19-11-2021

friday
DhAkA: November 19, 2021; Agrahyan 4, 1428 BS; Rabius-Sani 13,1443 hijri
www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net
Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.19; N o. 199; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00
international
New Delhi's air still
'very poor' despite
emergency measures
>Page 7
Parliament passes
legislation to regulate
country's tour industry
DHAKA : The Parliament on Thursday
unanimously passed 'The Bangladesh
Tour Operators and Tour Guides
(Registration and Operation) Bill, 2021'
to make it mandatory for tour operators
and guides to get registered.
It aims to bring the tour operators under
the legal framework for ensuring the best
services and thus give a boost to the tourism
sector. State Minister for Civil Aviation and
Tourism M Mahbub Ali moved the Bill and
it was passed by voice vote.
As per the proposed law, a touring company
will have to collect a license. No company will
be allowed to operate tours without registration.
If anyone does, it would be tried under
the Code of Criminal Procedure. The proposed
law also has a provision of handing over the
registration to another tour operator in case of
death, physical and financial incapability.
It suggested that criminal acts of the tour
operators be tried under the Code of
Criminal Procedure 1898 aimed at protecting
the interest of the tourists. The activities
of tour operators, tour guides, general
tour guides, cultural guides, nature guides
and trekking guides will now be regulated,
according to the legislation.
All museums in Bangladesh
to be made more
dynamic; Bill placed
DHAKA : The Bangladesh National
Museum Bill, 2021 was placed in parliament
on Thursday to make the country's
museums more dynamic and vibrant.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM
Khalid placed the Bill in the House and it
was then sent to the respective
Parliamentary Standing Committee for further
scrutiny. The Committee was asked to
submit its report within 30 days.
The Bangladesh National Museum
Bill, 2021 to replace the1983 ordinance
in this regard. The highest punishment for
museum-related crimes is 10 years' jail, Tk
10 lakh fine or both as the proposed law
says, which would be applicable for other
museums alongside the National Museum.
Low over Bay intensifies
into depression
DHAKA : A depression over the
Southwest Bay and adjoining area intensified
into a well-marked low, said
Bangladesh Meteorological Department
(BMD) on Thursday, reports UNB.
The depression was centred at 12pm
on Thursday about 1625 kms southwest
of Chattogram port, 1570 kms southwest
of Cox's Bazar port, 1500 kms southeast
of Mongla port and 1505 kms southeast
of Payra port, according to a Met office
bulletin. It is likely to intensify further
and move in a west-northwesterly direction,
the Met office said.
Maximum sustained wind speed within
44 kms of the deep depression centre
is about 40 kmph rising to 50 kmph.
However, sea will remain moderate near
the coast. All fishing boats and trawlers
have been advised to come closer to the
North Bay.
Zumma
04:58 AM
01:30 PM
03:36 PM
05:16 PM
06:35 PM
6:15 5:12
DHAKA : The government will enact a law
regarding the private practice of doctors,
Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid
Maleque told Parliament on Thursday.
"Yes, the government has taken an initiative
to enact a private practice act for the
physicians," he said, replying to a tabled
question from Awami League MP
Nurunnabi Chowdhury (Bhola-3).
In the question, the lawmaker asked
whether the government has any plan to
formulate a law to fix fees as many of the
private doctors charge "unethical fees as
per their whims".
In reply to another written question
from BNP MP Gulam Mohammad Siraj
(Bogura-6), the health minister said a separate
unit in every district hospital will be
opened for drug addicts in the country.
"The government has taken an initiative
to set up a separate unit in every district
sadar hospital to ensure healthcare services
of drug addicted patients," he said.
Answering a separate question from
Awami League MP Kazim Uddin Ahmed
(Mymensingh-11), the minister said the
government has taken a tough stance to
check the sale of fake and adulterated
drugs in the country.
SPortS
Tigers face off Pakistan
for new start after
T20 WC shamble
>Page 9
ADB approves $150 mn loan
to Bangladesh to help recovery
of Covid-hit enterprises
DHAKA : The Asian Development Bank
(ADB) on Thursday approved a $150 million
loan to Bangladesh to provide financing
for cottage, micro, and small-sized
enterprises (CMSEs) operated by youth.
The fund will be used for assistance to
returning migrant workers, and rural
entrepreneurs, particularly women, who
have been hit hard by the coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) pandemic, according to
a press release. The loan to Bangladesh
Bank will be on-lent to participating financial
institutions (PFIs), which in turn will
help 30,000 CMSEs operated by the beneficiaries,
said the release.
The project aims to facilitate employment
creation and help these vulnerable
groups recover from the adverse impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Youth unemployment remains at a high
level in the country, and they are more
severely affected as they concentrate in sectors
such as retail trade, accommodation,
and food services, which were worst hit by
the pandemic. As per the press release,
about 400,000 overseas migrant workers
have returned since the start of the pandemic,
and many remain unemployed.
Rural incomes have stayed depressed
and nonfarm employment opportunities
remain limited. Rural enterprises were
severely affected, putting further pressure
on rural employment.
"ADB supports the Bangladesh government's
long-term strategy to tackle the
country's employment challenges, which
has been exacerbated by the pandemic,"
ADB Principal Financial Sector Specialist
for South Asia Dongdong Zhang said.
He said that promoting access to finance
will help address a critical challenge of
helping vulnerable groups in the immediate
term and developing CMSEs in the
long term.
Given the limited access of women to
finance and their high concentration in
retail, travel, and hospitality sectors, they
have borne brunt of the impact of the pandemic.
The project has targeted to disburse
20 per cent of the funds to
microbusiness led by women to support
their recovery.
ADB will provide an additional
$900,000 technical assistance grant from
its Technical Assistance Special Fund for
Bangladesh Bank and PFIs to help them
strengthen their risk management capacities,
business process, and information systems.
The assistance will also boost their
support of CMSEs by incorporating mobile
finance, value chain financing, and sustainable
financing tackling climate change.
Govt mulls law for private
physicians:Zahid Maleque
He said a total of 1715 cases were lodged
and Tk 7.58 crore was collected as fine
through mobile courts, conducting drives
against fake and adulterated drugs in one
year from July 2020 to June 2021.
In the current year (till November), the
production licenses of 46 drug firms were
suspended besides banning 14 drug firms
from the production and marketing of all
their products.
Responding to a question from Jatiya
Party MP Mujibul Haque (Kishoreganj-3),
the minister said burn units will be set up
in district-level hospitals.
"The government has a plan to set up
the burn units at hospitals in district towns
gradually to ensure the treatment services
for the burnt patients on humanitarian
ground," said Zahid.
In reply to a question from Jatiya Party
MP Mashiur Rahman Ranga (Rangpur-1),
he said there is no paying-bed system for
patients in the Upazila health complexes.
But there are free-beds for patients there,
he said.
He said the government has no plan
right now to introduce any paying-bed
system. "But the matter will be considered
in the future," he added.
Coaching centres to
remain shut for 39
days as HSC exams
begin on Dec 2
DHAKA : All coaching centres across the
country will remain shut from November
25 to January 3 ahead of the Higher
Secondary Certificate (SSC) and equivalent
examinations, said Education Minister
Dipu Moni on Thursday, reports UNB.
The decision was taken at a meeting
with law enforcement agencies at the
Ministry of Education on Wednesday
regarding the HSC exam security.
HSC and equivalent examinations for
the academic session 2020-21 will begin
on December 2, Dipu Moni said at the
press briefing. This year the SSC and the
HSC examinations could not be held as
per the schedules due to the Covid-19
pandemic and then the government
decided to hold the examinations with
shortened syllabuses.
According to the schedule, the HSC
and its equivalent examinations will end
on December 30.
Some 13,99,690 students are expected
to take the HSC and equivalent examinations
this year while last year this number
was 13,65,789.
The number of candidates has
increased by 33,901 with a growth rate of
2.48 per cent.
About 11,38,017 candidates will sit for
the HSC exam under nine general education
boards, 1,13,114 for Alim exams
under Madrasa Education Board and
1,48,503 for vocational exams under
Bangladesh Technical Education Board
this year, the minister said.
Besides, 406 students will take part in
the examinations from abroad. Some
2,621 centers are ready to hold the HSC
examinations across the country.
Development
work of
4 lanes is
going on in
Jatrabari
Demra
area of the
capital. The
picture is
taken on
Thursday.
Photo: PBA
art & culture
Alia dodges
the question of
marrying Ranbir !
>Page 10
Bangladesh Army has removed a stranded aircraft of private carrier Novoair from the runway at Saidpur
Airport where the front wheel of the aircraft burst after landing there on Wednesday evening. Photo : PBA
No legal scope for Khaleda
Zia to go abroad: Anisul
UN resolution on Rohingyas
a pressure on Myanmar:FM
DHAKA : Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul
Momen on Thursday said the adoption of
a resolution at the United Nations (UN) by
consensus for the first time on the "situation
of human rights of Rohingya Muslims
and other minorities in Myanmar" has a
political value and it has a pressure on that
particular country, reports UNB.
"It's a great day for us. We're very happy,"
he told reporters after attending a programme
at Bangladesh Institute of
International and Strategic Studies (BIISS).
Dr Momen said the countries which used to
create barriers like Russia and China also
want solutions to the Rohingya crisis and he
had discussion with Russia while China has
taken some initiatives.
"They (Rohingyas) must go back to their
country for a better future. All countries
want a peaceful solution to the Rohingya
issue," he said. As fundamental issues
regarding the Rohingya crisis were not
included in the resolution in June,
Bangladesh decided to abstain. "We strongly
made our position clear explaining why
we abstained at that time," Dr Momen said.
He said restoration of democracy in
Myanmar was highlighted but the return
DHAKA : Law Minister Anisul Huq on
Thursday said there is no legal scope in
the present situation to allow ailing BNP
chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for
medical treatment.
"There's no scope in the law. They can
rebuke me as much as they wish but it
doesn't matter to me... I'll follow the law,"
he said.
The law minister made the remark as a
demand was placed by BNP MP Gulam
Mohammad Siraj (Bogura-6) in
Parliament on point-of-order for allowing
Khaleda Zia to go abroad for medical
treatment.
Pointing at Khaleda Zia, Anisul Huq
said a convicted person was released suspending
her sentence as per section 401
of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC)
but there is no provision to reconsider an
already disposed appeal in the section.
The minister said Khaleda Zia is getting
treatment properly as per their statements.
"It is up to them whether they're happy or
not with the treatment," he added.
He said the BNP leaders argued that
Khaleda Zia can be released for receiving
treatment abroad on humanitarian
grounds and raised some previous
instances in this regard saying that Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina was allowed to go
abroad in 2007-2008 despite having lawsuits
against her. "But it's not true as the
Prime Minister (Sheikh Hasina) has
never been convicted in any case," he
added.
Annisul said the BNP leaders also said
ASM Abdur Rab was sent to Germany
from jail for treatment. "But I don't know
the section which was followed to send
him abroad as it was done during the
martial law period. The martial laws don't
go with the CrPC provision," he added.
"So, today where there's rule of law, I
can't do whatever I wish," he said, adding
that the BNP leaders come up with the
same arguments again and again.
Earlier, BNP MP Gulam Mohammad
Siraj demanded the Prime Minister send
ailing Khaleda Zia abroad, granting her
bail within a day or two. "Otherwise,
Awami League will have to shoulder its
responsibility for ever, if anything happens,"
he said.
Noting that six MPs from BNP added to
the beauty of this Parliament, the BNP
lawmaker said: "So, don't disdain the
beauty of Parliament. If the condition of
madam (Khaleda Zia) worsens, it might
not be possible for us to stay in
Parliament due to the party's decision."
However, the treasury bench lawmakers
protested the remarks of Gulam
Mohammad Siraj.
of Rohingyas was not mentioned. "We
said resolution will be meaningless if you
don't talk about the Rohingyas."
Responding to a question, the Foreign
Minister said the General Assembly resolution
is not a mandatory one while the
Security Council resolution is a mandatory
one. "We're yet to see any resolution
passed by the UNSC. We're hopeful that in
the future we can see progress there, too."
"The adoption of the Rohingya resolution,
for the first time by consensus,
demonstrates the international community's
strong resolve to end this crisis," said
Ambassador Rabab Fatima, Permanent
Representative of Bangladesh to the
United Nations during the adoption of the
resolution on Wednesday.
The resolution was jointly tabled by the
member states of the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the
European Union (EU).
In the resolution, the member states
commended Bangladesh for its generosity
in hosting the Rohingyas, and for providing
humanitarian assistance to them and
also for including them in the national
COVID-19 vaccination drive.

fRIDAY, noveMbeR 19, 2021
2
Chittagong Port Authority provided financial incentives 6752 workers working in the port on Thursday. Photo: Mazharul Islam Rana
Man held with
firearm, yaba
in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI : Police in a
drive detained a man with a
foreign firearm and 450
yaba pills from a place in the
metropolis yesterday
afternoon, police sources
said.
The arrestee was identified
as Azim Ali, 19, son of
Uzirpur village under
Shibganj upazila of
Chapainawabganj district.
On a tip-off, a team of
Detective Branch (DB) of
Rajshahi Metropolitan
Police (RMP) conducted a
sudden raid at Kasiadanga
crossing and arrested Azam
Ali.
US wants to produce one
billion doses of mRNA
vaccine a year
WASHINGTON : The
United States wants to
produce one billion more
doses of mRNA vaccines
each year, starting in 2022,
both for the current
pandemic and future threats,
officials said Wednesday.
"The goal of this program
is to expand existing capacity
by an additional billion doses
per year, with production
starting by the second half of
2022," said Jeff Zients, the
White House coronavirus
response coordinator during
a press conference.
GD-1700/21 (4x3)
Bangladesh's should focus transition period
extension in WTO conference; Faruque
DHAKA : Bangladesh Garment
Manufacturers and Exporters Association
(BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan
yesterday said that the first and foremost
priority for Bangladesh in the upcoming 12th
Ministerial Conference of the WTO (MC 12)
should be on the extension of the transition
period for 12 years.
"The LDC group has made a submission to
WTO for extending the timeline for 12 years.
A consensus on this proposal will not only
help us to sustain the growth momentum but
also crucial to build internal capacity," he
said.
He made the remarks while speaking at a
webinar on "Upcoming MC 12: Bangladesh's
Expectations and Possible Stance" organized
by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan
presided over the session while Syed Manzur
Elahi, Treasurer of the CPD Board of
Trustees, Md Hafizur Rahman, Director
General, WTO Cell, Ministry of Commerce,
Dr Nazneen Ahmed, Country Economist,
UNDP, Dr Mostafa Abid Khan, former
Member, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff
Commission, and Dr Khondaker Golam
Moazzem, Research Director, CPD attended
as panelists.
Professor Mustafizur Rahman,
Distinguished Fellow, CPD was the keynote
speaker. In his speech, Faruque said trade
competitiveness is going to be crucial in the
upcoming days, especially for the graduating
LDCs like Bangladesh. "We have to make use
of support programs like UNCDF, LDCF, UN
technology bank for LDCs etc. We need to
make most use of these options."
Laying emphasis on Free Trade Agreement
(FTA) he said, "While we keep engaging
through multilateral trade system, given the
rise in regional and bilateral FTAs, it will be
very difficult for Bangladesh to cope up with
competitors if we cannot make our ways
through to that direction."
"Along with exploring potential and
emerging markets, in the upcoming days,
Bangladesh will have to focus on intraregional
trade block, Faruque added.
The BGMEA President also stressed the
need for capacity building for trade
negotiation. "We have to work on our internal
capacity building as far as trade negotiation
and economic diplomacy is concerned."
Teacher gets life term
for raping schoolgirl in
Rangpur
RANGPUR : A court on Thursday sentenced a
teacher to life-term rigorous imprisonment
and fined him Taka one lakh for raping a
schoolgirl in Badarganj upazila of the district
more than a year ago.
Judge of the Women and Children
Repression Prevention Tribunal-2 of Rangpur
Md Rokonuzzaman handed down the
sentence in presence of the convict.
The convict is Monwarul Islam Mithu, 41, a
teacher of Shyampur Sugar Mills High School
in Badarganj upazila of Rangpur.
Prosecution said Monwarul tactfully called a
female student of class nine of the school to
the institution on June 30, 2020 when no
other students or teachers were present there.
Later, teacher Monwarul took the girl to a
classroom and raped her, threatening her with
death.
Seven days after the incident, the victim
herself filed a case against Monwarul under
the Bangladesh Women and Children
Repression Prevention Act 2000 with
Badarganj police station on July 7, 2020.
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China coast guard blocks
Philippine boats in
disputed sea
MANILA : Chinese coast
guard ships blocked and
used water cannons on two
Philippine supply boats
heading to a disputed shoal
occupied by Filipino marines
in the South China Sea,
provoking an angry protest
to China and a warning from
the Philippine government
that its vessels are covered
under a mutual defense
treaty with the United States,
Manila's top diplomat said
Thursday.
Philippine Foreign
Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.
said no one was hurt in the
incident in the disputed
waters on Tuesday, but the
two supply ships had to abort
their mission to provide food
supplies to Filipino forces
occupying the Second
Thomas Shoal, which lies off
western Palawan province in
the
Philippines'
internationally recognized
exclusive economic zone.
Locsin said in a tweet that
the three Chinese coast
guard ships' actions were
illegal and he asked them "to
take heed and back off."
The
Philippine
government has conveyed to
China "our outrage,
condemnation and protest of
the incident," Locsin said,
adding that "this failure to
exercise self-restraint
threatens the special
relationship between the
Philippines and China" that
President Rodrigo Duterte
and his Chinese counterpart,
Xi Jinping, have worked
hard to nurture.
Financial incentives
provided to 6752
workers working in
Chittagong Port
Mazharul Islam Rana,
Chattogram West City
Correspondent
At the initiative of Chittagong
Port Authority, financial
incentives were provided to the
workers working under
Chittagong Port Berth,
Terminal, Ship Handling
Operators.
Earlier, in July 2020,
workers at the Chittagong port
were paid Tk 11,000 as
financial incentives during the
general holiday announced by
the government due to corona
virus infection, last May Tk
1,500 and food items were
distributed through operators.
In its continuation, every
worker is paid Tk. 2500 and
6752 workers are paid a total of
Tk 160,000 on Thursday.
Chairman of Chittagong
Port Authority Rear Admiral
M Shahjahan was present as
the chief guest on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion,
Rear Admiral M Shahjahan,
Chairman, Chittagong Port
Authority, said, "Disruption
has a negative impact on their
income, so we provide some
incentives for the welfare of the
workers we have".
During the time, Member
Admin & Planning = Zafar
Alam, Member Finance
Kamrul Amin, Member
Engineer Commander M
Niyamul Hasan, Member
Harbor & Marine
Commander. Mostafizur
Rahman, Director Enamul
Karim, Secretary Omar
Farooq and other members of
the port were present as special
guests on the occasion.
CAREER OPPORTUNITY
GD-1701/21 (9x4)
3-day int'l conference on electrical
engineering, ICT begins at MIST
DHAKA : A three-day International
Conference on Electrical Engineering and
Information and Communication Technology
(ICEEICT 2021) began at Military Institute of
Science and Technology (MIST) at Mirpur
Cantonment.
Researchers and professionals from both
academia and industry from Australia, China,
France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia,
Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, United
Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United
States along with Bangladesh are participating
in the conference to share up-to-date
knowledge and experience in the fields of
electrical and electronic engineering and ICT,
said an Inter Services Public Relation (ISPR)
press release here.
Planning Minister MA Mannan graced the
GD-1702/21 (4x3)
inaugural ceremony as the chief guest while
Chair of the IEEE ComSoc Bangladesh (BD)
Chapter and Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh
University of Engineering and Technology
(BUET) Professor Dr Satya Prasad Majumder
joined the function as the special guest.
