05-11-2021

Friday
DHAKA: November 5, 2021; Kartik 20, 1428 BS; Rabi-ul-Awal 29,1443 Hijri
www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net
Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.19; N o. 187; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00
international
All eyes on vulnerable
House Democrats
after election losses
>Page 7
BUET's only female
dorm christened Sabequn
Nahar Sony Hall
DHAKA : Bangladesh University of
Engineering and Technology (BUET)
has decided to christen its only female
residential dormitory Sabequn Nahar
Sony Hall, reports UNB.
Sabequn Nahar Sony was a second-year
chemical engineering student of BUET.
She was killed in crossfire of a gunfight
between two factions of Jatiyatabadi
Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of
then ruling BNP, on June 8, 2002.
This decision was taken at the 526th
meeting of the university's Syndicate on
November 3, Dr Md Forkan Uddin, registrar
of the university, said in a statement.
Dr Mizanur Rahman, director of student
welfare of the university, told UNB
that the female dorm was named after
Sabequn Nahar Sony, following a
demand from the students.
Besides, another under-construction
residential hall for the female students of
the university has been named after
Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib.
Dhaka, Delhi plan
exchange of visits eying
Dec 6, 16 mega events
DHAKA : Bangladesh and India are working
together eyeing two mega events next
month - Maitri Diwas and Victory Day of
Bangladesh - on December 6 and
December 16 respectively with exchange of
high-level visits, officials said, reports
UNB.
Bangladesh is celebrating the Golden
Jubilee of its Independence and the birth
centenary of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Bangladesh and India decided to commemorate
December 6 as Maitri Diwas
(Friendship Day), the day when India recognized
Bangladesh in 1971.
Indian President Ram Nath Kovind is
likely to visit Bangladesh on December 16
and 17 at the invitation of his Bangladesh
counterpart Abdul Hamid to attend the
Victory Day celebrations apart from his
other key engagements, said a diplomatic
source, adding that the two sides are working
to give it a final shape.
If it is confirmed, this will be the first visit
by the 14th President of India to
Bangladesh as he was sworn in on 25 July,
2017.
On March 26 to 27, Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi paid a state visit
to Bangladesh from 26 to 27 March 2021 to
join the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee
of the Independence of Bangladesh, the
birth centenary of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
and 50 years of establishment of diplomatic
relations between India and Bangladesh.
The visit symbolised the partnership of
half a century between Bangladesh and
India that has strengthened, matured and
evolved as a model for bilateral relations
for the entire region, both sides reconized.
During the visit, the Prime Minister of
India called on President Abdul Hamid.
Modi laid a wreath at the National Martyrs'
Memorial at Savar as a mark of respect to
the memory and contribution of the great
freedom fighters of Bangladesh.
Zumma
04:49 AM
01:30 PM
03:45 PM
05:26 PM
06:45 PM
6:04 5:20
SPortS
France draw again as
Dutch roll in World
Cup qualifying
>Page 9
On Wednesday night, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed a function titled 'Bangladesh at 50: The
Resilient Delta' on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's Independence. Photo : PID
Grab investment opportunities
in Bangladesh: PM
LONDON : Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina on Thursday invited British
investors to visit Bangladesh and be part
of its developmental journey making the
best use of the opportunities it is offering
for investment, reports UNB.
"Many lucrative sectors are there like
energy, renewable energy, shipbuilding,
automobile, light engineering, agro-processing,
blue economy, tourism, knowledge
based hi-tech industries and ICT.
These sectors look for foreign investment.
British investors can choose any of these
and beyond," she said.
The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating
the 'Bangladesh Investment
Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth
Partnerships' and Roadshow at Churchill
Hall, Queen Elizabeth Center here.
Bangladesh Securities and Exchange
Commission (BSEC) in collaboration with
Bangladesh Investment Development
Authority (BIDA) and the Bangladesh
High Commission in London organised
the Summit. BSEC chairman Professor
Shibli Rubyat-Ul-Islam programme.
A video titled 'The Rise of Bengal Tiger:
Potentials of Trade and Investment in
Bangladesh' was screened at the programme.
Recorded video speeches of
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
and Prince Charles were played at the
summit. British Minister of State for
Trade Policy Penny Mordaunt also spoke
on the occasion. Sheikh Hasina, who
joined the event virtually from her place of
residence here, offered exclusive zones
where companies from a specific country
can invest. "UK investors can take one
such zone for themselves."
She also urged the British Bangladeshi
people to come to Bangladesh for investing
there individually or in partnership.
"People here are used to having rice and
curry. You can invest in Bangladesh to
build agro-based industries to bring fresh
items here," she said.
Hasina assured them of extending her
government's all-out support for their safe
investment. "If you face any problem, I'm
there to support you," she said.
Hasina went on saying, "The demographic
dividend, and our focus on developing
skilled manpower ensures that
investors here get skilled human resources
at competitive wages. Let me assure you
that our government agencies, including
the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange
Commission and the Bangladesh
Investment Development Authority, all
will do their best to ensure a congenial
business environment for you."
Bangladesh 'braces for Covid's
winter wave'; experts urge caution
DHAKA : Though the Covid-19 pandemic
looks to have eased in Bangladesh with
an insignificant infection rate for the past
several weeks, experts warn that a fresh
mild wave of Covid-19 may hit the country
during this winter, reports UNB.
Since the virus still remains in some
pockets of the country, they said it is likely
to spread fast amid the presence of different
flues with the fall of mercury next
month due to public apathy to wear
masks and health safety rules, low pace
in vaccination and lack of human intervention
and necessary bulwarks.
The analysts also said Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina rightly rang the alarm bell
last week as the virus cases are surging
again in many countries and neighbouring
India's West Bengal.
They, however, said Bangladesh can
avoid the possible winter wave by intensifying
the virus control measures,
including strict screening at air and land
ports, encouraging people to maintain
health safety rules, and wear masks and
strengthening the vaccination drive.
On October 28, Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina urged all to maintain health protocols
like wearing masks to check the
resurgence of Coronavirus in the upcoming
winter as the virus hits many countries,
including the USA, England and
some European countries, at this time.
Contacted, Prof Muzaherul Huq, a
former adviser to WHO South-East
Asia region, said Covid has no correlation
with any season. "But it can spread
during winter with other viral diseases
and flues."
He said people usually get infected
with different flues and cold-related diseases
during winter. "So, many people
can't understand they get infected with
the virus as they don't undergo tests. The
undetected Covid patients roam here and
there freely and rapidly spread the virus."
Public health expert MH Chowdhury
(Lenin) said there is a possibility of
increasing Covid transmission in the
country in the days to come as the virus is
remerging in different countries such as
the UK, Germany, Ukraine, Poland,
Russia and Latvia.
"A lockdown-like restriction was
imposed in Moscow while a lockdown
has been enforced in Latvia aweek back.
An uptrend is also there in our neighbouring
country India. So, we fear that
we may face a mild Covid wave in the
coming winter," he said.
Govt approves import
of 90,000 metric
tons fertilizers
DHAKA : The cabinet committee on public
purchase at a meeting on Thursday
approved six proposals, three of them
from Bangladesh Chemical Industries
Corporation (BCIC) to purchase of 90,000
metric tons of fertilizers, reports UNB.
Finance minister AHM Mostafa Kamal
presided over the virtual meeting, attended
by the members of the cabinet body.
As per three separate proposals, the
BCIC under the ministry of industries will
import 30,000 MT of bulk granular urea
fertiliser from Saudi Basic Industries
Corporation (SABIC) of Saudi Arabia at a
cost of Tk 194.96 crore while it will import
the same quantity of similar fertiliser
from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited of
UAE at the same price.
However, the BCIC will import another
30,000 MT of bagged granular urea from
Muntajat of Qatar at a cost of Tk 197.79
crore. The committee gave its nod to a
proposal of the Bangladesh Films
Development Corporation under ministry
of information and broadcasting to award a
Tk 374.5 crore contract for construction of
BFDC complex to Biswas Trading and
Constructions.
Another proposal of the Bangladesh
Petroleum Corporation under the
Energy and Mineral Resources Division
received the nod of the committee to
import 80,000 metric tons of furnace oil
from Singapore Pte Ltd. Singapore at a
cost of Tk 365.13 crore.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the cabinet
committee of economic affairs (CCEA)
approved in principle two proposals of the
petroleum import for the year 2022.
art & culture
Shaon to pay tribute
with new song 'Jodi
Mon Kade 2'
>Page 10
fuel price hike
Transporters to go
on indefinite strike
from today
TBT RePORT
Bus, truck and covered van owners called
an indefinite nationwide strike from
Friday in protest against fuel price hike.
Convenor of Bangladesh Truck-Covered
Van, Tank Lorry and Prime Movers
Owners and Workers Coordination
Council Md Rustom Ali announced their
decision on Thursday following an emergency
meeting of the organization.
Leaders of the organization said the government
raised the toll of Bangabandhu
Bridge and Muktarpur Bridge from 257
per cent to 300 per cent "illogically" on
Nov 2 and then it raised the prices of fuel,
said a press release.
Transport movement had remained suspended
for a long time due to Covid in the
last two years. When the transport owners
are trying to make a turnaround from their
huge losses caused by Covid shutdown, the
decision of raising bridge toll and fuel price
was announced, they added.
UNB Rajshahi correspondent reports that
the transport owners and workers have
SHafIqul ISlaM (JaMI)
In addition to the extreme rise in prices of
daily commodities, the price of diesel and
kerosene in the country has been increased
by TK 15 per liter in one jump. The new
price of these two fuel oils will be TK 80 per
liter, which was TK 65 for so long. Diesel is
widely used in the agricultural sector of the
country. Now the cost of agriculture will
also increase. Diesel is used as a fuel for
transportation in the country including
buses and trucks. Rising prices will also
increase the cost of public transport and
the cost of transporting all types of goods.
That has an impact on the relevant sectors.
Overall, the cost of living for the common
people will definitely increase. According
to a notification issued by the Department
of Energy and Mineral Resources on
Wednesday night regarding the increase in
the price of diesel and kerosene, a memorandum
issued by the Department of
Energy and Mineral Resources on
November 10, 2019 only revised the price
decided to suspend their services from
6:00am on Friday protesting the price hike.
Mahatab Hossain Chowdhury, general
secretary of Rajshahi District Motor
Workers' Union, confirmed the decision.
They also demanded the bus fare be
adjusted in line with the fuel price hike.
On Wednesday, the government raised
the prices of diesel and kerosene at the
retail level.
As per the new price, the diesel and
kerosene will be selling at Tk 80 per litre
instead of Tk 65 with effect from zero hour
on Thursday, said a press release of the
Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral
Resources. It said the prices of other petroleum
products will remain unchanged.
It clarified that the Bangladesh
Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has been
incurring a loss of Tk 20 crore per day as it
is selling diesel at Tk 13.01 lower per litre
and furnace oil at Tk 6.21 per litre, lower
than their imported prices. It said the
petroleum prices have been readjusted
against the backdrop of price hike of petroleum
on the international market.
Rising diesel-kerosene prices
will affect public life
of diesel and kerosene among different
types of petroleum products.
Criticizing the hike in diesel-kerosene
prices, Mohiuddin Ahmed, convener of
the General Citizens' Council, said the
rise in LPG prices has already put pressure
on people's lives. In the meantime,
increasing the price of diesel-kerosene
per liter will increase the cost of fuel, agriculture
and public transport. Public
transport owners will also increase fares.
If the fare of freight is increased, the price
of unrestrained goods will be curbed this
time. We have learned that gas and electricity
price hikes are being proposed.
Thus, if the price of fuel increases, all the
pressure will fall on the common people.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh National Awami
Party (NAP) has commented that increasing
the price of diesel and kerosene by TK
15 per liter is a suicidal and anti-people
decision. The party's chairman Jebel
Rahman Gani and secretary general Golam
Mostafa have demanded the cancellation of
the anti-public interest decision.
Hundreds of
tanneries were
shifted to Savar
to save the river
Buriganga and
protect the
environment
of the capital.
leather
industrial
city was
built. But like
Buriganga, waste
is being dumped
in Dhaleshwari.
Now the chemical
is spreading in
the air due to
burning of waste.
The environment
is being
destroyed. The
Picture is taken
on Thursday.
Photo : Star Mail

frIDAY, noveMBer 5, 2021
2
Strengthening Zila Parishad
system to attain SDGs stressed
DHAKA : Bangladesh should strengthen the
local government institutions like Zila Parishad
to ensure the development, leaving no one
behind at upazila and union level and help the
country to attain the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) by 2030, said speakers at a
national workshop, held at a hotel in Dhaka,
reports BSS.
The workshop titled" Strengthening Zila
Parishad in Achieving SDGs" was jointly
organized by the Ministry of Local
Government, Rural Development and
Cooperatives (MLGRD&C) and the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Speaking as the Chief Guest, Local
Government, Rural Development and
Cooperatives Minister Tajul Islam said,
"Thought the local government institutions are
now stronger and more people-friendly than
any time in the past, but Zila Parishad still needs
further support to build their capacity if we
want to achieve the SDGs by 2030." He urged
all the development partners to come forward
in this regard.
He further added, "Zila Parishad can solve
their problems by utilizing the local resources
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properly. Coordination with other local
government bodies is essential for that."
Nathalie Chuard, Ambassador of Switzerland
to Bangladesh, was present at the workshop as
a special guest, a UNDP press release said.
In her remarks, she highlighted the number
of projects supported by the Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation (SDC), which
are currently underway through the
partnership between Bangladesh and
Switzerland.
"An integrated whole of society approach can
ensure inclusive development to achieve SDGs
for Bangladesh. I hope that Switzerland's
development assistance will continue in the
future to strengthen the local government
initiatives and implement the Sustainable
Development Goals," Nathalie said.
Sudipto Mukerjee, Resident Representative
of UNDP, also attended the workshop as a
special guest. While addressing the workshop,
he said, "UNDP has been working with the
Government of Bangladesh for many years. We
are also supporting the Government to localize
the SDGs and also strengthening the capacity of
upazila and union parishad."
Invitation for e-Tenders
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Press conference
protesting dispute
over house rent held
in Kotchandpur
S I Mollick, Jhenaidah
Correspondent
A house owner named
Masud Ahmed Shyamol has
held a press conference after
he got into trouble by
renting a house. He held the
press conference at
Muktijoddha Bhaban in
Kotchandpur on Thursday
afternoon. The victim is the
son of the late Moin Uddin
Ahmed, a former
headmaster of Kotchandpur
Government Pilot
Secondary School.
In a written statement,
Masud Ahmed Shyamol said
that for two terms from
2009 to 2012 and June 30,
2015, he provided rent of a
400-square-foot house at
Tashneen Plaza on Halim
Road in Jashore to an
influential person named
Khalid Hasan Zeus. After the
lease expired in the second
phase, Khalid Hasan did not
leave the house and stopped
paying rent. Being an
influential tenant of Jashore
he is forcing him to occupy
the house without renting it.
He is even being harassed by
assaults and lawsuits. In this
case, he issued two legal
notices on March 1 and
March 22 asking him to
leave the house with the
payment of arrears of rent
for 6 years. Without
responding to the legal
notice, the tenant subleted
the room to a person named
Shahid Anwar Pavel.
JSD General Secretary
Shirin Akhter MP's
mother dies
JSD General Secretary
Shirin Akhter, MP's Mother
Rahena Akhter died at 10
p.m. in a private hospital on
Wednesday. She was
suffering from incurable
diseases. She was 83. She
left three sons, four
Daughters, relatives, friends
& well-wishers. She has been
buried on Wednesday at
Azimpur graveyard after
Zohar prayer at Modhu
Bazar jame mosque,
Dhanmondi- Dhaka, a press
release said.
Last Selling
Date & Time
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Closing Selling
Date & Time
A house owner named held a press conference after he got into trouble by renting
a house at Muktijoddha Bhaban in Kotchandpur on Thursday. Photo: S I Mollick
Dr. Iffat Jahan appointed as the new
Treasurer of Primeasia University
Professor Dr. Iffat Jahan
joined as the new Treasurer
of Primeasia University, the
country's one of the leading
private universities. The
Chancellor of Universities
His Excellency President
Md. Abdul Hamid has
appointed Professor Dr. Iffat
Jahan as the Treasurer of
Primeasia University for a 4-
year term. Her
joining is
effective on
November 02,
2021.
Professor Dr.
Jahan was
formally
recognized for
her 25 years of
excellence in teaching at
multiple academic
institutions that include
Kumudini Govt. Women
College, Tangail, Govt.
College of Music, Dhaka,
Titumir Govt. College,
Dhaka, and Govt. Mohila
College, Bhola, etc. She
served in various
administrative capacities
that include Chairman,
Technometrics Limited,
Dhaka, Vice-Chairman,
Prime Insurance Company
Limited, Dhaka, and
Managing Director, Ananya
Apparels Ltd, Dhaka. She
also served as Vice Chairman
and Sponsor Director at
different Institutions.
Two die of Covid-19,
casualties reach
1,241 in Rangpur
RANGPUR: Two more
Covid-19 patients died during
the last 24 hours ending at 8
am yesterday raising the
number of coronavirus
related casualties to 1,243 in
Rangpur division, reports
BSS.
"The two new Covid-19
casualties include one each
from Dinajpur and
Thakurgaon districts,"
Divisional Deputy Director
(Health) Dr Abu Md Zakirul
Islam told BSS yesterday.
The district-wise breakup
of the 1,243 fatalities
currently stands at 293 in
Rangpur, 80 in Panchagarh,
89 in Nilphamari, 68 in
Lalmonirhat, 69 in
Kurigram, 254 in
Thakurgaon, 327 in Dinajpur
and 63 in Gaibandha districts
of the division.
The average casualty rate
currently stands at 2.24
percent in the division.
Meanwhile, the number
of Covid-19 cases reached
55,390 as nine new patients
were diagnosed after testing
344 samples at the positivity
rate of 2.62 percent on
Wednesday in the division.
The daily positivity rate
has been remaining below
the five percent mark almost
during the last six weeks in
the division.
The district-wise break up
of total 55,380 patients
include 12,471 of Rangpur,
3,810 Panchagarh, 4,445 of
Nilphamari, 2,742 of
Lalmonirhat, 4,645 of
Kurigram, 7,632 of
Thakurgaon, 14,772 of
Dinajpur and 4,863 of
Gaibandha in the division.
