01-10-2020

thursday

DhAkA: October 1, 2020; Ashwin 16, 1427 BS; Safar 13, 1442 hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.17; N o.182; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

InternatIonal

Japan military seeks

record budget amid

regional threats

>Page 7

art & culture

Apurba-Mehazabien

paired in new drama

>Page 8

sports

Mustafizur takes

missed opportunities

in his stride

>Page 9

Dhaka urges India to

free 'Independence

Road' at Mujibnagar

DHAKA : Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul

Momen yesterday urged India to make

the two- kilometer long 'Independence

Road' along the Bangladesh-India frontier

at Mujibnagar in Meherpur district

free for movement, reports BSS.

He observed that Indian tourists can

easily visit the historic Mujibnagar,

where the exiled Bangladesh government

took oath during the country's

Great War of Liberation in 1971, if the

Independence Road would be free for

movement, a foreign ministry press

release said here today.

The foreign minister made the urge

while outgoing Indian High Commissioner

to Bangladesh Riva Das Ganguly made

here a farewell call on him at State guesthouse

Padma.

During the meeting, Dr Momen laid

emphasis on completing different project

those are being implemented under

the Indian 'line of credit'.

The foreign minister expressed satisfaction

over the progress on bilateral

issues at the 6th Joint Consultative

Commission (JCC) between Bangladesh

and India, held on Tuesday.

Youth dies in

police custody

in Dhaka

DHAKA : A youth died at Paltan Model

Police Station in the capital on Tuesday

night, hours after his detention from

Gulistan area, reports UNB.

The deceased was identified as Masud

Rana, 30. The cause of his death is still

unclear. Masud's family members alleged

that he was picked up from Kanchpur

under Sonargaon police station in

Narayanganj district on Tuesday noon

and then he was kept inside the custody

of Paltan Police Station. They claimed

that the youth was tortured to death.

Contacted, DMP Deputy

Commissioner (Media) Md Walid

said Paltan police held Masud with

300 Yaba pills in the afternoon on

Tuesday and took him to the police

station. He said they suspect that

Masud was a drug addict.

"At the police station, Masud became

restless and fell down there. He also

received injuries in his head," Walid

claimed.

Later, he was taken to Dhaka Medical

College Hospital where doctors

declared him dead around 10:30pm.

However, Abdul Mannan, father inlaw

of the youth, said police detained

Masud Rana in front of Sinha Textile

Mill in Kanchpur area on Tuesday

noon. "Later, I came to know he was

taken to Paltan Police Station."

Zohr

04:36 AM

11:50 PM

04:10 PM

05:50 PM

07:05 PM

5:49 5:47

Six penalize to death

in Rifat case verdict

MD. ZAHIRUl HAqUe, BARGUnA CoRReSPonDenT

A court has sentenced six people,

including Ayesha Siddique Minni, to

death by hanging in the murder case of

Barguna's Shah Newaz Rifat (Rifat

Sharif). The court also acquitted the

remaining four accused.

On Wednesday, September 30,

Barguna district and sessions judge,

Ashaduzzaman's court pronounced the

verdict. At around 1.15 pm, the judge

started reading the verdict in the

court.Public Prosecutor (PP) of the

Barguna District and Sessions Judge's

Court Advocate Bhuban Chandra Haldar

confirmed the information.

Hearing the verdict, the convicts

embraced each other and broke down in

tears. The three acquitted accused

hugged each other and expressed their

excitement. However, Minni was speechless.

The eight adult accused in the case

were taken to the courtroom at 12.50 pm.

Earlier, the accused were brought to

the court in a prison van under tight

security of RAB and police at 11:45

am.Nayan Bond, 25, the number one

accused in the Rifat murder case, was

killed in a gunfight and was acquitted in

the chargesheet.

On January 1 this year,Barguna District

and Sessions Judge Ashaduzzaman had

framed charges against 10 of the 24

accused in the chargesheet. Of them, all

the convicts sentenced to death were

directly involved in the murder and the

other three were accused of being involved

in conspiracy to murder and helping the

accused to escape. Testimony against 10

accused started from January 8. A total of

76 witnesses testified in the case.

On June 26 last year, the terrorist

Nayan-Rifat Bond publicly hacked

Rifat Sharif to death in front of the

Barguna Government College gate.

After that, the police issued two separate

chargesheets accusing 24 people

including Rifat's wife Minni.

Parliament lost Tk22 cr for

quorum crisis in 2019: TIB

Bangladesh, US

sign agreement for

flight operations

DHAKA : Bangladesh and the United

States on Wednesday signed an agreement

for flight operations between the

two countries, reports UNB

From now on, the agreement will

serve as the primary basis for aviation

between the two countries. The agreement

was signed by Civil Aviation and

Tourism Senior Secretary Mahibul

Haque on Behalf of Bangladesh and US

Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R

Miller on behalf of the United States.

According to the agreement signed

between the two countries on the basis

of open-air policy, both the countries

can nominate any number of airlines as

their designated airlines to operate

flights between the two countries.

The designated airlines of each country

will be able to operate any number

of passenger and cargo aircraft by the

third and fourth freedom rights.

The designated airlines of the two

countries will also be able to operate any

passenger aircraft and cargo aircraft by

any aircraft at any intermediate or

remote point in compliance with the fifth

freedom right. Both countries will be able

to operate flights through code sharing.

DHAKA : The 11th national parliament

lost Tk 22,08,63,627 in monetary value

of time lost due to quorum crisis (19.26

hours) throughout session one to five, a

Transparency Int’l Bangladesh (TIB)

report said Wednesday, reports UNB.

The report also said the time lost due

to quorum crisis was 17.3 percent of the

total 61 session days spanning from

Jan to Dec. The average quorum crisis

per working day was 19 minutes.

TIB unveiled 'Parliamentwatch'

through a virtual press conference. TIB

deputy programme managers Nihar

Ranjan Roy and Morsheda Akter presented

the report. It showed that 61 percent of

the members of 11th JS are businessmen.

Among other members 13 percent are

lawyers, five pc politicians and people

from other professions (teachers, doctors,

farmers, retired government and

military officers, housewives, consultants,

etc) are 21 pc.

Focusing on the educational qualification,

the study said about 77 percent

elected MPs are graduates, post graduates

or above qualified; about 12 percent

are HSC equivalent; about 11 percent

have passed SSC or have lower

institutional education.

Only nine percent of the total time was

spent on law enactment in the 11th parliament.

Sixteen govt bills (excluding budget

bills) were passed in five sessions and

six of them were amended laws.

On average, around 32 minutes were

spent to pass each bill. The report

claimed that most of the parliamentary

committees did not discuss the bill with

due importance.

TIB observed that the absolute majority

of the ruling party ensured through parliamentary

elections intensified their

exercise of monopoly power in parliamentary

activities.

The scope for discussion in Parliament

on the implementation of SDGs and

objectives is not yet satisfactory.

TIB Executive Director Dr

Iftekharuzzaman said parliamentary

activities are not effective in formulating

budgets and laws. "The opposition

party did not show strong participation

in the election. Standing committees

have played an effective role, such

instances are rare," he said.

Accused Ayesha Siddique Minni, who was sentenced to death in the Rifat

Sharif murder case, was taken to jail from the court. The photo was taken

from the Barguna District and Sessions Judge's Court premises on

Wednesday.

Photo : TBT

School closure to be extended

Decision on HSC exams

next week

TBT RePoRT

The government is going to announce a

fresh schedule for the long-stalled

Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and

equivalent examinations either on

Monday or Tuesday next.

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on

Wednesday came up with the disclosure

at a virtual press conference on different

issues relating to the education sector.

"We've worked out various steps

regarding the HSC examinations, and

we'll be able to announce our full plan,

including the exam schedule, by

Monday or Tuesday next," she said.

The minister said they will reveal their

detailed plans about the extent of the

exams and their method.

She, however, said they will give the student

at least four weeks to prepare for the

exams. "We'll try to complete the exams in

the shortest possible time. We'll come up

with our all plans and proposals on

Monday or Tuesday.

We'll take every step in a way so that the

exams are not hampered and the students

can sit for the tests without any worry."

Dipu said they will also inform how

those who cannot take the exams for

various reasons will be evaluated.

The HSC and equivalent examinations

were scheduled to begin on April 1,

but the government was forced to postpone

it on March 22 due to the coronavirus

pandemic.

On the other hand With no improvement

of the coronavirus situation in

sight, the government has decided to

extend the closure of educational institutions

to prevent the spread of the

virus, Education Minister Dipu Moni

has said.

"The leave is being extended considering

the current situation. We must

extend the closure. The date will be

announced later," she said.

All educational institutions were

closed on March 16 to prevent the

spread of coronavirus. The closure has

been extended in phases and the government's

officials concerned say the

time is not appropriate to open them.

All educational institutions in the country have been closed for a long time due to coronavirus. In the meantime,

many low-lying areas of Dhaka were submerged in the flood waters. The flood water entered the 'Kajlarpar

Government Primary School' in the Kajla area of the capital's Jatrabari. The walls are getting damaged as the water

has gone down but not repaired. The picture was taken on Wednesday.

Photo : Star Mail

Covid-19

Bangladesh

reports 32 deaths,

1436 new cases

Bangladesh's confirmed coronavirus

tally reached 363,479 on Wednesday

after the health authorities recorded

1,436 new cases in the past 24 hours

until morning, reports UNB.

Thirty-two new deaths were also

recorded, pushing up the fatalities to

5,251. The mortality rate in Bangladesh

is still 1.44 percent while the recovery

rate increased marginally to 75.79 percent,

a handout from the Directorate

General of Health Services (DGHS)

said.

During the last 24 hours, 1,789

patients recovered, taking the number

of recoveries to 275,487.

Currently, there are 82,741 active

cases in the country.

Since March, the country's RT-PCR

labs have tested 1,947,655 samples -

13,155 in the last 24 hours - and 18.66

percent have turned out to be positive.

Bangladesh is seeing 2,134.26 infections,

1,617.6 recoveries per million

while 30.83 are dying against the same

number.

Of the total victims, 4,063 are men

and 1,188 are women. Among the latest

victims, 24 are above 60 years of age.

So far, 2,631 people have died in

Dhaka division, 1,075 in Chattogram,

345 in Rajshahi, 435 in Khulna, 187 in

Barishal, 231 in Sylhet, 237 in Rangpur

and 109 in Mymensingh.

Across the country, 15,057 people are

now in isolation and 43,177 in quarantine.

Jaha Alam

HC orders to give Tk

15 lakh compensation

to Jaha Alam

DHAKA : The High Court (HC) yesterday

ordered Brac Bank authorities to

give Taka 15 lakh as compensation to

Jaha Alam, an innocent man who languished

in jail for three years after getting

wrongly implicated in 26 cases,

reports BSS.

A High Court division virtual bench

of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and

Justice KM Kamrul Kader passed the

order, asking the bank authorities to

give the money within one month of

getting the copy of Wednesday's order.

The matter was kept on CAV (curia

advisory vault, a Latin legal term meaning

the court awaits verdict) on

February 12, after the end of hearing on

that day.

The High Court last year issued the

rule on its own initiative, asking as to

why it shall not pass order to compensate

Jaha Alam, who was thrown

behind bars for three years in an identity

mix-up.

A total of 33 cases were filed against

one Abu Salek for misappropriating

around Taka 18.5 crore of Sonali Bank.

The ACC filed charge-sheet in 26 of

those cases, identifying Jaha Alam as

Abu Salek.

Jaha Alam at that time went to ACC

office and pleaded not guilty, saying he

is not Abu Salek. His plea, however,

went unheard. Jaha Alam was arrested

in the cases on February 6, 2016, and

had been rotting in jail since then.

THurSDAY, OCTOBEr 1, 2020

2

MySoft Limited brings Healthcare

solutions for millions of people

MySoft Limited has brought some

extraordinary solutions. During the

COVID-19 pandemic, MySoft

installed automation service in more

than 200 hospitals in the country, a

press release said.

Leading to the government's

enforced nationwide lockdown due to

the initial outbreak of COVID-19

earlier this march, Bangladesh

witnessed a social and economic

standstill.

The term virtual healthcare comes

with a lot of healthcare services such

as Telemedicine, Teleradiology,

Online Diagnosis test booking, home

sample collection, online ambulance

services etc. According to the expert

opinion, a large number of people are

taking these virtual healthcare

services through different virtual

platforms like telephone, mobile

phone, websites, Facebook pages,

online apps etc.

MyHealthBD, a virtual hospital

developed by MySoft Limited, a local

healthcare software development

firm, making it easier for doctors to

attend patients from anywhere. In

MyHealthBD, there are specialist

physicians in a remote place equipped

with various technological tools,

guiding other doctors or healthcare

workers working off far away. As a

central freestanding facility staffed

with different hospitals and

Integrated policy to be

adopted to address problems

of CMSMEs: Humayun

DHAKA : Industries

Minister Nurul Majid

Mahmud Humayun on

Wednesday said that an

integrated policy will be

adopted to address the

problems of cottage, micro,

small and medium

enterprises (CMSMEs)

affected by COVID-19.

"According to the policy,

the activities of the incentive

package announced by the

government will be

implemented," he said while

speaking as the chief guest at

a virtual discussion on "Post-

Pandemic Status of

CMSMEs and Effectiveness

of Stimulus Packages",

jointly organised by Citizen'.s

healthcare

professionals,

MyHealthBD brings together a

number of caregivers located

anywhere in the world under one

connected platform.

For millions of people, MyHealthBD

is a trustworthy and familiar place

where they feel they can find a healing

touch. It connects patients with

doctors who will take good care of

themselves and their families.

Similarly, it allows healthcare

professionals to provide remote care

to patients based in another location

through an internet connection and a

software system. This system enables

healthcare professionals to see their

patients and patients' data and offer

diagnosis and treatment options. A

virtual hospital-like MyHealthBD can

remove obstacles like distance, time,

money, and bridge the gap between

patients and secure healthcare. It has

made videos on the YouTube

platform.

Conceived in 2009, MySoft Limited

is an exciting tech startup in multiple

ways. It is a healthcare software

company that has chosen to specialize

and focus on the hospital, lab, and

radiology automation software.

However, it has also taken the bold

decision to distribute this software

among the various healthcare

organizations exclusively. The founder

and Managing Director, Mr. Manjurul

LGrD Minister launches 'rural

road Maintenance Month'

through video conference

Staff reporter: Minister

for Local Government,

Rural Development and

Cooperatives (LGRD) Md

Tajul Islam inaugurated

"Rural Road Maintenance

Month (October 2020)"

with the help of digital

technology. Helaluddin

Ahmed, Senior Secretary,

Local Government Division,

was present online as the

special guest at the

inaugural function. Md.

Abdur Rashid Khan, Chief

Engineer,

Local

Government Engineering

Department presided over

the function.

The Local Government

Engineering Department

(LGED) has given

importance to road reform

as a pledge of the year.

LGED has decided to

celebrate Rural Road

Maintenance Month

(October 2020) in the

current financial year to

reflect 'Mujib Borsho'.

During the month, regular

road maintenance activities

have been initiated by

LGED, local people's

representatives and

beneficiaries to speed up the

year-round activities by

recruiting workers locally

for road improvement and

creation of working hours.

Similar activities will be

taken up in March 2021. At

present, a total of 1,28,528

km of roads are paved in

Bangladesh under LGED.

There are 42,166 km of

upazila roads, 22,417 km of

union roads and 64,126 km

of rural roads. This activity

has created about 38.25

lakh working days across

the country. Throughout the

year, 10,147 extremely poor

female maintenance

workers and 601

supervisors are involved in

this work. In addition, there

are 320 skilled and semiskilled

workers for onpavement

maintenance. It is

very important to take

necessary steps for the

maintenance of the

infrastructure as soon as it is

completed.

This activity continues for

a long time during the

tenure of the infrastructure.

Lack of proper maintenance

can lead to rapid

deterioration of road

Hoque's hard work has paid off over

the last decade, where MySoft Limited

has served successfully over 200

clients.

Manjurul Hoque's newest inclusion

in his portfolio is MyPACS; an

advancement in medical imaging

technology in Bangladesh, A prime

example of such development is

Picture Archiving and

Communication System, also known

as PACS. Artificial intelligence (AI) is

also being incorporated within all

areas of PACS to increase efficiency.

MySoft Limited's PACS solution

replaces hard-copy based means of

managing medical images, such as

film archives. It provides remote

viewing and reporting capabilities that

enable radiologists in different

physical locations to access the same

information simultaneously for

"Teleradiology."

In late 2008, MySoft Limited was

launched with few capitals and four

employees.

From its inception, till now MySoft

Limited has served over 200 clients,

including some massive names in

healthcare sectors such as Combined

Military Hospitals (CMH), Armed

Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP),

Bangladesh Specialized Hospital

Limited (BSHL), Ad-din Hospitals,

Holy Family Red Crescent Medical

College Hospital, etc.

quality, significant increase

in accident rate, and

increase in operating costs

of vehicles and costly

reconstruction or

rehabilitation of roads in a

very short period of time.

Therefore, the main

objective of this program is

to continue the year-round

road improvement work by

reducing the rate of damage

on rural roads, involving the

road users, increasing the

lifespan of the road,

securing

road

communication, ensuring

optimal use of resources and

inspiring and motivating

those concerned.

MP Abul Hasanat

Abdullah

hospitalised

BARISHAL : Awami League

MP from Barishal-1

constituency Abul Hasanat

Abdullah is undergoing

treatment at a hospital in

Dhaka, reports UNB.

