05-10-2022

Wednesday

Dhaka : October 5, 2022; Ashwin 20, 1429 BS; Rabi-ul Awal 8, 1444 Hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.20; N o. 138; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

InternatIonal

North Korea sends

missile soaring over

Japan in escalation

>Page 7

Power supply restored across

Bangladesh after 7 hrs

DHAKA : Power supply was restored

across Bangladesh after seven hours of

blackout following the national power

grid failure on Tuesday.

Electricity was back in all the areas of

Dhaka and other districts by 9pm,

Badruddoza Sumon, public relations officer

of Power Grid Company of

Bangladesh (PGCB), told UNB.

Power supply was restored in some

parts of Dhaka city under Maniknagar

and Hasnabad grid substations and also

a good number of districts under Sylhet,

Chattagram and Mymensingh by 7 pm,

he added.

He said the districts where power supply

was fully restored by 7 pm include

Tangail, Kishorganj, Mymensingh,

Jamalpur, Manikganj, and all districts in

Chattagram and Sylhet divisions.

After the national power grid failed on

Tuesday afternoon, power supply was

DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

on Tuesday asked all not to magnify any

incident that goes against any religion,

rather look at the punitive measures that

have been taken by the government.

"Do not magnify any incident that takes

place in any area (of the country), rather I

will request you to look at the punitive

measures of the government against that

incident," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while

speaking at a greetings exchange programme

with the Hindu religious people

of the country on the occasion of

Durga Puja.

The programme was held at the premises

of Dhakeshwari National Temple

while the Prime Minister joined the programme

virtually from her official residence-Ganabhaban.

Sheikh Hasina also sought cooperation

from all including the Hindus to maintain

communal harmony in the country. "I

will seek your cooperation in this regard

and hope that you will cooperate," she

said.

She said that the government always

tries to uphold the non-communal spirit

or secular character of the country and

step forward towards prosperity maintaining

that.

The Prime Minister again categorically

warned that no one will be allowed to

DHAKA : Bangladesh has reiterated that it

will not step into any provocations by

Myanmar, noting that what is happening

inside the Buddhist-majority country is

their internal matter, reports UNB.

Zohr

04:38 AM

11:55 PM

04:04 PM

05:46 PM

07:52 PM

5:51 5:43

restored in some Dhaka areas, including

the president and prime minister's official

residences, around 5 pm.

State Minister for Power, Energy and

Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid had

earlier hoped that power supply may

fully be restored by 7 pm. National power

transmission grid failed at 2:05 pm -

causing blackouts across Bangladesh,

except some parts of the north.

According to officials at Bangladesh

Power Development Board (BPDB) and

Power Grid Company of Bangladesh

(PGCB), the transmission line tripped

somewhere in the eastern part of the

country, especially districts on the east of

Jamuna river.

Following the grid failure, all power

plants tripped one after another and electricity

supply went off in Dhaka,

Chattogram, Sylhet, Barishal and

Mymensingh divisions.

Don't look at the crime, look

at punishment too:PM

undermine anyone's religious sentiment.

"No one will be allowed to say anything

(derogatory) hitting others' religious sentiment.

This is applicable for any religion,"

she said.

She said that religion is about one's

belief. "It is one's belief on Allah or the

Creator, we have to go with that belief."

In this connection, she said that Islam

is a very open and generous religion, and

there are directives in Islam to show

respect to all other religions.

She mentioned about Surah Kafirun

where it is stated that every person will

perform their respective religious rituals

and people from all religions will enjoy

equal rights. "And we believe that from

our heart."

Sheikh Hasina said that the government

is always cautious to ensure religious

harmony in the country.

"Steps have always been taken whenever

any incident takes place, because we

want that all citizens of this country whatever

their religion be will perform their

respective religious rituals equally," she

said.

The Prime Minister also expressed deep

shock and sorrow at the deaths in a boat

capsize in the Koratoa River in Panchagarh

where Hindu devotees were heading

towards Badheshwar Temple on the occasion

of Mahalaya on September 25.

We won't fall prey to Myanmar

provocations:Momen

"We never step into any provocations.

We are facing the situation cool-headedly,"

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen

told reporters at his office on Tuesday

when his attention was drawn about the

situation along the Bangladesh-Myanmar

border. Asked whether Bangladesh will

take the issue to the UN, Momen said

there is scope, but mentioned that the UN

has become much weaker now. "We are

doing what we need to do."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned

Myanmar Ambassador to

Bangladesh Aung Kyaw Moe several times

since August and he "acknowledged" the

firing of multiple mortar shells into

Bangladesh territory. The envoy, however,

tried to deflect blame by asserting that the

insurgents were engaged in fighting, firing

heavy artillery and mortars, some of which

landed inside Bangladesh territory.

Bangladesh urged Myanmar to refrain

from activities that inflict damage to the

lives and livelihoods of people, noting that

the ongoing situation is creating an atmosphere

of "fear" among the innocent people

living in the bordering areas with

Myanmar.

sports

Davies back for Spurs

at Frankfurt but

Kulusevski still out

>Page 9

The Washington Post

art & culture

Bubly reveals dates

of marriage with

Shakib, son's birth

>Page 10

National power transmission grid failed at 2:05 pm, on Tuesday - causing blackout

across Bangladesh.

Photo : Star Mail

Three Bangladeshi

peacekeepers die

in Central African

Republic

DHAKA : Three Bangladeshi peacekeepers,

who were injured in an improvised explosive

device (IED) blast in the Central

African Republic, died at a hospital in Bouar

town on Tuesday. The deceased were identified

as Sainik-Jashim Uddin, 31, Jahangir

Alam 26 and Sharif Hossain 26.

Earlier, four Bangladeshi peacekeepers

were injured in the explosion in the early

hours of Tuesday. The blast occurred

when a vehicle carrying the Bangladeshi

peacekeepers was crossing Kaita area at

8.35pm (local time) on Monday (1.35am

Bangladesh time Tuesday), the Inter

Service Public Relations Directorate

(ISPR) said in a release.

The four injured peacekeepers including

Major Ashraful Haque, and Sainik-

Jashim, Jahangir and Sharif -were transferred

to Bouar town of Central African

Republic for better treatment where doctors

at Mimusca Hospital declared

Jahangir, Jashim and Sharif dead around

6:30 am (local time) on Tuesday (11:30

am Bangladesh time), said the release.

Injured Major Ashraful Haque has been

undergoing treatment at the hospital.

BCG rescue 30

rohingyas

SHafiul alaM, Cox'S Bazar CorreSPoNdeNT

A Malaysia-bound trawler carrying

Rohingyas sank during maritime smuggling

in Teknaf. The Coast Guard rescued

30 Rohingyas who swam to the

bottom. Contingent Commander of

Teknaf Baharchhara Outpost Station of

Coast Guard Delwar Hossain said that

the trawler sank in the deep sea off the

coast of Harmunia Para area of Teknaf

Upazila's Baharchhara Union on

Tuesday morning. Among those rescued

are 2 women and 28 men.

The Coast Guard official said that the

number of Rohingyas in the trawler has

not yet been confirmed. Many others are

said to be floating in the sea and have not

been rescued. There is fear of loss of life.

The Coast Guard official said, "The rescuers

reported that the trawler carrying

the Rohingyas sank in the deep sea on the

way to Malaysia.

The Rohingyas kept floating in the sea.

At the time, they did not get help from the

trawlers and fishermen who went fishing.

Later, they swam with the help of buoys

and water jars thrown by the fishermen.

Rohingyas come up in the shore. Many are

still floating in the sea." Delwar said that it

was not confirmed how many Rohingyas

were in the trawler. Rescue operations are

continuing. Loss of life is feared as more

Rohingya continue to float.

PM Hasina leads a

"complex, roiling nation"

DHAKA : The Washington Post, a leading

bloody grenade attacks in 2004 thrown

US daily newspaper, has highly laud-

into the crowds around her.

ed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's strong Referring to a man named Abdullah

leadership on the world stage alongside Niami, the writer said, he raised his 6-

Bangladesh's tremendous progress of year-old daughter Zoya up high as he

women, and

wanted her to witness

achievements in

Sheikh Hasina

education and

a sight-a female

poverty reduction

head of government

has been

which America

The appreciation

won't see anytime

came in an article

soon.

published in the

It was also highlighted

widely circulated

in the article

newspaper on

that Sheikh Hasina

Monday, written by

is upholding the

its columnist Petula

legacy of Father of

Dvorak who writes

the Nation

about homeless

Bangabandhu as the

shelters, gun control,

nation's prime min-

high heels and

ister for four terms,

high school choirs. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and totalling 18

The article was

years so far.

written based on an interview of Prime The article explained that Sheikh

Minister Sheikh Hasina taken by Petula Hasina is a leader who leads a complex,

Dvorak at hotel Ritz-Carlton's ballroom roiling nation.

in Northern Virginia recently.

At the U.N. General Assembly, it said,

Highlighting success stories of the the prime minister asked for help with

prime minister, Dvorak wrote, Sheikh more than a million Rohingya refugees

Hasina is the longest-serving female head who have fled the violence in Myanmar

of government in the world.

and settled in camps in Bangladesh. Petula

The article said, the prime minister is Dvorak quoted Sheikh Hasina as saying

leading a nation with more people than that camp life is not good and the

Russia and surviving at least 20 assassination

Rohingyas want to return to their country.

attempts including an especially

>(Contd. on page-11)

3 scientists

share Nobel

Prize in Physics

STOCKHOLM :This year's Nobel Prize in

physics has been awarded to Alain

Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton

Zeilinger for their work on quantum

information science, reports UNB.

Hans Ellegren, Secretary General,

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences,

announced the winner Tuesday at the

Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

A week of Nobel Prize announcements

kicked off Monday with Swedish scientist

Svante Paabo receiving the award in

medicine Monday for unlocking secrets

of Neanderthal DNA that provided key

insights into our immune system.

They continue with chemistry on

Wednesday and literature on Thursday.

The 2022 Nobel Peace Prize will be

announced on Friday and the economics

award on Oct. 10.

China not a barrier to

stronger US-Bangladesh

ties : US Envoy

DHAKA : US Ambassador to

Bangladesh Peter Haas has said

Bangladesh's relationship with China

"does not create a barrier" to a "cordial

and stronger" Bangladesh-US relationship

as Washington intends to build

upon that partnership over the next 50

years.

"We know that many countries,

including the United States, have vital

economic and people-to-people ties

with China that they want to preserve,"

he told UNB while responding to an

email on whether growing Bangladesh-

China relationship is a barrier to

stronger US-Bangladesh relationship

amid complex geopolitical development.

China's engagement with Bangladesh

is crucial given its geo-politics and trade

partnership. More than 500 Chinese

companies are operating in Bangladesh,

which has engaged China in all major

infrastructure development projects,

including the $3.6 billion Padma

Bridge. Bangladesh also supports one-

China policy, which means Taiwan is

part of mainland China-a stand contradictory

to the US vision in the region.

Ambassador Haas made it clear that

the US-Bangladesh relationship is driven

by two countries - the United States

and Bangladesh - and certainly not by

any other country.

"I am confident that over the next 50

years our relationship will continue to

grow regardless of external factors," he

said. Over the last 50 years, Ambassador

Haas said, they have built a strong foundation

in bilateral trade and investment,

people-to-people ties, and a long-lasting

development partnership in public

health, education, climate resilience,

and more.

"As we manage shifting geopolitical

trends, the United States will conduct

itself as a reasonable leader.

The Coast Guard rescued 30 rohingyas who swam to the bottom after a Malaysia-bound trawler

sank carrying them on Tuesday.

Photo: Shafiul alam

wEDNESDAy, OCTOBER 5, 2022

2

Age limit for Hajj

pilgrims may be

lifted from next

year: State Minister

Army has distributed free eye treatment and medicines to marginalized communities in remote hilly

areas. On Tuesday the free eye treatment and medicine distribution program organized by

Khagrachari Army Region and under the overall management of Dighinala 4EB Army Zone was

inaugurated by Brigade Commander Jahangir Alam BSP, NDC, PSC, of Khagrachari 203 Infantry

Region at Babuchhara Model Primary School ground in Maighya Karbari Para area of Babuchhara

Union of Dighinala Upazila of Khagrachari.

Photo: Md Sohanur Rahaman

Merkel chosen for UNHCR

Nansen Refugee Award

DHAKA : Dr Angela Merkel, the former

Federal Chancellor of Germany, has

been named for the 2022 UNHCR

Nansen Refugee Award.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency,

made the announcement on Tuesday

that she will receive the award.

The award will be presented to the

former German Chancellor in Geneva

on October 10 at a ceremony along with

the regional winners.

Each year, the award - named after

the Norwegian explorer, scientist,

diplomat and humanitarian Fridtjof

Nansen - is given to an individual,

group or organisation who has gone

above and beyond the call of duty to

protect refugees, internally displaced or

stateless people.

Under then Federal Chancellor

Merkel's leadership, Germany

welcomed more than 1.2 million

refugees and asylum seekers in 2015

and 2016 - at the height of the conflict

in Syria and amid deadly violence in

other places.

Filippo Grandi, the UN High

Commissioner for Refugees, praised

former Federal Chancellor Merkel's

determination to protect asylumseekers

and to stand up for human

rights, humanitarian principles and

international law.

"By helping more than a million

refugees to survive and rebuild, Angela

Merkel displayed great moral and

political courage," Grandi said. "She

showed what can be achieved when

politicians take the right course of

action and work to find solutions."

