26-07-2018

ThuRSDaY
Dhaka:July 26, 2018; Srabon 11, 1425 BS; Zilqad 12,1439 hijri
www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www. tbtbangla.com
Regd.No.Da~2065, Vol.16; No.187; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00
inTeRnaTiOnal
Tokyo company debuts
Mobile Mosque ahead
of 2020 Olympics
>Page 7
aRT & culTuRe
There's a lot
happening in this
Sonakshi Sinha
>Page 8
SPORT
Bangladesh-Sri Lanka
encounter to kick-start
2018 Asia Cup
>Page 9
Total lunar eclipse
on Friday
DHAKA : A total lunar eclipse will occur
on Friday, said the Climate Division of
Bangladesh Meteorological Department
on Wednesday, reports UNB.
The eclipse will start at
BangladeshStandard Time (BST) 23
hours 13 minutes 06 seconds which will
end at 05 hours 30 minutes 24 seconds
BST on Friday.
Total eclipse will occur at 02 hours 21
minutes 48 seconds BST and the highest
magnitude of the eclipse will be
1.614.
This eclipse will be totally visible from
all over the country if the sky remains
clear.
For detailed information please visitwww.bmd.gov.bd/eclipse.
Khaleda denied
bail in Cumilla
arson case
CUMILLA : A court here on
Wednesday rejected the bail petition of
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in a case
filed under the Special Powers Act over
the arson attack in Chouddagram
upazila in the district in 2015.
Cumilla District and Sessions Judge
KM Shamsul Alam rejected the bail
plea, reports UNB.
Earlier on July 23, the High Court
directed the Comilla Court to dispose of
the bail petition filed by Khaleda within
July 26. On July 17, Khaleda Zia filed a
petition before the court seeking bail in
the case. Eight people were killed and
20 others injured when miscreants
hurled a petrol bomb at a bus at
Jogmohanpur in Chouddagram of
Cumilla district during the BNP-led
alliance's movement on February 3,
2015. Two cases were filed in this connection
against Khaleda.
On February 8, Khaleda Zia was sent
to jail after a special court sentenced her
to five years' rigorous imprisonment in
the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
Thai Airways to probe
tyre burst at HSIA
DHAKA : Thai Airways will conduct an
investigation into the incident of tyre
burst on landing by one of its flights at
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport
(HSIA) here on Tuesday, reports UNB.
"THAI will conduct an investigation as
to the cause of the incident. THAI do
apologize to all passengers for any inconvenience
this may cause," said the Thai
Airways International Public Company
Limited (THAI) in a statement.
Flight Lieutenant Pratana Patanasiri,
THAI Vice President, Aviation Safety,
Security and Standards Department
said the flight TG321, operated with
Boeing 777-200 aircraft, departed from
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to
Dhaka at 10.35 hours and arrived in
Dhaka, at 12.10 hours (local time).
"During touchdown at Hazrat Shahjalal
International Airport (HSIA) there was
heavy rain," reads the statement shared
on its verified Facebook page. Captain of
the flight found out that the aircraft's tyres
had burst and the captain took control of
the aircraft until it landed safely. The aircraft
carried 172 passengers and 14 cabin
crew. All the passengers and crew were
safe with no injury.
The Company urgently replaced spare
parts necessary for the full operation of the
aircraft and accommodated passengers who
booked to travel on the return flight TG322
from Dhaka to Bangkok on Wednesday
with a larger aircraft, Boeing 777-300.
Zohr
04:00 AM
12:00 PM
04:43 PM
06:49 PM
08:12 PM
5:24 6:46
Spending on education
investment, says PM
DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
on Wednesday said spending money on
education sector is a great investment for
the future, not an expense, reports UNB.
"I never see spending money on education
as an expense, I think it's an
investment," the Prime Minister said.
She said this while distributing The
Prime Minister Gold Medal Award at a
ceremony arranged by the University
Grants Commission (UGC) at the Shapla
Hall of the Prime Minister's Office.
Sheikh Hasina said public universities
are statutory bodies but "more than 90
percent of their expenditures-no, not 90
percent-in fact, 100 percent expenditures
are borne by the government...
whatever development is needed we do
that from the government."
She said spending money on education
means building the future generation
which will be helpful in materialising
the dream of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
to make the country a 'Golden Bengal'.
The Prime Minister said the students
will help continue the country's march
forward initiated by the government.
"Make sure the country never steps
back."
The Prime Minister said that to
advance the country the necessity of education
and educated people is the most
urgent matter.
"Our aim is to march forward the
country, and for that we give utmost
importance on the research. I think that
we cannot make advance in any matter
without research," she said.
Terming the students of the country as
most brilliant, Sheikh Hasina said that
they just need the chance to flourish their
merit.
"Our children are not meritless, each
and every child of ours is brilliant, they
just need a chance to prove their merit,
our responsibility is to create that scope
for them," she said.
The Prime Minister said they will have
to build themselves as worthy citizens of
the country to lead the nation in the
future. She called upon the students who
received the awards to properly utilise
their talents for their self-development as
well as the nation.
The Prime Minister elaborated the
steps taken by her government for
making the higher education multifaceted
one by setting up many specialised
universities in the country to
develop a science and technologybased
educated nation.
25 die in explosion at
Pakistan polling station
A Pakistan hospital official says an
explosion outside crowded polling station
in southwestern city of Quetta has
killed 25 people and wounded 40. Jaffer
Kakar, a doctor, says five policemen and
two children are among the dead. He
fears the death toll could rise as many of
the wounded are in critical condition.
Wednesday's attack comes as Pakistanis
vote in general elections for 270 members
of the law-making National Assembly, or
lower house of parliament, and 577 seats
in four provincial assemblies. No group
immediately claimed responsibility for the
explosion.
Abdur Razzaq Cheema, the police
chief in Quetta, Baluchistan's provincial
capital, says the explosion took place
when near the city's eastern bypass.
Baluchistan also saw the deadliest suicide
bombing in the run-up to election
day, with 149 people, including a provincial
assembly candidate, killed at a campaign
this month.
Pakistani police say a shooting
between supporters of two opposing
political parties has left one person dead
and wounded two people in a village
near the northwestern city of Sawabi.
It is the first violence on election day in
Pakistan. Ahead of Wednesday's balloting,
over 170 people - including three candidates
running in the elections - were killed
in suicide bombings in southwestern
Baluchistan and northwestern Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
Police officer Khalid Hamdani says it's
unclear what triggered the shootout
between a group of supporters of the
secular Awami National Party, which
has often bbeen targeted by the Taliban,
and the Tehrik-e-Insaf led by former
cricket star Imran Khan, a center-right
party. Hamdani says the situation is
now under control and voting is underway
in Col Sher Khan village.
A hard-line Pakistani cleric who heads
an alliance of religious parties and the
country's parliament speaker have cast
their ballots in the general elections
underway in Pakistan.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman voted in the
northwestern city of Dera Ismail Khan
soon after polls opened on Wednesday.
His Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal is a
potential threat to opposition leader,
former cricket star Imran Khan's party
in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
province. Khan's party has ruled the
province for the last five years.
Rehman appealed to citizens after
casting his ballot to cast their votes with
the full sense of responsibility so capable
hands could take over the country.
Due to three day's heavy rainfall, most of the roads of Dhaka City submerged and people suffering from
traffic jam. The photo was taken from Mirpur Kalshi area road on Wednesday. Photo: Star Mail
Prime Minister's ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy seen at a programme titled 'Bangladesh 5G
summit 2018' at Pan Pacific Sonargaon, Dhaka.
Photo : Star Mail
Five killed in
Cox's Bazar
landslide
COX'S BAZAR : Five people
including four members of a family
were killed and four others
injured in separate incidents of
landslide, triggered by incessant
rainfall for the last couple of days
in Sadar and Ramu upazilas of the
district on Wednesday, reports
UNB.
Abdur Rahman,additionaldeputy
commissioner, said four
members of a family were killed
while another injured in a landslide
at Rumaliarchhara
BachamiarGhonain the district
town around 6:30 am.
The deceased were identified as
Marjina Akhter, 16, Kafia Akhter,
14, Abul Khayer, 8, and
Khairunnesa, 6, four children of
Jamal Hossain of the area.
The incident occurred when a
chunk of mud from the hill collapsed
on the house of Jamal
Hossain while all the house
inmates were asleep, leaving four
dead on the spot.
On information, a firefighting
unit rushed in and recovered the
bodies.
In another incident, Morshed
Alam, 5, son of Zafar Alam of
South Mithacharri in Ramu
upazila was killed and three others
injured when a chunk of mud
fell of their house around 7:30
am, leaving one dead on the spot
and three others injured.
The injured were taken to local
hospital.
Bangladesh to become 5G
forerunner, Joy hopes
DHAKA : Information and
Communication Technology (ICT)
adviser to the Prime Minister Sajeeb
WazedJoy on Wednesday said
Bangladesh has one of the cheapest
internets in the world, reports UNB.
Joy, also the son of the Prime
Minister, said this while inaugurating
5G technologies demonstrated
by Huawei and Robi at Pan Pacific
Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
"Technologically, Bangladesh was
among the most backward countries
in the world. Now, see where we are!
I have put pressure on the regulators
to reduce the cost of internet by 99
percentwithin 5 years. Now,
Bangladesh has one of the cheapest
internets in the world", he said.
"Whenever there is a new technology,
I want it. That is my habit as a
techie. Even though we have recently
launched 4G, we are talking about
5G. 5G is not a dream, it's a reality
now. We are the country to deploy
1G to 4G in the fastest time", he said.
"No other country has been able to
deploy next generation internet so
fast", he added.
"With 5G, my goal is that we are
going to be one of the first countries
to deploy 5G in the world. I want
Bangladesh to relentlessly move forward.
This is my promise to you that
if you vote for Awami League once
DHAKA : BNP on Wednesday
termed 'inhuman and vindictive'
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's
recent comment that Khaleda Zia is
'faking illness' in jail to avoid appearance
in court, reports UNB.
Speaking at a press conference at
the party's Nayapaltan central office,
BNP senior joint secretary general
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also alleged that
the Election Commission (EC) is
ignoring BNP's demand for deployment
of army in three city polls only
to manipulate the results in favour of
the government.
"At the Awami League executive
committee meeting, the Prime
Minister said Khaleda Zia is faking
her illness. Her comment is inhuman
which exposes her extreme political
vengeance," he said.
The BNP leader said the jail
authorities on Tuesday said it is not
possible to produce her before the
court as she is seriously ill.
"Government physicians and our
leaders' personal ones are also saying
Khaleda Zia is sick. So, how does
Sheikh Hasina mock with our
leader's illness," he said.
again, we will bring 5G in
Bangladesh. Thanks to Huawei for
demonstrating 5G with their technologies",
Joy said.
Posts and Telecommunications
Division of the Ministry of Posts,
Telecommunications and
Information Technology in cooperation
with Huawei and Robi, demonstrated
the 5G technology for the
first time in Bangladesh.
The purposes of this event are to
show how a 5G ecosystem can be cultivated
in Digital Bangladesh and
how to use 5G to respond to the economic
transformation of Bangladesh
as well as the operators.
Mustafa Jabbar, Minister of
Posts, Telecommunications &
Information Technology Ministry,
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State
Minister for Information and
Communication Technology,
Shyam Sunder Sikder, Secretary of
Posts & Telecommunications
Division, Mahtab Uddin Ahmed,
Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer of Robi Axiata
Limited, James Wu, President of
Huawei's Southeast Asia Region
and Zhang Zhengjun, Chief
Executive Officer of Huawei
Technologies (Bangladesh)
Limited were also present at the
programme.
PM's remark over Khaleda's
illness 'inhuman': BNP
Rizvi alleged that the Prime Minister
is making such statements as she
wants to put her political opponent
Khaleda's life 'in danger without providing
her treatment in jail'.
He also said the Prime Minister is
making various comments at different
programmes about the BNP
chairperson to influence the trial of
the cases filed against Khaleda.
The BNP leader renewed their
party's demand for immediate
release of Khaleda and better treatment
of her.
Rizvi alleged that Amar Desh acting
editor Mahmudur Rahman was
attacked in Kushtia at the behest of
the government's highest level. "The
attack on Mahmudur Rahman is the
exposure of head of the government's
cruel revenge."
About the three city polls, he
accused the ruling party leaders of
indulging in widespread violation of
the election code of conduct as the
EC is not taking any action against
them. "Expecting a fair and credible
election under the current
Commission is like crying in the
wilderness."

NEWS
THURSDAY,
JULY 26, 2018
2
KU Vice-chancellor Prof. Dr. Mohammad Fayez uz Zaman poses with six students who were awarded
Prime Minister's Gold Medal in the facade of PMO.
Photo: TBT
14 return from India
after serving jail
BENAPOLE : Fourteen Bangladeshi nationals
returned home on Tuesday after serving two years in
an Indian jail, reports UNB
Tariqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Benapole
Immigration Police, said the returnees entered the
Indian territory without valid documents three years
ago in search of better job.
They were arrested by Indian police from
Bangalore. Later, an Indian court sentenced them to
two years' imprisonment for illegally crossing the
border.
On completion of the jail term, the Bangladeshi
nationals returned home through the Beanpole
check-post.
The returnees are hailing from Rajshahi, said the
OC.
Man killed in
Kurigram road crash
KURIGRAM : A man was killed when a truck hit his
motorcycle at Matherpar in Ulipur upazila on
Wednesday, reports UNB
The deceased was identified as Mithu Roy, 32, a
polling agent of the ongoing by-election to Kurigram-
3 constancy.
The accident took place around 6 am when a truck
hit the motorbike carrying Mithu while he was
heading towards Narikelbaria Government Primary
School for performing duty, leaving him dead on the
spot, said Mizanur Rahman, sub-inspector of Ulipur
Police Station.
Man killed by
'younger brother' in
Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI : A man was killed allegedly by his
younger brother at Ramchandrapur in Chandrima
area of the city on Tuesday, reports UNB.
The deceased was identified as Mulluk Chan
Mandal, 44, son of Namazi Mandal of the area.
Humayun Kabir, officer-in-charge of Chandrima
Police Station, said Mulluk Chan Mandal had picked
up a quarrel with his younger brother Jahangir
Mandal over family feud around 6 am.
At one stage, Jahangir hit Mulluk with a sharp
weapon, leaving him dead on the spot.
On information, police recovered the body and sent
it to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital morgue for
autopsy.
US, Australian officials tout
cooperation on North Korea
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary James
Mattis and top Australian officials on Tuesday reaffirmed their
commitment to ridding North Korea of nuclear weapons and touted
the strong relationship between the two countries as they ended two
days of meetings.
Pompeo told reporters at the Hoover Institution at Stanford
University that reports that North Korea was dismantling a satellite
launch site were "entirely consistent" with the commitment North
Korean leader Kim Jong Un made to President Donald Trump at a
summit in Singapore. He said the U.S. has been pressing for
inspectors on the ground.
"They need to completely, fully denuclearize," Pompeo responded
after he was asked what more he wanted to see from North Korea.
Pompeo is scheduled to testify before Congress Wednesday
following President Donald Trump's widely criticized news
conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week during
which Trump openly questioned his own intelligence agencies'
conclusions that Moscow tried to tip the scales of the 2016 election
in his favor.
Pompeo said history will show the world benefited from the
meeting between the two leaders.
The news conference was also attended by Mattis, Australian
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Australian Defense Minister
Marise Payne - who were glowing in their evaluation of U.S.-
Australia relations.
"The United States is the global bastion of freedom and
democracy, and the great appeal of the United States and one of its
undoubted strengths is its network of alliances and partnerships
around the world," Bishop said.
She congratulated the U.S. on the Singapore summit and said
Australia backed the U.S. effort to bring "stability" to the Korean
peninsula.
Asked later whether Trump's unpredictability might jeopardize
relations, Bishop said the relationship was so deep and enduring
that changes at the White House or in Australian leadership could
not weaken it.
Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull got off
to a rocky start within days of Trump taking office in January 2017
after they sparred by phone over a plan for the U.S. to accept
hundreds of mostly Muslim refugees that Australia didn't want to
take in itself. The two have met multiple times since then and
appeared to be chummy during a meeting at the White House in
February.
Payne said Australia has 43 people who are missing in action from
the Korean War, and has given the U.S. dental records and DNA to
assist in the identification of any remains the U.S. may receive.
North Korea has yet to return the remains of some U.S. service
members, as was promised as part of an agreement signed in
Singapore. Payne said Australia was committed to enforcing
sanctions on North Korea and achieving "the final, fully verified
denuclearization" of North Korea.
The two countries agreed to consult on their vision for the Indo-
Pacific region and coordinate efforts to combat "foreign
interference," among other commitments made at the meeting,
according to the State Department.
Ex-minister
Kalparanjan
Chakma
passes away
DHAKA : Former
Chittagong Hill Tracts
Affairs Minister and
Awami League leader
Kalparanjan Chakma died
at a city hospital on
Wednesday. He was 98,
reports UNB.
He breathed his last at
Community Medical
College Hospital at
Moghbazar at 12:20 pm.
Kalparanjan was
admitted to the hospital
with leg injury and old-age
complications, said Sadek
Hosain Chowdhury,
personal secretary to State
Minister for CHT Affairs
Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing.
He is survived by his two
sons, two daughters, wife
and a host of relatives and
well-wishers.
His body will be taken to
Rangamati on Thursday
and cremated at Rajbana
Bihara.
In 1996, Kalparanjan
Chakma was elected an
MP from Khagrachhari
with Awami League ticket.
He was the first minister
of the CHT Affairs
ministry which was
formed in the light of
Chittagong Hill Tracts
Peace Accord in 1997.
In a message, Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina
expressed profound shock
at his death and conveyed
sympathy to the bereaved
family members.
Local Government,
Rural Development and
Cooperatives Minister
Khandaker Mosharraf
Hossain also expressed
deep shock at his death,
said an official release.
DUTA demands for taking
legal action against DU
Prof Akmal
DHAKA : Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA)
here today demanded to take legal action against a former
DU professor for making "indecent comments" about Father
of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and
the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The teachers came up with the demand from a human
chain held at Arts Building premises of the campus. They also
urged the teacher to seek apology to the nation for his
remarks.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student
wing of ruling Awami League, gave a memorandum to the
DU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman at the
latter's office demanding taking legal and administrative
action against the retired prof Akmal Hossain.
BCL general secretary read out the memorandum and
urged to take action against those who are trying to
destabilize the university campus.
Prof Akmal Hossain, a retired teacher of the International
Relations Department, at a teachers' solidarity rally under
the banner of 'Teachers against Repression' on July 19,
allegedly delivered "indecent remarks" about Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina's participation
in the Liberation War.
While addressing at the human chain, DUTA president
Prof ASM Maksud Kamal said Prof Akmal Hossain insulted
Bangabandhu and the Premier and humiliated our War of
Liberation.
