26-01-2022

wednesday DhAKA: January 26, 2022; Magh 12, 1428 BS; Jamadi-us Sani 22,1443 hijri www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.19; N o. 266; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

international

US orders 8,500 troops

on heightened alert

amid Russia worry

>Page 7

sports

The curious case of

Tamim Iqbal

>Page 9

arts & Culture

Mehazabien stars

in Raj's 'Kajol'

>Page 10

Zohr

Without maintaining any health hygiene, crowds to buy TCB products. The photo was taken in front of

the Secretariat area on Tuesday.

Photo : Star Mail

2 ex-SUST students

held in Dhaka as

impasse continues

SYLHET : A team of Criminal

Investigation Department (CID) on

Tuesday arrested two former students of

Shahjalal University of Science and

Technology (SUST) on charge of sending

money to the protesting students at the

university, reports UNB.

Ashraf Ullah Taher, deputy commissioner

of Sylhet Metropolitan Police

(SMP), said a CID team arrested two former

students - Reza Nur Moin and

Habibur Rahman - from the capital's

Uttara area early Tuesday for sending

money to the SUST students now on

hunger strike demanding their VC's

removal. They are now being taken to

Sylhet for further investigation, he said.

The students embarked on fast-untodeath

on the university campus on

January 19, demanding the resignation

of SUST Vice-Chancellor Farid Uddin

Ahmed over police crackdown on its students.

The students vowed to continue

with their hunger strike till the VC quits.

The hunger strike was launched on

January 19 by 24 students and later one

of them had to leave due to family obligations.

On January 22, three more students

joined their fellows in the hunger

strike. The strike was launched after

police swooped on the protesting students,

charging batons and firing sound

grenades and shotgun bullets.

The alleged attack was carried out to

free the VC from confinement in the university's

IICT building, and it had left 40

people hurt, including teachers, students

and cops.

Zafrin Ahmed, a provost of Begum

Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall, a dorm for

females, was at the centre of the initial

unrest as she allegedly misbehaved with

some students on January 13 when they

met her with some complaints.

05:26 AM

12:150 PM

04:00 PM

05:41 PM

06:58 PM

6:42 5:38

Taking Omicron lightly may

cause great damage:Maleque

DHAKA : Violating health guidelines

taking Omicron strain of

Coronavirus lightly and considering

it to be less dangerous may cause

great damage, warned Health

Minister Zahid Maleque on

Tuesday, reports UNB.

"The government has issued instructions

to contain the surge in Covid-19

cases. If people don't cooperate, it won't

be successful," said the minister.

He made the remarks at a meeting on

the preparedness of private hospitals to

tackle worsening Covid situation. Zahid

Maleque asked the private hospitals to

get ready for dealing with the situation

ahead. People's reckless movement led

to the rise in infections, he said, adding

that 70-80 per cent of corona patients

in the country are now infected with

Omicron, which is alarming.

"We've dealt with the Delta variant

successfully even though we had so

many limitations even though there was

not enough oxygen supply. There was a

lack of beds in the hospitals as well as

experienced health workers, including

doctors and nurses."

The minister went on saying, "But

after fighting the second wave of the

coronavirus, our confidence and

courage have increased. We've the

capability to deal with any further wave

now."

Zahid Maleque said the number of

Covid-linked deaths had dropped to a

zero level when the number of infections

declined. "We had thought Covid-19

would go. But then too much confidence

grew among our people. They roamed

without wearing masks, no one obeyed

the hygiene rules. Even those who visited

Cox's Bazar did not wear masks."

Besides, a lot of marriage ceremonies

took place and thousands of people

gathered in those events maintaining no

social distancing and health protocols."

"We still see very few people wearing

masks at the trade fair. Few people in

markets are wearing masks. These are

the reasons why the infections have

increased," he added.

National Technical Advisory

Committee Recommended

to close trade fairs

SAfIquL ISLAM (JAMI)

The National Technical Advisory

Committee (NTCA) on Covid-19 has

recommended the closure of ongoing

trade fairs to curb the spread of

Corona virus in the country. At the

same time, it has been recommended

to postpone the upcoming book fair

further. On Tuesday (January 25) at

noon, the President of the National

Technical Advisory Committee,

Professor Dr. Mohammad Sahidullah.

He said the Covid-19 National

Technical Advisory Committee has

recommended to the government to

be more stringent in enforcing restrictions

on corona infection.

Dr. Sahidullah said, "We have asked

the government to tighten the restrictions

on several occasions." Now it is

not enough to just impose restrictions,

it is necessary to implement and strictly

enforce them.

It has been said that half of the passengers

have to be taken in public

transport, everyone has to wear a

mask and half of the manpower has

to be run in the offices. Not only

restrictions but his alertness and

dedication too are most required.

Therefore, half of the passenger and

trade fairs should be closed and book

fairs should be postponed.

Asked if a lockdown would be recommended,

he said there would be

no benefit with a new lockdown to

prevent omicron. At the moment

there are less patients in the hospitals.

We recommend lockdown when

we see that patient pressure is high in

the hospital and pressure is being

exerted on doctors.

President of the National Technical

Advisory Committee Dr. Sahidullah

said the lockdown would affect public

life and the economy; so if we can do

the things that are most effective before

the lockdown, then it is possible to

bring the corona under control.

Emphasizing the need for hygiene,

the expert said that the new type of

corona, Omicron, first appeared in

South Africa, and that they controlled a

lot by ensuring hygiene and social distance,

not lockdown. We also need to

pay attention to hygiene.

Long march from

Dhaka to Sylhet

today in support of

SUST students

SHAHJALAL UNIVERSITY : Bibekban

Nagarik Samaj, a platform of civil society

members, has announced a long march

programme on Wednesday from Dhaka

to Sylhet to support the students of

Shahjalal University of Science and

Technology (SUST) have been demanding

it Vice-Chancellor's resignation,

reports UNB.

The civil society members came up

with the announcement through a press

release on Tuesday .

According to the press release, "Many

students are on fast unto death demanding

resignation of SUST VC and already

many of them fell sick. They are now

undergoing treatment at hospitals but

none of them has broken their fast yet.

Nobody on behalf of the government,

Education Minister and the authorities

concerned has come forward to break

their fast and assure them of meeting

their demand."

"In such a situation, the students are

now in the juncture of life and death and

it can't continue. We should stand beside

them to express solidarity with them. If

the VC does not step down then a long

march programme from Dhaka to Sylhet

will be launched from 10:30 am on

Wednesday from the National Press Club

of Dhaka," it said.

People from all walks of life including

students, teachers, physicians, journalists,

lawyers, businessmen, sportsmen and others

were requested to join the long march

to make the programme a success.

Mitu murder case

Babul Akter

denied bail again

CHATTOGRAM : A Chattogram Court

on Tuesday denied bail to former

Chattogram Superintendent of Police

(SP) Babul Akter, arrested in a case filed

by him over the murder of his wife

Mahmuda Khanam Mitu in 2016,

reports UNB.

Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions

Judge Sheikh Ashfaqur Rahman turned

down the bail plea after hearing both

sides, said Public Prosecutor (PP) of the

court Md Fakhruddin Chowdhury.

Earlier on Monday, Babul Akter filed

the bail petition. On January 9, Babul

Akter was shown arrested in this case.

On December 30 last year, the PBI

inspector filed the petition seeking its

permission to show Babul arrested in

the case.

On May 12, 2021, the Police Bureau of

Investigation (PBI) arrested Babul Akter

in another case filed by Mitu's father and

since then he has been in prison.

PBI in an investigation found Babul's

involvement in his wife's murder.

Covid in Bangladesh

Daily case & positivity rates

get close to alarming peak

DHAKA : Bangladesh logged 18 more

Covid-linked deaths with 16,033 fresh

cases in 24 hours till Tuesday morning,

reports UNB.

The daily positivity rate rose to 32.40

per cent from Monday's 32.37 per cent

after testing 49,697 samples, according to

the Directorate general of health Services

(DGHS). The country logged its daily positivity

rate of 32.55% on July 24 last year

reporting 6,780 cases and 195 deaths.

Besides, the country registered the highest

daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last

year, while the highest number of daily

fatalities was 264 on August 10 last year.

The fresh numbers took the country's

total fatalities to 28,256 while the caseload

mounted to 1,715,997 on Tuesday.

Among the new deceased, 12 were men

and six women.

Eight cases were reported in Dhaka division

while six in Chattogram, and one each

DHAKA : BNP on Tuesday described the

government's attempt to enact a law on

the Election Commission formation 'hurriedly'

and 'secretly' as mere a 'blueprint'

to cling to power illegally, reports UNB.

"BNP thinks the current parliament

has no moral authority to make such a

law since it's not legally elected by people,"

said party secretary general Mirza

Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP

Chairperson's Gulshan office, he also

alleged that Awami League is trying to

hold another 'stage-managed' election by

deceiving people through covertly making

the law.

In the current context of Bangladesh,

the BNP leader said their party also

thinks no election commission will be

able to hold a free and fair election

unless it is held under a neutral caretaker

government. "This truth was

established with the unilateral, voterless

elections of midnight-vote robbery

in 2014 and 2018."

He said the resignation of the current

illegitimate Awami League government,

the handover of power to a neutral nonpartisan

government and holding a free,

fair, credible and participatory election

run by an election commission to be

formed with people acceptable to all

based on the opinions of all political parties

are the only way to restore democracy

in Bangladesh.

in Sylhet, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Barishal

divisions.

Meanwhile, the mortality rate further

declined to 1.65 per cent.

However, the recovery rate also declined

further to 90.85 per cent with the recovery

of 1,095 more patients during the 24-hour

period.

Bangladesh's total tally of Omicron

cases reached 69 with the detection of five

more cases till Sunday, according to

GISAID, a global initiative on sharing all

influenza data.

On December 9 last year, Bangladesh

again logged zero Covid-related death

after nearly three weeks as the pandemic

was apparently showing signs of easing.

The country reported this year's first

zero Covid-related death in a single day on

November 20 last year along with 178

infections since the pandemic broke out in

Bangladesh in March 2020.

Law on EC formation just a

'blueprint' to prolong power : BNP

Fakhrul underscored the need for a

united movement of all political parties,

organisations and people to attain

this goal.

On Sunday, Law Minister Anisul Haq

placed the draft Bill, "Appointment of

Chief Election Commissioner and

Election Commissioners Bill-2022", in

parliament.

The bill is likely to be passed in the

House on Thursday.

The press conference was arranged to

inform the media about the outcomes of

the virtual meeting of BNP's standing

committee, the highest policymaking

body of the party.

It was Fakhrul's first appearance

before the media since he along with his

wife tested positive for Covid-19 on

January 10.

Fakhrul said the BNP standing committee

meetings voiced concern over

sending a letter to the UN by the 12 top

international human rights bodies seeking

a ban on Rapid Action Battalion

(RAB) from UN deployment for its

alleged involvement in torture, enforced

disappearances, and other human rights

violations.

"Our standing committee believes that

the Awami League government has put

Bangladesh at great risk by using state

institutions, including RAB, for murder,

enforced disappearance, and extrajudicial

killings to stay in power illegally," he

On Tuesday, LGRD Minister Md. Tajul Islam and DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam visited the canal

excavation work in the capital city.

Photo : Star Mail

weDneSDAY, JAnuArY 26, 2022

2

State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak addressed a press conference at BCC Auditorium in

Dhaka on Tuesday.

Photo: PBA

gywRee‡l© ¯^v¯’¨ LvZ

GwM‡q hv‡e A‡bK avc

GD-161/22 (14x3)

g‡a¨

Woman's body

recovered from

river in Chuadanga

CHUADANGA : Police have

recovered the decomposed

body of a woman from

Mathabhanga river in

Alamdanga upazila of

Chuadanga on Monday

afternoon, reports UNB.

The deceased was

identified as Poppy Khatun,

26, wife of Tuhin of

Nagarboalia village in

Bhangbaria union of

Alamdanga upazila and

daughter of Bhola Sheikh of

Islampara in Belgachi village

of the same upazila.

The body was recovered

from Mathabhanga river at

Karigarpara in Bhangbaria

village of the upazila on

Monday (January 24)

afternoon.

According to police, some

women from the areafound

the bodywhentheywent

down to bathe in the

Mathabhanga river on

Monday afternoon and

informed the police.

Deceased's father Bhola

Sheikh said six days ago, her

in-laws, including her

husband Tuhin informedhim

that Poppy had escaped with

a man.

But he suspects that her

husband has killed Poppy as

she was often beaten and

tortured there.

Alamdanga police

inspector Tuhinuzzaman

Khan said police had

recovered the body six days

after she went missing.

Initially, it was thought that

she had been murdered.

The body was sent to

Sadar Hospital for autopsy,

he said

Global Covid

cases top 354

million

DHAKA : The overall

number of Covid cases has

surpassed 354 million amid

the rise in Omicron

infections across the globe,

reports UNB.

According to Johns

Hopkins University (JHU),

the total case count mounted

to 354,310,228 while the

death toll from the virus

reached 5,603,714 Tuesday

morning.

The US has recorded

71,645,863 cases so far and

868,420 people have died

from the virus in the

country, the university data

shows.

India's Covid-19 tally rose

to 39,543,328 Monday, as

306,064 new cases were

registered in 24 hours across

the country, as per the

federal health ministry's

data.

Monday was the fifth

consecutive day when over

300,000 new cases were

registered in a day in the

country in over eight

months.

Besides, as many as 474

deaths were recorded since

Saturday morning, taking

the death toll to 489,896.

Meanwhile, the country's

Omicron tally reached

10,050 Monday.

Dhaka's air still 'very unhealthy'

DHAKA : The densely populated capital of

Bangladesh remains on top of the list of

world cities with the worst air quality,

reports UNB.

On Tuesday, Dhaka's air quality index

(AQI) was recorded at 276 at 9.22 am,

classified as 'poor' or 'very unhealthy'.

India's Mumbai and China's Shenyang

occupied the next two spots, with AQI scores

of 234 and 232, respectively.

An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be

'poor', while a reading of 301 to 400 is

considered 'hazardous', posing serious

health risks to residents.

AQI, an index for reporting daily air

quality, is used by government agencies to

inform people how clean or polluted the air

of a certain city is, and what associated

health effects might be a concern for them.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five

criteria pollutants-Particulate Matter (PM10

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

Dhaka has long been grappling with air

pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns

unhealthy during winter and improves

during monsoon. A report by the

Department of Environment (DoE) and the

World Bank in March 2019 pointed out that

the three main sources of air pollution in

Dhaka "are brick kilns, fumes from vehicles

and dust from construction sites".

With the advent of winter, the city's air

quality starts deteriorating sharply due to the

massive discharge of pollutant particles from

construction work, rundown roads, brick

kilns and other sources.

GD-160/22 (6x4)

GD-159/22 (7x4)

Air pollution consistently ranks among the

top risk factors for death and disability

worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long

been recognised as increasing a person's

chances of developing a heart disease,

chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections

and cancer, according to several studies.

As per the World Health Organization

(WHO), air pollution kills an estimated

seven million people worldwide every year,

largely as a result of increased mortality from

stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive

pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute

respiratory infections.

BB asks banks not to terminate

employees for failure to fulfill

target of deposit

DHAKA : Bangladesh Bank (BB) has asked

banks not to terminate any officials or

employees due to their failure to fulfill the

target of deposit collection.

Banks also will not be allowed to either

postpone the promotion or ask to resign their

officials or employees, if the officials or

employees fail to achieve the target of deposit

collection, as per a BB circular issued.

The central bank issued the circular in

clarification to a previous circular released

on January 20.

As per the circular, BB did not impose any

embargo on banks to take action against the

employees who breach the banking norms.

Twin who survived

refusal of treatment at a

hospital returns home

DHAKA : The twin who

survived after being forced to

leave a private hospital

returned home from Dhaka

Medical College Hospital

(DMCH) on Monday after

recovering, reports UNB.

Rapid Action Battalion

(RAB) made the necessary

arrangements for the child's

treatment at DMCH and

provided its family with

financial support, said Major

Zulkair Naen of RAB-3.

He said, the incident was

extremely inhumane that the

twins were not given

treatment, rather forced to

leave the hospital because their

parents couldn't bear the

expenses, and one of them

even died. The surviving twin

was then treated in DMCH on

the instructions of RAB

officials. He also warned

hospital authorities that if any

patient is forced to leave

hospital without proper

treatment action would be

taken against them. On

January 7, twins- Abdullah

and Ahmedullah were taken to

Amader Bangladesh Hospital

in city's Shyamoli as they

became sick.

†kL nvwmbvi g~jbxwZ

MÖvg kn‡ii DbœwZ

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2022

3

Ferry movement

resumes after 3

hours on Paturia-

Daulatdia route

MANIKGANJ : The ferry

movement on Paturia-

Daulatdia route yesterday

resumed after three hours of

suspension due to dense fog.

Bangladesh Inland Water

Transport Corporation

(BIWTC), Paturia ghat

sources said the ferry

movement in the Padma

river was disrupted from the

midnight as the river route

was covered with dense fog.

Later, at 6 am, the ferry

plying was suspended to

avoid the untoward incident,

they said, adding that all the

ferries anchored at both the

Paturia and Daulatdia ghats.

The ferry movement

resumed at 9 am when the

dense fog disappeared, the

sources said. BIWTC Paturia

ghat Assistant Manager

(Commerce)

Mohiuddin

Rusel said all of 16 ferries are

plying now to ease the traffic

at the ghat. The Private cars

and trucks loaded with

perishable goods are being

ferried on priority basis.

Bangladesh gets another

2.12 million Covid jabs

from France

DHAKA : France has

donated another 2.12

million doses of the

AstraZeneca vaccine to

Bangladesh under the

COVAX facility as a gesture

of solidarity to the friendly

country's fight against

Covid, reports UNB.

The new doses have taken

the number of Covid shots

donated by the French

government to Bangladesh

to 5.38 million to date.

An Emirates flight

carrying the third

consignment of 2,126,100

Covid jabs landed at

Shahjalal International

Airport in Dhaka late on

Monday night.

The first consignment of

2.06 million doses of the

AstraZeneca vaccine from

France arrived in Dhaka on

November 29, 2021, while the

second consignment of

1,197,600 jabs reached

Bangladesh on December 19.

All the three consignments

were sent from France to

Bangladesh under the global

sharing platform COVAX .

