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tHursDaY<br />
DhAkA : January <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9; Magh 18, 1425 BS; Jamadi-ul Awal 24,1440 hijri<br />
www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www. tbtbangla.com<br />
Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.17; No.07; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00<br />
international<br />
Al-Qaida's advance<br />
in northern Syria<br />
threatens fragile truce<br />
>Page 7<br />
art & culture<br />
Deepika Padukone<br />
the new chairperson<br />
of MAMI Film Festival<br />
>Page 8<br />
sport<br />
Delport, Rahim set<br />
up 11-run win for<br />
Chittagong Vikings<br />
>Page 9<br />
BB unveils monetary<br />
policy for Jan-Jun<br />
period<br />
Eskaton double murder<br />
Ex-AL MP's son Rony<br />
gets life term<br />
DHAKA : Bakhtiar Alam Rony, the son of<br />
former Awami League parliamentarian<br />
Pinu Khan, was found guilty of murders<br />
and sentenced to life imprisonment by a<br />
court here on Wednesday, reports UNB.<br />
He was also fined Tk 50,000 by Dhaka<br />
Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge-<br />
2 Manjurul Imam. Rony will have to stay<br />
in jail for six more months if he fails to<br />
pay the fine. The court said it sentenced<br />
Rony to life imprisonment taking into<br />
consideration his psychological and<br />
physical conditions at the time of the<br />
incident.<br />
Rony fired indiscriminately on people<br />
near Janakantha Bhaban in New<br />
Eskaton from his car on April 13, 2<strong>01</strong>5,<br />
injuring rickshaw-puller Abdul Hakim<br />
and Janakantha's auto-rickshaw driver<br />
Yakub.<br />
Hakim died at Dhaka Medical College<br />
Hospital two days later while Yakub died<br />
from his injuries at the hospital on April<br />
23. A case was filed at Ramna Police<br />
Zohr<br />
05:25 AM<br />
12:10 PM<br />
04:03 PM<br />
05:46 PM<br />
07:05 PM<br />
6:41 5:43<br />
DHAKA : Bangladesh Bank on<br />
Wednesday unveiled its monetary policy<br />
statement (MPS) for the second half<br />
(January-June) of the 2<strong>01</strong>8-19 fiscal year,<br />
reports UNB<br />
Central bank Governor Fazle Kabir<br />
presented the MPS at a press briefing at<br />
the BB's Jahangir Alam Conference<br />
Hall in the morning. Speaking on the<br />
occasion, he also said the central bank<br />
has signed an agreement with US<br />
Federal Reserve Bank on Tuesday night<br />
to file a money suit with a New York<br />
court to recover its stolen money.<br />
The Bangladesh Bank team is set to file<br />
the case tonight (Wednesday night), he<br />
said, adding that the parties those benefited<br />
from the heist, including Philippines'<br />
RCBC, will be made accused in the case.<br />
The Bangladesh Bank chief also said the<br />
country's foreign direct invest (FDI) has<br />
substantially increased following<br />
Bangladesh's inclusion into China's Belt<br />
and Road Initiative (BRI).<br />
Responding to a query on Bangladesh<br />
joining the BRI, Bangladesh Bank<br />
Advisor Allah Malik Kazmi said it will not<br />
affect investment from any neighbouring<br />
country as Bangladesh has been welcoming<br />
FDI under a single policy.<br />
Malik replied to the question upon<br />
request when Fazle Kabir was asked<br />
whether Bangladesh's move will create<br />
any conflict with India as New Delhi has a<br />
strong reservation about the BRI.<br />
China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)<br />
an ambitious programme to connect Asia<br />
with Africa and Europe via land and maritime<br />
networks along six corridors with<br />
the aim of improving regional integration,<br />
increasing trade and stimulating economic<br />
growth.<br />
The BB chief said investment from different<br />
international funds, including<br />
China-led Asian Infrastructure<br />
Investment Bank and also communication<br />
of big corporate firms with different<br />
international funding agencies, will play<br />
an important role in raising both FDI and<br />
portfolio investment in Bangladesh.<br />
"So, this will be very important to keep<br />
eyes on the investment flow so that financial<br />
institutions can srcutinise the investment<br />
of the firms accredited by internationally<br />
acceptable credit rating agencies,"<br />
he said, explaining the core objectives of<br />
the new MPS.<br />
The new MPS kept the domestic credit<br />
growth and broad money supply (M2)<br />
unchanged at 12 percent and 15.9 percent<br />
respectively. But it set the public sector<br />
credit growth at 10.9 percent in place of<br />
previous 8.5 percent and private credit<br />
growth at 16.5 percent instead of previous<br />
16.8 percent.<br />
About inflation, the MPS mentioned<br />
that the average inflation in one year is<br />
expected to be around 6-7 percent, with<br />
around 70 percent of the respondents<br />
anticipating inflation to be above 6 percent.<br />
But the BB staff projections show<br />
average inflation to be around 5.3-5.6 percent<br />
in June 2<strong>01</strong>9 assuming that there<br />
will be no further domestic or external<br />
shocks, including a relatively favourable<br />
global inflation outcome, it said.<br />
Rejecting any idea of liquidity crisis in<br />
the banking sector, Fazle Kabir claimed<br />
that the sector has a surplus liquidity of Tk<br />
79,329 crore.<br />
Replying to a query whether BB has<br />
carried out its own departmental investigations<br />
into the cyber heist, the governor<br />
said the Criminal Investigation<br />
Department was given responsibility to<br />
conduct a probe and they are doing it.<br />
Station against unidentified people on<br />
April 15. On June 1, Rony was arrested<br />
from his Dhanmondi residence.<br />
The court was initially scheduled to<br />
deliver the verdict on May 8 last year. It<br />
was deferred as Judge Md Al Mamun<br />
said he could not prepare the judgment.<br />
The court pushed back the verdict date<br />
again on October 4 after the prosecution<br />
filed a petition to summon the investigation<br />
officer for rehearing. Hearing of the<br />
arguments was wrapped up on January<br />
15. Then, the court announced to deliver<br />
the verdict on January 30.<br />
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressing the first session of 11th Parliament yesterday.<br />
Journo Gautam Das killing<br />
HC upholds life<br />
term of five<br />
DHAKA : The High Court on<br />
Wednesday upheld the life term imprisonment<br />
to five accused and acquitted<br />
four others in journalist Gautam Das<br />
killing case, reports UNB.<br />
The HC bench of Justice AKM Abdul<br />
Hakim and Justice Fatema Najib passed<br />
the order, said Deputy Attorney General<br />
Harun-or-Rashid.<br />
Earlier on January 9, the court fixed the<br />
date for delivering its verdict. The life<br />
term convicts are Asif Imran, Siddiqur<br />
Rahman Miah, Asad Bin Kadir and Abu<br />
Taher Mohammad Mortuza Ahsa.<br />
The court also ordered to release Asif<br />
Imtiaz Bulu, Kamrul Islam Apon, Rajib<br />
Hassan Miah and Kazi Murad.<br />
Gautam Das, Faridpur bureau chief of<br />
the Dainik Samakal, was strangulated to<br />
death by unknown assailants at his office at<br />
Niltali in the district town of Faridpur on<br />
November 17, 2005. A speedy trial tribunal<br />
in Dhaka On June 27, 2<strong>01</strong>3 sentenced nine<br />
people to life imprisonment in the case<br />
while another accused died during the trial<br />
proceedings. Later, the convicts filed<br />
appeals with the High Court.<br />
Oikyafront cent<br />
percent united:<br />
Dr Kamal<br />
DHAKA : Jatiya Oikyafront convener<br />
Dr Kamal Hossain on<br />
Wednesday said their alliance is<br />
cent percent united with the country's<br />
16 crore people, reports UNB.<br />
He, however, did not make any<br />
comment whether his party<br />
Gonoforum's two MPs-elect will<br />
join parliament or not.<br />
"Our Jatiya Oikyafront is cent<br />
percent united. Our unity is forged<br />
with the country's 16 crore people,"<br />
he said.<br />
He came up with the remarks<br />
while addressing a preparatory<br />
meeting of Gonoforum for its 50th<br />
national council at the party's<br />
Arambagh central office.<br />
Dr Kamal further said, "I visited<br />
many places and found our<br />
alliance's unity intact and it'll be<br />
consolidated in the days to come."<br />
He said their alliance's aim is to<br />
gather strength further involving<br />
all and give it an institutional<br />
shape.<br />
BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir addressing a human chain in front of National Press<br />
Club yesterday.<br />
Photo : Star Mail<br />
Photo : Star Mail<br />
BNP pushes for reelection to<br />
establish 'pro-people govt'<br />
DHAKA : Reiterating that the current<br />
parliament has not been formed with<br />
people's mandate, BNP on Wednesday<br />
demanded reelection under a neutral<br />
administration to establish a 'pro-people'<br />
government, reports UNB.<br />
"Awami league established a oneparty<br />
rule in 1975 annihilating democracy.<br />
In the same style, they've now<br />
formed a government and parliament<br />
without people's mandate by snatching<br />
people's all the basic rights destroying<br />
democratic institutions using state<br />
machinery and resorting to terrorism to<br />
restore its one-party rule," said BNP<br />
Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam<br />
Alamgir.<br />
Speaking at a human chain programme,<br />
he further said, "We turn down<br />
the election results just after the voting.<br />
Today, we renew our demand for reelection<br />
annulling the election results so that<br />
a government and parliament can be<br />
formed with people's verdict."<br />
Just four hours before the 11th<br />
Parliament going into its maiden session,<br />
the BNP leader came up with the<br />
demand.<br />
BNP arranged the human chain programme<br />
in front of the Jatiya Press Club<br />
protesting the start of the maiden session<br />
of the new Parliament.<br />
Fakhrul alleged that the new parliament<br />
was formed through a 'fake' election<br />
on December 30 where law<br />
enforcers indulged in 'vote robbery by<br />
snatching people's voting rights'.<br />
He said their party's thousands of leaders<br />
and activists were kept away from the<br />
election by arresting them before the<br />
polls. "They (AL) have cemented all conspiracies<br />
to turn the country into a failed<br />
state by annihilating democracy and<br />
snatching people's rights by creating an<br />
awful situation."<br />
The BNP leader also alleged that their<br />
party chairperson Khaleda Zia was sent<br />
to jail convicting her in a 'false' case<br />
ahead of the election.<br />
He demanded the government immediately<br />
release Khaleda and other arrested<br />
party leaders and activists from jail.<br />
Fakhrul also called people of all walks<br />
of life irrespective of their political belief<br />
and opinion to get united to protect people's<br />
voting and other rights, and form a<br />
new government through holding a credible<br />
election.<br />
BNP standing committee member<br />
Criticism<br />
of govt is<br />
welcome,<br />
says PM<br />
SANGSAD BHABAN : Mentioning<br />
that criticism is important in a<br />
democratic process, Prime<br />
Minister Sheikh Hasina on<br />
Wednesday assured that the opposition<br />
will be able to make enough<br />
criticisms of the government as no<br />
obstacle will be created to this end.<br />
"I can at least give assurance that<br />
our opposition parties will be able<br />
to make enough criticisms. We<br />
won't create any obstacle (criticism<br />
of the government) in this regard.<br />
We neither did it in the past nor<br />
will in the future," she said, reports<br />
UNB.<br />
The Prime Minister gave the<br />
assurance taking floor in the first<br />
sitting of the opening session of<br />
the 11th Parliament to greet newlyelected<br />
Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin<br />
Chaudhury and Deputy Speaker<br />
Fazle Rabbi Miah.<br />
She said the people of the country<br />
have regained the trust and<br />
confidence in the government as<br />
the previous parliament was run in<br />
a good manner.<br />
The Prime Minister congratulated<br />
Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury<br />
and Fazle Rabbi Miah for being<br />
elected as the Speaker and the<br />
Deputy Speaker respectively.<br />
Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the<br />
government and the Election<br />
Commission announced the names of<br />
so-called MPs through a plot on<br />
December 30 instead of holding a credible<br />
election.<br />
"The current parliament is illegal as it<br />
was not formed with people's mandate.<br />
This's a so-called and stigmatised parliament.<br />
This's a parliament of vote robbery,"<br />
he observed. The BNP leader demanded a<br />
fresh delectation as their party does not<br />
accept the current parliament.<br />
BNP standing committee member<br />
Moudud Ahmed said they have got<br />
stunned and surprised as the way<br />
the December-30 election was held.<br />
"We never expected to watch such<br />
an election."<br />
Mentioning that they have already<br />
turned down the election results, he<br />
demanded that a fresh and fair election<br />
be held immediately under a neutral government.<br />
JaPa picks singer<br />
Shafin for DNCC<br />
mayoral by-polls<br />
DHAKA : Main opposition Jatiya Party<br />
on Wednesday picked singer Shafin<br />
Ahmed to contest the by-election to the<br />
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC)<br />
mayoral post with its ticket, reports<br />
UNB.<br />
Jatiya Party nominated Shafin<br />
Ahmed to vie for the DNCC mayoral<br />
post in the by-polls, said a party press<br />
release.<br />
Jatiya Party secretary general<br />
Moshiur Rahman Ranga signed the<br />
party nomination paper of the singer<br />
nominating him as the party candidate.<br />
The party also sent the final nomination<br />
paper and a letter to the Election<br />
Commission requesting it to give Shafin<br />
Jatiya Party election symbol 'Plough',<br />
said the press release.<br />
On Tuesday, Jatiya Party announced<br />
the list of Jatiya Party-nominated councillor<br />
candidates for DNCC by-polls at<br />
party chairman's Banani office. The byelections<br />
to the vacant DNCC mayoral<br />
post and Kishoreganj-1 constituency<br />
will be held on February 28.
NEWS<br />
ThuRSDAY,<br />
JAnuARY <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
2<br />
Arrests in Brazil dam disaster, dead<br />
fish wash up downstream<br />
Authorities arrested five people<br />
Tuesday in connection with the<br />
collapse of a Brazilian mine dam,<br />
while the death toll rose to at least 84<br />
and the carcasses of fish floated along<br />
the banks of a river downstream that<br />
an indigenous community depends<br />
on for food and water, reports UNB.<br />
The dam that held back iron ore<br />
waste, owned and operated by big<br />
mining company Vale SA, collapsed<br />
Friday, burying a company cafeteria<br />
and other Vale buildings and<br />
inundating part of the small<br />
southeastern city of Brumadinho.<br />
Grieving relatives buried some of<br />
the victims in Brumadinho and rescue<br />
teams continued a delicate search<br />
through swaths of muck for more<br />
victims or survivors.<br />
Lt. Flavio Godinho of the Minas<br />
Gerais state civil defense agency said<br />
Tuesday evening that the number of<br />
confirmed dead had risen to 84 from<br />
65. He said the number of missing<br />
stood at 276.<br />
The dead fish and trash were seen<br />
by a reporting team for The<br />
Associated Press about 18 kilometers<br />
(11 miles) downstream from the dam<br />
along the banks of the Paraopeba<br />
River.<br />
The Pataxo Indians living alongside<br />
the river who use it to fish, bathe and<br />
gather water for the plants they<br />
cultivate as food were told by<br />
Brazilian environmental officials that<br />
they should no longer do so, said<br />
Hayo, the village chief who goes by<br />
one name.<br />
"We used the river to take baths, to<br />
fish, to water our plants and now we<br />
can't do any of that," said Hayo,<br />
wearing a large feathered headdress<br />
and a red and black-beaded necklace.<br />
"We can't even water our plants<br />
because they say it damages the soil."<br />
Two agents with the Brazilian<br />
Institute of Environment and<br />
Renewable Natural Resources, the<br />
country's environmental enforcement<br />
agency, took water samples and<br />
talked with tribe members but said<br />
they were not authorized to speak<br />
about their findings.<br />
In a statement sent to The<br />
Associated Press on Tuesday, the<br />
agency said it asked Vale to "remove<br />
the dead fish, which are having an<br />
impact on the indigenous<br />
population."<br />
The statement gave no details about<br />
the water tests and did not say<br />
whether tribal members had been<br />
told the water was unhealthy.<br />
The signs of possible ecological<br />
consequences came as the arrests of<br />
company workers with links to the<br />
dam were made in Sao Paulo and in<br />
the state of Minas Gerais.<br />
Three of the arrested worked for<br />
Vale, the company said, adding that it<br />
was cooperating with investigating<br />
authorities.<br />
Authorities arrested five people<br />
Tuesday in connection with the<br />
collapse of a Brazilian mine dam,<br />
while the death toll rose to at least 84<br />
and the carcasses of fish floated along<br />
the banks of a river downstream that<br />
an indigenous community depends<br />
on for food and water, reports UNB.<br />
The dam that held back iron ore<br />
waste, owned and operated by big<br />
mining company Vale SA, collapsed<br />
Friday, burying a company cafeteria<br />
and other Vale buildings and<br />
inundating part of the small<br />
southeastern city of Brumadinho.<br />
Grieving relatives buried some of<br />
the victims in Brumadinho and rescue<br />
teams continued a delicate search<br />
through swaths of muck for more<br />
victims or survivors.<br />
Lt. Flavio Godinho of the Minas<br />
Gerais state civil defense agency said<br />
Tuesday evening that the number of<br />
confirmed dead had risen to 84 from<br />
65. He said the number of missing<br />
stood at 276.<br />
The dead fish and trash were seen<br />
by a reporting team for The<br />
Associated Press about 18 kilometers<br />
(11 miles) downstream from the dam<br />
along the banks of the Paraopeba<br />
River.<br />
The Pataxo Indians living alongside<br />
the river who use it to fish, bathe and<br />
gather water for the plants they<br />
cultivate as food were told by<br />
Brazilian environmental officials that<br />
they should no longer do so, said<br />
Hayo, the village chief who goes by<br />
one name.<br />
"We used the river to take baths, to<br />
fish, to water our plants and now we<br />
can't do any of that," said Hayo,<br />
wearing a large feathered headdress<br />
and a red and black-beaded necklace.<br />
"We can't even water our plants<br />
because they say it damages the soil."<br />
Two agents with the Brazilian<br />
Institute of Environment and<br />
Renewable Natural Resources, the<br />
country's environmental enforcement<br />
agency, took water samples and<br />
talked with tribe members but said<br />
they were not authorized to speak<br />
about their findings.<br />
In a statement sent to The<br />
Associated Press on Tuesday, the<br />
agency said it asked Vale to "remove<br />
the dead fish, which are having an<br />
impact on the indigenous<br />
population."<br />
SATKHIRA : Members of Rapid Action<br />
Battalion (Rab) detained a teenage boy from<br />
the town's stadium area on Tuesday for his<br />
alleged involvement in selling fake question<br />
papers of the upcoming SSC examinations,<br />
reports UNB.<br />
The detainee Ishtiaq Hossain Ahmed<br />
Yeakub, 18, son of Nur Alam Mantu of<br />
Razpara in Rajshahi district, used to live in a<br />
rented house in Palashpole area of Sadar<br />
upazila.<br />
Yeakub was involved in luring people to<br />
provide fake question papers of different<br />
public examinations including the SSC by<br />
creating a group in the social media site<br />
Facebook, said Lieutenant Commander<br />
BNMM Zahidul Kabir, deputy director of<br />
Rab-6.<br />
The Rab team also seized a mobile phone<br />
set from his possession.<br />
END/UNB/Corr/MAS/RH<br />
Rab-Arrest<br />
Apollo opens first Proton Therapy<br />
Centre for Cancer in SE Asia<br />
DHAKA : Apollo Hospitals<br />
has launched the first ever<br />
first ever Proton Therapy<br />
Centre for Cancer in South<br />
East Asia, reports UNB.<br />
The 150-bed APCC is an<br />
integrated cancer hospital in<br />
Chennai providing worldclass<br />
360-degree<br />
comprehensive cancer care<br />
and offers the most<br />
advanced site/organspecific<br />
personalized<br />
treatment procedures.<br />
The APCC will offer<br />
patients advanced multiroom<br />
proton therapy with<br />
cutting-edge pencil-beam<br />
GAZIPUR : Two suspected<br />
robbers were killed in a<br />
lynch-mob attack at Rathura<br />
village in Kaliganj upazila<br />
early Wednesday, reports<br />
UNB.<br />
The identities of the<br />
deceased could not be<br />
known yet.<br />
A group of robbers<br />
numbering 10-12 swooped<br />
on the house of one Majnu<br />
Mia in the dead of night, said<br />
Abdul Quader, chairman of<br />
Nagori Union Parishad.<br />
Sensing danger, the<br />
GD-176/19 (12 x 4)<br />
inmates of the house raised<br />
alarm seeking help, he said.<br />
GD-175/19 (6 x 3)<br />
Members of Rapid Action Battalion detain a teenage boy from the town's stadium area in Satkhira<br />
on Wednesday, Jan 30, 2<strong>01</strong>9.<br />
Photo: Courtesy<br />
Zihad torture<br />
case: Miscreants<br />
torch plaintiff's<br />
house<br />
RAJSHAHI : The house of<br />
Zihad, who was falsely<br />
accused of theft and<br />
subjected to barbaric torture<br />
in Rajshahi in 2<strong>01</strong>5, was set<br />
afire in the early hours of<br />
Wednesday in Paba Upazila,<br />
reports UNB.<br />
His father Imran Ali<br />
claimed that those who<br />
tortured his son were behind<br />
the arson. "It was an attempt<br />
to kill my family," he said.<br />
"They (the accused) have<br />
been threatening me to<br />
withdraw the case I filed<br />
against 13 men over the 2<strong>01</strong>5<br />
incident," Imran said.<br />
"They doused our house in<br />
petrol and set it on fire," he<br />
said. "We survived but our<br />
livestock and chickens and<br />
ducks have perished."<br />
He suffered minor burn<br />
injuries while trying to save<br />
his livestock. He was treated<br />
at Rajshahi Medical College<br />
Hospital.<br />
Paba Police Station's incharge<br />
Rezaul Hasan said<br />
they had visited the spot and<br />
assured the victims of taking<br />
necessary legal measures<br />
after investigation.<br />
BCL infighting<br />
leaves 9 injured<br />
in Chandpur<br />
CHANDPUR : At least nine<br />
leaders and activists of<br />
Bangladesh Chhatra League<br />
(BCL) were injured in a clash<br />
between two of its factions<br />
over formation of the subcommittees<br />
at Shahrasti<br />
upazila sadar on Tuesday<br />
evening, reports UNB.<br />
The injured are Upazila<br />
Unit President Emadadul<br />
Huque Milon, General<br />
Secretary Md Sohel Hossain,<br />
activists- Al Amin, Saiful<br />
Islam, Kazi Yead, Shohag<br />
Hossain, Robiul Islam,<br />
Rafiqul Islam and Sohel.<br />
The followers of BCL<br />
upazila unit President<br />
Emdadul Huque Milon and<br />
General Secretary Md Sohel<br />
Hossain locked into an<br />
altercation at a meeting<br />
arranged to form the new<br />
committee around 6 pm,<br />
said Mohammad Shah<br />
Alam, officer-in-charge of<br />
Shahrasti Police Station.<br />
On information, police<br />
rushed there and brought<br />
the situation under control,<br />
he said.<br />
The injured were taken to<br />
Upazila Health Complex<br />
and were released after<br />
medical treatment in the<br />
night, the OC added.<br />
Two 'robbers' killed<br />
in Gazipur lynchmob<br />
attack<br />
One held for 'selling' fake SSC<br />
question papers in Satkhira<br />
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scanning technology that<br />
provides the highest degree<br />
of precision.<br />
Shri Venkaiah Naidu,<br />
hon'ble vice-president of<br />
India, said, "Cancer is a<br />
leading cause of death<br />
worldwide and is a major<br />
cause of mortality in India.<br />
This pioneering treatment<br />
also marks a new milestone<br />
in the medical journey of our<br />
One held for 'selling' fake SSC question<br />
papers in Satkhira<br />
Satkhira, Jan 30 (UNB) - Members of<br />
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) detained a<br />
teenage boy from the town's stadium area on<br />
Tuesday for his alleged involvement in<br />
selling fake question papers of the upcoming<br />
SSC examinations.<br />
The detainee Ishtiaq Hossain Ahmed<br />
Yeakub, 18, son of Nur Alam Mantu of<br />
Razpara in Rajshahi district, used to live in a<br />
rented house in Palashpole area of Sadar<br />
upazila.<br />
Yeakub was involved in luring people to<br />
provide fake question papers of different<br />
public examinations including the SSC by<br />
creating a group in the social media site<br />
Facebook, said Lieutenant Commander<br />
BNMM Zahidul Kabir, deputy director of<br />
Rab-6.<br />
The Rab team also seized a mobile phone<br />
set from his possession.<br />
country." Dr. Prathap C.<br />
Reddy, Chairman, Apollo<br />
Hospitals Group said, "The<br />
launch of the Apollo Proton<br />
Cancer Centre puts India on<br />
the global map for the best<br />
and latest in cancer<br />
treatment and will give new<br />
hope to cancer patients not<br />
just in India, but across<br />
South East Asia, the Middle<br />
East and Africa."
