07-01-2021

thursday

DhAkA : January 7, 2021; Poush 23, 1427 BS; Jamadi-ul Awal 22, 1442 hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.17; N o.266; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

InternatIonal

No charges in police

shooting of African

American Jacob Blake

>Page 7

sports

Solskjaer sees Man

Utd of old in late win

over Wolves

>Page 9

art & culture

Nowshin gets a

jab of Covid-19

vaccine

>Page 10

Bangladesh reports

17 COVID-19 deaths

DHAKA : Bangladesh recorded 17

novel coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths

and 978 fresh cases overnight.

The recovery count rose to 4,63,480

after another 1,021 patients were discharged

from the hospitals during the

period, a press release of the

Directorate General of Health Services

(DGHS) said.

"Seventeen more COVID-19 patients

died in the last 24 hours, increasing

the death toll from the pandemic to

7,687," the release said.

It said the tally of infections has

surged to 5,18,898 as 978 new cases

were confirmed in the last 24 hours.

A total of 15,544 samples were tested

at 181 authorized laboratories

across the country during the time.

Of the total sample tests in the past

24 hours, 6.29 percent tested positive,

while 15.71 percent cases were detected

from the total tests conducted so

far, the release added.

Among the total infections, 89.32

percent patients have recovered, while

1.48 percent died so far since the first

COVID-19 positive cases were reported

in the country on March 8.

Probe report in

assault case against

Irfan Selim Feb 10

DHAKA : A Dhaka Court yesterday

fixed February 10 for submitting a

probe report against former ward

councilor of Dhaka South City

Corporation (DSCC) Irfan Selim and

his bodyguard Zahidul Molla on

charge of assaulting a Navy officer.

Additional Metropolitan

Magistrate of Dhaka Abu Bakar

Siddique fixed the new date for submitting

the probe report as investigating

officer (IO) Inspector of

Chawkbazar Police Station

Muhammad Delwar Hussen could

not able to submit the report of the

case.

The navy officer was allegedly

assaulted by a group of people, led by

Irfan Salim, near Kalabagan crossing

under Dhanmondi police station at

the evening of October 25 after the

car owned by lawmaker Hazi Salim

hit his (navy officer's) motorbike.

Lieutenant Wasif Ahmed Khan of

Bangladesh Navy filed a case against

seven people, including Irfan Salim

and his father's bodyguard and five

others, accusing them of assaulting

him and his wife on October 26 with

Dhanmondi Police Station.

Lieutenant Wasif, in his complainant,

said the car first hit the

motorcycle while he was returning

home with his wife after purchasing

some books. As he tried to protest

the incident some people got down

from the car, assaulted him and

knocked out his one tooth.

Zohr

05:24 AM

12:08 PM

03:50 PM

05:30 PM

06:50 PM

6:42 5:27

Get prepared before

going abroad: PM to

migrant workers

DHAKA : Putting emphasis on the

registration of migrant workers, Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday

urged the job seekers to go abroad

attaining required skills and having

accurate information about their work

, averting any allurement of middlemen.

"To this end, the Expatriates' Welfare

and Overseas Employment Ministry

and especially the recruiting agents

have to play a more responsible role,"

she said.

The premier was addressing the

opening ceremony of International

Migrants Day-2020 at Bangabandhu

International Conference Centre

(BICC) as chief guest, joining the event

virtually from her official residence

Ganabhaban.

Sheikh Hasina emphasized on

attaining skills and said the migrant

workers could earn even more money

and secure their jobs if they attain

required skills through training before

going abroad. "We've already taken

sufficient initiatives across the country

to prepare the overseas-bound people

as skillful for foreign jobs . . . so don't try

to go abroad illegally," she said.

The Prime Minister said the

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas

Employment Ministry and concerned

organizations organize necessary trainings

to make the migrant workers

familiar with their overseas jobs.

But, they (workers) do not take the

training sincerely rather collect the certificate

anyway which put them into

trouble in abroad, she noted.

She directed the concern ministries

and organizations to strengthen their

monitoring to ensure the proper and

Arson attack on buses

178 BNP men get anticipatory bail

DHAKA : The High Court on

Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to

178 leaders and activists of BNP in connection

with the cases over the arson

attacks on buses including two government

staff buses and a BRTC doubledecker

bus in different parts of the city,

reports UNB.

The HC bench of Justice Md. Habibul

Gani passed the order after hearing 36

petitions.

Jubo Dal vice-chairman Abdul Baten

Shamim Rabiul Alam was among the

accused.

required training to the overseasbound

workers.

Sheikh Hasina said the people who

deal with migrant workers should keep

in mind that they are the people of the

country and they should be treated

with dignity.

"You (ministry and agencies) should

ensure whether their jobs are being

given properly or provided security,

especially to the women . . . I request

you all to perform your responsibilities

properly for them," she said.

Asking the migrant workers not to

get victimized running after the "golden

deer", the premier said the government

has set up digital centers across

the country where anyone can register

themselves to be migrant workers.

"But, you have to keep patience as the

government would send all registered

persons abroad whenever opportunities

come."

The government maintains a policy

to highlight the country's migrant

workers internationally, said the premier,

adding that when she visits any

country she tell the hosts that

Bangladeshi migrant workers are contributing

to their economy and development

and that is why their importance

is immeasurable.

With Expatriates' Welfare and

Overseas Employment minister Imran

Ahmad, MP in the chair, Expatriates'

Welfare and Overseas Employment

secretary Dr. Ahmed Munirus

Saleheen gave welcome speech.

Chairman of the Parliamentary

Standing Committee on Ministry of

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas

Employment Barrister Anisul Islam

Mahmud was also present at BICC.

The bail will remain in force till

February 7 and during this period they

have to surrender before the judicial

court, said Barrister Kaisar Kamal, a

counsel of the accused.

A number of buses were torched in

separate places of the capital including

Uttara, Kalabagan, Shahbagh, Motijheel

and Paltan areas of the city on

November 12 cantering the by election

of Dhaka-18 constituency.

Separate cases were filed against the

leaders and activists of BNP in connection

with the incident.

Some dishonest people mobilized a group of some Sundarban fishermen to catch baby shark and then sell it as

dried fish in the market. Fishing shark is illegal by the government law.

Photo: Star Mail

Tourism ushers in the coastal island of Bhola as sea beach as long as one kilometer has been surfaced recently.

The beauty is often compared to the Cox's Bazar and Kuakata beach.

Photo: Star Mail

9 convicts appeal

against HC verdict

in BDR carnage case

DHAKA : Nine men, sentenced to

death in a case lodged over 2009 carnage

in the headquarters of the then

Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), where 74 people

including 57 army men were brutally

killed, have filed appeal against the High

Court judgement that upheld their sentence.

"We filed appeal petitions on behalf of

nine death-row-convicts including Kamal

Mollah, Moniruzzaman, Eusuf Ali, Abu

Sayeed Alam, Anisuzzaman, Fazlul

Karim and Bazlur Rashid, with the concerned

wing of the Appellate Division on

January 5," defence counsel Advocate

Aminul Islam told BSS. He further said

they have submitted 8 34,345 pages of

documents, including the copy of lower

court judgement and High Court judgement,

with their appeal petitions.

"We have filed an application to the

Chief Justice for giving us exemption

from submitting these documents again

while filing appeals for other convicts in

the case. If our plea is allowed, we would

be able to file appeal for the remaining

convicts by January 13," Advocate

Aminul Islam said. The state has already

filed appeal against the High Court judgement

that acquitted or commuted sentences

of the convicts.

The concerned trial court in its 2013

judgment originally sentenced 152 mutineers

to death, one of them died a natural

death subsequently, while it handed

down life term to 160.

The High Court on November 27, 2017,

upheld death penalty for 139 paramilitary

soldiers out of 151 for staging the barbaric

2009 carnage in the then Bangladesh

Rifles (BDR) at their Pilkhana headquarters

in the heart of the capital.

Bangladesh attains milestones

in development indexes: Quader

DHAKA : Awami League General

Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday

said Bangladesh has achieved milestones

in all development indicators

under the Awami League government.

"In the last 12 years, Bangladesh set

milestones in all development indexes

due to continuity of the government,"

he told a function through videoconferencing

from his official residence here.

The AL Relief and Social Welfare

Sub-Committee arranged the function

at Bangabandhu Avenue this morning

to distribute winter clothes among

cold-hit people.

Speaking as the chief guest, Quader,

also the road transport and bridges

minister, said as a role model of development,

Bangladesh has attained an

unprecedented progress in socioeconomic

sectors by surpassing all the

countries of South Asia in most of the

development indicators. He said a visible

progress has been achieved in

advancing the country's democracy and

the institutionalisation of democracy,

while the Anti-Corruption Commission

(ACC), the Election Commission (EC)

and other public bodies are working

independently.

The AL general secretary said

Bangladesh has already earned the status

of an exemplary state in the world in

addressing global COVID-19 pandemic

and natural disasters.

He said once Bangladesh was called a

bottomless basket, but now the country

has regained its tradition under the

DHAKA : A Dhaka court yesterday

adjourned till January 26 the hearing

of a graft case against suspended

deputy inspector general (DIG) of

police Mizanur Rahman and suspended

director of Anti-Corruption

Commission (ACC) Khandaker

Enamul Basir.

On Wednesday, was fixed for

recording deposition of prosecution

witnesses and the two accused were

also produced before the court for

that. But none appeared before the

court to testify, making the prosecution

plead for time. Allowing the time

plea, Judge Sheikh Nazmul Alam of

Dhaka Special Judge Court-4

adjourned the hearing till January 26.

10 out of the total 17 witnesses have

so far testified in the case.

The court on March 18, 2020,

framed charges against the two

accused in the case.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions

leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina Sheikh Hasina.

"Today, Bangladesh is in top position

in jute export, while first in hilsa production,

second in readymade garment

export and fourth in rice production,"

Quader said.

Noting that Bangladesh Army and

Police have an outstanding contribution

to establishing global peace, he said

a new bridge of relationship has been

built with the neighbouring countries,

while the long-pending enclave disputes

were resolved.

The road transport and bridges minister

said Bangladesh has already

brought a revolutionary change in its

communication sector by constructing

infrastructures.

He said the cent percent electricity

coverage, Payra port, Matarbari power

project, deep seaport, textbook festival

on the first day of the year are the contributions

of the prime minister.

Metrorail, Karnaphuli Tunnel and

elevated expressways are under construction,

while the Padma Bridge is

now visible, Quader added.

Responding to a question about the

statement made recently by AL mayoral

candidate in Basurhat municipality

election Mirza Quader, the AL general

secretary said no one is indispensable

in the party except AL President and

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the

daughter of Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman.

Hearing of graft case against Mizanur,

Basir adjourned till Jan 26

Judge KM Imrul Qayesh on February

9, 2020, accepted the charge-sheet

and transferred the case for further

proceedings to Dhaka Special Judge

Court-4.

ACC Director Sheikh Mohammad

Fanafilya on January 19, 2020, filed

the charge-sheet against the duo for

allegedly leaking information and

taking bribes.

The anti-graft body on July 16,

2019, filed the case with its Dhaka district

coordination office-1 under the

Money Laundering Prevention Act.

Both the officials were suspended

from their respected agencies after

the allegations of taking and giving

bribes were lodged against them.

Mizanur leaked a couple audio

clips, saying he has given Taka forty

lakh as a bribe to Khandaker Enamul

Basir to suppress the graft allegations

brought against him.

ThURsDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

2

BREB on track

>(From back page)

build Bangabandhu's

happy, prosperous "Sonar

Bangla" by ensuring uninterrupted

power supply for

the establishment and

development of agriculture,

education, health,

industry, trade, human

resource development,

ICT, etc. In addition, taking

on new projects for the

future.

As a result of electrification

in rural areas, new

poultry farms, fish farms,

dairy farms, small and

medium scale industries,

mills, cottage industries,

weaving industries, many

small and big businesses

etc. are being established.

REB has already provided

electricity connections to

about 1.80 lakh small scale

industries, 13,500 medium

scale industrial units, 375

large scale industrial units

and 08 special economic

zones. As a result, massive

employment is being created

in these organizations.

Unemployed youths

of the village are becoming

self-reliant by working

there. On the one hand,

unemployment is declining,

on the other hand,

their standard of living is

improving. Note that a

study conducted by REB

has shown that the electrified

industry has created

11 times more employment

than the non-electrified

industry.

In order to develop the

agricultural sector, about

55.56 lakh hectares of land

has been irrigated through

the supply of electricity by

REB to 3.53 lakh customers.

This has tapped

the immense potential to

increase food production

in the country. Through

mechanization of agriculture,

diversification of various

crops including food

grains has been possible.

Irrigation policy has been

simplified by giving

utmost importance to the

agriculture sector. Electric

machinery is more efficient

than diesel-powered

machinery and results in

10 times more cultivation

output. The availability of

electricity has improved

the market management

of the products produced

in the rural areas. In addition,

foreign exchange is

being earned by exporting

surplus agricultural products

of the country. Thus,

REB has played an outstanding

role in rural

development through agriculture

and farmer development.

The expansion of electricity

facilities in rural

Bengal has improved the

living standards of the

inhabiting population.

People are enjoying modern

civic amenities by

using modern electrical

appliances (lights, TVs,

refrigerators, air conditioners,

etc.). As a result,

the implementation of the

election mandate of the

current government "My

Village - My City" is being

accelerated and facilitated.

In addition, 85,570 households

in 1,192 project-villages

have been provided

electricity connection to

rehabilitate landless,

homeless and destitute

people under the Prime

Minister's priority "Shelter

Project".

The REB's initiative to

provide electricity connections

to 14,000 community

clinics are helping to

treat helpless, poor and

destitute people living in

rural areas. It also has

increased the quality of

maternal and child health

services, reduced the risk

of death and increased

health benefits for rural

people. Besides, electricity

connection has also been

provided to 1993 public

and private hospitals. This

997 04

is making rural medical

services cheaper and easier.

As uninterrupted power

supply has been extended

to all rural areas, the government

has set up 4,554

Union Parishad Digital

Information Centers

(DICs) to ensure access to

information and services

to the people living in rural

areas. REB has provided

electricity connection to

these Digital Information

Centers (DICs) which has

made it possible for digital

technology to reach the

doorsteps of the people for

access to information and

services. This has made it

easier for the people of the

village to get information

and services more easily

than ever before. It has

created employment

opportunities for the

unemployed youth. In

addition, computers, multimedia

projectors and

other modern equipment

are being used in 251,289

educational institutions,

including about 56,172

primary schools. As a

result, the quality of education

in rural educational

institutions is increasing.

A large number of people

in rural areas have got

access to mobile and internet

due to electricity.

Rural students are being

able to enhance their qualifications

and skills

through the use of modern

education methods and

materials in the city.

Through the communication

of modern technology

(television, internet,

mobile, electronic media)

due to the opportunity to

know and keep abreast of

all the issues of the country

and the outside world,

they are getting the scope

to be aware of their rights,

do's and don'ts; As a

result, awareness has been

created about social prejudice,

orthodoxy, lawlessness

etc. Therefore, rural

electrification activities

are having a positive

impact on the country's

economic progress, reducing

social degradation and

increasing national revenue

as a whole.

In "Mujir Year'' REB

aims to transform the

youth into skilled manpower

and ensure employment

by implementing one

of the election manifestos

of the current government,

The Power of Youth brings

Prosperity to Bangladesh.

This is also a corporate

social responsibility for

REB as the country's

largest power distributor.

Plans have been made to

provide various vocational

/ technical training to

23,100 unemployed youth.

A total of 56,620 unemployed

youths will be

trained by 2024 through

such activities. Activities

to increase women's

employment and create

women entrepreneurs are

underway through the

project titled "Energy in

Improving Rural

Livelihoods". To this end,

the project will be completed

by December 2020

at a total cost of BDT 23

crore 3 lakh 67 thousand

with the funding of

Development Partners,

GoB and REB. The project

will train a total of 2,700

people to become skilled

manpower; Among them,

30% will be women.

Turkish Ambassador Mustafa Osman Turan called on Dhaka University

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman on Wednesday at the latter's

office of the university.

Photo: DU PR Office

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THuRSDAY, JANuARY 7, 2021

4

Dr. Benazir Ahmed’s Initiatives: Bringing the brightest changes in Bangladesh Police

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Thursday, January 7, 2021

Maintaining food security

amidthe pandemic

Though the UN has warned that coronavirus protective

measures could jeopardise food security around the

world, Bangladesh is unlikely to face such a problem if

the government can ensure people's access to food as it still has

enough stock of basic foodgrain.

