27-07-2021

tueSday
DhaKa: July 27, 2021; Srabon 12, 1428 BS; Zilhaj 16,1442 hijri
www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net
Regd.No.Da~2065, Vol.19; N o. 97; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00
international
Tunisian president
fires premier after
violent protests
>Page 7
SPortS
Kumar stars as India
thrash Sri Lanka in 1st
T20 after Covid-19 scare
>Page 9
art & culture
"Ghotona Shotto"
sparks huge criticism,
director apologies
>Page 10
Sylhet-3 by-election
postponed until Aug 5
SYLHET : The High Court on Monday
stayed the by-election to Sylhet-3 constituency
till August 5 due to the worsening
Covid situation in the country, reports
UNB. The virtual HC bench of Justice M
Enayetur Rahim passed the order following
a writ petition filed over the election.
The election was scheduled to be held on
July28.
Earlier in the morning , Advocate
Mohammad Shishir Monir, on behalf of
six Supreme Court lawyers and seven local
voters, including Saleh Ahmed, filed the
writ petition seeking stay of the polls.
Besides, a legal notice was issued to the
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on
Sunday to suspend voting in the polls.
The Sylhet-3 constituency fell vacant
after MP Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury
died of coronavirus on March 11.
SSC, HSC exams to be
held on three subjects
DHAKA : The Secondary School
Certificate (SSC), Higher Secondary
Certificates (HSC)-2021 and its equivalent
examinations will be held this year on
three elective subjects of each group and
with a reduced syllabus in line with health
protocols.
The decision was taken considering the
Covid-19 situation, said a press release
issued signed by SM Amirul Islam,Exam
Controller of the Dhaka Board of
Intermediate and Secondary Education.
Mandatory subjects will not be assessed
this year as they were evaluated in the past
JSC, JDC and equivalent examinations
while no exam will be taken on the fourth
or optional elective subject.
Results of mandatory and optional subjects
will be given based on subject mapping
like last year which will be done based
on the previous JSC, JDC, SSC, and equivalent
examination results.
However, there is no opportunity to
change or amend the 4th subject in the
student registration card, added the
release.
The education ministry assured that
there will be no negative impact on admission
to higher education due to the evaluation
system.
160 people fined in
court for breaching
COVID-19 restrictions
DHAKA : The Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka yesterday
fined 160 people for violating the
restrictions imposed from Friday morning
to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan
Magistrates Rajesh Chowdhury and
Shahidul Islam fined them Taka 100
each on the fourth day of the two weeklong
nationwide strict lockdown, Sub-
Inspector of Dhaka CMM Court
Shahidul Islam confirmed the matter to
BSS.
He said, earlier, police arrested the
people from different areas of the city for
breaching the restriction rules and produced
them before the court.
However, they were released subjecting
to paying the fine, Shahidul said.
Zohr
04:03 AM
12:10 PM
04:43 PM
06:48 PM
08:12 PM
5:25 6:45
Bangladesh logs
record-high 247
single-day deaths
TBT rEPorT
Going through the most frightening stage of
Covid-19, Bangladesh registered another
highest single-day death toll of 247 in 24
hours till Monday morning. Besides, the highest-ever
15,192 cases were reported during the
period after testing 50,952 samples, according
to a handout issued by the Directorate
General of Health Services (DGHS).
Hospitals across the country are struggling to
treat the growing number of patients amid
shortage of beds and medical supplies.
With Covid's Delta variant spreading
fast, the country's fatalities had been hovering
at nearly 200 for the last two weeks.
It reported the highest daily Covid-19
fatality number - 231 - on July 19 and
13,768 infections on the 12th of the month.
The new numbers took the country's
death tally to 19,521 today while the caseload
to 1,179,827, said the DGHS.
The country has been seeing nearly
9,000 cases on average every day for the
past seven days. Meanwhile, the daily test
positivity rate decreased to 29. 82 % from
Sunday's 30.04 %, while the World Health
Organization (WHO) recommends a 5%
DHAKA : Legal action will be taken if any
industrial factory is found open amid the
strict lockdown imposed to prevent the
spread of coronavirus, State Minister for
Public Administration Farhad Hossain
said on Monday, reports UNB.
He was speaking to journalists after the
cabinet meeting on Monday.
The state minister said all governmentprivate
offices should be closed except for
the factories involved in the production
and processing of food products, the
preservation of rawhide and the pharmaceutical
industry. He said "I am monitoring
the industrial mills whether they are
open or not. And if we find any evidence,
legal action will be taken against those
who are running factories."
Moreover, Farhad said the government
has so far no plan to open garment
factories. The state minister further said,
"When people are roaming on the
or below rate.
However, the case fatality rate remained
static at 1.65% during the period, said the
DGHS. The recovery rate fell slightly to
85.50% from Sunday's 85.77% with 11,052
patients recovering during the 24-hour
period. Dhaka, the worst hit division,
recordedthe highest 72 of the deaths
today,followed by 61 in Chattogram, 46 in
Khulna ,21 in Rajshahi, 16 in Rangpur, 14
in Sylhet and 12 in Barishal and five in
Mymensingh divisions.
Of them, 141 were men and 106 were
women. As per their age breakdowns, two
were between 11-20, three between 21-30,
16 between 31-40, 13 between 41-50, 59
between 51-60 and 152 were above 60,the
release added.
Reporting 5,018 deaths so far, July has
become the most fatal month since the
country saw its firstCovidcases in March,
2020. Earlier, the country saw
2,404Coviddeaths in April, 1,169 in May
and 1,884 in June marking the most fatal
months of this year.
Also, July was the most fatal month of
2020, reporting 1,264 deaths followed by
1,197 deaths in June that year.
Farhad warns legal action
if factories found open
amid lockdown
streets for the sake of work, we are actually
trying to check the veracity of what
they are saying."
When asked about the implementation
of strict lockdown, he said, "Since we have
shut down the garment and export-oriented
industries, the movement of workers
has decreased. There are many other reasons
why people are coming out unnecessarily
and they have to face the law
enforcers."
In addition, people are able to move
freely for emergency services such as hospital
service. Asked if the prime minister
had given any instructions in the cabinet
meeting, the state minister said issues on
the worsened Covid situation have been
discussed. "We have issued the notification
strictly," he said.
The current restrictions came into force
on July 23 and will continue till Aug. 5
midnight, unless extended again.
View of Motijheel, the heart of the capital, during the lockdown.
Expatriates flock to buy tickets at Bangladesh Biman Bhaban in Motijheel on Monday.
Balanced development
Govt creates 3
new upazilas
in 3 districts
DHAKA : The government on Monday
approved the creation of three new upazilas-
'Eidgaon' in Cox's Bazar, 'Modhyanagar' in
Sunamganj and 'Dashar' in Madaripurraising
the number of the upazilas to 495
in the country in a bid to ensure balanced
development in those remote areas,
reports UNB.
The approval came from a meeting of
the National Implementation Committee
for Administrative Reform (NICAR), held
virtually. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
chaired the meeting, joining it from
Ganobhaban, while others from the
Secretariat.
"The structures of the three new upazilas
will be like that of the latest upazila
(492nd Upazila)," said Cabinet Secretary
Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing
reporters after the meetings of the Cabinet
and NICAR.
Besides, Dakkhin Sunamganj upazila
was renamed as 'Shantiganj Upazila', he
said.
At the NICAR meeting, the Sylhet City
Corporation area was extended and thus
Shahjalal University of Science and
Technology (SUST) and other some big
establishments came under the purview of
the city, he said.
Besides, changes have been brought in
the peripheries of two municipalities -
'Dohar' in Dhaka and 'Shibchar' in
Madaripur, the Cabinet Secretary added.
Photo: TBT
Covid-19
Fatality rate 90%
among elderly villagers
AshrAful IslAM AsrAf
DHAKA : Speakers at a webinar on
Monday laid emphasis on upgrading hard
and soft business infrastructures; encouraging
linkage industries and establishment
of special economic zones; and
active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)
park for smooth and sustainable graduation
of Bangladesh from LDC status by
2026.
They also advocated for establishment
of more fashion design institutes; raising
competitiveness by increasing productivity
and reducing cost of production;
improving business climate and trade
facilitation system for sustainable LDC
graduation.
They said permanent graduation from
the LDC status would be a recognition of
real development of the country and the
living standards of the people, although
Bangladesh will face many challenges.
The experts said this at the virtual webinar
on ''LDC graduation: Challenges and
Opportunities'' organised by the Institute
of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh
(ICAB).
They noted that the country has developed
significant trade-related capacity and
adaptability, even after withdrawal of GSP
by the US. The predictions of disaster in
the RMG sector during the phasing out of
Multifibre Arrangement through
Agreement on textiles and clothing, was
not true as Bangladesh successfully
steered clear of the Global financial crisis
Photo: TBT
Emphasizing on vaccination for Covid-19
in rural areas Health and Family Planning
Minister Zahid Maleque Monday said, " In
hospitals 70% of Covid patients are older
people from villages while the fatality rate
among them is 90%."
Following the Prime Minister's directive
vaccination campaign will now be boosted
in ward, union and upazila level, said the
minister. Maleque was briefing reporters
after attending the Cabinet meeting on
Monday.
He said initiative has been taken to vaccinate
elderly people from the ward level
as they are more reluctant about receiving
it. The minister also emphasized on ensuring
more Covid-19 tests from the rural
areas. He said, "90% of the hospital beds
are occupied with patients and our health
workers are tired now."
The government will appoint 4,000
more doctors and nurses soon in the
health sector, he said.
He urged the authorities responsible to
be stricter, warning of the terrible consequences
waiting for the country if lockdown
is not maintained properly.
"It's unfortunate how people are moving
outside, travelling only on the fourth day
of lockdown, breaking the rules and risking
lives," said Maleque.
He said the lockdown has to be made
successful as there is no other alternative
to contain the Covid-19 spread.
More linkage industries, economic
zones required for sustainable
LDC graduation: speakers
having little or no impact on its exports,
said a press release.
Planning Minister MA Mannan MP
graced the webinar as the chief guest while
Sharifa Khan, Member (Secretary),
Industry and Energy Division, Planning
Commission was present as special guest.
ICAB President Mahmudul Hasan
Khusru delivered the welcome address
while ICAB Member Council and Past
President Md. Humayun Kabir presided
over the webinar as the session chairman.
Shubhashish Bose, CEO of ICAB and former
senior secretary presented the
keynote paper.
Mostafa Abid Khan, Member,
Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC), Ali
Hussain Akber Ali, Chairman, BSRM;
Syed Nasim Manzur, Managing Director,
Apex; and Monzur Ahmed, Adviser,
FBCCI were panel speakers of the webinar.
Speaking on the occasion as the chief
guest, Planning Minister MA Mannan said
that the LDC graduation would bring a
mixed set of new realities and the country
would lose a wide variety of preferences
and privileges in global trade. "As the
duty-free benefits under the World Trade
Organization (WTO) regime will no longer
be effective, our exports will face new challenges,"
he said adding that tariffs on
Bangladesh's products in major international
markets and its debt servicing liabilities
will increase due to cessation of concessional
finance into the country.

TueSDAY, JulY 27, 2021
2
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh TCB selling goods at reasonable price to the mass people at
Mogbazar yesterday.
Photo : PID
BNP leader Ruhul
Kabir Rizvi takes
corona vaccine
TBT Report
BNP senior joint secretary
general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has
been vaccinated against
corona virus. He arrived at
BSMMU at 12:45 pm on
Monday (July 26) and was
vaccinated. BNP Health
Secretary Dr. Rafiqul Islam
was present at the time. He
said BNP senior joint
secretary general Ruhul Kabir
Rizvi had taken the modern
vaccine.
It may be mentioned that
BNP senior joint secretary
general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi
was first attacked on March
16. Then he was admitted to
Square Hospital in the capital
on March 17 for advanced
treatment. While undergoing
treatment there, Rizvi's
physical condition suddenly
deteriorated on April 1. Later
he was transferred to the
Incentive Care Unit (ICU)
even when his oxygen level
dropped.
Rizvi was released from the
hospital after a long hiatus as
his condition improved. At
present he is much healthier
than before. He is Taking
medicine from home on the
advice of a doctor. Ruhul
Kabir Rizvi urges to all his
well-wishers to pray to
almighty Allah for his
complete recovery.
PM sends mangoes
to Indonesian
president
DHAKA : Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina has sent
1,000kg of mangoes for
Indonesian President Joko
Widodo, reports UNB.
The Bangladesh Embassy in
Jakarta received 1,000kg of
mangoes from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs as a gift for
Indonesia.
The embassy in
coordination with the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia
handed over 1,000kg of
Bangladeshi mangoes for the
president at Merdeka
Presidential Palace in Jakarta
recently.
Presidential palace protocol
of the president secretariat,
personal officer staff of the
president and protocol officers
of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Indonesia received
the gift.
GD-1144/21 (3x3)
Sajeeb Wazed Joy
turns 51 today
DHAKA : The 51st birthday of Bangabandhu's
grandson Sajeeb Wazed Joy will be celebrated
today amid increasing public expectations
about his future role in political arena as by now
he played the pivotal role in setting the
country's crucial course being the beacon of
'Digital Bangladesh'.
Despite being a leading political figure, Joy so
far preferred a distinct course of action unlike
any conventional politician, to materialize the
electoral pledge of the party he belongs to and
his mother Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leads
to build a Digital Bangladesh.
Contemporary political history suggests that
Joy, also Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ICT
Affairs Adviser, was a key figure in formulating
the Awami League's Vision 2021 manifesto,
based-on what the party was reelected thrice to
power since 2008. Being a member of
Bangladesh's most illustrious political family,
Joy's character largely reflects the qualities of
his grandfather Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman, who founded the country to remain
as the Father of the Nation.
A graduate in computer engineering from the
University of Texas at Arlington in the United
States, Joy was born in 1971, coinciding with
the emergence of Bangladesh as an
independent nation. His father Dr MA Wazed
Miah was an internationally reputed nuclear
scientist.Joy attended the Kennedy School of
Government at one of world's most famous
Harvard University, which taught him the
governance issues and earned him the Masters
degree in Public Administration.
According to observers, Joy successfully
could combine his academic learning on these
two disciplines to be applied in leading the
Digital Bangladesh campaign.
His excellence earned him the honour of
being selected as one of the "250 Young Global
Leaders of the World" in 2007 Davos summit
of World Economic Forum, which is said to
largely set the global affairs. On February 25 in
2009, Sajeeb Wazed officially joined the Awami
League as a primary member of the Rangpur
district unit of the party within days, and as an
IT policy analyst, unveiled the concept paper
and action plan for the government's ambitious
"Digital Bangladesh" campaign.
Financial support to vulnerable countries
must for effective climate adaptation: Shahab
DHAKA : Long-term and adequate financial
support is a prerequisite for achieving the
Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), part of the
Paris Agreement, Environment, Forest and
Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin
said Sunday, reports UNB.
Bothtechnical and financial support will
have to beprovided to the most vulnerable
developing countries for the effective
implementation ofprioritised adaptation
actions, he said while addressing the plenary
session of "The July Ministerial" of the COP26
Presidency in London.
Bangladesh is in the process of formulating
theNational Adaptation Plan(NAP)to reduce
vulnerability to the impacts of climate
changeby enhancing adaptive capacity and
resilience, the minister said.
"However, we are aware of the lack of
resources for the NAP implementation. We
must consider the adequacy and effectiveness
of support for adaptation," he added.
Members of Bangladesh Navy are assisting civil administration to implement
the government order at coastal areas of the country to prevent coronavirus.
Photo : ISPR
Man held with currencies
of 8 countries at
Dhaka airport
DHAKA : Airport Armed Police
Battalion (AAP) members on
Monday morning detained a
man along with currencies of
eight countries worth Tk 2.5
crore from the Hazrat Shahjalal
International Airport.
The detainee was identified as
Jahangir Gazi, 36, reports UNB.
Additional Superintendent
(media) of AAP Md Jiaul Haque
said tipped off, they detained
Gazi right after he completed his
boarding pass and initially
recovered 50,000 Saudi Riyal
from his possession.
Swechchhasebak
League's 27th founding
anniversary today
DHAKA: Bangladesh Awami
Swechchhasebak League
(BASL), the volunteers' wing
of Bangladesh Awami
League (AL), will celebrate
its 27th founding
anniversary today through
various programmes.
The BASL was founded on
July 26 in 1994 as an AL's
associate body as per the
directives of Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's
able daughter Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Marking the anniversary,
the BASL has drawn up
different programmes
throughout the country on a
limited scale by maintaining
health guidelines and social
distancing.
As part of the
programmes, the national
and party flags will be
hoisted in front of BASL's
central office in the capital
along with its all offices at
district, city, upazila and
ward levels at 6 am today.
The leaders and workers of
the organisation will pay
tributes to the Father of the
Nation by placing wreaths at
his portrait in front of
historical Bangabandhu
Bhaban at Dhanmondi Road
No. 32 at 9am.
GD-1141/21 (12x4)
Prof Yunus gets highest viewership in Tokyo
Olympics opening ceremony, says Yunus Centre
DHAKA : The highest number of TV
viewers during the opening ceremony of
the Tokyo Olympics 2020 was recorded
when Nobel Laureate Prof. Muhammad
Yunus delivered his "Three Zeros"
speech, following his acceptance of the
Olympic Laurel, reports UNB.
Yunus Centre in Dhaka shared the
information on Monday quoting a
Toshiba report published on Yahoo News
Japan.
According to the report, Japanese TV
viewers were listening to his speech on 47
per cent of all TV sets in Japan.
Toshiba's viewer monitoring was based
on the sample size of 340,000 TV sets in
Japan.