Commandant of the MIST Major General Md
Wahid-Uz-Zaman was present at the
inaugural ceremony as the chief patron of the
conference. The three-day conference would
focus recent researches, article presentations
and discussions demanding tracks including
artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering,
computer network and security,
communication technologies, digital signal
and image processing, optoelectronics and
photonics, power electronics and drives, power
system.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
3
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Md. Akhtaruzzaman, on the occasion of 'World Philosophy
Day-2021', spoke as the chief guest in a discussion program organized at the Student-Teacher Center
auditorium on Thursday.
Photo : Courtesy
Parliament passes legislation to
regulate country’s tour industry
DHAKA : The Parliament
on Thursday unanimously
passed 'The Bangladesh
Tour Operators and Tour
Guides (Registration and
Operation) Bill, 2021' to
make it mandatory for tour
operators and guides to get
registered, reports UNB.
It aims to bring the tour
operators under the legal
framework for ensuring the
best services and thus give
a boost to the tourism
sector.
State Minister for Civil
Aviation and Tourism M
Mahbub Ali moved the Bill
and it was passed by voice
vote.
As per the proposed law,
a touring company will
have to collect a license. No
company will be allowed to
operate tours without
registration. If anyone
does, it would be tried
under the Code of Criminal
Procedure.
The proposed law also
has a provision of handing
over the registration to
another tour operator in
case of death, physical and
financial incapability.
It suggested that criminal
acts of the tour operators
be tried under the Code of
Criminal Procedure 1898
aimed at protecting the
interest of the tourists.
The activities of tour
operators, tour guides,
general tour guides,
cultural guides, nature
guides and trekking guides
will now be regulated,
according to the legislation.
Now, there's no guideline
and rule for tour operators
in the country.
The conditions for
getting registration, period
of registration and
provisions for cancellation
of registration have been
mentioned in the Bill.
In the Bill, it has precisely
been defined who can be
tour operators and tour
guides.
Online HIV awareness training for prison officials and employees has
started on Thursday under the "Prevention of HIV amongst the Most at
Risk Prisoner in Bangladesh" program.
Photo : PID
Human rights of high-risk groups
in prisons need to be ensured for
HIV prevention - IG Prisons
Dhaka Ahsania Mission has taken initiative to
increase awareness among the inmates and
prison officials about HIV and AIDS
transmission. Online HIV awareness training
for prison officials and employees has started
on 18th November 2021 under the
"Prevention of HIV amongst the Most at Risk
Prisoner in Bangladesh" program
implemented by the Department of Prisons
and Dhaka Ahsania Mission and supported by
the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC).
Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier
General A.S.M Anisul Haque was present as
the Chief Guest at the inaugural function of
the training. Md. Abu Taher, National
Program Coordinator (Drugs and HIV /
AIDS) at the United Nations Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC) was present as a special
guest. Iqbal Masud, Director, Health and
Wash Sector, Dhaka Ahsania Mission,
delivered the welcome address and the
purpose of the training.
Speaking as the chief guest, Brigadier
General A.S.M Anisul Haque said that people
from different walks of life come to the
Prisons, including drug addicts, sex workers,
transgender people and people living with
HIV / AIDS. As declared by the Honorable
Prime Minister the prison will be the
correctional center and must ensure the rights
of all prisoners as a penitentiary collectively.
Special guest Md. Abu Taher said the risk of
HIV in prisons is higher than any other
population in the country. The spread of HIV
inside prisons is due to excessive
incarceration, unprotected sexual activity, and
poor prison health services. He thanked
Dhaka Ahsania Mission for taking the
initiative of training and the Department of
Prisons for their cooperation.
In his welcome address, Iqbal Masud,
Director, Health and Wash Sector, Dhaka
Ahsania Mission, said that the active steps
taken by the present government have greatly
improved the prison management and human
condition of the detainees. Following this,
awareness programs should be implemented
to prevent HIV and other infections among
the inmates.
The training will be conducted by HIV
specialists in various sessions. It is to be noted
that the training will be imparted to the prison
officers and staff and health staff of 13 Central
Jails and 47 District Jails of the country in
phases through eight batches under the
supervision of Health Sector, Dhaka Ahsania
Mission.
President to
deliver speech
in Parliament
on Nov 24
DHAKA : President Abdul
Hamid will deliver a
memorial speech in
Parliament on November
24, marking the Golden
Jubilee of the country's
independence.
"A special discussion will
be held in Parliament on
November 24 and 25 on the
occasion of the Golden
Jubilee of Independence.
President Md Abdul Hamid
has given his kind consent to
deliver a memorial speech at
3:00pm on November 24 at
the invitation of
Parliament," Speaker Dr
Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury
told Parliament on
Thursday.
She said different
programmes are being held
nationally to celebrate the
Golden Jubilee of the great
independence throughout
the year. As part of the
celebration, the two-day
special discussion will be
held in Parliament, Dr
Shirin Sharmin added.
The Speaker adjourned
the 15th session of
Parliament till November 24
(Wednesday).
Jatrabari gas
cylinder blast:
Another victim
dies, death toll
now five
DHAKA : A man, who
sustained burn injuries in a
gas cylinder blast in the city's
Jatrabari area, died at
Dhaka Medical College and
Hospital on Tuesday night,
raising the death toll from
the incident to five.
The deceased was
identified as Kabir Dewan,
38, reports UNB.
Kabir, who was
undergoing treatment at the
hospital with 85 percent
burn injuries, breathed his
last around 10:30 pm, said
Inspector Bachchu Mia, incharge
of Dhaka Medical
College and Hospital police
outpost.
On Saturday afternoon, six
people received burn
injuries when a gas cylinder
exploded in a shop in
Sayedabad area of Jatrabari
in the capital. They were all
rushed to DMCH.
Of the victims, Robin was
given first aid while the five
others were undergoing
treatment at the hospital as
they received serious bun
injuries.
Bishwanath Dutta, 48,
died at the hospital on
Sunday while Md Ripon,
Shafiqul and Abdul Kalam
succumbed to their injuries
on Tuesday.
Bangladesh, Somalia to
establish cooperation
on contract farming
DHAKA : Somalia has agreed to a
Bangladesh proposal on joint contract
farming in the African country for better use
of its huge unutilized cultivable land, reports
UNB.
Visiting State Minister for Foreign Affairs
and International Cooperation of Somalia
Balal Mohamed Cusman agreed to the
proposal made by Foreign Minister AK
Abdul Momen when the two met on
Wednesday.
Balal Mohamed met Momen on the
sidelines of IORA 21st meeting of Council of
Ministers and discussed bilateral issues.
Both sides agreed to establish cooperation
in education, IT and agriculture sectors as
well as develop the existing trade and
commerce.
Dr Momen proposed that the agreement
on cooperation on avoidance of double
taxation may be signed between two
countries. He also sought the support of
Somalia on the issue of safe and dignified
return of the displaced Rohingya people to
their homeland.
The Balal Mohamed sought support of
Bangladesh for Somalia contesting for UN
Security Council Election in 2025-2026 turn.
He expressed his heartfelt thanks for the
warm welcome extended by Bangladesh side
to the Somalian delegation during IORA
conference.
Foreign Minister Momen informed that
Bangladesh is observing the birth centenary
of the Father of the Nation of Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who dreamt for
emancipation of the people across the globe.
He apprised the Somalian State Minister
about the extensive vaccination programme
of the Bangladesh Government as well as
Government plan for coproduction of Covid
vaccine to immunize the people.
Momen also apprised him about the
development march of Bangladesh and said
that Bangladesh is maintaining robust
economic growth despite the effect of Covid
Pandemic.
He underlined that both countries may
cooperate in various areas including
agriculture, education and IT and ICT.
The Foreign Minister suggested that
Somalian students may choose to study in
Bangladesh private Universities as education
is being offered in various disciplines.
He also mentioned that Bangladesh has
made lot of progress in agricultural research
areas as well as agricultural production.
Bangladesh is exporting pharmaceuticals
to a large number of countries.
Bangladesh also has acquired expertise in
ship building and it is producing ship, burges
and boats.
Army removes aircraft from Saidpur airport runway
RANGPUR : Bangladesh Army has
removed a stranded aircraft of private
carrier Novoair from the runway at Saidpur
Airport where the front wheel of the aircraft
burst after landing there on Wednesday
evening.
"The NovoAir aircraft (Flight no VQ-967)
took off from Hazrat Shahjalal
International Airport at Dhaka with 69
passengers and four crews aboard and
landed on at Saidpur Airport at 7:51 pm
when the front wheel (landing gear) burst,"
said a press release issued by 66 Infantry
Division of Bangladesh Army.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Mommen addressing a webinar on Bangladesh
South-Africa Bilateral Relation yesterday.
Photo : PID
Country's leading mental
health care platform, Moner
Bondhu, is awarded UN
Women 2021 Asia-Pacific
WEPs Awards in the Youth
Leadership category for
their remarkable stories of
business resilience,
innovation
and
commitment to improve a
range of gender issues. As a
women-led organization
with majority of women
staff, Moner Bondhu
marked the history of
Bangladesh to be the first
organization to win this
prestigious award in the
Youth Leadership Category.
Followed by critical
screening and evaluation of
more than 700 applications
from 20 countries, Moner
Bondhu is chosen in the
Youth Leadership category
for showing the world that
business can be a key driver
for gender equality and
women's empowerment
especially when it comes to
offer professional services in
mental healthcare, a press
release said.
UN Women Asia-Pacific
WEPs Awards (2021) hosted
a splendor award ceremony
virtually to honor all the
award-winning
organizations where young
leader Ms. Tawhida Shiropa
(Founder & CEO of Moner
Bondhu) has accepted the
award at a virtual award
ceremony on 18 November,
2021. Planned as an annual
event, the UN Women Asia-
Pacific WEPs Awards is the
first awards initiative in the
region to recognize
exemplary business practice
for gender equality aligned
to the Women's
Empowerment Principles
(WEPs). The WEPs Awards
offer a unique opportunity
for business leaders and
companies to be recognized
and make their efforts to
advance gender equality
visible amongst their
customers, employees and
partners, as well as inspire
others to take action for
wider impact.
The Asia-Pacific Women's
Empowerment Principles
(WEPs) Awards celebrates
youth leaders who have
made significant
contributions to promoting
gender equality in the
Despite the damage of front landing gear,
Pilot Captain Tanvir Islam of the flight was
able to stop the aircraft in the middle of the
runway and all passengers and crews got off
the plane safely and left for their respective
destinations.
But, due to the location of the aircraft in
the middle of the runway, all take-offs and
landings of different flights at Saidpur
Airport were stopped. At the request of Civil
Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB)
soon after the incident, 66 Infantry Division
of Bangladesh Army began the operation to
tow the aircraft," the release added.
workplace, marketplace
and/or community. This is
the first time an
organization from
Bangladesh has won this
prestigious award from UN
Women in the Youth
Leadership category. This
special category recognizes
youth leaders who have
made significant
contributions to promoting
gender equality in the
workplace, marketplace and
community.
As a youth Leader,
MonerBondhu's founder
and CEO developed
accessible and affordable
mental healthcare services
to thousands of women
beneficiaries to advance
gender-equality, initiated
gender actions to lead her
company towards becoming
a more gender-inclusive
workplace and creating a
more gender-inclusive
supply-chain. Ms. Shiropa
expressed her tremendous
gratitude, sharing, "I
strongly believe in equality
and equality means
impactful business. Being a
young leader, I always
pursue a strong focus on
intergenerational and youth
engagement to advance
gender equality. From our
services to awareness
Covid kills 5
more, infects
244 in
Bangladesh
DHAKA : Bangladesh logged
five more Covid-linked deaths
and 244 fresh infections in 24
hours till Thursday morning,
reports UNB.
The daily-case positivity
rate slightly declined to 1.25
per cent from Wednesday's
1.35 per cent.
The fresh numbers took the
total fatalities to 27,939 while
the country's caseload
mounted to 15,73,458, said
the Directorate General of
Health Services (DGHS).
All the five deceased were
men.
Dhaka division logged three
Covid-related deaths while
Chattogram and Rangpur
division logged one death
each during the period, said
the DGHS.
However, the mortality rate
remained static at 1.78 per
cent.
The fresh cases were
detected after testing 19,570
samples, the DGHS added.
Besides, the recovery rate
increased to 97.72 per cent
with the recovery of 294 more
patients during the 24-hour
period.
So far, 3,39,95,948 people
have fully been vaccinated in
the country while 5,29,83,555
received the first dose as of
Wednesday, according to the
DGHS.
RMP accords
reception to
Mustakim
RAJSHAHI : Rajshahi
Metropolitan Police (RMP)
yesterday accorded a
reception to Mustakim Ali for
his brilliant result in the
admission test of Rajshahi
University (RU.
Mustakim, who used to
study in the gap of working in
their furniture shop, has
grabbed the top position in 'B
Unit' of RU admission test for
first year honours class
recently.
Son of Samayun Ali of
Badhair village in Tanore
Upazila in the district,
Mustakim was engaged in his
father's furniture business just
after completion of his
primary education.
Subsequently, he also passed
JSC, SSC and HSC with
satisfactory results despite his
daylong hard work.
Commissioner Kalam
Siddique also extended
financial support to the
student for purchasing
education inputs in addition
to the reception crest.
Moner Bondhu wins the UN Women
Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards
building tools, from our
clients to staff, we adopted a
gender-inclusive approach
everywhere. And the
outcome was this award.
This is an achievement not
only for MonerBondhu, but
also for Bangladesh. This
award will show the world
how Bangladeshi youth
organizations are doing
impactful business and
promoting gender equality
at the same time. We are
extremely happy that we
made our country proud.
Bangladesh will be the
pioneer of establishing
equality in business with our
hands."
MonerBondhu is a mental
healthcare and wellbeing
platform in Bangladesh
working since 2016 towards
SDG 3.4 to provide
accessible and affordable
mental healthcare to all.
With their experienced and
certified psycho-social
experts, advocates and
mental health workers, they
have provided in-person and
online counseling services to
31,000 clients, reached
12,00,000 people through
workshops, training,
awareness-based campaigns
and served 40,00,000
people online for the past 5
years.

FRIDAy, NOvEMBER 19, 2021
4
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com
Friday, November 19, 2021
Foreign missions to
support economic goals
From forging friendly relations with our biggest
neighbor, India, to winning our rightful share of the
Bay of Bengal, the Foreign Ministry can claim
rightful credits for accomplishments in many areas in the
last five years. Yet then there are other areas where it
should do equally well or to which this pivotal ministry
must give appropriate attention.
For example, Bangladesh presently has diplomatic
missions in 77 countries . But it may be questioned
whether the number is adequate in the first place in
support of the country's trade and economic interests.
For instance, South America is prospective for
Bangladesh as a whole. But this vast region, it seems, is
served very thinly with the lone Bangladeshi embassy in
Brazil. Undeniably, Brazil is South America's biggest
country and the Bangladesh mission in that country can
keep watch over the rest of the continent. But would it
not be better to have full fledged missions in several
other resourceful countries of that continent such as
Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina ?
It is expertly sensed that considerable commercial
contacts-- beneficial for Bangladesh-- could be developed if
Bangladesh had missions in those countries directly. There
would be no need for such missions to have lavish
appearances or large staff strength and other
embellishments. Even a skeleton staff concentrating
mainly on commercial activities and housed in modest
premises at such locations could yield notable economic
dividends for the country perhaps.
The logic for similar expansion of missions to cover
important countries and regions exist in the case of the CIS
countries which are mainly the Muslims dominated Asian
republic of the former Soviet Union, important east
European countries, New Zealand, Nordic countries
(Sweden, Denmark and Norway) and Africa. Except for
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan , Bangladesh maintains no
other missions in the CIS countries though all of them in
varying degrees are prospective from the perspective of
Bangladesh's economic interests. Apart from the
Bangladeshi embassies in Egypt and South Africa, there
are no other full fledged Bangladeshi missions in the rest of
the African continent though this is regrettable because
Bangladesh has much prospects to develop fruitful trade
and other forms of gainful economic relationships with
African countries such as Madagascar, Ghana, Ivory Coast,
Kenya and Mozambique.
Already, Bangladeshi missions abroad are limited in
number. What creates more concern is that the
commercial wings in the real sense of the term exist in only
20 of them and even these limited number of commercial
wings have been suffering from not having adequate staff
at their disposal. Reportedly, the commercial wings at
these 20 stations have been functioning with insufficient
staff strength . This state of affairs is not in line with the
declared official policy that maintains that economic
diplomacy is the main thrust of its foreign policy.
Clearly, the imperative is to fill these positions at the
understaffed commercial wings of the missions at the
fastest. But the staffing must not follow the tradition of
dispensing favors to loyal bureaucrats. The posts must go
to really dynamic and resourceful persons . Traditionally,
civil servants from the ministry of commerce are sent to
these posts. But most of them seem to look at their posts as
sinecures. This will have to change. There is no reason why
tradition should not be broken to put the right man in the
right place.
Government may go for recruitment of suitable persons
with the background and talent for these posts from
outside the civil services. They should then be given
renewable contractual appointment for, say, about a year
with fixed annual targets set before them for preparing
reports on trade openings, actual establishment of contacts
between Bangladeshi exporters and importers of the host
countries, holding of exhibitions of Bangladeshi products,
etc. The appointments and contracts may be continued on
fulfilment of the set target but rescinded for non fulfilment
of targets. Rewards may be given for surpassing the targets.
In other words, there should be clear policies to appoint
truly capable persons in these posts in the first place. They
must be obliged to work under a framework in which they
will realise that their jobs are not for passing time
luxuriously abroad or spending fruitlessly the
entertainment part of the budgets of embassies. They
should be at their toes knowing that retaining their jobs
and the perks depend on meeting clearly set targets. Only
such a well laid structure of accountability, goals, penalties
and rewards for the ones to hold key commercial posts
abroad in the missions can give a spur to promoting the
country's economic interests.
And commercial wings must not function in a stereotype
manner to include only commercial activities. Some of the
embassies presently have labor attaches . The attaches are
drawn from among civil servants in the relevant ministry.
But allegations are levelled against them from time to time
that they are found engaged in hobnobbing with foreign
manpower importers for private gain instead of working to
expand properly, transparently and legally the
opportunities for increased export of Bangladeshi
manpower. Thus, the jobs of the labor attaches can be
merged with the economic wings of the missions and the
appointment of the labor attaches should be also made--
like the suggested appointment of commercial officers--
from outside the civil services on the merit of the
background and potential of the persons to be recruited.
They are to be also brought under a contractual framework
with clear cut obligations like the commercial officers.
UAE must learn from UK's COP26 when it takes climate leadership
With hindsight it seems incredible
that, until now, ever since COP1
in 1995 the words "coal" and
"fossil fuel" have failed to make the cut in
the final reports of any of the Conferences
of the Parties to the UN's Framework
Convention on Climate Change.
That would be like a report by the World
Health Organization on the global
response to Covid-19 failing to mention
the SARS-CoV-2 virus - unthinkable.
As every schoolchild in the world surely
knows, the climate-change catastrophe
looming over the planet has been
generated by the unfettered burning of
fossil fuels - coal, oil and gas - since the
dawn of the coal-powered Industrial
Revolution in the 18th century.
The annual failure of COP delegates to
acknowledge the fossilized elephant in the
room has, of course, been the product not
of ignorance, but of the myriad social and
economic pressures, experienced by
multiple countries at different stages of
development.
Forget elephants, the animal present at
every COP for the past quarter of a century
has been a giant ostrich, with its head
buried deep in the ground. At Glasgow,
the ostrich was finally allowed to raise its
head, albeit only for a brief peak at reality.