Divisional Director
(Health) Dr Md Motaharul
Islam said a total of 2,94,317
collected samples were tested
till Wednesday, and of them,
55,380 were found Covid-19
positive with an average
positivity rate of 18.82
percent in the division.
Professor Dr. Jahan
obtained her Ph.D. in
History from the Jadavpur
University, Kolkata, India in
2002. Prior to that, she
completed her Master of Arts
(M.A) in History from the
University of Dhaka in 1979
and Bachelor of Arts (B.A
Hons) in History from the
University of Dhaka in 1978.
Professor
GD-1624/21 (9x3)
Dr. Iffat
Jahan is
research
active and has
published
many articles
in reputed
business,
economics,
arts, and culture journals to
her credit. She also
presented her works at
different professional
forums, academic meetings,
university settings, large
public companies,
multilateral development
agencies, and government
entities in the home and
abroad.
Professor Dr. Jahan is the
Life Member of
Jatindramohon
Shangrahashala, Kolkata,
India, Muslim Shahittya
Shangshad, Asiatic Society
Bangladesh, etc. She was also
the President of the Rotary
Club of Metropolitan Dhaka,
Bangladesh.
Professor Dr. Iffat Jahan is
a proud mother of two sons.
Personally, she is religious
and has hobbies of reading
and gardening.
2 missing as
trawler capsizes
in Shitalakkhya
NARAYANGANJ : At least
two women went missing
after a passenger trawler
capsized in the River
Shitalakkhya
of
Narayanganj's Rupganj
upazila Wednesday night,
reports UNB.
The women are Chaity
(17) and Jabeda (40) of
Chanpara area of the
upazila.
Montu Kumar Das, sub-
Inspector of Chanpara
River Police Outpost, said:
"The trawler sank with 20
passengers aboard at
around 9pm. Of them, 18
managed to swim to
safety. However, two
remain missing." "We
informed the river police
and fire service officials of
the accident."

FRIDAY, NOVEMbER 5, 2021
3
President M Abdul Hamid on Thursday virtually addressing a function of the Navy at Kaptai,
Rangamati yesterday afternoon.
Photo : ISPR
DMP arrests
141 for selling,
consuming
drugs in city
DHAKA : Detective Branch
(DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan
Police (DMP) in anti-drug
drives arrested 141 people on
charges of selling and
consuming drugs in the city in
the last 24 hours till 6am on
Thursday.
The Detective Branch (DB)
of the DMP in association
with local police stations
carried out the drives
simultaneously starting at
6am on November 3, a DMP
statement said .
In separate anti-drug
operations, police arrested
drug paddlers and abusers
and seized banned and illegal
drugs from the city's different
areas.
During the drives, police
also seized 705.6 grams and
1,160 puria (Small Packet) of
heroin, 3.545 kilograms and
36 puria (Small Packet) of
cannabis (ganja), 10,556
pieces of yaba tablets, 120
bottles of phensidye, nine
injections and eight litre of
local made liquor, the
statement said.
Police filed 101 cases against
the arrestees in these
connections with police
stations concerned under the
Narcotics Control Act.
President asks Navy to develop
skills in modern tactics, IT
DHAKA : President M Abdul Hamid on
Thursday asked the naval force to develop its
skills and expertise in modern tactics and
information technology (IT) to face future
challenges.
"You (Navy members) need to develop
expertise in modern tactics and IT . . . Each
Navy member must perform their respective
duties more efficiently and perfectly by
maintaining the optimum level of
professionalism," the President said while
virtually addressing a function of the Navy at
Kaptai, Rangamati yesterday afternoon,
reports BSS.
The President, also the Commander-in-
Chief of the Armed Forces Division, virtually
attended the National Standard Giving
Ceremony at the Parade Ground of the
Banouja Shaheed Moazzam Training Base in
Rangamati.
He said every member of the navy should
remain ready to accept any sacrifice to
protect the country's sovereignty as well as
self-dignity.
Being imbued with patriotism, they (Navy)
should always keep themselves ready to
carry out their duties with honesty and
dutifulness, the President hoped.
He told the Navy to stay beside the people
of the country in their joys and sorrows, and
love the country and its people.
Referring to the maritime resources, Abdul
Hamid said, "We are directly and indirectly
dependent on the natural resources of the
vast ocean. So, maintaining a developmentfriendly
environment and ensuring security
in the sea is very important for the national
economic development."
The President said each navy personnel
should perform a very responsible role in
implementing various activities of the
country's Blue Economy, military and
economic development, preventing human
trafficking and smuggling in coastal areas,
ensuring the safety of fishermen and
merchant ships.
He lauded the outstanding role of the naval
force during different crises and natural
disasters across the country.
The Navy is playing an active role in
dealing with the COVID-19 situation and
raising public awareness, providing
emergency medical and humanitarian
assistance and fulfilling the responsibilities
directed by the government, including
assisting the local administration, the
President added.
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Shaheen
Iqbal gave the welcome address on the
occasion. He also handed over the National
Standard on behalf of the President.
At Bangabhaban, President Hamid also
took a guard of hour in the ceremony from
the parade ground through video
conference.
He also enjoyed video clips coinciding with
various operational activities of the naval
force.Secretaries concerned and senior civil
and military officials were present at
Bangabhaban.
LGRD Minister Tajul Islam addressing a national workshop on strengthening zila parishad in
achieving SDGs.
Photo : Courtesy
IU's theology
faculty gets
new dean
ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY : Prof HNM
Ershadullah of Al-Quran and Islamic
Studies department has been appointed
the new dean of the Theology and
Islamic Studies faculty of Islamic
University in Kushtia.
IU vice-chancellor Prof Shaikh Abdus
Salam appointed Prof Ershadullah to
the post as the tenure of his predecessor,
Prof Muhammad Solaiman, came to an
end, the university said in a statement.
Prof Ershadullah will hold the post for
the next two years. "I will work for the
betterment of the faculty with the
assistance of teachers and students of
the university," he said.
Govt to cooperate in facilitating
potato export: Razzaque
DHAKA : Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque yesterday
assured of providing all kinds of cooperation for facilitating potato
export.
"All kinds of cooperation will be provided to increase potato
exports as potato is a very promising crop in the country. We are
putting efforts to make bigger the potato marketplace abroad. A
draft roadmap has already been prepared to amplify potato export.
In addition, efforts are underway to address the existing problems
in the field of exports," he said.
The minister said this while exchanging views with a delegation
of Bangladesh Potato Exporters Association (BPEA) at the
secretariat here, said a press release.
The climate and soil of the country are favourable for potato
farming, he said, adding that if farmers can boost the market and
demand for potatoes, it is possible to increase the production.
Director-General of Department of Agricultural Marketing
Mohammed Yousuf, BPEA President Sheikh Abdul Quader,
Member Secretary Zakir Hossain, Organizing Secretary Kazi
Mahabub Morshed and Executive Members Sufian Ahmed, Ziaul
Haque and Rashed Ahmed were also present on the occasion.
JnU student
indicted in
DSA case
DHAKA : A special tribunal
on Thursday framed charges
against a suspended student
of Jagannath University
(JnU) in a case lodged under
Digital Security Act (DSA)
for allegedly hurting
religious sentiment.
Judge Ash Sams Jaglul
Hossain passed the order,
indicting Tithy Sarkar in the
case. The court also
acquitted her husband and
co-accused Shiplu Mallik of
the charges and set
November 18 for start
recording depositions of the
witnesses.
After reading out the
charges, the court asked the
two accused, whether they
would like to plead guilty or
not. In response, both Tithy
and Shiplu pleaded not
guilty and demanded justice
from the court, tribunal
clerk Shamim Al Mamun
told BSS.
According to the case
documents, Tithy was
allegedly making many
"derogatory" remarks about
a religion on different social
networking sites. As the
police launched probe
against her, she staged her
abduction and went into
hiding in the house of one of
her relative.
Students of Jagannath
University raised protests
against her, demanding her
expulsion from the varsity
immediately. The university
authorities suspended her
on October 23, 2020.
Tithy Sarker and her
husband Shiplu Mallik were
finally arrested from her
relative's house in Narsingdi
on November 11, 2020.
Govt working to
build hunger-free
Bangladesh:
Shamsul Alam
BOGURA : State Minister
for Planning Dr. Shamsul
Alam yesterday said the
government is working to
build a hunger-free
country as Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
had a dream to establish a
non-communal
Bangladesh free from
hunger and poverty.
"Bangabandhu had a
dream that Bangladesh
would be a non-communal
Bangladesh free from
hunger and poverty. Soon
after independence, he
started working towards
building a non-communal
Bangladesh," he said. State
Minister for Planning said
this while addressing a
seminar titled "Rural
Development and Poverty
Alleviation" in Bogura as
the chief guest yesterday
morning.
He also said under the
leadership of the Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina,
RDA will play a special role
in implementing SDG,
Vision 2021, Vision 2041
and Delta Plan by
implementing poverty free
villages.
BIWTA extends time
for launch ops
MUNSHIGANJ : Bangladesh Inland and
Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has
extended the time for launch operations on
Shimulia-Banglabazar and Majhirkandi
routes by an hour and a half, reports UNB.
From Thursday, ferries can operate from
6am to 8pm daily on the two busy routes,
according to an order issued Wednesday.
Assistant director of BIWTA, Shahadat
Hossain, said that the general public will
benefit from the extended timings. Some
87 launches are currently operating on the
two routes.
Launch operations will, however, remain
suspended after 8pm, as per the order,
signed by BIWTA director Mohammad
Rafiqul Islam.
However, speedboats on the two routes
will continue to operate from 6am till
5.40pm only.
Ahsania Mission Support
Forum donates
tk 1 lac to KACACDW
Ahsania Mission Support Forum has
allocated Tk 1 lac for the treatment and food
of orphaned children and distressed
pregnant mothers of KNH- Ahsania Center
for Abandoned Children & Destitute Women
(KACACDW) each month.
As part of this, Kazi Rafiqul Alam,
President of Ahsania Mission Support
Forum, recently handed over a check for Tk
1 lac to Sheikh Mahabbat Hossain, Program
Coordinator of Ahsnia Mission Children City
(AMCC). Vice-President of the executive
committee of the forum Mohammad
Lakiyatullah, Administrative Officer Md
Mokhlesuzzaman, and Program Officer
Nusrat Jerin were present at that time.
It may be mentioned that as per the
Kazi Rafiqul Alam, President of Ahsania Mission Support Forum, recently
handed over a check for Tk 1 lac to Sheikh Mahabbat Hossain, Program
Coordinator of Ahsania Mission Children City (AMCC). Photo : Courtesy
Dengue kills 1 more in Bangladesh,
157 more hospitalised
DHAKA : Bangladesh reported another
death from dengue fever, while 157 new
patients were hospitalized in 24 hours till
Thursday morning, reports UNB.
With the fresh death, the number of
fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease
this year increased to 95, according to the
Directorate General of Health Services
(DGHS).
Of them 87 people died in Dhaka division
alone, two each in Chattogram, Mymensingh
and Khulna divisions and one each in
Rajshahi and Barishal divisions.
The new dengue death was reported in
Dhaka division.
Among the new patients, 122 were
undergoing treatment in hospitals in Dhaka
while the remaining 35 cases were reported
DHAKA : Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujib Fire Academy
will be established in
Gazaria of Munshiganj
district to ensure modern
training facilities for the fire
service men, said Home
Minister Asaduzzaman
Khan on Thursday, reports
UNB.
"Already the acquisition
work of 100.92 acres of land
in Gazaria is at final stage
and 1000 members of fire
services will get training at
the academy at a time," he
said talking at a programe
on the occasion of Fire
Service and Civil Defense
Week held at Mirpur Fire
Service Training complex in
the city.
The government has sent
1,169 members of fire
service abroad for training
purpose and once the new
academy is opened we will
be able to provide training to
the members of fire service
here, said Asaduzzaman.
Currently, the Fire Service
and Civil Defense has the
capability to conduct rescue
operation in 20-storey
buildings and the
government is trying to
strengthen the capability of
fire service like those in
developed countries , he
added.
Besides, the number of
ambulances has been
increased to 190 from the
existing 63 and steps will be
taken to provide
ambulances to all fire
service stations, said the
Minister.
The government also
procured some equipment
for extinguishing fire and
conducting rescue operation
like remote control
firefighting units and drone
which are used in developed
countries.
decision of the 20th meeting of the Executive
Committee of Ahsania Mission Support
Forum, it was decided to provide the money.
KNH- Ahsania Center for Abandoned
Children & Destitute Women (KACACDW)
has been providing services to distressed,
abused women and disadvantaged
abandoned children at its own building in
Paikpara, Mirpur, Dhaka for the last 6 years.
The organization's multifarious services
include the provision of adequate housing,
food, clothing, and mental health care to
pregnant women during pregnancy and
childbirth. At the same time, the newly born
children and mothers are reunited in the
family and society separately by taking up
developmental activities.
from outside the division.
Some 758 patients diagnosed with dengue
are receiving treatment in the country as of
Thursday.
Of them, 601 patients are receiving
treatment at different hospitals in the capital
while the remaining 157 were listed outside
Dhaka. Since January, some 24,277 patients
have been admitted to different hospitals
with dengue in the country. So far, 23,424
dengue patients have left hospitals after
recovery, said DGHS.
In September, the country recorded the
highest number of 7,841 dengue cases of the
current year with 23 deaths.
In October, the number of Dengue cases
came down to 5,604 with 22 deaths
recorded.
Training academy to be established
for fire service men: Minister
Alongside increasing the
capability of the
organization, the
government is working to
ensure all facilities for the
staff and employees of the
organization.
There are some 456 fire
service stations across the
country and some 109 more
will be built within the next
fiscal year, said
Asaduzzaman.
Besides, the construction
work of 11 modern fire
stations in Dhaka,
Narayanganj and
Chattogram industrial area
and Rooppur Power Plant
area is underway.
Talking about the
manpower of the fire
service, the Minister said
currently13,400 members
are working and a project
has been taken to increase
its manpower to 25,000.

frIDAy, noveMBer 5, 2021
4
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com
Friday, November 5, 2021
Views on religion
and morality
The subjugation of women by men is due to men's
hedonistic possessiveness and control freak attitude over
women for the stronger physical power of men than
women. Dozens of references can be given from religious texts of
Hinduism and doctrinaire Islam to justify that they
describe/advocate and preach sexual, economic, emotional, social
and physical exploitation of women by men.
If looked at closely, the whole human society functions within
the basic framework of power game. We are basically animals
who can talk, write, think; co-operate and kill each other. Social
life is nothing special or exclusive to humans. Lower animals also
have social lives. Mutual benefit, better sustainability with
prospect of developmental progress made humans social. So,
society reflects the realization of the survival, propagation and
progression instincts in humans.
Governance in different forms like village council, tribal
leadership, city state, religious leadership/theocracy, kingship
etc., has been governing the different human societies since time
immemorial. Democracy and dictatorship are comparatively
recent. But in the power structure of society, only the powerful can
dominate. The power may be physical, intellectual or both. The
powerful people always had their dominance felt in the society
arguably for its betterment. One thing is for sure that all leaders
(religious, social or political) have all along been 'control freak'
with 'vested interest' and 'dominance urge'. The difference
between one and another has been the difference in degree only.
Thus all religions have been governing or influencing the lives of
their respective followers through different forms of power
games. And since men are generally stronger than females in the
physical sense, they tend to dominate females under the garb of
morality or seal of religious approval.
Starting with Hindus, the Hindu women did not have any
property right till independent India made an Act to allow Hindu
women equal share in property as their brothers. Hindu widows
were burnt alive at the funeral pyre of their dead husbands as
"Satis" till British raj abolished such practice legally. The Hindus
practiced human sacrifice (Nara Bali) as religious act. The Hindus
practiced polygamy. Hindu Brahmins practiced 'Kulin Prathaa' to
marry away a young unmarried daughter to an old and terminally
ill 'Kulin' Brahmin. The Hindus threw live child in 'Ganga Sagar'
as religious practice. All such inhuman activities by Hindus had
some or other, direct or indirect religious approval. Even today
the Hindus practice 'caste system'. However, independent India
officially rejects 'caste system'.
So far Muslims are concerned, I shall first take the issue of
'Kafir' and 'Jihad'. Orthodox Islamists declared that 'Kafirs' are
non-believers in Allah. They are wicked, hell goers and can be
killed if they do not become Muslims. On the other hand 'Jihad'
means to lead life in the way of Allah. The same Islamists
recognizes two types of 'Jihad', viz: 'internal Jihad' to overcome
bad things within self and 'external Jihad' to fight and
exterminate all 'Kafirs'. A third issue can be polygamy and
divorce. A Muslim male can have four wives at a time, if certain
conditionality is fulfilled. In case of divorce, husband has more
liberty and easy path to follow than wife. It is true that Islam
offered property right (whatever proportion could it be) to women
1400 years back.
Though religion may have shaped and influenced the society,
the value system, customs, traditions and social mores kept on
changing and evolving with the passage of time. And will do so in
future also. What we find bad, immoral and obnoxious practices
today probablyhad some place in older times.
So, I am less concerned as to what Hinduism or Islam said and
practiced as religiously moral in earlier times rather than what is
the present scenario with the followers of these two religions. Our
past malpractices in the name of religions are definitely important
for understanding our histories but this does not reflect today's
picture. Moreover I tend to look at religions more in terms of its
adaptability in theory and practice over decades and centuries
than their histrionic descriptions.
The whole question has come up as the topic of 'religion and
morality' has been included in the school curricula of Bangladesh.
As I know, this subject is already there in the schools of Pakistan.
Now Bangladesh has introduced this. So, in Indian sub-continent,
only India is the odd man out in this matter. The reason is simple:
majority people, as well as, ruling class of Pakistan and
Bangladesh are religion (Islam) minded in nature, practice and
politics
Practicing and outward showing of rituals are not compulsory
in today's Hinduism. Hindus can openly criticize their religion
without the fear of being blasphemous and excommunicated
from Hinduism. A Hindu has no fear that some priest will declare
his marriage null and void for criticizing Krishna as womanizer.
