05-01-2021

tUesDAY, JAnUArY 5, 2021
3
Meeting to create website
and logo held
In order to properly celebrate the golden
jubilee of independence, a preparatory
meeting was held Monday on the digital
platform on website and logo design at the
initiative of the
Department of
Information and
Communication
Technology. State
Minister for information
and communication
technology Zunaid
Ahmed Palak presided
over the meeting, a
press release said.
The meeting decided
to take necessary steps
to create an international standard website
on the occasion of 'Golden Jubilee' and to
create a logo based on the advice of all
reputed agencies and talented artists. The
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday between
Bangladesh Hi-tech Park Authority and think Group to work on innovation
and automation.
Photo : Courtesy
Law needs to be amended to ban display of
tobacco products in sales outlets: Speakers
It is necessary to amend the law to ban
the display of tobacco products in the
tobacco sales center, sale of tobacco
products within 100 meters of the
educational institution and retail sale of
tobacco products in the sales center, a
press release said.
This was demanded by the speakers at
a virtual discussion meeting titled
'Publication of the results of the survey on
display of tobacco products at tobacco
sales outlets' organized by the health
sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission on
Monday.
The Dhaka Ahsania Mission conducted a
survey titled 'Big Tobacco Tiny Target
Bangladesh' on the strategies that tobacco
companies are adopting, especially within
100 yards of educational institutions, to
attract tobacco products. The collaboration
was the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.
Dhaka Ahsania Mission Assistant
Director Md Mokhlesur Rahman
presented the results of the survey. He
said that according to the survey, tobacco
products were sold in 90% of the sales
outlets within 100 yards of schools and
playgrounds and in 82% of the outlets,
tobacco products were displayed within
the children's sight. 64% of sales outlets
display chocolate / candy, toys, sweets or
other items next to / along with tobacco
products.
On the other hand, the survey
conducted by the anti-tobacco
organization ACD and BETA in one of
website will be supervised by the Department
of Information and Communication
Technology till December 31, 2021 and will be
handed over to the Ministry of Liberation
War Affairs later.The
meeting also decided to set
up separate committees for
website creation, content
selection and logo selection.
During the time, NM
Ziaul Alam, Senior
Secretary, Department of
Information and
Communication
Technology, A2I's project
director Dr. Md. Abdul
Mannan, Anu Chowdhury,
Policy Advisor, A2I and other senior officials
of the Information and Communication
Technology Department were present at the
occasion.
the three major cities of the country
(Chattogram, Rajshahi and Rangpur)
also showed the display of tobacco
products at 84% point of sale. Of which
Rangpur (92%), Chattogram (86%) and
Rajshahi (73%).
Secretary of the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare Md Abdul Mannan as
the chief guest said the government
enacted laws and regulations on tobacco
control and later amended it
appropriately.
Currently, the Department of Health
Services has taken the initiative to amend
the law again. In this case, the results of
such a survey will help in amending the
law. If everyone has equal energy and
cooperation then we can build a tobacco
free Bangladesh before 2040.
Kazi Jebunnesa Begum, Additional
Secretary, Department of Health Services,
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as
the special guest said that when a law is
enacted, many things are said in the law
and many things are not said but are
implied. As the Tobacco Control Act also
does not directly mention the issue of
display of tobacco products, tobacco
products are displayed in the tobacco sales
outlets. So the Department of Health
Services and the National Tobacco Control
Cell will take note of this when amending
the law.
Md Iqbal Ahsan Masood, Director,
Dhaka Ahsania Mission Health and WASH
Sector chaired the occasion while among
Major General
Moshfequr Rahman
appointed BUP VC
DHAKA : Major General Md
Moshfequr Rahman has been
appointed as new vicechancellor
(VC) of the military
run Bangladesh University
Professionals (BUP).
Chancellor of the university
President M Abdul Hamid
appointed Moshfequr
Rahman as the new VC on
December 28, 2020, said a
press release.
The newly appointed VC
already joined his office on
Thursday last, the release said,
adding that prior to joining the
BUP, he served as the Area
Commander of Logistic Area
of Bangladesh Army.
