24-10-2022

MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2022
3
John Kerry praises Bangladesh
for climate change adaptation,
mitigation initiatives
DHAKA : US Special
Presidential Envoy for
Climate John Kerry has
applauded Bangladesh for its
ambitious climate change
adaptation and mitigation
initiatives despite being
traditionally an insignificant
emitter, reports UNB.
His appreciation came in a
recent letter to Foreign
Minister Dr AK Abdul
Momen.
In the letter of 13 October
2022, John Kerry also
highlighted a number of
Biden administration's
actions in combatting climate
change, including the new
legislation Inflation
Reduction Act (IRA).
While appreciating
Bangladesh for its climate
actions and goals, John Kerry
also urges it to join several US
climate initiatives so that
Bangladesh can set a positive
example for other large
emitters and encourage them
to meaningfully participate in
the global climate process.
He thanked Bangladesh for
its ambitious Nationally
Determined Contribution
(NDC) submitted last year
before COP26 in Glasgow and
requested for further
ambitions ahead of COP27 in
Sharm El Sheikh in
November this year. He also
On Sunday, the Faculty Development Programme (FDP) under the overall
supervision of the Office of the Evaluation, Faculty and Curriculum
Development (OEFCD) was inaugurated at the Bijoy Auditorium of
Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP).
Photo : Courtesy
Rights activists at a programme
called for taking necessary
steps for the production of
sustainable and improved
smart white cane for visually
impaired people at both public
and private level in the country.
At present, smart cane, which
is more helpful to visually
people, is mainly imported
from abroad. But the imported
canes are costly and it is tough
for the disabled people to get it,
as most of them are poor, they
observed.
Steps should also be taken so
that those poor people can
easily get it at chief price, they
said this while addressing a
discussion meeting and
cultural programme in the
capital.
If made at home, price of
smart cane would come down,
benefitting the disabled people.
Measures should be taken so
that the cane users get support
in their movement outside,
they added.
Blind Education and
Rehabilitation Development
Organization (BERDO), an
organization working for
improving the socio-economic
condition of people with
disabilities, organized the event
at its Rupnagar office, marking
World White Cane Safety Day-
2022.
On the occasion, BERDO
also held a rally and a workshop
the whole day on Saturday.
White canes are used by
blind people, who want to
safely travel and maintain their
independence. It helps normal
people to identify blind people
walking on the streets and be
assured support of the US
government in terms of
finding ways to implement the
NDC goals.
In the letter, Special Envoy
John Kerry also hailed
Bangladesh for its
announcement of cancelling
ten new coal power plants last
year.
He promised US support for
Bangladesh's energy security,
clean energy and energy
access goals, including
through the Clean EDGE Asia
Initiative.
He mentioned that the US
State Department's Bureau of
Energy Resources looks
forward to establishing a new
partnership between the
Power Grid Company of
Bangladesh and Pacific
Northwest Laboratory to
improve operations and
planning to ensure grid
stability and reliability to
support increased use of
renewables; and scheduling a
date to launch new
collaboration on carbon
capture, utilization and
storage and blue hydrogen
development with
Petrobangla.
John Kerry appreciated
Bangladesh for being the first
country in South Asia to join
the Agriculture Innovation
Mission for Climate (AIM4C),
more careful towards them.
In his speech, Md. Saidul
Huq, Executive Director of
BERDO who is visually
impaired, stressed on building
a rights-based inclusive society,
and implementing job quota
for people with disabilities and
Persons with Disabilities Rights
and Protection Act 2013, and
raising monthly disability
allowance at minimum Tk.
5000.
There are about 1.50 crore
people with different kinds of
disabilities in the country. Of
them, 20 lakh are visually
impaired. If they are neglected,
it would be tough for us to
achieve Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) as
SDGs focuses on leaving none
behind, said Saidul Huq.
Md. Musherraf Hossain
Mazumder, a Supreme Court
lawyer who is visually
impaired, demanded including
people with disabilities into the
a US-led initiative that put
forward robust innovation
investment commitments
that can help to acquire USD 8
billion worth of climate
finance by COP 27.
He also thanked
Bangladesh for the
commitment made at the Our
Ocean Conference in April
2022, including harnessing
marine
resources
sustainability under Blue
Economy for inclusive
development and the
announcement of the
National Plan of Action for
IUU Fishing.
Earlier on 12 October 2022,
Foreign Minister Momen wrote
a letter to Special Envoy John
Kerry informing Bangladesh's
decision to join Global
Methane Pledge, a US and EUled
joint initiative to curb global
methane emission by on
average at least 30 percent
from 2020 levels by 2030.
By now more than 100
counties and most of CVF
countries joined it. In the
letter, Minister Momen
reminded Kerry of the latter's
assurance of supporting
Bangladesh with critical
technologies to mitigate any
adverse effects on the
productivity in the agriculture
and livestock sectors for
reducing methane emissions.