Hindus can afford to be atheists publicly without the fear of any
injury from other fellow Hindus. Inter-caste marriages are
happening (though not common place) amongeducated middle
class urban Hindus. Hindus are not very much pre-occupied with
'Swarga-Narak' (Heaven,Hell) these days. What I say inthese
above lines is a general picture. Some exceptions are definitely
there as human society and religion are not pure sciences.
In case of Islam, there are many Muslims who reject the concept
of hating non-Muslims as Kafirs, do not accept 'external Jihad',
and cannot dream of polygamy or divorcing wife at the drop of
hat. There are many Muslims who are not obsessed with Jannat
and believe in peaceful co-existance in a pluralistic society. But,
this is not the general picture. Hujurs, Madrasas and Ulema
(along with Jamaat and Hefazot) call such Muslims as apostates
or enemies of Islam. Most of the Ulema want Muslims to be
dogmatic and intolerant towards all non-Muslims. Ulema have
the authority of issuing Fatwa to excommunicate or even murder
any Muslim for doing or telling something un-Islamic as per
Alim's or Ulema's interpretation. The situation is claustrophobic
for many Muslims. But they cannot help. As per most Ulema
'external Jihad' is Jaiz and Sharia, as well as, Ummah will be
realities in near future. I have expressed a number of times that
prescriptive nature of orthodox Islam, Hadith and Sunnah, as per
most Ulema, has made Islam stagnant.
Religious extremism, violence, and our responsibilities
Bangladesh is a country that we all
own. Bengal has a long and
illustrious history with a powerful
and great culture that is as robust and
lasting as the Durbar Mountains. It is
here that the best children of Bengal for
thousands of years, including
Rabindranath-Nazrul-Jasim Uddin-
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, have been
lying in the cold soil of Bengal for ages.
This is where my father, grandfather
and grand grand father is lying in the
tranquilly of peace. This represents my
faith, and my soul. If it is at all possible,
I will be born in this Bengal over and
over again. The Maurya's, the Guptas,
the Mughals, and the British Raj have all
kept a close eye on the rise and fall of
this empire, and they have all left their
indelible fingerprints on this lush region
on several occasions. The true face of
Bengal has been shaped by Hindu-
Muslim-Buddhist-Christian and multireligious
perspectives and cultural
norms. Throughout history, we, the
noble people of Bengal, have lived
shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand
with one another for millennia. This is
our very own. This is where we live.
Bangladesh is a country of faith,
respect, and religious harmony. It is one
of the most vibrant countries in the
world where millions of people have
paid the ultimate price in search of
freedom. A new state was born out of
the horrors of a brutal war, in which,
despite multiple challenges, we were as
strong as a mighty mountain and unity
was our direction. The people of
Bangladesh have always shown great
respect, tolerance, and openmindedness
towards each other
irrespective of religion, race, and group.
In the years of many national crises, we
have all walked the path together,
fought together and prayed together for
the welfare of the country. We all
together demanded the liberation of
West Pakistan. We all stood together
when West Pakistan began to distrust
East Bengal and to carry out a series of
heinous acts and conspiracies against us
one after another. At the call of the
generous and strong voice of the Father
of the Nation, all the countrymen
jumped into the war of independence.
Earlier, the people of Bangladesh had
strongly protested against West
Pakistan's attempt to dominate Bengal
culturally and linguistically. The Damal
boys of Bengal were the first in history
to give their lives in protest of the
language. The liberation war of
Bangladesh (1971), which lasted for nine
months, was very terrible. Although
West Pakistan finally conceded defeat,
millions of Bengalis lost their lives in the
war, millions of mothers and sisters
were honored and the social and
economic infrastructure of the whole
country was crippled by the ruling class
of West Pakistan. This is the history of
unity and love of the people of this land.
The history of an infinite suffix that can
never be fragile.
The people of Bengal have a
remarkable cultural heritage that is
deeply rooted in our core values, beliefs,
and customs, which have been passed
down through the ages. But sadly, in
recent years, Bangladesh has witnessed
some heinous communal violence.
Hundreds of houses have been
vandalized and heinous crimes against
Bangladeshis, including rape and
murder, have been committed in
different parts of the country. Some
insidious and self-interested religious
groups have repeatedly attacked
minorities with religious incitement.
The intensity of demonic attacks
including vandalism of idols and
temples in many areas across
Bangladesh during the greatest Hindu
religious festival, Durga Puja, was
horrifying and disturbing, even though
such violence, particularly against
minorities and the impoverished, is
nothing new. Which has surpassed all
the previous acts of violence. Humanity
is in grave danger now, and our
countrymen are in grave risk as well
today. A disgrace to the entire country
and to all of humanity, in general. It is
the moral and social responsibility of all
of us to ensure that all citizens are
protected. Specifically, the government
and security forces are forcing us to
consider whether they have the
willingness or the power to protect the
lives and property of our fellow citizens.
Fear and mistrust among minorities are
causing a thick cloud of smoke to
envelop the country, posing a significant
barrier to national wealth and growth.
We have all been witnessing silent and
systematic persecution of religious
minorities for the last few decades. As a
result, the number of Bangladeshi
minorities is shrinking day by day. The
number, which was above 25 per cent in
1950, has now come down to less than 9
per cent. As citizens of Bangladesh, we
do not want to see a country where some
of us will be seen as second class and
others as first class. We know very well
what grief is. That is why we call on the
whole government to put an end to
bigotry and oppression. Strict action
should be taken against the officials who
fail to protect the citizens and if
necessary, full force of law should be
used to bring them to justice.
Secularism is being talked about again
and again, yet it is not possible to create
the environment that is necessary for
society to be truly secular. In many
Western countries, secularism means
the separation of religion from the state;
But in the context of Bangladesh,
secularism means treating all religions
equally and establishing the right to
practice one's own religion. The
constitution recognizes all religions
equally, does not give minority status to
any religious community and gives
equality and freedom of religion to all
Dr. P r DATTA
citizens. Secularism here does not mean
the separation of religion from public
life, but the implementation of various
religious projects under state auspices.
Because the constitution recognises
Islam as the state religion, the principle
of secularism is in conflict - regardless of
whether the state guarantees equal
respect and equal rights in the practice
of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity,
and other religions.
Although many individuals believe
that the official designation of Islam as
the national religion is only a
constitutional courtesy and
acknowledgement of the faith of the
majority of the population, others
believe that it is more than that.
The Bangladesh Awami League, our
country's founding party, established an
independent state based on the lofty
ideals of nationalism, socialism,
democracy, and secularism.
Unfortunately, the concept of
secularism has long been weakened, and
the country is on its way to an
unfamiliar destination where citizens'
rights are routinely violated. Intolerance
and bigotry abound, and many
Bangladeshis no longer feel safe in their
own country.
As a result, we respectfully request
that the government awaken from its
apparent slumber and protect ordinary
citizens.
What we require is the rule of law and
the ability to exercise the rights
enshrined in Bangladesh's Constitution.
We hope that the government will take
this matter seriously, as Bangladesh's
existence as a democratic and
progressive country is in jeopardy.
This article includes some
recommendations for the Government
of Bangladesh, the successful
implementation of which we hope will
result in the establishment of a truly
secular Bangladesh: (1) Adequate
implementation of minorities' rights
governed by Article 4.1 of the
Constitution: (a) to establish every
citizen's right to adopt, practise, or
propagate religion; (b) to uphold the
right of each religious community or
community to establish, maintain, and
operate its religious institution; (2) The
Bangladeshi government should
reconsider the proper application of
secularism, including the adoption and
execution of the United Nations'
Minority Rights Policy. The government
should establish and execute
internationally accepted minority rights
laws to eliminate all types of communal
and ethnic violence; (3) Adoption and
implementation of a proper and forceful
plan to end all forms of religious
minorities persecution: We demand an
M. SADMAn SAfI ProTIk
end to all forms of religious minorities
persecution, including forced property
seizures, systematic eviction of large
poor minority families, rape and sexual
assault, damage to places of worship,
discrimination in all walks of life, and
forced conversions; (4) Justice and
appropriate rehabilitation: Rebuilding
the lives of all victims of heinous and
brutal communalism, as well as
ensuring harsh punishment for the
guilty by bringing them to justice. (5)
Parliament should pass and confidently
implement the Minority Protection Act.
The government must assume complete
responsibility for the protection of all
citizens of the country; (6) establish a
ministry with appropriate judicial
powers for minorities; (7) ensure
minorities' protection and, if necessary,
increase accountability of all local
administrative branches, including
elected government members, to
enforce the law; (8) Incorporate
citizenship education programmes,
including multicultural education, into
all educational institutions from the
primary through the secondary levels in
order to protect citizens' rights and
religious peace; (9) The government of
Bangladesh should introduce human
rights and religious freedom training
opportunities for MPs, the courts, law
enforcement agencies, and government
and party officials. To ensure their
survival and dignity as proud citizens of
an independent and sovereign country,
the religious minorities too must take
some important steps: (1) Strengthening
our collective values, beliefs, and moral
precepts will help each of us become
more capable. Each and every one of us
must believe that we are a vital
component of this community. We must
all work together to achieve a common
goal, regardless of individual
preferences; (2) to provide full moral,
financial, and emotional support to the
victim's family, as well as to do
everything possible to boost their
morale; (3) All inter-minority
organisations must collaborate to
uphold our core values, find common
ground for coming together, and speak
with one voice to local and national
authorities; (4) Minority-based
organisations and other local and
international non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) should be invited
to develop and implement an inclusive
educational programme for the
development of ethnic minorities' social
identity and citizenship rights; (5)
Efforts should be increased to
collaborate with local government and
other community organisations, both at
the level of local minority-based
organisations and civil society
institutions and individuals, in order to
uphold social values and reduce interreligious
tensions; (6) to organise an
annual international conference /
symposium to promote inter-religious
harmony.
The writer is Educator, author,
and researcher, Executive Chair,
Centre for Business & Economic
Research, UK
Rising Commodity Prices and Helpless People!
During whose reign
eight 'Maund'
(around 298
kilogram) of rice
could be found for
one taka?This
sentence has been
heard so many
times that it will
come out of the mouth before thinking -
Shaista Khan!When we hear the name of
Shaista Khan, an image comes to our
mind that everyone is going home from
the banks of the Buriganga with 8 sacks of
rice for 1 taka.Although the actual
situation was not like that.At that time the
common people of Bengal did not have 1
taka to buy rice and eat it!And then poor
people would die without eating.
Let's not talk about history, come to the
present time.The negative effects of the
corona virus on the economy are difficult
to overcome.The government is trying to
keep the wheel of the economy moving
with very efficient hands.Even after this,
the earning power of the people has
decreased a lot.The condition of the poor
and common people is very critical.
Because their daily income is decreasing.A
large number of people in the country
lives from hand to mouth;There are many
low-income people.In the Corona
Pandemic, many poor and middle-class
people left Dhaka and went to the villages.
Because there is a job crisis in the capital.
In our country, the price of goods goes
out of reach overnight.Suddenly, the
prices of almost every product including
rice, edible oil, pulses, eggs, sugar,
Bangladesh is a country of faith, respect, and religious harmony.
It is one of the most vibrant countries in the world
where millions of people have paid the ultimate price in
search of freedom. A new state was born out of the horrors
of a brutal war, in which, despite multiple challenges.
powdered milk have gone up in the
market.Prices of vegetables and fish and
meat are also on the rise.Earlier in market,
such a game was played with onions.The
unbridled rise in prices of onions was
astonishing.Where everyone bought at
least one to two kilograms of onions, at
such skyrocketing prices, many had to go
for half a kilo or less or in many cases
without onions. Now the game of price
rise has started again.
Our terrible problem is the rise in rice
prices. Unscrupulous traders have
increased the price of rice on the pretext of
floods.At present there is ample supply of
rice in the market. There is no shortage of
rice.However, the price of all types of rice
has gone up by Tk 2 to 5 per kg.Thus, at
the end of the season, traders increase the
price of rice on various pretexts.The
government does not seem to be able to
control the market even by fixing the
wholesale price of medium and fine rice.
The price of five liters of edible oil was
505 BDT. The latest price increase has
been 760 BDT. As a result, it costs more
than extra BDT 250 per month for a
family to buy edible oil.The price of broiler
chicken has gone up from BDT 120-140 to
BDT 180-200 per kg.Again, most
vegetables cost 50 to 70 BDT per kg.
It's not just food prices that have risen.
The prices of various consumer goods
have gone up.
For example, even 2/3 months ago, the
price of 100 grams of soap was 35 BDT,
now it has risen to 40 BDT.Prices of
various products including detergents,
toothpaste, coconut oil, toilet tissue have
gone up.The monthly expenditure of a
family on tissues has increased by 18 per
cent, as they now have to buy tissues at
BDT 20 for BDT 17.
Bad times also bring opportunities for
someone. At this opportunity, a handful of
dishonest traders have made the
The price of five liters of edible oil was 505 BDT. The latest price
increase has been 760 BDT. As a result, it costs more than extra
BDT 250 per month for a family to buy edible oil.The price of
broiler chicken has gone up from BDT 120-140 to BDT 180-200
per kg.Again, most vegetables cost 50 to 70 BDT per kg.
livelihood of the common people
unbearable.Mobile courts as an effective
and alternative measure to alleviate
human suffering, an innovative model of
integrated market surveillance activities
was underway.Where district-upazila
administration has successfully provided
leadership. However, at present, the
situation is getting worse as the
administration does not give priority to
the most important issues such as
stabilizing the commodity market.
If the government and the concerned
department want, they can increase the
price control of the goods without any
interruption. At the same time, it is
necessary to ensure adequate supply of
goods in the market.We need to create a
fair business environment in the market.
The matter is clear that, unscrupulous
businessmen have no minimum
patriotism and humanity.
The abnormal rise in prices of essential
commodities in the coronavirus crisis has
undoubtedly multiplied human
suffering.Some are destitute and helpless,
while others have lost their jobs and taken
to the streets.Many are forced to work as
day laborers just for the sake of their
stomachs; After eating a little with the
whole family, hoping to survive.Therefore,
we need to awaken our conscience against
the main cycle of rising commodity prices
on various pretexts. We have to stand by
the side of ordinary people.And, to ensure
the obligation to display price lists in
places selling daily commodities,
including markets or shopping malls.Poor
people do not want to die for starving like
during the reign of Shaista Khan. For
that,somehow the government has to
control the prices of rice and other
necessities in the market and put a smile
on the faces of the general people - this is
our expectation.
The writer is
Graduate of Law,
North South University

FriDAy, NOVeMBer 5, 2021
5
North Korea’s struggle with climate change
GABrielA BerNAl
North Korea is at a
crossroads. Its already weak
economy continues to suffer
as a result of the ongoing
pandemic even while natural
disasters wreak havoc
throughout the country.
Severe rains and flooding
over the past year have
forced Pyongyang to take a
stronger stance on climate
change and adopt a range of
environmental policies for
the sake of the country's
future. Although a step in the
right direction, it remains to
be seen whether the North
Korean government can live
up to its promises of a
greener future.
In 2020 alone, four
powerful typhoons battered
Myanmar’s missing millions
ANriKe ViSSer
As Myanmar battles to
contain a third COVID-19
wave, millions of dollars in
pandemic relief funding
from the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) have
gone missing. Just days
before the February 1
military coup, the IMF
transferred $372 million to
authorities in Naypyidaw to
help combat the virus. Eight
months later, however, IMF
spokesman Gerry Rice said
during a press conference
that "it's not possible for the
Fund to ascertain whether
the regime is using the funds
as they were intended,
namely, to tackle COVID
and support the most
vulnerable people."
A big part of the problem is
that the military junta is not
as transparent as the
previous
civilian
government. When the IMF
awarded an earlier batch of
COVID-19 relief funds to
Myanmar in June 2020,
totaling $356 million, the
National League for
Democracy (NLD)-led
government agreed to
disclose any procurement
contracts worth more than
100 million Myanmar kyat
(about $72,000 at that time)
on the website of the
Ministry of Planning,
Finance, and Industry.
Other conditions included
publishing online quarterly
North Korea in quick
succession in the summer
months, resulting in serious
damage to homes,
infrastructure, and
agricultural land. North
Korea's Kangwon, North
Hwanghae, South
Hwanghae, North Pyongan,
and South Pyongan
provinces were particularly
affected - three of which are
considered the country's
breadbasket and provide
more than half of the
country's rice and crop
production.
In the aftermath of the
typhoons, the North Korean
government set out to better
educate the public on how to
prevent further damage as
well as how to cope with
reports of all COVID-19
related outlays and an audit
by the Office of the Auditor
General for Myanmar. Both
loans, totaling over $728
million, were provided
under IMF programs for
lower-income countries and
were specifically designed
for "increasing healthcare
spending, tax relief
measures, and transfers to
vulnerable households" in
Myanmar.
One third of the money
comes from the Rapid Credit
Facility, which needs to be
repaid in full over 10 years,
after an initial grace period
of 5.5 years at zero interest.
The rest is provided under
the Rapid Financing
Instrument, with an initial
grace period of 3.25 years
and then 5 years of
repayment at the IMF's
basic interest rate plus an
additional service charge.
However, the new regime
has published no
procurement reports since it
seized control. The last one,
which appeared on January
29, was put out by the
government headed by the
NLD, the party led by Aung
San Suu Kyi, now under
house arrest on charges
ranging from breaching
COVID-19 restrictions to
illegally importing walkietalkies
and corruption. The
former government used the
IMF funds to purchase
similar climate emergencies.
According to the Korea
Central News Agency
(KCNA), Workers' Party
officials conducted an
"intensive information
campaign" aimed at the
public while implementing
"immediate
and
thoroughgoing measures" to
deal with the crisis.
The situation was taken
seriously at the highest levels
Workers recover cement blocks from flood-damaged areas in Onsong,
North Hamgyong province, North Korea on Friday.
Credit: AP Photo/Kim Kwang Hyon
of government, with
Supreme Leader Kim Jong
Un going as far as to convene
an enlarged meeting of the
Executive Policy Council of
the Central Committee of the
Workers' Party to organize a
recovery campaign to
address the impact of the
natural disasters that hit
gloves, masks, and aspirin,
among other items.
