15-11-2021

MoNDAY, NoVEMBER 15, 2021
3
Dhaka to welcome a
number of Foreign
Ministers this week
DU CHA Unit admission test result published on Sunday. Vice-Chancellor of the University Prof. Dr.
Akhtaruzzaman published the result.
Photo : Courtesy
Mayor Liton asks
engineers to complete
uplift works timely
RAJSHAHI : Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC)
Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton has asked
the engineers and contractors to complete
works of the ongoing development projects
timely with utmost sincerity.
"We are determined to implement the
uplift projects accurately so that the city
dwellers can derive total benefits of those,"
Liton said, adding transparency and
accountability must be ensured in all the
infrastructure development works.
He was addressing a review meeting of the
development projects with engineers and
contractors at the city bhaban conference hall
on Saturday. He told the meeting that massive
development works are being implemented at
present as part of RCC's TK 2,993-crore
project titled 'Integrated Urban Infrastructure
Development in Rajshahi City'.
Robbery bid at
ATM booth :
3 held in city
DHAKA : Police have
arrested three people during
their bid to loot money from
the ATM booth of IFIC
bank's Badda branch in the
city, reports UNB.
The arrestees are Md
Rubel, Hridoy, and Mamun
Police said the CCTV
camera operator of IFIC
bank's head office called
national emergency service
number 999 when he found
that a man was trying to
break the vault at the booth
entering there breaking a
wall.
Inspector (investigation)
of Badda police station Nure
Alam Masud Siddique said a
team of police rushed to the
spot after getting the call and
arrested a man from inside
the booth.
Later, his two associates
were arrested, he said.
A case was filed with the
Badda police station in this
regard, said the inspector.
In addition to five more flyovers and 19
infrastructures, implementation works of
various infrastructure development works are
progressing fast under the project scheduled to
be completed by June, 2024, Mayor Liton
added.
He urged all the engineers and others
concerned to discharge their duties with
utmost sincerity and honesty for successful
implementation of all the development
projects within the stipulated timeframe.
Liton said the Rajshahi city will get a new
look upon successful implementation of the
mega project.
"We are working relentlessly to make the city
green and habitable," he added. RCC Panel
Mayors Shariful Islam and Razab Ali and
Superintending Engineer Nur Islam, among
others, shared their views in the meeting.
Parliament mourns death
of 6 ex-MPs, others
DHAKA : Parliament on Sunday unanimously adopted a
condolence motion expressing profound grief at the death of
six former MPs. including an ex-minister and some noted
personalities, reports UNB.
Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury moved the
condolence motion in the House in the beginning of the 15th
session of the 11th parliament.
The six former MPs are ex-minister Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu
(Chattogram-6 and 9), Dr Mizanul Haque (Kishoreganj-4), Md
Fazlul Haque Aspia (Sunamganj-4), Mokbul Hossain (Pabna-
2), Ali Osman Khan (Mymensingh-17 and Netrakona-4) and
Sheikh Shahidur Rahman (Khulna-4).
The House also expressed deep shock at the death of noted
personalities, including veteran lawyer Abdul Baset
Majumder, noted cultural personalities Dr Enamul Haque and
Mahmud Sajjad, renowned journalist, dramatist and poet
Rafiqul Haque, chairman of Sylhet Zila Parishad advocate
Lutfur Rahman and former cabinet secretary Kazi Shamsul
Alam.
Besides, the Jatiya Sangsad expressed profound grief at the
death of physicians, health workers, members of the
administration, police, political leaders, media people,
business and social dignitaries, other staff of the government
and private sector, who lost lives in the coronavirus at home
and abroad, and those who were killed in the recent Sierra
Leone explosion caused by collusion between a fuel tanker and
a lorry, and other accidents in different places at home and
abroad.
Before passing the condolence motion, a one-minute silence
was observed and a munajat offered, seeking the eternal peace
of the departed souls.
PM returns home
ending 2-week
foreign tour
DHAKA : Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina returned home
on Sunday morning,
wrapping up her two-week
visit to the United Kingdoms
and France, reports UNB.
A VVIP flight of Biman
Bangladesh Airlines, carrying
the Prime Minister and her
entourage, landed at Hazrat
Shahjalal International
Airport at 7:24 am.
