14-08-2022

sunday

Dhaka : August 14, 2022; Srabon 30, 1429 BS; Muharram 15, 1444 Hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.20; N o. 93; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

InternatIonal

Author Salman

Rushdie on

ventilator

Zohr

>Page 7

Expert opinions at round table

Oil price adjustment

was possible

Safiqul iSlam (Jami)

Experts in the energy sector have

expressed the opinion that it would have

been possible to keep the price of oil in

sync with the world market only if the government

had good will. According to

them, it was the right decision for the government

to increase the price of oil

through the Bangladesh Energy

Regulatory Commission (BERC) instead

of increasing the price of oil in one step.

Experts gave this opinion at a round table

meeting on 'Global Energy Crisis and

Challenges of Bangladesh' organized by

Editors Guild Bangladesh at Banani's

Dhaka Gallery in the capital on Saturday.

In the meeting, energy expert and former

dean of chemical engineering department

of BUET Professor Dr. Ijaz Hossain

said, we have no problem with oil. We

import it, supply it. The problem is with

the 'Pricing Policy'. I have been speaking

against the government for 10 years. I am

saying that you should set a 'Pricing Policy'

such that consumers feel that they are not

being harmed here.

He said, another thing is that there is

currently a lot of discussion as to why the

previous profits have not been spent now.

The explanation given by BAPEX is also

not clear. They didn't even fully account.

Dr. Ijaz said that there is a fundamental

mistake in pricing. You can't go all the way

up, and you can't go all the way down.

Then your market is gone. You have to

adjust with the market.

Govt vaccinates 30

cr doses of Covid-19

jabs: Maleque

MANIKGANJ : Health and Family

Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said that

the government has given the safety to the

people providing 30 crore Corona vaccines

by free of cost.

"The government vaccinated the people

free of cost by spending Taka 40 thousand

crores in this purpose from our own fund,"

he said while distributing food stuff,

clothes and sanitizers among 500 jobless

families due to Covid-19 pandemic at

Garpara area here yesterday.

The Health Minister said the vaccination

for 5-11 years children has started on

Thursday last on a trial basis that was not

started in any country in the world.

"We need more four and half crore

doses of vaccines for 2,20,00000 children.

We have already received 30 lac doses of

vaccine from the World Health

Organization (WHO)," he added.

The government has controlled the

Covid-19 pandemic successfully with the

proper direction from Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina, the Health Minister said

adding that Bangladesh is in the 5th position

in the world to control the Covid-19

pandemic. Some 29,000 people so far lost

their lives due to Corona virus in the country

where as over 11,00000 people died in

USA and 10,00000 in India.

Zahid Maleque said, we are a fuel

dependent country and we have to import

it from abroad. The prices of fuel have

increased all over the world. Some of the

countries have no fuel for their people, but

we have it, he said.

04:08 AM

12:08 PM

04:42 PM

06:45 PM

08:05 PM

5:28 6:41

sports

‘Game-changer’

Byonoe-Gittens propels

Dortmund

>Page 9

Gold smuggling annually

Tk 73000 cr being laundered:

BAJUS

DHAKA : Bangladesh Jewellers'

Association (BAJUS) on Saturday said

that around Tk73000 crore islaundered

from Bangladesh every year through gold

smuggling.

They have sought the government's

tough action and cooperation of intelligence

agencies and law enforcers to stop

gold smuggling through Bangladesh.

BAJUS leaders said this at a press conference

held at the association's office in

Bashundhara city complex in the capital

on Saturday.

Enmaul Haque Khan, Chairman of

BAJUS standing committee on Anti-

Smuggling and Legal Enforcement, gave

thespeech at the press conference.

Among others, Vice-chairman Bidhan

Malakar, members Ikbal Uddin, Swapon

Salman Rushdie in hospital

Police seek motive in stabbing

MAYVILLE : Salman Rushdie remained

hospitalized Saturday after suffering serious

injuries in a stabbing attack as praise

poured in for him from the West but he

was disparaged in Iran.

Rushdie, 75, suffered a damaged liver,

severed nerves in an arm and an eye, and

was on a ventilator, his

agent Andrew Wylie said

Friday evening. Rushdie

was likely to lose the

injured eye.

Police identified the suspect

as Hadi Matar, 24.

He was arrested after the

attack at the Chautauqua

Institution, a nonprofit

education and retreat center

where Rushdie was

scheduled to speak.

Matar, of Fairview, New

Jersey, was born in the

United States to Lebanese

parents who emigrated

from Yaroun, a border village in southern

Lebanon, Mayor Ali Tehfe told The

Associated Press.

Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses"

drew death threats after it was published

in 1988. It was viewed as blasphemous by

many Muslims who saw a character as an

insult to the Prophet Muhammad, among

Chandra Karmakar, Bikash Ghosh, Babul

Rahman, were present at the function.

They claimed that Bangladesh is used as

a transit of gold smuggling to neighboring

countries by influential syndicates which

should be stopped .

Gold worth around Tk200 crore is

smuggled daily on average through

Bangladesh airways, roads, and waterways,

they said.

The jewellers' association leaders said

that they have prepared the report on gold

smuggling and money laundering based

on law enforcers' information and newspaper

reports regarding gold smuggling.

Replying to a query, BAJUS leaders said

15000 to 20000 bhoris of gold are being

imported in Bangladesh through baggage

of travellers which is legal.

Implement Teesta master

plan : IFC

DHAKA : International Farakka

Committee on Saturday demanded the

implementation of the Teesta Master Plan

to protect three crore people living in its

basin in Bangladesh from heavy flood and

river banks erosion.

Atiqur Rahman Salu, chairman of IFC,

voiced the demand in an opinion

exchange meeting at the Abdus Salam

Hall of the National Press Club.

The IFC chairman said this while the

promise for signing a treaty on the Teesta

is lingering on for 12 years, in the dry season

flow of the river is being diverted unilaterally

from the Gazal Doba Barrage in

West Bengal, India for more than two

decades.

No change to this unfortunate plight of

the Teesta is in sight, he said adding, "We

therefore believe that the government of

Bangladesh should urgently take sustainable

measures to minimize the adverse

effects of drought-flood vagaries to the

people of Teesta Basin in Bangladesh'.

Dr. S.I. Khan, senior vice-president, IFC

Bangladesh, Mostafa Kamal Majumder,

coordinator and Ataur Rahman Ata, joint

secretary of IFC and Rafiqul Islam Azad,

former president of Dhaka Reporters'

Unity were present at the opinion

exchange and answered questions of journalists.

Atiqur Rahman Salu said no treaty

has been signed on the Teesta although

other objections. The book was banned in

Iran where the late leader Grand Ayatollah

Ruhollah Khomeini issued a 1989 fatwa,

or edict, calling for Rushdie's death.

Police said the motive for the Friday

attack was unclear. Matar was born a

decade after "The Satanic Verses" first was

published. Investigators

were working to determine

whether the

assailant acted alone.

Iran's theocratic government

and its staterun

media assigned no

rationale for the assault.

In Tehran, some

Iranians interviewed by

the AP praised the

attack on an author they

believe tarnished the

Islamic faith, while others

worried it would

further isolate their

country.

An AP reporter witnessed the attacker

confront Rushdie on stage and stab

or punch him 10 to 15 times as the

author was being introduced. Dr.

Martin Haskell, a physician who was

among those who rushed to help,

described Rushdie's wounds as "serious

but recoverable."

Salman Rushdie

the two countries were supposed to do so

in 2011. The Irony is that even in this rainy

season Nilphamari, Kurigram and

Gaibandha districts have experienced several

waves of flood and riverbank erosion.

He said devastating floods in the rainy

season and dry rivers and drought in the

dry season have brought environmental

disasters to Bangladesh.

"Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is

expected to go on a visit to India soon. It is

our belief that she would discuss with the

Indian Prime Minister in clear terms the

plight of world's largest delta Bangladesh

that has originated from the common

rivers," he said.

He also said this is urgent because being

cut off from the common rivers the lush

green environment of the country is getting

destroyed day by day, damaging agriculture,

breeding and feeding grounds of

indigenous fish, and industry. People are

losing livelihoods and becoming displaced.

The IFC chairman noted that China has

come up with an idea to implement a

Teesta management and restoration master

plan with nearly $1 billion in loan

(about 10,000 crore Taka). The Power

Construction Corporation or Power China

wants to implement the master plan.

Work on this project was supposed to

begin in 2021, but has not started yet.

art & culture

Apurba, Himi pairs

up in ‘Fire Esho

Suranjana’

>Page 10

The country's first metro rail construction work is progressing rapidly to free the city dwellers from traffic

jams. The work of widening the road by removing all the construction materials of the metro rail along with

the road barrier is now going on in full swing. There are plans to plant various types of trees for beautification.

The picture is taken from Dhaka university area.

Photo : Star mail

Hardinge Bridge is

out of danger despite

erosion: experts

PABNA : Engineer (bridge) of Bangladesh

railway, Western Zone, Abdur Rahim yesterday

said Hardinge Bridge is out of danger

despite erosion in the Padma river in

Pabna.

'When the bridge was constructed, it

had piling in deep in the Padma river and

at that time all the girders of the bridge

were submerged in water, he said.

The soil accumulated under several

girders due to char falling on one side of

the river, now again this part of char is

disappearing into the river, it will not

cause any damage to the bridge, however,

claimed that the erosion would not

harm the bridge as its guide bank is well

protected.

The engineer said we are monitoring the

situation and we are contacting the Water

Development Board to take measures to

prevent the erosion.

Executive Engineer of Water

Development Board Md Zahidul Islam

Ripon said the bridge is unlikely to be

damaged by river erosion, because the

foundation of the bridge is very deep and

the bridge is protected by the guide bank

on both sides. Kohinur Alam, Supervising

Engineer of Water Development Board of

Pabna, said we visited the bridge area but

there is no possibility of destruction the

bridge, resulted from the erosion.

The erosion is far from the guide bank.

So I don't think that Hardinge Bridge is in

the risk. I urged all not to confuse in this

regard, he said.

6 highway robbery

gang members

held in N'ganj 2

victims rescued

NARAYANGANJ : Rapid Action Battalion

(Rab) claimed to have detained six members

of a robbery gang with locally made

weapons and a bus from Narayanganj's

Bandar and Rupganj upazilas Friday

night.

They also rescued two robbery victims

and seized a pickup truck from the gang,

reports UNB.

The detainees were identified as Musa

Ali, 40, from Narayanganj's Sonargaon;

Naim Mia, 24, Abu Sufiyan, 20, and Md

Mamun, 24, from the district's Rupganj,

Md Shamim, 35, from Narsingdi's

Shibpur, and Md Rony, 26, from

Narsingdi Sadar.

Friday night, the robbers took control of

an egg-laden pickup truck on the Bhulta

highway and drove it towards Madanpur

on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, with

their bus following behind.

Also, the robbers blindfolded the pickup

truck driver and his assistant before

throwing them on their bus. On information,

Rab caught the gang members.

BFIU sought illegal money info

from Swiss banks repeatedly: BB

Shakib captain for Asia

Cup, T20 World Cup

DHAKA : The Bangladesh Cricket Board

(BCB) Saturday named Shakib Al Hasan as

the Bangladesh T20 team captain.

The all-rounder will now lead the

Bangladesh team in the Asia Cup, starting

on August 27 in the UAE, the T20I triseries

in New Zealand,

starting on October 7, and

the T20 World Cup later

this year in Australia, Jalal

Yunus, chairman of the

cricket operations of the

BCB, said Saturday.

Shakib met with BCB

President Nazmul Hasan

Saturday afternoon.

"Shakib has been named

captain of the Bangladesh

T20I team till the T20

World Cup," Jalal said.

"Before making the decision,

we discussed it with

the board president, members, and selectors."

Shakib recently signed a business

contract with a news website called

Betwinner News owned by a betting company.

According to the BCB's regulation,

no cricketer can work for any organisation

that is involved in betting-related activities.

Also, every player needs to take the permission

of the board before partnering with

Shakib Al Hasan

DHAKA : Bangladesh Financial

Intelligence Unit (BFIU) repeatedly sought

information from different countries

including Switzerland about money laundered

by Bangladeshis, said Bangladesh

Bank (BB).

In response to a query on Saturday

regarding the recent statement of the Swiss

Ambassador, Md Serajul Islam, executive

director and spokesperson of BB, said, "I

have nothing to say anything about the

statement of the Swiss Ambassador. But

the BFIU repeatedly sought information

from different countries on various issues,

including illegal money transactions from

Bangladesh."

All kinds of initiatives were taken to collect

information about money laundering

from the country, he said adding that the

BFIU, the country's financial intelligence

agency, has also sent several letters to the

Swiss banks. Sirajul Islam said, "Whenever

we need to collect information, the BFIU

collects information from everywhere as

the BFIU is a member of the Egmont

Group of Financial Intelligence Units

(FIUs), an international network of FIUs."

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on

Thursday said Bangladesh sought information

on the deposits of Bangladeshi

money in the Swiss banks but the Swiss

side did not respond to the query.

Momen said this after his conversation

on the issue with Bangladesh Bank

Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder and

Finance Secretary Fatima Yasmin on

Thursday.

The foreign minister said he advised the

governor and the finance ministry to come

up with the statements as confusion arose

following some media reports quoting

Ambassador of Switzerland to Bangladesh

Nathalie Chuard. Momen said it is not true

that Bangladesh did not seek information

from Switzerland. The Swiss envoy at the

DCAB Talk on Wednesday said any estimate

on deposits of Bangladeshi money in

the Swiss banks is "purely speculative" and

no conclusion can be drawn on the basis of

media and other reports.

Responding to a question on information

exchange on the issue, she said

Switzerland is really committed to implementing

international standards. In accordance

with these international standards

they can have some specific regulations

and agreements also with the country to

exchange this type of information, she said.

any organisation as an ambassador. But

Shakib did not do so while teaming up with

Betwinner News. "Shakib understood his

mistake. He thinks he had been misguided

to sign a contract with that kind of company,"

Jalal said. The BCB's decision to

appoint Shakib, who had

made the same kind of mistakes

before, as the T20 captain

of Bangladesh came as a

surprise to many. Shakib is

the captain of the

Bangladesh Test team as

well.

The International Cricket

Council banned the allrounder

in 2018 for "failing

to report corrupt approaches."

He accepted three

charges relating to requests

for "inside information for

betting purposes."

"It's not right to make a compromise

with a player who broke disciplines," Jalal

added. "But since he said he would not

make the same mistake again, we appointed

him as the captain for the sake of the

team." The BCB also announced the

squad for the Asia Cup. Right-handed

batter Sabbir Rahman made a comeback

to the national team.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2022

2

A student of Dhaka University was arrested after coming to give a proxy for the unit B in the GST admission

test. He was arrested in the morning as a suspect from Jagannath University Centre. Photo : TBT

US lawmakers pass

landmark climate, health

plan in big win for Biden

WASHINGTON : US

lawmakers on Friday

adopted President Joe

Biden's sprawling climate,

tax and health care plan-a

major win for the veteran

Democrat that includes the

biggest ever American

investment in the battle

against global warming.

Passage in the House of

Representatives along strict

party lines came after

approval of the bill in the

Senate by a razor-thin

margin, with Vice President

Kamala Harris casting the

tie-breaking vote.

Biden quickly hailed the

adoption of his plan, which

includes a $370 billion

investment aimed at

bringing about a 40 percent

drop in greenhouse gas

emissions by 2030.

DU student detained

for proxy in GST

admission

Nakibul Ahsan Nishad; JnU

A student of Dhaka University was arrested

after coming to give a proxy for the unit B in

the GST admission test. He was arrested in

the morning as a suspect from Jagannath

University Centre.

Assistant Proctor Gautam Kumar Saha and

Asaduzzaman Ripon arrested the suspected

student after the examination in the new

academic building of Jagannath University

on Saturday.

It is known that the student's name is Abir,

who came to give a proxy in the admission

test of SejanMahfuz in the humanities unit in

the GST admission test. He is a resident

student of Dhaka University's Jasim Uddin

Hall also he completed his graduation and

post graduation from the Department of

Sociology.

SejanMahfuz's father Abdul Bari and

mother Mahfuza Begum. He studied from St.

Joseph's School and College. The village

house of this student is in Thakurgaon.

While arresting the student of Dhaka

University who came to give proxy, the

university administration seized his mobile

phone, wallet, watch and ATM card.

Jahangirnagar University and various

recruitment exam proxy conversations were

found on his phone. Also, evidence of a recent

transaction of Tk 26 lakh was found on the

bank card with him. Later, the university

administration handed over the student to

the police.

Jagannath University Proctor Professor Dr.

Mustafa Kamal said that he was detained

because his ID card did not match the proxy

when he came to give a proxy in the batch

admission test. We have handed him over to

the police. The police will bring the entire

syndicate information before us through

proper investigation and ensure that such

acts cannot be done in future through proper

prosecution.

Remitter's festival to

be held in Sharjah

on Sept 16-18

DHAKA : The three-day

"Remitter's Festival", to be

organized by an advertising

and event management

company "Idea Gallery", will

be held on September 16-18,

2022 at the Expo Centre in

Sharjah, the UAE.

The festival is an annual

event to promote remittance

through official channel and

motivate fellow NRBs to

contribute to national foreign

reserve.

Planning Minister MA

Mannan is expected to grace

the event as the chief guest

while Ambassador of

Bangladesh to the United

Arab Emirates (UAE) Abu

Zafar will attend as special

guest.

Besides, Consulate General

of Bangladesh to the UAE BM

Jamal Hossain will remain

present as the guest of

honour, said a press release

here today.

The release added that the

Consulate General of

Bangladesh in Dubai and

Northern Emirates has joined

hands with Idea Gallery to

promote "Increase

remittance inflow through

legal channel".

Remitter's Festival or

Probashi Utsab is basically a

gathering of all level nonresident

Bangladeshis

residing in the UAE.

Organisers create festive

mood to promote about

remittance, benefits of

sending money using official

channels.

Event contents are

creatively set to attract fellow

NRBs. They participate in

month-long side by side

events and proceed towards

the main event.

Foreigners flock to

Canada for

monkeypox vaccine

MONTREAL : With the

monkeypox vaccine in short

supply in the United States,

thousands of foreigners,

including Americans are

flocking to Montreal to get

their shots.

