bangladesh India News News

Hasina announces long-term plans for future of children

Her government has long-term plans to make the future beautiful for the children…reports Asian Lite News

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said it was really sad and painful for the nation that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated, along with his family including his youngest son Russel, by some of the same Bengali people for whom he had risked his life, faced incarceration for years, and established the dignity of a nation for them.

In her remarks at a programme at the Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex, Tungipara in Gopalganj, to mark the 102nd birth anniversary of the Bangabandhu and the National Children’s Day, she said that her government has long-term plans to make the future beautiful for the children, as no other children can lost their lives including parents like Russel, her innocent youngest brother, who was only 10 years old then.

The National Implementation Committee for Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Birth Centenary Celebration, in collaboration with the Women and Children Affairs Ministry, had arranged the programme, featuring a discussion and a cultural soiree.

The event began with the National Anthem followed by the theme song of “Mujib Borsha”. An audio-visual presentation titled “Tungipara: Hridoye Pitribhumi (Father’s Land in Heart)” was screened.

This year, the theme of national children’s day is “Bangabandhur Janmodiner Ongikar, Sokol Shishur Soman Odhikar (Equal Rights for all children, Commitment of Bangbandhu’s birthday)”.

Sheikh Hasina, also the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said though there had been a reign of killers, war criminals, Al-Badr and Razakars (collaborators of Pakistani forces) in the country after the assassination of her family members, she returned home to fulfil the dreams of her father.

“(I returned home) to ensure that the children would not live with the pain of losing family members like us, rather they would have a nice and improved life,” she said.

Noting that the Father of the Nation used to love children very much, the PM said her government in 1996 declared the 17th March as the children’s day.

“Bangabandhu used to like playing with children. When he was playing with children, he seemed like a child.

“But it is unfortunate that even children were not spared in 1975 carnage. Children and women had not been killed even during Karbala tragedy,” she said.

She said that following the footsteps of Bangabandhu, her government had taken various steps for the welfare of the children, including establishment of schools in every area and measures to protect them from social menaces like terrorism and militancy.

“Coming in power again through the 2008 election, we’ve done a lot further for the welfare of children,” said Sheikh Hasina, highlighting various measures and laws taken for the children during her regime.

Noting that Bangladesh today attained the status of a developing country, she said: “We’ll definitely make Bangladesh the developed and prosperous Sonar Bangla. It’s our commitment.”

In this context, she mentioned her government’s vision 2041 and Delta Plan-2100.

“I’ve prepared a plan over how this Bangladesh would develop till 2100.”

Sheikh Hasina reiterated that her government’s plans focus on making the future of children bright and decent.

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“Our goal is that our children would remain safe and get a beautiful life.”

Bangabandhu’s grandsons – Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Sheikh Rehana’s son Radwan Mujib Siddiq were present, along with cabinet members, members of parliament and Awami League central leaders, Gopalganj Zila Parishad Chairman and AL’s district unit president Chowdhury Emdadul Huque.

Sheikh Hasina also inaugurated the six-day Mujib Borsha Folk Fair to be held at Government Sheikh Mujibur Rahman College premises in Tungipara from March 21-26.

She said Awami League and its associate bodies will arrange programmes in Tungipara on separate days from March 18 to 25 to mark the Mujib Year.

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Sushmita Dev: North-Eastern states lack basic health, education facilities

Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev

Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev on Monday said that the North Eastern (NE) states lack basic health and education facilities…reports Asian Lite News

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, during a debate on grants to Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER), she said, “Despite being strategically the most important part of the country that shares its borders with other countries like China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan, being rich in biodiversity and having the highest literacy rates, the North Eastern states lack basic health and education facilities.”

The MP from Assam further said that the DONER Ministry operates on 10 per cent of the entire budget of 54 ministries of the country. In 2015-16 the budget for the ministry was Rs 2,363 crore and as of 2022-23, it is only Rs 2,800 crores.

She urged the government for more budget allocation to the NE states so that work on major infrastructure projects be completed in time.

“All money allocated to NE states is dependent on their administrative strength and in the state of Assam, the whole administration has been doing the work on the National Register of Citizens (NRC) for the last two years…how will they work on the tasks of the DONER Ministry?” asked Dev.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Khamakhya Prasad Tasa said that the Assembly election in Manipur passed very peacefully as a result of the works done by the DONER Ministry in the entire regions.

Earlier, participating in the debate, Congress MP Ripun Bora said that the government has been diluting the dream of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The lawmaker also claimed that there is slow implementation of the projects in the NE states.

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However, BJP MP Bhubaneswar Kalita praised the government for the all round development of the entire North East region. He said that most of the states in the region including Assam have completed the vaccination and the health infrastructure in Assam is “taking care of the neighbouring states”.

“All oxygen plants in Assam are operational and there would not be any shortage of oxygen in the region,” he added.

Kalita also said that a sports university is being set up in Manipur to produce more and more sportsmen.

Accusing the Central government for the “low budgetary allocation”, Independent Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Singh Bhuyan said that people sitting in Delhi “will not understand the culture and aspirations of the North Eastern people, regardless of the parties that come to power in the region”.