14-04-2021

WEDNEsDAY, APRIL 14 2021
3
Facebook supports COVID-19
health awareness and vaccine
rollout in Bangladesh
Meghna Insurance Company Limited has given health protective equipment's to the members of Dhaka Reporters
Unity (DRU) on Monday.
Photo : Courtesy
US Congressman Evans,
Congresswoman Scanlon greets
PM, people of Bangladesh
DHAKA : Congressman Dwight Evans
(Democrat-Pennsylvania 2nd District) and
Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon
(Democrat-Pennsylvania 5th District) have
congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
and the people of Bangladesh on the
occasion of the 50th anniversary of the
independence of Bangladesh.
They were speaking at the community
reception in Philadelphia on Monday
organised by Bangladeshi American
community to welcome Bangladesh
Ambassador M. Shahidul Islam.
Congressman Evans recalled his visit to
Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazaar in 2019 and
appreciated Bangladesh for hosting over
million Rohingyas who fled genocide in
Myanmar.
Terming herself as a "friend of
Bangladesh", Congresswoman Mary Gay
Scanlon expressed her interest in
strengthening Bangladesh-US cooperation
on wide-ranging issues.
Ambassador Shahidul Islam appreciated
the Bangladeshi American community in
Philadelphia for their leadership role in the
mainstream American society.
He stressed the importance of making
friends in the US society and requested
Congressman Evans and Congresswoman
Mary Gay to help revitalize the
Congressional Bangladesh Caucus to carry
forward Bangladesh-US relations.
Bangladeshi American scientist-turned
politician Dr. Nina Ahmad, President of
the Philadelphia National Organization for
Women Education Fund, also a former
Adviser to President Barack Obama
presided over the community meeting.
Leading community personalities
including Dr. Zia Ahmed, Dr. Ibrul
Chowdhury, Ahsan Naratullah, Sheikh
Islam, Tozammel Haque and Omi Islam
spoke on the occasion.
Ambassador Miller
praises power of young
minds in Bangladesh
DHAKA : US Ambassador to Bangladesh
Earl Miller has congratulated Sylhet's 20
newest graduates of the US State
Department-funded English Access
Microscholarship Programme, reports UNB.
He praised the 10 young women and 10
young men from local madrasas and public
schools for their hard work in completing the
course during the pandemic and encouraged
them to continue their studies to prepare for
the future.
"Bangladesh just marked its Golden
Jubilee - the day when it declared its
intention and ability to chart its own path.
There's no better time to recognise the power
of young minds - like yours - to design the
next 50 years. You can take your new skills
and use them as leaders who will shape the
future of Bangladesh," he said during a
virtual ceremony on Monday.
The English Access Microscholarship
Programme is a rigorous, two-year
interactive programme building a
foundation in English language, American
culture, critical thinking, and leadership
skills for 13-17-year-olds from economicallydisadvantaged
backgrounds and helps them
become more competitive for higher
education and employment opportunities.
Currently, 76 students are participating in
Access programmes in Rajshahi and
Chattogram.
Two hundred additional students will start
the programme in 2021. Since the
programme began in 2004, 1,260
Bangladeshi students have successfully
completed it.
The latest graduating class joins 95,000
other Access programme alumni in more
than 85 countries around the world.
The Access programme is one of US
Embassy Dhaka's many initiatives
during this Golden Jubilee year to
strengthen and expand people-to-people
ties and educational linkages between
the United States and Bangladesh,
enhance the quality of education locally,
and empower Bangladeshi youth
through innovative learning
opportunities, said the Embassy.
On the eve of the start of the holy month of Ramadan and to prevent the
second wave of the Corona epidemic, Dhaka Ahsania Mission as part of
humanitarian assistance in the lockdown distributed food and financial assistance
among disadvantaged people and street children. Photo : Courtesy
DRU receives COVID-19
protection
Meghna Insurance Company Limited has given health
protective equipment's to the members of Dhaka Reporters
Unity (DRU). On Monday, at the Nasrul Hamid Auditorium
of DRU, Meghna Insurance Company's Head of H.R and
Administration, Major Alomgir Hossain (ret.) handed over
10,000 masks as COVID-19 safety equipments to the
President of DRU, Mursalin Nomani and General Secretary
Moshiur Rahman. In the event, Meghna Insurance's Head of
Branch Control Golam Al Mamun, Company Secretary
Abdus Samad, and Backpage PR's Azam Chowdhury were
also present, a press release said.
In the Covid Protection Equipment handover ceremony,
DRU's Vice President, Osman Goni Babul, Joint-Secretary
Arafat Daria, Finance Secretary Shah Alam Nur,
Organization Secretary Mainul Hasan Sohel, Office Secretary
Md. Jafor Iqbal, IT & Training Secretary Halim Mohammad,
Guest Secretary Mohammad Naimuddin, Development
Secretary Khalid Saifullah, Committee member M. M. Jasim,
Rahman Aziz, Rafiq Rafi and Nargis Jui were present among
the others.
The leader of DRU expressed their gratitude towards
Meghna Insurance Company Limited over the gesture and
hope to continue to receive such support in the future.
Meghna Insurance Company Limited Chairperson,
Sabrina Rahman said, "Our organization has been helping
the front lines from the beginning of the ongoing Corona
pandemic. Last year, we provided protection equipment's to
the Police force, in sequence to this we have once again come
forward in support, this time for the journalists."
New BGMEA board
takes charge
DHAKA : The new board of Bangladesh Garment
Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) took
charge from the outgoing committee on Tuesday, reports
UNB.
Managing Director of Giant Group Faruque Hassan has
officially taken over as the president of the apex trade body.
The office-bearers of BGMEA will serve for the 2021-23 term.