But experts also said the government should not be

complacent with its food stock as it has a big challenge to

ensure its availability at the doorsteps of the affected people

through various social safety net programmes and food

ratioing system, and keep the prices of the essentials affordable

through proper market intervention in a bid to ensure food

security.

According to the experts, the government's measures to

provide people with food aid are not sufficient when millions

involved in the informal sector have become temporarily

unemployed with the gradual loss of their buying capacity due

to the varying degrees of shutdown of economic activities.They

also warned that food security will not be ensured even after

having adequate volume of food grains as the system may fail

to ensure its availability at every nook and corner always

within the buying capacity of all.

Contacted, Sarwar Mahmud, the Directorate General (DG)

of Food, said the country is unlikely to face any food crisis even

if the coronavirus situation prevails for a long timed due to

adequate stock of food grains, including rice, wheat, potato

and other essential commodities."We're not worried about

food security since Bangladesh is not a majprfood-deficit

country. We got a bountiful Aman and Boro rice production,"

he added.

Agriculture Secretary Md Nasiruzzaman said coronavirus

has no impact on Bangladesh's agriculture sector and they do

not think the country's food security will be at stake if the

corona situation prolongs."We've got a bumper production of

Aman and Aush crop. We'll also have had a good production

of Boro. We produced almost all crops and vegetables this

season much more than what we did last year. So, we won't

face any food crisis under any situation," he said.

Nasir said farmers produced around 23 lakh metric tonnes

of onion last year while they expect it to be more than 25 lakh

metric tonnes this year. "We got over one crore metric tonnes

of potato last year while the farmers produced around 1. 09

crore metric tonnes of the crop this year against the local

demand for 70,000 metric tonnes."

Besides, he said, farmers also this year produced over 5,000

metric tonnes of vegetables more than what they did last year.

"Agricultural activities remain unaffected amid the

coronavirus shutdown as farmers usually work maintaining

social distancing. Most of our crops, except Boro paddy, jute

and maize, have already been produced. So, there's no reason

to be worried about any food crisis."

Commerce Minister at a recent press confrere said the

government has enough stock of food grains and daily

household items."There's no scope for shortage of food since

the government has stockpiled about 40 percent more goods

this year than it had last year," he said.The minister said 2.6

lakh tonnes of pulses were imported in 2018-19 financial year,

while 2.1 lakh tonnes pulses have already been imported over

the last seven months.

He said they have also imported enough edible oil and onion

to meet the local demand of the items. The former caretaker

government finance adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam said the

country may not face any food crisis as the stock looks enough

to deal with the coronavirus situation. "But the main worries

are whether people will have the access to food or the food will

be available for people at affordable prices."

He said people's buying capacity is declining with limiting of

most economic activities to prevent the virus. "Besides, many

people have lost their sources of earning and become

temporarily jobless. So, it's the main challenge to ensure food

for them by widening the social safety net programmes."The

noted economists said the government must strengthen its

food aid support mainly for the day-labourers and those

involved in informal sector alongside the BGF and OMS

programmes for the poor to ensure food safety of all citizens.

He said the government announced a stimulus package of

Tk 5,000 crore for the RMG sector, but it did not spell out any

such package for those engaged in informal sector, the source

of 85 percent of total employment in the country.

Mirza Aziz said the rich should come forward and corporate

houses should use their CSR funds to stand by the affected

people alongside the government to ensure food security.

Prof Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre

for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said Bangladesh is in a better

position than may other coronavirus-hit countries in terms of

food production and food stock. "But food security means not

only having adequate food grains. The proper distribution of

food, availability of food and people's purchasing capacity

involves the total food security notion."

He said nearly 1 core day-labourers have lost their jobs while

the overwhelming majority of 2.70 crore people in the

informal sector has become temporarily unemployed and they

are gradually losing their purchasing capacity. "The

government should look into this matter so that these huge

number of people can have food."

Besides, Mustafiz said, many people returned to their village

homes during the pandemic but they have no income now.

"So, the government must introduce food rationing system

alongside strengthening other programmes under social safety

net. Food security will be ensured when people will have access

to food."He said the government also must remain alert and

strengthen market monitoring so that unscrupulous

businessmen cannot create artificial food crisis taking

advantage of the situation.

Bangladesh Police will take their

services at the doorsteps of the

citizens. It is not the citizens rather the

Police will reach to the people's doors to hail

him with available policing services at hand.

This pro-people approach towards our

citizens has keenly been introduced by one

of the finest son of our soil, globally

acclaimed police professional and present

incumbent as Inspector General of Police,

Bangladesh Dr. Benazir Ahmed, BPM (Bar).

Here Michael Jordan is quite relevant, he

says, 'some people want it to happen, some

wish it would happen, others make it

happen.' Dr. Ahmed has been trying to make

it happen since the day one, since the day of

his incumbency during the peak of this

pandemic. This article, meanwhile, attempts

to glimpse over some of his pro-people

futuristic initiatives and innovations that

have remarkably been bringing the brightest

changes within the forces and services to the

lives of the people.

firstly, Dr. Benazir Ahmed BPM (Bar)

has introduced and customized Beat

Policing here in Bangladesh, from the center

to the remotest corners of the country. Due

to this approach, Police or the Beat Police

Officer will able to provide available policing

services to the doorsteps of the citizens. It

will quite possible for number of reasons, i.e,

smaller jurisdiction, smaller number of

people to serve, smaller communications

network, smaller stakeholders etc. It is a

common phenomenon that a Police officer

is overly tasked, as a result fatigue comes in,

and focus is lost frequently. To avoid such

scenario, Beat Policing is comparably a

better option in hand. Being a bookworm,

Dr. Ahmed is an extensive reader,

henceforth he reads former NYPD Police

Commissioner Bill Bratton's Book 'The

Turnaround: How America's Top Cop

Reversed the Crime Epidemic'. Here he

THE early days of the novel coronavirus

were soaked in unknowing. There was

very little that was known about the virus,

how it was transmitted, what symptoms it

caused, how many had it and how many were

dying of it. Some said that the Chinese

government was hiding information to prevent

the world from knowing how terrible the

situation was. The city of Wuhan was the

centre of the world's attention; the virus was

supposed to have first jumped species at a wet

market, moving from bat to rodent to human

in the most lethal chain in modern history.

What was happening in Wuhan in those early

days was a mystery, even as the whole globe -

ordinary people, world-renowned

epidemiologists and infectious disease doctors,

world leaders - was hungry for information.

Amid this environment of darkness and

fear, Chinese lawyer turned citizen journalist

Zhang Zhan was a beam of light. A resident of

Shanghai, Zhang travelled to Wuhan in the

early days of the pandemic. In Wuhan, she

became one of a few citizen journalists who

made videos of what was happening inside the

plagued city and posting them for all the

world, not to mention the rest of China, to see.

She made videos of the terrible overcrowding

at hospitals and clinics. She made videos of the

strictness of the lockdown and the people who

were being punished by police for minor

violations of the lockdown rules.

Zhang was a critic of the Chinese

government, its secretive ways and what she

saw as mismanagement of the pandemic.

"The government's way of managing this city

has just been intimidation and threats. This is

truly the tragedy of this country," the 37-yearold

declared in one of her videos. Soon after

this, she disappeared, messages to her went

AL ASAD MD. MAHfuZuL iSLAM

comes to know how New York City was

made crime free through beat by beat, block

by block approach and compstat. He urges

field police officers to be pied piper of

Hamelin for greater social good.

Secondly, in line with the honorable

Prime Minister's priorities, Dr. Ahmed

reinforced the zero tolerance policy of drugs

and narcotics, in a larger extend, he

announced war against illegal drugs.

During his tenure as Director General of

RAB, he led to coin the term, ' cholo jai

juddhe, madoker biruddhe.' He urges every

nook and corners to save our successive

generations from this scourge of drugs. To

achieve this goal, he puts forward extensive

and massive coordination, collaboration

and partnership with different agencies and

citizens. Additionally, he collates, collects

and commands internal deep data to

differentiate drug addicts within, if any.

Thirdly, corruption cannot be continued,

it must be stopped now. In accordance with

the magnificence of government priority

manifesto and zero tolerance policy on

corruption, Dr. Ahmed reminds his

colleagues, policing is a service for people,

it's not business. We are delivering services

to our 'citizens' who are the owner of this

RAfiA ZAkARiA

State as per our constitution, we are not

dealing with 'customers' like corporate

conglomerates. Meanwhile, policing is not a

business platform, and henceforth he

conjures up his command staffs to ruthlessly

edit your lifestyle as per the government

salaries, remuneration and benefits for the

common good of our citizens.

fourthly, winning the hearts of our

citizens has remained one of the cornerstone

of our service since the direction of the

father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman. To make this dream into

reality, Dr. Benazir Ahmed has relentlessly

been inspiring since the day one of his

incumbency as Inspector General of Police,

Bangladesh. The dissemination of strict

command of 'no harassment', 'no

discrimination' to anyone. To him,

sometimes, Police role is like Shakespearean

Hamlet ' cruel to be only kind', still we

should strive to serve our beloved

motherland and her citizens. We have to

remove all our behavioral barriers as the

Persian poet and philosopher Jalaluddin

Rumi says ' your goal is not to find love, but

to remove all barriers which are preventing

you from receiving it.' We must be strict on

implementation of laws that are vested on,

Citizen journalist

unanswered, and her social media accounts

became inactive.

Eventually, her friends found out that Zhang

had been arrested in May and taken to

Shanghai, where she was being held under

charges of spreading lies and making up false

information. In prison, her lawyers said,

Zhang began a hunger strike. In response, the

Chinese government authorities force-fed her

with a feeding tube. They restrained her arms

to make sure she would not pull it out.

Zhang Zhan became one of a few people

who made videos of what was happening

inside Wuhan for all the world to see.

On Dec 28, 2020, as the novel coronavirus

continued to rage around the globe, mutating

into new and more transmissible forms,

Zhang was tried in a court in Shanghai. When

she was produced in court by prison

authorities, she was in a wheelchair and was

barely recognisable from her former self. The

only words she spoke were a short statement

saying that people's speech should not be

censored.

Her condition did not stop the court from

delivering judgement on the official charges,

which translate to "picking quarrels and

provoking trouble". According to The New

York Times, China uses this vague category of

crime to punish all those that it perceives as

critical of the government.

In the short sham of a trial, which very few

people were permitted to attend, the judge

easily found Zhang guilty. For the crime of

sharing crucial and lifesaving information

with the world at one of the most horrific

moments in human history, she was

sentenced to four years in prison. As the judge

handed out the sentence, Zhang's mother,

who had not seen her daughter ever since her

arrest in May 2020, sobbed loudly. It didn't

matter, of course; the outcome of the trial had,

like so many others in China, been

predetermined. Zhang had dared to criticise

the Chinese government, and for that she

would have to suffer, be restrained and forcefed,

and be imprisoned for four long years.

Along with Zhang Zhan, other critics of the

Chinese government who have dared speak

out about its ability to manage the pandemic

were also arrested. Most of them, however,

have been released, yet Zhang appears to have

been handed down the harshest prison

sentence, perhaps because she is not willing to

admit that what she did was wrong.

Indeed, it was not wrong at all. Zhang

JASON D. GREENBLATT

and obviously must not demonstrate

physical or personal strength to implement

these laws.

Finally, Dr. Ahmed has been trying from

front to transforming Bangladesh Police

from conventional conundrum to techbased,

innovative, futuristic organization. As

an international leader of organizational

change management, he puts forward his

vision to reshape Bangladesh Police from

retrospective to prospective, aftercare to

pre-care of its own staffs and colleagues.

Forces welfare is key to motivate employees

to serve in significantly and substantively.

However, he does not want to blur the grey

line between discipline and welfare. He says

if our employees are motivated, if they are

inspired, the targets that we set forth, will be

easily achievable. With his spirit, Arthur

Schopenhauer is relevant to mention,'

everyone takes the limits of his own vision

for the limits of the world.'

To bring the brightest changes in policing

pattern and practices, Dr. Benazir Ahmed's

unique five points in line with the

government policies and strategies has

already been in place to practice and

gradually comes up with effective changes

within and beyond. This is why, Bangladesh

Police has earned huge hearts from the

Nation's premier HPM, intellectuals,

professors and stars in this pandemic. I am

sure like Napoleon Hill, ' whatever the mind

of a man can conceive and believe, it can be

achieved.' and so the IGP's five points is

synchronically as well as gradually being

achieved for sustainable peace in

streamlining with our national aspiration of

2041 here in Bangladesh.

The writer has been serving as

Additional Superintendent of

Police in Media and Public

Relations, Police Headquarters.

provided a glimpse into Wuhan, the epicentre

of the global Covid-19 pandemic, at a time

when many were not even sure there was a

new virus. While the Chinese government

denies it, it is not known whether they would

have admitted to the fact that there was a novel

coronavirus that may have originated in a wet

market in Wuhan at all. While they would not

be able to hide it forever, the early leaked

videos produced by Zhang likely created

crucial pressure that forced the Chinese

government to come clean.

Once upon a time, the international human

rights framework ensured that women like

Zhang who performed such a valuable service

for the world would not be punished and left to

languish in a Chinese jail. Human rights

advocates would ensure that her case received

attention and demand that the Chinese

government release her. The failure of that

system can be witnessed by the simple fact

that, one week after the European Union

issued a statement criticising the Chinese

government for its treatment of Zhang, they

turned around and signed a trade treaty with

the very same government.

People often praise China by saying that it is

unstoppable in its march towards world

domination. They neglect to mention that

China is also unstoppable in this other way,

punishing the brave truth-tellers who put the

welfare of the world before their own selfinterest.

Zhang's story should provoke some

questions about all the other truths that are

successfully suppressed by the Chinese

government. An emerging superpower that

cares more about image rather than truth is

unlikely to be concerned with anything except

its own survival.

Source: Dawn

Now is a promising time to begin to heal Gulf rift

On Tuesday in AlUla, a city in

northwestern Saudi Arabia, the

leaders of Saudi Arabia, the UAE,

Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait

attended a ceremony that marked a

significant step toward healing the rift

between Qatar and its Gulf neighbors. In

advance of the GCC leaders' summit, in a

show of good faith airspace restrictions

were lifted and sea and air borders were

reopened. The Trump administration,

working closely with leaders throughout

the region, worked hard to reach this step.

This event is yet another example of the

realpolitik approach that has, of late, been

adopted by the region with the

encouragement of US President Donald

Trump, along with the able assistance of

Jared Kushner and his team. As with the

Abraham Accords, this achievement

represents the hard work of courageous

leaders who recognize that perfect must

not be the enemy of the good. These

leaders understand that, despite the

differences they have not yet fully

resolved, working together is better for the

Her condition did not stop the court from delivering judgement

on the official charges, which translate to "picking quarrels

and provoking trouble". According to The New York

Times, China uses this vague category of crime to punish all

those that it perceives as critical of the government.

region. This achievement represents the

hard work of courageous leaders who

recognize that perfect must not be the

enemy of the good. Tuesday's event is yet

another triumph for the foreign-policy

approach of President Trump and his

administration, which includes patience,

perseverance, respect for those who are

involved and the issues they are

concerned about, as well as not preaching

or dictating an outcome that the region is

unwilling to accept or embrace. As Trump

said when he visited Saudi Arabia in May

2017, his goal was not "to lecture (or) to

tell other people how to live, what to do,

who to be, or how to worship. Instead, (his

goal was) to offer partnership - based on

shared interests and values - to pursue a

better future for us all."

The Middle East is an extraordinarily

complicated region with so much promise.

Each day I participate in video chats with

businessmen and women throughout the

region (often including Israelis) and our

conversations are peppered with

enthusiasm for what they see unfolding.

They see a region of growth, vibrancy, and

opportunity. They look up to their

leadership and the goals their leadership is

striving to achieve. Over the past four years,

I have been blessed to have developed deep

relationships with many people in this

region - both personal and professional.

The personal ones are, of course, the most

cherished. We have broken bread together,

celebrated happy occasions, gotten to know

one another's families, customs, holidays,

dreams, and aspirations. It has been a true

blessing. I continue to marvel at where they

are heading.

Each of these countries has its own

approach on how to achieve their future

plans, but they also recognize that they are

stronger working together than apart.

Undoubtedly there will be bumps in the

road and occasional setbacks. But with the

strong leadership in place in the region, I

firmly believe we have much to look

forward to in the Middle East in the

coming years. This region, especially its

enthusiastic, talented, younger

generation, is also poised to make a

tremendous mark on the rest of the world.

