25-05-2018

UNITING PEOPLE EVERYDAY
FRIdAY, dHAkA, MAY 25, 2018, JAISTHYA 11, 1425 BS, RAMAdAn 8, 1439 HIJRI
On Thursday, a fire broke out at electric wire and bilboard at Framgate area .
Photo: Star mail
Provide info on rape of
Rohingya women: HRW,
Fortify Rights to Myanmar
DHAKA : Myanmar should comply
with a Un committee's request for
information on the military's responsibility
for widespread rape of rohingya
women and girls in northern rakhine
state, said Human rights watch and
Fortify rightson thursday, reports
UnB.
the two groups provided the committee
with an 11-page joint report on sexual
violence committed by Myanmar's
security forces against rohingya villagers
in 2016 and 2017.
In november 2017, the independent
expert committee monitoring implementation
of the Convention on the
elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against women
(CeDAw), a global women's rights
treaty, requested the Myanmar government
to submit a report on the situation
of women and girls from northern
rakhine state byMay 28, 2018.
the CeDAw committee has only
requested such an "exceptional report"
three times previously.
"the CeDAw committee's rare
request for Myanmar to report on sexual
violence against rohingya women
and girls outside normal reporting procedures
shows the extreme nature of
the military's mass atrocities," said skye
wheeler, women's rights emergencies
researcher at Human rights watch.
"the government should cease its
shameless denials and start openly
cooperating with international monitors."
the CeDAw committee request followed
numerous reports of Myanmar
army-led attacks on rohingya Muslims,
including mass killings, rape and other
sexual violence, and widespread arson
in hundreds of predominantly
rohingya villages, forcing more than
717,000 rohingya to flee to neighboring
Bangladesh since August 2017.
the joint report by Human rights
watch and Fortify rights includes
information based on hundreds of
interviews with rohingya refugees in
Bangladesh, including 37 women and
girls who were raped in August and
september 2017, mostly by gangs of
uniformed soldiers.
witnesses and survivors also saw
The Jingle Trucks of
Pakistan
InterestIng news
A typical Pakistani truck driver
spends more time with his truck than
he does with his wife. which explains
why he wants his 10-ton six-wheeler to
look like a new bride.
these trucks plying across Pakistan’s
national highways and the neighboring
country of Afghanistan are distinctively
ostentatious. the entire trucks, from
top to bottom, are a riot of colors.
Lavishly painted panels containing a
mosaic of birds, flowers, landscapes,
saints, and actresses in hyper-saturated
color palette adorn the exterior,
while plastic flowers, draped beads,
mirrors, ribbons and velvet grace the
interior. the cabin is crowned by a custom
built wooden prow wrapped in
more kitschy artwork, while a string of
metal bells dangle from the chassis all
round the periphery. when the truck is
in motion, these bells clang against
each other like a new bride’s ghungroo.
this is where the nickname “jingle
trucks” come from—coined by Us
troops deployed in Afghanistan.
And it isn’t just trucks alone.
Passenger buses, water tankers, transport
vans, rickshaws, and even vendors’
pushcarts are psychedelically
decorated with eye-popping colors. It’s
like a rolling folk art, “a national gallery
without walls, a free-form, kaleidoscopic
exhibition in perpetual motion,”
as richard Covington puts it.
the tradition of decorating trucks
began sometime in the 1920s with the
introduction of the long-distance
Bedfords—a British-built truck with
rounded cab and seven-feet high paneled
sides that was to become the
country’s most prestigious and
dependable truck for more than half a
century. Originally trucks were painted
with each company’s logo so that illiterate
people could recognize who
owned the trucks. gradually, these
logos became more fanciful, flamboyant
and competitive. By the 1950s, stylized
murals and frescoes had begun to
replace them.
many other women and girls raped in
groups, which amounted to patterns of
gang rapes, as well as biting, kicking,
and other physical abuse.
Many recounted soldiers killing their
elderly parents or children, including by
throwing their infants into fires.
the CeDAw committee requested
that Myanmar's government provide
information on the battalions that
carried out the attacks in northern
rakhine state and their commanding
officers.
