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 Renowned economist Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud said it is ridiculous that the low-income people have been kept under income tax in black and white avoiding any effective measures to tackle the tax dodging of tens of thousands of middle class and rich people and stop the corruption of the tax administration.

 The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has urged the government not to increase tax at source on export proceeds.

 Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has demanded the announcement of a roadmap for providing compensation money promised by the developed countries to the countries affected by climate change.

Iftekharuzzaman, the executive director of the organization, said on Tuesday, “Developed countries have failed to provide the promised $100 Billion in climate finance every year from 2020 to the affected countries which is a prerequisite for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, including achieving the global temperature target of 1.5 degrees Celsius.”

“They provided only $83.3 billion in the last two years of which at best $20 billion is for Climate Fund.”

He stated, “It was not possible to create a separate fund to deal with the damage at the 2021 climate conference due to the barriers of the developed countries. In addition, they have reduced aid to food security, and environmental and biodiversity conservation programs in affected countries. So, considering the whole picture, Bangladesh and other affected countries have to play a strong role to emphasize climate change adaptation, mitigation and financing in accordance with the Paris Agreement in the upcoming summit.”

“As there is no consensus definition of Climate Finance in the Paris Pact, ‘new’ and ‘additional’ aid is being provided as loans. 70 percent of the total global climate finance disbursed so far has been in the form of loans. Difficult criteria for receiving GCF funding have made it more difficult for the affected nations to access needed climate funding. On the contrary, due to rising temperatures and natural disasters, the $100 billion per year pledged in 2009 is no longer sufficient, as climate funding needs will be $140-300 billion per year by 2030. It is therefore necessary to set new collective targets for financing to meet the growing adaptation and mitigation needs of affected countries.

According to TIB, global warming has increased the frequency of floods, tsunamis, cyclones and wildfires globally. However, the use and export of carbon-emitting fossil fuels, especially coal, has increased and financing for the coal-based energy project has also raised. In view of such a global situation, the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is going to be held from November 6 to 18 in Sharm Al-Sheikh, Egypt.

TIB suggested, at this year’s Climate Conference, Bangladesh and other affected countries should convince the developed countries to announce a roadmap for timely delivery of the promised compensation.

TIB has presented a total of 16 demands, divided into two parts – what Bangladesh can raise at the COP27 and what the Bangladesh government can do – for the consideration of the concerned parties to ensure the implementation of the Paris Agreement with the assurance of fairness and transparency in the related activities.

For the Bangladesh government, TIB recommended that the authority should continue to prioritize the challenges of climate change, as well as obligations of tackling the unprecedented energy and economic shock stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war.

It further recommended that risky industrialization activities including coal-based power plants should be phased out to protect livelihoods, forests and environment and natural resources; the proposed Integrated Energy and Power Master Plan – IEPMP with a specific roadmap will strategically prioritize renewable energy; short, medium and long-term timed plans should be adopted to increase the production of renewable energy in Bangladesh.

TIB stressed that all projects related to climate change must ensure good governance, integrity and especially effective measures to control corruption

 Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said the values of the Liberation War and democracy are not safe under BNP regime.

“The country’s people are not in any crisis but, in fact, they are in danger because of the BNP,” he said in a statement issued protesting the misleading statement of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Claiming that the people think that the biggest threat to the country’s independence and sovereignty is the BNP, the AL general secretary said the values of the Liberation War and democracy are not safe under the reign of BNP as the people are worried about what BNP would do against the backdrop of their political bankruptcy.

Responding to a statement of Fakhrul that the country is in a deep crisis, he said the country is not in crisis but the BNP is in a deep crisis.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said BNP leaders threaten everyday to wage a movement but they do not know who is the leader of their movement.

Mentioning that both BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and its acting chairman Tarique Rahman were convicted, he said one was convicted for embezzling money of an orphanage.

Bangabandhu’s daughter and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave Khaleda Zia the opportunity to receive treatment staying at her home, thanks to the generosity of Sheikh Hasina, the AL general secretary said.

He said another person -Tarique – fled abroad like a coward on undertakings that he would not do politics, while the BNP leader is a fugitive convict in the cases of 10 trucks arms haul and the August 21 grenade attack.

Quader said Tarique has been living a luxurious life staying at a safe distance and throwing sound bombs from there aiming to boost up his leaders and activists, dreaming of the assuming the state power.

The country’s people no more want to go back and see the ‘blessed son of corruption’, founder of Hawa Bhaban and convicted fugitive Tarique Rahman, he said.

The AL general secretary said, the BNP leaders, in their statements, always find the smell of artificial crisis and do the politics of frustration saying that the country’s independence is gone.

The BNP should shun the tactics of such ill-politics, he added.

“It will really be supportive for the country’s politics if BNP returns to the right path by holding the spirit of the Liberation War and democratic values,” Quader said.

 Qatari authorities have evicted hundreds of migrant workers from buildings in central Doha, casting a new shadow over the countdown to the World Cup, residents and workers said Saturday.

 Seven dengue patients died while 983 patients were admitted to different hospitals across the country during the past 24 hours (till 8am today).

“As many as 523 dengue patients were hospitalized in Dhaka city and 451 patients were admitted to hospitals outside Dhaka during the past 24 hours,” a press release of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said.

“A total of 148 people died from dengue disease between January 1 and November 1. The first death from dengue was reported on June 21, this year,” the daily statement of the DGHS said.

With the new cases, the total number of dengue patients this year rose to 39,007 while some 35,261 patients were released from the hospitals.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness that occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Outbreak of the disease is usually seasonal, peaking during and after rainy seasons.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies dengue as one of the top 10 threats to public health.