05-02-2022

SATURdAy

DhAkA: February5, 2022; Magh 22, 1428 BS; Rajab 3,1443 hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.19; N o. 276; 8 Pages~Tk.8.00

MISCELLANEOUS

World Cancer Day

observed in

Morrelganj

>Page 7

ACHIEVEMENT

Women must

be heard on

climate

>Page 5

SPORTS

Rohit to lead

India into 1,000

ODI

>Page 6

Covid-19

Bangladesh reports 30 more deaths

with 9,052 fresh infections

Justice Nazmul Ahasan

dies of Covid

Dhaka: Newly appointed justice of the

appellate division of the Supreme Court

FRM Nazmul Ahasan died of Covid on

Friday before he could take his oath,

reports UNB.

The former High Court Division judge

breathed his last at 6.15am at

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical

College University (BSMMU), said

Muhammad Saifur Rahman, spokesperson

for the Supreme Court. Justice

Nazmul had recently tested positive for

Covid and got admitted to BSMMU, he

said. His first namaz-e-janaza was held

on the Supreme Court premises at 11am,

said Saifur.

On January 8, President Abdul Hamid

appointed Justice Nazmul to the appellate

division. On January 9, other justices,

appointed along with FRM Nazmul

Ahasan, were administered the oath of

office by Chief Justice Hasan Foez

Siddique. At the reception ceremony,

Chief Justice had, however, said that

Justice Nazmul would take his oath after

recovery.

Zohr

05:23 AM

12:16 PM

04:09 PM

05:52 PM

07:07 PM

6:38 5:47

Dhaka: Bangladesh reported 30 more

Covid-linked deaths with 9,052 fresh

cases in 24 hours till Friday morning,

reports UNB.

The daily positivity rate further

dropped to 22.95 percent from

Thursday's 25.86 per after testing 39,445

samples during the period, according to

the Directorate General of Health

Services (DGHS).

On Thursday, Bangladesh reported 33

Covid-linked deaths with 11,596 fresh

cases. The fresh numbers took the country's

total fatalities to 28,494 while the

caseload mounted to 1,835,776.

Among the new deceased, 19 were men

and 11 women. Seventeen deaths were

reported in Dhaka division while five in

Chattogram, three in Sylhet, two in each

Rajshahi and Khulna, and one in

Barishal divisions.

Meanwhile, the mortality rate

remained the same as 1.55 per cent.

However, the recovery rate also

declined to 86.04 per cent with the recovery

of 6,282 more patients during the 24-

hour period. In January, the country

reported 322 Covid-linked deaths and

2,13,294 new cases while 19,112 recovered

from the disease, according to the

DGHS.

On January 28, Bangladesh logged its

earlier highest daily positivity rate at

33.37% reporting 15,440 cases and 20

deaths.

Bangladesh's total tally of Omicron

cases reached 69 with the detection of

five more cases till January 23, according

to GISAID, a global initiative on sharing

all influenza data.

On December 9 last year, Bangladesh

again logged zero Covid-related death

after nearly three weeks as the pandemic

was apparently showing signs of easing.

The country reported this year's first

zero Covid-related death in a single day

on November 20 last year along with 178

infections since the pandemic broke out

in Bangladesh in March 2020.

Besides, the country registered the

Dhaka: Information and Broadcasting

Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Friday

said when BNP activists have expressed

their relief over the recovery of BNP

leader Khaleda Zia, its leaders have got

upset as it has dampened their so-called

movement, reports UNB.

"BNP leaders are disappointed as

Begum Zia has returned home after her

recovery. Because doctors have poured

water on their countrywide meetings and

rallies, demanding that she be sent

abroad (for treatment)," he said.

The minister made the remarks while

talking to reporters after his meeting with

leaders of Bangladesh Sampadak Forum

(A forum of editors) at his official residence

in the capital, said a PID handout.

He said doctors have said Begum Zia

has recovered a lot though she has arthritis

and old-age problems.

When his attention was drawn to

remarks of BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi

that Khaleda Zia is still ill and she has to

be taken abroad for treatment, Dr Hasan

questioned if any doctor sends a critically

sick patient back home. "Rizvi Saheb is

talking rubbish out of frustration," he

said. On the other hand, he said, the BNP

activists want Begum Zia to recover and

return home. "They expressed their

relief, but there's no relief among the

leaders with it," said the minister.

Dr Hasan, also joint general secretary

A group of

students on

Friday

demanded 11

points

including

securing safe

roads at

Dhaka's

Rampura

Bridge in the

wake of a

truck crash

that killed a

Rajshahi

University

student.

Photo: Star

Mail

highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July

28 last year, while the highest number of

daily fatalities was 264 on August 10 last

year. The government has extended the

period of the existing restrictions on people's

movement and other activities until

February 21 and imposed two new ones

considering the worsening Covid-19 situation

in the country.

These restrictions will remain in force

from February 7 to 21, said a notification

issued by the Cabinet Division on

Thursday.

The new restrictions are- gathering of

more than 100 people in social, political,

religious or state events will not be

allowed in open places or indoors and

those who will attend the events must

bring Covid Vaccination Certificate or

report of RT PCR test underwent within

24 hours.

Besides, in-person classes of schools,

colleges and equivalent educational institutions

will remain suspended during

this period, said the notification.

BNP leaders upset over Khaleda's

recovery: Dr Hasan

of Bangladesh Awami League, said

Bangladesh has progressed a lot. But

those who do not like this development

and progress are carrying out various

conspiracies against Bangladesh and

spreading misinformation among foreigners

in a bid to hinder the country's

export, trade and overall development.

He expected that the forum to continue

its role against these conspiracies so that

the spirit of the Liberation War remains

upheld and the people not get misled due

to such propagandas.

4 killed in Chandpur

road accident

CHANDPUR: At least four passengers of

a CNG-run auto-rickshaw were killed

and two others injured in a road accident

on Baburhat-Matlab Road in Baradia

area under Matlab Dakkhin upazila of the

district on Thursday night, reports BSS.

The deceased were identified as autorickshaw

driver Jashim Uddin Molla, 49,

son of Jalal uddin Molla, resident of

Ghaniyar Par area of Matlab Uttar

Upazila, Hanif Bepari,28, son of Harun

Bepari of Puran Bazar area of the

Chandpur city, Nupur,14, daughter of

Azim Zaman, resident of Natun Bazar

area and a 70-year old unidentified

woman.

The capital was drenched due to heavy rainfall on Friday afternoon. As a result commuters

faced immense sufferings. The photo was taken from Topkhana road. Photo: Star Mail

Showers usher

in chill in

Bangladesh

Dhaka: Light to moderate showers

with thunderstorms hit several parts

of Bangladesh including northern districts

Dinajpur, Kurigram, Tangail,

Pabna early on Friday morning, triggering

chilly weather conditions at

many places, reports UNB.

Meanwhile it started drizzling in

several places in Dhaka city after 12

pm , according to the met office.

Dinajpur weather office, for

instance, recorded 30.4 millimeters

of rainfall from 4 am to 9 am, prompting

the district to shiver at 13 degrees

Celsius.

The lowest temperature in the past

24 hours was recorded at 11.2 degrees

in Tetulia upazila and the highest

temperature at 29.3 degrees in

Mongla, according to the Bangladesh

Meteorological Department (BMD).

BMD, in a forecast for the next 24

hours commencing 9 am, said, "Light

to moderate rain or thundershowers

accompanied by temporary gusty

winds is likely to occur at many places

over Rangpur, Rajshahi,

Mymensingh, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions."

Besides, showers are likely to occur

at a few places over Khulna, Barishal

and Chattogram divisions.

Moderate to thick fog may also

occur at places over the river basins of

the southern part and light to moderate

fog may occur elsewhere over the

country during midnight to Saturday

morning, said the weather office.

In an outlook for the next 72 hours,

the weather department predicted

that rainfall activity may eventually

decrease.

Light pollution in Bangladesh:

A big blow to nature

Dhaka: Great writers are said to be

night owls as they find the night more

productive than the day even though

there are debates over body rhythms

and the writing process, reports UNB.

"I often think that the night is more

alive and more richly coloured than the

day," says Vincent Van Gogh, a Dutch

post-impressionist painter, while

Mahatma Gandhi, a great Indian political

philosopher, says, "In the midst of

darkness, light persists."

But today it is nearly impossible to

find natural darkness even at night.

This is not good, not good at all, said

experts.

They stressed the need for raising

awareness against the nighttime excessive

artificial lighting in Dhaka, considering

its dire impacts on the biological

clock of the human bodies and lives of

other animals including birds, bugs and

insects that navigate based on light.

Though light pollution is a new phenomenon

in the country, some major

cities in the world have started acting

against the nighttime excessive lighting

as it badly affects the mental and physical

health of the humans and the lives

of other animals, they said.

Alongside controlling air, noise and

other environmental pollution, the

authorities concerned should now

think about the nighttime light pollution

also to protect public health and

ecosystem as well as save electricity by

limiting excessive outdoor lighting, the

experts said. Most recently, a video has

gone viral on the social media that

some sparrows took shelter inside a

house in Dhaka, being frightened by

excessive lightings and sounds generated

by fireworks and Fanus (sky lantern)

during the 31st night celebrations.

Public health expert Dr MH

Chowdhury Lelin said every animal

leads its life through a circadian clock,

but the light pollution changes the biological

clock keeping serious impacts

on mental and physical health.

"The excessive lighting causes an

overstimulated nervous system,

headache, sleeplessness, high blood

pressure, high heartbeat, irritable

mood and vision power of a man. So, it

ultimately hampers the normal activities

of a human body and one's mental

health," he said. Dr Lelin, also an environmental

activist, said the nighttime

excessive lighting hampers the sleeping

pattern of the human and most birds

and other wildlife which badly affect

their normal lives during the day.

Besides, he said, the nighttime artificial

lighting severely affected the

nocturnal animals that they can't

intake foods due to the light pollution.

Even the nighttime lighting has an

adverse impact on plants. So, the light

pollution affects the whole ecosystem.

The excessive indoor lighting despite

having enough light during the daytime

is also considered light pollution,

said Dr Lelin.

9,86,34,775 people administered

1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine

DHAKA: A total of 9,86,34,775 people

have so far been administered the first

dose of COVID-19 vaccines while

6,39,13,577 received the second dose

across the country during the same period,

reports BSS.

"As of February 3, as many as

9,86,34,775 people received the first dose

of COVID-19 vaccines while 6,39,13,577

received the second dose in the country,"

according to the data of Management

Information System of Directorate

General of Health Services (DGHS).

A total of 18,96,809 people have so far

received the booster dose of COVID-19

vaccine to prevent the spread of the deadly

virus.

The health ministry sources said the

government has lowered the minimum

age limit for third time after launching

the nationwide COVID-19 booster shot

campaign on December 19, 2021 to scale

up its efforts for containing the spread of

the lethal virus. Initially 60 years and

above for elderly people was the minimum

age for receiving booster dose but

later the authorities has fixed the minimum

age of 50 years and above on

January 17, 2022, they said adding, from

now, the government has set 40 years as

minimum age to expedite the booster

dose campaign.

As part of intensifying the nationwide

inoculation drive, the government has

decided to lower the minimum age by

five years as such now people aged 25

years and above are allowed to receive

COVID-19 vaccines.

The authorities fixed 30 years as the

minimum age for receiving coronavirus

vaccines on July 19 and later the government

has fixed 25 years as minimum age

to receive coronavirus vaccines, the

DGHS sources said.

People aged 55 and above were

only eligible for taking vaccines but

the decision has been revised a day

after launching of the countrywide

COVID-19 vaccination campaign on

February 7 last year.

SATuRDAY, FeBRuARY 5, 2022

2

On the occasion of World Cancer Day, a roundtable discussion meeting was held at Ahsania Mission Cancer and General

Hospital premises yesterday.

Photo : Courtesy

Covid-19 cases crosses 61,000

mark in Rangpur

RANGPUR: The number of Covid-19

cases have rapidly crossed the 61,000-

mark amid a quicker community

spread of the lethal virus in all eight

districts of Rangpur division, reports

BSS.

"The number of Covid-19 cases

climbed to 61,068 with diagnosis of

383 new patients after testing 987

samples at 38.80 percent positivity rate

on Thurssday," Divisional Director

(Health) Dr. Abu Md. Zakirul Islam

told BSS yesterday.

