LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser AF Hassan Ariff today said that the present interim government was working to make a discrimination free society as the martyred students and people had struggled to this end.
The government has already started reform works to make a society free from all sorts of discrimination, he said while taking part at a discussion organized by Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad in the city Dhakeshwari National Temple.
Principal of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission Purnatmananda Maharaj, Father of Ramna Catholic Church Albert Rogario, Principal of Atish Dipankar Memorial Complex Vadantha Karunananda Thero, President of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad Bashudeb Dhar and its General Secretary Santosh Sharma and general secretary of Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee Dr Tapash Chandra Paul took part in the discussion with President of Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee Jayanta Kumar Deb in the chair.
The government today announced two separate cost-effective Hajj packages for the next year, reducing expenses in comparison with the previous year. Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain announced the “Hajj Package 2025” at a press briefing at his ministry here. The cost for Standard Hajj Package-1 is set at Tk4,78,242, and Standard Hajj Package-2 is priced at Tk5,75,680, allowing each of the pilgrims to save Tk 109,148 and Tk 11,710 respectively compared to the last year. Both the packages offer transportation and quality accommodation. In the private sector, the Hajj package was priced at Tk 4,83,156. Apart from the packages, each of the pilgrims has to posses Saudi Riyal equivalent to Tk 40,000 for food and 750 Saudi Riyal for sacrificing animal in the name of Allah. The Hajj is expected to be held on June 5 in 2025. A total of 127,198 pilgrims will get scope to join Hajj this year.
The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk today emphasized on ensuring justice for all the recent and past cases of human rights violations in Bangladesh.
“A great opportunity has emerged for Bangladesh to reform its state institutions and deal with the human rights issues through adequate measures,” he said while speaking at a views exchange meeting with student movement leaders at Dhaka University Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban.
Stating that democratic process must be made functional based on human rights, Turk added: “An open environment is required to let journalists, social workers and other rights activists work freely and smoothly.”
Process is underway to take Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia abroad for better treatment, said her personal physician Dr AZM Zahid Hossain.
Zahid Hossain, also a member of BNP National Standing Committee, said Begum Zia will be taken to London by a long-distance specialized air ambulance and from there, she will be taken to multi disciplinary medical center in a third country.