The Bangladesh Today (12-02-2018)

MOnday 

Dhaka : February 12, 2018; Magh 30, 1424 BS; Jamadi-ul-awal 25, 1439 hijri www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www. tbtbangla.com 

Regd.No.Da~2065, Vol.16; No.55; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00 

InTeRnaTIOnal 

Israel warns Iran 

after launching 

major raids in Syria 

>Page 7 

aRT & CulTuRe 

Akshay starrer 

PadMan charged 

with plagiarism 

>Page 8 

SPORT 

Herath isn't battling 

father time, he has 

cut a deal with him 

>Page 9 

PM off to Rome 

to attend IFAD 

meeting 

DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 

left here for Rome on Sunday morning 

on a four-day official visit to Italy to join 

the upcoming meeting of the Romebased 

International Fund for 

Agricultural Development (IFAD) as one 

of its keynote speakers at the invitation of 

IFAD President Gilbert F Houngbo, 

reports UNB. 

The Prime Minister will present the 

keynote paper at the meeting on 

February 13. 

Sheikh Hasina and her entourage left 

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 

10:05 am by an Emirates flight. 

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, 

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury 

and Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali 

are accompanying the Prime Minister. 

Hasina will reach Fiumicino Airport, 

Rome around 6:45 pm (local time) via 

Dubai. She will be taken to Parco Dei 

Principi Grand Hotel in Rome where she 

will be staying during her visit. 

On Monday morning, the Prime 

Minister will go to the Vatican City where 

she will be given audience by Pope 

Francis after guard of honour there. 

She will also have a meeting with 

Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin 

and visit Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's 

Basilica. In the evening, Hasina will join 

dinner to be hosted by the Bangladesh 

Ambassador in Rome. 

On February 13, the Prime Minister 

will attend the inaugural session of the 

Governing Council of IFAD and deliver 

her keynote paper. 

Later, she will attend lunch to be hosted 

by IFAD President in honour of 

keynote speakers. 

In the evening, she will join a community 

reception arranged by the local unit 

of Awami League. The theme of this 

year's IFAD council is 'From fragility to 

long-term resilience: Investing in sustainable 

rural economies.' 

The governing Council of IFAD is the 

Fund's principal Governing Body having 

full decision-making powers. 

Zohr 

05:19 AM 

12:17 PM 

04:14 PM 

05:55 PM 

07:10 PM 

6:34 5:52 

Khaleda Zia gets division 

in jail : IG Prisons 

DHAKA : BNP Chairperson and former 

Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia was 

given division in jail yesterday as per the 

court order, reports BSS. 

"We have given Begum Khaleda Zia the 

division in jail soon after the court order 

reached the jail yesterday afternoon," 

Brig General Syed Iftekhar Uddin 

Inspector General of Prisons Brig General 

Syed Iftekhar Uddin told newsmen. 

A nine-member delegation of lawyers 

headed by Advocate Sanaullah Mia handed 

over the court order to the jail authority 

regarding Khaleda Zia's division in jail this 

afternoon. 

Earlier, Home Minister Asaduzzaman 

Khan said they will take measures relating 

to allow BNP Chairperson and former 

Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia division 

in the jail following a court order. 

He said after coming out of an inter-ministerial 

meeting on security arrangements 

ahead of the upcoming International 

Mother Language Day. 

"Begum Khaleda Zia has been kept in the 

jail considering her social status as she is a 

chairperson of a big party like the BNP," the 

minister added. 

This afternoon, a Dhaka court passed an 

order asking the authorities concerned to 

give BNP Chairperson Kaleda Zia division 

in the jail as per the jail code. 

On a query about the investigation into 

the killing of the journalist couples Sagar- 

Runi, the home minister said, "Rapid 

Action Battalion (RAB) is now conducting 

investigation into the matter and the probe 

report will be made public upon completion 

of the investigation." 

Asked about the security arrangements 

ahead of the upcoming International 

Mother Language Day on February 21, he 

also said, "Central Shaheed Minar area, 

Dhaka University, TSC, Nilkheet and its 

adjoining areas will be brought under stringent 

security measures with Installation of 

CCTVs since February 20 night." 

DU students demand rustication 

of assaulting BCL boys 

DHAKA : Dhaka University (DU) students have demanded permanent expulsion of 

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists responsible for brutally roughing up a 

fellow DU student at a dormitory, reports UNB. 

Ehsan Rafiq, a second year student of the Department of Disaster Management 

and Science, was beaten badly allegedly by some BCL activities at DU Salimullah 

Muslim Hall on Tuesday night just for demanding back his calculator taken on lent. 

Ehsan is now suffering with his poor right eyesight. 

Under the banner of 'Anti-Harassment students' more than one hundred students 

from different department gagging their eyes with bandage formed a human chain 

at the altar of Raju sculpture protesting attack on Ehsan Rafiq. 

Mohanagar Detective Police arrested 14 persons of a question leaker group from the different 

areas of the capital city. 

Photo : Star Mail 

FF Faruk murder: 

Formal trial begins 

TANGAIL : The formal trial in the Awami League leader Faruk Ahmed 

killing case began on Sunday with the beginning of witness depositions, 

reports UNB. 

Abul Monsur Miah, additional district and session's judge, adjourned the 

recording of deposition until March 20 after the testimony of the plaintiff. 

Prime accused of the case Amanur Rahman Khan Rana, MP from Tangail- 

3 constituency, was produced before the court amid tight security. 

Besides, a clash took place between the supporters of Rana, and Awami 

League and Bangladesh Chhatra League. A chase and counter-chase took 

place at that time. 

Faruk Ahmed, a senior AL leader and freedom fighter, was shot dead in 

the district town on January 18, 2013. 

In February 2016, detectives pressed charges against 14 people, including 

Rana and his three brothers, in the case. 

On September 6, 2017, the court framed charges against all the accused. 

On April 13 last, a High Court bench granted bail to MP Rana in the case. 

However, on April 18, a Chamber Justice of the SC stayed the HC bail. 

Wreckage was found in a snowy field south-east of Moscow. 

Russia jet carrying 

71 people crashes 

after Moscow 

take-off 

A Russian passenger plane has crashed 

after leaving Moscow's Domodedovo 

airport with 71 people on board. 

The Saratov Airlines jet vanished 

minutes after take-off and crashed near 

the village of Argunovo, about 80km 

(50 miles) south-east of Moscow, 

reports BBC. 

All those on board are thought to 

have died, officials told Russian media. 

The An-148 was en route to the city of 

Orsk in the Urals, near Russia's border 

with Kazakhstan. It crashed early in the 

afternoon local time. 

Those on board included 65 passengers 

and six crew. President Vladimir 

Putin has expressed his condolences to 

the victims' families and announced an 

investigation into the cause of the crash. 

Pictures from the site show pieces of 

wreckage in a snow-covered field. Tass 

news agency quotes an official as saying 

bodies were found nearby. 

Flight-tracking site Flightradar24 

tweets that the aircraft was descending 

at 1,000m (3,300ft) per minute 

(60km/h, 38mph) five minutes after 

taking off. Saratov Airlines is based in 

Saratov, 840km south-east of Moscow. 

In 2015 it was banned from operating 

international flights when surprise 

inspectors found someone other than 

the flight crew was in the cockpit. 

The airline appealed against the ban 

and changed its policy before resuming 

international charter flights in 2016. 

It flies mainly between Russian cities 

but also has destinations in Armenia 

and Georgia. 

Court, EC to settle 

Khaleda's election 

participation issue 

DHAKA : Law Minister Anisul Huq on 

Sunday said the court and the Election 

Commission will take the final decision 

whether BNP chief Khaleda Zia will be 

able to participate in the upcoming 

national election, reports UNB. 

"The government is not scared of any 

threat. The law will take its own 

course...the government has no control 

over it," he said. 

The minister came up with the remarks 

while replying to queries from reporters 

about 

Khaleda Zia's participation 

in the upcoming election 

after inaugurating 22 

Judicial Administration 

Training Course for the 

District and Sessions Judge 

or Equivalent Judicial 

Officers at JATI. 

Mentioning that the government 

does not want to 

keep anyone out of the 

parliamentary election, the 

law minister said if anyone 

cannot participate in the 

election because of the 

constitution and law, then 

the government has nothing 

to do with it. 

Peaceful movement not weakness, 

but a strategy: BNP Leaders 

DHAKA : Home Minister Asaduzzaman 

Khan on Sunday said there has been no 

failure of law enforcers in unearthing the 

mystery behind the murder of journalist 

couple Sagar-Runi, reports UNB. 

The minister came up with the remark 

while replying to a query from reporters 

over the matter at the secretariat. 

Replying to a question that how long it 

would take to debunk the murder mystery, 

the minister said "Our Rab force is 

working on it as per the High Court order. 

They're working with DNA samples. I 

think, they'll soon see a success." 

Maasranga Television News Editor Sagar 

Sarowar and his wife ATN Bangla senior 

reporter Meherun Runi were found dead at 

their rented apartment in the city's West 

Razabazar area on February 11, 2012. 

Replying to a query about BNP chairperson 

Photo : BBC 

DHAKA : Maintaining a soft line of 

action after the court verdict against 

Khaleda Zia, BNP senior party leaders 

said their strategy is now to gain public 

sympathy and not to lose party's 

strength, and have its image tarnished 

ahead of the next general election, 

reports UNB. 

Talking to UNB, two BNP senior leaders 

said their main plan is now to carry 

out a peaceful movement avoiding any 

type of confrontation with police or ruling 

party men and thus keep its rank 

and file in good mood and help prepare 

the party for the next general election. 

They said their party will join the next 

polls under any circumstances, and they 

believe BNP will be able to 'return to 

power' if its leaders and activists can 

show their real strength on the voting 

day. 

"We know any type of harsher and 

violent programme now will only invite 

danger to our party men which will 

eventually make them demoralised and 

weaken the party. We won't show our 

strength now. We'll do whatever necessary 

to ensure a fair election after the 

announcement of the election schedule. 

We'll put up our all strength on the election 

day to ensure our victory," said a 

BNP policymaker wishing anonymity. 

He also said they are circulating this 

particular message among their followers 

so that they refrain from responding 

to any provocation by the government. 

"We're telling them to get united and 

prepare for the next polls." 

Besides, he said, they do not want to 

engage in any type of fight with police or 

Awami League men to manifest that 

BNP can be run in a peaceful and disciplined 

manner under its acting chairman 

Tarique Rahman. 

Contacted, BNP secretary general 

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the 

main motive behind convicting their 

chairperson is to keep her and BNP 

away from the next election. "But it 

won't work. Our chairperson will come 

out of jail through legal process." 

He said their party will carry out a 

peaceful and non-violent movement 

demanding the release of their chairperson 

Khaleda Zia alongside a legal 

battle at the apex court. 

Fakhrul said the next election will 

surely be held under a non-party 

administration, and they will join it 

under Khaleda's leadership. 

No failure of law enforcers in Sagar- 

Runi murder case: Home Minister 

Khaleda Zia's division in jail, he said, "We've 

taken all the necessary measures in jail considering 

Khaleda Zia's social status. We 

heard that a directive will come from court 

in this regard. We'll implement the court's 

directive after receiving it." 

Asaduzzaman Khan said special security 

measures will be taken across the country 

marking the International Mother 

Language Day on February 21. 

Additional forces will be deployed from 

the night of February 20 while central 

Shaheed Minar, Dhaka University and 

Nilkhet area will be brought under the 

purview of CCTV camera, he said. 

"No car without sticker will be allowed 

inside Dhaka University and Nilkhet 

areas after the evening of February 20. 

Detectives will be kept on alert to fend off 

any kind of unwanted situation," he said.

NEWS 

MonDAY, 

FEBrUArY 12, 2018 

2 

Dr. Md. Sabur Khan, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Professor Dr. Yousuf M Islam, Vice Chancellor, 

Prof. Dr. S.M. Mahbub Ul Haque Majumder, Pro Vice Chancellor of Daffodil International University 

visits the innovative projects after inaugurating the 3 day Daffodil ICT Carnival. Photo : Courtesy 

Digital payment increases book 

sales in Ekushey book fair 

DHAKA : Book sale in 

Ekushey Book Fair this year 

is jumping day by day as a 

result of introducing digital 

payment system, sellers of 

different book stalls at the 

fair ground said. 

Leading publishers said 

their sale volume increased 

significantly since Friday as 

bookworms are coming to 

buy books every day. Digital 

payment facility offered by 

GD-230/18 (12 x 3) 

bKash, the leading mobile 

financial service of the 

country, has opened the 

opportunity for them to buy 

books in cash where they get 

back a good amount of 

money from bkash. 

"This year digital payment 

has encouraged many book 

lovers to buy books of their 

choices. Most publishers 

were enjoying higher sales 

since Thursday and a large 

amount of buyers are paying 

through bkash payment 

system to get back some 

cash", a sales man of a big 

publishing company said. 

bKash offers a 10 percent 

cash back when making the 

payment on purchases at the 

Ekushey Book Fair 2018 

through its payment 

network. Around 350 

leading publishers are 

accepting bKash payment at 

the book fair, which began 

on February 1 on the Bangla 

Academy premises. 

Bkash is the leading 

mobile financial service 

provider in the country with 

more than 30 million users 

all over Bangladesh. 

Every day, bKash stall at 

Bangla academy ground is 

seen crowded as bkash 

offers 10 per cent cash back 

to book buyers. Visitors who 

have no bKash accounts are 

opening accounts without 

any charge. The cash back is 

applicable on top of the 

publishers 25 percent 

discount on cover prices. 

A Dhaka university 

graduate, Shahabuddin 

Molla came on Friday at fair 

ground just to accompany 

his daughters who bought a 

number of books written by 

local novelists and story 

writers. 

Shabuddin suddenly 

found some rare books at 

the stall of Dhaka University 

and Muktodhara. As he had 

no enough cash with him, 

he didn't miss the chance 

offered by bKash. 

Around 60 publishers 

came to the fair with new 

children's books. The book 

fair also displays a big 

collection of audio books 

mostly for children. As the 

first two hours from 11am to 

1pm dedicated to kids as 

children's hour on Friday 

and Saturday, publishers 

expect increased sale of 

children's books on these 

two days compared to other 

working days. 

The land earmarked for 

the Ekushey fair has been 

increased to about 5,50,000 

square feet from last year's 

5,13,000 square feet. Total 

number of stalls increased 

to 700 from 659 while the 

number of publication 

agencies increased by 60 

percent and the number of 

pavilions by 12 percent 

compared to the previous 

year, officials of Bangla 

Academy told BSS. 

"Bangla Academy should 

care of this pricing issue 

and the government should 

extend support to some 

publishers of quality books 

as well as boosting the 

printing industry of 

Bangladesh,", Abul 

Quasem, a banker who was 

visiting the book fair said. 

"This year, the Ekushey 

Mela has been appeared 

with a digital face thanks to 

publication of some digital 

books and digital payment 

with cash back offered by 

bKash", said Nishi, a 

student of North South 

University. According to 

the website of Bangla 

Academy, a total of 1134 

books of different genres of 

literature and branches of 

knowledge were available 

in the book fair till 

yesterday. 

The month-long book fair 

began on February 1 on the 

premises of Bangla Academy 

and its adjoining Suhrawardy 

Udyan in the city. 

Writers, booklovers and 

publishers observed that the 

Amar Ekushey Book Fair has 

now become a festival of all 

ages of people. This is a great 

success of the book fair, they 

added. 

Young man 

beaten to 

death in 

Keraniganj 

KERANIGANJ : An 

unidentified man was 

beaten to death by 

miscreants at Battoli in 

Taranagar union of the 

uapzila on Saturday 

afternoon, reports UNB. 

The miscreants beat the 

man mercilessly in the area, 

leaving him seriously 

injured, said sub-Inspector 

Obaidul Rahman of 

Keraniganj Model Police 

Station. 

A local security guard 

rescued him and sent to 

Upazila Health Complex 

where doctors declared him 

dead. 

The miscreants beat the 

man mercilessly in the area, 

leaving him seriously 

injured, said sub-Inspector 

Obaidul Rahman of 

Keraniganj Model Police 

Station. 

Later, the body was sent to 

Mitford Hospital for 

autopsy. 

The British Council has recently hosted a reader development conference of book reading competition, 

a flagship outreach programme for the British Council. Principals and education coordinators 

from different schools have attended the conference. This book reading competition brings the latest 

collection of "Best of British" resources for readers which include the best collection of fiction and 

non-fiction in English in the institution premises. 

Photo : Courtesy 

GD-228/18 (6 x 4) 

Flower-sellers gearing up for 

lucrative mid-February 

JESSORE : Flower farmers of Jhikargacha in 

Jessore district, one of the largest flower 

markets of the country, expect to sell flowers 

worth over Tk 30- 35 crore ahead of Pahela 

Falgun (February 13), Valentine's Day (Feb 

14) and International Mother Language Day 

(Feb 21). 

The farmers are now passing busy days in 

their fields, reports UNB. 

Flower growers and traders make huge 

money every year in February, a month that 

sees huge sales of flowers as people celebrate 

three major events-Pahela Falgun, 

Valentine's Day and International Mother 

Language Day. 

The farmers of Godkhali, Panisara, Haria, 

Potuapara, Taora, Matikorma, Baisha, 

Kaoria villages of the upazila cultivated rose, 

gerbera, gladiolus, tuberose and marigold, 

Chrysanthemum on 1600 hectares of their 

land. 

As ever, there has been a surge in sales of 

flowers at Godkhali in Jhikargacha upazila, 

the flower hub of the district and birthplace 

of the country's floral industry, said farmers 

and traders. 

The wholesale flower market at Godkhali 

in Jhikargacha is the source of 70 percent of 

the entire flower supply of the country. The 

farmers started commercial flowers farming 

in the upazila since 1982. 

The local cultivators said after meeting the 

local demand, the flowers of the upazila are 

supplied to at least 52 districts (out of 64) 

including capital city Dhaka. 

Jhikargachcha Upazila Agricultural Officer 

Dipangkar Das said the farmers of the 

upazila earned at least Tk 30-35 crore selling 

flowers last year (2017). 

This year the farmers are expecting sales 

will cross Tk 35 crore as the weather is 

favorable. 

"We are providing all necessary technical 

assistance to the farmers," Das added. 

Abdur Rahim, president of Bangladesh 

Flowers Society, said around 5-6000 

farmers are involved in flower cultivation in 

Jessore district. 

The flowers produced in Godkhali achieve 

international reputation on standard, 

comparable with India, Malaysia and United 

Arab Emirates. 

He said the farmers earn lots of foreign 

currency exporting the flowers every year. 

Emphasizing an upgrade transportation, 

he said that cultivators may earn more as 

remittance if the transport systems were 

repaired and storage upgraded as soon as 

possible. 

Lots of flowers are damaged on the way to 

market. If we can reduce this damage the 

farmers will be benefited and government 

will receive revenue in the sector, Abdur 

Rahim added. 

PPPA Chief for public-private 

infrastructure platform 

DHAKA : Chief Executive Officer of 

Public Private Partnership (PPP) 

Authority Syed Afsor H Uddin 

underscored the importance for 

forming a Public-Private Infrastructure 

Platform and a National Infrastructure 

Plan for fast implementation and 

monitoring large mega infrastructure 

projects. 

"A national infrastructure execution 

committee can also be formed for 

proper and timely implementation of 

mega projects," he said during a 

meeting with the Board of Directors of 

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and 

Industry (DCCI). Syed Afsor said lack 

of finance, skilled manpower, specialist 

project delivery team and lengthy 

procedures in feasibility study are some 

major challenges in timely execution of 

PPP projects. 

By the year 2018, about US$1.6 

billion will be spent for about 13 mega 

PPP projects which include road sector, 

township, tourism sector, health sector, 

port sector and industrial sector, he 

said. 

