04-03-2019

monDaY 

DhAkA: March 4, 2019; Falgun 20, 1425 BS; Jamadi-us Sanni 26,1440 hijri 

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www. tbtbangla.com 

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.17; No.37; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00 

international 

Sanders returns to 

NY roots, says he 

can defeat Trump 

>Page7 

art & culture 

Alia Bhatt working 

with her father 

in Sadak 

>Page 8 

sport 

Barcelona beat Real 

Madrid to edge 

closer to La Liga title 

>Page 9 

'Quader not 

out of danger', 

says BSMMU 

physician 

DHAKA : The condition of Road, 

Transport and Bridges Minister 

Obaidul Quader is 'still critical and 

not out of danger', said Professor Dr 

Syed Ali Ahsan, Chairman of 

Cardiology Department of 

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical 

University (BSMMU). 

He said this while briefing reporters 

at the hospital, reports UNB. 

Dr Ahsan said the minister's condition 

is now better than the time when 

he was brought to the hospital. "But, 

his condition is still critical and not 

out of danger," said the physician 

adding that he will be kept under 

intensive care for the next 72 hours. 

Quader, also general secretary of 

Awami League, was admitted to the 

hospital after he fell sick on Sunday 

morning. 

Senior Public Relations Officer Abu 

Naser of Roads and Highways 

Division said Obaidul Quader, complained 

of breathing problem after 

Fazr prayers. Then he was taken to 

the BSMMU. 

Quader's personal secretary 

Gautam Chandra said the minister 

was admitted to the CCU of the hospital 

around 8:30am. 

He said a medical board, led by 

BSMMU Vice Chancellor Prof Kanak 

Kanti Barua, has been formed for the 

treatment of the minister. 

The board said Quader might be 

taken abroad for better treatment. 

Earlier in the morning, Dr Barua 

told the media that doctors found 

three blockages in his coronary artery 

following an angiogram. 

Home Minister Asaduzzaman 

Khan Kamal, Prime Minister's 

Political Affairs Adviser HT Imam 

and Education Minister Dr Dipu 

Moni visited him at the hospital. 

'First' Bangladeshi 

to run for Australia 

parliament 

DHAKA : Sabrin Farooqui has become 

the first female Bangladeshi origin who 

received Australian Labor Party (ALP) 

nomination for a parliamentary seat in 

the upcoming state election due on 

March 23, reports UNB. 

She will contest a seat on New 

South Wales (NSW) Legislative 

Council, according to an Australian 

news portal. The NSW Council, often 

referred to as the upper house, is one 

of the two chambers in the New South 

Wales state parliament in Australia. 

Born and brought up in Bangladesh, 

Sabrin studied in the University of 

Dhaka before flying to Sydney as an 

international student in 2004. She 

completed her Masters from the 

University of New South Wales and 

PhD from the Faculty of Education 

from the University of Sydney. 

Sabrin received "Best Research 

Student Award" from Sydney 

University for her work on assessment 

and pedagogy in English as 

Foreign Language (EFL) context. As 

part of her research works, she highlighted 

various issues and solutions 

for the educational system in 

Bangladesh. 

Zohr 

05:05 AM 

12:14 PM 

04:24 PM 

06:06 PM 

07:19 PM 

6:18 6:03 

Quader's condition 

improving but not stable, 

BSMMU physicians say 

DHAKA : Physicians at Bangabandhu 

Sheikh Mujib Medical University 

(BSMMU) on Sunday said minister 

Obaidul Quader's health condition is 

improving slightly but his is not stable 

yet, reports UNB. 

"We're optimistic about the recovery 

of Obaidul Quader but he's not 

out of danger. It's a matter of time," 

said BSMMU cardiology department 

chairman Prof Syed Ali Ahsan 

while at a press briefing at the 

BSMMU in the afternoon. 

"Quader is blinking his eyes and 

trying to talk to others. If his condition 

remains stable, we'll go for a 

bypass surgery. He's now in critical 

condition," said Syed Ali Ahsan at 

the briefing. 

BSMMU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr 

Kanak Kanti Barua said, "Quader is 

responding to others." 

Replying to a question, Dr Kanak 

Kanti, said, "Prime Minister Sheikh 

Hasina told them that the ailing 

minister will be taken abroad for 

better treatment with the consent of 

DHAKA : For the third successive year, 

the government has decided to observe 

a one-minute 'blackout' programme on 

the night of March 25, marking the 

'Genocide Day'. 

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan 

Kamal came up with the information 

after a meeting at the conference room 

of the ministry in presence of top officials 

of the law enforcement agencies on 

observing the 'Genocide Day' on March 

25 and the Independence Day on 

March 26, reports UNB. 

The 'blackout' programme will be 

observed for one minute from 9:00 pm 

on March 25, he said. 

Everyone will switch their light off. 

The information about the programme 

will be disseminated through media. 

Additional security measures will also 

be taken on the occasion, said the 

Minister. 

However, establishments of emergency 

services will remain out of the 

purview of the programme, said 

Asaduzzaman. 

Besides, measures will be taken to 

maintain security at Savar National 

Mausoleum, Martyred Intellectuals 

Memorial at Rayerbazar and 

Suhrawardy Udyan, he said. 

the physicians." 

Asked about the arrival of a 

Singapore medical team, the 

BSMMU VC said, "It'll be monitored 

by the Prime Minister's Office. We'll 

allow Quader to take him to 

Singapore if we see there is adequate 

manpower and expertise in 

the team." 

BSMMU Director Brig Gen 

Abdullah Al Harun and some other 

physicians of the hospital were present 

at the press briefing. 

Earlier, President Abdul Hamid 

and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 

visited the ailing Minister at 

BSMMU. 

Obaidul Quader, also general secretary 

of Awami League, was admitted 

to the CCU of BSMMU in the 

morning following his breathing 

complications. 

Doctors found three blockages in 

his coronary artery following an 

angiogram, BSMMU cardiology 

department chairman Prof Syed Ali 

Ahsan. 

One- minute 'blackout' to 

mark 'Genocide Day' on 

March 25 : Minister 

A march-past program will be held at 

Bangabandhu National Stadium to 

observe the Independence Day and 

National Day, the minister added. 

"We must ensure that flags are hoisted 

properly. The size and color to be 

used for making the flags will be monitored," 

he said. 

The Minister also said that there will 

be arrangements for transporting the 

foreign diplomats. 

Medical services, water supply and 

utility services will be ensured for 

holding the programmes peacefully, 

he said. 

A special diet will be provided in jails, 

hospitals and orphanages marking the day. 

Replying to a question about the 

Chawkbazar fire incident, the Minister 

said, probe report will be released within 

the shortest possible time as it's 

almost ready. 

"All chemical godowns in Old Dhaka 

must be removed despite all barriers," 

he assured. 

In 2017, the government officially 

declared March 25 as 'Genocide Day', 

marking the widespread killings by 

Pakistani Army on the unarmed 

Bengalis on the black night of March 

25, 1971. 

New Zealand beat Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs in the first test at Seddon Park on Sunday to 

lead the three-match series 1-0. 

Photo: AP 

On Sunday, two specialist doctors of Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore have reached in BSMMU for 

the treatment of General Secretary of Awami league Obaidul Quader. 

Photo: Star Mail 

Medical team from 

S’pore at BSMMU 

to treat Quader 

Desk Report : A four-member medical 

team from Singapore arrived here 

on Sunday night to treat ailing Road 

Transport and Bridges Minister 

Obaidul Quader who was admitted to 


University (BSMMU) with cardiac 

problems. 

The medical team from Singapore's 

Mount Elizabeth Hospital entered the 

BSMMU around 7:45pm, said its 

Director (Hospital) Brig Gen Abdullah 

Al Harun. 


of Awami League, was admitted to 

the CCU of the hospital in the morning 

following his breathing complications. 

Later, doctors found three blockages 

in his coronary artery following an 

angiogram. 

In the afternoon, physicians at 

BSMMU said Quader's health condition 

is improving slightly but is not stable yet. 

"We're optimistic about the recovery of 

Obaidul Quader but he's not out of danger. 

It's a matter of time," said BSMMU 

Cardiology department Chairman Prof 

Syed Ali Ahsan while speaking at a press 

briefing at the BSMMU. 

"Quader is blinking his eyes and trying 

to talk to others. If his condition 

remains stable, we'll go for a bypass surgery. 

He's now in critical condition," he 

said at the briefing. 

BSMMU Vice-chancellor Prof Dr 

Kanak Kanti Barua said, "Quader is 

responding to others." 

Replying to a question, Dr Kanak 

Kanti said, "Prime Minister Sheikh 

Hasina told us that the ailing minister 

will be taken abroad for better treatment 

with the consent of the physicians." 

Bangladesh 9th most generous 

country in Asia : Report 

DHAKA : Bangladesh has been 

ranked ninth among its Asian 

neighbours in an international 

ranking of most generous countries, 

reports UNB. 

With an overall score of 31 percent, 

the country has been ranked 

74 in the world and fourth in South 

Asia in the CAF World Giving Index 

2018 by British organisation 

Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). 

In the ninth edition of the CAF 

World Giving Index presents the 

ranking after collecting data from 

146 countries across the globe over 

a five-year period (2013-2017). 

"With as many as 2.4 billion people 

set to join the world's middle 

classes by 2030, it is crucial that we 

ensure that the groundwork is put 

in place to support and encourage a 

mass engagement in giving," said 

the report. 

The rest of the Asian countries 

which made their place on top ten 

are Singapore, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, 

Sports Desk: Heroic centuries from 

Soumya Sarkar and Mahmudullah were 

in vain as Bangladesh suffered an 

innings and 52 runs defeat against New 

Zealand in the first Test in Hamilton on 

Sunday, reports BSS. 

Pacer Trent Boult, the wrecker inchief 

of Bangladesh innings, grabbed 

five-wicket haul to bring the massive 

victory for the Black Caps. 

After the stubborn double-century 

partnership that took Bangladesh to 361 

for 4 in their second innings, Boult finally 

broke the partnership sending back to 

Soumya for 149. 

Soumya, who equaled Tamim's record 

of fastest century from 94 balls, also 

shined with ball taking two wickets, but 

Bangladesh also needed him to perform 

with the bat. With 39 overnight score the 

left-handed batsman reached his fifty 

from 60 balls. The three figure came 

when took a single on the leg-side off Tim 

Southee to bring up his first Test century. 

The partnership finally ended in a 235- 

run stand with Mahmudullah for the fifth 

wicket and the Test was all over 68 runs 

later, just after tea on day four. 

The left handed batsman Soumya 

composed a magnificent 149, his maiden 

Test century, in a heroic partnership 

with his skipper Mahmudullah who was 

the penultimate batsman removed by 

Southee for 146, his fourth and career 

best figure. 

Though the match had belonged to 

New Zealand as they declared their first 

innings at a massive 715 for six - a first 

innings lead of 481 - but Soumya and 

Mongolia, Nepal, Republic of 

Korea, Thailand and the 

Philippines, according to the CAF 

index. 

Indonesia took the first position 

in the world scoring the highest 59 

percent, it said. 

However, space has been made on 

top by Myanmar which drops to 

ninth place in this year's rankings, 

having previously held the top spot 

since 2014. All three of Myanmar's 

scores decreased since last year. 

"After the Rohingya crisis reached 

its peak during 2017, it's hard not to 

conclude that the country's troubles 

have contributed to Myanmar's 

people being less willing or less able 

to give in these ways," it said. 

Australia and New Zealand make 

up the other countries in this year's 

top three with only around a half a 

percentage point between them. 

They are followed very closely by 

the USA which has moved up one 

place since 2016. 

NZ beats Bangladesh by innings 

and 51 runs in 1st test 

Mahmudullah were determined to 

stretch the innings and fought bravely to 

deficit the defeat margin. 

The duo batted together for more than 

54 overs and produced the fifth best 

partnership by a Bangladesh pair. 

Bangladesh lost their remaining five 

wickets by only 18 overs. It was a near 

impossible task when Bangladesh 

resumed their second innings with 

overnight 174 for 4 to score a further 307 

just to make the Black Caps to bat again. 

But, Soumya could not hold out that 

long and when the new ball was taken he 

lasted 14 more deliveries before Boult 

ended his marathon innings. 

Apart from Boult's five for 123, Tim 

Southee claimed three for 98 while Neil 

Wagner took two wickets for 104 runs. 

New Zealand skipper Kane 

Williamson was named the player of 

the match for his impressive double 

century. 

The second Test between the two sides 

will begin on March 8 in Wellington. 

Brief score : Bangladesh 1st innings 

234 for all, Tamim 126, Liton 29, 

Shadman 24, Wagner 5/47, Southee 

3/76, Grandhomme 1/39. 

2nd Innings - 429 for all, Soumya 149, 

Mahmudullah 146, Tamim 74, 

Shadman 37, Boult 5/123, Southee 3/98 

and Wagner 2/104. 

NZ 1st Innings - 715/6 (dec), 

Williamson 200, Latham 161, Raval 

132, Soumya 2/68, Miraz 2/246, 

Mahmuullah 1/3. 

Result- New Zealand won by innings 

and 52 runs.

NEWS 

MoNDAY, 

MARCh 4, 2019 

2 

A view of Rampal Power plant. 

Shark documentary released 

after filmmaker's diving death 

The family and friends of a Canadian 

filmmaker and conservationist who 

died during a shark-filming excursion 

in the Florida Keys are releasing his 

final documentary, reports UNB. 

"Sharkwater Extinction" made a 

limited theatrical release Friday. The 

DVD is set for release March 19, and the 

film will stream on Amazon Prime 

starting in April, Sharkwater 

Productions said. It was first shown last 

fall at the Toronto Film Festival. 

Rob Stewart's 2006 documentary, 

"Sharkwater," examined the impact of 

shark hunting on the ocean's 

ecosystem. His 2013 film, "Revolution," 

focused on environmental collapse. 

Stewart's father, Brian Stewart, said 

120 million people saw his son's first 

film, prompting bans around the world 

on shark finning, the practice of cutting 

the fins off sharks and discarding the 

rest of the fish. The new film continues 

to focus on the impact of shark hunting 

on the environment. 

"He had a massive base around the 

world that wanted to see this movie 

finished," Brian Stewart said. "And that 

really kept us going." 

Stewart's parents said their 37-yearold 

son had already filmed about 400 

hours of footage when he drowned in 

January 2017. He went missing while 

diving at the wreck of the Queen of 

Nassau in about 230 feet (70 meters) of 

water and about 6 miles (10 kilometers) 

from the Islamorada coast. His 

submerged body was found three days 

later, about 300 feet (90 meters) from 

where he was last spotted on the 

surface, following a massive search. 

Bangladesh hands 

over detained 

Myanmar BGP 

man 

BANDARBAN : Border 

Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on 

Sunday handed over a 

detained member of Border 

Guard Police (BGP) to 

Myanmar officials, reports 

UNB. 

BGP man Ang Bon Thing, 

hailing from Yangun of 

Myanmar, was detained for 

intruding into Bangladesh 

territory through 

Bhallukkhaia 

at 

Naikhangchhari bordering 

area on January 24. 

The handover ceremony 

was held following a flag 

meeting between the two 

neighboring countries' 

border forces at the zero 

point near Ghumdhum 

border around 11 pm, said Lt 

Col Ali Haidar Azad, 

commanding officer of BGB- 

34. 

Ang was a member of BGP 

Battalion-287 and was 

attached to Bendula Camp 

in Myanmar which is 

situated just opposite to 

Naikhangchhari border in 

Bangladesh. 

Ershad on 4-day 

visit to Rangpur 

DHAKA : Jatiya Party 

Chairman HM Ershad on 

Sunday went to Rangpur on 

a four-day visit, reports 

UNB. 

He left Shahjalal 

International Airport for 

Rangpur cantonment on a 

helicopter around 11 am. 

He reached there around 

12pm and then went to 

Hotel Grand Palace, said a 

press release. 

Stewart's mother, Sandra Stewart, 

said they knew they wanted to 

complete his final film but weren't 

initially sure where to start. They 

eventually found extensive notes on his 

tablet computer, which were used by 

editor Nick Hector to complete the film. 

"When we found that we realized we 

could finish this," Sandra Stewart said. 

Though "Sharkwater Extinction" 

might not be precisely what its maker 

had intended, Brian Stewart explained 

how his son's meticulous planning 

allowed them to tell most of the story 

that his son wanted to tell. 

More than 50 people are missing 

after a leaking oil pipeline exploded and 

caused a stampede in southern Nigeria, 

a local official said Saturday. 

The blast early Friday caused massive 

oil spillage in the Nembe kingdom in 

Bayelsa state, the Nembe Chiefs 

Council spokesman, Chief Nengi 

James-Eriworio, told The Associated 

Press. The Nembe trunk line is 

operated by the Port Harcourt-based 

Aiteo Group and carries crude to the 

Bonny export terminal. Aiteo had yet to 

comment on the explosion. It was not 

immediately clear if the pipeline had 

been shut down. 

Video obtained by the AP shows a 

large blaze from the ruptured pipeline 

at night as villagers look on. "If they 

turn off the oil well from the station, the 

pressure inside the pipeline would 

reduce, causing the flame to burn out," 

one person is heard in the background 

explaining. 

The Niger Delta is highly polluted. 

Nigerian oil companies usually assert 

In an unusual step, China's ceremonial 

legislature is due to endorse a law meant to 

help end a bruising tariff war with 

Washington by discouraging officials from 

pressuring foreign companies to hand over 

technology, reports UNB. 

The battle with China's biggest trading 

partner is overshadowing the National 

People's Congress, the country's highestprofile 

event of the year. It brings 3,000- 

plus delegates to the ornate Great Hall of 

the People in Beijing for two weeks of 

speeches, meetings with senior leaders and 

political ritual to endorse the ruling 

Communist Party's economic and social 

welfare plans. 

A gathering of noncommunist groups 

held at the same time brightens Beijing's 

drab winter, drawing tech billionaires, 

movie stars and ethnic minorities in 

distinctive traditional dress. 

That gives President Xi Jinping's 

government a platform for advertising 

changes aimed at ending the fight with 

President Donald Trump that has disrupted 

trade in goods from soybeans to medical 

equipment. 

The technology measure is part of a 

proposed law on foreign investment that 

aims to address complaints by Washington, 

Europe and other trading partners that 

China's system is rigged against foreign 

companies. Trump cited complaints Beijing 

steals or pressures companies to hand over 

technology when he slapped punitive tariffs 

on $250 billion of Chinese imports in July. 

Europe, Japan and other trading partners 

disapprove of the tariff hikes but echo U.S. 

complaints. 

China has balked at changing its strategy 

for nurturing technologies that American 

officials worry might challenge U.S. 

industrial dominance. But communist 

leaders face pressure to reach a settlement 

after economic growth sagged to a threedecade 

low of 6.6 percent last year. 

On the domestic front, companies and 

investors are hoping officials announce 

details of how Beijing will carry out 

promises to curb the dominance of state 

industry and support entrepreneurs who 

generate much of China's new jobs and 

Photo: UNB 

that the majority of oil spills are caused 

by sabotage, theft and illegal refining. 

Deadly accidents caused by leaking 

pipelines are alarmingly common. In 

January, an overturned oil tanker 

exploded in Odukpani in Cross River 

state while dozens of people were 

scooping up the leaking fuel. Police said 

at least 12 people were killed while 

some witnesses estimated up to 60 

were dead. 

Hundreds of people have died in 

similar accidents in recent years in 

Africa's largest oil producer as 

impoverished people risk their lives to 

collect fuel leaking from pipelines or 

trucks. 

Rob Stewart's 2006 documentary, 

"Sharkwater," examined the impact of 

shark hunting on the ocean's 

ecosystem. His 2013 film, "Revolution," 

focused on environmental collapse. 

Stewart's father, Brian Stewart, said 

120 million people saw his son's first 

film, prompting bans around the world 

on shark finning, the practice of cutting 

the fins off sharks and discarding the 

rest of the fish. The new film continues 

to focus on the impact of shark hunting 

on the environment. "He had a massive 

base around the world that wanted to 

see this movie finished," Brian Stewart 

said. "And that really kept us going." 

