21-11-2021

Sunday

DhAkA: November 21, 2021; Agrahyan 6, 1428 BS; Rabius-Sani 15,1443 hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.19; N o. 200; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

international

Facing surge, Austria

will mandate COVID-19

shots, lock down

>Page 7

SPortS

Celtics down Lakers to

spoil James's return,

Warriors beat Pistons

>Page 9

art & culture

Pori, Roshan starrer

'Mukhosh' to hit

theatres on Jan 21

>Page 10

Agriculture credit gains pace on

back of BB policy changes

DHAKA : The scheduled banks have disbursed

Tk 7905 crore as agriculture and

rural credit in July-October period of the

current fiscal (2021-22), almost 28 percent

of the target for the 12 months.

It shows that agriculture and rural

credit disbursement got pace after

Bangladesh Bank (BB) simplifying the

credit disbursement policy, said Md

Serajul Islam, spokesperson and executive

director of BB.

The central bank's enhanced supervision

in field level after falling Covid-19

infection rate in the country also helped

to bring about the positive result, he said.

Compared to the same period of the

previous financial year, the loan disbursement

has increased by 19.23 percent

or Tk. 1,275 crore.

Banks disbursed Tk 6629 crore in the

FY 2020-21's corresponding period, that

was 25.22 percent of the fiscal agriculture

and rural credit disbursement target. The

central bank set the target of Tk 26292

crore disbursement in the agriculture

sector. Bangladesh Bank (BB) set a target

for banks of Tk 28391 crore agriculture

Zero death from

Covid brings relief

for Bangladesh

DHAKA : Confronting a tumultuous

time since reporting its first death from

Coronavirus on March 8, 2020 followed

by the wrath unleashed by delta variant

in 2021, Bangladesh finally reported zero

death from the deadly virus in 24 hours

till Saturday morning, reports UNB.

The country, however, logged 178 more

infections during the 24-hour period.

Bangladesh recorded its first Covid cases

on March 8 and the first death on March 18

of the last year. The daily case positivity rate

has declined to 1.18 per cent yesterday from

Friday's 1.4o per cent, said the Directorate

General of Health Services (DGHS). With

the fresh numbers, the total fatalities rose

to 27,946 while the caseload mounted to

1,573,889.

However, the mortality rate remained

static at 1.78 per cent. The fresh cases were

detected after testing 15,107 samples, the

DGHS added. Besides, the recovery rate

remained the same as 97.72 per cent with

the recovery of 190 more patients during the

24-hour period. On January 12 2020, the

World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed

that a novel coronavirus was the cause

of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in

Wuhan City of Hubei Province in China.

On December 31, 2019, China reported

to the WHO some cases of pneumonia with

unknown causes. Bangladesh was hit by

the Covid-19 pandemic along with many

other countries across the globe on March

8 last year when Institute of Epidemiology,

Disease Control and Research (IEDCR)

reported the first three cases.

Zohr

04:58 AM

11:50 PM

03:36 PM

05:16 PM

06:35 PM

6:17 5:12

and rural credit disbursement target for

the fiscal year 2021-22.

The agriculture and rural credit disbursement

increased in October. Banks

disbursed Tk 2695 crore in this month

which is the highest ever in a single

month. In the previous month in

September Tk 2536 crore was disbursed

in this sector.

This led to a positive change in the disbursement

figure of credit to the agricultural

sector as a whole, following simplification

of the credit policy in August this

year, economists said.

In August, banks disbursed Tk1,732

crore as agriculture loan, and Tk 942

crore in the previous month in July, the

first month of the fiscal.

Meanwhile, despite the increase of

loan disbursement, the recovery of agricultural

and rural credit has decreased in

four months.

During this period, Tk 7, 597 crore has

been collected. In July-October of the last

financial year, the agricultural loan

recovery was Tk 8,457 crore. The loan

recovery decreased due to the adverse

DHAKA : Law Minister Anisul Huq on

Saturday said BNP can bring physicians

from abroad for Khaleda Zia's treatment

if they want and there will be no obstruction

from the government side.

"But BNP should keep in mind that the

government won't do anything going

beyond the law as Khaleda has been convicted

by a Bangladesh court," he insisted.

The minister said this joining virtually an

extended meeting of Awami league held at

Akhaura municipality auditorium over the

upcoming Union Parishad elections.

Anisul Huq said Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina out of humanity has done

as much as she could do for the BNP

chairperson to facilitate a convict following

the law.

Khaleda, a 76-year-old former

prime minister, was readmitted to

Evercare Hospital on 13 November,

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 critical cardiac, kidney problems

while her blood sugar is out of control

impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the

economy, the sector's insiders said.

In August the BB issued a circular

focusing disbursing of farm loan through

Tk10 farmer account within 10 working

days after the loan application of a farmer

was filed at the respective bank.

Besides, the bank has to send an

acknowledgement letter for each loan

applicant. If the loan application would

not be considered or delayed, the valid

reasons have to be described in the file

note and all these documents have to be

preserved for inspection of Bangladesh

Bank officials.

Banks can provide farm loans up to

Tk2.5 lakh without CIB (Credit

Information Bureau) report, that is

required for other loan disbursement.

The BB increased supervision and

monitoring of contract farming so that

the farmers get fair price of crops.

Besides, special attention has been

given to promoting agro-based entrepreneurship,

along with enforced loan disbursement

for purchase of modern agriculture

machinery.

BNP can bring foreign

physicians for Khaleda

Zia:Law Minister

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 11 November urging the government

to allow her to go abroad for

better treatment.

BNP observed a seven-hour mass

hunger strike programme in the capital

on Saturday demanding that its 'critically

ill' chairperson Khaleda Zia be allowed to

go abroad for advanced treatment.

As part of a countrywide programme,

hundreds of leaders and activists of the

party and its associate bodies began the

hunger strike in front of their Nayapaltan

central office at 9am.

Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul

Islam Alamgir on Friday said "Khaleda

Zia is fighting a battle between life and

death. She's the most beloved leader of

the people of Bangladesh. It's inhumane

that she won't be given a scope to receive

treatment abroad."

Meanwhile, at a discussion programme

on Friday, Fakhrul accused the

government of plotting to end the life of

Khaleda Zia by not allowing her to

receive advanced treatment abroad.

When you look at the sidewalks of the capital dhaka, you can see colorful winter clothes. and these

shops are crowded all the time with the urban lower-middle-class people. The picture is taken from

Baitul Mukarram Footpath Market on saturday.

Photo : star Mail

7.5 crore people to

be fully vaccinated

by Jan:Health

Minister

MANIKGANJ : Health Minister Zahid

Maleque on Saturday said the government

will administer 6 crore more Covid-

19 vaccine doses by January next across

the country, reports UNB.

"So far, 9 crore vaccine doses have

been administered and the government

aims to administer 6 crore more doses by

January next," he said.

With the administering of 6 crore more

vaccine doses, some 7.5 crore people of

the country will fully be vaccinated,

Zahid Maleque added.

The minister said this at the inauguration

programme of Bangabandhu Gold

Cup Premier Division District Football

League at Shaheed Miraj Tapan Stadium

in Manikganj district town.

The minister said: "The Covid-19 situation

in Bangladesh is currently under

control as the number of daily deaths has

come down to a single digit."

Zahid Maleque said, some 13 crore

people in Bangladesh are eligible to get

vaccinated and 1 crore of them are living

abroad.

After vaccinating 7.5 crore people, he

said, the remaining 3.5 crore will soon be

brought under the vaccination campaign

in phases.

"Due to the vaccination programme,

the wheel of the economy is moving and

the reopening of educational institutions

has been possible, while the sports sector

has regained pace," the minister said.

However, the minister warned that the

Covid-19 virus is still there and urged all

to follow the health guidelines strictly.

students of

different

colleges come

to the road on

saturday and

vandalized

several buses

at science

laboratory of

the capital city

demanding

half bus fare.

Photo :

star Mail

Revival of old naval route raises

hope in southern region

Zihad Rana, BaRisal BuReau

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport

Corporation (BIWTC) has decided to

resume operations on the Barisal-

Chattogram route after keepingit closed

for more than a decade. In preparation,

a trial run will be held on November 25.

On this day a ship will come from

Chattogram to Barisal. Initiatives have

been taken to launch the ship from the

first week of December and if all goes

well, everything related to passengers

and freight will be fixed.

Officials of the Shipping Corporation

(TC) said that the launch of the ship

would revolutionize the communication

between Barisal and the southern region

with the port city of Chattogram. It can

take a maximum of 12 hours by ship to

reach Barisal from Chattogram.

The general public as well as traders

are happy with the news of this initiative

to re-launch the ship on this route.

Everyone thinks that if the service is

launched, the misery of going from

Barisal to Chattogram will be lessened.

BIWTC Director (Commerce)

Ashiquzzaman said, "Initially, we have

taken initiative to operate ships on

Barisal-Chattogram route 4 days a

week.The two scheduled ships have the

British Council's 'uK 1971

People's Solidarity with BD's

Liberation' exhibition begins

DHAKA : In commemoration of the

British Council's 70th anniversary in

Dhaka, the organization has launched a

series of creative collaborations, including

a special photography exhibition titled 'UK

1971: People's Solidarity with Bangladesh's

Liberation.'

State Minister of Cultural Affairs KM

Khaled inaugurated the exhibition on

Saturday at the Liberation War Museum,

Agargaon in the capital while British

Council's global Chairman Stevie Spring

CBE joined the event as special guest,

reports UNB.

The members of the Board of Trustees

of the Liberation War Museum including

Sara Zaker and Dr Sarwar Ali, and senior

officials of the British council were also

present at the event.

The exhibition consists of collections

from Archive London 1971 and Liberation

War Museum, showcasing 40 rare photographs,

highlighting the public movement

in the UK, in support of the Liberation

War of Bangladesh.

capacity to run at a speed of 12 knots on

this route."

As such, it will not take more than 12

hours to go from Chattogram to Barisal.

You can leave Chattogram at 7 am and

reach Barisal by 6 pm. The trial run will

be on this route on November 25. If all

goes well, passenger and freight transport

will start from next month after fixing

the fare.

According to sources, the ship will stop

at Hatia-Sandwip-Noakhali and Bhola's

Ilisha on its way from Chattogram to

Barisal. In addition to the third and second

class, each ship has 750 seats with 25 cabins.

Rustum Ali of TC, who has experience

in operating ships on this route, said

that the ship will leave Barisal, cross

Ilisha of Bhola, leave Monpura on the

left and Mirzakalu of Borhanuddin on

the right. Then the whole sea route

before entering the Karnafuli river in

Chattogram.

"When I sailed before, I used to see that

many people used to go from Barisal to

Chattogram by ship just to enjoy the journey

by sea. At that time, of course, it took

20-21 hours to travel from Barisal to

Chattogram. Now if you go in 12 hours, the

interest of the passengers will definitely

increase."

From Nottingham to Birmingham to

London, this archival collection documents

Bengali diaspora communities as

they raised their voices in solidarity for a

liberated Bangladesh in 1971.

In his speech, KM Khalid said, "The

Liberation War of Bangladesh instigated a

massive uproar in the international community,

especially Bangladeshi diaspora

in the UK. I am pleased that the British

Council, the Liberation War Museum and

Archive London 1971 have taken the initiative

to document the support and cooperation

that was extended to us by the UK

during 1971, which is continued till date."

"Currently, the UK holds the second

largest Bangladeshi Diaspora

Community, forming one of the UK's

largest groups of people of overseas

descent and also one of the youngest and

fastest growing communities. During our

1971 Liberation War, the UK government

and the people of the UK wholeheartedly

supported us, for which we are thankful,"

Khalid said at the event.

SUnDAY, novEMBER 21, 2021

2

A MoU signed between Rangamati Science and Technology University and Jashore University of Science and Technology yesterday

to cooperate bilaterally.

Photo : Courtesy

Mobile wallets ensure smooth

disbursement of SSN allowance

DHAKA : Once it was very difficult for

Samena Begum, the 76-year-old

woman in Chauddagram upazila under

Comilla district, to withdraw her old

age allowance from the bank but

disbursement of the allowance through

mobile wallet has made the process

easier and comfortable for her.

Talking to BSS, Samena Begum said

that she can now cash out her

government allowance from a nearby

Union Digital Center (UDC) easily and

comfortably instead of going to the

bank.

"Earlier, I faced trouble for receiving

the allowance as I had to bring

someone else to accompany me to the

bank branch to withdraw the money,

but I can now easily cash out the

amount at a nearby MFS agent UDC,"

she said.

Kohinoor Begum, a middle-aged

widow of the same upazila, also said

earlier she had to go to the bank for

receiving the allowance money.

"But now there is no hurry as I can

easily cash out the amount at a nearby

MFS agent UDC," she added.

The government has disbursed

around Taka 5,885 crore under the

social safety net (SSN) programmes

like old-age allowance, widow

allowance, allowances for the people

with special needs or allowances for the

underprivileged, and allowances for the

students with special needs through

mobile financial services (MFS)

operators and agent banking in the

2020-21 fiscal year.

The disbursement of various social

safety net allowances through MFS has

ensured optimum transparency in the

overall disbursement process alongside

reducing hassles of the beneficiaries,

said stakeholders and beneficiaries.

The government has allocated

around Taka 1,07,614 crore in the social

security sector, which is 17.83 percent

of total budget and 3.11 percent of the

gross domestic product (GDP) in the

2021-22 fiscal.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa

Kamal while placing the budget for

2021-22 fiscal said Social Safety Nets

(SSNs) have emerged as an essential

component in the fight against poverty,

and the government has been working

diligently to adopt and implement bold,

strong, people-centric and inclusive

policies in poverty reduction.

He said the government has planned

to cut the poverty rate to 12.3 percent

and the extreme poverty rate to 4.5

percent by 2023-2024.

The minister said Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman cherished a dream to build a

prosperous and strong Bangladesh

with a human face, set an example of

establishing a welfare state, by

improving the living standards of the

country's poor, hapless, destitute and

backward people.

During the brief period of his

government, the Father of the Nation

for the first time officially included

social security programmes to improve

living standards of poor affected by

various natural calamities, the minister

said.

At that time, he mentioned, VGD and

food-for-work programs were initiated

and families of martyred freedom

fighters, war- wounded freedom

fighters and persecuted women were

brought under social security scheme

along with starting microcredit

facilities for the poor people.

"Following the path shown by Father

of the Nation Bangabandhu, we have

further expanded social safety net. In

FY1997-1998, old age allowance was

launched for the first time, while

various social security programmes

including allowances for widows,

deserted and destitute women were

introduced in FY1998-1999," Kamal

said.

He said the government has taken

steps to widen the coverage of the social

safety net to protect the country's

poorest segment from unemployment

and loss of income due to the

pandemic.

Program Manager of Digital Access

and Digital Financial Service of a2i Md

Tohurul Hasan said digitisation of the

government aid and safety net

allowance disbursement is directly

helping in attaining social and financial

inclusion of the marginalised people

across the country.

He said there has been existence of

the middlemen in the past for

disbursing allowances, but the

introduction of the digital method in

disbursing allowances through MFS

has largely minimized the influence of

those.

Hasan said there are some people

who try to cheat the innocent social

safety net beneficiaries, but the

expansion of the coverage of the MFS in

disbursing allowances and beneficiary

awareness on digital payments would

check the incidents of forgery.

Japan plans record $490

bn stimulus to boost

pandemic recovery

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister

Fumio Kishida announced a record 56

trillion yen ($490 billion) stimulus for

the world's third-largest economy

Friday as he looks to shore up its patchy

pandemic recovery, reports BSS.

The fresh stimulus, expected to be

approved by the cabinet later in the day,

"is enough to deliver a sense of safety

and hope to the Japanese people",

Kishida said in televised comments.

It will be the third round of huge relief

spending unleashed by the government

since the pandemic began-with former

prime ministers Yoshihide Suga and

Shinzo Abe pouring 40 trillion yen and

38 trillion yen respectively into the

economy in 2020.

"We have been able to build economic

measures that will open the new society

after the pandemic," Kishida said at

policy talks between the cabinet and

ruling coalition.

He said the fiscal spending of around

56 trillion yen was expected to rise as

high as 79 trillion yen including other

elements such as loans from funds.

WTO members

on track to

conclude trade

in services talks

GENEVA : World Trade

Organization talks on

facilitating trade in services

are on course to reach a

successful conclusion at the

WTO ministerial conference

starting later this month,

reporters were told

Thursday, reports BSS.

The negotiations,

launched at the end of 2017,

aim to facilitate trade in

services by simplifying

administrative regulations

and technical standards.

"Participating members

are on the right track to

adopt a ministerial

declaration that will

announce the successful

conclusion of the

negotiations," said Jaime

Coghi, chair of the talks on

services domestic

regulation.

The WTO's 12th

ministerial conference takes

place at the global trade

body's headquarters in

Geneva from November 30

to December 3.

The 66 WTO members

negotiating on services

domestic regulation are still

finalising their schedules of

commitments ahead of the

conference.

"Implementation among

the G20 economies can

potentially reduce trade

costs of up to six percent

over three to five years," said

Costa Rican diplomat Coghi.

"The effects would be

greater in highly-regulated

sectors... such as

commercial banking,

telecommunications and

insurance, as well as

computer and professional

services.

"The savings could

amount to more than $140

billion in the medium term."

Excellent yield rate predicts

bumper Aman rice output

in Rangpur

RANGPUR : Harvesting of Transplanted

Aman (T-Aman) rice continues in full swing

with excellent yield rate predicting its

bumper production in the Rangpur

agriculture region this season.

Department of Agricultural Extension

(DAE) officials here said the government has

fixed a target of producing 17,19,231 tonnes

of clean Aman rice (25,78,846 tonnes of

paddy) from 6,12,451 hectares of land this

season.

"Before the recent flood, farmers

transplanted Aman rice seedlings on

6,14,295 hectares of land exceeding the fixed

farming target by 1,844 hectares of land this

time," said Additional Director of the DAE's

Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Tauhidul

Ikbal.

However, the recent deluge damaged

standing Aman rice crop on 1,965 hectares of

land in the region.

After damage caused by the recent flood,

Aman rice plants grew superbly on the rest of

6,12,330 hectares of land amid excellent

climate conditions this season in the region.

"Of them, farmers have cultivated short

duration varieties of Aman rice on 63,197

hectares of land which is 10.32 percent

against the total cultivated land area of

6,12,330 hectares in the region," Ikbal said.