The CEO said that in terms of 

investing in PPP projects the investor 

will get tax and VAT exemption for 10 

years from the time of operation. 

DCCI president Abul Kasem Khan 

proposed to include private sector in 

the PPP Board for faster 

implementation of PPP projects in 

future. He also proposed to form 

"National Infrastructure Development 

and Monitoring Advisory Authority" 

(NIDMAA) to implement and monitor 

large mega infrastructure projects. 

Abul Kasem Khan also suggested 

forming an Infrastructure Bond under 

the stock market for facilitate 

financing of large infrastructure 

projects.

METRO 

MoNDAY, FeBRUARY 12, 2018 

3 

Bangladesh Hajj agency and Haji Kalyan Parishad organized a press conference at National Press 

Club yesterday demanding Prime Minister's handling over reducing the plane fair of Hajj passengers. 


Bangladesh attains 

autarky in fish, 

meat production 

DHAKA : Bangladesh has 

attained self-sufficiency in 

fish and meat production, 

reports UNB. 

Fisheries and Livestock 

Minister Narayon Chandra 

Chanda announced this at a 

press conference held at the 

Secretariat on Sunday. 

"After 46 years of our 

independence, the country is 

now self-sufficient in fish 

and meat production," said 

the minister. 

The minister said that the 

fish sector is contributing 

3.61 percent in country's 

total gross domestic 

production (GDP) and 24.41 

percent in country's 

agricultural GDP. 

According to a report from 

the fisheries ministry, 

country's fish production 

(41.34 lakh metric tonnes) 

Rupa murder case 

verdict today 

TANGAIL : A court here will 

deliver its verdict on Monday 

in a case filed over the murder 

of law student Zakia Sultana 

Rupa after gang rape in a 

running bus on August 25 last 

year, reports UNB. 

Women and Children 

Repression Prevention 

Tribunal Judge Abul 

Hossain fixed the date on 

February 5 after closing 

arguments of both sides. 

On January 23, the court 

concluded the recording of 

depositions of witnesses in 

the case when 27 witnesses 

out of total 32 testified 

before the court. 

On October 25 last, a court 

accepted the chargesheet 

against the accused-bus 

driver Habibur, its 

supervisor Safar Ali, and 

helpers Shamim, Akram and 

Jahangir-in the case. 

Rupa, 27, was murdered 

after gang rape in the 

running bus while returning 

to Mymensingh from Bogra 

on August 25 last. 

GD-229/18 (5 x 3) 

has well surpassed the target 

(40.50 lakh MT) in 2016-17. 

A total of 84,000 MT fish 

production was increased in 

the year. 

According to Preliminary 

Report on Household 

Income and Expenditure 

Survey (HIES) 2016 of 

Bangladesh Statistic Bureau, 

on an average per capita fish 

consumption is 62.58 gram 

daily, which is surplus than 

the daily requirement. 

"According to per capita 

individual's demand, 

Bangladesh has become selfsufficient. 

We have been 

able to restore our heritage 

'Mache Bhate Bangalee'," 

said the minister. 

In 2016, according to a 

report of United Nation 

Food and Agriculture 

Organization (FAO), 

Bangladesh ranked fourth in 

collecting fish from inland 

water bodies and the fifth 

largest producer in fish 

production, said Chanda. 

Besides, in 2016-17 fiscal, 

the meat production was 

71.54 lakh MT as against the 

target of 71.35 lakh MT. Now 

one is getting 121.74gram 

meat daily, which is more 

than the requirement, added 

the minister. 

While responding to a 

question about meat price, 

he said that the initiative will 

be taken by March 15 to 

lower the prices. 

Besides, Chanda added 

that the Hilsa production 

has been increased 66 

percent in least eight years. 

So the Hilsa will be 

exported after fulfilling 

local demand. 

Shajahan for strengthening base of 

education for better Bangladesh 

DHAKA : Shipping 

Minister Shajahan Khan 

yesterday underscored the 

need for strengthening the 

base of education further by 

utilizing information and 

communication technology 

(ICT) to build a better 

Bangladesh, reports BSS. 

"We will have to put 

emphasis on technological 

education. We should keep 

our children away from 

venomous bite of drug 

addiction and involvement 

in militancy," he told a 

ceremony of giving stipend 

among offspring of 

Bangladesh Inland Water 

Transport Corporation 

(BIWTC) officers and 

employees at BIWTC office 

here. 

The minister said the 

government has been 

working relentlessly to 

provide time-befitting 

education to the new 

generation. 

To build Digital 

Bangladesh as dreamt of 

Prime Minister Sheikh 

Hasina, there is no 

alternative to technological 

education. 

Khan sought cooperation 

from all to turn Bangladesh 

into a middle income 

country by 2021 and 

developed country by 2041. 

Acting Secretary of 

Shipping Ministry Md 

Abdus Samad, BIWTC 

Director (administration) 

Pranoy Kanti Biswas, 

BIWTC Officers' Association 

President Ashiqur Rahman 

and Employees Union 

President Md Mohsin 

Bhuiyan, among others, 

addressed the function with 

BIWTC Chairman 

Mohammed Mafijul Haque 

in the chair. 

Worker dies 

in Sylhet 

stone quarry 

SYLHET : A worker was 

killed while he was 

extracting stones from a 

quarry at Shah Arifin tila in 

Companyganj upazila on 

Sunday, reports UNB. 

The deceased was 

identified as Basir Miah, 42, 

son of Rupa Miah, resident 

of Putamara village. 

Dilwip Kumar Debnath, 

officer-in-charge of 

Companyganj Police 

Station, said that the 

accident occurred when a 

portion of mud collapsed on 

Basir, leaving him dead on 

the spot. 

Rudder sensors 

to be set up 

along border: 

BGB DG 

DHAKA : Border Guard 

Bangladesh (BGB) Director 

General (DG) Major General 

Abul Hossain yesterday said 

rudder sensors would be set 

up to safeguard the border, 

reports BSS. 

"Rudder sensors would be 

set up to protect the border 

and the process is going 

on...We have already 

reduced the distance 

between the Border 

Observation Posts (BOP)," 

he said at a press conference 

at BGB headquarters here. 

The BGB is now a 

disciplined force due to the 

modernization by the 

present government, Abul 

Hossain said, adding, "Give 

us some more time, we 

would implement the zero 

tolerance policy against 

drug". 

He said "We have also 

formed 'Quick Response 

Force' and increased the 

mobile patrolling." 

The DG said the BGB has 

played an active role in the 

Rohingya issue. Myanmar 

crossed border line by APC 

helicopter 18 times, but the 

BGB foiled their 

conspiracies, he added. 

Abul Hossain sought 

cooperation and suggestion 

for ensuring better services. 

Commuters on Dhaka-Narayanganj rail route 

suffer for 'unbearable overcrowding' 

NARAYANGANJ : The 

sorry state of Dhaka- 

Narayanganj rail route now 

has turned worse, though it 

was the first broad-gauge 

rail track of the then British 

India government, reports 

UNB. 

Some 1.4 lakh commuters 

use Dhaka-Narayanganj 

route every day, said a senior 

official at Bangladesh 

Railway. 

According to commuters, 

they have to struggle and 

suffer each day to ensure a 

place for at least standing in 

a compartment due to 

shortage of train. 

"In most cases, I've to 

travel in trains standing. 

Each of the seven 

compartments of Demu 

Train remains full of 

commuters and packed with 

baggage. Three people have 

to share a two-man seat. 

But, the authorities are least 

bothered. I think they 

should increase the number 

of compartments 

immediately," said Hafiz 

Uddin, a passenger who 

travels on this route every 

day. 

Private bank employee 

Sahabuddin who resides in 

Dhaka needs to travel to 

Narayanganj every working 

day. He shared his 

experience with this 

correspondent saying, 

"Usually, it should take 45 

minutes to reach 

Narayanganj, but most of 

the time trains take 15 to 30 

minutes extra. Sometimes, 

trains do not leave station in 

time." 

The distance between 

Dhaka and Narayanganj is 

18 kilometers. Apart from 

the weekly and official 

holidays, 16 pairs of 

passenger trains make 32 up 

and down trips on this route 

from 5:30am to 11:00pm, 

according to sources at the 

Bangladesh Railway. 

BNP to form human 

chain in city Monday 

DHAKA : As part of its 

countrywide scheduled 

programme, BNP leaders 

and activists will stage a 

human chain in the city on 

Monday protesting the 

jailing of its chairperson 

Khaleda Zia in a graft case, 

reports UNB. 

Talking to UNB, party 

senior joint secretary 

general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi 

said their party leaders and 

followers will observe the 

programme from 11am to 12 

noon in front of the Jatiya 

Press Club also demanding 

the release of Khaleda 

immediately. 

He said their party's 

district, thana, upzila and 

city units will also observe 

the programmes at their 

convenient time and places. 

Earlier on Saturday, Rizvi 

announced a three-day 

protest programme at a 

press briefing at BNP's 

Nayapaltan central office. 

They said each 

compartment always 

remains full of commuters. 

According to the 

passengers, Dhaka- 

Narayanganj trains are 

always operated taking risk 

due to overloading of 

passengers as each train 

carries passengers more 

than five times of its 

capacity. 

"Besides, railway bogies 

are of very low graded ones. 

There's no useable toilet and 

sufficient light...we've to 

travel in dark at night," 

passenger Yusuf Mia told 

this correspondent. 

Yusuf who sells clothes on 

a footpath in front of 

Dhaka's Baitul Mukarram 

National Mosque said he has 

to travel in train every day. 

"Makeshift markets, fruit 

shops and many slums were 

built alongside rail tracks. I 

saw several times that 

people suffered injuries due 

to bamboos coming out of 

those establishments. Even, 

one day I myself sustained 

injury when a slum boy 

threw stones targeting the 

running train." 

Dhaka-bound passenger 

Al Amin, who resides in 

Narayanganj, said, "Train is 

the main way of transport 

for the middle-class people, 

especially the workers. 

Although millions of 

passengers are travelling 

every day, the service quality 

is not improving." 

He also said there is no 

sitting room in every railway 

station, and specially 

Narayanganj, Chashraha 

and Fatulla railway stations 

have become the hotspots of 

anti-social activities. And 

Kamalapur Railway Station 

is the undisclosed public 

spot for trading drugs, he 

added. 

"There're seven bogies in 

each train. Half of those are 

for passengers and half for 

luggage. The number of 

compartments in Demu 

train is 3. The number of 

seats in each compartment 

is 70 and in each Demu 

compartment only 35 to 40 

people can sit," Narayanganj 

Central Railway Station 

Master Golam Mustafa told 

UNB. 

About the passengers' 

allegations, he said the 

service quality of the 

railways remained the same 

as before. 

"At least three 3,000 

passengers travel on this 

route in every trip. There're 

many problems with this 

route. Though we repeatedly 

informed the authorities 

concerned about the 

problems, they did not take 

any action," said Md Rafiq, 

supervisor of a privately 

operated Demu train. 

Farjana Mou, who was 

standing on a train leaving 

Kamlapur on Wednesday at 

10:35am, complained to this 

correspondent that the 

number of seats on the train 

is not adequate. 

Currently, there are seven 

stations on Dhaka- 

Narayanganj route. Apart 

from Demu trains, all other 

trains run under private 

supervision. Until 2011, rail 

fare was Tk 6. In 2012, it was 

increased to Tk 10 and then 

in 2014 it was fixed at Tk 15. 

Although the fare was 

increased, the standard of 

service did not improve, 

allege passengers. It is rather 

getting worse day by day, 

some others said. 

Demanding exemplary punishment of the doctors who underwent treatment of late 

Asaduzzaman Rakib, a press conference was held at Bangladesh Crime Reporters Association 

(CRAB) yesterday. 


As part of the 

programmes, the party will 

also hold an hour-long sit-in 

programme on Tuesday and 

a hunger strike from 9am to 

5pm on Wednesday across 

the country. 

On Thursday last, a special 

court here convicted 

Khaleda and sentenced her 

to five years' imprisonment 

in the Zia Orphanage Trust 

graft case. 

Earlier, BNP leaders and 

activists 

staged 

demonstrations on Friday 

and Statuary all over the 

country, including in the 

capital, amid obstruction by 

police protesting Khaleda's 

conviction. Rizvi said the 

government has continued 

arresting their party men 

across the country. 

He claimed that around 

4,300 BNP leaders and 

activists have so far been 

arrested across the country 

over the last 13 days. 

Invest in girls, 

women: UN 

chief 

DHAKA : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has laid 

emphasis on investing in women and girls to help them 

achieve their full potential as scientific researchers and 

innovators, reports UNB. 

"We need to encourage and support girls and women 

achieve their full potential as scientific researchers and 

innovators," he said in a message marking the International 

Day of Women and Girls in Science that falls on February 11. 

The UN chief said both girls and boys have the potential to 

pursue their ambitions in science and mathematics, in school 

and at work. 

But systemic discrimination means women occupy less 

than 30 percent of research and development jobs 

worldwide. 

"We need concerted, concrete efforts to overcome 

stereotypes and biases. One starting point is banishing the 

predominantly male images of scientists and innovators on 

social media, in textbooks and in advertising," he said. 

The UN chief said women and girls need this, and the 

world needs this, if they are to achieve their ambitions for 

sustainable development on a healthy planet. 

"Throughout history, from Hildegard of Bingen to Wangari 

Maathai, women scientists have built our world. It's time to 

support and invest in them," said Secretary-General 

Guteress.

EDITORIAL 

MoNDAY, 

FeBrUArY 12, 2018 

4 

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam 

Telephone: +8802-9104683-84, Fax: 9127103 

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com 

Monday, February 12, 2018 

reforming and improving 

the civil services 

It is high time to take up the tasks of carrying out 

deep and driving reforms in the country's civil 

services. The reformative activities in the country's 

civil services have become all the more important and 

justified in the backdrop of the recently increased 

raises in the salaries and perks of civil services 

members across the board. It is too simplistic to think 

that these showering of higher salaries and benefits on 

civil servants will prompt them to become more 

dedicated, honest and sincere in attending to their 

tasks. For experiences show all too clearly that 

members of civil services were always too good on 

absorbing any pay rise and other benefits as if these 

were their birth rights.They never felt any 

mentionable pricks of conscience that they should al 

so deliver better to deserve the higher salaries and 

benefits. Thus, there is every reason to think that this 

time around also they will just perceive their added 

monetary and other gain sas their legitimate dues 

without feeling that they have a duty of care to 

respond to these added payments by discharging their 

services with greater scrupulousness and efficiency. 

There fore it is high time to ensure that civil servants 

are only obliged to earn their increased earnings and 

privileges. 

Reformsofthecivilservicesshould start basically with 

making the present system of recruitment to the 

services completely free from corruption. This 

corruption was reflected in the leakage of question 

paper and other ills in the recruitment examinations 

of the services. The next task is proper training of the 

new civil servants. The Bangladesh Public 

Administration Training Centre (BPTAC) in the main 

trains new members of the civil services. But 

allegedly, the standard of this body has deteriorated 

over the years. The trainers themselves are considered 

as not sufficiently resourceful to train well. Therefore, 

BPTAC itself needs restructuring and at the centre of 

such restructuring should be appointment of persons 

of proper background and competence as the trainers. 

Besides, teaching of morality and service to people 

should be important parts of the training 

programmes so that the new members in the civil 

services can go to their first posts with a sharpened 

conscience. 

In many cases, government offices are found 

overstaffed particularly at the lower and mid-levels. 

Such overstaffing should be dealt with to conserve 

resources and reduce bureaucracy. In other cases, a 

dearth of specialist manpower is seen in some 

departments, particularly at the higher levels, that 

hampers the efficient functioning of these 

departments. The cases of such understaffing should 

be addressed by recruiting such specialist manpower 

on contract and other basis with special incentive 

salary and other facilities, where necessary. They may 

be inducted into the civil services by amending the 

present uniform rules of the services as special cases. 

Such recruitment will end the unwanted domination 

of the services by generalists who cannot give 

specialist decisions or attend to decision making of a 

complex or technical or managerial character and, 

thus, lend dynamism to the functioning of the 

services. 

The present system of promotion in the civil services 

is based mainly on seniority. The annual confidential 

report (ACR) on a civil servant produced by a senior 

officer is also taken into account while promoting a 

person. But such ACRs presently have no way of 

assessing the officer's true worth, efficiency, integrity 

and attainments. In most cases, the officers are 

blindly promoted to the next higher posts on 

completion of a certain number of years in their 

services. Therefore, in order to truly reward the 

efficient and the capable, promotion should be mainly 

based not on seniority but on the basis of the actual 

efficiency, dedication to the job and achievements of 

the person to be promoted. For this purpose, more 

than the ACR, a system should be devised in which the 

civil servants will be given targets to fulfill at the start 

of a year. The targets may range, say, from meeting 

tax collection targets to the number of sterilisation 

operations carried out in the family planning 

programme. 

Target attainment and meeting of other standards 

should become the basis of promotion and not just 

seniority as is the case now. Besides, failure to attain 

targets and noted lapses in other areas should lead to 

suffering of penalties such as withholding of 

increments to event dismissal from services. In other 

words, civil servants must be made to perform under 

the awareness that they are accountable for their jobs 

and that their jobs are not sinecures. They could 

expect rewards for the right things they do and 

penalised for what they do not do or do wrongly. Only 

an accountable structure of this sort-- and enforced 

rigorously-- has any chance of improving the standard 

of the civil services. All elected governments from 

now on should also resolve not to try and politicise the 

administration during their tenures. This would 

contribute to not only efficiency of the civil 

administration but lend to the country's political 

stability as well. 

how far is China to blame for America’s ‘Cold War mentality’? 

IT has been five years since the bill 

ensuring the right to free and 

compulsory education was passed 

unanimously by the National Assembly. 

Article 25-A of the Constitution says: "The 

state shall provide free and compulsory 

education to all children of the age of five to 

16 years...". 

In these five years, since Article 25-A 

came into action, a few noteworthy 

initiatives have been taken by the federal 

and provincial governments to ensure that 

this promise to Pakistani children is 

fulfilled. Despite this constitutional 

obligation as well as many official 

statements by senior government officials, 

much more needs to be done to make this 

commitment a reality. Policy reforms and 

quality implementation need to be 

urgently amplified and expanded to tackle 

the education emergency in Pakistan, 

especially in Sindh. 

Lack of infrastructure and facilities in 

government schools is a basic critique of 

the education system in Sindh. This was 

recently highlighted in a report to the 

Sindh chief minister, after which 

immediate action was ordered to be taken 

in 4,000 primary schools and 524 middle 

and secondary schools. The initiative 

involves improvement and rehabilitation 

of schools focusing on the provision of 

electricity, washrooms, boundary walls, 

drinking water, and furniture. However, 

there is a long way to go before basic 

facilities can be ensured in all Sindh's 

The year 2018 will be a year of 

major social changes for the 

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These 

changes are expected to dramatically 

change Saudi society as we once knew 

it. 

To begin with, the feared Saudi 

religious police that once permeated 

every level of Saudi society has almost 

become a non-entity in most of the 

major cities, a fact that makes many 

happy but also distresses a few who still 

long for the days of religious control. 

Their messages and exhortations of 

following a strict and unyielding 

interpretation of the religion has today 

been generally recognised as the fuel 

that has misguided some Saudi youth. 

The arrival of young Crown Prince 

Mohammad Bin Salman in the Saudi 

leadership has provided the impetus to 

tackle what many have termed as a 

growing menace and an impediment to 

progress. 

Many Saudi social scientists and 

intellectuals had privately grumbled 

that the powerful religious police was 

intent on taking the country back to the 

Stone Ages. But Mohammad was astute 

enough to realise that none of his grand 

plans, such as Vision 2020 and Vision 

2030, would take a foothold unless he 

dealt with this establishment head-on. 

And he did. 

