India Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that India is carefully monitoring the developments along its border areas including the construction of infrastructure by the Chinese side in the eastern Ladakh sector. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi made this comment in response to remarks by an American military commander that some of the defense infrastructures that China is creating near its border with India in Ladakh are “alarming”. “India carefully monitors developments along our borders areas including construction of infrastructure by the Chinese side in the western sector as well as that been undertaken further in-depth areas,” he said while addressing a media briefing. “The government is committed to and takes all adequate and appropriate measures to safeguard territorial integrity and sovereignty as the developments in recent years have clearly demonstrated,” Bagchi said. He said the government of India has taken various measures in recent years to develop infrastructure along the border areas to not only meet India’s strategic and security requirements but also facilitate the economic developments of the areas. On Wednesday, US Army’s Pacific Commanding General Charles A Flynn, who is on a four-day visit to India talked about the infrastructure development by China along its borders with India in the Ladakh sector, and called the Chinese activities in that region “eye-opening”. “As far as the current situation (in eastern Ladakh) is concerned, we have maintained continuous communication with the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels,” Bagchi said. On the Chinese aggression which started in April-May last year, the Defense Ministry in its Year-End review had stated that unilateral and provocative actions by the Chinese to change the status quo by force, in more than one area on the LAC, have been responded to as an adequate measure. Source: ANI  

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today (Monday) said her government has been monitoring the recent price hike of some essentials to check anomalies.    “---there are some people who want to make some quick buck during the period (capitalising the situation arising out of the Coronavirus and Russian invasion on Ukraine). So, we have been monitoring the situation,” she said.        The Prime Minister said this while presiding over a discussion organised by the Awami League at its Bangabandhu Avenue central office in the capital marking the historic 7 March speech of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.         Joining virtually the discussion from her official Ganabhaban residence, she said prices of some goods might have increased in the country which is usual when the prices of essentials are increased in the international market, the local market has also to face its impact.     The prices of goods have been increasing across the globe due to the economic meltdown for the double blows such as Coronavirus and Russia’s invasion on Ukraine, she opined.   “Prices of goods have been increasing heavily not in Bangladesh but across the globe that included the USA (due to the double blows),” she said.    Coronavirus and Russia's invasion on Ukraine have contributed to the global price hike, she opined.        The Prime Minister said the per capita income has risen to 2591 US dollars, an indicative of increasing purchasing capacity of the countrymen.   Sheikh Hasina asked all the people to bring every inch of their land under cultivation so that the country never suffers from food crisis even in the worst situation arising out of the natural disasters or war.         AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader gave the welcome address.       AL Presidium Members, Begum Matia Chowdhury, Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, MP, Shajahan Khan, MP, Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Bir Bikram, Joint General Secretary and Information and Broadcasting Minister, Dr Hasan Mahmud, MP, Organising Secretary, SM Kamal Hossain, Labour and Human Resources Secretary, Habibjur Rahman Siraj, Dhaka South and North City AL General Secretaries, Humayun Kabir and SM Mannan Kochi, also spoke on the occasion.    Publicity and Publication Minister Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, MP, moderated the discussion.   Source: BSS AH

India on Monday said it is closely monitoring the situation of Kazakhstan and looked forward to a peaceful solution of the situation. Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said coordination with authorities has helped in ensuring the safety and security of Indian nationals in that country. “India is closely following recent developments in Kazakhstan. We express our deepest condolences to families of innocent victims who have lost lives in the violence,” he said. “As a close and friendly partner of Kazakhstan, we look forward to an early stabilisation of the situation,” Bagchi said. Kazakhstan has been witnessing large-scale violence following protests that were initially triggered by a rise in fuel prices. According to reports, over 160 people were killed in the violence. Bagchi also said. “Coordination with authorities has helped ensuring the safety and security of Indian nationals. They are advised to follow local security instructions and get in touch with the Embassy of India for any assistance,” Source : The Print

The World Health Organization has said it is monitoring a new coronavirus variant known as "Mu", which was first identified in Colombia in January.   Mu, known scientifically as B.1.621, has been classified as a "variant of interest", the global health body said Tuesday in its weekly pandemic bulletin.    The WHO said the variant has mutations that indicate a risk of resistance to vaccines and stressed that further studies were needed to better understand it.   "The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape," the bulletin said.   There is widespread concern over the emergence of new virus mutations as infection rates are ticking up globally again, with the highly transmissible Delta variant taking hold -- especially among the unvaccinated -- and in regions where anti-virus measures have been relaxed.   All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19, mutate over time and most mutations have little or no effect on the properties of the virus.    But certain mutations can impact the properties of a virus and influence how easily it spreads, the severity of the disease it causes, and its resistance to vaccines, drugs and other countermeasures.   The WHO currently identifies four Covid-19 variants of concern, including Alpha, which is present in 193 countries, and Delta, present in 170 countries.   Five variants, including Mu, are to be monitored.   After being detected in Colombia, Mu has since been reported in other South American countries and in Europe.   The WHO said its global prevalence has declined to below 0.1 percent among sequenced cases. In Colombia, however, it is at 39 percent. Source: AFP/BSS AH