As a party to CeDAw, Myanmar is
required to report on its implementation
of the convention, including in the
case of exceptional reports, which are
requested in situations where there is
"reliable and adequate information
indicating grave or systematic violations
of women's human rights."
Myanmar's government claims that it
instructed its security forces to respect
military codes of conduct that forbid
rape. It has repeatedly denied that its
forces committed rape, including
through biased investigations that lack
credibility.
2.5 lakh Yaba
pills seized in
Teknaf
COX's BAZAr : Police in a
drive recovered 2.5 lakh pieces
of Yaba tablets worth tk 7.5
crore from a house at
Habirchhara ghat in teknaf
upazila on wednesday night,
reports UnB.
tipped off, a team of police
raided the house and recovered
the drugs in an abandoned
condition around 11:30
pm, said ranjit Kumar, officer-in-charge
of teknaf Model
Police station.
A group of smugglers
brought the drugs from
Myanmar through a trawler
and kept those in the house,
said the OC. However, police
could not arrest anyone as the
drug dealers managed to flee
the scene, sensing the presence
of the law enforcers.
A case was filed accusing
four people with teknaf Model
Police station, the OC added.
Electric tap kills 2
teens in Chattogram
Chattogram Correspondent :
two teenage boys of an ethnic
minority group died after
being electrocuted in a trap set
to catch pigs in the golf Club
area of sitakunda upazila on
thursday.
the deceased were identified
as Mona singh Marma,
18, and Keu ta Chin Marma,
19, residents of Chandragona
area of Kapatai upazila in
rangamati. they used to work
at a factory in sitakunda.
Locals spotted the bodies by
the Bhatiari-Hathazari ring
road at noon and informed
police. Later, the law enforcers
recovered the bodies.
Eid train
ticket sale
now to start
on June 1
DHAKA : the authorities of
Bangladesh railway have
decided to start the sale of train
tickets on the occasion of eidul-Fitr
on June 1, a day ahead of
its earlier announced date,
reports UnB.
railways Minister M Mazibul
Hoque came up with the
announcement at a press briefing
at his railway Bhaban office
in the city on thursday.
tickets for June 10, 11, 12, 13,
14 and 15 will be available on
June 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively,
the minister said.
Besides, the return tickets for
the journey of June 19 will be
available on June 10 and that
for June 20 on June 11, for June
21 on June 12, for June 22 on
June 13 and for June 23 on
June 14 and for June 24 on
June 15.
the sale of tickets will begin at
8 am and each passenger will be
able to buy maximum four tickets.
there will be 26 tickets counters
and two of them will be
kept aside for female commuters
at Kamalapur railway
station, Mazibul Hoque said.
During the briefing, the
railways Minister also said five
pairs of special trains will run on
several routes from June 13 to
June 15 and June 18 to June 24.
these trains are: Dewanganj
special (Dhaka-Dewanganj-
Dhaka), Chandpur special-1
and Chandpur special-2
(Chattogram-Chandpur-
Chattogram), Parbatipur
special (Parbatipur-Dhaka-
Parbatipur), rajshahi special
(rajshahi-Dhaka-rajshahi).
RAB-3 arrested 7 active members of Ansar-Al-Islam in different areas of the capital on Thursday.
Photo: Star mail
Canada sets fresh strategy to respond to Rohingya crisis
PM Trudeau pledges $300mn
fund to address region's needs
DHAKA : Canadian Prime Minister Justin
trudeau has unveiled his country's strategy
to step up its response and meet the
need of most vulnerable and displaced
rohingyas, reports UnB.
