01-10-2020

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.
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