19-05-2022

thursday

DHAKA: May 19, 2022; Jaishtha 5,1429 BS; Shawal 17,1443 Hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.20; N o. 18; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

InternatIonal

N Korea hails recovery

as WHO worries

over missing data

>Page 7

Govt issues notice

on Hajj deposit

withdrawal

DHAKA : The Ministry of Religious Affairs

has issued a special notice regarding the

withdrawal of the deposit for this year's

Hajj pilgrimage in case of death, illness, or

expiry of age limit of the depositors.

According to the notice issued on

Wednesday, aspiring pilgrims who had

already deposited their Hajj funds but are

unable to attend this year due to death, illness,

or age limit will be allowed to withdraw

their deposited money.

In these cases, the nominees would be

able to withdraw the deposited money by

applying to the registration refund system

by logging on to www.hajj.gov.bd website.

Tipu discounts

wheat crisis amid

rising price

DHAKA : Commerce Minister Tipu

Munshi on Wednesday underplayed concern

over wheat price saying the country

has enough stock of the food grain.

He was briefing the media after a meeting

of the Task Force committee on commodity

prices and market monitoring at

the Secretariat.

He said India's ban on wheat export

won't affect Bangladesh which can import

it from the neighbouring country through

G2G deal. He said India slapped a ban on

other countries. He also blamed some

unscrupulous businesspeople for price

hike of the essentials. Talking about the

edible oil, the minister said the price

depends on global market.

"We have to import 90% edible oil from

the international market, " he said adding

the domestic price will be influnced by rising

global price.

He said the givernment has decided to

increase production of mustard and rice

bran oil to stabilise the market.

Bangladesh is capable of producing 50-

60 thousnad tonnes of rice bran and it can

be increased to 7 lakh tonnes, he said.

The meeting also discussed the overall

situation of onion, wheat and salt and its

supply.

No improvement in

Sylhet's flood situation

SYLHET : The overall flood situation in

Sylhet district showed no signs of

improvement on Wednesday, with some

rivers still flowing above the danger level.

Officials said that all the rivers of the district

are full to the brim due to the onrush

of hilly waters from the upstream and

incessant rains over the past several days.

The Surma and the Kushiara, in particular,

are flowing above the danger level.

The low-lying areas of the district have

already been flooded, rendering nearly

one lakh people marooned, officials said.

Meanwhile, a vast tract of the bordering

areas of Goainghat, Companiganj,

Kanaighat, Jointapur and Jakiganj upazilas

have also been inundated.

In Sylhet city, several roads have gone

under water with floodwaters entering a

number of government establishments.

AKM Niloy Saha, the deputy divisional

engineer of the Sylhet Water Development

Board, said, "We are receiving reports of

the collapse of flood protection dams from

different parts of the district."

Zohr

03:52 AM

12:00 PM

04:33 PM

06:39 PM

08:01 PM

5:14 6:36

sports

Bangladesh

declare ensuring

a 68-run lead

>Page 9

BNP has a history of

rigging election to trample

people's rights:PM

DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

on Wednesday said that since opposition

BNP has a history of tainted polls it has no

right now to raise question about election.

"The history of elections during BNP

regimes is so much contaminated... they do

not have any right to talk about election,"

she said while addressing a discussion

arranged by Awami League to mark her

homecoming from exile in India in 1981.

Held at the party's central office at 23

Bangabandhu Avenue she joined the programme

virtually from her official residence

Ganobhaban.

Hasina mentioned how the BNP government

rigged the Magura parliamentary

bye-election in 1994 to snatch away

the victory of her party's candidate.

The blatant rigging, she said, triggered

a popular movement to force Khaleda

Zia's government to quit and hand over

power to a neutral caretaker government

to hold the parliamentary election.

She also referred to the February 15

parliamentary election Khaleda held in

1996 which was boycotted by the opposition

parties and shunned by voters.

Similarly elections were rigged by BNP

in 1981 and by Ziaur Rahman in 1977,

1978 and1979, Hasina said.

She said that BNP, knowing quite well

that they would suffer a huge defeat in the

next general election, is now trying to

make it questionable. Hasina also wondered

about the leadership of BNP.

"BNP has no leadership at all, all are

convicted criminals, it is not possible to

win any election by convicted criminals,"

she said adding, she has a question

regarding BNP's recent move about the

election. "If people do not respond to

their movement, who will be held responsible

for that," she wondered.

She said that the development of the

election system was the brainchild of the

Awami League. She mentioned about the

voters' list with picture, transparent ballot

box and EVM. "We want to establish the

right to vote by the voters. So their (BNP)

concern is just meaningless," she said.

Hasina, also the chief of the ruling

Awami League, said her party has been

elected by the people. It has returned the

voting rights to the people.

"Awami League has returned the people's

democratic right to them. That is its

biggest strength and as we are in power

by that strength we are working for the

people," she said.

The prime minister said that country's

massive development owes to Awami

League because it has been in power for a

long time. She mentioned about the

development activities of the Awami

League government during the 1996-

2001 tenure which were destroyed by the

BNP-Jamaat-led government during

2001-2006.

14-party alliance working under

Sheikh Hasina's leadership: Amu

DHAKA : Awami League (AL) Advisory

Council Member and 14-Party alliance

spokesperson Amir Hossain Amu yesterday

said if Awami League President

Sheikh Hasina hadn't returned the country

in 1981 it wouldn't have possible to

hold trial of war criminals and killers of

Bangabandhu.

"Bangladesh has returned to light from

darkness with the return of

Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina

to her homeland and democracy has

been restored as well," he said.

He said this while speaking virtually at

a meeting of 14-party alliance on the occasion

of Awami League President and

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's historic

Homecoming Day.

Amu said under the leadership of

Sheikh Hasina, the pro-liberation political

parties got united to suppress militancy

and build a non-communal Bangladesh.

Amu said that under the leadership of

Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina,

14-parties will continue to work together

to thwart all conspiracies being imbued

with the spirit of liberation war.

Workers Party President Rashed Khan

Menon, MP, AL Joint General Secretary

Mahbubul Alam Hanif, MP, Agriculturist

AFM Bahauddin Nasim, General

Secretary of Jatiya Party JP Sheikh

Shahidul Islam, General Secretary of

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Shirin

Akhter, MP, Chairman of Bangladesh

Tarikat Federation Syed Najibul Bashar

Maizbhandari and General Secretary of

Ganatantri Party Dr. Shahadat Hossain,

among others, were present.

Awami League Liberation War Affairs

Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das presided over

the discussion.

The flood situation has deteriorated in the entire district including Sylhet city. flood-hit people are suffering

from shortage of drinking water and dry food. The picture is taken on Wednesday. Photo : Star mail

art & culture

When Katrina

reveals dark side

of Bollywood!

>Page 10

Nature is watching the intense form of the month of Jaishtha. The heat has become unbearable in the last

few days due to lack of rain. The picture is taken from mohakhali area on Wednesday. Photo : Star mail

BB halts foreign

trips of its officials,

employees

DHAKA : Bangladesh Bank (BB) has suspended

overseas travel of its officials,

employees with the central bank's financing

until further notice.

Foreign trips of Bangladesh Bank officials

and employees, there participation in

educational programmes, seminars and

workshops will remain suspended following

the decision.

Bangladesh Bank states that officials/

employees can travel abroad for treatment

or Hajj with their own expenses.

Earlier, the government put on hold

all kinds of overseas travel of its officials

until further notice due to current global

crisis and to help post- Covid economic

recovery.

On May 16, The Finance Ministry

issued another circular clarifying policy

and the restriction of traveling of government

officials abroad.

The circular stated that the prohibitions

mentioned in the earlier circular would be

applicable to all government-semi-government

and autonomous organizations.

These restrictions will also apply to travel

abroad from the own funds of these

organizations.

In other words, government officials

and employees cannot go abroad even

with money from the internal funds such

of any entities.

In line with the government instruction,

Bangladesh bank has taken this decision.

Bangladesh Bank is discouraging the

import of luxury goods to reduce the pressure

on the forex reserves and to ease the

dollar crisis.

BERC recommends to

increase electricity price

Safiqul iSlam (Jami)

The technical team of Bangladesh

Energy Regulatory Commission

(BERC) has recommended to increase

the price of electricity in the country by

57.83 percent as opposed to the proposal

of Power Development Board

(BUBO) to increase the price by 65.57

percent. The recommendation was

made at a public hearing at the BIAM

Foundation auditorium in the capital

on Wednesday (May 18). However, the

technical committee of BERC has recommended

to increase the wholesale

price of electricity if the subsidy price

is the same as before.

BERC Chairman Abdul Jalil, Member

Maqbool E Elahi, Abu Farooq, Director

General of Power Development Board,

Director and officials at different levels

were present there.

The government is currently subsidizing

the wholesale rate by TK 3.39 per unit. The

Power Development Board (BUBO) is

selling at a wholesale rate of TK 5.17 per

unit. To avoid subsidies, BUBO has proposed

to increase the price of electricity by

TK 3.39 per unit to TK 8.58 per unit. In

view of this, BERC has recommended to

increase the price of electricity by TK 2.99

per unit to TK 8.16.

BERC last fixed the wholesale price of

electricity at TK 5.17 per unit in February

2020. Bangladesh Electricity

Development Board (BPDB) is the sole

wholesaler of electricity.

BPDB is generating its own electricity as

well as importing power from abroad and

buying power from privately owned power

plants. It has been selling at wholesale

prices to 5 distribution companies. And

they are distributing in the urban areas of

Mymensingh, Sylhet and Chattogram

divisions.

BPDB's proposal to increase the wholesale

price has said that the cost of generating

electricity from oil has gone up due to

non-availability of gas supply as per

demand. In 2019-2020 FY, the average

production cost of electricity was TK 2.13

and in FY 2020-21 it increased to TK 3.16.

Due to increase in fuel price and

increase in coal VAT, the production cost

per unit in 2022 will be TK 4.24. If the

wholesale price does not increase, BPDB

will lose 30 thousand 251 crore 80 lakh

taka in 2022. PDB's proposal to increase

the wholesale price has said that the cost of

generating electricity from oil has gone up

due to insufficient supply of gas.

The BERC chairman said, "The question

may arise as to why we are holding

a hearing on electricity prices without

announcing a public hearing on gas

prices." As you know, with the rise in

prices comes the issue of government

policy decisions, which is a matter of

documentary evidence. The process is

continuing. In the end, the price of gas

will be decided.

He said the commission was holding a

public hearing on the electricity price

adjustment proposal due to its legal procedures.

The announcement of wholesale

prices will have an impact on retail.

We have not received any offer from

them. The latest wholesale price of electricity

was fixed at TK 5.17 per unit in

February 2020.

Char areas full of possibilities

for country's economy

DHAKA : State Minister for Water

Resources Zahid Faruk said a large part of

the river-centric Bangladesh is Char area

which is full of possibilities for country's

economic growth for its large number of

population and a vast area of fertile land.

"The government has taken a number of

projects to reduce the hunger and poverty

of the people living in the char areas as

most of them are being deprived of basic

needs," said Zahid Faruk.

The state minister was addressing a

workshop titled 'Long-term Impact of the

Char Development and Settlement Project

and Strategic Planning for a Sustainable

Future' at Multipurpose Hall Room of

Pani Bhaban in the capital.

The government has been working like a

developed country in terms of combating

the impacts of climate change and thus,

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has introduced

the delta plan-2100, he said,

adding, "Tackling the effects of climate

change is mandatory for sustainable

development".

A number of projects are underway to

make the deprived people of costal area

happy, he added. Later, Zahid faruk

unveiled the cover of the book 'New Land,

New Life' on the occasion.

Senior Secretary Kabir Bin Anwar

presided over the workshop while Deputy

Minister of the Ministry of Water

Resources A K M Enamul Hoque

Shamim, MP, addressed as special guest.

Director General of Bangladesh Water

Development Board Fazlur Rashid, First

Secretary at the Embassy of the Kingdom

of the Netherlands Folkert G.J de Jager

and Program Officer of IFAD Mariel

Zimmermann, among others, were present

on the occasion.

2

ThuRsDAY, MAY 19, 2022

Coast Guard seizes 6,050

kgs of adulterated shrimp

TBT Report

Through a statement, Lieutenant Commander

Labeeb Usama Ahmadullah, a media officer at

the Bangladesh Coast Guard headquarters

informed that the Coast Guard West Zone had

seized 6,500 kgs of jelly-injected shrimp on

May 18.

He said that on the basis of secret

information, on 18 May 2022, BCG station

Rupsha under Coast Guard West Zone

conducted a raid in Khan Jahan Ali Toll Plaza

area under Rupsha police station in Khulna

district. During the operation, a truck (Jessore-

T-11-4178) was transporting shrimp for sale in

Chattogram. At that time, Coast Guard

members searched the truck and arrested 2

people including 6,050 kg of shrimp. The

arrested persons are Md. Abdur Rahman (35)

from the North Kathia of Satkhira and Md.

Faruk Gazi (20) of Maniktala village of

Satkhira. Later, BDT 30,000 was fined to the

detained person. BDT 50,000 fine was

imposed on M/s Sabbir Transport (Satkhira),

BDT 25,000 to Zafar Fish and M/s. Monowara

Zafar Fish respectively. The seized 6,050 kg of

jelly-pushed shrimps were subsequently

buried in the ground in the presence of FIQC

representatives.

He further said that not only the image of the

country is being tarnished in the international

market with jelly-covered shrimp mixed with

waste, but also the people of this country are

being fed waste by selling it in the domestic

market.

Couple to die for

selling Khulna teen

to brothel in India

KHULNA : A Khulna

tribunal on Wednesday

sentenced a couple to death

for selling a 17-year-old girl

to a brothel in India.

Khulna Woman and Child

Repression Prevention

Tribunal Judge A Salam

Khan handed down the

judgment.

The condemned convicts

are-Shahin Sheikh and

Asma Begum.

According to the

prosecution, the convicts

took the girl to India with

promise of arranging a good

job and sold her there to a

brothel on October 19, 2009.

As her family failed to

trace out the girl they logged

a general diary against the

couple with local police.

Later, the family members

contacted Shahin who asked

them to provide Tk 20,000

to get back the girl.

The girl's mother lodged a

complaint with Khanjahan

Ali Police and on January

20, 2010, investigating

officer of the case Ashim

Kumar submitted a

chargesheet against the

couple.

Over 2.5 lakh children to be fed

Vitamin A+ capsule in Natore

NATORE : Over 2.5 lakh children aged

between six months to 59 months to be fed

with Vitamin A plus capsules during the

National Vitamin A Plus Campaign.

Natore Sadar Upazila Health and Family

Planning Officer Dr. Mahbubur Rahman

disclosed the information yesterday at an

orientation workshop with local journalists

held at the conference room of the Civil

Surgeon Office at 3 pm yesterday to make

the National Vitamin A plus Campaign-2022

a success.

The campaign will be conducted under the

auspices of the Public Health and Nutrition

Institute and National Nutrition Services

under the Ministry of Health and Family

Planning with the assistance of UNICEF.

Speaking at the workshop, Natore Sadar

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer

198

Dr. Mahbubur Rahman said normal growth

of children to be ensured as well as normal

eyesight and immunity also be enhanced

after taking Vitamin A plus capsule.

There is an opportunity to provide vitamin

A to the children through food diversification

and supplementary feeding, he said.

Medical Officer Mohammad Russell gave a

keynote address on the benefits and

implementation strategies of giving Vitamin

A capsules through PowerPoint

presentation.

According to the Civil Surgeon Office, a

total of 252,914 children in the district will be

given Vitamin A capsules from June 4 to 7.

Of these, 26,472 children (6-11 months)

will be given blue capsules and 2,26,442

children (12-59 months) will be given red

capsules.

School boy stabbed

dead by classmate

in Narayanganj

NARAYANGANJ : A 15-yearold

school boy was stabbed to

death by his classmate in front

of his school in Narayanganj's

Fatullah on Tuesday, reports

UNB.

Deceased Dhrubo was a

class-X student of Rabeya

Hossain High School and son

of Madab Chandra of Isdair

area in Fatullah.

