27-10-2022

THURSDAY

DHAKA : October 27, 2022; Kartik 11, 1429 BS; Rabi-ul Awal 30, 1444 Hijri www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net Regd. No. DA~2065, Vol. 20; No.159; 12 Pages~Tk. 12.00

INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ART & CULTURE

Britain's new PM

Benfica win thriller with

eyes delay to crunch

Juventus to reach

Janhvi called herself

budget plan

Champions League

‘hero’ of the movie

Zohr

>Page 7

Airport road is another name of suffering. Even if it rains a little, cars get stuck from Tongi in Gazipur

to Banani. A long queue of vehicles started from Wednesday morning.

Photo : Star Mail

Japan to provide

TK 32.27cr to BD,

deals signed

DHAKA : The government of Japan will

provide an amount of 476 million Japanese

Yen (equivalent to approximately Taka

32.27 crore or $3.41 million) for the project

titled ‘The Project for Human Resource Development

Scholarship (JDS)’.

In this regard, ‘Exchange of Notes’ and

‘Grant Agreements’ were signed yesterday

between the government of Bangladesh and

the government of Japan.

Sharifa Khan, Secretary, Economic Relations

Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance

signed the ‘Exchange of Notes’ and the

‘Grant Agreements’ on behalf of the government

of Bangladesh, while Ito Naoki, Ambassador

of Japan in Bangladesh, signed

the ‘Exchange of Notes’ and ICHIGUCHI

Tomohide, Chief Representative, JICA

Bangladesh Office, Dhaka signed the ‘Grant

Agreements’ on behalf of the government of

Japan, said a press release.

‘The Project for Human Resource Development

Scholarship (JDS)’ is being implemented

during the period 2001-2025 by

the ERD.

Under the project, the grant provided by

the government of Japan is being utilized

for scholarships for the BCS Cadre Officers,

Bangladesh Judicial Service Officers and

First Class Officers of Bangladesh Bank to

study Masters and Ph.D. courses at various

universities in Japan.

This scholarship is contributing to develop

knowledge and skills acquired through

higher education from Japanese universities;

moreover, it is helping to develop relations

between the two countries.Some 383

officials have achieved Master’s degree and

2 officials have achieved Ph.D. degrees from

different Japanese Universities.

At present, some 89 officials are pursuing

Master’s degree and 12 Officials are pursuing

Ph.D. degree in Japan. Japan so far

spent approximately 5.94 billion Japanese

Yen ($40.45 million) as grant for implementing

this project for the period 2001-

2022.

Japan is the single largest bilateral development

partner of Bangladesh. Japan

has contributed significantly to the overall

development of the country.

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India not a strategic rival or

competitor for China : Envoy

DHAKA : Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh

Li Jiming on Wednesday said his

country does not have any “strategic rivalry

or hostility” to Bangladesh’s friendly

neighbor India at all.

The envoy said the two countries - India

and China can “closely work together”

to “resolve any economic, geopolitical

and other issues” in this region and beyond.

“We never view India as a strategic

rival or strategic competitor of China,” he

said while speaking at “DCAB Talk” held

at Jatiya Press Club.

Diplomatic Correspondents Association,

Bangladesh (DCAB) organised its

flagship programme. DCAB President

Rezaul Karim Lotus and General Secretary

AKM Moinuddin also spoke at the

programme.

The Chinese envoy said he is personally

a “big fan” of India, and he used to

travel to many Indian places and made

many friends. He also laid emphasis on

resolving all the problems in the region in

an “Asian way” and said that is the basic

intention of China.

Describing the situation in Europe as

“miserable”, Ambassador Jiming said,

“Do you want to see what happened in

Europe to happen here in our region? I

don’t think you want to see that. So, let’s

solve all the problems in an Asian way.”

The envoy said his country will continue

to work closely with Bangladesh to

ensure development, peace and stability

in the region.

“China-Bangladesh relations have

grown healthily and steadily, and (I) foresee

a promising outlook. We are ready to

work with Bangladesh for a brighter future,”

he said.

The envoy said China wants a “peaceful

and stable” Bangladesh as “peace and

stability” are preconditions for development.

Any problem, therefore, should

be resolved in a democratic and peaceful

way, he said, adding that China considers

Bangladesh as a “very good strategic

partner” and continues to improve the

relations with it.

The envoy said that China shares

the same views like Bangladesh on the

Ukraine issue and highlighted the importance

of having dialogue and discussion

to resolve problems peacefully.

“We both stand with peace and call for

appropriate settlement of the concerns of

all through diplomatic channels,” he said.

Media reported that India and China

have been increasingly buying discounted

Russian oil as global energy prices remain

high.

Govt increases healthcare facilities

for dengue patients : Maleque

DHAKA : Health Minister Zahid Maleque

yesterday said the government

has increased healthcare facilities

for dengue patients as the mosquito-borne

disease is increasing sharply

in the country.

“We have taken prompt steps to

provide healthcare services to the

dengue patients... the number of

dengue patients has increased alarmingly

in recent times,” he told a discussion

here, an official release said.

The discussion was held at Sheikh

Russel National Gastroliver Institute

and Hospital on the occasion

of the birthday of Sheikh Russel, the

youngest son of Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,

reports BSS.

Director General of Directorate

General of Health Services Prof

Dr ABM Kurshid Alam, Director of

Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver

Institute and Hospital and National

Professor Prof Mahmaud Hasan,

among others, addressed the discussion

with Secretary of Health Service

Division Dr Muhammad Anwar Hossain

Haqlader in the chair.

The minister said the government

has set up medical units dedicated

to dengue patients at different hospitals

in Dhaka city including Dhaka

North City Corporation Hospital,

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical

University (BSMMU) and Lalkuthi

Hospital.

He urged the authorities of both

Dhaka South City Corporation and

Dhaka

North City Corporation to take

prompt action for killing Aedes mosquitoes

to control the rising trend of

dengue disease.

“We are launching awareness

campaign aiming to destroy potential

breeding sources of dengue. I

am urging people to keep clean both

inside and outside of their houses for

stopping the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes,”

Maleque added.

The DGHS sources said Mirpur,

Uttara, Mugda, Jatrabari, Dhanmondi

and Mohammadpur in Dhaka

city have been identified as dengue

hotspots. It said the highest number

of cases has been detected in Cox’s

Bazar after Dhaka.

At the discussion, Maleque said

the country has witnessed massive

development since the present government

assumed office.

“But BNP-Jamaat does not see

any development... they (BNP-Jamaat)

are always doing politics to

come to power,” he added.

>Page 9 >Page 10

Two-day bus strike

ahead of BNP rally

in Barishal

Zihad Rana, Barishal Bureau

Barishal District Bus Owners Group has

announced the suspension of internal and

long-distance bus services in Barishal for

two days from November 4 to demand the

ban on illegal three-wheelers and rented

motorcycles on the highway.

An application, signed by the organization’s

president Golam Masrek and general

secretary Kishore Kumar Dey, was submitted

to the Barishal Divisional Commissioner

on Tuesday. Meanwhile, BNP has called

a rally in Barishal on November 5 in continuation

of the divisional mass rally. The

leaders of the bus owners’ association have

set a deadline of November 3 to respond to

the demands.

Arrest warrant

issued against Evaly

chairman in DSA case

DHAKA : A special court here has issued

arrest warrant against e-commerce platform

Evaly chairman Shamima Nasrin in a

case filed under Digital Security Act (DSA).

Judge Ash Shams Zaglul Hossain of Dhaka

Cyber Tribunal passed the order on October

19, scrapping her bail in the case.

“October 19 was fixed for passing order

on taking the charge-sheet into cognizance.

Accused Shamima didn’t appear

before the court, instead pleaded for time

through her lawyer. The court after that

issued the warrant against her and set

January 22 for holding hearing on charge

framing in the case,” tribunal bench clerk

Shamim Al Mamun told BSS.

A customer named Alamgir Hossain

filed the case against Evaly managing director

Mohammad Rassel, its chairman

and Rassel’s wife Shamima Nasrin on

September 30, 2021, with the capital’s

Badda Police Station.

Bringing back black money

BFIU gets 3 months to sign

legal pacts with 10 countries

DHAKA : The High Court has given

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit

(BFIU) three months to sign mutual

legal assistance (MLA) pacts with 10

countries for obtaining information and

proof required to recover black money

stashed abroad.

A HC bench of justices Md Nazrul

Islam Talukder and Khijir Hayat passed

the order on Wednesday.

Deputy attorney general AKM Amin

Uddin Manik appeared for BFIU, while

advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented

the Anti-Corruption Commission

(ACC).

In a report submitted to the court on

Tuesday, BFIU said that they had advised

the Financial Institutions Division

(FID) to sign MLA agreements with at

least 10 countries to get necessary help

in bringing back laundered money from

abroad.

These countries are the United

States of America (USA), the United

Kingdom (UK), Canada, Singapore,

Australia, Malaysia, the United Arab

Emirates, Switzerland, Thailand and

Hong Kong (China). The report also

said that “BFIU has asked Bangladesh

Bank (BB) to recruit manpower for

the proposed ‘Research Cell’ which

will help in identifying money launderers

and recovering the money”.

According to the report, the recruitment

process is currently ongoing.

The report added that the sixth meeting

of the taskforce, led by the attorney

general and formed to recover laundered

money, took place on January 3,

2022. The meeting was attended by representatives

of the Home Ministry, the

Foreign Ministry, FID, ACC, BFIU and

the Criminal Investigation Department

(CID) of Bangladesh Police.

It was decided at the meeting that

urgent steps needed to be taken to identify

the launderers and bring back black

money stashed in foreign banks.

The High Court on August 31 ordered

the head of Bangladesh Financial

Intelligence Unit to form a

research cell to prevent money laundering,

bring back laundered money,

monitor and control it.

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence

Unit head Md Masud Biswas was also

directed to submit a progress report regarding

the formation of Research Cell

by the next hearing set to be held on October

26.

On August 10, the Swiss ambassador

in Dhaka Nathalie Chuard said that they

have been providing the Bangladesh

government with all information regarding

deposits of Bangladeshi money

in Swiss banks, “but no request has been

submitted regarding any particular account”.

On August 11, the High Court bench

ordered the government and the Anti-Corruption

Commission to explain

why the government did not seek information

of deposits of Bangladesh money

stashed in Swiss banks.

On August 14, Bangladesh Financial

Intelligence Unit was asked to submit

a report in this regard in the affidavit

form. On August 21, following the High

Court order, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence

Unit’s report was submitted

stating that the information regarding

deposits of 67 Bangladeshis in various

Swiss banks was sought from the authorities

concerned in Bern.

THRUSDAy, OCTOBER 27, 2022

2

Dr. Lawrence N. Berlin, Professor Emeritus, Northeastern Illinois University,

Chicago, USA, Prof. Mahmudul Amin from NAEM, Prof. A.M.M. Hamidur

Rahman, Dean, Faculty of Humanities & Social Science and Dr. Liza Sharmin,

Head of the Department of English of Daffodil International University along

with the participants pose for a photograph after the workshop titled at the

"Exploring The Life Cycle of the English Language Teaching Professor" held at

Daffodil International University.

Photo : Courtesy

35-yr-old killed over land dispute in Sylhet

SYLHET : A man was beaten to death

allegedly by his neighbours in Sylhet's

Bishwanath upazila over a land dispute on

Tuesday night.

The deceased was identified as Saiful

Islam, 35, a rickshaw-puller by profession

and son of Hafiz Abdul Mannan of

Charchandi village of Daulatpur union of the

upazila.

Gazi Ataur Rahman, officer-in-charge of

Bishwanath police station, said that Saiful

had a dispute with his neighbours over a

piece of land. On Tuesday night, Saiful's

neighbours beat him mercilessly, leaving

him critically injured, the OC added.

A seriously injured Saiful was rushed to

Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College where

doctors declared him dead around 9.30 pm.

The body has been kept in the hospital

morgue for an autopsy, the officer said.

Dengue death

toll now 120 as

2 more die

DHAKA : Two more deaths

from dengue in 24 hours till

Wednesday morning raised

this year's fatalities from the

mosquito-borne disease in

Bangladesh to 120.

During this period, 923

more patients were

hospitalised with the viral

fever as cases keep rising,

according to the Directorate

General of Health Services

(DGHS).

Both deaths were reported

from Dhaka.

With this, the Dengue death

toll from Dhaka rose to 72.

The dengue death toll

remained unchanged at 36 in

Chattogram, at five in

Barishal, at four in Khulna

and at three in Mymensingh

division. Of the new patients,

520 were admitted to

different hospitals in Dhaka

and 403 outside it, according

to the Directorate General of

Health Services (DGHS).

A total of 3,380 dengue

patients, including 2,207 in

the capital, are now receiving

treatment at hospitals across

the country. The directorate

has recorded 33,923 dengue

cases and 30,423 recoveries

so far this year.

Elderly woman tied

to tree, tortured in

Natore

NATORE : An elderly woman

was tied to a tree and beaten

mercilessly by her neighbours

on Tuesday night for allegedly

having an illicit affair with her

son-in-law in Natore's

Gurudaspur upazila.

Kulsum Bewa, 80, was

dragged out of her house and

tortured by her neighbours,

Raton Ali and Ujjal Hossain,

said Abdul Motin, officer-incharge

of Gurudaspur police

station. However, the woman

claimed that since she was

sick, her son-in-law went to

her room to give her

medicines. On information,

police visited the spot and

rescued the woman.

No one has been arrested in

connection with the

thrashing, said the OC.

"Efforts are on to nab the

culprits."

University Research Day

President, PM greet teachers,

researchers, physicians

DHAKA : President M Abdul Hamid and

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday

greeted all concerned including students,

teachers, doctors, nurses and officials on

the occasion of the University Research

Day-2022. They issued separate

messages on the eve of the day to be

observed today under the arrangement

of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical

University (BSMMU) for the fourth time.

In his message, President Abdul

Hamid said that accurate knowledge

about the origin, causes, remedies and

prevention of various diseases can be

gained through continuous research and

thus research plays an important role in

human welfare.

Referring to medical care as one of the

basic human needs, the head of the state

said due to this reason, people have high

GD-1727/22 (6x4)

expectations of BSMMU, a top

institution of medical science in the

country. He underscored the need for

expanding basic research programs and

utilizing the research results for human

welfare in order to fulfil that public

expectation.

He called upon the university

authorities to take necessary initiatives

for this purpose alongside reaching

quality medical services at the doorsteps

of the common people with minimum

cost.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina said the greatest Bangalee of all

times Father of the Nation Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman undertook

various activities including the

establishment of hospitals for the

development of the country's medical

industry immediately after the

independence of the country.

In the war-torn country, he took

groundbreaking initiatives to expand

healthcare at the district, police station

and union level to bring medical care to

the doorsteps of common people, the

Premier said.

At the hands of Bangabandhu,

revolutionary changes began in the

development of the health sector and

medical science research in Bangladesh,

she added.

Following the footprints of

Bangabandhu, the Awami League

government established a medical

university for the first time in 1998 aimed

at creating the foundation of necessary

medical research to ensure the sound

health of the people, she said.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2022

3

Rowshan Ara Mannan, the chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on Road Transport

and Bridges Ministry.

Photo : Courtesy

Every driver must be fit to reach the destination

safely: Rowshan Ara Mannan

To reach the destination safely, every

driver must be physically and mentally fit,

said Rowshan Ara Mannan, the

chairperson of the parliamentary

standing committee on Road Transport

and Bridges Ministry. She said that the

role of drivers is very important to ensure

that passengers must reach their

destination safely. If the driver is sick then

the passengers of that vehicle are also

unsafe. So every driver should not drive in

sick condition, a press release said.

Bangladesh Road Transport

Authority (BRTA) and Dhaka Ahsania

Mission organized a free health and eye

Solo exhibition,

'Karukothon',

underway at

Zainul Gallery

TBT Report

"Karukothon", a solo

exhibition of artist Namira

Farzana is currently

underway at the Zainul

Gallery in the Department of

Fine Arts at the University of

Dhaka. The exhibition was

inaugurated by Professor Dr.

A S M Maksud Kamal, Pro-

Vice-Chancellor (Education)

of the University of Dhaka

recently.

Traditional folk motifs

along with Daruj appliqué,

tapestry, batik, experimental

drawings, metal relief, and

designs are being presented

in this exhibition. It features

30 experimental works of

the artist including some

samples from the beginning

of her academic career.

"Handicrafts can instantly

take an artist back to the

memories of their student

life. My first solo exhibition

is a small attempt to revive

that memory," said Namira.

The artist also urged

everyone to visit her solo

exhibition, along with their

friends and family. The

exhibition will continue till

October 30 from 10 am to 8

pm daily.

Abu Rushd Literary

Award Ceremony

The award giving ceremony

of Abu Rushd Literary

Award-2021 will be held on

October 29, 2022 at 11amat

Ramesh Chandra Dutta

Milon Kendro of

Chhayanaut Shangskriti-

Bhavan (3rd floor).