India is closely tracking the developments in Pakistan and will do "utmost" to ensure security and safe return of the Sikh Pilgrims who have gone to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Lahore, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday. "Closely tracking developments. In touch with Pakistani authorities and Sikh Jatha. Will do utmost to ensure security and safe return of pilgrims," Jaishankar said in a tweet. His comment came after Manjinder Singh Sirsa, President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, tweeted about the pilgrims visiting Lahore amid rising violence in Pakistan. "We request MEA @DrSJaishankar to take up the matter of Sikh pilgrims stranded in Lahore on Baisakhi amid clashes in Pak This 818-member jatha left from Amritsar to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Panja Sahib. Also urging @IndiainPakistan to extend them immediate help," Sirsa wrote in a tweet. After the arrest of TLP's chief Rizvi, who was demanding that the French ambassador be sent home and import of goods from France over alleged blasphemous caricatures published in Paris, violence erupted in Pakistan, resulting in the death of three and several others injured. Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, meanwhile, on Wednesday said that the government has decided to ban the radical Islamist TLP, whose supporters and workers have been carrying out violent protests across the country for three days. According to Dawn, he said the religiopolitical outfit would be banned under Rule 11(b) of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997. (ANI)

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday stressed the need for bringing more important projects under the watch of the Fast Track Monitoring Committee alongside the exiting 10 fast-track projects. “We’ve a number of mega projects. Of them, some were incorporated as the fast-track ones. We’ve many other important projects,” she said while addressing the 5th meeting of Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee at her office in the capital. The Prime Minister said some projects were initially incorporated as fast-track ones. Noting that the committee has been monitoring the implementation of the projects, she said, “It wouldn’t be enough for this committee to oversee only these projects rather there’re many other projects the committee will have to monitor in the future.” The Prime Minister said the government now can implement development projects maintaining quality as the people gave mandate for the continuation of her government for the third consecutive term. “We came to power for the third consecutive term. So, we can implement our development works and can maintain their standard,” she said extending her thanks to people for giving their mandate to Awami League. Sheikh Hasina said development works are hampered if there is no continuation of government. At the meeting, the Prime Minister was informed about the implementation progress of the fast-track projects. She gave necessary directives to the authorities concerned to implement the projects properly. Talking about Padma Multipurpose Bridge Construction Project, she said nearly 3.5 kilometres of the 6.15-km bridge has been completed. She thanked the authorities concerned for the implementation progress of the Padma Bridge project and other fast-track projects. According to the factsheet of the fast-track projects, some 85.5 percent construction works of the main Padma Bridge has been completed so far, while the overall progress of the works is 76.50 percent. The ten fast-track projects are: Construction of Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project, Maitree Super Thermal Power Project at Rampal, Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Project, Dhaka Mass Transit Development Project (under jurisdiction of line 1,5, and 6),  Construction of LNG Terminal and Gas Pipe Line Project, Deep Seaport Construction Project, Paira Deep Seaport Project, Padma Bridge Railway Link Project and  Dohazari-Cox's Bazar-Gundhum Railway Line Project. The Prime Minister said her government has taken the projects aiming to reach its benefits to the doorsteps of people and make them financially solvent. While talking about Deep Seaport Construction (Sonadia) Project, the PM asked the authorities concerned to drop ‘Sonadia’ word from the project as the construction of deep seaport at Sonadia will damage the ecological balance in the area. Road Transport and Bridges Minister ObaidulQader, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Planning Minister MA Mannan, Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman, Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, PM’s advisers Dr Mashiur Rahman and Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, among others, attended the meeting. PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus conducted the meeting, while Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam and other government high officials concerned were present. Source: UNB AH