The incident occurred in

front of the school in Isdair

area at around 9.30 pm,

where they gather to gossip in

a tea stall every day, said

locals. Yasin, a classmate of

the deceased, said Pius called

Dhrubo and took him to a

dark place near the stall and

stabbed him.

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GD-928/22 (13x4)

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THuRSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

3

A workshop titled 'Long-term Impact of the Char Development and Settlement Project and Strategic

Planning for a Sustainable Future' was held at the Multi-purpose hallroom of Pani Bhaban yesterday.

State Minister for Water Resources Bangladesh Zahid Faruk uncovered a book titled 'New Land,

New Life' at the program as chief guest.

Photo : Courtesy

Bangabandhu's visit to Russia commemorated

at Moscow State University

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed the

Russian Parliament (Duma) and

Moscow State University during his

historic visit to Russia in 1972, reports

UNB.

Fifty years later, on the centenary of

his birth, a seminar was held at the

same university again on Tuesday

which was seen as a source of pride and

joy for all.

On the occasion of the golden jubilee

of Independence of Bangladesh and the

birth centenary of the Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman, the daylong seminar was

organized at the Institute of Asian and

African Studies, Lomonosov Moscow

State University.

Moderated by Professor Alexey

Maslov, Director of the Institute, the

seminar started with the introductory

speeches of Ambassador of Bangladesh

to Russia Kamrul Ahsan and

Ambassador of Russia to Bangladesh

Alexander Mantytskiy.

Later, university professors, fellows

and policy makers of various Russian

institutions presented their topic-based

speeches.

The seminar was attended by

representatives of various

governmental and non-governmental

organizations, including the Russian

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade,

the Russian State Nuclear Energy

Corporation (Rosatom), leading think

tanks, and students of the university's

graduate program.

In his introductory speech,

Bangladesh Ambassador to Russia

Kamrul Ahsan spoke on the historical

background of Bangladesh's struggle

for independence and the history of

Bangabandhu's struggle and leadership

for independence of Bangladesh.

He highlighted the historical

relations between the people of

Bangladesh and Russia and shed lights

on the important role of Bangabandhu

in establishing historical relations

between the two countries after the

independence of Bangladesh.

Professor Alexey Maslov, Director of

the Institute, thanked the Bangladesh

Embassy for organizing the seminar on

the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's

independence and the birth centenary

of the Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman at the Moscow State

University.

He underscored the pioneering role

of the then Soviet Union in rebuilding

the war-ravaged infrastructure of postwar

independent Bangladesh in 1972

and paid tribute to Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman for establishing friendly

relations between Bangladesh and

Russia.

He also highlighted the ongoing

bilateral relations and cooperation

between Bangladesh and Russia.

No Covid-19 death reported

in 24 hours, 22 new cases

DHAKA : Bangladesh on Wednesday reported zero Covid-19 death in

the past 24 hours while it recorded 22 coronavirus positive cases during

the period.

"Bangladesh reported 0.44 percent Covid-19 positive cases as 5,001

samples were tested in the last 24 hours," Directorate General of Health

Services (DGHS) sources said.

During the past 24 hours, the combined figure of coronavirus infection

in Dhaka city and upazilas of the district is 16 while no Covid-19 death

was reported during the period.

The official tally showed that the virus killed 29,127 people and

infected 19,53,103 so far, the statement added.

The recovery count rose to 19,00,138 after another 241 patients were

discharged from the dedicated hospitals during the past one day.

From the beginning of the pandemic, 97.29 percent Covid-19 patients

recovered among the infected people while 1.49 percent died, the DGHS

statistics showed.

Among the 29,127 fatalities, 12,797 occurred in Dhaka division, 5,863

in Chattogram, 2,142 in Rajshahi, 3,718 in Khulna, 982 in Barishal,

1,328 in Sylhet, 1,417 in Rangpur and 880 in Mymensingh divisions.

Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh

Alexander Mantytskiy attended the

seminar virtually from Dhaka.

He outlined the bilateral relations

between Bangladesh and Russia and

highlighted the issues of mutual

understanding and consensus between

Bangladesh and Russia in the

international arena including the

United Nations.

Alexander Nikolaev, former Russian

Ambassador to Bangladesh, and Vera

Upirova, Project Manager of Russian

State Nuclear Energy Corporation

(Rosatom), discussed the security

management of the Rooppur Nuclear

Power Plant being constructed in

Bangladesh with Russia's economic

and technical assistance.

At the seminar Professor Boris

Zakharyin, Professor Liudmila

Khokhlova, Professor Boris

Volkhonsky, Professor Anna

Bochkovskaya, Professor Alina

Filimonova, and Professor Alexandra

Safronova spoke on the role of Russian

scholars in the study of Bengali

language and culture. They highlighted

the role of Bangladesh in the regional

and international arena and the various

cooperation activities of the two

countries in the fields of education,

culture, industry, trade and

infrastructure. In their discussions, the

visionary leadership of Bangabandhu

in the rise of independent Bangladesh

came up recurrently.

Chinese CCCC to collect

toll of Bangabandhu

tunnel

DHAKA : The government on Wednesday

approved a proposal for appointing the China

Communications Construction Company

Limited (CCCC) to collect toll of the

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel

under Karnaphuli River in Chattogram district.

The approval came from the 12th meeting of the

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs

(CCEA) in this year held virtually with Finance

Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet

Division Additional Secretary Md Zillur

Rahman Chowdhury informed that the

meeting approved a proposal of the Bridges

Division to appoint the CCCC as service

provider and operator for toll collection

activities of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli River in

Chattogram district.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid participated the rally which was organized on the

occasion of 'International Museum Day-2022'.

Photo : PID

Meta partners with BRAC to empower

Bangladeshi women, youth online

DHAKA : Meta, formerly known as the

Facebook Company, has partnered

with BRAC to empower Bangladeshi

women and youth on digital platforms.

A skills development program has

been launched in its first phase to train

1,000 frontline staff of BRAC who will

then upskill 300,000 BRAC program

beneficiaries.

The initiative will also equip 60 Youth

Ambassadors from BRAC's Amra

Notun Network to engage 1,200 young

people to become more aware digital

citizens, said a media release on

Wednesday.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused

people around the world to depend on

the internet more than ever. There has

been a steep rise in internet use among

women and young people in

Bangladesh.

The country is also experiencing a

parallel increase in cybercrime and

online bullying.

Meta will work with BRAC to upskill

women and youth with the

information, tools and resources they

need to have a positive experience

online.

This includes a social media

campaign to increase awareness

among Bangladeshis about the digital

landscape.

Sabhanaz Rashid Diya, who leads

Public Policy for Bangladesh at Meta,

said they know that the digital

landscape is changing and

transforming rapidly.

"In order for women and youth to

have positive experiences online, they

require the tools and knowledge to be

able to do so. BRAC's expertise and

outreach capacity will help us bolster

our efforts to equip Bangladeshi

women and young people with the

digital skills they need. Through this

partnership, we will deepen our work

on addressing the needs of women and

youth on our platforms."

Recently, Meta partnered with 50

non-governmental organizations

around the world including BRAC to

support the launch of StopNCII.org, a

platform supporting efforts to stop

non-consensual sharing of intimate

images on the internet, which is one of

the most notorious means of

cyberbullying and harassment.

Asif Saleh, Executive Director of

BRAC Bangladesh said, "Meta is a very

important partner for us as the country

tackles a growing number of cyber

threats which is challenging social

cohesion."

He said they believe the training will

give their communities the much

needed tool to become more resilient

and prepared in a world where the

impact of digital life is increasingly

crossing over to the real lives of the

citizens across the society.

In 2021, Meta announced the launch

of the Women's Safety Hub to

centralize all the safety resources that

women need when navigating its

platforms.

It has been developed in

consultation with safety partners

around the world, including

Bangladesh. It includes information

for women leaders, journalists and

survivors of abuse.

JS budget session

to commence

June 5

DHAKA : The Jatiya Sangsad (JS)

budget session for 2022-23 fiscal year

will begin on June 5.

President Abdul Hamid summoned

the 18th JS session exercising power

bestowed upon him by Article 72(1) of

the Constitution, reports UNB.

The JS session will begin at 5 pm, said

a press release signed by Md Tariq

Mahmud, Director (public relations) of

the Parliament Secretariat on

Wednesday.

The 17th session of 11th parliament

was prorogued on April 6 after eight

sittings.

Singaporean High Commissioner to Bangladesh Derek Loh paid a courtesy call on Commerce

Minister Tipu Munshi yesterday.

Photo : PID

HC cancels bail of expelled

JL leader Samrat

DHAKA : The High Court on Wednesday

cancelled the bail granted to expelled Jubo

League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury

Samrat in a graft case.

A two-judge bench of justices Md Nazrul

Islam Talukder and Kazi Md Ejarul Haque

Akondo passed the order in the wake of a

petition by the Anti-Corruption

Commission (ACC) challenging the bail

order of a lower court on May 11.

The court also asked Samrat to surrender

before a lower court within seven days, said

deputy attorney general AGM Amin Uddin.

Earlier, on May 16, the ACC filed a petition

before the High Court seeking cancellation

of the bail of Samrat in the graft case.

On May 11, the Dhaka court granted bail

to Samrat in the graft case, paving the way

for his release from judicial custody.

Judge Al Asad Md Asifuzzaman of Dhaka

Special Judge Court-6 passed the order but

with riders - Samrat can't leave the country

without the permission of the court, has to

submit his passport and also his health

reports on the designated date.

Earlier, the same court turned down his

bail plea in the corruption case filed by the

ACC twice-on April 28 and April 13.

Samrat secured bail in a drugs case on

April 11 and in an Arms Act case and a

money laundering case on April 10.

The expelled Jubo League leader has been

undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU)

Hospital since November 24 last year.

On October 6, 2019, Rab detained Samrat

and his associate Enamul Haque Arman

from Chauddagram in Cumilla.

Rab raided his Kakrail office later that day.

Huge quantities of foreign liquor, pistols,

and two hides of kangaroo were seized from

his office.

He was later sentenced by a mobile court

to six months in prison under the Wildlife

Conservation Act.

On October 7, Abdul Khaleque, deputy

assistant director of Rab-1 lodged two

complaints against Samrat at Ramna police

station under the Arms and the Narcotics

Act. Arman was also made an accused in the

narcotics case.

On November 4, Shekhar Chandra Mallik,

a sub-inspector, submitted a chargesheet

against Samrat in the Arms Act case.

On November 12, the ACC lodged a

complaint against him for acquiring assets

worth Tk 2.94 crore beyond his known

sources of income.

On September 12, 2020, Rashedur

Rahman, sub-inspector of CID, registered a

case against him at the Ramna police station

for laundering Tk 195 crore to Malaysia and

Singapore.

Lastly, on November 26 last year, the

investigating officer in the case, Jahangir

Alam, submitted a chargesheet in the court.

Palestine Embassy in

Dhaka opens condolence

book for slain journalist

Shireen

DHAKA : The Embassy of the State of

Palestine in Bangladesh has opened a

condolence book for the Palestinian veteran

journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh.

She was murdered by the Israeli

occupation forces in Jenin refugee camp

north of Palestine while covering their

assault and crimes against the Palestinian

people there on May 11.

The condolence book will remain open till

May 18 at the Embassy of Palestine in

Dhaka, located in Baridhara.

Signing the book of condolences opened

at the Embassy of Palestine in Dhaka,

Turkish Ambassador in Dhaka Mustafa

Osman Turan expressed, on behalf of the

Turkish Embassy, deep sorrow on the

murder of the brave Palestinian journalist

Shireen Abu Akleh in the Jenin refugee

camp on May 11.

Those selling stolen

mobile phone sets to

be arrested: DMP

DHAKA : Not only mobile

phone set thieves but also

those selling stolen mobile

phone sets will be arrested,

said AKM Hafiz Akhtar,

additional commissioner of

police (Intelligence) of Dhaka

Metropolitan Police (DMP),

on Wednesday, reports UNB.

"Those who trade stolen

mobile phone sets will also be

arrested under the existing

law," he said at a press

briefing after the recovery of

158 stolen phone sets at the

DMP Media Center.

Referring to the process of

selling stolen mobile phone

sets, he said usually thieves

sell the stolen phone sets to

technician or a buyer at Tk

4000-6000.

The technician or the stolen

phone buyer sells the display

and casing at a higher price if

the option is on the phone's

password. Besides, if the 'find

your phone' and this kind of

options are not turned on,

they changes IMEI and sells

the iPhone at 60000-70000

and other phone sets at Tk

15000-20000.

On April 29, an iPhone

worth more than Tk two lakh

was stolen from the city's

Uttara area. A case was filed

at the DMP's Uttara West

police station on May 16

based on the victim's

allegations.

Later, a team led by Kazi

Shafiqul Alam, deputy

commissioner of Police,

Detective Branch of Uttara

Division, recovered 156

stolen mobile phones, a

laptop and Tk1.18 lakh.

Detectives arrested eight

people, including a thief and

a trader, in this connection.

ThurSday, may 19, 2022

4

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Saving and restoring

the environment

It is no overstatement to say that among the ministries of the

government, the performance of the environment ministry

has been specially lacking since it was set up in the late

eighties in response to the growing environmental hazards. The

environment of Bangladesh has gone on declining during the last

nearly three decades. But the ministry that was exclusively

created to address this worsening environmental situation

seemed to do little of substance as the environment steadily

deteriorated and environmental concerns multiplied and

intensified.

Dhaka city that was one of the world's most air polluted cities

in the past became the worst air polluted city in the world some

years ago. It may have improved its status for a while since that

time by pushing the worst air polluting autorickshaws away from

the metropolitan areas of Dhaka. But the air in the city still

remains heavily polluted by international comparisons in the

absence of other follow up measures.

Sections of rivers flowing around the big concentrations of

urban population of Bangladesh have turned so polluted from

unregulated discharge of effluents that these are like dark liquids

devoid of oxygen and aquatic life.

Biodiversity of large parts of Bangladesh have been threatened

by a number of man-made factors. One of them is the country's

overpopulation and its consequent impact on the environment.

But compared to the devastating population bomb that is

building up for this small country, the response to it appears to

be hardly a proportionate one against the threat.

Widespread presence of arsenic in underground water, the loss

of soil fertility from mono-cropping without crop rotation,

toxicity and loss of fertility of the soil from unregulated use of

pesticides and chemical fertilizers, are among the growingly

formidable environmental problems.

Deforestation has whittled down to below ten per cent the

country's forests and vegetation cover ; the country's basic

environmental balance has been threatened as a result.

Afforestation programmes may have had only a marginal impact

on these conditions. This is because deforestation activities are

considered to be greater than afforestation ones.

The coastal areas of the country need to be better supervised.

Foreign vessels dump their waste matters too freely in the coastal

areas and perhaps such vessels had dumped on occasions

cargoes of very hazardous wastes in Bangladesh's territorial

waters finding the same an unchallenged zone while indulging in

such activities.

There are many sides to the environmental crisis that is

gradually building up in Bangladesh. Many are in the making

from unregulated human activities within the country. But a very

serious threat to the environment of the country has external

origins. Bangladesh as a low lying country stands to be among

the few countries to be worst hit by the increase of greenhouse

gases in the atmosphere and the consequent earth warming

phenomenon. Although Bangladesh should have long ago started

an all out clamour to sensitize the international community to its

plight and sought adequate international compensation and

assistance to meet the nearing catastrophe, the leaders of this

country remained very surprisingly mum and unconcerned

about it for a long time. Only recently they have been showing a

greater concern .

The increasingly environment conscious people in the country

expect the government to take a hard look at the major

environmental problems at the soonest . If this is done, then

environment surely would be recognised as an area requiring

highest priority attention. The government will then need to

urgently get down to preparing a comprehensive environmental

policy including, most importantly, the ways and means to

enforce it.

The environmental decline has already much eroded the

quality of life in Bangladesh. If it goes on like this, without a

strong enough check and abatement, then this country could turn

into a poisonous hell hole with worse unclean air, water, soil and

surroundings where decent human existence and happiness

would be under a threat. Already such existence and happiness

has disappeared considerably from the life and living of

Bangladeshis in many places due to the stressful environment.

The environment related woes are likely to be worse and worse

and, finally the worst, without a policy to save and restore the

environment and its proper implementation.