The selection committee said it was

recognizing former Federal Chancellor

Merkel's "leadership, courage and

compassion in ensuring the protection

of hundreds of thousands of desperate

people" as well as her efforts to find

"viable long-term solutions" for those

seeking safety.

The UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award

selection committee has also honoured

four regional winners for 2022.

This year marks a century since

Fridtjof Nansen - the first High

Commissioner for Refugees - was

awarded the 1922 Nobel Peace Prize for

his efforts to repatriate prisoners of war

and to protect millions of refugees

displaced by conflict, revolution and

the collapse of the Romanov, Ottoman

and Austro-Hungarian Empires.

It is also 100 years since the creation

of the Nansen passport, an identity

document for refugees, many of them

stateless, that also enabled its holders

to move across borders in search of

work.

DHAKA : From next year,

the age limit for Hajj

pilgrims may be lifted that

could pave the way for

people above 65 years to

go for the once-in-alifetime

pilgrimage.

This was announced by

State Minister for

Religious Affairs, Md

Faridul Haque Khan, on

Tuesday (October 4,

2022).

"We hope this year's Hajj

will be in full scale and we

will get the full ratio of

pilgrims as per quota," the

Minister told reporters at a

meeting of the newly

elected committee of the

Religious Reporters

Forum (RRF), led by its

president Ubaidullah

Badol and general

secretary Kamruzzaman

Bablu.

"Unofficial talks have

been held with the Saudi

government, and the issue

of 65 years' restriction may

not exist next time," he

stressed.

Earlier, the Saudi

government allowed

people to perform Hajj

who were fully vaccinated

and aged below 65 years.

Last time, around

60,256 Bangladeshis

performed Hajj, a once-ina-lifetime

duty for all

Muslims physically and

financially able to make

the journey.

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WEDnESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2022

3

Shamsul urges major carbon emitters

to meet mitigation targets

Dr. Md. Sabur Khan, Founder and Chairman of Daffodil International University (11th from right) along

with the world Higher Education Leaders at the IUAP Regional Meeting 2022.

Photo : Courtesy

IFC pledges $6 billion to

tackle food insecurity

DHAKA : The World Bank's private sector

arm IFC has launched a fresh $6 billion

financing facility to strengthen the private

sector's ability to respond to food insecurity

crisis and help support production in

countries affected by food instability, a

statement said Tuesday.

A core part of the financing, which will be

provided through the new Global Food

Security Platform, will support sustainable

production and delivery of food stocks, it

said.

The $6 billion will be used to support

private sector companies along the food

value chain by leveraging IFC's sectoral

expertise in agribusiness, manufacturing,

infrastructure, and technology, as well as the

financial sector and trade finance.

"By strengthening supply chains and

ensuring that people have access to and can

grow affordable food, this initiative will

contribute to building resilient food systems

in the most vulnerable regions," said

Makhtar Diop, IFC's Managing Director.

The war in Ukraine and an uneven global

recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic have

added to rising levels of hunger and

PM likely to

visit Japan

November-end

DHAKA : Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina is likely to visit

Japan at the end of November

as the two countries are eyeing

to further strengthen their

comprehensive partnership.

"They (the Japanese side)

have invited PM Hasina. We are

working on it," Foreign

Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen

told reporters at his office on

Tuesday.

Momen recently visited

Japan and paid tribute to

former Prime Minister of Japan

late Shinzo Abe attending his

state funeral in Tokyo on behalf

of the government and the

people of Bangladesh. Later in a

courtesy meeting with Prime

Minister Fumio Kishida,

Momen expressed deep grief

over the death of Shinzo Abe on

behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina and the people of

Bangladesh.

malnourishment, which already have been

worsened by climate change and

increasingly severe weather events that are

damaging harvests and reducing yields.

The Platform will supplement the World

Bank's commitment of US$30 billion in

response to the food crisis as IFC is also

stepping up engagements with other

partners, including development finance

institutions, foundations, banks as well as a

range of private companies.

The $6 billion support will be aimed at

facilitating trade of food commodities,

delivery of inputs to farmers, supporting

efficient production in major origins,

including Ukraine, and effective distribution

of food products in destination countries,

according to the statement.The money will

also help improve the resilience of the global

food system and lessen its climate and

ecological footprint.

This includes investing in increasing

efficient crop production, improving access

to fertilizers, greening fertilizer production

and use, reducing crop loss and food waste,

improving supply chain efficiency, and

mitigating infrastructure bottlenecks.

Dr Razzaque urges BNP

to participate in polls

shunning movement

DHAKA : Urging the BNP leaders to

participate in the next elections,

Agriculture Minister Dr M Abdur

Razzaque yesterday said BNP should

participate in the upcoming elections

instead of staging movement, to

assess their popularity.

"People will definitely vote for the

ruling Awami League in 2023

election considering the development

activities of the present government...

BNP is assessing public opinion not

participating in the polls but holding

rallies in the capital," he said.

The minister said this after

participating in the triennial

conference of Kashimpur thana

Awami League at Kashimpur in

Gazipur in the morning.

Dr Razzaque said: "People are with

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and

they will bring her to power again."

Mentioning that people will never

forget the misrule of BNP, he said

BNP, during its regime, had resorted

to extreme corruption and

plundering and reached the country

at the verge of destruction through

terrorism and militancy.

Consequently, the people did not

vote for BNP in the election held in

2008, said Dr Razzaque.

Chaired by convener of the

conference preparation committee

Rezaul Karim, the conference also

was attended, among others, by

Gazipur district Awami League

President and Liberation War

Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel

Huq, Bangladesh Awami League

organizing secretary Mirza Azam,

MP, Shamsunnahar Bhuiyan MP,

Gazipur city Awami League

President Azmat Ullah Khan and

its acting general secretary

Ataullah Mondol.

DMP arrests 39

for consuming,

selling drugs

in city

DHAKA : As part of the antidrug

drive in the capital,

members of the Dhaka

Metropolitan Police (DMP)

arrested a total of 39 people on

charges of selling and consuming

drugs during the last 24 hours till

6am, on Tuesday.

According to a release issued

by the DMP, police conducted

the operations against the drug

sellers and consumers in

different areas under various

police stations of the capital.

They also detained a total of 39

drug traffickers and recovered

huge amounts of drugs from

their possessions from 6am of

October 3 to 6 am, on Tuesday.

During the anti-drug drives,

police seized 110.73 kilograms

of cannabis (ganja), 3,402

pieces of yaba tablets, 14

grams of heroin and nine

bottles of phensidyle syrup

from their possessions, it said.

Police filed 28 cases against

the arrestees in these

connections with respective

police stations under the

Narcotics Control Act.

For 3rd time,

Mayor Atiq tests

positive for Covid

DHAKA : Dhaka North City

Corporation (DNCC) Mayor

Atiqul Islam has tested

positive for Covid-19 for the

third time.

The mayor was recently

tested for Covid-19 and the

report came positive on

Monday, the Corporation said

in a release on Tuesday.

"As there are no symptoms

except mild cough and

physical weakness, he is

receiving treatment at home.

However, he will be admitted

to hospital, if necessary, on

the advice of a doctor," it

added.

Atiqul, who contracted

Covid-19 for the second time

in early 2022, has sought

blessings from all for his

earliest recovery and that of

his family members.

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) hosted the Malaysia Healthcare Business Forum today, with Her

Excellency Haznah Md Hashim, Malaysia's High Commissioner to the People's Republic of Bangladesh, as the Chief

Guest. Aimed at showcasing Malaysia Healthcare's presence and offerings in Bangladesh, the forum was attended

by participants from both Bangladesh and Malaysia, including media and press, corporate C-suites from banks,

insurance companies, tourism and travel companies, and local hospitals, as well as representatives from MHTC

member hospitals, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, and other stakeholders.

Photo : Courtesy

DHAKA : State Minister for Planning Dr

Shamsul Alam yesterday urged the major

global carbon emitters to meet their

mitigation targets aiming to help address

the adverse impacts of climate change.

"This is high time the major emitters

met the mitigations target swiftly," he

told the inaugural session of a seminar

here. Bangladesh Institute of

International and Strategic Studies

(BIISS) organised the hybrid seminar on

"Climate Diplomacy: Constraints and

Choices for Bangladesh" at its

auditorium.

Speaking as the chief guest, Shamsul

said Bangladesh is a significant player in

global climate diplomacy.

"During the presidency of CVF

(Climate Vulnerable Forum),

Bangladesh emerged as a legitimate

voice in the climate change negotiations

under the skilled leadership of Hon'ble

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," he said.

The state minister said the country has

launched the "Mujib Climate Prosperity

Plan" with the aim to put her on a journey

from climate vulnerability to resilience to

climate prosperity.

It is indeed one of the landmark policy

guidelines for climate vulnerable

countries, he said, adding that

Bangladesh firmly believes that climate

change is a security issue and it must be

discussed at a regular interval at the

United Nations Security Council

(UNSC). Shamsul said the strict

implementation of Paris Agreement is

necessary to reduce the adverse impacts

of climate change.

Besides, he said, the issue of loss and

damage must be addressed with utmost

importance. Saleemul Huq, Director of

International Centre for Climate Change

and Development (ICCCAD), said: "We

need to understand and take into account

that the COP, which only takes place once

a year, is no longer the only place where

climate diplomacy occurs.

Indeed, he said, every diplomat in

Bangladesh embassies across the world

now needs to make efforts to tackle

climate change as a core issue of bilateral

discussion.BIISS Chairman Ambassador

Kazi Imtiaz Hossain said climate

diplomacy has become a necessity.

"Like many other countries,

Bangladesh is also enhancing

endeavours in this field," he said.

For example, at national levels, the 8th

Five Year Plan, the Perspective Plan to

2040, and the BDP 2100-all incorporate

addressing climate change issues as a key

priority, the BIISS chairman said.

However, he said, there still remains

much to do at regional and global levels

for Bangladesh.

In his welcome address, Acting

Director General of BIISS Colonel MA

Saadi said both human actions and

inactions are creating planetary crises

like climate change, biodiversity loss and

pollution.

Bangladesh, as one of the most climate

vulnerable countries, is actively pursuing

the cause of environmental justice in

international forums, he said.

Moreover, Saadi said, the country has

led the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF)

and has been an exemplary model by

translating its vulnerability into resilience

through different climate actions and

diplomatic efforts.

He said the fundamental bases of

Bangladesh's climate diplomacy are:

adhering to multilateralism in climate

policy, accelerating domestic action and

raising global ambition, and enhancing

international climate cooperation

through advocacy and outreach.

The working session of the seminar

was chaired by former Foreign Secretary

Ambassador Shamsher M Chowdhury.

Four presentations were deliberated in

the working session. Professor Mizan R

Khan, Deputy Director, ICCCAD, made a

presentation on "Financing for Loss and

Damage: Concerns for Bangladesh",

while Arif M Faisal, Programme

Specialist (Nature, Climate and Energy),

UNDP Bangladesh, on "Role of

International Organization in Climate

Diplomacy".

Green University of Bangladesh (GUB) arranged Orientation Program for Freshers' of Fall Semester-2022 on

October 4 at the university's City Campus. Prof. Dr. Golam Samdani Fakir, Vice Chancellor of Green University

presided over the program while Md. Iqbal Habib, Architect and Urban Activist spoke as the Chief Guest. In

Program, Prof. Dr. Md. Fayzur Rahman, Honorable Treasurer; Prof. Dr. Md. Saiful Azad; Dean (Acting), Faculty

of Science and Engineering; Prof. Dr. Farhana Helal Mehtab, Dean, Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences;

Prof. Dr. Mohammed Tareque Aziz, Dean, Faculty of Business Studies; Brigadier General Md Mahboob Sarwar,

PhD (LPR), Registrar; Distinguished Professors, Chairpersons of different departments, faculty members and

newly admitted students were present.

Photo : Courtesy

Industry insiders, experts favour

"target-oriented roadmap" to

reach renewable energy goal

DHAKA : A move by the government to review a 14-yearold

renewable energy policy has been lauded by experts

and industry stakeholders as Bangladesh is desperate to

find out alternative sources of power generation amid a

volatile global fuel market and gas shortages at home.

In the energy-hungry country, which is struggling to

ensure energy security for its burgeoning manufacturing

sector amid forecast that the economy could face further

stress, experts say renewable energy sources could be a

major option to ensure adequate supply to its industries.

Industry insiders say the decision to revise the policy

came as the government has a target to generate 40

percent of electricity from renewable energy by 2041 in

line with its commitment to the COP26, a UN-backed

climate conference held in Glasgow in November last

year. The current crisis in the country's power sector,

stemmed from the rising prices of fuel as a result of

Ukraine war, has also prompted the government to look

for other options for energy.

According to official statistics, the country now

generates about 911 MW (solar 677 MW, hydro 230 MW

and others 2 MW) from renewable energy sources while

the total power generation is more than 25,000 MW,

which means the renewable energy's share is less than 4

percent.

In June, the government suspended operations of all

the diesel-run power plants in the country, cutting up to

1500 megawatts of daily production, to ease pressure on

the country's dwindling foreign currency reserves.

Business bodies raised their concern about power

disruptions. Earlier this month, BGMEA President

Faruque Hassan said that the situation is so grave that

factories are remaining without power now for around 4

to 10 hours a day.

Talking to UNB, experts and officials say the move to

revise the "Renewable Energy Policy of Bangladesh 2008"

to make it more effective in the changed scenario in the

country's energy and power sector is very positive

But they say taking up "a target-oriented action with an

effective roadmap" to achieve a power generation goal

should find its way.

