20-01-2019

NEWS
SUNDAY,
JANUARY 20, 2019
2
Demanding rehabilitation, landless horizons formed a human chain in front of National Press Club
yesterday.
Photo : TBT
Colombia asks Cuba to arrest ELN
negotiators for car bombing
Colombian President Ivan Duque on
Friday demanded Cuba arrest 10 peace
negotiators from the National Liberation
Army after his government blamed the
leftist group for a car bombing against a
police academy that left 21 dead and
dozens more wounded, reports UNB.
In a televised address, the conservative
leader said he had revoked a decree
suspending arrest orders against leaders
of Colombia's last remaining rebel group,
known as the ELN for its Spanish initials,
who have been living on the communistrun
island amid fading hopes that peace
talks would resume.
"It's clear to all of Colombia that the
ELN has no true desire for peace," Duque
said, citing a long list of 400 terrorist
attacks attributed to the guerrillas since
peace talks began in 2017.
"We would like to thank the Cuban
Robber gang
'leader' arrested
with firearms in
Faridpur
FARIDPUR : Rapid Action
Battalion (Rab) arrested the
suspected leader of a robber
gang with firearms from
Hamirodi village of Bhanga
Upazila on Saturday, reports
UNB.
The elite force identified
the detainee as Md Miran
Mridha and described him
as a listed criminal accused
in several drug and robberyrelated
cases.
A shooter gun and two
bullets were seized from
him, said Major Talukdar
Nazmus Sakib of Rab-8.
"We raided the village on
early Saturday acting on a
tip-off and arrested him," he
added.
Mridha was handed over
to the local police station.
Bus-truck
collision kills
2 in B'baria
BRAHMANBARIA : At least
two people were killed and
15 others injured following a
head-on collision between a
bus and a truck on Dhaka-
Sylhet Highway in Shoshi
area of Bijaynagar upazila
early Saturday, reports
UNB.
The deceased could not be
identified yet.
Hossain Sarker, officer-incharge
of highway police,
said the accident took place
when a Sylhet-bound bus of
'London Express' from
Dhaka collided with the
truck, leaving the duo dead
on the spot and 15 injured.
Two found
hanging in
Khulna
KHULNA : Police recovered
the hanging bodies of two
people from a house in
Sonadanga Bus Terminal
area on Friday night, reports
UNB.
government for the solidarity it
expressed yesterday and today, and we
ask that it capture the terrorists who are
inside its territory and hand them over to
Colombian police," he said, adding that
no ideology could justify the cruelty of
Thursday's attack.
Duque's comments came after
authorities claimed that a one-armed
ELN explosives expert was the person
who carried out the attack, the deadliest
in the South American nation in 15 years.
Even though Jose Aldemar Rojas had
no criminal record, authorities said that
the 56-year-old man is the same
individual who shows up in intelligence
reports as alias Mocho Kiko. He is
believed to have lost part of his right arm
manipulating explosives during a long
clandestine career with an ELN cell near
the border with Venezuela. He died in
Canada's public safety minister said Friday
that the country won't be deterred by
Chinese pressure after China threatened
reprisals if Huawei was banned from
supplying equipment for 5G networks,
highlighting the growing rift between
America's neighbor and the emerging
superpower, reports UNB.
There are accusations that the telecom
giant is controlled by China's ruling
Communist Party or is required to facilitate
Chinese spying. The U.S., Australia, Japan
and other governments have imposed curbs
on use of its technology.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said
Canada has been abundantly clear it will not
compromise national security.
"It's a difficult challenge but we'll not be
deterred by what we believe to be right and
what we believe to be in the interests of
Canada," Goodale said.
Lu Shaye, China's ambassador to Canada,
warned Thursday of repercussions if Canada
bars the firm from its new 5G network.
"One of the things that is of concern in this
situation is the blending of Chinese
commercial interests with Chinese political
positioning and consequences. That's
something that I think should be of concern
to Canadians and people around the world,"
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
said. Canada and its security agencies are
studying whether to use equipment from
Huawei as phone carriers prepare to roll out
fifth-generation technology.
5G is designed to support a vast expansion
Thursday's attack.
The shock bombing recalled some of
the bloodiest chapters of Colombia's
recent past and has raised tough
questions about lingering security
threats in the wake of a 2016 peace deal
with the larger and far more lethal
Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia. It would also appear to mark
Duque's return to the law and order
platform on which he was elected last
year but then somewhat moderated once
he took office.
While Duque stopped short of shutting
the door entirely to a negotiated end to
decades of fighting with the ELN, he
repeated his demands that the groups
immediately cease all attacks and release
16 people it is believed to be holding
captive as a condition for restarting
stalled talks.
Canada says it won't be deterred
by Chinese pressure
Director-General of the
World Health Organization
(WHO) Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus has ordered an
internal inquiry after
receiving anonymous emails
that alleged racism, sexism
and misspending within the
UN health agency,
according to a statement
released on the WHO
website recently, reports
UNB.
"The allegations are being
investigated according to
WHO's established
procedures," the statement
said, adding that the
anonymous allegations have
been circulating internally
and WHO has "zero
tolerance" for the alleged
misconduct.