Canada's second-largest

city, located about 70

kilometers (43 miles) north of

the US border in Quebec

province, has decided to

make the vaccine available to

all those who consider

themselves to be at risk.

ackRobb Stilson, an art

director from Denver,

Colorado, took advantage of

the opportunity during a visit

to Montreal last week.

"It's very difficult in the

States to get vaccinated,"

Stilson said as he lined up to

get a shot at a pop-up

vaccination center together

with his husband and two

daughters. "I've friends who

have waited 8 or 9 hours to

get in."

Because contact tracing is

difficult, authorities in

Montreal decided to offer the

vaccine to all those who are at

risk to stem the spread of the

virus.

"As tourists, they may

participate in activities that

may expose them and so in a

way, we're combatting the

pandemic by letting them

become vaccinated here so

that they don't transmit the

infection either here or when

they go back home," Donald

Vinh, infectious disease

specialist at the McGill

University Health Center,

told AFP.

Since the vaccination

campaign was launched in

mid-May, as soon as the first

cases of monkeypox were

detected, Montreal has

inoculated 18,500 people.

5-day programme taken to

celebrate Janmastami in Ctg

CHATTOGRAM : A five-day programme has

been taken to celebrate Janmastami, the holy

birth anniversary of Lord Krishna and one of

the major religious festivals of the Hindu

community, in the port city to be held in a

befitting manner.

Sree Sree Janmastami Udjapan Parishad

Bangladesh (SSJUPB), central committee has

taken the programme which will begin on

Friday. Leaders of SSJUPB highlighted

different aspects of the programme at a press

conference held at Chattogram Press Club

yesterday.

The programme includes discussion, Rishi

and Boisnab conference, recitation from the

holy books (Pabitra Namkirtan) and

scholarships hand over among the meritorious

students and distribution of foods among the

devotees.

A grand rally titled "Mohashovajatra" will be

brought out in the city on Saturday (August 19)

Executive Director of YMCA Principal Robert Robin Marandi addressing a

view exchange meeting organized by Bogura Christian Housing

Association.

Photo : Azahar Ali

GD-1358/22 (6x3)

from JM Sen Hall premises. Former Mayor

and General Secretary of City Awami League

AJM Nasir Uddin will inaugurate the rally

while Information and Broadcasting Minister

Dr Hasan Mahmud will addressed before the

Mohashovajatra gathering on August 19 as the

chief guest.

The SSJUPB leaders called upon the Hindu

Community members and other concerned to

come forward to make the celebration a

success.Sukumar Chowdhury, president of

SSJUPB, read out the written statement in the

press conference.

According to the written statement, a virtual

meeting with the Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina will be held at 4 pm on August 18. Food

Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder will

inaugurate the function while Foreign

Minister Abul Kalam Abdul Momen will

attend the inaugural function as the chief

guest.

GD-1356/22 (10x4)

SUNDAY, AUgUSt 14, 2022

3

A discussion meeting was held at the permanent campus of Bangladesh University on Saturday on

the occasion of National Mourning Day.

Photo : Courtesy

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen addressing a program as chief guest at

Sylhet Zila Parishad auditorium yesterday.

Photo : PID

Dakshin Surma library will

enlighten locals: Momen

SYLHET : Bangladesh Foreign Minister

AK Abdul Momen has said that the new

public library in Dakshin Surma upazila of

Sylhet will act as a learning centre that will

help enlighten people.

"There is a dearth of libraries in our

country. Amid this shortage, Dakshin

Surma Public Library will contribute in

creating an environment of practicing

knowledge in the area," Momen said at the

inauguration ceremony of the library on

Friday.

The Minister advised the library

authorities to maintain it properly and also

preserve the books and documents in

digital formats. He also assured of

necessary assistance in this regard.

In his address, Momen lauded the

initiatives of late Nurul Islam, the library's

founder and writer of 'Probashir Kotha',

who's also known for his role in the

Liberation War of Bangladesh.

"Nurul has worked for the development

of Sylhet in particular and Bangladesh in

general throughout his life. Nurul and late

Abul Maal Abdul Muhit had jointly

protested the killing of Father of The

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman and his family members. Nurul

had also worked for solving the problems

and meeting the demands of expatriate

Bangladeshis," the Foreign Minister said.

The inauguration ceremony was

presided over by Nurul Islam's wife Nargis

Islam. His daughter Munzereen Rashid,

local MP Habibur Rahman Habib, and

Nusrat Laila Nira, upazila nirbahi officer of

Dakshin Surma, spoke at the event.

Sylhet City Corporation councillor

Azadur Rahman Azad, among others,

attended the event.

BFIU sought illegal money

information from Swiss

banks repeatedly: BB

DHAKA : Bangladesh

Financial Intelligence Unit

(BFIU) repeatedly sought

information from different

countries including

Switzerland about money

laundered by Bangladeshis,

said Bangladesh Bank (BB).

In response to a query on

Saturday regarding the

recent statement of the

Swiss Ambassador, Md

Serajul Islam, executive

director and spokesperson

of BB, said, "I have nothing

to say anything about the

statement of the Swiss

Ambassador. But the BFIU

repeatedly sought

information from different

countries on various issues,

including illegal money

transactions from

Bangladesh."

All kinds of initiatives

were taken to collect

information about money

laundering from the

country, he said adding that

the BFIU, the country's

financial intelligence

agency, has also sent several

letters to the Swiss banks.

Sirajul Islam said,

"Whenever we need to

collect information, the

BFIU collects information

from everywhere as the

BFIU is a member of the

Egmont Group of Financial

Intelligence Units (FIUs), an

international network of

FIUs."

Foreign Minister AK

Abdul Momen on Thursday

said Bangladesh sought

information on the deposits

of Bangladeshi money in the

Swiss banks but the Swiss

side did not respond to the

query.

Momen said this after his

conversation on the issue

with Bangladesh Bank

Governor Abdur Rouf

Talukder and Finance

Secretary Fatima Yasmin on

Thursday.

The foreign minister said

he advised the governor and

the finance ministry to come

up with the statements as

confusion arose following

some media reports quoting

Ambassador of Switzerland

to Bangladesh Nathalie

Chuard.

Momen said it is not true

that Bangladesh did not seek

information from

Switzerland.

The Swiss envoy at the

DCAB Talk on Wednesday

said any estimate on

deposits of Bangladeshi

money in the Swiss banks is

"purely speculative" and no

conclusion can be drawn on

the basis of media and other

reports.

Responding to a question

on information exchange on

the issue, she said

Switzerland is really

committed to implementing

international standards. In

accordance with these

international standards they

can have some specific

regulations and agreements

also with the country to

exchange this type of

information, she said.

"So that is something

should be developed," said

the ambassador, adding that

they have been providing to

the government all the

information regarding how

to reach an agreement on

these matters but no request

has been submitted

regarding any particular

funding.

Dhaka

warehouse

blast: Death

toll rises to 8

DHAKA : The death toll from

the Rajabari scrap godown

explosion rose to eight, with

another injured succumbing

at a city hospital on Friday

night.

The deceased was identified

as Shahin Mia, 25.

Shahin, who sustained 40%

burns, breathed his last at

Sheikh Hasina National Institute

of Burn and Plastic Surgery

at 10pm, said Dhaka

Medical College and Hospital

(DMCH) police outpost incharge

Md Bacchu Mia.

Earlier, Shafiqul, 32, who

sustained 80% burns, died at

the hospital on August 9.

Al-Amin, 30, another victim,

who suffered 70% burns,

died in the small hours of

August 9.

On August 8 , Masum Ali,

35, son of Rahad Ali, who

received 80% burns, succumbed

to his injuries around

7.35pm at the hospital, Bacchu

Mia said.

Earlier, on the same day,

around 1.30am, Mizan, who

suffered 95% burns, succumbed

to his injuries.

On August 7, three injured-

Gazi Mazharul Islam, 48, Md

Alam Mia, 20, and Md Nur

Hossain, 60 -- died at the

same hospital.

Eight people suffered burn

injuries in the blast that

occurred around 11.45am on

August 6 in the godown, said

officer-in-charge of Turag

Police Station, Mehedi Hasan.

Bangladesh reports

zero Covid-19 death,

144 positive cases

DHAKA : Bangladesh on

Saturday reported zero Covid-

19 death while it recorded 144

coronavirus positive cases

during the period.

"The country reported 4.29

percent Covid-19 positive

cases as 3,357 samples were

tested during last 24 hours," a

daily statement of the

Directorate General of Health

Services (DGHS) said.

During the past 24 hours,

the combined figure of

coronavirus infection in

Dhaka district and the capital

is 94 while zero Covid-19

death was reported during the

period.

The official tally showed

that the virus killed 29,312

people and infected

20,08,644 so far, the

statement added.

The recovery count rose to

19,50,843 after another 456

patients were discharged from

the dedicated hospitals during

last 24 hours.

From the beginning of the

pandemic, 97.12 percent

Covid-19 patients recovered

among the infected people

while 1.46 percent died, the

DGHS statistics showed.

Among the 29,312 fatalities,

12,895 occurred in Dhaka,

5,889 in Chattogram, 2,153 in

Rajshahi, 3,731 in Khulna,

988 in Barishal, 1,339 in

Sylhet, 1,423 in Rangpur and

894 in Mymensingh divisions.

DMP arrests 73 for

selling, consuming

drugs in the city

DHAKA : The members of the

Detective Branch (DB) of the

Dhaka Metropolitan Police

(DMP) in several anti-drug

raids arrested a total of 73

people on charges of selling

and consuming drugs during

the last 24 hours till 6am on

Saturday, a press release said.

The DB in association with

local police carried out the

drives simultaneously at

different parts of the

metropolis from 6am of

August 12, according to a

DMP release. In the anti-drug

raids, police seized huge drugs

from their possessions.

During the anti-drug raids,

police seized 92 grams and 46

puria (small packets) of

heroin 2,952 pieces of

contraband yaba tablets,

65.215 kilograms of cannabis

(ganja), 15 bottles of

phensidyle syrup, five bottles

of local liquor and 15 bottles of

foreign liquor along with drug

injections from their

possessions, the release

added.

Dhaka’s air quality

remains ‘moderate’

DHAKA : Dhaka's air quality continues to be

in the 'moderate' zone, all thanks to

intermittent monsoon showers.

With an air quality index (AQI) score of 95

at 8.57am, the densely populated metropolis

ranked 14th in the list of world cities with the

worst air quality.

Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, Peru's Lima and

China's Beijing occupied the first three spots

in the list, with AQI scores of 372, 153 and

149, respectively.

An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered

'moderate' with an acceptable air quality.

However, there may be a moderate health

concern for a very small number of people

who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.

On the other hand, an AQI between 101

and 200 is considered 'unhealthy',

particularly for sensitive groups.

Similarly, an AQI between 201 and 300 is

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

400 is considered 'hazardous', posing

serious health risks to residents.

AQI, an index for reporting daily air

quality, is used by government agencies to

inform people how clean or polluted the air

of a certain city is, and what associated

health effects might be a concern for them.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five

criteria pollutants-Particulate Matter (PM10

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

Dhaka has long been grappling with air

pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns

unhealthy in winter and improves during the

monsoon.

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.

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.

State Minister of Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian MP addressing a workshop

titled 'Establish Pilot Process to Classify Cases in Consultation with the Judges of the Labour Courts

with a view to Addressing Case Backlogs' .

Photo : PID

Newly enrolled students of Fall-2022Semester of Daffodil International University at the orientation

program.

Photo : Courtesy

DIU holds orientation

for Fresher’s of

Fall-2022

The orientation program for

the newly enrolled students

of Fall Semester 2022 of

Daffodil International

University (DIU) was held

yesterday at permanent

campus of Daffodil Smart

City, Ashulia, Dhaka.

Professor Dr. M Lutfar

Rahman, Vice Chancellor of


University was present in

the orientation program as

the chief guest. Professor

Dr. S M MahbubUl Islam

Majumdar, Pro Vice

Chancellor, Mominul

Haque Majumder,

Treasurer, Prof. Dr. Md.

Ismail Jabiullah, Controller

of Examination, Prof. Dr.

Mostafa Kamal, Dean,

Permanent Campus and Dr.

Nadir Bin Ali, Registrar of


University were present as

the special guests.

Conducted by Dr. Syed

Mizanur Rahman, Director

Student Affairs, the

program was addressed by

Deans and Heads of

different department of the

university, a press release

said.

While addressing as the

chief guest Vice Chancellor

Professor Dr. M Lutfar

Rahman said that Daffodil

International University has

become a top ranked

university in Bangladesh

with the contribution of

students, teachers, officials

and parents. Recently


University recognized as the

QS ranked university in

Banghladesh. In future,


University dreams be the

world's one of the best

universities

and

implementing the cherished

dream, Daffodil University

is strictly maintaining its'

standard and quality of

education and developing

required infrastructure. he

added.

Vice Chancellor Professor

Dr. M Lutfar Rahman also

said that 13 hundred

graduates of Daffodil

International University

already have become

entrepreneurs. They

already created 4 thousand

plus employment

opportunity for DIU

Graduates. He also said

that the target of Daffodil

International University is

to build its every single

graduate asa specialist in IT

and Entrepreneurship field

and for achieving this goal

DIU is working hard from

the very beginning.

International Youth Day

More youth involvement

needed in policymaking,

says BRAC

DHAKA : Speakers at a discussion

marking International

Youth Day on Friday stressed

the need for more involvement

of youth in policy-making.

Brac Youth Platform organised

the discussion on

"Unleashing the power of

young people towards a new

Bangladesh: Ageism as a barrier'

today in the city.

Youth employment, health,

access to justice and good governance,

and political participation

dominated the open

discussion, according to a

press release.

BRAC's Migration Programme

and Youth Initiatives

head Shariful Hasan said

empowering the youth, their

views prevail at BRAC. But

unfortunately in Bangladesh,

the youth do not dominate the

policy-making space.

"The involvement of youth

in policy making and decision

making is very necessary," he

added.

SuNday, auguST 14, 2022

4

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Sunday, August 14, 2022

Accessing higher

education in the

public sector

W

hile

the requirements of

expansion of education

opportunities at the

primary, secondary and higher

secondary levels were sought to be

addressed in the new education

policy declared by the incumbent

government, higher education was

comparatively neglected.

The number of medical colleges,

engineering universities and the like

create well qualified human

resources. But their number is far

below the need. Privately education

in these fields are on offer but the

costs are found prohibitive by

students from non affluent families.

Thus, many young ones this year

with even GPA-5 scores would not

find a place in the publicly run

institutions as these have limited

seats. They would also remain

similarly shut off from private

institutions on grounds of not being

able to bear the costs.

It would create hope if the

education policy showed that it

addressed this huge problem by

creating provisions in it for the

establishment of new public sector

universities and institutions to

widen the access to higher

education opportunities for bright

students from poor families who are

in no position to buy the pricey

private education. As it is, the way

to higher education is narrowing on

the one hand and, on the other, such

education is becoming like a

commodity to be purchased by

students of affluent parents.

Even in the limited number of

public universities or specialised

centres of higher education, courses

get too frequently disrupted by

aimless party politics. Frequent

violent incidents linked to such

politics contribute to undermine the

academic atmosphere . The other

fall-out of campus violence-session

jams-painfully lengthen the time

that students have to spend for their

graduate and post-graduate studies.

But the education policy failed to

effectively address these factors.

The public universities are also

found lacking in introducing or

providing up-to-date courses and

teaching aids. The teachers in them,

as a consequences of their

involvement in party politics and

pulls outside for private teaching

assignments, are seen spending less

than the expected time to their main

teaching posts.

It is very necessary to substantially

increase government's investments

in new general universities,

specialised universities, engineering

universities, science and technology

universities, medical colleges,

engineering colleges, agricultural

colleges and universities, etc. Not

only increasing their number, every

effort must be made to impart

quality education in them.

The resources of the publicly run

institutions of higher learning may

be increased with greater allocations

from the national budget for the

purpose.

Intergenerational solidarity needed to create a world for all ages

There are currently 59 million young

people (15-29 years) in Bangladesh.

They comprise of about 35 percent of

the total population which is a great

opportunity for Bangladesh as well as a

matter of great concern at the same time. If

we can properly utilize them they will

become assets and huge potentials for us.

On the other hand, if we fail to grab the

opportunity, then it will become huge

burden for us. That is why, to make our

youth as human resources, skilled and

confident we need to take concerted efforts

and solidarity from each and every actor for

youth development.

Youth of our country made significant

contributions in the history of Bangladesh.

The role of youth in enlightening our

country's politics, democracy, economy,

justice and social change is remarkable. The

youth of this country has always been active

against injustice to live in peace with dignity

and freedom which brought significant

positive changes in the country and

societies. As youth have always sacrificed

their lives during every crisis moments of

this country, they have become the shining

witnesses of the history. Their sacrifices

have created great examples for the future

generations. The history of liberation war

and active participation of youth in that war

is an inspiration to the whole nation and a

guiding principle to us to move forward.

Today, the situation of youth sometimes

compels us to be worried about them.

Because we see that many youths are getting

involved in various kinds of misdeeds

alongside some youth's involvement with

social welfare activities. Not only that, many

youths are becoming a burden to the family,

society and the state through becoming drug

addicted, and getting involved with various

illegal and unethical activities including

sexual harassment, assault, rape, drug

abuse, crime or violence, fanaticism etc.

which are unexpected because our past

history and moral values never teach us this.

It's the culture war games - and the last Tory contenders are on the run from reality

It is the ceremonial opening of the

culture war games. Rishi Sunak, late to

start but making up ground, showed up

in earnest at the end of July with what has

become the first ritual, the kicking of the

asylum seeker. Liz Truss pledged to send

even more of them abroad. Sunak, unable

to outdo Truss by pledging to fire them into

outer space, said hear me out: cruise ships.

How about we house asylum seekers in a

sort of floating prison while they are

processed?

This didn't do the trick, and so Sunak

effectively relaunched his campaign last

week, pivoting towards a fight with

"leftwing agitators" for trying to "take a

bulldozer to our history, our traditions and

our fundamental values". He accused them

of "rewriting the English language so we

can't even use words like 'man', 'woman' or

'mother' without being told we're offending

someone". Then scrambling for more,

announced that "vilifying the UK" should

be an offence that should be referred to

Prevent, as it amounts to extremism.

