The Cwhen

 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the next general election in Bangladesh will be held in a free and fair manner upholding democracy and voting rights of the people.

“So, under our government, definitely election will be free and fair,” she told a session titled “In conversation with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina” at the Qatar Economic Forum (QEF) at the Raffles Hotel here.

Haslinda Amin, host and Editor at-large of QEF anchored the session in a jam-packed audience hall room at the venue. 
Sheikh Hasina said, “So, I’m here to ensure our people’s voting right?” 

“People should decide who will run the country. It is people’s power. So, I want to ensure people’s power,” she said. 

She continued: “I’m here for not grabbing power, rather I want to empower the people to have their right so they can choose their government.” 

Mentioning about some parties’ unwillingness to participate in polls, the premier said: “How they can participate because during their time, the country suffered a lot… “Our people suffered and at that time (during the regime of BNP) the terror activities increased, everywhere there was corruption, nepotism, exploitation. They never bother for people.” 

“It was very difficult for our people to get one meal in a day. That was their situation,” she added. 

Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Awami League, said that when her party came back to power, they ensured everything for people. “So, now election, it is people’s right. . . .” 

“Now, people understand. If they vote for us, I will be here…,” she said.

The premier said “Just think about the US president election, Mr. Trump still didn’t accept the result. What they can say now?” 

She said that they’ve already asked everybody, whoever wants to send (observers) – “If they want to send observer, they can do it.”

“So, I can tell you that I am here to ensure my people’s democratic rights, voting rights. And it is our struggle,” she added.
 Without mentioning the name of BNP, the Prime Minister told Haslinda Amin, in replying to her query, that the party was constituted by a military ruler.

“That party or the war criminal party or the killers of our parents may not feel comfortable. . . but, other people, many other parties are there and they will participate in the election?”

“So I don’t understand why there is this question time and again,” she added.

In 1975, when her father was assassinated, the military dictator took all power, she said, adding that they jeopardized all electronic process.

Sheikh Hasina said in 1981 her party – Bangladesh Awami League – elected her as the president of the party in her absence and “since then we started struggling for democracy, for people’s voting right, that means where they should have right to exercise their adult franchise.” 

Replying to another query regarding IMF loan, the Prime Minister said that Bangladesh’s economy is growing smoothly.

“It’s not that our economy is suffering. . . it is only because we want that just to give a cushion to our economy,” she said. 

Sheikh Hasina said IMF only gives loan to the country which can repay their bill.

“They (IMF) first think that whom they’re giving loan, whether they can pay it back or not. . ,” she said, adding that Bangladesh is in a position that it has the ability to repay the loan.

Regarding the price hike of energy and power, the premier said that the price hike is affecting every country, not only Bangladesh. “We are looking for alternatives like renewable energy, solar panel and others to continue our progress.”

Haslinda Amin said countries like India have been seeking oil from Russia at a much cheaper price. She questioned if Russia is a possible supplier for them.

Replying to her, Sheikh Hasina said, “From Russia, we never bought oil. . . wherever it is available and definitely, we will avail that, why not?” 

In this regard, she said, “Our foreign policy is very clear. I just want to tell the audience that Bangladesh follows – friendship to all, malice to none.”

“Another thing I should mention that country to country may have conflict, but we never poke our nose to that. We’ll never play a partisan role,” she said. 

“We need to develop our country. We need to fulfill our people’s demand. We need to develop the country so that our people get a better life, a developed life,” she added.

 Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said BNP had tacit consent to a recent death threat given to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“BNP had connivance to the death threat given to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It was not a slip of tongue,” he told the reporters after laying foundation stone of Baroiarhat-Heyako-Ramgarh Road Up-gradation Project at Tejgaon’s Sarak Bhahan here.  

 Asking whether BNP wants to implement its one-point demand by killing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Quader said US Ambassador in Dhaka Peter Haas did not take it normally too but any responsible leader of BNP did not take measure to this end yet.

“A joint secretary general of BNP claimed that it was a slip of tongue. The person who gave death threat to Sheikh Hasina is not any ordinary worker of BNP. He is a district convener and central leader of BNP. The statement he was given was BNP’s one,” he said.