What things the environmental policy must aim for are obvious

: it should set up a system for all polluters to be warned and

identified and made to suffer penalties for their unwillingness or

inability to adhere to the policy. For instance, it should make a

rule that all industries creating hazardous wastes must have a

waste treatment plant for treating such waste before discharging

them on soil, air or water bodies. Violators of the rule should have

the choice of either conforming strictly to the rule or closing

down operation.

Air pollution in the cities can be reduced by requiring

automotive vehicles to compulsorily use catalytic converters and

by fining or not allowing the movement of vehicles that do not

keep clean engines or exhaust systems. Air pollution can be also

reduced by compulsorily producing and distributing lead and

sulphur free fuel for vehicles.

Arsenic in underground water can be tackled by spreading the

know-how of inexpensive ways of filtering arsenic from the water.

Similar dissemination of information about the benefits of crop

rotation, regulated use of chemical fertlisers and natural pest

control, can work wonders in preserving the fertility of the soil or

preventing soil from becoming toxic. Even the passing of laws

and their enforcement need to be considered urgently to this end.

The environmental policy should lead to environmental laws to

protect and expand the country's forests and vegetation, to

protect and increase the number of its reserved forests, to protect

its bio-diversity, to promote environment friendly urban areas,

etc. Externally, under the environment policy, Bangladesh must

pursue a more strident and vocal role internationally to draw

attention to the plight of Bangladesh from the earth warming.

But the policy will remain ineffectual as long as it remains on

paper and is not enforced. For the environmental policy to be

fruitful, it must go the whole hog with the creation of apparatuses

such as the environmental courts, the environmental police, etc

and their efficient functioning.

The role of education in positive social change

Change is the

law of nature.

The rapid

growth

of

industrialization and

urbanization results

in change in social

setups, social

institutions as well as social patterns of

human life. As such the existing social

standards, social institutions and social

norms fail to meet human needs. Therefore

there arises a need for change in such social

elements. Such change will encourage

growth and development in the society.

There is no reason to escape from change;

rather we have to prepare ourselves to

survive in the changing scenario through

proper and quality education. Social change

may take place in different forms such as

economic change, political change, religious

change, scientific and technological change,

legal change, moral change etc. It is a

continuous process, where one change is

followed by another. Education is

considered as a major agency of

socialization. No social change can take

place without education. It initiates social

change by bringing about a change in the

outlook and attitude and patterns of social

relationships of an individual.

Education plays that role by imparting

knowledge about science & Technology, new

social patterns, social institutions,

modernization and other specialized

branches of knowledge. Remarkable

changes are brought by education in the

different aspects of an individual's life and

an individual is prepared to participate in

different social works and activities; so as to

make his contribution for the progress and

development of the society. The relationship

between education and society is thus

Troubled

by

economic woes,

Sri Lanka has

failed to repay 51

billion in foreign

debt. In this

situation, on 12 April,

Sri Lanka declared itself bankrupt.

According to the central bank, it is not

possible for Sri Lanka to repay any foreign

loan in the current situation. However, Sri

Lanka has a "perfect record" of debt

repayments in the past. The central bank

has said that the country's reserves need to

be maintained to keep imports of essential

materials like fuel. Lenders who have lent to

a company or country can foreclose on their

assets. This approach has been mentioned

in the case of interest collection. A state of

emergency has been declared in the wake of

the protests. During the strike, shops were

closed and public transport was also

stopped. The country of 22 million people

has suddenly come to a virtual standstill.

Since independence from Britain in 1948,

there has been a catastrophic shortage of

food and fuel, including record inflation and

blackouts. The Sri Lankan people have

stormed the homes of many government

officials in a fit of rage. Sri Lankans are

protesting on various issues like electricity,

fuel oil, emergency medicine, food crisis. All

26 ministers in the government have

resigned. Many people have been arrested

for causing unrest. Many of those arrested

said they had been tortured in police

custody. Opposition parties have already

rejected the president's offer to form a unity

government. The country has never been in

such a predicament since independence.

There are many reasons for such a

catastrophic situation in Sri Lanka; Which

has accumulated over many days. In

September 2021, President Gotabaya

declared an economic emergency in

Rajapaksa. According to the Central Bank of

Sri Lanka, they now have only 2 billion in

foreign exchange reserves. From the

country's debt, GDP has increased from 85

percent in 2019 to 104 percent in 2021. The

current shortage of foreign exchange has

made it extremely difficult to get supplies of

essential commodities including fuel,

electricity, paper, milk powder. The country

is facing hours of power outages every day,

and even printing of newsprint has stopped

due to lack of paper.

In March of this year, the general

inflation rate in the country was more than

17 percent. The food inflation rate was 30.2

percent. And this has created a terrible

situation in the Sri Lankan economy. The

mainstream media in Sri Lanka is reporting

that this is an ineffective administrative

measure that has led to the current crisis. In

such a situation in Sri Lanka, some

Western media are falsely claiming that it is

China's 'debt trap' that has plunged Sri

Lanka into an economic crisis. Sri Lankan

government figures show that the country's

debt structure is complex. Colombo

borrowed the most from the global capital

market, accounting for 47 percent of total

loans, followed by the Asian Development

Bank at 13 percent, Japan at 10 percent,

China at 10 percent, the World Bank at 9

GazI md. abdur raShId

mutual i.e, either education influences

changes in society or society in education.

But in both the cases education has a role to

play. Education plays an important role in

analyzing a change that takes place in the

society. As it provides knowledge to the

people regarding the nature and form of

change, the society can therefore decide

about the adaptation of a change. In the

absence of education they may not be able to

know about what is good or bad pertaining

to a change and will adopt without analyzing

pros and corns of each change.

In school children learn social skills

through interactions with teachers and

other students. They learn how to relate to

different personality types, to work through

disagreements, to problem-solve, and to

exercise self control. (Granted, not every

child learns all of these skills or develops

them at the same pace, and some children

may possess anti-social tendencies due to

influences in their lives which make them

resistant to socialization). Perhaps most

importantly, school reinforces the concept

that actions and choices have consequences.

All of these factors influence the social

development of the individual, thereby

increasing the likelihood that he or she will

become an agent for positive social change.

"Education is the most powerful weapon

which you can use to change the world." said

Nelson Mandela. Education is the medium

through which we can change the world. It

helps us to turn weakness into strength,

failure into success. It helps us in identifying

problems present around us in our society

and also helps us in searching for their

solutions. It helps us in increasing the

mental ability of a person which in turn

changes the way a person thinks. This

results in the change of pattern of social

In school children learn social skills through interactions with

teachers and other students. They learn how to relate to different

personality types, to work through disagreements, to problem-solve,

and to exercise self control.

percent and India at 2 percent. This proves

that the so-called 'debt trap' is not related to

any truth. This is a fabricated western trap

to confuse Sri Lankans and the

international community.

Over the past decade, Sri Lanka has

borrowed only 6 billion from China.

Sovereign bonds are another major source

of debt. In 2007, the government issued a

sovereign bond. Sovereign bonds are sold

when expenses exceed income. The bond

has a debt of 12.5 billion. The central bank

said it had repaid 2.5 million in foreign

loans. Sri Lanka paid 500 million rupee in

January this year. As a result, their reserves

are strained. Due to this the country is not

able to import oil and other essential

commodities. The government's various

luxury projects are also thought to have hit

the economy. In the last 15 years, Sri Lanka

has undertaken many mega projects on

seas and airports, roads and highways,

many of which have become a reality.

Colombo Port City is being built by rescuing

land from the sea near the capital Colombo.

The project is estimated to cost 1.5 billion

dollar. It will take 26 years to complete. The

Sri Lankan government is building the city

to compete with Dubai, Singapore and

Hong Kong. Sri Lanka is implementing this

project together with China. Sri Lanka has

borrowed from various sources for many

more such projects. Although many

projects are not profitable even after

spending huge amount of money.

After taking power in November 2019, the

then President of Sri Lanka decided to

reduce VAT and taxes. The rate of VAT has

been reduced from 15 percent to 8 percent.

The main reason for the reduction in VAT

was to stimulate the economy. Mahinda

Rajapaksa took a similar initiative after the

civil war in Sri Lanka in 2009. Due to which

the economy of the war-torn country gained

momentum. In that light, incumbent

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took similar

steps to boost the economy. A few months

after this incident, the covid epidemic began

to have a negative impact. Reducing income

tax and VAT reduces government revenue

by up to 25 percent. The government has

had to borrow more from abroad to handle

the situation. Economic activity in the

country almost came to a standstill for two

years, with the thought that it would be

possible to turn around after the end of

covid. The decision to reduce taxes and VAT

was not revoked due to lack of foresight of

the government. As a result, Sri Lanka is

heading towards a tragic outcome. On the

other hand, Sri Lanka has to comply with

the obligation to repay the loan. Therefore,

the country as a whole is under severe

economic pressure.

Sri Lanka's tourism sector is a major

source of income for the country. The

relationship and hence, it may cause social

change. One of the main impetuses of

education is to change the attitude, thinking

and lifestyle of a person. While lived

experiences may not be formal education,

it's a form of hands-on learning that teaches

us the tools to care about one another,

cultivating a more curious and

compassionate community through: (1)

Gaining knowledge of other cultures, (2)

Participating in intercultural exchange, (3)

Seeing new ways of life, (4) Learning how to

communicate with different personalities,

(5) Considering other belief systems and

ways of life, (6) Self-reflecting on your own

beliefs and where they come from.

Formal education works in a similar way,

providing social lessons and teaching skills

that encourage the following: (a) Relating to

different people and building friendships,

(b) Identifying problems and coming up

with your own solutions, (c) Exercising selfcontrol,

both verbally and physically, (d)

Accepting that actions have consequences,

tourism sector has been shut down for two

years due to the corona virus infection.

According to a BBC report, more tourists

used to come from China before the

epidemic, but due to strict corona

restrictions in China, the flow of tourists

from there has completely stopped. Another

major channel for remittances is

remittances sent by Sri Lankan nationals

working abroad, with remittance inflows

severely hampered by the epidemic. Before

the corona virus epidemic, Sri Lanka had a

revenue of 12 billion from the tourism

sector. After coming to power in 2019,

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa introduced

organic farming in the country. The use of

chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the

country was completely stopped. On the

other hand, due to the ban on import of

fertilizers, the production of rice decreased

by 20 percent. Rice country Sri Lanka

imports 460 million worth of rice to meet

food shortages. The price of rice has

skyrocketed. Adverse effects of organic

farming policies also affect Sri Lankan tea

production. Earlier, Sri Lanka earned more

foreign exchange by exporting tea. The

government paid 200 million in

compensation to keep the sector alive as

production was disrupted. But even after

that, the suffering of the people in the food

shortage is evident all over the country.

In order to overcome the current crisis, Sri

Lanka needs foreign currency or foreign

borrowing at the moment. The country is

being approached by many, the list includes

China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc. Sri

Lanka has devalued 15 per cent of its

currency to get a loan from the IMF. At

present one dollar is equal to 230 Sri Lankan

rupees; It has risen to 316 rupees. Their

import trade is stagnant. India has lent 1

billion to buy emergency food, medicine and

fuel during the Sri Lankan crisis.

Bangladesh stood by Sri Lanka with a 25

crore dollar 'currency swap' loan and

donated emergency medicines worth 20

crore taka as part of its assistance in the

wake of the ongoing crisis. Protesters in Sri

Lanka have staged a huge protest in front of

the building of President Gotabhaya

Rajapaksa. This demonstration of the

people is considered to be the result of the

collapse of his public support. When he

came to power, he promised development of

the country, development of economy and

firmly holding the helm of the country.

Promises were also made to make the

country a welfare state. Ordinary people are

protesting now as none of this has been

achieved. After taking power, Rajapaksa's

massive tax cuts and import bans have

further aggravated the current situation.

Critics say the main reason for the current

situation in Lanka is corruption and

nepotism. President Gotabha's brothers and

(e) Gaining a sense of responsibility and

civic duty, (f) Practicing thoughtful

leadership, (g) Asking questions about

things you don't understand, (h) Thinking

about the best ways to speak and listen.

Education plays an important role in

molding the structure of a society. The role

of education as an agent of social change is

widely recognized. The socialization of the

young generation and maintenance of

proper social order is among one of the main

functions of education.

Education modernizes the attitudes,

aspirations and outlook of individuals to a

great extend and helps in eradication of

social evils like caste system, untouchability,

dowry system etc. In this way the social

patterns of the people changes. There is no

discrimination of caste, colour or creed

when we travel in a passenger bus. By

bringing such changes in the society,

education helps in promotion of equality

and integration. In other words education

removes social evils and stabilizes

democratic values like equality, integrity,

freedom etc. Education brings about the

changes in the customs, traditions, social &

political institutions. It makes these

institutions capable of addressing the

current needs of the society. The obsolete

customs and blind traditions are replaced by

modern thoughts. Social evils like female

infanticide are eradicated from the society

by educating people through public

awareness programs with the help of

electronic and print media. Education plays

a predominant role in bringing about social

changes. We may say it is a passport to social

change. Without education the knowledge

of social changes can't be gathered and will

thus hamper the process of social change.

The Writer is Research Officer, District

Education Office (Secondary), Munshiganj

Sri Lanka's Economic Crisis and Bangladesh’s Position

Nayeem ISLam NIbIr

Over the past decade, Sri Lanka has borrowed only 6 billion from

China. Sovereign bonds are another major source of debt. In 2007, the

government issued a sovereign bond. Sovereign bonds are sold when

expenses exceed income. The bond has a debt of 12.5 billion.

nephews are in important ministries of the

country. His brother Mahinda Rajapaksa,

who had previously served two terms as

president, resigned on May 9. They also

have relatives in other important

organizations. Despite the power crisis in

the country, uninterrupted power supply to

their families continues. The grandeur of the

Rajapaksa family has also raised the level of

public outrage. The current dire situation is

actually a cloud of accumulated black clouds

of the situation that has developed over the

decades, with no one to take responsibility

alone. Analysts blame leadership for

mismanagement. The issue of coming to

power in 2019 is also being claimed as

incompetence, arrogance and corruption.

Short and long term plans are needed to

get out of here. Exports and foreign

investment must be increased. The revenue

sector has to be streamlined and come out

of unnecessary and luxurious projects. The

reduction in VAT and income tax should

have been withdrawn as the economy

became more active in the aftermath of

covid. The Sri Lankan government could

have used India's experience in organic

farming. In India, the Modi government

has not introduced organic farming in all

the provinces. Sikkim is the first state in

India where organic farming is legalized. As

a result, experience with the 'error and trial'

approach has led to similar decisions in

other provinces. But at the moment, there

is no magic way for Sri Lanka to get out of

the mountain of foreign debt. It may be

solved slowly.

Critics say allegations of incompetent

government administration, false election

promises and parasitic theft of public

property have been leveled against the

political leadership; It is now being

witnessed that people are taking to the

streets to demand their resignation. The

government is trying to control the

situation with tear gas, water cannons and

curfew. It is a matter of analysis as to

whether the move will improve the

situation or worsen it. But if we fail to take

proper action, the country will fall into

anarchy and become hell. The country has

a constitution that everyone must abide

by; Otherwise the situation of Sri Lankans

could be dire. The revolutionary

government will not have any magic

formula. Contrary to the current situation

in Sri Lanka, minimum governance is not

seen as a remedy. During this crisis, I have

seen in Parliament that the people's

mental anguish is being aroused only by

constantly fighting against the previous

wrongdoings of their predecessors.

Everyone is trying to fish in muddy

waters. The people of Lanka are educated

and have a good knowledge of the modern

world. It remains to be seen how the

current parliament can cope with the

growing public outcry.

Nayeem Islam Nibir is a young

generation political leader and columnist

in Bangladesh. He can be reached :

nayemulislamnayem148@gmail.com

thurSDaY, MaY 19, 2022

5

neena BhanDari

Almost one billion children and adults with disabilities,

and older people, are unable to access the assistive

technology they need, according to a UN report, which

calls for more investment in these life-changing products.