It's worth noting here that Sunak started

out as the "commonsense" candidate, who

was going to be "honest" and not depend on

"fairytales". But then, presumably after

actually getting to know the voting Tory

membership, then having a Downfall-style

meltdown at his team, decided that fewer

facts and more empty posturing was the

way to go. It is an embarrassingly desperate

submission from someone who once

insisted he had "zero interest in fighting a

so-called culture war". The unsaid part,

presumably, is "but I'll do it if I have to".

And boy, does he have to. He's trailing

badly to Truss who was a culture warrior

way before she ran for leadership of the

party. She has a record and, most

importantly, a personality that is more at

ease with casual dissembling and delivering

Damage from Pelosi’s Asia tour awaits final tally

Nancy Pelosi came and left. Some in

Taiwan called her visit a part of her

graduation trip. A tad condescending,

perhaps, but they meant it was her last

hurrah.

After the forthcoming midterm election in

the US, her Democratic Party is expected to

lose control of the House of Representatives

and she will no longer be the Speaker. She

had to make her grand tour, fully paid for by

taxpayers, while she could.

The immediate consequences are clear.

Step over Beijing's red line and you can

expect China to react as it promised. Some

hotheads were disappointed that People's

Liberation Army (PLA) fighter jets did not

shoot down Pelosi's plane.

However, by exercising live-fire exercises in

seven regions surrounding the island of

Taiwan, China was saying not only that the

SumiT BaNik, Rimi Chakma aNd NaBaleSwaR dewaN

This kind of moral degradation and

negativity of today's youth makes us worried

about their future and hence many people

become frustrated, hopeless and depressed.

With great importance we have to think

about the moral degradation and

involvement of youth with various harmful

activities. We all have to take initiative in

order to remove the existing crisis among

our youth. The United Nations and its

member states observe this day to give

attention for youth development and create

awareness among people through various

activities. Increasing participation and

expanding the scope of the opinion sharing

of youth in various social, economic, and

political interventions; letting people know

about the significant contribution of youth

to bring about positive changes in the society

and convey messages of the youth day, 12

August is celebrated as the International

Youth Day, every year.

The theme of the international youth day

2022 is intergenerational solidarity:

creating a world for all ages. To ensure "no

one will be left behind" we must collaborate

to build equitable intergenerational

relationship and partnership. To tackle

global issues, lack of intergenerational

solidarity and ageism are some key

challenges for future generations. We know,

it is natural to be different in terms of

thoughts, attitudes and philosophy among

silly pabulum than Sunak, who always

looks like the bully's sidekick, puffed up

when in company but pleading for mercy

the moment he's caught alone. He is way

out of his comfort zone, which is why even

his wording, when he tries to sound

brawny, is always just a little bit off (last

week, he said that lefties were trying to

cancel "our" women). Truss has no such

visible internal dissonance, instead she has

now taken to randomly announcing that

she "loves Britain" because "we are a great

country".

For those hoping that the culture war

nonsense and pugnaciousness of the Brexit

and Johnson era were over, the past few

weeks have been truly stomach-sinking.

There has been so much infantile talk about

serious things. The triviality of the two

candidates' preoccupations sits in stark

contrast to the grave state of the UK's

economic situation, which is worsening by

the day.

But in fairness to Sunak and Truss, what

else are they going to do? Sunak found out

the hard way, and too late, that people want

to be lied to. They want the fantasy, because

waking up to real life is too painful. There is

a reason that both candidates talk about

their potential leadership as though the

Conservatives are an opposition party:

"median line" in the Taiwan Strait does not

exist, but that it can enter Taiwan's waters

any time it wants, anywhere it wants, and fire

at any target it wants. Pelosi's provocation

had given China the necessary cause.

The PLA fired missiles from the mainland

over the width of Taiwan that landed on the

opposite side of the island facing the Pacific,

the potential area where US naval vessels

would lurk if they were there to defend

Taiwan. They weren't. The aircraft carrier

USS Ronald Reagan had already hightailed

out of danger and sailed for Japan.

The Taipei government explained that the

air-raid alarms remained silent because it did

not want to panic the populace unduly. It did

not fire at missiles incoming from the

mainland because it did not want to waste

expensive Patriots on missiles that were

going to land harmlessly in the sea.

NeSRiNe malik

GEORGE KOO

people of different ages and generations.

That is why this year much importance is

given to the issues of creating a peaceful

world for all ages and building solidarity

among them in the society and state.

According to the information published in

the media, recently, the incidence of youth

involvement in crime is increasing day by

day in Bangladesh. The incidence of sexual

harassment and assault is much higher. A

study on Bangladesh Peace Situation 2021

done by the Center for Genocide Studies

(CGS), Dhaka University under the initiative

of Bangladesh Peace Observatory (BPO)

found that families, education systems, lack

of healthy entertainment, economic

Today, the situation of youth sometimes compels us to be worried about

them. Because we see that many youths are getting involved in various

kinds of misdeeds alongside some youth's involvement with social welfare

activities. Not only that, many youths are becoming a burden to the family,

society and the state through becoming drug addicted, and getting involved

with various illegal and unethical activities including sexual harassment,

assault, rape, drug abuse, crime or violence, fanaticism etc

conditions and social media are contributing

to the rise of crime among youth.

Engagement of youth in crime is a major

challenge in today's world. In Bangladesh,

crime of youth includes youth gangs, sexual

harassment, assaults, rape, thefts, robberies,

fanaticism, communalism etc.

Considering the issues of youth

empowerment, life skills development of

youth, access to SRHR information and

services, prevention of child marriage and

gender-based violence, and tackling

menstrual health management in remote

areas where there is no ready-made

menstrual product available, dirty clothes

were the only option to use during

menstruation, etc., Bangladesh Nari Progati

everything about modern Conservatism is

about putting as much distance as possible

between the party's actions and their

consequences. Whether it is Brexit, the

housing crisis, or a lopsided economy

where the super-rich float comfortably

above the inflation battering everyone else,

the Tories can't fix what they themselves

have broken. Cue a fake lineup of culprits -

immigrants, Brussels, "lefty lawyers", the

European Court of Human Rights - on

which to blame unemployment, declining

For those hoping that the culture war nonsense and pugnaciousness

of the Brexit and Johnson era were over, the past few weeks have

been truly stomach-sinking. There has been so much infantile talk

about serious things. The triviality of the two candidates'

preoccupations sits in stark contrast to the grave state of the uk's

economic situation, which is worsening by the day.

living standards and "red tape" that fetters

growth. This is a party on the run from

reality.

The result is a sort of political Ponzi

scheme, where bigger and bigger earnings

are promised, until the investment is so

large that the punters themselves dare not

question why their dividends are

dwindling. This is why culture war offerings

are so prized, not because people care

specifically about their details, which in

polling always rank low on what people say

they care about, but because they are a

comfort blanket, a way to soothe voters into

believing that their status, as natives

bewildered by pronouns and alarmed by

the modern world, is sacred and therefore

somehow fortified against the really big,

scary things: asset depreciation, a

A poll taken shortly after Pelosi's visit found

that 9% of Taiwanese people remain

convinced that the US military will be around

to defend them. The world will be waiting to

see if US carriers will resume patrolling the

South China Sea and if the PLA will challenge

the American version of "freedom of

navigation" in the body of water that China

considers its own. Pelosi's meeting in Taipei

also revealed why South Korean President

Yoon Suk-yeol declined to meet her.

Over lunch in Taipei, Pelosi urged Morris

Chang, founder and former chairman of

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

Company (TSMC), to locate some of its

fabrication plants outside of Taiwan,

specifically to complete its new site in Arizona

and perhaps establish a presence in Japan.

Chang's polite reply to Pelosi was that

building semiconductor fabs in different

Sangha (BNPS) and Simavi Netherlands

supported an integrated development

initiative functioning for around 12,000

adolescent girls and young women in the

Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh in

collaboration with 10 local NGOs under a

project titled Our Lives, Our Health, Our

Futures' (OurLHF) - empowering

adolescent girls and young women to live

with dignity without violence funded by

European Union (EU) over the last three

years, since 2019.

We have to keep our youth away from

crime and violence and engage them in

positive developmental activities. We often

don't want to focus on this degradation of

potential youth. But if we think about future

leadership, sustainable social development,

peaceful society then it is not possible

without active participation of youth in

developmental activities. That is why; we

must be careful so that no one can mislead

the potential youth of our country because

today's youth are our future leaders who will

lead and manage the country in future.

Therefore, the youth should be diverted

from the path of crime and violence in spite

of various limitations. Necessary initiatives

should be taken to harness the latent talent

and potential of the youth for the

development of the country because they are

the light of hope of society and country.

Values, patriotism, moral education should

be imparted among them. In this case,

social, political, state initiatives and goodwill

are very important in addition to personal

initiatives. The more our intervention is

delayed, the more social development will

be hampered. After all, it is time to take

concerted efforts for youth and build

intergenerational relationships with

solidarity of everyone in order to create a

world for all ages.

The authors are working as Master

Trainer in Rights-based Development

Organizations.

threadbare health service, the next

recession.

In a way, culture war are only a gateway

to a promised land where our best days are

ahead of us. It is part of a general pitch that

is not about addressing specific grievances

but projecting a style, posture and tone.

Truss is happy in this fact- and substancefree

zone, pre-empting any threat of a

reckoning by cheerfully producing

numbers that don't add up to kickstart the

economy; dismissing Nicola Sturgeon as an

attention seeker who needs to be ignored;

evangelising for a Brexit that she herself

campaigned against.

In a way, Johnson's undoing wasn't his

lies, but what he lied about. Partygate did

for him because it placed his supporters

firmly outside an inner circle that he

implicitly promised they were a part of.

Truss, and lately Sunak, are learning that

this protection racket politics is the only

way forward, that a base created from lies

can only be sustained by lies. It is too late to

start telling a different story. Both Tory

members and party leaders are trapped in a

simulation that the former are too afraid to

end and the latter too bankrupt to

puncture.

In the 1997 science fiction film Gattaca, a

purposeful, determined but weak man

saves his much stronger, genetically gifted

brother from drowning. When he is asked

how he did it despite his physical

limitations, he replies: "I never saved

anything for the swim back." This is where

the Conservative party finds itself at the

moment - but without the principle or

purpose. The lies worked and carried them

far out to sea. But the land on the horizon

will never come into sight, and they have

saved nothing for the journey back.

Nesrine Malik is a Guardian columnist

locations is not economically or technically

practical. An American citizen, Chang did not

say that he did not think the US has the

needed skilled personnel, which he had said

on other occasions. Pelosi's mission in Seoul

was to pressure Samsung and other chip

makers in Korea to join TSMC and move their

fabs to the US. Her selling point was to take

advantage of the US$52 billion in the CHIPS

(Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce

Semiconductors for America) Act as a

financial incentive for such a move to the US.

George Koo retired from a global advisory

services firm where he advised clients on

their China strategies and business

operations. Educated at MIT, Stevens

Institute and Santa Clara University, he is

the founder and former managing director

of International Strategic Alliances.

SunDAy, AuGuST 14, 2022

5

Bangladesh’s first private

astro observatory

launched in Gazipur

The first ever full size

private astro observatory

has been established in

Sreepur of Gazipur.

It has created a new

history in the astronomy

practice of the country, a

press release said.

Freedom fighter and

businessman Shahjahan

Mridha Benu funded the

observatory with his own

expense and established it

in his own residential

land. The work of this

non-profitable

observatory has already

been completed with the

design and the technology

provided by Benu.

He said, those

interested

in

astronomical research

will have the opportunity

to conduct research here

in a few days.

It will become a space

research center with the

participation of famous

astronomy researchers

from home and abroad

and a new field of

research is being

introduced through this,

he added.

Benu set up the

country's first observatory

on the roof of the National

Museum of Science and

Technology in the capital.

Dipen Bhattacharya,

professor of Physics and

Astronomy at Moreno

Valley College in the

United States, Maksuda

Afrus Khuki and other

Bangladeshi Astro

scientists are also

affiliated with this

observatory.

Dipen said Benu is one

of the people who started

the practice of astronomy

in the country with the

science lovers.

"He led the research,

observation, and

celebration of all

astronomical events in

the post-independence

era of Bangladesh," he

added.

Benu hoped that

students from public and

private universities and

colleges will be able to

conduct regular space

observation and research

with NASA, CNSA, the

European Space Agency,

and the Canadian Space

Agency through the Astro

observatory.

Benu's residence stands

on about 80 bighas of

land adjacent to Bagher

Bazar in Sreepur upazila

of Gazipur.

The night sky is being

observed at the institution

with the help of a 14-inch

meade-Cassegrain

telescope in the initial

stage of this observatory,

Benu said.

More sophisticated 100-

inch diameter refractor

telescope will be attached

in future. There are also

plans to install a radio

telescope at the

observatory, he added

Benu is also president of

the Astro division of

Anushandhitshu Chokro

and Bangladesh Astro

Foundation. These

organisations will manage

the astro observatory.

SAMuEl GibbS

With wifi more important than

ever for keeping your home

working and your online

entertainment up and running,

it may be time to banish those

irritating "not-spots" and make

your broadband work

everywhere in your home with

a router upgrade.

Now that most new devices,

from laptops and phones to

TVs and streaming boxes,

support wifi 6, I put several of

the latest mid-range "mesh"

routers to the test to see which

ones deliver.

These mesh systems work by

replacing your current wifi. One

of the units connects via a cable

to the current router from your

internet service provider (ISP),

and then connects wirelessly to

other units dotted about your

home to blanket it with strong

wifi.

There are two main types of

mesh routers. Cheaper "dualband"

systems connect to each

other using the same

frequencies they use for your

phones, computers and other

devices.

In testing, dual-band wifi 6

mesh systems provided good

coverage but not meaningfully

increased speeds across the

home compared with older,

cheaper wifi 5 equivalents. I

would recommend spending

less on older wifi 5 kit rather

than the new dual-band wifi 6

systems if your broadband

speed is less than 200Mbps.

The more expensive "triband"

systems connect to each

other using a separate band of

wifi frequencies to the ones

they use to connect your

devices to the internet, and they

can provide considerably faster

speeds across the home.

If your broadband speed is

above 200Mbps, here are three

of the best tri-band wifi 6 mesh

systems available. Each were

tested with 400Mbps

broadband with more than 50

devices connected, including an

Apple MacBook Air, iPhone 13

Pro and Samsung Galaxy S21

Ultra with wifi 6, and a

Microsoft Xbox Series X and

Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus tablet

with wifi 5, each used for testing

speed and range.

The tall, white towers of the

Linksys Velop do two things

better than any other tested:

high signal strength over long

range and high speed from

every satellite.

The mid-range MX4200

Fixing broadband dead zones

using wifi 6 mesh systems

version with three nodes

thoroughly blanketed the

house and provided a reliable

signal at about 25 metres away

from the house at the end of the

garden - something none of the

others managed.

Everything remained stable

under high load, with multiple

devices streaming and

downloading simultaneously,

while speed and latency were

consistent across the home.

Wifi 6 speeds matched those

using ethernet on the main

unit, and ping times were kept

below 12ms - only 3ms slower

than via cable - and dropped by

only a few megabits at the

extremities of the house, which

was extremely impressive.

Speeds for wifi 5 devices were

equally good, holding

consistently within 100Mbps of

wifi 6 devices all over the house.

The Linksys Wifi app on a

phone handles setting up the

system and can then be used to

remotely manage your network

while you're away. The app is a

bit slow and doesn't display the

wifi version or speed of

connected devices. More

advanced settings require

accessing the web interface of

the system through a browser,

too. Each unit is identical, with

three gigabit ethernet sockets

and a USB3.0 port in addition

to the socket for your ISP's

router.

Velop covers most of the

features that are table-stakes

for routers, including a guest

access option, port forwarding,

speed testing, firewalls,

automatic updates, device or

video-call prioritisation for

slower connections and other

bits. It does not have a VPN

built in for connecting to your

home network while you are

away, though.

Parental controls allow you to

pause internet access manually

or on a schedule and block

specific sites on a device-bydevice

basis. Velop is also Apple

HomeKit-enabled for

improved security for some

smart home devices.

Netgear's mid-range Orbi

system came a close second to

the Linksys, providing really

fast wifi 6 speeds and low

latency from the main unit,

with only slightly slower speeds

at the extremities of the house.

Its wifi 5 performance was

slightly worse than the Linksys,

while its range was shorter,

failing to provide a useable

connection at the end of the

garden. It struggled to put

signal through concrete block

walls, too.

The main unit has three

gigabit ethernet ports and a

socket for your modem, while

the satellite units just have two

ethernet ports. The network

remained stable under heavy

usage, but struggled to migrate

laptops between the Orbi units

as they were moved between

rooms, requiring manually

disconnecting

and

reconnecting to wifi to get the

best connection.

The Orbi app was simple for

setting up the system. It has a

few more features than the

Velop, such as a network map

of your connected devices, but

is slow and lacks wifi version

and speed information for each

device.

The browser-based web

interface has advanced settings,

including a built-in VPN, which

lets you connect to your home

network remotely - handy both

for privacy when on public wifi

and using devices such as smart

CCTV cameras when away.

Basic parental controls

include manual pausing of the

internet and blocking certain

sites, but for more options

Netgear charges £6.99 a month

for "smart parental controls",

which includes time limits,

scheduling, website history and

device usage tracking, content

filters and a few other bits.

Standard firewall security is

free, but Netgear also sells an

annual £85 "Armor"

subscription, which is a

proactive security solution

from the cybersecurity

company Bitdefender that

helps stop viruses and other

threats. I found it irritating,

flagging my attempts to

configure smart speakers and

other devices as threats and

blocking them.

Amazon's Eero 6 Pro is one of

the most simple tri-band wifi 6

mesh systems to set up, with

the option to login with an

Amazon account.

But wifi 6 speeds were the

slowest of the group test, losing

10% compared with using

ethernet on the main unit and

dropping off significantly when

connecting at the extremities of

the house. Wifi 5 performance

was also disappointing by

comparison. Each unit is the

same, but they only have two

gigabit ethernet ports each, one

of which needs to be used to

connect to your modem on the

main unit.

