Tag: sheikh hasina

  • Massive Prison Break In Bangladesh; Over 500 Inmates Escape, Some Armed | world news

    In the wake of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, a massive prison break occurred at Sherpur Jail in Bangladesh, with at least 518 inmates escaping amid escalating chaos on Monday afternoon. According to Zee News TV, the escaped prisoners are reportedly armed. The facility, situated approximately 100 kilometers from the India-Bangladesh border, has prompted heightened security measures in India.

    The Border Security Force (BSF) has increased its deployment along the border to prevent any potential spillover. Authorities have identified 20 of the escapees as having possible terror affiliations.

    This is a developing story.

  • LIVE | Bangladesh Army Chief Confirms Coup, Interim Government Formed As PM Hasina Flees | world news

    Bangladesh Quota Protest: Amid violent protests calling for her resignation, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has departed the capital, Dhaka and reportedly landed in Agartala to escape threat to her life. “She and her sister have left Ganabhaban, the Prime Minister’s official residence, for a safer location,” a source informed AFP. As per reports, Hasina wanted to record a video statement but did not get time as lakhs of protesters marched towards the Prime Minister’s official residence.

    Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman has confirmed the military coup in a press conference and announced the formation of an interim government to restore law and order in the country. He has appealed to the public to keep faith in the military and to stay peaceful.

    “PM Hasina has resigned, interim government to run the country. We will return peace to the country. We ask citizens to stop violence. We will investigate all killings that have happened over the past few weeks,” says Bangladesh’s army chief Waker-uz. -Zaman

    “The economy is suffering, and civil society members were present at the meeting held here. We have come here, and there was no one from the Awami League. The army will work to maintain peace, and I have ordered the army and police not We will try to find a solution by tonight. Students also have a role to play, he added.

    According to reports, the Bangladeshi Army chief earlier asked her to resign from the post. Around 20 lakh people were marching towards her palace in Dhaka amid the violent unrest. Minutes after she fled Dhaka, protesters stormed her residence and were seen carrying out vandalism. Protesters opened the gates of the Gono Bhaban (PM’s residence) and entered the premises of the prime minister’s residence around 3:00pm today. The reservation protest has been going on for over a month in Bangladesh.

    Watch – PM Hasian Flees In Helicopter

    #BreakingNews: Army chief’s meeting with leaders of all parties in Bangladesh, will address the nation shortly#BangladeshViolence #Bangladesh #SheikhHasina #BangladeshNews | @Chandans_live @gauravrajguptaa pic.twitter.com/yDjszlUVu2 — Zee News (@ZeeNews) August 5, 2024

    A senior official from the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, who requested anonymity, told ANI earlier today, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left the official residence in Dhaka after violence erupted. Her current whereabouts are unknown. The situation in Dhaka is highly sensitive, and the Prime Minister’s residence is under siege by a mob.”

    Protests that began last month against civil service job quotas have escalated into some of the worst unrest of Prime Minister Hasina’s 15-year rule, expanding into broader calls for the 76-year-old leader to step down. The protest did not stop even after the country’s court slashed the quoa to 15%.

    As per reports, it was claimed that the Opposite BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) collaborated with Pakistan’s ISI to create chaos and dethrone Hasian, who has been considered pro-India while Zia is termed pro-Pakistan. The nation following the death of 98 people in intense clashes yesterday, bringing the total death toll to over 300 since the protests began last month.

  • Sachin Dev Burman’s house in Bangladesh set to be transformed into cultural complicated

    Via PTI

    CUMILLA: Mythical musician and composer Sachin Dev Burman’s palatial house in Cumilla district of Bangladesh is all set to be reworked right into a cultural complicated, with the Sheikh Hasina govt having sanctioned Taka 1.10 crore (Rs 86 lakh) for the challenge.

    Dev Burman, born in 1906, spent the primary 18 years of his existence on this South Chartha village rajbari (palace) in Cumilla, stated Golam Faruk, an recommend and a prolific creator who edited a 596-page ebook at the musician.

    “His musical ability used to be honed beneath the supervision of his father, who used to be a sitarist. Dev Burman finished his training from Cumilla Zilla College and graduated from Victoria Executive School in 1924,” Faruk, additionally a historian, stated.

    His father, a descendant of Tripura royal circle of relatives, had moved to Cumilla to appear after the princely estates.

    The palace, the place the track maestro used to be born and raised, used to be indexed as a safe monument on Nov 30, 2017, officers in Bangladesh stated.

    Top Minister Sheikh Hasina had visited Agartala to wait the convocation of Tripura College in 2012 and confident a delegation of writers and cultural activists there that the home can be preserved and transformed right into a cultural centre and museum, the officers stated.

