29-06-2022

Wednesday

DhAkA: June 29, 2022; Ashar 15,1429 BS; Zilquad 28,1443 hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.20; N o. 58; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

InternatIonal

3 killed, dozens hurt

in Amtrak train

crash in Missouri

>Page 7

Ferry services from

Mawa terminal to

continue: State Minister

MUNSHIGANJ : Ferries from Mawa

terminal will operate as per people's

demand, said State Minister for shipping

Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on

Tuesday.

"We did not stop ferry services in

the Padma River after the opening of

the Padma Bridge as currently six ferries

are operating on the route. As per

the government decision the ferry

operation will continue," he said.

The minister said these while talking

to reporters after attending an award

giving ceremony at the ministry.

Talking about the removal of nuts

from the Padma Bridge by a person,

Khalid said it was the ornament of the

Padma Bridge and someone attempted

to snatch it.

Talking about the ban on plying

motorbike on the Padma Bridge, Khalid

said the government has suspended

plying of motorbikes on the Padma

Bridge and the decision may change

after installation of speed gun and

CCTV on the bridge.

Referring to the development of river

routes across the country, the state minister

said, "We are taking initiatives

keeping the development of river routes

in mind and the bridges are being constructed

without hampering navigability

of rivers."

College teacher murder

Teachers, students

demand justice

SAVAR : Teachers and students of

different educational institutions in

Saar staged demonstrations on

Tuesday demanding arrest of the

killer of college teacher Utpal Kumar

in Ashulia of Savar, reports UNB.

They formed a human chain in

front of Hazi Yunus Ali School and

College in Chitrashail area of Ashulia

in the morning.

They demanded immediate arrest

of killer student Ashraful Islam Jitu

who allegedly beat the college

teacher to death with a cricket stump

and sought maximum punishment.

The students also demanded

implementation of their six-point

demand including to create a teenager

gang-free area.

They warned of a tougher movement

in future if their demands are

not met.

On Saturday, Utpal Kumar, a lecturer

of the Humanities Department

of Hazi Yunus Ali School and

College, suffered critical injuries

allegedly a student beat him up with

a cricket stump in the college campus

following previous enmity.

Later, Utpal was rescued and

admitted to Enam Medical College

Hospital in Savar.

Utpal breathed his last while

undergoing treatment around 6:00

am on Monday, said Nasir Uddin,

operation theatre in-charge of Enam

Medical College and Hospital.

The accused student remained

absconding since the incident.

Efforts are on to arrest the suspects,

said Emdadul Haque, subinspector

of Ashulia Police Station.

Zohr

03:47 AM

12:05 PM

04:41 PM

06:54 PM

08:20 PM

5:14 6:50

sports

Serena returns at

Wimbledon as Nadal

eyes next leg of Slam

>Page 9

Media in Bangladesh enjoys

total freedom: Info mins

SANGSAD BHABAN : Newspapers and

electronic media in Bangladesh are

enjoying unbridled freedom during the

present government, Information and

Broadcast Minister Hassan Mahmud

told the Parliament said on Tuesday,

reports UNB.

Replying to a tabled question by

Jatiya Party MP from Dhaka Syed

Abu Hossain, the minister also said

that free flow of information has been

ensured to help accelerate national

development.

He said the government has formulated

national media policy 2014,

enacted Right to Information Act

2009 and established Information

Commission and formulated online

media policy 2017 to help journalists

pursue objective journalism.

He mentioned that due to the liberal

broadcasting policy of the

media-friendly government there

are 46 televisions, 22 FM radios

and 33 community radio channels

in the private sector.

The minister said 108 online news

portals have been given registration

certificates.

In addition, registration certificates

have been issued to online portals of

108 daily newspapers, while work is

underway to give permission to 48

more.

Responding to a question from ruling

party MP from Dhaka Habib

Hasan, State Minister for Power,

Energy and Mineral Resources

Nasrul Hamid said the government

has no plan to provide new gas connections

to residential areas.

Responding to a question from ruling

party MP from Chattogram M

Abdul Latif, the state minister said

the country's demand for natural gas

is currently around 3,700 million

cubic feet per day.

In the FY2021-2022, the daily

production from domestic gas

fields has been 2,432 million cubic

feet and the capacity to import LNG

is equivalent to one thousand million

cubic feet per day.

Of this, a target of importing 625 million

cubic feet of LNG per day was set

FY 2021-2022 ending on June 30.

Responding to a question from

ruling party MP from Bhola Ali

Azam, Industries Minister Nurul

Majid Mahmud Humayun said

during the outgoing financial year

the country's fertilizer factories

have produced 9,85,889 tonnes of

fertilizer till June 16, 2022 against

the annual target of 9.5 lakh

tonnes.

He also said that urea fertilizer is

imported from abroad.

Children aged 5-12 to

be vaccinated soon,

says Health Minister

DHAKA : Children aged between five

and 12 will be vaccinated against

Covid-19 soon, said Health Minister

Zahid Maleque on Tuesday.

Birth certificate is required to get

registered for Covid vaccine, he said.

He was speaking at the inaugural

and certificate distribution ceremony

of the "Certificate Course on

Neurodevelopment Disorder" organised

by the Institute of Paediatric

Neurodisorder and Autism (IPNA) at

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical

University (BSMMU).

"Although several countries of the

world have started vaccinating their

children, we have not yet been able

to vaccinate children. Because, we

didn't receive approval from the

World Health Organization

(WHO)," he said.

"Now we have got the approval,

so we will start the programme

very soon."

He said they have also received the

suitable vaccine for children.

Preparations have

started for the sacrificial

animal

market in the capital.

As Eid-ul-Adha

is less than two

weeks away, bamboo

poles, gates

and other ancillary

repairs are

being carried out

in the permanent

and temporary

huts. The picture

was taken from

the grounds of

Shahjahanpur

Railway Colony in

the capital on

Tuesday.

Photo : Star Mail

There are about 1.5 crore children

and it will take time to vaccinate them

all. "So get your children registered

fast to get them vaccinated," he urged

the parents.

The minister said they have a plan

to manufacture vaccine in the country

and already selected a land in

Gopalganj in this regard. "We will

manufacture all the vaccines there."

The minister also said there will be

separate burn units in eight divisions

and work has already started in five

divisions.

"We have established eight specialised

hospitals in eight divisions

including one for treatment of cancer

and another for heart diseases."

He said a Super Specialized

Hospital under BSMMU is ready and

Prime Minister will inaugurate it early

September.

He also urged the BSMMU authorities

to ensure proper facilities for the

patients so that they don't need to go

abroad for treatment.

art & culture

Money from Bhabna's

artworks to be donated

for flood victims

SAfiqul iSlAM (JAMi)

>Page 10

The hills are being cut down constantly to set new installations. The incidences of landslide are increasing.

The picture is taken from Bayezid area of Chattogram on Tuesday.

Photo : Star Mail

ICT judgment

against 5 accused

of Habiganj

on June 30

DHAKA : The International Crimes

Tribunal (ICT)-1 yesterday set June

30 to pronounce judgment in a

crimes against humanity case against

five alleged Razakars from Lakhai

upazila of Habiganj.

The five accused are- alleged

Razakar leader Md Shafi Uddin

Moulana, his cohorts Md Tajul Islam

alias Forkan, Md Jahed Miah alias

Jahid Miah, Md Saleque Miah alias

Sayek Miah and Sabbir Ahmed. Of

the five, Shafi and Sabbir are yet to be

arrested.

The three-member ICT-1 judges'

panel headed by Justice Md Shahinur

Islam fixed the date of judgment yesterday

morning.

Earlier on May 17, 2022, the tribunal

kept the judgment on CAV (curia

advisory vault, a Latin legal term,

meaning- the court awaits judgment),

as both the prosecution and defence

concluded their arguments in the case

on that day.

Senior prosecutor Sultan Mahmud

Simon argued for the state, while Gazi

MH Tamim and Abdus Sattar

Palowan defended the accused at the

court.

The investigation agency of the ICT

on March 21, 2018, concluded their

investigation in the case and submitted

their report at prosecution office.

The prosecution on August 6, 2018,

submitted the formal charge.

The tribunal on February 7, 2019,

framed two charges of looting, arson,

abduction, confinement, torture and

murder against the accused.

Bangladesh, Japan sign deals

on ODA yen loan, grant aid

DHAKA : Bangladesh and Japan on

Tuesday signed exchange of notes of the

43rd Official Development Assistance

(ODA) yen loan and grant aid of Japan to

Bangladesh.

The first batch of the 43rd yen loan

amounts to 165.861 billion yen or approximately

USD 1.23 billion and grant aid is to

provide additional grant for the costs of

"the Project for Improvement of

Meteorological Radar System in Dhaka

and Rangpur," which is incurred due to

the COVID-19 circumstances.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh

Ito Naoki and Secretary, Economic

Relations Division Fatima Yasmin signed

the document.

Based on this agreement between the

two counties, Hayakawa Yuho, Chief

Representative of JICA Bangladesh Office

and Fatima Yasmin signed a relevant loan

agreement and grant agreement.

"I'm pleased to be able to sign the

exchange of notes with regard to 43rd

Japanese yen loan package. The first batch

of the 43rd round of yen loans includes

'Digital Cattle Market' getting

popularity on Eid-ul-Azha

During the holy Eid-ul-Azha, it is a tradition

to visit different markets and buy the

beloved animal. Now this market has a

touch of modernity. Traders are selling

millions of animals from farms through

online platforms. Buyers can buy the animal

of their choice sitting at home. The

name of this modern management is

'Digital Cattle Market'. During the Eid-ul-

Azha of 2020, the official development of

digital market took place in the country.

Last year this market gained popularity

and people's confidence. As a result, more

than four times as many animals were sold

in 2021 as in 2020.

This time, preparations are underway for a

digital market on the occasion of the

upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. Concerned people

think that people's interest in digital market

is increasing. There is a possibility of

selling 8 to 10 times more animals online

this time than last year. The official activities

of Digital Hat will start on July 3. Eidul-Azha

will be held in the country on July

10, subject to the sighting of the moon.

This time the Ministry of Commerce,

A2I of ICT Department, Ministry of

Fisheries and Livestock, Ekshop, Dhaka

North City Corporation (DNCC),

Bangladesh Dairy Farmers Association

(BDFA) and E-Commerce Association of

Bangladesh (e-cab) are preparing to

organize an online platform 'Digital Hat'

for the sale of sacrificial animals. There has

two projects in the package," said the

Japanese ambassador.

One is to develop roads, drainage and

water supply facilities, agriculture-related

facilities, and waste management facilities

in the southern Chattogram area.

The other is the northern route of MRT

Line 5, which connects Dhaka's MRT

transportation network in an east-west

direction, will be developed to improve the

functioning of the urban transportation

network.

"With the additional Grant Aid, the

Japanese companies involved can proceed

and complete the construction work hopefully

by 2025. I am sure today's signings

have shown further willingness of the

Japanese people to contribute to the fast

and sustainable growth of Bangladesh,"

said ambassador Naoki at the signing ceremony.

Japan has been the single largest bilateral

donor for Bangladesh since 2012,

and the total amount of its aid as Yen

Loan has reached USD 25.59 billion

(commitment base).

been an inter-ministerial meeting held on

this issue recently. Last year, e-Cab, BDFA

and DNCC separately organized the

'DNCC Digital Hat'. This time the government

will manage the entire activities of

the cattle market.

According to sources, a preparatory interministerial

meeting was held on the occasion

of Eid-ul-Azha recently. The meeting decided

to instruct the district administration and

upazila administration through all the city

corporations, municipalities and divisional

commissioners to sell cattle online. Before

uploading pictures of animals online, you

need to get a cattle health certificate by the

concerned veterinary surgeons. The

Department of Livestock will co-operate

with the concerned online platform for selling

cattle online and it is decided to give the

name, address, mobile number, age, weight,

price and picture of the cattle in case of

uploading.

Due to pandemic coronavirus, the government

has given importance to digital

animal huts. According to that this time

the government wants a 'digital cattle market'

centrally. The ICT department has

launched digitalhaat.gov.bd website for

this. As you can see from this website, 63

livestock farms in different parts of the

country have already been added to this

website.

Cows, goats, sheep, ewes, camels and buffaloes

have been kept in the animal category.

You can get detailed information by clicking

on the category that the buyer likes.

WEDNESDay, JUNE 29, 2022

2

Health Minister Zahid Maleque addressing a certificate distribution program at BSMMU bhaban

yesterday.

Photo : PID

Met office

predicts rain

as Bangladesh

sizzles

DHAKA : With a blistering

heatwave gripping large parts

of Bangladesh, the weather

department has predicted

light to moderate showers

across the country in the next

24 hours.

"Light to moderate rain or

thundershowers accompanied

by temporary gusty wind is

likely to occur at many places

over Rangpur, Mymensingh,

Chattogram and Sylhet divisions;

at a few places over

Dhaka and Barishal divisions

and at one or two places over

Rajshahi and Khulna divisions

with moderately heavy

to heavy falls at places over

Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram

and Sylhet divisions,"

the Bangladesh Meteorological

Department said on Tuesday.

The weather department

recorded 131mm rainfall - the

highest - in Mongla in the last

24 hours till 6am Tuesday.

The mercury reached 36.5

degrees Celsius - the highest -

in Chuadanga, while the minimum

temperature was recorded

at 24.5 degrees in Tetulia.

Day and night temperatures

may remain nearly unchanged

over the country.

The axis of monsoon runs

through Bihar and West Bengal

and thence northeastwards

to Assam across the northern

part of Bangladesh.

Monsoon is fairly active over

Bangladesh and moderate

over the North Bay.

Grandmother arrested for torturing

7-year-old after video goes viral

BHOLA : Police arrested a woman from

Borhanuddin upazila in Bhola for torturing

her seven-year-old granddaughter on

allegation of stealing a mobile phone.

Police made the arrest conducting a drive

on Sunday after a video of the brutal torture

went viral on social media, said Shahin Fakir,

Officer-in-Charge of Borhanuddin police

station.

The arrestee was identified as Asma

Begum from Barapata village of Deula union

in the upazila.

Victim Tanisha's mother Monwara Begum

filed a case with police in this regard and the

accused was sent to jail after being produced

before the court on Monday, said OC Shahin

Fakir.

According to police, Tanisha's parents Md

Harun Howladar and Monwara Begum were

divorced six years ago and both of them got

married to other people later.

Kalo Manik: The big bull that's

ready to charge this Eid!

KHULNA : Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, Kalo Manik is hogging the

limelight in Khulna's Rostompur village. Kalo Manik isn't

any other ordinary bull, technically a steer, a neutered male

popular for its meat-the 7ft tall cattle weighs around 32

maund. Prabir Mazumdar, its owner, said that he reared the

bull in his dairy in Rostompur village of Dumuria upazila's

Atalia union along with three more cattle.

Prabir, a former expat worker, started his dairy some five

years ago after returning to Bangladesh from abroad.

"For the last two years, I have been rearing Kalo Manik.

Tanisha used to live with her maternal

grandmother and just recently she came to

visit her paternal grandmother's house in

Barapata village.

On Thursday, after a smartphone got

stolen from the house, Tanisha's

grandmother Asma Begum accused her and

brutally tortured her. But a local teen

recorded the incident with his phone which

later went viral on social media and caught

attention of police.

In that video, Asma gripped Tanisha by

hair and was pulling her toward inside the

house as she kept crying for help. She later

plucked Tanisha's nail using pliers and tied

her with a tree.

Later locals rescued her and admitted her

to upazila health complex, said OC Shahin

Kabir.

The girl is currently under her mother's

custody, he said.

Three-day long national fruit fair has been inaugurated in Kaliganj,

Jhenidah yesterday.

Photo : SI Mallick

Kolkata-Khulna-Dhaka

bus service resumes after

two years

KHULNA : After a two-year

Covid-induced hiatus, the

popular cross-border bus

service between Bangladesh

and India resumed on the

Kolkata-Khulna-Dhaka

route on Monday.

A bus of Shyamoli

Paribahan with 28

passengers on board began

its journey from Kolkata's

Karunamay terminal

around 9am on Monday and

reached the New Market

area of Khulna around 8pm

under police protection, said

Abani Kumar Ghosh, the

head of Shyamoli Paribahan.

Ghosh said that he's very

happy to come to

Bangladesh by road after a

long time. "We suspended

the cross-border bus service

on March 12, 2020,

following the outbreak of

Covid-19."

"As the prices of all daily

essentials have gone up, we

will ensure that the people of

Khulna can go to Kolkata at

minimum fare," he added.

Now on, three buses will

run from Kolkata to

Bangladesh via Benapole

daily.

Irani Mitra, a fashion

designer from Kolkata, said,

"I have come here to

participate in an award

ceremony in Dhaka. It feels

really great to be the first bus

passenger."

"At the same time, I will

make the first journey

through Padma Bridge. This

is also an award to me," Irani

said. "I am happy with the

services of the transport

firm," she added.

3 cops hurt in bid to

free arrestee in Khulna

KHULNA : Three cops were

injured after a group of

miscreants allegedly

attacked a police team and

vandalised their vehicle in a

bid to free an arrestee in

Khulna.

The miscreants attacked

the police team around

11.30pm on Monday in the

Purba Baniakhamar area of

the city during a raid, said

Hasan Al Mamun, officerin-charge

of Sadar police

station.

The injured cops have

been identified as inspector

(investigation) Shahriar

Hasan, sub-inspector

Rakibul Islam Rakib and

constable Mahabub Islam

from Khan Jahan Ali police

station.

Dhaka's air quality remains 'good'

DHAKA : Dhaka's air quality continues to be in

the 'good' category.

With an air quality index (AQI) score of 35 at

10.20am, the densely populated metropolis

ranked 51st in the list of world cities with the

worst air quality. Pakistan's Lahore, India's Delhi,

and Saudi Arabia's Riyadh occupied the first

three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 171, 168

and 153, respectively.

An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy',

particularly for sensitive groups. Similarly,

an AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be

'poor', while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered

'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.

AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, is

used by government agencies to inform people

how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is,

and what associated health effects might be a

concern for them. In Bangladesh, the AQI is

based on five criteria pollutants-Particulate Matter

(PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and

Ozone.

Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution

issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy

in winter and improves during the monsoon. A

report by the Department of Environment (DoE)

and the World Bank in March 2019 pointed out

that the three main sources of air pollution in

Dhaka "are brick kilns, fumes from vehicles and

dust from construction sites". With the advent of

winter, the city's air quality starts deteriorating

sharply due to the massive discharge of pollutant

particles from construction work, rundown

roads, brick kilns and other sources.

GD-1204/22 (7 x 3)

Air pollution consistently ranks among the top

risk factors for death and disability worldwide.

Breathing polluted air has long been recognised

as increasing a person's chances of developing a

heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung

infections and cancer, according to several studies.

As per the World Health Organization

(WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven

million people worldwide every year, largely as

a result of increased mortality from stroke,

heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary

disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory

infections.

6 bitten by foxes in

Magura

MAGURA : At least six people have been bitten

by foxes in Charjhama and Armajhi villages of

Magura in the last two days, officials said on

Tuesday.

According to Mohammadpur Upazila Health

Complex, two men named Khokon Mia, 50,

from Charjhama village, and Farid Molla, 65,

from Armajhi village, were treated for fox bites

on Tuesday.

A day before, four more were treated for the

same reason, said health authorities.

According to the injured, a skulk attacked

them as they were working in the field.

Dr Moksedul Momenin, upazila health and

family planning officer, said, "All the six have

been advised to take vaccines."

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2022

3

Acting Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission of Spain in Bangladesh Ms. Emilia Celemin

Redondo called onDhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman at the latter's

office of the university.

Photo : Courtesy

A discussion meeting was organized by Social Welfare and Development

Organization (SKUS) at Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) auditorium on

Tuesday.

Photo : Courtesy

Call for the formation of

separate authorities for

drug control Dope Test

Initiatives have been taken to bring the

members of all government and nongovernment

organizations under drug control

Dope Test, said Shamsul Haque Tuku, the

chairman of the parliamentary standing

committee on home ministry. He also said that

separate authorities have already been

recommended to make the dope test a success.

He hopes that under the new authority, dope

tests will soon be introduced in all areas

including the police, government jobs and

university admissions.

He said it while addressing a discussion

meeting organized by Social Welfare and

Development Organization (SKUS) at Dhaka

Reporters' Unity (DRU) auditorium here on

Tuesday. SCAS Chairman Jasmine Prema

presided over the discussion titled 'Role of

Dope Test in Drug Prevention' on the occasion

of Anti-Drug Day.

The meeting was conducted by journalist

Nikhil Chandra Bhadra and was attended by

government party MPs Mir Mostaq Ahmed Robi,

SM Shahzada and Syeda Rubina Akhter, health

specilist dr Lelin Chowdhury, Ashish Kumar Dey,

General Secretary, National Committee for

Protection of Waterways and Beltways, Raju

Ahmed, Former General Secretary of DRU,

Moniruzzaman Mukul, General Secretary of

Scan, Shakila Parvin, member of DRU and

Nripen Boydo of Faith in Action.

The key note was addressed by Polash Ahsan

of Ekattor Television.

DHAKA : Forty-seven new dengue patients

were hospitalised in 24 hours till Tuesday

morning as cases are rising again in

Bangladesh, reports UNB.

Forty-six new patients were hospitalized

in Dhaka and another case was detected outside

it, according to the Directorate General

of Health Services (DGHS).

As many as 139 dengue patients, including

131 in the capital, are now receiving treatment

at hospitals across the country.

On June 21, the DGHS reported the first

Shamsul Haque Tuku, Former state minister

for home affairs, told the meeting that police

dope test activities were underway. Dope tests

for drivers have been started. The Prime

Minister has directed to start dope test for

employment and university admission. In

addition to this, the leaders and workers of the

political parties should be brought under dope

test. This will reduce the demand for drugs. As

a result, the entry of drugs into the country will

also decrease. He called for creating awareness

among the people to ensure successful dope

testing and proper enforcement of the law.

Mir Mostaq Ahmed, a heroic freedom

fighter, said that due to many unauthorized

factories in the border areas, drugs have

become easily available in Bangladesh. Even

then the government is not sitting on drug

eradication. We are trying to save the youth

from the clutches of drugs. He called for antidrug

campaigns as well as awareness-raising

activities.

MP SM Shahzada hoped that a drug-free

society would be possible if everyone is aware

of it. However, awareness is a big issue.

Therefore, all educational institutions have to

take campaign programs.

Sayed Rubina akter uttered that those who

are addiected should be declared as unfit for

local and national election. She requested the

government to bring all the students,

employees and all election candidates under

dope test.

47 dengue new patients hospitalised

as cases keep rising

death of the season from the mosquitoborne

viral disease.

This year, the DGHS has recorded 1016

dengue cases and 876 recoveries so far.

Dengue - a leading cause of serious illness

and death in some Asian and Latin American

countries - was first reported in

Bangladesh in 2000 and claimed 93 lives. In

three years, the fatality number almost fell to

zero.

However, 105 dengue patients, including

95 in Dhaka division, died in 2021.

Spanish

Acting

Envoy calls

on DU VC

Acting Ambassador and

Deputy Head of Missionof

Spain in Bangladesh Emilia

Celemin Redondo called on

Dhaka University (DU) Vice-

Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md.

Akhtaruzzaman yesterday at

the latter's office of the

university.

During the meeting they

discussed matters of mutual

interest especially regarding a

cultural event to be held at DU

TSC in October next marking

the Spain-Bangladesh 50th

Anniversary of Diplomatic

Relation. Emilia Celemin

Redondo sought support and

cooperation from DU VC Prof.

Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman for

holding this cultural event.

DU VC assured her of

providing support in this

regard.

Prof. Dr. Md.

Akhtaruzzamanemphasized

on unearthing new avenues of

mutual cooperation and

collaboration. He also

stressed the need

forundertakingcollaborative

academic and research

programs amongDhaka

University and different

leading universities in Spain.

DU VC thanked Ms. Emilia

Celemin Redondo for her visit

to and keen interest in

strengthening cooperation

and collaboration with Dhaka

University.

DIS celebrates

graduation

program

Daffodil International School

(English Medium)

Dhanmondi Branch

celebrated Graduation and

Cultural Awards Ceremony

on Tuesday 71 auditorium of

Daffodil Education Network

in the capital. Professor Md.

Abdus Salam of Institute of

Education and Research of

University of Dhaka was

present in the program as the

chief guest while Abdullah Al

Mamun Bin Quddus, Country

Manager (Bangladesh and

Nepal) of Edexcel

Examination was present as

the special guest on the

occasion. The function was

also addressed by

Mohammad Nuruzzaman,

Chief Executive Officer of

Daffodil Family and Sahana

Khan, Founder Principal of

Daffodil International School.

The program started with

the inaugural speech of Dr.

Mohammad Mahmudul

Hasan, Principal, Daffodil

International School. The

chief guest presented

graduation sash to the

students who passed the

annual examination and

handed over the certificates to

them. The guests handed over

prizes among the winners of

various categories of prefect

selection and cultural

events.The program

concluded with a colorful

cultural program with the

participation of DIS students.

Inner Wheel Club of Dhaka Uptown

joins Sylhet relief effort

DHAKA : From the middle of June, the

north-eastern region of Bangladesh

experienced flash floods for the third time

this year, and the third wave played havoc

with people's lives and livelihoods in 9

northeastern districts of Bangladesh, with

Sunamganj and Sylhet most severely

affected.

At its peak, the flood affected 7.2 million

in just the seven districts of Sylhet.

Around 4 million remain affected.

According to the Health Emergency and

Control Room of the Directorate General

of Health Services (DGHS), 84 people

died due to the floods from May 17 to June

25 in Sylhet, Mymensingh and Rangpur

divisions.

An encouraging feature of the nation's

response to the flood has been the

willingness of people and organisations

from various sections of society to step

forward in their own capacity and stand

by the victims. Celebrities, social media

influences, clubs and societies from

within the country as well as the entire

diaspora have stepped up to be counted at

a level not seen before.

Farzana Sharmin, Vice-President of the

Inner Wheel Club of Dhaka Uptown,

expressed her desire to stand by the flood

victims on June 18. Determined to

support the helpless people of Sylhet,

Nafisa Tarannum, the chapter's

president, immediately issued a call for all

the clubs of Inner Wheel District 345 to

come forward and help the flood victims

in Sylhet.

Inner Wheel is an international

women's organisation that aims "to create

friendship, service and understanding." It

has local chapters in towns and cities in

over 100 countries, and enjoys

consultative status at the United Nations.

The chapters, or clubs that came

forward to lend their hand in support of

the initiative were: Inner Wheel Club of

Dhaka Buriganga, Inner Wheel Club of

Bailey Garden, Inner Wheel Club of New

Ramna, Inner Wheel Club of Lasai Hill,

Inner Wheel Club of Kishoreganj, Inner

Wheel Club of Krishnachura, Inner Wheel

Club of Paradise, Inner Wheel Club of

Dhaka North, Inner Wheel Club of Dhaka,

Inner Wheel Club of Karnaphuli, Inner

Wheel Club of Cox's Bazar, Inner Wheel

Club of Green Bailey, Inner Wheel Club of

Greenhill Chattogram.

"We also got a huge response through

Professor Md. Abdus Salam of Institute of Education and Research of

University of Dhaka, Abdullah Al Mamun Bin Quddus, Country Manager

(Bangladesh and Nepal) of Edexcel Examination, Mohammad Nuruzzaman,

Chief Executive Officer of Daffodil Family and Dr. Mohammad Mahmudul

Hasan Principal, Daffodil International School along with graduation students

of Daffodil International School.

social media," Nafisa said, before

explaining what motivated them to get

involved in the relief effort.

"At present, the people of Sylhet are

living in unspeakable misery due to the

sudden flood. They have lost everything,

including their homes, and they are

suffering from a lack of food," she said.

"Given the social mission of Inner Wheel

Club, we just knew we had to mobilise

whatever resources we could and stand by

them, otherwise we would be failing that

mission."

Secretary of Dhaka Uptown, Suraiya

Akter Chishty distributed chira, molasses,

biscuits, saline, candles, and matchboxes

among the flood victims at Sunamganj

Sadar Upazila Lalpur, Amberi Ghat area

on the first day. On the second day, chira,

molasses, biscuits, saline, rice, pulses, salt,

candles, and matchboxes were distributed

among 300 families at Haoria Alipur of

Jamalganj Upazila, Islampur, Islampur

Baghati, Mashalghat, Shibpur village.

Social worker Md. Tofazzal Hossain,

Khandaker Shahidul, and Shagor Mia

also accompanied them in the

distribution process.

PM takes agriculture to newer

height: BMDA Chairman

RANGPUR : Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina has taken the agriculture sector to

a newer height and made Bangladesh a

food surplus country alongside taking

more steps to further enhance food

production and ensure welfare of

farmers.

Chairman of Barind Multipurpose

Development Authority (BMDA) and

former Awami League lawmaker Begum

Akhter Jahan said this at an orientation

meeting held at Begum Rokeya

auditorium of RDRS Bangladesh here on

Monday evening as the chief guest.

Rangpur Circle of BMDA organized the

event to inform progress of activities

being implemented under the 'Expansion

of Irrigation in greater Rangpur district

through best uses of surface water and

conservation of rainwater project

(EIRP)'.

Project Director of EIRP and

Superintending Engineer of BMDA for

Rangpur Circle Engineer Md. Habibur

Rahman Khan chaired the event and

made a PowerPoint presentation on the

project activities in five districts of greater

Rangpur.

Executive Director of BMDA Engineer

Md. Abdur Rashid, Dean of the Faculty of

Arts of Begum Rokeya University and

Director of Riverine People Bangladesh

Professor Dr. Tuhin Wadud, Additional

Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) AWM

Raihan Shah and Senior Journalist

Engineer Md. Mamun Islam addressed

the event as special guests.

Engineer Khan narrated progress of

EIRP project activities in 35 upazilas of

greater Rangpur to promote agriculture

making the best use of surface water

alongside improving the environment,

ecology and biodiversity.

Re-excavation of almost dried rivers,

canals and beels and ponds, installation

of low lift pumps, solar power-run dug

wells and construction of foot over

bridges and cross dams and tree

plantation are being implemented under

the project.

"Re-excavation of water bodies is

increasing water holding capacity,

reloading groundwater table, making

waterlogged lands suitable for agriculture

while stored water being used for

irrigation, poultry and fish farming and

household activities," Khan added.

Engineer Rashid said EIRP project is

being implemented to ensure best use of

surface water and reduce pressure on

underground water, revive biodiversity

and ecosystems to improve environment

and ensure food security amid adverse

impacts of climate change.Other guests

suggested the continuation of monitoring

of EIRP project activities by BMDA to

give the outstandingly completed works a

sustainable shape even after completion

of the five-year term project by 2024

next.

Expressing satisfaction over EIRP

project activities, the chief guest said

BMDA will expand its activities in

Rangpur region aiming at enhancing

preservation of surface water to ensure its

best uses and recharging underground

water tables.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants

to further develop the agriculture sector

as the country is advancing forward

under her leadership to build a developed

Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman,' she added.

DMP arrests 42

for selling,

consuming

drugs in city

DHAKA : Members of

Detective Branch (DB) of

Dhaka Metropolitan Police

(DMP) in several anti-drug

raids arrested a total of 42

people on charges of selling

and consuming drugs

during the last 24 hours till

6am Tuesday.

The DB in association with

local police carried out the

drives simultaneously at

different parts of the

metropolis from 6am of

June 27 to 6am on Tuesday,

according to a DMP release.

In separate anti-drug

raids, police seized huge

drugs from their

possessions.

Shekhar Mehta, International President of Rotary International, called on Rotarians to stand by the people

of the flood effected areas. He made the call at the Rotary International Bangladesh District-3261

Service Award Ceremony in Dhaka held on Tuesday. Mehta is currently visiting Bangladesh. Liberation

War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun,

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Rotary Governor Barrister Mutasim Billah Farooqui, Governor (Elect)

Engineer MA Wahab, Governor (Nominee) Ashrafuzzaman Nannu, Event Chair M Monjurul Hoque and

other Rotary leaders spoke at the program. The awards were given to the best Rotarians for their outstanding

contributions in various fields.

Photo : Courtesy

WEDNESDAy, JUNE 29, 2022

4

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Opportunities in

IT sector

T

he

remittance sent home by our overseas workers

and earnings from the garments sector are

considered to be the two lifelines of the national

economy of Bangladesh. But in recent years even in the

relatively stable countries such as Saudi Arabia, the

opportunities for our workers to get jobs there are seen

as shrinking. Although the garments sector was able to

cope with the effects of a lingering global recession and

growing workers induced troubles, under the

circumstances one should not realistically pin too much

hope on the sole garments sector to keep economic

growth and employment creation reasonable in the

context of Bangladesh. Bangladesh requires, specially,

the rise of some other sector rapidly to offset the losses

which are already noted in the manpower export sector to

maintain its macroeconomic stability.

There are limitations to the country's traditional

economic sectors in rapidly expanding or increasing

earnings. For example, no substantial increase in

earnings from export-oriented jute, leather and frozen

foods industries can be expected. The same have to go

through the whole hog of investments in their capital

machinery, benefit from favourable demand situation in

importing countries and other related factors, to be able

to expand in the medium and longer terms when what

Bangladesh badly requires is the fastest development of

some other sector in the 'short' term.

Out of the emerging new sectors, shipbuilding shows

the possibility of turning into a major sector but that too

could happen in the mid and longer terms. Only

information technology (IT) related outsourcing activities

seem to indicate any immediate major earning prospect

for the country in the 'short' term which is the imperative.

Investments in IT infrastructures would be relatively

much less and already the country possesses considerable

capacities in the sector. Only proper policy

implementation by the government and enabling timely

supports, can lead to the taking-off of this factor at the

soonest.

The already existing facilities for IT outsourcing

activities in the country have been pointing to its

potentials. But regrettably the same are not being

exploited as these should have been. Bureaucratic

impediments are complained to be the main

impediment facing the growth of outsourcing in the IT

sector. In a recent study by the world famous IT

organization, Gartner, Bangladesh was included among

30 countries with the most IT outsourcing possibilities

and in the Asian region its position was 9th in this

regard. According to a recent World Bank report more

then 8,000 Bangladeshi young software developers had

found jobs in the industry in the past two years in

Bangladesh and nearly 1,000 of them were working in

Denmark-Bangladesh IT joint ventures. Industry sources

said Bangladeshi IT industry had also developed business

relations with clients in Japan and other parts in the

world .

Safquat Haider, a director of the Bangladesh

Association of Software and Information Services, said

the IT potentials of Bangladesh had increasingly been

pointed out by industry monitors globally. 'The IT

industry is warming up for a breakthrough, as global

clients are calling local companies increasingly and a

significant local market is also being readied,' said

Haider, whose IT company, CIPROCO, develops

telecommunication, geographic information system and

enterprise resource planning solutions for clients at home

and abroad.

It appears that only a more supportive role from the

government can lead to a decisive breakthrough for IT

outsourcing activities in Bangladesh. But this process has

been frustrated by the lack of farsightedness and timely

taking of steps by our traditionally lethargic and hurdle

creating bureaucracy. It is relevant to mention here that

the renowned Intel company was allowed in 2005 to

train 5,000 IT teachers in Vietnam and later on to invest

about a billion dollars in the IT sector of that country

when Bangladesh was under a BNP led government. This

allowed the IT sector of Vietnam to flourish very quickly.

It is now in a leading position for outsourcing from the

Asia region.

A far greater offer than Intel in Vietnam was made to

Bangladesh by Microsoft's Chief Bill Gates when he also

visited Bangladesh in 2005 and offered to the Bangladesh

government a proposal to train 10,000 IT teachers and

train up 0.1 million trainee workers for IT outsourcing

tasks. But nothing happened afterwards. It appears that

the bureaucracy in Bangladesh characteristically reacted

to this most wonderful offer by shelving it and forgetting

it. But Bangladesh would be well set on its way to become

a formidable IT outsourcing power by now if this very

promising offer from fabled Bill Gates was taken up and

positively acted upon in time.

Like the golden goose, the IT sector could be laying the

golden eggs by now to secure the country's economy

from the threats confronting it from shrinking

opportunities for our migrant workers and growing

squeeze on the employment conditions in the country. A

booming IT outsourcing industry could absorb millions

of educated and even semi-educated young people and

create alternatives in the horizon of employment when

employment prospects abroad are becoming tougher and

bleaker. It has been estimated that out of the emerging

sectors in the economy, IT outsourcing holds out the

most promise to even surpass the garments and

manpower export sectors at the earliest provided it is not

frustrated by bureaucratic obstructions.