He said BNP now announced its one-point demand leaving its 27-point and 10-point demand, and that means BNP wants to implement its one-point by killing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 

Calling upon all the AL leaders and workers to remain alert in this regard, the AL general secretary said “We must stay alert until next general elections. We will resist those who will try to halt the elections”.

About the BNP’s attack on a BRTC bus and police on Tuesday, Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said it is BNP’s old nature that the party would carry out anarchy and terrorist acts in the name of movement. 

He said the situation that arises will tell how the law enforcement forces will deal with it and “we will deal with the situation politically. We will not resort to any violence”.

Earlier, the road transport and bridges minister laid the foundation stone of Baroiarhat-Heyako-Ramgarh Road Up-gradation Project initiated jointly by Bangladesh and India.

 Speaking on the occasion, he said Bangladesh has strong relations with India as it is Bangladesh’s close neighbour. 

He said the government is not allowing any insurgent group of India to conduct its terrorist acts using the land of Bangladesh. 

Claiming that there was no hindrance from India in implementation of the border agreement, Quader said when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, the border agreement was approved in a joint session of the Parliament of India and then none raised objection to this. 

“India has unanimously implemented the border agreement. It was a historical work. But it would not have been possible if we had not dismantled the wall of mistrust,” he said. 

Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Kumar Verma was present at the function with Chief Engineer Roads and Highways Department Md Ishaque in the chair.

Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari, MP, Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder, Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited MAN Siddique and Managing Director of Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit Company Limited Safiqul Islam were, among others, present.

 All the necessary preparations have been completed as the voting for Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) elections will be held tomorrow.

The voting will start at 8am and it will continue till 4pm without any break, said the official sources of the Election Commission today.

“The Election Commission has already completed all the necessary preparations for holding the GCC polls on Thursday… and the electoral campaign ended on Tuesday midnight,” said Election Commissioner (EC) M Alamgir.

All the polling equipments are being sent to the polling stations from this (Wednesday) morning as the equipments will be handed over to the concerned presiding officers from the returning officer’s office located at Bangataj auditorium here.

A total of 13,000 law enforcers will be deployed to maintain law and order during the election tomorrow, said Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Commissioner Molla Nazrul Islam.

The GCC, constituted with a total of 57 wards, has some 11,794,76 voters . Of them, 5,92,762 are male voters, 5,86,696 are female voters and the rest 18 are hijras.

The voting will be held using the electronic voting machine (EVM) at 480 polling centers under the GCC area.

Members of the law enforcement agencies will be deployed at all the polling centers. Some 351 polling centers are risk-prone and other 129 are general.

In addition to this, a total of 30 teams led by the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), 13 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), 19 striking police force teams and fifty-seven mobile teams will be deployed at the GCC areas.

 President Mohammed Shahabuddin today asked the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to be more vigil in stopping border killings, smuggling and drug abuse.

The President came up with directive when BGB Director General (DG) Major General AKM Nazmul Hasan paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban here this afternoon.

“During the meeting, the BGB chief apprised the President of the overall activities, including the development and operational ones of the force,” President’s press secretary Md Joynal Abedin told BSS after the meeting.

The Head of the State also appreciated the responsible role of BGB in defending the country’s 4,427 km frontiers.

President Shahabuddin also directed this paramilitary force, responsible for border security of the country, to work sincerely in line with the “Zero Tolerance Policy” to prevent drug infiltration.

Referring to the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad polls, the President said, “The BGB must stay in maximum alert to stop any kind of intrusion to ensure holding of a free, fair, neutral and peaceful elections.”

President’s Office Secretary Sampad Barua, President’s Military Secretary Major General SM Salah Uddin Islam, President’s Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin and Secretary (Attachment) Wahidul Islam Khan were present during the meeting.

 The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) today approved separate proposals for procuring some 1.80 crore liters of soybean oil, 80,000 metric tons of fertilizer and 12,500 metric tons of sugar to meet the growing demand of the country.

The approvals came from the 18th meeting of the CCGP in this year held today virtually with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting virtually, Cabinet Division additional secretary Sayeed Mahbub Khan informed that the day’s CCGP meeting approved a total of 11 proposals.

He said following a proposal from the Ministry of Commerce, the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) would procure some 1.10 crore liters of soybean oil under international tender method from Accentuate Technology Inc USA (Local Agent:OMC Ltd Dhaka) with around Taka 129.58 crore where per liter soybean oil would cost Taka 140.16.