Canada will dedicate significant funding
- $300 million over three years - to
address the region's humanitarian, development,
and stabilization needs in a coordinated
and timely way, says a press
release issued by its high commission in
Dhaka on thursday.
the grave humanitarian and security
crisis in Myanmar is a global tragedy,
which has led more than 717,000
rohingya to flee their homes in rakhine
state and seek refuge in Bangladesh,
Canadian government says.
this comprehensive strategy is based on
recommendations highlighted in the final
report from the Prime Minister's special
envoy to Myanmar Bob rae, it said.
guided by the Feminist International
Assistance Policy, the strategy places a
central emphasis on the needs of women
President to visit
Trishal today
DHAKA : President M Abdul Hamid will
inaugurate a three-day national level programme
at trishal in Mymensingh today
marking the 119th birth anniversary of
national Poet Kazi nazrul Islam.
"the President will also address a function
in trishal at 3 pm on Friday," President's
Press secretary Mohammad Joynal Abedin
told Bss.
Beginning at Darirampur nazrul Mancha
on May 25, the programme jointly arranged
by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and
Mymensingh District administration will
Priyanka calls for
world's attention on
Rohingya children
DHAKA : Bollywood actress Priyanka
Chopra on thursday called the world's attention
to rohingya children living in vulnerable
condition at refugee camps in Cox's
Bazar, reports UnB.
Priyanka Chopra who has visited many
countries on the issue of children's right as a
goodwill member of UnICeF, is on a fourday
trip to Cox's Bazar.
"no child deserves a life like this. these
children deserve a right to have a future, the
right to dream," she said at a Facebook Live
from Ukhia this morning.
the Bollywood diva interacted with the little
ones and chatted about how their life was
before they came to the camp.
watch the full Facebook Live here.
Priyanka posted a few pictures on her
social media account which melted hearts of
her followers. Along with that, she wrote a
and girls, and puts forward concrete and
timely initiatives to promote human
rights, gender equality, human dignity,
and peace and security in the region, said
the release.
Canada will lead on several initiatives,
including those to improve living conditions
of rohingya refugees in camps and
settlements, it said.
"we will support efforts to bring perpetrators
of gross human rights violations to
account, and to achieve a political solution
to the plight of the rohingya and
other ethnic minorities in Myanmar. we
will also help coordinate international
efforts to address the crisis," said a statement.
Canada was one of the first countries to
respond to the crisis, and remains one of
the top humanitarian donors.
"this strategy builds on our current
efforts, and represents our commitment
to do more while continuing to work closely
with the international community and
the United nations on a path forward."
end on May 27.
religious Affairs Minister Principal
Motiur rahman and Information
Minister Hasanul Haque Inu will be present
on the occasion as the special guests
with chairman of the parliamentary
standing committee on the Cultural
Affairs Ministry Begum simin Hossain
rimi in the chair.
A series of programmes, including colourful
rally, discussion and cultural function,
has already been taken marking the birth
anniversary of the national poet.
beautiful heartwarming caption which read.
"the world needs to care. we need to care.
Please lend your support at www.supportunicef.org
#ChildrenUprooted @unicef
@unicefbangladesh," she wrote on her
Facebook wall.
the young actress wishes to do all that she
can for the humanity.
Priyanka said all refugee children want to
be educated and thanked Bangladesh for 'incredibly'
opening its doors to so many
refugees.
"now they can at least dream to have education;
a five-year-old boy I met made a profound
comment saying he wants to be a journalist
and tell the world that it's bad for
everyone when countries fight," she said.
"I get emotional but feel positive to see
how happy children are with little they
have," said Priyanka.
Justin trudeau said Canada will not
stand idle while hundreds of thousands of
people - rohingya communities and other
minorities - suffer gross human rights violations.
"we share a global responsibility to
respond to this crisis. we commend others
who have acted in a compassionate
and generous way, especially the
government of Bangladesh and host
communities in the region who continue
to provide safe refuge to their neighbours
in need," he said.
the Canadian Prime Minister said they
will continue to step up to protect human
rights, and promote inclusion, respect for
diversity, and security for all, while working
towards sustainable peace and true
reconciliation in Myanmar.
since the beginning of 2017, Canada has
provided $45.9 million for aid partners to
deliver life-saving and gender-responsive
support for refugees, displaced people,
and the communities who are hosting
them.
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