18-02-2021

tHursday

Dhaka : February 18, 2021; Falgun 5, 1427 BS; Rajab 5,1442 hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.Da~2065, Vol.17; N o. 308; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

InternatIonal

Sweden readying to

close gyms, restaurants,

hair salons

>Page 7

sports

IPL 2021: Only

Bangladesh players not

available for full season

>Page 9

art & culture

Bubly as

Nirab`s heroine in

`Chokh`

>Page 10

No scarcity of COVID-19

vaccines: Maleque

DHAKA : Health and Family Welfare

Minister Zahid Maleque on Tueday said

all people will be vaccinated as there is

no scarcity of COVID-19 vaccines.

"We have distributed required number

of vaccines to all designated hospitals

across the country… if necessary, we

will provide more vaccines to these hospitals

to bring all people under vaccination

coverage," he told a function of

Dhaka Dental College here, an official

release said.

The minister said Bangladesh has so

far brought 70 lakh COVID-19 vaccines

and 22 lakh more vaccines will be

brought by February 22. "We will collect

vaccine every month to make countrywide

vaccination coverage a success," he

added.

According the health ministry, 50 lakh

Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines purchased

by the government reached Dhaka on

January 25 as part of a tripartite memorandum

of understanding (MoU) signed

on November 5 and a subsequent agreement

on December 13 among

Bangladesh Government, Beximco

Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BPL) and the

Serum Institute of India (SII).

The agreement ensures availability of

three crore COVID-19 vaccine doses in

phases from the Serum Institute.

Bangladesh received its first ever COVID-

19 vaccine consignment on January 21

(Thursday) as India sent 20 lakh doses of

vaccine developed by the University of

Oxford and AstraZeneca as gift.

Probe report in BB

reserve heist case

Mar 31

DHAKA : A court here on Wednesday

set March 31 to submit a probe report in

the case lodged over Bangladesh Bank

(BB) reserve heist that took place in

2016.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate

Sadbir Yasir Ahsan Chowdhury set the

date as the investigation agency

Criminal Investigation Department

(CID) failed to present the report yesterday.

Hackers stole $101m from BB's

accounts with the Federal Reserve

Bank of New York in February 2016. Of

the amount, $81 million was transferred

to four accounts with RCBC in

Manila, Philippines.

But the transfer of $20 million to Sri

Lanka failed because of a spelling error

by the hackers. Later, the BB was able

to retrieve about $15 million from the

Philippines.

Bangladesh Bank Deputy Director

(accounts and budgeting) Zobayer Bin

Huda filed the case with Motijheel

Police Station on March 15, 2016.

The CID is now probing the case.

Zohr

05:15 AM

12:16 PM

04:18 PM

05:58 PM

07:13 PM

6:29 5:56

Attempt to kill Hasina

HC upholds death

penalty of 10

SATKHIRA : The High Court (HC)

on Wednesday upheld the lower court

verdict sentencing 10 people to death in

a case filed over the murder attempt on

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at

Kotalipara in Gopalganj in 2000.

The High Court bench of Justice

Jahangir Hossain and Justice Md

Badruzzaman pronounced the verdict

virtually, reports UNB.

The death- row convicts are: Asim

Akter alias Tarek Hossain, Md Rashed

Driver alias Abul Kalam, Md Yusuf alias

Moshab Morol, Sheikh Farid alias

Maulana Shawkat Osman, Hafez

Jahangir Alam Badar, Maulana Abu

Bakar, Hafez Maulana Yahiya, Mufti

Shafiqur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hye

and Maulana Abdur Rouf.

The HC also acquitted Sarwar Hosain

who was awarded 14 years' imprisonment

by the lower court.

Besides, the HC issued a directive to

release Mahibullah alias Mafizur

Rahman who got 14 years' imprisonment

as he has already served the jail

term.

The HC upheld the life term jail and

14 years' imprisonment of Mehedi

Hasan alias Abdul Wadud and Anisul

alias Anis, respectively.

Later, the HC fixed February 17 for

delivering the judgment after law point

arguments from both sides concluded

on February 1.

On August 20, 2017, the Speedy Trial

Tribunal-2 in Dhaka sentenced 10 people

to death in the case.

Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul Wadud,

one of the accused, got life term jail and

was fined Tk 10,000 in the case.

The court also gave 14 years' rigorous

imprisonment to three other accused,

including Md Anisul Islam alias Anis,

and fined them Tk 10,000 each.

A total of 10 people, including

Metro rail's operations to start

in next victory day: Mannan

DHAKA : Planning Minister MA

Mannan on Wednesday expressed his

optimism that the operations of the

country's maiden metro rail from Uttara

to Agargaon in the city would begin from

the next victory day.

The minister said this after visiting the

physical progress of the metro rail project

at Diabari depot in the capital's Uttara.

The length of the metro rail, from

Uttara to Agargaon having nine stations,

is 11.73 kilometer of which viaduct is visible

on 11.4 kilometer route, he said,

adding "Hopefully, metro rail will start

operations on this route in the next victory

day."

Mannan said the government is hopeful

to launch the operations of metro rail

in this year to celebrate the golden jubilee

Khandaker Kamal Uddin, were also

acquitted from the murder attempt

charge.

The same court also gave nine people

to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment and

fined them Tk 20,000 each in another

case filed under Explosive Substances

Act over the unearthing of 76 kg explosives

near the rally venue of then Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina at Kotalipara in

2000.

Those sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment

are Md Yusuf alias Moshab

Morol, Mehedi Hasan alias Abdul

Wadud, Asim Akter alias Tarek

Hossain, Md Mohibullah alias Mofizur

Rahman, Mahmud Azhar, Md Rashed

Driver alias Abul Kalam, Md Shah

Newaz and Sheikh Md Enamul Haque.

Police recovered a 76-kilogram bomb

from near a shop adjacent to Sheikh

Lutfur Rahman Govt High School on

July 20, 2000 where Sheikh Hasina

was supposed to address a rally on July

22.

Another 40-kg heavy bomb was also

recovered by an Army bomb expert

squad from near the Kotalipara helipad

on July 23.

Nur Hossain, sub-inspector of

Kotalipara Police Station, filed a case

under the Explosive Substances Act in

connection with the bomb recovery

incidents.

Police pressed charges against 16 people,

including executed Harkat-ul-

Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan,

on April 8, 2001.

On June 29, 2009, police submitted a

complementary charge sheet implicating

nine more people.

Meanwhile, Mufti Hannan was executed

on April 12, 2017 over the grenade

attack on then UK High Commissioner

Anwar Choudhury at Shahjalal Shrine

in Sylhet in 2004.

of the country's independence.

"Although there was an impact on the

project works due to COVID-19, but

work is now going on day and night," he

added.

The minister also informed that a committee

is working to fix the fares of the

metro rail.

Managing Director of Dhaka Mass

Transit Company Limited MAN

Siddique said the trial run of metro rail

would begin on April 23.

"In many countries this trial run ranges

from three months to one year. After the

trial run, it will be possible to say when

the commercial operations could be

launched. Hopefully we'll be able to say

about this in July," he added.

Hasan asks BNP

leaders to take

COVID-19 vaccines

shunning shyness

DHAKA : Information Minister Dr

Hasan Mahmud yesterday urged BNP

leaders to take the COVID-19 vaccines

shunning shyness.

He came up with the call while talking

to reporters after taking his first dose of

COVID-19 vaccine at Bangladesh

Secretariat clinic here.

Secretary of the Health Services

Division Abdul Mannan and civil surgeon

of the clinic Ilias Ali were present

on the occasion.

Hasan, also joint general secretary of

the ruling Awami League, expressed his

gratitude to the BNP leaders, who have

already taken vaccines and who have

been making statements on the

urgency of inoculation.

"We are ashamed of the responsible

BNP leaders, who have been conducting

propaganda over the vaccine…their

propaganda proved that they always

spread rumours to mislead people and

put the government in trouble," he said.

He said since people are taking vaccine

with much enthusiasm, the BNP

leaders are feeling embarrassed due to

successful vaccination programme of

the government.

Noting that the government has

taken massive preparedness and various

measures to manage the vaccination

programme, the information minister

said:

"I would like to ask the BNP leaders to

take the COVID-19 vaccines shunning

shyness.

The government is committed to

ensuring protection of all. We want to

protect the people of the opposition

party who criticizes us every day."

He said the way the Bangladesh government

collected the vaccines in time

is rare around the world and even the

United State and the European countries

are struggling to manage the

COVID-19 vaccines.

The people's enthusiasm in taking

vaccines ignoring the propaganda

proves that the timely decision taken by

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to protect

the country's people is very successful,

the minister said.

As many as 3460

rifle bullets were

recovered while

digging soil at a

backyard of a

Liberation War

organizers

house in

Belaboupazila

on Tuesday

night.

Photo: Star Mail

Myanmar crisis

Kamal to stick with expansionary

scope of budget, but expand slower

Barisal

University students

blocked

traffic on the

busy Barishal-

Patuakhali

highway yesterday,

demanding

immediate

action against

the perpetrators

of

Tuesday's

attack that left

11 scholars

injured. They

also torched an

empty bus.

Photo: Star

Mail

'Terrified' UN rights expert

sounds alarm ahead of

expected protests

DHAKA : Voicing concern over the

current situation of human rights in

Myanmar, the UN Special Rapporteur

on the situation of human rights in

Myanmar has warned of the potential

for a sharp uptick in violence on

Wednesday, as protests continue

against the 1 February military takeover

of the government, reports UNB.

Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews

said in a statement that he is "terrified"

that violence could break out, as additional

soldiers have been deployed in

towns and cities, including the commercial

hub Yangon, where demonstrations

are planned, following reports

that a "secretive trial" of State

Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and

President Win Myint began on

Tuesday.

"In the past, such troop movements

preceded killings, disappearances, and

detentions on a mass scale," he said.

"I am terrified that given the confluence

of these two developments -

planned mass protests and troops converging

- we could be on the precipice of

the military committing even greater

crimes against the people of Myanmar",

he added.

Mr. Andrews issued an "urgent call"

on all governments, individuals and

entities that may have influence on

Myanmar military authorities to use

that influence "to convince the junta

that rallies planned for Wednesday

must be allowed to proceed without

detentions or violence."

DHAKA : The country is likely to get a

Tk 593,314 crore budget for 2021-22 fiscal,

Tk 25,314 crore higher than the running

one, aiming to face the COVID-19

pandemic challenge and recovering the

economy.

According to Finance Ministry sources,

the process to formulate the budget has

started.

The meeting of the coordination council

on budget management and financial

and currency exchange rate was held virtually

recently with Finance Minister

AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

The budget size for the current 2020-

21 fiscal was fixed at Tk 568,000 crore.

Considering that, the size of the budget

would increase by 4.4 percent - a smaller

increase than what successive AL-led

governments have gone for since assuming

power in 2009.

The budget for the current fiscal is 13.2

percent larger than the one for 2019-20,

which itself was 18.2 percent bigger than

the one for 2018-19. Sources said that

the priority sectors for facing the challenge

of pandemic and recovering the

economy are health, investment, production,

employment, human resource

development, poverty reduction and

strengthening food security.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa

Kamal is likely to place the national

budget in the first week of June, if everything

goes well.

On different occasions he said that life

does not stand still due to the COVID-19

pandemic, rather the country has to

reach its desired position facing all hurdles.

He mentioned that in the next fiscal

many prioritised projects will be at the

final stage and there will be no relaxation

in money disbursement for those projects

apart from new allocation. Besides,

for revenue collection the concerned

offices will be more active to fulfil their

targets.

As per the Finance Ministry sources, in

the new budget there will be new programmes

and necessary allocation with

directives for ensuring employment

opportunities. In the next budget there

will be proposals to attract local and foreign

investments.

"Above all, the budget for 2021-22 fiscal

will be formulated as per the line of

8th Five Year Plan," a senior official of the

Finance Ministry said.

Sources said that the size of the budget

was estimated at Tk 600,000 crore, but

later it was reduced to Tk 593,314 crore.

The estimated revenue target has been

fixed at Tk 383,700 crore which is Tk

1687 crore higher than the current fiscal.

This target is 10.8% of the GDP.

The meeting also proposed Tk 206,061

crore budget deficit- an estimated 5.8%

of GDP. The gDP growth for the next fiscal

has been estimated at 7.7%, down

from 8.2% for the current one.

The estimated inflation for the next fiscal

year was proposed 5.3% which is

5.4% in the running fiscal. Besides,the

GDP for the next fiscal has been proposed

to 35,52,778 crore while the estimated

investment for the next fiscal is

32% of the GDP.

THuRSDAY, feBRuARY 18 , 2021

2

Govt to support fisheries, livestock

entrepreneurs: Razzaque

DHAKA : Agriculture Minister Dr M Abdur

Razzaque on Wednesday said the government

will provide its constant support to the fisheries

and livestock entrepreneurs as over Taka

568 crore was distributed among 4.85 lakh

growers as per directive of the Prime Minister.

The minister came with the assurance while

attending a function for distributing financial

incentives among the coronavirus affected fish

and livestock farmers at city's Osmani memorial

auditorium.

"All the necessary support will be given to

the fisheries and livestock sector as the sectors

are playing pivotal role in poverty alleviation

and meeting nutritional demand of the people,"

the minister said.

Bangladesh has now become self-sufficient

in cereal food production, the minister said,

adding that the government led by Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken time-befitting

initiatives attaching maximum priority to

the agriculture sector.

"To ensure nutritious and safe food is now

an ultimate target of the government. So, the

government is providing maximum support

for boosting production of the nutritious food

including fish, milk, eggs, meat and fruits," he

told the function arranged by the Ministry of

Fisheries and Livestock.

The rising production of these food ingredients

will help to fulfill people's nutritional

demand, alleviate poverty of the rural people

along with employment generation.

Chaired by Fisheries and Livestock Minister

SM Rezaul Karim, the programme was also

addressed, among others, by Planning

Minister MA Mannan and chairman of the

parliamentary standing committee on the

ministry of fisheries and livestock Direndra

Devnath Shambu as the special guest.

Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Rawnak

Mahmud gave the welcome address at the

function. Hospital vandalised after patient's

death in Cumilla

Hospital vandalised after

patient's death in Cumilla

CUMILLA : The relatives of a patient vandalized

Cumilla Trauma Centre on Tuesday following

the death of the patient at the hospital,

reports UNB.

Mobarak Hossain, 60, of Laksham upazila,

was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday

with a tumour in his leg.

Jemine Akter, sister of the patient, said

they took her brother to the hospital with

knee ache and the doctors told them that

they will remove the tumour through surgery.

Later, the patient was taken to the operation

theater around 8 pm and died there

after he was given anesthesia for conducting

the surgery by Dr Shafayet Islam, she

alleged.

Police open

house day

held in

Sreepur

M R J innah,Sreepur

Correspondent : To curb

crimes and to free

SreepurUpazila from

drugs, police open house

day and a discussion meeting

was held at Sreepur

Thana premises

underMagura district on

Wednesday.

Officer In-charge of

Sreepur thana Ali Ahmed

Masud presided over the

discussion meeting, while

Additional police Super

(sadar circle) Magura

Tarek Al Mehedi was present

and spoke as the chief

guest.

Among

others,SreepurUpazilaAwa

mi League president Md

Abul Kalam Azad, Officer

In-charge(Investigation)

Liton Kumar Sarkar,

SreepurSadar Union

Parishad Chairman Md.

Moshiar Rahman,

Dariapur Union Parishad

Chairman Jakir Hossain

Kanon were present as

special guest.

Community Policing

Committee members, journalists,

leaders of civil society

and law discipline force

participated in the program.

Information Minister. Hasan Mahmud spoke to reporters at the Bangladesh Secretariat Clinic after receiving

the Covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday.

Photo: PBA

.341(25) 17/02/21

Invitation for e-GP Tender

Additional police Super (sadar circle) Magura Tarek Al Mehedi as the chief guest

addressed the police open house day and a discussion meeting atSreepur Thana

premises under on Wednesday.

Photo: MRJinnah

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THURSDAY, fEBRUARY 18, 2021

3

A joint meeting of Amar Ekushey Celebration Central Coordinating Committee and various sub-committees

was held under the chairmanship of DU VC Prof. Dr Akhtaruzzaman. Photo: DU Public Relations.

Building height to be

determined on the

basis of density: Tajul

DHAKA : Minister for Local

Government, Rural

Development and

Cooperatives M Tajul Islam

on Wednesday said the

height of the building would

be determined on the basis

of population and

communication system in

the capital.

"Building height would be

based on population and

communication system of

the area and the final

decision to be taken after

consulting with architects,

urban planners and other

stakeholders, including

those involved in the private

housing sector," he said.

Tajul, also the convener of

the Detailed Area Plan

(DAP) Review Committee,

said this at a meeting with

representatives of Real

Estate and Housing

Association-REHAB and

Bangladesh Land

Developers Association-

BLDA at the conference

room of the ministry.

The minister said roads

and schools-colleges,

shopping malls, health

centers, sports grounds,

water bodies, and other civic

amenities including

greening should be ensured

for human movement, said a

press release.

Emphasizing the need to

fix area-based holding tax,

water, gas, electricity and

other utility service charges,

Tajul said it is not fair that

people living in elite areas

and those of Jatrabari or

Wari areas to pay the same

price.

"Our only objective is to

make Dhaka city livable,

attractive and modern and

that's why long-term plans

like DAP have been

adopted," he added. Tajul

sought the cooperation of all

concerned for the

implementation of DAP.

The meeting was chaired

by Secretary, ministry of

Housing and Public Works,

M Shahid Ullah Khandaker.