Coverage within the house

was good, but the Eero

struggled with concrete block

walls and had much shorter

range into the garden

compared to the others. I also

had annoying issues with

Sonos speakers and a Sky Q settop

box, which required

replacing a faulty Eero and

software updates to fix. The

Eero system caused

interference for Xbox wireless

audio through headphones

connected to the joypad, too.

There is no advanced

The Eero 6 Pro units are small and fairly attractive, as networking gear goes,

which makes placing them easier than some competitors. Photo: Samuel Gibbs

interface for controlling the

Eero, but the app is the best for

the basics. That includes the

ability to group connected

devices into "profiles" so you

can pause the internet

manually or on a schedule per

profile and see how much

bandwidth they are using.

But parental controls - some

of the best in the business - for

filtering content, sites and

services require the £2.99 a

month Eero Secure

subscription, which also

includes data consumption

history, virus and ad-blocking,

and a few other things.

The Eero also includes a

built-in Zigbee smart home hub

for direct connection of some

devices to Amazon's Alexa,

without third-party hubs, and

supports the upcoming Thread

smart home standard.

What’s wrong with WhatsApp

WilliAM DAviES

In the spring, as the virus

swept across the world and

billions of people were

compelled to stay at home,

the popularity of one social

media app rose more sharply

than any other. By late March,

usage of WhatsApp around

the world had grown by 40%.

In Spain, where the lockdown

was particularly strict, it rose

by 76%. In those early

months, WhatsApp - which

hovers neatly between the

space of email, Facebook and

SMS, allowing text messages,

links and photos to be shared

between groups - was a prime

conduit through which waves

of news, memes and mass

anxiety travelled.

At first, many of the new

uses were heartening. Mutual

aid groups sprung up to help

the vulnerable. Families and

friends used the app to stay

close, sharing their fears and

concerns in real time. Yet by

mid-April, the role that

WhatsApp was playing in the

pandemic looked somewhat

darker. A conspiracy theory

about the rollout of 5G, which

originated long before Covid-

19 had appeared, now

claimed that mobile phone

masts were responsible for

the disease. Across the UK,

people began setting fire to 5G

masts, with 20 arson attacks

over the Easter weekend

alone.

WhatsApp, along with

Facebook and YouTube, was

a key channel through which

the conspiracy theory

proliferated. Some feared that

the very same community

groups created during March

were now accelerating the

spread of the 5G conspiracy

theory. Meanwhile, the app

was also enabling the spread

of fake audio clips, such as a

widely shared recording in

which someone who claimed

to work for the NHS reported

that ambulances would no

longer be sent to assist people

with breathing difficulties.

This was not the first time

that WhatsApp has been

embroiled in controversy.

While the "fake news"

scandals surrounding the

2016 electoral upsets in the

UK and US were more

focused upon Facebook -

which owns WhatsApp -

subsequent electoral victories

for Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil

and Narendra Modi in India

were aided by incendiary

WhatsApp messaging,

exploiting the vast reach of

the app in these countries. In

India, there have also been

reports of riots and at least 30

deaths linked to rumours

circulating on WhatsApp.

India's Ministry of

Information

and

Broadcasting has sought ways

of regulating WhatsApp

content, though this has led to

new controversies about

government infringement on

civil liberties.

As ever, there is a risk of

pinning too much blame for

complex political crises on an

inert technology. WhatsApp

has also taken some steps to

limit its use as a vehicle for

Mark Zuckerberg talking about privacy at a Facebook conference in 2019.

Photo: Amy osborne

misinformation. In March, a

WhatsApp spokesperson told

the Washington Post that the

company had "engaged

health ministries around the

world to provide simple ways

for citizens to receive accurate

information about the virus".

But even away from such

visible disruptions,

WhatsApp does seem to be an

unusually effective vehicle for

sowing distrust in public

institutions and processes.

A WhatsApp group can

exist without anyone outside

the group knowing of its

existence, who its members

are or what is being shared,

while end-to-end encryption

makes it immune to

surveillance from third

parties. Back in Britain's pre-

Covid-19 days, when Brexit

and Jeremy Corbyn were the

issues that provoked the most

feverish political discussions,

speculation and paranoia

swirled around such groups.

Media commentators who

defended Corbyn were often

accused of belonging to a

WhatsApp group of

"outriders", co-ordinated by

Corbyn's office, which

supposedly told them what

line to take. Meanwhile, the

Conservative party's pro-

Brexit European Research

Group was said to be chiefly

sustained in the form of a

WhatsApp group, whose

membership was never

public. Secretive coordination

- both real and imagined -

does not strengthen

confidence in democracy.

WhatsApp groups can not

only breed suspicion among

the public, but also

manufacture a mood of

suspicion among their own

participants. As also

demonstrated by closed

Facebook groups, discontents

- not always well-founded -

accumulate in private before

boiling over in public. The

capacity to circulate

misinformation and

allegations is becoming

greater than the capacity to

resolve them.

The political threat of

WhatsApp is the flipside of its

psychological appeal. Unlike

so many other social media

platforms, WhatsApp is built

to secure privacy. On the plus

side, this means intimacy with

those we care about and an

ability to speak freely; on the

negative side, it injects an

ethos of secrecy and suspicion

into the public sphere. As

Facebook, Twitter and

Instagram become

increasingly theatrical - every

gesture geared to impress an

audience or deflect criticism -

WhatsApp has become a

sanctuary from a confusing

and untrustworthy world,

where users can speak more

frankly. As trust in groups

grows, so it is withdrawn from

public institutions and

officials. A new common

sense develops, founded on

instinctive suspicion towards

the world beyond the group.

The ongoing rise of

WhatsApp, and its challenge

to both legacy institutions and

open social media, poses a

profound political question:

how do public institutions

and discussions retain

legitimacy and trust once

people are organised into

closed and invisible

communities? The risk is that

a vicious circle ensues, in

which private groups circulate

ever more information and

disinformation to discredit

public officials and public

information, and our

alienation from democracy

escalates.

A feature called "Passenger Play" allowed video games to be played on Tesla

vehicles' center touch screens while the car is in motion. Photo: Gillian Flaccus

Tesla stops allowing

drivers to play video

games while driving

TEchnoloGy DESk

Under pressure from US

auto safety regulators, Tesla

has agreed to stop allowing

video games to be played on

center touch screens while

its vehicles are moving.

The National Highway

Traffic

Safety

Administration says the

company will send out a

software update over the

internet so the function

called "Passenger Play" will

be locked and won't work

while vehicles are in motion.

The move comes one day

after the agency announced

it would open a formal

investigation into distracted

driving concerns about

Tesla's video games, some of

which could be played while

cars are being driven.

An agency spokeswoman

said in a statement Thursday

that the change came after

regulators discussed

concerns about the system

with Tesla.

The statement says

NHTSA regularly talks

about infotainment screens

with all automakers. A

message was left Thursday

seeking comment from

Tesla, which has disbanded

its media relations

department.

The agency says its

investigation of Tesla's

feature will continue even

with the update.

"The Vehicle Safety Act

prohibits manufacturers

from selling vehicles with

defects posing unreasonable

risks to safety, including

technologies that distract

drivers from driving safely,"

NHTSA's statement said.

The agency said it assesses

how manufacturers identify

and guard against

distraction hazards due to

misuse or intended use of

screens and other

convenience technology.

The agency announced

Wednesday that it would

formally investigate Tesla's

screens. The probe covers

about 580,000 Tesla Models

S, X, Y and 3 from the 2017

through 2022 model years.

SundAy, AuguSt 14, 2022

6

Vice-Chancellor of Barisal university professor dr. Md. Sadequl Arefin is visiting the admission

examination center of the 1st year 'B' unit of Bachelor (Honors) under gSt cluster held at Barisal

university Center on 13th August 2022. professor dr. Mohammad Badruzzaman Bhuiyan, treasurer

of the university was also present at the time.

photo: Courtesy

Man held

with 4.4kg

heroin in

C'nawabganj

RAJSHAHI: Members of

Rapid Action Battalion

(RAB) in an anti-crime

drive arrested an alleged

drug peddler with 4.4

kilograms of heroin from a

village

in

Chapainawabganj district

yesterday afternoon,

reports BSS.

RAB sources here said

the arrested was identified

as Ziarul Islam, 35, son of

late Abdur Rahman of

Char Kodalkati village

under Sadar upazila of the

district.

On a tip-off, a team of

the elite force conducted a

raid in his house at around

3.30 pm and arrested

Ziarul with the huge

contraband heroin redhanded,

the RAB sources

added.

The arrested person

along with the seized

goods was handed over to

the police.

A case was recorded

with Chapainawabganj

Sadar Police Station in this

connection.

Tarique Zia has an

Honors in Theft

and a Masters in

Corruption

Md. HARun OR RASHId, deMRA

CORReSpOndent:

Bangladesh Awami League

President Mandoli member

and former minister

Mofazzal Hossain

Chowdhury Maya (Bir

Bikram) commented that

Tarek Zia has done honors

in theft and masters in

corruption.

He made this comment

during the chief guest's

speech at the memorial

meeting and prayer

ceremony on the occasion of

National Mourning Day at

Demra in the capital on

Saturday. At this time, he

said that those involved in

the murder of Bangabandhu

and his family members

should be brought to justice.

And no matter how much

BNP starts bad politics and

agitation, Awami League

will come back to power with

their strong answer. Sheikh

Hasina will be the prime

minister again. In this case,

if BNP stops all agitations

and tenders sincere apology

and participates in the

upcoming national

elections, then they will be

welcomed.

Under the chairmanship

of Demra Thana Awami

League president Rafiqul

Islam Khan and moderated

by general secretary

Moshiur Rahman Mollah,

Water Resources Deputy

Minister AKM Enamul

Hoque Shameem and

Education Deputy Minister

Barrister Mohibul Hasan

Chowdhury Naufel, MP

were present as special

guests.

Discussion on National Mourning

Day held in Bhola

BHOLA: A discussion was held on the occasion

of the 47th martyrdom anniversary of Father of

the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman and the National Mourning Day in

Lalmohan upazila of the district yesterday

afternoon, reports BSS.

Haji Md. Nurul Islam Chowdhury College

and Nurul Islam Chowdhury Training

Institute of the upazila jointly organised the

discussion at the conference room of the

college. Member of Parliament (MP) from

Bhola-3 Constituency Nurunnabi Chowdhury

Shaon addressed the function as the chief

guest with Principal of Haji Md. Nurul Islam

Chowdhury College Nurul Islam in the chair.

tidal water is increasing in Kopotakkho River and flooding the nearby 4/5 villages

in Koyra. Voluntary repair works are underway. photo: Sk deenmahmud

Kopotakkho River inundates

4 more villages in Koyra

Sk deenmahmud, paikgacha

Correspondent: In Khulna's Koyra, within

a month, the Kopotakkho River has

experienced an abnormal rise in tidal water,

and the water has once again broken the

dam and is entering the locality. On Saturday

at noon, the temporary ring dam of

Charamukha village of Ward No. 7 of South

Bedkashi Union of Upazila broke and at least

5 villages of that union were flooded due to

the rise of tidal water in the river.

In the face of the latest round of erosion,

the people of vast coastal areas are in fear of

flooding.

Earlier, on Sunday, July 17, when the 200

meter area started to collapse, the locals tried

to repair it through voluntary work. But that

day at noon the water rose rapidly and

Shaon said some disgruntled military officers,

who could not accept the country's

independence, killed Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the

architect of the independent Bangladesh, with

the help of Khandaker Mushtaq Ahmed on

August 15, 1975. General Secretary of Upazila

Awami League Fakrul Alam Hawlader and

Upazila Secondary Education Officer Rafiqul

Islam was present, among others, on the

occasion.

Later, they offered doa seeking eternal peace of

the departed souls of Bangabandhu and other

martyrs who had to embrace martyrdom on the

fateful night of August 15, 1975.

entered the locality.

In this regard, the local residents blame the

negligence of the concerned authorities and

say that the authorities do not take any

practical action regarding the dam. As a

result, they have to spend sleepless nights in

the face of frequent erosion. They also said

that the water in Kopotakkho had increased

during the high tide today and the dam had

broken and water was entering the locality.

In this regard, Acting Chairman of

South Bedkashi Union, Md. Abdur

Salam Khan said that the temporary ring

dam broke and flooded around four/five

villages in an instant due to the rise of

tidal water in the afternoon. However, he

also confirmed that voluntary repair

efforts are ongoing there.

Memorial meeting and prayer ceremony on the occasion of

national Mourning day at demra was held in demra on

Saturday.

photo: Md. Harun Or Rashid

DNCRP fines

three business

establishments

in Satkhira

SATKHIRA: A team of

Directorate of National

Consumer Rights Protection

(DNCRP) in a drive realized

Taka 12,000 as fine from the

owners of three business

establishments in various

places in the district town

yesterday, reports BSS.

Sources concerned said

the team led by assistant

director of Directorate of

National Consumer Rights

Protection (DNCRP)

Nazmul Hasan conducted

the drive at Lashkar Traders

in Sultanpur Baro Bazar,

fined Taka 10,000, for

selling it at a higher price,

Sagar Traders and Ramadan

stores in Katya fined Taka

1,000 each this morning.

The business establishments

were fined Taka 12,000 for

various irregularities and the

violation of the Consumer

Rights Protection Act-2009.

Members of the law

enforcement agencies

assisted in the operation

team. The operation will

continue against those who

increasing the price of goods

and sell it at exorbitant

prices, Assistant director of

DNCRP Nazmul Hasan told

BSS.

Naogaon

road accident

kills a couple

NAOGAON: A man and

his wife were killed as their

car plunged into a ditch in

Mohadevpur upazila of the

district yesterday noon,

reports BSS.

The deceased were

identified as Shimul, 30,

hailed from Manda upazila

and his wife Zinia, 25.

Officer-in-Charge (OC)

of Mohadevpur Thana

Azam Uddin Mahmud said

the accident occurred as

Shimul lost his control over

the steering near Latahar

Bridge in Nowhata area on

the Naogaon-Rajshahi

Regional Highway while

heading towards Naogaon.

Shimul and Zinia died

on the spot, the OC added.

Police recovered the bodies

after breaking the glass of

the car and handed over

those to their families.

CPB holds

protest rally in

Baniachong

AtAuR RAHMAn MILOn, BAnIACHOng

CORReSpOndent:

A protest rally was held

against the increased prices of

daily commodities including

fuel oil, fertilizers and

medicines and excessive load

shedding by Communist

Party of Bangladesh next to

the Baniachong Shaheed

Minar on Friday afternoon.

Under the chairmanship

of Comrade Jitu Mia and

moderation of Comrade

Abdul Haque Mamun,

general secretary of CPB

Baniachong Group

Committee, journalist and

social activist Ataur Rahman

Milon gave the welcome

speech and labor leader

Farid Mia spoke.

CPB Habiganj District

Committee General Secretary

Piyush Chakraborty was

present as the chief guest. At

the time, he said, the common

people are in trouble due to

the increase in the prices of

fuel oil, fertilizers and

medicines. The current

government does not care

about the interests of the

working people. The price of

everyday goods has suddenly

increased. And if the price of

everyday goods increases,

how will the ordinary people

live? And the government that

does not care for the welfare of

the people is not needed. To

stop this immoral activity of

the government, there is a

need for collective protests

and demonstrations.

LGED chief engineer inspects

7 projects of Tungipara

S M nAzRuL ISLAM, gOpALgAnJ CORReSpOndent:

Chief Engineer of Local Government

Engineering Department (LGED) Sheikh

Mohammad Mohsin inspected 7

development projects of Tungipara Upazila

of Gopalganj. On Saturday morning, he

visited the newly constructed 2-lane

Lebutala Bridge, Union Block Road,

Bangabandhu's memory-encrusted Patgati

Launch Ghatla, and Tungipara Steamer

Ghatla. He also visited Tungipara

auditorium, Gimadanga-Tungipara

Lged chief engineer inspected 7 tungipara projects on Saturday.

Government Primary and High School.

At this time, LGED Dhaka Division

Additional Chief Engineer Manmath

Ranjan Halder, Faridpur Region

Superintending Engineer Saiful Islam

Shahid, Gopalganj District Important

Rural Infrastructure Development Project

PD Md. Abu Sayed, Gopalganj LGED

Executive Engineer Md. Ehsanul Haque,

Tungipara Municipality Mayor Sheikh

Tozammel Haque Tutul, former Mayor

Md. Elias Hossain along with LGED's

engineers and officials were present.

photo: S M nazrul Islam

5-day programme taken to

celebrate Janmastami in Ctg

CHATTOGRAM: A five-day programme has

been taken to celebrate Janmastami, the

holy birth anniversary of Lord Krishna and

one of the major religious festivals of the

Hindu community, in the port city to be held

in a befitting manner, reports BSS.

Sree Sree Janmastami Udjapan Parishad

Bangladesh (SSJUPB), central committee

has taken the programme which will begin

on Friday. Leaders of SSJUPB highlighted

different aspects of the programme at a press

conference held at Chattogram Press Club

yesterday. The programme includes

discussion, Rishi and Boisnab conference,

Beautiful handwriting and painting competition was held in Sunamganj

yesterday in the municipal square. Sunamganj district Awami League Vice

president noman Bakht polin organized this competion. photo: Ak Milon

Beautiful handwriting and painting

competition held in Sunamganj

AK MILOn, SunAMgAnJ CORReSpOndent:

On the occasion of the 47th martyrdom

anniversary of Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and

the National Mourning Day, Sunamganj

District Awami League Vice President Noman

Bakht Polin organized a beautiful handwriting

and painting competition in Sunamganj

yesterday in the municipal square.

Municipal Awami League leader Saikatul

Islam Saikat conducted the competition

recitation from the holy books (Pabitra

Namkirtan) and scholarships hand over

among the meritorious students and

distribution of foods among the devotees.

A grand rally titled "Mohashovajatra" will

be brought out in the city on Saturday

(August 19) from JM Sen Hall premises.