Two eminent writers

Anwara Syed Hoq and Wasi

Ahmed, have been

nominated for 'Abu Rushd

Literary Award'-2021 for

their novels 'Chokh' and

'Borofkol' respectively. Each

of the awardees will receive

Tk. 50000 cash and a

certificate. Besides, in young

writers' category two other

young authors, Papree

Rahman and Mahmud

Akhtar Shareef will receive

'Abu Rushd Creative

Literary Recognition' for

their books 'Nodidhara

Abashik Elaka' and 'Manush

Hober Kalponik Golpo'

respectively. Each of authors

will receive a certificate and

a crest, a press release said.

examination program for drivers

throughout the day in collaboration

with Lions Club of Oasis and Urban

Primary Health Care Services Delivery

Project on the occasion of National and

International Safe Road Safety Day on

Wednesday. She added that there a

huge development have been witnessed

in the roads during the current

government. So it is necessary to drive

the vehicle with caution on the road so

that no crashes happen on the road. If

the drivers feel sick, they should

undergo a health check-up

immediately.

Dhaka Bus-Truck Owners Group,

General Secretary, Alhaj Jalal Uddin,

Dhaka Ahsaniya Mission Health

Sector-Deputy Director, Md.

Muhlesur Rahman, Dhaka North City

Corporation Gabtali Bus Terminal

Assistant Manager Md. Zahid Hasan,

Dhaka District Shromik Union-Office

Secretary Md. : Ashraf, and Urban

Primary Health Care Services

Delivery Project-Medical Officer Dr.

Nusrat along with othe health officers,

drivers and employees of Transport

Owners Association attended the

program.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) of the University of Dhaka Professor Dr. A S

M Maksud Kamal inaugurated the exhibition yesterday. hoto : Courtesy

Speakers for competitive tariff

structure for post-LDC period

DHAKA : Speakers at a workshop on

Wednesday underscored the need for

competitive and rationalized tariff structure

for the post-LDC period.

They made the observation at a workshop

on "Competitive tariff structure: post-LDC

graduation context" organized by Dhaka

Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(DCCI) in the city, said a press release.

In his speech, DCCI President Rizwan

Rahman said that after the LDC

graduation, Bangladesh will have to pay 8

to 16 percent duty to the countries where

the country exports.

"Moreover, we will not be able to impose

any supplementary (SD) and regulatory

duty (RD) to safeguard local industries

which is going to be a challenge. At present

our average tariff structure is about 13.5

percent which is higher than Vietnam,

Taiwan and Malaysia. We need to prepare

ourselves in terms of enhancing

productivity, cost minimization, industry

skill development, ease of doing business

and cost of doing business," he added.

Joint Chief of the Bangladesh Tariff

Commission Md Mashiul Alam presented

the keynote paper.

He highlighted that Bangladesh is a

resilient country and last year, the country's

export was US$50 billion.

"Even after LDC graduation, Bangladesh

has the capacity to adopt the challenges.

But from now we have to go for regional

integration for PTA, FTA and CEPA with

potential trading partners to hold the

market access. It is true that our tariff line is

not very competitive and is higher than

many other countries, therefore we have no

alternative but rationalize it. In that case

sectoral tariff policy for at least five years

will be helpful for our exporters and

importers," he added.

Member of the Bangladesh Trade and

Tariff Commission Shis Haider Chowdhury

said that both government and private

sector should work jointly to make the tariff

structure competitive.

He said, "Bangladesh will graduate from

the LDC category in 2026 which is a good

news for the country but recently we are

going through a tough time due to Covidled

pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war,

worldwide economic recession and natural

disaster."

Previously we were reluctant about FTA

but now the government is doing few

studies to go for PTA and FTA, he added.

He said that Bangladesh's tax to GDP

ratio is only 7.9 percent which is not

expected.

"After the graduation we will have to go

for tariff rationalization at the same time we

will have to concentrate on VAT and tax

collection to balance revenue generation,"

he added.

Director-3 (Joint Secretary) of the WTO

Cell of the Ministry of Commerce Farhana

Iris said, "We have to increase our export in

line with tariff rationalization. Still we have

a big gap between export and import and

balance of payment. Government is

conducting study to sign FTA with Bhutan,

Nepal and Sri Lanka. But, maybe we will be

able to continue subsidy in the agriculture

sector till 2030."

DCCI Senior Vice President Arman

Haque chaired the workshop where around

50 member companies of DCCI took part in

the workshop.

Bangladesh,

Qatar sign MoU

to boost defence

cooperation

DHAKA : Bangladesh and

Qatar on Tuesday signed a

memorandum of

understanding (MoU) for

mutual cooperation in the

defense sector.

Lt. Gen. Waker-uz-

Zaman, Principal Staff

Officer, Armed Forces

Division, Prime Minister's

Office and Lt. Gen. (Pilot)

Salem Hamad Aqeel Al

Nabit, Chief of the Armed

Forces of Qatar signed the

MoUon behalf of

Bangladesh and Qatar

respectively at the

headquarters of the Armed

Forces of Qatar.

It is expected that

Bangladesh's cooperation in

the defense sector with

Qatar will increase through

the signing of this MoU, said

the Bangladesh Embassy in

Qatar.

The MoU, signed as part of

ongoing efforts to increase

cooperation in new areas of

bilateral relations between

Bangladesh and Qatar, will

strengthen the cordial and

brotherly relations between

the two countries, it said.

The meeting held between

Waqar-uz-Zaman andLt.

Gen. Al Nabit discussed

issues of mutual interest.

The MoU signing ceremony

was attended by Ambassador

of Bangladesh to Qatar Md

Jashim Uddin, Embassy

Defense Adviser Brigadier

General Md Sajjad Hossain

and Chief of Qatar's

International Military

Cooperation Brigadier Abdul

Aziz Al Sulaiti.

10 DU students given Dean's Award

Ten meritorious students from different

departments under the Faculty of

Engineering and Technology of Dhaka

University (DU) have been given "Dean's

Award" for their excellent academic results

in BSc. (Hons.) examinations of session

2018-2019 & 2019-2020. Besides, four

faculty members have received the Dean's

Award for their outstanding research. Dhaka

University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md.

Akhtaruzzaman distributed the awards

among the brilliant students and faculty

members at a function held yesterday at

Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate

Bhaban of the university, a press release said.

Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and

Technology Prof. Dr. Hafiz Md. Hasan Babu

presided over the function while Pro-Vice

Chancellor (Administration) Prof. Dr.

Muhammad Samad, Pro-Vice Chancellor

(Academic) Prof. Dr. A S M Maksud Kamal

and Treasurer Prof. Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed

addressed it as special guests. Chairpersons

of the various departments declared the

names of awardees.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md.

Akhtaruzzaman urged the brilliant students

to become a man of humanitarian values

rather than a man of success. He also called

upon them to play a pioneering role for

establishment of a knowledge and

technology based society through research

and innovation.

Awardee students are: Emraul Islam

Emon & Imran Hossain Sabuj (Electrical

and Electronic Engineering), Sadit Bihongo

Malitha & Ishmam Tahmid (Applied

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering), Md.

Tanvir Alam & Md. Tanvir Arafat (Computer

Science and Engineering), Farshid Reza &

Umme Mahbuba Nabila (Nuclear

Engineering) and Monisha Mushtary Uttsha

& Niloy Irtisam (Robotics and Mechatronics

Engineering).

Awardee faculty members are: Prof. Dr.

Chowdhury Farhan Ahmed (Computer

Science and Engineering), Associate Prof.

Dr. M. L. Palash (Electrical and Electronic

Engineering), Assistant Prof. Sujan Sarker

(Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering)

and Assistant Prof. Dr. Mainul Hossain

(Electrical and Electronic Engineering).

DU VC Prof Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman placing floral wreath at the grave of

Sher-E-Bangla AK Fazlul Huq on the occasion of his 149th birth

anniversary.

Photo : Courtesy

Quantum Foundation

honors 403 voluntary

blood donors

DHAKA : The Quantum Foundation, a

charitable organization dedicated to

personal growth and serving humanity in the

country, honored 403 voluntary blood

donors at a function in the city.

Each recipient was given a certificate, an

identity card and a crest under three

categories of donating blood three times, 10

times and 25 times, a press release said.

Of the total award recipients, 24 are

members of the golden club, who donated

blood 25 times, 180 silver members, who

donated 10 times, and 199 are lifetime

members, who donated blood three times.

Additional Secretary of the Power Division

SM Enamul Kabir was present at the award

distribution ceremony at Institute of

Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh here with

Quantum Foundation Advisor Professor Dr

Zahir Uddin Ahmad in the chair.

Director (motivation) of voluntary blood

donation programme of the Quantum

Foundation M Rezaul Hasan delivered the

welcome address at the function.

According to the release, in order to meet

the huge demand for blood, the Quantum

Foundation has been creating awareness

among the people and carrying out voluntary

blood donation programme since 1996.

It has been able to help around 13 lakh

people, supplying safe blood in the last two

decades, the release added.

Bangladesh reports 196 more

Covid cases, zero death

DHAKA : Bangladesh reported 196 more Covid cases in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.

The total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,416 as no death was reported during the period.

With the new infections, the caseload rose to 2,034,729, according to the Directorate

General of Health Services (DGHS).

The daily case test positivity rate dropped to 5.01 per cent from Tuesday's 5.70 per cent

as 3,913 samples were tested during the period. The mortality rate remained unchanged

at 1.45 per cent and the recovery rate rose to 97.26 per cent. In September, the country

reported 40 Covid-linked deaths and 13,251 cases. Bangladesh registered its highest daily

caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and its highest number of fatalities of 264 on

August 10 the same year.

DMP arrests 26

for consuming,

selling drugs in

city

DHAKA : As part of the

anti-drug drive in the

capital, members of the

Dhaka Metropolitan

Police (DMP) arrested a

total of 26 people on

charges of selling and

consuming drugs during

the last 24 hours till 6am

on Wednesday.

According to a release

issued by the DMP, police

conducted the operations

against the drug sellers

and consumers in

different areas under

various police stations of

the capital. They detained

a total of 26 drug

traffickers and recovered

huge amounts of drugs

from their possessions

from 6am of October 25

to 6 am, Wednesday.

During the anti-drug

drives, police seized 2.90

kilograms and 60 puria

(small packet) of

cannabis (ganja) and

6,226 pieces of yaba

tablets from their

possessions, it said.

Police filed 21 cases

against the arrestees in

these connections with

respective police stations

under the Narcotics

Control Act.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud handing over the DRU literature award

2022 yesterday. Photo : PID

ThURsday, oCToBeR 27, 2022

4

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Thursday, october 27, 2022

Factors in ADP projects

and programmes

The Annual Development Plan (ADP) is a

major source of public sector investment

in the country. But success in ADP

implementation is not only about fulfillmentof

expenditure targets either. Success must not be

measured primarily on the basis of only how

quickly the money is spent. The emphasis

should be on how quickly as well as how ' well'

the money is spent on the ADP projects. There

can be no reason for satisfaction if the

expenditure targets are fulfilled or overfulfilled

while expected physical output and other

targets from the same record serious shortfalls.

Ensuring the 'quality' of the ADP projects

and programmes call for their sound

conceiving in the first place. If this is not

accomplished, then resources spent on them

are to be considered as wasteful. Over the years,

many ADP projects have tended to be symbolic

of such waste. Thus, the Public Expenditure

Review Commission (PERC) identified a saga

of misuse of ADP resources during the last two

decades. It found out, for instance, a railway

project costing taka 6.75 billion to link Cox'

Bazar with Chittagong notwithstanding that a

good road link already exists between these two

destinations which make spending in the

railway project irrelevant and superfluous. It

would make far better sense if the resources

spent on this project could be diverted to

another sector where the benefits would be

proportionately much bigger than the expected

ones from the railway project.

The PERC in its examination also focused on

a string of projects where routine substantial

expenditures from the ADP are being made as

preparatory to starting full fledged work on

them. In many cases, these projects and

programmes are dependent on resources

availability or commitment and actual

disbursement of foreign funding for them

which are uncertain. Year after year, a great

deal of resources are getting consumed in

maintaining project sites and paying salaries to

staff there in anticipation that works on these

projects and programmes could start. But

these costs are proving to be very wasteful as

there is no knowing when these ventures will

take off or whether these will take off at all.

Even common sense dictates that all ADP

programmes need to be started and ended

under a strictly defined timeframe after full

availability of funding for them and taking of all

preparations to complete them at one go.

Clearly, the first task in order of importance

ought to be selection of ADP projects and

programmes after these have been put through

cost benefit analysis and assessed for their rate

of returns and found to be worthwhile. It is

imperative for ADP proposals to be cleared

through an impartial filtering process to

ascertain their true value. In many cases, the

proposals are the outcome of 'political designs'

to favour individuals and group interests. Only

after such a scrutiny, the really sound proposals

should merit an inclusion in the ADP and that

too after finances have been fully lined up to

start works on them immediately and to end

the same within a stipulated period. These

aspects are very important to avoid the

escalating costs from delays in implementation

and to get promptly the benefits from

completed projects and programmes.

For the ptresent fiscal year, the government

has a big enough ADP in the planning boards.

However, as the saying goes that the taste of the

pudding lies in the eating, the larger outlay of

resources in the ADP will be reasonable and

would be justified if the rate of its

implementation proves to be notably better

than previous years and, more significantly,

the quality of the finished projects are judged as

truly beneficial for the economy.

Planned farm management can remove the gloom of the educated youth and put smiles on their faces

Due to the global economic recession,

not only getting a government or

private job, but getting a job

advertisement has become a golden deer

today. Thousands of educated young people

have been sweating for a long time to fulfill

the dream of their parents, brothers and

sisters, and they have not been able to get a

job. In the midst of the global economic

recession and the corona epidemic, the

pilgrims who want to fulfill their dreams are

disorientated and tired today. Those who

thought that after completing their

education, removing the concentrated

darkness of sorrow, the world will be bright

with the light of happiness, today they are

locked in four walls under the terrible

clutches of Corona. Students today are truly

out of luck as job advertisements have

stopped. According to International Labor

Organization (ILO) data, one in four youth in

Bangladesh is unemployed (27.39%).

Educated youth are affected in three ways in

the long-running epidemic. On the one hand

unemployment, education and training are

also disrupted.

Students who used to earn two-four paisa

by private tutoring and ride sharing, are

closed today due to the fluctuation of oil

prices in the global market. On the one hand,

the students today are lost way thinking

about the bloodshot eyes of some people in

the society and the cursed life of

unemployment. Today there is no one to

guide the wayfarers who have lost their way.

On the one hand, due to less advertisement

of government jobs, retrenchment of

workers in private jobs, return of expatriate

brothers to the country, the employment

situation is in a state of chaos today. In such

a situation, it is really difficult to say what is

going to happen to the pilgrims who wish to

fulfill their dreams.

Suffering a lot of pain and suffering when

THE by-elections held on Oct 16 were

extraordinary for a number of reasons.

First, the constituencies were arbitrarily

picked for re-election by accepting the

resignations of only 11 out of 123 PTI MNAs

who had tendered their resignation in protest

in April this year after the vote of noconfidence

against Imran Khan was passed. It

was alleged that these constituencies were

selected because the margin of victory for the

PTI candidates in these constituencies was

extremely thin in the 2018 general election and

the PDM saw a better chance in winning in the

by-elections.

PTI chairman Imran Khan decided to

simultaneously contest the election from seven

constituencies - which was unprecedented, as

six was the maximum number of

constituencies a person opted to contest

simultaneously in the past - and that too in a

general election. No one has ever dared to

contest from so many seats in a by-election

before. However, after his disqualification in

the Toshakhana case, his fate has become

the target unemployed educated youth

dream of becoming an entrepreneur,

thousands of questions nestle in their minds.

The dream that was cherished at one time

dies, burdened by thousands of questions

hidden in the darkness of one's mind.

Educated youth who want to fulfill their

dreams create many excuses in their minds

to push back their dreams. I am a simple

person, it is not possible to be an

entrepreneur with me. Who will pay so much

money, can I? In these thousands of

questions, one step forward and three steps

back, the dream of becoming an

entrepreneur disappears.

Thinking about the fate of lakhs of

educated unemployed youth, I decided to say

something as a former student of

Bangladesh Agricultural University to give

strength to the mind as the main weapon of

becoming an entrepreneur. Hopefully this

register will serve as a tool for their financial

thinking to become better entrepreneurs and

fulfill their family's dreams.

As an animal husbandry graduate I would

say that only integrated farm management

can free the educated youth from the scourge

of unemployment. I think educated youth

are not able to become entrepreneurs easily

due to lack of proper guidance and scientific

knowledge. It is very important to know

Md. nazMUl hasan

some things before becoming an

entrepreneur.

1. It should be ingrained in the mind to

hear how the small entrepreneurs succeeded

in rearing chickens, fattening cows, and

integrated farming of fish and ducks.

2. You should hear how the farmers coped

with the difficult situations and see how

some people are successful today and

increase your desire and courage.

3. If you want to see yourself as a successful

entrepreneur, you need to have a clear and

steady mind. One should attend the

Livestock Exhibition Fairs and Fairs

Thinking about the fate of lakhs of educated

unemployed youth, i decided to say something as a

former student of Bangladesh agricultural University to

give strength to the mind as the main weapon of

becoming an entrepreneur. hopefully this register will

serve as a tool for their financial thinking to become

better entrepreneurs and fulfill their family's dreams.

uncertain. For the moment, he stands

unseated unless the courts decide otherwise.