    In Might 2017, Hasina had visited Cumilla to wait the 116th start anniversary of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, and laid the basis stones of 7 tasks, certainly one of which used to be for the ‘Sachin Dev Burman Cultural Advanced’, they stated.

    Faruk identified that the palace used to be constructed on seven acres of land, however a big a part of it used to be encroached upon, through the years, because it lay deserted.

    “Cumilla MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar, alternatively, used to be ready to vacate the land to a substantial extent with the assistance of the district management,” he advised PTI.

    The MP, when approached, underlined that the federal government sanctioned Taka 1.10 crore for development the complicated.

    The district collector of Cumilla, Md Kamrul Hasan, stated the management used to be ready handy over the home to the archaeology division, have finished all restore paintings.

    “The recovery paintings used to be finished way back. For the reason that website online is but to be taken over by way of the archaeology division, the district management remains to be having a look after it. Two body of workers contributors of the district management and the archaeology division are lately caring for the home,” he advised PTI.

    Faruk, additionally a ‘mukti joddha’ (freedom fighter), stated, “Many geniuses, together with famend Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, had visited Dev Burman’s space and performed track with him.”

    An legit stated at the situation of anonymity that the deserted space used to be used as an army warehouse all through the Pakistan regime.

    After the warehouse used to be got rid of, a part of the home used to be transformed right into a poultry farm, and because then, where used to be referred to as ‘Cumilla poultry farm’, he stated.

    “Former cultural affairs minister and theatre character Asaduzzaman Nur had previous introduced {that a} complicated can be constructed round the home with a floating level within the pond. A track library used to be additionally a part of the plan. The poultry farm must be finished away with,” he added.

    Dev Burman, popularly referred to as ‘sachin karta’, lived in Cumilla till 1924, stated Faruk.

    “He left for Kolkata that 12 months to pursue upper schooling after which later to Mumbai in 1944. The ones of the Dev Burman circle of relatives, who lived within the Cumilla space, migrated to India after 1947,” Faruk added.

    Dev Burman’s first main leap forward in Mumbai got here in 1947 with ‘Do Bhai’.

    He went directly to compose track for a number of epic Hindi movies together with ‘Pyaasa’, ‘Kagaaz ke Phool’, ‘Information’, ‘Abhimaan’ and ‘Mili’.

    He additionally sang songs in semi-classical and people kinds of Bengal.

    The maestro used to be conferred Padma Shri in 1969 for his contribution to track.

    CUMILLA: Mythical musician and composer Sachin Dev Burman’s palatial house in Cumilla district of Bangladesh is all set to be reworked right into a cultural complicated, with the Sheikh Hasina govt having sanctioned Taka 1.10 crore (Rs 86 lakh) for the challenge.

    Dev Burman, born in 1906, spent the primary 18 years of his existence on this South Chartha village rajbari (palace) in Cumilla, stated Golam Faruk, an recommend and a prolific creator who edited a 596-page ebook at the musician.

    “His musical ability used to be honed beneath the supervision of his father, who used to be a sitarist. Dev Burman finished his training from Cumilla Zilla College and graduated from Victoria Executive School in 1924,” Faruk, additionally a historian, stated.

    His father, a descendant of Tripura royal circle of relatives, had moved to Cumilla to appear after the princely estates.

    The palace, the place the track maestro used to be born and raised, used to be indexed as a safe monument on Nov 30, 2017, officers in Bangladesh stated.

    Top Minister Sheikh Hasina had visited Agartala to wait the convocation of Tripura College in 2012 and confident a delegation of writers and cultural activists there that the home can be preserved and transformed right into a cultural centre and museum, the officers stated.

    In Might 2017, Hasina had visited Cumilla to wait the 116th start anniversary of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, and laid the basis stones of 7 tasks, certainly one of which used to be for the ‘Sachin Dev Burman Cultural Advanced’, they stated.

    Faruk identified that the palace used to be constructed on seven acres of land, however a big a part of it used to be encroached upon, through the years, because it lay deserted.

    “Cumilla MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar, alternatively, used to be ready to vacate the land to a substantial extent with the assistance of the district management,” he advised PTI.

    The MP, when approached, underlined that the federal government sanctioned Taka 1.10 crore for development the complicated.

    The district collector of Cumilla, Md Kamrul Hasan, stated the management used to be ready handy over the home to the archaeology division, have finished all restore paintings.

    “The recovery paintings used to be finished way back. For the reason that website online is but to be taken over by way of the archaeology division, the district management remains to be having a look after it. Two body of workers contributors of the district management and the archaeology division are lately caring for the home,” he advised PTI.

    Faruk, additionally a ‘mukti joddha’ (freedom fighter), stated, “Many geniuses, together with famend Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, had visited Dev Burman’s space and performed track with him.”

