20-10-2022

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.