Sweets distributed

in Kotalipara as

HC upholds verdict

GOPALGANJ : Sweets were

distributed among common

people in Kotalipara town as

High Court yesterday

upheld the death sentence

for 10 convicts in a case over

attempt to kill Awami

League President and Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina

trough planting a 76-kg

bomb in Kotalipara in 2000.

Upazila unit Awami

League organized a jubilant

rally that paraded different

streets in the town on the

occasion of the verdict of

HC.

The rally kicked off

Upazila Parishad premises

and culminated at AL office.

Kotalipara Upazila AL

President Bhabendronath

Biswas, General Secretary

Aynal Hossain Sheikh,

Municipality Mayor Md

Kamal Hossain Sheikh,

Sechha Sebok League leader

Bablu Hajra and Jubo

League leader Bulbul

Ahmed Hajra spoke among

others in the rally.

Effective strategies being adopted to

protect Sundarbans: Shahab Uddin

DHAKA : Environment, Forests and Climate

Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin yesterday

said a strategic environmental assessment is

being carried out in the south-western part of

the country as part of the government's firm

commitment to protect the Sundarbans.

"The Strategic Environmental Assessment

Report and the Strategic Environmental

Management Plan will provide effective

guidelines for the conservation of the

Sundarbans," he said. The minister made the

remarks while addressing a meeting with

national level stakeholders on Strategic

Environmental Assessment (SEA) of

Southwest region and Sundarbans at Pan

Pacific Hotel Sonargaon in the city, said a

press release.

Noting that the government has recently

approved the "Sundarbans Protection" project

in the ECNEC to strengthen the Sundarbans

conservation activities, Shahab Uddin said,

"By implementing development activities in

the south-western part of the country, we will

be able to ensure the conservation of the

Sundarbans".

The Strategic Environmental Assessment of

the south-west part of the country as well as

the Sundarbans is being carried out through a

fully government-funded technical project to

ensure so that the Sundarbans is not harmed

due to implementation of policies, plans and

activities related to the country's development

process, he added.

As per the survey report, the ministries and

departments, which are implementing the

development works, will work on the basis of

awareness and inter-coordination to ensure

environmental protection activities in the

Professor Dr. S M. Mahabub Ul Haque Majumder, Vice Chancellor (In-Charge)

and Pro Vice Chancellor of Daffodil International University presiding over the

27th Academic Council Meeting of Daffodil International University where Dr.

Md. Sabur Khan, Chairman, Board of Trustee and Mominul Haque Majumder,

Treasurer are also seen in the picture.

Photo : Courtesy

1700 HSC passouts apply

for re-evaluation

JASHORE : Nearly 1,700 higher secondary

certificate (HSC) passouts have applied to

Jashore Education Board for re-evaluation

of their results, reports UNB.

The re-evaluation results are likely to be

published on February 28.

According to Jashore Education Board, the

results of HSC and equivalent exams of 2020

academic year were published on January 30.

In the wake of Covid-19, no exams were

held last year and the evaluation was done on

the basis of a student's Junior School

Certificate (JSC) and Secondary School

Certificate (SSC) results.

The HSC batch of 2020 will be the first

batch of students to get certificates without

sitting for final tests, as it's the first time in

the history of Bangladesh that a public exam

has been cancelled.

A total of 1,21,528 students secured pass

marks in HSC exam under the Jashore

Education Board. Of them, 12,892 got GPA 5.

Prof Madhab Chandra Rudra,

examination controller of Jashore Education

Board, said, "The evaluation was done on the

south-western region of the country including

the Sundarbans, the minister said.

Shahab Uddin said, "The Sundarbans is not

only our resource but also the resource of the

world. It is almost impossible to make an

accurate economic assessment of the way the

Sundarbans protects us from cyclones and

tidal surges".

Apart from that, a part of the Sundarbans is

a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the entire

Sundarbans is a RAMSAR site, he said,

adding, "So conservation of Sundarbans is the

responsibility of all of us".

Mentioning that an international and

national consulting firm is conducting the

study jointly, the minister said, preliminary

reports submitted by the consulting firm have

already been finalized by the review

committee at the end of the review.

"Hopefully we will get the final report of this

survey in the next six months," Shahab Uddin

said. Deputy Minister for Environment,

Forests and Climate Change Begum Habibun

Nahar, Additional Secretary (Development)

Ahmed Shamim Al Razi, Chief Conservator of

Forests Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury and

Executive Director of Center for

Environmental and Geographic Information

Services Malik Fida A Khan spoke as special

guests with Secretary of the Environment,

Forests and Climate Change Ministry Ziaul

Hasan in the chair.

Team Leader of Integra Consulting, Czech

Republic, Professor Barry Dalal Clayton

presented the keynote papers in the meeting

attended by representatives from different

ministries, government and non-government

organisations.

basis of the SSC and JSC results as per the

order of the National Advisory Committee."

He was the evaluation process was a

tedious one. "To cobble together the results,

the authorities concerned had to evaluate the

JSC and SSC results of each and every

student." Besides, there is a rule to apply for

re-evaluation within seven days after

publication of the results and a total of 1695

students have applied for it, he said.

They also have to deposit Tk 125 as fees for

re-evaluation, said Rudra.

However, this year, the number of reexamination

applicants is less than the

previous year, said the examination

controller.

A total of 1,21,528 students appeared for

the HSC and equivalent exams in 2020

under Jashore Educaiton Board. Of them,

61,761 were male students and 59,767 were

female students. All have secured pass

marks.

Some 12,892 students obtained GPA 5 --

9,922 from science stream, 2,213 from

humanities and 757 from commerce.

Interim BARI Sarisa-14 farming

highly profitable: experts

RANGPUR : Experts at a field day and

review discussion have said cultivation of

short duration and high yielding variety

of BARI Sarisa-14 mustard as an interim

crop in between Aman rice and Boro rice

farming is highly profitable.

The Department of Agricultural

Extension (DAE) organised the event at

Khiarjumma Block in village Shermost

Bhabaniganj of Taraganj upazila here to

exhibit production of breeding seeds of

BARI Sarisa-14 on Tuesday afternoon, a

press release said.

The event was arranged for farmers

under the "Production, Storage and

Distribution of Quality Seeds of Pulses,

Oils and Spices at Farmers Level' project

(third phase) of the DAE to demonstrate

technologies for production, preservation

and distribution of BARI Sarisa-14 seeds

Deputy Director of the DAE for

Rangpur Agriculturist Dr. Md. Sarwarul

Haque attended the event as the chief

guest with Taraganj Upazila Agriculture

Officer Agriculturist Urmi Tabassum in

the chair.

District Training Officer of the DAE for

Rangpur, Agriculturist Md. Reaz Uddin

and District Seed Certification Officer of

the Seed Certification Agency for

Rangpur Agriculturist Md. Khorshed

Alam addressed the occasion as special

guests. The agriculturists narrated

cultivation technology of short duration

(75 to 80 days) BARI Sarisa-14 variety of

mustard to farmers giving them practical

knowledge on production, preservation

and distribution of its quality breeder

seeds.

The yield rate of BARI Sarisa-14 variety

of mustard is higher than other varieties

and ranges between 1,400 kilogram and

1,600 kilogram per hectare of land

bringing lucrative profits to farmers.

Agriculturist Urmi said farmers can

easily cultivate BARI Sarisa-14 as an

additional crop on the same land in

between the gap period of farming Aman

rice and Boro rice when the crop land

remains fallow to earn more profits and

increase crop intensity.

Agriculturist Reaz Uddin said the

Department of Agricultural Extension has

accelerated its ongoing activities under

the project for expanding cultivation of

BARI Sarisa-14 at farmers' level.

Agriculturist Dr. Haque said farmers

cultivate only Aman rice and Boro rice on

large areas of medium high land in

Rangpur where three crops can be

cultivated easily adopting the Aman rice-

Mustard (BARI Sarisa-14)-Boro rice

cropping pattern.

He called upon the farmers for

enhancing BARI Sarisa-14 cultivation to

reap more profits.

Mushfiqur

Rahman joins as

DG of Islamic

Foundation

DHAKA : Newly appointed

Director General (DG) of

Islamic Foundation Dr Md

Mushfiqur Rahman

yesterday joined office here.

Earlier, he served as the

additional secretary of

Cabinet Division. He

replaced director general of

Islamic Foundation Anis

Mahmud, said a press

release. On February 1 last,

the Ministry of Public

Administration issued an

order appointing Dr.

Mushfiqur Rahman as the

new DG of the foundation.

In 1994, Mushfiqur

Rahman

joined

administration (cadre) of

Bangladesh Civil Service.

Later, he served as assistant

commissioner (land), UNO

at different upazilas, deputy

commissioner of Netrakona,

additional secretary of the

Cabinet Division.

Later, newly appointed

DG Mushfiqur Rahman

exchanged greetings with

the directors at the meeting

room, added the press

release.

Livelihood materials have been distributed among the trained prisoners at Kara Convention

Center on Wednesday.

Photo : Courtesy

Disaster-resilient shelters built in

Cox's Bazar with IOM support

DHAKA : When the monsoon season

started in Cox's Bazar in 2020, boatman

Pradip Shah Das in Teknaf Upazila and

his family were forced to take shelter at

their neighbour's house.

"The house where I used to live was

flooded. When the storm started, we

had to find shelter elsewhere,"

recounted 37-year-old Pradip.

Cox's Bazar is prone to cyclones,

regular floods, tidal surges, river erosion

and landslides, often affecting farm

yields and prices. According to the

District Administration, nearly

300,000 of the one million people living

on vulnerable hill-areas in Cox's Bazar

are at risk of landslides.

Among the affected population are

also vulnerable fishing communities

like Pradip's, whose livelihoods have

been negatively impacted by a fishing

ban on the Naf River, at the

Bangladesh-Myanmar border, due to

the recent crisis.

Along with natural disasters,

challenges related to safety, livelihoods

and protection, have commanded a

resilience-based multidimensional

response for host communities.

Responding to the ongoing crisis,

IOM is working to strengthen security

and social cohesion between Rohingya

refugees and host communities through

its 12-month Safe Shelter programme,

funded by the Government of Japan.

The project aims to strengthen and

support shelter initiatives in disasterprone

areas in Cox's Bazar, strengthen

protection mechanisms and approaches

in both camps and host communities,

create livelihoods and women

empowerment initiatives, and provide

institutional capacity to Bangladeshi

law enforcement.

Capacity-building activities have been

conducted for community members to

ensure they make informed decisions

on adequate shelter materials and

construction techniques, followed by

distribution of the first cash grant in

order to purchase the shelter materials.

Pradip's house has been upgraded

through this programme-one of 1,000

families to have received the same type

of support. "Now I have a new house

which is stronger than the previous

one," Pradip said. "During disasters, I

used to take shelter at other people's

houses, but now people can take shelter

at my house." To support families with

the upgradation of disaster-resilient

shelters, teams also conducted several

technical training sessions for 450 local

carpenters on shelter improvement and

maintenance, incorporating Disaster

Risk Reduction (DRR) features.

Mohammad Jamal, a former fisherman

in Teknaf, has been trained in carpentry

and now upgrading shelters for his

fellow community members. "I didn't

know much about carpentry when I

started, but I learned little by little. Not

only do I have a more durable shelter

now, but I have an income which helps

me support my family," Jamal

explained.

To complement the activities of the

shelter upgrade, IOM's Transition and

Recovery Division will provide 500

vulnerable households livelihood

activities based on their needs.

This activity will also support marketbased

livelihoods opportunities and

enhance business capacities of existing

cooperatives in Cox's Bazar, promoting

greater financial inclusion of women,

youth and persons with disabilities.

Egypt to help Bangladesh repatriate

Rohingyas, says its envoy

DHAKA : Egyptian Ambassador in Dhaka Haytham Ghobashy on Wednesday said

his country will continue its support to Bangladesh to send back the forciblydisplaced

Rohingya people to their place of origin in Myanmar, reports UNB.

The newly-appointed envoy came up with the assurance when he made a

courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence

Ganobhaban. Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Jahid Tusher briefed

reporters after the meeting.

He said the Egyptian envoy highly praised the country's socio-economic

development under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Prime

Minister said the government is trying to implement the dream of Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman following his development path

and plan. The envoy mentioned that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as an

"exemplary leader" of the Muslim Ummah. He said though the bilateral relations of

the two countries are based on trade and commerce, there are still a few other fields

of mutual cooperation to strengthen the existing ties. The envoy said Egypt can

extend support to Bangladesh in safe water supply and construction of dams and

barrages in addition to tourism. The Prime Minister said the government has a plan

to set up an exclusive tourist zone in Cox's Bazaar which would be especially for

foreigners. The envoy said Egyptian business firms could expand their business in

Bangladesh along with the relocation of their factories and Bangladesh's support is

needed to establish industry here.

Responding to it positively, the Prime Minister said they can do it in the special

economic zones of Bangladesh. A lucrative market is here for foreign entrepreneurs as

they can avail of the opportunity of grabbing a big market in South Asia, she added.

ThUrSDAY, FEBrUArY 18, 2021

4

Satisfaction is not enough - Customer Delight in Today's World

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Al Jazeera smears its

own credibility

The Qatar based media conglomerate, Al

Jazeera, no doubt tried to carve out an

image as an independent global media

network that targeted to break the worldwide

monopoly of western media agencies such as

BBC, CNN, etc. Riding high on Arab and Islamic

sentiments, it might have created an appeal for

a while. But it is doubtful whether this appeal

lingers on or whether its image has been

plummeting due to the unholy external

influences that have purportedly made deep

inroads into it.

For quite some time, this degradation of the

media mogul has been discussed, murmured

and criticized. But recently, sharp degradation

in its quality and contents of reporting have

been noted and if it keeps on being like this, Al-

Jazeera is sure to experience a nosedive in its

acceptability sooner than later. Therefore , this

media network runs the risk of losing its

popularity for the sheer reasons of its dwindling

lack of ethics in practicing objective behaviour

in reporting and commenting among other

things.

How disgraceful and lacking in code of

conduct Al Jazeera has been is seen in one of its

recent focuses on Bangladesh. The focus styled

as All the Prime Minister's Men is a remarkable

example of bad media operation to say the least.

Its blunder starts from the heading of the

documentary when it starts off with the

sweeping generalization-all the Prime

Minister's men-sparing none in the close circle

of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as if the PM

and her layered large number of close

associates all form a Mafia type of coterie. This

cannot be a reasonable proposition because the

world as a whole meaning international

organizations, UN agencies and heads of

leading governments round the world are full of

the highest praises for Sheikh Hasina and her

government for its uncontestable sound deeds.

Al-Jazeera, if it wishes to prove to the

contrary, needs to present irrefutable proofs of

finding otherwise and above reproach to even

start making the sort of allegations it really has

against our PM and her close associates. It

must present concrete evidences or tangible

proofs ( as distinct from mere assumptions or

mere verbal accusations ) in order to provide

any basis for its charges. That it did not, very

probably because it could not, amply shows how

fictitious or unethical the charges it levelled

against the PM and her colleagues. For all

practical purposes, Al Jazeera's documentary is

full of make believe stories in circulation,

unsubstantiated accounts and only comments

thereof that cannot have any locus standi in a

fair court of law.

For these reasons alone Al Jazeera has made

itself perfectly fit to be tried in an appropriate

international court for spreading

misinformation and baseless stories on our PM

and colleagues thus lowering their prestige and

good name. Such a lodging of a defamation case

seeking legal action leading to meting out of

suitable punishment and compensation is now

overdue. Al Jazeera and the likes of it must be

sent firm signals from now on that such

unjustified and undeserved intervention in the

affairs of a fully sovereign and self respecting

country will have no easy sailing from now on.

If they have an axe to grind while keeping their

existence safe, then they must play by the

internationally and universally upheld rules

relevant to the issues failing which they would

be required to suffer penalties.

Al Jazeera's attitude and actual conduct has

been outrageously shorn of even minimum

decency, consideration and responsibility. It is

not unreasonable for us to conclude therefore

that its wild attack on the head of our

government and her team must have been

politically motivated and inspired. The news

agency could not have started this all by itself

without the lure of pecuniary gains. They may

have been paid off by vested interests groups

which have existence either within Bangladesh

or outside of it. Our security agencies need to

investigate these angles and come up with the

truth. The findings must be a part of the

defamation case that should be started by our

government against Al Jazeera and its partners

in the matter.

We are living

in an era of

rapid

changes in which

customers

behavioural patterns

are changing

continuously. The

various market stimuli influence customers'

expectations, and merely increasing customer

satisfaction is no longer a viable option for

retailers to ensure business success.

Customers no longer want to be treated as a

mere customer; instead, they would like to be

valued, engaged, respected, appreciated, and

feel important in the business environment's

realm, being a main stakeholder's group.

Therefore, they want to be delighted not

merely satisfied. Suppose you can go beyond

satisfaction, generate something new, a

unique USP or create an extraordinary

customer demand with an innovative touch.

In that case, you are the best in the race.

Survival of the fittest is the norm of the

competition. What is customer delight? A

positive, engaging and appreciating service to

the customers that exceeds customer

expectation can create customer delight. A

delighted customer will be more committed

and show better emotional and rational

bonds with the organisation, leading to high

customer loyalty.