The food ministry has formed three monitoring committees and opened a control room to control rice market in the capital. On Sunday, Sumon Mehedi, the Information Officer of the ministry said, the food ministry has taken several immediate steps including meeting with the rice traders and mill owners as soon as rice prices soared. For this reason the market has come down stable. He said, to continue this trend three monitoring committees were formed and one control room was opened. The general people can inform their problems by making phone calls to the control room. In this regard a food ministry notice said, the control room has been opened to prevent soaring tendency of the prices of food grains in the market, to help low income people and to keep the market stable.  The notice also requested people to dial phone number 02-9540027 and mobile phone number 01642-967727 to the control room to provide overall information, opinion and complain. In the order of market price monitoring committee it was said, the committees were formed to collect the market prices after monitoring the major wholesale markets of the capital and for submitting those to the food ministry and food directorate. AH    

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the authorities concerned to make the monitoring system stronger further along with conducting massive awareness campaign as the migration aspirants are not deceived anymore. “We will have to make the monitoring system stronger further alongside creating massive awareness program to stop cheating migration aspirants while going abroad,” she said while addressing the maiden meeting of the National Steering Committee on migration held at the Prime Minister Office (PMO) in the capital on Sunday. Reports BSS. The Prime Minister said migrants are hugely contributing to making the country’s economy stronger by sending remittances. She said, “There is an urgent need to cast a special eye as they (migrant workers) are not lost during any unusual time and it is our duty to look after their security and welfare because they are the citizens of our country.” Around one crore Bangladeshi expatriates are now working in nearly 100 countries as they are sending remittance which is largely contributing to reducing the poverty and increasing reserve of foreign currency, she said. She asked the authorities concerned to prepare a database of the migrant workers detailing their whereabouts abroad and work status. Stressing the need for imparting the foreign job seekers with appropriate training on the particular jobs and languages, the Prime Minister said, “We can talk to the particular countries and arrange training jointly with the concerned countries as we did in the past.” Sheikh Hasina, also President of National Steering Committee on migration said “There is a group of brokers in the country who are sending people abroad after taking huge money from migration aspirants by showing them bigger dreams”. Brokers later even take more money from the migrants’ relatives by pressuring them, she said, adding “Migration aspirants usually collect money after selling their belongings and taking loans. So we have to keep an eye as they are not cheated.” People are falling into the trap of brokers despite the government has established 5275 digital centers across the country from where the migration aspirants can registrar their names for going abroad, she continued. “We are trying to convince people to register their names through digital centers for going abroad, not approaching to the brokers,” she added, calling upon the media to play effective role in this regard. “Our women are going to many countries for job purpose and they are being tortured abroad. So we are now giving them smart cards and mobile phones aimed at stopping the repression on them,” the Prime Minister said. The government has established Probashi Kallayan Bank (Expatriate Welfare Bank) as the people can get loan from the bank to go abroad, she said. “We have a huge number of youth working forces in Bangladesh which has an immense potential. We will have to give them training on various capacities to make them skilled manpower. Then we can send skilled people abroad,” she said. In this context, the premier also said in the future, manpower might not be sent abroad because skilled manpower would be needed for the country as “we are setting up 100 special economic zones and developing information communication technology (ICT) sector”. Among others, National Steering Committee on migration members Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Finance Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal, Local Government and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Planning Minister MA Mannan, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque, Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali were present on the occasion. PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hasan moderated the function while Chief Coordinator of the PMO SDG Affairs Abul Kalam Azad and PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim were also present. AH

Market monitoring system is going to be digitalized. Boards with digital price list are going to be installed in the kitchen markets under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon said these to the newsmen while visiting Hatirpul kitchen market in the capital on Thursday. The Mayor said, we have 21 kitchen markets and it is very hard to update the price list by going to each market every day. Again some people remove the price list when our officials left the place. So we are making it digital so that we can update the price list sitting at the Nagar Bhaban. He said, digital screen boards will be installed within next two to three weeks. There every day price list will be updated from Nagar Bhaban. High officials of DSCC, National Food Safety Authority and Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection were present at that time. AH         

The United Nations is closely monitoring the ongoing anti narcotic drives in the country. In a statement on Saturday United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said this. The organization in the statement urged the member states to abide by the pledges of balance and human rights issues to control drugs. UNODC also mentioned three international conventions in this regard. The statement said, we stand ready to engage with all countries to help bring criminals to justice with the appropriate legal safeguards, in line with international standards and norms. To be mentioned, more than one hundred people were killed in ‘gunfight’ during the ongoing anti narcotic drives throughout the country. Families of the victims held law enforcing agencies responsible for the killings. Human rights bodies also expressed grave concern over the incidents of extra judicial killings. Meanwhile, in Geneva Law Minister Anisul Huq in a meeting with UN Human Rights affairs High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said, the ongoing drive is a temporary measure to control drugs. The operation will be concluded after bringing the situation under control. Government will investigate the incidents of illegal force application by the law enforcing agencies, if it is found and the culprits will be punished. AH