This programme calculates the
audience rating every second. According
to it, the audience rating rose to 10 per
cent of TV sets in the first 10 minutes of
the opening ceremony broadcast.
The number of viewers continued to
rise until it reached the peak during Prof.
Yunus's speech.
At the time Japanese audience were
watching the ceremony on 47 per cent of
all TV sets in Japan.
AL's webinar on advancement
of digital technology today
DHAKA : The ruling Awami League (AL)
will hold a webinar titled "Advancing
Digital Technology under the Leadership of
Jananetri Sheikh Hasina: from Pioneer
Mujib to Sajeeb" at 11am today.
AL Science and Technology Affairs
Subcommittee will organize the webinar
while AL General Secretary and Road
Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul
Quader will address it as the chief guest,
said a press release.
Bangladesh University of Engineering
and Technology (BUET) Vice Chancellor
(VC) Professor Dr Md Habibur Rahman
and Pro-VC Professor Dr Abdul Jabbar
Khan, and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman Digital University (BDU) VC
Professor Dr Munaz Ahmed Noor will join
the webinar as discussants.
Canadian University of Bangladesh
(CUB) VC Professor Dr Mohammad
Mahfuzul Islam will present a keynote
paper in the webinar with AL Science and
Technology Affairs Subcommittee
Chairman Professor Dr Hossain Mansur in
the chair.
AL Science and Technology Affairs
Secretary Engineer Md Abdus Sabur will
deliver the welcome address in the virtual
discussion.

tuesDAY, Saturday, 10 JulY October, 27, 2021 2020
Special Supplement
GD-1143/21

TuESDAY, JulY 27, 2021
4
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com
Tuseday, July 27, 2021
Go all out to restrain
Corona's upsurge
Ever since Corona showed up its fiendish
head in March 2020 in Bangladesh, our
state machinery has been engaging in
relentless see-saw battles against the grave health
risks to people. Bangladesh ought not to be blamed
for inadequate response to the novel health risks.
All other countries in varying degrees have paid the
price of getting similarly caught unaware.
The most advanced nations have been reeling
under Corona induced hospitalization and deaths
and in this situation Bangladesh with its limited
health care facilities need not be 'reasonably'
blamed for poor response to the unprecedented
pandemic. Bangladesh has coped commendably to
increase coping capacities within its territories and
Providence also played a part in keeping sufferings
here limited specially in the backdrop of our giant
neighbor, India, recording the highest number of
daily infections from Covidf-19 for some months at
a stretch.
Our varied policies of lockdown, limited
lockdown, relaxed lockdowns, etc. have been not
unsuccessful in keeping the pandemic at bay while
also vitally people's lives and economy going. But
the latest alarming spread of the delta type of the
pandemic in Bangladesh have clearly manifested
why half measures or quarter measures and their
repetition would no more work as effective
antidote. At least for a while, all out actions like an
all embracing lockdown across the country is
necessary to put an effective brake on the all
engulfing spread of the pandemic.
To this end, the last two weeks long countrywide
lockdown was necessary and fully justified. Its
temporary withdrawl for Eid is no doubt risky. But
the clampdown must renew with total dedication
and no compromises ,till the declared period,as
soon as the Eid fervor is over. All of us in the
country, public and private sector , management
of industries in the private and public sector,
workers, traders, service providers, daily wage
earners and all others must on their own gird up
their loins for the period of all out lockdown and
they will require supports in cash and kind from
the government or enabled to endure the tougher
lockdown.
Skeptics will ask what good the recently
withdrawn lockdown of 14 days achieve ? They are
likely to say that whereas the daily death rate was
averaging some 30 or 40 two months ago, the
same steadily increased and rose to above 200
after the imposition of the last lockdown. But
experts are likely to contend that the deaths and
infections could soar to thousands probably if the
lockdown was not in place. Considering all these,
the merit of going through a truly well enforced
extended period of lockdown after the Eid is seen.
Meanwhile, government must work on a war
footing to bridge the gaps in its supply chains of
equipment, oxygen, ICUs and medical personnel
so as not to be overwhelmed by the onslaught of
Covid-019. The media very recently has reported
unanimously that the country's health system is
facing a collapse as too fast hospital beds are being
gobbled up by the soaring number of Covid-19
patients.
There is no time to pause and ponder. Brisk and
unconventional steps need to be taken to beef up
capacities within the existing hospitals, set up field
hospitals with large holding capacities. The state
machinery must work round the clock anticipating
a further explosion of the pandemic. Government
must concentrate its efforts-starting immediatelyto
save lives. No Covid-19 patient should be turned
away from a medical facility on grounds of full
occupancy, to die without help or treatment. The
optimistic vaccination programthat has started
must be carried out completely to a successful
culmination. A few nations has been so successful
like Bangladesh in early contracting for assured
delivery of some 200 million doses of vaccines
from external sources.
With head start and proper planning, a nation
which successfully fought the war of
independence and won it, is not likely to go down
to Covid-19's advance. Inshallah, we are going to
win this struggle against Covid-19 with the help of
Providence and our own far sighted planning.
Taliban's Afghan takeover will be strategic disaster for Tehran
The increasingly likely victory of the
Taliban in Afghanistan is going to
be a strategic nightmare for Iran.
In recent years, Tehran initiated contact
with the Taliban and even hosted talks
between the Afghan government and the
group. Despite its ideological antipathy to
the Taliban, Iran maintained ties with
them as a hedge against the US presence
in Afghanistan and to ward off the threat
of Islamic State (ISIS).
Tehran is also said to have supplied the
group with arms and funding, allowed
senior Taliban leaders access to Iranian
medical services, and given them shelter
from American air strikes.
This was also done in the hope that the
Taliban would agree to be part of a powersharing
future government in Kabul
midwifed by Tehran, which would secure
Iranian interests in Afghanistan. Instead,
because of their rapid military victories in
recent weeks, the Taliban are expected to
come to power on their own.
Conservative newspapers in Iran, such
as Jomhuri-ye-Eslami, have warned
about the dangers of a Taliban takeover in
Kabul. In an ironic twist, its editorials,
which would otherwise never advocate for
the rights of Iranian women, have warned
of the dangers the Taliban pose for Afghan
women.Iran's policy in recent years
toward the Taliban has marked the group
as different from al-Qaeda and ISIS. Yet
Jomhuri-ye-Eslami lumps the Taliban
together with both al-Qaeda and ISIS,
calling them an "unholy triangle," and has
also referred to the Taliban as terrorists.
As seems likely now, a Taliban takeover
in Kabul will be unacceptable to
Afghanistan's various ethnic groups and
political factions that have in the past
fought the group. Reports suggest that
Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan announced last week that
he had "good news" to share in
Cyprus, where he was going to participate
in celebrations of the 47th anniversary of
Turkey's military operation to stop the
Greek annexation of the island.
Turkish media speculated that the
"good news" could be one or more of the
following:
Azerbaijan (and probably Pakistan)
might consider extending diplomatic
recognition to northern Cyprus. Turkey
had arranged for this purpose the visit of
an Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation
to the island.
Part of Varosha, the restricted military
area on the outskirts of Famagusta that
was one of the most popular celebrity
tourist destinations in the 1970s, could be
returned to its original owners.
A military base for drones could be
established on the island.
A naval base could be established in the
north of Famagusta.
The discovery of natural gas in the
maritime jurisdiction area claimed by
northern Cyprus.
In fact, the "good news" was none of the
above. Instead, Erdogan announced that a
several regional and ethnic militias are
taking up arms. A civil war in Afghanistan
could send another wave of refugees
across the border into Iran, already home
to about 3 million Afghan refugees,
equivalent to roughly 4% of Iran's
population. This would put pressure on
Iran's flailing public services, already
weakened by US sanctions, and increase
political tensions within the country.
In addition, drug smuggling across the
900-kilometer Afghanistan-Iran border is
likely to increase in the event of a Taliban
takeover. Despite their professed piety,
the Taliban have allowed poppy
cultivation to continue in the areas under
their control, seeking to export opium to
fund their arms purchases.
Iran cannot risk its territory becoming
awash with drugs. With 2 million to 3
million addicts, Iran has one of the highest
drug-addiction rates in the world.
Illicit arms entering Iran from
Afghanistan could also inflame Iran's
currently dormant ethnic insurgencies.
Politically, a Taliban government
independent of Iranian influence is not a
foreign-policy legacy Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would like to
leave. Other than recruiting a few token
DNYANESh KAmAT
Shiite Hazaras, the Taliban have not made
any serious commitment to inclusivity or
plurality.
Indeed, Tehran is alarmed that the
Taliban continue to insist on the Hanafi
school of Islamic jurisprudence, based on
the ultra-conservative Deobandi school, to
be the sole source of legislation for
Afghanistan. This makes no allowance for
Afghanistan's Shiite communities.
A Taliban government allied more firmly to Pakistan could
imperil Iranian plans to link its Chabahar port to Central Asia
via Afghan territory. Because Central Asian access to the Indian
ocean does not have to pass through Iranian territory, alternatives
- much like the uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway
that links Central Asia to the Sino-Pakistan Gwadar port project
in Pakistan - are possible under a Taliban government.
Unlike in Iraq and Yemen, Iran's Afghan
proxy militia, the Fatemiyoun, composed
of Shiite Hazaras, is nowhere near as
formidable as Lebanon's Hezbollah or
Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units, and
thus do not pose a serious challenge to the
Taliban.
In response to Turkey's alleged plans to
move Sunni jihadis from Syria to
Afghanistan, Iran might respond by
shifting its proxy militias from Syria and
Iraq to Afghanistan. But this would
compromise Iran's recent strategic gains
in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
A Taliban government allied more
firmly to Pakistan could imperil Iranian
plans to link its Chabahar port to Central
Asia via Afghan territory. Because Central
Asian access to the Indian Ocean does not
have to pass through Iranian territory,
How Erdogan's 'good news' fell flat
new presidential palace was going to be
built in Cyprus.
Few Turkish Cypriots would regard this
as an urgent requirement while they suffer
serious economic hardship and
international recognition of their state has
not been forthcoming for more than 35
years.
The international community has to
explain why Turks and Greek Cypriots
cannot set up two different states in
Cyprus, when the Dominican Republic
and Haiti - despite their religious and
linguistic affinity - were able to do it on the
Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
Pro-government media in Turkey
presented the construction of this
building as an important step toward the
two-state solution that both Turkey and
YASAr YAKIS
the northern Cyprus government are
trying to promote.
Further important news announced by
Erdogan was his intention to demilitarize
3.5 percent of Varosha, to allow Greek
owners to return and reopen their hotels.
"The door of a new era will open with
Varosha for the benefit of all, with work
done with respect for property rights.
Now, a process will begin in the interest
of all," Erdogan said. He did not specify
whose sovereignty the area would be
under, a lack of precision that alarmed the
Greek Cypriots, who mobilized the
A more important item on Erdogan's agenda was his strong
emphasis on a two-state solution for Cyprus. "A permanent
and sustainable solution to the country's division can only be
possible by taking into account that there are two separate
states and two separate peoples in Cyprus. The international
community will sooner or later accept this reality," he has said.
international community to stop the
move. The US State Department said:
"We urge Turkish Cypriots and Turkey to
reverse their decision and all steps taken
since October 2020."
ArEFIN ISlAm SourAv
alternatives - much like the Uzbekistan-
Afghanistan-Pakistan railway that links
Central Asia to the Sino-Pakistan Gwadar
port project in Pakistan - are possible
under a Taliban government.
If the Taliban come to power on their
own in Kabul, they will cause serious
political embarrassment for Tehran. The
regime's past engagement with al-Qaeda
and the Taliban had caused unease for the
diehards in the Islamic Republic.
A series of editorials, also from
conservative newspapers, now have
engaged in delicate semantic maneuvers
to make the Taliban's assumption of
power in Kabul palatable to the Iranian
public.
This has ranged from denial to outright
lies, such as the hardline Kayhan
newspaper's position that the Taliban
have historically not committed any crime
against the Shiite population of
Afghanistan, or that today's Taliban are
different from their earlier 1990s
incarnation.
While one part of Iran's propaganda
machinery expresses alarm at the
Taliban's rapid gains in Afghanistan, the
other is trying to minimize the
reputational damage to the regime for
what is likely to be a foreign-policy
disaster. This suggests a regime in Tehran
completely at sea and one that faces the
prospect of its Afghanistan policy
producing unanticipated damage to Iran's
strategic interests.
Dnyanesh Kamat is a political
analyst who focuses on the Middle
East and South Asia. He also
consults on socio-economic
development for government and
private-sector entities
The UK, Russia and France followed
suit. The Greek Cypriots' main argument
is that, according to UN Security Council
resolutions 550 and 789, this area should
be under UN administration.
Turkey has faced too many setbacks in
its relations with the EU, and the latter has
lost its leverage over the Cyprus issue. It
will not therefore be easy to force Turkey
to re-negotiate "the bi-communal, bizonal
federation."
The international community has to
explain why Turks and Greek Cypriots
cannot set up two different states in
Cyprus, when the Dominican Republic
and Haiti - despite their religious and
linguistic affinity - were able to do it on the
Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
Turkey believes there is every
justification for two independent states in
Cyprus, because Turks and Greeks are two
different peoples, they speak different
languages, they adhere to different
religions, and they would live together
more happily as two friendly neighbors.
Yasar Yakis is a former foreign
minister of Turkey and founding
member of the ruling AK Party.
Twitter: @yakis_yasar
My Experience of Study in Indonesia with KNB Scholarship
Iam Arefin Islam Sourav, a
Bangladeshi student from Daffodil
International University (DIU). I used
to spend my days dreaming of studying
abroad, making vision boards, and
reading lists of quotes that talked about
the magic of studying abroad. However, it
took a while until I turned all my dreams
into reality. I received the KNB
scholarship from the Indonesian
government in 2018 after completing the
proper application process guided by the
International Affairs Office of DIU. I have
finished my master's degree in
Informatics Engineering this year in 2021
and currently I am one of the proud
alumni of UniversitasAtma Jaya
Yogyakarta (UAJY), Indonesia. Moving
from my home country to another
country, taught me lots of things but here
are some of my top listed things that I
have learned from my experience of being
a student overseas.
This Indonesian Scholarship is a Fully
Funded Indonesian Government
Scholarship for International Students.
KNB Indonesia Scholarship is responsible
for all expenses related to tuition fees,
accommodation, books expenses, round
airfare, and research expenses. There are
16 affiliated colleges/universities with this
KNB Scholarship. KNB scholarship is
offered for both bachelor's degree and
master's degree programs. 357 Study
Programs are available in this scholarship
to study.
Indonesia is the world's largest island
country where there are over 700 regional
languages. In Indonesia, English is not
that common language but the
Indonesian language. When I first arrived,
I was ecstatic about living in a foreign
country and learning a new language. I
had to learn the academic Indonesian
language for the first year of my stay in
Indonesia as my class lecture and study
materials were in the Indonesian
language. Undoubtedly, this was the most
challenging part of my staying in
Indonesia. As the English language is not
very common among the general people, I
had to learn the Indonesian language by
heart so that I could fluently communicate
with them. And this was not enough only
by learning in the academic environment.
I had to communicate with the local
people until my return to Bangladesh for a
better understanding and learning of the
language. It was difficult and at the same
moment, an exciting and enjoyable
experience.
The education system in Indonesia was
quite different from my home country
which I found effective and exciting. As a
master's student, I had to go through a
research-oriented study environment.
There was numerous opportunity work in
the research field. The most attractive
thing is these research works are also
sponsored by the universities which is a
great financial relief for the students. I
have several academic papers published
in reputed journals and conference
proceedings. Which I think is a great
opportunity to enrich the curriculum
vitae. Being a local Bangladeshi, I had no
previous experience of living abroad.
Which made me unaware of other cultural
diversities and lifestyles. In Indonesia, I
lived in Yogyakarta, a city on the
Indonesian island of Java known for its
traditional arts and cultural heritage.
Yogyakarta is also known as "Student's
This Indonesian Scholarship is a Fully Funded Indonesian
Government Scholarship for International Students. KNB
Indonesia Scholarship is responsible for all expenses
related to tuition fees, accommodation, books expenses,
round airfare, and research expenses. There are 16 affiliated
colleges/universities with this KNB Scholarship.
City", making it become the melting pot
area of Indonesia with a multicultural
society where students from all around
the country with different religions come
to Yogyakarta to pursue education. This
"cultural hub" taught me a lot to
understand different cultures and
lifestyles around the world.
As government scholarship holders, the
KNB students received special treatments
and facilities arranged by the Government
and the universities. These include
frequent study tours, international
student collaboration, visiting the cultural
heritage centers and tourist spots in
Indonesia.
This exciting facility was a big
opportunity for me to think bigger,
exchange knowledge and experience with
other foreign people, explore new cultures
and personalities in a first-person view.
Travelling was one of the most exciting
parts of staying in Indonesia. Indonesia
has very beautiful natural wealth. Because
of its natural beauty, Indonesia has
become a tourist destination that is much
coveted by both local and international
travelers from around the world.
Indonesia was ranked 20th in the
world tourist Industry in 2017, also
ranked as the ninth-fastest growing
tourist sector in the world, the thirdfastest
growing in Asia, and fastestgrowing
in Southeast Asia.
There are so many tourist spots in
Indonesia where a student can travel on a
very limited budget. The attractive sights
and natural beauties helped me a lot to
recover from my homesickness.
Finally, I must admit that studying in
Indonesia was not only an academic
achievement but also a lifetime
experience. Every student must try for this
kind of opportunity to enrich their
knowledge and experience.
