20-10-2022
THURSDAYDHAKA : October 20, 2022; Kartik 4, 1429 BS; Rabi-ul Awal 23, 1444 Hijri www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net Regd. No. DA~2065, Vol. 20; No.153; 12 Pages~Tk. 12.00INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ART & CULTUREPro-Kremlin officialsTatum, Brown shineAbanti Sithi'ssay will evacuateas Celtics down Sixers‘Bhorer Akash’50,000 from Khersonin season openerreleasedZohr>Page 7HSC, equivalent examsbegin from Nov 6Coaching centres to remainclosed from Nov 3 to Dec 14DHAKA : All coaching centres acrossthe country will remain closed fromNovember 3 to December 14 as theHigher Secondary Certificate (HSC)and equivalent examinations will beginon November 6,Education Minister Dipu Moni saidat a press briefing at the secretariat onWednesday.The coaching centres will remain shutin an effort to conduct the examinationssmoothly, check question leak bid andprevent copying, she said.Dipu Moni said all public examinationswill be held maintaining schedulefrom next year if there is no disaster, reportsUNB.The examinations will end on December13 while the practical examinationswill begin on December 15 and end onDecember 22.This year, a total of 12,03,407 examineeswill sit for the examinations. Of them,6,22,769 are boys and 5,80, 611 girls.The number of examinees decreasedby 1,96,283 this year comparing to theprevious year.The examinations will be held at2,649 centers and 9,181 institutions. Thenumber of exam centres increased to 28comparing to the previous year.Besides, the examinations will be heldat eight overseas centres and a total of222 examinees will appear the examinationsfrom abroad.No one will be allowed to carry mobilephone sets or any other devises expectthe in-charges of the exam centres. Inchargesof the exam centres will be allowedto carry mobile phone sets.Bangladesh to become9th largest consumermarket globallyby 2030 : HSBCDHAKA : Bangladesh is expected toovertake the UK and Germany andthus become the world's ninth-largestconsumer market globally by 2030, accordingto the proprietary demographicdatabase of HSBC Global Research.As per the report, Bangladesh is expectedto see the fastest growth in itsconsumer market - that is, the populationearning more than US$20 per dayin constant PPP terms - in the currentdecade.It is followed by India, the Philippines,Vietnam, and Indonesia, the reportmentioned.Korea and Japan will see a drop inthe overall market by 2030 and in termsof size, mainland China is expected toretain its dominant position as being thebiggest consumer market in the worldwith more than 800m consumers by2030 and 820m by 2040.As one of the world's largest bankingand financial services organisations,HSBC combines unparalleled localinsights, global connectivity and professionalintegrity to deliver the bestinvestment opportunities to the clientsand HSBC stakeholders through fundamentalanalysis and thought-provokingideas. HSBC Global Research plays a keyrole in this regard.04:44 AM11:50 PM03:53 PM05:32 PM06:50 PM5:58 5:28Transit : Regular movementof goods using Ctg, Monglaports at final stageDHAKA : Bangladesh and India are nowat the final stage of operationalization ofthe agreement to use Chattogram andMongla ports for transit of goods to andfrom India. The agreement was signedbetween Bangladesh and India in 2018.Following completion of trial runs,necessary permanent standing order ornotification would now be issued by thegovernment of Bangladesh for the operationalizationand regular movementof goods under this agreement, officialssaid.This is a “step forward” in realizingthe commitment reiterated at the levelof the two prime ministers during PrimeMinister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India inSeptember 2022.A vessel named ‘M/v Trans Samudera’departed Chattogram port yesterday,carrying Indian transit container thatwas transported from the northeasternIndian state Meghalaya via Bangladesh.This movement of cargo is part of thetrial run being undertaken for the operationalizationof the agreement, reportsUNB.The trial run is being undertaken byTata Steel and CJ Darcl Logistics Ltd. onthe Dawki-Tamabil-Chattogram route,said the Indian High Commission inDhaka.There are eight approved routes forSuspension of Gaibandha-5by-polls was right : FormercommissionersDHAKA : Chief Election CommissionerKazi Habibul Awal said on Wednesdaythat former chief election commissioners,election commissioners and secretaries endorsedthe Election Commission’s decisionover the suspension of the Gaibandha-5parliamentary seat by-polls. He made theremarks at the EC headquarters in Dhakaafter a meeting with the former officials todiscuss the election process.“The decision to cancel the election atGaibandha-5 was correct,” he said of theoutcome of a closed-door discussion withthem. “We invited them to discuss if the decisionregarding the Gaibnadha-5 by-pollswas fine in line with law. Everybody said itwas correct,” he said.The CEC said that the former electioncommissioners and secretaries advised theEC to maintain “continuity” of its work andaction. He said that the former electioncommissioners also told the EC that useof the CCTV cameras and the EVMs arehelpful in holding a free and fair election,reports UNB.But former Election CommissionerRecently, thedemand forcandles has alsoincreased due tothe increase inload sheddingin the country.In this, candlemaking factorieshave started tooperate again.The picture wastaken from Kamrangirchararea.Photo : Star Mailtransit of goods under the agreement,namely, Chattogram/Mongla Port toAgartala via Akhaura, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Dawki via Tamabil, Chattogram/MonglaPort to Sutarkandi viaSheola, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Srimantapurvia Bibirbazar and vice versaon all four routes.During the visit of Prime Minister ofBangladesh to India in 2019, an SOP wassigned to operationalize the agreement.The first trial movement under thisagreement on the Chattogram-Akhaura-Agartalaroute was successfullyconducted in July 2020, wherein fourcontainers, two each of TMT steel andpulses, were delivered at ICP Agartalafrom Kolkata through Chattogram, saidthe High Commission. The transit ortranshipment of goods under this agreementwill reduce both cost and time fortransport of goods to north-eastern statesof India.It will also create economic gains forthe Bangladesh logistics and services industry(insurance, transport and financeindustry etc.) as only Bangladeshi truckswill be used for transhipment, said theIndian side. The latest trial for transit ofIndian goods marks the completion of alltrial runs on all approved routes underthe agreement between Bangladesh andIndia.Sakhawat Hossain told reporters that headvised the EC to use the CCTV camerasmore instead of EVMs.“Good or bad, there is controversy aboutEVMs. More use of CCTV cameras will bebetter with the (same) budget meant for theEVMs at 150 parliamentary seats,” he said.“Where EVMs are needed, use them.(But) ballot papers are possible to find outif they are taken (snatched by someone).Subtle manipulation is possible with EVMs.There is no chaos outside, nothing, butwhat was going on inside in Gaibandha thatwe saw,” he said.Sakhawat said that the Election Commissionmust maintain the continuity ofwhat it has done regarding Gaibandha-5by-polls.Otherwise, he said, people would thinkthat the EC cancelled the election in Gaibandhato just demonstrate a scenario for adifferent reason.“So far so good, don’t skip the next steps.If you do, then a different message will besent to the nation that you have done this toshow,” he said.>Page 9 >Page 10A meeting was held between Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and formerelection officials to discuss the election process. Photo : Star MailMunia rape, murderPBI finds no evidenceagainst BashundharaMD, 8 othersDHAKA : The Police Bureau of Investigation(PBI) has said it has not found anyevidence against Bashundhara GroupManaging Director Sayem Sobhan Anvirand eight other accused in collegestudent Mosarat Jahan Munia rape andmurder case. It also recommended theiracquittal from the charges.The PBI submitted the report to theChief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court ofDhaka on Tuesday, said Deputy InspectorSaifur Rahman, the general recordingofficer of the court. Munia’s sister NusratJahan filed the case with Dhaka Womenand Children Repression PreventionTribunal-8 against the eight people on 6September, 2021.The other accused in the case are - Anvir’sfather Bashundhara Group ChairmanAhmed Akbar Sobhan, his motherAfroza Begum, wife Sabrina, Sharmin,Saifa Rahman Mim, Faria Mahbub Piashaand Ibrahim Ahmed Ripon.Later, the case was handed over to thePBI for investigation.Earlier on August 19, Dhaka MetropolitanMagistrate Rajesh Chowdhuryrelieved Anvir of the charge of incitementto suicide of the college student.On July 19, the investigating officerof the case, Gulshan Police Station officer-in-chargeAbul Hasan, submitteda final report to the court giving a cleanchit to Anvir.Anvir was not found culpable in thesuicide incitement case of Munia in thefinal report submitted by the investigatingofficer and asked for his name to bedropped.On April 26, police recovered thehanging body of Munia from a flat in thecapital’s Gulshan area.BNP ready to defy ‘curfew’even to hold Khulnarally : Mirza FakhrulDengue death toll climbs to106 with 7 more deathsMirza Fakhrul Islam AlamgirDHAKA : BNP Secretary General MirzaFakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Wednesdaythat his party was ready to defy a curfeweven to make their upcoming anti-governmentrally in Khulna a success.He made the remarks in the wake of adecision by transport owners and workersin Khulna to suspend bus services aheadof their party’s rallyin the southwesternregion’s biggest cityon Saturday.“They (govt)also stopped vehiclemovements inMymensingh, butthey failed to stoppeople. In the sameway, you’ll see peoplewill join therally in Khulna topush their demandfor democracy, nomatter whether thetransport service issuspended or not,”he told reporters atBNP Chairperson’sGulshan office aftertalks with two political parties, reports UNBHe said people came to their Mymensinghrally by trawlers, boats, rickshaws andon foot.“Even, many rickshawpullers did nottake fare from them (BNP leaders and activists).This is called people’s participation.Even, we won’t concede to any hartal, curfewas we’ll be present there (Khulna) bybraving all obstacles,” he said.As his attention was drawn to the PrimeMinister’s previous comment that BNPwould be allowed to hold political programmes,Fakhrul said Awami League stillcould not live up to its any word or promise.“They do the opposite of what they say.So, there’s no reasonto believe AwamiLeague.”About AwamiLeague general secretaryObaidul Quader’sremark that BNPis daydreaming ofanother 1/11 like politicalchangeover,he said the AwamiLeague has the habitof doing that.“That’s why theythink like that.” “Wedon’t daydream. Wedream of seeing ademocratic Bangladesh,restoring people’svoting rights,and establishing truedemocracy,” the BNP leader observed.Replying to a question, he said BNP hasno objection if the ruling party takes to thestreets exercising their democratic rights.“At the same time, the democratic rights ofall the opposition parties also must be ensured.As government, it’s their responsibilityto do.”DHAKA : With seven more deaths fromdengue confirmed in the 24 hours toWednesday morning, the official deathtoll from the disease rose to 106 in 2022- the second-highest on record after the179 deaths recorded in 2019.In 2021, Bangladesh reported 28,429dengue cases and 105 deaths, previouslythe second-highest number. The totalnumber of cases this year stood at 27,802as of Wednesday, reports UNB.However, the reported figures do notinclude those who chose not to receivehospital treatment. All the patients whodied in the last 24 hours were from Dhaka,taking Dhaka division’s tally to 63,according to the Directorate General ofHealth Services (DGHS).During this time, 864 more patients,including 565 in Dhaka city, were hospitalisedwith the mosquito-borne disease.A total of 3,304 dengue patients, including2,242 in the capital, are now receivingtreatment at hospitals across thecountry.There have been 51 deaths from denguein just the first 19 days of October,making it the second-deadliest monthon record after August 2019, when 90deaths occurred due to dengue.Apart from the ones in October, thisyear’s deaths include 1 in June, 9 in July,11 in August, and 34 in September, accordingto the latest figures reported bythe DGHS.The numbers reveal a seasonal shiftin the incidence of dengue. Since denguebecame endemic in Bangladesh in2000, the highest number of denguecases and high density of Aedes mosquitoes,the vector that carries the disease,were found during the monsoon season(July-September), with cases graduallydeclining from October.
- Page 2 and 3: THrUsdAY, OCTOBer 20, 20222On the o
- Page 4 and 5: tHurSDay, octoBer 20, 20224Acting E
- Page 6 and 7: thurSday, oCtoBer 20, 20226Joypurha
- Page 8 and 9: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 20228Recently
- Page 10 and 11: THURsdAY, OcTOBER 20 202210Best Act
- Page 12: Thursday, Dhaka : October 20, 2022;
THURSDAY
DHAKA : October 20, 2022; Kartik 4, 1429 BS; Rabi-ul Awal 23, 1444 Hijri www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net Regd. No. DA~2065, Vol. 20; No.153; 12 Pages~Tk. 12.00
INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ART & CULTURE
Pro-Kremlin officials
Tatum, Brown shine
Abanti Sithi's
say will evacuate
as Celtics down Sixers
‘Bhorer Akash’
50,000 from Kherson
in season opener
released
Zohr
>Page 7
HSC, equivalent exams
begin from Nov 6
Coaching centres to remain
closed from Nov 3 to Dec 14
DHAKA : All coaching centres across
the country will remain closed from
November 3 to December 14 as the
Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC)
and equivalent examinations will begin
on November 6,
Education Minister Dipu Moni said
at a press briefing at the secretariat on
Wednesday.
The coaching centres will remain shut
in an effort to conduct the examinations
smoothly, check question leak bid and
prevent copying, she said.
Dipu Moni said all public examinations
will be held maintaining schedule
from next year if there is no disaster, reports
UNB.
The examinations will end on December
13 while the practical examinations
will begin on December 15 and end on
December 22.
This year, a total of 12,03,407 examinees
will sit for the examinations. Of them,
6,22,769 are boys and 5,80, 611 girls.
The number of examinees decreased
by 1,96,283 this year comparing to the
previous year.
The examinations will be held at
2,649 centers and 9,181 institutions. The
number of exam centres increased to 28
comparing to the previous year.
Besides, the examinations will be held
at eight overseas centres and a total of
222 examinees will appear the examinations
from abroad.
No one will be allowed to carry mobile
phone sets or any other devises expect
the in-charges of the exam centres. Incharges
of the exam centres will be allowed
to carry mobile phone sets.
Bangladesh to become
9th largest consumer
market globally
by 2030 : HSBC
DHAKA : Bangladesh is expected to
overtake the UK and Germany and
thus become the world's ninth-largest
consumer market globally by 2030, according
to the proprietary demographic
database of HSBC Global Research.
As per the report, Bangladesh is expected
to see the fastest growth in its
consumer market - that is, the population
earning more than US$20 per day
in constant PPP terms - in the current
decade.
It is followed by India, the Philippines,
Vietnam, and Indonesia, the report
mentioned.
Korea and Japan will see a drop in
the overall market by 2030 and in terms
of size, mainland China is expected to
retain its dominant position as being the
biggest consumer market in the world
with more than 800m consumers by
2030 and 820m by 2040.
As one of the world's largest banking
and financial services organisations,
HSBC combines unparalleled local
insights, global connectivity and professional
integrity to deliver the best
investment opportunities to the clients
and HSBC stakeholders through fundamental
analysis and thought-provoking
ideas. HSBC Global Research plays a key
role in this regard.
04:44 AM
11:50 PM
03:53 PM
05:32 PM
06:50 PM
5:58 5:28
Transit : Regular movement
of goods using Ctg, Mongla
ports at final stage
DHAKA : Bangladesh and India are now
at the final stage of operationalization of
the agreement to use Chattogram and
Mongla ports for transit of goods to and
from India. The agreement was signed
between Bangladesh and India in 2018.
Following completion of trial runs,
necessary permanent standing order or
notification would now be issued by the
government of Bangladesh for the operationalization
and regular movement
of goods under this agreement, officials
said.
This is a “step forward” in realizing
the commitment reiterated at the level
of the two prime ministers during Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in
September 2022.
A vessel named ‘M/v Trans Samudera’
departed Chattogram port yesterday,
carrying Indian transit container that
was transported from the northeastern
Indian state Meghalaya via Bangladesh.
This movement of cargo is part of the
trial run being undertaken for the operationalization
of the agreement, reports
UNB.
The trial run is being undertaken by
Tata Steel and CJ Darcl Logistics Ltd. on
the Dawki-Tamabil-Chattogram route,
said the Indian High Commission in
Dhaka.
There are eight approved routes for
Suspension of Gaibandha-5
by-polls was right : Former
commissioners
DHAKA : Chief Election Commissioner
Kazi Habibul Awal said on Wednesday
that former chief election commissioners,
election commissioners and secretaries endorsed
the Election Commission’s decision
over the suspension of the Gaibandha-5
parliamentary seat by-polls. He made the
remarks at the EC headquarters in Dhaka
after a meeting with the former officials to
discuss the election process.
“The decision to cancel the election at
Gaibandha-5 was correct,” he said of the
outcome of a closed-door discussion with
them. “We invited them to discuss if the decision
regarding the Gaibnadha-5 by-polls
was fine in line with law. Everybody said it
was correct,” he said.
The CEC said that the former election
commissioners and secretaries advised the
EC to maintain “continuity” of its work and
action. He said that the former election
commissioners also told the EC that use
of the CCTV cameras and the EVMs are
helpful in holding a free and fair election,
reports UNB.
But former Election Commissioner
Recently, the
demand for
candles has also
increased due to
the increase in
load shedding
in the country.
In this, candle
making factories
have started to
operate again.
The picture was
taken from Kamrangirchar
area.
Photo : Star Mail
transit of goods under the agreement,
namely, Chattogram/Mongla Port to
Agartala via Akhaura, Chattogram/
Mongla Port to Dawki via Tamabil, Chattogram/Mongla
Port to Sutarkandi via
Sheola, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Srimantapur
via Bibirbazar and vice versa
on all four routes.
During the visit of Prime Minister of
Bangladesh to India in 2019, an SOP was
signed to operationalize the agreement.
The first trial movement under this
agreement on the Chattogram-Akhaura-Agartala
route was successfully
conducted in July 2020, wherein four
containers, two each of TMT steel and
pulses, were delivered at ICP Agartala
from Kolkata through Chattogram, said
the High Commission. The transit or
transhipment of goods under this agreement
will reduce both cost and time for
transport of goods to north-eastern states
of India.
It will also create economic gains for
the Bangladesh logistics and services industry
(insurance, transport and finance
industry etc.) as only Bangladeshi trucks
will be used for transhipment, said the
Indian side. The latest trial for transit of
Indian goods marks the completion of all
trial runs on all approved routes under
the agreement between Bangladesh and
India.
Sakhawat Hossain told reporters that he
advised the EC to use the CCTV cameras
more instead of EVMs.
“Good or bad, there is controversy about
EVMs. More use of CCTV cameras will be
better with the (same) budget meant for the
EVMs at 150 parliamentary seats,” he said.