The first pandemic-related
press release from the
planning ministry after the
coup mentioned a COVID-
19 vaccine fund at stateowned
Myanma Economic
Bank with balances of 30
trillion kyat (about $22
million at that time) and
$178 million, making a total
of only $200 million. No
mention was made of the
remaining IMF funds,
totaling about $171 million,
received just a few weeks
earlier. The ministry did not
respond to a request for
comment.
The United Nations
special rapporteur for
Myanmar, Tom Andrews
said in July that "the junta
must account for the $350
million in COVID aid the
International Monetary
Fund provided the people of
Myanmar just days prior to
the coup d'état."
This is not the first time
that Myanmar's military
rulers have faced questions
over misuse of foreign aid. In
2009, researchers at John
Hopkins University found
that they had confiscated
funds meant for victims of
the devastating Cyclone
Nargis, and sold the items in
local markets.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19
situation in the country is
dire. As of October 17, only
Ferry passengers wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the
coronavirus.
Photo: AP
South and North Hamgyong
provinces. Kim visited the
disaster-stricken areas in
person, emphasizing the
importance of studying the
causes and impact of such
climate-related crises while
calling for increased "singleminded
unity" for the
recovery efforts.
The situation was dire
indeed. The summer of 2020
saw the most rainfall many
provinces had seen in four
decades. According to the
U.N.'s Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), North
Korea's food shortages
further increased in 2020 as
a result of heavy flooding. As
a result of the serious
situation, the FAO added
North Korea to its list of 45
countries requiring external
assistance for food that year.
Moreover, a South Korean
report concluded that the
North would grow only 80
percent of the 5.5 million
tons of food it would need in
2020.
Besides a reduced crop
yield, North Korea also
suffered from serious
infrastructure damage
throughout the country as a
result of the typhoons.
Thousands of homes were
believed to be destroyed,
displacing countless people
and leaving them homeless.
One key issue, however, was
the fact that many of the
destroyed homes were
actually newly-built only
four years ago. This suggests
that North Korea's massively
propagandized construction
efforts over the past years
were more for show than
anything else.
8.5 percent of Myanmar's 53
million people has been fully
vaccinated. The military
junta plans on producing
vaccines domestically with
help from Russia and China,
and the regime bought an
additional 24 million doses
from China.
The infection rate is
believed to be much higher
than the official numbers, as
a lack of hospital facilities
forces many victims to look
after themselves at home.
Cases have been found in 90
percent of townships across
the country, and
crematoriums are
overflowing.
Despite the missing IMF
millions, the junta's leader,
Senior General Min Aung
Hlaing, has called on the
international community to
donate more vaccines, and
Myanmar is also seeking to
tap an ASEAN COVID-19
fund.
The IMF is currently not
engaging with the military
regime. Talks to double the
amount of pandemic aid
were suspended after the
coup. Myanmar is also
barred from accessing $700
million worth of IMF Special
Drawing Rights (SDRs).
The IMF released a
staggering $650 billion in
SDRs to boost the global
economy following the
pandemic. The previous
record stood at $250 billion
in 2009 to combat the global
financial crisis. Recipients
can swap SDRs for specific
hard currencies including
the U.S. dollar and the
Chinese renminbi. Only
three member countries are
excluded from receiving
funds from this facility:
Afghanistan, Myanmar, and
Venezuela.
"The IMF only engages
with countries if the majority
of members recognize the
government," said Sargon
Nissan, IMF specialist at
Recourse, a non-profit
group seeking accountability
in development finance.
"But the IMF does not have a
precise mechanism to
determine when to
disengage
with
governments, and relies on
the international
community for this
determination."
Vietnamese fishermen sit on their fishing ships.
How the Pacific protects its fisheries
elizABetH MeNDeNHAll
The challenge of achieving sustainable
ocean governance is growing in the 21st
century, as the negative impacts of
environmental destruction, overexploitation,
and climate change place
a high degree of stress on marine
ecosystems.
The framework convention for ocean
governance, the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS), was negotiated in the
1970s and '80s. At the time, its
provisions on environmental
protection, common resource
ownership, and the 200 nautical mile
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) were
novel and radical additions to global
commons governance. The so-called
"Constitution for the Oceans"
established the basic rights and
obligations of different groups in the
international community, including
coastal states, flag states, port states,
and landlocked states. UNCLOS covers
all major ocean activities, and divides
ocean space into global commons and
national zones of control. The
negotiation and entry into force of
UNCLOS represented a major
accomplishment for the international
community, and the larger project of
global governance. The principles,
norms, rights, and duties enshrined in
StrAteGy DeSK
Experts consulted for the
latest DRI report on the
political drivers, Taliban
strategies, domestic
implications of the Taliban's
return to Kabul mid-August
this year pointed out that
there are essentially three
distinct pathways through
which the Taliban would seek
to run the Afghan economy:
foreign aid and investment;
illicit and traditional means;
and through internal resource
reallocation. They point out
that each of these pathways
present their own challenges,
and in the end, the Taliban
may adopt an approach that
mixes all three. Given that the
shadow of the 1996-2001
period looms large over the
Afghan population, creating
fear, economic management
may indeed be one of the key
priorities in front of the
Taliban. But some experts
point out that the Taliban
"itself is asking the question
right now" about the
economic choices it has to
make in the near future.
One expert bluntly noted
that the Taliban's first
preference would be to run
the Afghan economy the way
it has been for the past two
decades. "They would depend
entirely on what the other
governments provide them,
and on donations," the expert
said, adding that it is not clear
how the Taliban would be
able to regularize informal
donation channels into a
formal financial stream - or
who would continue to
donate to the Taliban
(including jihadist groups).
The expert also added that
while international aid,
including that from the
International Monetary Fund
and the World Bank which
remains paused for the
moment, eventually it would
resume, given Afghanistan's
endemic poverty - and end up
in the Taliban's coffers.
Experts also pointed out
UNCLOS serve as a guide for the
collective management of common
resources by states.
Now, some 40 years after the
UNCLOS negotiations ended, the
world has become significantly more
dynamic in terms of the pace and scale
of ecosystem change, the increasing
demand for marine resources, and the
ever-evolving competition between
great powers, all of which are both
maritime and coastal states. Can
UNCLOS - an institution designed in
another era, and with serious
implementation challenges - promote
conservation and sustainability in this
changed and changing world?
The western and central Pacific
Ocean provides an important test case
for this question, offering lessons
through both its successes and
weaknesses in the face of climate
change, intensifying resource
extraction, and geopolitical pressure.
This region is home to some of the most
important and lucrative global stocks of
tuna, which migrate through both the
EEZs of small island states and the high
seas. The potential for unsustainable
exploitation is high in a region where
distances are vast, enforcement
resources are limited, and the
economic stakes are substantial.
UNCLOS gives coastal states such as
that regional powers with a
direct national security stake
in Afghanistan - such as
China and Pakistan - will
continue to provide the
Taliban with funds, albeit
with counterterrorism strings
attached. Such countries will
also calculate that
Afghanistan's economic
collapse could lead to a
massive refugee problem for
them, experts maintain.
When it comes to China, one
expert pointed out that the
Taliban may indeed decide to
sign up for the Belt and Road
Initiative as a way to generate
revenue.
While these options may
indeed be part of the Taliban's
economic calculus, one expert
pointed out a fundamental
contradiction that the new
regime in Kabul is yet to
resolve: on one hand, the
Taliban - as an Afghan
nationalist movement - wants
to rid Afghanistan of foreign
influence; on the other hand,
it expects foreign aid to a key
component of its revenue
stream. The expert expressed
pessimism that the Taliban
will be able to resolve this
incongruity with a great deal
of success.
Experts pointed out a
second - more traditionalpathway
for the Taliban to
generate revenue, through
the "taxation" of goods
passing through border
checkpoints, as well as the
opium trade. They pointed
out that the Taliban had in the
past demanded a 10 percent
cut for projects funded by
non-governmental
organizations, a practice they
suggest will continue.
Donations from outside for
jihadi causes as well as
traditional Islamic charitable
practices such as zakat are
also likely to form yet another
stream of revenue for the
Taliban.
Photo: AP
the Pacific Small Island Developing
States (PSIDS) the exclusive right to
explore, exploit, control, and manage
the living resources (fish) in their 200
nautical mile EEZs. Foreign fishers
must receive permission, typically
through a license or permit, to access
EEZ fisheries. Because the PSIDS do
not have the capacity to fully exploit
their valuable EEZ fisheries, they sell
licenses to foreign long-distance
fishers, most of whom come from
China, South Korea, Japan, Spain, and
Taiwan. The PSIDS have strong
incentives to ensure that their EEZ
fisheries are exploited sustainably:
Access fees constitute a significant
portion of their annual revenue, and
the marine environment is connected
to important parts of their cultural
identity.
The PSIDS have developed unique
strategies and approaches, operating
within the framework of UNCLOS, to
strengthen marine resource
management in the western and
central Pacific. Their coherence and
cooperation as a region, in terms of
interests, institutions, and strategy,
strengthens the normative and
practical power of the the Western and
Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
(WCPFC) to regulate fisheries for
conservation and sustainability.
Bumpy road ahead for Taliban
controlled economy
Poppy fields, Bala Baluk district, Afghanistan, April 15, 2009. Photo: Collected
The issue of how much
revenue the Taliban will be
able to generate from the
narcotics trade remains one
of contention among experts.
One expert pointed out that
while the volume of opium
traded from Afghanistan
remains very high, typically
analysts tend to "highly
exaggerate" the actual
revenue the Taliban generates
from it. The expert
maintained that the Taliban's
position on the drug trade has
been conditional, as the group
maintains that it will
foreswear involvement in
narcotics if the international
community continues to pour
aid in - a position the Taliban
is likely to continue to
maintain. All in all, the expert
maintained that the Taliban
would prefer a "legal-ish"
shadow economy - through
continued extortion from
check points, for example -
over the drug trade.

FRIDAY, NOveMbeR 5, 2021 6
Covid-19 cases reach 99,010
in Rajshahi division
RAJSHAHI: Nine more people have tested
positive for Covid-19 in four districts of the
division on Wednesday, taking the caseload
to 99,010 since the pandemic began in
March last year, reports BSS.
However, the new positive figure is almost
similar to the previous day's figure, said Dr
Habibul Ahsan Talukder, divisional director
of Health, adding that a total of 14 people
were infected on Tuesday.
Besides on October 20, the infection figure
was just four, which was the lowest-ever in
the division since the second wave of the
pandemic hit the country.
Meanwhile, the recovery count rose to
95,184 in the division after seven patients
were discharged from the hospitals on the
same day. The death toll reached 1,674,
including 685 in Bogura, 320 in Rajshahi
with 202 in its city, and 174 in Natore as no
new fatality was reported during the period,
Dr Talukder added.
Besides, all the positive cases of Covid-19
have, so far, been brought under treatment
while 23,028 were kept in isolation units of
different dedicated hospitals for institutional
quarantine. Of them, 19,429 have been
released.
Meanwhile, 26 more people have been
sent to home and institutional quarantine
afresh while 40 others were released from
isolation during the same time.
Of the nine new cases, three each were
detected in Bogura and Pabna, followed by
two in Sirajganj and one in Rajshahi city.
With the newly detected patients, the
district-wise break-up of the total cases now
stands at 28,130 in Rajshahi, including
22,691 in city, 5,679 in Chapainawabganj,
6,413 in Naogaon, 8,389 in Natore, 4,625 in
Joypurhat, 21,636 in Bogura, 11,411 in
Sirajganj and 12,727 in Pabna.
A total of 1,13,945 people have, so far, been
kept under quarantine since March 10 last
year to prevent community transmission of
the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19).
Of them, 1,12,881 have, by now, been
released as they were given clearance
certificates after completing their 14-day
quarantine.
In observance of Fire Service a d Civil Defense Week, a discussion meeting
was held at Nasirnagar on Thursday.
Photo: Md Abdul Hannan
Fire Service
and Civil
Defense Week
observed in
Nasirnagar
MD ABDUL HANAN, NASIRNAGAR
CORRESPONDENT
In observance of Fire Service a
d Civil Defense Week a
programme was held at
Nasirnagar on Thursday.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer
Halima Khatun presided over
the function while Upazila
Parishad Chairman Rafi
Uddin Ahmed was the chief
guest at the occasion.
During the time, Upazila
Assistant Commissioner
(Land) Mahadi Hasan Shaon,
Officer-in-Charge Habibullah
Sarkar, Upazila Vice
Chairman Syed Fazal Yaz Al
Hossain, Female Vice
Chairman Robina Akhter
were among others also
present at the occasion.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer
Halima Khatun inaugurated
the occasion by flying piegons
in the beginning of the
program.
Jail killing Day observed
in Chapainawabganj
CHAPAINAWABGANJ: Jail killing Day was observed in the
district on Wednesday with paying rich tributes to the
memories of four slain national leaders, who were brutally
killed inside the Dhaka central jail on this day in 1975, reports
BSS.
Different socio-cultural organisations, political parties and
professional groups, including Awami League (AL)
Chapainawabganj district unit, chalked out various
programmes, marking the day.
Chapainawabganj district Awami League arranged a
discussion at Fire Service intersection in the town.
The speakers sought the execution of the punishment of
the absconded killers of the four national leaders by taking
them back from abroad.
Secretary of the Chapainawabganj district unit of AL and
former lawmaker Md. Abdul Wadud, former sadar upazila
chairman Md. Ruhul Amin and other leaders spoke on the
occasion.
Before this, AL and its front organisations took out a
mourning procession in the town from its district office.
Chapainawabganj district Swechchhasebak League
arranged a discussion on the district AL office premises.
It was held with its district president Abdul Awal Gani Zoha
in the chair and was addressed by joint secretary of
Chapainawabganj district AL Shariful Alam, sadar upazila
AL president Azizur Rahman, secretary Advocate Nazrul
Islam and others.
Chapainawabganj Zilla Jubo Mahila League also arranged
a discussion meeting at Pathanpara in the town.
On the other hand, Balugram Adarsha College arranged a
discussion meeting and doa mahfil at Principal Belal Uddin
auditorium with its principal Md. Matiur Rahman in the
chair.
RMCH records
two more
fatalities in
Covid-19 unit
RAJSHAHI: Rajshahi
Medical College Hospital
(RMCH) recorded two
more fatalities in its Covid-
19 unit in the last 24 hours
till 6am yesterday, taking
the death toll to six in the
last four days of this
month, reports BSS.
The previous day's
fatality figure was also two.
However, on Sunday last,
the death figure was zero.
Earlier, the number of
casualties was 100 in
October, 167 in September,
340 in August, 566 in July
and 405 in June, health
officials said.
RMCH Director
Brigadier General Shamim
Yazdany told journalists
that one of the deceased
was a resident of Rajshahi,
while another from
Chuadanga. They were
suffering from Covid-19
symptoms.
He said 42 patients,
including six tested
positive for Covid-19, are
undergoing treatment in
the unit at present.
Farmers cultivate
Boro on 1.29 lakh
hectares in
Jamalpur
JAMALPUR: Department
of Agriculture Extension
(DAE) has set a target to
bring 1,29,300 hectares of
land under Boro
cultivation in the district
this current Robi season,
reports BSS.
Farmers will cultivate
three varieties of Boro
paddy of which High-breed
on 47,000 hectares of land
with a production target of
2,39,700 tonnes rice,
High Yielding Variety on
82,000 hectares with a
production target of
3,28,820 tonnes rice and
local variety on 300
hectares of land with a
production target of 543
tonnes rice, DAE office
sources said.
Agriculture department
has fixed a target of
producing a total of
5,69,063 tonnes of rice in
all seven upazilas of the
district this year.
Of the total, 34,670
hectares of land will be
brought under boro
cultivation in Sadar
upazila, 18,508 hectares in
Sarishabari, 20,497
hectares in Melandah,
16,616 hectares in
Islampur, 9,127 hectares in
Dewanganj, 16,604
hectares in Madarganj and
13,278 hectares in
Bakshiganj upazila.
Deputy Director of DAE
(Seed Marketing)
Khagendra Chandra Roy
said BADC allotted 798
tonnes Boro seed for
selling among the farmers.
Fire Service and Civil Defense Week was inaugurated in Sreebordi upazila on Thursday. Upazila
Parishad Chairman ADM Shahidul Islam addressed the meeting as the chief guest at the initiative of
Sreebordi Fire Service Station. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Nilufa Akhter spoke as the special guest at
the occasion.
Photo: Ramesh Sarker
Angsuipru Chowdhury, chairman of the Rangamati Hill District Council, distributed Red Crescen's financial
assistance aming 67 beneficiaries on Wednesday.
Photo: Omor Faruk Musa
Angsuipru Chowdhury distributes Red Crescent’s
financial assistance among 67 beneficiaries
OMOR FARUK MUSA, LANGADU CORRESPONDENT
Angsuipru Chowdhury, chairman of the
Rangamati Hill District Council, said
that if the beneficiaries of Red Crescent
put their trained knowledge to work
properly, the family will be able to
prosper financially. Proper work is being
done to ensure that the financial support
provided by the Bangladesh Red
Crescent Society. He also assured the
cooperation of the district council.
He said this while distributing
financial assistance among 67
beneficiaries under Langadu Upazila
Sadar Horticulture Training Center
Financial Security Bangladesh Red
Crescent Society, Rangamati Unit at
Langadu Upazila's Bagachatar Union
Jalliapara area on Wednesday. Each
beneficiaries received Tk 30000 check.
Chairman of Langadu Upazila
Parishad Abdul Barek Sarkar chaired the
occassion while Secretary of Red
Crescent Society Rangamati Unit
Mahfuzur Rahman moderated the
occasion.
Also present on the occasion were Red
Crescent Society Rangamati Unit
Executive Member Moniril Islam,
Danbir Chakma, Jahangir Alam, Faizul
Alam, Fatema Jina.
Anwarul Abedin Khan Tuhin, MP, as the chief guest addressed a discussion meeting marking the
Fire Service and Civil Defense Week 2021 at Nandail on Thursday.
Photo: Arabinda Paul
Commercial orange farming
gains popularity in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI: Orange is now being cultivated
on a commercial basis in villages of the
region, including its vast Barind tract, as
many people have changed their fortunes
through citrus fruit farming, reports BSS.
