27-09-2020

sunday

Dhaka: September 27, 2020; ashwin 12, 1427 BS; Safar 9, 1442 hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.Da~2065, Vol.17; N o.178; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

InternatIonal

US. COVID-19 death

toll reaching 200,000

‘unfathomable’: media

>Page 7

art & culture

Saba with new web

series 'Twin Returns'

>Page 8

sports

Messi slams Barcelona

again after Luis

Suárez departure

>Page 9

DMP to fire 26 cops

involved in drug

use : DMP chief

DHAKA : Dhaka Metropolitan Police

(DMP) has initiated a process to terminate

26 cops found positive in dope tests,

said DMP Commissioner Md Shaifqul

Islam on Saturday, reports UNB.

The DMP chief came up with the disclosure

after inaugurating the deputy

commissioner's office of traffic police at

Mirpur section-10.

"We believe this action against the

police personnel will deliver a clear

message to others as no one will be

spared," Shaifqul Islam said.

Many people returned to the right path

of life after the DMP had taken such initiatives,

the DMP Commissioner said.

The authorities are directly filing

cases against the police personnel and

arresting them for their involvement in

drug use and helping drug traders,

Shaifqul Islam added.

A dope test is a test conducted to be

sure whether a person is taking drugs.

Bangladesh,

Saudi FMs to

discuss today

DHAKA : Foreign Minister Dr AK

Abdul Momen and his Saudi counterpart

Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud

will discuss bilateral and current issues

over phone on Sunday, reports UNB.

The telephone conversation is scheduled

to begin at 5pm, an official told

UNB on Saturday.

The Saudi government on

Wednesday positively responded to

workers' issues ending barriers to their

return to the workplaces in the

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

The first batch of over 300 passengers

left Dhaka on flight SV-802 of

Saudi Airlines early Saturday.

The Saudi government recently

raised the issue of 54,000 Rohingyas

but it could not be confirmed whether

the issue will be discussed or not during

the telephone conversation.

Bangladesh is already overburdened

with over 1.1 million Rohingyas living in

Cox's Bazar district.

On Friday, Foreign Minister Dr

Momen reiterated that the Kingdom of

Saudi Arabia (KSA) will not send back

54,000 Rohingyas living there for

decades.

"The Saudi government told us it'll be

helpful for them if we provide them

with passports as Saudi Arabia doesn't

keep stateless people," he said.

The Foreign Minister said they

formed a three-member committee

headed by Foreign Secretary Masud

Bin Momen to look into the Saudi

request.

Zohr

04:35 AM

11:50 PM

04:10 PM

05:53 PM

07:10 PM

5:48 5:50

Ensure Covid vaccine for all

countries at a time: PM

DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

on Saturday asked the world community

to treat the Covid-19 vaccine as a 'global

public good' and urged the United

Nations to ensure its timely availability of

the vaccine to all countries at a time,

reports UNB.

"We hope that the Covid-19 vaccine will

soon be available in the world.It's imperative

to treat the vaccine as a 'global public

good.' We need to ensure the timely

availability of this vaccine to all countries

at the same time," she said.

The Prime Minister made the plea

while virtually addressing the general

debate at the 75th United Nations

General Assembly in Bangla like the previous

years following the footprints of

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She said if

Bangladesh is provided with the technical

know-how and patents, the pharmaceutical

industry of Bangladesh has the capacity

to go for vaccine production on a mass

scale.

Sheikh Hasina said the pandemic is a

stark reminder that the fates of the

human being are interconnected and that

'no one is secured until everyone is

secured'.

Bangladesh's Response to Covid

The Prime Minister also said efforts to

contain the pandemic and achieve

SYLHET : Students of Sylhet MC

College on Saturday staged demonstrations

blocking its front road in protest

against a 'gang-rape' that took place in

its dormitory on Friday night.

Over a hundred students of the college,

a reputed educational institution of

the district, blocked the road around

12:30 pm, demanding immediate arrest

of the rapists. Addl police have been

deployed on the campus to fend off further

trouble.

The protesters alleged that the college

authorities have kept its hostel, having

nine blocks, open when all the educational

institutions across the country

remained closed due to the ongoing

Covid-19 pandemic. Though the authorities

were "aware about various criminal

activities" in the dormitories, they did

not shut those, the protesters alleged.

They threatened to go for a tougher

movement if the police fail to arrest the

accused. A 19-year-old girl was reportedly

raped by a group of youths in a dormitory

of Sylhet MC College on Friday night. The

accused were said to be leaders and

activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League.

Agenda 2030 have to go hand-in-hand.

"Bangladesh's second voluntary national

review (VNR) presented this year shows

that "we're well on track to achieve the

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."

She mentioned that the pandemic to a

large extent kept all confined to their

homes. Consequently, economic activities

were greatly hampered along with the

health system.

Hasina mentioned that Bangladesh

achieved a GDP growth rate of 8.2 percent

in the fiscal year 2018-2019. But the

Covid-19 pandemic has impeded its economic

progress.

In Bangladesh, she said, the government

took initiatives from the beginning

putting equal emphasis on the lives and

livelihoods of people.

"We've announced stimulus packages

aiming to minimise the impacts of the

pandemic on our business and productivity.

We've greatly expanded social safety

nets coverage," she said.

The Prime Minister said the government

has readily arranged food and other

assistance for the people who are rendered

jobless due to Covid-19. This

arrangement has benefitted nearly 10

million families. She said the government

has announced a 31-point directive soon

after the detection of Covid cases in the

country.

Rape in Sylhet MC College

dormitory triggers protests

No Covid test

needed from

Bangladesh to

go to S’pore

DHAKA : Bangladeshi passengers

will no longer need to present Covid-

19 test report from their homeland to

go to Singapore.

But they are required to go under a

14-day mandatory quarantine, said

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here

on Saturday.

Singapore has announced a new

set of rules and restrictions for travellers

planning to visit the country.

However, a health declaration of

having no cough, no fever, no Covid

symptom, like runny nose, short

breath, etc is required.

The Covid-19 test of these people will

be conducted in Singapore and the

passengers will have to bear the hotel

cost of SGD 2200 for isolation.

The rapists violated the girl around

7pm after tying up her husband in a

room of the hostel, according to a statement

made by the husband. On information,

police rescued the couple from

the hostel around 10:30pm.

Meanwhile, the victim's husband filed

a case with Shah Poran Police Station

early Saturday against six named

accused, including Saifur Rahman, and

three unnamed ones.

About the incident, Principal of the

college Saleh Ahmed said, "Action will

be taken against the students responsible

for the rape. Their studentship will

be revoked."

Asked why the college hostel kept open

when all educational institutions across

the country are closed due to the Covid-19

pandemic, the Principal said, "It has been

kept open for the poor and meritorious

students as they're involved in small jobs

and private tuition in the city."

He said the students were asked to

vacate the dormitory by 12 noon on

Saturday. Murari Chand College, popularly

known as MC College, is the first

college in the Sylhet Division.

For the second time, millions of tons of waste have started coming to Cox's Bazar beach, which is threatening the

tourist center beach. The picture was taken on Saturday.

Photo: PBA

Gonoforum

faction ousts

Dr Reza Kibria

DHAKA : Ousting party general secretary

Dr Reza Kibria, a faction of Gonoforum

leaders on Saturday decided to hold the

party's national council on December 26

next, reports UNB.

In an apparent move to hasten the split

in the Dr Kamal Hossain-led party,the

decision was taken at an 'extended meeting

of Gonoforum's central committee'

convened by the faction at the Jatiya

Press Club. Party president Dr Kamal

Hossain and general secretary Dr Reza

Kibria were not invited to the meeting.

Talking to reporters after the meeting,

party executive president Dr Abu Sayeed

said their meeting has decided to hold

Gonoforum's national council on

December 26 to make it a people-oriented

stronger party.

He said they formed a 201-member

preparatory committee, led by party former

general secretary Mostafa Mohsin

Montu, to hold the council.

Sayeed said their meeting decided to

expel party general secretary Dr Reza

Kibria, presidium members AOM

Shafique Ullah, Advocate Mohsin Rashid

and organising secretary Mostaque

Ahmed for violating party discipline and

constitution and indulging in activities

that go against the party's interests and

organisational unity.

They claimed that 283 leaders, including

representatives from 52 districts,

were present at the meeting.

Replying to a question whether Dr

Kamal will remain with them or not,

Mostafa Mohsin Montu said it will be

decided at the party's council.

Access Sinha murder safe water case

WB approves $200m

for Bangladesh

DHAKA : The World Bank (WB) has

approved $200 million to help

Bangladesh improve access to safe water

and sanitation services in rural areas.

The Bangladesh Rural Water,

Sanitation and Hygiene for Human

Capital Development Project will help

about 600,000 rural people avail safe and

clean water through large and small piped

water schemes, said a WB press release.

It will also provide access to improved

sanitation services to over 3.6 million rural

people. Through providing better access to

water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)

facilities at homes and in public places and

motivating people to adopt proper handwashing

practices, the project will help

prevent diseases and protect from infectious

disease outbreaks, including the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Further, it will address urgent WASH

needs during the COVID-19 pandemic in a

quick and timely way.

"Bangladesh has made remarkable

progress in providing access to basic water

supply to all and end open-defecation.

However the quality of water and sanitation

and the link between safe water and

sanitation and human capital development

remains a challenge," said Mercy

Tembon, World Bank Country Director

for Bangladesh and Bhutan.

"This project will provide clean water

Demand of drinkable water being intensified at Dolairparh area of the capital city. Long queue seen

to collect water from pump.

Photo : TBT

and sanitation services that will reduce

diarrheal diseases, improve nutrition,

health, and reduce stunting among children

under five, and especially benefit

those in vulnerable groups. This will help

the country reduce poverty and accelerate

economic growth," she said.

In rural areas, the release said only

about 3 percent of households had piped

water connections in 2017. In addition to

investing in large and small piped

schemes, the project will facilitate loans for

households to improve their water and

sanitation facilities and for local WASH

entrepreneurs to expand their business.

Furthermore, to ensure the quality and

sustainability of the piped water schemes

and fecal sludge management, the project

will train the local entrepreneurs.

In crowded public spaces-such as markets,

bus stations and community clinicsthe

project will set up about 2,514 handwashing

stations with overhead tanks for

running water, drainage, and sanitation

facilities, which will be equipped with soaps.

"Bangladesh is among the most vulnerable

countries to climate change impacts.

Extreme weather events and climate

change affect the WASH sector by reducing

drinking water quality and availability,"

said Rokeya Ahmed, World Bank

Senior Water Specialist and Team Leader

for the project.

Mizan puts on 7-day

remand over schoolgirl

killing in Savar

DHAKA : A court here today placed prime accused in

Savar schoolgirl Nila Roy killing case Mizanur Rahman,

who was arrested last night, on a seven-day remand for

interrogation.

After holding hearing on the remand plea, Senior

Judicial Magistrate Rajib Hasan passed the order as

police produced Mizan before the court in the morning

with a plea for 10-day remand over the incident,

Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) of the court

Anwarul Kabir Babul confirmed the development to

BSS.

Nila Roy, a 14-year-old Class X student of a school in

Savar, and daughter of Narayan Roy, was hacked and

stabbed allegedly by stalker Mizan when she was coming

back home from a hospital along with her brother at

night on September 20.

Duty doctor declared her dead when she was rushed

to the Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar.

Later, her father filed a case against Mizan, his father

Abdur Rahman and mother Nazmun Nahar Siddique

with Savar Police Station in connection with the murder.

SUNDAY, SePTeMBeR 27, 2020

2

Sammilita Sangbadik Parishad-SSP formed a human chain protesting harassment to the senior journalist

Mamun Ur Rashid in Barishal.

Photo : TBT

President, PM for NGOs' efforts

to flourish tourism sector

DHAKA : President M Abdul Hamid

and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

yesterday urged private entrepreneurs

and non-government organizations to

work together along with the

government for the development of the

tourism industry and flourishing the

sector.

The President and the Prime

Minister made the call in separate

messages issued here on the eve of the

'World Tourism Day' and wished

success of all the programmes of the

day.

In his message, President M Abdul

Hamid said, "Tourism industry has

established itself as the single largest

service sector in the world due to its

multidimensionality and scope and it

plays a very important role in

improving the living standards of the

rural population."

The tourism sector has significant

contribution to the national economy

including job creation, he said, adding

that the World Tourism Organization

has put emphasis on involving the rural

population in the tourism industry to

achieve the Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs).

"I hope that with proper planning,

efficient resource management and

involvement of local people,

Dubai's Jafza, Israeli

business group sign

strategic partnership

Dubai's Jebel Ali Free Zone

has signed a strategic

partnership with an Israeli

business group to support

businesses and encourage

economic cooperation

following the normalization

of ties between the UAE and

Israel, reports Arab news.

Sultan Ahmed bin

Sulayem, the group chairman

and chief executive of DP

World, and Uriel Lynn,

president of the Federation of

Israeli Chambers of

Commerce, signed the

agreement virtually.

As part of the agreement,

the two parties will share

crucial information on new

developments regarding

economic relations between

the countries aside from

efforts to expand ties between

businesses.

"The establishment of

direct ties between two

dynamic and advanced

economies in the Middle East

will undoubtedly provide

impetus to economic growth,

transforming the business

landscape in the UAE," bin

Sulayem said in a statement.

It will be a mutually

advantageous for Dubai and

the Israeli business

community, as more

businesses will utilize the

developed facilities and

services in Jafza and create a

bridgehead for the Israeli

business sector to enhance its

foreign trade in products and

services," Lynn meanwhile

commented.

"Our main goal is to create a

forum to promote economic

cooperation and create new

opportunities for businesses in

both countries. Strengthening

business ties and enhancing

collaboration over time is also

one of the primary objectives."

Bangladesh will be able to reach the

pinnacle of the development of tourism

industry," the President said.

There is a huge potential for the

development of tourism industry in

Bangladesh, Hamid said, adding, by

utilizing the potentiality, along with

attracting domestic and foreign

investment, the rural population

should be given the opportunity to

participate in the development of the

country's tourism industry.

At the same time, country's tourism

industry should be effectively

represented in the world arena, he said,

adding, "I urge all, including

government and non-government

organizations to work together for the

development of the tourism industry as

well as for the national economic

development upholding local culture,

traditions and values."

In her message, Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina said, "I am delighted

that the World Tourism Day 2020 is

going to be observed in Bangladesh as

elsewhere in the world on 27

September with the theme -Tourism

and Rural Development-."

The theme announced by the United

Nation World Tourism Organization

marking the day this year is very much

in line with the government initiative

"Village will be City" in forefront of the

development, she added.

Noting that Bangladesh is a land of

scenic beauty with rich culture and

heritage, the premier said, "Tourism

has a huge potentiality in Bangladesh.

Of late, it has emerged as an important

sector of economic development with

more and more domestic and foreign

tourists are visiting the country's

tourists' destinations."

Huge employment opportunities are

being created in the sector, Sheikh

Hasina said, adding, the present

Awami League government has

relentlessly been working for the

development of tourism sector and

taken various steps to manage tourism

activities through proper management

maintaining the country's culture,

heritage and ecology.

Underscoring the need for making

the tourist destinations introduced to

local and foreign tourists through mass

media, she urged the private

entrepreneurs to supplement the

government efforts in flourishing the

sector.

"Let's work together and build a

'Golden Bangladesh (Sonar Bangla)' as

dreamt by Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman," the Prime Minister said.

Proper use of project for people's

welfare underscored

GAIBANDHA : Speakers at a workshop

held on Saturday underscored the need

for proper usage of the projects for

people's welfare and interest making

those more effective and successful.

"Cordial and sincere efforts of the

persons relating to the project are must

to attain cherished goals of the project

and to push forward the country towards

desired development", they said.

They made the observation while

addressing a workshop on progress and

review of a project for the UP chairmen

and secretaries at the conference room

of SKS Inn, at Radhakrishnapur area

under Sadarupazila in the district

yesterday morning with Deputy

Commissioner (DC) Abdul Matin in the

chair.

Bangladesh Rural Development Board

(BRDB), Gaibandha arranged the

function in cooperation with Swiss Inter

Co-operation Bangladesh under SDC

Local Governance Programme Sharique

(phase-iv) being implemented by BRDB-

HELVETAS in the district since 2016.

Director General (DG) Supriya Kumar

Kundu formally inaugurated the

workshop as the chief guest while Joint

Secretary and Director (Training) of

BRDB Sayed Kutub and Deputy Director

of Local Government department of DC

office Rokhsana Begum were present at

the event as the special guests.

Earlier, Deputy Director of BRDB here

Abdus Sabur delivered a welcome

speech and District Coordinator of the

HELVETAS Milon Chowdhury

presented the progress of the

programme while district coordinator of

the Sharique Programme Salma Khatun

was the moderator.

DG Supriya Kumar Kundu in his

speech said the programme helped the

local government bodies to do the

development activities of various aspects

of the respective unions.

Terming the UP chairmen as the

peoples representatives DG Supriya

Kumar Kundu urged them to help the

government achieve the sustainable

development goals by 2030 through

gearing up their development activities

at grass root level.

A total of 50 persons including seven

UNOs, UP chairmen, secretaries, and

BRDB officials of the district attended

the workshop.

Bangladesh Juba Oikyo Parishad, Dhaka Mohanagar Uttar staged demo

protesting attack on minority group across the country. Photo : TBT

'Hasina: A Daughter's

Tale' to be aired on

television on her

birthday

DHAKA : 'Hasina: A

Daughter's Tale', a

docudrama bringing to life

the trials and tribulations

Sheikh Hasina went through

following the assassination

of her father Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is

set to be rescreened, this

time on television, on

Monday, reports UNB.

The docudrama,

previously met with

sweeping popularity and

critical acclamation through

its screening in cinema halls,

will now be aired on a

number of television

channels including

Bangladesh Television on

September 28.

Bangladesh Television

(BTV) will broadcast the

visual at 3:00 PM, Ekushey

TV at 12, Ekattor TV and

Channel i at 3, Gazi

Television at 3, DBC at 4,

Somoy TV at 5, Desh TV at

5:30, Bangla TV at 8:50,

Bijoy TV at 9:30, and

Maasranga Television at 11,

said a media release on

Saturday.

'Hasina: A Daughter's

Tale' was premiered at Star

Cineplex on November 15.

Following its screening at

Star Cineplex, Blockbuster

Cinemas, Modhumita

Cinema Hall, and Silver

Screen, the docudrama

reined the box office for two

weeks in a row.

The sweeping popularity

prompted its screening in 35

cinema halls across the

country.

Radwan Mujib Siddiq and

Nasrul Hamid Bipu of the

Centre for Research and

Information (CRI) produced

the docu-fiction directed by

Piplu Khan of Apple Box

Films, while music by

Debojyoti Mishra.

While the life of Sheikh

Hasina as the prime

minister steals the limelight,

the sea of trouble she had to

encounter after the

assassination of her father

and 16 family members, the

darkest chapter in the postindependence

Bangladesh,

remains undiscovered.

This docudrama piqued

the countrymen's interest in

that period and they

requested its screening on

television, according to CRI.