“Where EVMs are needed, use them.
(But) ballot papers are possible to find out
if they are taken (snatched by someone).
Subtle manipulation is possible with EVMs.
There is no chaos outside, nothing, but
what was going on inside in Gaibandha that
we saw,” he said.
Sakhawat said that the Election Commission
must maintain the continuity of
what it has done regarding Gaibandha-5
by-polls.
Otherwise, he said, people would think
that the EC cancelled the election in Gaibandha
to just demonstrate a scenario for a
different reason.
“So far so good, don’t skip the next steps.
If you do, then a different message will be
sent to the nation that you have done this to
show,” he said.
>Page 9 >Page 10
A meeting was held between Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and former
election officials to discuss the election process.
Photo : Star Mail
Munia rape, murder
PBI finds no evidence
against Bashundhara
MD, 8 others
DHAKA : The Police Bureau of Investigation
(PBI) has said it has not found any
evidence against Bashundhara Group
Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir
and eight other accused in college
student Mosarat Jahan Munia rape and
murder case. It also recommended their
acquittal from the charges.
The PBI submitted the report to the
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court of
Dhaka on Tuesday, said Deputy Inspector
Saifur Rahman, the general recording
officer of the court. Munia’s sister Nusrat
Jahan filed the case with Dhaka Women
and Children Repression Prevention
Tribunal-8 against the eight people on 6
September, 2021.
The other accused in the case are - Anvir’s
father Bashundhara Group Chairman
Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, his mother
Afroza Begum, wife Sabrina, Sharmin,
Saifa Rahman Mim, Faria Mahbub Piasha
and Ibrahim Ahmed Ripon.
Later, the case was handed over to the
PBI for investigation.
Earlier on August 19, Dhaka Metropolitan
Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury
relieved Anvir of the charge of incitement
to suicide of the college student.
On July 19, the investigating officer
of the case, Gulshan Police Station officer-in-charge
Abul Hasan, submitted
a final report to the court giving a clean
chit to Anvir.
Anvir was not found culpable in the
suicide incitement case of Munia in the
final report submitted by the investigating
officer and asked for his name to be
dropped.
On April 26, police recovered the
hanging body of Munia from a flat in the
capital’s Gulshan area.
BNP ready to defy ‘curfew’
even to hold Khulna
rally : Mirza Fakhrul
Dengue death toll climbs to
106 with 7 more deaths
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
DHAKA : BNP Secretary General Mirza
Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Wednesday
that his party was ready to defy a curfew
even to make their upcoming anti-government
rally in Khulna a success.
He made the remarks in the wake of a
decision by transport owners and workers
in Khulna to suspend bus services ahead
of their party’s rally
in the southwestern
region’s biggest city
on Saturday.
“They (govt)
also stopped vehicle
movements in
Mymensingh, but
they failed to stop
people. In the same
way, you’ll see people
will join the
rally in Khulna to
push their demand
for democracy, no
matter whether the
transport service is
suspended or not,”
he told reporters at
BNP Chairperson’s
Gulshan office after
talks with two political parties, reports UNB
He said people came to their Mymensingh
rally by trawlers, boats, rickshaws and
on foot.
“Even, many rickshawpullers did not
take fare from them (BNP leaders and activists).
This is called people’s participation.
Even, we won’t concede to any hartal, curfew
as we’ll be present there (Khulna) by
braving all obstacles,” he said.
As his attention was drawn to the Prime
Minister’s previous comment that BNP
would be allowed to hold political programmes,
Fakhrul said Awami League still
could not live up to its any word or promise.
“They do the opposite of what they say.
So, there’s no reason
to believe Awami
League.”
About Awami
League general secretary
Obaidul Quader’s
remark that BNP
is daydreaming of
another 1/11 like political
changeover,
he said the Awami
League has the habit
of doing that.
“That’s why they
think like that.” “We
don’t daydream. We
dream of seeing a
democratic Bangladesh,
restoring people’s
voting rights,
and establishing true
democracy,” the BNP leader observed.
Replying to a question, he said BNP has
no objection if the ruling party takes to the
streets exercising their democratic rights.
“At the same time, the democratic rights of
all the opposition parties also must be ensured.
As government, it’s their responsibility
to do.”
DHAKA : With seven more deaths from
dengue confirmed in the 24 hours to
Wednesday morning, the official death
toll from the disease rose to 106 in 2022
- the second-highest on record after the
179 deaths recorded in 2019.
In 2021, Bangladesh reported 28,429
dengue cases and 105 deaths, previously
the second-highest number. The total
number of cases this year stood at 27,802
as of Wednesday, reports UNB.
However, the reported figures do not
include those who chose not to receive
hospital treatment. All the patients who
died in the last 24 hours were from Dhaka,
taking Dhaka division’s tally to 63,
according to the Directorate General of
Health Services (DGHS).
During this time, 864 more patients,
including 565 in Dhaka city, were hospitalised
with the mosquito-borne disease.
A total of 3,304 dengue patients, including
2,242 in the capital, are now receiving
treatment at hospitals across the
country.
There have been 51 deaths from dengue
in just the first 19 days of October,
making it the second-deadliest month
on record after August 2019, when 90
deaths occurred due to dengue.
Apart from the ones in October, this
year’s deaths include 1 in June, 9 in July,
11 in August, and 34 in September, according
to the latest figures reported by
the DGHS.
The numbers reveal a seasonal shift
in the incidence of dengue. Since dengue
became endemic in Bangladesh in
2000, the highest number of dengue
cases and high density of Aedes mosquitoes,
the vector that carries the disease,
were found during the monsoon season
(July-September), with cases gradually
declining from October.
THrUsdAY, OCTOBer 20, 2022
2
On the occasion of the 33rd death anniversary of late Yunus Ali, a Freedom
Fighter who hoisted the national flag as second person of Bangladesh on
March 12, 1971, and the organizer of the liberation war, a memorial meeting
and Milad Mahfil was held at Phulbari, Kurigram yesterday. Hasen Ali,
President of Naodanga Union Awami League and the Chairman of the Union
Parishad is addressing in the program.
Photo : Courtesy
DU alumni celebrate
university's centenary
in United Kingdon
DHAKA : Dhaka University
Alumni Association UK
(DUAAUK) has celebrated
the university's centenary in
London of United Kingdom
(UK) with colorful
programmes.
More than 800 alumni of
the University of Dhaka along
with their family members
from the UK and beyond
attended the grand
programme on Sunday,
according to a press release
received.
The programme began with
welcome speech by the
DUAAUK
president
Muhammad Enamul Huq,
secretary Anwar Kabir Khan
and DU centennial
celebrations convener Bulbul
Hasan.
Among others, renowned
economist Dr Selim Jahan,
senior alumnus Dolly Islam,
DU Alumni Association
president Anwar-ul Alam
Chowdhury (Parvez), former
secretary general Ranjan
Karmakar, DUAA executive
Anupam Roy were present as
guests.
Speakers said Dhaka
University has been offering
higher education to a cross
section of people in our
society over the last 100 years
and left an indelible imprint
in a nation's path to
independence.
For next 100 years, the
university has to be set for the
fourth industrial revolution
and can play a unique role in
overcoming the challenges
ahead, they said.
The formal inauguration of
the event began through
playing a documentary on the
glorious past of the university.
Later, a multi-instrumental
performance also had taken
place that conjures a whole
spectrum of memories of the
university days.
A special publication was
launched during the event to
mark the 100 years journey of
DU edited by the DUAAUK
founding alumni Syeda
Saima Ahmed.
The cultural segment of the
event includes performances
by noted musician Shafin
Ahmed and the alumni
themselves ranging from
1960s until recent years.
The enthusiast audience,
featuring a great number of
both young and middle-aged
fans of Miles, seemed very
much captivated by Shafin
Ahmed's performance.
Earlier, 15 children of the
DU alumni members were
awarded for their outstanding
results in GCSE and A level
exams.
Bangladesh mission in
New Delhi celebrates
Sheikh Russel Day
DHAKA : Bangladesh High
Commission in New Delhi
has celebrated "Sheikh
Russel Day" in a befitting
manner marking the 59th
birthday of Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman's youngest
son Shaheed Sheikh Russel.
To mark the day, the High
Commission organised an art
competition along with
screening of a documentary
on Tuesday. A discussion on
the life of Sheikh Russel was
held after reading out
messages issued by President
Abdul Hamid and Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina
marking the day, said a
media release on
Wednesday.
Newly appointed High
Commissioner of Bangladesh
to India Md. Mustafizur
Rahman and Minister
(Press) Shaban Mahmood
took part in the discussion.
Later, the High
Commissioner along with his
spouse and children of
officers, employees and staff
cut a cake marking the day.
High Commissioner
Mustafizur Rahman said that
on August 15, 1975 the
assassins also killed the
infant Russel with their
brutal bullets, which is the
tragic history of Bangali
Nation.
ASM Fakhrul Islam made
new VC of BSMRAAU
Air Vice Marshal ASM Fakhrul Islam, OSP,
GUP, ndc, afwc, psc, GD(P) has been
appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Aviation and Aerospace
University (BSMRAAU) -
country's first specialised
public university for aviation
and aerospace studies. The
outgoing Vice Chancellor along
with Pro-VC and other senior
officials of BSMRAAU
welcomed him on his arrival to
the University campus, a press
release said. The new VC sought the
cooperation of all concerned and urged them
to continue working with sincerity,
GD-1698/22 (6x4)
weAvBWweøDwUwm/Rm/18/2022-23
GD-1700/22 (9x4)
Air Vice Marshal ASM Fakhrul Islam
commitment and devotion to make
BSMRAAU a centre of excellence for aviation
and aerospace studies and research. A fighter
pilot by profession, Air Vice Marshal A S M
Fakhrul Islam has been associated
with the military aviation and
aerospace sector of Bangladesh for
more than three decades. He has
shouldered progressively broader
responsibilities within the military
with proven records of team building,
enhancing new capabilities,
encouraging innovations while
leading large formations. He has
logged more than 3000 flying hours in various
types of fixed wing aircraft. He is a qualified
flying instructor and CAT-A fighter pilot.
Madhumati Bridge:
Tk 23,34,000 toll
collected in 7 days
GOPALGANJ: The
government has collected Tk
23,34,000 as toll revenue
from various vehicles
crossing Madhumati Bridge
in the last seven days, reports
BSS.
As many as 25,587 vehicles
crossed the bridge during the
period, said Mohammad
Zahid Hossain, Executive
Engineer of Gopalganj Roads
and Highways Department.
Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina inaugurated the sixlane
bridge virtually on
October 10 and it was opened
to traffic the next day.
†kL nvwmbvi gyjbxwZ
MÖvg kn‡ii DbœwZ
794 19.10.2022
THRUSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2022
3
DU VC Prof. Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman visiting a stall of science carnival after inaugurating it at DU
Udyan School.
Photo : Courtesy
Global Youth Climate
Summit set to kick off in
Bangladesh on Oct 20
Global Youth Leadership
Center, an international
non-profit organisation, is
all set to embark on its
journey from Bangladesh on
October 20 with the
inauguration of its first
programme-the Global
Youth Climate Summit. The
three-day summit will be
held at Ava Center in
Khulna, one of Bangladesh's
most climate vulnerable
regions, bringing together
650 youths from 70
countries to explore how
today's youth can lead the
fight against climate change,
a release said.
Some 150 people between
18 and 24 years of age are
expected to participate
directly and 500 virtually.
Addressing the media in
Dhaka on Tuesday, Ejaj
Ahmad, the founder and
chief executive officer of
Global Youth Leadership
Center, said, "Climate
change is the biggest crisis
facing humanity today. To
address a complex challenge
like climate change, we will
all have to work globally and
at scale."
"Our mission is to expand
the youth's knowledge about
climate science, equip them
with leadership skills to take
individual and collective
action, and enable them to
launch businesses that
contribute to climate
mitigation or adaptation,"
he said.
To empower the youth to
take climate action, he said
10 delegates at the summit
will receive a grant of 1,000
US dollars each to
implement their climate
mitigation or adaptation
project.
The organisation's
chairman, Neal Walker,
said, "Young people not only
demand climate change
action, they lead the way."
Bangladesh Embassy in
Washington DC observes
‘Sheikh Russel Day’
DHAKA : Bangladesh
Ambassador to the USA,
Muhammad Imran, has
called upon youths to
develop themselves as
good citizens and work for
establishing a prosperous
Bangladesh imbued with
the ideology of
Bangabandhu, reports
UNB.
The Bangladesh
Embassy in Washington
DC on Tuesday observed
"Sheikh Russel Day",
marking the 59th birthday
of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman's
youngest son Sheikh
Russel in a befitting
manner.
The embassy arranged
programmes in memory
of Sheikh Russel at the
Bangabandhu Auditorium
in the afternoon.
Taking part in the
discussion, Ambassador
Imran highlighted
Shaheed Sheikh Russel's
unique virtues which he
demonstrated in his short
life.
In spite of being a child,
Shaheed Sheikh Russel
had great love in his heart
for the people,
Ambassador Imran noted.
The Ambassador also
paid deepest homage to
the Father of the Nation
and other members of his
family who were brutally
assassinated in the 15
August 1975 carnage.
Sheikh Russel, the
youngest brother of Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina,
was born on October 18 in
1964 at the historic
Bangabandhu Bhaban on
Dhanmondi Road 32 in
the capital.
He was brutally
assassinated along with
most of his family
members, including his
father Bangabandhu, on
August 15, 1975 when he
was a student of class four
at University Laboratory
School.
The programmes of the
Embassy included placing
of floral wreaths at the
portrait of Sheikh Russel
and organising a painting
competition for children.
The programmes began
with laying of floral
wreaths at the portrait of
Shaheed Sheikh Russel by
the Bangladesh
Ambassador to the United
States Muhammad Imran.
Officials and employees of
the Embassy were present
at that time.
Then, messages from
the President and Prime
Minister on this occasion
were read out by Defence
Attache? Brig Gen Md
Shahedul Islam and
Minister (Press) AZM
Sajjad
Hossain
respectively.
The programmes ended
with distribution of prizes
by the Ambassador among
the winners of the
painting competition.
Earlier, a documentary
on the life of Shaheed
Sheikh Russel was
screened.
A special prayer was
offered, seeking eternal
peace for the departed
soul of Shaheed Sheikh
Russel and others
martyred on the fateful
night of 15 August 1975.
Counsellor Mohammad
Moniruzzaman conducted
the programmes.
Apart from officials and
employees of the Mission,
their family members
were also present at the
function.
India's experiences
in SME can be used
in Bangladesh:
Speakers
DHAKA : Bangladesh may
use the Indian experience
in the development of their
Small and Medium Enterprises
(SMEs).
Speakers opined this at a
discussion meeting held on
Wednesday morning with
CII and FMC delegation at
the Federation of
Bangladesh Chambers of
Commerce and Industry
(FBCCI), said a press
release.
For developing cooperation,
SME Foundation
Managing Director Md
Mafizur Rahman called for
signing an MoU between
SME foundation and its
counterpart in India.
While chairing the meeting,
FBCCI President Md
Jashim Uddin said,
"Bangladesh has huge
potential in the clusterbased
SME. Both the countries
can benefit if
Bangladesh can harness
the Indian experience in
flourishing SMEs."
Eighty percent of the
businesses operating in
Bangladesh are SMEs, he
added.
Hence, he said, there is
no alternative to SME
development to keep the
economic pace afloat.
He urged the banks to
come forward to disburse
more loans to SMEs.
The Federation chief recommended
implementing
a "one district, one product"
campaign and developing
clusters based on
raw materials available in
the districts.
Senior advisor of the
Foundation of MSME
Cluster (FMC) in India Dr.
Tamal Sarkar made a power
point presentation highlighting
the development of
Indian SMEs.
Veteran Freedom Fighter, Former Secretary and PSC Member Siraj Uddin Ahmed addressing as the
chief guest at the discussion session 'Sheikh Russel Nirmalatar Protik Duranta Pranbanta Nirvik'
organized by Daffodil International University.Professor Dr. M Lutfar Rahman, Vice Chancellor,
Professor Dr. M A Rahim, Adjunct Professor of Department of Nutrition and Food Engineering, Dr.
Nadir Bin Ali, Registrar and Md. Anowar Habib Kazal, Senior Assistant Director (Public Relations),
Daffodil International University are also seen in the picture.
Photo : Courtesy
Govt providing
facilities to investors
in Bangladesh: Tipu
DHAKA : Commerce
Minister Tipu Munshi
yeseterday informed that the
government is providing all
facilities and ensuring
securities to the investors in
Bangladesh, reports UNB.
"About four billion people
live in the Asia Pacific
region. The Asian Trade
Promotion Forum (ATPF)
can play an important role in
the economic development
of the region," he said while
speaking as the chief guest at
the two-day long 35th Chief
Executive Officer (CEO)
meeting of the ATPF in
Sonargaon hotel in the city,
said a press release.
In his speech, Tipu
informed that under the
instruction of Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina, the
work of establishing 100
Special Economic Zones
(SEZs) in important places
of the country is progressing
rapidly.
"Bangladesh is
progressing rapidly. The
development of Bangladesh
is now visible," he added.
He said Bangladesh has
sufficient skilled manpower
and the country is a big
market of about seventeen
crore people.
Call to ensure safe migration
to avoid human trafficking
in economic interest
DHAKA: Terming remittance sent by
migrant workers as greatly helpful to the
country's economy, speakers at a
programme called for ensuring their safe
migration to avoid human trafficking in
economic interest.
Vulnerable migrants are often the target of
traffickers and find themselves in situations
that can result in debt bondage, forced
labour, sexual exploitation, forced and illegal
marriages, losing lives and other forms of
modern slavery, they observed.
Bangladesh is a source, transit, and
destination country for men, women, and
child victims of human trafficking. All
concerned particularly those at the
grassroots level need to focus their efforts
aimed at preventing exploitation of
individuals by trafficking networks, they
said.
"If the safe migration of migrants is not
ensured, it would be a great setback to our
economy", they remarked while addressing a
opinion exchange meeting titled "Counter-
Trafficking Committee (CTC) Orientation" at
No. 1 Hazratpur union parishad bhaban in
Keraniganj Model thana of Dhaka district.
With the support of U.S Department of
State, INCIDIN Bangladesh, a rights-based
organization, and TdH Netherlands, a
Netherlands-based development
organization, jointly organized the event on
Tuesday afternoon.