The government of France

has made the sharing of

Covid vaccines one of its

priorities, in solidarity with

the countries hit by the

pandemic and in order to

help accelerate the

vaccination coverage on a

global scale.

RU teachers stage

sit-in protesting

'police action' on

SUST students

RAJSHAHI UNIVERSITY :

Teachers of Rajshahi

University on Tuesday

staged a sit-in at 'Shaheed

Buddhijibi Chattar' on the

campus protesting ' police

action on Shahjalal

University of Science and

Technology (SUST)

students and expressing

solidarity with the ongoing

students' movement,

reports UNB.

The teachers urged the

government to accept the

demands of the SUST

students. Addressing the

protest programme,

Abdullah Al Mamun,

Associate Professor of Mass

Communication and

Journalism department

said, "Police attack on

students is noting new. The

students of this university

were also attacked on the

previous days. The peaceful

movement in 2014 was

attacked. In 2003, Rokeya

Hall students were attacked

during peaceful protest. The

attack incidents are still

happening. Why did it

happen at SUST? Just

because they spoke against

dictetorship!"

A multi-stakeholder consultations on implementation of National Plan of

Action (NPA) to eliminate Child Labour and formulate Child Friendly

Upazila was held at YWCA auditorium at Mohammdpur in the capital on

Tuesday.

Photo : Courtesy

Call to ensure child

friendly upazila

Stressing on ensuring child friendly upazila,

Civil Society activists said creating such

atmosphere can ensure the rights of

children, including eliminating child labour,

across the country.

If proper steps are taken to ensure a child

friendly upazila, it would create encouraging

atmosphere for other upazilas to be child

friendly, they said.

They remarked while addressing a multistakeholder

consultations on

implementation of National Plan of Action

(NPA) to eliminate Child Labour and

formulate Child Friendly Upazila at YWCA

auditorium at Mohammdpur in the capital

on Tuesday.

INCIDIN Bangladesh organized the event

with the support of Global March against

Child Labour.

The rights of children are being hampered

due to child labour. The government is

pledged bound to eliminate child labour

from all sectors by 2025 as per the NPA

(2020-25) and the Children Act 2013.

Bangladesh signed UN Charter on Child

rights for ensuring the rights of children,

they said.

They called for activating upazila level

Children Welfare Board and providing

different supports to children of poor people.

Coordinated approach involving all

concerned is also important for addressing

the issue, they observed.

Advocate Salma Ali, Co-chair, National

Child Labour Monitoring Committee;

attended as the chief guest while Dr.

Mostafizur Rahman, Joint Inspector

General of Department of Inspection for

Factories and Establishments (DIFE); as a

special guest.

Moderated by A.K.M Masud Ali,

Executive Director of INCIDIN

Bangladesh; Advocate Md. Rafiqual Islam

Khan, Manager (Programme) of INCIDIN

Bangladesh; Abdus Shahid Mahmood,

Director of Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar

Forum; Lima Ferdous, President, SWWN;

ZM Kamrul Anam, General Secretary of

Bangladesh Labour Foundation; among

others, spoke.

Virtual meeting on making all

public places smoke free held

A virtual meeting which was attended by members of the Executive

Committee of Aviation and Tourism Journalists Forum of

Bangladesh (ATJFB), officials of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

Bangladesh and the tobacco control project of Dhaka Ahsania

Mission was held yesterday.

Photo : Courtesy

Journalists and dignitaries have demanded

that the law must be amended to make all

public places, including restaurants and

tourist areas, 100% smoke-free. The demand

was made at a virtual meeting on January 25.

The meeting was attended by members of

the Executive Committee of Aviation and

Tourism Journalists Forum of Bangladesh

(ATJFB), officials of Campaign for Tobacco

Free Kids Bangladesh and the tobacco

control project of Dhaka Ahsania Mission.

Md. Mukhlesur Rahman, Assistant

Director, Health Sector, Dhaka Ahsania

Mission delivered the welcome address at

the meeting presided over by ATJFB

President and ATN Bangla News Editor

Nadira Kiron. Campaign for Tobacco Free

Kids Bangladesh's Lead Policy Advisor Md.

Mostafizur Rahman and Tanzim Anwar,

General Secretary of ATJFB and Online

Incharge of BSS spoke as guests at the

meeting. Program Officer Sharmin Akhter

Rini presented the keynote paper at the

meeting moderated by Rezaur Rahman

Rizvi, Media Manager, Tobacco Control

Project, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, a press

release said.

Md. Mukhlesur Rahman, Assistant

Director, Health Sector, Dhaka Ahsania

Mission, said that 63 countries, including

Canada, Spain and Nepal, have laws

prohibiting smoking zones in public places.

However, the law of our country provides for

smoking zones in public places such as

multi-room restaurants, public transport

(trains, launches) and non-mechanical

public transport. As a result, non-smokers

also go to these places and become victims of

secondhand smoke. Therefore, in order to

protect the health of non-smokers, Section 7

of the Tobacco Control Act should be

repealed and designated smoking areas in all

public places should be banned.

Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Lead Policy

Advisor of Campaign for Tobacco Free

Kids Bangladesh, said that non-smokers

have the right to protect themselves from

the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

However, the number of victims of

secondhand smoke is higher. Since the

smoke from smoking cannot be controlled.

That's why smoking in all public places

should be banned. In this case, the media

can convey this message to the

government on a regular basis.

Nadira Kiran, president of ATJFB and

news editor of ATN Bangla, said that if

smoking is banned in the air, then strict laws

should be enacted to ban smoking in other

public transport as well. In addition, all

concerned stakeholders should take

initiative to keep restaurants and hotels

100% smoke free. Therefore, the law should

be amended to make public places

completely smoke free.

The members of ATJFB who participated

in the meeting in collaboration with

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids are Masud

Rumee (Kaler Kantho), Shafiullah Sumon

(BTV), Manjurul Islam (Balik Barta), Rita

Nahar (Baishakhi TV), Baten Biplob (Asian

TV). ), Imrul Kausar Emon (Bhorer Dak),

Rashidul Hasan (The Daily Star), Altab

Hossain (Yay Yay Din), Julhas Kabir (RTV),

Touhidul Islam (Our Time) and Abdullah

Tuhin (Jamuna TV).

30 held for selling,

consuming drugs

in city

DHAKA : Members of the

Detective Branch (DB) of

the Dhaka Metropolitan

Police (DMP) in several

anti-drug raids arrested a

total of 30 people on

charges of selling and

consuming drugs during

last 24 hours till 6am

yesterday.

The DB in association

with local police carried

out the drives

simultaneously starting at

6am on January 24,

according to a DMP

release.

In separate anti-drug

raids, police conducted

those drives in different

areas of the city under

various police stations and

detained drug peddlers,

users and also seized

different kinds of banned

and illegal drugs from

their possessions.

During the anti-drug

raids, police seized 109

grams and 330 puria

(Small Packet) of heroin

and 2.105 kilograms and

120 puria (small packet) of

cannabis (ganja) and

11,227 pieces of

contraband yaba tablets

from their possession, the

release added.

Police filed 26 separate

cases against the arrestees

in these connections with

respective police stations

under the Narcotics

Control Act.

Microbus catches

fire on Hatirjheel

bridge

DHAKA : A microbus on

Monday night suddenly

caught fire on a bridge in

Hatirjheel area

Two firefighting units

rushed to the spot and

brought the fire under

control at around 9.53 pm,

said fire service sources,

reports UNB.

No casualties were

reported.

Police disrupt

JCD's symbolic

hunger strike at

Shaheed Minar

DHAKA UNIVERSITY :

Police in Dhaka disrupted

a symbolic hunger strike

by

Bangladesh

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal

at Central Shaheed Minar

on Tuesday, reports UNB.

Members of the student

wing of BNP embarked on

the hunger strike around

9am to express solidarity

with the protesting

students of Shahjalal

University of Science and

Technology (SUST).

Before leaving the

Shaheed Minar ground

around noon, the Chhatra

Dal members demanded

the removal of SUST Vice-

Chancellor Farid Uddin

Ahmed and the

withdrawal of a police case

filed against the university

students.

Fazlur Rahman Khokon,

president of JCD, saids,

"We condemn the heinous

attack on the students. We

are demanding the

immediate resignation of

this inhuman V-C."

General secretary of

JCD, Iqbal Hossain

Shamol said, "V-C means

teacher and teacher means

guardian, but SUST V-C

showed us his

authoritarian behaviour.

Police League and Chhatra

League have attacked

ordinary students under

his direction."

Asked about the

disruption, the joint

convener of JCD's Dhaka

University unit, Nasir

Uddin Nasir, said, "We

had planned to hold the

hunger strike till 3 pm

today, but it was disrupted

by police around 11.45

am."

First national NCDs

conference begins

DHAKA : The first national noncommunicable

diseases (NCDs) conference

begins yesterday with an aim to diagnose

non-communicable diseases, develop its

treatment facilities and raise mass

awareness. The non-infectious diseases have

been increasing globally including

Bangladesh while people's prevention

capacity has also been declining

significantly, said member secretary of the

organizing committee of the conference Dr

Shamim Haider Talukder while addressing a

virtual press conference on Monday.

Consequently, various sides of the noncommunicable

diseases will also be

discussed in the conference.

Public health experts including Health and

Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque,

Planning Minister MA Mannan, Education

Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Information and

Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud,

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC)

Mayor Atiqul Islam and Dhaka South City

Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle

Nur Taposh, among others, will address the

conference.

A total of 30 different national and

international organizations including Non-

Communicable Diseases Control

Programme (NCDC), Bangladesh Non-

Communicable Diseases Forum (BNCDF),

Bangladesh Clinical Research Platform and

Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum,

International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease

Research (ICDDR'B), Bangladesh Rural

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission Scholarship for visually

challenged students has been introduced at Dhaka University. BSEC

Chairman Prof. ShibliRubayat-Ul-Islam handed over a cheque for Tk. 7 lac

and 20 thousand to the Vice-Chancellor of DU Prof. Dr. Md.

Akhtaruzzaman on Tuesday at the Vice-Chancellor's office to introduce

this scholarship.

Photo : Courtesy

BSEC Scholarship introduced at DU

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange

Commission (BSEC) Scholarship for

visually challenged students has been

introduced at Dhaka University

(DU).Chairman of BSEC Prof.

ShibliRubayat-Ul-Islamhanded over a

cheque for Tk. 7 lac and 20 thousand to the

Vice-Chancellor of DU Prof. Dr. Md.

Akhtaruzzaman yesterday at the Vice-

Chancellor's office to introduce this

scholarship, a press release said.

Treasurer of DU Prof.MamtazUddin

Ahmed, Chairman of the Department of

Economics Prof. Dr. Mahbubul

Mokaddem, Chairman of the Department

of Mass Communication & Journalism

Prof. Dr. Abul Mansur Ahmed, DUTA

Secretary Prof. Dr. Md.Nizamul Hoque

Bhuiyan andDirector of ICT Cell Prof. Dr.

Mohammad Asif Hossain Khan were,

among others,present on this occasion.

Out of this donation, 20 visually

challenged students of DU will be given

monthly Tk.three thousandas scholarship

money. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md.

Akhtaruzzamanstressed the need for

bringingthe distressed, physically and

financiallychallenged students under

social safety network to make an inclusive

society and achieve Sustainable

Development Goals. He also emphasized

on strengthening relationship between

industries andacademic institutions to

produce skilled human resources. The

VCcalled upon the corporate houses to

come forward with their helping hands for

establishment of special research fund at

DU. Hethanked BSEC authorities for

providing scholarship to DU visually

challenged students.

NU students in Jashore stage

protest for postponing exams

SAHID JOY, JASHORE CORRESPONDENT

The students of National University (NU)

have organized a human chain and

symbolic activity resembling an

examination program in Jashore. They

demand to take the postponed

examinations of the university. On Tuesday

at around 10:30 am, more than two

hundred students observed the program on

the road in front of the Jashore Press Club.

Students of various colleges including

Jashore Government Michael

Madhusudhan College, City College, Dr.

Abdur Razzak Municipal took part in it.

During the hour-long program, students

chanted slogans in protest of the suspension

of ongoing examinations at the National

University. The students said that they will

continue their activity till a positive decision

is taken about the examination. At the end

of the human chain, the students took out a

procession. The procession ended by

circling the city's main areas from the Press

Club.

Speakers at the human chain said that the

life of the students is going to be in extreme

crisis as all the examinations of the National

University have been closed for almost two

years due to Covid-19. Those who were

supposed to finish their formal education in

Advancement Committee (BRAC),

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical

University (BSMMU), Dhaka University and

Popular Medical College will jointly arrange

the conference.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such

as cardiovascular disease (CVDs), cancers,

chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and

mental illnesses, are the significant and

increasing causes of illnesses, disability and

deaths globally, Shamim said.

For instance, of the 54?·?7 million global

deaths in 2016, 39.5 million, or 72?·?3%,

were due to NCDs, with majority occurring

within low and lower-middle income

countries.

5-member probe committee formed

to investigate BSMMU fire

DHAKA : The authorities of Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU)

have formed a five-member committee to

unearth the reason behind the fire incident

broke out at the hospital on Monday,

hospital sources said.

BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md

Sharfuddin Ahmed formed the committee.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Sayef

Uddin Ahmed has been made the head of the

probe body while an Assistant Proctor of the

university will act as the member secretary.

The fire broke out on the 14th floor of the

hospital at 6:25 pm on Monday.

2020, did not finish it in 2022 either. This

reduces the time to enter the job after

receiving the certificate of graduation. By

the time students complete their

undergraduate or postgraduate studies, the

age will be 26 to 27. But the age limit for

entering the job is 30 years.

This is not enough time to prepare for a

competitive job like BCS. The National

University authorities have suspended all

examinations without stopping the causes

of the spread of coronavirus related

infection, which is by no means logical. But

in the meantime, various universities have

continued to take physical examinations.

They demanded that the decision to

postpone the examination be reconsidered

and the schedule of all the examinations be

announced soon.

Sadia Jahan, a student at the Government

Women's College, said the government has

given public universities the power to make

their own decisions about taking exams. But

the government has stopped the

examination of the national university with

the announcement. Besides, if there is a

public meeting on trade fair or many other

issues in the country, then why this

restriction in taking exams? If everything

can be done according to the rules of

hygiene, then why can't the test be done?

WEDNESDay, JaNuary 26, 2022

4

Does the pandemic turn to endemic ?

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

saving government’s

lands from grabbers

Bangladesh is a country where land is in

short supply. Every effort needs to made,

therefore, to conserve land or to ensure its

best possible utilization. specially, government

owned lands are required to be kept free from

squatters and grabbers.

government's lands form a particularly

valuable asset. All sorts of demand for the quick

implementation of important projects can be

met from the availability of such lands. For

example, during summer several years ago

when a severe crisis of water gripped Dhaka city

and some areas were found to be very

inadequately supplied, the need arose to set up

some underground water pumping plants in

these places for emergency lifting and

supplying of water.

But these plans suffered as suitable

government lands could not be found in these

areas. The ones that were there remained under

different kinds of illegal occupation by their

private occupiers and tangled by legal hurdles in

evicting them.

From distribution of lands to the landless

cultivators to even finding lands for the

establishment of power generating plants that

the country badly needs, the establishment of all

sorts of public utilities are getting hampered

from the usurpation of governmental lands.

Buying land from private owners some of whom

many not be willing also to be so dispossessed

involve greater costs in time and money for the

government as progress of high priority public

projects stagnate as a result. Thus, seen from any

perspective, the retention of government's

possession over its lands, ought to be seen as a

very important issue.

But this vital matter of concern appears to be

poorly addressed at the moment. it has continued

to be an easy practice for a long time for locally

powerful individuals to establish their control

over government's lands all over the country. They

usually occupy the lands and set up their various

enterprises in the grabbed lands. There are vast

areas in Dhaka city, for instance, where individuals

with money, influence and connections both to the

underworld and the ruling political parties, had

grabbed government's lands.

Rice mills, saw mills, bustees (shanty

dwellings), small businesses, etc., have been

established in such lands and their unlawful

possessors are deriving every financial benefit

from either running them directly or from

getting rents. They have also succeeded in

tampering with land records to be able to lay

legal claims also over these lands.

Typically, government's reaction is to start a case

against such grabbers. But the process gets bogged

up in the extremely tedious legal procedures

experienced in this country. Besides, and more

significantly, government represents itself in

these cases through its lawyers who are very

poorly paid in contrast to the grabbers who pay

lucrative fees to their lawyers and sometimes

even ensure the inactivity of government's

lawyers through underhand bribing. government's

pleaders are sometimes seen not even coming to

courts during hearing and the occupiers, thus,

are able to get one sided verdict in their favor.

From the continuation of this most unacceptable

neglect, government has already lost its claim

over thousands of acres of land properties and

would suffer more losses in the future. Very

urgent actions are necessary to check and

reverse this trend. government must create real

incentives or motivation for its legal practitioners

to defend government's properties through

substantially and appropriately increasing their

fees and other benefits.

A truly efficient and accountable system must

be laid to ensure that they do their work with

sincerity and it becomes impossible for anyone

to so easily to lay hands on public properties and

consolidate the usurpation.

WhEn a disease spreads

worldwide, it is called pandemic.

The best example is the corona

virus. it is simply a global epidemic.

Different countries have to unite and work

according to the instructions of their own

Ministry of health. We need to keep

ourselves healthy, according to the World

health Organization. When the new virus

first appeared in Wuhan, China in

December 2019, it was completely

unknown to the body's immune system, it

was a new virus and they did not know

how to fight it. At the same time, there was

no medicine, no vaccine. While, there are

two main reasons for the end of the

epidemic. One the weakening of the virus

and on the other hand, the increase in the

host of the virus, that is, the human body's

immune system. Our body's immune

system now knows more about the virus

than ever before. Epidemiologists

consider a disease to be an 'endemic

disease' only when the level of that disease

is stable and it is understood what the

situation might be after that. But when a

disease suddenly appears and spreads

rapidly to different countries, they

consider it a 'pandemic disease.'

