Kashmir is all set to host a G20 meeting this month, at the summer capital Srinagar. The G-20 delegates will assemble together to discuss the open challenges related to socio-economic issues in the valley. It will be an amazing moment for people to witness an international meeting for the first time in Kashmir. The heart of the valley ‘Srinagar’ will be a perfect spot for the G-20 junction. The valley has been given a makeover like a “bride”. Many areas are being beautified and redeveloped for the arrival of the dignitaries. Graffiti art is being plastered all over blank walls and streets to express cultural diversity and scenic beauty. Flags are being painted to showcase unity and strength among people. It is good news that delegates would be visiting famous tourist spots including”Gulmarg” which pops in the top list of the most popular resort of the world. Therefore, the current administration making efforts for the beautification and maintenance of the Srinagar to Gulmarg roadway from where the delegates shall travel. The beauty will leave a long-lasting effect in their minds. They will not only admire the beauty of Kashmir but also help in boosting our economy through tourism. The twenty countries will definitely try to bring in new changes so that we can progress in the future. It is good news that the smart city project is walking hand in hand with the G-20 event. It is like icing on the cake. Srinagar a commercial city required a makeover for a long time but no attention has been paid. With the advent of the LG administration, arrangements have been made to strengthen the preparations for G-20 under the smart city project. Lal Chowk, (a business hub) and ancient Srinagar will replicate to modern places like Delhi, Chandigarh, etc. People will have a Mumbai or Delhi feeling while shopping in bazaars. More new markets will be set up to improve the appearance of the city. It will be a great experience for people as well as the tourists. The G20 meeting in Kashmir is hope for thousands of unemployed youth and will create new job avenues and investment opportunities in the near future. It will also focus on development in different regions. It is a golden chance for talented youth to show their skills and willpower to delegates from different countries. This is a time to prove our mettle in front of the world. These 20 delegates will help to take our skills to the next level. They will give a face-value response to the valley. Tourism, Handicrafts, Art, etc will be noticed by them. Everyone has to be prepared for the event so that we can reap its fruit. Source: Good Morning Kashmir

The commerce and industry ministry is hopeful of improvement in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in the coming months despite global headwinds, a senior government official said on Thursday.  "Foreign inflows have an effect because of the global slowdown that we are seeing for the last 18 months... but we are hopeful (as) India has shown very great numbers compared to the rest of the countries. So, we are hoping that we would be making up for all that," said Manmeet K Nanda, joint secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). FDI equity inflows fell nearly a quarter to $10.3 billion in the quarter to September 2022 from $13.6 billion a year earlier. In the first half of this financial year, FDI equity inflows shrank 14% to $26.91 billion from $31.5 billion a year earlier, while total inflows were 8.8% lower at $39.09 billion in the April-September period from $42.86 billion a year ago. Nanda said investments and equity inflows usually improve towards the last quarter of a financial year. On the number of pending FDI proposals from China under Press Note 3 of 2020, she said "pendency is probably the lowest at this point in time". As per the press note, the government had made its prior approval mandatory for foreign investments from countries that share a land border with India to curb opportunistic takeovers of domestic firms following the pandemic.

Compulsory quarantine period for the passengers coming from abroad has been reduced from 14 days to five days. The decision was taken at the interministerial meeting on Thursday on the pretext of pressure of home coming passengers. With this decision the compulsory period for the home bound passengers has been reduced by nine days. According to the interministerial meeting, those who have got two doses of corona vaccine and also have the corona negative certificates- need not to maintain institutional quarantine. They will maintain 14-day quarantine at their homes and local administration will ensure that. It was also decided in the meeting that those who have got one dose of vaccine and have the negative certificate should maintain three days compulsory quarantine. They have to undergo corona test after arriving in the country. If the report comes negative then they have to maintain rest 11 days of quarantine after going to their homes. AH

Today is 10th January, the home coming day of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. On this day in 1972 Bangabandhu returned to the soil of newly liberated Bangladesh after getting released from the captivity of Pakistani rulers. Earlier, on January 8 he was released from Mianwali Jail of Pakistan being captive there for long nine months. Later he went to London from Pakistan. Then he returned Dhaka via Delhi. To observe the day Awami League and its associate organizations have taken elaborated programs. Of the programs there are hoisting national and party flags at Awami League central office, Bangabandhu Bhaban and throughout the country, offering floral wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu and discussions. On this occasion President Md. Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivered separate messages. In the early hours of 26th March, 1971 Bangabandhu declared the independence of Bangladesh and urged people to take part in the liberation war. Soon after the declaration of independence he was arrested and sent to jail in the then West Pakistan following order of Pakistani military ruler General Yahia Khan. Though Bangladesh was liberated in 16 December,1971 after long nine months of bloody war against Pakistani occupation forces, but the dream of the nation was fulfilled through Bangabandhu’s home coming on January 10. AH     

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has made corona negative certificate mandatory for the passengers coming from abroad as severity of corona infection has increased in different countries of the world. The information came through a set of directions signed by CAAB member (flight standard and regulations) Group Captain Chowdhury Md. Ziaul Kabir on Friday. According to the directions, the decision will be effective from Saturday. As a result local and international airlines cannot board any passenger on the way to Bangladesh without corona negative certificate. Before arriving in the country the passengers have to test their samples in PCR laboratories within 72 hours. Only corona negative passengers will be permitted to arrive in Bangladesh. Passengers have to show their medical certificates in the airports. Aftermaths, medical screening including temperature testing will be performed for all the passengers after their arrival in the airports. If there is any symptom of coronavirus infection though having the negative certificate, then he or she will be treated in the designated hospitals after testing and will be sent to the isolation center. Those who have no symptom have to remain 14 days home quarantine. The directions said, the Bangladeshi workers who have BMET cards, for them if the concerned country has no available way for corona test in PCR lab then they can come to the country with the certificates of antigen tests or other acceptable test facilities. The diplomats residing in the country and their family members also have to posses PCR lab test certificates and the test should be done within 72 hours of departure. Foreign entrepreneurs and investors also have to come showing the corona negative certificates. If no symptom is traced in the medical test at the airport and if they want to stay in Bangladesh for less than 14 days then they will be allowed to leave the country. If they have any viral symptom then they will be sent to isolation center and hospital for test and treatment. The CAAB directions also said, the conditions will not be effective for the flights of relief initiated by the state except schedule commercial flight, humanitarian assistance, repatriation, returning Bangladeshi citizens from abroad and diplomatic flights permitted by the foreign ministry. AH     

