03-10-2021

Sunday, Dhaka: October 3, 2021; Ashwin 18, 1428 BS; Safar 25, 1443 Hijri
PM for developing villages
into towns:Dr Shirin
RANGPUR : Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr
Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury yesterday said
Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina has
taken multiple initiatives to provide various
urban facilities to villages aiming at turning
every village into a town.
"As part of the multi-faceted initiatives,
an auditorium cum-multipurpose hall is
being established with all modern facilities
in Pirganj upazila. This is a timely decision,"
she said.
The Speaker was virtually addressing a
ceremony arranged for laying the foundation
stone of the 1,000-seat auditorium
cum-multipurpose hall in Pirganj at the initiative
of Rangpur district council as the
chief guest. On the occasion, she also inaugurated
construction work of the auditorium
cum-multipurpose hall by laying the
foundation stone.
"After completion of construction of the
auditorium cum-multipurpose hall with all
modern facilities, it will play a vital role in
meeting the growing demand for holding
Mufti Kazi
Ibrahim
sent to jail
DHAKA : A court on Saturday sent
Islamic preacher Mufti Kazi Ibrahim
to jail in a case filed under the Digital
Security Act. Dhaka Metropolitan
Magistrate Shahinur Rahman passed
the order, rejecting his bail prayer.
Following Ibrahim's two-day
remand, DB Sub-Inspector Md
Hasanuzzaman, investigating officer
of the case, pleaded to keep him in jail
till the investigation of the case is
completed.
Earlier, Kazi Ibrahim was produced
before the Dhaka Metropolitan
Magistrate's Court on September 29
and Metropolitan Magistrate Abu
Sufian Md Noman granted two-day
remand for him.
On Wednesday last, Munsi Abdul
Lokman, deputy inspector of Detective
Branch (DB) North's Serious Crime
Investigation Division of the Dhaka
Metropolitan Police (DMP), filed a case
against Mufti Kazi Ibrahim under the
Digital Security Act.
On Tuesday night, a man named ZM
Rana filed another case against
Ibrahim over fraudulence.
The DB police detained Mufti Kazi
Ibrahim in the early hours of Tuesday
last from his Mohammadpur residence
in the capital for some of his recent
controversial speeches.
Covid in Bangladesh
Daily cases fall
to 589, lowest
since May 16
DHAKA : Twenty-four people died of
Covid infections in Bangladesh and
589 more infected in 24 hours till
Saturday morning, reports UNB. The
number of cases is the lowest since
May 16, when the country saw 363
cases. On Friday, the country logged
21 Covid deaths and 847 cases.
The new cases till Saturday morning
were detected after testing 17, 283
samples. With this, the daily case
positivity rate declined slightly to 3.41
percent from Friday's 3.43 per cent,
said the Directorate General of
Health Services (DGHS).
The daily case positivity rate in the
country remained below 5 per cent for
the 10th consecutive day.
According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), if the daily-case
positivity rate remains at 5 per cent or
below for 14 days it is considered to
be safe for mass unlocking.
The daily case positivity rate in
Bangladesh reached its peak 32.55
percent on July 24 this year.
The fresh numbers took the total
fatalities to 27,555 while the caseload
mounted to 15,57,347, said the DGHS.
However, the mortality rate
remained static at 1.77 per cent.
The recovery rate slightly increased
to 97.45 per cent with the recovery of
741 more patients during the 24-hour
period. So far, 15,17,642 people have
recovered from the deadly virus infections,
the DGHS added.
meetings and seminars," she said.
Besides, works are underway to set up a
multipurpose women's training center in
Bhendabari union of Pirganj at the initiative
of Rangpur district council.
The Speaker said there is no more darkness
across the country as Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina has extended electricity
facilities to all villages in Bangladesh.
"Power connections have paved the way
for development in all rural and remote
areas," she said, adding that concerted
efforts of all are essential to implement the
pledges of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
for building a developed country by 2041.
Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury said the
government is working relentlessly for
ensuring balanced development of all the
unions in Pirganj upazila.
"Meanwhile, construction of Marine
Academy, Technical College, Bangabandhu
Mural, Model Mosque, Sheikh Kamal IT
Training Center, Shaheed Minar, Women
Training Centre, Computer Lab and development
projects have already been completed
in Pirganj," she said.
Besides, the site has been identified for
setting up a stadium. Works of the fourlane
road are in progress and work is
underway to turn the huge water body
'Neeldoriya' into a tourist spot. The proposal
to set up an industrial city at Barabila in
Pirganj has been passed.
"The present government led by Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina has been implementing
extensive development activities
to build Pirganj as a modern model upazila,"
the Speaker added. Presided over by
Rangpur District Council Chairman
Advocate Safia Khanam, Pirganj Upazila
Awami League General Secretary and
Pirganj Municipality Mayor ASM Tajimul
Islam Shamim moderated the function.
Pirganj Upazila Awami League President
Advocate Azizur Rahman Ranga, its vicepresident
Shahidul Islam Pintu, local leaders
of Awami League and its associate bodies,
dignitaries and elite were present.
S Korea pledges more support
to Bangladesh's path towards
brighter future: Envoy
DHAKA : South Korean Ambassador to
Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun has said
Korea, as a natural and trustful partner of
Bangladesh, is committed to further contributing
to Bangladesh's path towards
brighter future, reports UNB.
Ambassador Lee also drew attention that
Korea and Bangladesh will celebrate the
50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023
and hoped this to be a milestone year bringing
the bilateral relations to a new height.
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea
in Dhaka will celebrate the Korean
National Day virtually on October 3 due
to the persisting corona pandemic.
Every year the Korean Embassy used to
hold a grand in-person reception for the
celebration of its National Foundation
Day, Gaecheonjeol in Korean which literally
means the day of sky opening.
This day is to mark the legendary formation
of the first Korean state in 2333
B.C.
The Korean Embassy has prepared a
special website for the virtual celebration
which includes congratulatory video
messages of a multitude of dignitaries
and friends of Korea from Bangladesh
government, politics and business as well
as diplomatic community in Bangladesh.
Among them are Foreign Secretary
Masud Bin Momen, Parliamentarian
Md. Saber Hossain Chowdhury,
Archbishop George Kocherry, Dean of
the Diplomatic Corps in Dhaka, Md.
Atiqul Islam, Mayor of Dhaka North City
Corporation, Chairman Sung Ki-hak of
Youngone Corporation, representatives
of international agencies such as IOM,
UNICEF and UNDP, Prof. Tanweer
Hasan, Vice Chancellor of IUB and
Korean community in Bangladesh.
Also, students of Sarkari Shishu
Paribar, EPS workers, K-pop lovers and
members of Korean community in
Bangladesh joined in the video celebration.
The video clips of the congratulatory
messages can be found at the website:
www.bd-korea.com
The Ambassador expressed sincere
appreciation to all dignitaries and friends
for joining the auspicious day especially
by sending short video clips.
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam on Saturday inaugurated a public awareness
rally in Uttara Sector 4 of the capital against Aedes mosquitoes and dengue. Photo : Star Mail
BGB seizes
smuggled goods,
drugs worth Tk
106.98 cr in Sept
DHAKA : Border Guard Bangladesh
(BGB) seized various smuggled goods,
arms and drugs worth Tk 106.98 crore
in various drives across the country in
September, reports UNB.
The seized drugs include 20,03,787
Yaba pills, 2.95 g crystal meth ice, 22,368
bottles of phensidyl, 15,684 bottles of foreign
liquor, 2,938 cans of beer, 1,565 kg
965 g of cannabis, 9.15 kg of heroin, 13,099
injections, 7,496 Iskaf syrups, 125 bottles
of Magdil/Cofidil, 49,675 Anegra/Senegra
tablets and 1,75,102 other tablets.