Former Mayor and General Secretary

of City Awami League AJM Nasir Uddin

will inaugurate the rally while

Information and Broadcasting Minister

Dr Hasan Mahmud will addressed

before the Mohashovajatra gathering on

August 19 as the chief guest.

where Chan Mia, ed. Nazrul Islam Shefu, Ed.

Shukur Ali, District Sechsevak League

President Swaeb Chowdhury, District Labor

League Joint General Secretary Wasim Mia

and others were present.

Noman Bakht Palin said that this initiative

was taken to inform the students about the

history of Bangabandhu, liberation war and

the development of independent

Bangladesh. Hundreds of students from the

municipal area participated in the beautiful

handwriting and painting competition.

A protest rally was held to protest the increased prices of daily commodities

including fuel oil, fertilizers and medicines and excessive load

shedding by the Communist party of Bangladesh in Baniachong on

Saturday.

photo: Ataur Rahman Milon

SuNdAY, AuGuST 14, 2022

7

Author Salman Rushdie on ventilator

after New York stabbing

CHAUTAUQUA : Salman Rushdie,

whose novel "The Satanic Verses" drew

death threats from Iran's leader in the

1980s, was stabbed in the neck and

abdomen Friday by a man who rushed

the stage as the author was about to

give a lecture in western New York.

A bloodied Rushdie, 75, was flown to

a hospital and underwent surgery. His

agent, Andrew Wylie, said the writer

was on a ventilator Friday evening, with

a damaged liver, severed nerves in his

arm and an eye he was likely to lose.

Police identified the attacker as Hadi

Matar, 24, of Fairview, New Jersey. He

was awaiting arraignment following his

arrest at the Chautauqua Institution, a

nonprofit education center and resort

where Rushdie was scheduled to speak.

Matar was born a decade after "The

Satanic Verses" was published.

The motive for the attack was

unclear, State Police Maj. Eugene

Staniszewski said.

Rushdie's 1988 novel was viewed as

blasphemous by many Muslims, who

saw a character as an insult to the

Prophet Muhammad, among other

objections. The book was banned in

Iran, where the late leader Grand

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a

1989 fatwa, or edict, calling for

Rushdie's death.

Iran's theocratic government and its

state-run media assigned no rationale

for Friday's assault. In Tehran, some

Iranians interviewed Saturday by The

Associated Press praised the attack on

an author they believe tarnished the

Islamic faith, while others worried it

would further isolate their country.

An Associated Press reporter

witnessed the attacker confront

Rushdie on stage and stab or punch

him 10 to 15 times as the author was

being introduced. Dr. Martin Haskell, a

physician who was among those who

rushed to help, described Rushdie's

wounds as "serious but recoverable."

Event moderator Henry Reese, 73, a

co-founder of an organization that

offers residencies to writers facing

persecution, was also attacked. Reese

suffered a facial injury and was treated

and released from a hospital, police

said. He and Rushdie had planned to

discuss the United States as a refuge for

writers and other artists in exile.

A state trooper and a county sheriff's

deputy were assigned to Rushdie's

lecture, and state police said the

trooper made the arrest. But after the

attack, some longtime visitors to the

center questioned why there wasn't

tighter security for the event, given the

decades of threats against Rushdie and

a bounty on his head offering more

than $3 million to anyone who killed

him.

Rabbi Charles Savenor was among

the roughly 2,500 people in the

audience. Amid gasps, spectators were

ushered out of the outdoor

amphitheater.

The assailant ran onto the platform

"and started pounding on Mr.

Rushdie. At first you're like, 'What's

going on?' And then it became

abundantly clear in a few seconds that

he was being beaten," Savenor said. He

said the attack lasted about 20

seconds.

Another spectator, Kathleen James,

said the attacker was dressed in black,

with a black mask.

"We thought perhaps it was part of a

stunt to show that there's still a lot of

controversy around this author. But it

became evident in a few seconds" that

it wasn't, she said.

Matar, like other visitors, had

obtained a pass to enter the

Chautauqua Institution's 750-acre

grounds, Michael Hill, the institution's

president, said.

The suspect's attorney, public

defender Nathaniel Barone, said he

was still gathering information and

declined to comment. Matar's home

was blocked off by authorities.

The stabbing reverberated from the

tranquil town of Chautauqua to the

United Nations, which issued a

statement expressing U.N. Secretary-

General Antonio Guterres' horror and

stressing that free expression and

opinion should not be met with

violence.

Thousands of fish have washed up dead on the Oder river running through Germany and Poland, sparking

warnings of an environmental disaster as residents are urged to stay away from the water. Photo : AP

'Dead fish everywhere' in

Germany, Poland, after

feared chemical waste dump

SCHWEDT : Thousands of fish have

washed up dead on the Oder river

running through Germany and

Poland, sparking warnings of an

environmental disaster as residents

are urged to stay away from the water.

The fish floating by the German

banks near the eastern town of

Schwedt are believed to have washed

upstream from Poland where first

reports of mass fish deaths were made

by locals and anglers as early as on July

28.

German officials accused Polish

authorities of failing to inform them

about the deaths, and were taken by

surprise when the wave of lifeless fish

came floating into view.

In Poland, the government has also

come under heavy criticism for failing

India's Sonia

Gandhi tests

positive for Covid

NEW DELHI : India's main

opposition Congress party's

chief Sonia Gandhi has

contracted Covid for the

second time in two months.

The 75-year-old widow of

former Prime Minister

Rajiv Gandhi is currently in

home isolation in the

national capital, a senior

Congress leader tweeted on

Saturday. "Congress

President Sonia Gandhi

tested positive for Covid-19

today. She will remain in

isolation as per government

protocol," Jairam Ramesh,

a former federal minister,

wrote.

to take swift action. Almost two weeks

after the first dead fish appeared

floating by Polish villages, Polish

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki

said on Friday that "everyone had

initially thought that it was a local

problem".

But he admitted that the "scale of the

disaster is very large, sufficiently large

to say that the Oder will need years to

recover its natural state."

"Probably enormous quantities of

chemical waste was dumped into the

river in full knowledge of the risk and

consequences," added the Polish

leader, as German Environment

Minister Steffi Lemke urged a

comprehensive probe into what she

called a brewing "environmental

disaster".

Standing by the riverbank, Michael

Tautenhahn, deputy chief of

Germany's Lower Oder Valley

National Park, looked in dismay at the

river on the German-Polish border.

"We are standing on the German

side-we have dead fish everywhere," he

told AFP.

"I am deeply shocked... I have the

feeling that I'm seeing decades of work

lying in ruins here. I see our livelihood,

the water-that's our life," he said,

noting that it's not just fish that have

died, but also mussels and likely

countless other water creatures.

"It's just the tip of the iceberg."

The Oder has over the last years been

known as a relatively clean river, and

40 domestic species of fish make their

home in the waterway.

Gesturing towards her thriving wildflower meadow and still-green tree

cover in this otherwise parched corner of countryside in southeast

England, Claire Price is adamant gardeners must adapt to the country's

evolving climate.

Photo : Internet

Salman Rushdie, whose novel "The Satanic Verses" drew death threats from Iran's leader in the

1980s, was stabbed in the neck and abdomen Friday by a man who rushed the stage as the author was

about to give a lecture in western New York.

Photo : Internet

North Korea lifts

mask mandate

after Covid 'victory'

SEOUL : North Korea has

lifted a mask mandate and

eased other virus

restrictions, state media

said Saturday, days after

leader Kim Jong Un

declared "victory" over

Covid-19.

The announcement comes

after Pyongyang earlier this

week blamed Seoul for

causing the Covid-19

outbreak in the North and

threatened to "wipe out" the

South Korean authorities, if

necessary.

Virus restrictions were

eased as "the public health

crisis created in the country

was completely defused and

its whole territory was

turned into a clean one free

from the malignant virus in

the shortest period,"

Pyongyang's official Korea

Central News Agency

(KCNA) reported.

"The step for obligatory

mask-wearing was lifted in

all areas except frontline

areas and borderline cities

and counties, given that the

whole country was turned

into an epidemic-free zone,"

KCNA said.

Drought sows doubts

over future of traditional

English gardens

SEAL, UNITED KINGDOM

: Gesturing towards her

thriving wildflower meadow

and still-green tree cover in

this otherwise parched

corner of countryside in

southeast England, Claire

Price is adamant gardeners

must adapt to the country's

evolving climate.

Price is the owner and

self-described "custodian"

of Reuthe's, a woodland

oasis of evergreen trees and

shrubs in Sevenoaks, Kent,

which appears better placed

than traditional English

gardens of lawns and flower

beds to withstand the

increasingly arid conditions.

"We do not water any of

the shrubs or the trees in the

ground at all," Price told

AFP proudly on Friday, just

as a hosepipe ban came into

force across the county of

Kent and neighbouring east

Sussex.

"Our philosophy is if you

treat the ground conditions

correctly, so you dig in the

right amount of... moisture

and humus, then the plants

will be able to cope with

these extremes.

"That philosophy has

shown to be for us the right

solution... and, as our

visitors walk around these

amazing woodlands, they

can see that everything is

green and coping with the

drought really well."

With the drought officially

declared Friday and water

restrictions in place across

swathes of England,

horticulturists and others

are urging a rethink of how

the country's famously

manicured gardens are

designed and managed.

Taliban fighters swap arms for books

as hundreds return to school

KABUL : Gul Agha Jalali used to spend his

nights planting bombs-hoping to target an

Afghan government soldier or, better still, a

foreign serviceman.

These days, the 23-year-old Taliban member

is studying English and has enrolled in a

computer science course in the capital,

Kabul."When our country was occupied by

infidels, we needed bombs, mortars and guns,"

says Jalali, an employee at the Ministry of

Transport and Civil Aviation.

Now there is a greater need for education, he

told AFP.Since the Taliban swept back to power

in August last year, hundreds of fighters have

returned to school-either on their own or

pushed by their commanders.The word

"Taliban" actually means "students" in Arabic,

and the hardline Islamist movement's name

stems from the religious schools in southern

Afghanistan it emerged from in the 1990s.Most

Taliban fighters were educated in these

madrassas, where studies are largely limited to

2208-08

the Koran and other Islamic themes. Many

conservative Afghan clerics-particularly among

the Taliban-are sceptical of more modern

education, apart from subjects than can be

applied practically, such as engineering or

medicine."The world is evolving, we need

technology and development," said Jalali, who

planted bombs for five years but is now among a

dozen Taliban studying computers at the

transport ministry. The desire of fighters like

Jalali to go back to school shows Afghans

yearned for education, government

spokesman Bilal Karimi said."Many motivated

mujahideen who had not completed their

studies reached out to educational institutions

and are now studying their favourite courses,"

he told AFP.

But education is a hugely problematic issue in

the country, with secondary school girls barred

from classes since the Taliban returned to

power-and no sign of them being allowed back

despite promises from some in the leadership.

GD-1360/22 (10x3)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2022

8

South Korea pardons Samsung

boss 'to help the economy'

The 114thMeeting of the Executive Committee of Modhumoti Bank Limited was held with assistance of

Zoom technology yesterday. The meeting was presided by EC Chairman, Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor

Taposh. Among others, Managing Director of Sharmin Group Mohammad Ismail Hossain, Chairman of

Labib Group Salahuddin Alamgir, Chairman of Meghna Group Mostafa Kamal, Director of Mona

Financial Consultancy& Securities Ltd. Ahasanul Islam Titu MP, Director of Bengal Group Humayun

Kabir Bablu, Chairmanof Anwar Group Manwar Hossain and Managing Director & CEO of the Bank Md.

Shafiul Azam were present in the meeting.

Photo: Courtesy

Prime Bank has conducted tree plantation program as part of observance of the 47th martyrdom anniversary

of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Mourning Day. The

bank's Managing Director and CEO Hassan O. Rashid along with the senior management officials planted

different varieties of sapling sat Purbachal Model Town on August 13, 2022 to pay tribute to the Great

Statesman. Additional Managing Director Faisal Rahman, Deputy Managing Directors and other senior

management officials were present. As part of the observance of National Mourning Day, the bank has

undertaken a number of activities throughout the month of August.

Photo: Courtesy

UK economy closes in on recession

LONDON: Britain's economy shrank in

the second quarter, official data showed

Friday, as the country heads towards

recession under a new prime minister,

reports BSS.

UK gross domestic product dropped

0.1 percent in the April-June period

after a rise of 0.8 percent in the first

quarter, the Office for National

Statistics said in a statement. The Bank

of England (BoE) expects the economy

to enter a year-long recession by the end

2022 as Britons endure a cost-of-living

crisis with inflation at its highest level in

decades.

"With May's growth revised down a

little and June showing a notable fall,

Huawei revenue

down 5.9

percent in first

half of 2022

BEIJING: Huawei's revenue

dipped by just under six

percent in the first half of

2022, company figures

showed Friday, as the Covid-

19 pandemic and US-China

trade rivalry hit sales,

reports BSS.

The Chinese telecom giant

brought in 301.6 billion

yuan ($44.8 billion),

according to the data, a slip

of 5.9 percent on the

previous year.

"While our device business

was heavily impacted, our

ICT infrastructure business

maintained steady growth,"

Ken Hu, Huawei's rotating

chairman, said in a

statement.

Weak global demand due

to the pandemic, as well as a

2019 US blacklisting that

snarled its supply chains,

have hurt the company's

device business, which sells

smartphones and laptops, a

Huawei spokeswoman told

AFP.

In the second quarter,

Huawei lost its position

among the top five global

smartphone sellers,

according to industry data

provider Canalys.

overall the economy shrank slightly in

the second quarter," said ONS director

of economic statistics Darren Morgan.

"Health was the biggest reason the

economy contracted as both the (Covid)

test and trace and vaccine programmes

were wound down, while many retailers

also had a tough quarter."

Morgan said this was "partially offset

by growth in hotels, bars, hairdressers

and outdoor events across the quarter,

partly as a result of people celebrating

the Platinum Jubilee" that marked

Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the

throne.

The ONS added that the UK economy

slumped 0.6 percent in June.

Sierre Leone president accuses

opposition of insurrection

FREETOWN :The president

of Sierra Leone blamed

deadly protests this week on

opposition parties, claiming

Friday night that his political

rivals had attempted to

overthrow his government in

a

"premeditated"

insurrection, reports BSS.

On Wednesday, a

demonstration organised by

women to draw attention to

inflation and the rising cost

of living descended into

clashes between security

forces and young men

demanding President Julius

Maada Bio resign.

Violence erupted in several

parts of the country, with the

authorities imposing an

internet blackout in

response.

Six protesters and four

police officers were killed,

according to police and

hospital sources, but no

official toll has been given.

While shops and

businesses in the capital

Freetown have reopened, the

government has imposed a

curfew between 7:00 pm and

7:00 am and troops patrol

the streets.

In an address to the nation

on Friday evening, Bio, a

general turned politician who

was elected in 2018, said the

opposition had been stoking

tensions "for some time".

"This was not a protest

against the high cost of living

occasioned by the ongoing

global economic crisis," he

said. "The chant of the

insurrectionists was for a

violent overthrow of the

democratically elected

government."

He specifically cited

members of the All Peoples

Congress, his party's main

political rival and the

country's former ruling

party, as well as the People's

Progressive Party (PPP).

"The peace, security and

stability of this nation were

shattered by persons whose

insurrection was premeditated,

well-planned,

financed and executed with

shocking brutality," he said.

Shortly after the

president's address, the APC

released its own statement

calling for adherence to rule

of law, though it did not

directly respond to the

allegations.

"We urge all stakeholders

to de-escalate tensions and

avoid inflammatory rhetoric

(or)

unfounded

pronouncements," it said.

Following Friday's data, finance

minister Nadhim Zahawi said he was

"determined to work with the Bank of

England to get inflation under

controland grow the economy".

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson

will not make "major fiscal

interventions" before leaving office next

month, his spokesman said on Monday

amid calls for immediate government

action to tackle Britain's cost-of-living

crisis.

Johnson, back at his desk after a fiveday

belated honeymoon with wife

Carrie in Slovenia last week, has been

criticised for being absent as the BoE

last week warned of recession.

"As a party, we continue

reaffirming and reinforcing

our commitment to

sustainable peace and

national cohesion."

Bio promised an

investigation into the unrest

and state funerals for the

security officers who were

killed.

Sierra Leone has had a

reputation for relative

stability since the end of a

civil war that ran from 1991

to 2002 and left about

120,000 dead.

But the economy, heavily

dependent on minerals, has

struggled to rebound, and

the population of eight

million lives in one of the

poorest nations in the world.

The UN's Human

Development Index ranks

Sierra Leone 182 out of 189

countries.

Efforts at rebuilding were

set back by an Ebola

epidemic in 2014-2016, a fall

in world commodity prices

and the coronavirus

pandemic-all of which have

disrupted trade and

investment and hit exports.

In July, the country slashed

three zeros off its currency

hoping to restore confidence

in the inflation-hit leone.

SEOUL: The heir and de facto leader of

Samsung group received a presidential

pardon Friday, the latest example of

South Korea's long tradition of freeing

business leaders convicted of

corruption on economic grounds,

reports BSS.

Billionaire Lee Jae-yong, who was

convicted of bribery and embezzlement

in January last year, will be "reinstated"

to give him a chance to "contribute to

overcoming the economic crisis" of the

country, Justice Minister Han Donghoon

said.

Lee-the 278th-richest person in the

world, according to Forbes, with a net

worth of $7.9 billion-was released on

parole in August 2021, after serving 18

months in jail, just over half of his

original sentence.

Friday's pardon will allow him to fully

return to work by lifting a post-prison

employment restriction that had been

set for five years.

"Due to the global economic crisis,

the dynamism and vitality of the

national economy have deteriorated,

and the economic slump is feared to be

prolonged," the Justice Ministry said in

a statement.

The pardon was given so that Lee-as

well as other high-level executives

receiving pardons Friday-could "lead

the country's continuous growth engine

through active investment in

technology and job creation," the

ministry added.

Amsterdam

airport to

compensate

chaos-hit

travellers

THE HAGUE : Amsterdam's

Schiphol airport said it will

compensate passengers who

missed flights due to huge

queues in a chaotic summer

at one of Europe's busiest

hubs, reports BSS.

Like several others in

Europe, the Dutch airport

has experienced major

disruption in recent months

because of staff shortages as

the airline industry recovers

from the Covid pandemic.