Production of sustainable and smart white
cane for visually impaired people demanded
mainstream of society and
making all structures suitable
for their use.
Mohammad Jashim Uddin,
Executive Secretary of
Bangladesh National Social
Welfare Council, who attended
as the chief guest, lauded the
proposal of producing smart
cane at home, saying that it
would also save our foreign
Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development
Organization (BERDO), an organization working for
improving the socio-economic condition of people with disabilities,
organized an event at its Rupnagar office, marking
World White Cane Safety Day-2022. Photo : Courtesy
currency.
He underscored on raising
awareness on ensuring the
rights of people with
disabilities.
Chaired by Md. Jahangir
Alam, executive council
member of BERDO, Husne Ara
Begum, Treasurer of BERDO,
Selim Uddin, Deputy Director
of BERDO, and a number of
visually impaired participants
also spoke at the discussion.
On behalf of BERDO, smart
canes were distributed among
five visually impaired students
at the event.
Journalist AUM
Fakhruddin's 2nd
death anniversary
today
DHAKA : The 2nd death
anniversary of eminent
journalist AUM Fakhruddin
will be observed today.
Starting his news media
journey as a convener of
'Kochi Kanchar Asor' in
1958, Fakhruddin wrote
numerous articles for the
now defunct dailies-The
Pakistan Observer, The
Morning News and the
Bangladesh Times.
He held important posts at
various national dailies.
Besides, he was a
correspondent of The Daily
Mirror (London) from 1969
to 1975.
Fakhruddin's Bengali
translation of Shakespeare's
"Sonnet" was published
before his graduation.
Noted British journalist
and author John Pilger had
devoted about three pages of
his famous book, "Heroes",
to Fakhruddin with a
photograph of him. The
book contained first-hand
account of contemporary
world events. It was first
published by Jonathon
Cape, London, in 1986, and
by Pan Books Limited,
London in 1989.
A song of patriotic
inspiration "O Amar Bangla
Ma Tor Akool Kora Rooper
Shova", written by him was
recorded in 1972. It gained
immense popularity at
home and aboard.
Later, he worked as an
Associate Editor of the
Weekly Holiday until his
death. On the occasion,
Qurankhwani and Doa
Mahfil will be held at his
Dhanmondi residence in the
city.
Relatives and well-wishers
have been requested to pray
for the departed soul.
Faculty Development
Programme
inaugurated at BUP
On Sunday, the Faculty
Development Programme
(FDP) under the overall
supervision of the Office of
the Evaluation, Faculty and
Curriculum Development
(OEFCD) was inaugurated
at the Bijoy Auditorium of
Bangladesh University of
Professionals (BUP), a press
release said.
This
month-long
programmewas held to
improve quality and
intellectual development of
newly recruited Faculty
Memberswhich will end on
14 December 2022.
BUPVC Major General Md
Mahbub-ul Alam, ndc, afwc,
psc, MPhil, PhD was present
as the Chief Guest and
conducted a session titled
'Expectation from Teachers:
Guardian's Perspective' at
the inaugural function.
All senior officials of BUP,
newly recruited faculty
members, faculty members,
and officials were present in
the inauguration ceremony.
Marine engineer
found dead in
city's Dhanmondi
DHAKA : A 51-year-old man
was found dead in the city's
Dhanmondi area early
Sunday.
The deceased was identified
Shahadat Hossain Majumdar.
He used to work as chief
engineer in a foreign ship.
Police recovered the body
from Dhanmondi lake area
around 2:30 am, said Ekram
Ali, officer-in-charge (OC) of
Dhanmondi police station.
He went out for an evening
walk in the lake area on
Saturday and didn't return
home.
The body was sent to Dhaka
Medical College and Hospital
(DMCH) morgue for autopsy,
said the hospital's outpost incharge
inspector Bacchu Mia.
Four stab injury marks were
found on his body, he said.
'Narsingdi 06 08 Mega Festival 2022' was organized on Friday at
Dream Holiday Park Chaitaba, Panchdona, Narsingdi. The former
Parliament Member, Narsingdi-3, Shibpur and Advisor of Sheikh
Russel Shishu Kishore Parishad Md Sirajul Islam Mollah was
present as the chief guest in the program. With a view to gathering
the students of SSC 06 and HSC 08 batch across the country,
this program was arranged.
Photo: Courtesy
Film is a powerful medium for
social change: Palak
"Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority is
building 13 cinema halls in Bangladesh
to screen movies and by this year a
cineplex will be inaugurated in Rajshahi.