Notwithstanding his recent disqualification

by the Election Commission, the by-elections

were unique in that Imran Khan in this case had

made it abundantly clear before the poll that he

had no intention of sitting in the National

Assembly after winning the election. The

electorate, therefore, knew they were wasting

their vote as their respective constituencies

would remain unrepresented even after the

poll. The PTI chief had claimed that the byelections

were a referendum on his demand for

immediate general elections. Since winning the

election for assuming the Assembly seats was

not a consideration, Imran Khan was in a way

right in his observation. The electorate knew

they were wasting their vote as their

constituencies would remain unrepresented.

The PTI won six out of eight National

Assembly and two out of three Punjab

Assembly constituencies, which is almost a 73

per cent success rate. Some analysts argue that

the PTI's defeat in two of the eight National

organized by WAPSA to cross the Hundred

Hills and spark the imagination.

4. Advice should be sought from

experienced Animal Husbandry Officers and

Veterinary Surgeons employed in

Government and Private sector. Also read

various books related to animals.

5. You cannot be a good leader if you think

only in your mind. His movement and farreaching

thoughts should have a positive

mindset. For this purpose, one should watch

the events of KrishiDivanishi,

KrishiogJeevan, Krishi Katha, Soil and Man

and DiptaKrishi etc. Which will sharpen the

positive thoughts hidden in his mind like

steel.

6. You have to overcome hundreds of

Multiple candidacies

ahMed Bilal MehBooB

Assembly seats, which it previously held,

indicates a setback and a sign of diminishing

fortunes for the party. This is partially true and

the loss of two National Assembly seats would

have made a difference to the party strength

had the PTI decided to return to the Assembly

to stake its claim for a majority. Since this is

not the case, the real test in the by-elections

was about the popular votes obtained and the

party share of the votes polled. The PTI had

obtained about 35pc of the total votes polled in

these 11 constituencies in the 2018 general

election. In the October 2022 by-elections, this

share shot up to 49pc, indicating an increase of

over 14 percentage points since 2018.

In addition, the PTI share of votes polled did

not register a decrease in any of the 11

constituencies in the by-elections compared to

the 2018 election. Since there were fewer

parties and candidates in the by-elections

compared to 2018, the PTI's opponents also

registered an increase in their vote share in the

by-elections but this increase was just six

percentage points, much less than the increase

hurdles and gain knowledge as well as hope

yourself to be the best agricultural

entrepreneur. So to acquire this related

knowledge training in poultry farming,

fisheries and cattle rearing should be done in

various term workshops of the Youth

Development Department and under the

One House One Farm scheme.

7. Many people think that I don't have that

much money. Can I do business? The dream

of becoming an entrepreneur is destroyed in

the bud by being burdened with such

thousands of questions. Remember,

becoming an entrepreneur doesn't require

huge sums of money, it just requires sheer

willpower and desire. So with little capital

you too can become a great agri

entrepreneur. Besides, some government

projects and bank support can build a little

seed of your dream. Through the One Home

One Farm scheme, incentives and financial

assistance to new entrepreneurs to set up

farms are aimed at. Moreover, the

Employment Bank, PravasiKalyan Bank,

Pallisanchaya Bank and Bangladesh Krishi

Bank etc. provide loans on easy terms.

So the dream should not always be

confined in the depths of the mind, it

should make itself blossom through good

care. And you have to awaken the latent

talent hidden within you. Remember that

no path in life is smooth. Crossing the

blood-stained road, climbing the mountain

of obstacles, showing thumbs to the bloodcolored

eyes of some people in the society

and saying that it was my dream to become

an entrepreneur, all I want. That dream

guides my hope today.

The writer is a Agriculturist, Manager,

Dhaka Breeders & Hatchery Limited and

Former Student, Faculty of Animal

Husbandry, Bangladesh Agricultural

University

Xi Jinping is seduced by a vision of greater isolation. A mistake that will make China poorer

As the leader enters his third term, there

are increasing signs that the country is

turning inwards, replacing the outside

world with cyber 'reality'.In August, there was

an unexpected stir in China about a scholarly

article. The piece, published in a respected but

specialist journal, argued that during the

Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing dynasty

(1644-1911), China had been a country

relatively closed off to the outside world. Most

recent scholarship has assumed that this was

a bad thing and that greater openness in the

modern era had led to China's rise in global

standing and growth. But the article took a

contrarian position, suggesting that there

were economic and social advantages to the

doors being closed in large part. The

argument might have stayed in the realms of

the academic. But it was then sent out on the

social media feed of a thinktank closely linked

to the Chinese Communist party (CCP). There

was plenty of social media comment, mostly

wondering whether the CCP was hinting that

today, too, China should think about whether

openness was quite such a good idea.

Travel in and out of China has become

much harder. China is now the only major

country with a zero-Covid strategy

At first glance, it might seem that the

opening speech last Sunday by Xi Jinping at

the 20th party congress was giving a very

different message: indeed, there was a specific

pledge praising the idea of openness in the

next five years that will mark Xi's third term.

And attention at the end of the Congress has

been on the sudden, still unexplained

escorting of former president Hu Jintao out of

the meeting, and the new Politburo standing

committee whose members owe their

standing almost entirely to Xi. But there are

other signs that the China of the 2020s may

be considerably less open than the one we

have known for some four decades from the

1980s to 2020. China since the 80s has been

defined by the idea that "reform" and

"opening" have gone together. Yet that

openness created an anomaly in the first two

decades of the present century. China became

a society highly connected with the outside

world but also deeply controlled and

monitored at home: open but illiberal, a

combination that many theorists of

democracy thought impossible. Unlike the

old Soviet bloc, there was little sense that

China tried to restrict its citizens, except

political dissidents, from travelling abroad.

The Chinese of the reform era studied in

Britain, did deals in America, and saw the

sights and bought luxury goods in Italy.

Nobody stopped visitors from observing

democracy in all its guises in the liberal world,

but they understood that open discussion of

the concept stopped when they arrived back

at Beijing airport.

That open but illiberal Chinese world ended

- at least for now - in March 2020 when China

shut down and closed its borders against

Covid. Now, its population moves around at

home with relative freedom, as long as their

regular PCR test remains negative, but always

Rana MiTTeR

aware that a stray Covid case may cause a

sudden lockdown for days or weeks. But

travel in and out of China, for foreigners and

Chinese alike, has become much harder.

China is now the only major country with a

zero-Covid strategy. The decision is not

entirely political: part of the problem is that

China continues to have a huge proportion of

unvaccinated older people and its patchily

effective domestic vaccines do not prevent

infection or transmission very well. But the

The effects are clear. Chinese students are returning in decent

numbers to UK universities; yet once here, they know that they had

better make the most of their time abroad, as when they get home,

they will have to wait days in a hotel, hoping that the green light

shines on their app.

zero-Covid policy is very much associated

with Xi personally and his speech made it

clear that there is no prospect of it changing in

the short term at least.

Why go overseas, the implication goes,

when China is the most advanced society in

the world?

The effects are clear. Chinese students are

returning in decent numbers to UK

universities; yet once here, they know that

they had better make the most of their time

abroad, as when they get home, they will have

to wait days in a hotel, hoping that the green

light shines on their app. Meanwhile, the

foreign business people, students and tourists

who used to flock to China have become a real

rarity. People will go there and stay in

quarantine if they have urgent business to

conduct. But the quick in and out visits that

global entrepreneurs regularly take to other

countries are no longer possible and over time

this may well affect China's international

competitiveness as it seeks to attract talent

and finance in areas such as tech.

Instead, the existing technology has created

a new Chinese cyber world. China remains

connected to the outside world largely

through the virtual environment, in particular

social media and video apps. Yet the vision of

the world created within the country is very

partial. State media pumps out images of the

west still devastated by the virus. As China's

own technology sector becomes much more

sophisticated, a new message is emerging:

China's population is encouraged to work,

study and play at home. (Why go overseas,

the implication goes, when China is the most

advanced society in the world?) Ironically,

Chinese technology is becoming more widely

spread as its 5G systems are rolled out across

the global south, but the Chinese themselves

are much less visible in the world they are

creating. The economic policy that Xi has put

forward contains a similar sort of

contradiction. The central idea of the "dual

circulation" policy is that China should

increase its trade surplus with the wider

world, while simultaneously becoming more

dependent on its domestic economy to drive

consumption. Many economists think that

this will be a hard balance to manage. But, in

a sense, the strategy should not be seen as an

exercise in economics but in politics. It

mirrors precisely the idea of being highly

connected to the world while closed to it

physically.

Rana Mitter is professor of the history and

politics of modern China at Oxford University

in the PTI's case. Also, the PDM-cum-PPP vote

share fell in four out of 11 constituencies

compared to 2018. The analysis of vote shares

leads to the inescapable conclusion that the

PTI and, more specifically, Imran Khan is

enjoying a greater degree of popularity today

than in 2018 - at least in these 11

constituencies.

Imran Khan's earlier resignation as MNA

from his Mianwali constituency had not been

accepted by the National Assembly Speaker,

and had the PTI chief not been disqualified, he

would have held membership in seven

constituencies after winning the by-elections in

six constituencies. Theoretically speaking, he

could have retained any one of the

constituencies and resigned from the rest

within 30 days in accordance with Article

223(2) of the Constitution had his election been

notified.

The writer is president of the Pakistan

Institute of Legislative Development and

Transparency.

thursDaY, oCtoBEr 27, 2022

5

CarolinE BoloGna

In April 2022, Clea Shearer ? co-founder

of the popular organization company The

Home Edit ? announced that she had

breast cancer. The diagnosis came after

she discovered a lump in her breast and

called multiple doctors to go in for a

mammogram as soon as possible.

Estimates suggest that one in eight

women in the United States will develop

breast cancer at some point in their life.

Shearer had just turned 40 when she

discovered the mass in her breast. Stories

like Shearer's highlight the value of

familiarizing yourself with what is normal

and abnormal for your breasts.

Although many cancer organizations

no longer recommend all women conduct

monthly breast self-exams due to

concerns about their effectiveness and

the sense of self-blame they can promote,

experts do agree that awareness of how

your breasts typically look and feel is

useful for detecting signs and symptoms

of breast cancer, like lumps.

Still, I imagine I'm not alone when I

take the time to feel around that area and

wonder, "What exactly am I checking for?

What would a lump actually feel like? Am

I even doing this right?" So, I asked a few

experts to answer those very questions.

"A lump often feels like a round, hard

area," said Dr. Arif Kamal, a chief patient

officer at the American Cancer Society. "It

can either be deep or toward the skin

itself. Typically it is not painful. It's

typically not easily movable but

oftentimes fixed in a particular space,

meaning it doesn't shift in its location all

that easily. In terms of shape, it is

oftentimes round but sometimes it can be

a little bit more irregular than that."

Some experts have suggested the size of

a breast lump ranges from as small as a

pea to larger than a golf ball. Indeed,

Kamal noted that many of his patients

have compared it to a pea.

"In my clinical experience, a lot of times

patients describe it like a pea in a pod or a

frozen pea ? sort of on the smaller side, of

that texture, and of that hardness," he

said. "It's generally on the smoother side

for texture, generally more firm, generally

not painful. And it generally does not feel

like a cyst, which feels like a fluid

collection ? although even if a person feels

What a breast lump actually feels like

a fluid collection, they should report that

to their clinical team as well."

Dr. Alyssa Cubbison, an assistant

professor of radiology at the Ohio State

University Wexner Medical Center,

similarly noted that cancerous lumps

often feel firm and dense and can be

difficult to move from side to side.

However, she emphasized that all new

lumps should be evaluated by a

professional.

"You mainly want to feel around for

something discrete in your breast that's

separate from the rest of your breast

tissue," she explained. "Because the

textures and densities of masses can be so

varied, you're just feeling for anything

different, as vague as that sounds. You

can use your other breast as a baseline as

well." Of course, feeling a new lump isn't

the only indication of a potential issue.

Susan Brown, senior director of health

information at Susan G. Komen, shared a

list of eight warning signs, including

visual indicators, that people should look

out for.

"See a doctor if you notice any of these

breast changes," Brown advised. "Lump,

hard knot or thickening inside the breast

or underarm area; swelling, warmth,

redness or darkening of the breast;

change in the size or shape of the breast,

dimpling or puckering of the skin; itchy,

scaly sore or rash on the nipple; pulling in

of your nipple or other parts of the breast;

nipple discharge that starts suddenly or

new pain in one spot that doesn't go

away."

Although there are some common

characteristics of lumps and other

warning signs, there's ultimately no one

specific thing to look or feel for when it

comes to your awareness of your breasts.

The key is just to understand what is

normal for you so that you recognize

something new or different ? and seek

medical attention when you do

Part of the reason many experts no

longer recommend monthly breast selfexams

is that there are more organic

situations during everyday life that

Experts share how breast cancer commonly manifests and the physical signs and changes to look out

for.

Photo: Collected

provide the opportunity to familiarize

yourself with your "normal" and keep you

on alert for signs and symptoms.

"Many women who discover changes in

their breast or underarm area that turn

out to be breast cancer don't actually

discover them on the day and time they

have set aside for monthly [self-exam, but

rather noticed a change incidentally at

some other time, such as when showering

or dressing, and recognized the change

because they knew what was normal for

them ? or a partner noticed it," Brown

explained.

Again, the idea is not to necessarily look

for something specific, just to take note if

there's anything new or different.

"If you aren't already checking your

own body, I think a good place to start is

after you go in for a regular checkup with

your primary care provider or

gynecologist," said Dr. Janet Yeh,

assistant professor at New York

University (NYC) Grossman School of

Medicine and site chief of breast surgical

oncology at NYU Langone

Hospital?Brooklyn. "If you recently had

imaging or they did an exam and it was

normal, then you can get a good idea of

your baseline because you know there's

nothing there. You know the lumps and

bumps you might feel are your regular

breast tissue."

She recommended checking your

breasts when you're doing something

comfortable and routine, like lying in bed,

watching TV, standing in front of the

mirror, or taking a shower ("it's two birds

with one stone since you have to wash

your body anyway").

"Everyone's going to do it a little

differently, and that's OK," Yeh

explained. "Some use the tips of their

fingers and go in little circles. Others

might say to make the shape of a star. I

like to feel with my palm and fingers and

do a wiping motion. I think of the breasts

as a clock and wipe all around a center

point ? then press in to make sure I'm not

missing anything behind."

Lift your left arm as you check your left

breast and your right arm for the right.

Make sure to also check your underarms,

as cancer and other issues can manifest in

the form of swollen lymph nodes in that

area. "Some women have very lumpy

breasts, so it's important for those women

to get used to their own lumps and

bumps," Yeh noted. "That way they can

say, 'OK in the upper outer area, I usually

feel a lot of firmness and lumps.' And if

there's something different they're

unsure about, it doesn't hurt to get it

checked out, even if it turns out to just be

regular breast tissue."

In addition to seeing a doctor when you

detect any change or abnormality, make

sure to schedule regular medical

appointments and screenings. If you have

a family history of breast cancer or

personal health factors that increase your

risk, talk to a doctor about that. Discuss

which tests are right for you and the

proper age and cadence for screenings

like mammograms.

"Our technology with breast imaging is

so good these days that we really do pick

things up early," Yeh said. "If you're

compliant with the guidelines and getting

your mammogram, it'll likely pick up

things before you can even feel them.

Fortunately, most of the breast cancer we

see is so early, we can't even feel it

ourselves. Still, it remains important to

let a professional know if you feel a new

lump in your breast."

Things to consider before trying

a nonalcoholic drink

MatthEw BoCChi

In recent years, accessibility

to nonalcoholic beverages

has surged, and perhaps for

good reason. The COVID-19

pandemic alone brought in a

new wave of sober-curious

people, amid a rise in alcohol

consumption during the

isolation of lockdowns.

To meet this shift, drinks

like CBD-infused seltzers,

zero-proof liquors,

nonalcoholic wines and more

have filled the shelves for

those who are looking for

party options without the

buzz.

CBD drinks, for example,

promise to take the edge off

after consumption thanks to

the properties in cannabidiol,

a nonpsychoactive part of a

cannabis plant that may

promote a sense of

relaxation. Nonalcoholic, or

"NA," beverages give sober

folks a substitute for the

drinks that many may have

previously relied on in social

settings.

But for those who have a

difficult relationship with

alcohol, are these

alternatives really a solution?

Or is the need for them a sign

of something greater?

Speaking to HuffPost,

substance misuse experts

and people who are sober

shared a few questions to

consider if you're turning to

these beverages when you

give up drinking.

A recurring topic that

occurs in 12-step substance

misuse recovery meetings is

motive. What is your motive

for doing X vs Y? The

spectrum of answers may

range from attending a

wedding to visiting a bar with

nonsober friends.

Some may feel

uncomfortable around their

peers who still drink. It is

hard to socialize without

booze when you've become

so accustomed to having a

drink in hand to feel normal.

Some may find solace in

nonalcoholic beverages to

put on the facade that they

are still drinking, perhaps

because they haven't fully

disclosed the change to

friends. Others may insist

that they are just taking a

break from alcohol for health

reasons.

Whatever the case may be,

it is important to

acknowledge what the

motive is for wanting to

indulge in nonalcoholic

drinks in the first place and

to address that. Those in

recovery need to examine

whether the motive behind

drinking the nonalcoholic

beverage is potentially

detrimental to their sobriety.

