06-02-2022

sunday
DhAkA: February6, 2022; Magh 23, 1428 BS; Rajab 4,1443 hijri
www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net
Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.19; N o. 277; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00
international
French, German
leaders to visit Russia,
Ukraine amid tension
>Page 7
EC reconstitution
sports
Man Utd suffer shock
FA Cup shoot-out exit
against Middlesbrough
>Page 9
arts & Culture
Roshan, Puja in new
movie 'Nakphul'
>Page 10
Search committee formed
DHAKA : A six-member search committee
was formed to reconstitute the
Election Commission (EC) to conduct
the next general elections.
Appellate Division Justice Obaidul
Hassan of the Bangladesh Supreme
Court will lead the search committee,
said a gazette notification issued by the
Cabinet Division yesterday.
Other committee members are: Justice
SM Kuddus Zaman of High Court
Division, Comptroller and Auditor
General (CAG) Mohammad Muslim
Chowdhury, Public Service Commission
(PSC) Chairman Mohammed Sohrab
Hossain, former Election Commissioner
Mohammed Sohul Hossain and Writer
Professor Anwara Syed Haq.
The search committee will help reconstitute
the next EC as the incumbent
commission's tenure will expire on
February 14. The committee has been
asked to submit its recommendations
before the President in line with the new
law titled 'Chief Election Commissioner
and Other Election Commissioners'
Appointment Act 2022'.
President M Abdul Hamid signed the
bill into the law on EC formation on
January 30 last. Earlier, the bill was
approved in the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament).
The search committee is the outcome
of a month-long dialogue between
the President and registered political parties
over the EC reconstitution.
The President previously started a dialogue
with registered political parties on
December 20 last year in this regard.
Most of the participating political parties,
including the ruling Awami League,
advocated for the enactment of a law
alongside the formation of a search committee
to ensure an independent and
credible EC.
The incumbent government's move to
enact the law came nearly 50 years after
the Constitution prescribed enacting a
specific law for forming the EC.
Eighteen
trawlers
sank in
Dublarchar
of the
Sundarbans
and in
different
parts of the
Bay of Bengal
during storm
on friday
night.
Sinha murder
Pradeep, Liaqat
transferred to Ctg
central jail
CHATTOGRAM :The death row convicts of
Major (retd) Sinha Md Rashed Khan murder
case-Teknaf Police Station's suspended
officer-in-charge Pradeep Kumar Das and
Baharchhara Investigation Centre's inspector
Liaqat Ali-were transferred to
Chattogram central jail from Cox's Bazar
jail yesterday.
District Jailer Dewan Mohammad Tariqul
Islam told BSS that they were brought to
Chattogram Jail from Cox's Bazar under special
arrangements at 1.25 pm on Saturday.
He said that Pradeep Kumar Das and
Liaquat Ali have been kept in the condemned
cell No. 32 of the jail upon instructions
of higher authorities. "They will be
kept here until further notice," he added.
US Congressman
Meeks seeks enhanced
ties with Dhaka
DHAKA : US House Foreign Affairs
Committee chair Gregory W. Meeks has
sought enhanced Dhaka-Washington
ties saying he did not believe no "wholesale
sanctions" of the United States were
warranted in regard to Bangladesh.
"I continue to support the strengthening
of the US-Bangladesh relationship
and look forward to working to help
address human rights and democracy
challenges in the country, including
ensuring that the country's next elections
are free and fair," he said in a statement.
US House Foreign Affairs Committee
issued the statement of its chair who said he
did not believe any wholesale sanction over
rights issues in Bangladesh was currently warranted.
"I believe sanctions can be most useful
when they are targeted and don't believe
wholesale sanctions on Bangladesh are currently
warranted," said the Congressman.
Meeks, however, put his weight
towards the Biden Administration's designation
of the Rapid Action Battalion
(RAB) and several of its current and former
members under the Global
Zohr
05:22 AM
12:16 PM
04:12 PM
05:53 PM
07:09 PM
6:37 5:49
Govt don't want disappearances
and torture : AK Momen
Safiqul iSlam (Jami)
The allegation
of timber
smuggling by
destroying the
forest of
Bandarban is
long standing.
illegal timber is
being sent to
Chattogram
and Dhaka.
The picture is
taken from
Balaghata area
of Bandarban.
Photo :
Star mail
Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul
Momen has said that the government
does not want any person to
go missing or be killed in the
country. In our country, there is
no such thing as Enforced
Disappearance. We don't want to
take anyone away by force. We
want everyone to be judged by
law. He was responding to
reporters' questions after the
inaugural ceremony of the World
Conference Series organized by
the Center for Non-Resident
Bangladeshis at a hotel in the capital
on Saturday (February 5).
The foreign minister said there
were occasional cases of missing
persons in the country.
Sometimes different terrorist
groups do this. This is more or less
the case in all countries of the
world. We have less here than in
other countries. Since we are
politically-strategically in a very
good position, we are much more
concerned about the big countries
around us and our access to the
sea, so now we all have eyeballs.
The real motive is not human
rights, not kidnapping or murder.
The real purpose is to see if some
benefits can be reaped from these
pressures.
He said the UN Human Rights
Committee had provided a list of
missing persons. Many of those
listed have been buried in the
Mediterranean Sea. They (UN
committee) have reported
because of an organization in
Bangladesh, they have not done
the research themselves. We don't
know any of them; we know one
or two of them. The police went to
the family twice to get their information.
The idea of the police,
they will not be during the day, so
the night is gone. They then complained
that they were being
harassed.
Police want to know, when,
where, why did their family members
go, do they know anything?
Cause many of them come back
again. After two days of doing so,
they complained. "We have talked
to the police about that," he said. I
told them to have a meeting, the
journalists would be there. They
will then say when and where
their family members were taken,
or returned?
2 Russian employees
of Rooppur nuke
plant die
PABNA : Two Russian employees of
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant at
Ishwardi upazila in Pabna died early
Saturday.
The deceased are Schukin Pavel,48,
mechanical engineer of sub-contractor
company Trest Rossem, and Tolmasoff
Vassiliev, 59, installer of another company
SMU-1.
Both of them were residents of Green
City Project, housing project for the
Russian officials of the power plant
Police said Pavel fell sick around 3 am
and was brought to Ishwardi upazila
health Complex where a doctor
announced him dead. "We suspect he
died from excessive alcohol intake," said
Asaduzzaman Officer-in-Charge of
Ishwardi police station.
Meanwhile, Tolmasoff collapsed at 2
am while getting down from the stairs on
the 14thfloor of the building and died on
the spot, said a doctor of the employer
company.
18 trawlers sink in Bay,
3 fishermen go missing
BAGERHAT : Eighteen trawlers sank in
Dublarchar of the Sundarbans and in different
parts of the Bay of Bengal during
storm on Friday night, reports UNB.
More than 100 fishermen managed to
swim ashore or were rescued by other
fishermen but three remained missing.
The missing fishermen are Shahin ,40,
and Mofizul ,30, of Rampal upazila of
Bagerhat and Mizan ,34 of Chakla village
of Koyra upazila of Khulna.
Pralad Chandra Roy, in-charge of
Dublarchar Forest Camp in the eastern
parts of the Sundarbans, said a sudden
storm and rain hit the area around 10 pm
on Friday. Ten fishing trawlers sank within
8 kms of Dublar Char and 8 fishing
trawlers capsized in different areas of the
Bay of Bengal, 45 kms off Dublarchar.
He also said that a large quantity of
dried fish worth Tk 2 crore were damaged
during the storm.
Army drive at UPDF den
Barracks, training
centre destroyed in
Khagrachhari
KHAGRACHHARI : Army personnel conducted
a drive in a den of United People
Democratic Front (UPDF) and demolished
its four barracks, two duty posts and a
training centre at Jarulchhari in
Khagrachhari early Saturday, reports UNB.
Tipped off, some army members of
Dighinala zone conducted the drive at 5am.
They destroyed four barracks, two duty
posts and a training centre, said Md Zahid
Hasan, staff officer of Khagrachhari region
of Bangladesh Army.
The UPDF members established a temporary
base for training and were harassing
locals extorting money and committing
other crimes, he said.
DHAKA : Bangladesh reported 36 more
Covid-linked deaths with 8,359 fresh cases
in 24 hours till Saturday morning, reports
UNB.
The daily positivity rate further rose to
23.83 from Friday's 22.95 percent after
testing 35,074 samples during the period,
according to the Directorate General of
Health Services (DGHS).
The daily positivity rate followed a
downtrend until Saturday since being
recorded at 33.37 per cent on January 28
with 15,440 cases and 20 deaths.
On Friday, Bangladesh reported 30
more Covid-linked deaths with 9,052
fresh cases. The fresh numbers took the
country's total fatalities to 28,560 while
the caseload mounted to 1,853,187.
Among the new deceased, 21 were men
and 15 women. Twenty-five of the deaths
were reported in Dhaka division while
three in Khulna, two each in Chattogram,
Rangpur, Mymensingh, and one each in
Rajshahi and Sylhet divisions.
Meanwhile, the mortality rate declined
Photo :
Star mail
Covid-19 in Bangladesh
Daily positivity rate rises
again, 36 more die
DHAKA : The government has prioritised vocational
and digital education at secondary and
higher levels in a mid-term plan that seeks to
create jobs and skilled manpower, according to
an official document.
The plan (FY2021-22 to FY2023-24) envisages
using science and technology education as
a key strategy for development and poverty alleviation.
Apart from expanding vocational education
the plan seeks to develop necessary infrastructure
for digital education. It also underscores the
need for increasing the financial opportunities
for teachers and encouraging activities related to
creative talent exploration.
To this end, according to an official document,
following the 8th Five Year Plan, SDGs
2030 and Vision 2041, appropriate activities
and projects are being taken by ensuring quality
higher education in all fields, encouraging students
to do research, ensuring information technology
based education, expansion of science
based education, encouraging women in higher
education, reducing the dropout rate, etc. as set
under the National Education Policy 2010.
The objectives are to improve the overall quality
of education, eliminating inequalities in education,
improving quality and expanding education.
The document said that the government is
currently implementing the 'Secondary
Education Development Program'.
to 1.54 percent. However, the recovery rate
remained unchanged at 86.04 percent
with the recovery of 7,017 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.
Govt focuses on digital and vocational education
to build skilled manpower : Official document
Activities under this include- expansion of
infrastructure and setting up of new infrastructure
with the help of existing development projects
to enhance the capacity of secondary and
higher secondary education, setting up of
Upazila Training and Resource Centers under
integrated education information management
program, expansion of MPO schemes in private
schools, provision of scholarships for outstanding
students, and training of teachers.
During the COVID- 19 transition, online
classes at secondary and higher secondary levels
and teaching on important subjects on television
under the title of 'My school in my house' have
been introduced.
The Technical and Madrasa Education
Division has placed emphasis on job-oriented
technical and vocational education to facilitate
the development of skilled human resources.
Some steps have already been taken to
expand technical and vocational education,
ensure job-focused education, and attract the
general public towards technical and vocational
education, said the document.
For example, projects for making computer/
technical education compulsory, organizing skill
competitions, setting up technical schools and
colleges in 329 upazilas along with the existing
100 technical schools and colleges, setting up
women's polytechnics in 4 divisional cities, and
setting up 4 engineering universities in 4 divisions
are ongoing.

SUNdAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2022
2
The newly elected chairman and members of Hatsherpur Union were given a reception in Sariakandi
by the ASM Ibn Aziz (Montu) Foundation. The reception was held at on Saturday at Tajurpara village
under the chairmanship of Touhidul Islam (Nayan), President of ASM Ibn Aziz Foundation. The
chief guest was Hamidul Islam Milon BPM, PPM, son of Tajurpara village and Police Super
Madaripur Region, Faridpur.
Photo : Md. Rafiqul Islam
Temporary Shaheed Minar
inaugurated at Municipal
School ground in Ctg
CHATTOGRAM :
Chattogram
City
Corporation (CCC) Mayor
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury
yesterday said that the
Bengalis are the only proud
nation in the world which
shed blood to establish
Bangla as the state language.
He said this while
inaugurating the
construction work of a
temporary Shaheed Minar
in city's Chattogram City
Corporation Municipal
School and College ground
here.
The CCC has taken steps to
construct the temporary
Shahid Minar as the
construction works of the
proposed Muslim Institute
Cultural Complex and
Central Shaheed Minar are
yet to complete.
"All nations want
recognition to their mother
tongue and the recognition
of 21st February as
International Mother
Language Day is a great
achievement to the
Bengalis," he added.
The philosophy of Bengali
nationalism developed
through the spirit of
language movement, he said
adding that is why the
Shaheed Minar is the place
of our passion and
inspiration.
CCC Chief Executive
GD-209/22 (8x3)
No hungry face in the country,
none will remain homeless:
Abdur Razzak
CHANDPUR : Agriculture Minister and
Awami League presidium member Md Abdur
Razzak yesterday said there is no hungry face in
the country and none will remain homeless as
the government is providing house to homeless
people.
"The government under the leadership of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ensured
necessary food for the people of the country and
is working to ensure housing and medical care
for the people giving a home to the homeless, so
that no one remains homeless," said Abdur
Razzak.
He was addressing as chief guest at a house
and blanket distribution function under shelter
project at Sholakuri of Madhupur under
Tangail district, organised by Madhupur
upazila administration.
The minister said the government has been
taking necessary measures to withdraw the
irrational lawsuits filed by the forest
department against the Garo community
people, adding, "No Garo would be evicted
from his home and no one would be harassed
by the Forest Department's irrational lawsuits."
Upazila Chairman Sarwar Alam Khan Abu,
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shamima Yasmin,
Mayor Md Siddique Hossain Khan, Upazila
Awami League Senior Vice President Yakub Ali,
Upazila Vice Chairman Sharif Ahmed Nasir,
Sholakuri UP Chairman Akhtar Hossain
among others also addressed on the occasion.
Bangladesh Flower Society President Babul Prasad addressed a press conference
and protest meeting organized by Bangladesh Flower Society at a local hotel on
Elephant Road in the capital on Saturday.
Photo: TBT
UP election violence
in Sylhet: injured
dies in Dhaka
SYLHET : A youth who was
injured during UP election
violence in South Surma
upazila of Sylhet died
Saturday at a hospital in
Dhaka, police said, reports
UNB.
The deceased was
identified as Maruf Ahmed.
Polling in the 6th phase of
UP elections was held on
January 31 in Kamalbazar
union of South Surma.
In the evening clashes
broke out between the
supporters of the two
member candidates in Ward
No. 6 of the union.
During the clashes Maruf
was seriously injured. He
was taken to Dhaka for
treatment on Saturday, said
South Surma Police officerin-charge
(OC) Kamrul
Hasan Talukder.
9-year-old boy
found dead in
Barishal
BARISHAL : The throat-slit
body of a nine-year-old boy
was recovered from Rupatoli
area in the city on Saturday.
The deceased was identified
as Yasin, son of Sirajul Islam
of the area. Kotwali Model
Police
Station
nspector(investigation)
Lokman Hossain said local
people found the slaughtered
body of the boy near an
abandoned toilet in the area
and police recovered it
around 9am. The boy might
have been slaughtered
sometime at night, he said
adding that the motive will be
known after investigation.
Rangamati UP
polls: Bar on Sajek
tourism on Feb 6,7
RANGAMATI : Baghaichari
upazila administration in
Rangamati has restricted
tourism at Sajek Valley on
February 6 and 7 ahead of the
seventh phase Union
Parishad elections, reports
UNB.
"As Sajek Union Parishad
election is set to be held on
February 7 all kinds of vehicle
movement except those to be
used for election purpose will
remain suspended in the area
and tourist movement will
also remain halted. The resort
owners' association has been
asked to shut the cottages and
resorts in Sajek for the two
days," said Shariful Islam,
Baghaichari Upazila Nirbahi
Officer (UNO).
To avoid any kind of risk
and unwanted situation
centering the polls the
administration has taken the
decision, he said.
Jerry Lusai,Generel
Secretary of Sajek Cottage
Owners' Association, said
they have received a notice
from the administration in
this regard on Friday and
directed the owners under the
association accordingly .
GD-210/22 (13x4)
PM's decision to build a hospital
in CRB is final: Sujan
CHATTOGRAM : Railways Minister
Nurul Islam Sujan said Prime Minister
(PM) Sheikh Hasina will take final
decision regarding the construction of a
hospital in CRB area.
"Since the decision was taken by the
Prime Minister's Office to build a
hospital under Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) agreement, there is no
scope of giving decision of Railways.
Talks are ongoing about the issue, PM's
decision to build a hospital in CRB is
final," he said.
He made the remarks while inspecting
the proposed site of Railway Employees
Welfare Trust yesterday noon at
Chattogram Old Railway Station.
The Railways Minister said the
initiative to build the hospital in CRB was
taken under the Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) agreement.
"Whenever we had started working at
the field level, we got many complaints.
These allegations are being checked and
sorted out. If the ministers, MPs and
leaders of Chattogram do not want a
hospital here, then the Prime Minister
will not want it. The Ministry of Railways
will not be able to go against it," he
added.
Nurul Islam Sujan said the feasibility
study and design work of Kalurghat
railway bridge is underway. "At present
weÁwß
the height of the bridge is 4.6 meters. It
should be built at a height of 12.2 meters
for navigation," he added.
Earlier, the minister suspended two
officials for mismanagement at the
railway station. They are - Divisional
Railway Manager Shams Mohammad
Tusher and Station Manager Ratan
Kumar Chowdhury.
Railway Secretary Humayun Kabir and
General Manager of Eastern Railway
Jahangir Hossain accompanied the minister.
Perth suburbs threatened
as Australia bushfires rage
PERTH, Australia : Two out-of-control
bushfires threatened lives and homes in
Western Australia on Wednesday, with
blistering temperatures set to intensify in the
coming days.
An emergency warning for the outskirts of
Perth, the country's fourth-largest city, was
issued after a blaze that has now burned
through about 100 hectares began Tuesday.
Authorities are concerned about the fire
reaching residential areas, as fierce winds
strain containment lines.
Emergency services have told residents
they are "in danger and need to act
immediately to survive. There is a threat to
lives and homes".

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2022
3
Bangladesh an inspiration
for world: Speakers
Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque distributed winter clothes among the cold-hit people at
Madhupur upazila of Tangail yesterday.
Photo : PID
Amar Ekushey
Book Fair to
begin on Feb 15
DHAKA : 'Amar Ekushey Book
Fair' will begin on February 15
on Bangla Academy and its
adjoining Suhrawardy Udyan
premises maintaining strictly
the heath instructions due to
Covid-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
is expected to open the traditional
book fair virtually, said Bangla
Academy secretary AHM
Lokman. The fair will be held
from February 15 to 28 as per the
government's decision, he said.