Even then, attempts to overthrow King
Coal were watered down by last-minute
interventions from its loyal subjects,
China and India.
What the world needs now, more than
anything else, is compelling leadership.
One announcement to come out of
Glasgow was that COP28 in 2023 would
be staged in the United Arab Emirates,
home to the UN-created International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). This
isn't the first time the COP roadshow has
traveled to the Middle East - in 2012
COP18 was held in Doha - but a decade on
the climate-change landscape has
changed utterly.
Doha was not insignificant. It was one of
a series of dull but necessary COPs that
paved the way toward the Paris
Agreement in 2015, and it was the first
time that developing countries signed up
to a legal obligation to reduce their
emissions.
The Paris Agreement was to limit global
warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial
levels. To achieve that, the
world needs to cut global greenhouse-gas
emissions by more than 26 billion metric
tons every year between now and 2030.
To say that the total emission-reduction
pledges scraped together in Glasgow of
just over 6 billion tons fell short is to
understate the huge gap between
ambition and commitment.
It highlights the monumental scale of
the challenge for the country presiding
over these conferences. That the UK's
COP26 president Alok Sharma was
almost in tears as he announced the
watered-down deal goes some way to
illustrate the personal and institutional
commitments required by the host.
The kind of leadership needed to rally
the world's nations and their disparate
interests to commit to an agreement often
appears beyond possibility. Then there is
the task of making sure the outcomes and
expectations of any COP event are stuck
to.
The UK had to draw deep on its
resources and global leadership
experience just to make Glasgow happen.
With more than 25,000 delegates
descending on the city, the policing bill
alone was estimated at the equivalent of
more than US$300 million.
The pandemic brought big challenges to
hosting the event, but it also gave
Sharma's team an extra year to prepare
after COP26 was pushed back from 2020.
The UK won the bid to host the event in
September 2019, but Sharma was only
JONATHAN GORNALL
DAvID MARCUs
appointed president in January 2020
after Prime Minister Boris Johnson fired
his predecessor Claire Perry O'Neill.
The jostling showed the escalating
importance placed on the herculean task
of cajoling global powers into alignment
on saving the planet.
While many have called the COP26
outcomes a failure, Sharma won praise for
his balanced leadership that involved
building relations with small island states
most at risk from rising sea levels while
handling tricky meetings with Chinese
officials in Beijing.
It is some of these skillsets that the UAE
will have to draw upon as it prepares to
take the reins in 2023. The Emirates has
been entrusted to host the event based on
its existing commitments toward the
environment and renewable energy,
including investing heavily in the new
sciences of carbon capture, utilization and
storage (CCUS), and nuclear energy.
Yet the UAE has more to lose than many
countries from the inevitable transition to
sustainable fuels, but much more to gain
than most in shaping the elements of
tomorrow's energy market - and, thanks
to its oil and gas revenues, it has the
necessary funds to invest in the future
today.
But forging its own path is very different
to consensus-building between nations
with conflicting interests. What lessons
can be learned from previous COP hosts
and how the UAE can build on their
efforts yet bring its own style of leadership
is yet to be seen.
Doubtless many voices will be raised
protesting that handing control of COP28
to the UAE is akin to asking a fox to beef
up the security of a chicken coop. Fingers
will also be pointed at comments this
week from the group chief executive of
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
(ADNOC) that "the oil and gas industry
will have to invest over $600 billion every
year … until 2030 … just to keep up with
expected demand."
But to express alarm at this is to
misunderstand the nature of a global
energy system undergoing dramatic
change.
None of the world's countries can
"simply unplug" abruptly from fossil fuels.
The world is recovering from the Covid-19
pandemic and demand for oil and gas is
rocketing - in the process creating the
essential wealth in the Persian Gulf region
necessary to fund and drive the transition
to renewables.
For the UAE and countries such as
Saudi Arabia, much of the profit being
drawn out of the earth now is being
plowed directly into the type of research
and development that ultimately will save
the planet.
The UAE is working hard to curb its own
domestic consumption of fossil fuels. Last
month, it announced it was aiming for
net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 - an
ambitious target on a par with those of the
UK, the US and the European Union.
How? Well, it turns out that oil was not
the only economic blessing bestowed on
the fossil-fuel-producing countries of the
Middle East.
Sunlight is the resource that gives on
giving and, in the Gulf, is available for the
greatest part of the year. The UAE is
already leading the way with domestic
solar power plants and investing in solar
technology.
COP28 in 2023 will put one of the
world's biggest producers of fossil fuels in
charge of negotiations to wean the world
from its addiction to fossil fuels. It will put
the UAE under a global spotlight that will
require an exemplary level of leadership
and diplomacy if the climate negotiations
will continue to move forward.
Source: Asia times
A guide to the kind of diversity our media is willing to celebrate
There is nothing, and I mean no
thing whatsoever, that our media
says it loves more than celebrating
diversity.
It is the stuff of progressive television
producers' dreams. Newspapers and
websites have departments and sections
that deal with little else. But it turns out
that not all diversity is created equal in the
eyes of our pundits and scribes. In fact,
there are some very strict rules about what
kind of diversity should be celebrated
most, if at all.
Take the curious case of a now deleted
tweet from National Public Radio, the
soundtrack of progressive Volvo owners
everywhere. The tweet was an accurate
summation of their article attached to it
that reported how the election of Boston's
first Asian mayor, Michelle Wu, was met
with mixed reaction by some who wished
a Black candidate had won the keys to
Beantown.
It is not entirely clear why NPR chose to
delete a tweet that hews almost
completely to the strict intersectional
rules governing good and bad diversity.
After all, lefty media has had a field day
smearing Virginia Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome
Sears, the first Black woman to serve in
One announcement to come out of Glasgow was that COP28 in 2023 would be
staged in the United Arab Emirates, home to the UN-created International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). This isn't the first time the COP roadshow
has traveled to the Middle East - in 2012 COP18 was held in Doha - but a decade
on the climate-change landscape has changed utterly.
that role. One MSNBC contributor
referred to her as a "Black mouth"
advancing White supremacy. See, that's
bad diversity, not to be celebrated.
The rules to this game are pretty
straightforward. It operates on a hierarchy
of oppression with a twist. Basically the
more oppressed, or marginalized a person
is (in the eyes of the left), the more
diversity points they get. And they are
stackable points. Being Black gets you
close to the top, but not as close as being
Black, transsexual and queer. The twist is
that if you are a conservative all of your
diversity points are erased and you move
to the bottom of the list, even below White
conservatives - because you should know
better. It is a tiresome and demeaning
system, but one which the American left is
devoted to with an almost religious zeal.
Antisemitism is bad, unless it is attached
to attacks on the state of Israel. Black
achievement should be celebrated, unless
it's Supreme Court Justice Clarence
Thomas or Dr. Ben Carson. Asian success
is OK, but not too much Asian success.
That is why progressives want to take
away testing to get into New York City's
top public high schools - they have the
The rules to this game are pretty straightforward.
It operates on a hierarchy of oppression with a twist.
Basically the more oppressed, or marginalized a
person is (in the eyes of the left), the more diversity
points they get. And they are stackable points.
MOHAMED CHEBARO
wrong diversity, they are overwhelmingly
Asian. Heritage Foundation fellow: Public
schools diversity officers are being used as
political organizerVideo
The impetus behind this strange set of
rules may be well intentioned, but in
practice it quickly and always becomes a
ridiculous and dangerous tangled knot of
identity. In the end what winds up being
celebrated is not actually diversity - which
is to say a real coexistence of different
kinds of people and ideas - but rather just
progressive ideology.
In fact, most Americans love diversity. It
is, to borrow a phrase from the left, our
lived experience. Interracial marriage is at
all-time highs - we enjoy each other. What
we do not enjoy is ranking systems that
boil our individual lives down to left-wing
talking points. This is why Chinese voters
in New York City came out in force for
Republican Curtis Sliwa in this month's
mayoral election. Those voters didn't care
about intersectionality, they cared about
their kids' educations.
Whatever spreadsheet of good and bad
diversity they have at NPR and our other
progressive legacy media outlets needs to
get thrown in the dustbin. This way of
categorizing all of us is pointless, and
frankly gross. The American people are
rejecting it. NPR got a taste of that this
week. Maybe they will change their ways.
But don't count it. The progressive's race
essentialism is going to be a hard habit for
them to kick. And one deleted tweet will
not fix the problem.
Source: Fox news
Manufactured migration crisis a potent weapon for EU's enemies
Events on the borders between
Belarus and Poland, Lithuania and
Estonia in northeastern Europe
could lead to the area becoming the latest
arena for settling scores between Europe
and the Western world on the one side and
Vladimir Putin's Russia and his Belarussian
protege President Alexander Lukashenko
on the other. The increasing weaponization
of refugees as a means to blackmail,
pressure, deflect or destabilize neighboring
countries is an old tool for the likes of
Bashar Assad of Syria, who uses refugees in
his efforts to gain the upper hand and call
for financial, political or geostrategic
concessions.
The situation has led the UK's chief of the
defense staff to issue a warning that
conditions on the Polish-Belarusian border
have raised the risks of an accidental
conflict with Russia. Gen. Nick Carter
described Minsk's attempts to push
migrants on to EU borders as an effort "to
try and destabilize the region." Speaking at
the weekend, Carter said "this is a classic
sort of hybrid playbook where you link
disinformation to destabilization and the
idea of pushing migrants on to EU borders
is a classic example." He warned that it
could become a "shooting war" and urged
NATO and the EU to be ready.
The 27-member EU this week imposed a
fifth set of sanctions on Belarus. It had
previously imposed sanctions due to the
disputed elections of August last year,
which saw Lukashenko return to office for
a fifth term and subsequently launch a
crackdown against the peaceful protesters
who complained that the vote was rigged.
In addition, the authoritarian regime of
Lukashenko was sanctioned for diverting a
civilian Ryanair passenger plane to Minsk
on terror pretenses, only to arrest an
opposition journalist and his girlfriend who
were on board. Though the EU believes
that the Minsk regime will only respond to
sanctions pressure, Brussels risks using all
the weapons in its armory to little effect,
especially if the stalemate on the border
endures and public opinion slowly turns
The 27-member EU this week imposed a fifth set of sanctions on
Belarus. It had previously imposed sanctions due to the disputed
elections of August last year, which saw Lukashenko return to office
for a fifth term and subsequently launch a crackdown against the
peaceful protesters who complained that the vote was rigged.
against "inhumane EU practices." The
number of refugees on the EU's borders is
currently in the hundreds, but this could
multiply with the help of the Belarusian
authorities. The world has not forgotten the
Syrian refugees' march toward Europe in
2015. This may not have been just the
purely instinctive behavior of a
dispossessed people, as Turkey has been
accused of encouraging the refugees' flight
across the Aegean to Greece, the EU's
southeastern gate, after it took in more than
3.5 million Syrian refugees in 2014.
The same tactic might also have been
used by the Assad regime when the popular
uprising against it spread across the
country and Damascus' best tactic was to
barrel bomb its own people, driving nearly
half of them out of their homes.
Europe cannot afford to be seen as
lenient toward refugees forcing their way
into its territory, whether aided or not by
traffickers or a rogue state.
Though many airlines in the region seem
to be complying with EU warnings and
have suspended direct flights to Minsk,
evidence shows that Syrians, Iraqis,
Yemenis, Afghans and Iranians hoping to
make it to the West have started to fly to the
Belarusian capital via Moscow. Even if the
Kremlin decides to put a stop to their
transit through its territory, they might seek
to travel through other, even more distant,
countries.
Source: Arab news

FRiDay, novemBeR 19, 2021
5
The software that predict who may commit a crime
Johana Bhuiyan
What do your Facebook posts, who you
follow on Instagram and who you
interact with the most on social media
say about you? According to the tech
startup Voyager Labs, that information
could help police figure out if you have
committed or plan to commit a crime.
Voyager Labs is one of dozens of US
companies that have popped up in recent
years with technology that purports to
harness social media to help solve and
predict crime.
Pulling information from every part of
an individual's various social media
profiles, Voyager helps police investigate
and surveil people by reconstructing
their entire digital lives - public and
private. By relying on artificial
intelligence, the company claims, its
software can decipher the meaning and
significance of online human behavior,
and can determine whether subjects
have already committed a crime, may
commit a crime or adhere to certain
ideologies.
But new documents, obtained through
public information requests by the
Brennan Center, a non-profit
organization, and shared with the
Guardian, show that the assumptions the
software relies on to draw those
conclusions may run afoul of first
amendment protections. In one case,
Voyager indicated that it considered
using an Instagram name that showed
Arab pride or tweeting about Islam to be
signs of a potential inclination toward
extremism.
The documents also reveal Voyager
promotes a variety of ethically
questionable strategies to access user
information, including enabling police to
use fake personas to gain access to
groups or private social media profiles.
Voyager, a nine-year-old startup
registered as Bionic 8 Analytics with
offices in Israel, Washington, New York
and elsewhere, is a small fish in a big
pond that includes companies like
Palantir and Media Sonar. The Los
michel moore working with a number of companies producing hi-tech policing tools.
Angeles police department trialed
Voyager software in 2019, the Brennan
Center documents show, and engaged in
a lengthy back-and-forth with the
company about a permanent contract.
But experts say Voyager's products are
emblematic of a broader ecosystem of
tech players answering law
enforcement's calls for advanced tools to
expand their policing capabilities.
For police, the appeal of such tools is
clear: use technology to automatically
and quickly see connections that might
take officers much longer to uncover, or
to detect unnoticed behaviors or leads
that a human might not pick up on
because of lack of sophistication or
capacity. With immense pressure on
departments to keep crime rates low and
prevent attacks, using technology to be
able to make fast and efficient law
enforcement decisions is an attractive
value proposition. New and existing
documents show the LAPD alone has
worked or considered working with
companies such as PredPol, MediaSonar,
Geofeedia, Dataminr, and now Voyager.
But for the public, social mediainformed
policing can be a privacy
nightmare that effectively criminalizes
casual and at times protected behavior,
experts who have reviewed the
documents for the Guardian say.
As the Guardian previously reported,
police departments are often unwilling to
relinquish the use of those tools even in
the face of public outcry and in spite of
little proof it helps to reduce crime.
Experts also point out that companies
like Voyager often use buzzwords such as
"artificial intelligence" and "algorithms"
to explain how they analyze and process
Photo: Jason armond
information but provide little evidence
that it works.
A Voyager spokesperson, Lital Carter
Rosenne, said the company's software
was used by a wide range of clients to
enable searches through databases but
said that Voyager did not build those
databases on its own or supply Voyager
staffers to run its software.
"These are our clients' responsibilities
and decisions, in which Voyager has no
involvement at all," Rosenne said in an
email. "As a company, we follow the laws
of all the countries in which we do
business. We also have confidence that
those with whom we do business are lawabiding
public and private
organizations."
"Voyager is a software company,"
Rosenne said in answer to questions
about how the technology works. "Our
products are search and analytics
engines that employ artificial intelligence
and machine learning with
explainability." Voyager did not respond
to the detailed questions about who it has
contracts with or how its software draws
conclusions on a person's support for
specific ideologies.
LAPD declined to respond to a request
for comment. The way Voyager and
companies like it work is not
complicated, the documents show.
Voyager software hoovers up all the
public information available on a person
or topic - including posts, connections
and even emojis - analyzes and indexes it
and then, in some cases, cross-references
it with non-public information.
Internal documents show the
technology creates a topography of a
person's entire social media existence,
specifically looking at users' posts as well
as their connections, and how strong
each of those relationships are.
The software visualizes how a person's
direct connections are connected to each
other, where all of those connections
work, and any "indirect connections"
(people with at least four mutual
friends). Voyager also detects any
indirect connections between a subject
and other people the customer has
previously searched for.
Voyager's data collection is far
reaching. If a person tracked by Voyager
software deletes a friend or a post from
their own profile, it remains archived in
their Voyager profile. The system
catalogues not only a subject's contacts,
but also any content or media those
contacts posted, including status
updates, pictures and geotags. And it
draws in second- and third-degree
friendships to "unearth previously
unknown middlemen or instances of
improper association".
Meredith Broussard, a New York
University data journalism professor and
author of Artificial Unintelligence: How
Computers Misunderstand the World,
said it appeared Voyager's algorithms
were making assessments about people
based on their online activity and
networks, using a process that resembled
online ad targeting.
Ad targeting systems place people in
"affinity groups", determining who is
most likely to be interested in buying a
new car, for example, based on their
friends and connections, Broussard
explained: "So instead of grouping
people into buckets like 'pet owners',
what Voyager seems to be doing is
putting people into 'buckets' of likely
criminals."
In the advertising context, many
consumers have come to accept this kind
of targeting, she said, but the stakes are
much higher when it comes to policing.
"It's a 'guilt by association' system," she
said, adding that this kind of algorithm
was not particularly sophisticated.
Voyager software applies a similar
process to Facebook groups, pages and
events - both public and closed -
cataloging recently published content
and mapping out the most active users.
Documents show the company also
allows users to search for posts about
specific topics, pulling up all mentions of
that term, as well as the location tagged
in those posts.
The company claims all of this
information on individuals, groups and
pages allows its software to conduct realtime
"sentiment analysis" and find new
leads when investigating "ideological
solidarity". In proposals to the LAPD, the
company claimed its artificial
intelligence platform was unmatched in
its ability to analyze "human behavior
indicators".
Voyager claims its AI can provide
insights such as an individual or group's
"social whereabouts", can uncover
hidden relationships and can perform a
"sentiment analysis" to determine where
someone stands ideologically on various
topics, including extremism.
"We don't just connect existing dots," a
Voyager promotional document read.
"We create new dots. What seem like
random and inconsequential
interactions, behaviors or interests,
suddenly become clear and
comprehensible."
What it's like to watch an Imax
ChaRLeS BRameSCo
It was not so long ago,
children, that a person
desiring to watch a movie at
their leisure had no choice
but to purchase a round,
shiny object called a Digital
Video Disc. The early days of
DVD continued and widened
a debate begun during the
VHS era, in that many titles
were released in both
"widescreen" and
"fullscreen" formats from
which a discerning customer
could make their own choice.
The widescreen presentation
would fit the theatrical
projection to the average
consumer TV, "letterboxing"
the frame with black bars
called mattes above and
below to squeeze a long
rectangle into a shorter one.
As promised by the name,
fullscreen versions instead
filled the entirety of the TV
by cutting off space on the
left and right of a shot. This
was the demonstrably
inferior option - you're
missing parts of the movie,
sometimes elements integral
to the text - but customers
kept buying. For them, the
feeling of seeing more
overruled the fact that they
were in actuality seeing less.
Fast-forward to today, and
the cinematic medium now
faces an odd inverse of this
movie at home
schism in visuals. The notion
that every inch of our
massive televisions should
be put to active use has
compelled Disney to rerelease
13 of their Marvel
Studios films in "Imax
Expanded Aspect Ratio",
ostensibly bringing the
immensity of the multiplex
into the living room. In
practice, this special feature
of the Disney Plus streaming
app unmasks the image,
restoring space on the top
and bottom that had
previously been cropped out
for ordinary theaters. The
taller Imax screens allow for
a width-to-height ratio of
1.90:1, as opposed to your
given movie house's
anamorphic standard of
2.35:1, without the sacrifices
in visibility of a fullscreen
DVD. Disney wants to
extend this experience to the
home, where the usual highdef
TV has a ratio of 16:9 (or
more relevantly for
comparison here, 1.77:1). As
the press release on Marvel's
own web site puts it, this ondemand
Imax "offers up to
26% more picture for select
sequences - meaning more of
the action is visible on
screen, just as the filmmakers
intended".