Access to assistive technologies such as glasses, hearing

aids, mobility or communication devices is as low as three

per cent in some low-and middle-income countries,

according to the report by the World Health Organization

(WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),

launched on 16 May.

It says more than 3.5 billion people will need one or

more assistive products by 2050 due to population ageing

and the increase in incidence of non-communicable

diseases. At present, the figure is 2.5 billion.

"Denying people access to these life-changing tools is

not only an infringement of human rights, it's

economically short-sighted."

WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus

The report, which is the first ever global snapshot of the

need for and access to assistive technology, calls on

governments, industry and civil society to fund and

prioritise access to these products.

Almah Kuambu, technical advisor to the National

Orthotic and Prosthetic Services (NOPS) in Papua New

Guinea's (PNG) Department of Health, knows the

difference access to assistive technology can make to a

child's development, education, participation in sports

and community, and future employment prospects.

"I had lost my lower limb in an accident at the age of 11.

It was devastating for me and my family," Kuambu told

SciDev.Net. "It took nearly a year before I could be fitted

with a prosthetic limb. I remember feeling over the moon

to be able to stand on both legs again. It changed my life

and inspired me to work in this space and help destigmatise

disability in our communities."

There are globally 240 million children living with one

or more disabilities, according to UNICEF. "One of the

biggest barriers for children with disabilities is stigma

among peers and the non-inclusive school settings that

prevent them from accessing or using assistive

technology," Rosangela Berman-Bieler, UNICEF's lead on

disability, told a virtual media briefing on Friday.

"Children who are unable to access technology are even

less likely to access health care and other social services,

Access to disability aids

need to expedited

Majority of people who would benefit from assistive technology lack access

further exacerbating their disabilities and excluding them In developing countries, people have to travel long

from participating in everyday life. Their families are often distances to access assistive technology and the cost is

also affected due to reduced income as a result of often prohibitive, which can be a major barrier to access.

increased caretaking requirements," she added.

Around two-thirds of people with assistive products

reported making out-of-pocket payments for them.

Others reported relying on family and friends to support

their needs financially, the report notes.

When Anna Kwemeling, 39, lost her leg seven years ago

in a car accident in Kimbe, PNG's West New Britain

province, she had to quit her bank job. "I had two young

children. There were no assistive technology services

available nearby. It took a while before we could save

enough resources to pay for travel and accommodation to

access the service in Port Moresby. With the prosthetic

leg, I feel normal again and I am hoping to re-enter the

workforce," Kwemeling told SciDev.Net.

The report calls on governments to include assistive

technology as part of universal health care coverage

packages and employ a people-centred, rights-based

approach, actively engaging users in all aspects of assistive

technology.

"Denying people access to these life-changing tools is

not only an infringement of human rights, it's

economically short-sighted," said WHO director-general

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "We call on all countries

to fund and prioritise access to assistive technology and

give everyone a chance to live up to their potential."

"This report gives us an understanding and some

evidence that to get the most efficient and effective

outcome, it's about more than just the assistive product.

As an occupational therapist, I see the power of the right

assistive product that enables people to do the

occupations of their daily life," said Natasha Layton,

senior research fellow at Monash University in Melbourne

and a board member of the Australian Rehabilitation and

Assistive Technology Association.

"The new data on the rapid Assistive Technology

Assessment (rATA) tool in the report, for the first time,

will tell us about unmet needs and where the most impact

can be had, particularly in developing countries. I am

hoping that it will change access to assistive technology

from a small charitable provision to a systematic scaling

and improving of in-country provision that is fit-forpurpose,"

Layton told SciDev.Net.

"There are many learnings from frugal innovation that

are culturally and environmentally appropriate and

worked very well in low-and-middle income countries,"

added Layton, who is also a contributing author to the

report.

Satellites chart unlit territory

and poverty hotspots

Dann OkOth

Almost one in five of the world's

settlements are entirely unlit at night,

according to satellite imagery which

researchers say can be used to target

development aid and infrastructure.

About 770 million people on the planet

live without electricity, mostly in Africa

and Asia, according to the International

Energy Agency. It says COVID-19 has

halted progress on access and worsened

energy purchasing power of households

in developing countries.

New analysis by the International

Institute for Applied Systems Analysis

(IIASA), published in Nature

Communications, used satellite data

from unlit areas to map poverty and

wealth levels in almost 50 countries.

Ian McCallum, a research leader at

IIASA who co-authored the study, told

SciDev.Net: "Africa and Asia tend to

show the least amount of human

settlement lighting.

"This is not unexpected, but we now

quantify this. As both regions have very

rural populations they tend to contain

significant portions of unlit settlements

infrastructure."

Africa accounted for 39 per cent and

Asia for 23 per cent of unlit settlements,

with these numbers rising to 65 per cent

and 40 per cent respectively when only

rural infrastructure was considered.

Several countries in the Middle East

were also found to have large areas of

unlit infrastructure.

Researchers have for decades used

satellite images of earth at night -

commonly referred to as nighttime

radiance or night lights - to map out

economic growth, poverty and

inequality, especially in places where

data is lacking. This has shown a link

between lit infrastructure and gross

domestic product.

But data analysis using this method

has traditionally focused on lit areas

while ignoring unlit areas, say the

researchers.

"We found that it actually works the

other way around and that focusing on

the unlit areas is a good indicator of

poverty," McCallum said.

"In this study we turned attention to

those areas using the most accurate

dataset available of building footprints.

In particular we wanted to quantify the

amount of human settlements that do

not have associated lighting."

The researchers used a geospatial

wealth index compiled by the

Demographic and Health Surveys

programme to map out the economic

status of around 2.4 million households

for 49 countries across Africa, Asia and

the Americas.

They combined this data with satellite

images of global nighttime lights and

found that 19 per cent of the total

settlement footprint had no associated,

detectable artificial radiance.

Overwhelmingly, there was a clear link

between increasing percentages of unlit

communities in a country and decreasing

economic wellbeing, according to the

study,

"We have to caution here that it does

not mean these communities don't have

any light," McCallum said. "Just that

they're not detectable via satellite. Solar

power, kerosene, generators may all be

providing light in these settlements, but

will likely be shut off when satellite

passes overhead after midnight, or

One fifth of settlements globally emitted no nighttime radiance.

simply not generate enough light to be

detected.

"Nonetheless, it is important to try to

demonstrate in numbers the amount of

infrastructure that has no or little

associated lighting."

Low-income countries suffer

disproportionately from lack of access to

electricity and clean energy for cooking,

heating, and lighting. And access to

electricity is seen as vital to achieving

many of the UN's sustainable

development goals.

The researchers say their findings

could be useful to non-profit

organisations and aid agencies to

strengthen their cause for funding for

rural regions, as well as governments and

industry to prioritise areas for

development.

But Alexander Valeton, director at

Yielder, an information communication

and training platform for agribusiness in

East Africa, says governments and power

suppliers already know where the

coverage gaps are.

He believes the problem goes beyond

power supply. "Electricity does not mean

being connected. Connectivity is the big

game changer and that comes with cheap

power and cheap access to the web and

understanding how to use [the]

internet," Valeton said.

"Power is expensive so people with

ambitions will move to places where

power is cheap. Hence rural-urban

migration, especially among the youth."

This trend is making wealth creation

and development in rural areas all the

more difficult, says Valeton. "There is

now a deep divide between the poor and

old up-country and [the] relatively rich

and young in cities," he added.

Photo: naSa

a new study reports that a four-month-long childhood tuberculosis treatment works just as well as a sixmonth

course.

Photo: j P Davidson

Childhood TB course can be

Sanjeet Bagcchi

Short duration treatment -

four months instead of the

standard six - is as effective

in combating most cases of

childhood tuberculosis

(TB), says a study carried

out in India and some

African countries.

Shortening the treatment

duration could reduce the

burden on families and

health systems around the

globe, note the researchers

in a study published March

in the New England

Journal of Medicine, and

released in time for the

World TB Day observed

annually on 24 March.

Anna Turkova, an author

of the study affiliated with

the Medical Research

Council Clinical Trials Unit

at University College

London, says that of the

more than one million

children who fall ill with TB

each year only half are

diagnosed.

"We know that the

majority of those who are

diagnosed have non-severe

TB," Turkova tells

SciDev.Net. Non-severe TB

includes features like

confinement of TB to one

lobe of lungs with no

cut to four months

formation of cavities.

According to the study,

TB, in its not severe form,

could be treated with a

shorter duration course,

although the data is

limited. The World Health

Organization has now

updated its guidance to

recommend the fourmonth

regimen for

children and adolescents

with non-severe forms of

drug-susceptible TB in line

with the said study.

In the study, researchers

from various countries

looked at 1,204 children

aged two months to 15

years with TB which was

not severe and responded

to standard drugs. The

children were from India,

South Africa, Uganda and

Zambia, and South Africa.

They were randomly

assigned to two equal

groups, one of which was

placed on specific anti-TB

drugs for four months

while the other group

underwent the same

treatment for six months.

All children were followed

for 18 months after

enrolment to see whether

their treatment had been

successful.

The researchers found

that four months of anti-

TB treatment was as good

as the six months of

treatment among the

children, discounting their

country, age group and

HIV status as 11 per cent of

the children in the study

had HIV infection along

with TB.

Turkova said that the

trial showed that treatment

for children with nonsevere

TB can be safely

reduced from six months

to four months. "Reducing

the length of treatment

makes treatment easier for

children and carers and

improves treatment

completion, as well as

reduces costs to patients

and the health system," she

said.

According to Turkova,

saving US$17 per child

from the shorter course

translates into substantial

cost-saving on a country

scale which can be used to

improve TB screening and

diagnosis.

Madhukar Pai, associate

director of McGill

International TB Centre, in

Montreal, Canada, tells

SciDev.Net that the trial is

welcome news for children

with TB. "Since most

children have non-severe

TB, it is great that

treatment duration can be

reduced from six to four

months in such

individuals," he said.

"However, greater access

to molecular TB tests and

chest X-rays will be needed

to implement this regimen

in the real world."

Swapan Jana, secretary

of the Kolkata-based nongovernment

organisation

Society for Social

Pharmacology, says

reducing the treatment

duration for childhood TB

is welcome if implemented

properly. He tells

SciDev.Net that the study

supports a basic teaching

point in pharmacology that

if a disease is optimally

treated through a shorter

duration of drug therapy it

may be beneficial.

"Longer duration of

treatment with anti-TB

drugs - apart from other

problems like motivating

children to take the drugs

and complete the full

course and more visits to

treatment centres - is

associated with more

adverse effects, compared

to shorter duration of

treatment," Jana said.

THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

6

Training on communication skills development has been completed in BRDB auditorium on Tuesday

in Banaripara. Non-Governmental Organization `Rupantor' organized the training under 'Aparajita'

Project.

Photo : TBT

Leading systematic life

stressed to reduce

hypertension risks

RANGPUR : Experts at a

discussion here have stressed

leading a systematic life to

reduce the risk of the silent

killer disease hypertension or

high blood pressure.

They viewed this at the

post-rally discussion

organised by Hypertension

and Research Centre,

Rangpur (HRCR) at its

auditorium on Tuesday in

observance of the World

Hypertension Day-2022.

Earlier, a rally was brought

out to make people aware of

severe consequences of

hypertension

and

uncontrolled high blood

pressure to reduce risks of

heart attacks, brain

hemorrhage, damages of

kidney, eyesight and many

other organs.

Divisional Director (Health)

Dr. Abu Md. Zakirul Islam

with Executive Member of

RHRC Dr. Mofizul Islam

Mantu inaugurated the rally

that paraded the main streets

in the city.

The RHRC, a sister

organisation of 'Wasim-

Waleda Bahumukhi Kallyan

Foundation' and a Member of

the World Hypertension

League, has been observing

the day since 2009.

HRCR is a non-profitable

organization providing health

services and treatments to

28,066 registered HBP

patients of Rangpur division

and other adjoining northern

districts now at a symbolic

cost of Taka 40.

Besides, the organization is

providing completely costfree

health services to heroic

freedom fighters, physically

challenged, distressed, poor

and helpless people.

Marking observance of the

day, founding President of

HRCR and former Principal

of Rangpur Medical College

(RpMC) Professor Dr. Md.

Zakir Hossain sent a message

to the HRCR authority.

In his message, Dr. Zakir

said one person in every five is

suffering from hypertension

in Bangladesh and stressed

bringing the situation under

control right now.

"Anyone can suffer from

hypertension, especially after

45, when problems may occur

in the blood circulation

process creating high blood

pressure, discomfort and

sickness and suggested to

check up blood pressure

regularly," he said.

He urged people to quit

smoking, take required

medicines, proper foods and

walk alongside physical

exercise to keep high blood

pressure within safe range to

avoid heart attacks, stroke,

kidney ailments, diabetes and

other deadly diseases and lead

a safer life.

Presided over by General

Secretary of HRCR and

Professor of the Department

of Medicine at RpMC Dr.

Shah Md. Sarwar Jahan,

Advisor of HRCR and Viceprincipal

of RpMC Professor

Dr. Md. Mahfuzer Rahman

attended the discussion as the

chief guest.

Mango special train on Rajshahi-

Dhaka route from May 22

RAJSHAHI : The West Zone of Bangladesh

Railway is likely to launch a 'special mango

train' on Chapainawabganj-Dhaka route via

Rajshahi from May 22 next for the third

consecutive time.

"We have taken the decision of

transporting mango to Dhaka from this

mango producing area for the benefit of the

growers and traders," said Asim Kumar

Talukder, General Manager of the zone,

illustrating aspects of the decision.

He said the initiative has also been taken to

transport mangoes at a lower cost for the

welfare of the mango traders and farmers.

The train will depart from Chapainawabganj

at 4.30 pm, while from Rajshahi station at

5.50 pm and will reach Dhaka at 2am. The

cargo train will carry a maximum 150 tonnes

of mangoes in five wagons every day. So,

farmers and traders can transport goods at

their will. It will cost Tk 1.17 to carry a

kilogram of mango to Dhaka from Rajshahi.

And it is Tk 1.30 from Chapainawabganj to

Dhaka. Asim Talukder clarified that

transport of mangoes in the special train

would cost Tk 1,117 per ton whereas courier

services cost Tk 20,000 per tonne and

private trucks cost around Tk 2,000 a ton.

The train will make a stoppage for loading

mangoes at 14 stations on the

Chapainawabgonj-Dhaka railway route via

A press conference was held at Ghatail upazila yesterday protesting relocation

of 'Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Center'. Photo : Nasir Uddin

RAJSHAHI : Engineer Abdur Rashid is

happy witnessing that the Annual

Performance Agreement (APA) started

strengthening the institutional

competence with ensuring transparency

and accountability in the fields of public

service deliveries.

APA is also contributing a lot to

consolidation of good governance in the

service deliveries, benefitting the

grassroots people.

Engineer Rashid, Executive Director of

Barind Multipurpose Development

Authority (BMDA), said the main vision

of their APA was to promote an

improved agriculture and environment

in the country's northwest region,

including its vast Barind tract.

Since signing the deal with the ministry

of agriculture, they are working with the

mission of expanding irrigated area and

farming field, development of irrigation

infrastructure, production and

marketing of quality seed and tree

plantation for environmental

development, he said.

In the last three years, 229 irrigation

pumps, including 79 low lift pumps

driven by solar power, were installed

coupled with re-functioning of 69 deeptube-wells

and new power connection to

150 irrigation pumps were made, he

added.

Around 7,500 hectares of land were

Rajshahi. The parcel train may have

stoppages at other stations based on parcel

booking and unloading.

In addition to mango, there is provision of

carrying all kinds of vegetables, seasonal

fruits, eggs and other agricultural products in

less cost in the special train, he added. The

railway porters will conduct all sorts of the

loading and unloading works of the goods.

To this end, the porters were imparted

need-based training on how to handle the

goods from booking to loading as well to

unloading properly. In 2020 last, the Mango

Special Train was launched for the first time

in the wake of growers' transportation

problems.

"We have earned Tk 9.30 lakh revenue by

transporting 857 tons of mango, lychee and

other agricultural products," Talukder

added. Officials said mango was cultivated

on 26,150 hectares of areas in Rajshahi and

Chapainawabganj districts where it's

expected to yield 2,44,000 tonnes of

mangoes this year.