By stripping them of most of their 

earlier acquired powers, he essentially 

left them dormant. The wave of 

appreciation that followed this singular 

Cold War mentality" is the 

catchphrase that China typically 

uses when it is criticized by the 

United States and other Western 

countries, such as Australia. 

In 2009, when the Barack Obama 

administration published its National 

Intelligence Strategy (NIS), in which 

China - together with North Korea, Iran 

and Russia - was listed as a country that 

challenged US interests, Beijing 

immediately urged Washington "to 

abandon Cold War mentality and 

prejudices." On several occasions over 

the past two years, Beijing has similarly 

accused Australia of adopting a "Cold 

War mentality" vis-à-vis the communist 

power. The phrase has been used with 

increasing frequency in relation to the US 

since the advent of Donald Trump's 

presidency, as Washington has hardened 

its view of the one-party state. 

In the 2009 NIS, China was listed third 

among America's four main challengers 

and the document's description of the 

country wasn't very hostile. 

In contrast, in the Trump 

government's National Security Strategy 

(NSS), National Defense Strategy (NDS) 

and Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), all of 

which were published over the last two 

months, China is painted much more 

adversely. In the first two documents, the 

People's Republic is put first among the 

top security threats facing the US. These 

also include Russia, two "rogue states" 

(namely North Korea and Iran), and 

terrorist groups. In the last strategy, it is 

placed second, after Russia. 

That's why, immediately after the 

publication of these three documents, 

Chinese officials, including Chinese 

foreign ministry spokespersons, 

denounced them and urged the US to 

discard what they call an "outdated coldwar 

mentality and zero-sum game 

mindset." 

A Chinese foreign ministry 

spokesperson sang the same chorus after 

Trump's State of the Union address on 

January 30 because. In that speech, the 

American president said: "Around the 

world, we face rogue regimes, terrorist 

groups, and rivals like China and Russia 

that challenge our interests, our 

economy, and our values." 

Though very brief, such a reference to 

China in his 80-minute address 

infuriated Beijing. A Chinese academic 

told the party-run Global Times: "It is 

alarming and provocative for Trump to 

call China a US rival again and especially 

to lump China together with rogue 

regimes and terrorist groups." 

US President Donald Trump talks to 

China's President Xi Jinping during the 

G20 leaders summit in Hamburg, 

Germany July 7, 2017. Photo: Reuters / 

Philippe Wojazer US President Donald 

Trump talks to China's President Xi 

Jinping during the G20 leaders summit 

in Hamburg, Germany July 7, 2017. 

government schools. There is an urgent 

need for not only improving the basic 

infrastructure but also achieving parity 

between primary to middle and high 

school ratios in the province. These 

enhancements can only be mobilised by 

timely and effective utilisation of the 

education budget. More needs to be done 

to reform education in Sindh. 

Secondly, the teacher absenteeism 

problem which had been one of the core 

causes of failure for the education sector in 

Sindh, has been tackled to some extent 

through the Sindh School Monitoring 

System. According to the government's 

statistics, 210,000 education staff and 

more than 26,200 schools have been 

verified through this system, which 

depends on data collected by the field staff 

XUAN loC DoAN 

Photo: Reuters / Philippe Wojazer 

Indeed. Washington's China posture 

has radically shifted. The globe's most 

powerful authoritarian state is now seen 

as the top security threat facing America, 

representing a menace in everything 

from the military and economic spheres 

to the cultural and ideological. This 

change in Washington could potentially 

develop into a full-blown rivalry between 

the world's incumbent and rising 

superpowers. Should this happen, it 

in contrast, in the Trump government's National 

Security Strategy (NSS), National Defense Strategy 

(NDS) and Nuclear Posture review (NPr), all of 

which were published over the last two months, 

China is painted much more adversely. in the first 

two documents, the People's republic is put first 

among the top security threats facing the US. These 

also include russia, two "rogue states" (namely 

North Korea and iran), and terrorist groups. in the 

last strategy, it is placed second, after russia. 

would cause huge and dire 

consequences, not only for the two 

biggest economic and military powers on 

earth, but also for the world at large. An 

antagonistic American-Chinese enmity 

in the 21st century might well be far 

graver than the Cold War between the 

US and the communist-ruled Soviet 

Union of the last century. Worse still, if 

escalated, it could lead to a devastating 

military conflict, possibly a third world 

war. Given such a danger, it's wise and 

vital that Beijing calls for cooperation, not 

confrontation, "through concrete 

actions," because, as it correctly 

Unfulfilled promise 

SAAD AMANUllAh KhAN 

being accurate and reported in real-time to 

the education and literacy department as 

well as the monitoring and evaluation 

directorate. This exercise, however, is 

currently being undertaken in only 15 

districts, and needs to be expanded to 

include all districts and schools. 

It is universally recognised that quality 

teachers are an integral part of ensuring 

Secondly, the teacher absenteeism problem which had been 

one of the core causes of failure for the education sector in 

Sindh, has been tackled to some extent through the Sindh 

School Monitoring System. According to the government's 

statistics, 210,000 education staff and more than 26,200 

schools have been verified through this system, which depends 

on data collected by the field staff being accurate and reported 

in real-time to the education and literacy department as well 

as the monitoring and evaluation directorate. 

act must have sent a strong signal to the 

Crown Prince that the country and the 

people were ready for change. "Arrival 

of young Crown Prince Mohammad Bin 

Salman in Saudi leadership has 

provided the impetus to tackle a 

growing menace and impediment to 

progress."" 

He interjected several revolutionary 

concepts to the society that had for the 

past three decades or so remained 

buried under layers of restrictions. 

People welcomed the moves as part of 

his vision to transform the kingdom. 

Mohammad supported a newlyformed 

entertainment authority that 

has taken to staging concerts and 

comedy shows for an entertainmentstarved 

Saudi audience that used to get 

its fill of culture and the arts by 

travelling to neighbouring Arab states. 

No more, Mohammad vowed. We shall 

quality education for the students. 

However, in Pakistan, teacher recruitment 

has always been laced with political 

influence and manipulation. To address 

this, the Sindh Education Department 

implemented a programme to ensure 

merit-based recruitment via the National 

Testing Service, through which more than 

1,000 head teachers have been recruited. 

Apparently, these teachers have passed 

be as progressive as the rest of them was 

the message. The bizarre obsession of 

extremists against the idea of free 

mingling of people from both genders 

was swiftly addressed when the 

government announced that men and 

women could attend together many of 

the entertainment fixtures that were 

being introduced. This was followed by 

an announcement that starting this 

year, female residents of the country 

could attend sporting events, such as a 

football match, along with males in key 

stadiums across the metropolitan cities. 

While it may have left many a cleric 

privately aghast and shell-shocked, it 

was yet another move widely 

appreciated by the public, the majority 

of whom are young. 

This was soon followed by an 

announcement that the kingdom would 

issue licences for cinema halls to 

maintains, that is "the only right choice" 

for China and the US to "ensure the 

sound and steady development of [their] 

relations" and to "maintain world 

stability and prosperity." 

But whilst it is noble to make such a 

call, it isn't enough. Moreover, Beijing is 

being quite disingenuous when it paints 

itself as cooperative, responsible and 

benign with regard to the US. 

Trump's NSS states: "China and Russia 

challenge American power, influence, 

and interests, attempting to erode 

American security and prosperity. They 

are determined to make economies less 

free and less fair, to grow their militaries, 

and to control information and data to 

repress their societies and expand their 

influence." 

With some justification, many would 

agree with such a description of China. 

Take the Asian giant's trade policies for 

example. On many occasions, Trump 

has, implicitly or explicitly, called for 

Beijing to curb some of the unfair 

practices (e.g. steel overcapacity, 

intellectual property rights abuses and 

market access restrictions) that lead to 

America's chronic trade imbalance with 

China. While his concerns about the 

deficit and lack of fairness and reciprocity 

in US-China economic relations are 

legitimate, these haven't been addressed. 

America's deficit in goods with the 

world's biggest market increased from 

US$347 billion in 2016 to US$375 billion 

(the highest level) last year. Indeed, in a 

call with his Chinese counterpart, Xi 

Jinping, last month, Trump "expressed 

disappointment that the [US's] trade 

deficit with China has continued to grow" 

and "made clear that the situation is not 

sustainable." 

Source : Asia Times 

rigorous screening and testing and are 

competently serving in schools across 

Sindh. Although this is a positive step, the 

department has yet to figure out a 

mechanism to compensate these teachers, 

who have not been paid since the start of 

their tenure. The Sindh government also 

announced a private school census to be 

conducted in January 2018. This should 

not only give a holistic picture of education 

in the province, but also provide the 

government a basis to make informed 

decisions for the future. It is seen as an 

opportunity for the government to obtain 

details of the teaching staff of private 

schools, including their salaries, perks and 

other privileges. These details can facilitate 

the government in aligning the incentive 

system for government teachers with that 

in private institutions. 

Low-cost private schools which are not 

registered with the concerned authorities 

can also be regulated by the government 

using this census. However, to ensure its 

long-term impact, this census will have to 

be a sustained effort in the years to come. 

To enhance the tracking of key 

performance measures in Sindh, the 

creation of a school management 

committee, consisting of elected 

representatives of the local authority, 

parents/ guardians of children admitted in 

such schools, and teachers, should be 

mandatory. 

Source : Dawn 

Tide of change sweeps through Saudi Arabia 

TAriq A. Al MAeeNA 

Mohammad supported a newly-formed 

entertainment authority that has taken 

to staging concerts and comedy shows 

for an entertainment-starved Saudi 

audience that used to get its fill of culture 

and the arts by travelling to neighbouring 

Arab states. No more, Mohammad 

vowed. We shall be as progressive as the 

rest of them was the message. 

operate - a ban that had been in effect 

for decades and could be traced back to 

the rise of influence of clerics in the 

early 1980s, following a failed takeover 

attempt of the Holy Mosque in Makkah 

by a band of religious extremists. 

The first theatres are expected to be 

ready by later next month and the 

public, by and large, is eagerly looking 

forward to this pleasant diversion. 

Perhaps the biggest change 

introduced to Saudi society was the 

lifting of the ban on women driving. 

Come June, women will get behind the 

wheel. Clerics had been successful for 

decades in enforcing a ban on women 

motorists. 

This was by far the biggest of the 

barriers to fall, as Saudi Arabia had 

earlier carved a unique distinction of 

being the only country in the modern 

world not to grant their females citizens 

or residents the right to drive. 

With Vision 2030 in mind and a 

youthful population by his side, 

Mohammad is set to tackle all previous 

impediments to Saudi progress to bring 

the country at par with developing 

nations. 

He has begun by removing some of 

the previously installed taboos and 

there are expectations of more barriers 

to fall. With such a vision, many in 

Saudi Arabia are hopeful that finally, 

the country will take its rightful place on 

the global stage. 

Source : Gulf News

LAW & PUBLIC MONdAy, 

FEBRuARy 12, 2018 

5 

This week Your Legal Adviser is 

A.B.M Shahjahan Akanda (Masum) 

Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh. 

He is the Head of the chamber of a renowned law firm, 

namely, 'Law for Nations', which has expertise mainly in 

banking law, tax law, commercial law, corporate law, family 

law, employment and labor law, land law,constitutional law, 

criminal law and in conducting litigations before courts of 

different hierarchies. He can be reached at - cell:01711459590, 

E-mail: law.abm@gmail.com. 

2nd Workshop on Legal 

Research & Advocacy Skills 

Hosted by NILS Bangladesh 

QuERy : 

Dear Sir, 

I want to attain a patent registration. Please 

inform me the details. 

Regards 

Shariul Islam 

Dhaka 

OpINION : 

An application for a patent may be made by any 

person alone or jointly with any other person. 

The application must be made in the prescribed 

form, and must be filed at the Patent Office in the 

prescribed manner. The application must 

contain a declaration to the effect that the 

applicant is in possession of an invention, 

whereof he, or in the case of a joint application 

one at least of the applicants, claims to be the 

true and first inventor or the legal representative 

or assign of such inventor and for which he 

desires to obtain a patent, and must be 

accompanied by complete specification. 

Specifications: 

A complete specification must particularly 

describe and ascertain the nature of the 

invention and the manner in which the same is 

to be performed. The specification must 

commence with the title, and in the case of a 

complete specification must end with a distinct 

statement of the invention claimed. The 

drawings can be supplied at any time before the 

acceptance of the application, but we suggest to 

file drawings at the time of application printed 

on tracing papers. 

PCT Application in Bangladesh: In case of 

claiming priority based on any application filed 

in any PCT countries the applicant must supply 

the information of PCT application at the time of 

filing the national application and submit 

certified copy of the specification of the foreign 

patent application within 90 days time from the 

date of filing application in Bangladesh. 

Filing Requirement: 

To file a Patent Application we need the 

followings: 

(a) Name of the inventor (applicant), 

(b) Address(s) and nationality of the inventors, 

(c) Two sets of specification and one set of 

drawing on tracing paper (transparent), 

(d) Legalized Deed of Assignment (if any), 

(e) Power of Attorney [Form - 31], you can 

download the authorization 

from this web by clicking download forms. 

(f) Certified copy of the foreign patent (in case 

of claiming priority) 

Advertisement on acceptance of application: 

On the acceptance of an application the 

Controller shall give notice thereof to the 

applicant and shall advertise the acceptance and 

with the drawings (if any) shall be open to public 

inspection. 

Opposition:Any person at any time within four 

months from the date of the advertisement of the 

acceptance of an application give notice at the 

Patent Office of opposition to the grant of the 

patent. The opponent must state the grounds of 

his opposition. 

Grant and sealing of patent: 

If there is no opposition a patent shall be 

granted, subject to such conditions as the 

authority thinks expedient, to the applicant, or in 

the case of a joint application to the applicants 

jointly, and the Controller shall cause the Patent 

to be sealed with the seal of the Patent Office. 

Term of patent: 

The term limited in every patent for the 

duration thereof is sixteen years from its date of 

application or the date of priority application. 

Renewal is required for fifth year before expiry of 

fourth year up to the 15 years. Grace period is 90 

days with late fees. In case of priority, the 

commencement of four years shall start from the 

date of priority application. 

The Network for International Law Students 

(NILS) is an international, independent, nonpolitical 

and non-profit organization operating 

in 26 different countries and expanding across 

six continents of the globe. The Bangladesh 

Chapter of NILS has been successfully carrying 

out the operations of NILS in the country since 

2016. After the overwhelming success of 

hosting the 1st edition in November 2017, NILS 

Bangladesh, in collaboration with Department 

of Law, East West University (EWU) organized 

the 2nd edition of the Workshop on Legal 

Research and Advocacy Skills on January 26, 

2018. Around 100 law students from numerous 

public and private universities of Bangladesh 

spontaneously participated in the workshop. 

The inaugural session of the workshop was 

conducted by Mr. Md. Pizuar Hossain, 

Lecturer, Department of Law, EWU on 

'Introduction to Legal Research and 

Methodology'. The session focused mainly 

upon techniques and methodologies of legal 

research and enabled the participants to get 

them acquainted with different aspects and 

tools of carrying out legal research 

independently. 

The next session was conducted by Mr. 

Mokarramus Shaklan, Advocate, Supreme 

Court of Bangladesh on 'The Art of Mooting'. 

He spoke at length regarding mooting, 

techniques of drafting memorials, preparing 

for oral submissions before the judges and the 

impact of mooting in professional careers of 

legal practitioners. 

The final session was facilitated by Professor 

Dr. Tureen Afroz, Chairperson, Department of 

Law, EWU on 'The Art of Advocacy'. She 

extensively discussed the technical know-hows 

of being a lawyer and underlined the basic 

court etiquettes required to be followed by the 

lawyers. She concluded her session by urging 

the students to never stop learning and sharing 

the knowledge with their peers. 

The closing ceremony of the workshop was 

chaired by Nasrin Sultana, President, NILS 

Bangladesh while Justice S. M. Mozibur 

Rahman, Honorable Justice, Supreme Court of 

Bangladesh graced the event as the guest of 

honor. In his speech, Justice Rahman lauded 

such initiatives undertaken by NILS 

Bangladesh and Department of Law, EWU and 

mentioned that this unique practice of teaching 

advocacy skills to law students would 

immensely boost their professional careers as 

lawyers. Ms. Nasrin Sultana, President, NILS 

Bangladesh also spoke at the ceremony 

highlighting its past activities and stated that in 

an age of globalization, it is essential to 

network with law students beyond borders. 

The Best Performer award was won by 

Maisha Tehmida Binte Zubair from BRAC 

University. The program ended after 

certificates were handed out to all the 

participants and tokens of appreciation were 

handed over to the chair of the closing 

ceremony and the facilitators of the workshop. 

NILS Bangladesh intends to host more such 

workshops and symposiums in near future. 

Expanding Investment Securities 

The Role of Investment Treaties and Investment Arbitration in Bangladesh 

Md. MAMONOR RASHId 

Large-scale investments made in foreign jurisdictions face many 

risks, particularly when investing in countries with high levels of 

political and regulatory risk or developing judicial systems, as is 

often a concern for international investors entering certain Asian 

and African countries. In such circumstances, investors are 

particularly concerned about the legal protections that are available 

to them during the life of their investments. Bilateral and 

multilateral investment treaties ("BITs", "MITs") have become the 

principle vehicle to overcome these challenges and mitigate the 

risks of government intervention. 

BITs are international law instruments - treaties - agreed 

between two states. MITs are treaties agreed between more than 

two states. The purpose of BITs and MITs is to create a stable legal 

environment that fosters foreign direct investment. This is achieved 

by the "host state" (i.e. the state in which the investment is made) 

agreeing to provide certain guarantees and standards of protection 

to the investments of private foreign investors (i.e. those with the 

nationality of, or incorporation in, the "home state"). The investor 

is also provided with the opportunity to enforce its rights under the 

investment treaty against the host state through independent 

international investment arbitration. This is the major innovation 

of investment treaties, as traditionally it was only states that had 

standing to bring claims against each other. 

Rights and obligations under investment treaties are reciprocal, 

protecting the investments of investors from each state in the 

territory of the other state. Structuring investments correctly can 

maximise those rights and protections, and has become a modern 

commercial imperative when transacting internationally. 

Expanding investment securities: 

When structuring foreign investments, prudent investors will 

seek advice on the protections available under the domestic 

legislation of the host state as well as the investment treaties to 

which that host state is a party. 

In order to rely on the protections offered by a particular BIT, a 

foreign investor will need to qualify as a defined "investor", as 

mentioned above, and its "investment" must fall within the 

definition of the protected type of investments under the relevant 

BIT. Most BITs adopt a broad definition of qualifying investments, 

ranging from tangible to intangible property, company shares to 

contractual rights. 

The common categories of substantive BIT protections and 

guarantees owed by host states to foreign investors/ investments 

include the following: 

No expropriation without compensation: not to expropriate 

investments unless it is for a public purpose, in accordance with law 

and due process, with the provision of prompt, adequate and 

effective compensation; 

Fair and equitable treatment: all investors/ investments will be 

treated fairly and equitably (an open category that includes 

upholding legitimate expectations, the rule of law and good faith 

etc.); 

Full protection and security: including to maintain the investor's 

legal rights and protect physical assets from insurrection; 

No discrimination: not to adopt measures that discriminate 

investments based on type, industry, nationality etc.; 

National treatment: not to treat foreign investors/ investments 

less favourably that domestic investors/ investments; 

Most favoured nation treatment: the most favourable treatment 

available to investors/ investments of one state will be afforded to 

investors/ investments of other states; 

Umbrella clause: general commercial contracts with the host 

state and investor are elevated to protection under the BIT; and 

Free transfers: investors may convert investment returns into a 

currency of their choice and repatriate out of the host state. 