Whether this represents
the realization of the filmmakers'
intentions is
between them and their god,
but it's true that in terms of
simple volume, we're
afforded greater coverage of
the hectic battle scenes that
have become this studio's
trademark. For a scene like
the
climactic
Götterdämmerung that
closes out Avengers:
Endgame, wherein every
speck of the frame has been
crammed with computergenerated
visual
information, the Imax ratio
has a practical utility. In the
extreme wide shots of the
fracas, the expanded canvas
affords a view of additional
flying ships, Iron Man's
robotic minions, and
Thanos's enemy combatants
Simu Liu in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Photo: Jasin Boland
as they clash everywhere at
once. For those Marvel
obsessives set on digesting
every crumb of content, this
boils down to a basic
question of volume, this new
functionality allowing for
another step toward total
completism by showing
what's been previously
unseen.
But for those viewers who
wish only to enjoy a film in
its most logical and natural
form, there's a distracting
toll to be paid. When the
Imax versions aren't
revealing the full scale of
scenes jam-packed with
commotion, they're
destroying the composition
of passages that would
otherwise be normal,
unremarkable film craft.
Consider a moment early on
in Shang-Chi and the Legend
of the Ten Rings, when the
martial arts master Xu
Wenwu first meets the forest
guardian Ying Li; when they
exchange dialogue before
scuffling, what should be a
by-the-book shot/reverse
shot set-up is turned sparse
and strange by the thick
stripes of negative space in
the Imax-enabled zone. A
few inches of emptiness
hang over Wenwu's head,
moving him from the frame's
center to an awkward
lowered position, as if his
photograph has been taken
by someone not that fluent
with point-and-shoot
camera use.
This counterintuitive
maximalism comes from the
same paradigm of
blockbuster muchness that
has compelled many MCU
entries' run times to strafe
the three-hour mark. We've
been made to believe more is
more, despite control and
restraint having always been
keys to film-making
brilliance. Just as the
sprawling lengths of these
films come at the price of
brisk, satisfying pacing, so
too does the anti-grandeur of
this pseudo-Imax distort the
very art it attempts to take to
the next level. There's a
reason this format has been
restricted to brick-andmortar
cinemas up until
now, and not just because it
plays better when looked up
at from an auditorium seat
rather than down on from a
couch. The thrill of this
moviegoing mode depends
on its huge proportions, a
dwarfing sensation
completely lost when
transposed to the TV. The
streaming giants would love
nothing more to prove that
there's no difference
between exhibition in public
and the home, but this latest
innovation succeeds only in
proving the opposite.
SiRin KaLe
Michelle Wacek was a TikTok
fan years ago, back when the
video-sharing app was called
Musical.ly. "I went on it for a
laugh," she says. "And then I
got sucked into the vortex."
She took part in lip-syncing
challenges, and followed the
influencer Evie Meg, who
raises awareness about
Tourette syndrome among
her 14 million followers.
In April 2020, Wacek was
messing around in the kitchen
when her husband
accidentally clipped her in the
face. The then 25-year-old
chef had a panic attack. "It
triggered a PTSD response
from a previous abusive
relationship I was in," she
says.
Over the next few weeks,
Wacek noticed that she was
having tics. "They were just
little noises," she says.
"Nothing to write home
about." She would scrunch up
her nose, or huff. The tics
escalated from sounds into
words and phrases. Then the
motor tics kicked in. "I started
punching walls and throwing
myself at things," she says. By
July, Wacek was having
seizures. She had to stop
work. "Being a chef with
seizures is not safe at all," she
says.
Her GP referred her to a
neurologist, who diagnosed
her with functional
neurological syndrome
(FND). People with FND have
a neurological condition that
cannot be medically
explained, but can be
extremely debilitating. "In a
general neurological clinic,
around 30% of the conditions
we see are not fully
explainable," says Dr Jeremy
Stern, a neurologist with the
charity Tourettes Action. In
Wacek's case, FND
manifested in verbal and
motor tics, not dissimilar
from how Tourette syndrome
appears to lay people,
although the two conditions
are distinct.
Wacek has up to 20 seizures
a day and currently has to use
a wheelchair. Like Meg, she is
now a TikTok influencer,
using her platform to raise
awareness of FND. "Knowing
that I am going through the
same crap as other people out
there makes me feel better,"
Wacek says. "Without all
these platforms, I would be
quite isolated."
This month, Wacek's
Facebook groups and online
communities lit up. The
Doctors have been surprised to see young adults developing tics and seizures
that usually start in childhood.
Photo: Collected
Why young women on social
media are developing
Tourette's-like tics
source: a Wall Street Journal
report about the rise in young
women developing suddenonset
tics that doctors thought
could be linked to TikTok. The
article prompted a swift
backlash from many in the
Tourette's and FND
community. "I read the article
and thought it was a load of
crap," says Wacek. "TikTok is
not giving people Tourette's."
The fact that she followed Meg
before developing tics herself,
says Wacek, is a
"coincidence".
But there is a rise in young
women presenting with
unexplained tics that come on
suddenly, far later in life than
the usual presentation for
Tourette syndrome. Some of
these young people are social
media users, some are not.
What on earth is going on?
The neurological journal
Brain isn't typically the locus
of international controversy.
But times are changing.
"Journals are more openaccess
than ever before," says
Dr Seonaid Anderson, a
research psychologist and
neurodiversity consultant
who specialises in Tourette
syndrome. "People with
neurodiverse conditions can
access what is being written
about them far more freely.
Webinars often feature
patients in the audience."
In August, Brain published
a paper with the incendiary
headline: "Stop that! It's not
Tourette's but a new type of
mass sociogenic illness". In it,
clinicians from Hannover
Medical School in Germany
speculated that a mass
sociogenic illness (MSI) that
resembled Tourette's but was
not Tourette's, was spreading
among German teenagers. A
sociogenic illness, explains
researcher Dr Kirsten Müller-
Vahl, "is when people who are
in close contact develop
similar symptoms, but
without any underlying
cause".
A mass MSI outbreak was
seen in the UK at a Lancashire
school in 2015, where 40
pupils received medical
treatment for dizziness
thought to be brought on by
anxiety after a handful of
children fainted during an
Armistice Day service in a
warm assembly hall. MSI is
currently in the news as a
possible cause for the
mysterious Havana
syndrome, which is affecting
diplomats at US bases across
the world. But experts did not
believe MSI could be spread
via social media - until the
Hannover team's research.
MSI ripples outwards from
a "patient zero", infecting the
people around that person in
waves of anxiety-induced
illness. "People now use social
media so intensively that it
more or less replaces our
normal context," says Müller-
Vahl. "You can be in close
contact with someone via
social media, it can be very
emotional, and you can
identify with that influencer.
We believe that spread can
happen solely via social
media." In this case, Müller-
Vahl identifies this patient
zero as a German YouTuber,
Jan Zimmerman, who has
Tourette syndrome and runs a
channel with 2.2 million
subscribers.
In 2019, Müller-Vahl says,
teenagers began to present at
her clinic with functional
Tourette's-like symptoms, a
subset of FND. Typically,
Tourette's starts during
childhood, with six the
average age of onset. But the
mean onset age of Müller-
Vahl's patients was 19. Their
symptoms also escalated
more quickly than typical
Tourette's. In all, since 2019
Müller-Vahl has seen nearly
50 young people; all of them
confirmed that they watched
Zimmerman's channel. She
believes FND was spread via
social media contagion, in
much the same way that a
fainting fit ripples through a
packed school hall.
Müller-Vahl is not accusing
young people of faking illness.
"I know no expert who feels
this is malingering," she says.
But the title of her paper -
Stop That! - was interpreted

FRiDAY, NOveMBeR 19, 2021 6
Level of theft increases in Kishoreganj
MAFE SHEIKH, KISHOREGANJ CORRESPONDENT
The level of theft has increased in
different areas of Kishoreganj upazila
of Nilphamari but the administration is
silent. In the last two weeks, thieves
have stolen five 10 kV transformers of
Palli Bidyut and two fans of
government primary schools, mortars
and even chairs and tables.
Expressing concern over the incident,
Upazila Primary Education Officer
Sharifa Akhter complained at a
monthly meeting of the Upazila Law
and Order on Tuesday to take
necessary measures including recovery
of stolen goods.
Ziaul Islam, AGM of Upazila Palli
Bidyut, told at the monthly law and
order meeting that five 10 KV
transformers were stolen in different
areas including Chandir Bazar area of
Chandkhana Union in the last two
weeks. He urged the law enforcement
agencies to stop the theft of
transformers, adding that the theft of
transformers has increased the
suffering of consumers on the one hand
and loss of government property on the
other.
At the meeting, Upazila Primary
Education Officer Sharifa Akhter said a
group of thieves broke the locks of
Chandkhana Saranjabari and
Chandkhana Babupara Government
Primary Schools in Chandkhana Union
a week ago and stole various items
including school matrons, electric fans
and chairs. Although the headmasters
of their respective primary schools have
lodged a complaint with the police, the
police have not taken any effective
action so far.
Kishoreganj Police Station OC Abdul
Awal denied receiving any complaint
and said, "I have not received any
complaint." If a written complaint is
received, action will be taken subject to
investigation.
A monthly meeting of the Upazila Law and Order was held in Kishoreganj
Upazila recently.
Photo: Mafe Sheikh
DAM distributes vegetable seeds,
cash among 150 farmers
Dhaka Ahsania Mission has been
implementing the project ''Improving
Livelihoods for covid affected households''
with the financial support of Reed
Foundation from June 1, 2021 in 7 unions of
Sadar upazila of Jashore district with the aim
of compensating the affected households of
covid-19, a press release said.
To provide input / cash assistance to a total
of 500 beneficiaries involved in 150
vegetable farmers, 100 paddy farmers, 150
goat farmers, 50 poultry farmers and 50
small businesses through this project. In
continuation of this, a vegetable seed and
cash distribution program was organized in
the Upazila Hall Room, Jashore sadar,
Jashore to distribute vegetable seeds and
cash among the beneficiaries under this
project.
During the time, Shekh Sazzad Hossain,
Dhaka Ahsania Mission distrubted vegetable seeds and cash among 150 farmers
in Jashore sadar recently.
Photo: Courtesy
Bumper T-Aman yield makes Jamalpur farmers happy
JAMALPUR: Farmers of the district are happy
getting bumper production of Transplanted
Aman (T-Aman) this Kharip-2 season, reports
BSS.
Farmers planted T-Aman paddy on
1,08,640 hectares of land in the district which
is 680 hectares higher than the target.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE)
office sources said farmers got 3.81 tonnes of
high-breed variety against the production
target of 3.77 tonnes from per hectare of land
and 2.90 tonnes high yielding variety against
the production target of 2.735 tonnes from the
land. Alam Molla, a farmer of Daudpur village
in Melandah upazila, cultivated T-Aman on
eight bighas of land and he got bumper
production of T-Aman from his land.
Farmers have already harvested T-Aman on
40,197 hectares of land till today. Due to
favorable weather farmers are getting good
yield of Aman paddy this year.
Deputy Director of DAE Nitai Chandra
Banik said various incentives were distributed
among small and marginal farmers to increase
T-Aman cultivation in the district.
Of the total,31,100 hectares of land were
brought under T-Aman cultivation in
Jamalpur Sadar upazila, 15,035 hectares in
Upazila Agriculture Officer, Jashore sadar,
Jashore was present as the Chief Guest of the
Distribution Ceremony. Agriculturist Md.
Niamul Kabir, Coordinator (Agriculture)
and Area Manager of Jashore Area of DFED
was also present as Special Guest.
Branch Manager, Jashore sadar Branch,
DFED, Project Coordinator, Project Field
Staff and Beneficiaries were also present.
Through the project, out of 100 beneficiaries,
each was given 10 kg of boro rice seeds
Bridhan 84 (zinc rice) and 8 kg aromatic rice
(Bridhan 50).
The chief guest said that this rice seed of
Dhaka Ahsania Mission will help increase
the production of paddy farmers to
overcome the loss of covid. He thanked the
Read Foundation through the DAM. He
hopes DAM will receive more of this in the
future.
Sarishabari, 16,680 hectares in Melandah,
9,653 hectares in Islampur, 8,500 hectares in
Dewanganj, 14,960 hectares in Madarganj and
12,712 hectares in Bakshiganj upazila.
Farmers cultivated High-breed variety on
21,755 hectares, High Yielding Variety on
73,977 hectares and local variety on 12,908
hectares of land. Deputy Director Nitai
Chandra said farmers have started harvesting
two varieties of crops and within a week they
will start harvesting local variety of T-Aman.
Harvesting will be completed by the first week
of December. Dragon farming opens up
farmers' fortunes in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI: Dragon farming has opened up
fortunes of many of the farmers as the cash
crop is being judged as lucrative compared to
other ones in the region, including its vast
Barind tract, for the last couple of years,
reports BSS.
Commercial farming of dragon fruit, a cactus
species fruit, originally from Central America,
South America, and nowadays common in
Southeast Asia and China is gaining popularity
in the region gradually. Shafiul Islam Mukta, a
resident of Godagari Upazila, said he has
developed three dragon orchards on 52 bigha
of land in Gogram and Matikata areas.
Free seeds, chemical
fertilizers among
marginal farmers
in Ramgarh
MOHAMMAD SHAHED HOSSAIN,
RAMGARH CORRESPONDENT
Free seeds and chemical
fertilizers have been
distributed among small and
marginal farmers in
Ramgarh Upazila.
Free wheat, maize,
mustard, sunflower,
groundnut, winter onion,
mug, lentil and khesari crops
were distrubted marginal
farmers during the Robi
season (2021-2022) on
Wednesday at the premises
of the Upazila Agriculture
Extension Department.
The target was to
distribute 2 kg of maize
among 200 farmers and 1 kg
of mustard seeds and 10 kg
of DAP fertilizer and 10 kg of
MOP fertilizer among 50
farmers.
Ramgarh Upazila
Chairman Bishwa Pradeep
Karbari was present as the
chief guest at the function
presided over by Upazila
Agriculture Officer Md. Ali
Ahmed (Acting) conducted
by Upazila Agriculture
Deputy Assistant Plant and
Conservation Officer Md.
Sanaul Haque.
Upazila Extension Officer
Agriculturist Md. Rashedul
Islam Rashed and Food
Officer Md. Asaduzzaman
gave welcome speeches on
the occasion.
At that time, officials and
employees of the Upazila
Agriculture Office, farmers
and block supervisors from
different areas including
local journalists were
present.
RMCH records
one more
fatality in
Covid-19 unit
RAJSHAHI: Medical
College Hospital (RMCH)
recorded one more fatality in
its Covid-19 unit during the
last 24 hours till 6am
yesterday, reports BSS.
The death toll due to
Covid-19 and its symptoms
reached 25 so far this month
with the new fatality.
RMCH Director Brigadier
General Shamim Yazdani
said the male deceased was a
resident of Rajshahi district.
He was suffering from
symptoms of Covid- 19.
The hospital recorded zero
fatality in the unit again on
Wednesday after six
consecutive days. It has
recorded zero deaths on
November 11 after four
consecutive days.
The hospital also recorded
zero death on November 7
after another on October 31.
Meanwhile, three more
patients were admitted to
the Covid-19 unit during the
last 24 hours, taking the
number of admitted patients
to 29, including six testing
positive for Covid-19, at
present.
Seven other patients
returned home after being
cured during the same time.
On the other hand, eight
more patients tested positive
for Covid-19 after testing
308 samples in Rajshahi's
two laboratories on
Wednesday, showing a 2.67
percent positivity rate
against 1.85 percent on
Tuesday.
BMP's 15th founding anniversary was celebrated at Barisal Police Lines on Wednesday.
Photo: Zihad Rana
15th founding anniversary of BMP
observed in Barishal
ZIHAD RANA, BARISHAL CORRESPONDENT
BMP's 15th founding anniversary was
celebrated at Barisal Police Lines on
Wednesday. Inspector General of
Police Dr Benazir Ahmed inagurated
the occasion by flying ballons.
BMP Commissioner Md.
Shahabuddin Khan BPM (Bar)
addressed the esteemed city dwellers
through electronics and print media
present on the occasion of founding
anniversary.
In his speech he said that the main
motto of this founding anniversary will
be Barisal Metropolitan Police, a truly
people-friendly, women-friendly
police. We would like to express our
gratitude to the people of Barishal, to
the people of Barisal and to all the
leaders who have worked tirelessly and
with all their might to make this city
safer 14 years ago, to make police
service more intensive, The Barisal
Metropolitan Police was formed in the
hope of ensuring security in all social,
political, family and educational
activities.
At this time, the Inspector General of
Police Dr Benazir Ahmed said, "We
have already been able to liberate
Bangladesh from militancy under the
direction of Prime Minister with
Bangabandhu's pledge to build Sonar
Bangla and Bangladesh Police Force is
Free seeds and chemical fertilizers have been distributed among small and marginal
farmers in Ramgarh Upazila on Wednesday. Photo: Mohammad Shahed Hossain
Members of Bangladesh Coast Guard West Zone in a drive seized illegal foreign clothes
worth around Tk 1 crore in Bagerhat on Wednesday.
Photo: Courtesy
RANGPUR: One more Covid-19 patient
died during the last 24 hours ending at 8
am yesterday after 13 consecutive days,
raising the number of fatalities due to the
lethal virus to 1,244 in the division,
reports BSS.
"The new Covid-19 death was reported
from Panchagarh in the division that
witnessed no fatalities during the
previous 13 consecutive days since
November 3 last," Acting Divisional
Director (Health) Dr Abu Md Zakirul
Islam told BSS yesterday.
The district-wise breakup of the total
fatalities currently stands at 293 in
Rangpur, 81 in Panchagarh, 89 in
Nilphamari, 68 in Lalmonirhat, 69 in
Kurigram, 254 in Thakurgaon, 327 in
Dinajpur and 63 in Gaibandha.
The average casualty rate currently
hovers at 2.24 percent in the division.
Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19
cases reached 55,489 as 13 new patients
were diagnosed after testing 345 samples
with the positivity rate of 3.77 percent on
Wednesday in the division. The daily
positivity rate has been remaining below
the five percent almost during the last
two months in the division.
"The district-wise break up of total
55,489 patients include 12,492 of
Rangpur, 3,819 Panchagarh, 4,457 of
Nilphamari, 2,743 of Lalmonirhat, 4,646
of Kurigram, 7,651 of Thakurgaon, 14,815
of Dinajpur and 4,866 of Gaibandha in
the division," Islam said.
He said a total of 2,97,770 collected
samples were tested till Wednesday, and
of them, 55,489 were found Covid-19
positive with an average positivity rate of
working with its head held high." With
this continuity in mind, I hope that
every member of our police force will
work relentlessly for Bangladesh.
During the time, Saiful Islam Badal,
Divisional Commissioner Barisal, Dr.
Md. Sadekul Arefin, Vice Chancellor
Barisal University. Md. Kabir Hossain
Chief Magistrate Metropolitan, Barisal.
SM Akhtaruzzaman, Range DIG
Barisal. Md. Maruf Hossain,
Superintendent of Police Barisal.
Deputy Commissioner Jasim Uddin
Haider, Barisal. Former Member of
Parliament Advocate Talukder Md.
Yunus and other dignitaries were also
present.
BCG seizes illegal
foreign clothes
worth around Tk 1
crore in Bagerhat
Members of Bangladesh
Coast Guard West Zone in
a drive seized illegal foreign
clothes worth around Tk 1
crore in Bagerhat on
Wednesday afternoon, a
press release said.
This information was
given by Lt. Khandaker
Munif Taki, Media Officer,
Bangladesh Coast Guard
Headquarters on
Thursday.