Md. Anwar Hossain Aynal, Chairman of
Hazratpur Union Parishad; attended as the
chief guest, while A.K.M. Masud Ali,
Executive Director of INCIDIN, chaired it.
As part of an anti-trafficking programme
supported by U.S. Department of State,
under the guidance of National Plan of
Action to combat human trafficking in
Bangladesh, Hazratpur Union Parishad
recently formed a 35-member CTC
comprising people from different
professions, including public
representatives.
Sophia Meulenberg, Political Officer, U.S.
Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh; Andrew
Grimmer, Foreign Affairs Officer, State
Department's Office to Monitor and Combat
Trafficking in Persons; who came here
shared their views with the new CTC at the
meeting.
Both Sophia and Andrew hoped that CTC
will perform their due role in combating
trafficking.
Terming human trafficking as a serious
human rights violation, other speakers said,
all concerned must join their hands as the
fight against trafficking and smuggling of
migrants requires multi-stakeholder
engagement. Mahmudul Kabir, Bangladesh
Country Director of Tdh Netherlands; Md.
Ishtiak Ahmed, a lawyer; Rabindranath Das,
Principal of Hazratpur High School; among
others, spoke at the event.
INCIDIN Bangladesh, a rights-based organization, and TdH Netherlands, a Netherlands-based
development organization, jointly organized an event titled titled "Counter-Trafficking Committee
(CTC) Orientation" on Tuesday afternoon.
Photo : Courtesy
Family, friends remember artist
Kalidas on 3rd death anniversary
DHAKA : Kalidas
Karmakar, the
internationally acclaimed
painter and printmaker
who significantly
advanced Bangladeshi art
through his fascinating
art, shocked the world
with his sudden demise
on October 18, 2019, at
the age of 73, reports
UNB.
The artist was
remembered on the third
anniversary of his death
in an exclusive
commemorative event on
Tuesday night at his
Bangla Motor residence
in the capital.
In remembrance and
celebration of the beloved
artist - fondly called "Kali
Da" - several acclaimed
artists and renowned
personalities joined the
event, discussing the
majestic life of Kalidas
Karmakar.
The vibrant list of
speakers and guests
included WildTeam
Chairman Enam Ul
Haque, veteran artist
Biren Shome, Ekushey
Padak winning
Bangladeshi artist Dr
Farida Zaman, Assistant
Professors of Dhaka
University Faculty of Fine
Arts Drawing and
Painting Department
Kamal Uddin and
Bishwajit Goswami, New
York-based eminent artist
Khurshid Alam Saleem,
legendary artist
Hamiduzzaman Khan,
Gallery Cosmos Executive
Artistic Manager Sourav
Chowdhury and others.
"Kalidas Karmakar is
my classmate from
Faridpur High School and
has been a lifelong friend
of mine. He and I shared
so many memorable
incidents, and because of
his inspiration, I
showcased my
photographs in three
exhibitions, including my
expedition to Antarctica.
He had always been an
unimaginably cheerful
man, aside from being a
legend in the Bangladeshi
art scene," Enam Ul
Haque said at the event.
Freedom fighter and
veteran artist Biren
Shome said, "Right after
the Liberation War in
1971, Kalidas Karmakar
was one of the pioneers
bringing the energy in our
art sphere. He was a man
who always embodied
freedom
and
youthfulness."
Kalidas Karmakar's
eldest daughter Dr Konka
Karmakar reminisced
about her father, saying,
"Everyone knows him as a
legendary artist, but I
have been fortunate to get
his love as his elder
daughter. He was a larger
than life soul, a great
cook, a traveller; a
complete role model - not
only as an artist but also
as a father."
At the event, Dr Konka
Karmakar and Biren
Shome alongside, Gallery
Cosmos Executive Artistic
Manager Sourav
Chowdhury, jointly
handed over the
certificates and prize
money to two young and
promising artists, Fakhrul
Islam Mazumder and Md
Rafiqul Islam, as
recipients of the 'Kali
Artist Residency Grant.'
The yearly grant was
launched on the second
death anniversary of
Kalidas Karmakar last
year, allowing its
recipients Tk 2,00,000
and access to practice at
the Cosmos Atelier71 for
three months, along with
other artistic facilities.
The recipients have
recently rounded up their
working projects at the
Atelier71.
Handing over the grant,
Sourav Chowdhury said,
"For our Gallery Cosmos
and Cosmos Atelier71,
Kalidas Karmakar has
always been a family
member and a guardian
angel since its inception.
Though his sudden
departure has left us with
a void, we are glad to
honour his legacy by
presenting these tokens of
our appreciation to these
two amazing artists, and
we know that Kali da is
always with us in spirit."
A maestro of
printmaking, especially
viscosity printing, Kalidas
Karmakar's diverse
artworks featuring
metallic and other
objects, handmade paper,
and oil on canvas prints
have been widely
exhibited throughout
South Asia, the Middle
East, Europe, the United
States and many other
places across the world.
His maiden solo art
exhibition was held at
Bangladesh Shilpakala
Academy on August 7,
1976.
Throughout his
acclaimed career, he
received multiple
prestigious scholarships
and fellowships including
the Polish Government
Scholarship in Graphic
Art at the Warsaw
Academy of Fine Art,
Warsaw University; the
French Government
Superior Scholarship in
Fine Arts for research in
multicolour etching at
Atelier-17, in Paris; Japan
Foundation Fellowship
on Japanese Woodblock
Printing at Tokyo
National University of
Fine Arts and Music;
ICCR Special Scholarship
for research in
Contemporary Modern
Sculpture, West Bengal
Lalit Kala Academy
Studio; and Asian
Cultural Council New
York, Fellowship with
Artist Residency program
in the US.
For his remarkable
contribution to the
Bangladeshi fine arts,
Kalidas Karmakar was
awarded the Shilpakala
Padak in 2016 and the
Ekushey Padak in 2018.
tHurSDay, octoBer 20, 2022
4
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com
thursday, october 20, 2022
Saving precious
agricultural lands
T
here
should not be any doubt or hesitations as regards
the necessity of taking appropriate measures to save
agricultural lands in a land short densely populated
country like Bangladesh. Bangladesh with an area of 147,570
sq. km. in total possesses about 20.16 million acres of cultivated
area for 160 million people.
But in reality the scale at which agricultural land is being
wasted every year there will remain nothing to be surprised
for one if agriculture meets very serious setbacks in
Bangladesh some day. An estimate shows that the gradual
decline of arable land in Bangladesh now is by 1 percent per
annum because of its increased use for commercial purposes
and the establishment of different kinds of mills and factories
together with new residential areas.
This percentage of agricultural land decline is supposed
to be increasing with the increasing pace of non-agricultural
economic progress of the country. If this trend continues
and not minimized or stopped the prices of food
and other necessary agricultural commodities will go
beyond control as increasing domestic agricultural commodity
production will be impossible under limited land
use for agricultural purposes.
Considering all these the government has undertaken a
master plan to build multistoried residential buildings on
cooperative basis for the accommodation of rural and urban
people to save agricultural land. The concerned officials have
claimed that through this scheme the gobbling up of agricultural
lands will be minimized and side by side the maximum
utilization of biological resources of the country will be
ensured. The concerned officials have already discussed the
matter in the ECNEC meetings.
But it is true that the reasons behind the harming, misuse
and loss of agricultural lands do scarcely catch the attention
of the quarters who ought to be concerned. The productivity
of agricultural land is decreasing because of the repeated
excessive use of chemical fertilizers every year. Industrial
wastes are being thrown in unplanned and reckless manner
on agricultural lands and adjacent rivers. Building of
unplanned residential accommodations, roads and highways,
bridges and culverts, industrial establishments, brickfields
et cetera are on the increase and causing serious damage
to and decrease of agricultural lands.
Moreover, the reckless activities that are going on in the
private sector to establish housing estates for residential purposes
throughout the country by occupying agricultural
lands has raised the apprehensions that the possibility of the
availability of agricultural land will become precarious in the
near future. But no one, it seems, is ready to realize that an
agriculture dominated and dependent country could one day
face a great peril from such a development.
In a country inhabited by 160 million people or 32 million
households the peasant community of Bangladesh consisting of
8.73 million households (rural areas only) or 34.44 percent of
agricultural labour households out of 58.66 percent total farm
households are toiling hard to produce necessary food and other
agricultural products. About 80 percent of the people of the
country still depend directly or indirectly on agriculture. Though
there are no special social facilities in the countryside for the
peasant community to enjoy, yet they are achieving unparalleled
successes every year in agricultural productions only because
there are still sufficient fertile agricultural lands for use.
It goes without saying that not only agricultural but industrial
development is also necessary in the country for creating jobs,
income and raising of the standard of living of the people. But to
improve both of these sectors what is needed is harmonious
development of these two sectors with courage, sincerity of purpose,
patriotism and well planned concerted efforts. But if the
political leadership and the government officials fail in the
implementation of this plan to check unchecked encroachment
on limited agricultural lands, then its results will be unfortunate
for the country even in the near future.
The plan to meet the habitation problems of the rural population
by constructing multistoried buildings and other measures
to preserve agricultural land will be laudable if its result becomes
visible through its implementations in the true sense of the term.
If a sincere effort is made to achieve a harmonious balance
between agricultural and industrial development in the country,
then overall economic progress will be accelerated on the one
hand and likewise domestic food grain production and production
of other agricultural produces will also increase.
The development of agro-based industry in the country
may help to preserve agricultural land. The countries
where agricultural land is meager, they have given
emphasis on industrializations of the economy to meet
the overall demand of their people. But in a country like
ours where the Creator has blessed us with fertile agricultural
lands, we need to industrialize and export but
after giving proper and due importance to agriculture.
Only then it will be possible for us to adequately and effectively
rescue agricultural land and make its appropriate
use and benefit the country in the practical sense.
We are to remember that agriculture is still the life line of
the Bangladesh economy with its tremendously hard working
peasant society. Their demand for existence is bare minimum
but contributions to the economy are enormous. To be
honest the urban population will be rooted out if the agricultural
sector stops supplying their daily necessities. From this
point of view the urban sector is totally dependent on the
rural agricultural sector but scarcely vice versa. And this is a
long lasting reality to continue. Bangladesh as a whole cannot
go on without keeping its agricultural sector in good health .
So, the imperative to preserve agricultural land is irrefutable.
Thus, our national policy makers will have to give urgent and
active attention to this issue without wasting any time.
Western hegemony
and liberal policy have
contributed to
widespread issues
worldwide, as I detailed
in my earlier piece on
this subject. This piece
is a follow-up to a
previous one. It maintains that, despite its
potential benefits to society and humanity,
Western liberalism has been a net negative
since the fall of the Soviet Union. Liberty,
progress, individualism, and equality are all
tenets of Western liberalism as a political
theory. This liberalism originated in the
Enlightenment era of the Western world,
around the year 1800. Liberalism in the West
was shaped by theorists like John Locke and
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who advocated for
individual rights and a social compact with
the state. The ideals of freedom and equality
advanced by the French Revolution of 1789
also significantly impacted the development
of western liberalism. During the 19th
century, liberals in the West pushed for free
markets, constitutional government,
individual rights, and capitalism. John
Maynard Keynes and other 20th-century
liberals like him pushed for government
action to alleviate economic distress,
unemployment, and poverty. Progressive
taxation systems, healthcare reform, and
combating climate change are popular causes
among modern liberals in the West.
Various theories can be found regarding
the seed from which western liberalism
sprouted. Liberal thought can be traced back
to the Enlightenment, according to some
academics, or the Reformation, according to
others. Others view liberalism as an offshoot
of both of these historical currents. Western
liberalism, whatever its specific beginnings,
has undeniably changed the course of
history. It is not just Western societies that
Western liberal principles have influenced,
but all societies around the globe. Whether
we like it or not, western liberal principles
have been the norm in international politics
and cultural production in the last few
centuries. Nothing can be said with certainty
about liberalism's future, but its influence
will undoubtedly remain widespread for
decades. Despite the rise of socialism and
fascism in the 20th century, liberalism has
persisted as a significant political ideology.
There is no simple answer to whether
Western liberalism is good or bad for global
social progress and peace. It all depends on
who you ask and their particular set of life
experiences. Some claim that the spread of
western liberal principles has led to more
liberty and equality for all. In contrast, others
believe they have led to cultural imperialism
that has repressed minority communities.
There's no simple solution butweighing each
option's pros, and disadvantages is critical.
However, given the current global social,
economic, and political structure, it appears
that, while most components of liberalism
are excellent, adopting this in different
contexts through force and excessive use can
be harmful to society, as we have seen over
the past 30 years. In the past few years, the
topic of Western liberal ideals' hegemonic
influence has received a great deal of
attention. While some say these ideals are
necessary for a harmonious and equitable
society, others claim they are detrimental to
communal harmony. To be sure, Western
liberalism has been credited with bringing
about many of the advantages of
contemporary life. Examples of liberal ideals
include the protection of free speech and the
right to practise one's religion without
interference from the government. More
people now than ever are able to improve
their socioeconomic standing, largely thanks
to liberalism's facilitation of such upward
mobility. Liberal ideas from the West have
been praised for spreading freedom and
human rights to countries all over the globe.
Nonetheless, there are several issues with
Western liberalism that need to be taken into
account. Individualism and competitiveness,
two liberal virtues, are cited as reasons for the
rise of inequality. Furthermore, many of the
liberties praised by liberals can be exploited
to promote discrimination and hate (such as
hate speech). Again, there is an opinion that
Western liberal democracies are highly
vulnerable and liable to collapse (as we have
seen in recent years with the rise of
populism). Nonetheless, I am convinced that
Western Liberalism is to blame for the
current international crisis, particularly the
war in Ukraine. That is true for several
different reasons.
First, the concept of the rational individual
serves as the cornerstone around which
liberalism is built. This premise is erroneous
because humans are not rational beings.
Because we are primarily emotional beings,
with rationality coming in second, liberalism
typically results in adverse outcomes in most
circumstances. Second, an open society is
fundamental to the liberal worldview. This
concept is also incorrect. People are good, and
they can use their freedom to act in a morally
commendable way. This is the premise upon
which open societies are built. Individuality is
the birthright of man. Therefore, it is the
responsibility of each individual to make
decisions regarding everything. This
philosophical doctrine contains its own set of
errors as well. Because, on the one hand, people
are required to interact with others and
undergo socialisation as part of society.
Therefore, individual choices shouldn't
result in negative consequences for other
people. On the other hand, it is true that not
all people are good, that many do not have the
conscience, knowledge, or foresight to
evaluate good and bad, and that there are
certainly many people in society who, if given
the opportunity, will make destructive use of
their freedom. The current situation in
Ukraine demonstrates how dangerous and
unstable free democracies can be. In addition,
liberalism shields individuals from the state's
authority and fosters a social climate in which
the government is held accountable to the
people it serves. In recent years, we have
observed that liberals emphasise the
individual's rights while simultaneously
displaying an insufficient concern for the
greater good. Opponents argue that this
emphasis on individual rights has contributed
to a decline in social cohesion and a rise in the
number of social problems.
In addition, the liberal economic strategy is
fraught with many difficulties and is frequently
condemned for pursuing unequal economic
practices. Some people think these policies have
led to a greater concentration of wealth and
power in the hands of a smaller number of
people, while the rest of the population has been
left behind. In the context of the situation in
Ukraine, several observers have suggested that
the liberal economic policies of the EU are to
blame for the current instability in the region.
Some people believe that because of the openborder
policies of the European Union, oligarchs
and other corrupt officials in Ukraine have been
able to steal Ukraine's riches, which has
contributed to the country's current economic
catastrophe. Additionally, widespread poverty
and social inequality have been brought about
due to the European Union's reliance on
neoliberal economic changes. The political
unrest in Ukraine may be traced back to
November 2013, when the country's then-
President Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign an
association agreement with the European
Union. This resulted in demonstrations, which
ultimately developed into a full-scale revolution.
Russia's displeasure with Ukraine's new pro-
Western government's swift acceptance of
Ukraine's interest in partnerships with the
European Union and NATO-led to the rapid
escalation of the current situation.
The current situation in Ukraine can serve
as a helpful example for illustrating how
Western liberalism is deeply broken. First,
there is a reluctance on the part of Western
nations to take military action to safeguard
their interests. The United States and its
allies have not directly waged war against
Russia other than through economic
penalties since Russia grabbed Crimea and
sponsored separatist insurgents in eastern
Ukraine. Simply because a conflict with a
superpower would almost certainly end in
disaster. Even agreeing to send Ukraine
heavy weaponry was not something it
decided to do. This stance by the United
States stood in stark contrast to the approach
Dr. MD. rakIBul Hoque
that NATO took toward Serbia in 2008. In a
televised address, Russian President
Vladimir Putin stated that if the
independence of Kosovo can be considered
genuine, then the independence of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia can also be regarded as
acceptable. This dualistic approach to
liberalism is a genuinely horrible and weak
philosophical system.
Numerous academics, such as Noam
Chomsky, political scientist John
Mearsheimer, and former President Richard
Nixon of the United States, have voiced harsh
criticism of the EU's position towards
Ukraine crisis. There is a widespread
perception that the European Union's
backing of Ukraine's neoliberal economic
reforms contributes to the country's
downward spiral towards extreme poverty,
corruption, and social inequality. The current
situation in Ukraine has brought into stark
relief the significant ideological chasm
between Western liberalism and Russian
conservatism. Even though the West has
taken a tough stance against Russian
aggression, some detractors have
characterised the European Union's (EU)
support and promotion of democracy and
human rights as hypocritical and insane. The
people of Ukraine, who had corrupt
administrations governed for many years,
did not have the best interests of their
country at heart when the democratic and
libertarian values that the West promoted. As
a result of the modern aspects of liberalism,
many people believe that liberalism places
excessive importance on the individual's
freedom at the price of the common good.
Their position is that liberalism is harmful to
society because it destroys traditional values,
which contributes to the breakdown of social
cohesion. It promotes a consumerist culture
that is centred on the individual and material
goods. It is generally agreed that liberalism is
the root cause of many of the issues that
plague modern society, such as the decline of
morality, the proliferation of social crime,
and the instability of the economy.