The docudrama brought

to life all aspects of the life of

Sheikh Hasina - from her

kitchen to her life as the

country's premier to the

time of struggle to her

personal, familial, and

political life. It also narrated

the journey of her sister

Sheikh Rehana.

Global coronavirus death

toll approaching 1mn

DHAKA : The global

coronavirus death toll will

officially touch the onemillion

mark in the next few

days.

According to the latest

tally from Johns Hopkins

University (JHU), the death

toll was recorded 987,593 as

of Saturday morning.

Besides, the confirmed

COVID-19 cases have

exceeded 32.4 million

globally. More than 22

million recoveries have been

registered globally.

The US has registered

203,657 deaths and more

than seven million cases -

both the highest in the

world.

Robert Redfield, director

of the U.S. Centers for

Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), told the

Senate Health Committee in

a hearing on Wednesday

that more than 90 percent of

the U.S. population is

susceptible to COVID-19,

citing a study conducted by

the agency, reports Xinhua.

In addition, an ensemble

forecast released Thursday

by the CDC predicted that

the virus may have caused a

total of 214,000 to 226,000

deaths in the United States

by Oct. 17

As campaign heats up, Trump

woos Latino, Black voters

With fewer than 40 days left before the

election, President Donald Trump unveiled

his second policy plan in as many days as he

tried to chip away at his Democratic rival's

support among Black and Hispanic voters

and in key battleground states, reports UNB.

At a "Black Voices for Trump" event in

Atlanta, Georgia, Trump announced what

his campaign dubbed a "Platinum Plan"

laying out his "promise to Black America" if

he wins a second term, including a push for

economic development and loan money and

a pledge to designate Juneteenth as a federal

holiday. Juneteenth, which commemorates

the end of slavery in the United States, is so

named because June 19, 1865, is when slaves

were freed in Galveston, Texas.

The announcement came during a two-day

campaign swing that ticked off a long list of

boxes, both geographically and with key

constituencies.

He unveiled what aides termed a "vision"

for health care in North Carolina, where polls

show him and Democratic presidential

candidate Joe Biden effectively tied. He held

a rally in Jacksonville, Florida, one of the

most hotly contested battleground states. He

courted Hispanic voters near Miami and

Black voters in Atlanta. And he held another

rally Friday night in Newport News, Virginia.

Biden is well ahead of Trump in that state,

World Rabies Day

In South America, rabies has been brought

under control through widespread vaccination

of dogs. Rabies is now a problem in Africa and

Asia, especially South Asia. About 90 percent

of the world's rabies deaths now occur on two

continents. In India alone, about 15-20 thousand

people are diagnosed with rabies every

year. Pakistan and Afghanistan also carry a

large share. In Bangladesh too, about 2,000

people died of rabies every year before 2010

and although the exact number of cattle deaths

is unknown, a significant number of cattle die

from the disease. Since 2010, the Ministry of

Health, the Ministry of Local Government and

the Ministry of Livestock have been implementing

a national rabies control and eradication

program to rid Bangladesh of rabies by

2022. As a part of this, a total of 67 rabies control

and eradication centers have been set up in

all the districts of Bangladesh. These centers

provide modern management of dog bite

patients and anti-rabies vaccines free of cost.

At Mohakhali in Dhaka, the world's largest

national rabies control and eradication center

"Infectious Diseases Hospital" provides services

to about 500-600 dog bite patients every

day. Apart from this, a large scale dog vaccination

program has been launched across the

country since 2011 at the initiative of the Disease

Control Branch of the Department of

but the location is close to key North

Carolina counties that are difficult for the

president to visit, according to the campaign,

because not all airports can accommodate

Air Force One and its landing requirements.

Trump has tried to contrast his jampacked

schedule with Biden, who has made

just 12 visits outside of Delaware since his

Aug. 11 selection of California Sen. Kamala

Harris as his running mate, worrying some

Democrats with his low-key approach.

Trump complained in Atlanta that Biden

"never goes out!" and said losing the Nov. 3

election would sting even worse if he lost to a

man who never campaigns.

Trump also made rare references to the

recent killings of Black men and women at

the hands of police, which have sparked

massive protests across the nation. Trump

said the nation grieves for the "senseless"

deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and

Ahmaud Arbery, while continuing to lash out

at demonstrators.

"Our hearts break for their families and for

all families who have lost a loved one. ... But

we can never allow mob rule," he said,

denouncing the Black Lives Matter

movement. "This is an unusual name for an

organization whose ideology and tactics are

right now destroying many Black lives,"

Trump charged.

Baniachong Upazila Association, Dhaka formed a human chain in front of

National Press Club on Saturday demanding Habiganj Agriculture

University.

Photo : TBT

>(From back page)

Suicide tendency

>(From back page)

his own life for not being able to secure a government

job, one of his classmates stated.

KamrulBahan, another student of Electrical

and Electronic Engineering (EEE) at DU, succumbed

to death by hanging himself in a hotelroom

at the capital's Farmgate area on September

21. According to the latest media

reports, body of Jakaria Bin Haque, a former

student of Management department, also

founding general secretary of BijoyEkattorHall

Debating Society, recovered on September 24.

His wife and in-law members claimed that it

was a suicide while claiming it an unusual

death. However,Jakaria's parental home

members and friends dissented and claimed

this was a murder case. His sister filed a murder

case in this regard toMohammadpur police

station on Friday.

Experts attributed the major causes of such

suicidal deaths to mental health issues."There

are multiple reason behind a suicide. Mental

illnesses, stress, biological reasons, gaps

between expectation and reality, financial crisis,

affair break-ups mainly provoke them to

suicide" DrMahjabeenHaque, the Chairperson

of Educational and Counseling Psychology

department of DU, said in a statement. "But,

everyone with these problems do not commit

Health. In addition to all these activities,

awareness activities have been continued

through various activities and day celebrations

to increase public awareness about rabies.

Moreover a memorandum of understanding

has also been signed with the mayors of municipalities

and city corporations to prevent

unplanned dog killings. In addition, the Government

of the People's Republic of

Bangladesh, various international organizations

and various NGOs have been working

together to eradicate rabies from Bangladesh.

World Rabies Day has been observed since

2007 with the aim of realizing the severity of

the disease, raising public awareness and preventing

and eradicating it. In keeping up with

12 countries of the world, Bangladesh also

celebrated the first World Rabies Day in

2007. Since then, this day has been celebrated

on 28th September every year and as a

part of this, World Rabies Day will be celebrated

on 28th September, 2020. The theme

of this year's World Rabies Day is 'End

Rabies: Collaborate, Vaccinate'. With this day

in mind, the Government of the People's

Republic of Bangladesh, various international

and domestic organizations have taken a

massive program. Under this program,

World Rabies Day is celebrated simultaneously

at national level, divisional level, district

and upazila level. Marking the occasion, various

programs including seminars, open discussions,

public awareness activities will be

celebrated at different levels.

suicide because of circumstances," she added.

"We can learn to face these problems from

them who can cope up with this crisis, and also

can have a session with a psychologist in need,"

she suggested.

"A psychologist can primarily help a

depressed person from danger but that person

must need somebody to share their problems.

The number of suicide can be reduced but it is

impossible to stop," she furthered.

"We shouldn't be worried about the future

but should have to make plans. We have to

focus on the present because the present will

lead us to the future. We have to be optimistic,"

ProfessorMahjabeen continued. Noted Psychology

Professor and an expert on mental

health, DrMehtabKhanam said, "Without case

by case analysis it is very difficult to identify the

reason behind suicide during COVID-19 pandemic."

Now a part-time faculty at the Department

of Educational and Counselling Psychology

ofthe university, Prof.Mehtab said, "When

one becomes suicidal, it is our duty to make

them busy with something. It will help them

to cope up with the situation better."

Prof MdAkhtaruzzaman, the Vice-chancellor

of the university, told this correspondent,

"Family, friends, and teachers have to come

forward to help them out. We will take proper

action to reduce it by finding out the reasons".

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBEr 27, 2020

3

Shahid Moizuddin Smriti Sangsad organized a discussion meeting at National Press Club on

Saturday marking 36th death anniversary of Shahid Moizuddin.

Photo : TBT

Covid recovery plan to get focus

on World Tourism Day today

DHAKA : The World Tourism Day will

be celebrated in Bangladesh today like

elsewhere in the world focusing on

recovery plan of the country's tourism

sector, that was wreaked by the COVID-

19 pandemic alike the entire global

travel and leisure arena.

The government and different

organisations have chalked out various

programmes through virtual platform

due to the pandemic in all districts all to

celebrate the World Tourism Day with

the global theme 'Tourism and Rural

Development'.

"This year our major objective is to

make people aware about following the

health guideline as per our Standard

Operating Procedure (SOP), made for

all reopened tourist spots and

accommodation," said state minister

for civil aviation and tourism M

Mahbub Ali at a virtual press briefing

on the eve of the day.

The state minister said his ministry

has already sent the written SOP to

authorities of all tourist spots and hotel

and motels while the deputy

commissioners (DC) were instructed to

monitor proper implementation of the

guideline so that people can enjoy their

leisure without getting affected by the

novel coronavirus.

No rally or public gathering will be

seen on the day of celebration this year

due to the pandemic whereas the

ministry along with its Bangladesh

GD- 1243/20 (8 x 4)

tourism Board (BTB) and Bangladesh

Paryatan Corporation (BPC) will

organize virtual discussions on the

theme.

Besides, all 64 district

administrations will hold virtual

meetings with local tourism related

stakeholders and organize art and easy

competition on this year's theme.

Ali said the government has taken

preparation to promote and facilitate

domestic tourism as regional and

international outbound tour operation

has been suspended due to ongoing

global restrictions for the tourists.

The state minister said a number of

tourist spots have already been

reopened and the rest will resume

operations gradually.

He said this year's tourism day's

theme - tourism and rural development

- has coincided with Bangladesh Prime

minister Sheikh Hasina's vision of -

turning villages into towns.

Tourism could be the key player

helping the implementation of the

Prime Minister's vision to create urban

amenities at the villages, he added.

He said the tourism sector has unique

ability to drive economic development

and provide opportunities outside of big

cities, including in those communities

that would otherwise be left behind.

Senior secretary of Civil Aviation and

Tourism Secretary M Mohibul Haque

and CEO of Bangladesh Tourism Board

(BTB) M Jabed Ahmed were also

present at the briefing.

Mentioning that every year around

five lakh Bangladeshi tourists visit

different countries, Haque said this

outbound tourist traffic would not be

able to go abroad this year and this

created a huge opportunity for the

country's domestic tourism sector.

"We are expecting huge domestic

tourist movements this year … keep this

in mind, we have advised all

stakeholders to take proper preparation

to facilitate them (tourists)," he said.

He said the tourism ministry has

been maintaining close

communication with local government

ministry to improve road

communications with different rural

tourist spots across the country.

Haque said the ministry has already

instructed the DCs of the districts

having haor areas to facilitate tourists as

currently huge visitors from across the

country have been seen making boat

trips there to enjoy scenic view of haors.

He said tourist police have been

alerted to ensure proper security for the

tourists ranging from the country's

popular destinations to rural spots.

The BTB and BPC will hold two

separate virtual seminars on this year's

theme at 10 am and 3 pm respectively

today with the participation of the

ministry's state minister, senior

secretaries and tourism stakeholders.

Family urge all to pray

for early recovery of

Attorney General

DHAKA : Family members

of Attorney General

Mahbubey Alam, who is

undergoing treatment at

CMH, have urged all to pray

for his early recovery.

Attorney General

Mahbubey Alam's son-inlaw,

Supreme Court

Advocate Sheikh

Mohammad Reazul Haque

told BSS yesterday that the

COVID-19 report of the

Attorney General came

negative on September 20

but he had other physical

complications.

Expressing their gratitude

to Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina for enquiring the

health condition of the

Attorney General regularly,

family members requested

the countrymen to pray for

his early recovery.

Minister for Law, Justice

and Parliamentary Affairs

Anisul Haque wished all the

best for the recovery of the

Attorney General.

Attorney General

Mahbubey Alam was taken

to the Intensive Care Unit

(ICU) on September 18. He

is still undergoing treatment

in ICU. Alam was admitted

to the hospital with high

temperature on September

4 and later tested positive for

COVID-19.

On September 18, he was

moved to the intensive care

unit after his condition

deteriorated during

treatment.

Alam, 71, has been the

attorney general of the

country since 2009.

A former president of the

Supreme Court Bar

Association, Alam joined the

legal profession in 1975.

JS Whip Atiur

infected with

coronavirus

SHERPUR : Atiur Rahman

Atik, Jatiya Sangsad whip

and also president of

Sherpur district Awami

League, has been infected

with coronavirus, reports

UNB.

His test result came on

Friday night, said his

daughter Dr Sharmin

Rahman Oni.

He is now taking

treatment staying in home

isolation in his flat of NAM

Bhaban, said his daughter

adding that his father has

been suffering from fever.

Decision will be taken

today about his

hospilization, said Sharmin.

His sample was taken as

part of regular health checkup

of MPs.

98 officials

promoted as

additional

secretary

DHAKA : A total of 98 joint

secretaries have been

promoted as additional

secretary.

The Public Administration

ministry issued two separate

notifications in this regard

on Saturday, reports UNB.

Among the newly

promoted officials, Md

Mehedi Hasan is working

abroad as economic

minister, Washington DC in

the US.

2 held with

18,540 pieces

of yaba tablets

in Ctg

CHATTOGRAM : Members

of Rapid Action Battalion

(RAB-7) arrested two

alleged drug traders

including a woman with

18,540 pieces of contraband

yaba tablets from Bypass

road area under Patiya

upazila of the district early

Saturday, reports BSS.

AL's discussion

today marking

Sheikh Hasina's

birthday

DHAKA : Awami League's sub-committee

on relief and social welfare will arrange a

discussion today marking the 74th birthday

of Prime Minister and Awami League

President Sheikh Hasina.

With the title 'Jananetri Sheikh Hasina is

the leader of humanity in facing natural and

man-made disasters", the discussion will be

held at the AL's central Bangabandhu

Avenue office at 10am, said a press release.

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and

Road Transport and Bridges Minister

Obaidul Quader will join the discussion as

the chief discussant while AL Presidium

Member Begum Matia Chowdhury will chair

it.

AL Presidium Member Jahangir Kabir

Nanak and Joint General Secretary

Mahbubul Alam Hanif will address it as the

special discussants while Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and

Technology University Vice-Chancellor Prof

AQM Mahbub and Bangladesh University of

Engineering and Technology (BUET) Prof

Md Mafizur Rahman will attend it as

discussants.

Chairman of AL's sub-committee on relief

and social welfare AKM Rahmatullah, MP,

will deliver the welcome address.

Marking the birthday, high quality seeds

will be distributed among farmers, support

equipment will be provided to people with

disabilities and quality facemasks will be

distributed among different hospitals.

Moyez Uddin's

36th death

anniversary

today

DHAKA : The 36th death anniversary of

former Awami League (AL) leader and

lawmaker Moyez Uddin will be observed

today, reports BSS.

To mark the day, different organisations,

including Awami League, have chalked out

elaborate programmes, including placing

wreaths at the grave of the great leader in the

morning, discussions, Qurankhwani, milad,

doa mahfil and food distribution in the

capital and elsewhere across the country.

Tributes will be paid at his grave at the

Banani graveyard in the city at 9:30am.

Milad mahfil will be held at Awami League

office in Kaliganj Sadar at 11 am today.

Tributes will be paid to the Moyez Uddin

Memorial of the Upazila Parishad at 12pm.

A doa mahfil and food distribution

program will be held at Meher Afroz Chumki

Government Primary School in Kaliganj at

Man stabbed dead by

'step-son' in city

DHAKA : A man was

stabbed to death allegedly

by his teenage step-son in

Dakhshinkhan area of the

city on Friday night, reports

UNB.

The deceased was

identified as Mohor Uddin,

40, son of Mohammad Ali

of Mymensingh district.

Victim's younger brother

Hridoy said that his

brother's 16-year old step

son locked into an

altercation with his father

over money.

At one stage, the boy

stabbed his father's chest,

leaving him critically

injured.

Mohor was rushed to

Dhaka Medical College

Hospitalin critical

condition around 10:45pm

where doctors pronounced

him dead, said Bacchu

Miah, inspector of Dhaka

Medical College Police

Outpost.

The boy went into hiding

after the incident.

12:30 pm.Doa mahfil will be held at Shaheed

Moyez Uddin High School at 1pm.

Moyez Uddin was killed by a criminal gang

of Ershad on 27th September, 1984 while he

was leading a protest procession at Kaliganj

during the anti-autocracy movement.

Govt plans sustainable

solution to river

erosion: Enamul

SHARIATPUR : Deputy Minister for Water

Resources Enamul Haque Shamim

yesterday said the government is planning

for sustainable solutions instead of

emergency projects to stop river erosion as

the country's economic capability has

increased.

"Under the directive of Hon'ble Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina, the government is

working to permanently protect the people

of Bangladesh from river erosion by building

sustainable dams in the river erosion prone

areas across the country, including

Shariatpur," he said while inspecting the

ongoing work of the dam on the right bank of

the Padma at Naria-Jajira yesterday

morning, said a press release.

"The government is constructing houses

for the homeless and for those who don't

own land all over the country on the occasion

of Mujib Year. No one in Bangladesh will

remain homeless," he added.

Additional Director General (East) of

Water Development Board Kazi Tofail

Ahmed, Chief Engineer (West) of Water

Development Board AKM Waheed Uddin

Chowdhury, Project Director Abdul Hakim

and Shariatpur Executive Engineer SM

Ahsan Habib, were also present, on the

occasion.

Digital strike

against climate

change held

Children belonging to 30 schools and

colleges from 24 districts on Friday staged a

digital protest on social media to prevent

global warming and climate change.

The first of its kind in Bangladesh, a 10-

hour long Online Climate Strike was hosted

live on Facebook and moderated by various

influencers in the field from 10am to 8pm

with support from Save the Children in

Bangladesh and Green Savers, said a press

release.

Students joined the program and

performed to show support for nature -

songs, poems, stories, dances, jokes, debate,

speeches etc, reports UNB.

The event was a part of the global climate

strike responding to the call of Swedish

climate activist Greta Thunberg to prevent

global climate change who on this day in

2018 stood outside the Swedish parliament,

holding a placard that read "School strike for

the climate".

A discussion meeting was held at National Press Club yesterday on the

occasion of 74th birth day of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Photo : TBT

SUNday, SEpTEmBEr 27, 2020

4

riyadh Initiative is key to meaningful WTO reform

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Sunday, September 27, 2020

Economic horizon : Early

recovery for Bangladesh

Arebound in garment orders after demand crashed during

spring shutdowns is helping to revive the Bangladesh

economy.Apparel makers, our main export industry, say

they are looking ahead to good Christmas orders from the U.S.

and other major markets.

Remittances from Bangladeshi workers employed overseas

have also recovered, helping to relieve pressures from a pandemic

quasi-shutdown during the spring.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) reported this week that

the economic comeback was encouraging. It was forecasting

the economy would grow at a robust 6.8% annual pace in the

fiscal year that ended in June if current conditions persist.