The Southeast Asian region is on

tenterhooks anticipating how rapidly

deteriorating US-China relations will

manifest in the South China Sea. There is

much that could go wrong and precious

little that could go right.

US-China relations are now the worst

since US president Richard Nixon opened

up modern relations in 1972. Both realize

their relationship is "defined by a

competition between different government

systems - authoritarianism and liberal

democracy." Worse, their conflicting ideas

of "the international order" and interests -

and their strategies to further them - are

coming face to face in the South China Sea.

Perhaps the most dangerous current

flashpoint is that exacerbated by intensified

Chinese military activities - especially those

of its air force - to the southwest of Taiwan

in what Taipei claims is its Air Defense

Identification Zone. This is likely a response

to recently enhanced US political and

military support for Taiwan.

In the early stages of a conflict, Taiwan's

military outposts on Pratas or Taiping in the

South China Sea could be targets. Taiwan's

response, with possible US backing, would

make them tripwires for a US-China clash.

Although this flashpoint is driven by China's

red lines on what it views as Taiwan's

movement toward independence, a military

confrontation could draw in US forces in

and near the South China Sea, setting off a

wider conflict.

Other possible triggers are embedded in

the conflicting claims to rocks, ocean space

and resources and the US public

commitment to back China's rival claimants

in the face of what it calls Beijing's

"bullying." China is baring its teeth. Rival

claimants are recoiling in fear and defiance.

The US is taking political advantage by

verbally supporting the "victims" of China's

actions. But in doing so, the US is making it

more difficult to demur or refuse requests

for military help from friends, partners and

allies that are being intimidated by China.

In one hypothetical scenario, the US is

dragged into a kinetic conflict with China

via its 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the

Philippines. The new Philippine leader,

NATO’s chance to chart a new path for its future

NATO leaders will meet in Madrid next

week at a crucial time for the

transatlantic alliance. It will be their

first summit since Russia's invasion of

Ukraine in February and NATO's defeat and

withdrawal from Afghanistan last year.

The main focus of the meeting will be

Ukraine. Russia's invasion has completely

altered the geopolitical landscape of the

transatlantic community. The consequences

of this war will not be fully felt or understood

for years. The alliance will want to take steps

to deal with the fallout from the conflict and to

prepare for new security challenges in the

future.

Also, considering the fragile security

situation in Europe, it will be very important

for all 30 NATO members to show cohesion

and unity. While some who have cozy

economic relations with Russia have caused

some bumps in the road for the alliance, for

the most part NATO members have been

unified in their response to Russia.

So as the war rages, there are four issues

that will dominate the agenda at the summit.

First and foremost is agreeing on ways to

help Ukraine while deterring further

aggression in eastern Europe. Since Russia

invaded, many NATO members have stepped

up to the plate to provide weapons and

ammunition. They have also deployed forces

to eastern Europe to bolster the alliance's

flank there.

However, some have done more than

others. Poland and the Uk have contributed

billions of dollars' worth of equipment to the

Ukrainians. Smaller countries such as Estonia

are the biggest providers of weapons and

military assistance on a per capita basis. But

Germany, Europe's largest economic power,

has under-delivered on military support.

Expect the summit to be used to secure more

concrete pledges from NATO members when

it comes to providing more weapons and

munitions to Ukraine, and new measures to

strengthen the alliance's eastern flank.

NATO has done more than any other

organization to promote democracy, peace

and security in Europe and the broader

transatlantic community

The second issue to watch is the publication

of NATO's new Strategic Concept, its first

since 2010. Had it not been for Russia's

invasion of Ukraine, this would have been the

big news from the summit. The Strategic

Concept is the premier policy document to

guide the alliance's role into the future. The

current version is woefully out of date. In the

past 12 years there have been major

geopolitical crises such as the so-called Arab

Spring and its aftermath, NATO's

intervention in Libya, the defeat in

Afghanistan, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the

rise of Daesh, the rise of China, and COVID-

LUkE COFFEY

19. None of these issues were addressed in the

2010 Strategic Concept in any meaningful

way. Although it is 40 pages long, the words

"pandemic" and "China" do not appear. Of

course, Russia will be the main focus of the

new document, but it will be equally

interesting to see how other issues such as

China and engagement with the Middle East

will be addressed.

Third will be Sweden and Finland's NATO

membership application. In the aftermath of

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the two Nordic

countries have formally applied to join the

alliance. This is a historic moment in

European security matters. Both countries

possess robust military capabilities and

decades of experience working as partners

with NATO. For historical and political

reasons they have remained militarily nonaligned,

but their partnerships with NATO

are currently the closest of any nonmember

states and the close relations go back decades.

However, Turkey has been hesitant to

support their applications for membership

and any addition of new members requires

unanimity. Ankara has legitimate concerns

TATIANA GARAVITO &NATHAN THANkI

about members of the outlawed kurdish

separatist Pkk group being protected in

Sweden. It is likely that this issue will

eventually be resolved, but it will take time.

Expect it to be hotly debated behind closed

doors.

Finally, as always, spending will be on the

agenda. As an intergovernmental security

alliance, NATO is only as strong as its

member states. At the 2014 summit in Wales,

they recommitted to spending 2 percent of

GDP on defense by 2024. Since then, NATO

defense spending has steadily risen,

particularly since Russia's first invasion of

Ukraine in 2014. In 2021, eight members hit

the benchmark of spending 2 percent of GDP

on defense (in 2014 only three did so).

Russia's invasion has been a wake-up call,

and several more NATO members are

expected to hit the benchmark soon.

Since its creation in 1949, NATO has done

more than any other organization to promote

democracy, peaceand security in Europe and

the broader transatlantic community.

Ensuring that NATO can face the challenges

of the 21st century while being able to support

Ukraine in its time of need will be the main

challenge of the meeting.

The Madrid summit offers an important

chance for NATO's leaders to chart a path for

the future. They should not squander this

opportunity.

Luke Coffey is the director of the Douglas

and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy

at the Heritage Foundation. Twitter:

@LukeDCoffey

Colombia’s shift to the left: A new ‘pink tide’ in Latin America?

Colombian left-wing presidential

candidate Gustavo Petro and his

candidate for Vice-President Francia

Marquez wave to a crowd in Bogota,

Colombia.

Colombian left-wing presidential candidate

Gustavo Petro and his candidate for Vice

President Francia Marquez of the Historic

Pact coalition celebrate after Petro's victory in

the second round of the presidential election,

at the Movistar Arena, in Bogota, Colombia

June 19, 2022. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

The sun is rising on a new day for

Colombians, especially for those who Vice

President-elect Francia Marquez calls the

"nobodies": women, Indigenous

communities, Afro-Colombians, LGBTQ+,

working class, disabled people and all the

others who have been disproportionately

impacted by poverty, state violence,

discrimination and environmental

destruction in the country.

South China Sea: What could go wrong?

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr - eager to

show his mettle and under pressure from

Americanophile military leaders - decides to

use the Philippine navy and coast guard to

confront the Chinese navy or coast guard.

A clash ensues. The Philippines asks its

US ally for backup. The US then has to

choose between a military clash with China

or losing its credibility in the region.

Similar situations could arise with other

rival claimants. In April 2020, the US sent

warships to back up a Malaysian-sponsored

oil rig being intimidated in Malaysia's

exclusive economic zone by a Chinese

government survey ship accompaniment by

several China coast guard ships. The US

Pacific Fleet commander, Admiral John

Aquilino, justifying the action, said: "The

Chinese Communist Party must end its

pattern of bullying Southeast Asians."

Other scenarios involve a clash arising

from US freedom of navigation operations

(FONOPs) challenging China's claims in the

South China Sea.

In October 2018, during a FONOP, there

was a near collision between the US

destroyer Decatur and a Chinese warship.

The Pentagon accused the PLA Navy of

"using an unsafe and unprofessional

maneuver" forcing the Decatur to change

course to avoid a collision. But China

believes that US FONOPs are a threat to its

sovereignty, integrity and security.

Then there is the constant danger of

another serious international incident

involving US and allies' close-in air, surface

and subsurface intelligence-gathering

probes along China's coasts. China

Also, considering the fragile security situation in Europe, it

will be very important for all 30 NATO members to show

cohesion and unity. While some who have cozy economic

relations with Russia have caused some bumps in the road for

the alliance, for the most part NATO members have been

unified in their response to Russia.

On Sunday, former Bogota Mayor Gustavo

Petro and his candidate for vice president,

environmental activist Marquez, made

history by securing more than 50 percent of

all votes in Colombia's presidential election

and setting themselves up to form the

country's first-ever left-wing, progressive

government.

This was not an easy victory. In the second

round of the election, Gustavo and Francia

ran against right-wing construction magnate

Rodolfo Hernandez who had the backing of

the outgoing Conservative President Ivan

Duque, the right-wing "Centro Democratic"

party that has been in power for more than

two decades, as well as the media and

powerful elites.

Despite running an aggressive and wellfunded

campaign focused on anti-corruption,

however, Hernandez - who is ironically facing

corruption allegations of his own - failed to

win over enough support to secure the

MARK VALENCIA

complains that they are a threat to its

security and sends warships and warplanes

to warn them off.

In 2001 a US intelligence plane and a

Chinese fighter jet collided off Hainan. The

Chinese jet crashed into the sea, killing the

pilot, and the damaged US plane made an

emergency landing on Hainan. The region

and the world held their collective breath

while cooler heads negotiated the release of

the crew.

In October 2018, during a FONOP, there was a near

collision between the US destroyer Decatur and a

Chinese warship. The Pentagon accused the PLA

Navy of "using an unsafe and unprofessional

maneuver" forcing the Decatur to change course to

avoid a collision. But China believes that US FONOPs

are a threat to its sovereignty, integrity and security.

There have been several near misses since

then and it seems like it is only a matter of

time before another such serious incident.

Indeed, on June 5, the Australian Defense

Ministry stated that on May 26 "a Royal

Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A

maritime surveillance plane was

intercepted by a Chinese J-16 fighter

aircraft during a routine maritime

surveillance activity in international

airspace in the South China Sea region."

Australian Defense Minister Richard

Marles said the Chinese aircraft flew very

close to the P-8A, released flares, and then

cut across its nose and released a "bundle of

chaff" that was ingested by the P-8A's

engines. Australia said this was "dangerous"

and "threatened the safety of the aircraft

and crew."

China's Defense Ministry responded that

"the Australian military aircraft seriously

threatened China's sovereignty and security

and the countermeasures taken by the

Chinese military were reasonable and

lawful."

The recent atmospherics of the US-China

relationship make such incidents more

presidency. In an election that saw the highest

turnout in Colombian history, millions chose

instead to vote for a left-wing antiestablishment

duo promising profound social

and economic change.

Petro and Marquez' success was not

accidental - years of grassroots organising

and left-wing coalition building led to this

moment. Indeed, there were signs of a

progressive shift in Colombia long before this

election.

In late 2019, when the right-wing

government of President Duque proposed to

lower the minimum wage for workers under

25 years old, young people tired of decades of

austerity and marginalisation took to the

streets across Colombia, initiating a "paro

nacional" (national strike) that brought the

country to a standstill. Strike action and

protests continued even at the height of the

COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2021, an

increase in taxes, corruption and healthcare

likely. At the June 10-12 Shangri-La

Dialogue dustup between US Defense

Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese

Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe, the

latter warned that US attempts to form

exclusive blocks to contain China would

"split the region and undermine the

interests of all."

He said: "If you want to talk, we should

talk with mutual respect. If you want to

engage, we should seek peaceful coexistence.

If you want to cooperate, we

should seek mutual benefits and win-win

results. However, if you want confrontation,

we will fight to the very end."

A basic problem is that the US refuses to

recognize China as a peer. As Sourabh

Gupta of the Institute for China America

Studies says, "This has as much to do with

the difference in political systems as it has to

do with white ethnocentrism."

The hard reality is that both China and the

US (and its allies) realize that their

relationship has become a battle for

regional and global supremacy. Given that

context, Southeast Asia should indeed be

worried.

The best that can be hoped for is a

continuation of the leaky status quo. The US

and China have recognized the fragility of

the situation and are scrambling to try to

stabilize relations by setting a "floor" and

"guardrails" to prevent an incident from

spiraling into a wider conflict. So far they

have not reached agreement on such

measures.

Time and patience are running out and

tension is mounting. Given China's

ambitions and the US unwillingness to

compromise and co-exist with China, the

region and humanity may well suffer a slowmotion

Armageddon. The South China Sea

is where it may begin, or be avoided.

Mark J Valencia is an internationally

recognized maritime policy analyst,

political commentator and consultant

focused on Asia. Most recently he was a

visiting senior scholar at China's National

Institute for South China Sea Studies and

continues to be an adjunct senior scholar

with the Institute.

reform proposed by the government triggered

a new protest wave. People started taking to

the streets to demand better education, public

transportation and healthcare, and to voice

their grievances with the government, in

almost all cities. The government responded

to the protests with violence. At least 44

protesters were killed and hundreds were

injured, according to the United Nations.

All in all, Petro and Marquez' election

victory is not only a win for Colombians but

all peoples of the region because it marks the

beginning of a new "pink tide" in Latin

America - the emergence of a new wave of

socialism that puts climate justice at its core,

and is ready to transform the ways we live and

relate to each other to protect our collective

future.

Tatiana Garavito is a Colombian facilitator

and organiser working on the intersections

of race, gender and climate justice.

wedNeSdAy, juNe 29, 2022

5

Some pandemic health habits that can be kept

Lydia Hales

We're two and a half years

into the Covid-19 pandemic

and it seems other viruses are

making a grab for the

spotlight. There are outbreaks

of hand, foot and mouth

disease at childcare centres

across the Northern Territory

and north Queensland,

soaring influenza case

numbers, and the emergence

of monkeypox in Australia

(though experts say it's

unlikely to take off).

The good news is that

continuing some of the health

and hygiene habits adopted

because of Covid will also

reduce the risk of contracting

other lurgies, experts say.

Studies have shown the

number of people soaping

their hands after a trip to the

toilet was low before the

pandemic: around one in four

globally, and one in two in

areas with good access to

hand-washing facilities.

This led to a lot of (grubby)

finger-pointing early in the

pandemic, with a deluge of

public messaging and

awkward celebrity videos

emphasising the importance

of washing your hands

thoroughly with soap and

running water for 20 seconds,

or using hand sanitiser if you

can't get to a tap.

Dr Kerry Hancock, an

Adelaide-based GP with a

special interest in respiratory

medicine, says although it's

now known that Sars-CoV-2

mainly spreads through the

air, hand hygiene is the

"cornerstone" of infection

prevention - and a simple way

to cut transmission of other

viruses and bacteria.

"It's such an easy thing to

do, to keep washing or

sanitising our hands before

we eat or touch things … but

anecdotally I think people

aren't as fanatical about it as

they were six months ago, at

the peak [of Covid cases] in

South Australia."

Associate Prof Holly Seale,

an expert in perceptions and

behaviours regarding

infectious diseases from the

University of New South

Wales, notes most people are

taught from childhood about

hygiene in the context of

protecting themselves - but

hand hygiene goes both ways.

Making sure your hands are

clean before a trip to the shops

or a ride in an elevator is

"certainly about protecting

other people as well".

However, wearing gloves to

protect yourself from germs

on surfaces, such as

supermarket trolleys, is

unnecessary, Seale says.

"People who wear gloves are

less likely to wash their hands

and may be increasing their

risk because they think their

hands are clean." Seale

recommends everyone over

six months old get the

influenza vaccine, which in

2022 is protective against four

strains.

In 2021, Australia recorded

zero flu deaths, with federal

health data from January to

early November clocking only

598 confirmed cases. In

contrast, three people have

died from influenza this year

to-date, and more than

47,860 people have caught it.

"We've had a couple of years

where flu hasn't really been

around, and there's certainly

concerns that people have

lower levels of protection,"

Natural ventilation, such as opening a window, can help with airflow, particularly

in residential settings.

Photo: iStockphoto

Seale said.

The federal government

already foots the bill for a flu

vaccine for those at high risk,

but the jab has temporarily

been made free for the general

population by all state

governments - so everywhere

except the Northern Territory

and the ACT - at time of

writing.

Seale calls this "a great

initiative" and one that might

"really shift people into

considering flu vaccination as

part of their normal practice.

Because once you've received

it once, you're more likely to

go back and get it again."

It may be worth making the

jab free long-term, Seale adds.

Along with the flu vaccine,

Hancock urges that everyone

stay up to date with

vaccination against whooping

cough (pertussis), a "nasty

illness" that erupts in

Australia every few years.

One of the biggest lessons of

Covid-19 has been the

importance of unwell people

staying away from work and

social events, says Associate

Prof Sheena Sullivan, an

infectious

disease

epidemiologist at the Doherty

Institute.

She hopes employers will

lead by example, which might

mean helping staff work from

home if well enough, or

addressing cultural barriers to

using sick leave - such as fear

of "letting the team down".

But casualised workforces and

areas people can't work from

home continue to present a

"real risk" to disease control,

and must be addressed by

government, Sullivan says.

"It became clear early in the

pandemic that a lot of people

who work with some of the

most vulnerable in our

communities are part of this

large casualised workforce,

who don't have sick leave

entitlements, and are

disincentivised from taking

time off … that includes

people who work in aged care

and disability care, as well as

other essential services such

as meatpacking."

Sullivan hopes that when

people must go out while they

have respiratory symptoms,

there will be a long-term shift

towards wearing masks out of

courtesy to others.

"I work with people who

understand viruses quite well

so it's an unusual

environment - but there are

people who, if they know

someone in their family is

unwell or they have

symptoms themselves, they

start wearing an N95 while

they're at work."

Seale suggests employers

provide free surgical masks or

respirators in case staff are

caught out by newly

developing respiratory

symptoms while at work.

AShley BroAdwAter

Have you ever had a long

string of nightmares and

didn't know what was

causing them? It's

frustrating. Nighttime is

supposed to be the time to

relax and recharge for the

next day, and it's hard when

your fears and anxieties

come with you.

