17-12-2021

friday

DhAkA: December 17, 2021; Poush 2, 1428 BS; Jamadi-ul Awal 12,1443 hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.19; N o. 226; 8 Pages~Tk.8.00

international

Death toll in

Malaysian boat

accident rises to 16

>Page 3

Strategic iSSue

Myanmar's media

adapts to the world's

harshest oppression

>Page 5

art & culture

Shakib busy for

dubbing of 'Golui'

>Page 6

Zumma

President m abdul hamid and Prime minister Sheikh hasina on Thursday at the National

memorial in Savar marking Victory Day.

Photo : PiD

Victory Day

celebrated

DHAKA : The 51st Victory Day, the most

precious day of the Bangalee nation, was

celebrated yesterday across the country

in a befitting manner. On December 16

in 1971, Bangladesh was born as an independent

country under the leadership of

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the cost of

supreme sacrifice of three million people

and the honour of nearly half a million

women.

The celebration of the Victory Day

this year added a new dimension as the

day was celebrated coinciding with the

two giant celebrations - the birth centenary

of Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman and the golden jubilee of the

country's independence.

Marking the two celebrations, Father

of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman's Birth Centenary

Celebration National Implementation

Committee has taken a two-day special

programme titled 'the Great Hero of the

Great Victory' at the South Plaza of

Sangsad Bhaban in the city on

December 16 to 17.

At the beginning of the first day's

programme yesterday, Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina administered an oath to

the nation this afternoon as part of the

celebrations. At the second session of

the programme, a discussion was held

with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in

the chair.

President Abdul Hamid spoke at the

meeting as the chief guest, while his

Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind

addressed as the guest of honour.

Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin

Sharmin Chaudhury, Liberation War

Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque

and Chief Coordinator of the implementation

committee Dr Kamal Abdul Naser

Chowdhury also spoke.

On the occasion, Bangabandhu's

younger daughter Sheikh Rehana presented

the "Sraddha Smarak- Mujib

Chironton" to the guest of honour.

All programmes marking the giant celebrations

were held maintaining the

health safety guidelines due to the ongoing

coronavirus pandemic.

05:14 AM

01:30 PM

03:37 PM

05:17 PM

06:35 PM

6:32 5:14

US shows positivity to discuss

over sanctions: Momen

DHAKA : Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul

Momen yesterday said the United States

(US) showed positivity to continue dialogue

with Bangladesh regarding the

recent sanctions imposed by Washington

on some former and incumbent officials

of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

"We will discuss. He (Blinken) told me,

- next spring, I (Blinken) hope you will be

in Washington (to discuss)," he told

reporters regarding his last evening's

telephonic conversation with US

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at a

press briefing at Foreign Service

Academy in the capital.

The foreign minister said that the US

secretary of state had made the telephone

call to discuss about the sanctions issue

and he liked the positive tone Blinken

spoke in.

"He was very positive. I like the ways he

responded," Dr Momen said.

The foreign minister said Blinken told

him that Bangladesh and the US have

lots of scopes to work together on issues

including climate change, democracy,

human rights and peace keeping.

"I said - you could consult us (before

imposing the sanctions) as we have several

ongoing dialogues with you,"

Momen said, adding that in reply

Blinken said, "You (Momen) can also call

me, feel free to call me (Blinken)."

The foreign minister said that he told

Blinken that Bangladeshis didn't like the

US decision on imposing the sanction. "I

shared the spirit of the country's people,"

Momen said.

The foreign minister said he told his

US counterpart that Bangladesh people

didn't like the move as Dhaka has a very

trusted friendship of 50 years with

Washington.

"We resolved all issues with our neighbours

through discussion. So, we expect

that you (US) would inform us before

taking any decision," Momen said.

Noting that RAB is disciplined and free

from corruption, Dr Momen told Blinken

that no terrorist attacks took place in

Bangladesh after the Holey Artisan incident

due to RAB's efficiency in curbing

terrorism and people here have confidence

in this elite force.

He said RAB played an effective role in

preventing terrorism, drug trafficking

and human trafficking in Bangladesh

while the US has global initiatives over

these issues. "So, I told him, it was unfortunate

that the US imposed sanction on

RAB," Momen said.The foreign minister

said he didn't directly appeal to withdraw

the sanction within a date, but the discussion

is all about resolving the issue.

"We have a good rapport, I would say,"

he said, adding that this sanction was

imposed because of US Congress.

After the telephone conversation, the

US Department of State spokesperson

Ned Price said the US Secretary of State

and Bangladesh foreign minister agreed

to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

A festival mood in capital

due to Victory Day

Shafiqul iSlam (Jami)

A festive mood has been prevailing in the

capital on the occasion of the birth centenary

of Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

and the golden jubilee of independence.

Especially in the South Plaza of the Jatiya

Sangsad Bhaban, a two-day special program

has been organized under the

theme 'Mahabijayer Mahanayak' from

Dec 16. The National Implementation

Committee for celebration of Mujib Year

has organized the event. Surrounding the

event is the festive mood in the capital's

Manik Mia Avenue.

It is seen that besides the invited

guests, curious common people have also

brought their families in the Parliament

building area. Only invited guests are

allowed to enter the Parliament building

through security check.

Alamgir, who came to visit the Sangsad

Bhaban area with his family, said, "I

heard that the Golden Jubilee of

Independence is being celebrated."

Different areas have been arranged very

nicely. So I came to see with family. I will

not get a chance to enter. As much as we

can be enjoy from the outside.

Traffic officials said normal traffic on

both sides of Manik Mia Avenue was

closed due to the smooth running of

the event. Only vehicles with stickers

provided for the occasion can enter

and car parking has been arranged on

the main road.

Meanwhile, many people have brought

the national flag on Manik Mia Avenue.

He is looking around with the flag in his

hand. On the first day of the two-day program,

the program started at 4.30 pm on

Thursday and at the beginning of the program,

the oath of Subarna Jayanti and

Mujibbarsha was administered under the

direction of Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina. People from all walks of life took

part in the swearing-in ceremony with the

national flag in their hand, pledging to

build a prosperous Bangladesh.

President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid

and President of India Ramnath Kovinda

were present on the occasion. In addition,

the common people read the oath of

office with the national flag from the division,

district and upazila stadiums and

venues designated for Victory Day. From

the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad

Bhaban, the Prime Minister was virtually

connected to the rest of the country.

GD–1860/21 (8x4)

Bangladesh to get

defence items from

India soon under

$500mn LoC

DHAKA : Bangladesh will soon get some

defence items from India under US$ 500

million line of credit (LoC) that had been

extended to Bangladesh for purchasing

defence equipment, reports UNB.

"I'm told that under this Line of Credit

several items have been identified and fasttracked.

They are fairly in advance stages of

the process," said Indian Foreign Secretary

Harsh Vardhan Shringla while responding

to a question at a media briefing at a city

hotel on Wednesday night.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh

Vikram Kumar Doraiswami conducted the

briefing that highlighted various aspects of

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind's first

day engagement in Dhaka.

Joint Secretary (Bangladesh-Myanmar)

at the Ministry of External Affairs Smita

Pant and Director Rajesh Uike were, among

others, present. Shringla, who served in

Dhaka as India's High Commissioner, said

they will see some defence items being

exported and coming to Bangladesh. "This

is something we would like to see."

The Foreign Secretary also highlighted

the potential of joint manufacturing in the

defence sector which is also something

they want to see enhanced.

The US$ 500-million Line of Credit was

first announced by India during Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to New

Delhi in 2017. Responding to a question,

Shringla said they do not look at their relationship

with Bangladesh in the prism of a

third country and preferred not to comment

on any issue that involves any third country.

"We deal with each other on a bilateral

basis. We're close friends. We're neighbours.

We cooperate in a wide range of

areas. I hesitate to speak about what third

countries are doing," he said.

UK COVID cases hit record

Top doctor warns of worse to come

LONDON : The U.K. recorded the highest

number of confirmed new COVID-19

infections Wednesday since the pandemic

began, and England's chief medical officer

warned the situation is likely to get worse

as the omicron variant drives a new wave

of illness during the Christmas holidays.

Professor Chris Whitty described the

current situation as two epidemics in one -

with omicron infections rising rapidly even

as the country continues to grapple with

the older delta variant, which is still causing

a large number of infections. Public

health officials expect omicron to become

the dominant variant across the U.K. within

days. Omicron already accounts for a

majority of cases in London.

The U.K. recorded 78,610 new infections

on Wednesday, 16% higher than

the previous record set in January. While

scientists are still studying the risks

posed by the highly transmissible omicron

variant, Witty said the public should

be braced for the figures to continue rising

in coming weeks.

"There are several things we don't know,"

Whitty said. "But all the things we do know

are bad, the principal one being the speed at

which this is moving. It is moving at an

absolutely phenomenal pace."

The comments came on the day that

the U.K. government implemented new

rules ordering masks to be worn in most

indoor settings in England and requiring

proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus

test to enter nightclubs and large

crowded events.

Britain is also accelerating its the

national vaccination program, with a

goal of offering a booster dose to every

adult by the end of December. The government

said within days it will open new

mass vaccination centers at sports stadiums

around the country, including

Wembley, the 90,000-seat national soccer

stadium in London.

Whitty advised people to limit their

social contacts, putting a priority on

those that are the most important.

"I am afraid there will be an increasing

number of omicron patients going into the

NHS, going into hospital, going into intensive

care, and exact ratios we don't yet know,

but there will be substantial numbers," he

said. "That will begin to become apparent, in

my view, fairly soon after Christmas."

Despite the surge in infections, daily

coronavirus-related deaths in the U.K. are

well below last winter's peak. Britain

recorded 165 deaths on Wednesday, compared

with a record 1,820 on Jan. 20.

Public health officials credit widespread

vaccination with weakening the

link between COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations

and deaths.

Meanwhile, Britain is moving forward

with a public inquiry into how the government

has responded to the pandemic.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on

Wednesday announced that Heather

Hallett, a former Court of Appeal judge,

would chair the inquiry, which is due to

begin next spring.

"She brings a wealth of experience to the

role and I know shares my determination

that the inquiry examines in a forensic and

thoroughgoing way the government's

response to the pandemic," Johnson said.

After pressure from bereaved families,

Johnson agreed to hold an inquiry on his

government's handling of the pandemic,

which has left more than 146,000 people

in Britain dead, the highest toll in Europe

after Russia. The probe will have the

power to summon evidence and to question

witnesses under oath.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2021

2

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md Akhtaruzzaman placed wreath to the National

Memorial on Thursday marking Victory Day.

Photo : Courtesy

16 more test positive for

Covid-19 in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI : Sixteen more people have

tested positive for Covid-19 in three

districts of the division on Wednesday,

taking the caseload to 99,643 since the

pandemic began in March last year.

However, the new positive cases show a

rising trend compared to the previous

day's figure, said Dr Habibul Ahsan

Talukder, divisional director of Health,

adding that a total of 14 people were

infected on Tuesday, reports BSS.

Meanwhile, the recovery count rose to

96,048 in the division after 28 patients

were discharged from the hospitals on the

same day.

The death toll reached 1,686, including

686 in Bogura, 324 in Rajshahi with 206 in

its city and 175 in Natore as no new

fatalities were reported during the last 24

hours , Dr Talukder added.

Besides, all the positive cases of Covid-19

have, so far, been brought under treatment

while 23,155 were kept in isolation units of

different dedicated hospitals for

institutional quarantine.

Of them, 19,838 have been released.

RANGPUR : The number of Covid-19 cases

has reached 55,666 as 11 new patients were

reported on Wednesday in Rangpur division.

"The 11 new patients were diagnosed

after testing 317 samples at the positivity

rate of 3.47 percent on Wednesday,"

Divisional Director (Health) Dr Abu Md

Zakirul Islam told BSS.

The district-wise break up of total 55,666

patients include 12,537 of Rangpur, 3,828

Panchagarh, 4,463 of Nilphamari, 2,756 of

Lalmonirhat, 4,646 of Kurigram, 7,691 of

Thakurgaon, 14,871 of Dinajpur and 4,874

of Gaibandha in the division," he 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 casualties remained steady at

1,248.

The average casualty rate currently

stands at 2.24 percent in the division.

The district-wise breakup of the 1,248

fatalities stands at 293 in Rangpur, 81 in

Panchagarh, 89 in Nilphamari, 68 in

Lalmonirhat, 69 in Kurigram, 255 in

Thakurgaon, 330 in Dinajpur and 63 in

Gaibandha of the division.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, a

total of 3,04,139 collected samples were

tested till Wednesday, and of them, 55,666

were found Covid-19 positive with an

average positivity rate of 18.30 percent in

the division," Dr Islam said.

Meanwhile, the number of healed Covid-

JOYPURHAT : The 51st

Victory Day along with the

golden jubilee of the

country's independence was

celebrated in the district

yesterday, reports BSS,

Marking the day, different

organizations including

government, semigovernment,

autonomous

bodies, educational

institutions, political parties

including district Awami

League, Muktijoddha

Sangsad celebrated the day

through different

programmes honoring their

Meanwhile, 19 more people have been sent

to home and institutional quarantine

afresh while 36 others were released from

isolation during the same period.