That's a much brighter outlook than in April-May, when

global clothing brands suspended or cancelled orders worth

more than $3 billion, affecting about 4 million workers and

thousands of factories."At the moment we can say that the

ready-made garment industry has been able to regain its

growth trajectory upward compared to March-May," Rubana

Huq, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and

Exporters Association, or BGMEA, underlined.

"As economies in the West were turning around we were successfully

able to get the buyers back to the negotiating table,

which is why 80% to 90% of the $3.18 billion in cancelled

orders have been reinstated," she said.

Bangladesh earns about $35 billion annually from garment

exports, mainly to the United States and Europe. The industry

is the world's second largest after China's.

Bangladesh's exports rose 0.6% to $3.9 billion in July, after

plummeting 83% to $520 million in April. Imports, which are

reported on a quarterly basis, began recovering earlier, rising

36% in May-June.

In August, exports rose 4.3% from a year earlier, to $2.96 billion,

mostly driven by apparel shipments, according to the government's

Export Promotion Bureau. Garment shipments

totaled $5.7 billion in July and August.

"The garment sector is making a good comeback. Our agriculture

is doing well. Remittances are coming. These all are

good signs for the economy," said the executive director of the

Policy Research Institute, a think tank in Dhaka."The pace of

the recovery is clearly visible. But challenges have been there

too. The pace of the recovery will depend on how the pandemic

behaves in the West over the next few months," he said.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected strong

economic recovery for Bangladesh in the 2020-21 fiscal year,

where gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by

6.8% riding on strong manufacturing and exports.

The regional lender made the growth projections on

Bangladesh economy in its updated report of Asian

Development Outlook (ADO) 2020 recently. "GDP growth is

projected at 6.8% in FY2021, revised down from ADO 2020

because Covid-19 and its impacts are lingering longer than

expected, and government stimulus packages have had little

time to take hold," said the outlook report.

But as per the provisional data of Bangladesh Bureau of

Statistics (BBS), in the last fiscal year Bangladesh attained

5.24% GDP growth, while the government set an 8.2% growth

target for FY2021.

With cautious reopening of the economy since May 2020 and

subdued global economic conditions, recovery is expected to be

gradual in the first two quarters of FY2021, the ADB said. Then

a strong manufacturing base will enable more rapid recovery in

tandem with projected strengthening of growth in the

advanced economies and import demand from them, it projected.

Prudent macroeconomic management and speedy implementation

of the government stimulus measures have been

driving the projected recovery. The main risk to this growth

projection is a prolonged pandemic in Bangladesh or its export

destinations, said the ADB.

" But Bangladesh's economy has started recovering from the

pandemic. Despite significant pressure on the health and pandemic

management systems, the government has managed the

economy well with appropriate economic stimulus and social

protection measures, ensuring basic services and commodities

for the poor and vulnerable," said ADB Country Director

Manmohan Parkash.

Recent economic performance in exports and remittances,

and government's macroeconomic management including

securing foreign funds for economic stimulus and social protection

have made this recovery feasible, he said. "We are

encouraged by the increase in exports and remittances, and

hope the recovery will be sustained, which will help in achieving

the projected growth rate. Early access to vaccines and continued

emphasis on health pandemic management can help

sustain this recovery," he further said.

This crisis is an opportunity to undertake further reforms in

resource mobilization, export diversification, employment generation,

skills development, as well as social protection; and

ADB is working with the government in these areas to provide

further support, Parkash added.

Bangladesh exports are expected to grow by 8% in FY2021,

with gradual recovery in the first half accelerating in the second

along with the expected upturn in the global economy. Export

recovery will be aided by government stimulus measures and

efforts to improve the business climate, as well as using dutyfree

trade opportunities extended by the People's Republic of

China, said the ADB.

Imports are expected to grow by 5% as the apparel sector

returns to normal operations, which will require more raw

materials.In addition, the accelerated implementation of large

infrastructure projects should boost imports of capital equipment

and materials.

Growth in agriculture is projected rising to 3.5% in the current

fiscal year, aided by government subsidies for seed, fertilizer,

innovation, farm mechanization, and irrigation, and refinancing

facilities to provide working capital for small and

medium-sized farms affected by the pandemic. Growth in

industry is forecast at 10.3%, assuming improved consumer

demand, strong export growth following recovery in major

export markets, and expected growth in private investment.

Inflation is projected steady at 5.5% in FY2021 due to a good

crop outlook and favourable international commodity prices.

The race to become director general

of the World Trade Organization

(WTO) is getting to the final lap,

and to the sharp end of business. Over

the next six weeks, each of the five

candidates will have the opportunity to

persuade the 164-strong membership

that he or she has the unique qualities to

undertake one of the toughest jobs on the

world stage.

It is a talented field, with three men and

two women of impeccable credentials

vying for the job. Between now and Oct.

6, that field will be whittled down to two,

and in early November - a few days after

the US election - the successful candidate

will be announced.

Saudi Arabia has a strongly fancied

runner in the race in the form of

Mohammad Al-Tuwaijri, a former fighter

pilot, banker and economic policymaker

who is among the final five. Having got

this far, Al-Tuwaijri has some key

advantages over his rivals, and will be

looking to exploit them to the full in the

closing stages.

The job calls, of course, for a deep

knowledge of global economics and

finance, which the Saudi candidate

shares with the others. It also calls for a

large dose of diplomatic expertise to

balance the competing interests of WTO

member countries that do not always see

eye to eye. And, crucially, it requires a

After a flurry of activity this week,

PML-N, PPP and JUI-F find

themselves looking up at a

mountain to scale. There are however

genuine questions about the

mountaineering skills of these parties as

well as the equipment they carry with

them. Good intentions alone are

insufficient for the task at hand.

The space for the opposition is all set to

shrink further in March. This is when the

PTI and its allies gain a comfortable

majority in the Senate and tighten their

grip on both houses of parliament. The

opposition can then cry itself hoarse but it

will not be able to stop the PTI

government from legislating whatever it

wants to legislate. On the FATF bills we

saw the opposition flex its parliamentary

muscles in an attempt to block the

government's version of the bills. After

March, it won't have many muscles to flex.

This is a vulnerable position to be in, but

there is nothing much that the opposition

can do at this stage to stop the government

from gaining control of parliament in six

months.

Or, in other words, whatever it can do it

will have to do in the next six months. This

is where the agitation plan comes in:

rallies in October, November and

December in major urban centres,

followed by a long march to Islamabad in

January. What can this feverish activity

achieve? Let's take stock.

In the coming week or two we will know

if some key opposition leaders will be

nabbed and thrown behind bars in various

cases that are under process. If this

happens, it will be obvious that the

authorities are in no mood to allow the

opposition to gather any momentum. The

incarceration of important leaders will

willingness and expertise to implement

large-scale reform because, in a nutshell,

the WTO is in trouble. Having performed

satisfactorily during the era of

globalization-led growth from the early

1990s onward, it stumbled during the

global financial crisis - which reversed

two decades of expansion in world trade -

and has never recovered.

Al-Tuwaijri has some key advantages

over his rivals, and will be looking to

exploit them to the full in the closing

stages.

More recently, the rise of populist and

nationalist leaders across the world has

proved an insurmountable obstacle to

reform, which all members agree is

essential.

Against a background of increasing

hostility between China and the US

across a range of subjects - not confined

to trade policies - getting agreement on

WTO reform has been impossible.

FraNk kaNE

Fahd hUSaIN

Saudi Arabia and Al-Tuwaijri have a

solution to that in the shape of the Riyadh

Initiative. This program - a far-reaching

platform for WTO reform - grew out of

the meetings of trade ministers of the

G20 countries that have been taking

place, despite the pandemic restrictions,

all year under the Saudi presidency.

The initiative seeks to resolve key areas

of disagreement between WTO members

on crucial issues such as the recognition

of "developing country" status with all the

special treatment that brings, state

subsidies to industry, and the use of the

consensus principle in reaching decisions

on the organization's affairs.

The current rules were laudable and

praiseworthy when they were enshrined

in the Marrakesh Declaration that

established the WTO in 1994. But, the

reformers argue, they have been

overtaken by events on the global stage

and are badly in need of reform,

knight moves

also signal that the government will create

whatever obstacles it can to deprive the

opposition of the opportunity to hold

successful and well-attended rallies. These

obstacles could include refusal of

permission for venues, clamping of

Section 144 and containerised resistance

from the local administration wherever

required.

If the leaders are not arrested and the

countrywide programme of the opposition

begins to unfold as planned, it will be

important to gauge what is being said in

speeches. Herein lies the source of

ambiguity. Nawaz Sharif has laid out his

party's policy in clear terms: he wants to

wrestle with the establishment and not

Prime Minister Imran Khan. However,

since the day he delivered his aggressive

speech at the multiparty conference, very

few - if any - among his party leaders have

used the same tone and language against

the establishment. Many are still shellshocked.

The demonstrations and rallies

starting next month will be a test case. If

the PML-N leadership ratchets up its

rhetoric and follows the line and

positioning of their leader, it will be clear

that the party has decided to burn all its

boats for now. This will be a big departure

from the cautious policy followed by the

party and it would signal that the PML-N

is eyeing strategic goals that may not be

held hostage to timelines.

However if Nawaz Sharif's tone is not

reflected in the rallies, it would suggest a

dual play: framing the relationship with

the establishment within the context of

Nawaz's speech but leveraging it as a

bargaining tool for greater political space.

It's a gamble; or perhaps a game of chess.

however if Nawaz Sharif's tone is not reflected in

the rallies, it would suggest a dual play: framing the

relationship with the establishment within the context

of Nawaz's speech but leveraging it as a bargaining

tool for greater political space. It's a gamble; or

perhaps a game of chess.

In this game, Asif Zardari and Maulana

Fazlur Rehman could have different roles.

Within the opposition's Pakistan

Democratic Movement, the JUI-F chief is

the real hardliner. With little stakes in the

system and personal grievances against

PTI, he has been consistently advocating

that the entire opposition should resign

from parliament and force the

government to call fresh elections. So far

the maulana has not found much traction

for his radical ideas. However after Nawaz

Sharif's speech, Maulana Fazlur Rehman's

relevance has increased within the PDM.

He may now wield greater influence on the

overall direction of the PDM given that

PML-N's policy now is closer to his

position than that of PPP. In addition,

JUI-F is expected to contribute

significantly in terms of crowds and street

power for PDM activities. This factor adds

to his weight within the alliance and could

create interesting dynamics within PDM.

SOmShaNkar BaNdyOpadhyay

especially under the impact of the

COVID-19 pandemic.

As with most WTO deliberations

recently, the debate over the Riyadh

Initiative has come down to a thinly

disguised disagreement between China

and the US, and it will require all the

powers of diplomacy of the new WTO

director general to reconcile those

differences.

Al-Tuwaijri starts with more

advantages than the rest, quite apart

from his own personal skills as a

policymaker and project deliverer.

Saudi Arabia is a longstanding ally of

the US whose influence in Washington

DC has grown under the present

administration. But it is also a major

trading partner of China, supplying the

lion's share of the country's energy needs

via crude oil exports, which also gives it

an influential voice in Beijing.

The Kingdom has a foot in both camps,

and the independent credentials that

could make all the difference when tough

WTO negotiations come down to the

wire.

This gives Al-Tuwaijri unique

advantages that none of the other

candidates enjoy, whatever their other

merits.

Source: arab news

Asif Zardari and his party are also on

trial (literally and figuratively). Boxed in

between the anti-establishment position

of the PML-N and the hardline do-or-die

politics of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PPP

leaders like Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari may

need to calibrate their position delicately.

They have a government to run, and

protect, and an alliance to nurture. The

PPP leadership also knows that if it cannot

find the perfect sweet spot for this balance,

it could end up with the worst of both

worlds: a weakened government and a

weakened PDM. Asif Zardari and Bilawal

do not have the luxury of time. October is

less than a week away.

And what of Prime Minister Imran

Khan? His silence cannot hide his glee. In

one week he has seen his staunchest

opponent attack his staunchest ally

thereby severely reducing the chances of

the opponent gaining space from the ally

at his expense. He knows time is on his

side. He just has to manage the next six

months without doing anything - or

becoming the cause of something - that

inflames the situation to an uncontrollable

level. This means he would want to keep

the opposition under maximum pressure

while minimising the chances of any

untoward incident at PDM's public

engagement events. This is easier said

than done. Violence has its own

unintended consequences.

It is a battle for space and time. The

opposition has neither. What it does have

now is a platform that can amplify its

politics and magnify its coordinated

activities. But are these potent enough to

deliver what the opposition really wants?

Source: dawn

Is artificial intelligence dumbing us down?

From the editors: Fine waiver yet another

instance of UAE humanitarian face

From the editors: Horrific head-on

traffic collision on Sheikh Mohammad Bin

Zayed Road

Two seemingly unrelated news stories

piqued my interest recently. Earlier this

month, the Guardian newspaper published an

article written by a robot. And last week, the

New York Times published the news of the

first known death from a cyberattack in

Dusseldorf, Germany, where a woman died

while being transferred to another hospital as

a the facility she was taken to the first time was

locked down due to a ransomware attack.

Are we becoming slaves to the technological

blitz we ourselves have unleashed onto the

planet? Have we created our own

Frankenstein's monster, and now have no

means to control it?

On the face of it, the benefits of the

exponential growth of technological

advancement, especially in the last three

decades, cannot be denied. Our world has

become a much smaller place, where we

communicate from the furthest corners of the

earth with voice and video at the mere touch

of a button. The information revolution has

brought us closer to each other, and new

breeds of businesses and career possibilities

It is a talented field, with three men and two

women of impeccable credentials vying for the

job. Between now and Oct. 6, that field will be

whittled down to two, and in early November -

a few days after the US election - the successful

candidate will be announced.

have opened up like never before. Driverless

cars are no longer in the realm of sciencefiction,

which drastically reduces the

possibilities of road deaths due to car crashes.

McKinsey Global Institute research suggests

that by 2030, AI could deliver additional

global economic output of $13 trillion per

year.

But will all this really benefit humankind in

the long-term? Prominent scientists like the

late Stephen Hawking, and even tech

entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, the owner of

the electric-vehicle firm Tesla, have spoken

fervently about the dangers of relying too

much on AI.

Even in our own lives, we are steadily falling

prey to technology. Let's take a test - when was

the last time you dialed a number of memory,

instead of finding the contact's name on the

phone? When was the last time you drove to a

place without using Google Maps?

The answers to these will tell you that the

average Homo Sapiens - literally, intelligent

man - is perhaps getting a little less smart? So

ironically, the smarter the world of machines

are getting, we are losing the edge, it would

seem.

Coming back to where we started from, with

technology penetrating every aspect of our

lives, the perils become far more obvious. Just

suppose if a cybercriminal can hack into the

electricity and water systems of a city. Not

very difficult, it is, after all, a matter of tricking

the computer systems that manage these

facilities to believe that the attacker is a bona

fide person and has the right to access. That

person can kill hundreds just by this action.

Just as last week, cybercriminals invaded 30

servers at University Hospital Dusseldorf ,

crashing systems and forcing the hospital to

turn away emergency patients. As a result,

German authorities said, a woman in lifethreatening

condition was sent to a hospital

20 miles away in Wuppertal and died from

treatment delays, the New York Times

reported.

The point is thus not whether AI is

beneficial or not to mankind. The point is we

are getting so enamored with AI that we are

stopping to think for ourselves.

For example, let us take the advent of 5G.

This fifth generation of cellular technology has

very little to do with faster mobile phones and

games, although that remains a part. The

main growth in 5G is expected from what is

called the 'Internet of Things' - smart

appliances like refrigerators, ovens, washing

machines, driverless cars etc. These gadgets

will have the capability to sense, say when the

milk is running out and thus place an order.

Or to start washing clothes on its own, and the

like.

Have we ever paused to ponder how much

of this is necessary? Suppose the fridge orders

the milk, but it may be that I was not feeling

like having milk and that's why I let the carton

run empty and was planning to buy juice

instead. The fridge does not have the requisite

data to predict my eating habits - it will simply

determine the shopping list based on past

purchases.

Coming to driverless cars, a few

experiments that have been done so far have

not proved very successful precisely for this

reason. Driverless cars engage in what we may

call 'rational behaviour' - but human beings do

not always behave rationally. Thus several

crashes have taken place.

AI programs may also incorporate the

prejudices of their programmers and the

humans they interact with, the Council of

Europe warns. The body points out how a

Microsoft AI chatbot called Tay became racist,

sexist and anti-Semitic within 24 hours of

interactive learning with its human audience.

Another software (COMPAS), which was

developed to help US courts, predict the odds

of defendants re-offending, was found to be

biased against African-Americans.

Source: Gulf news

SUNDAY, SEPTEmBEr 27, 2020

5

How far are we from coronavirus immunity?

What if you are better off without the office?

Photo: Jim Wilson

The pros and cons of remote work

Jessica Powell

In the initial months of the pandemic,

remote work seemed full of upsides:

more flexibility for employees and an

expectation of greater profits,

productivity and retention for their

employers. But what if the long-studied

benefits of remote work look different

in a post-pandemic world? In

particular, what if employee loyalty and

engagement decrease once remote

work is no longer an exception but

rather the norm? And what if that's not

a bad thing? What if a more

disconnected work force leads to

changes that could make employees

happier and companies more

compassionate?

I'm a fan of remote work, but it

presents unique challenges in helping

staffs feel connected to their teammates

and the company.In my previous job as

an executive at a large technology

company, I managed teams across

some 40 satellite and home offices. We

relied on email, video conferences and

chat services to help keep our

employees around the world

connected. But if a remote employee

complained about a lack of support

from co-workers at headquarters or felt

disconnected from the larger team, a

manager's advice often had nothing to

It failed to coax cultural assimilation with economic incentive.

do with technology. Instead, it was

utterly human: Come spend a week

meeting your colleagues.

Since March, millions of white-collar

workers have been living the

disconnected experience of the remote

worker for the first time.Early reports

from the corporate world were rosy, as

employees swapped suits for

sweatpants and found new flexibility in

their work and home lives. Many

companies reported higher

productivity than ever before, not

analyzing whether that productivity

was tied to employee flexibility or the

fact that people were locked inside,

terrified of losing their jobs.

We're now seeing the cracks, as

employers and employees start to voice

their concerns about the long-term,

isolating impact of remote

work.Managers have tried creative

ways to bring their staffs together. My

friends' calendars are filled with video

conference happy hours and trivia

nights. An acquaintance told me he

leaves a group video chat open all day

so that the employees at his start-up

can work together as they did in their

open office. I know another boss who

has short but more frequent catch-ups

so that she can maintain a bit of banter

with her management team.

But it just isn't the same. The onceweekly

video conference happy hours

held by one friend's San Francisco

start-up have become monthly. Even

then, attendance falls with each

passing month.At Facebook, which

has said it expects to make as much as

half of its full-time jobs remote over

the next 10 years, people miss the

mini-kitchens and team lunches. One

executive there told me, it's not so

much the perks themselves as it is the

connection they provided. "It's hard

to reproduce the magic," he told me.

"People don't want to spend any

more time connecting over video chat

than they have to."

If this continues, it could result in a

permanent change in the employeeemployer

relationship. Employees

could become increasingly mercenary,

no longer swayed by the strong social

bonds and physical-world perks of the

office of the past.

