01-08-2021

Sunday, Dhaka : August 1 , 2021; Srabon 17, 1428 BS; Zilhaj 21, 1442 hijri
Some int'l media publish wrong,
untrue news intentionally
against govt: Hasan
Cultural revolution needed
to establish Bangabandhu's
'Sonar Bangla' : Palak
DHAKA : On the occasion of the 50th
anniversary of 'Concert for Bangladesh',
State Minister for Information and
Communication Technology Junaid
Ahmed Palak on Saturday called on all to
participate in the cultural revolution in
building the 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman.
"The goal of the long struggle at the call
of Bangabandhu was to achieve economic,
social and political independence...A noncommunal
liberal democratic Bangladesh
as per Bangabandhu's dream can be built
only through a cultural revolution," Palak
said while addressing as chief guest at the
virtual launching ceremony of coffee table
book 'The Country That Lived- Fifty Years
of Freedom and the Concert for
Bangladesh', said a release here.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary
of historic 'Concert for Bangladesh', the
launching ceremony of the book was
organized by the Idea Project of the
Information and Communication
Technology Department.
"Bangababdhu was implementing various
initiatives to build a science and technology-
based Bangladesh and was planning
various activities to achieve economic
independence. As Bangabandhu was
assassinated on 15 August, 1975, the path
of science and technology in Bangladesh
stopped for 21 long years," Palak said.
"His worthy successor, Prime Minister
DHAKA : Information and Broadcasting
Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud yesterday
said some international mass media are
publishing wrong and untrue news intentionally
against the government and the
state as well, which is not desirable.
"There are some foreign online news
portals which carry out rumours and
spread propaganda constantly against
the country (Bangladesh). We also see
that some international popular mass
media are publishing wrong and false
news against the government and the
country deliberately," he said.
The minister told the reporters replying
to a query after addressing the
cheque distribution function among the
affected journalists of Rangpur due to
ongoing pandemic through online from
his official residence on Mintu Road in
the capital.
Mentioning some programmes specially
'phone in' programme of foreign
media, Hasan said they bring those persons
in phone call through planning,
who talk against the government. "They
took interview of those people who are
against the government and some of us
were interviewed to make that report
credible," he added.
But, the minister said, their main
motive is to publish a report against the
government and criticise it (government).
It is not a job of a popular mass
media, said Hasan, also Awami League
joint general secretary.
Replying to another query over a comment
of BNP secretary general Mirza
Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the minister said
the country became champions for five
times in grafts when BNP was in power
under the leadership of Begum Khaleda
Zia. So, the BNP secretary general's
remark on corruption is applicable for
them, he added.
He said the BNP leader (Mirza
Fakhrul) is an educated person and was
a teacher of Dhaka College. "The statement
of Mirza Fakhrul and the president
of Chhatra Dal should not be the same.
He should carry out more study before
speaking," said Hasan.
He said the per capita income of the
country is now 2227 dollar which is
more from India. The per capita income
has been increased four and a half times
during the last 12 and a half years while
the purchasing power has been
increased two and a half times, he added.
But, he said, it is regrettable that the
BNP leaders including Mirza Fakhrul
could not see the progress.
Earlier in the function, the minister
said the journalists are working fearlessly
during ongoing COVID19 epidemic.
Hasan urged the countrymen to maintain
the health code.
Journalists Welfare Trust Managing
Director Zafar Wazed, Rangpur Deputy
Commissioner Asif Ahsan, Rangpur
Press Club President Mahabubur
Rahman and Awami League district unit
President Mamtaj Uddin Ahmed,
among others, addressed the function.
Sheikh Hasina after coming to power has
implemented the unfinished work of
Bangabandhu. After 43 years, she has fulfilled
Bangabandhu's unfinished dream of
having our own satellite," he added.
The state minister said "The year 2021
is very important and significant for
Bangladesh as it is the 50th anniversary of
Bangladesh's independence and the birth
centenary of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."
Also, 2021 marks the 50th anniversary
of the 'Concert for Bangladesh' organized
by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar,
which was instrumental in raising international
public opinion in favor of
Bangladesh's war of independence and
raising funds for wartime refugees, Palak
added. Later, the state minister inaugurated
the digital book.
To celebrate this historic moment,
Anushka Shankar, daughter of Pandit Sri
Ravi Shankar, was invited by the Idea
Project Initiative 'Bangabandhu
Innovation Grant 2021' under the
Bangladesh Computer Council,
Department of Information and
Communication Technology, to perform
at the famous Abby Road Studio in
London.
Sami Ahmed, LICT Policy Advisor, conducted
the function. Idea Project Director
Abdur Rakib, Apex DMIT CEO and
Country Director Zara Mahbub spoke on
the occasion.