METRO<br />
tHUrSDAY, JANUArY <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
3<br />
Special Envoy of Prime Minister and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Nguyen Quoc Dzung<br />
calls on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban on Wednesday. Photo : PID<br />
UAE Navy chief meets PM<br />
DHAKA : isiting Chief of Naval Staff<br />
of UAE Rear Admiral Pilot Saeed Bin<br />
Hamdan Al-Nahyan met the prime<br />
minister at Ganobhaban, reports<br />
UNB.<br />
The press secretary said both the<br />
Prime Minister and the UAE Navy<br />
chief stressed the need for<br />
strengthening cooperation in<br />
different fields, including training<br />
between the naval forces of the two<br />
countries.<br />
Mentioning that there is a<br />
manpower demand in the UAE Navy,<br />
Saeed Bin Hamada said Bangladesh<br />
Navy could play a role in this regard.<br />
He expressed his country's interest<br />
in the development of Bangladesh<br />
shipbuilding sector.<br />
The Prime Minister also said<br />
Bangladesh's shipbuilding sector is<br />
flourishing fast for various initiatives<br />
of her government.<br />
Chief of Naval Staff Vice-Admiral<br />
AMMM Aurangzeb Chowdhury,<br />
Principal Staff Officer of the Armed<br />
Forces Division Lt Gen Mahfuzur<br />
Rahman, PM's Military Secretary Maj<br />
Gen Mia Mohammad Zainul Abedin,<br />
PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hassan and<br />
the Bangladesh Ambassador to the<br />
UAE and the UAE ambassador in<br />
Dhaka were present.<br />
EC meeting Feb 3<br />
to decide Upazila<br />
Parishad polls<br />
schedule<br />
DHAKA : The Election<br />
Commission (EC) will hold a<br />
meeting on February 3 to<br />
decide on the schedule of<br />
upcoming Upazila Parishad<br />
polls, reports UNB.<br />
EC Deputy Secretary<br />
(Establishment)<br />
Shahedunnabi Chowdhury<br />
called the meeting through a<br />
letter on Wednesday.<br />
Sources at the EC said the<br />
45th commission meeting<br />
would be held at 3pm at the<br />
chief election commissioner<br />
office about reserved seats<br />
and schedule of the fifth<br />
upazila polls.<br />
EC Secretary Helaluddin<br />
Ahmed on January 10 said<br />
the polls would be held in<br />
phases starting from the first<br />
week of March.<br />
The first Upazila Parishad<br />
election took place in 1985.<br />
The following three were<br />
held in 1990, 2009 and<br />
2<strong>01</strong>4. The last one was<br />
organised in six phases.<br />
Azerbaijan PM<br />
congratulates<br />
Hasina<br />
DHAKA : Prime Minister of<br />
the Republic of Azerbaijan<br />
Novruz Mammadov has<br />
congratulated Prime Minister<br />
Sheikh Hasina on her reappointment<br />
as the Prime<br />
Minister of Bangladesh,<br />
reports UNB.<br />
In the message, the<br />
Azerbaijanian Prime<br />
Minister has expressed that<br />
the existing cooperation<br />
between Bangladesh and<br />
Azerbaijan based on mutual<br />
confidence and mutual<br />
support would be further<br />
strengthened and deepened<br />
through joint efforts for the<br />
benefit of the two peoples,<br />
said the Foreign Ministry on<br />
Wednesday.<br />
2 DU students<br />
get M r tarafdar<br />
Scholarship<br />
DHAKA : Two meritorious<br />
students of the Department<br />
of Islamic History and Culture<br />
of Dhaka University<br />
(DU) have been awarded "M<br />
R Tarafdar Memorial Scholarship"<br />
for securing the<br />
highest CGPA in BA (Hons)<br />
examination of 2<strong>01</strong>8.<br />
The recipients of<br />
scholarship are- Md. Jalal<br />
Uddin and Razia Sultana<br />
Bithi.<br />
Dhaka University Vice-<br />
Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md.<br />
Akhtaruzzaman distributed<br />
scholarships among the<br />
students as chief guest at a<br />
function held yesterday at<br />
the VC's lounge of the<br />
university.<br />
IU CYB gets new committee<br />
ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY :<br />
Shamimul Islam Sumon of<br />
Arabic language and<br />
literature department and<br />
Mustafizur Rahmanof<br />
folklore studies department<br />
were elected as the president<br />
and secretary of Consumer<br />
Youth of Bangladesh, a<br />
volunteer organisation of the<br />
university, on Wednesday,<br />
reports UNB.<br />
Professor M Maher Ali of<br />
IU English department and<br />
the director of Institute of<br />
Islamic Education and<br />
Research, also the<br />
moderator of the<br />
organisation, announced the<br />
committee in the afternoon.<br />
Among others, Professor<br />
Rashiduzzaman of IU<br />
Bangla department, CYB IU<br />
unit member and tourism<br />
and hospitality management<br />
department lecturer Shoriful<br />
Islam Jewel and CYB Joint<br />
Secretary Emran Shuvro<br />
were present.<br />
Other office bearers are -<br />
vice-presidents Humayun<br />
Kabir Shuvo and AR<br />
Rashed, Joint Secretary<br />
Wahed Ali, Treasurer Sajed<br />
Akter Joly, Assistant<br />
Treasurer Majhar Uddin,<br />
Organising Secretary Abdur<br />
Yusuf, Assistant Organising<br />
Secretary Shahedul Islam,<br />
Office Secretary Nazmul<br />
Islam, Publicity Secretary<br />
Raton Ali, Public Relation<br />
Secretary Saifur Rahman,<br />
Consumer Rights Secretary<br />
Shammi Akter, Research<br />
Secretary Reshma Akter,<br />
while Taskin Habib Akash,<br />
Kamona Khatun, Arman,<br />
Nazrul Islam and Ashraful<br />
Islam are its members.<br />
The newly-elected<br />
committee will hold office<br />
for the next one year, said<br />
Professor M Maher Ali, the<br />
committee's moderator.<br />
Professor M Maher Ali of<br />
IU English department and<br />
the director of Institute of<br />
Islamic Education and<br />
Research, also the<br />
moderator of the<br />
organisation, announced<br />
the committee in the<br />
afternoon.<br />
Among others, Professor<br />
Rashiduzzaman of IU<br />
Bangla department, CYB IU<br />
unit member and tourism<br />
and hospitality management<br />
department lecturer Shoriful<br />
Islam Jewel and CYB Joint<br />
Secretary Emran Shuvro<br />
were present.<br />
Other office bearers are -<br />
vice-presidents Humayun<br />
Kabir Shuvo and AR<br />
Rashed, Joint Secretary<br />
Wahed Ali, Treasurer Sajed<br />
Akter Joly, Assistant<br />
Treasurer Majhar Uddin,<br />
Organising Secretary Abdur<br />
Yusuf, Assistant Organising<br />
Secretary Shahedul Islam,<br />
Office Secretary Nazmul<br />
Islam, Publicity Secretary<br />
Raton Ali, Public Relation<br />
Secretary Saifur Rahman,<br />
Consumer Rights Secretary<br />
Shammi Akter, Research<br />
Secretary Reshma Akter,<br />
while Taskin Habib Akash,<br />
Kamona Khatun, Arman,<br />
Nazrul Islam and Ashraful<br />
Islam are its members.<br />
The newly-elected<br />
committee will hold office<br />
for the next one year, said<br />
Professor M Maher Ali, the<br />
committee's moderator.
EDITORIAL<br />
ThuRSDay,<br />
JanuaRy <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
4<br />
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam<br />
Telephone: +8802-9104683-84, Fax: 9127103<br />
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com<br />
Thursday, January <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
Ensuring progress<br />
in health sector<br />
The health sector of the country as it observed the<br />
World Health Day sometime ago, presents a mixed<br />
picture of significant progress, some unattained<br />
objectives and cases of back sliding. The incumbent<br />
government had promised a great deal in its previous<br />
election manifesto and must be credited for having worked<br />
considerably to keep its promises.<br />
For example, it was stated in the election manifesto of the<br />
Awami League five years ago that in order to expand and<br />
strengthen health services at the grassroots level in the<br />
country, some 18,000 community clinics would be<br />
established at ward level under a new health policy. Some<br />
10,000 of these community clinics have been set up<br />
throughout the country. Some more of these clinics at<br />
upazilla and union levels are being planned to be integrated<br />
under the community clinic framework.<br />
This could be accepted as a very laudable achievement but<br />
for the fact that in most cases these clinics are not delivering<br />
amply health services consistent with their potentials. A<br />
dearth of doctors, nurses, technicians and medical<br />
equipment are noted in these clinics in many cases. Thus,<br />
the challenge remains to provision these clinics adequately<br />
and run them efficiently. The issue of absentee doctors must<br />
be addressed - specially-- through a proper accountability<br />
procedure so that such doctors are only obligated to<br />
discharge their duties with due sincerity at their due places<br />
of posting.<br />
Many doctors on the government's health services in<br />
connivance with unscrupulous officials in the Health<br />
Ministry are usually able to avoid serving in the rural areas.<br />
Many of them remain in Dhaka month after month and<br />
draw their salaries and other benefits without doing<br />
adequate work at their properly designated places while the<br />
health services in the rural areas suffer very seriously from<br />
absence of doctors. Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina<br />
warned such absentee doctors for their dereliction of duty<br />
time and again.<br />
However, like in all other cases of the taste of the pudding<br />
coming from eating it, the tough words from the PM will<br />
count for something only after the actual taking of the steps<br />
that would be required to ensure that the doctors do<br />
indeed feel obligated to serve in the rural areas. This is no<br />
easy task for on the one hand there are involved problems of<br />
psychology and character and, on the other, the doctors can<br />
point to the disincentives that keep them away from rural<br />
areas. The solution lies in psychologically curing the doctors<br />
of their inordinate fascination for working in urban areas as<br />
much as also providing them with further incentives, as far<br />
as would be truly justified, to have peace of mind to serve<br />
with dedication in the rural areas. But the greatest stress<br />
will have to be put on strict enforcement of rules and<br />
regulations to make it very difficult for them to go on so<br />
unconscientiously avoiding their duties in rural areas.<br />
The nation makes much sacrifice to produce a doctor with<br />
highly subsidised medical education and then further pays<br />
not unreasonably for his or her upkeep with salaries and<br />
other facilities. In return, the nation should duly expect to<br />
get his or her sincere service. If the same is not honestly<br />
discharged, then the nation should have the right to apply<br />
coercion so that the same is discharged.<br />
The problems complained by the doctors may not be<br />
ignored and steps may be taken to solve them . But the<br />
imperative is keeping up consistent pressure on them as<br />
per their service rules to do their bounden duties at their<br />
work stations.<br />
From 2009, government introduced the so called user fees<br />
in the publicly run medical and health care system. Under<br />
23 categories, user fees were introduced for 470 types of<br />
services in the public hospitals. The public medical care<br />
institutions were obliged, at least in theory, to extend free<br />
medical services or at nominal costs till the introduction of<br />
this fee.<br />
But in the backdrop of such free and nominal payments<br />
leading to poor or even no treatment of patients, it was<br />
decided that users' fees would be applied to bring about<br />
positive changes through users bearing a part of the real<br />
costs of treatment. This would free the government<br />
somewhat from paying huge subsidies ineffectively to the<br />
medical sector while enabling better treatment with patients<br />
bearing a part of their costs.<br />
But the real experience after introduction of the users' fees<br />
is that patients' treatment costs, on average, have increased<br />
compared to the time when they were treated for free or at<br />
nominal costs. Thus, it requires a rethink whether the user<br />
fee system should be given up with restoration of the<br />
previous system of free treatment or treatment at nominal<br />
costs only.<br />
If it is decided to go back to the older system, then it must<br />
be ensured that the free system or nominal payment system<br />
do not make the patients suffer like in the past due to<br />
corruption and neglect. The challenge would be to make the<br />
free or nominal payment system free from corruption and to<br />
make it work ridding inefficiencies. Then, it could prove to<br />
be a blessing.<br />
A major health sector priority ought to be revamping the<br />
family planning programme by bringing all or nearly all<br />
fertile couples under it at the earliest. It is shocking that 45<br />
per cent of potential couples from the standpoint of<br />
procreation abilities, remain unserved by the family<br />
planning programme. They are also bypassed by health and<br />
nutrition programmes. This neglect must be overcome with<br />
targeted policies. Time-bound targets must be pursued also<br />
in the areas of sanitation and helping people to avoid<br />
arsenic poisoning.<br />
Meanwhile people, specially common people, are happy to<br />
see that the big general public hospitals in the cities such as<br />
the DhakaMedicalCollegeHospital, are running with some<br />
efficiency and a sense of a duty of care compared to the past.<br />
Let us hope that this trend would continue and be further<br />
improved.<br />
Every business must be a computer system innovator<br />
There used to be a differentiation<br />
between "high technology"<br />
product companies that relied on<br />
proprietary innovative computer<br />
technology for their business success<br />
and "non-tech" businesses that viewed<br />
computer systems as the engines<br />
enabling good accounting systems. This<br />
has dramatically changed because of<br />
major advances in computer systems<br />
and software technology.<br />
Of course, we have computer<br />
technology companies selling software,<br />
but no business no matter what its<br />
product can ignore the powerful<br />
competitive advantage of implementing<br />
innovative computer systems.<br />
What has changed in recent years is<br />
the dramatic evolution of software,<br />
computer and communication<br />
technologies that together enable<br />
business capabilities previously too<br />
costly and complex for widespread use.<br />
These developments can be grouped in<br />
five broad areas.<br />
First, the microprocessor process chip<br />
capabilities that now pack in a silicon<br />
chip the size of a thumbnail the process<br />
capabilities of early mainframe<br />
computers (Moore's Law at work).<br />
Second, the ability to store data on<br />
chips that range in the billions of bits in<br />
tiny silicon areas.<br />
Third, the ubiquitous Internet that<br />
reaches most of humanity thanks to the<br />
parallel development of wired and<br />
wireless communications.<br />
Fourth, the emergence of "cloud"<br />
computer services that allow businesses<br />
of any size to access on demand<br />
computer capabilities previously only<br />
affordable to the biggest businesses.<br />
Fifth, great improvements in software<br />
capabilities in the area now described as<br />
The art of the street demo has a long<br />
and venerable tradition in France,<br />
but the era of the colour wars may<br />
be only just beginning. What started with<br />
guerrilla blockades of roundabouts by the<br />
gilets jaunes (yellow vests) in opposition<br />
to French President Emmanuel Macron's<br />
new fuel tax has led to weekly marches in<br />
Paris and across France, some ending in<br />
violent stand-offs between protesters and<br />
the police. On Saturday, for "Act XI" (the<br />
rather portentous title given to the 11th<br />
protest) the yellow vests numbered<br />
69,000 across France and 4,500 in Paris.<br />
Although down from the previous week,<br />
with 84,000 nationwide, the figures were<br />
higher than in December.<br />
The next day, it was the turn of the<br />
foulards rouges, or red scarves. Their<br />
"Republican march for the liberties" drew<br />
about 10,000 people on to the Parisian<br />
streets. The choice of red had nothing to<br />
do with the French left. Many scarfwearers<br />
complained that the activities of<br />
the gilets jaunes prevented them from<br />
enjoying a Saturday outside or doing their<br />
shopping. Their chants were pro-police<br />
and pro-Macron. When the gilets jaunes<br />
(yellow jackets) were outnumbered on<br />
the streets of the capital by an unofficial<br />
"leave us in peace" brigade, it was a sign<br />
that the movement which started with<br />
roundabouts was at a crossroads. What<br />
were they for, what should their tactics be,<br />
and how could they keep up the levels of<br />
popular support that placed Macron so<br />
firmly on the back foot?<br />
A crunch moment is coming. Last<br />
week, controversially, a branch of the<br />
gilets jaunes announced it would run for<br />
the European elections under the label<br />
"citizen-led rally". A list of 79 candidates<br />
will be published by mid-February.<br />
There are inaccuracies in many<br />
people's understanding of an<br />
accused person's rights under the<br />
law, and a widespread lack of knowledge.<br />
This is not helped by irresponsible media<br />
outlets that spread lies about the subject.<br />
The Saudi Criminal Procedure Law and<br />
its Executive Regulation ensure fair and<br />
proper treatment for all, both Saudi<br />
nationals and expatriates. The law<br />
prohibits any violation of human dignity<br />
in all circumstances, and ensures the<br />
maintenance of people's rights regardless<br />
of the charge against them.<br />
No one may be arrested or imprisoned,<br />
or have their property searched, other<br />
than as sanctioned by law. The law also<br />
prohibits exposing anyone to abuse,<br />
whether material or moral.<br />
Everyone is entitled to the services of a<br />
lawyer at the investigation and trial stages.<br />
An accused person has the right to attend<br />
all investigation procedures with their<br />
lawyer, and no investigator may prevent<br />
access to a lawyer.<br />
An accused person must be examined<br />
and questioned within 24 hours of being<br />
detained; if no evidence is obtained<br />
against them in that period, the<br />
artificial intelligence. And finally,<br />
coming now are fifth-generation (5G)<br />
wireless systems that will enable to<br />
dramatically improve the ability to<br />
reach billions of people with enormous<br />
amounts of data.<br />
You can thank the evolution of the<br />
transistor and the semiconductor laser<br />
as the core devices that enable these<br />
marvels of technology. And we not seen<br />
the limits yet of their capabilities.<br />
That computer systems are the<br />
essential drivers of businesses was not a<br />
secret. I remember asking, in 1990,<br />
Jack Welch, the legendary chief<br />
executive of General Electric, what he<br />
thought was the single most important<br />
system innovation he introduced.<br />
"Sophisticated computer systems to<br />
manage performance. If you can't<br />
quantitatively measure business<br />
performance, you can't improve it."<br />
Welch invested huge amounts of<br />
money in building the computer<br />
infrastructure. Running efficient<br />
computer hardware centers was once a<br />
differentiating business capability for<br />
big companies. Today such a capability<br />
is available to all as an on demand cloud<br />
hEnRy kRESSEl<br />
service from Amazon, Microsoft and<br />
others, and operating efficient<br />
computers is no longer a differentiating<br />
competitive advantage.<br />
The competitive advantage comes<br />
from the ability to creatively harness<br />
data management, analysis and flow<br />
within a corporation to offer products<br />
and services with better quality,<br />
customer satisfaction and speed to<br />
market. Mining corporate data is only<br />
the first requirement of a successful<br />
That computer systems are the essential drivers of<br />
businesses was not a secret. I remember asking, in<br />
1990, Jack Welch, the legendary chief executive of<br />
General Electric, what he thought was the single most<br />
important system innovation he introduced.<br />
"Sophisticated computer systems to manage<br />
performance. If you can't quantitatively measure<br />
business performance, you can't improve it."<br />
The age and professions of the 10<br />
known candidates vary widely. They are<br />
small business owners, drivers, stay-athome<br />
parents and civil servants. They<br />
range from 29 to 53 years old. For now<br />
they have no clear programme, but the<br />
mood music is more of the left than the<br />
right. Le Pen-style anti-immigration<br />
rhetoric is not part of their anti-elite pitch.<br />
"The citizen social movement born on<br />
November 17 shows the necessity to turn<br />
anger into a humane political project that<br />
will bring answers to the French people,"<br />
read one statement. "We, French citizens,<br />
do not want to endure the decisions of<br />
European institutions and diktats of<br />
technocrats and financial castes, who<br />
have forgotten the human factor,<br />
solidarity and the planet."<br />
Top of the candidates' list is Ingrid<br />
Levavasseur, a nursing assistant and<br />
single mother from Normandy.<br />
Levavasseur became a well-known gilets<br />
jaunes spokesperson after a TV show in<br />
which she detailed her everyday financial<br />
difficulties and found she had touched a<br />
chord: "I thought I was an isolated case,<br />
but I see how everyone suffers. The<br />
nurses, the sick, the unemployed, the<br />
PaulInE Bock<br />
business, but its value can only be<br />
realized by the organization of the<br />
business and the control of the<br />
interlocked functions such as<br />
manufacturing, sales, marketing and<br />
product development. This means that<br />
businesses of all sizes and markets need<br />
internal high levels of competence in<br />
sophisticated data analysis using the<br />
most advanced technologies - areas<br />
such as artificial intelligence and<br />
machine learning. These skills need to<br />
be applied on a continuing basis to the<br />
evolving needs of the business. An<br />
interesting example of such amazing<br />
success is amazon.com, which has<br />
revolutionized retailing on the basis of<br />
France’s yellow jackets are just chaotic<br />
investigation department must release<br />
them. Investigating officers are obliged by<br />
law to hear an accused person's<br />
statements without delay.<br />
The detention period itself should not<br />
exceed five days, unless extended by the<br />
head of the Public Prosecution in the<br />
relevant region. Such an extension may be<br />
for one or more five-day periods, but the<br />
total period of detention should not<br />
exceed 40 days. Many inaccuracies, some<br />
of which amount to fictional detective<br />
stories, have been published about<br />
investigation procedures. It should go<br />
without saying that the right to a private<br />
life is afforded great consideration and<br />
hauliers ..." She is not the only one to be<br />