All concerned including the
visitors, publishers, stall owners
and those who will be engaging in
managing the fair need to be
vaccinated, Lokman said, adding
that Dhaka Medical College centre
will provide all support for
vaccination as per the requirement
of Bangla Academy. "Especially, all
the staff involved in the book fair
have been requested to take Covid-
19 vaccines and booster doses as per
the requirement," he said.
The academy has already sent
a letter to the director general of
the Directorate General of Health
Services to set up a vaccination
booth for the staff, he added.
The traditional book fair is
generally held from February 1
to 28 every year but the cultural
affairs ministry has shortened
the fair by two weeks due to the
recent surge of Covid-19
infection and death rates.
Eminent journalist Peer
Habib passes away
DHAKA : Eminent journalist Peer Habibur Rahman passed away
while undergoing treatment at a city hospital yesterday afternoon.
He breathed his last
at the Intensive Care
Unit of Labaid
Hospital around
4:08pm at the age of
59, confirmed
physicians of the
hospital.
Habib, also
executive editor of the
Bangali daily
Bangladesh Pratidin,
left behind his wife, a
son, a daughter and a
host of relatives,
colleagues and
admirers to mourn
his death. Senior reporter of the Bangladesh Pratidin Arafat
Munna said the body will be taken to his Uttara residence in the
evening while his namaj-e-janaza will be held after Esha prayers at
Park Mosque of Uttara 4 no sector in the city.
On Sunday, the body will be taken to the central Shaheed Minar
and kept there from 11:30am to12:30pm to allow the people from
all walks of life to have their last glimpses on him (Habib).
Later his second namaj-e-janaza will be held after Johr
prayers at Jatiya Press Club in the city. Then the body will be
taken to the Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
Peer Habib's body will be taken to his workplace Bangladesh
Pratidin at 3pm on the day.
His body will be taken to his home district Sunamganj on
Monday while it will be kept at Sunamganj Poura Shaheed Minar
at 12noon for paying homage on the day.
Later, he will be laid to eternal rest beside his parents' graves at
his family graveyard at Maizbari village in Sunamganj sadar after
Zohr prayers on the day following his two more namaj-e-janazas
at Sunamganj central mosque and his village home.
Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof. Dr. Akhtaruzzaman visited a Saraswati
Puja Mandap of the university yesterday.
Photo : Courtesy
DHAKA : South Korean President Moon
Jae-in on Friday expressed a "firm
commitment" to work together with
Bangladesh to take the relations to the
next level, reports UNB.
He shared his country's commitment
when Bangladesh Ambassador to South
Korea M. Delwar Hossain presented his
credentials to the President of the
Republic of Korea at the Blue House,
presidential office-cum-residence
complex, in Seoul.
Korean Foreign Minister Chung Euiyong
and senior officials from the Korean
President's office and Foreign Ministry
were present during the ceremony,
according to the Bangladesh Embassy in
Seoul.
Referring to the forthcoming 50th
anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between the two
countries in 2023, Ambassador Hossain
accentuated the need for seizing this
momentous occasion to take the
relationship to a new height and make it
more meaningful to the common people
in both countries.
He conveyed firm commitment on the
part of the Government of Bangladesh to
work with the Government of the
Republic of Korea in this direction.
During the conversation after the
presentation of credentials, Ambassador
Hossain conveyed warm greetings of the
President and Prime Minister of
Bangladesh to the President of the
BSMA wants
lower duties on
scrap imports
DHAKA : Bangladesh Steel
Manufacturers Association
(BSMA) urged the
government for reduction of
all existing duties and taxes
on scrap and sponge iron
imports for local manufacturers,
reports UNB.
The demand came in a
meeting of BSMA and
Bangladesh Association of
Construction Industry (BACI)
held aT FBCCI office.
The meeting was apprised
that in addition to the hike in
the prices of scrap and
chemicals, the main raw
materials of steel, container
and ship fares also increased
in the last two years.
As a result, the production
cost of rod has also gone up,
having adverse impact on the
country's construction sector.
Due to the increase in
expenditure, the country's
construction companies are
struggling to implement
development projects within
the estimated budget.
BSMA leaders informed,
the price of rod produced in
the country has logically
increased due to increase in
the price of raw material in
the world market.
At present, scrap costs 79
percent additional expense,
resulting in overall production
costs increased by 52 percent.
In contrast, the selling price has
increased by only 37 percent.
According to the producers,
the rod has to be sold at a loss
in most cases as the selling
price has not increased as
compared to the increase in
the price of raw material in
the world market.
Currently, the selling price of
per metric ton rod is Tk 78,000
while the same in West Bengal,
India, costs Tk 86,000, the
BSMA leaders added.
At the meeting, the steel
producers said that if the
construction companies were
allowed to import rods, the
domestic industry would
suffer and a large number of
people would lose their jobs.
In such a situation at the
meeting, BACI leaders said
that the government
procurement rules-PPR and
circular issued by the CPTU
allow price adjustment in
government projects.
Korean President keen to take relations
with Bangladesh 'to next level'
Republic of Korea.
The envoy referred to the existing
excellent bilateral relationship between
the two countries that witnessed
tremendous growth in depth and
dimension during the last 5 decades.
Ambassador Hossain said Korea has
emerged as a key development partner of
Bangladesh with persistent growth in
bilateral trade and the growing presence
of Korean companies in Bangladesh.
He also mentioned that with "robust
economic growth" and remarkable
progress in various sectors for more than
a decade, Bangladesh is now well poised
to forge a "deeper comprehensive
partnership" with the Republic of Korea
for mutual benefits.
DHAKA : Speakers at a virtual event of
celebration on Friday night highly
appreciated Bangladesh's remarkable
journey with its rapidly growing
economy and described how
Bangladesh becomes an inspiration for
other countries around the world,
reports UNB.
Terming Bangladesh a "huge
development success story", they
highlighted the efforts that transformed
people's lives and recalled the role of
Bangladesh on climate issues being at the
forefront of innovation apart from
Bangladesh's greater contribution to
global peace and stability.
The speakers depicted a brighter
future of Bangladesh-UK relations
and appreciated Bangladesh's
generosity in hosting over 1.1 million
Rohingyas despite its own
socioeconomic challenges.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md
Shahriar Alam, MP, Minister for South
Asia, the United Nations and the
Commonwealth at the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development
Office (FCDO) Lord Ahmad, Chair of the
APPG on Bangladesh and UK's Trade
Envoy for Bangladesh Rushanara Ali MP
and Development Director at the
Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office in Bangladesh
Judith Herbertson, among others, spoke
at the commemorative event titled
"Bangladesh-UK at 50: A Friendship in
Prosperity."
Bangladesh High Commission in
London hosted the event to mark the 50
years of establishment of Bangladesh-
United Kingdom diplomatic relations
with High Commissioner Saida Muna
Tasneem in the chair.
Speaking at the function, State
Minister Shahriar Alam, on behalf of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's
government, reiterated their abiding
commitment to embolden the shared
values with the UK, strengthen the
fundamental pillars of the historic
relations and carry forward the robust
political, economic, security and climate
partnerships into the next 50 years.
Fifty years ago, the UK's recognition
of the new State of Bangladesh was
geo-politically significant - a move that
encouraged other Western countries to
follow suit at the height of the Cold
War, he said.
The State Minister paid his deepest
homage to the architect of independence
and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and recalled his
diplomatic overture at No. 10 Downing
Street with British Prime Minister Sir
Edward Heath in securing on 08 January
1972, UK's commitment for early
recognition of a post-liberation
Bangladesh.
He also paid a special tribute to former
British Prime Minister Sir Edward
Heath, who officially received
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal MP inaugurated the National Library Day-2022 at
National Library premises yesterday.
Photo : PID
NBR to award
VAT invoice
issuing entities
DHAKA : National Board of
Revenue (NBR) Chairman
Abu Hena Md Rahmatul
Muneem yesterday said that
the board would award the
VAT invoice issuing entities
while collecting VAT in
order to motivate them
further.
"We'll not only award the
EFD invoice receivers, but
also award those entities
which issue EFD invoices.
We'll give them such award
to motivate them in
collecting revenues," he said.
The NBR Chairman said
this while addressing a
function as the chief guest
marking the draw of EFD
lottery held at the NBR
Bhaban in the capital's
Segunbagicha area.
The NBR for the first time
honoured an EFD invoice
issuing enterprise as
Chairman of Venus Jewelers
Ganga Charan Malakar
received the Honour from
the NBR Chairman.
Speaking on the occasion,
Muneem said a VAT invoice
issuing enterprise was
honoured and VAT invoice
issuing entities would be
honoured later like the VAT
invoice receivers.
Turning to the issue of gold
smuggling, he said that the
government has been trying
to give necessary policy
support to the concerned
stakeholders over the years
so that gold is being imported
legally and thus smuggling of
gold is stopped. "But, despite
this, there is no such
response in import of gold,"
he observed.
Will strengthen cooperation
with Bangladesh: Hungary
Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and
Trade Peter Szijjarto has expressed his optimism
to further strengthen its cooperation with
Bangladesh in the years to come, reports UNB.
"I am confident that we will be able to further
strengthen our mutually beneficial cooperation
in the years to come," he said in a recent letter to
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
The 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations
between the two countries is an important
milestone, said Hungarian Minister.
"We can proudly declare that despite the
geographical distance between our countries,
during the past decades we built a strong
friendship and cooperation based on mutual
respect," Peter said.
The Hungarian Minister said they are proud to
see that Hungary was one of the first countries to
recognize the independent state of the People's
Liton for promoting SME sector
for more income generation
RAJSHAHI : Rajshahi Mayor AHM
Khairuzzaman Liton said large-scale
promotion of SMEs can be the best way of
more income generation activities and
poverty alleviation.
Both public and private banks should
disburse loans among SME entrepreneurs,
particularly women, to promote SME
entrepreneurship in the Rajshahi region, he
said.
Mayor Liton came up with the observation
while inaugurating the first activities of SME
Online Cell Campaign at the Green Plaza of
the city bhaban yesterday as chief guest.
SME Online Market, Oikya.com.bd, is
hosting the campaign titled "SME Salute to
Silk City' as part of its countrywide SME
Salute Bangladesh.
On behalf of the Oikya.com.bd, Tanveer
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib as the
President of independent Bangladesh
even before his return to Bangladesh
from his captivity in Pakistan.
Fifty years later, he said, the
Bangladesh-UK relations continue to
grow from strength to strength, guided
by the same progressive values carried
forward by Bangabandhu's able
successor Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"We had found Britain on our side in
supporting Bangabandhu's post-war
rebuilding efforts with humanitarian and
development aid. We count on Britain as
a partner in Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina's efforts to turn Bangladesh into
one of Asia's fastest growing economies
and a stabilizing force in the region,"
Shahriar said.
He said Bangladesh encourages the
UK's sustained engagement with the
Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
"We attach importance to the symbolic
strength of the Commonwealth that
captures the past, present and future of
our enduring and evolving ties."
"Bangabandhu gave us political
freedom. We are on our way to attain
economic emancipation," said High
Commissioner Tasneem.
She welcomed the UK's interest in
enhancing the partnership in education,
culture, research and innovation.
"A key to Bangladesh's forward march
is unlocking the potentials of our women
and girls," said the envoy.
Republic of Bangladesh, following which they
soon established diplomatic relations at
ambassadorial level on 26 March 1972, opening
their Embassy in Dhaka in the following year.
"It is my utmost pleasure to note that we have
recently re-established our diplomatic
representation in Bangladesh," he said.
Minister Peter noted the advanced level of
their political, economic and cultural relations
during his official visit to Dhaka in September
2020.
He thanked his Bangladesh counterpart Dr
Momen for his message and best wishes on the
occasion of the 50th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between
Hungary and the People's Republic of
Bangladesh. Minister Peter wished Dr Momen
good health and continued success in
discharging his duties.
Ahmed, Suraiya Alam, Zinnatul Ferdous,
Mozaffar Hossain and Jakir Hossain were
present on the occasion.
Khairuzzman Liton said the present
government has adopted various needbased
measures for taking forward the SME
sector and the country has achieved
tremendous uplift in every sector with the
participation of both men and women.
He laid emphasis on the need for
strengthening the efforts of generating
entrepreneurs in grassroots through the best
use of area-based industrial potentials.
Liton also put special emphasis on
involving more female entrepreneurs with
flourishing of the local SME sector to
accelerate the pace of national development
through enhancing national economic
growth and poverty alleviation.

SuNDAY, FEBRuARY 6, 2022
4
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com
Sunday, February 6, 2022
Law enforcement
not enough against
corruption
The high profile activities of the present
government against corruption has earned
wide attention and appreciation. But it is
also asked whether the on going drive and
the application of laws and courts against the
corrupt ones would prove to be enough to
reduce corrupt activities on a lasting basis.
This is because corruption elimination is not
only a matter of numbers - how many are
caught for corruption and subjected to the
legal process. Even under the present
declaration of emergency and the declared
zero tolerance of corruption, civil servants
who are still indulging in corruption have
been receiving the media's attention.. This
goes to show that even risking detection and
punishment under the present tough
conditions, the temptation to indulge in
corruption remains too deep-seated to be
discouraged in some cases.
Thus, corruption fighting involves
essentially not only detecting corrupt
activities and punishing the ones involved,
but significantly people in all walks of life
need to have it imprinted in their hearts and
minds that corruption is evil and immoral
and ought to be not practiced but resisted. A
moral rebirth of the nation is necessary.
Tough and uncompromising law
enforcement measures are indispensable
against corruption. But it is only one way
among others to get best results against
corruption.
The war against corruption also will have
to waged psychologically. The hearts and
minds of people will have to be filled with a
new awareness. Values that one should serve
selflessly and honestly, that these are values
best for the individual, the family and the
community, the same appear to have ebbed a
great deal in the Bangladesh context. But
such values will need a careful regeneration.
Doing of that will involve educating the
young ones in academic institutions with
moral studies. Character built in humans
when they are children or teenagers, usually
have a life-long effect. Over the years, the
compulsory moral education in our school
system, has declined or slackened. So, the
same must be revived fully and sustained
over the long haul.
Government should embark on a regular
information campaign against corruption
and utilize the mass media for the purpose.
Publicities can be run in the media--
unfailingly and regularly-- to impress on the
audience how corruption is a very negative
phenomenon for everybody from the doers of
corruption to the victims, how the
community, the economy and governance of
the country, all stand to suffer from allowing
corruption to prevail.
Also practical steps will have to be taken
to create conditions for people to remain
honest. Government employees in many
cases are forced to become corrupt because
they find the costs of living far outstripping
their government paid salaries and wages.
So, they take bribes to compensate as their
official income trail behind the market
prices of essentials or the fast rising costs of
living in other areas. Thus, paying employees
well to reduce their temptation for
corruption can be as important as a new law
against corruption or establishing special
courts to try the accused.
Even the systems in many areas create the
opportunities for corruption. For example,
the culture of getting approval from too
many desks in government offices helps redtapism
and the giving of 'speed money' under
the table to hasten file movement. In this
area, only simplifying procedures and
bureaucracy can probably lead to much
reduction of corruption. And there are many
other areas where administrative reforms
can be of significant value against
corruption.
Thus, the moves against corruption will
have to be comprehensive ones. Reliance on
law and the court system can be only a partial
one in response to the problem of
corruption, The battle against corruption
calls for waging it in different fronts and
successfully.
Localizing Climate Change Communication
Need Effective Local Government in Bangladesh
On the surface,
climate
change
communication is
about educating,
informing, warning,
persuading,
mobilizing and solving this critical problem.
Apparently, it helps educating and
informing people about this massive issue,
in order to mobilize and solve the climate
crisis. On a deeper level however, climate
change communication is shaped by our
different experiences, mental and cultural
models, and underlying values and world
views. The way we talk about climate
change, either as advocates, scientists, or
regular citizens, affects the way people
understand and think about both the
problem and the solutions alike.
A lot of communication about climate
change gets it right about the risk and
possible negative scenarios, but wrong
about how we try to accomplish the critical
goal of not just raising public concern, but
moving people to action. That's because it
appeals to reason, and reason is not what
drives human behavior. It is a challenge that
we must overcome in finding effective and
efficient ways to not only communicate the
science as evidence of anthropogenic
climate change, but mobilize public support
for action and solutions.
Bangladesh is among the top ten
countries that have been most severely
affected by climate change and disasters.
The country is flat, low-lying and is
dependent on the monsoon system. The
coping capacity of the impoverished
population is severely reduced and
developing capacities of local communities
and local government institutions is critical
for climate change adaptation and
resilience. The Government of Bangladesh
has lost about 15% of its GDP in five major
disasters since 1998 which caused further
DR. MOhAMMAD TARIKuL ISLAM
poverty and vulnerability amongst its
population. According to the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC), the number of cyclones in
Bangladesh is likely to rise in the future. The
Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and
Action Plan (BCCSAP) is a knowledge
strategy built upon the National Adaptation
Programme of Action (2005).
In a developing country like Bangladesh
where's more than 70% people live in rural
area are confronted with various disaster,
environmental and climate change threats
that endanger the human governance of
them. Responding to frequent and
devastating natural disasters because of
environmental degradation and climate
change, Bangladesh has developed a model
to provide guidance on emergency response
management efforts and DRR to reduce the
impact of natural hazards. Along the lines of
the disaster management model,
environmental activities are occasionally
undertaken by local actors with support
from national and international
humanitarian actors.
Bangladesh Government has number of
initiatives financed through own resource
as well as external resource to protect
environment from the worst impact of
disaster and climate change. Local
government is the key channel of
Bangladesh government to utilize the
resource for protection of environment. The
Government of Bangladesh has taken a
number of significant steps during the last
decades for building up institutional
arrangements from national to the union
levels for effective and systematic disaster
management and climate change
adaptation.
Apart from the institution building,
legislative development also facilitates
mitigation to the sufferings of disaster and
climate victims in Bangladesh. We can refer
to the Union level disaster management
coordination system where environmental
management and climate change
adaptation are duly acknowledged. The
Bangladesh Government has number of initiatives financed through
own resource as well as external resource to protect environment
from the worst impact of disaster and climate change. Local government
is the key channel of Bangladesh government to utilize the
resource for protection of environment.
Union Disaster Management Committee
(UDMC) has been given mandate to act as
the rural disaster management entity and it
is supposed to play role in disaster
preparedness, mitigation, emergency
response and post disaster rehabilitation.
UDMC is supposed to hold a hazard,
vulnerability and risk analysis at Union level
and prepare risk reduction action plan
(RRAP) and contingency plan for
earthquake and other hazards.
It's important to empower the local
government bodies like Union Parishad
with appropriate climate change adaptation
and mitigation action plan to work closely
with the community exposed to the
vulnerability of disaster and climate change.