Stewart's parents said their 37-yearold 

son had already filmed about 400 

hours of footage when he drowned in 

January 2017. He went missing while 

diving at the wreck of the Queen of 

Nassau in about 230 feet (70 meters) of 

water and about 6 miles (10 kilometers) 

from the Islamorada coast. 

China considers legal changes 

on technology to placate US 

wealth. They are looking for details of a 

promised cut of up to 1.3 trillion yuan ($200 

billion) in value-added and other taxes. 

In a slashing speech packed with 

braggadocio and grievance, President 

Donald Trump denounced Democrats as 

the party of "the socialist nightmare," 

relitigated his crowd sizes back to the 

inauguration and took on "sick," "lunatic" 

and "dirty" foes at every turn, earning him 

the unvarnished adoration of cheering 

conservatives Saturday. 

After a trying week of tumult and 

setbacks, Trump delivered a stemwinder 

that extended beyond two hours and hardly 

left him winded. 

Trump let loose against House 

Democrats, who are broadening their 

investigations of him, predicted he would 

win re-election by a greater margin than his 

2016 victory, taunted his potential White 

House challengers and sounded themes 

that are staples of his rallies. He complained 

often of getting "no credit" for his 

achievements as he proudly drifted "off 

script" at the Conservative Political Action 

Conference. 

His remarks capped a week that saw his 

nuclear summit with North Korea's leader 

collapse without an agreement, his former 

lawyer deliver damaging congressional 

testimony about his character and business 

practices and Congress take action to nullify 

his emergency declaration to secure money 

for the border wall that lawmakers have 

denied him. 

On the stage, he was a prideful and at 

times profane figure as he complained that 

past political appointments had allowed a 

situation where political foes were trying to 

take him out with "bullshit." 

Trump reached back to old criticisms of 

his ex-attorney general, mocking Jeff 

Sessions' Southern accent and calling him 

"weak and ineffective." 

China has balked at changing its strategy 

for nurturing technologies that American 

officials worry might challenge U.S. 

industrial dominance. But communist 

leaders face pressure to reach a settlement 

after economic growth sagged to a threedecade 

low of 6.6 percent last year. 

'Drug trader' 

killed in 

Mymensingh 

'gunfight' 

MYMENSINGH : A 

suspected drug trader was 

killed in a reported gunfight 

with Detective Branch of 

Police at Kalibari in the city 

early Sunday, reports UNB. 

The deceased was 

identified as Lalu Miah, 45. 

On information, a team of 

detectives conducted a drive 

at Kalibari Ghudaraghat 

Balur Char around 1:30am, 

said Shah Kamal Akanda, 

officer-in-charge of district 

DB police. 

Sensing the presence of 

police, the drug traders 

opened fire on them, forcing 

them to fire back, triggering 

the gunfight. 

After the gunfight, the 

police team rescued Lalu as 

bullet hit. 

Later, he was rushed to 

Mymensingh Medical 

College Hospital where 

doctors declared him dead. 

Police also recovered 150 

gram heroin, 300 Yaba 

Tablets from the spot, said 

the OC adding that Lalu was 

accused in 7/8 drug related 

cases. 

However, Lalu's daughter 

Sathi Akhter claimed that 

her father was missing from 

March 1. 

'Chilekothar 

Sepai' staged 

at JU 

JAHANGIRNAGAR 

UNIVERSITY : 

Jahangirnagar Theatre 

Troupe (Auditorium) staged 

its latest production 

"Chilekothar Sepai" in the 

sixth day of the ongoing 

Drama Fest at Selim Al Deen 

Muktamancho on its 

campus on Saturday, reports 

UNB. 

The weeklong drama 

festival has been arranged 

by Jahangirnagar Theatre 

(Auditorium) with the title 

"Bongo Milon Nattya 

Utshabh - 2019". 

Marking 50 years of the 

Mass Movement of 1969, 

Jahangirnagar Theater 

staged its 93rd production. 

The drama "Chilekothar 

Sepai" was directed by the 

Dipankar Chakrabarty and it 

was adopted from the 

Aktaruzzaman Elias' 

popular novel with the same 

titled. 

The story evolved around 

the mass movement of 1969 

of our country. 

37 arrested 

in Bagerhat 

BAGERHAT : Police in an 

anti-drug drive arrested 37 

people from different places 

of the district on Saturday 

night, reports UNB. 

Shahadat Hossain, 

superintendent of Bagerhat 

Sadar Circle, said that 

police arrested 37 people 

from nine upazilas of the 

district in the night-long 

drive. 

The arrestees will be 

produced before the court 

of Bagerhat Chief Judiciary 

Magistrate after primary 

interrogations at respective 

police stations, he said. 

Elderly man 

killed in 

C'nawabganj 

road crash 

CHAPAINWABGANJ : An 

elderly man was killed in a 

road accident at 

Borodadpur village in 

Gomostapur upazila on 

Sunday, reports UNB. 

The deceased was 

identified Moslem Uddin, 

70, a resident of 

Mohadanga village in 

Porsha upazila. 

Sub-inspector Bazlur 

Rahman of Gomostapur 

Police Station said that the 

accident took place around 

8 am when a picnic bus hit a 

human hauler on which 

Moslem were travelling, 

leaving him dead on the 

spot. 

Police recovered the body 

from the spot, he added. 

SKorea, US end springtime military 

drills to back diplomacy 

South Korea and the U.S. are eliminating 

their massive springtime military drills and 

replacing them with smaller exercises as part 

of efforts to support diplomacy aimed at 

resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis, 

reports UNB. 

The decision announced by both countries 

Sunday is an olive branch to North Korea. 

But it will likely raise worries about how the 

allies will maintain their readiness in the 

event that military tensions erupt again in 

the wake of the recently failed summit 

between President Donald Trump and North 

Korean leader Kim Jong Un. 

The Pentagon said in a release the U.S. and 

South Korean defense chiefs decided to 

conclude the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle 

series of exercises. It said the allies agreed to 

maintain firm military readiness through 

newly designed command post exercises and 

revised field training programs. 

Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick 

Shanahan and South Korean Defense 

Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo "made clear that 

the alliance decision to adapt our training 

program reflected our desire to reduce 

tension and support our diplomatic efforts to 

achieve complete denuclearization of the 

Korean Peninsula in a final, fully verified 

manner," the statement said. 

Seoul's Defense Ministry released a similar 

statement. Jeong expressed his 

disappointment at the lack of agreement at the 

Trump-Kim summit but still hopes that 

Washington and Pyongyang would continue 

negotiations, the South Korean statement said. 

According to U.S. officials, the new 

training will be done in smaller drills, 

tabletop exercises and simulations, and it 

will involve smaller units, such as battalions 

and companies rather than massive 

formations involving thousands of troops, as 

they had in the past. 

Officials said the Pentagon will focus on 

smaller exercises and mission essential 

tasks, which include the ability to integrate 

airstrikes and the use of other weapons 

systems, drones, surveillance assets, logistics 

and communications. 

The decision announced by both countries 

Sunday is an olive branch to North Korea. 

But it will likely raise worries about how the 

allies will maintain their readiness in the 

event that military tensions erupt again in 

the wake of the recently failed summit 

between President Donald Trump and North 

Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Pentagon 

said in a release the U.S. and South Korean 

defense chiefs decided to conclude the Key 

Resolve and Foal Eagle series of exercises. 

It said the allies agreed to maintain firm 

military readiness through newly designed 

command post exercises and revised field 

training programs. 

Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick 

Shanahan and South Korean Defense 

Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo "made clear that 

the alliance decision to adapt our training 

program reflected our desire to reduce 

tension and support our diplomatic efforts to 

achieve complete denuclearization of the 

Korean Peninsula in a final, fully verified 

manner," the statement said. 

Seoul's Defense Ministry released a similar 

statement. Jeong expressed his 

disappointment at the lack of agreement at 

the Trump-Kim summit but still hopes that 

Washington and Pyongyang would continue 

negotiations, the South Korean statement 

said. 

2-day Int'l expo, seminar on 

clean energy to begin in city 

DHAKA : A two-day exposition on clean 

energy systems and technology will begin in 

the city on March 10, reports UNB. 

State-run non-banking financial institution 

Infrastructure Development Company 

Limited (IDCOL) will organise the expo 

titled 'Bangladesh Clean Energy Summit 

2019' at Bangabandhu International 

Conference Center (BICC). 

Addressing a press conference at a city hotel 

on Sunday Deputy CEO of IDCOL S M 

Monirul Haque informed that there will be a 

two-day seminar on clean energy along with 

the exhibition focusing on energy efficiency, 

renewable energy, green building and green 

finance. 

He noted that Finance Minister A H M 

Mustafa Kamal will inaugurate the expo 

while Prime Minister's Energy Advisor Dr. 

Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury will be present 

at the function. 

French Ambassador in Dhaka Marie- 

Annick Bourdin is also scheduled to attend 

the inaugural programme. 

Other officials of Idcol were present at the 

press conference. 

GD-367/19 (8 x 3) 

The expo organisers said industry 

professionals from both manufacturing and 

services, technology suppliers and traders, 

trade associations and bodies, financial 

institutions, development partners, 

government bodies and policymakers, 

foreign dignitaries, academicians and 

researchers are expected to attend the 

exposition and seminar. 

They said the objective of the event is to 

create a platform for energy practitioners to 

exchange knowledge, ideas and address 

challenges through interactive discussions 

on various aspects of clean energy. 

They said that more than 100 stalls from 

local and international 

manufacturers/suppliers of various 

renewable energy, energy efficiency, green 

finance and green building technologies will 

showcase their products and services in the 

fair. 

The exhibition will be open for all from 9:30 

am till 8:00 pm. Interested 

participants/exhibitors may register 

through idcol.org/bces-2019 for the opening 

ceremony, the seminar and the exhibition.

METRO 

MonDAY, MARch 4, 2019 

3 

State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman said on Sunday held a meeting 

with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Robert Miller at the secretariat in the afternoon. Photo : TBT 

Mansur, Mokabbir to face action 

if take oath: Gono Forum 

DHAKA : Gono Forum on Sunday 

warned that its two MPs-elect-Sultan 

Mohammad Mansur (Moulvibazar-2) 

and Mokabbir Khan (Sylhet-2) -- will 

have to face both organisational and 

legal action if they take oath violating 

the party's decision, reports UNB. 

Party general secretary Mostafa 

Mohsin Montu issued the warning at a 

press conference at Gono Forum's 

Arambagh Central office. 

"Our party's decision is not to join 

parliament and there're no differences 

of opinion about it. 

They (Mansur and Mokabbir) are 

doing it (taking oath) on their own, not 

as per party decision," he said. 

Montu further said, "We'll surely take 

lawful action if they take oath. We'll sit 

in a meeting and take both 

organisational and legal actions." 

The Gono Forum general secretary 

urged the duo not to deceive people by 

joining parliament. 

He said Gono Forum President Dr 

Kamal Hossain at a press conference 

on December 30 clearly said the 

election was unacceptable and people 

were deceived through it. "During the 

public hearing (on Feb 22) he also 

demanded a fair election annulling the 

unacceptable one. Such statements 

manifested his stance on not sending 

our MPs to parliament." 

Montu said Mansur and Mokabbir 

are trying to take oath taking a stance 

against Gono Forum. 

On Saturday, Mansur and Mokabbir 

sent a letter to Speaker Dr Shirin 

Sharmin Chaudhury requesting her to 

arrange their oath-taking ceremony on 

March 7. 

Govt to start relocating 

Rohingyas to Bhashanchar 

by April 15: State Minister 

DHAKA : The government 

will start relocating 

Rohingyas to Bhashanhar 

by April 15, State 

MinisterforDisaster 

Management and Relief Dr 

Enamur Rahman said on 

Sunday, reports UNB. 

"Some 23,000 Rohingya 

families, approximately 

around one lakh people, will 

be shifted there," Enamur 

said while talking to 

reporters after holding a 

meeting with US 

Ambassador to Bangladesh 

Earl Robert Miller at the 

secretariat in the afternoon. 

Houses are being built 

there with water and 

electricity facilities for 

Rohingya people in addition 

to ensuring proper 

sanitation, he said adding 

that centres for shelter will 

also be set up. 

About the support 

received from the United 

States, Dr Enamur said the 

US contributed $ 45.5 

million to the UN World 

Food Program in support of 

the Rohingya crisis. 

This is in addition to the 

$60 million announced at 

the 2019 UN Joint 

Response Plan (JRP) 

launch in Geneva on 

February 15. 

Montu further said, "We'll 

surely take lawful action if 

they take oath. We'll sit in a 

meeting and take both 

organisational and legal 

actions." 

WB approves $100mn loan to strengthen Public 

Financial Management in Bangladesh 

DHAKA : The World Bank has approved a 

$100 million credit for improving fiscal 

forecasting, and public budget preparation 

and execution, reports UNB. 

The Strengthening Public Financial 

Management (PFM) Program to Enable 

Service Delivery program will support the 

government's PFM Action Plan 2016-2021. 

It will help improve fiscal discipline, 

financial reporting and greater transparency 

and accountability in selected government 

agencies, said the World Bank on Sunday. 

"Bangladesh has improved its PFM 

systems over the past two decades with 

effective fiscal measures and by maintaining 

public debts at sustainable levels," said 

Dandan Chen, World Bank Acting Country 

Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan. 

"This project will further help public 

agencies to strengthen oversight and 

improve availability of public resources, 

which are essential to public service 

delivery." 

Currently, key bottlenecks exist in public 

resource allocation, availability, and use for 

social service delivery. 

Delay in budget releases is often cited as 

one of the biggest obstacles to smooth and 

efficient service delivery, and slow 

procurement processes delay the provision 

of necessary goods and services, according to 

WB. 

For example, it takes an average of 15-18 

months for drugs to reach the Upazila Health 

Complex and below, while it should not take 

more than 9 months in procuring and 

distributing these. 

Inadequate audit follow-up and delayed 

resolution of audit queries affect aid 

disbursement and civil servants' terminal 

benefits. 

"The current context provides a unique 

window of opportunity to strengthen 

Bangladesh's PFM institutions and systems. 

This is a critical time to strengthen PFM, 

given the heightened need for prudent use of 

resources," said Furqan Ahmad Saleem, 

World Bank Team Leader for the 

Strengthening Public Financial 

Management Program to Enable Service 

Delivery Program. 

"These reforms will contribute toward 

achieving the Sustainable Development 

Goals and upper middle-income status by 

2030." 

The credit from the World Bank's 

International Development Association 

(IDA), which provides concessional 

financing, has a 30-year term, including a 

five-year grace period, and an interest rate of 

1.25 percent with a service charge of 0.75 

percent. 

"This project will further help public 

agencies to strengthen oversight and 

improve availability of public resources, 

which are essential to public service 

delivery." 

Currently, key bottlenecks exist in public 

resource allocation, availability, and use for 

social service delivery. 

Delay in budget releases is often cited as 

one of the biggest obstacles to smooth and 

efficient service delivery, and slow 

procurement processes delay the provision 

of necessary goods and services, according to 

WB. 

For example, it takes an average of 15-18 

months for drugs to reach the Upazila Health 

Complex and below, while it should not take 

more than 9 months in procuring and 

distributing these. 

Inadequate audit follow-up and delayed 

resolution of audit queries affect aid 

disbursement and civil servants' terminal 

benefits. 

"The current context provides a unique 

window of opportunity to strengthen 

Bangladesh's PFM institutions and systems. 

GD-369/19 (12 x 4) 

GD-364/19 (12 x 4)

EDITORIAL 

mOndAY, 

mArcH 4, 2019 

4 

Trade war: Pain worth suffering 

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam 

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

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com 

monday, march 4, 2019 

Alarming brain drain 

A 

s 

it is, Bangladesh today is probably the worst case of the flight 

of human resources. Bangladeshis have nobody to blame but 

themselves for their obsession to leave the country. In some 

countries which have been declared already as failed states like Somali 

and Sudan with a hopeless future and where even the basics of 

survival are found to be in very short supply for well educated or 

trained persons, the migration of educated and professionally 

qualified persons from them in search of a better life and opportunities 

may be justified. But for well educated professionals in Bangladesh, 

this country is not such a wasteland. It offers them-- at least in start up 

cases like junior doctors and engineers-- not so much perks and 

privileges but gradually these professionals can expect better income 

and higher living standards. Certainly, many of them can point to less 

job satisfaction or working conditions and less stimulations at their 

places of employment. But all of these things are not very great hurdles 

to absolutely demotivate them about Bangladesh and create in their 

minds the longings and a sense of desperation to seek employment 

abroad. 

While comparatively less income, non recognition of merit and 

insufficient opportunities for research and other things, are usually 

cited as the propellers that drive out well educated Bangladeshis and 

professionals with the expectation of higher income abroad, the real 

reason is transparent greed and self-seeking and the utter lack of any 

decent values. We may live in a world where exhortations such as ' 

ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your 

country', such words uttered by one of America's most remembered 

President, John F Kennedy, may no more inspire, but surely 

patriotism continues to be a factor behind national strength and a 

sought after quality even in this age of globalisation. For no 

community can acquire strength and flourish if the most educated 

and qualified in it are so self centred as to understand nothing like 

animals other than their own short term self gratification. 

Educated Bangladeshis will not be able to hide their lack of character 

and values in most cases in betraying their country in the most foul 

manner. They get government subsidized education in many cases to 

acquire technical or professional qualifications but instead of repaying 

what they get at the taxpayers' expense, they most heartlessly and 

insensitively decide to stab their country in the back by settling abroad 

and serving foreign masters. The state and the people make great 

sacrifices for their education and upkeep but get nothing in return. 

Many of them jeer at their countrymen from their overseas homes as 

slobs without a future. But their consciences which they do not possess 

in the first place, are never pricked by a thought of their criminality in 

cheating and betraying the cause of their motherland. Indeed, very 

few people on earth can be found who are so depraved like these so 

called educated Bangladeshis in turning their backs on their points of 

origin from which they got a great deal of supports to progress a long 

way in life. No class of human beings can probably bear comparison 

with these Bangladeshis in their immorality and selfishness. 

But look at the sharp contrast between these so called educated and 

talented Bangladeshis and the great number of Bangladeshis of 

uneducated, little educated or humble rural origin who are going 

abroad in large number to do menial jobs in most cases. They are a 

helpful lot who go abroad with the sole purpose of aiding their 

families. The monies they unfailingly send home cushion the country's 

foreign exchange reserve, help in the consumption needs of the 

families they leave behind or in the education and upbringing of 

dependents, get invested in small enterprises and businesses and in 

the buying of real properties. Besides, these humble people return 

home at the end of their employment with their accumulated 

earnings. 

Thus, the lifestyle and activities of these relatively non affluent , 

uneducated or little educated people, are very approvable because 

they help out with employment, bring resources into the country and 

aid in the alleviation of poverty at the individual and family levels. The 

resources they acquire are generally invested in the country and stays 

in it. Nothing can be more useful or patriotic for the country than such 

behaviour. 

What behaviour do we see from the well educated professionals or 

students from the middle and upper classes who go abroad ? In most 

cases of immigration, they sever all ties with the country. As the family 

members leave in most cases with immigration, there is no need to 

send money back to Bangladesh. Nor is there any intention to do so. 

On the plea of the uncertain investment climate in Bangladesh, most 

of them also do not attempt any investment of their resources here. 

The students who go abroad on completing their education behave the 

same like the immigrants. They take up jobs in the foreign countries 

and at a later stage are seen bringing their parents and other 

dependents into those countries and doing everything to end their 

relationship conclusively with Bangladesh. Finally even family homes 

in Dhaka and at other places are sold and the money obtained, thus, 

are transferred overseas through the illegitimate hundi system from 

which the country gains nothing. 

So, the moot question is whether such behaviourshould continue to 

be overlooked or casually responded ? If not, then what should be 

done about it . According to a report in a national daily, the flight of 

human resources from Bangladesh has acquired alarming 

proportions. Every year about 4 thousand information technologists, 

doctors, engineers, teachers, researchers, accountants, etc., are 

leaving Bangladesh as immigrants. The state and the taxpayers had 

done much for their education and career but they would be lost 

forever by the country. 