Of the 16 new cases, seven were detected

in Rajshahi city, followed by five in Pabna

and four in Bogura districts.

With the newly detected patients, the

district-wise break-up of the total cases

now stands at 28,322 in Rajshahi

including 22,879 in its city, 5,687 in

Chapainawabganj, 6,454 in Naogaon,

8,428 in Natore, 4,726 in Joypurhat,

21,773 in Bogura, 11,429 in Sirajganj and

12,824 in Pabna.

A total of 1,14,942 people have, so far,

been kept under quarantine since March

10 last year to prevent community

transmission of the deadly coronavirus

(COVID-19).

Of them, 1, 13,864 have, by now, been

released as they were given clearance

certificates after completing their 14-day

quarantine. Covid-19

Victory Day celebrated

in Joypurhat

national heroes on the

Liberation War with a call

for resisting all kinds of

communal forces.

This year the victory day

was observed maintaining

social distance and health

safety guidelines, set up by

the government, due to

Coronavirus pandemic.

The celebrations began in

the town with 50-gun

salutes at the memorial of

martyr Dr. Abul Kashem

Maidan followed by placing

of wreaths at the

Independence Memorial

with the sunrise.

Divisional commissioner

Md. Shariful Islam hoisted

the national flag at the

Joypurhat stadium

yesterday morning.

Special prayers were

offered at mosques,

temples, churches and other

religious institutions,

seeking divine blessings for

peace and progress of the

country.

Improved diet has been

served among the inmates

of all hospitals, orphanage

centers to mark the day.

Indian Foreign

Minister extends

greetings on

Bangladesh's

51st Victory Day

DHAKA : Indian External

Affairs Minister Dr S

Jaishankar has extended

warmest congratulations to

his Bangladeshi counterpart

Dr AK Abdul Momen, the

government and the people

of Bangladesh on the

occasion of the country's

51st Victory Day, reports

UNB.

"The valiant fight of people

of Bangladesh led by

Bangabandhu (Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman)

against oppression and

genocide will always inspire

us," he tweeted.

8-yr-old girl

killed in

Dinajpur

road accident

DINAJPUR : An eight-yearold

girl returning home after

attending Victory Day

celebrations in her school

died after being hit by a

tractor in Dinajpur

Thursday, reports UNB.

The accident occurred

around 11.30am in the busy

Ghughuratoli area of the

district's Chirirbandar

upazila.

The deceased was

identified as Sumaiya,

daughter of Monjer Ali of

Fakirpara village in the

upazila. She was a Class III

student of Daffodil School.

Eye-witnesses said that

Sumaiya was hit by the

tractor while she was

crossing a road in the area.

She died on the spot in the

impact.

Chief Engineer of LGED Abdur Rashid Khan placed wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman at LGED headquarter yesterday marking Victory Day.

Photo : Courtesy

Natore:

Class III

student

found dead

near school

NATORE : A class III

student was found dead with

his throat slit near his school

in Pangasia village of Singra

upazila on Wednesday

night, reports UNB.

The deceased was

identified as Asif, son of

Bhulu Mia of the village.

Police said Asif went to

school on Wednesday

morning but didn't return

till late evening, following

which his parents started

searching for him.

"Locals spotted the boy's

body near the primary

school around 10pm and

informed us," said

Mozammel Haque, a subinspector

at Singra police

Station.

"The body was taken into

custody and sent to the local

hospital morgue for an

autopsy," he said.

Biggest one-year global

debt increase since World

War II in 2020: IMF

WASHINGTON, Dec 16,

2021 (BSS/AFP) - Global

debt rose to $226 trillion in

2020 after seeing its biggest

yearly increase since World

War II, with richer nations

doing most of the

borrowing, the IMF said

Wednesday.

Global debt now stands at

256 percent of GDP, a high

level that countries across

the world will have to

consider as they seek to

revitalize their economies

from the Covid-19

downturn while dealing

with new variants such as

Omicron.

"The large increase in debt

was justified by the need to

protect people's lives,

preserve jobs and avoid a

wave of bankruptcies. If

governments had not taken

action, the social and

economic consequences

would have been

devastating," IMF officials

wrote in a blog outlining the

latest update to the

Washington-based crisis

lender's Global Debt

Database.

"But the debt surge

amplifies vulnerabilities,

especially as financing

conditions tighten. High

debt levels constrain, in

most cases, the ability of

governments to support the

recovery and the capacity of

the private sector to invest

in the medium term."

The global public debt

ratio hit a record high of 99

percent of GDP, and

borrowing by governments

accounted for more than

half of last year's overall

increase, while household

debt also posted its own

record, the IMF said.

Public debt has now

reached its highest share of

total global debt since the

mid-1960s, which the IMF

attributed to the policy

responses against both the

Covid-19 pandemic in 2020

and the 2008 global

financial crisis.

Wealthier nations made

up 90 percent of last year's

debt increase, according to

the data, with both public

debt and private debt

increasing in those

countries.

Nations with fewer means

such as emerging markets

and low-income developing

countries took on much

smaller amounts of about $1

trillion in debt each.

Prominent freedom fighter and Vice President of Central Command Council Bangladesh Muktijoddah

Sangsand Ismat Qadir Gama addressing as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of two day long

program titled '50 of 16' marking Golden Jubilee of our Victory Day organized by Department of

Journalism, Media and Communication of Daffodil International University. Photo : Courtesy

Global Covid

cases top 272

million

DHAKA : The overall number

of coronavirus cases has

surged past 272 million as

scientists around the world

race to learn about the

Omicron variant's

transmissibility and severity,

reports UNB.

According to Johns

Hopkins University (JHU),

the total case count mounted

to 272,197,443 while the

death toll from the virus

reached 5,329,536 Thursday

morning.

The US has recorded

50,374,543 cases so far and

more than 802,510 people

have died from the virus in

the country, the university

data shows.

Brazil, which has been

experiencing a new wave of

cases since January,

registered 22,201,221 cases as

of Thursday, while its Covid

death toll rose to 617,271.

India has registered 6,784

new cases of Covid-19 during

a 24-hour period, bringing

the total caseload to

34,710,628, as per the health

ministry figures released

Monday.

The ministry also reported

247 more deaths during the

same period, taking the total

death toll to 476,135.

Besides, India's total tally of

the Omicron variant has

surpassed 60 as the virus has

spread to nearly 80 countries

and regions, as per the World

Health Organisation (WHO).

Meanwhile, the UK

reported the first death of a

patient infected with

Omicron on Monday. Long

lines formed Monday at

vaccination centres across

England as people heeded the

government's call for all

adults to get booster shots to

protect themselves against

the variant.

The UK, as of Thursday

morning, logged 11,073,455

Covid-19 cases, while the

fatalities mounted to 147,249.

cases reach 55,666

in Rangpur division

2 killed in Natore

road accidents

NATORE : Two people

including a 10-year-old child

were killed in two separate

road accidents in

Gurudaspur upazila of

Natore district on Thursday,

reports UNB.

Quoting locals, Officer-in-

Charge of Gurudaspur

Police Station, Abdul Motin

said, 10-year-old Sabbir was

hit by a motorcycle near

Nayapara area of the

upazila, and died on the

spot.

The motorcyclist managed

to flee the scene after the

incident, the OC added.

19 patients reached 53,688 with the

recovery of 32 more patients on

Wednesday in the division where the

average recovery rate currently stands at

96.45 percent.

The 53,688 recovered patients include

11,769 of Rangpur, 3,715 Panchagarh,

4,367 Nilphamari, 2,625 Lalmonirhat,

4,527 Kurigram, 7,400 Thakurgaon,

14,488 in Dinajpur and 4,797 Gaibandha

districts in the division.

Among the 55,666 patients, 21 are under

treatments at isolation units, including

nine critical patients at ICU beds and three

at High Dependency Unit beds, after

recovery of 53,688 patients and 1,248

deaths.

"In the meantime, the number of citizens

who got the first dose of the Covid-19

vaccine rose to 76,99,186, and among

them, 47,58,890 got the second dose of the

jab till Wednesday 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 said the Covid-19

situation is improving consistently in

recent months.

"However, people should abide by the

health directives to prevent another

probable wave of the newly detected

Omicron strain of the Covid-19 virus," he

said.

Dengue: 17 more hospitalized in 24 hrs

DHAKA : Seventeen new dengue patients were hospitalised

in 24 hours till Thursday morning, but no death was

reported, health authorities said, reports UNB.

Dengue claimed 101 lives so far this year, according to the

Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Ninety-two people died in Dhaka division alone, three in

Mymensingh division, two each in Chattogram, and Khulna

divisions and one each in Rajshahi and Barishal divisions.

Twelve patients are undergoing treatment at hospitals in

Dhaka while the remaining five cases have been reported

from outside the division.

Some 160 patients who were diagnosed with dengue are

receiving treatment in the country as of Thursday.

Of them, 99 patients are receiving treatment at different

hospitals in the capital while the remaining 61 were listed

outside Dhaka.

Since January, some 28,085 patients have been admitted

to different hospitals with dengue in the country. So far,

27,824 dengue patients have left hospitals after recovery,

said DGHS.

The young woman in Myanmar decided to speak out when she realized that money from the company

she loved was now in the hands of the military leaders she hated.

Photo : AP

Myanmar public urges gas sanctions

to stop military funding

JAKARTA : The young woman in

Myanmar decided to speak out when

she realized that money from the

company she loved was now in the

hands of the military leaders she hated.

She and her parents had long worked

for Total Energies, the French company

that operates a lucrative gas field off the

coast of southern Myanmar with a

state-owned enterprise. But in

February, the military took over

Myanmar's government and its bank

accounts, including those that receive

hundreds of millions of dollars each

year from the Total gas field, known as

Yadana. As military abuses such as the

murder and detention of thousands

have grown, the young woman joined

others across Myanmar in a

groundswell of support for targeted

sanctions on oil and gas funds, the

country's single largest source of foreign

currency revenue. But Western

governments - most notably the United

States and France - have refused to take

that step amid lobbying from energy

company officials and resistance from

countries such as Thailand, which gets

gas from Myanmar. On Friday, the U.S.

announced a raft of sanctions against

several Myanmar officials and entities,

but again left out oil or gas revenues.

The young woman chanted slogans

outside Total's offices, and later

protested the military's takeover. She

said she has since lost her job, and was

thrown into prison for three weeks.

"We had a good relationship and good

memories of Total," said the young

woman, whose name, like those of other

Myanmar gas workers in this story, is

being withheld by The Associated Press

for their safety. "Total has taken a lot

from Myanmar....so they should at least

help Myanmar with a little bit of effort

during such a bloody period in our

country."

In recent months, the Myanmar

public's cries for sanctions on gas

revenues have grown thunderous. In

August, activists launched the "Blood

Money Campaign" movement, risking

their lives by marching in the streets

and carrying signs that read: "Freeze

payments to junta and save Myanmar."

Others posted photos of themselves on

SKorea bans gatherings of 5 or

more people amid virus surge

SEOUL : South Korea will prohibit private

social gatherings of five or more people

nationwide and force restaurants to close at 9

p.m., rolling out the country's toughest

coronavirus restrictions yet as hospitals

grapple with the deadliest month of the

pandemic. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum

said Thursday that the new measures will be

enforced for at least 16 days after taking effect

on Saturday, saying there's an urgent need to

bring the country to a "standstill" with the

delta-driven surge overwhelming stretched

hospitals and exhausted medical workers.

Schools in the densely populated capital Seoul

and nearby metropolitan areas, where the

virus has hit hardest, will also go back to

remote learning after fully reopening in

November. The Korea Disease Control and

Prevention Agency reported 7,622 new cases

on Thursday, close to the daily record of 7,850

set a day earlier. That brought the national

caseload to 544,117, with nearly 97,000 added

in December alone.

Most of the transmissions were in the

capital region, where officials say more than

86% of intensive care units designated for

COVID-19 treatment are already occupied

amid a spike in hospitalizations and deaths.

More than 890 virus patients died this

month, bringing the country's death toll to

4,518. As of Thursday morning, a record 989

patients were in serious or critical condition.

"During this period of standstill, the

government will reinforce the stability of our

medical response capabilities," said Kim,

Seoul's No. 2 behind President Moon Jae-in,

during a virus meeting. "We ask our people to

respond to these efforts by actively getting

vaccinated."

The viral surge has been a huge setback for

President Moon Jae-in's government, which

had significantly eased social distancing rules

in November while declaring a phased return

to pre-pandemic normalcy. While focusing

on improving the economy, officials had

predicted that the country's rising vaccination

rates would keep hospitalizations and

fatalities down. But there has been a surge in

serious cases among people in their 60s or

older, including those whose immunities have

waned after getting inoculated early in the

vaccine rollout that began in February.

South Korea will prohibit private social gatherings of five or more people

nationwide and force restaurants to close at 9 p.m., rolling out the country's

toughest coronavirus restrictions yet as hospitals grapple with the deadliest

month of the pandemic.