The food retail industry is dynamic and

massive; it has been undergoing rapid

changes throughout the world since the early

1990s due to globalisation, technological

advancement, and consumers' convenient

seeking attitudes. In North America and

Europe, consumers have witnessed the

emergence of supermarkets, hypermarkets,

and mega supermarkets as the dominant

retail form. The large retailers have developed

a new form of shopping experience by

introducing self-service and best service

quality provisions to the customers on the one

hand and the other hand, customers have

readily embraced this new high street

phenomenon with enthusiasm. Since then,

the whole landscape of food retailing has

steadily been changed. Customers are looking

for better quality products at lower prices, in

essence, good value for money. Convenient

payment methods, varieties of branded

products, parking facilities, convenient

locations, and other service and productrelated

factors have contributed to consumer

behaviour changes. Additional factors such as

car ownership, the expansion of the middle

classes with greater financial freedom and

stable employment have also contributed to

E-cigarettes should be banned by amending the Tobacco Control Act

The health of the nation is very

important in building a developed

nation. Today's young future is the

head of the country. We all know that the

use of tobacco or tobacco products is deadly

to health. And there is no alternative to the

elimination of tobacco and tobacco products

in health care. But because of the attractive

presentation of e-cigarettes, the younger

generation is more likely to fall victim to it,

which could be detrimental to the nation.

The World Health Organization (WHO)

has identified such products as harmful to

the body, regardless of whether they are

called heat-burn or e-cigarettes. According

to the U.S. Surgeon General's report, e-

cigarette use can cause heart attacks, strokes

and lung damage. The ingredients found in

e-cigarettes are responsible for causing

cancer, including paralysis of various cells in

the body. E-cigarette liquids contain

propylene glycol, glycerin, polyethylene

glycol, various flavors and nicotine. As these

chemicals heat up, they produce the same

amount of formaldehyde as cigarette smoke,

which causes irreparable damage to the

blood circulation in the human body.

According to a study by the Italian Ministry

of Health, e-cigarettes are harmful.

Although young people use it for fashion, it

can lead to the smoking habit of nonsmokers.

Many people suffer from indirect health

effects as a result of direct smoking. The

world is currently going through a crisis due

to the Kovid-19 epidemic. The World Health

Organization has identified tobacco as a

contributor to coronavirus infection. After

reviewing several studies by public health

experts, the WHO said that smokers are

more likely to be seriously ill with the Covid-

19 infection than non-smokers. E-cigarette

users are no exception.

E-cigarettes have been banned in

KAzI FIroz rAShID

neighboring India. Many countries around

the world have realized the dangers of using

e-cigarettes, and 42 countries have already

banned e-cigarettes altogether, while

another 56 countries have imposed

restrictions on e-cigarette sales. According

to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2017,

0.2 percent of people in Bangladesh use e-

cigarettes, which can be controlled. In the

interest of protecting our new generation,

there is no alternative to banning e-

cigarettes at the moment.

There is no specific law in Bangladesh

regarding the ban on e-cigarettes / heated

tobacco / vaping tobacco or similar

products. Since Bangladesh is dependent on

Dr. ABDEL AzIz ALUwAIShEG

imports of electronic cigarettes and all

related items and has not yet started making

or producing it, it will be easy to ban it in this

country and now is the right time to ban it.

The first and still the only example in the

world - "Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina has dreamed and announced that

Bangladesh will be tobacco free by 2040."

But the use of e-cigarettes or similar

products is increasing to be an obstacle in

the way of realizing his dream or

declaration.

Therefore, as a Member of Parliament, I

would like to draw the attention of the

Hon'ble Prime Minister to this matter and to

protect the young society from this scourge

of tobacco, it is imperative to amend the

existing Tobacco Control Act and ban e-

cigarettes or similar products. Our little

precaution and proper action will save the

country's invaluable resource from the harm

of tobacco - our young society.

Kazi Firoz Rashid: Member of Parliament,

Dhaka-6 constituency and former Minister

and Member, Standing Committee on

Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and

Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

Iraq's security, economic and governance challenges

Avisit to Iraq this month was

instructive on the challenges facing

the country, but also the real

determination to undo the damage caused

by years of war and destruction. Iraqis

expressed confidence that the upcoming

national elections would help guide the

political process and reignite economic

development. They also pinned their hopes

on support from neighbors, especially the

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries,

and international partners to assist in Iraq's

recovery.

The elections have been rescheduled from

June to October. Organizing the polls was a

major demand of the popular protests that

swept Iraq from October 2019. The

demonstrators also railed against

deteriorating economic and security

their development. To fulfil consumer

demands and expectations, food retailers

continuously shape their business model,

services, and products. They are striving to

bring appealing products and services to the

customer to maximise their satisfaction and

meet (and where possible, exceed) their level

of expectations.

European and North American superstore

retailers have influenced many of the world

developments in superstore retailing for the

past three decades since the disintegration of

Soviet Union in the 1990s and start of the new

phase of Globalisation and Trade

Liberalisation. The concept of supermarkets

has been rapidly spreading from developed

economies to developing and emerging

economies since then. Many established

European retailers invest in Asian countries

and have expanded their operations in

Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore,

India, and other Eastern and South Asian

countries. Grocery food retailing is one of the

critical areas of focus in those markets. They

primarily offer food items such as fresh meat,

fish, produce and bakery products, and dry

and non-perishable food.

Supermarket diffusion in developing

countries has occurred at a rapid pace. As a

result, we are witnessing the current form of

food retailing in Bangladesh that started in

early 2000. Agora is the first to introduce

such a retail outlet in Bangladesh, a champion

of creating customer convenience and retail

innovation. According to Superstores Owners

Association, there are over 130 organised

superstores in Bangladesh in 2019 and

mainly being dominated by three major

players-Agora, Swapna and Meena Bazar.

Various bodies of evidence indicate that while

Agora is still a substantial player in quality

and innovation, with its extensive nationwide

network and reputation for value for money

pricing, Swapna holds the position as

Bangladesh's leading supermarket chain.

Several customer-driven factors are linked

with the current challenges of grocery food

retailing including economic fluctuations,

changes in consumers' lifestyle, demographic

characteristics, eating habits, more

E-cigarettes have been banned in neighboring India. Many countries around

the world have realized the dangers of using e-cigarettes, and 42 countries

have already banned e-cigarettes altogether, while another 56 countries have

imposed restrictions on e-cigarette sales. According to the Global Adult

Tobacco Survey 2017, 0.2 percent of people in Bangladesh use e-cigarettes,

which can be controlled. In the interest of protecting our new generation,

there is no alternative to banning e-cigarettes at the moment.

conditions, as well as Iran's hegemony. The

elections have now been championed by

political groups and some of the militias

targeted by those protests and which have,

in turn, taken part in the violent

suppression of some of the demonstrations.

Since taking office last May, Prime

Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has made

preparing for fair and free elections a

priority. The young protesters, political

groups and militias naturally have different

expectations of the upcoming elections.

There are fears that some militias will try to

manipulate them through violence, threats

and intimidation to maintain their power

and subvert the will of the Iraqi voters, and

with it their hopes for better economic

conditions and genuine independence.

The rocket attacks on Irbil on Monday,

Dr P. r. DATTA

conducive shopping behaviour, access to a

wide range of better quality imported and

branded products, the rapid growth of

urbanisation, and an expanding middle class

with greater car ownership and higher

disposable incomes. Individual attitudes

towards shopping behaviour are also affected

by various social factors that influence

consumers. These changes will continue to

increase the influence of the grocery food

retailing sector. Therefore, retailers must

build and maintain a loyal customer base and

increase customer delight to maintain a

competitive advantage. Supermarkets

European and North American superstore retailers have

influenced many of the world developments in superstore

retailing for the past three decades since the disintegration of

Soviet Union in the 1990s and start of the new phase of

Globalisation and Trade Liberalisation.

provide a completely new experience to the

consumer with a sophisticated customer

service offering, a wide range of products,

pleasant ambience, spacious layout, quality

imported and branded products, and

perceived western ways of shopping for daily

necessities that help maintain a particular

lifestyle.

Furthermore, the sense of community or at

least its legacy is powerful in Bangladesh.

Some of these communal bonds are borne out

of hardship, other out of religious affiliation.

Place and identity are significant for a people

who paid an enormous price to liberate

themselves in the 1970s, and this struggle has

left an indelible mark. Even city dwellers,

especially those in Dhaka, feel an affinity with

their rural roots and heritage. When major

religious festivals come around, especially the

likes of Eid at the end of Ramadan the capital

city appears to empty as people return to the

village with which they retain familial contact.

In such towns, people know each other and

thus establish or renew bonds with local

retailers. Shopping is an almost daily

phenomenon and is a social activity as it is an

act of necessity. Relationship Marketing is

integral to this and has been a critical facet in

forging mutual trust down the ages. So strong

indeed have been the bonds forged that

customers could access credit, with retailers

confident that societal and communal

pressures would result in shoppers honouring

their commitments. Retailers of every size

had needed to take note of their collective

standing and thus have been active in the field

including one near the city's airport that

resulted in a number of American

casualties, highlighted the precarious

security situation throughout Iraq,

including Iraqi Kurdistan, which had

recently enjoyed a relatively peaceful

existence. A seemingly pro-Iran group has

claimed responsibility for these attacks and

vowed more against Americans everywhere

in Iraq, "including Kurdistan."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was

"outraged" at the Irbil attack and said that

he had reached out to the Kurdistan

Regional Government to discuss the

incident and pledge support for "all efforts

to investigate and hold accountable those

responsible." What is also needed is that the

US articulate a coherent policy for Iraq as a

whole; something that has been

of CRM before it was ever fully codified as a

business practice. In the last decade or so,

those who have established more modern

concerns in Dhaka are still imbued with

similar attitudes and are mindful of those

customers, whilst they may be more affluent

and outward-looking share similar

expectations to those in previous generations.

Therefore, to sustain and stay in the race

and optimise various opportunities, there are

no alternative other than customer delight.

Adaptation and developing a top-quality,

supportive service culture is paramount. The

world is changing rapidly due to many

external factors as well as customer tastes and

desire. Scanning and understanding

customer expectations are the golden key for

retailers who want to ensure customer

delight. Many Western organisations are into

trouble, and some are now history, as they

failed to keep up with and satisfy customer

needs and change shopping patterns.

Although superstore retailing sector is

developing continuously, it is of paramount

importance for the retailers to create and

adopt a holistic customer delight strategic

model, which can incorporate attributes such

as service quality, bonds, trust, commitment,

satisfaction, and customer loyalty. These

simple business strategies will help these

developing superstores to enter a new era of

development. Offering customers quality

goods and upgraded service levels will help

them achieve higher customer delight levels,

which is much easier to accomplish in less

economically developed countries due to the

barrier having been set relatively low. Repeat

customers and a clear hierarchy in the

organisational structure will push the

superstore-retailing sector into having a

smoother means of sourcing goods from

trustworthy suppliers, due to the level of

quality they must adhere to.

To manage and improve the customer

shopping experience and maintain

competitive organisational positioning,

retailers should implement the most critical

service quality dimensions. This may include

giving employees sufficient training on

approaching and dealing with customer

inquiries and providing a service that is

uniform and routinely of a high standard.

Such a requirement will further cause the

business to invest and hopefully reap the

rewards in the long term.

The Writer is Executive Chair,

Centre for Business & Economic

Research, UK

conspicuously absent from the new

administration's public statements.

Clearly, the elections will not be a panacea

for all Iraq's daunting challenges, of which

there are many, but I will address just two:

Security and economic recovery.

On security, Iraq faces the twin threats of

Daesh regrouping and the heavy-handed

influence of pro-Iran sectarian militias.

Despite its military defeat and loss of

territorial control in 2018, Daesh still

maintains a significant presence in western

Iraq, representing an enduring threat to the

country's security and its ability to stabilize

those areas. At the same time, the presence

of sectarian militias antagonizes local

populations and is, in turn, used by Daesh

as a pretext for its presence.

Source : Arab News

ThuRSDay, FeBRuaRy 18, 2021

5

US defense department to

create task force on China

aBhIJnan ReJ

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

on February 10 provided details about a

new China Task Force that would

inform the Pentagon's strategic

approach towards that country. A DoD

factsheet noted: "This initiative will

provide a baseline assessment of DoD

policies, programs, and processes on

China-related matters and provide the

Secretary of Defense recommendations

on key priorities and decision points to

meet the China challenge."

Announcing that task force will

comprise of up to 15 uniformed and

civilian DoD employees and headed by

Ely Ratner, advisor to Secretary of

Defense Lloyd Austin, the fact sheet

also noted that the task force will "align

its recommendations with interagency

partners to ensure DoD continues to

support the whole-of-government

approach toward China." (Notably, the

2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report

publicly released by the Trump

administration was also a DoD

product, even though it too alluded to a

What's behind Cambodia's cancellation

of military exercises with China?

Sebastian Strangio

Earlier this month, the

Cambodian government

announced that it was

suspending its two-week

military exercise with

China next month, citing a

need to cut spending amid

the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Golden Dragon

exercise was due to take

place from March 13 to 27,

and would have involved

around 3,000 Cambodian

and Chinese troops

engaging in live

ammunition drills,

including training on the

use of tanks, armored

vehicles, and demining

equipment.

In comments to Radio

Free Asia's Khmerlanguage

service,

Cambodian Defense

Minister Tea Banh said that

the fourth annual Golden

Dragon exercise would be

canceled this year due to

heavy flooding in late 2020

that devastated the

country's infrastructure

and food supply. He also

pointed to the country's

ongoing battle with

COVID-19 and "several

other problems" facing the

government.

whole-of-government approach to the

region.) Among the areas of the task

force's focus are strategy, operations,

and force structure, as well as

intelligence, role of allies and partners,

and U.S. defense relations with China,

the fact sheet informed.

The task force, which will also involve

the U.S. intelligence community, will

submit its recommendations within

four months after its formal creation. It

will not be releasing a public report,

and instead, will present its findings to

the secretary and deputy secretary of

defense, and discuss it with the

Congress.

At a media briefing on February 11,

Ratner - who had served under Biden

in various capacities in the past -

provided further details about the task

force. Noting that Austin sees "China as

the number-one pacing challenge for

the United States," he described the

goals of the task force:

Austin on February 4 had announced

a global force posture review "of U.S.

military footprint, resources, strategy

and missions." The review comes at a

The move comes amid a visible push by the Biden administration

to meet the China challenge. Photo: Flickr

"We are dealing with

these difficulties. [The

flooding] severely affected

the well-being and

livelihood of the people and

is expected to result in

more poverty and

hardship," Tea Banh told

RFA Khmer. "So, based on

this, we have suspended

the military exercise."

Interestingly, the

suspension bears a close

resemblance to the

cancellation of a similar

military exercise with the

United States in 2017. The

Angkor Sentinel joint

exercise was first held in

2010, and was

unexpectedly called off by

the

Cambodian

government in January

2017. Just a few weeks

earlier, in December 2016,

Cambodian troops had

taken part in the the first

Golden Dragon military

exercise with China's

People's Liberation Army.

The cancellation of

Angkor Sentinel marked an

important marker in the

declining U.S.-Cambodian

relationship. In September

of the same year,

government arrested Kem

Sokha, the president of the

Cambodia National Rescue

Party (CNRP), two months

before it banned the party

outright. Both moves were

criticized strongly by the

U.S. and other Western

governments, as was the

farcical national election in

July 2018, when the ruling

Cambodian Peoples' Party

(CPP) won all 125 seats in

the National Assembly.

As Prime Minister Hun

Sen's crackdown alienated

his government from the

Western democracies, he

leaned ever more heavily

on support from China. As

reports and rumors

emerged that Cambodia

was preparing to host a

Chinese military presence,

Cambodia popped up on

the radar of an increasingly

hawkish U.S. foreign policy

establishment that was

now inclined to view Hun

Sen's government as a

Chinese client state - and to

treat it accordingly.

In this context, there is a

possibility that the

cancellation of the Golden

Dragon exercise was

intended as a subtle signal

to the new U.S.

administration that the

Cambodian government is

The cancellation, purportedly due to COVID-19, could be a peace offering

to the Biden administration.

Photo: Collected

time when the Biden administration

formulates a plan to simultaneously

manage a draw-down from legacy

conflicts as well as reprogram its

military resources towards China and

the Indo-Pacific. Making the

announcement, Austin emphasized the

crucial role U.S. allies and partners as

well as well as diplomacy would play in

the Biden administration's defense

policy.

When asked how he saw the task

force's work as the Pentagon pushed

ahead with the review, Ratner

answered that he saw the work of the

task force as extending beyond the

issues that are to be addressed in it.

However, he noted that the review and

the task force's work will have a

bidirectional relationship, and that it

will also inform the administration's

National Defense Strategy (expected

next year).

Interestingly, Ratner noted that the

task force's work will not include

recommendations for bureaucratic

reorganization inside the Pentagon. He

also - when asked whether the United

States was looking to deploy landbased

intermediate range missiles in

Asia - noted that the task force will not

focus on specify policy questions.

Instead, Ratner emphasized its

essentially broad-brush approach,

stating that the task force's goals would

be to "surface key challenges, raise big

questions, and then identify processes

and who in the department are the

appropriate folks to get after them."

On February 10, Austin had briefed

Biden about the task force during the

president's visit to the Pentagon for the

first time since assuming office.

Announcing the task force following

the briefing, Biden noted that United

States' approach towards China "will

require a whole of government efforts,

bipartisan cooperation in Congress and

strong alliances and partners." In a

February 7 interview with CBS, Biden

described the China-U.S. relationship

as one of "extreme competition," albeit

one where conflict need not be

inevitable.

no mere lackey of Beijing,

and that it is ready for a

reset in its relations with

Washington. Such would

certainly be Hun Sen's

interests, given his current

heavy reliance on China,

and the risk that the

country will be once again

find itself a subject of

superpower tensions.

While this may seem to

be reading too much into

the

Cambodian

government's explanation

for the suspension of

Golden Dragon, it is worth

pointing out that the

government offered a

similar excuse for the

cancellation of military

exercises with the U.S. in

2017. At the time, a Defense

Ministry spokesperson said

that the country was busy

preparing for local elections

in June 2017, but the

exercises have never been

held since.

