31-10-2022

MonDAY, oCToBER 31, 2022
3
Charles Whiteley, Ambassador, and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh inaugurating
Erasmus+ Capacity Building Higher Education Harmony Project Lab. Dr. Md. Sabur Khan,
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Daffodil International University, Prof. Dr. S M Mahabub Ul haque
Mazumder, Pro Vice Chancellor, were present at the program.
Photo : Courtesy
Ted Kennedy
Jr, family
members call
on PM
DHAKA : Late US Senator
Edward M Kennedy's son Ted
Kennedy Jr and his three
family members paid a
courtesy call on Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina at her
official Ganabhaban residence
on Sunday morning, a press
release said.
During the meeting, the
prime minister expressed her
gratitude for the outstanding
contribution of late US
Senator Edward M Kennedy
to supporting the then East
Pakistan (now Bangladesh)
during the Liberation War,
although the then Nixon
administration favoured
Pakistan.
PM's Press Secretary
Ihsanul Karim briefed the
newsmen after the meeting.
The prime minister recalled
the visit of Kennedy Sr to
Bangladesh in February, 1972,
Karim said.
She also called Kennedy Sr
"a true friend of Bangladesh".
During the meeting,
Kennedy Jr. was
accompanied by
Dr. Katherine Kennedy
(wife), Dr Kiley Kennedy
(daughter) and Teddy
Kennedy (son).
Ted Kennedy Jr, a former
member of Connecticut State
Senate, is now on seven-day
visit to Bangladesh from
October 29-November 5 to
join the yearlong celebration
of the 50th anniversary of US-
Bangladesh relations.
Global recognition proves Bangladeshi architecture
can become an example for countries
MUSCAT : Bangladesh can be an example
for other countries if people from all
disciplines, not just the architects, can put
in their best efforts for the country, says a
young architect.
"We got the recognition relatively in a
very early stage. It proves that those in the
architecture discipline are demonstrating
world class examples," architect Saad Ben
Mostafa told UNB.
Mostafa is one of the three young
architects whose project titled "Community
Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response,
Cox's Bazar" won the prestigious 2022 Aga
Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA).
Six winners, who will share the USD 1
million award, one of the biggest in
architecture, show promise for
communities, innovation and care for the
environment.
Mostafa along with his two teammates -
architects Khwaja Fatmi and Rizvi Hassan
- will receive the award with other winners
on Monday.
The graduate from the Bangladesh
University of Engineering and Technology
(BUET) laid emphasis on focusing on work
while understanding people's needs and
roots, not just replicating foreign designs.
"I would say, we are going to receive the
award on behalf of all. I see it as a big
recognition for Bangladesh," architect
Fatmi told UNB.
Architect Hassan said they wanted to see
whether they can work based on local
elements - taking materials and creating a
beautiful, sustainable and an advanced
Another witness testifies in actor
Sohel Chowdhury murder case
DHAKA : One more witness testified and was cross-examined
by the defence in the case lodged over murder of actor Sohel
Chowdhury.
Diayan Khan, former employee of prime accused Afakul Islam
alias Banti Islam, on Sunday testified as the third prosecution
witnesses at Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2. After his crossexamination,
Judge Zakir Hossain of the tribunal adjourned the
hearing till November 13.
Sohel Chowdhury was shot and killed on December 18, 1998,
in capital's Banani area and his brother Touhidul Islam filed the
case with Gulshan Police Station the next day. Police on July 30,
1999, filed charge-sheet against nine and Dhaka 3rd Additional
Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court on October 30, 2001, had
framed charges in the case.
The case was later transferred to Dhaka Speedy Trial
Tribunal-2 for further proceedings.
Following a petition of an accused in the case, the High Court
stayed the proceedings of the trial and it remained that way for
long 19 years. On February 27, 2022, the stay on the case
proceedings was withdrawn.
The accused in the case are- Adnana Siddiqui, Afakul Islam
alias Banti Islam, Aziz Mohammad Bhai alias Abdul Aziz, Tarek
Sayeed Mamun, Selim Khan, Harun Ur Rashid alias Leather
Liton alias Boss Liton, Faruk Abbasi, Sanjidul Islam Emon and
Ashish Roy Chowdhury alias Bottle Chowdhury.
design. In future, he said, they want to
work in rural areas. "We want to engage
people from the villages in our work. We
want to see them join hands with us. We
will work together."
The three architects said the latest
achievement is part of a long journey and
they want to work keeping people and the
country's needs in focus.