Photo : AP

social media holding signs that targeted

the gas companies at the center of the

debate: "Total, Chevron - Stop

accessory to murder." The United

Nations' top expert on human rights in

Myanmar says millions of people across

the country are imposing personal

sanctions by withholding taxes, refusing

to pay power bills and boycotting

products linked to the military. And on

Nov. 30, 540 civil society organizations

in Myanmar joined international

colleagues in sending a letter to CEO

Patrick Pouyanne asking Total to "put

an end to its complicity in crimes

against humanity" by making payments

to a holding account. The letter argued

that Total is violating local laws against

misappropriating public money and

"has placed itself on the side of the

junta." The AP also obtained a copy of a

letter from workers at Yadana to their

managers earlier this year calling on

Total's subsidiary, Total E and P

Myanmar, to suspend export

payments to the military, place the

funds in a protected account and

freeze income tax.

UN chief says crossborder

aid to Syria

rebel bastion vital

UNITED NATIONS : Crossborder

humanitarian aid to

Syria remains vital, the

United Nations Secretary-

General said in an internal

report Tuesday, as a UN

authorization allowing aid

into rebel-held areas in the

country's northwest without

approval from Damascus is

up for renewal.

A rare moment of

cooperation between the

United States and Russia in

July allowed for a six-month

extension of activity at Bab al-

Hawa, the only border

crossing through which aid

reaches the rebel stronghold

of Idlib province. That

authorization, renewable

once, runs until January 10,

reports BSS.

"Cross-border assistance

remains lifesaving for

millions of people in need in

north-west Syria," Antonio

Guterres said in a confidential

document obtained by AFP,

adding that over four million

people were in need of crucial

assistance across the country.

The United States and several

European nations believe the

UN authorization for the

crossing between Syria and

Turkey should renew

automatically for an

additional six months,

without the need for a new

vote. But Russia, a key ally to

the Damascus regime, has

previously opposed the move,

invoking Syrian sovereignty.

Moscow has linked any

potential extension to

Tuesday's report, as well as a

possible new vote.

The cross-border

mechanism has been

operating since 2020 through

Bab al-Hawa, after the

Russian-imposed removal in

2019 of three other access

points in Syria.

KUALA LUMPUR : The death toll from a

boat accident off Malaysia rose to 16

Thursday after a search and rescue team

found the bodies of five more Indonesian

migrants on the shore, reports BSS.

The vessel, which was carrying about 50

Indonesians seeking to enter

neighbouring Malaysia illegally, capsized

Wednesday in stormy weather off the

southern state of Johor.

Soldiers on patrol found 11 bodies on

the shore in the hours after the accident,

and the bodies of three more men and two

women were recovered Thursday, the

coastguard said. Twenty migrants are

frIDAY, DeceMber 17, 2021

3

75 dead in Haiti truck explosion

amid fears toll will rise

CAP-HAITIEN : Fears grew Wednesday the

death toll from a massive gas truck explosion

in Haiti would climb as officials scrambled to

provide care for dozens suffering burn

injuries sustained in the accident, reports

BSS. One day after the blast in Haiti's second

largest city of Cap-Haitien, 75 people were

confirmed dead in the latest disaster to hit

the poverty-wracked Caribbean nation, riven

by gang violence and political paralysis.

As of Wednesday evening, there were 59

people still being treated for burn injuries,

most of them severe, civil protection director

Jerry Chandler told AFP.

"We are currently doubling down on

efforts to re-enforce our local health

infrastructure," he said, adding that a field

hospital at a local gym was almost ready.

Chandler said the facility is expected to

operate for the next seven to 10 days,

supported by materials from the World

Health Organization and personnel

deployed by the country's health ministry.

The death toll had increased throughout

the day Wednesday, as the injured

succumbed to burns that in some cases

covered large portions of their bodies.

Most were injured when passers-by had

rushed to collect gas-a rare commodity amid

severe fuel shortages-that spilled from a

flipped tanker truck into the street early

Tuesday morning.

Some patients were transferred outside

Cap-Haitien, including to a hospital run by

Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, which

runs the only facility in the country equipped

to treat severe burns. "We have been

operating all night," MSF medical

coordinator Jean Gilbert Ndong said

Wednesday morning.

"For now, our 12 patients are stable," he

said, adding his team was expecting another

dozen patients to arrive later.

MSF also has a team in Cap-Haitien,

Ndong said, including a burn specialist

surgeon. Patrick Almonor, deputy mayor of

Cap-Haitien, described the horrific scene

Tuesday, saying he had seen dozens of

people "burned alive" and that it was

"impossible to identify them."

Homes nearby also suffered serious

damage after being set ablaze in the

explosion. Haiti has never produced enough

electricity to meet the needs of its

population. Even in well-off parts of the

capital, the state-run Haiti electric utility

only provides, at most, a few hours of power

a day. Fuel shortages have been exacerbated

by violent gangs blocking access to oil

terminals, which has hampered the

provision of adequate medical care.

"We have a population that lives in

extreme poverty," said Marie-Rosy Auguste

Ducena, an activist with the National

Network for the Defense of Human Rights.

"That's what prompted people to go out

and collect gasoline from the tanker, they

thought they could resell the fuel," she said.

Chronically unstable Haiti was plunged

into a new crisis in July when President

Jovenel Moise was assassinated in a stillmysterious

plot.

Death toll in Malaysian

boat accident rises to 16

believed to still be missing, and

authorities have deployed boats and an

aircraft to hunt for them.

Another 14 people survived the

accident, and have been taken into

custody. Indonesians desperate for work

sometimes try to enter neighbouring

Malaysia illegally by making sea crossings

in rickety boats, but accidents happen

regularly.

Relatively affluent Malaysia is home to

millions of migrants from poorer parts of

Asia, many of them undocumented, and

they work in industries including

construction and agriculture.

The death toll from a boat accident off Malaysia rose to 16 Thursday after

a search and rescue team found the bodies of five more Indonesian

migrants on the shore. Photo : AP

Brands from Ferrari to Nike

rush toward 'metaverse' future

NEW YORK : The metaverse

vision for the internet is far

from reality, but brands

from Ferrari to Nike are

already rushing in to

experiment and build an

audience, in part for fear of

missing out, reports BSS

The clamor over virtual

goods comes amid feverish

predictions that the

metaverse-a virtual reality

version of the internet-will

eventually replace the web of

today. But some virtual

worlds, for example the

Fortnite and Minecraft

games or the Roblox

platform, are already open

for business.

"I think a lot of it is

experimentation," said Ryan

Mullins, founder of virtual

sneaker app Aglet.

"If it turns out that we

make a couple of grand or

something like that... great,

but I think a lot of

(companies) are thinking

'innovate, disrupt or die,'" he

added, echoing a Silicon

Valley ethos of sometimes

brutal evolution.

Fashion has been at the

forefront, with a line of

digital clothing from Uniqlo

on Minecraft or Balenciaga

outfits and sneakers

available in Fortnite.

Designers are also entering

the new field of NFTs-nonfungible

tokens that are

unique digital objects such

as drawings or animations.

"This represents a massive

opportunity for brands, who

will get in early and will be

able to build persistent

presence... on a truly global

scale," said Christina

Wootton, vice president of

partnerships at Roblox.

During the Halloween

holiday, Mexican fast-food

chain Chipotle opened a

virtual and ephemeral

restaurant on Roblox, the

first of its kind. The brand

offered coupons to get a free

burrito in a real-life

restaurant, but also virtual

costumes to dress up one's

avatar and a treasure hunt.

In July, Ferrari launched a

replica of its new 296 GTB

model with Fortnite, which

will not be available in the

real world until 2022 but

could be driven in the game.

Nike had already opened

"Nikeland," a virtual

showroom on Roblox, and

announced Monday it has

bought digital sneaker

company RTFKTpronounced

"artifact."For

companies that exist

primarily in the physical

world, the metaverse

concept is first and foremost

a giant laboratory with direct

avenues to the young

demographic prized by

advertisers.

"Revenues will come if this

thing sticks around, but we

want to make sure that our

brand is in these early

environments," said Mullins

from Aglet.

Nine dead in

Dominican Republic

plane crash: airline

SANTO DOMINGO : Nine

people, including Puerto

Rican music producer "Flow

La Movie" died Wednesday

when a private plane

crashed at the Las Americas

airport in the Dominican

Republic capital Santo

Domingo, the aircraft's

owner Helidosa said, reports

BSSHelidosa "regrets the

tragic accident on one of its

planes at Las Americas

airport... in which tragically

all of the crew and

passengers died," the

company said in a

statement.

Music producer Jose

Angel Hernandez, who went

by "Flow La Movie" and was

known for hits like "Te bote,"

was listed in the Helidosa

statement among the seven

passengers and two crew

members killed in the crash.

Local media said

Hernandez's partner and his

son were among the dead.

The Gulfstream plane

crashed when it attempted

to make an emergency

landing due to a malfunction

after taking off for the US

state of Florida from another

airport near the Dominican

Republic capital, local

media reported.

Bootleg alcohol

kills 25 in

Turkey: report

ISTANBUL : At least 25

people died in Turkey this

week after drinking a bad

batch of bootleg alcohol, as

production soars owing to

high taxes, local media

reported on Thursday.

The production of bootleg

liquor has risen with the

steady increase in taxes, with

President Recep Tayyip

Erdogan's Islamic-rooted

party disapproving of alcohol

consumption. Seven of the

deaths occurred in Istanbul,

the HaberTurk channel

reported.

The national alcoholic drink

raki costs around 250 Turkish

lira ($16.5) per litre in the

supermarket, or nearly a

tenth of the monthly net

minimum wage.

Bootleg alcohol is

sometimes mixed with

methanol-which is more toxic

and used by industry-instead

of ethanol, which is usually

used for human

consumption. The Turkish

interior ministry said police

seized more than 30,000

litres (8,000 gallons) of

counterfeit and bootleg

alcohol after raids at 342

locations. Sixty people were

detained. More than 40

people died in less than a

week in Turkey towards the

end of 2020.

Saudi Arabia sends

humanitarian aid

to Afghanistan

RIYADH : Saudi Arabia sent

two aircraft carrying

humanitarian aid to

Afghanistan Thursday, state

media reported, its first such

initiative since the Taliban

took control of the crisisstricken

country in August.

The kingdom's state-run

King Salman Humanitarian

Aid and Relief Center

(KSRelief) sent more than 65

tonnes of aid, including 1,647

food baskets, the official Saudi

Press Agency said.

The centre's supervisor

general, Abdullah al-

Rabeeah, said the Saudi

humanitarian air bridge

would see a total of six planes

deliver more than 197 tonnes

of aid to Afghanistan.

He said aid would also be

delivered overland on 200

trucks from neighbouring

Pakistan. The Gulf Arab

countries agreed during a

summit in Riyadh on Tuesday

to "contribute in mobilising

international efforts to

provide humanitarian

assistance to the Afghan

people and to improving their

economic conditions".

More than half of

Afghanistan's 38 million

people face "acute" food

shortages, according to the

United Nations, with the

winter forcing millions to

choose between migration

and starvation.

FRIDAY, DEcEMBER 17, 2021

4

Building on AUKUS to forge a Pax Pacifica

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Friday, December 17, 2021

Bangladesh shines

in pandemic rating

T

he

United Nations recognizes that there

are some 196 countries in the world.

Bangladesh was put at the lowest end of

this list of countries in all measures of wealth,

standard of living, livableness, etc. during the

greater part of its existence. But changes started

occurring and duringthe present decade it more

and more started getting the world's recognition

as a country that moved up over the years.

The coming up of Bangladesh in all respects has

been especially spectacular in recent years. Two

years ago this country successfully shed its label

as a least developed country (LDC) and set its feet

on the path of being fully recognized as a middleincome

country. This was indeeda great

accomplishment for a country that was

derided some 48 years ago as a hopeless

case of international charity or a

'bottomless basket' that devoured all

international charity while producing

little or nothing for its own sustenance.

But today Bangladesh is considered as a fast

emerging economic power house destined for

bigger prosperity, well-being and glory even

amid a raging pandemic that has crushed hope

and created havoc in the economic sense for the

greater part of humanity. The latest to shower its

praise on Bangladesh was Bloomberg, one of the

most respected, trusted and relied on news

agencies of the United States.

Bloomberg did a pandemic rating of the

countries of the world for their resilience during

the on goingpandemic. Outstandingly in this

assessment Bangladesh shone out as one of the

most promising countries for its resilience while

pitted against the pandemic. The pandemic

ranking of Bangladesh was 20th among 196

countries that showed it far ahead of even

many developed countries.

The pandemic rating was done on the basis of

several criterion such as how a country's

economy coped or not with the crushing blow of

the pandemic, how far safe a country has been in

terms of the death rate and newer cases of

infections, how successfully or not its heath care

system could cope with the pandemic, etc.

Blissfully in all of these measures, Bangladesh

came out on top as among the first 20 countries

in scoring great success in facing up to the

pandemic when front rank countries like USA,

UK and others are far below Bangladesh in this

assessment. This rating has also shattered

conclusively all previous notions of safety,

livability and other positive attributes

attached to individual countries.