He was admitted to the

Square Hospital with

respiratory problem, said

Advocate Talukdar

Mohammad Yunus, general

secretary of Awami League's

Barishal unit.

Later, he was shifted to the

Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of

the hospital following

breathing complications.

The authorities concerned of

the hospital took his samples

for Covid-19 test but his report

came out negative, he said.

Doctors are closely

observing him as he is also

suffering from cardiovascular

disease, said Advocate

Talukdar.

Indian court acquits

top BJP leaders in

Babri mosque case

NEW DELHI : A special

Indian court on Wednesday

acquitted all the 32 people

linked to the country's ruling

Bharatiya Janata Party

(BJP) in a 28-year-old case

on the demolition of a

historic mosque in the

northern state of Uttar

Pradesh, reports UNB.

Among those acquitted by

the special court of India's

premier probe agency are

former deputy prime

minister LK Advani and

former ministers Murli

Manohar Joshi and Uma

Bharti. They were accused of

inciting Hindu mobs to raze

the 16th century Babri

mosque in the town of

Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh in

1992.

"All the accused stand

acquitted. There's no

evidence to suggest that the

accused conspired in razing

the mosque," the special

judge said, as he read out the

operative part of 2,000-page

judgment. The judge went

on to suggest that the 32

accused had even tried to

stop the mobs from bringing

down the mosque.

The demolition of the

historic mosque had

sparked violence across

India that claimed the lives

of at least 2,000 people. Last

year, the country's top court

had handed over the

disputed mosque site to the

majority Hindus.

Survey: China's

factory, export activity

gain in September

BEIJING : China's factory

activity accelerated in

September, adding to a

gradual recovery from the

coronavirus pandemic, a

government survey showed

Wednesday.

A monthly purchasing

managers' index issued by

the Chinese statistics agency

and an industry group rose

to 51.5 from August's 51 on a

100-point scale on which

numbers above 50 show

activity increasing.

A measure of new export

orders rose to 50.8 from the

previous month's 49.1, its

first time in positive territory

since the pandemic began,

according to the China

Federation of Logistics and

Purchasing.

China, where the outbreak

began in December, was the

first economy to shut down

and the first to reopen

factories and other

businesses in March.

Domestic consumer

spending is recovering but

more slowly than production.

Exporters have been

taking market share from

foreign competitors that are

hampered by anti-disease

controls. But forecasters say

that growth is likely to

weaken as global demand

for Chinese-made masks

and other medical supplies

levels off.

A measure of employment

stood at 49.6, indicating

industry still was cutting

jobs. But it was an

improvement of 0.2 point

from August.

India's COVID-19

death toll nears

100,000-mark

NEW DELHI : The death

toll due to COVID-19 in

India is inching towards the

100,000-mark, reaching

97,497 on Wednesday.

As many as 1,179 deaths

were registered during the

past 24 hours, according to

the data released by the

federal health ministry.

Meanwhile, 80,472 new

COVID-19 cases took the

total tally to 6,225,763,

according to the data.

Still there are 940,441

active COVID-19 cases in the

country, while 5,187,825

people have been cured and

discharged.

At virus milestone,

Italian priest reflects

on loss, lessons

SERIATE : If there is anything the Rev.

Mario Carminati and the traumatized

residents of Italy's Bergamo province

remember about the worst days of the

coronavirus outbreak, it's the wail of

ambulance sirens piercing the silence of

lockdown.

Around the clock for weeks on end,

ambulances screamed through Bergamo's

valleys and towns in a terrifying

soundtrack of death, as mothers, fathers,

sisters and brothers gasping for air were

rushed to the hospital. Thousands never

came back.

As the world counts more than 1 million

COVID-19 victims, the quiet of everyday

life and hum of industry has returned to

Bergamo, which along with the

surrounding Lombardy region was the

one-time epicenter of the outbreak in

Europe. But the memory of those dark

winter days, and the monumental toll of

dead they left behind, has remained with

those who survived only to see the rest of

the world fall victim, too.

"They would never stop," Carminati, the

parish priest of the Bergamo town of

Seriate, recalled of the ambulances. "They

would drive by continuously and you

would wonder 'When will this end?'"

Bergamo recorded its first positive case

Feb. 23, two days after Italy's first locally

transmitted case was detected. By the end

of March, the province of

Bergamo had registered a

571% increase in deaths

compared with the fiveyear

monthly average - the

biggest increase in Italy and

one of the biggest localized

increases in mortality rate

in Europe.

Many of those deaths

don't even figure into Italy's

official COVID-19 toll of

35,851, the second highest

in Europe after Britain,

because so many of

Bergamo's victims died at

home or in nursing homes

without having ever been

tested. Seriate, a town of

25,000 along Bergamo's

Serio river, was particularly

hard-hit, losing 200

residents. Carminate says

around half were

parishioners whom he

knew personally.

"This is the thing that

made winter more tragic

then. There were no leaves

GD- 1270/20 (4 x 3)

on the trees, and it was all gray," he recalled

this week during one of his regular visits to

the cemetery to visit with his flock. "I

certainly remember it as something gray

and dark, something from which you felt

like you couldn't get out: a tunnel that

never ended."

Early on in the outbreak, the first in the

West, Carminati opened the doors of one

of his churches, St. Joseph's, to house the

coffins that had nowhere to go because

local cemeteries and crematoria were

full.

At first, some 80 wooden coffins lined

the central aisle of St. Joseph's church.

Carminati and a fellow priest recited the

rite of the dead, with a Psalm and

Scripture reading, and gave each coffin a

final benediction and blessing with holy

water. After a convoy of army trucks took

the coffins away to be cremated, another

80 arrived. Then another.

"That had a heart-breaking impact on

me, something that left me with a great

bitterness," he said.

In all, Carminati says, some 260 coffins

passed through his modern red-brick

church in March and April, evidence of

the horrific toll of the virus in Bergamo

that continues today. Last month,

Carminati buried his own nephew, 34-

year-old Christian Persico, after he lost a

five-month battle with COVID-19.

ThursdAY, OcTOber 1, 2020

3

Ahsania Mission Women's drug Addiction Treatment and rehabilitation center organized a

"briefing on International recovery day" program to mark the International recovery day on

Wednesday.

Photo: courtesy

International recovery

day celebrated

Judgement in exeden

college

principal murder

case on Oct 4

DHAKA : A special tribunal

on Wednesday set October 4

for pronouncing judgement

in a case lodged over the

murder of former principal

of Eden Mohila College

Mahfuza Chowdhury

Pervin.

Judge Abu Jafar Md

Kamruzzaman of Dhaka 1st

Speedy Trial Tribunal set the

date as both the prosecution

and defence concluded their

closing arguments on

Wednesday, reports BSS.

Police on February 10,

2019, recovered the body of

Pervin from her Sukanya

Tower flat at Elephant

Road in the capital. Her

husband Ismat Kader Gama

filed a murder case with

New Market Police Station

against three, two

housemaids Ruma alias

Reshma and Rikta Akter

alias Swapna and Runu

Begum, who brought the

first two to that home.

sheikh hasina is last resort

of 160m people: hanif

DHAKA : Mentioning Sheikh Hasina as

one of the 'burning stars' in politics in the

subcontinent, Awami League Joint

General Secretary Mahbub ul Alam

Hanif has said the incumbent prime

minister has fulfilled all her

commitments to the nation and emerged

as the last resort for 160 million people.

"As a successful statesman, Sheikh

Hasina always kept herself beside the

distressed people with due compassion

and she has also fulfilled all her

commitments to the nation", he said on

Tuesday night at a special webinar titled

'Sheikh Hasina inspiration of the youths'

marking the 74th birth day of the prime

minister here.

Inspired by the politics of her father -

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the ruling

party leader said, Sheikh Hasina has

herself devotion in politics with utmost

responsibility and has sympathy to the

Bangalee nation as she is used to lead a

simple life.

Moderated by special assistant to the

Prime Minister Barrister Shah Ali

Farhad, the webinar also was addressed,

among others, by State Minister for

Information Communication and

Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak,

Deputy Minister for Education Mahibul

Hasan Chowdhury, Bangladesh Awami

League Office Secretary Barrister Biplob

Barua and central ruling party member

Advocate Sanjida Khanam.

Terming Sheikh Hasina a far-sighted

leader, the ICT state minister said, "The

country had only 56 lakh internet users

before taking office by the Awami League

in 2008, but now it rises to over 10

crore."

Currently, employments have been

created for 11,000 youths at 5,885 digital

centers throughout the country and there

is almost 6.50 lakh IT freelancers in the

country.

Now internet has reached to the union

level which has been possible due to the

prudent leadership of Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina, Palak added.

The present government has brought a

revolutionary change in education in line

with the education philosophy of

Bangabandhu who wanted to make real

and technology based education, said the

deputy minister for education.

Sheikh Hasina is the only leader who

has ensured the women empowerment

in the country, said AL central committee

member Sanjida Khanam.

September is known as

International Recovery Month

worldwide. Recovery Month is

celebrated internationally in all

countries to inspire drug addicts.

In celebration of this month, the

Ahsania Mission Women's Drug

Addiction Treatment and

Rehabilitation Center organized a

"Briefing on International

Recovery Day" program on

Wednesday to mark the

International Recovery Day with

the participation of all women who

are addicted to the drug, a press

release said.

Iqbal Masood, Director, Health

Sector and Wash Sector, Dhaka

Ahsania Mission delivered the

keynote speech at the occasion.

The main theme of the discussion

was to bring Recovery Day to the

forefront, to highlight the recovery

achievements, to highlight the

possibility of recovery, to create

awareness among the people and

to deal with social stigma. During

the time, Md. Amir Hossain,

Coordinator of DAM IRSOP

Project, Counselor Fairuz Jihan,

Counselor Farzana Akhter Sweety

and Case Manager Mamtaz

Khatun spoke on the sharing

program.

The program was moderated by

Umme Jannat, Program Officer,

Ahsania Mission Women's Drug

Addiction Treatment and

Rehabilitation Center.

It is to be noted that Ahsania

Mission Women's Drug Addiction

Treatment and Rehabilitation

Center has been conducting drug

addiction treatment and

rehabilitation activities for women

since 2014. So far 414 patients have

been treated and 100 of them are

living a completely healthy life.

GD- 1271/20 (6 x 4)

GD- 1269/20 (10 x 4) GD- 1266/20 (7 x 4)

ThurSDAY, oCToBEr 1, 2020

4

Efficiency & success in public utility institutions-Dhaka WASA storyline

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Saving of precious

resources

None can reasonably deny that one area where the country can

gain a very great deal is by stopping waste of resources and

saving resources. Some such areas where stopping waste of

precious resources is quite feasible are as follows. Our policy makers

can consider them to good effect immediately.

For example, several small ministries can be amalgamated into one

and such a step will save substantial resources. There are government

departments the existence of which contribute little or nothing to

services delivery to members of the public. It should be sensible to

identify them and close them down. The employees in them can be said

good-bye after paying their terminal benefits but the one time payment

will prove more worthwhile with the ending of the longer term drain of

resources on paying their salaries and other benefits regularly or

indefinitely , plus resources squandered on running the rather useless

departments. There are also departments rendering similar services

but located physically at different places. Such departments can be

merged physically under one roof and the services of the excess

employees in them should be terminated after the settlement of their

dues.

The government's transportation wings or the vehicles pools can be

sources of great waste. Vehicles from the government's transport pools

are sometimes found in use by members of the family of the civil

servants for shopping and running errands. Exaggerated fuel bills, huge

maintenance costs and unearned overtime by drivers are different

forms of misuse of resources which have become the integral part of

the government's transportation wings. Substantial saving of resources

can be achieved by properly running the transport pools.

Unnecessary public works like building again and again road

dividers, footpaths, road markers, etc., cause waste of resources

running into billions of taka every year. The holding of the endless

seminars and the like-the positive results of which in most cases are

little or none at all-is another example of the irrationality in

government expenditures.

A great deal of resources are also wasted on the foreign travels of

government officials. The travels are, of course, shown to be in the

public interest. But careful scrutiny could prove that most of the time

the travels contribute little or nothing towards promoting the country's

interests.

For example, it was reported that 100 crore Taka would bespent for

foreign training and travel to learn the technique of cooking khichuri

under a school feeding programme. Needless to say, khichuri is a very

common dish that is cooked everywhere in Bangladeshi households.

Thus, it sounds like a big joke that Bangladeshi have to travel abroad to

learn how to make this dish. It is but a sheer unpardonable waste of

resources.

Another ridiculous programme was also noted to send abroad

government officials to learn the ways and means of hand washing and

other safety measures during the pandemic. One feels only indignant

when coming across such news. Someone high up in our governance

should monitor the media regularly and stop such programmes on their

tracks.

According to an estimate, an amount of nearly 65 million US Dollars

or over 300 crore Taka on average is being spent annually by

Bangladeshi patients for treatment abroad in neighbouring India. If the

entire amount of resources spent for foreign treatment by Bangladeshis

in other countries are also taken into account, the same would

obviously show a much bigger amount.

It must be admitted though that a decrease in this expenditure is

noted during the last couple of years as some international standard

hospitals started their activities in Dhaka supported by helpful

governmental policies. The major publicly run hospitals have also

significantly added to their capacities and improved their services

delivery during this period under the watchful vigilance of the relevant

government ministry. Nonetheless, the expenditures on foreign

medical treatment by Bangladeshis can be slashed down further .

The first thing in order would be the taking of immediate steps to

improve the existing state of medical and health care in the country.

The general public health care system has no doubt improved under

the present government but can be improved further. If it is improved

substantially, then this will check some sections of people from wanting

foreign treatment. Much greater positive results can come from

regulating and bringing up to standard the private clinics, hospitals,

diagnostic centres, etc., which are operating below the standard.

Furthermore, government should make its own investments for the

establishment of general hospitals and specialized hospitals. The

private sector should also come forward to set up such hospitals and

facilities for specialized medical care considering these to be

investments with prospects of good returns because there exists a huge

demand for such high class specialized medical care in the country.

Only from pursing the above strategies, the phenomenon of the drain

of resources on foreign treatment can decline very substantially on a

sustainable basis and the country can save much resources from going

out of the country.

Even in the mid nineties, the importing of milk powder was a

reasonable one. But the fast climbing rate of import of milk powder in

recent years underline insufficient local production of milk to meet its

growing demand. But it is not only a matter of demand for a product

fast outpacing the locally available means to supply the same.

The higher import points to gross neglect in building up a sector

with which is vitally connected the nation's health, nutrition and other

vital issues. Our country has turned into a paradise for overseas milk

powder suppliers. They have established a big and impressive network

to market their milk in powder form in this country when there is every

reason to think that consumers are in no way amply nourished by milk

powder as they would be if they could drink locally produced liquid

and wholesome milk.

If the dairy industry here develops fast and properly, then several

useful ends can be served. First of all, it would mean import

substitution and substantial saving of resources. The saved amount

would help the balance of payments. The nutrition picture of the

country could change positively with significantly increased

consumption of fresher milk in liquid form.

An improved and enlarged dairy industry will also create employment

opportunities in various ways where it matters the greatest--- at

grassroots level. From greater availability of cows, different sorts of

industries will be facilitated. For example, more cow hides will be

available for the tanneries and leather industries. The import of cows

from India for sacrificial purposes will drastically decline or cease which

also would help the country's balance of payments. The availability of

locally produced meat would rise helping greater protein consumption

by the population. No part of the cow is wasted. Even its horns and

bones are used by cottage industries to make button, combs and related

products. There can be also other spin-offs such as cow dung to be used

as fuel or as raw material to increase production of bio-gas to help

lighting, heating and cooking in the rural areas.

Over the past couple of decades,

role and functions of public

utility and services institutions

have expanded and undergone massive

transformation both in structural and

operational aspects. On one hand,

extensive and speedy urbanization have

driven development to higher scales,

and on the other, public utility and

services-driven institutions are required

to cope with several issues and

challenges in achieving their

organizational objectives.

Performance assessment of Public

utility institutions in developing

countries as Bangladesh, may relate to

several factors. Some of these include:

(a) how these institutions are able to

deliver to fulfill requirements of

mandate entrusted to them by

authorities (b) the manner is which

efforts were undertaken to overcomes

operational lapses and deficiencies (c)

how program interventions could

enable addressing critical issues and

challenges (d) accuracy and precision in

undertaking relevant programs and

overall pace and effectiveness in

implementing those. (e) Adequate

transparency and accountability in

meeting all business and contractual

obligations.(f) Efficient coordination

with development partners (e)

continued improvements in operations

and service delivery (g) capacity

enhancements and updating skills and

competencies, and (h) stakeholder buyin,

participation engagement and

feedback to achieve things better.

In developing countries as

Bangladesh, governments focus much

on functional efficiency of public utility

and services institutions to ensure their

operational roles and corporate

objectives are duly met. Based on

objective performance assessment,

Dhaka WASA is one of those

institutions that has been able to scale

up its overall performance levels and

achieve significant and credible

"turnaround" in the past ten years. The

Government would like to ensure

citizens get the best in terms of both

technical infrastructure as well as

efficient services.

Keeping in view the policy focus of the

government, in 2009 the Government

decided to address the deficiencies and

shortcomings Dhaka WASA

encountered, and to transform this into

THE recent leaks about the army

chief's meetings with politicians

have generated a maelstrom.

There have been some collective

interactions with the political leaders

but there were some private ones too.