Laws and Regulations on Foreign direct Investment 

Major laws affecting foreign investment include: the Foreign 

Private Investment (Promotion and Protection) Act of 1980, the 

Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority Act of 1980, the 

Companies Act of 1994, the Telecommunications Act of 2001, the 

Industrial Policy Act of 2005, the Industrial Policy Act of 2010, and 

the Bangladesh Economic Zones Act 2010. The Industrial Policy 

Act of 2016 was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Industrial 

Purchase on February 24, 2016 and replaces the Industrial Policy 

of 2010. 

The Industrial Policy Act of 2016, which replaced the 2010 Act, 

offers incentives for "green", high-tech, or "transformative" 

industries. Foreign investors who invest $1 million or transfer $2 

million to a recognized financial institution can apply for 

Bangladeshi citizenship. The Government of Bangladesh will 

provide financial and policy support for high-priority industries 

(those that create large-scale employment and earn substantial 

export revenue) and creative (architecture, arts and antiques, 

fashion design, film and video, interactive laser software, software, 

and computer and media programming) industries. Specific 

importance will be given to agriculture and food processing, readymade 

garments (RMG), information and communication 

technology (ICT) and software, pharmaceuticals, leather and 

leather products, and jute and jute goods. 

International investment arbitration and dispute 

Settlement: 

International investment arbitration is a mechanism to resolve 

investment disputes between a foreign investor and the state 

hosting the investment. It is different in many respects from 

international commercial arbitration, which involves two private 

parties, usually corporations. 

ICSId Convention and New york Convention 

Bangladesh is a signatory to the International Convention for the 

Settlement of Disputes (ICSID) and it consented in May 1992 to the 

United Nations Convention for the Recognition and Enforcement 

of Foreign Arbitral Awards. Alternative dispute resolutions are 

possible under the Bangladesh Arbitration Act of 2001. The current 

legislation allows for enforcement of arbitral awards. 

Investor-State dispute Settlement 

Bangladeshi law allows contracts to refer dispute settlement to 

third country forums for resolution. Bangladesh is also a party to 

the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) 

Agreement for the Establishment of an Arbitration Council, signed 

November 2005, which aims to establish a permanent center for 

alternative dispute resolution in one of the SAARC member 

countries. 

In practice, enforcement of arbitration results is applied unevenly 

and the government has challenged ICSID rulings, especially those 

that involve rulings against the government. The timeframe for 

dispute resolution is unpredictable and has no set limit. It can be 

done as quickly as a few months, but often takes years depending 

on the type of dispute. Anecdotal information indicates average 

resolution times can be as high as 16 years. Local courts may be 

biased against foreign investors in resolving disputes. 

Bangladesh is a signatory of the New York Convention and 

recognizes the enforcement of international arbitration awards. 

Domestic arbitration is under the authority of the District Judge 

Court bench and foreign arbitration is under the authority of the 

relevant High Court division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. 

Investors are also increasingly turning to the Bangladesh 

International Arbitration Center (BIAC) for dispute resolution. 

BIAC is an independent arbitration center established by 

prominent local business leaders in April 2011 to improve 

commercial dispute resolution in Bangladesh to stimulate 

economic growth. The council committee is headed by the 

President of International Chamber of Commerce - Bangladesh 

(ICC,B) and includes the presidents of other prominent chambers 

such as like Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) 

and Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI). 

The center operates under the Bangladesh Arbitration Act of 2001. 

According to BIAC, fast track cases are resolved in approximately 

six months while typical cases are resolved in one year. Major 

Bangladeshi trade and business associations such as the American 

Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) can sometimes 

help to resolve transaction disputes. 

Author: Mr. Md. Mamonor Rashid has completed his Master of Laws by thesis 

(Equivalent to M.Phil) on International Commercial Arbitration from University 

Utara Malaysia with Post Graduate Scholarship. Associate; Bhuiyan& Mir Law 

Firm. President; "The Orator" (For Legal Minds). He is a devoted social worker. 

He has worked with many national and international NGO's including Amnesty 

International, United Nations Volunteer (UNV), International Centre for 

Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr'b) and National Human Right 

Commission, Bangladesh. His areas of specializationareInternational Commercial 

Arbitration, Religious Arbitration, and Corporate Law. He is the Young 

Professional member of Singapore International Arbitration Centre (YSIAC), 

Singapore and Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG), London. Email 

Address: mamon_rashid@live.com

NATIONAL 

MoNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2018 

6 

Singair Kangsha Social Welfare JuboSangha observed its first anniversary celebration in Kangsa village 

of Singair upazila under Manikganj district yesterday. 

Photo: Mubarak Hossain 

Singair Kangsha Social Welfare Jubo Sangha 

celebarted maiden in Manikganj 

MD. MOBARAK HOSSAIN, SINGAIR, MANIKGANJ: 

The first Anniversary of Kangsha 

Samaj Kalyan Juba Sangha of Singair 

upazila of Manikganj was held in the 

joyous environment yesterday. The 

ceremony was held at Kangsa village on 

Saturday night. On this day of last year, 

this non-political organization was 

established with the initiative of local 

youth society to stop gambling, 

harassment, child marriage, eve 

teasing, prejudice and anti-social 

activities and form a drug free society. 

A seminar was organized on the 

occasion of the founding anniversary. 

Chairman of the organization Md. 

Rajib Hossain chaired the discussion as 

the chief guest, Talebpur UP Chairman 

Ramzan Ali. Senior lawyer Advocate 

Lutfar Rahman of Manikganj Judge 

Court, former president of Singair 

municipal Jubo League Muminul Haq 

Milon and municipal BCL president 

Sayamum Hossain Ripon spoke as 

special guests. 

Among others, General Secretary of 

the organization Md. Raju Hossain, 

organizing secretary Md Enamul 

Hasan, co-organizing secretary Md. 

Jalal Ahmed, Dubai expatriates Alinur 

Rahman, Habibur Rahman and 

Younus Ali were present in the 

meeting. During this time all the 

members of the organization, local 

dignitaries and people from different 

class groups of the society were present. 

Since the establishment of the 

organization, they have made 

outstanding contributions to the 

formation of gambling, women's 

oppression, child marriage, eve teasing, 

prejudice, anti-social activities and the 

drug-free society. 

The organization also organizes road 

reforms in the area, cooperating with 

helpless poor people, providing 

scholarship to meritorious students, 

distributing warm clothes, providing 

free medical care, distribution of Eid 

content among children, and social 

activities. 

Stay away from 

militancy, 

drugs: Zahid 

MANIKGANJ: State 

Minister for Health and 

Family Welfare Zahid 

Maleque, MP, yesterday 

asked students to stay away 

from terrorism, militancy 

and drug to make 

themselves as worthy 

citizens of the country, 

reports BSS. 

"The government has 

attached importance to 

sports activities in 

educational institutions, 

which will help flourish 

talent and creativity among 

students," he said while 

speaking as the chief guest in 

the annual prize giving 

ceremony of Manikganj 

government Devendra 

College here. 

Presided over by Prof 

Sayedur Rahman, Principal 

of Manikganj government 

Devendra College the 

programme was also 

addressed by Mahfuzur 

Rahman, SP (Additional 

DIG), Manikganj, freedom 

fighter Gazi Quamrul Huda 

Selim, mayor of Manikganj 

pourasava Prof Dr 

Mohammad Mahbubur 

Rahman, Advocate Abdul 

Majid Photo, vice president 

of Manikganj district unit of 

Awami League, AFM 

Sultanul Azam Khan Apel, 

Secretary, Red Crescent 

Society, Manikganj and 

Sudeb Saha, Secretary of 

Manikganj district Sports 

Association. 

The state minister also 

distributed prizes among the 

winners. Around 250 

students including girls took 

part in the annual sports 

which contained 35 events. 

Farmers switching 

to cereals from 

paddy in Barind 

RAJSHAHI: Farmers are 

switching from cultivation of 

paddy to less irrigationdependent 

cereals in the 

wake of adverse impact of 

climate change in the Barind 

tract, reports BSS. 

According to the 

agriculture officials and 

scientists, farmers have 

reduced the cultivation of 

irrigation-dependent crop 

especially Irri-Boro paddy in 

the Barind tract. 

On the other hand, 

farming of various crops like 

wheat, maize, potato, 

mustard and other fruits and 

vegetables is gradually 

increasing in the area 

comprising Rajshahi, 

Chapainawabgonj and 

Naogaon districts. 

These crops have occupied 

more than 27,097 hectares 

of lands only in Tanore and 

Godagari Upazila during the 

current season, said 

Habibur Rahman Khan, 

Executive Engineer of 

Barind Multipurpose 

Development Authority 

(BMDA). 

After harvesting the watersaving 

crops the farmers will 

cultivate Aush paddy on the 

lands. Engineer Khan said 

Aush paddy needs small 

irrigation as rainfall meets 

up lion portion of the 

irrigation demands. 

"In many occasions, we 

are motivating the farmers 

to promote various cereal 

crops instead of only paddy 

in the area, said Engineer 

Habib Khan. 

Professor Chowdhury 

Sarwar Jahan of 

Department of Geology and 

Mining in 

Rajshahi University said 

around 3,200 to 3,500 litres 

of water for irrigation is 

needed to grow one 

kilogramme of paddy. 

Dr Ilias Hossain, principal 

scientific officer of Regional 

Wheat Research Station, 

said irrigation has been 

reduced to a greater extent 

in Barind resulting in a 

decline in Irri-boro farming. 

Hafizur Rahman, a farmer 

of Mushribhuja village 

under Volahat Upazila, said 

he is very happy over 

cultivating various lesswater 

consuming crops like 

wheat, mustard, potato and 

lentil. 

"I had to face many 

troubles to manage 

irrigation water for boro 

cultivation," he added. But, 

the cultivation of watersaving 

crops is suitable for 

farmers of the area. 

Ishrafil Haque, a volunteer 

of Nezampur village under 

Nachole Upazila, said 

number of farmers and 

acreage of less-water 

consuming crops are 

increasing in the area every 

year. 

"We are getting supports 

of irrigation, seed and 

fertilizer from Integrated 

Water 

Resource 

Management (IWRM) 

Project for cultivation of the 

crops," said Zenuara 

Khatun, a farmer of 

Gobratala village in 

Chapainawabgonj Sadar 

Upazila. 

On behalf of the project, 

more than 3,200 farmers 

were given the supports. 

They cultivated water-saving 

crops on more than 300 

hectares of lands this season. 

Around 994 volunteers 

disseminate and share 

knowledge among farmers 

on how to cultivate more 

less-irrigated crops through 

water 

resource 

management. 

The IWRM project is 

being implemented in 35 

UPs and four pourasavhas in 

Rajshahi 

and 

Chapainawabganj districts 

since 2015 by DASCOH 

Foundation and Swiss Red 

Cross with financial support 

from Swiss Agency for 

Development and 

Cooperation- SDC. 

BMDA Chairman Dr 

Akram Hossain Chowdhury 

said instead of depending on 

only Irri-Boro farming, 

importance should be given 

to the promotion of lessirrigation 

consuming cereal 

crops in Barind area to 

lessen the gradually 

mounting pressure on 

underground water. 

400 families 

get electricity 

in Panchagarh 

PANCHAGARH: Some 400 

families of Burirban area 

under Boda upazila of the 

district were brought under 

electrification network by 

Panchagarh Palli Bidyut 

Samity yesterday, reports 

BSS. 

Advocate Nurul Islam 

Sujon, MP, formally 

inaugurated the electricity 

connection as the chief guest 

at a simple function held on 

the premises of Maoydandigi 

Union Parishad (UP). 

Sujon said the government 

is working relentlessly to 

provide electricity connection 

in all houses over the country 

as electricity illuminated every 

sphere of human activity. 

Around 80 percent rural 

houses got power connection 

under the regime of present 

government, he added. 

SAVAR: The authority of 

Jahangirnagar University 

(JU) have taken up 

elaborate programmes to 

welcome Pahela Falgun, the 

first day of Spring in the 

Bengali month of Falgun, on 

February 13, reports BSS. 

With the slogan, 'Esho 

Boshonto Dhoratole, Ano 

Muhu Muhu Nobo Tan, Ano 

Nobo Pran Nobo Gan', 

Teachers and Students 

Center (TSC) will organise a 

Nanak for turning PM's 

Rajshahi meeting into 

human sea 

RAJSHAHI: Awami 

League Joint Secretary 

Jahangir Kabir Nanak, MP, 

here today urged all the 

party leaders and workers to 

turn the forthcoming 

Rajshahi's meeting of Prime 

Minister Sheikh Hasina into 

human sea, reports BSS. 

"Prime Minister Sheikh 

Hasina will come here with 

message of development 

and will portray a 

development planning for 

the region in the meeting. 

So, you have to bring public 

in general to the meeting," 

he further said while 

addressing a view-sharing 

meeting here today as chief 

cultural event at the Selim 

Al Din Muktamancha 

marking the day. 

Director of JU TSC 

Professor Bashir Ahmed 

told BSS today. 

'To welcome the spring 

season, we are going to 

organise a cultural 

programme with recitation 

of poem, rendering songs, 

and staging drama. 

Different cultural 

organisation under TSC will 

guest. 

Rajshahi city and district 

units of Awami League (AL) 

jointly organized the 

meeting at Rajshahi Medical 

College auditorium marking 

the Prime Minister's 

upcoming visit to Rajshahi. 


Hasina is scheduled to visit 

here on February 22. 

With city unit president 

AHM Khairuzzaman Liton 

in the chair, AL Organizing 

Secretary Khalid Mahmud 

Chowdhury, MP, State 

Minister for ICT Division 

Zunaid Ahmed Polok, Omor 

Faruque Chowdhury, MP, 

Enamul Haque, MP, Abdul 

JU to celebrate Pahela Falgun 

perform in the event', he 

said. 

JU Vice Chancellor 

Professor Farzana Islam will 

inaugurate the event as the 

chief guest while JU Pro VC 

(academic) Professor Md 

Abul Hossain, Pro VC 

(administration) Professor 

Amir Hussain and 

Treasurer Professor Sheikh 

Md Monzurul Huq will 

attend the function as 

special guest, he added. 

The much awaited verdict of Rupa, a girl from Tangail raped in a moving 

bus, murder case verdict today. 

Photo: Nasir Uddin. 

Wadud Dara, MP, Abdul 

Quddus, MP, and Akhter 

Jahan, MP, also spoke. 

Jahangir Kabir Nanak said 


Hasina has been working 

relentlessly for overall 

development of the country 

and urged the party leaders 

and workers to reach the 

development messages to 

the grassroots people. 

He mentioned that the 

grassroots party leaders and 

workers will have to work 

hard from now on for 

bringing Awami League 

back to power again through 

winning in the next general 

election. 

Road 

accidents 

kill two in 

Kushtia 

KUSHTIA: Two 

persons were killed in 

separate road accidents in 

the district yesterday, 

reports BSS. 

The deceased were 

identified as Tuhin 

Pramanik, 45, a motor 

cyclist and resident of 

Ranakhoria village in 

Mirpur Upazila and 

Abdur Rahman, 30, a 

truck driver and 

inhabitant of Poshchim 

Shariatpur village in 

Potuakhali district. 

Pramanik was killed as 

a truck hit his motorcycle 

at Mongol Bari on 

Kushtia-Iswardi Road at 

around 8 am, said Officerin-Charge 

(OC) of Kushtia 

Model Police Station 

Mohammad Nasir Uddin. 

He added truck driver 

Rahman was also killed in 

separate road accident as 

his truck collided head-on 

with another truck in 

Lakshmipur area on 

Kushtia-Jhenidah Road 

early today. 

The accidents left both 

of them dead on the spot. 

The bodies were sent to 

a hospital for autopsies. 

Joypurhat district unit of Bangladesh Chattra League held proceesion demanding punishment of 

BNP men who attacked on Bangladesh amabassay in London and deamation of Bangaandhu yesterday. 

Photo: Masrakul Alam 

Udakhali Mohila 

College academic 

building inaugurated 

at Fulchhari 

GAIBANDHA: A 4-storied 

academic building of 

Udakhali Mohila College in 

Fulchhari upazila of the 

district was inaugurated 

yesterday afternoon amid 

much enthusiasm among 

the students, the teachers 

and the guardians, reports 

BSS. 

Education Engineering 

Department (EED) 

implemented the 

construction of the building 

at a cost of TK 2.20 crore, 

EED officials said. 

Jatiya Sangshad deputy 

speaker and local lawmaker 

Advocate Md. Fazle Rabbi 

Miah formally inaugurated 

the building through 

unveiling a plaque and 

offering munajat at a 

function as the chief guest. 

He said the present 

government led by Prime 

Minister Sheikh Hasina has 

been working relentlessly for 

overall development 

including infrastructure in 

education sector to build an 

enlightened nation. 

Terming the present 

government as education 

friendly, the deputy speaker 

said initiatives had been 

taken to ensure quality 

teaching through 

multimedia class rooms to 

the students so that they 

could acquire knowledge 

and face the challenges of 

21st century. 

Experts for attaining 

self-reliance on quality 

seed production 

RANGPUR: Agriculture 

experts at a training course 

here have laid importance on 

attaining selfreliance on 

production of quality seeds of 

rice and other crops to 

increase production for 

attaining sustainable food 

security, reports BSS. 

They put special emphasis 

on developing own 

technologies for production, 

preservation 

and 

management of quality crop 

seeds, to reduce dependency 

on others, especially multinational 

companies, in 

meeting farmers' seed 

demand. 

Rangpur zonal office of 

Bangladesh Agriculture 

Development Corporation 

(BADC) organised the 

training course on "Boro Rice 

Seed Production Technology' 

for its contract growers at its 

Alamnagar Seed Production 

Centre in the city on 

Saturday. 

Joint Director of BADC 

Agriculturist Md Kabirul 

Islam presided over the 

training course participated 

by 30 contract growers of 

BADC from all over Rangpur 

zone. 

Additional General 

Manager of BADC from 

Dhaka Agriculturist Biswas 

Kutub Uddin, Joint Director 

(Rangpur Zone) Agriculturist 

AKM Saiful Islam, Deputy 

Director (Contract Growers) 

Agriculturist Mortuza Rashed 

Iqbal and Deputy Director 

(Vegetables Seed Farm) 

Agriculturist Asaduzzaman 

Khan conducted the training 

course. 

Terming agriculture and 

quality seeds the most 

Debiganj Fire 

Station foundation 

stone laid 

PANCHAGARH: The 

foundation stone of Debiganj 

Fire Service Station, to be 

built by Public Works 

Department at a cost of Taka 

two crore and 45 lakh, was 

laid here on Saturday, reports 

BSS. 

Local lawmaker Advocate 

Nurul Islam Sujon formally 

laid the foundation stone of 

the fire station at a function as 

the chief guest. 

Addressing the occasion, 

the parliament member said 

the present government of 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 

is relentlessly working for 

welfare of the people. 

He said the continuation of 

Sheikh Hasina government is 

needed for uninterrupted 

development of the country. 

important global issues, the 

experts said the country must 

develop its own technologies 

to attain selfreliance on 

quality seed production for 

ensuring a long-term food 

security despite changing 

climate. 

Agriculturist Asaduzzaman 

Khan said there is no 

alternative to achieving selfreliance 

on production of 

quality seeds and utilisation 

of the latest agri-technologies 

for enhancing crop 

production in attaining food 

security. 

Agriculturist Mortuza 

Rashed Iqbal stressed 

conducting more research on 

innovation of time-befitting 

seeds and agriculture 

technologies to keep 

agriculture production rising 

for ensuring food security 

under any situation. 

Agriculturist Biswas Kutub 

Uddin said we must develop 

our own seed and agriculture 

technologies through 

conducting continuous 

research works to meet our 

own seed demand. 

Agriculturist Kabirul Islam 

called upon the contract 

growers to enhance 

production of quality rice 

seed as well as seeds of other 

crops to meet local demand.

INTERNATIONAL 

MONDay, FeBrUary 12, 2018 

7 

Debris found near the site of an F-16 jet crash in northern Israel. 