Arefin Islam Sourav
Graduate, Dept of CSE,
Daffodil International Univeristy
KNB Masters Scholarship
2018-2021 Indonesia Awardee

tUeSdAy, JUly 27, 2021
5
Climate crisis risks subways into flood zones
Hiroko tABUcHi
Terrified passengers trapped in flooded
subway cars in Zhengzhou, China.
Water cascading down stairways into
the London Underground. A woman
wading through murky, waist-deep
water to reach a New York City subway
platform.
Subway systems around the world
are struggling to adapt to an era of
extreme weather brought on by climate
change. Their designs, many based on
the expectations of another era, are
being overwhelmed, and investment in
upgrades could be squeezed by a drop
in ridership brought on by the
pandemic.
"It's scary," said Sarah Kaufman,
associate director of the Rudin Center
for Transportation at New York
University. "The challenge is, how can
we get ready for the next storm, which
was supposed to be 100 years away,"
she said, "but could happen
tomorrow?"
Public transportation plays a critical
role in reducing travel by car in big
cities, thus reining in the emissions
from automobiles that contribute to
global warming. If commuters become
spooked by images of inundated
stations and start shunning subways
for private cars, transportation experts
say it could have major implications for
urban air pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions.
Some networks, such as London's or
New York's, were designed and built
starting more than a century ago. While
a few, like Tokyo's, have managed to
shore up their flooding defenses, the
crisis in China this week shows that
even some of the world's newest
systems (Zhengzhou's system isn't even
a decade old) can also be overwhelmed.
Retrofitting subways against flooding
is "an enormous undertaking," said
Robert Puentes, chief executive of the
Eno Center for Transportation, a
nonprofit think tank with a focus on
improving transportation policy. "But
when you compare it to the cost of
doing nothing, it starts to make much
more sense," he said. "The cost of doing
the tram system in rotterdam, the netherlands, has greenways designed to let the soil soak up rainwater,
reducing storm runoff.
Photo: robert evans
nothing is much more expensive."
Adie Tomer, a Senior Fellow at the
Metropolitan Policy Program of the
Brookings Institution, said subways
and rail systems help to fight sprawl
and reduce the amount of energy
people use. "Subways and fixed rail are
part of our climate solution," he said.
The recent flooding is yet another
example of the kind of extreme weather
that is consistent with changing climate
around the world.Just days before the
China subway nightmare, floods in
Germany killed some 160 people.
Major heat waves have brought misery
to Scandinavia, Siberia and the Pacific
Northwest in the United States.
Wildfires in the American West and
Canada sent smoke across the
continent this past week and triggered
health alerts in cities like Toronto,
Philadelphia and New York City, giving
the sun an eerie reddish tinge.
Flash floods have inundated roads
and highways in recent weeks, as well.
The collapse of a portion of California's
Highway 1 into the Pacific Ocean after
heavy rains this year was a reminder of
the fragility of the nation's roads.But
more intense flooding poses a
particular challenge to aging subway
systems in some of the world's largest
cities.
In New York, the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority has
invested $2.6 billion in resiliency
projects since Hurricane Sandy
swamped the city's subway system in
2012, including fortifying 3,500
subway vents, staircases and
elevator shafts against flooding.
Even on a dry day, a network of
pumps pours out about 14 million
gallons, mainly groundwater, from
the system. Still, flash flooding this
month showed that the system
remains vulnerable.
"It's a challenge trying to work within
the constraints of a city with aging
infrastructure, along with an economy
recovering from a pandemic," said
Vincent Lee, associate principal and
technical director of water for Arup, an
engineering firm that helped upgrade
eight subway stations and other
facilities in New York after the 2012
storm.
London's sprawling Underground
faces similar challenges."A lot of
London's drainage system is from the
Victorian Era," said Bob Ward, policy
director at the Grantham Research
Institute on Climate Change and the
Environment in London. And that has
a direct impact on the city's
Underground system. "It's simply not
capable of dealing at the moment with
the increase in heavy rainfall that we're
experiencing as a result of climate
change."
Meanwhile, the crisis in China this
week shows that even some of the
world's newest systems can also be
overwhelmed. As Robert E. Paaswell, a
professor of civil engineering at City
College of New York, put it: "Subways
are going to flood. They're going to
flood because they are below ground."
To help understand how
underground flooding works, Taisuke
Ishigaki, a researcher at the
Department of Civil Engineering at
Kansai University in Osaka, Japan,
built a diorama of a city with a bustling
subway system, then unleashed a
deluge equivalent to about 11 inches of
rain in a single day.
Within minutes, floodwaters
breached several subway entrances and
started to gush down the stairs. Just 15
minutes later, the diorama's platform
was under 8 feet of water - a sequence
of events Dr. Ishigaki was horrified to
see unfold in real life in Zhengzhou this
week. There, floodwaters quickly
overwhelmed passengers still standing
in subway cars. At least 25 people died
in and around the city, including 12 in
the subway.
Dr. Ishigaki's research now informs a
flood monitoring system in use by
Osaka's sprawling underground
network, where special cameras
monitor aboveground flooding during
heavy rainfall. Water above a certain
danger level activates emergency
protocols, where the most vulnerable
entrances are sealed off (some can be
closed in less than a minute) while
passengers are promptly evacuated
from the underground via other exits.
Japan has made other investments in
its flooding infrastructure, like
cavernous underground cisterns and
flood gates at subway entrances. Last
year, the private rail operator Tokyu,
with Japanese government support,
completed a huge cistern to capture
and divert up to 4,000 tons of
floodwater runoff at Shibuya station in
Tokyo, a major hub.
Still, if there is a major breach of
the many rivers that run through
Japanese cities, "even these defenses
won't be enough," Dr. Ishigaki said.
Mass transit advocates in the United
States are calling for pandemic relief
funds to be put toward public
transportation. "The scale of the
problems has become bigger than what
our cities and states can address," said
Betsy Plum, executive director of the
Riders Alliance, an advocacy group for
subway and bus riders.
Some experts suggest another
approach. With more extreme flooding
down the line, protecting subways all of
the time will be impossible, they say.
Instead, investment is needed in
buses and bike lanes that can serve as
alternative modes of public
transportation when subways are
flooded. Natural defenses could also
provide relief. Rotterdam in the
Netherlands has grown plants along its
tramways, enabling rainwater to be
soaked up by the soil, and reducing
heat.
"During the pandemic you saw the
way people got around on their
bicycles, the most resilient, least
disruptive, low cost, low carbon mode
of transit," said Anjali Mahendra,
director of research at the World
Resources Institute's Ross Center for
Sustainable Cities, a Washington-based
think tank. "We really need to do much
more with connecting parts of cities
and neighborhoods with these bicycle
corridors that can be used to get
around."
Some experts question why public
transportation needs to be
underground in the first place and say
that public transit should reclaim the
street. Street-level light rail, bus
systems and bicycle lanes aren't just
less exposed to flooding, they are also
cheaper to build and easier to access,
said Bernardo Baranda Sepúlveda, a
Mexico City-based researcher at the
Institute for Transportation and
Development Policy, a nonprofit
organization."We have this inertia from
the last century to give so much of the
available space above ground to cars,"
he said. "But one bus lane carries more
people than three lanes of cars."
The true cost of cooling our home
Between wildfires, heat waves and hurricanes, we're all feeling nervous about the future.
Photo: Antoine Maillard
Can climate anxiety be calmed!
Molly PeterSon
Three years ago, after the Woolsey Fire,
53-year-old Greg Kochanowski returned
to the Santa Monica Mountains and
drove past his own street without
recognizing it.The most destructive
wildfire in Los Angeles County history
had torn through his Seminole Springs
neighborhood, burning more than half
of the area's homes to the ground,
including his. What remained was "a
moonscape," he said - ash and char,
black and gray.
Losing his home was traumatic. But
losing his bearings in his own
neighborhood "scared the hell out of"
him, Mr. Kochanowski remembered,
and triggered new existential concerns
about climate change.Now he agonizes
over his 14-year-old daughter's future.
"What kind of a world will Ava grow up
in?" he said. "Will Southern California be
uninhabitable when she is my age?"
Mr. Kochanowski's sense of dread fits
into an array of sentiments often called
climate anxiety, a term that includes
anger, worry and insecurity stemming
from an awareness of a warming planet.
"I actually think many people have been
experiencing this silently and privately
for a number of years," said Renee
Lertzman, a climate psychologist and
consultant to businesses and nonprofits.
But "the conversation is no longer
marginal. It really has burst through."
Evidence that climate change
threatens mental health is mounting,
according to a recent report from
Imperial College London's Institute of
Global Health Innovation. Higher
temperatures are tied to depressive
language and higher suicide rates. Fires,
hurricanes and heat waves carry the risk
of trauma and depression.
Cascading climate-driven disasters
have forced American Red Cross
volunteers to stay in the field for months,
rather than weeks, said Trevor Riggen,
who runs the group's domestic disaster
programs. He noted that because of
climate change, the Red Cross has been
shifting from a focus on immediate
trauma, "to this more chronic condition
that needs a different type of mental
health intervention, or spiritual care."
Young people, especially report feeling
debilitated by climate anxiety and being
frustrated by older generations. "They
try to understand, but they don't," said
16-year-old Adah Crandall, a climate and
anti-freeway activist in Portland,
Oregon. "I am scared for my future
because of the inaction of adults in the
past."
Today, when the humidity drops, Mr.
Kochanowski sees the anxiety on his
neighbors' faces. Hot days stretch across
more of the year and dewy, cool
mornings are rare. Sometimes, he
wonders if they should move on."You
realize the larger forces that have always
been beyond your control," he said.
"That level of realization makes you feel
a little helpless."
Andi Poland, 49, a technical recruiter
who lives near Denver, said she too
experiences anxiety, grief and dread
about a hotter planet. "I am glad that I
am short for this earth," she said. "I
figure I have one-third of my life left. I
am not upset that I only have that much
time."
But experts say those dark emotions
can also be the basis for empowerment -
and progress. Writing in The Lancet,
researchers recently argued that climate
anxiety "may be the crucible through
which humanity must pass to harness
the energy and conviction that are
needed for the lifesaving changes now
required."
Anxiety is a rational response to the
growing risks of climate change,
according to Merritt Juliano, a therapist
in Westport, Conn., and the co-president
of the Climate Psychology Alliance
North America. But we shouldn't hide
from it or ignore it.
"Our emotions are not something to be
solved," Ms. Juliano said. Rather than
shove concerns about climate away,
people need to identify them and realize
they are there for a reason. "Embracing
them makes us that much stronger."
AliyA UteUovA
The widespread reliance on
air conditioning in the US is
explored in Eric Dean
Wilson's book After Cooling:
on Freon, Global Warming,
and the Terrible Cost of
Comfort. The book explores
how air conditioning has
become one of the most
effective ways to cool off - and
explains how harmful
chemicals that make our lives
comfortable also contribute to
the climate crisis.
The modern refrigerant -
gas in fridges, freezers and air
conditioners - was first
introduced in 1930s in the
form of a chemical called
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),
better known as Freon. This
chemical escaped into the air
over time, ripping a hole in
the ozone layer. In 1987, a
global agreement was
reached to ban the production
of CFCs - although every year
an ozone hole reappears over
Antarctica in October.
HFCs, the chemicals that
replaced the banned
refrigerant, while not ozonedepleting,
their global
warming potential can be
hundreds to thousands of
times that of carbon dioxide.
Today, the most commonly
used refrigerant in air
conditioners and cars is
HCFC, which has much
smaller ozone-depleting
potential.
Wilson's book is not a call to
ditch air conditioners. He
acknowledges that in a
heatwave, refrigerants are
life-saving. Prolonged hot
temperatures can diminish
people's mental and physical
capacity, and air conditioning
is an effective heat
management tool in
classrooms. But before the
widespread use of
commercial air conditioning,
our world was cooler - and in
seeking comfort we have
warmed our planet.
In an interview, Wilson
reflects on the cost of
American comfort.Air
conditioners don't consume
or emit refrigerants directly.
But what the chemical
industry that produced air
conditioners claimed was that
they didn't send Freon into
the atmosphere. According to
the industry, it was totally safe
because it would never leak.
Well, that's not what happens.
What happens, especially
with car air conditioners, is
that when a refrigerant is
charged into a system, into an
air conditioner, it slowly, over
the course of like 15 years,
leaks.
And even if it doesn't, when
getting rid of an air
conditioner, the vast majority
of people just pass it on the
street, or put it in the dump,
or something like that, which
is technically illegal. But
there's no way to actually
regulate that. Just walking
down the street today, I saw
two air window units just
smashed on the street. It's
expensive to have somebody
come and take care of them
properly. And these units
most likely have HFCs.
There are replacements like
HFOs (hydrofluoroolefins)
that don't deplete the ozone
layer. All evidence points to
them being fine, but with each
subsequent generation of
refrigerants CFCs we've
thought they were fine and
they weren't. I'm not a
chemist, and I'm not an
atmospheric scientist, but I
see a pattern here that I'm
quite skeptical of.
In a heatwave, you have
people who are susceptible to
heat-related illnesses. These
are people who tend to live in
neighborhoods that have less
access to natural shade, fewer
trees, less access to parks,
more asphalt that absorbs
heat and can make areas of
the city 10F hotter in some
places.
Low-income residents are
also more vulnerable. Even if
they can afford the unit, they
might be reluctant to turn it
on because they might be
behind on their energy bills.
Also, what happens in the
heatwave is that everyone in
the city turns on their air
conditioner, and it overloads
the grid, and there's a
potential for blackouts.
One of the things that I
write about very briefly in the
book is pointing to the need
for things like community
solar, or communitycontrolled
energy, rather than
having a monopoly company
that controls it. Because when
profit is the driving motive,
monopolies are not interested
in saving lives.
The most lo-tech solution is
planting more trees.
Initiatives to make sure that
there is lush vegetation on
every street in New York.
Air conditioners outside a building in Seoul. the harmful chemicals that make our lives comfortable contribute
to the climate crisis.
Photo: yonhap

TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021
6
A Mobile court led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Executive Magistrate Bipin Chandra
Biswas was carried out in the upazila on Sunday.
Photo: Gias Uddin Mia
AC Land Shah
Alam won hearts
for transperency
NARSINGDI CORRESPONDENT
Narsingdi Sadar Upazila
Assistant Commissioner
(Land) Shah Alam Mia bid
adieu to join the new workplace
due to transfer. He was
formally discharged on
Sunday, July 25. Shah Alam
Mia is a member of the 34th
BCS administration cadre. He
has been serving as Narsingdi
Sadar Upazila Assistant
Commissioner Land since
2019. Recently, this popular
officer who has been working to
implement the government's
instructions at the field level
has been transferred to the
Faripur
Deputy
Commissioner's Office. He has
won the love of the people of
Narsingdi with honesty, skill
and sincerity.
In particular, he has been
praised for his activities for
recovering a large amount of
government khas land worth
hundreds of crores of taka in
Sadar Upazila, expeditious
disposal through hearing of
cases in Miskas (dismissal of
nominal deposit), end of local
disputes over land, provision of
land services with
transparency, facilitation,
special role in increasing
government revenue. As well
as arranging khas land among
landless families to fight the
deadly corona virus, he also
played the role of a corona
fighter in the field, as well as
convening a quick response
team to bury the dead in
Corona.
Apart from this, at the Prime
Minister's special initiative he
has supervised the construction
of houses for the extremely
poor homeless families and
maintained the transparency,
sustainable, strong and
disaster-proof quality of the
work. His role in preventing the
eviction of about five hundred
and fifty illegal establishments,
anti-tampering campaigns,
environmental protection
campaigns, illegal.
T-Aman cultivation
goes on in Jamalpur
JAMALPUR : Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) cultivation in
the district is going on in full swing as the agriculture
department has a target to bring over one lakh hectares of
land under the cultivation during this season.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension
(DAE), farmers so far cultivated T- Aman on 4357 hectares of
land. The office said farmers have sufficient T-Aman
seedlings to meet the cultivation target as they prepared
seedbeds on 4,095 hectares of land.
DAE has fixed a target of T- Aman cultivation on 1,07,960
hectares of land with a production target of 2,92,134 tonnes of
rice in the district this current Kharip-2 season.
Upazila wise breakup of the land is as follows: 30,307
hectares in Jamalpur Sadar upazila, 15,034 in Sarishabari
upazila, 9,762 in Islampur upazila, 16,451 in Melandah
upazila, 8,554 in Dewanganj upazila, 13,348 in Bakshiganj
upazila and 14,504 hectares in Madarganj upazila.
The sources said T-Aman cultivation includes high yielding
variety (HYV) on 70,700 hectares of land with a production
target 1,93,365 tonnes of rice, high breed on 18,560 hectares
with a production target of 6,9971 tonnes of rice and local
variety on 18,700 hectares with a production target of 28798
tonnes of rice.
69 journalists get PM's
financial support in Narail
NARAIL : Sixty-nine journalists of the district yesterday
received the Prime Minister's financial assistance to cope
with the adverse impact of the novel coronavirus COVID-
19 pandemic.
Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Habibur Rahman
handed over the cheques among the journalists at a
function held his conference room.
Secretary of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs
Khwaja Mia addressed the distribution function as the
chief guest virtually while managing director of
Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust Jafar Wazed
addressed it as special guest.
124 fined for
defying strict
lockdown
rules in Bhola
BHOLA: Twelve mobile
courts of the district
administration have fined
124 people Taka 98,700 in
seven upazilas, including
district headquarters, for
violating rules of the ongoing
countrywide strict lockdown
to prevent coronavirus
infection, reports BSS.
According to the district
administration sources, a
total of twelve mobile teams
conducted the raids in
various areas in seven
upazilas, including the
district town, and fined 124
people Taka 98,700 for
violating the rules of the
ongoing countrywide strict
lockdown and moving
outside without any reason.