enthusiastic about entering politics:<br />
Jacline Mouraud, whose Facebook video<br />
condemning the fuel tax went viral in<br />
November, is launching a party too. It<br />
won't run for the European elections, but<br />
she has hopes for the 2020 local elections.<br />
But the would-be political wing is<br />
viewed with contempt by the gilets jaunes<br />
radicals, who remain devotees of a more<br />
grass roots democratic style combined<br />
with new types of protest designed to<br />
The next day, it was the turn of the foulards rouges,<br />
or red scarves. Their "Republican march for the<br />
liberties" drew about 10,000 people on to the<br />
Parisian streets. The choice of red had nothing to do<br />
with the French left. Many scarf-wearers<br />
complained that the activities of the gilets jaunes<br />
prevented them from enjoying a Saturday outside<br />
or doing their shopping.<br />
capture the imagination, such as the first<br />
"yellow night" at the weekend (a sit-in on<br />
Paris's Place de la Republique).<br />
As the various factions contend, the<br />
danger is that the organised chaos of the<br />
early protests becomes just, well, chaos.<br />
Since the new year, the gilets jaunes have<br />
developed wildly divergent strategies.<br />
Some weekly marches are declared while<br />
others happen on the spot. Unions have<br />
joined in, and are calling for a general<br />
strike starting on February 5. The gilets<br />
jaunes have successfully shaken things<br />
up, but disarray is spreading among them<br />
too. Prominent figures are starting to<br />
organise independently. Eric Drouet, a<br />
radical who has pledged to keep the<br />
DIMah Talal alShaRIF<br />
respect in both Islam and the law.<br />
Infringement on privacy is prohibited<br />
under normal circumstances, and the use<br />
of the law to do so is limited by strict<br />
restrictions and red lines. For example, a<br />
house may not be searched or inspected<br />
except with the authority of a warrant<br />
issued by the Public Prosecution or by the<br />
authorized investigating agent. A search<br />
may occur when people are caught "in<br />
flagrante delicto," in which case women's<br />
privacy is taken into consideration.<br />
In addition, searches are limited to<br />
items relevant to the case. It is not<br />
normally permissible for criminal<br />
investigators to open any sealed or closed<br />
innovative computer and<br />
communications technology and<br />
became one of the most valuable<br />
companies in the world in what is<br />
basically a "mundane" consumer<br />
service.<br />
The growing recognition of the<br />
importance of new computer systems<br />
became glaring to me recently when a<br />
friend (and former CEO of a Warburg<br />
Pincus portfolio company) with an<br />
accounting background became CEO of<br />
a major international fertilizer<br />
company.<br />
I asked him why he was selected given<br />
his financial and not chemical<br />
background.<br />
"I told the CEO selection committee<br />
that I knew nothing about fertilizers but<br />
a great deal about computer systems,<br />
software and architecture that allows<br />
the most efficient operations and<br />
ultimate growth and profitability," he<br />
said. "In fact, I had demonstrated that<br />
successful capability in my prior CEO<br />
position of an insurance company.<br />
"When I took that job I had no<br />
experience in the insurance business<br />
either but I took it from loss-making to<br />
growth and profitability by changing its<br />
business architecture based on<br />
innovative computer systems."<br />
So he was selected because the<br />
company was staffed with many<br />
fertilizer experts but no one with the<br />
proven ability to lead the building of a<br />
computer-based infrastructure that<br />
would maximize the value of the<br />
company's products and<br />
manufacturing skills. There is a lesson<br />
here for all businesses.<br />
Source : Asia times<br />
struggle on the streets, organised the<br />
"yellow night"; while Priscillia Ludosky,<br />
who has stopped working with Drouet,<br />
calls instead for peaceful marches and<br />
female-only events.<br />
In Commercy, eastern France, an<br />
"assembly of local assemblies" met up last<br />
week. They signed a common declaration<br />
of their values: A platform that was<br />
"neither racist, nor sexist or<br />
homophobic", aimed at coordinating the<br />
movement democratically, and,<br />
pointedly, said they had no wish to run for<br />
office.<br />
The disagreements are undoubtedly<br />
endangering the movement's<br />
momentum, which has also been<br />
damaged by occasional outbreaks of<br />
violence. Macron and others have<br />
denounced the violence of gilets jaunes<br />
"hooligans" at protests, while ignoring<br />
that inflicted by police on the protesters.<br />
Dozens of yellow vests have been injured.<br />
Last Saturday, Jerome Rodrigues, an ally<br />
of Drouet, was injured by an object<br />
allegedly thrown from police lines. In<br />
response, Drouet posted an online call for<br />
"an unprecedented uprising by all<br />
necessary means".<br />
Huge political opportunities remain.<br />
The "great national debate", launched by<br />
Macron to engage with the gilets jaunes,<br />
has been a damp squib, with the<br />
president even drawing red lines around<br />
topics he didn't wish to see debated,<br />
among them the possible reintroduction<br />
of a wealth tax. The French national<br />
debate committee, designated to arbitrate<br />
the "great debate", quit because the<br />
government did not want to play by the<br />
rules.<br />
Source : Gulf news<br />
When you’re accused - your rights under the law<br />
Many inaccuracies, some of which amount to fictional<br />
detective stories, have been published about investigation<br />
procedures. It should go without saying that the right to a<br />
private life is afforded great consideration and respect in both<br />
Islam and the law. Infringement on privacy is prohibited<br />
under normal circumstances, and the use of the law to do so<br />
is limited by strict restrictions and red lines.<br />
papers on the property being searched. If<br />
opening them is required, this must take<br />
place in the presence of the accused, or the<br />
person to whom these papers belong. This<br />
applies to postal messages, telephone<br />
conversations and other means of<br />
communication, which the law has<br />
affirmed to be prohibited from being<br />
accessed or monitored. In addition,<br />
searches may take place only during the<br />
hours of daylight.<br />
At the trial stage, an accused person is<br />
entitled to attend all hearings without<br />
restriction. In addition to listening to the<br />
statement of claim, responding to it and<br />
inquiring about anything that is not<br />
understood, they are also entitled to<br />
request that witnesses be heard, and to<br />
have the final word before the hearing<br />
concludes and the sentence is<br />
pronounced.<br />
Having only vague knowledge about our<br />
rights under the law is unacceptable at a<br />
time when the law is the principal<br />
regulator of the lives and safety of<br />
members of society.<br />
Source: Arab news
HEALTH<br />
THURSdAy,<br />
Why alcohol gives us anxiety<br />
JANUARy <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
5<br />
Amy Fleming<br />
If you are looking forward to your<br />
first stiff drink after a dry January,<br />
be warned: it may feel bittersweet.<br />
You may feel you deserve an<br />
alcoholic beverage after toughing it<br />
out all month - but have you<br />
forgotten what it feels like to wake up<br />
haunted by worries about what you<br />
said or did the night before? These<br />
post-drinking feelings of guilt and<br />
stress have come to be known<br />
colloquially as "hangxiety". But what<br />
causes them?<br />
David Nutt, professor of<br />
neuropsychopharmacology at<br />
Imperial College, London, is the<br />
scientist who was fired in 2009 as<br />
the government's chief drug adviser<br />
for saying alcohol is more dangerous<br />
than ecstasy and LSD. I tell him I<br />
By drinking less you can avoid anxiety.<br />
have always assumed my morningafter<br />
mood was a result of my brain<br />
having shrivelled like a raisin<br />
through alcohol-induced<br />
dehydration. When Nutt explains<br />
the mechanics of how alcohol causes<br />
crippling anxiety, he paints an even<br />
more offputting picture.<br />
Alcohol, he says, targets the Gaba<br />
(gamma-aminobutyric acid)<br />
receptor, which sends chemical<br />
messages through the brain and<br />
central nervous system to inhibit the<br />
activity of nerve cells. Put simply, it<br />
calms the brain, reducing<br />
excitement by making fewer<br />
neurons fire. "Alcohol stimulates<br />
Gaba, which is why you get relaxed<br />
and cheerful when you drink,"<br />
explains Nutt.<br />
The first two drinks lull you into a<br />
blissful Gaba-induced state of chill.<br />
When you get to the third or fourth<br />
drink, another brain-slackening<br />
effect kicks in: you start blocking<br />
glutamate, the main excitatory<br />
transmitter in the brain. "More<br />
glutamate means more anxiety,"<br />
says Nutt. "Less glutamate means<br />
less anxiety." This is why, he says,<br />
"when people get very drunk, they're<br />
even less anxious than when they're<br />
a bit drunk" - not only does alcohol<br />
reduce the chatter in your brain by<br />
stimulating Gaba, but it further<br />
reduces your anxiety by blocking<br />
glutamate. In your blissed-out state,<br />
you will probably feel that this is all<br />
good - but you will be wrong.<br />
The body registers this new<br />
imbalance in brain chemicals and<br />
attempts to put things right. It is a<br />
little like when you eat a lot of sweets<br />
and your body goes into insulinproducing<br />
overdrive to get the blood<br />
sugar levels down to normal; as soon<br />
as the sweets have been digested, all<br />
that insulin causes your blood sugar<br />
to crash. When you are drunk, your<br />
body goes on a mission to bring<br />
Gaba levels down to normal and turn<br />
glutamate back up. When you stop<br />
drinking, therefore, you end up with<br />
unnaturally low Gaba function and a<br />
spike in glutamate - a situation that<br />
leads to anxiety, says Nutt. "It leads<br />
to seizures as well, which is why<br />
people have fits in withdrawal."<br />
It can take the brain a day or two to<br />
return to the status quo, which is<br />
why a hair of the dog is so enticing.<br />
"If you drank an awful lot for a long<br />
time," says Nutt, "it might take<br />
weeks for the brain to readapt. In<br />
alcoholics, we've found changes in<br />
Gaba for years."<br />
To add to the misery, the anxiety<br />
usually kicks in while you are trying<br />
to sleep off the booze. "If you<br />
measure sleep when people are<br />
drunk, they go off to sleep fast. They<br />
go into a deeper sleep than normal,<br />
which is why they sometimes wet the<br />
bed or have night terrors. Then, after<br />
about four hours, the withdrawal<br />
kicks in - that's when you wake up all<br />
shaky and jittery."<br />
Imbalances in Gaba and glutamate<br />
are not the only problem. Alcohol<br />
also causes a small rise in<br />
noradrenaline - known as the fightor-flight<br />
hormone. "Noradrenaline<br />
suppresses stress when you first take<br />
it, and increases it in withdrawal,"<br />
says Nutt. "Severe anxiety can be<br />
considered a surge of noradrenaline<br />
in the brain."<br />
Another key cause of hangxiety is<br />
being unable to remember the<br />
mortifying things you are sure you<br />
must have said or done while<br />
inebriated - another result of your<br />
Photo: princigalli<br />
compromised glutamate levels. "You<br />
need glutamate to lay down<br />
memories," says Nutt, "and once<br />
you're on the sixth or seventh drink,<br />
the glutamate system is blocked,<br />
which is why you can't remember<br />
things." If this isn't ringing any bells,<br />
it may be because hangxiety does not<br />
affect us all equally, as revealed by a<br />
study published in the journal<br />
Personality and Individual<br />
Differences. Researchers quizzed<br />
healthy young people about their<br />
levels of anxiety before, during and<br />
the morning after drinking alcohol.<br />
According to one of the authors,<br />
Celia Morgan, professor of<br />
psychopharmacology at the<br />
University of Exeter: "The people<br />
who were more shy had much higher<br />
levels of anxiety [the following day]<br />
than the people who weren't shy."<br />
The team also found a correlation<br />
between having bad hangxiety and<br />
the chance of having an alcohol use<br />
disorder. "Maybe it's playing a role in<br />
keeping problematic drinking<br />
going," says Morgan.<br />
One theory as to why very shy<br />
people might be more at risk of<br />
hangxiety and alcoholism is the<br />
possibility that alcohol's seesaw<br />
effect on Gaba levels is more<br />
pronounced in them. Their baseline<br />
Gaba levels may be lower to start<br />
with, says Morgan. "It could also be a<br />
psychological effect - people who are<br />
more highly anxious are more prone<br />
to rumination, going over thoughts<br />
about the night before, so that's<br />
another potential mechanism."<br />
However, the study's findings have<br />
wider implications - after all, most<br />
drinkers lean on alcohol as social<br />
lubrication to some degree.<br />
The bad news is that there seems<br />
to be little you can do to avoid<br />
hangxiety other than to drink less,<br />
and perhaps take painkillers - they<br />
will at least ease your headache.<br />
"Theoretically, ibuprofen would be<br />
better than paracetamol," says Nutt,<br />
"because it's more antiinflammatory<br />
- but we don't know<br />
how much of the hangover is caused<br />
by inflammation. It's something<br />
we're working on, trying to measure<br />
that."<br />
Morgan suggests trying to break<br />
the cycle. "Before drinking in a social<br />
situation you feel anxious in, try fastforwarding<br />
to the next day when<br />
you'll have much higher anxiety<br />
levels. If you can't ride that out<br />
without drinking, the worry is that<br />
you will get stuck in this cycle of<br />
problematic drinking where your<br />
hangxiety is building and building<br />
over time. Drinking might fix social<br />
anxiety in the short term, but in the<br />
long term it might have pretty<br />
detrimental consequences."<br />
Exposure therapy is a common<br />
treatment for phobias, where you sit<br />
with your fear in order to help you<br />
overcome it. "By drinking alcohol,<br />
people aren't giving themselves a<br />
chance to do that," says Morgan.<br />
But there might be hope for the<br />
future. Nutt is involved in a project<br />
to develop a drink that takes the<br />
good bits of alcohol and discards the<br />
damaging or detrimental effects.<br />
"Alcosynth", as it is currently called,<br />
drowns your sorrows in the same<br />
way as alcohol, but without knocking<br />
the Gaba and glutamate out of kilter.<br />
"We're in the second stage of<br />
fundraising to take it through to a<br />
product," he says. "The industry<br />
knows [alcohol] is a toxic substance.<br />
If it was discovered today, it would<br />
be illegal as a foodstuff."<br />
Until Alcosynth reaches the<br />
market, Nutt says his "strong"<br />
message is: "Never treat hangxiety<br />
with a hair of the dog. When people<br />
start drinking in the mornings to get<br />
over their hangxiety, then they're in<br />
the cycle of dependence. It's a very<br />
slippery slope."<br />
Workaholics tend to die younger.<br />
Photo: Caiaimage<br />
Performative workaholism<br />
negatively effects human body<br />
Thank GodIt'sMonday! This is the rallying<br />
cry of a new movement of work obsessives,<br />
according to a widely shared opinion piece<br />
on "performative workaholism" in the New<br />
York Times. These ergomaniacs encourage<br />
each other to "hustle harder". They drink<br />
from water coolers containing floating<br />
cucumbers carved with pro-work slogans,<br />
such as "Don't stop when you're tired, stop<br />
when you're done."<br />
"No one ever changed the world on 40<br />
hours a week," Elon Musk, the patron saint<br />
of the TIGM movement announced on<br />
Twitter. Musk recommends "80, sustained'"<br />
hours a week, "peaking [at] about 100".<br />
e haven't always been so work-obsessed.<br />
During the middle ages in England, peasants<br />
could work just 150 days a year. Until<br />
relatively recently, work was seen as painful<br />
toil, and best avoided.<br />
But something changed in the 16th century<br />
- we started to think that work was morally<br />
good. Five hundred years on,<br />
#ThankGodIt'sMonday has made it saintly.<br />
Now we have a Protestant work ethic<br />
without the pressure of taking Sunday off to<br />
go to church. Instead, we should toil 24/7,<br />
taking #workinglate selfies to prove it.<br />
But is putting in long hours any good for<br />
us? We know that not working can make us<br />
miserable. People who work tend to be<br />
healthier. Work can give us a sense of<br />
purpose and meaning. It connects us with<br />
other people. At a minimum, work provides<br />
money as well as something to do with our<br />
time.<br />
But too much work can be toxic. Working<br />
very long hours can be bad for our health.<br />
Ultra-long hours can kill. Ergomania can<br />
lead to problems such as depression, anxiety<br />
and addiction and can cut us off from friends<br />
and family, leaving us with only colleagues. If<br />
work disappears, work obsessives often have<br />
nothing to fall back on.<br />
A job loss can become a deep existential<br />
crisis. Instead of boasting about the hours we<br />
work, we would be better off listening to<br />
Bruce Daisley, an executive at Twitter: "Go to<br />
lunch," "Get a good night's sleep," and:<br />
"Shorten your work week.<br />
How to beat<br />
a sore throat<br />
in winter<br />
Elle Hunt<br />
Sore throats are very common and usually<br />
get better by themselves within a week.<br />
Getting a good night's sleep always helps to<br />
help fight off infection. The NHS advises<br />
those with a sore throat to stay well hydrated,<br />
although hot drinks should be avoided.<br />
Sucking on ice cubes, ice lollies or hard<br />
sweets can soothe the inflammation.<br />
If you feel uncomfortable, take paracetamol<br />
or ibuprofen. There are also medicated sorethroat<br />
lozenges and anaesthetic sprays<br />
available over the counter that claim to target<br />
pain in the throat with anti-inflammatories.<br />
The NHS cautions that "there's little proof<br />
they help", but a 2<strong>01</strong>1 study of two different<br />
kinds of medicated lozenge found they<br />
brought relief and eased soreness and<br />
difficulty swallowing within minutes; effects<br />
lasted up to two hours post-dose.<br />
Gargling with warm salt water may help to<br />
reduce inflammation. (It is not<br />
recommended for children.) Dissolve half a<br />
teaspoon of salt in a glass of partly cooled<br />
boiled water, gargle with the solution, then<br />
spit it out. Repeat as necessary. "It's<br />
inexpensive and everyone can do it at home -<br />
I recommend this to most patients," says<br />
Abraham Khodadi, a prescribing pharmacist<br />
who vlogs weekly about health on YouTube<br />
as Abraham the Pharmacist.<br />
Most sore throats are caused by a virus, so<br />
they cannot be treated by antibiotics - even<br />
though in many cases they are prescribed<br />
anyway. Last year, sore throats accounted for<br />
nearly a quarter of inappropriate antibiotic<br />
prescriptions in England. Such prescriptions<br />
contribute to the global threat of antibiotic<br />
resistance. US researchers reported in 2<strong>01</strong>3<br />
that, from 1997 to 2<strong>01</strong>0, about 60% of<br />
patients with sore throats received<br />
antibiotics, even though only about 10%<br />
needed them. Viral sore throats are<br />
accompanied by other cold symptoms that<br />
may include a runny nose, cough, red or<br />
watery eyes, and sneezing. The symptoms of<br />
streptococcal pharyngitis, "strep throat", a<br />
bacterial infection, are similar, but likely to be<br />
more severe, and possibly accompanied by a<br />
high temperature or feeling hot and shivery.<br />
Smoking cigarettes can cause a sore throat<br />
by irritating the windpipe. "When an irritant<br />
is introduced in the system, the body tries to<br />
get rid of it by coughing, which can result in<br />
more inflammation," says Khodadi. Smoking<br />
Getting a good night's sleep is a great way to beat infection.<br />
also lowers immunity, which can lead to<br />
recurrent viral and bacterial infection, and<br />
weakens the lower oesophageal sphincter<br />
between the stomach and oesophagus (or<br />
food pipe), causing acid reflux from the<br />
stomach, which can irritate the throat. Other<br />
causes of a sore throat include pollution or<br />
irritants in the air, allergies, dry air, and<br />
changes in temperature, such as going from a<br />
warm office to the icy outdoors.<br />
You can safeguard against sore throats by<br />
eating a healthy balanced diet, says Khodadi,<br />
as well as by having a flu jab. This should<br />
alleviate the need for supplements in<br />
otherwise healthy people, he says - although<br />
Public Health England has suggested taking<br />
a daily vitamin D supplement in winter,<br />
which may help to boost immunity.<br />
Photo: Getty Images<br />
Follow some basic health tips to defy ageing and keep the mind sharp.<br />
Photo: martinleonbarreto<br />
Stave off the brain<br />
from mental decline<br />
Kayt Sukel<br />
THE studies are cruelly consistent: by the<br />
age of 45, your basic cognitive abilities begin<br />
to slip. As we get older, the crucial brain<br />
regions involved in memory, attention and<br />
perception begin to shrink and no longer<br />
communicate with one another as efficiently<br />
as they once did. You may find that you<br />
aren't quite as quick as you once were. It<br />
takes longer to recall where you left your<br />
keys, more effort to help your kids with their<br />
maths homework.<br />
Except that isn't the final word. There are<br />
plenty of science-backed strategies for<br />
keeping your brain fitter for longer. And it is<br />
never too late to begin.<br />
The brain is often likened to a muscle, and<br />
for good reason: give it a good workout and<br />
it will stay strong. But what does that really<br />
mean? A few years ago, headlines were full<br />
of claims about brain-training apps and<br />
computer games that offered a shortcut to<br />
improved cognitive fitness. But these have<br />
largely been debunked. "There's no magic<br />
activity that will do it," says Yaakov Stern, a<br />
neuropsychologist at Columbia University<br />
in New York.<br />
Instead, the trick seems to be to find<br />
activities that boost what's known as<br />
cognitive reserve. You can think of this as<br />
spare mental capacity, a kind of extra<br />
padding that allows your brain to sustain<br />
more damage before you feel the effects. The<br />
concept has been used to explain why two<br />
people with Alzheimer's disease, and the<br />
same amount of damaging protein plaques<br />
in their brain, may not be equally affected.