Beginning from early October, farmers

already completed harvesting of short

duration Aman rice during the seasonal lean

period of 'Aswin' and 'Kartik' months.

"Farmers already harvested Aman rice on

1, 91,715 hectares of land producing 5, 74,769

tonnes of clean rice (8, 62,153 tonnes paddy)

in the region by Friday last," the official said.

Farmers are currently getting an excellent

average yield rate of 3.00 tonnes of clean

Aman rice from per hectare of land at this

stage and expecting to achieve a bumper

production of the crop this season.

"After harvesting short duration Aman

rice, farmers are sowing seeds of early variety

potato, winter vegetables and other Rabi

crops on the same land creating huge jobs for

farm-labourers and increasing crop

intensity," Ikbal added.

Talking to BSS, farmers Abdul Baten and

Manik Mian of Najirdigar village and Golam

Mostafa of Najirerhat village in Rangpur

Sadar said that they are getting excellent

yield rates of Aman rice this season.

Farmer Ariful Haque of village Najirdigar

here said he has cultivated Aman rice on

seven acres of land and is continuing to

harvest the crop and getting 35 mounds yield

of the crop per acre of land on an average.

"The current market price of newly

harvested Aman paddy is varying between

Taka 950 and Taka 1,000 per mound (every

40 kg)," Batul said, adding that he would be

able to sell his paddy to the government

purchasing centres to earn more profits.

Farmer Echhahaq Ali of village Kathihara

in Mominpur union of Rangpur Sadar

upazila said he would complete harvesting

his cultivated Aman rice on his crop land by

the first week of December to get a bumper

output.

Farm-labourers Abdur Rahman, Ramjan

Ali, Mashiur Rahman, Saidul Islam,

Khoybar Ali, Morium Nechha and Kakoli

Begum of different villages here said they

were earning Taka 400 to Taka 500 as wages

per day by harvesting Aman rice crop on the

fields.

Covid-19 cases reach 55,500

in Rangpur division

RANGPUR : The number of Covid-19 cases

has reached 55,500 in the division where

the pandemic situation continues

improving amid declining positivity rate but

in a curved way during almost the last three

months.

"The number of Covid-19 cases rose to

55,500 with diagnosis of six new patients

after testing 168 samples at the positivity

rate of 3.57 percent on Friday," Acting

Rangpur Divisional Director (Health) Dr

Abu Md Zakirul Islam told BSS.

Earlier, the daily Covid-19 positivity rates

were 1.89 percent on Thursday, 3.77 percent

on Wednesday, 3.86 percent on Tuesday,

2.44 percent on Monday and 1.07 percent

on Sunday last in the division.

"Currently, the district-wise break up of

total patients include 12,494 of Rangpur,

3,820 Panchagarh, 4,457 of Nilphamari,

2,744 of Lalmonirhat, 4,646 of Kurigram,

7,653 of Thakurgaon, 14,820 of Dinajpur

and 4,866 of Gaibandha in the division,"

Islam said.

Meanwhile, no Covid-19 patient died

during the last 24 hours ending at 8 am

yesterday in the division where the total

number of fatalities remained steady at

1,244.

The average casualty rate currently stands

at 2.24 percent in the division.

The district-wise break up of the 1,244

fatalities remained 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 of the division.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, a

total of 2,98,203 collected samples were

tested till Friday, and of them, 55,500 were

found Covid-19 positive with an average

infection rate of 18.61 percent in the

division," Dr Islam said.

Meanwhile, the number of healed Covid-

19 patients reached 53,325 with recovery of

nine more patients on Friday raising the

average recovery rate to 96.08 percent in

the division.

The 53,325 recovered patients include

11,570 of Rangpur, 3,680 Panchagarh, 4,361

Nilphamari, 2,625 Lalmonirhat, 4,527

Kurigram, 7,345 Thakurgaon, 14,422 in

Dinajpur and 4,795 Gaibandha districts in

the division.

Among the 55,500 patients, 33 are under

treatments at isolation units, including 12

critical patients at ICU beds and two at High

Dependency Unit beds, after recovery of

53,325 patients and 1,244 deaths while 898

are remaining in home isolation.

"In the meantime, the number of citizens

who got the first dose of the Covid-19

vaccine rose to 60,42,879, and among them,

35,21,080 got the second dose of the jab till

Friday in the division," Dr Islam added.

Chief of Divisional Coronavirus Service

and Prevention Task Force and Principal of

Rangpur Medical College Professor Dr.

AKM Nurunnobi Lyzu said the Covid-19

situation is improving consistently in recent

months.

"However, common people should remain

aware and properly abide by the health

directives to prevent further spread of the

deadly virus during the winter season in the

division," he said.

GD-1703/21 (5x4)

Institute of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh organized a rally in Kalapara of Patuakhali district yesterday

marking its 51st founding anniversary.

Photo : Goutam Halder

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

3

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Md. Akhtaruzzaman was the chief guest at the concluding

day of the two-day training workshop on at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building on

Saturday.

Photo : Courtesy

Covid pandemic exacerbates the existing

vulnerabilities of the sanitation workforce

Many sanitation workers in developing

countries are largely unsupported,

unprotected and undervalued. Many are

shunned for the work they do. The

Covid-19 pandemic has had a direct

impact on their livelihoods, with many

working longer hours or taking on

increased risks without compensation,

while others have lost their income

completely, shows a new report of

WaterAid.

The report titled "Sanitation workers:

The forgotten frontline workers during

the COVID-19 pandemics" says during

the COVID-19 pandemic many

sanitation workers have worked on the

frontline - throughout national

lockdowns, in hospitals, quarantine

centres and in the heart of communities

- with poor access to safe water, decent

sanitation and good hygiene facilities.

Even without the threat of the virus,

sanitation work is hazardous. The

workforce risk being exposed to a wide

variety of health hazards and disease and

can often come into direct contact with

human waste. Sharp objects in pit

latrines and poor construction can cause

injury and infection while toxic gases can

make workers lose consciousness or

even kill them, says the report.

IU's viva voce to

begin Nov 28

ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY :

Islamic University in Kushtia

will hold viva voce, an oral

examination, from November

28 to 30 for students who

have qualified the written test

for admission to honours

courses of the theology and

Islamic studies faculty,

reports UNB.

The decision was taken at a

meeting of the 'D' unit

admission test committee,

chaired by IU vice-chancellor

Prof Shaikh Abdus Salam, IU

officials said. The viva voce

will be held on the fourth

floor of the Arts faculty

building of the university,

IU 'D' unit coordinator

Prof Yaqub Ali said.

Kona Nagmoni Lata, 34, a street

sweeper from Bangladesh, said:

"Sometimes, I come into contact with

human faeces in my work, but I can only

wipe it off with a cloth. There are no

handwashing stations where I work so I

have to wait to go back to the office to

wash my hands."

The findings of the report highlighted

cases from South Asia, Burkina Faso and

Nigeria.

Tim Wainwright, WaterAid Chief

Executive, said: "WASH services are

critical to maintaining public health and

will be fundamental to surviving and

recovering from the pandemic, and

future pandemics - but without

sanitation workers, these services will

not function. It's important we invest

and support the workforce, not just for

the sake of public health but also for the

economy - to ensure universal access to

decent sanitation and a better future for

all."

Hasin Jahan, country director of

WaterAid Bangladesh said, "Sanitation

and waste workers in the society lack

recognition for their profession. They

face social stigma, economic hardships

and are also deprived of healthcare

facilities, even though they are most

prone to illness due to their work in the

most unhygienic conditions. It is time to

ensure their proper healthcare.

"Along with government, private

sectors, development organisations and

community partners should work

together to drive health and promote

insurance and social security to ensure

the rights of sanitation and waste

workers.

On World Toilet Day, WaterAid is

calling on governments, local

authorities, employers and the general

public to protect, respect, support and

invest in sanitation workers - the

forgotten frontline workers during the

COVID-19 pandemic.

WaterAid Bangladesh is actively

working with the government and key

partners to ensure rights for sanitation

workers are realised; most recently

advocating for sanitation workers to be

given priority access to a COVID-19

vaccination.

Several vaccine registration points

were set up in key places across the

country to ensure waste and sanitation

workers were not overlooked in the

rollout, with mobile registration booths

and follow-ups carried out to ensure the

vaccine was administered.

Deal signed with Russia for

procuring 2 police helicopters

DHAKA : Bangladesh Police have signed an

agreement with JSC Russian Helicopters to

procure two MI-171A2 helicopters, to enhance

the capacity and efficiency of the law

enforcement agency and ensuring better

public safety, reports UNB.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Benazir

Ahmed and Director General of JSC Russian

Helicopters Andrey Boginskiy signed the

agreement on behalf of their respective

organizations on Friday, according to a media

release of Police headquarters. Home Minister

Asaduzzaman Khan witnessed the signing

ceremony as the chief guest, while Senior

Secretary of Public Security Division Mustafa

Kamal Uddin, Russian Ambassador to

Bangladesh Alexander Mantytsky, Additional

IGPs, and other officials were present. On

October 27, Bangladesh Police received the

final approval from the cabinet committee on

public purchase (CCPP) to procure two

Russian helicopters.

On October 6, the cabinet committee on

economic affairs (CCEA) gave in principle its

approval to the proposal.

As per the proposal, the Bangladesh Police

Directorate will procure the Russian Mi-171A2

model helicopters from Russian firm JSC

Russian Helicopters under a G2G contract at a

cost of Euro 42.60 million.

A human chain was formed in front of National Press Club yesterday to ensure the sufficient bus

service in the capital city.

Photo : Courtesy

Int'l buyers urged to be more

sensitive over RMG price

DHAKA : Bangladesh Garment

Manufacturers and Exporters

Association (BGMEA) President

Faruque Hassan yesterday called upon

the international buyers to be more

sensitive over the issue of fixing RMG

price and thus fixing the just price in

line with the demand of the suppliers as

well as considering the cost hike in

cotton, yarn, other raw materials and in

freight.

"We need most the support from our

buyers to keep alive in this adverse

environment and if the supplies remain

alive, then the global supply chain will

also remain intact," Faruque said while

addressing a press conference held at a

city hotel to brief the media about the

outcomes of the BGMEA delegation's

recent visit to Scotland, England and

Belgium.

The BGMEA delegation participated

at the COP26 in Scotland. Other

BGMEA leaders were also present at

the press conference, reports UNB.

Urging the RMG entrepreneurs to be

more aware over the issue of fixing

RMG price, Faruque suggested the

RMG factory owners not to negotiate

orders by any means less than the usual

production cost.

The BGMEA President informed that

the 37th IAF World Fashion

Convention will be held in Dhaka in

November next year marking the 50th

founding anniversary of the IAF. The

convention will be organized jointly by

Natore District

Committee

formed

TBT Report

The Natore District

Committee in Dhaka has

formed a committee for the

financial year 2021-2022.

Natore's proud industrialist,

Samsul Alam Mallick, the

CEO of New Zealand Dairy

in the vote of the members

was elected President.

Deputy Inspector General of

Police (DIG) AZM Nafiul

Islam was elected General

Secretary.

A 71-member committee

has been formed with Koheli

Quddus Mukti, president of

Kallol Foundation, as vicepresident

and Rezaul Karim

Shamim, sub-editor of

Bhorer Kagoj as executive

members. A committee has

been formed in the hall

room of Bangladesh

Agricultural Research

Council (BARC) on Friday

(November 19, 2021) at

Farmgate in the capital.

State Minister for

Information and

Communication Technology

Advocate Junaid Ahmed

Palak MP, Natore District

Awami League President,

former State Minister Prof.

Abdul Quddus MP, Natore

District Awami League

General Secretary Alhaj

Shafiqul Islam Shimul MP,

Md. Shahidul Islam Bakul

MP is a life member of

Natore District Committee,

Dhaka. Hundreds of

government, private, former

and current officials of

Natore in Dhaka were

present on the occasion.

The meeting was chaired

by the senior vice-president

of the farewell committee of

prominent

businessmen

and associations Anisur

Rahman, Engineer Abdur

Rashid, Finance Secretary of

the Farewell Committee,

presented the financial

survey for the financial year

2016-2020 and his

statement was presented by

the former General

Secretary.

Jashore pre-polls

violence: Injured

man dies at DMCH

BENAPOLE : A man, who

was hacked during preelection

violence in Jashore's

Sharsha upazila on Tuesday,

died at Dhaka Medical

College Hospital (DMCH) on

Saturday, reports UNB.

The deceased was identified

as Mostafizur Rahman

Dhabak, 42, son of Khatib

Dhabak of Bagachara union

of the upazila and a supporter

of rebel chairman candidate

AH Khaleq.

the IAF and the BGMEA. He said that

marking the Convention, the BGMEA

is planning to hold a "Made in

Bangladesh Week" under which there

will be Dhaka Apparel Summit,

Fashion Festival, Exposition and some

award functions.

Answering to a question, Faruque

said the "Made in Bangladesh Week" is

likely to be held in the 3rd week of

November next year with Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina expected to

inaugurate the event.

He said that at that event, the

BGMEA would highlight the capacity,

compliance, good stories and practices

of the country's RMG industry.

Referring to the recent 23 percent

diesel price hike, Faruque said that the

cost in transportation, power

production through generators, other

raw materials and services has been

raised for which the overall RMG

production cost has been increased by

4 to 5 percent.

The BGMEA President in this regard

requested the government to

reconsider the issue of fuel price with

due attention as such hike is expected

to raise further the inflation rate and

also the price of essentials.

Replying to a question, he said that

they are now getting orders from the

buyers although those were less over

the last two years due to the impact of

the COVID-19 pandemic. "We've kept

our buyers during that period despite

incurring losses. We kept our factories

open during that time and now the

buyers are recognizing our efforts."

He said although the RMG owners

are now getting higher price of their

produces, but that is not enough as per

the increased price of raw materials.

"We're trying our best to increase the

price of RMG products and also suggest

our entrepreneurs not to take orders

with lesser price. We're trying to avail

sustainable orders as we're also

working to maintain compliance and

energy efficiency. We seek support

from all to ensure sustainability of the

RMG industry."

Replying to another question,

Faruque said the international buyers

are not giving additional price for

products made from green factories.

"But, we're hoping to get higher price

for the products made from green

factories,"

The BGMEA President said that they

are trying to get maximum transition

period from the European Union as the

industry insiders are hopeful of

attaining higher capabilities by 2026.

He told a questioner that the

biometric database has been in place in

the RMG sector since 2013 while such

database is in operation in almost all

the factories with the enlistment of

more than 40 lakh workers.

Faruque said that they are pursuing

apparel diplomacy while they also want

export-friendly currency rate.

The newly elected members of Natore District Committee in Dhaka with

the election commissioners.

Photo : Courtesy

Dhaka is world's thirdmost

polluted city

DHAKA : Air pollution continues to be one of

the top most challenges for Bangladesh-its

capital has been ranked the third-most

polluted city in the world, reports UNB.

The capital's air quality index (AQI) was

recorded at 182 around 11am. The air was

classified as 'unhealthy'.

Pakistan's Lahore and India's Delhi

occupied the first and second spots in the list

with AQI scores of 407 and 311, respectively.

An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered

'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.

Similarly, an AQI between 201 and 300 is

said to be 'poor', while a reading of 301 to

400 is considered 'hazardous', posing

serious health risks to residents.

AQI, an index for reporting daily air

quality, is used by government agencies to

inform people how clean or polluted the air

of a certain city is, and what associated

health effects might be a concern for them.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five

criteria pollutants-Particulate Matter (PM10

and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.

Dhaka has long been grappling with air

pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns

unhealthy during winter and improves

during monsoon. A report by the

Department of Environment (DoE) and the

World Bank in March 2019 pointed out that

the three main sources of air pollution in

Dhaka "are brick kilns, fumes from vehicles

and dust from construction sites".

With the advent of winter, the city's air

quality starts deteriorating sharply due to the

massive discharge of pollutant particles from

construction works, rundown roads, brick

kilns and other sources.

Air pollution consistently ranks among the

top risk factors for death and disability

worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long

been recognised as increasing a person's

chances of developing heart disease, chronic

respiratory diseases, lung infections and

cancer, according to several studies.

As per the World Health Organization

(WHO), air pollution kills an estimated

seven million people worldwide every year,

largely as a result of increased mortality from

stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive

pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute

respiratory infections.

College students vandalise

buses demanding half bus fare

DHAKA : Students of two college on

Saturday vandalized 10-12 buses in Science

Laboratory area demanding half-fare bus

ride in the city for students, reports UNB.

A group of students brought out a

procession in the area at noon and staged

demonstrations, said Ekram Ali, officer-incharge

of Dhanmondi Police Station.

They also vandalized 10-12 buses passing

the area. Earlier on Thursday, hundreds of

students of Dhaka College demonstrated

outside their college demanding half-fare

bus ride in the city for students.

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 an

indefinite strike by the transport owners.

SUNdAY, NoveMBer 21, 2021

4

US should ensure Iran pays the price for its proxies' violence

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Sunday, November 21, 2021

Far from being a

hopeless country

Information-- indicating the future of Bangladesh most of the

time -- appear to be short of hope. It is generally made out that

the future of the country is rather hopeless. Far too many people

are already seen living in this tiny country in the physical sense.

Thus, anxiety is expressed about the living space for this population

which would become even greater in the future not to mention

finding the means of sustenance for the growing number.

But Malthus and all other prophets of doom have been proved

wrong in the context of Bangladesh. Bangladesh's population nearly

doubled in the last three decades. However, so did its food

production. Agricultural production has been more than keeping

pace with population growth. Thus, Bangladesh has not become a

failed state like Sudan or Somalia. It is still a land of hope for its

hardworking and resilient people.

As for the other formidable worry - land shortage - there is good

news waiting for this country. Although there has been a long

standing projection about a part of Bangladesh's coastal areas

sinking into the sea in the near future from the greenhouse

syndrome, regularly received satellite imageries and other tangible

supporting evidences suggest that Bangladesh is rather about to

receive the gift of a huge land mass from its adjoining sea. The size

of this land mass, eventually, could be as big as the present size of

Bangladesh or even bigger.

Unfortunately, nothing much has been noted so far in the

country's annual development plans (ADPs) to the effect that

successive governments paid appropriate attention to this issue.

Hardly allocations have been made over the years to build dams and

other structures to put a pace on the process of accretion of coastal

lands. Successive past governments should have done all in their

powers to help the land accretion process which holds out so much

promise for this land hungry country. Not only doing everything

locally to aid the process of land accretion and consolidation, the

governments should have been proactive in seeking foreign

assistance to realise the same objective.