Ordinarily such disclosures would not

have mattered much but the context

of these meetings does raise the

question: who is in charge here? The

question becomes more pertinent

given the prevalent chaos.

One characteristic of hybrid rule is

the duality of power, and that has its

own perils. The present political

disorder is symptomatic of this

incongruity. Indeed, the civil and

military imbalance of power has been

a major reason for perpetual political

instability in the country. But the

current situation is more about the

abdication of civilian authority to the

security establishment.

In the past, we have seen constant

friction between elected civilian rulers

and the security establishment that

would invariably result in

estabilization of the democratic

process. The main cause of conflict

has been the existence of what is

being described as 'the state within

the state' or 'the state above the state'.

Both the PPP and the PML-N

governments have experienced that

situation.

Nawaz Sharif's virtual speech from

London to the multiparty conference

in Islamabad last week was testimony

of his constant tug of war with the

military establishment that ultimately

caused his ouster from power. What is

most ironical is that other political

parties would become a handy tool for

the establishment in this game of

political manipulation.

A characteristic of hybrid rule is the

duality of power, and that has its own

perils.

Who sponsored Imran Khan's siege

of Islamabad in 2014 is now an open

secret. That move failed because of

the rare show of unity among the

other political forces in parliament.

But the game never stopped. The

Dr. MohAMMED PArvEZ IMDAD

a credible and efficient organization. As

per recommendation, the Chief

Executive for Dhaka WASA was selected

through a internationally competitive

search and selection process.

This was aimed at selecting MD/CEO

based on required professional

qualification and relevant technical

expertise. Following this, since

2009,CEO and MD Taqsem Ahmed

Khan and his team started working with

strong commitment and high

professionalism to carry Dhaka WASA

forward. Here is an outline of the

significant actions and programs

undertaken by Dhaka WASA from 2009

till the current times:

In 2009 and 2010, the Dhaka WASA

management conducted an extensive

review of deficiencies, constraints and

challenges that impeded the overall

efficiency of the organization.

(b) Inherent factors and causes

that accounted for lapses and failure

were identified and a Comprehensive

Program of action undertaken to bring

about improvements and achieve

targeted objectives in phases.

(c) Emphasis was given on

capacity enhancements matched with

expanded technical skills and

competencies in order to meet the

growing needs of the organization.

(d) Accountability was reinforced

by strengthened monitoring and

evaluation at project level.

(e) Renewed focus was given on

regular and periodic program

reviews.This was aimed at having in

place results-based tools and

mechanisms that would facilitate

prompt and efficient interventions.

(f) The Dhaka WASA Management

continues to emphasize on transparency

and good governance instruments at every

tier and stage of operations and in

conducting business.

(g) Dhaka WASA Management

firmly believes utility service-driven

institutions could be benefitted through

stakeholder feedback and consultations.

In the light of this,the CEO and MD

Dhaka WASA has encouraged

interactive discourse with all concerned,

prior to necessary interventions. The

consultative process will further be

broadened in due course.

(h) A pragmatic and needs-based

approach has been undertaken

regarding external support and

assistance and overall interactionwith

Keeping in view the policy focus of the government, in 2009 the

Government decided to address the deficiencies and shortcomings

Dhaka WASA encountered, and to transform this into a

credible and efficient organization. As per recommendation,

the Chief Executive for Dhaka WASA was selected through a

internationally competitive search and selection process.

ZAhID huSSAIn

Development Partners (DPs).The DPs

views this as a model in efficient and

credible partnership.

(i) During the current Covid 19 crisis,

Dhaka WASA one of the national

organizations that was able to continue

all its programs, with full compliance of

health advisories and safety

requirements. During this critical

pandemic that still continues, Dhaka

WASA was able to ensure uninterrupted

service with minimum disruptions. This

was discussed and noted at recent

webinar at Asian Development Bank

(ADB) HQ and cited as point of

reference for similar urban utility

institutions in South and Southeast

Asia.

(j) Dhaka WASA has consistently

concentrated on high-quality output,

through extensive repairs, new

installations of water and sewage plants

and extensive maintenance

services.Side by side, operations costs

and system loss was reduced to

minimum.

(k) Dhaka WASA has also been able to

add momentum through focus on

knowledge tools and mechanisms to

explore best practices. In this context,

the CEO and MD reached out to interact

and align Dhaka WASA with regional

and global think-tanks, research and

information dissemination entities as

World Water Forum, as well as

Communities of Practice (COP)s on

water and urban improvements.

Autumn of discontent

2018 elections produced a weak

government that needed to be

propped up.

That has created a new political

reality where a civilian administration

is completely dependent on the

security establishment for its survival.

The military's support may have given

Imran Khan's government some

semblance of stability, but it has also

diminished its capacity to govern and

to deal with key political matters

itself.

That responsibility too seems to

have been taken over by the military.

The military leadership's interaction

with the opposition leaders on key

national issues is a manifestation of

civilian abdication. The military's

prop has reinforced Imran Khan's

disregard for elected institutions.

That has dragged the security

establishment deeper into the

political fray.

Now, the military leadership is

directly involved even in political

firefighting on behalf of Imran Khan's

government. What JUI-F's Maulana

Ghafoor Haideri said in an interview

to a private TV channel the other day

about a JUI-F delegation's meeting

last year with the army chief, at the

latter's invitation, is a case in point.

According to him, the meeting was

called for the purpose of asking the

party to call off its Azadi March. It was

purely a political issue that should

have been dealt with by the political

leadership.

But there are limitations to what the

security establishment can do; it

cannot improve governance and run

the economy. It can't make the prime

minister change the Punjab chief

minister, or stop him from making

frequent and unnecessary changes in

the bureaucracy, which has virtually

paralysed the administration.

So one should not be surprised by

the PML-N leaders' strong reaction

on the arrest of Shahbaz Sharif, the

Who sponsored Imran Khan's siege of Islamabad in

2014 is now an open secret. That move failed because

of the rare show of unity among the other political

forces in parliament. But the game never stopped. The

2018 elections produced a weak government that

needed to be propped up.

leader of the opposition. They have

demanded that the security

establishment pull back from

supporting an "incompetent"

government. The widespread

perception that it is shielding the

government has made the security

establishment the main target of the

attack.

The army chief has been quoted as

saying that the security forces would

serve any elected government. But

that is not what has been happening.

The general impression is that the

military leadership is party to the

relentless persecution of the

opposition leaders in the name of

accountability. The shrinking

democratic space in the country is at

odds with these solemn pledges of

impartiality. The statements of some

federal ministers claiming to be

speaking on the military's behalf raise

more questions about the latter's

increasing political role.

What has brought together the

disparate opposition parties is their

growing frustration with closing

avenues for democratic political

process in the country. The formation

of the Pakistan Democratic

Movement (PDM) with a strong antiestablishment

narrative is indicative

of the changing political atmosphere

in the country.

(l) A key element that Dhaka

WASA was able to demonstrate how

innovations could be incorporated in

every segment of its operations so as to

ensure program sustainability in the

medium-term to long-term. In this

process Dhaka WASA has been able to

strengthen it's mission and vision

perspective to support Bangladesh's

shift to higher middle-income range

within the shortest possible period

followed by steady transition to highincome

status by 2041.

Development Partners views Dhaka

WASA's success story as "remarkable

and exemplary". Both bilateral and

multilateral development partners

agree on the significant improvements

and gains by Dhaka WASA in achieving

targeted objectives.

For instance, the Asian Development

Bank (ADB) specially commended

Dhaka WASA's success as a significant

"turnabout" towards organizational

efficiency and success.ADB highlighted

key areas in which Dhaka WASA

successfully ensured recovery,

restructuring and revitalization that

enabled overall program efficiency and

sustainability.

Keeping this perspective in view, a

couple of Development Partners

requested CEO and MD Dhaka WASA

to send representation to some other

countries in South Asia for sharing

experiences on improved public

utilities. Accordingly interactive

discourse with regional counterparts on

success of Dhaka WASA programs not

only enhanced the image and credibility

of the institution, but also added to the

profile and range of Bangladesh's

continued success in economic and

social development.

Dhaka WASA has come a long way.

The current trend and success storyline

of Dhaka WASA could propel efforts

and stimulate programs towards

success for domestic institutions as well

as beyond our national boundaries. As

Bangladesh moves ahead towards

sustained and higher levels of growth

and overall social and economic

progress, institutions like Dhaka WASA

are expected to cater to needs of change

for the better and transform

accordingly.

The writer is an economist and

governance specialist

It is not just about the opposition

political parties joining hands but also

the growing concern among civil

society over increasing incidents of

human rights violations, forced

disappearances and treason cases

filed against journalists that has made

the situation extremely volatile. The

Pakistan Bar Council and the

Supreme Court Bar Association in a

joint statement last week warned

against fast diminishing freedom of

expression, freedom of the press and

personal liberties. It also condemned

the "use of accountability as a tool of

political engineering".

These are signs of a gathering

storm, but within the government

and the establishment there seems

little realisation of the gravity of the

situation. The government's response

to the formation of the PDM is

threatening the opposition with more

arrests. But that seems to have the

opposite effect. It has led to the

opposition groups closing ranks,

particularly where the PML-N is

concerned. Even the moderates who

were sceptical of Nawaz Sharif's hardline

anti-establishment position have

now come on board.

The PDM has announced it will

launch its protest campaign from next

month. The battleground is Punjab,

which is also the PML-N's stronghold.

The absence of governance and rising

inflation has fuelled discontent in the

province and led to a decline in the

PTI's support base. However, it

remains to be seen whether the

opposition alliance is able to bring out

the masses on the street and put the

government under pressure. The

political temperature in the province

has been rising, and any use of force

by the government may cause the

situation to implode. The government

neither has the capacity nor

competence to deal with mass

protests. It may be an autumn of

discontent for a rudderless

government.

Source: Dawn

ThuRsdAY, OcTObER 1, 2020

5

New super-enzyme devours

plastic bottles faster

DAMiAN cARRiNGToN

A super-enzyme that

degrades plastic bottles six

times faster than before has

been created by scientists

and could be used for

recycling within a year or

two. The super-enzyme,

derived from bacteria that

naturally evolved the ability

to eat plastic, enables the full

recycling of the bottles.

Scientists believe combining

it with enzymes that break

down cotton could also allow

mixed-fabric clothing to be

recycled. Today, millions of

tonnes of such clothing is

either dumped in landfill or

incinerated.

plastic pollution has

contaminated the whole

planet, from the Arctic to the

deepest oceans, and people

are now known to consume

and breathe microplastic

particles. it is currently very

difficult to break down

plastic bottles into their

chemical constituents in

order to make new ones

from old, meaning more

new plastic is being created

from oil each year.

The super-enzyme was

engineered by linking two

separate enzymes, both of

Niko koMMeNDA

World leaders are preparing

to join a key summit on

biodiversity being hosted in

New York amid mounting

evidence that governments

are failing to halt the

unprecedented loss of

species around the world.

earlier this month, a UN

report revealed that the

international community

had failed to fully achieve

any of the 20 biodiversity

targets agreed in 2010. but

scientists at the

environmental research

organisation Resolve have

drawn up a blueprint for a

planetary "safety net" of

protected areas they say

could help halt catastrophic

biodiversity loss.

The scientists started by

mapping existing protected

areas. These make up about

15% of the earth's land

mass. Next, they identified

currently unprotected areas

that are home to particularly

rare species. preserving the

habitats of these species

which were found in the

plastic-eating bug

discovered at a Japanese

waste site in 2016. The

researchers revealed an

engineered version of the

first enzyme in 2018, which

started breaking down the

plastic in a few days. but the

super-enzyme gets to work

six times faster.

"When we linked the

enzymes,

rather

unexpectedly, we got a

dramatic increase in

activity," said prof John

McGeehan, at the University

of portsmouth, Uk. "This is

a trajectory towards trying to

make faster enzymes that

are more industrially

relevant. but it's also one of

those stories about learning

from nature, and then

bringing it into the lab."

French company carbios

revealed a different enzyme

in April, originally

discovered in a compost

heap of leaves, that degrades

90% of plastic bottles within

10 hours, but requires

heating above 70c. The new

super-enzyme works at

room temperature, and

McGeehan said combining

different approaches could

would require protecting

another 2.3% of the planet's

land mass.

in the next step, they

identified another 6% of

land that is home to the

largest number of distinct

clusters of species. The

scientists also mapped the

areas that house the largest

mammals on the planet,

many of which embark on

long-distance migrations.

conserving their habitats

requires protecting an

additional 6.3% of land

mass. The researchers also

propose protecting another

16% of land made up of the

most intact ecosystems -

those that have experienced

little to no human impact.

Finally, the scientists

added areas that they say

should be protected to

prevent further climate

breakdown - if they weren't

already included in other

categories. overall, the

proposed "safety net"

overlaps significantly with

the world's largest natural

carbon stores.

speed progress towards

commercial use: "if we can

make better, faster enzymes

by linking them together and

provide them to companies

like carbios, and work in

partnership, we could start

doing this within the next

year or two."

The 2018 work had

determined that the

structure of one enzyme,

called peTase, can attack the

hard, crystalline surface of

plastic bottles. They found,

by accident, that one mutant

version worked 20% faster.

The new study analysed a

second enzyme also found in

the Japanese bacteria that

doubles the speed of the

breakdown of the chemical

groups liberated by the first

enzyme.

bacteria that break down

natural polymers like

cellulose have evolved this

twin approach over millions

of years. The scientists

thought by connecting the

two enzymes together, it

might increase the speed of

degradation, and enable

them to work more closely

together.

The linked super-enzyme

would be impossible for a

The 'super-enzyme' according to scientists can degrade plastic bottles six time faster than

regular enzymes.

Photograph: Aaron McGeehan

The Amazon rainforest in colombia.

"Global strategies to halt

the dual crises of

biodiversity loss and climate

change are often formulated

separately, even though they

are interdependent," the

authors of the paper write. if

implemented, the "global

safety net" would span

50.4% of the earth's land

mass.

Lead author eric

Dinerstein told the Guardian

that the analysis, published

in Science Advances, pulled

together the most widely

used global datasets of

biodiversity features to

identify areas that require

additional conservation

attention.

"We wanted to cover

everything from those

species with the narrowest

ranges - like the Udzungwa

partridge, only found in a

specific mountain range in

Tanzania - to phenomena

like the caribou migration in

the canadian tundra which

happen over vast areas.

because all of that is

biodiversity."

Photo: AFP

bacterium to create, as the

molecule would be too large.

So the scientists connected

the two enzymes in the

laboratory and saw a further

tripling of the speed. The

new research by scientists at

the University of

portsmouth and four US

institutions is published in

the journal proceedings of

the National Academy of

Sciences.

The team is now

examining how the enzymes

can be tweaked to make

them work even faster still.

"There's huge potential,"

said McGeehan. "We've got

several hundred in the lab

that we're currently sticking

together." A £1m testing

centre is now being built in

portsmouth and carbios is

currently building a plant in

Lyon.

combining the plasticeating

enzymes with existing

ones that break down

natural fibres could allow

mixed materials to be fully

recycled, McGeehan said.

"Mixed fabrics [of polyester

and cotton] are really tricky

to recycle. We've been

speaking to some of the big

fashion companies that

produce these textiles,

because they're really

struggling at the moment."

campaigners say reducing

the use of plastic is key.

Those working on recycling

say that strong, lightweight

materials like plastic are very

useful and that true

recycling is part of the

solution to the pollution

problem.

Researchers have also

been successful in finding

bugs that eat other plastics

such as polyurethane, which

is widely used but rarely

recycled.

When

polyurethane breaks down it

can release toxic chemicals

that would kill most

bacteria, but the bug

identified actually uses the

material as food to power

the process.

Establishing planetary safety net

could slow climate breakdown

earlier this year the UN

presented a draft plan to

protect 30% of lands and

oceans by 2030, which will

provide the backbone to an

agreement on nature to be

finalised in kunming, china,

in 2021. The move was

welcomed by environmental

campaigners and wildlife

experts, although some said

that the 30% number

reflected what was politically

feasible rather than what the

science recommended.

"it is a floor, not a ceiling,"

said brian o'Donnell,

director of the campaign for

Nature. "This is an interim

goal, and we strongly

support the science put

forward by the authors of the

Global Safety Net and other

scientists who are showing

we ultimately need even

more ambitious targets."

"All the science to date

shows that we need far more

land and sea under

conservation than 30%,"

said Dr James Watson,

professor of conservation

science at the University of

Queensland. "So i think [the

30% target] must be seen as

a bare minimum and

couldn't be justified as

evidence-based."

Watson said the proposal

for a safety net spanning

50% of all lands was far

bolder, but added: "There

must be more of a complete

focus on retaining the last

intact ecosystems on the

planet if this plan is to

succeed."

Global conservation issues

have taken on renewed

urgency since the covid-19

outbreak, with a number of

reports suggesting that

increased human contact

with wildlife is linked to a

heightened risk of disease

"spillover".

sea swarm uses a photovoltaic powered conveyor belt made of a thin nanowire mesh to propel itself

and collect oil.