NATIONAL<br />
THURSDAY, JANUARY <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
6<br />
Vice-Chancellor of Barishal University (BU) Professor Dr SM Imamul Huq was present as the chief<br />
guest at the annual general meeting, freshers reception and farewell program of 'Badhon' Barishal<br />
University unit on Wednesday.<br />
Photo: BU<br />
‘Badhon’ BU unit holds AGM, freshers<br />
reception and farewell program<br />
'Badhon' Barishal University unit on Wednesday held its<br />
annual general meeting, freshers reception and farewell<br />
program in Kirtonkhola Auditorium of the University, says a<br />
press release.<br />
'Badhon' Barishal University unit president Mujahidul<br />
Islam chaired the meeting while Vice-Chancellor of Barishal<br />
University (BU) Professor Dr SM Imamul Huq was present<br />
as the chief guest at the occasion. Among others, Among<br />
others, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities Professor<br />
Dr. Md. Muhsin Uddin, Provost of Bangabandhu Hall and<br />
Rahat Hossain Faisal, Chairman of CSE Department;<br />
General Secretary of the Teachers Association; Abu Zafar<br />
Mia, chairman of the Department of Mining and Mining,<br />
Assistant Professor of Public Administration, Israt Jahan,<br />
Adviser of the Bonding and Public Administration<br />
Department lecturer Shirajis Sadik, Chairman of different<br />
departments, directors, teachers, and members of 'Badhon'<br />
Barishal University unit were also present at the occasion.<br />
At the occasion new committee of 'Badhon' Barisal<br />
University unit was declared for the year 2<strong>01</strong>9 and the<br />
members of the old committee handed over the<br />
responsibility to the members of the new committee. The<br />
Vice-Chancellor said that the journey of 'Badhon' started in<br />
1997 in Shahidullah Hall of Dhaka University through my<br />
hand. From then onwards I am associated with 'Badhon'. It<br />
is a voluntary organization that is always engaged in the<br />
service of humanity.<br />
It is to be noted that Badhon started its journey in Barishal<br />
University in 2<strong>01</strong>5 but its journey as a unit and started in<br />
2<strong>01</strong>7.<br />
Landless char people turns fortune wheel<br />
by cultivating BINA China -4 peanut<br />
Rokibul Hoque Dipu, Magura<br />
correspondent: BINA China-4<br />
peanut is turning fortune wheel of<br />
landless char people.<br />
BINA (Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear<br />
Agriculture) Magura sources informed,<br />
cultivation of BINA China -4 peanut is<br />
gaining popularity among char<br />
farmers. Agriculturist Dr Abul Kalam<br />
Azad is the originator of BINA China -4<br />
peanut . Char land is suitable for BINA<br />
China -4 peanut cultivation. This<br />
variety is high productive. Production<br />
of BINA China-4 variety is 2.5 mt per<br />
hectare as against 2 mt in common<br />
variety. Cultivation of BINA China -4<br />
peanut is short durable. Harvesting of<br />
China -4 peanut takes only 100 days<br />
while 120 days in common variety. At<br />
the same time cultivation of China-4<br />
variety requires less fertilizer and<br />
insecticides compared to that in<br />
common variety .Consequently<br />
production cost of BINA China -4<br />
variety is low. Magura BINA official<br />
Shushan Chouhan told, farmers<br />
especially in Char area are showing<br />
high interest in cultivating BINA China<br />
-4 peanut cultivation. We are working<br />
to encourage farmers in cultivating this<br />
peanut. This season we have<br />
distributed BINA China -4 peanut<br />
seeds among 20 farmers at free cost.<br />
Moreover we shall give them 50%<br />
subsidy in fertilizer and insecticides<br />
cost for the cultivation. Moreover every<br />
day we provide at least 10 peanut<br />
farmers with proper advice physically<br />
or by mobile phone.<br />
Khadem Ali a farmer of village<br />
Kamlapur under Sreepur upazila of<br />
Magura told, last year I brought 2 bigha<br />
land in Gorai River Char under BINA<br />
China-4 peanut cultivation and earned<br />
tk 60 thousand as profit. This year I<br />
have extended my peanut cultivation<br />
and Now I am growing peanut in 4<br />
bigha land. I am expecting Tk one lakh<br />
and 20 thousand as my profit.<br />
Belal Mian of village Khaleshpur<br />
under Moheshpur upazial of Zhenidah<br />
district told, BINA China-4 peanut is<br />
turning fortune wheel of farmers in this<br />
upazila. This season at least 50 farmers<br />
in this upazila are cultivating this<br />
peanut. This year I have brought 5<br />
bigha land under BINA China-4 peanut<br />
cultivation and I am expecting profit of<br />
tk 1.5 lakhs . In the mean time I have<br />
got seeds from Magura BINA at free<br />
cost.<br />
When contacted, Shafiqur Rahman<br />
executive director of Palli Prokriti ( an<br />
agriculture based NGO ) told BINA<br />
China -4 peanut cultivation is gaining<br />
popularity among char farmers of 3<br />
district respectively Magura,<br />
Jhenidah and Razbair. At present<br />
about 500 farmers in the 3 district are<br />
cultivating this peanut and most of<br />
them are landless. If proper plan is<br />
adopted to expand BINA China -4<br />
peanut cultivation number of<br />
landless char farmers can improve<br />
their condition.<br />
The photo shows Magura BINA official Shampa Rani Ghosh distributing BINA China -4 peanut seeds<br />
free of cost in Magura recently.<br />
Photo: Rokibul Hoque Dipu<br />
Exploring tourism potential in Panchagarh stressed<br />
RANGPUR: Adoption of comprehensive tourism-friendly planning<br />
and its proper implementation could help explore the enormous<br />
potential of the country's tourism sector for economic advancement,<br />
reports BSS.<br />
Government officials and public representatives made these<br />
observations today at a district level tourism affairs public awareness<br />
building workshop held at the conference room of the Deputy<br />
Commissioner of Panchagarh. Panchagarh district administration<br />
organised the workshop with assistance of Bangladesh Tourism<br />
Board for officials of different government departments, public<br />
representatives, private sector entrepreneurs, professionals and civil<br />
society members. The main objective of arranging the event was to<br />
identify prevailing problems and issues in the tourism sector of<br />
Panchagarh and adopt a comprehensive tourism- friendly planning<br />
for exploring tourism potential of the district.<br />
Deputy Commissioner of Panchagarh Sabina Yasmin attended<br />
the workshop as the chief guest with Deputy Director (Local<br />
Government) for Panchagarh Priyosindhu Talukder in the chair.<br />
Chief Executive Officer of Panchagarh District Council Abdul Alim<br />
Khan Wareshi, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General)<br />
Mohammad Golam Azam, Additional Police Super Sudorshan<br />
Roy, Panchagarh municipal mayor Tauhidul Islam and<br />
Panchagarh Pres Club President Shafikul Alam addressed as special<br />
guests.<br />
27 held in Dinajpur<br />
special drives<br />
DINAJPUR: Law enforcers,<br />
in special drives arrested 27<br />
persons including five drug<br />
traders and two activists of<br />
Jamaat-E-Islami from<br />
different areas of the district<br />
in 12-hour ending at 8am<br />
last morning, reports BSS.<br />
Law enforcers also seized<br />
150 bottles of Phensidyl and<br />
102 pieces of Yaba tablets<br />
during the drives.<br />
Police said they were<br />
picked up from different<br />
areas of the district on<br />
different charges.<br />
During the drives,<br />
Dinajpur Sadar police<br />
arrested five persons<br />
including two drug traders<br />
along with 102 pieces of<br />
Yaba tablets, Ghoraghat<br />
Thana police arrested two<br />
persons, Birganj Thana<br />
police arrested two persons,<br />
Birampur Thana police<br />
arrested three persons,<br />
Nawabganj Thana police<br />
arrested three persons,<br />
Phulbari Thana police<br />
arrested two persons,<br />
Bochaganj Thana police<br />
arrested one person,<br />
Hakimpur Than police<br />
arrested two persons and<br />
Chirirbandar Thana police<br />
arrested four persons<br />
including two activists of<br />
Jamaat-E-Islami.<br />
Narsingdi people wants<br />
Sheuli Mala as the MP<br />
of reserved seat<br />
Tarak Pathan, Palash<br />
Correspondent : People<br />
of Narsingdi wants to late<br />
freedom fighter Dr. Mujibur<br />
Rahman Khan's daughter,<br />
Bangladesh Awami Tanti<br />
League's popular leader,<br />
Vice-President of Dhaka<br />
Metropolitan North and<br />
Acting Principal of Dania<br />
University College, Saira<br />
Begum Sheuli Mala as the<br />
MP of reserved seat.<br />
It is learnt that, before and<br />
after the eleventh<br />
parliamentary elections, this<br />
woman leader has<br />
highlighted the development<br />
picture of the government<br />
with her own initiative.<br />
Before the election, she<br />
highlighted the development<br />
picture of the government<br />
among the grassroots to cast<br />
vote for boat symbol.<br />
This popular leader is the<br />
resident of Kajair village of<br />
Danga union of Palash<br />
upazila of Narsingdi. Her<br />
husband Mejbah Uddin<br />
Ahmed completed M.S.S in<br />
Social Science from Dhaka<br />
University. His father fought<br />
for the country and also<br />
sacrificed the life for the<br />
country. In continuation of<br />
Saira Begum Sheuli Mala<br />
this, popular leader, Saira<br />
Begum Sheuli Mala is<br />
always working for the<br />
betterment of the country.<br />
In the meantime, she has<br />
submitted nomination<br />
forms for the election of MP<br />
in one of reserved women<br />
seats at Bangladesh Awami<br />
political office on Monday,<br />
18 January. Besides, she has<br />
been working as a Grade A<br />
artist and presenter of<br />
Bangladesh Television.<br />
In this regard Saira<br />
Begum Sheuli Mala said<br />
that my father went to the<br />
war of liberation after the<br />
call of independence by<br />
Bangabandhu Sheikh<br />
Mujibur Rahman. From<br />
then onwards all of our<br />
families love Bangladesh<br />
Awami League. I was<br />
hoping for nomination<br />
from reserved women seats<br />
MP in 20<strong>01</strong>. If Prime<br />
Minister Sheikh Hasina<br />
gives me the opportunity to<br />
be elected MP in reserved<br />
women seats, then I will be<br />
working to maintain the<br />
government's development<br />
trend. I will be with the<br />
people to serve them. I<br />
hope that the Prime<br />
Minister will choose<br />
person for reserved seat<br />
MP.<br />
Pabna Deputy Commissioner Md Jasim Uddin inaugurated the sports competition of Imam Ghazzali<br />
Girls School and College by flying balloon and pigeons on Wednesday. Photo: Abdul Hamid Khan<br />
Annual Sports Competition of Pabna Imam<br />
Ghazzali Girls School and College held<br />
Abdul Hamid Khan, Pabna Correspondent: Annual<br />
sports competition and prize distribution ceremony of Pabna<br />
Imam Ghazzali Girls School and College was held through<br />
various programs on Wednesday.<br />
The program started with the national anthem by the<br />
students, recitation of the Qur'an, the Gita and Bible. Later,<br />
Pabna Deputy Commissioner Md Jasim Uddin inaugurated<br />
the sports competition by hoisting national flag and by flying<br />
balloon and pigeons. Among others, Chairman of Pabna<br />
Sadar Upazila Parishad Alhaj Mosharraf Hossain, member<br />
of governing body member Alhaj Shamsur Rahman Khan<br />
Manik, noted journalist and The Bangladesh Today Pabna<br />
district representative Abdul Hamid Khan and Pabna Sadar<br />
Upazila Parishad vice-chairperson Shawal Biswas, Advocate<br />
Hatim Ali, Headmaster of Al-Amana Academy Iman Ali,<br />
Janata Bank's (former) manager Abdur Rashid, Ajgar Ali,<br />
Shamim Ahmed and Wahiduzzaman were also present at the<br />
occasion. The program was chaired by Imam Ghazzali Trust<br />
and Imam Ghazali Girls School and College President Alhaj<br />
Abul Kashem.<br />
Pabna Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Jashim Uddin<br />
said that to the guardians that you will not only send your<br />
children to school for getting GPA-5 but also to play a<br />
significant role in building them as ideal person. If the<br />
teachers and guardians properly perform their duties, the<br />
students will develop as good human being, he added.<br />
Habiganj SP Mohammad Ullah<br />
recieve PPM-service award<br />
Md Mamun Chowdhury,<br />
Habiganj Correspondent:<br />
Habibganj Police Super Mohammad<br />
Ullah received PPM-service award in<br />
reorganization for bravery,<br />
combating crime, cracking important<br />
cases, efficiency, honesty and<br />
discipline. Besides, additional deputy<br />
police commissioner of DMP Wari<br />
zone Mohammad Nurul Amin who<br />
hails from Habiganj also received the<br />
PPM award.<br />
This information issued through a<br />
gazette on Tuesday by Deputy<br />
Secretary Farzana Jasmine.<br />
According to the home ministry<br />
gazette, declaring the names of this<br />
year's awardees, 40 officers were<br />
awarded BPM (gallantry), 104<br />
officers (BPM- service), 62 PPM<br />
(gallantry) and 143 PPM-service for<br />
recognition of their bravery and<br />
heroic work last year. Prime Minister<br />
Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to hand<br />
over the medals to the awardees on<br />
the first day of Police Week-2<strong>01</strong>9,<br />
likely to be held from February 4 to 8.<br />
It is to be noted that, Prime<br />
Minister Sheikh Hasina awarded the<br />
BPM-service medal to Mohammad<br />
Ullah in January last year. This year<br />
he got the PPM-service. Police Super<br />
Mohammad Ullah was born in a<br />
respected Muslim family in Tangail.<br />
His wife Marufa Yasmin is working as<br />
an Assistant Professor at Kabi Nazrul<br />
Government College in Dhaka. In his<br />
personal life he is a father of 1 son and<br />
1 daughter.<br />
Office staffs of Habiganj police station on Wednesday handed over<br />
flower bouquet to Habibganj Police Super Mohammad Ullah<br />
receiving PPM-service award. Photo: Md Mamun Chowdhury
INTERNATIONAL THURSDAy,<br />
JANUARy <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
7<br />
This photo released Dec. 4, 2<strong>01</strong>8 by the al-Qaida-affiliated Ibaa News Agency, shows al-Qaida-linked<br />
fighters driving their vehicles during a military drill in northern Syria.<br />
Photo : AP<br />
Al-Qaida’s advance in northern<br />
Syria threatens fragile truce<br />
It only took a few days for al-Qaidalinked<br />
militants to seize more than<br />
two dozen towns and villages in<br />
northern Syria from rival insurgents<br />
earlier this month, expanding and<br />
cementing their control over an area<br />
the size of neighboring Lebanon,<br />
reports UNB.<br />
The advance by Hayat Tahrir al-<br />
Sham, or the Levant Liberation<br />
Committee, was the most serious<br />
blow yet to a September cease-fire<br />
brokered by Russia and Turkey that<br />
averted a major government offensive<br />
in Idlib province, the last main<br />
stronghold of the Syrian opposition.<br />
It highlighted the growing threat<br />
posed by al-Qaida at a time when its<br />
rival, the Islamic State group, is on<br />
the verge of defeat and the U.S. is<br />
preparing to withdraw its 2,000<br />
troops from Syria. Although HTS has<br />
formally severed ties with al-Qaida,<br />
experts say it is still closely linked to<br />
the global network founded by<br />
Osama bin Laden and could use its<br />
base in Syria to launch attacks in the<br />
West.<br />
Fawaz Gerges, professor of Middle<br />
Eastern politics at the London School<br />
of Economics, says there is a "real<br />
danger" that the group's advance<br />
"will not only worsen the humanitarian<br />
crisis for the 3 million inhabitants<br />
there, but also give (President<br />
Bashar) Assad and his allies the justification<br />
to assault the province."<br />
"Such a scenario would be as devastatingly<br />
bloody as the battle for<br />
Aleppo," he said, referring to the<br />
months of heavy fighting over Syria's<br />
largest city in 2<strong>01</strong>6, which killed<br />
thousands of people and ended<br />
with government forces and their<br />
allies capturing the rebel-held east.<br />
HTS includes large numbers of battle-hardened<br />
al-Qaida fighters, and<br />
its capture of most of rebel-held<br />
Syria could force aid agencies to<br />
withdraw, leaving tens of thousands<br />
of civilians to fend for themselves.<br />
The opposition's Free Aleppo Medical<br />
Directorate said that some<br />
250,000 people will lose medical<br />
support after 43 facilities it runs<br />
cease operations due to a drop in<br />
aid from Western agencies after the<br />
latest HTS offensive.<br />
The government has meanwhile<br />
stepped up its bombardment of<br />
Idlib and neighboring rebel-held<br />
areas. Pro-government media say<br />
Defense Minister Gen. Ali Ayoub<br />
and Brig. Gen. Suheil al-Hassan,<br />
who commands the elite Tiger<br />
Force, have recently visited the<br />
front lines with Idlib, raising fears of<br />
a new government offensive.<br />
HTS now controls an area of about<br />
9,000 square kilometers (3,475<br />
square miles) or about 5 percent of<br />
Syria's territory. The area is home to<br />
some 3 million people, many of<br />
whom have been displaced from other<br />
parts of the country.<br />
German<br />
police arrest<br />
3 suspected<br />
of planning<br />
attack<br />
German news site Spiegel<br />
Online reports that police<br />
have arrested three men on<br />
suspicion of planning to carry<br />
out a bomb attack, reports<br />
UNB.<br />
The site reported that the<br />
three Iraqis were arrested<br />
early Wednesday around<br />
Dithmarschen, in the northern<br />
state of Schleswig-Holstein.<br />
A spokeswoman for Germany's<br />
federal police,<br />
Daniela Kiss, confirmed that<br />
officers were involved in an<br />
operation together with state<br />
police, but referred to federal<br />
prosecutors for further<br />
details. German federal<br />
prosecutors, who couldn't<br />
immediately confirm the<br />
reports, are responsible for<br />
investigating serious crimes<br />
including terrorism.<br />
Spiegel Online reports the<br />
men, identified as Shahin F.,<br />
Hersh S. and Rauf S., wanted<br />
to use fireworks to build<br />
an explosive and had<br />
ordered a detonator from<br />
Britain.<br />
Their surnames weren't<br />
provided in line with German<br />
privacy rules.<br />
Venezuela opposition urges<br />
walkouts to pressure Maduro<br />
Opposition leader Juan Guaido is looking to<br />
ratchet up pressure on President Nicolas<br />
Maduro with walkouts across Venezuela on<br />
Wednesday, just a day after the embattled<br />
socialist administration barred Guaido from<br />
leaving the country while he is investigated<br />
for anti-government activities, reports UNB.<br />
The man challenging Maduro's claim to<br />
the presidency is urging Venezuelans to step<br />
outside their homes and workplaces for two<br />
hours beginning at noon in the first mass<br />
mobilization since he declared himself the<br />
nation's rightful leader a week ago during<br />
another round of big protests.<br />
"Venezuela is set on change," Guaido said.<br />
The surge in political maneuvering has<br />
seen two dozen nations, including the United<br />
States and several big Latin American<br />
countries, back Guaido, and the Trump<br />
administration has imposed sanctions that<br />
could starve the already distressed nation of<br />
billions in oil revenue.<br />
But Maduro is holding firm in refusing to<br />
step down. He oversaw military exercises in<br />
recent days while seeking to consolidate support<br />
from the armed forces and he is accusing<br />
Washington of staging a coup.<br />
In an interview with Russia's state-owned<br />
RIA Novosti news agency on Wednesday,<br />
Maduro said he was "willing to sit down for<br />
talks with the opposition for the sake of<br />
Venezuela's peace and its future." Maduro<br />
said the talks could be held with mediation of<br />
other countries. Russia is one of the<br />
staunchest supporters of Maduro and has<br />
offered to mediate.<br />
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court barred<br />
Guaido from leaving the country after chief<br />
prosecutor Tarek William Saab announced<br />
that he was opening a criminal investigation<br />
of Maduro's foe, who heads the oppositioncontrolled<br />
congress. Saab is a key Maduro<br />
ally and the high court is stacked with<br />
Maduro loyalists.<br />
"Once more we'll come out victorious,"<br />
Maduro, dressed in a green cap and shirt,<br />
said Tuesday while standing before rows of<br />
troops. "We are on the right side of history."<br />
The court move came after U.S. national<br />
security adviser John Bolton warned that<br />
the Maduro government would face "serious<br />
consequences" if Guaido is harmed.<br />
Guaido has thus far managed to avoid<br />
arrest and the Supreme Court did not strip<br />
him of his legislative immunity, though the<br />
new investigation could signal that Maduro's<br />
administration is moving to take a more<br />
punitive approach.<br />
Speaking Tuesday outside the National<br />
Assembly, Guaido said he was aware of personal<br />
risks.<br />
"I don't underestimate the threat of persecution<br />
at the moment, but here we are," he<br />
said.<br />
The U.S. has emerged as Guaido's most<br />
powerful ally, announcing on Tuesday that it<br />
was giving him control of Venezuela's U.S.<br />
bank accounts.<br />
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certified<br />
that Guaido has the authority to take<br />
control of any Venezuelan government<br />
accounts at the Federal Reserve Bank of<br />
New York or any other U.S.-insured banks.<br />
He said the certification would "help<br />
Venezuela's legitimate government safeguard<br />
those assets for the benefit of the<br />
Venezuelan people."<br />
Indonesia’s Merapi<br />
volcano unleashes<br />
river of lava<br />
Indonesia's volatile Mount<br />
Merapi volcano has<br />
unleashed a river of lava that<br />
flowed 1,400 meters (4,590<br />
feet) down its slopes, reports<br />
UNB.<br />
Merapi, on the island of<br />
Java, has entered an "effusive<br />
eruption phase," Kasbani,<br />
head of the Volcanology<br />
and Geological Hazard<br />
Mitigation Center, said<br />
Wednesday.<br />
Kasbani, who goes by a<br />
single name, said the volcanic<br />
material that spewed<br />
out late Tuesday was the volcano's<br />
longest lava flow since<br />
it began erupting again in<br />
August.<br />
He said the alert level of<br />
the volcano has not been<br />
raised but people should<br />
stay out of a 3-kilometer<br />
(1.8-mile) danger zone<br />
around the crater.<br />
The 2,968-meter (9,737-<br />
foot) mountain, located near<br />
the ancient Indonesian city<br />
of Yogyakarta, is the most<br />
active of dozens of Indonesian<br />
volcanoes.<br />
Its last major eruption in<br />
2<strong>01</strong>0 killed 347 people.<br />
Indonesia, an archipelago<br />
of more than 260 million<br />
people, is prone to earthquakes,<br />
tsunamis and volcanic<br />
eruptions because it<br />
straddles the Pacific "Ring of<br />
Fire."<br />
Clash kills 4 militants,<br />
wounds 7 in northern<br />
Afghanistan<br />
At least four militants were<br />
killed and seven others sustained<br />
injuries as government<br />