Earlier, the flight left De
Gaulle International Airport
in Paris at 4:20pm (local time)
on Saturday.
On October 31, the Prime
Minister left Dhaka for
Scotland on the foreign visit to
attend the 26th UN Climate
Change Conference of the
Parties (COP26) at Glasgow in
Scotland, and Bangladesh
Investment Summit 2021 in
London and hand over the
first 'Unesco-Bangladesh
Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur
Rahman
International Prize for the
Creative Economy' in Paris.
During the tour, Hasina had
meetings with British Prime
Minister Boris Johnson,
French President Emmanuel
Macron, French Prime
Minister Jean Castex, French
Prime Minister Jean Castex,
Australian Prime Minister
Scott Morrison and other
heads of state or government.
Besides, she had meetings
with UK's Prince Charles,
First Minister of Scotland
Nicola
Sturgeon,
Commonwealth Secretary
General Patricia Scotland, Bill
Gates, as well as other
important dignitaries from
different organisations and
business bodies.
The Prime Minister left
Scotland for London on
November 3 and then went to
Paris on November 9.
In London, the Prime
Minister inaugurated the
"Bangladesh Investment
Summit 2021: Building
Sustainable Growth
Partnerships" and Roadshow
on November 4.
During her stay in Paris, she
also attended the inaugural
session of the 75th Founding
anniversary of Unesco and the
Paris Peace Forum.
Combined Military Hospital brought out a rally in Dhaka Cantonment on Sunday marking World
Diabetes Day.
Photo : ISPR
DHAKA : A number Foreign Ministers
representing IORA countries, including the
Minister for South Asia, the United Nations
and the Commonwealth at the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office
(FCDO) Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, will
be visiting Bangladesh this week, reports UNB.
British Minister Tariq Ahmad will deliver a
keynote speech at a programme titled
"Bangladesh-UK: Partners in Progress" on
Monday afternoon.
The talks will be held at the Foreign Service
Academy with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin
Momen in the chair.
The British Minister will also have a meeting
with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen
during his stay in Dhaka, said an official. The
Foreign Ministers of Sri Lanka, Union of
Comoros, Indonesia, South Africa and a
Minister of Tanzania will also be visiting
Bangladesh.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary Kelly
Keiderling is likely to arrive here on Tuesday,
said an official.
Keiderling is the South and Central Asian
Affairs Bureau Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Public Diplomacy and Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
The United States is an observer at the IORA
talks. Bangladesh, as the incoming Chair of
Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), will
host the 21st IORA Council of Ministers'
(COM) meeting on November 17.
The 23rd Committee of Senior Officials
(CSO) and its related meetings will be held
November 15-16 in a hybrid format (in-person
and virtual), officials said.
Bangladesh will assume the position of the
IORA Chair in November.
The Chairship of Bangladesh is to run from
2021-2023, with the new Vice-Chair, the
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka,
and the United Arab Emirates now taking the
position of the Past-Chair.
The forthcoming ministers' meeting will be
preceded by the 23rd CSO meeting taking stock
of the Association's progress, and to endorse
the next IORA's Action Plan (2022-2027).
Meanwhile, a Strategic Dialogue on the
Impact of Covid-19 and perspectives of
economic recovery in the Indian Ocean Region
will be held on November 17.
Foreign Minister Dr Momen will host dinner
in honour of the delegations who will be here to
attend the IORA meetings.
The Indian Ocean Rim Association is an
inter-governmental organisation which was
established on March 7, 1997.
The vision for IORA originated during a visit
by late President Nelson Mandela of South
Africa to India in 1995. Promoting sustained
growth and balanced development within the
Indian Ocean region, IORA strengthens
cooperation and dialogue with Member States.
The member States are Australia,
Bangladesh, Union of Comoros, French
Republic, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya,
Madagascar, Malaysia, the Maldives,
Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles,
Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka,
Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates
and Yemen.
Lt. Col. Md.
Abu Sayed
obtains PhD
from DU
Lt. Col. Md. Abu Sayed
obtains PhD degree from
Dhaka University (DU). DU
Syndicate at a meeting held
recently awarded him this
degree for his thesis titled
"Assessing Disaster Risk
Reduction at School Level: A
Study of Dhaka North City
Corporation Area". Prof. Dr.