Opponents of liberalism blame free
markets and unrestricted movement of
people and ideas for contributing to a decline
in moral standards and increased criminal
activity. We have been observing the tell-tale
signals of instability in the world today for the
better part of the past three decades. This
kind of neoliberal philosophical model does
not work well in many cultures. Not a
consumerist philosophy but an aesthetic
spirituality based not on the free market, but
a balanced economic doctrine is required. A
distinct approach or philosophy that is
adapted to the local situation and emphasises
not the individual, but the universal good is
needed. In the alternative, this pernicious
concept of liberalism will give rise to a
fragmented and unstable society.
Individualism will be celebrated, and people
will be preoccupied with their wants and
needs all the time, which will be detrimental
to the general well-being of humankind.
The writer is Educator, Author, and
Researcher and Executive Chair, Centre for
Business & Economic Research, UK
Bangladesh-Brunei bilateral ties to a new level
Diplomatic relations between Brunei
and Bangladesh were established
on 5 May 1984. Bangladesh
immediately recognized Brunei and
opened a residential diplomatic mission in
1985. Brunei opened its High Commission
in Dhaka in 1999. Since then, the two
countries have maintained excellent
diplomatic relations.The main areas of
cooperation between the two countries are
the labour, defence, education, trade, and
energysectors.
Brunei, a small country in Southeast
Asia, is projected to have a population of
439,338, a GDP of $12.02 billion and a per
capita income of about $31,501.The
economic freedom score of Brunei is 64.8,
and it is ranked 9th among 39 countries in
the Asia-Pacific region. Its overall score is
above the regional and world
averages.Meanwhile, Bangladesh's per
capita income is $2,554, and its GDP is
$409 billion. Therefore, bilateral progress
is essential, given the current situation.
The year 2019 represented a new
chapter in Brunei-Bangladesh bilateral
relations.In April 2019, Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina visited Brunei and signed
severalmemoranda of understanding
(MoUs)in different sectors such as
agriculture, fisheries, livestock, gas supply,
art and culture and youth and sports to
strengthen bilateral ties between the
friendly countries.Brunei and Bangladesh
expressed satisfaction with the
longstanding relations between the two
countries and reiterated their commitment
to leverage existing relations for mutual
benefit.
On 16 October, 2022, Bangladesh and
Brunei signed four documents, including
an air service agreement, taking bilateral
ties to a new level. After official talks,
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,
Why western liberalism is perilous
and Brunei Sultan Haji HassanalBolkiah
signed the bilateral agreement at the prime
minister's office. The three bilateral
agreements are: "MoU on Employment
and Recruitment of Bangladeshi
Workers,""Memorandum
of
Understanding on Areas of Cooperation in
Supply of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
and Other Petroleum Products,""MoU on
the recognition of Certificates Issued under
the provision of International Convention
on Standards of Training, Certification
Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 as
amended".
Bilateral trade is still insignificant in
volume and value,although Bangladesh
and Brunei enjoy cordial and friendly
relations and excellent understanding and
cooperation. In 2021, Bangladesh'sexports
to Brunei were US$1.83 Million,and
Bangladesh's imports from Brunei
wereUS$23.56 Million. Bangladesh mainly
exports apparel, flour, dairy products, eggs,
honey, vegetables, and tea. On the other
hand, Bangladesh mainly imports mineral
fuels, oils, chemicals, and articles of iron
and steel.
If the two nations can mutually expand
bilateral trade relations, there are
possibilities of immense mutual benefits.
In that context, Brunei and Bangladesh
continueexploring various trade and
investment options, such as increasing
Dr P r Datta
In addition, the liberal economic strategy is fraught with
many difficulties and is frequently condemned for pursuing
unequal economic practices. Some people think these
policies have led to a greater concentration of wealth and
power in the hands of a smaller number of people, while
the rest of the population has been left behind.
active exchanges between local businesses
and exploring cooperation and
partnerships to harness their strengths by
capitalizing on export opportunities.
For the common good, both countries
encourage mutual investment. In this
regard, Brunei is keen to participate in the
global halal food market through
Bangladesh's special economic zone and
Brunei's proven expertise in the halal food
industry. In 2021 the global halal food
market reached a value of US$ 1,978
billion andis expected to reach US$ 3,907.7
billion by 2027. The progress of its halal
industry is encouraging. Bangladesh has
Brunei, a small country in Southeast asia, is projected to
have a population of 439,338, a GDP of $12.02 billion and a
per capita income of about $31,501.the economic freedom
score of Brunei is 64.8, and it is ranked 9th among 39
countries in the asia-Pacific region.
recently become a member of the
Standards and Metrology Institute, an
affiliated institution of the OIC that gives
halal certificationto member countries.
Although Bangladesh produces all halal
goods, some countries,including
Brunei,demand halal certification on the
products.Givenjoint membership, OIC and
the Commonwealth, the two nations can
depend on each other to continue mutual
interests.
Brunei is one of the oldest labour
markets for Bangladeshis, as it began
trading in 1992. Today, Brunei is an ideal
workplace for Bangladeshi migrant
workers hosting more than 100,000
foreign workers, among which 30% are
Bangladeshi. According to the Bureau of
Manpower Employment and Training
(BMET), Brunei hired 75,435 Bangladeshi
workers from 1992 to August this year.
Brunei's government plans to recruit more
workforce from Bangladesh. To grasp the
opportunity, Bangladesh cansend
demand-driven skilled workers toincrease
remittances. The governmentscanprovide
technical and vocational training to
outbound migrant workers and create an
online database for migrants.
Brunei and Bangladesh can continue to
work together to explore ways to
strengthen cooperation to elevate their
relationship to a higher level. Brunei
welcomes cooperation with Bangladesh
in agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and
livestock, food processing, ICT,
shipbuilding, manufacturing, tourism
infrastructure, defence, labour, blue
economy, and the jute industry. In
addition, Bangladesh will continue to
explore the possibility of extensive
cooperation in the energy sector through
Government-to-Government (G2G)
arrangements, including the supply of
liquefied natural gas (LNG) to
Bangladesh. The two countries can
mutually expand bilateral trade relations
and identify opportunities in multiple
areas of mutual interest.Brunei is
estimated to be ninth largest LNG
producer in the world and third largest oil
producer in Southeast Asia. Looking to
the future, like Bangladesh, the focus is
on diversifying the economy. Bilateral
trade between the two countries is
currently well below its potential, but
increased cooperation would benefit both
countries.
The writer is Professor, Department of
Management Information Systems,
University of Dhaka
thurSdaY, OctOBer 20, 2022
5
Childhood TB course can
be cut to four months
One fifth of settlements globally emitted no nighttime radiance.
Satellites chart unlit territory
and poverty hotspots
daNN OkOth
Almost one in five of the world's
settlements are entirely unlit at night,
according to satellite imagery which
researchers say can be used to target
development aid and infrastructure.
About 770 million people on the
planet live without electricity, mostly in
Africa and Asia, according to the
International Energy Agency. It says
COVID-19 has halted progress on
access and worsened energy
purchasing power of households in
developing countries.
New analysis by the International
Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
(IIASA), published in Nature
Communications, used satellite data
from unlit areas to map poverty and
wealth levels in almost 50 countries.
Ian McCallum, a research leader at
IIASA who co-authored the study, told
SciDev.Net: "Africa and Asia tend to
show the least amount of human
settlement lighting.
"This is not unexpected, but we now
quantify this. As both regions have very
rural populations they tend to contain
significant portions of unlit settlements
infrastructure."
Africa accounted for 39 per cent and
Asia for 23 per cent of unlit settlements,
with these numbers rising to 65 per
cent and 40 per cent respectively when
only rural infrastructure was
considered.
Several countries in the Middle East
were also found to have large areas of
unlit infrastructure.
Researchers have for decades used
satellite images of earth at night -
commonly referred to as nighttime
radiance or night lights - to map out
economic growth, poverty and
inequality, especially in places where
data is lacking. This has shown a link
between lit infrastructure and gross
domestic product.
But data analysis using this method
has traditionally focused on lit areas
while ignoring unlit areas, say the
researchers.
"We found that it actually works the
other way around and that focusing on
the unlit areas is a good indicator of
poverty," McCallum said.
"In this study we turned attention to
those areas using the most accurate
dataset available of building footprints.
In particular we wanted to quantify the
amount of human settlements that do
not have associated lighting."
The researchers used a geospatial
wealth index compiled by the
Demographic and Health Surveys
programme to map out the economic
status of around 2.4 million households
for 49 countries across Africa, Asia and
the Americas.
They combined this data with
satellite images of global nighttime
lights and found that 19 per cent of the
total settlement footprint had no
associated, detectable artificial
radiance. Overwhelmingly, there was a
clear link between increasing
percentages of unlit communities in a
country and decreasing economic
wellbeing, according to the study,
"We have to caution here that it does
not mean these communities don't
have any light," McCallum said. "Just
that they're not detectable via satellite.
Solar power, kerosene, generators may
all be providing light in these
settlements, but will likely be shut off
when satellite passes overhead after
midnight, or simply not generate
Photo: NaSa
enough light to be detected.
"Nonetheless, it is important to try to
demonstrate in numbers the amount of
infrastructure that has no or little
associated lighting."
Low-income countries suffer
disproportionately from lack of access
to electricity and clean energy for
cooking, heating, and lighting. And
access to electricity is seen as vital to
achieving many of the UN's sustainable
development goals.
The researchers say their findings
could be useful to non-profit
organisations and aid agencies to
strengthen their cause for funding for
rural regions, as well as governments
and industry to prioritise areas for
development.
But Alexander Valeton, director at
Yielder, an information
communication and training platform
for agribusiness in East Africa, says
governments and power suppliers
already know where the coverage gaps
are.
He believes the problem goes beyond
power supply. "Electricity does not
mean being connected. Connectivity is
the big game changer and that comes
with cheap power and cheap access to
the web and understanding how to use
[the] internet," Valeton said.
"Power is expensive so people with
ambitions will move to places where
power is cheap. Hence rural-urban
migration, especially among the
youth."
This trend is making wealth creation
and development in rural areas all the
more difficult, says Valeton. "There is
now a deep divide between the poor
and old up-country and [the] relatively
rich and young in cities," he added.
SaNJeet Bagcchi
Short duration treatment -
four months instead of the
standard six - is as effective
in combating most cases of
childhood tuberculosis
(TB), says a study carried
out in India and some
African countries.
Shortening the treatment
duration could reduce the
burden on families and
health systems around the
globe, note the researchers
in a study published March
in the New England
Journal of Medicine, and
released in time for the
World TB Day observed
annually on 24 March.
Anna Turkova, an author
of the study affiliated with
the Medical Research
Council Clinical Trials Unit
at University College
London, says that of the
more than one million
children who fall ill with TB
each year only half are
diagnosed.
"We know that the
majority of those who are
diagnosed have non-severe
TB," Turkova tells
SciDev.Net. Non-severe TB
includes features like
confinement of TB to one
lobe of lungs with no
formation of cavities.
According to the study,
TB, in its not severe form,
could be treated with a
shorter duration course,
although the data is
limited. The World Health
Organization has now
updated its guidance to
recommend the fourmonth
regimen for
children and adolescents
with non-severe forms of
drug-susceptible TB in line
with the said study.
In the study, researchers
from various countries
looked at 1,204 children
aged two months to 15
years with TB which was
not severe and responded
to standard drugs. The
children were from India,
South Africa, Uganda and
Zambia, and South Africa.
They were randomly
assigned to two equal
groups, one of which was
placed on specific anti-TB
drugs for four months
while the other group
underwent the same
treatment for six months.
All children were followed
for 18 months after
enrolment to see whether
their treatment had been
successful.
The researchers found
that four months of anti-
TB treatment was as good
as the six months of
treatment among the
children, discounting their
country, age group and
HIV status as 11 per cent of
the children in the study
had HIV infection along
with TB.
Turkova said that the
trial showed that treatment
for children with nonsevere
TB can be safely
reduced from six months
to four months. "Reducing
the length of treatment
makes treatment easier for
children and carers and
improves treatment
completion, as well as
reduces costs to patients
and the health system," she
said.
According to Turkova,
saving US$17 per child
from the shorter course
translates into substantial
cost-saving on a country
scale which can be used to
improve TB screening and
diagnosis.
Madhukar Pai, associate
director of McGill
International TB Centre, in
Montreal, Canada, tells
SciDev.Net that the trial is
welcome news for children
with TB. "Since most
children have non-severe
TB, it is great that
treatment duration can be
reduced from six to four
months in such
individuals," he said.
"However, greater access
to molecular TB tests and
chest X-rays will be needed
to implement this regimen
in the real world."
Swapan Jana, secretary
of the Kolkata-based nongovernment
organisation
Society for Social
Pharmacology, says
reducing the treatment
duration for childhood TB
is welcome if implemented
properly. He tells
SciDev.Net that the study
supports a basic teaching
point in pharmacology that
if a disease is optimally
treated through a shorter
duration of drug therapy it
may be beneficial.
"Longer duration of
treatment with anti-TB
drugs - apart from other
problems like motivating
children to take the drugs
and complete the full
course and more visits to
treatment centres - is
associated with more
adverse effects, compared
to shorter duration of
treatment," Jana said.
a new study reports that a four-month-long childhood tuberculosis treatment works just as well as a
six-month course.
Photo: J P davidson
NeeNa BhaNdari
Almost one billion children and adults with
disabilities, and older people, are unable to
access the assistive technology they need,
according to a UN report, which calls for more
investment in these life-changing products.
Access to assistive technologies such as
glasses, hearing aids, mobility or
communication devices is as low as three per
cent in some low-and middle-income countries,
according to the report by the World Health
Organization (WHO) and United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF), launched on 16 May.
It says more than 3.5 billion people will need
one or more assistive products by 2050 due to
population ageing and the increase in incidence
of non-communicable diseases. At present, the
figure is 2.5 billion.
"Denying people access to these life-changing
tools is not only an infringement of human
rights, it's economically short-sighted."
WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus
The report, which is the first ever global
snapshot of the need for and access to assistive
technology, calls on governments, industry and
civil society to fund and prioritise access to these
products.
Almah Kuambu, technical advisor to the
National Orthotic and Prosthetic Services
(NOPS) in Papua New Guinea's (PNG)
Department of Health, knows the difference
access to assistive technology can make to a
child's development, education, participation in
sports and community, and future employment
prospects.
"I had lost my lower limb in an accident at the
age of 11. It was devastating for me and my
family," Kuambu told SciDev.Net. "It took nearly
a year before I could be fitted with a prosthetic
limb. I remember feeling over the moon to be
able to stand on both legs again. It changed my
life and inspired me to work in this space and
help de-stigmatise disability in our
communities."
There are globally 240 million children living
with one or more disabilities, according to
UNICEF. "One of the biggest barriers for
children with disabilities is stigma among peers
and the non-inclusive school settings that
prevent them from accessing or using assistive
technology," Rosangela Berman-Bieler,
Access to disability aids
need to expedited
Majority of people who would benefit from assistive technology lack access
UNICEF's lead on disability, told a virtual media
briefing on Friday.
"Children who are unable to access technology
are even less likely to access health care and other
social services, further exacerbating their
disabilities and excluding them from
participating in everyday life. Their families are
often also affected due to reduced income as a
result of increased caretaking requirements," she
added. In developing countries, people have to
travel long distances to access assistive
technology and the cost is often prohibitive,
which can be a major barrier to access. Around
two-thirds of people with assistive products
reported making out-of-pocket payments for
them. Others reported relying on family and
friends to support their needs financially, the
report notes.
When Anna Kwemeling, 39, lost her leg seven
years ago in a car accident in Kimbe, PNG's West
New Britain province, she had to quit her bank
job. "I had two young children. There were no
assistive technology services available nearby. It
took a while before we could save enough
resources to pay for travel and accommodation
to access the service in Port Moresby. With the
prosthetic leg, I feel normal again and I am
hoping to re-enter the workforce," Kwemeling
told SciDev.Net. The report calls on governments
to include assistive technology as part of
universal health care coverage packages and
employ a people-centred, rights-based approach,
actively engaging users in all aspects of assistive
technology.
"Denying people access to these life-changing
tools is not only an infringement of human
rights, it's economically short-sighted," said
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus. "We call on all countries to fund
and prioritise access to assistive technology and
give everyone a chance to live up to their
potential." "This report gives us an
understanding and some evidence that to get the
most efficient and effective outcome, it's about
more than just the assistive product. As an
occupational therapist, I see the power of the
right assistive product that enables people to do
the occupations of their daily life," said Natasha
Layton, senior research fellow at Monash
University in Melbourne and a board member of
the Australian Rehabilitation and Assistive
Technology Association.
"The new data on the rapid Assistive
Technology Assessment (rATA) tool in the
report, for the first time, will tell us about unmet
needs and where the most impact can be had,
particularly in developing countries. I am hoping
that it will change access to assistive technology
from a small charitable provision to a systematic
scaling and improving of in-country provision
that is fit-for-purpose," Layton told SciDev.Net.
"There are many learnings from frugal
innovation that are culturally and
environmentally appropriate and worked very
well in low-and-middle income countries,"
added Layton, who is also a contributing author
to the report.
thurSday, oCtoBer 20, 2022
6
Joypurhat Zilla Parishad
election held peacefully
health protection items and food aid have been distributed among 1850 families of four unions in
tahirpur upazila of Sunamganj on Wednesday.
photo: jahangir alom Bhuiya
Two go missing
in River Chhoto
Jamuna
JOYPURHAT: Two youths
went missing today in the
River Chhoto Jamuna in the
district this noon during Kali
idol immersion, reports BSS.
The youths were identified
as Shonjit Bashfor, 21, and
Tonmoy Razok, 16. They
were the residents in Rail
Colony in Joypurhat town.
Joypurhat Fire Service
sources said the incident
occurred in Chak Shaym
Ghat area in the river. On
information fire fighters
rushed to the spot and
started rescue operation,
said Deputy Assistant
Director of Joypurhat Fire
Service Showkot Ali Joarder.
Shonjit was a degree level
student under Open
University while Tonmoy
used to study at Kashiabari
High School in the town.
good neighbors Bochaganj mahila Samabay Samity (gnBmSS) limited held their 1st annual general
meeting on Wednesday.
photo: Suman Chandra
GD-1696/22 (6x3)
Upazila World
Visions distributes
aid in Tahirpur
jahangir alom Bhuiya, tahirpur CorreSpondent:
Health protection items and food aid have been distributed
among 1850 families of four unions in Tahirpur Upazila of
Sunamganj who were affected by floods.