He said that on the basis
of
confidential
information, Coast Guard
members conducted a
drive in area adjacent to
Haldibunia canal under
Mongla police station in
Bagerhat district under
Bangladesh Coast Guard
West Zone BCG base
Mongla and BCG outpost
Naliyan. During the drive,
Illegal foreigner 833 pieces
of sari, 59 pieces of lehenga
and 100 pieces of sheets
worth about Tk 1 core were
sized. Sensing the presence
of the Coast Guard, the
smugglers fled into the
Sundarbans and no arrests
were made.
He further said that the
recovered goods have been
handed over to Mongla
police station for further
legal action.
Rangpur sees one death due to Covid-19 after 13-day
18.63 percent in the division.
In the meantime, the total number of
healed Covid-19 patients reached 53,331
with recovery of 18 more persons on
Wednesday in the division where the
average recovery rate currently stands at
96.07 percent. The total recovered
patients include 11,568 of Rangpur,
3,680 Panchagarh, 4,358 Nilphamari,
2,625 Lalmonirhat, 4,527 Kurigram,
7,341 Thakurgaon, 14,417 in Dinajpur
and 4,795 Gaibandha districts.
Among the 55,489 patients, 37 are
undergoing treatments at isolation units,
including 12 critical patients at ICU beds
and six at High Dependency Unit beds,
after recovery of 53,331 patients and
1,244 deaths while 897 are remaining
now in home isolation.

Air pollution remained extremely high in the Indian capital on Thursday, a day after authorities
closed schools indefinitely and shut some power stations to reduce smog that has blanketed the city
for much of the month.
Photo : AP
Israeli couple released
from detention in
Turkey, PM says
JERUSALEM : An Israeli
couple has been released by
Turkey after being detained
on suspicion of espionage,
according to a joint
statement by Israel's prime
minister and foreign
minister on Thursday.
Mordi and Natalie Oknin
are on their way to Israel,
according to the statement,
which also expressed
gratitude to the president
and government of Turkey,
reports UNB.
The couple was arrested
for espionage last week after
taking photographs of the
Turkish president's
residence in Istanbul,
Turkey's official news
agency reported at the time.
Anadolu Agency said a
Turkish national was also
arrested. Police detained the
three individuals after a tipoff
from an employee
working in a radio and
television tower on the Asian
side of Istanbul.
The employee claimed the
couple had been taking
photographs of Turkish
President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan's nearby home
from the tower's restaurant.
They were formally
arrested and awaiting trial
for "political and military
espionage" by an Istanbul
court.
Israeli Foreign Minister
Yair Lapid denied after the
detention that the couple
worked for an Israeli agency.
Google agrees 5-year deal
to pay AFP for online
content: executives
PARIS : Google and Agence
France-Presse on
Wednesday said they had
signed a "pioneering" fiveyear
deal under which the
world's biggest internet
search company will pay an
undisclosed sum for content
in Europe.
The agreement, following
18 months of negotiations, is
the first by a news agency
under the 2019 European
directive on so-called
neighbouring rights, at the
heart of multiple disputes
between web giants and the
media over payment for use
of online news and other
content.
"This is an agreement that
covers the whole of the EU,
in all of AFP's languages,
including in countries that
have not enacted the
directive," said AFP CEO
Fabrice Fries, describing the
deal as "pioneering" and the
"culmination of a long
struggle".
AFP produces and
distributes multimedia
content to its clients in six
languages around the world.
After initially being
reluctant to pay French
newspapers for the use of
their content, Google finally
signed a three-year
framework agreement with
some of the nation's press in
early 2021, but was fined
500 million euros ($566
million) by the competition
authority in mid-July for
having failed to negotiate "in
good faith".
New Delhi's air still
'very poor' despite
emergency measures
NEW DELHI : Air pollution remained
extremely high in the Indian capital on
Thursday, a day after authorities closed
schools indefinitely and shut some power
stations to reduce smog that has blanketed
the city for much of the month, reports UNB.
New Delhi's air quality remained "very
poor," according to SAFAR, India's main
environmental monitoring agency. The
concentration of tiny airborne particles less
than 2.5 microns in diameter - known as PM
2.5 - neared 300 micrograms per cubic
meter in some parts of the city, it said.
The World Health Organization designates
the maximum safe level as 25. The tiny
particles can lodge in the lungs and other
organs, causing long-term health damage.
New Delhi, a city of 20 million, is one of the
world's most polluted cities. Air quality often
hits hazardous levels during the winter,
when the burning of crop residue in
neighboring states coincides with lower
temperatures that trap smoke. The smoke
travels to New Delhi, obscuring the sky.
Emergency measures went into effect on
Wednesday in an attempt to stem the health
crisis.
Schools were closed indefinitely and
employees were asked to allow half of their
staff to work from home for a week. Some
coal-based power stations outside New Delhi
were ordered to shut down and construction
activities were halted.
The measures, however, are expected to
have very little effect.
Meanwhile, the New Delhi state
government is weighing whether to lock
down the capital after India's Supreme Court
last week sought an "imminent and
emergency" action plan to tackle the crisis.
The PM 2.5 concentration has soared to
nearly 15 times above the WHO's safe level
on many days in November and forecasters
warn the pollution is likely to get worse in the
coming days.
Auto emissions contribute nearly 25% of
the city's pollution in the winter, according to
the federal government.
Journalist Maria Ressa reflects
on Nobel Peace Prize win
CAMBRIDGE : Maria Ressa says much still
remains uncertain about her life in the
month since she became the first ever
Filipino and the first working journalist in
more than 80 years to win the Nobel Peace
Prize.
Will her battle against a libel suit in the
Philippines lead to jail time? Will she be able
to travel to Norway to accept her prestigious
award next month? When is the next time
she'll be able to see her family?
"You know the painting 'The Scream?'"
Ressa said Tuesday evening, holding her
hands to her face and mock-bellowing into
the existential void like the famed Edvard
Munch work.
"I wake up every day like that."
"I don't know where it will lead," Ressa
continued during an interview with The
Associated Press at Harvard University in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, shortly before
delivering the university's annual Salant
Lecture on Freedom of the Press. "But I
know that if we keep doing our task, staying
on mission, holding the line, that there's a
better chance that our democracy not only
survives, but that I also stay out of jail.
Because I've done nothing wrong except be a
journalist. That is the price we have to pay."
Her Harvard speech came just hours after
American journalist Danny Fenster's
emotional reunion with family in New York
following his negotiated release from
military-ruled Myanmar, where he'd spent
six months in jail for his work.
"It shows how it crumbles fast. The ground
we're on is quicksand," the 58-year-old cofounder
of Rappler, a Manila-based news
website, said of Fenster's ordeal. "Power can
do what it wants."
Ressa worries about what next year's
elections in the Philippines, U.S. and
elsewhere will bring. She criticizes American
social media companies as misinformation
continues to proliferate on their platforms,
allowing repressive regimes to thrive and
threaten democratic institutions.
"If you don't have facts, you can't have
truth. You can't have trust. You don't have a
shared reality," she said. "So how do we solve
these existential problems - the rise of
fascism, coronavirus, climate change - if we
don't agree on the facts? This is
fundamental."
Ressa said U.S. policymakers should revise
key sections of federal internet law and the
international community should take other
steps.
Maria Ressa says much still remains uncertain about her life in the month
since she became the first ever Filipino and the first working journalist in
more than 80 years to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Photo : AP
Baldwin 'reckless' in
fatal film set
shooting: new lawsuit
LOS ANGELES : US actor
Alec Baldwin "chose to play
Russian roulette" with safety
in the minutes leading up to
the fatal movie set shooting of
a cinematographer, a new
lawsuit alleged Wednesday.
The suit is the second to be
filed in a week over the killing
of Halyna Hutchins during
rehearsals for low-budget
Western "Rust" in New
Mexico last month.
Script supervisor Mamie
Mitchell-who made an
emotional 911 call moments
after the accident-is accusing
Baldwin and his fellow
producers of assault,
intentional infliction of
emotional distress and
deliberate infliction of harm.
"The events that led to the
shooting by Mr. Baldwin of a
loaded gun do not constitute
simple negligence," Mitchell's
attorney Gloria Allred told
reporters in Los Angeles.
"Instead, in our opinion,
Mr. Baldwin chose to play
Russian roulette when he
fired a gun without checking
and without having the
armorer do so in his presence.
"His behavior and that of
the producers on 'Rust' was
reckless."
Armorer Hannah
Gutierrez-Reed and assistant
director Dave Halls are also
named in the suit.
C i n e m a t o g r a p h e r
Hutchins, 42, was shot and
killed as Baldwin rehearsed a
scene in which he fires a gun
at the camera.
The Emmy-winner was
handed the firearm by Halls,
who declared it "cold"-
industry lingo for an inert
weapon. Halls later told
investigators he had not fully
checked it.
US wants to produce
one billion doses of
mRNA vaccine a year
WASHINGTON : The
United States wants to
produce one billion more
doses of mRNA vaccines
each year, starting in 2022,
both for the current
pandemic and future threats,
officials said Wednesday.
"The goal of this program
is to expand existing capacity
by an additional billion doses
per year, with production
starting by the second half of
2022," said Jeff Zients, the
White House coronavirus
response coordinator during
a press conference.
To reach that goal, the US
health department "is
soliciting interest in
companies that have
experience manufacturing
mRNA vaccines to identify
opportunities to scale up
their production capacity,"
he said.
This plan, in addition to
providing more doses for the
US population, would allow
the United States to help
other countries, too, said
Zients.
PARCHMAN : A man who pleaded
guilty to killing his estranged wife and
sexually assaulting her young daughter
as her mother lay dying was put to
death Wednesday evening, becoming
the first inmate executed in Mississippi
in nine years.
David Neal Cox, 50, abandoned all
appeals and filed court papers calling
himself "worthy of death" before the
state Supreme Court set his execution
date. He appeared calm as he received
a lethal injection. A coroner
pronounced him dead at 6:12 p.m. CST
at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at
Parchman.
Cox pleaded guilty in 2012 to capital
murder for the May 2010 shooting
death of his estranged wife, Kim Kirk
Cox. He also pleaded guilty to multiple
other charges, including sexual assault.
A jury handed down the death
sentence.
Cox wore a red prison jumpsuit and
was covered by a white sheet during the
execution. Wide leather straps held
him down on a gurney.
"I want my children to know that I
FRIDAY, NOVeMbeR 19, 2021
7
US overdose deaths topped
100,000 in one year, officials say
NEW YORK : An estimated 100,000
Americans died of drug overdoses in one
year, a never-before-seen milestone that
health officials say is tied to the COVID-19
pandemic and a more dangerous drug
supply.
Overdose deaths have been rising for
more than two decades, accelerated in the
past two years and, according to new data
posted Wednesday, jumped nearly 30% in
the latest year.
President Joe Biden called it "a tragic
milestone" in a statement, as
administration officials pressed Congress to
devote billions of dollars more to address
the problem.
"This is unacceptable and it requires an
unprecedented response," said Dr. Rahul
Gupta, director of National Drug Control
Policy.
Experts believe the top drivers of overdose
deaths are the growing prevalence of deadly
fentanyl in the illicit drug supply and the
COVID-19 pandemic, which left many drug
users socially isolated and unable to get
treatment or other support.
The number is "devastating," said
Katherine Keyes, a Columbia University
expert on drug abuse issues. "It's a
magnitude of overdose death that we
haven't seen in this country."
Drug overdoses now surpass deaths from
car crashes, guns and even flu and
pneumonia. The total is close to that for
diabetes, the nation's No. 7 cause of death.
Drawing from the latest available death
certificate data, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention estimated that
100,300 Americans died of drug overdoses
from May 2020 to April 2021.
It's not an official count. It can take many
months for death investigations involving
drug fatalities to become final, so the agency
made the estimate based on 98,000 reports
it has received so far.
The CDC previously reported there were
about 93,000 overdose deaths in 2020, the
highest number recorded in a calendar year.
Robert Anderson, the CDC's chief of
mortality statistics, said the 2021 tally is
likely to surpass 100,000.
"2021 is going to be terrible," agreed Dr.
Daniel Ciccarone, a drug policy expert at the
University of California, San Francisco.
The new data shows many of the deaths
involve illicit fentanyl, a highly lethal opioid
that five years ago surpassed heroin as the
type of drug involved in the most overdose
deaths. Dealers have mixed fentanyl with
other drugs - one reason that deaths from
methamphetamines and cocaine also are
rising.
An estimated 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in one year, a neverbefore-seen
milestone that health officials say is tied to the COVID-19 pandemic
and a more dangerous drug supply.
Photo : AP
US throws support behind
treaty to curb plastic
NAIROBI : The United States on Thursday
threw its support behind negotiations on a
treaty to curb plastic pollution, ending a key
holdup in international efforts to clean up
the planet's oceans and save marine life.
On a visit to the United Nations
Environment Programme in Nairobi,
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the
United States would back talks in the Kenyan
capital in February on a treaty to address
plastic.
"Our goal is to create a tool that we can use
to protect our oceans and all the life that they
sustain from growing global harms of plastic
pollution," Blinken said.
"As we know, our health-our survival-is
bound up in the health of our oceans. We
have to do more to protect them," he said.
About eight million tonnes of plastic end
up in the oceans each year, killing or injuring
one million birds and more than 100,000
Mississippi executes man who
killed wife, terrorized family
love them very much and that I was a
good man at one time," Cox said just
before the injection started. "Don't ever
read anything but the King James
Bible."
Cox thanked the state corrections
commissioner, Burl Cain, for "being
very kind to me. And that's all I got to
say."
Cox appeared to take several deep
breaths after the lethal chemicals
started flowing through a clear plastic
tube into his body, and his mouth
moved some. He was pronounced dead
within a few minutes.
Among those who witnessed the
execution was Cox's now 23-year-old
stepdaughter. She was 12 when he
sexually assaulted her three times in
front of her wounded mother as he held
them and one of her younger brothers
hostage on the night of May 14 and May
15, 2010, in the small town of Sherman.
Mississippi carried out six executions
in 2012. The state does not have any
others scheduled among the more than
30 people currently on its death row.
States have had difficulty finding
marine mammals, according to UN figures.
Blinken's statement is the latest US effort
to ramp up environmental protection under
President Joe Biden, who has made the fight
against climate change a key domestic
priority.
Likely mindful of political realities in
divided Washington, where treaties need
ratification by the Senate, Blinken called for
a plastic treaty in which countries would
come up with their own plans of action.
The United States, however, has seen
bipartisan calls to clean up oceans with
former president Donald Trump signing an
act aimed at curbing plastic pollution in the
oceans. But environmentalists say that the
previous administration stymied
international efforts by opposing a treaty and
blaming the problem squarely on China-a
major source of plastic processing but of
material often coming from the West.
lethal injection drugs because
pharmaceutical companies began
blocking the use of their products to
carry out death sentences.
The Mississippi Department of
Corrections revealed in court papers
earlier this year that it had acquired
three drugs for the lethal injection
protocol: midazolam, which is a
sedative; vecuronium bromide, which
paralyzes the muscles; and potassium
chloride, which stops the heart.
Cain told The Associated Press on
Tuesday that the drugs listed in the
court records were the ones being used
for the execution. He would not say
where the department obtained them.
Cain, the onetime head of the
Louisiana state penitentiary in Angola,
witnessed several executions in that
neighboring state before he took up his
new role in Mississippi. He stood by
Cox during the execution.
"You couldn't make it more picture
perfect than we had tonight," Cain told
reporters afterward.
A group that opposes executions,
Death Penalty Action, said earlier that

FriDAY, NovEmbEr 19, 2021
8
South Korean Envoy lauds the
activities of BEPZA
The Ambassador of the
South Korea to Bangladesh
Lee Jang-keun visited
Dhaka EPZ recently. The
Envoy expressed
satisfaction on the overall
production oriented
peaceful environment
prevailing in EPZ and the
role of Bangladesh Export
Processing Zones Authority
(BEPZA) in economic
development of Bangladesh,
a press release said.
Welcoming the
Ambassador at Dhaka EPZ
the Executive Chairman of
BEPZA Major General Abul
Kalam Mohammad Ziaur
Rahman, ndc, psc said that
the authority always gives
priority to the business
related issues of South
Korean investors to run
their business smoothly in
EPZ. BEPZA Chief sought
more South Korean
investment in the EPZs and
BEPZA Economic Zone. The
Ambassador assured
BEPZA for providing best
support to increase South
UN warns of soaring prices in
2022 due to freight rate spike
GENEVA: The United
Nations warned Thursday
that a surge in container
freight rates could mean
higher prices for consumers
next year unless pandemicfuelled
problems are
untangled, reports BSS.
The UN's trade and
development agency
(UNCTAD) said global
import price levels could
increase by 11 percent and
consumer price levels by 1.5
percent between now and
2023.
"Global consumer prices
will rise significantly in the
year ahead until shipping
supply chain disruptions are
unblocked and port
constraints and terminal
inefficiencies are tackled,"
UNCTAD said in its Review
of Maritime Transport 2021
report.
Global supply chains faced
unprecedented demand
from the second half of 2020
onwards as consumers spent
on goods rather than
services during coronavirus
lockdowns.
But the upswing in
demand hit several practical
constraints, including
container ship carrying
capacity, container
shortages, labour shortages,
congestion at ports and
Covid-19 restrictions.
The mismatch led to
record container freight
rates "on practically all
container trade routes",
according to the report.
"The current surge in
freight rates will have a
profound impact on trade
and
undermine
socioeconomic recovery,
especially in developing
countries, until maritime
shipping operations return
to normal," said Rebeca
Korean investment in EPZs
and BEPZA Economic Zone.
Ambassador Lee along
with Major General Ziaur
Rahman inaugurated
"KOICA Vision Centre"
established for eye disease
treatment at Dhaka EPZ
Hospital.
Korea
International Cooperation
Grynspan, UNCTAD's
secretary general.
"Returning to normal
would entail investing in
new solutions, including
infrastructure, freight
technology
and
digitalisation and trade
facilitation measures," she
said.
UNCTAD said the
pandemic had magnified
pre-existing industry
challenges, particularly
labour shortages and
infrastructure gaps.
It also exposed
vulnerabilities, such as when
China's Yantian Port shut in
May due to a coronavirus
outbreak, causing significant
delays, or when the giant
container ship Ever Given
blocked the Suez Canal in
March, snarling global trade.
Maritime trade rebound -
Still, the pandemic's
impact on maritime trade
volumes last year was less
severe than initially
expected, UNCTAD said.
Maritime trade contracted
by 3.8 percent to 10.65
billion tons in 2020, and is
projected to increase by 4.3
percent in 2021.
UNCTAD said the
medium-term outlook
remained positive but was
subject to "mounting risks
and uncertainties".
The agency predicted that
annual growth will slow to
2.4 percent between 2022
and 2026, compared to 2.9
percent over the past two
decades.
"A lasting recovery...
largely hinges on being able
to mitigate the headwinds
and on a worldwide vaccine
roll-out," said Grynspan.
"The impacts of the Covid-
19 crisis will hit small island
developing states (SIDS)
Agency (KOICA) has set up
this Vision Center to provide
free eye care services to the
EPZ workers.
The South Korean Envoy
along with BEPZA Chief also
visited Korean garment
manufacturing company
Youngone Hi-tech
Sportswear Ind. Ltd and cap
and least developed
countries (LDCs) the
hardest."
The rise in consumer
prices is expected to be 7.5
percent in SIDS and 2.2
percent in LDCs.
Contending with
lockdowns, border closures
and a lack of international
flights, hundreds of
thousands of seafarers have
been stranded at sea, unable
to be repatriated or replaced,
UNCTAD said.