We must help the LG bodies to form a
community resilience fund operationalized
to finance climate vulnerable community.
LG must be well trained to take care of
performance-based climate resilient grants
system
Accountability, downward, upward and
horizontal is not strong enough. The gap
between policy and practice continues to
impasse disaster management as well as
climate change adaptation. And the voice
and capacities of disaster affected people in
preparedness, response and recovery has
not been sufficient. Bangladesh is referred
to as a global leader on disaster
management, however with no overall
monitoring system in place and monitoring
and evaluation practices being weak, there
is a poor evidence base.
For effectiveness of the Union Parishad to
address the challenges of disaster
preparedness and climate change
adaptation, it must organize UDMC
meeting on a regular basis both pre, during
and post disaster phases. It must create
social awareness campaign through
appropriate strategy of climate change
communication. Community involvement
in the process of hazard vulnerability and
resources assessment, plan formulation and
implementation of the preparedness and
mitigation solutions leads to effectiveness of
the local government bodies. Formation of
CBOs (Community Based Organizations) is
important to create ample scope for
vulnerable people to regularly meet and
interact on common issues and raise voices
in a collective manner. Above all, the
government should be encouraged to
ensure multi-stakeholder engagement in
the National Platform on DRR and CCA.
Dr. Mohammad Tarikul Islam is
an Associate Professor of
Government and Politics at
Jahangirnagar University. He has
been a Visiting Scholar at the
University of Oxford and the
University of Cambridge. Email:
t.islam@juniv.edu
Justice is the only answer to Myanmar's bloody military reign
Exactly one year ago, on February 1,
the Myanmar military launched a
coup and opened another bloody
chapter in my country's history. Since
then, the junta has driven the state to the
brink of collapse and committed
widespread atrocities. There is now only
one way to break this cycle of abuse:
pursuing mechanisms of international
justice that can hold those responsible to
account.
Over the past 12 months, there has been
a steady stream of horrific news from
Myanmar, as more than 1,500 people
have been killed in protest crackdowns
and massacres. In one recent incident, on
Christmas Eve, the army massacred some
35 people - including women and children
and two charity workers - in Kayah State.
Thousands of others have been arrested
while the junta has made routine use of
torture against those protesting against its
rule.
At the same time, the economy has
suffered a severe decline, while healthcare
and education services have ground to a
halt. While Senior General Min Aung
Hlaing, the junta chief, has delusions
about bringing in new electric trains to
expand national public transport, the rest
of the country is suffering through daily,
crippling blackouts.
In Rakhine State, the Rohingya
minority continues to face an ongoing
genocide and live in what amounts to an
open-air prison. The junta has arrested
Rohingya trying to flee to Bangladesh and
imposed even tighter restrictions on
freedom of movement. Many are also
caught in the crossfire in the simmering
conflict between the military and the
Arakan Army armed group.
If there is a silver lining from the coup,
no matter how small, it is the renewed
sense of interethnic solidarity. As a
Rohingya, I often used to face abuse when
I posted on social media about the army's
crimes in the past. Now, however, I
receive support, understanding, and even
apologies from those who used to spew
hatred against Rohingya. People have
realised that the military is our common
enemy.
The Tatmadaw, as the military is known
in the country, has terrorised the people of
Myanmar for decades, committing
genocide, crimes against humanity and
war crimes. They have done so with
absolute impunity, knowing their crimes
would have no consequences. That is why
we need the international community to
step in and provide justice. Thankfully,
real progress has been made in this
direction in recent years.
In 2019, the International Criminal
Court (ICC) announced that it was
opening an investigation into crimes
against humanity the Tatmadaw
committed against the Rohingya. Around
the same time, The Gambia brought a
genocide case against Myanmar at the
TuN KhIN
International Court of Justice (ICJ). Both
processes are ongoing, giving hope to the
military's many victims.
Last year, the judiciary in Argentina also
agreed to take up a landmark genocide
case against Myanmar's military
leadership. The case, which my own
organisation BROUK first petitioned for,
rests on the legal principle of universal
jurisdiction, according to which some
In Rakhine State, the Rohingya minority continues to
face an ongoing genocide and live in what amounts to
an open-air prison. The junta has arrested Rohingya
trying to flee to Bangladesh and imposed even tighter
restrictions on freedom of movement.
crimes are so horrific that they can be
tried anywhere in the world, regardless of
where they took place. The process has
only just started, but we hope that
ultimately, Min Aung Hlaing and his
cronies will answer for their crimes in a
court of law.
It is also encouraging that many of
Myanmar's civilian leaders, who earlier
rejected any efforts to bring military
criminals to justice, now see the need to
hold the Tatmadaw to account. The
National Unity Government, established
in the wake of the coup, has said it will
cooperate with international justice
mechanisms. Myanmar stands united in
wanting to see its tormentors in military
fatigues behind bars.
There is also no question that the
Tatmadaw leadership is getting
KERRY BOYD ANDERSON
increasingly nervous as the net closes in
around them. In December, an order was
leaked to the media in which the military
leadership warned any of its staff against
responding to letters from international
justice bodies or the Argentinian Federal
Court.
But while justice increasingly looks
within reach, there is much more the
international community can and must
do. The United Nations Security Council
has remained deadlocked for years, as
China continues to veto motions on
Myanmar. Its members must stop putting
politics above people's lives and approve a
full referral of the situation in Myanmar to
the ICC.
At the same time, other states should
follow the example of Canada and the
Netherlands, both of which have pledged
support to The Gambia's case at the ICJ.
Finally, countries should also follow our
example in Argentina and look to open
universal jurisdiction cases on their own,
something also encouraged by the UN's
own human rights experts. The recent
conviction in Germany of a Syrian officer
for crimes against humanity shows that
this is a process that can bring justice.
One year ago, the Tatmadaw plunged
Myanmar into crisis by seizing power in
a coup, continuing its decades-long
terror against its people. The world
must now show the Tatmadaw that it
stands united against its crimes, and
that there is nowhere to hide for those
responsible. The people of Myanmar
have suffered for too long and deserve
no less than justice.
Source: Al Jazeera
Will Biden be able to pursue his Middle East policies?
January marked the end of US
President Joe Biden's first year in
office. The month's events in the
Middle East, such as Houthi strikes
against the UAE and militia strikes
targeting US troops in Syria and Iraq, also
highlighted the ongoing risks in the
region.
The Biden administration came into
office with a clear intention to shift focus
to East Asia and Europe. Many Americans
are tired of years of focus on the Middle
East. The Obama and Trump
administrations also tried to pivot focus to
East Asia, but with limited success.
Biden's policy toward the Middle East
has focused on diplomacy, partnerships
with key states and focusing on top
priorities, such as nuclear
nonproliferation and counterterrorism.
While Biden and senior officials often cite
the importance of promoting human
rights and democracy, they have taken a
pragmatic approach to the region that has
not placed a strong emphasis on those
issues. Steven Cook persuasively argued
in a recent Foreign Policy article that the
Biden team has pursued a strategy of
"ruthless pragmatism" toward the Middle
East - with a clear-eyed focus on pursuing
US interests in the region while
recognizing resource constraints.
Biden has focused specifically on what
the US can reasonably achieve in the
region with limited costs. In a November
speech, Brett McGurk, the National
Security Council coordinator for the
Middle East, said that the US remains
committed to engagement in the Middle
East, but that the Biden administration is
rejecting the "maximalist" aims of the last
three presidents. He described a plan to
get "back to basics" in the region, focusing
on alliances, "sound strategy," "clear
aims," and the "finite base of resources."
The administration has specifically
rejected the concept of "regime change."
In addition to its strategic approach, the
administration has specific policy goals for
2022. These include assisting Iraqi military
forces and maintaining a small US military
presence in Syria to prevent the
reemergence of Daesh. The White House
supports the Abraham Accords, initiated by
Donald Trump's administration, and hopes
to promote normalized relations between
Israel and other Arab states. The Biden team
has repeatedly stated its "ironclad" support
for Israel, while restoring some aid to the
Palestinians. Although Biden has expressed
support for a two-state solution, the
administration has little interest in devoting
political capital to pursuing that goal.
Another objective, as stated by Secretary of
Defense Lloyd Austin, is to help "Gulf
partners defend themselves against threats
from Houthi forces."
Iran is likely to be the top regional
priority for 2022. Talks designed to return
Iran and the US to compliance with the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action are
currently in their eighth round. While
diplomats have expressed some limited
optimism, experts are divided on the
likelihood of a deal. The White House has
said that a nuclear-armed Iran is
unacceptable and that all options are on
the table if talks fail. However, the reality
is that few in the administration or the
American public want another war in the
Middle East. If talks fail, the Biden team
will have no good options, but it would
likely continue a strictly pragmatic
approach intended to deter Iranian
aggression in the region, while limiting
risks and costs.
Source: Arab news

SuNDay, febRuaRy 6, 2022
5
Amazon profits surge as company
raises price of Prime membership
CaRly OlSON
Amazon's profits surged to $14.32bn in
a fourth quarter marked by record
holiday sales, the company said in its
earnings report on Thursday, while also
announcing an increase in the price of
Amazon Prime membership to help
compensate for rising operating costs.
In the three months ending in
December 2021, sales for the e-
commerce giant were up 24% from a
sluggish third quarter to $137.4bn.
Sales are also up 9% year-over-year
from the same period in 2020.
The fourth quarter includes the
holiday shopping season, a crucial
period for retail. According to its
quarterly report, Amazon had its most
lucrative Black Friday and Cyber
Monday weekend this year. And
"between Black Friday and Christmas,
US-based third-party sellers sold an
average of 11,500 products per
minute", the company announced it its
earnings release.
But the company is still feeling some
of the effects of a battered supply chain
and has increased wages to attract and
retain its sprawling workforce in the
tight labor market. In September,
Amazon upped its average starting
wage again to $18 an hour, and began
including signing bonuses to entice
hourly workers.
"Lost productivity and network
disruptions were driven primarily by
labor capacity constraints due to
challenges in staffing up our facilities
for peak," Amazon's chief financial
officer, Brian Olsavsky, said in an
earnings call on Thursday, referring to
the busy holiday season.
"This was driven by the very tight
labor market in the second half of
2021, and more recently by the
emergence of the Omicron variant. We
do expect these cost challenges to
persist into Q1, albeit adjusted for
lower seasonal volumes relative to the
fourth quarter."
To compensate, the company is
Sales for amazon were up 24% from a sluggish third quarter.
turning up the dial on one of its most
successful revenue streams. The price
of an annual Amazon Prime
subscription will increase from $119 to
$139 this month to account for the
"rise in wages and transportation
costs", according to the company. For
new Prime members, this change will
go into effect on 18 February, and after
25 March for existing members.
Amazon defended the cost rise in it
in its earnings call, pointing out its
array of premium content including
Amazon original programming and
the upcoming release of The Lord of
the Rings: The Rings of Power. It also
noted that Amazon will become the
exclusive home of NFL Thursday Night
Football starting in September.
Amazon remains one of the biggest
winners of the past few years as
consumer spending shifted to e-
commerce during the pandemic. The
company had its two most profitable
quarters in the past two years.
This turnaround comes after a
difficult third quarter for the company.
Last quarter, Amazon reported a
substantial profit decline - its largest in
four years. Amazon blamed pandemicinduced
supply chain disruptions and
staffing issues for the drop - from
$6.3bn to $3.2bn - which resulted in
higher labor costs and spending on
logistics investments, like warehouses
and infrastructure. Amazon is the
second-largest private employer in the
US with nearly a million workers.
As some of the US's most profitable
Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne
companies have taken a beating,
Amazon's success contrasts with a
shocking result from fellow giant Meta
yesterday. The social networking
giant's profits decreased 8% from last
year, to $10.3bn. This was mostly
fueled by increased spending on
investments toward the Metaverse -
the virtual reality-based version of the
internet Mark Zuckerberg envisions -
which totaled $10bn.
More surprising, the number of
Facebook users declined for the very
first time. This confirms the warning
calls from internal documents made
public by whistleblower Frances
Haugen last year, one of which
revealed that "engagement is declining
for teens in most western, and several
non-western, countries". Until now,
the company has managed to grow its
user base consistently for years,
despite scandals and controversy. In
response to the earnings report, shares
in Meta dropped 25%.
Facebook marks first daily
users drop
teChNOlOgy DeSK
Spotify on Wednesday forecast currentquarter
subscribers lower than Wall
Street expectations, but executives
sought to reassure investors that growth
had not cratered even as it deals with
the fallout from the controversy around
the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
The company's shares fell as much as
18% in late trading after Spotify
reported the subscriber outlook.
In an interview with Reuters after the
report, Spotify's chief financial officer,
Paul Vogel, said this year would not be
that much different than last in terms of
users and subscribers.
"While we have not given full year
guidance anymore on subscribers ... we
don't expect a material difference in the
net additions for either users or
subscribers in 2022 relative to 2021,"
Vogel told Reuters.
Shares pared losses and were down
between 3% to 9% after the initial
shock.The outlook overshadowed
fourth-quarter revenue, which came in
higher than analysts' estimates, as the
music streaming company sold more
advertisements and newer services such
as podcasts, while recording a healthy
16% increase in paid subscribers for its
premium service.
Total monthly active users rose 18% to
a record 406m.The company, however,
forecast current-quarter paid
subscribers of 183m, below
expectations of 184m. Revenue is
expected to meet estimates of €2.60bn
The subscription music streaming
service has invested over $1bn in the
podcasting business, led by marquee
exclusive shows such as The Joe Rogan
Experience.But the allure of the podcast
star also drew condemnation after his
show aired controversial views around
Covid-19, drawing protests from artists
Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.
Rogan, a popular internet
commentator, has since apologized and
Spotify said it would start adding
content advisories to episodes
discussing Covid.Its chief executive
The free falling of
Spotify stocks
officer, Daniel Ek, said the company
already had a "sizable" content
moderation team in place.
"We have taken action on more than
20,000 podcasts since the start of the
pandemic," Ek told Reuters. "So that
tells you something about the scale of
this operation. It's truly a global
operation."
Ek acknowledged the Rogan
controversy at the outset of the earnings
conference call, saying it presented
learning opportunities. He said he was
proud of the steps Spotify took following
the concerns raised by the medical and
scientific communities and he said
policies were developed with input from
internal and external exports.
Spotify said podcasts' share of overall
consumption hours on its platform
reached an all-time high and it
expanded its paid podcast subscriptions
in 33 more markets and enabled
podcasts for users in Russia, Egypt and
Saudi Arabia. Premium subscribers,
which account for most of the
company's revenue, rose to 180 million,
beating analysts' expectations of 179.9
million.
Quarterly revenue rose to €2.69bn
($3.04bn) for the quarter from €2.17bn
a year earlier, and above the €2.65bn
expected by analysts, according to IBES
data from Refinitiv.Revenue from users
who hear advertisements rose 40% to
€394m or 15% of total revenue.
"Investors largely ignored Spotify's
advertising business during Spotify's
first few years as a public company, with
subscriber growth dominating the
narrative," LightShed Partners analyst
Richard Greenfield said in a note.
"As Spotify moved from a music
platform to an audio platform
(podcasting, live audio, audiobooks), it
has unlocked the potential for a robust
advertising business that is now too
large for investors to ignore."
Spotify recorded a 16% increase in its premium paid subscription
service.
Photo: OnurDogman
What happened to the teen
monitoring Elon Musk's jet
RuPeRt Neate
The Florida teenager demanding Elon
Musk hand over $50,000 to stop him
tweeting the location of the billionaire's
private jet has said he is creating dozens
more accounts tracking the movements
of other rich and famous people.
Jack Sweeney, a 19-year-old college
student and aviation enthusiast, said he
had created 16 automated Twitter
accounts, or bots, similar to @ElonJet
to follow jets owned by Microsoft cofounder
Bill Gates (@GatesJet),
Amazon's Jeff Bezos, the billionaire
entrepreneur Mark Cuban and the
rapper Drake.
June 2020, said he hoped Musk would
reopen negotiations to buy and close
down the account. The co-founder and
chief executive of Tesla has refused the
Twitter bots if the microblogging site
closes his accounts because of privacy
concerns raised by the subjects.
"They're either really prominent
people or just like really interesting,"
Sweeney said of the people he tracks.
"Lately I have been adding people that
[his followers] have requested."
Recent accounts he has set up after
requests include Cuban and Drake,
who he said was the most
interesting."He has the biggest plane
Sweeney to delete the account."Can you
take this down? It is a security risk,"
Musk, wrote in a direct message to the
teenager. "I don't love the idea of being
shot by a nutcase."
Sweeney said receiving the direct
message from Musk, whom he
described as his idol, was a surreal
experience. "I was just about to go to
sleep actually, and I'm like, 'Oh my gosh
Elon just messaged me to take down my
account'," he said. "It was insane."
"And then he offers me $5,000 to
make it harder for people to track him
and to take down the account, and I
make my counter-offer.
DOmiNiC RuShe
Facebook shares fell 25% on Thursday -
wiping over $200bn (£147bn) off its
value - after the company reported its
first ever drop in daily user numbers.
The huge collapse - more than value
of McDonald's - came after Mark
Zuckerberg's newly rebranded social
media empire, Meta, said daily active
user numbers at its main app - a key
growth target for investors - fell to
1.929 billion in the three months to
December, from 1.93 billion in the
previous quarter.
The symbolic loss of about 1 million
users, the first in 18 years, contributed
to a share price rout in after-hours
trading on Wednesday that resumed on
Thursday.
On a call with investors Zuckerberg
he was "proud" of the work the
company had done last year but
acknowledged the company faced
tough competition for attention from
rivals including TikTok.
"Facebook's big problem is
competition for attention - there are
only so many people and so many
hours in a day and we're already close
to saturation point," said Neil Wilson,
chief markets analyst for trading
platform markets.com
the social media company revealed it had spent $10bn on its
vision of the future -the 'metaverse'. Photo: Chris Delmas
Reporting its first quarterly earnings
under its new name, Meta revealed it
had spent $10bn on its vision of the
future - the "metaverse" - and warned it
faced "headwinds from both increased
competition for people's time and a
shift of engagement". As well as
Facebook, Meta owns the photo and
videosharing app Instagram, the
WhatsApp messaging service and the
Oculus virtual reality hardware
business.
After a boom during the pandemic,
markets have punished formerly hot
tech companies including Netflix and
PayPal for disappointing results. While
Meta's revenues were slightly higher
than expected at $33.7bn for the last
three months, the drop in daily active
users has grabbed investors' attention.
Facebook's growth has stalled in the
US and Europe but the latest falls came
from Africa and Latin America. Across
all of Meta's businesses including
Facebook, the number of daily active
users rose from 2.81 billion to 2.82
billion.