"Our teachers' association will scrutinize what Prof Akmal
taught in his 37-year teaching career. We urge him to seek
unconditional apology. We also demand that DU
administration will take legal action against him, otherwise
we will go for tough movement," said Prof Maksud.
DUTA general secretary Prof Dr Shibli Rubaiyat Ul Islam,
Dean at Faculty of Pharmacy SM Abdur Rahman, Sociology
Department Prof Abul Kashem Mohammad Jamal Uddin,
among others, spoke at the programme.
Couple held along with
27,000 Yaba tablets in
Chattogram
CHATTOGRAM : Members of Rapid Action Battalion
(Rab) arrested a young man and his wife along with
27,000 Yaba pills from City Gate area under Akbar Shah
Police Station here on Wednesday, reports UNB.
The arrestees are Mohammad Sabuz,31 and his wife
Zahinur Begum, hailing from Gopalganj district.
Tipped off, a team of the elite set up a check post
around 1pm and arrested the duo while they were trying
to take the contraband tablets to Dhaka, said Mimtanur
Rahman, Senior Assistant Director of Rab-7.
UN envoy: 'Devastating' Israel-
Hamas clash averted in Gaza
The U.N. Mideast envoy said Tuesday that
Israel and Hamas were "minutes away" from
another "devastating confrontation" in Gaza
on Saturday - a clash averted after U.N. and
Egyptian diplomatic efforts got both sides to
"step back from the brink."
Nikolay Mladenov warned that "unless we
begin in earnest the crucial work required to
change the current deteriorating dynamics,
another explosion is almost a certainty."
He told the Security that he just returned
from Gaza and "the situation is calming
down although tensions remain," warning
that he still "perilous" faceoff could lead to
the fourth war in a decade between Hamas
and Israel.
"Only through the repeated, collective
efforts of all sides has another catastrophic
escalation been averted over the past weeks,"
Mladenov said.
The latest outbursts of violence followed
months of near-weekly border protests
organized by Gaza's Hamas rulers. Over 130
Palestinians have been killed by Israeli
gunfire since the protests began March 30.
The protests were aimed at ending the
Israeli-Egyptian blockade of Gaza that has
brought severe economic hardship to the
territory and demanding a "right of return"
for descendants of Palestinian refugees to
ancestral homes in what is now Israel. More
than 700,000 Palestinians were expelled or
fled during the 1948 Mideast war over
Israel's creation, and two-thirds of Gaza's 2
million residents are descendants of
refugees.
Israel says it is defending its sovereign
border and accuses Hamas of using the
protests as a cover for attempts to breach the
border fence and attack Israeli civilians and
soldiers.
Israel's U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon,
said flaming kites sent across the border by
Hamas have destroyed over 7,400 acres -
"that is half the size of Manhattan."
He said it is time that the Security Council
declares Hamas a terrorist organization like
al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, saying
it is "holding hostage the entire population of
Gaza" and its goal is to destroy Israel.
Danon again urged Hamas to release two
Israeli civilians and the bodies of two
soldiers. "One cannot demand humanitarian
assistance to Gaza, which we support, while
refusing to ensure the basic humanitarian
rights of returning our captives and our
fallen," he said.
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour
said the "dire humanitarian situation has
placed an explosive pressure on the
infrastructure and caused loss of livelihood
among the entire population of the Gaza
Strip."
He accused Israel of persisting "with its
willful killing of Palestinian civilians and
disregard of human life," and said it is
"imperative" that international protection be
provided for Gaza's civilian population.
Mansour said it is also imperative to
mobilize funds for the U.N. agency for
Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA,
"given its vital role in Gaza and beyond."
UNRWA is facing a funding crisis
following the Trump administration's
decision to cut some $300 million to the
agency this year. It is now reviewing some
$200 million in assistance for the
Palestinians.
18th death anniv
of Late Alhaj
M A Chaklader
18th death anniversary of
renowned Industrialist & the
founder Chairman of
Maxwell Group and novelist
social worker Late Alhaj M A
Chaklader today 26th July,
on Thursday.
On this occasion a Dua-
Mahfil, Quraan Khani &
serving feed has arranged at
his apartment & family
graveyard.
Late Alhaj M A Chaklader
Foundation has also
arranged Doa-Munazat &
serving feed at the
foundation office in the city.
Chaklader's family &
foundation are requested to
all his relatives & well
wishers to present at those
programs.
Afghanistan
keen to import
quality
products from
Bangladesh
DHAKA : Afghanistan has
shown interest in
importing quality
products from Bangladesh
including
pharmaceuticals,
readymade garments and
other consumer goods,
reports UNB.
Newly appointed
Ambassador
of
Afghanistan to Bangladesh
Abdul Qayoom Malikzad
met State Minister for
Foreign Affairs M
ShahriarAlam at the
latter's office on
Wednesday and discussed
various bilateral issues.
The State Minister
welcomed the new
Ambassador and assured
him of all kind of support
to further enhance the
bilateral relations between
the two countries.
They discussed the
entire gamut of the
bilateral relations built up
on common history and
traditional linkages of the
two peoples, said the
Foreign Ministry here.
The state Minister
reiterated Bangladesh's
willingness to deepen
bilateral ties with
Afghanistan and its
readiness to be a trusted
development partner.
The new Ambassador
emphasized further
enhancing brotherly
bilateral relations
especially boosting the
trade linkages.
The State Minister
wished Ambassador
Malikzad a successful
tenure in Bangladesh.
GD-962/18 (6 x 4)
Enthusiastic voters showed up at Janata High School at Kalapara to cast their vote in the Lalua
Union Parisad election in Patuakhali.
Photo: TBT

METRO
THUrSDAY, JULY 26, 2018
3
DSCC announces
Tk 3,598.75 cr
budget
DHAKA : The Dhaka South
City Corporation (DSCC)
has announced a budget of
Tk 3,598.75 crore for the
fiscal year 2018-19, reports
UNB.
South City Mayor Syed
Khokon announced the
budget at a meeting at the
Nagar Bhaban auditorium
on Wednesday.
The revised budget of the
fiscal year 2017-18 was Tk
2014.31 crore.
The Mayor also sought
assistance from the city
dwellers to implement the
budget saying, "I will give
you a livable city if you (city
dwellers) stay with me."
The revenue income in
the new budget from own
source is k 909.42 crore
which include holding tax
Tk 330 crore, market
salami (possession fee) Tk
305 crore, trade license
fees Tk 80crore, assets
handover fee Tk 100 crore.
The government will
provide Tk 70 crore as
grant and Tk 439.86 crore
as special allowance.
Besides, Tk 2048.63 crore
will come from
government and private
aid based project.
Legal framework to
ensure rights to food,
safe water stressed
DHAKA : Experts yesterday stressed
formulation of a legal framework to ensure
the people's rights to food, nutrition and
safe water for achieving the targets of
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
They urged political parties to include
the issue of formulating a legal framework
on rights to food in their election
manifestos ahead of the upcoming general
election.
They came up with the call while
addressing the inaugural session of 'Rights
to Food and Nutrition Campaign' at the
National Museum auditorium in the city's
Shahbagh area.
Right to Food Bangladesh (RTFB) is
carrying out the campaign across the
country from July to December 2018.
Chaired by Palli Karma Sahayak
Foundation (PKSF) chairman Dr Qazi
Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, the inaugural
session of the campaign, was addressed,
among others, by National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) chairman Kazi
Reazul Hoque, executive director of
Campaign for Popular Education
(CAMPE) Rasheda K Choudhury, RTFB
vice-chairman Ibrahim Khaled, PKSF
managing director Md Abdul Karim,
editor of The Daily Ittefaq Tasmima
Hossain, country director of ActionAid
Bangladesh Farah Kabir, chief of party of
the Counterpart International Ellie
Valentine and programme director of
Concern Worldwide Helel Ware.
Speaking on the occasion, Qazi
Kholiquzzaman said: "We want a legal
framework for the people who are being
deprived of their rights to food, healthcare
and education."
He hoped that the present government
would formulate a pro-people legal
framework in this regard.
Reading out a keynote paper on the
perspectives and agenda of the campaign,
RTFB general secretary and executive
director of Wave Foundation Mohsin Ali
said 25 lakh signatures will be collected
during the campaign aiming to influence
the political parties to insert the issue of
formulation and implementation of the
legal framework on the rights to food in
their election manifestos.
NHRC chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque
said people have the rights to get access to
all human rights, including food.
"That's why all concerned should
participate in the social safety
programme," he said, adding Bangladesh
should formulate a legal framework on the
people's rights to food as many developing
countries, including Brazil and Argentina,
did so.
Rasheda K Choudhury said women are
involved in food management at their
homes, so they should be included in the
movement.
She urged the stakeholders concerned to
get involved in the process of formulation
of a legal framework on the rights to food.
In its 15th Corporation Meeting, the South Dhaka City Mayor Mohammad Sayed Khokon announced
the budget for 2018-19 session in Nagar Bhavan.
Photo: TBT
Bullet trains to
ply on different
routes: Mujibul
DHAKA : Railways Minister
Md Mujibul Haque yesterday
said high speed bullet trains
will run on different routes of
the country aiming to improve
its communication networks.
"Bangladesh Railway (BR)
will operate bullet trains on
Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-
Sylhet, Dhaka-Rajshahi and
Dhaka-Payra routes," he told
a discussion on the Railways
at the Deputy Commissioner
Conference at the Cabinet
Division, an official release
said. Mujibul said the
government will construct
necessary infrastructures for
smooth movement of bullet
trains that will help bring a
significant change in the
communication sector.
Railway Secretary Md
Mofazzel Hossain and
Director General of Railway
Department Md Amjad
Hossain, among others, were
present at the discussion.
First report on coal
disappearance
submitted
DHAKA : The first
investigation report on much
talked-about disappearance of
coal from Barapukuria Coal
Mining Company Limited
(BCMCL) was submitted to
the ministry yesterday.
After receiving the report
State Minister for Power,
Energy and Mineral
Resources said the
government would scrutinize
the report and take necessary
action against people
responsible for the offense.
He said, "I could not read
the report yet. The action will
be taken against the people
responsible for it."
Mosharraf seeks DCs' attention to
'Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar' project
DHAKA : Local Government, Rural Development and
Cooperatives Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain yesterday
urged the deputy commissioners (DCs) to give more attention to
the implementation of 'Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar' (One House One
Firm) project to make the poor people self-reliant.
"Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar' is a unique project of the government.
The government is implementing the project to make the
marginal people self-reliant through small savings instead of
loan," he said, speaking at a meeting with the heads of country's
district administrations on the second day of three-day DC
Conference at the Cabinet Division here.
Mosharraf said the 'Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar' project will be
continued until the alleviation of poverty.
He said a total of 60,615 associations (samity) will be formed
across the country under the project within 2020 and the
members of those associations will be around 3 crore.
The minister said the DCs could play a vital role in improving
the living standard of the common people as they are working at
the field level. Noting the continuous success of implementing
Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the ministry,
Mosharraf said, "The deputy commissioners are also equal
partners of the success and it was possible for your monitoring,
coordination and skilled administrative role."
The minister said there is no lack of coordination between the
LGRD ministry and the district administrations. LGRD ministry
and administrations are working jointly to implement the
development programmes, he added.
The DCs suggested strengthening union parishads (council),
modernization of village police, setting up modern children
parks in every city, district and upazila and waste treatment
plant at Cumilla and Barishal city corporation areas.
PEC, Ebtedayee examinations
to begin Nov 18
DHAKA : Primary Education Completion (PEC) and Ebtedayee
Examinations for class V students will begin on November 18,
reports UNB.
The exam schedule was fixed at a meeting headed by Primary
and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman at the
secretariat on Wednesday, said Rabindranath Roy, Information
andPublic Relations officerof the Primary and Mass Education
Ministry. The two and a half hours tests will start at 10:30 am.
The exam schedule for PSC: English on November 18,
Bangladesh and World Introduction on November 20, Primary
Science on November 22, Math on November 25, Religion and
Moral Education on November 26.
The exam schedule for Ebtedayee: English on November 18,
Bangla on November 19, Bangladesh and World Introduction
and Science on November 20, Arabic on November 22, Math on
November 25 and Quran and Tajbid and Akaid and Fikh on
November 26.
163 students
get Prime
Minister
Gold Medal
DHAKA : A total of 163
students was awarded the
Prime Minister Gold Medal, in
recognition of their securing
highest marks/CGPA in their
respective faculties, reports
UNB.
Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasinaon Wednesdayhanded
over the gold medals among
the talented students of
different public and private
universities of the country.
The Prime Minister Gold
Medal award ceremony under
the auspices of University
Grants Commission (UGC)
was held at the Shapla Hall of
Prime Minister's Office.
Nurul Islam Nahid,
Education Minister and Md
Sohorab Hossain, Secretary of
Secondary and Higher
Education Division of the
Ministry of Education, was
present there as special guests.
Professor Abdul Mannan,
Chairman of UGC, presided
over the function where
professor Dr Dil Afroza
Begum, member of UGC,
delivered the welcome speech.
Prime Minister Gold Medal
was introduced in 2005 as an
effort to encourage the
talented students of the
universities of the country.
Ministers, Advisers to the
Prime Minister, National
Professors, former UGC
Chairmen, Secretaries of
different Ministries, UGC
Members, Vice-chancellors
from public and private
universities, educationists,
high officials from Prime
Minister's Office and UGC and
parents and guardians of the
awardees, among others, were
present on the occasion.
Dhaka University Teacher's Association protested in front of the 'Aporajeyo Bangla' through forming
a Human Chain including teachers from different department.
Photo: TBT
Belgian
envoy pays
farewell
call on
President
DHAKA : Ambassador of
Belgium to Bangladesh Jan
Luykx paid a farewell call
on President Abdul Hamid.
The Belgian non-resident
envoy visited Bangabhaban
on Wednesday afternoon,
reports UNB.
President's Press
Secretary Joynal Abedin
quoted the President as
saying, "Trade and
investment relations
between Bangladesh and
Belgium are increasing
gradually. Exchange of
trade delegation visits
between the two countries
is very important to utilize
the potential of bilateral
trade investment."
The President hoped for
Belgium's strong role to
strengthen international
cooperation in solving the
Rohingya crisis.
He urged Belgium
government to take
initiatives to launch a
Belgian residential mission
in Bangladesh.
Ambassador said, "Many
Belgian investors invest in
various sectors, especially
in the power and energy
sectors, in Bangladesh.
He appreciated the
cooperation and hospitality
of the people of
Bangladesh.
The ambassador also
praised the various
activities taken by
Bangladesh on the
Rohingya issue.
Secretaries concerned to
the Bangabhaban were
present during the
meeting.
GD-963/18 (6 x 4)
Dhaka-Beijing cooperation
sees new momentum: China
DHAKA : China has said the bilateral
relationship between Bangladesh and China
was upgraded to the 'Strategic Partnership of
Cooperation', which maintains a new
momentum of cooperation between the
armed forces of the two nations, reports
UNB.
Military, Naval and Air Attache of China to
Bangladesh senior Colonel Liu Fangjian said
they are witnessing a new momentum of
cooperation after President Xi Jinping's
historical visit to Bangladesh in October
2016.
He was addressing a reception hosted by
Chinese Embassy in Dhaka in celebration of
the 91st Anniversary of the Founding of the
Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on
Tuesday evening.
Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu,
Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Zhang Zuo
along with his spouse and colleagues
attended the reception.
Senior officers and officials from
Bangladesh as well as diplomats, military
attaches and scholars also attended the
reception.
Senior Colonel Liu reviewed the PLA's
achievements over the past 91 years, and its
contributions to global peace and stability.
He introduced that the PLA, under the
leadership of the Central Military
Commission (CMC) chaired by President Xi
Jinping, has implemented significant
military reforms to strengthen its armed
forces, especially in terms of system and
policy, and civil-military integration since
the 18th National Congress of the
Communist Party of China (CPC).
He also emphasised that during the 19th
National Congress of CPC in last October,
President Xi reiterated that China would stay
committed to the Chinese path of building
strong armed forces and fully advance the
modernisation of national defence and the
military.
Senior Colonel Liu said China remained
firm in pursuing an independent foreign
policy of peace and a national defense policy
that was defensive in nature. "China is at
present the largest contributor of
peacekeepers among the P5 of the UN
Security Council, and the second largest
contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget."
Liu highlighted the steady and rapid
progress in China-Bangladesh military
cooperation in recent years, "with frequent
high-level visits, continuously deepening
pragmatic cooperation and fruitful
cooperation in personnel training".
Nasim inaugurates
4 emergency OT's
at DMCH
DHAKA : Health and Family Welfare
Minister Mohammed Nasim yesterday
inaugurated four emergency operation
theaters (OTs) and modern equipment for
Surgical High Dependency Unit (HDU)
and Transfusion Medicine Department at
Dhaka Medical College Hospital
(DMCH).
The minister during the time urged the
hospital authority to further develop the
standard of service at hospital's
emergency department.
"Just launching of new equipments will
not do any good, we have to develop the
standard of the service as well," Nasim
said.
The hospital authority said with the
inauguration of four emergency operation
theaters, they will be able to serve the
patients of orthopedics, general surgery,
thoracic surgery, urology, neurosurgery,
ENT, eye, maxillofacial surgery and
paediatric surgery departments 24/7.
The minister asked the hospital
authorities to keep the number of
attendants in the hospital low, saying only
one attendant will be allowed for each
patients admitted to the hospital.
Health Education and Family Welfare
Secretary GM Saleh Uddin, Director
General of Directorate General of Health
Services Prof Abul Kalam Azad,
Bangladesh Medical Association
president Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin,
DMCH Principal Prof Dr Khan Abul
Kalam Azad and DMCH Director
Brigadier AKM Nasir Uddin were present
on the occasion, among others.

EDITORIAL
THurSDAY,
JuLY 26, 2018
4
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam
Telephone: +8802-9104683-84, Fax: 9127103
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Countering false publicities
on garment sector
M
ost
of the time on reading newspapers in
Bangladesh or watching the electronic
media, one cannot be blamed for getting
afflicted by a notion as if our garments sector is but
one monstrous creation inspired by sheer greed of
its entrepreneurs and sustained by their devilish
ways of exploiting the workers to maximize their
profits. There would not be so much to be
concerned by this one track publicity but for the
fact that the same is now poised to strike a death
blow to a sector that has over time evolved as one
of the few pillars on which the country's economy
presently stands.
We cannot blame foreigners for putting into
sharp focus mainly the negatives of the garments
industry which then allows vested interest groups
abroad to pile all sorts of undue pressures on this
industry stating that all truths are on their side and
that Bangladesh's own media has been supporting
their views so overwhelmingly. The net output of
these publicities has been vitiating the image of our
garments industry to the extent that government in
the USA, a major buyer of our garments, has
suspended its GSP facility for Bangladesh. The
latest is European Union (EU) is also dropping
veiled warning about withdrawl of their GSP they
provide to Bangladeshi garments products. The EU
is the largest single buyer of our garments
products and the USA is the second largest buyer.