Around 6.78 kg gold, 53.60 kg silver,
cosmetics s, 4,842 sarees, 112 readymade
garments, 3,378 Cubic feet of wood,
10,826 kg of tea leaves, 26,050 kg of coal,
5 trucks/covered vans, 10 private cars/
microbuses, 8 pickups, 60 CNG/battery
run autorickshaws and 70 motorcycles
were among the smuggled goods.
The arms and ammunition recovered
included three pistols, five different types
of guns, five magazines and 12 rounds of
bullet. Besides, legal action has also been
taken against 345 people for their involvement
in smuggling. Some 221
Bangladeshis and nine Indians were
arrested for illegal border crossing.
100 members of Bangladesh Navy team left for South Sudan on Saturday to join Bangladesh Force
Marine Unite-7 , deployed in United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
Photo : ISPR
Philippine president announces
retirement from politics
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte
has said he will not stand for vice-president
in next year's election, and will
instead retire from politics.
Duterte said last month that he would
run for the vice-presidency in 2022. The
country's constitution bars him from a
second term as president. But he now
says he will withdraw, as "the overwhelming
sentiment of the Filipinos is
that I am not qualified". The move
comes amid speculation that his daughter
could run for president, reports BBC.
Duterte, a controversial "strongman"
figure, came to power in 2016 on a platform
of crushing crime and fixing the
country's drug crisis.
In the five years since his election, critics
say he has encouraged police to carry
out thousands of extrajudicial killings of
suspects in what he's called his "war on
drugs". The Philippines' constitution
only permits presidents to serve for a
single six-year term.
Duterte's daughter Sara Duterte-
Carpio, who is currently mayor of the
southern city of Davao, has given mixed
messages about running for high office.
Last month she said that she would
not join the race because she and her
father had agreed that only one of them
would stand in next year's election.
However, she has led every opinion
poll conducted this year.
Embarrassed by son's
'extramarital affair',
Sirajganj mother kills self
SIRAJGANJ : A woman at Binnabari village
in Tarash upazila of Sirajganj has
killed herself as her son reportedly eloped
with neighbour's wife, reports UNB. Police
said Firoza Khatun, 42, mother of Firoz
Ahmed took her own life as newly married
Firoz fled home a week ago with a neighbor's
wife following an extramarital affair.
Unable to bear the shock, Firoza ,wife of
Mominur Rahman, took pesticides on
Friday. Her family members tried to take her
to Natore Hospital but she died on the way.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Tarash Police
Station Mohammad Fazle Ashiq said Firoza
married off her son Firoz with her brother's
daughter two months ago but Feroz ran
away with the neigbour's wife. Police sent the
body to Sirajganj Bangamata Fazilatunnesa
Mujib Hospital for autopsy.
Drama returns to Dhaka as Ganga-
Jamuna fest breaks Covid jinx
DHAKA : Good news for drama buffs.
After a long hiatus due to the Covid pandemic,
the popular Ganga-Jamuna
Cultural Festival has returned to Dhaka,
reports UNB.
Commemorating the birth centenary of
the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden
jubilee of independent Bangladesh, the
festival was inaugurated at the National
Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala
Academy (BSA) on Friday by State
Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid.
However, noted music composer, freedom
fighter and Shwadhin Bangla Betar
Kendra artiste Shujeyo Sham could not
join the inaugural ceremony due to illness.
Former Minister for Cultural Affairs
Asaduzzaman Noor, legendary thespian
Ramendu Majumdar, 'Mancha Sharathi'
Ataur Rahman, Dhaka Theatre president
Nasiruddin Yousuff, and BSA director
general Liaquat Ali Lucky also joined the
inauguration ceremony as special guests.
