PRESS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT ( GOVERNMENT OF DHAKA

Most Ursent From: PIO, PID, Dhaka For: Ban'gladool All Missions Fax: 9540553 19540026 MSG:12212019-20 E-maiI: piddhaka@gmai Lcom Date: Wednesday, ll December,2019 Web: www.pressinlorm. gov. bd

News Brief Gambia has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to impose provisional measures to protect the Rohingyas from further harm by ordering Myanmar to immediately stop a genocide there. Abubacarr Marie Tambadou, Attorney General and Justice Minister of Gambia made the plea before the ICJ court yesterday during the first round of oral observations which began at 3:00 pm BST. The members of Bangladesh delegation are watching the case very carefully. Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi is set to speak at the first round of oral observations today in defence of Myanmar's military. The High Court has opined that 'Joy Bangla' should be used as national slogan at the beginning and end of all the state programmes from the coming December 16. A High Court division bench came up with the observation while hearing a rule in this regard yesterday. President Md. has urged the investors and entrepreneurs to increase investment in Bangladesh, saying that such investments would help the country to fill up financing gap in attaining SDGs. The President made the call while addressing the opening ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Conference on 'Financing Inclusive and Sustainable Development'in Dhaka yesterday. The President said, Bangladesh government is providing all-out.supports with various pragmatic steps to protect FDI by introducing very liberal trade and investment policies. International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh (ICCB) in collaboration with I-IN-ESCAP and ADB organized the conference as part of rnarking the

ICC's 1 0O-year celebration. Prime Minister has said, the government has been working to uphold the rule of law to protect human rights in the country. The Premier said this while addressing a program marking the Human Rights Day-2019 in Dhaka yesterday. The PM said, the National Human Rights Commission could play a significant role in making people aware of citizens' duty and their rights to protect human rights. Alongside protecting the human rights, the Premier also said, the ongoing drives against terrorism, militancy, narcotics and corruption will be continued. The ECNEC has approved the first revision of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), lst phase, Project with an additional cost of Taka7,788.59 crore to cope with the increasing air traffic. With the latest cost hike, the overall expenditure for this project now stood at Taka 21,399.06 crore. The approval came from a ECNEC meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka yesterday. A total of seven projects involving an overall estimated cost of laka 9,241.25 crore were approved in the meeting. The other piojects approved in the meeting are - construction of Chancery Complex at Islamabad, 3rd revised, upgrading Ramu-Fatehkharkul-Morichhya National highway, Keraniganj to Hasara of Munshiganj national highway, Kushtia portion of Jhenidah-Kushtia-Pakshi-Dashuria highway and Nageshwari-Kashipur-Fulbari-Kulaghat- Lalmonirhat district highway and infrastructure development of three colleges at Dhaka, Madaripur and Rangpur districts. Outgoing Turkey Ambassador to Bangladesh Devrim Oaurk has paid a farewell call on Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury at her office in Dhaka yesterday. Turkey Envoy assured the Speaker that Turkey would always be on the side of Bangladesh in resolving the Rohingya problem.

please turn over Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said, Bangladesh has become a role model of development under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheil'h Hasina. The Minister said this at the triennial coturcil of Khulna district and city units of at circuit house parade-ground in Khulna yesterday. The Minister also announced a bundle development projects for greater Khulna which are waiting for getting approval of the ECNEC. Home Minister Asadtzzarran Khan Kamal terming Bangladesh as a role model of curbing militancy and terrorism has said, we have successfully controlled militancy following the zero tolerance policy set by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Minister said this while speaking at the closing ceremony of a two-day National Conference on Preventing violent extremism at Bashundhara International Convention Hall in Dhaka yesterday. Finance Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal has urged all concerned including the business community to engage themselves more in paying taxes including VAT and thus motivate others. The Minister said this while addressing a views-exchange marking the National VAT Day and VAT Week 2019 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in Dhaka yesterday. Reiterating that th'e taxpayers would not be subjected to harassment anymore by the revenue board, the Finance Minister assured the business community of taking stern action if any official is found guilty of harassing them. GDP of Bangladesh has achieved 8.15 percent growth in the fiscal year 2018-19, slightly higher than the preliminary estimation of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Planning Minister M A Mannan released the final BBS data at a press briefing after a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council yesterday. He also said the per capita income stood at US$l,909. State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak has said, employment for 10 lakh more people will be created in the next five years through expansion of IT sector in the country. The State Minister said this while addressing a press conference at the ICT Division at Agargaon in Dhaka yesterday for disclosing programmes of the 'Digital Bangladesh Day- 2079'to be observed on December 12 across the country. State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury has said, any unauthorized mosques which were established on the bank of rivers will not be demolished, rather those will be beautified and designed. A sub-committee will be formed after holding meeting with Ministry of Religion, Islamic Foundation and Home Ministry. The State Minister came up with the comments while addressing a discussion meeting held at BIWTA Bhaban in Dhaka yesterday. Chief of Bangladesh Army General Aziz Ahmed. held meetings with the higher offrcials of Myanmar military services including Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar Army Vice Senior General Soe Win in Naypyitaw on Monday and discussed different bilateral issues including the Rohingya uisis. The Anti-Comrption Commission yesterday filed charge sheet in a graft case against 11 people including Former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha. The anti-graft body filed the case on July 10 for embezzling Taka four crore from the then Farmers Bank and laundering the money abroad. The Intemational Crimes Tribunal is to prnounce today the judgement in crimes against humanity case against Md Abdus Sattar alias Tipu Sultan who joined Razakar Bahini in his locality Boalia, Rajshahi during the War of Libreation in 1971. The government has extended the tenure of Cabinet Secretary Khandakar Anwarul Islam for one year more through contractual appointment. A gazette notification in this regard was issued by the Public Administration Ministry yesterday. I ll,b{^ \X/ tt" t?-'2'o/? Surath Kumar Sarker Principal Information Officer Phone- 9546091