Tuesday's ceremony removed a

significant stumbling block from the path

toward those goals. It may be that not all

of the issues have yet been resolved and

that personal relationships are yet to be

rebuilt. It may be that these countries do

not agree on some of the important issues

of the day, including the Iranian regime

and the threat it poses to the region.

Despite these differences and challenges,

it is time to rebuild the bonds between

these neighbors and hopefully others in

the region too, including Israel. It is time

to continue to strengthen existing

partnerships and to build new ones, not

only in security, combating extremism

and fostering commerce, but in friendship

and culture. Tuesday's achievement

recognizes that, while leaders cannot solve

all of the region's problems at the same

time and not everything is perfect,

significant progress can be made and

opportunities must be seized.

Source: Arab news

Delegates clap their hands while attending the closing ceremony of the 12th National Congress of

Vietnam Communist Party.

Photo: AP

Vietnam's coming leadership change

Huong Le Thu

The 13th National Congress of the

Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) is

scheduled to take place in the first

quarter of 2021. It will decide on the new

leadership for the next five years and set

the course of key policies for the country.

Arguably, the most important CPV

conclave since the 1986 Congress that

introduced the doi moi reforms which

led to Vietnam's opening, the 2021

Congress is consequential because of the

once-in-a-century pandemic that has

paralyzed the globe and affected almost

all aspects of life. At the same time, great

power competition between the United

States and China is intensifying, making

the international environment less

conducive to the international

cooperation so needed for global

recovery. Vietnam's economic and

political success in the past three

decades has depended heavily on that

international cooperation.

How will the new leadership

maneuver in the new post-COVID

world? It looks to be a world where

China's aggressive ambitions seem only

more insatiable, the United States'

capabilities and interests in the region

appear on the decline, and the ability of

multilateral institutions, including

ASEAN, to serve the collective interests

of their members also seems to be

weakening. The South China Sea

disputes and China's increased activities

to assert control over movement and

resource extraction in the area challenge

Vietnam on multiple levels, from

territorial integrity to resource

sovereignty and economic and human

security. The COVID-19 pandemic

means that Vietnam, like most

countries, will face mounting economic

challenges as a global recession looms

beyond the public health crisis. On top of

those challenges is the climate crisis, to

which Vietnam is very vulnerable, and

which will not wait for other priorities to

be dealt with first.

The outcomes of the 13th National

Congress will determine leadership

appointments, set the country's

socioeconomic plans for the next five

years, and give an indication of how the

new leadership will respond to the

pressing internal challenges and

navigate the increasingly volatile

external environment.

China's Africa diplomacy touches

a new high

Shannon Tiezzi

For the past 30 years, China has kept up

a tradition of sending its foreign minister

to Africa for his first trip of the new year.

Despite the complications of the

pandemic, which has curtailed many

overseas trips for diplomats around the

world, this is one tradition China is

keeping. On January 4, Foreign Minister

Wang Yi departed for a five-country tour

that will take him to Nigeria, the

Democratic Republic of the Congo

(DRC), Botswana, Tanzania, and the

Seychelles.

"During this visit, State Councilor and

Foreign Minister

Wang Yi will hold indepth

exchange and

coordination with

African countries,

promote

implementation of the

important consensus

reached by President

Xi Jinping and African

leaders and the

outcomes of the

FOCAC Beijing

Summit and the

Extraordinary China-

Africa Summit on

Solidarity against

COVID-19, support

African countries in

combating the virus

and achieving

economic recovery,

advance BRI

cooperation, and build

a closer China-Africa community with a

shared future," Foreign Ministry

spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a

press briefing on January 4.

The COVID-19 pandemic - including

disease prevention, treatment, and

vaccine distribution - and the associated

economic devastation has,

unsurprisingly, become the primary

focus of China-Africa cooperation over

the past year. As Hua referenced in her

statement above, Chinese President Xi

Jinping held a virtual summit with 13

African leaders, as well as the chair of the

African Union Commission, focused on

COVID-19 in June 2020.

In addition, China sent medical teams

to Africa, provided medical supplies, and

promised to give African countries

priority access to an eventual Chinese

vaccine. In December in Ethiopia, a

ground-breaking ceremony was held for

the headquarters of the African Centers

for Disease Control, an $80 million

construction project bankrolled by

China. On the economic side, "China has

signed debt service suspension

agreements with 12 African countries

and provided waivers of matured

interest-free loan for 15 African

countries," Wang told Xinhua in an

interview this week. Those agreements

are vague and opaque, however, and

debt payments to China remain an issue

of concern for countries like Kenya,

Zambia, and Angola. Meanwhile, the

primary platform for China-Africa

engagement - the Forum on China-

Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) -

celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2020,

although the pandemic put a damper on

commemoration events.

Overall, the China-Africa "friendship

emerged still stronger from the test of

Foreign Minister Wang Yi is making his traditional first trip

to Africa, kicking off an important year for China-Africa

cooperation.

Photo :Collected

COVID-19 in 2020," Wang proclaimed.

2021 is off to a promising start as well.

Aside from Wang's visit, on January 1

the China-Mauritius free trade

agreement (FTA) entered into force.

That deal, signed in October 2019,

marks China's first FTA with an African

country. Its entry into force coincided

with the launch of the African

Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),

potentially heightening the impact of the

China-Mauritius pact (although current

tight restrictions on Rules of Origin may

hinder this linkage). According to

analysts, China is likely looking to use its

FTA with Mauritius as a model for future

agreements with other African

countries.

Meanwhile, the next FOCAC summit

will be held in Senegal this year. The

event, which takes place once every three

years and brings together the heads of

state from China and 50-plus African

countries, is the highlight of China-

Africa cooperation. This year's summit

will focus on "three priority areas of

vaccine cooperation, economic recovery,

and transformative development,"

according to Wang. His visits this week

will help lay the groundwork for

concrete commitments in those areas.

There is one area where African

leaders may be disappointed, however:

We are not likely to see a huge jump in

Chinese money offered to Africa.

Chinese pledges made at FOCAC

ballooned from $5 billion in 2006 to $60

billion in 2015, but then for the first time

stayed at that level for the Beijing

FOCAC summit in 2018. The level of

promised funding may actually drop this

year. Chinese lending and grants have

ebbed in recent years, reaching new lows

amid the turmoil of the COVID-19

pandemic.

As Deborah

Brautigam, director

of the China-Africa

Research Initiative

at the Johns

Hopkins School of

Advanced

International

Studies in

Washington, D.C.

put it in a recent

interview with The

Diplomat, "FOCAC

set up high

expectations that

Beijing would

continually expand

its pledges of aid,

loans, and other

forms of economic

engagement. These

have been tempered

in recent years as

pledges plateaued."

While it's often left unspoken amid a

preferred focus on economic

cooperation, China will also be expecting

diplomatic support from Africa -

particularly as frictions with the United

States continue into 2021. In comments

to Vanguard News Nigeria, Wang spoke

of "the important mission of

strengthening international cooperation

and safeguarding common interests

between China and Africa."

"Nowadays, the world is becoming less

peaceful, especially in recent years,

unilateralism and power politics

prevailed, the Cold War mentality is

overflowing," Wang said. "…There is an

urgent need to strengthen

communication and coordination

between China and Africa, reveal the

power of solidarity, send a common

voice, safeguard the legitimate rights of

the Chinese and African people to

oppose outside interference, pursue

fairness and justice, and lead a better

life." In other words, China will be

seeking more vocal support from African

governments on international issues.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

5

The revival of Indonesia's

nuclear dream

Sung-Mi Kim

Is Indonesia looking to go nuclear under

the Joko Widodo government? In

February 2020, Luhut Binsar

Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister of

maritime affairs and former chief of staff

to President Widodo, publicly

complained that powerful countries like

the United States do not consider

Indonesia a serious international player

because of its lack of nuclear weapons,

seizing some local news headlines. The

political heavyweight, a retired four-star

army general, is behind a recent bout of

interest in cutting-edge nuclear reactor

technologies to capitalize on the country's

abundant mineral resources.

In June 2020, Defense Minister

Prabowo Subianto held meetings with

the governor of the Banka Belitung

Islands and it is known that they

discussed setting up a ministerial

regional office there. Just off the east

coast of Sumatra, the islands are

estimated to hold 95 percent of

Indonesia's thorium. Thorium itself

cannot be used in traditional thermal

neutron reactors but upon absorbing a

neutron will transmute to uranium-233,

an excellent fissile fuel material especially

for (advanced) molten salt reactors. In

July 2020, a meeting between Luhut and

Prabowo was reported for their

discussions on the use of tin and rare

earth elements.

The sensitivity lies in that thorium and

uranium can be extracted from

unconventional sources, particularly

monazite, which is often co-located with

Indonesia's abundant tin mineral

resources. The Defense Ministry appears

interested in building a thorium molten

salt reactor of a small size - with an

electricity generation capacity of 50

megawatts - by 2025 for particular

national security purposes like power

generation for marine vehicles. Nuclear

propulsion will make such vessels

capable of longer missions without the

need of frequent fuel recharging,

compared to conventional dieselpowered

ones.

It is uncertain whether concrete steps

beyond leadership rhetoric are being

taken, and there are questions about how

these ministries will be able to mobilize

nuclear expertise and industrial

capabilities locally. There has long been

skepticism about the feasibility of

thorium molten salt reactor technologies

among nuclear scientists at Indonesia's

National Nuclear Energy Agency, or

BATAN, its acronym in the Indonesian

language (Badan Tenaga Nuklir

Nasional). BATAN scientists have said a

commercial thorium molten salt reactor

may be made operational only after 2040

despite its advantage in being a highly

safe system and its relatively easy and

cheap construction.

Nonetheless, the Defense Ministry

signed an agreement with U.S.-based

nuclear company ThorCon International

in July 2020 to collaborate on the

research and development of a small

thorium molten salt reactor. Initially,

ThorCon had made an ambitious

proposal in March 2019 to invest $1.2

billion to develop a larger, 500 megawatt

floating nuclear power plant in Indonesia

by 2027. To this end, ThorCon has been

engaging with key state-owned

enterprises such as shipbuilder PT PAL

Indonesia, electricity provider PT PLN,

and tin miner PT Timah through a series

of MOUs and high-level engagements.

BATAN and the broader nuclear

research community and industrial

stakeholders in Indonesia may find in the

new policy momentum an opportunity to

speed up the introduction of nuclear

energy. Their efforts to promote nuclear

energy in the past decades have been

largely unsuccessful due to widespread

fears about the risks associated with the

Pacific Ring of Fire, a region prone to

earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The

relative cost disadvantage of

conventional nuclear energy was also a

frustrating factor because resourceabundant

Indonesia has other cheaper

and safer means to produce renewable

energy through investments in solar,

wind, hydro, geothermal, and other

alternatives.

Given the policy context, nuclear

scientists and industries may welcome

new political backing from powerful

ministries and politicians to mainstream

nuclear advocacy beyond purely

commercial or technical calculations.

Currently, Indonesia has three small

5

research reactors, without powergenerating

commercial reactors.

President Sukarno (1945-1967)

considered nuclear weapons options in

the mid-1960s. But after his removal

from power in 1967, the Indonesian

government agreed to a series of

international agreements, committing

the country to non-proliferation

mandates and the peaceful use of nuclear

technology.

The case of Indonesia as a resourceabundant

nuclear aspirant in the

developing world is also illustrative of

some of the growing predicaments faced

by the international safeguards

community. In other words, nuclear

materials inspection is not only about

identifying uranium deposits and their

whereabouts after excavation.

Increasingly the inspection business

concerns thorium, as well as

unconventional uranium resources such

as phosphate rocks, monazite, rare-earth

elements, black shales, lignite, and some

seawater experiments. Recent

Does the Joko Widodo government have nuclear

aspirations?

Photo: Pixabay

technological advancements have made

it possible to recover uranium from

different unconventional minerals.

Indeed, Indonesia is very keen to

develop mineral purification and

separation technologies to take

advantage of its rich mineral resources,

and BATAN is spearheading such efforts

for radioactive minerals development.

Open source research on the news and

scientific publications show that

Indonesian researchers are conducting a

substantial amount of research into

extraction of uranium and thorium from

unconventional sources, particularly

monazite, which is often co-located with

the country's tin ore mining. Indonesia is

the world's largest tin producer.

Biden's climate dilemma

Abhijnan Rej

A recent essay by Brookings Institution

scholar Tom Wright has caused a small

storm among watchers of China-U.S.

relations. In the process, the essay has

indirectly raised difficult questions

around strategic priorities - and the

difficulties in managing competing

ones. But even more fundamentally,

Wright's article once again brings to the

fore old dilemmas around strategic

tradeoffs when it comes to the "right"

mix of competitive and cooperative

elements in the United States' China

strategy, strategies of linkage, and the

extent to which future, lasting gains

from cooperation around wicked global

problems - such as climate change -

may come at the cost of ceding

geostrategic space to Beijing.

Writing in The Atlantic on December

23, Wright focuses on President-elect

Joe Biden appointing former Secretary

of State John Kerry as special

presidential envoy on climate change,

and the dangers it may entail in terms

of pushing back Chinese intransigence.

Based on his conversations with

sources close to Kerry, Wright notes

that Kerry would front-and-center

cooperation around climate change

and push geopolitical rivalry to the

background. As Wright writes, "Kerry

believes that cooperation with China is

the key to progress on climate change

and that climate is by far the most

important issue in the relationship

between the United States and China."

Without litigating the merit of Kerry's

apparent proposition, Wright's article,

as well as the debate surrounding it,

highlights three sets of vexing

questions, none of which are easy - and

some of them impossible - to answer.

The first revolve around strategic

priorities. As author David Wallace-

Wells in "The Uninhabitable Earth," his

2019 book on climate change, describes

it, the gradualness of climate change is

a "pernicious fairy tale." In fact, as he

documents, drawing on a wealth of

China and United States should cooperate on global risks mitigation

even if it means pushing geopolitics aside.

Photo: Internet

research, the effects of climate change -

some near apocalyptic - are already

here for all to see, if we choose to look,

that is. Simply put, climate change is as

much part of the extant global security

landscape as missile batteries on

artificial islands in the South China Sea.

Given these circumstances, Kerry is

quite right to view it as the defining

challenge that ought to shape relations

between great, industrial, powers. But

if climate change is indeed the numero

uno national and international security

threat, should it not be dealt with as

such? Put provocatively, why should

the United States not put it ahead of the

pursuit of continued hegemony in the

Pacific? Even more provocatively: the

South China Sea as a Chinese lake is

unlikely to pose an existential threat to

the United States; failing to arrest and

mitigate climate change would

certainly be. If such efforts can only

succeed through bringing Beijing

onboard, does common sense then not

dictate that it be done so, even at the

cost of sustaining a "liberal

international order"? After all, for any

world order to work and be sustained

over time - liberal or otherwise - one

would need a world to begin with. (The

easy answer - that it is also in the

Chinese interest to cooperate with the

U.S. on climate change - does not work;

as Wright rightly points out, now that

Beijing sees an opening in Kerry's

appointment, it will do its best to

foreground climate issues. It would be

rational for Chinese leaders to pursue a

strategy of linking climate negotiations

with conventional geostrategic issues.)

Of course, one could object to this

treatment of political goals (liberal

international order, free and

open/secure and prosperous Indo-

Pacific, U.S. hegemony in the Pacific,

the list goes on) with anthropogenic

risk mitigation targets on an equal

footing. Depending on who you ask,

some would prioritize one over the

other. And this is a fair criticism,

though one that is fraught with difficult

conceptual questions that it, in turn,

poses. For one, how does a security

planner consistently rank order threats

in a way that allows for appropriate

allocation of diplomatic energy and

material resources?

THuRSDAY, JANuARY 7, 2021

6

Control law and order situation

without creating panic among common

people - Magura police super Zohirul

The wall of a house under construction for homeless shelter project collapsed in Rampura

village of Chukaibari union in Dewanganj upazila.

Photo: Shamsul Huda

Homeless shelter project collapsed

in Jamalpur

Rokibul Hoque Dipu, Magura

Correspondent: I like to control law

and order situation without creating

panic among common people , told

newly posted police super in Magura

Muhammad Zohirul Islam . He spoke

in a view exchanging meeting with

journalists .