The onion laden trucks which were stranded on the Indian border have got permission to enter in Bangladesh through Hili land port. As a result the price of onion has begun to reduce in the retail market. Now one kg onion is selling at 50 to 60 taka. A onion trader at Hili land port said that more than two hundred onion laden trucks were stranded on Indian border side scheduled to enter in the country. They are waiting to enter currently. Quoting Indian businessmen he said, the decision was taken following high level government level meeting with the businessmen in Delhi. On the other hand businessmen in Chattogram have initiated process to import onion from other alternative countries. They have got permission to import 19,843 metric tons of onion. The businessmen are going to import the onion from China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey. AH

Information Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud said, two bills will be placed in the following session after the next session of parliament to provide protection for the mass media activists. He said these to the newsmen while participating a discussion with the leaders of Broadcast Journalists’ Association at the secretariat on Tuesday. Dr. Hasan Mahmud said, a session will begin on Wednesday. But we will not be able to place the ‘Media employees act’ and ‘Broadcast act’ in this session of parliament. But we hope that we can place the bills in the following session after the next session. He said, the information ministry has finalized the drafts of two laws to protect the mass media workers. It was sent to the law ministry for vetting. The Information Minister said, we hope that the law ministry will give vetting in a short span of time. Then we will place the bills to the national parliament. But it will not be possible to place those in the next session of parliament that will begin tomorrow. AH     

International election monitoring agency Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) is not coming to monitor the eleventh national parliament election. The complexity has created due to not getting visa timely, said the agency. The agency was scheduled to monitor the election with financial support from National Democratic Institute of USA. In this regard USA has expressed disappointment. US Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino expressed disappointment for not providing visas in a statement on Friday. He said, a team of Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL)- financially supported by National Democratic Institute of USA, was scheduled to arrive to monitor the election of Bangladesh. But due to visa complexities the visit was cancelled. Robert Palladino said, to conduct a credible monitoring mission for December 30 election, Bangladesh government has failed to issue credentials and visas for most of the international election monitors of ANFREL within the timeframe. We are disappointed in this regard. He also said in the statement, the lack of an international observation mission makes it even more important for the Government of Bangladesh to complete the accreditation of all the local NGOs that constitute the Election Working Group, which includes some funded by USAID, so they can conduct the vital work of monitoring the election. “We encourage the Government of Bangladesh to uphold its commitment to a democratic process by ensuring all Bangladeshis are free to peacefully express themselves and participate in December 30 election,” Palladino added in the statement. AH

To meet the demand of rail coaches for further passenger transport in the country 250 passenger cars with modern and special facilities are being collected from Indonesia. Indonesian State-owned train maker PT Industri Kereta Api (Inka) said Bangladesh has ordered 250 extra strong train cars from the company. “The train cars purchased by Bangladesh are larger with stronger structures and thicker walls and roofs. It is twice as strong as an ordinary train car,” said Inka finishing manager Agung Budiono on the sidelines of a visit by lawmakers to an Inka factory in Madiun, East Java on Thursday. Such a specification was needed because when the trains were overcrowded, passengers would climb onto the roofs while the trains were travelling, Agung added. Indonesian train users used to sit on the roof while traveling, particularly for short distance trips, but it is now strictly prohibited. The train cars purchased by Bangladesh are larger and longer, as each train car has 90 seats, while the train cars used in Indonesia have 64 seats on average, said Agung, adding that a train in Bangladesh uses 22 train cars compared to the longest train in Indonesia, which uses 16 train cars. Agung explained that the first shipment of 18 train cars is scheduled for November, comprising cars of economy class, executive class, restaurant train cars and sleeper train cars. According to the project source, both broad gauge and meter gauge train cars are being collected under it. Taka 580 crore taka was allocated for 200 meter gauge train cars and 213 crore taka was allocated to purchase the rest 50 broad gauge train cars. Source: The Jakarta Post AH

Perishable ‘Sonali Bag’ will be made from jute as an alternative of using polythene. It will be produced commercially in the country within a very short period. A firm from UK will supply the machines for this purpose. A memorandum of understanding was signed between Futamura Chemical Limited UK and Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) at the secretariat on Tuesday in this connection. BJMC Secretary AKM Tareq and General Manager of Futamura Chemical signed the agreement on behalf of their respective side in presence of State Minister for Textiles and Jute Mirza Azam. Mirza Azam said, commercial polythene production from jute will begin within next 6 to 9 months. The name of this jute made polythene bag will be ‘Sonali Bag’. He said, when we came to power the number of commodities made from jute was 35. But at present the number of jute made commodities is 285. He also said that the price of Sonali Bag will be fixed same as polythene when it is supplied in the market commercially. Pointing out different demerits of using polythene bags the State Minister said, people need not to think about the price of this environment friendly bag when it will be supplied in the market commercially.   Senior Secretary of textiles and jute ministry Fayzur Rahman Chowdhury, BJMC Chairman Md. Mahmudul Hasan, Group Manager and Operation Manager of Futamura Chemical Limited were present on the occasion. AH