"I feel as if you should be

fully abstinent for the first

two years of sobriety," said

Ashley Loeb Blassingame, a

co-founder of an online

substance abuse counseling

program named Lionrock

Recovery, noting that these

kinds of problems "aren't

substance-specific."

Consider your motive when deciding whether to try a CBD-infused or nonalcoholic

drink.

Photo: Collected

"Then, check your motives

to see if the desire for an NA

beverage is still there," she

continued.

If the desire is still there

and you decide to try an NA

beverage, think about why

you are doing it. Is something

missing in your sobriety? Is

your recovery checklist in

order?

"How much do you like the

taste of a NA beverage? Or do

you like it because it tastes

similar to alcohol?"

Blassingame said.

If drinking a beverage that

tastes similar to alcohol could

be triggering, it is important

to have a plan in order. In

recovery, the idea of a true

nonalcoholic beverage is

alluring, and with so many

new options becoming

available, it is OK to wonder

about them. Just make sure

you are valuing your sobriety

more than anything and not

becoming a victim of

surreptitious marketing.

If you're sober-curious but

not dealing with an

addiction, full abstinence

might not be totally

necessary right now. In those

circumstances, practicing

moderation tactics ? like

drinking NA beverages ? is a

good entryway into the

recovery world.

For both those in recovery

and those who are sobercurious,

it is important to

have a network in place -

people you can rely on in a

time of need or bounce

questions off without fear of

judgment, according to

Blassingame.

The reality is that many

nonalcoholic beverages

include small amounts of

alcohol. This is known as a

low alcohol by volume, or

ABV.

A sober-curious individual

partaking in these alternative

beverages is different from

someone in recovery doing

so. The former may look at

these options as healthier

choices. The latter has more

at stake, with the

consumption of low-ABV

drinks potentially igniting

the craving for something

stronger.

If you're in recovery, be

mindful of the ingredient list

for anything you're

consuming, experts told

HuffPost. This does not

mean diligently checking

every household item, but it

is good to be aware of what is

in your food and beverages,

as well as how certain

ingredients can affect you.

Beverages like kombucha

have an ABV of 0.5%, and

while that may not be enough

to even remotely affect some,

others may feel a buzz due to

overconsumption.

Check the alcohol volume

in drinks you're choosing.

Then ask yourself why you

may want them - and be

radically honest about it.

Sobriety isn't one-size-fitsall,

and this applies to the

beverages people choose to

consume, according to Trey

Laird, the CEO and founder

of a sober living facility in

Connecticut known as The

Lighthouse.

"I have worked with clients

who have tried both

nonalcoholic drinks and

CBD. For some of them, it

has a purpose, and I don't

judge them," Laird said,

adding that people in

recovery who drink them

should disclose this to

someone they trust

beforehand.

He warned, however, that

these beverages can become

a slippery slope in some

cases. Some of his clients

have reported drinking one

bottle of O'Doul's, which in

turn leads to drinking a sixpack

to feel a slight buzz. In

Laird's personal recovery, he

hasn't found the need to

indulge in nonalcoholic

drinks.

"For me, I have been sober

since 2011 and have gone this

long without trying a

nonalcoholic beer or wine,"

he said.

Lindsey Metselaar, the

host of the dating and

relationship podcast "We

Met at Acme," feels similar to

Laird in terms of her own

recovery. She isn't interested

in trying nonalcoholic drinks,

and she argued that the

consumption of CBD

products in recovery is

unnecessary and does not

equal sobriety.

The distinction needs to be

clearly defined for you,

Blassingame said. In her

opinion, the term "sober"

implies recovery in the

traditional sense, which can

include meetings, therapy

and more.

"It is the difference

between someone running a

marathon [on occasion] ...

versus an endurance

athlete," she said, noting that

to her, sobriety and recovery

imply complete abstinence

from all mood and mindaltering

substances ? even

drinks like CBD-infused

beverages or low-ABV beer

alternatives.

The sober-curious,

however, may think of the

change as just abstaining

from drinking, with the

option to either maintain

that or consume alcohol

when they want.

Decide what aligns with

your needs for your

relationship with alcohol,

and then make an informed

decision about whether

drinking alternative

beverages will fit into those

plans, the experts said. And

no matter what, make sure

you're relying on a support

system to guide you through

it.

Do kids really need to use

special skin care products

MariE holMEs

With inflation driving up

the cost of everyday items,

many families are trying to

find ways to save on

regular expenses. It can be

nice for every family

member to have brands of

their own in the bathroom,

but products designed for

babies and kids can be

pricey. And if you're giving

multiple kids daily baths,

you may be running

through products quickly -

particularly if the kids are

squeezing body wash out of

bottles on their own!

How necessary is it for

the youngest members of

the family to have their

own skin care products?

Could we all simplify and

save by purchasing just a

few gentle formulas for the

whole family to use?

"There are no specific

guidelines [on] what

makes a product for kids,"

Dr. Jen Trachtenberg, a

board-certified

pediatrician, told. Absent

guidelines, are there actual

differences between kids'

products and adult

products?

Dr. Jessica Hui, a

pediatric allergist and

immunologist at National

Jewish Health in Denver,

told HuffPost that "it

largely depends on the

specific product and those

main ingredients. The

answer ranges from barely

any difference to large

differences."

It's important to notice if

ingredients differ between

kid and adult versions.

"Many kids' products may

be the same as adult

formulations but with

different packaging, or

added color or even 'baby

smell' fragrances,"

Trachtenberg said. "Just

because it says 'for

children' doesn't

necessarily mean a better

or more appropriate

product," she added.

It's true that babies' and

kids' skin is often more

sensitive and thinner than

older kids' and adults' skin,

but that doesn't limit you to

using only products that

have the word "baby" on

them.

Trachtenberg

recommends "gentle

cleanser and not soap, as

it's much harsher and

drying."

She mentioned Dove,

Cetaphil, Vanicream and

CeraVe as gentle adult

products without dyes or

fragrances that kids can

use, too.

Trachtenberg

recommends a moisturizer

with ceramides, which are

the fats or lipids found in

your skin cells that help

your skin retain moisture.

They're "naturally found

in the healthy skin barrier,"

explained Hui. "Sunscreen

is important, too,"

Trachtenberg said, and

"not much different than

what adults need."

Some parents prefer to

use mineral rather than

chemical sunscreens for

their kids, as the FDA has

generally recognized them

as safe and effective. There

is also evidence that

chemical sunscreens are

absorbed into the

bloodstream, although we

don't know if this exposure

poses a risk. But mineral

sunscreens, sometimes

called physical (rather than

chemical) blockers, work

perfectly well for parents,

too.

Hui noted that the

protective ingredient in

sunscreen, such as zinc

oxide or titanium oxide (for

mineral sunscreens), is the

same for adults and

children, yet "the ones

marketed for children are

always more expensive."

any gentle product without fragrances, dyes or additives can work for all

members of the family.

Photo: Getty

tHuRsdAy, OCtObeR 27, 2022

6

district Literary Festival 2022 has been held in Habiganj under the auspices of the Ministry of

Culture on Wednesday.

Photo: Md. Mamun Chowdhury

District Literary Festival 2022

held in Habiganj

Md. MAMuN CHOWdHuRy, HAbIGANJ

CORResPONdeNt:

District Literary Festival 2022 has been

held in Habiganj under the auspices of

the Ministry of Culture with the aim of

highlighting the creations of district

level writers at the national level. The

fair was held under the management of

Habiganj district administration and in

coordination with Bangla Academy.

Md. Abul Mansoor, Secretary of the

Ministry of Cultural Affairs,

inaugurated the fair by blowing up

balloons at Shilpakala Academy

premises on Wednesday morning.

Deputy Commissioner of Commerce

Ashrafur Rahman, Additional Deputy

Commissioner (General) Mintu

Chowdhury,

Additional

Superintendent of Police of Sadar

Circle Mahfuza Akhtar Shimul, Chief

BU celebrates

AK Fazlul

Haque's birthday

The 149th birth anniversary

of Sher-e Bangla AK Fazlul

Haque was celebrated in

Barisal University. On

October 26 at 12 noon, vicechancellor

Prof Dr Sadequl

Arefin paid tribute to Sher-e

Bangla AK Fazlul Haque on

his birthday by placing a

wreath on his portrait. After

paying tribute, the Vice-

Chancellor called on

everyone to reflect the ideals

of this great leader in

everyone's life along with the

biography of Sher-e Bangla

AK Fazlul Haque. The

President of Barisal University

Teachers Association Abdul

Qayyum, general secretary Dr.

Abdul Baten Chowdhury, Arif

Hossain, proctor of

Bangabandhu Hall, proctor

Dr. Resident teachers of

Sher-e Bangla Hall including

Khorshed Alam, assistant

resident teachers, students,

officials-employees and

Chhatra League leaders was

present among others under

the chairmanship of Sher

Bangla Hall proctor Abu

Zafar Mia. Meanwhile, on the

occasion of Sher-e Bangla AK

Fazlul Haque's birthday, a

discussion meeting and quiz

competition prize

distribution will be held at

Sher-e Bangla hall on

October 31.

Driver dies in Gopalganj

road accident

GOPALGANJ: A driver

was killed and 15 others

were injured in a head-on

collision between two buses

on the Dhaka-Khulna

highway in the Majhigati

area under Kashiani Upazila

of the district last night,

reports BSS.

The deceased was identified

as BRTC bus driver Murad,

45. A Khulna-bound bus of

Imad Paribahan from Dhaka

collided head-on with a

Dhaka-bound BRTC bus at

around 9 pm last night,

leaving Murad dead on the

spot and 15 passengers of two

buses injured, Muksudpur

Fire Service Station Officer

Sajibur Rahman said.

Nirbahi Officer of Zilla Parishad Nurul

Islam, Principal Prof. Md. Ilyach

Bakhat Chowdhury, Deputy Director of

Bangla Academy Dr. Md. Shahadat

Hossain Nipu, District Awami League

General Secretary Advocate Md.

Alamgir Chowdhury, Municipal Mayor

Ataur Rahman Salim, valiant Freedom

Fighter Gaur Prasad Roy, District

Information Officer Pawan

Chowdhury, poet and writer Tahmina

Begum Gini were the special guests in

the program under the chairmanship of

Deputy Commissioner Ishrat Jahan.

After the opening ceremony,

selected essays were presented by

poet dramatist Ruma Modak and

Siddiqui Haroon. The speaker was

Professor Dr. Zahirul Haque, Dr.

Mohammad Azharul Islam. The

instructor in the writer's workshop

was Professor Dr. Suresh Ranjan

Basak, Dr. Abul Fateh Fattah,

Professor Dr. Sharadindu

Bhattacharya, Dr. Md. Shahadat

Hossain Nipu. The 1st day of the fair

concluded with a cultural

programme. A gathering of poets,

writers, dramatists from different

places of the district took place on the

occasion.

Addressing as the chief guest at the

event, Secretary Md. Abul Mansoor

said that the number of writers who

make a living by writing is few and far

between. Most people write for a

living. After the partition of the

country in 1947 and later the great

liberation war of 1971, Dhaka, the

capital of independent Bangladesh,

became the center of Bengali

language and literature and culture

practice. In this way, literary practice

should be promoted in every district.

birth anniversary of sher-e bangla Ak Fazlul Haque was celebrated in

barisal university on Wednesday.

Photo: Courtesy

On the occasion of National sanitation Month and World Hand Washing day, public

awareness rally and discussion meeting was held in barlekha. Photo: Abdur Rob

Public awareness rally held

in Barlekha

AbduR ROb, bARLekHA CORResPONdeNt:

On the occasion of National Sanitation

Month and World Hand Washing Day,

public awareness rally and discussion

meeting was held at Barlekha on

Wednesday afternoon. It was organized by

Upazila Administration and Department of

Public Health Engineering in collaboration

with CNRS Initiation Programme.

Upazila Chairman Soeb Ahmad spoke as

the chief guest at the discussion meeting

held under the chairmanship of UNO

Sunjit Kumar Chand and moderated by

Upazila Assistant Public Health Engineer

Moin Uddin. Upazila Vice Chairman Taj

Uddin, Female Vice Chairman Rahena

Begum Hasna, Upazila Agriculture Officer

Debal Sarkar, Upazila Social Service Officer

Saiful Islam, Upazila Secondary Education

Officer Howladar Azizul Islam, Upazila

Farmers League President Abdul Latif,

Upazila Primary Education Officer Mir

Abdullah Al Mamun, press club president

Asit Ranjan Das, upazila coordinator of

CNRS initiation program Mobarak

Hossain Chowdhury and others spoke

among others.

One to die

for killing

schoolgirl in

Nilphamari

NILPHAMARI: A court

here today sentenced a

man to death for killing a

school girl after rape in

Jaldhaka upazila of the

district in 2009, reports

BSS.

Nilphamari Women and

Children Repression

Prevention Tribunal-1,

Senior District and

Sessions Judge Md.

Mansor Alam pronounced

the verdict this afternoon.

The convicted accused is

Mahmudar Rahman, 37,

son of Afan Uddin, a

resident of Dundibari

village of the upazila.

The court also fined him

Taka 1.5 lakh. The accused

was absconding at the time

of the verdict. According to

the prosecution, on

September 30, 2009,

Mahmudar Rahman raped

and subsequently

murdered the student of

class eight of Jaldhaka

Model Pilot High School in

the area at her house.

Victim's father Yakub Ali

filed a rape and murder

case against Mahmudar

Rahman at Jaldhaka police

station.

The investigating officer

in the case submitted a

charge-sheet against him

on February 14, 2010.

After examining the

record and 14 witnesses,

the court found him guilty.

Special Public Prosecutor

(PP) Advocate Ramendra

Bardhan Bappi confirmed

the matter.

Two day pilgrimage to

start from 27 Oct

RAFIquL IsLAM AdHAR, sHeRPuR CORResPONdeNt:

The two-day pilgrimage of Fatima Rani of

Sherpur will start from October 27. This

biggest religious festival of Catholic

Christians is being held on October 27 and

28 in Dharmapalli of Barmari Saint Leo,

bordering India. The festival of lakhs of

pilgrims has been surrounded by strict

security measures.

South Asia's largest pilgrimage festival is in

a festive mood at the Sherpur border. South

Asia's largest pilgrimage is held in this

religious village modeled on the city of

Fatima in Portugal. The 25th pilgrimage is

being held with the slogan Fatima Rani Ma

Maria for meeting, participation and

motivation. This Dharmapalli of Barmari

Saint Leo was established in 1942 on about

42 acres of land.

This site was chosen as an annual

pilgrimage site since 1998. Fatima Rani

Pilgrimage Festival is held on the last

Thursday and Friday of October every year.

Not only in Sherpur, but about lakhs of

pilgrims from the country and abroad take

part in this pilgrimage.

Father Tarun Banwari of Baromari

Christian Mission of Nalitabari said that

the organizing authorities have completed

all the arrangements for the pilgrims. He

expects that the number of fans will

increase this time around. Vice-president

of Barmari Dharmapalli and former tribal

chairman Mr. Lewis Nengminza said that

Reverend Father Gabriel Koraia, the

former rector of Banani Major Seminary in

Dhaka, will be the main speaker at this

year's pilgrimage festival.

Sherpur Superintendent of Police

Kamruzzaman Russell in this regard said

that flawless security measures have been

taken in the entire area around the

pilgrimage festival. The entire village is

under intelligence surveillance since last

few days.

the two-day pilgrimage of Fatima Rani of sherpur will start from

October 27.

Photo: Rafiqul Islam Adhar

4,894 houses, 6,252.5 hectares

of crops damaged in Khulna div

kHuLNA: At least four districts of

Khulna division have been partially

flooded, over 700 shrimp fields (gher)

were washed away, over 2,50,000

people were marooned, storm surge

swamped embankments in low-lying

coastal areas, officials in Khulna

Divisional Commissioner Office said

here yesterday, reports BSS.

At least 1.75 lakh people of three

districts have been affected by tidal

waves following the impact of cyclone

'Sitrang' in the coastal-belt of Khulna

district, the officials said.

"Hundreds of shrimp ghers

(enclosure) have been washed way,

3,270 mad houses, huge trees were

uprooted and damaged, 1,624 houses

were partially damaged and many

villages were submerged by tidal surge

of 'Sitrang," the officials added.

Besides, one person was killed in

Narail district during the cyclone

'Sitrang'.

Khulna, Bagerhat, Magura and

Narail District Administrations,

Mongla Port Authority, Bangladesh

Navy, Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG)

of Mongla West Zone, Fire Service and

Civil Defense are working to

rehabilitate the affected people of the

coastal areas.

As part of the immediate response,

more than three lakhs people were

successfully evacuated and moved

them to nearby cyclone shelters in

coastal districts before the cyclone

'Sitrang' hit in Khulna, Barishal and

Chittagong division ," said Khulna

Divisional Commissioner Md Zillur

Rahman Chowdhury.

While a thorough assessment of

damage caused by the cyclone will be

made, there are reports of many trees

being uprooted from different coastal

resorts including Dakop, Koyra and

Paikgacha in Khulna, Shyamnagar,

Ashashuni and Kaligang in Satkhira,

Sharonkhola, Morelgang and Mongla

in Bagerhat and other two districts in

the division.