Repeatedly giving booster doses to the

general public is not a sustainable strategy

for epidemic control. in the first week of

2022, the corona of 6 million people

across Europe was identified. The number

of corona infections in Europe has more

than doubled in two weeks. We must not

forget that we are still in the grip of an

epidemic. Omicron is now at the root of

the increase in infections from West to

East Europe. Omicron has surpassed the

Delta outbreak in spreading the disease

across the region. now the question is

whether the epidemic will return to its

previous state, or a new situation will be

created. Will the virus disappear from the

face of the earth? scientists say there is no

doubt that COViD-19 will exist, but not as

a 'pandemic', but as an 'endemic'. it will

remain the same as the common disease,

the more mutations i see in Omicron, the

more it is transmitted. Whenever there is

widespread transmission of the virus,

there is a risk of further mutations. Then

may be the virus will get weaker. it can be

strong again. That's why we have to wait a

little longer to say whether the pandemic

is going to end or not. it has been almost

two years since COViD-19 was infected.

This curse is spreading all over the world

with equal force. no country, rich or poor,

was spared. The death toll has exceeded

tens of millions. in the last two years,

Corona has invaded the world in various

forms. Alpha, beta, gamma, delta and

then omicron variants have been

identified in Africa. Omicron is now the

name of a new terror. The omicron variant

of corona is increasing alarmingly in

different countries of Europe and

America. Many countries in Europe are

now terrified of this. Apart from this, it is

spreading rapidly in our neighboring

country india as well. now,this variant is

currently growing rapidly all over the

world. The World health Organization

(WhO) has warned that all countries

should be prepared for the rise of

coronavirus infections from the new

omicron variant. The number of victims of

omicron variant of COViD-19 from

different countries is increasing day by

day. Each country should consider its own

risks and strengthen existing measures,

such as wearing a mask, maintaining

distance, washing hands, avoiding public

gatherings, tracing infected people,

isolating infected people and continuing

vaccinations initially, most of the

countries, including the United states,

Canada, the United Kingdom and the

European Union, have announced

sanctions against seven African countries

to deal with the situation. no one will be

able to leave this African country

temporarily. geographically, it has

already spread far and wide. All countries

need to be prepared for the possibility of a

new wave of Corona transmission from

the omicron variant. The lessons we have

learned to deal with the Delta variant

must be put to good use in dealing with

this new variant. The World health

Organization is currently working with a

large number of research institutes to

understand the dynamics of the omicron

variant. so far, however, they have not

received any information that new

directions are needed at the moment to

deal with the epidemic. Whereas just two

weeks ago the number of daily identities

was a little over three hundred on average,

now the number of new COViD-19

identities per day stands at more than

eleven and a half thousand. health

officials say the fourth wave of epidemics

is more severe than ever. infection is on

SyED Faruk hOSSaIN

the rise at an unprecedented level where

the number of victims is highest, a much

larger number of children under the age of

five have been hospitalized than in

previous waves.

Maria von Karkhov, head of the World

health Organization's Corona-19

Technical Committee, said no one should

be left out. Experts also say that the

Corona-19 vaccine that has been

discovered, the oral capsule that has come

on the market, will not have any effect on

this new variant omicron. scientists in

different countries are conducting various

studies on this new variant. some of them

are indicating that this variant has some

different symptoms from the Delta

variant. Omicron shows some symptoms

of pain, but no symptoms of loss of taste

or smell. however, scientists say they do

not want to give a definite opinion on this

right now. At the moment, the World

Omicron is now at the root of the increase in infections from West to East

Europe. Omicron has surpassed the Delta outbreak in spreading the disease

across the region. Now the question is whether the epidemic will

return to its previous state, or a new situation will be created. Will the virus

disappear from the face of the earth? Scientists say there is no doubt that

COVID-19 will exist, but not as a 'pandemic', but as an 'endemic'.

health Organization suggests that

scientists have not yet found evidence that

omicron's symptoms are very different

from those of other variants of the

COViD-19. As a result, fresh cough, fever,

and loss of taste and smell are still cited as

the three main symptoms of COViD-19

infection. The agency said it was looking

into the plight of people under the age of

five in south Africa. The Un health

Organization has instructed the 194

member states to increase immunization

rates among special groups of people to

stem the tide of infection. The World

health Organization (WhO) has also

called for an end to the infection control

plan to keep essential health care in check.

The spike protein of the new variant

omicron may undergo at least 30 to 50

adaptations or mutations. some of these

mutations are very worrying. That is why

the United nations has advised the world

to be vigilant again. it is feared that this

new variant could change the course of the

epidemic and strike again at human

civilization. The WhO issued a statement

expressing further concern. This variant

of emissions could pose a major risk to the

world. Vaccination activities should be

conducted in compliance with the hygiene

rules. Coronary symptoms should be

asymptomatic, suspicious, coronary,

isolation of the patient and quarantine

arrangements for others who come in

close contact with the corona positive

patient. Make sure to cover your nose and

face and wear a mask during office entry

and stay. hygiene compliance must be

officially confirmed. in order to control

and reduce the incidence of COViD-19,

campaigns can be carried out at the

community level to create awareness

about hygiene compliance including mask

removal. in this case, if necessary, the

mike can be used in the worship center

including the mosque, temple, church,

pagoda and the elected representatives of

the members of the ward councilor union

council can be involved. Keeping in mind

that there should be no neglect in any way,

every citizen of the country should fulfill

his responsibilities from his own place,

create awareness, if he himself follows the

rules of health, i hope he can keep himself

ill and keep others healthy and safe.

Otherwise, the world could be four times

more damaged than before because of the

global panic and another curse called

omicron. new horrible form of corona is

omicron type of coronavirus has recently

been identified. however, it is not yet clear

how effective the current vaccine will be in

preventing this variant. A panel from the

World health Organization has called on

the world to be vigilant, calling omicron

B1.1.529 a variant of concern. Experts

have initially classified it as a highly

contagious virus, which is spreading

worldwide with the speed of wind. it is

unknown at this time what he will do after

leaving the post. infectious risk is 100%

more dangerous than other variants.

however, the World health

Organization's initial idea is that it is as

deadly as any other highly contagious

variant. it may take a few weeks to find out

if the vaccine, which is currently available

in the market, is effective against it.

Within this time, this deadly disease is

spreading rapidly in the world. We do not

know that the pandemic turns to endemic

or not. A pandemic review of various

respiratory viruses over the last 100 years

has shown that the epidemics lasted for

one to three years. in that sense, it is

possible that this is the last year. This

corona is appearing in various forms over

time. The world does not seem to be

getting rid of Corona's vicious circle easily.

its new form is spreading in the world.

The writer is Deputy Registrar,

Jagannath University

learning and teaching English at the primary level

English is used as a foreign

language in Bangladesh. English is

taught and learnt as a compulsory

subject from grade -1 due to its increasing

importance. But according to newspaper

article less than 5% students can

communicate in English after completing

the primary Education. The journey of

learning English is slowed down for

various problems. There are two types of

issues are found in Bangladesh-the

problems in terms of learning and

teaching. Bangladesh is an agricultural

country and most of the people lead their

life in villages. For this, they do not get

scope for learn and speak English.

in Bangladesh the environment of

learning English to some extent

unfavorable because it is often seen that a

person interested in learning English is

normally laughed and criticized. When

they make mistakes while learning such

criticism prevent a learner from exercising

it. Parents are confused with where to send

their children. English for its global image

and demand, Bangla for its national and

first language are the staple medium of

instruction in educational institution in

Bangladesh.

learners put more importance on

getting better grades using rote learning.

They think that rote learning will ensure

them to get good marks. That's why they

spend much time on private, coaching,

guide books and memorized answer.

To learn English there is a need for four

skills. But the these skills are not given

equal importance. Reading and writing

skills are only emphasized. Examinations

are only taken on reading and writing

skills. listening and speaking skills remain

neglected. learners in Bangladesh face a

great problem on their way to learn

English. We know that classroom is the

only place where learners get chance to

practice English. But they get hardly any

opportunity to practice it. in order to learn

English well, they need practice English

outside the classroom. But the sceneries

are different here because as soon as the

learners come out of the school, they never

find any interest in speaking English.

There are some teachers who neither teach

the learners properly nor encourage them

to acquire a language. lack of motivation

hampers the learning. They prepare their

students only to pass the examination. For

that the students do not find any interest in

English.

grammar and translation method is one

of the oldest methods that are still applied

in teaching English system. it demands

overemphasis on grammatical accuracy in

learning. They encourage students to learn

English by achieving grammatical rules.

A teacher builds a nation with the help of

his or her refined knowledge. so as a

builder of a nation, a teacher must be

efficient in the subject they teaches. But

there are many teachers of English who are

not proficient in English.

lack of teachers training is one of the

major problems found in teaching English

in Bangladesh. There are many teachers

who receive no training at all to teach

English. so as an untrained teacher solve

the students problems and fear of the

subject. Even they can not make the lesson

interesting. in most cases teachers are seen

to be insincere. They think like a

businessmanp, never think to motivate the

students. Even they do not encourage the

students to practice speaking in English

inside and outside the class. lack of iCT

and electricity are major problem of rural

primary school in Bangladesh. The

teachers can not practice pronunciation,

cannot play audio -video in proper

situation lack of iCT and electricity.

The systems of teaching English in

Bangladesh are not very acceptable. There

are no scope to practice in a

communicative way. it affects the teaching

English beyond imagination.

All the books of grade 1-5 are written

under the objectives of ClT. But the

DIpa aDhIkarI

teachers do not follow the rules of ClT in

classroom. it creates problems of teaching

-learning in English.

There is a contradiction between

teaching and assessment. The teachers

assess the students reading and writing

activities, never take assessment on their

speaking and listening activities.

living in a global era, we all want that

after completing the primary education,

our students can communicate in English.

But there are so many problems of

teaching learning activities in Bangladesh.

To solve these problems the government,

the teachers and the parents from their

distinguish place should take proper steps.

some possible solutions are given below.

home is the first place from where one can

start to learn English. Parents should

Learners in Bangladesh face a great problem on their way to learn English.

We know that classroom is the only place where learners get chance to

practice English. But they get hardly any opportunity to practice it. In

order to learn English well, they need practice English outside the classroom.

But the sceneries are different here because as soon as the learners

come out of the school, they never find any interest in speaking English.

encourage their children to learn English.

The parents are conscious about their

child's mark or grade. They never think of

their speaking ability. The parents should

be conscious about their child's speaking

ability. Teachers should be trained more

and more about how they can help

students to learn English. Authority should

appoint the expert teachers who can create

the curiosity of learning English among the

students.

social Media and network site can play

an important role to make the students

fluent in English. They watch the fairy tale,

cartoon, kids lesson etc. Those are very

helpful to build their communicative skills.

Regarding test and evaluation, the

teachers could give the students chance to

think individually and independent in

order to answer them. Oral examination

could be maintained and kept a record on

it. The grammar and translation method of

learning must be changed. By dint of this

method communicative skills should be

improved. The projects of EiA can play an

important rule to enhance the students'

communicative skills in English i think

that teachers have great responsibilities to

develop their students' communicative

skills. Those are given below.

Primary school is the foundation of any

people. For that teachers should give more

scope to practice listening and speaking

activities in the classroom

The teachers could use the classroom

management such as instruction,

questions, ask and answer it on English.

This will give the students an impression

that English like mother tongue can be

used for real life communication.

The teacher should create an

atmosphere to learn English in the

classroom. Teacher involve in a variety of

activities as pair work, group work,

individual work, role play, question -

answer, discussions etc.

The teachers could create an atmosphere

to correct errors when mistakes are taken

as the part of learning process. The

students would learn from their mistakes.

For that the teachers should motivate and

encourage them and help them to remove

shyness and fear through oral practice. The

teachers should engage them with

activities-repeat words and phrases, play

with words and games. Teachers must

maintain game-like activities in classroom.

Then the students learn joyfully and

learning would be successful. The teachers

should encourage the students to learn

vocabulary maintaining a routine . The

teachers could follow the stages and

techniques of teaching vocabulary. At last,

teachers should have to follow the goals of

ClT on class-wise from grade 1-5. To the

development of our primary education, the

whole procedures should apply here in

Bangladesh to teach and learn English in

needs of the age. The practice of the

English language should be given much

emphasis on all spheres of life and then we

can reach our goal. Only then good

command in English in English will be

ensured in primary level.

Dipa Adhikari, Instructor

(General), PTI. Mymensingh

WeDnesDAy, JAnUAry 26, 2022

5

What does Endemic mean?

CAtHerIne PeArsOn

Health officials have been

warning for months that

COVID-19 isn't going away;

instead, it's much more

likely to become endemic

here in the United States and

abroad. Many also believe

the highly contagious

omicron variant, which

continues to drive up case

counts around much of the

country, could get us there.

While moving from our

current pandemic to an

endemic state certainly

sounds like a move in the

right direction, health

experts also caution that it

doesn't necessarily mean

what people think it does.

It's certainly not the

"normal" reality people lived

up until 2019. Nor is our

path to endemicity clear cut.

As the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention

explains, endemic "refers to

the constant presence

and/or usual prevalence of a

disease or infectious agent in

a population within a

geographic area."

The endemic level of

disease in a given area is

basically the baseline of that

disease in a particular place.

But it's not necessarily the

desired level of disease, the

CDC clarifies. A disease

could be considered

endemic but still be pretty

widespread.

"An endemic disease is an

infection that always

remains in a given

population," Vincent Hsu,

executive director of

infection control at

AdventHealth, told

HuffPost. "It might be

limited to a particular

geographic area, such as

malaria, but could also be a

widespread infection that

has seasonal patterns, such

as influenza, or continues

throughout the year causing

generally mild illness, such

as the common cold."

And knowing when

exactly the transition from

pandemic to endemic has

happened is difficult,

because health officials and

epidemiologists may have

different thresholds for

when we've hit a sufficiently

predictable, non-disruptive

point of living with COVID.

It's a pretty nuanced term.

"Practically speaking, for

COVID to become endemic,

we would need to be at a

point where COVID is

sufficiently commonplace

that it is not causing severe

disease resulting in

hospitalizations and death,"

said Jay Lee, a family

physician in Costa Mesa,

California. "In other words,

we need community

immunity against COVID to

be high enough that we are

not seeing the levels of

hospitalization and death we

While transitioning to an endemic is a good thing, there are still some

important factors we need to keep in mind.

Photo: Orbon Alija

continue to see now."

Moving from our current

state (a pandemic) to

endemic disease sounds like

a good thing, and in many

ways it is. But some experts

worry that the general public

is assuming that endemic

disease is automatically less

damaging or dangerous.

We could get to a point

where COVID is considered

endemic, but its impact on

many people who are

infected is not minimal.

(Again, think of malaria,

which is endemic in parts of

the world and can be

deadly.)

There could also still be

unpredictable disruptions

caused by the virus that

would prompt restrictions

and closures that would not

feel at all "mild" at a society

level. If the virus continues

to infect relatively large

numbers of people, it has

more opportunities to

change its genome.

Take flu as an example.

Most people who get the

illness recover within a few

weeks, but for some, it is

deadly. Also, we sometimes

get flu pandemics which, as

the CDC explains, occur

when a new virus emerges

that is able to spread from

person to person in an

efficient and sustained way.

"What we see with

influenza is decades between

major pandemics, and the

major pandemics are due to

shuffling of segments of the

flu virus genome, which are

known as genetic shifts,"

infectious diseases expert

Stuart Ray, vice chair of

medicine for data integrity

with Johns Hopkins

Medicine, told HuffPost.

Those shifts are what

cause the major flu

pandemics we've

experienced, like H1N1 in

2009. But it's not yet clear

how much time we might get

between genetic shifts with

COVID. And if the virus is

still infecting large numbers

of people, it has more

opportunities to change its

genome. "A part of me is

hopeful that with this

omicron wave, we'll generate

enough immunity that we

don't see a lot of harm from

future infections, and that

we will reach a mild endemic

state," Ray said.

HeAltH Desk

Even before the pandemic,

Americans were among the

most stressed-out people in

the world. Then COVID

came and walloped us even

more. Name a group of

Americans, and there has

likely been a recent poll

showing their stress levels

have become unbearable:

parents, teachers, health

care professionals, teens -

the list goes on and on.

Of course, no one can selfcare

their way out this

profoundly difficult

moment, and if you're

overwhelmed, you should

reach out to your primary

care doctor or a mental

health professional ASAP.

But if you just need a way

to cope and recenter during

acutely stressful moments,

here are five incredibly

simple strategies that might

help - in 60 seconds or less.

Try them all and see what

works for you.

"You can do this if you're

waiting for a subway, waiting

for an elevator, or if you're

just unloading the

dishwasher. Think of

someone - vividly - that you

really love," Susie Moore, a

life coach and author of "Let

It Be Easy: Simple Ways To

Stop Stressing And Start

Living, told HuffPost. It can

be your child, your partner, a

friend or even your pet.

Remember what they look

like, what they smell like.

Think about how comforting

they are, or what you feel like

in their presence. "Just think

about how much you love

them," Moore said.

Researchers have found

that personal connection is

one of the four pillars of

personal happiness, and

simply focusing on someone

in this way can be enough to

help you tap into your calm,

happy place and cultivate

connection.

If you're feeling like your

anxiety is really getting the

best of you, one simple

"hack" is to write down a

designated worry time.

A few hacks for a minute

to destress

Curbing your stress doesn't have to take a lot of time.

"Many people are anxious

throughout the day and

night, and everything in their

environment gets associated

with anxiety," Robert Leahy,

director of the American

Institute for Cognitive

Therapy and author of "The

Worry Cure," previously told

HuffPost. "What if you could

put those worries up on a

shelf, and take them down

at, say, 12 p.m. for 20

minutes?"

People often think that if

something pops into their

mind, they have to worry

about it then and there. But

that's not true, Leahy said.

Instead, it can be helpful to

put a time on your calendar

when you can sit down and

really marinate in your

worries - and by the time you

do, some of them may have

faded.

So if you haven't scheduled

that designated worry time

yet, go ahead and pop it in

your calendar. You'll feel

better knowing that you've

taken steps to manage your

stress rather than trying to

ignore it or letting it control

your days.

OK, this one probably

takes more like two or three

minutes, but if you're feeling

like you need to calm down,

put on a song that you love

and dance your heart out.

Research shows that both

music and dance can lower

stress levels and increase

happiness.

If dancing isn't your thing -

or you're not in a place where

you can pull it off - simply

move your body for one

minute instead. Stretch.

Jump up and down. Hold a

single yoga pose. If you're

feeling ambitious, you can

even do a short, vigorous

Photo: Getty

chore! Try anything that will

help your body release feelgood

hormones like

dopamine and that will get

you out of your own head.