Bangladesh would get ultimately no services or resources from 

them and increasing hazards will be faced to fill up their empty ranks 

here and countrymen will suffer from yet further reduced services 

delivery to them from the thinning number of the professionals to 

discharge these services. Every year some 5,000 Bangladeshi students 

on average go abroad. But 80 per cent of them on a guess estimate 

would never return to their country and serve there. Thus, on average, 

Bangladesh is suffering a large annual brain drain when it needs such 

people in the greatest number to stay in the country and work 

dedicatedly to accelerate economic growth and development. 

Of course, government should recognize and do whatever it can 

within its limitations such as giving them enhanced salaries, funding 

for research and other facilities at work places, to motivate them to 

remain in the country. But this writer for one, does not believe that 

more income or facilities is the reason for their leaving. It is mainly the 

very lowly, very unpatriotic and very uncaring attitude and complete 

lack of a sense of responsibility to the country, which are fuelling the 

brain drain. If the consciences of these people will not be pricked 

automatically, then the state has every right to enforce hard 

regulations to compel them to behave in a moralistic way. To that end, 

time is more than ripe to make a list of the professionals in the country 

and prohibit their foreign employment and settlement. At least, every 

professional on passing out from a government subsidized study 

centre, should be required to sign a bond that he or she would stay 

and work in the country for a minimum of 10 years. Hard attempts 

must be made to bring back teachers and others who left their publicly 

run institutions with scholarships to foreign organizations but are 

overstaying. They should be made to suffer appropriate penalties for 

dereliction of their duties. 

Countrymen who take time out to think, would be all one in urging 

the government of Bangladesh to give attention to this very important 

national problem of the brain drain. Concerned people would hail the 

government if they effectively address this issue. 

It took grit to get this far. US Trade 

Representative Robert Lighthizer 

explained that to Congress on 

Wednesday. So, he said, no one in 

President Donald Trump's 

administration is backing down now. 

They've managed to confront Beijing, 

a trade renegade, and do it with a 

powerful tool that previous negotiators 

lacked - tariffs. They launched the 

penalties last spring with charges on all 

imported steel and aluminum, then 

increased the pain with levies 

specifically on US$50 billion in Chinese 

imports in July, followed by duties on 

$200 billion in Chinese imports in 

September. 

China retaliated, particularly with 

tariffs on agricultural goods. Some 

American businesses, farmers and 

workers suffered. And they complained. 

But the tariffs brought China to the 

table to discuss its violations - abuses 

that have damaged American industries 

and destroyed millions of American 

jobs for nearly two decades. 

Lighthizer told Congress on 

Wednesday that he doesn't have a deal 

yet, but he's made progress. None of it 

would be possible, he said, without the 

leverage of the tariffs and the grit of the 

administration to stick with them 

through tough times. In the 

congressional hearing, US 

Representative John R Lewis, a 

Democrat from Georgia, described 

devastation caused by China's tradelaw 

defiance. "There is no way to 

compete in a race to the bottom," Lewis 

British MPs are making final 

preparations to vote on whether to 

accept Theresa May's Brexit 

withdrawal deal or extend the process 

beyond March 29. Unless one of these 

paths is chosen, or Article 50 is revoked, 

the United Kingdom is heading for the 

unchartered territory of a no-deal exit that 

could upend Westminster politics, again, 

and tip the economy into recession. 

There is probably a majority in the 

House of Commons against "no deal." In 

January, a non-binding amendment 

sponsored by Conservative MP Caroline 

Spelman and Labour MP Jack Dromey 

was approved which "rejects the United 

Kingdom leaving the EU without a 

withdrawal agreement and future 

framework for the future relationship." 

However, the big problem facing the 

many MPs who want to avoid a no-deal is 

that being in the majority is not enough; 

they need also to prove there is a majority 

in favor of an alternative outcome that has 

so far proved elusive. 

With the stakes in play growing by the 

day, and a thick Brexit fog still over 

Parliament, there is only one current 

certainty with the UK's exit. Enshrined in 

the UK's EU Withdrawal Act, the default 

position legally is that the nation will leave 

on March 29 whether a withdrawal deal is 

agreed or not. 

Throughout much of 2017 and 2018, 

the prospects of crashing out of the EU 

without a deal were dismissed by almost 

said. "I grew up in Alabama, in rural 

Alabama. I watched American jobs 

disappear throughout my life and 

career. In my home state, many 

manufacturing workers continue to 

struggle to find good livable-wage jobs. 

Many of those businesses moved 

overseas in search of cheap labor and 

lower environmental protections." 

Members of the union I lead, the 

United Steelworkers (USW), have 

experienced this pain. Beijing and local 

Chinese governments illegally subsidize 

industries, so that when they export 

products, they're artificially cheap, 

which depresses prices worldwide. That 

bankrupts US, Canadian and European 

manufacturers that operate on freemarket 

principles. 

This is particularly true in steel and 

aluminum, where China's government 

subsidies ramped up production 

quickly since the turn of the century. 

China, which produced little aluminum 

in 2001, became the world's largest 

producer by 2011, and then increased 

that output by 50% as of 2015. 

The excess metal that China dumped 

LEO w GErArd 

on the international market at bargainbasement 

prices - a decline of 30% 

between 2011 and 2015 - shuttered 18 of 

23 US smelters. The excess metal that 

China dumped on the international 

market at bargain-basement prices - a 

decline of 30% between 2011 and 2015 

- shuttered 18 of 23 US smelters. 

Those were good, family-supporting 

USW jobs, in an industry vital to 

national security. Now they're gone 

"There is no way to compete in a race to the bottom," Lewis said. 

"I grew up in Alabama, in rural Alabama. I watched American 

jobs disappear throughout my life and career. In my home state, 

many manufacturing workers continue to struggle to find good 

livable-wage jobs. many of those businesses moved overseas in 

search of cheap labor and lower environmental protections." 

everyone, including by the UK 

government itself. However, to the horror 

of many MPs, this scenario is rising as a 

possibility and last week the May team 

published analysis of what this would 

mean for the nation. 

This document forecasts that over the 

next 15 years the economy would be 

smaller by 6 percent to 9 percent than it 

would otherwise be under EU 

membership. As the document asserted, 

whatever these longer term impacts might 

be, it is the short-term term challenge that 

could be particularly intense, which is why 

the Bank of England has asserted that the 

nation could tip into recession. 

If Parliament ultimately does not back 

Article 50 extension, and May's deal 

cannot be passed either, the political 

consequences of no deal could be 

significant for what is already a febrile UK 

political landscape. While the impact of no 

deal would probably not be favorable for 

AndrEw HAmmOnd 

forever. In addition to subsidies, Beijing 

forces US companies that want to 

operate there to transfer intellectual 

property, while at the same time 

engaging in cyber theft of corporate 

trade secrets. The US attorney for the 

Western District of Pennsylvania has 

charged five Chinese military officers 

with economic espionage for hacking 

into US aluminum and steel company 

computers. 

"China plays by its own rules," Lewis 

said. "We need a level playing field, and 

we do not have it." That is what 

Lighthizer is trying to get. He promised 

he would not accept the easy "soybean 

solution" but would instead continue 

any part of the United Kingdom, it would 

vary by region. The Government 

document, for instance, asserts that it is 

Northern Ireland and the North East of 

England that could be worst hit, 

economically, by no deal. The term no 

deal is, even now, widely misunderstood 

by much of the UK public, let alone 

international audiences. It would mean 

that London will automatically leave the 

EU without many of the rules that regulate 

the UK's relationships with the EU. 

And, also, many economic relationships 

with the rest of the world too will be 

undermined as these are underpinned by 

trade treaties that the EU has agreed with 

key nations from Canada to Japan. With 

March 29 approaching fast, less than a 

quarter of 40 planned post-Brexit trade 

agreements have so far been signed. 

A common error held by some is that 

there is only one no-deal outcome, when 

there are in fact plausibly many no-deal 

pressing for the more elusive structural 

change. The administration could just 

swallow a promise from China to buy a 

bunch more US agricultural products, 

like soybeans. That would solve two 

problems. One is that China retaliated 

by placing high tariffs on US 

agricultural goods, so if China bought 

more soybeans, farmers would get 

relief. The other is that if China bought 

more soybeans, the trade deficit might 

decline. The US trade deficit with China 

has ballooned since Beijing gained 

entrance to the World Trade 

Organization in 2001. Despite all the 

tariffs last year, the deficit in goods rose 

10% to $79.5 billion, as US exports to 

China fell 0.3% and imports from China 

rose 3.2%. 

Previous US trade negotiators have 

been lulled by promises from China, 

only to watch them go unfulfilled. 

Lighthizer refuses to fall for that ploy 

again. And more soybeans does not 

resolve the serious underlying 

structural trade problems like 

deliberate commodity overproduction, 

technology theft and currency 

manipulation. "Technology will 

determine who rules the future," 

Lighthizer told Congress on 

Wednesday. "We are negotiating 

provisions that will, if enforced, restate 

and make more specific commitments 

against cyber theft, physical theft and 

using investments to get technology." 

Source : Asia Times 

Britain stares down the barrel of a no-deal Brexit 

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un 

concluded at the weekend a 

multi-day tour of Vietnam after 

the collapse on Thursday of his summit 

with US President Donald Trump. The 

clear differences between the two sides, 

over the scope and pace of 

denuclearisation and sanctions rollback, 

means there is growing uncertainty 

whether the talks process will now 

collapse or continue. To be sure, there 

are historical precedents for such highprofile 

negotiations to break down, and 

then recover, including the US-Soviet 

negotiations between Ronald Reagan 

and Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986 and 

1987. However, it appears the gaps 

between Trump and Kim remain wide, 

and the North Koreans have claimed that 

they will not change their position, and 

also disputed Trump's account that the 

reason the talks collapsed was that 

Pyongyang asked for full sanctions 

rollback. 

One of the reasons why Pyongyang 

may not move far or fast on its positions 

is that, to date at least, it is Kim - rather 

than Trump - who has emerged as the 

bigger winner from the engagement 

process. So far Kim has made few 

concrete concessions to the United 

States with Trump touting last week as 

evidence of his diplomatic success with 

Pyongyang the recent absence of missile 

and nuclear testing. At the same time, 

the US president has called off joint 

military exercises between US and South 

Korean forces; exchanged effusive letters 

of praise with Kim; held out the prospect 

of an easing of sanctions on Pyongyang if 

it does "something meaningful" on 

denuclearisation; said that he is in no 

This document forecasts that over the next 15 years the economy 

would be smaller by 6 percent to 9 percent than it would otherwise 

be under EU membership. As the document asserted, whatever 

these longer term impacts might be, it is the short-term term 

challenge that could be particularly intense, which is why the Bank 

of England has asserted that the nation could tip into recession. 

rush to conclude the negotiation process; 

and already said that he hopes to meet 

again with the North Korean leader after 

Vietnam. 

This underlines how much Kim has 

already received from Trump in 

exchange for the ambiguous pledges to 

"denuclearise" in the Singapore 

agreement. And this in a context too 

where there is also reported evidence 

that North Korea is continuing uranium 

enrichment and has stepped up missile 

production. On a personal level, for 

instance, the previously isolated young 

leader has assumed significantly higher 

political importance on the international 

stage, from erstwhile allies and previous 

foes alike.This was highlighted in Kim's 

post-Trump tour of Vietnam in recent 

days, his fourth foreign trip destination 

in less than 12 months after not leaving 

his nation's borders for more than six 

years after assuming power. 

Indeed, both before and after last year's 

Singapore summit with Trump, other 

major powers with a stake in the 

question of the future of the Korean 

peninsula, including Chinese President 

Xi Jinping, have begun jockeying for 

position as the region's military and 

AndrEw HAmmOnd 

strategic landscapes are potentially 

recast in what South Korean President 

Moon Jae-in has said is the real end of 

the 'Cold War' more than a quarter of a 

century after the collapse of the Soviet 

Union. 

One of the most spectacular features of 

this process, at least to date, has been the 

remarkable pivot of key powers towards 

greater engagement with Kim and the 

Pyongyang regime. All key parties sense 

significant new political and economic 

opportunities, and potentially risks, 

opening up under future sanctions relief. 

Here it is no coincidence that Xi has 

now invited Kim for multiple trips to 

Beijing in 2018 and 2019. Moreover, 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, 

who has met Kim in Pyongyang, has 

invited the North Korean leader to visit 

Putin in Russia. 

The contrast between this feting of 

Kim, and the situation in 2017 when the 

Trump team was debating a pre-emptive 

attack against North Korea is striking. 

Trump's state of the union address that 

year ratcheted up the rhetoric noting that 

Pyongyang's "reckless pursuit of nuclear 

missiles could soon threaten our 

homeland... past experience has taught 

scenarios. At the extreme end of the 

spectrum is a chaotic no-deal Brexit 

whereby negotiations between Brussels 

and London break down acrimoniously. 

A version of this chaotic option, even 

now, seems unlikely, but cannot be 

completely dismissed. What the UK 

Government sought to emphasise in its 

document last week therefore is the range 

of measures it has underway to try to 

cushion the blow of a no-deal. 

This includes unilateral UK action to 

maintain as much continuity as possible, 

including granting road hauliers from the 

EU's 27 remaining states the ability to use 

their licenses in the UK after March 29. 

The Government is also working to bring 

into force a number of agreements in 

critical areas, such as aviation and civil 

nuclear cooperation and safeguarding, 

that would otherwise fall away with a no 

deal exit. 

It remains unclear, if a no deal exit does 

come to pass, what the full scope of 

measures might be from the EU side to 

cushion the blow. Given the massive 

political time and capital put in by both 

sides into trying to reach a withdrawal 

agreement within the Article 50 

timeframe, a no deal outcome will 

generate significant acrimony and there 

will be a lot of posturing and finger 

pointing over which side is to blame which 

could lead to a breakdown in trust. 

Source : Arab News 

Trump, Kim and the art of ‘no’ deal 

One of the most spectacular features of this process, 

at least to date, has been the remarkable pivot of key 

powers towards greater engagement with Kim and the 

Pyongyang regime. All key parties sense significant new 

political and economic opportunities, and potentially 

risks, opening up under future sanctions relief. 

us that complacency and concessions 

only invite aggression and provocation. I 

will not repeat the mistakes of past 

administrations that got us into this 

dangerous position." The turnaround in 

spiralling tensions on the peninsula since 

then has been as potentially important as 

it was unexpected by many in late 2017. 

But it now looks potentially fragile again. 

With the Trump-Kim Vietnam summit 

collapsing, what remains unclear is how 

big the potential downside risks are now 

in play. This includes the outside 

possibility of tensions rising again on the 

peninsula should the US-Korea dialogue 

break down completely. 

While Trump currently appears keen 

to have a sustained strategic dialogue 

with Kim, especially in advance of his 

potential 2020 US presidential reelection 

campaign, the personal and 

political volatility of both of these leaders 

cannot be underestimated. 

And if Kim ultimately reneges on any 

key pledges in the US president's eyes, 

the political pressure will be on Trump 

again to ratchet up his position against 

Pyongyang, despite the warm words of 

2018 and early 2019. Trump remains 

under potential political pressure in the 

United States on this issue having drawn 

a political 'red line' as president over 

Pyongyang having nuclear weapons 

capable of striking the US homeland. 

And here he is well aware that missile 

tests in 2017 showed that Kim is close to 

developing a nuclear warhead capable of 

being fitted on to an intercontinental 

ballistic missile that can strike the US 

mainland. 

Source : Gulf news

LAW & PEOPLE 

MOnDAy, 

MArCH 4, 2019 

5 

LegAL Query : 

Dear Sir, 

I wrote a number of articles, poems on various 

contemporary issues over last couple of years. 

Now I want publish a book and want to attain 

copyright registration, so that no one can use my 

write ups. In order to attain copyright registration 

what are the things I need to follow, please 

inform. 

Regards 

rafiqul Haque, Comilla. 

LegAL OpiniOn : 

In order to attain copyright registration, an 

application for copyright should be supported by 

the following documents: 

1. A completed application form 

2. Treasury chalan 

3. Copies of the work to be registered 

4. Transfer deed of work in stamp paper (if 

applicable) 

5. Legal paper (Okalatnama) (if a lawyer 

submits the application form on behalf of the 

author) 

Once the Registrar received any application for 

copyright, he shall serve notice of the concerned 

application to every person who has any interest 

in the subject matter of that application. If the 

Registrar receives any objection he may after 

holding such inquiry as he deems fit, enter such 

particulars of work in the register of copyright, 

This week Your Legal Adviser is 

A.B.M Shahjahan Akanda (Masum) 

Advocate, Supreme Court of 

Bangladesh. 

He is the Head of the chamber of a 

renowned law firm, namely, 'Law for 

Nations', which has expertise mainly 

in banking law, tax law, commercial 

law, corporate law, family law, 

employment and labor law, land 

law,constitutional law, criminal law 

and in conducting litigations before 

courts of different hierarchies. He can 

be reached at - cell:01711459590, E- 

mail: law.abm@gmail.com. 

which he considers proper. After registration, the 

Registrar shall send copies of the entries made in 

the register to the parties concerned. 

Copyright may be assigned, transferred or 

licensed. The Copyright Office has prescribed 

form for transfer. There are three kinds of 

remedies against infringement of copyright, 

namely: 

Civil remedies 

The owner of the copyright can bring civil 

action in which reliefs such as Anton Pillar Order 

(Search Order) injunction, accounts and 

damages can be sought. A suit or other civil 

proceedings relating to infringement of copyright 

is to be filed in the Court of District Judge, within 

whose jurisdiction the plaintiff resides or carries 

on business or where the cause of action arose 

irrespective of the place of residence or place of 

business of the defendant. 

Criminal remedies 

Criminal remedies provides for the 

imprisonment of the accused or imposition of 

fine or both, seizure of infringing copies etc. 

Criminal proceedings are available in order to 

punish the persons who have violated the 

copyright law. 

Administrative remedies 

Administrative remedies consist of moving to 

the Registrar of copyrights to ban the import of 

infringing copies into Bangladesh, when the 

infringement is by way of such importation and 

the delivery of the confiscated infringing copies to 

the owner of the copyright. 

Marital Rape: An unrevealed 

recent inhumane torture 

S. M. TASMiruL iSLAM 

"Rape" is seemingly common 

etymology in our society. 

Whenever we hear the word 

"rape", we imagine a brute 

lurking in darkness or in some 

hushed places for jumping over 

women to fulfill his sexual 

desire. Sometimes, a question 

peeps in our mind that, can a 

woman become the victim of 

rape by her legal husband apart 

from an outsider or stranger? 

Let us enter into the legal 

arena. Rape has been defined 

in section 375 of Penal Code, 

1860. The provision described 

rape as a forceful sexual 

intercourse with a woman 

against her will or without free 

consent or by deceive except by 

her own husband if she is not 

under age of fourteen. 

Punishment of this offence falls 

under section 9 of Nari O 

Shishu Nirjatan Daman Ain 

2000 (Amendment- 2003). 

Marital rape means Sexual 

intercourse which is 

committed by husband 

forcefully without free consent 

of wife. The idea of marital rape 

is still a taboo in our society. 

Most of the people have no 

transparent perception about 

the term. As the word rape 

depends upon consent, it 

should be applicable to both 

husband and an outsider. 

Today forceful intercourse has 

become a torture weapon. In 

our law, husband can be 

accused of rape if wife's age is 

less than 14. But the problem 

lies in only one situationindemnity 

of husband from all 

sexual intercourse. 

In 2013, United Nations 

(UN) surveyed on 10,000 plus 

adult male from Bangladesh, 

Srilanka, china and Indonesia 

about their sexual behavior. 

The report states that 24% of 

husbands forcefully committed 

sex with their wives. 38% of 

them committed forceful sex to 

punish their wives! Apart, 

Bangladesh Bureau of statistics 

and UN population fund 

surveyed on violence against 

women in 2011. Among 12000 

female participants, 87% 

married women admitted that 

they were sexually tortured 

regularly by their husbands. 

2011's UN report states, only 52 

countries had amended their 

legislation to explicitly make 

marital rape a criminal offence. 

Unfortunately, Bangladesh 

does not belong to the list. 

Bangladesh Government 

enacted an Act called Domestic 

Violence (Prevention and 

Protection) Act in 2010. In 

section 3(c) of that Act, there is 

a provision of "sexual abuse". 