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says 

his country will defend itself "against 

any attack" after carrying out what 

appear to be its largest strikes on sites 

in Syria in decades, reports BBC. 

Israel launched raids against Iranian 

targets after saying it had intercepted 

an Iranian drone crossing the 

Syria-Israel border. Iran denies the 

allegation. During the offensive an 

Israeli F-16 fighter jet was shot down 

by Syria air defences, crashing in 

northern Israel. Its pilots ejected from 

the plane and were taken to hospital. 

It is believed to be the first time 

Israel has lost a jet in combat since 

2006." Mr Netanyahu warned that 

Israel's policy to defend itself against 

"any attempt to harm our sovereignty" 

was "absolutely clear". 

"Iran brazenly violated Israel's sovereignty," 

he said, adding: "They dispatched 

an Iranian drone from Syrian 

territory into Israel... Israel holds Iran 

and its Syrian hosts responsible." Mr 

Netanyahu said Israel would oppose 

any attempt by Iran to entrench itself 

militarily in Syria. But he also said 

President Donald Trump on 

Saturday accused the 

Democrats of playing politics 

with classified information, 

asserting that their 

memo countering GOP allegations 

about the conduct of 

during a meeting with military chiefs 

that "Israel seeks peace". In other 

reaction: 

The US State Department said it 

supported Israel's right to defend 

itself, blaming Iran for the confrontation 

In a phone call with Mr Netanyahu, 

Russian President Vladimir Putin 

stressed the need to avoid a "dangerous 

escalation". He has been supporting 

President Assad's government in 

Syria's civil war 

UN Secretary-General Antonio 

Guterres has called for an immediate 

de-escalation in the actions that he 

said threaten a "dangerous spill-over" 

across Syria's borders. 

Israel's military says one of its combat 

helicopters downed an Iranian 

drone infiltrating Israel on Saturday. 

It tweeted footage of the incident. In 

response, Israel said it attacked Syrian 

and Iranian targets in Syria, during 

which an F-16 jet was fired upon, 

Israel says, causing it to crash. The two 

pilots were able to parachute to safety 

before it came down in an empty field 

Sri Lanka ruling coalition 

suffers in local polls 

This is the first local elections since the centre-left SLFP and centre-right 

UNP parties formed a unity government in 2015. Photo: Internet. 

Photo: Internet. 

Israel warns Iran after launching 

major raids in Syria 

near the town of Harduf in northern 

Israel. Israel says it then carried out a 

second wave of strikes on both Syrian 

and Iranian military targets. 

The Israeli military said it had inflicted 

huge damage on targets in Syria in 

the "most significant attack" of its kind 

against the country since the 1982 

Lebanon war. Syria's state media say air 

defences opened fire in response to an 

Israeli attack on a military base, hitting 

more than one plane. Iran is Israel's 

arch-enemy, and Iranian troops have 

been fighting rebel groups in Syria since 

2011. Tehran has sent military advisers, 

volunteer militias and, reportedly, hundreds 

of fighters from its Quds Force, 

the overseas arm of the Iranian Revolutionary 

Guards Corps (IRGC). It is also 

believed to have supplied thousands of 

tonnes of weaponry and munitions to 

help President Bashar al-Assad's forces 

and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah, which is 

fighting on Syria's side. Tehran has 

faced accusations that it is seeking to 

establish not just an arc of influence but 

a logistical land supply line from Iran 

through to Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

Trump accuses Democrats of 

playing politics with memo 

Colombo, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka's ruling 

coalition is on course to suffer a shocking 

defeat in local elections as the party backed 

by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is 

set to register a landslide victory, reports Al 

Jazeera. 

At 1:30pm local time (19:00 GMT), with 

most results in, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 

(SLPP) had won 44.05 percent of the 

vote. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's 

United National Party (UNP) 

garnered 31.65 percent while the President 

Maithripala Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom 

Party (SLFP) came a distant third with 9.52 

percent of the vote. 

This is the first local elections since the 

centre-left SLFP and centre-right UNP parties 

formed a unity government in August 

2015. The UNP however, is expected to win 

the Colombo Municipal Council comfortably, 

with Rosy Senanayake set to become 

the first female mayor of Sri Lanka's capital 

city. 

Saturday's result has surprised many Sri 

Lankan political analysts and is being considered 

a blow to the ruling coalition that has 

been roiled by political bickering in recent 

months. President Sirisena was particularly 

critical of the UNP in their handling of the 

economy. Many UNP ministers publicly criticised 

the president. The coalition infighting 

was clearly evident during the campaign 

trail, as both the coalition partners contested 

against each other. 

the FBI's Russia probe was a 

trap meant to "blame the 

White House for lack of 

transparency, reports Dawn. 

Citing national security 

concerns, the White House 

notified the House Intelligence 

Committee on Friday 

that the president was 

"unable" to declassify the 

Democratic memo. White 

House counsel Don McGahn 

said in a letter to the committee 

that the memo contains 

"numerous properly 

classified and especially sensitive 

passages" and asked 

the committee to revise it 

with the help of the Justice 

Department. He said Trump 

was still "inclined" to release 

the memo in the interest of 

transparency if revisions are 

made. 

The president's rejection 

of the Democratic memo 

was in contrast to his enthusiastic 

embrace of releasing 

the Republican document, 

which accuses the FBI and 

Justice Department of abusing 

their surveillance powers 

in obtaining a secret warrant 

to monitor former Trump 

campaign foreign policy 

adviser Carter Page. Even 

before reading the GOP document, 

Trump pledged to 

make it public and was overheard 

telling one congressman 

after the State of the 

Union address that he would 

"100 percent" put it out. It 

was published in full a week 

ago over the objections of 

the Justice Department. 

The Intelligence Committee's 

top Democrat, California 

Rep. Adam Schiff, criticized 

Trump for treating the two 

documents differently, saying 

the president is now seeking 

revisions by the same committee 

that produced the original 

Republican memo. Still, Schiff 

said, Democrats "look forward 

to conferring with the agencies 

to determine how we can 

properly inform the American 

people about the misleading 

attack on law enforcement by 

the GOP." The head of the 

House committee, Rep. Devin 

Nunes, R-Calif., who produced 

the GOP memo, 

encouraged Democrats to 

accept the Justice Department's 

recommendations and 

"make the appropriate technical 

changes and redactions." 

Trump has said the GOP 

memo "vindicates" him in the 

ongoing Russia investigation 

led by special counsel Robert 

Mueller. 

Indiana county 

records 4 deaths 

in 48 hours 

from moving 

snow 

A county near Chicago has 

recorded four deaths related 

to moving snow in the 48 

hours following a major winter 

storm, reports Dawn. 

Lake County, Indiana, 

Coroner Merrilee Frey, says 

Saturday that the deaths 

were related to shoveling or 

snowblowing. She issued an 

urgent message asking residents 

to be careful while 

moving snow. The Chicago 

Tribune says the four deaths 

included a 51-year-old 

woman who died in her 

home Thursday evening 

after coming in from shoveling 

snow and a 72-year-old 

man who died Friday morning 

after suffering a cardiac 

arrest while using a snowblower. 

A 67-year-old man 

died Friday afternoon after 

shoveling snow. Details of 

the fourth death in the county 

were not immediately 

available. 

The Tribune reported Friday 

that in Naperville, Illinois, 

just west of Chicago, a 

man in his 60s died after 

suffering a heart attack while 

shoveling snow. Lake County, 

Indiana, is about 45 miles 

(72 kilometers) south of 

Chicago. 

Gas explosion at 

Bolivia Carnival 

leaves 6 dead, 

28 injured 

Police in Bolivia say six 

people were killed and 

dozens injured when a street 

vendor's gas canister exploded 

near the route of the Carnival 

in the city of Orura, 

reports CNN. 

Deputy Commander Freddy 

Betancurt says the blast 

took place on a street parallel 

to where participants 

were making the folkloric 

entrance to Orura's Carnival, 

one of the most important in 

Bolivia. It created an expansive 

wave of at least 50 yards 

(meters). Betancurt said 

police believe Saturday's 

accident was caused by hot 

oil weakening the hose to the 

vendor's gas canister. 

Regional police Commander 

Romel Rana said 

the explosion left six people 

dead and 28 injured. Orura's 

Carnival draws tourists from 

Bolivia and around the 

world, and was declared a 

world heritage site by 

UNESCO. 

India, China vie 

for influence as 

crisis unfolds in 

Maldives 

As a political crisis plays out 

in the Maldives, a quiet tug 

of war is taking place around 

it, with heavyweights China 

and India vying for strategic 

dominance in the picturesque 

Indian Ocean nation, 

reports BBC. 

At first glance, Beijing and 

New Delhi want no part in 

the turmoil that erupted 

Feb. 1 when the country's 

Supreme Court overturned 

the convictions of several 

opposition politicians, 

including the president's 

main rival. Chinese and 

Indian officials spoke in usual 

diplomatic tones, saying 

they have no interest in 

interfering in the archipelago's 

internal affairs. But in 

reality, both have strategic 

regional interests to safeguard 

and are jostling for the 

upper hand. President 

Yameen Abdul Gayoom has 

sent envoys to "friendly 

nations" China, Pakistan 

and Saudi Arabia to explain 

his government's position 

since he rejected the court 

ruling, imposed a state of 

emergency last week and 

arrested two of the Supreme 

Court judges. His actions 

fueled suspicion that he has 

no intention of easing up on 

eliminating his rivals and 

tightening his hold on power 

ahead of this year's elections. 

Donald Trump: Lives 

are being ‘destroyed’ 

by allegations 

President Donald Trump says lives are being 

"destroyed by mere allegation" after two 

White House aides quit amid accusations of 

domestic abuse, reports BBC. 

"There is no recovery for someone falsely 

accused," Mr Trump tweeted. This week saw 

the departure of White House speechwriter 

David Sorensen and staff secretary Rob 

Porter. The White House has been criticised 

for its handling of the allegations and Mr 

Trump's comments quickly drew scorn. 

His remarks also come amid a worldwide 

debate over sexual harassment and the 

abuse of power. In his tweet, Mr Trump did 

not mention either man, but warned allegations 

could result in a person's "life and 

career gone". Among those to react with 

anger was Democratic Senator Patty Murray, 

who responded by saying that women's lives 

were affected every day by sexual violence 

and harassment. "I'm going to keep standing 

with them, and trusting them, even if the 

president won't," she said. 

Democratic Congresswoman Jackie Speier 

tweeted that Mr Trump's comments were 

"offensive". Some commentators objected to 

his reference to due process, for example 

pointing to his promotion of a conspiracy 

theory about former President Barack Obama's 

nationality. Mr Sorensen has been 

accused by his former wife of being violent 

and emotionally abusive, while Mr Porter 

faces allegations of domestic abuse involving 

two ex-wives. Both men deny the allegations. 

Mr Trump, who paid tribute to Mr Porter 

on Friday during a press conference in which 

he told people to "remember that he said that 

he's innocent", has himself been accused of 

sexual misconduct, something he has strongly 

denied. The president has also supported 

others who have faced abuse allegations, 

including Alabama Republican Roy Moore, 

who ran unsuccessfully for the US Senate. 

Sexual misconduct claims have hit a growing 

list of influential men around the world after 

a flurry of allegations were made against 

Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. 

The #MeToo hashtag also went viral last 

year as more and more women shared their 

harassment experiences online. 

Mr Trump tweeted that "false" abuse allegations were "shattering" 

careers. 


Flying sludge, dirty kisses at 

Brazil Carnival ‘mud party’ 

Hundreds of revelers wrestled, tackled each 

other and threw chunks of gunk while shaking 

it to samba and reggaeton Saturday at a 

Carnival beach party where clothes were 

optional but the mud was not, reports Dawn. 

The annual "Bloco da Lama," or "Mud Party," 

in this coastal town about a 4-hour drive 

from Rio de Janeiro got started when Alesandra 

Cristiana was the first person to jump 

into thick black mud in an area of mangroves 

the size of several soccer fields. With the 

tropical sun blasting a 95-degree heat, 

dozens of onlookers then followed her lead, 

soon followed by a few hundred. 

Like many mud-bathers, Cristiana, now in 

her fifth year attending, claimed the sticky 

matter had medicinal qualities. "Yuck!" 

screamed Luciana Pasiani as her sons, ages 8 

and 5, rubbed her down with sludge. "Hug 

with mud! Hug with mud!" they squealed. 

Because one coat clearly wasn't enough, 

Pasiani's husband and two male friends then 

picked her up and chucked her in. 

"This is a dream for me," said Pasiani, who 

runs a mechanic shop in a suburb of Sao 

Paulo. "It's so much fun." The messy party 

harkens back to 1986, when according to 

local lore a few teenagers hiking in a mangrove 

forest smeared themselves with mud 

to combat mosquitoes. They then paraded 

through Paraty, a former Portuguese colonial 

town with picturesque white walls in the 

downtown area. A tradition was born. These 

days, however, revelers no longer parade 

through the town, a practice that angered 

shopkeepers who watched their snow-white 

walls get sullied with flying soil. Instead, the 

partygoers stick to the mangroves and 

adjoining beach. Luiz Antonio Simas, a Carnival 

historian, said the mud party encapsulates 

how celebrations in small Brazilian 

cities reflect their origins. In Paraty, fishing 

and ocean culture dominate, so a beach party 

makes sense. "These parties are also less 

tense than Carnival celebrations in bigger 

cities, which often have more political 

themes," said Simas. 

A popular tourist destination, many foreigners 

visiting Paraty got into the fun. Max 

Johnson and Heidi Anderson, a couple from 

Sweden, did their best to kiss while completely 

covered in sludge. "It's definitely a bit 

nasty," said Anderson. "But it's Carnival, so 

you can do whatever you want." "If you want 

to kiss somebody with a poopy-looking face, 

you can do that," she added. 

Elizabeth Oviedo, from Chile, followed 

other women in stripping off her bikini top 

and plastering her chest with mud. "It's no 

big deal, the mud covers you," Oviedo told 

her friend, Alejandra Nalda, who initially 

gave her a disapproving look but then pulled 

her top off, too. 

After spreading mud all over her body, 

Nalda got out and grabbed her cellphone for 

a selfie. Her phone had a special plastic that 

vendors sell for the event, while other 

partiers used Saran wrap, plastic grocery 

bags or selfie sticks to protect their devices. 

As they stood covered in mud, Alosio Gomes 

de Oliveira and his wife of 33 years reflected 

on how their adult daughters no longer 

wanted to go on vacation with them. 

"They say we are old," said De Oliveira, 

from Rio. "Maybe after seeing photos of us 

on this trip they will say we are not so, so 

old." As the party was winding down, a group 

of young men ran through the crowds looking 

for anybody who was not completely 

mud-covered. Any violator was hugged and 

had his or her face wiped with mud, including 

an Associated Press reporter who up 

until then had managed to stay relatively 

clean. "Everybody has to change and let go 

during Carnival," said Diego Prestes, from 

Sao Paulo, as he applied the mud. "Having 

fun is the only thing that is important." 

Indonesia bus crash 

kills 27; police say 

brakes failed 

A packed tourist bus returning from an outing 

collided with a motorbike and plunged 

from a hill on Indonesia's main island of 

Java after its brakes apparently malfunctioned, 

killing at least 27 people, police said 

Sunday, reports BBC. 

At least 18 others were hospitalized with 

injuries, some in critical condition, following 

the crash Saturday on a winding slope in 

Subang in West Java province, said local 

police chief Muhammad Joni. Television 

footage showed police, soldiers and medical 

personnel evacuating the victims from the 

upside-down bus, which was carrying more 

than 40 local tourists. The bus was headed 

for Tangerang, a satellite city just south of the 

capital, Jakarta, from West Java's 

Tangkuban Perahu, a popular mountainous 

resort. 

Joni said police were still investigating the 

cause of the accident, but a preliminary 

investigation showed the brakes malfunctioned 

while the bus was going up the hill 

and rolled down, hitting a motorbike before 

falling into a grass field. Most of the victims 

died instantly, Joni said. Police were questioning 

the bus driver, who suffered light 

injuries.

ART & CULTURE 

MoNDAy, 

FeBRUARy 12, 2018 

8 

Akshay starrer PadMan 

charged with plagiarism 

Ripu Daman Jaiswal claims that 

PadMan has been copied from the 

script he had written and submitted to 

Dharma Productions last year. He has 

tweeted and written a Facebook post in 

which he charges PadMan makers of 

plagiarism, reports The Indian Express. 

After a smooth release at the theaters, 

PadMan seems to be facing 

controversies, one after another. After 

PadMan challenge being at the 

receiving end for just being a 

promotional strategy with no long-term 

aim of educating people about 

menstrual hygiene, the makers have 

been blamed with plagiarism charges 

by a man who claims that he had 

written the script for PadMan even 

before Twinkle Khanna had announced 

the film. Ripu Daman Jaiswal has been 

posting on Twitter and Facebook and 

has been trying to get his voice heard. 

On December 20, 2017, Ripu posted 

on Facebook saying that he had sent the 

synopsis of the film to Dharma 

Vishal Bhardwaj directorial, starring 

Deepika Padukone, is based on the life 

and times of Ashraf Khan, popularly 

known as Sapna Didi, who was a feared 

name in the underworld. The film is set 

to hit the theatres by year end, reports 

The Indian Express. 

Deepika Padukone, who will be seen 

as gangster Sapna Didi in her next film, 

Productions' creative head and also to 

Vikramaditya Motwane. He wrote, "I 

had registered the film on 5th of 

December 2016 from SCREEN 

WRITER ASSOCIATION and sent to 

Ryan Stephan (Karan johar's 

production - Creative head) and 

personally to Vikram Aditya Motwane. 

And you know what happened? After 

ten days on 16th of December 2016, I 

heard the news that Mrs. Twinkle 

Khanna revealed that her production is 

making a film based on his life, starring 

AKSHAY KUMAR." 

After the film's release, Ripu tweeted 

about how some of the scenes have 

been taken up from the script he had 

written, "Intermission of PadMan. 11 

scenes has been copied from my script 

uptil now and even one of the character. 

That's it. I am definitely going to court. I 

remember I was in the library when I 

wrote this dialogue and was truly elated. 

Honestly, I surprised myself that day. 

Tell me, how on earth can you steal 

says the "incredible" story of the lady 

don encouraged her to take up the 

project. After portraying the role of Rani 

Padmavati in "Padmaavat", Deepika 

will portray the mafia queen in Vishal 

Bhardwaj's next directorial venture. "I 

guess I am drawn to strong characters. I 

am very excited to play this part. Like 

'Padmaavat' was a 13th century old 

someone's dialogue? This is unfair." 

I remember I was in the library when 

I wrote this dialogue and was truly 

elated. Honestly, I surprised myself that 

day. Tell me, how on earth can you steal 

someone's dialogue? This is unfair. 

Intermission of PadMan. 11 scenes has 

been copied from my script uptil now 

and even one of the character. That's it. 

I am definitely going to court. As a 

writer, it is your duty to never justify 

characters and plot in the name of god. 

If you do that, you're lying to yourself as 

well as millions of people 

reading/watching you. Yes, you'll earn a 

lot of money and fame, but you'll live in 

remorse your entire life. 

I can't tell you how hard it is to see the 

film I have written with so much 

passion & integrity going away from 

me. Every day, every moment I feel 

cheated with faith. I just hope that the 

cosmos give me enough strength to 

survive this hard times. I am trying real 

hard to survive. 

Deepika opens up about her role 

in Vishal Bhardwaj’s next 

story that even after so many years the 

power of women is visible to all today. 

We are standing up for ourselves with 

dignity. I find her journey so relevant." 

"It is going to be similar with Vishal sir's 

film. It is based on Sapna Didi, I don't 

know what the title is at the moment. It 

is a true story. It is an incredible story, 

her transformation is amazing," 

Padukone said in a media interaction 

here. 