Meanwhile, one person
was sentenced to three days
imprisonment for violating
the rules of the ongoing
countrywide strict lockdown
in Sadar upazila.
Executive magistrate of the
district administration Akib
Osman and upazila executive
magistrate, assistant
commissioner (land) and
Upazila Nirbahi Officer
(UNO) of the seven upazilas
led the operation teams from
8 am to 10 pm on Sunday.
Akib Osman told BSS that
the government has imposed
a strict lockdown across the
country to prevent
coronavirus infection.
Jute harvesting gets
momentum in Narsingdi
NARSINGDI : Harvesting of jute has
gained momentum in all the six upazilas of
the district following adequate rainfall in
the recent days as farmers are now
engaged in separating fibers from their
harvested jute plants with much
enthusiasm.
A good number of newly harvested jute
have already started coming to the local
markets while the farmers are happy
getting fair price of jute this season.
The newly harvested jute is being sold at
Taka 1800 to 2000 per mounds (40 Kg)
depending on their varieties and qualities.
The market is expected to be flooded
with new jute within fifteen to twenty days
as only10 to 15 percent harvesting of the
cash crop has so far been completed in the
district.
The farmers of the district have brought
3200 hectares of land under jute farming
with a target to produce 32000 bales of
jute this year, concerned official said.
Talking to BSS, Deputy Director,
Department of Agriculture extension
(DAE) Shovan Kumar Dhar said the
farmers are happy with the adequate
rainfall during the last few days as they are
now hopeful to complete harvesting their
jute plants timely and their targeted
transplantation of Aman seedlings within
the stipulated time.
During the Corona pandemic, the gift of Prime Minister Shakh Hasina was given to 80 families of
Maralganj Sadar Union. Union Awami League President and UP Chairman Mahmud Ali distributed
seasonal fruits and food items at the Union Parishad office on Monday. Photo: M Palash Sharif
Mobile court
conducts
raid in
Gournadi
GIAS UDDIN MIA, GOURNADI
CORRESPONDENT
During the 14-day lockdown
announced by the
government, the Upazila
Mobile Court conducted a
raid and collected a fine of Tk
2,000 for organizing a picnic
by playing a loud music.
The operation was carried
out in Lalpul area of the
municipality on Sunday night.
The operation was conducted
by Upazila Nirbahi Officer
and Executive Magistrate
Bipin Chandra Biswas. SI KM
Abdul Haque of Gournadi
Model Police Station was
present at the time.
On the other hand, the
Upazila Nirbahi Officer fined
six traders of different areas of
the upazila Tk 3,700 for
conducting business by
gathering people after the
time fixed by the government
on the same evening.
Sheikh Russel Shishu Park construction
work progressing fast in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI: Construction
work of Sheikh Russel
Shishu Park are progressing
fast in Rajshahi city aimed
at opening up a new horizon
in recreation of people,
particularly the children,
reports BSS.
Initiated by Rajshahi City
Corporation (RCC), the
park is being established on
2.14 acres of land in
Chhotobangram area with
an estimated cost of around
Taka 4.43 crore.
City Mayor AHM
Khairuzzaman Liton said
there will be various
modern rides including
bridge, open stage, walk
ways, artificial hill and fullproof
security in the park.
"We have formulated a
design to give an eyecatching
and attractive look
to the park," he said, adding
the Rajshahi people will get
a new architectural view in
the park.
He also said the park, after
completion, will contribute
a lot towards physical and
mental development of
children, benefiting people
of all ages.
Liton said the park is
being constructed as part of
RCC's TK 2,993-crore
project titled 'Integrated
Urban Infrastructure
Development in Rajshahi
City'.
Under the mega project,
the RCC is going to
construct five more flyovers
as soon as possible with the
main thrust of overall
development of the
metropolis through freeing
it from traffic congestion.
Recently, the city
corporation has taken a TK
1175.52-crore project for
construction of the flyovers
and 19 infrastructures, said
Superintending Engineer
Nurul Islam.
The flyovers will be
constructed on Haragram
Natunpara Railway
Crossing, Rajshahi Court
Station Railway Crossing,
Bilsimla Railway Crossing,
Shaheed
AHM
Kamaruzzaman Railway
Crossing, Bhadra Railway
Crossing and Mohanpur
Railway Crossing.
Earlier, the city
corporation has constructed
a 202.5-meter flyover along
with a 120-meter ramp at
Budhpara Railway crossing
with an estimated cost of TK
29.28 crore for the first time
in Rajshahi city.
Liton said the Rajshahi
city will get a new look upon
successful implementation
of the mega project.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Sirajul Islam visited the demolition area of Jaduboyra Lalon
Abashan-4 in Kumarkhali, Kushtia on Sunday.
Photo: Mizanur Rahman
ADC-UNO inspects
demolition area of
Lalon houses in
Kumarkhali
MIzANUR RAHMAN, KUMARKHALI
CORRESOPONDENT
As a result of extra sand
extraction from the area
adjacent to the housing in
the dry season, erosion has
occurred at Jaduboyara
Lalon Housing Center-4
near Gorai river in
Kumarkhali upazila of
Kushtia this year. 51
families in the housing are
living in fear.
Meanwhile, Kushtia
Additional Deputy
Commissioner (Revenue)
Sirajul Islam and Upazila
Nirbahi Officer Bitan
Kumar Mandal visited the
residential area after
receiving information
about the demolition. Last
Sunday (July 25)
afternoon, they visited the
area.
During the inspection,
Additional Deputy
Commissioner (Revenue)
Sirajul Islam said that the
area was visited after
receiving the news of the
demolition. Necessary
steps will be taken very
soon to prevent erosion.
Akul Mandal, general
secretary of Lalon
Abashan-4, said that in the
dry season, extra sand has
been extracted with the
help of vacuum. As a
result, there is a
breakdown in the housing
area. He added that on the
one hand, there is erosion,
on the other hand, the river
means sand and big boats
are moving. As a result, the
breakage of the boat waves
is increasing.
3 more die, 7 test positive for
COVID-19 in C'nawabganj
CHAPAINAWABGANJ: Three more persons
died of Covid-19 during the last 24 hours
raising the total number of deaths to 136 in
the district. All the new fatalities have been
reported from Chapainawabganj sadar
upazila, reports BSS.A total of 93 persons of
Chapainawabganj sadar upazila, 27 persons
of Shibganj upazila, nine persons of
Gomostapur upazila, five persons of Nachole
upazila and two persons of Bholahat upazila
have so far died of COVID-19 in the district.
On the other hand, the number of Covid-19
cases climbed to 4,798 as seven more people
were detected positive after testing 82
samples in the district during the last 24
hours while the infection rate is 8.53 percent,
Civil Surgeon Office sources confirmed.
Among the newly detected patients, three
persons are from Shibganj upazila
and four from Gomostapur upazila. Of the
total detected patients of the district, 2,649
persons are from sadar upazila, 841 from
Shibganj upazila, 627 from Gomostapur
upazila, 364
from Nachole upazila and 317 from
Bholahat upazila.
At present there are 363 COVID-affected
patients in the district and of them, 47
patients are undergoing treatment in
dedicated Covid hospital and others at home.
Meanwhile, 4,299 patients have recovered
from the disease here, the sources added.
Farmers busy in transplanting Aman
rice seedlings in Rangpur region
RANGPUR : Farmers and farm-labourers
are now very busy in transplanting Aman
rice seedlings on their crop lands in all five
districts of Rangpur agriculture region.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural
Extension (DAE) said a target of producing
over 17.19 lakh tonnes of clean Aman rice
(25.79 lakh tonnes of paddy) has been fixed
from 6.12 lakh hectares of land for the region
this season.
The target includes production of 14.86
tonnes of high yielding varieties of Aman
rice from 5.32 lakh hectares of land, 1.93
lakh tonnes of hybrid varieties from
56,296 hectares and 39,625 tonnes of local
varieties of Aman rice from 23,705
hectares of land.
Farmers have already prepared Aman rice
seedbeds on 33,645 hectares of land against
the requirement of preparing the same on
30,455 hectares of land for cultivation of
Aman rice on 6.12 lakh hectares of land in
the region.
"Transplantation of Aman rice seedlings
have already been completed on one-lakh
hectares of land as the process is progressing
fast amid frequent seasonal monsoon rains
in the region," said Bidhu Bhusan Ray,
Additional Director of the DAE, Rangpur
region
The government has taken adequate
measures to ensure supply of quality seeds,
prepare model seedbeds and ensure
balanced fertilisation and adoption of
advanced technologies to enhance rice
production despite shrinking of cultivable
land area.
"Considering the possibility of seasonal
floods, we have also taken steps to prepare
seedbeds, if required, so that the farming
process of Aman rice was not affected," Ray
said.
Farmers have kept shallow tube wells,
Bangladesh Agriculture Development
Corporation and Barind Multipurpose
Development Authorities deep tube wells
ready to operate for Aman rice seedling
transplantation timely in case of less rainfall
or drought-like situation.
Field level agriculture officials are
providing necessary assistance and latest
technologies to farmers to ensure successful
cultivation of Aman rice braving the Covid-
19 pandemic in the region.

TuSeDAY, JulY 27, 2021
7
Tunisia's president fired the country's prime minister Sunday and froze parliament's activities after violent
demonstrations over the country's pandemic and economic situation.
Photo : AP
Tunisian president fires premier
after violent protests
TUNIS : Tunisia's president fired the
country's prime minister Sunday and
froze parliament's activities after
violent demonstrations over the
country's pandemic and economic
situation, reports UNB.
Protesters erupted with celebration
in the streets of Tunis after the latenight
announcement.
President Kais Saied also lifted the
immunity of all parliament members
and said he would name a new prime
minister in the coming hours to bring
calm to the country. He used a special
constitutional measure allowing him to
assume executive power and freeze
parliament for an unspecified period of
time until normal institutional
workings can be restored.
"We have taken these decisions ...
until social peace returns to Tunisia
and until we save the state," he said in a
televised address after an emergency
security meeting following nationwide
Senior US diplomat
in China for talks
on fraught ties
TIANJIN : America's No. 2
diplomat has arrived in
China to discuss the fraught
relationship between the
countries on Monday with
two top Foreign Ministry
officials.
Wendy Sherman, the
deputy secretary of state,
will hold separate meetings
with Vice Foreign Minister
Xie Feng, who is in charge of
U.S.-China relations, and
Foreign Minister Wang Yi at
a closed-off resort hotel in
the city of Tianjin.
She is the highest-ranking
U.S. official to visit China
since President Joe Biden
took office six months ago.
Relations between the
countries deteriorated
sharply under his
predecessor, Donald Trump,
and the two sides remain at
odds over a host of issues
including technology,
cybersecurity, human rights
and other issues.
In an interview Saturday,
Wang accused the U.S. of
adopting a superior attitude
and using its strength to
pressure other countries.
"China would never accept
any country that claims to be
superior to others," he told
China's Phoenix Television.
"If the U.S. has not learned
to treat other countries
equally, China and the
international community
have the responsibility to
help the U.S. learn how to do
this."
Biden administration
officials have said the goal of
the talks is not to negotiate
specific issues but to keep
high-level communications
channels open. The U.S.
wants to ensure that
guardrails are in place to
prevent competition
between the countries from
becoming conflict, they said.
A possible meeting
between Biden and Chinese
President Xi Jinping is
expected to be on the
agenda, possibly on the
sidelines of the G-20
summit in Rome at the end
of October.
protests.
Thousands of people defied virus
restrictions and scorching heat to
demonstrate Sunday in the capital of
Tunis and other cities. The largely
young crowds shouted "Get out!" and
slogans calling for the dissolution of
parliament and early elections.
The protests were called on the 64th
anniversary of Tunisia's independence
by a new group called the July 25
Movement.
Security forces deployed in force,
especially in Tunis where police
blockades blocked all streets leading to
the main artery of the capital, Avenue
Bourguiba. The avenue was a key site
for the Tunisian revolution a decade
ago that brought down a dictatorial
regime and unleashed the Arab Spring
uprisings.
Police also deployed around the
parliament, preventing demonstrators
from accessing it.
Police used tear gas to disperse some
demonstrators throwing projectiles at
officers and made several arrests.
Clashes also took place in several other
towns, notably in Nabeul, Sousse,
Kairouan, Sfax and Tozeur.
Protesters also stormed the offices of
the Islamist movement Ennahdha, the
dominant force in parliament. Videos
circulating online showed smoke
pouring out of the Ennahdha building.
The attackers damaged computers and
other equipment inside and threw
documents onto the streets.
The party denounced the attack,
saying that "criminal gangs" from
inside and outside Tunisia are trying to
"seed chaos and destruction in the
service of an agenda aimed at harming
the Tunisian democratic process."
On the coronavirus front, Tunisia has
reimposed lockdowns and other virus
restrictions because it's facing one of
Africa's worst virus outbreaks.
Delhi Metro trains start
running with 100 pc
seating capacity
NEWDELHI : In view of the improved
coronavirus situation, Delhi Metro services
began running with full seating capacity
from Monday, but there is still no provision
for standing travel for commuters, officials
said, reports BSS.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
(DMRC) till Sunday was running trains
with 50 per cent seating capacity, after
the services had resumed after a long
hiatus on June 7.
Also, to handle increase in volume of
commuters, 16 additional entry gates
have been made operational at 16 stations
(one at each station) across the network
from Monday onwards to facilitate the
movement of passengers.
The DMRC is already facilitating
passenger entry at all its stations through
260 gates. These 16 gates are in addition to
the already operational gates, so, now 276
gates will be operational, officials said.
The stations at which additional gates
became operational include, Janakpuri
West, Karol Bagh, Vaishali, Kashmere Gate,
Central Secretariat, M G Road, the DMRC
said. As and when further relaxations are
announced by the authorities, the DMRC
will ensure that all steps are taken from its
end to provide ease of entry and convenient
travel to the general public, officials said.
In view of the latest guidelines issued on
Saturday by the city government regarding
COVID-19 containment, services began this
morning with full seating capacity.
However, there is still no provision for
standing travel inside coaches, as has been
since June 7, they said.
Sources earlier had said, each coach has a
capacity of about 300 riders, 50 seated and
250 standing. Since, standing commuters
are not allowed, so a maximum of 50 people
can ride in each carriage.
And, effectively the carrying capacity is
about 17-18 per cent which was, 10 per cent
since June 7, due to 50 per cent rule, they
said.The DMRC again appealed to the public
to travel by the metro "only when it is
absolutely necessary and observe all COVIDrelated
travel protocols in place for their own
and everyone else's safety in this fight against
the pandemic". As travel in standing position
is still not permitted by the authorities, entry
at stations will also continue to be regulated
through identified gates as per the ongoing
practice, officials said.
DMRC services were fully suspended since
May 10 in view of the COVID-induced
lockdown in Delhi. It was first imposed on
April 19, and successively extended by the
city government. Metro services initially ran
partially, catering only to people from the
field of essential services, but from May 10, it
was suspended in view of the rising cases
amid the second wave of the coronavirus
pandemic, and resumed services with 50 per
cent seating capacity from June 7 onwards.
The Delhi Disaster Management
Authorities (DDMA) on Saturday
announced further lifting of restrictions.
in view of the improved coronavirus
situation.
In view of the improved coronavirus situation, Delhi Metro services
began running with full seating capacity from Monday. Photo : AP
UN: Women, children
casualties on the rise
in Afghanistan
KABUL : More women and
children were killed and
wounded in Afghanistan in
the first half of 2021 than in
the first six months of any
year since the United
Nations began systematically
keeping count in 2009, a
U.N. report said Monday,
reports UNB.
The war-torn country saw
a 47% increase in the
number of all civilians killed
and wounded in violence
across Afghanistan in the
first six months of the year,
compared to the same period
last year, according to the
report.
"I implore the Taliban and
Afghan leaders to take heed
of the conflict's grim and
chilling trajectory and its
devastating impact on
civilians," said Deborah
Lyons, the U.N. secretarygeneral's
special
representative for
Afghanistan.
"The report provides a
clear warning that
unprecedented numbers of
Afghan civilians will perish
and be maimed this year if
the increasing violence is not
stemmed," Lyons added in a
statement accompanying the
report.
The Taliban have swiftly
captured significant territory
in recent weeks, seized
strategic border crossings
with several neighboring
countries and are
threatening a number of
provincial capitals.
Scottish climber dies
on Pakistan's K2
ISLAMABAD : Scottish
climber Rick Allen has died
while attempting to summit
Pakistan's K2, his expedition
team said, the latest death on
the world's second-highest
peak.
Allen was killed after being
hit by an avalanche while
attempting a new route on the
mountain over the weekend.
His body was recovered on
Sunday evening, reports BSS.
"After consulting with his
family and friends, the legend
will be buried this morning
under the foot of Mighty K2,"
Karakorum Expeditions
wrote on Facebook Monday.
A charity that Allen was
raising money for during the
climb also confirmed his
death. "Rick died doing what
he loved the most and lived
his life with the courage of his
convictions," tweeted
Partners Relief &
Development, adding that
two other climbers on the
expedition survived the
avalanche.
Allen's death comes a week
after South Korea's Kim
Hong-bin was killed after
falling into a crevasse while
descending from the nearby
Broad Peak.
Malaysian parliament reopens
after months-long virus hiatus
KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia's parliament
convened Monday for the first time this year
after being suspended under a coronavirus
emergency, but critics have slammed the
session as a sham that will not truly test the
embattled premier's support, reports BSS.
Parliament was halted when the king
declared the state of emergency in January
to fight Covid-19, following the advice of
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
But political rivals accused Muhyiddin of
using the crisis to avoid a no-confidence vote
in the legislature while shoring up his weak
coalition government, which was on the
verge of collapse.