On Wednesday afternoon, organized by Upazila World
Vision and with the assistance of Hong Kong government, it
was distributed to Tahirpur Sadar, Balijuri, Badaghat and
Uttar Baradal Union.
As the chief guest, Tahirpur Upazila Parishad Chairman
Karuna Sindhu Chowdhury Babul handed over food and safety
items to the beneficiaries among the flood-affected families.
Meanwhile, Upazila Women Vice Chairman Khaleda
Begum, Upazila Assistant Commission (Land) Md.
Asaduzzaman Roni, Ward Vision Operations Director Sagar
Marandi, Deputy Direct Manzoor Maria Palma, ACO Kajal
Dong, Tahirpur Sadar Union Parishad Chairman Junab Ali,
Upazila Press Club President Ramendra Narayan Boishakh,
Joint General Secretary Jahangir Alam Bhuiyan, World Vision
AP Manager Bivudhan Biswas, Upazila Program Officer Md.
Golam Saklain, Field PQ Specialist Pranab Dey and others
were present.
3060
GNBMSS holds
1st annual general
meeting
Suman Chandra, BoChaganj
CorreSpondent:
1st Annual General Meeting
organized by Good Neighbors
Bochaganj Mahila Samabay
Samity (GNBMSS) Limited at
Bochaganj, Dinajpur. On
Wednesday, the 1st annual
general meeting was
organized at the ground
premises of Good Neighbors
Bochaganj Mahila Samabay
Samity Limited at Bochaganj,
No. 1 Nafanagar Union of the
Upazila.
Upazila Chairman Advocate
Md. Zulfikar Hossain spoke as
the chief guest under the
chairmanship of Pratima
Rani, President of Good
Neighbors Bochaganj Mahila
Samabay Samity. Chairman
of No. 1 Nafanagar Union
Shahnewaz Parvez, Upazila
Cooperative Officer Zainal
Ahmed, Good Neighbors
Bangladesh Bochaganj CDP
Project Manager Bipul Rema
and others were present as
special guests.
maShrakul alom, joypurhat
CorreSpondent:
Zilla Parishad elections were held
peacefully in Joypurhat amidst great
enthusiasm and tight security.
Joypurhat District Awami League
Advisory Council Member Principal
(Retd.) Khaja Samsul Alam was elected
Chairman by getting 391 votes in
pineapple symbol. His closest rival
District Jasod President Abul Khair Md
Sakhawat Hossain got 96 votes in palm
tree symbol.
District Election Officer Muhammad
Aminur Rahman Mia said that 5 booths
(polling centers) were set up in 5
Upazila Parishad auditoriums of the
district. Voting is done through
Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)
from 9 am to 2 pm.
The voting process is monitored
round the clock through the CC
cameras of each polling station.
Executive Magistrate and Judicial
Magistrate Team on behalf of Election
Commission along with full-time law
and order forces Police, DB, BGB.
Sabina Chowdhury, General
Secretary of Joypurhat District
Women's Awami League, Kalai, Khetlal
and AkkelpurUpazila (Reserved Ward
No. 2) Ratna Rashid has been elected in
the reserved seats (female members) of
Joypurhat. Apart from this, the elected
Youth sentenced to
death for killing school
girl after rape in Ctg
CHATTOGRAM: A
Chattogram court here
today awarded death
penalty to a young man for
killing a school girl after
raping her in 2018.
The judge of the Speedy
Trial Tribunal Abdul Halim
handed down the verdict
convicting Shahnewaz Siraj
alias Munna, son of
Shahjahan Siraj, of Photika,
Shahjalalpara village under
Hathazari upazila of the
district.
The court also acquitted
convict's father Shahjahan
Siraj and mother Niger
Sultana from the charges as
it was not proved during the
trial.
The court also fined Taka
one lakh to the young man
for the same crime.
The prosecution story in
brief was that Munna raped
and murdered a student of
class eight forcibly taking
her to the fourth floor of
Salam Mansion of the area
on September 14 in 2018.
Later, the victim's elder
brother filed a murder case
against Shahnewaz Siraj
Munna and his parents with
Hathazari Thana over the
incident.
DNCRP unearths fake
sanitary manufacturing
factory in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI: A team of the Department of National
Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP) has unearthed a fake
sanitary napkin manufacturing factory in the city yesterday,
reports BSS.
DNCRP Deputy Director Hassan Al Maruf said they
conducted a drive in Terakhadia Mathurdanga area under
Rajpara Police Station and found the factory manufacturing
unhygienic sanitary napkins and pads.
They also found the factory functioning unlawfully and
without permission of any legal authority. The napkins were
being manufactured with substandard cotton, garments and
abandoned clothes.
Maruf said the produced napkins are totally harmful to
female health.
Subsequently, the DNCRP team fined the factory owner
Taka 20,000 for the irregularities, he added.
One held with 2,950 litres
local liquor in C'nawabganj
CHAPAINAWABGANJ: Members of Rapid Action Battalion
(RAB) arrested an alleged drug peddler with 2,950 litres of
locally made liquor from Shibganj upazila of the district
yesterday morning, reports BSS.
The arrested person is Md. Bairul Islam, 42, a resident of
Chandshikari Moddhyopara area of the upazila.
On a tip-off, an operation team of RAB-5 from
Chapainawabganj camp conducted a raid at Chandshikari
village at around 6.30 am and arrested Bairul with the liquor,
RAB sources said.
Later the elite force handed him over to the police of
Shibganj Police Station.
Zilla parishad elections were held peacefully in joypurhat amidst
great enthusiasm and tight security. photo: mashrakul alom
general members are- Panchbibi
Upazila (1st Ward) Abu Saeed Al
Mahbub Chandan, Joypurhat Sadar
(2nd Ward) Ramzan Ali, Kalai Upazila
(3rd Ward) Md. Rafiqul Islam, Khetlal
Upazila (4th Ward) Abdul Hannan
Mithu and Akkelpur Upazila (Ward No.
5) Mazharul Anwar Liton.
The total number of voters of
Joypurhat District Parishad was 492
people. Among them 375 were men
RANGPUR: Responding to the call of Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina to bring every inch of
land under crop farming, enthusiastic farmers
have begun cultivation of winter vegetables on
their croplands and homesteads in Rangpur
agriculture region, reports BSS.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural
Extension (DAE) said steps have been taken to
inspire farmers and rural people in cultivating
vegetables on their croplands, fallow lands and
homesteads to enhance crop production.
"A production target of 9,61,170 tonnes of
winter vegetables has been fixed from 40,470
hectares of land for the region during this current
Rabi season," said Additional Director of the
DAE for Rangpur region Mohammad Shah
Alam.
Farmers have already brought 2,000 hectares
of land under cultivation of early varieties of
winter vegetables in Rangpur, Gaibandha,
Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts of the
region. Sowing of winter vegetable seeds
continues in the region where rural people,
including women, are also cultivating vegetables
on their homesteads, nearby abandoned and
fallow lands.
"Following the call of the Prime Minister to
enhance food production in the wake of global
crises caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and
GD-1697/22 (7x3)
and 117 were women. Out of this, 490
votes were cast. Elected public
representatives of five upazilas, five
municipalities and 32 unions of
Joypurhat exercised voting rights in the
Zilla Parishad elections.
2 candidates for the post of chairman,
8 candidates for reserved (female) seats
and 25 candidates for general
membership posts contested in the
ZillaParishad elections in Joypurhat.
Enthusiastic Rangpur farmers begin
winter vegetable cultivation
Russia-Ukraine War, farmers are cultivating
vegetables with huge enthusiasm," Alam said.
Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur
region Md. Mahbubar Rahman said farmers are
showing interest in farming winter vegetables
after getting repeated bumper productions with
fair prices in recent years.
"Farming of winter vegetables will get full
momentum when harvest of the traditional
varieties of Aman rice will continue in full swing
from the third week of November," Rahman
said. Deputy Director (Leave Reserved) of the
DAE at Khamarbari in Dhaka Abu Sayem said
farmers are expected to bring more lands in the
mainland, riverine char areas and fallow
homesteads under cultivation of winter
vegetables. Many farmers started farming early
winter vegetables soon after the recession of
floodwater from their submerged croplands in
low-lying char areas this year.
Besides, farmers are also cultivating winter
vegetables after harvesting short duration
varieties of Aman rice from the first week of the
current month in Rangpur region.
"As a result, some early varieties of winter
vegetables have already appeared in local
markets following early cultivation of those by
farmers adopting newer cropping patterns amid
changing climatic conditions," Sayem said.
ThUrSdAY, OcTOber 20, 2022
7
Hamas in first Syria visit in
decade as relations thaw
DAMASCUS : A Hamas delegation
arrived in Damascus Wednesday for
talks with President Bashar Al-Assad
in the first such visit since the
Palestinian Islamist group severed
ties with Syria a decade ago.
Hamas, which controls the Gaza
Strip, was one of Assad's closest allies
but left Syria in 2012 after
condemning his government's brutal
suppression of peaceful protests in
March 2011, which triggered the
country's descent into civil war.
"The Hamas delegation arrived in
Damascus on a two-day visit," during
which Palestinian factions will meet
Assad, said Palestinian Popular
Struggle Front leader Khaled Abdel
Majid.
The meeting will be followed by a
news conference at 1:30 pm (1030
GMT).
The visit by the Hamas delegation,
headed by Arab relations chief Khalil
al-Hayya, comes after the Islamist
group signed a reconciliation deal
with its Palestinian rival Fatah in
Algiers last week, vowing to hold
elections by next October in a bid to
settle a 15-year rift.
It also comes after Hamas
announced it wanted to normalise
with Damascus citing "rapid regional
and international developments
surrounding our cause and our
nation".
Analysts said that was a reference to
the growing number of Arab
governments that have normalised
ties with Hamas's arch-enemy Israel
in recent years.
A Hamas leader told AFP the group
plans to reopen its Damascus office
but that it was "too early" to talk
about relocating its headquarters to
the Syrian capital.
The thaw between Hamas and
Damascus was brokered by Tehran
and Lebanese militant group
Hezbollah, a senior Hamas source
said.
Moscow-installed authorities in Ukraine's southern Kherson region on Wednesday said they
planned to evacuate some 50,000 civilians due to a Ukrainian counter-offensive. Photo : Internet
US citizen jailed in Saudi
for tweets on Khashoggi,
Yemen: Son
DUBAI : A US citizen jailed in
Saudi Arabia is being
punished for "mild" Twitter
posts on topics including the
war in Yemen and the 2018
killing of journalist Jamal
Khashoggi, his son told AFP
on Wednesday.
Saad Ibrahim Almadi, a 72-
year-old of Saudi origin, was
this month sentenced to 16
years in prison, the latest in a
spate of what human rights
groups describe as draconian
sentences for social media
criticism of the government.
The case risks further
ratcheting up tensions
between Riyadh and
Washington, longtime
partners currently at odds
over oil output cuts approved
by the OPEC+ cartel, which
the White House says amount
to "aligning with Russia" in
the Ukraine war.
Almadi was detained on
arrival in Saudi Arabia in
November last year for what
was meant to be a two-week
trip, said his son Ibrahim, who
went public with the case this
week, criticising US officials
for failing to do more to secure
his release.
The State Department said
on Tuesday it had
"consistently and intensively
raised our concerns regarding
the case at senior levels of the
Saudi government", and that
"exercising freedom of
expression should never be
criminalised".
On Wednesday, Ibrahim
shared with AFP a list of
Twitter posts he said had been
used in evidence against his
father-information he said
had been confirmed by the
State Department.
They include posts on taxes
as well as controversial
demolition work in the Red
Sea city of Jeddah.
One post questions why
Saudi Arabia is unable to
prevent attacks by Huthi
rebels in war-wracked Yemen,
where the kingdom heads a
military coalition in support of
the internationally recognised
government.
Another refers to the
"sacrifice" of Khashoggi,
whose killing by Saudi agents
in the kingdom's Istanbul
consulate sparked global
outrage.
Saudi officials also found an
unflattering caricature of
Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman, the kingdom's de
facto ruler, on Almadi's
phone, Ibrahim said.
Almadi was charged in part
with supporting and funding
terrorism and trying to
destabilise the kingdom,
Ibrahim said.
Ibrahim accused the State
Department of having
"mishandled" his father's
case, including by not sending
a representative to the
October 3 sentencingsomething
the State
Department acknowledged on
Tuesday, saying Saudi Arabia
originally gave a later date for
the hearing before moving it
up.
"My father should be their
biggest worry from day one,"
Ibrahim said, referring to US
officials.
"The problems and the
tensions between Saudi and
the US shouldn't start because
of oil. It should start because
senior American citizens are
detained over tweets."
Ibrahim also expressed
concern for his father's health.
"They prevent him from
sleeping. They make him
stand up. He's 72 years old
and his health condition is just
decreasing," Ibrahim said by
phone from the US, where he
lives."He had back problems.
A US citizen jailed in Saudi Arabia is being punished for "mild" Twitter
posts on topics including the war in Yemen and the 2018 killing of journalist
Jamal Khashoggi, his son told AFP on Wednesday. Photo : Internet
Pro-Kremlin
officials say
will evacuate
50,000 from
Kherson
MOSCOW : Moscowinstalled
authorities in
Ukraine's southern Kherson
region on Wednesday said
they planned to evacuate
some 50,000 civilians due to
a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
"We are expecting to
evacuate between 50,000
and 60,000 people to the left
bank of the Dnieper," pro-
Kremlin official Vladimir
Saldo said on the Telegram
channel "Solovyov Live".
Saldo said he expected the
evacuation to take six days
and RIA Novosti news
agency reported that
evacuations by boat had
already begun.
Citing another pro-
Russian official, it said that
the evacuees could travel to
Russia.
RIA Novosti said local
residents had received text
messages urging them to
evacuate "before the
Ukrainian army begins
bombing".
Russia's military
commander for Ukraine
operations said on Tuesday
that Russian forces were
planning a "safe
evacuation".
The city of Kherson and
the surrounding region were
captured by Russian forces
at the beginning of the
conflict in the spring.
Ukraine mounted a
counter-offensive in the
south at the end of the
summer and has been
pushing closer to Kherson.
Ukrainian advances have
been on the right bank of the
Dniepr, where Kherson is
located, and Ukrainian
strikes have targeted bridges
to the left bank to disrupt
supply lines.
Russian general Sergey
Surovikin said on Tuesday
on Russian state channel
Rossiya 24 that the Russian
army "will above all ensure
the safe evacuation of the
population".
Surovikin said Ukrainian
strikes targeting civilian
infrastructure "create a
direct threat to the lives of
residents".
1142
Brazil challenger Lula says Neymar
supports Bolsonaro over debt woes
SAO PAULO : Brazilian
presidential candidate Lula
da Silva criticised football star
Neymar's support of far-right
incumbent Jair Bolsonaro,
accusing the player of being
motivated by a debt
"pardon".
Last month, Neymar
endorsed hardline
conservative Bolsonaro as he
fights to win reelection in his
October 30 runoff battle
against leftist ex-leader Lula.
"Neymar has the right to
choose whoever he wants to
be president. I think he is
afraid that if I win the election
I will find out what Bolsonaro
pardoned from his income
tax debt," Lula said in a
YouTube interview on
Tuesday."I think that's why
he's afraid of me," Lula
added, laughing, when asked
about Neymar's support for
the president.
Expectations of a close
contest have pushed both
sides to intensify their attacks
before the runoff, with Lula
the frontrunner after the
first-round election on
October 2.
"Obviously, Bolsonaro
made a deal with (Neymar's)
father. He now has an income
tax problem in Spain," Lula
said, alluding to a favorable
ruling the player obtained in
a tax evasion trial in Brazil, as
well as the charges he faces in
Barcelona for alleged
irregularities in his 2013 club
transfer.
Lula added that it was
ultimately a problem for the
country's tax collection
agency, and not him.
This week, Lula secured the
backing of another football
legend.
Former Brazilian player
and Paris Saint-Germain star
Rai gave Lula a silent shoutout
at a gala awards
ceremony in Paris,
mentioning his country's
elections before flashing an
"L" sign with his right hand.
GD-1703/22 (15x4)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2022
8
Recently, B.M. College Road branch located at Lutfor Rahman Road in Nothullabad (Holding No. 1582) was
officially inaugurated by Mohd. Jamil Hossain, CMA, Senior Executive Vice President and Head of
Corporate Banking of the Premier Bank Limited attending the ceremony on behalf of Nahyan Haroon,
respected Director of the bank as the chief guest. Shaheed Abdur Rob, President of Barishal Press Club
joined the ceremony as the special guest. Rukshan-Ara Islam, Senior Executive Officer and Deputy
Manager of B.M College Road branch led the ceremony where Md. Reaz Uddin, Associate Vice President
and Manager of B.M. College Road branch; Golam Kibria Khan, Professor of B.M. College in Barishal; K.
M. Shafiqur Rahman, Vice President and Manager of Barisal Branch; Dr. Mohammad Nurul Islam,
Agriculturist and Director of Islamic Foundation; Md. Amir Hossain, Director of Infra Polytechnic
Institute; Md. Akter Hossain, Director of Chamber of Commerce; Mir Ahsan Uddin Parvez, Joint
Secretary-General of the central committee of Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association; Local eminent
business personalities and dignitaries were also present in the inauguration ceremony. Photo:
Online process enables faster insurance
claims settlement within 72 hours
Due to convenience and
faster settlement compared
to paper-based process,
MetLife Bangladesh
customers are increasingly
using the company's easyto-use
online claims
submission platform, a
press release said.
Now 2 out of every 3
individual customers are
submitting their insurance
Tokyo stocks
open higher
extending
US rallies
TOKYO : Tokyo stocks
opened higher Tuesday as
investors took heart from
rallies on Wall Street on eased
worries over corporate
earnings, reports BSS.
The benchmark Nikkei 225
index was up 1.54 percent, or
413.56 points, at 27,189.35 in
early trade, while the broader
Topix index was up 1.29
percent, or 24.25 points, at
1,903.81.
"Japanese shares are seen
starting with gains following
US stocks rallies", where
concerns over corporate
earnings eased, senior market
analyst Toshiyuki Kanayama
of Monex said in a note.
Overnight, all three main
indices on Wall Street
rebounded, with the S&P 500
jumping 2.7 percent.
Bank of America became
the latest US financial
heavyweight to top estimates
following the reporting of
solid results by JPMorgan
Chase and other banks on
Friday.
Analysts have been hopeful
that a successful third-quarter
earnings season could reset a
market that has tumbled in
2022 due to worries over
inflation and Federal Reserve
interest rate hikes.