Besides, the TCB would procure some 12,500 metric tons of sugar under Direct Procurement Method from Brandshare Trading Ltd Dhaka with around Taka 131.25 crore where per KG sugar would cost Taka 105.

The TCB would also procure some 70 lakh liters of soybean oil under local Open Tender Method from City Edible Oil Ltd with around Taka 127.85 crore where per liter soybean oil would cost Taka 182.65.

The Cabinet Division additional secretary said following two separate proposals from the Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) would procure some 30,000 metric tons of TSP fertilizer under the 3rd lot under state-level agreement from OCP, SA, Morocco with around Taka 120.03 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $368.

Besides, the BADC would procure some 50,000 metric tons of MOP fertilizer under the 5th lot under state-level agreement from Canadian Commercial Corporation with around Taka 226.68 crore with per ton fertilizer costing $418.

Mahbub said that the day’s CCGP meeting approved three separate proposals from the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) on the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar.

He said that the joint venture of Cheil Engineering Co Ltd Korea, Yooshin Engineering Corporation, Korea and Engineering and Planning Consultants Ltd Bangladesh will act as consultants at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar Development Project with around Taka 53,53,34,375.

The joint venture of CCECC, China and CRCC, China will implement the work for constructing 10.70 kilometer roads and 16.557 kilometer drainage works with around Taka 237.99 crore at the Mirersarai-2A economic zone area under Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar.

Apart from these, the CCGP meeting approved a proposal under which the National Development Engineers Ltd would construct 12.10 kilometer roads and 12.861 kilometer drainage network with around Taka 219.93 crore at Mirersarai-2B economic zone area.

Besides, the meeting approved a proposal from the Ministry of Land and two variation proposals from the Local Government Division and the Ministry of Water Resources.

 Three renowned economists of the country have prioritized taming inflation, strengthening the social safety nets and maintaining economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as the main principles for delivering the national budget for the next fiscal year (FY24).

They said that the issue of strengthening social safety nets demands higher priority for maintaining smooth livelihood of the commoners at a time when the global economy is finding it hard to continue economic recovery from the shocks of the pandemic and the onslaught of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Former Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman, distinguished fellow of the civil society think tank, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Dr Mustafizur Rahman and Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) general secretary Dr Ainul Islam shed lights on the upcoming budget for the next fiscal year while talking to BSS.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal is set to place the budget for fiscal year 2023-24 (FY24), the last one of the current Awami League government at the Jatiya Sangsad on June 1.

Talking to BSS, country’s eminent economist and former central bank governor Dr Atiur Rahman said that the country was passing through a tough time when the national budget for two fiscal years were placed in parliament as policies and strategies relating to smooth economic recovery from the pandemic was the centre of concentration during that time.

Then the policymakers had to consider the shocks of the Russia-Ukraine war while framing the budget for the last fiscal year (FY23), Dr Atiur said, adding that in continuation of this, the government would also have to keep in mind while framing the next budget the strategy for facing the macroeconomic challenges, including the impacts of global unprecedented inflation created because of the war.

Noting that facing the challenges of taming inflation would be the reason of “headache” for the government, he said, “The issue of strengthening social safety nets demands due priority for ensuring smooth livelihood and movement of the commoners,”

Dr Atiur went on saying, “The ensuing budget should have to be delivered very cautiously, otherwise, the government will have to find out a new path,”

Citing that the next budget would be the last budget ahead of the next general election side by side there are also some additional pressures on fulfilling some suggestions of the IMF, he said this upcoming budget bears a unique significance as a ‘national psychological document’ for facing the emerging challenges like mobilizing additional revenues in the wake of rising prices of commodities and services.

For doing this, there is no alternative for exploring additional sources of taxes and for squeezing the facility of tax exemptions in some sectors, he noted.

Making some recommendations for the next budget, the economist said that firstly the government should have to make massive reforms in the tax structure especially modernization of resource tax. The income tax rate should be increased for the rich people while the minimum tax ceiling should be enhanced, he added. 

Secondly, he said that the scope for income opportunities for the people of the low-income group should be increased so that they could easily get access to the local and foreign labour market for which time befitting training programmes should continue.