Mango groves were also nurtured on

12,671 hectares of land in Naogaon district

where the target was fixed to produce

1,61,242 tons of mangoes while in Natore

district is expected to produce 56,021 tons of

mangoes on 4,823 hectares of land.

brought under controlled irrigation

through construction and extension of

903-kilometer underground irrigation

canals, the BMDA official said.

Apart from this, 8,500 hectares of land

have been brought under supplementary

irrigation through using surface water as

a result of re-excavation of 170.5-

kilometer canals and 38 derelict ponds,

construction of 385 dug-wells and 23

cross-dams.

Rashid said the tool has opened up a

new door in implementing any project

timely and properly as it has compulsion

of submitting project completion reports

within the stipulated time.

Under the APA in the last three years,

Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) has

constructed 280.45-kilometer new

roads, elevated fit roads to 380.86

kilometers contributing to the fields of

communication.

In addition to construction and

renovation of 350.60-meter

infrastructure related to bridge, culvert

and road, the city corporation has

constructed and reconstructed 60.11-

kilometer footpaths and walkways,

uplifting 90.46 kilometers, making sure

the public movement safe.

Dr Sharif Uddin, Chief Executive

Officer of RCC, said the APA has started

ensuring transparency and

accountability in their service deliveries

Shishu Mela

held in

Panchagarh

PANCHAGARH : A Shishu

Mela was held on the

premises of Boda Upazila

Parishad (UP) in the district

yesterday.

The Mela was inaugurated

by releasing balloons this

morning. District

Information Office

organised the Mela with

Upazila Nirbahi Officer

(UNO) Md Soleman Ali in

the chair.

The programme was

addressed, among others, by

UP Chairman Faruk Alam,

Vice-Chairman Moklesur

Rahman, municipality

Mayor

Advocate

Wahiduzzaman Suza,

district Children Affairs

Officer Md Akhteruzzaman,

Mohila Vice-Chairman

Laxmi Rani Burman.

13,733 more doses

Covid-19 jabs

administered in

Rangpur

RANGPUR, May 18, 2022

(BSS) - More 13,733 doses of

Covid-19 jabs were

administered on Tuesday

raising the number of

inoculated vaccines to 2

crore 79 lakh 17 thousand

and 412 doses in Rangpur

division.

Health officials said,

among the 13,733 doses of

the jabs inoculated on

Saturday, 330 were

administered as the first

doses, 1,805 as the second

doses and 11,598 as the

booster doses.

"Till Tuesday, a total of

1,35,28,950 people got the

first doses of Covid-19 jabs,

and of them, 1,28,06,960

got the second doses and

15,81,502 got the booster

doses," Divisional Director

(Health) Dr. Abu Md.

Zakirul Islam told BSS.

Meanwhile, the number of

Covid-19 infected patients

remained steady at 64,142 in

the division as no fresh

positive cases were

diagnosed after testing 201

new samples on Tuesday.

The number of healed

Covid-19 patients remained

steady at 62,785 in the

division where no new

patients recovered during

the last 24 hours ending at 8

am on Wednesday.

"Besides, the number of

casualties remained steady

at 1,284 in the division as no

new deaths were reported

during the last 24 hours in

the division," Dr. Islam

added.

APA ensures institutional transparency

in public service delivery

besides implementation of the projects.

Most of the public offices and other line

departments have kept APA apps along

with four other good-governance tools in

their respective official web portals to

reach their services to the public in

general and the service recipients as a

whole.

Parvez Raihan, Deputy Director of

Regional Public Administration Training

Centre (RPATC), said they have provided

necessary training to around 55 APArelated

officers and staff so that they can

play pioneering role in achieving the goal

in their respective working fields in

public offices.

Prof Iliash Hossain, Dean of Social

Science Faculty in Rajshahi University,

mentioned that the APA tool is being

detected as an epoch-making initiative of

the government as it has created spaces

of ensuring accountability and

transparency in the public service

deliveries.

APA has been introduced under the

government performance management

system to increase transparency and

accountability in government activities,

ensure proper use of resources and

improve institutional capacity, he said.

He thanked the prime minister for

launching such a program to ensure

accountability in the democratic state

system.

Women volunteerism

removes disparities

against women

RAJSHAHI : Strengthened participation of

women through volunteerism can be the

best way of substantial and sustainable

women empowerment through removing

disparities against them.

Apart from this, development of the society

and the nation as a whole is dependent on

the overall contribution of women along with

their participation.

However, women participation is

gradually being strengthened through

various volunteer activities besides removing

their disparities at present.

Administrative officials and development

activists came up with the observation while

addressing the campaign of 'Inspiring

Women Volunteer Award 2022' at Nanking

Darbar Hall to acknowledge the laudable

contribution of women volunteers in the city

yesterday.

Various non-government volunteer

organizations, including Plan International

Bangladesh and ActionAid Bangladesh,

jointly organized the campaign.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abdul Jalil

addressed the ceremony as chief guest, while

Deputy Director of Local Government

Division Shahana Akhter Jahan, Principal of

Rajshahi Government Women Degree

College Dr Jubaida Ayesha Siddiqua and

Prof Sultana Mustofa Khanom from the

Department of Sociology in Rajshahi

University spoke as special guests.

DC Abdul Jalil said the women volunteers

are playing pioneering roles as frontline

fighters against the Covid-19 pandemic since

its very beginning in the district as well as

other parts of the country and their

contribution has created positive impacts in

the society.

Despite their physical, mental, social and

economical barriers they are contributing to

the society constantly and their laudable

contribution needs to be acknowledged

obviously.

Jalil said the Public Private Partnership

attached to the Prime Minister's Office is

committed to take the innovative powers

of women volunteers forward so that they

can play vital roles in national and global

development as per the national

volunteers policy.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Nilufa Akter inaugurated the Boro paddy procurement

process formally on Wednesday.

Photo : Ramesh Sarker

'No alternative to quality education

for building prosperous country'

RANGPUR : Rangpur

Metropolitan Police

(RpMP) Commissioner

Mohammad Abdul Alim

Mahmud has said there is

no alternative to quality

education for building a

prosperous country and an

educated nation.

"It is very important to

provide motivation and

encouragement to students

to properly flourish their

latent talents," he said, and

quoted a proverb that says

'Virtue is not born where

virtue is not valued.'

Alim was addressing a

function held at the

Rangpur Metropolitan

Police Lines Hall Room on

Tuesday as the chief guest,

a press release said.

RpMP organised the

function for distribution of

merit scholarships among

28 talented students, who

are children of the RpMP

families and got GPA-5

Plus in the Secondary

School Certificate (SSC)

and Higher Secondary

Certificate (HSC)

Examinations- 2021.

Deputy Commissioner

(DC) of Police

(Headquarters and Admin)

of RpMP Md. Mahidul

Islam, its DC (City Special

Branch) Md. Abu Bakar

Siddique, DC (Detective

Branch) Kazi Muttaki Ibnu

Minan, DC (Crime) Md.

Abu Maruf Hossain, DC

(Traffic) Md. Menhazul

Alam and senior officials

were present.

The RpMP Chief said,

"As our children are our

future, so our children are

the future citizens of

Bangladesh."

He said most of the police

personnel cannot afford to

give time to their family

members as they are

engaged in a busy and risky

profession like police.

"In spite of limitations,

children of police

members, as always, have

left their mark of

achievement in the SSC

and HSC examinations

overcoming all these

obstacles," he said.

Later, he distributed

certificates, medals and

scholarship money among

28 brilliant students of

RpMP families for their

brilliant results in the last

SSC and HSC

examinations.

He wished the merit

scholarship recipient

brilliant students for their

continuous success and

brighter future.

On behalf of the

scholarship recipient

students, Tahiya Tasnim

(SSC) and Polash Roy

(HSC) expressed their

feelings after getting

certificates, medals and

scholarship money.

The halls of Barisal University were visited by the Vice Chancellor of the

University Prof. Dr. Md. Sadequl Arefin on Wednesday. He visited

Bangabandhu Hall, Sher-e-Bangla Hall, Sheikh Hasina Hall and Bangamata

Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall of the University. During the visit, the Vice-

Chancellor checked the quality of food in the dining hall and inquired about

the overall condition of the students in the hall.

Photo : Courtesy

thUrsDAY, MAY 19, 2022

7

NATO chief hails 'historic moment'

as Finland, Sweden apply

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, attends a ruling party meeting in Pyongyang, which

claimed the country could overcome the crisis on its own .

Photo: AP

North Korea hails recovery as WHO

worries over missing data

SEOUL : North Korea said

Wednesday more than a

million people have already

recovered from suspected

COVID-19 just a week after

disclosing an outbreak it

appears to be trying to

manage in isolation as global

experts express deep

concern about the public

health threat, reports BSS.

The country's anti-virus

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headquarters announced

232,880 new cases of fever

and another six deaths in

state media Wednesday.

Those figures raise its totals

to 62 deaths and more than

1.7 million fever cases since

late April. It said at least

691,170 remain in

quarantine.

Outside experts believe

most of the fevers are

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COVID-19 but North Korea

lacks tests to confirm so

many. The outbreak is

almost certainly larger than

the fever tally, since some

virus carriers may not

develop fevers or other

symptoms.

It's also unclear how more

than a million people

recovered so quickly when

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equipment and health

facilities exist to treat the

country's impoverished,

unvaccinated population of

26 million. Some experts say

the North could be simply

releasing people from

quarantine after their fevers

subside.

Globally, COVID-19 has

killed about 6.3 million

people with the true toll

believed to be much higher.

Countries with outbreaks of

a similar size to North

Korea's official fever tally

have confirmed thousands

of deaths each.

World

Health

Organization Director-

General Tedros Adhanom

Ghebreyesus said Tuesday

that North Korea has not

responded to its request for

more data about its

outbreak.

Before acknowledging

COVID-19 infections for the

first time last week, North

Korea had held to a widely

doubted claim of keeping

out the virus. It also

shunned millions of vaccine

shots offered by the U.N.-

backed COVAX distribution

program, likely because of

international monitoring

requirements attached to

them.

North Korea and Eritrea

are the only sovereign U.N.-

member countries not to

have rolled out vaccines, but

Tedros said neither country

has responded to WHO's

offers of vaccines,

medicines, tests and

technical support.

Mozambique detects

polio case after

Malawi outbreak

MAPUTO : Mozambique has

detected its first case of wild

poliovirus in three decades,

following an outbreak in

neighbouring Malawi in

February, the World Health

Organization (WHO)

announced Wednesday,

reports BSS.

The case was diagnosed in a

child in the northeastern

province of Tete, it said.

"The detection of another

case of wild poliovirus in

Africa is greatly concerning,

even if it's unsurprising given

the recent outbreak in

Malawi," WHO Africa chief

Matshidiso Moeti said.

Poliomyelitis-the medical

term for polio-is an acutely

infectious and contagious viral

disease which attacks the

spinal cord and causes

irreversible paralysis in

children.

Wild polioviruses are

viruses that occur naturally in

the community, and typically

spread when the faeces of an

infected person contaminate

water or food.

Africa was declared free of

indigenous wild poliovirus in

August 2020 after no polio

cases had occurred on the

continent for the previous four

years.

However, unvaccinated

people are still at risk if the

virus enters their country

from one of the few places in

the world where the disease

is still circulating.

BRUSSELS : NATO

Secretary-General Jens

Stoltenberg said Wednesday

that the military alliance

stands ready to seize a

historic moment and move

quickly on allowing Finland

and Sweden to join its ranks,

after the two countries

submitted their membership

requests, reports BSS.

The official applications,

handed over by Finland and

Sweden's ambassadors to

NATO, set a security clock

ticking. Russia, whose war on

Ukraine spurred them to join

the military organization, has

warned that it wouldn't

welcome such a move, and

could respond.

"I warmly welcome the

requests by Finland and

Sweden to join NATO. You

are our closest partners,"

Stoltenberg said. "All allies

agree on the importance of

NATO enlargement. We all

agree that we must stand

together, and we all agree

that this is an historic

moment which we must

seize."

"This is a good day at a

critical moment for our

security," a beaming

Stoltenberg said, as he stood

alongside the two envoys,

with NATO, Finnish and

Swedish flags at their backs.

GD-932/22 (12x4)

Russian President Vladimir

Putin has demanded that the

alliance stop expanding

toward Russia's borders, and

several NATO allies, led by

the United States and Britain,

have signaled that they stand

ready to provide security

support to Finland and

Sweden should he try to

provoke or destabilize them

during the time it takes to

become full members.

The countries will only

benefit from NATO's Article 5

security guarantee - the part

of the alliance's founding

treaty that pledges that any

attack on one member would

be considered an attack of

them all - once the

membership ratification

process is concluded,

probably in a few months.

For now though, the

application must now be

weighed by the 30 member

countries. That process is

expected to take about two

weeks, although Turkish

President Recep Tayyip

Erdogan has expressed

reservations about Finland

and Sweden joining.

If his objections are

overcome, and accession

talks go as well as expected,

the two could become

members within a few

months. The process usually

takes eight to 12 months, but

NATO wants to move quickly

given the threat from Russia

hanging over the Nordic

countries' heads.

Canada, for example, says

that it expects to ratify their

accession protocol in just a

few days.

Stoltenberg said that

NATO allies "are determined

to work through all issues

and reach rapid conclusions."

Public opinion in Finland

and Sweden has shifted

massively in favor of

membership since Russia

invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Finland and Sweden

cooperate closely with NATO.

They have functioning

democracies, well-funded

armed forces and contribute

to the alliance's military

operations and air policing.

Any obstacles they face will

merely be of a technical, or

possibly political nature.

NATO's membership

process is not formalized, and

the steps can vary. But first

their requests to join will be

examined in a sitting of the

North Atlantic Council (NAC)

of the 30 member countries,

probably at ambassadorial

level.

The NAC will decide

whether to move toward

membership and what steps

must be taken to achieve it.

This mostly depends on how

well aligned the candidate

countries are with NATO

political, military and legal

standards, and whether they

contribute to security in the

North Atlantic area.

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35 17.05.22


8

Padma Bank Family Day-2022 was celebrated on Saturday at a resort in Gazipur through various programs

and lavish arrangements. About one thousand employees of Padma Bank and their family members

participated in this day-long event. The most notable part of the event was the unveiling of the

Mystery Box. All the officers and employees of the bank including the Managing Director (MD) and

Deputy Managing Director (DMD) took part in event. Apart from this Padma family spent a festive day

with various sports, attractive raffle draws and cultural events. Managing Director and CEO Tarek

Reaz Khan and Nasreen Reaz Khan were present as the chief guests at Padma Family Day 2022. During

this time they hand out gifts to the winners of various games. The Managing Director announced to

organize such grand event every year. Deputy Managing Director Faisal Ahsan Chowdhury, Head of

Human Resources M Ahsan Ullah Khan and Chairman of Family Day SEVP and Head of Branch Sabbir

Mohammad Sayem were present on the occasion.

Photo : Courtesy

Freedom fighter Professor. Kazi Shahidul Alam has been appointed as the new chairman of Islami

Bank Foundation. Earlier, he was the Vice Chairman of Islami Bank Foundation. Dr Qazi Shahidul

Alam is a Director of the Bank representing Platinum Endeavours Limited. Currently, he is the

Chairman of the Governing Body of the Uttara Adhunik Medical College, Vice Chairman of Islami Bank

Foundation, Chairman in the Governing Body of Islami Bank Medical College of Rajshahi, Chairman

of the Hospital Committee of the Islami Bank Foundation, Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Anwar

Khan Modern Medical College, Member of the Senate at BSMMU (Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical

University), member of the Governing Board at Sirajul Islam Medical College, member Trustee Board

of the BNSB (Bangladesh National Society for Blind) Hospital in Khulna, and member of the Executive

Committee of the BMA (Bangladesh Medical Association).

Photo : Courtesy

UK inflation

jumps to

40-year peak

LONDON : Britain's annual

inflation rate surged to a 40-

year high last month on

rocketing energy costs,

official data showed

Wednesday, deepening a

cost-of-living crisis.