forces stormed Taliban<br />
hideouts in Qaisar district of<br />
the northern Faryab<br />
province on Tuesday, an<br />
army spokesman Mohammad<br />
Hanif Rezai said<br />
Wednesday, reports UNB.<br />
The government forces,<br />
according to the official,<br />
attacked a Taliban hideout<br />
in Arkalic area of Qaisar district<br />
Tuesday evening, killing<br />
four insurgents on the spot<br />
and wounding seven others.<br />
China to award highest state<br />
honor to contributors<br />
China will award national medals and honorary<br />
titles to both citizens and foreigners<br />
who have made great contributions to the<br />
country as it marks the 70th anniversary of<br />
the founding of the People's Republic of China<br />
this year, reports UNB.<br />
The deceased can also be nominated,<br />
according to a circular on the nomination<br />
and selection of award-winners issued by the<br />
General Office of the Communist Party of<br />
China Central Committee.<br />
This is the first time for the country to<br />
conduct the selection and conferment of<br />
these highest national honors to commend<br />
a number of exemplary contributors<br />
to the construction and development<br />
of the PRC.<br />
Among them, Medals of the Republic<br />
will be awarded to those who have given<br />
great contributions and meritorious service<br />
and are of high moral character and<br />
recognized by the public.<br />
The nominees for the Medals of Friendship<br />
should be foreigners who have made<br />
outstanding contributions to China's<br />
socialist modernization drive, promoted<br />
exchange and cooperation between China<br />
and the world, helped maintain world<br />
peace and who are firm in their long-term<br />
friendship with China.<br />
Meanwhile, national titles of honor will<br />
be awarded for prominent figures who<br />
have made great contributions and earned<br />
reputations in fields such as economy,<br />
national defense, education, science, culture<br />
and sports.<br />
Nomination of candidates and selection<br />
of award-winners will be led by the<br />
working committee on the Party and<br />
state medals and honorary titles and<br />
should be transparent and fair, the circular<br />
read.<br />
Among them, Medals of the Republic<br />
will be awarded to those who have given<br />
great contributions and meritorious service<br />
and are of high moral character and<br />
recognized by the public.<br />
The nominees for the Medals of Friendship<br />
should be foreigners who have made<br />
outstanding contributions to China's<br />
socialist modernization drive, promoted<br />
exchange and cooperation between China<br />
and the world, helped maintain world<br />
peace and who are firm in their long-term<br />
friendship with China.<br />
Ceremonies to present the honors will be<br />
held on important occasions and anniversaries,<br />
such as the National Day, according<br />
to a law approved by the National People's<br />
Congress Standing Committee, China's<br />
top legislature, in late 2<strong>01</strong>5 to introduce<br />
the honorary system.<br />
China will award national medals and honorary titles to both citizens<br />
and foreigners who have made great contributions to the country as it<br />
marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of<br />
China this year.<br />
Photo : AP<br />
Venezuelan Bolivarian National Guardsmen line up near a Divine Mercy Jesus Christ poster outside<br />
the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2<strong>01</strong>9. Venezuela's chief prosecutor<br />
on Tuesday asked the country's top court to ban opposition National Assembly President Juan<br />
Guaido from leaving the country, launching a criminal probe into his anti-government activities<br />
while international pressure builds against President Nicolas Maduro.<br />
Photo : AP<br />
German police arrest 3<br />
suspected of extremist<br />
bomb plot<br />
German authorities arrested three suspected<br />
Islamic extremists Wednesday on allegations<br />
they were planning a bombing attack,<br />
and searched properties in three states in<br />
connection with their investigation, reports<br />
UNB.<br />
Federal prosecutors said Iraqis Shahin F.<br />
and Hersh F., both 23, and Rauf S., 36, were<br />
taken into custody in an early morning raid<br />
by a police SWAT team in the area of Dithmarschen,<br />
near the border with Denmark.<br />
In addition, searches were carried out of<br />
residences in two other states of people<br />
linked to the three but not currently suspected<br />
of any crime.<br />
The two younger men are suspected of<br />
preparing a bomb attack and violating<br />
weapons laws, and Rauf S. is alleged to have<br />
aided them. Their last names were not given<br />
in line with German privacy laws.<br />
The men appear to have been in the early<br />
stages of planning, and had not yet built a<br />
functioning bomb nor decided upon a target<br />
for attack, prosecutors said in a statement.<br />
Prosecutors allege Shahin F. and Hersch F.<br />
decided in late 2<strong>01</strong>8 to "carry out an attack<br />
motivated by Islamic extremism in Germany."<br />
There are indications that they sympathized<br />
with Islamic State, but a direct link<br />
to the extremist group or others is currently<br />
under investigation.<br />
In December, Shahin F. downloaded "various<br />
instructions" on how to build a bomb,<br />
and ordered a detonator from a contact person<br />
in Britain, prosecutors said. Its delivery,<br />
however, was stopped by British law enforcement<br />
agencies.<br />
At the same time, the two carried out tests<br />
using explosive powder from New Year's<br />
fireworks and asked Rauf S. to procure a<br />
firearm, prosecutors said.<br />
He's alleged to have contacted Walid<br />
Khaled Y.Y. - a man already under investigation<br />
- who allegedly offered them a Russian<br />
semi-automatic Makarov 9mm pistol, prosecutors<br />
said. It was considered too expensive<br />
and was not purchased, they added.<br />
In preparation for the possibility of using a<br />
vehicle in the attack, Shahin F. started taking<br />
driving lessons, prosecutors said.<br />
It was not clear how the plot was first<br />
detected nor when the suspects came to Germany,<br />
and prosecutors' spokeswoman Kerstin<br />
Wacker would not elaborate beyond the<br />
written statement provided. She also would<br />
not provide any more information on Khaled<br />
Y.Y.<br />
More than 1 million asylum seekers<br />
entered Germany in 2<strong>01</strong>5-16, most from Syria,<br />
Iraq and Afghanistan. The involvement of<br />
several asylum-seekers in extremist attacks<br />
or plots has helped boost support for the<br />
anti-migrant Alternative for Germany party.<br />
In the only mass-casualty Islamic extremist<br />
attack in Germany, Tunisian asylumseeker<br />
Anis Amri hijacked a truck in 2<strong>01</strong>6<br />
and drove it into a crowded Christmas market<br />
in Berlin, killing 12 people and wounding<br />
dozens. The Islamic State group later<br />
claimed responsibility.<br />
Bangkok schools closed<br />
over air pollution concerns<br />
More than 400 schools in Thailand's capital,<br />
Bangkok, have been shut as several weeks of<br />
dangerously unhealthy air pollution causes<br />
increasing concern, reports UNB.<br />
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha directed<br />
Bangkok's governor to order the closure<br />
of 437 schools from noon Wednesday<br />
through the end of the week after officials<br />
said the pollution would continue until next<br />
Monday. They said still air and heavy traffic<br />
are causing a buildup of particles in the air.<br />
The Pollution Control Department said the<br />
amount of particularly dangerous tiny "PM<br />
2.5" particles has risen in all areas in and<br />
around Bangkok since Monday.<br />
The Public Health Ministry said people<br />
should refrain from outdoor activities and<br />
exercise.<br />
Amnesty urges<br />
travel sites to ban<br />
Israel settlement<br />
listings<br />
Amnesty International on<br />
Wednesday urged online travel<br />
sites to ban listings from<br />
Israeli settlements in the occupied<br />
West Bank, reports UNB.<br />
The London-based rights<br />
group's report, titled "Destination:<br />
Occupation," said rental<br />
sites Airbnb, Booking.com,<br />
Expedia and TripAdvisor are<br />
driving tourism to settlements<br />
that most of the world considers<br />
illegal.<br />
Airbnb announced last<br />
November that it would<br />
remove West Bank settlement<br />
listings but has yet to implement<br />
its decision. The company<br />
says it is working to identify<br />
the "precise boundaries" of<br />
areas subject to the policy.<br />
Amnesty called on Airbnb to<br />
immediately implement its<br />
ban and to extend it to east<br />
Jerusalem, which Israel captured<br />
along with the West<br />
Bank in the 1967 Mideast War.<br />
The Palestinians seek these<br />
lands for a future independent<br />
state. On Twitter, Israeli Cabinet<br />
Minister Gilad Erdan<br />
called the Amnesty statement<br />
"an outrageous attempt to distort<br />
facts, deny Jewish heritage<br />
& delegitimize Israel."<br />
The World Jewish Congress<br />
said it was disheartened by<br />
Amnesty's report and called on<br />
it to shift its focus back to<br />
human rights.<br />
"Amnesty International is a<br />
serious and respected human<br />
rights organization, whose<br />
work to stop abuses around<br />
the world should never be<br />
underrated, but its singular<br />
focus on corporate entities<br />
doing business in Israeli settlements<br />
is gravely misguided,"<br />
said WJC CEO and Executive<br />
Vice President Robert Singer.
ART & CULTURE<br />
THUrSDAy,<br />
jAnUAry <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
8<br />
The Book Thief<br />
While subjected to the horrors of World<br />
War II Germany, young Liesel finds solace<br />
by stealing books and sharing them<br />
with others. In the basement of her<br />
home, a Jewish refugee is being protected<br />
by her adoptive parents.<br />
Genre<br />
Directed By<br />
Written By<br />
Cast<br />
: Drama<br />
: Brian Percival<br />
: Michael Petroni<br />
: Sophie Nélisse,<br />
Geoffrey Rush,<br />
Emily Watson<br />
In Theaters : Nov 8, 2<strong>01</strong>3<br />
Limited<br />
On Disc/ : Mar 11, 2<strong>01</strong>4<br />
Streaming<br />
Runtime : 130 minutes<br />
Studio : 20th Century Fox<br />
STorylInE :<br />
Based on the beloved<br />
international bestselling<br />
book, The Book Thief<br />
tells the story of an<br />
extraordinary, spirited<br />
young girl sent to live<br />
with a foster family in<br />
WWII Germany.<br />
Intrigued by the only<br />
book she brought with<br />
her, she begins collecting<br />
books as she finds them.<br />
With the help of her new<br />
parents and a secret<br />
guest under the stairs,<br />
she learns to read and<br />
creates a magical world<br />
that inspires them all.<br />
Princess Diaries<br />
3 is coming<br />
After 15 long years Mia<br />
Thermopolis may actually<br />
be coming back into our<br />
lives, as per confirmation<br />
from the woman herself -<br />
Anne Hathaway. Appearing<br />
on an episode of Watch<br />
What Happens Live,<br />
Hathaway was asked about<br />
a potential third installment<br />
of everyone's<br />
favourite royal-inspired<br />
film.<br />
"There is a script for the<br />
third movie," the 36-yearold<br />
confirmed. "There is a<br />
script. I want to do it, Julie<br />
wants to do it, Debra<br />
Martin Chase, our producer,<br />
wants to do it. We all<br />
really want it to happen.<br />
It's just, we don't want to<br />
do it unless it's perfect,<br />
because we love it just as<br />
much as you guys love it."<br />
Hathaway went on to<br />
explain that a third film is<br />
H o roSCoPE<br />
ArIES<br />
(March 21 - April 20) : Separating<br />
work and rest is essential now, and<br />
also very successful! You'll find that<br />
you bring a refreshed and perhaps inspired<br />
"you" to your responsibilities and that you'll<br />
feel far more entitled to enjoy your downtime<br />
with a job well done.<br />
TAUrUS<br />
(April 21 - May 21) : You appreciate the<br />
practical thinking of Saturn's transit,<br />
but its relationship with Neptune helps<br />
soften things just enough that you're not too hard<br />
on yourself and that you're sensitive to your spiritual<br />
needs. The formation of long-term friendships<br />
through your studies, travels.<br />
GEMInI<br />
(May 22 - June 21) : Career matters may<br />
not clarify this year, but you have more<br />
faith that you're heading in the right direction.<br />
Perhaps most importantly, your expectations even<br />
out. You'll be seeing definite improvements to your life<br />
as you let go of unhealthy expectations and pressures.<br />
CAnCEr<br />
(June 22 - July 23) : There is a nice,<br />
creative focus on your intimate or<br />
financial life today, dear Cancer, and<br />
these energies are both logical and innovative. A<br />
connection between your intimacy and career<br />
sectors supports building exciting strategies for<br />
your work.<br />
lEo<br />
(July 24 - Aug. 23) : Where you've<br />
been too hard on yourself, you're<br />
now allowing some leeway. This<br />
aspect is useful for bringing more balance into<br />
your life, and it will be in effect until<br />
November. This can be an excellent time to<br />
make changes to your current lifestyle that<br />
will benefit you for years to come.<br />
VIrGo<br />
(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23) : You're less likely to let<br />
your relationship goals interfere with your<br />
seeking of fulfillment in other areas of life.<br />
In fact, relationship goals may very well inspire you to<br />
better yourself. You're committed to making the most<br />
of your talents, enjoying more self-discipline reflects<br />
well on you, your relationships as you feel stronger.<br />
not a project they take<br />
lightly - hence the 15-year<br />
delay on it happening. "It's<br />
just as important to us as it<br />
is to you," she added. "And<br />
we don't want to deliver<br />
anything until it's ready,<br />
but we're working on it."<br />
The Princess Diaries was<br />
of course Hathaway's big<br />
break - she was 18 when<br />
she starred in the first film<br />
back in 20<strong>01</strong>. The movie,<br />
which also stars Julie<br />
Andrews, was based on the<br />
2000 young adult novel of<br />
the same name, by author<br />
Meg Cabot.<br />
In 2004 we were blessed<br />
with the sequel, The<br />
Princess Diaries 2: Royal<br />
Engagement, which was<br />
arguably just as good as<br />
the original film thanks to<br />
the stellar screenplay written<br />
by Shonda Rhimes.<br />
Since then, we've all kept<br />
our eyes wide open looking<br />
for any potential third<br />
installment. We had confirmation<br />
back in 2<strong>01</strong>6 that it<br />
was definitely; maybe happening<br />
when director<br />
Garry Marshall told People<br />
that a third film would<br />
happen after Hathaway<br />
gave birth to her first child.<br />
"I was with Anne<br />
Hathaway a couple weeks<br />
ago, it looks like we want<br />
to do Princess Diaries 3 in<br />
Manhattan," Marshall told<br />
People. "Anne Hathaway is<br />
very pregnant, so we have<br />
to wait until she has the<br />
baby and then I think we're<br />
going to do it."<br />
Almost three years later,<br />
it seems we're all but ready<br />
to go with a reboot. Watch<br />
this space! But until then,<br />
enjoy the confirmation<br />
below.<br />
-Vogue<br />
lIBrA<br />
(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23) : While Saturn's<br />
transit of your solar fourth house continues<br />
to impart essential life lessons,<br />
rules, or restrictions related to your home, family,<br />
and personal life this year, you're finding wonderful<br />
outlets for releasing related stress or tension or<br />
coming to a better sense of balance now.<br />
SCorPIo<br />
(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) : Your judgment is quite<br />
good for making long-term plans, and a<br />
romance or creative endeavor can be<br />
both inspiring and practical. Making a dream work<br />
in the real world can be satisfying. It's an excellent<br />
time for developing skills that will benefit you<br />
greatly as you enter the next phase of your life.<br />
SAGITTArIUS<br />
(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): You're sure to discover<br />
that focusing on making improvements<br />
to your money can boost your home life<br />
tremendously now and in the months ahead, helping<br />
direct and discipline you across the board. This aspect<br />
helps balance you out in key ways.<br />
CAPrICorn<br />
(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20) : You might<br />
improve a relationship with classmates,<br />
siblings, or even neighbors during this<br />
period. You're both practical and imaginative,<br />
celebrating both sides of your personality.<br />
Putting your ideas into practical motion is<br />
favored now.<br />
AQUArIUS<br />
(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) : Focusing on<br />
handling outstanding or unresolved<br />
issues in your life can boost<br />
your sense of security, feelings of self-worth,<br />
and your money situation. This is an exceptional<br />
period for balancing your attention to<br />
the material world with a renewed focus on<br />
emotional renewal and spiritual fulfillment.<br />
PISCES<br />
(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : Where you've<br />
been a little neglectful, you'll be tightening<br />
up, and where you've been too hard on<br />
yourself, you'll loosen your grip, in other words!<br />
Certainly, there are some aspects in play this<br />
year that seem to lead to the waste of certain<br />
opportunities.<br />
Citing human rights concerns, they have<br />
signed an open letter urging the BBC to ask<br />
organisers to move the contest.<br />
"Eurovision may be light entertainment,<br />
but it is not exempt from human rights considerations,"<br />
they wrote.<br />
The annual contest is due to be held in Tel<br />
Aviv in May, following Israeli singer Netta's<br />
victory in 2<strong>01</strong>8. The winning country usually<br />
hosts the following year's competition.<br />
However, the group of cultural figures,<br />
which also includes Mike Leigh, Maxine<br />
Peake and Miriam Margolyes, said the<br />
event's "claim to celebrate diversity and<br />
inclusion must ring hollow" in light of<br />
Israel's occupation of the West Bank, East<br />
Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.<br />
"We cannot ignore Israel's systematic violation<br />
of Palestinian human rights," their<br />
Bo Peep is back in new<br />
look for Toy Story 4<br />
Bollywood actress Vidya Balan and Shraddha Srinath will be<br />
a part of Ajith's upcoming Pink remake.<br />
Actor Shraddha Srinath took to Twitter on Monday to confirm<br />
that she will be a part of Ajith's upcoming film, tentatively<br />
titled #AK59. A The film will also star Vidya Balan in a role that<br />
didn't exist in the original film starring Taapsee Pannu,<br />
Amitabh Bachchan and Kriti Kulhari. The film's producer<br />
Boney Kapoor said in a statement, "Happy to introduce Vidya<br />
Balan to Tamil audiences. She is paired with Ajith and her role<br />
is very special. Shraddha Srinath has also been roped in for a<br />
pivotal role. Rangaraj Pandey plays a very important character."<br />
Shraddha wrote on Twitter, "There were rumours and speculations<br />
on the internet that I'm part of #AK59. Glad to announce<br />
today that those rumours are actually true. I am INDEED part of<br />
this incredible project."<br />
She revealed the crew details as well and wrote, "Directed<br />
by H. Vinoth, produced by Boney Kapoor, cinematography<br />
by Nirav Shah and music by Yuvan Shankar Raja - this is a<br />
team one could only aspire to work with. Thrilled to be working<br />
with some amazing technicians."<br />
Pink started a social dialogue about consent with its focus on<br />
the film's three female protagonists and their lawyer Amitabh<br />
Bachchan. Taapsee played the role of a woman who is sexually<br />
harassed and is shamed for her lifestyle and choices; Shraddha<br />
is likely to play this role. She further tweeted, "And most importantly<br />
- this is a film and a story that everyone needs to watch.<br />
It's the need of the hour. And it's crucial that it reaches the masses.<br />
I'm so ready for this and to give it my all."<br />
-The Hindustan Times<br />
letter read.<br />
"The BBC is bound by its charter to 'champion<br />
freedom of expression'. It should act on<br />
its principles and press for Eurovision to be<br />
relocated to a country where crimes against<br />
that freedom are not being committed."<br />
The letter comes a week before Eurovision:<br />
You Decide, a live BBC TV show through<br />
which the British public will vote for the act to<br />
represent the UK.<br />
"For any artist of conscience, this would<br />
be a dubious honour," the letter said.<br />
"They and the BBC should consider that<br />
You Decide is not a principle extended to the<br />
Palestinians, who cannot 'decide' to remove<br />
Israel's military occupation and live free of<br />
apartheid."<br />
The BBC has not yet commented. Dame<br />
Vivienne Westwood, Peter Gabriel and Wolf<br />
British stars<br />
urge BBC to ask<br />
for Eurovision<br />
to be moved out<br />
Alice are among 50 artists who have called<br />
for the Eurovision Song Contest to be relocated<br />
from Israel. Many of the signatories<br />
have previously made calls for a cultural<br />
boycott of Israel, criticising artists such as<br />
Nick Cave, Radiohead and Lana Del Rey for<br />
organising concerts in the country.<br />
Their letter follows an earlier call for<br />
Eurovision to be relocated, made last<br />
September by a coalition of artists from<br />
across Europe.<br />
That letter was organised by the Boycott,<br />
Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement,<br />
which campaigns for a complete boycott<br />
of Israel over its policies towards the<br />
Palestinians.<br />
Israel says BDS opposes Israel's very existence<br />
and is motivated by anti-Semitism.<br />
-BBC<br />
Deepika Padukone the<br />
new chairperson of<br />
MAMI Film Festival<br />
Deepika Padukone has been appointed as the new chairperson<br />
of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. She has replaced filmmaker<br />
Kiran Rao.<br />
According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, Kiran stepped down<br />
from the role to focus on a movie project. Deepika called her<br />
appointment a huge responsibility. "It's an absolute honour and a<br />
huge responsibility. I believe in MAMI's vision and we are committed<br />
towards creating a community that cinema lovers and creators<br />
of a film passionate nation like ours truly deserve," she told the<br />
daily. Kiran also congratulated her. "I am delighted to welcome<br />
one of India's most loved film stars, Deepika Padukone as the new<br />
chairperson," she said.<br />
Twitter Ads info and privacyMAMI?festival director and film<br />
critic Anupama Chopra shared the news on Twitter. "To new<br />
beginnings! Thank you Kiran for your faith and generosity and<br />
hard work. Excited to learn from and work with our new chairperson,<br />
the amazing Deepika Padukone," she wrote in her tweet.<br />