The UN agency urged
governments and industry
to work together to end the
crew change crisis in the
sector, which employs more
than 1.9 million people
worldwide. UNCTAD also
said the vaccination rate of
seafarers was around 41
percent and called for them
to be jabbed as a priority.
"This is not acceptable if
we want to see the supply
chains moving again," said
Shamika Sirimanne,
UNCTAD's director of
technology and logistics.
Shape of the future -
While bottlenecks have
hindered the economic
recovery, the pandemic
could trigger far-reaching
transformations in maritime
transport, UNCTAD
predicted.
The crisis has activated
digitalisation and
automation, which should,
in turn, deliver efficiency
and cost savings.
Meanwhile, e-commerceaccelerated
by the
pandemic-has changed
consumer shopping habits
and spending patterns,
according to the report.
"This could generate new
business opportunities for
shipping and ports," said
UNCTAD.
Pulse Tech Ltd. has raised $1,20,000 Pre-seed Fund to develop a new
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This advanced technological company launched "Covid-247" during
the Covid-19 pandemic which is providing all covid-19 related emergency
medical information and services.
Photo: Courtesy
manufacturing company,
Dhaka Ltd. The Envoy
praised to see the overall
working atmosphere of
these two factories
operating in EPZ. Md.
Abdus Sobhan, General
Manager (Dhaka EPZ)
accompanied them during
this time.
French
inflation
climbs in
October
PARIS : French inflation
rose 2.6 percent year-onyear
in October, official data
showed Tuesday, as energy
prices soared, reports BSS.
"This rise in inflation is
due to an acceleration in
energy prices (+20.2
percent) and services (+1.8
percent)," the Insee national
statistics agency said in a
statement.
In September, consumer
prices rose by 2.2 percent.
Governments the world
over are eyeing inflation
with concern.
As economies recover
from the pandemic and
people return to a
semblance of normality,
inflation is surging to levels
not seen in decades owing to
a spike in demand and
supply chain snarls.
Tokyo stocks
open lower
after US falls
TOKYO : Tokyo stocks
opened lower on Thursday
with
investors
disheartened by Wall
Street falls on profit-taking
and their focus shifting to
the
expected
announcement this week
of new stimulus in Japan,
reports BSS.
The benchmark Nikkei
225 index was down 0.29
percent or 85.12 points at
29,603.21 in early trade,
while the broader Topix
index lost 0.23 percent or
4.65 points to 2,033.69.
The Japanese market is
"dominated by sell orders
as investors disliked falls in
US shares," senior
strategist Yoshihiro Ito of
Okasan Online Securities
said in a note.
The dollar fetched 104.17
yen in early Asian trade,
against 104.09 yen in New
York late Wednesday.
In Tokyo, Eisai dropped
6.14 percent to 7,603 yen
tracking its US partner
Biogen's falls as European
regulators signalled doubt
over approval of the firms'
Alzheimer's drug.
Shipping firm Mitsui
O.S.K. Lines dropped 4.37
percent to 6,130 yen and its
rival Nippon Yusen dipped
5.40 percent to 7,180 yen.
Automakers were mixed,
with Toyota trading up
0.33 percent at 2,135 yen
and Nissan up 0.63 percent
at 633.3 yen but Honda
down 0.96 percent at
3,230 yen.
European
stock markets
steady at open
LONDON : European
equities steadied at the open
on Thursday, despite losses
elsewhere on concerns over
soaring inflation, reports
BSS.
London's benchmark
FTSE 100 index dipped 0.3
percent to 7,269.87 points,
compared
with
Wednesday's close.
In the eurozone,
Frankfurt's DAX index rose
0.2 percent to 16,274.78
points and the Paris CAC 40
was fractionally higher at
7,158.08.
Concerns over runaway
global inflation continue to
stalk trading floors
worldwide.
Investors are increasingly
fearful massive financial
stimulus-coupled with
resurgent post-lockdown
demand and supply-chain
snarl-ups-could send prices
rocketing even further.
Data out Wednesday
showed inflation close to a
decade-high in Britain and
an 18-year peak in Canada.
That came one week after
news that US inflation
surged to the highest level
since 1990.
NRBC Bank Ltd launched its
microfinance-based Partnership
Banking services with SKS Foundation
to provide banking services to the
marginalized people of 14 locations of
the country. S M Parvez Tamal
Chairman of the Bank inaugurated
those 14 sub-branches as Chief Guest
through video conference recently.
Rasel Ahmed Liton, Executive Director
of SKS Foundation, Kazi Md. Talha
Additional Managing Director, Harunur
Rashid, DMD and CFO, Kabir Ahmed,
DMD, Major (Retd) Pervez Hossain,
Biden urges government regulator
to examine high gas prices
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden called
on US regulators Wednesday to look into the
causes of the nationwide spike in gasoline
prices, which he said is hurting workers,
reports BSS.
The president last week made fighting
inflation a top priority after data showed
consumer prices hit a 30-year high in
October, fueling a slump in his public
approval.
In a letter to the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC), Biden took aim at oil
companies he says are raising prices at the
pump even as their expenses decline and
profits soar.
He instructed the agency to look into
whether "illegal conduct" is behind the
energy price spike.
"I do not accept hard-working Americans
paying more for gas because of anticompetitive
or otherwise potentially illegal
conduct," Biden said in the letter.
Despite signs the US economy has
bounced back strongly from the damage
inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Biden
has paid a political cost as global supply
chain snarls caused shortages and drove an
uptick in prices of everything from cars to
food to gasoline.
The president said the high pump prices
are not justified, noting that while the cost of
unfinished gasoline has dropped more than
five percent over the past month, retail prices
Head of Support Services and Branches
Division, Romjam Ali Bhuyan, Micro
Finance Department of the Bank joined
the ceremony through video conference.
14 Partnership Banking Sub-branches
are Sabujpara, Andharijhar and
Rajarhat (Kurigram),Kaunia (Rangpur),
Thana Road and Harindhara (Savar,
Dhaka), Mirpur-6 (Dhaka), Islampur
and Rasulganj (Lalmonirhat), Tarpan
Ghat (Dinajpur), Nekmarad and Ruhiya
(Thakurgaon), Chakdhapara and
Baburhat (Nilphamari)
S M Parvez Tamal said, NRBC Bank
rose three percent.
At the same time, oil companies "are
generating significant profits," with the two
largest on track to nearly double net income
compared to 2019 and planning major stock
buybacks, he said in the letter.
No 'nefarious' actions -
Average US gas prices were at $3.41 a
gallon as of Monday, 11 cents higher than a
month ago, according to the American
Automobile Association (AAA). That
average is 81 cents more than in 2019, before
the pandemic hit and kept most Americans
at home.
A White House spokesman told reporters
that if the gap between refined fuel costs and
pump prices were at typical pre-pandemic
levels, "We'd be looking at prices at the pump
that are 25 cents less a gallon."
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum
analysis at GasBuddy, a price tracking
company, said Biden is implying "nefarious"
actions are to blame, but energy is a global
market where prices have been volatile for
weeks.
The wild swings mean there is no trend, so
retailers cannot pass on any cost savings
when oil prices fall, he said.
"I think the president is just trying to come
out with some positive optics... to insinuate
that he will take control the situation," De
Haan told AFP, noting that relief could be on
the way as oil production rises.
NRBC Bank starts its Partnership
Banking services at 14 locations
MUMBAI : Indian mobile
payments giant Paytm lost
more than a quarter of its
value on its market debut
Thursday after raising $2.5
billion in the country's
biggest-ever IPO, as traders
questioned whether the lossmaking
firm would ever turn
a profit, reports BSS.
Asia's third-largest
economy has been in the
grip of an initial public
offering frenzy, with startups
attracting billions of
dollars in investment in a
bright spot in the Covidbattered
economy.
But while Paytm has
established a leading
position in the fast-growing
marketplace for mobile
payments it has lost money
in each of the past three
years and its market debut
showed the limits of investor
appetite.
Founder Vijay Shekhar
Sharma, once named India's
youngest billionaire, wiped
tears from his eyes when the
national anthem was played
at an opening ceremony
before trading began at the
Bombay Stock Exchange.
Referring to the phrase in
the anthem "Bharat bhagya
vidhata"-"the one who will
define the fortune of this
country"-he said Paytm has
"actually done that".
But the company's shares
dived at the open and
finished at 1,650 rupees
($21), down more than 27
percent from their IPO price
of 2,150 rupees.
"There is a lot of euphoria
for the digital space and that
seems to now be subsiding,"
said SMC Global Securities
analyst Saurabh Jain.
"These companies are
coming out with IPOs at
scorching valuations and it's
anybody's guess what
valuations are correct," he
told AFP.
"It is very difficult for a
company like Paytm to turn
profitable. They have the
scalability but they are not
able to make money through
their business model."
Following the debut,
Paytm's
market
capitalisation fell from an
IPO valuation of $20 billion
to about $13.6 billion at the
close of trade.
Rakesh Mehta, a 49-yearold
Kolkata-based rice
exporter, said he had bought
12 shares worth 25,800
rupees in Paytm,
encouraged by Sharma's
bullishness about his firm.
"I was shocked to see the
price when it opened. I
didn't get much of a chance
to sell," Mehta told AFP.
"I was planning to sell 50
percent for listing gains and
hold the rest. Now I have no
choice but to hold on. If it
goes anywhere close to my
purchase price, I will
definitely sell. I wouldn't
want to risk holding it
further."
Sharma-a schoolteacher's
son who says he learned
English by listening to rock
music-retains a 14 percent
stake in the business, worth
$2.4 billion at the IPO price
but approximately $540
million less by the close of
trade.
Other shareholders
include Chinese tycoon Jack
Ma's Alibaba group and
associate Ant Financial,
along with Japan's SoftBank
and Warren Buffett's
Berkshire Hathaway.
Ant Financial sold 3.5
percent of its 28 percent
stake in the IPO to meet
regulatory requirements
that no shareholder should
own more than 25 percent of
a listed company. Alibaba
continues to own another six
has started Partnership Banking in
order to provide services to the people
devoid of banking facilities. This
initiative shall be instrumental in
creating new employments and
promoting entrepreneurs.
High officials of the bank and local
elites, distinguished clients,
businessmen were present in the
occasion. During the ceremony, a
munajat was held seeking divine
blessings of the Almighty for the
welfare, progress and prosperity of the
bank.
India's biggest-ever IPO Paytm slumps
by 27pc on market debut
percent.
Paytm's platform was
launched in 2010 and
quickly became synonymous
with digital payments in a
country traditionally
dominated by cash
transactions.
It has benefited from the
government's efforts to curb
the use of cash-including the
demonetisation of nearly all
banknotes in circulation five
years ago-and most recently,
from the pandemic.
Nearly 22 million Indian
shop owners, taxi and
rickshaw drivers and other
vendors accept payments as
low as 10 rupees ($0.13)
using Paytm's ubiquitous
blue-and-white QR code
stickers.
The platform had 337
million customers at the end
of June, according to the
company's regulatory filing.
In 2020-21 it handled
transactions worth more
than $54 billion.
Apart from Paytm, Indian
companies have raised a
record $10.5 billion through
IPOs in 2021 so far,
including beauty retailer
Nykaa, which doubled on its
debut last week.

friDAY, NoveMBer 19, 2021
9
Bangladesh are keen to bounce back from the twenty20 World Cup shamble as they take on visiting
pakistan in the first of three-match series in the shortest format of the cricket at Sher-e-Bangla
National Cricket Stadium.
photo: BCB
Tigers face off Pakistan for new
start after T20 WC shamble
SportS DeSk
Bangladesh are keen to bounce back
from the Twenty20 World Cup
shamble as they take on visiting
Pakistan in the first of three-match
series in the shortest format of the
cricket at Sher-e-Bangla National
Cricket Stadium, reports BSS.
The match which will be aired live on
Gazi TV and T Sports starts at 2 PM.
For the first time since the outbreak of
Covid-19, fans will be allowed to enter
into the stadium to enjoy the game but
they need to be vaccinated and aged
over 18.
The team that Bangladesh will field
will be a completely new look from the
one that played in the T20 World Cup
recently. As many as six players were
called up including four new comers in
response to catastrophic performances
in the global event in which Bangladesh
failed to register any victory in the
Super 12s.
The side also experienced a shock
defeat to Scotland in the qualifying
round before huffed and puffed their
way to play the Super 12s, beating
Oman and Papua New Guinea.
For the first time in many years,
Bangladesh will be without their three
stalwarts in the game-Shakib Al Hasan
and Tamim Iqbal were unavailable due
Nigeria coach Rohr
under fire after scraping
into World Cup playoffs
SportS DeSk
Nigeria's Super Eagles may
have qualified for the final
playoffs of the 2022 World
Cup, but another
unconvincing display has
sparked calls for coach Gernot
Rohr to be fired, reports BSS.
Despite including most of
their top Europe-based
players, Nigeria laboured to a
1-1 home draw with Cape
Verde on Tuesday to squeeze
through to the playoffs slated
for the end of March next
year.
The current qualifying
campaign for the World Cup
in Qatar falls far short of the
commanding performance
the three-time African
champions displayed on their
way to reaching the 2018
World Cup from a tougher
looking group that contained
Algeria, Cameroon and
Zambia.
Even after Nigeria were
docked three points and three
goals for fielding an ineligible
player, they still qualified for
Russia 2018 with a round of
matches still to be played.
In contrast the draw against
Cape Verde, ranked 40 places
below Nigeria in the FIFA
rankings, meant the Super
Eagles scraped through from
a group that included
minnows Central African
Republic and Liberia.
Former Nigerian
international and TV pundit
Idah Peterside said 68-yearold
German Rohr was not the
man to lead the team at either
the Africa Cup of Nations in
January or the World Cup
qualifying playoffs after that.
to injuries and Mushfiqur Rahim was
rested. The only senior player in the
side remains Mahmudullah Riyad who
retained his captaincy despite a poor
outing in the World Cup.
From the World Cup party, Liton
Das, Soumya Sarkar and Rubel
Hossain were left out and allrounder
Saifuddin missed the series due to his
recurring back pain.
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Aminul
Islam Biplob were recalled while
Under- 19 World Cup winning captain
Akbar Ali, Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali
Chowdhury and pacer Shohidul Islam
made the cut as fresh bloods in this
format.
The sweeping changes were
predicted but little did anyone
anticipate such a complete overhaul to
the side. Chief selector Minhajul
Abedin Nannu made it clear they want
to make a new start in this format and
so such a huge number of players were
given chance.
"We had to bring some changes to
make a turnaround in the upcoming
series as we had a disastrous World
Cup campaign," Abdein said, adding
that, "l hope those who got the call up
are well prepared for the international
arena."
But the question is: can they make a
turnaround as they are expecting?
Pakistan are an inform side despite
losing the semifinal to eventual
champion Australia in the T20 World
Cup. Barring one bad game in the
knock out phase, they won all of their
matches in the Group phase, including
first ever World Cup win against
archrivals India.
Winning even a one game in the
three-match series against Pakistan
will be a tougher job but Bangladesh
could find the motivation from the past.
The last two times they faced off
Pakistan in this format at home, they
won those two games-in 2015 in a oneoff
T20 match in a bilateral series and
in 2016 Asia Cup.
Bangladesh also won the last two
T20 series against Australia and New
Zealand at home although the pitch
was heavily criticized for being
extremely slow and low.
It is expected, in series against
Pakistan, a sporting wicket will be
prepared. This will be however
Pakistan's first bilateral series in
Bangladesh's soil after 2015 and first
visit here after 2016. Despite losing the
last two T20s here, they will be oozing
with confidence, largely due to their
World Cup show.
Overall they held the edge over
Bangladesh in this format winning 10
in 12 matches.
Football industry embraces crypto
as Messi helps 'fan tokens' take off
SportS DeSk
When Paris Saint-Germain signed Lionel
Messi, the salary package included
something previously unheard of for a player
-- a one-off payment, understood to be worth
around one million euros ($1.15m), made in
PSG 'fan tokens', reports BSS.
It was the result of a partnership signed by
the French giants in 2018 with Socios.com
which sees fans use a cryptocurrency called
'chiliz' to buy tokens allowing them to vote on
issues related to the club.
These issues have tended to be rather
mundane, for example Juventus asking what
music they should play in their stadium, but
the concept has caught on.
The company has grown quickly since
signing its first partnerships with PSG and
Juventus to being involved with 56 football
clubs and around 100 sports teams
worldwide, says CEO Alexandre Dreyfus.
Messi has brought more publicity, and
Dreyfus believes the Argentinian will "set a
trend". "This is more a top-up that is never
going to replace any compensation. It is
more like a bonus, but it is a bonus that at
some point players will start to ask for,"
Dreyfus tells AFP from his office in Malta.
"We hope that in two years, during the
'mercato' (transfer window), a player will
say: 'Yes I am going to that team but they had
better give me a million dollars of fan
tokens'." Dreyfus admits the pandemic and
resulting economic crisis has benefited his
company, allowing them to multiply their
partnerships.
"The fact is that clubs suddenly lost 50 or
70 or 80 percent of their revenue, and they
realised: 'Hey, we have fans all over the
world, what can we sell them?'"
They now have shirt sponsorship deals
with Inter Milan and Valencia, promoting
their fan tokens.
When paris Saint-Germain signed Lionel Messi, the salary package included
something previously unheard of for a player -- a one-off payment,
understood to be worth around one million euros ($1.15m), made in pSG
'fan tokens.
photo: Ap
Injured Tsitsipas pulls
out of ATP Finals
SportS DeSk
World number four Stefanos
Tsitsipas pulled out of the
ATP Finals on Wednesday
ahead of his second match in
Turin due to a right elbow
injury, the ATP said.
The Greek was due to play
Casper Ruud of Norway but
will be replaced by Briton
Cameron Norrie, the world
number 12 who won the
Indian Wells title in October.
The same injury forced
Tsitsipas to pull out of the Paris
Masters two weeks ago.
Ireland cricket
coach Graham
Ford steps down
SportS DeSk
Graham Ford is stepping
down as Ireland coach in
December, citing the
"challenges and handicaps" of
the role, cricket chiefs
announced on Wednesday.
The former South Africa
and Sri Lanka coach, who
oversaw Ireland's first-ever
Test match, against Pakistan,
recently took his side to the
T20 World Cup in the United
Arab Emirates and Oman.
Cricket Ireland said in a
statement that the South
African, 61, would be stopping
coaching duties immediately
but would serve out his
contractural notice period,
which will take him until mid-
December.
Ford, appointed in 2017,
said the past four years had
been "very special" but also
outlined the difficulties of the
role, without elaborating.
"When compared with the
other ICC (International
Cricket Council) full-member
nations (Test-playing sides),
Cricket Ireland has faced
many handicaps and
challenges," he said. "Despite
this, on several occasions the
team has competed
impressively with some of the
top teams in world cricket and
it has been a privilege for me
to experience first-hand the
character and togetherness of
the Irish players.
"However, over a period of
time these challenges and
handicaps have taken their
toll on me."
Richard Holdsworth,
Ireland's high performance
director, acknowledged the
pressures that Ford had faced,
particularly during the
coronavirus crisis.
"I know, from working
closely with Graham, that the
difficulties of managing his
workload during the Covid
pandemic has been
particularly taxing the
constant travelling around
Ireland to train with player.
Federer hopes to return one
last time from mid-2022
SportS DeSk
Roger Federer is targeting a return to the
circuit in mid-2022, the Swiss star said
Wednesday, hoping to play some big
matches once again before bowing out in
style, reports BSS.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who
turned 40 in August, is working his way back
from a persistent right knee injury that
restricted him to just five tournaments this
year. Federer said the Australian Open in
January was out of the question, while
participation in the French Open in May and
June and his favourite major, Wimbledon in
June and July, was highly unlikely.