We talked to a couple of

experts about unexpected

culprits, and we have some

bad news: Some pretty

common, relatable factors

(listed below) can trigger

nightmares. But don't worry

too much - we'll also cover

tips that can help you enjoy

your life while decreasing

the chance of a nightmare.

A night out at the bar can

be a lot of fun, but it may not

be so great when you're

trying to sleep later. While

alcohol can help you sleep

deeply at first, "as the blood

alcohol level reduces, the

reverse happens: There is

more shallow sleep and

more frequent waking. This

can lead to more REM [or

rapid eye movement] sleep,

which triggers nightmares

and vivid dreams," said Phil

Lawlor, a sleep expert at the

mattress company Dormeo.

Antidepressants and

opioids can also increase the

frequency of bad dreams.

"While it is not entirely clear

why this happens - there's

still so much we don't

understand about the brain -

the increased level of

neurotransmitters, such as

dopamine, that these

substances provide, create

changes in the way we

dream, often leading to

more vivid dreaming and

thus more intense

nightmares," said Verena

Senn, a sleep expert with

Emma Sleep who has

researched sleep and the

brain for almost 15 years.

Melatonin, a supplement

that can help you fall asleep,

can also cause bad dreams.

(You just can't win, it

seems!) "There is no

conclusive evidence as to

how melatonin affects our

dreams; however, there are

connections to high levels of

melatonin causing

nightmares because you are

less likely to leave enough of

the transition time between

Sneaky causes of having

being awake and being

asleep," Lawlor explained.

The fix: You can still have

that glass of wine at night (if

that's healthy for you

otherwise). Just drink it at

least four hours before bed,

according to Lawlor.

Addressing the

medication and supplement

side is a little harder since

you may need those things

to function. Ultimately, talk

to your doctor. "I would

recommend discussing

these concerns with your

doctor, as they are bestplaced

to help you

understand your options,"

Senn said.

Yep, your bedtime snack

may hurt you, too. "This is

because your body will be

working hard to break down

food and will send signals to

your brain to be more active,

which may trigger

nightmares," Lawlor said.

"Additionally, food can

interrupt sleep patterns due

to night sweats and acid

reflux. Sugary treats and

spicy foods can trigger more

brain waves; they are

directly linked to being sleep

disruptions."

Senn agreed. "No matter

what we eat, the closer we

indulge to our sleep time, the

nightmares

harder our body will be

working to digest while we

rest. Eating in the hours

before sleep is a habit that

will certainly cause sleep

disturbances and can trigger

nightmares," she said.

The fix: Listen, if you're a

nighttime snacker, we hear

you. Eating something

before bed can be

comforting and help ensure

you fall and stay asleep. So

how can you have the best of

both worlds? The timing of

when you eat matters. Eat

your last meal two to three

hours before going to bed.

As far as choosing the right

foods, it's a bit of a guessing

game - but only a little bit.

"There is not conclusive

evidence to prove that there

are specific foods that

directly help sleep. That

said, there are foods that

have been proven to

promote sleep and make

people feel drowsy," Lawlor

said.

He recommended

proteins such as chicken,

turkey, nuts and seeds. He

also recommended teas,

such as chamomile tea and

green tea, to reduce stress.

Lastly, he encouraged

consulting with your

dietitian or doctor before

Sad woman suffering while layin in bed at night.

making any major changes

to your diet.

Ah yes, the trigger you

probably don't want in your

life to begin with.

"Anxiety and stress caused

from traumatic or worrying

situations can trigger

nightmares because your

subconscious mind will turn

fearful thoughts into a

fearful story, and unpleasant

story," Lawlor said.

"During sleep, there is

elevated limbic activity. …

The elevated limbic activity,

particularly in the amygdala

[which is the part of the

brain that deals with

emotions] during REM

sleep, may therefore

exacerbate the emotional

intensity experienced during

dreams, which can cause

nightmares," Senn

explained.

The fix: Lawlor suggested

getting enough sleep since

sleep deprivation can lead to

both stress and nightmares.

Senn suggested not

engaging with scary books,

movies or games before bed

since they can trigger your

body's fight-or-flight

response. (That's a no on

"Texas Chainsaw

Massacre.")

Photo: Getty

SydNi elliS

Memory is a fickle thing. For

example, you may remember

something significant that

happened a decade ago, but

not what you had for dinner

last Tuesday. Or maybe you

are simply forgetful with the

little things, like misplacing

your keys, reading texts but

forgetting to respond, or

losing track of appointments.

Everyone forgets things

every now and then, but if you

are often forgetful - with

important things just out of

grasp in your mind or words

right on the tip of your tongue

- it can feel debilitating and

beyond frustrating.

Although some memory loss

and forgetfulness is normal

with aging, according to the

National Institute on Aging,

some things can exacerbate

your forgetfulness no matter

your age.

"There are a number of

common habits that can make

us more forgetful," said

Michele Goldman, a

psychologist and Hope for

Depression Research

Foundation media adviser.

Below, experts explain

several things you may not

realize you're doing that affect

your memory. If you've been

feeling more forgetful lately,

then keep reading to see if

you've developed any of these

habits.

Sleep has many health

benefits, including improving

memory. Not sleeping enough

can affect your ability to learn

new things by up to 40%, and

it can affect the hippocampus

part of your brain, which is

responsible for making new

memories.

"Sleep allows our brains to

restore," Goldman said.

"Certain stages of sleep,

including REM sleep, are

specifically associated with

memory consolidation or the

process of newly learned

information

being

transformed into long-term

memory."

The Sleep Foundation

recommends adults get about

seven to nine hours of quality

sleep a night. Not getting

enough sleep or having poor

quality sleep can make us

more forgetful because "the

new information we learn is

not being stored in our longterm

memory and is more

likely to be forgotten or lost,"

Goldman said.

Julia Kogan, a health

psychologist in Florida and

creator of the Master Stress

Method, said sleep is related to

attention and focus - two

things that are critical when it

comes to memory.

"If we are skipping on sleep,

we are less likely to be

attentive, focused and

energetic," she said. "If we are

lacking attention, then we are

unlikely to be able to retain

information well. Therefore,

those who regularly skip sleep

are more likely to be forgetful

since the attention parts of

their brain, especially in the

prefrontal cortex, are not

going to be as sharp."

Kogan said forgetfulness is

often "an attention problem."

She explained that being

attentive and focused is an

important part of

remembering information.

"If we did not fully pay

attention, are distracted, or we

are not in a mental state to

retain information, then we

are not going to fully attend to

the information, resulting in

what looks like forgetfulness,"

Kogan added.

Distraction can also happen

when you multitask. "Working

on various tasks at the same

time can actually lead to less

productivity and more

forgetfulness," Kogan said.

She recommends focusing on

one thing at a time. One way to

do this is by time-blocking at

work by splitting tasks into

manageable activities with

small breaks.

"This might look like 45

minutes of a specific task with

no interruptions or other

tasks, followed by a 5-to-10-

Common behaviors that make people forgetful

experts break down the habits that can negatively impact your memory and offer solutions on how to sharpen

your mind.

minute break," Kogan said.

"Exercise is important for

your overall health, including

your memory," said Valentina

Dragomir, a psychotherapist

and founder of PsihoSensus

Therapy and PsihoSensus

Academy. "Exercise increases

blood flow to the brain and

helps to protect brain cells.

Also, there is [research] that

shows sedentary habits are

linked to thinning in some

brain regions that are

important for memory."

"Regular exercise ? not

necessarily strenuous exercise

? helps reduce the risk of a

number of common illnesses

that are linked to memory

loss, including high blood

pressure, high cholesterol, and

diabetes to name a few,"

Goldman added.

Have you recently started

taking a new medication? This

could be affecting your

memory, too. "Medicines like

antidepressants, allergy

medications, blood pressure

stabilizers, and more can

affect memory due to their

sedative properties," said

Sanam Hafeez, a

neuropsychologist, teaching

faculty member at Columbia

University, and founder and

director of Comprehensive

Consultation Psychological

Services, P.C.

Other medications that can

make you more forgetful

include benzodiazepines,

cholesterol-lowering drugs,

antiepileptic agents, narcotic

painkillers, antihypertensive

drugs, incontinence

medications, antihistamines

and more.

"Some medications only

impair your memory when

you are taking them, and

others can have more longlasting

effects," she noted.

Talking to your doctor and

finding the best medication for

you and your lifestyle will help.

"Alcohol can damage brain

cells and lead to memory

problems," Dragomir said.

"According to research, longterm

drinking causes the brain

to decrease in size."

Kogan said those with an

alcohol use disorder or those

who binge drink are more

likely to experience short- and

long-term memory loss.

"When drinking, alcohol

impacts the hippocampus,

which is largely responsible

for learning and memory,"

Photo: Collected

Kogan explained. "Alcohol can

impact how the nerves in the

hippocampus communicate,

leading to forgetfulness."

She added, "People who

drink heavily tend to be

deficient in certain vitamins

and other nutrients, which can

also lead to forgetfulness."

Smoking is another habit to

kick if you want to improve

your memory. "Smoking

damages brain cells and stops

new ones forming in the

hippocampus, which leads to

forgetfulness," Dragomir said.

She also cited a study in the

Journal of Neuroscience that

shows "chronic exposure to

nicotine might impair brain

mechanisms related to

learning and memory."

"Smoking can impair lung

and heart function, which

slows oxygen transport to the

brain," Hafeez added. "Less

oxygen in your brain can lead

to less brain function, causing

memory loss."

The THC in marijuana may

also impact learning and

memory. "Marijuana has been

shown to produce short-term

issues with working memory

specifically, as well as

attention," Kogan said. The

problem is worse the more you

smoke. "In heavy users, it has

been shown that marijuana

can cause issues with learning

and memory for weeks after

cannabis consumption."

Food can impact our brain

as well. "What we ingest

impacts how we feel

physically, mentally and

emotionally," Goldman said.

"A diet that is lacking balance

can impact the body in a

negative way."

If you are looking for foods

to boost brain function,

Harvard Medical School

suggests opting for leafy

vegetables, fatty fish, berries,

tea and coffee, and walnuts.

Hafeez recommends also

"consuming a diet rich in antiinflammatory

foods." These

include fruits, vegetables,

whole grains, legumes and

healthy fats, among others.

Organization is important

when it comes to memory.

"We are much more likely to

forget things when our

external environment is in

disarray," Goldman said. "A

chaotic, cluttered, or

disorganized environment

works for some, but not for

most individuals."

She recommends finding a

system that works for you.

"Keep a notebook, create a

schedule, get a calendar -

whatever the system, be

consistent and follow

through."

Part of being organized is

finding a placed for

everything, including those

often-misplaced keys. "Set

specific places for items to

decrease the chance you will

lose them; for example, the

keys go on a hook by the door,

they are not placed down

absentmindedly when we

walk in and drop our

belongings," Goldman added.

"Both anxiety and

depression can impair

concentration, making it more

difficult to attend to small

details," Goldman said. "It can

be challenging to remain

organized; we might be easily

overwhelmed and lack focus."

Trauma survivors in

particular "tend to have

impaired memory," according

to Goldman. "The nervous

system is in overdrive trying to

ensure safety and protection,

which means non-lifethreatening

details are more

likely to be forgotten."

"Because stress, anxiety,

and depression can impact

attention, learning, and

memory, it is very important

to address these concerns in

order to sharpen our

memory," Kogan added.

"Those struggling with anxiety

and depression should seek

evidence-based treatments,

such as cognitive behavioral

therapy or acceptance and

commitment therapy."

One of the best things you

can do to combat forgetfulness

is to stimulate your brain.

"Keeping your brain active by

learning new things, playing

games, reading, or other

stimulating activities is a way

to keep the 'muscles' of your

brain in shape," Goldman

said.

The American Psychological

Association recommends

taking "mental snapshots" of

things in life, like where you

parked, to pull up in your

brain when you forget. It also

suggests training your brain

through mnemonic devices

and vanishing cues or using

technology to help you

remember things.

"Think of your brain and

memory as something that

must be used and exercised

like any other part of the body

or it will atrophy," Hafeez said.

Wednesday, june 29, 2022

6

uno khandaker Mudachir bin ali inaugurating mosquito eradication program in flood shelter in

Barlekha .

photo: abdur rob

Commendable initiative taken by Barlekha mayor

Mosquito eradication is underway

in the flood shelter

aBdur roB, MoulviBazar Correspondent:

People in more than 50 flood shelters

in Moulvibazar Barlekha are being

victims of mosquito infestation, just

when the mayor Abul Imam

Mohammad Kamran Chowdhury

stood by them. On behalf of the

municipality, he took initiative to

apply high quality medicine to kill

mosquitoes in 52 flood shelters of the

upazila. UNO Khandaker Mudachir

Bin Ali and Municipal Mayor Abul

Imam Mohammad Kamran

Chowdhury inaugurated the

mosquito eradication program at

Chiddek Ali High School Shelter in

Sujanagar Union on Monday

morning. Till Tuesday afternoon, the

application of medicine has been

completed in 35 shelters of the

Summer vegetables

appear abundantly in

Rajshahi markets

RAJSHAHI: Summer

vegetables like red

amaranth, bottle gourd,

spinach, lady's finger,

pointed gourd, bitter gourd,

pumpkin and brinjal have

appeared abundantly in

kitchen markets of the

district, benefiting both

growers and consumers,

reports BSS.

Vegetable farming brings

smile on farmers' faces here

as they are becoming

financially solvent by

cultivating various types of

vegetables, meeting its

growing demand of the

consumers.

At present, even many of

the winter vegetables are

being cultivated in the

summer season. The farmers

are seen showing their

interests in vegetable

farming as they have been

gaining more profit for over

the last couple of years.

Farmers are passing busy

days with vegetable farming

in the current Kharif-1

season and they are happy

with their good yields with

less irrigation water

following sufficient rains.

Varieties of vegetables are

available in the local markets

round the year because of its

regular farming along with

other seasonal fruits and

crops.

Mozammel Haque, 37, farmer

of Palpur village under Godagari

upazila, said he earned Taka

20,000 by selling red amaranth

from one bigha of land after

sowing its seed hardly 20 days

back at a cost of Taka 12,000.

"We are very much happy with

vegetable farming because we

get good yield with fair market

price within a short time," he

told BSS.

Abdul Bari, 42, another

farmer of Mollapara area,

said not only red amaranth

but also many other short

duration vegetables are

being produced here.

He said farmers in the vast

Barind tract are growing

brinjal by covering the soil

with polythene sheets with a

view to saving the plants

from being damaged by rain

water.

upazila.

It is learned that about 100 percent

areas of Barni, Sujanagar, Talimpur,

Daserbazar and Nij Bahadurpur Union

of Hakaluki Haorpar of the upazila and

partial areas of Barlekha Sadar, South,

South, South, North, North,

Shahbazpur and South Shahbazpur

Union are flooded due to heavy rains

and downpour. As a result, more than

one and a half lakh people became

waterlogged. 52 flood shelters were

opened for flood victims. Thousands of

victims have been living in inhumane

conditions in the shelters for about 10

days. In the midst of various

misfortunes, the helpless people

became overwhelmed by the mosquito

infestation.

Mayor Abul Imam Mohammad

Kamran Chowdhury said that although

geo-bags being dropped to prevent Brahmaputra erosion in islampur.

there is no rule to apply mosquito

repellent outside the municipal area, he

has taken initiative to spray high

quality mosquito repellent to protect

the marooned people from the grip of

mosquito-borne diseases so that once

sprayed there is no mosquito

infestation for at least 8-10 days. He

inaugurated the program on Monday

and by Tuesday afternoon; the

medicine had been administered to 35

flood shelters. The rest will be treated

with drugs.

UNO Khandaker Mudachir bin Ali

said there was a risk of various postflood

diseases spreading in the affected

areas. Mosquito infestation has become

a major problem, especially in shelters.

This initiative of the mayor of the

municipality is undoubtedly

commendable.

photo: osman haruni

Brahmaputra river erosion prevention activities

are underway Geo Bags being dropped

osMan haruni, jaMalpur Correspondent:

Prevention activities of erosion of

Brahmaputra in Islampur Goalerchar have

been inaugurated by dropping Geo-bags.

Islampur Upazila Executive Officer MD

Tanvir Hasan Ruman, Islampur Upazila

Project Implementation Officer Mehedi

Hasan Titu, Jamalpur Water Development

Board Deputy Assistant Engineer Azizur

Rahman, Goallerchar UP Chairman AH

Rahim Badsha and many others were

present at the inauguration on Tuesday.

Mohammadpur area of Goalerchar union

of the upazila was given bamboo piling by

the locals a few days ago to save it from the

Begumganj anti-drug workshop.

erosion of Brahmaputra River. The

Islampur-Bakshiganj paved road,

educational institutions, houses, crop lands,

roads, electricity poles and many other

structures are being washed away by the

river. Following the media reports, the

concerned administration has started the

process of dumping 8,000 geo-bags on the

banks of the 120-meter river at Goalcharchar

North Mohammadpur to prevent the

erosion of the Brahmaputra River.

Mohammad Abu Saeed, Executive Engineer,

Jamalpur Water Development Board, said that

the Water Development Board has taken

necessary steps in stages considering the

important areas to prevent river erosion.

photo: Manik Bhuiya

Student dies

after drowning

in Ishwardi

gopal adhikari, paBna Correspondent:

A schoolboy named Sabbir

Hossain (17) went missing

after taking a bath in the

river Padma at Ishwardi.

Two and a half hours later,

his body was found from

Nalgari village in Pakshi

union of the upazila on

Tuesday afternoon. He is the

son of Swapan Islam of

Charruppur Jigatla village of

the union. He was a HSC

candidate of Ruppur High

School.

Atiqul Islam, subinspector

(SI) in charge of

the Ruppur nuclear police

outpost, said Sabbir and

some of his friends went to

bathe in the Padma River on

Tuesday afternoon. At one

point he drowned. Upon

receiving the news, the locals

were able to retrieve the

body in a short time.

National fruit fair

held in Kaliganj

si MalliCk, jhenaidah Correspondent:

A three-day national fruit

fair has been inaugurated at

Kaliganj in Jhenaidah with

the slogan "From yearround

fruit cultivation,

comes both money and

nutrition".

Kaliganj Upazila Executive

Officer Sadia Jerin was

present at the inaugural

function of the fruit fair

organized by the Upazila

Agriculture Extension

Department at the Upazila

Parishad meeting room on

Tuesday morning.