Ganga-Jamuna Sangskritik Utsab
Parshad's member secretary Akter
Uzzaman delivered the welcome speech
at the inaugural ceremony, which was
presided over by Parishad convener
Ghulam Quddus.
The guests then inaugurated the 12
day-long festival, lighting Mangal
Pradeep. The organisers also paid tribute
to cultural activists who passed away during
the pandemic by holding a photography
exhibition at the venue.
Inaugurating the festival, KM Khalid
ASI killer drug trader gives
confessional statement in Rangpur
RANGPUR : Drug trader Parvez Rahman
Polash has confessed his crime of killing
Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Peyarul
Islam of Haragachh police station of
Rangpur Metropolitan Police (RpMP),
BSS says.
"When produced before the court of
senior judicial magistrate Md Jahangir
Alam on Friday evening, Polash gave a
confessional statement before the court
under section 164 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure of 1898," a press release said
yesterday evening.
Earlier, ASI Peyarul was stabbed by
notorious drug trader Polash in
Baharkachna area in the metropolis at
midnight on September 24 last when he
caught the drug trader while conducting
his routine anti-drug duty.
The drug trader stabbed the ASI
repeatedly with a sharp weapon injuring
him critically.
But, Peyarul showed his maximum
bravery and was still catching the criminal
even in critically injured conditions.
Other policemen immediately rushed
there and caught the killer red-handed
with 152 pieces of Yaba tablets and a sharp
knife (8 inches in length) from the spot.
Police rushed ASI Peyarul to Rangpur
Medical College Hospital where the brave
police official succumbed to his injuries
on the next day.
Sub-inspector (SI) Zillur Rahman filed
two separate cases in this connection with
said, "After so many devastating and frustrating
days, it feels great to welcome back
this kind of grant festival and audiences.
From our Ministry of Cultural Affairs, we
want to sponsor active cultural organisations.
To ensure adequate support to the
appropriate organisations, we will prepare
a list and hand it over to cultural
icons after proper evaluation."
On his part, former Cultural Affairs
Minister Asaduzzaman Noor said, "We
should not compromise when it comes to
ensuring the quality of our theatre productions.
Before we give out incentives,
we need to make sure that the groups and
performances are of high quality. To
ensure high-quality products, we must be
critical of our own work, especially after
the long break."
Echoing similar sentiments, Nasiruddin
Yousuff said, "After an 18-month hiatus,
we returned to the stage tonight to present
quality productions in front of the audience.
Though we were unable to work for
a long period due to the pandemic, we
must now work diligently to recover. A
number of demands have been made to
the government by cultural activists,
which I hope will be met shortly."
None of the Indian cultural groups is
participating in this year's festival due to
the pandemic, so their local counterparts
will be carrying the stage. At the inaugural
ceremony, the guests paid respect to
late theatre personality Amalesh
Chakraborty, who initiated the Ganga-
Jamuna Cultural Festival in Kolkata.
Haragachh police station on September
25 last.
Being instructed by the Police
Headquarters, Rangpur unit of Police
Bureau of Investigation (PBI) took over
responsibility of conducting investigation
into the cases and appointed its Inspector
Saiful Islam as the Investigating Officer
(IO) on September 27.
Under the supervision of Deputy
Inspector General of PBI Banaj Kumar
Majumder and direction of
Superintendent of Police (SP) of Rangpur
PBI ABM Jakir Hossain, the IO started
investigation into the cases putting maximum
importance.
The Rangpur court granted a three-day
police remand of the accused person
when the IO produced him before the
court on September 28 last with a
remand prayer.
"After extensive interrogation adopting
science-based technologies, the accused
person was produced before the court on
Friday evening when he gave the confessional
statement," the release said.
Talking to BSS this evening, PBI SP
Jakir Hossain said investigation into the
two cases was ongoing smoothly.
"A police report will be submitted to the
court as soon as possible after collecting
sufficient and logical evidence so that the
victim's family gets a fair trial and the
offender gets maximum punishment," he
added.