In near future, farming of the fruit will
bring a revolution in the rural economy
because its cultivation is gaining popularity
among the farmers to a greater extent.
Matiur Rahman, a farmer of Amnura area,
has brought five bighas of land under orange
farming as an alternative crop to paddy. "I
have transplanted orange saplings of
oranges. I have already started getting fruit,"
he said while talking to BSS on Tuesday.
He said field level agricultural officials
encouraged them to cultivate this citrus fruit.
They have taken training from the
agricultural office. Now, they are very
optimistic about the good yield of the fruits.
Another farmer Iftekhar Munna of
Bashantapur village under Godagari Upazila
started cultivation of the fruit on 15 bighas of
land after failing to cultivate paddy on the
land due to scarcity of irrigation water. He
had transplanted seedlings around five years
back.
This year, he got Taka 9,500 after selling
100 kg of orange for the third consecutive
time. Munna said one bigha of a farming
field can give yield valued at around Taka
20,000 after spending Taka 7,000 to 8,000
per year. Orange plant can yield up to its age
of 20 to 25 year at a stretch.
Commercial cultivation of the citrus fruit
has begun at Godagari, Paba, Mohanpur and
Bagmara of the district recently. This year,
this fruit is expected to be produced well.
Abdul Matin, a farmer of Gofanagar village
under Mohadevpur upazila in Naogaon
district, has set an example of becoming
successful through orange farming in the
area.
After getting technical support from the
local horticulture centre, Matin initiated the
farming in 2016. Already, he has started
getting fruit.
Now, there are 65 orange plants in his
orchard. Apart from that, he has 60 malta,
five lemons, seven papaya, two litchi and
three coconut trees as intercropping. On the
vacant lands, he has been cultivating
turmeric and arum to get additional profit.
Alongside the orange, the farmers are also
cultivating lemon in the areas under the
cooperation from the Department of
Agriculture Extension (DAE).
The DAE office sources said this fruit has
been cultivated in about 20 hectares of land
in those upazilas since 2015. About 10,000
saplings are planted in the field. Local
agriculture officials distributed the saplings
to the farmers.
DASCOH Foundation, a non-government
organization, under its 'Integrated Water
Resource Management (IWRM) Project, is
extending technical and financial support to
the farmers for boosting the malta
production in the region as part of its effort
to promote the less-water consuming crops
in the drought-prone area.
Coordinator of the project Jahangir Alam
Khan said they provided financial support
worth Taka 31.17 lakh for installation of 17
submersible pumps with seven solar panels
for ensuring irrigation facilities to around
200 bigha of malta farming fields in drip
method.
So far, 423 farmers and local government
representatives were imparted training on
how to cultivate the crop properly.
Principal Scientific Officer of Fruit
Research Station Dr Alim Uddin said people
are becoming increasingly interested in
citrus fruit farming.
In terms of food and nutritive values green
and ripe fruits are vital as these are enriched
with enormous vitamin A, B, C, calcium and
iron which are essential for human body
irrespective of age and sex.
So, boosted up fruit farming is very
important and helpful for the society as a
whole, he added.
Fire Service
and Civil
Defense
Week
inagurated
at Nandail
ARABINDA PAUL, NANDAIL
CORRESPONDENT
Anwarul Abedin Khan
Tuhin, MP, inaugurated
Fire Service and Civil
Defense Week 2021 at
Nandail in Mymensingh
on Thursday.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer
Mohammad Abul
Mansur presided over a
meeting held at Nandail
Fire Service and Civil
Defense Station in the
morning on the same day.
Member of Parliament
Anwarul Abedin Khan
Tuhin was present as the
chief guest while Upazila
Parishad Chairman
Hasan Mahmud Jewel
and
Assistant
Commissioner (Land)
Mahfuzul Haque were
present as special guests.
Among others, Monty
Biswas, Assistant
Director, Fire Service
Mymensingh, Awami
League leader and former
chairman Rafiqul Islam
Renu, Azizul Islam, Alam
Faraji and others spoke.
The chief guest later
planted a tree in front of
the station on the
occasion of Defense
Week.

All eyes on vulnerable House
Democrats after election losses
For many House Democrats, 2021 is looking a lot like 2009, a year
when a Republican elected governor in Virginia foreshadowed a
dreadful blowout in the next year's midterm elections. Photo : AP
WASHINGTON : For many House
Democrats, 2021 is looking a lot like
2009, a year when a Republican
elected governor in Virginia
foreshadowed a dreadful blowout in
the next year's midterm elections.
Republican Glenn Youngkin's surge
to victory in Virginia delivered the
first blow, and then New Jersey Gov.
Phil Murphy was nearly defeated by
a little known Republican, two
results that led to one conclusion:
Democrats are in grave danger of
losing control of Congress.
"Is this '09 all over again? This is
exactly what happened in '09 and it
did portend a catastrophe in 2010,"
said Democratic Rep. Gerry
Connolly. He represents a safely
Democratic northern Virginia
district outside Washington, but
recalled Republicans winning his
Myanmar seizes over
3,500 tons of illegal
timbers in 10 months
YANGON : Myanmar
authorities have seized over
3,500 tons of illegal timbers
across the country in 10
months this year, according
to figures by the Forest
Department under the
Ministry of Natural
Resources
and
E n v i r o n m e n t a l
Conservation on Thursday,
reports UNB.
As of Oct. 31, the
authorities confiscated over
1,061 tons of teak, over 548
tons of hardwood and over
1,909 tons of other types of
timbers in the country's
regions, states and Nay Pyi
Taw Union Territory.
According to the
department's data, 593
offenders were charged in
connection with the cases,
along with the seizure of 393
vehicles and machines
during the ten-month
period.
The Forest Department
has been cracking down on
illegal logging and trading of
forest products and
committed to implementing
tree plantation projects in
substitution.
Gunmen kill 7,
injure 7 in NE
Nigeria: police
LAGOS : A group of gunmen,
suspected to be herdsmen,
attacked a village in northeast
Nigeria's Adamawa in the
early hours of Wednesday,
killing seven villagers and
injuring seven others, local
police said.
Several gunmen invaded
the Negga village at about 2
a.m. local time (0100 GMT)
in the Numan local
government area of the state,
and shot at innocent villagers,
said Sulaiman Nguroje, the
police spokesperson in the
Adamawa state, at a press
briefing in the state capital
Yola, reports UNB.
"According to the first
information report, the
suspected criminals attacked
the village while the farming
community was asleep,"
Nguroje said.
He said the police have
deployed a special squad to
the area to fish out the
assailants, while those injured
were taken to a local hospital
for treatment.
state's governor's race a year after
President Barack Obama captured
the White House and a year before a
tea party-led GOP wave took control
of the House.
House Democrats in swing districts
are likely the party's first line of
defense against such an outcome,
and they are the most vulnerable
incumbents.
Mostly moderates, they helped
deliver party control of the chamber
in 2018 and keep it by a threadbare
margin last year. Now, though, they
are starting to closely resemble the
same former Republican members
many defeated four years ago.
Their president, Joe Biden, is not
popular, and their control of
Congress has been seen by voters as
divisive and not productive. Keeping
their seats also may mean defying
China's advice to stockpile sparks
speculation of Taiwan war
BEIJING : A seemingly innocuous
government recommendation for Chinese
people to store necessities for an emergency
quickly sparked scattered instances of panicbuying
and online speculation: Is China
going to war with Taiwan?
The answer is probably not - most analysts
think military hostilities are not imminent -
but the posts on social media show the
possibility is on people's minds and drew out
a flurry of war-mongering comments.
Taiwan is a self-governing island of 24
million people China regards as a renegade
province that should come under its rule.
Tensions have risen sharply recently, with
China sending a growing number of
warplanes on sorties near the island and the
U.S. selling arms to Taiwan and deepening
its ties with the government.
Most residents interviewed in Beijing, the
Chinese capital, thought war was unlikely
but acknowledged the rising tensions. They
generally favored bringing Taiwan under
Chinese rule by peaceful means, the official
position of China's long-ruling Communist
Party.
"I don't feel panic but I think we should be
more alert about this than in the past," said
Hu Chunmei, who was taking a
neighborhood walk.
War fears or not, there were scattered
reports of runs on rice, noodles and cooking
oil in some Chinese cities, according to local
media. The more immediate worry for some
was the possibility of neighborhood
lockdowns as a COVID-19 outbreak spreads
in several provinces.
The government moved quickly to try to
tamp down fears with assurances of
sufficient supplies. A bright yellow sign in an
aisle of a Beijing supermarket asked
customers to buy reasonably and not to
listen to rumors or stockpile goods.
historical trends dictating that the
party that wins the White House
loses ground in Congress during the
next election - traditional political
headwinds that are now almost
certainly intensified for Democrats
by Tuesday's election results.
Biden's approval ratings started
falling with the chaotic U.S.
withdrawal from Afghanistan and
have sunk lower amid an economy
still marred by the coronavirus
pandemic, inflation and a White
House legislative agenda largely
bogged down in Congress.
Biden traveled to Virginia but was
unable to buoy Democratic
gubernatorial candidate Terry
McAuliffe - he previously held the
post from 2014 to 2018 - by
attempting to tie Youngkin to
former President Donald Trump.
"What worked when President
Trump was on the ballot or in office
clearly has a diminishing effect
when he is not," said former Rep.
Scott Taylor, a Virginia Republican
who represented one of the nation's
most competitive districts.
"This is true of anyone. Republicans
tying opponents to President Obama
didn't really last beyond his terms."
Youngkin avoided campaigning with
Trump or embracing a national GOP
increasingly dominated by
Trumpism. Jack Ciattarelli, the
former Republican state Assembly
member who nearly unseated
Murphy in New Jersey, largely did
the same.
Virginia Democrats, meanwhile, lost
ground in the suburbs, where
moderate voters who punished the
GOP during the Trump
administration came back to the
party enough to sway the race.
The online speculation started with a
Commerce Ministry notice posted Monday
evening about a plan to ensure the supply
and stable price of vegetables and other
necessities for the winter and spring. A line
in it encouraged families to store some
necessities for daily life and emergencies.
That was enough to set off some hoarding
and a discussion on social media that the
ministry could be signaling people should
stock up for war.
China's state media has covered the rising
tensions with Taiwan heavily, including the
often-tough words exchanged between
China on one side and the U.S. and Taiwan
on the other. "It is natural to have aroused
some imagination," social commentator Shi
Shusi said. "We should believe the
government's explanations, but the
underlying anxiety deserves our thought."
He said the populist views cheerleading for
war don't represent majority opinion but do
send a signal or warning to Taiwan.
Other developments fueled the war
speculation. One person shared a screenshot
of a list of recommended emergency
equipment for families issued in August by
the government in Xiamen, a coastal city
near an outlying Taiwanese island. An
unverified report - denied Wednesday by a
military-affiliated social media account - said
veterans were being called back to service to
prepare for combat.
It's difficult to gauge how many people
interpreted the notice as a possible prelude
to war, but the reaction was strong enough to
prompt a state media response the next day.
The Economic Daily, a government-owned
newspaper, said people's imagination
shouldn't run so wild, explaining that the
advice was meant for people who may find
themselves suddenly locked down because of
a COVID-19 outbreak.
A seemingly innocuous government recommendation for Chinese people
to store necessities for an emergency quickly sparked scattered
instances of panic-buying and online speculation: Is China going to war
with Taiwan.
Photo : AP
Are COVID-19
boosters the same as
the original vaccines?
NEW YORK : Are COVID-19
boosters the same as the
original vaccines?
Yes, COVID-19 boosters
use the same recipe as the
original shots, despite the
emergence of the more
contagious delta variant.
The vaccines weren't
tweaked to better match
delta because they're still
working well.
The vaccines work by
training your body to
recognize and fight the spike
protein that coats the
coronavirus and helps it
invade the body's cells.
Delta's mutations
fortunately weren't different
enough to escape detection.
The increased protection
you might get from a booster
adjusted to better match the
delta or other variants
would be marginal, says Dr.
Paul Goepfert, director of
the Alabama Vaccine
Research Clinic at the
University of Alabama at
Birmingham.
Manufacturing doses with
a new formula would have
also delayed the rollout of
boosters.
Moderna and Pfizer are
studying boosters tweaked
for the delta and other
variants to be ready if one's
ever needed. Health
authorities would have to
decide if and when a vaccine
formula swap would be
worthwhile.
Undersea 5.7 earthquake
shakes part of eastern
Indonesia
JAKARTA : A shallow
undersea earthquake shook
part of eastern Indonesia on
Thursday, but there were no
immediate reports of serious
damage or casualties,
reports UNB.
The U.S. Geological
Survey said the 5.7-
magnitude quake struck
about 65 kilometers (40
miles) off Amahai, a coastal
village on Seram island in
North Maluku province. It
said the quake was centered
about 10 kilometers (6.2
miles) beneath the sea.
The Indonesian
Meteorology, Climatology,
and Geophysical Agency
said the quake was unlikely
to trigger a tsunami.
With around 1 million
people, North Maluku is one
of Indonesia's least
populous provinces.
Indonesia, a vast
archipelago of 270 million
people, is frequently struck
by earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions and tsunamis
because of its location on the
"Ring of Fire," an arc of
volcanoes and fault lines
that arcs the Pacific.
The last major earthquake
was in January when a
magnitude 6.2 earthquake
killed at least 105 people and
injured nearly 6,500 in West
Sulawesi province.
Indiana man charged
in fatal shooting of
trick-or-treater
HAMMOND : A man was
charged with murder
Wednesday in the death of a
13-year-old boy who was
killed when shots were fired
at a group of trick-ortreaters
on Halloween in
northwestern Indiana.
Desmond Crews, 23, of
Gary is also charged with
attempted murder in the
shooting Sunday in
Hammond that killed
Thomas DeLaCruz Jr., of
East Chicago, and wounded
another 13-year-old, the
(Northwest Indiana) Times
reported. It wasn't
immediately known
Wednesday if Crews has an
attorney. "He was being a
kid out with his aunt trickor-treating,
walking with a
group of kids," DeLaCruz'
mother, Jasmine Anderson,
told the newspaper. "And
some ignorant, sick person
decided to shoot at kids."
One of the trick-ortreaters
told police that he
exchanged words with a
man about 30 to 45 minute.
FRIDAY, NoVembeR 5, 2021
7
US government works to
'cocoon' old nuclear reactors
SPOKANE : Costs to clean up a massive
nuclear weapons complex in Washington state
are usually expressed in the hundreds of
billions of dollars and involve decades of work.
But one project on the Hanford Nuclear
Reservation is progressing at a much lower
price.
The federal government is moving forward
with the "cocooning" of eight plutonium
production reactors at Hanford that will place
them in a state of long-term storage to allow
radiation inside to dissipate over a period of
decades, until they can be dismantled and
buried, reports UNB.
"It's relatively non-expensive," Mark French,
a manager for the U.S. Department of Energy,
said of cocooning. "The cost of trying to
dismantle the reactor and demolish the reactor
core would be extremely expensive and put
workers at risk."
The federal government built nine nuclear
reactors at Hanford to make plutonium for
atomic bombs during World War II and the
Cold War. The site along the Columbia River
contains America's largest quantity of
radioactive waste.
The reactors are now shut down and sit like
cement fortresses near the southeastern
Washington city of Richland. Six have already
been cocooned for long-term storage, and two
more are headed in that direction. The ninth
reactor was turned into a museum as part of
the Manhattan Project National Historical
Park.
While World War II ended in 1945 and the
Cold War ended in 1989, the United States is
still paying billions of dollars per year for the
disposal of the nuclear waste produced by the
atomic weapons that played a big role in
ending those conflicts. The biggest expense is
dealing with a massive volume of liquid wastes
left over from the production of plutonium.
Costs to clean up a massive nuclear weapons complex in Washington state
are usually expressed in the hundreds of billions of dollars and involve
decades of work.
Photo : AP
cvwb›247/2021›
GD-1625/21(11x3)

FRIDAY, NOvEMBER 5, 2021
8
An exchange meeting was held on Unani-Ayurvedic Medical Education Act: contemporary issues and
crises recently. Chief Motawalli and Managing Director of Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf)
Bangladesh Dr. Hakim Md. Yusuf Harun Bhuiyan was presided over the meeting at the headquarters
of Hamdard Bangladesh at Bangla motor in the capital. Among others the General Secretary of
the Ayurvedic Industry Committee and the President of the Hamdard University Alumni Association
Md. Mizanur Rahman, President of the Unani Ayurvedic Officers Association. Alamgir Hossain,
President of Swadhinata Deshi Chikitsak Parishad (Swadechip) Dawlat Al Mamun, Principal of
Tibbia Habibia College A. B. Mahbubur Rahman Saki, Nurmajid Ayurvedic College Principal Md.
Mamunmia were present in the meeting.
Photo: Courtesy
Walton MD recruits six disabled employees
Setting-up an exemplary
compassion and humanity
towards the people with
physical disability, Golam
Murshed, managing
director and chief executive
officer (CEO) of Walton Hi-
Tech Industries, recruited
six physically challenged
employed at Walton, a
multinational electronics
giant. They have been
recruited under Golam
Murshed initiative Better
Bangladesh formed to build
the best, says a press release.
Bangladesh. Walton will
gradually employ more
such people to the
organization. On Monday
(November 1, 2021) the
newly appointed
disadvantaged employees
were received with offering
them appointment letters at
a program titled People
Matter More : Financial
Emancipation For
Everyone held at the
Walton corporate office in
Dhaka. Golam Murshed
welcomed them to the
Walton family.
The six physically
challenged employees are-
Sabina Khatun, Sobita Rani
Dash, Susan Dey, Arbindu
Chakma, Lutfar Rahman
and Abu Bakar Siddique.
The new employees hired
through the Centre for the
Rehabilitation of the
Paralysed (CRP) are set to
work in different
departments including
Walton corporate office and
service centers.
Golam Murshed at the
reception program said that
every human being is
disabled in one way or
another in this world
despite we look very pretty
visibly. If we can,t fulfill
LISBON: Whistleblower
Frances Haugen issued a
stinging rebuke of Facebook's
"Meta" rebrand on Monday,
accusing the company of yet
again prioritising expansion
over people's safety, reports
BSS.
