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Russian Election Delegation Praises Bangladesh’s Transparent Polls
Andrei Shutov, the head of the Russian election monitoring delegation, commended the transparency of Bangladesh’s electoral system and the government’s commitment to ensuring a transparent and legitimate electoral process.
Shutov stated that the Russian delegation, the first of its composition from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, would actively monitor polling stations in Dhaka, observe political party activities and voter engagement, and assess the overall organization of the electoral process. The Russian observers, leveraging their international election observation experience, expressed interest in collaborating with colleagues from CIS countries, China, and others.
The general parliamentary elections in Bangladesh, scheduled for January 7, 2024, have attracted significant global attention, with around 200 representatives from foreign countries registered to observe the elections, where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seeks re-election for the fourth consecutive term.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed profound shock and sorrow over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
President Raisi and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were killed in a helicopter crash early today (20 May) in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border.
In a condolence message, Sheikh Hasina stated, “I am deeply shocked and saddened to hear about the sad demise of President Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and members of the entourage in the tragic accident of the helicopter carrying them.”
She added, “In this hour of grief, on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh and on my own behalf, I convey our deepest condolences to the Government and the brotherly people of Iran.”
Prime Minister Hasina remembered President Raisi as a “wise and selfless leader who served his country with deep commitment and worked for the well-being of the people of Iran.”
She praised his leadership, saying, “He was a great leader of international stature and his exemplary leadership and accomplishments will remain a lasting legacy for us.”
The condolence letter was addressed to Mohammad Mokhber, Iran’s first vice president, who earlier confirmed President Raisi’s death in a statement on social media and state television.
According to the state news agency IRNA, Raisi was flying in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has issued forecasts of rain or thundershowers for Dhaka, Rangpur, and five other divisions, commencing from 9 am today and extending over the next 24 hours. This weather forecast encompasses Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, and Sylhet divisions, where accompanying gusty or squally winds are anticipated during the rainfall. Additionally, Chattogram division is expected to experience some activity, albeit in fewer places, with the potential for hail in isolated areas.
The BMD bulletin highlights that various areas within these seven divisions may witness significant thunderstorm activity, accompanied by temporary gusty or squally winds, with isolated occurrences of hail.
Temperature levels across the nation are projected to remain consistent, both during daytime and at night. Over the past 24-hour period, Rajshahi recorded the highest temperature in the country at 34.7 degrees Celsius, while Sreemangal, Moulvibazar, experienced the lowest temperature at 21.2 degrees Celsius.
Dhaka witnessed the most substantial rainfall, measuring up to 87mm. Residents in the affected divisions are advised to prepare for adverse weather conditions and stay informed about further forecasts from the BMD.
The Jashore Education Board has achieved the highest pass rate of 92.32% among the nine boards in the 2024 Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination, according to official data.
Conversely, Sylhet remained at the bottom with a pass rate of 73.35%, continuing its trend from last year when it also recorded the lowest pass rate of 76.06%.
Data from the education board website reveals that the Dhaka board secured a pass rate of 83.92%, while Rajshahi board achieved 89.25%, Cumilla board 79.20%, Barishal board 89.13%, Chattogram board 82.80%, Dinajpur board 78.40%, and Mymensingh board 84.97%.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received the results of this year’s SSC and equivalent examinations. Students have been able to access their results through the official website.