    An legit stated at the situation of anonymity that the deserted space used to be used as an army warehouse all through the Pakistan regime.

    After the warehouse used to be got rid of, a part of the home used to be transformed right into a poultry farm, and because then, where used to be referred to as ‘Cumilla poultry farm’, he stated.

    “Former cultural affairs minister and theatre character Asaduzzaman Nur had previous introduced {that a} complicated can be constructed round the home with a floating level within the pond. A track library used to be additionally a part of the plan. The poultry farm must be finished away with,” he added.

    Dev Burman, popularly referred to as ‘sachin karta’, lived in Cumilla till 1924, stated Faruk.

    “He left for Kolkata that 12 months to pursue upper schooling after which later to Mumbai in 1944. The ones of the Dev Burman circle of relatives, who lived within the Cumilla space, migrated to India after 1947,” Faruk added.

    Dev Burman’s first main leap forward in Mumbai got here in 1947 with ‘Do Bhai’.

    He went directly to compose track for a number of epic Hindi movies together with ‘Pyaasa’, ‘Kagaaz ke Phool’, ‘Information’, ‘Abhimaan’ and ‘Mili’.

    He additionally sang songs in semi-classical and people kinds of Bengal.

    The maestro used to be conferred Padma Shri in 1969 for his contribution to track.

  • Officers reject Mamata’s grievance of Centre now not inviting her to be a part of Hasina’s seek advice from 

    Through PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Centre does now not invite leader ministers for attending the occasions of a visiting head of some other nation’s executive, authentic assets stated on Thursday, rejecting Mamata Banerjee’s grievance of the federal government for now not asking her to be a part of Bangladesh High Minister Sheikh Hasina’s commute.

    “The federal government of India does now not invite any leader minister for such visits. Infrequently leader ministers are invited for state banquets or another ceremonial occasions however there was once no such instance right through this seek advice from.”

    “In 2015, High Minister Narendra Modi had in truth invited (West Bengal) Leader Minister Mamata Banerjee to Bangladesh, the place a ceremonial match was once held for flagging-off a bus carrier between the 2 nations,” an authentic stated.

    The response got here after Banerjee slammed the Centre for now not inviting her to be part of Hasina’s seek advice from to India.

    She stated she was once taken with why the BJP-led executive was once “frightened” about her assembly Hasina.

    “I percentage a very good dating with Bangladesh High Minister Sheikh Hasina, however (the Centre) didn’t invite me to be part of her seek advice from,” the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader stated whilst addressing a distinct consultation of her birthday party.

    Hasina arrived in New Delhi on Monday on a four-day seek advice from to enlarge the full ties between the 2 nations.

    NEW DELHI: The Centre does now not invite leader ministers for attending the occasions of a visiting head of some other nation’s executive, authentic assets stated on Thursday, rejecting Mamata Banerjee’s grievance of the federal government for now not asking her to be a part of Bangladesh High Minister Sheikh Hasina’s commute.

    “The federal government of India does now not invite any leader minister for such visits. Infrequently leader ministers are invited for state banquets or another ceremonial occasions however there was once no such instance right through this seek advice from.”

    “In 2015, High Minister Narendra Modi had in truth invited (West Bengal) Leader Minister Mamata Banerjee to Bangladesh, the place a ceremonial match was once held for flagging-off a bus carrier between the 2 nations,” an authentic stated.

    The response got here after Banerjee slammed the Centre for now not inviting her to be part of Hasina’s seek advice from to India.

    She stated she was once taken with why the BJP-led executive was once “frightened” about her assembly Hasina.

    “I percentage a very good dating with Bangladesh High Minister Sheikh Hasina, however (the Centre) didn’t invite me to be part of her seek advice from,” the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader stated whilst addressing a distinct consultation of her birthday party.

    Hasina arrived in New Delhi on Monday on a four-day seek advice from to enlarge the full ties between the 2 nations.

  • Unlawful immigrants are financial refugees, says Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s trade consultant | Unique

    Salman Fazlur Rahman, consultant to Bangladesh Top Minister Sheikh Hasina, in an unique interview with India Nowadays, spoke concerning the India-Bangladesh financial partnership, China, refugees, and the state of the rustic’s financial system. Unlawful immigrants are financial refugees, and can go back as soon as the financial system improves, he mentioned.

    #IndiaTodayExclusive | Salman Fazlur Rahman, Guide to PM Sheikh Hasina speaks on Business and funding. Says, “Unlawful immigrants are financial refugees. Will go back when Bangladesh financial system improves” #ReporterDiray | (@geeta_mohan) percent.twitter.com/o9gJgJqy1l

    — IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) September 7, 2022
    Complete Financial Partnership Settlement

    India and Bangladesh will quickly start negotiations on CEPA, which is a bilateral business settlement. In 2021-22, Bangladesh emerged as the most important business spouse for India in South Asia and CEPA will supply a spice up to the already flourishing business.

