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N4ost IJrsent Irron.r: PIO. ['lD. I)haka 95t10553 19540026 It'or: Barr"glacloot. Al I M i ssions Fax: MSG: 19712020-21 l;-nrail: Lrid.llrrtk;t ri ttttutil.r,'tt r Date: Fridtry. l9 N4arch 202 I w.h,urli@r-_b! News Brief Bangladesh and the Maldives signed four Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) to boost cooperation between the two countries in different areas including fisheries and cultural affairs. The MoU were signed at the prime Minister,s Office in the capital in presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The Mous signed are - MoU on joint commission for comprehensive cooperation, MoU on bilateral foreign office consultations, MoU on cooperation in the field of fisheries and MoU on pelagic fishing and cultural exchange programme for 2022-2025. Bangladesh and Maldives agreed to establish a direct commercial shipping link between Mal6 and three sea ports of Bangladesh through signing a Shipping Agreement. The two countries also agreed to expedite the finalization of th* propo-red Agreement on Customs Cooperation and the signing of the Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation. nangladeih Foreign Minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen along with his visiting Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid revealed this while speaking at joint media briefing at Hotel Intercontinental in Dhaka to disclose the outcomes of bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Maldivians President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. In this regard, Dr. Momen said, Bangladesh expressed its keenness to enter into a Preferential Trade Agreement with Matdives like the country did with Bhutan earlier. Bangladesh Premier appreciated Maldivian Prisident's declaration that all expatriates in Maldives would be vaccinated free of cost, Dr. Momen added. Maldivian Foreign Minister said, Maldives will continue to engage with Bangladesh government and other countries to ensure accountability of the atrocity that committed on the Rohingya people. president Md. Abdul Hamid stressed the need for establishing direct connectivity and air and waterways link between Bangladesh and the Maldives to further bolster trade and investment ties between the two friendly countries. The presidenl said this while his Maldivian counterpart Ibrahim Mohamed Solih paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban yesterday. The President called upon the investors and businessmen to work together to avail the also agreed to establish the air-and-water-connectivity exisiing poteniials-Bangladesh of the two countries. President Solih between and the Maldives. Bangladesh President hosted a dinner in honor of the Maldivian President, who is on at[ree-daytour in Dhakato attendthe celebrations of golden jubilee of Bangladesh's Independence and birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu . Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also attended the dinner last night. prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged to put more focus on translating foreign literature to create scope for knowing history, culture, lifestyle of different countries through book reading. The Premier made the call while addressing the opening ceremony of month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2021 on Bangla Academy premises, joining virtually from Ganabhaban yesterday. The Prime Minister unveiled the cover of "New China 1952", ihe offrciil nngtistr version of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman written book "Amar Dekha Noya Chin", published by Bangla Academy. Though the fair usually takes place in February commemorating the 1952 Language Movement, this year the fair has been delayed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. This year's fair has been dedicated to the memories of the martlrs of 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh. The main theme of the 2021 fair is ,,Birth Centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Golden Jubilee of Independence". On behalf of the premier, State Minister for Cultural Affairs I( M Iftalid handed over the Bangla Academy Literary Award-2020 to the recipients. The nation yesterday celebrated the second day of the ten-day programme of the Birth Centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and golden jubilee of the Independence with the theme 'Mohakaler Torjoni'. The colourful function began with the presentation of title animation video on the theme of 'Mujib Chiiantan'. Chief Coordinator of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee Dr. Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury delivered the welcome speech. He said the theme'Mohakaler Torjoni'has been selected based on speech of Bangabandhu's March 7 and the speech has changed the course of history of Bangalee nation. The discussion session concluded with a video message frorn Cambodiin Prime Minister Hun Sen. At the cultural part, a recorded cultural ceremony of friendly country Vietnarn was staged. Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen in a video message yesterday greeted the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the country's independence. The message was run while a recorded programme with theme 'Mohakaler Torjoni' was aired virtually on the second day of the ten-day programme. Hun S.n I.,igt,tigtted the historical friendship between Cambodia and Bangladesh which was founded by the close ties between the late King-Father of Carnbodia Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk and Father of the Nation of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during their meeting in the conference of the non-aligned countries in Algeria in 1973. -2- He said, Bangladesh under the wise leadership of President Md. Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meet the eligibility criteria for graduation from least developed countries in 2021 . Maldivian President lbrahirn Mohamed Solih left Dhaka last night wrapping up his two-day official visit to attend the celebrations of the country's golden jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. Foreign Minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen saw the Maldivian President off at the airport. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in Dhaka at lOam of this morning on a two-day visit to join the golden jubilee celebration of Bangladesh's independence and birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received her Sri Lankan counterpaft at the airport. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said, stem actions will be taken against those involved in vandalism and looting of the houses of Hindu community at Shalla upazila in Sunamganj. While talking to the reportrs at press conference on contemporary at the Secretariat yesterday he said, the BNP's politics is now isolated from the people's trust and confidence. Earlier in the day, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami met him at his office. After the meeting, Obaidul Quader said Bangladesh-lndia relations have passed in the test of time. Bangladesh built a new bridge of relations with India when the Sheikh Hasina's government assumed office first time in 1996,he added. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan while speaking the unveiling ceremony of a book on "Sheikh Hasina in Development" at Nasrul Hamid Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters' Unity yesterday said, Bangladesh witnessed huge development due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's farsighted leadership. He said world renowned leaders praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her outstanding contribution to the development of the country successfully. Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud addressing a discussion marking the birlh centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children Day at Nagar Baban in Dhaka yesterday said, any sorts ofconspiracies and violence that can erode the achievement ofthe country would be dealt with iron hands. He said attacks were carried at the houses of minority community at Shalla upazila in Sunamganj aimed at eroding the achievements of the country made under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina before the international guests. State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury was also present there. Earlier , 22 new born babies on March l7 under the hospitals of Dhaka South City Corporation were given civic reception in the programme. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said, the sufferings of justice-seekers will go down with the launching of digital summons as witnesses of criminal cases would receive short message service on their mobile phones as reminder of the hearing dates. He said this while addressing the launching ceremony of the system to inform the witnesses about the hearing dates through SMS, apart from the existing process of issuing summons, at the secretariat yesterday. The system was launched at Comilla and Narsinghdi under pilot programme. The government is yet to take a decision on whether to impose fresh lockdown curbs amid a resurgence of coronavirus cases in the country. Health Minister Zahid Maleque talking to the reporters at the I(rishibid Institute in Dhaka yesterday he said, a decision will be taken in consultation with all the agencies of the government. The govemment has decided to declare the Halda River, the counky's sole natural carp breeding ground, as a biodiversity heritage named "Bangabandhu Biodiversity-Rich Heritage Halda". The decision was taken at the first meeting of the National Committee on Biodiversity with Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md. Shahab Uddin in the chair held in Dhaka yesterday. Japan government has decided to extend emergency grant aid of l0 million US dollar for the displaced Rohingya and hosts communities in Bangladesh. The decision of providing the grant for humanitarian assistance was made on March 9, according to a press release issued by the Japan embassy in Dhaka yesterday. The Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington DC, Bangladesh Embassy in Greece, Bangladesh Embassy in Brasilia, the Embassy of Bangladesh in Denmark, Bangladesh High Commission in Sri lanka, Bangladesh High Commission in Canada, UN Permanent Mission and Bangladesh Consulate General in New York and Bangladesh Consulate General in Turkey celebrated the l0lst birlh anniversary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Children's Day,202l, with due respect and fervor on March 17. With the death of 16 more people yesterday, the number of deaths from Covid-19 in Bangladesh rose to 8,624. At the same time recovery count rose to 5,17,523, DGHS disclosed this information in a press release yesterday. With the detection of 2,187 new cases, the total number of Covid-l9 cases rose to 5,64,939. A total of 1,07433 people have so far been registered to receive COVID-19 vaccines yesterday. Total number of vaccine receivers stood at 46,87,824. ..rq-/) Principal Information Offi cer { Phone- 954609 I