When dark horse Bangladesh used to be

scorned falsely for its unlivable conditions in the

past, the same Bangladesh is now seen as a far

better or safer place to live in (according to

international recognition) contrasted to

countries like USA and UK. It is no joke that

given a choice many people would now want to

live in Bangladesh and not in a major developed

country considering Bangladesh's relatively safer

livable conditions amid the pandemic.

The Bloomberg rating has made us rightly

proud . It should also make us greatly inspired.

With the rest of the world, Bangladesh is getting

ready to welcome a new pear which is some two

weeks away. We can indeed feel optimism that

amid the greatest threat that mankind faced in

the outgoing year, we were distinguished in our

efforts not to give in to the challenges of the

pandemic. We could rise majestically to confront

and restrain the threat and blunt its effects .Full

credit for this goes to our people and the able

leadership of the incumbent government headed

by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. We have

sustained our moving on towards our goals

more or less. This is no small achievement by

even the world's standards.

Our leadership in the new year will be expected

to be even more resolutely devoted to go on

giving the country exceptional leadership in the

new year to finally see through the pandemic

with triumph and take the nation forward

towards its set objectives.

America's offer to supply British and

US nuclear submarine technology

to Australia (AUKUS) became a

political fact almost instantly. President

Biden and prime ministers Boris Johnson

and Scott Morrison announced it.

Yet, whatever its outcome, if it's just

limited to building subs, it's unlikely to

deter Beijing. To accomplish that and

create a real Pax Pacifica, Washington will

have to up its ante and forge additional

strategic technology collaborations

between Japan, South Korea, and Europe.

What will happen if Washington

doesn't? Seoul and Tokyo could go their

own way. Having been rebuffed after

asking Washington to help it build nuclear

submarines in 2020, South Koreans now

wonder why Washington just said yes to

Australia.

Assuming Seoul proceeds with its plans,

though, it would squander billions on

nuclear submarines unlikely to perform

well in the closed and shallow seas that

surround Korea.

Worse, it would give Seoul a pretext to

enrich uranium for its subs with plants

that could also produce weapons-grade

material for bombs. Japan would hardly

stand for this. Count on it, and possibly

others, developing additional nuclear

weapons options, straining rather than

strengthening America's security ties in

the region. This, however, is hardly

inevitable. Washington, Tokyo, Seoul,

Canberra, and Europe could create a Pax

Pacifica by tightening the nuclear rules

and collaborating on new, cutting-edge

technological projects. The aim would be

to get China to realize that any regional

hot war it might threaten in the short run

would only further catalyze a larger cool

competition against it that it would likely

lose. How might the United States and its

allies pull this off? One way, recently

suggested by former Japanese Prime

Minister Shinzo Abe, would be to amplify

the Australian-UK-US deal's nonnuclear

features-its space cooperation, unmanned

underwater warfare systems

development, and advanced computing

and missile collaboration-and open them

up to the participation of Japan, South

Korea, and others as appropriate.

Washington also could forge new

collaborations. One might be an ROK-

French-US (ROKFUS) initiative to build

an enhanced space surveillance system

that, among other things, could aim to

eliminate the blind spots the moon's

brightness creates near it for our groundbased

telescopes. France, the hips of the

European Space Agency and NATO's

HENRY SOKOLSKI

BELEN FERNANDEz

space command, should be interested. So

should Seoul, which otherwise is poised to

waste billions on unnecessary space

launch systems and redundant

navigational satellite constellations.

Meanwhile, the project's surveillance

system could keep track of Chinese

military and civil satellites, including

those near the moon, threatening critical

US and allied satellites in geostationary

orbits. The USS John Warner, a nuclearpowered

submarine of the type Australia

will soon be developing. Source: US Navy

Another useful project would be to have

Germany, as the European Union's lead,

work with Japan and the United States on

advanced computer and communications

systems that could help could crack codes,

secure communications, and open up

closed internet systems.

This deal (DEJPUS?) could exploit

Japan's, Europe's and America's

considerable accomplishments in these

fields, Japan's and Germany's current

cooperation on advanced computing, and

help assure US and European markets for

the systems the undertaking might

generate. This, after China's rush to tap

the European 5G market, would be no

mean accomplishment. It also could help

penetrate Beijing's Great Firewall, which

tracks and censors open communications

in and outside China.

These additional initiatives could

include additional participants. Their aim

would be to reduce Japan's and South

Korea's incentives to go their own way (or

nuclear); encourage Europe's

democracies to engage more deeply with

those of the Pacific; and create peaceful

counters to Chinese economic, military,

and diplomatic forms of intimidation.

Sound too good to ever be true? It may

be. Certainly, there's one question Chinese

and Russian critics of AUKUS raise that

could make all this stillborn: Isn't sharing

nuclear submarine technology with

Australia directly at odds with reining in

nuclear risks? For many, the answer is

yes. It ought to be just the opposite.

Former Australian Foreign Minister

Gareth Evans has publicly supported

AUKUS so long as Australia keeps clear of

enriching its own uranium.

Scott Morrison's Australia's Liberal

Party, which enjoys a mere one-seat

majority in Australia's House, seems to be

listening: Prime Minister Morrison

recently stated that Canberra does not

intend to develop a civilian nuclear

program.

Source: Asia times

Middle East in denial as solutions prove elusive

Aspokesperson for the US-led

international coalition against Daesh

last week denied that there had been

an attack on the Al-Tanf military base in

Syria. Lt. Col. Joel Harper said a reported

explosion was down to exercises the military

was conducting. Similarly, the Iranians

denied they had been attacked after an

explosion shook the area near its Natanz

nuclear facility on Dec. 4. Are we now in a

period of denial, with the different parties

raising the stakes and increasing their

leverage while avoiding a full-fledged

confrontation? This is a period where each

party is attempting to boost its negotiating

position ahead of a potential new nuclear

deal. However, as much as everyone favors a

deal, a confrontation may erupt that would

be catastrophic for everyone. This period of

denial is also a time of simultaneous

appeasement and provocation. One party

will provoke another and then resort to

appeasement when it feels like they are

getting close to a confrontation. While Israel

is threatening unilateral strikes and keeps on

hitting Iranian targets in Syria, the US is

appeasing Iran. CIA head William Burns

announced last week that there was no

evidence Iran had decided to weaponize its

nuclear program. This offers a kind of

reassurance to Israel, but at the same time it

is a way of keeping the door open to

negotiations with Iran, as the prospects of a

deal may be becoming bleaker. We are in a

period of denial where there is no real

solution or equilibrium, but the different

parties are trying to ignore their problems to

get some quiet. The UAE's top security

official went to Iran last week and was

Remembering US-backed state terror in El Salvador

Silhouettes representing the victims

of the El Mozote massacre are seen

outside the installations of El

Salvador's Air Force as the military

rejected a request by a judge to access files

on the massacre, in Ilopango, El Salvador

on October 12, 2020 [File: Reuters/Jose

Cabezas] Forty years ago, on December

11, 1981, one of the worst massacres in

modern Latin American history

commenced in El Salvador, in the village

of El Mozote and its environs. Some

1,000 civilians, most of them women and

children, were slaughtered over a period

of several days by the Salvadoran

military's elite Atlacatl Battalion, which

had been trained, funded, and equipped

by the United States. A Jacobin Magazine

tribute published on the 35th anniversary

of the massacre recalls some of the

gruesome scenes: "The soldiers entered

the house and began slashing the children

with machetes, breaking their skulls with

their rifles and choking them to death.

The youngest children were crammed

into the church's convent, where the

soldiers unloaded their rifles into them."

The bloodbath took place in the context

of El Salvador's civil war of 1980-92,

which ultimately killed more than 75,000

Washington also could forge new collaborations. One

might be an ROK-French-US (ROKFUS) initiative to build

an enhanced space surveillance system that, among other

things, could aim to eliminate the blind spots the moon's

brightness creates near it for our ground-based telescopes.

DR. DANIA KOLEILAT KHATIB

received by his counterpart in a step that was

hailed by the pro-Tehran media. It was

described by state media as a "turning point"

in relations. The official statement released

following the meeting did not specify which

issues were discussed and instead talked

about solving long-time disputes. The thorny

issues were probably avoided in order to

focus on trade and points of mutual interest.

Similarly, the UAE also made an overture to

Turkey. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh

Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan last

month discussed with Turkish President

Recep Tayyip Erdogan trade and broader

issues, while the main point of contention -

relations with the Muslim Brotherhood - was

probably not on the table. We are in a period

where people are denying the real problems

and instead seeking to hedge their bets -

hence their attitude of agreeing to disagree.

We now have different dynamics

governing the Middle East. This region is in a

period of uncertainty. The US is leaving, for

sure, but what follows? Who will replace the

US? However, regardless of its shrinking

role, Washington has not lost interest

entirely. The US is confused and it is getting

everyone else confused too. This is why the

people - with the vast majority of

atrocities perpetrated by the right-wing

state in collaboration with paramilitary

outfits and death squads. Joining in the

collaborative effort, naturally, was

everyone's favourite Cold War

superpower to the north, the US, which

throughout the course of its existential

battle to make the world safe for

capitalism has managed in the process to

destroy countless human lives.

Between 1980 and 1982 alone, US

military aid to El Salvador soared from

$6m to $82m and would later skyrocket

to more than $1m per day.

The continued overzealous funding was

made possible in large part by the

shamelessness with which officials from

the Ronald Reagan administration lied to

different parties need to hedge their bets. In

order to do that, they need to ignore any

concerns they have and focus on the

positives. We are in a period where people

are denying the real problems and instead

seeking to hedge their bets - hence their

attitude of agreeing to disagree.

However, the US is the main actor that is

living in this state of denial. Israel is anxious

and is targeting Iran in Syria with Russia's

However, the US is the main actor that is living in this state of denial.

Israel is anxious and is targeting Iran in Syria with Russia's blessing.

Iran sees US hesitation under the Biden administration and is hoping

to drive it out of Syria and Iraq. The US does not want to make

any decisions and prefers to focus instead on the nuclear deal.

blessing. Iran sees US hesitation under the

Biden administration and is hoping to drive

it out of Syria and Iraq. The US does not want

to make any decisions and prefers to focus

instead on the nuclear deal. Therefore,

whenever it can, it denies any attacks by Iran

in order to not have to respond. Any

response would kill any prospect of a

renewed nuclear deal, which is top of the list

when it comes to President Joe Biden's

foreign policy agenda, as it was one of his

main campaign promises. At the same time,

Iran also tries to find excuses whenever it

suffers what seems like an attack on its

nuclear facilities. Bluntly saying that Israel

was attacking its mainland would push it to

respond. Meanwhile, Israel keeps on

threatening Iran, while itself dreading a

cover up Salvadoran state terror,

including at El Mozote. The

administration also waged a campaign to

discredit the few journalists intent on

exposing the truth, such as former New

York Times correspondent Raymond

Bonner, author of Weakness and Deceit:

America and El Salvador's Dirty War.

In a new documentary titled "Massacre

In a new documentary titled "Massacre in El Salvador", Bonner

and photographer Susan Meiselas reflect on the whole sordid

affair in El Mozote, where they arrived together in January

1982 to find a "ghost town" and a severely traumatised woman

named Rufina Amaya, one of the sole survivors.

in El Salvador", Bonner and

photographer Susan Meiselas reflect on

the whole sordid affair in El Mozote,

where they arrived together in January

1982 to find a "ghost town" and a severely

traumatised woman named Rufina

Amaya, one of the sole survivors. Amaya,

whose blind husband and three

daughters - aged five years, three years,

and eight months - had perished in the

strike. Tel Aviv knows that, if it strikes Iran,

Arab countries - even those with which it has

normalized ties and become friends - will

stay on the sidelines. The US position is

vague. Will America go to war with Iran for

the sake of Israel, especially if it was Israel

that started the fight? The consecutive

threats of a strike from Israel are another

form of denial. If we go back to the 1980s,

when Israel did hit an Iraqi nuclear reactor,

they just did it.

There was no threat, just direct and

decisive action. Today, Israel does not have

the decisiveness it had back then. It is

fragmented and polarized internally. The

region is different, the US is different and

Israel is different. In this period, where state

actors choose not to act and prefer to hedge

their bets and wait, denial is the best strategy,

or at least the most convenient course to

follow. Everyone is waiting for something to

happen to change the current dynamics - an

event that might lead toward a solution. This

event could be a deal or it could be a

confrontation, which everyone is dreading.

However, the situation is becoming more

and more fluid. The US no longer has the

power to control the tempo of events and the

other actors cannot find a solution, despite

various initiatives, such as the Saudi-Iranian

talks in Iraq and the UAE's diplomatic

outreach. No one can come up with a

solution that is comprehensive and

sustainable. In the meantime, the best all the

actors can do is agree to disagree, which

requires a certain level of denial of their

problems and concerns.

Source: Arab news

slaughter, would later recall overhearing a

conversation between soldiers of the

Atlacatl Battalion:

"'Lieutenant, somebody here says he

won't kill children', said one soldier.

