Economy
Md Shahabuddin Chuppu to take oath as 22nd president on April 24
President-elect Mohammed Shahabuddin Chuppu will take oath on April 24 as the current President Abdul Hamid’s term is coming to an end on April 23.
Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told the news media that preparations are being made for the swearing-in ceremony of the new president as it will be held on April 24 at 11 am in Bangabhaban.
Awami League candidate Shahabuddin was elected unopposed in the presidential election. He will be the 22nd president of Bangladesh as the successor of Abdul Hamid.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader proposed the name of the presidential candidate while Joint General Secretary Hasan Mahmud supported it.
Born in Pabna in 1949, Shahabuddin is a brave freedom fighter.
During his student life, Shahabuddin served as an activist and president of Pabna district Chhatra League and later handled the responsibility of the Pabna Jubo League as the president. In 1971, he was the convenor of Swadhin Bangla Chhatra Sangram Parishad of Pabna district, and also actively participated in the Liberation War.
He was imprisoned following the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. He was later appointed as the Law Ministry’s coordinator in the Bangabandhu assassination case.
In 1982, he joined the BCS (Judicial) Department, and in 1995, he was elected General Secretary of the Judicial Service Association.
He served as the chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission, which investigated murders, rapes, thefts, and other crimes by BNP-Jamaat alliance’s activists and leaders following the 2001 general election.
He also worked as a District and Sessions Judge and retired in 2006. He was a commissioner at Anti-Corruption Commission from 2011 to 2016.
In the previous National Council of Bangladesh Awami League, he served as election commissioner.
He earned his LLB from Rajshahi University in 1975, and completed his MSc from the same institution.
Md Shahabuddin’s wife Prof Dr. Rebecca Sultana is a former joint secretary of the government.
The current President Abdul Hamid is leaving Bangabhaban on April 24 after serving two consecutive terms.
The longest-serving president in the history of Bangladesh, Hamid was the acting president after the death of Zillur Rahman in March 2013. He was elected to his first term in April 2013 and re-elected to his current second term in 2018.
Hamid was elected as a member of parliament from the Mymensingh-18 constituency as the youngest person elected in the 1970 Pakistan general election. He was elected as member of parliament for Kishoreganj-5 constituency, from Awami League, in the general elections of 1973, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2009.
For his contribution to the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, he was awarded the Independence Award in 2013.
After his term ends, Hamid may move to a house in Nikunjo in the capital, said his press secretary Joynal Abedin. However, two sources in the president’s family said that a flat in the Cantonment area is also being prepared for him.
Expatriate Bangladeshis sent approximately US$ 2.11 billion in remittances during the first 28 days of September in the fiscal year 2024-25, according to data released by Bangladesh Bank on 29 September.
Of this total, state-owned and specialised banks handled $679.10 million, while private banks received $1.43 billion in remittances.
Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has vowed to expedite reforms and hold elections swiftly. Yunus, who recently assumed the role after the collapse of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year administration, expressed his commitment during an interview with Tokyo-based news outlet NHK WORLD in New York on Sunday. He was attending the United Nations General Assembly at the time.
Following mass student-led protests that ended Hasina’s long-standing rule in August, Yunus stepped in as the leader of the caretaker government. Known for founding Grameen Bank, an institution providing microloans to the underprivileged, Yunus, along with the bank, earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts in poverty alleviation.
During the interview, Yunus emphasized that the interim government’s primary mission is to implement reforms promptly and ensure elections are held as soon as the groundwork is complete. He underscored the importance of success, stating, “Failure is not something that we can accept.”
Addressing the pivotal role of students in the ousting of the Hasina administration, Yunus acknowledged the sacrifices made by young people, referring to their involvement as part of a “revolution.” He highlighted his intention to engage the younger generation in shaping policy.
Furthermore, Yunus called for continued support from Japan, Bangladesh’s largest donor, during this crucial transition period. He stressed that Japan’s assistance is vital to stabilizing Bangladesh’s economy and fostering a democratic foundation in the nation.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the Adviser for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, announced today that steps will be taken to restrict the use of polythene shopping bags to safeguard future generations.
Starting from October 1, polythene bags will be banned in shopping malls, followed by a ban in kitchen markets from November 1.
“Everyone must take responsibility and stop using polythene voluntarily. Action against polythene producers will begin from November 1,” Rizwana Hasan stated during a seminar.
The Department of Environment (DoE) organized the seminar to raise public awareness about alternatives to banned polythene bags.
Rizwana Hasan highlighted that the restriction on polythene will be executed in phases according to legal provisions, and discussions with shopping centers and store owners are ongoing to ensure a smooth transition.
She also announced plans to make the government secretariat a plastic-free zone by December.
Other speakers at the seminar included Environment Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed, DoE Director General Dr. Abdul Hamid, Director Rajinara Begum, President of the Shop Owners Association Muhammad Helal Uddin, and Md. Arifur Rahman Bhuiyan, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at BUP. They discussed the harmful effects of polythene and the need for alternative products.
Earlier, Rizwana Hasan inaugurated a fair showcasing eco-friendly alternatives to polythene bags and visited 24 stalls. The fair featured products from government and private entrepreneurs, including reusable bags, jute bags, paper bags, and items made from bamboo and cane.