Facebook announced it was changing
its corporate name to Meta last
October. Co-founder Mark Zuckerberg
wants to refocus the company on
ambitious plans to build a virtual reality
"metaverse".
Meta also revealed for the first time
how much it had spent so far on its new
strategy. The company's Reality Labs
division, which makes virtual reality
goggles, smart glasses and other yet-tobe-released
products spent more than
$10bn in 2021. The spending dragged
down quarterly profits by 8% and
Zuckerberg has indicated that there is
much more spending to come.
The company set out a series of issues
that could affect growth in the near
term, including platform and
regulatory changes, as well as tough
comparisons to a year when online
advertising was boosted by the
pandemic.
The move also followed a series of
crises at the company, which has been
blamed for promoting fake news
worldwide, stoking hostilities and
invading privacy.
"Although the direction is clear our
path ahead is not yet clearly defined,"
said Zuckerberg. "Last year was about
putting a stake in the ground about
where we are heading. This year is
about execution."
Spotify recorded a 16% increase in its premium paid subscription service.
In an interview with the Guardian,
Sweeney said he had also created a
website, Ground Control, to "monetise"
the service by offering bespoke tracking
services to celebrities' superfans and to
host web versions of the the most
interesting."He has the biggest plane
out of all of them, it is a giant
Boeing."The rapper's plane, Air Drake,
is a $185m 59ft-long Boeing 767-
200ER that can carry 216 passengers.
Sweeney, who created @ElonJet in
out of all of them, it is a giant
Boeing."The rapper's plane, Air Drake,
is a $185m 59ft-long Boeing 767-
200ER that can carry 216 passengers.
Sweeney, who created @ElonJet in
June 2020, said he hoped Musk would
reopen negotiations to buy and close
down the account. The co-founder and
chief executive of Tesla has refused the
teenager's demand for $50,000.
Musk, the world's richest person with
an estimated $220bn fortune, has urged
Photo: OnurDogman
Sweeney attempted to negotiate with
Musk, replying: "Any chance to up that
to $50K? It would be great support in
college and would possibly allow me to
get a car, maybe even a [Tesla] Model 3."
Musk later said he did not feel
comfortable paying anything. Sweeney
replied that if Musk did not want to pay,
he would delete the account in return for
an internship at Tesla."That was the last
thing I said [to Musk]," Sweeney said.
"And then he blocked me."

sundAY, FebRuARY 6, 2022
6
Covid-19 positivity rate showing
decline in Rangpur
Funeral prayers of freedom fighter nasir uddin, a resident of Melandaha upazila, ghosherpara union
of jamalpur district have been held with state honors on Friday. photo: Md. Ruhul Amin Raju
Funeral prayer of freedom fighter
Nasir Uddin held at Melandaha
Md. Ruhul AMin RAju, MelAndAhA CoRRespondent
Funeral prayers of freedom fighter
Nasir Uddin, a resident of Melandaha
Upazila, Ghosherpara Union of
Jamalpur district have been held with
state honors. Nasir Uddin Ahmed,
former president of Ghosherpara
Union Awami League, vice president
of Melandaha Upazila Awami League
and a resident of Bagbari village, a
heroic freedom fighter passed away at
his home on February 3 at around
11:15.
His funeral prayers were held at
Bagbari Government Primary School
ground on Friday morning.
Melandaha Upazila Nirbahi Officer
Mohammad Shafiqul Islam was
1,00,810 patients
recover from
Covid-19 so far
in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI: With the healing
of 451 more patients from the
Covid-19 on Friday, the total
recovery count in the division
rose to 1,00,810 since the
pandemic began in March,
2020, reports BSS.
A total of 232 more people
have tested positive for the
deadly virus in seven districts
of the division on the day,
raising the caseload to
1,13,954 so far.
The new positive cases are
showing a significant falling
trend compared to the
previous day's figure of 974,
Dr Habibul Ahsan Talukder,
divisional director of Health,
said.
The death toll reached 1,717,
including 697 in Bogura, 330
in Rajshahi with 211 in its city
and 176 in Natore as one new
fatality was reported during
the last 24 hours, he said.
Besides, all the positive
cases of Covid-19 have, so far,
been brought under
treatment while 24,985 were
kept in isolation units of
different dedicated hospitals
for institutional quarantine.
Of them, 20,778 have been
released.
Meanwhile, 65 more people
have been sent to home and
institutional quarantine
afresh while 81 others were
released from isolation during
the same period.
Of the 232 new infected
cases, 72 were detected in
Pabna, followed by 63 in
Bogura, 51 in Sirajganj, 18 in
Rajshahi city, 16 in Joypurhat,
10 in Chapainawabganj and
two in Natore districts.
With the newly detected
patients, the district-wise
break-up of the total cases
now stands at 32,913 in
Rajshahi including 27,063 in
its city, 6,220 in
Chapainawabganj, 7,486 in
Naogaon, 8,316 in Natore,
5,429 in Joypurhat, 24,368 in
Bogura, 12,878 in Sirajganj
and 15,344 in Pabna districts.
A total of 1,21,991 people
have, so far, been kept under
quarantine since March 10,
2020 to prevent community
transmission of the deadly
COVID-19.
present at the state funeral. Also
present as chief guests were
Bangladesh Awami League Organizing
Secretary Mirza Azam MP and District
Council Chairman Faruk Ahmed
Chowdhury, Melandaha Upazila
Parishad Chairman Engineer Md.
Kamruzzaman, District Awami
League Joint General Secretary Alhaj
Shafiq Saleh Genda, Organizing
Secretary Al Amin Chan, Melandaha.
Municipality Mayor Alhaj Shafiq
Jahedi Robin, Former Mayor Haji
Didar Pasha, Upazila Awami League
President Mohammad Ali Jinnah,
General Secretary Mohammad
Jinnah, Ghosherpara Union Parishad
Chairman Mohammad Saidul Islam
Litu, District Liberation War
Commander Bir Muktijoddha Harun
Aur Rashid, Melandah Upazila Awami
League President Muktijoddha
Advocate Ismat Pasha along with
honorable commanders of upazila and
district freedom fighters, leaders of
district and upazila Awami League.
Mirza Azam MP said that the
traditional Bagbari High School was
named after the heroic freedom fighter
Nasir Uddin. For this the locals
expressed their gratitude to Mirza
Azam. Later, the heroic freedom
fighter Nasir Uddin was buried at his
family graveyard.
saraswati puja was celebrated on saturday at jatiya Kabi Kazi nazrul islam
university through various arrangements on saturday. photo: Mominul islam
Saraswati Puja celebrated
at Kabi Nazrul University
MoMinul islAM, tRishAl
CoRRespondent
Saraswati Puja was
celebrated on Saturday at
Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul
Islam University through
various arrangements
including Bani Archana,
offering of flowers at the feet
of the Goddess, offering of
Anjali, Aarti, distribution of
Prasad. University Vice-
Chancellor Prof. Dr
Soumitra Shekhar visited
Puja Mandap and
exchanged greetings with
everyone in the morning.
During the time, registrar
of the university Md.
Humayun Kabir, Agni-Bina
Hall Provost Kalyananshu
Naha, Proctor Professor Dr.
Ujjwal Kumar Head,
Director of Student
Counseling and Guidance
Tapan Kumar Sarkar,
teachers, staff and students
of the university were also
present.
At the end of the worship
of the Vice-Chancellor Prof.
Soumitra Shekhar said, 'We
all need knowledge, culture
and peace. There is no point
in surviving without these
three. There is no end to the
wealth you see around you.
But in the absence of peace,
people choose the path of
suicide. Peace is a big thing
that needs to be built.
Wealth cannot measure
everything. '
He added: "Today, the
search for wealth and peace
is going on all over the world
at the same time. Wealth is
needed but wealth cannot
give happiness, wealth
cannot liberate us as a
whole. So along with
finances, we also need to
organize our minds. The
goal of Nazrul Islam
University will be worship of
the mind as well as wealth,
awakening of the mind. We
want to celebrate both
wealth and mind together. '
574 test positive for Covid-19 in Ctg
CHATTOGRAM: A total of
574 people were detected
positive for Covid-19 in the
last 24 hours till last
morning after testing 2,851
samples in the district as the
infection rate was found
almost 20.13 percent,
reports BSS.
With the new 574 cases,
the total number of Covid-
19 patients climbed to 1,
22,685 in here, civil surgeon
Dr Ilias Chowdhury told
BSS yesterday.
At the same time, the
number of healed Covid-19
patients rose to 1,01874
with the recovery of 306
more patients during the
time in the district.
The average recovery rate
currently stands at 83.01
percent in the district.
With no new death
recorded during the period,
the death toll remains
steady at 1,359.
A total of 4052 infected
patients are now
undergoing treatment at
different designated
hospitals here.
RANGPUR: The Covid-19 positivity rate
is showing a slightly declining trend in
recent days after a quicker community
spread of the lethal virus during the
previous three weeks in the division,
reports BSS.
"Some 101 fresh Covid-19 cases were
diagnosed after testing 383 samples at
the 26.10 percent positivity rate here on
Friday," Divisional Director (Health) Dr.
Abu Md. Zakirul Islam told BSS
yesterday.
Earlier, the daily Covid-19 positivity
rates were 38.80 percent on Thursday,
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 last in the division.
"Despite indifferent attitude of people
to abide by the health directives, the
positivity rate started showing a declining
trend as most of the people have already
been vaccinated with the Covid-19 jabs in
the division," he said.
He hoped that the pandemic situation
would likely continue to improve in the
division where the third wave of the
Covid-19 spread already might have
crossed the peak infection period a few
Cleaning
workers get
relief in
Magura
RoKibul hoque dipu,
MAguRA CoRRspondent
Cleaning workers were
provided with relief
materials in Magura. Non
government organization
ASD, Bangladesh and
Aparijita jointly distributed
the relief with the financial
support of global alliance
incinerator alternative.
A total of 250 cleaning
workers were provided with
food element and health
protection materials. In the
distribution ceremony
arranged at Magura
Shipalkala academy
Additional Deputy
Commissiner Md
Kamruzzaman was the chief
guest with ASD, Bangladesh,
Magura disrict unit
chairperson Shuvash
Chandra Biswas in the chair.
Bishajit Chattergy
moderated the distribution
ceremony.
Certificates,
jerseys
distributed
after 5-day
long football
training in
Narail
huMAun KAbiR Rintu,
nARAil CoRRespondent
Certificates and jerseys
were distributed at the end
of the five-day long
residential football training
in Narail with the
participation of students.
Narail Municipality Mayor
Anjuman Ara distributed
certificates and jerseys as
the chief guest at Sheikh
Russell Mini Stadium
around on Saturday
organized by the District
Sports Office.
District Sports Officer
Kamruzzaman chaired the
occasion while among
others, District Judge
Court Wise Public
Prosecutor (PP) Advocate
Emdadul Islam Imdad,
Sadar Upazila Parishad
Women Vice-Chairman
Ismat Ara, Narail
Municipality Councilor
Sharful Alam Litu, sports
personalities Krishnapada
Das, Abdur Rashid
Munnu, Syed Tariqul
Islam Shant and others
were present.
Earlier, Deputy
Commissioner
Mohammad Habibur
Rahman inaugurated the
training camp on the
morning of January 31.
days ago.
"With the diagnosis of 101 new patients
on Friday, the total number of Covid-19
cases has reached 61,169 in the division,"
he said.
The district-wise break up of total
61,169 patients currently stands at 14,090
in Rangpur, 4,181 in Panchagarh, 5,104 in
Nilphamari, 3,060 in Lalmonirhat, 4,856
in Kurigram, 8,366 in Thakurgaon,
16,233 in Dinajpur and 5,279 in
Gaibandha in the division.
"Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19
casualties remained steady at 1,257 as no
more patients died on Friday as the
average casualty rate now stands at 2.05
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 3,23,548 collected samples were
tested till Friday, and of them, 61,169
were found positive with an average
positivity rate of 18.91 percent," Islam
said.
Meanwhile, the number of healed
Covid-19 patients reached 55,397 with
the recovery of 54 more patients on the
day in the division. The average recovery
rate stands at 90.56 percent.
The 55,397 recovered patients include
12,485 of Rangpur, 3,784 of Panchagarh,
4,416 of Nilphamari, 2,711 of
Lalmonirhat, 4,537 of Kurigram, 7,672 of
Thakurgaon, 14,901 of Dinajpur and
4,891 of Gaibandha districts.
Among the 61,169 patients, 124 are
under treatment at isolation units,
including 15 critical patients at ICU beds
and seven at High Dependency Unit
beds, after recovery of 55,397 patients
and 1,257 deaths while 4,391 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 till
Friday in the division," Dr Islam added.
Principal of Rangpur Medical College
Professor Dr. Bimal Chandra Roy urged
all to abide by the health directives to
contain further community spread of the
Covid-19 virus.
Cleaning workers were provided with relief materials in Magura
recently.
photo: Rokibul hoque dipu
Commercial flower farming
delights many youths in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI: Many youths
have made fortunes through
commercial flower farming as
it becomes a blessing for them
in the region, including its
vast barind tract, reports BSS.
The enthusiastic youths
have found the path of
becoming successful
entrepreneurs through flower
farming with their
investments.
Hassan Al Sadi has
established a commercial
garden on around eight bigha
of lands in Polashbari area
under Paba Upazila with
diversified flower plants
attracting many flower-loving
people to visit every day.
There are tulip, celosia,
servida, pitulia, gladiolus,
pongee, verbena, gejenia,
china gada, drip chandra
mallika, clox and cosmos
flower in his 'dreamers
garden' creating an eyecatching
look at present.
Hassan Sadi, a resident of
Chapainawabganj, got
inspiration after seeing a tulip
garden at Shripur in Gazipur
district and established his
'dreamers garden' in 2020.
He also used the open spaces
of the mango orchard for
flower production by intercropping.
Talking to BSS, he
said there is an enormous
prospect of promoting flower
farming in mango orchards as
intercropping in the region
because huge lands remain
fallow more than six to eight
months every year.
Zafar Iqbal, 48, a resident of
Proshadpara village of the
same upazila, has set a bright
example in flower farming in
the region.
Around three years back, he
started flower farming on only
ten katha of land and that was
the turning point of his life.
At present, he, in full
cooperation of his wife Nusrat
Jahan, has been cultivating
flowers on more than ten
bigha of lands after getting
tremendous success.
Sohel Rana, a resident of
Bagha Upazila, has become an
icon in this field since he
initiated his business in 2014.
In the initial year, he sold
flowers worth around Taka
8,000 after spending Taka
3,000. This year, he has
already sold flowers worth
Taka 40,000 and flowers of
more Taka 45,000 to 50,000
will be hoped to be sold.
Rana, who obtained a postgraduation
degree in Islamic
History from Rajshahi College
in 2016, attributed that he
gets the highest flowers in
January and February. Every
flower stick is being sold at
Taka 10 to 12 and he receives
Taka 7 to 8 per stick from
wholesalers coming from
Rajshahi, Natore and
Ishwardi.
Bagha Upazila Agriculture
Officer Shafiullah Sultan told
BSS that many farmers are
getting success in farming of
both flowers and its seedlings.
"We are inspiring the farmers
to cultivate the flowers
providing seeds to them," he
added. The farming of
different varieties of flowers
including gladiolus, marigold,
rose, tuberose and gerbera is
gaining popularity across the
region during the current
season.
Owing to the lucrative
market price, many farmers
are getting involved in
cultivating flowers, said
officials of Department of
Agricultural Extension (DAE).
The cultivation of gladiolus
flower has turned a boon for
Kayum Ali, a farmer of
Godagari Upazila. He said he
made a huge profit in 2012
farming this variety of flower.
"I have cultivated the flower
on one and half bighas of land
spending around Taka 25,000
this year and already sold
flowers worth Taka 1.80 lakh,"
Kayum said.
Certificates and jerseys were distributed at the end of the five-day long residential
football training in narail on saturday. photo: humaun Kabir Rintu

7
US troop
reinforcements
arrive in Poland
WARSAW : US soldiers
arrived in Poland on
Saturday as part of NATO
moves to send in extra
troops over fears that Russia
could invade Ukraine, a
Polish army spokesman told
AFP.
"The first batch has
arrived at the airport in
Jesionka" in southwestern
Poland, Major Przemyslaw
Lipczynski said, adding that
the bulk of a contingent of
1,700 US soldiers would
come "soon".
He said the soldiers who
arrived Saturday were from
the 82nd Division.
Washington said last week
it would send about 3,000
additional troops to eastern
Europe to defend NATO
members against any
"aggression".
Washington is sending
2,000 troops stationed in
the US. They are being flown
to Germany and Poland.
Another 1,000 already in
Germany are being sent to
Romania.
Western capitals have
accused Russia of amassing
some 100,000 troops on the
borders of pro-Western
Ukraine in preparation for
an invasion and have vowed
to impose devastating
sanctions on Moscow if it
attacks.
Increasing urgency
over fate of Moroccan
boy stuck days in well
BAB BERRED : Moroccan
rescuers worked through the
night into Saturday, the fifth
day of an increasingly urgent
and nerve-wracking effort to
rescue Rayan, a five-year-old
boy trapped underground in
a well.
The complex, slow and
risky earth-moving
operation has gripped
residents of the North
African kingdom and even
sparked sympathy in
neighbouring Algeria, a
regional rival.
Rayan accidentally fell
about 32 metres (35 yards)
down the tight, empty shaft
near his home in the remote
village of Ighrane in
Chefchaouen province on
Tuesday afternoon.
Rescue crews, using
bulldozers and front-end
loaders, have dug almost all
the way down but the final
two metres are the most
difficult because of the risk
of landslides.
There has been no
information about the fate of
the boy, but the more time
that passes, the more fears
arise over whether he will be
recovered alive.
Overnight, crews
manoeuvred a heavy pipe
into position in the area.
"We're almost there," said
one of the operation's
leaders,
Abdesalam
Makoudi, adding "tiredness
is kicking in, but the whole
rescue team is hanging on."
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 fivestep
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.
The French president and the German chancellor will head to Moscow and Kyiv in the coming weeks,
adding to diplomatic efforts to try to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching an invasion
of Ukraine and find a way out of the growing tensions.
Photo : Internet
French, German leaders to visit
Russia, Ukraine amid tension
PARIS : The French president and the
German chancellor will head to
Moscow and Kyiv in the coming weeks,
adding to diplomatic efforts to try to
deter Russian President Vladimir
Putin from launching an invasion of
Ukraine and find a way out of the
growing tensions.
France's Emmanuel Macron is
scheduled to visit Moscow on Monday
and Kyiv on Tuesday, while Germany's
Olaf Scholz will travel to Kyiv on Feb.
14 and Moscow on Feb. 15.