But there is no specific 

definition, elements of crime 

and nature of sexual abuse. If 

any wife is injured by her 

husband from sexual abuse, 

she can't file any case against 

husband for hurt or grievous 

hurt under The Penal Code - 

1860 because of 'indemnity'. 

When the marriage gets 

validity by free consent then 

how sexual intercourses get 

validity without free consent? If 

we feel hesitation to name this 

torture as "rape", then we can 

replace the term. Nevertheless, 

the activity must be called 

crime and must include severe 

punishment provisions. 

Our prophet Mohammad 

PBUH mentions that, "never 

intercourse with your wives 

until they come into a tranquil 

mood." Scholar Imam Gajjali 

says, "Never intercourse with 

your wives like a beast, first 

make them ready 

psychologically." So, 

evidentially violent sexual 

conduct is not permissible in 

the eye of Islam. 

The life and rights of wife are 

rolling on the ground for want 

of minimum legal and social 

protection. Having no 

provisions to protect married 

women from this hellish 

punishment is the clear 

violation of fundamental 

human rights. Article 31 of BD 

Constitution ensures that no 

action detrimental to the life, 

liberty, body, reputation, 

property shall be taken except 

in accordance with law. As no 

strict legal action is taken to 

prevent this brutal crime, 

government is indirectly 

encouraging this inhumane 

behavior which is detrimental 

and clear violation of the 

Article's spirit. Where is the 

protection of right to life and 

personal liberty under Article 

32? Do we count women, 

especially the married women 

as a human? If yes, then where 

are their fundamental rights as 

a human, as a citizen? After all, 

this neglected human right 

must be re-considered and 

concept of marital rape should 

be re-count. 

Writer is an Associate 

Lawyer, Bhuiyan & 

Mir Associates. 

Sub Editor, Law Page, 

Daily Vorer Pata. 

Can you legally film a police investigation in Bangladesh ? 

AiMAn rAHMAn KHAn 

With the advent of social media, Citizen 

Journalism became a modern practice. 

Smartphones being the key players 

behind it, any individual can now 

broadcast any incident happening in 

their part of the world. Among them, is 

filming a police officer on duty. In 

Bangladesh, regular facebook users 

post photographs or videos of their 

encounters with the police in the 

streets. Many people are either greeted 

with a smile or harassed with threats. 

Mostly as a reply to harassments, many 

individuals tend to record videos of the 

event as means of restraint. Such 'stop 

and search' are usually for minor street 

offences like issuance of a parking 

ticket. But most of these video 

recordings show the misconduct of 

police officers. This brings us to a 

question; Can you legally film the police 

while on investigation? 

A Bangladeshi Facebook group 

'Desperately Seeking Dhaka (DSD)' 

allows it members to post queries 

regarding their legal rights or anything 

happening in Dhaka. This group 

became increasingly popular among 

Dhaka dwellers as a platform for their 

wishes and complains living in this city. 

Pictures, videos, writings surface its 

wall, making it a stage in front of a 

diverse audience. A lot of these become 

'viral' in a matter of hours. Hence, 

videos of a police officer misbehaving or 

acting beyond their authority become a 

common sight. 

Although such posts get maximum 

shares, very few actions are actually 

taken. Most of the time, the person 

posting becomes the offender! He gets 

charged for breaching section 57 of the 

ICT ACT 2006. The video he posted 

would be considered as 'a publication of 

online material with threatens law and 

order' 

This section, as amended in 2013 

covers online crimes including 

defamation, blasphemy, and other 

expression-related offenses-were 

passed through a presidential decree, 

expanding police powers and increasing 

the penalties for violations. [1] 

It gives broad powers to law enforcers 

against online expression. To add more 

to the restriction, the draft Digital 

Securities Act 2016 promises to create 

multiple offences as a supplementary to 

the previous Act. Section 19(2) proposes 

to make an offence out of any 

publication in electronic form which is 

'untrue or obscene, or which distorts or 

pollutes human mind, causes loss of 

standing or social demotion to 

someone'.[2] 

A Citizen Journalist may be 

considered to be a journalist without a 

professional designation. However 

unprofessional they may be, social 

media has empowered them to stand up 

against unfairness. But, under the 

Special Powers Act 1974, a journalist 

may face imprisonment of up to 120 

days of up to 120 days without trial-for 

stories that are critical of government 

officials or policies. 

In the worst possible outcome, the 

publisher may also be charged with the 

offence of Sedition for uploading video 

of the police. According to section 124A 

of the Penal Code 1860, Whoever by 

words, either spoken or written, or by 

signs, or by visible representation, or 

otherwise, brings or attempts to bring 

into hatred or contempt, or excites or 

attempts to excite disaffection towards, 

the Government established by law 

shall be punished with [ imprisonment 

for life] or any shorter term.[3] Also if 

such a video can be established as a 

purpose of terrorism, he may face an 

imprisonment of 14 years! According to 

Section 13 of the Anti Terrorism Act 

2009, instigation of terrorist activities 

by distribution of information in 

electronic medium is an offence. 

Rights & Duties of a person filming 

and uploading on the internet: 

The Constitution of Bangladesh is the 

Supreme law of the land. It gets 

primacy over every other laws in 

Bangladesh. Article 39 of the 

Constitution has recognized a citizen's 

freedom of thought and conscience, i.e, 

freedom of speech and expression. It 

has guaranteed press freedom which is 

no longer limited to print media, but 

disseminating news online. 

Under Section 2 of Bangladesh 

Broadcasting Act, 2003, such a person 

may be considered as a "community 

broadcaster". A community broadcaster 

according to this Act is any broadcaster 

who operates on a non-profit basis, 

serving a particular community by 

reflecting the interests and needs of that 

community. 

Such person may also be protected 

under Article 19 of the International 

Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 

(ICCPR). The Article states; Everyone 

shall have the right to hold opinions 

without interference. It also states that 

Everyone shall have the right to 

freedom of expression; this right shall 

include freedom to seek, receive and 

impart information and ideas of all 

kinds, regardless of frontiers, either 

orally, in writing or in print, in the form 

of art, or through any other media of his 

choice. 

As a citizen of Bangladesh, everyone 

has the right to protect the law to enjoy 

being protected by the law. Therefore, a 

citizen may not interfere with a police 

investigation with the intention to 

obstruct it. Section 34 of the Police Act 

empowers Police officers to impose a 

fine not exceeding fifty taka or 8 days 

imprisonment for causing 

inconvenience, obstruction, annoyance, 

risk, danger or damage in the streets. 

According to section 18 of the Dhaka 

Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 1976, 

all persons shall be bound to conform to 

the reasonable directions of a policeofficer 

given in fulfilment of any of his 

duties under this Ordinance. Section 

186 of the Penal Code 1860 states that 

Whoever voluntarily obstructs any 

public servant in the discharge of his 

public functions, shall be punished with 

imprisonment of either description for 

a term which may extend to three 

months, or with fine which may extend 

to five hundred taka, or with both. 

Can you film the police elsewhere in 

the world? 

The practice of filming is widespread 

in the West. Following are the three 

instances out of many which show how 

it is perfectly legal and accepted around 

the world: 

· In the case of Gaymon et al v. 

Borough of Collingdale, the liability was 

on the police officer for interfering with 

lawful citizen video recording his 

misconduct. This case proved how the 

US courts prioritized the freedom of 

expression mentioned in their Bill of 

Rights. 

· Section 33(2) of Kerala Police Act 

allows public to keep electronic records. 

It states that No Police Officer shall 

prevent any member of the public from 

lawfully making any audio or video or 

electronic record of any Police action or 

activity carried out in a public or private 

place." 

· In the UK, the Metropolitan Police 

Guidelines clearly suggests, "police 

have no power to stop them filming or 

photographing incidents or police 

personnel". 

Video recordings by citizens have 

proven to be indispensable in bringing 

to light instances where the police 

unfortunately misused their powers. 

Although no express provision 

prohibiting it, it is needless to say 

filming an investigation is legal unless 

done with mischief. The Dhaka 

Metropolitan Police itself launched a 

special initiative of making its officers 

wear body cams to ensure 

accountability. This is an appreciative 

step which opens a door for 

amendments to the existing laws of the 

country. 

[1] Freedom House, 'Bangladesh', 

Freedom of the Press 2015 [available on

NATIONAL 

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019 

6 

56 schools in Bagatipara holds prayers 

in memory of Polan Sarkar 

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mobarak Hossain Parvez as the chief guest addressed a meeting in observance 

of the World Wildlife conservation Day in Mohadevpur on Sunday. Photo: M Shakhawat Hossain 

sheikh ToFaZZal hossaiN, NaTore 

CorrespoNdeNT: 

in memory of the recently deceased 

ekushey padak winner polan sarkar, 

special prayers and discussion 

meetings were held on sunday in 

various schhols in Bagatipara upazila 

of Natore. about 13,000 students and 

350 teachers and employees of 56 

primary schools of the upazila prayed 

for forgiveness of the departed souls. 

The teachers told the story of polan 

sarkar who was born in Bagatipara, to 

the students of the school after the 

assembly. at the occasion the teachers 

urged the students to read books to 

make polan sarkar's book reading 

movement a success. These programs 

were organized by the Upazila primary 

education department. 

The main event was held at the 

Nurpur Malanchi government 

primary school in Bagatipara upazila 

where polan sarkar studied. polan 

sarkar studied up to the fourth grade in 

the school. The occasion was chaired 

by the chairman of the school's 

managing committee afrozzaman 

Nipun while among others, Upazila 

education officer (acting) Faizul 

islam, headmaster Mahmuda sultana, 

nephew of polan sarkar lecturer abdul 

halim and social worker Mostafizur 

rahman Moni also spoke at the 

occasion. at the occasion it was 

announced that a new building named 

'polan sarkar Bhaban' will be built at 

the school. also, a room named 'polan 

sarkar smriti library' will be built at 

that building to save the memories of 

polan sarkar. after the discussion, 

hafez Mohammed rokunuzzaman 

conducted the prayer. 

it is to be noted that polan sarkar, 

who started a social movement of 

reading books, was affectionately 

called 'alor Ferrywala', the distributor 

of light. he won the ekushey padak, 

Bangladesh's second-highest civilian 

award, for his works. 

World Wildlife conservation 

Day observed in Mohadevpur 

M shakhaWaT hossaiN, Mohade- 

VpUr CorrespoNdeNT: 

World Wildlife conservation day 

was observed in Mohadevpur upazila 

on sunday with a call for proper 

conservation of wildlife for 

maintaining environmental balance 

and ecosystem. "life below water: for 

people and planet" was the main 

theme of the day. 

Marking the occasion a discussion 

meeting was held at the conference 

room of Upazila Nirbahi officer. The 

meeting was jointly orgainzed by 

Bangladesh 

Biodiversity 

Conservation Federation (BBCF) 

Naogaon district Committee and 

Mohadevpur 

Upazila 

administration. president of BBCF, 

Naogaon district Committee 

younusar rahman hefzul chaired 

the occasion while Upazila Nirbahi 

officer Mobarak hossain parvez was 

present as the chief guest. BBCF 

general secretary of Naogaon 

district Committee M sakhawat 

hossain conducted the meeting. 

among others, Upazila livestock 

officer dr. s. M khursid alam, 

Upazila Forest officer ahsan habib, 

sub inspector of Mohadevpur police 

station ershad hossain, advisor to 

BBCF Central Committee golam 

rasul Babu, Chairman of the 

alidaona Bird Committee Nirmal 

Barmon, principal Zahidul islam and 

journalist Mehedi hasan were also 

present at the occasion. 

A special prayer and a discussion meeting in memory of the recently deceased Ekushey Padak winner 

Polan Sarkar was held at Nurpur Malanchi Government Primary School in Bagatipara upazila 

on Sunday. 

Photo: Sheikh Tofazzal Hossain 

A colorful rally was brought out marking the weeklong 'Regional SME Products Fair- 2019' in 

Noakhali on Sunday. 

Photo: Noakhali Correspondent 

Engineer AKM Fazlul Haque Chan MP as the chief guest addressed an upazila health management 

committee meeting in Sreebardi uapzila on Sunday. 

Photo: Ramesh Sarkar 

Regional SME 

fair begins in 

Noakhali 

MaNik BhUiyaN, Noakhali 

CorrespoNdeNT: 

a weeklong 'regional 

sMe products Fair- 2019' 

began in Noakhali on 

sunday with the main thrust 

of promoting local sMe 

sector, enhance production 

of quality sMe products, 

exhibition and introduction 

of sMe goods for expanding 

business, trade and 

commerce. 

Marking the occasion, a 

colorful rally was brought 

out from deputy 

Commissioner's office and 

paraded the main streets of 

the town. later a discussion 

meeting was held at the fair 

premises in shilpakala in the 

city. 

additional deputy 

Commissioner (revenue) 

abdur rouf Mandal chaired 

the meeting while deputy 

Commissioner Tanmoy das 

was present as the chief 

guest at the occasion. 

among others, additional 

deputy Commissioner abu 

yusuf, iCT Tariqul islam, 

additional superintendent 

of police dipak Jyoti 

khasha, sadar Upazila 

parishad Chairman shihab 

Uddin shaheen, sadar 

Upazila Nirbahi officer 

ariful islam sarder and 

district Community police 

president principal kazi 

rafiq Ullah were also 

present at the occasion. 

Bank loan generates 20,000 

successful entrepreneurs 

in Rajshahi 

raJshahi: rezaul haque, 45, has installed 

commercial fish farming on 95 bighas of water 

bodies at sundarpur area under paba Upazila 

in the district, reports Bss. 

after getting training from department of 

Fisheries and department of youth 

development rezaul had initiated the fish 

farming business around twenty years back. 

Now, he is a successful fish farmer. 

"in the initial stage, i got loan worth Taka 

50,000 from rajshahi branch of 

karmasangsthan Bank," rezaul said while 

talking to Bss here saturday. 

he also received financial support from 

department of Fisheries and department of 

youth development at that time. at present, 

his investment has been cumulated to over 

Taka one crore. lastly, he borrowed loan of 

Taka eight lakh from the karmasangsthan 

Bank that brings furthermore dynamism into 

his business. 

"i had to realize the nature of the business in 

first 15 years. But i'm getting success since last 

five years continuously," rezaul said adding 

that his yearly income has been stood to Taka 

10 lakh at present on an average. Fish farming 

has brought solvency in his family side by side 

with boosting his level of self-confidence. 

rezaul's success inspires many others to the 

fish farming business in the area contributing 

to meet up gradually mounting protein 

demands. 

Borhan Uddin, 42, another fish farmer of 

Bagsara village under the same upazila, has 

invested Taka 75 lakh. he added Taka six lakh 

to his business on 75 bigha of water body after 

taking loan from karmasangsthan Bank 

freshly. 

his investment is expected to a tune of Taka 

one crore within next one year. Talking to Bss, 

the entrepreneur said there is no alternative to 

enhance investment to exist in the business. 

shahajahan ali, 35, owner of Juthi Bostraloy 

in Nawhata Municipality Market, said he is 

running his business with credit support from 

the state-owned bank for more than last one 

decade. he terms the loan facility as 

entrepreneurs-friendly. 

Mokbul hossain, 46, owner of Mehedi shoe 

store at the same market, said he has enhanced 

his business volume with the credit support. 

he repays his loan installment regularly. 

These entrepreneurs are among more than 

20,000 others who have built their fortune 

from zero after getting loan support from the 

bank that contributes a lot to infusing 

dynamism into economic condition of the 

region. 

Mizanur rahman, Manager of paba Branch 

of the bank, says many promising youths have 

become successful entrepreneurs after best 

uses of the loan privileges. success has been 

attained through proper evaluation before 

giving loan and intensive surveillance after 

disbursing loan. as a whole, the bank always 

remains with the borrowers as their 

consultants. 

"We have disbursed loan worth Taka 211.88 

crore among 20,936 entrepreneurs on 24 

commercial sectors in rajshahi and 

Chapainawabgonj districts till december last 

during last two decades," said saleh 

Muhammad sirajul salekin, regional 

Manager of the bank, while talking to Bss on 

the issue. 

recovery rate is over 90 percent and amount 

of deposit collection is more than Taka 33 

crore, he added. 

Sreebardi upazila health 

management committee 

meeting held 

raMesh sarkar, sreeBardi CorrespoNdeNT: 

Upazila health management committee meeting was held at 

sreebardi uapzila in sherpur to raise the standard of health 

service. Upazila health Complex organized the meeting at the 

health Complex auditorium on sunday. 

Upazila health and Family planning officer abhijit roy 

chaired the meeting while engineer akM Fazlul haque Chan 

Mp was present as the chief guest at the occasion. Upazila 

chairman ashraf hossain khoka, Upazila Nirbahi officer sejuti 

dhar, Thana officer in charge Mohammad rahul amin 

Talukder and municipal mayor abu sayeed spoke as special 

guests at the occasion. 

among others, residential Medical officer dr. anisur rahman, 

Upazila Family planning officer (additional) Moniruzzaman, dr. 

akram hossain, senior staff Nurse Nuran Nahar, former Upazila 

Freedom Fighter Commander aminul islam, valiant freedom 

fighter abdullah saleh and BTV district representative debashih 

Bhattacharya were also present at the occasion. 

India-Bangladesh military 

exercise begins in Tangail 

Nasir UddiN, TaNgail CorrespoNdeNT: 

a joint india-Bangladesh military exercise named 'exercise 

sampriti-8' began at Bangabandhu Cantonment in Tangail on 

saturday. 

a total of 170 army personnel, including 30 officers of 

Bangladesh and india, will participate in this exercise which will 

end on March 15. The main theme of the exercise this year is 

"preparation against Terrorism and Natural disaster". 

Maj gen Mizanur rahman shamim, goC and ghatail area 

Commander of 19 infantry division of Bangladesh army 

inaugurated the sampriti as the chief guest. during the time, 

Brigadier gurjat singh sandhu of the indian army also spoke 

at the occasion. 

exercise sampriti-8 will further enhance the existing good 

relationship between the armies of the two countries. The first 

of this kind of exercise named sampriti-1 was held at Jorthat, 

aassam in india from November 1 to 14, 2010 where an exercise 

team of 25 members of Bangladesh army headed by a 

lieutenant Colonel participated. 

A joint India-Bangladesh military exercise named 'Exercise Sampriti-8' began at Bangabandhu 

Cantonment in Tangail on Saturday. 

Photo: Nasir Uddin

INTERNATIONAL MONDAY, 

MARCH 4, 2019 

7 

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., greets supporters as arrives to kick off his second presidential campaign 

Saturday, March 2, 2019, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. 

Photo : AP 

Sanders returns to NY roots, 

says he can defeat Trump 

Bernie Sanders kicked off his presidential 

campaign Saturday miles from the 

rent-controlled apartment where he 

grew up in Brooklyn and forcefully 

made the case that he is nothing like 

fellow New Yorker Donald Trump, proclaiming 

himself the Democrat best 

prepared to beat the incumbent in 

2020, reports UNB. 

"My experience as a child, living in a 

family that struggled economically, 

powerfully influenced my life and my 

values. I know where I came from," 

Sanders boomed in his unmistakable 

Brooklyn accent. "And that is something 

I will never forget." 

The Democrats in the 2020 race have 

taken varied approaches to Trump, 

with some avoiding saying his name 

entirely, while others make implicit critiques 

of his presidency. Sanders has 

never shied from jabbing Trump in 

stark terms, and during his speech at 

Brooklyn College, he called Trump "the 

most dangerous president in modern 

American history" and said the president 

wants to "divide us up." 

The Vermont senator positioned 

himself in opposition to Trump administration 

policies from immigration to 

climate change. Beyond the issues 

themselves, Sanders, who grew up in 

the heavily Jewish neighborhood of 

Flatbush in a middle-class family, drew 

a stark contrast between himself and 

the billionaire in the White House who 

hails from Queens. 

"I did not have a father who gave me 

millions of dollars to build luxury skyscrapers, 

casinos and country clubs," 

said Sanders, who has lived in Vermont 

for decades. He pegged his allowance as 

a kid at 25 cents a week. 

Sanders also said he "did not come 

from a family of privilege that prepared 

me to entertain people on television by 

telling workers, 'You're fired.'" 

"I came from a family who knew all 

too well the frightening power employers 

can have over every day workers," 

he added. 

