25-11-2021

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021
3
Guardian portal to
be built to create
'Entrepreneur
Supply Chain'
DHAKA : State Minister for
Information and
Communication Technology
(ICT) Division Zunaid
Ahmed Palak yesterday said
a guardian portal would be
set up to create awareness
on cyber security and
'Entrepreneur Supply
Chain'.
"A guardian portal would
be set up to create awareness
on cyber security, creating a
future learning ecosystem
and an 'Entrepreneur
Supply Chain'," he said.
The state minister was
speaking virtually while
attending a virtual
programme organized by
UNDP as the chief guest, a
press release said.
In the programme, a
report on Entrepreneur
Ecosystem of Bangladesh
was presented, the release
added. The report was
jointly published by UNDP,
IDB, City Foundation,
Startup Bangladesh and
Light Castle Partners.
Palak hoped that the
report would be used as a
resource to build a
sustainable ecosystem with
young entrepreneurs in
Bangladesh.
He said many parents are
not yet aware of the
'Entrepreneur Supply Chain'
and they don't even know
that the top 10 richest people
in the world are technology
entrepreneurs.
"So we will seek the
cooperation of UNDP to
make them aware in this
regard," he added.
UNDP Resident
Representative Sudipto
Mukerjee, CEO of Light
Castle Partners Bijan Islam,
Startup Bangladesh Ltd
Head of Portfolio
Investment Hasan A Arif,
City Foundation Officer
Rajesh Shekharan and
Islamic Development Bank
Group Regional Manager
Mahmud Solaiman also
joined the programme
virtually.
The results of the admission test for the 1st year undergraduate (honors)
class of 'D' unit for the academic year 2020-2021 under the Faculty of
Social Sciences, Dhaka University have been published on Wednesday.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman
officially unveiled the results in the Virtual Classroom of the
Administrative Building.
Photo: DU Public Relations
Govt has no plan to
increase diesel subsidy
for farmers: Razzaque
DHAKA : The recent hike in fuel price will
"definitely" impact the agriculture sector, but
the government has no immediate plan to
increase the subsidies on diesel farmers use
to run irrigation pumps, said Agriculture
Minister Abdur Razzaque on Wednesday.
"The process to provide subsidy in diesel to
farmers for irrigation purpose is so complex.
So, the government has no plan to provide
any new subsidy in it," he said.
Razzzque said this at a press briefing at his
office after his recent visit to the Netherlands
and the UK.
Besides, the government has now no plan
to raise the price of fertilizer despite its fourfold
increase in international market, he
said.
Replying to a question about the recent
hike in fuel and kerosene prices Razzaque
said "Definitely there will be impact on
agriculture sector and there is no question to
deny it."
He said the farmers have already been
going through many problems and in the
peak season this year they did not get desired
price for their crops.
He, however, said farmers will not be
immediately affected by diesel price hike as
40 per cent of the irrigation pumps are run
by electricity.
The minister further said that if the price of
diesel falls in the international market
Bangladesh government will also reduce it.
On the outcome of the visits he said the
Dutch government has assured to provide
necessary assistance to Bangladesh in
producing high yielding variety of onion.
"There is problem in the country to
preserve onion and due to lack of
preservation onions are rotting and that's
why the Netherlands will provide technical
assistance to us," he said.
The Netherlands will send a trade mission
in March next year to discuss support in
agriculture sector and expansion of trade
relation between the two countries.
The mission will provide support in
building silos for preserving potato,
production of climate-tolerate crops,
building green and glass houses, he added.
During the UK visit, Bangladesh signed
MoU with Food Standard Agency of UK for
setting up modern testing labs and
developing internationally accepted
Phytosanitary certification system in the
country, Razzak said.
This will help boost Bangladesh's agroproducts
to European countries, he said.
He said the government focusing on
setting up agro-processing industry aimed at
boosting agricultural exports. This will also
help raise farmers' income.
US showers praise on Bangladesh's
peacekeeping forces
DHAKA : US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has praised
Bangladesh Army's peacekeeping and humanitarian
operations, reports UNB.
He also said the US and Bangladesh shared similar views
on global norms regarding access to space, exploration, and
research. The US Air Force Secretary made the remarks at a
reception hosted by the Embassy of Bangladesh in
Washington DC recently celebrating the 50th Armed Forces
Day. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul
Hannan, now on an official visit to the USA, was present as
the chief guest at the event.
Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA M Shahidul Islam
paid deep tribute to the architect of Bangladesh, Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and recalled
the bravery and supreme sacrifice of the valiant freedom
fighters-both military and civilians. He highlighted the role
the Bangladesh Armed Forces has played in the
government's efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ambassador Islam noted with satisfaction the multifaceted
cooperation between the armed forces of Bangladesh and the
United States - in terms of UN peacekeeping operations,
sharing of knowledge and experiences, training,
procurement and exchange of visits.
Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan underscored the
friendly and cooperative relationship between the US Armed
Forces and Bangladesh Armed Forces that is reflected on
their regular engagements in various bilateral and
multilateral fora. He expressed the hope that his visit would
further strengthen the long-lasting ties between the two
countries.
Defence Attaches from a number of countries, Diplomats,
senior officials from the Pentagon, Department of State, and
other US organizations, Bangladeshi diaspora and Embassy
officials attended the event. Defence Attache Brigadier
General Md Shahedul Islam welcomed the guests at the
reception and thanked the USA for the support.
Professor Dr. Md. Golam Rahman, Advisor of Daffodil International University's Department of
Journalism, Media and Communication and Editor of the Daily Ajker Patrika, Prof. A M M Hamidur
Rahman, Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, DIU, Junilana Abdul Wahab, Associate
Professor, School of Communication, University Science Malaysia, Professor Mofizur Rahman,
Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Dhaka University, Kazi M. Anisul Islam,
Acting Chairman, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Comilla University and Dr.
Sheikh Mohammad Shafiul Islam, Head, Department of Journalism, Media and Communication,
Green University along with other distinguished guests at the inaugural ceremony of a two-day long
program titled 'JMC Media Buzz' organized by the Department of Journalism, Media and
Communication (JMC) of Daffodil International University.
Photo : Courtesy
Concerted efforts
to protect human
rights stressed
RAJSHAHI : Concerted
efforts of all government
and non-government
organizations concerned
can be the best ways of
protecting human rights
for ensuring dignified life
of the people.
People of all levels
should raise their voices
for establishing their equal
rights in the society
besides forging social
resistance against the
violators of human rights.
Social watchdogs and
development activists
came up with the
observation while
addressing a quarterly
district level meeting with
human rights defenders at
Hotel Warisan in Rajshahi
city yesterday.
Barendra Unnayan
Prochesta (BUP) organized
the meeting supported by
Manabadhikar Shongskriti
Foundation (msf) under its
'Defending through
Network Strengthening'
project.
MSF Founder President
Advocate Sultana Kamal
addressed the meeting as
the focal person with BUP
Executive Director
Foyezullah Chowdhury in
the chair.
Chief Executive Officer of
DASCOH Foundation
Akramul Haque, former
Deputy Director of the
Department of Social
Services Mozammel Haque
and development activists
Afzal Hossain, Raj Kumar
Shaon and Sohel Rana also
spoke.
Members of the civil
society, social watchdogs
and pressure group
members joined the
meeting and took part in
its open discussion putting
forward a set of
recommendations on how
to protect human rights.
DU's 'Gha' unit
results out, pass
rate 9.87%
DHAKA : Less than 10%
candidates have passed the
'Gha' unit admission test of
Dhaka University (DU).
The results of the test
conducted by the Social
Sciences Faculty for the
2020-21 academic session
was published on
Wednesday.
Some 7,994 students
passed in the examination
of a little over 82,000
aspirants who sat against
570 seats.
Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman,
vice-chancellor of the
university, unveiled the
results at the Professor
Abdul Matin Chowdhury
Virtual Classroom next to
his office around noon.
The 'Gha unit' admission
test was held on October 23.
Notre Dame
College student
dies being hit by
DSCC truck
DHAKA : A 17-year-student
of Notre Dame College was
killed when a garbage truck
of Dhaka South City
Corporation (DSCC) hit him
at Golchattar in the city's
Gulistan area on
Wednesday.
The deceased was
identified as Naim Hasan,
son of Shah Alam Dewan of
Laxmipur district and a 2nd
year student of the college,
reports UNB.
Quoting witnesses,
Inspector Bachchu Mia, incharge
of Dhaka Medical
College and Hospital
(DMCH) police outpost, said
the garbage truck hit Naim
while he was crossing a road
in the area around 11:30 am,
leaving him injured.
He was taken to DMCH
where doctors declared him
dead around 12:15 pm. On
information, police seized
the vehicle and arrested the
truck driver.
3-day PIB workshop on 'Foundation
Training in Journalism' begins at JU
SAVAR : A three-day workshop on
'Foundation Training in Journalism' for
working journalists began at the
Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus on
Tuesday.
Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB)
organised the workshop from November 23
to 25 at the office of Jahangirnagar
University Journalists' Association.
JU proctor A S M Firoj Ul Hasan
inaugurated the programme at 10 am. A total
of 35 young journalists took part in the
training programme.
On the first day of the programme, PIB
trainer Jilhaz Nipun Bhuiyan imparted
training on basic journalism to the trainees.