Whatever the reality of

the situation, any

improvement in relations

will require one of two

things: either Hun Sen's

government will have to

make the democratic

reforms necessary to satisfy

the U.S. and other Western

governments, or the U.S.

government will have to

adopt a more pragmatic

approach to Cambodia.

The first is unlikely, given

Hun Sen's reluctant to

anything that puts the

CPP's power in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, the Biden

administration is unlikely

to take a significantly softer

line on human rights and

democracy promotion

efforts in Cambodia.

Indeed, if anything, as

Washington compromises

on values in Southeast Asia

in a bid to build

partnerships in the

interests of curbing

Chinese ambitions,

Cambodia's status as a

subject of democracy

promotion efforts is only

likely to grow.

Despite rising anti-Shia sentiment within Indonesia, Tehran has quietly built its relations

with Jakarta.

Photo: Pixaby

Iranian Interests in Indonesia

Maxwell lOwe

Iran's relationship with a majority of

its neighbors is strained. As a Shiagoverned

state, the country has

struggled to attain influence on the

world stage. The Iranian government's

hard-line religious rhetoric, as well as

the Iran-Saudi Arabia proxy conflict,

has done little to alleviate Iran's

economic and geopolitical challenges.

Yet despite tense relations with its

Saudi-aligned Sunni counterparts,

Iran's relationship with Indonesia, the

largest Sunni state by population,

remains remarkably friendly.

Resource-rich, populous, and

relatively influential in its region,

Indonesia is an alluring ally for both

Iran and Saudi Arabia. However,

Indonesia has always been cautious in

picking sides between these two rival

powers, an outgrowth of its long-held

foreign policy preference for nonalignment.

Indonesia's adherence to

its inclusive founding principles of

Pancasila has also helped maintain a

degree of religious openness,

tempering hardline Islamic beliefs and

allowing religious minorities some

leeway in conducting their practices.

In recent years, however, this has

begun to change. A rise in Islamic

conservatism in Indonesia has begun

to trickle into policy, resulting in the

increased persecution of religious

minorities and erosion of religious

freedoms.

"I always knew people thought I was

different as a member of the Shia

community," said Syahar Banu, an

NGO worker who grew up in a Shia

community in East Java, "but it wasn't

until the previous president Susilo

Could the destruction of manila

in 1945 have been avoided?

ROBeRT FaRley

Could the destruction of the old city of

Manila and the deaths of over 100,000

Filipino civilians have been avoided in

February 1945? The question vexed

planners at the time, and has been

debated extensively in the years since.

First and foremost, the Imperial

Japanese Army and the Imperial

Japanese Navy could have declared

Manila an open city and retreated to

defensive lines that would not have

needlessly endangered the safety of the

civilian population and the city's

historical heritage.

During the battle, Japanese forces

could have surrendered rather than

fighting until the end; indeed, American

leaflets and loudspeakers encouraged

them to do so. Instead, Japanese forces

continued fighting out of a desire to

inflict maximum casualties on American

forces, a tactical posture in line with

Japan's strategic effort to drag the

United States to the negotiating table by

maximizing costs even in militarily

hopeless situations. Even granting the

decision to defend the city, Japanese

commanders could have imposed better

discipline upon their men, and

emphasized an ethos of civilian

protection rather than a culture of mass

reprisal against guerilla activity. Civilian

deaths were overwhelmingly the

responsibility of Japanese military

decision-making.

Yet questions about U.S. decisionmaking

also linger. Was it necessary to

storm Manila during the final year of a

war in which the seizure of the city would

play no significant decisive role? A lack

of sea and air transport meant that

Japanese forces could not relocate to

more critical parts of the empire. The

supply situation also meant that the

Japanese forces posed no significant

Yudhoyono came to power that I

became scared to tell people I was Shia

or say my name."

The Indonesian government has

been eager to attract investment from

Saudi Arabia. The Saudi monarchy has

spent billions of dollars in building

mosques and religious universities

across Indonesia, as well as providing

scholarships for Indonesian students

to study in the Middle East. The fruits

of Saudi investment have been seen in

the increased popularity in its puritan

and conservative religious practices

among Indonesian Muslims.

For Iran, maintaining a stable

relationship with Indonesia remains

increasingly important. Sanctioned by

the United States and an underdog in

the Islamic world, Iran has

increasingly found itself isolated on

the world stage. It has attempted to

counterbalance U.S. pressure by

boosting its diplomatic and economic

relations with Southeast Asia.

This has meant that Iran has had to

ditch its zealous religious speeches,

popularized by Khomeini in the 1980s,

and take a more pragmatic approach,

prioritizing trade and economic alliances

instead of revolutionary activism.

So far, it's paid off. Iran's

relationship with Indonesia has

remained friendly. Both countries

have been eager to put their differing

religious views to one side - the Sunni-

Shia schism can still determine

alliances in the Islamic world - and

focus on maintaining economic

cooperation. Leaders from both

countries have engaged in diplomatic

visits, Iran has stayed out of criticizing

Saudi investment in the archipelago,

and in return, Indonesia has

supported Iran's "right to obtain

nuclear weapons."

The role religion plays in Iran's ties

to Indonesia is important, yet seldom

publicly acknowledged due to rising

anti-Shia sentiment within Indonesia.

"Generally speaking, Iran is realistic

and aware that many Indonesians will

not convert to Shia Islam," said Dicky

Sofjan, a core doctoral faculty at the

Indonesian Consortium for Religious

Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada in

Yogyakarta, "but they do know that

many Indonesian academics have

sympathies with the Iranian

revolution and the intellectual

thinking behind it."

Whilst Iran officially claims to have

no interest in spreading its religious

ideologies in Indonesia, this isn't

necessarily true. "There is a rivalry

between Saudi Arabia and Iran in

Indonesia," said Andreas Harsono, a

researcher for the rights group Human

Rights Watch. "There is an active effort

by Iran, especially after the Iranian

Revolution, to promote and to back up

Shi'ism in Indonesia. Most Shia

groups get support from Iran."

Iran has managed to fulfill some of

these religious objectives through

institutions such as the Jakarta Islamic

Center (ICC), which function as a hub

for translations of Iranian texts and

other religious studies, and facilitate

scholarships for Indonesian Shia to

study in Iran.

Remarkably, the ICC, whose

headquarters is indiscreetly clad in

elaborate blue Persian tiling, sits just a

five-minute walk away from LIPIA,

one of the largest Saudi-funded

universities in Indonesia and a major

center for Saudi proselytization.

The question vexed planners at the time, and has been debated

extensively in the years since.

Photo: Public Domain

threat to U.S. control of Luzon, although

Manila Bay remained an important

One enormous question involves the

choice of the Philippines over Formosa

strategic asset. MacArthur and other as a target for invasion in late 1944. U.S.

American officials clearly felt obligated

by both reputation and honor to liberate

the Philippines. However, this obligation

planners had debated seizing Formosa

instead as preparation for a drive on the

Japanese home islands, but operational

did not obviously extend to considerations and the sense of

contemplation of the destruction that

such a liberation would incur, although

concern that Japanese depredations

would devastate the country were widely

shared. The American advance was also

driven by legitimate concerns over

Japanese treatment of the city and of

Japanese prisoner of war camps.

Credible reports of executions of

American and Filipino POWs and of

Japanese reprisals against Filipino

civilians were well-known to the U.S.

Army. Moreover, Japanese forces had

no way to ensure that the civilian

population of Manila could remain fed

for the remainder of the war.

obligation to the Philippines carried the

day. That said, Formosa was also densely

populated, and it is difficult to argue that

the dynamics which held in the

Philippines and which enabled the

massacre could not have applied to, for

example, Taipei, although Formosans

were not nearly as hostile to the

Japanese as Filipinos.

Having invaded the Philippines and

especially Luzon, however, it would have

been very difficult for the United States

Army to avoid seizing Manila. Manila

Bay offered a deep water port useful for

staging the invasions of Iwo Jima,

Okinawa, and eventually Kyushu.

ThURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021

6

Bangladesh Awami League presidium member Mohammad Faruk Khan MP as the chief guest

addressed the inaugural function of Muksudpur Upazila Muktijoddha Complex in Gopalganj on

Wednesday.

Photo: S M Nazrul Islam

Bhola palli Bidyut samiti set

death traps over a house

Md tUhin, Char Fasson Correspondent:

an eleven kB cable has been placed

over a house on the north side of the

sub-zonal office of south aicha palli

Bidyut. after visiting the spot it was

found that eleven kB, a 60-foot-long,

high-risk electric cable from the north

side of the south aicha sub-zonal office

in Char Fasson Upazila in Bhola

district, had been placed and caused a

death trap. as a result, it has become

extremely dangerous to move around

the area.

the locals are fearing a major

accident with loss of life at any time of

20/30 families next to the south aicha

sub-zonal office.

according to sources, under the

lalmohan sub-zonal office of Bhola

palli Bidyut samiti, eleven kB's electric

wires and poles have been installed

along south aicha Main road about 15

years ago. as a result, recordings of

ordinary people are also unable to build

houses on the property and there are

fears of major accidents

some locals including Mosaddeq,

Farooq, hanif Bepari, Gani Bepari,

Farid Uddin Master and ibrahim said

that the contractors in charge of rural

electricity at that time negligently

installed the eleven kB hazardous

power line over our recording and land

60 feet west of the road . at present, the

locals have demanded the authorities

to remove the line five feet away.

talking to nasim Uddin of south

aicha sub-Zonal office (aG M Com),

he said that customers have applied to

the office for the line. so the work is

being done according to the office

schedule.

awami league government has increased

allowance of freedom fighters: Faruk khan

s M naZrUl islaM, GopalGanJ Correspondent:

Bangladesh awami league

presidium member Mohammad Faruk

khan Mp said that the prime Minister

of Bangladesh awami league

government sheikh hasina has

increased the allowance of those heroic

freedom fighters from tk 12,000 to tk

20,000 as for their self-sacrifice we are

Bengalis today and we as Bangladeshis

have been able to stand tall in the

world.

he added that the honorarium of the

freedom fighters will be further

increased within the next 5 years. the

Bangladesh awami league

government will bestow the highest

honors on the freedom fighters.

Bangladesh awami league presidium

member Mohammad Faruk khan Mp

said this while addressing the inaugural

function of Muksudpur Upazila

Muktijoddha Complex in Gopalganj on

wednesday morning.

Muksudpur Upazila nirbahi officer

Jobaer rahman rashed presided over

the function while among others,

Muksudpur Upazila parishad

Chairman kabir Mia, Muksudpur

Municipality Mayor Freedom Fighter

adv. atiqur rahman Mia, oC abu

Bakar Mia, Upazila awami league

General secretary rabiul alam sikder,

Freedom Fighter Firoz khan, Golzar

Mia and Upazila engineer sachin

kumar dutta were among others

present at the occasion.

at the inaugural function, Upazila

engineer sachin kumar dutta said the

extented Upazila Muktijoddha

Complex, built at a cost of taka 2.40

crore, has modern facilities, conference

rooms, community center facilities,

shops and office rooms for the official

activities of the freedom fighters.

An Eleven KB hazardous power line has been placed over a house on the north side of the sub-zonal

office of South Aicha Palli Bidyut.

Photo: Md Tuhin

Mirzaganj Upazila Parishad Upazila Chairman and Patuakhali District Awami League Relief and

Social Welfare Secretary Khan Mohammad Abu Bakar Siddiqui inaugurated a five-kilometer canal

excavation work inaugurated in the upazila on Wednesday.

Photo: Uttam Golder

Five-kilometer canal excavation

work inaugurated in Mirzaganj

UttaM Golder, MirZaGanJ Correspondent:

silt removal (excavation) work has

been inaugurated at the beginning of

Golkhali-Bakshir canal in deuli

subidkhali union of Mirzaganj upazila

of patuakhali. Upazila parishad Upazila

Chairman and patuakhali district

awami league relief and social

welfare secretary khan Mohammad

abu Bakar siddiqui inaugurated the

excavation of five kilometers canal on

wednesday. Chotro-subidkhali water

Management Cooperative society

limited is implementing in

collaboration with Upazila engineer

lGed department.

during the time, Upazila engineer

(Currently in-charge) Md. azizur

rahman, president of Upazila

swecchashebok league Md. Jasim

Uddin sabuj Mridha, General secretary

of Upazila Jatiya sramik league

Muhammad Faruk khan, former

organizing secretary of Upazila Jubo

league Md. Masud rana Jalal

Jomaddar and General secretary of

Chotro-subidkhali water Management

Cooperative society limited Md. kazi

Yusuf ali, members of the Co-operative

society and local dignitaries were

present.

Upazila parishad Chairman khan

Mohammad abu Bakar siddiqui said if

the five-kilometer canal is dug,

thousands of farmers in several mouzas

in the union will be able to easily

cultivate agricultural land, increase

fishery resources, especially in the

kharif season. with this, poultry

farming, vegetable cultivation will

increase the production and will play a

role in the social development of the

farmers and will improve the quality of

life.

increasing budgetary allocation in

education sector underscored

GaiBandha: speakers at a meeting

here yesterday underscored the need for

increasing budgetary allocation in the

education sector to achieve the

sustainable development Goals (sdGs),

reports Bss.

"as education is the backbone of the

nation and no nation can prosper without

education, there is no alternative to

emphasize on education as well as the

education sector to push forward the

nation towards desired development",

they said.

they made the observation while

addressing a meeting on education

Financing at Circuit house hall room in

the district town on wednesday noon.

sinnomul Mahila samity (sMs), one of

the leading non-government

organizations in the district, organized

the meeting in cooperation with

education out loud-asa project of

Campaign for popular education.

deputy Commissioner (dC) abdul

Matin addressed the meeting as the chief

guest and district education officer Md.

enayet hossain spoke as the special

guest.

presided over by executive director of

sMs Md. Murshidur rahman khan and

moderated by assistant director of the

sMs aBM Masudunnabi lipon, nezarat

deputy collector sM Foyeez Uddin,

journalist abu Jafar sabu, educationist

Zahurul kaiyum, sadar upazila

secondary education officer sM sayeed

hasan, sadar upazila primary education

officer anzuman ara Golenur, assistant

director of district non formal education

program Mehedi akter addressed the

meeting, among others.

principal of tulshighat samsul haque

degree College enamul haque khan,

principal of ttC engineer abdur rahim

also spoke at the meeting among others.

preparatory meeting marking international

Mother language day held at kumarkhali

MiZanUr rahMan naYan,

kUMarkhali Correspondent:

a preparatory meeting has

been held in kumarkhali

upazila of kushtia in

observance of international

Mother language and

Martyrs' day 2021 to be

celebrated on 21st

February.

the program was

organized by the upazila

administration on

wednesday in the meeting

room of the Upazila

parishad and in memory of

all the martyrs, a minute of

silence was observed.

Upazila nirbahi officer

rajibul islam khan chaired

the occasion while the

function was attended by

Upazila parishad women

Vice Chairman Marina

akter Mina, Upazila

assistant Commissioner

A preparatory meeting has been held in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia in

observance of International Mother Language and Martyrs' Day 2021 was

held on Wednesday.

Photo: Mizanur Rahman Nayan

(land) Ma Muhaimin al

Jihan, Upazila health

Complex health and

population officer dr Md

akul Uddin, police station

oC Mojibur rahman,

president of Upazila

Muktijoddha kalyan samiti

Bir Muktijoddha atM abul

Mansur Majnu and others

were also present at the

occasion.

krishak league holds extended

meeting in ishwardi

Gopal adhikari, ishwardi

Correspondent:

a special extended

meeting of the ishwardi

branch of the Bangladesh

krishak league was held at

ishwardi on wednesday.

Valiant Freedom Fighter

nuruzzaman Biswas,

Member of parliament for

pabna-4 constituency was

the chief guest at the

extended meeting held at

ishwardi Upazila awami

league office.

speaking as the chief

guest, Mp Biswas said that

ishwardi is very rich in

agriculture. 28 farmers

here have won medals

nationally for their

achievements in

agriculture. i will do my

utmost to strengthen the

krishak league in

ishwardi. Calling for the

formation of strong

committees of different

units of the krishak

league, he said, "i want

Valiant Freedom Fighter Nuruzzaman Biswas, Member of Parliament for

Pabna-4 constituency as the chief guest addressed a special extended meeting

of Ishwardi branch of Bangladesh Krishak League in the upazila on

Wednesday.

Photo: Gopal Adhikari

everyone's cooperation in

realizing the dream of

arranging ishwardiatghoria

in a beautiful

way."

Convener of upazila

committee Fazlur rahman

Malitha presided over the

meeting while pabna

district krishak league

president shahidur

rahman shahid

inaugurated the event. the

keynote speaker was

taufiqur alam taufiq,

General secretary of the

district Committee.

among others, acting

president and Upazila

Chairman of Upazila

awami league naib ali

Biswas, General secretary

Moklesur rahman Mintu

and General secretary and

Municipal Mayor of

Municipal awami league

isaac ali Malitha. leaders

of different levels of

krishak league addressed

the meeting. the meeting

was moderated by Murad

ali Malitha, joint convener

of the upazila committee.

THURSDAY, FebRUARY 18, 2021

7

A baby has been born following a uterus transplant for the first time ever in France, the hospital

treating mother and infant said Wednesday.

Photo : AP

First baby born after uterus

transplant in France

PARIS : A baby has been born following

a uterus transplant for the first time

ever in France, the hospital treating

mother and infant said Wednesday.