The number of Covid-19 positive

cases is increasing rapidly amid a rising

positivity rate in the last three weeks

deteriorating the pandemic situation in

Rangpur division.

Earlier, the daily Covid-19 positivity

rates were 38.98 percent on

Wednesday, 46.01 percent on Tuesday,

41.87 percent on Monday, 41.82

percent on Sunday, 53.31 percent on

Saturday and 25.41 percent on Friday

last in the division.

On Thursday, the daily positivity rate

were 37.40 percent in Rangpur, 49.30

percent in Panchagarh, 34.50 percent

in Nilphamari, 33.80 percent in

Lalmonirhat, 32.20 percent in

Kurigram, 49.50 percent in

Thakurgaon, 37.70 percent in Dinajpur

and 42.50 percent and Gaibandha

districts.

The district-wise break up of total

61,068 patients currently stands at

14,062 in Rangpur, 4,178 in

Panchagarh, 5,102 in Nilphamari,

3,051 in Lalmonirhat, 4,851 in

Kurigram, 8,366 in Thakurgaon, 16,196

in Dinajpur and 5,262 in Gaibandha in

the division.

"Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19

casualties remained steady at 1,257 as

no more patients died on Tuesday in

the division where the average casualty

rate now stands at 2.06 percent," Dr.

Islam said.

The district-wise break up of 1,257

fatalities stands at 295 in Rangpur, 81

in Panchagarh, 89 in Nilphamari, 70 in

Lalmonirhat, 69 in Kurigram, 256 in

Thakurgaon, 334 in Dinajpur and 63 in

Gaibandha.

"Since the outbreak of the pandemic,

a total of 3,23,161 collected samples

were tested till Thursday, and of them,

61,068 were found positive with an

average positivity rate of 18.90

percent," he said.

Meanwhile, the number of healed

Covid-19 patients reached 55,343 with

the recovery of 110 more patients on

Thursday in the division. The average

recovery rate stands at 90.63 percent.

"The average recovery rate of patients

539 test positive for

Covid-19 in Ctg

CHATTOGRAM: A total of 539

people were detected positive for

Covid-19 during the last 24 hours

after testing 3,190 samples at 16

Covid-19 laboratories in the

district, reports BSS.

The infection rate of the deadly

virus hit almost 16.89 percent in

the district till last morning.

With the diagnosis of 539 new

cases, the total number of Covid-19

patients climbed to 1,22,111 in the

district, Dr Ilias Chowdhury, civil

surgeon of Chattogram, told BSS

yesterday.

At the same time, the number of

healed Covid-19 patients rose to

1,01486 with the recovery of 406

more patients during the past 24

hours.

The average recovery rate

currently stands at 83.11 percent in

reached 97.12 percent on January 14

last in the division and the same

harshly dropped by 6.49 percent to

90.63 percent in only 20 days on

Thursday," Dr. Islam said.

The 55,343 recovered patients

include 12,475 of Rangpur, 3,782 of

Panchagarh, 4,416 of Nilphamari,

2,711of Lalmonirhat, 4,537of Kurigram,

7,672 of Thakurgaon, 14,859 of

Dinajpur and 4,891 of Gaibandha

districts in the division.

Among the 61,068 patients, 128 are

under treatment at isolation units,

including 14 critical patients at ICU

beds and seven at High Dependency

Unit beds, after recovery of 55,343

patients and 1,257 deaths while 4,340

are remaining in home isolation.

"In the meantime, the number of

citizens who got the first dose of the

Covid-19 vaccine rose to 1,08,29,636,

and among them, 65,77,111 got the

second dose and 1,92,012 got the

booster dose of the jabs till Thursday in

the division," Dr Islam added.

Talking to BSS, Principal of Rangpur

Medical College Professor Dr. Bimal

Chandra Roy suggested everyone to

sincerely abide by the health directives

to contain the community transmission

of the Covid-19 virus including its

Omicron variant for remaining safe.

Chattogram city and district. With

no more new deaths recorded

during the period, the fatality toll

remains steady at 1,359.

A total of 3,971 infected patients

are now undergoing patients rose

to 1,01486 with the recovery of 406

more patients during the past 24

hours. treatment at different

designated hospitals here, the

sources added.

Organized by Computer Jagat, a two-hour long policy dialogue was held online in the presence of 34 stakeholders

on the Challenges and Way Forward for using Bangla Font in Digital World recently. Photo: Courtesy

Russian scientist to go

on trial in Germany over

space rocket spying

BERLIN : A Russian

scientist accused of spying

for Moscow on Europe's

Ariane space rocket

programme while working

at a German university is to

go on trial in Munich this

month.

The accused, identified

only as Ilnur N., was

arrested in June 2021 -- the

latest in a string of alleged

Russian spies uncovered on

German soil at a time when

tensions between Russia

and the West are at their

worst since the Cold War.

The trial will open on

February 17, with 12

hearings initially planned

until April 8, the Munich

court said on Thursday.

Prosecutors allege that

Ilnur N. was contacted by

Russian agents in autumn

2019 or earlier, when he was

working at an unnamed

Bavarian university.

He then allegedly passed

information to Moscow

about research projects on

aerospace technology,

particularly the European

launcher Ariane.

The Ariane rockets are a

series of European Space

Agency transportation

vehicles designed to ferry

heavy loads including

satellites into space.

According to prosecutors,

Ilnur N. worked as a

research assistant at the

Bavarian university's natural

sciences and technology

department.

World's first malaria

vaccine making inroads

in western Kenya

SIAYA : Lucy Akinyi's three

children were infected with

malaria so often she would

be at their local health clinic

in western Kenya every

other week getting them

treated.

When offered the chance

to protect her children with

the world's first vaccine

against the deadly parasitic

disease, Akinyi jumped at

the chance, reports UNB.

More than 100,000

children in malariaendemic

western Kenya

have received the new

vaccine against the disease,

which kills 260,000

children under five every

year in sub-Saharan Africa.

A pilot programme has

been rolling out the

groundbreaking drugwhich

was 30 years in the

making-in Kenya, Ghana

and Malawi since 2019.

It was approved for broad

use for children in sub-

Saharan Africa and other

at-risk regions by the World

Health Organization

(WHO) in October last year.

One dies of Covid-19, 974

more infected in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI: A total of 974 more people have

tested positive for Covid-19 in the division on

Thursday, taking the caseload to 1,13,722

since the pandemic began in March, 2020,

reports BSS.

The new positive cases are showing a rising

trend compared to the previous day's figure

of 830, said Dr Habibul Ahsan Talukder,

divisional director of health.

The death toll reached 1,716, including 697

in Bogura, 330 in Rajshahi with 211 in its city

and 176 in Natore as one new fatality was

reported during the past 24 hours, Dr

Talukder added.

Meanwhile, the recovery count rose to

1,00,359 in the division after 577 patients

were discharged from the hospitals on the

same day.

Besides, all the positive cases of Covid-19

have, so far, been brought under necessary

treatment while 24,928 were kept in

isolation units of different dedicated

hospitals for institutional quarantine. Of

them, 20,719 have been released.

Meanwhile, 399 more people have been sent

to home and institutional quarantine afresh

while 430 others were released from

isolation during the same time.

Of the 974 new cases, 332 were detected in

Pabna, followed by 242 in Rajshahi,

including 204 in the city, 91 in Bogura, 86

each in Naogaon and Sirajganj, 38 in Natore,

36 in Joypurhat and 33 in Chapainawabganj

districts.

With the newly detected patients, the

district-wise break-up of the total cases now

stands at 32,895 in Rajshahi, including

27,045 in city, 6,210 in Chapainawabganj,

7,486 in Naogaon, 9,314 in Natore, 5,413 in

Joypurhat, 24,305 in Bogura, 12,827 in

Sirajganj and 15,272 in Pabna.

A total of 1,21,926 people have, so far, been

kept under quarantine since March 10, 2020

to prevent community transmission of the

deadly virus.Of them, 1,16,576 have, by now,

been released as they were given clearance

certificates after completing their quarantine

period.

Beat Policing getting

popular in Gaibandha

GAIBANDHA: Beat Policing activity is

getting popular to the grass root level people

of the district for combating all sorts of social

crimes, reports BSS.

To attain the cherished goals of the beat

policing side by side with making the

policing activity more popular, the district

police are arranging functions on policing

activity in the participation of development

organizations of the district.

As part of the routine work, a function on

Beat Policing was also held on the premises

of Chithulia Dighor Madrasha under

Mollarchar Union of Sadar Upazila in the

district on Wednesday.

Friendship, one of the leading nongovernment

voluntary organizations of the

country, arranged the function under Good

Governance programme of Inclusive

Citizenship Sector.

Additional police super Abu Khayer

addressed the function as the main focal

person and officer in charge of Sadar thana

Masudur Rahman spoke at the event as the

resource person.

Presided over by local Union Parishad

(UP) Chairman Md. Saiduzzaman, the

function was also addressed, among others,

by UP member Shah Alam Sikder, social

worker Khalequzzaman, principal of the

Madrasha Abdul Hamid while regional

manager of the programme Nayeem

Kamran moderated the ceremony. The

speakers in their speeches underscored the

need for popularizing the beat policing

activities in grass root level to attain the

cherished goals of the beat policing.

OC of Sadar Thana Masudur Rahman said

the whole thana area are divided into 10 beat

areas and one sub inspector is assigned to

work in each of the beat areas.

Every beat in-charge uses a government's

authorized mobile number and the number

is available to general public, he said adding

that for quick response to the crime spot, the

patrol car of that beat area are used to reach

that spot.

Main focal person Additional police super

Abu Khayer said the beat policing activity

was introduced in all the unions of the Thana

last year aimed at increasing the

effectiveness of police service, ensuring quick

service provided by the thana police,

identifying the crime pattern, and criminals

side by side with increasing the police public

relationship and preventing crimes.

He also sought whole hearted cooperation

of all to make the beat policing activities

more successful.

Apart from it, the char dwellers present

were also made aware about the negative

impacts of child marriage and domestic

violence in the function.

A Large number of people from all walks of

life, local elite and invited persons including

journalists of print and electronic media

participated in the programme

spontaneously.

Executive director of Friendship, Runa

Khan said the organization has been working

in the chars of Gaibandha and Kurigram

districts for a decade last to ensure good

governance to the char inhabitants and their

overall development.

The cover of the book 'Smriti Deshe-Bideshe' was uncovered at Kaigari in

Bogura on Friday afternoon in a domestic setting. Junaid Rashid, the

youngest member of the family of meteorologist Mohammad Nazrul Islam

Akhand, unveiled the cover of the book.

Photo : Azahar Ali

Cyclone Batsurai injures 12 on

France's La Reunion island

SAINT-DENIS DE LA REUNION : At least

twelve people were injured on the French

Indian Ocean territory of La Reunion

Thursday as tropical cyclone Batsirai skirted

the island, hitting it with torrential rains and

powerful winds and leaving all residents

confined to their homes.

The island was placed on red alert on

Wednesday, forcing its 860,000 inhabitants

to barricade themselves indoors, with the

eye of the intense cyclone expected to pass

nearly 200 kilometres (124 miles) from the

coast early Thursday.

"The worst is not over," said La Reunion's

Prefect Jacques Billant, warning the island

will be hit with heavy rainfall as the storm

bears down.

Of the injured, 10 "had carbon monoxide

poisoning", a firefighter was "electrified"

attending a roof fire and another was

injured after "a fall from a roof", he told a

press conference.

The Meteo-France weather agency

confirmed to AFP Thursday the cyclone

remained on course to pass around 180

kilometres off La Reunion's coast, but was to

hit later than expected "during the morning"

Thursday as it had slowed overnight.

The warning came after Batsirai left

thousands of homes without power in

Mauritius to the east Wednesday, but

passed over the island without inflicting

major damage despite cyclone winds

bringing life to a standstill. The cyclone

passed within 130 kilometres (80 miles) of

the popular holiday destination, bringing

heavy downpours and winds of 120

kilometres per hour before it moved on with

La Reunion in its sights.

At 6:30 am (0230 GMT), the storm

remained an "intense tropical cyclone" as it

approached La Reunion, located around

200 kilometres from the island and moving

at nine kilometres per hour, the prefecture

of La Reunion said.