The high-level visits come as China
has backed Russia's demand that
NATO be precluded from expanding to
Ukraine, and after the U.S. accused the
Kremlin on Thursday of an elaborate
plot to fabricate an attack by Ukrainian
forces that Russia could use as a
pretext to take military action. The
U.S. has not provided detailed
information backing up the claims,
which Moscow has vehemently denied.
While France is a major player in
NATO and is moving troops to
Romania as part of the alliance's
preparation for possible Russian
action, Macron has also been actively
pushing for dialogue with Putin and
has spoken to him several times in
recent weeks. The two will hold a oneon-one
meeting Monday, Macron's
office said Friday.
Macron is following a French
tradition of striking a separate path
from the United States in geopolitics,
as well as trying to make his own mark
on this crisis and defend Europe's
interests.
Germany has emphasized the
importance of various diplomatic
formats in tackling the tensions and
has refused to send weapons to
Ukraine, irking some allies. Scholz also
has faced criticism at home lately for
keeping a low public profile in the
crisis.
After weeks of talks in various
diplomatic formats have led to no
major concessions by Russia and the
U.S., it's unclear how much impact the
trips will have. But Ukraine's Foreign
Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Friday
that "top-level visits seriously reduce
challenges in the sphere of security and
upset the Kremlin's plans."
In a call Wednesday with U.S.
President Joe Biden, Macron filled him
in on his diplomatic efforts. In talks
with the Russian and Ukrainian
leaders Thursday night, Macron's
office said they discussed ways to
"identify elements that could lead to
de-escalation," and "conditions for
strategic balance in Europe, which
should allow for the reduction of risks
on the ground and guarantee security
Propelled in part by the wildly contagious omicron variant, the U.S. death
toll from COVID-19 hit 900,000 on Friday, less than two months after
eclipsing 800,000.
Photo : Internet
US death toll from COVID-19 hits
900,000, sped by omicron
Propelled in part by the wildly contagious
omicron variant, the U.S. death toll from
COVID-19 hit 900,000 on Friday, less than
two months after eclipsing 800,000, reports
UNB.
The two-year total, as compiled by Johns
Hopkins University, is greater than the
population of Indianapolis, San Francisco, or
Charlotte, North Carolina.
The milestone comes more than 13 months
into a vaccination drive that has been beset
by misinformation and political and legal
strife, though the shots have proved safe and
highly effective at preventing serious illness
and death. "It is an astronomically high
number. If you had told most Americans two
years ago as this pandemic was getting going
that 900,000 Americans would die over the
next few years, I think most people would
not have believed it," said Dr. Ashish K. Jha,
dean of the Brown University School of
Public Health.
He lamented that most of the deaths
happened after the vaccine gained
authorization. "We got the medical science
right. We failed on the social science. We
failed on how to help people get vaccinated,
to combat disinformation, to not politicize
this," Jha said. "Those are the places where
we have failed as America."
Just 64% of the population is fully
vaccinated, or about 212 million Americans,
according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. Nor is COVID-19 finished
with the United States: Jha said the U.S.
could reach 1 million deaths by April.
Among the dead is Susan Glister-Berg, 53,
of Sterling Heights, Michigan, whose
children had to take her off a ventilator just
before Thanksgiving after COVID-19
ravaged her lungs and kidneys.
"She's always cared more about people
than she did herself. She always took care of
everyone," said a daughter, Hali Fortuna.
"That's how we all describe her: She cared for
everyone. Very selfless."
Glister-Berg, a smoker, was in poor health,
and was apparently unvaccinated, according
to her daughter. Fortuna just got the booster
herself. "We all want it to go away. I
personally don't see it going away anytime
soon," she said. "I guess it's about learning to
live with it and hoping we all learn to take
care of each other better."
on the continent." Scholz has a
previously planned meeting with
Biden in Washington on Monday.
Moscow has been signaling an
apparent readiness for more talks
with Washington and NATO in
recent days. Some experts say that as
long as Russia and the West keep
talking, that's a reason for cautious
optimism.
Russia has amassed more than
100,000 troops near Ukraine's
northern and eastern borders, raising
concern that Moscow might invade
again, as it did in 2014. The troop
presence and uncertainty have
unnerved Ukrainians and hurt the
country's economy.
The Kremlin has denied that an
invasion is planned and has
demanded guarantees from the West
that Ukraine will never join the bloc,
deployment of NATO weapons near
Russian borders will be halted and
the alliance's forces will be rolled
back from Eastern Europe.
China lent its support to the
demands Friday after Putin met with
Chinese President Xi Jingping in
Beijing before the opening of the
Winter Olympics. After the talks, the
two leaders issued an elaborate joint
statement, declaring their opposition
to any expansion of NATO.
New Covid infections
in Hong Kong reach
record high
HONG KONG : Hong Kong's
"zero-Covid" policy was on
the ropes Saturday as
authorities announced a
record number of new
infections, sending officials
scrambling to ramp up testing
capacity and warning that a
tightening of virus-control
measures could be needed.
Like mainland China and
much of East Asia, Hong
Kong has long followed a
strategy of fighting the virus
through contact tracing,
targeted lockdowns and
lengthy quarantines.
And as much of the world
has chosen to open up and
live with Covid-19, the city has
dug in its heels, with Hong
Kong leader Carrie Lam
insisting she was still
committed to achieving "zero-
Covid" even as infections
mount.
On Saturday the city
recorded 351 confirmed
cases, its highest daily figure
since the pandemic began,
with 161 cases being either
untraceable or pending
investigation.
"Based on the current
growth rate of cases, we
estimate that (medical
isolation) facilities will soon
be unable to quarantine all
patients," health chief Sophia
Chan told reporters.
Chan urged Hong Kongers
to stay at home to slow the
spread of the virus, though
said that sewage analysis had
revealed the virus had already
been found in much of the
city.Health officials also said
they would loosen rules that
have seen thousands of close
contacts of infected people
detained in a government
facility.
SUnDAY, FeBRUARY 6, 2022
Canadian police expect COVID-19
protests to ramp up again
OTTAWA : Ontario's
Conservative premier called
Friday for demonstrators to
end the "occupation" of
Ottawa, while police moved
150 officers to the parts of
the capital most affected by
the protest against vaccine
mandates..
Ottawa police chief Peter
Sloly gave no indication
when the days-old protest
would end, saying police
expected it to ramp up again
this weekend, when protests
are also planned in Toronto
and Quebec City.
"It's not a protest
anymore. It's become an
occupation," Ontario
Premier Doug Ford said.
"It's time for this to come to
an end."
Ford said the province is
very close to getting back to
normal in the pandemic and
protests are a constitutional
right, but he said an
occupation is unacceptable.
Sloly acknowledged "trust
has been impacted" as
Ottawa residents are furious
with the blaring horns,
The Biden administration on Friday restored some sanctions relief to
Iran's atomic program as talks aimed at salvaging the languishing 2015
nuclear deal enter a critical phase.
Photo : Internet
US grants sanctions
relief to Iran as nuke
talks in balance
WASHINGTON : The Biden administration
on Friday restored some sanctions relief to
Iran's atomic program as talks aimed at
salvaging the languishing 2015 nuclear deal
enter a critical phase.
As U.S. negotiators head back to Vienna for
what could be a make-or-break session,
Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed
several sanctions waivers related to Iran's
civilian nuclear activities. The move reverses
the Trump administration's decision to rescind
them.
The waivers are intended to entice Iran to
return to compliance with the 2015 deal that it
has been violating since former President
Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement
in 2018 and re-imposed U.S. sanctions. Iran
says it is not respecting the terms of the deal
because the U.S. pulled out of it first. Iran has
demanded the restoration of all sanctions relief
it was promised under the deal to return to
compliance.
Friday's move lifts the sanctions threat
against foreign countries and companies
from Russia, China and Europe that had been
cooperating with non-military parts of Iran's
nuclear program under the terms of the 2015
deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan
of Action, or JCPOA.
The Trump administration had ended the
so-called "civ-nuke" waivers in May 2020 as
part of its "maximum pressure" campaign
against Iran that began when Trump
withdrew the U.S. from the deal in 2018,
complaining that it was the worst diplomatic
agreement ever negotiated and gave Iran a
pathway to developing the bomb.
As a presidential candidate, Joe Biden
made a U.S. return to the nuclear deal a
priority, and his administration has pursued
that goal but there has been little progress
toward that end since he took office a year
ago. Administration officials said the waivers
were being restored to help push the Vienna
negotiations forward.
"The waiver with respect to these activities
is designed to facilitate discussions that
would help to close a deal on a mutual return
to full implementation of the JCPOA and lay
the groundwork for Iran's return to
performance of its JCPOA commitments,"
the State Department said in a notice to
Congress that announced the move.
"It is also designed to serve U.S.
nonproliferation and nuclear safety interests
and constrain Iran's nuclear activities," the
department said. "It is being issued as a
traffic gridlock and
harassment they have faced.
Many complain police have
done little and they call it an
occupation.
"If we knew that it was
going to seep into the
neighborhoods we would
have deployed more
resources into those
neighborhoods," deputy
police chief Steve Bell said.
"We've listened to our
community. They are upset,
they are fearful."
Thousands of protesters
railing against vaccine
mandates and other COVID-
19 restrictions descended on
the capital last weekend,
deliberately blocking traffic
around Parliament Hill.
Police estimate about 250
remained, but Bell said they
expected 300 to 400 more
trucks this weekend and
more than 1,000 protesters
on foot. He said up to 1,000
counter-protesters were
expected as well.
The "freedom truck
convoy" has attracted
support from former U.S.
President Donald Trump
and the opposition federal
Conservative party in
Canada, but two federal
Conservative party
lawmakers broke with the
party and said the protest
needed to end.
"I spent the week
undergoing the Siege of
Ottawa," Conservative
lawmaker Pierre Paul-Hus
tweeted. "I ask that we clear
the streets and that we stop
this occupation controlled
by radicals and anarchist
groups."
Sen. Dennis Patterson
quit the Conservative
caucus.
"I wholeheartedly and
unreservedly deplore and
denounce what is
happening in Ottawa with
the so-called Freedom
Convoy right now. Let me be
clear: If you wrap yourself in
or go about waving a Nazi or
Confederate flag, you are
declaring yourself a person
who embraces hate, bigotry,
and racism," Patterson said
in a statement.
matter of policy discretion with these
objectives in mind, and not pursuant to a
commitment or as part of a quid pro quo. We
are focused on working with partners and
allies to counter the full range of threats that
Iran poses."
A copy of the State Department notice and
the actual waivers signed by Blinken were
obtained by The Associated Press.
The waivers permit foreign countries and
companies to work on civilian projects at
Iran's Bushehr nuclear power station, its
Arak heavy water plant and the Tehran
Research Reactor. Former Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo had revoked the waivers in
May, 2020, accusing Iran of "nuclear
extortion" for continuing and expanding
work at the sites. Critics of the nuclear deal
who lobbied Trump to withdraw from it
protested, arguing that even if the Biden
administration wants to return to the 2015
deal it should at least demand some
concessions from Iran before up front
granting it sanctions relief.
Modi condoles
demise of ex-BJP
MP Janga Reddy
NEW DELHI : Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tributes to C
Janga Reddy, one of the two BJP MPs elected
to the Lok Sabha in 1984, saying he devoted his
life to public service.
Reddy died earlier in the day at 86 years of
age. "Reddy Garu was an effective voice for the
BJP at a very critical phase of the Party's
trajectory. Spoke to his son and expressed
condolences. Om Shanti," Modi tweeted.
"Shri C Janga Reddy Garu devoted his life to
public service. He was an integral part of the
efforts to take the Jana Sangh and BJP to new
heights of success. He made a place in the
hearts and minds of several people. He also
motivated many Karyakartas. Saddened by his
demise," he said. Reddy had also served as an
MLA in the undivided Andhra Pradesh
assembly but it was his Lok Sabha win in 1984
from Hanamkonda that brought him political
fame, especially within the BJP as he was one
of the only two winners the party had in the
polls when its leading lights, including Atal
Bihari Vajpayee, lost in the pro-Congress wave
caused by the assassination of then prime
minister Indira Gandhi.

SUnDAY, FeBRUARY 6, 2022
8
India to double down on oil,
gas exploration: Puri
Mercantile Bank Limited donated Tk.5.00 lac to the Society for the Welfare of Autistic Children (SWAC).
Bank's Company Secretary Abu Asghar G. Haruni handed over the cheque to SWAC Chairperson
Subarna Chakma on Thursday at the SWAC's Head Office, Dhaka. Shamim Ahmed, SVP and Head of
Credit Risk Management Division & Sustainable Finance Unit of the bank was present along with other
senior officials from both the organizations. Mercantile Bank Limited donates each year to SWAC as part
of Corporate Social Responsibility of the Bank.
Photo: Courtesy
Premier Bank Annual Business
Conference-2022 held
Annual
Business
Conference-2022 of The
Premier Bank Limited was
held at R Events,
Renaissance Hotel Gulshan
Dhaka recently. Freedom
Fighter Dr. H.B.M. Iqbal,
Honorable Chairman, Board
of Directors of The Premier
Bank Limited graced the
occasion as Chief Guest.
Member of the Board of
Director Shafiqur Rahman,
Member of the Board of
Director and Chairman Risk
Management Committee
Mohammad Imran Iqbal,
Member of the Board of
Director Abdus Salam
Murshedy, MP; Member of
the Board of Director Jamal
G Ahmed and Nahyan
Haroon were present there
as a special guest. Advisor
Muhammed Ali, Managing
Director & CEO M. Reazul
Karim, FCMA, among others
also attended the conference,
a press release said.
In the inaugural speech,
Freedom Fighter Dr. H.B.M.
Iqbal, Honorable Chairman,
Board of Directors of The
Premier Bank Limited stated
that Bangladesh, along with
the entire world is going
through the turmoil caused
by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He expressed his most
sincere gratitude towards
Honorable Directors,
Management, Divisional
Heads, 120 Branch Managers
and officials of the bank for
ensuring the overall
development and growth of
the bank despite the hit taken
from Covid-19 at the end of
the fiscal year of 2021.
The Advisor to the bank
Muhammad Ali stated
Bangladesh is recovering
from the consequences of the
pandemic and is moving
forward swiftly. The rural
economy remains strong.
Foreign income is increasing
rapidly. Income from trade
export is also increasing. He
further stated that everyone
needs to adopt a strong
determination and a sense of
ownership for the bank and
work towards implementing
the development plans we
have in order to survive the
fight against the financial
challenges brought about by
Covid-19.
The Managing Director and
CEO, M. Reazul Karim, FCMA
stated that if we could use the
lessons learned from facing the
adverse situations of 2021 on
2022, Bangladesh would
become a shining example in
the global community.
He further stated the
continuity of the recovering
phase of the economy from
the damage caused by Covid-
19 would be the New Year's
challenge for the banking
sector.
Additionally, he stated that
we must quickly develop
strategic plans that benefit
from the latest technologies
of the 4th Industrial
Revolution such as IoT,
BlockChain & Robotics to
develop a skilled workforce
to take advantage of the
opportunity presented by the
4th industrial revolution.
All Branch Managers,
Zonal Heads along with all
Division Heads of Head
Office were the key
participants on the occasion
abiding by the Covid-19
protocols having the
negative certificate and
wearing the mask.
UCB Asset Management has celebrated its 2nd anniversary at the corporate office of its' parent,
United Commercial Bank at Gulshan, Dhaka recently .Arif Quadri, Managing Director of United
Commercial Bank and Chairman of UCB Asset Management attended the ceremony with other senior
dignitaries from United Commercial Bank and its subsidiaries namely UCB Asset Management,
UCB Investment, UCB Stock Brokerage, and UCB Fintech Company (UPAY).UCB Asset Management
is the 2nd capital market subsidiary of United Commercial Bank and was established in 2020 with a
pledge to offer superior fund management services to institutional and retail clients. Till date, UCB
Asset Management has 2 open-end funds under management - one of them is a Shariah Compliant
Fund that will be open for subscription on 13 February.
Photo: Courtesy
Amazon holiday quarter profit doubles
SAN FRANCISCO : Amazon on
Thursday reported its profit doubled to
$14 billion in the recently ended
quarter, giving a boost to jittery
markets that expected less due to
higher labor, sourcing and delivery
costs, reports BSS.
The e-commerce colossus said its net
sales climbed to $137 billion, and its
profit benefited greatly from a return
on investment in electric vehicle maker
Rivian, which went public in
November.
Its shares were up some 14 percent in
after-hours trading at 2130 GMT,
drawing in investors eager for some
good news after shares tanked in
Facebook parent Meta.
Amazon has been particularly
exposed to the pandemic-driven supply
chain headaches, labor churn and
inflation that have come to weigh on
people's lives and business' ability to
make money.
Google parent Alphabet and Apple
have posted whopping profits this
earnings season, although Facebook
was battered by markets-losing some
$200 billion in value-after
disappointing results that cast doubts
about its future.
Still, ahead of the results, analysts
cautioned that they e-commerce giant
is under threat on several fronts. -
Headwinds -
"Amazon is facing more headwinds
on Q4 performance than any time in
recent memory," said Andrew
Lipsman, eMarketer principal analyst
at Insider Intelligence.
He pointed to the comparison with
the final quarter of 2020 when revenue
blew past expectations, as well as e-
commerce sales somewhat
"underperforming."
NEW DELHI : India will more than
double the area that is under exploration
and production of oil and gas to 0.5
million square kilometer by 2025 and to 1
million sq km by 2030 with a view to
raising domestic output and cut reliance
on imported fuel, Petroleum Minister
Hardeep Singh Puri said on Friday,
reports BSS.
The world's third-largest energy
consumer will continue to rely on
hydrocarbons to meet its growing energy
needs in the foreseeable future, he said at
the World Energy Policy Summit 2022.
India currently relies on imports to
meet 85 per cent of its oil needs and 50
per cent of the natural gas requirement.
This is because domestic production is
inadequate. "With an objective of
increased domestic production of oil and
gas, we have declared an ambitious target
to increase the area under exploration
and production to 0.5 million sq km by
2025 and achieve 1 mn sq km by 2030,"
he said. Seven rounds of an auction of
acreage under the new Open Acreage
Licensing Policy (OALP) in the last five
years have doubled the area under
exploration for oil and gas to 207,692
NRBC Bank was awarded
the RTV Krishi Padak-2022
for the role of agricultural
development in the
countries. On behalf of
NRBC Bank SM Pervez
Tamal, Chairman of the
Bank and Director A KM
Mostafizur Rahman
received the Krishi Padak
from Agriculture minister
Dr. Muhammad Abdur
Razzaque and Fisheries and
livestock minister SM
Rezaul Karim, a press
release said.