'Who's the son of a b**** who said that?'

the lieutenant answered. 'I am going to

kill him.'" Near the beginning of the

"Massacre in El Salvador" documentary,

a video clip features President Reagan - a

former Hollywood actor - delivering the

following lines in an apocalyptic tone

better suited to the silver screen than to

reality: "Very simply, guerrillas are

attempting to impose a Marxist-Leninist

dictatorship on the people of El

Salvador." Never mind that massacring

1,000 civilians is not any way to go about

"saving" them from the spectre of

communism - or from the guerrillas'

dangerous attempts to bring some

semblance of equality and justice to a

country that had long suffered from the

tyrannical rule of an exceptionally brutal

elite. To be sure, the US has never had a

problem with brutal right-wing tyranny -

as long as profits keep flowing in

accordance with US interests.

Source: Al Jazeera

FrIDAy, DeceMBer 17, 2021

5

China is putting the Kurdish issue in play with Turkey

NureTTIN AKcAy

China-Turkey relations have been full

of ups and downs since 1971. In

addition to some structural problems

related to trade, the Uyghur issue

seems to be the most insurmountable

issue driving a wedge between China

and Turkey.

The Uyghur issue has triggered

political tensions between the two

countries many times. There is a large

Uyghur diaspora population residing in

Turkey, and Turkic nationalist

sentiments extend to the Uyghur ethnic

group. China, meanwhile, is extremely

sensitive to any hint of separatist

sentiment stemming from the

Uyghurs, including appeals to

transnational ethnic identity.

China-Turkey relations came to a halt

between 1990 and 2000 following the

anti-Chinese activities of the Uyghurs

in the 1980s. Bilateral relations gained

momentum when the AK Party came to

power, but ties were seriously

weakened again with the Urumqi riots

that broke out in 2009. Turkey reacted

very harshly to the ensuing crackdown,

with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip

Erdogan describing the events as

genocide. As Chinese authorities were

displeased with Erdogan's rhetoric,

they cut off relations with Turkey.

However, China-Turkey relations

began to blossom again soon after that.

Despite some setbacks, the years 2010-

2018 can be called the golden years of

the relationship. The 2016 coup

attempt and U.S. support of Kurdish

militias in Syria, the YPG, pushed

Turkey into Russia and China's orbit.

While Turkey drew closer to the China-

Russia front during this period,

Ankara's relations with China saw

perhaps the best period in history. The

countries exchanged high-level

diplomatic visits and signed economic,

cultural, and educational agreements.

By 2018, the number of Chinese

companies operating in Turkey

exceeded 1,000.

Furthermore, Turkey is a strategic

partner of China in the implementation

of China's Belt and Road Initiative

(BRI). Ankara has expressed its

support for the project on every

platform. In May 2017, President

Erdogan attended the Belt and Road

Forum held in Beijing with senior

government officials. The president

assured China that Turkey was ready to

lend all kinds of support to the BRI.

However, the camaraderie between

the two nations did not last. The

relations between China and Turkey

became tense again in 2019. Reports

emerged that a famous Uyghur poet,

Abdurrehim Heyit, had died in a

Chinese detention camp on February 9,

2019. The Turkish Foreign Ministry

condemned China by making a harsh

statement, assuaging the anger of the

Turkish public. But the Turkish Foreign

Ministry found itself in a difficult

situation when China released a video

that showed that the Muslim poet was

still alive the next day.

Like previous issues, this incident

was forgotten, and relations between

the two countries quickly recovered.

Despite all these disagreements

between the two countries, the Chinese

authorities refrained from making

caustic statements and tried not to

meddle in Turkey's sensitive issues.

However, what happened in the last

months of 2021 caused China to take a

different attitude. For first time, China

is now touching on issues that Turkey

might be uncomfortable with -

particularly the Kurd issue.

Beijing's new approach comes as

Turkey has been taking steps to criticize

China lately. On October 22, 43

countries, including Turkey, urged

responding to Turkey's stepped up rhetoric on uyghurs, Beijing is taking aim at an ethnic issue sensitive

to Ankara.

Photo: Depositphotos

China to "ensure full respect for the rule

of law" concerning the Muslim Uyghur

community in Xinjiang. It was the first

time Turkey had supported such a call.

This move provoked China.

Then, on November 12, the Turkic

Council convened in Istanbul and

changed its name to the Organization

of Turkic States. This convention

stirred political tensions in China,

where approximately 10 million

Uyghurs live. The date of the

establishment of the Organization of

Turkish States was critical - perhaps

this was the main issue that bothered

China. The first East Turkistan

Republic, including part of today's

Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region,

was established on November 12, 1933;

the second was created on November

12, 1944. As a result, the announcement

of the Organization of Turkic States on

the same date drew many questions

about the motives of the Turkish

authorities. Was it a coincidence, or

was this date intentionally chosen?

Later actions of senior politicians in

Ankara suggested that the date was, in

fact, politically motivated. Erdogan and

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)

Chairman Devlet Bahceli posed for the

cameras with a "Map of the Turkish

World" during their meeting on

November 17. The map included the

Xinjiang region, homeland of the

Uyghurs.

These incidents forced China to move

against Turkey. China's Deputy

Permanent Representative to the

United Nations Geng Shuang accused

Turkey of violating human rights in

Syria. Geng described Turkey's actions

in northeast Syria as illegal. "Since

Turkey illegally invaded north-eastern

Syria, it has regularly cut off the water

supply service from the Alouk Water

Station," he said. A fierce argument

ensued between Geng and Turkey's

representative, Feridun Sinirlioglu.

Responding to the allegations,

Sinirlioglu said Turkey would not learn

from those who violate international

human rights law and humanitarian

law. "Both the PKK/YPG and the

Syrian regime abuse this Alouk Water

Station issue repeatedly for their illminded

agendas," he added.

The tit-for-tat continued. On

November 24, Turkey's Erdogan made

a bold statement in the Organization of

Islamic Cooperation. He said: "We

keep track of the situation of Uyghurs

and other Muslim minorities in China

with great sensitivity. Our expectation

is that the Organization of Islamic

Cooperation will show sensitivity to

Uyghurs in line with its founding

purposes."

Authorities in Beijing fought back. A

day later, Geng Shuang criticized

Turkey's air operations in Iraq at the

United Nations and claimed that

civilians were killed due to the

airstrikes. Geng also called for respect

for Iraq's sovereignty.

After Turkey's remarks on the

Uyghur situation, China retaliated by

focusing on the regions where Kurds

live and accusing Turkey of human

rights abuses in these regions. The

Chinese actions sent a clear message to

Turkey that China will retaliate if

Ankara continues to meddle in the

Uyghur issue. China's playbook is

simple: If Ankara continues to criticize

China over the Uyghur issue, then

Beijing will bring Turkey's actions in

Iraq and Syria to the international

agenda.

What does the National Resistance

Front of Afghanistan have to offer?

NIlly KohzAD

Since the Taliban seized

power in Afghanistan in

August, one group has

remained strident in its

resistance, with plans of

expanding on both a national

and global level.

The National Resistance

Front of Afghanistan (NRF), a

grassroots resistance

movement that emerged from

the rugged terrain of the

Panjshir Valley, has vowed to

keep its momentum strong

against Taliban aggression,

despite the group's rise to

power with its taking of Kabul

four months ago.

Historically, the Panjshir

Valley served as a pocket of

resistance in the past against

the Soviet invasion and

subsequently the Taliban's

rise in the 1990s. A little north

of Kabul, its mountainous

landscape provides a

defensive advantage that has

played a strong role in making

it the epicenter of guerrilla

warfare, withstanding all

types of foreign interlopers

that have knocked on its

doors.

Today, the NRF finds itself

trapped in a deja-vu moment

as it grapples with the

challenges of ridding

Afghanistan of the Taliban

once again, and this time

alone. The NRF is led by

Ahmad Massoud, son of

Ahmad Shah Massoud or the

"Lion of Panjshir," a key figure

that led multiple offensives

against the Taliban in the

1990s.

Ahmad Shah Masoud

played a critical role in

forming an anti-Taliban

resistance after the group's

first rise to power in 1996. The

powerful commander was

known for his larger-than-life

personality and keen

leadership. He was

assassinated by al-Qaida just

two days before the 9/11

attacks.

For his now 32-year-old

son, Massoud junior, the

apple doesn't fall far from the

tree. Ahmad Massoud is

closely following in his late

father's footsteps through the

formation of his own

resistance movement.

"Ahmad Massoud is young,

clean, and educated, he is not

associated with the corruption

of the past 20 years," says

NRF foreign relations head Ali

Nazary.

"We resist for freedom,

justice, independence and for

the welfare of every single

citizen inside the country. The

NRF was formed by people,

not political parties and its

platform is not for a specific

region or a specific ethnic

group. We are fighting for

everyone in the country. The

only resistance group that has

a legitimate presence inside

Afghanistan at the moment is

the NRF," says Nazary.

For many people joining the

resistance movement, the

NRF is more than just an idea.

Dadgar, a commander with

the uprising who goes by his

last name, says he joined the

resistance because of his

shared values with the

movement. "We have respect

for the law, human rights,

women's rights, children's

rights and freedom. Those

who control Afghanistan

An Afghan refugee boy holds a poster during a protest against the Taliban

takeover of Afghanistan, in New Delhi, India.

Photo: Manish Swarup

today do not value these

things and they challenge

anyone who is against them.

This situation inspired me to

join the resistance and stand

up against the Taliban. We are

not in favor of war or the

continuation of war. Our

resistance is not for war but

for peace. We want a

government that respects and

values these basic rights."

The demographics of those

involved in the resistance

vary, and these days and

weeks, recruiting for the NRF

has become simpler due to

Taliban aggression. "In

Panjshir we have around 17

bases and it's well protected

with ground and aerial forces.

Same with Parwan, Kapisa,

Badakhshan, Balkh and

Takhar. People are also

reaching out to us from the

east and the south but it's

going to take time for them to

announce their forces, it's

because you have the Taliban

oppressing many Pashtuns,

the Achakzai tribe is a good

example," says Nazary.

He also mentions that the

Taliban's ethnocentric policies

throughout the country,

especially in the north, have

convinced people that they

should join the resistance,

making it easier for the NRF.

"We haven't been making

much of an effort. The people

themselves willingly come

and reach our bases. We have

been getting many youth join

our ranks, middle-aged men,

remnants of ANDSF and

former professionals; it's been

a drastic increase compared to

September and our pockets of

resistance are in many

provinces not just Panjshir or

Andarab."

The Taliban contests the

NRF's claims, with

spokesman Muhammad

Suhail Shaheen recently

telling Russian media that the

Taliban is not militarily

engaged with the group.

According to TASS, Shaheen

said, "What they call National

Resistance exists only on

paper, there's no place you

can see them on the ground.

They don't really care about

the people of Afghanistan,

they care about some former

rulers, they have no grassroot

support. They depend on

social media and spread fake

news; this is it."

Michael Kugelman, deputy

director of the Asia Program

and senior associate for South

Asia at the Wilson Center,

weighs in on the NRF's

ground potential by stating

that they are a modest

movement with limited

military capacity but still a

very determined group of

fighters, nonetheless. He

believes that the resistance is

finding it difficult to operate

inside the country as the

Taliban control the majority

of Afghan territory, but this

notion could change

depending on how the coming

months unfold.

"If the Taliban are unable to

consolidate power and gain

legitimacy domestically then

that could allow the resistance

to strengthen and that could

benefit the current resistance.

But right now, we are looking

at an anti-Taliban force that is

quite modest and doesn't

really have the military

capacity to do much at this

point," says Kugelman.

PhIlIP SMucKer

In the lead up to the French Revolution a

dogged group of scribblers, satirists, and

cartoonists banded together to pillory the

Versailles aristocracy. Despite facing

massive censorship and attacks on the

press, this group of journalists, writers,

and artists conquered the streets of Paris

with their words and images, often in the

form of underground pamphlets. Over

time, their efforts to undermine power

combined with the sentiments of the

broader public to bring down a tyrannical

and oppressive regime.

Though sometimes it looks like the

media world has been turned upside

down by social media in the 21st century,

today's media tactics being used in the

fight against authoritarianism still

convey satire and irony in words and

images. In Myanmar, a country much of

the world still knows as Burma, the

media is determined to get the news out

and, in doing so, make the iron-fisted

military junta look cruel and ridiculous.

Myanmar's latest "revolution" and the

war of ideas it has engendered began in

February, when the military junta ousted

Aung San Suu Kyi and her civilian

backers, who had been working with the

military, but who were ultimately seeking

to sideline its role in government. For

several years before the de facto coup

d'etat, the media had begun to flourish

and adapt in an increasingly open

environment characterized by free

speech, access to wifi and mobile

internet, and a public embrace of all

things multimedia.

Yet, in the past year since the military

takeover, the oppression of the media in

Myanmar must be ranked as the world's

worst. The New York-based Committee

to Protect Journalists noted last week

that China and Myanmar together hold a

full 25 percent of a global total of 293

media workers in detention. That's not

the most useful comparison since China,

holding 50, is a country of over 1.4 billion

and Myanmar, holding 26, has a

population of under 55 million. (In that

sense, Vietnam's 23 media detainees in a

country of 93 million provides a more

useful comparison with Myanmar.)

