06-11-2022

Sunday, Dhaka : November 6, 2022; Kartik 21, 1429 BS; Rabi-us-Sani 10 , 1444 Hijri
On Saturday, virtually Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joins in the National Cooperative Award-2021
distribution ceremony held at Bangabandhu Int’l Conference Centre (BICC).
Photo : PID
Boost agro-production, improve livelihood
through cooperatives : PM to youths
DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
on Saturday urged the country's youths to
come forward to boost agricultural production
and improve livelihood of the
rural people through cooperatives.
"We think cooperatives are absolutely
essential for our agricultural production,
life and livelihood of people as cooperatives
create enormous scopes for us in a
densely populated country like ours.
Paying attention to it, youths will have to
strengthen cooperatives," she said.
The premier was addressing a function,
arranged to mark the 51st National
Cooperative Day-2022 and distribute the
National Cooperative Award-2021 at
Bangabandhu International Conference
Centre (BICC), joining it through a virtual
platform from her official residence
Ganabhaban.
The theme of the day this year is
"Philosophy of Bangabandhu is
Development through Cooperatives."
Sheikh Hasina stressed the need for giving
utmost importance to cooperatives for
the development of the country's people.
DHAKA : Information and Broadcasting
Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud yesterday
said Awami League has been working
fearlessly since its birth ignoring all red
eyes and the party is always steadfast on
the question of the country, its people and
the state.
"Awami League is a party of mass people.
We don't compromise and don't know
compromise. Awami League is always
rigid on the question of the country, its
people and the state as well," he said.
The minister said this to reporters while
replying to a query after addressing the inaugural
function of the newly-elected committee
members of Bangladesh Cine Journalists
Association (BCJA) at an auditorium of
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the city.
Hasan said BNP has the history of fleeing
and their acting chairman Tarique Rahman
fled the country giving bond as he would not
do politics in future. And many of them
(BNP) had fled with him, he added.
He said the spirit of the great Liberation
War has been deep rooted among the people
of all professions including intellectuals
and teachers along with the government.
It is BNP's allergy as they don't
believe in the spirit of the Liberation War,
he added.
He said the secretary general of the
party (BNP) had said that the Pakistan
period was better. In fact, they are in
favour of Pakistan, said Hasan, also
Awami League joint general secretary.
Replying to another query over BNP's
divisional rally, the minister said there is
no objection about their meetings and rallies
if they refrain from destroying the
properties of the countrymen and the government.
The government is assisting
them and, for this, they are holding rallies,
he added.
Besides, he said, grenade attacks were
carried out in the rally of the then opposition
leader and incumbent Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina which was held in front of
Awami League central office on August 21
in 2004. Twenty-four AL leaders and
activists were killed in that rally, he added.
He said there was a permanent barbed
wire fence on both sides of the Awami
League office when the party (AL) was in
opposition and its leaders and activists
"Our young generation has to come forward.
If the young generation comes forward
and conducts activities through
cooperatives uniting all the people of a village,
we'll be able to go forward much," she
said.
The PM said her government has been
working for the people and wants to create
scopes so that every individual can
improve their life and livelihood.
She said her government opened every
sector for private entrepreneurs so that
employment is created.
Talking about inflation, Sheikh Hasina
said prices of all commodities have soared
throughout the world due to the Russia-
Ukraine war and Covid-19, which affected
Bangladesh also. "Now almost all the
countries are now suffering due to high
inflation."
She said now Bangladesh needs to procure
fertilizers, fuel and edible oil at very
high prices amid high transportation costs
for the sake of people and keep the agricultural
production uninterrupted.
With the theme of "the Philosophy of
AL is steadfast on the question
of country, its people : Hasan
were not allowed to go beyond the wire
fence.
The minister said attacks were carried
out in the rallies of Sheikh Helal, MP, and
Suranjit Sen Gupta to kill them while
attacks were also carried out in the rallies
of ASM Kibria and Ahsanullha Master and
they were killed.