The function was also
addressed, among others,
by RTV chairman Morshed
Alam MP, RTV's managing
director Humayun Kabir,
chief executive officer Syed
Ashique Rahman,
Bangladesh Securities and
Exchange Commission
chairman Shibli Rubaiya Ul
Islam and City Bank
Chairman Aziz Al kaiser.
RTV has introduced the
award last year and a total of
eight persons and two
organisations have received
the prize in 10 categories.
Peloton shares
jump on reports
of possible
Amazon deal
NEW YORK : Shares in athome
fitness company
Peloton jumped Friday
evening in extended trading
on Wall Street amid reports
of the company's potential
takeover by e-commerce
giant Amazon, reports BSS.
Shortly before 8:00 pm
(0100 GMT), Peloton shares
surged 26.42 percent, to
$31.10.
Several American media
reported on Amazon's
interest in Peloton, which has
struggled to maintain growth
amid easing Covid-19
restrictions.
"Amazon has been
speaking to advisers about a
potential deal," the Wall
Street Journal reported
Friday, citing sources.
It added, however that
"there's no guarantee the e-
commerce giant will follow
through with an offer or that
Peloton, which is working
with its own advisers, would
be receptive."
There are other potential
buyers, the business
newspaper said, but no deal
is imminent.
"Should there be a
transaction, it could be
significant, given Peloton's
market value of around $8
billion - down sharply from
its high around a year ago of
some $50 billion," the
Journal reported.
Peloton has been the target
of an activist investor,
Blackwells Capital, who is
pushing for CEO John Foley
to be fired and for the
company to be sold.
(0.2 million) sq km.
Puri said the Indian economy
expanding to USD 5 trillion by 2025 and
to USD 10 trillion by 2030 from the
current USD 3 trillion will lead to
burgeoning energy demand.
"By 2050, as per projections by BP
Energy outlook, India's shares in global
energy demand is expected to double
from the current 6 per cent to 12 per cent,
accounting for over a quarter of net global
primary energy demand growth," he said.
"India's (economic) growth has the
potential to catalyse global economic
resurgence. Any achievement by India
will have a multiplier impact on the
achievement of the sustainable
development goals."
Referring to India's target to reach netzero
carbon emissions by 2027, he said
the government has already taken several
measures to overhaul the hydrocarbon
policy framework to ensure energy
security for the country while pursuing
the green path to progress.
"However, we acknowledge that oil and
gas will continue to meet the baseload of
our energy demand for the foreseeable
future," he said. Over 80 per cent of
Agriculture Minister and
Awami League presidium
member Dr. Md. Abdur
Razzak received RTV
Agriculture Medal lifetime
achievement award for
special contribution in
agriculture. Among others
Bangladesh Fish Research
Institute (BFRI),
Mymonsingh and SKS
Foundation also received
the award on different
categories.
Pervez Tamal said, NRBC
Bank is lending money to
the farmers and rural people
in an easy process.
Microcredit schemes have
been introduced for this
purpose. Under this scheme
in partnership banking,
loans will be given to 1 lakh
marginalized people in the
next one year by they will be
able to become self-reliant
by arranging their own
work.
Calling upon the urban
youths to invest in
India's energy needs are met by three
fuels-coal, oil and solid biomass. Coal
accounts for 44 per cent of all energy
consumption while the oil makes up for a
quarter. The share of natural gas is 6 per
cent. "We are rapidly deploying natural
gas in our energy mix by increasing its
share from the current 6 per cent to 15 per
cent by 2030," Puri said.
Also, ethanol extracted from sugarcane
and surplus foodgrains is being doped in
petrol to cut reliance on imported oil.
"Ethanol blending through a series of
progressive reforms has reached a
national average of over 8 per cent
blending currently and is all set to
increase to 20 per cent by 2025," he said
adding bio-waste is also being turned into
gas for use as fuel. This complements the
thrust towards clean mobility using
electricity-powered vehicles (EVs) and
the development of battery technology.
"Our focus is also on the faster
deployment of green hydrogen and
developing India as a hub of green
hydrogen. Our oil and gas companies are
developing projects for use of hydrogen
as fuel and infusion of hydrogen in gas
pipelines as well," he said.
NRBC bank ,Krishi Padak awarded
It was 2005, two students of
Bangladesh University of
Engineering (BUET) have
seen a dream of making the
leading ICT Service
provider of our country.
They started with empty
hands all they had was only
infinite courage, a strong
bond of friendship, and the
power of indefatigable toil.
Together with these three,
Synesis IT, an information
and communication
technology service
provider, started the
journey with zero capital, a
press release said.
At present Synesis IT is
serving many government
and non-government
organizations. They are also
extending their technical
services beyond the borders
of the country. At the same
time, it is one of the leading
private information and
communication technology
service providers in the
country. The company has
already won the WITSA
Global ICT Award / WITSA
2020 and the BASIS
National ICT Award 2020
along with Digital
Bangladesh Award 2020 in
two sectors. The company
also won the Daily Star ICT
Award in 2018 and the
BASIS National ICT Award
in 2017. In addition to these
achievements, the "Central
Biometric Verification and
Monitoring Platform
(CBVMP)" project run by
Synesis IT won the World
Summit on Information
Society-WSIS Award /
WSIS Award 2021 and ITU
Telecom Award 2019. The
success of the organization
revolves around the story of
two friendships
Let's go back to the story
of building the country's top
institutions from scratch. It
started its journey in 2005
holding the hands of two
friends. They are Group
CEO of Synesis IT Rupayan
Chowdhury and Managing
Director Sohrab Ahmed
Chowdhury. As such,
today's Synesis IT is the
result of the united efforts
of two friends, immense
trust in each other, and
hard work.
Belal Hossain Bhuiyan,
the current chairman of the
organization, stood by them
to build this organization.
He studied law at Dhaka
University. He is currently
involved in the ICT and real
estate business in the
United States. Also from
the beginning, a young
engineer who has passed
from the Department of
Computer Science and
Engineering of Bangladesh
University of Engineering
commercialisation of
agriculture, Razzaque said,
"Commercialisation of
agriculture is a target of the
government and that's why
we want the educated
youths particularly who
lives in urban area to come
to farming activities."
Different farm products
would be exported globally
and the youths will make
huge earn from the
agricultural commodities,
he hoped.
With conviction, Synesis IT is stepping
into the world market
Rupayan Chowdhury
Shohorab Ahmed Chowdhury
(BUET) was involved with
them. He later started his
own startup business. A
graduate of the Department
of Computer Science and
Engineering at the Islamic
University of Technology,
Tahmid Anwar later joined
as a director of Synesis IT.
Tahmid Anwar is the CEO
and Managing Director of
Chittagong Online Limited,
one of the leading ISPs in
Bangladesh. Also, Harun
Aur Rashid joined as Vice-
Chairman to further
strengthen Synesis IT. After
completing his studies in
Electrical and Electronic
Engineering from America,
Harun Aur Rashid is one of
the most successful
entrepreneurs in the textile
sector in Bangladesh
recently. Along with
Haroon Aur Rashid,
another successful
entrepreneur Abdur Rashid
later joined as a director of
Synesis IT. Abdur Rashid
graduated from the
Department of Physics,
Dhaka University. Abdur
Rashid is a successful
entrepreneur in the real
estate sector.

Sports Page-9-- 05-02-2021:Sports Page-9-- 05-02-2021.qxd 2/5/2022 10:25 PM Page 1
SUnDAY, FeBrUArY 6, 2022
9
Manchester United suffered a shock FA Cup fourth round exit as Championship club
Middlesbrough won 8-7 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at old trafford on Friday. photo: Ap
Man Utd suffer shock FA Cup shoot-out
exit against Middlesbrough
SportS DeSk
Manchester United suffered a shock FA
Cup fourth round exit as Championship
club Middlesbrough won 8-7 on penalties
after a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Friday,
reports BSS.
Ralf Rangnick's side crashed out after
Anthony Elanga blazed his spot-kick over
the bar in a nerve-jangling shoot-out.
Swedish teenager Elanga was the only
player from either team to miss in the
shoot-out, leaving the forward holding
his head in disbelief as Middlesbrough
celebrated their stunning victory.
Jadon Sancho had put United ahead in
the first half, but Matt Crooks grabbed a
controversial equaliser after the interval
to set the stage for Middlesbrough's
memorable upset.
Crooks' goal was allowed to stand
despite Duncan Watmore controlling the
ball with his hand before providing the
Fresh health
setback for NZ
great Cairns
with cancer
diagnosis
SportS DeSk
New Zealand cricket great
Chris Cairns revealed
Saturday he has suffered a
further health setback and
has been diagnosed with
bowel cancer, reports BSS.
Cairns was only discharged
from hospital last week, five
months after he underwent a
life-saving heart operation
and was then paralysed by a
subsequent stroke.
"Another fight ahead but
here's hoping this one is a
swift upper cut and over in the
first round," the 51-year-old,
one of the world's top allrounders
in the early 2000s,
said on social media.
"I was told yesterday I have
bowel cancer... big shock and
not what I was expecting.
"So, as I prepare for another
round of conversations with
surgeons and specialists, I
keep remembering how lucky
I am to be here in the first
place."
The Canberra-based Cairns
required urgent heart surgery
last September following an
aortic dissection, which is a
tear in the inner layer of the
body's main artery.
During the operation he
suffered a stroke which left
him paralysed in both legs.
Cairns played 62 Tests for
New Zealand between 1989
and 2004, averaging 29.4
with the ball and 33.53 with
the bat.
He hit 87 sixes, a Test world
record at the time, and was
the sixth player to achieve the
all-rounders' double of 200
wickets and 3,000 runs.
However, his on-field
achievements were
overshadowed by matchfixing
allegations, strongly
denied by Cairns, that
resulted in two court cases.
He was cleared on both
occasions but complained his
reputation had been
"scorched" regardless.
assist. Cristiano Ronaldo had missed a
first half spot-kick for United, who have
now lost seven of their last eight penalty
shoot-outs, including last season's
Europa League final against Villarreal.
United had 30 shots in total but
lacked the composure and cutting edge
required to kill off supposedly inferior
opponents.
United are without a major trophy in
five years and their hopes of ending that
drought are dwindling given their
Premier League struggles and a tricky
Champions League last 16 tie against
Atletico Madrid.
The FA Cup embarrassment is the
latest hammer blow for United at the end
of a painful week that saw their England
forward Mason Greenwood arrested over
the alleged rape and assault of a young
woman.
While still in custody, the 20-year-old
was further arrested on Tuesday on
suspicion of sexual assault and threats to
kill.
Greenwood, who was released on bail
on Wednesday, has been suspended from
all football activities at United since the
arrest that sent shockwaves through Old
Trafford.
Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder
masterminded a shock 2-1 win on his last
visit to Old Trafford with Sheffield
United.
Initially, it seemed there was little
chance of a repeat as Sancho hit the bar
after Middlesbrough made a hash of
clearing in the second minute.
Paul Pogba was making his first United
start since November 2 after recovering
from a thigh injury.
And the France midfielder announced
his return by winning a 20th minute
penalty when he ran onto Luke Shaw's
pass and Anfernee Dijksteel hauled him
down.
Ireland's Power seizes Pebble Beach lead
SportS DeSk
Ireland's Seamus Power fired 10 birdies in an
eight-under-par 64 on Thursday to grab the
second-round lead in the US PGA Tour
Pebble Beach Pro-Am, reports BSS.
Power birdied eight holes in an 11-hole
stretch on the iconic par-72 Pebble Beach
Golf Links-one of three courses in use for the
tournament along with par-72 Spyglass Hill
and the par-71 Monterey Peninsula Shore
Course.
At 16-under, he was five shots clear, in
relation to par, of Andrew Putnam, Canada's
Adam Svensson and first-round leader Tom
Hoge.
Putnam posted six birdies in a five-under
67 at Spyglass Hill, Svensson rocketed up the
leaderboard with an eight-under 63 at
Monterey Peninsula and Hoge carded a twounder
par 69 at Monterey Peninsula to share
second on 11-under. Power, ranked 50th in
the world, made the most of ideal conditions
on the Monterey Peninsula.
He two-putted for birdie from 23 feet at the
par-five second, but gave that shot back with
a three-putt bogey at the fifth.
Power responded with a brilliant run
launched by an 11-foot birdie at the sixth.
He rolled in a 20-footer at the seventh,
saved par at the eighth then birdied the next
four holes, a run that included a 22-foot putt
at the 10th and was capped by an eight-foot
birdie at the 12th.
A wedge to four feet led to birdie at the
14th, and he drained a 12-footer at 16. a
wayward tee shot led to bogey at 17, but he
closed with another birdie at 18, where he got
up and down from 96 yards.
"My wedge play was great," said Power,
who was coming off an impressive 64 at
Spyglass in the first round which beat the
field average on the demanding course by
eight shots.
"I had like three or four shots I hit very,
very close and the way I've been putting, they
were not gimmie birdie, but certainly ones
you would expect to make and it just changes
your whole complex of your round, of your
score.
"So that was the most pleasing. To finish
with a close one on 18 and I could pick up
another shot there."
Hoge, who played Pebble Beach on
Thursday, battled his way around Monterey
Peninsula, where he opened with a double
bogey.
"I was a little shaky off the start, drove it a
little crooked and missed some putts in
there," Hoge said. "So I righted the ship
pretty well from nine on in."
Hoge rebounded well from his opening
lapse with birdies at the second and third,
but he bogeyed the seventh and eighth
before a birdie at the ninth to make the turn
one-over for the day.
He was rolling with birdies at the 12th,
13th, 16th and 17th before giving a shot back
at 18.
"I was a little bit flustered with a bogey at
the last, but it was nice to make some birdies
coming in," he said.
Svensson had a terrific day at Monterey
Peninsula, where he hit all 13 fairways and all
18 greens in regulation on the way to nine
birdies with one bogey.
"I was striking it well yesterday and today
and just kind of kept the mojo going," he
said. "Made a couple more putts today."
Ireland's Seamus power fired 10 birdies in an eight-under-par 64 on
thursday to grab the second-round lead in the US pGA tour pebble
Beach pro-Am.
photo: Ap
Final men's
Olympic downhill
training cancelled
SportS DeSk
The third and final training
run for the men's Olympic
downhill-one of the most
prestigious events of the
Games-was cancelled
Saturday because of high
winds, reports BSS.
Just three racers-
Austrian Matthias Mayer,
Italian Christof Innerhofer
and Norway's Aleksander
Aamodt Kilde-came down
the 3.1 kilometre-long
"Rock" course before
organisers called it a day.
"Due to the present
weather situation with high
winds and no window in the
forecast for decreasing
winds, in the best interest of
safety the jury together with
the organisers have decided
to cancel today's (training
run)," a statement read.
According to the official
forecast, the strong gusts of
wind made the minus 19.5
degrees Celsius (18.4
degrees Fahrenheit)
temperature feel like minus
28.3C.
The downhill medal race
is scheduled for 0300GMT
on Saturday, when similar
windy, cold weather
conditions are expected.
Racers completed the first
two training runs on
Thursday and Friday
without problem.
Blues forward
Kyrou upstages
McDavid as NHL's
fastest skater
SportS DeSk
St. Louis Blues speedster
Jordan Kyrou upset threetime
champion Connor
McDavid on Friday to
capture the fastest skater
competition at the 2022
NHL All-Star Game
weekend in Las Vegas,
reports BSS.
The 23-year-old Canadian
finished in a time of 13.55
seconds to edge out runnerup
Adrian Kempe of the Los
Angeles Kings, who crossed
the finish line in 13.58 at the
T-Mobile Arena.
Edmonton Oilers
superstar McDavid was the
last skater to go and flashed
across the line in 13.69.
McDavid won the event in
2017, 2018 and 2019 but
finished fourth on Friday.
Last year's winner Mathew
Barzal of the New York
Islanders did not compete
on Friday.
"It's always fun to do it,"
McDavid said. "It's a tough
thing to go out there cold
and skate as fast as you can
go. But Kyrou did a great
job."
The fastest skater event
was one of seven events that
kicked off the NHL All-Star
weekend on Friday. The All-
Star Game is scheduled for
Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.
The All-Star Game was not
held last season because of
the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kyrou, who was drafted
35th overall by the Blues in
2016, is competing in his
first All-Star Game.
Detroit Red Wings
forward Dylan Larkin, who
set an NHL record in 2016
with a time of 13.17, couldn't
recapture the magic and
finished with a time of 14.11.
New York Rangers
forward Chris Kreider, who
skated first, completed the
course in 13.66. He also
finished third in the event in
2020.
In the hardest shot event,
Tampa Bay Lightning
defenceman Victor Hedman
finished atop the four player
field with a 103.2 mph blast
on his second shot.
The players were given
two shots from 30 feet using
a glow in the dark puck and
Hedman posted the two
hardest shots of the event.
His first shot was clocked at
102.7. Hedman is competing
in his third all-star game.
Langer delivers shock resignation
as Australia cricket coach
SportS DeSk
Australian men's cricket coach Justin Langer
announced his surprise resignation Saturday,
just weeks after trouncing archrivals England
in a lopsided Ashes series and months after
winning the T20 World Cup, reports BSS.
The 51-year-old walked away from the top
management job in Australian sports after
failing to secure the public support of key
players and acrimonious contract talks with
governing body Cricket Australia.
Board members held lengthy discussions
about Langer's future into Friday night, but
failed to reach an agreement on a new deal
with the former Test batsman.
The coach is said to have bristled at being
asked to effectively reapply for his job and
being offered a "short-term extension" to his
contract, despite a stellar record that
culminated in a 4-0 Ashes victory and
Australia being ranked the world's number
one Test team.
Sports management company DSEG
announced Langer's departure in a terse
statement saying "our client Justin Langer has
this morning tendered his resignation as
coach of the Australian mens cricket team".
"The resignation follows a meeting with
Cricket Australia last evening. The resignation
is effective immediately."
Cricket Australia said it had accepted
Langer's resignation, while praising his
"outstanding leadership".
"Justin is not only a legend of the game but
an outstanding individual," it said, adding
Andrew McDonald has been appointed as
interim head coach.
As a player, Langer's searing intensity drove
the 51-year-old walked away from the top management job in Australian
sports after failing to secure the public support of key players and acrimonious
contract talks with governing body Cricket Australia.
photo: Ap
Wily Egypt block Senegal’s path
to first Cup of Nations title
SportS DeSk
Senegal once again stand on the brink of a
first Africa Cup of Nations title but they must
get the better of record seven-time
champions Egypt in Sunday's final in
Yaounde which sees Liverpool stars Sadio
Mane and Mohamed Salah face off for the
trophy, reports BSS.
It has been a difficult tournament for
Cameroon, scarred by the deadly Olembe
Stadium crush of January 24 and troubled
by organisational chaos and poor
attendances, yet it has thrown up a
heavyweight final showdown between two
African giants.