Certainly, the interests of our garments sector will
likely be greatly undermined if these threats are
allowed to be carried out. Thus, it is so very
important that on our part in Bangladesh, we
should do rightly what we can to clear blames on
our garments industry instead of helping a process
to further debilitate it with one side injurious
publicities.
Facts about our garments sector need to be
separated from mere fancy, just like the grain from
the chaff. Any such sincere exercise will show up
that allegations of barbaric conditions in our
garments industries suffer from the fallacy
described in Logic as 'sweeping generalization'.
This fallacy underlines that you just cannot point to
one or too few examples and claim that these are
representative of or explain the entire
phenomenon.
In other words, it is simply not fair to cite the
example of some accidents in our garments
industries at intervals (including at least one major
one at RanaPlaza) and from that to draw the
conclusion that all garments industries are well
short of observing proper standards to be
maintained at work places. Such a rabid
conclusion is logically tenable.
There are but 5,500 garments industries of
varying capacities in Bangladesh. Out of them at
least one-third of them or 1,833 industries have
been found in reliable surveys to be fully meeting
the internationally expected standards of work
place safety and in providing the decent minimum
of wages to workers. Specially, in the large number
of garments industries located in the export
processing zones (EPZs), the conditions of work
and financial and other compensations given to
workers are considered to be comparable to sound
international standards. Such standards are also
maintained in many factories outside the EPZs.
The overall conditions in the rest of the industries
are not all the same. Many are very close to
attaining the standards of the first category while
many are progressively getting closer. Only a small
number out of the total can be considered as
deficient in large measures but even the tracking
down of these has started in zest and it is only a
question of time before these would be bound to
become compliant with expected standards from
pressure both by the government and by the
BGMEA, the association of the owners of garments
industries themselves.
Besides, it should be abundantly clear that in the
wake of the accidents at Tazreen and Rana Plaza
and the bitter fall outs from the same in the
international media and the importing countries,
BGMEA and the government in their own
interests would be up and doing to bring the non
compliant remaining industries around to fulfilling
compliance needs.
All of these plain truth truths about our garments
sector need to be made clear to external quarters
who seem to be suffering from so much negative
views about the sector, deliberately or from
misinformation.
Notwithstanding the controversies
surrounding the run-up to the
elections, the country is set to
achieve a second consecutive democratic
transition. They may be dirty but the votes
still count. The people will give their verdict
today in what is believed to be one of the
most critical elections to determine the
future course of politics in this country. The
outcome remains unpredictable.
If opinion polls are to be believed, the
PTI seems to be ahead in the contest, but
that could change at the last moment with
the PML-N running a close race. Whatever
the result, one thing is almost certain: no
party will be able to get an absolute
majority to form the next government. The
battle for Islamabad will not be decided at
the polls alone, raising the stakes for the
smaller parties. So most likely there will be
another period of coalition rule for good or
bad.
The politics of vendetta must end after
the polls and a broad agreement should
be reached on key issues.
A major question, however, is whether
the elections will bring much-needed
political stability. Given the intense
political polarisation in the country and
the growing imbalance of power among
various state institutions, the challenges
for the newly elected government will be
daunting. The worsening economic
situation and multiple external
problems have made things more
complex.
Most importantly, the polls must be seen
as credible and the results accepted by all
parties and state institutions. Widespread
allegations of pre-poll political engineering
have already led to misgivings. But any
attempt to tinker with the poll results could
bring into question the entire democratic
process and cause further political
Anews item that has dominated the
business media in India recently is
that India has pipped France to
become the sixth-largest economy in the
world. ?Not surprisingly, the government
of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
made a big song and dance about it, as it
does for almost everything. At the same
time, those against the Modi government
have been asking, What's the big deal?
The truth, as usual, is somewhere in
between. Let's take a look at a graph that
basically plots the gross domestic
products of the world's 10 biggest
economies.
What does the graph tell us? The
French GDP in 2017 was US$2.582
trillion. The Indian GDP was $2.597
trillion. As India has grown over the
years, it has become bigger than many
economies. This is par for the course. It's
not the first time something like this has
happened.
Let's take the case of Canada. As we can
see from the graph, Canada is the 10thlargest
economy in the world. In 2009,
the Canadian GDP was $1.371 trillion.
The Indian GDP was slightly lower at
$1.324 trillion. In 2010, the Canadian
GDP was $1.613 trillion. The Indian GDP
was $1.657 trillion. Thus, in 2010, India
became a bigger economy than Canada.
Let's go back a few years more and take
the case of South Korea, which is
currently the 12th-largest economy in the
world. In 2006, it had a GDP of $1.012
trillion. The Indian GDP was $920.317
billion. In 2007, the Korean GDP was
$1.123 trillion. The Indian GDP was
$1.201 trillion. Thus India became a
bigger economy than South Korea. The
point here is that the Indian economy has
become bigger than other major
instability. It will be extremely difficult for
a government with doubtful legitimacy to
deal with the internal and external
challenges.
It will require a broad consensus among
the major political forces to restore the
credibility of the democratic process and
strengthen the elected institutions. A
credible democratic transition could open
a window of opportunity for a national
reconciliation. There is certainly a need for
a new social contract to end the
confrontation between various institutions
of state that has been the major cause of
political instability in the country. Surely,
the democratic process cannot be
sustained with the existing imbalance of
power. But the supremacy of elected
institutions is also linked with the rule of
law. One hopes the newly elected
lawmakers and government will learn
from past mistakes that have allowed nonelected
institutions to gain greater space.
The politics of vendetta should come to an
end after the elections and a broad
agreement must be reached on key
national issues. Surely, it is imperative to
resolve the civil-military conflict, but it is
also wrong to see all the issues in that
binary. It is evident that the economy will
be the thorniest issue for the new
economies even in the past, during the
era when Dr Manmohan Singh was the
prime minister.
As the pivot of global growth moves
from Europe and North America to Asia
(ex-Japan), the Indian economy will keep
becoming bigger than other major
economies in the years to come. It is more
or less certain that the Indian economy
will become bigger than the British
economy this year. ?Getting back to
France, that country has not grown in the
last 10 years. In 2007, the French GDP
was $2.657 trillion. In 2017, 10 years
later, it was slightly lower at $2.582
trillion.
What about the UK? In 2007, the
British GDP was $3.074 trillion. In 2017,
it was significantly lower at $2.622
trillion.
The larger point here is that the Indian
economy in terms of size has been
competing against economies that have
contracted or barely grown over the
years. Even Germany, which is currently
the fourth-largest economy in the world,
barely grew between 2007 and 2017. In
ZAHID HuSSAIN
government. Unfortunately, there has not
been much focus on this most critical issue
in the election campaign beyond rhetoric.
It is alarming that foreign exchange
reserves are falling and the current account
deficit growing, and it seems that the new
administration will have no other option
but to seek an IMF bailout. That means
tightening one's belt. The previous
government had failed to enforce critical
structural reforms vital to sustainable
economic development. It is true the
growth rate remained relatively high, but
the increasing debt burden, both domestic
and external, has compounded financial
woes. The circular debt has ballooned yet
again, intensifying the energy crisis.
Indeed, the new administration will have
to introduce some tough reforms to deal
with this serious financial crisis. But for
that it will also need the support of the
opposition parties and other state
institutions. There is a need for a national
economic charter to deal with the
worsening economic crisis that also
threatens our national security.
Terrorism and religious extremism are
another serious problem that would
require parliamentary consensus. True,
the level of militant violence has come
down significantly because of successful
2007, the German GDP was $3.44
trillion. In 2017, it was $3.677 trillion.
On the other side, as India has grown, it
has pulled a multitude of its people out of
poverty. A recent study by the Brookings
Institution notes:
"According to our projections, Nigeria
has already overtaken India as the
country with the largest number of
extreme poor in early 2018, and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo could
soon take over the No 2 spot. At the end
of May 2018, our trajectories suggest that
Nigeria had about 87 million people in
extreme poverty, compared with India's
73 million. What is more, extreme
poverty in Nigeria is growing by six
people every minute, while poverty in
India continues to fall."
Indeed, this couldn't have been
achieved without economic growth and
the fact that the Indian economy has
pipped many others to become a bigger
economy over the decades.
If anything, this tells our politicians all
over again that economic growth is the
best antidote to poverty, which is
DIMAH TALAL ALSHArIF
military operations in the tribal areas, but
the recent attacks show that the terrorist
threat is far from over. The growing
activities of the militant Islamic State
group must be a cause of serious concern.
Political opportunism and expediency
have further emboldened radical
elements as seen in the emergence of
new, even more extremist groups that
have been allowed to participate in the
elections. Similarly, banned
organisations now functioning under
new banners seem to have been
legitimised in violation of the law and the
National Action Plan.
The arbitrary mainstreaming of some
militant groups has provoked
international criticism. At least three
candidates belonging to a banned group
are on the UN terror list. The issue has
become serious with Pakistan having
been placed on the FATF grey list. The
concern is that unless it takes action, the
country could be at risk of being
blacklisted.
Such a situation could increase
Pakistan's international isolation
compounding our economic woes. Can
we afford this? More worrisome is that
some political parties have a soft corner
for these extremist groups and ignore the
concerns of the international community
including some of our closest allies. It is
time our lawmakers realised the gravity of
the situation.
External challenges also demand a clear
policy direction with all the stakeholders
on board. The fast-changing regional
geopolitics has exacerbated Pakistan's
foreign policy predicament as well as
opened a new window of opportunity.
Source : Gulf news
The truth behind India’s jump in global economy rankings
VIVEk kAuL
something some of them refuse to
believe. ?Having said that, there are other
points that need to be made here:
In 2017, India's population was around
1.34 billion. It took 1.34 billion Indians to
generate a GDP of $2.597 trillion. On the
other hand, the population of France in
2017 was just 67 million, or around 5% of
the population of India. They generated a
GDP more or less similar to that of India.
?What that basically means is that an
average Frenchman is much more
productive than an average Indian. The
per capita income of France in 2017 was
$38,476.70 and that of India was
$1,939.60. The French per capita income
is nearly 20 times India's. ?The poverty of
India can also be gleaned from what it
takes to be a part of India's richest 1%. As
James Crabtree writes in his new book
The Billionaire Raj: A Journey through
India's New Gilded Age: "In North
America it required $4.5 million in assets;
in an average European country $1.4
million. In India the same figure was just
$32,892." ?The point is that the Indian
economy still has a long way to go before
it reaches anywhere near the French
economy. GDP is just one measure.
As India has grown over the years, the
rich have captured the bulk of the gain.
The World Inequality Report of 2018
points out that the top 10% of the Indian
population earned around 55% of the
national income. In 1980, this was close
to 32%. ?While some inequality will
always be a part of society, nevertheless, a
rapid increase creates its own set of
problems.
Source : Asia times
How the rights of every Saudi consumer are protected
Along with recent Saudi
economic growth and new
openness to business, there is
increasing interest in consumer
behavior and desires - especially with
the emergence of a certain breed of
traders who exploit consumers by
raising prices, using market
dumping and overlooking the need
for quality.
First, it may be useful to define
what a consumer is. A consumer is
an individual who purchases goods
or products for personal use, such as
food, clothing or tools; or a user of
services of all kinds, therapeutic,
recreational or other. Of course,
there are also commercial
consumers, such as organizations
and businesses.
For consumers, the aim is to obtain
the maximum quantity and quality of
goods and services at the lowest
price, but many traders have become
complacent about these standards -
and the main casualty is the
consumer.
Sharia is the basis of law in the
Kingdom, and fraud and deception
in the marketplace are expressly
A national democratic charter
It will require a broad consensus among the major political
forces to restore the credibility of the democratic process and
strengthen the elected institutions. A credible democratic
transition could open a window of opportunity for a national
reconciliation. There is certainly a need for a new social
contract to end the confrontation between various institutions
of state that has been the major cause of political instability.
As the pivot of global growth moves from Europe and
North America to Asia (ex-Japan), the Indian
economy will keep becoming bigger than other major
economies in the years to come. It is more or less
certain that the Indian economy will become bigger
than the British economy this year. ?Getting back to
France, that country has not grown in the last 10 years.
In 2007, the French GDP was $2.657 trillion. In 2017,
10 years later, it was slightly lower at $2.582 trillion.
prohibited in the Qu'ran: "Woe to
those that deal in fraud, those who,
when they have to receive by
measure from men, exact full
measure, but when they have to give
by measure or weight to men, give
less than due."
To reduce the incidence of this
phenomenon, which has a significant
impact on all members of society,
several laws have been introduced to
address the importance of consumer
protection. They include the Anti-
Fraud Law, the Insurance
Companies Control Law and the
Mortgage Financing Law. Perhaps
the most important of these
regulations on consumer protection
is the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law.
This criminalizes the conduct of
any trader who deceives a consumer,
or even attempts to do so, in any way,
whether in relation to the nature of a
product, its type or its essential
characteristics, the source of the
To reduce the incidence of this phenomenon, which
has a significant impact on all members of society,
several laws have been introduced to address the
importance of consumer protection. They include the
Anti-Fraud Law, the Insurance Companies Control
Law and the Mortgage Financing Law. Perhaps the
most important of these regulations on consumer
protection is the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law.
product or its weight, or in relation to
the manufacture of a product that
violates the approved standard
specifications. Offenders may be
fined up to SR500,000 and/or
imprisoned for up to two years.
Inspection of traders and their
premises is carried out by
supervisory teams from the Ministry
of Commerce and Investment, the
Ministry of Municipal and Rural
Affairs, and the Saudi Food and
Drugs Authority. Any infringement
may be referred to the Public
Prosecution.
Social media may also play a major
role in marketing unauthorized or
counterfeit products, so the Ministry
of Media is currently working on a
document to organize the work of
social media influencers in Saudi
Arabia. The document aims to
ensure the commitment of
influencers to avoid the
advertisement of counterfeit
products and goods.
Of course, consumers themselves can
also play a part in addressing and
combating fraud by acquiring a thorough
knowledge of their rights. Any offense
may be reported to the Center of
Communications by phone on the
number 1900, or through the mobile
application or website of the Ministry of
Commerce and Investment.
Source : Arab news

HEALTH
THURSDAY,
JULY 26, 2018
5
Don't put plastic containers in the microwave or dishwasher while containing fruits or
vegetables in it.
Photo: istock
Chemicals in food is likely
to harm children
Roni Caryn Rabin
A major pediatricians' group is urging
families to limit the use of plastic food
containers, cut down on processed
meat during pregnancy and consume
more whole fruits and vegetables rather
than processed food. Such measures
would lower children's exposures to
chemicals in food and food packaging
that are tied to health problems such as
obesity, the group says.
The American Academy of Pediatrics
issued the guidelines in a statement
and scientific technical report on
Monday. The group joins other medical
and advocacy groups that have
expressed concern about the growing
body of scientific evidence indicating
that certain chemicals that enter foods
may interfere with the body's natural
hormones in ways that may affect longterm
growth and development.
The pediatricians' group, which
represents some 67,000 of the
country's children's doctors, is also
calling for more rigorous testing and
regulation of thousands of chemicals
used as food additives or indirectly
added to foods when they are used in
manufacturing or leach from packaging
and plastics.
Among the chemicals that raised
particular concern are nitrates and
nitrites, which are used as
preservatives, primarily in meat
products; phthalates, which are used to
make plastic packaging; and
bisphenols, used in the lining of metal
cans for canned food products. Also of
concern to the pediatricians are
perfluoroalkyl chemicals, or PFCs, used
in grease-proof paper and packaging,
and perchlorates, an antistatic agent
Gretchen Reynolds
For lifelong heart health, start
exercising early in life and keep
exercising often - ideally, at least four
times a week, according to a
remarkable series of recent studies
involving hundreds of people and their
hearts.
But even if you have neglected to
exercise in recent years and are now
middle-aged, it is not too late. The same
research shows that you still can
substantially remodel your heart and
make it more youthful by starting to
work out in midlife, provided you
exercise often enough.
By the time many of us are in our mid
to late 50s, portions of our heart muscle
have begun to atrophy and weaken, and
our major cardiac arteries - the blood
vessels that move blood from our
hearts and to the rest of the body - have
stiffened.
These changes increase blood
pressure and make our hearts work
harder and less well, raising the risk for
subsequent health problems, including
heart failure. But Dr. Benjamin Levine,
used in plastic packaging.
"The good news is there are safe and
simple steps people can take right now
to limit exposures, and they don't have
to break the bank," said Dr. Leonardo
Trasande, the lead author of the
statement and chief of the division of
environmental pediatrics at New York
University's School of Medicine.
"Avoiding canned food is a great way
to reduce your bisphenol exposure in
general, and avoiding packaged and
processed food is a good way to avoid
phthalates exposures," Dr. Trasande
said. He also suggested wrapping foods
in wax paper in lieu of plastic wrap.
Jonathan Corley, a spokesman for
the American Chemistry Council, a
trade association, said: "Chemicals are
critical to protecting the quality and
integrity of food, help in the safe
transportation and storage of food." He
said that many of the chemicals
referred to in the A.A.P. statement did
not act as endocrine disrupters "in
typical uses and at typical exposure
levels," but did not provide scientific
references to support that contention.
In a separate development Monday,
scientists at the University of
California, San Francisco, who used a
novel method for scanning blood said
they had found dozens of chemicals
called environmental organic acids, or
E.O.A.s, in pregnant women.
E.O.A.s, which include bisphenol-A,
have chemical structures similar to
hormones, meaning they may disrupt
the endocrine system of the fetus and
interfere with development.
Researchers involved in the study,
published in the journal
Environmental Health Perspectives,
said some of the chemicals had never
a cardiologist and professor of
medicine at the University of Texas
Southwestern Medical Center and
director of the Institute for Exercise
and Environmental Medicine in Dallas,
was not convinced that these effects
were inevitable.
He and his research colleagues
wondered if they might be common
only among aging people who are
sedentary and not among those who
are physically active. So they embarked
upon a series of examinations of people
and their cardiac systems.
For the first of these, published in
2014 in the Journal of the American
College of Cardiology, they turned to
102 older men and women who were
part of a large-scale, ongoing study of
heart health. All had provided detailed
information about their physical
activities for at least the past 20 years.
The scientists then categorized these
men and women, based on those
exercise histories. Some were and had
been sedentary throughout adulthood.
Others, who reported that they had and
continued to exercise two or three
times a week for at least 30 minutes,
before been documented in the blood of
pregnant women, including two
chemicals that are linked to genetic
defects, fetal damage and cancer.
Among the other chemicals detected
in the pregnant women were an
estrogenic compound used in foodrelated
plastic products, plastic pipes
and water bottles, as well as a
compound banned for use as a diet
drug by the Food and Drug
Administration decades ago, because of
the risks but still used in cosmetics,
pesticides and as a coloring agent in
industrial processes, said Aolin Wang,
one of the study's authors.