(Bonus points if you get

active while listening to a

song you really love.)

This one can be especially

useful if the cause of your

stress is a child who is midmeltdown,

but it really works

anytime you're with a friend

or loved one who is down for

a cuddle.

Here's how it works: In a

moment of stress, give your

child or partner (or whoever

you're with) a "big bear hug,"

Shonda Moralis, a women's

mindful empowerment

coach, psychotherapist and

author of "Breathe, Mama,

Breathe," previously told

HuffPost. Then take three

big inhales and three big

exhales together.

JOlIne BUsCeMI

You may have noticed that

recently, certain skin care

products aren't available to

purchase over the counter -

and while they're not exactly

considered prescription, you

have to buy them from a

doctor's office. It's called

medical-grade skin care, and

it has all the indications of an

effective product. Promoted

by dermatologists and

estheticians, these products

are described as being more

powerful and packed with

actives than products you can

buy elsewhere. But when it

comes to skin care, the way

products are marketed isn't

always indicative of what's

inside the bottle, or even what

it can do.

Compared to over-thecounter

products, medicalgrade

skin care (sometimes

called "professional-grade" or

"clinical" on labels) is touted

to be better formulated, with

higher quality and more

effective ingredients that can

reach deeper into the skin.

For this reason, some

products aren't available to be

purchased directly by the

consumer.

Brands like Obagi,

Skinbetter, PCA Skin and iS

Clinical all lie on varying

degrees of the exclusivity

spectrum - some, like iS

Clinical, are available to buy

at numerous online beauty

stores, while Skinbetter is

only available through

authorized retailers. This low

level of accessibility - along

with the stamp of approval

that comes along with only

being available through

professionals - can make it

seem as though these

products are somehow better

and more effective than

typical over-the-counter skin

care products. And not

surprisingly, they also often

come at a higher price.

While it would appear these

products are a smart choice

for those who are serious

about skin care, is this yet

another case of consumers

being duped by marketing?

Esther Olu, a cosmetic

scientist, has worked with

manufacturers to formulate

What is medical-grade

skin care?

Medical-grade skin care is often exclusively sold at your dermatologist's

office.

Photo: Morsa Images

skin care products, including

medical-grade brands. In a

December tweet, she wrote of

medical-grade products: "Any

brand can call themselves

medical grade today and

nothing would happen,"

reads the tweet. "You have

drugs and cosmetics; no in

between."

"Medical-grade is not a

regulated term, so there are

no FDA rules or industry

standards determining what

products fall into this

category," said Aegan Chan, a

board-certified

dermatologist. "These types

of products still fall into the

'cosmetics' category in terms

of FDA regulation, and

therefore cannot technically

claim to do more than

drugstore products," she said.

While there are regulations

that companies are required

to follow, these products do

not have to undergo FDA

approval, unlike prescription

skin care products that are

considered drugs by the FDA.

Even one of the biggest

reasons someone might turn

to medical-grade - the

potency and efficacy of the

product - isn't guaranteed.

"Once you go over a certain

concentration per the FDA,

you are entering

drug/prescription territory,"

Olu said. Instead, medicalgrade

brands might add

ingredients to their products

that don't necessarily work in

order to make claims when

marketing the product. (Nonmedical

brands do this, too,

Olu said).

And thanks to minimal

regulation, "there is no

required testing or

regulations around using

'higher-quality' ingredients in

those products that are

marketed as 'medical-grade,'"

Chan said.

Most skin care products -

medical-grade or not - use

similar ingredients, including

so-called fillers. "I think that's

one of the biggest

misconceptions when it

comes to medical-grade

products," Olu said. "If you

were to compare a drugstore

moisturizer to a medical

grade moisturizer, you would

notice some of the exact

emollients, waxes, etc. in the

ingredient list, but a lot of

professionals like to call them

fillers when that is not true,"

Olu said. (Fillers actually do

have a role in skin care

products, like delivering

specific ingredients to the

skin and mitigating

irritation). In some cases,

medical brands "use the same

concentrations, delivery

systems and active

ingredients that non-medicalgrade

brands do," Olu said.

Ultimately, there's no one

answer to whether medical

grade products (or

professional-grade or clinical)

are "better" or "worse" than

non-medical grade products -

if you can see through the

marketing speak. "Whether it

works depends on the

formulation and if the brand

is using the appropriate

testing to prove it," Olu said.

That testing can be the

difference between a medicalgrade

product that's worth

trying and one that isn't.

"There are some medicalgrade

brands that will submit

their products to rigorous

clinical trials, but again, that

is not a requirement and

many do not," Chan

explained. This testing isn't

limited to medical-grade

brands, however.

BrIttAny WOnG

For many struggling with

body image, heading to the

doctor for a specific health

issue or even just a routine

checkup is more stressful

than it needs to be.

Weigh-ins are a standard

practice before you see your

doctor, but if you've

experienced an eating

disorder or are selfconscious

about your

weight, jumping on a scale in

the middle of a busy hallway

is a tall order.

But here's an

underdiscussed secret: You

really don't have to be

weighed every time you go to

the doctor.

"It is entirely correct that

after age 18, most people do

not need to be weighed at

the doctor's office," Jennifer

Gaudiani, a Denver-based

physician who treats

patients with eating

disorders, told HuffPost.

Of course, there are a

handful of exceptions:

Weight understandably

needs to be tracked when a

patient with an eating

disorder has specific weight

needs in order to treat the

disease.

If someone comes in and is

concerned about

unexplained weight loss,

that needs to be measured

and watched, too.

"And young children need

to have weight and height

monitored to make sure

growth is proceeding

properly," Gaudiani said.

"Pregnant people also need

to have weights followed ?

although they don't need to

have the weights revealed or

discussed ? to be sure baby is

getting what baby needs."

But outside of exceptions

like these, Gaudiani said

she's confident that "90%" of

weigh-ins taken at medical

offices are entirely

unnecessary.

"What that means is

someone coming in to talk

about their depression,

digestion, substance use or

twisted ankle can find

themselves on the other end

of a lecture about weight and

weight loss," she said.

Is it necessary to be weighed

at the doctor’s office

That sometimes results in

weight-conscious patients

avoiding health checkups

altogether.

"Unnecessary weigh-ins

chill patients' willingness to

see medical providers, waste

everyone's time, fail to

address the most important

concerns of the patient, and

may push individuals into

cycles of dieting , maybe

some weight loss, then

regaining even more," she

said.

Given Gaudiani's thoughts

on weigh-ins, she was

thrilled last month when she

saw these "Please Don't

Weigh Me" cards trending

on Twitter.

The cards, created by

eating disorder recovery site

More-Love.org, read:

"Please don't weigh me

unless it's (really) medically

necessary," adding: "If you

really need my weight,

please tell me why so that I

can give you my informed

consent."

The cards were initially

free for individuals but now

cost $1 each due to demand.

There's an option for health

care providers to purchase a

batch, at $35 per 100 cards.

The site also offers "please

don't talk about my child's

weight" cards to parents, to

kick off important

conversations with kids

about the often unfair

conflation of weight with

good health in advance of a

checkup. (Children need to

be weighed but the card

says, "If you have any

questions, ask me when my

child is not present.")

"I'm a fan of these cards

because it's a starting point

where the patient or parent

doesn't have to come up with

all the words and reasons

themselves, but rather has

the support of the card as a

neutral object to try and

advocate for their bodies,"

Gaudiani said.

Ginny Jones, the founder

of More-Love.org, created

the initial batch of cards

back in 2019. In recovery

from her eating disorder,

Jones had begun asking not

to be weighed at doctor's

appointments. She soon

realized not everyone knew

that was an option.

Getting health care

providers on board with the

cards has been great ? 200

providers have ordered

anywhere from 100 to 500

cards for their offices, Jones

said ? but the responses

she's received from

individuals has been the

most heartening.

"The best feedback I hear

from patients is, 'I made my

first appointment in years!'"

Jones said. "I'm shocked to

hear personally from so

many people who are

delaying health care because

they hate stepping on the

scale. I love that these cards

give them the confidence to

walk back into a health care

provider's office."

Gregory Walters, a writer

and educator from

Vancouver, British

Columbia, who was

Unless there's some medical necessity, you don't have to be weighed every

time you go to the doctor.

Photo: Getty

WednesdAy, jAnuAry 26, 2022 6

Transplantation of Boro seedlings

gets momentum in Rangpur

the14-member working committee of Akbaria Care foundation was formed on Monday. photo: tbt

Working committee of

Akbaria Care Foundation

formed

AzHAr Ali, bogurA Correspondent

The working committee of Akbaria Care

Foundation was formed on Monday. The 14-

member committee was unanimously

formed by the working committee with

Hasan Ali Alal, chairman of the association,

as the chief adviser and Nurul Amin Nuru,

the executive member, as the assistant

advisor.

The others members are working

committee President NurunNabi, Vice

President Alomgir Hossain, Zillur Rahman,

MdMejba-Hur-Rahman, General Secretary

MdAzhar Ali, Joint General

SecretaryMdHarunar

Rashid,

MdSabbirulMostofa (Rakib), Organizing

Secretary Firoz Ahmed, Office Secretary

Sabina Yasmin, Finance Secretary Shahinur

Rahman, Publications Secretary

SufiaKhatun, Human Resources Secretary

Yunus Ali Babul, Donation Affairs Secretary

Faraizul Islam khokon, Public Relations

Secretary Moinul Islam, and Chief

PetronizerHussain Mohammad Liton.

Hasan Ali Alal, chairman of the

association and chief adviser of the working

committee, said the committee would

expedite the journey of the association. The

importance of this committee is very much

in order to open the door of service on a

large scale. So everyone in this committee

has to work responsibly.

A mobile court has raided various illegal sand palaces in gomti and belchhari

of Matiranga upazila of Khagrachhari on Monday. photo: Md. Abul Hashem

Illegal sand seized in Matiranga

Md. Abul HAsHeM, MAtirAngA Correspondent:

A mobile court has raided various illegal

sand palaces in Gomti and Belchhari of

Matiranga upazila of Khagrachhari. During

this time, the mobile court seized several

thousand cubic feet of sand.

On Tuesday (January 25) around noon,

Matiranga Gomati Union's South Shantipur,

Hajipara and Belchhari Union's Uttarpara

areas were raided by the executive magistrate

of the mobile court and Matiranga Upazila

Executive Officer Miz Trla Deb.

The executive magistrate of the mobile

court conducted the operation in the area on

the basis of secret information that an

organized sand mining group has been

illegally extracting sand from Gomti canal

KHULNA: A total of 714 more people

have tested positive for Covid-19 in all

10 districts of the division on Monday

till 8.00am, climbing the number of

infected patients to 1,17461, reports

BSS.

However, no death was reported in

the last 24 hours. The total fatalities

from the disease remains at 3,202 in

the division, said Dr Monjur

Morshed, Khulna divisional director

of Health.

The new daily infection figure

shows an almost increase compared

to the previous day's figure 688, said

the health department sources.

Of the total new positive cases, the

highest 196 were detected in Jashore,

followed by 182 in Khulna, 97 in

Kushtia, 72 in Jhenaidah, 61 in

Satkhira, 31 in Magura, 26 in

with dredger machine for a long time.

During this time several thousand cubic feet

of sand was seized in three places. The

seized illegal sand has been handed over to

the local UP chairman. Illegal sand was

seized and red flags were hung at spot three.

However, sensing the presence of a mobile

court, Balu Khekora fled.

Ms Trila Dev, executive magistrate of the

mobile court and Matiranga Upazila Nirbahi

Officer, said the regular crackdown on illegal

sand miners would continue.

Belchhari Union Parishad Chairman

during the campaign. Rahmat Ullah and

Gomati Union Parishad Chairman Md

Tafazzal Hossain was present.

Chuadanga, 23 in Bagerhat and 13

each in Meherpur and Narail district.

"Among the infected people, 1,

09,459 have, so far, been cured from

the lethal virus with eight new

recoveries found on Tuesday

morning," said Dr Monjur, adding

that a total of 18,502 infected patients

are now undergoing treatment at

different designated hospitals here.

Besides, all the positive cases for

Covid-19 have, so far, been brought

under necessary treatment while 1,

18,503 were kept in isolation units of

different hospitals for institutional

supervision. Of them, 1, 13.423 have

now been released.

On the other hand, 37 more people

have been sent to home and

institutional quarantine afresh while

22 others were released from

Chapainawabganj

records 26 Covid-19

cases, infection rate

60.46%

CHAPAINAWABGANJ:

Twenty six more persons

testedpositive for Covid-19

as the infection rate was

registered 60.46

percentduring the last 24

hours till last morning in the

district, reports BSS.

A total of 43 samples were

tested as 26 persons were

detected positive forCOVID-

19 showing the infection rate

60.46 percent during the

time, CivilSurgeon Dr.

Mahmudur Rashid said.

With the new positive

cases, the total number of

Covid-19 infectedpatients

raised to 6,026 as 98

patients are undergoing

treatment in thedistrict.

Meanwhile, 160 patients

have died due to Covid-19

and 5,772 have

recoveredfrom the deadly

virus here, sources said.

Covid-19 cases

reach 57,176

with 285 afresh

in Rangpur

RANGPUR: The number of

Covid-19 cases climbed to

57,176 with the diagnosis of

285 new patients on

Monday, the highest

number in a day in five

months, in Rangpur

division, reports BSS.

Health officials said the

285 new patients were

diagnosed after testing 796

samples at 35.80 percent

average daily positivity rate

in the division where the

number of positive cases

continues rising hastily in

the last two weeks.

Earlier, the average daily

Covid-19 positivity rates

were 43.57 percent on

Sunday, 36.59 percent on

Saturday, 22.60 percent on

Friday, 28.92 percent on

Thursday, 16.31 percent on

Wednesday and 21.29

percent on Tuesday last in

the division.

On Monday, Rangpur

recorded 25.50 percent

Covid-19 positivity,

Panchagarh 37.78 percent,

Nilphamari 35.51 percent,

Lalmonirhat 40 percent,

Kurigram 23.83 percent,

Thakurgaon 36.05 percent,

Dinajpur 52.27 percent and

Gaibandha 32.26 percent.

714 more test positive for

Covid-19 in Khulna

isolation during the last 24 hours till

8 am yesterday.

With the new 714 detected patients,

the district-wise break-up of the total

cases now stands at 29,067 in

Khulna, 23,011 in Jashore, 19,495 in

Kushtia, 10,060 in Jhenaidah, 7,395

in Satkhira, 7,064 in Chuadanga,

7,173 in Bagerhat, 5,087 in Narail,

4,828 in Meherpur and 4281 in

Magura.

A total of 1, 04,699 people have, so

far, been kept under quarantine since

March 10 in 2020 to prevent the

community transmission of the

deadly coronavirus (COVID-19).

Of them, 1, 04, 4462 people, now,

have been released as they were given

clearance after completing their

respective 14-day quarantine.

RANGPUR: Transplantation of seedlings

of Boro rice has got momentum making

farmers and farm-laborers busy braving

the cold weather and Covid-19 pandemic

in Rangpur agriculture region, reports

BSS.

Officials of the Department of

Agricultural Extension (DAE) said the

government has taken ample steps to

assist farmers to make the Boro rice

farming program a success during the

current Rabi season.

"The DAE has fixed a target of

producing 22,07,132 tonnes of clean Boro

rice (33,10,698 tonnes of paddy) from

5,03,550 hectares of land for the region

this season," Additional Director of the

DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist

Md. Mahbubur Rahman said.

The government through the DAE and

other agriculture-related organizations

and institutions is providing the latest

technologies to farmers to further

increase rice production at reduced costs.

Meanwhile, farmers have prepared

Boro rice seedbeds on 27,116 hectares of

land exceeding the fixed target of

preparing the same on 23,090 hectares of

land by 17.44 percent till Monday in the

region.

The DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural

Development Corporation, Power

Development Board, Northern Electricity

Supply Company Limited and Rural

Electrification Board are ensuring

smooth supply of quality seeds, fertilizers

and electricity to farmers.

"We are motivating farmers to adopt

conservation agriculture (CA)-based

technologies like Alternate Wetting and

Drying (AWD) irrigation method in

farming Boro rice to save water and

increase rice output at reduced cost,"

Rahman said.

Farmers have already transplanted

Boro rice seedlings on some 80,000

hectares of land, 15.88 percent against

the fixed farming target till Monday.

With little improvement in the cold

wave situation during the past couple of

days, farmers have accelerated

transplantation of Boro rice seedlings on

their crop lands to complete the process

timely in the region.

"The DAE with other related

organizations, Power Development

Board and Rural Electrification Board are

ensuring smooth supply of seeds,

the final match of Alhajgani Ahmed dibaratri day and night Minibar football

tournament organized by east ghopalekotasangsad of ghopal union no. 10 of

Chhagalnaiyaupazila of feni was held recently. photo: Kafil uddin Majumder

AlhajGani Ahmed Day and

Night Minibar Football

Tournament ends

KAfil uddin MAjuMder, CHHAgAlnAiyA Correspondent

The final match of AlhajGani Ahmed

DibaratriDay and Night Minibar Football

Tournament organized by East

GhopalEkotaSangsad of Ghopal Union No.

10 of ChhagalnaiyaUpazila of Feni was held.

The final match was held on Monday.

Prominent social worker, educationist

and chairman of Deen Group AlhajGani

Ahmed was present as the chief guest at the

occasion while Lion Morshed Hossain,

Chief Adviser of East

GhopalEktoaSangsadmoderated the

occasion and Nizam Uddin, Chairman of

GSP Group chaired the occasion.

During the time, Feni Municipality

Councilor Amir Hossain Bahar, Ghopal UP

Chairman Mohammad Selim, former

Chairman FM AzizulHaqueManik, incharge

of Ghopal Investigation Center Md.

Shaheen Mia, Mahamaya UP Chairman

ShahjahanMinu, Shubhpur UP Chairman

Azizur Rahman Majnu, Customs Officer

(Chattogram) ManikMajumder were

among others also present at the occasion.

A total of 16 teams participated in the day

and night minibar football tournament. The

final match was conducted by referee Jasim

Uddin and the assistants were

TouhidulIslam Tuhin and Delwar Hossain.