Already, substantial territories have surfaced in the coastal areas

of Bangladesh. Some of these places have completely surfaced and

have human habitations on them while others remain submerged

during tides to emerge with the ebbing of the tide. The latter types

of accreted lands are likely to gain in elevation to be permanently

joined to the mainland. Indeed, much of present day Bangladesh

including the districts of Faridpur, Barisal, Noakhali, Patuakhali,

etc., were formed in this manner over time.

Lands have already emerged from the sea in the coastal areas and

more lands from the sea will hopefully rise in the future. But the

natural process is a long one. It can be hastened and the technology

for it is not so prohibitive or complex either. For Bangladesh, it

involves only quickening the process of accretion by establishing

structures like cross dams to speed up the rate of deposition of silt

in areas that have accreted or nearly accreted.

The country is likely to get a generous response from the

international community in matters of fund availability and

technical supports if it can show that it is really keen to accrete more

lands and has put the endeavor under a systematic policy

framework. Today, the Dutch have not only solved similar problems

like ours through sophisticated engineering works, they have

permanently reclaimed vast stretches of lands from the sea and are

keeping them dry for various uses within secure barriers or sea

walls.

Bangladesh may not have to embark on projects on the same scale

as were carried out in Holland because of its relatively better

elevation. It can use its huge reservoir of cheap manpower to

implement labour intensive projects to get the same kind of results

as were achieved in Holland. But for this purpose it needs to engage

in a time-bound and result oriented framework of assistance and

consultation with that country. Besides, the government of

Bangladesh ought to also appeal to the international community to

provide funds to it for the purpose. The developed countries are the

main contributors to the greenhouse syndrome which could affect

Bangladesh.

Therefore, it would be only conscionable for these countries to

help out Bangladesh in projects designed to secure its coastal areas

and for their enlargement. Even if external aid is not forthcoming,

the government can proceed with dams and other structures where

these will yield almost immediate benefits in the form of lands rising

from the sea on a sustainable basis. The taking up of such projects

and their successful execution are quite possible for Bangladesh by

mobilising its own resources and applying its own expertise.

One may say that the cyclone hazards can be serious in the coastal

areas. But these hazards are not as these used to be in the past. Few

people have died from these cyclones in recent years and much less

resources were destroyed from cyclones . The creation of a network

of cyclone shelters and other forms of preparedness for disasters

have led to such favourable developments. With the establishment

of a greater number of cyclone shelters and extending the system of

preparedness, there would be no reason for a far bigger number of

people than at present not to be living and working safely in viable

occupations in the coastal areas including the already accreted

lands and the about to be accreted lands.

Apart from greater human settlement in the coastal areas or

accreted lands to ease the pressure of population, the same areas

can play a far bigger role for the national economy in contrast to the

present. Coastal areas -- specially the coastal islands -- are hugely

prospective from the perspective of tourism. Tourist resorts

established in the coastal islands-- like in the Maldives-- can be very

paying in terms of foreign tourist arrivals. The same prospects are

also there in many places in the coastal areas.

Shrimp has been a major item in our export trade in recent years.

The coastal areas are exclusively suitable for shrimp cultivation for

the export market. Not only shrimp, but sea fishes, crabs, etc., that

are generally described as frozen food and exported from

Bangladesh, the catches or cultivation of these can be substantially

increased in the coastal areas with infrastructure developments by

the public sector to promote more private sector investments into

such activities.

Valuable deposits of minerals exist in the sandy beaches of the

coastal areas such as zircon, rutile, titanium, etc. It is quite possible

to extract these minerals and earn huge amounts in foreign

currency. The coastal areas are also known to have huge deposits of

hydrocarbons like oil and gas. Only limited exploitation of these

resources have started with the offshore drilling at Sangu for gas.

But gradually, over time, these energy resources can be tapped

extensively for the benefit of the country.

The Biden administration is repeating

in Iraq the mistakes the US previously

made in Syria. Washington did not

check Iran's power in Syria when reaching

the nuclear deal with Tehran under the

Obama administration. The result was Iran

causing chaos in Syria. Last week, there was

an assassination attempt against Iraqi

Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. The

State Department condemned the attack,

but it did not blame any group for carrying

it out. This will lead to more dangerous

Iranian behavior inside Iraq.

Iran is the country that spreads terror all

over the Arab and Islamic worlds. Logically,

it is the country that committed such a

heinous act. The critical question is: Does

the intelligence community in the US know

that Iran was the perpetrator? And, if so,

why has it not declared that Tehran is

culpable?

The odds are high that Iran

masterminded the assassination attempt.

The reason is the fact that its affiliated

militias in any country they try to subjugate

have reached a sophisticated capability and

can launch lethal attacks using armed

drones. Iran, by condemning the attack,

proved again that it was lying.

The irony is that President Joe Biden does

not understand that the American people

have common sense. As I was listening to

this news, a friend of mine commented:

"Here, concerning Iraq, Biden and (Donald)

Trump can be contrasted. Biden will be an

apologist for Iran, issuing as many excuses

for Tehran as he can, saying that it was not

It is a rare thing that Israel is forced to

admit that it has broken the law and has to

pay for it. We and, of course, the

Palestinians well know that the so-called

"international community" has, since

Israel's engineered inception, allowed it to

act with outrageous impunity - despite its

long and incriminating record.

So, when the news arrived last week that

a dogged bunch of Canadians won a

belated, but oh so satisfying, victory

against an arrogant government that

threatened them, kidnapped them and

stole a boat - brimming with medicine and

solidarity - destined for occupied Gaza, it

was a happy day indeed.

Beyond one lonely story, that

unexpected triumph - hard and patiently

won - did not attract a scintilla of attention

from Canada's establishment media

which, like its governing elites, is

stubbornly conditioned to side

unquestionably with Israel even when it

threatens, kidnaps and steals from

Canadians, let alone besieged

Palestinians. "We are very pleased," David

Heap, a linguistics professor and one of

the Canadians who had been on board the

Tahrir vessel - "liberation" in Arabic - told

me in a recent interview.

Heap and his many comrades in cause

should be. Together, they have succeeded

where a succession of craven Canadian

governments - Conservative and Liberal

alike - has failed: To hold the state of Israel

to a real, not rhetorical, measure of

account for its lawless conduct.

Heap and compassionate company set

off for Gaza from a Turkish port on the

involved in the attack. Trump, on the other

hand, would have searched for the

equivalent of Qassem Soleimani or Abu

Mahdi Al-Muhandis, whoever was behind

the attack, and hit them swiftly and

decisively."

The problem with the Biden

administration is that it does not seem to

want to understand what kind of political

changes are occurring in Iraq. Basically, two

important trends are developing parallel to

one another. Firstly, the number of seats in

the Iraqi parliament that went to the pro-

Iranian militias shrank from 48 to about 19

as a result of last month's elections.

Secondly, Al-Kadhimi did not run for

election. As a result, he bolstered his

political standing, projecting the image of a

non-partisan and national figure who can

unify Iraq and establish a minimum degree

of consensus among the country's different

political stripes, allowing him to find

solutions to Iraq's multiple serious

problems. This is very troubling for Iran,

since its main aim is to bend the Iraqis to its

political will. In addition, Tehran is

MArIA MAALoUF

emulating in Iraq the campaign of political

blackmail it has been exercising in Lebanon

through its crony proxy Hezbollah. If there

is a political deadlock in Beirut, Hezbollah

stops the government from working until its

demands are met. The pro-Iran militias in

Iraq can do the same, but the difference

between Iraq and Lebanon is that the US

has a military presence in Iraq. Any

escalation of Iran's military might in Iraq

could gravitate toward an open and direct

military confrontation with American

troops. The Biden administration does not

seem to want to understand what kind of

political changes are occurring in Iraq.

Most likely, the pro-Iranian militias in

Iraq will instigate many scenes of political

chaos to ensure the government of Al-

Kadhimi is dysfunctional. The US should

offer protection for Iraq's critical

infrastructure, including its oil exploration

and refining industries. These economic

assets are Iraq's main artery in terms of

national income. If they are severed, Iraq

will have no money. It would also be wise for

the US to start training the Iraqi security

ALFred de ZAYAS ANd AdrIeL KASoNTA

forces to end the mob scenes that are the

brainchild of the Iranian militias, as they are

conducive to a state of national paralysis in

the countries where Tehran stages them.

The American government must also boost

the efforts of the Iraqi authorities to conduct

a fair investigation to conclusively

determine who was responsible for the

assassination attempt against Al-Kadhimi.

In other words, the investigation in Iraq

should not end up like the probe into the

explosion at Beirut port in August 2020,

which has been shamefully and

disgracefully repeatedly halted.

As Hussain Abdul-Hussain wrote in

National Interest, the Biden administration

must form an anti-Iran coalition inside Iraq.

He also counted the geography and

population of Iraq as factors that could

thwart Iran's terrorism and ambitions

inside the country. Another dilemma for the

US in dealing with the countries where Iran

tries to dominate is its belief that such an

Iranian hegemonic status can be tolerated.

That is to say that the countries coerced by

extensive Iranian meddling in their internal

affairs can cope with these intrusions.

However, appeasement of Iran simply

translates into more terrorism by Iran.

A fair question the Biden administration

can raise with the Iranian delegates on the

scheduled resumption of the Vienna

nuclear negotiations this month is do they

really acknowledge the sovereignty of

nations such as Iraq, Syria and Lebanon?

Source: Arab news

Migration and geopolitics: the Belarus-Poland border crisis

Fake news and fake law make it

difficult to understand the highly

politicized migrant crisis in the

Mediterranean, in the Balkans and on the

border between Poland and Belarus. After

separating facts from propaganda and

removing the corporate media's prism of

anti-Lukashenko agitation - which has

more to do with the fact that the European

Union is questioning the legitimacy of the

2020 presidential election that took place

in Belarus than the migrant crisis on the

ground - it is vital to stay factual,

concentrate on the actual problem that is

unfolding on the borders, and the possible

consequences of its mismanagement.

It is reported that since the beginning of

2021, more than 30,000 migrants from

Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria have tried to

cross the Polish-Belarusian border, and

the surge reached its peak in August when

more than 15,000 attempts alone were

made, according to the Polish authorities.

Although Minsk is accused of luring

migrants by offering Belarusian visas and

organizing transport to the EU border,

and strong language is employed by

Warsaw, no hard evidence to confirm

these accusations has been provided so

far, while the gravity of the allegations

As Hussain Abdul-Hussain wrote in National Interest,

the Biden administration must form an anti-Iran

coalition inside Iraq. He also counted the geography

and population of Iraq as factors that could thwart

Iran's terrorism and ambitions inside the country.

The little boat that could

Tahrir on November 2, 2011. An Irish

vessel joined them on the humanitarian

mission. Their aim: to deliver $30,000 in

medical supplies not only as a tangible

expression of support for too often

forgotten Palestinians but as a deliberate

challenge to Israel's grinding and illegal

blockade of Gaza and its people.

Two days later, the two-boat flotilla

approached Gaza. Still in international

waters, the Tahrir was surrounded by an

armada of warships in a predictable show

of Israeli intimidation and force.

Soon, a platoon of heavily armed Israeli

commandos - their faces hidden -

clambered onto the boat after using water

cannons on its peaceful, unarmed crew

and Canadian volunteers.

"We were asked to identify our course.

[We] said: "Our course is the conscience

of humanity". They asked what's your

final destination? We said: "The

betterment of humankind," Heap recalls,

proudly. Given the danger, the Greek

captain and Canadians complied,

although Heap was tasered for refusing to

abandon the captain's cabin housing the

ship's wheelhouse.

would require that such evidence be

presented before any further actions are

taken. "This is a political crisis, created to

destabilize the EU," Polish Prime Minister

Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters in

Warsaw after talks with European Council

President Charles Michel on November

10. "This is a manifestation of national

terrorism, revenge by Lukashenko for our

support for democratic elections in

Belarus." Whatever we may think of

President Alexander Lukashenko and the

state of democracy in Belarus under his

rule, the authors of this article find it

astonishing that Poland, which according

to the Freedom House index published

last year, was downgraded from

"consolidated democracy" to "semiconsolidated

democracy" and labeled this

year by a Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem)

report as world's "most autocratizing

country," prefers to make the situation on

its border even worse rather than find a

peaceful solution. Despite the ongoing

pressure from the West concerning the

outcome of the 2020 elections and the set

of new sanctions being imposed on

Belarus by the EU for allegedly mounting

a "hybrid attack" by encouraging migrants

from the Middle East, Afghanistan and

ANdrew MITrovICA

Later, the now-hijacked Tahrir was

compelled to change course and head for

the port of Ashdod. The abducted crew

and volunteers were searched and jailed

and the cargo stolen.

"We never saw any of it again," Heap

said.

Local Canadian diplomats helped. But

Canada's Conservative then-foreign

minister, John Baird, blamed the

Heap and his many comrades in cause should be.

Together, they have succeeded where a succession of

craven Canadian governments - Conservative and Liberal

alike - has failed: To hold the state of Israel to a real, not

rhetorical, measure of account for its lawless conduct.

Canadians, not Israel, for their

kidnapping and the theft of the Tahrir.

No one was surprised that Baird and his

boss, Prime Minister Stephen Harper -

both evangelical apologists for Israel -

would in effect abandon citizens they were

duty-bound to protect in their nearslavish

defence of Israel.

"They simply parroted Israel's

diplomatic lines," Heap said. "We were

warned not to go… they weren't working

in [our] interests and certainly not in the

interests of international law."

Heap and several other Canadians were

charged - absurdly - with "entering

[Israel] illegally" and deported to Canada

after being held for six days in the

immigration wing of Givon prison, near

Africa to cross the border into Poland, it

does not appear that this will move

anybody in Minsk. As a matter of fact,

ever since Lukashenko was re-elected last

year, he has managed to rescue the

economy from recession and significantly

increase the country's trade volumes,

importantly thanks to exports to the EU.

Notably, Minsk is the biggest exporter of

wood and metals to the bloc, and there is

no consensus among the EU members

when it comes to restrictions on potash

and petroleum imports from Belarus.

The supply-chain disruptions and the

Covid-19 pandemic also work in Belarus'

favor. While the former increased

demand for Belarusian products such as

furniture and machinery, the latter,

followed by the country's loose approach

to lockdowns, has contributed to the

country's growth, as a World Bank report

suggests. Furthermore, almost US$1

billion from the International Monetary

Fund provided in August increased its

foreign-currency reserves.

With 36.1% growth in worldwide

exports between January and September

and 5.8% growth in GDP in the second

quarter year on year, and deepening

economic and political integration with

Ramla. Undeterred, in January 2012,

Heap and his colleagues had lawyers file a

claim in Israel to have the Tahrir and the

medical supplies returned to their rightful

owners.

Israel acknowledged receiving the

paperwork. It promptly forgot about the

pesky, troublesome Canadians and their

claim. "At that point, we didn't expect to

get any semblance of justice," Heap said.

His understandable scepticism was

fuelled by the knowledge that Israeli

gunboats have routinely opened fire and

damaged the nets of Palestinian fishers

without consequence.

Then jurisprudence intervened.

The owners of a Swedish boat, seized by

Israel in international waters en route to

Gaza with much-needed aid in 2012, took

the Israeli Ministry of Defense (MOD or

"ministry of occupation", as Heap calls it)

to court, arguing that it had skirted the law

when it commandeered the ship.

Apparently, the MOD had failed to

notify the country's maritime court in

Haifa and the Swedes that it had snatched

the vessel.

In 2017, the Swedes prevailed in an outof-court

agreement that included

recouping a sizeable chunk of their costs.

This set a crucial precedent that

resurrected the Canadians' dormant

claim. Turns out, the Israeli MOD had also

failed to make a "declaration of seizure"

with the maritime court and inform the

Canadian-Israeli owner that it shanghaied

the Tahrir, as the law requires.

Source: Al Jazeera

Russia, Lukashenko does not have much

to be bothered about, as far as the

economy is concerned.

On November 10, at the request of

Lukashenko, Russia sent two Tupolev Tu-

22M3 strategic bombers to help Belarus

navigate the situation at the border.

Moreover, two Russian Tu-160 strategic

missile-carrying bombers accompanied

by Belarusian Su-30SM fighters

conducted a joint air patrol "for the

purposes of ensuring military security of

the Union State [Russia-Belarus],"

Russia's Defense Ministry reported last

Thursday. On top of that, Minsk

expressed the need to obtain nuclearcapable

Iskander systems from Moscow

to deploy in the south and west of the

country, Lukashenko said in an interview

with Russia's National Defense magazine.

Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have

expressed concern over the crisis on the

border with Belarus and said in a joint

statement issued by the countries' defense

ministries that the current situation

"increases the possibility of provocations

and serious incidents that could also spill

over into the military domain."

Source: Asia times

SUNDAY, NovEMBER 21, 2021

5

England and Wales one step closer

to ending child marriage

KAREN McvEIgH

A ban on child marriage in England

and Wales came a step closer Friday

with cross-party support for a new bill

in the House of Commons. The

marriage and civil partnership

(minimum age) bill had its second

reading in parliament, with

government and opposition MPs

supporting the private member's bill

brought by Conservative MP Pauline

Latham.

The vote was welcomed by

campaigners and survivors of child

marriage who have been lobbying

against the current legislation, which

allows 16 and 17-year-olds to wed

with parental consent.

The bill would raise the minimum

age of marriage and civil partnership

to 18, but also criminalise any

marriage, including non-legalised

religious marriages, under that age,

making "any conduct causing" such a

union an offence. Crucially,

campaigners say, this would take the

onus away from a child to prove their

marriage is forced, and strengthen the

responsibility of professionals in

safeguarding children.

Many cases of child marriage in the

UK are unregistered and "invisible",

campaigners say, taking place in

religious or traditional family settings

at ages lower than 16.

"As a child bride myself, I celebrate

with tears of pain and of joy, as we are

one step closer to ending child

marriages," said Ruby Marie, 38,

from Wales, who was forced to marry

at 15. She now works as an

ambassador for Karma Nirvana, a UK

charity supporting victims of forced

marriage and "honour"-based abuse.

She said that the "child abuse" of

underage marriage can cause lifelong

trauma. "You get PTSD [posttraumatic

stress disorder]," said

Marie, whose father and uncles took

her to Bangladesh to marry and kept

her there until she got pregnant,

months later. "I was lost for a very

long time. I was a child, with the body

of a child. I was raped by a man twice

my age. I felt I was being sold. I was

mentally confused. I loved them, how

would they do this to me? It is mental

torture. This bill will help so many

people."