They also strongly suggest that setting up of a separate

division under the power and energy ministry to

effectively implement the renewable energy schemes

should be undertaken under the revised policy. "Unless a

specific numeric megawatt-based target is set, any goal

might not be achievable despite bringing any changes to

the existing policy", Dr M Tamim, eminent energy expert

in the country, told UNB.

Officials say the Sustainable and Renewable Energy

Development Authority (Sreda), the focal point under

Power Division of the government, has already appointed

a consultant.

The consultant - Development Technical Consultants

Pvt. Ltd (DTCL) - held a consultation meeting on

September 20 as part of its process to accommodate

opinions of the stakeholders and experts on the issue. The

firm has also been holding a series of meetings with

experts and other groups to finalise a draft proposal on the

policy.

Dr Tamim, who was also involved in the previous

process of the policy formation, said there should be a

specific numeric target instead of current percentagebased

goal in renewable energy to implement a plan.

"A specific target and an action-based roadmap are

more essential than a policy to achieve a goal when it

comes to the renewable energy issue", he said adding that

the government's direct involvement with the process is

crucial.

To add dynamism, Tamim also suggested creating a

new division, headed by a full-fledged secretary, under the

power, energy and mineral resources ministry, to

implement the government's plan on renewable energy.

Identifying the scarcity of land a major impediment for

a renewable energy project, Dr Tamim also suggested for

arranging land for solar power projects by the government

as it is difficult for a private sector investor to find an

undisputed large piece of land in one location.

"Only government can arrange a large undisputed land

through acquisition", he added.

Sabur Khan attends

the regional

meeting of IAUP

The Regional Meeting 2022 of

the International Association of

University Presidents (IAUP)

was held on the theme

"Recovery and Transformation:

New Challenges for Higher

Education Leaders" in

Colombia from September 28

to 30, 2022. With in-person and

virtual attendees, including the

President's executive officers

from 10 countries including the

host country, Mexico, Costa

Rica, Austria, Spain, USA, UK,

Georgia and Bangladesh, the

2022 IAUP Regional Meeting

was held at Universidad

Autónoma de Bucaramanga

(UNAB) in Colombia. The

Regional Meeting focused on

the transformation that higher

education institutions must

undergo to achieve a positive

social and economic impact, the

responsibility that academia has

with global sustainability and

commitment to SDGs, and

finally, on how to prioritize

wellness and mental health in

students, a press release said.

For three days, the higher

education leaders from

around the world came

together to discuss highly

relevant topics that contribute

to the enhancement of senior

leadership in the context of

current trends and future

needs.

Dr Md. Sabur Khan the

Founder and Chairman of

Daffodil International University

(DIU) attended the regional

meeting and represented the

Bangladesh HEIs in this

prestigious global platform.

WEdNEsdAy, OCtOBER 5, 2022

4

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Reducing dependence

on basic imported foods

Bangladesh, at present, has become considerably

dependent on the import of essential basic foods .

This dependence has been growing . It imports nearly all

of its requirements of baby food and half of its need for

milk in powdered form.

The country was once self sufficient in onions, garlic,

ginger and other spices. Now the greater parts of the

demands for these spices are met by imports. This

country produced a surplus of peppers once upon a time.

But now it takes care of more than 60 per cent of its

demand for pepper from imports.

80 per cent of the demand for pulses is also met by

import. In recent years, it has been importing 1.5 to 2.0

million tons of food grains. 90 per cent of the demand for

cooking oil is also met by imports. Even salt is imported

in large quantities from time to time.

The above figures are indicative of the lack of efficiency

of its agriculture-- generally-- when Bangladesh has

been renowned for the amazing fertility of its soil and its

comparative advantage in growing various food

products. Bangladesh was once famous for its

abundance of fishes. But now, a part of its demand for

fishes is also met by imports.

The fast growing import activities for meeting basic

foods are indeed a cause of concern. When the imports

are mainly industrial raw materials or intermediate

products, the same can be thought of as useful

economic activities in view of their value-addition

potentials. But surely the same cannot be said about

edible goods meant for sheer consumption.

The price-lines of many essential products, specially

kitchen items , have soared to unusually high levels in the

local markets. Government's various moves to control

this price rise is proving to be difficult because these

goods have to be procured from markets outside the

country and government has no powers over overseas

markets. The prices of these can be far lower if the same

are efficiently produced and marketed locally.

When these daily consumables are being imported at

higher and higher prices by the importers, they cannot

be ordered by the government to sell the same at

artificially lower prices in local markets. If that has to be

done, then the government would be required to give

massive subsidies to the importers for each of these

items. This course is also not realistic or feasible on the

part of the government.

Thus, this ' imported inflation' as it is called, continues

to ravage our consumers. But this would not happen, if,

over the years policies were adopted and pursued

sincerely to grow and produce many of these items

within the country. In that case, Bangladeshi consumers

today would be notably hedged from the imported

inflation which is translating into every day painful costs

of living anguishes for them.

It is argued that Bangladesh does not have so much

lands to both adequately produce food grains for its fast

rising population and grow other important edibles. But

this line of thinking should be found not tenable on close

examination. For example, the Bangladesh Rice

Research Institute (BRRI) has so far invented 47 new

higher yielding varieties of rice. But only a handful of

them have been popularized although there are at least

a dozen varieties which can yield substantially higher

outputs than the ones which are being cultivated .

The higher yielding seeds are now used in less than

one-third of the total cultivable area. But total food grain

output can rise by 30 or 40 million tons in the short term

even from extending the use of the high yielding seeds in

40 per cent of the present cultivated lands. In that

situation, the added produced food grain would fully

meet current demand as well as for some time also the

future increased demand.

But in the process, more than half of the cultivated

areas would be freed from the burden of growing only

food grains. These lands freed from the pressure of only

food grain production, could be intensively farmed to

produce far greater quantities of oilseeds, spices,

potatoes, vegetables, etc ., reducing substantially the

import dependence for these food products.

Similarly, any resolved move on the part of the

stakeholders can lead to the flourishing of a strong dairy

sector in the country in no time. Bangladesh has some

natural or in-built advantages in developing a far

stronger dairy sector. A bigger and stronger dairy sector

would greatly reduce its dependence on imported milk

powder and other dairy products.

Fish farming remains largely in the realm of

projections in the country. With greater or better official

supports backed up by appropriate private initiatives,

fish farming is likely to see a huge success in Bangladesh

that would make unnecessary the import of fish-- which

is a vital source of protein for people -- from Myanmar.

AN employee walks past the

headquarters of ASML, a Dutch

company that is currently the largest

supplier in the world of semi conductor

manufacturing machines via

photolithography systems, in Veldhoven on

April 17, 2018. Photo: AFP / Emmanuel

Dunand

Upon becoming president of the United

States, Joe Biden immediately set forth to

promote "rule-based international order,"

ostensibly for the world community, but

the message was really intended for China.

The "world order," according to Biden, was

for Beijing to conduct its foreign affairs in

line with Washington's expectations.

Now into the second year of his regime, it

has become increasingly clear that Biden's

idea of order is actually disorder and is

causing chaos not only in the world but

especially to the American economy.

The latest example is the most recent

series of sanctions and embargoes

forbidding sales of semiconductor chips

and manufacturing equipment to China.

Up to now, China has been far and away

the largest buyer for semiconductor

processing equipment and is the major

market for advanced chips designed by

such Silicon Valley companies as Nvidia

and made by such foundries as Taiwan

Semiconductor Manufacturing Company

(TSMC).

The ban seeks all the members of the

semiconductor industry, foreign and

domestic, to go cold turkey and stop doing

business with China.

Heretofore, the industry has been a prime

example of a virtuous circle created by

globalization. In simplified terms, we can

say that innovations in chip designs for new

uses are created in Silicon Valley, fabricated

by foundries in Taiwan and South Korea,

and then shipped to China to assemble into

devices and final products, which are then

sold around the world.

Companies engaged in making

fabrication and processing equipment kept

pushing the boundaries of their technology

and collaborated with the foundries to

produce the next generation of advanced

chips. The equipment companies were not

just in the US but also in Japan and the

Netherlands.

In a virtuous circle, everybody does what

he does best and contributes to a supply

chain at the most cost-effective efficiency.

Everybody wins in such a circle.

By breaking up the circle, everybody

loses. South Korean foundries such as

Samsung sell 40% of their output to China,

including foundries they operate inside

China.

China represents around 30% of sales for

semiconductor fabrication equipment from

American companies such as Applied

Materials and Lam Research.

China is also the most important market

for ASML, the Netherlands-based company

INDIA'S ruling Bharatiya Janata Party

continues the assault on Kashmiri

culture and identity and imposes its

Hindutva ideology on occupied Jammu

and Kashmir.

A recent tweet by Mehbooba Mufti,

former chief minister of J&K, focused

attention on the forced singing of a bhajan

(Hindu hymn) at a school in Kulgam and

elsewhere. A video of Muslim students

singing the bhajan circulated widely on

social media, prompting fierce protests

from Muslim organisations.

The Muttahida Majlis-i-Ulema,

comprising 30 Kashmiri organisations,

denounced the action and said it was

designed to accelerate "the so-called

integration of the younger generation with

the Hindutva idea of India". It called this

part of efforts to erode the region's Muslim

identity.

Led by Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umar

Farooq, who has been in detention for the

past three years, the religious body pointed

to attempts to "browbeat" Muslim scholars

and undermine their role, citing the recent

arrests of religious leaders in India's latest

intensification of repression.

Last month, two ulema were arrested

and several Islamic scholars charged

under the draconian public safety act in a

crackdown on Muslim groups in Kashmir.

These arrests were roundly condemned by

Pakistan. A Foreign Office statement

described the illegal detention of Islamic

scholars as "yet another Indian attempt to

rob the Kashmiri people of their distinct

religious and cultural identity".

The BJP has also taken control of the

J&K Waqf Board and thus all its properties

across the region including Srinagar's

Eidgah, a historic ground for

congregational prayers. Condemning this

in a message from jail, Shabbir Shah, vice

chair of the All Parties Hurriyat

Conference (APHC), accused the BJP

government of infringing the religious

rights of Muslims. Other Kashmiri leaders

portrayed it as part of the BJP's efforts to

occupy prominent places of religious

US pushes ‘rule-based disorder’

that is in essence the only maker of

advanced lithographic machines. Despite

the just-imposed ban, the company has

continued to increase its local hire in China

to support its sales and technical services.

Every member of the circle now faces a

perplexing dilemma: Do they obey the

Washington edict at the expense of their

financial interests and companies' futures?

Or do they pay a lot of money to lawyers

and lobbyists to plead on their behalf and

secure certain dispensations that would

allow their continuing to do business with

China, perhaps at a more subdued level?

Or do they find questionable routes and

intermediaries to continue their sales to

China? Or can they flat out defy

Washington?

In theory, their lost sales to China would

be replaced by the expansion of a new and

growing US market, as foreign companies

such as TSMC and Samsung are enticed or

coerced into building new fabs in the US.

The challenge is whether other members

of the circle can survive long enough while

waiting for the new capacities in America to

make up the immediate shortfall around

the world. Furthermore, there are serious

concerns and doubts as to whether new

fabs could actually happen in the US.

The cost of defying Washington's order

will be high, but the industry can already

see that the cost of yielding to Biden's

sanctions makes no sense given the

devastating consequences.

TSMC obediently gave up on serving

Huawei, its most important customer,

under orders from Donald Trump's White

House more than two years ago. Now it

apparently has given up on the rest of the

China market in exchange for locating fabs

in the US. Since then, the market

capitalization of the company has declined

by half from its peak.

Washington doesn't offer any incentives

or rewards, just threats and intimidation if

they are not obeyed. This is what a

hegemon does, but increasingly the world is

disenchanted and not convinced

South Korea is the latest to feel the sting

that goes with being a loyal American ally.

Washington expected the Koreans to give

up their huge markets in China, and the

reward was for their president to face a

rude and very public brushoff when he

greeted Biden at the UN General Assembly

Assault on Kashmiri identity

significance for Muslims throughout the

occupied territory. This includes the

control of shrines.

As a Kashmiri journalist told me,

"Seizing control of shrines is not an

innocuous move; it is a repressive action

aimed at eliminating their political role as

well as their Muslim identity." He

explained that shrines have been an

integral part of Kashmir's political and

social landscape. "They have not only

provided spaces for worship, but in a

region under occupation for decades, they

have often been the only places where

Kashmiri Muslims could meet and confer.

That space has now been taken away."

The BJP has taken other steps in its

onslaught against Kashmiri culture.

For the past 100 years or more, Urdu

was the official language of J&K. But in

2020, India's ruling party ended Urdu's

exclusive status by legislation that made

Hindi, Kashmiri and Dogri official

languages in J&K, in addition to Urdu and

English. There are moves afoot to change

the script of the Kashmiri language from

Nastaliq to the Devanagriscript. Kashmiri

sources in the occupied Valley say this has

already been done unannounced and

unofficially.

The BJP is trying to disempower

Muslims and erode their religious and

cultural identity in the occupied region.

A series of actions to disempower

Kashmiris and change the Muslim identity

of Kashmir have followed India's illegal

annexation of J&K on Aug 5, 2019. With

abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian

constitution, which gave the state special

GEORGE KOO

MALEEhA LOdhI

(UNGA) in New York recently.