Meanwhile, Britain's fourth
finance minister in as many
months sensationally ripped
up a tax-cutting budget that
had spooked markets.
"Another big UK fiscal U-
turn and positive earnings
from BofA (Bank of America)
boosted global risk appetite,"
senior analyst Tapas
Strickland of National
Australia Bank said in a note.
claims online. MetLife's
state-of-the-art online
platform enables customers
to receive their claims
amount within 24-72 hours.
MetLife's Corporate
customers are also enjoying
the benefits of this online
claims submission platform
with 4 out of every 5
corporate medical claims
submitted online.
Most Salvadorans think
making Bitcoin legal
tender was ‘failure’
SAN SALVADOR : - More
than a year after Bitcoin
became legal tender in El
Salvador, a new poll
Tuesday showed most
people in the country
consider the controversial
move by President Nayib
Bukele as a "failure."
According to the poll by
the University of Central
America (UCA), 75.6
percent of respondents
said they never used
cryptocurrency in 2022,
and 77 percent consider its
adoption 14 months ago as
legal tender, alongside the
dollar, "to have been a
failure."
Bitcoin, whose value has
tumbled over the past year,
"is the government's most
unpopular measure, the
most criticized and the
most frowned upon," said
UCA rector Andreu Oliva,
commenting on the results
of the study, reports BSS.
Bukele's idea was to
promote crypto money
transfers from some three
million Salvadorans living
overseas, mainly in the
United States, to their
relatives back home,
thereby saving on bank
charges.
The president's decision
was a strategic one, given
that these remittances
make up more than a
quarter of El Salvador's
gross domestic product.
Commenting on the
benefits of online claims
submission, MetLife
Bangladesh's Chief
Executive Officer, Ala
Ahmad, said, "Getting
claims from insurance fast
and without any hassle is
one of the most important
experiences for customers
as it helps build confidence
on insurance. At MetLife,
But according to data
from the Salvadoran
Central Bank in early
September, a year after the
introduction of Bitcoin,
"less than two percent" of
remittances from
emigrants were made
using the cryptocurrency.
In September 2021,
Bitcoin was hovering
around $45,000. By
November it soared to
$68,000, but after a steep
drop it is currently trading
below $20,000.
Taking advantage of the
plummeting prices, Bukele
bought 80 Bitcoin with
public funds in July,
bringing El Salvador's total
reserves to 2,381 units.
According to the UCA
study, 77 percent of
Salvadorans believe their
president "should not
continue to spend public
money to buy Bitcoin."
The survey also looked
into an emergency regime
in place since March as
part of the "war" on gangs
decreed by Bukele, which
led to the arrest of 55,000
suspected members of
criminal gangs, the
dreaded "maras."
The population still
overwhelmingly approves
of it, at 75.9 percent, but
that figure was down nine
points from May, when it
was 84.8 percent.
we are investing in
advanced technology to
bring more people under
the protection of
insurance."
MetLife Bangladesh has a
strong track record of a
claims settlement. In the
first half of 2022, the
company has settled 1,279
Crore Taka of insurance
claims.
US, Mexican
presidents
discuss
migration,
security
MEXICO CITY : Mexican
President Andres Manuel
Lopez Obrador said he
discussed migration,
security and economic
development with his US
counterpart Joe Biden on
Tuesday, amid a simmering
trade dispute between the
neighbors, reports BSS.
Biden confirmed he would
attend the so-called "Three
Amigos" summit in Mexico
with Lopez Obrador and
Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau, the Mexican
leader said.
A date has yet to be
announced for the threeway
talks, which are
expected to be held
sometime in December.
"We had a cordial
conversation with President
Joe Biden on migration,
security and development
cooperation," Lopez
Obrador tweeted after the
telephone call.
"He confirmed to me that
he will visit Mexico to
participate in the North
American Summit," he
added.
Mexico faces a formal
trade complaint from the
United States and Canada
under a North American
trade deal, the US-Mexico-
Canada Agreement.
Washington and Ottawa
say Lopez Obrador's push to
boost the state's role in the
energy industry hurts
foreign investors and
hinders development of
clean energy.
United Airlines
bullish on air
travel despite
inflation
NEW YORK : United
Airlines reported strong
third-quarter results
Tuesday and said it does not
expect inflation and other
macroeconomic headwinds
to derail the travel industry's
comeback, reports BSS.
The major US carrier
improved in key revenue
benchmarks compared with
the comparable prepandemic
2019 stretch,
making the period "by most
metrics, the best operational
quarter in our history," as
Chief Executive Officer Scott
Kirby put it.
Compared with the 2019
quarter, United had about
10 percent fewer passengers
and also about 10 percent
lower seat capacity in the
just-finished quarter.
But revenues were about
13 percent higher, thanks to
lofty ticket prices in the wake
of torrid consumer demand.
"Despite growing concerns
about an economic
slowdown, the ongoing
COVID recovery trends at
United continue to prevail
and we remain optimistic
that we'll continue to deliver
strong financial results in
the fourth quarter, 2023 and
beyond," Kirby said.
Profits for the quarter
ending September 30 were
$942 million, about double
the year-ago level, with
revenues jumping 66
percent to $12.9 billion.
United pointed to three
"durable" industry-wide
trends that it expects to
override economic
headwinds: continuing
pent-up travel demand after
the coronavirus pandemic;
the beneficial impact of
hybrid work on travel
demand; and "external
supply challenges" that will
limit industry supply.
Obituary
Anwara Begum, wife of Exim
Bank's Business Director and
Chief Executive Mohammad
Feroz Hossain, passed away
on Wednesday, October 19,
2022 at 7:30 am at the
Bangladesh Specialized
Hospital in Dhaka. Innalillahi
wa Inna Ilaihi Raziun. He was
suffering from cancer for a
long time. His family prays for
the forgiveness of the soul of
the deceased.
UK unions seek final nail
in coffin of PM Truss
LONDON- As the sun beat down on Tuesday
on the English seaside resort of Brighton,
gathering union leaders warned of mass winter
strikes in the face of Britain's cost-of-living
crisis, reports BSS.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC)
conference kicked off with demands that
embattled Prime Minister Liz Truss step down.
That coincided with news that coffin makers
are the latest UK workers set to strike as their
pay fails to keep up with decades-high inflation.
In Brighton, on England's south coast, the
National Education Union's joint leader was
categorical.
"It's inevitable that Liz Truss will go," Kevin
Courtney told AFP, as the prime minister
battled to stabilise her position after an
economic crash forced her into humiliating U-
turns on tax cuts.
"The total loss of credibility she's had means
that there's no way the Conservative party will
have her as their leader when they go into the
next general election," he predicted.
"They should call an election now."
In a packed Brighton conference hall,
outgoing TUC general secretary Frances
O'Grady also demanded that the prime
minister step down.
"I have a message for Liz Truss: Working
people are proud of the jobs we do. We work
hard. We work the longest hours in Europe,"
she told delegates, who responded with loud
applause. "Yet thanks to your party's 12 years in
government, millions are struggling to make
ends meet."
Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition
Labour party, is due to address the TUC on
Thursday, when the conference wraps up.
While unions are traditionally allied to the
Labour party, Starmer is expected to face a
frosty reception after refusing to support the
latest strike action and banning MPs in his
senior team from joining picket lines.
It comes as tens of thousands of teachers and
state-employed health workers are being
balloted on possible walkouts.
Should they strike, they will join tens of
thousands of railway and postal staff carrying
out some of Britain's biggest stoppages in
decades.
"If I was the government, I would be very
worried about it," Courtney said.
He dismissed suggestions that teacher strikes
would harm children already having to catchup
on learning because of earlier Covid
lockdowns. "We really do not want to go on
strike but we'll be harming children by not
going on strike.
"Having held down pay for so long, we have
real problems with recruiting young people to
come into teaching and we're losing loads of
people out of teaching," the union leader
insisted.
The TUC conference had been due to take
place last month but was delayed following the
death of Queen Elizabeth II. That also triggered
the postponement of strikes as a mark of
respect.
Across the Channel, France faced disruptions
on Tuesday after unions there called a
nationwide transport strike.
At the entrance of the Brighton conference
centre looking out toward France, chanting
conference attendees made their feelings
known, urging the TUC umbrella group to also
call a general strike.
Arif Quadri, Managing Director & CEO, United Commercial Bank Limited is
inaugurating the 222nd Sadarpur, Faridpur Branch of United Commercial Bank
Limited as the Chief Guest along with Deputy Managing Director & Company
Secretary of UCB ATM Tahmiduzzaman FCS and Executive Vice President and
Head of Brand Marketing & Corporate Affairs Division Abul Kalam Azad and
other officials.
Photo: Courtesy
UCB inaugurates 222nd
Sadarpur Branch
The 222nd Sadarpur Branch of United
Commercial Bank Limited (UCB) was
inaugurated on 19 October 2022 at
Sadarpur, Faridpur. Arif Quadri, Managing
Director & CEO, United Commercial Bank
Limited inaugurated the Branch as the Chief
Guest, a press release said.
Among others Deputy Managing Director
& Company Secretary of UCB ATM
Tahmiduzzaman FCS and Executive Vice
President and Head of Brand Marketing &
Corporate Affairs Division Abul Kalam Azad
along with other officials of the Bank were
present at the event.
Managing Director stated, 'UCB is firmly
contributing as catalyst to the enhancement
of entrepreneurship and everybody's
assistance is highly desired to broaden our
service more.'
United Commercial Bank Limited, one of
the largest private commercial banks of the
country is committed to give the best service
to clients with a wide range of branch
networks all over the country since 1983.
Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited organized exchange of views program with Bangladeshi Expatriates at a Hotel
of Rome, Italy recently. Mohammed Monirul Moula, Managing Director & CEO of the Bank was present in the
program as the Chief Guest. Presided over by J Q M Habibullah, FCS, Additional Managing Director, Md.
Habibur Rahman, Executive Vice President addressed the welcome speech. Iqbal Hasan Jony, General
Manager, National Exchange Company SRL, Md. Hamid Alam, Manager, First Security Islami Exchange Italy
SRL, Nico Tomi, CEO of Placid Express SRL, Kazi Md. Mizanur Rahman, Managing Director, Janata Exchange
Company SRL along with other business leaders and members of the Bangladeshi community living in Rome
were present on the occasion.
Photo: Courtesy
thUrSDAY, oCtoBer 20, 2022
9
rayo Vallecano's Colombian forward radamel Falcao (2nd-r) shoots and scores a penalty kick past
Atletico Madrid's Croatian goalkeeper Ivo Grbic (C) during their Spanish league match at the Wanda
Metropolitano stadium in Madrid.
photo: Ap
Late Falcao goal for Rayo Vallecano
halts Atletico's winning streak
SportS DeSk
Radamel Falcao converted a penalty
kick two minutes into stoppage time as
Rayo Vallecano pulled off a 1-1 draw
with Atletico Madrid to end the rival's
three-game winning streak in the
Spanish league on Tuesday, reports
UNB.
Falcao, a former Atletico player,
struck the top of the net at the
Metropolitano Stadium after a
handball by Jose Maria Gimenez inside
the area.
"It feels like a victory," Falcao said.
"We never gave up and kept pushing
until the end and got rewarded with the
goal."
Alvaro Morata had opened the
scoring in the 20th for Atletico, which
was looking to move closer to
Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top
of the standings. It stayed two points
behind second-place Barcelona and
five behind leader Real Madrid. Madrid
and Barcelona are yet to play this
round.
Rayo, winless in three straight games,
Prosecutors
nab CEO of
ad firm ADK
over Tokyo
Olympics
SportS DeSk
Tokyo prosecutors today
arrested the president and
two former employees of
Japanese advertising firm
ADK Holdings Inc over
suspected bribery related
to the Tokyo 2020
Olympics, Japanese media
said, reports UNB.
The arrests mark the
latest widening of a
corruption scandal
involving Olympic
sponsors that has centred
on a former member of the
Tokyo 2020 Olympics
board, but has spread
across corporate Japan.
Prosecutors arrested
Shinichi Ueno, 68, the
president and CEO of
privately held ADK, and
raided the company's
headquarters over
suspicions it and a maker
of stuffed toys paid a bribe
of about ¥54 million
related to the Olympics,
Kyodo said.
Sun Arrow Inc, the
stuffed toy maker, could
not immediately be
reached for comment.
A spokesman at ADK
said the company had no
immediate comment.
In August, prosecutors
arrested a former member
of the Tokyo 2020
Olympics board, Haruyuki
Takahashi, on suspicion of
receiving bribes.
Separately, media
reported that prosecutors
had decided to arrest
Takahashi again today,
meaning he faces longer
detention so prosecutors
can question him further.
stayed in 10th place.
Atletico was trying to leave behind its
struggles in the Champions League,
where it is in danger of elimination
after a three-game winless streak in the
group stage. Diego Simeone's team sits
in third place in Group B, two points
behind second-place Porto and six
behind leader Club Brugge.
"We have to stay positive and get
back to work as soon as possible," said
Morata, who put the hosts on the board
with a low shot from close range after
an assist by Antoine Griezmann.
Morata and Griezmann started again,
with João Félix relegated to the bench
one more time.
Griezmann had a goal disallowed for
offside in the 81st.
CAVANI NETS AGAIN
Edinson Cavani scored again but
Valencia couldn't earn a win after
defender Jose Luis Gaya missed a
penalty kick 12 minutes into secondhalf
stoppage time.
Cavani gave the visitors the lead in
the sixth minute for his third goal in
two matches after enduring a scoreless
start to his stint with Valencia. Erik
Lamela equalized for Sevilla in the
86th, and Gayà had his penalty shot
stopped by Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine
Bono deep into injury time.
Sevilla defender Kike Salas was sent
off for the foul that prompted the late
penalty.
Sevilla, coached by newly hired Jorge
Sampaoli, was coming off a win at
Mallorca to end a six-match winless
streak in all competitions. Eighth-place
Valencia had drawn with last-place
Elche at home in the previous round.
ATHLETIC HELD
Athletic Bilbao reached three games
without a win after being held to a 2-2
draw at Getafe.
Athletic twice relinquished the lead,
with Iñaki Williams scoring two
minutes into the match and Raul
García in the 62nd.
Getafe got on the board with Carles
Aleñá in the 27th and Munir El
Haddadi in the 76th.
Athletic, which next visits Barcelona,
stayed in sixth place, while Getafe,
winless in four games, stayed 15th.
Tatum, Brown shine as
Celtics down Sixers in
season opener
SportS DeSk
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen
Brown scored 35 points
each as the Boston Celtics
brushed off their pre-season
woes with an impressive
126-117 opening night
victory over the
Philadelphia 76ers on
Tuesday, reports UNB.
Tatum - roundly criticized
after a series of
disappointing
performances in Boston's
NBA Finals defeat to
Golden State last season -
led from the front in a
dazzling display at the TD
Garden.
The 24-year-old Tatum
went 13-of-20 from the field
while Brown's 35-point
salvo came from 14-of-24
with four three-pointers.
Malcolm Brogdon (16
points), Grant Williams (15)
and defensive linch pin
Marcus Smart (14) also
made double figures as the
Celtics handed interim head
coach Joe Mazzulla the first
win of his reign.
Mazzulla only took over as
head coach last month after
the stunning season-long
suspension of Ime Udoka.
Udoka, one of the rising
coaching stars of the NBA,
was banned for the entire
2022-2023 campaign after
details emerged of an
improper relationship with
a female member of the
Celtics staff.
But while the scandal
upended the Celtics' preseason
preparations, there
was no sign of it on Tuesday
as the new campaign got
under way with an
emphatic win over one of
the teams expected to be
one of their main Eastern
Conference rivals.
After the Sixers started
brightly to lead 29-24 after
the first quarter, Boston
roared back to level it at 63-
63 at the halftime break.
The Celtics then pulled
away late in the third
quarter with Smart
punishing a sloppy Joel
Embiid turnover to make it
87-78 before a Tatum threepointer
gave the team a 12-
point cushion.
The Celtics held onto the
lead for the remainder of
the game, going 16 points
clear later in the fourth
before comfortably closing
out the win.
James Harden led the
Sixers scorers with 35
points, while Embiid added
26 and Tyrese Maxey 21.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson tatum shoots after going past philadelphia 76ers forward
p.J. tucker during the third quarter of their NBA game at tD Garden. photo: Ap
Messi picks
France, Brazil
as favourites
for World Cup
SportS DeSk
Argentina captain Lionel
Messi has said defending
champions France and
Brazil are the favourites to
win the World Cup in Qatar
as they have a core group of
players who have played
together for a long time,
reports UNB.
Messi said Brazil,
Germany, France, England
and Spain are always
labelled favourites to win
but the 35-year-old forward
feels France and Brazil are
the best two teams going
into the Nov 20 to Dec 18
tournament.
"We always say the same
great teams … but, if I have
to choose, Brazil and France
are the two great candidates
to win the World Cup,"
Messi told DIRECTV
Sports.
"They've had the same
group (of players) for a long
time, working well. France,
aside from the last Euros
when they were eliminated
(in the last 16) and did badly,
they have some impressive
players.
"They have a clear idea
and the same coach (Didier
Deschamps). Brazil is a bit
the same (under Tite)."
Messi did not mention
Argentina, who are
unbeaten in 35 matches,
among the favourites even
though Lionel Scaloni's side
won the Copa America last
year by beating Brazil in the
final.
But Argentina have been
recently hampered by
injuries to key players Paulo
Dybala and Angel Di Maria.
Scaloni described club
football's fixture congestion
in October as "terrible" but
urged his players not to hold
back to avoid the risk of
injury ahead of the World
Cup.
"We are in quite a difficult
stage. The players are
playing a lot of games,"
Scaloni told AFAestudio.
German Reichart
appointed CEO of
company promoting
Super League
SportS DeSk
German businessman
Bernd Reichart has been
appointed CEO of the
company promoting the
Super League, a dissident
European football
competition aimed at
supplanting the lucrative
UEFA Champions League,
reports BSS.
The 48-year-old former
boss of the RTL media
group in Germany,
Reichart takes control of
A22 Sports Management,
the European commercial
sports development
company announced on
Wednesday.
Reichart's "initial focus
will be to initiate an active
and extended dialogue
with a comprehensive
group of football
stakeholders including
clubs, players, coaches,
fans, media and policy
makers," A22 Sports
Management said in a
statement.