Infants and children are particularly
vulnerable to the effects of chemicals in
food in part because they eat more food
per pound of body weight than adults.
Perhaps more significantly, children's
metabolic systems and key organ
systems are still developing and
maturing, so hormone disruptions can
potentially cause lasting changes.
"Because hormones act at low
concentrations in our blood, it is not
surprising that even low-level
exposures to endocrine disrupters can
contribute to disease," said Laura N.
Vandenberg, an assistant professor in
the department of environmental
health sciences at the University of
Massachusetts-Amherst's School of
Public Health, who spoke on behalf of
the Endocrine Society.
Many of the chemicals described in
the pediatrics report have been shown
to interfere with normal hormone
function "by mimicking or blocking the
actions of hormones that are
responsible for brain development,
development of the sex organs and
normal metabolic functions.
Start exercising early in life for maintaining lifelong heart health.
Photo: Collected
Exercise reinvigorates aging heart
were dubbed long-term "casual"
exercisers.
A third group, who had worked out
four or five times a week for years, were
classified as "committed" exercisers.
And a fourth group, who exercised six
or seven times a week and competed in
sports, were marked as athletes.
The researchers then scanned and
tested everyone's hearts. They found
that the sedentary group showed the
usual effects of time. Parts of their heart
muscles, particularly their left
ventricles or chambers, were shrunken
and less powerful than in younger
people.
The same changes were evident in
casual exercisers. But they were not
seen to the same extent in men and
women who had exercised at least four
times a week for years, or in those who
were masters' athletes. Both of those
groups had left ventricles that looked
and functioned much like those of
people decades younger. To extend
those findings, the researchers next
turned to cardiac arteries, which, like
the heart muscle, typically become less
healthy with age.
How to minimize pancreatic
cancer risk
Jane E. Brody
As an avid reader of
obituaries, I've been struck
by how many people these
days are succumbing to
pancreatic cancer, a cancer
long considered rare.
And relatively speaking, it
is still rare, accounting for
just 3 percent of all
cancers. But it is also one
of the deadliest because
symptoms almost never
develop until the disease is
advanced and incurable.
Although 55,440 cases,
affecting 29,200 men and
26,240 women, are
expected to be diagnosed
this year in the United
States, 44,330 people will
die of it, often within
months of diagnosis,
making it the fourth
leading cause of cancer
deaths in this country.
Furthermore, it is on track
to become the second most
deadly cancer by 2030.
At the same time, cases of
pancreatic cancer are
rising, even though the
leading known risk factor -
cigarette smoking - has
been declining for decades.
That fact alone has
prompted researchers to
seek explanations for other
causes and, it is hoped,
find ways, in addition to
quitting smoking, to
prevent it and detect it
while still curable.
In most of the
approximately 6 percent of
five-year survivors,
pancreatic cancer is
discovered early quite by
accident, usually during a
scan or surgery for some
other reason. For example,
in 2009, Ruth Bader
Ginsburg, the associate
justice of the Supreme
Court, had part of her
pancreas removed after a
routine CT scan revealed a
one-centimeter lesion.
While that lesion was
benign, a smaller tumor
the surgeon found was
malignant and had not yet
spread beyond the
pancreas.
The pancreas is a small
two-part glandular organ -
about 7 inches long and 1.5
inches wide - lying in the
upper abdomen behind
the stomach. It performs
two vital functions. One
part of the gland is a source
of digestive enzymes and
the other part produces the
hormones insulin and
glucagon that control
blood levels of glucose and
fatty acids.
ome known risk factors for
pancreatic cancer are
beyond an individual's
control: older age, being an
African-American or
Ashkenazi Jew and having
two or more first-degree
relatives (parents or
siblings) who have had the
cancer.
But it is the modifiable risk
factors that are currently of
greatest concern. Aside
from tobacco smoking,
which accounts for 20
percent to 25 percent of
pancreatic cancers even as
this risk factor continues to
decline, the main risks for
pancreatic cancer cases
and deaths are obesity,
Type 2 diabetes and
metabolic syndrome, all of
which have risen to
epidemic levels in recent
years.
Data gathered in many
studies "clearly show a
relationship to obesity,"
said Donghui Li, a
molecular epidemiologist
at the M.D. Anderson
Cancer Center in Houston.
"The higher the B.M.I., the
greater the risk of
pancreatic cancer," she
said in an interview.
"Obesity contributes to
both onset and
progression of this
cancer."
Dr. Li added, "The
distribution of fat also
plays a role - the higher the
waist to hip ratio, the
greater the risk." She
found that cancer risk was
greater the earlier in life a
person becomes obese,
and survival time was
shorter among those who
were still obese when the
cancer was diagnosed.
Obesity is also the leading
risk factor for the
development of Type 2
diabetes, in which the body
resists the action of
insulin, prompting the
pancreas to produce more
and more of this hormone.
Insulin promotes cell
growth, providing a link
between diabetes and the
development of pancreatic
cancer.
However, the relationship
is complicated, to say the
least. In a 2011 report in
Molecular Carcinogenesis,
Dr. Li noted that "diabetes
or impaired glucose
tolerance is present in 50
to 80 percent of patients
with pancreatic cancer."
She said, "Diabetes is both
a cause and consequence
of cancer," although which
comes first - diabetes or
cancer in the organ that
controls blood glucose - is
not crystal clear.
A European study of more
than 800,000 people with
Type 2 diabetes found this
disease is sometimes an
early sign of an otherwise
hidden pancreatic cancer.
In studies at the Mayo
Clinic, elevated glucose
levels, a condition called
pre-diabetes, were
detected in some patients
two years before
pancreatic cancer was
diagnosed. In these
patients, Dr. Li explained,
diabetes is actually a
symptom of the hidden
cancer. It is a type of
diabetes called 3C, caused
by a diseased or damaged
pancreas, and medical
researchers are now
looking for ways for
doctors to readily
distinguish between Type
3C and Type 2 diabetes.
The lag time between the
development of diabetes
and diagnosis of cancer is a
potential window of
opportunity that may
enable cancer detection at
an early, curable stage, Dr.
Li said. If a biomarker for
the cancer was identified,
it may be possible to find
cancer in these patients
when the tumor is too
small to be seen on a scan
and before symptoms
develop. For example, an
antibody might be used
that targets a molecule on
small tumors.
The critical aspects of dining hour
Anahad O'Connor
Nutrition scientists have long debated
the best diet for optimal health. But
now some experts believe that it's not
just what we eat that's critical for good
health, but when we eat it. A growing
body of research suggests that our
bodies function optimally when we
align our eating patterns with our
circadian rhythms, the innate 24-hour
cycles that tell our bodies when to
wake up, when to eat and when to fall
asleep. Studies show that chronically
disrupting this rhythm - by eating late
meals or nibbling on midnight snacks,
for example - could be a recipe for
weight gain and metabolic trouble.
That is the premise of a new book,
"The Circadian Code," by Satchin
Panda, a professor at the Salk Institute
and an expert on circadian rhythms
research. Dr. Panda argues that people
improve their metabolic health when
they eat their meals in a daily 8- to 10-
hour window, taking their first bite of
food in the morning and their last bite
Obesity, Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome are linked to pancreatic
cancer.
Photo: Chiara Zarmati
early in the evening.
This approach, known as early timerestricted
feeding, stems from the idea
that human metabolism follows a daily
rhythm, with our hormones, enzymes
and digestive systems primed for food
intake in the morning and afternoon.
Many people, however, snack and
graze from roughly the time they wake
up until shortly before they go to bed.
Dr. Panda has found in his research
that the average person eats over a 15-
hour or longer period each day,
starting with something like milk and
coffee shortly after rising and ending
with a glass of wine, a late night meal
or a handful of chips, nuts or some
other snack shortly before bed.
That pattern of eating, he says,
conflicts with our biological rhythms.
Scientists have long known that the
human body has a master clock in the
brain, located in the hypothalamus,
that governs our sleep-wake cycles in
response to bright light exposure. A
couple of decades ago, researchers
discovered that there is not just one
The optimal bodily function relates with our circadian rhythms.
Photo: Evan Cohen
clock in the body but a collection of
them. Every organ has an internal
clock that governs its daily cycle of
activity.
During the day, the pancreas
increases its production of the
hormone insulin, which controls blood
sugar levels, and then slows it down at
night. The gut has a clock that
regulates the daily ebb and flow of
enzymes, the absorption of nutrients
and the removal of waste. The
communities of trillions of bacteria
that comprise the microbiomes in our
guts operate on a daily rhythm as well.
These daily rhythms are so ingrained
that they are programmed in our DNA:
Studies show that in every organ,
thousands of genes switch on and
switch off at roughly the same time
every day.
"We've inhabited this planet for
thousands of years, and while many
things have changed, there has always
been one constant: Every single day
the sun rises and at night it falls," Dr.
Panda said. "We're designed to have
24-hour rhythms in our physiology
and metabolism. These rhythms exist
because, just like our brains need to go
to sleep each night to repair, reset and
rejuvenate, every organ needs to have
down time to repair and reset as well."
Most of the evidence in humans
suggests that consuming the bulk of
your food earlier in the day is better for
your health, said Dr. Courtney
Peterson, an assistant professor in the
department of nutrition sciences at the
University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Dozens of studies demonstrate that
blood sugar control is best in the
morning and at its worst in the
evening. We burn more calories and
digest food more efficiently in the
morning as well.
At night, the lack of sunlight prompts
the brain to release melatonin, which
prepares us for sleep. Eating late in the
evening sends a conflicting signal to
the clocks in the rest of the body that
it's still daytime, said Dr. Peterson.

NATIONAL
THURSDAY, JUlY 26, 2018
6
Vice-Chancellor of Barisal University (BU) Professor Dr SM Imamul Huq was present at the Prime
Minister Gold Medal-2017 award ceremony under the auspices of University Grants Commission
(UGC) on Wednesday.
Photo: BU
3 BU students get Prime
Minister Gold Medal
BU Correspondent: Three meritorious of Barisal University
(BU) was awarded the Prime Minister Gold Medal, in
recognition of their securing highest marks/CGPA in their
respective faculties on Wednesday, reports a press release.
The Prime Minister Gold Medal-2017 award ceremony
under the auspices of University Grants Commission
(UGC) was held at the Shapla Hall of Prime Minister's
Office. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the
gold medals among the talented students as the chief
guest.
The meritorious students of the Barisal University, who
received the Prime Minister Gold Medal are, Soma Rani
Sarkar of 2011-2012 academic session of the Department
of Social Sciences, received CGPA-3.96, Tanisha Debnath
of 2011-112 academic session of the Management Studies
Department under the Faculty of Business Education,
received the CGPA-3.94 and Suraiya Akhter Sumna of
2011-2012 academic session of the English Department
under Arts and Humanities Faculty, received received
CGPA-3.63.
The three students were nominated for the Prime
Tree fair abuzz
with nature
lovers in Khulna
KHULNA: A fifteen-day tree
fair and tree plantation
campaign in Khulna division
is gaining momentum at
Khulna Circuit House
Ground in the city, reports
BSS.
A large number of tree
lovers thronged the tree fair
on Wednesday with the
nursery owners turning the
fair ground into a fiesta of
different local and foreign
varieties.
Short varieties of plants,
especially early fruiting
saplings are the most
desirable by the urban
planters and gardeners as
those are suitable for
gardening. Plant lovers can
buy from an array of
saplings of seasonal fruits to
flowers, fruit, ornamental
and medicinal plants and
banana plants derived
through tissue culture to
bonsai.
Different kinds of farm
instrument like grubber,
sprayer, pot, fertilizer are
also selling at the fair.
An employee of tree fair
control room Z M Manjurul
Karim said that a total of
1,718 tree saplings have been
sold on Wednesday. Large
crowds were seen at Sonali
Nursery as they are
displaying different kinds of
dwarf fruit plants.
The visitors were
impressed by the fruits
already hanging on the
plants. Md Shafiqul Islam,
the owner of the nursery,
said he bought different
kinds of dwarf fruit plants
mainly targeting the urban
gardeners.
He is also displaying
moringa plants of different
sizes and ages at his stall.
"The plants bear fruit
throughout the year and the
price of each plant ranges
between Tk 300 to Tk 500,"
Islam said.
He said he brought the
seed of moringa from India
and used the seeds to made
saplings. Islam is also
displaying some moringa
trees.
Shanti Ranjan Ghosh, an
official of Agrani Bank in the
city, bought a moringa plant,
two mango plants and three
lemon plants from the
nursery.
Minister Gold Medal 2017 award after achieving the
highest CGPA in the final honors examination of the
university.
Nurul Islam Nahid, Education Minister, Md Sohorab
Hossain, Secretary of Secondary and Higher Education
Division of the Ministry of Education, Professor Abdul
Mannan, Chairman of UGC, Vice-Chancellor of Barisal
University (BU) Professor Dr SM Imamul Huq, Ministers,
Advisers to the Prime Minister, National Professors,
former UGC Chairmen, Secretaries of different Ministries,
UGC Members, and Vice-chancellors from public and
private universities were present at the occasion.
In response, Vice-Chancellor of Barisal University said
that as a young university, the achievement of Prime
Minister Gold Medal Award of 3 students of Barisal
University is a matter of great pride and joy. This
achievement is not only of the Barisal University family,
this achievement is for the entire Barisal people.
The Vice Chancellor also expressed his hope that Barisal
University will soon become a world class university
through this achievement.
Teachers and students of Abdul Kadir Mollah City College in Narsingdi celebrate
their success of the HSC exams. Photo: Moshiur Rahman Selim
Abdul Kadir Mollah City
College maintains success
Moshiur Rahman Selim, Narsingdi Correspondent:
Narsingdi's Abdul Kadir Mollah City College has continued its success this year as well. This
year all the 804 students passed under Dhaka Education Board's Higher Secondary
Examination. Among them, 271 students received GPA-5.
According to the administrative department of the college, Abdul Kadir Mollah City College
has achieved the second position under Dhaka Board for continuous three years since 2012.
Although there are no toppers since 2015, still they remain consistent in their continuity.
A total of 804 students participated in this year's HCS examinations and got 271 GPA-5 with
100 percent pass rate. Among them, 432 participated from science department, 191 got GPA-
5, 42 of the 194 participants from the business education department got GPA 5 and 38 of the
178 members from the Humanities department got GPA-5.
Abdul Kadir Mollah City College's founder and managing director of Tharmex Gropu Abdul
Kadir Molla said, 'compared to the disaster of all the notable colleges across the country, our
young teachers' hard work and the sincerity of the students have brought success this year
too. Our 271participants got GPA-5, including 100 percent pass rate. I have a constant effort
to preserve the continuity of it, even before, also in the future '. Principal of the College Dr.
Mashiur Rahman Mridha said, "The hard work of the young meritorious teachers is the
reason behind the success of the college. This year the type of question structure was prepared
by the board has verified the merit of a student. And the success of our college is the merit of
the teachers and the merit bridge bonding of the students.
37 held in Dinajpur special drives
DINAJPUR: Law enforcers, in special drives arrested 37 persons including 13 drug traders
and three activists of Jamaat-E-Islami from different areas of the district in 12-hour ending
at 8am last morning, reports BSS.
Law enforcers also seized 204 bottles of Phensidyl and 500 pieces of Yaba tablets during the
drives. Police said they were picked up from different areas of the district on different charges.
During the drives, Dinajpur Sadar police arrested 12 persons including seven drug traders
with 500 pieces of Yaba tablets, Biral Thana police arrested three drug traders with 52 bottles
of Phensidyl, Birganj Thana police arrested four persons including two activists of Jamaat-E-
Islami, Nawabganj Thana police arrested one person, Chirirbandar Thana police arrested
three persons, Bochaganj Thana police arrested five persons including an activist of Jamaat-
E-Islami, Kaharole Thana police arrested two persons, Hakimpur Thana police arrested one
person and Khansama Thana police arrested three persons. Several cases, including charges
of subversive activities, are pending with different police stations.
Anisul for
boosting
agro-forestry
for more
outputs
RAJSHAHI: Minister for
Environment, Forest and
Climate Change Barrister
Anisul Islam Mahmud, MP,
said successful promotion of
agro-forestry can be the
effective means of boosting
production of both farm
outputs and forestry
resources, reports BSS.
The minister was
addressing a seminar at
conference hall of Barind
Multipurpose Development
Authority (BMDA) in
Rajshahi city today as the
chief guest. BMDA
organised the seminar styled
"Community Forestry in
Barind Tract:
Role of BMDA Focusing
on Ultra High Density
Mango Plantation for
Improvement of Nutrition of
Ultra Poor in Barind Tract".
Barind Integrated
Landscape Transformation
Multi Stakeholder Platform
supported the programme.
Chaired by BMDA
Chairman Dr Akram
Hossain Chowdhury, the
seminar was addressed,
among others, by Director of
Department of Environment
Md Ashrafuzzaman,
Conservator of Forest Abdul
Awal Sarker, Director of
International Centre for
Climate Change and
Development Dr. Saleemul
Huq, BMDA Executive
Director Abdur Rashid and
Senior Advisor of Asian
Development Bank Dr.
Assaduzzaman.
Executive Engineer of
BMDA Engineer Abdul
Latif, Bangladesh
Coordinator of 2030 Water
Resource Group Sayef
Tanzeem Qayyum and
Zahirul Islam from Syngenta
Foundation for Sustainable
Agriculture presented three
separate keynote papers on
different dimensions of the
issue. Minister Barrister
Mahmud said, "Agroforestry
will be useful in
addressing the needs of fuel,
fodder, green leaf manure
and medicinal plants."
"Family farming, promoting
homestead agro-forestry
models will be the best step
forward….This combination
of environmental services
and agricultural production
makes agro-forestry an
exciting opportunity both to
feed the region and save the
planet," he added.
Barrister Mahmud opined
that optimum agro-forestry
could be effective means of
reducing carbon emission at
a substantial level and that is
very important to face the
adverse impact of climare
change. Time has come to
make the farmers
habituated towards agroforestry.
Presenting his paper
Engineer Abdul Latif said
mango intercropping with
various cereal crops
especially paddy has started
contributing a lot towards
boosting mango yield in the
region. More than 120
scientists and researchers
representing various
agricultural institutions and
other entities concerned
joined the seminar.
BPDB begins
vending in 3
private banks
in Jamalpur
JAMALPUR: Bangladesh
power Development Board
(BPDB) launched vending
system for pre-paid
consumers in three banks in
the district yesterday,
reports BSS.
BPDB, Jamalpur office
sources said pre-paid
consumers can avail the
vending system from Social
Islami Bank, Dutch Bangla
Bank and National Bank in
the town.
Executive Engineer,
BPDB, Jamalpur, Md
Obaidul Islam Selim said
earlier pre-paid consumers
could avail the vending
system only from the BPDB
office which was causing
sufferings for consumers.