According to K J Noh, who understands

the Korean language, South Korean

President Yoon Suk-yeol cursed in the

foulest terms at the way he was treated.

Hard to blame him though. Biden is asking

his country commit economic seppuku but

acted like Yoon was some Asian scumbag -

another gaffe that the White House staff

will have to repair.

The European Union has also learned

that there is no upside in being a groupie of

American foreign policy. By joining the US

in supporting the Ukrainians and

News from China already indicates that they are making

breakthroughs getting around the American embargoes. Even

American analysts say that the trade barriers are doomed to

fail. In the long run, the Biden sanctions will help China create

its own independent semiconductor industry and leave the

currently established providers out in the cold.

sanctioning Russia in the Ukrainian war,

the EU is facing a bleak cold winter with a

shortfall of fuel to heat homes and fire the

boilers that the German industries will

need to keep operating.

Facing record-breaking inflation, the

people in the EU are becoming restless and

beginning to agitate and question the

reasons for antagonizing Russia and

bringing economic misery on to

themselves.

Shortly before the UNGA, the Shanghai

Cooperation Organization concluded its

annual conference, held in Samarkand,

Uzbekistan. Under China's leadership, the

SCO welcomed Iran and Belarus as new

members, with a long list of other nations

applying to join, including Turkey, Saudi

Arabia, Egypt and others. The SCO now

accounts for half of the world's population

and more than 25% of global GDP.

Non-aligned countries find the SCO

increasingly attractive as an antidote to

American unilateralism. Geopolitical rivals

such as India and Pakistan or Saudi Arabia

and Iran can leave their contentions

outside and join the organization to work

on trade and economic cooperation, and

collaborate on combating terrorism.

Unlike the American led groups of

nations, political or military alliances are

specifically excluded within the SCO. There

are, by the way, no nations waiting to join

the US alliance to contain China.

As I observed in June, the US approach to

recruiting others to join in an alliance to

contain China is a faltering strategy that

will lead to America's self-destruction.

Biden's insistence on decoupling China

from the semiconductor supply chain is

another step in that direction.

Washington seems not to have

status, J&K was bifurcated and absorbed

into the Indian Union. This was in blatant

violation of UN Security Council

Resolutions that bar the parties from

bringing about any material change in the

situation.

Delhi then imposed a lockdown and

communication clampdown and carried

out mass arrests of political leaders and

activists in a sweeping crackdown.

According to the September 2022

briefing by Amnesty International, 'We are

being Punished by the Law', in the three

years since August 2019, "the Indian

government has drastically intensified the

repression of the people of J&K … by

Led by Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who has

been in detention for the past three years, the religious body

pointed to attempts to "browbeat" Muslim scholars and

undermine their role, citing the recent arrests of religious

leaders in India's latest intensification of repression.

subjecting them to multiple human rights

violations. These violations include

restrictions on rights to freedom of

opinion and expression; to liberty and

security of person; to movement; to

privacy; and to remedy and access to

justice. The authorities have committed

these violations with absolute impunity."

In contravention of international law

and UN resolutions, Delhi has carried out

administrative and demographic changes

to disempower Muslims in Kashmir. It

introduced new domicile rules and has,

since August 2019, issued over 3.4 million

so-called domicile certificates to non-

Kashmiri outsiders, who were made

eligible after abrogation of Article 370 and

35A of the Indian constitution. This action

resembles Israel's illegal settlement

policies and is characteristic of tactics used

by occupiers.

The Modi government also proceeded

with a plan to gerrymander electoral

anticipated China's likely response to the

latest sanctions. Its semiconductor industry

is redoubling its efforts and investments to

develop technical advances that would

replace the chips and fab equipment that

have been cut off by the American

sanctions.

China has the raw technical manpower

graduating from their colleges and

universities every year and has recruited

senior engineers and fabrication

technologists - Asia Times called them

godfathers - from Taiwan, Japan and South

Korea to advise on the technical and

management direction.

News from China already indicates that

they are making breakthroughs getting

around the American embargoes. Even

American analysts say that the trade

barriers are doomed to fail. In the long run,

the Biden sanctions will help China create

its own independent semiconductor

industry and leave the currently established

providers out in the cold.

When and if China decides to retaliate in

full, it has the wherewithal to inflict pain in

kind. China's CATL is the world's largest

producer of lithium batteries for electric

vehicles. The company has announced

plans to build a US$7 billion plant in

Hungary to serve European automakers.

Its plans for North America are on hold

since Nancy Pelosi's jaunt to Taipei.

China also has a virtual stranglehold on

the world supply of rare earth minerals,

some crucial in strategic military

applications, and can elect to restrict sales

to the US. Most recently, the Pentagon was

aghast to find that the engine of the F-35

fighter depends on rare-earth magnets

made in China. This latest "discovery"

shows the deep integration of the two major

economies and the difficulty of

disentangling and decoupling the two. It

also can show the destructive power of

paranoia in Washington.

The wise old gnomes in the bowels of the

Pentagon probably wouldn't suggest

tearing apart all the existing F-35s to

remove the magnets from China, but could

certainly see this matter as another

"urgent" reason to increase the defense

budget greatly in order to develop a

domestic replacement.

The hostile drumbeats from Washington

reverberate within the echo chamber for

the benefit of the handful of allies sitting

inside, seemingly unaware of the ongoing

peaceful cooperation between China and

the rest of the world.

It's hard to know when the American

people will say enough is enough and vote

for a thorough reform of how Washington

makes friends instead of enemies.

George Koo retired from a global

advisory services firm where he advised

clients on their China strategies and

business operations.

constituencies to give Jammu greater

representation to reduce Muslim

representation and shift the political

balance to Hindus in the region. The plan

to carve out new constituencies was

announced by India's Delimitation

Commission in May 2022. This gives

Jammu six more seats in the 90-member

J&K Assembly while Kashmir is to be

given one more. This will take Jammu's

total seats to 43 leaving Kashmir with 47.

The malign intent of this move is evident

from the fact that Kashmir Valley's

population was close to seven million

while Jammu's population is 5.3m

according to the 2011 census (the last India

held). Estimates of Kashmir's current

population are obviously higher.

The aim behind this delimitation is to

hold elections that the Modi government

could then claim have 'normalised' the

situation and 'endorsed' its August 2019

action. But this plan has met fierce

resistance from Kashmiri leaders

including traditionally pro-Indian

politicians who in the past participated in

elections, consistently boycotted by the

APHC for being sham exercises. All have

called the plan unacceptable and rejected

it as a travesty of the principle of one man

one vote. In July, the chief electoral officer

in the occupied Valley announced granting

voting rights to any Indian citizen, even

temporary residents, in another attempt to

change the region's demography

Can the Modi government achieve these

sinister objectives? Can Kashmir's Muslim

identity be so easily obliterated by coercive

measures and administrative diktats?

These actions have in fact only intensified

anger and resentment among the people

of Kashmir and reinforced their will to

resist the injustice of occupation. As

Farooq Abdullah, former chief minister of

J&K, warned not long ago "Kashmir could

explode like a volcano".

The writer is a former ambassador

to the US, UK & UN.

WeDneSDAy, MARCH 5, 2022

5

World Bank's spending over

climate crisis

young people take part in a protest in Cape Town, South Africa, last month calling for the government

to take immediate action to halt the climate crisis. Photo: nardus engelbrecht

Young people demand climate

justice ahead of Cop27

SAnDRA LAvILLe

Young people from some of the countries

most affected by climate breakdown have

warned they are not victims but a force to

be reckoned with in the run-up to a UN

climate conference in Egypt.

Led by climate groups across Africa and

the Middle East, hundreds of activists

from countries that are the least

responsible for the crisis but are

experiencing the worst impacts have

gathered in Tunisia to prepare for what

they say will be a collective fight for justice

for their countries and communities,

which they will take to Cop27 next month.

They are campaigning on issues

including adaptation funding and

recompense for damage from countries

that have been the most responsible for

global heating.

At Cop26 in Glasgow, delegates

promised to give a total of $350m to help

the worst affected countries adapt to the

climate emergency. But promises for

funding have been broken in the past, and

the issue of adaptation funding, along

with demands for loss and damage

funding to be paid to vulnerable countries

by the US and Europe, is a clash point

with the global south.

Maria Reyes, 20, from Mexico,

attended the Tunis climate camp because

her experience as a representative of the

global south at Cop26 was so

disappointing. She said the gathering was

exclusive and member states wasted time

arguing over commas, rather than

tackling the issues that mattered.

"I came home after the Cop with a deep

need to get involved in local resistance,

because Glasgow made me lose all

confidence in international politics and

made me realise that the real resistance

against the climate crisis comes from

grassroots and indigenous communities,"

she said. "I wanted to join the camp to be

part of the construction of a space in

which we can develop capacities and plan

how we can articulate ourselves during

Cop."

Ayisha Siddiqa, 23, an activist from

Pakistan, who has organised many

school strikes for climate since 2019,

believes in order to fight the crisis,

people have to address the injustices

that mean people from Middle East,

Africa, Latin America and southern

Asia, whose countries contributed least,

are suffering the most.

"I come from a tribal community in

northern Pakistan and our way of life is in

extreme danger as heatwaves become

more common, our glaciers melt and

flash flooding wipes away entire villages.

These are things we cannot adapt to, and

loss of community, culture and families

we can not recover from … I was very

eager to attend this camp in Tunisia and

build a community with people who have

been doing environmental work on

ground."

Some of those who attended the camp

will travel to Egypt for Cop27, in the hope

that the conference will this time properly

address the needs of countries least

responsible for the climate emergency.

Omar Elmawi, 34, from Kenya, is a

climate activist who has coordinated a

campaign to stop the world's longest

heated crude oil pipeline in east Africa,

which is forecast will contribute at least

700m tonnes of CO2 in the 20 years it is

expected to be operational.

"Cognisant that I am one of the 3.6

billion people in the developing countries

that are bearing the brunt of the climate

crisis while we have done little to nothing

to cause the problem, joining the camp

allowed me to meet and know my fellow

climate victims from other global south

countries," Elmawi said.

"My aim is to rise from the ashes to

show that we are not just victims but a

force to reckon with. All we have to do is

move past our small differences and

find unity of purpose to stop the

exploitation of global south resources,

including oil and fossil gas, for the

wealthier nations and instead push for

real solutions that provide accessible

and affordable energy to the millions of

people that are energy poor."

Wales unveils plans to triple rate

of peatland restoration

FIonA HARvey

The World Bank has come under fire for

failing to show that its claimed spending

on the climate crisis is real, in a report

suggesting up to 40% of its reported

climate-related spending is impossible to

account for.

Of $17.2bn that the World Bank

reported it spent on climate finance in

2020, up to $7bn cannot be

independently verified, according to

research by Oxfam.

The findings are the latest blow to the

World Bank over its climate finance

activities. Last month, the former US vicepresident

Al Gore led calls for the

president of the bank, David Malpass, to

resign after he avoided a journalist's

questions on climate science.

Malpass later apologised but his

apparent climate denial followed years of

concern among governments and NGOs

over his leadership of the bank, and the

bank's continued finance for fossil fuels.

Malpass was appointed in 2019 by the

then US president Donald Trump, under

the convention by which the bank's head

is chosen by the US.

Oxfam examined the $21.3bn of

climate finance the bank reported in

2020, of which $17.2bn was provided by

the bank's two main lending arms, the

International Development Association

and the International Bank for

Reconstruction and Development.

Climate finance is money provided to

developing countries in the form of grants

and loans, and intended to help them cut

greenhouse gas emissions or adapt to the

impacts of the climate crisis.

The Oxfam report's authors took the

World Bank's published information on

its climate financing efforts then applied

the bank's own stated methodology to see

if it could reproduce the $17.2bn

spending figure claimed.

In a report published on Monday,

Oxfam found that the bank's figures could

be inaccurate by as much as 40% on

either side of $17bn. Oxfam said the bank

could also be spending more than it

claims, but the difficulty of accounting for

the money devoted to climate-related

activities meant it was impossible to say.

Part of the problem with accounting for

the bank's climate finance activities is that

many projects have a climate-related

component, without being mainly geared

towards the climate. For instance, if a

school or hospital is under construction, it

could be built in such a way as to make it

more resilient to the impact of extreme

weather. That is essential for countries

adapting to the climate crisis, but is a "cobenefit"

rather than the main point of the

project.

Nafkote Dabi, the international climate

policy lead at Oxfam, said: "We simply

can't be sure of the actual value [of climate

finance provided by the bank]. Our

concern is the worst-case scenario - that

the bank could be significantly

overstating its contribution."

The World Bank rebutted Oxfam's

claims. A spokesperson told the

Guardian: "Our co-benefits are calculated

using the joint MDB [multilateral

development bank] methodology.

We are rigorous about how we apply

the methodology and only assign cobenefits

for the share of financing in a

given project that is directly tied to

climate action. We stand by our

assessment of co-benefits."

The spokesperson also said the bank

had increased its climate spending,

providing $31.7bn of project financing

directly tied to climate action for projects

that went to the bank's board in 2022.

The bank has also long held that much

more of its spending relates to the climate

than may be formally apparent, because

relieving poverty or encouraging

development can also have a beneficial

impact on making countries more

resilient to the impacts of extreme

weather.

However, Oxfam said the bank's

accounting methods could be made

much more transparent. Dabi said: "This

audit exposes the danger that some

climate finance claims could simply be

greenwashing."