In his colorful career,
Moshfequr served as the GOC
of the 11th Infantry Division
and the Director General of
the Directorate General
Defence Purchase.
He also served as an
instructor in School of
Infantry and Tactics, Defense
Services Command and Staff
College, and National Defense
College.
His other important
appointments include Staff
Officer, US Central Command
Headquarters, Florida, Chief
Evaluator, Army Training and
Doctrine Command, and
Commandant, Bangladesh
Infantry Regimental Center.
Under the United Nations'
banner, Moshfequr
participated in Iraq-Kuwait
mission as a member of 1st
Bangladesh Contingent.
He was awarded with the
Army Medal of Glory (SGP)
for his special contribution to
military training. For topping
in three army level courses
Major General Moshfeq was
awarded with the Army Medal
of Excellence (SUP).
others, Md. Zillur Rahman Chowdhury,
Joint Secretary, Department of Health
Services, Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, former Chairman of Bangladesh
Chemical Industry Corporation, Md.
Mostafizur Rahman, Secretary General of
Bangladesh Restaurant Owners
Association, Rezaul Karim Sarkar Robin
and Head of the Department of
Epidemiology, National Heart Foundation
Dr. Sohail Reza Chowdhury were also
present at the occasion.
It is to be noted that the Government of
Bangladesh enacted the Smoking and
Tobacco Use (Control) Act, 2005 in the
light of FCTC with utmost importance on
public welfare. In 2013, several
important amendments were made to
the Tobacco Control Act and in 2015, the
Smoking and Tobacco Use (Control)
Rules were formulated.
Notable aspects of these laws and
regulations include: banning smoking
in public places and public transport;
prohibit advertising and promotion of
tobacco products and control
sponsorship; banning the sale of
tobacco products to minors; ensuring
the printing of illustrated self-warning
on the packaging of tobacco products,
etc. Also, at the closing ceremony of the
"South Asian Speakers Summit" in
2016, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
announced that she would build
Bangladesh as a tobacco-free country
by 2040.
Dhaka Ahsania Mission organized a virtual discussion meeting on Monday over tobacco
control.
Photo : Courtesy
Bangladesh student League (BsL) celebrated its 73rd founding anniversary yesterday with amid
enthusiasm and festivity.
Photo : Courtesy
Student League celebrates 73rd
founding anniversary
DU CorresPonDent
Bangladesh Student League (BSL)
celebrated its 73rd founding
anniversary yesterday with amid
enthusiasm and festivity.
The week-long long celebration
started with hoisting of national and
party flags at party offices at 7:30am
and placing of wreaths at the
portrait of Bangabandhu at
Dhanmondi Road 32 in Dhaka at
8am. Then its leader and activists
cut a cake at Dhaka University's
(DU) Curzon Hall premises around
9am.
After placing of wreaths at the
portrait of Bangabandhu Chatra
League President Al Nahian Khan
Joy said, "Chatra League has been a
part in every achievement since the
establishment of this organization.
We are moving forward with an aim
of building a non-communal
DU Bangla Dept
Professor Ahmed
Kabir passes away
Dr. Ahmed Kabir, a retired
Professor of Bangla
Department of Dhaka
University, has passed away
at the age of 76, reports
UNB.
He breathed his last
around 6:50 pm on Sunday
at capital's Labaid hospital
after battling cancer,
Chairman of Bangla
department Dr. Syed Azizul
Haque said.
His first Namaz-E-Janaza
was held at the university's
Fuller Road area around
11:30 pm on Sunday.
He will be taken to his
hometown in Mirshrai of
Chattogram on Monday
where he will be laid to
eternal rest after his second
Namaz-E-Janaza.
He is survived by his wife,
three daughters, friends and
a host of well-wishers to
mourn his death. All of his
three daughters are teachers
of different departments of
the country's premier Dhaka
University.
