Foreign
Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said US
Assistant Secretary of State for South and
Central Asia Donald Lu is visiting Bangladesh
with a “positive note” to deepen Dhaka-
Washington ties.
“He (Lu) came with a very positive note... His
visit here is to strengthen ties with
Bangladesh,” he told reporters after holding a
meeting with Lu at the foreign ministry here.
The foreign minister said they talked in a very
cordial atmosphere and discussed advancing
the multifaceted Bangladesh-US ties.
The High Court (HC) today barred keeping people convicted and sentenced to death in condemned cells until their death sentences are finalised through disposal of all their appeals.
A High Court division bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Bazlur Rahman pronounced the judgment, disposing of a rule issued earlier in 2022.
Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir moved a writ petition filed in this regard, while Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder stood for the state.
"The writ was filed in 2021 on behalf of three death row convicts, who have been kept in condemned cells in Chattogram, Sylhet and Cumilla jails. The High Court later passed order, asking authorities concerned to submit a report in writing on the facilities provided to 1,987 death row convicts in different jails across the country. It subsequently issued the rule," Advocate Manir said.
The government should remove discriminatory tax structure for the local companies to ensure level playing field for all domestic and foreign firms in the public procurement process, said speakers at seminar on 12 May, Sunday. They came up with the observations at the seminar titled Public Procurement Act-Challenges and Opportunities organized by International Business Forum of Bangladesh at its conference room in city.
Speaking as chief guest, State Minister for Planning Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker said the current government has introduced electronic government procurement to ensure transparency at the very primary level of procurement. “E-gp has turned the procurement process 180 degree,” he said adding that there are more ways to go in terms of transparency and accountability. The state minister said the country require people of high moral to ensure transparency and accountability. He also pledged to extend all-out support to take into cognizance of the recommendations, complaints and demand came up in the meeting from the stakeholders.
Speaking as designated discussants, Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mohammed Shoheler Rahman Chowdhury said they want to bring 100% procurement system in the country into E-gp system. He said BPPA has been identifying challenges of procurement and amending them continually. Mr Rahman also said they will bring down existing three-step complains resolution to one step to make redressing simpler.
The High Commission of Singapore in Dhaka hosted a reception on Tuesday evening to mark the inauguration of the High Commission of the Republic of Singapore in Bangladesh.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud attended the ceremony as the chief guest.
Terming the inauguration of the High Commission premises of Singapore a historic moment in bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Singapore, he expressed hope that fresh opportunities for cooperation to forge a stronger bond between the two countries have been created.