The World Bank faces a stormy set of

annual meetings later this month, during

which it will come under pressure to show

how it is helping developing countries

recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and

The World Bank president, David Malpass. Photo: Justin Sullivan

the cost of living crisis. The future of

Malpass as president is in doubt: the

Guardian understands that some

countries behind the scenes are looking at

ways to oust the Trump appointee.

Climate finance will be one of the

biggest issues at the UN's next climate

conference, Cop27 in Egypt next month.

Poor countries are concerned not only

that rich countries have failed to provide

the $100bn a year in climate finance that

has long been promised to flow to them

from 2020, but that much of the money

currently provided goes to middleincome

countries that already find it easy

to attract investment, and more than 70%

of it comes in the form of loans, which can

drive poor countries further into debt.

STeven MoRRIS

A plan to triple the rate of peatland

restoration in Wales to help combat the

climate emergency and protect one of

the country's most celebrated birds, the

curlew, has been announced by the

Welsh government.

The Labour-led administration said it

had accepted a raft of recommendations

from an expert panel on how to halt

biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse

across the country's varied land and

seascapes.

It agreed that one of its most pressing

was to restore its peaty bogs, moors and

mires, which are crucial because of

their role in storing carbon, alleviating

the risk of flooding by slowing the flow

of water from uplands and providing

vital habitats for birds such as curlew,

skylark and golden plover. It will

increase its restoration target from 600

hectares a year to 1,800.

Peatlands in Wales, as across other

areas of the world, have vanished over

the last few centuries because of

extraction, burning, over-grazing and

global warming.

The Welsh minister for climate

change, Julie James, said: "Taking peat

out of the ground has been one of the

worst abuses of the planet in the last

100 years and more." She said restoring

peatland was crucial because it

sequestered carbon so effectively.

"It is also deeply embedded in our

culture and heritage." Speaking at a

conference at the National Botanic

Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire,

south-west Wales, James picked out

the curlew - gylfinir in Welsh - as one of

There are concerns that there could be as few as 400 breeding pairs

of curlew left in Wales.

Photo: Mark Robert Paton

the creatures that will benefit. The

bird's bubbling, haunting call is

traditionally regarded by many as a

harbinger of spring but there are

concerns there could be as few as 400

breeding pairs left in Wales.

The five-day conference is hearing

about a wide range of projects ranging

from helping protect the angelshark

(Squatina squatina) off the Welsh coast

to saving the country's ancient trees.

The peatland plan follows a "deep

dive" commissioned by the Welsh

government to assess how nature

recovery can best be accelerated.

Its recommendations ranged from

improving the condition, connectivity

and resilience of protected sites to

creating larger conservation areas at

sea. Another specific recommendation

is to establish a "targeted scheme" to

support restoration of seagrass and

salt-marsh habitats along the Welsh

coastline.

The government said it would

accept all the recommendations and

establish an independent expert

working group to monitor Wales's

progress against the targets. James

said "a decade of decisive action" was

needed to "jump-start the restoration

of our ecosystems".

A report published in 2019 said that

one in six species of flora and fauna was

at risk of disappearing from Wales,

blaming loss of habitat due to farming

and climate change.

Sharon Thompson, of RSPB Cymru

and a member of the panel that

undertook the deep-dive, welcomed the

move on peatland but said it would be

important to improve the quality of all

protected sites, make them bigger,

create new sites and make sure they are

better connected.

The Welsh Conservatives accused

Labour of "empty rhetoric". The

shadow minister for climate change,

Janet Finch-Saunders, said: "It is all

well and good for Labour to set a new

series of targets but why haven't we

seen this sooner? Labour ministers

need to act and act now."

A grey crane, killed by bird flu, in Israel's Hula valley.

Europe hit by significant number

of bird flu cases

ToM LevITT

The UK and continental Europe have

been hit by an "unprecedented"

number of cases of avian flu this

summer, with 47.7m birds having been

culled since last autumn, according to

new figures. Poultry producers from as

far north as Norway's Svalbard islands

to southern Portugal have together

reported almost 2,500 outbreaks of the

disease since last year.

There have also been thousands of

outbreaks recorded in wild birds,

according to the latest update from the

EU's European Centre for Disease

Prevention and Control, European Food

Safety Authority and the EU reference

laboratory. The virus reached breeding

colonies of sea birds on the north Atlantic

coast, killing huge numbers.

In past years, outbreaks of avian flu

declined with warmer weather and the

end of migration by wild birds in the

autumn and winter.

But outbreaks have continued across

the UK and elsewhere in Europe this

summer leading to fears that highly

pathogenic variants of avian flu are

now endemic in wild birds, creating a

risk of infection all year.

From June to September, the

number of outbreaks in domesticated

birds was more than five times higher

than the same period last year. Experts

say all kinds of bird species have

become infected now, causing the virus

to remain.

Outbreaks have also crossed the

Atlantic Ocean, spreading from Europe

to North America along migration

routes and leading to millions of

poultry being culled in the US and

Canada.

Disease experts say outbreaks could

get even worse this winter. "As autumn

Photo: Jalaa Marey

migration begins and the number of

wild birds wintering in Europe

increases, they are likely at higher risk

of HPAI [highly pathogenic avian

influenza] infection than previous years

due to the observed persistence of the

virus in Europe", said Guilhem de Seze,

head of risk assessment at the

European Food Safety Authority.

Year-round infections in the UK and

Europe could force free-range chickens

to be housed indoors.

Veterinary trials to test bird flu

vaccines have started in France and the

Netherlands, but there are question

marks around the effectiveness of

vaccinations against avian flu and

whether vaccinated birds can still

spread the disease if they are infected.

The European Commission has said

it wants to allow eggs produced in the

EU to be labelled as "free range" even if

birds are kept inside.

WeDNeSDAy, OCTOBeR 5, 2022

6

On Tuesday morning, a child sponsorship program was held at Kumarkhali Journalist Kangal Harinath Smriti

Museum auditorium under the initiative of Kushtia district branch of The Optimists Bangladesh. Photo: M R Nayan

Durga Puja celebration continues

in Rangpur division

RANGPUR : Celebration of the fiveday

Durga Puja, the biggest religious

festival of the Santan community,

continues with due religious solemnity

on the fourth day (Mahanavami) in

Rangpur division yesterday, reports

BSS.

Official sources said the

administrations and authorities

concerned, law enforcers and local

units of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon

Parishad (BPUP) have taken adequate

steps to ensure peaceful celebration of

the festivity.

The celebrations will end through

immersion of the idols erected in 5,488

Puja mandaps in all the eight districts

of the division after celebration of the

'Moha Dashami' on 5th October.

The Puja mandap premises and

adjoining areas have worn eye-catching

festive looks with traditional fairs

where local cottage industry products,

handicrafts, toys, household goods,

sweets and other things are being

marketed.

Hundreds of the Santan devotees

including men, women, boys,

adolescents, girls and youths attired in

colorful dresses thronged Puja

Awareness meeting

on primary eye care

held in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI : A daylong

workshop on primary eye

care and treatment was held

here yesterday aimed at

creating awareness among

the public in general about the

importance of eye care,

reports BSS.

Child Sight Foundation

(NSF) hosted the workshop at

the conference hall of

Divisional Directorate of

Health Services discussing

and devising ways and means

on how to improve the sector.

Divisional Director of

Health Dr Habibul Ahsan

Talukder addressed the

workshop as the chief guest,

while Civil Surgeon Dr Abu

Sayeed Faruque was in the

chair.

CSF Monitoring and

Advocacy Officer Sirajul

Haque, Admin Manager

Ansar Ali, Programme

Manager Risad Sultana and

Admin Officer Mahatabur

Rahman also spoke on the

occasion.

The meeting was told that

the CSF is intended to identify

the severely visually impaired

of blind children along with

their main anatomical site

and underlying etiology of

blindness.

It has also been working to

identify all preventable and

treatable causes, particularly

the avoidable causes, and to

explore variation by sociodemographic

variables.

Sirajul Haque said they are

collecting epidemiological

data on childhood blindness

side by side with the large

population in the country

where blindness is known to

be a major public health

problem.

mandaps on the Mahanavami today to

have a glimpse at goddess Durga and

sought blessings for the well-being of

humanity.

The colorfully decorated and

illuminated Puja mandap premises

have become heavily crowded since

Monday afternoon and overcrowded at

nights, amid tight security measures.

This year, an all-time record

number of 5,488 Durga Puja mandaps

have been erected in Rangpur,

Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram,

Gaibandha, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon

and Dinajpur districts in the division.

Talking to BSS at Shree Shree

Karunamoyee Mandir Durga Puja

Mandap in the city, devotees

Rameswar Barman, Putul Barman,

Asrukona Roy and Kakoli Rani

expressed satisfaction over the

security steps taken for peaceful

celebration of Durga Puja.

"We are offering prayers, Puja,

archana, kirtons and other religious

rituals peacefully amid huge

enthusiasm and cheerfulness," said

another devotee Ruponti Rani Roy.

President of Rangpur district unit of

BPUP Ajoy Prasad Babon said the

Santan community people are

celebrating the Durga Puja amid huge

enthusiasm in all Puja mandaps

erected in Rangpur city and all eight

upazilas in the district.

He thanked the government and

authorities concerned for taking

adequate steps to ensure peaceful

celebrations of the Durga Puja.

Talking to BSS at different Puja

mandaps today, the Santan devotees

expressed happiness saying that they

have been offering prayers, puja,

archana, kirtons and performing other

religious rituals peacefully without any

problem.

They thanked the officials,

politicians, leaders of local units of

BPUP for visiting the Puja mandaps

and extending all necessary

cooperation in ensuring peaceful

celebrations of the religious festivity.

Deputy Inspector General for

Rangpur Range Police Abdul Alim

Mahmud said ample steps have been

taken with deployment of police, RAB,

Highway Police, Ansar-VDP and

community police to ensure peaceful

celebrations of Durga Puja in Rangpur

division.

RAB has arrested a fugitive who was sentenced to 3 years in dowry case in

Shibganj of Chapainawabganj. The arrested accused is Md. Sarwar Jahan, son

of deceased Anisur Rahman of Perkansat area of Kansat Union of Shibganj

Upazila. On Tuesday based on intelligence information, a raiding team of RAB

5 arrested him from Perkansat area. The operation was led by RAB 5,

Chapainawabganj Camp Deputy Commander Assistant Superintendent of

Police Md. Aminul Haque.

Photo: Habibul Bari

National Girl Child Day

celebrated in Bhola

BHOLA: The National Girl Child Day-2022

was celebrated in the district today as

elsewhere across the country with a view to

build girl children as worthy citizens for

building a prosperous Bangladesh, reports

BSS.

This year's theme of the day is 'Somoyer

Ongikar: Konyashishur Odhikar' (Rights of

girl children: a timely pledge).

Marking the day, the District

administration and Department of Women

Affairs jointly organized a discussion to

devise ways and means on how to ensure

equal rights for the Girl child.

The discussion meeting was held in the

conference room of the Deputy

Commissioner's office this morning. Deputy

Commissioner (DC) Md Taufiq-E-Lahi

Chowdhury addressed the function as the

chief guest with Additional Deputy

Commissioner Tamim Al Yamin in the chair.

Deputy Director of District Women Affairs

Department Md Iqbal Hossain, District

Child Affairs Officer Md Akhtar Hossain,

District Information Officer Md Nurul Amin,

Abdur Rob School and College Principal

Safia Khatun, among others, spoke on the

occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the speakers

said that half of the total population of the

country is women. The present government

has taken various measures to ensure

women empowerment. Especially women

are being made skilled through various

trainings. As a result, women are becoming

self-reliant.

The Optimists Bangladesh

gives TK 244800

scholarship in Kushtia

M R Nayan, Kumarkhali

Correspondent : Two

lakh 44 thousand 800 taka

scholarship has been

awarded to 25 meritorious

students in Kumarkhali,

Kushtia. On Tuesday

morning, a child

sponsorship program was

held at Kumarkhali

Journalist Kangal Harinath

Smriti Museum auditorium

under the initiative of

Kushtia district branch of

The Optimists Bangladesh.

In the event, 24 secondary

students were given a

scholarship of Tk 9,300 and

a higher secondary student

was given a scholarship of

Tk 21,600.

General Secretary of

Kumarkhali Public Library

Mumtaz Begum presided

over the event and The

Optimists Bangladesh

Kushtia District Branch

Manager Ashikul Islam

Chapal directed the program

where General Secretary of

The Optimists Bangladesh

Organization AKM Saidul

Karim, Journalist of Kangal

Harinath Majumdar Smriti

Jadughar Obaidullah, Poet

and Playwright Liton Abbas,

Journalist Mahmud Sharif

and others were present.

Bodies of 2

missing youths

recovered from

Jamuna River

PABNA: The bodies of two

youths, who went missing

two days ago, were

recovered from the Jamuna

River in Nagarbari river port

of Pabna on Monday,

reports UNB.

The deceased were

identified as Panna Sadar,

28, and his cousin Ashiq

alias Piyash Sheikh, 20, of

the district.

The bodies were found

floating in the river near

Pratappur Jame Masjid

around 7am shortly after the

departure of a cargo vessel

docked there, said Nagarbari

Naval Police Outpost incharge

Shariful Islam.

The duo went missing

after jumping into the river

from a boat on Saturday

fearing collision with a

vessel near Nagarbari river

port.

The bodies will be handed

over to their respective

families after completing

legal procedures, said the

official.