The festival's creative director Smriti Kiran also welcomed<br />
Deepika on board. "Thank you for leading the way #Kiran! And a<br />
very warm welcome to #MAMI's new Chairperson, the incredible<br />
@deepikapadukone ! Excited and happy to work with you to keep<br />
building the Academy! #NewBeginnings #JioMAMIwithStar<br />
@MumbaiFilmFest," she wrote in her tweet.<br />
-The Hindustan Times
SPORTS<br />
THURSDAY,<br />
JANUARY <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
9<br />
Chittagong Vikings players celebrate after taking a wicket against Dhaka Dynamites on<br />
Wednesday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.<br />
Photo: Collected<br />
Delport, Rahim set up 11-run<br />
win for Chittagong Vikings<br />
Sports Desk: Cameron Delport contributed<br />
with bat and ball, and on the<br />
field, to lead Chittagong Vikings to an<br />
important 11-run win over Dhaka<br />
Dynamites in a Bangladesh Premier<br />
League match in Chattogram on<br />
Wednesday, reports Cricbuzz.<br />
Batting first after winning the toss,<br />
Vikings started well with Mohammad<br />
Shahzad and Delport till Sunil Narine<br />
came in and had Shahzad stumped off<br />
his second ball. The scoring rate dipped<br />
after that, Vikings reaching the halfway<br />
stage with just 68 on the board. But<br />
they did have wickets in hand - nine of<br />
them - and Delport had hit his stride.<br />
The partnership between Delport<br />
and Mushfiqur Rahim for the third<br />
wicket was an excellent one, and turned<br />
the tide away from Dhaka. The two of<br />
them added 79 in just seven-and-a-half<br />
Piatek scores twice as<br />
Milan beat Napoli to<br />
reach Coppa semis<br />
Sports Desk: Krzysztof<br />
Piatek said it was "just the<br />
start" to his AC Milan career<br />
after scoring twice on his full<br />
debut as Gennaro Gattuso's<br />
side beat Napoli 2-0 at the<br />
San Siro on Tuesday to reach<br />
the Coppa Italia semi-finals.<br />
Piatek, signed from Genoa<br />
last week as a replacement<br />
for Gonzalo Higuain, put the<br />
hosts ahead in the 11th<br />
minute before doubling the<br />
lead before the half-hour<br />
mark with a fine individual<br />
strike, reports BSS.<br />
It was the second time in<br />
four days that Milan had<br />
dealt a blow to Napoli's<br />
hopes of winning a trophy<br />
this season, after a goalless<br />
draw on Saturday at the San<br />
Siro ultimately left Carlo<br />
Ancelotti's men 11 points<br />
behind Serie A leaders<br />
Juventus. "I expected a<br />
night like this. I said that I<br />
was ready and I got a brace,<br />
but this is just the start,"<br />
Piatek told Milan TV.<br />
"Both goals were great,<br />
even if they were different. I<br />
felt good tonight and it was<br />
marvellous playing at the<br />
San Siro."<br />
Five-time winners Milan<br />
will face either Inter Milan<br />
or Lazio, who play on Thursday,<br />
over two legs in the last<br />
four as they look to go one<br />
better than their 4-0 final<br />
defeat by Juventus last season.<br />
Piatek did not waste much<br />
time in endearing himself to<br />
the Milan fans, latching onto<br />
a hopeful long ball forward<br />
from Diego Laxalt, before<br />
calmly taking a touch and<br />
slotting the ball into the bottom<br />
corner.<br />
The Polish international<br />
continued to torment the<br />
visiting defence and made it<br />
two in the 27th minute.<br />
Piatek appeared to have<br />
few options when he collected<br />
the ball on the left-hand<br />
side of the area, but he cut<br />
inside two defenders before<br />
unleashing a powerful drive<br />
past Napoli goalkeeper Alex<br />
Meret. The 23-year-old has<br />
now scored an incredible<br />
eight goals in only three<br />
Coppa Italia games this season,<br />
having scored four for<br />
Genoa against Lecce in<br />
August and a double against<br />
Virtus Entella last month.<br />
overs before Andre Russell turned the<br />
game around in the final over of the<br />
innings.<br />
Not any of his first three deliveries of<br />
the final over were particularly threatening,<br />
but each of them got him a wicket.<br />
Rahim first miscued a full toss down<br />
Shuvagata Hom's throat at long-on,<br />
and Delport, next ball, sent Russell to<br />
the same fielder after not failing to get<br />
hold of one in the slot. Two in two,<br />
which became three in three as Dasun<br />
Shanaka attempted a scoop but only<br />
sent it as far as Mizanur Rahman at<br />
short fine-leg.<br />
At various points of their chase, the<br />
Dynamites looked likely to pull it off.<br />
When Shakib Al Hasan and Nurul<br />
Hasan were together for the fourth<br />
wicket, for example, and had added 50<br />
runs before Delport sent Nurul back<br />
lbw. To make matters worse for the<br />
Dynamites, Kieron Pollard ran himself<br />
out next ball, leaving Dhaka 73 for 5.<br />
But Russell joined Shakib for a quick<br />
66-run stand after that, with Russell<br />
hitting 39 in just 23 balls. He was dismissed,<br />
caught by Delport off Shanaka,<br />
but Shakib carried on, and brought the<br />
equation down to 21 from ten ball<br />
before holing out off Shanaka after<br />
scoring 53 in 42 balls.<br />
That left the remaining Dhaka batsmen<br />
with too much to do, and they fell<br />
short in the end.<br />
Vikings stayed at third place on the<br />
table, now level on points with Comilla<br />
Victorians, though after playing one<br />
extra match and with an inferior net<br />
run-rate. The loss wasn't ideal for the<br />
Dynamites, who are in fourth place,<br />
with ten points from ten games.<br />
Embattled New<br />
Zealand look for a<br />
lift in dead rubber<br />
Sports Desk: Winning and losing in sport<br />
has a lot to do with confidence. But such is<br />
the unpredictable nature of sport that even<br />
one failure, on occasions, could beat the athlete<br />
down or sow seeds of self doubt. And self<br />
doubt leads to vulnerability. The New<br />
Zealand cricket team is paddling through<br />
such a phase, reports Cricbuzz.<br />
At home, New Zealand had lost just two<br />
ODI since losing to South Africa in 2<strong>01</strong>4-<br />
15. However, just ahead of the World Cup<br />
in England this year, New Zealand<br />
received a severe jolt as they slid to losses<br />
in the first three games of the five-match<br />
ODI series against India.<br />
The formidable Indian side has exposed<br />
quite a few weaknesses ahead of the mega<br />
event. The home side is losing too many<br />
wickets upfront, the batsmen have generally<br />
struggled to play the spin twins -<br />
Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. In<br />
the third ODI at Bay Oval, New Zealand<br />
lost their way after being in a relatively<br />
decent position at 178 for 3. And to make<br />
matters worse, barring Trent Boult, rest of<br />
the bowlers haven't offered much of penetration.<br />
One of the few batsmen who showed the<br />
willingness to wade through the early<br />
phase and handle the spin duo with a<br />
degree of confidence was Ross Taylor in<br />
the third ODI. The mainstay of the line-up<br />
played with an open stance to cover for the<br />
over the wicket angle from Kuldeep and<br />
succeeded.<br />
In an effort to put up an improved show in<br />
the dead-rubber in Hamilton, the hosts have<br />
rung in the changes. Todd Astle, the legspinning<br />
all-rounder, and Jimmy Neesham, the<br />
seam-bowling all-rounder, replaced the misfiring<br />
pair of Doug Bracewell and Ish Sodhi.<br />
Astle, who has picked up seven wickets in<br />
ODIs, has shown in the past that he can handle<br />
pressure situations well. The point can be<br />
capsulised by how the legspinner handled<br />
the challenge of bowling with a damp ball in<br />
a List A game for New Zealand A against<br />
India A to pick up four wickets in Visakhapatnam<br />
in 2<strong>01</strong>7.<br />
Meanwhile, India seem to have most of the<br />
bases covered. Even with Virat Kohli being<br />
rested for the final two games, the Asian<br />
nation would be confident of continuing<br />
their winning momentum under the leadership<br />
of Rohit Sharma. The impressive Shubman<br />
Gill, who averaged over 60 in List A<br />
games during the Indian domestic season in<br />
2<strong>01</strong>8-19, would look to showcase his skills.<br />
The Indian camp would also be pleased<br />
with the all round show put up by Hardik<br />
Pandya on his return to the Indian side at<br />
Bay Oval. The fourth ODI also provides<br />
another chance for India's slightly vulnerable<br />
middle order batsmen to make an impact.<br />
Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami, who has<br />
been in prime form in the series, would look<br />
for another fine show as he continues to<br />
press for a regular spot in the Indian side for<br />
the World Cup.<br />
The track at Seddon Park is generally<br />
good for batting with teams preferring to<br />
chase, evidenced by the side batting<br />
second winning the last four ODIs played<br />
at the ground.<br />
In an effort to put up an improved show in the dead-rubber match in<br />
Hamilton, New Zealand have made few changes in team selection.<br />
Photo: AP<br />
Youth ODI<br />
Young Tigers eying<br />
series victory<br />
against England<br />
Sports Desk: Having won<br />
the first match, the<br />
Bangladesh U-19 team have<br />
set their eyes on securing the<br />
three-match Youth ODI<br />
series against England,<br />
reports UNB.<br />
The match will take place<br />
on Thursday at Sheikh<br />
Kamal International Stadium<br />
in Cox's Bazar. The last<br />
game will be played on February<br />
2 at the same venue.<br />
Bangladesh U-19 team got<br />
off to a flying start to the<br />
series beating England U-19<br />
by five wickets on Tuesday.<br />
Tigers also won the one-off<br />
T20 international by seven<br />
wickets last Sunday at the<br />
same venue.<br />
After the ODI series, the<br />
English team will travel to<br />
Chattogram on February 4<br />
to play a two-match four-day<br />
Youth Tests series from February<br />
7-10 and February 15-<br />
18 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury<br />
Stadium.<br />
The visitors will leave for<br />
home on February 19.<br />
In the first Youth ODI, the<br />
English team batted first<br />
after winning the toss and<br />
scored 209/7 in 50 overs,<br />
with a 70-run partnership in<br />
the seventh wicket between<br />
LP Goldsworthy (61) and<br />
LBK Hollman (57).<br />
Tanzim Hasan Sakib took<br />
three wickets for 47 runs<br />
while Rakibul Hasan<br />
claimed two for 41 runs and<br />
Ashraful Islam bagged one<br />
for 44 runs.<br />
Bangladesh U-19 scored<br />
210/5 in 45.5 overs. There<br />
were two 82-run partnerships<br />
in the second and third<br />
wicket stands.<br />
Parvez Hossain Emon<br />
(80) joined opener Prantik<br />
Nawrose Nabil (48) to hit<br />
the first 82-run stand. After<br />
Nabil's departure, Emon<br />
partnered with Mahmudul<br />
Hasan (33) to produce<br />
another 82-run partnership.<br />
Man City’s title hopes dented<br />
by 2-1 loss at Newcastle<br />
Sports Desk: Manchester City's chances<br />
of retaining the Premier League title were<br />
hit after surrendering an early lead to lose<br />
2-1 at relegation-threatened Newcastle on<br />
Tuesday, reports UNB.<br />
Matt Ritchie's 80th-minute penalty<br />
completed a remarkable turnaround by<br />
Newcastle, which fell behind to a goal<br />
from Sergio Aguero inside 25 seconds. It<br />
was the quickest goal scored in the league<br />
this season.<br />
Salomon Rondon canceled out Aguero's<br />
goal with a 66th-minute equalizer.<br />
City's loss kept Liverpool four points<br />
clear of the champions ahead of its home<br />
game against Leicester on Wednesday.<br />
City has 14 games to make up what could<br />
be a seven-point deficit.<br />
A fourth league loss of the season<br />
looked unlikely for City when David Silva<br />
slipped as he attempted to reach Raheem<br />
Sterling's cross but still managed to head<br />
the ball across the area to Aguero, who<br />
hooked home the loose ball from eight<br />
meters out.<br />
Newcastle might have been level with 13<br />
minutes gone when Ayoze Perez dispossessed<br />
full back Danilo and raced in on<br />
goal, only to drag his shot across goalkeeper<br />
Ederson and just wide. It took a<br />
goal-line clearance by Fabian Schar to<br />
deny Leroy Sane a second goal for City<br />
after Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva<br />
and Danilo combined on the stroke of<br />
halftime, but Newcastle made it to the<br />
break without further damage.<br />
The visitors resumed where they had<br />
left off with Sane drilling a 49th-minute<br />
cross just ahead of Sterling's run, while<br />
Martin Dubravka pulled off a fine reaction<br />
save to deny Silva after De Bruyne<br />
had picked him out with a sublime pass.<br />
De Bruyne made way for Bernardo Silva<br />
with 25 minutes remaining minutes after<br />
surviving appeals for a second yellow card<br />
following a challenge on Ritchie. De<br />
Bruyne had been booked in the first half<br />
for taking a free kick too quickly.<br />
He had barely reached the bench by the<br />
time Newcastle equalized, Rondon reacting<br />
quickest after Isaac Hayden helped<br />
the ball into the penalty area to volley past<br />
Ederson. And it got worse for City when<br />
Fernandinho, turning after receiving a<br />
pass, fouled Sean Longstaff inside the<br />
penalty area and Ritchie stepped up to<br />
smash the resulting penalty past Ederson.<br />
City has now lost after taking the lead<br />
against Crystal Palace, Leicester and<br />
Newcastle this season.<br />
The photo shows New Castle United's Matt Ritchie during an English<br />
Premier League soccer match against Manchester City at Saint James<br />
Park.<br />
Photo: AP<br />
Warnock proud of Cardiff<br />
response to Sala tragedy<br />
at Arsenal<br />
Sports Desk: Cardiff manager Neil<br />
Warnock revealed his pride despite losing 2-<br />
1 at Arsenal on Tuesday as the Welsh side<br />
returned to action for the first time since a<br />
plane carrying the club's record signing<br />
Emiliano Sala disappeared over the Channel<br />
Islands, reports BSS.<br />
Sala never got the chance to play for the<br />
Bluebirds as the aircraft carrying the Argentine<br />
and pilot David Ibbotson lost contact<br />
when on its way to the Welsh capital on January<br />
21 just two days after completing a o15<br />
million ($20 million) move from Nantes.<br />
Ahead of the game Warnock described the<br />
past week as the toughest of his career, but<br />
admitted the return to action was a relief and<br />
it showed as Cardiff performed admirably in<br />
the tragic circumstances.<br />
"I know we've lost a game of football but<br />
there are more important things. Tonight in<br />
the circumstances, we've only worked on the<br />
system, for 24 hours, they couldn't have given<br />
me anymore and I'm really proud to be<br />
their manager," said Warnock.<br />
"I can't explain really how it has been this<br />
week. But you've not wanted to get out of bed<br />
because everything was miserable. Nobody<br />
could actually do anything about it. It's been<br />
really difficult."<br />
Bobby Decordova-Reid volleyed wide and<br />
then headed over with two big chances as<br />
Cardiff ultimately were made to pay for not<br />
making the most of being the better side<br />
before half-time.<br />
"In the first-half, if one team deserved to<br />
score, they did," admitted Arsenal boss Unai<br />
Emery.<br />
A minute's reflection was held before kickoff<br />
and visiting Cardiff fans unveiled a banner<br />
reading: "We never saw you play and<br />
never saw you score but Emiliano our beautiful<br />
bluebird we will love you forever more."<br />
The captains of both sides also laid a bouquet<br />
of flowers on the pitch before kick-off,<br />
while Argentina shirts and flags were waved<br />
among the visiting support.<br />
"Above all our thoughts are with Emiliano<br />
Sala, his family, his friends, his club now<br />
Cardiff and his ex-club Nantes," added<br />
Emery. "I understand, above all for the coach<br />
(Warnock). He spoke with him before he<br />
signed with them and it is very difficult to<br />
prepare in this situation.<br />
"It was a very emotional match today, they<br />
worked hard in their hard moment and we<br />
can only say to them our thoughts are with<br />
them."<br />
Emery surprisingly not only recalled<br />
Mesut Ozil to the starting line-up in the Premier<br />
League for the first time since Boxing<br />
Day, but named the German captain.<br />
Ozil, though, failed to make an impact<br />
before being subbed 14 minutes from time as<br />
Arsenal again relied on the firepower of<br />
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre<br />
Lacazette to get them out of trouble.<br />
After Lacazette had two penalty claims<br />
waived away before the break, Arsenal finally<br />
clicked into gear and got the penalty they<br />
wanted midway through the second-half<br />
when Bruno Ecuele Manga tripped Sead<br />
Kolasinac as the Bosnian burst into the box.<br />
Aubameyang coolly slotted away the<br />
penalty for his 15th Premier League goal of<br />
the season to move to within one of the division's<br />
top scorer Mohamed Salah.<br />
Lacazette sealed a vital three points in<br />
Arsenal's bid for a return to the Champions<br />
League next season seven minutes from time<br />
when his angled shot had too much power<br />
for Neil Etheridge.<br />
"I know we've lost a game of football but<br />
there are more important things. Tonight in<br />
the circumstances, we've only worked on the<br />
system, for 24 hours, they couldn't have given<br />
me anymore and I'm really proud to be<br />
their manager," said Warnock.<br />
"I can't explain really how it has been this<br />
week. But you've not wanted to get out of bed<br />
because everything was miserable. Nobody<br />
could actually do anything about it. It's been<br />
really difficult."<br />
Bobby Decordova-Reid volleyed wide and<br />
then headed over with two big chances as<br />
Cardiff ultimately were made to pay for not<br />
making the most of being the better side<br />
before half-time.<br />
The Gunners remain in fifth on goal difference,<br />
but move level on points with Chelsea,<br />
who are in action at Bournemouth on<br />
Wednesday.<br />
Cardiff on the other hand remain rooted in<br />
the bottom three, but did at least grab a consolation<br />
their efforts on the night.<br />
Sri Lanka suffer<br />
more setbacks ahead<br />
of Australia Test<br />
Sports Desk: Sri Lanka's<br />
preparations for the final<br />
Test against Australia suffered<br />
further setbacks<br />
Wednesday when coach<br />
Chandika Hathurusingha<br />
was stripped of his team<br />
selection responsibilities<br />
and their batting coach<br />
returned home for personal<br />
reasons, reports BSS.<br />
Hathurusingha was officially<br />
removed from the ontour<br />
selection panel, governing<br />
body Sri Lanka Cricket<br />
(SLC) said, although it is<br />
understood he still has a say<br />
on player decisions.<br />
"The majority decision of<br />
the manager, captain and<br />
members of the selection<br />
committee shall prevail on<br />
any selection made," SLC<br />
said in a statement, without<br />
giving details about why the<br />
change was made.<br />
It added that batting coach<br />
Jon Lewis was "on leave to<br />
attend a family matter", with<br />
Avishka Gunawardena flying<br />
to Australia to replace<br />
him.<br />
The news came as injured<br />
bowlers Lahiru Kumara and<br />
Dushmantha Chameera<br />
returned home after picking<br />
up injuries in the first Test in<br />
Brisbane.<br />
Uncapped right arm fast<br />
bowler<br />
Chamika<br />
Karunaratne was picked to<br />
replace Kumara.<br />
Sri Lanka are bidding to<br />
level the two-Test series in<br />
Canberra when it gets<br />
underway on Friday, after<br />
being thrashed by Australia<br />
by an innings and 40 runs in<br />
the first Test.<br />
Sri Lanka recently lost<br />
their series against New<br />
Zealand 3-0 and face the<br />
prospect of being swept<br />
again.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS<br />
BANGLADESHTODAY 10<br />
THE<br />
THUrSDAy, JANUAry <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
Trust trumps money for<br />
Facebook with earnings due<br />
A 5 day long workshop on "Innovation in the citizen service" inaugurated in the head office of Karmasangsthan Bank on<br />
29.<strong>01</strong>.2<strong>01</strong>9. Managing director of the bank Md. Abul Hossain presided over the workshop. Additional Secretary & Chief<br />
Innovation Officer of Financial Institutions Division, Ministry of Finance Md. Nasir Uddin Ahmed was present in the<br />
meeting as chief guest. All general managers, principal and high officials of the bank were also present in the workshop.<br />
Photo: Courtesy<br />
Pound up after Brexit drop, eyes<br />
on Fed and trade talks<br />
London stocks rose and the pound<br />
rebounded slightly Wednesday after<br />
suffering heavy losses on worries about<br />
a possible no-deal Brexit, while Asian<br />
equities were mixed ahead of crunch<br />
trade talks between China and the<br />
United States.<br />
MPs on Tuesday returned to<br />
Westminster to vote on a series of<br />
proposals dealing with Britain's exit<br />
from the European Union after<br />
roundly rejecting Prime Minister<br />
Theresa May's controversial deal two<br />
weeks ago.<br />
In a closely watched series of votes,<br />
they rejected a plan to put back the<br />
date of leaving the EU if no new<br />
agreement is agreed by the end of next<br />
month. They then backed a proposal<br />
asking May to replace her deal's socalled<br />
backstop provision preventing a<br />
hard border with Ireland - a proposal<br />
immediately rejected by an EU<br />
spokesman.<br />
While observers still expect<br />
lawmakers to pass a bill that will avoid<br />
a no-deal Brexit - which economists<br />
warn could be catastrophic - the latest<br />
developments raised the prospect of it<br />
happening.<br />
"The pound fell because (the) vote<br />
leaves a no-deal Brexit on the table, but<br />
it has not collapsed into oblivion<br />
because at present there is no<br />
alternative to May's deal and we are<br />
not yet at the no-deal do-or-die<br />
moment," said Neil Wilson, chief<br />
market analyst at Markets.com.<br />
"Could she really get it through at the<br />
last? It would be a remarkable coup."<br />
But Minori Uchida, Tokyo head of<br />
global markets research at MUFG<br />
Bank, sounded a note of caution.<br />
"Players are still thinking that a hard<br />
Brexit will be avoided in the end, but<br />
the optimism is groundless," he told<br />
AFP. "Hard Brexit risks are still here."<br />
In early trade London rose 0.6<br />
percent, Paris added 0.5 percent and<br />
Frankfurt was flat.<br />
The pound sank around one percent<br />
against the dollar and the euro after<br />
the votes but it managed to edge back<br />
slightly on Wednesday.<br />
Equity markets swung as dealers<br />
look ahead to the end of the Federal<br />
Reserve's latest policy meeting later in<br />
the day, with hopes for some guidance<br />
on its plans for interest rates this year.<br />
Wednesday also sees the start of<br />
high-level US-China trade talks, with<br />
Beijing's top trade negotiator due to<br />
meet Donald Trump during the twoday<br />
gathering.<br />