For their part, employers could

increasingly view their staffs as little

more than interchangeable work units.

As a manager, no matter how objective

I think I may be, I would probably find

it easier to fire an employee with whom

I had little personal connection. That

difficult conversation would be reduced

to a few minutes on a screen, with no

chance of running into the person later

in the coffee room.

China’s plan to assimilate Tibetans

Adrian Zenz

Before Xinjiang, there was Tibet.

Repressive policies tested there

between 2012 and 2016 were then

applied to the Uighurs and other ethnic

minorities in northwestern China:

entire cities covered in surveillance

cameras, ubiquitous neighborhood

police stations, residents made to

report on one another.

Now that process also works the

other way around. Xinjiang's coercive

labor program - which includes

mandatory training for farmers and

herders in centralized vocational

facilities and their reassignment to

state-assigned jobs, some far away - is

being applied to Tibet. (Not the

internment camps, though.)

Call this a feedback loop of forcible

assimilation. It certainly is evidence of

the scale of Beijing's ruthless campaign

to suppress cultural and ethnic

differences - and not just in Tibet and

Xinjiang.I analyzed more than 100

policy papers and documents from the

Tibetan authorities and state-media

reports for a study published with the

Jamestown Foundation this week.

Photos show Tibetans training, wearing

fatigues. Official documents outline

how Beijing is rolling out for them a

militarized labor program much like

the one in place in Xinjiang: Tibetan

nomads and farmers are being rounded

up for military-style classes and taught

work discipline, "gratitude" for the

Chinese Communist Party and

Chinese-language skills.

More than half a million workers

have been trained under this policy

during the first seven months of the

year, according to official

documents.Reuters has confirmed

these findings, uncovering more

relevant documents. (The Chinese

government has denied the charges,

including that it is enlisting forced labor

in Tibet.) Tibet has long posed a

particular challenge for the Chinese

authorities. The region is very far from

Beijing and strategically important

because of its long border with India.

Its people's culture is distinct, and the

devotion of many Tibetans to the Dalai

Lama, who simultaneously embodies

religious and political power - with a

government in exile in India - is a

double threat in the eyes of the Chinese

Communist Party. The people of what

the Chinese government refers to as the

Photo: PurbuZhaxi

Tibet Autonomous Region - about 3.5

million, mostly nomads and farmers

scattered throughout the vast

Himalayan plateau - have resisted its

encroachment for decades. Notably,

riots broke out in the capital, Lhasa, in

2008, just weeks before the Olympic

Games in Beijing, following years of

tightening restrictions on cultural and

religious freedoms.

There reportedly have been more

than 150 cases of self-immolation

carried out in protest since 2011. The

Dalai Lama is 85, and the Chinese

authorities in Beijing have been trying

to shape his succession, asserting, for

example, that Buddhist reincarnations

must "comply" with Chinese law.

This is but one of the many ways in

which Beijing has been doubling down

on imposing state controls over Tibetan

traditional ways of life.Tibet, like

Xinjiang, nominally is an autonomous

region, yet in 2019, its government

mandated that all Tibetan nomads and

farmers be subjected to what some

government directives call "militarystyle"

training for vocational skills and

then be assigned low-skilled jobs, for

example in manufacturing or the

services sector.

Spencer Bokat-Lindell

A few days ago, a friend of mine became

terrified of a tickle in his throat. He had

come down with a moderate case of

Covid-19 back in the spring, but five

months had passed since his symptoms

had faded, and stories about reinfection

were in the news. Was it possible he

had caught the virus a second time, and

would it be as bad as the first?

The number of people who have died

of Covid-19 in the United States has

now surpassed 200,000, but at least

6.7 million more are like my friend,

somewhere in the labyrinth of recovery,

unsure of where the disease has left

them. Six months into the pandemic,

what have scientists learned about how

the body defends itself against the

coronavirus, and what questions still

need answering? Here's what the

experts are saying.

The immune system functions as a

kind of consciousness: Like the mind,

the body registers threats in the

moment, and it remembers them, too.

Some of its memories are more durable

than others, and not all of them are

salutary. A single bout of measles, for

example, tends to shield a person for

life, but a papillomavirus infection may

increase a person's susceptibility to a

second. When the coronavirus surfaced

back in December, scientists could not

be certain what kind of impression it

would leave. But as the pandemic wears

on, a clearer picture is starting to

emerge. According to Helen Branswell

at Stat, experts believe that absolute

protection against reinfection is

unlikely, but they have also ruled out

the possibility of the immune system's

falling into complete amnesia.

"If these experts are correct, and the

worst-case scenario is off the table,

humans can expect to see a waning of

the threat SARS-2" - the coronavirus -

"poses to people over time," she writes.

"Our immune systems will know how

to deal with it."

That may sound surprising amid

reports of coronavirus antibodies

wearing off in a matter of months. But

as two Yale immunology professors,

Akiko Iwasaki and RuslanMedzhitov,

explain in The Times, "dropping

antibody counts aren't a sign that our

immune system is failing against the

coronavirus, nor an omen that we can't

develop a viable vaccine."

That's because antibodies are only

one part of the body's immune

response, and it is normal for them to

decline after an infection has receded.

For long-term protection, the body also

depends on memory cells that can lie

dormant for years, even decades, ready

to attack infected cells and produce

new antibodies if the same pathogen

returns. And for the coronavirus, a bevy

of research suggests that long-term

immunity is working exactly as it's

supposed to, at least so far.

"Although researchers cannot

forecast how long these immune

responses will last, many experts

consider the data a welcome indication

that the body's most studious cells are

Antibodies are only part of the picture.

doing their job - and will have a good

chance of fending off the coronavirus,

faster and more fervently than before, if

exposed to it again," my colleague

Katherine J. Wu reports.

There is, however, one wrinkle: At the

end of August, a 25-year-old man in

Nevada developed a second case of

Covid-19. That he had been reinfected

was not especially surprising; another

case of reinfection had been reported in

Hong Kong a few days before. But some

scientists were troubled to learn that

unlike the Hong Kong patient, who was

completely asymptomatic, the Nevada

patient had a worse case the second

time around.

"The Nevada case did not make me

happy," Dr. Iwasaki told the journal

Nature. If reinfection turns out to

consistently cause more severe illness

rather than less, it could make

developing a vaccine even trickier.

But many researchers stress that it's

far too early to draw conclusions.

"There are millions and millions of

cases," Michael Mina, an

epidemiologist at Harvard's T.H. Chan

School of Public Health, told Stat.

"What happens to most people?" It's

impossible to know with only a few

Photo: Johannes Eisele

confirmed instances of reinfection - it

turns out my friend's throat tickle was

not due to another - but enough time

has passed since the onset of the

pandemic that more are likely to be

reported and analyzed soon. Until then,

we will have to wait.

Harvesting the DNA:the future of policing

Emile Dirks and James Leibold

For several years now, the police and

other authorities in China have been

collecting across the country DNA

samples from millions of men and boys

who aren't suspected of having

committed any crime.

In a report published by the

Australian Strategic Policy Institute last

month, we exposed the extent of the

Chinese government's program of

genetic surveillance: It no longer is

limited to Xinjiang, Tibet and other

areas mostly populated by ethnic

minorities the government represses;

DNA collection - serving no apparent

immediate need - has spread across the

entire country. We estimate that the

authorities' goal is to gather the DNA

samples of 35 million to 70 million

Chinese males.

Matched against official family

records, surveillance footage or witness

statements in police reports, these

samples will become a powerful tool for

the Chinese authorities to track down a

man or boy - or, failing that, a relative of

his - for whatever reason they deem fit.

The Chinese government denies the

existence of any such program, but

since our study's publication, we have

continued to uncover online scattered

evidence revealing the program's

enormous scale, including government

reports and official procurement orders

for DNA kits and testing services.

DNA is being harvested across the

country: in the southwestern provinces

of Yunnan and Guizhou; in centralsouthern

Hunan; in Shandong and

Jiangsu, in the east; and up north, in the

autonomous region of Inner Mongolia.

We have continued to find

photographic evidence that the police

are collecting blood from children,

pinpricking their fingers at school - a

clear violation of China's responsibilities

under the U.N. Convention on the

Rights of the Child.And we have found

fresh proof, including official

documents, showing that DNA samples

are also being gathered in major urban

centers. (For a time, the focus seemed to

be largely on rural communities.)

An official report dated June 16,

available on a website of the

government of Sichuan Province,

details the creation of a DNA database

by the Public Security Bureau of the city

of Chengdu, the province's capital, and

seeks expert opinion on the creation of a

"male ancestry investigation system."

It documents how 17 public security

offices have collected DNA samples

from nearly 600,000 male residents

across the city - that's about 7 percent of

Chengdu's male population (assuming

that roughly half of the city's total

population of about 16.6 million is

male).

The Chengdu procurement report

states that building a massive genetic

database about local residents will help

the police "maintain public order and

stability as well as meet the needs of

daily case work." This is of no comfort.

In China, securing the public order

essentially means maintaining the

uncontested rule of the Communist

Party. Dissent is a crime, and police

Police officers collecting DNA samples from schoolboys in

Yunnan Province.

Photo: Collected

operations are a key part of the state's

apparatus of repression.

The Chinese police are not doing this

work alone. Evidence continues to

accumulate that private companies,

both Chinese and foreign, are complicit

in this extraordinarily vast, and

ominous, assault on the privacy of

Chinese citizens.

In Hunan Province, Huangrui

Scientific Instruments Ltd. - a company

based in the provincial capital that

produces a range of medical, chemical

and scientific products - has sold to the

Public Security Bureau of the city of

Liuyang some 140,000 DNA testing kits

produced by Thermo Fisher Scientific, a

U.S.-based Fortune 500 company.

That's enough equipment to test

roughly one in five men in the

community.

In Fujian Province, Forensic

Genomics International, a subsidiary of

BGI Group - a Chinese gene-sequencing

and biomedical company that describes

itself as "one of the world's leading life

science and genomics organizations" -

won a contract to analyze 16,000 blood

samples collected by one district in the

province's capital as part of the

authorities' effort to build a "male

ancestry investigation system." The

estimated total male population of the

district is 43,500.

The Australian Strategic Policy

Institute has contacted Thermo Fisher

and Forensic Genomics International

asking for comments on our report;

neither company replied.In a statement

issued to The New York Times for a

news story last month related to the

report, a representative of Thermo

Fisher said that the company was

"proud to be a part of the many positive

ways in which DNA identification has

been applied, from tracking down

criminals to stopping human trafficking

and freeing the unjustly accused."

The note, titled "Statement on

Xinjiang," did not address the concerns

we raised about the potential for

widespread abuse of genomic data by

the Chinese police throughout the

country.Thermo Fisher had previously

been criticized - by human rights

organizations and scholars - for

supplying DNA collection and analysis

equipment to the Chinese authorities in

support of their campaign of repression

against ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.

Already in February 2019, the company

had vowed to cease any such sales in the

region.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Commerce

Department added to its list of

sanctioned companies two other

subsidiaries of BGI Group - the Chinese

parent company of Forensic Genomics

International - for "conducting genetic

analyses used to further the repression

of Uighurs and other Muslim

minorities" in Xinjiang.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 6

Imam, Muazzin are honored on

Eid at the efforts of PM: Helal

omor FaruK, aTrai CorrespondenT:

a view exchange meeting was held

at the initiative of imam alem ulama

parishad at the hall room of atrai

high school hall on saturday. Vice

president of imam alem ulama

parishad moulana motiar rahman

chaired the occasion while awami

league nominated mp candidate for

naogaon-06 (atrai-raninagar)

parliamentary constituency alhaj md.

anwar hossain helal was present as

the chief guest.

speaking as the chief guest at the

meeting, helal said, "sheikh hasina,

the daughter of bangabandhu, starts

her day by doing Tahajjud prayers

and reciting the Qur'an. he further

said that during the tenure of prime

minister sheikh hasina's

government, there is no mosque or

madrasa in bangladesh which has not

been touched by the grant or

development of the prime minister.

prime minister has immediately

approved grants or buildings for

mosques and madrasas across the

country for the expansion of religious

education.

during the time, alhaj mohammad

ebadur rahman, Chairman of atrai

upazila parishad, Vice president of

atrai upazila awami league and

member of naogaon district awami

league, aKm mohsin ali Khan, Vice

president of raninagar upazila

awami league, Vice president of

atrai upazila awami league md.

akkas ali Chairman and General

secretary Chowdhury Golam mostafa

badal were among others also present

at the occasion.

Palm seeds have been planted at the initiative of private organization Caritas in Banaripara on

Saturday to alleviate the natural calamity.

Photo: TBT

palm seeds planted in banaripara

to alleviate natural calamity

s mizanul islam, banaripara

CorrespondenT:

at the initiative of private

organization Caritas, palm seeds have

been planted in banaripara on

saturday by maintaining social

distance to alleviate the natural

calamity.

350 palm seeds were planted at the

front of marichbunia secondary school

in the remote area of bisharkandi

union to padrabhunia bazar. during

the time, up Chairman md. saiful

islam shanto, General secretary of

nGo Coordination Council and senior

Journalist s mizanul islam, Caritas

Field officer md. abu hanif Titu and

up member md. shahadat hossain

were among others present on the

occasion.

Awami League nominated MP candidate for Naogaon-06 (Atrai-Raninagar) parliamentary constituency

Alhaj Md. Anwar Hossain Helal as the chief guest addressed a view exchange meeting with

Imams and Muazzin's of Atrai upazila on Saturday.

Photo: Omor Faruk

3 held with 1600 phensidyl

bottles in Jashore

shahid Joy, Jashore CorrespondenT:

Jashore db police have arrested

three people with 1600 bottles of

phensidyl in a raid in Jashore. police

also seized a Toyota used by them at

that time.

The detainees are identified as

Kamrul hasan alias robin, Jisan and

driver bakul hossain. according to db

police, a team led by db oC somen das

took position in Chanchra area on

Friday afternoon on the basis of secret

information. They stopped a private car

in front of the badC office in Chanchra

check post area of Jashore at around

5.15 pm and conducted a search. at that

time, they recovered 1600 bottles of

phensidyl from the possession of the

accused. at that time, the police

arrested the three and confiscated their

car.

a case has been registered in this

regard.

Jashore DB police in a drive arrested three people along with 1600 bottles of phensidyl in Jashore

recently.

Photo: Shahid Joy

highly nutritious biscuits distribution

among Gaibandha students begins

Gaibandha: high nutrition

enriched biscuit distribution among

students in sadar upazila of the district

under school feeding programme

during the corona situation began on

Friday, reports bss.

The biscuits are being handed over

among the students reaching their

homes as a reputed non-government

organization rdrs bangladesh in

cooperation with directorate of

primary education is implementing

the programme.

united nations' World Food

programme (WFp) and united states

of department of agriculture finance

the scheme.

under the programme, each of the

students of a school would get 75

grams of high energetic biscuits at first

period of school time except the

holidays.

as the schools are closed for

indefinite period due to corona virus

pandemic, the students can't attend

the schools. as a result, they are not

getting the biscuits.

Taking this into cognizance, the

authorities took initiative to distribute

biscuits going homes of the students.

sadar upazila uno prasun kumar

chakrabartee formally inaugurated the

biscuit distribution activities on Friday

going home of a learner in Kalibari

area of the town here. The student

received 30 packets of biscuits from the

uno.

acting upazila education officer

arzuman ara Gulenur, assistant

upazila education officers rabeya

begum and masumul islam, head

teacher of Jubilee Govt. primary

school nandita rani roy, assistant

teachers hosne ara and mukta rani

accompanied the uno during the

biscuits distribution.

head teacher nandita rani roy said

234 students of the school each would

get 30 packets of biscuits at home until

the school is open.

VGF rice distributed among 1894

fishermen families in Char Fasson

Taybur rahman(Tuhin), Char

Fasson CorrespondenT:

VGF rice has been

distributed among 1,894

fisher families registered in

Charmanika union no. 9

of dakshin aicha thana in

Char Fasson upazila of

bhola district. Chairman of

Char manika union

parishad haji shafiullah

hawlader along with local

up members and leading

people of the fishing

community were present at

the Char manika union

parishad office of the

upazila on saturday.

regarding the

distribution of VGF rice to

the fishermen, upazila

Fisheries officer maruf

hossain minar said VGF

rice has been distributed

among 1,694 registered

fisher families in

Charmanika union of the

upazila.

as this rice was banned

from fishing in the sea last

year, the government was

supposed to distribute 30

kg of VGF rice to 1,894

Around 2.19 lakh flood-affected households

get relief in Rajshahi division

raJshahi: more than 2.19 lakh

families consisting of around 9.86 lakh

people in different districts of the

division affected badly by the flood have,

so far, been got relief materials to

overcome their livelihood related

hardships, reports bss.

as part of its instant humanitarian

assistance to cope with the catastrophic

situation, the government has, so far,

allocated 1,679.1 tonnes of rice, Taka

43.55 lakh in cash, 20,380 packets of

dry-food, Taka 23 lakh for baby food

and Taka 40 lakh for animal feed.

moinul islam, additional

commissioner of rajshahi division, said

distribution of the allocated relief

materials among the affected families in

the division is in final stage.

apart from this, 2,260.9 tonnes of

rice, Taka 31.10 lakh, 2,220 packets of

dry food, Taka three lakh for baby food

and Taka five lakh for animal feed

remain in stock for distribution.

islam said 64 unions in sirajganj, 24

in bogura and 19 each in pabna,

naogaon and natore districts are the

worst affected ones.

besides, standing crops on around

52,983 hectares of croplands worth

around Taka 477.29 crore have been

damaged by the floodwaters affecting

VGF rice were distributed among 1,894 fisher families in Charmanika Union

No. 9 of Dakshin Aicha thana in Char Fasson Upazila of Bhola district on

Saturday.

Photo: Taybur Rahman

fisher families in Char

manika union in July. The

rice came to us on 9

september.

Concerned up Chairman

haji shafiullah awladar

over 3.75 lakh farming families in the

division.

Various standing crops like newly

transplanted aush and aman paddy,

aman seedbeds and direct seeded

aman, vegetables, maize and green chili

were affected by the floodwater.

particularly, the deluge has affected

aush paddy on 11,433 hectares of land,

aman seedbeds on 1,068 hectares,

transplanted aman on 1,007 hectares

and vegetables on 3,638 hectares of

land.

in sirajganj district, crops on 23,365

hectares of land were affected followed

by 7,555 hectares in bogura, 3,958

hectares in pabna, 2,718 hectares in

naogaon, 2,000 hectares in rajshahi,

1,480 hectares in Chapainawabganj and

1,406 hectares in natore districts.

meanwhile, around 1.18 lakh small

and marginal farmers have been

selected for providing agriculture

incentives worth more than Taka 12.21

crore to recoup their losses caused by

the recent flood in all eight districts of

the division.

respective offices of the department

of agriculture extension (dae) have

already started implementing the

scheduled incentive works with close

monitoring and surveillance so that the

handed over the rice to the

family members of the

fisherman.

targeted farmers can recoup their losses

after the best uses of the incentives.

dae additional director sudhendra

nath roy said a target has been set to

establish around 18,000 vegetable

nutrition gardens under the family

agriculture programme during the

current Kharif-1 season.

around Taka 4.73 crore has been

allocated for boosting the nutritive

vegetables. each of 17,984 farmers will

get Taka 2,673 as incentives for seed,

organic fertilizer, fencing, nursing and

signboard for cultivating vegetables on

one bigha of land.

around Taka 1.66 crore has been

earmarked for cultivating black gram on

11,200 bigha of land to recoup the flood

losses.

more than 34,700 farmers will get

seeds of various vegetables free of cost

under the government's short and long

term agriculture incentive programme

for the small and marginal farmers to

recoup their flood losses.

around Taka 2.41 crore were allocated

for the purposes. "besides, we have

already distributed vegetable seedlings

among 16,190 farmers in rajshahi,

naogaon, natore and Chapainawabganj

districts through motivation," sudhen

roy added.