Zulfikar Ali Manik, a striger at New York
Times and Associate Professor Minhaj
Uddin of Jagannath University's Mass
Communication and Journalism
department will conduct the next two day's
workshop.
After completion of the training programme,
PIB Director General Zafar Wazed will
distribute certificates among the participants
at an event.
Charge-sheet accepted against
Nazmul Huda for filing fake case
DHAKA :A court yesterday accepted a
charge-sheet filed by the Anti-Corruption
Commission (ACC) in a case against
former Transport Minister Nazmul Huda
for lodging a fake case against former
Chief Justice Surendra Kumar (SK) Sinha.
Dhaka Senior Special Judge KM Imrul
Qayesh passed the order and transferred
the case to Dhaka Special Judge Court-9
for further proceedings. The court also set
December 13 for holding a hearing on the
charge framing.
Accused Nazmul Huda yesterday
surrendered before the court and pleaded
for bail. After holding a hearing on the
matter, the court allowed him bail till
December 13. ACC director Md Benjir
32nd Annual General Meeting of Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration &
Production Company Ltd. (BAPEX) was held on Wednesday at Hotel
Inter Continental. The Shareholders and members of Board of
Directors of the company attended the meeting presided over by Md.
Anisur Rahman, Chairman of BAPEX Board and Senior Secretary,
Energy & Mineral Resources Division, Govt. of the Peoples' Republic of
Bangladesh. The Audited Accounts for the fiscal year 2020-2021 of the
Company was approved by the Shareholders at 32nd AGM. During the
financial year total Income & Expenditure of the Company was Tk.
507.83 Crore and Tk. 482.42 Crore respectively. The net profit after the
payment of tax and dividend of the Company was Tk. 16.40 Crore. In
the Meeting the Shareholders and members of the Board of Directors
express satisfaction in multidimensional activities of the Company and
put valuable suggestions and steps with a view to strengthening
BAPEX.
Photo : Courtesy
Khaleda's treatment abroad:
BNP announces 8-day programme
DHAKA : BNP and its associate bodies have
taken up an eight-day programme to force
the government for allowing its chairperson
Khaleda Zia to go abroad for advanced
medical treatment, reports UNB.
Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul
Islam Alamgir announced the programme
after a joint meeting of the party and its
associate bodies at BNP's Nayapaltan central
office.
The programmes include demonstration,
rally, human chain, doa mahfil and silent
procession.
BNP, Jubo Dal, Swechchasebak Dal,
Muktijoddha Dal and Mohila Dal will
observe the programmes from November 25
to December 4.
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 said Khaleda needs advanced
treatment abroad immediately as she is also
suffering from critical cardiac, kidney and
liver problems, high blood sugar and low
hemoglobin level.
On behalf of the family, Khaleda's
younger brother, Shamim Iskander,
submitted an application to the Home
Ministry on November 11 urging the
government to allow her to go abroad for
better treatment.
However, Law Minister Anisul Huq said
the government will consider Khaleda Zia's
appeal if she submits a fresh petition after
returning to jail.
Covid-19
Bangladesh reports 3 more deaths
DHAKA : Bangladesh reported three more
Covid-linked deaths for the second consecutive
day along with 312 fresh cases in 24 hours till
Wednesday morning, reports UNB
With this, the daily case positivity rate rose to
1.49 per cent Wednesday from Tuesday's 1.45
per cent, said the Directorate General of Health
Services (DGHS). The positivity rate kept
rising for the last three days as it was 1.42 per
cent on Monday and 1.16 on Sunday. Among
the deceased, two were women and one was a
man. Each of the deceased was from
Chattogram, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions.
With the fresh numbers, the total fatalities rose
Ahammed filed the charge-sheet recently
before Dhaka Special Judge Court, ACC
general registration officer Zulfikar Ali
told BSS.
The anti-graft body approved the
charge-sheet on October 7.
Nazmul Huda filed the case against the
former Chief Justice SK Sinha with
Shahbagh Police Station on September 27,
2018, for demanding bribe from him and
changing the judgement of a graft case
which had already been disposed of.
The ACC after probing the case for one
and a half years, found the allegations
baseless and false and filed the case
against Nazmul Huda on February 20,
2020.
to 27,961 while the caseload mounted to
1,574,948. However, the mortality rate
remained static at 1.78 per cent. The fresh cases
were detected after testing 20,770 samples, the
DGHS added.
Besides, the recovery rate remained static at
97.73 per cent with the recovery of 338 more
patients during the 24-hour period.
On Saturday, Bangladesh logged zero Covidlinked
deaths with 178 cases. So far,
3,54,14,244 people have fully been vaccinated
in the country while 5,64,02,543 received the
first dose as of Tuesday, according to the
DGHS.