    “There’s no time frame to conclude CEPA, however we are hoping it occurs once conceivable. In theory, we agreed to do a CEPA,” Salman Rahman advised India Nowadays.

    “We need to do scoping and numerous paintings earlier than right kind negotiations start. Neatly, the time-frame that we would really like is once conceivable, however there may be numerous paintings to do,” he added.

    The personal trade and funding consultant to the Bangladesh PM additionally spoke concerning the particular courting between India and Bangladesh.

    “That is the start. I’m very assured, allowing for the very shut and brotherly members of the family we have now. And in addition the particular courting that Top Minister Narendra Modi and Top Minister Sheikh Hasina have. They have already met various occasions. PM Modi got here to Bangladesh even throughout Covid occasions to rejoice our fiftieth anniversary and a centesimal start anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. We adopted up with this discuss with of Top Minister Sheikh Hasina to India,” Salman Rahman mentioned.

    Learn | Sheikh Hasina meets PM Modi, recollects India’s contribution in Bangladesh liberation battle

    Investments in Bangladesh

    “There’s a massive scope [for investments]. Indian buyers, once they put money into Bangladesh, will have to no longer have a look at Bangladesh’s marketplace by myself. They will have to mix it with the North East. The cause of this is as a result of we are actually operating intently on communique and connectivity—street, rail, and waterways. Bangladesh would change into an enormous marketplace for Indian firms,” Salman Rahman advised India Nowadays.

    Learn | Sheikh Hasina’s discuss with: Demanding situations and alternatives for Bangladesh, India

    On China and debt entice

    Talking on Chinese language investments in Bangladesh and a conceivable debt entice, Salman Rahman mentioned one of the vital good fortune tales of Bangladesh is that the country’s exterior debt to GDP ratio is without doubt one of the lowest on the planet.

    “In a similar fashion, the economic debt of Bangladesh executive is minimum. All our debt is bilateral debt at concessional charges. When it comes to Sri Lanka, the largest drawback was once that the federal government had taken on an enormous quantity of industrial debt. We have not achieved that. Actually, we do not actually have a sovereign bond,” he mentioned.

    Talking about India’s issues relating to Chinese language investments in Bangladesh, Rahman mentioned Indian firms will have to no longer be frightened.

    “Our courting with China is that they’ve given us concessional loans for some initiatives and we have now used them for the initiatives. For instance, the Padma Bridge, which is a surprise of engineering, many believed was once a Chinese language executive venture. That isn’t true. It’s financed through Bangladesh utterly, however thru a global comfortable the venture was once built through a Chinese language corporate. It was once a industrial factor. That doesn’t imply we’re depending on China for such construction initiatives. There are some infrastructure initiatives that China has financed too,” he added.

    On unlawful immigrants

    Salman Rahman mentioned that unlawful immigrants are financial refugees, and as soon as their [illegal immigrants’] financial scenario improves, they are going to no longer depart the rustic. Unlawful immigrants will go back to Bangladesh if the commercial scenario improves, he mentioned.

    “We’re seeing that Bangladeshis are actually searching for higher-paying jobs within the Center East (the Gulf) as a result of, for lower-paid jobs, they’re getting higher salaries in Bangladesh itself. They’re getting professional after which going in a foreign country. So, we’re that specialize in talent coaching, upskilling, and reskilling,” he added.

    Learn | Rohingyas large burden, India can play large position of their go back to Myanmar: Sheikh Hasina

    Teesta river dispute

    Salman Rahman mentioned Bangladesh hopes that the dispute will probably be resolved throughout Top Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure. We’ve had many rounds of negotiations already and I feel that, from the Indian aspect, that realisation is there, he mentioned.

    “Negotiations on all sides must be concluded. Top Minister Sheikh Hasina additionally has excellent members of the family with West Bengal Leader Minister Mamata Banerjee,” he added.

    Learn | With PM Modi at helm, India & Bangladesh will get to the bottom of all problems: Sheikh Hasina

    — ENDS —

  • Bangladesh’s Padma Bridge inaugurated: Right here’s how PM Sheikh Hasina became adversity into alternative

    Bangladesh has come of age as an enormous turnaround tale with the formal inauguration of the 6.15-km rail-road bridge at the Padma River on June 25, Saturday.

    That is the rustic’s largest infrastructure mission since independence from Pakistan, which left Bangladesh bloodied and battered. However in 50 years down the road and with Sheikh Hasina on the helm, this youngest country in South Asia has excelled to turn out to be the bull case for the area.