Inside Myanmar, as well as here on the

Thai-Myanmar border and in India,

Europe, and North America, Myanmar's

free media organizations strive daily to

get the story out and avoid the censorship

and oppressive arm of the junta. Indeed,

the nation's media workers manage this

with a special humor, tenacity, and

aplomb.

Though Facebook has come under

withering legal attacks for its

unwillingness at times to tackle and

remove the so-called "hate speech" that

helped spark what the U.N. has called a

military-led genocide against the

Rohingya ethnic minority group starting

in 2017, the U.S.-based media giant also

has played a less direct but crucial role on

an almost daily basis in helping Burmese

media workers spread the word.

In the case of the Democratic Voice of

Burma (DVB), whose multimedia

channel hosts livestreams daily on

Facebook and on other platforms, this

has led to some serious run-ins with the

junta, which has used arrests, beatings,

Myanmar’s media adapts to the

world’s harshest oppression

Military trucks with soldiers inside are parked behind police standing

guard behind a road barricade in Mandalay, Myanmar. Photo: AP

and significant jailtime to stifle its

reporters and editors.

Though DVB is edited and managed

outside of Myanmar, the media outlet,

like many others in Myanmar, maintains

dozens of reporters and stringers inside

the country. Some of these have worked

for over a decade with DVB, which was

founded in 1992 with Norwegian

assistance. Old and new reporters have

been trained in the stealth art of

reporting from inside the country.

Presently, most of them work on the "fly,"

often on motorbikes and with a "cover,"

posing or doubling as delivery boys (and

girls), taxi drivers, and street food servers.

Kyaw Maung Zaw* is an enterprising

DVB reporter assigned to southern

Myanmar's thin strip of land bordering

on the Andaman Sea in Myeik City. He

was arrested this year after he videotaped

soldiers looting homes and upending

people's belongings in an alleged effort to

expose "enemies of the state." Though

Zaw videotaped the military home

invasions from a distance, he followed up

with lengthy interviews of residents who

had been robbed by soldiers. This story,

which Zaw documented carefully,

infuriated the top commanders in charge

of a key air force and army base in his

region on the southern panhandle.

The story turned ugly for Zaw himself

when a top major general sent some 200

soldiers in trucks to surround his home

and take him into custody. In a videotape

of the scene, which was streaming on

Facebook Live at the time, soldiers can be

seen shouting to Zaw to come down from

his second-floor balcony while, at the

same time, using slingshots to break his

windows. The bizarre livestream from

Zaw expertly exposed the military's

bumbling approach to stamping out free

speech.

Zaw, who laughs now as he shows the

video of the attack on his house, said he

was astounded that the junta would send

such a massive force to take down a

single reporter. "It was surreal: I was

shouting at them, asking on what

grounds they were attacking the free

press," said Zaw, sitting now in a café

alongside the Moei River, which looks

from Thailand into Myanmar. "After

that, they drove me around in a truck

with a plastic bag over my head, beating

me and threatening me with death if I did

not unveil my editors and sources."

Zaw recounts his tale today as though

the beatings and eight months of jail time

didn't surprise him nearly as much as the

excesses of that attack on his home.

When he was finally released from jail,

Zaw made a special effort, he says, to

"mine" the Facebook account of the

major general who had him arrested.

Zaw eventually posted the pictures of the

general fishing and drinking beer as

Myanmar continued its descent into

chaos. "He is a ridiculous person and I

wanted to make him look that way," he

said, holding up one of the photos of the

commander on his cell phone.

George Orwell, who would go on to

write the classic "1984," which helped

predict the strange and often oppressive

world we live in today, also ridiculed

slothful and incompetent British and

Burmese colonial officials in his earlier

book "Burmese Days." But even Orwell

couldn't imagine the designs and devices

"Big Brother" - a term he coined - would

go to in modern Myanmar to combat the

free media and twist the truth.

Since the junta also has control and

oversight of almost all the wifi and other

modes of communication in Myanmar, it

can muster these resources to spy on and

attack the press. Journalists are often

caught through their messages, even

when they send them over encrypted

platforms. The military, when it raids a

home, makes a point to seize

smartphones and gather files before they

can be erased.

FRIDAY, DEcEMBER 17, 2021

6

Shakib busy for dubbing of ‘Golui’

TBT REPORT

Dhallywood Superstar Shakib Khan is busy

dubbing for his upcoming film titled 'Golui' in New

York, USA. Directed by SA Haque Alik, is one of the

most talked about films of the year. Shakib has

finished the work of film with an ongoing schedule.

On November 12, Shakib arrived in New York

after shooting for the film 'Golui'. The actor has

been in New York for almost a month after taking

part in the 'Channel I Music Awards'. There is no

possibility of him returning soon.

TBT REPORT

Fusion rock band Chirkutt has

released a new song titled 'Jajabor:

The Switzerland Song' on their

official YouTube channel on

Saturday. The song is written and

composed by the band's vocalist

Sumi.

Sumi has shared the background

story of the new track.

She said, "When I went to the

Worldwide Music Expo (Omex)

held in Porto city of Portugal on

October 26-31, I travelled to four

countries including Portugal.

On my way to Switzerland, I saw

In the meantime, the other artiste has finished

dubbing for the film titled 'Golui', only the

superstar is left with it.

Meanwhile, the day of release is also

approaching. So the producer rushed to the artiste

to take the dubbing. Shakib Khan dubbed 'Golui' in

a studio in New York on Monday. Director Alik

was with him at the

time.

According to the

director, Shakib

Khan's dubbing will

be over in a day or

two. Alik is

scheduled to return

to the country on

December 15 after

the Alps Mountain range from the

plane. The vastness of the

mountain attracted me so much

that I pen down the whole song

about it on the flight."

"In this song, I have tried to

establish the link between

Bangladesh and Switzerland. I

have tried to connect the emotions

of both the countries," added the

singer.

Sumi also shot the music video

for 'Jajabor' on her mobile phone

during travelling in Biel, Bern,

Vevey, Interlaken and Geneva city.

The song was recorded at the

completing his

work. He will start

shooting for the new

film titled 'Joddha'

next January.

Even if the producer

returns, it will take

more time for Shakib

to return to the

country. He has

already signed a new

film contract in New

York. It will be shot in

the United States.

Therefore, the actor

will not be available in

any movie set in the country for the next few months.

'Golui' producer Khorshed Alam Khasru said

that they are planning to release the film this year.

If not possible, it will be seen at a big festival next

year.

Chirkutt new song ‘Jajabor: The

Switzerland Song’ released

Swiss town Vevey and Butter

Records in Dhaka. Its music video

was directed by Francois Botschi of

Switzerland and published by

Songwrights Publishers of

Germany.

Chirkutt has dedicated the song

to one of their fans named

Momena Shifa Rumki who is

battling cancer.

However, the band's vocalist

Sumi is the first Bangladeshi

musician to have attended the

international music summit

Womex that took place in Porto

city on October 27-31.

TBT REPORT

National Film Award-winning actress

Aparna Ghosh will be seen playing the

role of a Birangana (war heroine), in a

single-episode TV play titled 'Birangana',

marking the 50 years of Victory of

Bangladesh.

The drama is directed by

Shuddhoman Chaitan. Anan Zaman has

written the script while the story is from

Tipu Alam Milon.

Along with Aparna Ghosh, the drama

Director Sukumar, who has

given super hits like 'Arya',

'Arya 2', 'One Nenokkadine',

and 'Rangasthalam', is set to

entertain the audience again

with his upcoming movie

'Pushpa'.

Starring Allu Arjun and

Rashmika Mandanna in the

lead roles, 'Pushpa: The

Rise', is to hit the screens on

December 17.

As the team is actively

participating in the

promotional events,

producers Naveen Yerneni

and Ravi Shankar had

interacted with the media in

recent times. Naveen

also features Rawnak Hasan, Manoj

Pramanik, Riya Khan, Monir Zaman

and Sanjida Shila, among others.

The drama 'Birangana' is the depiction

of the sufferings endured by a war

heroine during the 1971 Liberation War.

In the drama, a newly married woman

named Mayurjan, played by Aparna

Ghosh, get abducted by the Pakistani

forces after her husband Soyfor left her

alone to take part in the war.

After the independence of Bangladesh,

Mayurjan left the Pak army camp and

Yerneni talks about the

difficulties the team had to

face while shooting in the

remote parts of Maredumilli

Forest.

'Pushpa' producer Naveen

Yerneni said, "Shooting at

the Maredumilli Forest was

not easy. We shot in

unexplored locations. Just

the make-up and journey

into the jungles took two

hours each."

Talking about Allu Arjun's

transformation as Pushpa

Raj, Naveen said, "You are

going to see Allu Arjun, in a

role like never before.

Everyone on the sets is still in

started facing another chapter of

disgrace and suffering as she conceived a

baby during her stay at the Pakistani

military camp.

Produced by Mid Enterprise, the

drama was aired on Boishakhi television

at 10:00pm on the 51st Victory Day on

December 16.

'Birangana' writer Tipu Alam Milon

hopes that the drama will win the hearts

of the audience for its staggering plot

highlighting the sacrifice of the

Biranganas during the Liberation War.

‘Pushpa’ producer: No renaming

of locations like in ‘KGF’

awe of the kind of action Allu

Arjun has done, for 'Pushpa'.

He is to be praised for all

good reasons. His pan-India

launch will have a good

response."

On being quizzed about

renaming the locations in

other languages for 'Pushpa',

the producer said,

"Kannada's super hit movie

'KGF' had a Kolar Fields

backdrop in every language.

The backdrop is not renamed

for other languages. Same

goes for our movie 'Pushpa:

The Rise'. 'Pushpa' is slated

for release on December 17.

Source: India Today

Hollywood largely silent on Golden Globe

nominations amid controversy

Movie dramas "The Power of the Dog" and "Belfast" led

nominations on Monday for the annual Golden Globes in a

year clouded by controversy and a scaled-down ceremony.

"Belfast," set in 1970s Northern Ireland, and director Jane

Campion's Western "The Power of the Dog" got seven nods

each. They were followed by global-warming satire "Don't

Look Up"; "King Richard," about the father of tennis

champions Venus and Serena Williams; director Steven

Spielberg's new version of the classic musical "West Side

Story" and coming-of-age tale "Licorice Pizza" with four each.

Netflix movies received a leading 17 nominations.

The winners of the Golden Globes will be announced on

January 9, but the ceremony's format is unclear after

broadcaster NBC earlier this year dropped plans to televise the

glitzy awards dinner in Beverly Hills following criticism of the

Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the group that

votes on them.

Monday's nominations were met mostly with silence from

movie studios and actors who normally flood social media and

reporters with thanks and reactions.

Jessica Chastain, one of the few actors who responded

publicly, said she was thankful her work in "The Eyes of

Tammy Faye" and "Scenes from a Marriage" was recognized.

"Congrats to all of the nominees for this year's

#GoldenGlobes," Chastain wrote on Twitter.

It is unclear whether any of the nominees will attend the 2022

ceremony, which had been one of Hollywood's biggest awards

shows in the run-up to the Oscars.

Aparna to

portray as

Birangana

Rapper and actor Snoop Dogg was the only celebrity on hand

on Monday to announce the nominations.

Critics objected to the Foreign Press Association having no

Black members, and raised longstanding ethical questions

over whether close relationships with Hollywood studios

influenced the choice of nominees and winners. Tom Cruise in

May returned the three Golden Globe statuettes that he has

won.

The HFPA has since added 21 new members, six of whom are

Black; banned gifts and favors; and implemented diversity and

sexual harassment training. The group now has 105 members

total.

Source: Reuters

H O R O S c O P E

ARIES

(March 21 - April 20) : A business

opportunity in a distant state or even

foreign country could be in the works.

It could require a lot of travel or perhaps even

relocation. You may have mixed feelings about it,

but you're unlikely to turn it down. This could be

a real break! Your health over the next year

should be robust and glowing, and you'll have the

energy to take on any project you want.

TAURUS

(April 21 - May 21) : A chance to increase

your income could come your way. This

could involve extra work or

investments. Investments involving

land or other real estate could be especially profitable

now. There could also be contracts or legal papers

involved that bring money your way, so be prepared.

The end of this year should see you more financially

secure than you were at the beginning.

GEMINI

(May 22 - June 21) : A partnership

that may have been moving steadily

forward might seem stalled in its

tracks. This could involve either

business or romance. This isn't a good time to try

to pressure your partner toward progress. You'll

only meet stubborn resistance, which will slow

things down even more. Be patient and let things

progress in their own time.

cANcER

(June 22 - July 23) : You should be at

your peak of health. Physically, you

feel strong and energetic. You're in

the physical and mental space to accomplish

wonders, so don't be surprised if today you do just

that. This could bring you the promise of a

brighter future in the creative, professional, and

financial domains.

LEO

(July 24 - Aug. 23): The result of a

creative innovation you've been

working on should make itself apparent

today. You'll be pleasantly surprised!

Your ingenuity should pay off big, and your

accomplishments won't go unnoticed. You're likely

to enjoy positive feedback, recognition, and bright

prospects for the future development of your ideas.