Around four to five feet high tidal

surge due to impact of cyclonic storm

'Sitramg' caused a "fear of a partial

disaster is mostly over" he said, adding

loss to lives and properties as the

district administrations took

appropriate precautionary measures to

cope the disaster.

In some places, trees have been

fallen and traffic movement has

stopped. Raw-brick and kancha

houses have been partially and fully

damaged due to the tidal waves, the

embankments in the lower reaches of

Koyra and Dakop in Khulna and

other upazilas in Satkhira and

Bagerhat have been flooded, he

added.

The storm 'Sitrang', however,

claimed one life so far and injured some

people in the coastal areas.

National Sanitation Month observed

in Banaripara

s MIzANuL IsLAM, bANARIPARA CORResPONdeNt:

World Handwashing Day and

national Sanitation Month was

observed on Wednesday in

Banaripara. It was organized by

Upazila Administration and

Department of Public Health

Engineering. Upazila Nirbahi Officer

Ripon Kumar Saha presided over the

discussion meeting at the Upazila

Parishad Auditorium on the occasion

of the day. Barisal-02 Constituency

MP Md. Shah-e Alam was the chief

guest. Upazila Public Health

Assistant Engineer Mohammad

Nizam Uddin, Vice Chairman Md

Nurul Huda, Municipal Awami

League President Subrata Lal Kund,

Resident Medical Officer Dr. Anik

Hradoy Dey, Journalist S. Mizanul

Islam and others delivered the

welcome speech under the direction

of Primary Teachers Association

Secretary Md. Zahid Hossain. A mass

rally was taken out before the

discussion meeting.

World Handwashing day and national sanitation Month was observed on Wednesday in

banaripara.

Photo: s Mizanul Islam

ThuRSdAy, OcTOBeR 27, 2022

7

Britain's new PM eyes delay

to crunch budget plan

Thousands of Iranian mourners gathered Wednesday at the grave of Mahsa Amini to mark 40 days

since her death, defying heightened security measures as part of a bloody crackdown on women-led

protests.

Photo : AP

LONDON : British Prime Minister

Rishi Sunak could postpone an eagerlyawaited

budget plan due next week, a

senior minister said Wednesday, as the

youthful new leader gets down to

business after weeks of political

turmoil, reports BSS.

Following a meeting of his new-look

cabinet, Sunak was set to engage in his

first parliamentary joust against

opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer,

who is demanding a snap general

election. "The Tories have crashed the

economy, with low wages, high prices

and a cost-of-living crisis," Starmer

said, in a taste of the attack to come.

"The public needs a fresh start and a

say on Britain's future."

But Sunak, 42, ruled out an early

election as he vowed stability and fiscal

rectitude following his appointment by

King Charles III on Tuesday.

After appointing the cabinet team,

Sunak phoned the presidents of

Ukraine and the United States to vow

continuity on UK foreign policy,

including resisting Russia's invasion of

its neighbour with cash and military

aid.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverlyone

of several ministers retained by

Sunak from the old cabinet of Liz

Truss-said however that Monday's

"medium-term fiscal statement" was

no longer so pressing.

The statement was forced on Truss

after she caused financial markets to

implode with an ill-conceived plan for

tax cuts financed by extra borrowing.

She ditched her finance minister and

turned to a new one in Jeremy Hunt to

steady the ship, but her own

premiership was mortally wounded.

Sunak also retained Hunt in his

cabinet, and vowed to restore "trust"

and "integrity" in government after

Truss's financial carnage and the many

controversies that brought down Boris

Johnson before her.

But for critics, the new leader

undermined his own pledges by also reappointing

the hardline right-winger

Suella Braverman as interior minister,

days after she was forced to resign for a

security breach.

Cleverly said Braverman had shown

contrition for her "mistake" in emailing

sensitive government documents

outside her department.

On the fiscal statement, the foreign

minister told BBC television that "a

short delay, in order to make sure that

we get this right, I think that is not

necessarily a bad thing at all".

"He will want some time with his

chancellor (Hunt) to make sure that the

fiscal statement matches his priorities,"

Cleverly added, warning that further

cuts to foreign aid might be necessary.

As well as mending Britain's

wounded finances, Sunak is also

pledging to reunite the Conservatives

after another bruising leadership

contest, mere weeks after Johnson was

forced out.

Thousands of Iranians flock to Mahsa

Amini grave despite crackdown

PARIS : Thousands of Iranian

mourners gathered Wednesday at the

grave of Mahsa Amini to mark 40

days since her death, defying

heightened security measures as part

of a bloody crackdown on women-led

protests.

"Death to the dictator", men and

women chanted at the Aichi cemetery

in Saqez, Amini's home town in the

western province of Kurdistan, in

videos shared online.

Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian of

Kurdish origin, died on September

16, three days after her arrest by the

notorious morality police for

allegedly breaching the Islamic dress

code for women while visiting Tehran

with her younger brother.

Anger flared at her funeral last

month and quickly sparked the

biggest wave of protests to rock the

Islamic republic in almost three

years. Young women and schoolgirls

have led the charge, burning their

hijab headscarves and confronting

security forces.

Overnight, the authorities stepped

up security measures in Saqez,

deploying personnel in a central

square as well as reportedly shutting

off entrances to the city.

Despite that, mourners headed to

her graveside to mark 40 days since

her death-the end of the traditional

mourning period in Iran.

Iran's Fars news agency said

around two thousand people

gathered in Saqez and chanted

"Woman, life, freedom".

But thousands more were seen

making their way in cars, on

motorbikes, and on foot along a

highway, through fields and even

across a river, in videos widely shared

online by activists and human rights

groups.

Noisily clapping, shouting and

honking horns, mourners packed the

highway linking Saqez to the

cemetery located eight kilometres

(five miles) away, in images that the

Hengaw rights group told AFP it had

verified.

"This year is the year of blood,

Seyed Ali will be toppled," a group of

them chanted in a video verified by

AFP, referring to Iran's supreme

leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Kurdistan, Kurdistan, the

graveyard of fascists," others were

heard singing in another video shared

by activists on Twitter. AFP was

unable to immediately verify the

footage.

Hengaw, which monitors rights

violations in Kurdistan, said strikes

were underway in Saqez,

Divandarreh, Marivan, Kamyaran

and Sanandaj, as well as Javanrud

and Ravansar in the western province

of Kermanshah.

The Norway-based rights group

said Iranian football stars Ali Daei

and Hamed Lak had travelled to

Saqez "to take part in the 40th day

funeral".

They had been staying at the Kurd

Hotel but were "taken to the

government guesthouse... under

guard by the security forces", it said.

Daei has previously run into trouble

with authorities over his online

support for the Amini protests.

Kurdistan governor Esmail Zarei-

Kousha said the situation in Saqez

was calm and dismissed as

"completely false" reports that roads

into the city had been shut.

"The enemy and its media... are

trying to use the 40 day anniversary

of Mahsa Amini's death as a pretext

to cause new tensions, but

fortunately, the situation in the

province is completely stable," he

said, quoted by state news agency

IRNA.

Hengaw said most of Saqez was

"empty" as so many people had left

the city to join the ceremony to

commemorate Amini.

The 1500tasvir social media

channel, which chronicles rights

violations by Iran's security forces,

said fresh protests were being held

elsewhere, including at universities in

Tehran, Mashhad in Iran's northeast

and Ahvaz, in the southwest.

Oslo-based group Iran Human

Rights said the security forces'

crackdown on the Amini protests has

cost the lives of at least 141

demonstrators, up from 122

previously, in an updated death toll

Tuesday.

Amnesty International says the

"unrelenting brutal crackdown" has

killed at least 23 children, while IHR

said at least 29 children have been

slain.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could postpone an eagerly-awaited budget plan due next week, a

senior minister said Wednesday, as the youthful new leader gets down to business after weeks of

political turmoil.

Photo : AP





Iqvmv- R:Z: 485/2022

GD-1733/22 (7x4)

GD-1732/22 (10x4)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2022

8

The Premier Bank Limited celebrated 23 years of success and prosperity on Wednesday. Dr. H.B.M.

Iqbal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank inaugurated the 23 year celebration program

through a beautiful cake cutting ceremony.

Photo : TBT

Premier Bank celebrates

23 years of success

The Premier Bank Limited

celebrated 23 years of

success and prosperity on

Wednesday October 26,

2022. Dr. H.B.M. Iqbal,

Chairman of the Board of

Directors of the bank

inaugurated the 23 year

celebration program

through a beautiful cake

cutting ceremony. M.

Reazul Karim, FCMA,

Managing Director and

CEO of the bank presided

over the ceremony

attended by the Members

of the Board of Directors

B.H. Haroon, MP, M

Imran Iqbal, Jamal G

Ahmed, Nahyan Haroon,

Independent Directors

Kaiser A. Chowdhury and

Naba Gopal Banik, Advisor

Muhammed Ali and many

others, a press release said.

Dr. H.B.M. Iqbal,

Founder Chairman of The

Premier Bank Limited

stated in his speech at the

ceremony "Our journey

started in 1999. Since then,

we have been able to

prosper and achieve our

current position by earning

the trust, faith and love of

the people. Our bank has

had an important role in

the development of various

sectors across the country.

We could not have

achieved our current

position without the

support, guidance and love

of our valued clients, wellwishers,

patrons,

controlling bodies and

media personnel." Dr.

H.B.M. Iqbal also

expressed his heartfelt

gratitude towards the

Management Authority of

the bank for the gradual

and steady success of

Premier Bank.

M. Reazul Karim, FCMA,

Managing Director and

CEO of the bank, thanked

everyone and stated "Our

journey on the road to

prosperity will continue.

Premier Banks current

(30/09/2022) portfolio of

assets and deposits stand

at 38,280 crores and

29,130 crores respectively,

while present A.D ratio is

74.26% compared to

76.22% of last year. Our

banks present L.C.R is

123.96% which was

117.21% last year, while

N.F.S.R is 124.52% which

was 122.38% last year and

percentage of bad loans is

2.76%. Our A.D ratio,

L.C.R, N.F.S.R and

percentage of bad loans is

in good standing according

to the standards of

Bangladesh Bank. We are

hopeful that within the

next 5 years our bank will

be one of the top

performing banks of the

country based on all

parameters.

Muhammed Ali, Advisor

to the bank, stated in his

speech "Bangladesh is

moving forward towards

the goal of becoming a

developed and prosperous

nation by the year 2041. In

this journey, Premier Bank

continues to be a major

and significant contributor

due to the various

progressive strategies we

have adopted under the

leadership and guidance of

Dr. H.B.M. Iqbal,

Chairman of the Board of

Directors.

Standard Chartered guarantees steady supply

of medical oxygen forpatients in Jamalpur

Standard Chartered Bangladesh recently

collaborated with United Trust to make

sure that patients at M A Rashid

Hospital in Jamalpur have consistent

access to life-saving medical oxygen.

With the pandemic accelerating both

local and global demand for oxygen, it

became evident thatmedical oxygen is

essential for the treatment

ofcardiovascular and respiratory

illnesses, in addition to COVID-19.

To solve issues of availability, quality,

affordability, and supply, Standard

Chartered Bangladesh donated a

Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA)

Medical Oxygen Generation Plant to M

A Rashid Hospital in Jamalpur. The

plant's total installed capacity of 303

litres/minutewill provide over 80 ailing

patients with a constant supply of much

needed oxygen.

The PSA Medical Oxygen Generation

Plant was inaugurated by H.E. Mr.

Robert Chatterton Dickson, British High

Commissioner to Bangladesh, who

attended the event as a special guest,

along with Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Chief

Executive Officer, Standard Chartered

Bangladesh, and Moinuddin Hasan

Rashid, Chairman & Managing Director,

United Group. Other attendees

included: EnamulHuque, Managing

Director, Head of Client Coverage,

Corporate, Commercial & Institutional

Banking, Standard Chartered

Bangladesh; Bitopi Das Chowdhury,

Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand &

Marketing, Standard Chartered

Bangladesh;Abdur Rahim, Chairman,

United Trust; and members of local

government authorities.

Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Chief Executive

Officer, Standard Chartered Bangladesh,

said,"Sustainable access to oxygen, at

times, is the difference between life and

death for patients. The need for oxygen

continues to increase, while availability

remains low - especially outside the

major cities of Bangladesh. Now,

patients and their families in Jamalpur

can rest easy knowing that they will

receive the oxygen they need, when they

need it. This is not a donation or a

reactive response to an unprecedented

pandemic - instead, it is an effort, on the

Bank's part, to support long-term

capacity building for better health care

services for communities in need. I

would like to express my profound

gratitude to the Board of Directors of

United Trust for providing the Bank with

an opportunity to be part of their

amazing contribution that changes lives

for the better. Being a leading British

Investor in Bangladesh, it is a great

privilege to inaugurate the oxygen plant

in the presence of H.E. Mr. Robert

Chatterton Dickson, British High

Commissioner to Bangladesh, who took

the time to join us in Jamalpur to

celebrate this occasion."

Moinuddin Hasan Rashid, Chairman

and Managing Director, United Group,

said, "As one of the four core focus areas

of United Trust, it was always our

greatest effort to provide the best

healthcare services to the people of

Jamalpur and the surrounding districts.

Hence, we established M A Rashid

Hospital, which will provide a model of

healthcare services for all second and

third tier cities."

Rashid added, "I am very thankful to

Standard Chartered for their act of

generosity, which will amplify our effort

to elevate the healthcare services in the

Jamalpur area and beyond. Ensuring a

constant supply of oxygen was much

needed after the post-pandemic era.I

would also like to thank Robert

Chatterton Dickson, British High

Commissioner to Bangladesh for his

cordial presence to inaugurate the

installation of the Pressure Swing

Absorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen

Generation Plant in M A Rashid

Hospital."

Earlier this year, in March,

ChattogramMaa-Shishu O General

Hospital was the first of three medical

facilities to receiveaPSA Medical Oxygen

Generation Plant from Standard

Chartered Bangladesh. Via the donation,

the Bank became the first in the nation

to provide a medical facility with access

to a steady supply of oxygen. Another

oxygen plant was donated to TMSS

Medical College &Rafatullah

Community Hospital (TMC & RCH) in

September. The total oxygen generation

potential of the three plants exceeds

1300 litres/minute and serves up to 400

patients per day.

United Trust a concern of the United

Group. As the conglomerate's social

welfare organ, United Trust works to

meet community needs across

Bangladesh. At present, United Trust

operates eight rural clinics and small

hospitals. With 250 beds, M A Rashid

Hospital meets the needs of patients in

Jamalpur and provides individuals with

much needed medical aid and

assistance.

First Security Islami Bank Ltd. arranged a day-long program 'Shwapnopuroner ekdin' at Fantasy

Kingdom, Dhaka for the fulfillment of dreams of underprivileged children. The main aim of this event

is to give the orphan and underprivileged children a day with full of joy and amusement. Children

enjoyed various rides throughout the day at Fantasy Kingdom. Quiz competitions and different games

were organized for them where various attractive gifts were given. A special magic show was also

exhibited for them and provided special food of their choice. Muhammad Mustafa Khair, Additional

Managing Director was present as the Chief Guest and Md. Masudur Rahman Shah, Deputy Managing

Director of the bank was present as Special Guest in the program. Among others, Zonal Heads of

Dhaka South and North Zone, Different Branch Managers along with other officials were also present

on the occasion.

Photo : Courtesy

PRAN Dairy provides free milkto day care center

The country's leading dairy

processor 'PRAN Dairy' will

provide free milk for a yearto

'Kichir Michir Day Care

Center' run by a non-profit

organization KarmojibiNari.

In this connection, PRAN

Dairy and KarmojibiNari

signed an agreement at the

head office of PRAN Group

on Tuesday. Maksudur

Rahman, Deputy General

Manager of PRAN Dairy and

Sanjida Sultana, Additional

Executive Director of

Kormojibi Nari signed the

agreement on behalf of their

respective organizations, a

press release. Zuran Chandra

Shikdar, Coordinator

(Finance and Admin) of

Kormojibi Nari, Nurul Afser,

Head of Corporate Brand of

PRAN-RFL Group and

Rakibul Islam Lanin,

Assistant General Manager

(Marketing) of PRAN Dairy

were also present at the

program. Nurul Afser said,

"We have taken the initiative

under our corporate social

responsibility. We will also

include more day care centers

in the future and hope the

initiative will play important

role in children's growth."

NRBC Bank is giving 5 percent loans to women entrepreneurs on easy terms. Under this special

scheme to raise women as entrepreneurs, maximum loan assistance of up to 50 lakh taka will be provided.

NRBC Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Jayeeta Foundation for

this purpose. This loan will be given from the 'Revolving Capital Support Fund' of 'Jayeeta

Foundation' which is formed under the special supervision of the Hon'ble Prime Minister under the

Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. Women entrepreneurs can take this loan in their own name

and in the name of the association. These loan facilities will be provided with or without collateral. A

MoU was officially signed by Afroza Khan, Managing Director of Jayeeta Foundation and Golam

Awlia, Managing Director & CEO of NRBC Bank in the conference room of Jayeeta Foundation while

Shahidul Islam, Additional Secretary and Project Director of Joyeeta Tower Nirman Project presided

over the ceremony. Harunur Rashid, Deputy Managing Director and CFO of NRBC Bank, Harunur

Rashid, Head of SME & Agriculture Credit Department and Suraiya Rahman, Manager of Dhanmondi

Women's Branch and others were present in the event.