"The aim is to facilitate
the development of a
sustainable sporting model
for European club
competitions that reflects
the long-term and mutual
best interests of fans and
the broader football
community."
Launched by 12 major
European clubs, the plan to
supplant the Champions
League in the spring of
2021 fizzled out amid the
fury of many supporters
and the threat of political
action.
US star Frances Tiafoe
to debut in Abu Dhabi
this December
SportS DeSk
Frances Tiafoe, the 2022 US
Open semifinalist, will make
his Mubadala World Tennis
Championship debut at Abu
Dhabi's International Tennis
Centre in Zayed Sports City
from Dec. 16 to 18,
organizers have revealed,
reports UNB.
Tiafoe, 24, currently the
top-ranked player in the US,
is the latest addition to the
lineup of A-list players,
including world No. 1 Carlos
Alcaraz, No. 3 Casper Ruud,
and defending champion
Andrey Rublev. Born in
Sierra Leone and raised in
Maryland, US, Tiafoe
reached his highest world
ranking of No. 19 last month
after becoming the first
American since 2006 to
reach the final four at
Flushing Meadows.
As a prodigious 15-yearold,
Tiafoe scooped the 2013
Orange Bowl championship,
widely regarded as being the
sport's most prestigious
junior international
competition.
In doing so, he created
Frances tiafoe celebrates a break point against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain at
the 2022 US open.
photo: Ap
Host Qatar’s World Cup
‘carbon neutral’ claims
under fire
SportS DeSk
Organisers have promised a carbon neutral
World Cup next month in Qatar but
environmental groups are warning that the
tournament will be far more polluting than
advertised, reports BSS.
Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary general of Qatar
2022, said organisers will achieve net-zero
emissions for the tournament as a whole "by
measuring, mitigating and offsetting all our
greenhouse gas emissions".
This promise has failed to convince sceptics,
however. Former Manchester United ace Eric
Cantona recently slammed what he called an
"ecological aberration", pointing to the carbon
footprint of what will be eight air-conditioned
stadiums.
Julien Jreissati, programme director of
Greenpeace Middle East, has accused organisers
of "window dressing", insisting that claims of netzero
emissions from the tournament "could be
considered greenwashing/sportswashing".
Gilles Dufrasne, a researcher for Carbon
Market Watch and author of a report into Qatar
2022's climate credentials, said that carbon
neutrality claims were "misleading and dishonest
about the true climate impact that the event will
have."
Organisers of football's marquee event said it
will generate 3.6 million tonnes of CO2
equivalent, compared with 2.1 million generated
by the previous edition, in Russia in 2018.
The vast majority of these emissions, some 95
percent, are indirect from things like transport,
infrastructure building and housing.
But Carbon Market Watch says that the hosts'
estimate is incomplete. It says that Qatar has
underestimated the footprint of constructing
eight new stadiums, for example, by a factor of
eight, generating 1.6 million tonnes of CO2
instead of the 200,000 tonnes disclosed.
Some of this difference can be explained by
methodology. Qatar deems that most of the new
stadiums will be used well after the tournament is
over, meaning that their environmental impact
shouldn't be tied specifically to one event.
history by becoming the
youngest champion in boys'
singles - eclipsing the
achievements of John
McEnroe and Roger
Federer.
In 2015, he became the
youngest American in 26
years to appear in the main
draw of the French Open. By
2018 he had won his first
ATP title at the Delray Beach
Open and in 2019 he made it
to the quarterfinals of the
Australian Open.
In 2021, he secured his
biggest career victory with a
win over Stefanos Tsitsipas
at Wimbledon, before
beating Rafael Nadal and
Andrey Rublev a year later
en route to the US Open
semifinals.
"I'm super excited to travel
to Abu Dhabi and compete
at the Mubadala World
Tennis Championship," said
Tiafoe. "Playing in such a
competitive tournament
before the holidays and at
the start of the new season is
something I am really
looking forward to. It's going
to be a terrific experience
against an elite field, and I
can't wait to get out there."
John Lickrish, CEO, Flash
Entertainment, added:
"Frances Tiafoe is one of the
most brilliant and brightest
tennis stars right now and
one to watch as the next
generation of tennis
superstars emerge. He had
an outstanding season this
year and excelled at this
year's French Open and US
Open. He is considered one
of the most talented young
players and has developed a
strong fan base around the
world. I have no doubts at all
he will prove a highly
popular addition to this
year's Mubadala World
Tennis Championship."
Celebrating its 14th
edition this year, the annual
championship features six of
the world's top male players
and two of the best players in
the women's game, who will
contest on the tournament's
opening day on Dec. 16. Ons
Jabeur, the World No. 2,
2022 US Open finalist and
defending champion, will
face 2021 US Open winner
and British No. 1 Emma
Raducanu.
Carbon Market Watch differs, pointing out that
banking on continued use of eight massive
sporting venues in a country of just 2.4 million
inhabitants is risky.
Stadium air conditioning in Qatar, contrary to
popular belief, is expected to only contribute a
minimal amount to the tournament's climate
impact.
"It's relatively minimal compared to total
emissions from constructing stadiums or from
air transport," said Dufrasne.
Given the vast amounts of infrastructure Qatar
has had to build in order to accommodate the
world's largest sporting event, some experts
believe the tiny Gulf nation was destined to
struggle to keep emissions down.
"The huge error was made in December 2010
at the moment the World Cup wasn't awarded to
a country that already had all the infrastructure,"
said Giles Pache, a specialist in logistics at
France's Aix-Marseille University, referring to the
United States, which missed out on FIFA voting
to Qatar.
"In Qatar we were starting with nothing,
hosting a global event built on sand," said Pache.
"The US was really well equipped" in terms of
stadiums and hotels, he said.
To achieve carbon neutrality, tournament
organisers have promised that emissions will be
offset in the form of carbon credits. These, in
theory, balance out the emissions produced by
saving emissions elsewhere in the world.
With Qatar, organisers are working on
renewable energy projects in Turkey as part of
this scheme.
Jreissati said these carbon credits constituted a
"distraction".
"They give the impression that a solution that
doesn't necessitate efforts to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions through ambitious political
decisions is possible," he said.
"We need to reduce emissions at source as soon
as possible."
For future tournaments Dufrasne said he
hoped for a "systemic reflection" in how World
Cups are organised.
THURsdAY, OcTOBER 20 2022
10
Best Actor Shakib Khan, Best Actress Puja Cherry
TBT REPORT
27 artists and craftsmen from the
country and abroad have received
the New York Dhallywood Awards
this time. In terms of popularity,
Shakib Khan, the superstar of the
Dhallywood, has won the best actor
and Puja Cherry, the popular
actress, has won the best actress.
The Dhallywood Awards were
held at the Amazura Auditorium in
Jamaica, Queens on Sunday night
(October 16) local time. However,
neither Shakib nor Puja went to
New York to collect their award.
Alamgir Khan Alam, owner of
New York's Showtime Music,
announced the names of 27 artists
and crew one by one. Apart from
Bangladeshi artists and craftsmen,
American model and Bollywood
actress Nargis Fakhri received the
International Icon Award.
Several patrons have also received
Dhallywood Awards in New York.
New York's biggest entertainment
program Film and Music Awards
winner this year are - Best
Television Actor Afran Nisho, best
television actress respectively -
Mehjabin Chowdhury (Redram),
Tanzin Tisha, Tasnia Fareen (New
Sensation), best supporting Actress
Shahnaz Khushi, best male singer
Tahsan Khan, best female singer
Dilshad Nahar Kona, best film actor
Shakib Khan (Popular) and
Chanchal Chowdhury (Hawa), best
film award 'Hawa', best film actress
Vidya Sinha Meem (Poran), best
film actress (Popular) Puja Cherry,
best actor comedy Ziaul Haque
Palash, best drama director Mustafa
Kamal Raj.
Apart from this, American model
and Bollywood actress Nargis
Fakhri received the International
Icon Award. Faria Shahreen, folk
singer Kala Mia, best TV news
reader Rumana Afroz, best
expatriate singer Shah Mahbub,
Rano Newaz, received special
awards.
Halloween Ends director defends Michael
Myers’ minimal screen time
Halloween Ends director David
Gordon Green defends Michael
Myers' minimal screen time in the
newly released horror trilogy
conclusion.
David Gordon Green defends the
decision of limiting Michael Myers'
(James Jude Courtney) screen time
in Halloween Ends. Set four years
after the events of Halloween Kills,
the movie sees Laurie Strode (Jamie
Lee Curtis) confronting The Shape
one last time as he comes out of
hiding during Halloween night in
Haddonfield. Meanwhile,
granddaughter Allyson (Andi
Matichak) starts to fall in love with
Corey Cunningham (Rohan
Campbell), who trains with Myers to
become Haddonfield's next "Shape."
In a surprising turn of events,
Michael Myers and Laurie Strode
take a massive backseat as Halloween
Ends devotes its focus to Corey
Cunningham, the newest character of
the franchise. After being attacked by
a group of teenagers, Cunningham
accidentally meets Michael Myers in
a sewer. The Shape initially strangles
him, but sees darkness lurking inside
of Cunningham, choosing to then
spare his life. The two of them start
wreaking havoc on Haddonfield, as
Cunningham starts to grow closer to
Michael Myers, causing Laurie to
worry given his relationship with
Allyson. Myers only appears in
Haddonfield during the final
confrontation, where Laurie awaits
his return, so she can finish him off
for good.
Now, in a recent interview with
Collider, David Gordon Green
explains why Michael Myers has a
limited screen presence during
Halloween Ends. The director
defends the choice, stating that it
would've felt wrong had he done the
film differently, while also admitting
limiting Myers' screen time was one
of the movie's biggest risks. Check
out what he said on the matter below:
"It's still a controversy today. I just
watched the movie outside of a
technical format, meaning in a sound
mix or a color correction, for the first
time two days ago. We really just
finished this movie. [Laughs] So two
days ago, and I'm watching it, and
I'm like, 'We're asking a lot.' But then
when we were in the editing room,
and we would do [it] differently, it felt
wrong. And so if you don't have an
intuition, if you don't have a vision,
you shouldn't be making this movie.
And I think there's obvious
challenges and things that you would
bring to discussion with editors, with
producers and say, 'This is what feels
right,' and at a point we all just looked
at each other and said, 'We're taking
a big risk here, but it does feel right,
and we know we're getting into. Let's
go for it.'"
Source: Collider
Sajal in new drama
series ‘Nayok er
Naam Kobi’
TBT REPORT
Popular model and actor Abdun Nur
Sajal will be starring in a new drama
series 'Nayok er Naam Kobi'.
Written by Imdadul Haque Milon and
directed by Lutfar Rahman Robin,
filming for the series began on 16 October
at various locations in Tejgaon, Dhaka,
and will feature 26 episodes.
The series will air on Bangladesh
Television (BTV) soon. However a
release date or details about the plot has
not been revealed at the time of writing.
Sajal will be starring as the protagonist
Abanti Sithi's
‘Bhorer Akash’
released
TBT REPORT
Abanti Sithi, who won many hearts
with her melodious voice and engaging
performances on stage, released a new
song titled 'Bhorer Akash'. On the
occasion of the 59 birth anniversary of
Sheikh Russel, the song was released on
the 'Sujan Hajong Official' YouTube
channel on Tuesday. Written by Sujan
Hajong, the song is tuned and
composed by Suman Kalyan.
With the lyrics 'Tomar Hasite Prithibi
Hase Dukkho Muche jay, Tomar
Chokhe Swapno Agamir Shishura
Dekhte Pai' the recording of the song
was completed at D Station Studio in
Moghbazar on October 16.
Regarding the song, lyricist Sujan
Hajong said, "Sheikh Russel is a name
of passion and love for us. It is our
prayer that the children live happily,
dreaming of a better future. In the song,
I presented Russel as the morning sky
to the children. I believe children will
grow up in the light of the world by
of the show, a man who belongs to a
wealthy family. He travels and enjoys
writing poetry.
"Imdadul Haque Milon is one of my
seeing this morning sky."
Abanti Sithi said, "This is my first
song about Sheikh Russel. The lyrics
and melody of the song are excellent. I
sang the song with joy and enthusiasm.
I hope everyone can sing the song
easily."
Before this, Abanti Sithi was well
appreciated for singing two songs titled
favourites! It's an honour to play the hero
of his story. It was the quality of script
that lured me in. I hope viewers will enjoy
it," said Sajal.
'Muktir Sangram' about Bangabandhu
and 'Amader Bangamata' about
Bangamata written by Sujan Hajong.
On the other hand, four songs about
Sheikh Russel written by Sujan Hajong
have already been published. These
four songs have been sung by Fahmida
Nabi, Muhin Khan, Suman Kalyan and
Sushmita Saha.
Katrina praises Siddhant, Ishaan
Katrina Kaif in a recent
chat shared about working
with the three Khans and
her Phone Bhoot co-stars
Siddhant Chaturvedi and
Ishaan Khatter.
Katrina Kaif is one of the
most loved actresses in
Bollywood. All eyes are on
her as her film Phone Bhoot
is about to release. The film
also stars Siddhant
Chaturvedi and Ishaan
Khatter in pivotal roles. The
trailer has been released and
fans are going gaga over it.
Well, we have seen the
camaraderie between
Siddhant, Katrina and
Ishaan in several BTS videos
and now a new video of the
trio has been released and
we bet it will leave you in
splits. In the chat, the
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
actress has revealed her
experience of working with
Salman Khan, Shah Rukh
Khan and Aamir Khan.
Katrina Kaif on working
with Shah Rukh Khan,
Salman Khan and Aamir
Khan vs Siddhant
Chaturvedi and Ishaan
Khatter In the video, Katrina
Kaif was asked how was it
working with Siddhant
Chaturvedi and Ishaan
Khatter after working with
Salman Khan, Shah Rukh
Khan and Aamir Khan. In
response, Katrina called the
three Khans icons. She
revealed that they elevate
every film they are in. "They
see the picture in totality,
they see the picture in
totality. So every suggestion
that they give helps your
character, helps your story.
Being on sets in those kinds
of films is absolutely
wonderful," added the
actress. Talking about
working with Ishaan and
Siddhant, Katrina said that
they are very enthusiastic
and they are always working
so hard. "The fact that they
could bring so much energy
is wonderful and they love
what they do," quipped the
actress.
Directed by Gurmmeet
Singh and written by Ravi
Shankaran and Jasvinder
Singh Bath, 'Phone Bhoot' is
produced by Excel
Entertainment, headed by
Ritesh Sidhwani and
Farhan Akhtar. The film is
all set to be released on 4th
November, 2022.
Source: Hindustan Times
H O R O s c O P E
ARIEs
Your head should be quite clear today,
Aries, and your witty comments will
be met with appreciation and
laughter. Your smile will delight
everyone you encounter. Don't be afraid to let your
feelings out to those who need to hear them. Focus
your energy on the ones you love. Your heart is
warm and generous, so share it with other people
today.
TAURUs
Don't worry about probing too deeply
today, Taurus. Trust people more than
you normally would. You will find that
things go much more smoothly if you
approach them from a neutral or positive and not
accusatory position. Listen to the people you care about
the most. They're trying to convey important
information. You might not want to hear it now, but in
the long run, it's in everyone's best interests that you do.
GEMINI
You might consider taking a short trip
today, Gemini. Perhaps you need to get
out of the house and go across town.
Whatever it is, introduce your brain to a
new reality. It's time to expand and explore. You itch
to see new places and experience new things, either
physically or mentally. Perhaps a religious sanctuary
or quiet place in grove of trees is what you need in
order to quench this inner thirst.
cANcER
Your mind might be stimulated today,
Cancer, so stay alert and open to new
information. If you feel tired, take a
short nap. It's better to operate at top
speed and full capacity than go through your day
only half present. Don't rely on external stimulants
like caffeine to pick you up. These things will
deceive your body and do damage to your nervous
system.
LEO
Communication is flowing smoothly
today, Leo, so take advantage of this
and get the word out. It's important
for you to make connections with
other people now. Run with your instincts and
feel free to enter into debates. Your words and
tone of voice are very convincing. You could sell
anything to anyone today.
VIRGO
Don't let fear of failure or fear of
success hold you back, Virgo. Even
though you may feel a natural
tendency to want to shrink into the
background and take the easiest route, you might
be sacrificing your true purpose when you do.
Become the leader instead of following the leader.
Rid yourself of all fear and take control of your
destiny.
LIBRA
Powerful thoughts are running
through your brain. You will find that
this information can be transforming,
Libra. The key is to learn from others
and incorporate opposing viewpoints into your state
of mind. Don't automatically disregard the opinion
of another just because it contradicts your own
beliefs. Teamwork is the name of the game on a day
like today.
scORPIO
Information coming your way today
might be unreliable, Scorpio. It could be
hard for you to take a solid hold on the
messages you get. Keep in mind that
there are important answers waiting to be heard. These
answers will come to you when you least expect them.
Keep your mind open to new possibilities and the path
will open up and become clear. Don't compromise your
consciousness with abusive substances.
sAGITTARIUs
Be careful about being manipulated by
another person today, Sagittarius. It's
possible that someone is putting words
in your mouth in order to get you to act
a certain way. Don't fall into this trap. Be your own
person and think for yourself. Your mind is
susceptible and vulnerable now. Use your eyes and
ears as a filter and don't let people unload their
garbage on you.
cAPRIcORN
Information you receive today may get
you stirred up, Capricorn. Remember
that it takes two to start an argument.
You play an equal part in any
disagreement. If you want to promote peace and
harmony, your words and body language must
show this. If peace and harmony aren't your
ultimate goal, you may need to look inside yourself
to explore the reasons why.
AQUARIUs
There's a great deal of power to your
words today, Aquarius, so be careful
how you use them. You may end up
manipulating another's choices if you
aren't careful with your conduct. Make sure you give
others the freedom and empowerment to decide
things for themselves. Be open and honest about all
the facts that might influence their decisions in any
way.
PIscEs
Answers may not be crystal clear
today, Pisces. They probably won't be
laid out in a neat and organized
manner. Get out in the open air and join friends
for a long bike ride. Fly a kite or feel the wind blow
through your hair on top of a mountain peak. The
answer is flowing through the air around you.
Stop looking down at the ground for the
information you seek.
Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital, Mirpur and UniMed
limited jointly organized a free blood sugar test camp at the
hospital premises yesterday. Director of the hospital Kazi Forhad
Alvi inaugurated the daylong camp.