    Bangladesh can end the $3.9 billion Padma Bridge mission (unique estimate) with its personal finances and has paid again honest and sq.. Hasina’s long-term adversary, america, sided with Pakistan within the 1971 liberation struggle and seemingly persuaded the Global Financial institution to drag out of the mission.

    For PM Hasina, the rosy financial image emanating from the Padma Bridge will come as a shot within the arm within the rundown to the parliament elections due in December 2023. Regardless of opposition protests over enforced disappearances and rigged elections, even her critics have admitted that Hasina has an excellent document of financial enlargement and human construction right through her 13 years in energy.

    However for Sheikh Hasina, this can be a second of significant satisfaction and vindication of her decisive management that has given Bangladesh its ‘Golden Decade of Building’.

    It used to be she who made up our minds to do the mission with Bangladesh’s personal assets after the Global Financial institution stalled the proposed investment, bringing up ‘credible proof of corruption’, later trashed away by way of a Canadian court docket.

    “I’m the daughter of the good Bangabandhu (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman). I do what I promise,” Hasina advised mediapersons just lately, recalling how detractors together with her bete noire, Khaleda Zia (opposition BNP chairperson) had dominated out of entirety of the Padma Bridge.

    PADMA BRIDGE TO BOOST GDP

    Economists, like former Bangladesh Financial institution governor Atiur Rahman, expect the Padma Bridge, which can now attach the capital Dhaka with all southern districts and the rustic’s 2nd port, Mongla, will give a contribution 1.2 in keeping with cent to annual GDP enlargement.

    “The bridge will upload a whopping $10 billion to the nationwide GDP,” in keeping with various nationwide economists too.

    Bangladesh has now bridged its two mighty rivers, Padma and Jamuna, which makes the rustic an built-in and well-connected financial system.

    WHY IS PADMA BRIDGE ‘CAN DO’ MOMENT FOR HASINA?

    Since independence, all of the inhabitants of the southern area needed to financial institution on a waterway to pass the Padma River and succeed in the capital. Speedboats, launches and ferries have been the only real hope and crossing this treacherous river, 2nd simplest to the Amazon, steadily became out deadly as numerous lives have been misplaced each and every time a ship or a release capsized.

    “Few in Bangladesh know all our rivers in addition to Sheikh Hasina, as a result of she has bodily visited each and every far flung corner and nook of the rustic on her go back house in 1981 to take price of the Awami League. The instant she got here to energy in 1996, she ensured the of entirety of the Jamuna Bridge and laid the root stone of the Padma Bridge,” stated former Knowledge Minister Tarana Halim.

    “Her imaginative and prescient of those bridges as section and parcel of an built-in financial system is now materialised in a in point of fact certain course. It’ll spur enlargement in all of the japanese a part of South Asia,” stated Indian economist Bipul Chatterjee.

    Following the pre-feasibility check by way of the Awami League govt, then High Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the root stone for the development of the bridge on 4 July 2001.

    In the similar 12 months, the Bangladesh Nationalist Birthday celebration and Jamaat e Islami blended alliance shaped the federal government and the mission hit an enormous roadblock.

    On the other hand, within the run as much as the Dec 2008 parliamentary elections, the Awami League pledged to construct the Padma Bridge in its ballot manifesto. Right away after she got here to energy, Hasina reached out to multilateral investment companies just like the Global Financial institution for the Padma Bridge mission.

    HOW DID HASINA PREVAIL WORLD BANK’S CONSPIRACY?

    In April 2011, the Global Financial institution signed an settlement with Bangladesh to finance this mega bridge. Unusually, inside 5 months of the signing, the worldwide lending company raised allegations of corruption with out freeing a unmarried penny for the mission.

    Quickly after, the Hasina govt introduced an inquiry and her shut buddies, from an financial guide to a minister and a secretary, needed to step down in a determined effort to conform to the Global Financial institution’s prescriptions.

    The Global Financial institution even went forward with the appointment of Gabriel Moreno Ocampo to research the alleged corruption over the Padma Bridge mission.

    After all, nearly six years later, a Canadian court docket discovered the ones allegations levelled by way of the Global Financial institution as being on ‘flimsy grounds and misguided proof’ in 2017.

    However bored to death with the Global Financial institution’s flip-flop, Hasina made up our minds to fund the mission with Bangladesh’s personal assets. Many idea this used to be insanity, however time has vindicated what Indian Top Commissioner Vikram Doraiswamy just lately described as ‘Hasina’s remarkable braveness and sincerity.’

    A LESSON FOR CIVIL SOCIETY AND NGOs

    Like her father, Hasina is aware of precisely the desires of the rustic’s folks and may be very decided to move the additional mile in the case of making lifestyles more uncomplicated for the general public. And her company conviction to move forward with this engineering wonder, braving the Global Financial institution, indubitably stands as a transparent marker.