Such births are extremely rare but

not unprecedented, and come after a

cutting-edge procedure to transplant a

healthy uterus into a woman whose

own is damaged or missing.

The baby, a girl weighing 1.845

kilogrammes (4.059 pounds), was born

on Friday, according to the team at the

Foch hospital outside Paris.

"Mother and baby are doing well,"

Jean-Marc Ayoubi, head of

gynaecology, obstetrics and

reproductive medicine at the hospital,

told AFP.

The 36-year-old mother, whose

name was given only as Deborah, was

born without a uterus as she suffered

from a rare condition known as

Rokitansky Syndrome, which affects

about one in 4,500 women.

Tribune agrees

to purchase by

hedge fund for

$630 million

CHICAGO : The newspaper

publisher Tribune has

agreed to be sold to Alden

Global Capital, a hedge fund

known for cutting costs and

eliminating newsroom jobs,

in a deal valued at $630

million.

Tribune Publishing Co.,

which owns the Chicago

Tribune, the New York Daily

News, the Baltimore Sun

and other newspapers, said

Tuesday it has agreed to sell

its shares to Alden for $17.25

apiece, in cash.

Alden became Tribune

Publishing's largest

shareholder in 2019; it holds

a 32% stake. The hedge fund

owns one of the country's

largest newspaper chains; its

papers include the Boston

Herald, the Denver Post and

the San Jose Mercury News.

The Baltimore Sun is not

included in the deal. It will

be sold to a nonprofit

formed by businessman and

philanthropist Stewart

Bainum Jr. that will run the

paper "for the benefit of the

community," the Sun wrote

on Tuesday.

The success of the Tribune

deal hinges on securing the

votes of biotech billionaire

and Los Angeles Times

owner Patrick Soon-Shiong,

who owns about 24% of

Tribune Publishing, and

shareholder Mason Slaine, a

former media executive who

owns about 8%, according to

the Chicago Tribune. Slaine

and a representative for

Soon-Shiong did not

immediately respond to

requests for comment on

Tuesday.

Tribune said the purchase

price represents a premium

of 45% to the closing price of

Tribune's shares on Dec. 11,

the last trading day before

the company received

Alden's proposal. Tribune's

board has approved the deal,

which is expected to close in

the second quarter.

She received a uterus transplant in

March 2019 - performed by the same

team that delivered the baby - from her

own mother, then aged 57.

"We still had to wait a year to be sure

that the transplanted uterus wouldn't

be rejected," said Ayoubi.

The first round of lockdown brought

a halt to all prenatal non-emergency

care in France, but the birth took place

without any major complications.

Deborah was 33 weeks pregnant

when she gave birth, the hospital said.

The first ever birth after a uterus

transplant was in Sweden in 2014.

It came one year after the transplant

surgery in a case that was documented

in the medical journal The Lancet.

Doctors in Brazil succeeded in 2017

with a birth by a woman who had

received a uterus transplant from a

donor who had died. The mother in

that case suffered from the same

disorder as Deborah. "There have been

around 20 births globally" after uterus

transplants, said Ayoubi, who is also a

professor of medicine at the University

of Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-

Yvelines. The cases offer hope to

women suffering from similar

reproductive problems, as an

alternative to adoption or surrogacy.

Ayoubi explained that the transplant

in Deborah's case was not intended to

be permanent.

The "provisional transplant" as he

called it was only meant to allow her to

have a child.

However he stressed it was not

unheard of for women with

transplanted uteruses to give birth a

second time, as has happened several

times in Sweden.

Ayoubi's team have already received

permission to continue their work on

women born without uteruses, with

clinical trials planned on another 10

women with similar conditions.

Demonstrators in Myanmar gathered Wednesday in their largest numbers

so far to protest the military's seizure of power, as a U.N. human rights

expert warned that troops being brought to Yangon and elsewhere could

signal the prospect for major violence.

Photo : AP

Big protests across Myanmar

as UN expert fears violence

YANGON, Myanmar : Demonstrators in

Myanmar gathered Wednesday in their

largest numbers so far to protest the

military's seizure of power, as a U.N. human

rights expert warned that troops being

brought to Yangon and elsewhere could

signal the prospect for major violence.

U.N. rapporteur Tom Andrews said he was

alarmed by reports of soldiers being

transported into Yangon, the biggest city.

"In the past, such troop movements

preceded killings, disappearances, and

detentions on a mass scale," he said in a

statement issued late Tuesday by the U.N.

Human Rights office in Geneva. "I am

terrified that given the confluence of these

two developments - planned mass protests

and troops converging - we could be on the

precipice of the military committing even

greater crimes against the people of

Myanmar."

Fresh protests roiled Yangon, the secondlargest

city of Mandalay and the capital

Naypyitaw, in defiance of an order banning

gatherings of five or more people.

"Let's march en masse. Let's show our force

against the coup government that has

destroyed the future of youth and our

country," Kyi Toe, a spokesman for the

National League for Democracy party of

ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, wrote on his

Facebook page. Wednesday's turnout in

Yangon appeared to be one of the biggest so

far in the city. Protesters have adopted a tactic

of blocking off streets from security forces by

parking vehicles in groups with their hoods

up and the excuse of having engine trouble.

In Naypyitaw, thousands including private

bank employees and engineers marched

down its wide boulevards, chanting for the

release of Suu Kyi and President Win Myint.

Protesters also poured into the streets of

Mandalay, where on Monday security forces

pointed guns at a group of 1,000

demonstrators and attacked them with

slingshots and sticks. Local media reported

that police also fired rubber bullets into a

crowd and that a few people were injured.

The marches have been organized as part of

a civil disobedience movement, spearheaded

by medical workers and supported by many

civil servants.

The Feb 1 coup has brought an abrupt halt

to Myanmar's fragile progress toward

democracy, as Suu Kyi's party was about to

begin a second five-year term after winning a

landslide in November's election. The

military justified its takeover with allegations

of widespread voting irregularities, though

the election commission found no evidence of

significant fraud. The junta says it will hold

power for a year before holding new elections.

Police filed a new charge against Suu Kyi, her

lawyer said Tuesday, a move likely to keep her

under house arrest and further fuel public

anger.

Australia's

second-largest

city comes out of

3rd lockdown

Melbourne, Australia's secondlargest

city, will relax its third

lockdown on Wednesday after

authorities contained the

spread of a COVID-19 cluster

centered on hotel quarantine,

reports UNB.

The Victoria state

government has yet to say

whether spectators will be

allowed to return to the

Australian Open tennis

tournament under the same

conditions as before the fiveday

lockdown.

Health authorities will soon

settle on a final crowd figure

for the final days of the

tournament, Victoria Premier

Daniel Andrews said.

"We'll finish up with

crowds at lots of different

places," Andrews said. "We'll

finish up with people being

able to move freely because

this short and sharp circuitbreaker

has worked."

The government has also

not yet said when flights will

resume.

The lockdown has been

enforced across Victoria, a

population of 6.5 million

people, to prevent the virus

spreading from the state

capital. Most restrictions will

be lifted from 11:59 p.m.

after no new infection was

detected in the latest 24-

hour period, Andrews said.

Schools and businesses

will reopen. But people will

still be required to wear

masks and visitors to homes

will be limited to five people

until Feb. 26 when the last of

the state's 25 active COVID-

19 cases will no longer be

infectious.

Sweden readying to close gyms,

restaurants, hair salons

STOCKHOLM : Sweden, known for its softer

approach to the pandemic, is preparing to

use new legislation to close gyms,

restaurants and hair salons ahead of a feared

third wave of virus infections, the

government said Wednesday.

Sweden in January adopted a pandemic

law giving the government new powers to

curb the spread of the virus.

The country has never imposed the type of

lockdown seen elsewhere in Europe,

controversially relying on mostly noncoercive

measures.

It has however gradually tightened

measures since November, including a ban

on alcohol sales after 8:00 pm and on public

gatherings of more than eight people.

Sweden has also introduced limits on the

number of people allowed in sports centres,

swimming pools and shopping centres and a

recommendation to wear face masks on

public transport during rush hour.

The government has previously made

preparations under the pandemic law to shut

shopping malls if necessary, but is now

expanding that to include all commercial

and service centres, such as gyms, pools,

sports centres, hair salons, cafes and

restaurants.

"In the event that the infection rate

deteriorates drastically, the government will

need to close some businesses," the

government said in a statement.

"We have no announcement regarding

closures today, but we are preparing to use

that part of the pandemic law as well,"

Health Minister Lena Hallengren told

reporters.

"Currently we don't believe it's necessary

but we are of course not going to wait until

it's too late," she said.

The country of 10.3 million people has

been hit much harder than its Nordic

neighbours, and on Tuesday reported a total

of 617,869 cases of Covid-19 and 12,487

related deaths. Cases have been in decline

since mid-December, but the fall has tapered

off lately and health officials are concerned

that a third wave could be just around the

corner.

Sweden, known for its softer approach to the pandemic, is preparing to

use new legislation to close gyms, restaurants and hair salons ahead of

a feared third wave of virus infections, the government said

Wednesday.

Photo : AP

Millions endure record cold without

power; at least 20 dead

OCEAN ISLE BEACH : A winter storm

that left millions without power in

record-breaking cold weather claimed

more lives Tuesday, including three

people found dead after a tornado hit a

seaside town in North Carolina and

four family members who perished in a

Houston-area house fire while using a

fireplace to stay warm.

The storm that overwhelmed power

grids and immobilized the Southern

Plains carried heavy snow and freezing

rain into New England and the Deep

South and left behind painfully low

temperatures. Wind-chill warnings

extended from Canada into Mexico.

In all, at least 20 deaths were

reported. Other causes included car

crashes and carbon monoxide

poisoning. The weather also threatened

to affect the nation's COVID-19

vaccination effort. President Joe

Biden's administration said delays in

vaccine shipments and deliveries were

likely. North Carolina's Brunswick

County had little notice of the

dangerous weather, and a tornado

warning was not issued until the storm

was already on the ground.

The National Weather Service was

"very surprised how rapidly this storm

intensified ... and at the time of night

when most people are at home and in

bed, it creates a very dangerous

situation," Emergency Services

Director Ed Conrow said.

In Chicago, a foot and a half (46

centimeters) of new snow forced public

schools to cancel in-person classes for

Tuesday. Hours earlier, along the

normally balmy Gulf of Mexico, crosscountry

skiier Sam Fagg hit fresh

powder on the beach in Galveston,

Texas.

The worst U.S. power outages were in

Texas, affecting more than 2 million

homes and businesses. More than

250,000 people also lost power across

parts of Appalachia, and another

200,000 were without electricity

following an ice storm in northwest

Oregon, according to poweroutage.us,

which tracks utility outage reports.

Four million people lost power in

Mexico.

Texas officials requested 60

generators from the Federal

Emergency Management Agency and

planned to prioritize hospitals and

nursing homes. The state opened 35

shelters to more than 1,000 occupants,

the agency said.

More than 500 people sought

comfort at one Houston shelter. Mayor

Sylvester Turner said other warming

centers were closed because they lost

power. After losing power Monday,

Natalie Harrell said she, her boyfriend

and four kids sheltered at a Gallery

Furniture store in Houston. The

warming center at the store provided

people with food, water and power to

charge essential electronics.

"It's worse than a hurricane," Harrell

said. "I think we are going to be more

days without light, that is what it seems

like."

Utilities from Minnesota to Texas

implemented rolling blackouts to ease

the burden on power grids straining to

meet extreme demand for heat and

electricity.

Blackouts lasting more than an hour

began around dawn Tuesday for

Oklahoma City and more than a dozen

other communities, stopping electricpowered

space heaters, furnaces and

lights just as temperatures hovered

around minus 8 degrees (minus 22

degrees Celsius).

Oklahoma Gas and Electric

rescinded plans for more blackouts but

urged users to set thermostats at 68

degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees

Celsius), avoid using major electric

appliances and turn off lights or

appliances not in use.

Nebraska's blackouts came amid

some of the coldest weather on record:

In Omaha, the temperature bottomed

out at 23 degrees below zero overnight

(minus 30 degrees Celsius), the coldest

in 25 years.

The Southwest Power Pool, a group

of utilities covering 14 states, said the

blackouts were "a last resort to preserve

the reliability of the electric system as a

whole."

New charge filed on Suu Kyi as

Myanmar crackdown intensifies

YANGON : Police in

Myanmar filed a new charge

against deposed leader Aung

San Suu Kyi, her lawyer said

Tuesday, as the military

authorities who seized power

in a coup intensified their

crackdown against their

opponents, reports UNB.

Suu Kyi, who was detained

in the Feb. 1 military takeover,

already faced a charge of

illegally possessing walkietalkies

- an apparent attempt

to provide a legal veneer for

her house arrest. The new

charge accuses her of

breaking a law that has been

used to prosecute people who

have violated coronavirus

restrictions, lawyer Khin

Maung Zaw told reporters

after meeting with a judge in a

court in the capital,

Naypyitaw.

It carries a maximum

punishment of three years in

prison. Suu Kyi's lawyer told

reporters he has not seen her

since her arrest - and only

arrived after an unexpected

videoconference the judge

said had been held with her.

The status of the second

charge, whether the police

complaint had been accepted

for trial by the court, was not

clear. However, changes to

the Penal Code instituted by

the junta last week could

allow Suu Kyi to be detained

indefinitely, even if she has

not formally been charged by

the court.

The legal maneuver comes

two weeks after the military

seized power in a shocking

halt to Myanmar's fragile

progress toward democracy,

most visible in Suu Kyi's

tenure as national leader.

Since the coup, the junta has

ratcheted up the pressure on

protesters resisting the

takeover, including violently

breaking up some

demonstrations and blocking

internet access. A spokesman

for the United Nations said

any new charges against Suu

Kyi don't change the world

body's "firm denunciation" of

the military overturning the

"democratic will of the

people" and arresting political

leaders, activists and peaceful

protesters. "We have called

for charges against her to be

dropped, for her to be

released," United Nations

spokesman Stephane

Dujarric said.

More protests were

expected Wednesday all over

the country. On Tuesday in

Yangon, the country's largest

city, police blocked off the

street in front of the Central

Bank, which protesters have

targeted amid speculation

online that the military is

seeking to seize money from

it. Buddhist monks

demonstrated.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 8

Managing Director & CEO of Social Islami Bank Ltd Quazi Osman Ali inaugurated eight new agent

banking outlets as chief guest respectively in Tozumuddin (Bhola), Pulerghat Bazar (Kishoregonj),

Bokshi Sha Bazar (Feni), Dolta Bazar, Paler Hat & Azad Nagar Bazar (Laxmipur), Gunaritala Bazar

(Jamalpur) and Buddhi Nagar (Noakhali) through virtual platform recently. Md. Sirajul Hoque and

Md. Shamsul Hoque, Deputy Managing Directors, Abdul Hannan Khan, Company Secretary, Md.

Mashiur Rahman, Head (C.C.) of Agent Banking Division were present in the program. Agent of the

outlets and local dignitaries also attended the program.

Photo: Courtesy

FSIBL adviser Md. Mahbub ul Alam obtains

Professional Doctorate degree

Md. Mahbub ul Alam,

Adviser to First Security

Islami Bank Ltd. and

immediate past Managing

Director and CEO of Islami

Bank Bangladesh Limited has

recently

obtained

'Professional Doctoral

Certificate' in Banking

conferred by European

International University,

Paris. Renowned banker

Mahbub obtained Masters

Degree with Honors in

Marketing from University of

Dhaka back in 1982. He is a

Fellow Member of the

American Marketing

Association (AMA). During

his 37 years long career in

banking, he obtained FIT

Graduation

from

International Chamber of

Commerce (ICC), Paris. He

has been nominated as

member of ICC Standing

Committee for Banking

Technique & Practice,

Bangladesh Chapter, a press

release said.

He served Bangladesh

Foreign Exchange Dealers

Association as Member,

Executive Committee and

Treasurer for a long time. He

served Bangladesh Institute of

Bank Management (BIBM), a

professional institute for

bankers as executive

committee member. He is a

Diplomaed Associate at The

Institute of Bankers,

Bangladesh. This veteran

banker has been regularly

participating training and

seminar of various

professional organizations

including BIBM, Bangladesh

Bank Training Academy,

Bangladesh Association of

Banks, Institute of Cost and

Management Accountants of

Bangladesh and Central

Shari`ah Board for Islamic

Banks and Financial

Institutions as resource

person. He addressed

different international

seminars on Banking and

Economics in France,

Australia, Bahrain and

Malaysia organized by World

Bank, CIBAFI and other

international bodies. Besides

he involved himself with

private universities as guest

faculty. He achieved 'Best

Emerging CEO in Islamic

Banking 2018' and 'CEO of the

Year 2019 in World Islamic

Banking' award conferred by

UK-based financial

intelligence house Cambridge

IF Analytica.

Two get death

penalty for killing

easy-bike driver in

Madaripur

MADARIPUR : A court here

today sentenced two brothers

to death and also fined Taka

50 thousand each in a murder

case of a easy-bike driver

Sultan Bepari in Sadar upazila

of the district in 2018, reports

BSS.

The trial of the other two

accused is going on in the

juvenile court of the district

because they are minors.

District and Sessions Judge

Nitai Chandra Saha handed

down the sentence this

afternoon.

The convicts are Johnny

Bepari, 22 and Shariful

Bepari, 20, sons of Quddus

Bepari of Sutarkandi village

under Rajoir upazila of the

district.

According to the

prosecution, on April 29,

2018, four people boarded the

easy-bike of Sultan Bepari of

Gachbaria Elala from

Ghatakchar in Madaripur

sadar upazila and took him to

Tribhagadi area of Sadar

upazila. They hacked the easybike

driver to death and left

his body there. But, on

suspicion of the incident,

locals detained the convicts as

they took away the easy bike

after killing Sultan. Later, the

locals handed over them to

police.