Photo : Courtesy
GD-1695/22 (7x3)
GD-1702/22 (7x3)
874
19
Free blood glucose
test camp held
Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital Mirpur and
Unimed Limited organized a day-long free blood glucose test
camp on Wednesday in the hospital premises. The day-long
camp was inaugurated by the director of Ahsania Mission
Cancer and General Hospital, Mirpur, Kazi Farhad Alvi.
Deputy Director Dr. Subrata Mistry was present at the
ceremony. Besides, Md. Shahjahan, Mahidul Islam and
Ward Master Md. Idris were present on behalf of
Administration and Accounts Department. The activities of
the Free Broad Glucose Test Camp started with the blood test
of the hospital director. The day-long camp is open for
doctors, consultants, nurses, hospital staff at various levels,
patients, attendants and local public.
Tourist killed in Rangamati
road accident
RANGAMATI : A tourist was killed and six others were
injured when a 'Chander Gari'( a vehicle that usually carries
tourists) fell into a ditch while returning from Sajek on
Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Mohammad Sagar Ahmed,
32. According to Atulal Chakma, Chairman of Sajek Union
Parishad, the accident occurred around 11:00am when the
Chander Gari reached House Para from Sajek's Ruilui Para,
overturned and fell into a ditch, reports UNB.
"Upon receiving information from the locals, a team of
Bangladesh Army and police rescued the injured people and
took them to Dighinala Upazila Health Complex for
treatment. Sagar died while undergoing treatment there,"
Atulal said.
Officer-In-charge (OC) of Sajek Police Station Nurul
Haque confirmed the matter saying that all the victims of the
road crash were residents of Dhaka city.
Terrorist activities
of BNP-Jamaat will
be resisted: Nanak
DHAKA : Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Jahangir
Kabir Nanak yesterday urged the party leaders and activists
to resist unitedly any kind of terrorist activities of BNP-
Jamaat.
"We will not bow down to anti liberation forces," he said.
Nanak said this while speaking at a discussion as the chief
guest organized by the Bangladesh Krishak League marking
59th birth day of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman's youngest son Shaheed Sheikh Russel at
central office of Bangabandhu Avenue in the city.
He said BNP-Jamaat alliance wants to pull back the
country to turn Bangladesh into a new Pakistan, but people
won't let that happen.
He also said anti liberation forces on August 15 in 1975 had
killed the great leader of history and architect of
independence Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along
with his family members.
Later, General Ziaur Rahman seized the state power and he
had blocked trial of killers of Bangabandhu through the
passage of indemnity ordinance, Nanak said.
AL Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim said
anti liberation forces had perpetrated the killing mission on
August 15 in 1975. They are hatching conspiracy against the
present government, he said urging the party leaders and
activists to be united under the leadership of AL President
and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
President of Bangladesh Krishak League Krishibid Samir
Chanda presided over the discussion and acting General
Secretary Krishibid Biswanath Sarkar Bitu conducted it
while AL Agriculture and Cooperative Affairs Secretary
Faridun Nahar Laili, Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua,
Krishak League Vice-President Sakhawat Hossain Sweet,
Shorif Asraf and Abdul Latif, among others, spoke.
Brutal murder on Aug
15, a 'rare' in human
history: Dr Razzaque
DHAKA : Expressing deep respect to the memory of Shahid
Sheikh Russel, marking his 58th birth anniversary,
Agriculture Minister Dr M Abdur Razzaque has said, the
brutal killing on August 15 in 1975 is a 'rare one' in the human
history."August 15 carnage was a brutal assault in the human
history where Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and
most of his family members were assassinated at his
residence as part of a coup d'état", he said while addressing a
function marking the 58th birth anniversary of Shahid
Sheikh Russel at Bangladesh Embassy in Italian capital
Rome on Tuesday.
Dr Razzaque who is now visiting Rome to join a five-day
meeting of the World Food Forum (WFF) at the
headquarters of Food and Agricultural Organization of the
United Nations (FAO).
The meeting was started on October 17 that will continue
up to October 21.
Highlighting Russel's simple life, the minister, however,
said that such heinous killing would not happen again
nowhere in the world.
He recalled the sacrifices made by Bangabandhu's family in
all remarkable events in the history of the country including
the War of Liberation.
At the outset of the function, Dr Razzaque along with the
embassy officials placed floral wreaths at the portrait of
Shahid Sheikh Russel at the Embassy premises.
They offered doa and munajat seeking eternal peace of
Sheikh Russel's departed soul.
A documentary based on the life of Shahid Sheikh Russel
was also displayed during the function.
Chaired by Ambassador Shamim Ahsan, the function was
also attended among others, by the officials and employees of
the Embassy.
11
tHUrsDAy, OCtOber 20, 2022
GD-1701/22 (8x3)
PANI-209/2022-2023
GD-1699/22 (9x3)
Thursday, Dhaka : October 20, 2022; Kartik 4, 1429 BS; Rabi-ul-Awal 23 , 1444 Hijri
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday inaugurated the installation of the reactor pressure
vessel (RPV) at Unit-2 of the 2400MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). Photo : PID
People getting electricity
despite rationing amid
global crisis: PM
DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
on Wednesday said that the people are
getting electricity even though the government
has imposed some austerity measures
amid global crisis.
"People are getting electricity and will
get it, but all have to maintain austerity,"
she said.
"We are also maintaining austerity in
some cases. we are compelled to do so for
the present situation," she said while inaugurating
the installation of a reactor pressure
vessel at the second unit of the 2,400
MW Rooppur nuclear power plant
(RNPP).
She joined the programme virtually
from her official residence Ganabhaban
while it was held at Ishwardi of the northern
district of Pabna. The prime minister
said her government has fulfilled its promise
of providing electricity to all.
"We have kept our promise. We have
been able to reach electricity to every
house of Bangladesh," she said.
Court frames charges against contractor
Shamim, mother in graft case
DHAKA : A Dhaka court on Wednesday
framed charges against "influential"
contractor GK Shamim and his mother
Ayesha Akter in a disproportionate
assets case.
Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam of the
Dhaka Special Judge Court-4, framed the
charges against the mother-son duo for
corruption and fixed November 7 as the
next date for hearing the testimonies of
witnesses in the case, said Belal Hossain, a
court official, reports UNB.
Framing of charge is vital to a criminal
case as it gives the accused precisely what
the prosecution intends to prove against
them. Shamim and his mother have been
charged with graft for acquiring excessive
assets-worth over Tk 298 crore-by corrupt
means, the court official said.
Earlier, on December 22, 2020, the
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)
approved the chargesheet against
Rohingya repatriation
DHAKA : Bangladesh is likely to seek an
update from the Chinese side on Thursday
regarding its efforts to find ways for repatriation
of the Rohingya refugees to
Myanmar.
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li
Jiming is scheduled to meet Foreign
Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at his office
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on
Thursday morning where the Rohingya
issue is likely to be raised, a senior official
told UNB.
Brokered by China, Bangladesh and
Myanmar signed an agreement for starting
repatriation of the Rohingya refugees
to Myanmar under a tripartite mechanism,
but the process remained stalled.
The idea of a tripartite mechanism
among Bangladesh, China and Myanmar
came four years ago in New New York to
evaluate the situation on the ground and
In this connection, she that the current
problem has arisen due to a war like situation
in the world and COVID-19 pandemic.
"...prices have gone up in everything
including transportation. As a result the
developed countries are suffering from
various problems," she said.
She went on saying that the developed
countries also have focused on savings in
every spheres of life. We are also doing
that.
"Because the world is now a global village
one is dependent on another. When
the world is suffering from economic
recession that blow also comes to us," she
said. As a result, she went on, "We have
also started maintaining austerity."
"That does not mean, people of the
country will not get electricity," she said.
She once again blamed the Russia-
Ukraine war and subsequent sanctions for
compounding the problems.
"I hope that the world will get relief from
this situation very quickly," she added.
Shamim and his mother in the graft
case.
He was arrested with illegal firearms
and a huge amount of money from his
Niketan office on September 20, 2019,
during a drive against illegal casinos and
other businesses. Seven of his bodyguards
were also arrested during the raid.
Rab members seized Fixed Deposit
Receipts (FDRs) worth Tk 165 crore, Tk
1.81 crore in cash and a huge amount of
foreign currencies.
A foreign-made pistol, seven shotguns
and a huge cache of bullets were also
seized from the office of 'GKB and
Company Pvt Limited'.
The elite force lodged three complaints -
one under the narcotics control act, another
under the money-laundering prevention
act, and the third under the arms acts
- against Shamim with Gulshan police the
next day.
take steps for the early repatriation and
there had been few meetings.
Ambassador Jiming at a recent event
indicated that they are going to formally
share the "feedback" with the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in Dhaka based on what
they talked with the Myanmar side. "I am
not going to disclose it right now."
Despite assurance from Myanmar, not a
single person was taken back over the last
five years. Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1
million Rohingya in Cox's Bazar and
Bhasan Char.
On October 13, the Chinese envoy said
the key to the Rohingya issue is building
confidence between the stakeholders, not
the unilateral efforts from a certain country.
He said China has been working on
Bangladesh and Myanmar to help to
resolve the Rohingya issue through talks
because both Bangladesh and Myanmar
BNP public rally
Bus services in
Khulna to remain
suspended Oct 21, 22
KHULNA : Khulna bus-minibus owners
association and motor workers'
union have decided to keep bus services
suspended on October 21 and 22
due to the Bangladesh Nationalist
Party's divisional rally on October 22,
reports UNB.
They took the decision on Wednesday
night. General secretary of motor workers'
union Jakir Hossain said movement of all
buses from Khulna will remain suspended
on October 21 and 22. The BNP will
organize the rally on Sonali Bank premises
in the city.
District unit BNP general secretary
Monirul Hasan Bappi alleged that the
decision was taken to restrict the BNP
leaders and activists of different upazilas
of Khulna district and nine districts of
Khulna division from joining the rally.
"We apprehended the matter earlier
and have taken preparations accordingly,"
he said. The BNP activists were asked to
come to the city few days ahead of the rally
and stay in hotels or relative's houses, he
added.
DSA an additional threat
for Bangladeshi
journalists : Envoy
DHAKA : Canadian High Commissioner
to Bangladesh Lilly Nicholls on
Wednesday said the Digital Security Act
(DSA) puts additional threat for journalists
in Bangladesh. She said the media
plays a vital role to ensure democracy and
transparency in a country.
"Media freedom is deteriorating all
around the world including Bangladesh.
Media also plays a key role to hear from
different sections of the people and represents
the voice of the unheard," said the
Canadian envoy while speaking at a dialogue
on safety of women journalists,
reports UNB.
Discussants also included Barrister Sara
Hossain, President of Bangladesh Nari
Sangbadik Kendro Nasimun Ara Huq
Minu and Coordinator of Women
Journalists Network Bangladesh Angur
Nahar Monty. Faruq Faisel, Regional
Director for ARTICLE 19 South Asia,
moderated the dialogue session.
Rumky Farhana, Senior Program
Officer of ARTICLE 19, presented the
keynote paper pointing out the objectives
and scope of these upcoming series of dialogues.
Dhaka may seek updates on Beijing's efforts
are China's friendly neighbors.
The envoy said though the present
domestic condition of Myanmar is still
facing uncertainty, the communication
between the two sides is not interrupted
under the "mediation of China" and
actually, the incumbent authority of
Myanmar is showing a positive attitude
to this issue.
Thus, he said, the Chinese side hopes
Bangladesh and Myanmar could work in
the same direction so that the repatriation
could start at an early date.
On October 17, Momen said Myanmar
"should keep their promise" for the repatriation
of the Rohingya to "their place of
origin in Rakhine State."
"We are ready to send them back.
Myanmar should keep their promise.
They should come forward and do their
part of the job," he said.
Legal experts think CC
camera at secret booth
violates privacy:Hasan
DHAKA : Information and
Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan
Mahmud yesterday said legal experts
and specialists are of the view that to see
who is voting for whom by installing CC
camera at secret booth is the violation of
personal privacy.
"As per the legal experts, the Election
Commission has interfered with the
fundamental rights of citizens by doing
that in Gaibandha-5 by-polls. I also saw
the issue at social platforms and different
online portals which published news
and articles criticizing it," he said.
The minister said this to reporters,
replying to a query at the meeting room
of his ministry at Secretariat in the capital.
Hasan said, "It is not my own statement.
The opinions of people at social
platforms, journalists of mass media
and other intellectuals are that the secret
booth is secret and people will cast their
vote secretly. This is his or her right. The
secret booth will not be secret if anyone
sees who is voting for whom by
installing CC camera and if the scene is
shown to others. So, the legal experts are
saying that it is 'infringement of privacy'
or violation of personal privacy. The
opinions of common people and legal
experts are that it is interference with
the fundamental rights of people."
DHAKA : The government on
Wednesday approved separate proposals
to procure some 90,000 metric
tons of fertilizer and 1.65 crore
litre soybean oil in line with the
growing demand of the country.
The approvals came from the 31st
meeting of the Cabinet Committee
on Government Purchase (CCGP) in
this year held yesterday virtually
with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa
Kamal in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting
virtually, Cabinet Division additional
secretary Md Rahat Anwar
said that the day's CCGP meeting
approved a total of six proposals.
He informed that Bangladesh
Agricultural Development
Corporation (BADC) under the
Ministry of Agriculture would procure
some 50,000 metric tons of
MOP fertilizer from Canadian
Commercial Corporation, Canada
under the 6th lot under state-level
agreement with around Taka 437.06
crore. Under such agreement, per
ton of fertilizer would cost $821.
Anwar said the BADC under the
Ministry of Agriculture would procure
another 40,000 metric tons of
DAP fertilizer under the 9th lot
under state-level agreement from
OCP, SA, Morocco with around Taka
The minister said once Shamim
Osman had shown in front of the media
whom he voted for. As a result, the EC
gave him a notice and said that 'you cannot
show it before the mass media or
people', said Hasan, also Awami League
joint general secretary.
He said it is 'infringement of privacy' if
the Election Commission, which served
notice earlier, see it themselves.
He said there might be CC camera at
polling centers to see any untoward situation
and there is no obligation if the EC
think that it will be helpful. But the
experts are claiming that it interfered on
the fundamental rights to see who is voting
for whom by installing CC camera.
He said the field level officers of that
election are telling that the polls were
held in a fair manner. On the other
hand, the EC, by seeing CC camera
footage, thought that there were other
people in polling centers, he added.
He said, "I'm voting for long, but didn't
vote by EVM. I should have known
how to vote with EVM. And the people
of village normally ask 'how to vote'.
That time, agents of candidates or
polling officers help those people. The
Election Commission watched it by telescope.
I don't know how they identified
who is agent, who is officer or who is
outsider."
Govt to procure 90,000
MTs fertilizer, 1.65 cr
litre soybean oil
302.38 crore.
The Cabinet Division additional
secretary said that following a proposal
from the Ministry of
Commerce, Trading Corporation of
Bangladesh (TCB) would procure
some 1.10 crore litres of soybean oil
from Meghna Edible Oil Refinery
Limited, Dhaka with around Taka
189.03 crore with per litre soybean
oil costing Taka 171.85 while the previous
price per litre was Taka 185.
He informed that the TCB would
procure another 55 lakh litres of soybean
oil from Super Oil Refinery
Limited with around Taka 87.97
crore with per litre soybean oil costing
Taka 159.95.
The state-run corporation would
also procure some 8,000 metric tons
of lentil from a Turkish company
with around Taka 70.98 crore where
the price of per KG lentil would be
Taka 88.73.
Meanwhile, the day's CCGP meeting
approved a proposal from the
Ministry of Primary and Mass
Education under which 24 suppliers
would ensure printing, binding and
supply of s ome 2,48,35,990 copies
of textbook to the National
Curriculum and Textbooks Board
(NCTB) with around Taka 78.68
crore.
First non-Gandhi president in 24 yrs
India's Congress elects
Mallikarjun Kharge
NEW DELHI : India's main opposition
Congress party on Wednesday
elected 80-year-old Mallikarjun
Kharge as its first non-Gandhi president
in over 24 years.
Kharge, considered close to the Gandhi
family, defeated a relatively young Shashi
Tharoor, a former UN diplomat, by a huge
margin, reports UNB.
"Of the over 9,000 votes cast in the
party's internal election held on
Monday, Kharge bagged nearly 8,000,"
a spokesperson for the party told the
media in Delhi. Kharge will take over the
reins of the grand old party from interim
Congress president Sonia Gandhi soon.
After the results were announced at
2pm (local time), former Congress chief
Rahul Gandhi congratulated Kharge.
"Congress president is the supreme
authority," he said.
Earlier in the day, Tharoor alleged
"extremely serious irregularities" in the
party's internal election process.
The Congress held the election on
Monday, where 96% of the 9,915 eligible
Congress delegates, representing all
Indian states and Union territories, cast
their votes.
Govt cheating nation
in name of dev before
democracy, says
GM Quader
DHAKA : Jatiya Party Chairman GM
Quader on Wednesday alleged that the
nation is being deceived in the name of
development before democracy.
"Acceptable elections are the gateway to
democracy. Democracy cannot be practised
without free, fair and acceptable elections,"
he said.
Speaking at a programme at Jatiya
Party Chairman's Banani office, GM
Quader also said the main objective of
their party's politics is to establish democracy
and ensure people's rights, reports
UNB.
He alleged that some people want to
misinterpret democracy in the name of
development as they say development
should be given the priority over democracy.
"In fact, there is no such thing as developmental
democracy. The nation is being
cheated in the name of such democracy,"
the Jatiya Party chief observed.
He said that the country's development
and good governance will be ensured if
democracy is established. "All the rights of
people will be ensured only if democracy is
guaranteed."
At the programme, renowned physician
Manjur-A-Khoda joined Jatiya Party by
presenting a bouquet to the party chairman.
GM Quader welcomed the physician
and urged him to play a role in strengthening
the organisational capacity of Jatiya
Party. Jatiya Party presidium members
Advocate Md Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan,
Mostafa Al Mahmud and Office Secretary-
2 MA Razzak Khan, among others, were
present at the programme.
A drive was conducted at the site of construction of illegal settlements which was done by cutting a hill of
5 acres of government land. Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Zakaria has directed
the Forest Department and Environment Directorate to take legal action against those involved in cutting
hills, felling trees and selling government hills. The drive was carried out on Wednesday afternoon in
Paschim Larpara area west of Cox's Bazar bus terminal.
Photo : Star Mail