However, while markets have been<br />
supported by optimism over the talks<br />
in recent weeks, the US decision<br />
Monday to charge Chinese telecom<br />
titan Huawei on several counts of fraud<br />
and tech theft has muddied the waters.<br />
Still, Treasury Secretary Steven<br />
Mnuchin insisted the two issues were<br />
not linked and said he saw the chance<br />
of a trade deal if China offered the right<br />
concessions.<br />
"Some dealers have been sitting on<br />
their hands in advance of the meeting<br />
as a hopes aren't overly high," said<br />
CMC Markets analyst David Madden.<br />
"Mnuchin… stated he expects<br />
'significant progress' to be made, but<br />
given the strained relationship<br />
between the US and China over the<br />
Huawei situation, the trade talks might<br />
suffer."<br />
Hong Kong closed up 0.4 percent,<br />
Shanghai ended down 0.7 percent and<br />
Tokyo lost 0.5 percent.<br />
Wellington, Singapore, Mumbai and<br />
Manila were all lower but Sydney<br />
edged up 0.2 percent and Seoul<br />
jumped one percent. In early trade<br />
London rose 0.6 percent, Paris added<br />
0.5 percent and Frankfurt was flat.<br />
The pound sank around one percent<br />
against the dollar and the euro after<br />
the votes but it managed to edge back<br />
slightly on Wednesday.<br />
Equity markets swung as dealers<br />
look ahead to the end of the Federal<br />
Reserve's latest policy meeting later in<br />
the day, with hopes for some guidance<br />
on its plans for interest rates this year.<br />
Wednesday also sees the start of<br />
high-level US-China trade talks, with<br />
Beijing's top trade negotiator due to<br />
meet Donald Trump during the twoday<br />
gathering.<br />
However, while markets have been<br />
supported by optimism over the talks<br />
in recent weeks, the US decision<br />
Monday to charge Chinese telecom<br />
titan Huawei on several counts of fraud<br />
and tech theft has muddied the waters.<br />
Still, Treasury Secretary Steven<br />
Mnuchin insisted the two issues were<br />
not linked and said he saw the chance<br />
of a trade deal if China offered the right<br />
concessions.<br />
"Some dealers have been sitting on<br />
their hands in advance of the meeting<br />
as a hopes aren't overly high," said<br />
CMC Markets analyst David Madden.<br />
"Mnuchin… stated he expects<br />
'significant progress' to be made, but<br />
given the strained relationship<br />
between the US and China over the<br />
Huawei situation, the trade talks might<br />
suffer." Hong Kong closed up 0.4<br />
percent, Shanghai ended down 0.7<br />
percent and Tokyo lost 0.5 percent.<br />
Wellington, Singapore, Mumbai and<br />
Manila were all lower but Sydney<br />
edged up 0.2 percent and Seoul<br />
jumped one percent.<br />
Mahanur Ummel<br />
Ara becomes<br />
Chairperson of PICL<br />
ExecutiveCommittee<br />
Noted entrepreneur of the<br />
country and director of<br />
Prime Insurance Company<br />
Limited Mahanur Ummel<br />
Ara has been elected as the<br />
new chairperson of the<br />
Executive Committee of<br />
Prime Insurance Company<br />
Ltd at its <strong>31</strong>0th board<br />
meeting held on 17th<br />
January, 2<strong>01</strong>9. a press<br />
release said.<br />
After completion of<br />
graduation she entered<br />
business and created own<br />
way. In addition of that she<br />
is a Director of Shepherd<br />
World Trade Ltd, life<br />
member of Gulshan Youth<br />
Club Limited, Gulshan<br />
Society and actively involved<br />
with a number of other<br />
social organizations.<br />
Mahanur Ummel Ara is<br />
very popular in the society<br />
for her personality and<br />
understanding.<br />
Winning back trust is seen as the key priority<br />
for Facebook as the world's biggest social<br />
network readies its update on the final<br />
months of 2<strong>01</strong>8 on Wednesday.<br />
Facebook is looking to rebound from a<br />
horrific year marked by a series of scandals<br />
over data protection and privacy and<br />
concerns that it had been manipulated by<br />
foreign interests for political purposes.<br />
Facebook so far has been able to keep<br />
revenue momentum thanks to its unique<br />
advertising model. Its global user base has<br />
risen to more than 2.2 billion, although<br />
growth has stalled in North America and<br />
Europe.<br />
In the quarter that ended in September,<br />
Facebook saw a profit of $5.14 billion on<br />
revenue that leaped 33 percent to $13.7<br />
billion. Industry tracker eMarketer expects<br />
Facebook's share of the global digital ad<br />
market to grow this year, with the social<br />
network claiming 20.5 percent of an overall<br />
$327.28 billion spent. But analysts say the<br />
trust issue is key for Facebook if it wants to<br />
move forward on its mission to connect the<br />
world. "Facebook needs a fresh start in 2<strong>01</strong>9,<br />
and what it reveals about its usage and<br />
revenue… will tell us just how feasible that<br />
fresh start will be," said<br />
eMarketer principal analyst Debra Aho<br />
Williamson. "In order for Facebook to move<br />
forward, it needs to show that its daily and<br />
monthly active user counts in the US and<br />
Canada and in Europe have stabilized, and<br />
that its ability to grow its ad revenue in those<br />
important regions has not been seriously<br />
impacted by the scandals and investigations<br />
of 2<strong>01</strong>8."<br />
Facebook has faced criticism that it has<br />
been used as a platform to spread divisive or<br />
misleading information, as was the case<br />
during the 2<strong>01</strong>6 election that put US<br />
President Donald Trump in the White<br />
House. It is also under heightened scrutiny<br />
over how it handles the sensitive personal<br />
data it collects from its users, with new<br />
privacy rules in place in Europe and<br />
legislation under consideration in<br />
Washington. "Facebook's future is going to<br />
be determined by whether users<br />
uncomfortable with being tracked disengage<br />
from using Facebook services,"<br />
said Richard Windsor, an analyst who<br />
pens the Radio Free Mobile blog. But<br />
Windsor said costs are still likely to rise<br />
much more quickly than revenues as<br />
Facebook hires more people to police its<br />
content. "The net result is further declines in<br />
the valuation to match the unwinding of<br />
profitability," he wrote. The California-based<br />
company also faces demographic challenges<br />
as younger users shift to other platforms,<br />
seeing Facebook as less cool than it was.<br />
It may be able to compensate with gains in<br />
other services, including its popular visual<br />
social network Instagram, messaging<br />
services WhatsApp and Messenger and its<br />
Oculus virtual reality division.<br />
Defending the ad model -<br />
Facebook co-founder and chief Mark<br />
Zuckerberg last week renewed his defense of<br />
the social network's business, arguing that<br />
targeting ads based on interests was different<br />
from selling people's data. "If we're<br />
committed to serving everyone, then we<br />
need a service that is affordable to everyone,"<br />
Zuckerberg wrote in The Wall Street<br />
Journal. Advertisers have generally<br />
remained true to Facebook, which lets<br />
businesses large or small precisely target<br />
messages to preferred demographics or<br />
geographies with measurable results. "There<br />
are more than 90 million small businesses<br />
on Facebook, and they make up a large part<br />
of our business," Zuckerberg wrote.<br />
"Most couldn't afford to buy TV ads or<br />
billboards, but now they have access to tools<br />
that only big companies could use before."<br />
eMarketer principal analyst Debra Aho<br />
Williamson. "In order for Facebook to move<br />
forward, it needs to show that its daily and<br />
monthly active user counts in the US and<br />
Canada and in Europe have stabilized, and<br />
that its ability to grow its ad revenue in those<br />
important regions has not been seriously<br />
impacted by the scandals and investigations<br />
of 2<strong>01</strong>8." Facebook has faced criticism that it<br />
has been used as a platform to spread<br />
divisive or misleading information, as was<br />
the case during the 2<strong>01</strong>6 election that put US<br />
President Donald Trump in the White<br />
House.<br />
It is also under heightened scrutiny over<br />
how it handles the sensitive personal data it<br />
collects from its users, with new privacy rules<br />
in place in Europe and legislation under<br />
consideration in Washington. "Facebook's<br />
future is going to be determined by whether<br />
users uncomfortable with being tracked<br />
disengage from using Facebook services,"<br />
said Richard Windsor, an analyst who<br />
pens the Radio Free Mobile blog. But<br />
Windsor said costs are still likely to rise<br />
much more quickly than revenues as<br />
Facebook hires more people to police its<br />
content.<br />
Citgo, the last gem of Venezuela's<br />
collapsed oil sector<br />
US sanctions imposed against Venezuela this<br />
week have cut off the final "gemstone" of the<br />
country's collapsed oil sector.<br />
Citgo, the US-based subsidiary of the<br />
Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, was<br />
key to President Nicolas Maduro's fight to<br />
stay in power. But Washington's financial<br />
pressures applied on Monday against<br />
PDVSA will freeze $7 billion in US-based<br />
assets and block more than $11 billion in<br />
export proceeds. With PDVSA in default on<br />
debt payments, the US-based refiner and<br />
retailer Citgo was a financial intermediary<br />
returning revenue to the regime.<br />
Venezuela got 96 percent of its hard<br />
currency revenues from oil exports, and the<br />
US was the biggest cash customer, buying<br />
half a million barrels per day. In contrast,<br />
about a third of production goes to China<br />
and Russia but is used to pay off debts. US<br />
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said<br />
Citgo can continue to operate -but its<br />
earnings must be deposited into a blocked<br />
account in the United States.<br />
The sanctions aim to cripple Maduro after<br />
the US and other countries recognized Juan<br />
Guaido, the head of the National Assembly<br />
legislature who has declared himself<br />
Venezuela's acting president.<br />
"It will crush the Venezuelan economy. It's<br />
going to have a dramatic effect," Christopher<br />
Sabatini, adjunct professor of International<br />
and Public Affairs at Columbia University,<br />
said of the sanctions. In response, Maduro<br />
told PDVSA to take action in US and<br />
international courts to defend Citgo, his last<br />
big overseas asset, which allowed the country<br />
to sell its heavy crude into the US market.<br />
Citgo is based in Houston and has three<br />
refineries that specialize in heavy crude and<br />
have a total capacity of 750,000 barrels a<br />
day, according to the company website.<br />
Founded as Cities Service Company by<br />
oilman Henry Doherty in 1910, it became<br />
wholly-owned by PDVSA in 1990.<br />
Citgo now employs 3,500 people, operates<br />
48 petroleum product terminals, and has<br />
pipelines and a network of more than 5,000<br />
service stations associated with the brand<br />
across the US.<br />
Venezuela is a member of the Organization<br />
of the Petroleum Exporting Countries<br />
(OPEC) and sits on the world's largest<br />
petroleum reserves, most of it heavy crude<br />
that is costly to produce. But the country's<br />
economy has been shrinking since 2<strong>01</strong>4, the<br />
year global oil prices collapsed. Worsening<br />
conditions have forced more than two<br />
million people to flee the<br />
country, where food and medicine are<br />
scarce and the International Monetary Fund<br />
forecasts that inflation this year will reach 10<br />
million percent. Venezuelan oil output has<br />
fallen from more than three million barrels<br />
per day in the 1990s to 1.339 mbd last year,<br />
according to OPEC data. Production has<br />
been hampered by chronic underinvestment<br />
by PDVSA. Sabatini described<br />
Citgo as "the last remaining gemstone of the<br />
Venezuelan oil empire," a company which<br />
was "the anchor to the US market."<br />
Since 2<strong>01</strong>7, Washington had already<br />
forbidden US citizens and companies from<br />
trading debt issued by Venezuela or PDVSA.<br />
"When PVDVSA began to have default and<br />
sanctions, nobody wanted to give credit to<br />
PDVSA," said Francisco Monaldi, a fellow in<br />
Latin American energy policy at Rice<br />
University in Houston.<br />
But Citgo has "a good cash flow" in the<br />
United States, which enabled the state oil<br />
firm to make purchases without having to<br />
pay up-front. The US company, for example,<br />
could buy products such as the diluent<br />
required to process heavy oil and send them<br />
back to Venezuela.<br />
"It is a strategic resource in that sense,"<br />
Monaldi said, adding that the company also<br />
allowed Venezuela to have a lobbying voice<br />
in the US oil industry.<br />
Photo shows Mahanur<br />
Ummel Ara , new chairperson<br />
of the Executive<br />
Committee of Prime<br />
Insurance Company Ltd<br />
elected at its <strong>31</strong>0th<br />
board meeting held on<br />
17th January, 2<strong>01</strong>9.<br />
Photo: Courtesy<br />
Greece raises 2.5 bn<br />
euros in first bond<br />
sale since bailout<br />
Greece on Tuesday raised 2.5<br />
billion euros (2.9 billion)<br />
from a five-year-bond, its first<br />
since exiting the last bailout,<br />
the finance minister said.<br />
"This is 36 percent of our<br />
requirements for 2<strong>01</strong>9,"<br />
finance minister Euclid<br />
Tsakalotos said in parliament,<br />
according to the state-run<br />
Athens News Agency.<br />
The yield was set at 3.6<br />
percent, Tsakalotos said.<br />
Merrill Lynch, Goldman<br />
Sachs International Bank,<br />
HSBC, JP Morgan, Morgan<br />
Stanley and Societe Generale<br />
were named as managers of<br />
the bond, which has an April<br />
2024 maturity.<br />
The previous five-year<br />
bond, in July 2<strong>01</strong>7, raised 3.0<br />
billion euros at 4.625 percent.
MISCELLANEOUS<br />
tHURSDAY, JANUARY <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9<br />
11<br />
United Arab Emirates Naval Forces Commander Rear Admiral Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamdan Bin<br />
Mohammad Al Nahyan on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on Bangladeshi Navy Chief of Staff Vice<br />
Admiral Abu Mozaffar Mohiuddin Mohammad Aurangzeb Chowdhury at Bangladeshi Navy's<br />
headquarters in Banani, Dhaka on Wednesday.<br />
Photo: ISPR<br />
China-US row over tech giant Huawei<br />
overshadows trade talks<br />
U.S. criminal charges against Chinese<br />
electronics giant Huawei have sparked<br />
a fresh round of trans-Pacific<br />
recriminations, with Beijing<br />
demanding Tuesday that Washington<br />
back off what it called an<br />
"unreasonable crackdown" on the<br />
maker of smartphones and telecom<br />
gear, reports UNB.<br />
China's foreign ministry said it<br />
would defend the "lawful rights and<br />
interests of Chinese companies" but<br />
gave no details. Huawei is the No. 2<br />
smartphone maker and an essential<br />
player in global communications<br />
networks.<br />
A day earlier, U.S. prosecutors<br />
criminally charged Huawei and<br />
several of its officials for allegedly<br />
stealing technology secrets and<br />
violating Iran sanctions. That followed<br />
the detention in Canada of the Huawei<br />
founder's daughter - a top company<br />
official who was named in one of the<br />
U.S. indictments, and who is now<br />
awaiting possible extradition to the<br />
U.S. Huawei has denied wrongdoing.<br />
All that has further complicated<br />
U.S.-China relations amid attempts to<br />
defuse a trade war instigated by<br />
President Donald Trump and clashes<br />
over alleged Chinese theft of trade<br />
secrets and other intellectual property<br />
from U.S. firms. A new round of trade<br />
talks are planned for Wednesday in<br />
Washington.<br />
The nearly two dozen charges<br />
unsealed Monday by the Justice<br />
Department accuse Huawei of trying<br />
to spirit a robot arm and other<br />
technology out of a T-Mobile<br />
Amar Ekushey book<br />
fair begins Feb 1<br />
DHAKA : The month-long<br />
Amar Ekushey book fair is<br />
set to begin on Bangla<br />
Academy and its adjoining<br />
Suhrawardy Udyan<br />
premises on February 1.<br />
"Prime Minister Sheikh<br />
Hasina is expected to<br />
inaugurate the fair on<br />
Bangla Academy premises,"<br />
Dr Jalal Ahmed, director of<br />
Bangla Academy and<br />
member secretary of<br />
Ekushey Book Fair<br />
Committee, told BSS .<br />
He said all the<br />
preparations regarding the<br />
fair are going on in full swing<br />
as only a day is left for the<br />
fair.<br />
"This year's theme "Bijoy<br />
1952-71: New Phase" will<br />
inspire the new generation<br />
with the spirit of Liberation<br />
War, he added.<br />
Meanwhile, Bangle<br />
academy will hold a press<br />
conference at 11:30 am<br />
tomorrow.<br />
Director General of Bangla<br />
Academy Habibullah Siraji,<br />
Poet Shankhar Ghosh,<br />
Misrian Writer Mohsin-Al-<br />
Harisi and Cultural Affairs<br />
Ministry's high officials will<br />
attend the press conference.<br />
The government has<br />
allocated 750 units under 24<br />
pavilions for publication<br />
houses.<br />
Highlighting security<br />
measures, he said<br />
authorities concerned are<br />
taking necessary<br />
preparations to ensure<br />
safety for visitors.<br />
smartphone testing lab. They also<br />
allege that Huawei, two subsidiaries<br />
and a top executive misled banks<br />
about the company's business and<br />
violating U.S. sanctions.<br />
The allegations mark a new phase in<br />
the dispute between the two countries<br />
over global technological dominance.<br />
The U.S. has reportedly waged a<br />
campaign to discourage other nations<br />
from using Huawei<br />
telecommunications equipment for<br />
next-generation "5G" wireless<br />
networks, based on concerns that the<br />
Huawei gear might compromise<br />
national security. U.S. intelligence<br />
chiefs who briefed Congress on<br />
worldwide threats Tuesday sounded<br />
the alarm about China's efforts to gain<br />
an edge over the United States.<br />
"China's pursuit of intellectual<br />
property, sensitive research and<br />
development plans ... remain a<br />
significant threat to the United States<br />
government and the private sector,"<br />
Director of National Intelligence<br />
Daniel Coats told the Senate<br />
Intelligence Committee.<br />
"While we were sleeping in the last<br />
decade and a half, China had a<br />
remarkable rise in capabilities that are<br />
stunning," Coats said. "A lot of that<br />
was achieved - a significant amount<br />
was achieved by stealing information<br />
from our companies."<br />
On Tuesday, Australia's TPG<br />
Telecom said it abandoned plans to<br />
build what would have been the<br />
country's fourth mobile network<br />
because of a government ban on<br />
Huawei over security concerns. Last<br />
Directly contradicting President Donald<br />
Trump, U.S. intelligence agencies told<br />
Congress on Tuesday that North Korea is<br />
unlikely to dismantle its nuclear arsenal,<br />
that the Islamic State group remains a<br />
threat and that the Iran nuclear deal is<br />
working. The chiefs made no mention of a<br />
crisis at the U.S.-Mexican border for<br />
which Trump has considered declaring a<br />
national emergency, reports UNB.<br />
Their analysis stands in sharp contrast<br />
to Trump's almost singular focus on<br />
security gaps at the border as the biggest<br />
threat facing the United States.<br />
Top security officials including FBI<br />
Director Christopher Wray, CIA Director<br />
Gina Haspel and Director of National<br />
Intelligence Dan Coats presented an<br />
update to the Senate intelligence<br />
committee on Tuesday on their annual<br />
assessment of global threats. They<br />
warned of an increasingly diverse range of<br />
security dangers around the globe, from<br />
North Korean nuclear weapons to<br />
Chinese cyberespionage to Russian<br />
campaigns to undermine Western<br />
democracies.<br />
Coats said intelligence information does<br />
not support the idea that North Korean<br />
leader Kim Jong Un will eliminate his<br />
nuclear weapons and the capacity for<br />
building more - a notion that is the basis<br />
of the U.S. negotiating strategy.<br />
"We currently assess that North Korea<br />
will seek to retain its WMD (weapons of<br />
mass destruction) capabilities and is<br />
unlikely to completely give up its nuclear<br />
weapons and production capability<br />
because its leaders ultimately view<br />
nuclear weapons as critical to regime<br />
survival," Coats told the committee.<br />
Coats did note that North Korean leader<br />
Kim Jong Un has expressed support for<br />
week Vodafone, one of the world's<br />
biggest mobile phone companies, said<br />
it would stop using Huawei gear in its<br />
core networks.<br />
China's foreign ministry said it<br />
would defend the "lawful rights and<br />
interests of Chinese companies" but<br />
gave no details. Huawei is the No. 2<br />
smartphone maker and an essential<br />
player in global communications<br />
networks.<br />
A day earlier, U.S. prosecutors<br />
criminally charged Huawei and<br />
several of its officials for allegedly<br />
stealing technology secrets and<br />
violating Iran sanctions. That followed<br />
the detention in Canada of the Huawei<br />
founder's daughter - a top company<br />
official who was named in one of the<br />
U.S. indictments, and who is now<br />
awaiting possible extradition to the<br />
U.S. Huawei has denied wrongdoing.<br />
All that has further complicated<br />
U.S.-China relations amid attempts to<br />
defuse a trade war instigated by<br />
President Donald Trump and clashes<br />
over alleged Chinese theft of trade<br />
secrets and other intellectual property<br />
from U.S. firms. A new round of trade<br />
talks are planned for Wednesday in<br />
Washington.<br />
The nearly two dozen charges<br />
unsealed Monday by the Justice<br />
Department accuse Huawei of trying<br />
to spirit a robot arm and other<br />
technology out of a T-Mobile<br />
smartphone testing lab. They also<br />
allege that Huawei, two subsidiaries<br />
and a top executive misled banks<br />
about the company's business and<br />
violating U.S. sanctions.<br />
US intel heads list North Korea,<br />
not border, as threat to US<br />
ridding the Korean Peninsula of nuclear<br />
weapons and over the past year has not<br />
test-fired a nuclear-capable missile or<br />
conducted a nuclear test.<br />
The "Worldwide Threat Assessment"<br />
report on which Coats based his<br />
testimony said U.S. intelligence continues<br />
to "observe activity inconsistent with" full<br />
nuclear disarmament by the North. "In<br />
addition, North Korea has for years<br />
underscored its commitment to nuclear<br />
arms, including through an order in 2<strong>01</strong>8<br />
to mass-produce weapons and an earlier<br />
law - and constitutional change -<br />
affirming the country's nuclear status," it<br />
said.<br />
Directly contradicting President Donald<br />
Trump, U.S. intelligence agencies told<br />
Congress on Tuesday that North Korea is<br />