Two killed in

Rangpur road

accident

RANGPUR : Two passengers

of an battery-run autorickshaw

were killed and three

others injured in a road

accident at Khiyar Jummapara

point on the Rangpur-

Dinajpur highway in Taraganj

upazila of the district last night,

reports BSS.

The deceased were identified

as Ratan Sarker, 30, and

Pabitra Kumar, 22, of village

Daspara in Taraganj upazila of

Rangpur."The mishap

occurred when a passenger bus

hit the three-wheeler from

behind there injuring its five

passengers at 9:30 pm,"

Assistant Superintendent of

Police (ASP) of Rangpur

Highway Circle Zahidur

Rahman Chowdhury told BSS

yesterday.

Being informed, the fire

service and civil defense

personnel and police

immediately rushed to the spot,

rescued the injured persons and

sent them to Rangpur Medical

College Hospital (RpMCH).

"Two of the critically injured

auto-rickshaw passengers died

at RpMCH," Officer-in-Charge

(OC) of Taraganj Highway

police station Sheikh

Mohammad Mahbub

Morshed said.

Girl Child Day-2022 celebrated

in Bhuapur

Masudul Hasan Masud, Bhuapur

Correspondent: National Girl Child

Day-2022 was celebrated at Bhuapur in

Tangail. National Girl Child Day was

celebrated on Tuesday, October 4

through various programs organized by

Bhuapur Upazila Administration and

Office of Upazila Women Affairs Officer.

A rally was taken out to celebrate Girl

Child Day. The rally went around the

municipal area and ended at the upazila

square. Later, a discussion meeting was

held in Upazila Hall under the

chairmanship of Upazila Nirbahi Officer

Israt Jahan.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Israt Jahan said

in the discussion meeting, "Those of you

who have become mothers of daughters

today should take care of the daughters

as well as the sons. They should educate

the daughters in higher education. If the

daughters are suitable, they are not

inferior to the sons in any way. If the girl

child is suitable, they can also play a big

role in the development of the country."

Upazila Parishad Chairman Nargis

Begum, Upazila Parishad Vice Chairman

and Upazila Awami Mahila League

President Alif Noor Mini, Upazila Awami

Mahila League General Secretary Sadia

Afrin Lopa, Upazila Women Affairs

Officer Amina Begum, Upazila Social

Service Officer Md Shahiduzzaman

Mahbub, Upazila Project

Implementation Officer Md Zahurul

Islam etc were present in the program.

National Girl Child Day was celebrated on Tuesday, October 4 through various

programs organized by Bhuapur Upazila Administration and Office of

Upazila Women Affairs Officer.

Photo: Masudul Hasan Masud

Salim Ahmad provides cash

to temples in Sunamganj

Ak Milon, Sunamganj Correspondent :

Md. Salim Ahmad, the former executive

member of Central Chhatra League and

President of Sunamganj district branch of

Sunamganj-1 constituency, paid cash from

private funds to various worship halls of

Jamalganj upazila and visited several

worship halls on Wednesday afternoon.

During the visit to the Puja Mandap, he

handed over cash from personal funds to

the management committee leaders.

National Sramik League Sunamganj

District Branch Vice President Abu Hanif,

Organizing Secretary Didarul Alam Apu,

Municipal Sramik League Member

Secretary Taibur Rahman Raj and others

were present. At that time, MP candidate

Salim Ahmad said that the country is

progressing in development today because

of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina being in power. All

people are living safely side by side. You

can perform all religious ceremonies

without fear.

Md. Salim Ahmad, the former executive member of Central Chhatra

League and President of Sunamganj district branch of Sunamganj-1 constituency,

paid cash from private funds to various worship halls of

Jamalganj upazila.

Photo: Ak Milon

Three killed in Sirajganj

road accident

SIRAJGANJ: Three people were killed and

eight others injured when a microbus

crashed into the railing of an over bridge in

Kamarkhand upazila here after being hit by a

speeding bus on Monday night, reports BSS.

The deceased were identified as Jahangir

Hossain, 50, son of Abdus Sattar and his wife

Panna Khatun and microbus driver Salim,

35, son of Noor Islam.

All the victims hailed from Majhgram

village of Baraigram upazila in Natore

district, officer-in-charge (OC) of

Bangabandhu Bridge west police station

Mosaddek Hossain said.

Three microbus passengers died on the

spot. The injured people were admitted to

Sirajganj Sadar Hospital.

Later, when the condition of the injured

deteriorated, they were shifted to Rajshahi

Medical College Hospital, the OC said.

In order to ensure the breeding of mother hilsa, hilsa fishing will be

stopped for 22 days from October 7 to 28. During this time, buying and

selling, transportation, storage and exchange are also prohibited. The

demand of hilsa in the market has increased with the announcement of the

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. The price of fish of all sizes from small

to large has also increased.

Photo: Zihad Rana

weDnesDAy, OCTObeR 5, 2022

7

Ukrainian soldiers remove metal pieces as they work on a bridge damaged during fighting with

Russian troops in Izium, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 3, 2022.

Photo: AP

Ukraine claws back more territory

Russia is trying to absorb

KYIV :Ukrainian forces

scored more gains in their

counteroffensive across at

least two fronts Monday,

advancing in the very areas

that Russia is trying to absorb

and challenging Moscow's

effort to engage fresh troops

and its threats to defend

incorporated areas by all

means, reports UNB.

In their latest

breakthrough, Ukrainian

forces penetrated Moscow's

defenses in the strategic

southern Kherson region,

one of the four areas in

Ukraine that Russia is in the

process of annexing.

Kyiv's troops also

consolidated gains in the east

and other major battlefields,

re-establishing Ukrainian

control just as Russian

President Vladimir Putin is

trying to overcome problems

with manpower, weapons,

troop morale and logistics,

along with intensifying

domestic and international

criticism. Putin faces disarray

GD-1623/22 (7x3)

and anger domestically about

his partial troop mobilization

and confusion about the

establishment of new

Russian borders.

Ukraine's advances have

become so apparent that

even Russian Defense

Ministry spokesman Igor

Konashenkov, who usually

focuses on his military's

successes and the enemy's

losses, was forced to

acknowledge it.

"With numerically superior

tank units in the direction of

Zolota Balka and

Oleksandrivka, the enemy

managed to forge deep into

our defenses," Konashenkov

said Monday, referring to two

towns in the Kherson region.

He coupled that with claims

that Russian forces inflicted

heavy losses on Ukraine's

military.

Ukrainian forces have

struggled to retake the

Kherson region due to its

open terrain, in contrast to

their successful breakout

offensive in the northeast

around the country's secondlargest

city of Kharkiv that

began last month.

Ukraine has pressed its

counteroffensive in the

Kherson region since the

summer, relentlessly

pummeling Russian supply

lines and making inroads into

Russian-held areas west of

the Dnieper River. The

Ukrainian military has used

U.S.-supplied HIMARS

multiple rocket launchers to

repeatedly hit the main

bridge across the Dnieper

and a dam that served as a

second crossing. It also has

struck pontoon bridges that

Russia has used to supply its

troops.

As the front lines shifted,

the political theater in

Moscow continued, with

Russia's lower house of

parliament rubber-stamping

annexation treaties for

Ukraine's Kherson,

Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and

Luhansk regions to join

Russia. The upper house will

follow suit Tuesday. This

follows annexation

"referendums" that the

Kremlin orchestrated last

week that the U.N. chief and

Western nations have said

were illegal and fraudulent.

Russia's moves to

incorporate the Ukrainian

regions, as well as Putin's

effort to mobilize more

troops, have been done so

hastily that government

officials have struggled to

explain and implement them.

On Monday, the issue was

basic: Exactly what areas of

Ukraine is Russia trying to

incorporate?

Kremlin spokesman

Dmitry Peskov said Donetsk

and Luhansk are joining

Russia with the same

administrative borders that

existed before a conflict

erupted there in 2014

between pro-Russian

separatists and Ukrainian

forces. But he added that the

borders Zaporizhzhia and

Kherson are still undecided.

"We will continue to

discuss that with residents of

those regions," Peskov said.

A senior Russian lawmaker

offered a different view. Pavel

Krasheninnikov said

Zaporizhzhia will be

absorbed within its

"administrative borders,"

meaning Moscow plans to

incorporate parts of the

region still under Kyiv's

control. He said similar logic

will apply to Kherson, but

that Russia will include two

districts of the neighboring

Mykolaiv region that are now

occupied by Russia.

In addition to the Kherson

areas that Russia's Defense

Ministry cited, other sources

showed Ukrainian flags,

soldiers deployed or other

signs that Kyiv's forces had

retaken the villages of

Arkhanhelske, Myroliubivka,

Khreshchenivka, Mykhalivka

and Novovorontsovka. There

was no immediate

confirmation from Kyiv on

the gains.

India's daily COVID-19

caseload falls below

2,000 mark

NEW DELHI : India's daily

COVID-19 caseload Tuesday

fell below the 2,000 mark,

officials said.

According to federal

health ministry data

released on Tuesday

morning, 1,968 new cases of

COVID-19 were reported

during the past 24 hours,

taking the total tally to

44,599,466 in the country,

reports UNB.

With the reporting of fresh

cases, India's active caseload

currently stands at 34,598.

The country also logged 15

related deaths during the

past 24 hours, pushing the

overall death toll to 528,716

since the beginning of the

pandemic, the ministry said.

With the increase in cases,

the daily positivity rate

stands at 0.94 percent and

the weekly positivity rate

was recorded at 1.29

percent, the ministry data

showed.

The ministry said so far

44,036,152 people have

been successfully cured and

discharged from hospitals,

of whom 3,481 were

discharged during the past

24 hours.

According to the health

ministry, the cumulative

COVID-19 vaccination

coverage in the country has

exceeded 2 billion doses and

until Tuesday morning

2,188,050,600 doses were

administered.

CDC drops traveler

health notices for

individual countries

WASHINGTON : The

federal government is

scrapping another of its

responses to the pandemic.

On Monday, the U.S.

Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention dropped its

c o u n t r y - b y - c o u n t r y

COVID-19 travel health

notices that it began

issuing early in the

pandemic, reports UNB.

The reason: Fewer

countries are testing for the

virus or reporting the

number of COVID-19

cases. That limits the CDC's

ability to calculate

travelers' risk, according to

the agency.

CDC spokeswoman

Kristen Nordlund said the

agency will only post a

travel health notice for an

individual country if a

situation such as a

troubling new variant of

the virus changes CDC

travel recommendations

for that country.

The CDC still

recommends that travelers

remain up to date on

vaccines and follow

recommendations found

on its international travel

page.

That page divides

countries into three

categories - practice usual

precautions, enhanced

precautions or avoid

nonessential travel.

Restrictions such as

testing and quarantine

requirements greatly

slowed international travel

earlier in the pandemic, but

many countries eventually

lifted those rules for fully

vaccinated and boosted

people to increase tourism.

In early 2020, before

vaccines were available, the

United States barred

people who had recently

been in any of more than

three dozen countries. In

2021, the U.S. instead began

requiring people to test

negative for COVID-19

shortly before boarding

planes to the U.S. That rule

too was eventually dropped.

GD-1625/22 (9x4)

US to send Ukraine more

advanced rocket systems

WASHINGTON : The U.S. will soon deliver

to Ukraine four more of the advanced

rocket systems credited with helping the

country's military gain momentum in its

war with Russia, reports UNB.

The High Mobility Artillery Rocket

Systems, known as HIMARS, will be part of

a new $625 million package of aid expected

to be announced on Tuesday, according to

U.S. officials.

The decision marks the first time the U.S.

has sent more HIMARS to Ukraine since

late July, and it will bring the total number

delivered so far to 20. The systems have

become a key tool in Ukraine's ability to

strike bridges that Russia has used to

supply its troops, enabling Ukrainian forces

to make inroads in Russia-controlled

regions.

The U.S. in recent weeks also provided

funding through a separate program - the

Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative - so

another 18 HIMARS can be purchased

through longer-term contracts. USAI funds

are being used as part of the effort by the

U.S. and Western allies to ensure Ukraine's

forces are trained and equipped to defend

their country in the years to come. But

those contracts will take several years to

fulfill.

The latest aid package is also expected to

include other ammunition and equipment

for Ukraine's troops. Several U.S. officials

spoke on condition of anonymity to provide

details of the package ahead of the

announcement. This is the first tranche of

U.S. aid delivered in the new fiscal year,

which began Oct. 1.

Ukraine has pressed its counteroffensive

in the Kherson region since the summer,

relentlessly pummeling Russian supply

lines and making inroads into Russian-held

areas west of the Dnieper River. Ukrainian

troops have been using the HIMARS to

repeatedly hit the main bridge across the

Dnieper and a dam that served as a second

crossing. It also has struck pontoon bridges

that Russia has used to supply its troops.

Ukraine's battlefield successes in Kherson

are notable since that is one of the four

areas that Russia is in the process of

annexing.

A senior U.S. military official said

Monday that the attacks by Ukrainian

forces have forced Russia into a "defensive

crouch" in Kherson, hampering Russian

efforts to resupply their frontline troops.

The official, who briefed reporters on

condition of anonymity to provide a U.S.

military assessment of the war, said that

so far the U.S. has seen only small

numbers of Russian reinforcements

coming into Ukraine in an effort to on the

already inundated Chesapeake Bay could

lead to the most significant tidal flooding

event in the Hampton Roads region in the

last 10 to 15 years, said Cody Poche, a

National Weather Service meteorologist.

A handful of coastal Virginia school

districts canceled classes Monday, shore

up their defenses. Russia has said it will

mobilize upwards of 300,000 conscripts

to send to Ukraine.

