Haque Specialized Group's News

The nation is set to recall today (Thursday) the countrywide simultaneous bomb attacks carried out by Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) 12 years ago, reports BSS. Two persons were killed and over 50 people wounded as the outfit carried out the bomb attacks at around 500 points in 63 districts except Munshiganj on August 17 in 2005. The 12th anniversary of the incident came when a massive anti-militancy security clampdown is underway across the country. Different socio-cultural organisations and political parties will observe the day in a befitting manner with a renewed call to stamp out militancy from the country. Awami League (AL) is set to observe the day as the anti-terrorism and anti-militancy day through different programmes. Police said 159 cases were lodged at different parts of the country to this end. Police submitted charge sheets in 149 cases against 1106 JMB men while final reports in 10 other cases have submitted. The courts have completed trial in 93 cases in which 334 people have been sentenced with different jail terms while trial in 56 cases against 400 JMB operatives is going on.....

Published at: 2017-08-17 05:00:06

Bangladesh Post Office (BPO) has decided to integrate its Postal Cash Card with Visa and MasterCard to modernise its services to compete in a changing world aimed at enhancing the revenue earnings. The state-run agency has also decided to tie up itself with e-commerce giants Amazon and Alibaba.com to give its e-commerce service a big boost, reports UNB. According to an official document, a process is underway to integrate the Postal Cash Card with the Visa and MasterCard mainly for collecting remittances from Bangladeshi expatriates living in different countries. Technological aspects have already been finalised with the authorities of the payment technology and the system will be introduced by December next. "The Postal Department has already accepted the formal proposals from the Visa and MasterCard authorities to complete the revenue sharing agreement," the document said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on March 26, 2010 inaugurated the Postal Cash Card. The Postal Department with the assistance of IT Consultants Limited (ITCL) is conducting the service. Currently, 8,500 posts offices, including in all upazila headquarters, district towns and divisional cities, and important sub-post offices have this service. The main objective of the service is to bring the grassroots people under the banking service through the Postal Cash Card. This card will minimise the risk of carrying cash and enable customers to reap the benefits of encashment and remittance in post office counters and also ATM booths. This card may also act equally as Debit Card, Credit Card and Plastic Money. On the other hand, the government has introduced e-commerce service in 20 post offices in Dhaka metropolitan area on December 29, 2016 under a pilot project. The service will be introduced in all the 64 districts of the country very soon, the document said. Necessary training programmes for the post office officials and employees are going on for the purpose apart from collecting electronic devices for the purpose. The Postal Department also opened a website, www.dakbazar.com, for experimental use.....

Published at: 2017-08-17 05:00:06

There is no threat of any major militant attack or security risk in the country as the organisational capability of militant groups like 'Neo JMB' and 'Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT)' has waned, DMP boss claimed, reports UNB. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Asaduzzaman Mia said on Wednesday "They've no strength to carry out any major subversive act. But one or two incidents might happen sporadically." He said this while briefing reporters at the DMP Media Centre on the steps taken to mitigate sound pollution and stop the use of hydraulic horns in the city. The DMP commissioner also said some associates of militant Saiful Islam, who was killed in a drive at Hotel Olio International in the city on Tuesday, were staying around the hotel. "We've got information about some cohorts of Saiful Islam staying around the residential hotel (to take party in the attack). Detectives have started working to arrest them," he said. Saiful reportedly blew himself up detonating bombs in room No 301 of the residential hotel at the city's Panthapath during the anti-militant drive of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit. Replying to a query, Asaduzzaman said Saiful joined 'Neo JMB' recently and he was tasked with carrying out suicide attacks. "We got sure about his real identity soon after the launching of operation 'August Bite' as the detectives got the photocopy of his NID card and mobile number from the manager of the hotel," he said.....

Published at: 2017-08-17 05:00:06

Finance Minister A M A Muhith has decided to sue two daily newspapers - The Asian Age and Daily Amader Orthoneeti - for defaming him by publishing 'false' news against him. The newspapers reported that the minister sought a ticket for his son or daughter from the organisers of a discussion on Bangladesh's economic relations with China, to be held in Beijing. Since one of the organisers - the Euromoney - did not comply with Mr Muhith's 'demand' for a complementary air ticket, the minister turned down their invitation, the newspapers said. "I will file Tk 1.0 billion defamation case against each of the two newspapers. It's a totally false news," the minister told newsmen at his secretariat office in the capital on Wednesday. The minister said he had preparation to attend the programme, and took necessary permission from the Prime Minister in this regard. But, later he found that the Chinese authority is not informed about the programme. He said the Euromoney did not take permission from the Chinese government to hold the event. Bangladesh's ambassador in China informed the minister that the event is not taking place. Subsequently, he dropped the plan to attend the programme. "I never claimed any ticket for anyone during the last nine years in office," Mr Muhith added.    The finance minister further said he had filed defamation cases against two daily newspapers - The Daily Ittefaq and The Daily Janakantha - in 1977 and 1997. Later, the cases were settled through mutual understanding and discussion. Meanwhile, it was found on the website that the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) and the Euromoney are jointly organising 'Euromoney China-Bangladesh OBOR Investment Forum' in Beijing on August 21. "The Euromoney China-Bangladesh OBOR Investment Forum will bring together 300 business executives, investors and policymakers, led by the finance minister of Bangladesh, to discuss the growing opportunities to do business in Bangladesh arising from China's Belt and Road Initiative," the organisers said on the event website.  syful-islam@outlook.com....

Published at: 2017-08-17 05:00:06

Armed Police Battalion (APBn) personnel arrested a contractor from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in the capital on early Wednesday in connection with graft charges in construction of Haor protection embankments. Khairul Huda Chapal, also the district convener of Awami Jubo League Sunamganj unit, is a contractor of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB). Chapal, proprietor of Noor Trading in Sunamganj, was caught while he was about to fly to Singapore at around 01:00 am. Afterwards he was handed over to an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) team, led by its headquarters assistant director Md Faruk Ahmed, an official informed. Chapal was arrested following filing of a case by ACC with Sunamganj Sadar police station on July 2 as part of probing corruption in construction of embankments in Haor areas of Sunamganj district, said ACC deputy director (public relations) Pranab Bhattacharjee. ACC filed the case accusing 61 people, including BWDB executive engineer and other BWDB officials and contractors concerned. According to the case statement, the alleged people, knowing the possibility of flash-flood, embezzled project fund by leaving the construction of embankments unfinished or partially finished, which caused immense loss to Haor people, specially the farmers. ACC has so far arrested three people, including Chapal, for their involvement in irregularities in constructing Haor protection embankments. Meanwhile, ACC also approved charge-sheet against a tax official of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), who was caught red-handed by a 10-member ACC team while taking bribe. ACC approved charge-sheet against Tofazzal Hossain Jamaddar, deputy tax officer of DSCC, who was held by the ACC team on February 16 from Vuter Goli of North Dhanmondi. According to the case filed with Kalabagan Police Station on the same day, Mostafa Mohammad Ali, a house owner of the area, submitted a complaint to ACC. He alleged that the DSCC official fixed city corporation taxes for his building at higher rates, and demanded Tk 50,000 bribe to reduce it. Acting on the accusation, the anti-graft authority formed a team, led by its Dhaka Divisional Office Director Nasim Anwar, who arrested Tofazzal red handed laying a trap while receiving Tk 20,000 from the complainant. The ACC team also found Tk 102,000 while searching his body. ACC approved the charge-sheet according to Section 161 of Penal Code and Section 5(2) of Corruption Prevention Act 1947. ahb_mcj2009@yahoo.com....

Published at: 2017-08-17 05:00:06