Police super told , drug addiction has

turned into a fatal disease. Only law

enforcing is not sufficient to control

drug . I would like to rehabilitate drug

peddlers and traders as well as enforce

law against them . Social movement

will be run to motivate the drug addicts

Police super added , no other identity

of culprits will be considered . The

misdeed of culprit matters to me.

Finally he told, they will be treated

with minus tolerance rather than zero

tolerance who are fundamentalist and

Magura Muhammad Zohirul Islam in a view exchanging meeting with journalists

Photo : Rokibul Hoque Dipu

Shamsul Huda, Dewanganj

correspondent: An old woman

named Mamata Bewa (60) was injured

when the wall of a house under

construction of a homeless shelter

project collapsed in Rampura village of

Chukaibari union in Dewanganj upazila.

The ten feet high wall fell on her and the

whole body of the old woman was

covered with bricks. The incident took

place in front of Tarnati Rubel (25).

While trying to rescue his Nani, Rubel

also got injured in his leg. The incident

took place at 1:30 pm last Saturday. The

people of area admitted Mamata to

Dewanganj Sadar Hospital.

Patient's physical condition was

critical and she was transferred to the

district hospital. She was transferred

from there again for better treatment

and is currently admitted to

Mymensingh Charpara Hospital.

Speaking about Mamta's physical

condition, grand-daughter Parvin (24)

said that her grandmother now can

speaks softly, move both hands.

News of the death had already spread

from the hospital twice. Relatives worry

that even if Mamata survives, she will

spend the rest of her life by lying in bed.

Locals complain that the Dewanganj

Upazila Project Implementation

Committee is constructing 172 houses

under the homeless Shelter Project

under the chairmanship of the Upazila

Nirbahi Officer. From there, the house

work is to be done under the supervision

of the Upazila Chairman and the Union

Chairman, but Shyamal Chandra group,

the proprietor of Durga Enterprise, is

working on 100 houses through special

lobbying.

Not every house has been built from

the beginning using quality construction

materials like gravel, sand, rod, cement.

The contractor does not make any

inquiries of the works. This is how Durga

Enterprise is working. District

Administrator Enamul Haq visited the

demolished house. During the

inspection, the deputy commissioner

went to see another house nearby. He

informed that a three-member inquiry

committee has been constituted by

A.D.C Shafiqul Islam in this incident.

Action will be taken against those who

are found to be corrupt in the

investigation. At the end of the visit, he

went to see Mamata Bewa at the hospital

and took charge of her treatment.

15 labourers, family

members get

financial support in

Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI : Some 15

occupational labourers and

family members were given

financial support worth

Taka 3.90 lakh aimed at

facilitating them to

overcome their financial

hardship.

The support was provided

on behalf of the Bangladesh

Labourers Welfare

Foundation under the

Ministry of Labour and

Employment for various

purposes including

occupational illness and

fatalities of the institutional

and non-institutional level

employees.

Rajshahi District

Administration at its

conference hall distributed

the bank cheques among the

enlisted persons of four

districts in Rajshahi region

on Tuesday afternoon.

Deputy Commissioner

Abdul Jalil accompanied by

Additional Deputy

Commissioner Shariful

Haque, Divisional Director

of the Department of Labour

Enamul Haque and Deputy

Inspector General of the

Department of Inspection

for Factories and

Establishments (DIFE)

Mahfuzul Haque Bhuiyan

distributed the financial

support.

Speaking on the occasion,

Abdul Jalil said the present

government is pledged to

ensure occupational safety

and legitimate rights. To this

end, the government under

the dynamic and visionary

leadership of Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina has been

working relentlessly.

He said the workers play a

vital role in the country's

economic development.

"But, they remained

neglected in occupational

health. They met accidents

several times while on duty,

causing a loss to the national

economy," he said.

The newly constructed four-storey modern post bungalow of the district

council has been inaugurated in Monpura upazila of Bhola district. Mr.

Abdullah Al Islam Jakob MP, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing

Committee on the Ministry of Youth and Sports on Wednesday

Photo : Taybur Rahman (Tuhin)

No development to stop during

Sheikh Hasina's tenure : MP Jakob

Taybur Rahman (Tuhin), Char

Fashion Monpura Correspondent: The

newly constructed four-storey modern post

bungalow of the district council has been

inaugurated in Monpura upazila of Bhola

district. Mr. Abdullah Al Islam Jakob MP,

Chairman, Parliamentary Standing

Committee on the Ministry of Youth and

Sports inaugurated the 4-room post bungalow

at 11 a.m. on Wednesday (January 6).

At the same time, Jakob said no

development will stop during the tenure of

Sheikh Hasina's government. The building

was constructed at a cost of around Tk 3

crore with the district council's own funds.

Monpura Upazila Awami League President

and Upazila Chairman Mrs. Selina Akhter

Chowdhury presided over the inauguration

ceremony of the newly constructed Dak

Bungalow building. Also present on the

occasion were Upazila Mahila Vice

Chairman Parveen Akhter Rebu, Upazila A-

League General Secretary and North

Sakuchia UP Chairman Md Zakir Hossain.

AKM Shahjahan, vice-president of Upazila

A-League, Monir Miah, Upazila Nirbahi

Officer, Officer-in-Charge of Monpura Police

Station and other leaders and workers of the

organization were present.

One held with 995 grams

of heroin in C'nawabganj

CHAPAINAWABGANJ : Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested an alleged drug peddler with

995 grams of heroin from Shibganj upazila in the district Tuesday night.

The arrested person was identified as Md. Abdul Matin, 35 of Bholamari Chandpur village

under Shahbajpur union of Shibganj upazila of the district.

RAB said, an operation team of RAB-5 from Chapainawabganj camp, on secret

information, conducted a raid at Hajarbighi Telipara village under Shahbajpur union of the

upazila at 7:45 pm and arrested Abdul Matin with the heroin. Later, the arrested person was

handed over to the police.

Newly-appointed Rangamati Superintendent of Police (SP)Mir Muddasser Hossain held an

exchange meeting with journalists working in Rangamati. At the Polwel Cafeteria in Rangamati

this exchange meeting was held on Tuesday. Police officers at the meeting and Rangamati Press

Club President Shawkat Hossain Rubel and general secretary Anwar Al Haque, Co-worker print

and electronic media journalists were present.

Photo: Md.Shaqfiqur Rahman

Potato farming exceeds target by

2.63 percent in Rajshahi division

RAJSHAHI : Potato farming has

exceeded the target by 2.63 percent

during the current season in Rajshahi

division because of mounting interests

among the farmers in general to the

vegetable crop farming, reports BSS.

The latest official data said the

Department of Agriculture Extension

(DAE) has set a target of producing

around 37.58 lakh tonnes of potato from

1.60 lakh hectares of land in all eight

districts under the division during the

current Rabi season.

DAE Additional Director Sirajul Islam

said target has been set to produce 13.61

lakh tonnes of potato from 57,677

hectares of land in four districts under

Rajshahi Agricultural Zone, while 23.98

lakh tonnes from 1.02 lakh hectares in

four other districts of Bogura zone.

But, fortunately, the farmers have

brought around 1.64 lakh hectares of

land consisting 60,721 hectares in

Rajshahi zone and 1.03 lakh hectares in

Bogura zone taking advantage of the

suitable climatic condition and other

requisite facilities provided by the

government, he added.

Meanwhile, the newly harvested

potatoes have been appearing in the local

markets abundantly for the last couple of

weeks making both the farmers and

consumers happy.

"I'm buying newly appeared potatoes

every day at Taka 40 per kilogram from

vendors," said Ambia Ferdousi Khanom,

a housewife of Boaliapara in Rajshahi

city, adding she's happy over the fresh

vegetable.

Ashraf Ali, a farmer of Hatkanpara

village under Durgapur Upazila, has

cultivated potatoes on 35 bigha of land.

He's happy over his present farming

condition. Ali told BSS that many of his

co-villagers are getting lucrative market

price of the crop at present.

Altab Hossain, 54, another farmer of

Mougachhi village under Mohanpur

Upazila, has cultivated the crop on

around 170 bigha of land in Krishnapur

area of Tanore Upazila.

"I had cultivated the cash crop on 110

bigha of land in the same area in the

previous season. I had harvested around

8,800 mounds of potato and my profit

was around Taka one crore after selling

those," said Hossain. He's also very much

hopeful about this year's farming.

Like the previous year, Ershad Mondal,

another farmer of the same upazila, has

brought around 100 bigha of land under

potato farming. He said the potato is

being sold at around Taka 1,400 to 1,500

per mound in wholesale markets, which

is much higher than the previous years.

Many other commercial farmers are seen

passing their busy times in nursing their

cultivation plots at present for catching

the lucrative market price.Mijanur

Rahman, an operator of deep-tube-well

in Krishnapur village, said the farmers

are seen cultivating potatoes more

instead of Boro paddy in the Barind area

and the Tanore and Godagari Upazilas in

particular.

He identically mentioned that the

farmers are interested in potato farming

as it's being adjudged as a less-irrigation

consuming crop than the boro paddy,

which is a good sign in terms of lessening

the gradually mounting pressure on

underground water in the dried barind

area.

More than 12.58 lakh community

people of 2.66 lakh households are also

being motivated and encouraged

towards farming of various less-water

consuming crops including potato to

reduce the pressure on underground

water with intervention of the 'Integrated

Water Resource Management (IWRM)'

project. Simultaneously, commercial

potato farming has been expanded to the

dried lands in massive ways during the

last couple of years in the vast Barind

tract as a result of promoting irrigation

facilities by the Barind Multipurpose

Development Authorities (BMDA).

3 lakh pieces of blankets distributed

in Rangpur division

RANGPUR : The government already distributed three lakh pieces of blankets

among cold-stricken poor, distressed, disabled and transgender people in Rangpur

division.

Officials said the blankets and other warm clothes are being distributed in brief

functions arranged abiding by the health directives in the division in the wake of

the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

So far, the Prime Minister's Relief Fund has allocated over 2.76 lakh pieces of

blankets for distribution among cold-hit people of all eight districts in Rangpur

division. Besides, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has allocated

Taka 5-lakh for each district administration and Taka 6-lakh for each upazila

administration in addition to allocations for municipalities to purchase blankets

and warm clothes for the purpose.

In Rangpur, distribution of 51,600 pieces of blankets allocated by the Prime

Minister's Relief Fund was completed among cold-stricken poor and distressed

people to mitigate their sufferings across the district.

The Divisional Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners, Upazila Nirbahi Officers,

mayors of different municipalities, upazila and union chairmen and public

representatives are continuing distribution of the blankets and warm clothes.

"Meanwhile, 460 pieces of blankets, allocated by the Prime Minister's Relief

Fund, were distributed among cold-stricken people in each union of all 58 upazilas

of the division," Divisional Commissioner Abdul Wahhab Bhuiyan told BSS.

He said the government would continue distribution of blankets among cold-hit

people of all eight districts in Rangpur division throughout the winter season to

stand beside them and mitigate their sufferings.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

7

BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly to

be discharged Thursday

Kenosha District Attorney Michael Graveley announces that no charges will be filed in the August

2020 shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S., January 5, 2021. Photo : Internet

No charges in police shooting of

African American Jacob Blake

KENOSHA : No police will be charged

in the shooting of African American

Jacob Blake, who was left paralyzed in

an incident which sparked unrest in the

US city of Kenosha in August, the

prosecutor announced Tuesday.

Kenosha County District Attorney

Michael Graveley said that white police

officer Rusten Sheskey had a

reasonable claim of fear of being

stabbed when he shot Blake several

times in the back as Blake tried to get in

his car.

Graveley said it was a "very narrow

decision," but that based on existing

law for officer-involved shootings, it

would be difficult for state prosecutors

to prove that Sheskey was not engaged

in self-defense if he or others were

charged in the case.

"No Kenosha law enforcement officer

in this case will be charged with any

criminal offense, based on the facts of

the law," said Graveley.

The shooting of the 29-year-old on

August 23 in the Wisconsin town

poured fuel onto nationwide anger over

police shootings of Black Americans,

sparking several days of violent

protests.

Bystander video showed Sheskey

UK vows

'massive' increase

in virus jabs

LONDON : Britain's

minister for vaccinations on

Wednesday promised the

drive would speed up

dramatically to inoculate

nearly 14 million people in

the coming weeks, as

lawmakers were set to back

an England-wide lockdown.

Prime Minister Boris

Johnson has pledged that

the most vulnerable -

including those over 80 and

in care homes - will get a first

dose by mid-February.

"My absolute focus is to

get to 13.9 million," vaccines

deployment minister

Nadhim Zahawi told BBC

radio.

"I'm confident the NHS

(National Health Service)

has a plan and we will meet

that target," he said.

"You will see a massive

increase in the numbers," he

said, with the public able to

get shots at national

vaccination centres opening

soon, as well as in hospitals,

doctors' surgeries and

community pharmacies.

The House of Commons

has been recalled and will

vote retroactively on the

latest restrictions, which

took legal effect overnight

and could remain in force

until March 31.

However, the government

says it plans to review the

lockdown including the

closure of schools and nonessential

shops in mid-

February.

Johnson and Health

Secretary Matt Hancock

were to speak to MPs ahead

of the vote, while Education

Secretary Gavin Williamson

will give more detail on how

children will be assessed

after he cancelled summer

exams including for

university aspirants.

firing several shots into Blake's back as

he tried to get into his car while his

three children sat inside.

Blake survived but was left without

the use of his legs. Graveley said that

Blake, whom the officers were trying to

arrest at the time, would also not be

charged with a crime.

Blake's family and attorney decried

the decision not to charge the officers as

another indication of racism built into

the policing system.

"This is a slap in the face by

Wisconsin government and the District

attorney," his uncle Justin Blake said in

a press conference.

"What has happened has perpetuated

systemic racism," he said.

The family's attorney, B'Ivory

Lamarr, said there was "more than

sufficient evidence" to charge Sheskey.

"It shows one very important thing,

and that is that there are three justice

systems in America: There's one for

Black and brown people, one for police

officers and one for the rest of

America."

But Graveley said officers had reason

to believe Blake was dangerous based

on 911 calls to the scene from his

estranged fiancee, an arrest warrant

out for him on domestic abuse charges,

and what he said to officers as he

sought to leave the scene with his three

children in the car.

The district attorney also said that

officers made three attempts to taze

Blake to subdue him, which all failed.

Graveley added it was "absolutely

incontrovertible" that Blake had armed

himself with a knife while being

confronted by the police, and that Blake

himself had admitted as much. - City

girds for fresh protests -

The shooting sparked three nights of

violent protests which culminated on

the night of August 25 when, drawn to

the city by calls from right-wing militia,

a 17-year-old carrying an assault rifle,

Kyle Rittenhouse, shot dead two

protestors and wounded a third.

Earlier Tuesday Rittenhouse entered

a plea of "not guilty" to murder charges

in the shootings. Blake's case fed into

the election battle between Democrat

Joe Biden and President Donald

Trump, with Biden offering support for

Blake's family and decrying systemic

racism in law enforcement, while

Trump expressed support for the police

plus law and order, and for

Rittenhouse.

Warnock makes history with Senate

win as Dems near majority

ATLANTA : Democrat Raphael Warnock

won one of Georgia's two Senate runoffs

Wednesday, becoming the first Black

senator in his state's history and putting the

Senate majority within the Democrats'

reach, reports UNB.

A pastor who spent the past 15 years

leading the Atlanta church where Martin

Luther King Jr. preached, Warnock defeated

Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler. It was

a stinging rebuke of outgoing President

Donald Trump, who made one of his final

trips in office to Georgia to rally his loyal base

behind Loeffler and the Republican running

for the other seat, David Perdue.

The focus now shifts to the second race

between Perdue and Democrat Jon Ossoff.

That contest was too early to call as votes

were still being counted. If Ossoff wins,

Democrats will have complete control of

Congress, strengthening President-elect

Joe Biden's standing as he prepares to take

office on Jan. 20. Warnock's victory is a

symbol of a striking shift in Georgia's

politics as the swelling number of diverse,

college-educated voters flex their power in

the heart of the Deep South. It marks the

end of nearly two decades in which

Democrats have been shut out of statewide

office and follows Biden's victory in

November, when he became the first

Democratic presidential candidate to carry

the state since 1992.

Warnock, 51, acknowledged his

improbable victory in a message to

supporters early Wednesday, citing his

family's experience with poverty. His

mother, he said, used to pick "somebody

else's cotton" as a teenager.

"The other day, because this is America,

the 82-year-old hands that used to pick

somebody else's cotton picked her youngest

son to be a United States senator," he said.