In Britain, children as young as

seven are at risk of child marriage,

Karma Nirvana said. This year the

group supported 78 children in

England and Wales facing the threat

of forced marriage. Three were under

10 - the youngest, seven - while the

majority, 52 children, were 16 and 17.

Most were of British Pakistani

heritage, but they also helped

Kurdish, Romanian, Turkish and

Afghan children born or living in the

UK. Zeynep* came to London with

her mother in 2016 from her

homeland, where she had already

survived a short-lived marriage to an

abusive man.

"In my country it happens to very

young children," Zaynep said. "It is a

humiliating tradition. I was 12. My

mother told me: 'This is normal.'"

"I want child marriage to be made

illegal, because that way, when you

ask for help you would get it," she

said. "I'm angry I didn't get help and I

don't want that to happen to anyone

else." Fearing she would be remarried

in the UK, Zeynab said she went to the

police for protection four times before

being taken seriously. She hopes a

change in the law would improve

police protection for victims.

Officers came to her house and

initially removed her from her family,

but after two days she was returned to

them. "My family denied everything.

They said I was crazy and I told lies. I

was so disappointed. It was a huge

step for me to go to the police."

At the age of 15, she was married to

a 26-year-old man in the UK. "One

day, he told everyone, my mother-inlaw,

father-in-law, to leave the house.

My mother came on the phone and

said now you need to have sex with

him and prove you are a virgin. He

locked the door. I was so scared. He

raped me."

Second reading of bill to ban marriage for under-18s receives

cross-party support.

Photo: Fabio De Paola

Last year Zeynep gained police

protection and now lives with a foster

family and is supported by the Iranian

and Kurdish Women's Rights

Organisation (IKWRO), which has

long campaigned to ban child

marriage.

"Many bad things have happened to

me," she said. "But having supportive

people around me has helped me,

given me strength. I feel powerful."

"I thought about going to the police

for months," Zaynep said, of her first

attempt to get help in London, at 13. "I

didn't know the number, so I Googled

it. I was so scared. And then, they sent

me back to my family, who denied

everything. My mum threatened to

kill me."

AI starting to have big real-world impact

NIcolA DAvIS

A scientist who wrote a

leading textbook on artificial

intelligence has said experts

are "spooked" by their own

success in the field,

comparing the advance of

AI to the development of the

atom bomb.

Prof Stuart Russell, the

founder of the Center for

Human-Compatible

Artificial Intelligence at the

University of California,

Berkeley, said most experts

believed that machines

more intelligent than

humans would be

developed this century, and

he called for international

treaties to regulate the

development of the

technology.

"The AI community has

not yet adjusted to the fact

that we are now starting to

have a really big impact in

the real world," he told the

Guardian. "That simply

wasn't the case for most of

the history of the field - we

were just in the lab,

developing things, trying to

get stuff to work, mostly

failing to get stuff to work.

So the question of realworld

impact was just not

germane at all. And we have

to grow up very quickly to

catch up."

Artificial intelligence

underpins many aspects of

modern life, from search

engines to banking, and

advances in image

recognition and machine

translation are among the

key developments in recent

years.

Russell - who in 1995 coauthored

the seminal book

Artificial Intelligence: A

Modern Approach, and who

will be giving this year's BBC

Reith lectures entitled

"Living with Artificial

Intelligence", which begin

on Monday - says urgent

work is needed to make sure

humans remain in control

as superintelligent AI is

There is still a big gap between the AI of today and that depicted in films such

as Ex Machina, Prof Stuart Russell says.

Photo: Film4

developed.

"AI has been designed

with one particular

methodology and sort of

general approach. And we're

not careful enough to use

that kind of system in

complicated real-world

settings," he said.

For example, asking AI to

cure cancer as quickly as

possible could be

dangerous. "It would

probably find ways of

inducing tumours in the

whole human population, so

that it could run millions of

experiments in parallel,

using all of us as guinea

pigs," said Russell. "And

that's because that's the

solution to the objective we

gave it; we just forgot to

specify that you can't use

humans as guinea pigs and

you can't use up the whole

GDP of the world to run

your experiments and you

can't do this and you can't

do that."

Russell said there was still

a big gap between the AI of

today and that depicted in

films such as Ex Machina,

but a future with machines

that are more intelligent

than humans was on the

cards. "I think numbers

range from 10 years for the

most optimistic to a few

hundred years," said

Russell. "But almost all AI

researchers would say it's

going to happen in this

century."

One concern is that a

machine would not need to

be more intelligent than

humans in all things to pose

a serious risk. "It's

something that's unfolding

now," he said. "If you look at

social media and the

algorithms that choose what

people read and watch, they

have a huge amount of

control over our cognitive

input."

The upshot, he said, is that

the algorithms manipulate

the user, brainwashing

them so that their behaviour

becomes more predictable

when it comes to what they

chose to engage with,

boosting click-based

revenue. Have AI

researchers become

spooked by their own

success? "Yeah, I think we

are increasingly spooked,"

Russell said.

"It reminds me a little bit

of what happened in physics

where the physicists knew

that atomic energy existed,

they could measure the

masses of different atoms,

and they could figure out

how much energy could be

released if you could do the

conversion between

different types of atoms," he

said, noting that the experts

always stressed the idea was

theoretical. "And then it

happened and they weren't

ready for it."

The use of AI in military

applications - such as small

anti-personnel weapons - is

of particular concern, he

said. "Those are the ones

that are very easily scalable,

meaning you could put a

million of them in a single

truck and you could open

the back and off they go and

wipe out a whole city," said

Russell.

Russell believes the future

for AI lies in developing

machines that know the true

objective is uncertain, as are

our preferences, meaning

they must check in with

humans - rather like a butler

- on any decision. But the

idea is complex, not least

because different people

have different - and

sometimes conflicting -

preferences, and those

preferences are not fixed.

PETER BEAUMoNT

Young people are often seen as having a

bleak worldview, plugged uncritically

into social media and anxious about the

climate crisis, among other pressing

issues.

But a global study commissioned by

the UN's children's agency, Unicef,

appears to turn that received wisdom on

its head. It paints a picture of children

believing that the world is improving

with each generation, even while they

report anxiety and impatience for change

on global heating.

The landmark intergenerational study,

conducted for Unicef by Gallup for World

Children's Day, surveyed two age groups

in 21 countries - aged 15-24 and 40-plus -

sampled from different socioeconomic

groups, to compare attitudes.

The results suggest the younger

generation are more positive and globally

minded than their elders, sceptical of

what they read on social media (only 17%

of young people said they trusted social

media platforms "a lot" for information)

and more invested in science and the

possibility of global cooperation and

international institutions.

The young people surveyed were also

more likely to believe childhood had

improved, voting healthcare, education

and physical safety as being better for

them than it had been for their parents'

generation.

"Born into a more digital,

interconnected and diverse reality, young

people see a world that is largely a better

place for children than the one their

parents grew up in - a safer and more

abundant world that offers children

better education, opportunities and hope

for the future," the report concludes.

"At the same time, young people are

not complacent. They report greater

struggles with mental health conditions.

Amid a sea of mis- and disinformation,

they report low levels of trust in the

information sources they use most."

Unicef's executive director, Henrietta

Fore, said: "There is no shortage of

reasons for pessimism in the world

today: climate change, the pandemic,

poverty and inequality, rising distrust

AAKASH HASSAN

Babawayil, in the foothills of the

Zabarwan mountains by the Sind River,

is a typical village in Indianadministered

Kashmir. Groups of men

and women sit on their lawns breaking

open green husks of walnuts, freshly

gathered from the giant trees shading

the sleepy hamlet. Other villagers are

busy in the paddy fields bringing in the

harvest. Harud, the harvest season, is

usually busy.

Most of the 150 households make their

living from farming and weaving

pashmina shawls. The village, however,

is one of the rare places in south Asia

that has banned dowries and abandoned

the custom of throwing lavish weddings.

Weddings in this part of the world are

usually expensive and can cost a family's

life savings. Money is spent on elaborate

meals served to hundreds of guests -

relatives, friends and neighbours.

As part of the dowry, the bride's family

gives gifts - household appliances,

jewellery, cash and sometimes even a car

for the groom. Often, the wedding

happens only after the dowry is fixed.

Dowries have been illegal in India for

the past six decades, but the custom is

deeply entrenched. An estimated 20

women a day are murdered or kill

themselves in the country because of

Young Ugandans march through Wakiso in a climate protest.

Photo: Isaac Kasamani

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."

Compared with older generations,

she said: "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 the future but

see themselves as part of the solution."

Overall, the data suggests young

people are products of globalisation -

39% identified most with being part of

the world, rather than their own nation

or region, compared with 22% of the

40-plus group. With each additional

year of age, people were on average

about 1% less likely to identify as a

global citizen.

The survey - conducted during the

pandemic - also found young people

were generally more trusting of national

governments, scientists and

dowry demands. Every year there are

more than 8,000 "dowry deaths".

"The stories reaching here about

dowry and expensive weddings were

disturbing," said Bashir Ahmad, imam

of the village mosque. "I would always

wonder how we would be able to marry

our children with these traditions."

Ahmad was among 20 village elders

who met in the winter of 2004 to discuss

how these "evil customs" could be

stopped. After days of deliberation, the

elders presented their ideas to villagers.

They proposed that the bride's family

would not pay anything towards the

wedding. The groom's family would pay

900 Indian rupees (£9) as mehr - an

Islamic obligation that the groom has to

pay to the bride in the form of money or

possessions when they marry - and

15,000 rupees (£150) to the bride's

family. The groom would arrange for

50kg (110lb) of meat and 40kg of rice for

the wedding feast, and only 40 people

from the groom's side were allowed to

attend.

Previously, hundreds of guests could

sit down to the wazwan, a multicourse

feast of Kashmiri cuisine served at

weddings, and dowries could reach

hundreds of thousand of rupees.

Villagers were quick to accept the new

rules. Since then, there have been no

international news media as sources of

accurate information. Yet they were

aware of the problems the world faced.

Joe Daly, senior partner at Gallup, said:

"We cannot know what is on the minds of

young people if we do not ask them.

Unicef's survey reinforces the

importance of hearing from the next

generation and understanding their

perspectives."

The survey found some areas of multigenerational

alignment - notably around

climate, the importance of education,

global collaboration and children's

agency. By contrast, optimism, global

mindedness and recognition of historical

progress reflected some of the deepest

divides.

Fore said: "While this research paints a

nuanced view of the generational divide,

a clear picture emerges: children and

young people embody the spirit of the

21st century far more readily than their

parents."

Why a Kashmiri village

abandoned dowries

Babawayil village, in Kashmir's Sind valley.

Young people more optimistic about

the world than older generations

expensive weddings held in Babawayil

and no dowries have been given.

Last year, villagers updated the

regulations: the groom's family now has

to pay 50,000 rupees (£500) to the

bride's family, which includes 20,000 of

mehr, to account for inflation. There is

no wedding feast - only dates and tea can

be served - and just three people are

allowed to accompany the groom.

"I am proud that everyone in the

village is following these laws," said

Ahmad, whose two sons and two

daughters have married in the last few

years.

The villagers say there has not been a

single reported case of violence or abuse

against a woman since the rules were

introduced, and there have been no

divorces. There is also peer pressure to

follow the rules. Ahmad says anyone

who does not abide by them is ostracised

in the community.

"Our inspiration comes from our

religion," says Iqra Altaf, 25, a

postgraduate student who recently got

married. "Customs like dowry and lavish

weddings are only making the life of

women difficult," she said. "It is leading

to crimes and discrimination against

women, even people do not want to have

a girl child because of these issues. We

have to end this menace."

Photo: Aakash Hassan

SUnDAY, novEMBER 21, 2021 6

Aman harvesting goes on in full swing in Manikganj

MANIKGANJ : The harvesting of Aman

paddy is going on in full swing in all the

seven upazilas of the district.

Farmers are expecting excellent

production of the Transplanted Aman (T-

Aman) rice as the plants of the paddy

grew well for favorable weather condition

alongside getting all necessary agroinputs.

The Department of Agricultural

Extension (DAE) sources said a total of

27,133 hectares of land was brought

under T-Aman cultivation during the

current season in all seven upazilas of the

district although 1,800 hectares

croplands were damaged by the flood

water.

Md Shahjahan Ali Biswas, deputy

director of the DAE said: "Our field level

officials have extended all necessary

supports to provide agro-inputs and

fertilizers according to the fertility of the

land."

A good number of farmers have

cultivated high-yielding varieties of rice

including BRI- 49, BRI-39, BRI-51, BRI-

52 and BINA-7 for getting more profit but

some other growers of the district planted

popular local varieties of Aman paddy on

their croplands like Nazirshail, Rajbhog,

Kotoktara, Paijam and Dapo as usual, the

sources added.

Abdul Hafij, a farmer of Mouhali village

under Baratia union of Ghior upazila,

said he has cultivated T-Aman paddy on

his land after harvesting mustard and

Boro paddy and achieved its good

production.

Like Abdul Hafij, many other farmers

have been cultivating three crops on the

same land for the last few years.

Moreover, they are interested to cultivate

Aman paddy for getting straw for their

cattle.

A group of cultivators of the district

said: "Earlier, we celebrated "Nabanno"

festival at the advent of Bangla month

"Agrahayan" with much festivity as Aman

was the main food crop in the country."

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Shahab Uddin MP

inaugurated the Boro paddy seed and fertilizer distribution activities in

Borolekha yesterday.

Photo : Abdur Rob

Police foil BNP's hunger

strike prog in Khulna

KHULNA : Police foiled

opposition Bangladesh

Nationalist Party's (BNP)

mass hunger strike

programme in Khulna on

Saturday, reports UNB.

The BNP has started a

seven-hour mass hunger

strike programme in

different parts of the

country, including the

capital, in the morning,

demanding that its "critically

ill" chairperson, Khaleda

Zia, be allowed to go abroad

for advanced treatment.

As part of a countrywide

programme, when the

leaders and activists of the

party tried to gather in front

of the party office in Khulna

around 9am, police

obstructed them saying they

did not have any prior

permission.

When some leaders tried

to start their programme

inside the party office, the

police prevented them from

doing so.

Nazrul Islam Manju,

president of the city unit of

BNP, said, "We have

gathered here for a peaceful

programme and it's not a

political process. But the

cops are stopping us."

Hasan Al Mamun, officerin-charge

of Sadar Police

Station, said that no one

would be allowed to

participate in any

programme by occupying

roads and obstructing

traffic. "The party has been

asked to hold its programme

inside the BNP office."

On Thursday, Mirza

Fakhrul announced the

mass hunger strike

programme at a press

conference at BNP

chairperson's Gulshan

office. "The programme will

also be held in all

metropolitan cities and

district towns."

In Kachua, a view exchange meeting was held with the journalists and dignitaries

on sending skilled workers in agriculture to Japan. Photo : Mohammad Mahiuddin

RAB detains

two fraudsters

in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI : Members of

Rapid Action Battalion

(RAB) arrested two

persons on charges of their

involvement in cheating

people in the name of

giving jobs to the

Bangladesh Army.

RAB sources said the

arrested persons were

identified as Shafiqul Islam

alias Babul, 50, a resident

of Vhaluka village of

Tanore upazila, and Anwar

Hossain alias Saber Ali, 52,

a resident of Chandrima

area in Rajshahi

metropolis.

On a tip-off, a team of the

elite force arrested them

from their respective

residences yesterday

morning.

Referring to their

confessional statement

Major Nazmus Saquib of

RAB-5 told the journalists

that the arrested persons

were involved in

manipulating innocent

job-seeking people for a

long time.

4,060 farmers

get agri-inputs

in Panchagarh

PANCHAGARH : Around 4,060 small and marginal farmers

received seeds and fertilizers free of cost in all ten unions of

Debiganj upazila under Panchagarh district .

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Debiganj

upazila arranged the distribution programme under the auspices

of farmers incentive and rehabilitation programme to enhance

production in current fiscal year 2021-2022 on the premises of

upazila agriculture office at noon.

Railways Minister Advocate Nurul Islam Sujon addressed the

programme virtually from Dhaka as the chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the farmer-friendly

government is working relentlessly to modernise the agriculture

sector.

The government is giving subsidy in agriculture sector for

farmer's benefits and to ensure food security for all, he added.

The minister urged the farmers to use modern technology in

agriculture to boost production.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Debiganj (UNO) Prottoy Hasan

presided over the function.

Upazila parishad chairman of Debiganj, Abdul Malek Chistee

was present as special guest. It was addressed, among others, by

female vice-chairman Babul Hossein Sarker, upazila Awami

League president Gias Uddin chowdary. Agriculture officer

Safiar Rahman gave the welcome address.

The seed and fertilizers were distributed among the listed

farmers. Of them 2000 farmers got Maize seeds, 1000 farmers

got wheat, 500 mustard seeds, 400 farmers got groundnut seeds,

100 farmers got onion and 60 farmers got pulse seeds and

necessary fertilizers under incentive programme.

College student

dies after being

hit by train in

Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI : A 24-year-old

college student was killed

when a train hit him near the

faculty of Fine Arts in

Rajshahi University on

Friday afternoon, reports

UNB.

The deceased was

identified as Asadul Islam,

son of Mukul Hossain of

Mushroil of the city. He was

a student of honours third

year at Rajshahi College.

Witnesses said Asadul died

while crossing a level

crossing adjacent to the

Faculty of Fine Arts when the

Chilahati-bound Barendra

Express ran over him around

3pm.

However, police suspect

that he might have

committed suicide.

Emran Hossain, Officerin-Charge

of Chandrima

Police Station, the body has

been kept at the police

station.

It will be known after

investigation whether it is an

accident or suicide, the OC

added.

5-yr-old raped

by cousin in

Bhola

BHOLA : A five-year-old

girl has been allegedly

raped by her cousin at

Jahanpur union of Bhola's

Char Fasson Upazila,

reports UNB.

Police said Shamim, 18, a

Madrasa student, raped

the girl when he found her

alone in the house as her

grandmother went to the

next room on Thursday

morning. Shamim fled the

scene when the girl started

screaming.

Later, the child was

admitted to Char Fashion

Hospital in critical

condition.

Mizanur Rahman,

Officer-in-charge of Char

Fashion Shashibhushan

Police Station, said a case

has been filed against

Shamim.

However, the accused

has not been arrested yet.

Efforts are underway to

arrest theaccused, the OC

added.