Photo: seaswarm

Scientists innovating

on oil spill clean-ups

Rhi SToReR

Special sponges, magnetic soap and

autonomous robots are among the latest

wave of inventions aimed at tackling oil

spills. incidents such as the tanker

stranding in Mauritius in August can

devastate the environment and threaten

communities who rely on the sea or

tourism for their livelihoods. They often

take months or years to clean up.

prof vinayak Dravid and vikas

Nandwana, a phD student, believe the

humble sponge could be the key to

fighting oil spillages in the oceans. "As

long as fossil fuels are still in circulation,

there will always be oil spills," said

Dravid. "We wanted to create a

technology which can make cleaning oil

spillages much easier and, more

importantly, much cleaner and safer for

the environment."

Dravid and Nandwana, both at

Northwestern University, illinois, have

developed a sponge capable of selectively

soaking up oil spills found in ocean

water. The sponge has a coating of

magnetic nanostructures and a carbonbased

surface that attracts oil and resists

water. it binds to the oil molecules,

capturing and storing the oil until it is

squeezed out, and can absorb more than

30 times its weight in oil.

To mimic natural waves, the team put

the sponge on a shaker submerged in

LiviA ALbeck-RipkA

Australia is the world's

second-largest exporter of

coal, which plays an outsize

role in its economy and

politics. but the country has

also quietly become a

renewable energy

powerhouse. About one in

four Australian homes have

rooftop solar panels, a larger

share than in any other

major economy, and the

rate of installations far

outpaces the global average.

The country is well ahead of

Germany, Japan and

california, which are widely

considered leaders in clean

energy. in california, which

leads U.S. states in the use of

solar power, less than 10

percent of utility customers

have rooftop solar panels.

Most Australians who

have embraced solar do not

appear to have done so for

altruistic reasons like

wanting to fight climate

change. Many are

responding to incentives

offered by state

governments in the absence

of a coordinated federal

approach, a sharp drop in

the price of solar panels in

recent years and an increase

in electricity rates.

politically conservative

homeowners have also

embraced solar to become

less reliant on the electricity

grid in keeping with the high

value many Australians

place on rugged

individualism. in two of the

country's most populous

states - Queensland, a

conservative stronghold,

and New South Wales,

home to left-leaning Sydney

- as many as half of homes

water. even after vigorous shaking, the

sponge released less than 1% of the oil it

had absorbed back into the water. "We

are confident this sponge could help save

the fauna and flora on Mauritius's

shores," said Dravid. "its biggest

advantage is how the sponge can be

made into balls to be left in an oil-laden

sand or soil pit. The oil will get absorbed

in days, and the sponge can be reused."

Last month three sailors died and one

went missing after their tugboat

capsized while clearing the Mauritius oil

spill. in June, Russia declared a state of

emergency after 20,000 tonnes of diesel

fuel spilled from a power plant in Norilsk

into the Ambarnaya River, a main

connector to the Arctic ocean.

A decade on from the catastrophic

Deepwater horizon spill in the US, oil

production has now outstripped preaccident

levels, raising safety concerns

within the Trump administration.

Nandwana likened the sponge to a Swiss

army knife of the future. "This is a

nanoscale solution to a gigaton

problem," he said. "The oil recovered

from our sponges can be sold back to

who is responsible for the spillage. We

hope after an oil recovery the sponge can

be recycled and burned into soot for use

as an electrode for lithium-ion

batteries."

Magnetic soap is another unusual

option for cleaning up oil spills.

have solar panels.

"The future for New South

Wales and indeed the

country is one where our

energy comes from sun,

wind and pumped hydro,

not just because it's good for

the environment but

because it's good for the

economy" said Matt kean,

minister for energy and

environment in New South

Wales.

"That's one of the reasons

we've got the highest

penetration of rooftop solar

anywhere on the planet," he

added. "people are doing

that because they want to

save money." Australia has

limited federal targets to

curb carbon emissions, and

its prime minister, Scott

Morrison, has championed

the coal industry, which last

year exported more coal

than every other country

except indonesia, according

to the international energy

Agency. Last year, the

government approved a

major project to send coal to

india.

but many state

governments have taken a

very different approach.

After the federal

government failed to adopt

a renewable energy policy in

the early 2000s, Australian

states began adopting

aggressive climate policies

and giving homeowners

incentives to buy solar

panels and, more recently,

batteries to store power.

Those incentives kickstarted

the solar boom, and

rooftop solar regularly

provides about 5 percent of

Australia's electricity,

compared with just under 1

percent in the United States.

"coal is still a key generator

there, but there are times

when rooftop solar is

contributing over 6 percent

of generation," said Rishab

krishna Shrestha, a

research analyst at Wood

Scientists from bristol University have

created a soap composed of dissolvable

iron rich salts, which responds to

magnetic fields when placed in solution.

it is hoped the soap could one day

revolutionise industrial cleaning

operations and environmental clean-up

procedures.

prof Julian eastoe, part of the team

who developed the magnetic soap, hopes

one day the soap may move into

commercial usage. "The potential

applications of magnetic surfactants are

huge," he said. "Their responsiveness to

external stimuli allows a range of

properties, such as their electrical

conductivity, melting point, the size and

shape, and how readily it dissolves in

water, to be altered by a simple magnetic

on and off switch."

Self-driving navigating robots may be

another solution. carlo Ratti, the

director of the MiT Senseable city Lab,

pioneered the Sea Swarm robot in

response to the Deepwater horizon oil

spill. "This technology was conceived to

be deployed anywhere it was needed - in

oceans, rivers, or seas. it's mostly useful

in deltas and zigzagging coastlines where

most of the other technologies fail," Ratti

said. "We all need to be accountable for

the environment. Some accidents are

still bound to occur, so we still need to

develop mitigation or cleaning

strategies."

Australia: a leader in green

power production

An entire town in Australia had rooftop solar installations. Photo: Peter Row

Mackenzie power and

Renewables.

The uptake has been

especially high in

Queensland, which makes

up a big chunk of the

country's northeast and

includes cairns and

brisbane. The state has hot,

humid weather similar to

Florida's and also calls itself

the Sunshine State.

peter Row of bundaberg, a

city just over 200 miles

north of brisbane that had

the most rooftop solar

installations last year in

Australia, bought a typical

6.57-kilowatt system for his

home after he grew tired of

his rising electricity bill.

before he installed the

$3,000 system, Mr. Row's

monthly bill usually came to

about $190. Since then, the

electric company has been

crediting him an average of

about $30 a month because

he is generating more

electricity than he is using.

THURSDAY, OCTOBeR 1, 2020 6

BCG detains 1 along with arms, ammo and yaba

Pabna Civil Surgeon Dr. Md. Mehedi Iqbal addressed an orientation workshop for the journalists on

the occasion of National Vitamin A-Plus Campaign 2020 in Pabna on Wednesday.

Photo: Abdul Hamid Khan

Orientation workshop for journalists held in Pabna

ABDul HAMiD KHAn, PABnA CORResPOnDenT:

An orientation workshop has been

organized for the journalists on the

occasion of national Vitamin A-Plus

Campaign 2020 organized by

Pabna Civil surgeon's Office and at

the implementation of national

nutrition service, institute of Public

Health nutrition.

Pabna Civil surgeon Dr. Md.

Mehedi iqbal presided over the

workshop held at the conference

room of the Civil surgeon's Office

on Wednesday. Pabna senior

information Officer Md. Farhad

Hossain was present as the resource

person. Among others, Deputy Civil

surgeon Dr. KM Abu Jafar, BTV

Pabna correspondent Abdul Matin

Khan, The Bangladesh Today's

Pabna district correspondent Abdul

Hamid Khan, Maasranga

Television's

northern

correspondent utpal Mirza and 71

TV's Russell Ahmed were also

present at the occasion. The

workshop was conducted by Pabna

District ePi superintendent Rabiul

Alam.

Pabna Civil surgeon Dr. Md.

Mehedi iqbal informed that a total

of 3 lakh 87 thousand 267 children

will be fed Vitamin A-Plus Capsules

in 1925 centers in Pabna. A total of

4,803 field workers will be engaged

in feeding the capsules from 8 am to

4 pm for a fortnight, i.e. from

October 4 to October 16. Civil

surgeon Dr. Mehdi iqbal told

reporters that there is a tendency to

complete this huge task in Pabna in

compliance with the health-rule.

BCG station Patharghata

conducted a special

operation in Kamarkhal

Kashipur area under

Patharghata police station

of Barguna district and

arrested Md. Mamun (20)

along with 50 pieces of yaba

on Tuesday, a press release

said.

After interrogation, his

house was searched and an

illegal air gun and 50

rounds of fresh ammunition

were recovered. The

arrested yaba trader is the

son of Mohammad Mojibur

Rahman of Kamarkhal

Kashipur village under

Patharghata police station

in Barguna district. The

seized weapons, fresh

ammunition, yaba and the

detainee were later handed

over to Patharghata police

station for legal action.

The Bangladesh Coast

Guard has adopted and will

continue to conduct regular

operations in the areas

covered by the Coast Guard

to ensure law and order,

public safety as well as

prevention of kidnapping,

robbery and drug control.

Members of BCG station Patharghata in a drive arrested a drug peddler

along with 50 pieces of yaba tablets, an illegal air gun and 50 rounds of

fresh ammunition from Kamarkhal Kashipur area under Patharghata

police station of Barguna district on Tuesday.

Photo: Courtesy

Magura Civil Surgeon Prodip Kumar Shaha addressed a press conference in observance of Vitamin A plus

campaign in Magura on Wednesday.

Photo: Rokibul Hoque Dipu

Vitamin A works like a magic to remove

blindness: Magura civil surgeon

Bochaganj Upazila Parishad Chairman Advocate Md. Zulfiqar Hossain as the chief guest addressed a discussion

meeting on National Girl Child Day 2020 in the upazila on Wednesday. Photo: Suman Chandra

Worthy daughters are not a burden of

the society: Adv. Zulfiqar Hossain

suMAn CHAnDRA, BOCHAGAnJ CORResPOnDenT:

Bochaganj upazila Parishad

Chairman Advocate Md. Zulfiqar

Hossain said that men and women

work equally in the development of

globalization. Men as well as women

have taken equal part in all the

movements for the welfare of the

country before and after the

independence of the country.

The upazila Chairman further said

that the role of women in the

development of the country is not less.

We need to change our attitude

towards women. Women need to look

at their mothers, sisters and

daughters. A girl child should be

established as a worthy girl child with

the same caress as the son child. We

need to remember that deserving

daughters are not a burden to society

but a blessing.

He said this while speaking as the

chief guest at a discussion meeting on

national Girl Child Day 2020

organized by the office of the upazila

Administration and Women's Affairs

Officer at the upazila Hall on

Wednesday.

The meeting was chaired by upazila

nirbahi Officer Chanda Pal while

among others, upazila Vice Chairman

Md. nur Alam, Women Vice

Chairman Putul Rani Roy, upazila

social service Officer Md. Piarul

islam, upazila Women Affairs

Officer's Office Trainer Md. Tazreen

shashi, Bochaganj upazila Press Club

President Mir Md. Mosharraf Hossain

and General secretary Md. shamsul

Alam were also present at the

occasion.

1.71 lakh primary school students get

nutritious biscuits in nilphamari

nilPHAMARi: Over 1.71 lakh students

of 1,014 primary level educational

institutions of five upazilas in the district

received 513.52 tonnes of nutritious

biscuits in the third phase during the

coronavirus (COViD-19) pandemic,

reports Bss.

Officials said the door-to-door

distribution of the biscuits with 40

packets among each of the students for

August and september began from

september 14 and ended today in the

third phase.

earlier, 513.52 tonnes of nutritious

biscuits with 40 packets among each of

the students were distributed in July in

the second phase after distributing 641.91

tonnes of biscuits among them with 50

packets each in the first phase in May last

in the district. Directorate of Primary

education under school Feeding

Programme (sFP) of Ministry of Primary

and Mass education distributed the

biscuits in poverty-prone areas with

assistance of the district, police and

upazila administrations through RDRs

Bangladesh. upazila nirbahi Officers,

upazila education Officers,

Headmasters, Assistant Teachers and

Members of school Managing

Committees and school Feeding Officers

of RDRs Bangladesh reached the biscuits

to the students at their doorsteps.

The biscuits were distributed among

the students of 996 government primary

schools, shishu Kallyan Trust-run five

schools and 13 ebtedayee madrasah in

sadar, Kishoreganj, Jaldhaka, Domar

and Dimla upazilas of the district.

The biscuits were distributed among

the beneficiary students from door-todoor

strictly maintaining physical

distancing to prevent community

transmission of COViD-19 infection.

Talking to Bss today, Project

Coordinator Anondo Kumar Poul of the

sFP of RDRs Bangladesh said the

biscuits were distributed door-to-door to

meet nourishments of the students for

smooth studies amid COViD-19 outbreak

since March 17 last.

ROKiBul HOque DiPu, MAGuRA CORResPOnDenT:

Vitamin A works like a magic to

remove blindness, told Magura Civil

surgeon Prodip Kumar shaha in a

press conference on Wednesday.

Magura Health Department arranged

the press conference in observance of

Vitamin A plus campaign.

national Girl Child observed in nandail

ARABinDA PAul, nAnDAil

CORResPOnDenT:

national Girl Child Day

2020 has been celebrated in

nandail amid much

enthusiasm. Acting upazila

nirbahi Officer and Assistant

Commissioner (land)

shovon Rangsa presided over

a discussion meeting

organized by the Office of the

upazila Administration and

Women's Affairs Officer on

Wednesday.

upazila Parishad Chairman

Hasan Mahmud Jewel

addressed the occasion as the

chief guest while among

others, Vice Chairman

Monowara Jewel, upazila

Women's Affairs Officer

Workshop on advocacy for children, women in Gaibandha

GAiBAnDHA: speakers at a function

have called upon the educated and

affluent section of the society to come

forward in raising public awareness

about women and children's

development, reports Bss.

They said this at a daylong

orientation workshop on 'Awareness

Communication Activity in Mother and

Child Development' was held in the

conference room of sadullapur upazila

administration in the district on

Tuesday.

District information Office (DiO)

under the Mass Communication

Civil surgeon added when vitamin A

plus campaign is being observed in the

country, the whole world is facing

corornavirus pandemic. For this

vitamin A plus campaign carries a

special significance this time as vitamin

A develops immunity in human body.

so success of vitamin A plus campaign

in Nandail on Wednesday.

Rashida Rahman, upazila were among others also

Youth Development Officer present at the occasion.

Md. Fayez uddin, samurta The speakers at the

Jahan Mahila College teacher occasion felt that it is very

and journalist Arabinda Paul important to change the

Department of information Ministry

arranged the workshop.

upazila chairman Md. shahriar Khan

Biplob addressed the workshop as the

chief guest with upazila agriculture

officer Md. Khazanur Rahman in the

chair.

The function was addressed, among

others, by medical officer of upazila

health complex Dr Russel Absar,

upazila women affairs officer shahnaz

Akter, president of sadullapur Press

Club sahjahan sohel and its vice

president Anowarul islam.

earlier, a welcome speech was

will come as a boon in controlling

coronavirus in the country.

expressing optimism Prodip Kumar

shaha told, now blindness caused by

vitamin A deficiency is almost nil in the

country. now we are waiting for

blindness (caused by vitamin A

deficiency) free Bangladesh.

A discussion meeting marking the National Girl Child Day 2020 was held

Photo: Arabinda Paul

social attitude towards

girls, not only to practice

from the family in

eliminating discrimination

against girls.

delivered by the DiO Haider Ali.

The speakers in their speeches said

the government led by Prime Minister

sheikh Hasina has been working

relentlessly since 2009 for overall

developments of the mothers and the

children including taking initiatives to

reduce child and mother mortality rate

significantly.

More than 50 upazila level officials,

public representatives, social workers,

nGO activists, religious leaders and

teachers including journalists of print

and electronic media took part in the

workshop.

ThURSDAY, OCTObeR 1, 2020

7

Tunisians fleeing economy, not

COVID, cause tension in Italy

Japan's Defense Ministry is seeking a record-high budget of nearly 5.5 trillion yen ($55 billion) for fiscal

2021 to fund more purchases of costly American stealth fighters and expand its capability to counter possible

threats in both cyber and outer space.

Photo : AP

Japan military seeks record

budget amid regional threats

TOKYO : Japan's Defense Ministry is

seeking a record-high budget of nearly

5.5 trillion yen ($55 billion) for fiscal

2021 to fund more purchases of costly

American stealth fighters and expand

its capability to counter possible threats

in both cyber and outer space.

The budget request made public

Wednesday is the first under new

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and

would be an 8% increase from the

current year, signaling a continuation

of his hawkish predecessor Shinzo

Abe's security policy. Japan's defense

spending has risen for eight

consecutive years since 2013, a year

after Abe took office.

The rise in spending came as Abe

pushed for Japan's Self-Defense Force

to expand its international role and

capability amid threats from North

Korea and China, both traditional and

nontraditional. Japan also faced

demands from President Donald

Trump that U.S. allies increase defense

spending, which Japan did in part with

costly American weapons purchases

that also bolster weapons compatibility

with American forces.

Purchases for missile deterrence are

among the most costly items in the

proposed 2021 budget and include

Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35B stealth

fighters capable of short takeoff and

vertical landing for 26 billion yen ($246

million). Japan has plans to acquire 42

F-35Bs in coming years.

To accommodate the F-35Bs, the

Defense Ministry is seeking 3.2 billion

yen ($30 million) to reconfigure one of

its two helicopter carriers, Kaga, with a

heat-resistant flight deck. The other

flat-top Izumo has also been

configured.

The ministry is also seeking 58.7

billion yen ($556 million) for the

research into developing next

generation fighter jets to replace F-2s

retiring in the 2030s. Japan plans to

develop its own engine, but is also

considering co-developing some other

parts with the U.S. and Britain.