Despite the emergency and a nationwide
lockdown, the outbreak has only worsened,
fuelled by the highly infectious Delta variant.
Malaysia's caseload breached the onemillion
mark at the weekend.
Facing mounting public anger at the
closure of parliament and pressure from the
king, Muhyiddin agreed to reconvene the
legislature for a five-day sitting before the
state of emergency ends in August.
Lawmakers gathered in the 222-seat lower
house Monday wearing masks and separated
by transparent screens for the start of the
session.It will centre on the pandemic, with
Muhyiddin and ministers expected to brief
lawmakers on an economic recovery plan
and other related matters.
But rival politicians have denounced the
short sitting as a sham, as MPs are not
expected to vote on anything.
Ahead of parliament reopening,
opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim told AFP
the legislature was facing "one of its darkest
moments". The short session is
"undemocratic" and "a tactic by Muhyiddin
to silence political critics and to keep his
shaky regime in power", he added.
Muhyiddin, who seized power in March
last year without an election after the
collapse of a reformist government, has seen
his administration riven by infighting.
The biggest party backing him, the United
Malays National Organisation (UMNO),
announced it was withdrawing support for
his coalition earlier this month. But UMNO
itself is split-some of its MPs still back
Muhyiddin-and his position seems secure in
the short term.
Malaysia's parliament convened Monday for the first time this year after
being suspended under a coronavirus emergency, but critics have
slammed the session as a sham that will not truly test the embattled premier's
support.
Photo : AP
Pandemic leaves Indians mired
in massive medical debts
NEW DELHI : As coronavirus cases
ravaged India this spring, Anil Sharma
visited his 24-year-old son Saurav at a
private hospital in northwest New
Delhi every day for more than two
months. In May, as India's new
COVID-19 cases broke global records to
reach 400,000 a day, Saurav was put
on a ventilator.
The sight of the tube running into
Saurav's throat is seared in Sharma's
mind. "I had to stay strong when I was
with him, but immediately after, I
would break down as soon as I left the
room," he said.
Saurav is home now, still weak and
recovering. But the family's joy is
tempered by a mountain of debt that
piled up while he was sick, reports
UNB.
Life has been tentatively returning to
normal in India as coronavirus cases
have fallen. But millions are embroiled
in a nightmare of huge piles of medical
bills. Most Indians don't have health
insurance and costs for COVID-19
treatment have them drowning in debt.
Sharma exhausted his savings on
paying for an ambulance, tests,
medicines and an ICU bed. Then he
took out bank loans.
As the costs mounted, he borrowed
UN warns of 'unprecedented'
Afghan civilian deaths from
Taliban offensives
KABUL : The United Nations warned Monday
that Afghanistan could see the highest number
of civilian deaths in more than a decade if the
Taliban's offensives across the country are not
halted.
Violence has surged since early May when the
insurgents cranked up operations to coincide
with a final withdrawal of US-led foreign forces.
In a report released Monday documenting
civilian casualties for the first half of 2021, the
UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
(UNAMA) said it expected figures to touch their
highest single-year levels since the mission
began reporting over a decade ago.
It also warned that Afghan troops and progovernment
forces were responsible for a
quarter of all civilian casualties.
from friends and relatives. Then, he
turned to strangers, pleading online for
help on Ketto, an Indian crowdfunding
website. Overall, Sharma says he has
paid over $50,000 in medical bills.
The crowdfunding provided
$28,000, but another $26,000 is
borrowed money he needs to repay, a
kind of debt he has never faced before.
"He was struggling for his life and we
were struggling to provide him an
opportunity to survive," he said, his
voice thick with emotion. "I was a
proud father-and now I have become a
beggar."
The pandemic has devastated India's
economy, bringing financial calamity to
millions at the mercy of its chronically
underfunded and fragmented
healthcare system. Experts say such
costs are bound to hinder an economic
recovery.
"What we have is a patchwork quilt of
incomplete public insurance and a poor
public health system. The pandemic
has shown just how creaky and
unsustainable these two things are,"
said Vivek Dehejia, an economist who
has studied public policy in India.
Even before the pandemic,
healthcare access in India was a
problem.
"Unprecedented numbers of Afghan civilians
will perish and be maimed this year if the
increasing violence is not stemmed," UNAMA
head Deborah Lyons said in a statement
released with the report.
"I implore the Taliban and Afghan leaders to
take heed to the conflict's grim and chilling
trajectory and its devastating impact on
civilians." During the first half of 2021, some
1,659 civilians were killed and another 3,254
wounded-a 47 percent increase compared with
the same period last year, the UNAMA report
said. The rise in civilian casualties was
particularly sharp in May and June-the initial
period of the Taliban's current offensives-with
783 civilians killed and 1,609 wounded, it
added.
Indians pay about 63% of their
medical expenses out-of-pocket. That's
typical of many poor countries with
inadequate government services. Data
on global personal medical costs from
the pandemic are hard to come by, but
in India and many other countries
treatment for COVID is a huge added
burden at a time when hundreds of
millions of jobs have vanished.
In India, many jobs returned as cities
opened up after a severe lockdown in
March 2020, but economists worry
about the loss of some 12 million
salaried positions. Sharma's job as a
marketing professional was one of
them.
When he asked his son's friends to set
up the campaign on Ketto to raise
funds, Sharma hadn't seen a paycheck
in 18 months. Between April and June
this year, 40% of the 4,500 COVID-19
campaigns on the site were for
hospitalization costs, the company said.
The pandemic has driven 32 million
Indians out of the middle class, defined
as those earning $10 to $20 a day,
according to a Pew Research Center
study published in March. It estimated
the crisis has increased the number of
India's poor-those with incomes of $2
or less a day-by 75 million.

TuESDAY, JuLY 27, 2021
8
The Half Yearly Business Development Conference of Khulna and Barishal Zone of First Security Islami
Bank Limited held on Monday by using digital platform. The conference was presided over by Mr. Syed
Waseque Md. Ali, Managing Director of the bank. Among others, Higher Authority of the bank, Zonal
Heads and Branch Managers of Khulna and Barishal zone participated in the Conference. The conference
reviewed the operational performance of individual branches for the period of January-June, 2021 and
delivered directions to attain targets set for remaining periods of the year.
Photo : Courtesy
Europe to boost
battery production
as electric shift
accelerates
PARIS : As electric car sales
take off and petrol engines
face being phased out by
2035, Europe is looking to
develop its own battery
production base, reports BSS.
Far from being
autonomous, Europe needs to
accelerate domestic battery
output as a national security
issue as well as a boost for
businesses and jobs.
Batteries that power electric
cars and which weigh up to
600 kilograms (1,300
pounds), represent a
considerable part of the
vehicle's value.
At the moment, they are
mostly produced in Asia, with
China, South Korea and
Japan the leading
manufacturers.
With a mid-July
announcement that it intends
to ban the sale of new petrol
and diesel vehicles by 2035,
the European Commission
has set a timetable for the
bloc's shift to electric cars.
Marico Bangladesh launches Red King
Men’s Cooling Oil with Power Tube
The first of its kind, Red King Men's Cooling Oil
comes with a Power Tube with Cooling
CrystalsTM , promising a stress-free
experience and a blissful night's sleep
Marico Bangladesh has launched its new
brand Red King Men's Cooling Oil which comes
in a unique bottle equipped with a Power Tube
with Cooling CrystalsTM. The cooling oil
guarantees five wonderful key benefits from
regular use; It enables sound sleep, energizes
you and provides relief from stress, fatigue and
headaches, a press release said.
Red King Men's Cooling Oil comes in a
unique bottle that has a Power Tube with
Cooling CrystalsTM. It is enriched with the
goodness of 18 ingredients including natural
herb extracts. When poured out, the oil comes
through the Power Tube with Cooling
CrystalsTM which enhances its relaxing
efficacy, delivering a power cooling experience
after a hard day's work. The oil is also nonsticky
and has a pleasant aroma.
The product is mainly targeted towards
reducing the stress of men who are engaged in
physically exhausting or mentally stressful
routines for long hours. As an innovative
brand, Red King Men's Cooling Oil aims to help
these men achieve their goals by helping to
enable sound sleep and alleviate their stress.
Red King Men's Cooling Oil is already
available at your nearest retail outlets,
cosmetics outlets, leading e-commerce
websites & super shops throughout
Bangladesh. Available in three attractive pack
sizes (100ml, 200ml, and 2.5ml sachet), the
new Red King Men's Cooling Oil costs Tk 110,
Tk 210, and Tk 2, consecutively.
Ashish Goupal, Managing Director of Marico
Bangladesh Limited said, "Over last 2 decades,
Marico Bangladesh is committed to offering
innovative solutions to evolving consumers'
needs in Bangladesh. The value-added
consumer market has been growing at a faster
rate due to premiumization and the specificity
of benefits being offered. Hence, with Red King
Men's Cooling Oil, we are confident of reaching
out to a wider audience which will help us to
consolidate our leadership position and
accelerate the brand's growth to further
heights."
The launch of Red King Men's Cooling Oil
marks yet another milestone in Marico
Bangladesh's journey to provide a consumercentric
and innovative personal care product
range. Marico is also the manufacturer of
trusted household personal care brands like
Parachute Advansed, Nihar Naturals,
Parachute Skinpure, Mediker, and Studio X
Mercantile Bank Limited organized a virtual training on 'Prevention of Money Laundering and
Combating Financing against Terrorism' recently. A total number of 100 officials from different
branches of the bank attended the online program through two steps. Shamim Ahmed, DMD and
CAMLCO of the bank inaugurated the virtual training. In his address Shamim Ahmed advised participating
officers to be strictly compliant with the central bank guidelines in discharging their
assigned responsibilities. Nasim Alam, Vice President of Anti Money Laundering Division of the
bank and faculties of MBTI were conducted the virtual sessions. Javed Tariq, Principal of MBTI moderated
the program.
Photo : Courtesy
Most Asian markets fall as traders
struggle to track Wall St record
HONG KONG : Markets in Asia mostly fell
Monday morning, led by Hong Kong after
Beijing at the weekend further cracked down
on China's tech firms, while education firms
were hammered as the government unveiled
sweeping reforms of the sector.
The broad losses across the region came as
traders continued to fret over the fast spread of
the Delta coronavirus variant, which has sent
infections spiking and forced some
governments to reimpose economically painful
lockdowns or other containment measures.
The selling extended from Friday, despite a
strong lead from Wall Street, where all three
main indexes ended at record highs with the
Dow ending above 35,000 for the first time.
Investors have a packed agenda of possible
market-moving events this week including the
Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting, US
economic growth data, and earnings from
some of the world's biggest firms such as Apple
and Amazon. They will also be keeping tabs on
a meeting between US Deputy Secretary of
State Wendy Sherman and Chinese Foreign
Minister Wang Yi later in the day, the highestlevel
visit by the Biden administration.
The talks come at a time of increasingly
strained relations between the superpowers,
who have cracked heads over a range of issues
including technology, Hong Kong and human
rights.
Hong Kong sank more than two percent with
education companies battered after China on
Saturday unveiled reforms that will massively
change the way they do business.
Beijing said the sector had been "hijacked by
capital", adding that would prevent firms that
teach school curriculums from making a profit,
THE HAGUE : Dutch electronics giant
Philips said Monday sales were up for the
second quarter, but that profits took a hit
from a recall of faulty sleep and
respiratory care equipment, reports BSS.
The company, which has diversified
into healthcare and in March sold off its
domestic appliance business, said sales
came in at 4.23 billion euros ($5.0
billion) in April through June, a increase
of 6 percent from the same period last
year.
Net profit fell from 210 million to 153
million euros, however, under the impact
of setting aside 250 million to cover the
raising capital or going public.
JP Morgan Chase analysts said it was
uncertain whether firms could continue to be
traded on stock markets under the new regime,
adding that "in our view, this makes these
stocks virtually un-investable".
New Oriental Education & Technology
Group crashed 40 percent in Hong Kong,
having dived a similar amount Friday as
speculation about the move circulated on social
media. Its New York-listed shares collapsed 54
percent.
Koolearn Technology dived more than 30
percent and China Maple Leaf Educational
Systems shed 16 percent.
Tech firms also took a hit in response to
Beijing's latest moves against the sector as it
told Tencent to relinquish its exclusive music
label rights, saying the firm had violated
antitrust laws.
Tencent bought a majority stake in rival
China Music Group in 2016, effectively
controlling more than 80 percent of exclusively
held music streaming rights domestically, the
State Administration for Market Regulation
said in a statement.
Tencent fell around five percent and Alibaba
was off more than four percent. In other
markets, Shanghai dropped more than one
percent, as did Manila, while there were also
losses in Singapore, Seoul, Wellington and
Taipei. But Tokyo rose more than one percent
as traders returned from a four-day weekend
break, while Sydney and Jakarta also edged up.
Still, observers remain upbeat about the
outlook for the world economy and equity
markets, helped by a strong earnings season so
far.
Philips takes profit
hit from product
safety fault
costs of the recall.
Philips in June issued a voluntary
recall of some of its sleep and respiratory
care products after the devices were
found to put users at risk of inhaling or
swallowing dangerous pieces of debris,
caused by degrading sound dampening
foam under certain conditions.
810th EC meeting
of Shahjalal Islami
Bank Limited held
The 810th meeting of the
Executive Committee (EC) of
Shahjalal Islami Bank
Limited (SJIBL) held recently
at Corporate Head Office of
the Bank by maintaining
proper hygiene and social
distance. On the other hand, a
few number of Director of the
Bank &member of the
Committee participated in
this meeting through digital
platform (with a Video
Conference). The meeting
was presided by Dr. Anwer
Hossain Khan, Chairman of
the Executive Committee
(EC) of the Bank. The
members of the Committee
discussed various issue
related to investment in
different sector, a press
release said
Among others the Vice-
Chairman of the Committee
Fakir Akhtaruzzaman,
Directors of the Bank &
member of the Committee
Mohiuddin Ahmed,
Khandaker Sakib Ahmed,
Akkas Uddin Mollah,
Engineer Md. Towhidur
Rahman and Mohammed
Younus, the Chairman of the
Board of Directors Md.
Sanaullah Shahid as Special
Invited Guest and the
Managing Director & CEO of
the Bank M. Shahidul Islam
and the Company Secretary
Md. Abul Bashar were also
present in the meeting.
"We have mobilised the necessary
resources across the company to address
the component quality issue in certain of
our sleep and respiratory care products,"
Philips chief executive Frans van Houten
said.
"It is our goal to go as fast as we can to
repair and replace the affected devices,"
Van Houten told AFP.
"This basically means that for the
coming 12 months we will not see any
sales" of these devices, Van Houten
added, as all Philips' manufacturing
resources in the sector went into fixing
the problem.
Mutual Trust Bank Ltd. (MTB) in partnership with XTRA, the first-ever digital gift card platform,has
recently launched 'Digital Gifting Service', a fully-digitised service that allows companies and individuals
to send gift cards to their selected persons from XTRA's merchant list for MTB Smart banking App users.
MTB Smart banking App users will enjoy this service through 'Digital Gift' under 'Payments' option while
using the app. MTB Managing Director & CEO, Syed Mahbubur Rahman announces the launch of this new
MTB Digital Gifting Service at a simple ceremony held at the bank's Corporate Head Office, MTB Centre,
Gulshan 1, Dhaka 1212 while MonjurulAlamMamun, Founder of XTRA was also present during the event.
Among others, Md. Zakir Hossain, General Manager of XTRA and Syed Rafiqul Haq, Additional Managing
Director & Chief Business Officer, GoutamProsad Das, Deputy Managing Director & Head of Group
Internal Control & Compliance, Md. Khalid Mahmood Khan, Deputy Managing Director-Corporate &
Commercial Business, ShyamolBoran Das, Chief Information & Digital Officer, Khalid Hossin, Head of
Digital Lending & Innovations and Azam Khan, Head of Communications Department of MTB were also
present at the launching ceremony.
Photo : Courtesy
On behalf of Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir, dealers of Bashundhara
Cement and Bashundhara Bitumen have distributed meat of sacrificial animals among the poor and
helpless people in different places of the country. Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem
Sobhan Anvir has shared the joy of Eid-ul-Azha with distressed and helpless people and orphans by
sacrificing animals and distributing meats in more than 200 places in the country. He has distributed
the meats of the sacrificial animals among the destitute and helpless people and orphans. Like
every year, it was organised in indigent villages to bring smiles on the faces of the poor and helpless
people. Dealers of Bashundhara Cement and Bashundhara Bitumen extended their cooperation in
this great work.
Photo : Courtesy
Vietnam's economic hub imposes night
curfew as country battles virus surge
HANOI : More than 10 million residents
of Ho Chi Minh City will be placed under
a strict overnight curfew beginning
Monday, an unprecedented move to curb
infections as Vietnam battles a rapid
Covid-19 surge, reports BSS.
After successfully containing limited
coronavirus outbreaks last year, the
communist country is now recording
increasing infections and deaths fuelled
by the highly contagious Delta variant.
Hardest-hit are the northern industrial
centres and Ho Chi Minh City in the
south, which has registered more than
62,000 infections since April- making up
the bulk of Vietnam's 101,000 cases.
Authorities have restricted movement
in the once-bustling economic hub for
more than two months, and imposed a
lockdown in early July. Residents are
allowed to leave home only for medical
emergencies and food.
But beginning Monday, an additional,
strict stay-at-home order will be in effect
from 6 pm to 6 am local time-though
authorities refused to use the word
"curfew". No end date was announced for
the measure. "Local law enforcement will
need to step up patrols... and issue
appropriate penalties for offenders, even
detention in cases of resistance," said city
mayor Nguyen Thanh Phong, according
to state media.