Traffic awareness programs
held in Rajbari
M Moniruzzaman, Rajbari Correspondent:
Traffic awareness programs including
awareness rally. Leaflet distribution and
view exchange meeting was held on
Wednesday under the 'Transportation
Sector Community Policing Banner' at
Daulatdia Ghat of Rajbari. Traffic
department of Rajbari district police
organised the programs.
An awareness rally was brought out from
Daulatdia Rest House premises which
paraded the main streets of the town. During
the rally various awareness leaflets were
distributed among the local people. After the
rally a view exchange meeting was held
where Rajbari Police Super Asma Siddiqa
Mili BPM was present as the chief guest.
Among others, Senior Assistant Police Super
(Sadar) Md Asaduzzaman, Addition Police
Super Md Rakib Khan, Additional Police
Super (Sadar Circle) Md Rezaul Karim PPM,
General Secretary of the District Road
Transport Owners Group Abdur Rashid, OC
of Goalundo Ghat Police Station Mirza Abul
Kalam Azad, Senior Inspector of Traffic Police
Abul Hossain and Inspector Mridal Ranjan
Das were also present at the occasion.
Rajbari Police Super Asma Siddiqa Mili BPM was present as the chief guest
at a view exchange meeting under traffic awareness program on
Wednesday at Daulatdia Ghat of Rajbari. Photo: M Moniruzzaman
A week-long fruit and tree fair began at Manikganj Boys High School field
on Wednesday.
Photo: Monirul Islam Mihir
Fruit and tree fair begins in Manikganj
Monirul Islam Mihir, Manikganj Correspondent:
A week-long fruit and tree fair began at Manikganj Boys High School field on Wednesday.
Manikganj District Administration, Department of Forests and Department of Agricultural
Extension jointly organized the event. Manikganj Zila Parishad chairman Adv Golam
Mohiuddin inaugurated the fair as the chief guest. Among others, in-charge Deputy
Commissioner and Deputy Director at Local Government Department, Mohammad Abdul
Matin, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Habibur Rahman
Chowdhury and other officials of the Department of Agriculture and the districts were also
present at the occasion. On the occasion of the fair, a colorful procession was carried out in
the city. Various voluntary organizations, NGOs and students of various educational
institutions participated in the rally with fruit and trees.
Brand Manager (GM) of KSRM Group Moniruzzaman Riyad and Assistant
Manager Mizanul Haque distributed raincoats among hard working
rickshaw pullers of Chattogram recently.
Photo: S M Akash.
KSRM family beside hard
working rickshaw pullers
S M Akash, Chattogram Bureau Chief:
Kabir Group (KSRM) family distributes raincoats among hard working rickshaw pullers of
Chattogram every year. This year too Kabir Group took the initiative of distributing raincoats
among rickshaw pullers.
Around 500 rain coats were distributed among rickshaw pullers starting from the
Chittagong metropolitan city to various areas of the district recently.
Brand Manager (GM) of KSRM Group Moniruzzaman Riyad and Assistant Manager
Mizanul Haque were among others present at the raincoat distribution ceremony.
The enthusiastic rickshaw pullers welcomed this noble initiative of KSRM and said that if
the rich people of the society come forward like this then there will be a lot of discrimination
among people in this country.

INTERNATIONAL ThURsdAy,
7
JULy 26, 2018
Tokyo company debuts
Mobile Mosque ahead
of 2020 Olympics
A large white and blue truck pulls up
outside a stadium in central Japan and
slowly expands into a place of worship.
Welcome to the Mobile Mosque.
As Japan prepares to host visitors from
around the world for the 2020 Summer
Olympics, a Tokyo sports and cultural
events company has created a mosque
on wheels that its head hopes will make
Muslim visitors feel at home.
Yasuharu Inoue, the CEO of Yasu Project,
said the possibility that there might
not be enough mosques for Muslim visitors
in 2020 is alarming for a country
that considers itself part of the international
community. His Mobile Mosques
could travel to different Olympic venues
as needed.
"As an open and hospitable country,
we want to share the idea of 'omotenashi'
(Japanese hospitality) with Muslim people,"
he said in a recent interview.
The first Mobile Mosque was unveiled
earlier this week outside Toyota Stadium,
a J-League soccer venue in Toyota
City, which is also the headquarters of
the car company with the same name.
The back of the modified 25-ton truck
flipped up to reveal an entrance and then
the side slid out, doubling the width of
the truck. The 48-square-meter (515-
square-foot) room can accommodate 50
people.
Muslim guests prayed inside the
mosque, which includes outdoor taps
and a washing area for pre-worship
cleansing.
Indonesian students who were victims
of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
also participated in the debut ceremony.
"The Mobile Mosque is very important
to Muslim people such as Japanese people
or tourists, Muslim tourists who visit
Japan," said 14-year-old Nur Azizah. "I
want to show my friends."
An estimated 100,000 to 200,000
Muslims live in Japan.
Tatsuya Sakaguchi, a Japanese guest,
expressed hope that the Mobile Mosque
would help open people's minds worldwide.
"Looking in from the outside at the
people in the mosque, they looked very
happy," said Sakaguchi, the representative
director of an Osaka retail company.
Inoue said the inspiration for the project
came to him on a trip to Qatar four
years ago.
Initially, the project organizers plan to
target international sporting events both
in Japan and overseas. Inoue said he
hopes the project will do more than fill a
gap in religious infrastructure.
"Going forward, I would be so happy if
people from Indonesia, Malaysia, Africa,
the Middle East and, for example,
refugees who are coming from Syria are
able to use the mosque as a tool to promote
world peace," he said.
Tokyo company debuts Mobile Mosque ahead of 2020 Olympics. In this July 23, 2018, photo provided
by Mobile Mosque Executive Committee.
Photo: Internet
Rescue work underway in villages
flooded by Laos dam breach
Rescuers were searching Wednesday for
villagers left missing when part of a newly
built hydroelectric dam was breached
in southeastern Laos, flooding the surrounding
countryside.
SK Engineering & Construction, one of
two South Korean partners in the project,
said in a statement late Tuesday that
the top of one of five auxiliary earth-fill
dams at the project "got swept away" on
Sunday night after heavy rains.
But Korea Western Power, which was
due to operate the hydroelectric power
plant after its completion, said problems
first emerged Friday when workers discovered
the dam's center had sunk by 11
centimeters (4.3 inches).
Repair work for the earth-fill dam was
hampered by heavy rain, and damage
worsened on Monday, causing water to
overflow and flood seven out of 12 villages
in the area, SK E&C said. It was
helping to evacuate and rescue residents
while also trying to contain further damage.
The cascade of 5 billion cubic meters
(176 billion cubic feet) from the collapse
left more than 6,600 people homeless,
the official Lao news agency KPL said.
The number of victims was unclear.
KPL had said Tuesday afternoon that
hundreds of people were missing, without
providing details. More recent
reports put the number missing in the
dozens.
The website of the state-run Vientiane
Times newspaper reported Wednesday
two confirmed deaths. The government
declared the area a disaster zone and top
officials were rushing to the site, it said.
Photos and videos posted on social
media showed people sitting on rooftops
to escape the surging water, while others
were carried to safety or rescued by boat.
State media said helicopters were also
being used to rescue people.
Continued heavy rain and strong
winds forecast for the area could hinder
rescue efforts, and risks from flooding
persisted in the mountainous region.
Provincial authorities issued a call for
emergency aid - clothing, food, drinking
water, medicine, cash and other items -
from the "party, government organizations,
business community, officials,
police and military forces and people of
all strata."
The International Red Cross said food
was a concern because village food supplies
were drenched in the flooding. It
was arranging for water purification
units to be sent to the area to ensure supplies
of clean drinking water.
The presidential office in South Korea
said President Moon Jae-in had ordered
an emergency relief team to help with
the disaster.
SK E&C sent its president to Laos and
set up an emergency team in Seoul,
South Korea's Yonhap News agency
reported.
The $1.02 billion project encompassing
several river basins in a remote corner
of southeastern Laos is the first
hydroelectric dam to be built by a South
Korean company, and it was unclear
how severe the damage would be to the
overall plan. The dam was due to begin
operating in 2019, with 90 percent of the
power generated going to Thailand.
Shares of companies affiliated with SK
E&C sank on Wednesday on concerns
over potential costs for compensation
and other financial setbacks from the
disaster.
SK Discovery Co., SK E&C's secondlargest
shareholder with a 28.25 stake in
the builder, tumbled more than 10 percent
to trade at its lowest level in more
than three years. SK Holdings Co., the
biggest shareholder in SK E&C with a
44.48 percent stake, fell 3 percent.
Laos has dozens of hydroelectric projects
under construction and plans for
sales of power to neighboring countries,
now accounting for about a third of its
exports, to grow substantially.
But dam building along the Mekong
River and its tributaries, including those
affected by this disaster has raised concerns
over environmental impact and
other problems.
Japan hosts
multinational
drills to intercept
weapons at sea
Japanese navy sailors on a
speedboat raced to a simulated
suspicious boat while aircraft
watched from the sky in
a multinational exercise
Wednesday off Tokyo's
southern coast to practice
intercepting weapons of
mass destruction at sea.
Destroyers and surveillance
aircraft, as well as coast
guard ships from Japan, the
U.S., South Korea and Australia,
participated in the
exercise, part of the Proliferation
Security Initiative.
Journalists observed from
the Japanese destroyer
Murasame.
Wednesday's "Pacific
Shield 18" exercise off the
coast of the Boso Peninsula,
southeast of Tokyo, simulated
the halting of ships suspected
of carrying materials
related to weapons of mass
destruction to conduct
inventory checks.
Personnel from several
countries took turns
approaching the target ship
and communicating with its
crew.
Thirty countries participated
in the exercise, along with
20 observers and four nonmembers,
mainly from the
Indo-Pacific region and
Europe.
American pastor
charged in Turkey
put under house
arrest
An American pastor who has been
in custody for nearly two years on
terror and espionage charges will
be put under house arrest as his trial
continues, Turkey's official news
agency said Wednesday.
Anadolu news agency said that
Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, a
50-year-old evangelical pastor
from Black Mountain, North Carolina
would be released from a jail
in western Turkey and be remanded
at his house. It's not clear when
he will be transferred.
Brunson has been in custody
since he was arrested in December
2016.
If convicted, he faces up to 15
years in prison for "committing
crimes on behalf of terror groups
without being a member," in reference
to outlawed Kurdish militants
and the network of a U.S-based
Muslim cleric blamed for a failed
coup attempt, as well as an additional
20 years for espionage.
Brunson strongly denies the
charges.
The case has strained ties
between NATO allies Turkey and
the United States. President Donald
Trump has repeatedly demanded
his release.
Trump tweeted in Brunson's
defense last week, calling it "a total
disgrace" that Brunson is being
held. "He has done nothing wrong,
and his family needs him!"
Brunson's case was among issues
Trump and Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed
by telephone earlier.
At the end of a recent hearing,
the court inside a prison complex
in the town of Aliaga in western
Turkey rejected Brunson's lawyer's
request that he be freed pending
the outcome of the trial. The case
was adjourned until Oct. 12.
A hard-line Pakistani cleric who heads an alliance of religious parties and the country's parliament
speaker have cast their ballots in the general elections underway in Pakistan. Photo: Internet
LA chief says police, not gunman,
fired fatal shot at market
A supermarket worker was killed by a
bullet fired by Los Angeles police - not
the gunman they were trying to stop -
the city's police chief acknowledged
Tuesday, defending the decision to use
deadly force as an attempt to stop what
officers feared could become a mass
shooting.
The suspect, Gene Evin Atkins, 28,
already had shot his grandmother, kidnapped
his girlfriend and shot at officers
Saturday afternoon as they chased
his car and then as he ran into the Trader
Joe's in the city's congested Silver
Lake neighborhood, according to
police.
After exchanging gunfire with police,
Atkins ran into the store and took about
40 people hostage, police said.
Police released several minutes of
body camera and dash-cam video that
showed Atkins leading officers on the
high-speed chase - during which officers
say he's shooting at them - before
he crashed into a pole outside the market.
In deciding whether to open fire, officers
had to consider whether the gunman
was likely to harm the scores of
shoppers and workers inside, police
Chief Michel Moore said.
It's "every officer's worst nightmare
to harm an innocent bystander," he
said.
"Those officers' actions to stop him,
the split-second decisions they had to
make, I recognize how they will forever
go through their lives debating whether
that was what they had to do," Moore
said. "I believe it's what they needed to
Complaint filed over ketamine
research without prior consent
A consumer rights group has filed a complaint alleging a
Minneapolis health care provider ignored ethical practices
and federal safeguards when it researched the effect of the
powerful sedative ketamine on more than 100 participants
without their prior consent.
The Public Citizen complaint asks the Food and Drug
Administration and the Office for Human Research Protection
to investigate whether Hennepin Healthcare complied
with federal regulations during clinical trials of ketamine . In
the trials, paramedics sedated people before taking them to
the hospital.
The Star Tribune says the federal complaint alleges
researchers put patients at unnecessary risk and enrolled
them in the study without their prior consent. Hennepin
Healthcare spokesman Thomas Hayes says the hospital
accreditation ensures it follows "rigorous standards for
ethics, quality, and protections for human research."
do in order to defend ... the people in
that store and to defend themselves."
As police chased the gunman after
the car crash, one officer is heard on
video saying she had pulled out her
gun, but her partner tells her not to
shoot.
However, two officers did fire back at
Atkins just as the store's assistant manager,
Melyda Corado, 27, was walking
out the door. One of the rounds went
through her arm and into her body and
she died at the scene, Moore said. No
other bystanders were shot. Atkins was
wounded in the arm.
The videos show Atkins running from
his car after the crash and shooting at
officers as they duck for cover behind
the doors of their police car and return
fire. They then position themselves
behind a cement wall on the far end of
the store's parking lot as Atkins shoots
three times from inside the store.
Officers fired a total of eight gunshots,
Moore said.
Several friends of Corado have questioned
why officers chose to open fire
outside the crowded supermarket.
Geoff Alpert, a criminal justice professor
at the University of South Carolina,
said the video appeared to show a
"very controlled police response" with
few bystanders in the background.
"The officers were firing at a serious
threat to the community. And then we
have this tragedy of her coming out of
the door," said Alpert, who helped
investigate a 2014 hostage standoff at a
cafe in in Sydney, Australia.
"This is one of those tragic situations
that is kind of a lose-lose situation for
the police," he said.
Moore said Corado walked back
inside the store after she was shot and
collapsed behind the manager's counter,
where she died.
"It is unimaginable, the pain of the
Corado family. We share that pain,"
Moore said.
Christian Dunlop, a real estate agent
and actor who lives nearby, was on a
corner near the store when he saw an
employee dragging Corado out of the
store by her hands.
"She appeared lifeless," he said.
Some people inside the supermarket
climbed out windows and others barricaded
themselves in rooms as scores of
police and firefighters and 18 ambulances
converged on the scene and prepared
for the possibility of mass casualties
as the standoff played out on live
television.
About three hours later, Atkins
agreed to handcuff himself and walked
out the front door of the store, surrounded
by four hostages.
Hours earlier, police said, Atkins shot
his grandmother, Mary Madison, seven
times in her South Los Angeles home
and kidnapped his girlfriend - who was
grazed by a bullet, Moore said. Madison,
76, remained hospitalized in critical
condition.
Atkins' cousin, Charlene Egland, said
Atkins had been arguing with Madison
- who had raised him since he was 7 -
"on and off for about two or three
weeks" over his girlfriend staying at the
woman's home.
In Uganda, Modi says
Africa is a top priority
for India
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pledging to "intensify
and deepen" the Asian country's engagement with Africa.
In remarks to Uganda's legislature, Modi said Wednesday
that "Africa will be at the top of our priorities." He said India
intends to open 18 embassies in Africa.
He extoled the ideals of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi,
saying: "India's freedom will remain incomplete so long as
Africa remains in bondage."
India's government is planning to build a Gandhi heritage
center at the source of the Nile River in eastern Uganda
where some of Gandhi's ashes were immersed.
Modi earlier announced a $205 million loan to Uganda, to
expand the electricity grid and boost commercial farming.
Later Wednesday Modi will attend a summit in South
Africa of the BRICS emerging economies.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pledging to "intensify and deepen" the Asian country's
engagement with Africa.
Photo: Internet

ART & CULTURE
THUrSdAy,
JULy 26, 2018
8
Group painting exhibition 'Prothom
Parbo' begins in city Friday
A group painting exhibition
titled 'Prothom Parbo' (The
First Chapter) by 'Outdoor
Artist Group' will begin at
Galerie Zoom of Alliance
Française de Dhaka in
the city on Friday, reports
UNB.
The participating artists are:
Agoy Paul, Diptha Modak, M
Faijul Islam, Nafisa Hossin
Peo, Nasrin Zahan Onika,
Saiful Islam, Sheikh Sarmina
Mannan, Sumaiya Sharmin
and Trisha Ferdoushi.
After the inaugural
ceremony, the exhibition will
remain open to all till August
11, said a press release on
Wednesday.
Joint secretary and project
director, Ministry of Shipping
M Saiful Hassan Badal will
attend the inaugural session
as the chief guest.
Artist Rezaun Nabi, chief
news editor of ATN Bnagla
Rumi Noman and Chairman,
Faculty of fine Arts, University
of Development Alternative
Prof Shahjahan Ahmed Bikash
will also attend the opening
ceremony as special guests.
The participants of this
group art exhibition are
students of fine arts at the
University of Development
Alternative (UODA).
The media used for
realising the artworks were
not restricted to
conventional materials and
most of the works has their
bases in nature, said the
press release.
Though these nine budding
artists are exhibiting as a
group, their styles and
interpretation of artistic
imagination are unique to
each of them, it said.
The participating artists are
an intense observer of their
surrounding ambiences and
they meticulously projected
them.
Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi trailer
There's a lot happening
in this Sonakshi Sinha,
Jimmy Shergill starrer
Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, the sequel to 2016 hit Happy
Bhag Jayegi, is all set to release in theatres on August 24
this year. Before the release, the makers have shared the
trailer of Happy Phirr Bhaag Jayegi. While Diana Penty,
Jimmy Shergill, Ali Fazal, Abhay Deol and Piyush Mishra
will reprise their roles, actor Sonakshi Sinha and Punjabi
actor-singer Jassie Gill are joining the cast for the sequel.
The more than two-and-a-half-minute long trailer has
a lot happening. While Happy aka Sonakshi Sinha has
been kidnapped by some Chinese goons, Jimmy
Shergill's marriage gets called off on the day of the
wedding (just like his many other movies) as he too has
been abducted by a Chinese gang. Later, Happy runs
away from her abductors and the next moment all the
characters of the movie find themselves stuck in a mess.
Piyush Mishra and his Urdu are once again spot on.
