PRES S TNFORMATION DEPARTMENT GOVERNMENT OF BANGLADESH DHAKA Most [Jrgent From: PIO. PID. Dhaka For: Brnglirdoot. All Missiorrs Fiix: 95i10553/9540026 N4SC: 27-tl102()-2 I E-rrrail: uiddltrrkir ri ern:ril,rt'rrr I)atc: Irriday. I I .lune 2021 Wcb \\ \riiriaisinfonti.i 'i ti,i Nelvs Brief President Md. Abdul Llamid reiterated his hope that Bangladesh Air Force would becotne a lrodern and advanced force in tlre days to corre as the present governrxent is itnplementing various programlnes to I'nodernize the Air' Force under the 'Forces Goal-2030'. The Head of the State expressed this while outgoing Chief of Air Statf Air Chiel Marshal Masihuzzantan Serniabat paid a call or1 him at Bangabhaban. The outgoing Air Chief briefed the President about various activities undeftaken during his tenure in the developrnent of the Bangladesh Air Force. President Md. Abdul Hamid asked Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul lslam to take effective steps to reduce rvater-logging problems dLrring the the rnonsoon. The Head of the State caure Llp with the directive as Mayor Atiqul lslanr called on hirn at the Bangabhaban yesterday. Prirne Minister Sheil<h Ilasina said, model lnosques across the country are being established to provide education, create awareness arrd increase knorvledge about Islam arrong the people to prevent clil rent social tnenaces. The Prenrier said this',vhile addressing the inauguration cerenrony of 50 model mosques and Islanric cr-rltural ccnters at Osrnarri Mernorial Auditoriurn irr Dhaka, -ioining virlually fi'onr Carrabhaban yesterday. Sheikh Hasina urged the Islanric scholars, guardians, teachers, political leaders and activists to play role in keeping away the youths fronr the destructive paths such as militancy and terrorisnr. On the occasion of "Mujib Borsha", she inaugurated 50 rnodel ntosques. out of total 560. Imbued with the spirit of Islanr and following the footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mu.libur Rahrnan, Prirre Minister Sheikh Hasina canre up with the idea of constructing the 560 nrodel nrosclues across the country involving Taka 8,722 crore, considered to be the world's largest ulosques project. State Minister fbr Religious Affairs Md. Faridul llaque l(han chaired the function. Prirne Minister Sheil<h Hasina said, her govemnlent has been rvorking to erlsure econornic solvency' of the grassroots people to build Bangladesh as a poverty-free country. The Prernier tnade the cotnnretrts while receiving donations for "llouse Construction Fund by Private Finance" and "Coronavirus Assistance Furrd".joining a l'uttction virtually fi'orn Ganabhaban. The Prirne Minister said, they have initiated the funds by giving Tal<a flve crore tl'onr the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mu.jibur Rahman Merrorial Trust airned at giving every horneless and lattdless people a shelter and protect the country and the people fronr the coronavirus. The Prirr.re Minister's Principal Secretary Dr. Ahmad Kaikaus on behalf of the Premier received the cheques for donations fiom various public and private organisations and individuals at the Prime Minister's Office. Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharrnin Chorvdhury said, the government is looking fbr innovative solrrlions to take the disrupted education sector forward, if the ongoing COVID-19 epidernic is prolonged. The Spealier said this as the Dutch Arnbassador to Bangladesh Harry Verve paid a courtesy call on her at the Palliarnent secretariat yesterdal,. During the rneeting. they discussed econor.r.ric development and expansion of trade and con.rrnerce, COVID-19 vaccinc activities. and significant progress of Bangladesh in the field of information technology. Tlre envoy expressed hope that cooperation between the two countries rvould cor.rtinue ou issues of mutual interest. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader while addressing at a regular press conference at his residence in the city yesterday said, BNP's politics of negativity and conspiracy is deadlier than invisible enemy coronavirus. Teruring BNP as the patron of conrmunal evil forces, the Minister said, BNP always talks about denrocracy but patror-rizes and nurtures comrlrunal fbrces. Obaidul Quader said, BNP kills inrrocent people and clarnages lrLrblic properties by carrying out arson attacks. When they stay in power, they subrrerge the countrl, under corruption and loot properties of people, he added. Later, the Minister virtually joined the rneeting of Parliarlentary Standing Cotnmittee on Road Transport and Bridges Ministry at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Infonnation and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahnrud was collgratulated for reforrning a policy irnposing additional fee on rnaking advertisernents and filrrrs with foreign artists. Representatives of the coLrntry's artist colnnrunitl, met the Minister at the Secretariat yesterday and expressed their heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to hirn. Speaking at the meeting, the Minister said, it is the state's responsibility to protect the local artists. A larse number of