He said hundreds of leaders and
activists of Awami League were killed in
their regime. But, not even a firecracker
was blasted in BNP's rally, he added.
In the function, Hasan congratulated
the newly elected BCJA executive members
and hoped that they would work cordially
to move the country's film industry
ahead through their writings.
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
is a cultured person and she was highly
encouraged when heard that about 200
cinema halls have reopened. "She also told
me to tell everyone to construct more
halls. A loan fund of Taka 1,000 crore has
been formed as per the directives of the
Premier to construct new Cineplex, cinema
halls and to renovate old halls. If anyone
wants to build a Cineplex in a market
then he would get a loan of up to Taka ten
crore," he added.
Hasan hoped that the films of the country
would get a place on a global screen.
Shafiqur Rahman, MP, BFUJ former
president Molla Jalal, Shilpakala Academy
director general Liakat Ali Lucky,
Chlachithra Parichalak Samity president
Sohanur Rahman Sohan, Ekushey Padak
winner Pavel Rahman, actor Omar Suny
and BCJA general secretary Riman
Mahfuz, among others, addressed the
function with BCJA president Raju Alim
in the chair.
Earlier, the minister handed over the
BCJA Award-2022 to eminent personalities.
vThey are Rabeya Khatun (posthumous),
Syed Shamusl Haque (posthumous),
Gazi Mazharul Anwar (posthumous),
Alauddin Ali (posthumous), Selina
Hossain, Nasiruddin Yousuf, Liakat Ali
Lucky, Masum Reza, Pavel Rahman, Ilias
Kanchan, Mozammel Babu, Habibur
Rahman Khan, Piplu R Khan, Mamunur
Rashid, Sheikh Sadi Khan, actor Sakib
Khan, singer Konal and Imran
Mahmudul.
Bangabandhu is Development through
Cooperatives," the day is being observed in
the country this year.
The Prime Minister emphasised on raising
production and savings to offset the
brunt of the current global crisis.
She said the cooperative societies have
been playing their roles effectively in
Bangladesh. "I believe that Bangladesh
can achieve economic self-dependency
through cooperative movement," she
said.
She said the current progress of
Bangladesh should in no way be interrupted.
Though the Covid-19 and current war
and sanctions slowed down the progress
to some extent, the government goal is to
go forward overcoming this situation and
build the country as golden Bangla as
dreamt by Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,
she added.
Sheikh Hasina said her government's
goal is that the rural people would get civic
facilities, an improved life and lead a
decent life.
DMP Commissioner
asks DB to work
considering changing
crime patterns
DHAKA : Dhaka Metropolitan Police
(DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam
Faruq on Saturday asked the Detective
Branch to work considering changing patterns
of crimes. "Crime patterns are
changing, cybercrime is increasing, DB
needs to work considering all these crime
patterns," he said.
The DMP Commissioner made the
remarks during a meeting with officers of
the Detective Branch (DB) after visiting its
Minto Road headquarters in the city on
Saturday.
It was the first visit of Khandker Golam
Faruq after he took over as the DMP commissioner
on October 29 last month.
Praising the DB's working capabilities,
the DMP chief said DB has the ability to
unravel the mystery of any sensational
case. The capabilities of DMP's branch are
at a very high level, he said.
The Commissioner also assured the
detectives that he would take steps for further
capacity building of the DB.
Congratulating the newly appointed
commissioner for coming to visit DB
office, Additional Commissioner (DB)
Mohammad Harun-ur-Rashid said,
"You are the pride of Bangladesh Police.
We are working under your leadership
so that residents of Dhaka metropolis
can stay safe."
The DB chief also said that DMP's DB is
now a trusted name for the city dwellers.
When a crime occurs, DB works not only
in the metropolis, but in any part of
Bangladesh, he added.
In his speech, Additional Commissioner
and chief of Counter Terrorism and
Transnational Crime (CTTC) of the DMP
Md. Asaduzzaman said, "You (DMP
Commissioner) are an efficient officer in
crime management. In 2015, a Japanese
national was killed in a militant attack in
Rangpur. Then the mystery of the case
was revealed under your leadership".