In the final match, Feni District Players

Welfare Association won the title by

defeating Port Colony XI (Chattogram) 2-1

in tiebreaker. Guests handed over the Man

of the Match award to Kamrul Islam Atul of

the winning team. Md. Farooq was the

commentator in the game.

newly elected raozan sadar union parishad up chairman b M jasim uddin

Hero and others members were accorded a reception at the union parishad

premises on Monday.

gAzi joynAl Abedin, rAozAn Correspondent

Raozan Sadar Union Parishad reelected

UP chairman B.M. Jasim

Uddin Hero and the newly elected

reserved and ordinary members

were welcomed and the first

meeting was held.

The meeting was held on January

24 (Monday) at 11 am at the Union

Parishad premises. Raozan Upazila

Awami League senior co-president

Anwarul Islam was the chief guest at

the meeting.

UP Chairman B.M. Jasim Uddin

Hero presided over and UP

Secretary Babla Barua and Juba

League leader M Masudul Alam

moderated the occasion. Among

others, Abu Jafar Chowdhury,

General Secretary of Union Awami

League Alhaj Nurul Amin,

fertilizers and electricity to farmers to

ensure smooth Boro rice cultivation this

season," Rahman said.

Farmers are expected to exceed the

fixed Boro rice farming target in

Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram,

Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts of

the region this season.

"As a result of conducting huge

motivational activities, farmers are

adopting CA-based technologies while

farming Boro rice to save irrigation water

for increasing rice output at reduced

cost," Rahman added.

Talking to BSS yesterday, Senior

Coordinator (Agriculture and

Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh

Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said

transplantation of Boro rice seedlings is

nearing completion in the low-lying char

lands, beels and riverine areas in the

region.

"Farmers are targeting to bring more

low-lying char lands, beels and riverine

areas under Boro rice farming to

complete its harvest before

commencement of the next rainy

season," Rashid added.

882 more

test positive

for Covid-19

in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI: A total of 882

more people have tested

positive for Covid-19 in all

eight districts of the division

on Monday, taking the

caseload to 1,04,458 since

the pandemic began in

March, 2020, reports BSS.

The new positive cases are

showing a significant rising

trend compared to the

previous day's figure of 798,

said Dr Habibul Ahsan

Talukder, divisional director

of health.

Meanwhile, the recovery

count rose to 97,334 in the

division after 104 patients

were discharged from the

hospitals on the same day.

The death toll reached

1,696, including 689 in

Bogura, 327 in Rajshahi with

209 in its city and 175 in

Natore as one new fatality

was reported during the past

24 hours, Dr Talukder

added.

Besides, all the positive

cases of Covid-19 have, so

far, been brought under

necessary treatment while

23,750 were kept in isolation

units of different dedicated

hospitals for institutional

quarantine.

Of them, 20,212 have been

released. Meanwhile, 417

more people have been sent

to home and institutional

quarantine afresh while 57

others were released from

isolation during the same

time.

Of the 882 new cases, 325

were detected in Rajshahi,

including 302 in its city,

followed by 200 in Bogura,

109 in Pabna, 76 in

Naogaon, 71 in Sirajganj, 44

in Joypurhat, 31 in Natore

and 26 in Chapainawabganj

districts.

With the newly detected

patients, the district-wise

break-up of the total cases

now stands at 29,873 in

Rajshahi, including 24,353

in its city, 5,782 in

Chapainawabganj, 6,835 in

Naogaon, 8,671 in Natore,

4,976 in Joypurhat, 23,011

in Bogura, 11,828 in

Sirajganj and 13,482 in

Pabna.

A total of 1,18,062 people

have, so far, been kept under

quarantine since March 10,

2020 to prevent community

transmission of the deadly

virus.

Newly elected representatives of Raozan Sadar Union Parishad accorded reception

Municipal Councilor Jasim Uddin

Chowdhury, Co-President of

Upazila Juba League Sarju

Mohammad Naser, Secretary of

Upazila Swechchasebak League

Shawkat Hossain and Mozaffar S. .

M Liton, Upazila Chhatra League

President Zillur Rahman Masud,

Union Juba League President Ishaq

Islam, General Secretary Enamul

Haque Enam were

An instructor trains members of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, volunteer military units of the Armed

Forces, in a city park in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. Dozens of civilians have been joining Ukraine's

army reserves in recent weeks amid fears about Russian invasion.

Photo: AP

US orders 8,500 troops on heightened

alert amid Russia worry

WASHINGTON : The Pentagon ordered

8,500 troops on higher alert Monday to

potentially deploy to Europe as part of a

NATO "response force" amid growing

concern that Russia could soon make a

military move on Ukraine. President Joe

Biden consulted with key European

leaders, underscoring U.S. solidarity with

allies there, reports UNB.

Putting the U.S.-based troops on

heightened alert for Europe suggested

diminishing hope that Russian President

Vladimir Putin will back away from what

Biden himself has said looks like a threat to

invade neighboring Ukraine.

At stake, beyond the future of Ukraine, is

the credibility of a NATO alliance that is

central to U.S. defense strategy but that

Putin views as a Cold War relic and a

threat to Russian security. For Biden, the

crisis represents a major test of his ability

to forge a united allied stance against

Putin.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby

said about 8,500 U.S.-based troops are

being put on alert for possible deployment

- not to Ukraine but to NATO territory in

Eastern Europe as part of an alliance force

meant to signal a unified commitment to

deter any wider Putin aggression.

Russia denies it is planning an invasion.

It says Western accusations are merely a

cover for NATO's own planned

provocations. Recent days have seen highstakes

diplomacy that has failed to reach

any breakthrough, and key players in the

drama are making moves that suggest fear

of imminent war. Biden has sought to

strike a balance between actions meant to

deter Putin and those that might provide

the Russian leader with an opening to use

the huge force he has assembled at

Ukraine's border.

Biden held an 80-minute video call with

several European leaders on the Russian

military buildup and potential responses

to an invasion.

"I had a very, very, very good meetingtotal

unanimity with all the European

leaders," Biden told reporters at the White

House. "We'll talk about it later."

The White House said the leaders

emphasized their desire for a diplomatic

solution to the crisis but also discussed

efforts to deter further Russian aggression,

"including preparations to impose

massive consequences and severe

economic costs on Russia for such actions

as well as to reinforce security on NATO's

eastern flank."

A day earlier, the State Department had

ordered the families of all American

personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to

leave the country, and it said that

nonessential embassy staff could leave at

U.S. government expense.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesman,

Oleg Nikolenko, said that U.S. decision

was "a premature step" and a sign of

"excessive caution." He said Russia was

sowing panic among Ukrainians and

foreigners in order to destabilize Ukraine.

Britain said it, too, was withdrawing

some diplomats and dependents from its

Kyiv Embassy. Prime Minister Boris

Johnson said an invasion was not

inevitable but "the intelligence is pretty

gloomy."

At least 6 reported

dead in crush at

African Cup

soccer game

YAOUNDE: At least six

people died in a crush

outside a stadium hosting a

game at Africa's top soccer

tournament in Cameroon on

Monday, a local government

official said, realizing fears

over the capacity of the

country to stage the

continent's biggest sports

event, reports UNB.

Naseri Paul Biya, the

governor of the central

region of Cameroon, said

there could be more

deaths.

"We are not in position to

give you the total number

of casualties," he said.

The crush happened as

crowds struggled to get

access to Olembe Stadium

in the capital city of

Yaounde to watch the host

country play Comoros in a

last 16 knockout game in

the African Cup of Nations.

Officials at the nearby

Messassi hospital said they

received at least 40 injured

people, who were rushed to

the hospital by police and

civilians. The officials said

the hospital wasn't capable

of treating all of them.

"Some of the injured are

in desperate condition,"

said Olinga Prudence, a

nurse. "We will have to

evacuate them to a

specialized hospital."

People were seen lying

motionless on their backs

near an entrance to the

stadium in the aftermath of

the crush. A man knelt next

to one of the victims and

appeared to be trying to

resuscitate the victim.

Shoes, caps and colorful

wigs - part of some of the

fans' game costumes - were

strewn on the ground.

WeDneSDAY, JAnUARY 26, 2022

7

Istanbul airport shuts amid snow

havoc in southeast Europe

ISTANBUL : Europe's busiest airport shut

down in Istanbul on Monday while schools

and vaccination centres closed in Athens as a

rare snowstorm blanketed swathes of the

eastern Mediterranean, causing blackouts and

traffic havoc, reports BSS.

The closure of Istanbul Airport-where the

roof of one of the cargo terminals collapsed

under heavy snow, causing no injuriesgrounded

flights stretching from the Middle

East and Africa to Europe and Asia.

Travel officials told AFP it marked the glassand-steel

structure's first shutdown since it

replaced Istanbul's old Ataturk Airport as the

new hub for Turkish Airlines in 2019.

The winter's first snow created a fun

atmosphere across the squares of Istanbul's

ancient mosques, where children built

snowmen and tourists posed for selfies.

But it proved a major headache for the 16

million residents of Turkey's largest city, where

cars ploughed into each other skidding down

steep, sleet-covered streets and highways

turned into parking lots.

The Istanbul governor's office warned

drivers they would not be able to enter the city

from Thrace-a region stretching across the

European part of Turkey to its western border

with Bulgaria and Greece.

Shopping malls closed early, food delivery

services shut down and the city's iconic "simit"

bagel stalls stood empty because suppliers

could not get through the snow.

The storm blocked roads across central and

southeastern Turkey before crossing into

neighbouring Syria, where it piled more misery

on the war-scarred country's northern refugee

camps. Istanbul Airport serviced more than 37

million passengers last year, becoming one of

the world's most important air hubs.

But critics of President Recep Tayyip

Erdogan had long questioned his decision to

place the airport on a remote patch along the

Black Sea coast that is often covered with fog in

winter.

"Due to adverse conditions, all flights have

been temporarily stopped for air safety," the

airport said in a statement, posting pictures on

Twitter of yellow snowploughs circling

stranded aircraft. The airport extended its

suspension twice, saying late Monday that

Turkish Airlines planes are stuck on the tarmac during snowfall on January 9,

2017 at Ataturk international airport in Istanbul. Photo: Arab news

service would not resume before 4:00 am

(0100 GMT) Tuesday. Most of Turkey's main

institutions stayed open. But in Greece, where

overnight temperatures plummeted to -14

degrees Celsius (6.8 degrees Fahrenheit), the

storm suspended a session of parliament and

forced schools and vaccination centres to close

in Athens.

Hundreds of motorists were trapped in cars

around the capital-many of them venting their

anger on TV stations-despite attempts by

police to seal off motorway entry points to the

north of the city.

GD-162/22 (10x4)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2022

8

The Global Economics Limited has awarded Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, Chairman of Standard Bank

Limited as the "Best Entrepreneur in Banking Sector in Bangladesh". The organization has also

ascertained SBL as the "Best Bank for Sustainable Business Transformation in Bangladesh" for the

year 2021. A London based worldwide recognized Financial Publication, The Global Economics

Limited nominates the financial and non-financial institutions operating in different countries of

the world for the award after analyzing their efficiency, capability, strength and financial contribution.

Standard Bank and its honorable Chairman Mr. Akram have been awarded in recognition of

being played a significant role in the banking sector of Bangladesh.

Photo: Courtesy

Meghna Bank receives ‘Fastest Growing

Corporate Bank in Bangladesh’

The 2021 annual award event by The Global

Economics, UK took place on 20th January,

2022 at Sangri La Hotel in Dubai. Kimiwa

Saddat, Head of Corporate Banking, received

the award on behalf of the Bank, a press release

said.

The award was handed over to Meghna Bank

by Said Zatar, CEO, Contact Financial

Holdings, Egypt; the first president of the

Egyptian Federation for Consumer &

Corporate Finance Corporations (EFCFC).

Among other privileged guests of honor H.E.

Dr Sania Al Ansari, Chairman, Ansari Group,

UAE, Mr Rami I Dokani, Secretary General of

Arab Federation of Capital Market were also

present. Leaders from Banking, Finance,

Insurance, Technology, Real Estate,

Healthcare, Hospitality and various industries

around the globe were present to receive the

award.

The Global Economics Limited is a UK based

financial publication and a quarterly business

magazine giving thoughtful insights into the

financial and non-financial sectors on various

industries across the world. Their highlight is

the prestigious country specific Annual Global

Economics awards program where the best

performers in various financial and nonfinancial

sectors are identified worldwide and

honored.

"The award portrays the strength of the bank

in Corporate Business and the commitment to

offer the best of its services to its valued

customers. This international award is an

Standard Chartered caps year

with best bank in Bangladesh

recognition

Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh has

recently been recognized as the 'Best Bank in

Bangladesh' at Asset Triple a Sustainable

Capital Markets Country Awards 2021. This

is the second consecutive occasion the Bank

has received this prestigious award and 31st

major award the Bank has achieved in 2021,

a press release said.

The Asset's annual Triple A recognition

represents the industry's most prestigious

awards for banking, finance, treasury and

the capital markets. As the financial multimedia

group with the widest reach among

Asian issuers and global institutional

endorsement of our ongoing efforts towards

the transformation we are aiming at" - Sohail

R K Hussain, Managing Director & CEO of

Meghna Bank said.

The Bank bagged "Asian Banking & Finance

(ABF) Wholesale Banking Award 2021" -

bank's 1st international award this year too; in

recognition of helping one of its Corporate

Customers to change its fortune from a mere

fish trader to a global exporter. It was a time

when the company was heavily debt ridden

with piled up receivables.

investors, The Asset has unparalleled insight,

which forms the foundation of its annual

awards. More than twenty years old, The

Asset Triple a Country Awards focus on the

activity in the domestic markets.

Commenting on the win, Naser Ezaz Bijoy,

Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered

Bangladesh said, "This award attests to how

despite the challenges, we have been able to

come together as a team to push the

boundaries for our clients, and marshaled

our strength and resilience to support our

communities. I would like to thank our

clients, regulators and the wider ecosystem

for the trust they continue to place on us,

making this achievement possible."

With over 117 years of uninterrupted

presence in Bangladesh, Standard Chartered

is the only multinational universal Bank in

the country with a unique blend of deeprooted

local presence and capacity to

capitalise on its global network and product

coverage. The bank has been a committed

partner in progress to Bangladesh,

facilitating major investments in power,

energy, transportation and urban

development. The bank accounted for a

major share of all export and import

financing, respectively, last year, as well as

power generation financing and SME

lending by foreign banks. At the same time,

the bank commands a leading position in the

retail finance space, with strong share of card

spend, consistently growing internet

banking users and the launch of a number of

innovative products. Over the year, the bank

continued it pioneering streak with a

number of firsts for the country, including

the first green bond, the first green zerocoupon

bond and the first sustainable trade

finance transaction.

Even before the introduction of the

regulatory payment holiday and stimulus

packages by the regulator, the Bank

supported clients through flexibilities on

repayment - supporting clients through loan

extensions which generated the liquidity for

salary and wages payment, enabled digital

wage payments for thousands of RMG

workers, and introduced unique financing

programmers to support businesses through

these unprecedented times.

To meet the immediate challenges faced by

our communities, Standard Chartered has

been working with development sector

partners to deliver aid and essentials to the

communities hit hard by the pandemic and

supporting frontline health services. To

enable longer-term recovery through skills

development and workforce reintegration,

the Bank is supporting economically

vulnerable individuals who have lost their

livelihoods due to the impact of Covid-19

pandemic.

Tokyo stocks

open lower,

extending

US falls

TOKYO : Tokyo stocks

opened lower on Monday

with investors disheartened

by falls on Wall Street and

eyeing this week's US central

bank meeting, reports BSS.

The benchmark Nikkei

225 index fell 0.76 percent,

or 210.28 points, to

27,311.98 in early trade,

while the broader Topix

index slipped 0.73 percent,

or 14.10 points, to 1,913.08.

The dollar fetched 113.72

yen in early Asian trade,

against 113.70 yen in New

York late Friday.

"The Japanese market is

led by sell orders following

falls in US shares, but

bargain-hunting may

emerge later," Mizuho

Securities said.

"A wait-and-see attitude

may grow ahead of the

January 25-26 meeting of

the US Federal Open Market

Committee," the brokerage

added.

Wall Street stocks tumbled

again on Friday, following a

plunge in Netflix shares that

sent the tech-rich Nasdaq

index further into correction

territory.

Stocks have been under

pressure so far this year after

the US Fed shifted to a more

restrictive monetary policy

path that will include

interest rate increases.

Among major shares in

Tokyo, Fujitsu was down

2.67 percent at 18,200 yen

and Nippon Steel was off

1.31 percent at 1,879.5 yen.

Record year

for Argentine

wine exports

BUENOS AIRES :

Argentina's bottled wine

exports hit a historic high in

2021 worth $817 million, the

foreign ministry reported

Saturday, reports BSS.

The previous high was the

$786 million in foreign wine

sales marked in 2012.

Leading export

destinations were the United

States, Britain, Brazil,

Canada and the

Netherlands, according to

the report, based on a study

by the Statistical Laboratory

of the National Viticulture

Institute (INV).

Comparing 2021 with

international sales in 2020,

there were also increases in

shipments to the Mexico,

China, France, Switzerland

and Paraguay.

The Argentine global trade

exchange in 2021 showed

one of the largest surpluses

of the last decade with

almost $15 billion.

"Argentina achieved

significant improvements in

bottled wine exports,

growing in volume and

price," said the ministry.

Among the varietals

exported, Malbec, Cabernet

Sauvignon and Chardonnay

were high on the list.

Asian markets follow

Wall St down as traders

eye Fed meeting

HONG KONG :Equities sank in Asian

trade Monday following another

painful sell-off on Wall Street, with

investors' focus on the Federal

Reserve's next policy meeting this

week, where officials are expected to

unveil their plans to battle soaring

inflation, reports BSS.

Tech firms-which soared on the back

of the pandemic-led the retreat in New

York after weak subscriber figures

from Netflix fuelled concerns that the

end of lockdowns and reopening of

economies is seeing consumers

changing their spending habits.

That comes as traders contemplate

the end of the ultra-loose monetary

policies put in place by central banks in

early 2020 to cushion the impact of the

Covid containment measures, with the

Fed expected to start lifting interest

rates from March.

Minutes from the Fed's December

gathering indicated officials were

turning more hawkish as they grow

increasingly concerned about inflation,

which is sitting at a four-decade high.

Commentators have tipped the first

increase in borrowing costs in March

followed by another three hikes before

the end of the year, while the central

bank is also forecast to start running

down its vast bond-holdings that have

helped keep rates down.