    Sarcastically, in Bangladesh, some teams underneath the facade of civil society steadily with ease advertise the western narrative of construction and undermine the position of leaders like Bangabandhu, whilst Hasina has no longer been spared too. Days after WB introduced such allegations, the ones teams went gaga over Hasina, with some even difficult the resignation of Hasina as the one method out to construct the bridge, a requirement simplest to spice up the morale of the Islamist opposition celebration.

    A take a look at the tenor of that marketing campaign would indubitably put their credibility on line, whilst their movements can perfect be described as a ‘power multiplier’ for the WB.

    “When Hasina’s fashion of distributive justice lifted hundreds of thousands out of poverty and helped Bangladesh march previous its neighbours on the subject of human construction indices, the similar quarter went hell bent on showering reward on Dr Yunus and different NGOs. In fact, NGOs have performed an important position within the nation’s pursuit to emerge as an Asian tiger, however believing that narratives like NGOs have a larger position over govt is an insignificant comic story, ” stated Ajoy Das Gupta, an eminent researcher and journalist.

    BIG BOOSTER FOR REGIONAL TRADE

    The Padma Bridge will sharply spice up regional connectivity with India as the principle beneficiary. Rail and street go back and forth between Calcutta and Dhaka might be diminished by way of part, with a identical cascading impact on go back and forth time between West Bengal and India’s northeastern states.

    A Global Financial institution file seen closing 12 months that advanced connectivity between Bangladesh and neighbouring Indian states can spice up nationwide earning of the 2 countries by way of 8 to ten in keeping with cent and exports by way of 182 to 297 in keeping with cent.

    “The outlet of the bridge to street and rail site visitors will carry fast advantages to the direct customers. The street distance from Dhaka to just about all main locations within the southwest area might be diminished by way of 100 kilometres or extra, bringing super financial savings within the time and prices of passenger and commodity motion, automobile operation and upkeep prices and lowering wasteful burning of fossil fuels,” stated Zahid Hussain, former lead economist on the Global Financial institution.

    Vital affects also are anticipated on world business between neighbouring international locations reminiscent of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.

    The southwest area, roughly 27 in keeping with cent of the rustic’s land space, and residential to just about 1 / 4 of its over 160 million inhabitants, has remained one of the crucial least advanced portions of Bangladesh, essentially because of loss of connectivity to the remainder of the rustic, in keeping with an Asian Building Bangladesh (ADB) find out about in 2011.

    The Padma Bridge might be an integral a part of the Asian Freeway One and Trans-Asian railway community techniques (Sylhet-Kanchpur-Dhaka-Mawa-Jashore-Benapole, connecting Calcutta in japanese India, stated the Global Financial institution’s appraisal file.

    “This file card is what she is going to grasp as much as the country to overcome incumbency when she seeks a document fourth time period in energy,” stated Sukharanjan Dasgupta, who has authored books on Bangladesh.

    “There’s no chief in South Asia who can get a hold of this sort of sturdy monitor document of financial enlargement which trickles down,” Dasgupta stated.

  • Bangladesh awaits its bridge of desires around the mighty Padma

    All alongside the new six-lane freeway from Dhaka to Mawa in Munshiganj district, indicators with photos of Sheikh Hasina congratulate her and the folks of Bangladesh on “amader swapner Padda Setu” — the Bridge of Our Desires Around the Padma.

    The indicators are backed by means of native leaders of the ruling Awami League and compete with every different to lavish reward and gratitude at the chief — however they invariably discuss with the “dream”.

    Twenty-one years after the Top Minister, within the closing days of her earlier tenure, laid the root stone in Mawa, a decade after the Global Financial institution cancelled its $1.2 billion investment pronouncing it “can’t, will have to now not, and won’t flip a blind eye to proof of corruption” within the undertaking, and 7 years after Bangladesh started development with its personal cash, the Padma Multipurpose Street-Rail Bridge is able to be inaugurated on Saturday. The dream is set to return true.

    The Padma Bridge is the largest and maximum difficult infrastructure asset ever created in Bangladesh. Through becoming a member of the southwest — house to 30 million other folks — with the capital around the mighty river that cleaves throughout the nation, the bridge is anticipated to provide an extraordinary spice up to communications, industry, and the financial system of Bangladesh as a complete.

    The federal government estimates GDP to extend by means of 1.23 in step with cent — and the southwestern regional GDP by means of 2.3 in step with cent — because the bridge starts to supply returns.

    It’s going to dramatically minimize the street distance between Dhaka and towns to its west reminiscent of Khulna, Jessore, and Barisal. And as soon as the railway line at the bridge is opened — possibly by means of March 2024 — Dhaka may just come inside three-and-a-half hours of Kolkata, probably revolutionising industry and conversation with India.