Upazila Assistant

Commissioner (Land) and

Executive Magistrate

Habibullah Habib, Upazila

Vice Chairman Shahnaz

Parveen, Upazila

Agriculture Officer Sikder

Md. Mohaymen Akter,

Upazila Election Officer

Alamgir Hossain and

officials of various

government departments,

agriculture office officials

and media personnel were

also present.

More than half a hundred

fruits produced in Kaliganj

Upazila were displayed at

the fruit fair. The fair will

continue till Thursday.

Anti-drug

workshop held

in Begumganj

Manik Bhuiya, noakhali

Correspondent

A workshop on

formulating an

integrated action plan

has been held in

Begumganj, Noakhali to

build a social movement

to prevent drug abuse.

The day-long workshop

was organized by the

Upazila Administration

at Chaurasta Cultural

Academy

in

collaboration with the

District Narcotics

Control Department on

Tuesday.

The keynote address of

the workshop was

presented

by

Mohammad Abdul

Hamid, Assistant

Director, District

Narcotics Control

Department. Additional

Deputy Commissioner

Israt Sadmin was the

chief guest.

Upazila Executive

Officer Shamsun Nahar

presided over the

function while Upazila

Chairman Shahnaz

Begum Naju, Municipal

Mayor Khaled Saifullah,

OC (Investigation)

Shafiqul Islam, Joint

Secretary of Upazila

Awami League Advocate

Aktaruzzaman Anshari,

Upazila Vice Chairman

Nur Hossain Masud and

Abida Sultana were

present. The workshop

was attended by public

representatives,

journalists, well-wishers,

students of various

schools and colleges and

people of various

professions.

Manos Biswas is an M.C.C city planner

Housings in the metropolis

are good and eye-catching

Md ali ahsan raj, MyMensingh Correspondent:

Manas Biswas began working as a city planner

for Mymensingh City Corporation (MCC) on

October 10, 2018. City people have lots of

demand for a prudent city planner. The

overall hair-splitting

estimation of the city

planner and from

one-story to twostory,

the size and

kind of skyscrapers,

the amenities of

adjoining

inhabitants to car

parking is under the

jurisdiction of city

planners. Manas

Biswas, a city

planner from

Mymensingh City

Corporation (MCC),

is well-known

among Mymensingh

esidents as a wise

Mymensingh City Corporation city planner

Manas Biswas. photo: Md ali ahsan raj

and efficient city planning personality who is

regarded as such by Mymensingh residents

based on previous experience. Mymensingh

City Corporation, with a population of roughly

8 lakh people and 33 wards, is said to be

massive in size and breadth. On the other

hand, public housing structures are being

constructed virtually every day by a variety of

developers, and the House Building

Corporation is not idle. They are also

constructing new houses, which are drawing

the attention of city dwellers.

According to the relevant sources, Manas

Biswas, a city planner, meticulously and

efficiently oversaw the field level, beginning

with the calculation of numerous official

documents prior to the start of home building.

He examines every file thoroughly and only then

considers passing any file. Manas Biswas opens

disputes if there is any tension of the land survey

and if there is any bad incidence. The next step is

to call up the file, clear up any uncertainty, and

then let it run. As a

result, smooth and

comfortable housing

is being developed in

Mymensingh city.

This achievement is

entirely done by

Manas Biswas and

the remarks of

Mymensingh City

Mayor Md. Ikramul

Haque Titu are

satisfactory. The city

dwellers also

promised to build

quality houses. City

planner Manas

Biswas has brought

the city dwellers to a place of trust at this stage.

Manas Biswas is said to be a firm believer in

pre-technical or technical assistance for house

construction and to be unshakable and

steadfast in his support for the housing

process. He stated that he would not cause any

pain to ordinary city people by generating any

form of suffering or trouble. At the same time,

he is completely aware of the city's people. He

stated that Manas Biswas is still pursuing that

endeavor. Manas Biswas believes that the

people of Mymensingh will soon see the eyecatching

housings. Manas Biswas, a

Mymensingh City Corporation city planner, is

working toward this aim.

Municipal Mayor kaziul islam announced the open budget in the hall

room of kurigram Municipality.

photo: Badshah saykot.

Kurigram Municipality announces

budget of Tk 31 crore

Badshah saykot, kurigraM Correspondent:

Kurigram Municipality has announced open

budget for the financial year 2022-2023.

Municipal Mayor Kaziul Islam announced the

open budget in the hall room of Kurigram

Municipality on Tuesday afternoon.

President of Kurigram Press Club Raju

Mostafiz, General Secretary Abdul Khaleq Faruk,

Councilor Al Harunuzzaman Harun, Anisur

Rahman, Mostafa Kamal Pasha, Abdul Malek,

Kamruzzaman Mintu, Taj Uddin Ahmed,

experience exchange and closing meeting of recall-2021.

Khorshed Alam, Mukta begum, Municipal

Executive Officer Mazharul Anwar, Accounting

Officer Reazul Haque Shah spoke on the

occasion. Municipal councilors, municipal

officials and employees, municipal citizens

and media workers were present at the time.

Announcing a budget of Tk 31 crore for the

financial year 2022-2023, Municipal Mayor

Kaziul Islam said the open budget has been

announced as an effort to improve the quality of

service, transparency and accountability of the

people's representatives.

photo: Mohinul sujon

Dimla hosts the Recall 2021 project's final meeting

Mohinul sujon, nilphaMari Correspondent:

Experience exchange and closing meeting of

Recall-2021 program was held in Dimla in the

presence of Dimla of Nilphamari Upazila

administration, local government, civil society,

journalists and representatives of the CBO. The

meeting was held on Monday afternoon at the

Upazila Parishad Hall with the arrangement of

Pallishree Recall-2021 project and with the

support of Oxfam in Bangladesh. Upazila

Executive Officer Belayet Hossain was present

as the chief guest. Pallishree Dimla Coordinator

Puran Chandra Barman presided over the

function and Field Facilitator Dabirul Islam

managed the occasion. Upazila Parishad Vice

Chairman Nirendranath Roy Niru, Women

Vice Chairman Ayesha Siddique, Upazila

Agriculture Officer Krishibid Sekendar Ali,

Social Service Officer Nurun Nahar Nuri,

Upazila Livestock Officer (Acting) Saidur

Rahman, Youth Development Officer

Khandaker Enamul Kabir, Dimla High School

Headmaster Lutfar Rahman, Khagakharibari

Union Parishad Chairman Rabiul Islam Lithon,

Mazharul Islam Liton, president of Dimla Press

Club, Farida Begum, president of Doel Jana

Sangathan of Tepakharibari Union, Arifa

Begum, spoke at the occasion.

wedneSdAy, June 29, 2022

7

An Amtrak passenger train traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago struck a dump truck Monday in a remote area of Missouri,

killing three people and injuring dozens more as rail cars tumbled off the tracks and landed on their sides. Photo : Internet

3 killed, dozens hurt in Amtrak

train crash in Missouri

MENDON : An Amtrak passenger

train traveling from Los Angeles to

Chicago struck a dump truck

Monday in a remote area of

Missouri, killing three people and

injuring dozens more as rail cars

tumbled off the tracks and landed on

their sides, officials said, reports

UNB.

Two of those killed were on the

train and one was in the truck,

Missouri State Highway Patrol

spokesman Cpl. Justin Dunn said. It

was not immediately clear exactly

how many people were hurt, the

patrol said, but hospitals reported

receiving more than 40 patients

from the crash and were expecting

more.

Amtrak's Southwest Chief was

carrying about 207 passengers and

crew members when the collision

happened near Mendon at a rural

intersection on a gravel road with no

lights or electronic controls,

according to the highway patrol.

Officials were still trying to

determine the exact number of

people aboard. Seven cars derailed,

the patrol said.

Rob Nightingale said he was

dozing off in his sleeper

compartment when the lights

flickered and the train rocked back

and forth.

"It was like slow motion. Then all

of a sudden I felt it tip my way. I saw

the ground coming toward my

window, and all the debris and dust,"

Nightingale told The Associated

Press. "Then it sat on its side and it

was complete silence. I sat there and

didn't hear anything. Then I heard a

little girl next door crying."

Nightingale was unhurt and he and

JOB OPPORTUNITY

other passengers were able to climb

out of the overturned train car

through a window.

The collision broke the dump truck

apart, he said.

"It was all over the tracks," said

Nightingale, an art gallery owner

from Taos, New Mexico, who said he

rides Amtrak regularly to Chicago.

It's too early to speculate on why

the truck was on the tracks, said

National Transportation Safety

Board Chairwoman Jennifer

Homendy. A team of NTSB

investigators will arrive Tuesday, she

said. Trains won't be able to run on

the track for "a matter of days" while

they gather evidence, she added.

At one point, KMBC-TV helicopter

video showed rail cars on their side

as emergency responders used

ladders to climb into one of them.

Six medical helicopters parked

nearby were waiting to transport

patients.

Close to 20 local and state law

enforcement agencies, ambulance

services, fire department and

medical helicopter services

responded, Dunn said. The first

emergency responders arrived

within 20 minutes of receiving a 911

call, he said.

Passenger Dian Couture was in the

dining car with her husband

celebrating their 40th wedding

anniversary when she heard a loud

noise and the train wobbled and

then crashed onto its side.

"The people on our left-hand side

flew across and hit us, and then we

were standing on the windows on the

right-hand side of the car," Couture

told WDAF-TV. "Two gentlemen in

the front came up, stacked a bunch

of things and popped out the window

and literally pulled us out by our

hands."

Passengers included 16 youths and

eight adults from two Boy Scout

troops who were traveling home to

Appleton, Wisconsin, after a

backcountry excursion at the

Philmont Scout Ranch in New

Mexico. No one in the group was

seriously injured, said Scott

Armstrong, director of national

media relations for the Boy Scouts of

America. The Scouts administered

first aid to several injured

passengers, including the driver of

the dump truck, Armstrong said.

High school students from

Pleasant Ridge High School in

Easton, Kansas, who were headed to

a Future Business Leaders of

America conference in Chicago,

were also aboard, Superintendent

Tim Beying told The Kansas City

Star.

Cheryl Benjamin was on her way

home to East Lansing, Michigan,

after an Alasksan cruise and a trip to

Disneyland. She said she felt a

bump, then heard a squeal, then

looked out the window and saw the

cars in front of her falling to the

right. Then her car fell, the last to

derail. It all took about 45 seconds.

Benjamin told The Associated

Press that the passengers organized

themselves to escape the cars. Some

of the Boy Scouts on board helped

her climb out of the train and onto

the ground. She was spending

Monday evening in a local high

school gym, where community

members had brought in food for

the passengers as they waited for

buses to take them to hotels.

G7 leaders wrap up summit meant

to bolster Ukraine support

ELMAU : The Group of Seven

developed economies on

Tuesday wraps up a summit

intended to send a strong signal

of long-term commitment to

Ukraine's future, ensuring that

Russia pays a higher price for

its invasion while also

attempting to alleviate a global

hunger crisis and show unity

against climate change.

The leaders of the U.S.,

Germany, France, Italy, the

U.K., Canada and Japan on

Monday pledged to support

Ukraine "for as long as it takes"

after conferring by video link

with Ukrainian President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The summit host, German

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said he

"once again very emphatically

set out the situation as Ukraine

currently sees it." Zelenskyy's

address, amid a grinding

Russian advance in Ukraine's

east, came hours before

Ukrainian officials reported a

deadly Russian missile strike

on a crowded shopping mall in

the central city of

Kremenchuk.

Explorers find WWII

Navy ship, deepest

wreck discovered

MANILA : A U.S. Navy

destroyer escort that engaged

a superior Japanese fleet in

the largest sea battle of World

War II in the Philippines has

become the deepest wreck to

be discovered, according to

explorers.

The USS Samuel B.

Roberts, popularly known as

the "Sammy B," was

identified on Wednesday

broken into two pieces on a

slope at a depth of 6,985

meters (22,916 feet).

That puts it 426 meters

(1,400 feet) deeper than the

USS Johnston, the previous

deepest wreck discovered last

year in the Philippine Sea

also by American explorer

Victor Vescovo, founder of

Dallas-based Caladan

Oceanic Expeditions. He

announced the latest find

together with U.K.-based

EYOS Expeditions.

"It was an extraordinary

honor to locate this incredibly

famous ship, and by doing so

have the chance to retell her

story of heroism and duty to

those who may not know of

the ship and her crew's

sacrifice," Vescovo, a former

Navy commander, said in a

statement.

The Sammy B. took part in

the Battle off Samar, the final

phase of the Battle of Leyte

Gulf in October 1944, in

which the Imperial Japanese

Navy suffered its biggest loss

of ships and failed to dislodge

the U.S. forces from Leyte,

which they invaded earlier as

part of the liberation of the

Philippines.

According to some records,

the destroyer escort disabled

a Japanese heavy cruiser with

a torpedo and significantly

damaged another while

battling the group led by the

command

Yamato.

battleship

46 dead, 16 hospitalized after

trailer of migrants found

SAN ANTONIO : Forty-six people were

found dead and 16 others were taken to

hospitals after a tractor-trailer rig

containing suspected migrants was found

Monday on a remote back road in

southwest San Antonio, officials said.

A city worker at the scene was alerted to

the situation by a cry for help shortly

before 6 p.m. Monday, Police Chief

William McManus said. Officers arrived to

find a body on the ground outside the

trailer and a partially opened gate to the

trailer, he said.

Of the 16 taken to hospitals with heatrelated

illnesses, 12 were adults and four

were children, said Fire Chief Charles

Hood. The patients were hot to the touch

and dehydrated, and no water was found

in the trailer, he said.

Three people were taken into custody,

but it was unclear if they were absolutely

connected with human trafficking,

McManus said.

Those in the trailer were part of a

presumed migrant smuggling attempt into

the United States, and the investigation

was being led by U.S. Homeland Security

Investigations, McManus said.

Those in the trailer were in a presumed

migrant smuggling attempt in South

Texas, according to an official who spoke

to The Associated Press on condition of

anonymity because the information had

not been authorized for public release.

It may be the deadliest tragedy among

thousands who have died attempting to

cross the U.S. border from Mexico in

recent decades. Ten migrants died in 2017

after being trapped inside a truck that was

parked at a Walmart in San Antonio. In

2003, 19 migrants were found in a

sweltering truck southeast of San Antonio.

Big rigs emerged as a popular

smuggling method in the early 1990s

amid a surge in U.S. border enforcement

in San Diego and El Paso, Texas, which

were then the busiest corridors for illegal

crossings.

Before that, people paid small fees to

mom-and-pop operators to get them

across a largely unguarded border. As

crossing became exponentially more

difficult after the 2001 terror attacks in

the U.S., migrants were led through more

dangerous terrain and paid thousands of

dollars more.

Heat poses a serious danger,

particularly when temperatures can rise

severely inside vehicles. Weather in the

San Antonio area was mostly cloudy

Monday, but temperatures approached

100 degrees.

Forty-six people were found dead and 16 others were taken to hospitals

after a tractor-trailer rig containing suspected migrants was found

Monday on a remote back road in southwest San Antonio. Photo : Internet

Officials: US sending advanced

missile systems to Ukraine

WASHINGTON : The U.S. is planning to buy

and send more medium- to long-range

missile systems to Ukraine, a move officials

hope will help Ukrainian forces hold onto the

last remaining segments of land in the

eastern Donbas that Russia has not yet been

able to capture, reports UNB.

A senior defense official said Monday that

Ukrainian forces are already effectively using

advanced rocket systems, and that more of

those will go into Ukraine with trained

troops soon. A new plan for the U.S. to buy

and send NASAMS, an advanced surface-toair

missile system, to Ukraine, is also in the

works and would add to its longer-range

rocket and missile strike capabilities.

President Joe Biden is expected to

announce soon that the U.S. is purchasing

NASAMS, a Norwegian-developed antiaircraft

system, to provide medium- to longrange

defense for Ukraine, according to an

administration official familiar with the

matter. NASAMS is the same system used by

the U.S. to protect the airspace around the

White House and Capitol in Washington.

Both the defense official and the

administration official spoke on condition of

anonymity to discuss U.S. military

assessments and plans that have yet to be

announced. Russia has been mounting an

all-out assault on the last Ukrainian

stronghold in the eastern Luhansk region -

the city of Lysychansk - from the ground and

air, the local governor said Monday. Luhansk

Gov. Serhiy Haidai said Russian forces were

pummeling Lysychansk after capturing the

neighboring city of Sievierodonetsk in recent

days.

It's part of a stepped-up Russian offensive

to wrest the broader Donbas region from

Ukrainian government control in what

Western experts say has become the new

main goal of President Vladimir Putin's war

in Ukraine, now in its fifth month.

27

S (22) (182)

GD-1199/22 (4x4)

GD-1201/22 (6x4)

WEDnEsDAY, JunE 29, 2022

8

MTB celebrated International MsME Day on Monday by distributing its first ever bank loans to the

entrepreneurs of Imitation Jewellery Cluster of Vakurta, Hemayetpur, savar at the Bank's

Corporate Head Office, Gulshan 1, Dhaka 1212. Vakurta cluster is the largest suppliers of custommade

imitation jewellery of the country. Goutam Prasad Das, Acting Managing Director & CEO and

Md. Khalid Mahmood Khan, Deputy Managing Director-Corporate & Commercial Business of MTB

handed over the cheques of new loans amongst the entrepreneurs. MTB's Managing Director &

CEO, syed Mahbubur Rahman joined the event virtually and promised to continue MTB's effort to

scale up the business of this cluster in coming days. Among others, syed Mahbub Morshed, Head

of BBD 2, Azam Khan, Head of Communications Department and sanjib Kumar Dey, Head of sME

Banking Division along with others officials of MTB attended the event.

Photo : Courtesy

Bank Asia and swisscontact Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of understanding (Mou) for financing

and facilitating the growth of Micro, small and Medium Enterprises (MsMEs) in leather goods, furniture

making and light engineering sectors in Bangladesh. Through this partnership, Bank Asia will utilise its

agent banking channel to improve financial literacy and deliver financial services to MsMEs for improving

their business processes and leading them towards better efficiency. Md. Arfan Ali, President &

Managing Director of Bank Asia Ltd., suzanne Mueller, Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of

switzerland in Bangladesh, Dajna sorensen, Team Leader of the B-skillFuL programme and Mujibul

Cezanne Hasan, Country Director of swisscontact Bangladesh along with other officials from both organizations

were present the Mou signing ceremony which was held on sunday at Bank Asia Tower, Karwan

Bazar, Dhaka.