The red alert-the third degree of four in

the scale of hurricane alerts-for the island

"remains in full force", it said.

It left the island's airport closed, shops

shuttered and major roads shut for

residents as they hunkered down and

waited for the cyclone to pass.

SaTUrDaY, feBrUarY 5, 2022

4

Why do police attacks on students happen?

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Saturday, February 5, 2022

FDI:Fresh

outlook needed

THE Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) issue in Bangladesh

lacks a coherent and comprehensive outlook and

commitment of ensuring doors of accesses in investment.

There is widespread notion that the policies are FDI friendly. But

the reality tells a somewhat different story.

There are some undeniable hurdles to the investment

climate which challenge the FDI growth and reduce the chances

of booming in the sector. These recurrent issues are pointed to

lack of proper governance, slow paced bureaucracy, shortage of

energy resources and proper infrastructural facilities.

The FDI has seen a surge in manufacturing and service

sectors in recent inflows. In current decade, Bangladesh

witnessed a huge shift in sector-wise and country-wise FDI

inflows. It changed from import-substitutes to export oriented

manufacturing. Besides, the country received FDI from 36

different countries, both developed and developing countries

across the globe. Some 70% of total FDI inflow is from 11 countries

but the major investors are from the EU members and the USA.

In recent times the expected FDI is aspired to be from 24% to 32%

of the economy. But how the benchmark could be achieved, is yet

to be vividly clear, both to the concerned authorities and the

investors. A country's regulatory framework consisting of a set of

commercial laws and regulations and the institutions

established for their enforcement, should have transparency and

economic aspiration in mind.

But when these regulations are designed and implemented

in inefficient and arbitrary manner, then it alienates any future

interest from foreign investors. Some years back, cell phone

manufacturing giant Samsung came to Bangladesh to assess

setting up large scale mobile phone factory. It sought a 2000

acre land in BEPZA but that didn't happen. Lack of a timely

decision deprived the chances of tapping the international

cellular phone market.

Rather than protecting the rights and obligations of the

investors and assisting the smooth functioning of the market,

sometimes the regulations bring in unprecedented complexities

and obstructions.Sportswear giants Nike, Reebok and Adidas

planned to shift manufacturing plants from China to Bangladesh

in 2010, they sought only 65 acres of land. But they were not

provided with the land whereas some 1700 acres of land are there

as abundant land in state owned factories, according to report of

the privatization commission.

It is recurrent experience that overpowering bureaucracy is not

compatible with an environment conducive to FDI growth.Some

other challenges are power supply, high inefficiency cost, absence

of autonomous regulatory bodies, taxauthority's discretion, time

wasting customs processing etc.

From the Mckinsey & Company Report , some 54 percent of

CPOs shared their plans to decrease their sourcing activities in

China. If a certain share of this percentage could be attracted with

proper policy guidelines, Bangladesh could have easily surpassed

China in the apparel industry.

Garments industry is the biggest example of success where the

government incentives and policy supports have made the total

economy exceptionally vibrant. It is now the highest forex earner

and in 2013 the amount amounted to $20 billion.

Very recently, government settled for lower tax at sources to

0.3 percent from 0.8 percent. Centre for Policy Dialogue have

estimated that government might lose an amount of Tk500 crore

as advanced income tax (AIT).

However, the proportional growth supported by the tax cut

would automatically increase the total export earnings as well as

create more jobs, adding total economic value. If the FDI is geared

up with visionary policy supports and implementations, it would

be no wonder that big multinationals will hit Bangladesh market

for outsourcing.

While Toyota, Honda and Ford look forward to India as

outsourcing center, Bangladesh certainly possess competitive

edge for its cheap labor market. Not only in automobile sector,

FDI could hit record, making ways for Bangladesh towards a

well entrenchedmiddle-income country if technical and

strategic issues are fixed.

FDI enables a country like Bangladesh to build up

physical capital, create employment opportunities, develop

productivecapacity, enhance skills of local labor through transfer

of technology andmanagerial know how, and help integrate the

domestic economy with theglobal economy.

However, Bangladesh stands in the back row in attracting

FDIs. Despite the grounds, there is a positive side of the FDI

phenomenon. A Pew Global Attitudes Survey, conducted by Pew

Research Center, showed a remarkable positive attitude towards

foreign companies. When asked whether they had a positive

impact, a large number of people in countries like Brazil, India and

Bangladesh said yes. The survey was conducted in 47 countries

and of them, it was found some 75 percent of the respondents from

Bangladesh bear better positive attitudes towards foreign direct

investment than those of in India and Brazil.

This FDI friendly approach might have been developed from

the contribution to Bangladesh economy of the 189 members of

Foreign Investor's Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

The combined contribution of FICCI members exceeds 30% of

total tax revenue collected by the government.

In recent times it was found that some of the reputed foreign

companies paying highest taxes to government have received

unlawful claims from government authorities.The basis of these

claims is contradictory to the existing laws of the land. It is

further noted that there have been no such observations on local

companies operating in the same industry.

To ensure an even playing ground, a common and general

policy is needed to encourage all types of FDIs in Bangladesh.

Accountability and transparency must be ensured in all stages,

predictable rules for investment and a sound legal framework

for all as well as a political promise from contending parties to

make the FDI a big fish for total economic development. Since

the developing economic trend of any country can be identified

by its FDI and export scenario, it is high time all parties acted

coherently.

Recently a movement has spurred in

the campus of Shahjalal University of

Science and Technology (SUST) in

Sylhet. The students are demanding the

resignation of Vice Chancellor (VC)

Professor Farid Uddin Ahmed after a police

attack on students and the closure of the

university. More than five hundred students

of the university took part.

Earlier, the students clashed with the

police in the wake of the students'

movement demanding three points and the

protesters blocking the way of the Vice-

Chancellor. Police used batons, sound

grenades, and tear gas to disperse the

protesters. At least 50 people including

police, teachers, and students were injured.

The students alleged that the police carried

out the attack on the instructions of the VC.

During this demonstration, instructions

were given to close the university and vacate

the residential halls. Protests intensified as

soon as the authority published the orders.

And in this case, the police have filed a case

against more than three hundred students

of the university! And behind this incident is

the resignation of the principal and assistant

principal of Begum Sirajunnesa Hall of the

university, removal of all mismanagement

of the hall to ensure a healthy and normal

environment and movement of several

hundred students in the hall demanding

appointment of student friendly and

responsible principal committee. And the

main reason for the student movement is

the mismanagement in the residential halls

and the abuse and arbitrary behavior of the

provost.

As soon as the television screen or the

magazine is opened, questionable incidents

against the students of SUST are coming up

one after another. And again and again the

question arises as to what was the crime of

Technology alone will not save us from climate crisis

ON what is known as Blue Monday -

the third Monday of the new year - I

set off in search of a cheerful topic to

write about. And since time and again we are

told that technology is likely to save us from

climate doom, I decided to browse through

some of the ideas and promising

developments that could save humanity and

the planet.

From the pig's tissue-based human heart

implant to the tearless onions finally going

on sale in British supermarkets, and from

how lab-produced meat replacements could

remove a chunk of the methane that is sent

into the atmosphere by cattle to talk of

fitting mirrors in the sky to deflect the sun's

rays and help cool our overheating planet.

All of these sound great and could allow

humanity to hope that all is not lost and

believe that technology and science are

conscience of those students which resulted

in such an incident! The incident repeatedly

made a healthy conscientious nation think.

This was the demand of the students of

Shahjalal University of Science and

Technology. Just as a child can express his

wishes and reluctance to his parents, so too

can university students express their

desires, wishes and aspirations to their

guardians at the university. That is a

university teacher or an administrative

officer in charge of that sector. The

responsibility of a teacher, such as

enlightening the students, enlightening

them or educating them as an enlightened

person is the responsibility of the teacher for

the good of the students and also the

responsibility of the students to see the good

and bad things of the students but not to

solve these problems. When the students

were beaten by the police, it took the form of

autocracy. Such is the case with the students

of SUST.

The supreme guardian of a university is

the Vice-Chancellor of that university. A

Vice-Chancellor has to keep his eyes and

ears open for all time. If a person in a lower

position makes a mistake, there is a person

in a higher position to correct or correct it.

But in order for a person with the highest

power or the highest position to take any

likely to save the planet on their own.

The COP26 climate change summit held in

Glasgow late last year failed to provide the

breakthrough that many had hoped for as

humankind attempts to find the agreement

necessary to ensure global warming is

limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial

levels. Though the US and China

issued a joint declaration to work together to

reduce emissions, blueprints for such work

might come very late, if at all. But on the third

Monday of January, one must stay

optimistic. Meanwhile, one hopes that 2022

will not resemble 2021 in terms of the

summer floods in China and Germany that

killed hundreds and destroyed crops or the

wildfires that ravaged Greece, Italy, Turkey,

Israel and Algeria. But that might be

ambitious, as all indications point to more of

the same, with humankind likely to continue

IMraN HOSSaIN

MOHaMeD CHeBarO

action, he must verify the truth of everything

and take action. It is the responsibility and

duty of the university to meet the needs of

the students. It is very normal for students to

have demands from the university. It is real

that the people in charge should be

informed about their demands, benefits and

disadvantages, and understand their rights.

Because a university student is much more

aware of his rights. Because he has to think

about others. If being a student of a

university cannot protest against injustice,

cannot understand one's own rights, then

the understanding of ordinary students will

as soon as the television screen or the magazine is opened,

questionable incidents against the students of SUST are coming

up one after another. and again and again the question

arises as to what was the crime of conscience of those students

which resulted in such an incident! The incident repeatedly

made a healthy conscientious nation think.

not be able to express their distant

condition.

If a student of one of the highest

educational institutions of the country

cannot call injustice unjust, then the next

generation will be prone to abuse of power,

the next generation will be speech impaired.

University students have to consider all

these.

One thing to think about in general is

when do people choose a difficult situation

or a crooked path? When do all the students

in a hall join the movement? When do they

unite for the realization of their rights? The

students of SUST, after a long period of

silence, started a movement to assert their

rights. They came together in a peaceful

its long sleepwalk to doom. The Netflix

movie "Don't Look Up," which caused a stir

recently, showed how modern day

individuals are unable to see beyond their

respective bubbles and be concerned about

impending catastrophe.

The most promising of the technologies I

looked into, which made me somewhat

hopeful, was a planetary-scale engineering

scheme designed to cool the Earth's surface

and lessen the impact of global warming. This

plan is based on so-called solar radiation

modification and it works by injecting billions

of sulfur particles into the middle atmosphere

in the hope of turning back some of the sun's

rays that warm our planet. However, my

happiness was short-lived, as it seems that

60-plus experts and scientists this week

warned governments and asked them to

block this process, stating that its

human chain to inform the administration

about their problems. But incidentally

university students have been humiliated by

the police. The police did not come inside

the university on their own. They did not

attack the students at will. At the behest of

any force they attacked the students!

According to the report, the student

movement started, mismanagement of the

hall and abuse and arbitrary behavior of the

provost.

The university administration cannot call

the allegations of mismanagement of the

university hall as false or fabricated.

Although the students conspired to slander

the provost, it was the duty of the university

administration and the vice-chancellor to

conduct a proper investigation and stand up

for justice in this regard. It is true that the

students blocked the vice chancellor. But the

students have blocked it to assert their

rights. To cure their issues unattended. For

justice. The Vice-Chancellor could have

easily solved this if he had wanted to.

Instead, such an attack on students by

pushing is not acceptable in any way.

University students have been beaten by the

police even before independence.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was

always by the side of the students as a result

of the attack on the students during the

Pakistani period.

But today, even in autonomous

universities, students have been attacked by

the police, which is a very disgusting

incident. Those involved in such barbaric

attacks on university students must be

brought under the law and appropriate

punishment must be meted out. Such

attacks on students are unacceptable.

Why Bangladesh needs inclusive society

Inclusiveness is the cornerstone of

Sustainable Development Goals

(SDGs). Inclusiveness is the practice or

policy of providing equal access to

opportunities and resources for people

who might otherwise be excluded or

marginalized. If we disregard

inclusiveness, it would be tough to achieve

SDGs. People with Disabilities (PwDs)

comprise a large section of our

population, but they have been excluded

from the mainstream of our society. SDGs

are a collection of 17 interlinked global

goals designed to be a blueprint to achieve

a better and more sustainable future for

all. The SDGs were set up in 2015 by

United Nations General Assembly and are

intended to be achieved by the year 2030.