More than 200 miles away in suburban 

Washington, Trump reveled in his 

2016 victory and said Republicans 

"need to verify it in 2020 with an even 

bigger victory." 

While Trump didn't mention Sanders 

explicitly in a two-hour speech, he 

New Orleans police 

2 killed, 6 injured 

after car hits crowd 

Two people have been killed and six injured after 

being struck by a vehicle on a busy New Orleans 

thoroughfare Saturday evening, authorities said, 

reports UNB. 

Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson told 

local media that a suspect is in custody following 

the incident that happened about 8 p.m. Saturday 

along a multiple-block stretch of Esplanade 

Ave. 

Ferguson said the suspect is being tested to 

determine whether he was intoxicated. His identity 

was not released. The police chief said 

bystanders in the area were the ones who 

stopped the driver. 

"We were able to apprehend the subject so 

quickly because citizens stopped this individual, 

because they thought they were helping someone 

who had just been involved in a one-car 

accident," Ferguson said. 

EMS spokesman Jonathan Fourcade said a 

man and a woman - both about 30 years old - 

were killed. The injured ranged in age from 28 to 

65. Five of the injured were taken to the hospital 

while one refused treatment, Fourcade said. 

Photographs of the scene showed mangled 

bikes along the side of the street. 

One onlooker, Dane Barrymore, told The New 

Orleans Advocate that he was smoking a cigarette 

outside a market when he saw a dark sports 

car speeding down the street. The driver 

swerved into the bike lane to try to go around a 

vehicle. 

"It just happened there were people there - 

bicyclists," Barrymore said. Barrymore said he 

saw two women and one man get struck. He 

said he went to help but it quickly became 

apparent that one of the women and the man 

didn't survive. The vehicle sped off down the 

block, hit another vehicle and then spun out 

into the median, Barrymore told the newspaper. 

The incident happened not far from the 

Endymion parade, one of the city's biggest Mardi 

Gras parades. 

Two damaged bicycles lay in the street as New Orleans Police Department 

officers respond to a fatal hit and run accident along Esplanade Avenue in 

Bayou St. John in New Orleans, Saturday, March 2, 2019. Authorities say 

several people have been killed and others injured after being struck by a 

vehicle on a busy New Orleans thoroughfare. 

Photo : AP 

railed against the policies of "socialism" 

in a continued attempt to portray 

Democrats as out of touch with ordinary 

Americans. Sanders is a selfdescribed 

democratic socialist. 

"Socialism is not about the environment, 

it is not about justice, it is not 

about virtue. It is only about one thing - 

it is called power for the ruling class," 

Trump said. "We know the future does 

not belong to those who believe in 

socialism" 

Speaking at the same conference Friday, 

Vice President Mike Pence called 

Sanders an "avowed socialist." 

Sanders enters the race at a moment 

that bears little resemblance to when he 

waged his long-shot bid in 2016. 

Democrats have been mobilized by the 

election of Trump and are seeking a 

standard-bearer who can oust him 

from office. Many of Sanders' populist 

ideas have been embraced by the mainstream 

of the Democratic party. The 

field of Democrats that he joins 

includes a number of liberal candidates, 

most notably Senator Elizabeth 

Warren of Massachusetts, who share 

similar sensibilities. 

Trump says he'll issue 

order protecting campus 

free speech 

President Donald Trump 

announced Saturday he 

would soon sign an executive 

order requiring colleges 

and universities to support 

free speech if they want federal 

resources, reports UNB. 

Trump is highlighting 

concerns from some conservatives 

that their voices 

were being censored, 

whether on social media or 

at the nation's universities. 

He did not go into more 

detail about what the order 

would say, but his comments 

immediately drew 

scrutiny from those who 

noted that public research 

universities already have a 

constitutional obligation to 

protect free speech. 

"An executive order is 

unnecessary as public 

research universities are 

already bound by the First 

Amendment, which they 

deeply respect and honor," 

said Peter McPherson, president 

of the Association of 

Public and Land-Grant Universities. 

"It is core to their 

academic mission." 

Trump invited Hayden 

Williams to join him Saturday 

while he addressed 

activists attending the Conservative 

Political Action 

Conference. Williams was 

punched Feb. 19 while on 

the campus of University of 

California, Berkeley. He was 

recruiting for the conservative 

group Talking Points 

USA. Two men approached 

and one punched him during 

a confrontation captured 

on student cellphones. 

University of California, 

Berkeley police arrested a 

suspect, Zachary Greenberg, 

on Friday. Williams, 

who had a black eye, told 

Fox News that the men 

objected to a sign that said 

"Hate Crime Hoaxes Hurt 

Real Victims." 

Neither Williams nor 

Greenberg are affiliated 

with UC Berkeley. Trump 

told the audience Saturday 

that Williams "took a hard 

punch in the face for all of 

us." 

Pritzker Prize, 

Irish-born architect 

Kevin Roche dies 

The acclaimed Irish-born 

architect Kevin Roche has 

died, leaving his mark on 

world-class buildings from 

New York's Metropolitan 

Museum of Art and the city's 

Museum of Jewish Heritage 

to airports in New York and 

Washington, reports UNB. 

A spokesman for his architectural 

firm says Roche 

died Friday at 96 of natural 

causes at his home in Guilford, 

Connecticut. 

Roche designed more than 

200 buildings around the 

world, winning the Pritzker 

prize - the equivalent of the 

Nobel for architecture. 

His work includes corporate 

headquarters, scientific 

research facilities, plus theaters, 

a zoo, and various new 

wings for the Met museum 

along with a master plan. 

In his native Ireland, he 

created the Convention Centre 

Dublin. 

Estonians head to 

polls with populist 

party seen rising 

Estonians have started voting 

in a parliamentary election 

in the small Baltic 

nation in a ballot where 

Prime Minister Juri Ratas 

and his Center Party are pitted 

against the center-right 

opposition Reform Party 

and where populists are seen 

making inroads, reports 

UNB. 

Sunday's vote in the NATO 

and the European Union 

member of 1.3 million comes 

as the far-right, nationalist 

Estonian Conservative People's 

Party, EKRE, has substantially 

increased its popularity 

since the 2015 election. 

Both main contenders 

wish to keep it at bay. 

Nearly a million voters are 

eligible to elect representatives 

for the next four years 

to the 101-seat Riigikogu legislature. 

No charges for police who shot 

22-year-old California man 

Two Sacramento police officers won't face 

criminal charges for the fatal shooting of a 

black man following a chase that ended in his 

grandparents' yard and started a series of 

angry protests that roiled California's capital 

city, the county's top prosecutor announced 

Saturday following a nearly yearlong investigation, 

reports UNB. 

Officers Terrance Mercadal and Jared 

Robinet acted within the law when they shot 

22-year-old Stephon Clark seven times, 

Sacramento County District Attorney Anne 

Marie Schubert concluded, noting that the 

evidence supported their account that Clark 

was moving toward them when they opened 

fire. 

Schubert said the evidence, including their 

reactions captured on body cameras, supported 

the officers' statements that they 

thought Clark was pointing a gun. 

It turned out Clark was holding only a cellphone. 

His family and their supporters 

expressed anger and disappointment, and 

accused Schubert of unnecessarily revealing 

grim details of Clark's personal life. 

"Whatever his character is or his 

actions prior to those officers gunning 

him down, is no one's business," said 

Clark's mother, SeQuette, who had a 

brief and contentious meeting with 

Schubert before the DA made her 

announcement. "It's not justification. 

That's not a permit to kill him." 

Schubert said the decision not to file 

charges against the officers "does not diminish 

in any way the tragedy," adding that "We 

cannot ignore that there is rage within our 

community." 

Before Schubert had finished speaking, 

Black Lives Matter began a demonstration 

where about 100 people eventually protested 

peacefully in chilly rain outside Sacramento's 

police headquarters. 

The shooting last March prompted larger 

demonstrations. Protesters twice disrupted 

games for the NBA's Sacramento Kings, 

including one where they blocked thousands 

of fans from entering. That game was played 

in a nearly empty arena. 

Schubert repeatedly apologized for raising 

the personal details during her hour-long 

presentation. 

She revealed Clark was facing possible jail 

time after a domestic violence complaint two 

days earlier from Salena Manni, the mother 

of his two children. He also had researched 

suicide websites including those that suggested 

using a tranquilizer, which was 

among several drugs found in his system 

after his death. 

In this Tuesday, March 27, 2018 file photo, Stevante Clark stands on a desk 

as he shouts the name of his brother Stephon Clark, who was fatally shot 

by police a week earlier, during a meeting of the Sacramento City Council 

in Sacramento, Calif. Prosecutors are expected to announce Saturday, 

March 1 whether two police officers will face charges in last year's fatal 

shooting in Sacramento of an unarmed black man that generated 

nationwide protests. 

Photo : AP 

Brazil's Lula leaves prison 

for grandson's funeral 

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio 

Lula da Silva left prison Saturday to 

attend his 7-year-old grandson's funeral, 

taking advantage of his temporary 

release to reiterate his innocence before 

political leaders and relatives who had 

gathered to mourn, reports UNB. 

Da Silva, who is serving a 12-year sentence 

for corruption and money laundering, 

was released at 7 a.m. local time 

from a prison in the Parana state capital 

of Curitiba. He then flew to Sao 

Paulo by plane before taking a helicopter 

to Sao Bernardo do Campo, where 

the funeral took place. 

He will return to his cell later in the 

afternoon. 

A note on da Silva's website said he 

spoke at the funeral. 

"Ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva 

said at his grandson's funeral that 

when they meet in heaven, he will bring 

proof of his innocence for all the bullying 

that Arthur suffered in school for 

having a grandfather in prison," the 

note said, adding that da Silva said he 

Jordan, UK launch mechanism 

to follow up on London deals 

Jordan and Britain on Saturday launched a follow-up mechanism 

to ensure that commitments in London to provide 

Jordan with loans, grants and loan guarantees are delivered. 

The two countries launched the Jordan Task Force, which 

is a joint effort between Britain, Jordan, donors, private sector, 

civil society and international financial institutions and 

chaired by the governments of the two sides, reports UNB. 

The committee will convene every six months to review 

outcomes and provide suggestions to maximise the effect on 

Jordan's growth, according to a statement by Jordan's Ministry 

of Planning. 

On the private sector, the two countries will work closely 

together to follow up with the business interest raised in London 

in order to turn it into investment. 

During the London event, Germany announced it will provide 

Jordan with 460 million euros (523.37 million U.S. dollars) 

in assistance in 2019, while the European Investment 

Bank said it will provide the kingdom with more than 800 

millions euros in assistance and loans over the next two 

years. 

The EU said it will provide soft loan for Jordan totaling 1.6 

billion euros over the next two years. 

Britain also announced that it will underwrite a 250-million-dollar 

loan for Jordan to help reduce its public debt, 

which currently represents 94 percent of the gross domestic 

product. Enditem. 

would prove that the prosecutor and 

judge who jailed him had lied. 

"Lula was very sad, in a lot of pain, 

destroyed inside, like any human being 

who has to bury their child who dies in 

a tragic way," Joao Pedro Stedile, coordinator 

of the far-left Landless Workers' 

Movement, told The Associated 

Press. "But politically, it's impressive...he 

said to us, 'Stay strong, I'm 

going to get out, I am innocent.'" 

Da Silva's grandson, Arthur Lula da 

Silva, died of meningitis Friday. Arthur 

is the child of Sandro Luis Lula da Silva, 

one of the sons of the ex-president. 

The funeral marked the first time da 

Silva has left prison since being jailed in 

April 2018. 

Leaders from the Workers' Party, 

including ex-President Dilma Rousseff, 

came to pay their respects, while 

around 200 supporters gathered outside 

the cemetery chanting, "Free 

Lula!" Others said that the man popularly 

known as Lula should not have 

been allowed to attend. 

"Lula is just an inmate and he should 

be at a common prison. When the relatives 

of other inmates die will they also 

be escorted by the federal police for the 

funeral?" President Jair Bolsonaro's 

son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, wrote on 

Twitter on Friday. "It is absurd to even 

contemplate that. It only lets him pose 

as a poor thing." 

He later deleted the tweet. 

In January, da Silva wasn't allowed to 

go to his brother's funeral despite 

Brazilian laws which grant inmates permission 

to leave for the funerals of close 

family members. 

Da Silva's arrest has divided the 

country: Some believe justice is being 

served to a corrupt politician, while 

others say he's been unfairly persecuted 

by Brazil's elite and a partisan judiciary. 

Da Silva served as president between 

2003 and 2010. He was poised to run 

for president again in October's election 

but was barred due to his criminal 

conviction. His Workers' Party says he 

is a political prisoner. 

Three killed in shooting in 

Mexican resort of Cancun 

Three people were killed and another was injured in a shooting 

Saturday near a hotel zone in Mexico's famed Caribbean 

resort of Cancun, authorities said, reports UNB. 

The shooting occurred around 1 p.m. local time, in broad 

daylight, on Bonampak Avenue in downtown Cancun, home 

to restaurants and bars that are popular with tourists staying 

in the nearby hotel zone. 

Surveillance cameras captured the moment of the attack, 

which happened when cars were stopped at a red light. 

The footage shows an assailant armed with what looks like 

an automatic weapon got out of a white car and walked over 

to a white pick-up. He then raised the weapon and fired 

through the windows, before getting back in the car. 

One of the victims died inside the vehicle. The other two 

died at the hospital. The driver was injured and is undergoing 

treatment. 

Officials in Quintana Roo state, where Cancun is located, 

said the victims were from Mexico's central state of Michoacan. 

It was a "direct attack between two rival groups," the 

authorities said. Quintana Roo Police Chief Alberto Capella 

said via Twitter that "no tourists or bystanders were injured 

in the attack." 

Bonampak Avenue connects downtown Cancun with the 

hotel zone. Police attending to the scene closed the hotel 

zone's main avenue for nearly an hour while detectives collected 

evidence.

ART & CULTURE 

MoNDAy, 

MArCH 4, 2019 

8 

The Post 

A cover-up that spanned four U.S. 

Presidents pushed the country's first female 

newspaper publisher and a hard-driving 

editor to join an unprecedented battle 

between the press and the government. 

BTS first show at Wembley 

Stadium sold out in 90 minutes 

Genre 

Directed By 

Written By 

: Drama, Mystery & 

Suspense 

: Steven Spielberg 

: Liz Hannah, Josh 

Singer 

Stars : Meryl Streep, Tom 

Hanks, Sarah Paulson 

In Theaters : Jan 12, 2018 wide 

On Disc/ : Apr 17, 2018 

Streaming 

Box Office : $80,369,969 

Runtime : 115 minutes 

Studio : 20th Century Fox 

SToryliNe : 

American military analyst Daniel Ellsberg realizes to his disgust the depths of the US government's 

deceptions about the futility of the Vietnam War. He takes action by copying top-secret documents 

that would become the Pentagon Papers. Later, Washington Post owner, Kay Graham, is still 

adjusting to taking over her late husband's business when editor Ben Bradlee discovers the New 

York Times has scooped them with an explosive expose on those papers. Determined to compete, 

Post reporters find Ellsberg himself and a complete copy of those papers. However, the Post's plans 

to publish their findings are put in jeopardy with a Federal restraining order that could get them 

all indicted for Contempt. Now, Kay Graham must decide whether to back down for the safety of 

her paper or publish and fight for the Freedom of the Press. In doing so, Graham and her staff join 

a fight that would have America's democratic ideals in the balance. 

-IMDb 

K-pop sensation BTS have 

added a second date to their 

shows at Wembley Stadium, 

after their first show sold out in 

90 minutes. The K-pop group 

have surged in popularity in the 

last year and become part of a 

select group to stage consecutive 

Wembley shows.The sevenpiece 

boy band will now appear 

in London on 2 June, in addition 

to the slot on 1 June. 

Since the tickets of the first 

show sold out only in 90 minutes 

BTS has put another show date. 

Tickets for the new Love Yourself: 

Speak Yourself tour date go on 

sale on Friday 8 March, according 

to Wembley's Guest Support 

Portal website. Prices will be from 

£45 to £160 and Wembley 

advised fans to monitor the stadium's 

social media for more information. 

Anyone under 14 is 

required to attend with an adult. 

The move comes days after ticket 

agencies were criticised for 

reselling tickets to the 1 June date 

for thousands of pounds. On 

Saturday, Sky News founds 

dozens of tickets for the event on 

sale on ticket resellers for more 

than £1,000 a seat. A post on 

Wembley Stadium's Twitter page 

said: "Thanks to all your love and 

support, NEW SHOW ADDED! 

BTS WORLD TOUR 'LOVE 

YOURSELF: SPEAK YOUR- 

SELF' is coming to WEMBLEY 

STADIUM on 02.06.2019!" 

Fans on Twitter expressed 

delight at the extra date but concern 

that they might not be able 

to get tickets due to the intense 

competition and tickets going 

on sale on a school day. One, 

calling themselves Claud, said: 

"thank you! please be considerate 

with the selling times tho, 

many of us armys are still in 

school and its super stressful for 

you to start selling the tickets on 

a friday morning.." 

Another, calling themselves 

Myreligionkarma added: "OMG, 

there's still hope!! Please let us 

who didn't get tickets for the first 

show to have a chance at this one. 

I hope all of you, including myself, 

who got dissapointed and devastated 

for not getting tickets yesterday 

the best of luck on March 8. 

Fighting" 

The shows will be band's first 

in Britain since their concerts at 

the O2 sold out last year. After 

tickets for the 1 June event went 

on sale, #BTSxWembley was 

the top trending hashtag worldwide 

for a while. 

Despite being active since 2013, 

in the last few months, BTS - 

short for Bangtan Boys - have 

taken the world by storm and are 

now one of the most popular 

groups in the world. Early in 

2018, the band who mostly sings 

in Korean, became the first from 

South Korea to achieve a gold 

sales certification in the US. They 

have gone on to have two number 

one US Billboard chart albums, 

and currently have 3.2 million followers 

of their official "BTS 

A.R.M.Y." fanclub twitter feed. 

Despite their popularity, BTS 

are yet to have a UK top 10 hit. 

Last year their song Idol, featuring 

Nicki Minaj, got to number 

21. The album Love Yourself: 

Tear reached number eight in 

the UK chart. According to the 

NME and other sources, they 

are one of just a select few to 

stage performances over consecutive 

dates at the new incarnation 

of the historic stadium. 

The band have also sold out the 

Stade de France in Paris and several 

arenas in the US including 

the Los Angeles Rose Bowl, New 

Jersey's Metlife stadium and Live 

Nation Chicago. Billboard website 

says the phenomenon in part 

stems from a change in strategy 

by K-pop record label bosses to 

target Western markets after 

China banned South Korean 

music in the wake of a US-South 

Korea missile-system agreement 

in 2016. 

Peter Vanham, media lead for 

US and industries at the World 

Economic Forum in Davos, 

recently wrote that BTS's success 

can be put down to the consequences 

of increasing globalisation. 

To be noted that only 12 

artist so far have sold out Wembly 

Stadium including Michael 

Jackson, Muse, Madonna, 

Beyonce, One Direction, 

Eminem, Spice Girls, Taken That, 

Queen, Oasis, Ed Sheeran and 

now BTS. 

-Sky News 

Johnny Depp filed a 

lawsuit against ex-wife 

Amber Heard 

Johnny Depp Reportedly Sues Amber Heard for $50M Over 

Washington Post Op-Ed back in December, which detailed her 

alleged experiences with domestic violence without naming 

Depp. The suit, says Heard "is not a victim of domestic abuse, 

she is a perpetrator." The suit also denies that Depp ever 

abused Heard, and claims that her allegations were part of an 

"elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity" for the 

"Aquaman" star. "The op-ed depended on the central premise 

that Ms. Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr. Depp 

perpetrated domestic violence against her," Depp's lawyers 

allege. 

"I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I 

felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak 

out," Heard wrote in the op-ed. "This frivolous action is just 

the latest of Johnny Depp's repeated efforts to silence Amber 

Heard," said Heard's attorney. "Mr. Depp's actions prove he is 

unable to accept the truth of his ongoing abusive behavior. But 

while he appears hell-bent on achieving self destruction, we 

will prevail in defeating this groundless lawsuit and ending the 

continued vile harassment of my client by Mr. Depp and his 

legal team." 