    However as of now, for many Bangladeshis, the $3.6-billion, greater than 6-km-long bridge over an expanse of swirling water so large it may well be the ocean itself, is above all an object of immense nationwide pleasure — the emblem of a assured country marching against a triumphant future it believes is inside its achieve.

    The bridge symbolises “the power of Bangladesh’s nationwide resolution”, and with its inauguration, the rustic “will flip a decisive nook in its financial tale, which has defied the gloom-and-doom prophesies of early neoliberal and rightwing sceptics”, mentioned Dr Ashikur Rahman, Senior Economist on the Coverage Analysis Institute in Dhaka.

    Through offering highway and rail hyperlinks between the rustic’s quite less-developed southwest and the extra advanced east, the bridge will result in higher integration of regional markets, Rahman mentioned. The Khulna and Barisal divisions are anticipated to look essentially the most important financial and poverty aid affects because of this, he mentioned.

    “The bridge will minimize the gap from Mongla Port (in Khulna) to Dhaka by means of greater than 100 km to simply 170 km,” Rahman mentioned. “24,000 automobiles will ply on it on a daily basis on moderate in 2024, and 67,000 by means of 2050… Consistent with ADB and different impartial estimations, the bridge is most probably to spice up our GDP enlargement by means of a minimum of 1%,” he mentioned.

    Additionally, the a success final touch of the undertaking after the Global Financial institution selected to offload it — the corruption case in opposition to Bangladeshi officers and managers of SNC-Lavalin collapsed in a Canadian court docket in 2017 — has introduced the rustic priceless revel in in conceiving, financing, and executing initiatives of mega scale, Rahman mentioned.

    Economist Dr M Masrur Reaz, chairman of the general public coverage assume tank Coverage Alternate of Bangladesh, too underlined the “rising features of our proud country in creating and imposing very huge and complicated infrastructure initiatives…that may upload to its recognition in global negotiations entailing industry, building, and undertaking finance”.

    With “focused supportive financial making plans”, the bridge will “lend a hand broaden new production, agribusiness, services and products and logistics companies which might be anticipated to ship advantages to the track of $25 billion over 30 years”, Reaz mentioned.

    “It’s going to lend a hand propel Bangladesh nearer to an higher middle-income, and thereafter a high-income nation by means of 2041,” he mentioned.

    Dr Atiur Rahman, who was once Governor of Bangladesh Financial institution from 2009 to 2016, mentioned the central financial institution stood with the federal government when the Global Financial institution pulled out of the undertaking, and confident regulatory convenience to the banking sector to give you the required foreign currency.

    “The designated financial institution would use the foreign currency from its personal finances, procure from the marketplace, and get any further quantity from the central financial institution. Bangladesh Financial institution was once able to supply any quantity from its reserves, that have been then rising considerably. It additionally agreed to ease regulatory necessities like permitting banks to supply letters of convenience to global and nationwide specialists for import of machines, fabrics, and so forth.,” the previous Governor advised The Indian Categorical.

    “The central financial institution additionally began a marketing campaign to get extra remittances from in a foreign country… Remittances greater from $9 billion to about $15 billion between 2009 and 2015. Reserves too greater from $7 billion to $30 billion all through this era,” Dr Rahman mentioned.

    The Padma Bridge has been constructed by means of the China Main Bridge Engineering Corporate, a subsidiary of the state-owned China Railway Crew, which, Bangladeshi officers time and again underline, were given the contract in Might 2014 best as it introduced the bottom bid of $1.55 billion. Paintings started on the finish of November that yr.

    Ahamed Ahasan Ullah Majumder, an engineer with the Bangladesh Bridge Authority who has labored at the bridge since 2016, spoke of the engineering demanding situations of the undertaking. The Ganga-Padma-Brahmaputra gadget carries one of the crucial biggest volumes of water on this planet, the sandbanks within the braided river are regularly emerging, falling, and shifting, and strong underwater currents provide complicated issues for development.

    The principle bridge is 6.15 km lengthy — 9.83 km in all, together with the street and rail viaducts on the two ends — and 21.65 m extensive. It’s excessive sufficient for the most important vessels to cross beneath, and has 42 piers, 40 of which might be within the river and two are “transition” piers of an absolutely other design, Majumder mentioned.

    The longest pile of the bridge has been pushed to a intensity of 122 metres — a file in line with the federal government. At the higher deck is a four-lane freeway and at the decrease deck, twin gauge railway traces.

    “After June 25, it will take 10 mins to move the Padma,” Majumder mentioned. “It’s unthinkable… The ferry crossing by myself takes an hour now, and including the stay up for a ship or the time spent caught in visitors snarls at both finish, the adventure can simply take two and a half of or 3 hours,” he mentioned.

