04-03-2019

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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)
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04-03-2019

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