Other office-bearers of the apex trade body are-Syed
Nazrul Islam (Chattogram), first vice president; SM Mannan
Kochi, senior vice president; Shahidullah Azim, vice
president; Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, vice president
(finance); Miran Ali, vice president; Md Nasiruddin, vice
president and Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, vice president
(Chattogram).
The BGMEA biennial election was held on April 4.
Sammilita Parishad led by Faruque won 24 directors' posts
out of 35 while the opposition panel, Forum, bagged 11 posts.
This year, 1,996 BGMEA members out of 2,314, cast their
votes. Of them, 1,604 votes from Dhaka and 392 from
Chattogram were cast in the election.
SCBA President Khasru
on life support
DHAKA : Former law minister and Supreme Court Bar
Association (SCBA) President Abdul Matin Khasru, MP, was
put on life support at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in
Dhaka this morning as his health condition deteriorated.
Khasru, who was diagnosed with Covid-19, was under
treatment at the hospital from March 16. Recently he became
corona negative but was still under treatment because of the
other complications.
"Khasru sir was put on life support at 11.30am from the
intensive care unit (ICU). He was shifted to a regular cabin on
March 31 as his condition improved. Later on April 6, Khasru
sir was again shifted to ICU as his condition again worsened,"
Advocate Shamim Khan, a member of Advocate Abdul Matin
Khasru Associates, told BSS.
Khasru, a five-time lawmaker from Cumilla-5, gave
sample for Covid-19 test on March 15 and on March 16 he
was diagnosed as coronavirus positive and admitted to
CMH.
He was elected SCBA president for 2021-2022 on
March 11.
Non-govt teachers & employees'
Baishaki allowance transferred
DHAKA : The baishaki allowance for teachers and employees
of the non-government schools and colleges has been
transferred to the head offices of the Agrani and Rupali Bank
and local offices of Janata and Sonali Bank.
The teachers and employees can withdraw their allowances
from the concerned branches of the banks till April 18.
DHAKA : Facebook has partnered with
Bangladesh's ICT Division and the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare to announce a
campaign to raise awareness about COVID-
19 and help Bangladeshis get vaccinated,
reports UNB.
The campaign aims to increase people's
uptake of preventive health practices and
vaccination intent in the country.
Facebook will take several steps to
holistically support vaccine rollout and the
nationwide awareness campaign towards
safe hygiene practices, particularly given the
recent surge in COVID-19 cases.
By encouraging people to visit COVID-19
Information Center, which is also available
in Bangla, the platform will make it easier for
people to access credible information and
best practices on preventive hygiene
measures.
It also contains modules on mental health
and vaccine safety, and provides easy access
towww.corona.gov.bdfor latest government
directives, said a media release on Tuesday.
Through News Feed notifications,
Facebook will direct people to register for
COVID-19
vaccine
onwww.surokkha.gov.bdand nudge them to
continue wearing masks.
On World Health Day, the social media
platform launched a public education
campaign (www.fightcovidmisinfo.com) to
help Bangladeshis learn how to identify and
combat false information about COVID-19
and related health measures.
The public education modules are
available in Bangla to ensure that it is more
relatable and practical to people in the
country.
"As Bangladesh is seeing a significant spike
in COVID-19 cases like many parts of the
world, it's reassuring to see how health
awareness and safe vaccination efforts have
been ramped up to reach more people in the
country," said Sabhanaz Rashid Diya, who
leads Public Policy for Bangladesh at
Facebook.
"By working closely with the national
health agencies and public health experts,
and using Facebook's scale and speed to
reach people, we are committed to do our
part to help Bangladeshis access credible
information, adopt safe health practices, get
vaccinated and come together as a
community."
In Bangladesh, Facebook has been
working closely with the ICT Division and
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of
Bangladesh throughout the pandemic to
increase awareness on COVID-19 preventive
health practices.
"Today, it has become crucial for us, as a
community, to work hand-in-hand to protect
ourselves as increasing adoption of digital
lifestyle by all walks of society exposes us to
new risks of unprecedented proportions
ranging from identity theft to wrong decision
because of disinformation. I would like to
thank Facebook for taking this broad
measure and we are delighted to be part of
this campaign to promote vaccination, mask
wearing and social distancing to a much
greater population," said Anir Chowdhury,
Policy Advisor of a2i (Aspire to Innovate)
Programme, ICT Division and Cabinet
Division, Government of Bangladesh and
UNDP Bangladesh.
He added, "At a2i, we are constantly
coming up with new innovations and
measures to ease the lives of our citizens
during these difficult times. We look
forward to working with Facebook in
finding newer ways to help the citizens of
our country."
Globally, Facebook has connected over 2
billion people to resources from health
authorities through the COVID-19
Information Center and removed more than
12 million pieces of harmful misinformation
about COVID-19 and approved vaccines
from its family of apps.
5 more services of BIDA come
under online OSS centre
DHAKA : Bangladesh Investment
Development Authority (BIDA) has included
five more services with its online One Stop
Service (OSS) centre to ensure ease and swift
services for the investors in the country.
Power Secretary Md Habibur Rahman
joined the virtual inauguration function of
the services as the chief guest while Member
of National Board of Revenue (NBR) Zakia
Sultana joined as the special guest, said a
press release.
BIDA Executive Chairman Md Sirajul
Islam presided over the function.
The services are: Online VAT Registration,
Electricity Connection of the Dhaka Electric
Supply Company Limited, Electricity
Connection of the West Zone Power
Distribution Company Limited, Electricity
Connection of the Northern Electricity
Supply Company Limited and Providing
Recommendation of the BIDA Second IRC.
Now, BIDA is providing a total of 47
services, including the new five services,
through the online one-stop service portal.