Country’s businessmen today (Apr 16) stressed highly the need for ensuring export diversification to face the challenges of the post LDC graduation. In order to ensure export diversification and enhancing capacity, they demanded of the government to give equal treatment to all the export-oriented sectors instead of concentrating on some few sectors. The businessmen came up with the opinion at a seminar titled “Bangladesh’s export challenges in post LDC graduation: the role of the private sector” organized by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) held at its office in city’s Motijheel area. Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus joined the Programme as the chief guest while BIDA executive chairman Md Sirazul Islam, Commerce Ministry Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana and Planning Commission member Sharifa Khan spoke as special guests. FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin gave the welcome address while former member of Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission Mostafa Abid Khan made the key-note presentation. Former president of MCCI Syed Nasim Monzur, PWC Bangladesh managing partner Mamun Rashid, FBCCI adviser Monzur Ahmed, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission former chairman Dr Mojibur Rahman and CPD research director Dr Khandaker Golam Moazzem spoke as panel discussants. Listing a set of export supporting proposals, the FBCCI President said that following the LDC graduation, the export oriented sectors would face most of the challenges. “For this, all export sectors should get equal opportunities to boost country’s exports,” he said urging the government for allowing establishment of industries through only permanent registration without the necessity for renewal, land, environment, fire safety and tax related certificates. He also called upon the government for taking necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted supply of energy alongside building necessary Human Resources. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ahmad Kaikaus said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself makes branding of country’s businesses as she usually takes businessmen as her entourage members while touring abroad. Mentioning that Bangladesh has still four years more to make LDC graduation which is also not a short time, he said that in the pace Bangladesh is moving ahead, it would change the projections of various organizations. Kaikaus also said that there was no corruption in the mega projects and in procurement of vaccines. BIDA Executive Chairman Md Sirazul Islam said that although the World Bank has stopped publishing the ease of doing business index, but the BIDA has been working relentlessly to improve such improvement. He informed that since launching of the once stop service in 2019, BIDA has so far delivered more than 50,000 services. Tapan Kanti Ghosh said that there is no alternative to striking free trade agreements for gaining export and trade competitiveness in the long run for which the government has been giving its relentless efforts. The speakers at the seminar underscored the need for building skilled Human Resources, maintaining the supply chain, reaching 5G and broadband services in every nook and corner, ensuring industry-academia linkage and signing more FTAs. Source: BSS AH

On Thursday, as local media reported,  Pakistan's Senate Standing Committee seek the equal representation of all the provinces in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) authority and expressed concerns that there was a sense of "deprivation" among the provinces about the CPEC projects. A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development, chaired by Saleem Mandviwala of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), expressed its concerns on Wednesday while discussing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Express Tribune reported. PPP Senator Sherry Rehman deplored the sense of "deprivation" among the provinces about the projects related to CPEC. Rehman stressed that coordination with the provinces on CPEC projects was crucial, the Pakistani newspaper reported. It further reported that Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on CPEC Khalid Mansoor, while sharing details of the CPEC deals made with the Chinese companies, said that provinces were involved in Joint Working Groups (JWGs). Mansoor further said that the provinces were being provided equal facilities under the current framework. Mandviwala stressed that the representatives of the provinces should also be included in the CPEC authority. "Why do you object to the due representation of provinces in the CPEC Authority?" he asked, according to The Express Tribune. In 2015, China announced an economic project in Pakistan worth USD 46 billion. With the CPEC, Beijing aims to expand its influence in Pakistan and across Central and South Asia in order to counter the influence of the United States and India. The CPEC project would link Pakistan's southern Gwadar port in Balochistan on the Arabian Sea to China's western Xinjiang region. Source: ANI

A noted Kashmiri political activist on Thursday said Muslims in India enjoy freedom and perform their religious rituals freely, but in Pakistan, minorities are facing persecution. Agha Syed Abbas Rizvi, the chairman of Jammu Kashmir People's Justice Front (JKPJF) was speaking at a seminar titled 'Freedom to Muslims to carry out their religious ceremonies and customs' at Surankote tehsil of Poonch district. "India is a secular country and guarantees equal opportunities to minorities, same as to majority", he said. Agha Syed stressed that the minorities, especially Muslims in India enjoy the same freedom which the majority are enjoying, in performing their religious rituals, ceremonies and customs. "Kashmir has been the best example of religious tolerance, acknowledged by Mahatma Gandhi too; till our neighbour started interfering and disturbing the peace over here", he said. He also pointed out that there has not been a single incident of a suicide blast since independence. "There has not been a single incident of a suicide blast since independence. Unholy as per Quran, unlike happening on daily basis in our neighbouring Islamic country," Agha said. Elaborating on the issue he said that minorities especially, a Zikri (Shia sect) and Hazara community besides Ahmadis are regularly targeted in Pakistan by death squads. "People are murdered under a planned genocide program and there are continuous target killing and suicide blasts," he said. Agha Syed also urged that India, being the home of most Muslims after Indonesia, should be given a place in the OIC group comprising of Muslim countries and shall be given a permanent seat in the said Organization, as India supports the second-largest Muslim population, with dignity. The Seminar was also attended by various religious and social scholars like Moulana Mukhtar Hussain Jafari, Moulana Zaheer Hussaien Jafari, Agha Syed Mubashir, Shabbir Hussain (Retd Principal), Najmul Hasan, Aziz Jafari, Dr Alamdar Hussain and various others. In a declaration, it was said, "In India, Muslims are free to perform their religious rituals and duties. The constitution of India guaranteed them so. The tolerant Indian society gives Muslims and other minorities communities a privilege to perform their religious ceremonies and functions without any hurdle. The festivals like Eid, Muharram and Urs of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti and others are celebrated with peace, unity and brotherhood." It further added, "In Pakistan minorities like Shias and Ahmadis are targeted and killed but in India, even the smallest minorities are protected by the majority." Source: ANI

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda has directed the Executive Magistrates to ensure equal opportunities for all in the eleventh national parliament election. The CEC gave the directions while briefing the Executive Magistrates of Sylhet, Chattogram and Barishal divisions at the Election Commission (EC) auditorium on Sunday. In the program KM Nurul Huda said, Executive Magistrates have to take many decisions instantly. For this reason they have to read the electoral code of conduct, criminal penal code. It’s the responsibility of Executive Magistrates to watch all the candidates equally with their eyes. They have to discharge their duties impartially, have to ensure security for the Presiding Officers. Presiding Officers should not be directed by the Executive Magistrates rather they should be offered cooperation. To the responsible Executive Magistrates for election duty the CEC also said, your responsibility is to watch all the candidates of political parties with equal eyes. Never do the unlawful work to see somebody closely or from distance. The CEC said, there is immense pressure remains for the Presiding Officers in the voting centers. You have to give importance so that Presiding Officers remain in safe. Entire vote centers and election conducting role depends on the Presiding Officer. Your responsibility is to cooperate him when he wants. Do not go for conducting the election. During his speech the CEC directs them to go through at least 20 sections of 5-7 laws, code of conduct, penal code 1860, police act 1861, magistracy procedures act 1898, section 127 to 131 and PRB. The CEC said, the circula that is issued by home ministry is very important. The magistrates can perform their duties if they are able to go through the civil work properly. The program presided over by Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed where Election Commissioners Mahbub Talukder, Md. Rafiqul Islam Mia, Kabita Khanam, Brigadier General Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury (retd) and Election Training Institute Director General Mostafa Faruk were present. AH