Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (October 13, 2022) reiterated that Bangladesh must grow food in every inch of land, go for savings and practice austerity to avert a famine that international organisations fear may grip the world in 2023.

"Utilise every inch of land for food production, we have to go for savings and practice austerity. I hope that all will maintain that course," she said.

The premier said this at the Flag raising ceremony of Head Quarters 71 Mechanized Brigade, 15 and 40 East Bengals (Mechanized), 9 and 11 Bangladesh Infantry Regiments (Mechanized) held at CMP Centre and School at Savar Cantonment.

She asked all to remain cautious as the international organisations are apprehending that 2023 will be the time of famine across the world.

"But Bangladesh must not fall victim of that famine. For that we have to produce foods in our own lands. We have to go for savings and practice austerity," she told the ceremony in her virtual address from her official residence Gono Bhaban.

Hasina said that the aim of her government is to use every inch of uncultivated land for food production.

She urged every institution to go for food production in whatever land it has.

She mentioned that developed countries are suffering severely due to Ukraine-Russia war and consequent sanctions as food scarcity is becoming evident there.

"Bangladesh is also in the same position. That blow is already being felt here. We are trying to control that," she said.

In this connection, she said the government has given cards to one crore people for distributing rice at Tk 30 per kg.

She also said the government is selling rice to 35 lakh vulnerable people at a price as low as Tk 15 per kg.

"For those who are unable to work we are giving 25-40 kg of rice per month free of cost considering the size of their families," she added.

Army chief General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed also spoke at the programme.

PM Hasina witnessed an orderly and graceful parade demonstrated by the members of different brigades and regiments of Bangladesh Army.

Curfew will be in force from midnight tonight to 6:00am tomorrow, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

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All government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous, private organisations and factories in the country will remain open from Tuesday morning, the statement added.

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Commissioned officials of the Bangladesh Army have been given executive magistracy power, which will enable them to conduct search and, in the presence of designated officials, issue search warrants at any location.

A gazette notification issued on Tuesday grants army officials these powers for a period of 60 days from the date of the announcement.

The notification states army officials granted with magistracy power will be able to consider offenses under various sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, including Sections 64, 65, 83, 84, 86, 95(2), 100, 105, 107, 109, 110, 126, 127, 128, 130, 133, and 142.

Executive magistracy powers under the provisions

Section 64: The authority to arrest individuals committing offences in the magistrate's presence or to issue arrest orders and detain them.

Section 65: The ability to arrest or issue orders for arrests in their presence, including the issuance of arrest warrants.

Sections 83/84/86: The power to authorise warrants or issue orders for the removal to court of accused individuals arrested under a warrant.

Section 95(2): The authority to search for and seize documents and other materials with the assistance of postal and telecommunication authorities.

Section 100: The power to issue search warrants for the appearance of wrongfully detained individuals.

Section 105: Authority to conduct direct search and issue search warrants for investigations at any location in their presence.

Section 107: Powers necessary to maintain peace and security.

Section 109: Authority to ensure the good behaviour of vagrants and suspicious individuals.

Section 110: Powers to ensure good behaviour in general.

Section 126: Authority to settle matters related to bail.

Section 127: Power to order the dispersal of illegal assemblies.

Section 128: Authority to employ civilian forces for the dispersal of illegal assemblies.

Section 130: Power to use military force to disperse illegal assemblies.

Section 133: Authority to issue orders to control local disturbances in specific situations.

Section 142: Power to issue immediate orders to address public disturbances.

In addition to the aforementioned powers, any executive magistrate is authorised to conduct mobile courts under the Mobile Court Act-2009, as granted by the government and the district magistrate.

Police recovered throat-slit bodies of a woman and her son from a hotel in Bogura's Banani area this noon.

The deceased are Ashamoni, 22, and her 11-month-old son Abdullah Al Rafi, Abul Kalam Azad, inspector (investigation) of Shahjahanpur Police Station, told The Daily Star.

He said the woman along with her husband hired a room in the Shubhechchha hotel yesterday.

On information, police went to the scene and recovered their bodies.

Police detained the child's father Azizul Haque, a soldier of Bangladesh Army, following the incident, he added.

Azizul was posted at Chattogram.