In the evening, go out and have a good time.

VIRGO

(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): The opportunity to

run a business out of your home could

arise today, perhaps involving a

metaphysical subject. Don't be surprised

if it takes off right away. Friends or past business

associates may want to be involved. This is worthy of

serious consideration. Benefits through the efforts of

others are strongly indicated now. Be prepared for a

great future, and start enjoying it now!

LIBRA

(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): A neighbor might

be having a hard time and need

some extra support now. A new

business could open up in your

neighborhood that in some way opens doors for

you. It could be a new employment opportunity

or it could mean a more efficient way of operating

in your current profession. Don't be surprised if

you spend a lot of time driving around today.

ScORPIO

(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) : As career and

money matters continue to advance for

you, more ideas and opportunities for

expanding your horizons could come

to you. You may have a hard time deciding which

ones are most practical now. It may help to make a

list and then judge which ones you want to use.

Expect a lot of action and many changes,

particularly regarding business possibilities.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): Your energy and

enthusiasm are at an all-time high.

Your life, business, and money

matters are going very well, and

there are no signs that this will change any time

soon. Romance should also be going very well.

This should be doing wonders for your selfimage.

Whatever you've been doing, keep it up!

You've got a lot to look forward to.

cAPRIcORN

(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): Tension between

you and a business partner could have

you doubting your professional future

in the current situation. Don't waste too

much time worrying about it. You may not be aware

of it now, but career and money matters are going

well and are likely to continue like this for a while. Of

course, that depends on you and what you're willing

to do to keep it going.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) : A long-term

dream toward which you've been

working for a long time, could finally

show signs of coming true. You're

feeling especially energetic and enthusiastic now, so

you might feel motivated to give it one last push to

finally make your dream reality. You'll probably go

out with friends or members of a group you belong

to and celebrate tonight.

PIScES

(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : Congratulations

to you! Career progress is in the

wind! If you've wanted to create a

dream career, you'll be able to do

so today. If you've been hoping to start your

own business, don't wait another moment.

The next year should be a successful and

profitable one for you, although not without

its surprises.

FriDAY, DeCeMBer 17, 2021

7

World Bank unveils

$93b boost to fund

for poorest nations

WASHINGTON : The World Bank's fund to

help the world's poorest nations got a $93

billion injection of cash to help scale up aid

for pandemic recovery and other programs,

the institution announced Wednesday.

It was the biggest replenishment ever for

the International Development Association

(IDA), which provides grants for 74

countries, most of which are in Africa, the

Washington-based development lender

said.

The package includes $23.5 billion of

contributions from 48 high- and middleincome

countries as well as financing raised

in the capital markets and the World Bank's

own contributions, according to a

statement.

Victory Day has been celebrated in Tangail through various programs. As soon as the sun rose on

Thursday, the day's program began at the Deputy Commissioner's office premises. Photo : Courtesy

Latfur Nahar Munni, member of sub-committee of Bangladesh Awami League and parliament member

candidate of Begumganj constituency and other leaders paid their respects at Chaumuhani

Central Shaheed Bedi on the first morning of Victory Day in Noakhali. Photo : Manik Bhuyan

Over 20

people

trapped in

north China

coal mine

flooding

TAIYUAN : More than 20

people were trapped after a

coal mine was flooded in

the city of Xiaoyi, north

China's Shanxi province, as

a result of illegal mining,

local authorities said

Thursday.

The accident took place

at around 11 p.m.

Wednesday at a coal mine

in Duxigou Village,

Xixinzhuang Township. An

initial investigation

showed that a total of 22

people were working under

the ground.

Rescue work is

underway. The local public

security department has

put under control three

suspects involved and is

hunting the mine owner

who has fled.

"Today's generous commitment by our

partners is a critical step toward supporting

poor countries in their efforts to recover

from the Covid-19 crisis," World Bank

President David Malpass said.

The IDA fund is replenished every three

years, but because of the pandemic, the

latest cash injection was pulled forward by a

year and will be in place through June 2025.

The World Bank said the funds will help

countries better prepare for future crises,

including pandemics, financial shocks and

natural disasters.

While the funds will support countries

globally, resources are increasingly going to

Africa, which will receive about 70 percent

of the funding.

Thousands flee homes as

typhoon lashes Philippines

DAPA : Thousands of people in the Philippines have fled

their homes and beachfront resorts as a powerful typhoon

lashed the archipelago Thursday, with authorities warning of

destructive winds and torrential rain, reports BSS.

Typhoon Rai was packing maximum sustained winds of

165 kilometres (102 miles) an hour as it barrelled towards

central and southern regions of the vast archipelago, the state

weather agency said.

But it warned wind speeds could intensify to 195 kilometres

an hour before the storm makes landfall near the popular

tourist destination of Siargao island in the afternoon.

"Destructive typhoon-force winds... may bring moderate to

heavy damage to structures and vegetation," it added.

More than 45,000 people had sought emergency shelter as

the storm charged across the Pacific Ocean, the national

disaster agency said.

They included domestic tourists visiting the country's

famed beaches and dive spots ahead of Christmas. Foreign

travellers are still banned from entering the Philippines

under Covid-19 restrictions.

Scores of flights have been cancelled and dozens of ports

temporarily closed as the weather bureau warned several

metre-high storm surges could cause "life-threatening

flooding" in low-lying coastal areas.

Rai, locally named "Odette", is hitting the country late in

the typhoon season, with most cyclones developing between

July and October.

It is expected to sweep across the Visayas region, and

Mindanao and Palawan islands before emerging Saturday

over the South China Sea and heading towards Vietnam.

The Philippines-ranked as one of the world's most

vulnerable to the impacts of a warming planet-is hit by an

average of 20 storms and typhoons every year, which

typically wipe out harvests, homes and infrastructure in

already impoverished areas.

5.6-magnitude

quake jolts

eastern

Indonesia

JAKARTA : A 5.6-

magnitude earthquake

rocked Indonesia's eastern

province of Maluku on

Thursday, the country's

Meteorology, Climatology

and Geophysics Agency

said.

The quake struck at 11:26

Jakarta time (0426 GMT),

with the epicenter at 163

km southwest of Maluku

Barat Daya district and the

depth of 26 km under

seabed, the agency said.

The jolts of the quake did

not potentially trigger the

giant waves of tsunami,

according to the agency.

India reports

7,974 new

COVID-19

cases

NEW DELHI : India's

COVID-19 tally rose to

34,718,602 on Thursday, as

7,974 new cases were

registered during the past 24

hours across the country,

showed the federal health

ministry's latest data.

Besides, as many as 343

deaths due to the pandemic

since Wednesday morning

took the total death toll to

476,478, reports UNB.

There are still 87,245

active COVID-19 cases in the

country as there was a fall of

317 active cases during the

past 24 hours. "India's active

caseload is the lowest since

March 2020," said an official

statement by the federal

health ministry.

A total of 34,154,879

people have been

successfully cured and

discharged from hospitals so

far, out of which 7,948 were

discharged during the past

24 hours.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Choudhury at National Memorial after placing wreath marking Victory

Day.

Photo : Star Mail

Omicron injects urgency into EU summit

BRUSSELS: The lightning spread of

Omicron in Europe and elsewhere has

added a sense of urgency to an EU

summit Thursday, with leaders

struggling to present a united, blocwide

approach, reports BSS.

Projections that the mutated and

highly infectious Covid strain could be

dominant in the EU as early as next

month have pushed the issue to the top

of the agenda and ignited fears of a

health crisis. The summit will also

tackle other big topics pressing hard on

EU capitals, in particular the Russian

military build-up that could presage an

invasion of Ukraine.

That risk dominated a get-together

on Wednesday between EU leaders and

their neighbouring eastern European

counterparts, including Ukrainian

President Volodymyr Zelensky.

An ongoing confrontation with

Belarus over migration flows testing

the EU's borders and spiking energy

prices aggravating sky-high inflation

round out the high-level talks.

It all makes for a charged summit, the

last before France takes over the

Centering the celebration of 50 years of

Bangladesh's victory, the electronics

giant Walton has declared the

commencement of its Digital Campaign

Season-13 across the country, says a

press release.

Under this campaign, customers are

offered discounts up to 50 percent or

50k free products on the purchase of

some specific Walton brand's products,

including fridge, television, air

conditioner, washing machine, oven,

blender, gas stove, rice cooker and fan.

The offer will be available at any Walton

plaza, distributor outlets or online

platform 'E-plaza' from 16th December

2021 until further notice.

The announcement was made at a

declaration programme of 'Digital

Campaign Season-13' held at Walton

Corporate Office in the capital on

Wednesday (December 15, 2021).

The declaration programme was

attended, among others, by Walton Hi-

Tech Industries Limited's (WHIL)

Deputy Managing Director Nazrul

Islam Sarker, Eva Rezwana Nil and Md.

Humayun Kabir, Walton Plaza Trades'

Chief Executive Officer Mohammad

rotating six-month European Union

presidency from Slovenia in the New

Year. Europe is bracing for an Omicron

winter, with European Commission

chief Ursula von der Leyen saying on

Wednesday: "We're told that by mid-

January, we should expect Omicron to

be the new dominant variant in

Europe."

The timing is perilous. Although

many EU countries are in the global

vanguard in terms of vaccination rates,

the roll-out is patchy across the 27-

nation bloc. Nine EU countries have

vaccination rates below 60 percent.

Omicron's apparent ability to mute

the effects of existing vaccines has

galvanised efforts to get booster shots

into arms.

But the EU health agency ECDC on

Wednesday warned jabs alone now

would not be enough, given that

Omicron infections double around

every two days.

"There will be no time to address the

vaccination gaps that still exist,"

Andrea Ammon, director of the

European Centre for Disease

Rayhan, WHIL's Head of Business

Intelligence Ariful Ambia, Chief

Marketing Officer Md. Firoj Alam,

Walton Air Conditioner's Chief Business

Officer (CBO) Tanvir Rahman,

Refrigerator's CBO Anisur Rahman

Mallick, TV's CBO Engineer Mostafa

Nahid Hossain, Home Appliance's CBO

Al Imran, Compressor's CBO Rabiul

Alam, Chief of Brand Development

Amin Khan, Senior Executive Director

Dr Sakhawat Hossen, Executive

Director Monirul Islam Mona,

Shahzada Salim, Media Advisor Enayet

Ferdous, Chief Coordinator of Digital

Campaign Nazmul Hossain Evan and

others.

Walton officials informed that Walton

is conducting the countrywide digital

campaigns to provide faster and better

after-sales service to the customers

under online automation. The

campaign's 12 seasons have been

already successfully completed. Now the

Walton started the campaign's season -

13 to mark the celebration of 50th

anniversary of the Bangladesh's victory.

After Purchasing Walton fridge,

television, air conditioner, washing

Prevention and Control, said. "The

coming months will be difficult,"

acknowledged EU health

commissioner Stella Kyriakides.

While some hope-based on initial

data from South Africa, where Omicron

is already dominant-the new strain

produces milder symptoms than the

Delta variant, mathematical modelling

suggested its sheer infectivity could

overwhelm hospitals.

The draft summit conclusions, seen

by AFP, stress that "rolling out

vaccinations to all and deploying

booster doses are crucial" while also

maintaining cross-EU coordination.

The united front, however, is visibly

weakening.

Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Greece

have all tightened entry restrictions for

EU arrivals by requiring PCR tests even

of vaccinated travellers.

Their measures appeared to

undermine the rules of an EU Covid

certificate that since July has ensured

easy intra-EU travel without

quarantine or tests for the vaccinated.

Walton Digital Campaign Season-13 starts

Customers offered max 50 discounts, 50K

free products centering 50 years of victory

machine, oven, blender, gas stove, rice

cooker and fan during the campaign's

season-13, the product will be digitally

registered. Then the customers could

know the amount of discount through

return SMS from Walton. In this case, a

buyer can get up to 50 percent discount

on the product. Besides, there is an

opportunity to get 50,000 free products

in the whole campaign including 50 free

fridges every day.

According to the authorities, detailed

information including the name of the

buyer, mobile number and model

number of the product being sold is

being stored on Walton's server during

the registration process through digital

campaign. As a result, customers get fast

service from any Walton service center

in the country even if they lose the

warranty card. On the other hand, the

representatives of the service center are

also getting to know the feedback of the

customer. In order to motivate the

buyers to participate spontaneously in

this activity, customers were offered

guaranteed cashback of crores of taka,

lots of free products and other attractive

opportunities.

Walton's higher officials attend the declaration program of 'Digital Campaign Season 13' to mark the

50th anniversary of the victory of Bangladesh.

Photo: Courtesy

Friday, Dhaka: December 17, 2021; Poush 2, 1428 BS; Zamadi-ul Awal 12, 1443 Hijri

On the occasion of the Victory Day, President Md. Abdul Hamid

and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina welcomed the President of

India Ram Nath Kovind at the 'Victory Day Parade 2021' at the

National Parade Square on Thursday.

Photo: PBA

Bangladesh reports 3 more Covidlinked

deaths with 257 fresh cases

DHAKA : Bangladesh reported three

more Covid-related deaths with 257

fresh cases in 24 hours till Thursday

morning, reports UNB.