The former Facebook
engineer, who leaked a trove
of internal documents that
have sparked weeks of
criticism of the social media
giant, also called on its
chairman and CEO Mark
Zuckerberg to step down.
Speaking at the Web
Summit tech conference in
Lisbon, Haugen said was
"unconscionable" that
Facebook was trumpeting its
ambitions to develop the
"metaverse"-a virtual reality
version of the internet-rather
than focusing on fixing
existing problems.
"Over and over again
Facebook chooses expansion
in new areas over sticking the
landing on what they've
already done," she told an
audience of tens of thousands
in the Portuguese capital.
"Instead of investing in
making sure their platforms
are a minimum level of safe,
they're about to invest 10,000
your responsibilities
towards the society, that is
also disability while the
biggest disability is to
neglect of our own
responsibilities. The people
who are not thinking about
protecting the environment
are also disabled in some
way with those who do not
treat others well are
disabled as well. If we
cannot create a livable
world for future
generations, we are
mentally handicapped, so
we all need to think
positively. think of yourself
as weak. There are many
talents and possibilities
among you. We are lucky to
have you in the Walton
family. All of you joined
with over 30,000 members
of Walton family. Our
country will be changed and
it is possible by us, he said
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Walton Hi-Tech
Industries Golam Murshed with the newly appointed six disadvantaged
employees.
Photo: Courtesy
Argentina makes
interest payment
to IMF
BUENOS AIRES : Argentina
made a payment of $390
million Monday to the
International Monetary
Fund for interest on a $44
billion loan it is seeking to
renegotiate, the government
said, reports BSS.
The amount was the final
interest payment for 2021,
the economy ministry told
AFP.
So far this year, Argentina
has paid $1.9 billion downpayment
on the loan, as well
as $1.3 billion in interest.
It must pay another $1.9
billion by December.
Argentina has received
$44 billion of a $57 billion
loan from the IMF arranged
under former president
Mauricio Macri.
After taking office, his
successor Alberto
Fernandez refused to accept
the rest of the loan.
Argentina, the IMF's
biggest debtor, has been in
recession since 2018 and is
seeking to renegotiate the
loan.
If no agreement is
reached, it will have to pay
the Fund about $19.3 billion
in 2022, another $19.5
billion in 2023 and $4.9
billion in 2024, according to
government estimates.
engineers in video games."
Facebook last month
announced that it will hire
10,000 new staff in Europe
over the next five years in its
bid to build the metaverse,
which would use virtual
reality to make online
experiences-like chatting to a
friend, or attending a concertfeel
face-to-face.
The company last week
announced it was changing
the name of Facebook's
parent company to "Meta" to
signal the change in focus.
Critics have derided the
rebrand as an attempted
distraction from the
avalanche of damaging
revelations from Haugen's
leaked documents.
The "Facebook Papers"
show that company
executives knew of their sites'
potential for harm on
numerous fronts, including
the uncontrolled spread of
hate speech in developing
countries as well as
Instagram's impact on teens'
mental health.
Haugen has accused
Facebook of ignoring
concerns raised by its own
employees in the pursuit of
profit.
addressing
the
disadvantaged employees.
He thanked the social
service organization CRP
authorities in this move and
said that Walton alone will
not be able to work in this
segment. But we have
started with six people now
and I hope it will cross 6
thousands one day. I believe
in change and Bangladesh is
doing well in all sectors now.
Walton is one of the
examples of those
development in this
country.The six physically
challenged people expressed
their commitment to fulfill
the highest responsibility
towards the organization
and the country as they are
seen very happy to get the
opportunity to work for the
Walton. Among them,
Lutfar
Rahman said I am very
happy to be involved in the
Walton family. We are
overwhelmed and
impressed by the respect
Walton has given us.
Walton Hi-Tech Industries
Limited Deputy Managing
Directors Nazrul Islam
Sarker and Eva Rezwana,
Plaza Trade's CEO
Mohammad Rayhan,
Senior Executive Directors
SM Zahid Hasan, Amin
Khan, Emdadul Karim,
Executive Directors
Muzahedin Islam, Tanvir
Anjum and Chief Human
Resource Officer (CHRO)
Kamruzzaman were present
among others on the
occasion.
Whistleblower blasts Facebook’s
Meta rebrand
Asked if Zuckerberg should
step down, she said: "I think
Facebook would be
stronger with someone
who's willing to focus on
safety, so yes."
She went on: "It doesn't
make him a bad person to
have made mistakes, but it is
unacceptable to continue to
make the same bad mistakes
after you know that those are
mistakes."
Haugen has testified before
US and UK lawmakers in
recent weeks, but the Web
Summit-which she officially
opened, with an explosion of
confetti raining down from
the ceiling-marked her first
appearance before a wider
public.
She said it was
"overwhelming" to speak in
front of so many people,
telling the crowd: "Right now
my heart is beating about as
fast as I can imagine."
Facebook vice president
Nick Clegg, who is due to
address the Web Summit on
Tuesday, will likely reject
Haugen's suggestion that the
metaverse project equates to a
mass investment in "video
games".
Asian markets mixed ahead of Fed
as China concerns weigh
HONG KONG : Asian markets drifted
Wednesday with investors biding their
time ahead of a hotly anticipated
Federal Reserve meeting, though Hong
Kong and Shanghai retreated again on
concerns about China's economy as
leaders struggle to contain a new
waveof Covid infections, reports BSS.
A third straight day of records for
Wall Street's three main indexes and a
first all-time high for 21 years in Parisfanned
by strong earnings-were unable
to provide much inspiration in the face
of long-running fears about surging
inflation and the prospect of higher
interest rates.
With prices rising at rates not seen for
years, central banks are being forced to
row back the vast financial support put
in place at the start of the pandemic,
and which have been credited with
sending equities to records and helping
the economic recovery.
While some have already lifted
borrowing costs or started to tighten
the purse strings, the main focus is on
the Fed, which is expected to say
Amazonbacked
EV
startup aims
for valuation
above $50 b
NEW YORK : Rivian
Automotive, an Amazonbacked
electric vehicle
startup, said Monday it is
targeting a valuation of more
than $50 billion, reports BSS.
The California-based
company will price shares
between $57 and $62, raising
up to $9.1 billion at the
midpoint price and all
company stock at about $52.5
billion, according to a
securities filing.
US business media said
Rivian could go public on Wall
Street as soon as next week.
Rivian has raised more than
$10 billion in funding since its
founding in 2009, including
from Amazon, which has
pledged to purchase 100,000
electric delivery vans from the
startup.
The Amazon order
constitutes "the largest order
of EVs ever" and "supporting
a path to carbon neutral
deliveries" for the giant
retailer, Rivian said in the
filing.
Amazon disclosed last week
a stake of $3.8 billion in
preferable stock of Rivian,
according to a securities filing.
In addition to the Amazon
delivery vehicles, Rivian is
producing electric trucks and
sport utility vehicles for
consumers with prices
starting from around
$70,000.
The news from Rivian
comes as governments
around the globe, including in
the United States, make the
development of electric cars a
priority, and as the global auto
sector accelerates EV
production.
The offering also follows
Elon Musk's company Tesla
last week hitting a market
valuation of more than $1
trillion.
Wednesday when it will begin tapering
its own massive bond-buying
programme with particular attention
on rates.
"The big question will be whether
they will signal anything about when
the rate hikes will start," said Jeanette
Garretty, at Robertson Stephens
Wealth Management. "I think they are
going to try and avoid that," she told
Bloomberg TV. The Bank of England is
seen as likely to announce a rate rise at
its meeting Thursday.
In early trade, Asian markets were
mixed, with Sydney, Wellington,
Taipei, Manila and Jakarta rising but
Singapore and Seoul falling.
Hong Kong and Shanghai sank again,
with the latest Covid spike in several
parts of China forcing some cities into
fresh lockdowns that have led to fresh
worries about the impact on already
strained supply chains and the world's
number two economy. Stresses in the
country were highlighted Monday
when the government urged people to
stock up on daily necessities and for
IBBL inaugurates Madhukhali
Branch in Faridpur
Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd inaugurated its
378th Branch at Madukhali in Faridpur
recently. Mohammed Monirul Moula,
Managing Director and CEO of the bank
inaugurated the Branch as chief guest. Abu
Reza Md. Yeahia, Deputy Managing Director
of the Bank presided over the program while
Md. Shahidul Islam, Chairman of Madukhali
Upazila Parishad and Khandaker Morshed
Rahman, Mayor of Madhukhali
Pourashabha addressed the program as
special guest. Md. Abdus Salam, Head of
Khulna Zone of the bank addressed the
welcome speech. Md. Maksudur Rahman,
Head of Jashore Zone and Mohammad
Kamrul Hasan, Head of Madhukhali Branch
also addressed in the program. Ashok Kumar
Shingha Roy, former banker, Abul Bashar
Khan, Managing Director of Razzaque Jute
Industries Limited, Suraiya Salam, Member
of Faridpur Zilla Parishad, Md. Shahidul
Islam, Officer-in-Charge, Madhukhali Thana
and Abul Bashar Badsha, President of
BEIJING : China said it has increased daily
coal production by over one million tonnes,
easing its energy shortage as world leaders
gather in Britain for climate talks billed as
one of the last chances to avert catastrophic
global warming, reports BSS.
The world's biggest coal importer has
battled widespread power cuts in recent
months that have disrupted supply chains,
due to strict emissions targets and record
prices for the fossil fuel.
But the crisis is now winding down thanks
to a boost in domestic coal output, according
to a statement from China's top economic
planning body late Sunday.
The National Development and Reform
Commission said average daily coal
production has risen to above 11.5 million
tonnes since the middle of October, up by 1.1
authorities to take steps to ensure
adequate food supplies as containment
measures were introduced.
An outbreak in the summer has been
blamed for dragging on growth in the
third quarter and the closing of
factories again will further flame fears
about the recovery outlook.
The country's Premier Li Keqiang
warned Tuesday that the economy
faced more headwinds and said taxes
would have to be cut to support small
and medium-sized companies.
The crisis comes as prices at the
factory gates as well as energy costs in
China soar, meaning leaders have to
find a way to nurture growth while at
the same time keeping a lid on
inflation.
"While Premier Li did not say what
was driving the 'downward pressure'
the regulatory crackdown and the woes
in the property sector are prime
candidates, as is China's zero-Covid
policy, which is seeing restrictions put
back in place in many provinces," said
National Australia Bank's Tapas.
Madhukhali Bazar Bonik Samiti addressed
on behalf of clients and well-wishers.
Executives and employees of the bank,
clients, well wishers and local elites were
present on the occasion. Later, CRM and
ATM booth of the branch was also
inaugurated, a press release said.
Mohammed Monirul Moula in his speech
of chief guest said that Islamic Banking
system is a successful reality in the global
arena overcoming the borders of the country.
About 28 percent of the country's banking
sector is being run through Islamic Banking,
he added. He said, IBBL is the largest bank of
the country and the only Bangladeshi Bank
amongst the top 1000 banks in the world for
last 10 consecutive years. The deposit of this
bank is now Tk.1.35 trillion with its 16 million
clients. IBBL is providing state-of-the-art
services to its clients through 378 branches,
196 sub-branches, 2600 agent banking
outlets and more than 2000 ATMs and CRM
Booths.
China eases power crunch with boost to coal production
million tonnes compared with the end of
September.
The production surge comes as world
leaders-but not Chinese president Xi
Jinping-convene in Glasgow for COP26 talks
to secure more ambitious global greenhouse
gas emissions.
Xi, whose country is the world's largest
emitter of planet-heating gases, has instead
submitted a written statement to the
summit. In recent months, several Chinese
factories were forced to halt operations due
to power outages, raising concern about
global supply chains.
The squeeze had also been exacerbated by
Beijing's zero-tolerance Covid-19 policy that
saw it all but close its borders to the outside
world, hindering shipments of raw materials
from overseas.
First Security Islami Bank Ltd sponsored in Executive Committee-2021 Reception and Best
Reporting Award Ceremony-2021 of Crime Reporters Association Bangladesh (CRAB) held in
"Chitrashala Auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy", Dhaka recently. Md. Shafiqul Islam,
BPM(BAR),Comissioner, DMP and Md.Khurshid Hossain, BPM(BAR),PPM, Additional IGP of
Bangladesh Police attended the ceremony as special guests. As the honorable guests, Md. Mustafa
Khair, Additional Managing Director and Md. Masudur Rahman Shah, Deputy Managing Director
of First Security Islami Bank Ltd were present at the ceremony. Mizan Malik, president of Crime
Reporters Association Bangladesh (CRAB), presided over the ceremony.
Photo: Courtesy

FriDAY, NoveMber 5, 2021
9
Cup holders France stuttered again in their bid to qualify for the 2022 finals in Qatar after a 1-1 draw
in Ukraine.
photo: Ap
France draw again as Dutch
roll in World Cup qualifying
SportS DeSk
Cup holders France stuttered again in
their bid to qualify for the 2022 finals in
Qatar after a 1-1 draw in Ukraine, while
Memphis Depay inspired the
Netherlands to a rout of Montenegro
on Saturday, reports BSS.
France drew their fifth successive
match as Anthony Martial scored his
first international goal in five years to
earn Didier Deschamps' side a point in
Kiev. The Manchester United forward,
who missed Euro 2020 with a knee
injury, grabbed just his second goal in
29 caps to cancel out a magnificent
first- half strike by Ukraine midfielder
Mykola Shaparenko.
Les Bleus remain four points clear at
the top of Group D but have played two
games more than Finland, who they
host in Lyon on Tuesday. Joel
Pohjanpalo's second-half effort
clinched Finland a 1-0 victory over
Kazakhstan.
"We are maybe not in a better
situation than we were before the
match, but it is not any worse either. It's
just one more point when obviously our
goal was to take all three," Deschamps
told French broadcaster M6.
Ukraine have now drawn all five of
their qualifiers so far, including both
matches against France.
Depay led the Netherlands to a 4-0
defeat of Montenegro in Eindhoven
that kept Louis van Gaal's team right
behind Group G leaders Turkey, who
won 3-0 in Gibraltar.
Barcelona star Depay opened the
scoring for the Dutch with a penalty
and netted a second on the hour.
Captain Georginio Wijnaldum added a
slick third and Cody Gakpo bagged his
first goal for the national team with a
terrific curling shot.
"Once the first goal went in we played
in a much more relaxed manner and
produced some very good football,"
said Van Gaal, back for a third spell in
charge of the Netherlands.
"Memphis had an extraordinary
game. He was undoubtedly the man of
the match."
Erling Haaland converted a spot-kick
as he scored for the second game
running in Norway's 2-0 win against
Latvia, with Mohamed Elyounoussi
also on target in Oslo.
Norway and the Netherlands are
both a point back of Turkey, who go to
Amsterdam next week. "Now we must
win on Tuesday against Turkey. A
victory would put us in an ideal position
for qualification," added Van Gaal.
Marcelo Brozovic's late goal gave
Croatia a 1-0 victory away to Slovakia,
ensuring the 2018 World Cup runnersup
stayed level with Russia in Group H.
Russia beat Cyprus 2-0 away while
Slovenia won 1-0 at home to Malta.
Denmark needed an 85th-minute
effort from Jonas Wind to see off the
Faroe Islands 1-0 and record a fifth win
in as many outings in Group F.
Eran Zahavi followed up his hat-trick
against the Faroes in midweek with two
more goals to power Israel past Austria
5-2.
Scotland moved above Austria into
third place as Lyndon Dykes' early
strike sealed a 1-0 home win over
Moldova.
Aleksandar Mitrovic struck twice as
Serbia defeated Luxembourg 4-1 to
edge above Portugal on goal difference
at the top of Group A.
A late Shane Duffy equaliser salvaged
the Republic of Ireland a disappointing
1-1 draw at home to Azerbaijan.
Marathon golds decided as 'most
important' Paralympics wrap up
Halep, Medvedev
draw early Sunday
duty at US Open
SportS DeSk
Two-time Grand Slam
champion Simona Halep and
Russian second seed Daniil
Medvedev will start US Open
matches on Sunday at Arthur
Ashe Stadium trying to reach
the quarter-finals, reports
BSS.
Romanian 12th seed Halep,
the 2018 French Open and
2019 Wimbledon winner, will
meet Ukraine's fifth-seeded
Elina Svitolina in the first
afternoon match.
Svitolina, a 2019 US Open
semi-finalist, leads their
rivalry 5-4 after winning their
most recent match at the
2019 WTA Finals. But it's her
only win in their four
hardcourt meetings.
Medvedev, this year's
Australian Open runner-up
and a 2019 US Open runnerup,
will face British 24th seed
Daniel Evans, who hopes to
reach his first Grand Slam
quarter-final. It will be their
first meeting.
Sunday's night matches on
New York's main stadium will
start with American Frances
Tiafoe, who ousted Russian
fifth seed Andrey Rublev,
meeting 12th seed Felix
Auger-Aliassime of Canada.
The 15th-ranked Canadian
is coming off his first Slam
quarter-final run at
Wimbledon while 50thranked
Tiafoe made his only
Slam quarter-final at the 2019
Australian Open.
The closing match Sunday
at Ashe sends Czech eighth
seed Barbora Krejcikova, the
reigning French Open
champion, against Spanish
ninth seed Garbine
Muguruza, a two-time Grand
Slam winner.
Canadian 18-year-old
Leylah Fernandez, who
ousted defending champion
Naomi Osaka, will face
German 16th seed Angelique
Kerber in the afternoon at
Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Djokovic likes his position for
US Open and calendar Slam
SportS DeSk
Novak Djokovic says he's in "good position"
to complete the first men's singles calendaryear
Grand Slam in 52 years by winning four
more matches to capture the US Open,
reports BSS. World number one Djokovic
rallied past Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-7 (4/7),
6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in three hours and 32 minutes
on Saturday to reach the fourth round on the
New York hardcourts. The 34-year-old
Serbian star said it was his winning his
second French Open title this year, his
"Mount Everest" of Slam crowns, that
convinced him a one-year Slam sweep was
possible. "After I won in Paris this year, I felt
like, 'OK, I like my chances on grass, I won
two Wimbledons in a row, I've improved
over the years on grass -- it did not seem
impossible anymore to go for all four in a row
in the same year," Djokovic said.