With the adoption of 2030 Agenda, UN

Member States pledged to ensure 'no one

will be left behind' and to 'endeavour to

reach the furthest behind first'.

In Bangladesh, we see that PwDs are

facing many barriers to inclusion in many

key aspects of our society. Hence, they have

been deprived of getting access to society on

an equal basis with others, which includes

areas of transportation, employment and

education as well as social and political

participation. They are mainly living a life of

poverty. They are entitled to government

support, but programmes have been limited

in scope and restricted to urban areas, and

the question of disability has not been

integrated into general development

programmes.

The PwDs can prove their worth and can

also contribute to the country's development

if they get necessary supports. They are

victims of discrimination and neglect due to

misconception about them.

Citing a survey of World Health

Organization (WHO), Blind Education and

Rehabilitation Development Organization

(BERDO) said, about 8%-10% people in

Bangladesh have impairment in somehow

or others. According to that tally, there are

roughly 17 million PwDs in our country.

PwDs have poor or little access to jobs,

different government services, training and

above all social justice. Their opinions are

not generally heard for and their rights are

often violated resulting in their

marginalization and exclusion. The

formation of a separate ministry titled

'Disability Ministry' is essential for

improving the condition of PwDs in respect

of job, education, skill development training,

ensuring social justice, assistance in natural

calamities, ensuring social security and

ending harassments to PwDs.

Md. Saidul Huq, Executive Director of

BERDO, said it would be helpful if a

separate ministry is in place. This ministry

would be helpful in increasing the social

status of the PwDs. There is a link between

national development and development of

PwDs. If the condition of PwDs is improved

with access to necessary support, they can

contribute to the national development, he

observed.

BERDO has been working to provide

education, employment, training and

medical services for the PWDs. In addition,

BERDO is implementing social

rehabilitation activities along with socioeconomic

development through income

generation activities. BERDO hope that

more rights-based organizations would be

established in the country and other

organizations currently working at

development sector should take up steps for

ensuring the rights of PWDs.

Initiatives have been undertaken at

national as well as international level to

MD. SazeDUL ISLaM

protect the rights of all the people. The UN

Convention on the Rights of Persons with

Disabilities (UNCRPD) was agreed on

December 13, 2006 by UN General

Assembly and came into force on May 3,

2008 to promote, protect and ensure the full

and equal enjoyment of all human rights

and fundamental freedoms by all persons

with disabilities, and to promote respect for

their inherent dignity.

Bangladesh government had ratified it on

November 30, 2007. After the ratification,

Bangladesh is bound to take up

SDGs were adopted by all UN Member States as a universal

call to ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by

2030. Through the pledge to 'Leave No One Behind', the

countries have committed to fast-track progress for those

furthest behind first.

programmes aimed at ensuring the rights of

PwDs.

SDGs were adopted by all UN Member

States as a universal call to ensure that all

people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

Through the pledge to 'Leave No One

Behind', the countries have committed to

fast-track progress for those furthest behind

first.

In our country, there are two laws titled

'Persons with Disabilities Rights and

Protection Act 2013' and 'Neuro

Developmental Disabilities Act 2013', which

need to be implemented properly. PwDs are

not being included in different development

committees due to lack of full

implementation of the laws. Rights of the

PwDs have been clearly identified and

defined in clause No. 16 of that law. Those

are accessibility, full and active participation

of PwDs in social, economic and state

activities according to nature of disabilities;

protection from oppressions, and safe and

healthy environment; accepting Sign

The writer is a student of

Jagannath University.

language as main language by person with

Hearing and Speech impairments;

formation of Self-help groups and welfare

organizations, and operation of those

groups.

A country cannot go ahead if a large

number of its people remain excluded.

Hence, it is needed to build an inclusive

society. But how? According to BERDO, the

following measures can be helpful:

It is needed to create awareness, share

information, and increase greater

coordination among Disabled People's

Organizations (DPOs); define strategies and

involve PwDs from the very beginning of

planning; work closely with local, regional

and national level agencies/departments to

implement "Persons with Disabilities Rights

and Protection Act 2013" by DPOs to

achieve the SDGs goals; build good rapport

and keep constant touch, liaison and

communication with different ministries,

departments and institutions.

The steps also include to make correlation

between UNCRPD and SDG strategies of the

government; ensure participation of PwDs

in different platforms, committees and

forums and to monitor SDG

implementation. We need a rights-based

inclusive society where all the people can

enjoy their rights without any

discrimination. We have constitutional

obligation to build up such society.

Article 19 of Bangladesh Constitution

called for ensuring equality of opportunity to

all the citizens. Article 28 (1) says that the

State shall not discriminate against any

citizens on grounds only of religion, race,

caste, sex or place of birth.

Article 28(4) called for making special

provision for the advancement of any

backward section of citizens.

It is hoped that the PwDs would be

integrated into the mainstream of society

with the adoption of inclusive approach,

which would contribute achieving the SDGs.

The writer is a freelance journalist

consequences could outweigh any benefits.

The experts wrote an open letter stating that

the deployment of solar geoengineering

cannot be governed globally in a fair,

inclusive and effective manner. They asked

governments, the UN and other world actors

to prevent the normalization of solar

geoengineering as a climate policy option.

Pushed to buy time until better solutions

emerge to stall climate change, some want to

embrace solar geoengineering and artificially

dim the sun's radiative force, but studies

have shown that this could disrupt monsoon

rains and, in parts of Asia and Africa, ravage

rain-fed crops that feed hundreds of millions

of people. Some want to embrace solar

geoengineering and artificially dim the sun's

radiative force, but studies have shown this

could disrupt monsoon rains.

Source: Arab news

sAturdAy, FeBruAry 5, 2022

5

Women must be heard on climate

FionA HArvey

Women must be enabled to

play a greater role at the

Cop26 summit, as the needs

of women and girls are

being overlooked amid the

global climate crisis, a

coalition of feminist groups

has said.

The Global Women's

Assembly for Climate

Justice has laid out a call for

action at the UN general

assembly, including

demands that world leaders

meeting at Cop26, in

Glasgow this November,

must end fossil fuel

expansion and move to

100% renewable energy.

More than 120 groups

have signed the call, to be

presented at a six-day

online forum starting on

Saturday, which also

includes demands to

promote women's

leadership and equity,

protect the rights of

indigenous peoples,

improve food security,

recognise a human right to

water, and to protect

forests, oceans and other

ecosystems.

Osprey Orielle Lake, of

the Women's Earth and

Climate Action Network,

and convener of the

assembly, said: "Every day,

we can see for ourselves

forest fires burning, massive

flooding, extreme droughts,

people losing their

livelihoods and lives- - we

are in a global climate

emergency. "As the world

prepares for one of the most

important climate talks

since the Paris agreement,

we know solutions exist,

and that women are leading

the way."

She said Cop26 must

deliver a pathway to

limiting global heating to

1.5C, and help people

around the world -

particularly women and

children, who are often the

worst affected - build

resilience to the impacts of

the climate crisis.

"We need systemic

change," she added. "It's not

going to work if we just

barrel through another Cop

and nothing happens."

As women are responsible

in many countries for

gathering fuel, water and

food, they often suffer the

most when shortages are

caused or made worse by

the climate crisis. As they

are usually lacking land

rights, they are also more

likely to be displaced in

climate disasters. Studies

have also found the climate

crisis exacerbates genderbased

violence against

women.

Neema Namadamu,

founder of the Synergy of

Congolese Women's

Associations, from the

Democratic Republic of the

Congo, said: "I was born in

the forest, my whole being is

from the forest. Women are

on the frontline, working for

climate justice and affected

by climate change. We are

planting trees - without

trees there is no life. We

cook with fires and have

fires for light at night. We

really need to start working

together."

Many of the remedies to

the climate crisis would also

benefit women. For

instance, replacing cooking

fires with solar stoves would

reduce indoor air pollution

that affects women and

children more as they spend

more time at home.

Bringing clean renewable

energy to low-income

countries would enable

more women and girls to

gain access to education, as

without electricity they

often lack the means to

study after nightfall.

Mary Robinson, former

UN high commissioner for

human rights, former

president of Ireland and

chair of the Elders group of

world leaders, has long been

a critic of the lack of

women's representation at

Cops, the "conference of the

parties".

She said: "We need to

centre women and girls in

the climate context - women

need to be included at the

table. The UK promised the

most inclusive Cop, but it is

not. The Covid crisis has

exacerbated and cemented

gender inequality, and we

need to build on the gender

action plan [agreed at the

last Cop, in Madrid, in

2019]."

The Guardian revealed

last year that the UK as host

country was fielding an allmale

top team for Glasgow,

headed by the cabinet

minister and Cop president

Alok Sharma, with 10

ministers, civil servants and

other officials who were all

male. The government

came under heavy criticism

after the revelation, and

appointed Anne-Marie

Trevelyan, now trade

secretary, as a "champion"

to focus on climate

adaptation and resilience.

About 45% of the Cop26

unit are now women, but

almost all of the most senior

public-facing roles are taken

by men.

During the two-week

Cop26 summit, there will be

a day devoted to gender

issues, which will include a

discussion of the gender

action plan.

A Cop26 spokesperson

said: "Women and girls

have a critical role to play in

the fight against the climate

crisis - as decision-makers,

educators and advocates at

all levels. Progress is being

made, with women among

some of the most influential

figures in international

climate diplomacy today,

but there is more to be

done.

"The UK is committed to

championing diversity and

inclusivity throughout our

Cop26 presidency and

advancing gender equality

in climate action and

finance."

Dipti Bhatnagar, of

Friends of the Earth

International, said there

were concerns that women

from low-income countries

would face obstacles

coming to Glasgow, as

arrivals from red list

countries must quarantine

A workshop on gender and the climate crisis at the Bonn climate change conference in 2019.

Photo: Kiara Worth

in the UK.

The UK government is

running a pre-Cop

vaccination programme for

delegates and has pledged

to fund the required

quarantine stays for

registered attenders,

including party delegates,

observers and media from

the global south who would

otherwise find it difficult to

attend the conference.

However, Bhatnagar said:

"Cop26 going ahead in

person is very unsafe and

inequitable now. Many

organisations have

demanded the UK

government postpone."

AdnAAn JAmilee

We are in a transformative

phase of our professional

lives. Things would be

different than before, far from

our expectations. If you can't

evolve, you'll perish. Change

is the only thing we embrace,

except your monetary

increases! So, these words we,

the corporate-ers (mind my

neology) have become just

like our street fritters. Thanks

to the facebook memes for

making us not to "readunderstand-apply"

rather

"laugh-like-share". Boss isn't

a person, it's just a stage or

role in our professional lives.

You are perhaps thinking how

it might feel like being a boss

or how you should evolve

your boss-ness (again mind

my neology).

The Traditionalist. This

boss has been in your

company for years.

Traditionalists are not that

much receptive and inclined

to change things around

them. If you work with them,

be rather be receptive to

them because their ways are

proven to be in order and may

work pretty well. Be

constructive to them and

show respect whenever you

think that something's need

to change.

The Yeller. They think

shouting or talking down is

necessary to make things

move. The higher the volume,

the higher the commitment.

Particularly, with a lesser

operating team in a clientcentric

environment, it is seen

the bosses to be like the

yellers. If your boss is a yeller,

make sure you're following

the directions. Completing

your work in a timely manner

would save you. Don't take

the yelling personally. The

yellers forgot the next day.

Some hiring managers equate

screaming or yelling with

managerial skill. All in all,

yellers just want to know that

they're being heard, and they

want recognition.

The God Boss. This

megalomaniac personality

are proclaimed by their office

rooms, chairs and other

belongings - hereinafter

called 'gold plates'. They

might even have a separate

washroom in the common

zone. He might ask you to go

and stand in a queue to pay

his child's school fees.

Whatever you ask, they would

refer to the gold plates and

how difficulty they have

achieved. So, how would you

get along with them? Get

some humor, follow his rules

and remember, they never

control your mind.