The CTTC chief said that as soon as any
incident occurs in the DMP, the DB starts
the shadow investigation. Detectives do
not stop until the organised crime is
revealed, he said.
He also said that DB has capabilities, it
will go further if get specific instructions
from the DMP chief.
Launch operation resumes
on Barishal-Dhaka route
as BNP rally ends
BARISHAL : Launch operation on the
Barishal-Dhaka route resumed almost
immediately after the BNP's divisional
mass rally ended on Saturday evening,
having remained suspended since
Thursday morning. Speedboat movement
on Bhola-Barishal route also resumed,
reports UNB.
However, launch operation on internal
routes of the district is yet to resume.
Meanwhile, no long haul or intra-district
buses will leave Barishal central bus
terminal at Nathullabad till 6am Sunday
as per previous announcement, said
Golam Mashrek Bablu, Barishal Bus
Owners Association president told UNB.
People were seen collecting next day's
ticket from the counters.
Three-wheelers and autorickshaws that
went on a strike from Friday demanding
free movement on highways were also
seen plying the roads.
Kabir Hossain, inspector of river security
and traffic management department of
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport
Authority (BIWTA) said the Sundarban-
11, Prince Awlad and Parabat-18 launches
will leave Barishal terminal on time for
Dhaka at night.
However, Saiful Islam Pintu, member of
Barishal Launch Owners Association, said
the number of passengers on these
launches is low.
Md Tareque, who operates speedboats
from Barishal DC Ghat, said as boat operations
resumed from Bhola after 4pm,
they started too with huge number of passengers.
T20 World Cup
England make semifinals;
Australia eliminated
SYDNEY : England advanced to the semifinals
of the T20 World Cup and eliminated
host Australia on net run rate after
their last over four-wicket win over Sri
Lanka Saturday.
New Zealand, England and Australia all
finished with seven points from five
matches in Group 1 but the Kiwis topped
the group with a net run rate of 2.113.
Australia paid the price for a heavy loss
to New Zealand in the opening match and
finished with a net run rate of -0.173.
England had a net run rate of 0.473.
Ben Stokes kept his composure and
made an unbeaten 42 off 36 balls as
England reached 144-6 in 19.4 overs after
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat.
Sri Lanka could not have advanced
even if it had beaten England but the
islanders squandered a blistering start
of 52-1 in five overs before ending up at
a disappointing 141-8.
"We knew we had to find a way to win
the match coming here today, so thankfully
we did that," England skipper Jos
Buttler said. England will face the Group
2 winners in the semifinals at Adelaide
next Thursday. New Zealand will play the
Group 2 runner-ups at the Sydney Cricket
Ground Wednesday.
Opening batter Pathum Nissanka
braved pain on his twisted ankle and
made 67 before England hit back through
their spinners.
Adil Rashid was 1-16 and fast bowler
Mark Wood picked up 3-26 after being
smacked for two sixes by Nissanka in his
first over.
England sank Sri Lanka in the death
Mirza Abbas indulged in
unbridled corruption, reckless
coercion during BNP rule : Joy
DHAKA : During the last days of the
BNP-Jamaat coalition government, the
then Public Works Affairs Minister
Mirza Abbas illegally leased two acres
of railway land, worth Tk 51 crores
then, to an unnamed and fake association
without tendering, said Prime
Minister's ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb
Wazed Joy.
This BNP leader, who is close to
Tarique Rahman, completed the entire
process in just 14 days on instructions
from Hawa Bhaban, he said in a facebook
post from his verified account on
Friday, referring to a media report
shared along with the post.
But the railway land is not under the
Ministry of Public Works, it has no
legal right to do so, he added.
In its list, the cooperative office could
not find the name of the association
that got the lease for 99 years, according
to a report published by the daily
Janakantha on July 28, 2007.