"So here I am. I'm in a good position to do
that. Still in the tournament. But I've got to
take one match at a time."
With a fourth career US Open trophy,
Djokovic would complete the first men's
singles sweep of major titles in the same year
since Rod Laver in 1969. Djokovic also
chases history in quest of his 21st career
Grand Slam title, which would break the
deadlock for the men's record he shares with
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, both absent
with injuries.
Nishikori, who fell to 2-18 against Djokovic
with a 17th consecutive loss, said he saw no
sign the pressure of the Grand Slam quest
had changed how his rival played.
"I'd say he was the same," Nishikori said.
"Maybe he's feeling that inside, a lot of
pressure, but I couldn't see during the
match." Next up for Djokovic will be a first
meeting with 99th-ranked US wildcard
Jenson Brooksby, who outlasted Russian
21st seed Aslan Karatsev 6-2, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-
3. Brooksby, 20, eliminated Karatsev on the
Russian's 28th birthday, becoming the
youngest American in the US Open last 16
since Andy Roddick in 2002.
"(Brooksby) is one of the players the locker
room talks about quite often because of his
Novak Djokovic says he's in "good position" to complete the first men's singles
calendar-year Grand Slam in 52 years by winning four more matches
to capture the US open.
photo: Ap
talent," Djokovic said. "Hopefully I can be at
my best." Djokovic could face a Wimbledon
final rematch with Italian sixth seed Matteo
Berrettini in the quarter-finals, Olympic
champion and fourth seed Alexander Zverev
of Germany in the semi-finals and an
Australian Open final rematch with Russian
second seed Daniil Medvedev in the final.
ZvwiLt 4/11/2021Bs
SportS DeSk
Swiss wheelchair master Marcel Hug
defended his marathon title on the final
day of the Tokyo Paralympics on
Sunday, as organisers hailed the "most
important edition" of the Games ever,
reports BSS.
The last day's action saw 14 gold
medals up for grabs, starting with
thebearly morning marathon events
and another star turn from "silver
bullet" Hug.
The 2016 Rio T54 champion opened
up an early gap on the field, and moved
away from silver medallist Zhang Yong
over the last two uphill kilometres.
"I don't know how to feel. I'm just
tired. Empty," said Hug, who won the
sixth Paralympic gold of his career in a
time of 1hr 24min 2sec.
In the women's T54 marathon,
Australian Madison de Rozario clung
on to finish ahead of Swiss great
Manuela Schaer, winning the gold by
just one second.
"That was the longest 500 metres of
my life," de Rozario told reporters after
finishing in a Paralympic record of
1:38.11.
"That finish line couldn't have come
quick enough."
The 27-year-old was adding a second
gold to her T53 800m title in Tokyo.
She also took bronze in the T54
1,500m.
There was also gold for host nation
Japan in the women's T12 marathon,
Swiss wheelchair master Marcel Hug defended his marathon title
on the final day of the tokyo paralympics on Sunday. photo: Ap
with Misato Michishita coming home
in a time of 3:00.50.
Morocco's El Amin Chentouf won
the men's T12 marathon, while China's
Li Chaoyan took the honours in the
men's T46.
Organisers had urged local residents
to stay home and watch the action on
TV, but sweet shop owner Atsushi
Nishimura told AFP in Tokyo's
Asakusa district that he was glad he saw
it live.
"We could have enjoyed the Olympics
and Paralympics differently if they
weren't during a pandemic, but I think
it was good for us that we could host the
events," he said.
With the Games almost at a close,
International Paralympic Committee
chief Andrew Parsons declared the
Tokyo Paralympics the "most
important edition" in history.
He pointed to the participation of
163 delegations -- one less than the
London 2012 record -- with 86 teams
winning medals and 62 claiming at
least one gold. "I don't have any doubts
that this was the most important
edition of the Paralympic Games,
because of the pandemic, because we
gave a voice to 1.2 billion persons with
disability," he said.
"The Paralympic movement is
stronger than ever before," he added.
The delegations included two
athletes from Afghanistan, who made a
dramatic arrival with the Games
already in progress after being
evacuated from Kabul.
IPC spokesman Craig Spence said
taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi
and sprinter Hossain Rasouli, who
competed in long jump, had been
offered the chance to carry
Afghanistan's flag at the closing
ceremony.
But there was still plenty of sporting
action to get through, with medals
decided in four other sports.
The United States beat China 3-1 to
take gold in women's sitting volleyball,
with the two teams meeting in the final
for the fourth straight Games.
The Americans had ended China's
run of three consecutive golds five years
ago in Rio, and they got the upper hand
again after establishing an early two-set
lead.
Japan were set to take on the United
States in the men's wheelchair
basketball final later in the day.
In shooting, Slovakian Veronika
Vadovicova won the mixed 50m rifle
prone SH1 final, edging out Sweden's
Anna Normann and Spain's Juan
Antonio Saavedra Reinaldo.
There were also finals in badminton,
which was making its Paralympic debut
in Tokyo.
GD-1622/21(10x4)

FRidaY, noVeMBeR 5, 2021
10
Moushumi celebrates
birthday in US
TBT RepoRT
Want to keep myself engaged
with music till death: A H Dipu
Salehuddin Sohel
My childhood dream was to become a
vocalist.That's why I have always associated myself
with music. I am still walking on my path of
dream.I will sing songs with everyone's love till
death.
A H Dipu, a well-known vocalist of the time, talks
about his dreams and reality.
The artist expressed his unspoken words in an
exclusive interview with this reporter. Dipu was
born and raised in Noakhali district. He was
initiated by the music guru Helal Uddin and Ustad
Bappi.He later joined the Bangladesh Police Force
in 2001. Dipu started working on his first original
album at the Rajarbagh Central Police Cultural
Adele reveals
tracklist for
comeback
album
British soul superstar Adele has revealed the
tracklist for her much-anticipated comeback
album, which will feature songs titled 'I Drink
Wine', 'Can I Get It'and 'Cry Your Heart Out'.
Her fourth studio album, titled 30, is her first
in six years and will be released on 19 November.
The 12-song tracklist, revealed via online preorders
and Apple Music, opens with 'Strangers
By Nature' and closes with 'Love is a Game'.
Other tracks include 'Woman Like Me', 'Hold
On' and 'To Be Loved'.
Adele has said the recording of 30 began three
years ago, at a time when her life was "a maze of
absolute mess and inner turmoil".
In the six years since the release of her last
album, 25, the 33-year-old megastar said she
suffered a "year of anxiety" in which her
marriage fell apart.
The first single from the new album, 'Easy On
Me', topped the British charts upon its release
two weeks ago.
The Oscar- and Grammy-winning singer broke
a five-year silence with an interview for Vogue,
published last month that spoke of living like a
recluse as she battled anxiety.
For that profile, she played journalist Giles
Hattersley snippets from the album - including
one song Adele described as being about
drinking and "destruction", which fans are now
positing might be I Drink Wine.
Council in 2004-5. So far, more than thirty original
songs have been released on various audio
companies and on YouTube.The songs have
already gained a lot of popularity.
When asked, A H Dipu said, "I have been very
weak towards music since my childhood. Music is
my passion and survival."At the beginning of my
career, I sang the first original song with the help of
popular musician and composer F A Sumon. The
title of the song I wrote and composed was " Konya
ReTui".
"I'm currently a bit busy working on my own
songs on my own channel," he said.I have
previously published more than twenty original
songs by various popular lyricists, composers and
music directors.
"It's me going out and getting drunk at a bar.
Drinking liquor. I start arguments if I drink
liquor," she said of the mystery song. "I can
handle my wine, I could drink five bottles of wine
and have a normal conversation."
"I've learned a lot of blistering home truths
about myself along the way. I've shed many
layers but also wrapped myself in new ones,"
Adele wrote in a statement that accompanied the
album announcement.
"I've finally found my feeling again. I'd go as
far as to say that I've never felt more peaceful in
my life."
Source: Indian Express
Popular Dhallywood actress Arifa Parvin Moushumi celebrated her
birthday with her mother, sister and daughter in United States on
Wednesday. Moushumi went to America with her daughter to pass
holiday a few days ago. They were in San Francisco for two weeks.
Now, she is in her younger sister Dhallywood actress Irin Zaman's
house in Atlanta. Her mother is also staying in Irin's house.
About birthday, Moshumi told media, "I can feel fans' love during
birthday. I want to spend my life with people's love. I am missing
Bangladesh on my birthday. I am also missing my husband Omar
Sunny, my son and my daughter-in-law on this day. They are now in
Bangladesh." Moushumi was born in Khulna on November 3, 1973.
The actress tied the knot with Dhallywood actor Omar Sunny in
1996. The couple has a son named Fardin Ehsan Swadhin and
daughter Faina.
TBT RepoRT
Actress-director-singer widow Meher Afroz
Shaon is all set to come up with a new
chapter of her iconic song 'Jodi Mon Kade'
paying tribute to him on the occasion.
Shaon has reunited with singer-composer
SI Tutul for her upcoming single 'Jodi Mon
Kade 2', inspired by the original song, 'Jodi
Mon Kade', which was penned by Humayun
Ahmed while its composition and music
were done by Tutul.
"I sang a song back in 2007 titled 'Jodi
Mon Kade'. It can be said that the upcoming
one is the 'new chapter' of it," said Shaon.
'Jodi Mon Kade 2' has its lyrics written by
Mohammad Fazal, an immense fan of the
original song. Initially, Fazal wrote the lyrics
very long which was later cut short and
revised, as shared by Shaon.
The singer informed that she has already
lent voice for the song with the composition
and music done by SI Tutul. A music video
will be shot tomorrow featuring her and it
will come out on Humayun Ahmed's
birthday this month.
In the meantime, Shaon has teamed up
with singer Selim Chowdhury, who also had
sung in Humayun Ahmed's TV play and
films, for a new duet titled 'Bhalobasar Sabuj
Dwip-e' which will be released on the
YouTube channel of 'Urvashi Forum' very
soon.
Regarding the collaboration, Shaon said,
"Selim is a very talented artiste. It still
For almost a month, Shah Rukh Khan put
all of his work aside to get his elder son
Aryan Khan out on bail. Just a few
moments ago, finally, Aryan arrived at
their house Mannat, giving a sigh of relief
to SRK. As elder son is back at home, here
comes a big update on Khan's pending
projects- 'Pathan' and Atlee's next.
As we all know, SRK had to leave the
shoot of Atlee's next mid-way as Aryan was
detained and arrested by Narcotics
Control Bureau (NCB). Even his 'Pathan',
directed by SiddharthAnand, suffered a
big-time as the entire schedule was
cancelled, which was scheduled in foreign
countries.
Now, after a gloomy phase of almost a
month, Shah Rukh Khan has planned on
getting back to work. As per the latest
reports flowing in, Shah Rukh has planned
to resume his work after celebrating Aryan
Khan's birthday which falls on November
13. He'll be quickly wrapping up the
schedule of Atlee's next and then move on
to 'Pathan'.
Meanwhile, earlier we have learnt that
one man turned out to be a saviour for
Atlee's film. In the absence of Shah Rukh
Khan, Prashant Walde shot for the film.
Prashant is a body double of SRK. Thanks
to him, the shoot was going on as per the
Shaon to pay tribute
with new song 'Jodi
Mon Kade 2'
remains memorable that the hype he had
created with his song 'Aij Pasha Khelbore
Shyam' during the 1990s. It was not the age
of the 'viral' trend when there was no
Facebook or YouTube. At that time, his song
schedule. As per reports, Prashant Walde
had confirmed he's shooting in the
absence of Shah Rukh. "20 days of shoot is
over. Around 180 days of shoot is still left."
He even explained that how Shah Rukh's
absence affects thousands of lives in the
film industry. He shared, "Bollywood
kochalanemeinkuch logon hi haathhai.
released on cassette went such viral that,
afterwards, many artists had re-recorded it.
Talented artists like him do not appear with
new work frequently now."
Shaon added, "I feel good that he has been
available for a new song after so many days
and I had collaborated with him in it".
"The song is of Kirtan style with a touch of
traditional Bengali folk and also has a
romantic vibe. Its lyrics are penned with a
mixture of contemporary words and
conventional Bengali culture. A music video
also has been shot for it," she elaborated
about the new duet.
Shaon recently created a buzz among her
fans with the releases of her collaborations
with Chanchal Chowdhury in 'Nisha Lagilo
Re' and 'Jubati Radhe' and 'Chandni Raite
Nirajane' with Fazlur Rahman Babu.
Asked whether she has become active in
music in full-swing as she had come with
new renditions back-to-back in recent times
and the response was very positive, Shaon
said, "I do it whenever I like it. I had done
these songs back-to-back because I liked it.
There are some more songs still in the
pipeline. But it's not like that I had done
anything with much concern and with a
detailed plan from before like a career plan.
It's quite coincidental that I'm singing a little
more in recent times," she said.
She was enjoying that her latest renditions
have been warmly accepted by the audience.
"I love music always, as a medium, more
than any other medium," Shaon said.
A big update on SRK's 'Pathan'
Ekinsaankiwajah se hazaaron logon
kagharchaltahai. So it's obvious that if he
(Shah Rukh Khan) doesn't work, then so
many people will get affected. With great
difficultly, things have come on track after
the lockdown and now this problem has
erupted."
Source: India Today
h o R o S c o p e
aRieS
(March 21 - April 20) : A woman, perhaps a
colleague who's very bright and sometimes
annoying, could visit you today. If you
aren't careful, this person could goad you into a heated
discussion or arouse your insecurity. Try to distance
yourself. This person has issues of her own to deal with
that have little if anything to do with you. Be polite and
understanding and then show her the door!
TauRuS
(April 21 - May 21) : A lot of calls could
come your way today. Some involve
people who live far away, some are
from friends with heavy emotional
difficulties, and one could come from a romantic
partner with whom you're very anxious to get
together. You might hop in the car to meet this
person somewhere familiar in your community.
Don't wear your voice out talking on the phone!
GeMini
(May 22 - June 21) : Money matters may
need attention today. Bills need to be paid,
checks deposited, or contracts executed.
The relief you get from handling this should lift your
spirits considerably. Get out in the fresh air, take a walk,
and work off some of your energy. Get the endorphins
going. Phone a friend and spend the evening on the town.
You've worked hard and you deserve it.
canceR
(June 22 - July 23) : You're in a great
mood, and you're raring to go at just
about anything. Your physical energy
is high, so some exercise is indicated,
possibly sports. You might want to take a short
trip out of town or embark on a new course of
study or try your hand at writing. Your
enthusiasm and optimism are high, so the sky's
the limit.
leo
(July 24 - Aug. 23): Today you
might feel a strong psychic link with
a friend who lives far away that you
haven't seen for a long time. You
might wonder what this person is up to and this
could be a bit worrying. Don't be shy. Call! One
way or another, you should know what's
happening. It could be that your friend is just
having a bad day. Provide a sympathetic ear!
ViRGo
(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23): Group activities or
meetings could prove fraught today as
those around you get pulled into
discussions about which they feel strongly and on
which they don't all agree! This isn't a good day to get
involved in heated discussions even if you find the idea
tempting. Stay out of it! Find someone who's also
staying out of it and talk to that person.
liBRa
(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): The possibility
of impending changes in your
personal or professional life could
have you feeling worried and
insecure. Don't be. If anything, you'll benefit from
these changes. There could be a lot of tension and
stress in the air, and it will be hard to avoid
picking up on this energy. Try to relax! Let
yourself be carried along by the current.
ScoRpio
(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22): You may have
been making plans to take a long
trip or return to school for an
advanced degree. Until now you
may have put it off. You've finally stepped over
the line and made the decision to do it. There's
no stopping you! You may spend a lot of time
on the phone gathering information and
making preliminary arrangements.
SaGiTTaRiuS
(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): Legal papers regarding
money that you may have been working
on for a while should finally be done today.
This should lift your spirits if for no other
reason than to have it all out of the way! You should feel
especially talkative, enthusiastic, and passionate. You
may want to schedule a romantic evening with your
partner. Have fun!
capRicoRn
(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20) : Some bad experiences
regarding career, family, travel, or
education could have a friend,
colleague, or love partner in an
explosive mood today. This person could be
unpredictable now - happy one minute and in the
depths of gloom the next. Don't try to give advice or
cheer up him or her. It will only result in anger. Stay
out of the way and let your friend work through it.
aQuaRiuS
(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) : Job stress
might be getting to you. Drinking a
lot of water would be a good idea.
Moderate amounts of exercise and
rest are also indicated. Don't eat very spicy
foods. This is a good day to catch up on
reading, studying, or research. Your physical
self may not be what it should be, but your
brain is sharp.
piSceS
(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20) : Today you should
feel romantic and passionate and
want to get together with your love
partner. You'll probably do that, but
it may be difficult and only arranged at the last
minute. Don't panic if you can't reach your friend
during the early part of the day. Don't give up.
You'll have a great evening.

fRiDAY, NoveMBeR 5, 2021
11
HNA's $170 bn
restructuring approved
by Chinese court
BEIJING : A Chinese court
has given the green light for
the $172 billion restructuring
of debt-laden conglomerate
HNA Group, in a process that
could suggest how authorities
will deal with embattled
property giant Evergrande,
reports BSS.
The group-China's largest
private aviation conglomerate
and owner of one of the
country's biggest carriers
Hainan Airlines-filed for
bankruptcy in January after
struggling to resolve a drawnout
cash crisis.
Since then it has been in a
restructuring process
overseen by the local
government as it tries to settle
debts.
The revamp will see the
mammoth group split into
four sections-aviation,
airports, financial and
commercial-with new
shareholders.
HNA said in a statement
Sunday that a court in
southern Hainan where it is
based had approved a plan for
the reorganization.
The restructuring comes as
investors eye the fate of
property giant Evergrande,
which is mired in more than
$300 billion of liabilities from
a years-long acquisition
binge, including into electric
vehicles that were once billed
as a rival to Elon Musk's
dominant Tesla brand.
While the government has
not yet decided to bail out the
struggling developer, analysts
say Evergrande could be
forced to undergo a similar
state-led restructuring.