Heard and Depp married in 2015 after meeting in 2011 on the 

set of "The Rum Diary." Heard filed for divorce in 2016 after 

claiming Depp was violent towards her, and donated the $7 

million settlement that resulted from the split to charity. 

The lawsuit is just the latest of Depp's legal entanglements. 

He's sued his former managers, which was settled out of court, 

as well as his former attorney, which resulted in a win for Depp 

over the pair's unwritten contract. 

-Variety 

Comedian Trevor Noah mocks Trump 

for failed summit with Kim Jong Un 

H o roSCoPe 

ArieS 

(March 21 - April 20) : At the end of it 

all comes a fresh start, and this is what 

you're striving towards. There should 

be general ease finding outlets for your emotions 

and for meeting with cooperation and support 

right now. Be sure to take advantage because 

communications may not be quite as smooth. 

TAUrUS 

(April 21 - May 21) : Pacing yourself 

comes more easily than usual to you, 

and you may be attracting resources, 

support, or favorable circumstances now as 

others are drawn to you and your quiet confidence. 

It's a good time for emotional and spiritual 

growth, too, but even with these things. 

GeMiNi 

(May 22 - June 21) : Connecting with 

someone through ideas can be in strong 

focus, or someone influences you to see 

your life through a new lens. Even with this 

emphasis on your social life, you're in an excellent 

position to tap into a personal ambition or goal, 

and you're likely to feel wonderfully inspired! 

CANCer 

(June 22 - July 23) : This is a time for 

throwing yourself into a pursuit or 

even an idea, and for doing some serious 

research. While this might eat up a lot of 

time, you can also learn much in the process. 

You're connecting with a need to produce, 

organize, and serve, and it feels right. 

leo 

(July 24 - Aug. 23) : Relationships tend 

to flow naturally and easily today, especially 

since there is less "noise" around 

you to distract you from giving them their due 

attention. There can be sweet emotional rewards 

for sharing a bit of yourself and going the extra 

mile to help people out. Joy can be found in 

responding to opportunities to grow emotionally. 

VirGo 

(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23) : Today, Venus enters 

your work and health sector for a stay of 

over three weeks -- until March 26th. 

You may find work or health routines more enjoyable, 

possibly receiving benefits in these areas. If 

there's been tension or conflict in your work or daily 

routines, Venus here can help soften rough edges. 

liBrA 

(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23) : This can be a time 

of new insights into problems, discovering 

new ways to relate with one another, 

and for getting rid of excess clutter or chaos. A 

quick decision may not be so off the wall now. Also 

today, Venus moves into your romance and pleasure 

sector for a stay of three and a half weeks. 

SCorPio 

(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) : Straying from the rules 

just a little may very well lead to exciting 

new ideas or experiences, however, and 

it makes the most sense to give one another a bit of 

space. Also today, Venus moves into your sector of 

home, family, and personal life. This cycle awakens 

the self-protective or cautious part of you. 

SAGiTTAriUS 

(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21) : A clash of values 

with someone can prompt a bit of a 

rebellious streak. Instead of following 

whims, you might try to pinpoint and understand 

the reason behind your restlessness and 

tension. It's important not to respond to all 

urges, particularly if they involve spending. 

CAPriCorN 

(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20) : There is much to 

learn about your inner world now, and 

you can benefit from some extra attention 

to spiritual needs. Look for ways to let go of unnecessary 

worry and guilt so that you can start fresh. Also 

consider that this is a stellar time in the lunar cycle for 

getting to know what it is you truly value. 

AQUAriUS 

(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) : Gut feelings are likely 

to be correct. While you tend to want to go 

your own way today, sharing ideas and 

experiences with others can be fun and satisfying. It's 

a fine time for embracing activities with a team, group, 

or friend. Note that tomorrow brings Mercury's retrograde 

and the next day, a New Moon occurs, making it 

most appropriate to clear your head today. 

PiSCeS 

(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : A New Moon about to 

happen in your sign in only two days, clearing 

your head makes wonderful sense now. 

Use this time to delve into needs for rest, reflection, and 

emotional renewal. You are especially sensitive and observant. 

Even without a solid plan, you're likely to enjoy a 

sense of purpose or have faith that a direction is coming. 

"Daily Show" host Trevor Noah had some fun 

Thursday night at the expense of President 

Donald Trump and North Korean Dictator 

Kim Jong Un for their summit in Hanoi that 

resulted without a deal. The meeting between 

the two leaders ended abruptly after both 

sides disagreed on lifting sanctions and the 

number of nuclear sites that would be handed 

over, which prompted President Trump to 

walk and their scheduled signing ceremony 

and lunch were canceled. 

Noah was able to find humor in the collapsed 

negotiations. "Wow. You know something 

must have gone wrong when these two 

turn down lunch," Noah joked. The Comedy 

Central star expressed that he was "shocked" 

that their talks fell through, pointing to 

Trump's glowing rhetoric of his relationship 

with Kim and how they "fell in love." He 

added "All of Trump's best relationships are 

with people who are half his age and don't 

speak English. It works. That's when the relationship 

'be best.'" 

Noah then wondered what "turned their 

love affair sour," which he explained that they 

Alia Bhatt working with 

her father in Sadak 

After Gully Boy's success, Alia Bhatt has multiple releases 

this year in the form of Kalank and Ranbir Kapoor starrer 

Brahmastra. However, another project that her fans are 

excited about is Sadak 2, which marks the actor's first collaboration 

with her director and father Mahesh Bhatt. The 

film will go on floors this year and Alia is as excited as she is 

nervous about working with her father. 

"Right now, I am scared to be directed by my father. He is 

looking at me every day and saying I am going to get 

through you. He has an X-ray vision kind of thing," Alia said 

in an interview to Deccan Chronicle. "I have a wall around 

me every now and then and I let very few people in (cross 

that wall). 

My father is waiting to break that wall down. So, I am a little 

scared but I think it will be fun. We start shooting this 

year," she added. 

Sadak 2 is a sequel to Bhatt's 1991 film Sadak. Apart from 

Alia, the film also features Pooja Bhatt, Sanjay Dutt and 

Aditya Roy Kapur in pivotal roles. 

Meanwhile, Alia has some very interesting projects in her 

kitty. Apart from Brahmastra, she has also wrapped up 

Karan Johar's Kalank, which reunites her with Varun 

Dhawan for the fourth time. Kalank is an epic period drama 

"both just wanted different things" like with 

most relationships that go sour and that it's a 

"classic relationship dilemma." He also 

mocked Trump for thinking he could still 

"work things out" with the North Korean dictator. 

Noah said to the president. "You told 

your friends this was gonna work out. And, 

despite the warnings, you still carried on. And 

now you're trying to save face because you 

think everyone's judging you, which we totally 

are. But instead of dragging this out, 

Donald, I think it's time to accept that maybe, 

just maybe, Kim is just not that into you." 

Besides recently during an episode, 

Trevor tried to find humour in the escalating 

tensions between India and Pakistan 

and was heavily trolled on Twitter. In a 

video that is being shared widely on social 

media, Noah can be seen saying that while 

he hopes India and Pakistan do not go to 

war, but it would be the "most entertaining" 

war if they did. 

Commenting on how Indians like songand-dance, 

the comedian likened the Indian 

soldiers' war cry to Bollywood songs and the 

set is now facing a backlash on social media. 

Twitter users questioned how someone could 

find the tense situation funny. Others called 

the joke 'racist' and 'despicable'. 

-Fox News 

that boasts of an ensemble cast including Alia, Varun along 

with Madhuri Dixit, Sonakshi Sinha, Kunal Kemmu, Aditya 

Roy Kapur and Sanjay Dutt in significant parts. 

-Indian Express

SPORTS 

MONDAy, 

MARCh 4, 2019 

9 

Both Mahmudullah and Soumya Sarkar brought up their highest Test scores. 

Photo: AP 

Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah 

ace the short-ball test 

Sports Desk: After Bangladesh collapsed 

to an innings defeat in Hamilton 

despite two fantastic hundreds in the 

second innings, their stand-in skipper 

Mahmudullah has pointed to the 

team's failures in the starkly-contrasted 

first innings that saw them being 

bowled out for 234 - an underwhelming 

score in a high-scoring Test match, 

reports Cricbuzz. 

"I feel we missed an opportunity in 

the first innings," Mahmudullah told 

reporters after the match. "We needed 

another big innings from someone, and 

then the result would have been different. 

But I think batsmen will be feeling 

positive leading in the second Test." 

Bangladesh went on to lose the opening 

Test by an innings and 52 runs but 

in the process gave a good account of 

themselves for the first time in the 

series. Mahmudullah and Soumya 

Sarkar scored brilliant hundreds, and 

their highest Test scores in the process, 

on the morning of the fourth day. 

The visitors had earlier crumbled to 

234 in their first innings after being put 

into bat and went on to the back foot 

after New Zealand posted their highest 

Test total of 715 for 6 before declaring 

on the third day. Bangladesh were 174 

for 4 overnight, meaning they had to 

something extraordinary to survive the 

Test on the fourth day. 

Mahmudullah made 146 whereas 

Soumya made 149 runs to make New 

Zealand sweat, something New 

Zealand skipper Kane Williamson also 

admitted, as the visitors braved it all - 

reverse swing, bodyline, spin into the 

rough, swing - to take some confidence 

ahead of the second Test. 

Mahmudullah hailed Soumya for his 

brave hundred as he felt that he was the 

major reason they could put up 255 

runs for the fifth wicket. 

"Soumya's role was important at that 

time. He was batting with good rhythm 

and he was taking risks," said Mahmudullah. 

"He was hitting boundaries 

and disturbing the bowler's line and 

lengths. He was doing that successfully. 

Our partnership was growing nicely. 

"I didn't give away wickets first hour 

of the play. If we can survive the first 

hour, we knew we will finish it off nicely," 

he said. Mahmudullah said that he 

was prepared not to take any extra risk 

initially and just wanted to make sure 

he does not fall into the trap of the 

opposition. 

"I took time, I knew when the bowlers 

get tired, that is when I will take my 

chances. They were bowling bouncers 

and yorkers when I was batting, I was 

well aware of that. 

"Wagner was very good with his back 

of the length deliveries. He was trying 

the bowl bouncers. Boult-Southee were 

trying to swing the new ball. I guess 

that's what their process is. When the 

ball was new, they try to swing it and 

the when the ball gets older, they bowl 

bouncers. Our batsmen are well aware 

of that. Hopefully we will keep that in 

mind in the next test match," Mahmudullah 

said, adding that Tamim 

Iqbal gave him the confidence to play 

some pull and hook shots that he usually 

does not play in the middle as they 

aren't his areas of strength. 

"Tamim batted very well against 

them, Wagner was bowling from round 

the wicket into his body, Tamim is the 

best batsman in the team when it 

comes to pull and hook shot. I like the 

idea and I applied it in my batting." 

Barcelona beat Real Madrid to 

edge closer to La Liga title 

Sports Desk: Barcelona won their 

second Clasico in four days on Saturday 

and Real Madrid might have to win the 

Champions League if Santiago Solari is 

to be in charge for the next one, reports 

BSS. 

After knocking them out of the Copa 

del Rey on Wednesday, Barca returned 

to the Santiago Bernabeu for a 1-0 victory 

that surely eliminates their greatest 

rivals from the title race too. 

Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos 

locked heads after Ramos flung an arm 

into Messi's face but, despite the scoreline 

and a few half-chances, that was 

about the most trouble Madrid caused. 

Messi would have been proud of Ivan 

Rakitic's delightful chip, a rare moment 

of precision that in the end settled 

another Clasico high on vigour but 

lacking in either real quality or rhythm. 

"What we wanted was to deliver our 

best and to inflict damage on our rival," 

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde said. 

"We have done that." 

The onus was on Madrid, not only to 

make amends for their defeat in midweek 

but to reduce the nine-point gap 

between them and La Liga's leaders. 

Instead, Barcelona extended it to 12 

and the way their players jumped up 

and down in front of the away fans after 

the final whistle suggested they felt this 

was a major hurdle overcome. 

Barcelona also now own 96 victories 

in this fixture to Real Madrid's 95, the 

first time they have been in front in 87 

years. When Solari took over in 

November, his team were seven points 

adrift of the Catalans and the fact the 

deficit has almost doubled since might 

not reflect the improvement in performances. 

But this was the first time 

Madrid have lost three in a row at home 

in 15 years and these are surely the 

matches president Florentino Perez 

will remember when he considers his 

coach's future next summer. "You go 

through spells, sometimes everything 

goes for you and sometimes it doesn't," 

said Solari. "In these two games it hasn't." 

All that realistically remains now is 

the Champions League, in which 

Madrid will carry a 2-1 lead into Tuesday's 

second leg at home to Ajax. 

Europe has rescued them before and 

it also revived Gareth Bale, who 

endured another frustrating night on 

only his third start in 10 games. 

Bale was largely anonymous again 

and when substituted in the second 

half, he departed not just to a scattering 

of whistles from the home crowd but a 

chorus. 

"He tried, like the rest of the players," 

said Solari. It took Busquets 89 seconds 

to be booked and only a few more for 

Bale to send the free-kick over the bar 

but Madrid started with purpose, like a 

team determined to right the wrongs of 

before. Their early impetus faded 

though as Barca, driven on by Messi, 

took control. Messi skipped through 

three players in midfield and was furious 

with Ousmane Dembele when he 

missed his late run into the box. 

He then weaved in behind with the 

help of a Luis Suarez touch but, to 

everyone's surprise, the trademark lifted 

finish floated wide. 

Rakitic showed him how to do it. He 

played the ball wide to Sergi Roberto, 

continued his run behind Ramos and 

received it back, before feathering a 

delightful chip over Thibaut Courtois. 

Barca were comfortable but the game 

erupted on the stroke of half-time. 

Ramos won the ball from Messi but, 

with his arm outstretched, left it long 

enough to catch his opponent in the 

face. Messi pointed to his lip and then 

butted heads with Ramos but referee 

Alberto Mallenco saw nothing worthy 

of punishment. 

Madrid pushed for an equaliser but 

their desperation showed. Benzema 

failed to connect while Vinicius Juniors' 

rushed shot was blocked. 

Bale was hauled off just after the 

hour, replaced by Marco Asensio, and 

even Isco came on in the 76th minute, 

for his longest appearance since the 

end of January. 

Raphael Varane might have snatched 

a late equaliser but his header was 

weak. Barcelona were left celebrating 

again. 

Roger Federer reaches 

next level with 100th 

career title 

Sports Desk: Roger Federer 

has claimed the 100th 

ATP title of his career by 

beating 20-year-old Greek 

Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 6-4 in 

the final of the Dubai Tennis 

Championships on Sunday 

morning (AEDT), reports 

AP. 

The 20-time grand slam 

champion became the second 

man in the Open Era to 

claim 100 titles after American 

Jimmy Connors, who 

won 109. 

Swiss great Federer also 

avenged his shock defeat by 

Tsitsipas in the Australian 

Open fourth round in 

January. 

"I'm delighted. It's great to 

win my eighth here in Dubai 

and in combination with my 

100th singles title," Federer 

said. "It's been a difficult 

week for me, tough opponents 

throughout but credit 

to Stefanos as well, he played 

a great tournament." 

Federer reiterated he 

doesn't play the sport to 

break records but admitted 

reaching triple figures of 

career titles was a special 

occasion. 

"As for records, we live in 

an age where every record 

has to be shattered, but not 

for me," he said. 

"We'll see how much more 

I have left in the tank, but 

reaching 100 is a dream and 

tonight was a very special 

evening, but it's not about 

breaking every single 

record." 

Federer, who had been 

stuck on 99 titles since triumphing 

at his hometown 

Basel tournament in October, 

broke Tsitsipas in the 

first game of the match and 

saved two break points at 5- 

4 to claim the first set in 36 

minutes. Tsitsipas, who will 

break into the top 10 for the 

first time on Monday, held 

firm up to 4-4 in the second 

set before the 37-year-old 

Federer switched gears to 

seal the decisive break and 

close out the victory. 

Thomas, Gayle star in crushing 

win against England 

Sports Desk: Oshane Thomas's maiden 

five-fer, followed by Chris Gayle's recordbreaking 

half-century in a brutal batting 

assault on England pacers, helped Windies 

draw the five-match ODI series 2-2 with a 

commanding seven-wicket win in the final fixture, 

at the Darren Sammy National Cricket 

Stadium in St. Lucia on Saturday (March 2). 

Windies, thus averted their 18th series loss on 

the trot in the format, reports Cricbuzz. 

Windies meant business in the series 

decider, and showed exactly that with their 

clinical bowling show to skittle England for 

just 113, but the lowly target didn't stop 

Gayle from having his own fun. The lefthanded 

opener slammed the fastest fifty for 

a West Indian, off just 19 deliveries, studded 

with half-a-dozen sixes, to better Sammy's 

record of 20 balls, and in the process, set up 

the hosts' easy win with more than 36 overs 

to spare and even before a formal "innings 

break". 

Set a target of 114, Gayle blew the English 

bowlers away with his whirlwind 27-ball 77 

that included nine sixes and five more boundaries. 

He went after Chris Wokaes and later 

Mark Wood, but almost single-handedly dictated 

the chase for the eight overs that he lasted 

in the middle. 

Woakes was hit for back-to-back boundaries 

and then a six in his opening over itself, 

and there was no turning back from there. His 

next over yielded 23 runs, including three sixes. 

Wookes, and England, momentarily 

thought the carnage was over when he had the 

batsman caught in the deep off a short delivery 

but the umpire deemed it a no-ball for it 

was his third bouncer in the over. Gayle took 

the attack to Wood next, who was dispatched 

for five sixes and a boundary in the space of 

two overs. 

England did pick up some consolation wickets 

with Wood dismissing the two openers 

and Woakes disturbing Shai Hopes's stumps 

in the ninth over, after having leaked 50 in his 

five-over spell by then. But with Windies 95 

for 3 at that point, it was hardly going to bother 

them. Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer 

wrapped up the formalities off the first ball of 

the 13th over to give Windies a series-levelling 

win without breaking a sweat. 

Earlier in the day, Windies pacers rattled 

England with short balls after Jason Holder 

put the opposition in to bat in bowling-friendly 

conditions. Nearly all of England's batsmen 

got starts, but Windies' regular strikes prevented 

any partnerships from flourishing. The 

platform was laid by the early strikes of Sheldon 

Cottrell and Holder, before Carlos Brathwaite 

piled on more damage in his miserly 

eight-over spell, and Thomas eventually ran 

through the tail. England lost their last-five 

men for the addition of just two runs, and 

eventually folded for their lowest ever score 

against Windies barely days after posting their 

highest ever. 

Chris Gayle cracked a 19-ball half-century against England during 5th ODI 

in St Lucia. 

Photo: AP 

Two El Clasico wins in four days for Barcelona as Rakitic scores winner against Real Madrid. 

Photo: AP 

Man City beat 

Bournemouth 

to take Premier 

League top spot 

Sports Desk: Pep Guardiola 

hailed his "incredible" 

Manchester City players 

after the Premier League 

champions dug deep to beat 

Bournemouth 1-0 on Saturday 

and return to the top of 

the table, reports BSS. 

Riyad Mahrez's 55thminute 

goal eventually settled 

matters at the Vitality 

Stadium, moving City two 

points ahead of title rivals 

Liverpool ahead of the Reds' 

Merseyside derby meeting 

with Everton on Sunday. 

City were made to work for 

the win against a 

Bournemouth side who 

defended in numbers and 

failed to register a single 

attempt on goal. But City 

manager Guardiola was 

impressed with the way his 

players stuck to their task, 

insisting their performance 

underlined they have no 

intention of giving up their 

title easily. 

"We made one of the best 

performances we have 

played, they (Bournemouth) 

were very organised," said 

Guardiola. "But they didn't 

have one shot, we defended 

well from throw-ins and 

free-kicks." The Spaniard 

added: "We created a few 

chances, people should 

understand how difficult it is 

to attack 11 players (who are 

defending). Thanks to the 

players, they are absolutely 

incredible. "We demand a 

lot of the players without 

giving them the time to rest 

physiologically. 