Consumer prices index

inflation hit 9.0 percent in

April from 7.0 percent in

March, the Office for

National Statistics said in a

statement. The ONS

estimated that this was the

highest level since 1982,

while it was the fastest

measured rate since the data

series began in 1989.

Nations across the world

are plagued by decades-high

inflation as the Ukraine

conflict pushes up energy

and food prices, in turn

forcing the Bank of England

and other central banks to

ramp up interest rates.

BoE governor Andrew

Bailey on Monday warned of

an "apocalyptic" situation

surrounding runaway food

costs-which he said were

fuelled by major wheat and

cooking oil producer

Ukraine finding itself unable

to export its goods.

UK consumer prices also

leapt in April after a cap on

domestic gas and electricity

was hiked due to spiking

wholesale energy costs.

"Inflation rose steeply in

April, driven by the sharp

climb in electricity and gas

prices as the higher price cap

came into effect," said ONS

chief economist Grant

Fitzner on Wednesday.

Japan 1st-quarter GDP

shrank as Omicron

wave hit

TOKYO : Japan's

economy shrank slightly

in the first quarter of

2022, official data showed

Wednesday, hit by Covid-

19 restrictions and higher

prices, reports BSS.

The world's thirdlargest

economy shrank

0.2 percent quarter-onquarter

in the January-

March period, slightly less

than the market

expectations of a 0.4

percent contraction.

It followed a modest

rebound in the final three

months of 2021 that

proved short-lived after

Japan put Covid

restrictions in place as an

outbreak fuelled by the

Omicron coronavirus

variant took hold in

January.

Growth was also hit by

the rising cost of imports

with energy prices surging

and the yen falling to its

lowest level against the

dollar in 20 years.

Economists expect the

economy to recover again

in the April-June quarter

now that virus restrictions

have been lifted, but

caution there are some

caveats.

"We see three

headwinds to this

expected recovery," said

UBS economists

Masamichi Adachi and Go

Kurihara in a note ahead

of the GDP data release.

"First is a rise in food

and energy prices. Second

is a drag from the

lockdown in China," and

third is the risk of a

potential resurgence in

virus infections, they said.

Others point to ongoing

uncertainties linked to

"tensions in international

relations and military

conflicts", according to a

survey among economists

conducted by the Japan

Center for Economic

Research.

During the current

earnings season, major

Japanese firms such as

Sony and Nissan have

offered cautious forecasts

because of the

uncertainty, particularly

over supply chain

disruption and the effect

of Covid lockdowns in

China.

Wednesday's data

showed the economy's

rebound in the last

quarter of 2021 was 0.9

percent, slightly weaker

than an initial estimate of

1.1 percent growth.

Japan is battling a series

of economic headwinds

linked to the pandemic

and Russia's invasion of

Ukraine, which has sent

energy costs soaring.

The yen has also

slumped against the

dollar, with a widening

gap between Japan's

ultra-loose monetary

policy and tightening in

the United States as the

Federal Reserve attempts

to combat inflation.

Rising energy prices and

other hikes are squeezing

Japanese consumers and

businesses, with

household spending

dipping 2.3 percent in

March from a year earlier.

Analysts have warned

that the pace of nominal

wage increases in Japan is

unlikely to track rising

prices, dampening

spending appetites.

Last month, the

government unveiled a

6.2 trillion yen (around

$48 billion) economic

package that included

handouts for low-income

families to help cushion

the impact of rising prices

and energy costs.

Pakistan and IMF to meet over

release of funds as economy falters

ISLAMABAD : The International

Monetary Fund will begin talks with

Pakistani officials on Wednesday

over the release of crucial funds, a

process slowed by concerns about

the pace of economic reforms in the

South Asian country.

Pakistan has repeatedly sought

international support for its

economy, which has been hit by

crippling national debt, galloping

inflation and a plummeting rupee.

The talks will be held in the Qatari

capital Doha, Pakistan's finance

ministry said, and are expected to

continue into next week.

A major sticking point is likely to

be over costly subsidies-notably for

fuel and electricity-and Finance

Minister Miftah Ismail said he wants

the two sides to "find a middle

Asian markets

mixed after US

retail data boosts

Wall Street

HONG KONG : Asian stocks

were mixed Wednesday

following a strong start in

some markets, which took the

lead from Wall Street where

traders were cheered by brisk

US retail sales data.

The US Federal Reserve's

tightening of monetary policy

to contain surging inflation

has sent jolts through global

markets, deepening the

apprehensions of investors

already roiled by China's

Covid lockdowns and the

Russian invasion of Ukraine.

But there was some good

news out of the United States

Tuesday, with data showing

increased spending by

Americans in April. Retail

sales rose 0.9 percent-partly

boosted by a rebound in auto

purchases.

"The economy is slowing

but the consumer still looks

good and that means the

economy is still positioned to

avoid a recession," said

Edward Moya of OANDA.

Industrial production also

rose in April-"another sign the

economy isn't falling apart

just yet", he added.

Wall Street closed with

gains, with the tech-rich

Nasdaq jumping nearly three

percent.

Tokyo, Sydney and

Singapore rose in Wednesday

trade, thanks to the bounce in

New York.

By mid-morning, however,

Hong Kong and Shanghai

dipped into negative territory

after a positive start.

The US consumer data

added to the boost from China

earlier this week, where

authorities said Shanghai-the

economic engine of the

world's second-largest

economy-will "gradually

reopen" businesses.

Most of the city's 25 million

people were placed under

lockdown for weeks as

authorities battled a major

Covid outbreak.

Millions were still confined

to their homes Wednesday as

confusion abounded over

official statements about

achieving zero Covid cases.

ground".

"The government will try to

convince the IMF that for political

stability purposes it is important to

keep at least some of the subsidies,"

said economist Shahrukh Wani.

"The IMF will possibly, rightly, say

that these are unsustainable and

they should be rolled back to make

the trade and budget deficit

manageable," he added.

A six billion dollar IMF bailout

package signed by former prime

minister Imran Khan in 2019 has

never been fully implemented

because his government reneged on

agreements to cut or end some

subsidies and to improve revenue

and tax collection.

Islamabad has so far received $3

billion, with the programme due to

Sony brings zero-carbon goal

forward 10 years to 2040

TOKYO : Japanese giant Sony brought forward

its deadline for reaching carbon neutrality by a

decade on Wednesday, saying it is now

targeting net-zero emissions across its business

by 2040.

The electronics and entertainment firm said

the decision was taken "as climate change risks

become more apparent and serious worldwide,

and the transition to a decarbonised society has

become an urgent issue".

Climate campaigners praised the move, but

raised doubts over an element of how Sony

aims to reach the goal-investing in new

technology that removes carbon from the

atmosphere or converts it into a less harmful

compound. Sony said it wants its own factories

to be carbon neutral by 2030, also a decade

earlier than its previous goal, and plans to

reach that by increasing use of renewable

power and energy-saving.

Eliminating emissions from areas "such as

products, supply chains, and logistics",

however, is to be achieved in part by investing

in start-ups focused on carbon removal and

projects that encourage carbon absorption with

end later this year.

Officials are seeking an extension

to the programme through to June

2023, as well as the release of the

next tranche of $1 billion.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz

Sharif, who took power with a

coalition that removed Khan in a noconfidence

vote last month, has

vowed to jumpstart the moribund

economy, but analysts say his fragile

government has failed to take tough

decisions.

"It's an administration that has

refused to take hard political steps to

bring eventual economic relief-but

that's exactly the sacrifice it must

make by going to the IMF," said

Michael Kugelman, deputy South

Asia director at the Wilson Center in

Washington.

so-called augmented ecosystems. But that

technology remains unproven, said Eri

Watanabe, senior finance campaigner at

Japanese climate group 350.org. Sony's

announcement "is a positive signal that the

company is serious about tackling climate

change", but these removal methods are

"unproven, and (it is) uncertain if it can

contribute to the decarbonisation pathway",

she said.

She said Sony could influence other Japanese

firms to upgrade their climate targets but urged

the company not to rely "on unproven

technologies to reduce its emissions."

UN climate experts say humanity has fewer

than three years to halt the rise of planetwarming

carbon emissions, and less than a

decade to slash them by nearly half to have a

shot at capping global warming at a target 1.5

degrees Celsius.

Japan, which is highly dependent on

imported fossil fuels, aims to become carbon

neutral by 2050. The country is the world's

sixth-biggest carbon emitter if the EU is

counted as one bloc, according to European

Commission data.

Mercantile Bank Training Institute started two week long Foundation

Training for its Trainee Assistant Officers (TAO) on Wednesday. A total

number of 47 officers participated in the training. Md. Quamrul Islam

Chowdhury, MD & CEO of the Bank inaugurated the training and delivered

his speech highlighting the importance of Foundation Training and advised

participating officers to be strictly compliant with the banking ethics and

guidelines and be proactive in providing excellent service to the customers

of the bank. Javed Tariq, Principal of MBTI, along with other faculty members

of the institution also present in the program. Photo : Courtesy

Prime Bank has been a long supporter of an inclusive, accessible and sustainable world. In order to

achieve that Prime Bank has partnered with Bangladesh Disabled Development Trust (BDDT) and

their drive to support Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) for their capacity building and initiate income

generating activities, rehabilitation services etc. Prime Bank handed over a cheque to BDDT to bear

their cost of training program on the Braille System. Hassan O. Rashid, Managing Director and CEO

of Prime Bank handed over a cheque to Md. Moniruzzaman Khan, Founder and Managing Trustee

(CEO) of BDDT. Hassan O. Rashid also handed over a copy of Al-Quran published in the Braille System

to a visually impaired person. Along with othersMohammad Firoz Alam, EVP & Head of Credit Risk

Management & Sustainable Finance Unit was also present in the program.

Photo : Courtesy


9

Ensuring a 68-run lead in the first innings, Bangladesh declared their first innings of the

Chattogram Test on 465 for nine in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings of 397. Photo : Internet

Ctg test

Bangladesh declare ensuring a

68-run lead

DHAKA : Ensuring a 68-run lead in

the first innings, Bangladesh declared

their first innings of the Chattogram

Test on 465 for nine in reply to Sri

Lanka's first innings of 397.

To end day four, Sri Lanka will have

around 24 overs to play.

After Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiur

Rahim also hit a century in

Bangladesh's first innings. Along the

way, Mushfiqur became the first

Bangladeshi batter to have scored

5,000 runs in Test cricket.

It was Mushfiqur's eighth century in

Medvedev says he's no

French Open favourite

after comeback loss

GENEVA : World number

two Daniil Medvedev on

Tuesday ruled himself out

as a title contender at next

week's French Open after

losing his first match back

after a hernia operation.

The US Open champion,

who underwent surgery last

month, was beaten 6-2, 7-6

(7/5) by French veteran

Richard Gasquet in the

Geneva Open round of 16.

The Russian said it was

hard to look beyond Rafael

Nadal and Novak Djokovic

as favourites to win the

second Grand Slam of the

year and said he would

work further on sharpening

up his game in the

remaining days before

Paris.

"I don't play my best

tennis on clay courts. I

know that I'm capable of

making some good results,

as I did in the past. But for

this I kind of need to be in

the zone," Medvedev told

reporters.

"I don't feel as confident

on clay as on other surfaces,

that's why I lost 7/5 in the

tie-break finishing with a

double fault. It's

disappointing but I've had

tougher losses in my career.

"Physically I felt not bad.

With more days of practice

I should be ready for

Roland Garros."

The 26-year-old reached

the 2021 French Open

quarter-finals.

"I haven't played for a

month and a half, two

months. I'm going to try to

work both physically and

tennis-wise and hopefully I

can find the game I had

there last year-which is not

going to be easy," he said.

Medvedev went under the

knife after losing in the

quarter-finals in Miami,

meaning the Geneva loss

was his only clay-court

match ahead of Paris.

"Clay for my body is the

most dangerous surface.

For me it's clay courtsevery

time, every year I

have some problems

where I cannot be 100

percent," he said.

the format and first after 18 innings.

He notched up his last ton before this

in 2020 against Zimbabwe in Dhaka.

Bangladesh did not lose any wicket

in the first session of day four, but off

the first over of the second session, the

hosts lost two wickets- Liton Das and

Tamim Iqbal with the latter resumed

his innings after lunch of day four.

Tamim had left the field on day three

with a cramped right hand.

Bangladesh batted in a slow manner

which actually was an attempt to

ensure that they would not lose this

match from this stage.

For Sri Lanka, Kasun Rajitha

bagged four wickets conceding 60

runs while Asitha Fernando took

three.

Earlier, Sri Lanka ended their first

innings at 397 with an outstanding

199 by Angelo Mathews.

For Bangladesh, Nayeem Hasan

bagged six wickets in the first

innings which is now the best

bowling innings by him in the

format. It was the third five-for for

the right-handed spinner.

South Africa batter Zubayr Hamza was suspended for nine months by the

International Cricket Council on Tuesday after admitting taking the

banned diuretic Furosemide.

Photo : Internet

South Africa's Hamza gets 9-month

ban for doping offense

NEW YORK : South Africa batter Zubayr

Hamza was suspended for nine months by

the International Cricket Council on Tuesday

after admitting taking the banned diuretic

Furosemide.

Hamza's ban was backdated to March 22,

the date he was provisionally suspended. His

records between Jan. 17, the date he tested

positive in an out-of-competition test in

South Africa, and March 22 have been

disqualified, the ICC said. In that period he

played one test against New Zealand, scoring

25 and 6. Hamza admitted the violation, the

South African cricket body said.

The 26-year-old Hamza, who has played

six tests and one ODI for South Africa, will be

eligible to play again on Dec. 22.

ICC integrity unit general manager Alex

Marshall said the case was "a timely

reminder to all international cricketers that

they remain responsible for anything they

put into their bodies, to know exactly what

medication they are taking so as to ensure it

does not contain a prohibited substance."

Liverpool beat Southampton to

take title race to final day

SOUTHAMPTON : Jurgen Klopp rated

Liverpool's chances of winning the Premier

League as "not likely but possible" after the

under-strength quadruple chasers took the

title race to the final day of the season with a

2-1 win against Southampton on Tuesday.

After Liverpool defeated Chelsea on

penalties in a gruelling FA Cup final just three

days earlier, Klopp took a gamble with nine

changes at St Mary's. Despite effectively

fielding a reserve team and trailing to Nathan

Redmond's early strike, Liverpool hit back

through goals from Takumi Minamino and

Joel Matip. The Reds are just one point

behind leaders Manchester City, with both

teams having one game left. A title race for

the ages will go City's way if they win against

Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Klopp insisted at the weekend that he does

not expect City to drop points against Villa.

But Liverpool would be crowned

champions for the second time in three

seasons if they beat Wolves at Anfield and

City fail to win.

"Of course it is unlikely because City play at

home against Aston Villa, who play only on

Thursday. It is possible, not likely but

possible. That is enough," Klopp said.

"It is our last home game of the season, the

atmosphere will be outstanding, and we will

try to use it. "Of course it could happen.

Football is a tricky game sometimes. The only

chance we had tonight was to win. We did our

job. We never give up."

Ibrahimovic to

miss Sweden's

Nations League

matches

STOCKHOLM : Swedish

football legend Zlatan

Ibrahimovic will miss

Sweden's Nations League

matches in June against

Slovenia, Norway and Serbia

due to injury, coach Janne

Andersson said on

Wednesday.

"He's had injury problems

for a while and hasn't played

so much in Milan, so he's

declined to play", Andersson

told reporters as he

presented Sweden's squad.

Ibrahimovic, 40, returned

to the Swedish national

team in March 2021 after a

five-year hiatus.

In March, he said he

wanted to continue playing

international football for "as

long as possible" despite

Sweden's failure to qualify

for the 2022 World Cup.

But speculation has since

mounted that this may be

his last season as a player

due to his mounting injuries

and has seen him rarely play

for his Serie A club AC

Milan.

His physical problems

have prompted even former

Italian star Francesco Totti,

who aged 40 was dragged

away from playing kicking

and screaming, to suggest

that the Swede should

"listen to his body" before

deciding to continue.

Ibrahimovic will be 42 by

the time of the next major

international tournament

finals he could play in, Euro

2024 in Germany.