Rabeya Khatun's
death an irreparable
loss to Bangla
literature : Hasan
DHAKA : Paying rich tribute
to noted litterateur Rabeya
Khatun, Information
Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud
yesterday said the sad
demise of Rabeya Khatun is
an irreparable loss to the
field of Bangla literature.
"Rabeya Khatun was one
of the writers of the country
who enriched the Bangla
litterateur. She wrote about
50 novels and more than
400 short stories," he told
reporters after placing floral
wreaths on the coffin of
Rabeya at Bangla Academy
in the capital.
The information minister
prayed for eternal peace of
the departed soul of Rabeya
Khatun and said there is a
few notable women writers .
Bangladesh. Our goal is to work to
strengthen the hand of our primminister
Sheikh Hasina."
After that the delegation team
that was sent by the Central
executive committee of this
historic organization paid tribute
to the Mazar of Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman at Tungipara and
attended in reciting Surah Fateha
and prayer at around 10 am.
It organized a convention program
at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh
(KIB) of Farmgate with the Virtual
presence of Prime Minister and
Awami League President Sheikh
Hasina as the chief guest on Monday
afternoon.
On 6th January, winter clothes
and health protection materials will
be distributed among the
impoverished people at 11am in
front of Swoparjito Swadhinota
Sculpture at Teacher-Student Centre
(TSC).
Besides, the week-long celebration
program also included a voluntary
blood donation campaign to be held
on January 8 around 11 am at
Bottola in front of the Arts Building
on DU campus.
The historic organization was
founded on January 4 in 1948 as
per instruction of Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman and it's the
ruling Awami League-affiliated
student wing.
The Bangladesh Student League
played a vital roles in the language
movement in 1952, in 1954 polls,
anti-Ayub movement in 1958,
education movement in 1962, sixpoint
movement in 1966, mass
upsurge in 1969, elections in 1970,
the great Liberation War in 1971,
and in movements for restoration of
democracy.
on the occasion of the birth centenary of Father of the nation
Bangabandhu sheikh Mujibur rahman, an exhibition of photographs and
paintings on Bangladesh was organized by the children of the officers and
employees of the Bangladesh Atomic energy Commission at the Atomic
energy Center, Dhaka.
Photo : Courtesy
Health minister assures of
amending tobacco control law
DHAKA : Health and Family Welfare
Minister Zahid Maleque yesterday assured
of amending the tobacco control law aiming
at reducing tobacco use in the country.
"With the existing loopholes in the current
tobacco control law, achieving a tobacco free
Bangladesh within 2040 as declared by the
Prime Minister will be hampered, he said.
The health minister came up with the
remark when delegates from PROGGA
(Knowledge for Progress) and the Anti
Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) met him
yesterday, a PROGGA press release said.
During the meeting, Zahid Maleque said
his ministry is working to implement the
declaration of the prime minister to build a
tobacco free Bangladesh by 2040.
In order to achieve the premier's commitment,
stringent regulations will be imposed gradually to
reduce tobacco use, he said.
The health minister said once there was no
use of graphic health warnings on packages
of tobacco products; but it has already been
introduced through an amendment.
"Moreover, previously people used to
smoke in public places. It has also been
incorporated under regulations through
laws. The current law is being amended to
make it more updated and time-fitting," he
said.
Zahid Maleque assured that the proposals,
placed by PROGGA and ATMA, will be taken
into account seriously during the process of
amendment.
During the meeting, PROGGA and ATMA
placed some proposals for amendment in
tobacco control law.
The proposals included removing the
provision of "designated smoking zone" and
banning smoking in all public places, work
spaces, and public transports to ensure an
absolute tobacco free environment; banning
the display of tobacco products at points of
sale; banning 'corporate social responsibility'
activities of tobacco companies; restricting
the sale of single sticks and unpackaged
smokeless tobacco and banning the sale and
import of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco
products.
Journalist Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul,
convener of ATMA Mortuza Haidar Liton,
Co-convener of ATMA Mizan Chowdhury,
business in-Charge of Bangla Tribune Md
Shafiqul Islam and head of tobacco control
programme from PROGGA Md Hasan
Shahriar were, among others, present.