"Tonight, we proved with hope, hard work

and the people by our side, anything is

possible."

Loeffler refused to concede in a brief

message to supporters shortly after

midnight. "We've got some work to do here.

This is a game of inches. We're going to win

this election," insisted Loeffler, a 50-year-old

former businesswoman who was appointed

to the Senate less than a year ago by the

state's governor.

Democrat Raphael Warnock won one of Georgia's two Senate runoffs

Wednesday, becoming the first Black senator in his state's history and putting

the Senate majority within the Democrats' reach.

Photo : AP

NEW DELHI : India's cricket board

chief Sourav Ganguly, affectionately

known as 'Dada', is likely to be released

from hospital on Thursday "as per his

wish".

This was announced on Wednesday

by the eastern Indian city of Kolkata's

leading private hospital, Woodlands,

whereGanguly underwent an

angioplasty surgery on Saturday after

suffering a mild heart attack, reports

UNB.

"Ganguly is fit and fine. He was to be

released this morning. But he will now

be discharged on Thursday as he

himself has opted to extend his stay in

the hospital by one more day," a doctor

treating the former Indian skipper told

the media.

The 48-year-old was rushed to the

private hospital on Saturday morning,

after he complained of acute chest pain

and dizziness while working out at a

gym. Later that day, he underwent

angioplasty after three tiny blockages

were detected in his coronary artery.

On Tuesday, India's leading cardiac

surgeon Devi Shetty, who flew down to

Kolkata from the southern city of

Bengaluru,said Saurav could run a

Giant vulva statue

fuels gender

debate in Brazil

SAO PAULO : An enormous

bright-red vagina sculpture

on a mountain in northeast

Brazil is intended to inspire

intercourse - not the sexual

kind but rather a dialogue on

gender issues, particularly

poignant under the

conservative government of

President Jair Bolsonaro.

Artist Juliana Notari

created the 33-meter (108-

foot) vulva, titled "Diva,"

with the help of more than

20 people, who excavated a

rural sugarcane field in

Pernambuco state to make a

crevice which she says also

resembles "a wound."

"In 'Diva' I use art to

engage with questions that

refer to gender issues from a

female perspective," Notari

said on Facebook.

The six-meter deep,

cement-lined excavation

took nearly 11 months to

complete, but touches on

issues "that are becoming

more and more urgent,"

Notari said.

Brazil is undergoing a wave

of ultra-conservatism which

swept Bolsonaro to power in

2019 and has created

polarized discussion on

gender issues, including on

hot button topics such as

abortion. Since 2003, Notari

has been "working with the

female anatomy and seeks to

provoke discussions around

sexual taboos imposed on

women," official material on

the sculpture said.

"It's also a wound, too,"

Notari said of the sculpture.

The work has come under

ridicule and garnered

criticism, with one Facebook

user posting that "if it was 15

minutes of fame she wanted,

she got it," while others have

applauded the artist's ability

to create space for reflection.

marathon and fly a plane "as his heart

is as strong as it was when he was 20",

after examining him at the hospital.

"This event will not affect his lifestyle

or life span. He is going to lead a

normal life like anybody else. Sourav

can participate in a marathon, fly a

plane, or even get back to cricket if he

wants as his heart has not suffered any

damage," he had said.

During his interaction with Saurav,

Dr Shetty said, he had requested the

president of the Board of Control for

Cricket in India to influence the

country's sports bodies to ensure

sportspersons go for mandatory

cardiac and body check-ups at least

once in two years.

"Ganguly's event has shaken the

world raising a question as to how a 48-

year-old athlete like him, who does not

drink, smoke, or has any other vices, is

a fit man, can have a heart attack. A

preventive health check-up could have

prevented the event," he told the

media.

"Irrespective of how strict you are

with your lifestyle, irrespective of how

athletic you are, you can still have a

heart attack if you do not go for a

Covid isn't the only infectious

disease threat to world, says

WHO chief

DHAKA : In a race to "save lives, livelihoods

and end this pandemic", the head of the

World Health Organization (WHO) has said

that it's important to remember that COVID-

19 is just one of a number of major disease

outbreaks facing communities across the

world, reports UNB.

In his first regular media briefing of the

new year, on Tuesday, WHO Director-

General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told

journalists that the UN health agency was

also "picking up and analysing hundreds of

potential signals every week", concerning

other life-threatening illnesses.

But he made it clear the pandemic remains

"a major public health crisis", while assuring

that the agency is "working day and night" to

accelerate science, provide solutions on the

ground and build global solidarity.

preventive heart check-up at regular

intervals," the cardiac surgeon added.

Last week, Ganguly had cleared the

air about him joining politics ahead of

the assembly elections in his home

state of West Bengal.

Post his meeting with state Governor

Jagdeep Dhankhar, rumours were

going the rounds that he could be

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's

chief ministerial face in the assembly

polls in West Bengal, currently ruled by

Banerjee's regional Trinamool

Congress party.

However, Dada had told the media,

"If the Governor wants to meet you, you

have to meet him. So let us keep it like

that."

Considered one of the best captains

in international cricket,Ganguly quit

international cricket in 2008 but

continued playing in the multibillion-dollar

cricketing tournament

Indian Premier League for a few

more years.

He scored more than 18,500 runs in

Tests and one-day internationals.Last

year, Dada was elected as the president

of BCCI, the world's richest cricketing

body.

"This is as important for tackling the

pandemic as it is for getting essential services

back up and running again," Tedros was

quoted by UN News as saying.?

Pointing out that WHO's work stretches

"far beyond emergencies", the UN's top

health official explained that its operations

encompass improving "human health in all

its aspects from birth to old age".

He also elaborated on the breadth of the

agency's activities - from keeping mothers

and babies alive during childbirth to tackling

mental health and controlling HIV and other

diseases.?

"We have learned a lot in the last year; not

least that health is an investment in overall

development, critical for thriving economies

and a key pillar of national security," said the

WHO chief.?

In a race to "save lives, livelihoods and end this pandemic", the head of the

World Health Organization (WHO) has said that it's important to remember

that COVID-19 is just one of a number of major disease outbreaks

facing communities across the world.

Photo : AP

Georgia counting votes in runoffs

that decide Senate control

ATLANTA : Georgia officials

began counting the final

votes of the nation's turbulent

2020 election season on

Tuesday night as polls closed

in two critical races that will

determine control of the U.S.

Senate and, in turn, the fate

of President-elect Joe Biden's

legislative agenda.

The two Senate runoff

elections are leftovers from

the November general

election, when none of the

candidates hit the 50%

threshold. Democrats need to

win both races to seize the

Senate majority - and, with it,

control of the new Congress

when Biden takes office in

two weeks.

President Donald Trump

encouraged his loyalists to

turn out in force even as he

undermined the integrity of

the electoral system by

pressing unfounded claims of

voter fraud to explain away

his own defeat in Georgia,

reports UNB.

Around 9 p.m. Tuesday,

the race was too early to call.

Both Democrats had a

small lead in votes counted,

but much of that vote came

from ballots cast before

Election Day, which generally

favor Democratic candidates.

That left room for the

Republicans to catch up as

more votes cast on Election

Day, which tend to favor the

GOP, were added to the

count.

In one contest, Republican

Kelly Loeffler, a 50-year-old

former businesswoman who

was appointed to the Senate

less than a year ago by the

state's governor, faced

Democrat Raphael Warnock,

51, who serves as the senior

pastor of the Atlanta church

where Martin Luther King Jr.

grew up and preached.

The other election pitted

71-year-old former business

executive David Perdue, a

Republican who held his

Senate seat until his term

expired on Sunday, against

Democrat Jon Ossoff, a

former congressional aide

and journalist. At just 33

years old, Ossoff would be the

Senate's youngest member.

The heightened significance

of the runoffs has

transformed Georgia, once a

solidly Republican state, into

one of the nation's premier

battlegrounds during the

final days of Trump's

presidency.

Biden and Trump

campaigned for their

candidates in person on the

eve of the election, though

some Republicans feared

Trump may have confused

voters by continuing to make

wild claims of voter fraud as

he tries to undermine Biden's

victory.

M.C Bazar Sub-branch of First Security Islami Bank Ltd. inaugurated at M.C Bazar, Sreepur, Gazipur

with a view to providing shariah based banking services in a greater extent to its clients recently.

Syed Waseque Md Ali, Managing Director of the Bank inaugurated the activities of new sub-branch

through Video Conference. Among others, Abdul Aziz and Md. Mustafa Khair, Additional

Managing Director(s), Md. Zahurul Haque and Md. Masudur Rahman Shah, Deputy Managing

Director(s) along with other high officials were present on the occasion. A Doa Mahfil was organized

in this regard.

Photo: Courtesy

Social Islami Bank Ltd (SIBL) inaugurated 168th Branch and 63rd Subbranch respectively in Salimgonj

Bazar, Nabinagar, Brahmanbaria and Mohanganj, Netrokona recently. Managing Director & CEO Quazi

Osman Ali inaugurated the branch and subbranch as chief guest from SIBL Head Office through virtual

platform. Abu Naser Chowdhury, Md. Sirajul Hoque and Md. Shamsul Hoque, Deputy Managing

Directors, Md. Abdul Mottaleb, Head of BC & GBD, Md. Moniruzzaman, Head of Marketing & Brand

Communication, Md. Shaheed Iqbal, Upazila Chairman of Mohanganj, Manager of Salimgonj and

Netrokona Branch and local dignitaries also attended the program.

Photo: Courtesy

Tokyo shares open lower ahead of state of emergency

TOKYO : Tokyo stocks opened lower

on Wednesday as the Japanese

government prepared to issue a fresh

state of emergency to fight the surging

coronavirus, with players also eyeing

elections in the US state of Georgia,

reports BSS.

The Nikkei 225 index fell 0.13 percent,

or 35.46 points, to 27,123.17 in early

trade, while the broader Topix index

edged down 0.03 percent, or 0.56 points

to 1,790.66.

Overnight gains on Wall Street were

encouraging, but the yen's strength

continued to weigh on the Tokyo market,

analysts said.

The Japanese currency stood at 102.61

yen in Tokyo, against 102.72 yen

overnight in New York.

"The market may try to use the

momentum from the US market and

attempt to regain ground that was lost

earlier, but the continued strength of the

yen is a cause for concern," Okasan

Online Securities said.

"With the US elections, and ahead of a

state of emergency (in part of Japan),

investors may become inclined to take a

wait-and-see attitude," the brokerage

said, expecting the market to spend the

day without a clear sense of direction.

Polls closed for the US Senate runoff

elections that will determine the balance

of power in Congress as trading began in

Tokyo.

Last-minute surges in polls by the

Republican candidates lifted Wall Street,

as their victories would mean higher

hurdles for policy moves by the next

Democratic administration, including

possible tax hikes and tougher industry

regulations, analysts said.

Digital Campaign Season- 9

Free TV in every hour on Marcel fridge,

washing machine purchase

Marcel, one of the leading

domestic electronics

manufacturers, launched

'Digital Campaign Season-9'

with the offer of some

customers' benefits on the

occasion of celebrating Happy

New Year 2021, says a press

release.

Under the Season 9, the

local brand offered customers

free television or sure cash

vouchers upon the purchase of

its any of the models of

refrigerator or washing

machine from any of the

branded outlets across the

country.

The customers' benefits

were come into effective from

January 2, 2020 and to be

continued until the further

announcement.

Recently, company's higher

official Engineer Golam

Murshed announced the

launching of Digital Campaign

Season 9 at a 'Declaration

Programme' at Marcel

Corporate Office in the capital.

Company's Directors SM

Ashraful Alam and Tahmina

Afrose Tanna attended the

programme virtually while

Deputy Managing Directors

SM Nazrul Islam Sarker, Eva

Rezwana Nilu, Amdadul

Haque Sarker and Humayun

Kabir, Executive Directors SM

Zahid Hasan, Uday Hakim,

Mohammad Rayhan, Anisur

Rahman Mollick, Ariful

Ambia, Amin Khan, Dr Md

Shakhawat Hossen, Firoj

Alam and Engineer Easir Al

Marcel's higher officials attend the 'Declaration Program' of Digital

Campaign Season 9 at the company's Corporate Office in the capital

recently.

Photo: Courtesy

Imran, among others, were

also present.

At the function, the officials

informed that they have been

conducting the digital

campaign across the country

to create customers database

for bringing the after sales

service operation under the

online automation. During the

campaign, some details such

as customer's name, contact

number and the product's

model number have been

stored on Marcel server. As a

result, the users of Marcel

products will easily get the

desired after sales service even

if they have lost the product's

warranty card. Customer

database will also help the

service

center's

representatives getting

customers' feedback about

their respective Marcel

products' service. To

encourage customers'

participation in the campaign,

the local brand has been

offering special customers'

benefits like cash back, cash

vouchers etc.

According to Marcel

authorities, every fridge of the

local brand is being marketed

after getting the quality testing

certificate from the

international standard

Nusdat-Universal Testing

Lab. Marcel brand

refrigerators have received

several standard certifications,

including BSTI's 'Five Star'

energy rating efficiency, ISO,

OHSAS, ROHS, etc.

World's latest technologies

like intelligent inverter, Nanohealth

care and anti-fungal

door gasket are being used in

Marcel refrigerators.

Marcel is giving one-year

replacement guaranty as well

as 12 years compressor's

guaranty.

In addition, customers are

getting Marcel brand's 4

models of energy efficient

washing machine at the prices

from Tk 6,900 to Tk 22,000.

Marcel is delivering swift

after sales services to the users

through its countrywide 76

service centers, operated

under the ISO certified Service

Management System.

Hedge funds

bet on recovery

in 2021

TORONTO :Some global

hedge fund investors are

going into 2021 optimistic

about a speedy snap-back

from the economic challenges

related to the coronavirus

pandemic, reports Asia

timesa.

Hedge funds, which use

leverage and employ more

aggressive, often riskier

strategies than other

investors, believe many

previously undesirable

sectors, ranging from energy

to retail, will rebound in 2021.

Accounting for roughly $3

trillion in assets, hedge funds

showed resilience in 2020,

with many outperforming the

market, according to

investors.

"We think 2021 is going to

be a really positive year for the

markets," said Jason

Donville, president and CEO

at Toronto-based hedge fund

Donville Kent Asset

Management. He forecasts an

explosion of pent-up demand

for travel and leisure

producing a period of "super

growth."

"I think it will take a little

while for the vaccines to roll

out and then somewhere

around March, April, May,

you're going to get a

confluence of the vaccines

getting to a certain critical

mass... and infection rates

dropping."

For 2020 as a whole, the

S&P 500 unofficially rose

16.26%, a stunning rally from

a bear market that kicked off

when the pandemic spread

rapidly earlier in the year.

"What I would say about

2021 is it looks like it's going

to be a year of recovery," said

Robert Sears, chief

investment officer at UKbased

Capital Generation

Partners, which invests in

hedge funds globally. "That's

the consensus view."

The gainers in 2020

included the S&P 500

Information Technology

Sector, up more than 42% as

the sector benefited from the

abrupt acceleration of online

trends. On the other hand, the

S&P 500 Hotels Restaurants

and Leisure eeked out a gain

of 1.4%.In the past quarter,

however, leisure stocks have

rebounded as vaccine rollouts

have accelerated hopes of

recovery. "I think macro

conditions are going to

continue to be quite volatile,

so macro should have a good

year," said Sears, referring to

funds that invest according to

macroeconomic trends.

UK launches

new o4.6 bn

plan to help

virus-hit firms

LONDON : The UK

government on Tuesday

launched an extra o4.6-billion

package for virus-battered

businesses as England began a

fresh lockdown set to last

weeks, reports BSS.

The financial support,

equivalent to $6.3 billion or 5.1

billion euros, "will help

businesses to get through the

months ahead - and crucially it

will help sustain jobs, so

workers can be ready to return

when they are able to reopen",

finance minister Rishi Sunak

said in a statement.

Sunak announced grants for

retail, hospitality and leisure

businesses worth up to o9,000

per property to help businesses

through to the Spring.

Other impacted businesses

would share o594 million.

The UK government has

already pumped out billions of

pounds in support since early

2020 when the nation went

into a first lockdown over the

coronavirus.

At the heart of this is a state

furlough scheme paying the

bulk of wages for private sector

workers.

The Bank of England is also

pumping out vast sums of cash

to prop up the economy.