"The truth is I would be incredibly
surprised to play Wimbledon, which is to say
that Australia does not even come into play,"
he said in an interview published in the Swiss
newspapers 24 Heures and Tribune de
Geneve. Federer had been out for more than
a year with two surgeries on his right knee
before getting back onto the tour in 2021.
But he played only 13 matches, and
underwent a third operation on the knee
following his quarter-final defeat at
Wimbledon in July.He said he was targeting
a "return to competition in summer 2022",
but warned that "the next four or five months
are going to be decisive" for his comeback.
After this year's Wimbledon, Federer
missed the Tokyo Olympics to undergo more
surgery on his right meniscus, followed by a
cartilage operation.
"This operation, I was going to have to do
it anyway for my long-term well-being... to
be able to ski with my children, to play
football or tennis with my friends in the
decades to come.
My first motivation was to get back in
shape for my life as a man," he said.
Federer said he will start light running
again in January and then only take up
"training that looks like tennis" in March-
April. "I want to go and see one last time
what I am capable of as a professional tennis
player," he said.
the 20-time Grand Slam champion, who turned 40 in August, is working
his way back from a persistent right knee injury that restricted him to just
five tournaments this year.
photo: Ap
Canada eye World Cup dream
as Mexico freeze
SportS DeSk
Canada took a giant stride towards
their first World Cup finals appearance
in 36 years on Tuesday after beating
Mexico 2-1 to vault to the top of the
CONCACAF qualifying standings.
Two goals either side of half-time
from Turkey-based forward Cyle Larin
fired the Canadians to a victory, which
leaves them one point clear of the
United States with 16 points from eight
games.
Hector Herrera's 90th-minute goal
for Mexico set up a frenzied finish at
Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium,
where snow had been cleared from the
pitch shortly before kick-off as
temperatures plunged to minus 9
degrees Celsius (15.8 degrees
Fahrenheit). The final whistle was met
with a mass confrontation involving
players from both sides as tempers
flared. The result means Canada are
now firmly on course to qualify for next
year's finals in Qatar. Canada's only
other World Cup appearance came at
the Mexico finals in 1986.
Canada's win saw them leapfrog over
the United States for top spot in
CONCACAF's eight-team final round of
qualifying.
The USA were held to a 1-1 draw
against Jamaica earlier Tuesday after a
spectacular equaliser from West Ham
striker Michail Antonio secured a share
South Africa claim 'blatant bias'
in Ghana World Cup qualifier
SportS DeSk
South Africa on Wednesday pushed its
demand for a replay of a 2022 World Cup
qualifier against Ghana, producing an
analysis that it said showed blatant bias by
the referees, reports BSS.
"FIFA has a responsibility to protect the
integrity of all of its competitions," South
African Football Association president
Danny Jordaan told a news conference.
South Africa lost a Group G decider 1-0 in
Ghana, who converted a disputed penalty
after Daniel Amartey appeared to dive.
The loss knocked South Africa out of the
qualifying race for next year's World Cup in
Qatar.
SAFA asked retired referee Ace Ncobo to
review video recordings of the match. He
said his analysis showed 90.9 percent of
of the points for the Reggae Boyz.
Antonio's 22nd-minute long-range
effort cancelled out a superb individual
goal by US forward Timothy Weah at
Kingston's Independence Park.
Weah, the 21-year-old son of former
Liberia legend George Weah, fired the
US ahead after 11 minutes.
The Lille forward played a clever onetwo
with striker Ricardo Pepi before
surging into the Jamaican penalty area.
Jamaica's Bobby Reid looked to have
the danger covered, but Weah showed
great strength to win possession before
angling a deft shot across goal and in off
the far post.
It was a fitting reward for a bright
start by the US, who also went close on
16 minutes when Pepi's shot was
blocked before Brenden Aaronson's
follow-up effort was well-saved by
Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake.
But the complexion of the game
changed in Jamaica's favour on 22
minutes when Antonio conjured a goal
out of nowhere.
Nothing appeared to be on when
Antonio picked up the ball in midfield.
But the striker cut inside the covering
Tyler Adams and then unleashed a
ferocious 30-yard effort which flew past
US goalkeeper Zack Steffen and into
the top corner.
The goal infused Jamaica with
confidence, although the Reggae Boyz
were fortunate to finish the first half
incorrect decisions went against South
Africa. "We agree this is not about the
penalty," Ncobo said. "Let's not speak about
'SAFA appeal penalty'. This submission is
not about the penalty."
"My independent conclusion is that the
referee in this match was blatantly biased
against South Africa," he added.
Bafana Bafana's head coach Hugo Broos
said this case went beyond routine
frustrations with referees in the heat of the
moment during a match.
"Here, after the game, I was more
convinced that the referee was against us,"
he said.
TV replays showed Ghana defender
Amartey apparently diving during the
Group G decider on Sunday, leading to a
penalty Andre Ayew converted for a 1-0
win and first place.
with 11 men on the pitch after some
rugged defending.
Je-Vaughn Watson was booked as
early as the eighth minute for a foul on
the USA's Gianluca Busio.
Javain Brown was also lucky to stay
on the pitch for a wild challenge on
Adams in the 40th minute that the US
midfielder did well to hurdle.
The second half followed a similar
pattern, with neither side managing to
take control of the contest.
The US received a huge let-off in the
53rd minute when a deflected cross fell
into the path of Jamaica forward Reid
just three yards out.
Somehow, however, the Fulham
player scooped his shot over the bar
and the US survived.
US coach Berhalter introduced
Christian Pulisic after 66 minutes, but
the Chelsea star was unable to break
the deadlock.
The US received a let-off in the 84th
minute when Damion Lowe headed
into the net from a corner, only to see
the goal disallowed for a shove on US
defender Walker Zimmerman.
With Canada and the US occupying
the top two places in the CONCACAF
table, Mexico dropped to third with 14
points from eight games.
Panama moved into fourth spot with
a 2-1 win over El Salvador, while Costa
Rica are fifth after a 2-1 win over
Honduras.

FRIDAY, NoVeMBeR 19, 2021
10
Elena as Khaleda Zia in
Bangabandhu's Biopic
TBT RepoRT
Actress Elina Shammi has
joined the cast of Shyam
Benegal's upcoming movie
'Bangabandhu', the biopic on
Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman. She will be seen in
the role of Khaleda Zia in the
movie.
Elena told that she signed a
contract on Monday for the
film. She said, "I am feeling
very good to portray the
character Begum Khaleda Zia
in the film. But I am very
nervous too. The moment the
news has spread over social
media, people started
commenting. So, I am excited
and nervous whether I can
portray the character perfectly
or not."
"Earlier, I auditioned for the
character Khuki but got
rejected. Then they again
called me for this character.
My shooting will start on
December 6," she added.
Elina Shammi made his film
debut with '71 erMaaJononi'
directed by Shah Alam Kiron.
She gained popularity after
acting in web films 'Janowar'
and 'Kosai'. The first phase of
the film started shooting at
Dada Saheb Phalke Studios in
Mumbai at the end of January
this year and continued till
April. Actor ArefinShuvoo will
play the role of Bangabandhu.
Nusrat Imrose Tisha and
Dighi will play the elder and
younger versions of Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman's wife
Fazilatunnesa Mujib (Renu),
respectively, while Nusrat
Faria will play a younger
version of Sheikh Hasina and
Jannatul Sumaiya will play
the elder version.
Second poster of Siam, Puja's
Shaan unveiled
Shamol Nath's
TBT RepoRT
Siam, Puja starrer film titled 'Shaan' released the
first poster a week ago but none of its heroes and
heroines were there. The poster was exceptionally
made with the story in mind. It was appreciated by
many. However, some fans regretted not seeing the
hero-heroine.
On Monday evening, the second poster of film
unveiled on social media focusing the romance of lead
actors Siam and Puja.
Siam shared the poster on his page and wrote, "I am
playing Holi with the blood of human traffickers, I am
Alia dodges
the question
of marrying
Ranbir!
Alia Bhatt has been dodging questions regarding
her plans to get married to Ranbir Kapoor, after
posting an adorable picture of the two together on
Diwali and getting fans all excited.
The actress uploaded a video on her YouTube
channel documenting a regular day in her life. It
starts with the actress driving to a studio for an
advertisement shoot with her best friend,
Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, and throughout the
course of the video, Alia answers questions from
fans. One of them inquired about screensaver, to
which the actress replied by turning her phone
screen towards the camera to show a glimpse of
her picture with Ranbir. But that was all.
While she answered questions regarding her
inspirations, the experience of the shoot and how
she deals with trolls, she literally shrugged away
the one question that was being asked over and
over again.
When would she tie the knot? Alia took the
names of some of the fans who had asked the
question and without giving an answer, she
simply shrugged, leaving it to those who'd asked
the question what she meant by her gesture.
Source: Indian Express
singing songs of joy, human traffickers are holding
swords in their hands, I am fearless, I am Shaan."
Despite the chemistry of the actors, 'Shaan' is an
action-thriller film. Siam will be seen in the fighting
scene for the first time here directed by M Rahim. It
will be released on Jazz Multimedia on January 7 next
year.
Apart from Siam Ahmed, Puja Cherry, Taskin,
Champa, Aruna Biswas, Hasan Imam, Misha
Saudagar, Nader Chowdhury, Don, Arman Parvez
Murad and others have acted in this movie. The story
of the film is written by Azad Khan. It was co-produced
by M Atiqur Rahman.
TBT RepoRT
Author and documentary maker
ShamolNath has created a documentary
titled "Golper Jadukor" on the life and
work of fiction writer Hasan Azizul
Haque.
This documentary is produced by
Shamol Nath as well.
In the documentary, Hasan
AzizulHaque spoke about various
experiences of his life. Apart from
Sessica Henwick, one of the new
cast members of 'The Matrix
Resurrections', reveals that
director Lana Wachowski toyed
with the idea of never finishing the
movie after the Covid shutdown.
The latest installment in 'The
Matrix' franchise began production
back in February of 2020 with
filming taking place in San
Francisco, Germany and Chicago.
Yet, like many other productions,
filming was promptly halted in
March of that same year due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
Actor Keanu Reeves confirmed
filming had officially resumed in
Berlin in August of 2020 and
principal photography wrapped a
few months later, in November of
that year. Originally slated to debut
on May 21, 2021, the pandemic
also pushed back its premiere to
April 1. The Matrix Resurrections
was then pushed back again to
December 22, 2021, and it doesn't
Professor Anisuzzaman, essayist
Serajul Islam Chowdhury, novelist
Imdadul Haque Milon, novelist Selina
Hossain and novelist Anisul Haque,
many others have also evaluated his
literature.
This documentary was filmed in
various locations of Burdwan, India;
Rajshahi, Khulna and Dhaka.
"Golper Jadukor" is about 30 minutes
long and is produced under the banner
of Entity Communications.
Shamol Nath, the writer and creator of
this documentary film, said, "The story
of Hasan Azizul Haque has inspired me
since the beginning of my writing career.
This is what influenced me to make a
documentary about him. As a result,
there are plans to screen the
documentary at home and abroad."
'The Matrix 4' director toyed with
idea of never finishing movie
appear it will be delayed anymore.
The film will serve as Warner Bros.'
last movie to be simultaneously
released to theaters and HBO Max.
While the release date is fast
approaching, recent news tells that
the film was almost never finished.
During an interview about 'The
Matrix Resurrections', Henwick
revealed that the Covid shutdown
almost stopped the production
completely. Apparently, with the
shutdown happening right in the
middle of production, the film's
director toyed with the idea of never
finishing the movie. Henwick
recalls Wachowski telling her,
"Well, maybe that's it. Maybe we
won't come back and film the rest of
it." According to Henwick,
Wachowski's justification for such a
thought was that the new Matrix
"would go down as this legendary
film," owing to that fact that "no one
will ever be able to see it."
Source: Collider
H o R o s c o p e
ARIes
(March 21 - April 20) : A sudden but
fortunate change of job circumstances
could take place today. Perhaps you
suddenly get promoted or transferred. Perhaps an
important piece of information comes your way that
leads to advancement. Technology and data
exchange could also play a role in events. Friends or
colleagues may be involved. Whichever way you
look at it, this could be an auspicious day.
TAURUs
(April 21 - May 21) : A close friend
or your partner could propose an
impromptu trip and you might
decide to go. You're restless for
adventure. You may have been considering
several options, but your friend's idea seems
the most appealing. If this is a trip to a foreign
country, you might want to study the language.
You'll be surprised at how quickly you learn it!
GeMINI
(May 22 - June 21) : An unexpected
sum of money could cause chaos in
your home, but it's an exciting,
pleasant sort of pandemonium!
Perhaps this makes it possible for you to make
some necessary changes or buy some new
equipment, furniture, or appliances. Phone
some friends and give them the good news. You
might want to host a celebration!
cANceR
(June 22 - July 23) : Information
received today might make it possible
for you to change your job, residence,
or at least the way you think or operate. You might
feel nervous at the prospect, but you'll pull it off all
right. Don't be afraid to go with the flow and make
changes. This is only one hurdle in the course of
your personal development.
Leo
(July 24 - Aug. 23): An increase in
your technical skills could
bring you a new job or an
increase in income. You may
have felt a bit nervous and stressed lately,
but this should balance out now. You feel
focused and you're aiming carefully
toward your goals. You'll succeed if you
keep going as you are.
VIRGo
(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): If you aren't
romantically involved, expect that status
to change today. You could meet more
than one attractive person! A new person
could come into your life or an old friend could suddenly
seem more appealing than you thought. If you're
involved, expect the energy around your partner to
change. He or she could seem happier, funnier, stronger,
so much so that you fall in love all over again.
LIBRA
(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): Idealism and some
intriguing mystical revelations could
make you want to spread your ideas.
You may want to invite some friends
over to talk. For the most part, people will be
interested in anything you say. Don't force the
issue on those with doubts. They'll have to make
up their own minds and will do it in their own
time.
scoRpIo
(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) : The hopes and
goals of a group with which you're
associated inspire you. You might
make personal sacrifices in order to
assure their success. These sacrifices are temporary,
for you'll share in the group's good fortune. Personal
success is also in the stars, but it may require
disruptive change. Go with the flow and don't let
self-doubt hold you back.
sAGITTARIUs
(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): Sudden,
unexpected success could result in an
equally unexpected raise. Friends
may have pointed you in the direction
that put you in the right place at the right time.
Don't be surprised if this catapults you into entirely
different life circumstances. Make the most of this
break. Don't rest on your laurels or your success
could disappear as fast as it came.
cApRIcoRN
(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): A rush of optimism
and enthusiasm could propel you into a
more positive frame of mind, and you
could accomplish wonders. Your
circumstances may be turned upside down. A move
is possible, as is a change in your work. Don't cling to
the shore - flow with the current. Success and good
fortune are on the way as long as you let them
happen!
AQUARIUs
(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) : Sudden insights
and revelations could enable you to
make some long-desired changes. A
lucky break might bring an unexpected
sum of money your way. Unusual dreams could
amuse you during the night. Keep track of them as
they might contain messages that can help you
accomplish whatever you want to do. This is a day of
fortunate developments and pleasant surprises.
pIsces
(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : An old friend you
haven't seen in a long time could
suddenly reappear. You'll be surprised
by this person's achievements. This
meeting or the circumstances surrounding it could
mark a turning point for you. Perhaps this person
inspires you, or people you meet through him or her
make a difference to you. This is going to be a
strange, significant day. Make the most of it!

FRIDAY, NOvEMBER 19, 2021
11
EU plans to ban food imports
from deforested areas
BRUSSELS :The EU plans to bar food
and wood imports from deforested
areas, according to a proposal unveiled
Wednesday aimed at using its trade
power to drive sustainability, reports
BSS.
The draft law, which Brussels wants to
turn into binding rules for all 27
European Union nations, would require
companies show their soy, beef, palm oil,
cocoa, coffee and wood products are
certified "deforestation-free".
It follows an international pledge
made at the COP26 summit last week to
end deforestation by 2030.
"This proposal is a truly groundbreaking
one," the EU commissioner for
climate action policy, Virginijus
Sinkevicius, told a media conference.
"It targets not just illegal deforestation
but also deforestation driven by
agricultural expansion," he said.
Under the EU plan, two criteria would
have to be met: that the commodities are
produced in accordance with the origin
country's laws; and that they were not
produced on land deforested or
degraded since the beginning of 2021.
Imports from higher-risk countries
would be subject to tighter checks.
The European Commission did not say
when it hoped to have the new
legislation adopted.
The rules could impact countries such
as Brazil, where European disquiet at
razing of the Amazon rainforest by cattle
farmers is holding up implementation of
an EU-Mercosur trade deal.
Clearing of the Amazon hit a new
record last month, according to Brazil's
National Institute for Space Research.
The environmental protection group
WWF says the huge EU market is
Asian markets down as
US data strengthen
call for Fed action
HONG KONG : Asian
markets turned lower
Wednesday as a recent rally
ran out of steam and investors
struggled to match a strong
lead from Wall Street, reports
BSS.
New York's three main
indexes rose again after data
showed a forecast-busting
rise in retail sales as well as
solid earnings from shopping
giants Walmart and Home
Depot.
The news reinforced
optimism about the recovery
in the world's top economy
and showed consumers were
brushing off the effects of
surging inflation, for now.
However, they also
provided more support to
calls for the Federal Reserve
to act sooner to prevent
overheating and make sure
prices do not run out of
control.
Top Fed official James
Bullard said the bank should
take a "more hawkish" shift
and that the tapering of its
vast bond-buying
programme-which has
helped support an extended
global equity rally-"could
move faster".
But San Francisco Fed chief
Mary Daly remained on the
more doveish side, believinglike
Fed boss Jerome Powellthat
price pressures were
temporary and suggesting
acting too soon could hurt the
economic rebound.
In early trade, Hong Kong
retreated for the first time
after a six-day run-up, while
Tokyo, Shanghai, Taipei,
Seoul, Singapore, Sydney and
Wellington were also in
negative territory. Still,
analysts remain guardedly
upbeat about the outlook for
equities.
"All signs are pointing to a
very strong holiday season for
retailers and that should help
keep sending stocks higher,"
said OANDA's Edward Moya.
He added that markets
were "fixated on inflation",
with an expectation that
things can get months, before
traders get unnerved". And Xi
Qiao, of UBS Global Wealth
Management, added: "Going
into the finishing of this year,
we feel like the equity markets
should remain strong."She
added that "we expect more
volatility ahead with rising
rates", with inflation and
Covid expected to continue
causing concern.
responsible for 16 percent of global
deforestation linked to international
trade.
It and other NGOs welcome the EU
plan as a first step, but say it does not go
far enough. Greenpeace says it does not
address deforestation from other
commodities such as rubber and maize,
or from pig and poultry farming.
Other sustainability proposals
presented alongside the antideforestation
rules were on waste
management and improving the health
of soils.
"These initiatives show that the
European Union is serious about the
green transition and just keeps moving
forward with it," said the Commission
vice president in charge of overseeing
the EU's Green Deal, Frans
Timmermans.
On waste, the Commission wants to
see "circular economy" principles
attached to the way it sends abroad its
millions of tonnes of discarded metals,
cardboard, plastic, textiles and other
detritus.
Waste exports to non-OECD countries
would be restricted and allowed only if
those destinations agree and were able
to handle them sustainably. Currently
the two top destinations for EU waste in
that category are Turkey and India.
Shipments to OECD countries would
be monitored and suspended if grave
environmental problems arose. Those
destinations include Britain,
Switzerland and Norway.
The soil strategy aims for a mix of
voluntary and mandatory measures to
increase soil carbon in farmland and
fight desertification, to get soil
ecosystems healthy by 2050.