Most Asian markets

down on profit-taking

but optimism remains

HONG KONG : Most

markets fell in Asia on

Wednesday, hit by profittaking

after a strong rally

across the world in recent

weeks, with investors worried

valuations may have gone too

far for now.

However, analysts said that

while equities have room for

a drop, the general view is

that they will resume their

strong upward march as

vaccine rollouts, slowing

infection rates and the easing

of lockdowns allow

economies to return to

normal.

Focus is also on

Washington as US

lawmakers try to push

through Joe Biden's $1.9

trillion stimulus package, the

prospect of which has been a

key driver of a months-long

surge across global equities.

Bets that the vast spending

spurge will give an extra

boost to the world's top

economy - and the prospect

of business reopenings - have

also fired inflation

expectations, sending US

Treasury yields close to oneyear

highs.

That has led to concerns

about rising borrowing costs,

a negative for equity traders.

"The move up in yields has

been driven by increasing

inflationary concerns amid a

rise in energy prices along

with the prospect of a big US

fiscal stimulus and the global

recovery entering a more

solid stage as vaccine rollouts

lead to the reopening of

economies," said National

Australia Bank's Rodrigo

Catril. Stephen Innes at Axi

said in a note: "It's difficult to

tell if we have reached any

significant inflection points,

but it's certainly starting to

feel that the rip higher in US

bond yields at least on the

margins could be the match

in the stimulus powder

barrel.

"That being said it remains

to be seen if any real drags

will hinder the raging bull

driving equity market

sentiment these days."

He added that traders

remained confident the

rescue package and Federal

Reserve largesse - as well as

reassurances it will keep

monetary policy loose - will

continue to lend massive

support to markets.

After a mixed lead from

Wall Street, Asian markets

stuttered, having enjoyed a

clear run higher so far this

year.

Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore,

Seoul and Manila all fell,

while Taipei, Wellington and

Jakarta rose. Hong Kong was

flat and Shanghai was closed

for a holiday.

"The market is fairly frothy

here from a sentiment

perspective," Liz Ann

Sonders, at Charles Schwab &

Co, told Bloomberg TV. "You

have to put a move higher in

yields that goes out of the

comfort zone as a potential

risk associated with that."

Still, the surge in yields

indicates the outlook remains

very upbeat.

"There's a great deal of

optimism in the air and that's

one of the biggest reasons

we've seen this rise in interest

rates in the US and globally,"

Tom di Galoma, at Seaport

Global Holdings, said.

WTO needs to show results

on economic crisis,

vaccines: Okonjo-Iweala

WASHINGTON: Nigeria's

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, newly

selected head of the World

Trade Organization (WTO),

said Tuesday she will push

for concrete results in

addressing the dual

economic and health crises

facing the globe, reports

BSS.

Her immediate goals are

to ensure vaccines are

produced and distributed

worldwide, not just for rich

nations, and to resist the

push towards protectionism

that worsened during the

pandemic, so that free trade

can help the economic

recovery.

"I think the WTO is too

important to allow it to be

slowed down, paralyzed and

moribund," she told AFP in

an interview. "That's not

right."

She will take over

leadership on March 1 of an

institution that has become

weighed down and

increasingly defanged,

especially by the open

hostility of Donald Trump's

administration.

Amid the turmoil,

including the US move that

shutdown the dispute

resolution court in

December 2019 about

complaints about handling

of disputes with China, her

predecessor stepped down

last August, a year before his

term was up.

Selected by the

membership on Monday,

after US President Joe

Biden's administration

backed her candidacy,

Okonjo-Iweala promised to

breathe fresh life into the

trade body which she says

has lost focus on helping

improve living conditions

for real people.

"I believe the WTO can

contribute more strongly to

a resolution of the Covid-19

pandemic by helping to

improve access accessibility

and affordability of vaccines

to poor countries," she said.

"It's really in the selfinterest

of every country to

see everyone vaccinated

because you're not safe until

everyone is safe."

Some countries, such as

India and South Africa, have

been pushing for a

suspension of trade rules on

patents to allow more rapid

vaccine rollout.

But rather than get caught

in another squabble among

WTO members, Okonjo-

Iweala said the organization

could promote a quicker

path.

"Instead of spending time

arguing on those we should

look at what the private

sector is doing" with

licensing agreements, to

allow vaccines to be

produced in multiple

countries - something she

noted AstraZeneca already

has done in India.

"The private sector has

already looked for a solution

because they want to be part

of reaching poor countries

and poor people," she said.

In addition, the WTO

needs to work to ward off the

trend towards export

restrictions for medical

devices and therapeutics, as

well as the possibility of

restrictions on the vaccines

themselves.

While it is natural for

politicians to help their own

countries first, she warned

that supply chains are tightly

linked and cannot be quickly

disentangled to create alldomestic

production.

The MIT-trained

economist, who served as

Nigeria's first woman and

longest serving finance

minister, who also is a US

citizen, is adamant the WTO

must return to its original

function of helping countries

to deliver better living

standards to their people.

"It's about creating

employment, decent work

for people. It's about …

improving lives," she said.

"There is definitely a role

for trade to play in the

recovery" from the Covid-19

economic crisis.

Australia's NAB

reports flat

profits for Q1

SYDNEY : The National

Australia Bank (NAB)

reported flat profits for the

first quarter of its financial

year Tuesday, and said

ongoing coronavirus

lockdowns added to

uncertainty going forward,

reports BSS.

The bank, one of Australia's

Big Four lenders, said net

profits for the quarter ending

December 31 were Aus$1.7

billion (US$1.3 billion),

comparable to the same

period in 2020.

The bank's preferred

measure of cash earnings was

Aus$1.65 billion (US$1.29

billion), up 1.0 percent on the

corresponding period last

year.

But measured against the

quarterly average of the

second half of 2020, when

Australia was still feeling the

economic impact of the

coronavirus crisis, cash

earnings were up 47 percent.

NAB chief executive Ross

McEwan said "improving

economic trends" were

encouraging in Australia and

New Zealand as both

countries successfully

contained the coronavirus

pandemic. "At an underlying

level, performance has been

sound in the current

competitive, low-interest rate

environment," he said, adding

that the bank had seen a sharp

drop in loan repayment

deferrals.

But McEwan said "health

alerts" related to outbreaks of

Covid-19 in major cities

continued to create

"uncertainties

further clarity".

requiring

Rajshahi Zone of Islami Bank Bangladesh ltd organized Business Development Conference through virtual

platform recently. Mohammed Monirul Moula, Managing Director and CEO of the bank addressed

the meeting as chief guest. A A M Habibur Rahman, Deputy Managing Director, G.M. Mohd. Gias Uddin

Quader, Senior Executive Vice President and A.K.M. Mostafa, Senior Vice President addressed the

meeting as special guests. Presided over by Md. Mizanur Rahman Mizi, Head of Rajshahi Zone, Head of

Branches, Manager Operations, In-charge of Departments and In-charge of Sub-branches under the

Zone attended the meeting.

Photo: Courtesy

DCCI plans to organize Investment

Summit in Singapore this year

Target to showcase

Bangladesh's success stories

to the foreign investors

Consul of Singapore in

Bangladesh Ms. Sheela Pillai

called on President of Dhaka

Chamber of Commerce &

Industry (DCCI) Rizwan

Rahman to discuss bilateral

trade related issues at DCCI

recently, a press release said.

During the meeting, Consul

of Singapore in Bangladesh

Sheela Pillai said that there

could be a joint collaboration

through

different

engagements and activities

throughout the year to boost

bilateral trade and

investments. She also said that

infrastructure, digital

infrastructure, shipbuilding,

ICT and port, logistics are

some of the potential sectors of

interest for Singaporean

investors. She also said that a

Singaporean investor from

agriculture sector already

invested in Bangladesh and

they are doing well. She also

said that there is a huge trade

gap between Singapore and

Bangladesh and to reduce this

gap, she urged for more

product diversification.

DCCI President Rizwan

Rahman informed the Consul

of Singapore that by the end of

this year DCCI is planning to

host an investment summit in

Singapore - one of the largest

business hubs in the world. He

sought cooperation from the

Consulate of Singapore in

Bangladesh and Enterprise

Singapore in this regard. He

also said that the Prime

Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh

Hasina has offered Singapore

500 acres of land in special

economic zone (SEZ) to set up

businesses. He therefore

requested Singaporean

investors to invest in the agro

and food-processing

industries especially in that

particular zone. He further

called upon the importers of

Singapore to import

pharmaceuticals, jute, leather

goods, ceramic and agroproducts

from Bangladesh.

Singapore can co-operate

Bangladesh by transferring

expertise, technical know-how

in infrastructure development,

financial services and

electronics machinery sectors

for local and regional market

demand, he added.

thurSDAY, FeBruArY 18, 2021

9

"Any Bangladesh players selected will be unavailable from 19th May or will leave before if any other series

is scheduled during IpL window," the BCCI wrote to the franchises.

photo: Ap

IPL 2021: Only Bangladesh players

not available for full season

SportS DeSk:

The Board of Control for Cricket in

India (BCCI) has informed the

franchises of the Indian Premier

League (IPL) that players from every

country, barring Bangladesh, will be

available for the entire duration of the

league this season. The advisory

comes just ahead of the auction on

Thursday (February 18), reports AP.

It has, however, said the availability

of the players from South Africa,

which has become a bone of

contention for a couple teams, like

Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super

Kings - because of key players like

Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje (both

Delhi) and Faf du Plessis, Lungi Ngidi

(both CSK) - is yet to be confirmed.

The IPL is expected to start on April 9-

10 and run for about 50 days.

"Any (Bangladesh) players selected

will be unavailable from 19th May or

will leave before if any other series is

scheduled during IPL window," the

BCCI wrote to the franchises on

Tuesday night. The Bangladesh

Cricket Board (BCB) recently

announced that Sri Lanka will tour the

country in May for a three-match

series. The availability of Sri Lankan

players is also yet to be confirmed.

There are four from Bangladesh and

nine from Sri Lankans in the auction

but none from these countries in the

retained squads.

The BCCI also confirmed the full

availability of the Australian players

despite the unfinished domestic

competition in the country. "The last

round of Sheffield Shield, Australia's

domestic first-class cricket

competition is scheduled on 3rd April

2021. The final of the Sheffield Shield

will be held from 15th-19th April

2021," the BCCI mail said but added

that "The NOC will be given to players

selected for IPL from 1st April 2021."

The England and New Zealand

players will also be fully available

despite the planned series between the

countries in June. "In the event of

ECB Selectors wishing to select a

player for the 1st Test v New Zealand

whose franchise has made it through

to the knock-out stages of the

Tournament, but who is not featuring

in the starting XI, the relevant

franchise is requested to release such

player early so that they can

participate in the Test Match," the

BCCI advised the teams.

The BCCI has also informed the

franchises that there are six players -

all Indians - in the suspect action list

and only one of them - Armaan Jaffer

of Mumbai Cricket Association - is

banned from bowling. In the suspect

action list, are Apoorv Wankhede

(VCA), Smit Patel (BCA), Latest Patel

(BCA), Jay Bista (CAU) and Azim Kazi

(MACA). No overseas player is in the

dubious list.

"Those in the 'suspect' list will be

allowed to bowl but would be banned

from bowling if reported a second

time (sic)," the BCCI said and added

that before the start of the IPL, an

updated 'Warning List' will be

released.

Liverpool seize control over

RB Leipzig in Budapest

Sports Desk: Liverpool

seized the initiative against

RB Leipzig in the first leg of

their Champions League

last-16 clash by cruising to a

2-0 win in a chilly Budapest

on Tuesday, reports BSS.

Clinical early second-half

strikes from Mohamed

Salah and Sadio Mane, both

courtesy of dreadful

defensive errors, proved

decisive and leave the

German side facing a

formidable task in the

return leg at Anfield on

March 10.

The win moves Jurgen

Klopp's men to the brink of

the Champions League

quarter-finals and also ends

a run of three straight

defeats that has left the

English champions 13

points behind leaders

Manchester City in the

Premier League.

The first leg was moved

from Leipzig to the

Hungarian capital due to

Germany's strict Covid-19

travel restrictions.

Despite the enforced

move, Leipzig coach Julian

Nagelsmann's side started

briskly and almost went

ahead on four minutes.

Marauding left-back

Angelino teed up fellow

Spaniard Dani Olmo for a

close-range diving header

past Alisson but the effort

only rattled the post.

Soon after Angelino again

exploited space on the left

but his left-footed volley

skewed harmlessly across

the goalmouth.

But it was Liverpool,

attempting to reverse their

slump and badly in need of

a Champions League lift,

who gradually created more

chances, often benefitting

from loose defending.

First, Salah, busy

throughout, forced a block

from Leipzig's Hungarian

goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi on

the quarter hour.

Ten minutes later Mane,

outjumping Nordi Mukiele,

headed a Firmino cross just

over after the Brazilian

striker and Salah had

combined well on the right.

Shortly before half-time,

Andy Robertson shaved the

crossbar when his lob from

distance almost caught out

the Budapest-born Gulacsi

dashing back after making a

clearance outside his box.

Although Leipzig perked

up on the restart with

Alisson Becker saving from

Christopher Nkunku, the

German side, were made to

pay for two calamitous

mistakes early in the second

half.

In the 53rd minute, Salah

pounced on a sloppy backpass

by Austrian midfielder

Marcel Sabitzer and ran

unchallenged to smoothly

slot past Gulacsi.

Five minutes later, Mane

doubled Liverpool's lead in

similar fashion, smartly

finishing after Mukiele had

scuffed a clearance.

Liverpool seized the initiative against rB Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League last-16

clash by cruising to a 2-0 win in a chilly Budapest on tuesday.

photo: Ap

Mbappe hat-trick stuns Barca to put

PSG in sight of quarter-finals

SportS DeSk:

Kylian Mbappe ripped Barcelona

apart on Tuesday by scoring a

stunning hat-trick in a 4-1 rout to put

Paris Saint-Germain on the brink of

the Champions League quarter-finals,

reports BSS.

Mbappe underlined his status as the

rising superstar of world football with

a ruthless display of finishing at Camp

Nou that will go down as one this

competition's most devastating

individual performances.

The 22-year-old eclipsed Barca's

Lionel Messi, whose opening goal

from the penalty spot had been

reduced to nothing more than a

footnote by the final whistle.

Moise Kean also headed in midway

through the second half, carelessly left

unmarked from a free-kick as PSG

pulled away to win this first leg, and

perhaps the tie.

Barcelona will no doubt draw upon

the spirit of their astonishing

'Remontada' in 2017, when they won

the second leg 6-1 to overturn a 4-0

deficit from the opening game in

Paris.

It will certainly serve as a warning

for PSG but without fans, and with

Mbappe, any hopes of a repeat for

Ronald Koeman's side from look faint

at best.

Mbappe ran them ragged all night

long.

"The great footballers write their

stories in the biggest matches," said

Mauricio Pochettino. "We had no

doubts before the game and even less

kylian Mbappe ripped Barcelona apart on tuesday by scoring a stunning hat-trick in a 4-1 rout.

Brady beats fellow

American Pegula

to make Australian

Open semis

SportS DeSk:

Big-serving Jennifer

Brady staged a comeback

three-set victory over fellow

American Jessica Pegula

Thursday to book an

Australian Open semi-final

with Karolina Muchova,

reports BSS.

The 22nd seed cast

friendship aside and

finished strongly with a 4-6,

6-2, 6-1 win on Rod Laver

Arena and will now face

Czech 25th seed Muchova,

who earlier stunned world

number one Ashleigh Barty.

Brady is the last woman

standing among those

forced into a hard 14-day

quarantine after arriving in

Australia.

"We're such good friends. I

know we will having many

more tough battles," she said

of Pegula, whose billionaire

father owns the Buffalo Bills

NFL franchise.

"I felt the pressure from

her. She's such an aggressive

player," added Brady, who

hit 22 winners and seven

aces. "I was looking to push

her back and get more on

offense. I think I played a

really good third set."

Brady, who had only been

broken twice in the

tournament before the

match, was under pressure

from Pegula, who won 14

points in a row to dominate

the early exchanges in

humid conditions.

SportS DeSk:

now that we are seeing a top, top

player."

Koeman had gambled on the fitness

of Gerard Pique, who had not played a

game in almost three months due to a

knee ligament injury. But to rub salt

into the wounds, Pique trudged off

late on just as PSG were running riot.

This was a chastening experience for

Koeman's youthful side, who had

shown signs of a resurgence in recent

weeks in La Liga but were exposed

against an opponent of an altogether

different class.

Koeman was even asked if he

wanted to continue as coach but was

defiant.

"I accept a defeat and go to work. If

I was a person who was very happy

when we win and then with a result

like today said I have no desire to

continue, that would be crazy.

"I know where we are, we have to

change, we are not at the end of this

road, we are halfway through."

Even without the injured Neymar

and Angel Di Maria, PSG were too

strong, a breathless, entertaining first

half giving way to a French

obliteration in the second.

PSG's new boss Pochettino pumped

a fist at the end, after a huge early

boost to his credibility.

The warning signs for the hosts

came early as Mbappe sped in behind

their central defence after 52 seconds,

only for Marc-Andre ter Stegen to

clear just in time.

For half an hour, the chances just

kept coming, at both ends. Antoine

Griezmann scuttled through but was

England's controversial

rotation policy is in the

spotlight again after it was

announced Moeen Ali would

leave the tour of India

following Tuesday's crushing

317-run loss in the second

Test at Chennai, reports BSS.

