Nation this week
The United Nations condemned the use of live fire ammunition by law enforcers during recent protests in Bangladesh and laid emphasis on protecting the right to peaceful protests. It also said that they are ready to assist any government who requests help on different issues. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary general, came up with the statement while responding to queries from the journalists at a press briefing at the UN headquarters.
"We have condemned the use of live fire ammunition that we have seen in Bangladesh. Governments, whether in Bangladesh or anywhere else, need to be protecting the rights of people to protest peacefully and need to be protecting the right of journalists to do their job in a free and unfettered manner," Dujarric said, after reading out a statement on the UN activities in humanitarian response in Bangladesh. He said despite the political situation and the violence they have seen, it is important to remind everyone that there are humanitarian crises too in Bangladesh.
Reconnecting the Summit Group's liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, damaged during Cyclone Remal, to the national grid is set to be further delayed as fresh repairs are needed to mechanisms used to keep it docked. They will need at least another 10 days to complete the repairs, said Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources on July 31. "We hoped to complete the repairs by this month (July), but it didn't happen," he said in response to journalists' queries.
The floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) had returned from Singapore to Cox's Bazar's Moheshkhali on July 10 after repairs to its ballast tank that was damaged during the cyclone on May 27. With only one FSRU of Excelerate currently in operation, LNG supply to the national grid has dropped to half, resulting in patchy gas supply in various districts including Dhaka and Chattogram. The Power Division signed two agreements with Sonagazi Solar Power.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Deputy Commissioner Harun or Rashid, also the chief of the Detective Branch, has been transferred to the crime and operations department. A transfer order of three DMP officials including Harun, signed by DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, was issued on Wednesday (July 31). Additional Commissioner Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman will replace Harun as the new DMP DB chief.
The transfers came two days after a meeting of the Awami League-led 14-party alliance, where some party leaders expressed their resentment about Harun. Referring to a photo where six detained quota protest organisers were seen eating at the DB office with Harun and the statement made by them afterwards announcing the end of protests, Rashed Khan Menon said such activities by a government official carries a wrong message to the people, and that a political crisis should be dealt with by the politicians. To this, the PM had said she will take care of Harun Or Rashid.
The Shipping Ministry has waived seven days of demurrage charge on storage rent for the importers, whose goods have arrived or are scheduled to arrive at Chattogram port in between July 16 and August 5 this year. Imported goods can be kept free of charge at the port storages for four days since their arrival. From the fifth day, the port starts taking a daily demurrage charge. The consignments will get a maximum of seven days of demurrage charge waiver after enjoying the four-day free storage facility.
However, the benefit will not be extended to the importers who fail to remove the goods from the port by August 14. The circular articulates that the charges will be waived in accordance with Section 23 of the Chattogram Port Authority Act, 2022, in addition to the store rent/penal charge waiver policy issued by the ministry. The shipping ministry took the decision upon requests from FBCCI, CCCI and BGMEA.
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