Nottingham Forest

need penalties to

reach playoff final

LONDON : Nottingham

Forest are one game away

from returning to the

Premier League for the first

time since 1999 after edging

out Sheffield United on

penalties in a dramatic

Championship playoff semifinal.

Forest led 2-1 from the first

leg and looked set for

Wembley when Brennan

Johnson blasted into the top

corner on 19 minutes.

However, the Blades

fought back after the break as

goals from Morgan Gibbs-

White and John Fleck sent

the tie to extra-time.

The visitors were only

denied a remarkable

fightback by a brilliant save

from Brice Samba five

minutes from time as he

spread himself to block

Iliman Ndiaye's effort.

And Samba was the Forest

hero in the shootout as he

saved from Oliver Norwood,

Conor Hourihane and

Gibbs-White. Johnson, Cafu

and Steve Cook scored from

the spot for Steve Cooper's

men to continue an

incredible turnaround in

fortunes at the City Ground.

Forest were bottom of the

table when Chris Hughton

was sacked in September.

They narrowly missed out

on automatic promotion

behind Fulham and

Bournemouth, but will have

another shot in the richest

game in world football when

they face Huddersfield at

Wembley on May 29.

4386/2

GD-934/22 (4 X 4)

Mushfiqur becomes

first Bangladesh batter

to reach 5K runs in Test

CHATTOGRAM : Twenty two years after

getting Test status, Bangladesh finally got a

batter who scores 5000 runs in this format.

Mushfiqur Rahim became the first

Bangladeshi batter to reach the prestigious

milestone, which was opened by the greatest

cricketer for all time-Sir Donald Bradman in

1938.

Mushfiqur indeed became the 99th

cricketer to reach the feat.

One of the most senior batters in the world

cricket now, Mushfiqur played only 81 Tests

and 149 innings since his debut in 2005.

Most of the cricketers, who debuted with him

or later, had already played more than 100

Test matches or retired from the cricket.

However Mushfiqur began the Test with

68-run short and when he reached 53 on day

three, it was matter of 15 runs to reach the

milestone. He scored those required runs

just 70 minutes after the fourth day's play,

nudging pacer Asitha Fernando through fine

leg for doubles.

But it Tamim Iqbal who looked to be the

first Bangladeshi batter to reach the

milestone. Tamim though started the Test

with 152 runs short, compared to

Mushfiqur's 68 runs, he played excellently to

score century and reduced the gap.

With 19 runs requiring to get to the feat,

Tamim had to retire due to muscle cramp,

which paved the way for Mushfiqur Rahim

to win the race between the two finest batters

of Bangladesh.

Mushfiqur had already hit seven centuries

and 26th half-century on the way to his 5000

Test runs.

The diminutive man who made his debut

at 'Home of Cricket' Lord's in 2005, made

just 19 runs in his debut innings against

England. He then went through four single

digit figures before hitting 80 against Sri

Lanka in Colombo 2007. That was the

innings that cemented his place

permanently.

He then established him as one of the

finest batters of Bangladesh and some even

considered him as the most accomplished

batter of the country in any format of cricket.

Due to his talent and skill, he earned the

nick name 'most dependable batter' of the

country.

Twenty two years after getting Test status, Bangladesh finally got a batter

who scores 5000 runs in this format.

Photo : Internet

All eyes on Tiger's comeback and

Jordan Slam quest at PGA

TULSA, United States : Tiger Woods and his

incredible injury comeback and Jordan

Spieth's quest for a career Grand Slam will

seize the spotlight in Thursday's opening

round of the 104th PGA Championship,

reports BSS.

Woods, a 15-time major champion, and

three-time major winner Spieth are grouped

with four-time major winner Rory McIlroy

in a marquee trio for the first two days at

Southern Hills.

Top-ranked Masters champion Scottie

Scheffler, 2021 British Open winner Collin

Morikawa and second-ranked Spaniard Jon

Rahm are among the most fancied players

and are together as well, but might struggle

to match the Woods group spectator count.

"Tiger's here, so nobody really remembers

that I'm here," Scheffler said. "So it's all

good."

Woods suffered severe leg injuries in a

February 2021 car crash, spending weeks

hospitalized and months unable to walk.

His emotional return at last month's

Masters ended with a share of 47th and a

stamina struggle, but he saw walking 72

holes as a major feat and says he's stronger

as another endurance test looms.

"I've gotten stronger since then, but still it's

going to be sore and walking is a challenge,"

Woods said.

Asked if he can win, Woods said, "I feel like

I can, definitely. I just have to go out there

and do it."

Among those trying to stop him will be

Rahm, who comes off a victory two weeks

ago at the US PGA Mexico Open.

"He's Tiger. He's a competitor," Rahm

said. "He's going to try to win every single

time and anytime he tees up, the world

wants him to win.

"Yeah, totally expected for the attention to

be on him, but it doesn't really change

anything of what I want to be doing this

week."

Like Rahm, Spieth wants to be having his

name engraved on the Wanamaker Trophy.

If he wins, Spieth will join Woods, Jack

Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene

Sarazen as the only players to sweep all four

major titles in their careers.

Spieth won last month's Heritage title and

was second at last week's hometown Byron

Nelson event. He expects Southern Hills will

be formidable.

"I think it's going to be one of the higher

scoring PGAs that we've seen," Spieth said.

"It's a great test."

THURsdAY, MAY 19, 2022

10

Ferdous in multiple govt-granted films

TBT REPORT

The five-time National Film

Awards-winning actor Ferdous

Ahmed, who has won the hearts of

millions with his fabulous acting

skill, is passing a busy time working

in seven government-granted films.

These are- Afzal Hossian's

'Maniker Lal Kakra', Hridi Huq's

'1971 Shei Shob Din', Z H Mintu's

'Khoma Nei', Mahmud Didar's

Hugh Jackman reveals namedropping

Wolverine to stop him

from being deported. For those who

don't know, when a person uses a

famous person's name to impress

others, in this case, to stop Jackman

from leaving a country, is what

name-dropping means. The actor

played the iconic role for years, and

as per some rumours, he might

reprise the character.

Even though everyone associates

the Australian actor as the Old Man

Logan now, there was a time when

he was rejected to play the Marvel

character in the X-Men films. The

reason given was that he was tall,

which is the opposite in the comics,

and the 'nicest guy ever.'

However, we all know that Hugh

Jackman finally did play the role,

and now, while appearing on The

'Beauty Circus', Shuddhoman

Chaitan's 'Dampara', Nure Alam's

'Ruseler Jonno Opekkha', and F M

Shahin's 'Mike'.

Regarding this Ferdous said,

"Government-granted films have

been made based on good stories

and incidents. If everyone had

finished the movie every year with

their responsibilities, there would be

no traffic jams in the movie. Now a

day's government has also increased

Tonight Show Starring Jimmy

Fallon, the actor discussed how he

casually name-dropped Wolverine

to avoid deportation when he

arrived in the United States. "I just

broke. It was pathetic. And he goes,

'Go over there.' And it was that room

- you know, like, the room. That guy

literally is like, 'This is serious! You

have no rights in here! We're

probably going to send you back on

a plane,'" Hugh said.

"And I said, 'Listen, I'm sorry. It's

just - I've got this part in this thing,

and they haven't got my visa,'" Hugh

Jackman continued. "And he goes,

'What's the thing?' And I said, 'Well,

it's X-Men.' He goes, 'What? Well,

you mean like the animation thing,

X-Men?' And I said, 'Yeah.' And he

goes, 'Well, what did you audition

for?' And I said, 'It's a character

the number of grants. In that case,

the producers should make a quick

release of the movie with

dedication."

"I want to do something that will

leave a mark on people's minds,

which will keep me alive for life.

When I get the opportunity to work

in government-funded films, I listen

to the story carefully and try to do

my best. There is lots of chance to

break character in the grant film",

he added.

Ferdous also said, "I have acted in

many films based on the Liberation

War. It seems to me that by acting in

these movies, I am also paying

homage to the freedom fighters.

And these films will remain as

documents for the next generation."

Ferdous informed that his two

films 'Gaangchil' and 'Jam' directed

by Noim Imtiaz Neyamul are

expected to see it's released. Apart

from acting, Ferdous also spends a

busy time anchoring programmes.

Dhallywood actress Purnima

usually accompanies him in

Hugh once used his ‘Wolverine’

role to avoid deportation

called Wolverine.' And he literally

looked at me, and then he just - to all

his mates, he goes, 'Hey, Jimmy, it's

Wolverine! This is Wolverine!'"

Jackman added.

The actor said that after that, he

was able to go out and that too with

a police escort.

From almost not playing the role

because of being rejected by the

execs to almost being deported,

that's some crazy story of how Hugh

got the part!

If the rumours are true, then it

would be great to see Hugh

Jackman as Wolverine. Some

speculations around the Captain

Terror being in MCU's Doctor

Strange in the Multiverse of

Madness arose, but it was being said

that it won't be played by Jackman.

Source: Collider

Duet song of Sabbir, Sampa's

'Chan Rate' gets huge response

TBT REPORT

The Music video of Sabbir

Nasir and Indian singer

TBT REPORT

Popular actress-cum-model Afsana

Mimi starrer 'Paap Punno' is going to

hit in eight cinema halls on May 20.

'Paap Punno' will also hit in 112

cinema halls in North America on the

day. The other casts of the film are

Chanchal Chowdhury, Mamunur

Rashid, Sumi and Sium.

Directed by 'Giasuddin Selim',

production house Impress Telefilm

will release the film.

Due to release of the film, an event

was organised on Monday at Channel

i office in the capital. After 'Monpura',

Chanchal Chowdhury again acted in

Selim directorial movie.

"I urge all Bengalis living abroad to

watch the film," Selim said.

Chanchal Chowdhury has played

the role of 'Khordhem' in the film.

Katrina Kaif is without a doubt one of

the most beautiful actresses to be part of

the Bollywood industry at moment.

From sharing screen space with the A-

list actor of Bollywood like Shah Rukh

Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan,

Hrithik Roshan and more to launching

her own makeup line, Katrina has made

her presence felt everywhere.

But did you know she also suffered

when it came to being paid equally for

films she starred in? In a 2015

conversation, the actress was asked

about the pay disparity in Bollywood

and acknowledged that she has received

less when compared to the male leads.

During a past conversation, Katrina

Kaif opened up about facing the pay

disparity in Bollywood. The 'Bang Bang'

actress said, "An actor, male or female

needs to be paid according to the

budget, structure and the set-up of the

film. If you are paying (a lot to) an actor

who is going to give you a 90 per cent

guarantee of recovering say Rs. 150

crore, I can understand that as a

producer, why they are paying them that

much."

While she stands by makers paying

certain actors' huge amounts of money

because they have proven their mettle in

Sampa Biswas's 'Chan Rate'

was released on the eve of

Eid-ul-Fitr. The song has

been getting huge response

from the audience since its

release.

anchoring. ‘Paap Punno’ to hit theaters on May 20

When Katrina reveals dark

side of Bollywood!

recovering the money with their 'X'

factor, she said it's not the case for

female-driven films. Katrina Kaif said,

"We have yet to see enough films that

have guaranteed the producer that 'x'

amount of money can be paid upfront to

the actress."

The 'Tiger' actress, in that

conversation, also suggested it would be

The song has been

penned by Mehedi Hassan

Tamjid while Salman Jaim

has done the mixmastering.

The music video

has been made by Pritul

and Evan.

Sabbir Nasir said, "The

song reminds us about Eid

festivals we passed in our

childhood days. I'm happy

because the song has

garnered a huge response

from music lovers. Tamjid

and other team members

have done a wonderful job

within a short time."

"The song 'Chan Rate' is

all about festivity. I was in

Bangladesh while shooting

the music video. We are

getting huge positive

response for the song. I'm

grateful that the music

lovers have liked our work."

'Chan Rate', which was

published on Sabbir Nasir's

YouTube channel on May 1,

has garnered over 650,000

views on YouTube till

Wednesday.

best if an actress decides on a fee and

then has a contract with a clause that

states, "if the film makes 'x' amount,

then pay me 'y' amount. If the film

crosses Rs.100 crore, then you pay me

Rs.20 crore… You clearly state all these

things in the contract, so that the actor

and the producer, both are safe."

Source: Hindustan Times

H O R O s c O P E

ARIEs

Today your intellectual and

expressive abilities should receive a

boost from the planets. It's an

excellent time to organize your thoughts about

presenting a project to a possible collaborator,

engage in trade, or write. In terms of your

private life, it's also a good time to examine the

latest events, certain aspects of which are still

partially misunderstood.

TAURUs

Overall, the forecast for today is fairly

good. The aspects seem to favor figuring

out the meaning of all that's transpired

over the past several weeks. It's an

opportunity for you to take a leisurely look at the

distance you've covered moving toward your goals.

Since it's an auspicious day for social activities, why not

get together with friends and discuss the latest events

with them?

GEMINI

Have you felt somewhat lost for the past

few days? The fog may lift today and

enable you to situate yourself at last.

You're probably eager to settle a

question that has nagged at you and interfered with

your judgment. However, you should be patient,

especially if it has to do with emotional matters. Try

to understand, but don't take immediate action.

You'll be more objective beginning tomorrow.

cANcER

You may have been feeling somewhat

disillusioned. Perhaps you lost sight of

your goals or misplaced your faith in

yourself. You'll feel some relief

beginning today. This is an opportunity to end what

has been a somewhat apathetic and moody phase

and begin a new one that's based on work and

meditation. As you can imagine, this new phase will

be much more fulfilling!

LEO

You might be tempted to settle certain

matters by radical means. The

visionary part of you means you're

painfully aware of the world's wrongs.

You see no reason not to take action to correct them.

But the forces in play are so powerful that you can't

expect to institute a new order in one day. If you

have an emotional question to resolve, it would be

better to wait a few days before making a decision.

VIRGO

Today will be fairly calm in terms of

outside events, but your inner world is

likely to be in a rush of activity. Today you

wish you could find the solution to your

heartaches as well as your career predicaments. You'd

like to achieve some supreme understanding of the

events that took place over the past month. First you

must force your brain to slow down. Haste makes

waste, as you know!

LIBRA

You have a lot of thinking to do about

your professional goals, Libra. You'll go

over the elements to see if there isn't

some way to approach things differently.

Are there new paths you could try or ways to improve

things? Your mind will go a thousand miles a minute

today. Those who spend time with you may be totally

exhausted by the end of the day because of all the

questions you ask!

scORPIO

You just can't do everything at once,

Scorpio. How do you expect to reduce

your stress and recuperate while at

the same time continue to be a

superstar performer in every area of your life?

Don't pressure yourself to perform today. If you do,

you're likely to deplete your reserves even further.

Take it easy, rest, and relax! You've earned this

little break.

sAGITTARIUs

This is a good moment to adapt your logic

and reason to reality, Sagittarius. If you

don't, you're going to run into some

intellectual problems. Everyone knows that you find new

ideas plentiful, but unless you have plans to be a novelist,

link your thinking to reality. The "pie in the sky" thinking

that you engage in isn't particularly useful to the rest of

us living here in the real world.

cAPRIcORN

It's going to be a little difficult talking

to you today, Capricorn. You, who can

be easily influenced by others, will be

listening to and criticizing everything

that people say. Nothing emotional or vague is

going to get into your head. It's as if you've installed

an extremely fine filter that lets in only what you

allow. You're going to appear to be a real expert.

Don't show off too much!

AQUARIUs

Have you been reviewing your family

history lately, Aquarius? Of special

interest is your cultural background.

What educational, social, and religious

environment were you born into? What are its

values? In the end, do you feel a strong affinity with

them now or are those views different from the ones

you hold? These are interesting avenues of thought

for you today.

PIscEs

It's time to elevate your sense of self,

Pisces. You're just as good as anyone

else, so why don't you believe it? The

problem is that you're very sensitive

about having an ego. Even though you know

everyone does, you punish yourself for its existence!

This is a noble idea, but it doesn't do you any good.

You'll never be perfect and neither will anyone else.

What are you worrying about?

ThuRsDAY, MAY 19, 2022

11

Dr. Baten takes responsibility of

Alpona's higher studies

TBT Report

Dr. Baten and his family took the

charge in supporting the education of

an impoverished student, Ms. Alpona.