The remaining twelve will be
constructed by 2025. Besides, the
production of a film titled "Antarjal"
which means "Internet" in English is
nearing completion as one of the
initiatives from the ICT Division to make
the cyber world safe and raise awareness
among the citizens." The State Minister
for the ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed
Palak MP shared this information in his
speech after the screening of actionthriller
Bangladeshi film "Operation
Sundarban" at the Star Cineplex located
in SKS Tower, Mohakhali, Dhaka on
Saturday night.
He said that the young people of
Bangladesh are doing great in the film
arena. They are taking the entire
Bangladesh to the global stage which is
really a matter of pride for us. Our youth
will build a progressive non-communal
Sonar Bangla of Bangabandhu and that
journey has only just begun. He also said,
"There is still a long way to go. For this
reason, I would say that film is a
powerful medium for social change. And
only through this film, we can make the
citizens of the society aware and at the
same time provide healthy
entertainment."
He also said in his speech, "Be it
Bengali or English, I am crazy about
movies since childhood. For a long time,
we could not really watch Bengali
movies. Once the environment in the
movie theater was ruined. That
environment has radically changed. We
hope that we will all come to the cinema
hall, watch the movie, enjoy it with the
whole family and also hope that
Bangladeshi cinema will take over the
world."
Finally, the state minister thanked the
director of "Operation Sundarban"
Dipankar Dipon and all the actors and
said, "We want our youth to win the
hearts of the people of our country with
their creativity and talent, to provide
healthy entertainment, to make the
society a progressive non-communal
Bangladesh and let our art, literature and
cinema conquer the world."
It is to be noted that 'Operation
Sundarban' is created based on RAB's
daring operation to rid the Sundarbans
of bandits. The movie starred Riaz
Ahmed, Siam Ahmed, Nusrat Faria,
Ziaul Roshan, Manoj Pramanik, Raisul
Islam Asad and many others.
In this special show of "Operation
Sundarban" on Saturday, the film's
director Dipankar Dipon, among others,
Monir Khan Shimul, Siam Ahmed, Ziaul
Roshan, Vidya Sinha Meem and others
were present.
State Minister for the ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak MP addressing after the screening of actionthriller
Bangladeshi film "Operation Sundarban" at the Star Cineplex located in SKS Tower,
Mohakhali, Dhaka on Saturday night.
Photo : Courtesy
Norwegian Ambassador to Bangladesh Espen Rikter Svendsen paid a courtesy call
on Industries Minister Nurul Majid Humayun yesterday.
Photo : PID
BNP hatching afresh conspiracy
to thwart polls : Hanif
DHAKA : Awami League Joint General
Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif yesterday
said BNP is hatching afresh conspiracy to
foil the next parliamentary polls.
"Bangladesh is now a stable state and role
model of development before the world.
When there is no violence in the country,
people can safely go to their workplaces and
live peacefully, but BNP has started
hatching afresh conspiracy," he said.
Hanif added: "All anti-liberation forces
are hatching conspiracy standing on a
single platform. Their target is to foil the
election as they don't want any polls".
He was addressing the triennial councils
of the party's Sabujbagh than unit and its
ward no 4,5,73 and 74 units at Madartek
Abdul Aziz School and College ground in
the capital. The AL leader said BNP's target
of ousting the government will never be
successful.
"There will be no benefit to see such
daydreaming. The next polls will be held as
per the constitution. If people cast their votes
in favour of you (BNP), you will go to power.
And If the people don't vote you, there is no
other way to go to power," he said.
AL Organising Secretary Mirza Azam
spoke on the occasion as the special guest
while Sabujbagh than AL President Md
Ashrafuzzaman Farid chaired the council
session moderated by Chittranjan Das.
Dhaka-9 lawmaker Saber Hossain
Chowdhur and Dhaka City South AL
General Secretary Humayun Kabir also
addressed it.
HC upholds death
of husband in case
over wife's murder
DHAKA : The High Court
(HC) yesterday upheld
death sentence of a Barishal
man in a case lodged over
his wife's murder in 2015.
A High Court division
bench comprising Justice
Sheikh Hassan Arif and
Justice Biswajit Debnath
pronounced the judgment
after holding hearing on
death reference and criminal
appeal in the case.
"Dismissed," said the High
Court in its short judgment,
upholding death sentence of
the convict Sumon Munshi
from Mehendiganj, Barishal.
Advocate SM Nurul Islam
Shamim moved the appeal
for Munshi, while Deputy
Attorney General Harun Ur
Rashid and Assistant
Attorney General Jahid
Ahmed Hero stood for the
state.
According to the case
documents, Sumon Munshi
and his family used to
torture his wife Sathi for
dowry and killed her on
June 20, 2015. They tried to
make the murder as suicide
by hanging Sathi's body with
the ceiling of the room.
Sensing the matter, the
victim's father filed the case
with Mehendiganj Police
Station on June 21, 2015 and
police on November 27,
2015, filed charge-sheet
against Sumon Munshi.