The Paranoid. The

paranoid boss is outright

suspicious of everyone's

motives. Anything anyone

does could be an attempt to

undermine him. This boss'

feelings of inadequacy will

clearly end up interfering in

what's best for the company

and his employees. What you

can do? Reassure him, and

always be honest and

forthright.

The Eerie. This

intimidating person is

A not to understand

your bosses!

A peek into how to manage the bosses at your office. Photo: Collected

sometimes worse than a

yeller. His lens can't be read.

You would think they would

not last long, this might not

be the case right away. So, you

can confront gently with

proper justifications and if

you fail, look for options

elsewhere.

The Fusspot. Everything

you do has something wrong

with it. It can be the smallest

detail, but this boss will make

changes to your work, simply

because they can. People

mistakenly consider them as

perfectionist. Plan your

conversation, make it short,

be neutral in expression so

you can't be read to argue

your case, while making sure

your boss feels comfortable

and passive. Learn to

compromise.

The Buddy. They want their

character to be well-liked and

accepted to all. They'd have

longer call lists; love to hang

out and would even share

their lunch with you. You can

better your work-life balance,

if you're lucky to have such

bosses. Make sure your

responsibilities are not

slacked off for this

"friendliness". Let them be

friendly to you, appreciate

them, but be professional.

The Underqualified.

Remember, ability has no

school. The term may seem to

be derogative, but might

result in practical wonders.

They might be not that

educated to you, but they

might know the job more

profoundly and people may

remember them for their

skills, not academic

credentials. If they are new to

something you know really

well, help bring them up to

speed. They'll remember you

for it and may end up as your

great boss.

The laid-backs. They are

consistently missing in action.

These bosses prefer works

from home, or go out for

meetings, or stay locked in the

office. It's important to be

self-sufficient if your manager

is the like. If you want

freedom in your work, the

laid-backs are best-suited for

you. Stay positive and be

proactive by asking them for

feedback.

The Authoritarian. They

assume higher position as

higher power to exercise on

the team. They value the

delegation rather than the

responsibilities. They believe

they have supreme authority

because of their title and have

"because I said so" mentality.

If this is your boss, do what is

asked of you, but never

compromise about what is

right. Do not be a go-getter

but not complying the

procedures against

outrageous requests just

because the boss said so.

The Buzzword Boss. They

love to reiterate catchphrases

or buzzwords or clichés he

learnt from management

meetings or conferences.

Don't worry. They are

harmless. Be a good listener

in front of them, and if you get

a chance to meet him alone,

teach him some clichés on a

regular basis.

The Hit-and-Run Boss.

With impulsive minds, they

would cut off your responses

in minutes because they

always don't have time to

discuss and listen. Very

randomly, they would ask you

to write reports, and would

mostly forget what they've

asked you for. They are

always somewhere else,

somewhere that you would

never know. Working with

them would make you learn

to speak and respond

concisely. Do not expect

feedback from them.

The Orchestrator. In other

words, the perfectionists - the

obsessive micro-managers

who constantly try to control

everything you do for

company. They have little

trust in what you are

capable of. Whatever you

do, you would hardly reach

their expectations. Don't lose

hope in them, concentrate on

your work and always ask for

feedback. Tell them you

admire them and also want to

lead the orchestra.

The Bizarre. This type

would have unrealistic

expectations from colleagues.

They have a large gap

between their expectations

and explanations. Going

nowhere is their passion.

They would choose their

types in the working groups

and always expect that you

would read their mind. Deal

with them like the

orchestrators.

The Lone Ranger. They

prefer to be solitary, less

contact with team and mostly

delegates

their

responsibilities. They might

have high technical skills and

shifted his area of interest.

They would leave you on your

own. Always record your

performance track and

impact on the company in

detail within yourselves

which might help you when

the ranger leaves.

The Non-stickers. You

would not expect straight

answers from them. He

would slide any blames right

off him. Unlike the lone

ranger, they might seem

engaged in everything in

office, you would barely find

their contributions. While

working with them, keep their

instructions in records.

The Machiavellian. They

can be characterized as highly

focused, motivated,

intelligent as well as

dangerous because they

always have a secret plan to

achieve. Just watch your back

and be loyal to them as long

as they don't find alternative

openings. The great boss.

That is what you're waiting

for. Well, there is no such

type. You would be one or

combination of more. But, as

a "boss", it depends on the

team, stage of the company,

peer practices and a lot more.

But if you think, you are not

one of the mentioned types,

then go and meet your team

and ask for feedback. Maybe,

it would bring good to both

you and your team.

All the best, Bosses!

The writer can be reached

through

naan.jml@gmail.com

dAmiAn CArrington

Microbes in oceans and soils across the

globe are evolving to eat plastic,

according to a new study. The research

scanned more than 200 million genes

found in DNA samples taken from the

environment and found 30,000 different

enzymes that could degrade 10 different

types of plastic.

The study is the first large-scale global

assessment of the plastic-degrading

potential of bacteria and found that one

in four of the organisms analysed carried

a suitable enzyme. The researchers found

that the number and type of enzymes

they discovered matched the amount and

type of plastic pollution in different

locations.

The results "provide evidence of a

measurable effect of plastic pollution on

the global microbial ecology", the

scientists said.

Millions of tonnes of plastic are

dumped in the environment every year,

and the pollution now pervades the

planet, from the summit of Mount

Everest to the deepest oceans. Reducing

the amount of plastic used is vital, as is

the proper collection and treatment of

waste.

But many plastics are currently hard to

degrade and recycle. Using enzymes to

rapidly break down plastics into their

building blocks would enable new

products to be made from old ones,

cutting the need for virgin plastic

production. The new research provides

Bugs across globe are evolving to eat plastic

many new enzymes to be investigated

and adapted for industrial use.

"We found multiple lines of evidence

supporting the fact that the global

microbiome's plastic-degrading potential

correlates strongly with measurements of

environmental plastic pollution - a

significant demonstration of how the

environment is responding to the

pressures we are placing on it," said Prof

Aleksej Zelezniak, at Chalmers University

of Technology in Sweden.

Jan Zrimec, also at Chalmers

University, said: "We did not expect to

find such a large number of enzymes

across so many different microbes and

environmental habitats. This is a

surprising discovery that really illustrates

the scale of the issue."

The explosion of plastic production in

the past 70 years, from 2m tonnes to

380m tonnes a year, has given microbes

time to evolve to deal with plastic, the

researchers said. The study, published in

the journal Microbial Ecology, started by

compiling a dataset of 95 microbial

enzymes already known to degrade

plastic, often found in bacteria in rubbish

dumps and similar places rife with

plastic.

The team then looked for similar

enzymes in environmental DNA samples

taken by other researchers from 236

different locations around the world.

Importantly, the researchers ruled out

potential false positives by comparing the

enzymes initially identified with enzymes

from the human gut, which is not known

to have any plastic-degrading enzymes.

About 12,000 of the new enzymes were

found in ocean samples, taken at 67

locations and at three different depths.

The results showed consistently higher

levels of degrading enzymes at deeper

levels, matching the higher levels of

Plastic washed ashore on Berawa Beach, Bali, indonesia.

plastic pollution known to exist at lower

depths.

The soil samples were taken from 169

locations in 38 countries and 11 different

habitats and contained 18,000 plasticdegrading

enzymes. Soils are known to

Photo: Anadolu Agency

contain more plastics with phthalate

additives than the oceans and the

researchers found more enzymes that

attack these chemicals in the land

samples.

Nearly 60% of the new enzymes did not

fit into any known enzyme classes, the

scientists said, suggesting these

molecules degrade plastics in ways that

were previously unknown.

"The next step would be to test the most

promising enzyme candidates in the lab

to closely investigate their properties and

the rate of plastic degradation they can

achieve," said Zelezniak. "From there you

could engineer microbial communities

with targeted degrading functions for

specific polymer types."

The first bug that eats plastic was

discovered in a Japanese waste dump in

2016. Scientists then tweaked it in 2018

to try to learn more about how it evolved,

but inadvertently created an enzyme that

was even better at breaking down plastic

bottles. Further tweaks in 2020 increased

the speed of degradation sixfold.

Another mutant enzyme was created in

2020 by the company Carbios that breaks

down plastic bottles for recycling in

hours. German scientists have also

discovered a bacterium that feeds on the

toxic plastic polyurethane, which is

usually dumped in landfills.

Last week, scientists revealed that the

levels of microplastics known to be eaten

by people via their food cause damage to

human cells in the laboratory.

SAtuRDAY, FeBRuARY 5, 2022

6

Rain played spoilsport on Friday afternoon, delaying the day's first match in the ongoing

Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Photo : Internet

Old friends

Nagelsmann and

Tedesco reunited as

Bayern host Leipzig

BERLIN : Bayern Munich

boss Julian Nagelsmann

will be reunited with his

former car-pool pal

Domenico Tedesco as the

Bundesliga leaders look to

maintain their grip on the

top of the table against RB

Leipzig on Saturday,

reports BSS.

"It's always special when

you're up against your old

club," said Nagelsmann,

who coached Leipzig for

two years before leaving to

take over at Bayern at the

end of last season, at a

press conference on

Thursday.

The reunion will be all

the more special this time

around, as it pits

Nagelsmann against his

old friend and current

Leipzig boss Tedesco.

Nagelsmann and

Tedesco know each other

well from their time

together at Hoffenheim in

2015 and 2016, when they

were both considered the

rising stars of German

coaching.

The pair used to share

lifts to the sport school

where they were studying

for their coaching badge,

and the Bayern coach

admitted with a grin on

Thursday that Tedesco got

slightly better marks than

he did.

But it is Nagelsmann

who goes into Saturday's

clash as strong favourite,

with Bayern six points

clear at the top of the table.

Leipzig, meanwhile, are

hoping to reestablish

themselves among the top

four after a recent

resurgence under their

new coach.

Since taking over from

Jesse Marsch in December,

Tedesco has stabilised a

floundering RB side and

led them out of mid-table

and up to sixth.

"Domenico always gives

his teams a very good

structure, and Leipzig are

much more controlled

now," said Nagelsmann.

The Bayern coach also

insisted that their past

friendship would not give

either of them the edge in

Saturday's duel.

"The nice thing about

Domenico is that you can

talk to him about other

stuff. It's not like we spent

all our time in the car

talking about football. It's

also a few years ago now,

so we both still have our

trade secrets," he said.

Leipzig travel to Munich

without US international

Tyler Adams, who picked

up an injury in Sunday's

World Cup qualifier

against Canada.

Young Tigers finish in 8th place

despite Ariful's back-to-back ton

DHAKA : Coming here in West Indies to

defend their title, the Bangladesh Under-19

team's mission turned out to be disastrous

one when they finished in eighth place after

a closely fought two-wicket defeat to South

Africa in Antigua on Thursday.

The outcome obviously would disappoint

Ariful Islam who hit his back to back century to

help his side amass the highest total in this

edition of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

Ariful struck 102 as the reigning

champions Bangladesh compiled a hefty

293-8 but still failed to defend the total as

South Africa cantered to the victory with

298-8 in 48.5 overs.

Ariful earlier also hammered a 100 against

Pakistan in the 5th place playoff but saw his

side being defeated by six wickets.

At the Coolidge Cricket Ground, South

Africa were also aiming to end their time in

the Caribbean on a high, taking on

Bangladesh in the 7th place playoff, an ICC

press release said.

After winning the toss and electing to bat,

Bangladesh made a strong start reaching 50

without loss only for Mahfijul Islam to fall to

Liam Alder in the 10th over.

But fourth man in Ariful Islam kept

maximum pressure on the South African

attack, smashing 102 from 103 balls and

finding the boundary on 12 separate

Pakistan paceman Hasnain suspended

over illegal bowling action

KARACHI : Pakistan paceman Mohammad

Hasnain was suspended Friday from

bowling at international level after

biomechanical testing confirmed his action

was illegal, the country's cricket board said.

Hasnain, 21, was reported for a suspect

action during a stint with the Sydney

Thunder in Australia's Big Bash Twenty20

league last month.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said

Cricket Australia (CA) had verified the

report.

In a press release, the PCB said the

assessment on Hasnain "stated his elbow

extension for his good length delivery, full

length delivery, slow bouncer and bouncer

exceeded the 15-degree limits".

Under the International Cricket Council

rules, an illegal bowling action is one in

occasions.