SUNDAY, SePTeMBeR 27, 2020

7

Polls open in Malaysian state in

key test for embattled PM

U.S. COVID-19 deaths surpassed 200,000 on Tuesday, the highest in the world so far, which has been

described by U.S. health experts as "unfathomable" and "sobering.

Photo : AP

U.S. COVID-19 death toll reaching

200,000 “unfathomable”: media

U.S. COVID-19 deaths surpassed

200,000 on Tuesday, the highest in the

world so far, which has been described

by U.S. health experts as

"unfathomable" and "sobering."

"It is completely unfathomable that

we've reached this point," Jennifer

Nuzzo, a public health researcher of

Maryland-based Johns Hopkins

University, was quoted by the

Associated Press as saying eight

months after the epidemic broke out in

the world's largest economy, reports

UNB. Accounting for less than 5

percent of the global population, the

S. Korea calls for

N. Korea to further

investigate shooting

South Korea said Saturday it

will request North Korea to

further investigate the

killing of a South Korean

government official who was

shot by North Korean troops

after being found adrift near

the rivals' disputed sea

boundary while apparently

trying to defect, reports

UNB.

Seoul could also possibly

call for a joint investigation

into Tuesday's shooting,

which sparked outrage in

the South and drew a rare

apology from North Korean

leader Kim Jong Un.

Kim was quoted as saying

he was "very sorry" over

what he described as an

"unexpected, unfortunate

incident" in a message sent

by Pyongyang's United

Front Department, a North

Korean government agency

in charge of inter-Korean

relations.

However, the North

Korean message, which

was announced by the

office of South Korean

President Moon Jae-in on

Friday, largely passed the

blame for the shooting to

the South Korean official,

claiming that he refused to

answer questions and

attempted to flee before

North Korean troops fired

at him.

South Korean officials

during a presidential

National Security Council

meeting Friday evening

concluded that further

investigation was needed

because the North's

account of the incident was

different from what was

gathered by South Korean

intelligence, Moon's office

said.

"We have decided to

request the North to

conduct an additional

investigation and also

request a joint

investigation with the

North if needed," the Blue

House said in a statement.

It said the South will also

"swiftly take measures to

further strengthen

surveillance posture" in

waters off the country's

western coast to prevent

similar incidents.

United States has more than 20 percent

of the world's deaths from COVID-19.

Its current nationwide tally of fatalities,

roughly the size of Salt Lake City's

population, is equal to a 9/11 terrorist

attack every day for 67 days. "The idea

of 200,000 deaths is really very

sobering, in some respects stunning,"

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the

U.S. National Institute of Allergy and

Infectious Disease, told CNN.

Yet the number of deaths is still

increasing at a rate of nearly 770 daily

on average, according to Johns

Hopkins University. The 200,000

threshold was calculated by Johns

Hopkins based on data from state

health authorities. However, the real

death toll is thought to be much higher

as many COVID-19 deaths were

ascribed to other causes, especially in

the early stage of the outbreak.

"All the world's leaders took the same

test, and some have succeeded and

some have failed," Dr. Cedric Dark, an

emergency physician at Baylor College

of Medicine in hard-hit Houston, was

quoted as saying by the Associated

Press. "In the case of our country, we

failed miserably."

China pushes emergency use of

COVID vaccine despite concerns

After the first shot, he had no reaction. But Kan Chai felt woozy following the second dose of

a COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use in China, reports UNB.

"When I was driving on the road, I suddenly felt a bit dizzy, as if I was driving drunk," the

popular writer and columnist recounted on a webinar earlier this month. "So I specially found

a place to stop the car, rest a bit and then I felt better." His is a rare account from the hundreds

of thousands of people who have been given Chinese vaccines, before final regulatory

approval for general use. It's an unusual move that raises ethical and safety questions, as

companies and governments worldwide race to develop a vaccine that will stop the spread of

the new coronavirus. Chinese companies earlier drew attention for giving the vaccine to their

top executives and leading researchers before human trials to test their safety and efficacy had

even begun. In recent months, they have injected a far larger number under an emergency

use designation approved in June, and that number appears poised to rise.

Brazil exceeds 140,000

deaths from COVID-19

The Brazilian government reported on

Friday that the country has recorded more

than 140,000 deaths from the novel

coronavirus (COVID-19) after registering

729 more deaths in the last 24 hours,

bringing the death toll to 140,537, reports

UNB.

According to the Ministry of Health, 31,911

new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the

last 24 hours, bringing the total number of

infections to 4,689,613.

The state of Sao Paulo, the most populated

in the country, has been the most affected by

the disease, with 964,921 cases and 34,877

deaths, followed by Rio de Janeiro, with

259,488 cases and 18,166 deaths.

Despite being overwhelmed during the

first months of the pandemic, the health

systems of 17 out of 27 states in the country

have reported that the occupation of

intensive care units has dropped below 60

percent, with only Rio de Janeiro and Goias

in a critical situation, with over 80 percent

occupancy, according to the Oswaldo Cruz

Foundation.

The Sao Paulo state government

announced on Friday that average daily

deaths from COVID-19 fell last week to its

lowest level since May, with an average of

158 deaths per day, 14 percent lower than the

previous week.

Additionally, the number of new daily

cases fell by 2 percent, with about 1,110 new

cases reported per day on average.

The Brazilian government reported on Friday that the country has

recorded more than 140,000 deaths from the novel coronavirus

(COVID-19) after registering 729 more deaths in the last 24 hours,

bringing the death toll to 140,537.

Photo : AP

Polls opened Saturday in Malaysia's

eastern Sabah state in a vote seen as a

referendum for embattled Prime

Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's 7-monthold

unelected government, reports

UNB.

The leader of the opposition-ruled

state dissolved the assembly July 30 to

seek early elections and thwart

attempts by Muhyiddin's ruling

alliance to take over Sabah through

lawmakers' defections.

The stakes are high for Muhyiddin

after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim

declared Wednesday he has secured

majority support in national

Parliament to oust Muhyiddin and

form a new government.

"This is the first state-wide election

since the creation of Muhyiddin's

government in March. In a way, it is an

indirect referendum on whether the

people are happy with the formation of

the backdoor (unelected) government,"

said James Chin, professor of Asian

studies at Australia's University of

Tasmania. Sabah and neighboring

Sarawak on Borneo island hold about a

Still no cause for

mass pilot whale

stranding in

Australia

The reason for Australia's

biggest mass whale stranding

will probably remain a

mystery but the social nature

of the species involved may

have played a part, a marine

mammal specialist said

Saturday, reports UNB.

Officials said 108 of some

470 long-finned pilot whales

had been rescued from

sandbars at Macquarie

Harbour on the island state

of Tasmania's west coast.

There are no living whales

remaining in the harbor, the

Parks and Wildlife Service

said. The pod got into

trouble earlier this week,

with efforts now turning to

the task of disposing 350

carcasses at sea, which the

wildlife service said will take

a number of days.

Pilot whales are known for

stranding in mass groups.

The top five largest

beachings in Tasmania,

dating to the early 1800s, all

are from the same species.

David Hocking, a marine

mammal scientist at Monash

University in Melbourne,

said pilot whales form strong

family bonds and can travel

in groups of up to 1,000.

"If one or a few animals get

themselves into trouble,

they put out a distress call,"

Hocking said. "Rather than

running away, their instinct

is to come together as a

group because they have

safety in numbers.

Japanese PM says ready to meet

DPRK's Kim without conditions

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga

said Friday that he is ready to meet with Kim

Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic

People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), without

any conditions, reports UNB.

"As the new Prime Minister of Japan, I am

ready to meet with Chairman Kim Jong Un

without any conditions," Suga said in his

debut at the General Debate of the 75th

session of the UN General Assembly.

Suga said that Japan seeks to normalize its

relationship with the DPRK in accordance

with the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang

Declaration.

According to the bilateral accord inked in

2002, both countries will seek to settle the

nuclear and missile issue on the Korean

Peninsula, as well as the issue of Japanese

nationals allegedly abducted in the 1970s

and 1980s.

Suga also noted in his remarks that

establishing a constructive relationship

between Tokyo and Pyongyang "will not only

serve the interests of both sides but will also

greatly contribute to regional peace and

stability."

"I will miss no opportunity to take actions

with all my dedication," he said.

In his conclusion, the new prime minister

said Japan is determined to host the Tokyo

Olympics next summer "as proof that

humanity has defeated the pandemic."

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday that he is ready to

meet with Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of

Korea (DPRK), without any conditions.

Photo : AP

Trump’s $200 prescription cards

won't hit mailboxes just yet

If you're on Medicare, don't run to

the mailbox looking for a $200

prescription drug card courtesy of

President Donald Trump, reports

UNB.

Government officials said Friday

that key details of Trump's electionyear

giveaway still have to be fleshed

out, including the exact timing and

how Medicare's cost would be

covered - a sum that could approach

$7 billion.

It's also unclear which Medicare

enrollees will get the promised

cards. Trump said 33 million

beneficiaries would receive cards in

the mail, but more than 60 million

people are covered by the federal

health insurance program for

seniors.

Trade groups representing the

two industries most affected by the

plan - drug companies and insurers

- said they have received no specifics

from the Trump administration.

Public policy experts called it an

attention-grabbing move - weeks

before the presidential election -

that won't change much in the end.

"Providing a coupon does

absolutely nothing to address the

underlying problem of high and

rising drug prices," said Tricia

quarter of Parliament seats and are

seen as crucial for political leverage.

The two states are rich in oil and timber

but among the poorest in Malaysia.

They have a greater level of autonomy

in administration, immigration and

judiciary.

The attempted takeover of Sabah was

reminiscent of how Muhyiddin took

power in March after defecting from

the reformist government to form a

new Malay-centric administration.

Muhyiddin's alliance has since taken

control of many states after lawmakers

defected. The opposition now controls

only Sabah and two of the country's

richest states, Selangor and Penang.

But Muhyiddin has been struggling

to maintain support amid infighting in

his coalition that has just a slim twoseat

majority. His leadership is now in

further doubt after Anwar claimed to

have won majority support, including

from lawmakers in Muhyiddin's camp.

Anwar hasn't revealed details as he is

waiting to meet Malaysia's king, who is

in a hospital for treatment. The king

has power to appoint a new prime

Neuman, a Medicare expert with

the nonpartisan Kaiser Family

Foundation. "The administration

has had nearly four years to work

with Congress or go through the

regulatory process to adopt

proposals that could have a real and

sustained impact on drug prices."

For example, a bipartisan Senate

bil l would have capped out-ofpocket

costs for Medicare

recipients with high drug bills,

while also limiting price increases

by requiring rebates to the

program. But it stalled this year

even though Trump lined up

behind it. The compromise faced

opposition from the drug industry

and from Republican senators

who saw it as a path to

government price controls. The

emergence of more ambitious

legislation from House Speaker

Nancy Pelosi diminished

Democrats' appetite for a deal.

Meanwhile, the administration is still

working on regulatory actions to try to peg

what Medicare pays for medications to

lower prices abroad. That's what Trump

often refers to as "favored nations," an

idea that could lead to big savings but is

likely to face legal challenges from the

pharmaceutical industry.

minister or dissolve Parliament for

early general elections. Muhyiddin has

said Anwar's declaration was a mere

allegation until he provides evidence.

Muhyiddin has campaigned heavily

in Sabah, pledging development.

Billboards of his smiling face dubbed

"Abah," or father, are prominent in

many constituencies. In contrast,

former Sabah leader Shafie Apdal

urged the state's multiple indigenous

groups to reject Muhyiddin's Muslim

government and unite behind him.

"A win will strengthen Muhyiddin's

position but a loss will embolden

Anwar's attempt to reclaim power,"

said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the

Singapore Institute of International

Affairs.

The Sabah election is heavily

contested with 447 candidates vying for

73 state seats. Over a million voters,

many in rural areas, are eligible to cast

their ballots. With coronavirus cases

rising in the state in recent weeks,

election officials have tightened rules

with health screening and other strict

precautions.

China opens auto show

under anti-disease controls

Ford, Nissan and BMW unveiled new

electric models for the Chinese market on

Saturday as the Beijing auto show opened

under anti-virus controls that included

holding news conferences by international

video link, reports UNB.

Automakers are looking to China, the first

major economy to start recovering from the

coronavirus pandemic, to drive sales growth

and reverse multibillion-dollar losses.

Auto China 2020, postponed from March,

is the first major trade show for any industry

since the pandemic began. The ruling

Communist Party's decision to go ahead

with it reflects official confidence China,

where the pandemic began in December,

has the disease under control.

"The 2020 Beijing motor show is a symbol

of hope," BMW AG's China CEO, Jochen

Goller, told reporters. He paid tribute to

Chinese medical workers who "made it

possible for us to enjoy this large-scale event

today."

Authorities ordered limits on crowds at

the event, which attracted 820,000 visitors

at its last installment in 2018.

China's auto market, the world's biggest,

already rebounded to sales above prepandemic

levels. Purchases rose 6% in

August compared with a year earlier, while

U.S. sales were down 9.5%.

Global and Chinese automakers displayed

dozens of electric models, reflecting a race

by the industry to meet Chinese government

sales quotas imposed to promote the

technology.

SUNdAy, SepTeMBeR 27, 2020

8

Nairuz Sifat in BTV's first short film 'Girgiti'

TBT RepoRT

Saba with new web series 'Twin Returns'

TBT RepoRT

Besides acting, actress Sohana

Saba is making a web series from

her own production company

'Khamarbari'. The 6-episode web

series is called 'Twin Returns'.

Saba confirmed the matter. She

said that the series will be

released in 'Binge'.

Saba said, 'I also wrote the

screenplay on 2013. It was

messy. This time in lockdown, I

Moushumi to feature

in drama 'Bhokto'

TBT RepoRT

National Film Award winning popular actress

Arifa Pervin Zaman, better known by her stage

name Moushumi gradually took place in the

minds of the audience through her excellent

performances in the world of cinema. Early in her

career, she was seen acting in television dramas.

This time Moushumi is going to act in a single

drama called 'Bhokto'. The story of drama is

based on the story of a crazy fan of Moushumi. In

it, Moushumi will play her own character. The

drama written by Mirza Rakib will be directed by

Tareq Sikder.

Moushumi said, I have many fans at home and

abroad. Many fans have gone crazy to see or

speak to me at a glance. In fact, different stories

can be made with the craziness of fans.

No familiar face is playing in the role 'Bhokto'.

The director did it to present the story

realistically. The shooting of the drama has

started at different places in Cox's Bazar from

yesterday. And after a long break from

drama,finally Moushumi has returned to

shooting.

Moushumi began working as an actress and

singer from an early age. She did many heart

winning movies and won many prizes. She won

the Anonda Bichittra Photo Beauty Contest,

which led to appearances in television

commercials in the 1990s. She first appeared in

the film Keyamat Theke Keyamat in Bangladesh.

She won Bangladesh National Film Award for

Best Actress three times for her roles in Meghla

Akash (2001), Devdas (2013) and Taarkata

(2014). She has acted in over 150 films and made

her directorial debut with Kokhono Megh

have written and arranged the

whole thing again.'

This web series is directed by

Alok Hasan. The shooting has

started at Nazimgarh resort in

Sylhet. After finishing there, the

scene will be covered in dhaka.

Saba said there are plans to shoot

outside the country after the

work in Dhaka is completed.

Actress Saba did not said about

what kind of story 'Twin Returns'

is being made. However, she

hinted that there would be a

filmy mood here. "There will be

two songs in the web series," she

said. Shiven of Bangladesh and

Dabbu of Kolkata are making

two songs. '

Here Sourav Chakraborty from

Kolkata is acting with Sohana

Saba. There are also Manoj

Pramanik, Runa Khan, Majnun

Mizan, Sushma Sarkar,

Sayantani Tvisha, Rahat and

others.

Kokhono Brishti (2003).

In 1996, she took a break from acting and all of

a sudden announced her engagement to actor

Omar Sunny. After six months, Moushumi came

back to acting. The couple has two children.

In September 2013, Moushimi was named a

UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

Moushumi runs a production house,

Kopotakhsma Cholochitra. She was associated

with Projapoti Cholochitra and she looks after

her own foundation, the "Moushumi Welfare

Foundation".

Young actress Nairuz Sifat started her journey with small screen.

Sifat is currently featuring in the short film 'Girgiti' directed by

Sourav Kundu with ABM Sumon and Taskin Rahman. This time it

was known that she has been added in another new film. The name

of this picture is 'Amar Babar Nam'. However, it will be made as a

short film. Bangladesh Television (BTV) is going to produce the

short film for the first time. This short film made on the occasion of

the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman. The premiere show was held on last Saturday,

September 19 at 3 pm in the auditorium of BTV. The film crew was

present at the premiere show.

Chief guest Prime Minister's Chief Secretary Ahmed Kaikaus,

special guest Information Secretary Kamrun Nahar special was

present at the premiere show.

SM Harun-ur-Rashid, National Film Award winning storyteller

and Director General of BTV, has written the story, dialogues and

screenplay of the short film 'Amar Babaar Naam'. The film is

directed by Fazle Azim Jewel, National Award winning director

(documentary) and executive producer of BTV.

Apart from Nairuz Sifat, Abul Hayat, Dilara Zaman, Samu

Chowdhury, Jayaraj, Saiful Journal, Borhan Babu, Shyamal

Zakaria and others will also act in the film.

Nairuz Sifat came into the limelight by playing the central role in

Dipta TV's own production 'Aparajita'. Then she was seen in several

plays. But gradually she is making herself busy in movies.

Aldis Hodge joins dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam

The Invisible Man star Aldis Hodge will

essay the role of Hawkman in Dwayne

Johnson's Black Adam. The film is a spin-off

of Warner Bros and New Line Cinema's

Shazam!, which starring Zachary Levi.

The movie, which will feature Johnson as

the titular antihero, will be directed by

Jaume Collet-Serra of The Shallows fame,

reported Variety.

As per DC Comics, Hawkman aka Carter

Hall is a member of the Justice Society, a

multigenerational group that preceded the

Justice League. The makers are yet to cast

actors for the roles of Doctor Fate and

Cyclone. Rory Haines and Sohrab

Noshirvani wrote the latest draft of the

script, from a previous draft by Adam

Sztykiel.

Johnson is also producing with Dany

Garcia and Hiram Garcia through their

Seven Bucks Productions, and Beau Flynn

through FlynnPictureCo.

Black Adam is scheduled to be released on

December 21, 2021.