Photo : Courtesy

Saudi blasts release of oil reserves

'to manipulate markets'

RIYADH : Saudi Arabia's energy minister

on Tuesday blasted the release of

emergency oil stocks as an attempt to

"manipulate markets", the latest

apparent salvo in a spat with Washington

over oil production.

"People are depleting their emergency

stocks, had depleted it, used it as a

mechanism to manipulate markets while

its profound purpose was to mitigate

shortage of supply," Prince Abdulaziz bin

Salman told an investor conference in the

Saudi capital.

"However, it is my profound duty to

make it clear to the world that losing

emergency stock may become painful in

the months to come."

Prince Abdulaziz did not single out the

US in his comments about emergency

stocks, but last week US President Joe

Biden announced he was putting the final

15 million barrels on the market from a

record release of US strategic reserves.

That tranche was to complete a 180

million barrel release authorised in the

spring, in response to price hikes linked

to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It also came on the heels of a decision

by the OPEC+ oil cartel, which Riyadh coleads

with Moscow, to cut oil production

by two million barrels a day from

November.

The cartel's decision has drawn intense

criticism from the White House, which

has said it amounted to "aligning with

Russia" in the Ukraine war.

Prince Abdulaziz pushed back against

that assessment on Tuesday.

"I keep listening, are you with us or

against us? Is there any room for, 'We are

for Saudi Arabia and for the people of

Saudi Arabia'?" he said to applause.

Asked about getting the decades-old

partnership between Riyadh and

Washington back on track, he said: "I

think we as Saudi Arabia decided to be

the maturer guys and let the dice fall."

Hundreds of CEOs and finance moguls

are in Riyadh for the three-day Future

Investment Initiative (FII), a Davos-style

investment conference that analysts say

will highlight Saudi Arabia's geopolitical

muscle despite strained ties with

Washington.

The FII, often referred to as "Davos in

the Desert", was launched in 2017 as an

economic coming-out party for the

world's largest crude exporter, which is

trying to diversify away from oil under

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Benfica's portuguese midfielder rafa Silva (C) scores his team's fourth goal in spite of Juventus'

Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci (L) and Juventus' polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny during

their Champions League Group H match.

photo: Ap

Benfica win thriller with Juventus to

reach Champions League knockouts

SportS DeSk

Benfica reached the Champions League

last 16 on Tuesday after winning an

exciting contest with Juventus 4-3 and

sending the Italians out of the

competition, reports UNB.

Antonio Silva's early header, a Joao

Mario penalty just before the half-hour

mark and Rafa Silva's classy brace kept

Benfica second in Group H, eight points

ahead of third-placed Juve with one game

to play.

Roger Schmidt's side are unbeaten in

all competitions this season and can beat

their group-stage points record of 12 with

a win at bottom side Maccabi Haifa next

week.

Benfica are level on 11 points with

leaders Paris Saint-Germain and have a

chance to top the group next week,

although they would need Juve to get a

result against the French champions in

Turin after being dumped out at the

group stage for the first time in nine

years. "We played brilliantly with and

without the ball," said Schmidt.

"We were playing against Juventus

who are not an easy team to play against,

but we believed in ourselves and played

great football." Juve traveled to Lisbon

knowing that only a win would give them

any hope of making it through to the last

16, but although Moise Kean had them

level in the 21st minute the away side

never had the chance to claim the three

points. Another bad night for Juve was

somewhat alleviated by the fight shown

late on, with quickfire goals from

Arkadiusz Milik and Weston McKennie,

and a big push for the win in the final 15

minutes turning what looked like being a

thumping into merely a painful

elimination.

"We made things difficult for

ourselves," under-fire Juve coach

Massimiliano Allegri told Sky in Italy.

"(But) our elimination was already

decided before we played tonight's

match."

The defeat will put more pressure on

Allegri on a day in which prosecutors in

Italy closed preliminary investigations

into alleged false accounting by Juve.

His team have lost four of their five

matches in the competition and are not

even guaranteed of dropping down to the

Europa League as they are level on just

three points with Maccabi.

Benfica were well on top by the time

Antonio Silva put the hosts ahead in the

17th minute, glancing in his first goal of

the season from Enzo Fernandez's vicious

inswinging cross after a short corner.

Kean stunned the bouncing home

crowd four minutes later when he jabbed

home following chaos from Filip Kostic's

corner. Although his finish was initially

ruled out for offside, a long VAR check

amid ear-piercing whistles led to the Serb

drawing Juve level.

But just as Juve looked like they had

rattled Benfica, Juan Cuadrado handed

them the chance to retake the lead from

the penalty spot, an opportunity which

Joao Mario gobbled up with a powerful

strike in the 28th minute.

And Rafa piled further misery on Juve

with 10 minutes remaining in the first

half, just after Dusan Vlahovic had fluffed

a great chance to level the scores for a

second time.

The former Portugal forward spread

the ball wide and then raced into the box,

tracked by no-one and left completely

free to audaciously backheel in Joao

Mario's drilled low cross.

Rafa showed another touch of class five

minutes after the break to extend his

team's deserved lead to three, dinking

over Wojciech Szczesny after Leonardo

Bonucci played a lazy pass straight to

Alejandro Grimaldo.

The 29-year-old would have completed

his hat-trick in the 76th minute had he

not volleyed over another beautiful Joao

Mario cross. From there Juve suddenly

brought the match back to life.

Two minutes after Rafa's miss, Milik

swept in a cross from lively teenage

substitute Samuel Iling-Junior and

seconds later McKennie cut the deficit to

just one, lashing in following a goalmouth

scramble.

Juve pushed bravely knowing that they

needed two more to keep their

Champions League campaign going.

They were unable break through and

were lucky not to concede a fifth with four

minutes left when Rafa hit the post with

only Szczesny to beat.

Booker sparks Suns over Warriors

as Thompson ejected

SportS DeSk

Devin Booker scored 34

points as the Phoenix Suns

overpowered Golden State

134-105 in a hard-fought clash

that saw Warriors star Klay

Thompson ejected for the first

time in his career, reports

UNB.

Booker produced another

30-point scoring exhibition

for the third straight game as

the Suns laid down an early

marker against the defending

NBA champions.

The 25-year-old Phoenix

talisman was also at the center

of a third-quarter skirmish

with Thompson that led to the

Warriors' future Hall-of-

Famer being tossed for the

first time in his 651-game

career.

Thompson was expelled

after he bumped Booker

midway through the third

quarter to earn a technical

before earning a second

technical as he unleashed a

tirade at the Suns and referee

Ed Malloy.

That flashpoint proved

decisive, with the Suns

exploiting the Warriors' lack

of composure to turn an 83-77

advantage into a 13-point lead

at 90-77.

The Suns would eventually

outscore the Warriors 33-20

in the third to take a 105-86

lead into the final period.

Golden State rallied to cut

the deficit to 12 points midway

through the fourth, but

Phoenix pulled away once

again to seal a deserved

victory. Booker, who has

averaged 32 points in four

games to start the campaign,

said Phoenix were determined

to impress against the

reigning NBA champions.

"Those are the defending

champs over there," Booker

said. "They have a culture, an

environment, they're holding

the crown.

"Every time we match up

against them we want to play

hard and play competitive."

Booker made no apologies

for his spirited clash with

Warriors veteran Thompson.

"I love Klay Thompson, and

I have from the beginning,

coming up. Right from the

draft I said I wanted to be Klay

Thompson," Booker said.

"But that doesn't excuse us

from competing against each

other and talking a little mess

with each other... big fan of his

and his competitive nature,

and that's that."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr

also played down the Booker-

Thompson clash.

"They're both great

competitors, both great

players," Kerr said. "This is

the NBA - it's the highest

competition in the world.

Stuff like that happens."

Booker was given scoring

support from Mikal Bridges

with 17 points while Deandre

Ayton and Chris Paul added

16 points each.

Stephen Curry led the

Warriors scoring with 21

points with Jordan Poole

adding 17. Thompson

departed with two points after

making just 1-of-8 from the

field.

Elsewhere Tuesday, Luka

Doncic scored 37 points but it

was not enough to stop the

Dallas Mavericks slipping to

defeat against the depleted

New Orleans Pelicans.

Slovenian star Doncic

dragged the Mavs to within

one point of the Pels with four

seconds remaining after a

driving lay-up made it 112-111.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and phoenix Suns guard

Devin Booker (1) face off during the first half of an NBA basketball game

tuesday in phoenix. photo: Ap

Leipzig hand

Real Madrid

first loss of

the season

SportS DeSk

Leipzig boosted their

chances of advancing to the

knockout stage of the

Champions League by

handing titleholder Real

Madrid their first loss of the

season on Tuesday, reports

UNB.

The German club won 3-2

and now only need to draw

their last group match at

Shakhtar Donetsk - which

drew 1-1 at Celtic on Tuesday

- to advance to the last 16.

Leipzig reached nine

points in Group F, one

behind Madrid, who had

already secured their spot in

the round of 16. Leipzig are

three points ahead of

Shakhtar, while Celtic are

last with two points.

Madrid had been

unbeaten in 16 matches in

all competitions this season,

with 14 wins and two draws.

The European champion

played without several

regular starters, including

Luka Modric, Federico

Valverde and Ballon d'Or

winner Karim Benzema.

Madrid can still secure

first place in the group with a

home win against winless

Celtic in the last round.

"It's a loss, but it doesn't

hurt us too much," Madrid

coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

"We will have another

opportunity to finish first at

the (Santiago) Bernabéu.

We have to move on."

Leipzig got off to a strong

start and Josko Gvardiol

scored his first Champions

League goal in the 13th

minute off the rebound of a

save by Madrid goalkeeper

Thibaut

Courtois.

Christopher Nkunku added

to the lead five minutes later

with a shot from inside the

area but Vinícius Júnior

pulled Madrid closer with a

header from near the

penalty spot in the 44th.

Shakib keen to

exploit South

Africa's 'must

win' game

pressure

SportS DeSk

Bangladesh captain Shakib Al

Hasan felt that they have

slight advantage, going into

the match against South

Africa as the mighty

opponent is in pressure to

stay alive in the T20 World

semifinal race after sharing

points with Zimbabwe,

reports BSS.

South Africa was in winning

position against Zimbabwe in

their first match but the

persistent rain in Hobart

forced the abandonment of

the game before D/L method

came into the effect.

The Proteas now know that

a win against Bangladesh is

mandatory, which could

impose a mental pressure on

them, according to Shakib.

"South Africa will feel the

pressure because they lost a

point against Zimbabwe. So

Bangladesh match is kind a

do or die game for them,"

Shakib said ahead of the

match. "It's the thing that will

keep them under pressure.

It's an important game for us

also. So we'll try to take

everything under our

control."

Bangladesh started their

mission with a 9-run win over

Netherlands. Even though the

margin could indicate that

Bangladesh struggled for

their victory, the reality is

their bowling attack was so

superior that made the

victory easier one.

The Tigers put up just 144-

8, however, Taskin Ahmed

who claimed career-best 4-

25, indeed threw Netherland

out of the game, taking two

wickets in the first two balls of

the innings.

tHurSDAY, oCtoBer 27, 2022

9

Wawrinka downs Ruud,

Murray also advances

at Swiss Indoors

SportS DeSk

On a stellar day for veteran Grand Slam

champions, Stan Wawrinka beat thirdranked

Casper Ruud and Andy Murray

rallied to win in three sets in the first round

of the Swiss Indoors on Tuesday, reports

UNB.

The 37-year-old Wawrinka hit his ninth

ace to seal a 6-4, 6-4 win over Ruud, who

was the US Open runner-up last month,

and delight his home crowd.

Wawrinka is now ranked No. 194 after

persistent injury problems but the win was

his second over a top-five opponent in five

weeks. He beat fourth-ranked Daniil

Medvedev last month in Metz, France.

"I fought despite the injuries. I wanted to

come and play in front of you," Wawrinka

said in a tearful on-court interview,

thanking fans for their support.

Murray, a former US Open champion

like Wawrinka, earlier won 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-

4 against Roman Safiullin after the

Russian led 4-1 in the final set.

The 35-year-old Murray, who also won

two Wimbledon titles, reeled off five

straight games to complete the victory

after more than 2 ½ hours on court. It was

the No. 49-ranked Scot's first match in

Basel since 2005.

"I changed the way I was returning a

little bit and when I did that I was able to

create a few more opportunities and

frustrate him a little bit," Murray said.

Wawrinka first played in Basel 19 years

ago but never went beyond the semifinals

at the event won by hometown favorite

Roger Federer a record 10 times.

Wawrinka next plays Brandon

Nakashima of the US. He could face

Murray in the quarterfinals.

Another Swiss winner was 20-year-old

Dominic Stricker who beat American

Maxime Cressy 7-6 (4), 6-3. Stricker, a

wild-card entry ranked No. 129, next faces

Pablo Carreno Busta. The fifth-seeded

Spaniard beat Sebastian Baez 6-2, 6-1.

Great Britain's Andy Murray returns the ball to russia's roman Safiullin

during their first round match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at

the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland.

photo: Ap

Tigers out to stun South

Africa for a memorable

debut in SCG

SportS DeSk

Emboldened by excellent

fast bowling group which

has recently risen

impeccably, Bangladesh

looked determined to keep

up the winning spree as

they take on South Africa

in their second match of

T20 World Cup's Super

12s at Sydney Cricket

Ground today (Thursday),

reports BSS.

The match starts at 9 AM

Bangladesh time and will

be aired live of Gazi TV

and T Sports Channel.

There is additional

motivation

for

Bangladesh---they will

play their first match at

the Australia's oldest

cricket ground in any

format of the cricket.

Therefore, they want to

make their maiden match

memorable here at this

stadium, affectionately

called as SCG which was

opened in 1848 and

hosted its first cricket

match in 1882.

Thanks to their fast

bowling

group,

Bangladesh made a

winning start in T20

World Cup, beating

Netherlands by 9 runs in

their first match in

Hobart. It was their first

win at the main round of

the T20 World Cup since

their victory against West

Indies in the inaugural

edition.

Taskin Ahmed led the

victory with his careerbest

4-25 and was ably

supported by new fast

bowling sensation Hasan

Mahmud. Another pacer

Mustafizur Rahman

though hadn't any wicket

to show, his economical

bowling seemed to bring

back his best after an

ordinary show in the last

one year.

Bangladesh indeed were

no match against South

Africa in the previous

seven games as they lost

all of those matches

without much resistance.

Moreover since the last

T20 World Cup in 2021,

they failed to beat any top

teams but still they oozed

with confidence, largely

due to South Africa's poor

luck in the major

tournament like World

Cup.

Like Bangladesh, South

Africa also could have

made a winning start

against Zimbabwe but the

rain in Hobart after

Bangladesh-Netherlands

match, forced them to

share points. After losing a

point, now they need a

victory against Bangladesh

badly before taking on the

giants like India and

Pakistan. The immense

pressure of winning the

match could give

Bangladesh an edge,

which captain Shakib Al

Hasan believes.

"They will be in

immense pressure

because for them it's a

kind of do or die match,"

Shakib said here today.

"A win is also important

for us. But South Africa

lost a point and they would

want to make it up. They

will be desperate, which

can give us an edge."

Shakib admitted South

African fast bowling group

is dangerous but he is

confident

that

Bangladeshi batting line

up would deal with them

successfully.

"Yes they have a great

fast bowling attack. Even

though we have no success

against them in this

format but in other format

our batters handled them

successfully of late. So it's

a thing that would give us

the boost we need to beat

them."

However having said

that he believes

Bangladesh must address

the vulnerable batting

which experienced a

collapse even against an

inexperienced bowling

line up of Netherlands.

Most of the top order

batters found the start but

simply couldn't carry.

However such sort of

batting could be fatal

against the world class

bowling line up of South

Africa.

Bangladesh tend to keep

up the winning

combination always,

which indicated they

would field an unchanged

XI against South Africa.

Overall Bangladesh

played 140 T20

Internationals and while

they won 48 matches, they

had lost 89 matches.

Three other matches

ended in no result.

Squad:

Bangladesh: Shakib Al

Hasan (captain), Mehidy

Hasan Miraz, Afif

Hossain, Mossadek

Hossain, Liton Das, Yasir

Ali, Nurul Hasan,

Mustafizur Rahman,

Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot

Hossain, Shoriful Islam,

Hasan Mahmud, Najmul

Hossain, Nasum Ahmed

and Soumya Sarkar.

South Africa: Temba

Bavuma (captain),

Quinton de Kock,

Heinrich Klaasen, Reeza

Hendricks, Keshav

Maharaj, Aiden Markram,

David Miller, Lungi Ngidi,

Anrich Nortje, Wayne

Parnell, Kagiso Rabada,

Rillee Rossouw, Tabraiz

Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs,

Marco Jansen.

THURsdAY, OcTOBER 27, 2022

10

Dighi to play title role in web

fiction ‘Tammi’

TBT REPORT

Prarthana Fardin Dighi (popularly

known as Dighi) is a Bangladeshi

film actress and model. She

won Bangladesh

National Film Award

for Best Child

Artist three times.