Photo: Courtesy

Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited has donated 50 Lac Taka to Patiya Municipality for buying land of Dumping

Ground for solid waste management. Chairman of the Board Executive Committee of the Bank Alhajj Abdus

samad Labu handed over the cheque to Mayor of Patiya municipality Md. Ayub Bablu on Monday at Al-Arafah

Tower. Managing Director and CEO of the Bank Farman R. Chowdhury was present in the occasion. Among

others, Deputy Managing Directors s M Jaffar, shabbir Ahmed, Md. Mahmudur Rahman, Muhammed

nadim, Ps to EC Chairman Muhammad Piaru were also present at the event.

Photo : Courtesy

World Refrigeration Day observed at Headquarter

Walton CEO’s directives on product manufacturing,

electronics business to face global challenges

Golam Murshed, the

Managing Director and Chief

Executive Officer of Walton

Hi-Tech Industries PLC, has

celebrated this year's World

Refrigeration Day with the

members of Walton family at

its headquarters in Gazipur.

He visited different

production units and

observed the manufacturing

process of IoT based

upcoming models of premium

category products and gave

necessary directives to

employees over electronics

products manufacturing and

businesses in the context of

current global challenges, says

a press release.

On Sunday (June 26, 2022)

CEO Golam Murshed first

inaugurated the refrigeration

day with releasing balloons at

Walton headquarters and

then visited various

departments including

Research and Innovation

(R&I), Human Resources and

different production plants.

He gave necessary advices

and directions on product

manufacturing while

exchanging views with

Walton members.

Speaking to the Walton

members, Golam Murshed

said: We are passing through

tough time for Covid-19

pandemic. When the global

economy is trying to recover,

the crisis worsen for the geopolitical

issues. The prices of

raw-materials and freight

costs have increased in the

global market and the local

currency is devalued against

the US dollar. The recent flood

in Sylhet division has caused

heavy damages that have

some direct impacts on the

electronics market. But we are

hopeful that we will be able to

overcome these adverse

situations soon.

The Walton CEO said,

manufacturing of IoT based

upcoming models of premium

category products are

underway. We are going to

surprise our customers with

aristocratic products being

manufactured with the latest

technology and attractive

designs.

Regarding the World

Refrigeration Day, Walton

CEO also said: We have

unavoidable responsibilities

in the electronics sector. The

global warming is becoming a

great concern day by day.

While developing a product,

we definitely do that

considering

the

environmental safety. We

always prioritize ensuring

environmental protection.

Walton Hi-Tech's MD and CEO Golam Murshed visiting a production plant

at its Headquarter.

Photo: Courtesy

Addressing to Walton

members, he said: We should

ensure a better world for the

next generation and that is

sustainability. We should

absorb the 17 Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs)

because everyone of us is

someway related with these

goals. Dutifulness is a great

virtue and our thoughts and

works should be transparent

and must be aligned with

future. Our works should be

on the basis of public welfare.

We should emphasize that our

works and innovation can be

useful for people even after 10

to 20 years. Our products

should be sustainable.

Walton's Chief Technical

Officer Mog Yang, Senior

Executive Directors Col. S M

Shahadat Alam (Retd), Tanvir

Rahman, Tapash Kumer

Mojumder, Yusuf Ali, Mostofa

Nahid Hossain, Easir Al-

Imran, Nizam Uddin

Mazumder, Mohasin Sarder,

Mahfuzur Rahman, Tahasinul

Haque and Shahinoor

Sultana, Executive Director

Tofail Ahmed, Shahjalal

Hossain Limon, Abul Malek

Shikder and Didarul Alam

Khan among others also

attended the program.

In April 2018, world

business leaders agreed to

celebrate the World

Refrigeration Day on June 26

every year.

ECB vows to

counter

'undesirably

high' inflation

SINTRA, PORTUGAL : The

European Central Bank will

go "as far as necessary" to

fight inflation that is set to

remain "undesirably high"

for "some time to come", its

president said Tuesday.

Soaring inflation is "a great

challenge", ECB President

Christine Lagarde said in a

speech at the bank's annual

conference on monetary

policy.

"We will go as far as

necessary to ensure that

inflation stabilises at our

two-percent target over the

medium term," Lagarde said.

Consumer prices rose at an

8.1-percent pace in the

eurozone in May, an all-time

high for the currency club.

The surge has been driven

higher by the Russian

invasion of Ukraine, and the

ensuing rise in the cost of

energy and food.

The present level of

inflation in industrial and

agricultural goods has "not

been seen since the mid-

1980s", Lagarde said in the

speech in the Portugese

resort of Sintra.

The rise in the cost of

energy was also "much

higher than the individual

spikes that occurred in the

1970s" during the oil shock,

she said.

Inflation pressures are

"intensifying and

broadening", Lagarde

warned, while nominal wage

growth has started to "pick

up".

At the same time, real

wages are being "squeezed"

by inflation, while economic

turbulence is weighing on

growth, Lagarde said.

But the central bank still

expects the eurozone to

swerve a recession and for

growth rates to remain

positive.

Wife of Dr.

HBM Iqbal

Is No More

The Vice Chairman of Premier

Group, Vice Chairman of

Sheikh Hasina University of

Science and Technology

Board of Trustees, Chairman

of Royal University Board of

Trustees as well as a highly

reputed doctor, Dr. Momtaz

Begum breathed her last on

June 28, 2022 while under

treatment at a hospital in

Singapore (Inna Lillahi Wa

Inna Ilaihi Raji'un), says a

press release.

Dr. Momtaz Begum was a

former member of the

parliament and wife of

Freedom Fighter Dr. H.B.M

Iqbal, Honorable Chairman of

The Premier Bank Limited.

Dr. Momtaz Begum was a

well-known women

entrepreneur. She was the

Vice Chairman of Hilton

Hotels, Renaissance Dhaka

Gulshan Hotel, member of the

governing body of Premier

Group.

Apart from this, she was the

Managing Director of Gulf

Medical Center and Bukhara

Restaurant (Pvt.) Ltd.,

Director of Nowrin

Electronics Limited, Bengal

Tiger Cement Industries Ltd

and Air Concern International

(Ltd.) as well as the Chairman

of Beacon Travels

International.

The namaz-e-janaza for the

dearly departed will be held

on June 30, 2022 at Banani

Jame Masjid after Zuhr

prayers and at Gulshan

Central Jame Masjid (Azad

Masjid) after Asr prayers.

ECNEC approves TK 1092cr project to

widen Cox’s Bazar Marine Drive Road

DHAKA : The government today approved a

total of 10 projects with an overall estimated

cost of Taka 2,216.75 crore, including one to

widen the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive

Road with Taka 1,092.35 crore, aimed at

flourishing tourism industry and improving

socio-economic conditions there.

The approval came from a meeting of the

Executive Committee of the National

Economic Council (ECNEC) held today with its

Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina in the chair.

The premier joined the meeting virtually

from her official residence Ganobhaban while

ministers, state ministers, planning

commission members and secretaries

concerned attended the meeting from the NEC

Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla

Nagar area.

Briefing reporters after the meeting,

Planning Minister MA Mannan informed that

a total of 10 projects were approved today

involving an overall estimated cost of Taka

2,216.75 crore.

"Of the total project cost, Taka 1,875.57 crore

will come from the government of Bangladesh

portion while the rest of Taka 341.18 crore as

project assistance," he said.

Out of the approved 10 projects, six are new

while four others are revised projects.

State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul

Alam was present at the briefing.

Revealing some of the directives of the

premier given in the meeting, the planning

minister said the Prime Minister asked the

authorities concerned to construct elevated

roads, bridges or culverts instead of

reconstructing the flood-affected roads at those

points which were damaged or cut to drain out

flood water in Sylhet region.

At a press conference today,

speakers addressed the

budgetary allocations under

safely managed sanitation,

environment and capacitybuilding

show a surprising

decline in the WASH

allocation under ADP budget

FY22-23 in the proposed

National Budget. They raised

concern this will slow down

the country's effort to

achieving SDGs targets by

2030.

They said the proposed

budget of FY2022-23 finds an

upward trend in allocation in

haor and hilly regions. This

spirit should be scaled up in

coastal and char lands to

ensure no one is left behind.

However, speakers stressed

proper attention in selecting

Annual Development

Programme projects and the

need to reduce the WASH

allocation gap across rural and

hard-to-reach areas. They also

identified the current budget

falls short in addressing

emerging challenges in the

remote areas of marginalized

communities.

The conference was jointly

arranged by WaterAid along

with, PPRC, FANSA-BD, FSM

Network, Bangladesh Water

Integrity Network (BaWin),

Sanitation and Water for All,

End Water Poverty, MHM

Platform, UNICEF and WASH

Alliance International at

National Press Club,

Shegunbagicha.

An analysis by the Power

and Participation Research

Center (PPRC), in

collaboration with WaterAid,

found that the WASH ADP

allocation increased by 5.44%

compared to an overall ADP

increase of 7.5%. The total

WASH Budget in ADP budget

in the proposed budget is

BDT118.2 billion of BDT

2460.66 billion of ADP

allocation.

Though there have been

some positive steps to address

spatial inequities, there is little

consistency across the sector.

Haor and hilly areas have

received positive attention,

but not chars and coastal

areas. Meanwhile, intra-urban

inequities persist. The

speakers remommended

bringing more consistency to

The Prime Minister also emphasized on

construction of bridges and culverts instead of

roads in Haor and flood-affected areas to avert

flood water stagnation.

"Special projects will be undertaken for

rehabilitation of the flood victims of the Sylhet

region," said Mannan.

Sheikh Hasina also directed the authorities

concerned to find out the places where the

construction of underpasses and overpasses is

needed.

According to the Planning Commission, the

Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive Road

Widening (1.60th KM-32th KM) Project will be

implemented with Taka 1092.35 crore from

July 2022 to June 2025.

The main objectives of the road widening

project are to establish a safe communication

system, develop the tourism industry and

improve the socio-economic conditions of the

local people through widening some 30

kilometers of the marine drive road and

upgradation of a two-lane 305-meter bridge

over Reju Khal.

The major project operations include

acquisition of some 113.25 acres of lands, 7.24

lakh cubic meter of earth-filing, installation of

608 CCTV cameras and straightening 0.32 km

flexible pavement bend.

Referring to the approval of a project related

to expansion of improved variety and

technology of spices with Taka 119.50 crore,

Mannan said that the domestic and global

demand for spices is growing day by day while

its market price is also higher than other crops.

He informed that currently the domestic

market of spices in the country is Taka 30,000

crore while some seven types of spices are

being produced in the country although 50

types of spices are being consumed.

Modhumoti Bank Limited inaugurated its 48thBranch at Kamrangirchar,

Dhaka on Tuesday. Advocate Md. Qamrul Islam, MP, Dhaka-2, Presidium

Member of Bangladesh Awami League inaugurated the Branch as Chief

Guest. Humayun Kabir, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Modhumoti

Bank Limited presided over the ceremony. Arab Fazlur Rahman, Deputy

Managing Director and Chief Risk Officerof the Bank, Mr. Mohammad Farid

Hossain Bhuiyan, Kamrangirchar Branch Manager along with high officials,

local Councilor's and elites were present in the ceremony. Photo : Courtesy

WASH Budget for FY2022-23 falls short in

addressing the emerging challenges of

hard-to-reach areas and marginalized people

the spatial allocation of WASH

ADP. The decline in FSM

allocation will hinder the aim

to increase sanitation coverage

across the country meeting . A

further suggestion was made

to review the proposed budget

and examine this issue more

closely and ensure increased

FSM allocation to address the

emerging WASH challenges,

said the speakers.

There is a slightly increased

allocation to hygiene seen as a

positive step, but

implementing it through the

ministry of health alone will

not portray the required

results for the entire country.A

multi-agency holistic policy

approach should be adopted

as a priority.

Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman,

Eminent Economist,

Executive Chairman, PPRC

and Hossain Ishrath Adib,

Acting Country Director of

WaterAid, and representatives

from WASH networks spoke

at the programme among

other WASH specialists,

including journalists and

development workers.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2022

9

Soccer Football - UEFA Nations League - Group D - Wales v Netherlands - Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff,

Wales, Britain - June 8, 2022 Wales' Gareth Bale applauds fans after the match.

Photo: File

Man City agree

deal for Leeds

midfielder

Phillips: reports

SPORTS DESK

Manchester City have agreed

to sign England midfielder

Kalvin Phillips from Leeds in

a £45 million ($55 million)

deal, according to reports on

Friday, reports UNB.

Premier League champions

City reportedly made a bid of

£42 million, with a possible

extra £3 million in add-on

fees for Phillips.

The blockbuster transfer is

subject to Phillips agreeing

personal terms with Pep

Guardiola's side.

Guardiola has picked

Phillips to bolster his midfield

after the departure of longserving

Brazilian

Fernandinho at the end of last

season.

Phillips came through the

youth ranks at Leeds and

played a key part in their

promotion back to the

Premier League two years

ago.

He went on to establish

himself as an England

international, featuring in

their run to the European

Championship final last year.

Phillips would become

City's second major addition

since the end of last season

after the arrival of Borussia

Dortmund's Norway striker

Erling Haaland.

Meanwhile, City academy

midfielder Darko Gyabi will

move to Leeds for around £5

million.

The deal for Gyabi, an 18-

year-old England Under-18

international who joined City

from Millwall four years ago,

has been negotiated

independently of the Phillips

move.

Ukraine raises concerns

over neutrality of Russian

judoka to have served

Russian armed forces

SPORTS DESK

The Ukrainian Judo

Federation (FJU) expressed

concerns over Russian

judokas competing in

international competitions

under the IJF banner

despite of their ties with the

Russian armed forces. The

federation named eleven

members of the Russian

judo team in their statement

stating they were 'deeply

disappointed' with the

decision made by the

international federation to

allow Russian athletes to

compete, reports UNB.

"Everybody who follows

world sport a small way

understands that Russian

athletes are a key part of this

country's aggressive

propaganda politics," FJU

President Mykhailo

Koshliak was quoted by

insidethegames.

"Speaking of Russia and

sport, it is by no means

possible to say that 'sport is

out of politics'. The silence of

Russian and Belarusian

athletes and coaches

supports the war against

Ukraine and kills thousands

of Ukrainian citizens."

Bale completes move to MLS

side Los Angeles FC

SPORTS DESK

Wales forward Gareth Bale

has joined Los Angeles FC

(LAFC) on a 12-month

contract, with options

through to 2024, after his

departure from LaLiga

champions Real Madrid, the

Major League Soccer (MLS)

side announced on Monday,

reports UNB.

The 32-year-old, who

signed for Spanish giants

Real from Premier League

side Tottenham Hotspur in

2013 for a then-record

transfer fee of 100 million

euros ($105.84 million), will

join as a free agent.

"I am extremely excited for

this move to LAFC," Bale

said in a statement on

LAFC's website.

"This is the right place for

me and my family and the

right time in my career, and

I can't wait to get started

working with the team and

getting ready to win more

trophies in Los Angeles."

Bale enjoyed a trophyladen

spell with Real,

winning three LaLiga titles,

five Champions League

crowns, three Club World

Cups and the Spanish Cup,

although his time at the club

was marred by injuries.

The Welshman will likely

be best remembered for

scoring twice, including a

stunning overhead kick, in

the 2018 Champions League

final against Liverpool and

also for netting a superb

winner against Barcelona in

the 2014 Copa del Rey final.

But he was also often

targeted by the Spanish

media, who labelled him a

"parasite" after he missed

Real's 4-0 home loss to

Barcelona in March

immediately before

appearing for Wales, and he

was jeered by some fans

during a league game in

April.

Bale led Wales into their

first World Cup finals since

1958 when they defeated

Ukraine 1-0 in their playoff

in Cardiff earlier this month.

In Los Angeles, he will join

Italian defender Giorgio

Chiellini who signed for

LAFC this month after his

departure from Juventus.

Serena returns at

Wimbledon as Nadal

eyes next leg of Slam

SPORTS DESK

Serena Williams returns to singles tennis at

Wimbledon after a year away on Tuesday as

Rafael Nadal begins his quest to win the third

leg of a potential calendar Grand Slam, reports

BSS.

Women's top seed Iga Swiatek, who has won

her past six tournaments, will kick off

proceedings on Centre Court at 1330 local time

(1230 GMT) against Croatian qualifier Jana

Fett.

But the main focus will be on seven-time

champion Williams, who faces unseeded

Harmony Tan of France in her first singles

match since an injury forced her to pull out of

her first-round match last year.

Williams, 40, won the last of her Wimbledon

singles titles six years ago but reached the final

in 2018 and 2019.

The American, who was given a wildcard for

this year's tournament, is stuck on 23 Grand

Slam singles wins-agonisingly one short of

Margaret Court's all-time record.

Doubts had been growing about whether

Williams-who has slumped to 1,204th in the

world after her period of inaction, would return

to the sport.

But she warmed up by teaming up with Ons

Jabeur in the doubles at Eastbourne last week

and Wimbledon is widely considered her best

chance of winning an elusive 24th Grand Slam.

Nadal eyes calendar slam-

Nadal is halfway to winning all four majors

this year after following up his Australian Open

triumph by winning his 14th French Open title.

No man has achieved the feat since Ron

Laver in 1969, with Novak Djokovic falling just

short last year when he lost in the final of the

US Open.

The Spaniard's win at Roland Garros earlier

this month took him to 22 Grand Slam singles

titles-two clear of Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Nadal won the most recent of his two

Wimbledon titles in 2010, having captured his

first with an epic triumph over Federer two

years earlier.

There was a question mark over his

durability for the two weeks at Wimbledon

having played the entire French Open with his

troublesome left foot anaesthetised.

The 36-year-old second seed has since

undergone a course of radiofrequency

stimulation, a treatment aimed at reducing

nerve pain in his foot.

"I can walk normal most of the days, almost

every single day," said Nadal, who faces

Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo in his

opening match.

"When I wake up, I don't have this pain that

I was having for the last year and a half."

Swiatek's last match was a comprehensive

victory against Coco Gauff in the French Open

final-her 35th consecutive win.