Almost all public transport links with
the city have already been suspended,
while travellers originating from the city
are required to stay in mandatory
quarantine centres for at least two weeks.
Currently, more than a third of
Vietnam's 100 million people are under a
lockdown, including residents of its
capital Hanoi in the north.
On Monday, the military drove through
major boulevards across the city,
spraying disinfectant as they went past
historic buildings and Hoan Kiem Lake, a
major tourist attraction.
An army officer told AFP that military
personnel will continue the disinfection
campaign over the next three days.
Vietnam was one of the few economies
that expanded last year due to its success
in containing the virus during the first
wave of the pandemic.

TuESDAY, JuLY 27, 2021
9
Jamaica's defender Oniel Fisher (left) vies for the ball with American forward Matthew Hoppe during
the Concacaf Gold Cup quarter-final in Texas.
Photo: AP
USA, Canada advance to Gold
Cup semi-finals
SPORTS DESK
The United States earned the finalspot
in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals
on Sunday with a hard-fought 1-
0win over Jamaica at the AT&T
Stadium in Dallas, Texas, reports BSS.
Matthew Hoppe scored the go-ahead
goal on a header after taking a
crossfrom Cristian Roldan in the 83rd
minute for the US.
The US will next face reigning Asian
champions Qatar in the semis
onThursday.
In the earlier game in Texas, shorthanded
Canada also punched
theirticket to the semis after a
dominating 2-0 victory over Costa Rica.
Shooter Zakia, former
footballer Arif test
positive for corona
SPORTS DESK
National shooter and South
Asian Games gold medalist
UmmeZakia Sultana Tumpa
has been admitted to the
ICU of a private hospital in
the capital after testing
positive for Covid-19,
reports UNB.
Zakia had been isolated at
her home in Lalmonirhat
but her health condition
suddenly deteriorated and
was admitted into hospital
last week.
Zakia's father Taslim
Uddin also reported positive
for corona but he is stable
now.
Besides, former national
football team captain and
Bangladesh Football
Federation member Arif
Hossain Moon also tested
positive for Covid-19. He is
currently in home isolation.
Earlier, FIDE Master of
chess and deputy secretary
of the ministry of planning
DrTaibur Rahman, his wife
Sultana Akter and daughter
Jafnun Rahman have also
contracted coronavirus.
They are currently in home
isolation and recovering
from Covid faster.
Canada's MacNeil wins
women's Olympic
100m butterfly gold
SPORTS DESK
Canada's Maggie MacNeil
powered to the women's
100m butterfly gold medal
in the third-fastest time
ever Monday to unseat
Swedish defending
champion and world record
holder Sarah Sjostrom,
reports BSS.
MacNeil delivered a
stunning burst of speed
over the final 50m to touch
in 55.59sec and edge
China's Zhang Yufei (55.64)
into second while
Australia's Emma McKeon
(55.72) who took bronze.
Sjostrom finished
seventh, well off the pace.
"I actually have no words
right now, I can't believe it,"
said MacNeil, the world
champion who now has her
first Olympic gold medal.
"I couldn't see anyone.
The Americans won Group B over
runner-up Canada despite some
inconsistentplay, winning all three
games. Jamaica finished second in
Group C with a 2-0-1 record with their
lone loss coming against Costa Rica.
This was the toughest test of the
tournament for the Americans, who
havestruggled to score and lacked
cohesion heading into the knockout
round.
The tournament lost much of its
impact when the US decided to field
ayoung inexperienced squad. Most of
the Americans play in the Major
LeagueSoccer (MLS) where players can
make as little as $60,000 a year.
In the earlier game, David Junior
Hoilett scored to make it 1-0 in the18th
minute by running onto a long ball and
lobbing a shot over Costa
Ricagoalkeeper Esteban Alvarado as
Canada reached its first semi-final
since2007.
Stephen Eustaquio scored Canada's
second goal after a run in the
box,finding the ball and blasting it into
the back of the net to make it 2-0 inthe
69th minute.
Canada was missing key forwards
CyleLarin and Ayo Akinola, who
sufferedinjuries in their group game
against the US.
The Canadians will face defending
champion Mexico on Thursday in
Houstonfor a spot in the final.
Collins clinches first title after tough year
SPORTS DESK
Danielle Collins of the United States
became the WTA's 14th first time
champion of 2021 when she clinched the
Palermo clay court title on Sunday, reports
BSS.
The 27-year-old top seed eased past
Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse,
ranked at 137 in the world, 6-4, 6-2 in the
final.The American did not drop a set all
week at the tournament.
"It's given me so much self-confidence to
finally win a tournament, because I've been
on tour now for a couple of years, and that
Lewandowski voted German
Player of the Year
SPORTS DESK
Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski
was voted Germany's Footballer of the Year
for the second year running on Sunday,
reports UNB. The 32-year-old Pole was
once again the runaway winner of the title
awarded by the football magazine Kicker,
following a vote by journalists.
Lewandowski, who equalledGerd Mueller's
49-year-old scoring record in May as he
netted his 41st Bundesliga goal of the season,
received 356 of the 563 votes on offer.
"I am aware of how big this honour is. It is
a reason for great pride and joy for me,
because it is rare to win the title of Footballer
of the Year in Germany twice in a row,"
Lewandowski said. Second-placed Thomas
Mueller of Bayern Munich was 315 votes
behind, while third place went to
was one of my goals," said the 44th-ranked
Collins. Victory came after a tough year for
the American who was off tour between
March and the French Open in May.
She had needed surgery to remove "a cyst
the size of a tennis ball from my ovary", she
told Britain's Daily Telegraph.
"I've been improving, clearly, based on
my results and being able to go longer with
my stamina throughout the events," added
Collins on Sunday.
"That was my main goal in playing all of
the tournaments the last four weeks. It was
just really rewarding to think about."
ErlingHaaland of Borussia Dortmund, who
received 38 votes.
"Of course I am happy that I have scored 41
goals in 29 Bundesliga games. This number
of goals fills me with great pride and is
certainly a spectacular achievement in view
of my injury," said Lewandowski, who was
out for three weeks from late March with a
knee problem.
Lewandowski's former manager Hansi
Flick, who was named the second-best
manager behind Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel,
said he was an "absolute professional with
enormous quality" and "the best there is as a
centre-forward". Since joining Bayern in
2014, Lewandowski has scored 203 goals in
219 games. In 2020-21, he was the architect
of Bayern's 31st German league
championship win, their ninth consecutive
Bundesliga title.
Bayern's Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring the most
Bundesliga goals in a season following their final league match this season,
at home to Augsburg Saturday.
Photo: AP
IPL 2021 to resume
with with MI vs
CSK in Dubai
SPORTS DESK
The 2021 Indian Premier
League (IPL) season, which
was suspended earlier this
year because of the Covid-19
second wave, will resume
with a clash between the
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
and Mumbai Indians (MI)
on September 19, BCCI has
confirmed. The first match
of the remainder of the
season will be played in
Dubai, reports UNB.
The 31 remaining matches
will be played at three
venues - Dubai, Abu Dhabi
and Sharjah - with Dubai set
to host the final on October
15. While Dubai will host the
first qualifier on October 10,
the eliminator and second
qualifier will be played in
Sharjah on October 11 and
13 respectively. In all, 13
matches will be held in
Dubai, 10 in Sharjah and 8
in Abu Dhabi.
Olympics Shooting:
Baki eliminated from
10-meter Air Rifles
SPORTS DESK
Bangladesh famed shooter
Abdullah Hel Baki was
eliminated from the
qualification round of his
favourite Men's 10- meter
Air Rifles of the Tokyo
Olympics Shooting at the
Asaka Shooting Range in the
Japanese capital on Sunday,
reports UNB.
He finished 41st among
the 47 competitors of the
event making a worse total
score of 619.8.
Top eight shooters of the
event qualified for the final
round.
Later, In the event's final
round, William Shaner of
USA clinched gold medal
with Olympics record
scoring 251.6, Sheng Lihao
of China earned the silver
medal scoring 250.9 while
Yang Haoran of China, who
finished top in qualification
round scoring 632.7, took
the event's bronze scoring
229.4.
In the six-round 60-shoot
qualifying series, Baki
scored 102.8 in the first
series, 103.4 in the 2nd
series, 102.9 in the 3rd
series, 103.8 in the 4th
series, again 103.8 in the 5th
series and 103.1 in the 6th
and last series.
Commonwealth Games
silver medalist Baki finished
25th among 50 participants
in the Men's 10- meter Air
Rifles scoring 621.2 in the
Rio de Janeiro Olympics'
2016 in Brazil.
Meanwhile, a threemember
Bangladesh
athletics team due to fly for
Japan Sunday afternoon to
compete in the ongoing
Tokyo Olympics.
SPORTS DESK
Fiji made a shaky start to the defence
oftheir Olympic men's rugby sevens
title on Monday, almost undone by two
Fijianexports in the Japan side in the
opening round at Tokyo Stadium,
reports BSS.
Tries by Fiji-born LoteTuqiri and
KameliSoejima had given the
hostnation a 19-12 lead, with alarm
bells ringing that an upset mirroring
Japan'sstunning victory over New
Zealand in the opening round of the Rio
Games wason the cards.
But a late brace of tries by
WaiseaNacuqu pushed Fiji back into
the leadand an eventual 24-19 victory.
The Fijians did not wait long before
bothering the scoresheet,
JiutaWainiqolo crossing after just 20
seconds following a Japanese mistake
fromthe kick-off.
Japan skipper Matsui Chihito
responded in fine fashion, skipping
away froma flat defence.
But Fiji again contested the restart,
the ball finding IosefoBaleiwairiki, who
with one step was away to restore the
Kumar stars as India thrash
Sri Lanka in 1st T20 after
Covid-19 scare
SPORTS DESK
Seam bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar led a
disciplined bowling performance as India
hammered Sri Lanka by 38 runs in the
opening Twenty20 international after a
Covid scare at the stadium on Sunday.
Chasing 165 for victory, Sri Lanka were
bowled out for 126 in 18.3 overs with Kumar
returning figures of 4-22 in Colombo. India
lead the three-match series 1-0.
Earlier skipper ShikharDhawan (46) and
Suryakumar Yadav (50) guided India to 164-
5 in 20 overs after being put into bat first.
"I thought we were 10-15 runs short but we
felt it was still a good total," said Dhawan.
"Surya is a great player and we enjoy
watching him bat. He was taking pressure off
me as well. Sri Lanka were playing well but
we knew our spinners will get some turn."
Spinners Krunal Pandya,
YuzvendraChahal, debutant Varun
Chakravarthy and quick bowler Hardik
Pandya took one wicket each.
A ground staffer at the R Premadasa
Stadium tested positive for Covid-19
following a rapid antigen test, Sri Lanka
Cricket said, before the hosts won the toss.
As a precaution, reporters and
photographers were not allowed inside the
35,000 capacity ground where the white-ball
series is being played.
Spectators were already barred from
attending since the start of the three-match
one-day series which India won 2-1.
Kumar struck with opener Avishka
Fernando's key wicket for 26 before the pace
spearhead returned to wipe off the tail.
Pace partner Deepak Chahar took two
wickets in one over including debutant
CharithAsalanka for 44 to derail Sri Lanka's
chase.
But it was Dhawan and Yadav who set up
the win with their 62-run third-wicket stand
that helped India to a challenging total.
Dhawan, a left-hand opener who put on 51
for the second wicket with Sanju Samson
(27), missed out on his fifty after being
caught in the deep.
Yadav raised his second T20 fifty in his
fourth match but got out next ball to legspinner
WaninduHasaranga.
Hasaranga and pace bowler
DushmanthaChameera, who got Prithvi
Shaw out first ball of the innings, claimed
two wickets each.
"I thought our bowlers did an amazing job
on this wicket," said Sri Lanka skipper
DasunShanaka. "I hope boys come out and
deliver for us."
The second T20 is on Tuesday at the same
venue.
India's Shikhar Dhawan plays a shot during the T20 match between India
and Sri Lanka, at R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.Photo: AP
USA lose first men's Olympic
basketball game since 2004
SPORTS DESK
A USA team led by 11-time NBA All-Star Kevin
Durant were beaten 83-76 by France on
Sunday, snapping an Olympic winning streak
stretching back to the 2004 Athens Games,
reports UNB.
France, with a team containing NBA players
including Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier,
limited Durant to just 10 points in the firstround
game.
Durant sat out most of the third quarter with
foul trouble and when it mattered, he was
unable to inspire his team as the French came
from behind to take control in the final quarter
as the Americans missed their final nine shots.
The USA had looked unconvincing in the
build-up to Tokyo and the defeat will underline
Fiji almost undone by Japanese
exports in Olympic rugby sevens
lead. Japan, however, held the halftime
lead after Tuqiri was played into
spaceafter some clever footwork by
New Zealand-born playmaker Colin
Bourke.
An upset was on the cards as veteran
Soejima soared to take the kick-offand
fend off a lame challenge of a tackle by
Jerry Tuwai for a try in thecorner.
But Nacuqu pounced on two basic
mistakes and Fijian worries were
allayed.Japan had one final chance
when AsaeliTuivuaka was yellow
carded with 35seconds to play, but a
fluffed attacking line-out saw Fiji close
down thegame.
Britain, who won silver in Rio, beat
Canada 24-0 with speedster Dan
Nortonthe top try scorer on the World
Rugby Sevens Series-nabbing two tries.
South Africa, bronze medallists in
2016, saw off Ireland 33-14,
withSakoyisaMakata saying the team
had overcome the absence of coach
NeilPowell, in isolation after a Covid-19
outbreak.
"It didn't really derail us,"Makata
said, adding that Powell was now a
"virtual" coach with his advice inputted
the fears Durant expressed before the Games
that his side will not face a "cakewalk" in
Japan.
Fournier top-scored with 28 points for
France. Although the Boston Celtics player
only made four from 12 from beyond the threepoint
line, he found his range when it mattered
to help the French stun the Americans.
"I tried to be aggressive. As an NBA player I
know the players we were facing. We had to
show the team how to attack them," Fournier
said.
France clawed back a 10-point deficit to set
up a breathless final quarter and as the
Americans failed to find any rhythm, the
French smelled victory in Saitama, where
spectators were absent because of coronavirus
measures.
live via laptop. Kerevi in vain -
New Zealand, who failed to make the
podium in Rio, crushed South Korea
50-5, skipper Tim Mikkelson dotting
down twice to calm nerves after
JeongYeon-sik had scored a
memorable one for the Asian qualifiers
in a competitivefirst-half.
Argentina raced out to a 24-0 halftime
lead over Australia, but
bruisingex-Wallaby centreSeruKerevi
scored one try and Josh Tuner two in
apromising comeback before los
Pumas saw the game out 29-19.
"We need to control the kick-off
reception area. When we hold the ball,
weattack really well, but Argentina put
us under pressure and played a
greatgame," said the Fiji-born Kerevi,
one of the few full 15s internationals
atthe Olympics.
The United States rounded out the
opening morning's play with a
dramatic19-14 victory over Kenya.
The two top teams from each pool
plus the two best-placed thirdplacedteams
advance to the Cup
quarter-finals on Tuesday.

TUesDAY, JULY 27, 2021
10
BTV to air Ittyadi's 'zero audience'
episode on July 30
TBT RepoRT
"Ghotona Shotto" sparks huge
criticism, director apologies
TBT RepoRT
An Eid special tele-fiction titled
"Ghotona Shotto", starring
popular actors Mehazabien
Chowdhury and Afran Nisho, has
sparked huge criticism for
insensitively addressing children
with special needs.
Directed by Rubel Hasan and
released under the banner of
Central Music and Video (CMV),
the tele-fiction was enlisted as part
of private television station
Channel i's Eid-Ul-Azha special
programmes, and it was uploaded
on CMV's YouTube channel.
The tele-fiction tales the story of
a couple, acted by Afran Nisho as a
driver and Mehazabien
Chowdhury as a housemaid, who
mischievously deceive their
service-takers. Later in the telefiction
showcases that the couple
was bestowed with a child with
special needs, wondering if their
child's condition is a result of their
misdeeds. After the telecast of the
tele-fiction, Amrin Zaman, a
mother, first addressed the issue
on Sunday at a Facebook live
video. A large number of
audiences have since expressed
their disgust on social media over
the portrayed message, raising
questions about the sensitivity of
the makers towards the topic of
children with special needs.
Members of several Facebookbased
platforms including Autism
Bangladesh, a public group to raise
awareness and advocate for the
persons with Autism, Cerebral
Palsy, Down Syndromes,
Intellectual and Neurological
Disabilities on behalf of the
children and persons with special
needs, have also expressed
massive dissatisfaction and anger
over the tele-fiction and its
associates, with some even
considering to file a case against
the casts, crews and makers.
Amid the controversy, the fiction
was then immediately taken down
from CMV's YouTube channel.
The cast and crew have also
publicly apologised across social
media through a joint statement,
published on both the actor's and
the director's official Facebook
profiles. "On behalf of the director,
artistes and entire cast and crew,
we feel deeply sorry and have
complete realization as well as full
support for those who have
reached out to us regarding our
drama production "Ghotona
Shotto". We have taken down the
content the moment we received
the first message. The muchneeded
correction is being made to
the content," the joint statement
said on Sunday.
It added, "We would like to send
our love, support and apologies to
every parent and child with special
needs and promise to make
content in future that spreads the
right message and directs the
audience towards the right path.
Bangladesh Television (BTV) is going to telecast popular magazine
television programmeIttyadi's first-ever 'zero audience' episode on
July 30.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the organisers of the popular
television program decided to shoot the show without an audience
to comply with the government-imposed Covid-19 health and safety
regulations, said a press release on Sunday.