Md. Humayun Kabir of DU
Geography
and
Environment Department
was his research supervisor.
Lt. Col. Md. Abu Sayed
works at Bangladesh Army.
He took his B.Sc (Hons.) and
M.Sc degrees from DU
Geography
and
Environment Department.
He hails from village
Indrakul under Bauphal
Upazila of Patuakhali
District. He is the youngest
son of Abdur Rashid and
Fatema.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud placed a wreath at the bust of Father of
the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in London on Saturday. Photo : Collected
Hasan offers
wreath at
Bangabandhu's
bust in London
DHAKA : Information and
Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan
Mahmud placed a wreath at the
bust of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman in London on Saturday.
Awami League leader of the
United Kingdom unit Afsar Sadek
has set up the bust of
Bangabandhu at his own initiative,
said a release.
Hasan extended thanks to Sadek
for setting up the bust in front of
his own house. The minister said
Sadek faced many problems to set
up the bust and even a case was
lodged in this regard.
He (Sadek) has installed the bust
after winning the case in the high
court, he added.
"I would like to extend thanks
and congratulations to Sadek. It is
the manifestation of his respect
and love for Bangabandhu and the
Bangalees as well," the minister
said.
Later, he talked with eminent
journalist, writer and columnist
Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury over
mobile phone and enquired about
his health condition and
treatment.
Hasan, also Awami League joint
general secretary, prayed for early
recovery of Abdul Gaffar
Chowdhury.
Chowdhury also extended
thanks to the minister. Hasan is
expected to return home on
November 17.
Rash Purnima puja
to begin Nov 17
KHULNA : The authorities of the
Department of Forest (East) have taken
special security measures at Alorkol in
Dublar Char near the Sundarbans ahead of
the Rash Purnima puja (Holy Bath) which
will begin on November 17.
The three-day 'Rash Purnima Puja' will
end on November 19.
Alongside taking other measures, the
authorities have imposed a ban on carrying
all kinds of meat, except chicken, fireworks
and explosives, any domestic weapons and
firearms.
Sources said deer hunting spree sees a
sharp rise during the Rash Purnima Puja
every year as hundreds of boats carrying
thousands devotees throng the venue at
Alorkol in Dublar Char, close to the coast of
the Bay of Bengal under Sharankhola
Range of the mangrove forest.
"We had a meeting with the district
administration to stop poaching of deer at
any cost during the puja period," said Md
Mahmudul Hasan, divisional forest officer
(East Division) of the Sundarbans, adding
that the pilgrims will have to travel at five
selected points during day time.
Use of loudspeakers, any electronic
device and carrying of firearms and
ammunition are completely restricted and
travelling will be prohibited at night, he
said.
All preparation has been completed to
celebrate the Rash Purnima Puja,
Mahmudul Hasan said, adding: "Rash Mela
has been prohibited due to coronavirus
pandemic (Covid-19) and the Rash
Purnima puja committee has been asked to
monitor deer hunting during the festival."
"Alongside Rapid Action Battalion (RAB),
Coast Guard and Bangladesh Navy and
Patrol teams of the forest department will
have work for the protection of the pilgrims
in the Pashur, Shewla, Bhola and Shibsa
rivers from November 17 to 19," the forest
official said.
"The forest department has fixed five
river routes from Khulna, Bagerhat,
Satkhira and adjacent Barguna for the
pilgrims to travel to the venues," he said,
adding that visitors will have to finish all
their activities and rituals while leaving the
forest area before the sunset on November
19.
AL leader Mostafijur
Rahman Labu
passes away
DHAKA : Mostafijur Rahman Labu, vicepresident
of Zanaigati Upazila Awami
League (AL) in Sherpur passed away at
his residence last Friday at the age of 74.
He left behind his wife and a son, one
daughter and a host of relatives and
admirers to mourn his death, said a press
release.
Awami League General Secretary and
Road Transport and Bridges Minister
Obaidul Quader expressed profound
shock and sorrow at the death of Labu.
In a condolence message, Quader
prayed for eternal peace of the departed
soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the
bereaved family members, added the
press release.