The report suggested that the issue
drew the attention of the Anti-
Corruption Commission (ACC) when
the Railway authorities demanded to
get the rightful possession of the land
after the caretaker government came to
power.
It is known to be the last corruption
overs when Nissanka holed out to long on
in the 16th over and then Wood claimed
three wickets in his return spell, allowing
the islanders to score only 25 in the last
five overs.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa was one of the Sri
Lanka batters to reach double figures
before falling for run-a-ball 22 and
offered a tame catch at mid-on in
Wood's last over.
England had an injury scare when
Dawid Malan limped off the field after
sustaining a groin injury during the
fielding.
But they did not feel Malan's absence
with Alex Hales (47) and Jos Buttler (28)
racking up 70 runs in the first six overs.
Sri Lankan premier spinner, Wanindu
Hasaranga (2-23) ignited the collapse by
removing both batters in his successive
overs. Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone
then fell cheaply and Moeen Ali offered a
tame catch against the off spin of
Dhananjaya de Silva (2-24) in the covers
as England slipped to 111-5 in the 15th
over.
But Stokes, promoted at No. 3 in place
of injured Malan, kept cool with wickets
falling around him and carried England
home with two balls to spare.
The semifinalists from Group 2 will be
determined Sunday when all six teams
will be in action.
At Adelaide, South Africa need a win
against the Netherlands while Pakistan,
whose progress depends on the results of
other matches, will be up against
Bangladesh. India will then meet Zimbabwe
at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
of Mirza Abbas before BNP-Jamaat left
power in October 2006. In just 14 days,
possession of the land was confirmed
with a cash deposit of Tk 1.46 crore
from the fake association called
Purbachal Cooperative Society.
The company that legally took the
lease and was doing business on a portion
of the railway land was also
uprooted by muscle power.
The railway authorities protested the
incident but in vain due to the pressure
from the cadres of Mirza Abbas.
It is an example of how the power of
terrorists bypassed the rules and regulations
everywhere during the BNP
regime.
BNP-Jamaat MPs and ministers continued
to threaten and terrorize even
government employees.
It was Abbas who fraudulently made
the deeds of land worth Tk 800 crore in
the name of the relatives, including
brother and nephew, of the then Prime
Minister and BNP Chairperson
Khaleda Zia and her close aide
Mosaddak Ali Falu.
Even Abbas was one of the four MPs of
Dhaka who maintained regular contact
with top terrorists on behalf of Tarique
Rahman. "This is BNP's actual 'Take
Back Bangladesh", he mentioned.
Ambassador Li expects
stability in Bangladesh for
continued development
DHAKA : Chinese Ambassador to
Bangladesh Li Jiming on Saturday said
peace and stability are required for
development, reports UNB.
"We hope that this country's social
and political stability will be there in
place so that its socio-economic development
continues," he said.
Ambassador Li also said China does
not interfere in the internal affairs of
other countries. He made the remarks
while responding to questions at a
seminar held in a city hotel.
Invited by Bangladesh China Silk
Road Forum (BCSRF), he attended the
seminar on the 20th National
Congress of the Communist Party of
China (CPC). The Ambassador delivered
a keynote speech and answered
questions from the media.
Dilip Barua, the Chairman of BCSRF
and the Secretary General of the
Communist Party of Bangladesh
(Marxist-Leninist), Rashed Khan
Menon, MP, President of the Workers
Party of Bangladesh, as well as other
members of political parties in
Bangladesh and representatives from
think tanks also participated in the
event.
Ambassador Li introduced the main
contents of the report of the Congress,
including the achievements of the past
five years and the great changes in the
past decade of China, the indigenous
way to achieve Chinese modernization,
and the general plan for the work of
China on the new journey.
The envoy also shared his thoughts
on the Congress, ranging from the
importance of a powerful leading core
and self-reform for a party, to the significance
of theory innovation.
England's Chris Woakes, right, and England's Ben Stokes celebrate after winning the T20 World Cup
cricket match against Sri Lanka in Sydney, Australia, Saturday.
Photo : AP