The 17-year-old looked untouchable for so

much of the Bangladeshi innings, right until

the 47th over when Mathew Boast found a

good line and Islam pulled his shot to South

Africa captain George Van Heerden.

The Bengal Tigers eventually reached a

strong total of 293-8 at the end of their 50

overs.

In reply, South Africa lost Jade Smith in

the sixth over when outside edging Musfik

Hasan's delivery.

But Dewald Brevis, who hit 97 in the

quarter-final defeat to England, offered

some hope for his team with a century

eventually finishing with 138 off 130 balls.

The other end was less reliable, Van

Heerden and Gerhardus Maree both going

cheaply, however Mathew Boast's quickfire

41 from 22 kept them on track.

In a nervy finale, it looked like Andile

Simelane would take South Africa over the

line, but he was run-out after tidy fielding

from Ripon Mondol.

But eventually they got the win, and

seventh place, in fine style when Alder

punched a big drive down the leg side that

went for six, securing a two-wicket victory in

the process. This bettered their final placing

at the 2020 tournament where they finished

eighth, but for defending champions

which the bowler's elbow extension exceeds

15 degrees.

Sydney Sixers captain Moises Henriques

accused Hasnain of "chucking" during a Big

Bash match last month, telling him "nice

throw, mate" at one stage.

The umpires reported his action, which

was later assessed in Lahore.

The PCB said it would appoint a

specialist to work with Hasnain to rectify

his action.

It said Hasnain would not be allowed to

feature in the ongoing Pakistan Super

League, and would instead work on

modifying his action.

Hasnain is a promising fast bowler who

has so far played 18 Twenty20 internationals

and eight one-day internationals for

Pakistan.

Pakistan paceman Mohammad Hasnain was suspended Friday from

bowling at international level after biomechanical testing confirmed

his action was illegal.

Photo : AP

BPL

Rain plays spoilsport

in Mirpur game

DHAKA : Rain played

spoilsport on Friday

afternoon, delaying the

day's first match in the

ongoing Bangabandhu

Bangladesh Premier League

(BPL), reports UNB.

In the first match of the

day from 1.30pm, Sylhet

Sunrisers were scheduled to

take on Fortune Barishal.

But an hour of showers have

delayed the match.

In the second match,

Comilla Victorians will take

on Minister Group Dhaka at

6.30pm.

After Friday's play, the

teams will travel to Sylhet

where six matches will be

played on February 7, 8

and 9.

A total of 34 matches will

be played in BPL, and 18

have already taken place.

Comilla are at the top of

the points table, with eight

points from four wins in five

matches they have played so

far. Barishal have also the

same amount of points, but

they are slightly behind

Comilla in run-rate.

Xi to meet

Putin as

tensions rise

with West

BEIJING : China's President

Xi Jinping is poised for his

first face-to-face meeting

with a world leader in nearly

two years on Friday when he

hosts Russia's Vladimir

Putin, with the pair drawing

closer as tensions grow with

the West, reports BSS.

Xi has not left China since

January 2020, when the

country was grappling with

its initial Covid-19 outbreak

and locked down the central

city of Wuhan where the

virus was first detected.

He is now readying to

meet more than 20 leaders

as Beijing kicks off a Winter

Olympics it hopes will be a

soft-power triumph and

shift focus away from a

build-up blighted by a

diplomatic boycott and

Covid fears.

Putin's jet touched down

in the Chinese capital on

Friday afternoon, state

broadcaster CCTV reported.

He will meet with Xi

before their nations release a

joint statement reflecting

their "common views" on

security and other issues, a

top Kremlin adviser said at a

Wednesday press briefing.

The two strongmen will

then attend the Olympic

opening ceremony in the

evening.

Spiralling tensions with

the West have bolstered ties

between the world's largest

nation and its most

populous, and Putin was the

first foreign leader to

confirm his presence at the

Olympics.

"I have known President

Xi Jinping for a long time,"

CCTV quoted Putin as

saying in a report on Friday.

"As good friends and

politicians who share many

common views on solving

world problems, we have

always maintained close

communication."

China's state-run Xinhua

news agency also carried an

article from Putin on

Thursday in which the

Russian leader painted a

portrait of two neighbours

with increasingly shared

global goals.

"Foreign policy

coordination between

Russia and China is based

on close and coinciding

approaches to solving global

and regional issues," Putin

wrote.

He also hit out at US-led

Western diplomatic boycotts

of the Beijing Olympics that

were sparked by China's

human rights record.

"Sadly, attempts by a

number of countries to

politicise sports for their

selfish interests have

recently intensified," Putin

wrote, calling such moves

"fundamentally wrong".

Rohit to lead India into

1,000th ODI

NEW DELHI : India's new white-ball

skipper Rohit Sharma starts his full-time

ODI tenure on Sunday as his team play the

West Indies in their 1,000th one-day

international, the first side ever to reach the

milestone. The encounter at the world's

biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad is the

first of a three-match series but will be

played behind closed doors due to the

coronavirus pandemic.

India passed 500,000 deaths from the

virus on Friday, although infection rates in

the current Omicron outbreak have slowed

in recent days. "I was the captain of India in

the 500th ODI," India's cricket chief Sourav

Ganguly told Indian magazine Sportstar-a

2002 game against England in Chester-le-

Street. "It is a big moment for Indian cricket,

but unfortunately, the match will be played

without a crowd."

The hosts have been hit by the virus

themselves with four players including

Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Ruturaj

Gaikwad being isolated after testing positive.

Mayank Agarwal has been added to the

squad and will be a candidate to open the

batting alongside Rohit, although vicecaptain

K.L. Rahul remains a possibility.

The 34-year-old Rohit, who took over the

Twenty20 and then ODI captaincy from

Virat Kohli, was ruled out of India's tour of

South Africa by a hamstring injury, when the

visitors lost the Test series 2-1 and were

whitewashed 3-0 in ODIs.

He is leading the one-day side in a year that

will see the T20 World Cup in Australia, and

is favourite to be named Test captain as well.

Indian broadcasters have been promoting

the West Indies series with a song on Rohit's

comeback likely to boost the hosts, and the

star batsman acknowledged the

compliment.

"Humbled by the lovely rap

@StarSportsIndia Looking forward to be

back on the field and take inspiration from

the fans' continued support as India takes on

West Indies," Rohit wrote on Twitter.

India have home advantage but will face a

tough challenge against the West Indies who

are fresh from a 3-2 T20 triumph against

England at home. The once mighty West

Indies, two-time ODI World Cup winners,

celebrated the series win after their

disastrous T20 World Cup defence and a

shock 50-overs series loss to Ireland.

Pace bowler Kemar Roach has been

recalled to Kieron Pollard's side and the

spotlight will be on pace bowler Jason

Holder, who claimed a hat-trick and took

four wickets in four balls in the seriesclinching

T20 win over England. "For me,

this is the closest that I've felt a group be in

a very, very long time," Holder was quoted

as saying by website ESPNcricinfo.

"Honest to God, the energy I felt from the

meetings... most contributions I've ever

seen in a West Indies dressing room. Even

though you might not understand a certain

decision, everybody's still buying in with

it." But he added: "I don't think it's a

finished product and we've got to strive to

be consistent." The ODIs will be followed by

three T20 matches at Kolkata's Eden

Gardens.

India's new white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma starts his full-time ODI

tenure on Sunday as his team play the West Indies in their 1,000th one-day

international, the first side ever to reach the milestone. Photo : Internet

Kilde tops wind-swept

second Olympic downhill

training

YANQING : Norway's Aleksander

Aamodt Kilde underlined his tag as

favourite for the men's Olympic

downhill by topping the second windswept

training session on Friday.

Kilde clocked 1min 43.72sec down the

3.2km-long "Rock" course in blustery

conditions in Yanqing that saw the start

delayed by one hour.

"It's always good to have a second run,

it makes it easier to navigate," Kilde of

the man-made piste of artificial snow

that racers tried out for the first time on

Thursday.

World Cup races scheduled to be held

on the course in 2020 and 2021 were

cancelled because of Covid-19

restrictions in China, meaning a truly

testing experience for racers.

"I definitely have some work to do on

top, but the rest is really nice," Kilde

said. "I felt good skiing, I had a good

flow and I was lucky with the wind."

There is more strong wind forecast for

Saturday, casting a shadow over

whether a third training session

scheduled ahead of the medal race

proper 24 hours later will go ahead.

Kilde, whose girlfriend Mikaela

Shiffrin could win several medals at this

Olympics, acknowledged that the wind

could play a massive factor in the

outcome of his battle for gold in the blue

riband event of alpine skiing.

"Anything can happen, especially

when you have weather like this," the

29-year-old said.

"It's never easy to win the gold medal,

but everything is possible though, so I'll

do my best and ski as I did today and

maybe a little faster and see how it

goes."

Kilde is locked head-to-head on the

World Cup circuit with Switzerland's

Marco Odermatt, and the Norwegian

did not play down the friendly rivalry.

"He's going to be here," he said of

Odermatt. "He's an amazing skier. It's

going to be a battle the whole of the

Olympics and the rest of the season."

Odermatt, who leads the World Cup

overall standings, was quick to earmark

Kilde as the odds-on favourite.

"We are good friends, for sure good

rivals. We both like each other and we

like the little battle we have on the

circuit," the Swiss racer said.

"But the Olympics are a little bit

different and he's definitely the bigger

favourite for the downhill than me."

Turning to the blustery conditions

that caused temperatures with wind

chill plummet to minus 36 degrees

Celsius (minus 32.8 degrees

Fahrenheit), Odermatt was sanguine.

"You can discuss the wind for the next

10 days, I guess. It probably won't be the

fairest race we've had. but it's the

Olympics and that's how it is," he said.

"If you have luck on your side and a

good run you can win the medal.... but

first I have to find two or three seconds

and that won't be easy."

Matthias Mayer, seeking a third

Olympic gold after winning the downhill

in the 2014 Olympics and super-G in

Pyeongchang four years later, will lead

the Austrian charge alongside reigning

double world speed champion Vincent

Kriechmayr.

"It was definitely really good, after

yesterday which was more of an

inspection," he said, also naming Kilde

as the "big favourite".

"It's very close training and it's going

to be exciting on Sunday.

"The wind is very important factor and

I hope on Sunday that the wind is with

me! but I think everyone hopes that!"

Kriechmayr said he was confident,

before adding: "The whole season they

guys are pushing at 100 percent and you

have to show your best to reach a

medal."

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2022

7

State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman as the chief guest addressed a view exchange meeting organized

by Madarganj Upazila Administration on Thursday.

Photo: TBT

Canada, US and allies talk

aid for Haiti at meeting

TORONTO : Haiti's spiraling

insecurity and growing concerns about

its ability to hold general elections

following the killing of President

Jovenel Moise prompted two dozen

international senior officials to meet

Friday and agree to increase aid.

Canada, which hosted the more than

three-hour-long meeting with

representatives from countries

including the U.S., France and Mexico

as well as U.N. officials, pledged $39

million in aid while other countries

promised to improve Haiti's security

situation so it could hold successful

elections. They also committed to

bolstering Haiti's National Police as

violence spikes and gangs become

more powerful, with more than

20,000 Haitians forced to live in

unhygienic shelters amid the

pandemic after losing their homes in

recent months to gang turf battles.

"The increase in violence is only

worsening the already precarious

humanitarian situation," said

Canadian Prime Minister Justin

Trudeau ahead of the meeting, which

was behind closed doors. "We must

work together to restore stability, and

to protect the safety and well-being of

the Haitian people."

Representatives of 19 countries took

part, including Haitian Prime Minister

Ariel Henry, U.S. Deputy Secretary of

State Wendy Sherman and French

Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

"In order to tackle insecurity, the

partners agreed to strengthen their

current and future support of the

security sector, including the Haitian

National Police, with a focus on respect

for the rule of law, justice and human

rights," the office of Canadian Foreign

Minister Melanie Joly said in a

statement after the meeting.

Joly said all stakeholders in Haiti

need to work together and "that

without such an agreement, reestablishing

security will remain a

challenge, as will the holding of free

and credible elections."

Henry, Haiti's prime minister, said

he expects to have a provisional

electoral council in place in upcoming

days and has pledged to hold elections

this year, although he has not provided

a date. He thanked the international

community for helping Haiti during "a

particularly trying time" and noted

that violence was considerably

disrupting everyday life and isolating

several cities and towns in the

southern part of the country, cutting

off much needed aid.