Economists at Goldman Sachs said

at the weekend they saw increases in

March, June, September and

December, with July as the start of the

Fed's balance sheet reduction but

warned inflation pressures meant

"risks are tilted somewhat to the

upside of our baseline".

They also said they were concerned

the virus would continue to cause

supply-demand imbalances while

strong wage growth was also a worry,

suggesting inflation would remain an

ongoing problem.

"We see a risk that the (policy board)

will want to take some tightening

action at every meeting until that

picture changes," the economists said.

"This raises the possibility of a hike or

an earlier balance sheet

announcement in May, and of more

than four hikes this year."

The prospect of tighter policy has

battered markets in recent weeks, with

the Nasdaq in New York down about

15 percent from its recent peak-tech

firms are considered more susceptible

to higher rates. The S&P 500 is down

more than eight percent from a record

high touched at the start of the month,

and observers said it could see even

more losses in coming weeks.

The selling filtered through to Asia,

with Hong Kong and Seoul each down

more than one percent, while Tokyo,

Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore,

Wellington, Taipei, Manila and

Jakarta were also deep in the red.

Still, oil prices rallied on optimism

that demand will improve as countries

reopen and the Omicron variant shows

signs it may be peaking, allowing

people to travel more freely and

providing a boost to consumption.

"Physical market demand is strong,

as is optimism over Covid turning

endemic," Vandana Hari, of Vanda

Insights, said.

"Oil's narrative remains bullish,

pointing to continued strength in

prices interrupted by mild pullbacks."

Jamuna Bank Limited has signed an agreement with Hotel Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa (Royal

Tulip), Cox's Bazar at Jamuna Bank Tower. The DMD & Head of Business Mohammed Fazlur

Rahman Chowdhury of the Bank and Azeem Shah, Group General Manager, Hotel Sea Pearl Beach

Resort & Spa signed the agreement on behalf of the respective organizations in presence of the

Managing Director & CEO Mirza Elias Uddin Ahmed. As per agreement, Jamuna Bank Credit Card

holders will enjoy Buy 1 Get 1 free buffet lunch & dinner at Kasbah restaurant round the year. The

DMD & CITO A.K.M. Atiqur Rahman and other high officials from the bank and sales director manager

and other high officials from Royal Tulip were present in this occasion. Photo: Courtesy

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) has established arrangement with

U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA), USA. Under Export Credit

Guarantee Program (GSM-102), USDA provides credit guarantees to US

approved financial institutions. USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service

(FAS) administers the program on behalf of the Commodity Credit

Corporation (CCC), which issues the credit guarantees. USDA has

approved a limit for USD30 million for Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited

(IBBL). Importers of the bank will get discounting facilities for maximum

18 month from USDA enlisted banks at lower discounting rate. The

exporter's bank will extend its financing facilities with no requirement of

adding confirmation to the irrevocable letter of credit. IBBL will issue a

dollar-denominated, irrevocable letter of credit in favor of the U.S.

exporter.

Photo: Courtesy

Recently ONE Bank Limited signed an Agreement with GD Assist Limited. Md.

Monzur Mofiz, Managing Director of ONE Bank Limited and Syed Moinuddin

Ahmed, Managing Director of GD Assist Limited signed the Agreement on

behalf of their respective organizations. Under this Agreement, OBL Insured

Deposit Scheme account holders will enjoy free life insurance coverage up to

BDT 10,00,000 along with free hospitalization cost coverage, free healthcare

sessions, free medical advice from foreign doctors, discounts in 100+ hospitals

& diagnostic centers and some other exciting features. High officials of both

the organizations were also present in this occasion. Photo: Courtesy

US firms cite Covid-19,

worker shortages as

main risks: survey

WASHINGTON : American companies

ended the year on a strong note but are

worried about resurging Covid-19

infections, although supply issues are

expected to ease, according to a survey

released Monday, reports BSS.

Just over one third of company

economists cited spiking Covid-19 cases

as the biggest downside risk to the

outlook, ahead of rising prices, the

National Association for Business

Economics (NABE) said in its quarterly

Business Conditions Survey.

Inflation has become a growing

concern for US consumers and

businesses throughout 2021, fueled in

part by global shortages and

transportation snags.

NABE said about two-thirds of firms

reported rising sales in the final quarter

of 2021, in line with the last three

surveys, and among the highest in the

survey's 40-year history.

And nearly two-thirds of respondents

said sales at their firms returned to precrisis

volumes.

"The positive results and outlook

come despite clearly visible shortages,

particularly labor shortages," survey

chair Jan Hogrefe said.

NABE found 57 percent of

respondents faced skilled labor

shortages -- 10 points more than the

October survey-while nearly onequarter

struggled to find unskilled labor,

compared to just 11 percent previously.

"Both shortages have grown steadily

more widespread over the past year,"

said Hogrefe, who is also the chief

economist of Boeing Commercial

Airplanes.

Almost a third of respondents expect

labor shortages to continue into 2023 or

later.

In contrast, only 11 percent of firms

saw supply chain problems persisting

next year, while a similar share viewed

those issues as their main downside risk.

Opinions varied over when the

problems would end.

Crisis-hit Sri

Lanka hikes

rates

COLOMBO : Sri Lanka's

central bank hiked interest

rates Thursday in a bid to

tame rampant inflation

and discourage consumer

spending as the country

suffers a foreign currency

shortage and teeters on the

brink of default, reports

BSS.

The island nation of

around 22 million has seen

shortages of food and fuel

as well as electricity

rationing, with rating

agencies warning it might

not be able to meet

repayments on its debts.

Inflation hit a record 12.1

percent last month.

The central bank raised

the benchmark deposit and

lending rates by 50 basis

points each to 5.5 percent

and 6.5 percent

respectively. The hike was

the first since August.

It said in a statement that

the higher borrowing costs

would encourage savings

and

discourage

consumption, thereby

reducing demand for

imports at a time when the

country's foreign reserves

were under pressure.

The island's tourism

sector and worker

remittances, the

government's main

sources of income (and)

have been battered by the

pandemic.

WeDNeSDAY, JANuArY 26, 2022

9

khaled Mahmud trying to convince tamim Iqbal (right) to reconsider his decision about playing

t20Is.

photo: Internet

The curious case of Tamim Iqbal

SportS DeSk

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal is

unwilling to change his mind about

his T20I plans. Cricbuzz understands

that the veteran batter has decided

against playing in the shortest format

for Bangladesh at least until the 50-

over World Cup in 2023 and will only

concentrate on ODIs and Tests during

this time frame, reports Cricbuzz.

However, Tamim is not ready to

quit from the shortest format all

together even if chances of a

comeback in 2023, when he'll be 33,

appear slim. He hasn't played in the

format since featuring in a game

against Zimbabwe in March 2020.

Speculations have been rife in

Bangladesh's cricket circles since

Nazmul Hasan announced that

Tamim was not ready to feature in

T20Is. A section has claimed that

board should make one last attempt

'Unplayable' Stella

Campbell added to

Australia's squad

amid hunt for 20

wickets

SportS DeSk

Tall quick bowler Stella

Campbell has been called into

Australia's Test squad in

Canberra for the injured Tayla

Vlaeminck as the home side

deliberate on the best balance

for their attack as they hunt

the 20 wickets that could seal

the Ashes, reports AP.

Australia hold a 4-2 lead in

the multi-format series

following an opening victory

and then two washouts in the

T20Is in Adelaide. Victory in

the Test would come with four

points that would mean the

Ashes were regained before

the ODI series.

Vlaeminck was ruled out of

this series and the upcoming

ODI World Cup with a stress

fracture in her right foot - the

same injury which kept her

out of the 2020 T20 World

Cup - and the selectors have

gone for the closest like-forlike

replacement in Campbell

who made her Test debut

against India earlier in the

season.

Notably, Campbell took 7

for 25 in a WNCL match at

Manuka Oval earlier this

month on a surface that was

well grassed and there is

much interest in what the

pitch will be like come

Thursday. After the rain in

Adelaide there is the chance of

further disruption during the

four-day Test which would

make it a challenge to force a

result amid continued calls

from players to add a fifth day.

"It's going to be pretty

interesting what wicket we

have for the first day… think

there might be a little bit in it

for the bowlers if that 50-over

game is anything to go by,"

allrounder Ashleigh Gardner

said. "When we played ACT

down here for New South

Wales, Stella was almost

unplayable and to have her

back into the Test squad is

really exciting.

to see whether its most experienced

batter can be persuaded into

returning given the team's quest to

improve their short-format fortunes

at this year's T20 World Cup in

Australia after a dismal performance

in the UAE and Oman.

Bangladesh team director Khaled

Mahmud did speak to Tamim on

Monday (January 24) after the game

between Fortune Barisal and Minister

Dhaka at the Sher-e-Bangla National

Stadium. However, his efforts were in

vain.

"I've spoken with him (Tamim)

today but what I understand is that

he's not willing to continue T20Is,"

Mahmud told Cricbuzz after the

meeting.

"To be honest I was a little bit

surprised. I talked with Tamim before

New Zealand series that 'why you

(Tamim) are not interested to play

T20 cricket'. We did not talk a lot but

I said to him let me comeback then I

will talk with him.

"But Papon (Nazmul) Bhai already

revealed Tamim is not interested to

play T20 cricket. Actually this is his

personal decision and if he does not

want to play then we can't force him

and we have to move forward.

However, Mahmud is not ready

accepting that Tamim had become a

liability in the shortest format due to

his playing style. Tamim's strike-rate

in T20Is (career SR of 117) has been a

point of debate for long with many in

the circles even previously suggesting

that he be picked only for Tests and

ODIs.

"I don't buy this opinion (that he is a

liability) in T20Is. To be honest, he's

still the best option around and there

is no one ready in the top-order like

him (Tamim)," said Mahmud.

the Frenchman is set to join the Liga side for the remainder of the season.

photo: Ap

Martial loan transfer agreed

between Man Utd & Sevilla

SportS DeSk

Anthony Martial is set to join Sevilla on loan

after Manchester United came to an agreement

with the Spanish outfit, reports AP.

United rejected an initial loan request from

the Liga side earlier in the month but GOAL

understands the issues have been ironed out

and Martial is set for a medical in Spain.

Juventus were one of a number of other sides

who were interested in the France

international but sources say Sevilla were his

preferred choice.

Martial was given the club's blessing to talk to

other clubs about a transfer this month after a

chat in December with Ralf Rangnick, where

he stated his intentions to leave due to a lack of

playing time.

The 26-year-old has only started two Premier

League games this season and an incident

which was later described as a

'misunderstanding' between Rangnick and

Martial saw the German manager declare the

player had refused to be part of the matchday

squad against Aston Villa a couple of weeks

ago.United rejected Sevilla's initial loan request

for Martial as they wanted a £5 million loan fee,

as well as the club to cover his wages. At the

time the Spanish side were only offering to

cover half of his wages. Since then Martial's

representatives have held talks with Juventus,

but it is understood the player preferred a move

to Spain and discussions between United and

Sevilla progressed over the weekend. Martial

was prepared to take a wage cut in order to

push the deal through.

Sevilla are expected to pay United a loan fee

and the deal will run until the end of the

current season.

The Frenchman had talks with Rangnick

shortly after he arrived to outline his plans to

leave this month over a lack of playing time.

The 26-year-old came on as a second half

substitute in the 1-0 win against West Ham on

Saturday and those eight minutes were the first

he had played under the German.

Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival saw him fall

further down the pecking order and after he

had submitted his transfer request, he was

omitted from the matchday squads. Rangnick

told the media he wanted to include the

Frenchman in the squad for the away-day trip

to Villa in the Premier League but that the

player refused to be involved.

Martial refuted those claims on his social

media channels, saying he would never refuse

to play for the club.

This season he has made just four starts in all

competitions for United and ,is hoping to get

more minutes in Spain to put himself in a

better place to secure a position in France's

World Cup squad later this year.

While incomings remain unlikely, it's

possible there could be a couple of departures.

Newcastle are pushing to try and secure Jesse

Lingard on loan. The England international is

open to a temporary move to the North East

but a deal has yet to be agreed between the two

clubs. Teenage winger Amad would also be

allowed to leave the club on loan this window.

It is understood there has been interest from

Derby and Birmingham this month but there

has yet to be a concrete offer from any club.

McDermott,

Hazlewood

picked for

Sri Lanka

T20Is

SportS DeSk

Josh Hazlewood, who

missed most of the Ashes

series due to a side injury,

has been named in the

Australia squad for the fivematch

T20I rubber versus

Sri Lanka, starting on

February 11, reports AP.

The pace bowler was

troubled by the injury in the

opening Test of the series

against England at the

Gabba and bowled just 14

overs in the second innings.

The fast bowler didn't take

part in any of the subsequent

four Tests. The squad also

includes Ben McDermott,

recently adjudged Player of

the Year at the Big Bash

League 2021-22. He has

been the top run-getter in

the tournament, having

compiled 577 runs at a strike

rate of 153.86.

McDermott has also

played two ODIs and 17

T20Is for the country and

was part of the squads that

toured Bangladesh and

West Indies last year. Moises

Henriques, who too was a

part of the twin tours of

Bangladesh and the West

Indies, also returns to the

set-up. The veteran allrounder

has also led Sydney

Sixers to the later stages of

the BBL 2021-22. He has

already represented

Australia in four Tests, 16

ODIs and 24 T20Is. Travis

Head, the Man of the Series

in the just-concluded Ashes,

and pace bowler Jhye

Richardson have also earned

recalls to the squad.

Meanwhile, Mitchell

March and David Warner,

integral members of

Australia's T20 World Cup

winning squad last year, will

miss the series as the duo

look to prepare for the

Pakistan tour which follows

the Sri Lanka T20Is. Head

coach Justin Langer and a

number of other support

staff have also taken leave

ahead of the Pakistan tour.

In Langer's absence, Andrew

McDonald will act as head

coach for the Sri Lankan

T20Is.

"This squad will begin

preparation for the ICC T20

World Cup defence at home

later this year and includes

several players who have an

early chance to impress in

these five matches against a

quality opposition," George

Bailey, the chairman of the

selection committee, said.

Australia plays Sri Lanka

in five T20Is in Sydney,

Canberra and Melbourne.

India fined for

slow over-rate

in third ODI

against S Africa

SportS DeSk

India have been fined 40 per

cent of their match fee for

maintaining a slow over-rate

against South Africa in the

third ODI here, the ICC said

on Monday, reports BSS.

Match referee Andy Pycroft

imposed the sanction after KL

Rahul's side was ruled to be

two overs short of the target

after time allowances were

taken into consideration.

"In accordance with Article

2.22 of the ICC Code of

Conduct for Players and

Player Support Personnel,

which relates to minimum

over-rate offences, players are

fined 20 per cent of their

match fee for every over their

side fails to bowl in the

allotted time," the ICC said in

a statement.

Rahul pleaded guilty to the

offence and accepted the

proposed sanction, so there

was no need for a formal

hearing.

On-field umpires Marais

Erasmus and Bongani Jele,

third umpire Allauhudien

Palekar and fourth umpire

Adrien Holdstock levelled the

charge.

Tennis Australia reverses

course on ban of Peng Shuai

protest at Australian Open

SportS DeSk

Tennis Australia has

reversed the decision to ban

Australian Open spectators

from protesting against the

whereabouts of Chinese

tennis player Peng Shuai, as

long as it doesn't disrupt the

event, reports AP.

In November, Peng took to

social media platform Weibo

and accused Chinese

Communist Party member

Zhang Gaoli of pressuring

her into sex. The former

world No. 14 has since

disappeared from social

media, with her

whereabouts and well-being

unclear.

Tennis Australia's

announcement comes 48

hours after a fan at

Melbourne Park was asked

to remove a T-shirt and take

down a banner displaying

the message "Where is Peng

Shuai?" A video of the

interaction was shared on

the social media platform

Reddit and has been viewed

Romario Shepherd has

IPL in his sights after

death-hitting heroics

SportS DeSk

Just like anyone else, IPL owners, head coaches

and general managers are afflicted by recency

bias. Whenever the time comes to sit down at

the auction table, performances that are fresh

in the memory are given greater weighting than

those that happened several months

previously, reports AP.

It is no surprise, given their usual windows in

the calendar, that players who have performed

well in the most recent Big Bash season tend to

be popular at IPL auctions, regardless of the

difference in standard and conditions. It is a

widespread, long-standing cognitive bias - and

one that cricketers themselves are fully aware

of.

In that light, England and West Indies'

players know that they are not only competing

for a series win and for long-term retention in

their respective XIs in Barbados this week, but

also for a bigger bid at the auction. And with a

dearth of seam-bowling allrounders available

in the auction longlist - Sam Curran, Ben

Stokes and Chris Woakes all opted out, while

Chris Morris recently announced his

retirement - Romario Shepherd's fireworks on

Sunday night have done his chances of a deal

no harm at all.

Shepherd hit 44 not out from 28 balls from

No. 7 to take West Indies within one run of

England's total, adding 72 off 29 in an

unbroken ninth-wicket stand with Akeal

Hosein to add a sense of jeopardy to what had

looked like a cruise to victory. Thirty of his runs

came in sixes, including two over the longer

leg-side boundary off Chris Jordan and one off

Liam Dawson that cleared the Garfield Sobers

Pavilion.

"I try to focus on what is at hand right now

and try and put my all in here," Shepherd, who

has entered February's auction with an Rs. 75

lakh ($100,000 USD approx.) base price, said.

"Eventually, if an IPL contract comes, that

would be great for me. I'm not saying that I

don't think about it - I do think about it, but I

try not to think about it during a game, I just

focus on wherever the game is and trying to get

ourselves out of a situation.

"It's a great platform. For any youngster, it's

their dream to go to the IPL and I'm no

different. I'm trying my best to get myself in

over 100,000 times on

TikTok.

Tennis Australia initially

defended the decision,

confirming to ESPN the fans

in question did not meet the

Australian Open's ticketing

conditions. But ahead of the

quarterfinals, tournament

director Craig Tiley told AFP

its stance had changed.

"Yes, as long as they are

not coming as a mob to be

disruptive but are peaceful,"

Tiley said when asked if fans

can continue their protests.

"It's all been a bit lost in

translation from some

people who are not here and

don't really know the full

view.

"The situation in the last

couple of days is that some

people came with a banner

on two large poles, and we

can't allow that. If you are

coming to watch the tennis

that's fine, but we can't allow

anyone to cause a disruption

at the end of the day."