BTV and BTV World is going to telecast the episode
simultaneously after its regular 8 pm news segment.
According to the release, the episode was shot at the workshop of
the mass rapid transit-6 (MRT-6) depot situated in the Diabari area
of the capital on July 16.
This episode of Ittyadi is written, directed and presented by
HanifSanket. It is produced by Fagun Audio Vision and is sponsored
by Keya Cosmetics Limited.
Zooel's new song 'Hoini
Bola' released
TBT RepoRT
Zooel Morshed known as Zooel is a Bangladeshi audio engineer, music composer,
and singer. Zooel started his musical journey since 2000 as an audio engineer and
album producer in Bangladesh Music Industry. He released his first solo album
"Ekla Prothom" in 2010 and 11 January 2013 on West Bengal (India). He has also
collaborated with native singers including famous Indian Bengali singers
Somlata, Somchanda, and Madhubanti Bagchi.
To pay tribute to one composer to other, a new song titled Hoini Bola has been
released under the banner of Deadline Music on Sunday. Lastly, nine months ago,
Zooel's a new song titled Tumi Ami was released with popular singer Kona. Its
lyrical video was released during that time. After a break of nine months, Zooel
released a new song Honi Bola, which lyrics and tunes were composed by music
director Jishan Khan Shuvo. Naved Parvez has arranged music of the song.
Rashed Majumder has made music video of the song.
While talking about releasing his new song Zooel Morshed said, "Basically I
render song under own composition. But this song is a paying tribute to one
composer to other. It was a love for other composer. Shuvo has gifted me the song.
It is a soft romantic song. Lyrics and music composition are really nice. I believe
everybody will enjoy the song. Farin Khan and Tareq Zaman performed as model
in music video of the song Hoini Bola."
Alia Bhatt shows off toned body,
post-workout pic
Actor Alia Bhatt may be keeping
busy with her much-anticipated
upcoming projects like her film
with Sanjay Leela Bhansali,
'Gangubai Kathiawadi' or the
star-studded film 'RRR' with SS
Rajamouli. But her jam-packed
schedule does not keep the star
from taking care of her fitness
routine. Her latest Instagram
post is proof.
Alia took to the photo-sharing
app today to post a mirror selfie
of herself post her workout
routine. The RRR actor flaunted
her toned body and her postexercise
glow in the image and
inspired us to go into the
weekend fully energised.
She captioned her mirror
selfie,
"Halfway
there...#sohfit40daychallenge,"
and tagged her fitness trainer
Sohrab Khushrushahi in the
image.
In the selfie, Alia posed in
front of the mirror and flaunted
her toned frame. She chose
monotone gym attire for the
workout routine. She wore a
cerulean blue sports bra and
matching high-waist biker
shorts. According to the post,
Alia seems to be taking part in a
40-day fitness challenge started
by her coach, Sohrab. She
revealed that she was halfway
through the challenge, which, as
per her trainer, includes five-day
workouts every week and eating
right to remain healthy.
This is not the first time that
we got a glimpse of Alia's
workout routine with her
trainer. He had earlier shared a
video of Alia doing repetitions of
Dwayne Johnson won't be part
of Fast and Furious films
Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson has
made it clear that he won't be appearing in
future Fast and Furious films.
Dwayne, who plays Luke Hobbs in the
franchise, had a fall out with lead star Vin
Diesel during the making of 2017's The
barbell hip thrusts on a bench at
the gym. She had nailed the
routine perfectly and inspired us
to hit the grind.
Apart from weight and muscle
training, Alia also does yoga to
keep herself fit and healthy. On
International Yoga Day, the
actor had shared a video of
herself doing yoga asanas to
stretch out her body and
strengthen her muscles.
Besides
'Gangubai
Kathiawadi' and 'RRR', Alia has
turned producer this year and
stars in her first home
production movie, Darlings. The
film is co-produced by Shah
Rukh Khan's Red Chillies
Entertainment. The film also
stars Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma
and Roshan Matthew. Alia also
has Ayan Mukherji's
'Brahmastra', in which she stars
opposite Ranbir Kapoor.
Source: Times Of India
Fate of the Furious that resulted in the
actor dropping out of latest instalment,
Fast and Furious 9.
Vin recently said it was his "tough love"
act that enabled Dwayne to perform better
in the movies.
Asked about Vin's comments, Dwayne
told The Hollywood Reporter, "I laughed
and I laughed hard. I think everyone had a
laugh at that. And I'll leave it at that."
The actor then added, "And that I've
wished them well. I wish them well on Fast
9. And I wish them the best of luck on Fast
10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast &
Furious movies they do that will be
without me."
Vin had addressed the beef between
Dwayne and him in a Men's Health
interview and said, "I could give a lot of
tough love. Not Felliniesque, but I would
do anything I'd have to do in order to get
performances in anything I'm producing."
Dwayne first played Luke Hobbs in
2011's Fast Five and later returned for Fast
& Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015) and
The Fate of the Furious (2017).
He also starred in the franchise's spin-off
movie Hobbs & Shaw in 2019, co-starring
Jason Statham, who reprised his role of
Deckard Shaw from the long-running
series.
Source: Indian Express
H o Roscope
Aries
Success on all levels is filling your
life and making you feel
absolutely wonderful, Aries. The
downside of this is that you
might be a little too conscientious. Are you
putting in a lot of extra hours? Be
discriminating about this and don't work
harder than necessary. You could get stressed
to the point of taxing your strength too much,
and that won't help you. Pace yourself.
Taurus
Hard work, enthusiasm, and dedication
are now paying off financially, Taurus.
New opportunities are opening up to
profitably make use of your artistic side.
The downside is that you might be working so hard that
you're too drained to be creative even though the
inspiration is there. Take a moment to rework your
schedule to accomplish the most in the least amount of
time. You can do it.
Gemini
People close to you might be a bit
worried about you, Gemini. Too
much work and socializing might
have you feeling less than your usual
self, and perhaps even a little feverish and headachy.
If so, this is a good day to take time out, stay home,
and rest. Don't worry about sabotaging your success.
It will continue. Take a break and your body will
reward you with greater clarity and concentration.
cancer
All continues to go well
professionally, Cancer. You're
feeling physically strong and
vigorous. Mentally, however, you
might be a bit vague. You may be easily distracted
and not as sharp as usual. This isn't a good day to
start a new project. Try to concentrate on finishing
old tasks and tying up loose ends. You should be
ready to go again in a couple of days.
Leo
The high from your recent
successes could make you want to
purchase luxury items that you used
to think were impractical, Leo. This
is fine as long as you're discriminating and don't
give in to impulse buying. This also isn't a good
time to overindulge in food or drink. You should let
yourself enjoy your success while still using
common sense.
Virgo
You could be on a real emotional high
today because of your success and
that of other household members,
Virgo. Your mind may be buzzing
with ideas for future expansion, some of which may
not be all that workable. However, you should allow
yourself a few flights of fancy. Tomorrow your feet
will be back on the ground and you will see things in
a more practical light.
Libra
Today may prove to be one of
your busiest in a long time, Libra.
The promise of continuing
success in your personal and
professional goals could find you spending a lot
of time on the phone, writing emails, or making
a few short trips around the community. You
might not be able to reach everyone you need to
see. Don't worry. Be persistent and you will
reach them eventually.
scorpio
Business and financial success makes
you happy and satisfied, Scorpio. You
also look forward to moving on. The
downside of this flush period is that
people who aren't particularly trustworthy might
decide to latch onto your coattails for their own
purposes. Some might even ask for loans. Be careful
about the ones you assist. They might not be honest
with you. Don't fall for any sob stories.
sagittarius
As your professional dreams
unfold, Sagittarius, you may worry
about the downside. First, there are
new responsibilities that you might
doubt your ability to fulfill. Second, you might be
catapulted into an uncomfortable new realm of
office politics. Don't let these matters put a damper
on your enthusiasm. You have what it takes to
fulfill the first concern and the wisdom to avoid the
second. Onward and upward.
capricorn
Recent spiritual breakthroughs
might have you feeling both
exhilarated and downcast,
Capricorn. Your sensitive side
tells you that this is a definite step forward on
your spiritual path, but the logical side might
cause you to doubt its reality. Take comfort in
the fact that reality is relative and that what
you're sensing is at least valid for you. Then keep
moving ahead.
Aquarius
Many of your personal goals have either
been met or are in progress, Aquarius,
and you're feeling exhilarated.
However, people around you might
have their hands out. You may be asked to contribute to
charities or make personal loans to people you don't
know well. You want to help whenever you can, but be
discriminating about whom you help now. Some may be
less than trustworthy.
pisces
Confirmation of professional success could
come your way, Pisces, and you're probably
feeling excited and motivated to keep
pushing. But you may find that increased
responsibilities interfere with your social life. You wonder if
friends have forgotten you. They haven't, but it will make you
feel better if you squeeze in a few hours for your friends each
week. Remember what they say about all work and no play.

TUeSDAY, JULY 27, 2021
11
Novera Deepita's
15th death
anniversary today
DHAKA : The 15thdeath
anniversary of meritorious
journalist Novera Deepita
will be observed on Tuesday,
reports UNB
Novera Deepita, who
worked with The Daily Star,
passed away on July 27 in
2006. She was a gold
medalist student of the
Department of Mass
Communication and
Journalism at Dhaka
University.
To mark the day, Novera's
family will offer prayers at
the Azimpur graveyard on
Tuesday and provide charity
to orphans, madrasas and
the needy.
Moreover, the Novera
Deepita Memorial Trust will
award 'Novera Deepita
Memorial Scholarship' to
the student achieving the
highest marks in BA (Hons)
examinations under the
Department of Mass
Communication and
Journalism of Dhaka
University when the
university reopens.
Senior photojournalist
Lutfur Rahman Binu
passes away
DHAKA : Veteran
photojournalist Lutfur
Rahman Binu died of cardiac
arrest in Dhaka on Monday.
He was 66, reports UNB.
Family sources said Lutfur
Rahman fell sick at his
Khilgaon residence in the
morning and breathed his
last around 12 noon on the
way to Dhanmondi Ibne Sina
Hospital.
The photojpurnalist, also a
member of the Jatiya Press
Club, is survived by his wife,
a son, a daughter and a host
of relatives and well-wishers.
Lutfur Rahman, who was a
senior photojournalist of
Daily Inqilab, also worked as
a personal photographer of
former Prime Minister and
BNP chief Khaleda Zia.
He will be buried at their
family graveyard after Asr
prayers after a Namaz-ejanaza
at a local mosque.
Jatiya Press Club president
Farida Yasmin and general
secretary Elias Khan
expressed deep shock at his
death.
Ten people
killed in Croatia
bus crash: police
ZAGREB : At least ten
people were killed and
dozens of others were
injured on Sunday when a
bus slipped off the highway
in eastern Croatia, police
said, reports BSS.
The passengers were
travelling on a regular bus
line between the German
city of Frankfurt and the
Kosovo capital Pristina, a
police official told reporters.
The injured were
hospitalised in the eastern
town of Slavonski Brod close
to where the crash occurred,
a police statement said.
A total of 45 people were
admitted to a Slavonski brod
hospital including eight who
sustained serious injuries,
its head Josip Samardzic
said.
There were no immediate
details on the ages or
nationalities of the
passengers or the possible
cause of the accident.
UNO breaks up picnic organised
in brazen breach of lockdown
CHANDPUR : In the midst of the strictest
phase of COVID-19 restrictions imposed in the
country since the start of the pandemic, one
group of 50-60 people somehow found it
appropriate to organise a picnic - and not even
be discreet about it, reports UNB.
The strictness of the restrictions of course
reflect the severity of the outbreak and how
that has shifted. It shouldn't take an
epidemiologist to tell us that Bangladesh is
currently experiencing the worst phase of its
entire outbreak.
The daily numbers coming out of DGHS,
and out of them three in particular, are stark
enough to not require expert interpretation of
what they mean from a public health
perspective.
The fact is that the number of deaths due to
COVID-19 being reported on each day, the
number of new cases, and the latest positivity
rate (the percentage of tests returning positive
for the virus), are all pointing in the wrong
direction, and they've done so for quite a
prolonged period now.
Firefighters battle California blaze
generating its own climate
CHICO, United States : Thousands of US
firefighters are battling a blaze in California
that has grown so big it is generating its
own weather system, with authorities
warning conditions could worsen on
Monday.
The flames have grown so large that they
have created clouds that can cause
lightning and high winds, which in turn can
serve to fuel the fire. Around 5,400
firefighters were struggling to contain the
inferno.
"It could be a challenging day tomorrow.
If these clouds get tall enough they do have
the potential to produce lightning," warned
Julia Ruthford, the meteorologist assigned
to the blaze.
The Dixie Fire has been raging in the
forests of northern California since mid-
July, part of a climate crisis that has
brought sweltering heat and an alarming
drought.
Wildfires are common in the state but this
summer has been particularly incendiary.
Fires have already ravaged three times
more vegetation this year than they had at
this time in 2020, the worst fire year in
California's history.
Rescue workers have been dispatched
from as far away as Florida to help contain
the Dixie Fire and its pyrocumulus clouds.
Despite its size, the fire has so far ravaged
extremely remote areas, destroying the few
dozen homes and small buildings in its
path.
Moving along steep slopes, the
firefighters sometimes ride a train from
which they can spray water on otherwise
inaccessible areas.
But in these weather conditions, "the
embers can really easily travel a mile ahead
of the fire," Rick Carhart, a spokesman for
the firefighters, told AFP. This means
places such as the village of Quincy, where
evacuees are being housed, are also under
threat, he added. "It's been hard watching it
relentlessly moving through our forested
lands," Peggy Moak, resident of a nearby
village, told AFP.
The infernos in California and
neighboring Oregon have come unusually
early in the fire season, driven by the multiyear
drought, gusty winds, and a scorching
start to the summer that experts have linked
to climate change.
In a golf course with yellowed grass, or a
nearly dry lake, the signs of the drought that
assists the flames are visible everywhere.
A preliminary investigation said the Dixie
Fire broke out after a tree fell on one of the
thousands of power lines that dot the state's
landscape. The power line was owned by
Pacific Gas & Company (PG&E), a private
operator previously found guilty of causing a
fire that nearly wiped out the nearby town of
Paradise and killed 86 people.
Fauci says US headed in 'wrong
direction' on coronavirus
WILMINGTON : The United States is in
an "unnecessary predicament" of soaring
COVID-19 cases fueled by unvaccinated
Americans and the virulent delta variant,
the nation's top infectious diseases
expert said Sunday, reports UNB.
"We're going in the wrong direction,"
said Dr. Anthony Fauci, describing
himself as "very frustrated."
He said recommending that the
vaccinated wear masks is "under active
consideration" by the government's
leading public health officials. Also,
booster shots may be suggested for
people with suppressed immune systems
who have been vaccinated, Fauci said.
Fauci, who also serves as President Joe
Biden's chief medical adviser, told CNN's
"State of the Union" that he has taken
part in conversations about altering the
mask guidelines.
He noted that some local jurisdictions
where infection rates are surging, such as
Los Angeles County, are already calling
on individuals to wear masks in indoor
public spaces regardless of vaccination
status. Fauci said those local rules are
compatible with the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention recommendation
that the vaccinated do not need to wear
masks in public.
Yet as if oblivious to it all, this group of
people hired out a trawler for the day, and
blaring loud, incongruous picnic music on the
vessel's PA system, set sail on Sunday morning
down a famous canal in Chandpur.
That they would be so brazen about it would
prove their undoing however, as word started
going around almost immediately of this
blatant breach of the emergency restrictions.
By mid-day, Matlab Dakkhin UNO Fahmida
Haque, assuming her executive magistrate
powers leading a mobile court, was able to
reach the spot on the Boaljuri canal that they
were in.
There she broke up the picnic with other
officials and made five of the organizers pay a
penalty of Tk 11,500 against five cases of
violating lockdown rules by organising a public
gathering and playing loud music on speakers.
During the raid, the UNO seized the food
catered for the picnic party and later
distributed it among some local orphanages
and madrasahs - fashioning a good ending to a
story that could so easily have been sordid.
More than 163 million people, or 49%
of the total U.S. population, are fully
vaccinated, according to CDC data. Of
those eligible for the vaccine, aged 12 and
over, the figure rises to 57%.
"This is an issue predominantly among
the unvaccinated, which is the reason
why we're out there, practically pleading
with the unvaccinated people to go out
and get vaccinated," Fauci said.
Fauci said government experts are
reviewing early data as they consider
whether to recommend that vaccinated
individuals to get booster shots. He
suggested that some of the most
vulnerable, such as organ transplant and
cancer patients, are "likely" to be
recommended for booster shots.
He also praised Republicans, including
Govs. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and
Ron DeSantis of Florida, and the secondranking
House leader, Rep. Steve Scalise
of Louisiana, for encouraging their
constituents to get vaccinated. Their
states have among the lowest vaccination
rates in the country.
"What I would really like to see is more
and more of the leaders in those areas
that are not vaccinating to get out and
speak out and encourage people to get
vaccinated," Fauci said.
Secretary of Ministry of Liberation War Affairs handing over cheque of financial assistance on
behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to journalist in Narail.
Photo : TBT
Japan landslide
toll rises to 15
TOKYO : The death toll in a
landslide that hit the
Japanese resort town of
Atami has risen to 15, a local
official said Sunday, as
hundreds of rescuers
continued the search for
over a dozen missing
residents.
"Two more people were
confirmed dead during the
weekend, with the number
of victims now totalling 15,"
d i s a s t e r - m a n a g e m e n t
spokesman Yuta Hara told
AFP.