Sheikh Jamal, Doleshwar battle 

to reach zenith in DPL T20 

Sports Desk: Shikeh Jamal Dhanmondi Club 

takes on Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club in the 

final of the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) T20 

on Monday to clinch the trophy of the tournament, 

dubbed as the stepping stone of making 

the pipeline of local T20 players stronger, 

reports BSS. 

While Sheikh Jamal showed an outright 

power to move to the final, Doleshwar had fair 

share of luck to seal the spot here. 

After beating Khelaghar Samaj Kallayan 

Samity and Uttara Sporting Club quite comfortably 

in the group phase, Jamal faced off more 

powerful team-Shinepukur Cricket Club in the 

first semifinal. But they overhauled 

Shinepukur's 181-7 pretty comfortably that they 

showed their depth in the team. Hard-hitter 

batsman Ziaur Rahman was specially in form, 

smashing a 29 ball-72 not out that helped 

Jamal gun down the Shinepukur's total with 14 

balls to spare. 

Doleshwar tied a low-scoring affair against 

BKSP in the first match. Because of the tie, the 

match went to super over in which BKSP held 

its never to prevail the game. However Doleshwar 

came back in winning-way by narrowly 

edging Gazi Group Cricketers past by three 

wickets and sealed the last-four spot with better 

run-rate. They locked horn Prime Bank Cricket 

Club in the semifinal and were in cornered state 

before captain Farhad Reza blasted 8 balls-24 

not out to sail them through to the final. 

Considering the form and depth of the team, 

Sheikh Jamal looked more favourite than the 

Doleshwar but its captain Nurul Hasan said 

that they need to deliver when it matters most. 

"In T20 cricket, there is nothing like big team or 

small team. You have to perform on given day 

and that matters the most," Hasan said today at 

Academy ground of Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla 

National Cricket Stadium. 

"The tournament has been competitive and 

all team is equal as far as the strength is concerned. 

But it's right that the balance of our 

team is very good. The matter is to perform 

according to the situation. Hopefully we can 

show our mettle." 

The tournament is considered as the build-up 

for the Dhaka Premier League 50-over format, 

alongside helping the local players to get more 

exposure in T20 format. 

Hasan said the wicket was really good for batting 

which helped the batsmen flourish at a 

moment when there was enormous criticism 

that the local batsmen are not the good hitters 

of the ball. 

"In the semifinal game we lost top order very 

early in the chase of a big total. Ziaur Rahman 

came up and played shots at his will. His 

innings and snatching victory from the jaws of 

defeat boosted our morale. His innings also 

showed that our players can play big shots in 

this format," Hasan revealed. 

Prime Doleshwar captain Farhad Reza 

accepted the fact that the team depth of the 

Sheikh Jamal was superb but refused to give up 

the hopes. 

"You never know what would happen at this 

shortest version of the cricket. Every team has 

the chance and it is the matter to grab the 

chance with both hands." 

But Reza knew he would have to take the 

onus if he wants a trophy for the side. Reza has 

been in good form with both batting and bowling 

since the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 

T20 tournament. Even in the last semifinal he 

claimed his career best 5-32 before helping the 

side overcome Prime Bank's big total with a 

whirlwind innings. 

Knowing that all effort would go in vain if he 

can't deliver in the final match, he said, "I will 

try to keep up the consistency and hopefully I 

would deliver for the side when it matters 

most."

ECONOMY & BUSINESS 10 

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019 

Mercantile Bank Ltd held Town Hall Meeting of Chattagram Zone at Agrabad Branch in Chattagram. 

Bank's Managing Director & CEO Md. Quamrul Islam Chowdhury was present as the chief guest on 

the occasion and delivered his speech highlighting on non performing loan, future planning, 

deposits and ensuring customer care. Mati ul Hasan, Additional Managing Director & CRO of the 

Bank was the special guest on the program. Jashim Uddin, Zonal Head of Chattagram presided over 

the meeting while Mezbah Uddin Ahmed, HOD of Agrabad Branch along with all HODs, executives 

& Officers of Chattagram Zone were also present. 

Photo: Courtesy 

Rising star palladium 

shines brightly 

Palladium is blazing a record-breaking trail 

on supply deficit fears, fuelled by strong 

demand from carmakers as more and more 

consumers switch from high-polluting diesel 

to cleaner vehicles, experts say. 

The precious metal, which is used in the 

manufacture of catalytic converters for petrol 

engines, scored a record pinnacle on Tuesday 

at $1,568 per ounce. 

The commodity, which is mostly mined in 

Russia and South Africa, was also buoyed by 

supply-side woes and solid demand from 

China - despite a recent economic slowdown 

in the Asian powerhouse. 

Palladium has rebounded sharply since 

striking a one-year low of $836 per ounce in 

August, when it was rocked by a strong dollar. 

"Demand for palladium in gasoline 

autocatalysts has seen strong growth over the 

last few years, driven by Chinese growth and 

a declining diesel market share following the 

Volkswagen scandal," said Renaissance 

Capital commodities analyst Steven 

Friedman. 

Volkswagen's pollution-cheating 

"dieselgate" scandal has also loomed large 

since 2015 because it hurt demand for dieselpowered 

vehicles in the longer term. 

Germany's biggest carmaker lurched into 

crisis after admitting that it had fitted as many 

as 11 million of its diesel cars with software 

capable of fooling official pollution tests. 

In December meanwhile, palladium 

eclipsed gold in dollar terms for the first time 

in 16 years, and it has so far traded above gold 

for most of 2019. It has benefited from 

weakening demand for high-polluting diesel 

cars that face tighter regulation worldwide. 

In stark contrast, sister metal platinum - a 

key component in converters for diesel 

engines - languishes not too far from a 10- 

year low that was struck last August. 

Diesel accounted for 36 percent of new car 

registrations worldwide in 2018, according to 

data from automotive research consultancy 

Jato Dynamics. 

That was sharply down from 44 percent in 

2017, while the figure had stood at a record 

high 55 percent in 2011. 

As a result, automotive demand for 

palladium jumped to a record high of 8.66 

million ounces in 2018, up three percent from 

2017, according to the world's largest 

palladium refiner Johnson Matthey. 

Both platinum and palladium remain 

supported, to varying degrees, by tight global 

supply. 

"In 2018, the (palladium) market was in a 

structural deficit for the ninth consecutive 

year in a row," noted Russia's Norilsk Nickel, 

which is the world's biggest palladium 

producer. And thanks to runaway prices, 

Norilsk Nickel enjoyed a 44-percent boom in 

net profit in 2018 to $3.1 billion (2.7 billion 

euros) from 2017. 

The palladium deficit shrank slightly last 

year, with global demand outstripping supply 

by 29,000 ounces in 2018, according to 

Johnson Matthey. 

However, the situation appears set to 

worsen significantly this year thanks to 

tighter emissions regulation. 

Johnson Matthey forecasts the deficit in 

2019 to hit 1.0 million ounces. 

"The deficit in the palladium market looks 

set to widen dramatically in 2019, with 

stricter emissions legislation forecast to 

stimulate double-digit rises in palladium 

demand from European and Chinese 

automakers," warned Johnson Matthey in its 

February market outlook. 

The threat of strikes at South African mines 

- which together account for some 40 percent 

of global production - could worsen the 

situation. 

But some analysts argue that a correction in 

the volatile palladium market is now overdue. 

"The palladium market is probably one of 

the smallest commodity markets," Natixis 

analyst Bernard Dahdah told AFP. 

"More likely one market player, someone is 

speculating by buying so much," he said, 

adding some commentators indicate Russia 

could be behind such a move. 

By Friday on the London Platinum and 

Palladium Market, the price of palladium rose 

to $1,540.93 per ounce from $1,490.57 a 

week earlier. 

Platinum meanwhile increased to $863.14 

an ounce from $832.14. 

Managing 

Director of SBI 

visits Dhaka 

Shri Dinesh Kumar Khara, 

Managing Director (Global 

Banking & Subsidiaries) of 

State Bank of India, has 

arrived in Dhaka on 28th 

February,2019, for a two day 

visit to Bangladesh, a press 

release said. 

Shri C. VenkatNageswar, 

Deputy Managing Director 

(International Banking) is 

also accompanying him. 

During their two days visit to 

Bangladesh, Khara will 

inaugurate new Country 

Head Office of SBI 

Bangladesh Operations and 

meet with the senior 

Government officials, top 

officials of Bangladesh Bank 

and Prominent business 

houses of Bangladesh. 

Amid bountiful 

jobs, US layoffs 

creep higher 

The US jobs engine has 

continued to deliver for nearly 

a decade, putting more 

Americans back to work and 

sending unemployment to a 

historic lows. 

But, just over a year after 

Congress enacted sweeping 

corporate tax cuts meant to 

jolt the economy, a shadow 

has crept into the picture: 

Layoffs are also on the rise. 

While claims for 

unemployment benefits 

remain low, major companies 

have begun to swing the axe 

even as many enjoy the tax 

windfall and solid profits, and 

are spending record amounts 

of cash to buy back their own 

stock from investors. 

In February alone, layoffs 

were announced by PepsiCo, 

the video-gaming giant 

Activision Blizzard and the 

cosmetics marketer Avon. 

The 333th Meeting of the Board of Directors of Al-Arafah Islami Bank Ltd. was held at The Palace 

Resort, Habigonj yesterday. Abdus Samad Labu, Chairman, Board of Directors presided over the 

meeting. The meeting reviewed overall business performance of the Bank. Vice Chairman Md. Abdus 

Salam, members of the Board Hafez Md. Enayetullah, Salim Rahman, Md Liakat Ali Chowdhury, Md. 

Amir Uddin PPM, Nazmul Ahsan Khaled, Abdul Malek Mollah, Md. Harun-Ar-Rashid Khan, Md. 

Anowar Hossain, Badiur Rahman, Engr. Kh. Mesbahuddin Ahmed, Ahamedul Hoque, Abu Naser 

Mohammad Yeahea, Niaz Ahmed, Khalid Rahim, M. Kamaluddin Chowdhury, Managing Director 

and CEO Farman R Chowdhury attended the meeting. Deputy Managing Director Md. Fazlul Karim, 

S M Jaffar, Executive Vice President & CFO Muhammed Nadim and Executive Vice President & 

Company Secretary Md. Mahmudur Rahman along with other related Executives of the Bank were 

also present. 


Kazakhstan 

ratifies protocol 

on oil supplies 

from Russia 

Kazakhstan's President 

Nursultan Nazarbayev has 

signed the bill on ratification 

of the protocol on 

amendments to the 

intergovernmental agreement 

with Russia on trade and 

economic cooperation in the 

area of oil and petroleum 

products' supplies to the 

Republic of Kazakhstan dated 

December 9, 2010, the 

president's press service 

reported on Saturday. 

The protocol was signed by 

Moscow on October 3, 2018. 

"Amendments stipulate that 

Application 2 'List of 

petroleum products banned 

to be exported from the 

Russian Federation to the 

Republic of Kazakhstan' and 

Application 3 'List of 

petroleum products banned 

to be exported from the 

Republic of Kazakhstan out of 

the customs area of the 

Customs Union' are removed 

from the terms of the 

agreement. The issues related 

to regulation of petroleum 

products supplies from Russia 

to Kazakhstan and petroleum 

products exports from 

Kazakhstan's territory out of 

the customs area of the 

Eurasian Economic Union 

will be brought to the 

intergovernmental level," 

Energy Minister Kanat 

Bozumbayev said earlier. 

It was necessary to 

introduce those lists for 

guaranteed supplies of light 

petroleum products (gasoline, 

kerosene, diesel fuel) 

produced in Russia for 

saturating Kazakhstan's 

domestic market, as well as 

preventing re-exports of the 

Russian product from the 

territory of Kazakhstan. 

Taxing the rich, an 

idea gaining ground 

in the United States 

Walton declares four-year 

guarantee for TV panels 

Walton, the country's 

leading brand of electronic 

products, has extended its 

replacement guarantee for 

LED television panels from 

two years to four years. Walton 

authorities said, they made the 

declaration after being 

hundred percent confident of 

the quality of their products 

and customers satisfaction, 

says a press release. 

The new replacement 

facilities would be applicable 

from March 2 of the current 

year. Customers who will buy a 

Walton brand LED or Smart 

TV from 32-inch and above 

sizes will get free replacement 

of the panel of the device if any 

problem found on panel 

within four years of purchase. 

The official announcement 

of the guarantee was given on 

Sunday (March 3, 2019) at a 

declaration program at the 

conference hall of Walton 

Corporate Office in city's 

Bashundhara R/A. 

Walton Group's Executive 

Directors Eva Rezwana, 

Amdadul Hoque Sarker, S.M. 

Zahid Hasan and Md. Rayhan, 

International Business Unit 

(IBU) President Edward Kim, 

Deputy Executive Directors 

Shahjada Salim and Firoj 

Alam were among others 

present. 

Walton authorities said 

Long out of favor in the United States, the 

idea of taxing rich individuals and corporations 

to pay for healthcare or to combat inequality is 

gaining ground among Democratic politicians. 

While the United States reveres free 

enterprise and is home to the world's largest 

number of billionaires, such tax proposals have 

been gaining traction in political circles in 

recent weeks. 

More than one Democratic contender in next 

year's presidential elections are campaigning 

on some plan to tax the wealthy. 

And they have been encouraged by famous 

billionaires such as Bill Gates and Warren 

Buffett, the world's second and third wealthiest 

people, who worry about America's severe 

wealth inequality. 

Vermont's left-leaning Senator Bernie 

Sanders was among the first in the recent wave. 

During his 2016 presidential campaign he 

called for higher federal income taxes to pay for 

free college tuition and universal healthcare. 

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has 

proposed a two-percent wealth tax starting at 

$50 million in earnings. New York Senator 

Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for a levy on 

financial transactions, and Sanders says 

inheritances should be taxed up to 77 percent. 

With the Democrats now in control of the 

House of Representatives, the undisputed 

media star of the freshman class, Alexandria 

Ocasio-Cortez, is leading the charge: she has 

proposed a tax of 70 percent on any income 

over $10 million to help pay for a proposed 

"Green New Deal" to de-carbonize the US 

economy and help prevent catastrophic climate 

change, while offering universal healthcare and 

guaranteed employment. 

This so-called marginal rate of 70 percent is 

not unprecedented in the United States, but 

was last at that level 1981. The current top 

marginal tax rate is 37 percent. 

Raising corporate taxes is another 

Democratic priority, a subject inflamed by the 

along with 4-year panel 

guarantee, customers will 

enjoy six-month replacement 

warranty and five-year free 

after sales service. 

In addition, Walton 

authorities informed that they 

have installed latest state-ofthe-art 

technology and 

machineries in their Gazipur 

factory with huge investment 

to ensure highest quality of 

their products. The 

Bangladeshi manufacturer 

also established country's 

largest television research and 

development department with 

highly qualified engineers who 

are working on the 

advancement of Walton 

televisions for which they 

declared four years guarantee 

for panels. 

Maruf Hasan, Product 

Manager of Walton Television, 

said, the 4-year panel 

guarantee would be applicable 

for 32-inch to 55-inch smart 

and non-smart LED 

televisions. Meanwhile, 

customers would get regular 2- 

year panel guarantee for 20- 

inch to 28-inch LED 

televisions. He, however, was 

hopeful of providing 4-year 

panel guarantee for all models 

of Walton television soon. 

Currently, Walton has 16 

different models of LED 

televisions of 32, 29, 43, 49 and 

recent controversy over Amazon, which has 

reported no federal income tax expenses for the 

past two years. That has stoked debate over 

highly profitable companies that do not pay 

into government coffers. 

Some Republicans have pushed back, with 

outspoken and media savvy Ocasio-Cortez 

drawing the most fire. 

Grover Norquist, an anti-tax activist who has 

long pushed Republican lawmakers to pledge 

never to raise taxes, warned in January against 

soaking the rich, saying such taxes "always slip 

down to hit the rest of us." 

But Joseph Thorndike, a historian 

specializing in US tax policy, said a reversal of 

the post-war trend of cutting taxes is within 

sight. "Something is happening here," he said. 

"We are beginning to have a discussion about 

that that we haven't had since the 1960s or even 

the 50s." 

Top marginal tax rates in the United States 

were very high following World War II, maxing 

out at 94 percent. They began to fall in the 

1960s and were slashed again under President 

Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. 

In late 2017, Donald Trump and the 

Republican majority in Congress cut corporate 

and personal income tax rates, despite 

unanimous Democratic opposition which 

denounced the tax overhaul as a giveaway to 

the rich. 

Trump, himself a billionaire, has attracted 

widespread scorn for refusing to disclose his 

own income tax returns, and accusations that 

his family maintained its wealth by evading 

taxes, an accusation he denies. 

Why has the debate changed? 

Yawning income gaps are one reason, 

Thorndike said. 

"People are willing to tolerate rich people 

getting richer as long as middle class people are 

also doing better," he said. "When the middle 

and laboring class is stagnating, that creates 

social tensions." 

Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd signed an agreement with Qatar based Al Zaman Exchange W.L.L regarding 

remittance drawing on Sunday at Shahjalal Islami Bank's Corporate Head Office. The Managing 

Director & CEO of Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd. M. Shahidul Islam and the Managing Director of Al 

Zaman Exchange W.L.L Mohammed Anwar Sadath signed in the agreement on behalf of their 

respective organizations. Under this agreement Bangladeshi expatriates living in Qatar can now 

send their money safely and quickly to their beneficiaries by Electronic Fund Transfer through all of 

the branches of Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd. allover Bangladesh. Among others the Deputy Managing 

Director of Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd. M. Akther Hossain, the Head of International Division of the 

Bank Muhammed Abdul Majid, the Operations Manager of Al Zaman Exchange Zubair Abdul 

Rahiman, the Forex Manager of Al Zaman Exchange Adarsha Shenava and other executives and officers 

of both organizations were also present in the signing ceremony. 


Walton Group's Executive Directors Eva Rezwana, Amdadul Hoque Sarker, 

S.M. Zahid Hasan and Md. Rayhan, International Business Unit President 

Edward Kim and Deputy Executive Director Shahjada Salim are being present 

at the declaration program of 4-year guarantee for TV panels. Photo: Courtesy 

55 inches which would cost 

17,500 BDT to 59,900 BDT. In 

addition, the local brand has 9 

models of smart televisions 

from 32 to 55-inch which are 

available at the price range of 

22,900 BDT to 69,900 BDT. 

Eva Rezwana, Executive 

Director and Chief 

Coordinator of Walton 

Marketing, said: Walton has 

already secured the confidence 

and trust of customers and 

become country's top brand by 

providing world-class, high 

quality televisions at affordable 

prices. According to her, the 

new initiative of 4-year panel 

guarantee will boost the trust 

of consumers.

MISCELLANEOUS 

MONDAY, MARCh 4, 2019 

11 

Khloe Kardashian absolves Woods 

of homewrecking, not pain 

Recently Sangbadpotra Bit Kormochari Kalyan Somobai Samity arranged picnic-2019 at Fantasi Kingdom where members of the 

organization were present. 


Korea, U.S. to replace massive 

springtime military drills 

with "Dong Maeng" exercise 

The combined forces of South Korea 

and the United States will replace 

their massive springtime military 

drills with the new "Dong Maeng" 

exercise slated to continue from 

March 4-12, the Combined Forces 

Command (CFC) said Sunday, reports 

UNB. 

"Exercise Dong Maeng is a 

combined command post exercise 

that highlights the longstanding and 

enduring partnership and friendship 

between the two nations and their 

commitment to the defense of the 

Republic of Korea (ROK) and regional 

stability," the CFC said in a statement. 

"Dong Maeng," which means 

alliance in English, has been modified 

from the previously-held Key Resolve 

and Foal Eagle spring exercises and 

would focus on strategic, operational 

and tactical aspects of general military 

operations on the Korean Peninsula, 

according to the statement. 

"Exercise Dong Maeng provides us 

the opportunity to train and rehearse 

with our Republic of Korea, United 

States and United Nations Sending 

State Partners," said Park Han-ki, the 

GD-365/19 (10 x 3) 

South Korean chairman of the Joint 

Chiefs of Staff (JCS), and the CFC 

Commander Robert B. Abe Abrams. 

"It is important for professional 

armies to train and maintain to a 

standard of readiness. These exercises 

are crucial in sustaining and 

strengthening the alliance," said Park 

and Abrams. 