Thirdly, Dr Atiur noted that for creating a long-term base for balanced development, there is a need for imposing carbon tax for green development and introducing solar irrigation business system.

In his 4th recommendation, he proposed for raising investments in the education and health sectors to reduce further the rate of poverty alongside lowering income inequality in the society.

The eminent economist also underscored the need for reaching the support to the real people through proper targeting side by side not leaning to the path of controlling price of commodities and providing subsidies to give relief to the common people from the inflationary pressure.

He put importance on undertaking special social safety net programmes and development projects to make smooth the livelihood of the char people, people living in the disaster-prone areas, and also considering the poverty pockets.

Distinguished fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Prof Dr Mustafizur Rahman termed reining in inflation as the biggest challenge for the next budget coupled with restoring economic stability during the post-pandemic period.

“Currently high inflation and mobilization of resources have emerged as challenges side by side there is also pressure on the foreign currency reserve. The imports are being hampered due to the lowering trend of inflation for which there are dissimilarities between demand and supply. The IMF has also given some conditions. The budget for the next fiscal year should be framed keeping ahead these challenges,” he added.

Dr Mustafizur mentioned that the size of the budget for the next fiscal year would be around 15 to 16 percent of GDP of which mobilization of resources would reach 9 to 9.5 percent. If a budget deficit of around 6 percent is added to this, then the overall budget size would not exceed 15.5 percent, he added.

The eminent economist also recommended for raising investment for those poor who have gone below the poverty line due to the pandemic, reducing the social disparity, prioritizing programmes to cushion the low-income group people, raising the number of family card holders to 1.5 crore for availing government support, introducing ration system alongside the OMS operations to give support to the urban poor.

Besides, Dr Mustafizur also laid emphasis on raising the direct tax alongside widening the tax net, increasing the number of new taxpayers through digitalization, strengthening further the National Board of Revenue (NBR) through investing in its technological department, increasing manpower, and enhancing the skills.

“The budget should keep the provision for checking tax evasion. Besides, special attention should be given on continuing various reform initiatives like on the income tax and customs act,” he said, adding that the government should maintain utmost caution before undertaking any development project. Priority in expenditure now should be on education, health and social safety nets instead of infrastructures, he said. 

Prof Mustafizur said that while making deficit financing, the government would have to ensure that the private sector investment would not be deterred. Besides, the government should focus more on taking foreign loans instead of taking loans from the banking sector.

Suggesting for reorganizing the subsidy policy in the budget, he said that the government should not compromise towards food security while it could go tough on those ministries and divisions which are eating up most of the subsidies due to their inefficiencies.

General Secretary of the Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) Prof Dr Ainul Islam said that giving relief to the common people through taming inflation should be the main policy of the government while framing the next budget.

“The present government has pledged to build ‘Smart Bangladesh’. So, we’ll have to frame the budget going beyond the traditional practice, which will be suitable for building ‘Smart Bangladesh,” he said. 

He also suggested for widening the coverage of the social safety net programmes, providing direct cash support to the marginal people, taking special initiatives for boosting farm production.

Dr Ainul also proposed for giving duty exemptions on essential items if there is necessity side by side increasing food support through family cards.

  The US embassy in Dhaka today said it condemns the use of any inflammatory language, intimidation, or threats of violence as a local BNP leader in Rajshahi recently threatened Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to “sent to the graveyard”. 

“The U.S. Embassy condemns the use of any inflammatory language, intimidation, or threats of violence,” the US embassy’s public affairs chief told BSS today.   

Sean J. McIntoshSean J. McIntosh added that the US stands firmly against any attempts to incite violence, and “we reiterate our support for the principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law”.

The US Embassy comments came as the threat by BNP’s Rajshahi district convener Abu Sayeed Chand sparked a nationwide protest demanding stern punitive actions against such perpetrators of violence.     

McIntosh said the US is committed to supporting Bangladesh in its pursuit of a stable, prosperous, and democratic future.  

“Political stability, peaceful coexistence, and respect for democratic principles are vital for any society to flourish,” he added.  

On May 19, The BNP leader in a rally on Shibpur High School premises in Puthia, Rajshahi, publicly made the “death threat” to Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina. 

Chand at the rally said, “We would not make anymore 27 or 10-point demand, just one point now is to send Sheikh Hasina to the graveyard.”