"There is an urgent need to address

these problems and find lasting

solutions," he tweeted during the

meeting. "I am convinced that the root

cause of such a situation lies mainly in

the abject poverty in which a

significant part of our population

lives."

Haiti is a country of 11 million

Biden starts second year with

charm offensive-and bad polls

WASHINGTON: The White House launched a

charm offensive, complete with a Tom Hanks

video, to mark Joe Biden's first year as president

Thursday, but dire new polls and a major

congressional setback told another story, reports

BSS.

Biden, who was sworn in to replace Donald

Trump at noon last January 20, marked the day

by meeting with top cabinet members in charge

of rolling out his signature infrastructure

spending plan, a $1.2 trillion splurge he got

passed in November with rare bipartisan

support.

"Our nation has never fully made this kind of

investment," Biden said, celebrating one of his

biggest wins of last year-and a project that should

keep delivering good news as bridges, roads and

other large public works roll out.

The previous evening, the 79-year-old

Democrat held an epic press conference lasting

an hour and 52 minutes, longer even than the

famously rambling events Trump used to stage.

Defending himself on his handling of the Covid

pandemic and roaring inflation, Biden said he'd

got "a lot done" in the face of unprecedented

difficulties for a president. "He was having a good

time," Press Secretary Jen Psaki said of his

marathon performance.

Despite the cheerful messaging, Biden begins

his second year as president facing a slew of bad

news, including failure in the Senate late

Wednesday of his cherished push for election law

reforms-something he has said is needed to

safeguard US democracy from Trump

supporters' attempts at fixing the vote.

The polls also seem to be getting only worse.

According to new NBC and AP-NORC polls, 54

percent and 56 percent of Americans respectively

disapprove of Biden's performance.

The numbers point ominously to what most

analysts expect to be a heavy defeat for

Democratic legislators in November midterm

elections, leading to Republicans taking control

of Congress.

Asked about his sliding popularity, which is

now in the area that Trump consistently

inhabited, Biden told the press conference

Wednesday: "I don't believe the polls."

Biden likes to laugh off doomsayers, telling

them to share his trademark sunny outlook.

On the occasion of World Cancer Day, a rally and discussion meeting was

organized in Morrelganj on Friday morning.

Photo: TBT

inhabitants where about 60% earn less

than $2 a day, and it is facing a

deepening economic crisis, with

inflation spiking and an estimated 4.4

million people at risk of hunger. It is

also struggling to recover from the July

7 assassination of Moise at his private

residence and a 7.2 magnitude

earthquake that struck last August,

killing more than 2,200 people and

destroying or damaging some 137,500

homes.

Moise's killing complicated an

already fragile political situation in

Haiti.

He had been ruling by decree for

more than a year after dissolving a

majority of Parliament in January

2020 amid a delay in legislative

elections that have yet to be held, with

only 10 senators currently in power.

Opponents, meanwhile, claimed that

Moise's own term should have ended

in February 2021, while he insisted it

should continue to Feb. 7 this year - the

fifth anniversary of his inauguration,

which had been delayed by

controversy over his election.

Some worry Haiti's instability will

deepen in early February when the

term of the slain president expires.

Shortly before his death, Moise had

tapped Henry to serve as prime

minister and many observers think

that Henry's term should end on Feb. 7

as well, though he is not expected to

step aside on that date.

Malaysian ex-PM

Mahathir admitted

to hospital again

KUALA LUMPUR : Former

Malaysian prime minister

Mahathir Mohamad has

been admitted to a specialist

heart hospital for the third

time in the space of a few

weeks, a spokesperson said

Saturday.

The 96-year-old is in the

cardiac care unit of the

National Heart Institute in

Kuala Lumpur, a

spokesperson who asked not

to be named said, without

giving further details, reports

BSS.

Media descended on the

hospital as news spread that

Mahathir had been admitted

again, about a fortnight after

he had a procedure at the

same facility.

He was also admitted in

December for several days to

undergo a check-up.

He has had numerous

heart problems over the

years, suffering several heart

attacks and undergoing

bypass surgery.

Mahathir is one of

Malaysia's most dominant

political figures, having

served twice as prime

minister for a total of 24

years. He was leader from

1981 to 2003, then returned

to power in 2018 at the age of

92, heading a reformist

coalition. But that

administration collapsed in

2020 due to infighting.

Global Covid

cases surpass

345 million

DHAKA : Amid the global

scare over the rising

Omicron cases, the overall

number of Covid cases has

now surpassed 345 million.

According to Johns

Hopkins University (JHU),

the total case count mounted

to 345,747,702 while the

death toll from the virus

reached 5,584,037 Saturday

morning.

The US has recorded 70,

166,329 cases so far and

884,489 people have died

from the virus in the country,

the university data shows.

India's Covid-19 tally rose

to 38,566,027 Friday as

347,254 new cases were

registered in 24 hours across

the country, as per the

federal health ministry data.

Yemeni rebels say

Saudi-led airstrike

on prison killed 70

SANAA, Yemen : A Saudi-led coalition

airstrike hit a prison run by Yemen's Houthi

rebels on Friday, killing at least 70 detainees

and wounding dozens, a rebel minister said.

The strike was part of a pounding aerial

offensive that hours earlier knocked the Arab

world's poorest country off the internet,

reports UNB.

The intense campaign comes after the Iranbacked

Houthis claimed a drone and missile

attack that struck inside the United Arab

Emirates' capital earlier in the week - a major

escalation in the conflict in Yemen where the

Saudi-led coalition, backed by the UAE, has

battled the rebels since 2015.

Taha al-Motawakel, health minister in the

Houthi government which controls northern

Yemen, told The Associated Press that 70

detainees were killed at the prison and that he

expects the number to rise as many others

were seriously wounded.

"The world cannot be quiet when faced with

these crimes," Al-Motawakel said and asked

for international aid organizations to send

medical staff and aid. He said medical workers

in Yemen have been exhausted by the influx of

injured from the strikes, after already

operating with scarce resources during the

pandemic.

Earlier Friday, a Saudi airstrike in the port

city of Hodeida - later confirmed by satellite

photos analyzed by the AP - hit a

telecommunication center that's key to

Yemen's connection to the internet. Airstrikes

also hit near the capital, Sanaa, held by the

Houthis since late 2014.

The escalation was the most intense since

the 2018 fighting for Hodeida and comes after

a year of U.S. and U.N. efforts failed to bring

the two sides to the negotiating table.

Basheer Omar, an International Committee

of the Red Cross spokesperson in Yemen, said

rescuers continued to search for survivors in

the rebel-run prison in the northern city of

Saada. The Red Cross had moved some of the

wounded to facilities elsewhere, he said.

Doctors Without Borders put the number of

wounded alone at "around 200." Ahmed

Mahat, MSF's head of mission in Yemen, said

they had reports of "many bodies still at the

scene of the airstrike, many missing people."

The organization Save the Children said the

Saada prison holds detained migrants.

"Migrants seeking better lives for themselves

and their families, Yemeni civilians injured by

the dozens, is a picture we never hoped to

wake up to in Yemen," said Gillian Moyes,

Save the Children's director in Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition did not confirm the

Saada attack. It has frequently struck civilian

locations during the war, now in its eight year.

It remained unclear if the detention facility

was the intended target.

As for the airstrike in Hodeida, NetBlocks

said the nationwide internet disruption began

around 1 a.m. local and affected TeleYemen,

the state-owned monopoly that controls

internet access in the country after a strike on

a telecommunications building. TeleYemen is

now run by the Houthis who have held Sanaa

since late 2014.

Over 18 hours later, the internet remained

down. The Houthi's Al-Masirah satellite news

channel said the strike on the

telecommunications building killed and

wounded an unspecified number of people. It

released chaotic footage of people digging

through rubble for a body as aid workers

assisted bloodied survivors.

Save the Children said the Hodeida strike

killed at least three children playing on a

soccer field. Satellite photos analyzed by the

AP corresponded to photos shared on social

media of the telecommunications building

being flattened by the airstrike.

The Saudi-led coalition acknowledged

carrying out "accurate airstrikes to destroy the

capabilities of the militia" around Hodeida's

port. It didn't immediately confirm striking a

telecommunications target, but instead called

Hodeida a hub for piracy and Iranian arms

smuggling to back the Houthis.

Iran has denied arming the Houthis, though

U.N. experts, independent analysts and

Western nations point to evidence showing

Tehran's link to the weapons.

On Friday, Houthi supporters rallied, calling

the airstrikes "an American escalation."

Houthi media distributed video of thousands

in the street. The Houthis commonly equate

the Saudi-led coalition with the United States,

condemning America in fiery terms.

The undersea FALCON cable carries

internet into Yemen through the Hodeida port

along the Red Sea for TeleYemen. The

FALCON cable has another landing in

Yemen's far eastern port of Ghaydah as well,

but the majority of Yemen's population lives in

its west along the Red Sea.

A cut to the FALCON cable in 2020 caused

by a ship's anchor also caused widespread

internet outages in Yemen. Land cables to

Saudi Arabia have been cut since the start of

the war, while connections to two other

undersea cables have yet to be made amid the

conflict, TeleYemen previously said.

Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon, Member of Parliament for Bhola-3 constituency as the chief guest distrubted

land and housing among 150 landless and homeless families of Shambhupur and Chandpur Union on

the occasion of Mujib Borsho at Tazumuddin Dakbanglow premises on Friday morning. Photo: TBT

New Zealand to start easing

tough Covid border controls

AUCKLAND : New Zealand will start

easing some of the world's toughest

pandemic border restrictions this month

but will not fully reopen until October,

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said

Thursday, reports UNB.

Ardern announced a five-step plan to

reconnect New Zealand to the rest of the

world, beginning with waiving hotel

quarantine requirements for its nationals

stranded overseas by the pandemic.

"It's time to move again," said Ardern,

who has been under pressure recently to

relax border policies that have been largely

unchanged since the beginning of the

Covid-19 crisis almost two years ago.

"Families and friends need to reunite,

our businesses need skills to grow,

exporters need to travel to make new

connections."

Ardern said New Zealanders in Australia

could return home and self-isolate, rather

than going into quarantine, from February

27, followed two weeks later by Kiwis

elsewhere in the world.

The option will then be progressively

made available to other groups such as

skilled migrants, international students,

Australians, and eventually all vaccinated

foreign nationals.

It will involve international arrivals selfisolating

for 10 days instead of undergoing

a 10-day hotel quarantine monitored by

New Zealand military personnel.

Only 800 rooms per month are available

under the current system, with demand

regularly exceeding supply tenfold.

Many New Zealanders have criticised it

as too harsh on international arrivals, with

business groups saying it was contributing

to a labour shortage and crippling the

tourism industry.

There have been numerous stories of

fully vaccinated overseas-based New

Zealanders unable to get home to see dying

loved ones or give birth, such as pregnant

journalist Charlotte Bellis.

Bellis prompted a rare about-face from

officials this week when she said her initial

failure to secure a quarantine spot left her

no choice but to deliver her baby in

Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.

13 reported killed

as US forces launch

raid in Syria

ATMEH : U.S. special forces

carried out what the

Pentagon said was a largescale

counterterrorism raid

in northwestern Syria early

Thursday. First responders

at the scene reported 13

people had been killed,

including six children and

four women, reports UNB.

The operation, which

residents say lasted over two

hours, jolted the sleepy

village of Atmeh near the

Turkish border - an area

dotted with camps for

internally displaced people

from Syria's civil war. The

target of the raid was

unclear.

"The mission was

successful," Pentagon press

secretary John Kirby said in

a brief statement. "There

were no U.S. casualties.

More information will be

provided as it becomes

available."

Saturday, Dhaka: February 5, 2022; Magh 22, 1428 BS; Rajab 3, 1443 Hijri

Many unemployed youth are now prosperous by cultivating cotton in the high lands of

Barind. The picture was taken from Bardadpur field in Parbatipur union of Gomstapur

upazila of Chapainawabganj on Friday.

Photo: PBA

Kamal for working

together to continue

victory of 'Boat'

DHAKA: Home Minister Asaduzzaman

Khan Kamal called upon all to work

together for continuing the victory of

'Boat', reports BSS.