Bribery and corruption are on the rise in Kushti's Daulatpur Sub-Registrar's Office. Photo: TBT
Bribery, corruption on the rise in
Daulatpur sub-registrar's office
Shamsul Alam, Kushtia Correspondent
Bribery and corruption are on the rise in
Kushti's Daulatpur Sub-Registrar's Office.
The suffering of the people who came to
register the land is now facing extreme
difficulties. Even with bribes, the land has
not been registered day by day. Publicprivate
syndicates are involved in extortion
outside the money allocated by the
government. They are charging extra Tk
1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document for
registration.
It is learned that the sub-registrar does
not sign the documents unless he deposited
the bribe money in the personal cash box of
Jannatun Ferdous Munni, head office
assistant of Daulatpur sub-registrar's office.
At the end of the day, the money collected
illegally is shared by the concerned
employees including the sub-registrar.
Multiple document writers told this
repoter that they have to pay an additional
Tk 1500 to Jannatun Ferdous Munni, head
office assistant of Daulatpur sub-registrar's
office. Mahatab Uddin, acting president of
the Document Writers' Association, told
reporters that we collect less than other
Tokyo shares give
up early gains on
profit-taking
TOKYO : Tokyo's
benchmark Nikkei index
gave up gains and
succumbed to profit-taking
in morning trade on
Wednesday, even as global
markets advanced on upbeat
US retail data, reports BSS.
The Nikkei 225 opened
comfortably in the black but
dropped 0.24 percent, or
72.16 points, to 29,735.96 by
mid-morning.
The broader Topix index
also gave up earlier gains
and slipped 0.44 percent, or
9.02 points, to 2,041.81.
The dollar stood at 114.75
yen, edging down from
114.80 yen in New York
overnight but up from 114.16
yen in Tokyo on Tuesday.
"The Nikkei slipped into
negative territory following a
round of buying," Okasan
Online Securities said.
"But there is only a limited
sense that investors are
rushing to dump shares."
The Tokyo market was
initially supported by
advances in all three major
US indices after US retail
sales jumped 1.7 percent in
October, reflecting
increasing consumer
optimism.
Investor sentiment has
been bolstered by a solid
corporate earnings season,
and Edward Moya, OANDA
senior market analyst for the
Americas, said more gains
could be on the way.
upazilas of Kushtia. The money was
distributed among the sub-registrar's office
staff, various politicians of the upazila,
police administration and journalists.
Russell Mallick, the newly-appointed subregistrar,
admitted on November 11 that he
was trying to stop the irregularities. He later
left the office under police guard. Daulatpur
police sub-inspector Tapan Kumar Singh,
who was present at the time, said, "We have
removed him safely."
In this regard, Jannatun Ferdous Munni,
said, "The environment here is getting
worse day by day. I am trying to relocate
myself." Without denying the issue of
extortion, she said, we are victim of the
situation.
In this regard, UNO of Daulatpur Abdul
Jabbar said, I have heard about bribery and
corruption in the office of Sub-Registrar.
However, I can't say anything about it
without factual evidence. I'm trying to
gather evidence.
In this regard, Sarwar Jahan Badshah MP
tried to stop bribery in the first phase but
failed, said the leaders and workers of the
local Awami League.
Food assistance has been provided to small ethnic families in Dhamoirhat, Naogaon to tackle the crisis
caused by the covid pandemic on Thursday. A total of 15 lakh 60 thousand taka was paid in cash among
395 people organized by Palli Shohojogi Sangha (Arco). Shahin Monowara Haque, president of Boalia
branch of Naogaon district of rural affairs organization Arco, chaired the occasion. Photo: Rejuan Alam
On the occasion of National Youth Day-2021 a youth celebration was organized by the social voluntary
organization Oasis Youth in Lohagara on Thursday. The program was inaugurated by Lohagara
Upazila Youth Development Officer Chowdhury Ashiq Elahi under the chairmanship of Md. Ikramul
Islam, president of Oasis Youth.
Photo: Iqbal Hassan
24 more test positive for
Covid-19 in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI: Twenty-four more people
have tested positive for Covid-19 in five
districts of the division on Wednesday,
taking the caseload to 99,196 since the
pandemic began in March last year,
reports BSS.
However, the new positive cases show a
little bit of triggering trend compared to
the previous day's figure, said Dr Habibul
Ahsan Talukder, divisional director of
Health, adding that a total of 19 people
were infected on Tuesday.
Besides, on October 20 last, the
infection figure was just four, which was
the lowest-ever in the division since the
second wave of the pandemic hit the
country.
Meanwhile, the recovery count rose to
95,606 in the division after 14 patients
UK annual inflation
soars to 4.2% on
energy bills: data
LONDON : British annual
inflation surged close to a
ten-year peak in October
partly on the back of higher
household energy costs,
official data showed
Wednesday, reports BSS.
The annual rate jumped to
4.2 percent, hitting the
highest level since
November 2011, the Office
for National Statistics said in
a statement.
That followed 3.1 percent
in September, and was more
than double the Bank of
England's official 2.0-
percent target-sparking
fresh talk of an interest rate
hike after Tuesday's strong
unemployment data.
"Inflation rose steeply in
October to its highest rate in
nearly a decade," ONS chief
economist Grant Fitzner.
"This was driven by
increased household energy
bills due to the price cap
hike, a rise in the cost of
second-hand cars and fuel as
well as higher prices in
restaurants and hotels.
"Costs of goods produced by
factories and the price of raw
materials have also risen
substantially and are now at
their highest rates for at least
10 years."
Central banks use interest
rate hikes to try and dampen
high inflation, which is
weighing on companies and
consumers globally.
were discharged from the hospitals on the
same day.
The death toll reached 1,679, including
685 in Bogura, 322 in Rajshahi with 204
in its city and 175 in Natore as no new
fatality was reported during the last 24
hours span, Dr Talukder added.
Besides, all the positive cases of Covid-
19 have, so far, been brought under
treatment while 23,057 were kept in
isolation units of different dedicated
hospitals for institutional quarantine. Of
them, 19,674 have been released.
Meanwhile, 28 more people have been
sent to home and institutional quarantine
afresh while 17 others were released from
isolation during the same time.
Of the 24 new cases, eight were
detected in Rajshahi city, followed by six
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in Bogura, five in Naogaon, four in
Joypurhat and one in Pabna districts.
With the newly detected patients, the
district-wise break-up of the total cases
now stands at 28,186 in Rajshahi
including 22,745 in its city, 5,682 in
Chapainawabganj, 6,432 in Naogaon,
8,396 in Natore, 4,649 in Joypurhat,
21,686 in Bogura, 11,414 in Sirajganj and
12,751 in Pabna.
A total of 1,14,254 people have, so far,
been kept under quarantine since March
10 last year to prevent community
transmission of the deadly coronavirus
(COVID-19).
Of them, 1,13,172 have, by now, been
released as they were given clearance
certificates after completing their 14-day
quarantine.
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Friday, Dhaka: November 19, 2021; Agrahyan 4, 1428 BS; Rabius-Sani 13, 1443 Hijri
Young people are more likely than older
ones to be aware of climate change:Survey
DHAKA : Younger people in Bangladesh
are substantially more likely than older
people to be aware of climate change,
says a new international survey by
UNICEF and Gallup released on
Thursday ahead of World Children's Day,
reports UNB.
Over 90 per cent of the Bangladeshi
children and youth who were aware of
the issue also agree on the need for their
government to act boldly now.
The findings come from the poll The
Changing Childhood Project, the first of
its kind to ask multiple generations for
their views on the world and what it is
like to be a child today.
The poll surveyed more than 21,000
people across two age cohorts (15-24
years old and 40 years old and up) in 21
countries, across all regions and income
levels, including Bangladesh.
The survey shows that children and
young people are nearly 50 per cent more
likely than older people to believe that the
world is becoming a better place with
each generation, and that childhood has
improved, with overwhelming majorities
believing that healthcare, education, and
physical safety are better for today's children
than for their parents' generation.
Yet, despite their optimism, young
people are far from naive, expressing
restlessness for action on climate
change, skepticism about information
they consume on social media, and
struggling with feelings of depression
and anxiety.
They are far more likely than older
people to see themselves as global citizens,
and more likely to embrace international
cooperation to tackle threats
like the COVID-19 pandemic.
"There is no shortage of reasons for
pessimism in the world today: Climate
change, the pandemic, poverty and
inequality, rising distrust, and growing
nationalism. But here is a reason for
optimism: Children and young people
refuse to see the world through the bleak
lens of adults," said UNICEF Executive
Director Henrietta Fore.
"Compared to older generations, the
world's young people remain hopeful,
much more globally minded, and determined
to make the world a better place.
Today's young people have concerns for
Khaleda Zia fighting
for life:Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza
Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on
Thursday said their party
Chairperson Khaleda Zia is
fighting for life with critical
ailments.
"Our leader Begum Khaleda
Zia is in a fight between life and
death. Physicians at Evercare
Hospital are making their best
efforts to treat her. She has been
suffering from multiple diseases,"
he said.
Speaking at a discussion
meeting, Fakhrul also said the
BNP chief's ailment has reached
such a stage that it is extremely
essential for her to receive treatment
abroad immediately.
"Doctors are saying she'll recover
if she is sent abroad."
BNP arranged the programme
at the Jatiya Press
Club marking the 45th death
anniversary of great national
leader Moulana Abdul Hamid
Khan Bhasani.
Even though Evercare is the
country's best hospital, Fakhrul
said the physicians are saying it
is not fully equipped to treat all
the critical diseases of Khaleda.
"So, her treatment at an
advanced centre abroad is now
very essential."
He said other political parties
are also calling upon the government
to allow the BNP chairperson
to go abroad, but Awami
League and its President Sheikh
Hasina are not accepting it fully.
"We're again urging the government
to take immediate
arrangements to send Begum
Khaleda Zia abroad for better
treatment and saving her life.
Don't bring politics with it," the
BNP leader said.
He recalled Khaleda's contributions
to the country's liberation
war, restoration of democracy
and its development.
"The contributions of our
leader (to the country) are
unmatched by any other living
political leaders. Life and
death are in the hands of
Allah. We'll dedicate our lives,
if necessary, to make every
effort to save the life of our
leader. Let's just get ready for
it and work accordingly."
Khaleda, a 76-year-old former
prime minister, was readmitted
to Evercare Hospital on
November 13, six days after she
had returned home from the
hospital.
The BNP chief's physicians
said she has been suffering from
rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes,
ophthalmological and dental
complications.
They also said she is now suffering
from a critical cardiac
problem while her blood sugar
is out of control and hemoglobin
level in her blood has
dropped.
On behalf of the family,
Khaleda's younger brother,
Shamim Iskander, submitted an
application to the Home
Ministry on November 11 urging
the government to allow her to
go abroad for better treatment.
the future but see themselves as part of
the solution."
"The voices of Bangladeshi young people
on climate action are loud and clear.
Young people in Bangladesh are aware
of the consequences of climate change,
and are more adamant than ever that
more needs to be done," said Sheldon
Yett, UNICEF Representative to
Bangladesh.
"Their views on the world might differ
on some aspects from their peers' in
other countries, but their vision is the
same: the need to act now for a better
future."
In the countries surveyed, Bangladesh
has the second-lowest share of young
people believing that it's very important
for political leaders to listen to children.
"The views of young people matter.
The survey makes clear that we need to
carve out more space for them to speak
up, to voice their concerns, to share their
aspirations," added Yett.
Key findings on Bangladeshi young
people's views on the world and how
these compare with views of their peers
from the other surveyed countries:
JS passes Bill to
enhance HBFC's
capitals and services
DHAKA : The House Building Finance
Corporation Bill (Amendment) 2021 was passed
in Parliament on Thursday aiming to increase the
authorised and paid-up capitals so it can expand
its services.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal moved
the Bill in the House and it was passed by voice
vote.
The original law was promulgated in 1973, during
Bangabandhu's rule, through issuing an
order.
With the amendment, the authorised capital of
the Bangladesh House Building Finance
Corporation (BHBFC) will be Tk 1,000 crore
while the paid-up capital Tk 500 crore.
The BHBFC, with the enhancement of capitals,
will be able to provide more services, according
to the objective of the Bill, reports UNB.
The proposed Bill is making punishment for
providing false statements harsher while taking
loans from the corporation.
The punishment for providing false statements
deliberately to take loan from the corporation
has been proposed at a five-year jail term or Tk
500,000 fine or both raising that from a two-year
jail term or Tk 2,000 fine or both.
If anyone uses the name of the corporation in
any advertisement or prospectus without any
written permission, he or she will be sentenced to
six months' jail or be fined with Tk 50,000 or
both.
The punishment was six months' jail or only Tk
1,000 fine in the existing Bangladesh House
Building Finance Corporation Order 1973.
In the proposed Bill, some words, including
'loan default', 'chairman of the corporation', and
'director' have been incorporated.
A superseding clause has been inserted in the
bill to give it priority over other laws.
There will be a seven-member Board of
Directors for three years while the Chairman and
the Managing Director will be appointed by the
government.
Dhaka College
students
demand halffare
bus ride
in the city
DHAKA : Hundreds of students
from Dhaka College
demonstrated outside their
college on Thursday
demanding half-the-fare bus
ride in the city for students.
The demonstration halted
traffic on New Market-
Mirpur Road for one and a
half hours causing sufferings
to peak-hour commuters.
Tamim, a Masters student
of Dhaka College
complained that buses
charge fare more than the
government-fixed rates.
The fare collectors and
drivers misbehave with
passengers for refusing to
pay the extra money, he
said.
Traffic on the busy road
returned to normal around
11 am after police intervention.
The students also threatened
to go for movement
on next Saturday and
Sunday if their demand
goes unheeded.
On November 15, a college
student was pushed off by a
bus driver following an
altercation over bus fare in
the city's Rampura area.
Protesting the incident,
some students halted movement
of 50 buses of 'Raida
Paribahan' that day.
The government increased
the prices of diesel and
kerosene by Tk 15 per liter
on the night of November 3.
On November 7, the
Bangladesh Road Transport
Authority (BRTA) increased
the fares for intra-city and
inter-district buses by
26.5% and 27% respectively
following the demand of the
bus owners.
Don't want to be dominated
by any powerful nation: South
Africa on IORA
DHAKA : South African Minister of
International Relations and Cooperation Dr
Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor said here on
Thursday that the Indian Ocean Rim
Association (IORA) will become an important
organization upholding its principles
noting that they do not want to be dominated
by any powerful nation.
"We don't want to be dominated by anybody's
fight with another country, nor do we
wish to be told what to do," she told
reporters after attending a programme
organized by the Bangladesh Institute of
International and Strategic Studies (BIISS).
The point the South African minister
raised is that they "must not become subject
to the whims" of more powerful countries
and mentioned that within IORA they have
set out their programmes in a very carefully
planned manner. "We're not subject to the
conflicts among more powerful nations."
Even those who are coming to IORA as
partners, she said, they consider them as dialogue
partners but they are notfull members.
"We're the members of those who are on the
Indian Ocean Rim. Others have an interest
and they wish to work with us. But we always
guard our essential being. This is the point that
I was making," she said, adding that they do
not close the door for anybody but do not want
to be dominated by anybody.
On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Dr AK
Abdul Momen reiterated that they want to
see an open, free, peaceful and inclusive
Indian Ocean instead of any single country
or group's domination in the region.
Bangladesh, the current chair of IORA, has
said it will make clear its position over the
Indo-Pacific region in the days to come as
the government is currently working on it.
"We'll make our position clear regarding the
Indo-Pacific. We're working on it," said
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on
Wednesday. He referred to the joint statement
between Bangladesh and France where
a paragraph was included on the Indo-Pacific.
At the invitation of French President
Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina paid an official visit to France earlier
this month.
Students
of different
colleges
of the
capital city
blockaded
road
demanding
half fare.
Photo : PBA
Bangladesh and France shared the same
vision for a "free, open, peaceful, secure and
inclusive" Indo-Pacific region, based on
international law and with shared prosperity
for all, according to the joint statement.
Taking note of the French and European
strategies concerning the Indo-Pacific, both
parties agreed to work towards promoting
regional peace and stability and to explore
further opportunities for cooperation in
maritime security and the blue economy.
Highlighting their commitment to fully
observing the 1982 United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea as well as the peaceful settlement
of disputes, refraining from any threat
or use of force, they stated the importance of
maintaining security and freedom of navigation
and overflight in all seas and oceans.
Foreign Secretary Masud Momen said
some countries have taken some initiatives
on the Indo-Pacific Strategy and these countries
are sharing their policy separately. He
named the European Union (EU), the
United States and own position in some
countries in the EU.
The Foreign Secretary said it is likely to be
difficult to get a position from an organization
like IORA while it is relatively easy for a
country. He said the IORA member countries
will be able to share their ideas and it
will be discussed elaborately in the next
meeting to be held in July next year.
Responding to a question, Maritime
Affairs Unit (MAU) Secretary at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rear Admiral
(Retd) Md Khurshed Alam Secretary
(MAU) Khurshed Alam said Indo-Pacific is
still an evolving issue and it is not clear yet.
While talking to the UNB recently,
Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the
EU to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley said the
growth is happening in the region and it is a
vast area.
"The Indo-Pacific strategy really ties in
well with our new priorities to Bangladesh.
There's an opportunity to inject more energy
into the Bangladesh-EU relationship," he
said, highlighting the importance of connectivity,
green transition, free trade and people
to people link.
Tomato cultivation is now profitable. So a farmer is spending his busy time tending the tomato field in
advance. The picture is taken from Keshabpur field in Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga. Photo: PBA
UK reinforces commitment to deepening
of bilateral ties with Bangladesh
DHAKA : UK's Minister for South Asia, the
United Nations and the Commonwealth
Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon on
Thursday reinforced the UK's commitment
to deepening bilateral relations with
Bangladesh as he left for London concluding
his 3-day visit to Bangladesh, reports UNB.
In a busy programme of meetings and
visits to places, the Minister reinforced
the UK's commitment to deepening cooperation
with Bangladesh across a wide
range of issues including trade, security,
climate change and the Rohingya crisis.
Lord Ahmad, who is also the UK Prime
Minister's Special Representative on
Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict,
held meetings with Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr AK
Abdul Momen and Foreign Secretary
Masud Bin Momen, as well as with representatives
of civil society organisations
and the humanitarian sector.
In his meetings, Lord Ahmad discussed
the path to Bangladesh's landmark
graduation from Least Developed
Country Status, which is due in 2026.
The Minister set out opportunities for
enhanced trade and investment between
the UK and Bangladesh, with a particular
focus on the service sectors in which
the UK is a world-leader, including
finance, health and education.
Lord Ahmad urged the Government of
Bangladesh to implement the relevant
rules to allow UK higher education institutions
to offer their services in Bangladesh.
This would offer young Bangladeshis
more choice and support quality
improvement across the sector as part of
the Bangladesh government's drive to
improve the effectiveness and relevance
of higher education, he said.
Lord Ahmad had the opportunity to
discuss the valuable contribution of civil
society, media, and academia to the partnership
between the UK and Bangladesh.
He acknowledged the challenges facing
some of these groups, and highlighted the
UK's commitment to supporting human
rights and democratic values. He also supported
their commitment to the democratic
process ahead of Bangladesh's
upcoming elections.
In his meeting with faith leaders, Lord
Ahmad highlighted the importance that
the UK attaches to freedom of religion
and belief. He also encouraged further
focus on inter-religious dialogue, with
particular attention to the intersection
between freedom of religion and belief
and gender equality.
Lord Ahmad also discussed the outcomes
of COP26 and looked forward to
strengthening the UK-Bangladesh partnership
on climate action, which combines
expertise and technology alongside
the recently-announced £120 million
(14.2 billion taka) of UK Aid funding to
overcome climate challenges.