The Associated Press (AP)
reported on Thursday that it
has obtained three emails
addressed to WHO
directors, which claimed
that some WHO senior
officials were involved in
"systematic racial
discrimination" against
African staffers and other
cases of misconduct
including misspending of
the money intended to fight
Ebola in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo last
year.
WHO said it has
of networks to facilitate medical devices, selfdriving
cars and other technology. That
increases the risk of potential security
failures and has prompted governments to
treat telecom communications networks as
strategic assets.
But the arrest of Huawei executive Meng
Wanzhou in Canada on Dec. 1 at the request
of the United States has created a growing
diplomatic rift between China and Canada.
Meng is the chief financial officer of Huawei
and the daughter of its founder.
The U.S. wants her extradited to face
charges that she committed fraud by
misleading banks about Huawei's business
dealings in Iran.
China detained former Canadian diplomat
Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur
Michael Spavor 10 days after Meng's arrest
on allegations that they were "engaging in
activities that endanger the national
security" of China in an apparent attempt to
pressure Canada to release her. China also
sentenced another Canadian, Robert
Schellenberg, to death Monday in a sudden
retrial of his drug-smuggling case.
John McCallum, Canada's ambassador to
China, said the path that China is on is not in
their interest.
"It's not in the interests of corporate China
if when they run into trouble internationally
the Chinese government arrests people to
use as bargaining chips," McCallum said.
"That is the perception of much of the world
and that is not good for the reputation of
Chinese business people."
WHO launches probe into
alleged internal misconduct
established mechanisms
including an independentlyrun
integrity hotline which
anyone can use to report
concerns confidentially and
anonymously, by which
anyone inside or outside the
organization can report
concerns about any form of
suspected misconduct by
WHO personnel.
Established in 1948 and
headquartered in Geneva,
Switzerland, WHO is a
specialized international
agency which carries on the
mission of providing global
leadership in public health
within the United Nations
system.
Bus supervisor,
helper killed in
Cumilla road
crash
CUMILLA : The bus
supervisor and the driver's
assistant were killed in a
collision involving three
vehicles on the Dhaka-
Chattogram Highway in
Daudkandi Upazila's
Iliatganj on Saturday,
reports UNB.
One of them was identified
as Fahad Ali Raji Faisal, the
supervisor of Green Line
service and son of late
Kaikobad, resident of
Lalbagh area in Sadar
Dakkhin Upazila. The
driver's assistant, named as
Monoar Hossain, is son of
Idris Mia, hailing from
Manikganj district town.
Iliatganj police outpost
Inspector Monirul Islam
said the accident took place
when a Dhaka-bound Green
Line bus rammed into a
covered van from behind
around 5:30am.
Within moments, a
speeding truck, running
behind the bus, hit it, killing
Fahad on the spot. Monoar
was critically injured.
He succumbed to his
injuries while being taken to
hospital.
Within moments, a
speeding truck, running
behind the bus, hit it, killing
Fahad on the spot. Monoar
was critically injured.
Housewife
'burnt to death'
in Bhola
BHOLA : A housewife was
reportedly burnt to death
while her sister and a niece
sustained burn injuries as
miscreants set fire on their
room at Kharakandi village
in Lalmohanupazilaearly
Saturday, reports UNB.
The deceased was
identified as Surma, wife of
Rafiq of Deula area in
Burhanuddinupazila.
Quoting locals, Md
Moktar Hossain,
superintendent of Bhola
Police, said that Surma went
to her sister Angkura's house
as her husband left her 10
days ago over a family feud.
After taking dinner on
Friday night, Surma slept
with her sister Angkura and
her daughter Khadiza.
Miscreant entered their
room digging soil around
1:30 am and set them afire,
leaving Surma dead on the
spot and two others injured.
Surma's family members
claimed that Rafiq married
off Surma six months ago
and it was his 3rdmarriage.
After the marriage, the
couple used to quarrel as
Rafiq did not work to earn.
They also claimed that
Rafiq has involvement
behind with the incident.
Meanwhile, Bhola civil
surgeon Rathindra Nath
Mazumder said the injured
mother and daughter
received 70percentburn
injuries and their condition
was reported critical.
Emu pilot project in Khulna
draws people's attention
KHULNA : A farm of Emu bird, popular
worldwide for its meat and oil, has been set
up in Batiaghata uapzila here purely on
experimental basis. Now the farm is abuzz
as visitors stream in every day, reports
UNB.
Ashraful Alam Khan, chairman of
Bhatiaghata upazila, set up the farm on
one bigha of land at Kismat Fultola,
aiming to create jobs for youths. Now
people from different corners of the
upazila are visiting his farm every day to
see it for themselves.
Emu bird is the second-largest living
bird by height after Ostrich and the
national bird of Australia. Emus are softfeathered,
brown, flightless birds with long
necks and legs, and can reach up to 1.9
metres (6.2 ft) in height. They forage for a
variety of plants and insects but have been
known to go for weeks without eating.