Schoolboy

electrocuted

in Gopalganj

GOPALGANJ : A school

boy died after being

electrocuted in Bedgram

area in Gopalganj

municipality yesterday.

The deceased was

identified as Razu Sheikh,

14, hailed from the area.

His mother was also

injured as she tried to save

her boy.

Local people said the

incident occurred

yesterday afternoon when

Razu was catching fish in a

water body close to his

house. He was brought to

Gopalganj 250-bed

Hospital where the duty

doctor Sanjeeb Kumar

Dhar declared him dead.

An organization named 'Prokriti o Jiban Shashtha Seba Kendra' has distributed winter clothes

among the helpless people in Panchagarh.

Photo : Md Anamul Haque

Fake doctor fined Tk 10,000 in Matiranga

ABUL HASHEM, MATIRANGA CORRESPONDENT

A fake doctor named Joynal Abedin

(30) has been fined. Although he has

no experience in medical science, he

has been cheating the public day after

day.

Based on reliable sources, the a

mobile court was conducted after

receiving the news that a fake doctor

was coming to Matiranga for medical

treatment.

At around noon on Saturday

(November 20), the fake doctor was

fined Tk 10,000 from the pharmacy

called Ma Medical Hall in Matiranga

Bazar by the executive magistrate of the

mobile court Md. Hedayet Ullah.

Joynal Abedin has been visiting

patients at Maa Medical Hall Pharmacy

in Matiranga Bazar for the last 4

months. He also used to treat various

complex diseases by introducing

himself as DMA, BHE Health (MBA)

According to the mobile court, Joynal

Abedin is working as a medical

assistant and assistant surgeon at

Cumilla Medical Center.

Matiranga Police Sub-Inspector (SI)

A fake doctor named Joynal Abedin (30) has been fined Tk 10,000 yesterday.

Photo : Abul Hashem

Entomology Division of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur organized

a day-long workshop on Fall Armyworm Management in Bangladesh at Kazi

Badruddoza Auditorium, Bari, Gazipur yesterday.

Photo : Shamsul Haque

95,631 patients recovered from

Covid-19 in Rajshahi division

RAJSHAHI : Fifteen more patients have

recovered from Covid-19 in the division on Friday,

taking the recovery count to 95,631 since

the pandemic began in March last year.

On the contrary, two more people have tested

positive for the deadly disease in two districts

of the division during the same period,

raising the caseload to 99,215 so far.

However, the new positive figure is the lowest-ever

in the division since the second wave

of the pandemic hit the country, said Dr

Habibul Ahsan Talukder, divisional director of

Health, adding that a total of 10 people were

infected on Thursday.

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 23,061 were kept in isolation

units of different dedicated hospitals for institutional

quarantine. Of them, 19,687 have

been released.

Meanwhile, four more people have been sent

to home and institutional quarantine afresh

while two others were released from isolation

during the same time. Of the two new cases,

one each was detected in Bogura and Sirajganj

districts. With the newly detected patients, the

district-wise break-up of the total cases now

stands at 28,190 in Rajshahi including 22,749

in its city, 5,682 in Chapainawabganj, 6,433 in

Naogaon, 8,399 in Natore, 4,650 in Joypurhat,

21,689 in Bogura, 11,415 in Sirajganj and

12,753 in Pabna. A total of 1,14,275 people

have, so far, been kept under quarantine since

March 10 last year to prevent community

transmission of the deadly coronavirus

(COVID-19).

Sumon Nath and Matiranga Upazila

Sanitary and Food Safety Inspector

Mohammad Mizanur Rahman were

present during the court proceedings.

Hedayet Ullah, executive magistrate

of the mobile court and Matiranga

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (ADO), said

that no doctor can provide treatment

using his own pad without a valid

registration from BMDC.

He warned the pharmacy owners not

to practice these fake Dr. Chambers in

the future without verification as well

as warning them not to practice

privately as doctors in the future.

Phd seminar

on 'Village

Court' held

at IU

ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY :

A PhD seminar on 'The

Concept of Access to

Justice and Development

of Village Court in

Bangladesh' was held

yesterday at Islamic

University (IU) in

Kushtia.

Islamic University Law

department arranged the

seminar at the seminar

room of the Law faculty

on the campus around

11:00 am.

IU treasurer Professor

Dr Alamgir Hossain

Bhuiyan addressed the

event as the chief guest

while Professor Dr Nurun

Nahar, Chairperson of the

Law department, was in

the chair.

Professor Dr Halima

Khatun, dean of Law

faculty, Professor Dr M

Selim Toha of law

department addressed

the programme as the

special guests while

associate Professor Dr

Abdul Karim Khan of the

department delivered

speech as the discussant.

Over 50 teachers from

different departments

including Professor Dr

Kazi M Atiqur Rahman,

Professor Dr Shahjahan

Mondol, Professor Dr

Reba Mondol of law

department, Professor Dr

Jahangir Hossain,

Professor Dr Anowar

Hossain of Islamic

History and Culture

department, Professor Dr

Maher, Professor Dr

Shahadat Hossain Azad

of English department

and Professor Dr

Anowarul Haque Swapon

were present here.

PhD fellow M Sazzadur

Rahman Titu presented

his research article at the

function under the

supervision of Professor

Dr Johurul Islam of Law

department.

The fellow, Sazzadur

Rahman, broadly

explained in his research

paper titled 'Role of

Village Courts for Access

to Justice in Bangladesh'

about the types of Justice,

access to justice, principle

of access to justice and

Justice and court system

of Bangladesh.

At a busy market in a poor township outside Harare this week, Nyasha Ndou kept his mask in his

pocket, as hundreds of other people, mostly unmasked, jostled to buy and sell fruit and vegetables

displayed on wooden tables and plastic sheets.

Photo : AP

Scientists mystified, wary, as

Africa avoids COVID disaster

HARARE : At a busy market in a poor

township outside Harare this week,

Nyasha Ndou kept his mask in his

pocket, as hundreds of other people,

mostly unmasked, jostled to buy and sell

fruit and vegetables displayed on

wooden tables and plastic sheets. As in

much of Zimbabwe, here the

coronavirus is quickly being relegated to

the past, as political rallies, concerts and

home gatherings have returned.

"COVID-19 is gone, when did you last

hear of anyone who has died of COVID-

19?" Ndou said. "The mask is to protect

my pocket," he said. "The police demand

bribes so I lose money if I don't move

around with a mask." Earlier this week,

Zimbabwe recorded just 33 new COVID-

19 cases and zero deaths, in line with a

recent fall in the disease across the

continent, where World Health

Organization data show that infections

have been dropping since July.

When the coronavirus first emerged

last year, health officials feared the

pandemic would sweep across Africa,

killing millions. Although it's still unclear

what COVID-19's ultimate toll will be,

that catastrophic scenario has yet to

materialize in Zimbabwe or much of the

continent. Scientists emphasize that

obtaining accurate COVID-19 data,

particularly in African countries with

patchy surveillance, is extremely

Cannabis bust on

Indigenous land

highlights legal divide

SANTA FE : A federal raid on

a household marijuana

garden on tribal land in

northern New Mexico is

sowing uncertainty and

resentment about U.S. drug

enforcement priorities on

Native

American

reservations, as more states

roll out legal marketplaces for

recreational pot sales, reports

UNB.

In late September, Bureau

of Indian Affairs officers

confiscated nine cannabis

plants from a home garden at

Picuris Pueblo that was

tended by Charles Farden, a

local resident since childhood

who is not Native American.

The 54-year-old is enrolled in

the state's medical marijuana

program to ease posttraumatic

stress and anxiety.

Farden said he was startled

to be placed in handcuffs as

federal officers seized mature

plants laden with buds - an

estimated yearlong personal

supply.

New Mexico first approved

the drug's medical use in

2007, while Picuris Pueblo

decriminalized medical pot

for members in 2015. A new

state law in June broadly

legalized marijuana for adults

and authorized up to a dozen

home-grown plants per

household for personal use -

with no weight limit.

"I was just open with the

officer, straightforward.

When he asked what I was

growing, I said, 'My

vegetables, my medical

cannabis,' " Farden said of the

Sept. 29 encounter. "And he

was like, 'That can be a

problem.' "

The raid has cast a shadow

over cannabis as an economic

development opportunity for

Indigenous communities.

difficult, and warn that declining

coronavirus trends could easily be

reversed.

But there is something "mysterious"

going on in Africa that is puzzling

scientists, said Wafaa El-Sadr, chair of

global health at Columbia University.

"Africa doesn't have the vaccines and the

resources to fight COVID-19 that they

have in Europe and the U.S., but

somehow they seem to be doing better,"

she said. Fewer than 6% of people in

Africa are vaccinated. For months, the

WHO has described Africa as "one of the

least affected regions in the world" in its

weekly pandemic reports.

Some researchers say the continent's

younger population-the average age is

20 versus about 43 in Western Europe -

in addition to their lower rates of

urbanization and tendency to spend

time outdoors, may have spared it the

more lethal effects of the virus so far.

Several studies are probing whether

there might be other explanations,

including genetic reasons or past

infection with parasitic diseases.

On Friday, researchers working in

Uganda said they found COVID-19

patients with high rates of exposure to

malaria were less likely to suffer severe

disease or death than people with little

history of the disease. "We went into this

project thinking we would see a higher

rate of negative outcomes in people with

a history of malaria infections because

that's what was seen in patients coinfected

with malaria and Ebola," said

Jane Achan, a senior research advisor at

the Malaria Consortium and a co-author

of the study. "We were actually quite

surprised to see the opposite - that

malaria may have a protective effect."

Achan said this may suggest that past

infection with malaria could "blunt" the

tendency of people's immune systems to

go into overdrive when they are infected

with COVID-19.

The research was presented Friday at a

meeting of the American Society of

Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Christian Happi, director of the

African Center of Excellence for

Genomics of Infectious Diseases at

Redeemer's University in Nigeria, said

authorities are used to curbing

outbreaks even without vaccines and

credited the extensive networks of

community health workers. "It's not

always about how much money you have

or how sophisticated your hospitals are,"

he said.

Devi Sridhar, chair of global public

health at the University of Edinburgh,

said African leaders haven't gotten the

credit they deserve for acting quickly,

citing Mali's decision to close its borders

before COVID-19 even arrived.

Christmas in Bethlehem:Gilded

treasures, but few tourists

BETHLEHEM : Ahead of Christmas, a

towering wooden screen - once blackened

with soot from millions of worshippers'

candles - is being restored to its gilded glory in

the Church of the Nativity, built at the site

where many believe Jesus was born, reports

UNB. But few visitors are expected to see it

during the upcoming Christmas holiday

season.

Biblical Bethlehem has struggled since the

start of the coronavirus pandemic almost two

years ago. Christmas is normally peak season

for tourism in Jesus' traditional birthplace,

located in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In

pre-pandemic times, thousands of pilgrims

and tourists from around the world celebrated

in the Church of the Nativity and the adjacent

Manger Square.

Israel reopened its borders to vaccinated

tourists earlier this month, but relatively few

are expected to travel to Bethlehem this

holiday season, and not nearly as many as in

the record-breaking year preceding the

pandemic. Most tourists visiting Bethlehem

fly into Israel as the West Bank does not have

an airport.

Many of Bethlehem's hotels have shut and

shopkeepers have struggled to keep afloat.

Aladdin Subuh, a shopkeeper whose store sits

just off Manger Square, said he only opens his

doors to air out the shop.

"It's almost Christmas and there's nobody.

Imagine that," he said, surveying the few

passersby in the hopes of spotting a foreigner

in search of a souvenir. "For two years, no

business. It's like dying slowly."

Though the pandemic has blighted the Holy

Land's once thriving tourism industry for

Israelis and Palestinians alike, for tourismdependent

Bethlehem, the impact has been

especially severe. Israel, the primary gateway

for foreign tourists, had banned most foreign

visitors for the past year and half before this

month's reopening.

Just over 30,000 tourists entered Israel in

the first half of November, compared to

421,000 in November 2019, according to

Israel's Interior Ministry.

Ahead of Christmas, a towering wooden screen - once blackened with soot

from millions of worshippers' candles - is being restored to its gilded glory

in the Church of the Nativity, built at the site where many believe Jesus was

born.

Photo : AP

Jury finds Rittenhouse not

guilty in Kenosha shootings

KENOSHA : Kyle

Rittenhouse was acquitted of

all charges Friday after

testifying he acted in selfdefense

in the deadly

Kenosha shootings that

became a flashpoint in the

debate over guns, vigilantism

and racial injustice in the U.S,

reports UNB.

Rittenhouse, 18, began to

choke up, fell forward toward

the defense table and then

hugged one of his attorneys as

he heard a court clerk recite

"not guilty" five times. A

sheriff's deputy whisked him

out a back door.

"He wants to get on with his

life," defense attorney Mark

Richards said. "He has a huge

sense of relief for what the

jury did to him today. He

wishes none of this ever

happened. But as he said

when he testified, he did not

start this."

The verdict in the politically

combustible case was met

with anger and

disappointment from those

who saw Rittenhouse as a

vigilante and a wannabe cop,

and relief and a sense of

vindication from those who

regarded him as a patriot who

took a stand against

lawlessness and exercised his

Second Amendment right to

carry a gun and to defend

himself. Supporters donated

more than $2 million toward

his legal defense.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the

longtime civil rights leader,

said the verdict throws into

doubt the safety of people

who protest in support of

Black Americans.

State lawmaker ill with

COVID in El Salvador

now in Florida

BELLINGHAM : State Sen.

Doug Ericksen of Ferndale

who was sickened with

COVID-19 in El Salvador is

now in stable condition at a

Florida hospital after a

medevac flight, according to

a former state lawmaker,

reports UNB.

Luanne Van Werven, who

served with Ericksen in the

Legislature from 2014 to

2020, told The Bellingham

Herald Friday that Ericksen

is definitely on the road to

recovery.

Ericksen, a Republican

who represents the 42nd

District in Whatcom County,

wrote to his legislative

colleagues last week that he

tested positive for COVID-19

in El Salvador and needed

monoclonal antibodies, the

same Regeneron treatment

that former President

Trump received in 2020.

"It was obviously serious

when he was back in El

Salvador, but he's definitely

on the mend," Van Werven,

of Lynden, told the

newspaper, saying he was in

a hospital in Fort

Lauderdale.

Van Werven said she

texted with Ericksen and

spoke to his wife.

SAN JOSE : Fallen Silicon Valley star

Elizabeth Holmes, accused of

bamboozling investors and patients

about her startup Theranos and its

medical device that she said would

reshape health care, took the witness

stand late Friday in her trial for criminal

fraud, reports UNB.

The surprise decision to have Holmes

testify so early in her defense came as a

bombshell and carries considerable risk.

Federal prosecutors, who rested their

months-long case earlier on Friday, have

made it clear that they're eager to grill

Holmes under oath.

Prosecutors aren't likely to get that

chance until after the Thanksgiving

holiday weekend. Holmes attorney

Kevin Downey told U.S. District Judge

Edward Davila that he expects to

continue steering her through her story

when she returns to the stand Monday

and again Tuesday in a San Jose,

California, courtroom before the trial

breaks until Nov. 29.

Prosecutors called 29 witnesses to

support their contention that Holmes

endangered patients' lives while also

suNDAY, November 21, 2021

7

Facing surge, Austria will mandate

COVID-19 shots, lock down

VIENNA : Austria announced a national

lockdown and a plan to mandate

vaccinations as coronavirus infections hit a

record high Friday, forcing the government

to walk back promises that strict shutdowns

were a thing of the past, reports UNB.

While the scope of the proposed mandate

was unclear, a blanket requirement would be

a first for a Western country. Chancellor

Alexander Schallenberg said those who

didn't comply would likely be fined but gave

no other details.

The moves come as vaccinations in Austria

have plateaued at one of the lowest rates in

Western Europe, and as hospitals in heavily

hit states have warned that their intensive

care units are reaching capacity. Average

daily deaths have tripled in recent weeks -

though the number of fatalities reported over

the past week remains well below the high of

last winter and 13 U.S. states are already

seeing more deaths per 100,000 people.

Earlier this month, Schallenberg indicated

a full lockdown would not be needed and

instead imposed the restrictions only on

those not vaccinated.

The lockdown will start Monday and

initially will last for 10 days, when it will be

reevaluated, Schallenberg said. Starting Feb.

1, the country will also make vaccinations

mandatory - though the chancellor gave few

details about what that meant or how it

would work.

"Increasing the vaccination rate - and I

think we're all in agreement on this - is our

only way to break out of this vicious cycle of

viral waves and lockdown discussions for

good," Schallenberg said. "We don't want a

fifth wave, we don't want a sixth and seventh

wave."

Austria is among several Western

European countries where infections are

rising rapidly and where there are concerns

that vaccination rates, while relatively high,

are insufficient to hold off a winter surge at

hospitals.

Thanks largely to inoculation, hospitals in

the region are not under the same pressure

they were earlier in the pandemic, but many

are still straining to handle rising numbers of

COVID-19 patients while also attempting to

clear backlogs with exhausted or sick staff.

Austria announced a national lockdown and a plan to mandate vaccinations as

coronavirus infections hit a record high Friday, forcing the government to

walk back promises that strict shutdowns were a thing of the past. Photo : AP

US opens COVID boosters to

all adults, urges them for 50+

WASHINGTON : The U.S. on Friday opened

COVID-19 booster shots to all adults and

took the extra step of urging people 50 and

older to seek one, aiming to ward off a winter

surge as coronavirus cases rise even before

millions of Americans travel for the holidays,

reports UNB.

Until now, Americans faced a confusing

list of who was eligible for a booster that

varied by age, their health and which kind of

vaccine they got first. The Food and Drug

Administration authorized changes to Pfizer

and Moderna boosters to make it easier.

Under the new rules, anyone 18 or older can

choose either a Pfizer or Moderna booster six

months after their last dose. For anyone who

got the single-dose Johnson and Johnson

vaccine, the wait already was just two

months. And people can mix-and-match

boosters from any company.

"We heard loud and clear that people

needed something simpler - and this, I think,

is simple," FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter

Marks told The Associated Press.

The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention had to agree before the new

policy became official late Friday. CDC

Elizabeth Holmes takes the stand

in her criminal fraud trial

duping investors and customers about

Theranos' technology. Among them was

Gen. James Mattis, a former U.S.

defense secretary and former Theranos

board member, who explained how he

was first impressed and ultimately

disillusioned by Holmes.