In the past 72 hours, a

GoFundMe page titled

"Australian Open-Hand Out

Peng Shuai Shirts" was

created with the aim to print

and distribute shirts ahead

of the women's final. The

initiative has attracted over

300 donations, totaling

AU$15,000 (about

$10,709), including one

single anonymous donation

of AU$2,500 (about

$1,784).

"My idea is quite simple.

How about we present

major difficulties for Tennis

Australia by printing off one

thousand of these shirts and

giving them out for free to

spectators entering the

Women's Grand Final," the

initiative's creator, Drew

Pavlou, posted on the page.

"Every cent raised here

will go towards the printing

of these shirts. We will

account for every single

dollar spent with receipts."

The women's Australian

Open final will take place at

Rod Laver Arena on Jan. 29.

In November, peng took to social media platform Weibo and accused Chinese

Communist party member Zhang Gaoli of pressuring her into sex. photo: Ap

there, but at the same time trying to win a

series here. It's something that I've dreamed

about for a very long time. My name was in the

[auction] for the last three years, so this year,

I'm looking forward to it."

Shepherd had struggled early on in his

innings, scoring only one single from his first

seven balls and failing to pick Adil Rashid out

of the hand, but immediately targeted Dawson

when he came on to bowl the 13th over. He was

one of only a handful of batters to clear the

longer boundary - around 90 metres towards

midwicket - and his clean hitting left England

hanging on by their fingertips.

"When I went out, the coach told me to take

a few balls," he explained. "Then when I got out

there the ball was spinning and Rashid got me.

I was like one off six balls, one off seven balls,

so I was kind of on the back foot.

"When I saw Liam come on for his first over,

I said to myself I would try and take him down.

I hit him for two sixes in that over so that gave

me a push-start there. Eventually I started

flowing better at the crease.

"It plays with your mind to see that one side

is very short and one side is very long.

Eventually when Jordan came in that over, I

had no choice but to try and take on the long

boundary. I know as long as I hit them well, the

boundary don't matter."

Hosein hit three fours and two sixes off Saqib

Mahmood's final over to keep the game tense

until the final ball, but was aggrieved that

Mahmood's first legitimate ball was not given

as a wide, having appeared to reach him past

the tramline. But Shepherd said that Joel

Wilson, the umpire, was "only human" and

that West Indies were more concerned about a

sloppy night in the field than his decisionmaking.

"I told Akeal: 'don't worry about it, you

can hit the next couple for six and he can bowl

a no-ball or another wide,'" Shepherd said.

"The umpire missed that one, but he's just

human - hopefully he can correct his mistake in

the upcoming games. I think that was a wide

but he didn't think so.

"Yesterday was a total off-day: we didn't field

well, we didn't catch well. Those are some of the

little things that [cost] us last night: we could

have got them down to less than 170 but we

fielded poorly."

WEDNEsDAY, JANUARY 26, 2022

10

Successful story of Peal Hossain

Mehazabien stars in Raj's 'Kajol'

TANIM AHMAD

Peal Hossain is a Bangladeshi fashion designer, magazine editor and

film producer. Although he started as a model, his eminent success

however came with the fashion label "Peal Hossain" which he

established in 1999 after completing his graduation in fashion designing

from Bangalore, India. Known for his innovative and elegant designs,

Peal's journey in the fashion industry is marked by the various accolades

and exhibitions around the world, working alongside local and

international celebrities. In February, 2020 he became the first

Bangladeshi designer to showcase his collection on the runway of New

York Fashion Week. He is also the Editor of IFashion, a popular fashion

magazine and a vivid Film and Television drama producer best known

for producing "Shopnobaji," a film which he produced through his own

production company, PH ENTERTAINMENT.

"Shopnobaji" is the first ever Bangladeshi film to feature a storyline

based on its fashion industry. He started his own fashion house labelled

"Designer's Door" in Dhaka Bangladesh in 2021.

After a successful decade in Bangladesh, he decided to extend his

branch out, and inaugurated his "Peal Hossain" label as a fashion house

in Jamaica, New York, USA, under the banner "Vasavi Fashion" in 2011.

His boutique which showcases his own signature products as well as

many other world famous designer goods has become immensely

popular over the years especially with Indian sub-continental patrons

living in the US. Specialty includes designing ethnic collections for both

men and women - mixing Eastern and Western culture together. Peals

collections are all handcrafted and manufactured from India and

Bangladesh. He also love to design jewelry, especially the bridal sets. All

are handmade with silver gold-plated. These are now available at his

Designer label here in Dhaka "Designer's Door."

TBT REPORT

Popular actress of small screen Mehazabien

Chowdhury to star in popular director Muhammad

Mostafa Kamal Raj's drama titled 'Kajol'. After more

than two years the actress is again under the direction

of Raj. It's a story about father and daughter.

In the drama Mehazabien will be seen playing the

title role of 'Kajol', who is a very confident girl and

prominent actor Tariq Anam Khan will be seen playing

the role of her father. There are various twists and turns

in the father-daughter relationship.

Regarding the context director Muhammad Mostafa

Kamal Raj said, 'I am making this play keeping

Valentine's Day in mind. Usually on this special day

people talk about their lovers. So, I thought, I will tell

the love story of parents and wrote it. Tariq Anam and

Actress Priyanka Chopra and her husband Nick Jonas

welcomed a baby via surrogacy on Friday.

The couple took to Instagram to share the good news

with their fans as they welcomed their first child

together. The actress, in a statement, revealed that the

two became parents through a surrogate, reports

Economics Times. "We are overjoyed to confirm that

we have welcomed a baby via surrogate,'' the couple

said.

Chopra and Jonas did not reveal their baby's name or

gender. The couple requested for privacy regarding

their newborn baby and family "during this special

time as we focus on our family."

The two tied the knot in 2018 in India after dating for

four months. The three-day wedding celebration had

Mehazabien have acted like my mind in this play. The

rest depends on the audience.'

The shooting of the play has been going on in Uttara,

Dhaka. Photographer Raju Raj has worked on the last

day of the shooting which was Saturday Jan 22. Mili

Bashar and Apsara are playing the other two roles in

the play titled 'Kajol'.

Director Muhammad Mostafa Kamal Raj himself has

composed a song about the father from the daughter's

point of view for the play. The song is composed and

directed by Naved Parvez. The background music is

his. Rashed Rabbi will do the editing.

'Kajol' will be released on YouTube channel of

Cinemawala on February 14. Raj directed Mehazabien

last play titled 'Magic of Love' opposite popular actor

Ziaul Farooq Apurba was released on December 6,

2019 on the YouTube channel of Cinemawala.

Priyanka

Chopra, Nick

Jonas

welcome first

child via

surrogacy

both Christian and Hindu marriage traditions which

took place at Rajasthan's UmaidBhawan Palace.

Chopra and Jonas met at the grand fashion event

Met Gala in 2017, where they both represented

designer Ralp Lauren.

During a special interview which recently came out in

Vanity Fair magazine, which put PeeCee on the cover,

the actress had spoken about craving a balance and

family life.

The interview, which was conducted last year around

mid-2021 and was published last week, the 39-year-old

talked about what she was looking forward in 2022. It

included change and some downtime with family.

"I've always been such a worker bee," Chopra told the

magazine. "My priority has always been the next job.

I'm a very, very ambitious person. But I think the

woman in me is craving balance. I'm craving my family

life. I'm craving being able to do things for the soul that

I didn't do."

TBT REPORT

Mohammad Elias is a popular lyricist of the present time. He

is recently coming up with a wonderful original song. The song

titled 'Ovinoy' is the first song sung by Mohammad Elias and

James Mangold, director of

'Indiana Jones 5', confirms the

sequel is almost done filming.

Indiana Jones 5, which is likely to

get a different name down the

road, is set to bring back Harrison

Ford in the title role. Ford has

portrayed Jones since 1981's

Raiders of the Lost Ark, which is

regarded as a classic. He is joined

by Antonio Banderas, Mads

Mikkelsen, Phoebe Waller-

Bridge, and Toby Jones.

However, actors from previous

installments have not been

confirmed, including Karen

Allen's Marion Ravenwood, who

married Jones at the conclusion

of 2008's Indiana Jones and the

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

The plot of 'Indiana Jones 5' is

still a tightly guarded secret,

though there is speculation that it

will feature a de-aged Ford, who

is currently 79. Also unique to

'Indiana Jones 5' is that it will be

the first installment not directed by Steven Speilberg, who

helmed the previous four films. Instead, Mangold was tapped

to step in based on his proven track record of success, directing

films like Ford v Ferrari, Walk the Line, and 'Logan'.

Now, it seems like production is nearing its end. A fan on

Twitter recently wished Mangold a happy New Year before

Lyricist Mohammad

Elias's new song 'Ovinoy'

Sojib Shan in this New Year.

The song will be released soon on the popular YouTube

channel Kamrul Media.

The work of the song has already been completed with the

melody and music direction of popular music director Anim

Khan.

Mohammad Elias said "I really like the first song of the new

year". It feels good to be able to record the song with the voice

of young star vocalist Sojib Shan. Listeners will find something

different in the lyrics. I hope it will be an enjoyable song for

everyone.

Regarding the song, vocalist Sojib Shan said that the song

was completed too late due to a lot of busyness. I started the

New Year song with this song. The first song of the new year

has been really great. I hope everyone will like the words and

melody of the song.

'Indiana Jones 5' has one month of filming left

politely asking when Indiana

Jones 5 may be done filming.

Mangold responds to the tweet

with, "About a month

remaining." So, fans can expect

Indiana Jones 5 to likely wrap

filming by the end of the month

or shortly thereafter.

Indiana Jones 5 has been

filming since June and has

experienced delays, including

due to Ford suffering a shoulder

injury. Aside from that, the film

has been hindered by Covid-19,

rumored script changes, and

the death of a crew member.

Even before production began,

the sequel languished in

development for years before

cameras finally rolled. So, while

the process hasn't been ideal,

nearing the finish line must

come with elation from the cast

and crew.

While Indiana Jones 5's story

is still unknown, Mangold

himself has dropped clues, hinting at a 1960s setting. Other set

rumors also point toward the film taking place around the

Apollo 11 moon landing, and it's also said that Mikkelsen will

be playing a Nazi scientist recruited by NASA for the Apollo

missions.

Source: Variety

H O R O s c O P E

ARIEs

(March 21 - April 20) : Today you might learn

something about a friend that could be rather

disconcerting, Aries. There could be a dark

side to this person that you weren't previously aware of, and

this could cause you to want to withdraw for a while and

reevaluate your involvement with this individual. When

considering it, remember that we all have our dark sides.

Could what you've discovered simply be this factor, or does

this go too far beyond it for you? Think about it!

TAURUs

(April 21 - May 21) : Outside responsibilities

might temporarily interfere with your love

life, Taurus. You may feel a strong desire to

get together with a love partner early in the

evening, but circumstances may necessitate your working

odd hours. This can be frustrating, as you've been looking

forward to this for a long time, but you could meet your

friend later in the evening. Don't be afraid to ask. Most

people understand when situations like this crop up.

GEMINI

(May 22 - June 21) : Today you're likely to find

your routine too boring for words, Gemini,

and may have a sudden powerful urge to cut

loose and play some serious hooky. Still, you

may feel the pull of obligation. This conflicted feeling should

pass. If it persists beyond today, however, you might need to

reevaluate certain areas of your life. There are lots of

opportunities out there, and life is too short to be stuck in a

situation that doesn't allow you to grow.

cANcER

(June 22 - July 23) : You could be feeling

especially sensual and passionate today,

Cancer, and you'll want to get together

with a love interest. However, other responsibilities

could get in your way. This could provide you with the

perfect excuse to sink into gloom, but don't fall into this

trap. Get whatever business you're facing handled and

out of the way. Or perhaps you can arrange to finish it

tomorrow. Then set up that hot date!

LEO

(July 24 - Aug. 23): You may feel a bit of

disappointment today, Leo. You might

tend to view whatever snags you've hit on

the path to accomplishing your goals as

personal failures, and if you let it, this idea could persist

with you throughout the day. Try to remain objective,

and don't lose sight of the big picture. You haven't even

lost a battle - at worst, it's a minor conflict! Chances are

that if you continue working hard you'll still win the war!

VIRGO

(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): A rather disheartening

phone call could come to you today, Virgo.

This might bring news of a setback in one

of your projects that is only temporary but

nonetheless frustrating. You'll probably have to deal with

some trivial little details you'd rather not bother with,

and this could take up too much valuable time. Hang in

there - you're still doing well! Don't let your frustrations

get the best of you.

LIBRA

(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): After the rush of

energy over the past few days, Libra,

today you may feel a powerful letdown.

Not every day can be filled with

adventure and excitement. For now, you just need to

take care of the routine matters that are a byproduct

of life on Earth. However, keep in mind that there are

many weekends coming up, and with the right kind

of planning you can get excitement back into your life.

scORPIO

(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) : A goal that you've been

trying to reach may be temporarily

stalled, Scorpio, and you could be

tempted to slip into despair, wondering

if it will ever really happen. Remember that the

keyword for today is "temporary." Whatever obstacles

are in your way will eventually be overcome and your

goal should be to continue to advance in the direction

you want. In the meantime, take care of your chores.

sAGITTARIUs

(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): Today you might realize

that you need to make a certain purchase,

Sagittarius. Perhaps your home or car

requires some important repairs, or maybe

some new equipment is necessary for your work. This could

prove rather disheartening, as it might involve spending

money that you'd rather use for something more exciting.

Think of the trouble this expenditure should save you,

however, and you'll see the value of it all.

cAPRIcORN

(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): The weight of too many

responsibilities, perhaps involving family, a

job, or group affiliation, could be very much

on your mind today, Capricorn. You may feel like Atlas,

carrying the world on your shoulders! You're tired. Perhaps

you need to reevaluate your commitments - your innate

kindness may have caused you to make too many. Fulfill the

ones you have, but think twice before making any new ones.

You're important too, after all.

AQUARIUs

(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) : You may have your

ups and downs today, Aquarius. You

could get at least one phone call of the

"good news, bad news" variety, and this

could have your moods swinging back and forth like a

pendulum. Try to stay centered. Take the good news

as encouragement, and as for the bad news, try to

consider it objectively and figure out ways to turn it to

your advantage. There's always a way. Hang in there!

PIscEs

(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : Normally you tend to be a very

spiritually oriented person, Pisces, but today you

might find metaphysical concepts of all kinds

rather baffling. Whether these are ideas you've

embraced for a long time or new ones you've just discovered, you

may find nagging little doubts creeping in, temporarily causing

your faith to waver. This is a healthy development, however. A

little doubt now and then can weed out concepts that don't work

for you and reaffirm your belief in others.

wedneSdAY, JAnUArY 26, 2022

11

eviction drive

begins in city's

Lautala area

dhaKa : eviction of illegal

establishments surrounding

Lautala canal at Basila of the

city's Mohammadpur began

on Monday morning,

reports UnB.

dhaka north City

Corporation (dnCC) Mayor

Md. atiqul islam was

present during the drive. he

said that the canals must be

freed to save the city from

waterlogging. Lautala canal

will be freed and connected

to the Buriganga to create

water flow in it.

every canal in the city will

be freed of occupants

accordingly, he said.

the drive started with

evicting the illegally

occupied truck terminal in

the area. along with the

Mayor, other dnCC officials

were present during the

drive.

Youth held

for raping

minor in 2017

dhaKa : the rapid action

Battalion (raB) has nabbed

a youth from the Chaturi

Choumohuni area of

anowara upazila in

Chattogram for allegedly

raping a five-year-old girl in

2017, reports UnB.

the accused has been

identified as Md Shipon, 27,

son of Md Selim, a resident

of Keshua village in

Chandanaish upazila, the

elite force said in a

statement on tuesday.

according to the case

statement, Shipon lured the

minor to his house on

February 18, 2017, while she

was playing outside her

house. Later, he allegedly

violated the girl.

the girl's mother filed a

complaint at the

Chandanaish police Station

on the same day, according

to the statement.

Used tin and plastic drums and gallons are being recycled for reuse. The picture is taken from

Trimohini area of the capital on Tuesday.

Photo: PBA

int'l Customs day today

dhaKa : the international Customs

day will be observed in the country

today as elsewhere in the world with the

theme "Scaling up Customs

transformations by embracing a data

Culture and Building a data ecosystem".

Marking the day, the national Board

of revenue (nBr) will organize a

seminar at hotel interContinental here

today. agriculture Minister dr abdur

razzaque, State Minister for Shipping

Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of

Commerce and industry (FBCCi)

president Md. jashim Uddin will attend

the event.

on the eve of the day, president M

abdul hamid and prime Minister

Sheikh hasina issued separate messages

wishing success of all programmes of the

day.

in their messages, the president and

the prime Minister greeted all concerned

including officials and employees of the

customs department, service recipients

and stakeholders.

president abdul hamid, in his

message, said customs plays a very

The meeting of Karimganj Upazila Task Force Committee on Implementation

of Smoking Tobacco Products (Control) Act was held on Tuesday. Photo: TBT

important role in the field of

international trade or export-import.

the major responsibility of

Bangladesh customs is to ensure safe

international trade and create a

business-friendly environment in the

country, he said, adding that for this

reason, there is no alternative but to

improve overall organizational

efficiencies, including infrastructural

development.

he said the present government has

focused on modernization of the

customs department, including

automation of customs management,

simplification of export-imports

procedures, liberalization of trade-tariff,

introduction of national single window,

data analysis and modern ricks

management to prevent smuggling and

forgery.

"i think that with the implementation

of technology-based modern customs

management, dishonest practices in

import-export will fall and thus

country's revenue earnings will

increase," said the president.

in her message, prime Minister

ms‡kvabx weÁwß

Avwg c~wb©gv Av³vi, wcZvt †gvt Avãyi

ingvb, gvZvt bxjydv Av³vi, MÖvgt

gwiPvKvw›`, Dc‡Rjvt evÃvivgcyi,

†Rjvt eªvþYevwoqv| Avgvi †RGmwm

I GmGmwm cixÿvi g~jmb`,

†iwR‡óªkb KvW©, GWwgU KvW©,

UªvÝwµ‡Þ fzjµ‡g wcZvi bvg †m›Uz

wgqv Ges gvZvi bvg bxjydv †eMg

wjwce× nq| †RGmwm †ivj bs-

646018, †iwRt bs 1711404486,

cv‡ki mb-2017, GmGmwm †ivj bs-

1711404486, cv‡ki mb-2020|

eªvþYevwoqv wmwbqi RywWwkqvj

g¨vwR‡÷ªU njdbvgv bs-484,

ZvwiL-17/01/2022Bs|

Sheikh hasina said since 2009, the

present government has taken

multifaceted steps to attract local and

foreign investments with a view to

ensuring inclusive economic

development in the country.