Serena Williams practicing on the Center Court of the All England Lawn Tennis and

Croquet Club in London.

Photo: AP

BBC presenters

criticised for

supporting Boris

Becker on-air

SPORTS DESK

BBC presenters for

Wimbledon, John McEnroe

and Sue Barker were

criticised on Monday for

showing support to Boris

Becker on-air, reports UNB.

The duo was part of the

coverage for the grand slam

when they exchanged

sympathising comments

regarding the 54-year old

former German Tennis

player who is currently

serving his sentence of two

and a half years in

Huntercombe prison.

"Boris, we love you. We

miss you, man," said

McEnroe to which Barker

responded, "We do indeed."

BBC refused to comment

after the viewers criticised

them for allowing the pair to

'send greetings' to the

'convicted criminal'.

McEnroe had said earlier

this month that he wished to

visit Becker in prison during

the Wimbledon.

"Boris is a friend of mine,"

he said.

"This is just horrible. I

want to see him if I possibly

can and if he's willing to see

people. I just feel terrible.

He's one of the great players

that has ever played the

game, and I know it meant a

lot to Boris. He's been going

through a lot for a long

time."

This wasn't the first

occasion when a BBC

presenter/broadcaster had

extended support to Becker.

Viewers had also criticised

Andrew Castle during the

Queen's

Clubs

Championships for

supporting the German

international.

""I've had a real moment

of missing Boris," he had

said. "I know he's in prison

and I know why. Boris, we

look forward to welcoming

you on your return."

Becker, a six-time grand

slam winner, was prisoned

for hiding £2.5m worth of

assets and loans to avoid

paying debts.

England's 20-year

old pacer, Issy

Wong can be the

quickest ever

SPORTS DESK

Isabelle Wong can solve a

rubix cube in 33 seconds.

She has got proof. A video

posted by ECB Cricket on

their Twitter handle from

September 2019, reports

UNB.

"They just see it differently

some people, don't they,"

said the commentator.

Just the right sets of the

words to describe the then

17-year old who had already

made a name for herself in

English cricket by clocking

70 mph playing for

Warwickshire. Three years

and an England Test debut

day later, Wong seems all

the more promising a

prospect. One who can

become the first woman to

clock 80 mph.

The 20-year old who

received her debut red-ball

cap for England on Monday

took little time to impress in

England's whites as she

cleaned up one of the best of

the game, South Africa

opener Laura Wolvaardt.

Wong pitched the ball up

outside the off-stump and

nipped it back in to affect the

off stump, at 68 mph.

In an interview last year

with inews, Wong spoke

about how starting early was

key to her pace.

"I started playing for the

county at the age of 11 and I

haven't looked back since,"

she said.

"I'm pretty competitive. I

would always look at the kid

next to me and think, 'I'm

going to bowl faster than

you'. It never occurred to me

that I couldn't because I was

a girl and they were boys,

that thought never entered

my head."

Tigers whitewashed

after 10-wicket defeat

to WI in 2nd Test

SPORTS DESK

As it was predicted,

Bangladesh were swept in the

two-match Test series in

West Indies tour after the

home side grabbed a 10-

wicket victory in the second

and final Test at Darren

Sammy National Cricket

Stadium in St Lucia on

Monday, reports UNB.

The West Indies victory

looked a matter of time when

Bangladesh were reduced to

132-6 in their second innings,

still needing 42 runs to force

the hosts batting for the

second time.

However the first two

sessions of the fourth day

were washed out due to wet

outfield but when the game

resumed, the Caribbean side

needed just half an hour to

bowl out Bangladesh.

The only positive thing for

Bangladesh was that they

could avoid an innings defeat,

largely due to Nurul Hasan

Sohan, who counterattacked

to blast an unbeaten 60 off

50, hitting six fours and two

sixes.

Thanks to his third Test

half-century, Bangladesh was

bundled out for 186, setting

just a 13-run target for West

Indies to win the game.

Kemar Roach, Jayden Seals

and Alzzari Joseph snapped

up three wickets apiece. West

Indies openers reached the

victory mark in just 2.5 overs

with John Campbell making

an unbeaten 9 with captain

Kraigg Brathwaite on 4.

"We always felt that in Test

Format it was always going to

be tough. We are going to

play at home after a long

break," Bangladesh captain

Shakib Al Hasan said after

the match.

"We can reflect on these

performances. I am not

worried about batting. We

need to be mentally tough.

[On fast bowling] that's the

area we have improved the

most in the last 3-4 years. We

need to play as a team to win

matches. We are a

competitive team in whiteball

cricket and I am sure it

will be a competitive series."

Bangladesh lost the first

match by seven wickets after

a batting collapse in the first

innings that saw them

bowled out for 103 runs. They

also tasted a batting collapse

in the first innings of the

second and final Test and

were bowled out for 234.

John Campbell celebrates the run out of Khaled Ahmed.

West Indies then took a huge

174-run lead, by piling up

408. Kyle Mayers led the

charge with 146. He also took

two wickets in the

Bangladesh's first innings

and that was enough to make

him the man of the match.

Mayers was also adjudged

man of the series for his 153

runs and six wickets in two

matches.

"I think the confidence we

got from winning the first

game was nice. The planning

and execution in this match

was top-notch, as you can see

from how Mayers played,"

West Indies captain

Brathwaite said.

"There is always room for

improvement. That's one

thing that we always want to

keep doing, batting 100 overs

whenever we bat. Kemar

Roach is a legend of the

game. You have to see his

attitude off the field. Mayers

is special. He is a matchwinner.

I believe in his ability.

It's good to get wins.

Australia in Australia is going

to be tough. Bangladesh

bowlers were very good and it

was tough. No matter what

the team, you have to stick to

your plans."

Photo: AP

Stokes vows same England

'mindset' against India

after Kiwi rout

SPORTS DESK

England captain Ben Stokes has insisted there

will be no let-up from his side when they face

India just days after whitewashing Test world

champions New Zealand, reports BSS.

A first series under the new leadership duo of

Stokes and red-ball head coach Brendon

McCullum, a former New Zealand captain,

ended with an emphatic seven-wicket win in

Leeds on Monday that sealed a 3-0 triumph

over the Black Caps.

For the third time in as many matches,

England made light of a potentially tricky run

chase, with Jonny Bairstow ending a pursuit of

296 by smashing a six on his Headingley home

ground.

England, however, have just a few days to

savour their success before facing India at

Edgbaston in a match starting Friday.

The fifth Test was rescheduled after the

fixture was postponed last September

following a Covid outbreak in the India camp.

India are currently 2-1 up in a five-match

series following a 157-run win at the Oval but

are now set to face a revitalised England side

likely to feature only four survivors at most

from that match-Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Bairstow

and James Anderson-later this week.

"Regardless of the opposition, we're still

going to have the same mindset," Stokes told

reporters after stumps in Leeds on Monday.

The dynamic all-rounder, on a mental health

break from cricket at the time of the fourth Test

against India, added: "Obviously, it's going to

be a completely different... different

opposition, with their attack and players as

well. "We'll be concentrating on what we've

done well over these last three games and look

to continue that against India on Friday."

England had won just once in 17 Tests prior

to the New Zealand series, albeit many of those

matches were played under mentally-draining

coronavirus restrictions that no longer apply.

'New mentality' -

But the shackles have been lifted in an

exhilarating start to life under McCullum, one

of the most attacking players of his generation.

"I knew that everyone would buy into the

new mentality me and Brendon set out, but I

didn't think it would go this well to be honest,"

said kindred spirit Stokes.

In the space of just over a week, Bairstow

struck two remarkable Test hundreds, his 136

in a run chase at Trent Bridge was followed by

an astounding 162 which rescued England

from the depths of 55-6 in the first innings at

Headingley.

Monday witnessed more blazing hitting from

Bairstow, who struck England's secondquickest

Test fifty of all time, off just 30 balls,

on his way to an unbeaten 71.

Former England captain Joe Root played

second fiddle while making 86 not out as he

shared an unbroken stand of 111 with his

Yorkshire team-mate.

Root was named England's player of the

series after scoring 396 runs at an average of

99, in a continuation of the form that has taken

him top of the Test batting rankings.

McCullum, however, has had a more

immediate impact upon Bairstow.

"I've never heard a bloke get 130-odd off 90

balls like he did at Trent Bridge and then ask

his head coach how to go out and play," said

Stokes.

"Baz McCullum basically just said, 'Go and

get your Sudoku book, sit next to me and shut

up. Whatever you did last week, go out and do

it again.'

"With Jonny, it's just about making sure he

knows what he's in the team to do."

New Zealand arrived in England with

questions over how they would replace the

retiring Ross Taylor and BJ Watling only for

their effective replacements-

Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell-to share

four century partnerships.

But omitting frontline spinner Ajaz Patelwho

in December became only the third bowler

in Test history to take all 10 wickets in an

innings, against India in his birthplace of

Mumbai-for the last two matches of this series

proved costly, with off-break bowler Michael

Bracewell thrashed for 109 runs in 15.2 overs

during England's run-chase at Headingley.

"We opted for the balance of the side to go

with three seamers," said New Zealand captain

Kane Williamson. "We were curious to whether

it would turn but it's just one of those things."

WEdNEsdAY, JUNE 29, 2022

10

Nawsheen, Hillol announce first child together

TBT REPORT

Renowned television artistes

Nawsheen Nahreen Mou and Adnan

Faruque Hillol are expecting their

first child together. The couple are

residing at the USA for a long time.

Pictures of celebrating their baby

shower have been posted on the

social media.

Bangladeshi celebrities settled in

the USA attended the baby shower

ceremony, and showered the couple

with blessings and good wishes.

Nawsheen informed to several media

outlets that she is in her final

trimester, and physically doing well.

The couple is eagerly waiting for

the arrival of the new member in the

family.

Nawsheen was a popular Radio

Jockey and appeared in many

television projects, and also worked

in films. She last appeared in a web

project and her work became

sporadic after she settled in the USA.

The actress is hosting celebrity

shows on her YouTube channel.

Hillol often appears on screen and is

regularly doing food and travel

vlogging from his YouTube channel.

Money from Bhabna’s artworks

to be donated for flood victims

TBT REPORT

During the pandemic, Aashna

Habib Bhabna kept herself busy

dancing, writing, and even

continuing her education online.

The actress re-discovered her inner

talent during that period, and

emerged as an artist-creating

artworks with makeup.

For a long time, Bhabna was

working on arranging an exhibition

of her paintings. The actress has

announced that the earning from

her artworks will all go to the flood

victims in Sylhet and Sunamganj.

She wrote in her verified social

media account, 'As you all know, art

has been my passion and I've been

working day and night to create a

series for my first exhibition. But

considering the current situation of

our country, especially Sylhet, I am

willing to sell my artworks'.

In her post, she mentioned that

anything and everything that she

gets from selling the artworks, will

be given to people who has been

affected by the flood.

The post also reads, 'Personally, I

have done and still trying to do as

much as I can, but right now that

does not seem to be enough. It is my

heartiest request to everyone, let's

come forward and help our country,

our people'.

‘Top Gun 2’ trailer highlights

Cruise's return as Maverick

A brand new Top Gun: Maverick trailer highlights Tom

Cruise's return as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. With less than

two weeks to go before the Joseph Kosinski blockbuster

hits theaters, Paramount is continuing its marketing efforts

to keep the hype going until the Top Gun sequel premiere.

In a new promotional spot, Cruise's daredevil pilot takes

center stage as he returns to the character he last played

more than three decades ago.

The highly-anticipated sequel to Tony Scott's Top Gun is

finally releasing in theaters on May 27 after a series of

delays. Top Gun: Maverick will see Cruise's Maverick still

working at the same flight academy he trained in, but now,

as an instructor himself. Among his students is the son of

his former RIO Nick "Goose" Bradshaw (Anthony

Edwards), Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw (Miles Teller), who

isn't exactly fond of him. Aside from this core conflict, the

follow-up blockbuster will also delve deep into Maverick's

psyche as he's forced to re-examine his life and deal with

deep-seated internal turmoil that he has long tried to

ignore.

Shared on Top Gun's official Twitter page is a brand new

Top Gun: Maverick trailer. Clocking in at just 15 seconds,

the video focuses on Maverick's daredevil attitude both on

the ground and up in the air, reminding viewers that he

may have aged, but his devil-may-care attitude is still very

much intact.

While the general public has to wait several more days

before seeing the Top Gun sequel, critics reviews have

already been released and they're all generally positive.

Much of the marketing for Top Gun: Maverick focuses on

the fantastic stunts and action scenes that the film's cast

and crew worked on for months, so the glowing reviews

these scenes received was somehow expected.

Source: Collider

Daughters of Shabnaz, Naim to debut in modelling

TBT REPORT

Mahdiyah Naim and Nameera Naim,

daughters of popular duo Shabnaz and

Naim are making their debut in the

entertainment industry through a

television commercial for Bata.

The shooting for the commercial has

been completed on June 14 and will be

released on satellite channels on the

occasion of Eid-Ul-Azha.

Naim and Shabnaz are famous

artists in the Bangladeshi cinema

industry in the 90s. Naim debuted as a

film actor in 1991 with the film

'Chandni' directed by Ehtesham. In

that film his co-artiste was Sabreena

Taniya Shabnaz. In almost all of his

films, Naim was paired with Shabnaz,

and later in 1994, they got married.

Nameera said, "We have not any

interest to work in the media. Though

we two sisters get the opportunity to

do a job together, so we did it."

Shabnaz said, "Though their father

became a model for the advertisement

of Bata, so, from that affection, I and

Naim give them permission to become

models for the Bata."

Nameera are my two most beloved

daughters. They are expressing

interest to do the work, and I was also

involved with this work 35 years ago,

so it can be said that I have allowed

the work to be done with a lot of

emotion. Everyone will pray for my

family, for my daughters."

From time to time, Naim uploaded

videos of his two daughters singing.

sighted playing a musical instrument

while his elder daughter Mahdiyah

sings the song. Mahdiyah has already

been appreciated because of her

singing through social media, while

Nameera Naim seems to have an

interest in sports.

Both Nameera Naim and Mahdiyah

Naim went to York University in

Canada and finished their early studies

Naim said, "Mahdiyah and Generally in those videos, Naim can be at The Aga Khan School in Dhaka.

Alia splurges most on bags, gym clothes

Actress Alia Bhatt who made her

Bollywood debut with Student of the

Year in 2012, is all set to make a mark in

Hollywood with Heart of Stone

alongside Jamie Dornan and Gal Gadot.

She is also set to appear in Brahmastra

with her husband Ranbir Kapoor.

Alia is the recipient of several awards

and accolades. She is one of the highestpaid

actresses in Bollywood but did you

know what she bought with her first

paycheck?

Alia Bhatt was just a teenager when

she made her acting debut with Student

of the Year in 2012. As per the

Hindustan Times report, the actress

said, "The first expensive thing I bought

(as a teenager) was with my own money

- a Louis Vuitton bag. I splurge most on

bags. I love them. And gym clothes. I

have every sort of track pant from

Lululemon."

Gangubai Kathiawadi actress also

likes spending on holidays. She added,

"I also splurge on holidays, but take one

holiday a year - a New Year one. I spend

on the destination and the hotel. I hate

shopping when I'm on holiday."

Alia Bhatt wishes to own a private jet

and a home in the mountains. "A private

jet would be a luxury. I have chartered

one before, but not for a holiday. A home

in the mountains is a dream. I'll fulfill it

later in life. I had a dream to buy a house

in London and I did in 2018. It's in

Covent Garden and my sister lives there

part-time."

Meanwhile, Ranbir Kapoor recently

revealed that his first paycheck was ?250

which he earned assisting his uncle

Rajiv Kapoor, director of Prem Granth

(1996), on the sets of the film. He said to

Mashable India, "My first paycheck was

?250 that I got while assisting on Prem

Granth. Like a good boy, I went to my

mother's room and I put it on her feet.

She looked at it and she started crying. It

was one of those filmy moments that I

performed."

Source: Bollywood Hangama.

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?

wednesday, JUne 29, 2022

11

Russian missile strike hits crowded

shopping mall in Ukraine

KREMENCHUK : Rescuers searched through charred rubble

of a shopping mall Tuesday looking for more victims of a

Russian missile strike that killed at least 18 and wounded scores

in what Ukraine's president called "one of the most daring

terrorist attacks in European history."

President Volodymyr Zelensky said many of the more than

1,000 afternoon shoppers and workers inside the mall in the

city of Kremenchuk managed to escape. Giant plumes of black

smoke, dust and orange flames billowed from the wreckage as

emergency crews combed through broken metal and concrete

for victims. Drones whirred above, clouds of dark smoke still

emanating from the ruins several hours after the fire was

extinguished.

Casualty figures rose as rescuers sifted through the

smoldering rubble. The regional governor, Dmytro Lunin, said

at least 18 people were killed and 59 others sought medical

assistance, of whom 25 were hospitalized. The region declared a

day of mourning Tuesday for the victims of the attack.

"We are working to dismantle the construction so that it is

possible to get machinery in there since the metal elements are

very heavy and big, and disassembling them by hand is

impossible," said Volodymyr Hychkan, an emergency services

official.

At Ukraine's request, the U.N. Security Council scheduled an

emergency meeting in New York on Tuesday to discuss the

attack.

In the first Russian government comment on the missile

strike, the country's first deputy permanent representative to

the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, alleged multiple

inconsistencies that he didn't specify, claiming on Twitter that

the incident was a provocation by Ukraine. Russia has

repeatedly denied it targets civilian infrastructure, even though

Russian attacks have hit other shopping malls, theaters,

hospitals, kindergartens and apartment buildings in the fourmonth

war.

On Tuesday, Russian forces struck the Black Sea city of

Ochakiv in the Mykolaiv region, damaging apartment buildings

and killing two, including a 6-year-old child. A further six

people, four of them children, were wounded. One of them, a 3-

month-old baby, is in a coma, according to local officials.

The missile strike on Kremenchuk occurred as Western

leaders pledged continued support for Ukraine and the world's

major economies prepared new sanctions against Russia,

including a price cap on oil and higher tariffs on goods.

Meanwhile, the U.S. appeared ready to respond to Zelenskyy's

call for more air defense systems, and NATO planned to

increase the size of its rapid-reaction forces nearly eightfold - to

300,000 troops.