advertisernents broadcasted on our televisions have been made by artists fl"om other coLrntries and these altists are ltot ones. are of second and third grades, he said. Dr. Hasan Mahnrr.rd said, in sorne advertisenrelrts, orlr -qrade-one They artists artists have acted so beautifully and portrayed subjects in such a way that those are overrvhelrned to u,atch and put cleep nrarks in rninds. It is not the government's intention to restrict fbreign artists or stop fihns or advertisernents rnade abroad. but its goal is to protect the country's artists, he added. He infbrmed the proposed Bangladeslr Film Artists' Welfhre Trust Act rvas formulated and it is now in the parliamentary standing committee for scrutiny. The government is hopeful to rnake a forrnal announcement soon on coprodr,rction of COVID-19 vaccine in the country. Foreign Minister Dr. A I( Abdul Momen said tlris while speaking at a liandover cel'ernony of the donation of Bangladesh Association of Phannaceutical Industries for the people of Palestine at the state guest house Padlla in the capital yesterday. The Minister said, Dhaka would not recognize Israel until Palestine is established as an independent and sovereign country fi'ee of alry occupation forces. He said Bangladesh believes in two-state solution, the existences of the state ofPalestine and state ofIsrael, as way-out ofthe decades-long crisis there. Planning Minister M A N4annan said, there is no reason to hide data and infbrmation as tlre present Arvarni League governulent works for ensuring welfare and bettenrrent of people. The I\4inister said this while addressing the publication cererrony of a bool< titled "BBS Glossary: Concepts and Definition" in the capital yesterday. M A Mannan asked the offlcials concemed of BBS not to hide any inforrnation and data if tlrat is not threatening to state security. The country recorded 40 fatalities fi'orn COVID-19 yesterday, tal<ing the death toll to 12,989. With 2,-576 fiesh cases, the tally of infections surged to 8,20,395. At the sarre tirne recovery count rose to 7,59,630, DGHS disclosed this infonnation in a press release yesterday. State Minister for Public Adrninistration Farhad Ilossain underscored the need for tal<ing care of cultural rvorl<ers saying cultural activities play an inrportant role in national life. I-le said this while virtually addressing a cheque distribution ceremony for ternporarily jobless cultural rvorkers due to Covid-19 pandernic indLrced restrictions iu Meherpur. Ninety cultural workers received cheques of Tal<a 5000 each and total Taka 4,50,000 rvhile prizes rvere given arlrong five best teachers and l0 best students in the district r,rnder the prograrnnle. The Parliamentary Standing Con.u.nittee on the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges suggested bringing Nasimon-l(aritnon easy bikes under registration system by forrnulating a time-befitting policy to collect revenue. Tlie comttrittee at its ureeting at the Parliar.nent Cornplex yesterday also recornmended for removal of speed breal<ers on the roads and highways. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader attended the rneeting virtLrally. Meanwhile. the Parliarnentary Standing Cornn.rittee on the Ministry of Planning in its lOth rneeting at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban yesterday ir.rfortned that the r.vorl< is underway to launch a soltware so that the concerned persons from district level to tlie rninistry can rnonitor the projects by sitting at honre. The l3th anniversary of release of Awami League President and Prirne Minister Sheil<h l-{asina fiorn prison is being observed today. On this day in 2008, Sheikh Hasina was released fiom the special sub-jail set up on the premises of the Jatiya Sangsad Building after rernaining captive there for nearly I 1 rnonths. Conceding to the people's spontaneous and repeated dernands and pressure from different quarters, the caretaker government was compelled to release Sheikh Hasina fi'our jail. Lieutenant General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed has been rnade the new Chief of Bangladesh Arrry fbr the next three years with a promotion to the rank of General. The appointrrent and prornotion will be eflective from 24 June. l-he Defence Ministry has issr.red a gazette notification in this regard yesterday. The Governrlent has decided to appoint Ma.ior General S M Shanrirn-Uz-Zarnan as tlre nerv Arnbassador ol Barrgladesh to l-ibya. S M Sharnirn-Uz-Zaman was coururissioned in Bangladesh Arnry on 2l Decenrber 1984. Sincc cotnurissioning, he has been serving in various staff, instructional and cornrnand appointments at different levels. He has served as Military Secretary to the Hon'ble President of Bangladesh. The Election Conrurission has postponed polls to 163 union parishads and deferred date of by-election to three parliamentary seats. As per the new schedule, by-polls to three parliarnentary seats-Dhaka-14, Sylhet-3 and Curnilla-5 will be held on July 28 instead of July 14. F,C Secretary Md. Humayun Kabir l(handaker disclosed this alter the end of the 82nd meeting of the EC at Agargaon Nirbachan Bhaban yesterday.