Japan's costly purchase of American

weapons has helped reduce its trade

surplus with the U.S., but has raised

concerns at home that it will set back its

fledgling local defense industry.

The 2021 budget request includes

funding for less traditional defense

such as the research and operation of

space and cyber units, as well as for new

electromagnetic warfare units.

The electromagnetic unit would be

headquartered at the Ground Self-

Defense Force's Asaka base, north of

Tokyo, and an unspecified number of

staff would be deployed at several army

bases across the country by March

2022, mostly in southern Japanese

islands including Okinawa - areas of

increased Chinese maritime and air

activity.

North Korea on virus threat:

'Under safe and stable control'

North Korea on Tuesday called on the

world's governments to "display

effective leadership" in the fight against

COVID-19 and said its own measures

against the pandemic, which it called

"preemptive, timely and strong,"

ensured it had the threat "under safe and

stable control."

Kim Song, the country's U.N.

ambassador, said a tightly administered

anti-pandemic effort in his nation had

been working. North Korea strictly

regulates foreign visitors - even more so

during the pandemic that's killed more

than 1 million people worldwide - and

filters all information through its state

propaganda apparatus, with details about

its approach to the coronavirus relatively

scant.

"(The) anti-epidemic situation in our

country is now under safe and stable

control," the ambassador said in a rare

live address at the U.N. General

Assembly, reports UNB. "A series of

state measures are now being taken to

block the virus inflow into the country,

and all people adhere strictly to antiepidemic

regulations while maintaining

the highest alert," he said.

Further, Kim said the government

"will not tolerate even a smallest bit of

slackness or concession, but further

strengthen the state emergency antiepidemic

measures until the danger of

the pandemic inflow is completely

eliminated."

Until Tuesday, all speeches at the U.N.

General Assembly over the past week

were virtual, delivered by world leaders

in prerecorded videos from their home

nations. The meeting concluded with a

smattering of speeches by officials based

at the United Nations - including Kim.

North Korean state media later

reported the nation's leader Kim Jong

Un had presided over a meeting of the

ruling Workers' Party's Politburo on

Tuesday. The Korean Central News

Agency said officials during the meeting

warned against complacency and

addressed unspecified problems in the

country's anti-virus campaign while

discussing ways to maintain a "streelstrong

anti-epidemic system."

North Korea has steadfastly said there

hasn't been a single virus case on its

territory, a claim widely disputed by

foreign experts.

Kim Song did not mention U.S.

President Donald Trump or the United

States directly in his speech. But he

spoke of "the maneuvers of hostile

forces" - a frequent euphemism for the

United States and South Korea - and

condemned the U.S. trade embargo

against Cuba as "economic genocide."

North Korea on Tuesday called on the world's governments to "display effective leadership" in the fight

against COVID-19 and said its own measures against the pandemic, which it called "preemptive, timely

and strong," ensured it had the threat "under safe and stable control."

Photo : AP

RAS JEBEL : Once it was just the

jobless young men who set off from

Tunisia's rocky northern beaches for

Sicily, usually defying their parents in

hopes of a better future, reports UNB.

Now Tunisian families, even those with

work or seemingly good prospects, are

following that path across 130 kilometers

(80 miles) of open water - nearly 10,000

since the beginning of the year and far

more than have left in recent memory.

The stretch of Mediterranean can be

dangerous, the chance of getting asylum

in Europe is near zero, and a long

quarantine in a ferry anchored offshore

will be followed by expulsion if they're

caught.

But many who leave from the Bizerte

coastline think the potential reward far

outweighs the risk. Those with relatives

in Europe are the ones with the new cars

and kitchen upgrades.

"My son is a month and a half old, and

if I get a chance to emigrate immediately,

I will go to make a better life," said Tarek

Aloui, a 27-year-old who has tried 10

times to reach Italy since 2014. He has

succeeded only once, last March at the

height of the coronavirus lockdown, and

was expelled almost immediately back

home, where he was jailed for six

months. He is undeterred.

"All Tunisian men, women and even

children want to leave this way," he

added.

Their arrivals have strained the ability

of Italy's southern regions to take them in

amid the coronavirus pandemic, given

Italy's quarantine requirements for

anyone arriving from outside the EU.

When a huge fishing boat of 450

Tunisians pulled into port in the Sicilian

island of Lampedusa on Aug. 30, some

residents took to the docks to protest,

shouting at them to go back. Italy's

former interior minister, the antimigrant

League leader Matteo Salvini,

criticized the government for letting

them in and noted wryly that most will

never be granted asylum because they

are fleeing the non-existent "famous

Tunisian war."

To keep new migrants safely isolated,

the Italian government has

commissioned five ferries for newcomers

to complete 14 days of quarantine, with

2,238 currently on board the ships. But

there are also centers on land for others,

and the interior ministry has lamented

that Tunisians, more than others, tend to

try to flee welcome centers and evade

quarantine requirements. Their escapes

have sparked protests by local residents

fearful of new infections after Italy's

brutal coronavirus outbreak, especially

since arriving migrants have been linked

to several dozen recent clusters.

Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese

has traveled to Tunis twice since July to

negotiate with the new government on

the need to stem the flow, including with

offers of assistance from Italy to better

patrol the coasts. She blamed the

increase in Tunisian arrivals on the

country's socio-economic problems that

have been exacerbated by COVID-19,

and has offered Italian assistance to

address them.

Once it was just the jobless young men who set off from Tunisia's rocky northern beaches for Sicily, usually

defying their parents in hopes of a better future.

Photo : AP

Azerbaijan and

Armenia brush

off suggestion

of peace talks

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP)

- Leaders of Azerbaijan and

Armenia brushed off the

suggestion of peace talks

Tuesday, accusing each

other of obstructing

negotiations over the

separatist territory of

Nagorno-Karabakh, with

dozens killed and injured in

three days of heavy fighting.

In the latest incident,

Armenia said one of its

warplanes was shot down by

a fighter jet from

Azerbaijan's ally Turkey,

killing the pilot, in what

would be a major escalation

of the violence. Both Turkey

and Azerbaijan denied it.

The international

community is calling for

talks to end the decades-old

conflict between the two

former Soviet republics in

the Caucasus Mountains

region following a flareup of

violence this week. It centers

on Nagorno-Karabakh, a

region that lies within

Azerbaijan but has been

under the control of ethnic

Armenian forces backed by

the Armenian government

since 1994 at the end of a

separatist war.

The U.N. Security Council

called on Armenia and

Azerbaijan Tuesday evening

to immediately halt the

fighting and urgently

resume talks without

preconditions. The U.N.'s

most powerful body strongly

condemned the use of force

and backed Secretary-

General Antonio Guterres'

earlier call to stop the

fighting, deescalate tensions,

and resume talks "without

delay."

Azerbaijani President

Ilkham Aliyev told Russian

state TV channel Rossia 1

that Baku is committed to

negotiating a resolution but

that Armenia is obstructing

the process.

Trump intel chief unveils

unverified Russian info

about Dems

WASHINGTON : The

Trump administration's top

intelligence official said

Tuesday that he has

declassified Russian

intelligence alleging damaging

information about Democrats

during the 2016 election even

though he acknowledged it

might not be true.

The announcement, just

hours before the first

presidential debate of this

November's election, drew

harsh criticism from

lawmakers who accused

National Intelligence Director

John Ratcliffe of politicizing

intelligence, reports UNB.

In a letter Tuesday to Senate

Judiciary Committee

Chairman Lindsey Graham,

R-S.C., Ratcliffe said that in

late July 2016, U.S.

intelligence agencies obtained

"insight" into Russian spycraft

alleging that Hillary Clinton,

who was running for

president, had "approved a

campaign plan to stir up a

scandal against" Trump.

But Ratcliffe added that

American intelligence

agencies do "not know the

accuracy of this allegation or

the extent to which the

Russian intelligence analysis

may reflect exaggeration or

fabrication."

The announcement was a

startling break from

convention given that the

nation's intelligence chiefs are

generally loath to publicly

discuss sensitive government

intelligence, particularly when

that information is

unconfirmed - as Ratcliffe

himself admits is the case

here. But Trump himself has

been eager to install loyalists

in the role of intelligence

director, and Ratcliffe and his

predecessor, Richard Grenell,

have authorized a series of

disclosures in recent months

aimed at undermining the

Russia investigation and

providing a political

advantage to Trump.

Graham signaled Tuesday

that he intended to ask former

FBI Director James Comey

about the issue when Comey

testifies before the committee,

which has been doing its own

inquiry into the origins of the

Russia probe.

Sen. Mark Warner, the top

Democrat on the Senate

intelligence committee, called

Ratcliffe's decision

"disturbing," especially this

close to a presidential election.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a

member of the intelligence

committee, accused Ratcliffe

of abusing his position as the

nation's top spy.

"His politicization of

intelligence, including

through selective releases to

political allies, damages the

country and undermines the

intelligence community he

purports to lead," Wyden said

in a statement. "Ratcliffe is

even willing to rely on

unverified Russian

information to try to concoct a

political scandal - a shocking

abdication of his

responsibilities to the

country."

Wyden said the information

being released amounted to

"rumint" or intelligence based

on rumors. Ratcliffe

responded with a second

statement claiming the

intelligence was not Russian

disinformation. He said he'd

be briefing Congress in

coming days about the

"sensitive sources and

methods by which it was

obtained."

Trump chose Barrett days after

Ginsburg's death, papers show

WASHINGTON : President Donald Trump offered to

name Judge Amy Coney Barrett his Supreme Court nominee

more than a week ago at the White House - and she accepted,

according to formal paperwork submitted to the Senate

ahead of her confirmation hearings, reports UNB.

Barrett tells the Senate Judiciary Committee that the White

House initially contacted her Sept. 19, the day after Justice

Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, creating the court vacancy.

Trump made the offer when she visited the White House on

Monday, Sept. 21, "and I accepted," she wrote.

That's days before Trump's formal announcement

Saturday, and as he kept Americans guessing up until the last

moment, suggesting he was still considering other nominees.

The judge's nearly 70-page questionnaire was submitted by

the White House to the Senate Tuesday as Barrett launched

day one of private meetings at the Capitol, drawing praise

from GOP senators but opposition from Democrats objecting

to her conservative views and fast-track confirmation before

the Nov. 3 election.

THURSDAY, oCToBER 1, 2020

8

Dipanwita's

new musical

film ‘Aral’

TBT REPoRT

Apurba-Mehazabien paired in new drama

TBT REPoRT

Ziaul Faruq Apurba and

Mehazabien Chowdhury, one of

the most popular pairs on the

small screen, will be seen again

in a new drama titled 'Madhur

Sing'. In the drama, Apurba will

play the role of Guru while

Mehazabien will be seen his

Sishyan (disciple).

Written and directed by

Mohidul Mohim, the shooting of

the play has been completed at a

location in the capital recently.

Apurba said, "This is a comedy

genre play. Through the drama

Mohidul Mohim has depicted

two music lovers' enthusiasm for

music. He has made the drama

with utmost care. I and

Mehazabien have tried to

portray our characters

wonderfully in 'Madhur sing'.

Let's see how much the project

will get response."

Mehazabien said, "Mohidul

Mohim is a talented director and

writer. He always writes amazing

dialogue. This time he did the

same. Besides, the story of the

drama is very nice. The audience

will see us in a different character

in 'Madhur Sing'. I hope they will

enjoy the drama."

The drama will be aired on a

BLCPS offers all-out solution

to copyright issues : Shawkat

The BLCPS (Bangladesh Lyricists,

Composers and performers

Society) venture ushers a new

beginning creating new energy,

hope and aspiration among the

creative souls, including the

lyricists, composers and the

singers who have dedicated all

their sweats in upholding the glory

of our music industry,says a press

release.

The recognition of Copyrights

has always been a burning yet

unsolved issue in country since

long, thus making ways to

frequent chaos, misfortunes as

well as series of mishaps. However

with the birth of BLCPS I am quite

optimist, the bad days are finally

gone greeting a new era for all

kinds of musicians in Bangladesh.

Celebrated lyricist and

composer Shawkat Islam said this

while commenting on his recent

engagement with the new-born

BLCPS and on their efforts in

solving copyright complicacies to

affirm a precise and justified

recognition and revenue for the

actual artists.

A noted name in the music

industry who has published a total

of 46 music albums since 2000,

Shawkat is always passionate for

innovation and creativity. After

parting with his 10-year long

service career in the Bangladesh

Army as an officer, he decided to

invest his talent in the music

industry and immediately

enthralled the audience with his

debut album 'Eka Udashi Mone'

released on December in 2000.

Since then he has recorded

private satellite channel soon. It

will also be released on YouTube

channel of CD Choice, said

Mohidul Mohim.

On the work front, Apurba and

Mehazabien will start shooting

for another drama directed by

Rubel Hasan in October.

The popular small screen pair

includes 'Charur Biye',

'Apurupa', 'Dream Girl', 'Too

Much Love', 'Ashtha',

'Sharthopor', 'Rudro Asbey

Boley' and 'Chayachobi'. Apurba

and Mehazabien's much

acclaimed drama is Mizanur

Rahman Aryan directed 'Boro

Chele'.

600+ songs for top rank singers in

country that includes some super

hit tracks, like, 'Ek Akasher Tara'

by Ayub Bachchu, 'Pagla Hawa' by

James and 'Bashiwala' by Tishma.

He recorded 03 duet albums of

Bangladeshi legendary band artist

James and Ayub Bachchu titled

"Achhol", "Noy Chhoy" and "Dil".

He has also created other popular

songs, like, 'Tomar chokhe dekhle

bondhu' by Ayub Bachchu, 'Shala

la la' by Kaniz Suborna, 'Akashe

tor bari gelo' by Asif, 'Jeona Chole

bondhu' by Ayub Bachchu,

'Tomake bou banabo' by Runa

Laila and Asif and many more. He

worked as a music director for the

movie 'Tomake Bou Banabo'

starring Shakib Khan and

Shabnur.

He has composed 39 songs for

James and 48 songs for Ayub

Bachchu. Besides composed songs

for Shafin Ahmed, Maqsood,

Runa Laila, Andrew Kishore, Asif,

Bappa Mozumder, Partho Barua,

Hasan, Biplob, Pathik Nabi, Doly

Syontony, Ankhi Alamgir, Kaniz

Subrna, Samina Chowdhury,

Fahmida Nobi, S I Tutul, Tishma,

Tipu, Nasim Ali Khan, Nancy and

many other singers of Bangladesh.

Most recently, he directed a

movie titled 'Nodir Bukey Chaad'

featuring the sensational

Porimoni and Symon Sadik,

which is ready to be released as

soon as the Covid-19 situation is

under control. He has written and

composed six songs for the movie

as well. Two songs from the movie

'Nodir Bukey Chaad' titled

'Facebook Prem' sung by Akassh

Sen from India and 'Tomar

Kachhe Ashle' sung by Nancy and

Shawkat himself, which has just

been published on Jaadu Music

You tube channel.

Musical film 'Aral' has been made with a new song sung by

Shihuv Ripon. Actress Dipanwita Roy is the model in the song.

Shimul has worked as her co-artist. Scenes of the musical film

'Aral' has been filmed at various locations in Cox's Bazar. The

composer and lyricist of the song and music composer was

Shihuv Ripon himself.

Regarding the song, Shihuv said, "There is a special joy in

singing with own words and tunes. I have composed the music

of the song with great care. I hope the audience will like the song

very much."

Producer Asaduzzaman Azad has created the story and scenario

of the musical film. He said, "I have tried to go beyond the

conventional genre and make the musical film in a slightly different

genre. I have tried to make the story based on the song. And that's

why beside song, dialogues and events have been added as well. As

a result, the song has become a complete film. The name of the song

is 'Aral'. And behind the scenes, I have visualized the work with the

story of love and mystery. "Commenting on the musical film,

Dipanwita Roy said, "This is my first work with Asaduzzaman Azad.

Actor Zac Efron is joining the

reboot of horror master

Stephen King's novel

Firestarter in development at

Universal and Blumhouse.

The 1980 book follows a

BTV to air

Sisimpur

every day

TBT REPoRT

Children's favorite television show

'Sisimpur' is coming to Bangladesh

Television seven days a week from

today,October 1. This popular children's

program will be broadcast on Friday and

Saturday at 10:10 am and every day from

Sunday to Thursday at 5:10 pm. There will

be new episodes every day. Previously only

one episode was shown four days a week.

'Sisimpur' has been broadcasting on BTV

since its inception 15 years ago.

All the children of the country get the

opportunity to watch Sisimpur through

young girl with pyrokinetic

abilities who is abducted by a

secret government agency that

wants to harness her powerful

gift as a weapon.

A young Drew Barrymore

He did it very sincerely. We also cooperated with him sincerely. My

co-star Shimul was also very sincere about the work. We are very

optimistic about the musical film. And the story that accompanies it

is built on love, thrill and mystery. Hopefully, the musical film will

delight the audience. "

The musical film has been released on YouTube

channel under the production company Dream Star

Entertainment (DSE).

starred in the title character in

the 1984 film adaptation,

which was directed by Mark L

Lester. According to The

Hollywood Reporter, Keith

Thomas is set to direct the new

take and Scott Teems will

adapt the novel this time.