Source: indianexpress.com

I would’ve been the top actress

too : Raima Sen

The debate around the insider

and outsider has been going on in

the entertainment industry for

the last three months, ever since

the unfortunate demise of

Sushant Singh Rajput. Television

and Bollywood celebrities have

spoken about this issue and now

the next one is Raima Sen.

She's the daughter of yesteryear

actress Moon Moon Sen. And in

an interview with Hindustan

Times, she spoke about this

debate and made some points.

She said, "Had things been that

easier, then I would've been the

top actress, too."

She also stated how hailing

from a film family didn't allow the

opportunities to fall into her lap.

She said, "But, that was it. I didn't

get like 100 film offers

immediately after that. I had to

struggle, and I'm still trying hard.

In between, I went to Kolkata and

worked in Bengali films.

Bollywood does appreciate

regional films and actors, they do

recognise me for Chokher Bali

(2002) and The Japanese Wife

(2010), but that isn't the criteria

to get Bollywood films. You

constantly need to prove

yourself."

Giving her opinion on star

kids and how they have

survived on merit and talent,

Sen stated, "If you've got talent,

you'll find a way. There are

many star kids who couldn't

make it. You're no one if your

film doesn't work. Star kids

who've survived are much

better performers than many

others, they deserve credit."

When asked about

groupism and gangs in

Bollywood, Sen revealed, "Yes,

there are these gangs in

Bollywood but I've never been

a part of any, neither do I go to

such parties. Films don't come

to you because you attend

such parties, your capability

gets you work."

Source: thehindu.com

H o R o S c o p e

ARIeS

(March 21 - April 20) : A call form

someone you haven't heard from in a while

could generate mixed feelings, Aries. On

the one hand, you're probably glad to

resume contact with this person. On the other, because

you weren't expecting to hear from them, it could create

extra emotions for you - as if you didn't already have

enough on your plate! Talk to another friend about how

you feel so you can enjoy your evening.

TAURUS

(April 21 - May 21): Someone who's

been ill and perhaps undergone

surgery might phone you today,

Taurus. You could invite this

person to join you for a little virtual social

gathering. Several people could be

involved. All of them will have some

interesting and useful information to

offer. Enjoy your day.

GeMINI

(May 22 - June 21): With the planetary

atmosphere today, your sensual nature

is in full bloom. If there's a romantic

partner nearby, that person should be

on guard! There may be a lot of other people around,

so a chance to be alone probably won't present itself

until this evening. If you don't connect with a

potential partner, at least you'll have a good time.

Hang in there and be patient!

cANceR

(June 22 - July 23): You might have to

play nurse today, Cancer. A love

partner could claim to feel unwell,

and you might expend a lot of energy

trying to make your friend feel better. Don't

overdo it. There may be psychological factors at

work. Your friend could be jealous of the

attention you've been giving family and friends.

Be attentive, but within limits!

Leo

(July 24 - Aug. 23): You're generally

focused on the material world, Leo, but

something about the energy generated

by today's planetary alignments causes

you to look within. You might think about the joys

and pains of past family gatherings and wonder

how they affect your life now. This is a positive,

healing process, so don't fight it. It won't interfere

with what's going on around you.

VIRGo

(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): A virtual group

event could put you in contact with a

number of people interested in doing

a healing meditation for the planet.

This sort of activity can work wonders to

strengthen the bond among those performing it.

You might not talk much during the discussions,

but you're apt to be in total agreement with the

idea. Enjoy your day.

LIBRA

(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): Happiness reigns in

the home as everyone feels the energy

changing, Libra. It seems that the end of

one cycle brings closure, and now you're

free to start a new journey of rebirth. You, above all,

are apt to feel a powerful rush of intuition, which could

reveal positive events coming up for you and those

close to you. A few doubts may cloud your

impressions, but let them go.

ScoRpIo

(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22): Are you going to go

away soon, Scorpio? If not, you may be

planning a trip for another month,

perhaps going for educational purposes,

such as to attend a workshop. You might have agreed

to some overseas business travel. You should feel

especially energetic, enthusiastic, and optimistic now.

You've done well thanks to your diligent work, and

you should continue on that path.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): Instinct and

determination drive you toward

unconventional plans for making money,

Sagittarius. A finance counselor or other

professional could be involved. You may see this as an

opportunity to restore your ailing bank account. You may

have future purchases in mind, perhaps even a new

home. Consider your plans carefully before going ahead.

You'll want to be sure it's what you need.

cApRIcoRN

(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): Today you may feel a

passionate attraction for someone

intelligent who perhaps makes a living in

law, education, or publishing, Capricorn.

Conversations with this person could touch on some

deep issues, such as spiritual matters, the human

psyche, or the nature of the universe. You should be

deeply affected, not only by the person but also by the

subjects. Take a walk later to clear your head.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19): This could be a quiet

day for you and your partner, Aquarius.

You could spend some time reflecting on

past achievements and future goals. It's

important to get a clear picture about the past so you

can draw conclusions and make workable plans. If you

have a family, you'll probably be interested in activities

that everyone will enjoy. Make some time to get

together when it's possible. Leave tension behind.

pISceS

(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : All the positive energy

generated by the celestial atmosphere

seems to come together today as you

experience a rush of sensual passion for a

romantic partner, Pisces. An unexpected encounter could

not only fulfill this desire but also bring you closer. If you

aren't already committed, expect to discuss it tonight. Be

careful to exercise restraint. Your lover could panic if you

push too hard.

SUNDAY, SePTeMBer 27 2020

9

Lionel Messi has aimed a fresh dig at those calling the shots at Camp Nou, with "one of the most

important players in history" departing.

Photo: AP

Messi slams Barcelona again

after Luis Suárez departure

SportS DeSk:

Lionel Messi has aimed a fresh dig

at Barcelona on the back of his efforts

to leave the club, with the Argentine

questioning the decision at Camp

Nou to "throw out" Luis Suarez,

reports Ap.

Having endured a frustrating end

to the 2019-20 campaign, a six-time

Ballon d'or winner pushed for the

exits in Catalunya.

His path was blocked and the 33-

year-old eventually revealed to Goal

that he will be honouring the final

year of his contract.

others have been allowed to move

on, though, with ronald koeman

deeming Suarez to be surplus to

requirements shortly after being

announced as successor to ousted

coach Quique Setien.

the Uruguayan striker is now

crossing a La Liga divide to link up

with Atletico Madrid, with a

memorable six-year spell with Barca

being brought to a close.

Suarez had starred for the

Blaugrana, with one of the most

devastating partnerships in world

football struck up between two

talented South Americans.

that bond has now being broken,

much to the disgust of a disgruntled

Messi.

the Barca superstar has posted on

Instagram: "I had already begun to

imagine it but today I went into the

dressing room and it truly dawned on

me. It's going to be so difficult to not

continue to share every day with you

both on the pitches and away from

them.

"We're going to miss you so much.

We spent many years together, many

mates, many lunches and many

dinners. So many things we will never

forget, all the time we spent together.

"It will be strange to see you in

another shirt and much more to

come up against you on the pitch. You

deserved a farewell that fit with who

you are: one of the most important

players in the history of the club.

Someone who achieved great things

for the team and on an individual

level.

"You did not deserve for them to

throw you out like they did. But the

truth is that at this stage nothing

surprises me anymore."

Suarez hit 198 goals for Barcelona

through just 283 appearances, with

his impressive strike rate

complementing that of Messi.

the pair formed a close bond on

and off the field and helped to deliver

an enviable array of major honours to

the Camp Nou trophy cabinet.

Suarez has, in an emotional

farewell statement of his own,

claimed that koeman's culling came

as no surprise.

Many have been stunned by the

decision, though, with Messi among

those left disappointed at another big

call that Barca may live to regret.

Australia postpones

Afghanistan Test,

New Zealand ODIs

SportS DeSk:

Cricket Australia postponed

plans to host a test match

against Afghanistan and a

one-day series against New

Zealand Friday, saying the

coronavirus pandemic had

made arranging the matches

too difficult, reports BSS.

the test, scheduled for

perth in late November,

would have been the first

played between cricketing

superpower Australia and

minnows Afghanistan.

the pandemic has already

scuppered plans for Australia

to host the West Indies,

Zimbabwe and the t20 World

Cup this year.

A money-spinning tour by

India featuring four tests,

three oDIs and three t20s

will proceed, with officials

conceding the funds it

generates will be crucial to

CA's future. the Afghanistan

and New Zealand tours were

never going to be such a high

priority, although CA said it

hoped to reschedule them

some time before the end of

2023.

"We all worked incredibly

hard to make the series

happen this summer, but the

challenges around

international travel and

quarantine restrictions

ultimately convinced all

parties that the series would

need to be played at a later

date," it said.

New Zealand approves

Pakistan, West Indies

cricket tours

SportS DeSk:

Following england

cricket's successful

hosting of the West Indies

and pakistan amidst the

coronavirus pandemic,

New Zealand has followed

suit with the government

giving the green signal to

host both the sides in late

2020 or early 2021 for a

series. the series

involving West Indies and

pakistan in england was

played behind closed

doors and in bio-secure

venues. there were strict

bio-bubble protocols in

place and the series

passed off without any

incident, reports Ap

In a statement issued by

New Zealand cricket, it

said, "New Zealand

Cricket has received

government approval to

proceed with plans to host

international touring

sides this summer ...

beginning with the West

Indies and pakistan's

men's teams in

November, December and

January. A press

conference to announce

the details of the

upcoming summer's

international ... schedule

will be held early next

week."

Apart from the series

involving pakistan and

West Indies, New Zealand

Cricket is also hoping to

host Bangladesh in

limited

overs

internationals as well as

the Australian women's

team in February when

New Zealand would have

been staging the now

postponed 50-overs

World Cup.

Not just cricket, but

sports of all kinds is slowly

making a comeback in

New Zealand. Speaking to

reuters, New Zealand

Minister of Sport Grant

robertson said Netball

New Zealand had also

been given permission to

resume hosting

international matches but

that all incoming teams

would be subject to strict

protocols. New Zealand

will also host Australia in

two Bledisloe Cup rugby

internationals in

Wellington and Auckland

next month.

Getting teams into

managed isolation and

allowing them to train and

be competitive has not

been an easy task. While

sports teams will be

operating within a bubble,

safety will be ensured

through the provision of

normal infection

prevention control

mechanisms like physical

separation, normal

hygiene practices and

ppe. training facilities will

also be secure, safe and

isolated," robertson said.

New Zealand has been

one of the success stories

in the fight against the

coronavirus pandemic.

Initally, it had reported no

new cases for 102 days

and many believed that

the coronavirus had

ended in New Zealand,

having a total of 1400

cases with just four

deaths. However, a

second surge saw New

Zealand once again

imposing a lockdown and

in the last 24 hours, there

have been three new

cases.

Man Utd aim to bounce back as

Arsenal face acid test at Liverpool

SportS DeSk:

Manchester United and Chelsea need

a swift response to their title credentials

being damaged by home defeats last

weekend, while one or both of

Liverpool and Arsenal's perfect records

will come to an end when they face off

at Anfield on Monday night, reports

BSS.

Crystal palace and everton also have

the chance to claim top spot when they

meet at Selhurst park on Saturday,

while the other side with maximum

points from the opening two weekends,

Leicester, face a daunting trip to

Manchester City.

Gareth Bale will not be fit to feature to

tottenham when they host Newcastle

on Sunday, but Harry kane and Son

Heung-min are enough for the Magpies

to fear after the england captain set up

the South korean to score four at

Southampton.

Chelsea travel to bottom-of-the-table

West Brom, who are still seeking their

first point back in the top-flight.

AFp Sport looks at some of the main

talking points ahead of this weekend's

action. Mayday for Man Utd?

optimism that United could return to

challenging for the title after a 14-game

unbeaten run to end last season was

washed away with that unbeaten

record as palace were good value for

their 3-1 win at old trafford.

ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men looked

desperately short of match sharpness

having had barely two weeks of preseason

training.

A month-long off season was also

disruptive off the field with captain

Harry Maguire being handed a

suspended prison term in Greece,

which he is appealing, and teenage

striker Mason Greenwood being sent

home by england for breaching

coronavirus protocols when on

international duty.

there is also outcry among the

United fanbase at a lack of signings in

the transfer market, while their rivals

still spend freely despite the economic

affects of the pandemic.

the red Devils desperately need

three points at Brighton on Saturday to

bring some calm, but the Seagulls have

shown enough in their opening two

games to suggest United face a far

tougher test than when they won 3-0

on the south coast in June.

Brighton were the better side for long

spells despite losing 3-1 to Chelsea on

the opening weekend and bounced

back with a comprehensive 3-0 win at

Newcastle.

United did manage to get past

Championship side Luton in the

League Cup on tuesday despite

Solskjaer making 10 changes, but

the Norwegian needed to bring on

Bruno Fernandes, Marcus

rashford and Greenwood in the

latter stages to kill the tie off with

rashford and Greenwood getting

on the scoresheet.

Manchester United need a swift response to their title credentials being damaged by home

defeats last weekend.

Photo: AP

New Zealand government has given the green signal for cricket and other sports to resume in late

2020 with tours by Pakistan and West Indies. Photo: AP

Ibrahimovic in

quarantine after

positive

coronavirus test

SportS DeSk:

AC Milan star Zlatan

Ibrahimovic has been placed

in quarantine after testing

positive for coronavirus, the

Italian club disclosed on

thursday, reports BSS.

Ibrahimovic, who turns 39

on october 3, is self-isolating

at home following the test

carried out ahead of the

team's europa League third

qualifying round tie against

Norwegian club Bodo-Glimt

in the San Siro later thursday.

"Ibrahimovic has tested

positive for Covid-19

following a second round of

swab tests ahead of tonight's

game against Bodo/Glimt,"

the Serie A side said.

"the club has informed the

relevant authorities and the

player has been promptly

placed in quarantine at home.

All other team members and

staff have tested negative."

the second round of tests

were carried out after AC

Milan's Brazilian defender

Leo Duarte tested positive for

Covid-19 on Wednesday.

Swede Ibrahimovic will not

only skip thursday's game but

any europa League play-offs

and the next two Serie A

games against Crotone and

Spezia.

Ibrahimovic will most likely

be available again after the

international break for the

Milan derby against city rivals

Inter on october 17.

Nadal eyes Federer

record, 15 years after

first roland Garros title

SportS DeSk:

the undisputed king of

clay, rafael Nadal is one title

away from matching roger

Federer's all-time Grand

Slam record, but 15 years on

from the Spaniard's first

French open triumph he

appears more vulnerable

than ever at his beloved

roland Garros, reports BSS.

Nadal owns an astounding

93-2 record in paris dating

back to his debut in 2005,

when, still a teenager, he

became the first player to win

the French open on his first

attempt since Mats Wilander

in 1982.

Fast-forward to the present

day, and his 19 Grand Slam

crowns - a record 12 of which

have come at roland Garros -

coupled with Federer's

absence after knee surgery

leave him on the brink of

history at a venue where he

has won each of the past

three years.

Yet a multitude of factors,

mostly beyond his control,

have conspired against Nadal

and offered hope to his chief

rivals - namely Novak

Djokovic and recent US open

winner Dominic thiem.

Boris Becker, a former

coach of world number one

Djokovic, suggested the

rescheduled tournament -

pushed back from its

traditional spring billing due

to the coronavirus pandemic

- will be tougher than usual

for Nadal.

the heavier conditions

could suit hardcourt players

more and negate some of

Nadal's lethal topspin,

possibly aiding thiem who

has finished runner-up in

paris twice in succession.

"this year is going to be

particularly hard for rafael

Nadal. He's my number one

favourite but the difference

between him and the other

players is less big this year

than usual," said Becker, a

six-time Grand Slam

champion.

"He's not in his regular

rhythm. He needs match

practice. Normally, he was

coming to roland Garros

having often played four big

clay tournaments, which he

had generally won."

Nadal will head into the

French open without a clay

title under his belt for the first

time, having lost in straight

sets to Diego Schwartzman in

the quarter-finals at rome -

his first tournament in six

months.

"It's not a moment for

excuses. I've spent a long

time without competing, I

played two good matches,"

Nadal, who skipped the US

open citing Covid-19

concerns, said following the

defeat.

"It's a completely special

and unpredictable year," he

added. "I did my job here. I

did a couple things well and

other things bad. At least I

played three matches."

Despite the sense this is the

most understrength version

of Nadal at the French open

in recent times, Djokovic

remains adamant the 34-

year-old is again the favourite

to lift the Coupe des

Mousquetaires.

"the record that he has

there, the history of his

results, you just can't put

anybody in front of him," said

Djokovic, himself vying to

add to his lone 2016 triumph

at roland Garros.

"But, you know, definitely

Diego showed that Nadal is

beatable on clay," added the

Serb.

"the conditions that they

played on, obviously heavy

clay, not much bounce,

humid, night sessions, we are

going to have that as well in

paris. I'm pretty sure that he

does not prefer that to a high

bounce. I know he likes the

high bounce.

"He likes the hot and warm

and fast conditions, where he

can use his spin a lot. even

though he's the favourite, I

think there are players that

can win against him there."

SuNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020

10

Tariff hike for power distribution

firms okayed

In the context of increasing digitalization, compliance to accounting standards and fair and

transparent financial reporting is essential, experts opined in a webinar on "Financial

Reporting Act-2015: its implications on the business houses" organized by Dhaka Chamber of

Commerce & Industry (DCCI) on 26th September 2020.

Photo: Courtesy

The Nati onal Electric Power

Regu latory Authority (Nepra) on

Thursday allowed the distribution

companies - except K-Electric - an

increase of Rs1.62 per unit in its tariff to

formalise a collection of about Rs165

billion on account of two quarterly

adjustments, reports Dawn.

A spokesperson for Nepra said the

regulators' new rate would become

effective after a notification to be issued by

the federal government but "the existing

consumer-end rate will be maintained to a

greater extent".

He explained that the government was

currently charging on an average about

Rs1.56 per unit surcharge from consumers

on account of five previous quarters - from

July 2018 to September 2019 - due to

capacity and additional capacity payments

because of induction of fresh plants, use of

system charges of NTDC and system

losses which would expire on Sept 30.

This will be replaced by the average tariff

adjustment of Rs1.62 per unit for two

quarters of 2019-20 (September to

March). In other words, the consumers

have now been deprived of a reduction in

average tariff that was due to them on

expiry of the surcharge in September.

In its order Nepra said it has determined

a uniform rate of Rs1.6236/kWh with the

instant decision for the allowed amount of

quarterly adjustments of Rs73.06bn,

pertaining to the second quarter, and

Rs91.8bn for the third quarter of FY 2019-

20 (a total of Rs164.87bn), across each

category of consumers.

The order said the ex-Wapda Discos had

filed their adjustment requests on account

of variation in PPP, including impact of

system losses, for the second and third

quarters of 2019-20 and requested

approval for transfer of Rs162.36bn to

consumers.

The Ministry of Energy (Power

Division), in the meantime, filed a

consolidated quarterly adjustment request

on behalf of all the Discos by attaching

with it individual quarterly adjustment

requests for both the quarters.