Cameroon hoped to be there themselves,
but the five-time AFCON winners who
dreamed of lifting the trophy on home soil
were beaten on penalties by the Egyptians in
Thursday's semi-final.
As a country, Egypt have the experience of
seven past Cup of Nations victories, although
the most recent was in 2010 when they
claimed their third in a row.
Salah made his international debut the
following year and is now desperate to win
silverware with the Pharaohs having already
been in the team that lost the 2017 final to
Cameroon and then went out prematurely as
hosts in 2019.
Senegal, meanwhile, have the status of
Africa's top-ranked national team but also
the pressure of a nation to finally claim their
first Cup of Nations crown after losing to
Algeria in the deciding game two and a half
years ago.
"We knew it was not going to be at all easy
to get to two straight AFCON finals, but the
most important for us now is to go all the
way and win it," Mane said after scoring one
goal and making another in the 3-1 semifinal
defeat of Burkina Faso.
The Lions of Teranga are hoping it will be
third time lucky in the final after they also
lost the title decider in 2002, going down on
penalties to Cameroon.
Aliou Cisse was the captain of that team
and then the coach in 2019. Nobody knows
better than him what it would mean to
Senegal to get the monkey off their back.
Egyptian fatigue a factor? -
His side must take advantage of the extra
him to greatness with the bat. But it also
appeared to play a role in his downfall, despite
his success reviving the scandal-tainted side's
fortunes.
Langer took the job in 2018, with Australian
cricket at its lowest ebb for decades in the
wake of a cheating affair.
Langer's long-time partner at the crease
Matthew Hayden said he had restored pride in
their beloved baggy green cap.
"He came into one of the most toxic
environments in Australian sport" Hayden
told ABC. "It had been disgraced and
dishonoured."
Langer not only ended the rot but oversaw a
string of wins that took Australia back to the
top of the Test rankings and culminated in
recent victories in the T20 World Cup and the
Ashes.
But somewhere along the way, Langer lost
support in the dressing room, with
disgruntled players complaining
anonymously to local media about his
"headmaster-like" leadership style.
"I am intense, yeah, I am serious, I am-do I
get grumpy sometimes? Yeah, I get grumpy
sometimes," Langer acknowledged early last
year.
"I'm not perfect that's for sure."
Former captain Tim Paine-another postscandal
appointment who was a key ally in
rebuilding the team's tattered reputationinstigated
talks between the coach and players
last August that helped paper over the cracks.
Langer reportedly pledged to stop
micromanaging the team's affairs and relax
his confrontational personal manner.
Grumblings about his behaviour reemerged
shortly after a sexting scandal forced
day's rest afforded them given their semifinal
was played 24 hours earlier than that of
their opponents, and Senegal have also come
through all three knockout ties in 90
minutes.
In stark contrast, Carlos Queiroz's Egypt
required penalties to beat the Ivory Coast in
the last 16 and extra time to overcome
Morocco in the quarter-finals before another
shoot-out against Cameroon-the equivalent
of a whole extra match in often energysapping
conditions.
That explains why Egypt assistant coach
Diaa al-Sayed suggested moving the final
back a day to allow his team more time to
recover.
"Senegal have one extra day to train and
therefore maybe we should play the final on
Monday," he said after the semi-final.
This Cup of Nations has already seen the
Confederation of African Football announce
last-minute venue changes without offering
an official explanation, while the third-place
play-off was belatedly brought forward a day
to Saturday.
Egypt, though, will not get their wish and
must try to avoid the fate of Croatia, who
similarly needed two penalty shoot-out wins
and another in extra time to reach the 2018
World Cup final, where they were well
beaten by France.
"We are the only team that has played
three times 120 minutes but we are very well
prepared physically and we have the
commitment needed to keep going to the
end," insisted Al-Sayed.
Egypt will be without veteran Portuguese
coach Queiroz after he was shown a red card
against Cameroon, while right-back Omar
Kamal is suspended too.
They must also hope Salah can have more
of an impact on the game than he did in the
semi-final when he often appeared isolated
on the right flank.
Without doubt Senegal have the greater
depth, from Chelsea's Edouard Mendy in
goal to skipper Kalidou Koulibaly in central
defence, Paris Saint-Germain's Idrissa Gana
Gueye in midfield and Mane on the wing.
Mane, like Salah, gets the attention but
Senegal will hope their collective strength
can make the difference.

sUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2022
10
Ferdous
resumes
shooting
for
‘Khoma
Nei’ at
Tungipara
TBT REPORT
Ferdous Ahmed is one of the most popular film actors
of the country. He has won the hearts of millions with
his fabulous acting skill. The five-time National Film
Awards-winning actor will now be seen in a new movie
titled 'Khoma Nei'.
The story of the film is based on the assassination of
the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman and the aftermath of the incident Bangladesh
was passing through.
Sheikh Maruf has written the story, screenplay and
dialogues while Z H Mintu is the director of the film.
Ferdous has stand before the camera for the shooting
of the film at Tungipara in Gopalganj on tuesday.
About the movie, Ferdous said, "The film 'Khoma
Nei' depicts the tragic story of Bangabandhu's
assassination and the scenario of Bangladesh after that
incident. The audience will see me as a university
professor in the movie. I will play the role of a guest
artiste in 'KhomaNei'.
"I've completed the shooting of two films '1971-
Anne recreates her ‘The
Devil Wears Prada’ look
'The Devil Wears Prada' fans
couldn't help remembering Anne
Hathaway's iconic character,
Andrea Sachs, from the look the
star sported on her social media.
Taking to her Instagram handle,
Hathaway shared pictures in
which she could be seen wearing a
collared floral mini dress and
sported wispy bangs.
Several fans flooded the post
with likes and comments. "Andy?
Is that you?" a social media user
wrote. "Andrea Sachs looks so
Sheishob Din' and 'Dampara' recently. Based on a
concept by late Dr. Enamul Huq, actor-director Hridi
Huq has written and directed the film '1971- Sheishob
Din'. On the other hand, Anan Zaman has written the
story, dialogue and screenplay of 'Dampara' while
Shuddhoman Chaitan has directed it. I've tried my level
best to portray myself according to the characters,"
Ferdous added.
Ferdous, a film actor of the country, has acted in
many popular movies. He also starred in several films
in West Bengal.
Ferdous was introduced in the film industry by
choreographer Amir Hossain Babu. He debuted in the
film Hothat Brishti (1998), directed by Basu Chatterjee.
The actor won Bangladesh National Film Award for
Best Actor five times for his roles in the films 'Hothat
Brishti' (1998), 'Gangajatra' (2009), 'Kusum Kusum
Prem' (2011), 'Ek Cup Cha' (2014) and 'Putro' (2018).
Ferdous is the newly elected executive member of the
Bangladesh Film Artistes Association. He received the
highest votes (240) among all the candidates in the
17th election of the artistes body held on January 28.
good after all these years," another
added.
Though it's hard now for fans to
imagine any other actress
portraying Andy Sachs, the
magazine newcomer who landed
the job "a million girls would kill
for" as a fashion editor-in-chief
Miranda Priestly's assistant,
according to the People Magazine,
Hathaway has said she needed to
fight to land her part in the 2006
comedy-drama.
She was actually ninth in line for
the role of Andy opposite Meryl
Streep. "I will give you some tea: I
was the ninth choice for 'Devil
Wears Prada'," she revealed
during an appearance on
'RuPaul's Drag Race'.
"But I got it! Hang in there,
never give up," she added.
Hathaway also told Variety how
hard she had to work to get the
role. The actress said she had to
"be patient" and traced the words
"hire me" in the sand of a desk zen
garden of an executive after their
meeting was over to catch their
attention.
Rachel McAdams was the first
choice for the role because of her
success in 'The Notebook' and
'Mean Girls', but she repeatedly
turned it down. Juliette Lewis and
Claire Danes also auditioned for
the part.
But when Hathaway landed the
acting gig, she was over the moon.
She said, "I was putting on a
shirt. I had some buddies over. I
remember running out in my
living room, half-dressed,
screaming-I got 'The Devil Wears
Prada'! I got 'The Devil Wears
Prada'!"
Source: Variety
Roshan, Puja
in new movie
‘Nakphul’
TBT REPORT
Ziaul Roshan and Puja Cherry
Roy are two popular film
actors in this time. The duo
has paired up a number of
movies including, 'Psycho'
and 'Jin'. The pair now will be
seen in a new project titled
'Nakphul'.
Ferrari Farhad has written
the story of the movie while
Alak Hasan is directing it.
Roshan and Puja Cherry
signed deal with production
house Bengal Multemedia for
the movie on Wednesday.
About the film, Roshan said,
TBT REPORT
Dhallywood actress Jannatul Ferdous
Oishee recently wrapped up the
shooting of her long-delayed film
'Adam', by shooting for a remake version
of the legendary song 'Amar Kankher
Kalashi'.
Directed by Abu Tauhid Heron, the
film also stars Yash Rohan along with
Oishee.
The song 'Amar Kankher Kalashi' was
originally sung by Sabina Yasmin and
Andrew Kishore in the Indian Bengali
film 'Pran Sajani' starring Taposh Pal
and Anju Ghosh earned popularity in the
1990s. Afterwards, the same song was
"Earlier, I have worked with
Bengal Multimedia. They
always make movies with
good stories. The story of
Nakphul is also amazing. I
believe, the story of film will
touch the hearts of audience."
Puja Cherry said, "Nakphul
is a special ornament to
women. It is also an emotion
to girl. The story of the movie
is to my liking. Roshan is a
talented artiste. I hope the
audience will like our
chemistry in the film
Nakphul."
Director Alak Hasan said,
After multiple delays due to Covid-19, megastar Amitabh
Bachchan's sports drama "Jhund" will be theatrically
released on March 4.
The film marks the Hindi directorial debut of Nagraj
Popatrao Manjule, best known for Marathi blockbuster
'Sairat' and the critically-acclaimed 2013 drama 'Fandry'.
Produced by T-Series, 'Jhund' features Bachchan as Vijay
Barse, a Nagpur-based retired sports teacher who pioneers
a slum soccer movement. Bachchan took to Twitter
Wednesday and shared a new poster of the film.
"Iss toli se muqaabla karne ke liye raho taiyaar! Humari
team aa rahi hai (Get ready to compete with this group! Our
team is coming) #Jhund releasing on 4th March 2022 in
cinemas near you," the 79-year-old wrote.
"Jhund" was first announced to open in cinemas in 2020
and then later in June 2021, but was pushed both the times
due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The film is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar,
Raaj Hiremath, Savita Raj Hiremath, Manjule, Gargee
Kulkarni and Meenu Aroraa under the banners of T-Series,
Tandav Films Entertainment and Aatpat.
"We are coming up with a
different type of story. The
shooting of the film will take
place at various beautiful
locations in Sylhet. I have got
my favourite artistes in the
film. I hope it will be a good
also recorded in the voice of Runa Laila
and Khalek and used in Dhallywood film
'Premer Smrity' starring Champa,
Manna and Ali Raj.
CloseUp1 stars Rajib and Liza have
recorded a new version of the legendary
song 'Amar Kankher Kalashi' for the
upcoming film 'Adam'. Its music was
rearranged by Mushfiq Litu.
Director of the film 'Adam', Heron said
that the film has been wrapped up with
the shooting of the song.
"We have tried to bring an impression
of old movies. Oishee and Rohan have
tried their best performance," he said.
Director Heron is all set to start the
dubbing and editing works of 'Adam'
movie. I thank Bengal
Multimedia for this film."
Besides Roshan and Puja,
Lutfor Rahman George, Ali
Raj, L R Shimanto and others
will be seen acting in the
movie.
Oishee wraps
up shooting for
‘Amar Kankher
Kalashi’
very soon. The film is expected to release
by this year. The story of 'Adam' is based
on the difficulties in life in rural southern
Bangladesh in the 1980s. The film was
announced in a programme at
Bangladesh Film Development
Corporation on July 12 in 2019.
With the script and dialogues written
by Masud Parvez, the film also features
Raisul Islam Asad, Shahiduzzaman
Selim, Monira Mithu and Allen Shuvro,
among others.
Miss World Bangladesh 2018 title
holder Jannatul Ferdous Oishee made
her debut in Dhallywood with the
release of cop action thriller 'Mission
Extreme' in December last year.
Oishee was last seen in actor Mir
Sabbir's directorial debut 'Raat Jaga
Phool' released on the last day of 2021.
Amitabh’s ‘Jhund’ to hit
theatres on March 4
H O R O s c O P E
ARIEs
(March 21 - April 20) : Today you might learn
something about a friend that could be rather
disconcerting, Aries. There could be a dark
side to this person that you weren't previously aware of, and
this could cause you to want to withdraw for a while and
reevaluate your involvement with this individual. When
considering it, remember that we all have our dark sides.
Could what you've discovered simply be this factor, or does
this go too far beyond it for you? Think about it!
TAURUs
(April 21 - May 21) : Outside responsibilities
might temporarily interfere with your love
life, Taurus. You may feel a strong desire to
get together with a love partner early in the
evening, but circumstances may necessitate your working
odd hours. This can be frustrating, as you've been looking
forward to this for a long time, but you could meet your
friend later in the evening. Don't be afraid to ask. Most
people understand when situations like this crop up.
GEMINI
(May 22 - June 21) : Today you're likely to find
your routine too boring for words, Gemini,
and may have a sudden powerful urge to cut
loose and play some serious hooky. Still, you
may feel the pull of obligation. This conflicted feeling should
pass. If it persists beyond today, however, you might need to
reevaluate certain areas of your life. There are lots of
opportunities out there, and life is too short to be stuck in a
situation that doesn't allow you to grow.
cANcER
(June 22 - July 23) : You could be feeling
especially sensual and passionate today,
Cancer, and you'll want to get together
with a love interest. However, other responsibilities
could get in your way. This could provide you with the
perfect excuse to sink into gloom, but don't fall into this
trap. Get whatever business you're facing handled and
out of the way. Or perhaps you can arrange to finish it
tomorrow. Then set up that hot date!
LEO
(July 24 - Aug. 23): You may feel a bit of
disappointment today, Leo. You might
tend to view whatever snags you've hit on
the path to accomplishing your goals as
personal failures, and if you let it, this idea could persist
with you throughout the day. Try to remain objective,
and don't lose sight of the big picture. You haven't even
lost a battle - at worst, it's a minor conflict! Chances are
that if you continue working hard you'll still win the war!
VIRGO
(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): A rather disheartening
phone call could come to you today, Virgo.
This might bring news of a setback in one
of your projects that is only temporary but
nonetheless frustrating. You'll probably have to deal with
some trivial little details you'd rather not bother with,
and this could take up too much valuable time. Hang in
there - you're still doing well! Don't let your frustrations
get the best of you.
LIBRA
(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): After the rush of
energy over the past few days, Libra,
today you may feel a powerful letdown.
Not every day can be filled with
adventure and excitement. For now, you just need to
take care of the routine matters that are a byproduct
of life on Earth. However, keep in mind that there are
many weekends coming up, and with the right kind
of planning you can get excitement back into your life.
scORPIO
(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) : A goal that you've been
trying to reach may be temporarily
stalled, Scorpio, and you could be
tempted to slip into despair, wondering
if it will ever really happen. Remember that the
keyword for today is "temporary." Whatever obstacles
are in your way will eventually be overcome and your
goal should be to continue to advance in the direction
you want. In the meantime, take care of your chores.
sAGITTARIUs
(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): Today you might realize
that you need to make a certain purchase,
Sagittarius. Perhaps your home or car
requires some important repairs, or maybe
some new equipment is necessary for your work. This could
prove rather disheartening, as it might involve spending
money that you'd rather use for something more exciting.
Think of the trouble this expenditure should save you,
however, and you'll see the value of it all.
cAPRIcORN
(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): The weight of too many
responsibilities, perhaps involving family, a
job, or group affiliation, could be very much
on your mind today, Capricorn. You may feel like Atlas,
carrying the world on your shoulders! You're tired. Perhaps
you need to reevaluate your commitments - your innate
kindness may have caused you to make too many. Fulfill the
ones you have, but think twice before making any new ones.
You're important too, after all.
AQUARIUs
(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) : You may have your
ups and downs today, Aquarius. You
could get at least one phone call of the
"good news, bad news" variety, and this
could have your moods swinging back and forth like a
pendulum. Try to stay centered. Take the good news
as encouragement, and as for the bad news, try to
consider it objectively and figure out ways to turn it to
your advantage. There's always a way. Hang in there!
PIscEs
(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : Normally you tend to be a very
spiritually oriented person, Pisces, but today you
might find metaphysical concepts of all kinds
rather baffling. Whether these are ideas you've
embraced for a long time or new ones you've just discovered, you
may find nagging little doubts creeping in, temporarily causing
your faith to waver. This is a healthy development, however. A
little doubt now and then can weed out concepts that don't work
for you and reaffirm your belief in others.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2022
11
Railway Minister directs
to suspend two officials
for mismanagement
Mazharul Islam Rana,
Chattogram City West
Correspondent
Railway Minister Md Nurul
Islam Sujan has ordered the
temporary suspension of
two officials after noticing
mismanagement at
Chattogram Railway
Station.
The two officials are
Chattogram Divisional
Railway Manager (DRM) M
Shams Mohammad Tushar
and Station Manager Ratan
Kumar Chowdhury.
The Railway Minister
went to inspect a project-a
proposed multi-storied
building of the Railway
(Employee) Welfare Trustat
the old railway station in
the city at around 12:30pm
on Saturday.
The minister was
dissatisfied seeing scattered
cars, trash, and stores in
front of the station.
Later, the minister held a
meeting with the railway
officials at the conference
room of the Central Railway
Building (CRB). In the
meeting, the minister said,
"I do not want to see the two
officials in the office
anymore."
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.
Railway Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan inspected a project, a proposed multi-storied building of the Railway
(Employee) Welfare Trust, at the old railway station in Chattogram city on Saturday. Photo: Mazharul Islam Rana
Cyclone Batsirai approaches
Madagascar, poses 'very
serious threat'
VATOMANDRY : Madagascar braced up
for Cyclone Batsirai set to hit the eastern
parts of the Indian Ocean island on
Saturday, with powerful winds and
torrential rains posing a "very serious
threat" to millions.
Residents hunkered down before the
storm makes landfall in an impoverished
country still recovering from the deadly
Tropical Storm Ana in late January.
The Meteo-France weather service
warned of winds of up to 260 kilometres
per hour (162 miles per hour) and waves as
high as 15 metres (50 feet).
It said Batsirai would likely make landfall
Saturday afternoon as an intense tropical
cyclone, "presenting a very serious threat to
the area" after passing Mauritius and
drenching the French island of La Reunion
for two days with torrential rain.