"A lot of people have really

been looking forward to

their holidays abroad,

especially after two years of

Covid. We're extremely

sorry that some people have

missed their flight due to the

long security control queue,"

Schiphol CEO Dick

Benschop said.

"They've had to miss out

on all or part of their holiday,

and we really sympathise

with them... During these

special times and

circumstances, we must not

let these people fall through

the cracks," he said in a

statement late Thursday.

The compensation

scheme, worked out in

consultation with a Dutch

consumer group, will refund

costs incurred by people

who missed flights between

April 23 and August 11,

Schiphol said.

Costs include rebooking or

finding replacement flights,

or for alternative

transportation, and for

accommodation costs near

Schiphol. Affected travellers

have until September 30 to

lodge a claim.

Passengers travelling

through Schiphol have

reported failing to catch

flights after being stuck in

hours-long queues that have

snaked outside terminal

buildings.

Schiphol has been capping

passenger numbers since

July and says it will continue

until at least October in a bid

to ease the queues, saying

that "virtually all parties at

the airport are

understaffed."

While it expects numbers

to dip slightly after August, it

said there was a "seasonal

effect" when travellers used

more trays at security in

colder months because they

wear more clothes such as

coats, making waiting times

longer.

Several European airports

including London Heathrow

and France's Charles de

Gaulle have struggled to

cope with passenger flows as

Lee, 54, was pardoned along with

three other businessmen, including

Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin,

who was sentenced to a suspended

two-and-half-year prison term in a

bribery case in 2018.

A total of 1,693 people-including

prisoners with terminal illnesses and

those near the end of their terms-were

on the pardon list, the ministry said,

ahead of the annual Liberation Day

anniversary Monday.

The anniversary marks Japan's 1945

World War II surrender, which

liberated Korea from decades of

colonial rule and is typically celebrated

each year with the pardon of hundreds

of prisoners.

Lee is the vice-chairman of Samsung

Electronics, the world's biggest

smartphone maker. The

conglomerate's overall turnover is

equivalent to about one-fifth of South

Korea's gross domestic product.

He was jailed for offences connected

to a massive corruption scandal that

brought down former president Park

Geun-hye.

There is a long history of top South

Korean tycoons being charged with

bribery, embezzlement, tax evasion or

other offences.

But many of those convicted have

subsequently had their sentences cut or

suspended on appeal, with someincluding

late Samsung chairman Lee

Kun-hee, who was convicted twicereceiving

presidential pardons in

recognition of their "contribution to the

national economy".

The giant Samsung group is by far the

largest of the family-controlled empires

known as chaebols that dominate

business in South Korea, the world's

12th-largest economy.

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Friday

that the pardons were aimed at

improving the lot of "ordinary people

who have been affected by the

prolonged Covid-19 pandemic".

"I hope this special pardon will serve

as an opportunity for all South Koreans

to work together to overcome the

economic crisis," he added.

But analysts said the pardons simply

allowed major businessmen to feel they

were not "constrained by any legal

norms", Vladimir Tikhonov, professor

of Korean studies at the University of

Oslo, told AFP.

"And the government is more or less

doing their bidding and creating

conditions for capital accumulation by

corporations," he added.

Lee still faces a separate trial over

accusations of accounting fraud

regarding a merger of two Samsung

firms in 2015.

In May, he was excused from a

hearing in that trial to host US

President Joe Biden when he kicked off

a tour of South Korea by visiting

Samsung's chip plant, alongside

President Yoon.

Standard Bank Limited congratulated Prof. Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam, honorable

Chairman of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC)

for being elected as the Vice Chairman of the Asia Pacific Regional Committee

(APRC) of the International Organization of Securities Commissions

(IOSCO). Managing Director &CEO of Standard Bank Khondoker Rashed

Maqsood congratulated Shibli at BSEC office recently. Shibli will serve as

Vice President of IOSCO for the term 2022-24.

Photo: Courtesy

First Security Islami Bank Ltd. and SHIFT Financial Services Ltd. signed

Remittance Drawing Agreement recently at the Head Office of SHIFT

Financial Services Ltd. located at Park Royal, London, United Kingdom.

Syed Waseque Md. Ali, Managing Director of First Security Islami Bank Ltd.

and Mohannad Fouzie Mahrat, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SHIFT

Financial Services Ltd.signed the agreement on behalf of their respective

organization. Under this agreement, Expatriates can send their remittance

through SHIFT Financial Services Ltd. to First Security Islami Bank Ltd.'s

branches; sub-branches and agent banking outlets favoring their beneficiaries

in the form of cash pick up or account credit.

Photo: Courtesy

SUNDAY, AUGUSt 14, 2022

9

Dortmund's players wave to the fans after winning in the German Bundesliga soccer match against SC

Freiburg in Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany.

photo: Ap

‘Game-changer’ Bynoe-Gittens propels

Dortmund to comeback win over Freiburg

SportS DeSk

Eighteen-year-old Englishman Jamie

Bynoe-Gittens scored one and created

another as Borussia Dortmund came

back to defeat Freiburg 3-1 on Friday

with all their goals coming in the last 13

minutes of the game, reports UNB.

With the game drifting toward defeat,

Dortmund were again able to rely on

their young brigade, with Bynoe-

Gittens and 17-year-old Youssoufa

Moukoko scoring two quick goals to see

the visitors pick up a valuable three

points in their quest for a sixth

Bundesliga title.

Dortmund manager Edin Terzic

lauded his side's depth and praised

"game-changer" Bynoe-Gittens.

"With him, it's pretty simple - he's got

the skills to decide games," said Terzic.

"He's a game-changer and (I told him

when he came on) I wanted to see that

from him.

"We fought back, scored three goals

through three substitutes and showed

how good the squad is."

The visitors dominated the early

stages, with Anthony Modeste - playing

in his first game for Dortmund just

days after transferring from FC

Cologne - striking up an immediate

partnership with captain Marco Reus.

Reus teed up Modeste to run into the

left side of the penalty box in the 20th

minute, forcing Freiburg keeper Mark

Flekken into a save.

Modeste also had a chance right in

front in the 32nd minute after superb

one touch football from Jude

Bellingham and Raphael Guerreiro, but

the Portuguese's cross was inches too

high. As if stunned into action, Freiburg

then flipped a switch, building pressure

on a suddenly shaky Dortmund

defense.

Roland Sallai won a free kick on the

edge of the box with 33 minutes played.

Dead-ball specialist Vincenzo Grifo

stepped up to force a fingertip save

from Gregor Kobel in goal.

Freiburg took the lead minutes later,

when former Dortmund defender

Matthias Ginter found Michael

Gregoritsch who deftly drifted a header

over Kobel and into the top right corner

of the goal.

Terzic turned to youth halfway

through the second half, bringing on

Bynoe-Gittens and Moukoko to

introduce some potency to Dortmund's

attack.

Known more for his dribbling and

assists, the Englishman equalized with

a stunning strike from outside the box.

While his shot was helped by a poor

attempted save from Freiburg keeper

Mark Flekken, the goal spurred Bynoe-

Gittens and Dortmund into action

The former Manchester City

academy player had a chance to put his

side in front after 82 minutes, but was

unable to control a sharp Marius Wolf

pass with the goal begging.

He then set up Dortmund's second

just a minute later when he slalomed

past several Freiburg defenders on the

edge of the area before delivering a nolook

pass to Julian Brandt.

Brandt, who had also been brought

on by Terzic in the second half, found

Moukoko in the box, with the teenager

whipping in from close range.

Wolf, another who was subbed on in

the second half, then put the result

beyond doubt in the 88th minute,

striking powerfully across goalkeeper

Flekken and into the bottom left corner

of the net.

The game was manager Terzic's ninth

win in a row in charge of Dortmund,

breaking a record set by former mentor

Juergen Klopp a decade ago.

The loss continues a poor run of

home form for Freiburg recently, with

the Breisgauer now conceding 16 goals

in their last six games at Europa Park

Stadium.

Despite the loss, Freiburg manager

Christian Streich said he was impressed

by his side's "unlucky" performance.

"We played a good game, I'm

satisfied," he said.

"Ultimately we lost, it's a shame... but

it doesn't achieve anything to think we

were unlucky to lose the game."

Spaun leads playoff opener; Scheffler,

McIlroy miss cut

SportS DeSk

J.J. Spaun hopes he's only

getting started on the road to

the FedEx Cup finale. Scottie

Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and

Jordan Spieth will have to

wait another week, reports

UNB.

As for Jason Day, his

season is over.

Spaun made a late birdie

for a 3-under 67 to take a

one-shot lead Friday in the

FedEx St. Jude

Championship, the opening

event in the PGA Tour

postseason that no longer

has three of its biggest stars

for the weekend at the TPC

Southwind.

Scheffler, the Masters

champion and No. 1 player

for the last five months,

never quite recovered from

what he could only describe

as an "out-of-body

experience" with his putting

in the first round. He had

birdie chances on two of the

last three holes he couldn't

convert and his 68 was one

shot short of making the

weekend.

"Obviously, it's really

frustrating coming into the

playoffs," Scheffler said. "I

was practicing really hard at

home, actually playing really

good, and I showed up and

had the worst putting day

ever. Golf smacks you in the

face sometimes."

McIlroy went from rough

to gallery to fringe to bogey

on his last hole for a 69 for

only his second missed cut of

the year. Spieth's hopes of

playing the weekend ended

with a tee shot into the water

on the par-3 14th that led to

a 74.

At least they get to play

next week in the BMW

Championship, being high

enough in the standings not

to lose too much sleep over

it.

Day opened with a 65 and

was hopeful of a big finish to

advance into the top 70 who

made it to the next playoff

event. Instead, the former

world No. 1 dropped five

shots over the last eight

holes, shot 74 and missed

the cut by one shot.

Day was among 31 players

who started outside the top

J.J. Spaun of the US plays a shot from a bunker on the 16th hole during the

second round of the Fedex St. Jude Championship at tpC

Southwind.

photo: Ap

70 in the FedEx Cup and

missed the cut, meaning

their season is over.

Rickie Fowler, who came

in at No. 125, ended the back

nine (double bogey) and

front nine (bogey) poorly

and shot 71. He was tied for

33rd, around for two more

days but needing to contend

to advance.

Spaun was at 11-under 129

and only looking ahead.

He was one shot ahead of

Sepp Straka, who birdied his

last three holes for a 66, and

Troy Merritt, who had a 65.

Merritt started at No. 64 in

the standings, so this was

just what he needed to make

sure he would be moving on.

With a clear sky, hot sun

and a little more wind,

Spaun was as proud of his 67

on Friday as his 64 the day

before. Mostly, he feels his

game his coming around

after going into a lull

following his first PGA Tour

title at the Valero Texas

Open in early April.

"It's so hard to be

consistently good at the

highest level. Some guys that

do it like that, like Tiger and

McIlroy and all those guys.

It's just insane how good

they are for so long," Spaun

said. "I did it for a few

months and then kind of fell

off, but here I am kind of

making my way back."

Straka knows the feeling.

He had not made it to the

weekend since the Memorial

in early June. And then he

opened with rounds of 64-

66.

Record-breaker Popovici into Euro freestyle

final, Martinenghi wins 100m breaststroke

SportS DeSk

David Popovici continued his dream

summer of swimming on Friday by

easing into the 100 meters freestyle

final at the European Swimming

Championships with a new European

record of 46.98 seconds, while world

champion Nicolo Martinenghi won the

100m breaststroke, reports UNB.

Teen sensation Popovici looked in

fine form earlier on Friday when he

easily won his heat and delighted fans

by finishing over a second ahead of

Italian Lorenzo Zazzeri.

Only two other swimmers managed

to dip under 48sec, Kristof Milak and

Alessandro Miressi in the other semis,

but both were some way off 17-year-old

Romanian Popovici.

"It's a fine route to the final and a step

toward the right direction. It feels

normal for me to go step-by-step and

keep improving my time," said

Popovici.

Popovici, who in June became the

first man to complete the 100-200m

freestyle double at the World

Championships in nearly 50 years, will

now compete in Saturday's final.

After Friday's display he will be hot

favorite to continue what has been a

golden summer in which he also won

three European junior titles in his

home town of Bucharest.

Martinenghi was a double gold

winner at the Budapest worlds and got

the home crowd roaring in Rome with

a time of 58.26sec in his final, beating

countryman Federico Poggio by

0.72sec.

Andrius Sidlauskas took the bronze

for Lithuania.

"This victory means a lot to me. This

season has been a very long one and I'm

not in my best shape, but it was

important to continue winning,"

Martinenghi said.

The 23-year-old's win was one of four

golds for Italy in Friday's evening

session at the Foro Italico.

Margherita Panziera won the 200m

backstroke, Thomas Ceccon claimed

the honors in the 50m butterfly and

Simona Quadarella won European gold

in the 800m freestyle for the third

straight time.

However, the Italians finished second

in the 4x100m medley relay, leading for

most of the way only to finish nearly

two seconds behind the Netherlands

and settling for silver.

Ukraine's Marta Fiedina followed up

on her artistic swimming team

technical gold by winning the solo

technical discipline, pipping local hope

Linda Cerutti in the final moments.

Also double gold winner at the recent

worlds, Fiedina was the last to take to

the pool and won over the judges to

earn a score of 92.6394, 1.7555 points

ahead of Cerutti who had been leading

since finishing her routine as fifth of 21

participants.

"I really gave everything I could at

this moment. This is my best

performance in Technical Solo this

year, for sure," said the champion.

Giorgio Minisini won the European

championships' inaugural men's

edition of the solo technical with a score

of 85.7033, the Italian finishing over six

points ahead of Spain's Fernando Diaz

Del Rio Soto.

romania's David popovici reacts after winning the second semifinal of the men's 100m freestyle event at

the LeN european Aquatics Championships.

photo: Ap

Willian leaves

Corinthians

following

death threats

SportS DeSk

Former Chelsea and

Arsenal midfielder Willian

quit Corinthians on Friday

following the Brazilians'

Copa Libertadores

elimination against

domestic rivals Flamengo,

after claiming he and his

family received death

threats on social media,

reports UNB.

"Willian asked us for his

(contract) termination. We

are sad not to have him

anymore and also because

it didn't go the way we

expected. But we have to

keep those here that are

happy," said club president

Duilio Monteiro Alves.

It was only a year ago that

the 34-year-old only

rejoined the club where he

made his professional

debut in 2006. Local media

have linked him with a

move to promoted English

Premier League side

Fulham.

SportS DeSk

Lionel Messi misses cut for

Ballon d'Or list of nominees

SportS DeSk

Season eight of the ABB FIA Formula E

World Championship will climax in

South Korea this weekend with the

2022 Hana Bank Seoul E-Prix, where

the champion driver and team will be

crowned and the world's first all-electric

motorsport series will mark 100 races,

reports UNB.

Eleven teams and 22 drivers have

competed in Formula E's biggest racing

season to date with rounds 15 and 16 to

come this Saturday and Sunday, and

four drivers still in contention for the

title at the top of the standings.

It will be the first time Formula E has

raced in South Korea with the E-Prix

Seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi

was omitted from the 30-man list of

nominees for the prestigious award on Friday

for the first time since 2005, reports UNB.

The Argentina great edged out Poland

striker Robert Lewandowski for the Ballon

d'Or last year but wasn't nominated this time

after an underwhelming first season at Paris

Saint-Germain.

The 35-year-old forward also won the prize

in 2019 - it was not held in 2020 because of

the COVID-19 pandemic. Neymar also

missed the cut this time.

Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappe, Karim

Benzema, Erling Haaland and five-time

winner Cristiano Ronaldo were all included,

as were Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Kevin

De Bruyne, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.

Alexia Putellas, Ada Hegerberg, Sam Kerr

and Vivianne Miedema were on the list of 20

female nominees. US players Alex Morgan,

Catarina Macario and Trinity Rodman were

also named.

The men's list features six Manchester City

players: Phil Foden, Joao Cancelo, De

Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, and

new signing Haaland (formerly Borussia

Dortmund).

Liverpool also has six nominees: Trent

taking place on a unique track

constructed around and even looping

through the Jamsil Olympic Stadium,

the first world championship sporting

event held at the venue since the

Olympic Games in 1988.

Stoffel Vandoorne leads the way for

Mercedes-EQ in a bid to make it backto-back

wins following their Drivers'

and Teams' World Championship

success last year in season seven.

The Belgian extended his lead to 36

points over nearest rival Mitch Evans

(Jaguar TCS Racing) during the SABIC

London E-Prix two weeks ago that saw

his closest competitors falter.

While Vandoorne has achieved only

Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz, Fabinho,

Darwin Nunez, Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

Mane, who helped Senegal win their first

African Cup before leaving Liverpool for

Bayern Munich, is included, as is Bayern

teammate Joshua Kimmich.

Benzema leads a group of six Real Madrid

players. The others are Casemiro, Thibaut

Courtois, Luka Modric, Vinicius Junior and

new signing Antonio Rudiger.

The other nominated players are Sebastien

Haller (Ajax), Rafael Leao and Mike Maignan

(both of AC Milan), Christopher Nkunku

(Leipzig), and Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus).

The award will be presented on Oct. 17.

Among changes announced in March, the

award is now being awarded based on

performances over the course of a regular

European season, rather than a calendar

year. A reduction in the number of voters was

among other changes, with the goal of

streamlining the process. Voters also will no

longer consider a player's career

accomplishments.

France Football magazine has given out the

award to men every year since 1956 and to

women each year since 2018 - when

Hegerberg became the first female winner -

though both were canceled in 2020 because

of the pandemic.

Stage set for Formula E season finale with Seoul E-Prix double-header

one win this season compared with

three each for Evans and Edoardo

Mortara (ROKiT Venturi Racing) in

third place, Vandoorne has the most

podium finishes and has scored on 13

occasions, taking the honor from Daniel

Abt as the most consistent points

finisher in a campaign.

Vandoorne's last four rounds have all

yielded top-four finishes and a pair of

podiums: The gauntlet has been thrown

by the Mercedes-EQ driver.

Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing)

had worked his way into closest

contention of top spot, but a technical

problem in London put a huge dent in

his chances.

sUNdAY, AUGUsT 14, 2022

10

Apurba, Himi pairs up in

‘Fire Esho Suranjana’

TBT REPORT

Celebrated small screen actor

Ziaul Faruq Apurba is still acting

regularly in dramas with the same

popularity for more than a decade

and a half. The actor has returned

to work after Eid. Recently, he

paired up for the first time with

talented actress Jannatul Sumaiya

Himi in a television drama.

The drama titled 'Fire Esho

Suranjana', is written by Moinul

Sanu and directed by Taufiqul

Islam. The shooting of the project

has been completed at a shooting

house in the capital's Uttara area.

Shelly Ahsan will also play an

important role in the drama.

About acting in the play, Apurba

said, "After Eid, I returned to work

with the acting in the drama 'Fire

Esho Suranjana'. I have also

finished another play by the same

director. Both Himi and I have tried

to act well. Himi is a talented actress

of this generation. I hope the

audience will like our chemistry."

Himi said, "Since, this was my first

work with Apurba, I was a little bit

nervous at first. But, while working,

I found out that he was very friendly

as a co-artiste. I got a lot of support

from Apurba. Let's see how well the

drama is received by the audience.

I'm very optimistic."

'Fire Esho Suranjana' will be aired

on a private satellite channel soon

and later it will be released on a

YouTube channel.

A number of Apurba-starrer

dramas were aired during last Eid.

Among the dramas-'Aponjon'

directed by Mursalin Shuvo and SR

Mazumder directed 'Nayak' have

receive huge positive response.

Meanwhile, Himi has already

completed the shooting of the

dramas Nazmul Haque Bappi's

'Chhai Ranger Golpo', and Jewel

Hasan's 'Bhai Prem Bojhona'.

‘Thor: Love And Thunder’ might

be the shortest MCU movie

The Marvel Cinematic

Universe is growing with

light speed. Compared to a

rate of only a couple of films

a year, the studio is now

releasing multiple projects

with a gap of only a month

or two. Turns out that after

the buzz around Moon

Knight, Doctor Strange In

The Multiverse Of Madness,

Ms Marvel, it is Thor: Love

And Thunder's turn to take

the run-up. The movie that

stars Chris Hemsworth in

the titular character is fast

approaching its release. But

what if we tell you it's the

shortest MCU film in a long

time?

Love And Thunder brings

Thor back to the screen in

his fourth solo outing. The

movie is the second time

Taika Waititi directs the

God Of Thunder and brings

his quirk to his narrative.

Chris gets his fourth solo

outing as well and this time

goes through a complete

transformation. The movie

is set to follow the events of

Avengers: Endgame and

will explore the times when

even the Gods have no plans

for the future.

But now, as we are less

than a month away from the

release of Chris

Hemsworth's Thor: Love

And Thunder, the advance

bookings in the west have

already begun. And turns

out they have even revealed

the runtime of the movie.

The surprising part is that

the Taika Waititi directorial

might be the shortest MCU

movie in a long time with its

less than 2 hours runtime.

Yes, you read that right.

As per a report in

Comicbook, Thor: Love And

Thunder is less than 2

hours, precisely 119

minutes, which means 2

hours 59 minutes. This is

the shortest since 2018

when Paul Rudd's Ant-Man

And The Wasp was

released. The movie that

was a sequel to Ant-Man

was released with a runtime

of 118 minutes, which is 1

hour 58 minutes.

However there is no

confirmation on this, but

Thor: Love And Thunder

has a lot of hopes riding on

it. The movie is all set to

bring Natalie Portman,

Christian Bale and many

other old members with

Chris Hemsworth. The

movie hits the big screen on

July 8, 2022.

Source: Collider

Private channels to air two

special dramas on August 15

TBT REPORT

The brutal assassination of Father of the


Rahman with his family members on

August 15, 1975, is the most tragic event in

the country's history.

On the occasion of the National

Mourning Day, two special dramas have

been made based on the book of writer

Sahid Rahman's 'Mohamanober Deshe'.

The dramas are 'Ami Mayer Kache Jabo'

and 'Ekjon Kafiluddin'.

'Ami Mayer Kache Jabo' is based on

Sheikh Russell, the youngest son of

Bangabandhu. When Russell was killed on

that night of August 15, he was only 10

years old. The murderers did not hesitate to

kill this innocent child that day. The way he

was killed by taking him to his mother is

one of the most shocking murders in

human history. "I will go to my mother"

was the last words of Sheikh Russell before

his death.

Directed by Antar Rahman and

Mohammad Farid Uddin, it stars Tareen

Jahan, Fazlur Rahman Babu, Saberi Alam,

Gallery Cosmos hosts

exhibition on Bangabandhu

'BRAVE HEART'

Marking the National

Mourning Day 2022, Gallery

Cosmos organised an

exclusive day-long group art,

photography and sculpture

exhibition on Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman titled

'BRAVEHEART' at Cosmos

Centre in the capital on

Friday, reports UNB.

Mofidul Hoque, founding

trustee of the Liberation War

Museum, virtually

inaugurate the exhibition as

the chief guest, while

eminent artists and freedom

fighters Rafiqun Nabi, Biren

Shome and internationally

renowned

artist

Shahabuddin Ahmed join

the inauguration ceremony

as the special guests.

Supported by the Cosmos

Foundation, the exhibition's

inauguration ceremony also

joined by Tehmina Enayet,

Director of Gallery Cosmos

and Masud Jamil Khan,

Deputy Managing Director of

Cosmos Group.

UNB and Dhaka Courier as

its media and knowledge

partners respectively.

Prior to the inauguration of

the exhibition, a vibrant team

of 12 child artists and future

master painters participated

in an exclusive group art

camp at the exhibition venue

and showcase their heartfelt

tribute to the Father of the

Nation.

The exhibition showcased

artworks of several

prominent artists including

Shahabuddin Ahmed, Biren

Shome, Alakesh Ghosh,

Nasir Ali Mamun, Afrozaa

Jamil Konka, Bashkor

Rasha, Shahajahan Ahmed

Sabiha Zaman, child artistes Dihan and

Sanjid. 'Ami Mayer Kache Jabo' will be

aired on RTV on August 15 at 8:00 pm.

Another drama titled 'Ekjon Kafiluddin'.

Biddut Roy scripted the drama while

Suman Dhar directed it.

The story revolves around seventy-yearold

Kafiluddin, who sets an example of

genuine love for Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman by living barefoot,

wearing black clothes and not eating any

animal flesh for 26 years. His respect, love

and mourning for Bangabandhu shocked

people. As a result, the people of the village

called him 'Mujib Pagal'. Inspired by

Bangabandhu's historic speech of March 7,

1971, he participated in the liberation war.

Gazi Rakayet, Ahmed Rubel, Rokeya

Prachy will be seen acting in the drama.

Noted novelist Selina Hossain has played a

special role in it. The drama will be aired on

August 15 at 8:50 pm on ATN Bangla.

Bikash, Azmeer Hossain,

Bishwajit Goswami, Abu

Kalam Shamsuddin, Devdas

Malakar, Dilip Karmakar,

Sourav Chowdhury,

Abdullah Al Bashir, Iqbal

Bahar Chy, Maneek Bonik,

Kamruzzoha, Azmol

Hossain, Mohammed

Fakhrul Islam Mazumder

Shakil and Md Rafiqul Islam.

Visitors can explore the

exhibition at the Cosmos

Centre, Malibagh in the

capital till August 31.

Arjun on his relationship with Malaika:

‘She always influenced me’

Arjun Kapoor, in his latest

appearance on Koffee with

Karan, had opened up about

his relationship with Malaika

Arora. While speaking to host

Karan Johar, Arjun revealed

that he took baby steps in going

public with his affair as he

wanted to ease in people

around him first. And now in

an interview, the Ek Villain

Returns actor has spoken

about his equation with

Malaika, and shared that for

him, it's more about being with

someone "who makes you

happy".

"It is not about being as direct

as that. That would be taking

away from the equation I share

with her. It is more about being

around someone who makes

you happy. And when you are

in a relationship, the equation

allows you to talk about

everything," he told Filmfare.

Arjun further said that his

girlfriend motivates him when

it comes to fitness. The actor

said, "She has always

influenced me. And because

she is inspirational to many

people, I am always inspired by

her."

Arjun Kapoor and Malaika

Arora have been in a

relationship for a long time and

made it Insta official in 2019.

Stating that they understand

each other's work better as they

are from the same industry, the

Gunday actor said, "She has

always been supportive and

has always understood my

shortcomings and feelings. The

nicest part about being with her

is that she has a sense of

understanding of this

profession. She knows what I

am going through. She has

been able to silently be there

and she tells me the right things

that keep me in the right frame

of mind."

On Koffee with Karan Season

7, Arjun Kapoor shared how he

always thinks about his close

ones before him, even when it

comes to making his

relationship public. "I will

always think about everyone

first. It is my choice to be with

her, but I cannot expect

everyone to understand. It has

to be allowed to grow. I cannot

expect everyone to understand

easily. Darja dena padta hai,

and I had to ease everyone into

it including the public eye. It's

not that we didn't talk about it

as a couple. But there are baby

steps.

Source: Indian Express

H O R O s c O P E

ARIEs

Today your intellectual and

expressive abilities should receive a

boost from the planets. It's an

excellent time to organize your thoughts about

presenting a project to a possible collaborator,

engage in trade, or write. In terms of your

private life, it's also a good time to examine the

latest events, certain aspects of which are still

partially misunderstood.

TAURUs

Overall, the forecast for today is fairly

good. The aspects seem to favor figuring

out the meaning of all that's transpired

over the past several weeks. It's an

opportunity for you to take a leisurely look at the

distance you've covered moving toward your goals.

Since it's an auspicious day for social activities, why not

get together with friends and discuss the latest events

with them?

GEMINI

Have you felt somewhat lost for the past

few days? The fog may lift today and

enable you to situate yourself at last.

You're probably eager to settle a

question that has nagged at you and interfered with

your judgment. However, you should be patient,

especially if it has to do with emotional matters. Try

to understand, but don't take immediate action.

You'll be more objective beginning tomorrow.

cANcER

You may have been feeling somewhat

disillusioned. Perhaps you lost sight of

your goals or misplaced your faith in

yourself. You'll feel some relief

beginning today. This is an opportunity to end what

has been a somewhat apathetic and moody phase

and begin a new one that's based on work and

meditation. As you can imagine, this new phase will

be much more fulfilling!

LEO

You might be tempted to settle certain

matters by radical means. The

visionary part of you means you're

painfully aware of the world's wrongs.

You see no reason not to take action to correct them.

But the forces in play are so powerful that you can't

expect to institute a new order in one day. If you

have an emotional question to resolve, it would be

better to wait a few days before making a decision.

VIRGO

Today will be fairly calm in terms of

outside events, but your inner world is

likely to be in a rush of activity. Today you

wish you could find the solution to your

heartaches as well as your career predicaments. You'd

like to achieve some supreme understanding of the

events that took place over the past month. First you

must force your brain to slow down. Haste makes

waste, as you know!

LIBRA

You have a lot of thinking to do about

your professional goals, Libra. You'll go

over the elements to see if there isn't

some way to approach things differently.

Are there new paths you could try or ways to improve

things? Your mind will go a thousand miles a minute

today. Those who spend time with you may be totally

exhausted by the end of the day because of all the

questions you ask!

scORPIO

You just can't do everything at once,

Scorpio. How do you expect to reduce

your stress and recuperate while at

the same time continue to be a

superstar performer in every area of your life?

Don't pressure yourself to perform today. If you do,

you're likely to deplete your reserves even further.

Take it easy, rest, and relax! You've earned this

little break.

sAGITTARIUs

This is a good moment to adapt your logic

and reason to reality, Sagittarius. If you

don't, you're going to run into some

intellectual problems. Everyone knows that you find new

ideas plentiful, but unless you have plans to be a novelist,

link your thinking to reality. The "pie in the sky" thinking

that you engage in isn't particularly useful to the rest of

us living here in the real world.

cAPRIcORN

It's going to be a little difficult talking

to you today, Capricorn. You, who can

be easily influenced by others, will be

listening to and criticizing everything

that people say. Nothing emotional or vague is

going to get into your head. It's as if you've installed

an extremely fine filter that lets in only what you

allow. You're going to appear to be a real expert.

Don't show off too much!

AQUARIUs

Have you been reviewing your family

history lately, Aquarius? Of special

interest is your cultural background.

What educational, social, and religious

environment were you born into? What are its

values? In the end, do you feel a strong affinity with

them now or are those views different from the ones

you hold? These are interesting avenues of thought

for you today.

PIscEs

It's time to elevate your sense of self,

Pisces. You're just as good as anyone

else, so why don't you believe it? The

problem is that you're very sensitive

about having an ego. Even though you know

everyone does, you punish yourself for its existence!

This is a noble idea, but it doesn't do you any good.

You'll never be perfect and neither will anyone else.

What are you worrying about?

SUnDAy, AUGUST 14, 2022

11

Charges brought against CCC

councillor for planting trees

S M Akash, Chattogram Bureau

Zahurul Alam Jasim, the councilor

of North Pahartali Ward No. 9 of

Chattogram City Corporation, is the

defendant in the case of clearing the

forest in his dairy farm under

Akbarshah police station of

Chattogram city and cutting the hill

by making holes for planting trees.

When contacted, Councilor

Zahurul Alam Jasim told 'The

Bangladesh Today' that "the incident

site is a land I have bought and I have

a cow farm there, as it is full of

bushes and there is a lot of poisonous

snake infestation there. I built a

semi-detached house for staff

accommodation with a hill cut

behind it, which was there before I

bought the place."

A few days ago, one of the cows

died due to the bite of a poisonous

snake. So I decided to clear the

bushes and plant trees there. I made

15/16 pits as seed beds in small sizes

for planting trees, which

environmental officials have filed a

case against me and my wife for

cutting a hill.

"I have never compromised with

injustice in my political life, as a

result of which certain quarters are

hindered from achieving their

interests. Even though no hillock has

been cut, to destroy my honour and

discredit me, a case has been given to

me and my ailing wife without any

local witnesses in a deep conspiracy.

But my wife is not involved in this

matter", he added. Referring to the

complaint of Councilor Zahurul Alam

FBI seized top secret

documents in Trump

estate search

WASHINGTON : The FBI

recovered "top secret" and

even more sensitive

documents from former

President Donald Trump's

Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida,

according to court papers

released Friday after a federal

judge unsealed the warrant

that authorized the sudden,

unprecedented search this

week.

A property receipt unsealed

by the court shows FBI agents

took 11 sets of classified

records from the estate

during a search on Monday.

The seized records include

some marked not only top

secret but also "sensitive

c o m p a r t m e n t e d

information," a special

category meant to protect the

nation's most important

secrets that if revealed

publicly could cause

"exceptionally grave" damage

to U.S. interests. The court

records did not provide

specific details about

information the documents

might contain.

The warrant says federal

agents were investigating

potential violations of three

different federal laws,

including one that governs

gathering, transmitting or

losing defense information

under the Espionage Act.

GD-1359/22 (5x2)

Jasim that a case was filed for cutting

the hill, Hillol Biswas, director of the

Department of Environment,

Chattogram, told 'The Bangladesh

Today' in a private conversation that

"We have found the pits dug in the

hill owned by Zahurul Alam Jasim

and the part of the hill cuttings

accordingly stated, if the accused has

anything to say in this regard he can

present it in the court." A case was

filed from our office on August 10.

He added that "The court is open to

all. We only conduct operations

based on reliable news and file cases

based on institutional decisions. The

rest is the responsibility of the court."

Although there is a provision to

produce local eyewitnesses in the

case filing process, only Lokman

Hakim, night watchman of

Environment Department and driver

Riyad Hossain have been included as

witnesses in the case filed against

Councilor Zahurul Alam Jasim and

his wife and caretaker. In this regard,

the driver of the Department of

Environment, Riyad Hossain said,

"sometimes if no witnesses are found

at various places of occurrence, he

has to become a witness himself on

the instructions of the superiors."

A local person who did not wish to

be named told The Bangladesh Today

that a few days ago, when a cow died

of a poisonous snake bite in the farm

of the councilor, the bushes were

cleared and some holes were made

for planting trees, but there is no sign

of cutting the hill.

A local named Iqbal Hossain said,

"there is enough free space on the

farm for the installation, it doesn't

seem necessary to cut the hill.

Unpleasant though the truth is that

there must be a conspiracy behind

this case and its rampant

disclosure."

'Top secret' documents seized

in raid on Trump home

WASHINGTON : FBI agents seized records

marked "top secret" during their search of

former president Donald Trump's Florida

estate, according to documents made public

Friday in a probe that includes possible

violations of the US Espionage Act.

The search warrant and related materials,

unsealed by a Florida judge, showed agents

carted away a significant number of items

from the raid, which ignited a political

firestorm in an already bitterly divided

country.

The warrant, which was personally

approved by Attorney General Merrick

Garland, authorized the FBI to search the

"45 office"-a reference to the 45th US

president's private office at his Mar-a-Lago

residence-and storage rooms.

It directed them to seize documents and

records "illegally possessed" in violation of

three criminal statutes, including one falling

under the Espionage Act, which makes it a

crime to illegally obtain or retain national

security information.

Trump, who is weighing another White

House run in 2024, vehemently denounced

the FBI raid on his Florida home and

claimed that all of the material confiscated

during the search had been previously

"declassified."

"They didn't need to 'seize' anything," he

said in a statement on his Truth Social

platform. "They could have had it anytime

they wanted without playing politics and

breaking into Mar-a-Lago."

Legal experts cautioned that while the

warrant cites the Espionage Act, any

potential charges remain unclear and

Trump is not necessarily suspected of

espionage.

"The Espionage Act encompasses a ton of

crimes that have nothing to do with

'spying,'" Bradley Moss, a national security

lawyer, said on Twitter. "It's about unlawful

storing of information relating to the

national defense."

Orin Kerr, a law professor at the

University of California, Berkeley, agreed,

saying the "Espionage Act is a pretty broad

law about mishandling classified

documents, not just espionage."

Among the records seized during the raid

were documents marked "Top Secret,"

"Secret" and "Confidential."

Some of the papers were marked "SCI"-

sensitive compartmented informationmeaning

they were meant to be viewed only

in secure government facilities.