The ministry requested that the impact

of second and third quarters of FY 2019-

20, on uniform basis, might immediately

be reflected in monthly bills of consumers

of all ex-Wapda Discos till its final

recovery and any excess/less adjustment

would be settled between Discos and

CPPA-G, the order said.

The authority has determined a uniform

rate of Rs1.6236/kWh for the allowed

amount of quarterly adjustments of

Rs73,065m pertaining to the second

quarter and Rs91,805m for the third

quarter of FY 2019-20 (total

Rs164,870m), across each category of

consumers of ex-Wapda Discos, based on

projected sales for the FY 2017-18, after

excluding the sales to lifeline consumers,

to be recovered in twelve months, starting

from the date of its notification, the Nepra

said.

Good financial reporting to help attract

FDI, create business confidence

In the context of increasing

digitalization, compliance to

accounting standards and fair and

transparent financial reporting is

essential, experts opined in a webinar

on "Financial Reporting Act-2015: its

implications on the business houses"

organized by Dhaka Chamber of

Commerce & Industry (DCCI) on 26th

September 2020. Mohammad Muslim

Chowdhury, Comptroller and Auditor

General of Bangladesh joined the

webinar as the chief guest. Aftab-Ul

Islam, FCA, Director, Bangladesh Bank

joined as guest of honour. DCCI

President Shams Mahmud chaired the

webinar.

DCCI President Shams Mahmud said

Financial Reporting Council (FRC)

needs to play more effective role for

improvement of quality of audit and

corporate financial reporting systems

significantly which will consequently

help address the willful default loan

problem in the banking sector. Capital

market in Bangladesh is

underdeveloped and its market

capitalization to GDP is one of the

lowest in the World. Transparent

financial reporting by all listed

companies as a well as non-listed

company is very critical to gain

investors' confidence thereby attract

investment in the capital market. To

attract foreign investment, MSME

reporting also needs to meet

international requirements and

standards such as those set by the

International Accounting Standards

Board. Simple, user-friendly

accounting and financial reporting

guidelines for MSMEs need to be in

place to ensure better access to finance.

FRC needs to have more professional

resources for implantation of this Act,

he added.

Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury,

Comptroller & Auditor General of

Bangladesh said Financial Reporting Act

(FRA) covers the compulsion of public

interest entity besides financial courses.

We need more accounting professionals

in the country, he said. FRC needs to

improve the visibility and for that it can

collaborate with Bangladesh Bank, BSEC,

Ministry of Finance or other regulatory

body. In the next 4 to 5 years FRC should

play a role of persuasion rather than

imposition, he suggested. Regarding

adopting IFRS, it should be based on as

per our country context considering cost

of compliance, moreover, IFRS is not

applicable for SMEs of Bangladesh right

at this moment, he added. For

improvement of corporate governance in

the small business houses or SMEs, FRC

can play its motivating role, according to

him. He also reminded the wave of 4th

industrial revolution and requested the

institutions like ICAB and ICMAB to

collaborate with FRC to enhance

management information system and

corporate governance in next 10 years of

time.

Aftab Ul Islam, FCA, Director,

Bangladesh Bank & former President,

DCCI said for audit firms, there may

have a rating system like camel rating.

He said better financial reporting will

help attract FDI and create business

confidence. We have to enhance our

credibility and in that case we can

examine the successful examples of

other countries in terms of financial

reporting regulations.

Mohammad Mohiuddin Ahmed,

FCA, ACA (E&W), Executive Director,

Financial Report Monitoring Division,

Financial Reporting Council,

Bangladesh presented the keynote

paper. He said there are three

implications of financial reporting act

on the business houses like financial

statement, audit process and

accountability. Good financial reports

will make businesses comparable

globally and create investors'

confidence and ensure high ethical

values, he said. Without international

accounting standard (IAS) or

international financial reporting

standard (IFRS), the financial report

will not be accepted locally or

internationally. Establishment of

Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is a

positive effort and the corporates need

to change their mindset as well, he

added. He also emphasized on creating

more competent professional

accountants in the country. We also

should conduct a GAP analysis in order

for preparation and presentation of

financial statements.

Mr. M Anwarul Karim, FCA, CPA

(USA), CFE, Executive Director,

Standard Setting Division, Financial

Reporting Council, Bangladesh said

that Financial Reporting Council (FRC)

focuses on strengthening the financial

reporting of business houses. FRC is

also working to enhance the standards.

Moreover, FRC will conduct various

outreach programmes and trainings for

simplification of standards. He also

said that if businesses think IFRS is

complicated for them, they can hire or

outsource consultant.

Dr. Javed Siddiqui, Associate

Professor, University of Manchester,

UK said FRC has been given much

authority and it should act to maintain

a transparent financial reporting by the

auditors. Auditor's fee in Bangladesh is

low compared to other countries, he

said. FRC needs to increase it visibility

through their regular activities. For a

credible audit report, for local or

international acceptance, corporate

governance and positive will of

company management are key factors,

he mentioned.

Barrister A M Masum, Appellate

Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh

urged for the visibility enhancement of

FRC. FRC being a regulator has to

make the public interest entities to

abide by the regulations. Besides

strengthening auditors, he also

emphasized

strengthening

management and board of a company

that FRC can look into it according to

section 47, he added. To secure public

interest, section 71 of financial

reporting act allows FRC to create

necessary regulations to gain

confidence.

The Nati onal Electric Power Regu latory Authority (Nepra) on Thursday allowed the distribution

companies - except K-Electric - an increase of Rs1.62 per unit in its tariff to formalise a collection of

about Rs165 billion on account of two quarterly adjustments

Photo: Courtesy

Int'l trade

fair to open

in Tianjin

The China Tianjin

International Fair for

Investment and Trade will

open online in north China's

Tianjin Municipality on Oct.

12, focusing on cooperation

and innovation, the

organizing committee said

Friday, reports BSS.

The fair, which will last

until Oct. 16, is held by the

Ministry of Commerce,

Tianjin Municipal People's

Government, All-China

Federation of Returned

Overseas Chinese and China

General Chamber of

Commerce.

The fair will host six

themed exhibitions and

build 24-hour online

exhibition halls for the

participating companies to

display their products.

More than 100 exhibitors

from members in Pacific

Economic Cooperation

Council and some 80 foreign

trade companies in Tianjin

are expected to display

thousands of products

including handicrafts, sports

and electronic products,

toys, daily necessities and

outdoor products at the fair.

Julius Baer ordered to pay $162m

over vanished East German cash

The Zurich-based bank has been fighting

a long running legal battle against the

payment, but Switzerland's highest court

has now given its final decision, ordering

Julius Baer to pay 150 million francs

ZURICH: Swiss private bank Julius Baer

could seek to recoup 150 million Swiss

francs ($162 million) from UBS after it was

ordered on Friday to repay the German

government over millions in East German

cash that vanished after the fall of the

Berlin Wall.

The German government has been

seeking money that it says was illegally

transferred out of East Germany when the

communist regime collapsed.

At that time, large sums were moved

from an East German foreign trade

company to foreign banks, so the money

could not be seized by a reunified

Germany.

For more than 20 years the Federal

Agency for Special Tasks (BvS) has been

searching for the money which has since

been withdrawn from the banks.

The agency has also been seeking to

make banks involved liable for not

preventing these withdrawals.

Julius Baer became involved due its

acquisition of the former Swiss Bank

Cantrade, which it picked up in 2005 when

it bought Bank Ehinger & Armand von

Ernst Ltd. from rival Swiss lender UBS.

The matter is related to unauthorized

withdrawals between 1990 and 1992 from

a Cantrade account of a foreign trade

company established in East Germany,

Julius Baer said on Friday.

German authorities have been trying to

recover funds that were allegedly

transferred out of East Germany illegally

when the communist regime collapsed in

1990.

The Zurich-based bank has been fighting

a long running legal battle against the

payment, but Switzerland's highest court

has now given its final decision, ordering

Julius Baer to pay 150 million francs.

BvS was not immediately available for

comment on the decision.

The payment, which includes interest, is

fully covered by a provision Julius Baer

booked in December 2019, the Swiss bank

said.

Julius Baer said it will notify UBS of the

final ruling. It previously said it would

pursue Switzerland's biggest bank for

payment under the warranties agreed

when it acquired Bank Ehinger & Armand

von Ernst from it. UBS did not

immediately respond to a request for

comment.

Hitachi grids will hit 2025

target after green revolution

In observance of the 74th birth anniversary of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 40th founding

anniversary of "Bangabandhu Cultural Alliance" a discussion meeting was held at Tofazzal Hossain

Manik Mia auditorium in National Press Club on Saturday at the initiative of Bangabandhu Cultural

Alliance. Foreign Minister Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, MP was present as the chief guest at the occasion

while among others, president of the organization, Md. Asrarul Hasan Asu, Md. Abdul Matin

Bhuiyan, Khorshed Alam Khasru and General Secretary of the organization and General Secretary

of Kuwait Branch Awami League Md. Habibur Rahman were among others also present at the occasion.

Photo: Courtesy

The power grids business Hitachi

bought from ABB for $11 billion is likely

to hit the upper end of its 2025 targets

despite the effects of a coronavirus

downturn over the next two years, CEO

Claudio Facchin has said, reports Arab

news.

Hitachi ABB Power Grids, whose

products connect power stations to

homes and factories, expects a recovery

as countries launch stimulus packages

and the electricity industry switches to

greener technologies.

The company which competes with

Siemens, General Electric and Hyundai,

is due to give an update on its financial

targets in October.

"We see the pandemic as having a

temporary effect and we're optimistic

about the future," Facchin told Reuters.

"COVID-19 has a negative impact on

us in 2020 and 2021, but by 2023 and

2024 we should not see any more effect.

We expect an actual positive swing

when the recovery and stimulus

packages kick in," he said.

Although global electricity demand is

set to fall 6 percent this year, demand for

wind and solar is rising 5 percent, the

International Energy Agency estimates.

"The pandemic has accelerated the

conversion from fossil fuels to

renewable sources of energy like wind

and solar," said Facchin, 55, who also

led the business when ABB was its

owner.

"We are helping customers master the

additional complexity of variable

renewable energy sources and

combining information technology and

operational technology to improve

efficiency."

Projects at Zurich-based Hitachi ABB

Power Grids, whose annual orders of

$10 billion are equivalent to 10 percent

of Hitachi's revenue, include connecting

the world's largest offshore wind farm in

the North Sea to Britain's power grid.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2020

11

Parliament member Professor Dr. Md. Habibe Millat as the chief guest handed over Prime Minister's

gift (check worth Tk 10,000) to Md. Badrul Alam Dulal at Sirajganj Press Club on Saturday. During

the time, Additional Deputy Commissioner ABM Raushan Kabir, District Awami League Vice

President Mostafa Kamal Khan, District Awami League Information and Research Secretary Anwar

Hossain Faruq, Press Club President Helal Uddin and District Jubo League General Secretary Md.

Ekramul Haque were among others also present at the occasion.

Photo: TBT

Frankfurt takes first win in

new Bundesliga season

Eintracht Frankfurt took its first win

of the season after beating Hertha

Berlin 3-1 away from home in the

second round of the Bundesliga on

Friday, reports UNB.

Both sides played with many fouls,

with Frankfurt playmaker Filip

Kostic unable to continue after a foul

from Jordan Torunarigha only 15

minutes into the match.

It was also foul play that facilitated

the Eagles opening the scoring in the

27th minute, as Dedryck Boyata

hacked down Andre Silva inside the

box, with the Portuguese stepping up

and converting the resultant penalty.

Hertha responded well but both

Dodi Lukebakio and Matheus Cunha

squandered

promising

opportunities.

Instead, goals were scored at the

other end of the pitch, as Lucas

Tousart's foul on Sebastian Rode

allowed Daichi Kamada to curl the

Myanmar State Counsellor urges

people not to follow home

remedies for COVID-19

treatment

Myanmar State Counsellor

Aung San Suu Kyi has urged

people not to follow home

remedies, but to go to the

hospital for more effective

treatment of COVID-19,

reports UNB.

"What we have seen is that

some people try to use

household remedies when

they think that they have

been infected and treat

themselves at home. They

go to the hospital only when

their home remedies fail,"

the state counsellor said in

her televised message to the

public late Friday.

Suu Kyi encouraged

people to go to the hospital

at early stages and said that

it would be difficult to

contain the disease and

provide treatment if the

patient is sent to the hospital

only at later stages of

infection.

"This matter of people

trying to cure themselves

using household remedies is

related to the spread of news

online. It will be wrong to

follow such treatments

because no one has a

definite method to prevent

COVID-19," she said.

She said that the

government has been

arranging to make district

and township hospitals

available for COVID-19 tests

and called for assistance

from healthcare workers

and doctors from the private

sector to fill the need of

human resources at the

hospitals.

Test kits will be

distributed to district and

township hospitals to be

able to provide proper tests

for COVID-19 soon, she

said.

subsequent free-kick into the path of

Bas Dost, who nodded home from

close range in the 36th minute.

Hertha's head coach Bruno

Labbadia made changes and fielded

Deyovaisio Zeefuik, Arne Maie and

Jhon Cordoba after the restart.

The substitutions made an impact

on Hertha's performance, as the

hosts increased the pressure and

were able to pin Frankfurt in their

territory. However, they lacked the

penetration and ideas to overcome

Frankfurt's well-positioned defense.

Even though Hertha was on the

front foot, it was the visitor who

tripled the lead out of the blue in the

70th minute when Rode had time

and space to curl the ball from the

edge of the box into the top left

corner.

Hertha was able to score a

consolation goal in the 76th minute

with the assistance of Martin

Hinteregger, who cleared a square

pass from Torunarigha into the

wrong goal. Bruno Labbadia's men

gained momentum but Frankfurt

stood firm and protected its lead

until the final whistle.

"We played very well against a good

team. We won more tackles and

played very offensively today,"

Frankfurt's Sebastian Rode said.

With the result, Hertha Berlin

suffered its first defeat whereas

Eintracht Frankfurt took its first win

of the season.

The following fixtures are

scheduled for Saturday: Borussia

Monchengladbach host Union

Berlin, Bayer Leverkusen face

Leipzig, Mainz meet newlypromoted

Stuttgart, Augsburg clash

with Borussia Dortmund, newlypromoted

Arminia Bielefeld take on

Cologne, and Schalke face Werder

Bremen.

"Merchant Bay" officially launched

Merchant Bay adds a unique dimension to the RMG sector

A new online platform has

emerged in the country's

readymade garments and its

relevant sector. The

platform named "Merchant

Bay" was launched via a

webinar on Saturday. The

inauguration was

announced by the Chief

Guest, Minister of Posts and

T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s ,

Mustafa Jabbar.

BGMEA President Dr.

Rubana Huq, Former

FBCCI President Shafiul

Islam Mohiuddin, MP;

Sayem Group's President

Md Monir Hossain; and

Director of Sayem Group,

and Managing Director of Merchant Bay,

Abrar Hossain Sayem were also present at

the occasion, a press release said.

The Chief Guest Posts and

Telecommunications Minister Mustafa

Jabbar said, "Digital services are very

important according to the current situation,

and it is also the demands of the age. I am

happy that Merchant Bay has taken such an

initiative. I hope, through this platform, our

domestic traders will be able to play a more

important role in the country's export sector

by communicating with foreign buyers very

easily. I also thank Merchant Bay for not only

focusing on the sourcing side but also they

have a focus on improving factory

management efficiency."

At this time, Former FBCCI President

Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, MP said, "I think

Merchant Bay's e-B2B platform will make

sourcing easier for both the factory and the

buyer and it will be affordable for both. I am

also hopeful that any manager will be able to

run his factory more efficiently using the

monitoring system it has."

BGMEA President Dr.Rubana Huq also

said, "This is a very appropriate initiative. I

think by using it, traders will be able to

communicate with buyers outside the

country very easily. Since Corona is changing

buyer behavior, I believe this B2B platform

will be very effective for everyone related to

the RMG sector"."

Merchant Bay is an online-based B2B

platform. It works with trade digitization,

sourcing digitization, production

monitoring. Merchant Bay is committed to

ensuring the digitization of the supply chain

by facilitating sourcing for both the producer

and the buyer.

Merchant Bay will primarily work to build,

verify, and create digital profiles of

Bangladeshi RMG manufacturers to reach

buyers worldwide. Merchant Bay will also be

able to quickly connect suppliers with

buyers, deliver updates with transparency,

order processing, and production

monitoring.

By using the platform, it will be possible to

make analytical decisions that will make

sourcing more affordable and increase

production efficiency.

Merchant Bay will also help SMEs and new

entrepreneurs in the garment industry to

keep the supply chain active and

uninterrupted. It will also help them to

present themselves in new markets and to

the buyers worldwide. In addition to

establishing a relationship between the

producer and the buyer, Merchant Bay has

built supplier verification and production

monitoring systems. Using the Merchant

Out Product Monitoring System, a manager

will be able to manage his factory more

efficiently.

In this regard, Sayem Group's President

Md Monir Hossain said, "Merchant Bay has

started its journey from the necessity of time.

I believe Merchant Bay will help enrich

Bangladesh's export market. I hope that with

the cooperation of all, Merchant Bay will be

able to reach its goal."

Brazilian president in

stable condition after

bladder stone surgery

Brazilian President Jair

Bolsonaro is in stable

condition after undergoing

bladder stone surgery on

Friday in the city of Sao

Paulo, his doctors

announced, reports UNB.

According to medical staff

at the Albert Einstein

Hospital in Sao Paulo, the

Brazilian president is

"clinically stable, without

fever and without pain" after

the operation.

"The procedure was carried

out without difficulties," said

one of his doctors, adding

that the operation lasted an

hour and a half.

Doctors stated that the

president underwent what is

known as an endoscopic laser

cystolithotripsy to extract the

bladder stone.

Bolsonaro has undergone

several surgeries in the past

several years, the first during

his presidential campaign in

2018, when he was stabbed

during an event in the state of

Minas Gerais.

Four of his surgeries were

connected to the stabbing,

while another at the

beginning of this year was a

vasectomy.

UN urges "inclusive

participation" of

underrepresented

groups, women in

Libya

Acting Special Representative

of the UN Secretary-General

to Libya Stephanie Williams

on Friday urged the newly

elected mayors of the Libyan

cities of Ghat, Kikla and

Misurata to practice inclusive

participation

of

underrepresented groups and

women, reports UNB.

"I congratulate the

democratically elected

mayors and I wish them every

success in their endeavors to

promote unity, social

cohesion, and the economic

well-being of their

constituents," Williams said.

"I also encourage the new

Mayors to promote and

practice

inclusive

participation in their

decision-making processes

while ensuring the effective

participation

of

underrepresented groups and

women," she added.

Earlier in September, the

UN Support Mission in Libya

(UNSMIL) reiterated its

strong support for Libyan

people in conducting

municipal elections and

strengthening local

governance, as well as to the

Central Committee for

Municipal Council Elections

for its vital role in ensuring

municipal elections are

conducted democratically

and through an inclusive and

credible process.

COVID-19 cases

rise to 5,903,932 in

India, death toll

reaches 93,379

The number of confirmed

COVID-19 cases in India

Saturday morning rose to

5,903,932, India's federal

health ministry said, reports

UNB.

During the past 24 hours,

85,362 new cases were

reported from across the

country. Besides this, 1,089

deaths were also recorded.