Experts seek
master plan for
sustainable river
dredging
DHAKA : Experts at a webinar on
Saturday urged the government to prepare
a master plan for ensuring sustainable
river and canal dredging and their
management in a bid to accelerate further
economic advancement of the riverine
country, reports UNB.
They also said the number of rivers in
Bangladesh is declining due to siltation
and fall in stream flow affecting waterways
that are the cheapest means of transportation.
Under the circumstances, the experts
called upon the government to make an
adequate allocation for river dreading and
proper river training.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (DCCI) arranged the webinar
titled 'Sustainable River Dredging:
Challenges and Way Forward'.
Water expert and Brac University
Professor Emeritus Ainun Nishat presented
the keynote paper at the programme
while State Minister for Shipping Khalid
Mahmud Chowdhury joined it as the chief
guest.
Dr Nishat said there are two types of
dredging like maintenance dredging and
capital dredging. "A master plan should be
prepared for river and canal dredging in
Bangladesh."
He said dredging should be done in a
sustainable manner so that the economy
can be benefited as rivers not only carry
water but also carry lives. "For an efficient
river management, special emphasis must
be put on maintenance dredging."
Stating that the private sector can play a
major role in dredging operation, the water
expert said also underscored the importance
of investments in dredging and de-siltation
works. "Private dredging operators
must be trained on sustainability issues.
PPP can be a useful model for river dredging,
sand extraction, land recovery, land
accretion and land reclamation."
Govt give subsidies in
agri-sector for farmers'
benefits: Razzaque
DHAKA : Agriculture Minister Dr Md
Abdur Razzaque on Saturday said that
Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina has
been continuously giving huge amount of
money as subsidy and incentive in the
agriculture sector in order to benefit the
farmers of the country, reports BSS.
"The government led by Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina has been giving huge
amount of money as subsidy and incentive
continuously in the agriculture sector in
order to benefit the farmers of the countryby
reducing the cost of production," he said.
The minister was speaking at a virtual seminar
titled 'Paribarik Krish O Krishok:
Sarkar O Nagorik Somaj er Koronio' from
his official residence here as the chief guest.
Highlighting that the government is
continuously adopting and implementing
agri-friendly policies to make agriculture
profitable, the minister said the present
government is doing so for the farmers as
most of the farmers in the country are
small, marginal and sharecroppers.
Fertilizer prices have already been
reduced four times to reduce production
costs, he said, adding that fertilizer prices
in Bangladesh are now much lower than
in neighboring countries.
The government has also made irrigation,
seeds and other agricultural materials
available in the country to ease the difficulties
of the farmers, he added.
Dengue is raising
fears in the
capital amid
the Corona
epidemic. Aedes
mosquito-borne
disease dengue
is also on the
rise. More 196
dengue patients
were admitted to
the hospital in
the previous 24
hours till 8 am
on Saturday. the
picture is taken
from Dhaka
Shishu hospital.
Photo : Star Mail
rahul Sheikh adorned his easybike with some plastic tubs where several types of plants remain.
rahul said that seeing the beauty of the tree, the passengers become eager to get in his bike. the
photo is taken on Saturday from khulna Medical College residential area. Photo : Star Mail
BNP turns into 'propagandist
party' : Quader
DHAKA : Awami League General
Secretary and Road Transport and
Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on
Saturday said when completely corrupted
political party BNP talks about corruption,
it makes people laugh.
"BNP has turned into a propagandist
party. They took spreading incessant
hatred and propaganda against the government
as their weapon to hide their
inability to stand beside distressed people
during the crisis," he said.
Quader was addressing a Covid-19 protective
equipment distribution and ambulance
handing over ceremony arranged by
AL relief and social welfare sub-committee
at the party's Bangabandhu Avenue central
office joining it virtually.
On the occasion, ambulance was handed
over to 'Gausia Committee' of
Chattogram for carrying Covid-19 patients
and bodies in Chattogram.
He said people now laugh at the ridiculous
talks of the self-confessed corrupt
party BNP.
"Could you show your bravery to take
any actions against any of identified corrupt
leader, MP or minister during your
(BNP's) government's tenure?" he questioned
to BNP leaders.
On the other hand, Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina's government has the honest
courage to take actions against corrupt
persons whoever they are and it has
proved that, he said.
Noting that the government has very
tough stance against corruption and irregularities,
the minister said Sheikh Hasina's
government didn't show any mercy to
anyone who has been found involved with
irregularities and wrongdoings.
But during the BNP tenure, corruption
and wrongdoings of the then government
had spread at the international arena
crossing the boundary of the country, he
said. He said BNP had the policy to
patronize corruption as during that period
corruption was patronized organizationally.
Corruption and BNP's tenure had
become synonymous, he added.
He said it is natural that those who didn't
have courage and capability to implement
mega projects would feel increasingly
jealous witnessing the implementation
of mega projects.
"To undertake mega projects, a government
should have courage, competence as
well as dreams and visions," he said.