She has already

acted in movies as

a grown-up actress.

Also worked in web

series. Recently she

acted in a web fiction

titled 'Tammi'. It was

directed by Mahiya Mahmuda.

Dighi will be seen in the title role

in this fiction.

Regarding acting in it, she said,

'This is the first time I have acted in a

title role. The story of a woman's

struggling life is presented in this web

fiction. I also tried to portray the

character. The director also helped me

a lot. I hope viewers will enjoy the

web fiction.'

Dighi said that this fiction will be

published in a new app soon.

Wednesday was Dighi's birthday.

But she had no special plan to

celebrate her birthday. When her

birthday comes, Dighi remembers

her mother (late film actress

Doyel). Reminiscences with her

mother come in front of Dighi's

eyes during her birthdays,

according to the actress. For this

reason, Dighi does not keep any

arrangement for celebration

of her birthday. But her

father (noted film

actor Subrata)

and other

members of

her family try

to make the

day special for

Dighi.

Meanwhile, Dighi

is now regular in

stage shows. She

recently performed in

'Channel i Music Awards.'

Dighi starrer biopic on

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman titled 'Mujib' is waiting

to get release date now.

Therefore, she has also

completed shooting of government

granted movie titled 'Srabon

Joshnai,' directed by Abdus Samad

Khokon. In the meantime, Dighi has

completed shooting of a new TV

commercial directed by Rakib

Ahmed where film actor Mumnun

Emon performed opposite her.

This TVC will go on air soon,

Dighi also said.

It is noted that Delwar Jahan

Jhantu directed 'Tumi Achho

Tumi Nai' was Dighi's debut

movie in the silver screen.

Clooney, Julia bring back clichéd

rom-com in 'Ticket to Paradise'

Ticket to Paradise: Read Pinkvilla's

review of the George Clooney and

Julia Roberts starrer below.

Ticket to Paradise chronicles

divorced couple David and Georgia

Cotton (George Clooney, Julia

Roberts), who can't see eye-to-eye

on anything, especially when it

comes to their darling daughter

Lily Cotton (Kaitlyn Dever). 25

years after their marriage - they

split five years after - David and

Georgia are in for a shock because

Lily plans to marry a seaweed

farmer named Gede (Maxime

Bouttier), who she met in Bali

during her graduation break.

David and Georgia reluctantly call

in a temporary truce and work

together to sabotage their

daughter's wedding, fearing that

Lily will make the same mistake

they made 25 years ago. What

follows is one hilarious mishap

after another, which also brings

David and Georgia closer together,

even if they try wholeheartedly not

to.

Ticket to Paradise belongs solely

to George Clooney and Julia

Roberts' crackling chemistry that

comes blazing through in every

scene. Whether it be drunk

dancing after beer pong games and

embarrassing their daughter or

laughing at each other's miseries

like getting bitten by a dolphin; the

two are fire on ice. Also, a plus

point is the aesthetic "Australiaturned-Bali"

cinematography that

is sure to reel you in but never once

feels overindulgent like a tourism

ad. Even if the characters keep

mentioning how it's "the best place

on Earth." While some dialogues

reach their saturation levels,

overall, the writing by Ol Parker

and Daniel Pipski is sure to tickle

your funny bones just right,

particularly when Clooney and

Roberts are given free rein to duke

it out.

While Ticket to Paradise brings

back the love for romantic

comedies, it also suffers from the

"seen all that" syndrome and

there's nothing fresh to the genre

that the movie offers. The

supporting cast isn't as memorable

as they are teased and even has the

potential to be, with talented stars

like Billie Lourd and Lucas Bravo

at the short end of the stick.

Source: Collider

TBT REPORT

Dhallywood superstar Pori Moni

celebrated her birthday on

Monday in a grand manner, as

this was her first one after the

birth of her son, Rajya.

The occasion was also special

this year as her husband, model

and actor Sariful Razz, earned

critical and commercial success

in the industry for his

performances in back-to-back

blockbuster hits 'Poran' and

'Hawa.'

She also announced that this

will be her last grand birthday

celebration. From next year she

will only celebrate her birthday

in the comfort of her own home,

with only a few close friends and

family members.

She said, "Next year will be my

son's first birthday. He was born

on August 10. Mine comes two

months after that. So, from next

year, I will celebrate the birthday

of my son Rajya in a grand

manner with all the bells and

whistles. And mine will be in a

homely environment. Now my

Celebrating the 18th anniversary of its

inauguration, Geetanjali Lalitkala

Academy, a traditional culture training

centre, is hosting a two-day cultural

festival on October 28 and 29 at Small

and Cottage Industries Training Institute

(SCITI) auditorium, Uttara in the capital,

reports UNB.

Marking the occasion, the academy is

set to honour three prolific personalities

with the Geetanjali Sammanana Padak

(Geetanjali Honorary Award) 2022 on

October 28, Friday.

The personalities are - eminent

educationist Professor Emeritus Arun

Kumar Basak, writer Anwara Syed Haq

and painter Professor Mohammad Eunus

for their important contribution to

education, art, literature and culture in

Bangladesh. Dhaka North City

Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam will

join the event as the

chief guest, while

Mohammad Habib

Hasan, Member of

Parliament for

Dhaka-18

Constituency,

will join as

the special

guest.

The

Pori Moni celebrates her

birthday in grand manner

child is my entire world,

everything is for him. Everyone,

please pray for us."

Previously, before she was

married to Razz, Pori Moni only

had her Nanu (grandfather) to

celebrate her birthday with.

However, now she has a

complete family of her own. The

actress is well known for

organising grand birthday

parties, and this year's party was

no different, taking place at the

capital's International

Convention City Bashundhara

(ICCB).

The gorgeous convention hall

was decorated with an ensemble

of white feathers, along with blue

and cream flowers. The whole

venue was glittering in the lights

of the gorgeous chandeliers.

Pori Moni looked like a

beautiful dove, with her offwhite

feathery gown, while Razz

looked dapper in a baby blue

suit. Razz could be seen holding

their 2-month-old son Rajya

while they cut the huge birthday

cake.

Pori's costume designer JS

Jimmy told the press that Pori's

'Dove'-like feathery outfit for the

night was designed by him at her

request. He also said the actress

wanted the white theme in

everything as the white Dove is a

sign of peace.

Pori said, "I have already

told everyone that this year, I

will highlight the message of

peace on my birthday. And

thus, the whole stage has

been donned in white. My

own white gown is also

resonating with the theme of

peace. I really hope that

everyone accepts my love and

prays for my family.

Everyone who is here today,

celebrating my birthday, you

are all like family to me."

Geetanjali Lalitkala Academy to honour 3 eminent personalities

inaugural day event on Friday will be

presided over by eminent educationist

and former DU Vice-Chancellor Professor

Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique.

Artists from the Geetanjali Academy of

Fine Arts will perform songs, dance, and

recitations at the two-day festival.

On Saturday, the closing day of the

festival will be joined by Asim Kumar

Ukil, Cultural Secretary of Bangladesh

Awami League and Member of

Parliament from Netrokona-3

Constituency as the chief guest in the

discussion seminar, in remembrance of

late National Professor Rafiqul Islam,

former Adviser of Geetanjali Lalitkala

Academy. Industrialist and Bangladesh

Awami League's Secretary of Industry

and Commerce Md Siddiqur Rahman will

join the ceremony as its special guest, and

the event will be presided over by

eminent artist Hashem Khan.

In the last 17 years of its glorious

journey, the Geetanjali Sammanana

Padak was awarded to several eminent

personalities including National Professor

Kabir Chowdhury, Professor Dr Zillur

Rahman Siddiqui, poet Professor

Alauddin Al Azan, writer and poet Syed

Shamsul Haq, National Professor

Mustafa Nurul Islam, Tagore researcher

Ahmad Rafiq, Language Soldier Abdul

Matin, educationist Dr Sirajul Islam

Chowdhury, National Professor Rafiqul

Islam, National Professor Anisuzzaman,

musician Sudhin Das, cultural personality

Kamal Lohani, painter Hashem Khan,

litterateur Hasan Azizul Haque, painter

Samarjit Roy Chowdhury, writer Rabeya

Khatun, cultural personality Ramendu

Majumdar, poet Asad Chowdhury, rt

maestro Rafiqunnabi, playwright Begum

Mamtaz Hossain, novelist Selina Hossain,

social and cultural personality Sultana

Kamal, artist Mustafa Monwar,

filmmaker Subhash Dutta, playwright

Imdadul Haq Milan, Artist Murtaza

Bashir, poet Nirmalendu Goon, cultural

personality Mofidul Haque, poet Nurul

Huda, painter Monirul Islam, actress

Ferdousi Majumdar, thespian

Asaduzzaman Noor, cultural personality

Nasir Uddin Yusuff, poet Kamal

Chowdhury, thespian Ataur Rahman,

researcher Muntasir Mamoon, and art

maestro Farida Zaman.

Janhvi called herself

‘hero’ of the movie

Janhvi Kapoor is a popular actress of the new generation of Bollywood. She is already accused of

nepotism. Allegations were made against her that Sridevi daughter is getting movies on one day

and on another father's money. Desperate to prove herself, this heroine is breaking the tradition

and making her name in female-led movies. Still when you hear the question, who is the hero

in this movie? Then the actress also gave her answer. In a recet interview, the 'Dhadak'

actress said, "I have done two films where the main character is a woman. I

played that role. Every time I go to talk about them, people are surprised. They

want to call 'The Kargil Girl' and 'Good Luck Jerry' as 'exceptional'. But

why? I heard a lot of people say, 'Oh well, you're doing a woman-centric

film?' If it was 'Milan' instead of 'Milli', would the actor have been

asked this too? Wouldn't that be weird?" But Janhveer is hopeful

that the audience looking for a male actor can appreciate a

good movie in theatres. That said, a really good

screenplay can still be the answer to everything.

In the words of the actress, 'Be it a thriller, an action or a

family film, at the end of the day we are telling the story of

different characters. It doesn't matter what I'm talking about. Is

it a woman or a man? This is not a question. If the movie is good,

then that is 'Hero'. Janhvi is willing to continue acting by believing in

herself. She said, 'Let's hope, one day the attitude will change. When I am

repeatedly asked about my films, 'Who is the hero?', I reply, 'Me'.

Source: Hindustan Times

H O R O s c O P E

ARIEs

Some close friends could turn you on to a new

interest or perhaps a group you might want to join.

Intellectual stimulation through those closest to

you could open the way to new plans and

innovations. You might want to try combining artistic interests

with technology, Aries, perhaps expanding your knowledge of

photography, computer graphics, or filmmaking. Success and good

fortune through such activities are strongly indicated.

TAURUs

Sudden, unexpected news could arrive

today, perhaps by mail or phone. You

could host a virtual group meeting of

some kind. A lot of exciting information

and stimulating conversation could take

place, Taurus, bringing fresh ideas that spark new

interests. Expect a very busy but productive day,

looking ahead toward the future rather than back

toward the past.

GEMINI

Short journeys in your neighborhood,

perhaps connected with a group you're

associated with, could take up a lot of

your time today, Gemini. Fascinating

and stimulating emails or calls could

arrive. Books and magazine articles could provide

information that sends you in a new direction in

some way. Write down your ideas! You will want to

remember them all.

cANcER

Technology could pave the way for you to

greatly increase your income, possibly

through new skills or investments. This is

likely to be a very positive development,

setting the stage for future financial success. Some

unusual, interesting dreams could come your way,

bringing unexpected revelations about you and your past

- and possibly your future. Write them down! They could

hold important messages for you from your higher self.

LEO

A surprising revelation, either from

within or from sources like books, the

Internet, or communications from others

could set you in an entirely new direction.

You will have an increased sense of freedom, as well as

a clearer and more progressive outlook. You might

consider some pretty heavy changes in your life, Leo,

but don't make any final decisions or arrangements

today. Wait before putting your ideas into action.

VIRGO

Discoveries made through occult sciences

such as astrology or numerology could

see you embrace some rather

revolutionary ideas about yourself, the

world, and life. You could become involved with a

group associated with metaphysical studies or take an

online class or workshop of some kind. This could

mean a new direction for you in some way, Virgo. It

might greatly enhance your life and thinking.

LIBRA

Sudden lucky breaks could come your

way today, Libra, possibly through

friends or groups with which you're

involved. A long-term goal you've been

working toward might bring unexpected but

wonderful results. Virtual group activities,

particularly those involving social or political issues,

could take up a lot of your time. This promises to be

a busy, productive day. Expect the unexpected!

scORPIO

Today you might feel the desire to break

free from your daily routine, Scorpio,

particularly regarding career matters.

You might consider developing a

business of your own, one that would give you a lot

more freedom than you currently have. This is a good

day to start looking into it. You might find that there are

more possibilities out there than you expected.

sAGITTARIUs

A sudden and unexpected opportunity

to take a journey by air could come your

way today, Sagittarius. This might be

something you've wanted for a long

time finally manifesting. Certainly, adventure is in the

air, although it might be mental adventure as much as

physical. Some information could come your way that

catapults you into a new and exciting field of interest.

This promises to be a thoroughly stimulating day.

cAPRIcORN

Technology could pave the way for you to

greatly increase your income, possibly

through new skills or investments. This is

likely to be a very positive development,

setting the stage for future financial success. Some

unusual, interesting dreams could come your way,

bringing unexpected revelations about you and your past

- and possibly your future. Write them down! They could

hold important messages for you from your higher self.

AQUARIUs

The unexpected need to take a journey

by air or spend a lot of time working

could bring about an inconvenient

separation from your partner. While the

reasons for this situation and the projected outcome

are very positive, it can cause a temporary upset in

your relationship. Don't worry about it. The upset will

pass, particularly when the desired results are

attained. Concentrate on the matter at hand.

PIscEs

Is your workplace upgrading its

equipment? Are you in the process of

increasing your technology skills?

Today's planets show that success and advancement

through technology are definitely in the offing for

you, Pisces. If you've been thinking about purchasing

a computer, do it today if you can. Whatever your

goals, you can harness current innovations to help

them along. Give it some thought!

thUrSday, OCtObEr 27, 2022

11

Climate pledges still

‘nowhere near’ enough

for 1.5C: UN

PARIS : International climate pledges

remain far off track to limit rising

temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius,

according to a report released by the

United Nations Wednesday, less than

two weeks ahead of high-stakes

negotiations to tackle global

warming. The combined climate

pledges of more than 190 nations that

signed up to the 2015 Paris climate

deal put Earth on track to warm by

around 2.5C (36 degrees Fahrenheit)

compared to pre-industrial levels by

the century's end.

With the planet already battered by

climate-enhanced heatwaves, storms

and floods after just 1.2C of warming,

experts say the world is still failing to

act with sufficient urgency to curb

greenhouse gas emissions.

"We are still nowhere near the scale

and pace of emission reductions

required to put us on track toward a

1.5 degrees Celsius world," said

Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of

UN Climate Change.

"To keep this goal alive, national

governments need to strengthen their

climate action plans now and

implement them in the next eight

years." The UN's climate experts have

said emissions-compared to 2010

levels-need to fall 45 percent by 2030

in order to meet the Paris deal's more

ambitious goal.

In its latest report, the UN said that

current commitments from

governments around the world will in

fact increase emissions by 10.6

percent by 2030.

Norway and Russia

agree on Barents

Sea fishing quotas

OSLO : Norway and Russia have reached a deal

on fishing quotas for 2023, Oslo said, a rare sign

of understanding amid heightened tensions over

the war in Ukraine.

Since 1976 -- when a first deal was drawn up

during the Cold War-NATO member Norway and

Russia have agreed on catch quotas in the Barents

Sea which is home to prized cod stocks and off the

coast of both countries.

"It's good that we have reached a fishing

agreement with Russia despite the extraordinary

situation in which we find ourselves", Norwegian

Fisheries Minister Bjornar Skjaeran said in a

statement issued late Tuesday.

In order to not endanger that agreement, which

has been held up as a model of cooperation since,

the Scandinavian country has strayed a little from

European sanctions imposed on Moscow after its

invasion of Ukraine.

Russian vessels are banned from docking in

European ports, but Norway has granted fishing

trawlers an exception, allowing them to unload

their catches in the Scandinavian country.

Macron, Scholz set

for frosty lunch amid

Paris-Berlin tensions

PARIS : French President

Emmanuel Macron will host

German Chancellor Olaf

Scholz for lunch

Wednesday, with the leaders

hoping to pare back

differences on energy and

defence and revitalise the

European Union's key

double act.

Russia's invasion of

Ukraine-less than three

months after Scholz took

office last December-pitched

their countries into crisis

mode and decisions taken

under the pressure of the

war and its knock-on effects

have raised hackles on both

sides.

Berlin's move to spend up

to 200 billion euros ($200

billion) subsidising soaring

gas prices and refusal to

consider an EU-wide energy

price cap nettled Paris and

other European capitals,

who fear the effect on their

energy costs.

And France also sees

commitments to cooperate

on defence procurement

floundering, given

Germany's plans for a

shared missile shield with

other NATO nations using

American equipment.

Longer-term projects to

jointly develop new fighter

jets and tanks also face

reluctance from big arms

companies, which has

worsened since war broke

out.