They also presented internal

documents and sometimes salacious

texts between Holmes and her former

lover, Sunny Bulwani, who also served as

Theranos' chief operating officer. In

court documents, Holmes' attorneys

have asserted she was manipulated by

Balwani through "intimate partner

abuse" - an issue that is expected to come

up during her ongoing testimony next

week.

Until she took the stand Friday,

Holmes had sat bolt upright in her chair

to the far right of the jury through the

trial, impassive even when one-time

supporters testified to their misgivings

about Theranos.

That combination of compelling

testimony and documentary evidence

apparently proved effective at

convincing Holmes to tell her side of the

Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky endorsed a

recommendation from her agency's

scientific advisers that - in addition to

offering all adults a booster - had stressed

that people 50 and older should be urged to

get one.

"It's a stronger recommendation," said

CDC adviser Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser

Permanente Colorado. "I want to make sure

we provide as much protection as we can."

The CDC also put out a plea for those who

had previously qualified but hadn't yet

signed up for a booster to quit putting it off -

saying older Americans and people with

risks such as obesity, diabetes or other health

problems should try to get one before the

holidays.

The expansion makes tens of millions

more Americans eligible for an extra dose of

protection.

The No. 1 priority for the U.S., and the

world, still is to get more unvaccinated

people their first doses. All three COVID-19

vaccines used in the U.S. continue to offer

strong protection against severe illness,

including hospitalization and death, without

a booster.

story to the jury of 10 men and four

women (including two alternates) who

will ultimately decide her fate. If

convicted, Holmes-now 37 and mother

to a recently born son-could be

sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

Shortly after 3 p.m., Holmes walked

slowly to the stand before a rapt

courtroom filled with spectators and

jurors, all wearing masks.

Maskless behind a transparent barrier,

Holmes recounted her early years as a

student at Stanford University and her

interest in disease detection. That

culminated in her decision to drop out of

school in 2003 at the age of 19 to found

the startup that eventually became

Theranos. Holmes said the name was

derived from the words "therapy" and

"diagnosis".

Holmes said she convinced her

parents to let her use her college savings

to finance her ambitions to shake up the

health care industry. "I started working

all the time ... trying to meet people who

could help me could build this," Holmes

said in a husky voice that became one of

her trademarks during Theranos' rise.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

8

Prime Bank subscribed BDT 2.00 billion in the preference shares issued by United Mymensingh

Power Ltd (UMPL), one of the concerns of United Group - a leading business conglomerate of

Bangladesh. As part of the group's initiative to explore alternative instruments to support its financing

requirement, Prime Bank arranged and subscribed the preference shares. To grace the ceremony,

Moinuddin Hasan Rashid, Managing Director and Hasan Mahmood Raja, Chief Advisor of UMPL

along with Hassan O. Rashid, Managing Director & CEO and Shams A. Muhaimin, Deputy Managing

Director of Prime Bank were present with other senior officials from both the organizations.

Commenting on the subscription, the Managing Director & CEO of Prime Bank Hassan O. Rashid

said, "Prime Bank has long been supporting the capacity building of power sector in Bangladesh

through both long-term and short term financing. I believe our continuous investment in power sector

will fuel economic growth".

Photo: Courtesy

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, M.P. is seen with ICCB President

Mahbubur Rahman, ICCB Vice President A. K. Azad, Former Foreign

Minister Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, M.P., Apex Group Chairman

Syed Manzur Elahi, Envoy Group Chairman Kutubuddin Ahmed, Purbani

Group Chairman Abdul Hai Sarker, Evince Group Chairman, Anwar ul

Alam Chowdhury (Parvez), Square Group Managing Director Tapan

Chowdhury and BKMEA Executive President Mohammad Hatem at the

Inaugural Ceremony of the ICCB New Office at Gulshan and Launching of

ICCB Business Directory on 20 November 2021.

Photo: Courtesy

Tipu Munshi inaugurates ICC Bangladesh

New Secretariat at Gulshan

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, M.P.

inaugurated the National Committee

Secretariat of International Chamber of

Commerce-Bangladesh (ICCB)-The

World Business Organization at Gulshan

recently. In his inaugural address Munshi

appreciated the role played by the

business community in the overall development

of the country and making

Bangladesh today the fastest growing

economy in the world. He wished that

business community together with public

sector will continue to work to fulfill the

vision of Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina in

making Bangladesh a developed country

by 2041. He congratulated ICC

Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman,

Members of the Executive Board as

well as the Members Patrons in setting up

a state-of-the-art Secretariat and

expressed his hope that in future ICC

Bangladesh will play same positive role for

further development of the country, a

press release said.

The Minister also launched ICCB Business

Directory which contains basic information

about Bangladesh, information

for trade and investment and FDI. The

first Directory was published in 2008.

ICC Bangladesh President Mahbubur

Rahman in his welcome address said that

Star Line Pitha Competition

is being held across country

like the previous year. It's

time we get the warmth of

the traditional country-cake

delight with Pitha during the

upcoming winter chill out.

The Star Line Pitha

Competition will start from

3rd December, 2021 till

18th February , 2022 at the

RAOWA Club, Mohakhali

DOHS,

Dhaka,

supplemented by health and

nutritional advisory ,

maintaining social distance

and regulatory face masks

on for compulsory. This

competition will start on 3rd

December the countrywide

Meherpur, Gopalganj,

Jessore, Chandpur, Feni,

Chattogram, Sylhet,

Rangpur, Rajshahi, Barishal

and Dhaka, a press release

said.

Main Uddin, Director of

Star Line Food Products Ltd.

& Lobbi Rahman, founder

ICCB started it's journey at a small office

located at premises of DCCI and with 17

members. ICCB have 10 Chambers of

Commerce and Business Associations

Members under Organization Category

(FBCCI, DCCI, MCCI, CCCI, FICCI, BAB,

BIA, BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMA) and

128 Members under Corporate Category

(31 commercial banks, 7 non-banking

financial institutions, 10 insurance companies,

5 law firms, 56 national companies

and 19 Transnational companies).

Rahman mentioned that ICCB had so far

organized seven International and Regional

Conferences which were attended by

Heads of State, Heads of Governments,

Ministers, Heads of International Agencies,

business leaders, professional and experts

from home and abroad. The latest Conference

was held on 10-12 December 2019.

The President of the People's Republic of

Bangladesh Abdul Hamid inaugurated the

Conference, he noted.

Mahbubur Rahman acknowledged

ICCB Founding Vice President Late Latifur

Rahman, A. K. Azad, Kutubuddin

Ahmed, Anwar ul Alam Chowdhury

(Parvez), Tapan Chowdhury. A.S.M.

Quasem and Md. Fazlul Haque played the

key role in mobilizing the resources for

buying new office premises.

President of Lobbi

Rahman's Cooking

Foundation have announced

jointly for the Pitha

competition in Dhaka

recently. Ferdous Alam

Mojumder, Managing

Director of Frontline

Communications Limited

was present in the occasion.

UK retail sales

grow for first

time in six

months

LONDON : British retail

sales rose in October after

five months of zero growth

thanks to early Christmas

purchases, official data

showed Friday, reports BSS.

Sales by volume climbed

0.8 percent from

September, the Office for

National Statistics said in a

statement.

"After five months of no

growth, retail sales picked

up in October," ONS chief

economist Grant Fitzner

said in a statement.

"Clothing, department

stores and toy shop sales

reported a boost... with

some retailers suggesting

that early Christmas

shopping helped to bolster

trade," he added.

ICCB Vice President A.K. Azad in his

vote of thanks recalled the role played by

founding ICCB Vice President Latifur

Raman for his guidance and continuous

support to ICC Bangladesh in carrying out

his various activities since the National

Secretariat was set up in 1994. He thanked

the Commerce Minister for inaugurating

the new Secretariat and for his assurance

in extending to full support of his Ministry

to the business community. He also

thanked the Members and Patrons for

attending the inaugural ceremony.

The inaugural ceremony among others

were attended by Apex Group Chairman

Syed Manzur Elahi, Former Foreign

Minister Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud,

M.P.; Pubali Bank Chairman

Monzurur Rahman; IPDC Chairman

Md. Abdul Karim; Salahuddin Kasem

Khan, Director, A.K. Khan & Company

Ltd,; ICCB Executive Board Members :

Abdul Hai Sarker; A. S. M. Quasem;

Aftab ul Islam; Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury

(Parvez); Faruque Hassan;

Kutubuddin Ahmed; Mahbubul Alam;

Md. Fazlul Hoque; Mir Nasir Hossain;

Mohammad Hatem; Simeen Rahman;

Tapan Chowdhury and M.D/ CEOs of

Commercial Banks, National and Multinational

Companies.

Star Line Pitha competition begins

The interested culinary

artiste are requested to

registration their names by

authorized persons of the

respective Districts.

IMF renews

$50 b credit

line for Mexico

WASHINGTON : The IMF

announced Friday it has

renewed a two-year credit

line for Mexico for $50

billion, reports BSS.

The Mexican economy

remains exposed to risks,

including from the impact of

Covid-19, and the flexible

credit line (FCL) will provide

insurance against those risks

and bolster market

confidence,

the

International Monetary

Fund said in a statement.

The government considers

the credit line

"precautionary" and has

gradually reduced the

amount since 2017, when it

totaled nearly $90 billion,

the IMF said.

"The Mexican economy is

rebounding from its deepest

recession in decades,

spurred by strong US growth

and rising vaccination

rates," said Geoffrey

Okamoto, the IMF's first

deputy managing director.

"The authorities have

successfully maintained

external, financial, and fiscal

stability, despite the

pandemic-related

challenges."

Padma Bank Limited launches very

attractive Loan scheme 'Padma-

Proyojon' for customers. Besides, car,

home and personal loan schemes will

also be available without any hassle in a

short time, a press release said.

On Saturday at the BGB Hall of

Dhanmondi in the capital, the Padma-

Proyojon' was officially unveiled at a

customer gathering and exchange

meeting organized by Padma Bank

Limited's Dhaka South Zone.

Md. Ehsan Khasru, Managing

Director and CEO of Padma Bank

spoke on the occasion as the chief guest

and officially inaugurated the 'Padma-

Proyojon' loan. Deputy Managing

Director Faisal Ahsan Chowdhury was

the special guest.

If anyone has a minimum balance of

5,000/- taka in the last six months at

Asia markets mostly up but Alibaba

plunge hammers Hong Kong

HONG KONG : Hong Kong tumbled Friday

on an otherwise positive day for Asian

markets, with Chinese ecommerce titan

Alibaba tanking more than 10 percent after

warning of a weaker outlook, reports BSS.

Alibaba said Thursday that net profit

tumbled 81 percent in the second quarter and

revenue grew less than forecast as it was hit by

the impact of slowing economic growth and a

government crackdown on the tech sector.

The firm, once the poster child of China's

high-flying private enterprises, also said

income growth over the rest of the fiscal year

fell short of expectations, adding that certain

factors could further impact results including

"changes in laws, regulations and (the)

regulatory environment" such as those related

to privacy and data.

The sharp loss in Hong Kong reflected a

more than 11 percent fall in its New York

shares and comes after a painful year that has

seen the firm in the crosshairs of Beijing's

regulatory drive to rein in companies it

thought were growing too powerful.

With Alibaba a big player on Hong Kong's

Hang Seng Index, the market plunged 1.7

percent, and other tech firms including

Tencent, NetEase and XD also fell.

However, losses were limited elsewhere in

Asia, with only Wellington and Manila down.

Tokyo climbed as the government

announced plans to inject almost $500 billion

into the Japanese economy to kickstart the

any account of the bank, will get the

required loan. Per month installments

are only 90/- taka.

Md. Ehsan Khasru, Managing

Director and CEO of Padma Bank, said

that this exceptional loan has been

introduced only to provide financial

support to the customers at their need.

He thanked the customers for being

with Padma Bank with confidence.

Apart from the success of the bank in

investment, remittance, deposit and

recovery, Padma-Wallet, Padma-ibanking,

Padmabati for women

customers and Padma Pratidin-various

modern products of the bank were

presented to the customers.

Padma Bank Chief Operating Officer

Zabed Amin and CFO Md. Shoriful

Islam also spoke on the occasion. The

Bangladesh country economist of the

pandemic recovery. There were also gains in

Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Seoul, Taipei

and Jakarta.

Traders had been given a positive lead from

Wall Street, where all three main indexes

ended just short of record highs, though focus

remains on surging inflation and growing

expectations that central banks will tighten

monetary policy sooner.

Data this month has shown prices rising at

levels not seen for three decades in the United

States, 18 years in Canada and 10 years in the

United Kingdom owing to soaring energy

costs and global supply chain snarls. Finance

chiefs in some countries including South

Korea and New Zealand have already hiked

interest rates, and the Bank of England is

expected to follow suit before the end of the

year.

But eyes are on the Federal Reserve, which

has already announced plans to wind down its

vast bond-buying programme but is now

facing increasing pressure to hike borrowing

costs as soon as mid-2022.

"The oil market deficit will still remain

despite the tapping of reserves and the next

big move for prices will most likely depend on

the weather," said OANDA's Edward Moya.

"Natural gas prices may be the key shortterm

driver as Russia plays hardball with

Europe. Any natural gas shortages will lead to

additional crude demand as the scramble for

alternative energy sources intensifies."

‘Padma-Proyojon’ loan and Padma Bank's Dhaka

South Zone Customer meeting held

SHANGHAI : Chinese e-commerce

leader Alibaba Group said on Thursday

its latest quarterly profit tumbled 81

percent and lowered its outlook in the

face of slowing economic growth and a

government crackdown on Big Tech,

reports BSS.

Alibaba said profit came in at 5.37

billion yuan ($833 million) for the July-

September period, falling from 28.77

billion yuan earned over the same

stretch last year.

It cited no direct impact on its profit

from the clampdown, instead blaming

the decline on "increased investments in

key strategic areas" such as lower-tier

segments of its consumer markets and

international operations. However,

revenue also slightly missed forecasts by

analysts polled by Bloomberg News.

The Hangzhou-based company's

revenues-generated mainly by its core e-

commerce operations-reached 200.7

billion yuan, up 29 percent. It forecast

revenue growth of 20-23 percent for the

full 2022 fiscal year, down from at least

27 percent that had been expected by

analysts. Alibaba also said certain

factors could further impact eventual

results including "changes in laws,

regulations and (the) regulatory

environment" such as those related to

privacy and data.

Alibaba's earnings have been

anticipated as a gauge of how one of the

country's highest-profile companies was

faring under the government's drive to

rein in big tech.

Chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang,

speaking after the earnings

announcement, said Alibaba would

continue to invest heavily in developing

its businesses and that company

executives remained "very confident in

our business strategy and our future."

Earlier on Thursday, Alibaba's main e-

commerce rival JD.com announced that

it had fared even more poorly, posting a

loss of 2.8 billion yuan. Both companies

have shares listed in the United States

and Hong Kong. Alibaba shares in New

York tumbled more than 10 percent in

late morning trading. JD.com rose three

percent. China's ruling Communist

Party has relied upon its tech giants to

push forward a digital transformation in

the country.

But it abruptly turned on the sector

late last year as concerns mounted over

its aggressive expansion and allegations

of monopolistic practices and data

abuses-paralleling similar unease with

tech firms in the United States and

elsewhere.

UNDP Dr. Nazneen Ahmed greets the

customers. During this time Dr.

Nazneen praised 'Padma-Proyojon'

and other loan schemes, saying that

these timely products would play a

significant role in the needs of the

customers.

Among others Head of Human

Resources M Ahsan Ullah Khan,

Business Head Khandaker Zibanur

Rahman, Law & Recovery Head Firoz

Alam and other senior officials, local

dignitaries and journalists were

present on the occasion.

The fourth generation Padma Bank

Limited, which is owned by the

government-owned Sonali, Janata,

Agrani, Rupali Bank and ICB, has been

providing modern banking services to

its customers through 58 branches

across the country.

Alibaba profit tumbles, outlook

lowered as China reins in tech

Alibaba was first to feel the wrath. Last

year the government scuppered what

would have been a world-record stock

IPO by Alibaba's financial arm, Ant

Group, and in April fined Alibaba a

record $2.78 billion for anti-competitive

practices, which dragged Alibaba to a

rare quarterly loss earlier this year. The

government has also introduced new

regulations and other curbs aimed at

bringing major Chinese digital players to

heel, sending their share prices

tumbling.

Last week, gaming and messaging

giant Tencent reported its slowest

revenue growth since 2004. The

government's crackdown has included

measures to restrict playing time by

minors and has slowed approvals for

new titles in the world's biggest gaming

market.

On Wednesday, Baidu reported a net

loss as the government tightening

appeared to have weakened prospects

for its important online marketing

revenues.Alibaba reported record sales

on its platforms during its annual

November 1-11 "Singles Day" shopping

festival-China's answer to the US "Black

Friday" event though it was markedly

more low key than in past years due to

the government pressure.

Los Angeles superstar LeBron James scored 23 points in his return from

an eight-game injury absence but the Boston Celtics spoiled the Lakers'

welcome back party with a dominant 130-108 NBA victory. Photo : AP

Celtics down Lakers to spoil James's

return, Warriors beat Pistons

LOS ANGELES : Los Angeles

superstar LeBron James

scored 23 points in his return

from an eight-game injury

absence but the Boston

Celtics spoiled the Lakers'

welcome back party with a

dominant 130-108 NBA

victory.

James made 10 of 16

attempts, including three of

seven from three-point

range. He pulled down six

rebounds and handed out

two assists in his first game

since suffering an abdominal

strain in a victory over the

Houston Rockets on

November 2.

James used his jump shot,

rarely driving through

Boston's defense. He had just

one free-throw attempt and

missed it, just the 23rd time

in 1,317 career contests that

he failed to make a foul shot

in a game.

The Celtics, meanwhile,

finished with 56 points in the

paint. They trailed by 14

early, but out-scored the

Lakers 33-21 in the third

quarter to take an 11-point

lead into the final period.

The fourth quarter also

belonged to Boston, who outscored

the Lakers 37-26 in

the final period as they rolled

to victory.

"They turned it up a notch

and we didn't," said Lakers

guard Russell Westbrook,

who scored 12 points.

Boston's Jayson Tatum led

all scorers with 37 points and

pulled down 11 rebounds.

Marcus Smart added 22

points and former Laker

Dennis Schroder added 21.

Anthony Davis paced the

Lakers with 31 points. He

said he thought James

"looked like his old self" but

said the team would

inevitably need to make

adjustments after playing

without him for two weeks.

James said there was work

to do after yet another dismal

third quarter performance

from the Lakers.

But, he added: "There's no

level of panic.