The announcement came after U.S. 

Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick 

Shanahan and his South Korean 

counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo 

decided to adapt the massive 

springtime war games, codenamed 

Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, "to 

reduce tensions and support our 

diplomatic efforts to achieve complete 

denuclearization of the Korean 

Peninsula in a final, fully verified 

manner." 

The Democratic People's Republic 

of Korea (DPRK) has denounced the 

springtime war games as a dress 

rehearsal for northward invasion. U.S. 

President Donald Trump also said the 

drills were "very expensive" and 

"provocative." 

"Exercise Dong Maeng is a 

combined command post exercise 

that highlights the longstanding and 

enduring partnership and friendship 

between the two nations and their 

commitment to the defense of the 

Republic of Korea (ROK) and regional 

stability," the CFC said in a statement. 

"Dong Maeng," which means 

alliance in English, has been modified 

from the previously-held Key Resolve 

and Foal Eagle spring exercises and 

would focus on strategic, operational 

and tactical aspects of general military 

operations on the Korean Peninsula, 

according to the statement. 

"Exercise Dong Maeng provides us 

the opportunity to train and rehearse 

with our Republic of Korea, United 

States and United Nations Sending 

State Partners," said Park Han-ki, the 

South Korean chairman of the Joint 

Chiefs of Staff (JCS), and the CFC 

Commander Robert B. Abe Abrams. 

"It is important for professional 

armies to train and maintain to a 

standard of readiness. These exercises 

are crucial in sustaining and 

strengthening the alliance," said Park 

and Abrams. 

Snowbound 

Oregon man ate 

taco sauce packets, 

survived 5 days 

A man whose car was 

stranded in central Oregon 

snow for five days survived 

by eating taco sauce packets 

and starting the engine 

periodically to warm up, 

reports UNB. 

A snowmobiler found 

Jeremy Taylor, 36, of 

Sunriver, on Friday and a 

search and rescue team 

member who rode to him on 

a large snow tractor brought 

him out of the woods, said 

Sgt. William Bailey, the 

spokesman for the 

Deschutes County Sheriff's 

Office. 

Taylor, an avid 

outdoorsman who loves to 

go off-roading, was last seen 

getting gas on Feb. 24 in 

Sunriver. 

He told his rescuers he and 

his dog, Ally, became stuck 

in deep snow on a U.S. 

Forest Service road later that 

same day. 

He slept in his car and 

when he awoke Monday, 

more snow had fallen. 

He attempted to hike out, 

but the snow was too deep, 

so Taylor and Ally returned 

to his car. 

"Thank you everyone, I'm 

safe my Ally dog is safe. I 

really appreciate all the help. 

Got lucky, lets (sic) never do 

that again. I'll be in touch 

with everyone soon," he 

wrote on his Facebook page 

late Friday. 

Taylor did not reply to a 

message sent through 

Facebook on Saturday. 

In response to a friend's 

Facebook comment about 

how he ate three Taco Bell 

hot sauce packets during the 

ordeal, he joked: "Taco Bell 

fire sauce saves lives!" 

Taylor and his dog were 

both in good health when 

found, authorities said, but 

were very hungry. 

Central Oregon has been 

hammered 

with 

snowstorms in recent weeks. 

Sunriver is a well-known 

vacation destination about 3 

½ hours east of 

Portland. 

Police say teen 

was gunman 

who opened fire 

on NYC street 

A teenager has been charged 

with opening fire on a 

crowded New York City 

street, sending several 

people running for cover, 

reports UNB. 

A video circulated by the 

New York Police Department 

showed bystanders including 

a little girl running as the 

gunman fired several shots in 

the Bronx on Feb. 22. No one 

was hit by the gunfire. 

Police say 16-year-old 

Edgar Garcia was arrested 

Friday and is suspected of 

being the gunman in the 

video. 

Iqvmv-RtZt-100/19 

GD-368/19 (5 x 4) 

GD-366/19 (7 x 4) 

Khloe Kardashian is having a change of 

heartache: She blames Tristan Thompson, 

not Jordyn Woods, for breaking up her 

family, reports UNB. 

In a series of tweets, Kardashian went from 

calling out Woods as a homewrecker to 

absolving her of that. But she didn't forgive 

Woods everything. 

"What's been harder & more painful is 

being hurt by someone so close to me. 

Someone whom I love & treat like a little 

sister. But Jordyn is not to be blamed for the 

breakup of my family. This was Tristan's 

fault," Kardashian posted Saturday on 

Twitter. 

Cleveland Cavalier player Thompson is the 

father of Kardashian's baby, True. 

Thompson's agent Rich Paul declined to 

comment. Woods' interview Friday on Jada 

Pinkett Smith's Facebook Watch show, "Red 

Table Talk," prompted Kardashian's two-day 

tweet barrage. 

On Pinkett Smith's show, Woods sought to 

counter social media speculation over what 

happened with Thompson when she and a 

group of girlfriends went to a party at the 

basketball player's Los Angeles home after a 

night out. 

She stayed at Thompson's house until the 

following morning and, as she left, he took 

her by surprise with a kiss on the lips, Woods 

told Pinkett Smith, the actress and a close 

friend who had counseled her to speak out. 

"I didn't know how to feel. I was like, 'That 

didn't just happen,'" Woods said, adding that 

nothing else happened with Thompson. 

Woods also said she's confident she isn't the 

reason Kardashian and Thompson aren't 

together. 

Kardashian, who is not married to 

Thompson and maintained a relationship 

after he cheated on her late in her pregnancy, 

shot back at Woods on Twitter after the 

interview. "If you're going to try and save 

yourself by going public, INSTEAD OF 

CALLING ME PRIVATELY TO 

APOLOGIZE FIRST, at least be HONEST 

about your story. BTW, You ARE the reason 

my family broke up!" Kardashian tweeted 

Friday. 

Her posts Saturday took a different tack. 

Kardashian said in one she was a 

"rollercoaster of emotions & have said things 

I shouldn't have," later tweeting it was time 

to move on with life and count her blessings, 

including "my beautiful baby True." 

Cleveland Cavalier player Thompson is the 

father of Kardashian's baby, True. 

Thompson's agent Rich Paul declined to 

comment. 

Woods' interview Friday on Jada Pinkett 

Smith's Facebook Watch show, "Red Table 

Talk," prompted Kardashian's two-day tweet 

barrage. On Pinkett Smith's show, Woods 

sought to counter social media speculation 

over what happened with Thompson when 

she and a group of girlfriends went to a party 

at the basketball player's Los Angeles home 

after a night out. 

She stayed at Thompson's house until the 

following morning and, as she left, he took 

her by surprise with a kiss on the lips, Woods 

told Pinkett Smith, the actress and a close 

friend who had counseled her to speak out. 

"I didn't know how to feel. I was like, 'That 

didn't just happen,'" Woods said, adding that 

nothing else happened with Thompson. 

Woods also said she's confident she isn't the 

reason Kardashian and Thompson aren't 

together. Kardashian, who is not married to 

Thompson and maintained a relationship 

after he cheated on her late in her pregnancy, 

shot back at Woods on Twitter after the 

interview. 

"If you're going to try and save yourself by 

going public, INSTEAD OF CALLING ME 

PRIVATELY TO APOLOGIZE FIRST, at 

least be HONEST about your story. BTW, 

You ARE the reason my family broke up!" 

Kardashian tweeted Friday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the National Flag to the Unit 

Commander of 7,8,9 and 10 Regiment of Bangladesh Army on Sunday at 

Rajshahi Cantonment . 

Photo: Star Mail 

UNITING PEOPLE EVERYDAY 

MONdAy, dHAKA, MARCH 4, 2019, FAlgUN 20, 1425 BS, JAMAdi-US SANNi 26, 1440 HiJRi 

Stay alert to face any 

threat: PM to Army 

RAJSHAHI : Prime 

Minister Sheikh Hasina on 

Sunday asked the 

Bangladesh Army to 

remain always ready to 

unitedly face internal and 

external threats for protecting 

the constitution and the 

sovereignty of the country, 

reports UNB. 

"You'll have to be always 

ready to unitedly face any 

internal or external threat 

for protecting the holy constitution 

and the sovereignty 

of the motherland," she 

said. 

The Prme Minister was 

addressing the 'National 

Standard' Awarding 

Ceremony to four battalions 

of Bangladesh Infantry 

Regiment (BIR) of the 

Bangladesh Army in 

Rajshahi Cantonment. 

She conferred the 

'National Standard' upon 

the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th 

Bangladesh Infantry 

Regiments in recognition of 

their excellence, hard practice 

and dutifulness. 

Sheikh Hasina said the 

army has always extended 

their cooperation to the 

government in serving people. 

"I firmly believe the 

army will stand beside people 

whenever needed during 

the tenure of the present 

government." 

Hasina thanked the Army 

members for playing a significant 

role in upholding 

the democratic process by 

performing their duty sincerely 

in the 11th parliamentary 

election. 

She also expressed her 

gratitude to the country's 

people for giving the scope 

to her party to form the 

government for the fourth 

term, and the third term in 

a row. "Our government 

wants to govern the country 

as the servant of people, 

not as the ruler," she said. 

The Prime Minister said 

the Army is engaged in 

nation-building activities 

like construction of Padma 

Bridge and Cox's Bazar- 

Technaf Marine Drive, 

alongside their main duty. 

She said Bangladesh 

Army earned rare dignity 

and image for Bangladesh 

through their sacrifice, sincerity 

and professionalism 

in establishment of world 

peace and different foreign 

missions, which brightened 

the image of Bangladesh. 

She said a process is on to 

modernise the Bangladesh 

Army following the foresighted 

guidelines of the 

Father of the Nation. 

Hasina said she approved 

in principle the formation 

of Bangladesh Infantry 

Regiment in 1999 and formally 

hoisted the flag of 

BIR on April 21, 2001. 

"It's the only regiment 

which was formed after the 

Independence of 

Bangladesh," she said 

adding that now there are 

43 units and two Para-commando 

battalions under 

the BIR. 

The Prime Minister said 

Bangladesh is marching 

forward and will continue 

to do so. 

At the function, an attractive 

parade of the four battalions 

of the BIR was also 

held. 

As the Prime Minister 

arrived at the parade 

ground, Chief of Army Staff 

General Aziz Ahmed 

received her. 

She inspected the parade 

riding an open decorated 

jeep and took salute. The 

Chief of Army Staff and the 

Parade Commander were 

also with the PM at that 

time. 

The Prime Minister 

handed over the National 

Flag to the Commanders of 

the respective battalions. 

Once lost, hearing 

doesn't come 

back: WHO 

DHAKA : The World 

Health Organization (WHO) 

has urged people across the 

world to check their hearing 

as many people live with 

unidentified hearing loss, 

often failing to realise that 

they are missing out on certain 

sounds and words, 

reports UNB. 

It made the call on this 

year's World Hearing Day, 

being observed on Sunday 

(March 3). 

Worldwide, some 466 million 

people have disabling 

hearing loss, and the WHO 

estimates that by 2050 that 

figure will almost double, 

affecting one in 10 people. 

Globally, hearing loss 

which has gone unaddressed 

poses an annual cost of US$ 

750 billion, according to 

WHO. 

Marking the World 

Hearing Day 2019, WHO has 

launched a new mobile and 

web-based app called 

"hearWHO," which allows 

people to check their hearing 

regularly, and intervene early 

in case of hearing loss. 

It can also be used by health 

workers to screen people in 

the community, and refer 

them for diagnostic testing if 

they fail the screening. 

Users are asked to concentrate, 

listen and enter a series 

of three numbers when 

prompted. These numbers 

have been recorded against 

varying levels of background 

sound, simulating listening 

conditions in everyday life, 

according to UN News. 

The app displays the user's 

score, and its meaning, and 

stores the outcome of the test 

so that the user can monitor 

hearing status over time. 

Symptoms indicating the 

onset of hearing loss include a 

ringing sensation in the ear, 

known as tinnitus; frequently 

missing parts of a conversation; 

or a tendency to increase 

the volume of television, 

radio or audio devices. 

The app is of particular 

benefit to people who are 

often exposed to high levels of 

sound, such as those who listen 

to loud music or work in 

noisy places; people who use 

medicines that are harmful to 

hearing; and people aged 

above 60 years. 

"Above all, this app will 

help us increase awareness of 

the importance of ear and 

hearing care," said Dr Shelly 

Chadha, WHO Technical 

Officer. "Once lost, hearing 

does not come back. 

President, PM visit Quader at BSMMU 

DHAKA : President Abdul Hamid and 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 

Sunday visited ailing Road Transport 

and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader at 


University (BSMMU) , reports UNB. 

The President went to BSMMU at 

4:17pm visited Quader at the Coronary 

Care Unit (CCU). 

Abdul Hamid talked to doctors and 

enquired about the minister's health 

condition. 

He left the hospital around 4:38pm. 

Just a few minutes before the 

President's arrival, Prime Minister 

Sheikh Hasina departed the hospital visiting 

Quader. 

Later, talking to UNB, BSMMU 

Director Brig Gen Abdullah Al Harun 

said as the Prime called Quader by his 

How The Soviet Helped Vulcan, An 

American Town, Get a Bridge 

INTERESTING NEWS 

In south West Virginia, near the border 

with Kentucky, the United States, is 

a small unincorporated community 

named Vulcan. Vulcan was once a 

thriving coal mining town, but in the 

early 1960s, the mines dried up and 

many residents moved away in search 

of employment elsewhere. No longer a 

productive community, Vulcan’s infrastructure 

deteriorated and even the state 

government forgot the town existed. 

The town of Vulcan was built on a 

fork of the Big Sandy River near the 

main line of the Norfolk & Western 

Railroad. There was no road connecting 

Vulcan to Kentucky across the river, 

only a suspension foot bridge. The 

swing bridge itself was on the verge of 

collapse with many footboards missing. 

Yet, every morning children had to walk 

name at the CCU, the Awami League 

general secretary slowly opened his eyes 

and looked up. 

He said Quader also stared at 

President Abdul Hamid during his visit. 


of Awami League, was admitted to the 

CCU of BSMMU in the morning following 

his breathing complications. 

Doctors found three blockages in his 

coronary artery following an angiogram, 

BSMMU cardiology department chairman 

Prof Syed Ali Ahsan. 

He said Quader's condition is still critical. 

"He's not out of danger." 

Information Minister Dr Hasan 

Mahmud said preparations were going 

on to send Quader to Singapore for better 

treatment. 

across it to catch the school bus on the 

Kentucky side. Sometimes they had to 

crawl under parked rail cars to get to 

the bridge, which was a dangerous 

practice. 

The alternative route was a gravel 

road maintained by the Railroad company. 

This road ran parallel to the 

tracks, passed through Vulcan, and 

continued north to the community of 

Delmore, located five miles away. The 

road, however, was legally not accessible 

to the public, and the Railroad company 

hung “No Trespassing” signs on 

either ends. The company explained 

their actions saying that the road was 

dangerous to use, and in any case, it was 

not the company’s responsibility to provide 

transportation in and out of the 

impoverished community. 

Tejgaon slum 

catches fire 

DHAKA : A fire broke out at 

a slum beside private television 

channel Deepto TV in the 

city's Tejgaon area on Sunday, 

reports UNB. 

The fire originated around 

12:10 pm during an eviction 

drive conducted by police in 

the area, said Ekramul Islam, 

duty officer at the Fire Service 

and Civil Defence control 

room. 

On information, three firefighting 

units rushed to the 

spot to douse the flame, he 

added. 

ACC finds 19 

areas of 

corruption in 

Biman, Caab 

DHAKA : Identifying 19 

areas of corruption in Biman 

Bangladesh Airlines and 

Civil Aviation Authority of 

Bangladesh (Caab), the Anti- 

Corruption Commission 

(ACC) has put forward a 

number of recommendations 

to check the ill practice, 

reports UNB. 

ACC Commissioner Dr 

Mozammel Haque Khan 

handed over a report on corruption 

and irregularities in 

Biman and Caab to State 

Minister for Civil Aviation 

and Tourism M Mahbub Ali 

at the Secretariat on Sunday. 

The report prepared by an 

ACC institutional team 

found corruption and irregularities 

in eight areas of the 

national flag carrier, including 

aircraft purchase and 

lease, maintenance, ticket 

sales, cargo export-import 

and catering, said the ACC 

commissioner. 

He said the other 11 areas 

of corruption in Caab include 

purchase, asset management, 

construction and 

development work, consultant 

appointment, renting 

billboards, space and stalls at 

airports, and maintenance. 

The ACC has formed 25 

institutional teams to identify 

reasons of corruption and 

harassment in as many 

organisations and place suggestions 

to end the menace. 

Mozammel also said they 

have already submitted such 

reports to a number of ministries, 

including Education 

and Health and Family 

Welfare. 

A warehouse behind Janata Tower of Karwan bazar caught the fire on Sunday noon. Fire fighters 

controlled the fire. 

Photo : Star mail 

Rohingya Crisis 

US contributes $105m to 2019 JRP 

DHAKA : The United 

States has contributed $45.5 

million to the UN World 

Food Program in support of 

the Rohingya crisis, reports 

UNB. 

This is in addition to the 

$60 million announced at 

the 2019 UN Joint Response 

Plan (JRP) launch in 

Geneva on February 15. 

This brings the total US 

contribution to the 2019 

JRP to $105 million, said 

the US Embassy in Dhaka 

on Sunday. 

The United States is committed 

to helping those 

affected by this crisis. "We're 

deeply appreciative of the 

generosity of the government 

and people of 

Bangladesh for opening 

their border and hearts to a 

Rohingya community that 

has suffered greatly," said 

the Embassy in a press 

release. 

The United States also 

called on all nations with the 

means to contribute to this 

global humanitarian 

response. 

The US is the leading contributor 

of humanitarian 

assistance in response to the 

Rohingya crisis, said the 

Embassy. 

It has provided nearly 

$500 million since the outbreak 

of violence in August 

2017. 

Approximately $450 million 

is dedicated to programmes 

in Bangladesh for 

Rohingya refugees and 

Bangladeshi host communities. 

The new US contribution 

will provide lifesaving food 

assistance to Rohingyas to 

augment existing humanitarian 

interventions, including 

vouchers, so refugees 

can buy food in local markets, 

monsoon and cyclone 

preparedness to protect 

lives, and nutritional support 

for vulnerable children 

and pregnant and lactating 

women. 

This additional funding 

complements ongoing US 

humanitarian assistance 

reaching more than one million 

Rohingyas in 

Bangladesh, Bangladeshi 

host communities, and people 

displaced within 

Myanmar and the region to 

provide protection, emergency 

shelter, food, nutrition, 

water, sanitation, 

health care, psychosocial 

support, and learning 

opportunities. 

US funding targets 

Bangladeshi communities 

impacted by this crisis. 

In Cox's Bazar, US assistance 

helps improve the 

lives of Bangladeshis in 

these communities through 

programs expanding access 

to health care and better 

economic and education 

opportunities, said the 

Embassy. 

The US assistance also 

supports the efforts of 

humanitarian organisations 

and the government of 

Bangladesh to improve preparedness, 

infrastructure, 

and shelter for monsoon 

and cyclone seasons. 

BNP MPs-elect 

determined to 

boycott JS 

DHAKA : Describing the 

decision of two Gono Forum 

MPs-elect to take oath as personal 

one, BNP senior leader 

Khandaker Mosharraf 

Hossain on Sunday said their 

party is determined not to join 

parliament, reports UNB. 

"It's not an election at all on 

December 30, and we turned 

down the so-called election of 

vote robbery. It was the decision 

of BNP and the Jatiya 

Oikyafront that no one of our 

MPs-elect would go to parliament," 

he said. 

The BNP leader further said, 

"Two MPs of Oikyafront's 

partner Gono Forum have 

now announced to take oath 

and it's their personal decision. 

We know Gono Forum 

and Oikyafront is still against 

joining parliament. BNP is 

strict to its decision of not joining 

the parliament of vote robbery." 

Mosharraf, a BNP standing 

committee members, came up 

with the remarks while talking 

to reporters after placing 

wreaths at their party founder 

Ziaur Rahman's grave together 

with members of newly 

formed convening committee 

of Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal. 

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

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

04-03-2019

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?