unlikely to dismantle its nuclear arsenal,<br />
that the Islamic State group remains a<br />
threat and that the Iran nuclear deal is<br />
working. The chiefs made no mention of a<br />
crisis at the U.S.-Mexican border for<br />
which Trump has considered declaring a<br />
national emergency, reports UNB.<br />
Their analysis stands in sharp contrast<br />
to Trump's almost singular focus on<br />
security gaps at the border as the biggest<br />
threat facing the United States.<br />
Top security officials including FBI<br />
Director Christopher Wray, CIA Director<br />
Gina Haspel and Director of National<br />
Intelligence Dan Coats presented an<br />
update to the Senate intelligence<br />
committee on Tuesday on their annual<br />
assessment of global threats. They<br />
warned of an increasingly diverse range of<br />
security dangers around the globe, from<br />
North Korean nuclear weapons to<br />
Chinese cyberespionage to Russian<br />
campaigns to undermine Western<br />
democracies.<br />
UAE Navy<br />
commander calls<br />
on Bangladesh<br />
Navy chief<br />
United Arab Emirates<br />
Naval Forces Commander<br />
Rear Admiral Sheikh Saeed<br />
Bin Hamdan Bin<br />
Mohammad Al Nahyan has<br />
paid a courtesy call on<br />
Bangladeshi Navy Chief of<br />
Staff Vice Admiral Abu<br />
Mozaffar Mohiuddin<br />
Mohammad Aurangzeb<br />
Chowdhury, an ISPR press<br />
release said.<br />
Al Nahyan was greeted by<br />
a well-equipped Navy party<br />
and a guard of honour<br />
when he went to meet<br />
Aurangzeb Chowdhury at<br />
the navy headquarters in<br />
Dhaka's Banani on<br />
Wednesday.<br />
During the courtesy call,<br />
the navy chiefs of the two<br />
countries exchanged<br />
greetings. Aurangzeb<br />
Chowdhury also thanked Al<br />
Nahyan for his visit to<br />
Bangladesh.<br />
He emphasized the<br />
importance<br />
of<br />
strengthening the friendly<br />
relations between the two<br />
countries.<br />
The Navy chief also<br />
mentioned the two<br />
countries should undertake<br />
joint training programs that<br />
strengthen maritime<br />
research and improve on<br />
the countries' friendly<br />
relations and professional<br />
skills.<br />
During the visit,<br />
Mohammad Al Nahyan<br />
met Prime Minister Sheikh<br />
Hasina, and the Army and<br />
Air Force chiefs.<br />
Among others, the<br />
Defence Attaché of Saudi<br />
Arabia, Bangladesh's<br />
Defence Attaché in Saudi<br />
Arabia, PSOs of Naval<br />
Headquarters, and highlevel<br />
military officials were<br />
present at the meeting.<br />
GD-174/19 (11 x 4)<br />
Federal investigators win access<br />
to limo in deadly crash<br />
Federal investigators will finally be able to<br />
examine the stretch limousine in an October<br />
crash that killed 20 people, ending an<br />
increasingly testy impasse with local<br />
prosecutors over who has priority to probe<br />
the nation's deadliest transportation<br />
disaster in nearly a decade, reports UNB.<br />
Under the deal reached Tuesday in<br />
Schoharie County court, prosecutors<br />
bringing charges against the limo company's<br />
operator will be able to remove auto parts<br />
potentially crucial to the criminal<br />
investigation before National<br />
Transportation Safety Board inspectors<br />
begin a hands-on inspection within the next<br />
two weeks.<br />
The modified 20<strong>01</strong> Ford Excursion blew<br />
through a stop sign at a T-intersection on<br />
Oct. 6 in rural Schoharie and crashed beside<br />
a country store, killing the driver, 17<br />
passengers on a birthday outing and two<br />
pedestrians. The damaged vehicle has sat for<br />
months beneath a tent behind state police<br />
headquarters outside Albany.<br />
"All I'm interested in is making sure<br />
everyone is able to do what they're charged<br />
with doing," Schoharie County Judge<br />
George Bartlett said during the hearing.<br />
NTSB lawyers had argued that federal<br />
inspectors were prevented from getting<br />
within 15 feet of the crashed limo, and that<br />
their inability to make a detailed inspection<br />
unnecessarily delayed potentially crucial<br />
safety recommendations that could be<br />
applied to limos nationwide.<br />
Schoharie County District Attorney Susan<br />
Mallery argued that criminal trials take<br />
precedence and that her office dictates<br />
access to all evidence.<br />
Under the deal, the NTSB can visually<br />
inspect the limousine as early as Tuesday<br />
and take photographs. After that, police<br />
experts will be clear to remove the limo's<br />
transmission and torque converter as part of<br />
the criminal investigation. The NTSB can<br />
then proceed with a hands-on inspection,<br />
which is expected to begin within the next<br />
two weeks.<br />
NTSB investigators will be able to perform<br />
their entire post-accident protocol "except<br />
take brake fluid, because there is an<br />
insufficient amount available," according to<br />
the agreement read in court after lawyers for<br />
the prosecution, state police, the defense<br />
and NTSB met privately.<br />
Instead, state police will send a report on<br />
the brake fluid testing to the NTSB<br />
investigators, "who have agreed not to make<br />
it public until completion of the criminal<br />
case," according to the agreement.<br />
NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss did not have<br />
an estimate on when the board would<br />
release those findings, stressing that the<br />
agreement applies only to brake fluid<br />
testing.<br />
Agency inspectors will be able to examine<br />
components removed from the limo, along<br />
with defense experts, "later in the criminal<br />
process," the agreement said.<br />
Federal investigators will finally be able to<br />
examine the stretch limousine in an October<br />
crash that killed 20 people, ending an<br />
increasingly testy impasse with local<br />
prosecutors over who has priority to probe<br />
the nation's deadliest transportation<br />
disaster in nearly a decade, reports UNB.<br />
Under the deal reached Tuesday in<br />
Schoharie County court, prosecutors<br />
bringing charges against the limo company's<br />
operator will be able to remove auto parts<br />
potentially crucial to the criminal<br />
investigation before National<br />
Transportation Safety Board inspectors<br />
begin a hands-on inspection within the next<br />
two weeks.<br />
The modified 20<strong>01</strong> Ford Excursion blew<br />
through a stop sign at a T-intersection on<br />
Oct. 6 in rural Schoharie and crashed beside<br />
a country store, killing the driver, 17<br />
passengers on a birthday outing and two<br />
pedestrians. The damaged vehicle has sat for<br />
months beneath a tent behind state police<br />
headquarters outside Albany.<br />
"All I'm interested in is making sure<br />
everyone is able to do what they're charged<br />
with doing," Schoharie County Judge<br />
George Bartlett said during the hearing.<br />
NTSB lawyers had argued that federal<br />
inspectors were prevented from getting<br />
within 15 feet of the crashed limo, and that<br />
their inability to make a detailed inspection<br />
unnecessarily delayed potentially crucial<br />
safety recommendations that could be<br />
applied to limos nationwide.<br />
Schoharie County District Attorney Susan<br />
Mallery argued that criminal trials take<br />
precedence and that her office dictates<br />
access to all evidence.
THuRSDAy, DHAKA, JANuARy <strong>31</strong>, 2<strong>01</strong>9, MAGH 18, 1425 BS, JAMADIul AWAl 24, 1440 HIJRI<br />
President Md Abdul Hamid administering oath to newly elected speaker Dr Shirin Sarmin<br />
Chowdhury at National Parliament on Wednesday.<br />
Photo: Star Mail<br />
Syed Ashraf's sister<br />
submits nomination<br />
form for Kishoreganj-1<br />
KISHOREGANJ : Dr Syeda<br />
Zakia Nur Lipi, younger sister<br />
of latepublic administration<br />
minister Syed Ashraful<br />
Islam, has submitted the<br />
nomination form she collected<br />
from Awami League to<br />
run for the Kishoreganj-1<br />
seat, reports UNB.<br />
Syeda Zakia submitted the<br />
form to the returning officer Md<br />
Jahirul Islam on Wednesday<br />
while District AL President<br />
Advocate Kamrul Ahsan<br />
Shahjahan, General Secretary Ad<br />
MA Afjal among other party leaders<br />
and activists were present.<br />
The constituency fell vacant<br />
after the death of former<br />
Awami League general secretary<br />
Syed Ashraful Islam who<br />
was reelected MP from the<br />
constituency in the December<br />
30 national election.<br />
Their father Syed Nazrul<br />
Islam, the acting President<br />
of Bangladesh during the<br />
Liberation War, was among<br />
four national leaders who<br />
were killed in jail in 1975.<br />
Dr Shirin Sharmin re-elected<br />
Speaker for 3rd time<br />
Md Fazle Rabbi Miah as deputy speaker<br />
SANGSADBHABAN : For the first time in<br />
Bangladesh history, parliament on<br />
Wednesday elected Dr Shirin Sharmin<br />
Chaudhury the Speaker for the third consecutive<br />
term, reports UNB.<br />
The attending MPs of the newly-formed 11th<br />
Jatiya Sangsad unanimously elected Dr<br />
Chaudhury, the lone candidate, by voice vote<br />
as Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah, who was<br />
presiding over the session, placed it for<br />
endorsement. The MPs, including Prime<br />
Minister Sheikh Hasina, shouted 'yes' in<br />
favour of the proposal made by Awami League<br />
general secretary Obaidul Quader and seconded<br />
by Chief Whip Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury.<br />
With Fazle Rabbi Miah in the chair, the<br />
assembly started the Speaker election on the<br />
first day of the opening session of the 11th parliament<br />
formed through the December-30<br />
general election.<br />
The maiden session of the new parliament<br />
began at 3pm with Deputy Speaker Fazle<br />
Rabbi Miah in the chair as the outgoing<br />
Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was<br />
the Speaker candidate.<br />
Immediately after the election, the sitting<br />
was adjourned for 20 minutes for taking oath<br />
by the newly-elected Speaker.<br />
President M Abdul Hamid administered the<br />
oath to Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury at the former's<br />
office in Parliament. Parliament Senior<br />
Secretary Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan conducted the<br />
oath-taking ceremony. The sitting of the House<br />
resumed at 3:53pm with new Speaker Dr Shirin<br />
Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.<br />
The House re-elected Md Fazle Rabbi Miah<br />
as deputy speaker unanimously by voice vote.<br />
Whip Atiur Rahman Atik proposed Fazle<br />
Rabbi's name for electing him the Deputy<br />
Speaker, while another Whip Iqbalur Rahman<br />
seconded the proposal.<br />
Despite having the single candidate for the<br />
post, Dr Shirin placed it in the House for vote as<br />
per the rules. Fazle Rabbi was elected uncontested<br />
as there is no other candidate for the post.<br />
Later, President M Abdul Hamid administered<br />
the oath to Fazle Rabbi Miah at the former's<br />
office in Parliament.<br />
In the December-30 general election, Dr<br />
Shirin Sharmin Chaudury was elected MP<br />
from Rangpur-6, while Fazle Rabbi Miah from<br />
Gaibandha-5.<br />
Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was first<br />
elected Speaker on April 30, 2<strong>01</strong>3.<br />
Ex joint secy<br />
gets 5-yr jail<br />
in graft case<br />
DHAKA : A court here on<br />
Wednesday sentenced former<br />
joint secretary Rafiqul<br />
Mohamed to five years jail<br />
in a case filed for embezzling<br />
government property<br />
through forgery, reports<br />
UNB.<br />
Special Judge court-4<br />
judge Sheikh Najmul Alam<br />
pronounced the verdict in<br />
presence of the convicts.<br />
The court also fined him<br />
TK 25,000, in default, to<br />
suffer three months more<br />
imprisonment.<br />
When the case was filed,<br />
Rafiqul was an assistant<br />
commissioner of the<br />
National Housing Authority.<br />
The court also sentenced<br />
Morol Kafil, senior assistant<br />
and Abdul Jalil, junior<br />
assistant of NHA, to three<br />
years jail and fined them Tk<br />
10,000, each, in default,<br />
they have suffer three<br />
months more in jail.<br />
According to the case<br />
statement, one of the<br />
accused Abul Hashem<br />
Mollah, who died during<br />
the trial, took re-allotment<br />
of the government plot concealing<br />
information and<br />
showing fake papers. The<br />
convicts embezzled government<br />
property in collusion<br />
with each other and abusing<br />
power for their personal<br />
benefit.<br />
A n t i - C o r r u p t i o n<br />
Commission inspector Md<br />
Roisuddin filed the case<br />
against the four people with<br />
Ramna Police Station on<br />
June 30, 2003.<br />
Later, ACC deputy director<br />
Reva Halder submitted<br />
chargesheet against them<br />
on March 15, 2009 and the<br />
court framed charges<br />
against them on October<br />
26, 2009.<br />
PM seeks int'l community's support<br />
again to send back Rohingyas<br />
DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on<br />
Wednesday renewed her call to the international<br />
community to force Myanmar to take<br />
back its over one million Rohingya nationals<br />
living in Bangladesh, reports UNB.<br />
"Myanmar must take their nationals back<br />
and the international community should help<br />
Bangladesh send back the Rohingyas from<br />
Bangladesh," she said.<br />
The Prime Minister said this when visiting<br />
Special Envoy of Prime Minister and Deputy<br />
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Nguyen<br />
Quoc Dzung met her at her official residence<br />
Ganobhaban.<br />
PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed<br />
reporters after the meeting. He said the Prime<br />
Minister mentioned that Bangladesh has prepared<br />
a temporary shelter for the Rohingyas at<br />
Bhashan Char to provide them with a better<br />
living place.<br />
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh and<br />
Myanmar have already signed agreements for<br />
sending back Rohingyas. "But, the implementation<br />
process is being delayed."<br />
Mentioning that Vietnam has vast experience<br />
in developing agricultural sector, the<br />
Prime Minister said Bangladesh would take<br />
support from them for further development of<br />
this sector here. She said Bangladesh has given<br />
importance to connectivity with Vietnam and<br />
emphasised enhancing trade and business.<br />
Both Bangladesh and Vietnam struggled a<br />
lot for their independence, Hasina said adding<br />
that when she was a student she closely<br />
observed the struggle for independence of<br />
Vietnam. After Bangladesh's independence,<br />
she mentioned, a youth delegation visited<br />
Vietnam where her younger brother was a<br />
member of that team.<br />
Special Envoy of Prime Minister and Deputy<br />
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Nguyen<br />
Quoc Dzung said the government and the people<br />
of Vietnam were very much happy at the<br />
reelection of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.<br />
He said Bangladesh and Vietnam are traditional<br />
friends and both have lots of similarity.<br />
He emphasised the enhancement of peopleto-people<br />
contact. About the Rohingya issue,<br />
Nguyen Quoc Dzung highly appreciated the<br />
humanitarian efforts of Bangladesh for giving<br />
shelter to the refugees. "This is a huge burden<br />
on Bangladesh," he added.<br />
Nguyen Quoc Dzung said his country will<br />
donate USD 50,000 as part of their solidarity<br />
to Bangladesh on the Rohingya issue.<br />
He also put emphasis on enhancing connectivity<br />
alongside trade and business between<br />
the two friendly countries.<br />
Nguyen invited Prime Minister Sheikh<br />
Hasina to visit Vietnam at her convenient<br />
time. PMO secretary Sajjadul Hassan was<br />
present during meeting.<br />
BR to commission 15 modern BG coaches<br />
DHAKA : Bangladesh Railway (BR) is going<br />
to add 15 brand-new broad gauge (BG)<br />
coaches with most modern facilities to its<br />
fleet within two months to offer smooth and<br />
comfortable journey to the commuters.<br />
Officials said the first consignment of 15<br />
coaches has reached Chattogram port and<br />
the coaches were scheduled to be unloaded<br />
tomorrow.<br />
BR General Manager and Project Director<br />
Harun-Ar-Rashid yesterday said they are<br />
procuring 200 coaches - 150 for meter<br />
gauge lines and 50 for broad gauge - from<br />
Indonesia as part of its modernization initiative.<br />
"The 15 coaches would be first taken to<br />
Tongi by special arrangement and then<br />
placed on Bangabanhdu Bridge towards<br />
Syedpur," he said. "In Syedpur, different<br />
types of test would be carried out before<br />
commissioning."<br />
Replying to a query, Harun said: "It would<br />
not take more than two months anyhow to<br />
commission the coaches."<br />
He said the government high-ups would<br />
decide where the coaches would be<br />
deployed for carrying passenger.<br />
The BR General Manager said the coaches<br />
have the option of all types of modern<br />
facilities such as WiFi, charging port, TV,<br />
special washroom etc to facilitate a comfortable<br />
journey for the commuters.<br />
The Incredible Magdeburg<br />
Water Bridge in Germany<br />
INTERESTING NEWS<br />
The Magdeburg Water Bridge is a navigable<br />
aqueduct in Germany that connects<br />
the Elbe-Havel Canal to the<br />
Mittelland Canal, and allows ships to<br />
cross over the Elbe River. At 918 meters,<br />
it is the longest navigable aqueduct in<br />
the world.<br />
The Elbe-Havel and Mittelland<br />
canals had previously met near<br />
Magdeburg but on opposite sides of the<br />
Elbe. Ships moving between the two<br />
had to make a 12-kilometer detour,<br />
descending from the Mittelland Canal<br />
through the Rothensee boat lift into the<br />
Elbe, then sailing downstream on the<br />
river, before entering the Elbe-Havel<br />
Canal through Niegripp lock. Low<br />
water levels in the Elbe often prevented<br />
fully laden canal barges from making<br />
this crossing, requiring time-consuming<br />
off-loading of cargo.<br />
Construction of the water link was<br />
started as early as in the 1930s but due<br />
to the World War 2 and subsequent<br />
division of Germany the work remained<br />
suspended till 1997. The aqueduct was<br />
finally completed and opened to the<br />
public in 2003.<br />
DMP chief vows<br />
to end extortion,<br />
harassment of<br />
women<br />
DHAKA : Dhaka Metropolitan<br />
Police (DMP) Commissioner<br />
Asaduzzaman Mia on<br />
Wednesday promised to<br />
provide better security for<br />
the capital's residents,<br />
reports UNB.<br />
"We want to turn Dhaka<br />
into a city where no-one<br />
will harass women, where<br />
businessmen won't have to<br />
pay extortion, and no-one<br />
will grab expatriates' land,"<br />
he said at a police week-<br />
2<strong>01</strong>9 rally at DMP headquarters.<br />
He urged policemen to<br />
perform their duties properly,<br />
not to harass anyone<br />
and to make sure that people<br />
get desired services<br />
from them.<br />
Asaduzzaman discouraged<br />
policemen to take<br />
bribes in the pretext of tips<br />
or misuse their power. He<br />
said they should stand by<br />
the innocent people and<br />
give them courage.<br />
"We would like to pledge<br />
that with the assistance of<br />
the city's residents, we will<br />
eliminate drugs. There will<br />
be no snatching either," the<br />
DMP chief said. "We want to<br />
gift the people a safe city."<br />
He said they had taken a<br />
tough stance against drugs.<br />
"It won't take time to bring<br />
the drug lords to book," he<br />
said.<br />
Joshore BGP officials greeted the representative team of Indian BSF with flower for a flag meeting<br />
at Benapole yesterday.<br />
Photo: Star Mail<br />
TIB report faulty, politically<br />
motivated:Info Minister<br />
DHAKA : Rejecting the report of<br />
Transparency International, Bangladesh<br />
(TIB), Information Minister Hasan Mahmud<br />
on Wednesday said the report is faulty and<br />
politically motivated, reports UNB.<br />
The minister came up with the remarks<br />
while talking to reporters at the secretariat on<br />
the TIB report.<br />
According to the TIB report unveiled on<br />
Tuesday, Bangladesh ranks second most corrupt<br />
country in South Asia while 149 in the<br />
world, the 13th from the bottom.<br />
"The method the TIB followed in preparing<br />
the graft index was faulty. They didn't make it<br />
clear which method they followed. That<br />
means their methodology is faulty," he said.<br />
"If there's any specific allegation, I would<br />
like to request TIB to inform the government<br />
and the Anti-Corruption Commission. The<br />
government will take action," said the minister.<br />
Responding to a question whether they will<br />
reject the report, he said, "Definitely... it's a<br />
motivated report."<br />
Replying to a question the minister said,<br />
"The ACC has already sought explanation<br />
from them over the report. I'll also ask TIB to<br />
tell ACC on which information they made the<br />
report."<br />
He said earlier TIB published another<br />
report ahead of the general election to<br />
implement BNP's agenda. "There was 80<br />
percent similarity of their report with the<br />
allegations of BNP. So, it's clear that they<br />
want to implement the agenda of a specific<br />
political party."<br />
Hasan Mahmud said TIB also raised voice<br />
that there had been corruption in Padma<br />
Bridge project and then the World Bank<br />
stopped financing the project. However, the<br />
allegation was proved wrong later, he said.<br />
The World Bank filed a case with the court<br />
of Canada where it was defeated, he said<br />
adding, "We thought TIB would seek mercy<br />
from the nation after their defeat, but they<br />
didn't," said the minister.<br />
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has<br />
announced zero tolerance against corruption.<br />
When Bangladesh is being praised globally<br />
and by the World Bank for curbing corruption<br />
at that moment TIB has published a<br />
faulty report to defame the country's people."<br />
BNP to present<br />
whitepaper on vote<br />
'irregularities':<br />
Moudud<br />
DHAKA : BNP senior leader<br />
Moudud Ahmed on<br />
Wednesday said their party<br />
will present a whitepaper on<br />
the 'irregularities' of the 11th<br />
parliamentary election.<br />
Speaking at a human chain<br />
programme, he also called upon<br />
BNP leaders and activists to<br />
wage a united movement to<br />
force the government to hold a<br />
fresh and credible election within<br />
the next six months.<br />
"The new parliament which<br />
is going into session doesn't<br />
represent people. It's also not<br />
formed with people's votes.<br />
We'll come up with a whitepaper<br />
based on what happened<br />
during the election (held on<br />
Dec 30)," the BNP leader said.<br />
He further said, "In the<br />
whitepaper, you'll see how<br />
people lost their voting rights<br />
in the election as only five to<br />
seven percent people could go<br />
to polling stations.<br />
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.<br />
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