UNICEF, a UN agency dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of children worldwide, has said the interim government and law enforcement agencies should ensure immediate action and accountability for all reported cases of violence against children through strengthened investigation, prosecution, and judicial processes.
Establishing a specialised child protection unit within law enforcement, trained in trauma-informed investigations and victim-sensitive approaches, is fundamental, said UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh Rana Flowers.
Besides, she said, expanding and professionalising the social service workforce would provide gender-sensitive, child-centered support for survivors and their families.
To secure justice for victims and survivors, independent and gender-sensitive prosecutors must be appointed to ensure timely prosecution and hold legal actors accountable for meeting the government 90-day case resolution target, she mentioned.
The UNICEF Representative said she is "profoundly horrified" by the alarming rise in reported cases of sexual violence against children, especially girls, in Bangladesh over the last weeks.
Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Md Abdur Rahman Khan on Monday requested the Finance Adviser to reduce the budget size and give some relaxation to the mass people.
“I have requested (Finance Adviser), sir please cut short the budget size and give some relief to people,” he said while speaking at the pre-budget meeting with Economic Reports Forum (ERF) held at Revenue Building.
He also said Bangladesh next budget would be a business-friendly beautiful one. “We might lose some revenue due to this.”
But, the NBR chairman said that taxpayers who were previously paying a reduced rate would have to pay the regular rate, more or less, from the next fiscal year. “We will propose it to the policymakers, it would bring good for everyone,” he added.
Abdur Rahman Khan said that the number of quality taxpayers is very negligible in the country. “We had taken aggressive policy to increase the tax collection,” he said.
Bangladesh celebrated cricketer Tamim Iqbal today suffered a heart attack at a Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match as his team Mohammedan Sporting Club was competing with Shinepukur Cricket Club at BKSP-3 ground.
He was immediately rushed to a hospital in Savar. Match referee Debabrata Paul confirmed that the Mohammedan captain fell sick during fielding as he complained of chest pain.
"His brother Nafees Iqbal (also a former Bangladesh cricketer) and mother are now at hospital with him," Debabrata told the reporters.
The doctors did an angiogram after Tamim was admitted to the hospital, he also said.
India has not responded yet on Dhaka request, seeking a meeting between Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand early next month.
"No, there has been no response," said Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Sunday when a journalist asked whether there was any response from Delhi regarding the possible meeting of the two leaders.
On Wednesday, Bangladesh approached India through the diplomatic channel to arrange a meeting between Dr Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
On March 21, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said they have no update to share regarding a likely bilateral meeting between the two leaders.