"Throughout the pandemic

we've taken swift action to

protect lives and livelihoods

and today we're announcing a

further cash injection to

support businesses and jobs

until the Spring," Sunak said.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021 8

bKash handed over 300

more ventilators

bKash handed over 300

more ventilators along with

300,000 emergency health

toolkits like infrared

thermometers, masks,

protective clothing and

medical goggles donated by

China's Alibaba Foundation

and Jack Ma Foundation to

accelerate COVID treatment

during this winter, a press

release said.

Prior to this, bKash handed

over 650,000 medical supplies

including 50 ventilators from

Alibaba Foundation and Jack

Ma Foundation to PM's Relief

Fund in June, 2020 in virtual

presence of the Honorable

Prime Minister. This time,

Kamal Quadir, CEO of bKash

handed over the emergency

medical supplies to Abu Hena

Morshed Zaman, Director of

Central Medical Stores Depot

(CMSD) in presence of Dr.

Ahmad Kaikaus, Principal

Secretary to Prime Minister at

PM's office.

Md. Abdul Mannan,

Secretary of Health Services

Division and Major General

Sheikh Md. Monirul Islam

(Retd.), Chief External and

Corporate Affairs Officer of

bKash were also present at the

program.

This time, the donation of

36.7 ton medical equipment

includes 300 ventilators,

250,200 KN95 masks, 30,000

medical disposable protective

clothing, 200 infrared

thermometers and 85,000

medical goggles.

Besides these, bKash from its

own fund, has provided 30

ventilators to Dhaka Medical

College Hospital, Dhaka

Shishu Hospital, Dhaka CMH

and Central Police Hospital as

part of social responsibility to

increase medical capacity of

the top hospitals of Bangladesh

few days back. The company

also installed oxygen plant at

the Diabetic Hospital (BIHS

General Hospital) as a part of

this continuous donation

during the ongoing pandemic.

In the context of the urgent

need of ventilators for the

treatment of patients suffering

from severe respiratory

infections by Covid-19 in the

country, concerned people

have expressed hope that these

ventilators provided by Alibaba

and bKash will accelerate

Corona treatment and make it

more effective.

Launched in 2011, bKash, a

joint venture of BRAC Bank,

US based Money in Motion,

International Finance

Corporation of the World Bank

Group, Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundation and Ant Group,

operates as a payment service

provider offering broad range

of digital financial services

under the regulation of

Bangladesh Bank.

Walton top officials at the declaration programme of up to 100 percent

instant cashback on its wide ranges of laptop, desktop, all-in-one PC and

other IT accessories.

Photo: Courtesy

Up to 100pc cash back on Walton

laptop, desktop and accessories

To mark the celebration of New Year 2021, the

Bangladeshi superbrand 'Walton' has offered up

to 100 percent instant cashback on its wide

ranges of laptop, desktop, all-in-one PC and

other IT accessories, a press release said.

The fresh offers were come into effective from

January 1 and will be continued till March 31,

2021 at all Walton Plaza and Dealer Points.

The announcement was made at a

'Declaration Programme' held at Walton

Corporate Office in the capital on January 6,

2021.

Walton Digi-Tech Industries Limited

Chairman SM Rezaul Alam attended the

declaration programme virtually as Chief guest

while Founder of Ten Minute School Ayman

Sadik and International Children Peace Award

winner Sadat Rahman as special guests .

The event was also attended, among others, by

Walton Hi-Tech Industries Limited Deputy

Managing Director Nazrul Islam Sarker, Eva

Rezwana Nilu, Amdadul Haque Sarker and

Humayun Kabir, Walton Digi-Tech Industries

Limited Deputy Managing Director Engineer

Md. Liakat Ali, Walton's Executive Director SM

Zahid Hasan, Uday Hakim, Firoj Alam and

Amin Khan.

Meanwhile, using credit cards, customers can

buy Walton's digital devices from 375 Walton

Plaza all over country at EMI (Equal Monthly

Installment) facility with zero interest rate.

Although the instant cashback is not available

on the purchase Walton digital devices from E-

NEW YORK : An array of prominent US

business executives on Monday called for

Congress to certify Joe Biden as the new US

president, writing in a joint letter that it is

time "to move forward."

The letter, signed by more than 170

executives in industries ranging from finance

and sports to technology and media,

condemned any attempt to thwart the

certification process as "counter to the

essential tenets of our democracy."

"This presidential election has been

decided and it is time for the country to move

plaza (https://eplaza.waltonbd.com), but

customers will enjoy lucrative discounts from

online purchase. In addition, students are

enjoying special facilities for purchasing Walton

laptops.

At the event, Walton Digi-Tech's Deputy

Managing Director and Computer Products'

CEO Engineer Liakat Ali said, "Considering the

customers need and demand, Walton has been

manufacturing and marketing advanced

technologies and featured digital devices at

reasonable prices. We are committed to give lots

of facilities to all classes of people, including

students, job holders, businessmen,

professionals and freelancers aimed at reaching

Walton made digital devices to every people to

contribute on building Digital Bangladesh. As a

continuation of that, 100 percent cashback is

given for customers."

According to Walton, the local multinational

brand has been manufacturing and marketing 21

models of laptops under the series of Prelude,

Passion, Tamarind and WaxJambu within the

price range of Tk 23,550 to Tk 1,68,500. Walton

also has 16 models of desktop under 7 series

between Tk 26,990 and Tk 129,550, 3 models of

All-in-One PC within Tk 46,950 and Tk 55,500,

Besides, Walton is manufacturing and supplying

various accessories at reasonable prices like

monitor, memory card, RAM, SSD Drive,

mouse, keyboard, pen drive, ear phone, wifi

router, USB cable, speaker, power supply unit,

UPS, digital writing pad etc.

Top US executives demand Congress certify Biden victory

forward," read a copy of the letter released by

business advocacy group Partnership for

New York City, reports BSS.

"Congress should certify the electoral vote

on Wednesday, January 6."

Certification is generally a formality - but

more than 100 Republican members of the

House and about a dozen Senate

Republicans have said they plan to raise

objections on Wednesday. At least one

House and one Senate member needs to

lodge an objection to certification to send it

to the floor for debate and a vote.

ThURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021

9

Real Madrid jumped to the top of La Liga on Saturday with a 2-0 home victory over in-form Celta

Vigo.

Photo: AP

We prefer not to play back-to-back

Tests in Sydney: Wade

SportS DeSk:

Norwich slip up again while rooney

leads Derby towards safety

SportS DeSk:

Championship leaders Norwich

dropped points for the second time in

four days as they were held 1-1 by

struggling Qpr while Wayne

rooney's Derby climbed out of the

relegation zone by thrashing

Birmingham 4-0 on tuesday, reports

BSS.

After losing 1-0 at Watford on

Saturday, Norwich slipped up again

as the visitors recorded a hard-earned

point in a game of two penalties.

the Canaries were dominant

throughout and looked as though

they had won it when teemu pukki

scored his 11th goal of the season

from the spot with 15 minutes

remaining, but were pegged back

nine minutes later as Bright osayi-

Samuel followed suit for the visitors.

Swansea and Bournemouth have

the chance to close the gap on Daniel

Amidst the growing chatter

surrounding India's reluctance to

travel to Brisbane to play the final test

due to stricter quarantine protocols in

the state, Matthew Wade has said that

Australia wouldn't prefer moving the

final test. the final game of the fourmatch

series is scheduled to be played

from January 15 at the Gabba - a venue

where India have never won a test,

reports Ap.

one of the options out there for India

is to play back-to-back tests in Sydney

where the third test begins on

thursday, with the touring party

unhappy about undergoing another

strict quarantine in Brisbane after the

one that lasted 14 days upon their

arrival in Australia. Sydney itself had

recorded fresh CoVID-19 cases not too

long ago, which had put the third test

being played there in doubt. However,

it was eventually given the green light.

"I have not heard of this, but we

obviously prefer not to (play back-toback

in Sydney)," said Wade on

Sunday (January 3). "the schedule

has been rolled out and we prefer to

stick to that. regardless, if that is a

quarantine-based hotel, go to the

ground, play and come back. Cricket

Australia have been firm that they will

stick to the schedule that we rolled out

at the start of the summer so we fully

expect to play at Gabba. there is no

secret that we would love to play at

Gabba. Harder quarantine and stricter

biosecurity protocols will be there. But

we are ready for more sacrifice and

face more challenges.

"From our position, there is no

uncertainty, we are going to play at the

SCG and then playing at the Gabba

until we are told that it is going to

change. So, we are rolling to the next

game expecting what is going to be. It

is out of our control and there is

nothing we can do," he added.

As many as five Indian players

including vice-captain rohit Sharma,

Shubman Gill, prithvi Shaw, Navdeep

Farke's men on Wednesday.

At the other end of the table, Derby

recorded their biggest win of the

season to climb out of the bottom

three for the first time since the end of

october.

three goals in 10 first-half minutes

from krystian Bielik, Graeme Shinnie

and Colin kazim-richards, did the

damage for rooney's side before

Jason knight completed the scoring.

the rams have lost just once in

eight games to bolster the former

england and Manchester United

captain's chances of turning his stint

in temporary charge into a

permanent appointment.

Sheffield Wednesday responded to

the sacking of tony pulis by beating

playoff chasing Middlesbrough 2-1.

pulis left the club on Monday night

having been in charge for just 45 days

and 10 games.

First-half goals from Callum

Saini and rishabh pant were placed in

isolation after a potential CoVID-19

biosecurity protocol breach. the five

were found dining at an indoor

restaurant in Melbourne with its video

surfacing online and prompting

Cricket Australia and BCCI to conduct

an investigation.

"What India is doing, I have not

really thought much about. As a group

and personally we have not thought

much about what India is doing

outside a cricket ground. that is the

situation. We are thinking of how we

can do much better," said Wade

factoring in Australia's eight-wicket

loss in the Boxing Day test with the

series standing at 1-1. part reason for

the loss was Australia's batsmen being

unable to kick on and get scores. Steve

Smith, the pivot of Australia's batting

line-up, failed in both tests

aggregating just 10. Wade, however,

expects Smith to get among the runs

and deal better with r Ashwin and

ravindra Jadeja.

paterson and Liam Shaw secured

victory at Hillsborough, with the

hosts holding on after Duncan

Watmore pulled one back.

Stoke moved to within a point of the

playoff places with a 1-1 draw with

Nottingham Forest as James

Chester's own goal cost Michael

o'Neill's men victory.

Huddersfield made it five home

wins in a row as Naby Sarr's double

earned a 2-1 victory over Blackburn.

preston beat Coventry 2-0 to move

within four points of the playoffs

thanks to goals from Daniel Johnson

and Sean Maguire.

At the bottom of the table,

Wycombe earned just their third win

of the season as headers from ryan

tafazolli and David Wheeler beat

Cardiff 2-1.

Luton and Barnsley were 2-1 victors

over Bristol City and rotherham

respectively.

Championship leaders Norwich dropped points for the second time in four days as they were held 1-1 by

struggling QPR.

Photo: AP

Solskjaer sees Man Utd of old

in late win over Wolves

SportS DeSk:

Manchester United are recreating the

habit of late winners that could lead to an

unexpected premier League title

challenge, according to manager ole

Gunnar Solskjaer, reports BSS.

Marcus rashford's deflected strike deep

into stoppage time beat Wolves 1-0 on

tuesday to move United up to second and

within two points of leaders Liverpool.

After come from behind wins at

Brighton and Southampton already this

season, United have now won three of

their first 15 games of the season in added

time, a trait Solskjaer knows well from his

playing career at old trafford under Alex

Ferguson.

"It's one of the points we brought up

early in the season, that we didn't win

many points towards the end of games,"

said Solskjaer.

"We have a tradition for it at this club.

obviously we've normally got many more

supporters helping us to do that.

"Now we've won many more points

towards the end of games and that's both

a mental aspect and a physical aspect."

United laboured for long spells against a

youthful Wolves side despite having a

day's extra rest than the visitors, who were

in action just 48 hours previously against

tottenham.

But Solskjaer described snatching

victory from an uninspired performance

as a "big step forward" as United beat

Wolves for the first time in five meetings

between the sides since Nuno espirito

Santo's men returned to the top flight

two-and-a-half-years ago.

"We didn't perform as well as we want

to do but we win a game against a very

difficult side to play against," added

Solskjaer.

"We've struggled against them, this is

the first win in the league. We've played

them seven times (over the past three

seasons) and there has never been many

goals in the games.

"this is a big step forward that you don't

perform, but you still win."

United's victory continues an excellent

run of 23 points from the last possible 27

to mount a title challenge that looked

unlikely after winning just two of their

opening six league games.

Solskjaer's men host Aston Villa on New

Year's Day before travelling to face

Liverpool on January 17, in a match which

could have huge ramifications on the title

race.

"We cannot get too far ahead of

ourselves," said Solskjaer. "We've got to a

decent position at the moment but we are

not even halfway, there is a long, long way

to go." Defeat was harsh on Wolves, who

competed manfully given the tight

turnaround for two hugely demanding

fixtures.

However, the visitors again lacked a

goal threat in the absence of raul

Jimenez, who is expected to miss much of

the rest of the season due to a fractured

skull.

"this is football and a learning process,"

said Wolves boss Nuno espirito Santo.

"It's cruel in the moment but you can't

stay feeling sorry. You have to move

forward."

the last clash between the sides at old

trafford in February was Bruno

Fernandes's debut for United.

the portuguese has had a

transformative impact on the United's

fortunes, but he could not beat

international teammate patricio with by

far the hosts' best chance of the first-half

as he snuck in at the back post to meet

Mason Greenwood's cross.

Solskjaer lauded edinson Cavani's

predatory instincts on the eve of the game,

suggesting the Uruguayan will be handed

an extension to his contract for next

season.

the 33-year-old did find the net with his

only chance 20 minutes from time, but

was offside as the ball broke his way from

a corner.

Instead it was rashford who made the

telling impact as he raced onto

Fernandes's hopeful long ball over the

top.

the england international cut inside,

but patricio looked to have his shot

covered until it hit Saiss and flew in at the

near post.

Marcus Rashford's deflected strike deep into stoppage time beat Wolves 1-0 on Tuesday to move

United up to second and within two points of leaders Liverpool.

Photo: AP

Federer and Nadal

re-elected to Atp

players' council

SportS DeSk:

tennis legends rafael

Nadal and roger Federer,

ranked second and fifth in

the world respectively, have

been re-elected to the Atp

players' council, whose term

runs until June 2022,

reports BSS.

the council, as voted by

Atp player members, also

saw the re-election of

Canadian Felix Auger-

Aliassime, Australian John

Millman, South African

kevin Anderson, Briton

Andy Murray and Brazilian

Bruno Soares.

In addition, France's Gilles

Simon returns to the council

having served previous

terms, while newcomers

pablo Andujar of Spain and

New Zealander Marcus

Daniell will serve their first

term.

Briton Colin Dowdeswell

and Venezuela's Daniel

Vallverdu were elected as

representatives of retired

players and coaches

respectively. the council's

president and vice-president

will be elected at its first

meeting in 2021.

It was presided over until

last year by world number

one Novak Djokovic.

But the Serb broke away in

August to establish a new

players' association which he

said would include women

and was intended to bring

players together to give them

a louder voice in decisionmaking.

Federer and Nadal both

spoke out against the

proposal when it was

announced, calling for

"unity, not separation".

typhoon wins Walton-CrAB

football tournament

StAFF reporter:

typhoon won Walton-

CrAB football tournament

in the final held at Shaheed

Captain (retd) Mansur Ali

Stadium on Wednesday.

typhoon defeated

evergreen 1-0 to win the

title. typhoon defeated

SWAt 1-0 in the

semifinals. Last year's

champion evergreen, on

the other hand, beat the

FBI 2-0 to reach the final.

ten teams from among

the members of

Bangladesh Crime

reporters Association

participated in the

tournament. In the first

round match based on

knock-outs, Interpol won

against CrAB Fighters,

SWAt won against

Frontiers and today's

Crime beat top tens Front

Liners. In the second

round, evergreen beat FBI,

typhoon beat Front Liners

and SWAt beat Interpol.

the three losing teams in

the second round lost by

the same margin and the

fourth team in the semifinals

was determined by

lottery. SWAt's Juaber

Ahmed Chowdhury was

the tournament's top

scorer and champion

typhoon team's Sabbir

Ahmed was the best in the

tournament.

At the end of the final of

the tournament, FM Iqbal

bin Anwar (Don),

executive Director of the

sponsor Walton, presented

prizes and trophies as the

chief guest. Among others,

former star footballers who

received national awards

including CrAB leaders

were present as special

guests.

