report in Prothom Alo, MAR 30, 2023
Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman has been sued under the Digital Security Act. Reporter Samsuzzaman Shams, an ‘assistant cameraman’ and unnamed others were also made accused in the case filed with Ramna Police Station.
A lawyer named Abdul Malek (Mashiur Malek) filed the case. Prothom Alo was confirmed of the development at around 1:30am on Thursday. Later, the daily talked with the plaintiff Abdul Malek, who claimed himself to be a High Court lawyer. He told Prothom Alo, “I filed a first information report (FIR). Don’t know if it (case) has been filed. They (police) have contacted different places. You know how it is with the police.”
Ramna police station’s inspector Abu Ansar has been given responsibility of investigating the case.
Ramna police did not want to provide any information on the case. Two reporters of Prothom Alo went to the police station at around 12:30, but failed to enter the station despite trying for one and a half hours. Some more journalists of different news media, who were outside the police station at that time, were also not allowed to enter. It seemed that many people were inside the police station other than the policemen.
Abul Hasan, officer in charge of Ramna police station, left the premises hurriedly at 1:30am. Journalists tried to talk to him but he left without stopping the car.
Later a journalist was allowed to enter the premises of the police station. A Prothom Alo reporter approached on-duty sub inspector (duty officer) Habibur Rahman to know about the case and asked for the copy of FIR. He replied, “Come tomorrow (Thursday) morning. I don’t have the copy now. Collect it in any other way.”
Earlier on Wednesday, a case was filed against Prothom Alo journalist Samsuzzaman under Digital Security Act.
A certain Syed Md Golam Kirbria, 36, filed the case with capital’s Tejgon police station.
According to information available on the Facebook page of Syed Md Golam Kirbria, he is the general secretary of Jubo League’s Dhaka City North ward 11 unit and a former member of the central committee of Bangladesh Chhattra League.
In the case, he alleged that a report published in Prothom Alo on Independence Day puts the achievements of Bangladesh in question, tarnishes the image of the government, and creates a possibility of deteriorating law and order situation in the country. That is why, the plaintiff has felt aggrieved and filed the lawsuit, according to the case statement.
Kariman Nesa was at her village home in Katigram of Manikganj sadar and came to know about the detention of the younger son around 10:00 am on Wednesday.
Several plainclothesmen identifying themselves as members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) picked up Samsuzzaman from his house in Savar near Jahangirnagar University early Wednesday morning.
His whereabouts was unknown as of 10:00pm on Wednesday, after 18 hours of being picked up. Law enforcers did not acknowledge his arrest or detention till then.
https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/zziulqhp3o
Economy: ‘Debt servicing a concern’
Report in The Daily Star, Mar 30, 2023
Around 18 per cent of Bangladesh’s revenue is currently spent on debt servicing each year, creating a concern for the economy, according to Syed M Ahsan, professor emeritus at Concordia University in Canada.
“If the amount increases, the government’s capacity to finance other sectors, such as health and education, will squeeze,” he said at a seminar, titled “Debt and Development: Where is Bangladesh Headed?”
The Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) organised the seminar at its office in Dhaka.
“The number of banks in Bangladesh is much higher than its economic volume. This will not bring any positive for the financial sector,” Ahsan said.
“We do not allow any bank to fail but this is a bad culture. Banks facing losses should be allowed to fail,” he added.
Ahsan then suggested that deposit insurance should be increased to protect the clients’ funds.
Almost all countries monitor all types of economic activities, he said, adding that the black economy is available in every country.
The black economy refers to people who operate entirely outside the tax and regulatory system.
A group of people does not show their business transactions to avoid taxation, he said.
However, such types of economic activities are also calculated by the respective authority of the foreign nations, Ahsan added.
With this backdrop, he urged the central bank to detect the volume of the black economy and bring such activities under regulation.
Binayak Sen, director general of BIDS, said the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has had a more adverse impact on the economy than the coronavirus pandemic.
“If the war prolongs, the economy will face more problems,” he added.
Sen then said that Bangladesh has taken loan from the International Monetary Policy at the right time.
“If the suggestions of the IMF are implemented properly, the country will get benefit from it,” he added.
https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/news/debt-servicing-concern-3284196