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    The lack of time on the river crossing is “kalpanaheen” (past creativeness), mentioned Mohammad Shiblu Hawladar of Pirojpur district in Barisal department, who has been using a cab everywhere Bangladesh for the closing 19 years.

    “My house is only 170 km from Dhaka, however other folks assume that’s truly a long way… Chittagong in contrast is set 235 km, however going there does now not contain crossing the Padma, and it’s subsequently thought to be a lot nearer to Dhaka,” he mentioned.

    “My nation has needed to undergo hardships because the time we gained our independence, and the absence of highway and rail hyperlinks has added to the struggling of deficient other folks… Right here in this ghat, girls, kids and the aged spend whole nights ready to move the river; vehicles loaded with perishable items are caught indefinitely… This bridge is a notun aashaar aalo (a mild of latest hope) for they all,” Shiblu mentioned.

    “I’ve prior to now attempted to get to my house and circle of relatives by means of chaand raat (the evening sooner than Eid) however didn’t move the river in time,” he mentioned. “Inshallah that may by no means occur once more. This bridge lets in me to dream.”

  • 40 killed in Bangladesh flood, PM Hasina visits affected spaces

    The Bangladesh management on Wednesday introduced that no less than 40 other folks had been killed thus far within the floods. Top Minister Sheikh Hasina additionally visited the flood-hit spaces on Tuesday.

    Officers mentioned the flood state of affairs is dire in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, whilst it remained unchanged within the northeastern districts. The Surma, the principle river of Sylhet department, continues to be flowing over the chance line. The flood water is flooding the suburbs there.

    The Surma’s water now flows into the city thru quite a lot of drains. The water has flooded a number of properties and street communique in different spaces has been bring to an end. Two lakh individuals are trapped within the flood water in two districts.

    40 KILLED

    A complete of 40 other folks, together with 3 in Rangpur department, 15 in Mymensingh department and 22 in Sylhet department, have been killed within the floods from June 16 to June 21.

    ALSO READ | Bangladesh faces large floods in 3 north-eastern districts

    PRIME MINISTER’S VISIT

    Top Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the flood affected spaces of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and adjacent spaces on Tuesday. Hasina mentioned the folks of the rustic have at all times needed to care for herbal calamities and can proceed to take action whilst emphasising development regional infrastructure.

    The top minister mentioned development increased roads which might be available even throughout floods and screw ups. She additionally mentioned that dredging measures could be taken to handle the intensity of the rivers.

    Praising the function of birthday party leaders and employees in serving to the folks suffering from the floods, the top minister mentioned, “Everybody from the management has labored on the possibility in their lives. In lots of puts, when no person may achieve, our leaders were given there and despatched photos to me. I’d in an instant ship the image to the military leader so he can ship rescue groups to anyplace they are able to pass.”

    She thanked the birthday party leaders and employees and mentioned the comfort paintings would had been tougher with out their lend a hand.

    ALSO READ | Assam flood state of affairs stays grim, over 55 lakh other folks affected

    LIFE COMES TO A HALT

    Consistent with the Bangladesh Water Construction Board (BWDB), the Surma was once flowing at 1.43 cm above the chance stage in Sylhet’s Kanaighat space on Tuesday night time. The water stage in Surma was once 10 cm in Sylhet, 1.3 cm in Amalshid and zero.35 cm in Sheola.

    Sayed Ahmad Chowdhury, a senior meteorologist on the Sylhet Meteorological Workplace, mentioned the rainfall in Sylhet has come down so much. After every week of continuing rains and landslides, floods have came about far and wide Chhatak in Sunamganj.

    Masses of acres of boro vegetation planted on top floor had been submerged within the flood waters. The water stage in all of the rivers together with Surma, Piyain and Chela, persisted to upward thrust until Tuesday morning.

    All crusher turbines in Chhatak the town are closed. Shipment loading and unloading at the river has been stopped. Masses of employees had been unemployed for every week. 90 % of the homes in all the Sunamganj the town are nonetheless submerged beneath the water. Site visitors is closed at the major roads of Sunamganj and Chhatak municipal spaces.

    The principle roads in remoted spaces of Chhatak, Tahirpur, Dowarabazar and Bishwamvarpur upazilas are nonetheless flooded. There is not any choice approach of transportation to those upazilas aside from via boat. All tutorial establishments are closed because of flood water.

    In numerous spaces, the rivers have been flowing above the chance stage.

    The flood state of affairs in Sylhet town has been worsening since ultimate Wednesday because of heavy rains. In consequence, the citizens of town have fled their properties to stick in different spaces.

    (With inputs from Akash Chowdhury and Himadri Shekhar Bhadra)