Helal Akbar Chowdhury envisions
building a secure Bangladesh
S M AkASh, ChAttogrAM
As the days passed by, the rapid spread of
deadly coronavirus rapidly from cities to
villages raising eyebrows of all the concerned
people. The government
is taking the
most effective steps possible
to deal with this pandemic
to ensure the confidence
and security of the
people, as well as the
administration has a
commendable role to
play.
At the same time, the
leaders and workers of
the Awami League and its
affiliates are working tirelessly
in the field against
the people's representatives
of the ruling party. From the responsibility
of the party, the country, society
and humanity to the relentless heartfelt
warriors across the country, Helal Akbar
Chowdhury has established himself as a
peddler of humanity by inventing innovative
strategies and modern ideas to overcome
the pandemic from Chattogram to
the rest of the country.He isa beloved son
of Chattogram and former Central Deputy
Finance Secretary of Bangladesh Awami
Juba League.He has innovative and startling
ideas is helping to cope with the devastation
caused by the pandemic.
The former student leader developed his
talent and discovered the "Corona
Resistant Booth (CRB)" which looks
exactly like the bank's ATM
booth.Whenever booths are set up in hospitals,
markets, and on the road, there is a
positive feeling of relief in the minds of the
people.
In an exclusive interview with "The
Bangladesh Today" Helal Akbar
Chowdhury Babar, the founder and entrepreneur
of CRB said, "The
pandemic has spread to
our country for a while.
Last year, my father,
Jahangir Alam
Chowdhury, passed
away. None of my relatives
came forward to
bury my father's dead
body and my family performed
Janazah and burial
in a very helpless situation.This
death of my
father hurts me so much
Helal Akbar Chowdhury Babar that I have decided in my
heart not to neglect the
death of anyone else like my father.
Helal Akbar Chowdhury Babar further
said that masks and hand sanitizers will be
available in CRBs built in the style of ATM
booth. We started this movement of free
masks from Chattogram and the program
of setting up booths. First, in Chattogram
metropolitan area, the process of setting
up CRBs has been completed in 45 districts
of the country in theupazilas and districts
level. Asked about the cost of the
booth and its subsequent management,
Babar said it would cost BDT 740/- per
day to provide daily services to 500 people
in each neighborhood through this booth,
and a self-reliant self-sacrificing person
who can provide this cost can really build
a secure Bangladesh. So, I am building the
>(Contd. on page-11)
4th industrial
revolution to be
built on 5G: Jabbar
DHAKA : Posts and Telecommunications
Minister Mustafa Jabbar has said the 5G
connection is the digital highway for
achieving fourth industrial revolution.
"The 4th industrial revolution will be
built on 5G technology," he told a webinar
titled 'Preparing Bangladesh for the
Fourth Industrial Revolution: Digital
Transformation in Innovation and
Research' organized by World University
on Friday, said a press release.
The Vice Chancellor of World
University, Prof Dr Barrister Syed Saidul
Haque Sumon, Legal Secretary of
Bangladesh Awami Juba League, among
others, spoke at the webinar with Abdul
Mannan Chowdhury in the chair.
"Preparations have been completed to
build a digital highway of technology
based on 5G... I hope that the journey of
5G technology would start by 2021," he
said.
"Considering the essential demand of
foreign investment in the economic zones
of the country, work has already started to
provide 5G connection in five economic
zones," he added.
Stressing the need for innovation to
ensure sustainable development, the minister
said through innovation, China has
emerged as a major economic power in
the world.
"We also need to focus on innovation to
meet the challenges of tomorrow and to
this end, the work of creating human
resources should be started from primary
school level," he said.
"To continue the digital transformation
at primary and secondary school level, the
higher education level needs to pay more
attention to innovation and research," he
further said.
Lockdown Breaches
481 arrested in
Dhaka on 9th day
DHAKA : Police arrested 481 people in
Dhaka for violating lockdown restrictions
on the 9th day of the 14-day countrywide
strict lockdown on Saturday
The arrestees failed to show any valid
reason for coming out on the streets, said
DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner
(media) Iftekharul Islam.
Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk
2,06,710 as fines from 202 people.
Besides, the Traffic Division collected Tk
10,45,000 as penalties from 440 vehicles
for failing to comply with coronavirus
lockdown restrictions.
Although public transport movement
remained suspended, thousands of people
started returning to Dhaka, following the
government's announcement that mills and
factories will reopen on Sunday (Aug 1).
Those who had left the capital for Eidul-Azha
and did not return due to the closure
of factories were seen entering the
city on foot amid the lockdown.
They were found walking into the capital
through Abdullahpur Tongi Bridge,
Ashulia Bridge, Aminbazar Bridge,
Gabtoli, Babubazar Bridge and Postogola
Bridge.
Shimulia ferry terminal in Munshiganj
also saw a huge crowd as people from
south western districts were coming back
to the capital to join their work.