The movie is based on the life and 

times of Ashraf Khan, popularly known 

as Sapna Didi, who was a feared name 

in the underworld. According to media 

reports, Khan was married to a man 

who worked under don Dawood 

Ibrahim. Apparently, after Dawood got 

her husband killed in a police 

encounter, she decided to avenge his 

death. 

Khan joined hands with Hussaid 

Ustara, a man who hated Dawood, and 

also had a short stint as a police 

informer to bring him down. She 

reportedly hatched a plan to kill 

Dawood at the Sharjah Cricket 

Stadium, but it turned out that the 

notorious underworld don had ordered 

that she be murdered in the most brutal 

manner. 

Produced by Prernaa Arora's Kriarj 

Entertainment, the film is an 

adaptation of S Hussain Zaidi's book 

"Mafia Queens of Mumbai". Deepika 

Padukone Reveals What It Takes To 

Turn Into Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 

Leading Lady Deepika said she is elated 

to start working on the film. 

This deleted scene from Thor 

Ragnarok shows Jeff Goldblum's 

Grandmaster appearing as a 

hologram as Chris Hemsworth's 

Thor and Mark Ruffalo's Bruce 

Banner discuss their misfortunes, 

reports Dawn. 

Thor Ragnarok was one of the 

funniest superheroes movies by 

Marvel. With its heady mixture of 

stunningly beautiful imagery, 

exciting action and trademark Taika 

Watiti humour, Ragnarok revived 

the Thor franchise that had been one 

of the farthest corners of the galaxy 

that is Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Everybody has their favourite 

parts of the film. Some like Chris 

Hemsworth and his portrayal of the 

God (not Lord, mind you) of 

Thunder, some like Tom 

Hiddleston's wiggly Loki, some 

others like Tessa Thompson's 

badass Valkyrie and some prefer 

Mark Ruffalo's green rage monster, 

Hulk. Mine was Jeff Goldblum's 

ridiculously funny Grandmaster, 

the owner of the planet Sakaar, 

where Thor found Hulk, Loki, and 

Valkyrie. Goldblum, like a fine 

wine, gets better with age. All the 

exhilarating action and colourful 

visuals aside, his scenes were the 

ones I enjoyed the most. 

And this is why this deleted scene, 

that would presumably be included 

in the home video disc release of the 

film, has delighted me. We saw Jeff 

Goldblum showing his unhinged 

side as the Grandmaster, presiding 

over battles to deaths on his home 

planet Sakaar. The scene shows 

Thor sitting in a room, somewhere 

on Sakaar, and watching the 

Grandmaster on a hologram, 

The makers of Race 3 have already 

wrapped the first schedule of this 

much-awaited film, starring Salman 

Khan alongside Jacqueline 

Fernandez. Remo D Souza, the 

director, had shared a couple of stills 

previously, updating the fans on the 

shooting schedule, reports The 

Indian Express. 

After wrapping up the first 

schedule in Mumbai, the Race 3 

team, including Salman Khan, 

Bobby Deol and Daisy Shah among 

others, have headed to Bangkok. The 

team is reportedly shooting for the 

next song in the city. Earlier, 

director Remo D Souza had shared a 

couple of stills giving an update to 

Salman fans about his whereabouts 

and development of the film. 

This is for the first time when 

Remo and Salman will be working 

together. The team has already shot 

for Race title track Allah Duhai. 

Some of the stills from the sets were 

shared by Anil Kapoor, who is the 

only actor from the earlier 

installments of the action-thriller 

Thor Ragnarok deleted 

scene about Goldblum's 

charmingly unhinged 

Grandmaster 

doing… well, doing what 

Grandmaster would do. 

And this involves the 'action' with 

some aliens which we assume is 

happening inside the ship that Thor 

and company stole to escape 

Sakaar. The infamous orgy ship. 

After a while, Bruce Banner appears 

with a bowl of food. Thor, 

awkwardly, turns off the hologram. 

Valkyrie, too, makes an 

appearance. 

Salman heads 

to Bangkok 

for Race 3 

franchise to reprise his role. 

Since the announcement of the 

film and its star cast, a lot of buzz 

has been created amongst the fan 

about the film. Recently, the makers 

also announced that Jacqueline 

would be seen performing pole 

dance in this multi-starrer. In a 

press statement, Remo D'Souza said, 

"Jacqueline is a very hardworking 

girl. It is amazing to see what she has 

accomplished with the pole dance 

form in such a short span of time. 

We have all seen glimpses of her 

pole dance skills. Hence, we decided 

to include it in Race 3 and take it to 

the next level." 

The director on working with 

Salman had earlier stated, "I don't 

have words to express how it feels to 

work with him. As a director, I can't 

say that it was amazing, really, there 

are no words. You have to be with 

him, be on the set. When you stand 

before him, then you realize what 

you are doing." 

Race 3 is being produced by 

Salman Khan Films and Ramesh 

Taurani of Tips Films. The film is 

scheduled to release on Eid 2018. 

H o R o S c o P e 

ARIeS 

(March 21 - April 20): If others go out of 

their way to pick holes in your 

arguments today just ignore them. 

Having said that, it could be there is 

something you have overlooked and at least one 

kind person will try to warn you, so don't be too 

eager to be rude. 

TAURUS 

(April 21 - May 21): Your main task 

today is to resist the temptation to look 

at the world as if everything that 

happens is a disaster or a tragedy. Focus 

only on good news today - there is still plenty of it if 

you care to look. It's about attitude, not events. 

GeMINI 

(May 22 - June 21): Check the small 

print carefully before putting pen to 

paper today because you could have 

been misled into thinking that you 

have got the best of a deal when, in fact, others will 

profit a lot more than you do. Details are always 

important. 

cANceR 

(June 22 - July 23): The more others 

want you to do something you don't 

think is in your best interests the more 

you must resist. Your arguments for 

giving it a miss may not sound convincing but what 

matters is that you stick to your guns. They can't 

force you. 

Leo 

(July 24 - Aug. 23): Cosmic activity in 

your fellow fire sign of Aries has filled 

your head with no end of big ideas but 

not all of them are practical, so don't get 

carried away. You are under no obligation to hurry, 

so bide your time and think things through. 

VIRGo 

(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): Someone who 

usually has only nice things to say 

about you will go right the other way 

and say something hurtful today, but 

you must not let it get to you. Sometimes you can 

be too sensitive for your own good. Don't take 

yourself so seriously. 

LIBRA 

(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): You have 

nothing to prove and lots to gain and 

everything to look forward to. That is 

the message of the stars today and 

even if you don't quite believe it what happens 

over the next few days will bring a smile to your 

face. It's about time! 

ScoRPIo 

(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22): If someone you 

don't know very well tells you what a 

great guy you are it's a sure sign they are 

after something. That something is 

most likely to be your money, so act cool and don't 

give them a thing, no matter how nicely they ask. 

SAGITTARIUS 

(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): Your current run 

of good fortune is sure to come to an 

end eventually but there is no reason 

to suppose it will be any time soon. 

The planets indicate there are plenty of good 

things still to look forward to, the first of which 

will arrive today. 

cAPRIcoRN 

(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): For some strange 

reason you can see enemies in every 

direction at the moment but most if 

not all of them exist only in your 

imagination, so get a grip on yourself and get 

things done. Your only real enemy is your lack of 

self-belief. 

AQUARIUS 

(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19): You tend to believe in 

yourself to such a degree that you think 

nothing is beyond you, and that's good, 

but even an Aquarius has limits and you 

may need to remind yourself what those limits are. A 

little bit of realism will go a long way. 

PISceS 

(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20): Yes, you should 

let other people have the last word. 

Yes, you should let other people lead 

the way. You may not entirely 

approve of what they say, still less of what they 

do, but so long as you don't get the blame why 

should you worry?

SPORTS 

MONDAy, FEBRUARy 12, 2018 

9 

Herath isn't battling father time, he has cut a deal with him. 

Pakistan gears 

up to host PSL 

final in Karachi 

KARACHI: Foreign experts on 

Sunday inspected security 

arrangements in Karachi, 

which is scheduled to stage the 

final of Pakistan's Twenty20 

league next month -- the city's 

first international match in nine 

years, reports BSS. 

The third season of the 

Pakistan Super League starts in 

the United Arab Emirates on 

February 22. The tournament 

will move to Pakistan for two 

play-offs on March 20-21 and 

the final in Karachi on March 

25. Security experts Reg 

Dickason and Richard Dennis 

witnessed a full dress rehearsal 

for the final in Karachi. They 

were also briefed by Pakistani 

security and government 

officials on the arrangements. 

"Whatever we have 

witnessed today, it's as good 

as I have seen in all my years 

of work but I can't say a final 

word (on hosting the final) 

now and will submit my 

report within the next seven 

days," Dickason told media. 

The team's report will be 

integral to paving the way for 

the final. International cricket 

in Pakistan was suspended 

after a 2009 militant attack on 

the Sri Lankan team in Lahore 

killed eight people and injured 

seven visiting players. 

Pakistan's national team has 

since played nearly all its 

home matches in the UAE. 

The country has been battling 

Islamist militants for over a 

decade, and insurgents have 

carried out several highprofile 

attacks across the 

country. Authorities have been 

trying to gradually return 

international cricket to 

Pakistan. The final of the PSL 

last year was played in Lahore. 

Some foreign players made the 

trip, but many stayed away 

because of concerns about 

security. That was followed by 

three T20s against a World XI 

in September, and one T20 

against Sri Lanka in October -- 

all in Lahore. Pakistan made 

unprecedented security 

arrangements for these 

matches, with 20,000 military 

and police officials guarding the 

visiting players and the 

stadium. 


Postponed men’s downhill 

to be raced Thursday 

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea: The blue 

riband men's downhill, scheduled to open the 

Olympic alpine skiing programme, will be 

raced Thursday after high winds forced its 

postponement Sunday, reports BSS. 

"Due to the strong wind and unfavourable 

forecast for today, the men's downhill is 

postponed," the International Ski Federation 

(FIS) announced. "The jury has decided to 

switch the official programme and has 

rescheduled the men's downhill for Thursday, 

February 15, and the men's super-G on Friday, 

February 16," FIS said, with the downhill set to 

start at 0200 GMT. The downhill training for 

the men's combined event scheduled for 

Monday has also been cancelled. 

It is not the first time Mother Nature has 

played havoc with the best laid plans for alpine 

skiing at the Olympics. Four years ago in 

Sochi, the latter part of the programme was 

rescheduled because of poor weather while 

the downhill in Vancouver in 2010 was put 

back two days because of heavy snow and 

rain. 

The downhill at the 1998 Nagano Games 

was rescheduled on three occasions, also 

because of heavy snow and rain. Just prior to 

the postponement, FIS said the "hill is closed 

to everyone", meaning that the gondola that 

transports athletes, their backroom staff, 

timing and course officials up to the 

Jeongseon slope would not be running. 

Luckily for the male racers, they managed to 

get three downhill training sessions in under 

their belts, racing the third in similarly gloomy 

weather forecasts that eased at the last 

minute. 

- Contingency plans - 

Given that skiing is an outdoor event, at the 

mercy of the elements, its Olympic 

programme is always designed with 

contingencies at hand. The 11 medal events in 

Pyeongchang are run over 17 days, with racers 

having to have completed at least one 

downhill training run in order to be able to 

compete in the downhill proper. The 

scheduling allows FIS to be able to tinker with 

the line-up, often bringing forward more 

technical events like slalom and giant slalom 

which can at a push be raced in heavy snow for 

instance. 

"We kind of expected this downhill to be 

postponed due to wind, but at the same time 

the guys were charged up and ready to go," 

said Sasha Rearick, the men's alpine head 

coach of the US team. 

"With this being an outdoor sport, it is not 

abnormal." Rearick said racers now have to 

"harness (energy), stay relaxed, and then be 

able to ramp back up". France's Brice Roger, 

one of the outsiders for the downhill, added: 

"We downhillers are used to it, it happens 

quite regularly. "It's now a question of not 

losing energy," he said. "We'll keep busy, get 

the cards out, do a bit of sport and the day'll 

pass quietly. "We've just switched on the 

television so we'll watch a bit of the ice 

skating." 

Coleman puts on speed show 

at Boston Grand Prix 

BOSTON: Christian Coleman, who won the 

100 metres silver medal last year at the 

World Championships, cruised to victory in 

the men's 60 metres on Saturday at the 

Boston Indoor Grand Prix, reports BSS. 

The 21-year-old Coleman clocked 6.46 

seconds as he easily beat Xie Zhenye of 

China, who finished in 6.54 at the Reggie 

Lewis Center. 

Last month, Coleman ran a 6.37 indoors in 

his season-opening race to record the fastest 

time in history over the distance. 

"I am just trying to fine tune and stay on top 

of things," Coleman said. "I have really been 

focusing on my start and it is paying off. 

"I don't like to put a limit or specific time on 

how fast I can go. I just try to compete every 

race." Coleman, of the US, stumbled slightly 

out of the blocks but was still able to hold off 

a late charge from Xie, who was runner-up 

for the second straight year. American Noah 

Lyles placed third in 6.57. 

Xie is rounding into form ahead of Indoor 

Worlds next month in Birmingham, 

England, as he also ran a 6.57 last week in 

New York. 

The Boston indoor meet is the fourth stop 

on the IAAF World Indoor Tour circuit and 

it comes just one week before the US indoor 

championships which start Friday in 

Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

Coleman says he is looking forward to 

running the 60m in Albuquerque. 

"I wanted to come out today and execute. 

Make sure everything is a go for next week," 

he said. Kenyan Olympic hero Edward 

Cheserek capped the day's races with a solid 

victory in the men's 3,000m. 

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid thrashed Real Sociedad to warm up for 

Wednesday's Champions League tie with Paris St-Germain. Photo: BBC. 

Japan Olympic 

ice hockey 

forward Ukita 

banned for 

one game 

GANGNEUNG, South 

Korea: Japanese women's 

forward Rui Ukita was 

suspended for one game 

of the Pyeongchang 

Winter Olympics on 

Sunday by the 

International Ice Hockey 

Federation due to a 

kicking incident against 

Sweden, reports BSS. 

Ukita will miss 

Monday's group-stage 

contest 

against 

Switzerland but will be 

able to return for 

Wednesday's game 

against the United North 

and South Korean women. 

The violation came with 

48 seconds remaining in 

Japan's loss Saturday to 

Sweden. During a puck 

battle in front of the 

Swedish bench, Sweden's 

Annie Svedin pushed 

Ukita to the ice. 

While Svedin was over 

Ukita, the Japanese player 

made a kicking action 

directed to the lower body 

of the Swede. 

A disciplinary panel, 

based on videos and other 

evidence, determined the 

kick was not mere 

momentum of the play but 

a clear leg movement in 

Svedin's direction. 

Although 

the 

announcement said the 

panel did not believe 

Ukita intended to injure 

Svedin, the swinging kick 

so near a rival was a 

violation. 

Newcomer Klassen becomes new Pink-Day hero. 

Olympics hit 

by cyberattack, 

source not 

revealed 

PYEONGCHANG: Olympic 

officials on Sunday said a 

cyberattack 

was 

responsible for an internet 

and wifi shutdown during 

the Pyeongchang Winter 

Games opening ceremony, 

but refused to say who was 

responsible, reports BSS. 

Internal systems crashed 

just before Friday's 

ceremony but didn't 

disrupt the high-tech gala, 

which was attended by 

VIPs including the sister of 

North Korean leader Kim 

Jong Un, and US Vice- 

President Mike Pence. 

Cyber security experts 

had warned of potential 

attacks on the Winter 

Olympics, with both North 

Korea and Russia touted as 

possible sources. In 

January, a malware attack 

targeted organisations 

involved with the 

Olympics. 

South Korea's defence 

ministry and cybersecurity 

experts are included in the 

taskforce investigating 

Friday's attack, but the 

possible culprit is being 

kept under wraps. 

"We are not going to 

reveal the source," said 

Sung Baik-you, spokesman 

for the Games' local 

organisers. 

Wenger fears 

Arsenal’s top four 

chances are in peril 

LONDON: Arsene Wenger conceded 

Arsenal's hopes of ending their Champions 

League exile are in severe danger after Harry 

Kane condemned them to a damaging 1-0 

defeat against bitter rivals Tottenham, 

reports BSS. 

Kane's second half header at Wembley on 

Saturday left Wenger's sixth placed side 

languishing six points adrift of the Premier 

League's top four. 

Worryingly for Wenger, that gap could 

grow even bigger on Sunday when fourth 

placed Liverpool play their game in hand at 

Southampton. Failing to qualify for next 

season's Champions League via a top four 

finish would be another hammer blow for 

beleaguered Arsenal boss Wenger, whose 

team had to settle for a berth in the far less 

attractive Europa League this term. 

Wenger acknowledged that depressing fate 

is staring Arsenal in the face again following 

Kane's latest act of vengeance against the 

club that rejected him as a youngster. 

"It's a game we couldn't afford to lose, it 

makes it much more difficult," Wenger said. 

"We have to fight, there was more at stake 

than just the derby, that's why it's so 

disappointing. 

"It's very disappointing because the 

priority is to be in the Champions League via 

the top four. "I'm not a big fan of the Europa 

League winner getting into the Champions 

League. It's not right, but if it is an 

opportunity we have to take it." 

It was a frustrating afternoon for Wenger, 

whose side were out-played for long periods 

as new signings Pierre-Emerick 

Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan 

failed to shine in their first taste of the north 

London derby. Arsenal's wretched away 

record against teams in the top five -- they 

haven't won their last 16 of those fixtures -- 

left Wenger cursing a lack of cutting edge 

and a defence that wilted when Kane rose to 

head home from Christian Eriksen's cross. 

- Wenger woes - 

"We missed chances on the counter attack 

that are not acceptable at this level. Then at 

the start of the second half we should have 

lost the game by more," he said. 

"At the top level you have to be mentally 

strong enough to take the chances. 

"We can only look at ourselves at the goal, 

but I don't think we lack hunger in defence. 

"We were caught by a super striker, he is 

one of the best in the world. he scores against 

everyone. "The away record is very poor. we 

don't score enough goals away from home." 

In contrast to Wenger's woes, Tottenham 

manager Mauricio Pochettino was searching 

for fresh ways to praise Kane. The England 

star's 32nd club goal of the season means he 

has now scored seven times in seven leagues 

games against Arsenal. 

Not for the first time, Pochettino made it 

clear Kane deserves to be ranked among the 

world's best strikers. "Of course Harry is one 

of the best in the world. I have repeated that 

for the last few years," he said. "Sometimes 

you believe that he is my player and I try to 

boost him. I'm telling you and I tell again, in 

my experience in football, he is one of the 

best. "He deserves to be one of the best. It's 

so good to have him in our side. 

Harry every game he has the same energy." 

In the first north London derby at 

Wembley for 25 years, Tottenham extended 

their recent mastery over Arsenal, who have 

won only once in the last eight league 

meetings with their hated neighbours. 

Tottenham are unbeaten in their last nine 

league matches and remain in a good 

position to qualify for the Champions 

League. Damaging Arsenal's hopes was an 

added bonus and Pochettino added: "If you 

analyse the game, we created many chances. 

"My players were fantastic, they deserve 

the full credit, now keep going. "We are 

doing a fantastic job. It's important for the 

belief of the team and confidence." 


Kohli rues missed chances as South 

Africa keep series alive 

JOHANNESBURG: Indian captain Virat 

Kohli lamented two crucial errors which 

effectively cost his team a chance of 

wrapping up the series in the fourth 

one-day international against South 

Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on 

Saturday, reports BSS. 

"You have to take your chances in this 

game," said Kohli after David Miller 

escaped twice in one over at a time when 

India seemed to have taken control. 

South Africa chased down a rainreduced 

target of 202 in 28 overs with 

five wickets and 15 balls to spare to keep 

alive their hopes of sharing the sixmatch 

series after losing the first three 

games. 