The official also said that despite

persistent Russian threats to use nuclear

force, the U.S. has seen no moves by the

Kremlin that would cause the U.S. to

change its own nuclear posture.

The CDC says it will no longer maintain a country-by-country list of travel

advisories related to the coronavirus.

Photo: AP

†kL nvwmbvi g~jbxwZ

MÖvg kn‡ii DbœwZ

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2022

8

Bank Asia Limited has achieved the most prestigious Standard Information Security Certification namely ‘PCI

DSS’. Suresh Dadlani, President of ControlCase, handed over the Certificate on Monday in a certificate handover

ceremony at Bank Asia Tower, Karwan Bazar, Dhaka. Rumee A Hossain, Chairman of Board Executive

Committee of the bank, was the Chief Guest of the program. Enam Chowdhury, Ashraful Haq Chowdhury, Helal

Ahmed Chowdhury, Directors and Adil Chowdhury, President & Managing Director (CC) of the bank, were present

at the program. Deputy Managing Directors and Senior Officials from ICT, Cards and ADC Divisions along

with other High Officials of the bank, were also present. The Achievement of the certificate ensures that the

Store, Process and Transmission of Card Data and Customer Data are now more secure and trustworthy as per

international standard.

Photo: Courtesy

Dutch-Bangla Bank opened

its 225th Branch at Indira

Road, Farmgate, Dhaka

Dutch-Bangla Bank has opened its 225th

Indira Road Branch at Farmgate, Sher-E-

Bangla Nagar, (Manchester Plaza-1st & 2nd

floor, Holding No. 5/B, Indira Road), Dhaka

on October 04, 2022, a press release said.

Abul Kashem Md. Shirin, Managing

Director & CEO of the Bank formally

inaugurated the branch. A Dua Mahfil was

held seeking blessings of the Almighty Allah

for successful operation of the Branch,

prosperity of the business community,

depositors and stakeholders of the Bank.

Like other Dutch-Bangla Bank branches,

this branch will provide On-line Banking

Social Islami Bank Limited (SIBL) opened its 174th branch at Chakaria, Cox's

Bazar recently. Zafar Alam, Honorable MP of Cox's Bazar-1, was present as chief

guest while Dr. Md. Mahbub Ul Alam, Chairman of SIBL, was present as guest of

honor at the event. Zafar Alam, Managing Director and CEO of the Bank,

presided over the program. Fazlul Karim Saidee, Upazila Chairman of Chakaria

Upazila and Alamgir Chowdhury, Mayor of Chakaria Pourasava, were present

as special guests. Among others, Mohammad Forkanullah, Deputy Managing

Director, Sayed Md. Sohel, Zonal Head, Chattogram Zone, Md. Moniruzzaman,

Head of Marketing and Brand Communication and Saif Al-Amin, Head of BC &

GBD, bank officers, local businessmen, journalists, and dignitaries were also

present at the event. Manager of Chakaria Branch Md. Shahid Ullah expressed

thanks & gratitude at the end of the program.

Photo: Courtesy

South Korea's Naver to buy US

e-commerce site Poshmark

SEOUL :South Korean internet giant

Naver is buying Poshmark, a US online

marketplace for used clothing, for

roughly $1.2 billion, the companies said

Tuesday, reports BSS.

The deal-worth about $1.6 billion in

total when Poshmark's cash holdings

are included, according to Naver-is

expected to close by the first quarter

of 2023, the firms said.

Naver operates a highly influential

search engine and e-commerce

platform in South Korea, and is

paying $17.90 a share in an all-cash

deal.

"Poshmark is a natural fit for our

business-our two companies share a

common set of values and vision

around content, community and

empowerment," Choi Soo-yeon, chief

facilities including ATM & CRM services,

Retail, SME & Corporate loans, Credit Card,

Agent Banking, Mobile Banking and

Foreign Remittance services to the clients

from the opening day.

Local dignitaries, businessmen,

industrialists and other guests attended the

opening program. Among others, Shahidur

Rahman Khan, Deputy Managing Director &

CRO; Md. Abedur Rahman Sikder, Deputy

Managing Director & COO; Md. Ahteshamul

Haque khan, Deputy Managing Director &

CCBO of the Bank ware also present in the

program.

executive officer of Naver, said in a

statement.

"Bringing Naver and Poshmark

together will immediately put us at

the forefront of creating a new,

socially responsible, and sustainable

shopping experience designed

around sellers of all sizes and

interests."

Poshmark CEO Manish Chandra

called the South Korean firm "one of

the world's leading and most

innovative and successful internet

companies", and said the transaction

delivers "significant and immediate

value to our shareholders".

"As part of Naver, we will benefit

from their financial resources,

significant technology capabilities,

and leading presence across Asia to

Asian markets

swing as traders

eye US jobs,

earnings

HONG KONG : Stocks drifted

in Asia on Monday as investors

await key US jobs data, while

girding themselves for a

corporate earnings season

many fear will highlight the

impact of surging inflation and

interest rates, reports BSS.

A report showing prices rose

in the eurozone at a record pace

last month added concerns that

central bank tightening has a

long way to go, while Federal

Reserve vice chair Lael

Brainard said US officials

would not pull back too early.

Banks' battle against inflation

could also be made harder as

OPEC and other oil producers

consider a major output cut

owing to a plunge in prices

caused by demand worries.

Crude prices jumped more

than three percent in Asian

trade ahead of the possible cut.

Traders are also keeping an

eye on developments in Britain

as the ruling Conservatives

hold their annual conference a

week after new finance

minister Kwasi Kwarteng

shocked markets with a

massive borrowing-dependent,

tax-cutting mini budget.

All three main indexes on

Wall Street ended down again

Friday, registering a third

straight quarter of losses for the

first time since the global

financial crisis in 2009.

The release of US jobs data

on Friday will be closely

watched, with a strong reading

likely to give the Fed more

ammunition to unveil a fourth

successive bumper rate hike at

its November meeting.

Asian markets fluctuated at

the start of the week.

Hong Kong dipped along

with Sydney, Singapore, Taipei,

Jakarta and Wellington.

expand our platform," Chandra

added.

The resale market particularly saw

a pandemic-time boom as it

prompted those under quarantine to

clean out their closets and resell items

they no longer wanted.

The deal will allow Naver to

"capitalise on the increasing

consumer shift in fashion to online

re-commerce", the firms said.

Online clothing resale is an $80

billion market today in the US alone,

and is expected to grow annually to

$130 billion by 2025, according to

Activate Consulting.

The South Korean firm acquired

Wattpad, a Toronto-based online

storytelling platform, for about $600

million last year.

MetLife's 360Health app crosses over

3,00,000 downloads in Bangladesh

Within a few months of its launch, MetLife's

360Heath mobile app has been downloaded

by over 3.00,000 users, making it one of the

most useful and popular health and fitness

apps in Bangladesh, a press

release said.

An array of unique

features of 360Health

are helping users live

a healthier and

more fulling life.

Anyone can

download the app

for free from

Google Play Store

to access health

awareness and

disease prevention

tools like BMI (Body

Mass Index) calculator,

Covid-19 symptom

checker, individual health

risk assessment, diabetes

management, and the option to analyze one's

financial priorities to find suitable financial

protection solutions.

Based on specific insurance product

subscriptions, MetLife customers can unlock

exclusive features like free virtual

doctor consultations, special

discounts on diagnostic tests,

and preferential access to

specialists like Cardiologists,

Psychologists,

Nutritionists,

Gynecologists,

Gastrologists and

General Surgeons.

Customers are also

able to use the app to

order medicines and

other important health

management devices

online. In addition,

customers can get their policyrelated

information including

policy status, policy maturity date and

premium due date right from the app.

Australia hikes rates

less than forecast,

boosting stocks

SYDNEY : Australia raised interest

rates less than expected Tuesday,

boosting stocks and dragging the local

dollar lower, as officials grow

concerned about a slowing global

economy sparked by rising borrowing

costs and surging prices, reports BSS.

While the Reserve Bank of

Australia's 0.25 percentage point hike

took the cash rate to a nine-year high

of 2.60 percent, the increase was half

what had been forecast as it joins

others around the world in trying to

rein in runaway inflation.

In a statement the RBA noted it had

already increased rates "substantially

in a short period of time", though it

held its inflation estimate for the year

with a peak of 7.75 percent, before

dropping to just over four percent in

2023.

"As is the case in most countries,

inflation in Australia is too high," the

bank said in a statement.

It added that the surge in prices had

been driven by "global factors", along

with strong spending levels in

Australia.

The move highlights the tightrope

central banks have to walk in trying to

bring down inflation while at the same

time trying to cushion their economies

from a recession, a battle many

commentators warn they are losing.

The Federal Reserve and European

Central Bank have flagged further

hikes at their next meetings, while the

United Nations warned that the

tightening programmes could trigger

prolonged stagnation.

Sydney's ASX 200 soared 3.8

percent after the announcement,

while the Australian dollar dropped

from US$0.6510 to as low as $0.6451

though it edged back slightly.

City Index Senior Market analyst

Matt Simpson said the decision was

"telling" after Australia had to "play

catch-up with other central banks".

"Already that trajectory is dying

down. And as long as medium-term

inflation expectations continue to

behave, the case for a much higher

cash is fading," he said.

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers

said the rise and international

warnings of economic slowdowns

would shape his upcoming budget

announcement, which is due in three

weeks.

"The storm clouds are gathering

again in the global economy," he told a

news conference in Canberra.

"There's no use pretending that the

global situation hasn't deteriorated.

"There's no use pretending that

rising inflation isn't punching a hole in

family budgets."

Tokyo stocks

open lower

after US falls

TOKYO : Tokyo stocks

opened lower on Monday,

extending falls on Wall Street,

where fears grew that

monetary tightening could

lead to a global recession,

reports BSS.

The benchmark Nikkei 225

index was down 0.89 percent,

or 231.30 points, at 25,705.91

in early trade, while the

broader Topix index dropped

0.73 percent, or 13.48 points,

to 1,822.46.

The dollar stood at 144.83

yen, against 144.49 yen in

New York on Friday.

A key measure of US

inflation released Friday

showed the annual pace of

price increases slowed slightly

in August compared with the

prior month, but still

exceeded

analyst

expectations.

"In the United States, the

view strengthened that the

Federal Reserve's rapid rate

hikes will weaken the

economy, while fears

worsened over a slump in

business performance

following lacklustre earnings

from Nike," said Toshiyuki

Kanayama, senior market

analyst for Monex.

Crude prices rally

as top producers

mull big output cut

HONG KONG: Oil prices

jumped more than three

percent in Asian trade

Monday as OPEC and other

top producers considered

slashing output by a million

barrels a day, reports BSS.

WTI climbed 3.3 percent to

$82.12 and Brent also piled

on 3.3 percent to $87.94

ahead of a meeting of the

group this week in Vienna.

The jump comes after both

main contracts suffered hefty

losses in recent months on

demand fears caused by an

expected recession in major

economies. The reduction in

production-which delegates

to OPEC said had not been

finalised-would be the biggest

since the pandemic began,

when crude prices collapsed.

Officials will meet on

Wednesday. Suvro Sarkar, an

energy analyst at DBS Bank,

expected more gains were likely.

"It's only going to be a

matter of time before oil

returns to $100 a barrel,

especially with supplies set to

tighten toward the end of the

year," he said.

Southeast Bank Limited signed an agreement with KDS Group, Chattogram. Under this agreement,

Southeast Bank Limited will provide Payroll Service (Beton Card) to KDS Group for disbursement of

salary & wages to their RMG workers and staff. Nuruddin Md. Sadeque Hussain, Deputy Managing

Director of Southeast Bank Limited and Kamrul Hasan Siddiqui, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of

KDS Group signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations. Other concerned officials

from both organizations were also present at the ceremony.

Photo: Courtesy

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited inaugurated its 388th Branch at Askar Dighir Par Branch in

Chattogram on 4 October 2022, Tuesday. Major General (Retd.) Engr. Abdul Matin, Chairman of

Risk Management Committee of the bank inaugurated the Branch as chief guest. Presided over by

Mohammed Monirul Moula, Managing Director & CEO, Mohammed Shabbir, Deputy Managing

Director, Md. Maksudur Rahman & Miftah Uddin, Senior Executive Vice Presidents were present as

special guest. Meah Md. Barkat Ullah, Head of Chattogram South Zone of the bank addressed the

welcome speech and Kazi Md. Alamgir, Head of Askar Dighir Par branch thanked the audience.

Mohammed Gias Uddin, Panel Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation, Shaibal Das Sumon and

Anjuman Ara, Counselor, Sucharu Bikash Barua, Ex Principal of Chittagong College, Principal

A.N.M Delwar Hossain Al- Qaderi & Prominent business person Iftekarul Alam attended the program.

A.M Shahidul Amran, Senior Assistant Vice President along with Executives & employees of

the bank, clients, well wishers and local elites were present on the occasion. Photo: Courtesy

WeDNeSDAY, octoBer 5, 2022

9

tottenham Hotspur's Welsh defender Ben Davies (left) has recovered from a hairline fracture

to return to the squad.

photo: Ap

Davies back for Spurs at Frankfurt

but Kulusevski still out

SportS DeSk

Tottenham Hotspur defender Ben

Davies has recovered from a hairline

fracture to return to the squad but there

is no timeline on winger Dejan

Kulusevski's recovery from injury,

manager Antonio Conte said

.yesterday, reports UNB

Welshman Davies suffered the

fracture below his knee before the

September international break while

Kulusevski suffered a hamstring

problem after playing twice for Sweden

last month.