Zelenskyy said the mall presented "no threat to the Russian

army" and had "no strategic value." He accused Russia of

sabotaging "people's attempts to live a normal life, which make

the occupiers so angry."

In his nightly address, he said it appeared Russian forces had

intentionally targeted the shopping center and added, "Today's

Russian strike at a shopping mall in Kremenchuk is one of the

most daring terrorist attacks in European history." He said

Russia "has become the largest terrorist organization in the

world."

Russia has increasingly used long-range bombers in the war.

Ukrainian officials said Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers

flying over Russia's western Kursk region fired the missiles, one

of which hit the shopping center and another that struck a

sports arena in Kremenchuk.

The Russian strike echoed earlier attacks that caused large

numbers of civilian casualties - such as one in March on a

Mariupol theater where many civilians had holed up, killing an

estimated 600, and another in April on a train station in eastern

Kramatorsk that killed at least 59 people. "Russia continues to

take out its impotence on ordinary civilians. It is useless to hope

for decency and humanity on its part," Zelenskyy said.

UN urges Libya's rivals to agree

on elections this week

UNITED NATIONS : The U.N. political chief urged Libya's rival

factions on Monday to agree on measures governing the

transition to elections during talks in Geneva later this week,

expressing hope this will lead to long-awaited voting "at the

earliest possible date."

Rosemary DiCarlo told the U.N. Security Council that during

talks in Cairo from June 12-20 the rivals reached "a broad

consensus on most of the contentious articles" in the proposed

2017 constitution, which she called "commendable."

Oil-rich Libya has been wrecked by conflict since a NATObacked

uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar

Gadhafi in 2011. The country was then split by rival

administrations, one in the east, backed by military commander

Khalifa Hifter, and a U.N.-supported administration in the

capital of Tripoli. Each side is supported by different militias

and foreign powers.

The Cairo meeting was the first to see Libya's east-based

parliament, the House of Representatives, and west-based High

Council of State in Tripoli engage in "a serious review" of the

constitutional proposal since its adoption in 2017, DiCarlo said.

"We are encouraged that the leaders of both chambers have

accepted the invitation of (U.N.) special adviser Stephanie

Williams to meet in Geneva from June 28-29 to discuss and

reach agreement on the measures governing the transitional

period leading to elections," she said.

DiCarlo urged the Security Council's 15 member nations and

all of Libya's international partners "to call on the leadership of

the two chambers to seize the opportunity presented by the

agreement reached in Cairo" and "make elections happens."

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In Khulna University, Vice-Chancellor award have been given to seven teachers for their outstanding

contribution research.

Photo : Titash Chakraborthey

Female referee at men's World

Cup wants the game to shine

TOKYO : Japanese referee Yoshimi

Yamashita agrees with Pele or whoever it

was decades ago that first described

soccer as the "beautiful game."

Yamashita is one of three women

picked by FIFA to be referees at the

men's World Cup in Qatar, which opens

on Nov. 21. It's the first time a woman

will be in charge on soccer's largest stage.

She sees her job this way: Let the game

shine, as it should, reports UNB.

"One of the big goals as a referee is to

bring out the the attractiveness of

soccer," she said Monday in Tokyo in an

interview with the Associated Press. "I

do my best for that, and I will do what I

should at that time toward that end. So if

I need to communicate with the players,

I will do that. If I need to show a card, I

will show a card. Rather than control,

I'm thinking about what to do toward

the big goal of bringing out the appeal of

soccer."

Stephanie Frappart of France and

Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda are the

other women who were selected. There

are 36 referees in total. FIFA has also

named three female assistant referees in

a pool of 69: Neuza Back of Brazil, Karen

Diaz Medina of Mexico, and Kathryn

Nesbitt of the United States.

Though it's likely all three will be in

charge of games, it's not a given. They

would also be used as so-called "fourth

referees" on the sidelines. However, they

cannot be used as assistants.

"Each match official will be carefully

monitored in the next months with a

final assessment on technical, physical

and medical aspects to be made shortly

before the World Cup," Massimo

Busacca, FIFA's director of refereeing,

said in a statement.

Yamashita's selection puts the focus

on Japan's low ranking on most

measures of equal pay for women, and in

global studies of gender equality.

Only 14.3% of the seats in Japan's

national legislature are held by women -

152nd of 190 countries in a study

published several months ago by the

U.S. Congressional Research Service.

Another study on the gender pay gap

placed Japan 120th of 156 countries.

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Wednesday, Dhaka : June 29, 2022; Ashar 15, 1429 BS; Zilquad 28, 1443 Hijri

266,000 grave violations against children

verified in conflict situations: UNICEF

Bangladesh sees

3 more Covid

deaths, 2,087

new cases

DHAKA : Bangladesh registered three

more Covid-linked deaths with 2,087

new infections in 24 hours till Tuesday

morning. The new figures took the country's

total death toll to 29,145 while the

caseload to 19,69, 361, according to the

Directorate General of Health Services

(DGHS).

The daily-case positivity rate slightly

increased to 15.47 per cent from

Monday's 15.20 per cent as 13,489 samples

were tested during the period, said

the DGHS. The deceased included two

women and a man. Two of them are from

Chattogram division and another from

Dhaka division. On Monday, the country

recorded 2,101 cases with two deaths

from Covid-19.

The mortality rate remained

unchanged at 1.48 per cent. The recovery

rate declined to 96.84 per cent from

Monday's 96.93 per cent as 200 patients

recovered during this period.

In May, the country reported only four

Covid-linked deaths and 816 new cases,

while 7,356 patients recovered from the

disease, according to the DGHS.

Among the four deaths during the period,

one was vaccinated with a single dose

of Covid vaccine while three were vaccinated

with two doses.

The country reported its first zero

Covid death in a single day on November

20 last year, along with 178 cases, since

the pandemic broke out here in March

2020. On January 28, Bangladesh

logged its previous highest positivity rate

of 33.37 per cent.

The country registered its highest daily

caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year

and daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 in

the same year.

A passenger

bus hit the

barrier of the

toll plaza

booth on the

Jazira side of

the Padma

Bridge. A bus

of Shariatpur

Paribahan

caused the

accident on

Tuesday.

Photo :

Star Mail

DHAKA : The United Nations verified

over 266,000 grave violations against

children committed by parties to conflict

in more than 30 conflict situations across

Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin

America between 2005 and 2020,

UNICEF said on Tuesday in a new report.

This figure is a fraction of the violations

believed to have occurred, as access and

security constraints, among others, and

the shame, pain, and fear that child and

family survivors suffer often hamper the

reporting, documentation and verification

of grave violations against children in

situations of armed conflict.

The report - 25 years of children and

armed conflict: Taking action to protect

children in war - found that between

2005 and 2020 more than 104,100 children

have been verified as killed or

maimed in situations of armed conflict;

more than 93,000 children have been

verified as recruited and used by parties

to conflict; at least 25,700 children have

been verified as abducted by parties to

conflict; parties to conflict have raped,

forcibly married, sexually exploited, and

committed other grave forms of sexual

violence against at least 14,200 children.

The United Nations verified more

than 13,900 incidents of attacks against

schools and hospitals and verified no

fewer than 14,900 incidents of denial of

humanitarian access for children since

2005.

"This report lays out in the starkest possible

terms the world's failure to protect

its children from grave violations during

times of armed conflict," said UNICEF

Executive Director Catherine Russell.

"Grave violations devastate children,

families, and communities - and they tear

at the fabric of society, making it even

harder to restore and sustain peace, security,

and stability. We must refuse to

accept violations against children as an

unavoidable outcome of war."

Based on sixteen years of data from the

Secretary-General's Annual Report on

Children and Armed Conflict, the report

illustrates the impact that armed conflicts

have had on children, by presenting

trends of grave violations across the

world and over time.

The report examines how information

on the documented patterns of grave violations

is being used to respond to children's

needs and how engagement with

parties to conflict - State and non-State

actors alike - enables ending and preventing

grave violations.

The annual number of verified violations

has gradually increased since 2005,

surpassing 20,000 in a year for the first

time in 2014 and reaching 26,425 in

2020. Between 2016 and 2020, the daily

global average of verified grave violations

stood at an alarming 71 violations.

The elevated number of violations

observed in recent years demonstrates

the dramatic impact that armed conflict -

and increasingly complex and protracted

BAGERHAT : The much-awaited

Padma Bridge finally opened to traffic

on Sunday. With this, the tourism

industry of the country's southwest

region is expected to undergo massive

transformation.

Thousands will get jobs, a new economic

corridor will be opened for the

region's people. New establishments

will grow centering Khulna, Bagerhat

and Kuakata and the number of

tourists will increase. Income from the

tourism sector will also shot up manifold,

according to officials and tour

operators.

The expected transformation will be

brought about by the Padma Bridge.

According to Bagerhat district administration

and the government's archeology

department, two out of three

UNESCO-declared world heritage sites

of the country are in Bagerhat region.

On one side of the district is the

Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest

of the world, and on the other side is

the historical Sat Gombuz Mosque

(Sixty Dome Mosque).

There are 17 more UNESCO-declared

important sites in this area. In fiscal year

2021-22, a total of 1.2 lakh tourists came

to visit the Sundarban's Bagerhat part

and 1.8 lakh tourists visited the Sat

Gombuz Mosque. Revenue earned by

the government from these two sites has

been Tk 1.25 crore and Tk 60 lakh,

respectively.

Sheikh Shakir Hossain, member of

Sundarban Tourist Club, said that the

only way to enter and exit Bagerhat district

is through roads.

"The opening of the Padma Bridge

will definitely increase the number of

protection crises - have on children.

The report notes that many children

suffer from more than one violation,

increasing their vulnerability.

For example, abduction is often combined

with or leads to other violations,

particularly recruitment and use and sexual

violence.

Children - especially girls - who have

been abducted and/or associated with

parties to conflict are exposed to elevated

risks of sexual violence, including rape,

sexual exploitation and forced marriage.

The report found that grave violations

against children were committed by all

parties to conflict, States and non-State

actors alike.

Between 2016 and 2020, State actors

- including national and international

forces and coalitions - were responsible

for at least 26% of all violations.

In comparison, non-State actors

accounted for about 58% of all verified

violations, underscoring the importance

of engagement with all parties to conflict,

including non-state actors, to meaningfully

end and prevent violations against

children.

In order to bolster accountability, parties

to conflict listed in the Secretary-

General's annual report on children and

armed conflict develop and implement

Action Plans with specific, concrete, and

time-bound actions to establish sustainable

measures to protect children from

the impact of conflict.

Padma Bridge to transform

Bagerhat's tourism industry

tourists coming to Bagerhat, as better

road connections will be established

now," Shakir hoped.

Rubel Hossain, a trawler trader from

Khulna's Mongla area, said that their

main business is related to The

Sundarbans' Eco Tourism Center and

the forest's Wildlife Procreation Center

in Karamjal.

"It takes about half an hour to reach

Karamjal from Mongla on a trawler. The

number of tourists in this route used to

be low due to bad road networks, which

will change now through the introduction

of Padma Bridge to the region's

road connectivity," Rubel said.

Md Kamruzzaman, owner of a hotel

in Khan Jahan Ali's Shrine area, said

that the hotel owners of the area had to

incur heavy losses due to a lack of

tourists throughout the year.

"Padma Bridge will make travelling to

Bagerhat easier and attractive, which

will result in increased tourists. Hotelmotel

owners will be able to do good

business from now on. Besides, many

new hotels and motels will also be set up

to cater to the growing demands of the

tourists," said Kamruzzaman.

According to Md Zayed, Custodian of

Bagerhat Archeology Department, a rest

house has been built in front of the Sat

Gombuz Mosque.

"Besides, a walkway has been built

around Ghoradighi, a lake adjacent to

the mosque. Bangladesh Parjatan

Corporation has spent around Tk 13

crore to build a three-star hotel on the

intersection in front of Khan Jahan Ali's

Shrine. 80 percent works of this hotel

has already been completed," said

Zayed.

The Awami League delegation took part in a view exchanging meeting with the Election

Commission on EVM at Nirbachon Bhaban in Agargaon on Tuesday. Awami League General

Secretary Obaidul Quader briefed reporters after the meeting.

Photo : Star Mail

State must take

responsibility for

digital transformation

of education:Jabbar

DHAKA : The Posts and Tele communications

Minister Mustafa Jabbar yesterday

said that education is a fundamental

right of the people and it is the

responsibility of the state to digitize the

education system.

"The state must also take the responsibility

for the digital transformation of

education to meet the challenges of the

days to me... Digital connectivity and

quality content are essential for the

digital transformation of education,"

he said.

He said this while inaugurating a

day-long workshop titled 'Connectivity

for Educational Institutions for

Blended Education Bangladesh

Broadband Policy 2020' jointly organized

by BTRC, A2I and Alliance for

Affordable Internet at a hotel here, said

a press release.

Digital content does not mean presenting

the power point of the curriculum, the

content must be based on quality, he said

adding that "It is the necessary to complete

the work of digital transformation

education from conventional system."

The Minister called upon the concerned

officials of the government as well as private

entrepreneurs to come forward to

build a highway to connect digitally and

directed BTRC to take initiative so that the

mobile operators can take effective steps to

expand Five-G technology.

BTRC Chairman Shyam Sundar Sikder

presided over the function while

Secondary and Higher Education

Secretary Md Abu Bakar Siddique, A2I

Senior Policy Adviser Anir Chowdhury

and Alliance for Affordable Internet Asia

and Pacific Head Anju Mangal spoke.

BTRC Director General Brigadier

General Nasim Parvez presented the

keynote paper and National Coordinator

of Alliance for Affordable Internet

Shahid Uddin Akbar moderated the

event.

Youth's wrists slit

over extramarital

affair in Narsingdi

NARSINGDI : A relative of a 25-

year-old young man allegedly slit his

wrists over an extramarital affair

with his aunt at Noakanda in Palash

upazila of Narsingdi district.

The victim was identified as Hadiul

Mia, son of Morshed Mia of Shibpur

upazila of the district.

Md Elias, officer-in-charge of

Palash Police Station, said Hadiul

developed an extra marital affair

with his aunt.

When the families of Hadiul and

his aunt came to know of their relationship,

they often got into arguments.

Jalal Mia, brother-in-law of

Hadiul's aunt, did not take the matter

easily and he called Hadiul at his

home promising to give him a job on

Monday evening.

When Hadiul took the bait, Jalal

took Hadiul to an abandoned place,

slit his wrists and fled the scene.

Hearing Hadiul's cries, locals people

rescued him and took him to

Narsingdi District Hospital from

where he was shifted to Dhaka

Medical College and Hospital for

better treatment.

AL in favour of using EVMs

in nat’l election: Quader

DHAKA : Awami League general secretary

Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said

Awami League is in favour of voting by

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in

the upcoming national election.

"We are in favour of using EVM in the

national election.AL has no objection if

EVMs are used in the upcoming national

election," he said. Quader, also the Road

Transport and Bridges Minister, came up

with the remarks while talking to

reporters after a meeting organised by

the Election Commission at Nirbachan

Bhaban in the city.

Quader said the Awami League

believes that the EC's acceptability, neutrality

and capacity are important for

holding fair and free elections.

"Our party's decision is loud and clear

in favour of EVMs. There is nothing to

hide here. I am calling for raising the use

DHAKA : In the wake of fresh surge in

Covid cases in the country, the

National Technical Advisory

Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19

placed six recommendations to contain

its spread.

The Cabinet Division issued a notification

on Tuesday requesting all

concerned to implement the recommendations

of NTAC.

The recommendations include:

1. Requesting media to raise awareness

among people for maintaining

health guidelines

2. Making use of mask mandatory

everywhere, enforcement of 'No mask

no service' policy, ensure social distancing

and avoid public gatherings.

SANGSAD BHABAN : Independent

lawmaker Mujibur Rahman

Chowdhury on Tuesday demanded

sanctions on Nobel laureate Prof.

Muhammad Yunus, former US

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and

former British First Lady lawyer

Cherie Blair to prevent them from visiting

Bangladesh to hatch any more

conspiracy, reports UNB.

"I demand sanction on Dt Yunus,

Hilary Clinton and wife of Tony Blair

(Cherie Blair) so that they can't make

new conspiracy against the country,"

said the lawmaker from Faridpur.

He made the demand in the House

while participating in the general discussion

on the proposed budget for

FY2022-23. Mujibur, who is also the

presidium member of the ruling

Awami League's associate body Juba

League, asked the government to file

a sedition case against the

of EVMs in the upcoming election," he

said. In his opening remarks, Chief

Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi

Habibul Awal said, "We have discussed

with more parties. Many parties supported

the use of EVM. We had no idea about

EVM before. Now there is a complete

idea. Many have told that they will not go

to polls without EVM."

I will take decision after discussion

with all," he added. The meeting was

attended by representatives of nine political

parties, election commissioners and

senior EC officials.

The Election Commission called 39

political parties for discussion on using

EVMs in the national election. Thirteen

of the 39 registered political parties were

invited to the EC office on June 19 while

another 13 parties joined the discussion

on June 21.

NTAC recommends avoiding public

gatherings to fight Covid surge

3. Ensure use of mask and maintain

social distance in all religious places

including mosques, temples and

churches.

4. Asking people to undergo Covid-

19 test if they see Covid symptoms

including fever, cough and cold.

5. Ensuring mask use at all shopping

malls, shops, markets, hotelrestaurants

or facing legal action.

6. Imams of mosques to give sermons

for maintaining health guidelines

and wearing masks to all during

Juma prayers.

The Cabinet also asked the authorities

concerned to take necessary

steps to implement the recommendations.

Independent MP demands

sanctions on Yunus and

Hilary Clinton

Bangladeshis who were involved in

this conspiracy. He named the

Bangladeshis as Dr Yunus, BNP

leader Khaleda Zia and her elder son

Tarique Zia. He mentioned that he

was the victim of this conspiracy

without committing any crime.

The Anti-Corruption Commission

several times quizzed Mujibur

Rahman Chowdhury, brother of Chief

whip Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury, for

his alleged involvement in the socalled

corruption in regard to the

Padma Bridge project.

"In the meantime it has been

proved in a Canadian court that there

was no conspiracy of corruption in

this project," he added.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina has already prosecuted the

war criminals and the killers of

Bangabandhu providing that no criminals

will be spared.

29-06-2022

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