Thomas is not new to the

horror genre as he previously

BTV. In this regard, Sisimpur Executive

Director Mohammad Shah Alam said,

"Sisimpur is a unique initiative for the

education and development of preprimary

children - each part of which is

researched and built keeping in mind the

psychological aspects of children.

This initiative has been taken so that all the

Zac Efron to star

in Stephen King's

new Firestarter

adaptation

teamed on the Paranormal

Activity franchise. The feature

will be produced by Jason

Blum and Akiva Goldsman.

Martha De Laurentiis, who

was an associate producer on

the 1984 feature, is on board

as executive producer.

Source: indianexpress.com

children of the country including the

children from remote areas get the

opportunity to visit 'Sisimpur' every day. The

joint decision of the Ministry of Women and

Children Affairs, Bangladesh Television and

Sisimi Workshop, a manufacturer of

'Sisimpur', is going to take effect from

Thursday, October 1."

H o R o S C o P E

ARIES

(March 21 - April 20) : Exciting news could

come to you today that could bring a lot of joy

into your life, Aries. Your income may soon

skyrocket, and more opportunities to advance

yourself professionally should start coming thick and fast.

You may even receive some sort of public acknowledgment.

This isn't the end of the line, however - this is only the

beginning! You will be glad to know you can expect this trend

to continue for some time.

TAURUS

(April 21 - May 21): A powerful bond

between you and a romantic partner could

have you walking around with your head in

the clouds, Taurus. Things between you

seem to be improving by leaps and bounds. Right now it all

seems just too perfect. Savor every moment of your time

together. You will want to remember them when times

aren't quite so easy. We all deserve such halcyon days. You

and your beloved should definitely make the most of it.

GEMINI

(May 22 - June 21): Gemini, love of all

kinds - the love of friends, the affection

of family members, romantic love -

flourishes in the home today as a

number of visitors come to your door, perhaps

unexpectedly. One of your guests could bring some

wonderful news about money. A strong sense of

unity among all those present should be very

apparent, at least to you.

CANCER

(June 22 - July 23): A large gathering of

friends, relatives, and neighbors could

take place in your neighborhood today,

Cancer. You might run into a few old

friends you haven't seen in a long time and enjoy

catching up. A former romantic partner could also be

present. Are you still interested? If so, pursue it. It

might work this time! If you're no longer interested,

perhaps you could now be friends. Think about it!

LEo

(July 24 - Aug. 23): If you've asked

your employer for a raise recently, Leo, the

astral energy indicates that you can expect

to receive one soon. Your employer is

greatly impressed with your efforts, and probably

thinking that you might be setting your sights elsewhere.

Opportunities may certainly appear, although this is

obviously not the time to make a decision. Take some

time to really think and consider everything carefully.

VIRGo

(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): An unexpected

letter or package might arrive sometime

today, Virgo. This could be a gift from a

lover - perhaps a bit more lavish than you

would have expected. You could receive other

communications as well. At least one could be related to

your job in some way. A party invitation could also

come, and you will probably want to attend. A

significant other will want to accompany you.

LIBRA

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

the home right now, Libra. Money comes

pouring in from bonuses, salary from extra

hours, or gifts. You may be considering

spending some of this money on either adding to or

refurbishing your home. If you're having trouble making

a decision, consider consulting a decorator. There is great

harmony within your family. You seem to understand

each other on an intuitive level.

SCoRPIo

(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22): Are you single,

Scorpio? If so, today you might fall in

love at first sight. You may have been

frustrated lately by the lack of available,

interesting people, but today you could meet someone

who seems too perfect for words. And you can rest

assured that the attraction is mutual! If you're already

involved, you can expect a revival of the fairytale

romance between you and a significant other.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): A strong attraction to

someone could take you by surprise today,

Sagittarius. This person could be involved in

the arts in some way, perhaps film,

television, or recording. You might spend considerable time

together for the purpose of working on a project, but the

energy between you should be strong and apparent to both

of you. If you're interested in a new relationship, make sure

you look your best!

CAPRICoRN

(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): Are you involved in a

creative project that involves modern

technology, Capricorn? If so, progress could

be made by leaps and bounds, starting today.

A lucky break might set you off in a new direction that adds

depth and dimension to your work. Relations with colleagues

should be warm, congenial, and supportive. There is a sense

of unity that pervades the group and adds to the energy and

enthusiasm. You will love the results of your efforts.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19): If you own your home

or have any kind of investments in real

estate, Aquarius, you might hear some

great news today about the value of that

investment. It's likely to be increasing, and probably

will continue in that direction. This could make a big

difference in your life in some way right now. In fact,

there might be a number of options opening to you.

Consider them all carefully, and go for the gold.

PISCES

(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : Are you technically

single but very deeply involved with

someone, Pisces? If so, don't be surprised if

today you extend or receive a proposal of

marriage. Recent events have brought you very close

together and greatly intensified the bond between you.

Your partner may want to legalize that bond. Do you? If

there is even the smallest doubt, give yourself some time

to think. Acting on impulse isn't a good idea right now.

ThurSDAY, OCTOBEr 1, 2020

9

Bayern and rivals await Champions League

draw as pandemic riddle remains

The left-arm pacer was denied NoC for the IPL due to Bangladesh's tour of Sri Lanka, which was

eventually postponed.

Photo: BCB

Mustafizur takes missed

opportunities in his stride

SPortS DeSk:

Less than six weeks Bayern

Munich won last season's delayed

final behind closed doors, the draw

for the group stage of the next

Champions League takes place on

thursday with the threat of the

coronavirus pandemic again

hanging over the competition,

reports BSS.

Bayern were crowned european

champions for the sixth time after

beating Paris Saint-Germain at an

empty estadio da Luz in Lisbon in

August. the surreal occasion

represented a triumph of sorts for

UeFA.

european football's governing

body succeeded in playing its

flagship competition to a

conclusion despite the long

shutdown caused by the health

crisis, but the final rounds were not

the same.

"A game like this without

supporters is not the football that

we know," lamented Bayern coach

Hansi Flick. "Perhaps they can be

back again in the future."

thursday's draw is part of a

ceremony which will also see the

best men's and women's player of

last season crowned.

UeFA had to ditch plans to stage

the event in Athens and instead

moved it to its own headquarters in

Nyon, Switzerland, where the draw

will go ahead without guests.

It is further evidence that, after

the battle to get last season finished,

things are not about to return to

normal in europe yet, and virus

cases are exploding again.

But this time the football, it

seems, will go on.

Both Bayern and PSG will be in

the first pot of seeds along with

Liverpool, real Madrid, Juventus,

Porto, Zenit Saint-Petersburg and

Sevilla, the europa League winners.

there is the prospect of plenty of

enticing match-ups, with

Barcelona, Atletico Madrid,

Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and

both Manchester clubs all in the

second pot, and Inter Milan,

Atalanta, rB Leipzig and Marseille

among the lower seeds.

But the excitement of the draw

will be quickly tempered.

First, there is the realisation that

almost all the leading clubs will

make it through to the last 16

anyway, as they always do,

removing much of the jeopardy

from the early games.

As the pandemic continues to cast

a shadow, it seems hard to imagine

the final going ahead as scheduled

in Istanbul next May in a full

stadium.

UeFA experimented with the

return of fans when around 15,500

attended last week's Super Cup

between Bayern and Sevilla in

Budapest.

"Health is the number one

priority but we want to bring hope,"

said UeFA president Aleksander

Ceferin. He added: "Fans and

players are the essential part of

football."

But with rules on large gatherings

varying considerably from country

to country, UeFA must decide how

to approach the issue of crowds

attending games in the Champions

League and europa League, the

draw for which is on Friday.

UeFA's current stance is that

games will be behind closed doors

"until further notice".

It has adapted its rules. In the face

of travel restrictions, it will allow

matches on neutral territory. If a

club suffers a Covid-19 outbreak, a

game can go ahead as long as each

team has at least 13 fit players

including one goalkeeper.

SPortS DeSk:

Mustafizur rahman said that BCB

would have given him the Noobjection

Certificate to participate in

the Indian Premier League 2020 in

the UAe, if the board knew about the

postponement of the Sri Lanka tour.

on Monday (September 28), Nazmul

Hasan, BCB's president, had asked Sri

Lanka to reschedule the three-match

test series, as the board wasn't willing

to comply with the 14-day quarantine

rule, reports Cricbuzz.

For the pacer, cancellation of the Sri

Lanka tour came as a double blow,

considering that he wasn't granted

NoC to take part in the IPL due to

national commitments. Incidentally,

Mumbai Indians and kolkata knight

riders were looking to sign the pace

bowler.

"It would have been great to play the

test series. Sri Lanka's proposal to

have us quarantined for 14 days didn't

seem possible for us," said

Mustafizur. "You can't sit in your

room before such an important series,

no matter how hard you train. BCB

tried, but the 14-day quarantine is

their law. I think we should respect it.

"If the BCB knew that the Sri Lanka

series would be postponed, they

would have given me the NoC for IPL.

But whatever happens, happens for

the best. I may have earned BDt 1

crore had I played the IPL," he added.

the last time around when BCB

decided to not give Mustafizur the

NoC to take part in the Pakistan Super

League in 2015-16, the board had

compensated him with BDt taka 30

Lakh. However, Akram khan, BCB's

Cricket operations Chairman, noted

that there is 'little' chance of providing

Mustafizur compensation for missing

out on taking part in the IPL.

"Because he had injury concerns,

we did not allow him to go (PSL) and

we tried to compensate him," said

BCB Cricket operations chairman

Akram khan. "this time it's a

different matter. He was picked by a

team in the PSL while the negotiation

was in the preliminary stage (IPL),

and it is a fact that no team has picked

him. We have not given him NoC for

national interest, so there is very little

chance of giving him any

compensation."

PSG reveal positive Neymar injury prognosis

as Bernat recovers from surgery

SPortS DeSk:

Neymar is recovering from a calf

injury and will be reassessed on

thursday, while Paris Saint-Germain

announced Juan Bernat underwent

knee surgery, reports AP.

PSG star Neymar sustained a calf

injury during Sunday's 2-0 win over

reims in Ligue 1 as thomas tuchel's

side claimed their third consecutive

victory to sit seventh in the table after

five matches.

French champions PSG provided an

update on Neymar ahead of Friday's

fixture against Angers in the capital.

"After feeling some tightness in his

calf during Sunday's match, he has

received reassuring test results," PSG

said in a statement on tuesday.

"His condition will be reviewed again

in the next 48 hours."

Neymar played the full match against

reims and was involved in the majority

of PSG's best attacks, but appeared to

show tuchel that he had suffered a

knock to his calf when leaving the pitch.

Asked to address the possibility of the

Brazilian being sidelined through

injury, the Parisians boss told reporters

post-match: "I thought it was a hit, but

maybe not. I don't know yet, I need to

speak with the doctors."

Neymar has only made two

appearances in 2020-21, and the

Brazilian forward is yet to score for last

season's Champions League runnersup.

PSG full-back Bernat, meanwhile,

had an operation to repair his ruptured

anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Bernat suffered an ACL injury in the

1-0 win over Metz earlier this month,

and the ex-Bayern Munich defender is

set to miss the majority of the season.

PSG confirmed Bernat's surgery at

Pitie Salpetriere Hospital was a success.

It's been a tough start to the season

for the Ligue 1 champions after ending

the previous campaign with a defeat to

Bayern Munich in the Champions

League final.

their first two league matches

resulted in a shock 1-0 defeat to newlypromoted

Lens before crashing to a loss

by the same scoreline at home against

arch-rivals Marseille.

Since then, the Parisians have

recovered to win their last three

matches, with a 1-0 victory against

Metz, a 3-0 thrashing away at Nice and

the comfortable 2-0 win on the road

versus reims.

Following the upcoming match

against Nimes, PSG will face Dijon

(home), Nantes (away) and rennes

(home).

The Ligue 1 champions provided a fitness update on their superstar Brazilian and the Spanish

defender.

Photo: AP

Bayern were crowned European champions for the sixth time after beating Paris Saint-Germain at an

empty Estadio da Luz in Lisbon in August.

Photo: AP

Perry ruled out of

NZ series with fresh

hamstring injury

SPortS DeSk:

ellyse Perry's wait to return

to competitive cricket

continues as a fresh

hamstring injury has ruled

her out of the remainder of

the series against New

Zealand. Perry, who suffered a

tear to her right hamstring

during the t20 World Cup

earlier this year, underwent a

surgery and has been on the

road to recovery since, reports

Cricbuzz.

the latest injury sustained

by Perry is to a different part

of her right hamstring, which

happened during a training

session prior to the third

t20I. this means Perry will

miss out on the upcoming

oDI series while her

availability for the start of the

Women's Big Bash League is

also in doubt.

"ellyse had been on track to

play some part in this series

but unfortunately she had

some hamstring awareness,

she's got a low-grade strain so

she won't be available for the

rest of this series," Meg

Lanning, the Australia

captain, said on tuesday

(September 29). "She will

continue her rehab and

training in the hope of being

available at some point in the

WBBL (but) she won't be

playing any part in this

series."

Perry, the 29-year-old

allrounder, last featured for

Australia in the Group fixture

against New Zealand in the

t20 World Cup in March.

While she was hopeful of a

comeback at some point

during the ongoing series

against New Zealand, a fresh

injury has put paid to her

hopes.

Nadal, Serena on guard

at French open as Halep

plays compatriot

SPortS DeSk:

rafael Nadal looks to build

on a promising start to his

quest to match roger

Federer's 20 Grand Slam titles

at the French open on

Wednesday while Serena

Williams faces a familiar foe

in round two of her latest push

to equal Margaret Court's alltime

mark, reports BSS.

top seed and women's

favourite Simona Halep puts

her 15-match winning streak

on the line as she targets

another run at a second

roland Garros crown in three

years.

Nadal needs one more

major to pull level with longtime

rival Federer and owns

an astonishing 94-2 record in

Paris going back to his

triumph on debut in 2005.

the Spaniard showed little

trouble in handling the

heavier conditions in his

opening win over egor

Gerasimov at a tournament

postponed four months by the

coronavirus pandemic.

However, the 34-year-old is

wary of an untimely slip-up

having made serene progress

on his return to action in

rome before running

aground in the quarter-finals.

"Six months without

playing a single tennis match

is not easy," said 12-time

French open winner Nadal,

who touched down in Paris

without a clay title to his name

for the first time.

"I said in rome when I

played the first two matches

well, I said, 'okay, don't

believe things are going to be

like this.'

"I know how difficult are the

comebacks. I had to stop

playing tennis for more than

two months, so situation is

difficult. It's normal, some up

and downs."

A first-time opponent again

awaits Nadal in 236th-ranked

American Mackenzie

McDonald, whose lone tour

win this season came against

Yusutaka Uchiyama at Delray

Beach in February.

In the women's draw,

Williams heads into another

encounter with tsvetana

Pironkova after the pair

squared off in the last eight of

the US open earlier this

month.

Williams came from a set

down in New York to beat

fellow mother Pironkova, in

the Bulgarian's first

tournament appearance since

the 2017 Wimbledon

championships.

"She's playing well, but I am

too," said Williams, imploring

herself to play with more

confidence after a slow start

against kristie Ahn in round

one.

"I'm ready to play her. She'll

be ready to play me. It will be

a long match, she will get a lot

of balls back, but so will I. I'll

be ready."

Williams, seeded sixth, is

still chasing an elusive 24th

Slam title, but clay is her least

successful surface.

She has not gone beyond

the last 16 in Paris since her

defeat to Garbine Muguruza

in the 2016 final. Her last

major came at the 2017

Australian open while

pregnant.

With defending champion

Ashleigh Barty skipping the

event over Covid-19 concerns,

world number two Halep

appears well set for a tilt at a

third major.

She battles fellow

romanian Irina-Camelia

Begu on Court Suzanne

Lenglen, having been spared

the grim weather by playing

under the new retractable roof

in her opener. Halep has won

each of her past three

tournaments, resuming the

interrupted season with titles

on clay in Prague and rome

following her victory at Dubai

in February.

US open champion

Dominic thiem plays

American qualifier Jack Sock,

a former top 10 player, in the

second round while 2015

French open winner Stan

Wawrinka takes on Dominik

koepfer following his mauling

of Andy Murray.

elina Svitolina faces renata

Zarazua, Mexico's first

representative in the main

draw of a Slam in 20 years,

with Victoria Azarenka

meeting Anna karolina

Schmiedlova.

Sixth seed Alexander Zverev

will come up against Pierre-

Hugues Herbert in the final

match scheduled on Court

Philippe Chatrier.

THuRSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

10

ECB's Lagarde downplays diverging

views among board members

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited inaugurated its 358, 359, 360 & 361st Branch as Bheramara in

Kushtia, Khulshi in Chattogram, Kalai in Joypurhat and Ashulia in Dhaka recently. Md.

Mahbub ul Alam, Managing Director and CEO of the bank inaugurated the branches at virtual

platform as chief guest. Mohammed Monirul Moula, Muhammad Qaisar Ali and Md. Omar

Faruk Khan, Additional Managing Directors of the Bank addressed the program as special

guest. Md. Mosharraf Hossain, Deputy Managing Director presided over the program. Head

Office Executives & Officials, Head of concerned Zones & Branches, executives & officials,

clients, well-wishers & dignitaries participated in the local functions and were also connected

with the Head Office program virtually.

Photo: Courtesy

Markets mixed after

Trump-Biden debate;

data lifts China

Stocks were mixed in Asia

on Wednesday while upbeat

manufacturing data lifted

shares in China as investors

studied the outcome of the

debate between President

Donald Trump and his

Democratic challenger, Joe

Biden, reports UNB.