Members of Typhoon pose with the trophy after winning the Walton-

CRAB football tournament held at Shaheed Captain (Retd) Mansur Ali

Stadium on Wednesday.

Photo: Courtesy

THUrsDAY, JANUArY 7, 2021

10

Nowshin gets a jab

of COVID-19 vaccine

TBT reporT

ZEE5 Global's second Bangla original

to premiere on January 9

'Mainkar Chipay' after a grand

success of first Bangladeshi

original, ZEE5 Global, the largest

OTT platform for South Asian

content, will release second

Bangladeshi original, 'What the Fry

(WTFry)' on January 9, says a press

release.

Directed by National Awardwinning

director Anam Biswas,

ZEE5 Global unveiled the trailer of

the short film on Monday.

The streaming platform also

revealed the poster of the film

starring Bidya Sinha Mim and

Pritom Hasan, Sakib Bin Rashid

and Iresh Zaker and it will be

available to their subscribers in

over 190 countries.

Nehha Pendse has been roped in to play Anita in

Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain. The actor will reportedly

start shooting soon and will be seen on screen by

the end of the month.

A source shared that Pendse was one of the first

actors that the producers (Sanjay and Binaifer

Kohli) had reached out to, after Saumya Tandon,

who played the character originally, quit the show

in August 2020. The former Bigg Boss contestant

The 50-minute movie is copresented

by Glow & Lovely and

can be available for free on the

ZEE5 app, and also on

www.zee5.com.

Archana Anand, Chief Business

Officer, ZEE5 Global, said, "We've

been overwhelmed by the response

to our first Bangladeshi original,

Mainkar Chipay, which received

rave reviews by not only people in

Bangladesh but in other countries

as well. I'm now thrilled to

announce another Bangla original

WTFry, directed by the very

talented Anam Biswas. A quirky,

short format film, WTFry is a fun

love story about two very different

people who come together, and is

sure to be very relatable for the

younger audiences who are driving

Bangladesh's massive digital

growth."

'WTFry' is an entertaining short

film revolving around the lives of a

film star Shama and a software

developer Bashar. While Shama is

an absolute firebrand, intelligent

and impulsive; on the other hand,

Bashar is a simple, straightforward,

minimalist guy. Shama's

world revolves around social

media; Bashar lives rooted in

reality. As the completely

paradoxical worlds of Shama and

Bashar collide, the journey of

finding true love in an era of

superficiality takes its course.

Nehha Pendse to play Anita

in Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain

had earlier worked with them in May I Come in

Madam?.

"However things did not work out then and the

hunt continued. Since Saumya Tandon had already

shot a huge bank, the makers were not in a rush.

The character demanded a certain change, and

when they reached out to Nehha again, she readily

agreed," added the source.

While quitting the show, Saumya Tandon had

exclusively told us that contrary to reports of her

quitting because of pay-cut and covid-scare, she

chose to move out to explore herself as an actor.

Calling it a well-thought decision, she said, "I have

had a beautiful journey of five years with the show.

I have formed some amazing friendships on the set.

But as an actor, you want to explore different

things. I also believe there is a time for everything,

and this was my time with Bhabiji. There is so

much content being made, and I want to see myself

attempt something different. I am a thinking actor

and do not feel the need to be seen on television

every day," she said.

Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain launched on &TV six years

ago and continues to be one of the most popular

sitcoms on television. Also starring Shubhangi

Atre, Aasif Sheikh and Rohitashv Gaud, the show

revolves around two neighbouring couples, where

the husbands are smitten by each other's wives.

Source: Indian Express

Nawsheen, a TV actress and presenter said that she was

given the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine in the United States. The

actress got the opportunity to get the vaccine as she is a

citizen of that country. On her Facebook wall - Nawsheen

wrote, "I have taken the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine. Praise

be to Allah."

Nowshin has posted a picture of the Covid-19 vaccination

card on her Facebook wall where it shows that she took the

first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

"I have to take one more dose," the once familiar face of the

country's TV industry said, informing that "no side effects"

have occurred yet after taking the first dose.

Nawsheen is married to actor Adnan Faruque Hillol. This

star couple is currently living permanently in the US. They

often come to the country on holiday, but they have been in

the US before the Covid-19 crisis began. The Pfizer-

BioNTech vaccine was first approved in the US. It has been

used as the second vaccine in the country since the Moderna

vaccine was approved. Newly elected US President Joe Biden

has already set a target of vaccinating 100 million doses

within the first 100 days after taking the office.

Legendary dancer and actor

Zinnat Barkatullah, who has

recently been put in life

support at a city hospital due

to her deteriorating physical

conditions, has been shifted

from ICU to the cabin, reports

UNB.

Explaining her physical

updates, Zinnat's daughter

and renowned actor Bijori

Barkatullah shared the

detailed information on her

mother's condition through a

Facebook status on Tuesday

evening. "Today my mother

has been shifted to the

hospital room from the ICU,

From radio jockey, Nowshin gained fame by acting and

modeling since 2007. She has acted in many films. Among

his notable films are Prarthona, Mukhosh Manush, Hello

Amit, Dudu Mia, Shua chan Pakhi. She has worked in FM

Radio Radio Today, Radio Furti, Dhaka FM.

Kim Kardashian to divorce

Kanye West?

Socialite and reality TV star Kim Kardashian is getting ready to

divorce her musician husband Kanye West, reported

People.com. Kim and Kanye had tied the knot in 2014.

If sources are to be believed, the rapper already knows of

Kim's intentions and is bracing for it. "He (Kanye West) knows

that she's (Kim Kardashian) done. She has had enough, and she

told him that she wants some space to figure out her future,"

People quoted a source as saying.

"He's okay. He's sad, but okay. He knows the inevitable will

happen, and he knows that it's coming soon," the source added.

The couple had an unsettling summer with Kanye West

declaring he has decided to run for presidential elections and

revealing details about his personal life via Twitter. Kim

Kardashian had asked for compassion from people at the time

as it was believed that the rapper was struggling with bipolar

disorder then. However, when in September 2020, Kanye once

again said some things on Twitter about the family, Kim

reportedly decided she didn't want to continue with the

relationship any longer. "It's the same thing over and over and

over again. He's on very thin ice with her right now, and she's

truly trying to decide what to do to protect the kids, but also her

Zinnat Barkatullah's

health condition

improves

after her life support was

pulled off two days ago due to

her improving conditions,"

Bijori wrote on her post.

"Although my mother's

conditions are improving, she

is going through unbearable

pain which is nightmarish to

witness for me as her child.

However, Alhamdulillah and

all thanks to the almighty that

the 15 days-long ICU battle

has come to an end, and my

heartiest gratitude goes to all

who prayed for my mother,"

she added.

Zinnat has recently been

physically unwell and

shifted to ICU ventilation

with a critical condition at

Anower Khan Modern

Hospital in the capital. She

was cured of COVID-19

which she got infected with

back in August. Her

husband and renowned

producer at the Bangladesh

Television Md Barkatullah

lost his battle with COVID-

19 on August 3.

As an accomplished dancer,

Zinnat is trained in Kathak,

Bharatnatyam, Manipuri and

Folk dance format. Also being

a renowned television actor,

she has acted in more than 80

drama for various television

channels.

own sanity. The whole thing is discouraging and difficult for

her," a source revealed to People.com.

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian have four children from

their marriage of seven years - North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm.

Source: ndtv.com

H o r o s c o p e

ArIes

(March 21 - April 20) : Close

relationships should grow closer today,

and new relationships become close

ones. You're likely to feel extremely warm

and loving toward most of the people you know, and

they should reciprocate that feeling. Romantic

relationships, especially, could grow more intimate

and physical. You like the way you feel, Aries, but want

to express it outwardly through gifts or intimacy.

TAUrUs

(April 21 - May 21) : Relations with

family or other members of your

household should be especially warm

now. Mutual goals and shared wins and

losses are likely to bring you closer. Communication

with friends and other acquaintances should be open

and honest without being blunt, Taurus, providing you

with a rewarding day. You probably won't spend much

of your day alone. Make the most of it.

GeMINI

(May 22 - June 21) : You should feel loving

today toward just about anyone you like and

respect. Clear communication with friends, lovers,

and children could enhance your understanding

of them, and vice versa. The bonds in these relationships will be

strengthened, perpetuating the good feelings you've felt all year.

Current bonds grow more devoted, while new ones become close.

Keep the lines of communication open.

cANcer

(June 22 - July 23) : Powerful feelings of

love well up today, particularly toward

family members. Communication between

you and those you love is likely to be

heightened, Cancer, as you learn to speak your mind while

not being too blunt. Romantic matters could thrive now,

as you will be in the mood to physically express your

feelings. Old friends form stronger bonds, while you

discover common interests with new friends.

Leo

(July 24 - Aug. 23): Messages from

close friends expressing their love and

admiration for you may seem to arrive

out of the blue. Your accomplishments

over the past few weeks may have caused them to see

you in a new light. Today you will experience the full

force of their feelings. The doors of communication are

open for you. You could decide to spend the day

getting to know your friends all over again.

VIrGo

(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): You're always one

to face things logically, Virgo, and today you

turn that logic, along with your intuition,

toward reassessing some of your values.

Your judgment is especially acute, so any decisions you

make or any new avenues you want to explore are likely to

be just what you need now. Relations with friends, lovers,

and family should be warm, loving, and close.

LIBrA

(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): You're likely to feel

especially friendly and outgoing today,

Libra. People you meet, particularly

through groups, are likely to be

strongly attracted to you. Friendships,

partnerships, and romantic relationships should

continue to grow closer, enhanced by your high

level of communication. In the evening, go out with

those you love. Your bond will be stronger for it.

scorpIo

(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22): You should be in a

warm and romantic mood today,

Scorpio. You will want to schedule an

intimate evening with your partner,

but you probably won't feel like staying in. You

desire an evening out, perhaps to a restaurant,

concert, or play. Regardless of how you usually feel,

tonight you won't have any reservations about

showing affection in public. Enjoy your evening.

sAGITTArIUs

(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): The mutual exploration of

spiritual and intellectual ideas could bring

you closer to friends and lovers. Fascinating

discussions open new horizons to all

participants. You may be overcome by the strong feeling of

unity. By day's end, you could experience a strong spiritual

longing to study whatever the topic of conversation was.

Don't hesitate. It can only help you grow.

cAprIcorN

(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): You feel especially sexy

right now. A powerful feeling of love

and a need to physically express it could

be with you all day. If you're involved,

you want to spend a romantic evening with your

lover. If you aren't, you could channel the energy into

creative activities. Romantic novels and movies are

poor substitutes for the real thing, Capricorn, but if

they're all that's available, go for it.

AQUArIUs

(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) : Close relationships

could lead to a feeling of spiritual unity

today. In fact, Aquarius, you might feel as

if those who share your interests are

actually your family now. If you're involved, expect to

experience warm and passionate feelings toward your

partner. If not, don't be surprised if someone new

comes on the scene. Shared intellectual interests might

be what bring you together.

pIsces

(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : Love, sex, and romance

are on your mind today, Pisces, so you will

want to spend as much time as possible with

your lover. You could also grow closer to

your friends, resulting in a powerful feeling of unity. Right

now you have the gift of being able to exercise good

judgment when it comes to values in life. If decisions need

to be made along this line, this is the time to make them.

tHuRSdAY, JANuARY 7, 2021

11

Rangamati Newly appointed Superintendent of Police (SP) Mir Muddasser Hossain in Rangamati

exchanged views with journalists yesterday.

Photo: Md. Shafiqur Rahman

Grammy awards

postponed until

March over Covid-19

NEW YORK : The Grammy

music awards slated for

January 31 in Los Angeles

have been postponed until

March over Covid-19,

which has been rapidly

spreading in California,

reports BSS.

The Recording Academy

released a statement saying

it rescheduled the show to

March 14, a week earlier

than the date briefly listed

on its website.

"The deteriorating

COVID situation in Los

Angeles, with hospital services

being overwhelmed,

ICUs having reached

capacity, and new guidance

from state and local governments

have all led us to

conclude that postponing

our show was the right

thing to do," organizers

said.

"Nothing is more important

than the health and

safety of those in our music

community and the hundreds

of people who work

tirelessly on producing the

show."

The ceremony's delay

comes less than a month

before it was set to take

place in the shadow of the

pandemic, which has dealt

devastating blows to the

music industry.

About 50 Hong Kong activists

arrested under new security law

HONG KONG : Hong Kong police arrested

about 50 former lawmakers and pro-democracy

activists Wednesday for allegedly violating

the new national security law by participating

in unofficial election primaries for the

territory's legislature last year.

The mass arrests, including of former lawmakers,

were the largest move against Hong

Kong's democracy movement since the law

was imposed by Beijing to quell dissent in

the semi-autonomous territory last June.

In a video released by former lawmaker

Lam Cheuk-ting on his Facebook page,

police turned up at his house and told him he

was "suspected of violating the national

security law, subverting state power." Police

told those recording the video to stop or risk

arrest.

Police did not immediately comment on

the arrests, reported by the South China

Morning Post, online platform Now News

and various political groups and figures.

At least seven members of Hong Kong's

Democratic Party - the city's largest opposition

party - were arrested, including former

party chairman Wu Chi-wai. And former

lawmakers Lam, Helena Wong and James

To were also arrested, according to a post on

the party's Facebook page.

Benny Tai, a key figure in Hong Kong's

2014 Occupy Central protests and a former

law professor, was also arrested by the

police, according to local media reports. Tai

was one of the main organizers of the primaries,

which were held last July with the

intent of fielding enough pro-democracy

candidates in the legislative elections to gain

control of the chamber.

All of the pro-democracy candidates in

those unofficial primaries were arrested,

according to tallies of Wednesday's reported

arrests.

The home of Joshua Wong, a prominent

pro-democracy activist who is serving a 13

½-month prison sentence for organizing

and participating in an unauthorized protest

last year, was also raided, according to a

tweet posted from Wong's account.

Police also went to the headquarters of

Stand News, a prominent pro-democracy

online news site in Hong Kong, with a court

order to hand over documents to assist in an

investigation related to the national security

law, according to a livestreamed video by

Stand News. No arrests were made.

In recent months, Hong Kong has already

jailed several pro-democracy activists

including Wong and Agnes Chow for their

involvement in antigovernment protests,

and others have been charged under the

national security law including media tycoon

and outspoken pro-democracy activist

Jimmy Lai.

The security law criminalizes acts of subversion,

secession, terrorism and collusion

with foreign powers to intervene in the city's

affairs. Serious offenders could face up a

maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

The unofficial primaries held in July last

year attracted more than 600,000 voters

even though pro-Beijing lawmakers and

politicians had warned the event could

breach the security law. Pro-democracy figures

had hoped to use the vote to build support

and win a majority of seats in the legislature,

which they could use to vote against

bills they deemed to be pro-Beijing, block

budgets and paralyze the government.

India detects

total 71 cases

of the new UK

mutant strain

NEW DELHI : The number of

people who have tested positive

for the new UK variant of

SARS-CoV-2 in the country has

climbed to 71, the Union Health

Ministry said on Wednesday.

These 71 cases include the 58

which were announced by the

ministry till Tuesday.

"The total number of cases

infected with the new strain of

the novel coronavirus first

reported in the UK now stands

at 71," the ministry said.

All these persons have been

kept in single room isolation in

designated Health Care facilities

by respective state governments,

the ministry had said on

Tuesday.

Their close contacts have also

been put under quarantine.

Comprehensive contact tracing

has been initiated for co-travellers,

family contacts and others.Genome

sequencing on

other specimens is going on, the

ministry said. The situation is

under careful watch and regular

advice is being provided to the

states for enhanced surveillance,

containment, testing and

dispatch of samples to

INSACOG labs.

The presence of the new UK

variant has already been reported

by several countries including

Denmark, the Netherlands,

Australia, Italy, Sweden,

France, Spain, Switzerland,

Germany, Canada, Japan,

Lebanon and Singapore. The

Government of India took cognizance

of the reports of virus

reported from the UK and put

in place a proactive and preventive

strategy to detect and contain

the mutant variant, it said.

Senegal slaps

virus curfew

on capital

DAKAR : Senegal has

announced a night-time curfew

on two regions including

the capital Dakar to help

combat the spread of coronavirus.

President Macky Sall, in a

television announcement

late Tuesday, said a 9pm-

5am curfew would be

imposed on Dakar and

Thies.

The measure would take

effect from Wednesday, Sall

said.