Diana Penty and Ali Fazal make a late and a small
appearance in the trailer.
Emraan Hashmi starts
shooting for Cheat India
in Lucknow
Bollywood star Emraan Hashmi has started shooting for his next film Cheat India in
Lucknow on Wednesday.
Taking to Twitter, film trade analyst Taran Adarsh wrote," #CheatIndia begins filming
in Lucknow today [25 July 2018]... Stars Emraan Hashmi... Directed by Soumik Sen...
Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Tanuj Garg, Atul Kasbekar and Emraan Hashmi... 25 Jan
2019 release... #RepublicDayWeekend..."
CheatIndia begins filming in Lucknow Stars Emraan Hashmi... Directed by Soumik
Sen... Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Tanuj Garg, Atul Kasbekar and Emraan Hashmi...
25 Jan 2019 release... #RepublicDayWeekend... Official announcement:
The movie is inspired by the crimes in the Indian education system that has created a
parallel ecosystem infested with education mafia.
Earlier, in a press statement, Hashmi said, "The script and title of Cheat India are
supremely powerful. This is among the most engaging and riveting stories I've read in a
while and I am thrilled to be essaying what I believe will be a landmark role in my
filmography. I am also looking forward to working with some formidable partners -
Soumik, an amazing storyteller."
H o roSCoPE
ArIES
(March 21 - April 20):
Natives of Aries are often
confident and energetic
people, who should consider
setting up arrangements for larger family
gatherings like reunions. Natives of this
sign are often driving forces in the
professional and political areas.
TAUrUS
(April 21 - May 21): The
obstacles you face at the
moment may be daunting
but you have what it takes
to overcome them. Don't try to avoid
what fate sends your way over the next
few days - it is designed to strengthen
you, not destroy you.
GEMINI
(May 22 - June 21): There
may be times when you
would like nothing better
than to cut yourself off
from the world at large but that simply
isn't possible. Make the best job of
what you are expected to do and try to
steal a few hours for yourself later on.
LIBrA
(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): At
some stage over the next
few days you will see or
hear something that makes
you view the world in a new light. A
change of perspective will lead to new
ways of thinking, ways that answer all
the questions you have been asking.
SCorPIo
(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22): Find
out why a partner or loved
one is behaving so
erratically, then do what
you can to assist them. Most likely
their problems are nowhere near as big
as they think they are and can quite
easily be corrected - as can your own!
SAGITTArIUS
(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): Yours is
a sign of boundless selfconfidence
and that's good
because you will need it
over the next few days. If you are not
happy in your current environment
don't be afraid to pack a bag and take
off for a few days.
The makers of Gold have released a new
song titled, Ghar Layenge Gold, and it has
Akshay Kumar bringing together a hockey
team that could win the Olympics. Voiced by
Daler Mehndi and composed by Sachin-Jigar,
the song has high pitched vocals typically
associated with patriotic songs.
Written by Javed Akhtar, the song shows
how Akshay, who is playing a Bengali hockey
player in the film, is meeting players from all
parts of India and asking them to play for the
national team. Actually, Gold is the story of a
Bengali hockey player who wants to represent
independent India at the World Cup. It's his
dream, but it's almost impossible to fulfil it.
Directed by Reema Kagti, who has earlier
directed Talaash, the film explores what it
meant to be a patriotic player in the preindependence
era. The film also marks the
Bollywood debut of TV actor Mouni Roy. It
was earlier reported that Gold is a biopic of
former hockey player Balbir Singh Sr. In an
interview, producer Ritesh Sidhwani denied
the claim. He said, "It is not a biopic. It is a
completely fictional story but it is set against a
real backdrop between 1933-48 India about
what the country was, the sports... about
hockey. It is not based on any character."
Gold is scheduled to hit the screens on
August 15, 2018.
Gold song Ghar Layenge Gold has Akshay
Kumar and the formula of winning
Demi Lovato: Suspected overdose follows long battle to stay sober
CANCEr
(June 22 - July 23): Some
things are important and
some things are not and if
you don't yet know the
difference then it's time you found out.
This should be a productive time for
you but you need to learn how to say
"no" when people ask you for favours.
LEo
(July 24 - Aug. 23): If you
are not yet getting the
rewards and the respect you
deserve don't worry, in a
matter of days your name will be on
everybody's lips. The sun in Aries makes
you both creative and adventurous, so
do something out of the ordinary.
VIrGo
(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): You may
be tempted to go on a
journey today but the planets
warn it could lead you in
some unforeseen directions, so make
sure you take a map and don't promise
to be at a certain place at a specific time
- because you won't make it.
CAPrICorN
(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): You seem
to lack purpose at the
moment but that will change
if you look for ways to express
yourself. Whatever challenges come your
way, and there will be plenty, see them as
opportunities to be embraced rather than
as threats to be avoided.
AQUArIUS
(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19): Stay calm
and keep setbacks in
perspective. If you can learn
to take yourself a bit less
seriously over the coming week then your
problems, such as they are, will fade into
insignificance. Rest assured your successes
will always outnumber your failures.
PISCES
(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20): It does
not matter if other people
approve of what you are
doing, it matters only that
it means something to you. The very
last thing you should be doing now is
asking friends and family for their
opinions - it's your views that count.
"The last time I did an interview
this long, I was on cocaine."
It's clear from the first minute of
Demi Lovato's official documentary,
released last October, that the singer
has no problem being open about her
addictions.
The previous interview she refers
to was for another documentary -
2012's Stay Strong - in which she
spoke of her "daily battle" with eating
disorders, self-harm and mental
health issues, as well as addiction.
Lovato had "Stay" tattooed on one
wrist and "Strong" on the other. She
seemed to be keeping the demons at
bay. She insisted she got clean soon
after making that film.
However, a month ago, fans
discovered she had relapsed when
she revealed in a new song: "I'm not
sober any more."
So her apparent overdose on
Tuesday is a heart-wrenching twist
for the 25-year-old and all those who
had followed her on her rough
journey from Disney star to troubled
pop icon.
The pressures of being a teen star,
a dysfunctional relationship with her
father and bullying all contributed to
the issues that have threatened to
drag her under at various points in
her career, those documentaries
revealed.
Her problems with food and
suicidal thoughts began even before
her big break on TV show Barney &
Friends at the age of 10, she said,
while at the age of 12 kids in her class
signed a petition encouraging her to
kill herself.
The pressures were exacerbated
when she found stardom in Disney
Channel hits Camp Rock and Sonny
with a Chance, before launching a
pop career.
"I felt the pressure increase when
the fame started to creep into my
life," she said in the latest
documentary. "I started to feel
pressure to look a certain way, to sing
music that people would like rather
than sing music that I would like.
"There was more pressure to
succeed... I was a perfectionist and I
really wanted to be the best of the
best. It didn't let up at all. It just
mounted more and more."
She first tried cocaine at the age of
17 when she was working on the
Disney Channel. "I felt out of control
with the coke the first time," she said.
"My dad was an addict and an
alcoholic and I guess I always
searched for what he found in drugs
and alcohol because it fulfilled him
and he chose that over a family."
The first public admission that
anything was wrong came in 2010
when she dropped out of the Camp
Rock 2 tour with the Jonas Brothers
and went into rehab for what were
described at the time as "emotional
and physical issues she has dealt with
for some time".
The breaking point had come
when she and her backing dancers
trashed their hotel one night after
drinking and smoking weed.
Lovato was also taking Adderall, an
addictive prescription stimulant -
and she punched a backing dancer
who told her parents and manager
she was using the drug.
"I lived fast and I was going to die
young," she said in 2016. "I didn't
think I would make it to 21."

SPORTS
THURSDAy, JULy 26, 2018
9
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will face off in the first game of the 2018 Asia Cup on September 15. Photo: AP
Bangladesh-Sri Lanka encounter
to kick-start 2018 Asia Cup
Sports Desk: Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka will face off in the first game of
the 2018 Asia Cup on September 15, it
was confirmed on Tuesday(July 24).
The tournament, which will be staged
in the United Arab Emirates, sees
Afghanistan paired with Sri Lanka and
Bangladesh in one group. Defending
champions India will play the winner of
the Asia Cup qualifiers on September
18,before taking on arch-rivals
Pakistan the very next day with these
three teams getting paired in the other
group, reports Cricibuzz.
The two teams that finish at the
bottom of their respective groups will
be eliminated with the rest playing
against each other once in the Super 4
Lochte ban shows
US tough on
doping - Adrian
Sports Desk: Ryan
Lochte's 14-month ban for
use of a prohibited
intravenous infusion was the
right call, US swimming
stars said Tuesday, they just
hope athletes in other
countries are being held to
similarly high standards,
reports BSS.
"I don't think that this
punishment would have
necessarily been as strict if
he was part of certain other
federations, to be totally
honest," said Nathan
Adrian, whose five Olympic
victories include 100m
freestyle gold at the 2012
London Olympics.
Lochte, a six-time Olympic
champion, was suspended by
the US Anti-Doping Agency
on Monday for use of the IV,
which isn't allowed even
though the infusion involved
permitted substances. "We
all understand how harsh
USADA is now on our
American athletes," Adrian
said on the eve of the US
national championships in
Irvine, south of Los Angeles.
"It would be nice if the rest
of the world kind of did the
same thing -felt that they
were not there to protect their
athletes, that they were there
to govern their sport," Adrian
said.
Lochte's ban was
backdated to May 24, the
date he received the
treatment. The 33-year-old
American posted a picture of
himself getting the IV on
social media, which
prompted USADA to open an
investigation with which
Lochte "fully cooperated"
officials said. Adrian, 29,
acknowledged that the
complexities of the antidoping
code can be hard to
navigate. "You have to ask a
lot," said Adrian, who said he
consults with USA
Swimming officials or
directly with USADA if he has
a question.
He was aware of the
prohibition in intravenous
infusions - except in the case
of medical treatment - thanks
to a USADA lecture he was
required to attend when
training at the US Olympic
Training Center in Colorado.
Chase Kalisz, winner of the
200m and 400m individual
medley world titles in
Budapest last year, said he
was made aware of the rule in
a similar meeting at the
training center three years
ago.
stage. The two teams that finish at the
top of the table after the conclusion of
the Super 4 stage will meet in the final
in Dubai on September 28.
As per the new guidelines, the
tournament will be played in the ODI
format with the 50-over World Cup
scheduled to be held next year. The
previous tournament in Bangladesh in
2016 was played in the T20 format
ahead of the World T20.
The qualifier tournament featuring
Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman,
Singapore and UAE will be held in
India in September, with the winner
joining the rest of the five teams in the
main draw.
Group Stage: September 15-
Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, September
16-Pakistan vs Qualifier, September 17
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan ,
September 18-India vs Qualifier,
September 19-India vs Pakistan,
September 20-Bangladesh vs
Afghanistan.
Super Four: September 21-Group A
Winner vs Group B Runner-up,
September 22-Group B Winner vs
Group A Runner-up, September 23-
Group A Winner vs Group A Runnerup,
September 24-Group B Winner vs
Group B Runner-up, September 25-
Group A Winner vs Group B Winner,
September 26-Group A Runner-up vs
Group B Runner-up.
Final: September 28 in Dubai.
Sick star Lee out of badminton World
Championships, Asian Games
Sports Desk: Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei has pulled out of the World
Championships and Asian Games because of a respiratory illness, officials said Wednesday,
after a gruelling schedule in recent months, reports BSS.
The world number two has been advised to rest and undergo treatment after competing in
nine tournaments so far this year.The week-long World Championships in Nanjing, China,
begin on Monday while the Asian Games in Indonesia are from August 18 to September 2.
"(Lee) is unwell and suffering from a respiratory related disorder," the Badminton
Association of Malaysia (BAM) said in a statement. "For the time being, he cannot undergo
any intensive physical activity for a period of at least one month and therefore we have to
withdraw Lee from his participation at the BWF World Championships… and the Asian
Games." BAM did not give any further details about the three-time Olympic silver medallist's
illness. Speculation had been mounting over the past week about the 35-year-old's health
after he failed to show up for training.
The development is a blow for the former world number one, who has never won gold at
either the World Championships or the Asian Games during a stellar 17-year career.
Steven Smith to join Barbados
Tridents for upcoming CPL
Sports Desk: Steven Smith is set to play his
second T20 tournament after being axed
from Australian cricket for his involvement
in the ball-tampering scandal. Smith has
now signed with Barbados Tridents for the
upcoming CPL season after he played the
Global T20 Canada tournament earlier this
month. Smith will replace Shakib Al Hasan
in the Tridents squad as the Bangladesh
allrounder is no longer available for the
tournament, reports Cricinfo.
"It is a huge blow to lose Shakib for the
tournament but in Steve Smith we have a
truly world-class replacement who can help
to bring power to our batting lineup,"
Tridents coach Robin Singh said. "As a man
who has played cricket at the highest level all
over the world we are very confident that
Smith will be a big success with the
Tridents."
David Warner, who was also banned for
one year from Australian cricket like Smith,
is going to represent St Lucia Stars in the
CPL.
After Smith was banned by Cricket
Australia in March, he returned to
competitive cricket in June to represent
Toronto Nationals in the Global T20 Canada
tournament and scored a half-century in his
first match. Even though his team finished
last overall, Smith played six innings and
scored 167 runs with two fifties at an average
of 33.40 and strike rate of 119.28. On his
return to the field, Smith had spoken about
how he had been making "horrible
decisions" in the aftermath of last summer's
Ashes series, culminating in the Newlands
ball-tampering scandal.
Last month, Darren Sammy had asked the
media to get off Smith's back because of the
heightened attention he attracted since the
ball-tampering fiasco. A day later, Smith's
compatriot Shane Watson stated he wanted
Cricket Australia to allow Smith and Warner
to play in the Big Bash League if they were
participating in other leagues.
Tridents had an unimpressive season last
year when they finished second-last with
four wins from 10 matches. This season, they
will be led by Jason Holder, who will take
over from Kieron Pollard. The CPL will run
from August 8 to September 16 this time,
with Tridents' first match on August 13
against Guyana Amazon Warriors.
Steven Smith smiles during a match against Winnipeg Hawks.
Photo: AP
Mitchell
Johnson retires
from Big Bash
Sports Desk: Mitchell
Johnson has announced his
retirement from the Big
Bash League, it was
confirmed on Wednesday
(July 25). The former
Australia pacer, however,
will continue to play in
domestic T20 tournaments
across the globe, reports
Cricbuzz.
Johnson featured for
Perth Scorchers in the last
two seasons and played a
key role in the side winning
the title in 2016-17. In the
final against Sydney Sixers,
the pacer ended with 4-0-13-
1 and didn't allow the
visitors to get going.
Scorchers chased down the
target with ease and
registered a nine-wicket win.
Johnson played a total 19
Big Bash games and picked
up 20 wickets at a strike rate
of 22.2. His best
performance of 3 for 3 came
against Melbourne Stars in
the semifinal in 2016-17.
"The intensity and length
of the BBL is just too much
for someone who will be 37
at the start of the summer,"
Sam Halvorsen, Johnson's
manager, told The West
Australian newspaper.
"Mitch has put his name up
for the Emirates tournament
in Dubai, but that is half the
length of the BBL."
The BBL has decided to
expand the tournament with
each team playing 14 games
in a home-and-away format
before the knockout stage.
As many as 59 matches will
be played in the eighth
edition of the tournament -
an increase of 16 matches
from the previous season.
There's still no clarity if
Johnson will feature in the
Indian Premier League
which also includes 14
games per team. He is,
however, willing to play in
the 10-over tournament in
the UAE and will hope he's
picked by one of the eight
franchises in the draft in
September.
Ajaz Patel in New
Zealand Test squad
to face Pakistan
Sports Desk: Indian-born
spinner Ajaz Patel was
named Wednesday in the
New Zealand Test squad to
play Pakistan in a threematch
series in the United
Arab Emirates in October,
reports BSS.
Patel, 29, has been the
leading wicket taker in New
Zealand's domestic Plunket
Shield for the past three
years and was named
domestic player of the year in
2017.
The finger spinner, who
was born in Mumbai and
moved to New Zealand as a
child, took 48 wickets at an
average of 21.52 in his most
recent season with Central
Stags. Chief selector Gavin
Larsen said Patel would
replace the injured Mitchell
Santner in the 15-man squad
to face Pakistan.
"Ajaz has deserved his
inclusion on the sheer weight
of his domestic first-class
form over the past couple of
summers," he said.
Ozil has ‘respect of every
player’, says Arsenal boss
Sports Desk: Arsenal boss Unai Emery said
Mesut Ozil has nothing but respect from his
team-mates after his decision to quit
Germany's national team claiming racism
sparked uproar in his home country, reports
BSS.
Emery on Wednesday said Arsenal were
taking pains to make sure Ozil, 29, feels
comfortable at the club as controversy rages
in Germany over his acrimonious walk-out
following the World Cup in Russia.
"We want to help all the players and Mesut
to feel here with us like he's at home, like a
family," Emery, who is in his first weeks as
Arsenal coach, said during a pre-season visit
to Singapore.
"We are every player's family and for him
to work every day, to work well with his
team-mates, is good for us… I'm very happy
with him. I'm looking at every player and I
think Mesut, he has here the respect of every
player."
Ozil, who was born in Germany to Turkishorigin
parents, said he felt "racism and
disrespect" - pointing the finger at German
football authorities - in his no-holds-barred
statement released over the weekend.
The 2014 World Cup-winner said he was
unfairly maligned over Germany's groupstage
exit in Russia, after some media
highlighted a pre-tournament photo with
Turkey's strongman President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan. "I am German when we win, but I
am an immigrant when we lose," Ozil wrote,
adding: "Certain German newspapers are
using my background and photo with
President Erdogan as right-wing
propaganda to further their political cause."
Germany's football federation swiftly
denied the allegation of racism, while
Erdogan called Ozil to praise his decision -
which follows a resurgence of the German far
right.
Ozil declined to comment on Wednesday
as he took part in a training session at a
private school in Singapore ahead of
Thursday's friendly against Atletico Madrid.
"For him it's one thing with the national
team and another with us," Emery said.
"Normality is the best thing for him and I
am sure he's going to do a big season with us
this year… it's very, very personal and here I
want to help him.
"Everybody at the club is thinking like me
to help him and to feel (good) here and
express his quality with us."
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech also said the
players were keen to support Ozil, who
smashed the club's transfer record when he
moved from Real Madrid in 2013.
"What happened between him and the
national team is his private matter so this is
not an issue for us," said Cech.
"It's something which is unfortunate for
him but we will try to do everything so that
he feels good, that he trains well so he feels
good for the season, because he's one of the
key players."
Arsenal player Mesut Ozil (C) attends training session with team mates
during their pre-season tour for the International Champions Cup match
in Singapore on July 25, 2018.