Dr. Baten is an assistant professor of

Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical

College.

Alpona, a daughter of a rickshaw

puller father, showed success in both

the SSC and HSC exam. She confirmed

placement in Mymensingh Medical

College but due to poor financial

condition she stopped studying. Upon

receiving the news, Dr. Baten came

forward. The Baten family called

Alpana and took responsibility for all

the expenses till the completion of

medical education. Alpana expressed

her gratitude to MA Baten and his

family.

Not everyone can come forward

humanely. Only he who has human

qualities in his mind can move forward

for the people of the society. One man

is enough to take the back-tracked

people of the society forward. Many

people fall out of education due to lack

of proper guidance. Despite the

qualifications, the development ladder

is not carried forward. In the same

way, when you see the right person

again, the ladder of development can

be easily climbed. MA Baten and his

family became a beacon of light.

Alpana, a needy student, will now be

enlightened by the light of education.

Dr. MA Baten and his family set an

example of humanity by working on

that lamp of light.

Many have congratulated MA Baten

and his family. Dr. MA Baten is not

only a physician but also has a great

reputation as a urology surgeon in

north Bengal. His reputation is also

spread in the northern districts. He is

living a healthy life with his numerous

patient services. Alpana will contribute

to society by being educated in medical

education.

Alpana said she is eternally grateful

to Dr. MA Baten and his family. The

rickshaw puller's father and other

family members are also happy that a

doctor will be born in their home.

Alpana wants to become a good doctor.

Dr. Baten said, "My parents have

played an important role in educating

and raising good children. My elder

sister is involved in teaching

profession after completing Masters,

another sister Amina Begum is

working in a foreign firm with higher

education in physics, younger sister

Mahfuza is working in America as an

engineer, especially discovered

modern technology for landing

aircraft and also working for

development of Bangabandhu

Satellite in Bangladesh."

DRU condemns case

against Bhorer Kagoj

editor, others

DHAKA : Dhaka Reporters

Unity (DRU) has protested and

condemned the case filed

against five journalists including

former DRU executive member

and Daily Bhorer Kagoj editor

Shyamal Dutta.

In a statement on Tuesday,

DRU president Nazrul Islam

Mithu and general secretary

Nurul Islam Habib expressed

their deep concern and

demanded immediate

withdrawal of the case.

The DRU leaders said news

cannot be stopped by filing false

cases against the newsmen.

Demanding immediate

withdrawal of the case, they said

DRU condemned such

activities. Earlier in the day,

Awami League mayoral

candidate in Cumilla City

Corporation Arfanul Haque

Rifat filed a defamation case

with Cumilla Joint District

Judge Court (1st) of Tk 10 crore

against Daily Bhorer Kagoj

editor Shyamal Dutta, news

editor Iktiur Uddin, senior

reporter Mohammad Ruhul

Amin, Cumilla correspondent

M Firoz Mia and publisher

Saber Hossain Chowdhury for

publishing 'false news'.

'Tagore, Nazrul to remain as

national pride, inspiration'

RANGPUR : Officials and

literarily personalities at a

discussion yesterday termed

Biswa Kobi Rabindranath

Tagore and National Poet Kazi

Nazrul Islam would remain as

our national pride, glory and

sources of unending

inspirations.

They opined this at the event

organised by the district

administration at Shilpokola

Academy auditorium in

observance of the 161st and

123rd birth anniversaries of

Biswa Kobi Rabindranath

Tagore and National Poet Kazi

Nazrul Islam respectively.

Deputy Commissioner Md.

Asib Ahsan attended the

discussion followed by a

colorful cultural function as the

chief guest with Additional

District Magistrate and

Additional Deputy

Commissioner (Education and

ICT, In-charge) Firuzul Islam

in the chair.

Superintendent of Police Md.

Ferdous Ali Chowdhury, noted

cultural personality and Awami

League central committee

member Advocate Hosne Ara

Lutfa Dalia, District Awami

League President Mamtaz

Uddin Ahmed, its General

Secretary Advocate Rezaul

Karim Raju, Professor Ataur

Ali Khan, Dr Mofizul Islam

Maantu and President of Press

Club, Rangpur Mahabub

Rahman spoke as special

guests.

The speakers stressed on

following the conscience, ideals

and philosophy of Tagore and

Nazrul who were the sources of

inspiration during the War of

Liberation in freeing the nation

from deprivation, exploitation,

injustice and communalism.

The chief guest called for

nurturing of literary works

including poems, songs and

novels, of the two great sons of

the soil to show due respect to

them on the way to build a

more enlightened, noncommunal,

peaceful and

prosperous Bangladesh.

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GD-930/22 (6x4)

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Iqvmv-R:Z: 235/2022

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GD-925/22 (7x4)

Thursday, Dhaka: May 19, 2022; Jaishtha 5, 1429 BS; Shawal 17, 1443 Hijri

New int'l development

strategy to deepen economic,

security ties globally : UK

DHAKA : The recently launched new

"international development strategy"

will deepen economic, security and

development ties globally, while delivering

jobs and growth in both the UK

and partner countries, says the UK government.

.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has set

out her vision for the future of UK international

development which will help

address increasing global challenges.

The British Foreign Secretary published

the "International Development

Strategy" to respond to a world increasingly

affected by geopolitics, according

to the British High Commission in

Dhaka.

The UK will use aid and investment

to create global economic growth and

challenge dependency on malign actors

to offer honest alternative for low- and

middle-income countries.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and

Development Office (FCDO) will prioritise

bilateral programmes to ensure

money is spent on key priorities including

educating girls and providing lifesaving

humanitarian support

The strategy, which builds on a proud

record of global leadership on development,

will challenge dependency on

malign actors, offering choice and

bringing more countries into the orbit

of free-market economies.

The strategy will help address

increasing global challenges, delivering

investment, supporting women and

girls, getting humanitarian assistance

to those who need it most, and continuing

our work on climate change,

nature and global health.

Development will be at the heart of

the UK's foreign policy which uses all

the levers available - including development,

diplomacy, investment, trade,

defence and intelligence - to deliver on

our foreign policy objectives.

The strategy will use British

International Investment and other

tools to provide honest and reliable

finance to help low- and middleincome

countries take control of their

futures, giving them an alternative so

they are not burdened with unsustainable

debt with strings attached.

This approach will help deliver the

Clean Green Initiative, supporting

countries to grow their economies sustainably.

The UK government will also use the

strategy to rebalance the aid budget

towards bilateral programmes.

This will give the Government greater

control on how money is spent allowing

a focus on priorities and improve lives

around the world.

"In an increasingly geopolitical

world, we must use development as a

key part of our foreign policy," said

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

The new strategy, launched on

Wednesday, will ensure that their international

development work brings benefit

across the globe and here at home.

Our strategy will deepen economic,

security and development ties globally,

while delivering jobs and growth in

both the UK and partner countries.

Hasan goes to France

to inaugurate trailer of

Bangabandhu's biopic

A mobile

court of BRTA

conducted

drive in the

capital on

Wednesday to

stop the

movement of

vehicles without

fitness.

Photo :

Star Mail

DHAKA : Information and

Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan

Mahmud left here for France on

Tuesday night to join the inaugural

function of the trailer of the film

titled 'Mujib: The Making of a

Nation' to be held at 75th Cannes

Film Festival.

The inaugural function will be

held at the Indian Pavilion today in

the Marché du Film of the Cannes

Film Festival that began on May 17,

said a press release.

Information and Broadcasting

Minister and Awami League Joint

General Secretary Dr Hasan

Mahmud, Minister of Information

& Broadcasting and Youth Affairs &

Sports of India Anurag Singh

Thakur, biopic's director Shyam

Benegal, screenwriter Shyama Zaidi

and Atul Tiwari and key actors and

officials will attend the opening of

the trailer of the biopic jointly produced

by Bangladesh-India on the

life and works of Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman.

Executive Director of the biopic

and Bangladesh Film Development

Corporation (BFDC) managing

director Nuzhat Yasmin, casting

director of Bangladesh part Bahar

Uddin Khelon, BFDC director Md

Ishan Ali Raja Bangali, deputy secretary

Md Saiful Islam, Arefin

Shubho, protagonist and acted as

role of Bangabandhu, Nusrat Imroz

Tisha who acted as the role of

Bangamata will also attend the

event.

Shooting of the film began at the

outset of 2021 and it is scheduled to

be released this year. In the biopic,

Nusrat Faria acted as the role of

Sheikh Hasina and Reaz Ahmed

performed in as the character of

Tajuddin Ahmad.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday inaugurated a newly constructed eco-friendly multi-storey office building of the Cox's Bazar

Development Authority, joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence.

Photo : PID

Humayun for

enhancing use of

tech in financial

institutions

DHAKA : Industries Minister

Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun

said the use of technology in financial

institutions needs to be further

enhanced and these services

should be taken up to the village

level for the overall development of

the nation.

"At present, besides banks, nonbank

financial institutions (NBFI)

are also playing a vital role in the

development of small and medium

entrepreneurs.

NBFIs are coming up with small

and medium-sized enterprises

(SME) loans up to 35 per cent on

their loan portfolio, which is very

encouraging," he said.

Industries minister made the

remarks while speaking as the chief

guest at the inaugural function of

'BLFCA Fair 2022' on non-bank

financial institutions held at a city

hotel yesterday, said a press

release.

Daily Bonik Barta and

Bangladesh Leasing and Finance

Companies Association (BLFCA)

jointly organised the fair.

Humayun said NBFIs are facing

various challenges in Bangladesh

as they are working with limited

capital. But, there are a lot of

opportunities in this sector and for

this, the sector has to be brought

under discipline.

Bangladesh Bank has taken various

initiatives in this regard, he

added.

Among others, Chairman of

BLFCA Mominul Islam, Editor of

Daily Bonik Barta Dewan Hanif

Mahmud and high officials of

BLFCA and Bonik Barta were also

present at the fair, added the press

release.

President Hamid urges

global efforts to combat

climate change

DHAKA : President Abdul Hamid on

Wednesday called for comprehensive

global steps to combat the adverse effects

of global warming on food security.

"We must turn our words into action.

Climate change knows no boundary," he

said while addressing virtually the

International Conference on Climate

Change and Food Security in South Asia

at the senate building of Dhaka

University. The porgramme was organised

by the Int’l Committee of CCFS.

Saying 'the world is more united than

ever before in addressing the threats of

climate change considering the vulnerabilities

and the worst effect,' the president

said none can remain idle until this misfortune

actually unfolds.

"The time of action cannot be delayed,"

he emphasised.

Consolatory commitments, showy

speeches, attractive slogans and presentation

of substantial papers are not enough to

mitigate the problem, he also said.

Hamid hoped that the international

community, particularly historically high

greenhouse gas emitters, multinational

organizations, development partners,

scientists, media, policy makers and civil

society will come forward to provide

assistance in tackling the loss of lives and

livelihood due to climate change.

"It is a global issue that demands global

response. The time for action is now

and there is simply no time for delay," he

added.

Hamid expressed his happiness as the

organizers kept a session on "HAOR

FLOODING and Livelihood Management".

Mentioning Mithamoin, a remote haor

area as his birthplace, he said "I know the

real situation and problem of this area. It

is a matter of great satisfaction that scientists

from home and abroad have come

forward to solve the problem."

He also mentioned that he noticed the

eagerness of the international community

regarding the impact of climate change

on Bangladesh, especially in the coastal

areas.

The president said the present government

is trying relentlessly to ensure a

sustainable environment for comfortable

living of the present and future populations

of the country and has taken the

'Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100' to secure

the future of water resources and mitigate

the likely effects of climate change

and natural disasters.

Dhaka University vice-chancellor

Professor Dr. Md Akhteruzzaman presided

over the session, addressed also by

Secretary General of World Meteorological

Organization (WMO) Professor Dr. Petteri

Taalas and Country Representative of FAO

Robert Douglas SImson.

Corruption in NSU's land acquisition

Hearing on 4 trustees'

bail plea today

DHAKA : The High Court on Wednesday

fixed Thursday for the hearing of the bail

petitions of four trustee board members

of North South University (NSU) in a

case over embezzling money in the name

of buying land for the campus.

The four members of the board of

trustees of the university who sought bail

were MA Kashem, Benazir Ahmed,

Rehana Rahman and Muhammad

Shahjahan. The HC bench of Justice Md

Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi

Md Ejarul Haque Akondo fixed the date

after hearing of the case yesterday.

Barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC, former

Attorney General AF Hassan Ariff and

former Attorney General Fida M Kamal

and Barrister Mizan Sayeed appeared for

the accused in the court while Attorney

General AM Amin Uddin ,Additional

Attorney General Sheikh Mohammad

Morshed and Deputy Attorney General

AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented

the state.

On May 5, the Anti-Corruption

Commission (ACC) sued the chairman of

the board of trustees of North South

University (NSU) Azim Uddin Ahmed

and five others for embezzling money in

the name of buying land for the campus.

The other accused are: Managing

director of Ashalaya Housing and

Developers Limited Amin Mobammad

Hilali and NSU Board of Trustee members

MA Kashem, Benazir Ahmed,

Rehana Rahman and Muhammad

Shahjahan. The investigating officer of

the ACC's Deputy Director Farid Ahmed

Patwar filed the case.

According to the Private University

Act, 2010, the Board of Trustees is the

highest governing body of a private university

like North South University.

According to the Memorandum of

Association and Articles (Rules and

Regulations) of the University, the

University is a charitable, welfare oriented,

non-commercial and non-profit educational

institution.

The case states that over 9088 decimal

land was bought in the name of campus

development of NSU with the consent of

some members of the Board of Trustees

bypassing the approval of the University

Syndicate, University Grants Commission

and the Ministry of Education.

They later withdrew cash from the

buyer through cash checks in their own

names and kept FDR in their own

names. They unjustly benefited themselves

by committing illegal activities

through misuse of power and embezzling

university and government funds,

according to the case.

Bangladesh's

power, energy gain

tremendous success:

Singapore Envoy

DHAKA : Non-Resident Singapore High

Commissioner to Bangladesh Derek Loh

on Wednesday lauded tremendous success

of Bangladesh's power and energy

sector.

"Power and Energy sector of

Bangladesh can issue bond or join the

capital market as Singaporean market

is open for all," he said while paying a

courtesy call on State Minister for

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources

Nasrul Hamid at the latter's ministry

office here.

During the meeting, they discussed

various issues including mutual interest

of both the countries.

The State Minister said Bangladesh's

power and energy sector is investment

friendly. "To update the overall system of

power and energy sector with modern

technology, we can work on a partnership

basis," he added.

Besides, a joint committee can be

formed to explore what else can be done

with Singapore, Nasrul added.

Side by side with wonderful success in

economic development of Bangladesh,

he said the two countries can work

together for planned urbanization, energy,

education and technology sectors.

Among others, head of mission of the

Singapore High Commission in

Bangladesh Sheela Pillai, Deputy

Director of the Commerce Ministry in

Singapore Uma Muniandy, Country

Officer for South Asia Affairs of

Foreign Ministry in Singapore

Nathanael Lee, Director of Enterprise

in Singapore Jayakrishnan

Gopalakrishanan and Global Director

of Enterprise Singapore Audrey Tan

were present in the meeting.

US keen to deepen

ties with Bangladesh:

Ambassador Haas

DHAKA : US Ambassador to Bangladesh

Peter Hass on Wednesday expressed his

country's willingness to deepening ties

with Bangladesh as the two countries discussed

"action oriented" issues to that

end.

"We had a conversation about how we

can continue moving our relationships

forward and how we can (have) action

oriented deepening relationship," he

said.

The US Ambassador made the

remarks while talking to reporters after

his meeting with foreign secretary

Masud Bin Momen at the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs.

Bangladesh and the US had a series of

bilateral dialogues at different levels this

year.

During his meeting with Masud,

Ambassador Haas said they talked about

the "totality" of the bilateral issues

between the US and Bangladesh and

how the two countries can move forward.

The Ambassador said they also discussed

issues related to all bilateral dialogues

between the two countries held in

past couple of months.

They also talked about the upcoming

Bangladesh-US high level economic

forum to be held in Washington in the

first week of next month.

19-05-2022

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