Health

GD- 28/21 (6x 4)

Minister

Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr said

the two highly-populated

regions "account for nearly

90 percent of coronavirus

cases" in the West Africa

nation.

Senegal has recorded

19,803 cases of coronavirus

since March, of which 424

have been fatal, according to

figures as of Tuesday.

After a slowdown lasting

several months, it began to

be hit by a second wave of

infections in mid-

November, the authorities

said. The government has

warned against public

fatigue with anti-Covid

measures.

Impasse over WHO

virus mission 'not just

a visa issue': China

BEIJING : Delays to a longplanned

mission by WHO

experts to China to investigate

the origins of the Covid-19

pandemic are "not just a visa

issue", Beijing said

Wednesday.

A year after the outbreak

started, international health

experts were expected to

arrive in China this week for a

highly politicised visit to

explore the beginnings of the

virus, which first emerged late

last year in the city of Wuhan,

reports BSS

The sensitive mission has

been beset by delays and politics,

with fears of a whitewash

by Beijing.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman

Hua Chunying told

reporters Wednesday that

talks were continuing between

the two sides over "the specific

date and specific arrangement

of the expert group's visit".

"The issue of origin-tracing

is incredibly complicated. To

ensure the work of the international

expert team in China

goes smoothly, we have to

carry out necessary procedures

and make relevant

arrangements," said Hua.

She said the country is

"doing its best to create good

conditions for the international

expert group to come to

China".

Slow vaccine rollouts fuel worry as

US logs record daily Covid death toll

LONDON : England went back into full lockdown

as Europe battled Wednesday to stem

a rising tide of coronavirus cases, and the

United States logged its worst daily death toll

of the pandemic.

The Covid-19 crisis has shown no signs of

slowing, with known infections nearing 86

million worldwide and more than 1.8 million

deaths, even as many nations ramp up their

vaccination rollouts.

England began its third national lockdown

Tuesday as alarm grew in Britain over the

latest surge in cases which is threatening to

overwhelm its National Health Service, piling

on the misery for people growing tired of

social distancing and the economic cost.

"It's just exasperating, because I don't

know if people can just go that extra mile,

another six weeks with this lockdown. It's

just crazy," said Alex, a 65-year-old retiree

and one of the few people out on the streets

of London on Tuesday.

A senior government minister has warned

the lockdown could last into March.

Denmark and Germany also extended and

increased coronavirus measures on Tuesday,

as concerns grew about the surge on the continent

and the European Union falling

behind other advanced nations in its vaccination

drive.

GD- 29/21 (3x 3)

There are hopes the bloc's medical regulator

will authorise the Moderna vaccine when

it reconvenes on Wednesday. It approved the

Pfizer-BioNTech shot last month.

Limited supplies are a major hurdle for

nations trying to accelerate their rollouts.

Britain and Denmark have said they will

wait for longer than the recommended 21-28

days between jabs so they can focus on giving

more people their first dose - a move that has

divided specialists.

But World Health Organization experts on

Tuesday gave cautious backing "in exceptional

circumstances" to delaying the second

doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

In China, schools were shut and travel was

restricted in the northern city of

Shijiazhuang - home to around 11 million

people - as authorities moved to snuff out a

cluster after dozens were infected.

Meanwhile, Beijing said delays to a longplanned

mission by WHO experts to the

country to probe the origins of the pandemic

are "not just a visa issue" and that talks were

continuing over "the specific date and specific

arrangement" of the visit.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

said he was "very disappointed" with the

last-minute bar on entry, in a rare castigation

of Beijing from the UN body.

Dbœq‡bi MYZš¿

†kL nvwmbvi g~jgš¿

Thursday, Dhaka, January 7, 2021, poush 23, 1427 BS, Jamadi-ul Awal 22 , 1442 Hijri

Bangladesh economy is

in good shape: Kamal

DHAKA : Finance Minister AHM

Mustafa Kamal yesterday reiterated that

the economy of Bangladesh is in good

shape as it is getting more dynamic and

stronger day by day and there is no mismatch

or distortion in the economy.

"We're immuned, our debt to GDP

ratio is less and we never fail in debt

servicing. Our fiscal and monetary policy

is aligned to the national budget and

the five-year plan. There is no distortion

or mismatch, so I think we're in good

shape. We're aware fully about the

demands of our people and thus we're

working for their satisfaction," he said.

The finance minister was talking to

reporters virtually after the day's meetings

of the Cabinet Committee on

Economic Affairs and the Cabinet

Committee on Government Purchase

(CCGP).

Turning to the buoyancy in inward

remittance flow, he said that over Taka

40,000 crore remittance came to

Bangladesh over the last six months and

at the year-end, this amount would

reach around Taka 70,000 to Taka

80,000 crore.

"Since remittances are now coming

through official channel, a great

dynamism has been infused in the economy

which has also some multiplier

impact. The country's economy is getting

more dynamic and stronger and I

think we've become successful in most

of the cases," he said.

Asked about the possible challenges of

the economy in the current year, he said

the economy of a country is dependent

on many parameters, but there have

been some changes in thoughts considering

the present pandemic situation

and thus the current budget will be

recast which is also very much rational.

"The whole of the world knows very

well the current situation and our goal is

to harness and exploit the available

resources to the satisfaction of the government

and the country's people and

thus try to gain maximum which the

government is doing nicely under the

able leadership of Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina," he said.

The finance minister said compared

to other neighboring countries,

Bangladesh is doing well and would

continue to do well as the premier has

been planning things in a pragmatic way

so that it becomes conducive to the welfare

of the people of the country.

He went on saying, "As a member of

her team, we're doing our works with

the available resources."

BREB on track to attain

100pc electrification

TBT REpoRT

The Rural Electrification Board (REB)

has been working relentlessly to realize

"electricity to every household", an initiative

envisioned by Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina . In the meantime,

100% electrification has been

completed in the grid area of

462 upazilas under the jurisdiction

of BREB. The Prime

Minister has inaugurated 100

percent electrification of 288

upazilas through a video conferencing

and the overall preparations

for the inauguration

have been completed in the

remaining 173 upazilas in last

December. The use of electricity is fostering

a push for socio-economic development.

At present, the total number of REB

subscribers is 03.05 crore, which is about

80% of the national subscriber base. 30

years from the agency's establishment till

2006, only 74 lakh customers were connected.

On the other hand, during the

tenure of the present government, 23.1

million new subscribers were provided

connectivity in just 12 and a quarter years

from 2009 to 2020. What does this imply?

It means up to 2008 only 26% of the people

in rural areas used to have access to

electricity. But look at the situation right

BREB Chairman Major

General Moin Uddin (Retd)

now. About 99% of the people have access

to the coverage of electricity provided by

BREB.

Rangabali, a remote area of coastal

Patuakhali, about 2.40 lakh consumers

are going to get electricity benefits as these

areas are included in the 100%

electrification program of rural

electricity. Rangabali happens

to be the only off-grid upazila in

Bangladesh. The electrification

activities are in full swing in 3

phases in those 1059 villages.

As of the first phase, electrification

of the grid is nearing

completion in 464 villages.

These are located in relatively

less remote areas. Apart from

29 remote villages, electrification activities

are underway in 364 villages. These 1030

villages will be connected to the grid via

submarine cable. The REB is determined

to supply electricity through solar minigrids

to the remaining 29 villages, mostly

in remote hilly, coastal and char areas

within the Mujib year.

In other words, it will be possible to

bring 100% people under the electricity

facility in the Mujib year declared as the

"best year" by REB. However, REB has

been implementing various projects to

See Page-2

police stopped the march of the Left Democratic Alliance towards the Election Commission on

Wednesday. Later they demonstrated in a nearby road.

photo: Star Mail

Bangladesh Air Force is replacing its contingent at the UN Mission in the Republic of Mali. As a part of

this, 110 Air Force staff left Dhaka in a rented flight on Wednesday.

photo: Star Mail

Narayanganj 7-murder

Nur Hossain

jailed for life in

arms case

NARAYANGANJ : A Narayanganj

court on Wednesday sentenced Nur

Hossain, death row convict of sensational

Narayanganj seven-murder case,

to life imprisonment in an arms case.

Additional District and Sessions

Judge Begum Sabina Yasmin passed

the order while the accused Nur, the former

Narayanganj city councillor, was

present.

The court also cleared him of an extortion

charge, Additional Public

Prosecutor Jasmin Ahmed said.

On August 2, 2014, the law enforcers

recovered Nur's illegal weapon from a

crushed private car in the capital. A case

was filed with Siddhirganj Police Station

in this connection.

On August 22, 2017, the High Court

upheld the death sentence of 15 convicts,

including Nur and three Rapid

Action Battalion officials, and commuted

the penalty of 11 others to life term jail

in two cases filed over the seven-murder.

On April 27, 2014, Narayanganj City

Corporation panel mayor Nazrul Islam,

his three associates and driver were abducted

from Fatullah.

Also, senior lawyer at the District

Judge's Court Chandan Kumar Sarkar

and his driver were abducted on their

way to the capital.

Three days after the incident, the bodies

of six of them, including Nazrul and

Chandan, were recovered from the

River Shitalakhya.

The following day, the body of

Nazrul's car driver Jahangir was recovered

from the river.

Later, Selina Islam Beauty, the widow

of Nazrul, filed a case against six people

while Chandan's son-in-law filed the

other case.

Shariatpur amputee's

dream home is no

longer a dream

SHARIATPUR : A landless sexagenarian

amputee dependent on one

son-a van-puller by trade-as the 8-

member family's lone breadwinner

could hardly dream of living out his

days in a home to call his own, that too

built on a piece of land in his own

name.

But Hanif Matubbar, 65, is going to

do just that after the government came

forward to construct a modern home

on a two-decimal land for him, reports

UNB.

The government will also hand over

the ownership of the two-decimal land

to him.

Hanif Matubbar, 65, has been living

along with his big family in a shabby

hut on another person's land at

Afajuddin Munshikandi village of

Zajira upazila under Shariatpur district.

He used to be a day-labourer, but

gangrene put an end to his job

prospects 27 years ago, a double blow

to his life as he became unable to meet

the family expenses.

Eventually, he was forced to have his

right leg and fingers of the right hand

amputated 10 years ago due to gangrene,

leading to mounting the misery

Mongla port

DHAKA : Once a sleeping port,

Mongla is nowa vital part of

Bangladesh's economic infrastructure.

In fact, with the anchoring of the 117th

foreign vessel on New Year's Eve,

Mongla port touched a milestone in the

monthly statistics of handling shipments

in the past 70 years, surpassing

all its previous records, reports UNB.

A Panama-flagged ship, 'MV Wanda',

anchored at the port's Mooring Bay No

10 on Thursday night. The ship had left

the port of Georges Lasfar in Morocco

with fertilisers for unloading at Mongla

on November 23. With the arrival ofMV

Wanda, the port surpassed its previous

record of foreign vessel handling at106

in November 2020.

Harbour Master of Mongla Port,

Commander Sheikh Fokor Uddin said

that therecent dredgingon the tidal estuary

of the Bay of Bengal turned the corner

of navigabilityat theport."Not only

that, the increasing modern facilities at

the port have been prompting more foreignvessels

to anchor at Mongla."

Statistics show that the number of

ships arriving at the port has been

increasing with each passing year,

theHarbour Master said. "In2014-15fiscal,

some416 ships had docked at the

port. The figure rose to 482in 2015-16.

In the next financial year, some624 vessels

had arrivedwhile the number was

784in 2017-18. In2018-19, the number

of his family.

Hanif, a father of three daughters

and a son, forgot to see the dream of

having a house on his own land as his

son is the only bread earner for his

family.

Though his three daughters were

married off and live at their in-laws', his

household has 8 members including

his son's wife and four children. Let

alone the dream of having a good

house, it is even difficult for the family

to live hand to mouth with the small

income of a van-puller son.

But now the amputee person is going

to get a house with modern facilities

with a two-decimal of land under

Ashrayan-2, a housing project run out

of the Prime Minister's Office.

The construction of the tin-shed

pucca house on Khas land in

Karimuddin Matubbar Kandi village

under Senerchar Union of Zajira

Upazila has been completed.

The government will hand over the

house and land ownership to his family

in mid-January.

Like Hanif Matubbar, 10 homeless

and landless families are going to get

modern houses on the same site under

the Ashrayan-2 Project.

Harbouring the future

of Bangladesh

stood912."

In the current fiscal, we hope the figure

will exceed 1,000,Commander

Sheikh added.

The foreign vessels that docked at the

port last year included container carriers,

car carriers, coal carriers, urea fertiliser

suppliers. The foreign vessels also

carried a nuclear reactor with other

equipment, goods of power plants and

railway cargo, cement clinker and LPG.

This gradual growth in shipments is

boosting activity around the export

zone. New industries are coming up,

creating more job opportunities, according

to officials.

Chairman of the Mongla Port

Authority, Rear Admiral M Shahjahan

said that "the navigability crisis at the

port is over". "Ships with 9.5 metres

drafting are now being able toanchor at

the port comfortably. We hope Mongla

port will be able to handle over 1,000

ships this fiscal."

The seaport that once faced closure,is

now keeping pace withChittagong,the

largest seaport of Bangladesh. And the

facilities offered by the portare nowharmonious

with other export zones.

Moreover, an agreement signed with a

Chinese company for Inner bar dredging

on December 30, will come into

effect fromthis month. Once complete, it

will pave the way for the portto become

an apt alternative to Chittagong port.

FF's civil gazette

verification in

Upazila to be

held on Jan 30

DHAKA : As part of revealing enrollment

of the real freedom fighters (FFs),

the government will verify the freedom

fighters list published under civil gazette

on January 30.

"The government will verify the list of

those freedom fighters who have been

enlisted under the civil gazette deviating

approval from section 7 (jha) of the

National Freedom Fighters Council Act

2002," according to a concerned ministry

release.At the upazila level, the verification

will be held at 10 am at the

offices of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer

(UNO) and for the city, it will be held at

the offices of the Deputy Commissioner

on the day.

The decision was taken at the 71st

meeting of the National FF Council held

on December 3.

The freedom fighters lists which will

be verified and detailed information in

this regard will be available on the website

of the Liberation War Affairs

Ministry (www.molwa.gov.bd) and the

website of the National FF Council

(www.jamuka.gov.bd).

The valiant freedom fighters under

the gazette have been asked to present

necessary documents along with witnesses

of at least three fellow fighters or

inmate trainees who are recognized by

Indian or Mukti Barta (Lal Boi).

Avijit murder trial

Testimony deferred

for nonappearance

of witnesses

DHAKA : A Dhaka Court yesterday

fixed January 13 for the testimony in

Blogger and Writer Avijit Roy murder

case.

The case was scheduled to testify in the

court of Judge Mojibur Rahman of the

Special Anti-Terrorism Tribunal in

Dhaka.

The state prayed time petition as no witness

appeared before the court yesterday

and the court granted the application and

fixed the new date.

According to the prosecution story,

Blogger and Writer Avijit Roy was

chopped and critically injured by a band

of miscreants near Suhrawardy Udyan in

the TSC area of Dhaka University on

February 26, 2015 at around 9:15pm.

He was rushed to Dhaka Medical

College Hospital (DMCH) where he succumbed

to his injuries at around 10:30pm

On February 27, Avijit's father, eminent

educationist Prof Ajay Roy, filed a murder

case with the Shahbagh police station.

On March 13, 2019, Dhaka

Metropolitan Magistrate Sarafuzzaman

Ansari filed a charge sheet in the court implicating

six persons in this connection.

Thirty-four people were made witnesses

in the case

Dhaka Special Anti-Terrorism Tribunal

Judge Majibur Rahman on April 11, 2019

accepted the charge sheet against six accused.

Baby born with

two heads in

Bangladesh

MAGURA : A woman has given

birth to a baby girl with two heads at

a hospital in Magura district, doctors

said on Wednesday.

The baby, which is actually conjoined

twin sisters who share a single

body, two arms and two legs, was

delivered by Caesareanat Jahan

Private Hospital in Sadar upazilaon

Tuesday.

The baby's mother, Sonali Begum,

and her husband Palash Molla, a

farmer, said they were worried about

the girl, after doctors described the

condition as one of the rarest forms

of birth defects.

According to family sources, Sonali

went to Faridpur Medical College

and Hospital for a checkup recently

but the doctors there had advised her

to visit the facility after six weeks.

However, on Tuesday, Palash

rushed his wife to Jahan Private

Hospital after she complained of

stomach pain.Doctors performed an

ultrasound on her and the Caesarean

a couple of hours later.

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

07-01-2021

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