But the home team's chances looked 

slim when returning star AB de Villiers 

was fourth man out with 100 runs still 

needed and only 67 balls remaining. 

In the next over David Miller, on six, 

was dropped by Shreyas Iyer at deep 

square leg off leg-spinner Yuzvendra 

Chahal. Back on strike in the same over 

he missed a sweep and was bowled -- 

only to be recalled when a replay 

showed Chahal had sent down a no-ball. 

Miller went on to hit 39 and shared a 

quickfire stand of 72 with Heinrich 

Klaasen, whose 43 not out off 27 balls 

earned him the man of the match award. 

Two weather interruptions played a 

key role. India were 200 for two, with 

Shikhar Dhawan on 107 not out when 

the threat of lightning caused a 

stoppage after 34.2 overs. 

Dhawan added only two runs after the 

resumption and India lost five wickets 

for 89 runs to finish with a slightly 

disappointing 289 for seven. 

South Africa were 43 for one after 7.2 

overs when lightning, followed by rain, 

caused a lengthy delay. They came came 

back needing another 159 runs off 20.4 

overs. 

"It basically became a T20 game," said 

Kohli. "We did not grab our chances so 

we did not deserve to win." 

Indian spinners Chahal and left-armer 

Kuldeep Yadav, who took 21 wickets 

between them in the first three matches, 

conceded a combined 119 runs off 11.3 

overs on Saturday as they struggled to 

control a wet ball against aggressive 

batting. 

"It was nice to put some pressure on 

the Indians. The message today was to 

put fear aside," said South African 

captain Aiden Markram. 

Kohli, the star of a series in which 

India hold an unbeatable 3-0 lead, 

played another valuable innings, hitting 

75 in a second-wicket stand of 178 with 

Dhawan. His 83-ball innings took Kohli 

to 393 runs for a series in which he has 

only been dismissed twice. 

It was the third successive big 

partnership between Dhawan and Kohli. 

They put on an unbeaten 93 in chasing 

down a small target in the second match 

in Centurion and added 140 in setting 

up a win in the third match in Cape 

Town. 

This time, though, it was the lefthanded 

Dhawan who made the biggest 

contribution, hitting his 13th ODI 

century in his 100th match in the 

format. His 109 runs were scored off 

105 balls, with ten fours and two sixes.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS 

MONDAy, 

THE 

BANGLADESHTODAY 

FEBRuARy 12, 2018 

10 

The business review meeting-2018 of greater Comilla and Noakhali regions branch managers of Karmasangsthan Bank held 

on Saturday at Nazrul Institute, Comilla. Managing Director of the bank Md. Abul Hossain attended as chief guest.Bank's 

General Manager M H Md. Ali Karim was present in the meeting as special guest. Deputy General Manager Mohammad Shafiul 

Azam presided over the meeting. 

Photo: Courtesy 

China's January inflation eases 

on carryover effect 

China's consumer price 

index (CPI) rose 1.5 percent 

year-on-year in January, in 

line with economist 

forecasts. 

The index was down from 

December's 1.8 percent, 

driven largely by the 

carryover effect, National 

Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 

statistician Sheng Guoqing 

said Friday. 

"Food and non-food prices 

surged in January last year 

when the Spring Festival 

holiday formed a high base 

effect, help bringing the 

index down last month by 

0.3 percentage points," said 

Lian Ping, chief economist 

with the Bank of 

Communications. 

Service and non-food 

prices climbed 2.3 percent 

and 2 percent year on year, 

respectively, according to 

the NBS. 

On a monthly basis, CPI 

was up 0.6 percent, higher 

than the 0.3-percent in the 

previous month. 

The month-on-month rise 

was mainly attributed to 

higher food prices, 

influenced by bad weather, 

according to Sheng. 

"The inflation in February 

would probably be the 

highest this year since the 

CPI was 0.8 percent during 

the same period last year, 

the lowest month in 2017," 

Lian said. However, the 

possible index hike in 

February will not bring 

much inflationary pressure 

to the whole year as it cannot 

last. 

Lian forecast that the CPI 

in 2018 might stand at 2 

percent on average, higher 

than the 1.6 percent 

registered in 2017, but well 

below the government target 

of 3 percent. 

Consumer demand will 

not be strong enough to prop 

up a high-rising CPI, given 

that China has been 

stepping up efforts to 

deleverage and contain 

financial risks as it looks to 

move from high-speed to 

high-quality growth. 

The CPI figures came 

alongside the release of the 

producer price index, which 

rose 4.3 percent year-onyear 

in January, driven by 

fast price rises of raw 

materials and minerals. 

It was down from a growth 

of 4.9 percent recorded in 

December, according to the 

bureau. On a monthly basis, 

the index was up 0.3 

percent, down from 0.8 

percent the previous month. 

For the whole of 2017, the 

PPI climbed 6.3 percent 

compared with a 1.4-percent 

drop in 2016, ending 

declines for the previous five 

years. 

Looking ahead, Lian 

expects the PPI in 2018 to be 

around 3.5 percent, lower 

than last year, driven mainly 

by the carryover effect. 

Analysts say the mild 

inflation leaves ample room 

for the government's macro 

policy maneuvers. 

Tian Guoqiang, professor 

with Shanghai University of 

Finance and Economics, 

said that China would be 

able to make better use of 

monetary and fiscal policies 

to relieve the burden for the 

real economy. 

China will adopt a prudent 

and neutral monetary policy 

and a proactive fiscal policy 

this year, according to the 

central economic work 

conference in December. 

With a low inflation level, 

the country can continue to 

deepen supply-side 

structural reform, raise 

innovation capacity and 

competitiveness of the 

economy and push forward 

high-quality development, 

Tian said. 

High-quality development 

is the "fundamental 

requirement" for 

determining development, 

economic policies and 

macroeconomic regulation, 

according to policymakers. 

Oil majors strike it 

rich on rising 

crude prices 

The world's leading oil 

companies published a 

bumper crop in profits last 

year as rising crude prices 

helped turn their fortunes 

around, but they remain 

cautious and are unlikely to 

rush out on a new spending 

spree just yet. 

In a flourish of earnings 

reports over the past week, 

the picture painted by 

majors ranging from 

ExxonMobil and Chevron to 

BP, Royal Dutch Shell and 

Total has been a very rosy 

one. French giant Total saw 

its bottom line jump by 

more than a third, Shell's net 

profit tripled, ExxonMobil's 

fourth-quarter earnings rose 

nearly five-fold, Norway's 

Statoil swung back into the 

black and BP's profits 

soared. 

In fact, "2017 was one of 

the strongest years in BP's 

recent history," the British 

group's chief executive Bob 

Dudley told his annual 

earnings news conference. 

Key to this success was the 

steady rise in crude prices in 

recent months, driven by a 

landmark deal between oilproducing 

countries both 

inside and outside the OPEC 

cartel to reduce the 

worldwide glut in supply by 

throttling output. 

Correspondingly, after 

falling from $115 per barrel 

in 2014 to under $35 at the 

start of 2016, oil prices have 

been rising, from an average 

$44 in 2016 to $54 in 2017 

to nearly $70 this month. 

Flush with their newfound 

profits, the oil majors 

have raised dividends and 

announced share buy-back 

programmes, eager to make 

it up to their shareholders 

who have become restive 

after having to do with 

meagre payouts for years. 

But it's still a far shot from 

the heady days of old. 

Companies have learned 

to live with low oil prices, 

slashing costs and 

investment to become leaner 

and fitter, and said they have 

little intention of 

abandoning that regime any 

time soon. Shell's CEO Ben 

van Beurden said he now 

always works on the 

assumption that oil prices 

would remain "lower 

forever". 

"We're sticking to the costcutting 

programmes, despite 

the rise in crude prices," said 

Total chief executive Patrick 

Pouyanne. Such prudence is 

evident in the only modest 

uptick in investment in 

upstream exploration and 

production activities. 

Globally, these 

investments rose by four 

percent to $389 billion last 

year and should increase by 

a modest two-to-six percent 

again this year, according to 

estimates published by IFP 

Energies Nouvelles this 

week. 

By comparison, the 

amount totalled $683 billion 

in 2014. 

Developments vary from 

region to region, and the 

anticipated growth this year 

is driven almost entirely by 

independent companies and 

US shale firms, whose 

overheads are much lower. 

The majors, for their part, 

expect to cut investment in 

exploration and production 

by 16 percent this year. 

"There's been a sigh of 

relief across the boardrooms 

of the global oil and gas 

companies as higher prices 

have boosted results 

significantly," said David 

Elmes, energy specialist at 

the Warwick Business 

School. 

"But there's also a 

hesitancy and uncertainty 

about the longer term which 

is tempering any return to 

full speed ahead," he said. 

Companies are holding 

back because oil prices look 

set to remain volatile and 

vulnerable to fluctuation. 

Demand for oil from 

energy-hungry economies, 

such as China and India, is 

expected to remain robust. 

But the market's muchneeded 

rebalancing could be 

jeopardised by increased 

production by US shale 

companies. 

"I'm certain that US 

independents will again 

invest a lot to profit from a 

price of $60 per barrel and 

ramp up shale production, 

so the market is going to 

remain volatile," said Total's 

Pouyanne. 

China central bank skips 

open market operations 

for 13th consecutive 

working day 

China's central bank 

suspended open market 

operations for the 13th 

consecutive working day 

Sunday, citing sufficient 

liquidity in the banking 

system. 

The move is to offset the 

influence from factors such 

as the use of Contingent 

Reserve Arrangement 

(CRA) and fiscal 

expenditure to maintain 

stable liquidity in the 

banking system, said the 

People's Bank of China 

(PBOC) on its website. 

Wall Street's plunge this week has 

brought scrutiny to complex niche 

products to trade on volatility that 

market experts believe were poorly 

structured and exacerbated swings in 

stocks. 

Only days before markets began to 

go haywire, Barclays chief executive 

Jes Staley warned about the risky 

investments at the World Economic 

Forum in Davos. 

Many investors were using the 

exchange-traded products to place 

bets that volatility would stay low or 

go down, a "very smart" wager during 

a period of persistently low volatility, 

Staley said. "But if this thing turns, 

hold on to your hat," he added. 

That change took place on Monday 

as the Dow Jones Industrial Average 

was in the midst of a more than 1,000 

point drop that included a violent 

800-point dive in the blue-chip index 

over 10 minutes. 

During that period, the CBOE 

Volatility Index, known as the "VIX" 

index, also shot higher. 

That shift spelled instant losses for 

"short-vol" trading vehicles, 

including exchange traded products 

by Japanese bank Nomura and 

Credit Suisse that had predicted 

volatility would go down, known as a 

"short" investment. 

Because the VIX is known 

unofficially as Wall Street's "fear" 

index over possible bad future 

outcomes, a sudden surge likely 

S.Korea's exports fall 

in early February on 

less business days 

South Korea's exports fell in the first 10 

days of February due to less business days, 

the customs office data showed Sunday. 

Exports, which account for about half of 

the economy, reached 14.8 billion U.S. 

dollars during the Feb. 1-10 period, 

according to the Korea Customs Service. 

It was down 1.8 percent from the same 

period of last year as the number of working 

days reduced to eight days from 8.5 days a 

year earlier. The daily average exports, 

however, gained 4.4 percent to 1.85 billion 

dollars in the cited period. 

The country's export kept an upward 

contributed to the brutal losses in the 

equity markets. 

Short bets on volatility had become 

a popular stance, outnumbering 

trades that anticipated a rise in 

volatility and in one case earning a 

return of almost 200 percent in 2017, 

according to a note from Goldman 

Sachs. 

"Hedge funds, prop traders, retail 

investors... everybody was on the 

same exposure," said Brett Manning, 

senior market analyst at 

Briefing.com. "It worked really well 

for a long time." 

But the investment suddenly went 

south when markets turned sharply 

on February 2, when a surprisingly 

strong US jobs report sparked 

worries about inflation. 

"Everybody was on the same side of 

the trade," said Manning. "Hedge 

funds started to move out and people 

started to panic to cover these 

investments." Conditions worsened 

this week, leading both Credit Suisse 

and Nomura to liquidate their funds 

amid heavy losses. 

In the aftermath of the turbulence, 

Fidelity Investments halted trading 

on exchange traded funds that bet on 

low volatility. 

While it's impossible to know the 

exact losses, the market was 

estimated at between $3 billion and 

$4 billion, a small part of the overall 

market for exchange traded products, 

a growing type of investment that is 

momentum for 15 months through January, 

but it was widely forecast to fall in February 

as the number of working days reduce due to 

the Lunar New Year's holiday next week. 

Demand for semiconductors kept a 

double-digit expansion this month, with 

exports for oil products and cars rising. 

The shipments of smartphones continued 

to fall as local manufacturers increased 

production in overseas factories. 

Imports advanced 17.6 percent to 16.6 

billion dollars in the cited period, sending the 

trade balance to a deficit of 1.84 billion 

dollars. 

Stocks' drop brings scrutiny of 

complex low-volatility bets 

traded on exchanges and based on 

assets, such as stocks, commodities 

or indices. 

The investments were widely 

known in the financial world as 

failure-prone because of the tendency 

of markets to eventually become 

volatile. Credit Suisse even warned in 

its prospectus that the "long-term 

expected value" of the investment is 

"zero." 

"The main purpose was to be an 

insurance but people started buying 

and selling it in sort of a casino 

fashion," said FTN Financial chief 

economist Chris Low. 

Regulators are now looking more 

closely at the vehicles. Swiss 

regulators are following up with 

Credit Suisse, and New York Federal 

Reserve President William Dudley 

pledged more scrutiny of the 

products. 

Asset manager BlackRock called for 

a "regulatory classification system 

that would label levered and inverse 

exchange traded products differently 

than plain-vanilla (ones) in order to 

clarify for both regulators and 

investors the risks associated with 

those products." 

One consequence of this week's 

shakeout is that the products in 

question have been "significantly 

defanged," making a repeat 

peformance of the February 5 chaos 

unlikely anytime soon, said a note 

from Bank of America Merrill Lynch. 

First Security Islami Bank sponsored 'FSIBL 3rd Diplomat Cup Tennis Tournament-2018 has been 

inaugurated recently. Md. Shahriar Alam, MP, State Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People's 

Republic of Bangladesh and President, Bangladesh Tennis Federation was present as chief guest and 

Mr. Syed Waseque Md. Ali, Managing Director, First Security Islami Bank Ltd was present as special 

guest on the program. Among others, Golam Morshed, General Secretary, Bangladesh Tennis 

Federation, Shahajada Basunia, Head of Public Affairs and Brand Communication Division, First 

Security Islami Bank Ltd and other officials were present on the program. Photo: Courtesy 

Over 20 m new 

companies 

registered in China 

in past 5 years 

Some 21.6 million 

companies were registered 

in the past five years in 

China, thanks to the 

government's push for 

entrepreneurship and 

innovation to bolster growth. 

Since China introduced 

mass entrepreneurship and 

innovation policies in 2014, 

more than 4,200 new 

hackspace companies have 

been created, serving over 

120,000 start-up businesses 

and raising over 5.5 billion 

yuan (870 million U.S. 

dollars) In 2017, online sales 

increased by 28 percent and 

express delivery volume 

grew by nearly 30 percent. A 

string of new growth engines 

such as sharing and digital 

economies have been 

established. 

The government has cut 

red tape, reduced taxes and 

slashed fees for enterprises. 

Mass entrepreneurship 

and innovation has been an 

effective driver for both 

economic growth and the 

consistent transition 

between traditional and new 

growth engines. 

Crude oil futures to boost 

China's pricing power, 

cautiously : Economic 

China will launch crude oil futures on 

March 26, as the world's second largest 

economy moves to gain pricing power over 

commodities. 

After years of false starts, the crude futures 

contract will make its debut at the Shanghai 

International Energy Exchange (INE), the 

China Securities Regulatory Commission 

(CSRC), the country's top securities 

regulator, announced Friday. 

Preparations for the launch of the oil 

futures have almost been completed, Chang 

Depeng, spokesperson for the CSRC, told a 

press conference. 

China set up a petroleum exchange in the 

early 1990s but soon ceased trading due to 

reform and market factors. 

The contract will enable China to develop 

its own benchmark for oil pricing in addition 

to current global benchmarks. 

The Asia-Pacific region has surpassed 

America and Europe in crude consumption, 

but a benchmark with high recognition is 

still missing. 

China is the world's second largest oil 

consumer after the United States. Demand 

is likely to soar in the future as the country is 

thirsty for the source of energy to fuel its 

economic boom. 

In the absence of a crude benchmark in the 

region, Asian countries pay more than 

Europe and America for imported oil. It is an 

additional two billion U.S. dollars a year in 

the case of China. 

The WTI and Brent futures contracts are 

not accurate reflections of oil prices in Asia. 

China's crude contract offers companies in 

the real economy a hedging tool which better 

reflects market conditions in Asia, said Wu 

Jian, a senior researcher with the Bank of 

Communications. 

The new move will also boost yuan's global 

use through increasing the trade of yuandenominated 

oil. Currently, the main global 

benchmarks for crude oil are priced in U.S. 

dollars, threatening China's energy and 

economic security. The yuan-denominated 

contract means the Chinese currency will 

play a greater role in trade between China 

and other oil-producing countries. 

But analysts said it could take time before 

China's new oil futures challenge the 

dominance in oil trading of the two current 

global benchmarks, or the prominence of 

U.S. dollar in the global financial system. 

Bai Ming, a researcher with China's 

Ministry of Commerce, said it is natural that 

competition arises after long time of 

development, but challenge will not 

necessarily happen in the end.

MISCELLANEOUS 

11 

MoNDAY, FebruArY 12, 2018 

Abbas tells India PM he 

seeks multi-country 

peace mediation 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas 

told visiting Indian Prime Minister 

Narendra Modi on Saturday that he is 

counting on India's support for a multicountry 

sponsorship of any future 

Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, 

reports CNN. 

Such a framework would ostensibly 

replace Washington's long-standing 

monopoly as mediator. Abbas rejected 

the traditional U.S. role after President 

Donald Trump recognized contested 

Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 

December. Trump's pivot upset 

Palestinians who seek the city's Israeliannexed 

eastern sector as a capital. 

European leaders have criticized 

Trump's dramatic policy shift on 

Jerusalem, but appear unwilling to 

confront Washington over its handling 

of more than two decades of failed 

efforts to broker an Israeli-Palestinian 

partition deal. Modi's visit to the city of 

Ramallah was the first by an Indian 

prime minister to an autonomous 

Palestinian enclave in the Israelioccupied 

West Bank. 

The Indian leader pledged $41 

A rare invitation to Pyongyang 

for South Korea's president 

marked Day Two of the North 

Korean Kim dynasty's 

southern road tour, part of an 

accelerating diplomatic thaw 

that included some Korean 

liquor over lunch and the 

shared joy of watching a 

"unified" Korea team play 

hockey at the Olympics, 

reports CNN. 

Nothing has been settled on 

any trip north by South 

Korean President Moon Jaein. 

But the verbal message on 

Saturday to come at a 

"convenient time" from 

GD-225/18 (10 x 3) 

million for a hospital, three schools and 

other projects in the West Bank. He 

said India remains "committed to 

Palestinian national rights," but 

stopped short of offering support for 

Abbas' political agenda. Modi's West 

Bank visit was seen, in part, as an 

attempt to compensate the Palestinians 

after he hosted Israeli Prime Minister 

Benjamin Netanyahu for six days last 

month, in a reflection of warming ties 

between Israel and India. 

Modi flew to Ramallah from Jordan 

by helicopter Saturday and laid a 

wreath at the grave of Abbas 

predecessor Yasser Arafat, located in 

Abbas' walled government compound. 