The depth of the

differences was laid bare by

the recent delay to a regular

joint cabinet meeting

between Paris and Berlin,

which would have been

Scholz's first as chancellor.

And limited expectations

for Wednesday's talks were

clear from the schedule

released by Macron's Elysee

Palace office, which did not

provide for a joint press

conference before or after

the 12:30 pm (1030 GMT)

lunch.

"The two leaders will

continue their talks on

defence, the economy and

energy with the aim of

strengthening Franco-

German cooperation," the

presidency said in a

statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron will host German Chancellor Olaf

Scholz for lunch Wednesday, with the leaders hoping to pare back differences

on energy and defence and revitalise the European Union's key double

act.

Photo : Internet

GD-1731/22 (7x4)

Biden, Sunak agree

to support Ukraine,

stand up to China:

White House

GD-1729/22 (7x4)

WASHINGTON : US

President Joe Biden and

Britain's new Prime Minister

Rishi Sunak agreed in talks

Tuesday to work together to

support Ukraine and stand up

to China, the White House

said.

They spoke for the first time

hours after Sunak became

Britain's third prime minister

this year, inheriting an

economic crisis following the

resignation of Liz Truss after a

mere 49-day tenure.

The two leaders also

reaffirmed the "special

relationship" that exists

between the United States

and Britain, and said they

would work together to

advance global security and

prosperity, the White House

said in a read-out of the

conversation.

"The leaders agreed on the

importance of working

together to support Ukraine

and hold Russia accountable

for its aggression," the

statement said of the war

triggered by the Russian

invasion of its pro-Western

neighbor in February.

The White House said

Biden and Sunak also agreed

to "address the challenges

posed by China," which

Washington has identified as

its top geopolitical and

economic rival on the world

stage today.

Downing St had earlier

released its own read-out of

the call in which it said the

pair "discussed the extent of

UK-US cooperation, both

bilaterally and in regions such

as the Indo-Pacific," as well as

the more contentious issue of

Northern Ireland.

GD-1730/22 (15x3)

Thursday, dhaka : october 27, 2022; kartik 11, 1429 BS; rabi-ul-awal 30 , 1444 Hijri

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina exchanging views with the country's importers and exporters of

consumer goods at her official Ganabhaban residence yesterday.

Photo : Pid

JICA inks deal with

Govt for implementing

Human Resource Dev

Scholarship project

DHAKA : Japan International

Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed

grant agreement with the government for

the implementation of the Project for

Human Resource Development

Scholarship (JDS).

The JDS is a grant aid that will support

young promising Bangladeshi officials to

acquire skills and knowledge necessary to

better serve the public through rigorous

research in the relevant master's or doctor's

courses in Japan, according to a press

release.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh

Ito Naoki, Chief Representative of JICA

Bangladesh Office ICHIGUCHI

Tomohide, Secretary of Economic

Relations Division (ERD) of Finance

Ministry Sharifa Khan, , representing the

respective governments, signed the

Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement

in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Up to JPY 476 million (about USD 4

million) will be provided to the government

to implement the project. With the

signing of G/A, JICA will offer 33 scholarships

(30 Masters and 3 Doctoral) to the

civil servants of Bangladesh to study in

graduate schools of renowned Japanese

Universities.

This program creates an environment

where academic exchanges, which include

immersion and exposure to various fields,

become a tool for strengthening international

relations. To date, 492 fellows (477

Master's and 15 Doctoral Fellows) studied

in Japan. This year is the 50th anniversary

of the establishment of diplomatic relations

between Japan and Bangladesh.

JICA Bangladesh Office believes that

JDS will continue to enhance the everlasting

JapanBangladesh friendship even

further.

Forex reserves stand

at $37b, increases

12 times than BNP

regime: Hasan

DHAKA : Information and Broadcasting

Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud yesterday

said the foreign exchange reserves of the

country have stood at about US$37 billion,

increasing 12 times than the BNP regime.

"At the end of BNP's tenure, foreign

exchange reserves were less than US$ 3.5

billion in 2006, which increased 12 times

during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's

tenure and now stand at around US$37

billion," he said.

The minister was speaking at DRU

Sahitya Award-2022 distribution ceremony

as the chief guest at Dhaka Reporters'

Unity (DRU) auditorium in the city's

Segunbagicha area, reports BSS.

DRU President Nazrul Islam Mithu

presided over the function while General

Secretary Nurul Islam Hasib delivered the

welcome address. Dr Hasan, also ruling

Awami League (AL) joint general secretary,

said that Bangladesh is now the 31st

economy in the world as per the

Purchasing Power Parity or PPP.

Almost all countries across the globe are

running their states cutting the reserve savings

amid the Covid-19 and war situation, he

said, adding, "When it is enough for a country

to have foreign exchange reserves to

cover three months of import expenses, we

have the reserves for five months. So, there is

no scope to talk about reserve".

Referring to BNP leaders' talk about foreign

exchange reserves, the minister said

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken

the foreign exchange reserves to US$44

billion during the Covid-19 period, which

were US$3.45 billion at the end of BNP's

tenure and US$6.1 billion at the end of

caretaker government.

'No Hawa Bhaban at PMO

to share your profits with'

DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

on Wednesday asked businessmen to

place Bangladesh and countrymen before

profits.

"There's no Hawa Bhaban and development

wing at PMO to share your profits

with," she said.

The PM made the remarks at a meeting

with importers and exporters of consumer

goods.

She said that in the last 14 years, during

the Awami League rule, businessmen of

the country ran their businesses and made

profits without hindrance.

She said that at present, businessmen of

the country are free from the "pain of

Hawa Bhaban and development wing of

the PMO."

"You are not suffering that now. You

have to admit that," she said.

Hasina observed that in the past, the

lion share of profits went to Hawa Bhaban

and PMO's so-called development wing.

"...Keep that in mind, and consider the

country and its people (first)," she said.

The PM also said that during the Covid-

19 pandemic, the government provided

stimulus packages to businessmen to run

their business smoothly, even though they

did not ask for that.

She said that a team was formed

through her initiative, and it operated well

in running the wheels of the economy.

She also recalled that during the pandemic,

many factories and industries of

developed countries shut down.

"We said that we will not allow our factories

and industries to close down, we

have to continue... I ensured workers'

wages, gave the stimulus packages," she

said. The PM said that when the opposition

is holding anti-government protests

on the streets some businessmen have

Govt works to protect Sundarbans,

coastal areas from climate

disasters : Shahab

TBT rePorT

Minister for Environment Forest and

Climate Change Md. Shahab Uddin said,

the government is working to protect the

Sundarbans and the coastal areas from the

harmful effects of climate change.

He said various projects including protection

of the world heritage Sundarbans,

construction of sustainable embankments

and harvesting rainwater have been taken

to reduce the risk of disasters. At the same

time, he said, effective initiatives have also

been taken to realize climate compensation

from rich countries.

The minister was speaking at the chief

guest at a national dialogue on impacts of

climate change in southwestern coastal

areas of the country held at Parliament

Members' Club at the Jatiya Sangsad

Bhaban on Wednesday.

Deputy Minister for Environment,

Forest and Climate Change Habibun

Nahar, Mir Mostaque Ahmed Robi, MP,

Syeda Rubina Akhter, MP and general

secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon

Sharif Jamil addressed the dialogue as

special guests. Non-government organisation

LEDARS- Local Environment

Development and Agricultural Research

Society and Sundarbans and Coastal Area

Protection Movement jointly organized

the dialogue a day after devastating

cyclone Sitrang hit the country leaving

about 40 people killed.

Moderated by coordinator of the

become anxious, but there are some others

who have started looking for opportunities

about how to make profits by opening

Hawa Bhaban again.

"Don't know why, suddenly they (businessmen)

have started singing a synchronised

tune that there is lack of this or that,

and this cannot be done or that cannot

take place," she said.

She said that the government so far

managed to keep inflation under control,

mentioning that in England the rate of

inflation has jumped to 40 percent.

She also said that the whole world is suffering

from the crisis.

The PM said that the government is

importing LNG with higher prices and

providing it at a cheaper rate to the businessmen.

"The crisis is not originated in

Bangladesh, it is an international crisis, we

must keep that in our mind," she said.

Hasina said that to procure soybean and

sugar, a team led by the Commerce

Secretary will go to Brazil to negotiate

directly for the TCB (Trading Corporation

of Bangladesh).

"They (Brazil) want to sell directly, and

we have to procure those (sugar and soybean)

directly, no other means they will

allow, it is their system," she said adding

that this system has to be followed to procure

items from there.

Talking about the foreign currency

reserves, she said that during the COVID-

19 pandemic people could not travel overseas

resulting in high deposit of foreign

currency. She also said that expatriate

Bangladeshis send all their money

through banking channel.

"We did not have any expenditure, as a

result the reserve reached $48 billion," she

said.

Sundarbans and Coastal Area Protection

Movement, journalist Nikhil Chandra

Bhadra, LEDARS executive director

Mohon Kumar Mondal made the keynote

presentation in the dialogue.

Rafiqul Islam Azad, former president of

Dhaka Reporters Unity, Matilda Tina

Baidya of KARK In Aktri, Ahsan Wahid of

Manusher Jonne Foundation,

Moniruzzaman Mukul of SCAN

Bangladesh, Sheikh Abdul Alim of CCDB,

Mahbub-Ul-Hasan of Oxfam,

Shahiduzzaman Pulak of Swiss Contact,

Moshi Mondal of World Concern, Nripen

Boidya of Faith In Action, Anisur Rahim,

Md Noor Alam Sheikh, Madhobi Rani

Mondal and Azadul Haque, among others,

also spoke on the occasion.

In his speech, the environment minister

said that the risk of coastal areas including

Sundarbans due to climate change has

been determined. The government has

already taken a national adaptation plan.

He mentioned that various schemes

have been taken up to address the risk due

to climate change. Monitoring has been

strengthened to ensure transparency and

accountability of project implementation

in the coastal areas.

"A specific action plan has been taken to

develop the tourism industry around the

Sundarbans," he added.

He urged the government as well as

non-governmental organizations to work

to raise awareness on all these issues.

Low pressure problem in

gas supply to industries

to be resolved: Nasrul

DHAKA : State Minister for Power,

Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul

Hamid has said necessary measures will

be taken to address the low pressure problem

in gas supply to industries.

"We'll take a move to resolve the local

problem in gas supply so that situation doesn't

deteriorate," he told reporters after a

meeting with business body leaders at the

Bangladesh Investment Development

Authority (BIDA) at Agargaon in the city on

Wednesday.

He said the business leaders have complained

that industries are not getting gas in

adequate pressure in some particular areas.

"We'll look into those to fix them"

A group of business leaders, led by president

of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers

of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI)

Jashim Uddin, participated in the meeting

while Prime Minister's Private Industry and

Investment Adviser Salam F Rahman were

present on the occasion. The meeting was

held at a time when the export-oriented

industries, specially textile, garment and

ceramic manufacturers are desperately persuading

the top policymaker to get adequate

gas and power supply against the backdrop

of the ongoing energy crisis.

Nasrul said he has discussed with the business

leaders to address the local problems

that the industries are now facing in gas supply.

He said the meeting mainly focused on

the issues of local gas supply.

He assured them they would get similar

supply that they received previously. We all

will together try to keep the supply better in

the coming months and also next year".

Sitrang

Indian Coast Guard

rescues 20Bangladeshi

fishermen stranded

at sea

DHAKA : The Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

has rescued 20 Bangladeshi fishermen

near the Bangladesh-India international

maritime border line after their fishing

boat capsized when cyclone Sitrang made

landfall.

They were caught in the cyclone which

destroyed their boats. The fishermen

clung to floats and debris from their

sunken boats, reports UNB.

Although Sitrang spared India's West

Bengal, Bangladesh was not so lucky. At

least 25 people died as the cyclone made

landfall in the southern part of the country

Monday.

After that, ICG looked for any vessels

stranded at sea and spotted around 20

people in the water, about 90 nautical

miles (166km) from Sagar Island in West

Bengal, Tuesday.

"In a swift co-ordinated search and rescue

operation, India Coast Guard has rescued

20 Bangladeshi fishermen postlandfall

of cyclone Sitrang," ICG tweeted

Wednesday.

The fishermen will be handed over to

Bangladesh in accordance with the existing

memorandum of understanding

(MoU) between Dhaka and Delhi, it

added.

Tirail in Baraigram Upazila of Natore is

now known as bird village. Tirail Bazar

area has become a beautiful environment

with native and guest birds in the bamboo

grove. From early morning, everyone can

hear the chirping of birds in the bamboo

grove, see the free movement of their

wings, and their flight in flocks. The area is

full of chirping of visiting birds. These

birds came from the Siberia area in search

There is no alternative to Sheikh Hasina

in Bangladesh : Home Minister

DHAKA : Home Minister Asaduzzaman

Khan Kamal yesterday said there is no

alternative to Sheikh Hasina in

Bangladesh, as the country has been progressing

fast towards its desired goal.

"If people of this country vote for you

(BNP) in the next general election, you will

come to power. The only way to come to

power is the people's mandate. People will

not accept you (BNP) in power through

public sufferings," he said this at a programme

at Tejgaon Women's College

here.

The BNP men have been seeing many

colourful dreams for going to power, the

minister said, "Wait for another one year

to contest in the general election."

Awami League never came to power

through conspiracy or muscle power, he

said adding, "Awami League came to

power through people's vote. Awami

League thinks that people are its main

strength. People of the country think that

there is no other alternative to Sheikh

Hasina in the country."

Stating that the government has no

objection in holding free and fair election,

he said, "You (BNP) should not try to create

suffering for the people by holding rallies

in Dhaka-Chattogram. If the country's

situation is destabilized in the name of rallies,

people will not accept it."

About the Russia-Ukraine conflict,

Kamal said, "Commodity price has been

increasing due to the conflict. Russian-

Ukraine is a food bank. Anyone who

thinks food price will not go up, he or she

is living in a fool's paradise."

Mentioning a rise in diesel price internationally,

he said load shedding is being

mandatory in the country because of the

gasoline price hike. "Efforts are underway

to solve this issue. I think we will be able to

back to normal situation by December this

year," he added.

The home minister said that the country

will move forward as long as Sheikh

Hasina remains in power.

ireland´s Captain andrew Balbirnie (C) celebrates win with teammates

after the iCC men´s Twenty20 World Cup 2022 cricket match

between england and ireland at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)

on october 26, 2022 in Melbourne.

Photo : internet

Ireland stun England for

famous win at T20 World Cup

MELBOURNE : Minnows Ireland pulled

off a huge upset Wednesday, stunning

world number two England by five runs

with a fine bowling display in a rain-affected

match to throw the Twenty20 World

Cup wide open, reports BSS.

After being sent in to bat, Ireland captain

Andy Balbirnie (62) led his team to

92-1 off 10 overs before a mid-order collapse

saw them all out for 157 with four

balls remaining

But England slumped to 29-3 with just

one boundary in the first five overs as the

Irish bowlers found pace and movement,

and they struggled to get any momentum.

Eighteen minutes were lost to rain at the

beginning of the game and the players

Tirail: a place known as the village of birds

SHeikH Tofazzal HoSSain, naTore CorreSPondenT:

Hargila birds sitting on the nest.

of food in the winter season and settled in

the Tirail Bazar area of the upazila. There,

around 4 acres of bamboo bushes and

mango, tamarind, mahogany trees are

considered as habitat for them. Visitors

are flocking to see these birds every day. In

the dark of night, some steal the eggs and

chicks of birds. Also, some took the mother

birds again. They are in a vulnerable

state. The area can be developed as a

Photo : TBT

were taken off again with England on 105-

5 off 14.3 overs just as Moeen Ali was getting

into his stride. England were five runs

behind on the DLS scoring method, giving

Ireland a famous victory when the game

was called off a few minutes later.

It was Ireland's second massive upset of

the tournament after they West Indies in

the first round to send the two-time champions

home. England were among the title

favourites and heavily-fancied to beat

Ireland after opening their tournament

with a five-wicket win over Afghanistan at

the weekend.Instead the shock defeat has

thrown Group 1 wide open with Australia,

Sri Lanka, Ireland and England all now

with one win and one loss.

tourist center if the government takes

notice. Visiting birds start arriving in early

winter in the surrounding bill areas

including Chalanbill of Natore. All these

guest birds can be seen in the green fields,

in most places of Chalan bill, Chinadanga,

Satail, Lohagara bill including Pangyar

Dighi of the upazila.

A large number of birds including Sand

Duck, Crane, Dahuk, Nalkak, Jalpipi,

Kombadak, Sarali, Patari Duck and

Hargila can be seen. These birds directly

benefit the farmers by eating harmful

insects and snails in the fields. Their discharge

of stools increases the fertility of the

land. It increases the yield of crops in the

field. Farmers are benefited.

Professor Mojibur Rahman of Tirail

area said that around 4 acres of bamboo

groves have created a sanctuary for various

species of birds. Most of them are

Hargila birds. They are 4 to 5 kg in weight

each in adult age. Earlier they used to

come only in winter and go away in summer.

For about ten years, the birds have

been guarded and preserved by the initiative

of the local people, and the birds have

made habitats to the high branches of

mango, tamarind, and mahogany trees

along with bamboo bushes. The birds

hatch eggs and hatchlings there.

27-10-2022

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