Photo : AP
Spanish defender Rico signs
for Bournemouth
Sports Desk: Bournemouth have signed
Diego Rico from Leganes, subject to the
defender receiving international clearance,
the English Premier League club said
Tuesday, reports BSS.
The 25-year-old Spaniard has joined the
south coast side on a four-year contract for
an undisclosed fee.
"I'm very happy to be here and would like
to thank everyone at AFC Bournemouth for
making me feel so welcome," Rico said in a
club statement.
"This is a new step for me in my career and
from my heart I can say I am truly excited to
be here and looking forward to the future."
In Eddie Howe the Cherries have one of
the most highly-regarded young managers in
the English game and Rico said: "I've heard
so much about the manager.
"I learnt he is very professional and has a
great philosophy on football and I can see
that is true from the short time I have met
him so far.
"I am very excited to be a Bournemouth
player."
Rico scored four goals in 58 appearances
during two seasons with Leganes, helping
them avoid relegation from La Liga with
successive 17th-place finishes.
He has now become Howe's second preseason
signing following the arrival of Wales
midfielder David Brooks from Sheffield
United earlier this month.
"Diego is a player we have been tracking
throughout the summer, and although we
had to be patient, it's great to finally be able
to call him an AFC Bournemouth player,"
said Howe.
"Diego is fast, physical, aggressive in attack
and aggressive defensively. He takes an
excellent set piece and has a powerful left
foot.
"Once he gets used to the way we play, we
believe he can be a real force for this football
club."
Bournemouth, who have just returned
from a pre-season training camp in Spain,
begin their Premier League campaign at
home to newly-promoted Cardiff City on
August 11.
Freestyle star Ledecky still
pushing boundaries
Sports Desk: Katie Ledecky, the
freestyle phenomenon who bagged her
14th world record in May, says she'll
keep trying to push her boundaries as
she looks toward the 2020 Olympics in
Tokyo, reports BSS.
Ledecky, who won four gold medals at
the 2016 Rio Olympics to take her tally
to five, obliterated her own 1,500m
freestyle world record at Indianapolis
on May 16 - her first event since
announcing she was turning
professional and giving up the amateur
status that allowed her to compete for
Stanford University.
In June she inked a sponsorship deal
with TYR Sport Inc., the timing giving
her plenty of time to adapt to the
demands of a pro career before 2020
arrives. Ledecky is entered in five events
at the US national championships that
start on Wednesday in Irvine, south of
Los Angeles. The meet is a qualifier for
the Pan Pacific championships in Tokyo
next month, with the two meets
together serving as selectors for the
2019 world championships in South
Korea.
"Make the Pan Pacs team," Ledecky
said Tuesday of her goals for the week.
"That's as much as I'm going to share.
"I want to be my best this summer at
Pan Pacs, but if it's kind of split between
these two meets and some of my best
swims are at this meet and some are at
Pan Pacs, I'll take that, too."
Ledecky was 16 when she set her first
world record, in the 1,500m free at the
2013 world championships in
Barcelona. She had improved that
record and grabbed the 800m free
world record before she set her first
400m free world mark at the 2014 US
championships in Irvine.
"I definitely walked in here yesterday
and it brought me back to some good
memories," Ledecky said. "It was the
first time I broke that one. So that was a
memorable one, not to say all of them
aren't. But that was especially
memorable."
Since then Ledecky has proven herself
with world and Olympic gold in the 200m
free, and she remains in a class by herself
in the distance freestyle events.
For Ledecky, 21, that only adds to
the challenge. "I think it gets harder.
It's not any easier being me and
having the times that I have to go best
times," she said. "But the work I've put
in over the past year has been really,
really good, some of my best training
I've ever put in.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS
BANGLADESHTODAY 10
THE
THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018
Iran replaces central bank
chief as economy faces crisis
Branch Manager Conference-2018 of Federal Insurance Company Ltd. was held recently at the Samson H Chowdhury Centre,
Dhaka Club Ltd. A M M Mohiuddin Chowdhury, Managing Director of the company presided over the conference. Enamul
Hoq, Chairman of the company delivered speech as Chief Guest and expressed satisfaction over the performance of the company.
Claims Committee Chairman Alhaj Sabirul Haque, Audit Committee Chairman Md. Didarul Anwar, Directors Jainul
Abedin Jamal, Khadizaul Anwar, Morshedul Shafi, Jamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Md. Anisul Hoque, Rokan Uddin
Chowdhury and Adviser A K M Sarwardy Chowdhury delivered speech and advised employees to ensure better services to
insured and prepare themselves to achieve the target for the year 2018. Among others Additional Managing Director Md.
Mahabubul Alam, Deputy Manging Director Md. Abu Bakkar Siddique, Assistant Managing Director Md.Bahauddin, SVP S.M.
Md. Azimuddoula Khan, SAVP Md. Mamunur Rashid (Milton) delivered their speech regarding problems of the branch and
achievement of the Target-2018.
Photo: Courtesy
Iran replaced its central bank chief on
Wednesday, local media reported, amid the
fallout over banking scandals and the crisis
facing the country's economy.
Valiollah Seif, who had served as the bank's
governor since President Hassan Rouhani took
power in August 2013, was replaced by
Abdolnasser Hemati following a cabinet
meeting, according to the official IRNA news
agency.
Hemati, 61, previously served as head of
Central Insurance of Iran, as well as both Sina
Bank and Bank Melli. He had been slated to
become ambassador to China until he was
recalled at the last minute.
The head of Iran's Planning and Budget
Organisation, Mohammad-Bagher Nobakht,
who is also government spokesman, offered his
resignation at the cabinet meeting but it was
rejected by Rouhani.
The central bank has been criticised
particularly over its handling of a currency
crisis that has seen the rial lose more than half
its value against the dollar in the past year.
An attempt in April to enforce a fixed rate for
the rial sparked a boom in black market
exchanges, forcing the bank to backtrack as the
currency's street value crashed to record lows
in June. The crisis coincided with
Washington's announcement in May that it
was pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal and
reimposing full sanctions on Tehran,
exacerbating the run on the rial.
The US also slapped individual sanctions on
Seif in May, accusing him of helping Iran's
Revolutionary Guard Corps transfer millions of
dollars to Lebanon's Hezbollah.
Rouhani thanked Seif for his "strong and
serious service", and said the cabinet had "full
confidence" in Hemati.
He said a key priority was tackling "illegal
credit institutions".
Bankruptcies at several unlicensed lenders -
which had offered high interest rates and cheap
loans with little capital to back them up - wiped
out the savings of millions of depositors and
has been a key driver of recent protests.
Rouhani vowed to crackdown on unlicenced
banks when he came to power.
His government has been pressured to repay
lost deposits, further straining government
resources.
Asian markets eke out gains
amid trade war fears
Asian stocks made modest gains
Wednesday, after a batch of generally solid
US earnings and news of China's stimulus
plans helped drive markets up.
Beijing on Tuesday signalled that it would
shift to a looser fiscal policy in a bid to protect
the world's second largest economy from the
impact of an escalating trade row with
Washington.
The announcement sent Shanghai's main
stock index up 1.6 percent on Tuesday, while
the yuan hit a 13-month low versus the US
dollar.
Shanghai's rally stalled Wednesday, with
the market edging down 0.1 percent. But
Hong Kong and Singapore jumped one
percent while Tokyo rose 0.5 percent.
European markets stabilised in opening
trade on Wednesday, with Paris adding 0.2
percent and London down 0.1 percent while
Frankfurt was flat.
The mixed movements in markets came as
analysts warned that investors were still
weighing the implications of the spat
between Washington and its main trading
partners including China and the European
Union.
In addition to slapping hefty import taxes
on steel and aluminium from the EU, Canada
and Mexico, Trump has imposed 25 percent
tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese products,
drawing a retaliatory response from Beijing.
Washington has since threatened tariffs on
another $200 billion of Chinese goods.
"While investors remain upbeat about
earnings and the US economy, it's
increasingly challenging to stay optimistic
given all the negative geopolitical news flows
all the while staring at the possibility of US
follow-through with another 200 billion (in)
tariffs late August," said Stephen Innes, head
Germany's biggest lender Deutsche
Bank said Wednesday a major
restructuring under its new chief
executive was in full swing, as it
confirmed second-quarter profits that
beat analysts' previous expectations.
Net profits reached 401 million
euros ($468 million) on the back of 6.6
billion euros in revenue, in line with
preliminary figures the lender released
earlier this month. Analysts surveyed
by data company Factset had earlier
forecast profits of around 120 million
euros.
But the result was still 14 percent lower
than last year's second-quarter earnings
of 466 million euros.
of Asia-Pacific trading at Oanda trading
group.
"The price of US soybeans, meanwhile, has
dropped roughly 20 per cent since Trump
announced his first round of tariffs in
March," Innes added.
In what appeared to be the first
acknowledgement that Trump's aggressive
trade strategy was hurting ordinary
Americans, the US government on Tuesday
announced $12 billion in aid for farmers who
have been the primary targets of retaliatory
measures.
But the US leader showed no sign of
backing down on his approach, tweeting:
"Tariffs are the greatest!"
European Commission President Jean-
Claude Juncker, who was on his way to
Washington on Wednesday to meet Trump
in a bid to prevent an escalation of tariffs, said
he was "not very optimistic" about the
outcome.
"I know Mr Trump pretty well. I have met
him frequently and know how to deal with
him and know how he deals with others. We
will negotiate as equals," Juncker told
German public broadcaster ZDF.
Oil prices rose in Asian trade Wednesday
following a report by the industry group
American Petroleum Institute (API) showing
a decline in US crude inventories.
"Crude oil prices scaled the charts as
markets reacted to a US inventory drawdown
in API reports," said Bemjamin Lu, a
Singapore-based commodities analyst with
Phillip Futures.
He cautioned however that "though oil
prices have recuperated in the coming term,
bearish signals continue to permeate chart
activities as the threat of rising supplies
looms large".
Trade fears weigh on German
business confidence
Confidence among German
business leaders fell slightly in
July, a closely-watched survey
showed Wednesday, as trade
war fears weighed on the
outlook for the future.
The Munich-based Ifo
institute's monthly
barometer, based on a survey
of 9,000 businesses, shed 0.1
points for a reading of 101.7
this month.
"Companies were slightly
more satisfied with their
current business situation,
but scaled back their business
expectations slightly," Ifo
president Clemens Fuest
noted in a statement.
Levels of German business
and investor confidence have
fallen back in recent months,
as companies weathered a
growth slowdown in the first
quarter and eyed an escalating
tit-for-tat trade war between
the European Union and the
United States.
Early indicators suggest
growth may have recovered
slightly between April and
June. But trade war fears
remain live, as European
Commission President Jean-
Claude Juncker travels to
Washington for last-ditch
talks with US President
Donald Trump.
Juncker said Wednesday he
was "not very optimistic" that
he could talk the US leader out
of border taxes on car imports
from the EU.
After Trump first hit steel
and aluminium with tariffs,
the EU reacted with levies of
its own on a selection of
American goods like
motorcycles, jeans and peanut
butter.
"Chances for a return to
powerful growth in the second
half of the year
look good, even if there are
two weighty risks with the
trade dispute between
the US and the rest of the
world as well as Brexit,"
economists at public
bank LBBW commented on
the Ifo result. UAE port
operator signs deal for
logistics hub in Mali.
Deutsche Bank says big-bang restructuring on track
"We accelerated the reshaping of our
bank significantly and proved the
resilience of our global business"
between April and June, said CEO
Christian Sewing, who took over from
crisis firefighter John Cryan in April with
promises of a far-reaching shakeup.
Deutsche highlighted some 239
million euros in costs for restructuring
and employee severance - twice as much
as the same quarter last year - as around
1,700 workers left.
It added that it was "on track" to slash
another 1,500 from its total headcount
to dip below 93,000 by the end of the
year, with a further ambition to shrink
"well below" 90,000 by the end of 2019.
EU's Juncker
says 'not very
optimistic'
about Trump
trade talks
European Commission chief
Jean-Claude Juncker
dampened expectations
ahead of talks Wednesday
with US President Donald
Trump that they would
resolve a bitter trade dispute
between the two giant
economies.
"I am not very optimistic. I
know Mr Trump pretty well. I
have met him frequently and
know how to deal with him
and know how he deals with
others. We will negotiate as
equals," Juncker told German
public broadcaster ZDF.
Juncker said that the EU is
"not in the dock - we don't
need to defend ourselves.
"We are here to explain
ourselves and explore ways
to avoid a trade war," he
said. Juncker renewed his
pledge of retaliatory
measures should Trump
make good on his threat to
slap new tariffs on EU car
imports.
"We are ready to do that,"
he said. "We are in a position
to respond appropriately
right away."
Brussels already retaliated
against steel and aluminium
tariffs levelled last month,
imposing punitive duties on
over $3 billion (2.5 billion
euros) of US goods,
including blue jeans,
bourbon and motorcycles, as
well as orange juice, rice and
corn.
Ryanair says
300 jobs under
threat in Dublin
overhaul
Irish no-frills airline Ryanair
warned Wednesday of
around 300 potential job
cuts for pilots and cabin
crew under plans to reduce
its Dublin-based aircraft
fleet.
Ryanair said in a
statement that it has issued
"protective notice" to the
staff under winter plans to
slash its Dublin fleet from 30
to around 24, and partly
blamed the impact of Irish
pilots' strikes. Iran replaces
central bank chief as
economy faces crisis.
Meanwhile it finished integrating of
subsidiary Postbank into its retail
banking division in May.
And in its investment banking
division, Deutsche reported
"substantial" reductions in "leveraged" -
or borrowing-fuelled - holdings of stocks
and bonds, accounting for most of an 85-
billion-euro reduction in such exposures
across the bank.
There was slower progress on cutting
costs, which fell 1.0 percent to 5.6 billion
euros in adjusted terms in the second
quarter. But executives said they
remained committed to reducing
outlays from last year's 23.8 billion euros
to 23 billion in 2018.
Chittagong South Zone of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited organized Business Development
Conference on 20 July 2018 Friday at a Hotel of Cox's Bazar. Mohammed Monirul Moula, Additional
Managing Director of the Bank was present in the program as chief guest. Abu Reza Md. Yeahia,
Deputy Managing Director, M. Zubayer Azam Helali and Mohammed Shabbir, Senior Vice
Presidents were present as special guest. Md. Nizamul Haque, Executive Vice President & Head of
Chittagong South Zone presided over the function. Heads of nine branches of Cox's Bazar District
along with officials attended the function.
Photo: Courtesy
Trump to meet EU's Juncker in
bid to resolve trade dispute
US President Donald Trump is due to
meet Wednesday with European
Commission President Jean-Claude
Juncker in a bid to resolve a festering
trade dispute between the two key
economies.
Trump on Tuesday crowed that it was
his tough stance and threats of auto tariffs
that brought the European leader to the
bargaining table.
But at home, Trump is facing
increasing criticism as consumers,
farmers and businesses are taking a hit
from the retaliation to the raft of US
tariffs on steel, aluminum, and tens of
billions of dollars in products from China
that he has imposed in recent weeks.
"What the European Union is doing to
us is incredible," he said. "They sound
nice, but they're rough."
But when threatened with tariffs on
autos and auto parts, EU officials rushed
to come to Washington, Trump claimed.
"Countries that have treated us unfairly
on trade for years are all coming to
Washington to negotiate," he said in a
Lending to the private sector
picked up in the eurozone in
June as businesses borrowed
more, data from the European
Central Bank showed
Wednesday.
Adjusted for some purely
financial transactions, the
pace of growth in lending to
non-financial firms jumped
from 3.7 to 4.1 percent yearon-year.
With growth in lending to
households flat at 2.9 percent,
that meant businesses
accounted for all of a 0.2
percentage-point increase in
the pace of overall lending to
the private sector, which
reached 3.5 percent.
Economists watch loan
growth closely, as more cash
pre-dawn tweet. "Tariffs are the greatest!"
While Juncker is set to make a last
effort to talk Trump out of the auto tariffs,
which would hit Germany's dominant
carmakers hard, the EU has vowed a
withering response if the US goes ahead.
Brussels already retaliated against the
steel and aluminum tariffs, imposing
punitive duties on over $3 billion of US
goods, including blue jeans, bourbon and
motorcycles, as well as orange juice, rice
and corn.
White House economic advisor Larry
Kudlow said last week that Juncker could
be coming to Washington with a "very
important free trade offer," but the
Commission dismissed that idea.
French Finance Minister Bruno Le
Maire said over the weekend: "We refuse
to negotiate with a gun to the head." EU
Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom,
who will accompany Juncker, expressed
hope for a "de-escalation" of the tensions,
but said the EU is drawing up a list of
more US products that could be hit with
retaliatory duties if the trip fails.
Businesses drive faster eurozone
lending growth in June
flowing into the economy
points to an increase in activity.
The data is especially vital for
the ECB as it eyes the results of
its decision last month to
dismantle a key pillar of its
support to the eurozone by the
end of the year.
Aiming to boost growth and
stoke inflation to the target of
just below 2.0 percent, the
Frankfurt institution has set
interest rates at historic lows
and buys 30 billion euros ($35
billion) of government and
corporate bonds per month.
Both policies are designed to
pump cash through the
financial system and into the
real economy, where it can
power investments, hiring
and consumer spending.
But from October, the ECB
will reduce purchases to 15
billion euros per month before
ending them in December,
saying the move is justified as
inflation is on a solid path
towards its goal.
A quarterly survey
published yesterday by the
central bank showed that
between April and June,
demand for credit remained
strong among firms and
households and banks were
loosening conditions for
issuing and repayment of
loans. ECB policymakers
have nevertheless left their
options open to extend bondbuying
again if needed if the
economy shows signs of
weakening.
Canada, Mexico and China - the main
target of Trump's trade offensive -also
have hit back with steep duties on US
goods, and have filed complaints against
Washington at the World Trade
Organization.
While the US claims the retaliation is
"illegal," the Trump administration
recognized that it is doing damage to
American farmers. The Agriculture
Department announced it will provide up
to $12 billion in aid to farmers hurt by
trade tariffs.
In an ironic tweet, Trump mocked his
European trading partners.
"The European Union is coming to
Washington tomorrow to negotiate a deal
on Trade. I have an idea for them. Both
the U.S. and the E.U. drop all Tariffs,
Barriers and Subsidies!" he wrote.
"That would finally be called Free
Market and Fair Trade! Hope they do it,
we are ready - but they won't!"
But more voices even in Trump's own
Republican ParGerman post office
delivers electric car surprise.
European
stock markets
steady at open
European stock markets
stabilised in opening trade
on Wednesday, ahead of US-
EU trade talks to resolve a
festering dispute.
US President Donald Trump
will meet later with European
Commission President Jean-
Claude Juncker to address a
simmering row between the
two key economies.
In initial deals, London's
benchmark FTSE 100 index
was down 0.1 percent at
7,702.66 points, compared
with Tuesday's closing level.