Recalling the challenges of working in a
crowded Rohingya camp, Mostafa said it
was difficult but they tried to create
something extraordinary.
"Through our work, we explored how
such a structure's longevity can be extended
with sustainability," said architect Hassan.
Architect Fatmi said this was the best
time for them to focus on the skills,
creativity and wisdom of the local
community to reflect on the spaces and the
design. "We wanted to give voices to their
skills and expertise."
Architect Mostafa said they decided to
involve all the craftsmen and people in the
community as they tried to create a
dignified space, a space that represents
their identity with the touch of their hands.
Architect Hassan said they tried to
develop and propose a new solution in this
tropical monsoon climate.
Rather than separate projects, the six
sustainably built structures in the world's
largest refugee camps - housing Rohingyas
fleeing genocide in Myanmar - are a
collection of practice exercises. Each
created scope for the next according to
need.
Bharatiya Janata Party 's
former general secretary
calls on Obaidul Quader
DHAKA : Former National
General Secretary of
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) Ram Madhav
yesterday paid a courtesy
call on Awami League
General Secretary and Road
Transport and Bridges
Minister Obaidul Quader at
his secretariat office.
During the meeting, Ram
Madhav, who served as
BJP's National General
Secretary during 2014-20,
said Bangladesh Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina and
Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi have been
working for the welfare the
two countries.
He invited Qbaidul
Quader to visit India at a
convenient time.
Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque addressing the review meeting
of Annual Development Programme (ADP) at the conference room of
the ministry.
Photo : PID
Much of the design was created
collaboratively in the field. A womenfriendly
space, very low to withstand
cyclones, features a complex roof truss built
by Rohingya bamboo craftsmen without
drawings or models.
A safe space offering practical support to
women and girls employed local materials
and an exterior scheme that avoids
disturbance caused to visiting elephants by
the blues and pinks of standard camp
structures.
A facility for women to create and
showcase their handmade products is built
of bamboo and thatch.
One community support centre uses
colourful mattresses as roof insulation;
another mixes natural materials with
industrial ones; another is built around
existing betel nut trees, resisting the
tendency to deforestation.
Another project from Bangladesh titled
"Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah" is also
among the six winners.
Through consistent community
participation and appropriation, extensive
involvement of women and marginalised
groups, and a local workforce, the
seemingly simple undertaking of cleaning
up the access to the Nabaganga river in
Jhenaidah led to a thoughtful and minimal
landscaping project with local materials
and construction techniques, thus
transforming a derelict informal dump site
into an attractive and accessible
multifunctional space that is valued by
Jhenaidah's diverse communities.
EU Ambassador inaugurates Erasmus+
CBEH Harmony Project Lab at DIU
Erasmus+ Capacity Building Higher
Education (CBEH) Harmony Project Lab
was inaugurated on Sunday at Daffodil
International University for the first time
in Bangladesh. H. E. Charles Whiteley,
Ambassador, and Head of Delegation of
the European Union to Bangladesh
inaugurated the Lab as Chief Guest while
Dr. Md. Sabur Khan, Chairman, Board of
Trustees, Daffodil International
University was present as the Guest of
Honour. Prof. Dr. S M Mahabub Ul
haque Mazumder, Pro Vice Chancellor,
Presided over the program. The
inaugural ceremony was also addressed
by Dr. Rafael de Miguel González,
Harmony Project Grant Coordinator and
Associate Dean for International
Relations, Faculty of Education,
University of Zaragoza, Spain,
Dr. Md. Fokhray Hossain, Director,
International Affairs, and Syed
Raihanul Islam, Assistant Director,
International Affairs, Daffodil
International University. Dr.Md
Ashiqur Rahman, President Erasmus
Mundus Association virtually joined
the program.
Addressing as the chief guest Charles
Whiteley said, I have visited many of the
universities, but DIU is really great.
They look for this kind of Eramus
opportunity and never lose to grab
them. Also it has amazing campus and
eco system that I already got
experience.
Dr. Md. Sabur Khan Said, We are very
focusing to our students and faculty.
We are also concern about our
administrative employee. We want
them to have the experience from
various country and universities.We
have developed eco system. These are
for students. They will visit, learn from
other cultures and countries so be
expert on what they learn.