Off-spinner Moeen was

one of England's best players

as India levelled the fourmatch

series at 1-1.

He took eight wickets,

including the prize scalp of

India captain Virat Kohli for

a first-innings duck, and topscored

with 43 in England's

second innings.

Nevertheless, Moeen will

miss the remainder of the

series.

His exit comes after

England's decision to let Jos

Buttler leave following the

first Test, with Jonny

Bairstow and Mark Wood

available for the third Test

after a rest period.

Star all-rounder Ben

Stokes and express fast

bowler Jofra Archer, who

missed the second Test with

an elbow injury, returned to

the squad after sitting out

England's recent 2-0 series

sweep in Sri Lanka.

Moeen's situation has been

complicated by the fact he

had to self-isolate after

testing positive for Covid-19

in Sri Lanka last month.

He is, however, due back

for the Twenty20 series that

follows the Test campaign,

with the T20 World Cup

taking place in India in

October and November.

Twenty20 matches are

increasingly important for

England cricketers, including

Moeen, looking to secure

lucrative Indian Premier

League contracts, with this

year's player auction set to

take place on Thursday.

England captain Joe Root,

in a careless choice of words,

said Tuesday that Moeen had

"chosen to go home" when in

fact he had taken advantage

of a break proposed by team

management.

Former England captain

Michael

Vaughan

sympathised with Moeen by

writing in his Daily

Telegraph column: "I do not

like the inference from

England that he has 'chosen'

to miss the last two Tests. I

did not hear that being said

when Jos Buttler and Jonny

Bairstow went home."

England are due to play at

least 17 Tests in 2021, in

addition to numerous

limited-overs internationals,

and there is an acceptance

that multi-format players

denied by Keylor Navas at the near

post and then Pedri made up for a

miscontrol by dashing back to prevent

Mauro Icardi's finish from trickling in.

Messi's pass led to Barca's opener, a

clipped ball over the top attracting the

gaze of Layvin Kurzawa as he tracked

back and inadvertently tripped

Frenkie de Jong in front of him. Messi

slammed the penalty into the top

corner.

PSG were briefly shell-shocked and

for the next five minutes, Koeman's

men chased a second, with Messi

freeing Ousmane Dembele in the area

but he failed to connect.

Yet as they gained in confidence,

they also left gaps and PSG hit back.

Mbappe had already seen a flicked

finish blocked by Pique and moments

later he made sure, taming Marco

Verratti's astute pull-back with one

touch before feathering another

expertly around Clement Lenglet in

the six-yard box and unleashing past

Ter Stegen.

Now the Parisians were on top, with

Kurzawa thwarted by Ter Stegen's

fingertips and Barca relieved to reach

half-time.

But Mbappe was relentless,

motoring past opponents every time

he got the ball and never letting up.

Ter Stegen had to save a deflected shot

from Kean before PSG took charge

with two goals in five minutes.

Pique could only hack away

Alessandro Florenzi's cross to the feet

of Mbappe, who clipped in his second,

and then Kean headed home, left free

at the back post by Lenglet.

photo: Ap

England's rotation plan

under fire as Moeen

leaves India tour

such as Moeen will need

breaks from a gruelling

schedule.

And that is even before the

mental strain imposed by

prolonged periods in a biosecure

bubble designed to

guard against the spread of

the coronavirus is

considered.

But with England having

won the 2019 50-over World

Cup on home soil, Vaughan

feels Test cricket should be

their priority in a year

culminating with an Ashes

tour of Australia.

"The T20 team is a well

oiled unit. The Test side is

not," he said. "After 2019 we

were told England's priority

would be winning back the

Ashes."

As for the IPL, having once

tried to curtail then star

batsman Kevin Pietersen's

appearances in the

competition, England now

believe the team's white-ball

performances have improved

from players' involvement in

the franchise tournament.

There is also a recognition

that preventing top stars

from earning life-changing

sums of money could

backfire if it leads them to

hasten the end of their

England careers.

THUrsDAY, feBrUArY 18, 2021

10

Bubly as

Nirab’s

heroine in

‘Chokh’

TBT reporT

Top 50 contestants selected for

Miss Universe Bangladesh 2020

TBT reporT

The top fifty contestants of Flora Bank Miss

Universe -2020, have been selected. This is the

Bangladeshi part of the most prestigious beauty

pageant in the world "Miss Universe", especially

acclaimed for its collective focus on the talents and

beauty of the participants. The organizers informed

that these 50 contestants will be involved in

different activities for the society.

In a statement on Wednesday, Miss Universe

Bangladesh organizers informed that the

competition saw a total of 9256 registrations this

year. Of total registration, some 500 got calls for the

audition round. The top 50 were selected through a

live audition on 11th February and a virtual audition

for contestants from outside the country on 13th

February, following an assessment on beauty,

education, talent, analytical power, and other

selective indicators.

Of the top 50, the best 20 contestants will go

through a rigorous grooming session from 20th

February. Mentors will prepare them for the final

round focusing on different skill development.

Bangladeshi Flag Girl Priota Iftekhar (Miss

Culture Worldwide 2018), Fashion Designer

Shahrukh Amin, Fashion Editor of IceToday

After the success of the New York Times and FX

documentary 'Framing Britney Spears,' Netflix has

greenlit its own documentary on the American

singer, Collider reported. Helmed by Samantha

Stark, Framing Britney Spears premiered on

February 5 on FX and FX Hulu. Post the release of

the docu, conversations were once again ignited

about the treatment of female celebrities by the

media and the controversial conservatorship of the

star, which is currently overseen by Britney's father

Jamie Spears.

Apart from the NYT docuseries and Netflix's

upcoming documentary on the troubled life of the

'Toxic' singer, another documentary drama on

Britney Spears is in works by noted filmmaker Erin

Lee Carr, Bloomberg reported. Carr is a well-known

Magazine Gautam Saha, and 2019 Miss Universe

Bangladesh First Runner-up Alisha Islam were

judges of the audition round.

According to the organizer, the winners of this

beauty contest will aim to contribute to various

fields of social development from their social

responsibility.

Shafiqul Islam, National Director of the "Miss

Universe Bangladesh" competition, said, "The

number of talented participants increased this year

compared to the previous edition."

He said that the platform builds confidence

among women that they have the ability to stand on

the international stage and present their culture.

The presence of the guardians of the contestants on

the day of the audition proves that the interest of

the people with such a platform is increasing day by

day. Singer and actor Tahsan Rahman Khan, model

and actress Vidya Sinha Meem will be the Judges of

the final round of Miss Universe Bangladesh 2020.

According to the organizers, the Grand Finale will

be held on March 20 in Dhaka.

The winner of the Flora Bank Miss Universe 2020

will be the representative of Bangladesh in the 69th

Miss Universe 2020 pageant to be held in the

United States next May and will be our country's

ambassador on a global stage.

After success of Framing

Britney Spears, Netflix to

release documentary

name in the documentary film circle. Some of his

more popular works include HBO documentaries

Mommie Dead and Dearest and I Love You, Now

Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter. He had

also directed an episode of the Netflix documentary

Dirty Money.

Meanwhile, many celebrities have been at the

receiving end of some negative comments post the

release of Framing Britney Spears. Justin

Timberlake, Diane Sawyer, Sarah Silverman among

others were trolled for not standing up for the

singer. Justin Timberlake later took to Instagram

post to apologise for 'failing Britney Spears.'

"I have seen the messages, tags, comments and

concerns and I want to respond. I am deeply sorry

for the times in my life where my actions

contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of

turn or did not speak up for what was right. I

specifically want to apologise to Britney Spears and

Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for

and respect these women and I know I failed," read

Justin's Instagram post.

Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were

partners for a short while.

Source: Hindustan Times

Popular Dhallywood actress Shabnom

Bubly has returned to acting after almost a

year. Bubly will be seen in new movie,

'Chokh', with actor Nirab as the hero.Bubly

signed a deal with the production house

Shapla Media for the film at a hotel in the

capital's Gulshan area on Monday.

Apart from Nirab-Bubly, actor Roshan

and actor Shahiduzzaman Selim will also be

seen in this thriller movie.

Directed by Asif Iqbal Jewel, the film has

been scripted by Anamika Mondol. This will

be the second film of Bubly-Nirab pair.

About the film, Bubly said, "I'm very

selective about script. The story of the film

Chokh is amazing and my character is very

nice. That's why I have signed the movie. In

TBT reporT

Shapla Media has started a historic

mission with the slogan 'Sleeping

BFDC will wake up this time /

Everyone in the film will smile

again' has announced that they will

produce 100 movies this year.

Selim Khan, proprietor and

director announced the news

through a press conference at the

Bangladesh Film Development

Corporation (BFDC) yesterday.

He announced that the movies

will be directed by 100 directors

and that the decision will be taken

via lottery. The program also

completed the inauguration

ceremony of 15 films and that the

shooting of these movies will begin

from 22 February. Filmmakers

Shahin Sumon and Apurba Rana

will work as coordinators for the

100 movies.

"These 100 movies will be

directed by the very talented

directors of BFDC," said Sumon.

"We have also finalised the plot,

directors and artists for the 15

movies. The production of the

The 20th edition of Indian Television Academy

Awards were held on Sunday in Mumbai. One of

the most prestigious awards celebrating

excellence on small screen, it also awarded the

best of digital platform this year. To celebrate its

milestone year, ITA Awards also honoured

popular TV and web shows that made its mark in

the audience's hearts in the last two decades with

"Milestone" and "Landmark" awards. Actor

Dheeraj Dhoopar went back home with three

trophies- one for the 'Best Actor' while the others

were for his shows Kundali Bhagya and Naagin

5. Sharing a photo flaunting the shining trophy,

he wrote on Instagram, "Don't even know where

'Chokh' the audience will see me as a

corporate lady. I don't want to reveal much

about the movie now. I'm very much

optimistic about this project."

Nirab said, "Before this movie, I and

Bubly have worked in the movie 'Casino'.

The pattern of the film 'Chokh' is

completely different from 'Casino'. I'm

very excited to work in the movie."

Produced by Shapla Media, the shooting

of this thriller movie will begin in this

month. Shabnom Yesmin Bubly is a

popular film actress of the country. She

started her career in the media as a

television news presenter. She made her

movies will start this month," he

added. Rana said most of the time

the production of a movie is

merely limited to the inauguration

ceremony and barely go into the

shooting phase.

"Together we have joined forces

to work on this long period project

which will require lots of hard work

and dedication. As a lot of directors

to begin.. thank you so much @theitaofficial for

honouring me with the Best Actor Award

tonight???? ! Special thanks to Anu Ma'am

@anuranjan1010 & Shashi ji ! Thank you

everyone for showering so much love upon

#TheKaranLuthra & myself. It has truly been a

blessing to be a part of such landmark shows as

#Kundalibhagya & #Naagin5 . Thank you EK

@ektarkapoor for being my angel ?? A big

thanks to all #dhoopians for constantly being my

pillar of support!!! It was a Happy Valentines

indeed????."

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai producer Rajan

Shahi also shared a photo with his lead actors

Mohsin Khan and Shivangi Joshi, celebrating

the recognition awarded to his show.

Here's the complete list of winners of Indian

Television Academy Awards 2021

Television Awards

Popular Actress - Surbhi Chandna (Naagin 5)

Popular Actor - Dheeraj Dhoopar (Kundali

Bhagya) and Sudhanshu Pandey (Anupamaa)

Popular Show (Fiction) - Ishq Mein Marjawan 2

Popular Show (Non - Fiction) - The Kapil

Sharma Show

acting debut in the film 'Bossgiri' with

Shakib Khan, and since then the two have

collaborated multiple times.

After acting in seven consecutive movies

with Shakib Khan, Bubly paired up with

Nirab Hossain in 2019 for the film Casino

directed by Saikat Nasir. Since debut,

Casino is Bubly's first movie without

starring against Shakib Khan.

Md Shakhawat Hossain Nirab commonly

known as Nirab Hossain, is a film actor and

model. Nirab started his career by modeling.

He made his debut with the 2009 film 'Mon

Jekhane Hridoy Sekhane' opposite Apu

Biswas and Shakib Khan.

100 movies to produced by

Shapla Media this year

ITA Awards 2021 winners list

will be involved in the project, the

shooting expenses will be reduced

for the directors," he added.

The 15 films will showcase

popular heroines such as Keya,

Achol, Bipasha Kabir, Misty

Jannat, Farin Khan, Afri, Shakila,

Tanha Tasnia among others. The

movies will also showcase noted

actors such as Nirab Hossain, Saif

Khan, Sumit Sengupta, Shipan

Mitra, Joy Chowdhury, Kayes Arzu

and Amaan Reza and many more.

Earlier on, Shapla Media house

released the popular movie

"Shahenshah" starring Shakib

Khan. The media house awaits the

release of their upcoming movies

starring Dev in Commando,

Shakib Khan's Bidrohi and Shanto

Khan's Bikkhov among others.

Popular Supporting Actor - Krushna Abhishek

and Kiku Sharda (The Kapil Sharma Show)

Popular Supporting Actress - Munmun Dutta

Popular Mytho Show - Vignaharta Ganesh

Popular Host on Indian Television - Maniesh Paul

Hall of Fame - Sanjeev Kapoor, and Ekta

Kapoor

Milestone Award - Balika Vadhu, Divya Aur

Baati Hum, Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, Crime Patrol,

Kasautii Zindagi Kay, Comedy Circus, Sarabhai

vs Sarabhai and Khichdi

Landmark Award - Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah

Chashmah, Indian Idol, RadhaKrishn, Bhabiji

Ghar Par Hain, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Sa

Re Ga Ma Pa, Kundali Bhagya and Naagin

Digital Awards

Popular Actor Web - Pratik Gandhi (Scam

1992 The Harshad Mehta Story)

Popular Debutant Actress- Akansha Ranjan (Guilty)

Popular OTT Film - Guilty

Popular Social Media Stars - Ssumeir Pasricha

ITA Viewers Choice Social Media - Chinki Minki

Popular Digital Influencer - Ashish Chanchlani

Landmark Award - Jamtara: Sabka Number

Ayega, Paatal Lok, Aashram, Criminal Justice,

Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, Asur,

Fittrat Indian Television Academy Awards 2021

will air on Sony TV soon.

Source: Indian Express

H o r o s c o p e

ArIes

(March 21 - April 20) : The bizarre

nature of the day may leave you feeling a

bit bewildered, Aries. Don't sweat it.

Focus on your romantic nature and

incredibly nurturing heart. Use your instinctive

healing abilities to care for a close friend in need.

Today is an especially good day to connect with others

and openly share your feelings. Confide in people you

trust. Consider calling your mom.

TAUrUs

(April 21 - May 21) : You will be in

an especially affectionate and loving

mood today, Taurus. Your romantic

nature is heightened and your

nurturing qualities are strong. You're extra

sensitive and receptive. You might find that you

have no problem communicating your truest

feelings to others. Connect with those you feel

especially close to, and enjoy an intimate evening.

GeMINI

(May 22 - June 21) : Annoyances of daily

life may rub you the wrong way today,

Gemini. Other people's strong opinions and

odd quirks may be difficult to swallow and

your fuse may be a bit shorter than usual. Emotions could

also run high, and you may do battle with the feelings in

your own heart. Perhaps someone you care about deeply

is creating unnecessary friction in your relationship.

cANcer

(June 22 - July 23) : Be open and honest

about your feelings toward others today,

Cancer. Your receptive nature should be

ready. Take a break and let others come

to you. Unexpected events may pop out of nowhere.

Opportunities for new growth in love and romance

are definitely at your fingertips as long as you're ready

to receive them. Don't try to force the issue if the time

and place aren't right. Let it flow.

Leo

(July 24 - Aug. 23): Your heart beats

extra strong today, Leo, but it may not

seem like anyone knows it but you.

You may feel like you aren't really

fitting in with the energy of the day. Don't get

down on yourself for it. Realize that not everything

is going to go according to your plans. Let things

come to you. The unexpected is bound to happen,

so don't try to resist the impending change.

VIrGo

(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): This is a fantastic day

for you, Virgo. Join close friends and share

a night on the town and fine meal. This is

a chance to begin a new cycle of romance.

Reflect on past relationship problems, examine their

causes, and toss them away so you can invite in a new,

uplifting energy for the next cycle of romance. Start a

new relationship or strengthen the one you're in.

LIBrA

(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): Your warm, sensitive

nature is perfectly suited to today's

aspects, Libra. Your emotional energy is

strongly tied to your heart, and you will

find that there's a longing to be close to others. Indulge

in conversation with close friends and let your

imagination run wild. Your creativity is especially

piqued today, so start an art project or write a song that

inspires or perhaps changes the world.

scorpIo

(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) : You might need to do

some of the less exciting chores involved

with creative or artistic projects today,

Sagittarius. You're in the right frame of

mind to get them done. Your efficiency is at a peak. A

practical, no-nonsense manner marks all your

interactions. By day's end you should feel more than

satisfied with what you've done. You're apt to be

prepared for the next phase of the project.

sAGITTArIUs

(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): Your heart may be

especially sensitive today, Sagittarius. You

may feel a bit vulnerable. Your romantic

nature is particularly strong, so treat yourself

to a pampered evening, including a good meal with someone

you love. All relationships with women will go smoothly now.

You might want to give your mother a call if you haven't

spoken with her in a while. She would love to hear from you.

cAprIcorN

(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): All aspects of love

and romance will go especially well

today, Capricorn. You might take this

opportunity to make a bold move

toward the object of your affection. Go with an

unconventional approach and move fearlessly. Your

relationships will go well. Nurture your romantic

side and communicate your feelings. Love will act

suddenly and unexpectedly. Go with the flow.