In the eurozone,
Frankfurt's DAX 30 was
almost flat at 12,688.71
points and the Paris CAC 40
added 0.2 percent to
5,445.24EU's Juncker says
'not very optimistic' about
Trump trade talks.

MISCELLANEOUS
thurSDAY, julY 26, 2018
11
Suicide bombings kill
38 in southern
province: Syrian media
A series of suicide bombings and attacks
in southern Syria, including a suicide
bomber who struck at a busy vegetable
market, killed 38 people on Wednesday,
state media reported, blaming Islamic
State militants for the carnage.
The attacks, the worst in recent months,
were reminiscent of the horrific violence
by the Islamic State group that spread
mayhem across the country, already
ravaged by the civil war.
Al-Ikhbariya state-run TV showed
images from several locations in Sweida
province where the bombers blew
themselves up.
The breakdown of the fatalities from the
attack on the vegetable market and also
from other suicide bombings in the
provincial capital, also called Sweida, was
not immediately known.
The rare attacks in Sweida and its
capital, a predominantly Druze city, came
amid a government offensive in the
country's south. Government forces are
battling an affiliate of the Islamic State
group near the frontier with the Israelioccupied
Golan Heights area and the
border with Jordan.
The Islamic State group has been
largely defeated in Syria and Iraq, but
still has pockets of territory it controls
in eastern Syria and in the country's
south.
Since its offensive in June, Syrian
President Bashar Assad's forces have
retaken territories controlled by the
rebels along the Golan Heights frontier
and are now fighting militants in the
country's southern tip.
The death, initially reported at 27,
quickly climbed.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights also reported a series
of suicide blasts and other attacks in the
southern province.
The Observatory said the clashes in the
Sweida countryside and the bombings in
the provincial capital killed 56 people,
including 28 pro-government fighters,
four attackers and 12 militants. The
discrepancy in death tolls is common in
the early hours of such large attacks.
Al-Ikhbariya said one of the attackers
hit at a vegetable market in the city just
after 5 a.m., a busy time for the merchants
at the start of their day.
The bomber drove through the market
on a motorcycle and blew himself up, the
TV station said. The second attacker hit in
another busy square in the city. Two other
attackers blew themselves up when they
were chased by authorities.
The city of Sweida has largely been
spared most of the violence that Syrian
cities have witnessed in the years since
the conflict started in 2011.
For the southern offensive, government
forces redeployed troops from Sweida
province last month to attack rebels and
IS-affiliate militants in the nearby
provinces of Daraa and Quneitra.
The government is now in control of
Daraa, but continues to battle the ISaffiliate
militants in Quneitra.
Malaysia to be firmer in
row over South China Sea
Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said Wednesday that
Malaysia's new government will adopt a firmer stand in
tackling a decades-old territorial row in the South China Sea
amid China's aggressive expansion in the disputed area.
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who won a stunning
electoral victory in May, has said warships should be
removed from the South China Sea.
Saifuddin said that Mahathir was "sending a signal that we
want to be more firm, more serious" in handling the
maritime dispute.
The 2002 declaration of conduct by claimants in the South
China Sea that set loose guidelines for behavior in the
disputed waters has "no fangs," and China's continued
militarization of the area has raised concern and could
potentially escalate regional tensions, he told Parliament.
China has sent big coast guard vessels that resemble
warships to the potentially energy rich territory and has
caused uneasiness among its neighbors, he said.
Malaysia's previous government rarely criticizes China,
even though Chinese coast guard ships have sailed near
Malaysia's waters. In the Spratly island chain, China has
constructed seven man-made islands and equipped them
with runways, hangers, radar and missile stations, further
cementing its vast territorial claims in the busy waterway.
Saifuddin said Southeast Asian foreign ministers meeting
in Singapore next week will seek to accelerate negotiations
for a new code of conduct to ensure peace in the South China
Sea, which is claimed by China almost in its entirety.
Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan all
dispute Beijing's holdings.
All parties should exercise self-restraint and any actions
must be based on international law, Saifuddin said.
China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian
Nations earlier this year began negotiations on the new code
of conduct. However, officials have warned it could take a
long time, with no agreement on whether the pact will be
legally binding, raising doubts over its effectiveness.
Mahathir, who previously led Malaysia for 22 years until
2003, has sought to reduce China's economic influence by
reassessing lopsided Chinese investment since taking power
for a second stint. The government recently suspended work
on a multi-billion-dollar rail link that is central to China's Belt
and Road initiative, and two gas pipeline projects to
renegotiate for better terms.
Analysts however, say Mahathir's more assertive stance on
the South China Sea is unlikely to amount to a challenge to
Beijing, which is Malaysia's top trading partner.
Wildfires in Greece kill 74 in
deadliest blazes in decades
The death toll from Greece's deadliest
wildfires in decades climbed to 74 Tuesday as
rescue crews searched on land and sea for
those who sought to escape the blazes that
engulfed popular summer resort spots near
Athens.
The number of victims appeared set to go
even higher, with crews checking charred
homes and vehicles and the coast guard
scouring beaches and deeper waters. There
was no definitive count of the missing.
Fueled by 80 kph (50 mph) winds that
frequently changed direction, the fires - one
to the west of Athens near the town of Kineta
and another to the northeast near the port of
Rafina - spread at speeds that surprised
many, trapping hundreds on beaches and
cutting off escape routes.
All the casualties appeared to be from the
fire near Rafina, a popular seaside area that is
a mix of permanent residences and vacation
homes. The blaze broke out Monday
afternoon during a hot, dry spell but the cause
was not immediately clear. Aerial photos
showed charred swathes of forest and homes.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras declared
three days of national mourning. Apart from
the dead, which included children, hospitals
treated 187 people, most for burns, with 10
listed in serious condition.
Although it had abated by Tuesday
afternoon, the blaze was far from
extinguished and more than 230 firefighters
were still trying to put it out, helped by
volunteers and water-dropping aircraft.
Another five fires continued to burn, with
flare-ups reported in the blaze near Kineta.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of some
communities as a preventive measure.
Authorities urged the public to contact
them about the missing. Many took to social
media, posting photos and what was believed
to be their last location before the fires hit.
Twenty-six of the dead were found after
dawn Tuesday, huddled in a compound near
the sea in the community of Mati, the worsthit
area near Rafina, about 50 kilometers (30
miles) west of Athens.
Red Cross rescuers said they appeared to be
families or groups of friends because they
were found hugging in groups of threes and
fours.
Hundreds of homes and cars were believed
to have been burned. Many vehicles were
found with the keys still in the ignition and
doors open, a sign of the urgency with which
their occupants sought to flee the flames.
Narrow roads quickly became jammed,
forcing many to try to escape on foot. The
ferocity of the fire melted cars' metal hub
caps.
Many ran to beaches, but even there the fire
got so close and the smoke was so thick that
dozens swam out to sea despite the rough
weather.
Coast guard and private boats picked up
more than 700 survivors from beaches and
the sea - but also recovered six bodies.
"It happened very fast. The fire was in the
distance, then sparks from the fire reached
us. Then the fire was all around us," said
Nikos Stavrinidis, who had gone with his wife
to fix up his summer home for a visit by his
daughter.
Stavrinidis, his wife and four friends swam
out to sea to escape the smoke, but they
quickly became disoriented, losing sight of
shore and being swept out farther by the wind
and currents. Two of his group didn't survive.
"It is terrible to see the person next to you
drowning and not being able to help him,"
Stavrinidis said, his voice breaking. The rest
of the survivors were picked up by a fishing
boat with an Egyptian crew who jumped into
the water to rescue them.
Rafina's dock became a makeshift hospital
overnight as paramedics examined survivors,
some wearing only their bathing suits, after
being dropped off by rescue boats.
Rafina Mayor Evangelos Bournous said his
home had burned down and his family
escaped by going into the sea.
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GD-961/18 (12 x 4) GD-964/18 (12 x 4)

UNITING PEOPLE EVERYDAY
THuRSDAy, DHAkA, JuLy 26, 2018, SRABAN 12, 1425 BS, ZILqAD 11, 1439 HIJRI
No inventory of Barapukuria
coal since 2006: Nasrul Hamid
DHAKA : Petrobangla never made any
inventory since start of the Barapukuria coalmine
operation and supply of the coal to the
nearby Barapukuria power plant in 2006,
reports UNB.
State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul
Hamid on Wednesday said this while talking
to newsmen after receipt of a probe report
carried out by Petrobangla on huge volume of
missing coal from the Barapukuria coal mine.
"It seems all officials at the Barapukuria
mine are involved in such irregularities and
corruption. Action will be taken as per report
against the persons involved in the wrongdoings,"
he told reporters at Bangladesh
Secretariat.
"I received the probe report just now on
Wednesday. I'm yet to go through it. I have to
study it and then I can make comment", he
told reporters.
The state-owned Petrobangla formed a 3-
member inquiry committee, headed by its
director (mining) Quamruzzaman after it
detected alleged disappearance of 146,000
metric tons of coal from its subsidiary
Barapukuria coal-mine in Dinajpur.The
unusual shortage in coal supply led to the
forced shutdown of the nearby Barapukuria
power plant which triggered a huge power cut
in the country's northern region.
When it came to the notice of the Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina, she expressed anger
and ordered for forming a high-power committee.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption
Commission (ACC) also formed a three-member
probe committee to look into the 'disappearance
of coal' from Barapukuria coal mine
and filed a criminal case against some 19 top
officials of the coal mine. According to an ACC
unofficial note, Managing Director of
4 killed in 'gunfights' in 3 dists
DHAKA : Two alleged drug traders and two
suspected robbers were killed in separate 'gunfights'
with law enforcing agencies in Khulna,
Rajshahi and Jashore districts early
Wednesday, reports UNB.
In Jashore, police recovered the bullet-hit
bodies of two suspected robbers on Jashore-
Manirampur road at Kanaitala in Sadar upazila
around 2:55 am.
The identities of the deceased could not be
known immediately.
Apurba Hasan, officer-in-charge of Kotwali
Police Station, said acting on secret information
that two gangs of robbers were exchanging
bullets, a team of police went there, recovered
the bodies and sent those to Jashore General
Hospital. The law enforcers also recovered
three sharp weapons and some rope from the
spot.
In Khulna, listed drug trader Emran alias
Rocky, 22, was killed in a reported gunfight
with members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab)
at Maheshwarpur in Daulatpur upazila early
Wednesday.
Emran was the son another top listed drug
trader Sheikh Mizanur Rahman alias Hatakata
Mizan of the area.
Tipped off, a team of Rab-6 gave a signal to
a motorbike carrying three people to stop
around 3 am, said ASP Bazlur Rashid of
Rab-6.
Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Habib
Uddin Ahmed and others allegedly sold 1.16
lakh tonnes of coal and embezzled Tk 200
crore.
The districts which are facing power crisis
due to the shutdown of the plant include
Rangpur, Panchagarh, Nilphamari,
Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Dinajpur
and Thakurgaon as they receive power supply
mainly from the Barapukuria plant.
Officials said the authorities were trying to
ensure power supply to the districts from
alternative sources like power plants in other
districts-Sirajganj, Khulna and Rajshahi.
Officials said the shortage of coal suddenly
came to their notice a few days back when a
team from PDB visited the coal mine and
found that there was no adequate reserve of
coal in the yard of the mine.
They found that there was only 6,000
tonnes of coal reserved in the yard which
would meet the requirement of only 2-3 days.
The coal production in the Barapukuria coal
mine was suspended for about one and half
months under a programme to change the
mining shaft.
But the PDB was assured by the BCMCL
authorities of continuing the coal supply from
the reserved coal during the closure of the
mine operation.
PDB officials said the power plant requires
about 4,500 tonnes of coal a day when all the
three units are in operation. But now two
units remain off and only the third unit with
275MW capacity was operating to a tune of
130 MW.
The issue was immediately communicated
with Petrobangla, they said.
Petrobangla top officials identified inconsistency
in the coal reserve at the coal mine
yard.
Defying the Rab signal, the criminals opened
fire to Rab, forcing them to fire back in selfdefence.
At one stage, Rab recovered the body of
Emran along with a revolver, three bullets and
308 pieces of Yaba tablets from the spot.
Emran was wanted in seven cases, said the
Rab official.
In Rajshahi, Sazzad Hossain, another suspected
drug trader and son of Saim Uddin of
Haripur Banpara village, was killed in a 'gunfight'
with Rab at Kasba in Poba upazila early
Wednesday.
Tipped off, a team of Rab-5 conducted a
drive in the area around 1am. Sensing the presence
of the elite force, the criminals opened fire
on them that prompted Rab members to swing
into action, said deputy commanding officer of
Rab-5 Major AM Ashraful Islam.
After a brief gunfight, Rab members recovered
the body of Sazzad and sent it to Rajshahi
Medical College Hospital morgue. He was
wanted in seven/eight cases, said the Rab official.
With the latest deaths, at least 148 people
were killed in 'gunfights' with members of law
enforcement agencies while 37 bodies of suspected
drug traders were recovered after
reported gun battles between rival groups during
the countrywide anti-narcotic drives
since15 May.
DI delegation
discusses election
issues with
AL leaders
DHAKA : A delegate of
Democracy International
(DI) met the members of
the international sub-committee
of Bangladesh
Awami League (AL) at its
Dhanmondi party office on
Wednesday and discussed
election issues, reports
UNB.
Democracy International
co-founder and CEO Glenn
Cowan and Chief of Party in
Bangladesh Katie Croake
were, among others, present
representing the DI.
Road Transport and
Bridges Minister and AL
General Secretary Obaidul
Quader and AL International
Affairs Secretary Dr Shammi
Ahmed led the AL delegation
at the meeting.
The meeting was also
attended by subcommittee
members Ambassador
Shahed Reza, Dr Salim
Mahmud, Tarik Shomi,
Barrister Shah Ali Farhad,
and Mustaq Khan.
Representatives engaged
in fruitful discussions on different
aspects of national
and local level elections,
expressed their opinions on
various issues and pledged to
strengthen mutual relationship
and association, said a
press release.
Rehabilitate those
living on hill slopes,
Anisul to DCs
DHAKA : Environment and
Forests Minister Anisul
Islam Mahmud on
Wednesday instructed the
deputy commissioners concerned
to take necessary
steps for rehabilitating those
living on the hill slopes amid
risk of landslides, reports
UNB.
"The reason behind the
death in landslides is illegal
structures and tree felling. If
the local administration
doesn't not any initiative for
evicting the illegal structures,
then the problem will continue,"
said the Minister while
talking to the deputy commissioners
at a meeting on
the 2nd day of DC conference
at the Secretariat.
He also stressed the need
for massive tree plantation to
prevent landslide incidents.
"Many people who have no
land are making makeshift
houses in the hilly areas. The
evicted people again return
to the hills and started living
there after the end of the
eviction drive," he said.
Anisul also urged the DCs
to remain alert as monsoon
will remain for two months
more.
Month-long National Tree Fair is being held in the city's Sher-e-Bangla area. Tree-loving people are
coming in the fair.
Photo : Star Mail
Over half of city
polls candidates
businessmen: Shujan
DHAKA : More than 52 percent
of the total 548 candidates,
who are vying for mayor
and ward councillor posts in
the upcoming polls to three
city corporations, are businessmen
by profession.
While addressing a press
conference at Jatiya Press Club
organised to share the affidavits
of candidates contesting
in the upcoming city polls, civil
rights body Shushashoner
Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) said
this on Wednesday, reports
UNB.
Presenting a report, Shujan
representative Dilip Kumar
Sarkar also said at least 43
percent of the candidates taking
part in the three elections
have educational background
below the secondary level.
Elections to three city corporations
in Sylhet, Barishal
and Rajshahi are billed for
July 30.
In the programme, Dilip
also presented the information
of the candidates'
income status, picture of
their assets, number of cases
against them, their loan status
and description and
assessment of financial status
of all mayoral candidates in
the press conference.
Local government expert
Dr. Tofayel Ahmed said the
EC did not properly check the
information provided by the
candidates in their affidavits
and he urged that the EC
must verify the information
appropriately.
Shujan said, the Election
Commission (EC) has lost the
credibility, which was earlier
gained through successful
holding of polls in
Narayanganj, Cumilla and
Rangpur cities,
The civil rights body said
EC could not take any clear
step to prevent several incidents
of electoral code of conduct
violations already taken
place centring the upcoming
city polls.
That's why, Shujan
observed, public trust on EC
is eroding.
Mentioning the incidents
of bomb blast in Rajshahi, filing
of cases against the
activists of BNP mayoral candidate
in Sylhet and arrests of
several persons, Shujan said
these incidents are making
people worried and concerned
about the fairness of
the election.
Dilip Kumar Sarkar, said
"Before the National
Parliament election these city
polls are the biggest ones
organised by the EC and if
the EC fails to arrange elections
in a free and fair way, it
will give a negative impression
about EC among the
public."
Return of Bangabandhu's
killer to boost Dhaka-
Washington ties: Minister
DHAKA : Foreign Minister
AH Mahmood Ali has said the
return of Rashed Chowdhury,
a convicted killer of Father of
the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, to
face justice would create a
tremendous amount of goodwill
about the United States
among the people of
Bangladesh, reports UNB.
Foreign Minister Ali had a
bilateral meeting with Deputy
Secretary of State John J
Sullivan on Tuesday at the
United States Department of
State in Washington, D.C. and
requested the US administration
to return Rashed
Chowdhury.
In response, Deputy
Secretary Sullivan stated that
he is aware of the issue and the
United States Department of
Justice is dealing with this, according
to Bangladesh
Embassy in Washington.
The Foreign Minister urged
the US administration to remain
engaged with Myanmar
to ensure dignified, safe and
sustainable return of the
forcibly displaced Rohingyas.
Acknowledging the fact that
it is a staggering burden on
Bangladesh to host 1.1 million
forcibly displaced Rohingyas
from Myanmar, Deputy
Secretary Sullivan assured that
the United States would continue
to work with Myanmar
government for their early
repatriation.
Minister Ali urged Deputy
Secretary Sullivan to continue
pressure on Myanmar.
In response, the Deputy
Secretary said the United
States would continue its pressure
on Myanmar to create safe
and secure conditions in
Northern Rakhine for repatriation
of the forcibly displaced
Myanmar nationals from
Bangladesh to their homes in
Myanmar.
During the bilateral meeting,
Sullivan profusely thanked
Bangladesh for its role in addressing
the Rohingya crisis.
The Foreign Minister is currently
visiting Washington,
D.C. at the invitation of
Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo to lead the
Bangladesh delegation at the
first-ever meeting on Advance
Religious Freedom.
The State Department is
hosting the high-level global
meeting on religious freedom
on July 25-26.
Mahmood Ali conveyed sincere
thanks and appreciation
of Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina to the US President
Donald Trump and his administration,
for the strong and
consistent humanitarian and
political support to Bangladesh
in dealing with this massive
humanitarian crisis.
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.
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