"we have formulated revenue policy

based on wCo data Model and data

Standard. along with taking steps to

ensure safety of asycuda world, the

government has signed memorandum

of understanding with different

countries with a view to building a

modern information bank," she said.

the prime Minister hoped that

Bangladesh Customs would be more

successful in enhancing dynamism in

revenue collection, preventing maltrade,

preventing financing for militancy

and terrorism and ensuring

transparency and accountability by

exercising their professional skills and

implementing the reforms.

"with the collective efforts of all, we

will be able to build the "Sonar Bangla"

as dreamt by Father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur rahman,

insha'allah," she added.

Karimganj Upazila task Force

Committee meeting held

Shah Md Sarwar, KiShoreganj

CorreSpondent

the meeting of Karimganj Upazila

task Force Committee on

implementation of Smoking tobacco

products (Control) act was held under

the chairmanship of Upazila nirbahi

officer taslima nur hossain.

Upazila health and Family planning

officer and task Force Member

Secretary dr. riyad Shahed rony

moderated the occasion at the Upazila

parishad Conference room on

tuesday while Kishoreganj journalist

welfare Council president and trainee

lawyer Shah Md Sarwar jahan spoke at

the occasion. during the time, Youth

development officer Md. amanullah

darji, Kiraton Up Chairman Md.

rafiqul islam, Zafarabad Up Chairman

abu Sadat Md. Sayem, dehunda Up

Chairman Ma hanif, Sutarpara Up

Chairman Md. Kamal hossain, joyka

Up Chairman Md. humayun Kabir,

noabad Up Chairman Md. Mostafa

spoke. , Kadir jungle Up Chairman arif

Uddin ahmed Konak, president of

anti-drug organization ibne abdullah

Shahjahan were also present at the

occasion.during the meeting, it was

decided to convene a regular task force

meeting every three months to ensure

proper implementation of tobacco

Control act, increase in taxes, stop sale

of counterfeit and low-priced bidi

cigarettes, reduce availability of

tobacco, stop advertising, alert

monitoring and conduct mobile court.

in addition, the assistant

Commissioner (Land) and three

other heads of educational

institutions were included in the

committee and Karimganj Upazila

parishad premises were declared

smoke-free. at the suggestion of the

president, the Chairman assured the

people and their respective Union

parishads to be smoke free.

pandemic leaves Mexican

schoolchildren lagging behind

MeXiCo CitY: nearly two years after the

pandemic first shut her classroom, Mexican

schoolgirl elena delgado is struggling to

avoid falling far behind in her studies-like

millions of other children around the world,

reports BSS.

another wave of coronavirus infections

gripping Mexico following the emergence

of the highly contagious omicron variant

have forced the nine-year-old to return to

remote learning.

"i really miss spending time with my

friends. i also miss the teacher a lot," she

said.

elena is striving to catch up with what

non-governmental organization the

espinosa Yglesias Study Center says could

be between one and three years of lost

learning for Mexican students.

it is a global problem-in Brazil, the

learning loss for high school students is

estimated to be one year, compared with

half a school year in Belgium, according to

a study published by the center in

September.

"when i study online, i fall further

behind," elena said, surrounded by dolls

and toys in her bedroom.

"when i'm in the classroom i can stop

and ask the teacher to rewrite what was on

the blackboard," she added.

the schoolgirl has taken private remedial

classes in subjects including math and

GD-158/22 (5x3)

english, said her mother elena Cabanas, a

41-year-old lawyer. worries about the

economic fallout of the pandemic led her

parents to remove their daughter from a

private school early in the crisis.

She joined the 90 percent of Mexican

students between the ages of three and 18

who attend free public schools.

"during the whole of the second year at

the public school she only had about five

virtual classes and didn't learn anything,"

said Cabanas.

disappointed, the mother decided to put

elena back in private education, but she

had her repeat the second grade.

elena's mother worries that her daughter

struggles with mathematical calculations.

"when i was nine years old i already

knew the multiplication tables from top to

bottom," she said.

Some children have been even less

fortunate.

in the 2020-2021 academic year, 5.2

million students between three and 29

years old dropped out of basic and higher

education in Mexico due to Covid-19 or for

economic reasons, according to official

data.

in response to the pandemic, president

andres Manuel Lopez obrador's

government introduced a home learning

program via television, but with little or no

interaction with students.

.233(25) 25/01/22

†kL nvwmbvi g~jbxwZ

MÖvg kn‡ii DbœwZ

cvwb-506/2021-2022

GD-156/22 (4x3)

GD-157/22 (8x3)

Wednesday, dhaka: January 26, 2022; magh 12, 1428 bS; Jamadi-us Sani 22, 1443 Hijri

Ecnec approves Tk 1803-cr project

to fight flood, riverbank erosion

DHAKA : The Executive Committee of the

National Economic Council (Ecnec) on

Tuesday approved 10 projects, including a

Tk 1,803-crore one, to minimise damages

caused by flood and riverbank erosion in

four districts-Pabna, Sirajganj, Tangail and

Manikganj, reports UNB.

The approval came from the Ecnec meeting

presided over by Prime Minister and

also Ecnec Chair Sheikh Hasina. She joined

it virtually from her official residence

Ganobhaban. The ministers and others

concerned got connected from the NEC

conference room in the city. "Today the

meeting approved a total of 10 projects,

including five revised ones, with the overall

estimated cost of Tk 4,621.34 crore (only

additional costs of five projects were counted

here)," said Planning Minister MA

Mannan while briefing reporters.

Of the cost, Tk 3,055.21 crore will come

Recovered city

canals will end

waterlogging

and add beauty:

LGRD Minister

DHAKA : LGRD Minister Md Tajul

Islam on Tuesday said all canals in

Dhaka city will be freed from illegal

encroachment to help ease waterlogging

and enhance its beauty,

reports UNB.

"If we can free the canals from illegal

encroachment, it will help ease waterlogging

problems in the city," he told

reportersafter inspecting the eviction of

the illegal establishments at

Ramchandrapur canal in the Basila

area of Mohammadpur.

He said those who invested huge

money in illegally building these

establishments occupying government

land will be affected.

But they should have known better,

he said adding this will send a message

against future illegal encroachment.

He said the government won't tolerate

any further illegal occupation of

government land.

The government has taken a project

to launch water transports after linking

canals in the city and the work to connect

canals will start soon, said Tajul

adding "We should bring back the heritage

of Dhaka city."

The two city corporation mayors of

Dhaka are working with sincerity to

recover the occupied canals in Dhaka,

he said.

The minister said the capital city had

at least 53 canals running through it.

After recovery these canals will have

nice walkways and other beauty spots

for the city dwellers to enjoy the lovely

views, he said.

Replying to a question Tajul said

that an approval has been taken from

the prime minister for handing over

the canals to the Water Board ,while

the process to hand over the canals to

housing and public works ministry is

underway.

from government funds and the remaining

Tk 1,566.13 from foreign sources, he said.

Talking about Flood and Riverbank

Erosion Risk Management Investment

Program (Project-2) involving Tk 1,803.06

crore, he said Bangladesh Water

Development Board implemented the project

by December 2025.

According to the project factsheet of the

Planning Commission, Tk 1329.77 crore

will come as loan from the Asian

Development Bank (ADB), while Tk 151.56

crore from the Netherlands government as

project assistance. And the rest will come

from government funds.

The project will be executed in Bera,

Shahjadpur, Belkuchi, Chouhali, Tangail

Sadar, Nagarpur, Daulatpur, Harirampur

and Shibalaya upazilas of the four districts-

Pabna, Sirajganj, Tangail and Manikganj.

The main objectives of the project include

DHAKA : President Abdul Hamid on

Tuesday asked the police force to launch a

cleansing campaign to get rid of its corrupt

members and improve its service to the

society, reports UNB.

He made the call virtually from

Bangabhaban while exchanging views with

high police officials on the occasion of

Police Week -2022. The officials were connected

from the auditorium of Rajarbagh

Police Lines in the capital. Describing drug

peddling as a social disorder the president

said police must be more active in eliminating

the menance.

"If necessary, strict action should be

taken against the corrupt members of the

force through cleansing campaign," he

said. He said there are frequent reports in

the media that some unscrupulous

employees of various government departments,

including the police, are involved in

improving the livelihood of the people living

in the vicinity of the Jamuna and Padma

rivers, developing flood and riverbank risk

management through structural changes

and enhancing institutional capacity and

reducing riverbank erosion.

Its major operations include 30-km riverbank

protection, 7.9-km dam construction,

40-km adaptation work, 6-km emergency

work and 3-km dam management.

The other new projects are BITAC Office

Establishment in Gopalganj, Sunamganj,

Barishal, Rangpur, Jamalpur and Jashore

with a cost of Tk 1,132.61 crore and Urea

Formaldehyde -85 (UF-85) Plant

Establishment involving Tk 724.30 crore,

Sylhet Region's Agricultural Development

through modern technology with Tk

200.54 crore and Climate Smart

Agriculture and Water Management (DAE

Part) with a fund of Tk 106.08 crore.

President Hamid to police force

Drive out the corrupt members

this crime, which is very unwelcome and

sad. Saying that a section of the youth of

the country is involved in drug related

crimes, Hamid said young people need to

be protected from the scourge of drugs.

He said people come to the police to get

legal services when they are in danger.

"You will listen carefully to the problems

and grievances of these help-seeking people

and never hesitate to give them legal

services sincerely," he said.

Hamid said cybercriminals are committing

crimes using domestic, regional and

international networks and various apps,

which has become a challenge for the law

enforcement agencies to suppress.

He stressed on increasing the capacity of

the police to deal with cybercrime by developing

a trained and skilled manpower with

modern technology of information technology.

BNP passing bad days after defeat

in Narayanganj polls : Qauder

DHAKA : Road Transport and Bridges

Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said

BNP is now in frustration and they are

passing bad days in politics after their

defeat in Narayanganj City Corporation

polls. "BNP is now in frustration as their

tactics went in vein during Narayanganj

city polls ...So, they are going through

bad days in terms of politics," he said.

Quader, also general secretary of the

ruling Awami League, made this comments

while addressing a press conference

at his official residence here this

morning.

Replying to the statement made by

BNP leaders that the government will be

ousted through the mass uprising,

Quader said the people are now being

progressed under the leadership of Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina amid a lot of barriers

created by BNP.

"People now consider BNP's call for

staging movement as a 'sound pollution',

nothing else,' Quader told the press conference.

BNP is now dreaming of holding mass

uprising like 69, said the ruling party

leader, adding that but BNP has failed to

get public mandate in Narayanganj city

polls which was a mass upheaval against

them [BNP].

BNP is still in a dream of capturing

power in undemocratic means, he added.

Referring to a powerful Election

Commission (EC), the minister said the

government led by Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina has taken an initiative of enacting a

law aiming to form a powerful EC. BNP

should welcome the initiative, but they are

criticizing the matter, he added.

Public life has been disrupted due to the cold wave and thick fog that has been going on for several days.

Shredded, helpless, miserable and working people are in dire conditions. The picture is taken from Shanir

Akhra area of dhaka-Chattogram highway on Tuesday. Photo : Star mail

Shallow tube wells installed in the vast chars of Pabna-Kushtia providing drinkable water

among the people.

Photo : TbT

Bangladesh is

13th most

corrupt country

DHAKA : Bangladesh has been ranked

13 among the world's most corrupt

countries in the Corruption Perceptions

Index (CPI) released by Transparency

Int’l on Tuesday, reports UNB.

Bangladesh secured 26 points on a

scale of 1-100 for the fourth year in a

row, according to CPI 2021. And

Bangladesh has been ranked number

two among South Asian nations-after

Afghanistan-in the index.

Bangladesh currently occupies the

147th position among the 180 countries

ranked from the top, according to the

index released by Transparency

International at a webinar.

With a score of 88 out of 100,

Denmark, Finland and New Zealand

topped the global CP, doing best in curbing

corruption. South Sudan is the

world's most corrupt country, as per the

index.

The CPI is an index published annually

by Berlin-based Transparency Int’l since

1995 which ranks countries "by their perceived

levels of public sector corruption,

as determined by expert assessments and

opinion surveys".

The CPI generally defines corruption

as "the misuse of public power for private

benefit".

Nine Zebras die

in Gazipur Safari

Park in 3 weeks

GAZIPUR : Nine zebras have died at

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari

Park in Gazipur in the last 22 days till

January 24, said officials on Tuesday,

reports UNB.

Project director Md Zahidul Kabir

of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari

Park said the zebras die from January

2 to January 24.

The matter was disclosed by the

safari park authorities on Monday.

However, a meeting of a specialist

team is being held on Tuesday to

know the reason behind the deaths

of the zebras. The meeting was continuing

till the filling of this report

at 2 pm.

"Those might die due to various

reasons including food poisoning,

virus and infection with bacteria and

the actual reason behind the deaths

would be known later," said Zahidul.

He said they found zebras were

being separated from the herd and

then breathing problem developed in

them before their death.

They also sent the samples of the

dead zebras for Covid test which

came out negative, he said.

The reports of liver and lung tests

of the dead zebras were also in hand

but there is no evidence of food poisoning,

said Zahidul.

Claiming that there is no lack of

security at the park, Zahidul said,

"There is no scope for outsiders to

enter the park and give poison.

Though, we are investigating the incident

keeping everything in mind."

Already three specialists of the

Veterinary Faculty of Mymensingh

Agriculture University, former curator

of Dhaka Zoo Mohammad

Shahidullah and Gazipur District

Livestock officials reached there and

a board meeting will be held to investigate

the matter.

Global One Bangladesh

bringing potable water to

remote Char residents

Abdul HAmid KHAn, PAbnA

The mighty river Padma divides Pabna

and Kushtia in the eastern part of the

country. Lack of potable water was a

constant part of the miserable life of

the people on the banks of the Padma.

They used to suffer from various ailments

including diarrhoea for twelve

months after drinking river water.

With the humanitarian help of Global

One Bangladesh, their lives have suddenly

started to change. In the meantime,

Global One Bangladesh has

installed 40 shallow tube wells in the

vast chars of Pabna-Kushtia which is

far less than the requirement but has

met the shortage of potable water of

the people in the remote chars.

The remote areas of Dogachhi Union

of Pabna Sadar Upazila are: These

deep villages on the banks of the

Padma are inhabited by extremely

poor and marginalized people. And the

demand for their survival is very small.

Their long-standing demand was for

two-course meals, clothes and safe

drinking water. They are very happy

that Global One Bangladesh has come

forward to meet the minimum

demand. Talking to many people

around the char area, their expression

has been known. Champa Khatun,

Shahana Khatun from Charsadirajpur

in Pabna district, and Rahima from

Chargobindpur in Kushtia

Kumarkhali, now have a smile on their

face when they collect drinking water.

They said that during the rainy season,

there was water all around, but I could

not get a drop of drinking water.

Drinking water had to be fetched from

far away. They said, "God has mercy on

me. I am now free of concern in search

of potable water. Global One has come

and given us a new source of fetching

water."

More than 56 percent of the people

in Bangladesh do not have access to

safe drinking water. Water is also unfitted

for drinking due to arsenic and

salinity in this remote char area of

Pabna-Kushtia. Drinking water is the

7th of the 17 Sustainable Development

Goals of the United Nations, which the

government is working to ensure for

100% of the population by 2030.

And to help the government achieve

its SDG targets, the London-based

international organization Global One

Bangladesh is installing shallow tube

wells to ensure safe drinking water for

the destitute people in the Pabna-

Kushtia chars.

Concerned quarters believe that this

will ensure safe drinking water for the

people of the vast char areas.

Global One correspondent spoke

with Ramzan Ali about this. He said

Global One is working on drinking

water system in the border chars of

Pabna Kushtia region. "I think with the

continuation of this work of Global

One, the problem of drinking water in

these remote areas will be reduced a

lot", he added.

HC orders to audit Evaly's

assets by a reputed firm

DHAKA : The High Court on Tuesday

directed to audit the assets of the e-

commerce company Evaly by a reputed

audit firm in the country, reports

UNB.

A single HC bench of Justice

Muhamad Khurshid Alam Sarkar

passed the order following the application

submitted by the board of

directors of Evaly that was formed on

the direction of the court.

Earlier, a court ordered a company

named KPMG to audit Evaly's assets

on October 18 last year. But the company

charged Evaly Tk 86 lakh to

conduct the audit. And so, the board

directors of Evaly appealed to the

court to have company audited by

another firm, said Barrister Syed

Mahsib Hossain.

Barrister Morshed Ahmed Khan

appeared for the board of directors of

Evaly in the court while Barrister

Syed Mahsib Hossain for the writ

petition.

Another petition was also presented

in court today. One of the customers

appealed seeking to be included in a

party in the case for non-receipt of

payment for Evaly's product and the

court registered his appeal.

On October 18 last year, the High

Court formed a 5-member board, led

by former justice Shamsuddin

Chowdhury Manik, to manage, control

and assess the liabilities of shuttered

e-commerce platform Evaly.

Other members of the board are

former secretary Mohammad Rezaul

Ahsan and additional secretary

Mahbub Kabir Milon, chartered

accountant Fakhruddin Ahmed and

lawyer Barrister Khan Mohammad

Shamim Aziz.

Evaly CEO Mohammad Rassel and

his wife Shamima Nasrin, the chairman

of the platform were arrested on

September 16, after a customer

named Arif Baker filed a case at

Gulshan Police Station alleging that

e-commerce platform was not delivering

products despite taking

advanced payments.

Meanwhile customer Farhad

Hossain submitted an application in

the High Court seeking dissolution of

the beleaguered company and direction

on forming a board of directors

for the company.

On September 22, the High Court

ordered a ban on the sale and transfer

of movable and immovable property

during a hearing on the application

and issued a notice questioning why

Evaly will not be disbanded.

On September 30, during a hearing

in this regard the HC directed the

Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and

Firms (RJSC) to submit all the documents

of Evaly within October 11.

26-01-2022

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?