FBI agents also seized binders of photos, a

handwritten note, information about the

"President of France," and the grant of

clemency made by Trump to Roger Stone,

an ally of the former president, according to

the list.

The Justice Department had asked a

federal judge to unseal the search warrant

on Friday barring objections from Trump.

The 76-year-old Trump did not block the

release, but complained that he was the

victim of "unprecedented political

weaponization of law enforcement" by

"radical left Democrats."

Leading Republicans have rallied around

Trump and some members of his party have

accused the Justice Department and FBI of

partisanship in targeting the ex-president.

Hot nights: US in July

sets new record for

overnight warmth

WASHINGTON : Talk about hot nights, America got some

for the history books last month.

The continental United States in July set a record for

overnight warmth, providing little relief from the day's

sizzling heat for people, animals, plants and the electric grid,

meteorologists said.

The average low temperature for the Lower 48 states in

July was 63.6 degrees (17.6 Celsius), which beat the previous

record set in 2011 by a few hundredths of a degree. The mark

is not only the hottest nightly average for July, but for any

month in 128 years of record keeping, said National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration climatologist Karin

Gleason. July's nighttime low was more than 3 degrees (1.7

Celsius) warmer than the 20th century average.

Scientists have long talked about nighttime temperaturesreflected

in increasingly hotter minimum readings that

usually occur after sunset and before sunrise-being crucial to

health.

"When you have daytime temperatures that are at or near

record high temperatures and you don't have that recovery

overnight with temperatures cooling off, it does place a lot of

stress on plants, on animals and on humans," Gleason said

Friday. "It's a big deal."

In Texas, where the monthly daytime average high was

over 100 degrees (37.8 Celsius) for the first time in July and

the electrical grid was stressed, the average nighttime

temperature was a still toasty 74.3 degrees (23.5 Celsius) - 4

degrees (2.2 Celsius) above the 20th century average.

Inflation Reduction

Act may have little

impact on inflation

WASHINGTON : With

inflation raging near its

highest level in four decades,

the House on Friday gave

final approval to President

Joe Biden's landmark

Inflation Reduction Act. Its

title raises a tantalizing

question: Will the measure

actually tame the price

spikes that have inflicted

hardships on American

households?

Economic analyses of the

proposal suggest that the

answer is likely no - not

anytime soon, anyway.

The legislation, which the

Senate passed earlier this

week and now heads to the

White House for Biden's

signature, won't directly

address some of the main

drivers of surging prices -

from gas and food to rents

and restaurant meals.

Bangladesh Upazila Parishad Association organized a discussion meeting at Dhaka Reporters Unity

yesterday. LGRD Minister Tajul Islam was present as chief guest.

Photo : Courtesy

GD-1357/22 (10x4)

Tropical Storm Meari hammers

Japan with heavy rainfall, wind

TOKYO : Tropical Storm Meari unleashed

heavy rains on Japan's main Honshu island

as it headed northward Saturday toward the

capital, Tokyo, according to Japanese

weather officials.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned

Meari was on course to make landfall by

about noon, bringing sudden heavy rains

and blasting winds, possibly setting off

mudslides and flooding.

Shizuoka Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo,

was told to brace for extremely heavy

rainfall. More than 72,000 people in the

area's main city of Shizuoka were told to

evacuate because of possible landslides.

Meari, packing sustained winds of up to

72 kilometers (45 miles) per hour, was

moving over coastal waters at a speed of

about 20 kilometers (12 miles) an hour and

was expected to continue northward,

making landfall before veering eastward,

swinging over the Pacific Ocean by early

Sunday.

The Tokyo area was hammered by

periodic downpours starting in the late

morning and thunder rolled. Warnings on

high waves in coastal areas were issued for

Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of

Tokyo, and other nearby areas.

The authorities warned against going near

rivers or other waters, as the levels may rise

suddenly.

Japan is in the middle of the Bon summer

holidays, and vacationers are traveling in

droves but some have had to cancel or

change plans.

The Rock in Japan Festival 2022, which

began a week ago in Chiba Prefecture, east

of Tokyo, canceled the event for Saturday,

the final day of the outdoor festival, and

promised ticket refunds.

All Nippon Airways has canceled some

local flights in response to the storm. Lowcost

carrier Skymark Airlines also canceled

ome flights. Bullet train services were

delayed, and speed limits in tunnels in

Shizuoka were temporarily lowered as a

cautionary measure. Authorities warned

more train lines may be affected and roads

blocked.

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Sunday, Dhaka : August 14, 2022; Srabon 30, 1429 BS; Muharram 15, 1444 Hijri

Low-lying areas

of coastal districts

face flood risk

DHAKA : Several low-lying areas of

coastal districts and their offshore islands

and chars are likely to be inundated by

tidal surges, the weather department said

on Saturday.

The districts are Satkhira, Khulna,

Bagerhat, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Barguna,

Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Laxmipur,

Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram

and Cox's Bazar. According to the weather

department, a steep pressure gradient

(pressure changing rapidly between two

areas) persists over the North Bay and

adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh.

Squally weather may affect the maritime

ports, the North Bay and adjoining

coastal areas of Bangladesh.

Maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox's

Bazar, Mongla, Payra have been advised

to keep hoisted local cautionary signal

No 3. All fishing boats and trawlers over

the North Bay have been advised to

remain close to the coast and proceed with

caution until further notice.

DMCH interns'

strike rolls into

3rd day

DHAKA : Interns at Dhaka Medical

College and Hospital continued their

strike for the 3rd consecutive day on

Saturday protesting what they said the

failure of the law enforcement agencies in

identifying the attackers on their fellow

Sazzad Hossen.

However, the work abstention of the

interns seems to have little effect on the

regular activities of DMCH.

The DMCH interns went on strike for an

indefinite period on Thursday in protest

against the 'failure of the police to arrest

those who attacked one of their peers on

Monday'. The work absention was called

by DMCH Intern Doctors' Council on

Thursday.

Earlier, the Council had given a 48-hour

ultimatum to identify the attackers and

take legal steps against them, which didn't

bear any fruit. On Monday night, some

students of Dhaka University thrashed Dr

Sazzad Hossen on Central Shahid Minar

premises "without any valid reason".

Digging work is going on in various roads of the capital. Somewhere metrorail, elevator expressway, somewhere

power lines, somewhere hanging cables are being taken underground, sometimes this excavation is

going on for renovation of WASA water line. The city dwellers have been suffering from potholes on various

roads for a long time. The photo was taken from Karwan Bazar area.

Photo : Star Mail

Existing facilities after LDC graduation

Revised proposal to be

placed before WTO

DHAKA : Bangladesh will place a revised

proposal before the World Trade

Organization (WTO) so that the country

could enjoy duty-free and quota-free

access to international market six years

after the graduation from the Least

Development Country (LDC) status.

The revised proposal will be placed

in line with the decisions taken in the

12th World Trade Organization

Ministerial meeting held in Geneva,

reports BSS.

Director General of the WTO Cell under

the Ministry of Commerce Md Hafizur

Rahman informed this while addressing a

BNP's petrol bomb terrorists

to be resisted: Hasan

CHATTOGRAM : Urging all to remain

alert, Information and Broadcasting

Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud yesterday

said petrol bomb terrorists of BNP are

back in the field and everyone would have

to resist and drive out them (terrorists).

"We have never obstructed BNP's rally

and we won't it. But they fight themselves.

If we see petrol bomb terrorists, then we

will not sit idle. We will resist," he said.

The minister stated these while addressing

a discussion and doa mahfil marking

the National Mourning Day organised by

Awami League Ranguniya upazila unit at

Advocate Nurucchafa Talukder Pouro

Auditorium. Hasan said BNP is now making

tall talks staging different agitations

due to fuel price hike. But the fuel price has

increased about two times across the globe

after the Russia-Ukraine war, he said,

adding the price of fuel is now 170 US dollars

which was 60 US dollars.

And now, he said, the price of fuel is 138

to 140 US dollars which is more than two

times. But, the price of fuel has increased

38 to 40 percent in the country which is

same as in the West Bengal, he added.

roundtable discussion. The Institute of

Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh

(ICAB) organized the roundtable discussion

on "Results of the 12th WTO

Ministerial Conference" held at the ICAB

Bhaban in the capital.

Sharifa Khan, Secretary, Economic

Relations Division (ERD), spoke at the

event as the chief guest while ICAB

President Md. Shahadat Hossain gave the

welcome address.

Former President and Council Member

Md. Humayun Kabir moderated the discussion.

Subhashish Bose, CEO of ICAB,

gave the opening remarks.

He said the prices of fuel will be adjusted

if the price will reduce steadily in the

global market.

Criticising a comment of BNP secretary

general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the

minister said, "Few days ago, our leader

has told that we will not obstruct any rally

of BNP. And we didn't. But they spoiled

their own rally fighting themselves yesterday.

There is no need to obstruct. You will

see that BNP will spoil their own rally by

fighting themselves."

He said bombs were blasts at 500 places

across the country during the BNP's

regime on August 17 in 2005. Protest rallies

will be held on August 17 at union levels

across the country protesting BNP's

anarchy and anti-state conspiracies and

the AL leaders and activists of Ranguniya

will also take part in the rally, said Hasan,

also Awami League joint general secretary.

In his speech, the minister paid rich tribute

to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

He said Ziaur Rahman and his family

were the most beneficiaries of

Bangabandhu's assassination.

Economy no longer dependent

on foreign aid: Shirin

DHAKA : Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin

Chaudhury yesterday said Bangladesh

economy is no longer dependent on foreign

aid as she held a meeting with UNDP

Assistant Secretary General Kanni

Wignaraja at the Permanent Mission of

Bangladesh to the United Nations (UN).

"The economy of Bangladesh is no

longer dependent on foreign aid . . .

Presently country needs more technical

cooperation to ensure multi-dimensional

development, including increasing sectorwise

capacity building skills," she mentioned.

Bangladesh, Dr Chaudhury said, in

the meantime proved its economic and

technical capability by implementing different

mega projects, like Padma Bridge,

with its own funding. Referring to graduation

to the status of a developing nation,

the Speaker said the relationship between

Bangladesh and various countries as well

as international organizations, including

the United Nations has become multidimensional.

Kanni Wignaraja highly appreciated the

Speaker and said UNDP is therefore working

to strengthen sector-based technical

cooperation in Bangladesh in line with the

UN policy.

Bangladesh and the United Nations

can work together on issues such as carbon

emission, prevention of all forms of

pollution or exchange of expertise in

strengthening green (environmentally

friendly) production processes, the

Wignaraja added.

Framework done

for commission to

unearth Aug 15

plotters: Anisul

DHAKA : A framework has been readied

for forming a commission to unearth the

behind the scene plotters of August 15, 1975

carnage that saw the brutal assassination of

the nation's founding father Bangabandhu

and most of his family members, said Law,

Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister

Anisul Huq.

"The commission will start working by

the end of this year," the law minister told

journalists after joining a workshop at a

city hotel.

Labour and Employment Ministry

organised the workshop styled 'Establish

pilot process to classify cases in consultation

with the judges of the labor courts

with a view to addressing case backlogs".

The workers of 23 tea plantations in Sylhet Valley went on strike from Saturday morning demanding

increased daily wage from Tk 120 to Tk 300.

Photo : Star Mail

UN high commissioner

for human rights arrives

today

DHAKA : UN High Commissioner for

Human Rights Michelle Bachelet is

scheduled to visit Bangladesh from

August 14 to 17.

"The government of Bangladesh warmly

welcomes this first ever visit of any UN High

Commissioner for Human Rights," said a

press release of foreign ministry.

Bangladesh has been closely working with

the UN in the field of human rights and this

visit would be an important occasion to

highlight Bangladesh's national perspective

and the government's sincere efforts to protect

and promote human rights of the people,

including updating domestic legal

framework, creating awareness and sensitizing

the implementing agencies, the release

added.

This is indeed important that the national

context, in particular the economic development

amidst the pandemic and other evolving

crises, the maintenance of peace and

security of the people, and constraints like

the Rohingya crisis and the adverse effect of

climate change, are taken into due consideration

in assessing the human rights situation

of the country, according to the release.

The visiting UN high commissioner

remains well aware of the plethora of

achievements of Bangladesh in the human

rights domain, including the treaty-body

reporting as well as through other mechanisms,

the released mentioned.

Apart from her meetings with the cabinet

members, Bachelet will interact with the

National Human Rights Commission,

youth representatives, CSO leaders and the

academia during her tour in Dhaka.

She would pay homage to Father of the


Rahman on August 15 by placing a wreath at

his portrait in front of Bangabandhu

Memorial Museum in the city's

Dhanmondi-32 no road. "Bangladesh

strongly hoped that the Chief of UN human

rights mechanism would witness by herself

how the country is doing miracles to keep on

track their development journey; integrating

human rights into it," the release said.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, it said, no

one in the country has died of starvation

while Bangladesh having 165 million populations

has been able to provide almost a

million homes to the homeless.

Over 10 million families are receiving

basic food and essential supplies under its

social security protection programme, the

release said, adding indeed, Bangladesh is

promoting basic human rights like right to

food, right to accommodation, right to

development etc. for the people.

PM tries hard to overcome

impacts of global crisis: Quader

Beneficiaries of 15 August were involved

in Bangabandhu killing: Amu

DHAKA : Ruling Awami League (AL)

Advisory Council Member and 14-party

alliance spokesperson Amir Hossain Amu

yesterday stated that the beneficiaries of

15 August were involved in the killing of

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

"Activities of Zia and Mostaque cleared

who hatched conspiracies and were beneficiaries

after Bangabandhu's assassination,"

he said.

The AL leader said this while addressing

a discussion organized by Workers

Party of Bangladesh at Engineers'

Institute in the city to mark the National

Mourning Day and the martyrdom

anniversary of Bangabandhu, said a press

release here.

Amu said the conspiracy of August 15 in

1975 is still going on since repeated

attempts have been made to kill

Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina.

DHAKA : Awami League General

Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said

that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is

working relentlessly to overcome the negative

impacts of the current situation created

due to the price hike of several items,

including fuel, across the globe.

"Today, the people of Bangladesh are

facing hardship due to the negative impact

of global crisis. The price of many commodities

has gone up. But the premier

(Sheikh Hasina) is spending sleepless

nights as she is trying sincerely to give her

people relief from this crisis. In continuation

of that, the government is giving its

relentless efforts to overcome the crisis,"

he said.

Quader, also the road transport and

bridges minister, said these while addressing

a discussion held at the central office of

Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue

here as the chief guest under the arrangement

of Mohila Sramik League on the

occasion of National Mourning Day.

Referring to BNP's agitation, he said

that there was no protest to overthrow the

government in France, the United States,

Germany and Japan centering the (current)

crisis.

"We wanted cooperation (to deal with

the crisis). The whole world has extended

its hand of cooperation whereas they

(BNP leaders) are hatching conspiracies to

oust the government in Bangladesh," he

added.

About BNP's activities in the country,

Prime Minister said that if they (BNP leaders)

want to bring out processions then

they can hold it, he continued.

But, when they managed to hold processions

and meetings, they started saying

that the government is allowing processions

under the pressure of foreigners,

Quader said.

"We do not bow down to foreign powers.

Sheikh Hasina is not a person to bow.

We do not bow down to anyone," he

added. Warning BNP leaders and workers

against arson terrorism in the country,

he said: "Don't play with fire. I urge you to

hold programmes peacefully. If you want

to come down (in the streets) with arson

terrorism, then the people will resist it

with a befitting reply." The resistance of

the people will turn into a tsunami, he

cautioned.

He demanded to form a commission to

unmask the masterminds behind

Bangabandhu killing and said, "We had

demanded it two years ago that a judicial

division or public commission should be

formed to find out the conspirators

behind it (Bangabandhu killing)".

Speaking at the discussion, Jatiya

Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haq

Inu said killing of Bangabandhu was not

merely killing an individual rather it was a

conspiracy of making Bangladesh the second

Pakistan.

"Ziaur Rahman did the work in a

planned way. The constitution still bears

the scars of the communal military

regime," he added.

Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul

Committee President Shahriar Kabir

termed Ziaur Rahman as the main culprit

of Bangabandhu killing and said through

Bangabandhu killing, Bangladesh was

taken back to the Pakistani ideology.

With Hilsa catch declining, Bagerhat

fishermen stare at penury

BAGERHAT : The fishing community in Bagerhat is at its wit's

end. From fishermen to traders, all are worried that the reign of

the Hilsa may soon be over due to their Indian counterparts who

enter Bangladeshi waters to net at the confluence of two prominent

rivers-the Pashur and the Baleshwar-in the Bay of Bengal.

This netting at the confluence is hampering the movement of

the 'king of fish' that travels from the sea to the sweet river waters,

according to Bagerhat fishermen.

"Many of us just can't afford to venture into the sea for fishing

and rely on the rivers for our livelihoods. But netting of the fecund

fish at the conference of the two rivers by our Indian counterparts

leaves us worried," a local fisherman said.

In fact, this has hit the entire supply chain-there's not enough

supply of the Hilsa in the wholesale markets of the district. "For

long, we have been demanding a ban on fishing at the conference

of the rivers so that the 'king of fish' can move and breed freely in

the many rivers of Bagerhat," he added.

Recently, this correspondent visited the KB Bazar wholesale fish

market only to find old Hilsa stock from cold storages being sold.

Abed Ali Sheikh, president of the KB Bazar Fish Traders

Association, said that the Hilsa isn't entering the rivers of

Bagerhat. "During the same period last year, at least 100 mounds

of Hilsa used to arrive at KB Bazar daily. But this year, we're getting

only 15-20 mounds of the fish. This shows how severe the

Hilsa crisis has become," he said.

Abed alleged that many Indian fishermen catch the sought-after

fish from the Bangladesh side of the Bay of Bengal whenever a

blockade is imposed. "That's why a joint blockade by the two countries

is needed," he added. ASM Rasel, district fisheries officer,

said that the Hilsa will be found in Bagerhat's rivers if its movement

doesn't get obstructed at the confluences.

Jakir Hossain, a wholesale Hilsa buyer, said that although the

fish was selling at a rate of Tk 800 per kg just a few days ago, "the

price has now soared to Tk 1,400 a kg due to low availability".

14-08-2022

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