Hong Kong and Shanghai

led regional gains while

Japan's Nikkei 225 edged

lower. Overnight, the S and

P 500 lost 0.5% as heavy

selling of banks helped

reverse some of the gains

the market a day earlier.

Investors remain cautious

with COVID-19 infections

on the rise again in the U.S.

and elsewhere. The Trump-

Biden debate occurred as

coronavirus deaths

worldwide have surpassed 1

million. Many millions of

people worldwide are

jobless.

A survey of Chinese

manufacturers, t he Caixin

manufacturing purchasing

manager's index, showed

economic activity

accelerating further in

September as businesses

recovered from the

downturn earlier this year

due to the pandemic.

The Caixin manufacturing

PMI slipped to 53.0 from

53.1 in August, on a scale of

1-100 where 50 marks the

cutoff between contraction

and expansion. China's

official manufacturing PMI

rose to 51.5 from 51.0, its

highest level in two years.

"The economic recovery

has picked up pace with

supply and both domestic as

well as overseas demand

improving," Stephen Innes

of AxiCorp said in a

commentary.

The Hang Seng in Hong

Kong jumped 1.4% to

23,593.51, but fell back from

a 2.1% gain earlier in the

morning. The Shanghai

Composite index surged

0.6% to 3,243.79.

Overnight, stocks ended

with moderate losses

Tuesday as investors waited

for the first debate between

President Donald Trump

and Democratic challenger

Joe Biden.

The debate's likely impact

on markets, if any, was

unclear. The atmosphere

was antagonistic, as to be

expected, but for voters still

undecided about who'd

better handle the multiple

crises that have beset the

nation, the faceoff may not

have offered anything new.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index

lost 0.7% to 23,366.81, while

the S and P/ASX 200

skidded 0.8% to 5,902.10.

Markets were closed in

South Korea.

Shares fell in Thailand and

Indonesia but rose in

Taiwan and Singapore.

On Wall Street, banks,

energy companies and

stocks that depend on

consumer spending had

some of the biggest losses.

The price of oil fell 3.2%,

dragging much of the energy

sector down with it. On

Wednesday, U.S. crude fell

20 cents to $39.09 per

barrel in electronic trading

on the New York Mercantile

Exchange. Brent crude, the

international standard, gave

up 25 cents to $41.31 per

barrel.

Uncertainty over the

course of the pandemic and

over how it will affect the

economy has clouded

sentiment, with the

benchmark S and P 500 on

track to fall 4.7% this month,

its worst month since March

when the stock market

plunged sharply as

outbreaks spread in the U.S.

"The market needs the

economy to remain open,"

said Mark Hackett, chief of

investment research at

Nationwide. "We can handle

bumpy economic data, but

markets are not priced for

the economy to shut back

down."

The S and P 500 index fell

16.13 points to 3,335.47,

after rallying the day before.

The Dow Jones Industrial

Average 0.5%, to 27,452.66,

and the technology-heavy

Nasdaq composite lost

0.3%, to 11,085.25.

Congress still is arguing

over the size of a new

economic support package

after

additional

unemployment benefits

expired. House Speaker

Nancy Pelosi and Treasury

Secretary Steven Mnuchin

have agreed to hold another

round of stimulus talks.

However with the death of

Supreme Court Justice Ruth

Bader Ginsburg, Congress

has redirected much of its

attention to President

Trump's nominee to replace

her.

Walmart looks to

airports as inspiration

of new store layout

Walmart is getting

inspiration from the

airport terminal as it

revamps the layout and

signage of its stores to

speed up shopping and

better cater to

smartphone-armed

customers, reports UNB.

The nation's largest

retailer, based in

Bentonville, Arkansas, said

that the look, which

includes signs with bold

dimensional typeface

spotlighting sections, is

currently in one store. It

will be rolled out to 200

stores by early next year.

with plans to add another

800 stores by early 2022.

Walmart says it was

working on a new store

layout a year ago. But the

pandemic accelerated

those efforts as customers

are increasingly focused on

contactless shopping amid

safety concerns.

"We were inspired by

airport wayfinding systems

as best-in-class examples

of how to navigate large

groups of people," says

Janey Whiteside, executive

vice president and chief

customer officer at

Walmart's U.S. division, in

a corporate blog.

As part of the overall

signage, the exterior and

interior of the stores will

reflect the Walmart app

icon. As customers enter

the store, they will see

colorful iconography and a

store directory that

encourages them to

download and use the

Walmart app while they

shop. It says its aisles will

feature letter and number

combinations to guide

customers from phone to

products.

The 12-year anniversary of the country's leading advertising and event management company

Ingenious Group was held at the Westin Hotel in the capital and launched their new

online e-commerce store, sheraa.com.bd. recently. Planning Minister of the Government of

the People's Republic of Bangladesh M.A. Mannan MP announced the good start of the site

in the presence of dignitaries of the country. Md. Hasan Ekram Ahmed, CEO and MD of

Ingenious Group, the mother company of the website, spoke on the occasion. He pledged to

provide quality services to the potential buyers in this business in Bangladesh. Since then,

it has established itself as a high-functioning marketplace, ensuring maximum access to its

customers and partners.

Photo: Courtesy

European Central Bank chief Christine

Lagarde said Monday she wasn't "overly

concerned" about differences among

governing council members over the

future direction of the bank's pandemic

stimulus, reports BSS.

Senior members are becoming

increasingly split on future moves to

address the economic fallout from the

coronavirus between those who believe

the ECB's monetary policies should be

more restrained and those who think

support for the bloc's economy should

carry more weight.

"I'm not overly concerned that people

can have slightly different views and

opinions," ECB chief Lagarde told an

online hearing before the European

Parliament.

"What is important is actually once a

decision has been made and once a

majority has been established it's a

question of discipline, staying the course,

being together," the former French

finance minister said.

Lagarde, 64, said she was a "consensus

builder" and could only build agreements

"if views are slightly different amongst

members".

The current president of the Frankfurtbased

institution succeeded Italian

Mario Draghi last November when the

board was divided as never before, after

hawkish German policymaker Sabine

Lautenschlaeger resigned in what was

seen as a rebuke at Draghi's stimulus

policies.

Lagarde managed the transition,

before the coronavirus pandemic

brought unprecedented challenges

prompting the ECB to take exceptional

measures to keep liquidity flowing in the

eurozone.

However, cracks have started to form.

ECB executive board member Fabio

Panetta last week said that, in response

France launched a freespending

budget plan on

Monday, saying a fresh spike

in new Covid-19 cases

justified its unprecedented

loosening of the purse

strings, reports BSS.

After 460 billion euros

($537 billion) of emergency

spending this year to save

the economy from the virus

fallout, the government built

its 2021 budget plan around

a 100-billion "recovery plan",

first announced this month

and partly funded by EU

money.

The budget came after

France's health services

Saturday reported 14,412

new virus cases over the

previous 24 hours - only

slightly lower than the record

16,000 registered on both

Thursday and Friday.

The fresh spike threatens

to overwhelm hospitals,

health officials warned, while

the government imposed

fresh curbs to limit the

spread of the virus, including

on restaurants, bars and

sports facilities. "There is no

reason to give up the idea of

a recovery just because the

health difficulties have reemerged,"

Finance Minister

Bruno Le Maire told a news

conference.

The spending boost is to

help the French economy to

rebound strongly next year,

by eight percent according to

the budget, after crashing by

an expected 10 percent this

year, Le Maire said.

"We are implementing this

recovery fund so it can be

used up quickly and have the

greatest possible impact on

growth," he said.

But the growth forecast

immediately drew criticism

from France's high council

for public finance, a state

body charged with making

sure that government

budgetary assumptions are

realistic.

The growth target was

"pro-active", given the "great

uncertainties" weighing on

the economic outlook

because of the coronavirus,

the council said.

to Covid-19, "the risks of a policy

overreaction are much smaller than the

risks of policy being too slow or too shy to

react and the worst-case scenarios

materialising."

In contrast, outgoing board member

Yves Mersch believes the ECB should

limit itself to reacting to the economic

effects of the pandemic through its

emergency bond-buying programme,

known as PEPP.

PEPP is "exceptional and therefore

temporary," Mersch said, and that

transferring any of the PEPP features to

the bank's asset-purchase program,

would be legally "very curious".

The ECB is ready to "adjust all its

instruments" to allow the economy to

recover, Lagarde reiterated on Monday.

The crucial moment for the ECB could

come in December, when it is expected to

announce further action armed with new

projections for 2023.

NRB Global Bank formally opened its Chapainawabganj Islami Banking Branch at Chapai

Nawabganj recently. Syed Habib Hasnat, Managing Director of the bank has inaugurated the operation

of the branch as chief guest through online. Additional Managing Directors Md. Golam Sarwar

& Kazi Mashiur Rahman Jayhad, Deputy Managing Director Mohammad Shamsul Islam & Ataus

Samad, Divisional Heads from Head office, Branch Managers & distinguished clients were also present

on the occasion. NRB Global Bank has been providing Islamic banking services along with conventional

banking through the launch of Islamic Banking window from among the existing branches.

It was expected that through the latest technological support, the bank will provide quality service

to the customers & will expand its network in home & abroad to provide "Great Experience" to its

stakeholders.

Photo: Courtesy

NOVOAIR announces

attractive 'winter

holiday package'

NOVOAIR is offering

attractive Winter Holiday

Package for Cox's Bazar,

Sylhet and Chattogram,

reports UNB.

The package includes air

fare and hotel, hotel

transfer at airport,

breakfast and many more

on twin share basis for two

nights three days, the

airlines said in a press

release on Wednesday.

NOVOAIR has partnered

with 19 leading private

banks and card holders of

these banks can enjoy this

package at zero interest

which is payable in six equal

monthly installments, it

said.

Cox's Bazar package from

Dhaka starts from Tk 1,777

per person per month and

from other destinations, the

starting rate is Tk 2,666 per

person per month.

Partner Hotels includes

Royal Tulip Pearl Beach

Resort, Sayeman Beach

Resort, Ocean Paradise

Hotel and Resort, Long

Beach Hotel, Windy terrace

Boutique Hotel, Best

Western Heritage,

Neeshorgo Hotel and

Resort, Grace Cox Smart

Hotel and Praasad Paradise

Hotel and Resort.

Sylhet package from

Dhaka starts from Tk 1,515

Per person per month.

Partner Hotels are Hotel

Rose View and Hotel

Noorjahan grand.

Chattogram package

from Dhaka starts from Tk

2,222 per person per

month and the partner

hotel is Hotel Agrabad.

Dhaka package from

Cox's Bazar starts at Tk

2,222 per person per

month and from other

destinations Tk 1,888 per

person per month. Partner

hotel is Lakeshore hotels.

France unveils big

budget as virus

cases worsen

It also called on the

government to be mindful of

public debt which has

ballooned out of recognition

since the start of the crisis.

France's annual deficit is

estimated at 10.2 percent of

GDP this year, and is to come

in at 6.7 percent in 2021, the

government said.

This compares with a

permitted ceiling of three

percent for eurozone

countries, which the EU has

however lifted temporarily

as governments grapple with

the crisis.

US Democrats come down to $2.2

trillion in new Covid proposal

US Democrats unveiled a $2.2 trillion relief bill Monday to

help millions of Americans gutted by the coronavirus

pandemic, trimming more than $1 trillion off their earlier

version hoping to reach agreement with Republicans after

months of stagnation, reports BSS.

In a deeply polarized Congress, the chances of reaching an

agreement ahead of the November 3 election have sharply

diminished in the past several weeks.

But the top Democrat in Washington, House Speaker

Nancy Pelosi, and Trump's Treasury Secretary Steven

Mnuchin, were poised for a fresh round of negotiations.

The pair spoke briefly by telephone Monday evening "after

House Democrats introduced an updated version of the

Heroes Act," Pelosi spokesman Drew Hamill said on Twitter.

"The two agreed to speak again tomorrow morning."

The new plan "provides the absolutely needed resources to

protect lives, livelihoods and the life of our democracy over

the coming months," Pelosi told her Democratic caucus in a

letter.

She said the measure includes new funding that would

"avert catastrophe" for schools, small businesses,

restaurants, performance spaces, airline workers and

others.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

11

An orientation workshop organized by Joypurhat Civil Surgeon's Office to celebrate the National

Vitamin A-Plus Campaign was held at the meeting room of the Civil Surgeon's Office on Wednesday.

Civil Surgeon Dr. Selim Miah chaired the occasion while among others, District Information Officer

Mahfuzur Rahman, Sadar Upazila Chairman and Editor of Daily Joypurhat Khabar SM Solaiman Ali,

MOCS of Civil Surgeon's Office Dr. Jalal Hossain and Medical Officer Dr. Romana Afrin were also

present at the occasion. Photo: Masrakul Alom

Virtual US college fair

to begin on Oct 2

DHAKA : The US Embassy in Dhaka

will host the largest ever virtual US

college fair in Bangladesh which will

begin on October 2, reports UNB.

The virtual fair will be held on two

consecutive weekends - October 2, 3

and October 9, 10.

The fair is for those interested in

pursuing undergraduate studies in the

United States.

The EducationUSA South Asia

Virtual Tour 2020 is a joint event

organised by EducationUSA advising

centers in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan,

Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.

Despite the uncertainty caused by the

Covid-19 pandemic, US universities

remain committed to promoting

internationalisation and interested in

encouraging talented Bangladeshi

students to study at their campuses to

contribute important diversity and

different perspectives, said the US

Embassy.

The EducationUSA US University

Virtual Fair 2020 will provide

Bangladeshi students a unique

opportunity to directly interact with

representatives of over 100 accredited

US universities and colleges and learn

about post-Covid-19 changes to

admissions processing and interviews,

standardised testing, precautions to

ensure student safety and health, and

other important developments.

Prospective students will also have

the chance to learn more about

GD- 1267/20 (7 x 3)

scholarship and financial aid

opportunities and participate in

informational sessions on a variety of

topics, including the US student visa

process, the Embassy said.

The event is free and open to the

public. Interested students can join the

virtual fair from the comfort of their

own home, from their computer, smart

phones, or through

Case filed over

Sylhet rape

attempt; 3

arrested

SYLHET : A case has been

filed over the rape attempt

on a schoolgirl on Tuesday

in Sylhet city.

Three young men detained

from Badambagica area of

the city were shown arrested

in the case on Wednesday,

reports UNB.

The suspects are - Pavel

Ahmed, 25, son of Alauddin

Miah, resident of Nurpur

village in Maizgaon union,

Abdul Motalib, 22, son of

Mushahid Miah, resident of

Warita village and Rajon

Miah, 24, son of Asddar

Miah, resident of Daulatpur

village in Bahubal upazila of

Habiganj upazila.

Another accused Jahirul,

20, is absconding.

The victim's mother filed

the case at the Airport Police

Station on Wednesday.

Jyotirmoy Sarkar, deputy

police commissioner of

Sylhet Metropolitan Police

(SMP), said the accused

asked the girl to give them

water.

They caught the girl and

tied her hands and legs with

rope when she came out of

her house with water. They

then tried to rape her.

Locals rushed in and

rescued her hearing her

scream and caught three of

the accused.

They were later handed

over to police.

Khulna schoolboy

killing: One gets

death, 5 life

imprisonment

KHULNA : A Khulna court

on Wednesday sentenced a

man to death and five others

to life imprisonment for

killing schoolboy Bappi in

2010, reports UNB.

Additional Metropolitan

Sessions Judge SM Ashikur

Rahman delivered the

verdict.

Mohammad Rocky was

sentenced to death while

Nazrul, Rabiul, al Amin,

Milon and Mujib Hawladar

got life imprisonment.

The court also acquitted

two other accused - Ibrahim

alias Bahadur and

Mohammad Hasan - as

allegations brought against

them could not be proven.

Missing Bangladeshi

man found dead in

Thakurgaon

THAKURGAON : A Bangladeshi man who jumped into a

river while being chase by Indian Border Security Force

(BSF) drowned in Nagor River in Baliadangi upazila of

Thakurgaon on Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Adu Mia, 28, son of Ezabul

of Jugihar village in the upazila, reports UNB.

Habibul Haque, officer-in-charge of Baliadangi Police

Station, said the body was recovered 11 days after the man

had gone missing.

Locals spotted the body in Nagor River along Ratnai border

outpost in the upazila around 4pm on Tuesday and informed

the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

Later, eight relatives of Adu identified him. Police sent the

body for a post-mortem examination.

On September 18, a group of Bangladeshi men went to the

Kotpara bordering area. They jumped into the river to avoid

arrest after being chased by BSF troopers from Sonamoti

camp. Adu had gone missing although others managed to

swim ashore.

Chattogram Jubo League leader

held for abusing women

CHATTOGRAM : Police have arrested a Jubo League leader

from Chawkbazar area of Chattogram city in a case filed over

violence against women, reports UNB.

The arrestee, Ekram Hossain, is the president of

Chawkbazar Thana Jubo League. Panchlaish police arrested

him from Chawkbazar on late Tuesday.

Confirming the matter, CMP Police Deputy Commissioner

(North) Vijay Basak said the court had ordered his arrest.

Panchlaish Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Afroza said

the court warrant was issued in a case filed by a woman.

"The accused was sent to court in the morning. The court

did not grant him bail and sent him to jail," she added.