"There should be a sense of

urgency anytime we hit the

floor. We have to figure out

how we can keep that sense

of urgency as close to 48

minutes as possible."

James said physically he

"felt OK.

"I'm more looking forward

to seeing how I feel

tomorrow when I wake up.

That is the tell-tale sign if I'm

going in the right direction

with my injury," he said.

In Detroit, Golden State's

Jordan Poole stepped up

with superstar Stephen

Curry sitting out, scoring a

season-high 32 points to

Qatar and PSG, a lasting bond

beyond the 2022 World Cup

propel the league-leading

Warriors to a 105-102 victory

over the Pistons.

Andrew Wiggins added 27

points and Nemanja Bjelica

added 14 off the bench for

Golden State, who were

without Curry a day after he

scored 40 points despite a

sore hip in a 104-89 victory

over the Cavaliers in

Cleveland.

Bundesliga leaders Bayern suffer

'bitter' defeat at Augsburg

AUGSBURG : Bundesliga

leaders Bayern Munich

crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat

at strugglers Augsburg on

Friday without Germany

midfielder Joshua Kimmich,

who is back in quarantine

after contact with someone

who tested positive for

Covid-19.

Goals by Mads Pedersen

and Andre Hahn put

Augsburg 2-0 up and

although

Robert

Lewandowski claimed his

14th goal in 12 league games,

it was not enough to rescue

Bayern.

"We deserve to fall behind

in the first half," Thomas

Mueller told DAZN after his

600th appearance for

Bayern ended in

disappointment, reports

UNB. "We gave away

possession, dealt with

crosses badly. This is a bitter

setback for us and our

confidence."

The Bundesliga leaders

suffered only their second

league defeat this season

and their third in all

competitions while

Augsburg escaped the

bottom three.

Second-placed Borussia

Dortmund can now trim

Bayern's four-point lead

when they host Stuttgart on

Saturday.

Thick fog shrouded the

Augsburg Arena, but the

hosts were crystal clear with

their game plan.

Brazilian left-back Iago

caused havoc on the flank as

Augsburg, who were third

from bottom before kick-off,

raced into a deserved 2-0

lead. Iago floated in a cross

to Swiss striker Andi Zeqiri,

who laid the ball off to

Pedersen to drill his first

Bundesliga goal past Manuel

Neuer after 23 minutes.

With Kimmich again

watching at home having

only been released from

house quarantine on

Tuesday, Bayern struggle in

midfield.

Augsburg doubled their

lead to the joy of home fans

when Kimmich's

replacement Marcel Sabitzer

lost possession and Iago

again swung in a cross which

Hahn headed home on 36

minutes.

Bayern responded when

Thomas Mueller deftly

flicked the ball into the path

of Lewandowski who drilled

his shot home despite

Augsburg goalkeeper Rafal

Gikiewicz getting a glove to

the ball.

With Bayern 2-1 down at

the break, Julian

Nagelsmann plugged the

pace on the flanks by

bringing on right-back

Alphonso Davies - who

Mueller nicknamed

'Bayern's Road Runner'.

suNDAY, NovemBer 21, 2021

9

Bangladesh fined for slow over rate

DHAKA : Team Bangladesh have been

fined 20 percent of their match fees for

maintaining a slow over-rate in the first of

the three-match T20 International series

against Pakistan on Friday, reports BSS.

The International Cricket Council (ICC)

said the hosts were ruled to be one over

short of the target after time allowances

were taken into consideration.

In accordance with the ICC Code of

Conduct for Players and Player Support

Personnel, which relates to minimum overrate

offences, players are fined 20 per cent

of their match fees for every over their side

fails to bowl in the allotted time.

Meanwhile, Pakistan fast bowler

Hasan Ali was reprimanded for

breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of

Conduct in the same match.

Hasan was found to have breached ICC

Code of Conduct for Players and Player

Support Personnel, which relates to "using

language, actions or gestures which

disparage or which could provoke an

aggressive reaction from a batter upon

his/her dismissal during an International

Match."

The incident occurred in the 17th over of

Bangladesh's innings, when Hasan gave an

inappropriate sendoff to batter Nurul

Hasan after dismissing him caught behind

the wicket.

As a result one demerit point has been

added to the disciplinary record of Hasan,

for whom it was the first offence in a 24-

month period.

Bangladesh team was fined 20 percent of their match fees for maintaining

a slow over-rate against visiting Pakistan in the first T20 in Dhaka on

Friday.

Photo : AP

PARIS : Qatar's investment

in French giants Paris

Saint-Germain, and its use

of the club as a central tool

for the gas-rich emirate's

soft power diplomacy over

the past decade, is unlikely

to change after next year's

World Cup, experts predict.

What is Qatar going to do

after the tournament? Will

it pour money into the club

on the same scale, having

spent over a billion euros

since the 2011 takeover by

Qatar Sports Investments

(QSI), albeit without

winning the Champions

League, European football's

holy grail?

This question is quietly

mulled by the ranks of

French football observers,

and in particular PSG

supporters, who have seen

Kylian Mbappe, Neymar

and Lionel Messi move to

the French capital.

In football terms, the

sums are huge. Yet it

appears almost irrelevant to

gas-rich Qatar.

"I think the World Cup is

just one part, it's already a

triumph itself for Qatar to

have obtained it. But that

shouldn't in any way

change their policy,"

believes Raphael Le

Magoariec, a PhD

researcher in geopolitics

specialised in the Gulf

countries.

Predicting the future and

diplomatic strategy of a

country is a perilous

exercise, experts

questioned by AFP warn.

The risks are manifold,

and several factors can

intervene to change the

perspective at any given

moment. But the tidal wave

ridden by the emirate for

nearly 30 years seems well

anchored to Qatar's

strategy.

Coined in the late 1980s,

the term "soft power" was

popularized by the

American political scientist

Joseph Nye, co-founder of

the international relations

theory of neoliberalism,

who served in both the

Carter and Clinton

administrations.

It refers to the power of

influence, the persuasion of

others through appeal and

attraction, without coercive

means.

"Shortly after the invasion

of Kuwait by the United

States, Qatar asked itself

the question, 'Who can

prevent them from such an

attack?' It's not its army,

nor its oil tankers, nor its

technology. It's Western

public opinion," said

geopolitics expert Marc

Lavergne, the director of

research at the French

Nations Centre for

Scientific Research and the

University of Tours.

"Qatar has developed a

whole set of pillars that can

be linked to soft power,

such as art and a global

sports policy in which Paris

Saint-Germain is a tool of

seduction worldwide. It's

the construction of a

smooth image, exotic,

idealised. Qatar is not going

to stop developing this

strategy tomorrow," he

added.

sUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2021

10

Shooting of ‘Bangabandhu’

biopic resumes today

ZEE5 Global

launches

‘Amader Bari’

TBT REPORT

ZEE5 Global, the world's largest streaming

platform for South Asian content, announced its

new Bangla web series Amader Bari, with its trailer

launching yesterday (17 November, 2021). Directed

by Qazi Rahat, the sitcom features an ensemble of

talented actors including Tariq Anam Khan, Deepa

Khandakar, Rawnak Hasan, Nader Chowdhury,

Naziba Basher, Sadika Swarna, among others.

Amader Bari's story revolves around a happy,

united family whose power lies in the love rooted

within the relationship and how it helps the family

overcome the real crisis of the outer world. This

ZEE5 Original Drama Series deals with everyday

familial comedies and emotional moments which

brings the family members even closer.

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5

Global, said, "We have always focused on

entertaining our viewers around the world

through relatable story-telling from India,

Pakistan and Bangladesh. Our Bangladeshi

Originals have received much love, not only in

Bangladesh but across the globe. After the

successful launch of our new format and first

ZEE5 Original Drama Series, we are elated to

bring yet another 20 episodic entertaining family

drama, 'Amader Bari' - a Bangladeshi Original for

our audience across the globe"

Director Qazi Rahat, said, "As a kid in the early

nineties, I have grown up watching so many family

dramas on television. So it has always been

fascinating for me how these genres are being made.

As this is my Debut Original Drama Series, I gave all

my efforts to create something which would really be

worth watching and entertaining. Besides, I have a

wonderful team of writers who were always there

throughout the whole process. Veteran actors Tariq

Anam Khan, Rawnak Hasan, Deepa Khandakar and

Nader Chowdhury gave their best effort in this

project. I am extremely thankful to ZEE5 for giving

this web-series a global platform. "

Users can download the ZEE5 app from Google

Play Store / iOS App Store, on Roku devices, Apple

TVs, Android TVs, and Amazon Fire Stick. ZEE5 is

also available on www.ZEE5.com.

Pori, Roshan starrer ‘Mukhosh’

to hit theatres on Jan 21

TBT REPORT

'Mukhosh', the first directorial debut of popular

small-screen director Iftekhar Shuvo, is scheduled to

hit the theatres on January 21.

The director of the film confirmed the news to The

Business Post. The official poster of the film, which

features Pori Moni, Ziaul Roshan and Mosharraf

Karim in lead roles, was released online on Monday.

"This is my first film. I hope the audience will love

it. The storyline is very unique and it will attract the

audience. Another poster of the film will be released

this month. The trailer of the movie will be released

on January 1," Iftekhar Shuvo told.

The story of the film is based on the novel written

by Iftekhar Shuvo named 'Page Number Forty Four'.

This film is of the thriller genre.

Shuvo said, "Mosharraf Karim will play the

character of a writer while Pori Moni will be playing

the character of a journalist. Jiaul Roshan will play

the character of a film star." According to the

director, it will be the first film featuring the Pori

Moni in 2022.

Shuvo will also co-produce the governmentfunded

film for the fiscal year 2019-2020. Besides

directing, the dialogues and screenplay of the film

are also written by him.

The shooting of the film began in Savar in January.

The film was shot in different locations, including

the Ekushey Book Fair, Sylhet, Tangail, FDC, and

the chars of the river Padma.

The film also stars Azad Abul Kalam, Iresh Zaker,

Pran Roy, Rashed Mamun Apu, Elina Shammi, and

Faruk Ahmed among others.

TBT REPORT

National Film Award winning

Dhallywood Superstar Arifin

Shuvoo and popular actress

Nusraat Faria have worked

together in movies before but

this time they are working in

the upcoming Bangabandhu

biopic film co-produced by

Bangladesh and India titled

'Bangabandhu'.

The work of 'Bangabandhu'

has started a long time ago

and a lot of shooting has

ended in Mumbai under the

direction of a renowned

Bollywood producer Shyam

Benegal. In the film Shuvoo

will be seen playing the lead as

the Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman, while Nusraat Faria

will play the role of

Bangabandhu's daughter and

the Prime Minister of

Rajkummar,

Patralekhaa

ties the knot

Actors Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa

tied the knot at the Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa

Resort in Chandigarh on Monday after

being in a relationship for over a decade,

reports Hindustan times.

Patralekhaa who belongs to a Bengali

family shared the connection with her

designer SabyasachiMukherjee . She wore

a red tulle embroidered buti saree and an

embroidered veil which was inscribed by a

Bengali verse "Aamar poran bhora

bhalobasha aami tomaye shomorpon

korilam," inscribed by Sabyasachi, which

translates to "I surrender to you my lovefilled

heart."

Patralekhaa looked like an ideal Bengali

bride with mehendi on the tips of her

fingers and the dotted-line bindi design

above her eyebrows.

The official Instagram page of designer

Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina.

The shooting of the next

stage of the movie is starting in

Bangladesh. There will be

continuous shooting at

Bangabandhu Film City in

Gazipur from November 20.

For this, his team including

producer Shyam Benegal has

come to Dhaka on Wednesday

November 18 noon.

It is learnt that Arifin

Shuvoo will join the shooting

Eternals' is definitely the most trending thing on the globe as we

speak. The negative reviews versus the positive welcome from the

audience is a debate that has caught the attention. Rotten tomatoes

is kind of a war ground now. But while all that exist, the movie is a

magnum opus that has given the Marvel Cinematic Universe a

revamped look like never before. Chloé Zhao with a team including

likes of Angelina Jolie has created a true 'marvel'.

Starring Jolie alongside Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, Kit

Harington, Richard Madden, KumailNanjiani, and a few more for

the first time, 'Eternals' tells the story of the celestials who have

been missing from the timeline for a while. The movie travels 7000

years back and we see the creation of these beings and their journey

to earth and task of saving it.

By far the biggest name to enter the MCU, Angelina Jolie, who

makes her Marvel debut, plays 'Thena, the Goddess Of War' in

Chloé Zhao's directorial Eternals. Her character is the most

melancholic one and pressurised under memory as vast as 7000

years. She gets the most heroic of the folklores to her name, but is

helpless and vulnerable in the present. Internet was quick to march

for a standalone Thena movie in no time.

But does Angelina Jolie want a spin-off for Eternals' Thena?

Well, she doesn't. In her latest chat as per reports, she has made it

clear that she wants to work with the entire team of the Chloé Zhao

directorial, which she now calls a family.

"I loved being part of the family, so I have no desire to separate

from the family. But I would be happy to play her again and explore

even more deeply the struggles that she has. I think its fun thinking

of where they've been over the years. We've got thousands of years'

from the first day on

November 20. However,

Faria's schedule is 15 days

later. She will start the

shooting on December 5.

'Bangabandhu' is being built

on the highest budget in the

history of the country. Apart

from Shuvoo-Faria, other

actors in the movie are

NusratImroz Tisha (Fazilatun

Nesa Mujib), Khairul Alam

Sabuj (Lutfar Rahman),

Sabyasachi Mukherjee wrote,

"Congratulations Patralekhaa Paul and

Rajkummar Rao! Classic and beautiful

with personalised details to make it her

own, the bride wears a red tulle

embroidered buti sari paired with an

embroidered veil, that is inscribed with a

Bengali verse penned by Sabyasachi for the

couple to mark their special day."

Rajkummar posted a couple of pictures

from his wedding with Patralekhaa on

Monday and called her his 'everything' -

soulmate, best friend and family. She also

shared photos from the nuptials with a

similar message.

Dilara Zaman (Sahera

Khatun), Sayem Samad (Syed

Nazrul Islam), Shahidul Alam

Sachchu (AK Fazlul Haque).

Prarthana Dighi (Chhota

Renu), Raisul Islam Asad

(Abdul Hamid Khan

Bhasani), Gazi Rakayet

(Abdul Hamid), Taukir

Ahmed (Suhrawardy), Siam

Ahmed (Shawkat Mia), Misha

Saudagar (General Ayub

Khan) and others.

Meanwhile, another new

film starring actor Arifin

Shuvoo action thriller titled

'Mission Extreme' is going to

be released worldwide on

December 3 opposite Miss

World Bangladesh 2018-

winner Jannatul Ferdous

Oishee. Faisal Ahmed and

Sunny Sanwar direct the film

jointly. Mime Multimedia and

Dhaka Detective Club are the

co-producers of the film..

Congratulatory messages poured in

from a host of their industry colleagues,

including actors Priyanka Chopra, Varun

Dhawan, KritiSanon, SiddhantChaturvedi

and Sonam Kapoor.

After the wedding, Rajkummar and

Patralekhaa had a small wedding

reception, which was attended by Haryana

chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar,

among others. Sharing a picture with the

newlyweds, he wrote, "Attended the

wedding ceremony of Bollywood actors

Rajkumar Rao and Patralekha in

Chandigarh, blessed the bride and groom

for a successful married life."

Jolie not interested

in a solo ‘Thena’

spin-off

worth of material. We can take her anywhere. I think that's fun and

I like the idea that we can pop up somewhere, maybe in other

Marvel movies," Angelina Jolie said.

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!

SUNDAY, NOveMBeR 21, 2021

11

Goalkandi USC provides maternal, neonatal

services to marginalized women

RAJSHAHI : Goalkandi Union Sub

Centre (USC) has been providing

maternal and neonatal healthcare

services to particularly marginalized

and low-income village mothers.

The centre in Bagmara Upazila of the

district has become a blessing to

underprivileged village mothers as it

provides emergency reproductive care

of prenatal, normal delivery, postnatal

and neonatal services.

With collaborative efforts of

Goalkandi Union Parishad (UP) and a

non-government development

organization, the centre has necessary

instruments and devices to ensure the

services.

Latifa Khatun's appointment as

Family Welfare Visitor (FWV) at the

centre couple of months ago, also

foster its services oriented activities

through earning trust among the

community people.

"We have referral services for the

mothers suffering from various

pregnancy-related complexities like

vaginal bleeding, eclampsia, severe

headaches and fever and delayed

labor," said Khatun.

UP Chairman Alamgir Sarker said

the centre has been revived with the

initiative of the Public Health

Improvement Initiatives Rajshahi

(PHIIR) project for welfare of

particularly the poor and ultra-poor

UN warns of soaring

prices in 2022 due to

freight rate spike

The United Nations warned

Thursday that a surge in

container freight rates could

mean higher prices for

consumers next year unless

pandemic-fuelled 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

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.

Still, the pandemic's

impact on maritime trade

volumes last year was less

severe than initially

expected, UNCTAD said.

pregnant woman.

He also said necessary workforce

was recruited for conducting normal

delivery and providing antenatal,

postnatal and neonatal and other

related services.

Sarker said the FWV was appointed

as contributory staff with financial

support of the project.

Labor room of the centre has been

enriched with essential equipment

including a labor table, oxygen

cylinder and refrigerator for ensuring

institutional delivery in the rural area.

Deputy Director of the Department

of Family Planning Dr Nasim Akhter

and Civil Surgeon Dr Quiume

Talukder accompanied by Upazila

Health and Family Planning Officer Dr

Golam Rabbani, Upazila Family

Planning Officer Abu Masud Khan and

Medical Officer Dr Umme Sadia

Mannan visited the centre and

enquired about its activities on

Wednesday last.

They also exchanged views with

members of the facility management

committee and beneficiaries and

reviewed performance of the centre.

PHIIR Project Manager Tozammel

Haque told BSS that FWV is being

given Taka 300 as incentive for each

normal delivery, while another Taka

300 is being provided to community

volunteer for taking pregnant

mothers to the facility on behalf of

the PHIIR project.

DASCOH Foundation has been

implementing the PHIIR project

supported by Swiss Red Cross in five

upazila health complexes, 42

UHFWCs and 110 Community

Clinics under Bagmara, Charghat

and Tanore upazilas in Rajshahi and

Porsha and Sapahar upazilas in

Naogaon districts.

The project is intended to

improving health of the targeted

population with special focus on

maternal, neonatal and child health

at primary health care level.