AQUArIUs

(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) : Your connection with

others is especially strong today,

Aquarius. You will enjoy an important

nurturing role. Reconnect with your

mother and let her know how you're feeling. Curl up

with loved ones tonight and surprise someone with a

romantic gesture. Try something unconventional. Your

feelings may be strong and erratic. You may be feel like

pulling back into your protective shell. If so, do it.

pIsces

(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : You might feel

especially playful today, Pisces. You can

expect to feel a great deal of love and

affection from others. Be aware that you will

have a strong tendency to indulge in food and drink, so try

to keep things in moderation. You may have an aversion to

work and lack self-discipline. Overcome this by looking

forward to intimate plans with someone tonight.

Dubai princess

video pleas

'distressing': UK

LONDON : Britain's foreign

minister on Wednesday

called footage of the daughter

of Dubai's ruler saying she is

being held captive "distressing"

and said the government

would "watch closely" the

response of the United

Nations.

Sheikha Latifa, who has not

been seen in public since she

attempted to escape from the

emirate by sea in March 2018,

said in a video clip aired by the

BBC that she fears for her life.

"They are very distressing

pictures," foreign minister

Dominic Raab told Sky News.

"We always raise human

rights issues with all of our

partners including the UAE.

"The United Nations High

Commissioner for Human

Rights will be following up on

what we see, and we'll be

watching and monitoring

that very closely," he added.

The BBC said the clips were

filmed roughly a year after

she was captured and

returned to Dubai, showing

her crouched in a corner of

what she says is a bathroom.

Japan begins COVID-19 vaccination

drive amid supply worry

TOKYO : Japan's first coronavirus shots

were given to health workers Wednesday,

beginning a vaccination campaign considered

crucial to holding the already delayed

Tokyo Olympics.

The progress the campaign might make is

uncertain, however, in a country concerned

about possible shortages of imported vaccines

and where people are often reluctant to

take vaccines due to worries of side effects.

The massive drive comes after the government

gave its belated first approval Sunday

for shots developed and supplied by Pfizer,

which have been used in many other countries

since December.

Japan fell behind after it asked Pfizer to

conduct clinical tests with Japanese people

in addition to the company's earlier tests in

six other nations. But officials say it was necessary

to address the concerns of many

Japanese about safety in a country known for

low vaccine confidence.

Supplies of imported vaccines are a major

concern because of supply shortages and

restrictions in Europe, where many are manufactured.

Supplies of imported vaccines will

determine the progress of vaccination drive

in Japan, the country's vaccine minister Taro

Kono said Tuesday.

Some of 40,000 doctors and nurses from

100 selected hospitals across the country

received their first shots Wednesday, with

their second shot planned for March 10. Half

will participate in a 7-week health survey.

After weeks of delay, Japan's inoculation

program is running on a tight schedule.

Vaccines arrived in a Tokyo hospital late

Tuesday, the night before inoculations for its

staff started Wednesday morning.

A first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine that

arrived last Friday is enough for 40,000 doctors

and nurses from 100 selected hospitals

across the country, Kono said.

Inoculations of 3.7 million more health

workers will begin in March, followed by

about 36 million people aged 65 and older

starting in April. People with underlying

health issues, as well as caregivers at nursing

homes and other facilities, will be next,

before the general population receives its

turn.

It will be around June by the time ordinary

people have their turn, and reaching a socalled

"herd immunity" against the virus

before the Olympic would be impossible,

experts say.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are to begin in

July. Japan's mistrust of vaccines is decades

old. Many people have a vague unease about

vaccines, partly because their side effects

have often been played up.

Half of the recipients of the first shots will

keep daily records of their condition for

seven weeks, data that will be used in a

health study meant to inform people worried

about the side effects.

THurSDAY, fEBruArY 18 , 2021

11

The newly appointed Egyptian Ambassador to Bangladesh Haytham Ghobashy met with Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganobhaban on Wednesday.

Photo: PBA

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Invitation for Tender No: 16/2020-2021

179



Date : 16.02.2021

e-Tender Notice

Iqvmv-Rt Zt-72/2021

GD-282/21 (6x4)

GD- 286/21 (7x4)

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e-Tender Notice Number : 04/2020-21 (OTM)

e-Tender Notice

GD-281/21 (6x4)

GD-285/21 (8x4)

Thursday, Dhaka, february 18, 2021, falgun 5, 1427 BS, Rajab 5, 1442 Hijri

Mobile court

fines 5 factories

Tk 7 lakh

STAff RePoRTeR:

An expedition team of RAB-10 led by

Md. Sarwar Alam, Executive Magistrate

of RAB Headquarters from completed a

mobile court drive in Siddirganj of

Narayanganj district and Jatrabari and

Demra Thana areas of the capital and

imposed a fine of Tk 7 lakh and sealed 2

factories on Tuesday.

During the time, the mobile court conducted

drive in 5 counterfeit ceramic,

counterfeit washing powder and adulterated

food manufacturing factories in

Siddirganj of Narayanganj district and

Jatrabari and Demra Thana areas of the

capital using BSTI's unlicensed production

of counterfeit substandard ceramic,

washing powder and veg. 5 companies

were fined a total of Tk 7 lakh for stocking

and selling the counterfeit products.

Besides, on the orders of the executive

magistrate, about 16 tonnes of ceramics

and 600 kg of washing powder worth

about Tk 20 lakh were destroyed. At the

same time 2 factories of ceramic and

washing powder companies were

sealed.

Preliminary investigations revealed

that these unscrupulous traders had

been producing, stocking and marketing

unauthorized counterfeit ceramics,

washing powders and adulterated food

for a long time using the packaging of

various reputed domestic and foreign

brands.

Local administration

should work to ensure

cyber security: Palak

DHAKA : State Minister for

Information and Communication

Technology (ICT) Junaid Ahmed Palak

on Wednesday urged the local administrative

officials to work in creating technical

capabilities, strict enforcement of

laws and creating awareness to ensure

cyber security.

The state minister was speaking at an

online seminar titled "Digital Security"

organized by the Digital Security Agency

of the Information and Communication

Technology Division (ICT) as the chief

guest with the participation of the officials

working in the field administration.

He called for raising awareness both

at personal and institutional level to this

end so that none can be misled by

spreading falsehoods.

He also said that the ICT division has

launched a campaign on 'Asol Chini' to

create awareness among people of all

classes and professions including students,

teachers and parents.

Calling upon the next generation to

protect themselves from cyber threats,

he said, a 'fact checker' and a 'Janatar

portal' will be launched soon to verify

false information online.

The state minister said in order to

build the 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, it is necessary

to build ideal, conscious and worthy

golden people everywhere, including in

administration, educational campus

and judiciary.

Bangladesh HC visiting

Jammu-Kashmir with

3rd batch of envoys

NEW DELHI : A group of envoys,

including Bangladesh High

Commissioner to India Muhammad

Imran, are in Jammu and Kashmir

on a two-day visit to assess the

ground situation and development

activities being carried out by Indian

government in the region.

The third batch of the envoys comprising

over 24 diplomats from

Europe, Africa and Asian countries

arrived in Jammu and Kashmir on

Wednesday morning as the first two

groups visited the region in January

and February last year.

During their two-day stay in the territory,

the envoys would receive firsthand

information on the development

work undertaken by the local

administration after abrogation of the

special status of the erstwhile state of

Jammu and Kashmir on August 5,

2019.

Tight security arrangements were

put in place for the visit, and the

group headed to Magam in Badgam

district, located on the outskirts of

Srinagar, shortly after their arrival to

meet with local residents, the

Hindustan Times reported.

Security was also tightened all

across Srinagar, and especially

around the SKICC, where the delegation

of diplomats will meet different

groups. The diplomats will also be

briefed on the security situation by

senior officials.

In the afternoon, the diplomats will

meet different groups and leaders of

political parties at the Sher-e-

Kashmir International Conference

Centre (SKICC) on the banks of the

Dal Lake and will visit the Hazratbal

shrine.

Among the politicians who will

meet the diplomats are some elected

in the District Development Council

(DDCs) elections held during

November-December.

The envoys would be briefed about

the security situation by senior officers

involved with the law and order

situation in the Kashmir valley.

Besides the Bangladesh high commissioner,

diplomats from Chile,

Brazil, Cuba, Bolivia, Estonia,

Finland, France, Ireland,

Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium,

Spain, Sweden, Italy, Malawi, Eritrea,

Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal,

Malaysia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and

the European Union are on the visit.

HC for removing Al Jazeera

report from online platforms

DHAKA : The High Court (HC) on

Wednesday ordered Bangladesh

Telecommunication Regulatory

Commission (BTRC) to remove a

report titled "All the Prime

Minister's Men" of Al Jazeera, a

Qatar based news channel, from all

the online platforms in the country.

A High Court division virtual

bench of Justice Md Mozibur

Rahman Miah and Justice Md

Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the

order yesterday after holding hearing

on a writ petition filed in this

regard. The court disposed of the

matter.

"The court ordered to immediate

remove the documentary from all

the online platforms. The court has

asked to immediately execute the

order. If necessary BTRC should

contact authorities of different

online platforms," BTRC counsel

Khandaker Reza-e-Rakib told

newsmen.

Earlier on February 15, the court

heard legal opinions of six amici

curiae (friends of court) on the matter.

Earlier on February 10, the High

Court had appointed senior lawyers

AJ Mohammad Ali, Kamal Ul Alam,

Abdul Matin Khasru, Fida M

Kamal, Prabir Niyogi and Dr

Shahdin Malik as amici curiae in

the case.

Supreme Court lawyer Md

Enamul Kabir Emon filed the writ

on February 8. In the petition, the

petitioner pleaded for High Court's

directive on the authorities concerned

to ban broadcast of Al

Jazeera in the country and also

court's order to remove the contents

of Al Jazeera's report titled "All the

Prime Minister's Men" from all

social media, including Facebook,

YouTube, and Twitter.

Officials concerned including Post

and Telecommunications Secretary,

Information Secretary, Home

Secretary, BTRC Chairman and

Inspector General of Police were

made respondents in the writ.

Al Jazeera broadcasted the report

on February 1. The government dismissed

the report, calling it "false

and defamatory" and a desperate

"smear campaign" instigated by

extremists and their allies, working

in London and elsewhere.

A special medical team of Bangladesh army were welcomed with flowers after returning home from Kuwait at

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Tuesday night.

Photo: Star Mail

BNP is spreading

rumors against

constitutional

bodies: Quader

DHAKA : Awami League General

Secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday

said the BNP is showing skillfulness in

spreading propaganda and rumours

against the government and the constitutional

institutions.

"The BNP is spreading propaganda and

rumours in a planned way against the government

and constitutional bodies," he

told a press conference on contemporary

affairs at his official residence here.

Quader, also road transport and bridges

minister, said the ruling Awami League is

not dependent on anyone to run the country

as the only strength of the government

is the country's people, reports BSS.

"When BNP leaders talk about the voting

rights of people, electoral system and

the Election Commission (EC), it makes

me laughed. I memorize the record of

voter-less election held during BNP

regime. This party (BNP) has set a record

in the country's history by holding a voterless

and unilateral election during its

time," he said.

Mentioning the irregularity by holding

voter-less general elections on February 15

in 1996 and Magura by-election, the AL

general secretary said "Aziz Commission"

was the most controversial Election

Commission in the country's electoral system.

He said the "Aziz Commission" wanted

to hold a farce election by enrolling 1.23

crore fake voters.

Asking the BNP leaders to see their faces

in mirror before criticising anyone,

Quader said people do not believe them as

BNP had snatched away the voting rights

of people during its rule.

Bangladesh reports 16

COVID-19 deaths

DHAKA : Bangladesh recorded 16

novel coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths

and 443 fresh cases overnight.

The recovery count rose to 4,89,254

after another 633 patients were discharged

from the hospitals during the

period, a press release of the Directorate

General of Health Services (DGHS) said

on Wednesday.

"Sixteen more COVID-19 patients died

in the last 24 hours, increasing the death

toll from the pandemic to 8,314," the

release said.

It said the tally of infections has surged

to 5,41,877 as 443 new cases were confirmed

in the last 24 hours.

A total of 16,612 samples were tested at

214 authorized laboratories across the

country during the time.

Of the total sample tests in the past 24

hours, 2.67 percent tested positive, while

13.92 percent cases were detected from

the total tests conducted so far, the

release added.

Among the total infections, 90.29 percent

patients have recovered, while 1.53

percent died so far since the first COVID-

19 positive cases were reported in the

country on March 8.

Among the 16 deaths, twelve are male

and four female, the press release said,

adding four are in their 40s, four in their

50s, while eight are above 60 years.

According to the division-wise data,

twelve deaths took place in Dhaka division

and rests are in other divisions.

Among the total 8,314 fatalities, 4,643

deaths occurred in Dhaka division, 1,521

in Chattogram division, 474 in Rajshahi

division, 558 in Khulna division, 251 in

Barishal division, 310 in Sylhet division,

361 in Rangpur division and 196 in

Mymensingh division, according to the

press release.

A total of 38,93,654 samples have so

far been tested since the detection of the

first COVID-19 cases in the country.

The DGHS said in order to make treatment

facilities easily available for the

COVID-19 patients, the government has

introduced telemedicine services comprising

100 physicians for round the

clock in the country.

A total of 7,24,120 people have so far

received healthcare services from

telemedicine.

The DGHS said 2,36,47,584 people

received healthcare services from hotline

mobile numbers and health web portals

as the government formed a group of

medical professionals to provide emergency

healthcare services.

To receive information and treatment

facilities on COVID-19, the contact hotline

and mobile numbers are 16263;

333; 10655 and 01944333222.

As of February 17, 2021, 10:27 GMT,

2,431,445 people have died so far from

the COVID-19 outbreak and there are

currently 110,102,025 confirmed cases

in 212 countries and territories, according

to Worldometer, a reference website

that provides counters and real-time statistics

for diverse topics.

China was the world's first country

which on January 11 reported the first

death from the novel coronavirus in

Wuhan, the capital of Central China's

Hubei province.

Govt to import 67.20 lakh

units LNG from Singapore

Dhaka city dwellers experienced heavy traffic and long tailback of vehicles on Wednesday.

Photo: Star Mail

DHAKA : The Cabinet Committee on

Government Purchase (CCGP) on

Wednesday approved a total of five proposals,

including two for importing

67.20 lakh per million British Thermal

Unit (MMBTU) LNG from Vitol Asia

Pte Limited, Singapore to meet the

growing demand in the country.

The approval came from the 7th

meeting of the CCGP in this year held

virtually with Finance Minister AHM

Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

Briefing reporters virtually after the

meeting, Cabinet Division Additional

Secretary Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal

said that under the proposal from the

Energy and Mineral Resources

Division, Petrobangla will procure

33.60 lakh MMBTU LNG from Vitol

Asia Pte Limited, Singapore under the

6th LNG cargo with a cost of around

Taka 310.99 crore. Per unit MMBTU of

LNG will cost around $9.3123.

Saleh said under the 7th LNG cargo,

Petrobangla will procure another 33.60

lakh MMBTU LNG from the same

Singaporean company with a cost of

around Taka 312.65 crore. Per unit

MMBTU of LNG will cost around

$9.3611.

Replying to a question, the finance

minister said this capacity of LNG

would be procured from the spot market

to meet the immediate requirement

of the government.

He said that the government often

could not avail of LNG under the longterm

contracts for which it has been trying

to procure LNG from the spot market.

The finance minister said the government

has decided to purchase LNG

from the spot market this time to meet

the growing demand keeping intact its

long-term agreements with different

sources for procuring LNG.

In reply to a question, Kamal said that

Vitol Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore is not

blacklisted in Bangladesh while the government

usually makes any procurement

considering the interest of the

country.

He said there is no advance payment

against this procurement.

The finance minister also informed

that the concerned ministry would be

asked to look whether this Singaporean

company is blacklisted in any country,

adding that updates in this regard

might be available in the next meeting.

Meanwhile, the CCGP approved

another proposal under which the

Mazid Sons Constructions Limited will

construct a 12-storey bachelor officer's

quarters, 10-storey force barrack and 8-

storey DAD mess cum MT shed at RAB

headquarters with around Taka 192.04

crore under the WD-1(b) lot of the project

for constructing RAB Forces headquarters

.

Besides, in another proposal

approved in the meeting, the joint

venture of Bangla Builders Ltd and L

JI will construct a 15-storey residential

building at Sylhet district police

lines with around Taka 59.63 crore

under the WD-3 (a) lot of the project

for building nine residential towers

for Bangladesh Police in different

parts of the country.

Besides, the CCGP meeting approved

another proposal under which the

Padma Associates & Engineers Ltd

(PAEL) will construct two 20-storey

residential buildings for government

officials at the zone-A of Azimpur government

colony with around Taka

176.19 crore.

Prior to the CCGP meeting, a

meeting on the Cabinet Committee

on Economic Affairs was held virtually

with the finance minister in the

chair.

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam, Executive Editor : Sheikh Efaz Ahmed, Managing, Editor: Tapash Ray Sarker, News Editor : Saiful Islam, printed at Sonali Printing Press, 2/1/A, Arambagh 167, Inner Circular Road, Eden Complex, Motijheel, Dhaka.

Editorial and News Office: Bangladesh Timber Building (3rd Floor) 270/B, Tejgaon I/A Dhaka-1208. Tel : +8802-8878026, Cell : 01736786915; Fax: + 880244611604, Email: Editor : editor@thebangladeshtoday.com, Advertisement: ads@thebangladeshtoday.com, News: newsbangla@thebangladeshtoday.com, contact@thebangladeshtoday.com, website: www.thebangladeshtoday.com

18-02-2021

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