"The total number of

confirmed COVID-19 cases

across India is 5,903,932

and death toll is 93,379,"

reads the information

released by the ministry.

According to ministry

officials, 4,849,584 people

have been discharged from

hospitals after showing

improvement.

"The number of active

cases in the country right

now is 960,969," the

information released by the

ministry further reads.

UN reports progress in health of

women, children and adolescents,

warns against reversal

Although the past 10 years have seen

progress in the well-being of many of the

world's women, children and adolescents,

the fragile gains are threatened by armed

conflict, the climate crisis and COVID-19,

according to a new United Nations (UN)

report released Friday, reports UNB.

The number of maternal deaths worldwide

dropped from an estimated 451,000 in 2000

to 295,000 in 2017, a reduction of about 35

percent, with the most significant declines

occurring since 2010, according to the report

"Protect the Progress: Rise, Refocus, Recover

-- 2020 Progress Report on the Every

Woman Every Child Global Strategy for

Women's, Children's and Adolescents'

Health (2016-2030)."

The mortality rate for children aged under

5 years declined by almost half between

2000 and 2019, from 76 deaths per 1,000

live births to 38. The neonatal mortality rate

declined at a slower pace during this same

period, from 30 deaths per 1,000 live births

to 17, a 42-percent decrease.

However, conflict, climate instability and

COVID-19 are putting the health and wellbeing

of all children and adolescents at risk,

said the UN International Children's Fund

(UNICEF) for the launch of the report.

The COVID-19 crisis, in particular, is

exacerbating existing inequities, with

reported disruptions in essential health

interventions, disproportionately impacting

the most vulnerable women and children. At

the height of pandemic lockdowns, schools

were closed in 192 countries, affecting 1.6

billion students; domestic violence and

abuse of girls and women increased; poverty

and hunger are also on the rise, said

UNICEF.

Govt to establish Bangabandhu

Research Centre at Sugandha

DHAKA : The government has decided to

establish 'Bangabandhu Research Center for

Foreign Policy and Diplomacy' in the 'Mujib

Borsho' to keep Bangabandhu's association

with Sugandha alive in the minds of the

successive generations.

"This'll be a center of excellence to conduct

quality research on the life and works of

Bangabandhu as well as Bangladesh foreign

policy strategy and diplomacy," Foreign

Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said Friday.

He was addressing an event in

commemoration of the historic maiden

A human chain and assemblage was held in front of National Press Club on

Saturday demanding justice to garment worker Rafiqul Islam killing. Photo : TBT

Chinese mainland reports no new locally

transmitted COVID-19 cases

No new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported

Friday across the Chinese mainland, the National Health

Commission said Saturday, reports UNB.

Fifteen imported confirmed COVID-19 cases were

reported, the commission said in its daily report.

One suspected COVID-19 case from outside the mainland

was reported in Shanghai, and no new deaths related to the

disease were reported, the commission said.

On Friday, 14 COVID-19 patients were discharged from

hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland.

By the end of Friday, a total of 2,788 imported cases had

been reported on the mainland. Of them, 2,621 had been

discharged from hospitals after recovery, and 167 remained

hospitalized, with three in severe condition. No deaths from

the imported cases had been reported.

As of Friday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19

cases on the mainland had reached 85,337, including the 167

patients still being treated.

Altogether 80,536 patients had been discharged after

recovery, and 4,634 had died of the disease on the mainland,

the commission said.

There were two suspected COVID-19 cases on the

mainland, while 7,085 close contacts were still under medical

observation after 608 were discharged Friday, according to

the commission.

Also on Friday, 30 new asymptomatic cases, all from

outside the mainland, were reported, and no asymptomatic

case was re-categorized as a confirmed case.

The commission said 400 asymptomatic cases, including

398 from outside the mainland, were still under medical

observation.

"Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, a

child under the age of 5 died every six

seconds somewhere around the world.

Millions of children living in conflict zones

and fragile settings face even greater

hardship with the onset of the pandemic,"

said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta

Fore in the report. "We need to work

collectively to meet immediate needs caused

by the pandemic while also strengthening

health systems. Only then can we protect and

save lives."

The report also examines the deep-rooted

inequities which continue to deprive women,

children and adolescents of their rights.

In 2019, 82 percent of under-5 deaths and

86 percent of maternal deaths were

concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and

South Asia. Nine in 10 pediatric HIV

infections occurred in sub-Saharan Africa.

Maternal, newborn, child and adolescent

mortality rates were substantially higher in

countries chronically affected by conflict.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

asked for efforts to prevent a reversal of the

progress achieved in the past 10 years.

"It is our collective responsibility to ensure

that progress for women, children and young

people is not reversed by conflict, the climate

crisis or COVID-19. The will to fight the

pandemic must be matched by the will to

honor the commitments and investments

that have been made," he said in the report.

"I call on all to refocus our efforts so that

maternal, child and adolescent health is not

neglected as we respond to the COVID-19

crisis. Together, we can and must steer the

recovery from the pandemic toward a more

inclusive and sustainable path, leaving no

woman, child or adolescent behind."

speech delivered by Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at

the UN General Assembly and inauguration

of the newly-developed infrastructure of the

Foreign Service Academy. Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina joined the event virtually as

the chief guest.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs M

Shahriar Alam, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin

Momen, UN Resident Coordinator Mia

Seppo and Bangladesh Foreign Service

Academy Rector Syed Masud Mahmood

Khundker also spoke at the event.

S.Korea reports 61

more COVID-19 cases,

23,516 in total

South Korea reported 61

more cases of the COVID-19

as of 0:00 a.m. Saturday

local time compared to 24

hours ago, raising the total

number of infections to

23,516.

The daily caseload fell

below 100 in four days, but

the double-digit increase

continued owing to cluster

infections in Seoul and its

surrounding Gyeonggi

province, reports UNB.

Of the new cases, 25 were

Seoul residents and 13 were

people residing in Gyeonggi

province.

Twelve were imported

from overseas, lifting the

combined figure to 3,161.

The number of domestic

infections was 49, falling

below 50 in 44 days since

Aug. 13.

Four more deaths were

confirmed, leaving the death

toll at 399. The total fatality

rate stood at 1.70 percent.

Sunday, Dhaka, September 27, 2020, Ashwin 12, 1427 BS, Safar 9, 1442 Hijri

‘Stop importing fish from

India’: Jashore fish farmers

BENAPOLE : Fish farmers and importantly

the Fisheries Department of

Jashore district are calling for a ban on

importing fish from India, at a time

when the country's fish imports from

India have doubled through Benapole

port, reports UNB.

Due to low prices, Indian rui, or rohu

fish has witnessed a jump in imports.

But fish farmers in the district are

adamant that there is no need to import

fish from India, at a time when the country

is not only self-sufficient with the

amount of fish it produces, but also

exporting more and more.

Mahbubur Rahman, Fisheries Officer

of Benapole, said that 32.67 lakh kg fish

was exported to India in FY 2017-18,

34.83 lakh kg in FY 2018-19 and 52.45

lakh kg in FY 2019-20. At the same time,

35.16 lakh kg was imported from India

in FY 2017-18, 47.28 lakh in FY 2018-19

and 48.23 lakh in FY 2019-20.

Due to corona restriction, fish was not

exported from Bangladesh from April-

June. Over 2 lakh kg fish was exported

in July. The value of which is $518,000.

On the other hand 20.47 lakh kg fish

worth $1.47 million was imported in

Journalist Muharram Hossain working

tirelessly for floating people

S M AKASH, CHATTogRAM CoRReSPonDenT

Journalist Muhammad Muharram

Hossain is constantly working for the

floating people by considering human

service as worship. At the end of last

March, when everyone was terrified of

the coronavirus lockdown, no one left

the house without urgent need, he came

out of his house avoiding fear of death.

He rushed to the floating, helpless people

living on the streets with packets of

June and July.

In August, over 3 lakh kg of fish was

exported, valued at $772,000. In the

same month, 16.90lakh kg fish worth

$1.2 million was imported from India.

Sharsha upazila fisheries officer Abul

Hasan said Rui, Katla, marine and

freshwater fish were imported from

India. On the other hand, Pabda,

Gulsha, Tengra, Pangas, Frozen

Shrimp, Carp, Vetki and other fishes are

exported from Bangladesh.

There is high demand for pabda in

India, covering nearly 40 percent of fish

exported to the country. Pabda is mostly

produced in Jashore district.

Abul Hasan said the fish being

imported from India are now being

farmed extensively locally. "There is no

need to import these fishes from India.

If imports were stopped, the farmers of

the country would benefit immensely,"

he said.

Fish farming, also known as pisciculture,

covers a total area of 6,239

hectares in 15 baors, 271 enclosures, 10

beels and 6,619 ponds of the upazila.

Sharsha produces 22,465 metric tons

of fish a year.

5th phase flood leaves 60,000

people marooned in Kurigram

KURIGRAM : The fifth phase of flood in

Kurigram has marooned 60,000 people,

according to the UP chairmen of the

flood-hit areas, reports UNB.

The overall flood situation remains

unchanged though the water level of the

Dharla River has reduced slightly. The

water was flowing 34 cm above the danger

level in the morning.

The fifth phase of floods has inundated

new areas in different upazilas

including Kurigram Sadar. Rural roads

have also been submerged, disrupting

road communications.

Chairmen of Baravita, Bhangamor,

Holokhana, Vodanga, Panchgachhi and

Mughalbasa unions of Kurigram Sadar

in Fulbari upazila of Kurigram said

about 60,000 people have been

marooned as fresh flood inundated lowlying

areas. According to the

Department of Agricultural Extension

(DAE), about 4,000 hectares of new

Aman fields have been submerged.

About 100 percent Aman fields in 12 villages

of Holokhana and Bhangamor

unions are now under water as water

entered through the broken part of the

dam in Sardobe of Sadar upazila.

Saidur Rahman, chairman of

Bhogdanga union parishad in Kurigram

Sadar, said 80 houses in Char village of

Jagmahan in his union have been

washed away by the river. Besides,

10,000 people of Baraibari, Nankar,

Satvita, Pangarchar, Tennarvita and

Digdari villages of the union have been

marooned.

cooked food.

During the coronavirus pandemic,

this young man has always run towards

the hungry and helpless floating people.

With his hard-earned money, he is

handing over cooked food to the people

floating in different places of

Chattogram city every day and night. He

gets happy if he could hand over the

food to the floating people scattered on

the sidewalk. It seems that human service

is his worship. He also distributed

Journalist Muhammad Muharram Hossain is constantly helping the floating,

helpless people living on the streets in Chattogram. Photo: S M Akash

Rickshaw-van

registration time

extended for 3 days

DHAKA : Time for registration, renewal

and change of ownership of Dhaka South

City Corporation (DSCC)'s rickshaw-vanwheelbarrow-trolley

and horse carriage

has been extended till September 30.

The pre-announced deadline of

September 27 has been extended by 3

days and new applications can be collected

till this time. At the same time, the

deadline for submission of collected

applications has been extended by 4

days till October 1.

On the extension, DSCC Chief Revenue

Officer Ariful Haque said, "We have

received an unprecedented response to the

registration, renewal and change of ownership

of non-mechanical vehicles in the

DSCC area, including rickshaws and vans.

The deadline has been rescheduled following

the request of several rickshaw owners'

organizations and rickshaw pullers to

extend the deadline for registration, renewal

and change of ownership, he said.

From September 13 to September 24,

a total of 1 lakh 45 thousand 246 applications

have been collected in 10 days.

Earlier, DSCC Mayor Barrister Sheikh

Fazle Noor Taposh inaugurated the registration,

renewal and change of ownership of

non-mechanical vehicles on the premises of

Nagar Bhaban on September 13. In his inaugural

address, the DSCC Mayor said that no

non-mechanical vehicles other than registered

non-mechanical vehicles would be

allowed to ply in Dhaka city.

World Rabies Day

to be observed

tomorrow

Rabies is a deadly disease. The death

rate from this disease is 100%. One person

dies every 10 minutes in the world

and about 55,000 people die of rabies

every year. The rabies disease is mainly

spread through dog bites or scratches. It

can also be caused by the bite or scratch

of cats, foxes, bees and monkeys. About

4-5 lakh people in Bangladesh are bitten

or scratched by dogs, cats, foxes every

year, most of them children, a press

release said.

In addition, about 25,000 cattle are

affected by this disease. Europe and

North America today are almost free

from rabies, with all dogs compulsorily

>(Contd. on page-2)

relief items among the low-income and

helpless people in stages, distributed

Iftar and Seheri foods among the floating

people during Ramadan, distributed

Eid special food among the floating people

for three consecutive days on Eid-ul-

Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. He also played an

active role in the establishment of the

Corona Isolation Center in Halishahar

of Chattogram, thinking of patients suffering

from corona, in the midst of conducting

food distribution activities for

the floating people.

During the coronavirus pandemic,

he has so far distributed cooked food

to about 10,000 floating people and

orphans from his personal funds

through the social service organization

'Musafir' and 'Astanaye Zahir

Bhandar', and relief to 200 jobless,

middle-class, lower-middle-class and

helpless families.

Muhammad Muharram Hossain, an

unmarried journalist, has been dreaming

since childhood of how to feed helpless

people when he grows up. Since

then he has continued in human service.

From school life he became involved

with various humanitarian social organizations.

He has been working as a volunteer

and team leader for 12 consecutive years

since 1999 in the National Polio

Vaccination Day (EPI) program to eradicate

polio in Chattogram.

Journalist Muhammad Muharram

Hossain while expressing his feelings

about this to The Bangladesh Today said

that people are helpless today due to the

fear of invisible coronavirus.

new tourist spots are growing in Khagrachari competing with tourists. After innumerable waterfalls including

Rishang Jharna and Taiduchhara Jharna, 'Tailafang Jharna', about half a hundred feet high, has been found in

Katalmoni Para, a remote town of Matiranga in Khagrachari. The water of Tailaphang spring is scratching from half

a hundred feet above. Which has already opened new doors of possibilities for mountain tourists. Photo: PBA

Rohingya Genocide

ICC considers holding hearings

in Bangladesh

Covid-19

Bangladesh

reports 36

more deaths

DHAKA : The death toll from Covid-19

disease hit 5,129 in Bangladesh on

Saturday morning, as health authorities

registered 36 more fatalities in 24 hours

across the country, reports UNB.

During the period, another 1,106

fresh cases were detected which raised

the number of total cases in the country

to 3,57,873 since the first detection

of infections by the deadly virus on

March 8.

According to a handout provided by

the Directorate General of Health

Services (DGHS), 10,765 new tests were

carried out during the period that took

the total number of sample tests to

18,98,775.

The official release said 18.85 percent

of total tests turned out to be positive

and the daily infection rate was recorded

10.27 percent on Saturday.

The total number of recoveries

reached 2,68,777 till Saturday 8 am as

1,753 former patients were reported

cured in 24 hours.

The recovery rate now stands at 77.10

percent in Bangladesh while the mortality

rate at 1.43 percent, the DGHS

release added.

Currently, there are 83,967 active

cases in the country. Bangladesh is seeing

2101.35 infections, 1,578.20 recoveries

per million while 30.12 are dying

against the same number.

Among the 37 new deaths, including

25 men and 11 women, 8 are aged above

50.

So far, 2,546 people have died in

Dhaka division, 1,060 in Chattogram,

336 in Rajshahi, 429 in Khulna, 187 in

Barishal, 226 in Sylhet, 237 in Rangpur

and 108 in Mymensingh division.

DHAKA : The Registry of the

International Criminal Court has filed its

observations on a joint request by the victims

to hold the hearings in the Rohingya

genocide case within reasonable proximity

of the affected populations, instead of

The Hague, reports BSS.

In its filing submitted on September

21, which is available on the ICC's website,

the Registry outlines five possible

scenarios whereby all or some part of the

hearings may be held in Bangladesh, and

details the pros and cons of each.

The five possible scenarios include:

i) A judicial visit by a Chamber or an

appointed Single Judge to a refugee

camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh;

ii) Organizing a testimony via a videolink

with a witness based in Bangladesh;

iii) A Chamber or a Single Judge

explains a decision on victims' participation

to the victims based in Bangladesh;

iv) Holding a full confirmation of

charges hearing in Bangladesh;

v) Holding the decision on the confirmation

of charges hearing in

Bangladesh.

For each scenario, the Registry provides

information on the preparatory

work required, the extent of its support,

and the amount of time needed to hold

the hearing. It is non-commital in terms

of leaning towards any one scenario over

the other as its preference at this stage.

In conclusion, it is stated that the

Registry "stands ready to accommodate

any of the proposed scenarios even if the

operational aspects - in terms of time and

resources - for some of

them may be more challenging than

for others." It goes on to state that

regardless of the scenarios, "the holding

AfSAR MUnnA

Death by suicide, has recently seen

upward trends among the students of

Dhaka University (DU). Since 2005,

according to the data 33 students have

reportedly committed suicide. 2018 was

a gruesome year when the university

saw a spike of 'self-killing' among its students.

The pandemic has pushed the scenario

to the next level as the lifeless bodies

of four students have been recovered

so far this year, likely deceased by committing

suicide. Imam Hossain, a second

year student of Institute of

Education and Research (IER), committed

suicide after giving a Facebook

of proceedings... will be in any event subject

to the agreement and cooperation of

Bangladesh." Two Australian lawyers

acting on behalf of hundreds of Rohingya

refugees have been pushing to have the

International Criminal Court (ICC) sit in

Asia for the first time. On 14 November

2019, the ICC opened an investigation

for alleged crimes against humanity,

such as deportation, acts of persecution

and other inhumane acts, committed

against Myanmar's Rohingya population

on or after 1 June 2010.

Earlier in April 2018, the Prosecutor

requested the ICC Judges to determine

whether it could exercise its jurisdiction

over the alleged deportation of the

Rohingya people from Myanmar (Non-

State Party) to Bangladesh (State Party).

The ICC Registry's filing can be

accessed here.

During the corona epidemic, the crisis of returning Saudi Arabia has been

resolved. The expatriates thronged to Saudi Arabian Airlines office yesterday.

Photo : TBT

Suicide tendency hikes

among DU students

post on August 17 at his village home in

Barishal. Before the death, Hossain-a

resident student of KabiJasim Uddin

Hall-posted self-annihilation related

posts for a prolonged period, as per his

social media timeline.

On defining the term, World Health

Organization's (WHO) states, "Many

suicides happen impulsively in

moments of crisis with a breakdown in

the ability to deal with life stresses, such

as financial problems, relationship

break-up or chronic pain and illness."

On April 07, TarunSen, a student of

class 2014ofthe Department of

Philosophy of the university, took

>(Contd. on page-2)

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam, Executive Editor : Sheikh Efaz Ahmed, 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: Bangladesh Timber Building (3rd Floor) 270/B, Tejgaon I/A Dhaka-1208. Tel : +8802-8878026, Cell : 01736786915; Fax: + 880244611604, Email: Editor : editor@thebangladeshtoday.com, Advertisement: ads@thebangladeshtoday.com, News: newsbangla@thebangladeshtoday.com, contact@thebangladeshtoday.com, website: www.thebangladeshtoday.com

27-09-2020

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