With the latest cases, the daily-case

positivity rate declined to 1.02 per

cent from Wednesday's 1.05 per cent,

said the Directorate General of

Health Services (DGHS). The total

fatalities rose to 28,041 while the

Gold bars worth

Tk73 lakh seized at

Shahjalal airport

DHAKA : Customs officials seized

10 gold bars weighing 1.16kg,

worth Tk73 lakh, at the Hazrat

Shahjalal International Airport

Wednesday, reports UNB. The gold

bars were recovered from a passenger

arriving from Saudi Arabia.

Saddam Hussain, from Bogura,

landed at the airport at 3:29pm by

flight BG 4040 of Biman

Bangladesh Airlines, an official of

Dhaka Customs House said.

As he was passing through the

green channel after completing the

immigration formalities on arrival,

his baggage underwent security

scanning through the scanning

machine. Gold was detected inside

Saddam's luggage during the scanning,

the Dhaka Customs House official

said.

caseload mounted to 15,80,559 with

the fresh ones. Two of the latest

deceased were men and one was a

woman. Each fatality was reported

from Dhaka, Chattogram, and

Khulna divisions.

Meanwhile, the mortality rate

remained static at 1.77 per cent during

the period. The fresh cases were detected

after testing 285,203 samples, said

the DGHS.

Besides, the recovery rate stood at

97.76 per cent with the recovery of

181 more patients during the 24-hour

period.

On December 9, Bangladesh again

logged zero Covid-related death after

nearly three weeks as the pandemic is

apparently showing signs of easing.

The country reported this year's

first zero Covid-related death in a

single day on November 20 along

with 178 infections since the pandemic

broke out in Bangladesh in

March 2020.

Bangladesh reported the highest

number of daily fatalities of 264 on

August 5 this year, while the highest

daily caseload was 16,230 on July 28

this year.

So far, 4,41,62,695 people have

fully been vaccinated in the country

while 6,74,70,049 received the first

dose as of Tuesday, according to the

DGHS.

Among them, 2,70,304 students,

aged from 12-17, have fully been vaccinated

while 15,88,886 students

received the first dose so far.

Nation building

is everyone's

responsibility, says

President Hamid

DHAKA : President Abdul Hamid on

Thursday said responsibility for developing

the country does not lie only with

the political leadership.

"The development of the country and

the people is not the sole responsibility

of the political leadership. As citizens of

an independent country, this is the

responsibility and duty of all of us," he

said. He made the remarks at the inaugural

ceremony of a two-day special programme

on the theme 'The Greatest

Hero of the Glorious Victory' as a mark

of respect to Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman.

The National Implementation

Committee for the celebration of the

birth centenary of Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

oragsnised the programme on the

Golden Jubilee of the Victory.

Hamid delivered his speech as the

chief guest in the programme while

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind was

present as the Guest of Honour at the

the South Plaza of Bangladesh National

Parliament in the evening.

Hamid said that the time has come to

reconcile the extent to which *we have

achieved our dream of independence

under the leadership of Bangabandhu.

Mentioning freedom as a human

right, Hamid said that freedom only

makes sense if it can be exercised properly

without limiting the acquisition of

rights.:

He said abuse of power undermines

freedom.

The President asked everyone to fulfill

one's responsibilities from their respective

positions with honesty, devotion

and sincerity.

Hamid thanked Indian president for

visiting Dhaka to attend the historic celebrations

of the birth centenary of the

Father of the Nation and the Golden

Jubilee of the Independence,

Let's get all hands on

deck to realize Vision

2041: Sajeeb Wazed

DHAKA : Praising the nation for realizing

the Vision 2021, Prime Minister's ICT

Advisor Sajeeb Wazed has urged the

countrymen to channel all their efforts to

make Vision 2041 a reality.

In a victory-day post from his verified

Facebook page, he wrote, "From realizing

Vision-21 to building engineering

masterpiece Padma Bridge, we made our

50th anniversary a gem in the history.

Now is the time to channel our efforts to

make Vision-2041 a reality."

According to the Vision 2041, spelled

out by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,

Bangladesh would earn the high-income

status by the year 2041, ensuring a per

capita income of 12,500 USD.

Pinning his hope on the youth force of

the country for working out Vision 2041,

he wrote, "With time, Bangladesh is getting

younger - more vibrant with the

indomitable youth force."

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, whose birth coincided

with the year of the country's freedom,

also wrote, It's time to hold our

head high, march ahead, and excel ourselves

to set newer heights. That would

be our biggest tribute to the war heroes

and heroines who made the sun of freedom

rise through ashes and blood".

50 years of independence

No liberation war memorial

in Chuadanga

CHUADANGA : As the nation celebrates

the 50 years of independence Chuadanga

goes without a memorial of the glorious

liberation war, reports BSS.

Chuadanga was an important place

during the liberation war. It bears the

some bitter memories of the war.

Pakistani soldiers entered Chuadanga

from Meherpur on foot on Dec 6, 1971

days before the final victory in the war on

December 16.

On the same day, they blew up the

bridge over Mathavanga River so that the

freedom fighters could not reach them.

When Pakistani soldiers left Chuadanga

and Alamdanga for Kushtia on the following

day, Chuadanga became completely

free from the enemy.

Fifty years have gone by but no mausoleum

has yet been built in Chuadanga.

The lone Memorial plaque located in

Saheed Hasan's Square in the district

town remained neglected around the

year except for national days, UNB local

correspondent reports.

Though a monument was built at

Hasan Square in 1994, it was demolished

citing as illegal. As there is no monument,

the people of Chuadanga pay their

respect to martyrs at that Memorial

Plaque. On December 7, Chuadanga district

was freed from the clutches of the

Pakistani Army.

Since then, this day is observed by people

from different socio-organizations

and political parties in a befitting manner.

This year, there was no difference.

The District Administration paid rich

tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation

War by placing wreaths at the Memorial

Plaque.

Meanwhile, people from all walks of

life including journalists, freedom fighters

gathered before the Memorial Plaque

to pay homage. But problems arose,

when people saw that the plaque premises

were still unkempt and began to clean

it just before the programme.

General Secretary of Chuadanga press

club, Razib Hasan Kochi said it is important

to keep the Memorial Plaque clean

round the year, not only for some specific

days. Concerned authorities have to

play a positive role in this, he said.

Former professor of Chuadanga

municipal college, Sheikh Selim said the

municipality authorities should take

effective steps to keep the place clean.

They should appoint someone to take

care of this plaque and its premises. "I

hope authorities will keep their eye on it",

he said.

Abu Hossain, former commander of

Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad

Chuadanga District Unit, said "We paid tributes

by placing wreaths and hoisting flag at

the plaque at 7am. But it hurts me when I see

that the place remained neglected."

Chuadanga municipality mayor

Jahangir Alam Malik Khokon said that it

was not possible to keep the premises

neat and clean due to lack of awareness

of the people. The side wall had collapsed

and is being repaired, he said.

Will build Bangladesh as prosperous

‘Sonar Bangla’, nation renews vow

DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

on Thursday administered oath to the

nation to build the country as a developed,

prosperous and non-communal

'Sonar Bangla' being imbued with the

Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Hasina also said under the leadership

of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh

had achieved independence through a

UN lauds Bangladesh's

massive successes as it

celebrates Victory Day

DHAKA : The UN family in Bangladesh

has appreciated Bangladesh's growth

saying that the UN is committed to supporting

the government in every step

towards achieving ambitious goals ahead

as the country is set to commemorate the

50th anniversary of its independence on

Thursday, reports UNB.

"Alongside the distress and turmoil that

this journey has entailed, there have been

massive successes," said the heads of UN

agencies in Dhaka in a joint message to

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.

On the momentous occasion of this

anniversary, they conveyed their heartfelt

congratulations and commitment of support

to the govt and the people of Bangladesh.

They said Bangladesh has traversed a

long and difficult path from new nationhood

devastated by war and famine, to

its "undeniable influence" as a UN member

state at the threshold of LDC graduation,

providing shelter to 900,000

Rohingya refugees.

"Bangladesh's achievements in human

development-especially in maternal and

child mortality, immunisation, school

enrollment and other social indicators

even at relatively lower levels of per capita

income made the country an example

for other countries to emulate," reads the

message that came from the UN

Resident Coordinator's office in Dhaka.

The UN officials said this was well-recognized

in the context of the Millennium

Development Goals.

"Subsequent achievements in sustained

growth and poverty alleviation have

brought the country to the point of graduating

out of LDC status. Bangladesh has

also emerged as an example to emulate in

the area of disaster risk management."

remain ready to confront the enemy with

whatever they had, as well as to form

Sangram Parishad immediately under

the leadership of Awami League in every

village, union, sub-district and district.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina administered an oath to the nation. Khulna residents

took part virtually.

Photo : PBA

Bangladesh flags flutter proudly at iconic

Commonwealth Bridge in Canberra

DHAKA : The 50th anniversary of

Victory Day was celebrated in

Canberra beside the iconic

Commonwealth Bridge on

Thursday. Thirty-two flag poles on

both sides of the Bridge were decorated

with the national flags of

Bangladesh and a specially

designed banner on the celebration

of golden jubilee.

The flags and banners will be on

display for seven days.

The morning event organised

beside an open park next to the

Commonwealth Bridge and was

attended by hundreds of members

from the Bangladeshi expatriates.

Members of Bangladesh community

cultural group Dhrupod and

Jalsha sang the national anthem

and a few other patriotic songs to

add colour to the morning segment

of the celebration.

Offering tributes to the Father of

the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman, martyrs of the

liberation war and all the valiant

freedom fighters and women for

their highest sacrifice, High

Commissioner Sufiur Rahman

mentioned that the achievements

of Bangladesh for last fifty years

demonstrate validity of the project

of independent county for the

Bengali nation, as dreamt by the

Bangabandhu as 'Sonar Bangla'.

The high commissioner hoisted the

national flag at Chancery premises.

The messages of the President,

Prime Minister, Foreign Minister

and State Minister for Foreign

Affairs were read out.

A Special munajat was also offered

for the salvation of the departed

souls of the Father of the Nation and

his family members, martyrs of liberation

war, and for a peaceful, inclusive

and prosperous Bangladesh.

A discussion session and cultural

program were organized at the

Chancery premise in the evening.

Discussants recollected the contribution

of the Father of the Nation

in charting path for a proud independent

nation that his daughter

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is

relentlessly pursuing. A colourful

cultural program with songs, dance

and recitation of poems enthralled

the audience.

ideology of Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,

reports UNB.

"On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee

(of the Independence) and the Victory

Day in the Mujib Year, I take oath in

glowing voice that I will not let the blood

of the martyrs go in vain, I will love the

country, I will use all my strength for the

overall welfare of the people of the country,"

she said in the oath words, urging

the people of the country to join her vow

afresh.

The Prime Minister conducted the

nationwide oath at 4:30pm from the

South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, which

was broadcast live through Bangladesh

Television and Bangladesh Betar and

other private TV channels.

People from the country's eight divisional

cities and different grassroots

places took the oath together with the

Prime Minister. Bangabandhu's younger

daughter, Sheikh Rehana, was present.

The National Implementation

Committee of Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's

Birth Centenary Celebration arranged

the event as part of the birth centenary

and the Bangladesh's Independence

bloodstained liberation struggle against

the exploitation and deprivation of

Pakistani rulers.

"We'll build the country as a developed-prosperous

Sonar Bangla with a

non-communal spirit. May the Almighty

help us," she said, concluding the oath.

The Prime Minister earlier urged people

to join her to take an oath on the

Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh's victory

and the Mujib Year for building the

motherland as Sonar Bangla to raise the

head as a victorious nation on the world

stage.

She greeted all the freedom fighters

and the people on the occasion of the two

great celebrations.

Chief coordinator of the National

Implementation Committee Dr Kamal

Abdul Naser Chowdhury moderated the

function.

On December 16, 1971, Bangladesh

was liberated as an independent country

at the cost of the supreme sacrifice of

three million martyrs and the honour of

200 thousand women in a bloody ninemonth

war. Sheikh Hasina said

Bangabandhu, in his historic March 7

Speech, asked the people of Bangladesh

to turn every home into a fortress,

"The struggle this time is a struggle for

emancipation, the struggle this time is a

struggle for independence," she quoted

from the speech, adding that the people

of Bangladesh followed his instructions

word for word.

Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of

Bangabandhu, said at the early hours of

March 26, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib

declared independence of Bangladesh

soon after the Pakistani occupation

forces started crackdown in the dark

night of March 25 in 1971.

"This is probably my last message.

Bangladesh is independent from today. I

urge the people of Bangladesh, wherever

you are, to forge resistance with whatever

you have. Resist the invading forces

with your full strength. Continue fighting

until the last enemy of the Pakistani

occupation forces is driven out of the soil

of Bangla and the final victory is

achieved," Bangabandhu was quoted as

saying in the Proclamation of

Independence.

The Bengalis had started confronting

the enemies with whatever they had in

line with the instructions of

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,

said the Prime Minister.

17-12-2021

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