GD-1630/21 (6x3)
A free blood group diagnosis center has been inaugurated at Baraigram on Thursday. The occassion
was inaugurated by Municipal Mayor and Municipal Awami League President KM Zakir Hossain at
Bonpara Municipal premises.
Photo: Amor D Costa
91 illegal immigrants voluntarily
repatriated from Libya
TRIPOLI : A group of 91
illegal immigrants, mostly
children, on Wednesday
were voluntarily repatriated
from Libya to their home
country Niger.
"Based on instructions
from the Interior Minister
regarding resumption of
voluntary repatriation
flights for illegal
immigrants, a flight
deported from Misurata
International Airport to
Niger's Niamey airport
through the International
Organization for Migration
(IOM)," Hussain Attorki,
head of migrants
deportation department in
Misurata International
Airport, told Xinhua.
"The flight carried 91
illegal immigrants,
including six men, 25
women, and 60 children
and infants," he added.
Libya has been suffering
insecurity and chaos since
the fall of the late leader
Muammar Gaddafi in 2011,
making the North African
country a preferred point of
departure for illegal
immigrants who want to
cross the Mediterranean
Sea to European shores.
The
Voluntary
Humanitarian Return
program, run by the IOM,
arranges the return of
illegal immigrants stranded
in Libya to their homeland.
Since 2015, more than
53,000 illegal immigrants
have been repatriated from
Libya through the program,
which is carried out under
the EU-IOM Joint Initiative
for Migrant Protection and
Reintegration and through
the Italian foreign
ministry's Migration Fund.
Japanese PM Kishida to
double as foreign minister
until Cabinet relaunch next
week
TOKYO, Nov. 4
(Xinhua/UNB) -- Japanese
Prime Minister Fumio
Kishida will double as
foreign minister until he
relaunches the Cabinet
after the Japanese
parliament holds a special
session next week, local
media reported Thursday.
After Akira Amari
resigned from the post of
the secretary-general of
Japan's ruling Liberal
Democratic Party (LDP)
due to his shock defeat in a
single-seat district in
Sunday's House of
Representatives election,
the party officially decided
Nazmul Mostafa Amin
has been made convener
and Mohammad
Sajjadur Rahman
member secretary of
the new convening
committee
of
Lohagara Upazila BNP
recently. Photo: TBT
BNP forms
new convening
committee in
Lohagara
Kawsar Hamid Tushar,
Lohagara Correspondent
Lohagara Upazila BNP
has formed a new
convening committee.
The new committee has
Nazmul Mostafa Amin as
convener and Mohammad
Sajjadur Rahman as
member secretary.
South district BNP
convener Abu Sufian and
member secretary Mostaq
Ahmed Khan confirmed
the information in a press
release on Wednesday
(November 3rd).
Nazmul Mustafa Amin
has been the convener of
Chattogram South
District Sramik Dal and
the publicity and
publication secretary of
South District BNP. He is
also a member of the
present convening
committee.
Mohammad Sajjadur
Rahman has successfully
served as a former
student leader at different
times. He was the former
general secretary of
Lohagara Upazila BNP.
to appoint Foreign
Minister Toshimitsu
Motegi to the party's No. 2
post.
Motegi, former policy
chief of the LDP, easily
secured his seat in his
constituency Tochigi
Prefecture in the latest
election of the lower
chamber.
Former education
minister Yoshimasa
Hayashi will be a candidate
to succeed Motegi as
foreign minister, local
media reported, citing
sources.
Under the Japanese
Constitution, the Cabinet
must resign en masse when
the first session of the Diet is
convened following a
general election. Then, the
Diet will choose Kishida as
the prime minister in a
special session expected to
be held next Wednesday,
and he will then relaunch
the Cabinet.
Kishida told reporters on
Thursday "Since I have
gained the people's
mandate through the
general election, I now plan
to speedily implement
policies" on key issues such
as the COVID-19 pandemic
and economic challenges.
EU helps Palestine pay
staff salaries in health,
education sector
RAMALLAH : The
European Union (EU) has
provided 18.8 million U.S.
dollars to the Palestinian
Authority to help it pay
October's salaries and
pensions for staff in the
health and education
sector, according to a
statement on Wednesday,
reports UNB.
The money was already
transferred to the
Palestinian Ministry of
Finance, the EU office in
Palestine said in the
statement.
The Palestinian Authority
is suffering from a financial
crisis and is close to a
"breaking point," a United
Nations official has recently
said.
GD-1627/21 (4x4)
2 Bangladeshis
killed 'in BSF firing'
along Sylhet border
SYLHET : Two Bangladeshis
were shot dead allegedly by
Indian Border Security
force(BSF) members along
Dona border in Kanaighat
upazila on Wednesday,
reports UNB.
Local people found the
bodies of Askar Ali, 25 son of
Abdul Latif and Arif
Hossain,22,son of Abdul
Hannan of Elagul village
lying at No Man's Land along
Bangladesh-India border on
Wednesday noon.
GD-1623/21 (5x3)
GD-1628/21 (6.5x3)
406
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MÖvg kn‡ii DbœwZ

Friday, dhaka: November 5, 2021; kartik 20, 1428 BS; rabi-ul awal 29, 1443 hijri
"Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan" to
be implemented in 2030: Saima
Glasgow (Scotland) : 'Mujib Climate
Prosperity Plan' which has been presented
at the 26th UN Climate Change
Conference of the Parties (COP26) will be
implemented in 2030 and it needs local
and foreign funds.
Saima Wazed Hossain Putul,
Chairperson of the National Advisory
Committee on Autism and Neuro
Developmental Disorders and World
Health Organization's (WHO) Goodwill
Ambassador for Southeast Asia, took
part in a discussion on the sidelines of
Glasgow Climate Conference on
Wednesday (November 3).
She briefed the representatives of different
countries on the Mujib Climate Action
Plan. Saima Wazed said the 'Mujib
Climate Prosperity Plan' under the Climate
Vulnerable Forum (CVF) will pave the way
for tackling climate change and
Bangladesh is working to that end.
"If we can implement the plan properly,
we will be able to solve the problems
related to climate," Saima Wazed Putul
told reporters.
Australia thrashes
Bangladesh by
8 wickets
SportS deSk
Australia beat Bangladesh by eight wickets
in a Super 12 match of the T20 World
Cup at Dubai International Stadium on
Thursday. Australia romped to victory in
just 6.2 overs with Aaron Finch (40 off
20) leading from the front.
Earlier, Bangladesh put yet another miserable
batting show to be bowled out for 73
in 15 overs against Australia in their last
game of the Super 12 phase of ongoing
Twenty20 World Cup at Dubai in UAE.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa was the
wrecker-in-chief with 5-19, his best bowling
and second best for Australia in this
format. He was ably supported by fast
bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh
Hazzlewood who claimed two wickets
apiece. Only three batters of Bangladesh
could reach double digit figures with
Shamim Patwari making the highest 19.
Opener Naim Sheikh scored 17 while
captain Mahmudullah Riyad added 16.
This was Bangladesh's second lowest
total in the T20 World Cup with the lowest
70 came against New Zealand in
Kolkata in the 2016 edition. This was also
Mahmudullah and his troops' second
total below 100 in this tournament in a
row, having shot out for 84 against South
Africa in the previous match.
After being sent to bat first,
Bangladesh lost the wicket in the first
over when Liton Das was bowled out by
an express delivery of Mitchell Starc.
But Bangladesh appeared to recover
from the jolt with Naim and Soumya
Sarkar finding a couple of boundaries in
an otherwise pretty good batting deck.
But the rot began then with Soumya dragging
one of Josh Hazzlewood onto his wicket
and Mushfiqur being trapped leg-before
after trying to flick a delivery of Glenn
Maxwell. The Tigers were left to 10-3 in third
overs, indicating that the second consecutive
total below 100 was on the cards.
However the lower order saved
Bangladesh from being bowled out for their
lowest total in the Twenty20 World by 3
runs margin even though Zampa finished
with his first five-wicket haul in the T20 Int’l
format and only fourth for Australia.
"We gave much effort while formulating
this plan. If other countries follow this, we
believe, they will be able to protect themselves
from climate change issues.
Bangladesh has already been able to successfully
demonstrate the action that needs
to be taken in tackling climate change."
She added that the 'Mujib Prospective
Climate Plan' has already been appreciated
by world leaders. "Once it is implemented,
Bangladesh will go a long way in
implementing Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs)."
Replying to a question regarding goals of
'Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan', Saima said
this plan has been formed focusing the
next decade. "Through this we will be able
to tackle the effects of climate change. With
this plan, we will be able to deal with climate
change and the impacts of Covid-19
pandemic."
The damage done to our economic
growth by Covid-19 can be also offset by
the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan, she
said.
Saima Wazed said, "We are losing lives,
resources, shelters due to climate change.
In addition, many are leading their lives as
climate refugees after losing their homes
and livelihood."
Women, children and people with disabilities
are under threat due to climate
change. All the solutions are there in the
Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan to cope with
the climate change.
"This flagship project is an important
step towards green, nature-based solution
and offset the aftermath of the Covid-19
crisis," said Saima Wazed.
The 48 countries that are members of
the Climate Vulnerable Forum are responsible
for only 5 percent of the world's total
carbon emissions. "However, the adverse
effects of climate change have posed a fundamental
threat to our lives and livelihoods."
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
presented the "Mujib Climate Prosperity
Plan" while presiding over Climate
Vulnerable Forum Leaders' Dialogue:
Forging a CVF-COP26 Climate Emergency
Pact at COP26 venue here on Tuesday.
BNP can't win people's heart by
making sly comments: Quader
DHAKA : Awami League General
Secretary and Road Transport and
Bridges Minister
Obaidul Quader
yesterday said BNP
won't be able to win
the people's heart by
making cunning
comments.
He said this at a
regular press conference
on contemporary
issues at his
official residence
here. About BNP
Secretary General
Mirza Fakhrul Islam obaidul Quader
Alamgir's comment
that there will be massive crowd on return
of BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique
Rahman to Bangladesh, Quader said the
people want to see at first fugitive convict
Tarique Rahman's coming to country and
then it will be clear whether BNP sees better
days or not.
Asking BNP in which year Tarique
Rahman would come to country, he said
13 years have passed but Tarique Rahman
could not show his
courage to return to
the country.
In the last several
years BNP is making
many stories like
"BNP would make
mass movement",
"captive Begum
Khaleda Zia is more
powerful than free
Khaleda Zia", "BNP
would attain landslide
victory in elections"
and "Awami
League will not get
more than 30 parliamentary seats", he
mentioned.
"The people see what has happened by
making such stories," he said.
Later, the minister inaugurated the 69-
meter Nangalia Bridge on Vatkura-Basail-
Sakhipur road in Tangail which was build
at a cost of around Taka 8.50 crore.
Communal provocation will
not be tolerated : Murad
DHAKA : State Minister for Information
and Broadcasting Dr Md Murad Hassan
yesterday communal incitement will not
be tolerated in this country. The ministry
said this while exchanging views with journalists
at his office, a press release said.
"Some inferior and anti-national groups
are misleading the tender-hearted students
of the country by hypnotizing them,
he said, adding that with the help of these
evil forces, some people attacked at the
puja-mandaps in the country.
These evil forces must be stopped now
as the people of Hindu community are suffering
because of the perpetrators, he continued.
He said that this vested quarter is tarnishing
the image of the country abroad by
politicizing religion.
He urged all to work together for the
betterment of the country imbued with the
ideology of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
and the spirit of the Liberation War.
Earlier, he attended a view-exchanging
meeting titled "Important of Public
Diplomacy" organized by the Bangladesh
High Commission of Washington DC in
the United States, said another press
release.
the photo shows australian wicketkeeper appealing for Mushfiqur's wicket who was trapped
leg-before after trying to flick a delivery of glenn Maxwell at dubai international Stadium on
thursday.
photo: Star Mail
a flowery reception has been given to dr. towhida rashid by the Chairman and the other faculty
members of the department of oceanography for being appointed as the new dean (acting) of the
Faculty of earth and environmental Sciences (FeeS) of the University of dhaka. photo : tBt
Journalists sued
under DSA need not
to be arrested
instantly : Law Minister
DHAKA : Law Minister Anisul Huq has
said journalists should not be arrested
immediately if cases are filed against
them under the Digital Security Act
(DSA), reports UNB.
"I've talked to the home minister and
shared with him that journalists shouldn't
be arrested right after they're sued under
the DSA," he said.
The minister came up with the remark
while talking to reporters at the secretariat
on Thursday.
The law minister said he discussed two
issues with the home minister.
If any complaint is lodged against a
journalist under the DSA, police should
not record it immediately. There was a
section in the ICT Act where there was a
provision of a cell and these cases should
be recorded upon satisfaction of the cell,
the minister added.
Regarding the DSA, the minister said,
"We'll take action against those who'll
'misuse and abuse' this law as the DSA is
a very necessary law."
"This law was enacted not to hamper
the freedom of speech or freedom of
press and I'll say this again and again,"
said the minister.
Bangladesh to consider
joining the pledge to end
deforestation : Delegates
GLASGOW : Bangladesh is weighing option
on whether to express solidarity with
the pledge 124 countries have made at
Glasgow climate change summit to end
and reverse deforestation by 2030, several
delegates indicated on Thursday, reports
UNB
Bangladesh stayed away from the deforestation
deal signed at COP26 summit arguing
that the country's constitution already
provides clear and specific guidelines
on preservation of forests, several delegates
said. On the third day of climate conference
the topic of discussion focused on protecting
the forest of the planet.
It has received commitments from leaders
representing more than 85% of the
world's forests to halt and reverse deforestation
by 2030. Among them are several
countries with huge swathe of forests, including
Brazil, China, Colombia, Congo,
Indonesia, Russia and the United States.
Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power,
energy and mineral resources said
Bangladesh representatives have raised
the points on industrialization without
harming the environment at the discussion.
"In Bangladesh industrialization is
going on without harming the environment.
Rampal power plant is being built
far away from the Sundarbans. In future
projects Bangladesh will maintain the
practice," he said.
"As this is a declaration of agreement, we
have time to consider about Bangladesh's
involvement, "said Saber Hossain
Chowdhury, Chairman of parliamentary
standing committee on Forest,
Environment and Climate change.
Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh
Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) Dr Ahmad
Kamruzzaman Mazumder told the UNB
reporter it is disappointing that
Bangladesh did not express solidarity
with such a declaration.
Policy support instrumental
for renewable energy
development: Experts
DHAKA : Speakers at a webinar have
urged the government to set the renewable
energy as a priority sector to scale up
its use saying that policy support is
instrumental for its development, reports
UNB.
"There're huge potentials for renewable
energy, especially solar power, for
different sectors, including irrigation,
and motor vehicle recharging," said
Munawar Misbah Moin, Vice President
of Bangladesh Solar and Renewable
Energy Association (BSREA).
The BSREA, a platform of private operators
in solar and renewable energy business,
organised the seminar titled
"Energy Access and Resilience of
Bangladesh - Potentials and Challenges"
with its president Dipal Barua in the
chair.
The organizers said the seminar was
arranged in order to send its outcomes to
the "Blue Zone", the window and connector
of people to COP26.
Chairman of Bangladesh Sustainable
and Renewable Energy Development
Authority (Sreda) Mohammad Aladdin
and Energypac CEO and director Nurul
Aktar also addressed the seminar.
BSREA general secretary Data Magfur
conducted the event.
Munawar Moin said solar home systems
(SHSs) have been the best example
of success in renewable energy as it illuminated
6 million homes across the
country.
Now solar irrigation, solar chilling systems
for rural industry, solar recharging
stations for electric vehicles have new
potential areas for renewable energy
where it could be utilized for climate
resiliency, he added.
Nurul Aktar said renewable energy
could be imported through cross-border
transmission lines.
He said a strong policy support is
essential for the further growth of the
renewable energy sector as Bangladesh
will need to generate 16,000 MW of
power from this source while the country's
total power generation will reach
40,000 MW by 2030.
Dipal Barua said the country is now
generating 850 MW power from renewable
sources where solar power's contribution
has been the highest.
Mohammad Aladdin said the government
is now moving forward to introduce
a floating solar system as the country
has scarcity of lands.
He said an initiative has been taken to
develop wind power plants as well.
UP Election
4 killed, 30 injured in
Narsingdi clash
Md SaliM Mia, NarSiNgdi CorreSpoNdeNt
Four people have been killed in a clash
between the supporters of two Union
Parishad candidates in Narsingdi's Sadar
Upazila. Another 30 people were injured
during the clash, which occurred early on
Thursday morning in Nekjanpur Village
in Alokbali Union, said Shaheb Ali
Pathan, additional superintendent of
police from Narsingdi.
The dead have been identified as Amir
Hossain, 50, Ariful Islam, 18, Khairul
Islam, 40, and Khorsheda Begum
Khushu, 55.
Two factions of the local Awami
League engaged in the clash over the
upcoming Union Parishad elections in
Alokbali on Nov 11, according to the
police and locals.
Supporters of Abul Khaer and Ripon
Mollah, who are both running for the
Ward-5 member seat, clashed early on
Thursday. Both sides were armed with
spears and firearms.
Three were killed at the scene, while
one died on the way to Dhaka Medical.
The injured were admitted to several
nearby hospitals.
Police went to the scene and restored
order after they were informed of the
incident, Shaheb Ali Pathan said.
The bodies of the victims have been
taken to the Narsingdi Sadar Hospital
morgue and additional police personnel
have been deployed around the scene.
Locals say all three of the dead were
workers or supporters of current Alokbali
Union Chairman Md Delowar Hossain,
who is running for re-election.
The chairman did not provide a statement
on the clash.
Road crash kills 3
in Mymensingh
Md ali ahSaN raj,
MyMeNSiNgh CorreSpoNdeNt
Three people were killed as an excavator
hit a battery-run auto-rickshaw in Pagla
Thana area under Gafargaon upazila of
Mymensingh on Thursday.
The deceased were known as Kafil
Uddin, 45, Nasir Uddin, 35 and an
unidentified man, 32.
Rasheduzzaman, Officer-in-charge of
Pagla police station said, the excavator
hit the auto-rickshaw in the area this
noon, leaving a passenger of the rickshaw
dead on the spot and injured two others
critically.
Later, the injured were sent to the local
hospital where doctors declared them
dead, he added.