Ekram Hossain is the son of late Awami League leader

Mosharraf Hossain of Maqbool Saudagar Lane in Tupiwala

Para under Panchlaish Police Station.

Discussion on addressing

SDGs in post-pandemic

world on Oct 1

DHAKA : The Center for Peace Studies

(CPS) of South Asian Institute of Policy and

Governance (SIPG) at NSU and the

University of Sunshine Coast, Australia will

jointly organise a webinar on October 1.

The webinar, titled 'Build Back Better:

How Bangladesh Can Address UN SDGs in

a Post-Pandemic World?', will identify

resources and support that are necessary to

achieve the UN goals.

It will discuss how the Covid-19

pandemic is impacting major areas like

food security, poverty, health and

wellbeing, education, environment, and

representative UN SDGs like SDG 1 (no

poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3

(good health and wellbeing), SDG 4 (quality

education), SDG 9 (industry,

innovation and infrastructure), SDG 10

(reduced inequality), SDG 12 (responsible

consumption and production), SDG 13

(climate action) and SDG 15 (life on land)

from Bangladesh perspective, reports UNB.

Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Member,

CPD Board of Trustees and Distinguished

Fellow, CPD, Dr Sharif A. Mukul, Senior

Research Fellow, University of the

Sunshine Coast, Australia, Sudipto

Mukerjee, Resident Representative, UNDP

Bangladesh, Dr Salahuddin M.

Aminuzzaman, Prof and Adviser, SIPG,

NSU or Fellow, SIPG and the former

Foreign Secretary, Dr Bulbul Siddiqi,

Associate Prof, NSU, Dr Katherine Li,

Adviser, CPS, NSU and Dr Tapan Sarker,

Associate Professor, Griffith University will

take part in the discussion.

The Covid-19 pandemic is impacting

society and economics both in developed

and developing countries with a substantial

impact on the local environment.

The progress towards UN Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs) is also impeded

due to this pandemic, said the organisers.

While developed countries may expect a

quick recovery and return to a neo-normal

situation in a post-pandemic world, it is not

quite certain how developing countries will

respond to a changing global context, they

said.

This pandemic, although expected to give

a rise to a cleaner and greener global future

that emphasises sustainable development,

a circular economy, and investments in

nature-based solutions, a clear roadmap is

necessary to achieve these targets.

Priest arrested for

rape at church

RAJSHAHI : A priest, accused of raping a

minor indigenous girl, was arrested from

Bishop House at Amchattar in Tanore

upazila of Rajshahi on Tuesday night.

Pradeep Gregory, 50, is a priest of Mary

Vianni Church.

Rab-5 members arrested him from the

Bishop House around 11:30pm and handed

him over to local police, reports UNB.

Rakibul Hasan, officer-in-charge of Tanore

Police Station, said police sent the victim to

Rajshahi Medical College Hospital's One-

Stop Crisis Centre for medical tests on

Wednesday morning. The accused priest will

be produced before court, he said.

Father Pradeep was accused of keeping an

underage indigenous girl confined at a

GD- 1272/20 (4 x 3)

K…DK = 68

GD- 1268/20 (5 x 3)

church in Tanore for three days and raping

her. A case was filed against him on Tuesday

night at Tanore Police Station.

OC Rakibul said they rescued the victim

and brought her to the police station.

Locals said the girl went missing on

Saturday from near the church where she

was cutting grass. Her brother filed a police

complaint the next day as she remained

missing.

Around Monday noon, it was learnt that

the girl was confined in Father Pradeep's

room. The victim's family members and

locals rescued her.

In the evening, a kangaroo court at the

church found Pradeep guilty and shifted him

to Rajshahi.

thursday, Dhaka, October 1, 2020, Ashwin 16, 1427 Bs, safar 13, 1442 Hijri

UK vaccine to be available

to Bangladesh, no clinical

trial here : Dickson

DHAKA : British High Commissioner

to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton

Dickson on Wednesday said the

Oxford vaccine would be available to

Bangladesh once it is produced and

ready for use, reports UNB.

He, however, said there will be no

clinical trial of the British vaccine in

Bangladesh.

British Prime Minister Boris

Johnson, in his UNGA speech, said

the Oxford vaccine is now in stage 3

of clinical trials, and in case of success

AstraZeneca has already begun to

manufacture millions of doses, in

readiness for rapid distribution.

They have reached an agreement

with the Serum Institute of India to

supply one billion doses to low and

middle-income countries.

The UK is giving importance to

equal access to vaccines by all the

countries. The British High

Commissioner said the UK remains

beside Bangladesh in addressing climate-related

challenges and helping

to resolve the Rohingya crisis apart

from deepening trade and investment

relations with Bangladesh.

High Commissioner Dickson made

the remarks at DCAB Talks held virtually.

President of Diplomatic

Correspondents Association,

Bangladesh (DCAB) Angur Nahar

Monty also spoke at the event. DCAB

General Secretary Touhidur Rahman

was present.

On the situation in Rakhine,

Dickson said the situation in Rakhine

is not very encouraging.

The High Commissioner said they

Govt to upgrade

Joydevpur-

Mymensingh

road into expressway

: Kamal

DHAKA : The government will upgrade

the existing Dhaka (Joydevpur)

Mymensingh Road into expressway

with service lane on both sides through

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative

with a Korean company to further

improve the road connectivity.

The approval came from the 16th

meeting of the Cabinet Committee on

Economic Affairs held on Wednesday

virtually with Finance Minister AHM

Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting

virtually, Kamal said Korea Overseas

Infrastructure and Urban Development

Corporation (KIND) will further widen

the existing four-lane highway from

Joydevpur to Mymensingh through

incorporating some components under

the PPP- basis.

The Finance Minister informed that

the Korean company would bear an

initial estimated cost of Taka 3,353

crore for the upgradation while the

government would spend Taka 280

crore for rehabilitation of the affected

establishments due to the upgradation

while around Taka 100 crore for

utility transfer.

Asked whether the Finance Ministry

could play a role to help the expatriate

Bangladeshis who are willing to go to Saudi

Arabia, but facing dearth of flights and tickets,

Kamal said the concerned ministries

including the ministry of Foreign Affairs

are looking into the matter.

He said the countrymen as well as the

government want that these Saudi

returnees could go back to their places of

work and thus could earn valuable foreign

currencies for their motherland

and also for their family members.

Replying to another question, the

Finance Minister said the Bangladesh

Bank has taken a very good decision to

extend the period of loan installment

payment till December 31 this year saying

that the loan recipients and businessmen

should get such facility since

they are being affected due to the impact

of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

are very actively supporting the

mechanism that exists to ensure

accountability for the crimes committed

against the Rohingyas.

He said Myanmar will continue to

face pressure at the International

Court of Justice (ICJ) and the

International Criminal Court (ICC).

The British High Commissioner

said the UK, as a pen-holder for

Myanmar on Rohingya issues, will

make sure that Rohingya issues

remain on the agenda in the UN

Security Council (UNSC).

He said this is a very important

partnership with Bangladesh. "We're

working very closely with Bangladesh

and international partners."

The High Commissioner laid

emphasis on safe, dignified and voluntary

return of Rohingyas to their

place of origin in Rakhine State.

"We're doing everything we can."

The diplomat also highlighted the

citizenship issue which can boost

confidence among Rohingyas to

return to their homes in Myanmar.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1

million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar district

and two attempts to send back

Rohingyas were failed amid trust

deficit as Rohingyas do not believe

the Myanmar government.

Dickson said he sees a very exciting

time in Bangladesh-UK relations.

"We're seeing a lot of interest in

British businesses and in the government

(to enhance trade relations).

He said the UK provides very high

quality goods and services in

Bangladesh.

Red lady papaya cultivation

becoming popular in hills

ABUL HAsHeM, MAtIRANGA CORResPONDeNt

Bangladesh briefs

Gulf, Malaysia

diplomats over

expats issues

DHAKA : The government on

Wednesday briefed diplomats of the

Gulf countries and Malaysia on manpower

issues highlighting ways to

address problems of expatriate workers

amid the COVID-19 pandemic,

reports UNB.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul

Momen and Expatriates Welfare and

Overseas Employment Minister

Imran Ahmad briefed the diplomats

at State guesthouse Padma.

Ambassadors and representatives

from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,

United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman,

Iraq and acting High Commissioner

of Malaysia were present at the briefing.

Kuwait Ambassador could not

attend due to unavoidable circumstances

as Emir Sheikh Sabah al-

Ahmed al-Sabah died on Tuesday at

the age of 91.

Dr Momen told reporters that they

had a good meeting.

Minister Imran Ahmad said they

would get response from the countries

on the discussion they had.

"I'm always hopeful," he said.

Dr Momen said they requested the

countries to consider the workers

issue sympathetically.

He said around 6,000 people

returned to their workplaces abroad

and others will also go.

The foreign minister said only

137,000 Bangladeshis returned home

amid the pandemic.

He said the Bangladeshis are smart

and they listened to the government's

call to stay back.

Oil-rich Middle-East countries and

Malaysia are some of the most popular

destinations for Bangladeshi

workers.

Many farmers have already made a fortune by cultivating 'Red Lady'

variety of papaya in the hills.

Photo: Abul Hashem

Rasulpur which is situated in Matiranga

uapzila of Khagrachhari is surrounded

by dense green hills .The Md. Shahed

Ayat Ullah Khan, a nature-loving agrientrepreneur,

established an agricultural

farm called 'Taruchaya Agro' about 8

km away from Matiranga. His home

town is Kazir Dairi in Chattogram.

He has sown the seeds of success in

papaya cultivation in this village. He built

the papaya garden on his own 10 acres of

hilly land. Rows and rows of papayas are

hanging on the trees. Apart from small

scale papaya cultivation, there are

orange, malta, guava and mango trees

in the garden. He cultivates 'Red Lady'

variety of papaya. Many people have

already made a fortune in the hills by

cultivating this variety of papaya.

Shahed expressed hope that he would

be able to sell papaya worth around Tk

20 lakh annually. Papaya is sold at

wholesale prices in Chattogarm and

Feni. Many wholesalers buy papaya

directly from the garden.

Md. Jahangir, the caretaker of the garden,

said that although chemical fertilizers

were used in the planting of papaya

saplings in the garden, now only organic

fertilizers are used. On average 10

workers work in the garden on a daily

wage basis. Planting of 'Red Lady' variety

of papaya started 1 years ago.

Although he started farming at his own

initiative, the garden was taken care of

with the overall cooperation of Matiranga

Agricultural Extension Deptt.

He collected and planted papaya

saplings of 'Red Lady' variety from

Chattogram. Currently the work of harvesting

from the trees around the garden

is going on. Ripe papaya is sold in

the local market at an average price of

Tk 50-60 per kg. It can be marketed in

both raw and cooked process. Semiripe

papaya is easy to market as it does

not spoil very easily.

Farmer and entrepreneur Md.

Shahed Ayat Ullah Khan said, many

farmers in this area have already got

success in papaya cultivation, in continuation

of this I am interested in papaya

cultivation. This cultivation is short term

and profitable.

Matiranga Upazila Agriculture Officer

(Acting) Md. Masum Bhuiyan said, this

variety of papaya is very suitable for cultivation

in suitable environment and

hilly land.

Oyster traders are doing new business with great difficulty after overcoming the Corona situation. But they are having

a hard time as there are not many tourists in Cox's Bazar. the picture was taken on Wednesday. Photo: PBA

IOM opens Oxygen

Generator Plant

in Cox's Bazar

COX'S BAZAR : The International

Organization for Migration (IOM)

opened an Oxygen Generator Plant in

Cox's Bazar on Wednesday in collaboration

with the Ministry of Health and

Family Welfare. It is part of the ongoing

humanitarian effort to combat the

Covid-19 pandemic, reports UNB.

It has been set up to increase the capacity

of Isolation and Treatment

Center (ITC) functionality at Ramu

Upazila Health Complex, where moderate

to severe patients with COVID-19 infection

may require high flow oxygen

support, said a press release.

Currently, there are five other oxygen

plants installed in Ukhyia and Teknaf

Upazilas at various Severe Acute

Respiratory Infection ITCs operated by

different partners.

Cox's Bazar-3 MP Shaimum

Sarwar Kamal thanked IOM and

said, "We expect IOM and other development

agencies will continue

their support for the host communities

of Cox's Bazar, alongside helping

the Rohingya refugees."

IOM Bangladesh Chief of Mission

George Gigauri said, "In our collective

struggle against the virus, it's not

only right but essential that we collectively

accelerate our efforts to assist

local communities in Cox's Bazar and

this health facility is another testament

to our steadfast commitment to

delivering for the host population."

MC College gang rape

Another accused

put on remand

SYLHET : Mahfuzur Rahman Masum,

an accused in Sylhet MC College gang

rape case, was placed on a five-day

remand on Wednesday by a Sylhet

court, reports UNB.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Abul

Kashem passed the order when Inspector

Indranil Bhattacharya of Shahporan

Police Station, also the investigation officer

of the case, produced him before the

court with a seven-day remand prayer.

DB police and Kanaighat police in a

joint drive arrested Masum from Haripur

in Jaintiapur upazila on Monday.

A Sylhet court on Tuesday placed

three accused - Mahbubur Rahman

Rony, Rajon and Ainuddin - on five-day

remand each in the case.

Saifur Rahman, the prime accused,

Arjun Lashkar and Robiul Islam were

placed on five-day remand on Monday.

A group of youths tied up a man and

raped his 19-year-old wife at the MC

College dormitory on Friday night.

After police rescued the couple, the

victim's husband filed a case at

Shahporan Police Station in the early

hours of Saturday against nine people

mentioning the names of six.

All the accused in the case are currently

in police custody.

The High Court on Tuesday formed

an investigation committee to look into

the incident.

Bangladesh ‘outraged’ by

Myanmar's falsehood,

fabrication of facts at UNGA

Moratorium extension to

help businesses tide over

Covid crisis : FnM

DHAKA : Defending the central

bank's move for further relaxation of

the bank loan repayment system by

extending the moratorium till

December 31, Finance Minister AHM

Mustafa Kamal has said the step aims

at helping businessmen tide over the

Covid-induced financial crisis, reports

UNB.

"If any measures are taken, somehow

someone will be affected, but

we're in favour of the businessmen,"

he told reporters, responding to a

poser while briefing on the outcome

of the meeting of the Cabinet

Committee on Public Purchase on

Wednesday.

"If businessmen thrive, then banks

will be running well. But this is the time

DHAKA : Bangladesh is "outraged" to

witness another "blatant demonstration

of falsehood and fabrication of facts" by

Myanmar in the ongoing UN General

Assembly (UNGA) and shared the situation

on the ground before the international

community, reports UNB.

"Bangladesh strongly rejects baseless

accusations and falsification and misrepresentation

of facts that Myanmar

made in the UNGA," a senior official in

Dhaka told UNB conveying what

Bangladesh exactly responded to

Myanmar's propaganda.

Bangladesh, through the UN, has urged

the Myanmar government to abandon its

policy of lies and propaganda and demonstrate

genuine political will to take back

their own nationals with safety, security

and dignity, said the official.

Myanmar at the UNGA claimed that

Bangladesh is harbouring terrorists in

Cox's Bazar Rohingya camps but it

rejected such "baseless" allegations.

Bangladesh, under the leadership of

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, maintains

a zero-tolerance policy to terrorism,

terrorists financing and other drivers

of terrorism, said another official.

"We don't allow our territory to be

used by any terrorist. Myanmar needs to

look at its own mirror," the official said,

mentioning that this is what

Bangladesh's reply to Myanmar during

the general debate at the UNGA.

Bangladesh also pointed out "concocted

and misleading" statement of

Myanmar on the development in

Rakhine State, particularly in the repatriation

process.

Myanmar's Minister Kyaw Tint Swe, in

his speech at the UNGA, on Tuesday said

bilateral cooperation is the only way to

effectively resolve the repatriation issue

between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Bangladesh strongly disagreed on

such a notion reminding Myanmar that

the Rohingya issue is not a bilateral one

but it is Myanmar's internal problem.

Bangladesh highlighted Myanmar's

track record of inhumane treatment of

ethnic minorities, including Rohingyas,

saying it is nothing new for Myanmar.

Bangladesh said it is Myanmar's State

policy of deliberate exclusion and persecution

on their own people that instigated

insurgency and turned Myanmar

into the breeding ground of organized

crimes.

Bangladesh took the floor to reply

Myanmar's "propaganda" and said a

deadly conflict is going on in Rakhine

State ignoring the UN call for ceasefire

simply to implement Myanmar's "genocidal

campaign" against its own people,

said the official.

Bangladesh provided temporary shelter

to over 1.1 million forcibly displaced

Myanmar Nationals. More than three

years have elapsed but regrettably, not a

single Rohingya could be repatriated.

"The problem was created by

Myanmar and its solution must be

found in Myanmar. I request the international

community to play a more

effective role for a solution to the crisis,"

said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in

her 75th UNGA speech.

to extend help to the businessmen," he

added. The Bangladesh Bank, in a circular

on September 28, said that classification

of loan will not be changed

between January 1 and December 31

this year even if anyone failed to pay

back as per the schedule.

The finance minister said that the

measures were taken considering the

Covid impact on businesses. "If time

is not extended for loan repayment,

they can't be able to execute export

orders and settle letters of credit for

import of goods."

Earlier, the moratorium was applicable

till June 30. It was subsequently

extended till September 30 through a

similar circular issued by the central

bank on June 15 this year.

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

01-10-2020

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