"We are working to improve health

of around 10,46,669 population with

special focus on maternal, neonatal

and child health and this is the goal

of the project," Haque added.

Dr Nasim Akhter said the

government and non-government

collaborative efforts are being

judged as substantial and

sustainable promotion of

institutional delivery besides

reducing maternal and neonatal

deaths.

She mentioned strengthening the

union level health facilities could be

the vital means of achieving the

country's ambitious target related to

curbing maternal and newborn

mortality rates.

On the basis of secret information that a consignment of Yaba from

Myanmar would enter Bangladesh through the sea area adjacent to

Chheradwip in St. Martin, a special operation was conducted in the area on

Saturday under the leadership of BCG Station Teknaf Station Commander

Lt. Com. M Naeem ul Haq and 12 Kg hemp and 35,000 pieces of yabas were

rescued.

Photo : Courtesy

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 anti-competitive 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 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.

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.

Frank Macchiarola of the American

Petroleum Institute (API) called Biden's

initiative "a distraction," and blamed "illadvised

government decisions that are

exacerbating this challenging situation."

Biden instructed the FTC to "bring all

of the commission's tools to bear if you

uncover any wrongdoing."

The agency declined to comment on its

investigations, but spokesman Peter

Kaplan told AFP, "The FTC is concerned

about this issue, and we are looking into

it."

In response to a previous request over

the summer from Biden to examine gas

prices, FTC Chair Lina Khan pledged to

investigate any collusion that might be

fueling the inflation, as well as take a

closer look at mergers in the industry

that reduce competition.

In June, the regulator ordered 7-Eleven

and Marathon Petroleum to sell off

nearly 300 gas stations after saying their

$21 billion merger violated antitrust

rules by leaving hundreds of

communities without alternatives to buy

fuel.

Mass hunger strike was observed in Tangail for releasing Begum Khaleda Zia and better treatment

in abroad.

Photo : Nasir Uddin

Asian markets follow

Wall St lower as

inflation fears mount

HONG KONG: Asian

markets fell Thursday,

tracking losses on Wall Street

fuelled by growing inflation

concerns and talk that central

banks will have to tighten

their monetary policies

quicker than anticipated,

reports BSS.

While recent data and

healthy corporate earnings

indicate that consumers

continue to spend, traders are

increasingly fearful that more

than a year of massive

financial support-coupled

with rocketing demand and

supply chain snarls-could

send prices out of control.

Figures Wednesday

showed inflation in the

United Kingdom at a decade

high and an 18-year peak in

Canada-a week after US

figures came in at levels not

seen since 1990.

The data-which mirror big

gains in other countries-have

ramped up pressure on

policymakers to act soon, with

some commentators warning

of a possible recession if they

did not.

And eyes are focused on the

Federal Reserve-the central

bank of the world's top

economy-whose massive

bond-buying programme has

been a key pillar of support to

the global recovery and rally

in stock markets.

Officials have said they will

begin winding back the socalled

quantitative easing

measures gradually from this

month and not be in any rush

to hike interest rates, saying

the inflation surge is only

temporary.

"With these most recent

inflation readings, there is

some concern that the Fed

will reduce the amount of

purchases-accelerate that

tapering," Michael Arone, of

State Street Global Advisors,

told Bloomberg Television.

India's biggest-ever IPO Paytm

slumps by 27% on market debut

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 start-ups 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-year-old Kolkatabased

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."

Rock music -

Sharma-a schoolteacher's son who says he

learned English by listening to rock musicretains

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 percent.

Paytm's platform was launched in 2010

and quickly became synonymous with digital

payments in a country traditionally

dominated by cash transactions.

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.

Bicycles and drum sets have been provided to 90 students of different educational institutions in

Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia on Saturday.

Photo : Mizanur Rahman Nayan.

Sunday, Dhaka: November 21, 2021; agrahyan 6, 1428 BS; rabius-Sani 15, 1443 hijri

AL expels Mayor Jahangir :

supporters disheartened

ShaMSuL haquE BhuIyaN, GazIPur

COrrESPONDENT

Gazipur City Mayor Advocate

Mohammad Jahangir Alam has lost his

post in the political party due to controversial

remarks on Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

and the martyrs of the Liberation War.

Mayor Jahangir Alam is seeking an opportunity

to apologize to the Prime Minister

for this incident. His followers say the

mayor should be kept in office to keep the

development work ongoing. Opposition

groups called for a halt to the protests, saying

"the prime minister's announcement

is groundbreaking."

A video clip of Mayor Jahangir Alam's

remarks about Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in

a private meeting went viral last

September. From then on, the leaders and

activists of his opposition camp took to the

streets to protest. That is why on October

3, the central committee of the Awami

League gave him a notice to show cause.

Mayor Jahangir, general secretary of

Gazipur metropolitan Awami League,

responded to the notice before the 15-day

deadline. But the central committee of the

Awami League expressed dissatisfaction

with the response of Mayor Jahangir. At

an Awami League executive meeting

chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

on Friday afternoon, Mayor Jahangir

Alam was expelled from the post of general

secretary of the metropolitan Awami

League and the party's general members

were suspended for life.

Leaders and activists of his opposition

camp expressed happiness over the expulsion

of Mayor Jahangir Alam for his controversial

remarks. Metropolitan Awami

League President Advocate Azmat Ullah

Khan described the announcement as

groundbreaking. At the same time, he said,

there could be a sedition case against

Jahangir and a case under the Digital

Security Act. "We will appeal to the highest

echelons of the Awami League to take legal

action against Jahangir at the earliest."

Leaders and activists of the Awami League

under the leadership of Motiur Rahman

Moti, joint general secretary of the metropolitan

Awami League, held separate joyous

processions on Friday night and Saturday,

setting off fireworks and distributing sweets

in different areas of the metropolis.

On the other hand, Mayor Jahangir

Alam and his fans, including the general

public, requested to keep him in office to

continue the development activities.

Leaders and activists from all walks of life

gathered at the mayor's residence in the

hurricane area on Saturday morning. At

this time many people broke down in

tears. Councilors and activists following

Mayor Jahangir also came to his residence

and gathered a crowd and offered peace to

Mayor Jahangir.

BNP holds hunger strike

to release & treatment

of Khaleda Zia

ShafIquL ISLaM (JaMI)

The BNP hold hunger strike program

demanding release & medical treatment

abroad of BNP chairperson and former

Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

Thousands of party leaders and activists

went on a hunger strike in front of the

party's central office in Naya Paltan from

9am to 4pm on Saturday. Later at 4 pm,

the leaders including the BNP secretary

general broke their strike by drinking

water. BNP secretary general Mirza

Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Khaleda Zia,

who is undergoing treatment at the hospital,

is the most popular among the 160

million people in the country. She is currently

in critical condition at Ever Care

Hospital in the capital. She is now on the

verge of life and death.

He said that despite repeated pleas

from the government to take Begum

Khaleda Zia's family abroad for better

treatment, the fascist government was

not giving her a chance. Today's program

is for 160 million people. I am holding a

mass hunger strike demanding release of

Begum Khaleda Zia and medical treatment

abroad.

"We will ask the government to

release Begum Khaleda Zia immediately

and send her abroad for treatment,"

he said. Otherwise, the movement

that started this time through

mass hunger strike will oust you.

BNP leaders Khandaker Mosharraf

Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul

Islam Khan, Abdul Moin Khan and others

spoke on the hunger strike. Among the

leaders of different political parties were

ASM Abdur Rob of JSD, Mostafa Jamal

Haider of Jatiya Party, Abdul Halim of

Jamaat-e-Islami, Syed Mohammad

Ibrahim of Kallyan Party and Mahmudur

Rahman Manna of Nagorik Oikko.

During the hunger strike, Abdul Moin

Khan said that Begum Khaleda Zia was a

three-time Prime Minister and Leader of

the Opposition twice. As a citizen of

Bangladesh, good health is her fundamental

right. Today, the government has

to answer why she is being deprived of

her basic rights.

ASM Abdur Rab said, "I am a witness.

During the rule of Ziaur Rahman in 1979,

I was sent to Germany for treatment." At

the time, I was serving a life sentence. I

was in Germany for a year. At that time,

he asked the government, "Is there any

article in the constitution that Khaleda

Zia can't go abroad for treatment?" I

want to know that from the government.

Begum Khaleda Zia is not being granted

bail just because of revenge.

Brittle Tigers

lose T20 series

to Pakistan

DHAKA : A dismal batting and fielding

show led Bangladesh to concede the

three-match T20 International series

against Pakistan after the visitors eased

them past by eight wickets in the second

game at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket

Stadium yesterday.

Fakhar Zaman hit an unbeaten 51 ball-

57 with two fours and three sixes to be

instrumental in Pakistan's unassailable

2-0 lead.

Fakhar and opener Mohammad

Rizwan put on 85-run which was key in

overhauling Bangladesh's paltry 108-7

with 11 balls to spare. Rizwan scored a

patient 39 off 45 with four boundaries.

Fakhar Zaman was watchful after captain

Babar Azam (5) dragged fast bowler

Mustafizur Rahman delivery on to his

stump in the third over, similar to his dismissal

in the first match.

He paced the innings, especially after

being reprieved on 26 when Saif Hasan

put down his catch in deep midwicket off

legspinner Aminul Islam.

Rizwan also got a life when Taskin

dropped him at short fine leg on 38 off

again Aminul Islam bowling but that

drop was not costly as the bowler dismissed

him two balls later.

Fakhar Zaman brought up his seventh

half-century off 40 balls and then finished

the game off by his own.

Mustafizur, who left the field after bowling

2.1 overs and Aminul Islam Biplob

took the fallen two wickets of Pakistan.

A yet another abysmal batting show led

Bangladesh's collapse as they were

restricted to a below par total again.

Coming off a four-wicket defeat to

Pakistan in the first match, Bangladesh

were aiming to level the series but the

intent was nowhere seen after captain

Mahmudullah won the toss for the

consecutive second time and decided

to bat first.

Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored the

side with 40 off 34, hitting five boundaries

while Afif was the other notable

scorer with 20.

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi who

came back to the side, replacing Hasan

Ali, broke through to continue his

romance with 'first over wicket' as he had

Saif Hassan leg-before for duck in the

fifth ball of the innings.

'Education, learning

no longer limited

to boundaries'

DHAKA : In this age of globalisation,

education and learning are no longer limited

to a certain boundary, reports UNB.

Now and then, different sessions, webinars

and workshops are being organised

virtually, where international experts and

academics shed light on different issues

related to the overall development and

future-fit skills, Dr Sandeep

Ananthanarayanan, group chief executive

officer of STS Group, told UNB.

"Students should explore every opportunity

to learn and grow. Different professional

networking sites can also help

them gather insights about current market

trends," he said.

"Workshops organised by study centres

and universities can also help broaden

the outlook of the students. When you

are well aware of the changing scenario

and have the necessary skills, it will be

much easier to achieve your goals."

"Also, we are living in an age when only

degrees are not enough to get you a good

and respectable job. The market is very

competitive now. Employers look for

many things in a prospective candidate,

including future-fit skills that are necessary

to survive the changes thrust upon

us by the pandemic and the subsequent

digital transformation."

"So, when you are planning your

career, you must keep in mind that only

earning a degree is not going to help.

Rather, you have to keep tabs on the

changes going around you and in the

market and develop skills accordingly to

stay ahead of others. Different sessions

arranged by international universities

can be a good opportunity," Sandeep

said.

"Meanwhile, the pandemic has resulted

in a very unfavourable situation for

students and job-seekers. Geographical

barriers and restrictions imposed due to

coronavirus have compounded the situation

further. So, people are having trouble

getting suitable jobs. At such a time,

you need the right degree with the right

set of skills."

The Local

Education

and Economic

Development

Organization

(LEDO)

organized a

human chain

on boat at

Wiseghat,

adjacent to

Sadarghat

Launch

Terminal in

the capital on

Saturday to

prevent child

trafficking.

Photo : Star Mail

"When you are pursuing higher education,

you must have the right insights and

skills in your possession to thrive in a

particular environment defying all odds.

Moreover, it is important to develop different

future-fit skills in the backdrop of

changing market scenarios to flourish

your career and excel in the study as

well."

In this regard, workshops in skill development

can play great roles as the students

get the chance to acquire new skills

and gather knowledge, said Sandeep.

Also, owing to the pandemic, many

countries halted educational opportunities

and overseas programmes for quite

some time. However, with the vaccination

underway in full swing, many others

are opening their doors once again.

But it is often seen that many students

from Bangladesh cannot pursue higher

degrees abroad because of different constraints,

including financial burden and

sudden shock created by a different education

system.

So, many students are deprived of

quality higher education. In many countries,

foreign universities open study centres

to facilitate the aspiring students and

create opportunities for them to seek a

higher degree from a foreign university.

"There are many public and private

universities in the country which are

offering different degrees to aspiring students.

Most recently, Monash College

Australia has started its operation in

Bangladesh, which will contribute to

developing the higher education scenario

in the country in terms of academic reputation,

international faculty ratio and

research opportunities," said Sandeep.

The STS Group's group chief executive

officer has worked with eminent professors

from world-class universities such as

Wharton, Yale, Kellogg and Stanford and

also the co-author of the best-seller

"CULT: Strategy and Leadership and

Business Strategy - Ruthlessly

Redefined" and the author of "Power

Business Strategies."

Armed Forces

Day to be

observed today

DHAKA : Armed Forces Day will be

observed across the country on Sunday

with due solemnity and enthusiasm.

On this day in 1971, Bangladesh Armed

Forces comprising army, navy and air

force came into being and launched an

all-out attack on the Pakistani occupation

forces. Since the country's independence,

the day has been observed as the

Armed Forces Day every year.

The day's programmes will start with

the offering of special prayers in mosques

of all cantonments, naval outposts and

establishments and air force outposts

after Fajr prayers seeking divine blessings

for the country's welfare and

progress and continued development

and progress of the Armed Forces.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths at

'Shikha Anirban' (the Eternal Flame) at

Dhaka Cantonment in the morning to pay

homage to members of the Armed Forces who

sacrificed their lives in the War of Liberation.

President Abdul Hamid, who is also

the supreme commander of the Armed

Forces, and Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina issued separate messages on the

occasion. The chiefs of the three services

will place wreaths at 'Shikha Anirban' at

Dhaka Cantonment in the morning from

their respective forces.

Later, the three chiefs will pay courtesy

calls on the president at Bangabhaban

and the Prime Minister at the Armed

Forces Division at Dhaka Cantonment.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister will

host a reception and meet the family members

of the Bir Shresthas and other gallantry

award-winning freedom fighters virtually

at Army Multipurpose Complex.

In the afternoon, Sheikh Hasina will

also host a reception at 4pm at Sena

Kunja in Dhaka Cantonment to commemorate

the day.

Momen hopeful of

relocateing1 lakh

Rohingyas to Bhasan

Char in 1 year

TUNGIPARA : Foreign Minister Dr AK

Abdul Momen yesterday expressed his

hope that Bangladesh would be able to

fulfill its target of relocating one lakh

Rohingyas to Bhasan Char from congested

Cox's Bazar camps by one year as

UNHCR agreed to work on it.

"We have already relocated nearly

18,500 Rohingyas to Bhasan Char … we

will resume relocating them (to the island)

this month," he told reporters here.

The foreign minister retreated that the

relocation of Rohingyas to the island of

Bhasan Char would be fully voluntary.

Dr Momen hoped that Myanmar will take

back Rohingyas gradually as pressure on them

would mount following the recent adoption of

a resolution in the United Nations.

"I believe pressure will be mounted on

Myanmar as the resolution has been

passed by consensus," he added.

The foreign minister, accompanied by

the Sylhet Awami League (AL) leaders,

paid homage to Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

by placing wreath at his grave here.

President and general secretary of

Sylhet city unit AL and valiant freedom

fighter Masuk Uddin Ahmed and

Professor M Zakir Hossain, among others,

also paid tribute to Bangabandhu.

Pakistan have wrapped up the three-match T20I series against hosts Bangladesh, who continued

on a poor run, on Saturday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Photo : Star Mail

Jashore vegetable farmers toil hard

to catch the early winter consumers

JASHORE : Vegetable growers in Jashore

district are working overtime to hit the

winter market early and get a good price

and add an extra flavour to Bengali cuisine.

The crop fields in Churamonkati, Satmile,

Barinagar, Hoibatpur, Kashimpur,

Bandabila, Lebotala, Nongorpur and Isali

union of Sadar upazila, the hub of vegetable

farming in the district, are emerging

green with winter delicacies like cauliflower,

cabbage, beans, radish, bottle

gourds and a variety of spinach.

According to official sources 60 per

cent of the country's total vegetable harvest

comes from Jashore. After meeting

the local demand the vegetables are supplied

to other parts of the country.

Although the farmers have blamed

unseasonal rain for the delay in early

winter vegetable cultivation and its soaring

prices, some farmers already succeed

in taking their produced items in the local

market aiming to earn more money.

According to the District Department of

Agriculture Extension (DAE), as the Robi

season started in mid-October, the vegetable

growers in the district have already

brought their land under cultivation which

will continue until mid-March.

Already the authorities concerned have

set a target of bringing 16,730 hectares of

land under vegetable cultivation. Of these,

winter vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower,

bean, radish, red spinach and green

spinach have been cultivated in some 4,135

hectares of land of the district.

During a tour of the areas this UNB

correspondent found that the farmers are

passing a busy time in cultivating vegetables

in Satmile, Churamonkati,

Barinagar, Hoibatpur, Kashimpur,

Bandabila, Lebotala, Nongorpur and

Isali union of Sadar upazila.

Kamal Hossain, a vegetable grower of

Bagdanga village in Churamankati in

Sadar upazila, said "All kinds of winter

vegetables are grown here. As during the

peak season, the price of vegetables

drops. I have brought my 2.5 bighas of

land under cauliflower and cabbage cultivation

early to get a higher price."

"I hope I can harvest the winter vegetables

before the month of Agrahayana," he

said.

Besides, the price of winter vegetables

has delighted the farmers as these are

selling at high price at the local market.

Already winter vegetables like cauliflower,

cabbage, bean, spinach are available

at the local market and as the produces

are not adequate against the

demand, the prices are found to be high.

Ujjalm Das, another vegetable grower

of Sadar upazila in Jashore, said "I have

brought two bighas of land under turnip

cultivation and I have spent Tk 1.5 lakh. If

the weather remains favourable, I can

produce 80-85 maunds of turnip from

each bigha of land."

21-11-2021

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?