Modi then toured the Arafat museum, 

which is also part of the compound, 

before holding talks with Abbas. Abbas 

said after their meeting that he 

remains committed to negotiations 

with Israel as the path toward 

Palestinian independence. 

Palestinians seek a state in the West 

Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, 

lands Israel captured in 1967, but no 

meaningful talks on statehood through 

dictator Kim Jong Un, 

delivered by his visiting 

younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, 

is part of a sudden rush of 

improving feelings between 

the rivals during the 

Pyeongchang Olympics. The 

result: a heady, sometimes 

surreal, state of affairs in a 

South Korea that has seen far 

more threat than charm out of 

the North. Still, it wouldn't be 

South Korea if people weren't 

asking the perennial question 

when it comes to North Korea 

changing gears and showering 

its rival with apparent 

affection: What's in it for 

Pyongyang? 

Past "charm offensives" 

have been interpreted as 

North Korea trying to recoup 

from crippling sanctions on 

their nuclear program, or 

trying to drive a wedge 

between Seoul and its U.S. 

ally. A massive military 

parade in Pyongyang on the 

eve of the just-opened 

Pyeongchang Games has been 

used as Exhibit A by skeptics. 

In it, Kim Jong Un 

highlighted several huge 

intercontinental ballistic 

missiles, which were 

successfully flight tested three 

a partition deal have been held for 

almost a decade. "We never have and 

never will reject negotiations," said 

Abbas. "We consider a multi-lateral 

mechanism that emerges from an 

international peace conference as the 

ideal way to sponsor the negotiations." 

Israel staunchly opposes any 

international framework for 

negotiations, arguing that only the U.S. 

can be a fair broker. The Palestinians 

have criticized Trump's shift on 

Jerusalem as a sign of blatant pro- 

Israel bias by Washington. The Indian 

leader arrived late Saturday night to 

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United 

Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi's powerful 

crown prince, Mohammed bin Zayed 

Al Nahyan, met Modi on arrival at the 

airport and had talks with him, 

according to the state-run WAM news 

agency. In honor of Modi's visit, the 

Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest 

building in Dubai, displayed the Indian 

flag on its massive LED light display. 

Abbas is scheduled to meet Monday 

with Russian President Vladimir Putin 

in Russia's Black Sea town of Sochi. 

Come visit: South Korea’s leader 

invited to North Korea 

times last year and could 

reach deep into the U.S. 

mainland when perfected. 

Kim Yo Jong was to have 

lunch Sunday with South 

Korean Prime Minister Lee 

Nak-yon, the country's No. 2 

official, and return to 

Pyongyang on Kim Jong Un's 

private jet later in the day. The 

lunch Saturday at Seoul's 

presidential mansion between 

Moon and Kim Yo Jong was 

the most significant 

diplomatic encounter 

between the rivals in years. 

The night before, Kim and 

other North Korean delegates 

attended the opening 

ceremony of the Olympics, 

watching a "unified" Korean 

team march under a banner 

showing an undivided Korean 

Peninsula. In a surreal 

mixture of dignitaries, the 

Olympic Stadium's VIP box 

included Kim Yo Jong and 

North Korea's nominal head 

of state, Kim Yong Nam, 

sitting above and behind U.S. 

Vice President Mike Pence 

and fellow hard-liner Shinzo 

Abe, Japan's prime minister. 

Pence and the Kims seemed to 

go out of their way not to 

acknowledge each other. That 

was not the case with Moon - 

either at the games, when he 

enthusiastically reached up to 

shake Kim Yo Jong's hand, or 

at the lunch the next day. 

South Korean television 

showed its smiling president 

entering a reception room 

Saturday and shaking hands 

with the North Koreans. 

The opening part of the 

talks was mostly about the 

weather: Pyeongchang was 

colder than Seoul, it was 

agreed. At the luncheon 

proposed a toast, calling for 

peace and "mutual 

prosperity" for the two 

Koreas. He then recalled his 

past visit to the North's 

Diamond Mountain resort, 

where he and his mother met 

his North Korean aunt during 

a temporary reunion of 

families separated by the 

1950-53 Korean War. 

After meeting with Moon, 

the North Korean delegates 

boarded a bullet train to 

Gangneung, a coastal city 

hosting some Olympic events. 

Later Saturday night, they all 

joined the chief of the 

International Olympic 

Committee to watch the debut 

of the inter-Korean team in 

the women's ice hockey 

tournament. The Koreans 

were crushed by Switzerland, 

8-0. Pence's office didn't 

directly address Kim's 

invitation to Moon. "The vice 

president is grateful that 

President Moon reaffirmed 

his strong commitment to the 

global maximum pressure 

campaign and for his support 

for continued sanctions," 

Pence spokeswoman Alyssa 

Farah said when asked about 

the developments. 

There's worry, too, that the 

proposed summit in 

Pyongyang may come with 

preconditions. 

Annual general meeting of Narsingdi 

Diabetic Association held 

NARSINGDI: The 23rd annual general 

meeting of Narsingdi Diabetic 

Association (NDA) was held at Zonal 

Co-operative training institute in the 

town on Saturday, reports BSS. 

State Minister for water resources Lt. 

Col. (Retd) Muhammad Nazrul Islam, 

(Bir Protik), attended the function as 

the chief guest with Deputy 

Commissioner (DC) and President of 

NDA Dr. Shubash Chandra Biswas in 

the chair. 

Narsingdi Police Super and Vice 

president of the Diabetic Association 

Amena Begum BPM attended the 

GD-224/18 (8 x 4) 

meeting as the special guest while Vice 

President of the Association Abdul 

Moman Sarker delivered the welcome 

speech. 

The meeting was also addressed by 

Residential Medical Officer (RMO) 

of Narsingdi Zilla Hospital Dr 

Mijanur Rahman and General 

Secretary of the NDA Mohammad 

Nural Amin. 

The state minister in his speeches 

said Bangladesh already achieved 

laudable success in health sector. 

The present government led by 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has 

been implementing massive 

programmes for further 

development in the health sector to 

ensure quality medi-care services for 

every citizen. 

The meeting was also addressed by 

Residential Medical Officer (RMO) of 

Narsingdi Zilla Hospital Dr Mijanur 

Rahman and General Secretary of the 

NDA Mohammad Nural Amin. 

He said diabetic patients should 

maintain disciplined life. They will 

have to take balanced food and 

conduct regular physical exercise for 

controlling the silent killer disease. 

Date : 11-02-2018

UNITING PEOPLE EVERYDAY 

MONDAy, DHAkA, FEBRUARy 12, 2018, MAgH 30, 1424 BS, JAMADI-Ul-AWAl 25, 1439 HIJRI 

On the eve of leaving Dhaka to attend 41st meeting of IFAD at Vatikan city, ministers and high 

officials see the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina off at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday. 


President urges varsities to turn youths 

into skilled human resource 

CHITTAGONG : 

President Abdul Hamid on 

Sunday urged the authorities 

of the country's universities 

to take the responsibility 

of turning the youths 

into well-educated and 

skilled human resource, 

reports UNB. 

"Bangladesh is passing 

through a bright time of 

possibility. Therefore, the 

universities must take the 

responsibility of turning the 

youths into well-educated 

and skilled human 

resource. I hope that with 

the united efforts of all, we 

will be able to build Sonar 

Bangla as dreamt by 

Bangabandhu, Inshallah." 

he said. 

The President was speaking 

at the first convocation 

of Chittagong Veterinary 

and Animal Sciences 

University (CVASU) here 

on Sunday. 

Higher educational insti- 

The Seaweed Houses 

of Læsø Island 

INTERESTING NEWS 

On the island of Læsø, located off the 

coast of Denmark, there are houses with 

roofs made of seaweed. These roofs are 

up to a meter thick, and the way they 

hang over the walls the house appears to 

be wearing a cloak. Apart from their 

humongous size, they look a lot like 

thatch but seaweed is far more durable. 

Some of these roofs are over 300 years 

old. They are a unique feature of the 

island of Læsø. 

The practice of building roofs with seaweed—actually 

a marine grass called eelgrass—dates 

back to the time when the 

island of Læsø had a flourishing salt 

industry. The island was practically soaking 

in salt. The ground water had over 15 

percent salt, and during the hot dry summers 

they crystallized out of the ground 

naturally in large salt meadows. 

Hundreds of salt kilns were built on the 

tutions, including universities, 

have to take initiatives 

so that students can be 

engaged in latest information-based 

education, 

research and creative activities 

both at home and 

abroad, he said. 

President Abdul Hamid, 

also the Chancellor of the 

university, put emphasis on 

friendly student-teacher 

relationship as such relationship 

can play an effective 

role in creating a sound 

environment for education 

in the universities. 

He hoped that the 

CVASU will continue to 

make all efforts to implement 

the great aim of education 

and contribute to the 

formation of a knowledgebased 

society - that is the 

expectation of all. 

Mentioning that the 

importance of internship 

for hands-on education is 

very high, the President 

appreciated CVASU's 

extensive initiatives for carrying 

out research and 

expansion programs. 

"A modern research and 

pet animal hospital is being 

constructed in Dhaka city. 

There will be opportunities 

for internships for students. 

As a result, trained students 

will get employment opportunities 

in both home and 

abroad," he added. 

Citing the adverse effect 

of climate change on country's 

agriculture President 

Hamid urged the 

researchers and scientists 

to invent new varieties and 

methods to combat the negative 

impact of climate 

change to ensure continuous 

progress in agriculture 

and livestock sector. 

He said the university can 

play an important role in 

conducting research for 

exploring our marine 

resources as Bangladesh 

island to refine the salt. They needed fuel 

which was provided by the island’s limited 

woodlands, until a day came when the 

islanders had cut down the last tree. With 

no wood left to fire the kilns, Læsø’s salt 

industry collapsed. With no trees left to 

break the wind, Læsø’s villages were 

buried in sandstorm. The air became full 

of sea salt and they inhibited the growth 

of any kind of plants, even grass. 

Læsø, however, had plenty of eelgrass 

and driftwood. So the people began using 

driftwood to build their houses and the 

eelgrass was used for the roof. Eelgrass 

grows on the island’s seas and were once 

so abundant that it frequently washed up 

on the shores. They have long, bright 

green, ribbon-like leaves about a centimeter 

wide, and up to 2 meters long. Farmers 

would collect them from the beach and 

once dried, they were bundled and twisted 

into thick ropes that were then woven 

through a home’s rafters to form a roof. 

won 1,18,813 square kilometers 

of sea area through 

disposal of cases with two 

neighboring countries that 

created a huge potential for 

the development of marine 

resources in the Bay of 

Bengal. 

Among others, convocation 

speaker Prof. AK Azad 

Chowdhury, Chairman of 

Bangladesh University 

Grants Commission 

Professor Abdul Mannan 

and Vice-Chancellor of the 

university Prof Dr. Gautam 

Buddha Das also spoke on 

the occasion. 

Quader 

against 

VIP lanes 

in city 

DHAKA : Opposing the 

idea of introducing separate 

lanes for VIPs, Road 

Transport and Bridges 

Minister Obaidul Quader 

on Sunday said rather 

emergency service lanes 

need to be introduced to 

ease the movement emergency 

service vehicles, 

reports UNB. 

"Though the proposal is 

being scrutinised by 

Dhaka Transport 

Coordination Authority 

(DTCA), I think there is no 

need to introduce VIP 

lanes as the city's spaces 

are limited," he said while 

relying to queries from 

reporters at his ministry 

about the introduction of 

VIP lanes. 

Quader also said his 

ministry received a letter 

from the Cabinet Division 

in a proposal format 

regarding introduction of 

VIP and emergency service 

lanes. 

"Emergency service 

lanes can be introduced 

here, not VIP ones. I 

think, we have to come out 

of VIP culture," he added. 

The Cabinet Division 

recently proposed introducing 

separate lanes for 

the movement of Very 

Important Persons 

(VIPs), police vehicles, 

ambulances and vehicles 

of other emergency services. 

Replying to another 

query, the minister said 

the construction of Padma 

Bridge will be completed 

within 2018. 

The third span of the 

bridge will be installed in 

the first week of March 

while the remaining ones 

soon, he added. 

Mobile internet 

service disrupted 

for 30 mins 

DHAKA : Mobile internet 

service remained suspended 

for half an hour across the 

country on Sunday morning 

in a bid to prevent question 

paper leakage, reports UNB. 

Mobile phone operators 

kept the internet service suspended 

following a directive 

from Bangladesh 

T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n 

Regulatory Commission 

(BTRC). 

The telecom regulator took 

the initiative to keep the 

mobile internet service suspended 

for one hour from 

9am following widespread 

allegations of question paper 

leak of Secondary School 

Certificate (SSC) and its 

equivalent examinations 

through different social 

media apps, said sources at 

mobile phone operators. 

However, the service 

remained suspended from 

9:30am to 10am, said the 

sources. 

Meanwhile, the sources 

could not firm whether the 

internet service will remain 

disrupted on other exam 

days. 

The SSC question papers 

have been leaking out from 

the very first day of the 

examination. The question 

papers are being found on 

social media sites and mobile 

phone before starting of the 

examinations. 

DHAKA : UN Security 

Council will meet on 

Wednesday (NY time 

Tuesday) to discuss 

Rohingya issue and situation 

in Rakhine Sate, 

according to a provisional 

programme of the Security 

Council, reports UNB. 

By the time, British 

Foreign Secretary Boris 

Johnson has met 

Myanmar leader Aung San 

Suu Kyi to talk about 

Rohingyas and how they 

can be repatriated. 

Quoting a statement 

from Myanmar's Foreign 

Affairs Ministry, 

Associated Press (AP) said 

Johnson and Suu Kyi on 

Sunday discussed repatriation 

and developments in 

Rakhine, the western 

Myanmar state from where 

the Rohingya have fled. 

Johnson reached 

Myanmar 

from 

Bangladesh after meeting 

Rohingyas on Saturday. 

Johnson said on Twitter 

Energy saving needs to be part 

of building code: Nasrul Hamid 

Campaign for responsible use of electricity launched 

DHAKA : State Minister 

for Power and Energy Nasrul 

Hamid has said that issue of 

energy saving should be 

incorporated in the National 

Building Code to enforce a 

legal binding on the electricity 

consumers. 

"It's almost impossible to 

ensure a responsible use of 

electricity until this has been 

incorporated in the National 

Building Code", he told a 

function at CIRDAP 

Auditorium in the cityon 

Sundayjointly organised by 

Bangladesh Solar and 

Renewable Energy 

Association (BSREA) and 

Forum for Energy Reporters 

Bangladesh (FERB), reports 

UNB. 

"The two organisations 

jointly launched a campaign 

on "Responsible Use of 

Electricity", at the function 

inaugurated by Prime 

Minister's Energy Advisor 

Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi 

Chowdhury. 

Nasrul Hamid said renewable 

energy will dominate 

the energy sector in future 

world. 

"Technology is advancing 

so fast with new innovations. 

Now the developed world is 

that Sunday's discussion 

concerned investigating 

violence in Rakhine and 

creating the right conditions 

for repatriation. 

"Held talks with Aung 

San Suu Kyi. Discussed 

importance of Burmese 

authorities in carrying out 

full & independent investigation 

into the violence in 

#Rakhine & urgent need to 

create the right conditions 

for #Rohingya refugees to 

return to their homes in 

Rakhine," he wrote. 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh 

and Myanmar are in talks 

to hold a home ministeriallevel 

meeting this month. 

If finalised, Myanmar 

Home Minister Kyaw Swe 

will lead his country while 

Home Minister 

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal 

Bangladesh at the meeting 

which will discuss 

Rohingya repatriation, 

smuggling of drugs, security 

and other relevant 

issues. 

reducing their electricity 

consumption through adopting 

new technologies", he 

said. He also asked the 

power distribution companies 

to introduce new technologies 

to ensure the 

responsible use of electricity 

by their consumers. 

He also advised the stakeholders 

in the energy and 

power sector to use the effective 

communication mechanism 

like social media to 

reach their call to the targeted 

group of the society. 

The function, divided into 

two sessions, was addressed 

by power secretary Dr. 

Ahmad Kaikaus, Power 

The dried leaves at Ramna park hinting the advent of spring season. 

UNSC to meet Wednesday 

on Rohingya issue 

Boris Johnson discusses Rohingya 

repatriation with Suu Kyi 

Four teams of Members 

of European Parliament 

(MEPs) comprising 11 

MEPs are currently in 

Cox's Bazar and they visited 

a Rohingya camp there 

on Monday to see their 

plight on the ground. 

In October last year, the 

Council of the EU in its 

conclusions said it may 

consider additional measures 

if the situation does 

not improve but also 

stands ready to respond 

accordingly to positive 

developments. 

On January 16, 

Bangladesh and Myanmar 

signed a document on 

'Physical Arrangement' 

which will facilitate the 

return of Rohingyas to 

their homeland from 

Bangladesh. 

The 

'Physical 

Arrangement' stipulates 

that the repatriation will be 

completed preferably within 

two years from the start 

of repatriation. 

Development Board (PDB) 

chairman Khaled Mahmood, 

Rural Electrification Board 

(REB) chairman Major 

General (retd) Moin Uddin, 

Solar and Renewable Energy 

Development Authority 

(SREDA) chairman Helal 

Uddin, Power Cell director 

general Mohammad 

Hossaein, BSREA president 

Dipal C Barua and FERB 

chairman Arun Karmaker. 

Inaugurating the function, 

Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury 

said responsible use of electricity 

has to be pursued 

through both the use of 

advanced technology and 

change of behavioral pattern. 

Rajuk's eviction drive 

in Uttara 

DHAKA : Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakhha (Rajuk) conducted 

drives in different places of Uttara on Sunday to evict 

illegal establishments, reports UNB. 

Rajuk removed several illegal shops and business establishment 

set up in residential buildings on the east side of Dhaka- 

Mymensingh road. 

'Akhtar Furnishers' was fined Tk 5 lakh for illegally using 

four floors of a residential building while an Apex showroom, 

See Shell Party Centre and Rangs Toshiba were partially 

evicted. 

A mobile court, led by Rajuk's authorised officer Ashraful 

Islam and Rajuk executive magistrate Jesmin Aktar, conducted 

the drives, said a press release. 

Photo : TBT 

Harsher punishment 

for disrupting law & 

order; Bill passed 

SANGSAD BHABAN : The 

Jatiya Sangsad on 

Sundaypassed an amendment 

bill raising jail term for 

disrupting law and order to 

maximum seven years from 

five years under speedy trial, 

reports UNB. 

Home Minister 

Asaduzzaman Khan placed 

the bill titled 'The Law and 

Order Disruption Offence 

(Speedy Trial) (Amendment) 

Bill, 2018' in the House 

which was passed by voice 

vote. 

The original Law and 

Order Disruption Offense 

(Speedy Trial) Act was first 

framed in 2002 to ensure the 

trial of some offences disrupting 

the law-and-order 

situation like extortion, disrupting 

traffic movement, 

vandalism, tender manipulation, 

giving threats, mugging, 

terrorising people as 

well as vandalism of public 

property and immovable 

property. 

According to the Bill, anyone 

responsible for committing 

offence disrupting law 

and order will face minimum 

two years and maximum 

seven years of rigorous 

imprisonment along with 

fine. 

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam, Advisory Editor: Advocate Molla Mohammad Abu Kawser, Managing, Editor: Tapash Ray Sarker, News Editor : Saiful Islam, printed at Sonali Printing Press, 2/1/A, Arambagh 167, Inner Circular Road, Eden Complex, Motijheel, Dhaka. 

Editorial and News Office: K.K Bhaban (Level-04) 69/K, Green Road, Panthapath, Dhaka-1205. Tel : +8802-9611884-85, Cell : 01832166882; Email: Editor : editor@thebangladeshtoday.com, Advertisement: ads@thebangladeshtoday.com, News: newsbangla@thebangladeshtoday.com, contact@thebangladeshtoday.com, website: www.thebangladeshtoday.com

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