Daffodil International University
(DIU) is a partner of a successful
HARMONY project of Erasmus+
Capacity Building in Higher Education
harmony project under the KA2
funding from European Commission
since 2021.European Union and
Erasmus are supporting us and globally
to ensure quality education,
international mobility experiences,
share prospects and more. Through this
Erasmus CBHE Harmony lab, DIU will
be having more harmonious journey to
achieve mutual goals for a better world.
DU VC Prof. Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman inaugurated the daylong program of 27th anniversary of Dhaka
University Tourist Society (DUTS).
Photo : Courtesy
DMP arrests 64
for consuming,
selling drugs
in city
DHAKA : As part of the antidrug
drive in the capital, the
members of the Dhaka
Metropolitan Police (DMP)
have arrested a total of 64
people on charges of selling
and consuming drugs
during the last 24 hours till
6am, Sunday, reports BSS.
According to a release
issued by the DMP, police
conducted the operations
against the drug sellers and
consumers in different areas
under various police stations
of the metropolis. They also
detained a total of 64 drug
traffickers and recovered
huge drugs from their
possession from 6am of
October 29 to 6 am Sunday.
During the anti-drug
drives, police seized 24.965
kilograms of cannabis
(ganja), 38 grams and 50
puria (small packets) of
heroin, 2,381 pieces of yaba
tablets, 10 litres of locallymade
liquor and 10 drug
injections from their
possession, it added.
Police filed 48 cases
against the arrestees in these
connections with respective
police stations under the
Narcotics Control Act.
HC to hear death references
in Aug 21 grenade attack
cases from today
DHAKA : The High Court is finally all set to
hear death references and appeals of the
convicts in the two cases lodged over the
barbaric grenade attack on an Awami
League rally in capital's Bangabandhu
Avenue on August 21, 2004, as it fixed today
to commence the hearing on the matters.
A High Court division bench comprising
Justice Shahidul Karim and Justice Md
Mostafizur Rahman set the date yesterday.
Following a plea of Attorney General AM
Amin Uddin, Chief Justice Hasan Foez
Siddique recently designated this bench to
hold hearing on the matters.
"The two cases, one for murder and
another filed under Explosives Substances
Act, are very important for us. The plotters
behind the heinous crime had tried to
destroy our democratic system through that
unprecedented attack," the Attorney General
said.
At least 24 people were killed and around
500 injured in the gruesome attack on an
Awami League rally on the capital's
Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004.
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, the
then opposition leader in parliament,
narrowly escaped the attack with severe ear
injuries. A Dhaka court on October 10, 2018,
sentenced to death 19 people, including
former state minister for home Lutfuzzaman
Babar, and awarded life imprisonment to
another 19, including BNP acting chairman
Tarique Rahman, in the murder case filed
over that heinous incident.
Judge Shahed Nuruddin of Dhaka's
Speedy Trial Tribunal in his judgement also
sentenced 11 others to different terms of jail.
The judge also made a 12-point
observation on the background, motive and
consequences of the attack, mainly targeting
incumbent Prime Minister and the then
opposition leader Sheikh Hasina, who
narrowly escaped the assault sustaining
wounds.
The death penalty convicts are:
Lutfuzzaman Babar, Abdus Salam Pintu,
Mawlana Tajuddin, intelligence officials
Major General (Retd) Rezzakul Haider
Chowdhury and Brigadier General Abdur
Rahim, transport operator Md Hanif,
militants Mowlana Sheikh Abdus Salam,
Abdul Mazed Bhat, Abdul Malek, Shawkat
Osman, Mohibullah, Abu Sayeed, Abul
Kalam Azad, Jahangir Alam, Hafez Abu
Taher, Hossain Ahammed Tamim, Moin
Uddin Sheikh, Rafikul Islam and Md Uzzal.
Other than Rahman, the political figures
who were handed down life imprisonments
are - ex-premier Khaleda Zia's the then
political adviser Haris Chowdhury and
former BNP lawmaker Qazi Shah Mofazzal
Hossain Kaikobad.
The others to serve the life term are -
militants Shahadat Ullah alias Jewel, Abdur
Rouf, Sabbir Ahmed, Arif Hasan, Hafez
Yahia, Abu Bokor, Ariful Islam, Mohibul
Muttakin, Anisul Mursalin, Mohammad
Khalil, Jahangir Alam Badar, Mohammad
Iqbal, Liton, Shafikur Rahman, Abdul Hai
and Ratul Ahmed Babu.
Director General of Bangladesh Water Development Board Engineer Fazlur Rashid was present as
chief guest at a program at Pani Bhaban of the capital city yesterday.
Photo: Courtesy