Besides, it can adapt to a variety of
conditions ranging from excessive hot to
excessive cold and it can be raised
anywhere of the world. Emu is considered
as friendly bird as it can easily live in grassy
plains and dry open farms. Emu grow
from 5 to 6 feet high and weight between
45 to 60kg. Female Emu are capable of
reproduction for at least 25 years old.
It generally lay down eggs from October
to March. They lay down 25-35 eggs in per
year. The colour of egg is green and 10-
12times larger than chicken's egg.
Talking to UNB, Ashraful Alam said he
bought per pair of Emu bird at Tk 16,000.
He first bought 200 Emu chicks and 12
Ostrich chicks. When he bought the Emu
chicks, their weight was from 600-
700gram. Now, the weight of each emu
The white Chicago officer who gunned
down a black teenager in 2014 was
sentenced Friday to nearly seven years in
prison, ending an explosive case that arose
from one of the nation's most graphic
dashcam videos and added fuel to debates
about race and policing and law
enforcement's "code of silence."
Jason Van Dyke was convicted last year of
second-degree murder and 16 counts of
aggravated battery - one for each bullet fired
at Laquan McDonald. Attorneys on both
sides agreed that if he behaves in prison, the
40-year-old could be released in less than
three and a half years, reports UNB.
McDonald's family lamented that the
penalty was too light. His great uncle said
the sentence reduced Laquan McDonald's
life to that of "a second-class citizen" and
"suggests to us that there are no laws on the
books for a black man that a white man is
bound to honor." Moments earlier, Van
Dyke acknowledged the teen's death, telling
the judge that "as a God-fearing man and
father, I will have to live with this the rest of
my life."
The sentence was less than half of the
penalty that had been sought by
prosecutors, who asked for 18 to 20 years.
But it went far beyond the request of
defense attorneys, who argued that Van
Dyke could be released on probation. The
prison term was also a fraction of what Van
Dyke could have faced had he been
convicted of first-degree murder, which
carried a mandatory minimum of 45 years
in prison.
Judges typically rebuke defendants
during sentencings, even for much lesser
crimes, and they often explain why they
imposed the sentence they did. But Judge
bird is 40-50kg.
As Ostrich chicks could not adapt to the
weather condition, his 10 chicks died but
190 Emu birds are still alive and growing
well, Alam said. The farming of the bird
has gained popularity all over the world for
its meat and oil. Emu oil, collected from fat
of Emu bird, are used to make medicines.
The chairman expressed the hope that
Emu farming will soon get much popular
across the country and unemployed people
will become self-reliant through its
farming.
Dr Bamkim Kumar Halder, livestock
officer of the upazila, said the meat of the
bird is tasty and 98 percent cholesterolfree
which makes it popular in the world.
Besides, its death rate is also low
compared to Turkey and poultry chicken.
There is huge potential of Emu farming in
Bangladesh commercially, he added.
Ashraful Alam Khan, chairman of
Bhatiaghata upazila, set up the farm on
one bigha of land at Kismat Fultola,
aiming to create jobs for youths. Now
people from different corners of the
upazila are visiting his farm every day to
see it for themselves.
Emu bird is the second-largest living
bird by height after Ostrich and the
national bird of Australia. Emus are softfeathered,
brown, flightless birds with long
necks and legs, and can reach up to 1.9
metres (6.2 ft) in height. They forage for a
variety of plants and insects but have been
known to go for weeks without eating.
It generally lay down eggs from October
to March. They lay down 25-35 eggs in per
year. The colour of egg is green and 10-
12times larger than chicken's egg.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister of Information and Communication Technology Division of
Bangladesh handing over the Champion prize in soccer bot category of BUET Robo Carnival-2019 to
the members of 'DIU Graviton' team of Daffodil International University. Photo : Courtesy
Officer who shot
black teen sentenced
to nearly 7 years
Vincent Gaughan did neither in his brief
comments from the bench.
Friday's testimony came a day after a
different judge acquitted three officers
accused of lying about the shooting to
protect Van Dyke, who was the first Chicago
officer found guilty in an on-duty shooting
in a half century and probably the first ever
in the shooting of an African-American.
The lead defense attorney, Dan Herbert,
said Van Dyke "truly felt great" after
learning his sentence. "He was happy about
the prospect of life ahead of him" and
someday being reunited with his wife and
two daughters. vThe prosecutor who
oversaw the case said he can live with the
sentence.
The sentence was less than half of the
penalty that had been sought by
prosecutors, who asked for 18 to 20 years.
But it went far beyond the request of
defense attorneys, who argued that Van
Dyke could be released on probation. The
prison term was also a fraction of what Van
Dyke could have faced had he been
convicted of first-degree murder, which
carried a mandatory minimum of 45 years
in prison.
Judges typically rebuke defendants
during sentencings, even for much lesser
crimes, and they often explain why they
imposed the sentence they did. But Judge
Vincent Gaughan did neither in his brief
comments from the bench.
Friday's testimony came a day after a
different judge acquitted three officers
accused of lying about the shooting to
protect Van Dyke, who was the first Chicago
officer found guilty in an on-duty shooting
in a half century and probably the first ever
in the shooting of an African-American.