14 people remain
unaccounted for, the official
said.
Dozens of homes were
swept away when a
landslide descended on the
resort town in several
violent waves on July 3.
It came after days of
intense downpours in and
around Atami, which lies
about 90 kilometres (55
miles) southwest of Tokyo.
Japan was in its rainy
season when the floods
struck, with many parts of
the country vulnerable to
landslides because homes
are built on slopes where
ground can loosen and
collapse suddenly after
heavy downpours.
Scientists say climate
change is also intensifying
the country's rainy seasons
because a warmer
atmosphere holds more
water.
Rescue and recovery
efforts involving about
1,300 police officers,
firefighters, soldiers and
coastguard members were
continuing, the spokesman
said.
Fiji police deploy after detaining
opposition leaders
SUVA, Fiji : Fijian police vowed Monday to
"come down hard" on any civil unrest, after
briefly detaining seven opposition
lawmakers over sensitive land ownership
issues, reports BSS.
Police said they had increased their
presence in major towns and cities to curb
one of the world's fastest-growing
coronavirus outbreaks, which has
overwhelmed hospitals and killed at least
186 people.
But political tensions are soaring in the
coup-prone nation over planned land
reforms.
On Sunday police detained a group of
lawmakers-including former prime minister
Sitiveni Rabuka, who led two military coups
that shook Fiji in 1987 -- for several hours.
The lawmakers had voiced opposition to
the reforms, which would change the way
native land ownership is managed.
On the island of Viti Levu, where most of
Fiji's 900,000 people live, police were
staffing checkpoints and enforcing a curfew.
Around 87 percent of land in Fiji is owned
by native landowning groups.
Land ownership and tensions between
indigenous Fijians and the large Indo-Fijian
minority are long-running issues that helped
propel the 1987 coup, as well as one in 2000.
The land bill is expected to be discussed in
parliament in the coming days.
In a statement, police vowed to "come
down hard on any person or group that tries
to cause instability and civil unrest".
"We acknowledge that land is a sensitive
subject for many Fijians, however we
reiterate that freedom of speech and
expression comes with responsibilities and
people need to be cautious about comments
that are aimed at inciting civil unrest," the
police warned.
The land reforms were proposed by the
government of current prime minister Frank
Bainimarama, who led a military coup in
2006 and has led the country for most of the
time since.
Bainimarama has shied away from
nationwide lockdowns to tackle the
coronavirus crisis, instead urging
sometimes-sceptical Fijians to get
vaccinated.
The pandemic has battered tourism, Fiji's
major industry, as visitors from
neighbouring Australia and New Zealand are
barred from travelling overseas.
A quarantine breach in April unleashed the
highly contagious Delta variant on Fiji,
ending a year without community
transmission.
Two Turkish
soldiers killed in
northern Syria:
ministry
ISTANBUL : Two Turkish soldiers were
killed and two others wounded in areas of
northern Syria under Ankara's control to
keep out jihadists and Kurdish rebels, the
defence ministry tweeted Sunday.
The ministry said "terrorists" targeted a
Turkish military vehicle on Saturday in the
Euphrates Shield region south of the
border, but did not specify which group they
represented.
Turkey launched Operation Euphrates
Shield in 2016 in order to drive away from
its border region Islamic State militants and
Syrian Kurdish militia forces deemed
"terrorists" by Ankara.
The Euphrates Shield region includes the
towns of Jarablus and al-Bab near the
Turkish border. After the attack, "the terror
targets were hit" in retaliation, the ministry
said. Ankara views Syrian Kurdish People's
Protection Units (YPG) as an offshoot of
outlawed militants who have been waging a
deadly insurgency against the Turkish state.
Iqvmv-R:Z: 264/2021
People are taking corona vaccine at Mirzaganj upazila health complex. Photo : Uttam Kumar Golder
GD-1142/21 (6x4)

Tuesday, Dhaka : July 27, 2021; Srabon 12, 1428 BS; Zilhaj 16, 1442 hijri
BNP issues contradictory
statements over
lockdown:Hasan
DHAKA : Taking a swipe at BNP's criticism
about the lockdown, Awami League Joint
General Secretary and Information and
Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud
yesterday said BNP is issuing contradictory
statements over the lockdown.
"What is the planned lockdown of BNP?
Is it like keeping people hostage for 158
days from 2013 to 2015? Before imposing
the lockdown, they (BNP) said that the
country needs strict lockdown," he told
newsmen at a view exchange meeting at
the meeting room of his ministry at secretariat.
"After enforcing shutdown, BNP said
that it was unplanned. Then what is
planned lockdown?" he posed a question.
He said before issuing such statements,
BNP should bear in their mind that they
held the countrymen captive for 158 days
from 2013 to 2015 by enforcing hartals
and blockades. Presently, the government
announced the lockdown for saving the
life of people, he added. The lockdown
method, he said, has been adopted not
only in Bangladesh, but also in almost all
countries including the neighbours and
European countries. "Bangladesh is going
through the situation (COVID-19) for
about one and a half years. But, none died
of starvation," said Hasan.
He said there is no frustration among
the countrymen due to different steps
taken by the government and the party
farmers are preparing land for planting paddy. The picture was taken from Parael area of
Raninagar upazila of Naogaon district on monday.
Photo: PBa
Covid-19 Surge
Too many patients for
a few hospital beds
DHAKA : Faced with a severe shortage
of ICU and general beds the government
hospitals in capital Dhaka are struggling
to cope with a steady stream of Covid-19
patients, many of them coming from
outside the city in critical condition,
reports UNB
The rush has filled the Intensive Care
Units (ICUs) to the brim and forced the
authorities to admit patients more than
their capacity. And yet many have been
kept in the waiting list for a bed, while others
have simply been asked to hunt beds in
other hospitals. That includes even the
critical patients who need intensive care.
According to the Health Department,
there are 16 government hospitals in the
capital dedicated to Covid patients. Three
of these hospitals don't have any ICU.
Seven of the remaining 13 hospitals had no
ICU bed empty as of Saturday.
In the remaining six hospitals, only 40
ICU beds were available as of Saturday, said
the authorities adding things are changing
by hours. The pressure has mounted on the
Dhaka hospitals as patients are arriving
from other adjoining district hospitals for
shortage of ICU facilities there. The few ICU
beds are already full.
ICU beds are not easily available in the
(Awami League) as well. "Some people are
facing temporary problems. There is no
need to longer the shutdown, if the all people
follow the health code strictly," he
added. Castigating a comment of BNP secretary
general Mirza Fakhrul Islam
Alamgir, the minister said it is the party
(BNP) which did politics of violence.
"In fact, the people of Bangladesh didn't
see these types of violence like killing people
through arson attacks and hurling
petrol bombs on sleeping people before
2013, 2014 and 2015.
The world also didn't witness such
heinous crimes of burning people for politics
in the contemporary period," he
added.
"Now, if anyone in this lockdown is convicted
under a criminal case and if he/she
belongs to a political party, can't he be
arrested? Why they (BNP) took side of
criminals?" Hasan posed a question.
He said the court and the law would take
steps if any politician is accused of in a
criminal case. There is no relation among
the law and establishing justice and politics,
he added.
Replying to another query over COVID
19 situation, the minister said now the
people are not so much afraid like the
beginning of coronavirus.
Hasan urged all to maintain the health
code properly, saying: "My protection is
on my own hand."
districts. An average of 25 patients need
ICU in the hospitals designated for coronavirus
in the capital.
As per the Health Department, this
increasing number of Covid patients has led
hospitals to provide treatment to the patients
against the limited number of beds. Brig.
Gen. Nazmul Haque, director of Dhaka
Medical College Hospital, told UNB that
there is no scope for the ICUs to remain
vacant as the beds available are fewer than
the demand. Every day 60 to 70 new Covid
patients are being admitted. Some patients
have to be admitted even without a bed.
Some critical patients have to be transferred
to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn
and Plastic Surgery.
Dhaka Medical College Hospital has 705
general beds for Covid-19 patients.
Currently, 724 Covid patients are undergoing
treatment there. In other words, an
extra 19 patients are admitted against the
bed capacity. None of the 10 ICU beds are
vacant for patients.
Among the government hospitals in the
capital, Covid-dedicated Kurmitula
General Hospital is providing treatment to
about 50 additional patients against 265
beds. The other government hospitals
present a similar picture.
Dengue spike
123 more patients
admitted to
hospital in 24 hrs
DHAKA : Health authorities said 123
new dengue patients have been admitted
to hospital in 24 hours till Monday
morning amid a spike in the mosquitoborne
disease that spreads mainly during
monsoon, reports UNB.
For three consecutive days, over 100
patients have been diagnosed with
dengue every day adding worries to the
country's health services, already overburdened
with growing Covid cases and
fatalities.
Across Bangladesh, some 468 patients
diagnosed with dengue are receiving
treatment as of Monday morning,
according to the Directorate General of
Health Services (DGHS). Most cases
have been reported in the capital.
DGHS reports 460 patients are receiving
treatment at different hospitals in the
capital, while just eight patients were
listed outside Dhaka.
Also of the new patients 120 were
admitted to the government and private
hospitals across Dhaka.
Some 1,802 patients have been admitted
to different hospitals with dengue
since January - 1,331 of them have been
released after recovery.
Dengue fever was first reported in
Bangladesh in 2000, claiming 93 lives
that year. In the years that followed, the
country learned to deal with the disease
much better, but it did become endemic.
Fatalities almost fell to zero at one stage,
before spiking again in 2018, leading to
the horrific crisis the following year.
Bagerhat residents
benefit from door-todoor
sale of essentials
BAGERHAT : Door to door sale of essentials
is gaining popularity in Bagerhat
Sadar Upazila, reports UNB.
People are happy that the vans (traditional
three wheelers) are carrying fish,
meat, local fruits, vegetables, grocery
items and all everyday-goods right to their
doorsteps amid pandemic.
This initiative was the idea of Bagerhat-2
(Sadar-Kachua) constituency Member of
Parliament (MP), Sheikh Sarhan Naser
Tanmoy, so that people don't have to go to
the markets which would eventually
decrease the chances of Covid-19 virus
spreading among the people. Implemented
by the district Juba League, 100 vans are
serving the 10 unions of the Sadar upazila.
Juba League leaders believe it would be
possible to keep people from the markets
and at the same time, the van pullers
would have a regular source of income.
The vans were seen with placards
inscribed Vrammoman Bazar (Mobile
Market) and louder whistles were given to
each van puller. Having this new job, a
source of income at this ominous time,
their faces glittered with smiles.
People from different walks of life have
welcomed this initiative. Bagerhat Sadar
Upazila Parishad Chairman and district
Juba League convener Sardar Nasir Uddin
said, the mobile market was launched as the
initiative of MP Sheikh Tanmoy. It was
implemented by Juba League, initially with
hundred vans in the upazila area which
would gradually be extended to other areas.
Rescuers waded through waist-deep mud in western india today to reach injured residents and start a massive
clean-up, as the death toll from monsoon-triggered landslides and floods climbed to 198.
Photo : aP
India begins landslide,
flood clean-up as deadly
monsoon rains ease
MUMBAI : Rescuers waded through
waist-deep mud in western India Monday
to reach injured residents and start a massive
clean-up after heavy monsoon rains
triggered landslides and floods that killed
159 people.
India's western coast was hit by severe
rainstorms over several days, with a quarter
of a million people evacuated from
their homes in three states and power cut
across vast areas.
Experts say climate change is increasing
the frequency and intensity of the annual
deluge-which is critical to replenishing
rivers and groundwater but also causes
widespread death and destruction.
"The focus has now shifted to evacuating
the injured and restoring electricity as
water levels recede," a National Disaster
Relief Force spokesperson told AFP.
"The rainfall has stopped in most places
and water levels have receded. We are helping
with clean-up, relief and restoration."
In the worst-hit state Maharashtra,
where the toll rose to 149 on Sunday, officials
said search operations were halted in
the hillside village of Taliye, southeast of
Shafiqul iSlam (Shafiq)
Bangladesh University Grants
Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor
Dr. Kazi Shahidullah said online education
has become a part of our lives in the
situation caused by the Corona epidemic.
So it is demand of time to increase the
quality of online education. You don't just
have to give lectures online. Rather, it is
important to ensure that students participate
in online learning activities as well as
verify their achievements.
Otherwise, online education will not be
effective. He was speaking at the inaugural
function of a workshop on open resource
creation, utilization and online education
activities for teachers of Bangladesh's
higher education institutions organized by
Virtual on Monday.
The five-day workshop, jointly organized
by UGC and the Commonwealth
Educational Media Center for Asia
(SEMCA) in Vancouver, Canada, was inaugurated
by UGC member Professor Dr. Md.
Sajjad Hossain, Professor Md. Abu Taher,
UGC Secretary (additional responsibilities)
Dr. Ferdous Zaman, Director of Semka,
Professor Dr. Madhu Parhar and Senior
Program Officer (Education) Dr. Manas
Ranjan Panigrahi. Mohammad Makshudur
Rahman Bhuiyan, Director (Addl
Responsibilities), IMCT Division, UGC, conducted
the workshop.
UGC Chairman Kazi Shahidullah said
Bangladesh has a number of challenges to
address in order to make its online education
program effective. Without ensuring
power supply in all parts of the country as
well as ensuring strong internet network
service, it will not be possible to bring all
Mumbai. Some 53 bodies have been
recovered in the village so far, with 17 people
still missing, after a large landslide
washed away people and homes on
Thursday.
In the neighbouring district of Satara, 29
people were killed in multiple landslides.
And in Chiplun, 24 hours of uninterrupted
rain caused water levels to rise by
nearly 20 feet (six metres) on Thursday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav
Thackeray on Sunday described what happened
in that district as "unimaginable".
"The water level reached the ceiling of
my shop, there was so much water inside,"
a shopkeeper there told Indian news
broadcaster NDTV.
"We've seen floods before in 1965 and
2005, but this was worse than before,"
another resident added. Neighbouring
state Goa's Chief Minister Pramod Sawant
said the floods were the worst since 1982.
Further south in Karnataka state, nine
people died in flooding and four others
were missing, officials said. Authorities
were trying to restore power supply to the
affected districts.
UGC urges to ensure quality
of online education
students under online education.
Although the power supply situation has
improved significantly as a result of special
initiatives of the government, the internet
network is very weak in many places.
Moreover, many students do not have the
ability to purchase the device.
In this regard, UGC has made arrangements
to provide loans to the students of public
universities for the purchase of devices and
to provide internet services to the students at
affordable prices through mobile phone operators,
he said in his speech.
He said these educational activities
could not be implemented unless the
capacity of teachers about online and
blended learning was enhanced. Corona
will continue to run online education and
blended learning activities in the future.
To make this system sustainable, UGC is
working on a Blended Learning Policy.
Semka's director, Professor Dr. Madhu
Parhar emphasized on making education
related content accessible to all in order to
improve the quality of education. If lecture
notes, texts, assignment papers, power point
presentations, research papers etc. prepared
by the teachers of the university are open
then the teachers and students of other universities
of the same subject can use it as they
like. This will facilitate the spread of education.
He hopes the five-day workshop will
encourage teachers to create an open
resource policy for their university.
500 teachers from 10 universities of the
country are participating in this five-day
workshop. Bangladesh Open University
(BOU) Treasurer and Dean of the School
of Business, Professor Mostafa Kamal
Azad conducted the session on the first
day of the workshop.
Criticism of govt now
BNP's only political
programme : Quader
DHAKA : Awami League (AL) General
Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said
constant criticism of the government has
now become BNP's only political programme.
"When almost all political parties of the
world are doing politics together for protecting
the lives of the people from the
ongoing coronavirus pandemic, at that
time the BNP is busy with spreading
venom against the government," he said
in a statement.
Quader, also the road transport and
bridges minister, issued the statement in
response to a statement given by BNP secretary
general Mirza Fakhrul Islam
Alamgir.
The AL general secretary said at the
present situation, political parties are
working shoulder to shoulder for the welfare
of the people in almost all countries,
many of which once witnessed severe
rivalry between the ruling parties and the
oppositions.
Experts for increased
rural digital connectivity
for poverty reduction
in APAC
DHAKA : Cross-sector collaboration is
needed to lower the costs of rural area connectivity
and improve digital literacy to
close the digital divide and drive economic
recovery during the pandemic, experts
said at a webinar recently, reports UNB.
The Financial Times and Huawei
organised the event "Strategies for
Addressing the Asia-Pacific Digital Divide
- Increasing Connectivity to Drive
Economic Recovery."
The Asia Pacific is speeding up for digital
transformation and underpinned by
dynamic markets and a young population.
The significant rift of digital access yet
hinders wider shares of digital benefits,
which in turn leads to slower recovery
from the pandemic. ICT leverages fundamental
ways to drive economic rebound.
"This starts with fair access to digital
services specifically on connecting the
unconnected," said Michael Macdonald,
the chief digital officer of Huawei Asia
Pacific.
The ICT talent shortage is one of the key
fields revealing the digital divide.
Poon King Wang, director of the Lee
Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities,
Singapore University of Technology and
Design, called for long-term strategies and
sustained support to upskill people across
generations and ensure the wellbeing of
workers in digital transformation.
In 2017, Huawei, the ICT Division of
Bangladesh, and Robi Axiata jointly
launched the Digital Training Bus project
to bring digital skills to women in the heart
of rural Bangladesh. More than 60,000
women have received training till now,
and 160,000 more will benefit from it by
2023.
To lessen the imminent labour deficit in
APAC, 400,000 more people are expected
to be digitally upskilled in the next five
years through Huawei educational flagship
programs such as Seeds for the
Future and ASEAN Academy, according
to Michael MacDonald.