"The Awami League nominated candidates

have won in all the Union

Parishads of Dohar and Nawabganj.

Everyone must work together to continue

the victory of the boat," he said.

The minister said this while speaking

as the chief guest at a function at

the LD Hall on the Jatiya Sangsad

Bhaban premises in the city on

Thursday evening, said a press release

yesterday.

The function was organised for congratulating

the newly elected chairman

of the Dohar and Nawabganj

areas.

Member of Parliament for Dhaka-1

constituency and Prime Minister's

Private Industry and Investment

DHAKA: The Hindu community is set to

celebrate Saraswati Puja, worshiping the

goddess of knowledge, music, art and

culture, across the country today, maintaining

health safety guidelines, reports

BSS.

In separate messages, President M

Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina yesterday greeted the members

of the Hindu community on the occasion

of the Saraswati Puja.

In his message, President Abdul

Hamid said Saraswati Puja is one of the

most popular religious festivals in

Bangladesh.

The participation of all in this festival

irrespective of religion, caste and community

has added a different dimension

to the non-communal consciousness and

tradition of this country, he said, adding

that human civilisation is gradually being

developed through the practice of knowledge.

Devotees perform this puja with an

aim of gaining the grace of Sri Sri

Saraswati Devi in acquiring knowledge,

the President said.

He hoped that being enlightened

through the light of knowledge, every one

of the country will be freed from communalism,

ignorance and cowardice and

they will come forward to build a prosperous

and developed society.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her

message, said Goddess Saraswati is the

symbol of truth, justice and enlightenment,

while she is the bearer of knowledge,

words and melody.

On this occasion, she urged all members

of the Hindu community to devote

themselves to the advancement of the

country by acquiring knowledge.

Sheikh Hasina requested all to observe

the puja following the health guidelines

and maintaining social distancing in this

critical time of coronavirus.

On the day of Saraswati Puja, children

are traditionally introduced to education

Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman

presided over the function while State

Minister for the Ministry of Disaster

Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur

Rahman was present as the special

guest.

In his speech, Salman Fazlur Rahman

said the results of the Union Parishad

elections across the country would have

been better if the Awami League leaders

had not been taken part in election as

rebel candidates.

Due to party unity, Awami League

nominated candidates have won in all

the 19 Union Parishad elections in

Dohar and Nawabganj, he added.

Among others, Dhaka District Awami

League President Benazir Ahmed MP,

Dhaka District Awami League General

Secretary Mahbubur Rahman and other

leaders of national and local Awami

League were present on the occasion.

Saraswati Puja today

and learning and this ritual is called

"Hatekhori". Toddlers are usually given

a slate and chalk to scribble with on the

auspicious day.

Major Hindu temples, schools, colleges,

universities and other educational

institutions stage the festival with traditional

gaiety and religious fervor.

The students in particular seek blessings

of goddess Saraswati in their pursuit

of knowledge, art, music and culture.

The most decorative and gorgeous celebration

of Saraswati Puja is usually

arranged on the premises of Jagannath

Hall of Dhaka University where a huge

number of devotees and crowd throng to

perform the religious rituals and visit the

pandals circled on the playground of the

university's largest dormitory.

The rituals of Saraswati Puja will begin

tomorrow morning at temples and educational

institutions and residences followed

by offering of 'Anjali', distribution

of Prashad, cultural function, discussion

and rendering of devotional songs.

Then children will be imparted

"Hatekhori" (introduction to learning)

and later prashad (foodstuff devoted to

the goddess) will be distributed among

the devotees.

According to Hindu faith, goddess

Saraswati represents power, creativity

and inspiration and presents herself

when the weather is pleasant and nature

is in its full grandeur.

Depicted as a graceful goddess with a

crescent moon adorning her brow, she is

shown riding a swan or a peacock or is

seated on a lotus flower.

The Puja will also be arranged at

Dhakeswari National Temple,

Jagannath Hall, Ram Krishna Mission,

Siddheswari Temple, Farashganj,

Shakhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar and different

other places in old Dhaka, Banani,

Ramna Kali Mandir and Maa

Anandamayi Ashram and different

educational institutions in the city.

Woman who sold

newborn to foot

hospital bills, gets

him back

Chandpur: A single mother in

Chandpur who was forced to sell her

baby immediately after giving birth to

foot the hospital bills, got back her child

Thursday night, all thanks to the local

administration, reports UNB.

Tamanna Begum, 28, from Hanir Par

village in Matlab Uttar upazila, underwent

a C-section to deliver her baby

Wednesday. But she had to sell the newborn

boy to pay Tk 40,000 for the delivery

at a private hospital.

Tamanna's husband has been missing

for a long time, and her neighbours

admitted her to the hospital after her

labor pain started.

"Soon after my admission, I gave

birth to my son but no one sadly came

forward to foot the medical bills. A man

proposed to me that I could sell my

baby to pay the bills and I complied,"

she said.

As the news spread across the locality,

on Thursday, additional commissioner

(land) Mohammad Hedayetullah and

local police conducted a joint drive to

return the child to her mother.

In fact, they recovered the baby from

a woman named Shimla Aktar in

Shatnal union of the upazila. After

interrogation, they found out that both

the parties had mutually brokered the

deal.

Later, the administration handed

over the baby to Tamanna by making

both of them sign a bond.

Gazi Shariful Hasan, Upazila Nirbahi

Officer (UNO) who supervised the

drive, said, "We are glad that we could

return the baby to his mother with

spontaneous support of the locals."

UNO Shariful personally gave Tk

5,000 to Tamanna as assistance.

RAB arrests

drug peddlers

with cannabis,

yaba tablets

DHAKA: Rapid Action Battalion

(RAB-4) arrested three alleged drug

peddlers and seized six kgs of

cannabis and 2,250 pieces of yaba

tablets, in separate raids in the capital's

Darussalam police station area,

reports BSS.

The arrested are M Saidur Rahman

Rusel, 38, from Narail, M Rabiul

Islam 22, from Cox's Bazar and M

Sajib Hossain alias Ramzan Ali, 21,

from Cumilla.

RAB-4's Assistant Superintendent

of Police (Media Officer) M Ziaur

Rahman Chowdhury confirmed the

matter to BSS here yesterday.

Acting on a tip off, a separate

team of RAB-4 was able to arrest

three drug paddlers in a raid in

Darussalam police station area of

the capital from 1pm on Thursday

to 6:30 am yesterday.

Necessary legal action has been

taken against the arrested drug

dealers in this regard.

AL does politics

to ensure welfare

of people: Faridul

JAMALPUR: State Minister for

Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque

Khan yesterday said that Bangladesh

Awami League (AL) does politics to

ensure the welfare of the people.

"Awami League is involved in politics

to ensure the welfare of the people. The

'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by Father of

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman will be established by ensuring

the welfare of the people," said Faridul,

also the Jamalpur's Islampur Upazila

President of AL.

The minister was speaking as the chief

guest at a function to distribute winter

clothes among auto rickshaw and trolley

drivers organized by Bangladesh Awami

League Islampur city unit at Alhaj Md

Faridul Haque Khan Auditorium here,

said a press release.

The state minister also said Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina is leading the

country with the aim of making life easier

and better for the working people of

the country.

Earlier, Faridul inaugurated a threestorey

Dak bungalow implemented

under Jamalpur Zila Parishad at

Islampur upazila.

Austria keen to

boost econonic

relations with

Bangladesh, says

its chancellor

Dhaka: Austria wants to become partner

in Bangladesh's development and build

up economic relations with the country,

reports UNB.

Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer

expressed his country's interest on

Friday while he called Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina on the ocassion of

Golden Jubilee of the diplomatic relations

of the two countries. " Austrian

chancellor Karl Nehammer called

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at about

4pm and discussed various issues for

ten minutes," PM's press secretary

Ihsanul Karim told UNB.

He said that putting emphasis on the

issue of development partner and establishing

economic relations with Austria,

Sheikh Hasina urged the chancellor to

come up with investment in Bangladsh.

"Geographical location of Bangladesh

is very much congenial for investment,"

she said. Austrian chancellor expressed

his interest to visit Bangladesh after the

prime minister invited him.

Sheikh Hasina expressed her gratitude

to Austrian chancellor and thanked him

for giving 1.5 million coronavirus vaccine

as gift. Karl Nehammer Said that his

country is ready to provide kore vaccine if

Bangladesh needs in future, Ihsanul said.

World now looks at Bangladesh

with admiration, says Dickson

Dhaka: British High Commissioner to

Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson

has said the world, today, looks with

admiration at what Bangladesh has

achieved in its first half century, reports

UNB.

The country has moved forward, a role

model of positive transformation while

continuing to grapple with political and

governance challenges as a vibrant, independent

nation, he said.

"I am happy to reflect on Bangladesh's

transformation from "one of the world's

poorest countries" into "one of the

world's fastest-growing economies" and

the UK's part in that story," said the High

Commissioner highlighting a new era of

"Brit Bangla Bondhon".

He mentioned RMG powerhouse, a

leading contributor to peace and security,

especially as a provider of troops to UN

peacekeeping missions, and one of the

most influential global voices on climate

change, as they have just seen at COP26

in Glasgow as some of the few achievements.

"The UK is proud to be a friend of

Bangladesh through all this. We look forward

to strengthening these bonds of

kinship and culture through the

dynamism of our strong people to people

links, for the next 50 years and beyond,"

Dickson said in a message on the 50th

anniversary of the Bangladesh-UK's

diplomatic relationship on Friday.

Modern links between the UK and

Bangladesh include trade and investment,

the British Bangladeshi contribution

to the UK National Health Service,

education, development, defence, culture,

cricket and curry, he said, adding

that they share a mutual vision of a modern

21st century partnership bound by

strong historical ties. On this day, 50

years ago, the UK and Bangladesh established

the diplomatic relationship.

On behalf of the UK, High

Commissioner Dickson congratulated

the people and the government of

Bangladesh on this historic anniversary

of a new era of "Brit-Bangla Bondhon".

As British High commissioner in

Bangladesh, he feels proud that the UK

played such a key role in Bangladesh's

founding story.

Before Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman set foot in his liberated homeland,

his historic trip to the UK in

January 1972 and his meeting with UK

Prime Minister Edward Heath forged a

new friendship and accelerated the

recognition of Bangladesh as an independent

nation.

This historic moment encouraged

Commonwealth countries to recognise

Bangladesh. "I also recall Her Majesty's

Government's humanitarian relief contributions

to a rising Bangladesh before,

during and after the liberation war," said

the High Commissioner.

National Library Day to

be observed today

DHAKA: National Library Day-2022 will be

observed today across the country with the

theme 'digital library is the pledge of the country's

golden jubilee', reports BSS.

Department of Public Libraries under the

cultural affairs ministry will observe the day

organising different programmes with a view

to making people more library-oriented.

Besides, Bangla Academy, Jatiya Grantha

Kendro, Kabi Nazrul Institute, Bangladesh

Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka University,

Library Association of Bangladesh, district

administrations and others will also observe

the day.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages

on the eve of the day.

In a message President M Abdul Hamid said

people's unrestricted access to public library is

playing an important role in developing education,

culture and social development as

libraries have enormous role in forming a

knowledgeable, beautiful and enlightened society.

In the backdrop of ongoing globalization of

the information technology, the President said

the traditional concept of the library has been

changed too, adding "libraries now have

reached to the highway of technology."

To keep pace with the latest global change,

he said the government is increasing infrastructural

facilities of the libraries along with

creating scopes to gather information staying

inside the houses through digitalization of the

libraries.

"I hope that these initiatives will encourage

the youths to become library oriented," he said

in his message.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,

in her message, said the present government

led by the Awami League has increased the

facilities of the libraries along with taking initiatives

of project implementation for digitalization

of the libraries. The Prime Minister said a

project has been taken to set up 'Bangabandhu

and Liberation War Corner' at all governmentrun

public libraries to uphold the true history of

Liberation War before the newgeneration.

"I believe that the observance of 'national

library day will also encourage and inspire people

more and also would help realize a prosperous

country which was a dream of the Father of

the Nation Bangabandhu Sheik Mujibur

Rahman," she said.

Various types of pitha's are being sold in the footpath in winter morning. The photo was taken from Mirpur are

of the capital on Friday.

Photo: PBA

05-02-2022

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