Residents in the eastern coastal town of
Vatomandry were stockpiling supplies in
preparation for the storm.
"We have been stocking up for a week,
rice but also grains because with the
electricity cuts we can not keep meat or
fish," said Odette Nirina, 65, a hotelier in
the seafront town of Vatomandry.
"I have also stocked up on coal. Here we
are used to cyclones," she told AFP.
Gusts of winds of more than 50km/h
were pummelling Vatomandry town
Saturday morning accompanied by
intermittent rain.
Residents have reinforced corrugated
iron roofs with sandbags.
The United Nations said it was ramping
up its preparedness with aid agencies,
placing rescue aircraft on standby and
stockpiling humanitarian supplies.
The impact of Batsirai on Madagascar is
expected to be "considerable", Jens Laerke,
spokesman for the UN's humanitarian
organisation OCHA, told reporters in
Geneva Friday.
At least 131,000 people were affected by
Ana across Madagascar in late January. At
least 58 people were killed, mostly in the
capital Antananarivo. The storm also hit
Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe,
causing dozens of deaths.
The UN's World Food Programme (WFP)
pointed to estimates from national
authorities that some 595,000 people could
risk being directly affected by Batsirai, and
150,000 more might be displaced due to
new landslides and flooding.
"We are very nervous," Pasqualina Di
Sirio, who heads the WFP's programme in
Madagascar, told reporters by video-link
from the Indian Ocean island.
Search and rescue teams on the island
have been placed on alert and residents
reinforced their homes.
Inland in Ampasipotsy Gare, sitting on
top of his house, Tsarafidy Ben Ali, a 23-
year-old coal seller, held down corrugated
iron sheets on the roof with large weeks of
talks in various diplomatic formats have
led to no major concessions by Russia and
the U.S., it's unclear how much impact the
trips will have. But Ukraine's Foreign
Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Friday that
"top-level visits seriously reduce
challenges in the sphere of security and
upset the Kremlin's bags filled with soil.
"The gusts of wind are denied that an
invasion is planned and has demanded
guarantees from the West that Ukraine
will never join the bloc, deployment of
NATO weapons near Russian borders
will be halted and the alliance's forces
going to be very strong. That's why we're
reinforcing the roofs," he told AFP.
The storm poses a risk to at least 4.4
million people in one way or another, the
International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies said.
Palestinian PM urges
African Union to
withdraw Israel's
observer status
ADDIS ABABA : Palestinian
prime minister Mohammed
Shtayyeh on Saturday urged
the African Union to
withdraw Israel's observer
status as heads of state from
the 55-member body met for
a two-day summit.
"Israel should never be
rewarded for its violation
and for the apartheid regime
it does impose on the
Palestinian people," he said.
The relationship with
Israel is a rare point of
contention for a body that
values consensus and is
expected to dominate the
Addis Ababa summit this
weekend.
The dispute erupted last
July when Moussa Faki
Mahamat, chair of the
African Union Commission,
accepted
Israel's
accreditation to the bloc.
Powerful AU member
states, notably South Africa,
protested the decision,
saying they had not been
properly consulted and that
the move contradicted
numerous AU statementsincluding
from Faki himselfsupporting
the Palestinian
Territories.
Earlier Saturday Faki said
the AU's commitment to the
Palestinian push for
independence was
"unchanging and can only
continue to go stronger".
He defended his decision
however, saying it could be
"an instrument in the service
of peace" and called for "a
serene debate" on the issue.
Record heat, forest fires in
Colombia's Amazon in January
BOGOTA : January of this year was the
hottest month in the Colombian Amazon in
a decade, leading to an increase in forest fires
in the southeastern region and very likely
impacting air quality in the capital Bogota,
according to an Environment Ministry
report seen by AFP Friday.
It said the month of January recorded the
"highest hot spot values in the last 10 years"
in the Colombian Amazon.
The phenomenon occurs, the ministry
said, when the country goes through a
season of low rainfall, and is due to human
activity, of which "the most important is
associated with deforestation fronts."
At least 80 percent of the "hot spots" were
forest fires, a ministry spokesman told AFP.
At the end of January, the ministry identified
more than 3,300 "hot spots" in the six
departments that make up the Colombian
Amazon, including 1,300 in the Guaviare
region alone.
According to testimony collected by AFP in
October in the region, peasants and
landowners take advantage of the dry
season, from January to April, to burn or cut
down trees and plant coca plants in their
place, or to let cattle graze there.
The Serrania del Chiribiquete National
Park, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site, is particularly threatened, as is the
Nukak National Nature Reserve, a vast
territory of jungle inhabited by the last
nomadic indigenous people of Colombia.
The Foundation for Conservation and
Sustainable Development (FCDS), which
keeps its own count and regularly flies over
the areas concerned, recorded at least 938
forest fires, the highest monthly January
figure since 2012.
"Thousands of hectares of Amazon jungle,
cut in recent months, are on fire today. These
massive fires are now being felt as far away
as Bogota," FCDS director Rodrigo Botero
warned on Twitter.
"There are public health decisions to be
made quickly. What are the air indicators
saying in Bogota?" Bogota mayor Claudia
Lopez decried "the inability" of the
government "to control the territory and
guarantee security."
She described the fires as "arson attacks ...
which, due to the direction of the wind, end
up arriving and deteriorating the quality of
the air" in the capital, almost 500 km away.
In Medellin, the country's second most
populous city, officials have warned of a
deterioration in air quality to a level "harmful
to the health" of children and the elderly.
According to data from the Colombian
government, deforestation has exploded in
recent years in the country's Amazonian
regions, notably as a result of the historic
peace deal signed in 2016 with the Marxist
guerrillas of the FARC, which then
abandoned large swaths of territory which
they previously controlled.
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.
A 10-day training on wildlife habitat and forest management was inaugurated
in Lohagara Upazila under the Bangladesh Wildlife Conservation
and Habitat Development Project on Saturday. Chattogram Divisional
Forest Officer Rafiqul Islam Chowdhury inaugurated the training program
as the chief guest.
Photo: Kaisar Hamid Tushar
26
Plough, yoke and ladder are on the way of extinction. Last Wednesday, a farmer was seen cultivating
land with these materials in the field of Raktadaha Beel of Adamdighi in Bogura. Photo : TBT
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.
GD-211/22 (7x4)

Sunday, Dhaka: February 6, 2022; Magh 23, 1428 BS; Rajab 4, 1443 Hijri
Country would go ahead more, if anti-state
propagandas were not carried out: Hasan
DHAKA : Information and Broadcasting
Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud yesterday
said the country would go more ahead, if
anti-state propagandas were not carried
out abroad.
"It is regrettable, but true that a former
two-time prime minister wrote an article
by her name in the Washington
Times newspaper where she urged the
United States to stop GSP facilities to
Bangladesh.
Not only that, a big political party's,
which was two times in power, secretary
general wrote letters in their own official
pad to the US for revolution of giving
assistance to Bangladesh and to use it as
a weapon," he said.
The minister stated these while
addressing the inaugural function of
Bangabandhu Corner, Directors Lounge
and a music video on COVID-19 awareness
of FBCCI (The Federation of
Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce &
Industries) at its Icon Bhaban in the capital
with its president Md Jashim Uddin in
the chair.
Hasan said there will be criticism about
the government's works. But anti-state
propaganda and propaganda for creating
obstacles for the country's business, trade
and export are not acceptable, he said,
adding that it amounts to treason.
Replying to a query over the search
committee, the minister said the committee
has been formed as per the law
and everyone will admit that they all are
eminent persons and played pivotal
roles as neutral persons. "I think that the
search committee is a nice one. A fantastic
general election will be held by the
Election Commission which will be
formed by the search committee," said
Hasan, also Awami League general
committee.
In the function, the minister urged the
FBCCI members to play a role in protecting
the environment.
Later, Hasan inaugurated the
Bangabandhu Corner and Director
Lounge on the second floor of the FBCCI
Icon building and the music video.
Nipun elected as
BFAA general
secretary
Zayed Khan disqualified
TBT RepoRT
Popular actress Nipun, who contested
for the post of general secretary at the
recently concluded Bangladesh Film
Artistes' Association election, has
declared the winner by the appellate
division on Saturday evening.
Appellate division chairman and
director Sohanur Rahman Sohan also
said that the candidacy of Zayed Khan,
who won the general secretary post in
the January 28 elections, has been
scrapped.
The decision came after an appellate
division meeting at the Bangladesh Film
Development Corporations premises.
'There were allegations against Zayed
khan that he breached the electoral code
of conduct. Two voters submitted written
complaints against him alleging that
he had been handing out cash to buy
votes. This disqualified him as a candidate,'
said Sohanur Rahman Sohan.
'Besides, executive committee member
Chunnu was disqualified on the
same grounds. Nadir Khan was elected
in his place,' Shanur Rahman added.
Earlier, actress Nasrin Akter Nipun
alleged on January 30 that Bangladesh
Film Development Corporation managing
director Nuzhat Yeasmin, chief election
commissioner of the recently held
BFAA polls Pirzada Shahidul Harun
and Zayed Khan formed a nexus against
Kanchan-Nipun panel in the BFAA polls
2022. She also alleged that during the
election Zayed Khan bribed the voters.
Law enforcement agencies
are not involved in forced
disappearance : Kamal
DHAKA : Home Minister Asaduzzaman
Khan Kamal yesterday said that the law
enforcement agencies of the country are
not involved in the forced disappearance.
"We always say that members of our
law enforcement agencies are not
involved in any forced disappearance.
No one goes missing in Bangladesh,
some people go into hiding for various
reasons and come back later," he said.
The minister made the statement
while replying to a question from journalists
after visiting the law and order
situation marking the Saraswati Puja at
Rajdhani High School in city's Manik
Miah Avenue.
Police officials and members of the
Puja organizing committee were present
on the occasion. Wherever people go
missing, they are found after few days as
they go into hiding for various reasons,
Kamal said, adding but those incidents
are termed as 'forced disappearance'.
Speaking about the law and order situation
in the hill areas, the minister said
apart from some problems in the hills, situation
is much better than previous time.
"Police forces will be deployed in the
hill districts where the army has set up
many camps to maintain law and
order," he added.
Asked about foreign 'lobbyist appointment'
issue, Kamal said "We are working
to find who and how sent money
abroad in the name of appointing lobbyists.
We think those involved in sending
the money are part of the conspiracy.
They will be brought to justice soon".
Rezaul for implementing dev
projects keeping environment safe
SYLHET : Fisheries and Livestock
Minister SM Rezaul Karim yesterday
directed all project stakeholders to implement
the development projects of the
Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock by
keeping the natural environment intact.
"All project stakeholders should implement
the development projects of the
Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock by keeping
the natural environment intact," he said.
The minister came up with the direction
after laying the foundation stone of the
Institute of Livestock Science and
Technology (ILST), Sylhet, which is being
implemented by the Department of
Livestock Services of the Ministry of
Fisheries and Livestock at Tilagarh in Sylhet.
Additional Secretary to the Ministry of
Fisheries and Livestock SM Ferdous
Alam, Joint Secretary and Private
Secretary to the Minister Dr Abu Naim
Muhammad Abdus Sabur, Director
General of the Departmemt of Livestock
Services Dr Monjur Mohammad
Shahjada, Sylhet Deputy Commissioner
Mujibur Rahman, Sylhet Divisional
Livestock Department Director Amalendu
Ghosh ,ILST installation project director
Md Jahangir Alam and Project Directors
of the Department of Livestock Md
Shariful Haque and Dr Jasim Uddin were
present, among others, on the occasion.
While talking to the journalists, he
added that the government led by Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken
groundbreaking steps in the development
of fisheries and livestock sector in
Bangladesh.
The production of fish, meat, milk and
eggs has increased in the country, he
said, adding that in consultation with
the local MPs and administration
authorities, the government is taking
pragmatic plans there.
Traffic on one side of the road has been closed for a long time due to development work. The drivers have suffered
in this. The photo was taken on Saturday from Shewrapara area of Mirpur in the capital. photo : Star Mail
Burglars take away gold,
diamond ornaments
and cash from jewelry
shops in city
DHAKA : Burglars have taken away
gold, diamond ornaments and cash
worth Tk 2.34 crore after breaking
into two jewelry shopsin the city,
police said Saturday, reports UNB.
The burglary occurred at
Rojonigondha Tower market of
Kachukhet in the city on Friday
night.
Abul Kalam Bhuiya, owners of
Shop-3 and Shop-10 on the ground
floor of the market told UNB that
employees closed the two shops at
around 10:00 pm last night.
He got a phone call from the manager
of a diagonostic centre of the
market at around 8:30 am on
Saturday. Instantly he came to the
market as the manager informed
him that the lock of the shop-3 was
opened, he said.
Being informed, policemen from
local Vasantek police station rushed
to the spot.
They found the jewelry ornaments
and cash money of the two shops
when shutters of the two shops
were opened in present of police,
the owners of the shops said.
Valuables worth around Tk
2.35 crore, including 300
bharies gold ornaments, diamond
ornaments worth Tk 30
lakh and Cash Tk 5 lakh were
found stolen, he added.
Contacted, Officer-in-charge (OC)
of Vasantek Police station Delewar
Hossain told UNB that a case was
registered with the police station in
connection with the incident.
CCtv footage of the market has already
collected and some employees,
including security guards, of
the tower are being interrogated as
part of the investigation, the OC
said.
UK to stand next to BD as trusted
friend, partner : Lord Ahmad
DHAKA : British Minister Lord Ahmad
has said the United Kingdom will continue
to remain a "trusted friend and partner"
of Bangladesh in the next 50 years as
it stood by Bangladesh for the past 50
years through good times and bad times,
reports UNB.
"As we look ahead, Bangladesh and the
UK will continue to work together on
shared priorities, including trade, climate,
defence and Commonwealth," said
Ahmad, Minister for South and Central
Asia at the Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office (FCDO).
He made the remarks while addressing
a virtual commemorative event on Friday
night to celebrate Bangladesh-UK 50
years of diplomatic relations.
Highlighting the historic background
of Bangladesh-UK relations and its
geopolitical and diplomatic significance,
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md
Shahriar Alam said Bangabandhu's official
meeting at the 10 Downing Street on
8 January followed by the UK's recognition
on 4 February in 1972 was a major
geopolitical development during the
height of the cold war, which encouraged
other Western nations to recognise
Bangladesh.
Reflecting on the sustained friendship
between Bangladesh and the UK, he said
the UK has steadfastly stood by
Bangladesh starting from the War of
Liberation in 1971 to Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina's relentless efforts to
leapfrog Bangladesh into Asia's fastestgrowing
economy till date.
High Commissioner for Bangladesh to
the UK and Ireland Saida Muna
Tasneem presided the hybrid event, participated
by Chair of the All-Party
Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh and
UK's Trade Envoy for Bangladesh
Rushanara Ali, MP, President of the
Confederation of British Industry Lord
Karan Bilimoria, Patron of Conservative
Friend of India and Vice-Chair of All-
Party Parliamentary Group on Indopacific
Lord Rami Ranger, former British
High Commissioner to Bangladesh
Robert W Gibson, Development Director
of the UK FCDO Judith Herbertson,
Director for Global Network of the
British Council Charlie Walker, Senior
Fellow for South Asia of the International
Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)
Rahul Roy Chaudhury, organiser of
Bangladesh Liberation War Overseas
Freedom Movement in the UK Sultan
Mahmud Sharif and eminent person
from British-Bangladeshi Community
Syed Sajidur Rahman Faruk.
High Commissioner Tasneem said the
UK assumes a special place and appreciation
in the foreign policy and future climate
and sustainable development aspirations
of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Referring to the bilateral meeting
between Sheikh Hasina and Boris Johnson
in November last year, she said the High
Commission will continue to work closely
with the UK government to realise the
shared visions and priorities set by the two
leaders to advance bilateral cooperation in
trade and investment, climate change,
defence and security and diaspora engagement
in the coming decades.
The High Commissioner mentioned
Bangladesh's geostrategic importance in
the Bay of Bengal and in the Indian
Ocean complemented by its growing economic
prosperity over the past decade
makes it a deserving candidate to
become Britain's trusted friend and ally
in realising the region's sustainable
peace, security and prosperity.
Rushanara Ali recalled, "My father and
his generation risked their lives and sacrificed
to mobilise the support of the
British government to recognise
Bangladesh, and families who are victims
of 1971 war atrocities continue to suffer
within our community till date."
Attackers on female NGO workers in
Teknaf must be punished: CCNF
Yogurt fair has started in Mujib road area of Sirajganj city from Saturday morning. Yogurt traders from different parts
of the district come to this fair. There are different types of yoghurt fair including Khirkhasha, Khirsha. photo: pBA
DHAKA : The Cox's Bazar CSO NGO
Forum (CCNF), a network of 60 local
and national NGOs operating in Cox's
Bazar, on Saturday strongly condemned
and protested the recent
assault on six workers, including two
women of an NGO in Teknaf, reports
UNB.
The organization also demanded
exemplary punishment for those
involved in the incident and said that if
proper action is not taken within the
next seven days, no CCNF member in
Teknaf's Hnila Union will implement
any activities.
The demand came from a virtual
press conference organized by the
CCNF. It was moderated by Abu
Murshed Chowdhury, Co-Chair of the
CCNF and Executive Director of
PHALS. The CCNF also urged all other
local, national, and international nongovernmental
organizations to support
the demand. YPSA Executive Director
Md. Arifur Rahman, two female victims,
Joint Director of COAST Ferdous
Ara Rumee and Tahrima Afroz Tumpa,
Project Manager of the same organization
also spoke at the occasion.
The COAST Foundation's Executive
Director, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury,
gave the closing remarks.
Explaining the incident, CCNF
Member Secretary Jahangir Alam said
that miscreants allegedly led by a union
council member in Hnila Jele para of
Teknaf conducted the attacks on On
February 2. COAST has been implementing
various programs for the disadvantaged
people of this area for a long
time. The terrorists, led by Rezaul
Karim, a member of Ward 5 of Hnila
Union, attacked the NGO workers while
they were holding a courtyard meeting
with the beneficiaries of a project to
gather their views, he said.
During the meeting, the NGO workers
were verbally abused and asked to
leave the area. NGO workers tried to
persuade their work, but the Union
Councill member ignored the requests
and attacked the NGO workers.
At one point, the attackers randomly
punched and kicked everyone. At their
screams, the people around them came
and rescued them and took them to a
house and sheltered them. The injured
NGO workers filed a case at Teknaf
police station.
Ferdous Ara Rumee said the incident
poses a serious threat to hundreds of
women workers in Cox's Bazar.
Tahrima Afroz Tumpa said, this kind
of attack on women is unimaginably
disgusting. "I want justice for it,": she
added.