"No new injuries. We have recovered

Ben Davies, he will be on the bench.

Kulusevski is still out, (Lucas) Moura is

French star

out," Conte told reporters ahead of

today's Champions League Group D

game at Eintracht Frankfurt.

"About Kulusevski, honestly I don't

know the timing to recover. The

doctors are not finding the right

solution. I am not optimistic, I am

pessimistic about this situation."

Conte said the injuries give Spain

forward Bryan Gil a chance to impress

after the 21-year-old stayed at Spurs

after he was set to join Valencia on loan.

"Bryan Gil is in the squad and for sure

he is the first option for our attack

because Kulusevski and Moura are

out," Conte added.

"We are talking about a young player,

we wanted to see him on loan to

Valencia but for many circumstances

the situation has changed. I trust him."

When asked if 22-year-old right back

Djed Spence would also get a look in,

Conte said he did not want to bow to

fan pressure.

"I see every day what happens during

the training session. I try to do the best

for the team. If they trust me, then they

trust me, but the choices are mine. If I

didn't decide to pick one player it's

maybe because he's not ready," Conte

said.

"We are talking about a young player

with a good prospect, but I repeat I try

to pick the best team … I'm not stupid,

I don't want to lose."

Tennis star Kyrgios to

fight assault charge on

mental health grounds

SportS DeSk

Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios will

apply to have an assault charge dismissed on

mental health grounds, his lawyer told an

Australian court on Tuesday, reports UNB.

Lawyer Michael Kukulies-Smith appeared

on behalf of Kyrgios in a court in the tennis

star's hometown of Canberra and asked for

an adjournment so forensic mental health

reports could be prepared.

Magistrate Glenn Theakston adjourned

the case until Feb. 3, when Kyrgios' lawyers

are expected to apply to have the charge

dismissed under a section of the local crimes

law.

The 27-year-old Australian tennis star will

appear in court in person on that date for the

first time since he was charged by police by

summons in July.

The law gives magistrates the power to

dismiss a charge if they are satisfied an

accused person is mentally impaired, and

dealing with an allegation in that way would

benefit the community and the defendant.

The common assault charge, which has a

potential maximum sentence of two years in

prison, relates to an incident in January 2021

that was reported to local police last

December.

The charge reportedly relates to an

incident involving his former girlfriend.

Kukulies-Smith told the court his client's

mental health history since 2015 made the

application appropriate, citing a number of

public statements made by Kyrgios.

In February, Kyrgios opened up about his

performance at the 2019 Australian Open,

saying what appeared to be a positive time in

his life had been "one of my darkest periods."

"I was lonely, depressed, negative, abusing

alcohol, drugs, pushed away family and

friends," he wrote on Instagram. "I felt as if I

couldn't talk or trust anyone. This was a

result of not opening up and refusing to lean

on my loved ones and simply just push

myself little by little to be positive."

Kyrgios made further references to his

mental health struggles during his runs to

the final at Wimbledon and the quarterfinals

at the US Open.

After ending Daniil Medvedev's US Open

title defense last month to reach the

quarterfinals, Kyrgios expressed pride at

lifting himself out of "some really tough

situations, mentally" and "some really scary

places" off the court.

Theakston questioned whether Kyrgios

would need to appear in court for the

February hearing, but Kukulies-Smith said

his client wanted to attend.

Kyrgios was scheduled to play at the Japan

Open later Tuesday against Tseng Chun-hsin

of Taiwan. Speaking in Tokyo before his

matter returned to court, Kyrgios said it was

"not difficult at all" to focus on tennis despite

the pending charge.

"There's only so much I can control and

I'm taking all the steps and dealing with that

off the court," he told reporters. "I can only

do what I can and I'm here in Tokyo and just

trying to play some good tennis, continue

that momentum and just try to do my job."

the assault charge reportedly relates to an incident involving Nick

kyrgios' former girlfriend.

photo: Ap

Independent probe blows lid off ‘systemic’ abuse

and sexual misconduct in US women’s football

SportS DeSk

An independent investigation into

allegations of misconduct in US

women's soccer released Monday

found "systemic" abuse and sexual

misconduct by coaches, reports UNB.

The probe by former acting US

attorney general Sally Yates and the

King & Spalding law firm uncovered

verbal and emotional abuse and sexual

misconduct, including a pattern of

"sexually charged comments,

unwanted sexual advances and

touching and coercive sexual

intercourse."

The 172-page report included

interviews with more than 200

National Women's Soccer League

players - many of them members of US

national teams - and detailed patterns

of abuse from team coaches,

manipulation and tirades plus

retaliation for those who complained.

"Our investigation has revealed a

league in which abuse and misconduct

- verbal and emotional abuse and

sexual misconduct - had become

systemic, spanning multiple teams,

coaches and victims," Yates wrote in

the report's executive summary.

"Abuse in the NWSL is rooted in a

deeper culture in women's soccer that

normalizes verbally abusive coaching

and blurs boundaries between coaches

and players," she added.

"The players who have come forward

to tell their stories have demonstrated

great courage. It's now time that the

institutions that failed them in the past

Sheikh Hasina

Stadium to be

completed in

30 months

SportS DeSk

The construction of the

Sheikh Hasina Cricket

Stadium in the city's

Purbachal will be completed

within 30 months from the

start of work, reports BSS.

Two Australian companies

were initially selected by the

Bangladesh Cricket Board

(BCB) and Populus

Architecture was chosen from

there.

The other firm was Cox

Architecture. Both companies

have experience in building

the world's largest stadiums.

The construction work of the

stadiums of the Olympics and

football World Cup has been

done by those two companies.

BCB finalizes Populous after

scrutinizing everything.

The board approved the

agreement with Populous

Architecture in its seventh

Executive Committee meeting

yesterday. The BCB now will

complete the formalities of

the contract and thereafter the

construction of the stadium

within six months.

"We have finalized the

construction of Sheikh Hasina

International Stadium.

Populus has been given the

responsibility. That we'll give

them the responsibility is

approved in the board today.

We will have a deal with them.

We are ready, documents are

ready. The deal will be done

any day. They have to start

work within six months of the

contract," BCB Cricket

Operations Chairman Jalal

Younus said on Sunday.

BCB chief executive Nizam

Uddin Chowdhury said,

"There is a timeline for the

drawing design. We are

expecting to start the work

within six months. But before

that we will try to start the

work. We want to move as fast

as possible."

"We have a timeline of 30

months from the time of

signing the contract. This is

how it is done. In the

meantime, efforts will be

made to finish the work," the

CEO added.

The operation of the

stadium started in 2018. The

boat-like design was released

in 2019. But so far there is no

visible progress. Although the

goal was to prepare the

stadium in 2023, it is not

possible at this time.

Bangladesh will host the

Women's T20 World Cup in

2024. BCB president Nazmul

Hasan Papon expressed his

desire to host the final match

at the Sheikh Hasina Stadium.

listen to the players and enact the

meaningful reform players deserve."

The investigation began after a 2021

report by The Athletic about abusive

behavior and sexual misconduct by

former Portland Thorns manager Paul

Riley.

That report said complaints were

brought to former US Soccer

Federation president Sunil Gulati but

no action was taken by USSF against

Riley. Although he eventually was fired

by the Thorns, Riley was hired to coach

another NWSL team.

"The verbal and emotional abuse

players describe in the NWSL is not

merely 'tough' coaching," Yates wrote.

"And the players affected are not

shrinking violets. They are among the

best athletes in the world. They include

members of the US Women's national

team, veterans of multiple World Cup

and Olympic tournaments."

Rory Dames coached the Chicago

Red Stars from the NWSL's start until

resigning last November. The report

outlined his obscenities and verbal

abuse and insults to players, saying a

sexualized workplace led to multiple

improper sexual relationships with

players.

Christy Holly was a coach with Sky

Blue for half a season in 2016 before

departing after complaints of verbal

abuse and an improper relationship,

the report said.

Holly was hired last year by

expansion club Racing Louisville,

where verbal and emotional abuse was

repeated and he was fired after sexually

coercing and groping a player.

The NWSL, in a statement, promised

"systemic reform" to make the league

one "with safe and professional

environments to train and compete"

and acknowledged the "anxiety and

mental strain" for women reliving

traumatic incidents.

"We continue to admire their courage

in coming forward to share their

stories," it said. "We know we must

learn from and take responsibility for

the painful lessons of the past in order

to move the league into a better future."

The report found teams, league

officials and the USSF "repeatedly

failed to respond appropriately when

confronted with player reports and

evidence of abuse," and "failed to

institute basic measures to prevent and

address it, even as some leaders

privately acknowledged the need for

workplace protections."

That allowed abusive coaches to

move from club to club with positive

remarks that concealed misconduct.

"Those at the NWSL and USSF in a

position to correct the record stayed

silent," the report said. "And no one at

the teams, the league or the federation

demanded better of coaches."

USSF president Cindy Parlow Cone, a

former US women's national team

player who took charge in 2020, said

measures are already underway to

prevent such violations from

happening again.

An independent investigation into the scandals that erupted in the

National Women's Soccer League last season found emotional

abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic, according to a report

released on oct. 3, 2022.

photo: Ap/FILe

Leicester earn first Premier League

win, drop Forest into last place

SportS DeSk

Getting 22 new signings to

gel is proving to be a

mightily difficult task for

Nottingham Forest

manager Steve Cooper,

reports UNB.

A 4-0 loss at previously

winless Leicester dropped

Forest into last place in the

English Premier League on

Monday, leaving Cooper at

risk of becoming the latest

top-flight manager to lose

his job.

In front of the club's Thai

owner, Aiyawatt

Srivaddhanaprabha, who

flew in for the match,

Leicester earned some

respite with a dominant

display that ended a sixmatch

losing run.

James Maddison scored

two - one being a curling

free kick in off the far post -

while Harvey Barnes and

substitute Patson Daka,

with a deft flick from

Maddison's cross, added

the others at a rocking King

Power Stadium.

The pressure, for now, is

off Leicester manager

Brendan Rodgers, who

looked and sounded like

someone who could no

longer get the best out of

his squad following a 6-2

loss at Tottenham before

the international break.

"It was a seasonchanging

game," Rodgers

said, "and to get the

performance we did,

hopefully we can push on.

"I felt we had a

horrendous summer - that

is the reality - and it

continued into the season.

We just didn't play to the

levels ... but we've been

able to reset that."

Now, Forest are the

league's crisis club and

Cooper is the manager

battling to survive.

"I completely understand

the situation and the

question and respect it, 100

percent," Cooper said,

when asked if his future

was in doubt. "But my

concern is we have lost

another game for this club,

not my own situation,

because I care more about

the club more than my

personal circumstances.

"I refuse to criticize the

players as a group as it is a

fresh challenge."

After securing a return to

the league after a 23-year

absence, Forest have been

one of Europe's highest

spenders - bringing in a

record 22 players at a cost

of more than $150 million.

Unsurprisingly, it is

taking Cooper some time to

discover his best lineup or

formation. It remains to be

seen how much longer he

gets, with Forest replacing

Leicester at the bottom and

having conceded 16 goals

in its last four games.

Cooper's team has lost five

in a row.

"Some of the guys have

only met each other these

last couple of weeks,"

Cooper said. "That's the

realism of the situation and

something we have to deal

with. At the moment we

are getting punished

because of periods in

games where we are not a

team."

Leicester scored three

goals in a 10-minute span

from the 25th to damage

Forest's fragile confidence.

Maddison set the hosts on

their way with a shot that

deflected in off Scott

McKenna.

Two minutes later,

Barnes curled a shot into

the bottom corner from the

edge of the area after

Maddison set Jamie Vardy

free with a long-range pass.

Maddison completed the

flurry of goals with a free

kick from 25 meters that

kissed the post as it went

in, bringing up his 50th

strike for Leicester.

Cooper made three

halftime changes -

including the last of his

summer signings, right

back Serge Aurier - but

things didn't get any better.

Daka, on for Vardy,

rounded off the scoring

with a deft flick from

Maddison's driven cross

from the right.

It was a stellar all-round

display from Maddison,

who was disappointed to

be overlooked in the latest

England squad despite

having strong form for

much of 2022.

"It's been a bit of a weird

position - we have been

bottom of the league but I

have almost been as

confident as I have ever

been in myself. I don't

remember playing better

than I have over the past 12

months.

"I've got to be of the

mindset," he added, "that

I've got to force my way in

(to the England squad)."

The closest Forest came

to scoring was a first-half

effort from Taiwo Awoniyi

that hit the post, as

Leicester kept a first clean

sheet of the season.

WEdNEsdAY, OcTOBER 5 2022

10

Abul Hayat, Chamak in puja

drama 'Anandadham'

TBT REPORT

A special drama titled 'Anandadham'

has been made on the occasion of

Durga Puja. Written by Masum

Shahriar, the drama has been

directed by Chayanika Chowdhury.

Actors Abul Hayat, Rukaiya Jahan

Chamak, Arash Khan, Milli Bashar

and others will be seen acting in the

play.

The story of the drama revolves

around a seventy-year old man

named Mahidhar Babu, who still

wants to retain the feeling of his old

zamindari. He lost his wife many

years ago and his only daughter

eloped with her boyfriend. As a

result, Mahidhar deserted his

daughter.

Now, Mahidhar babu lives in his

vast house with his younger sister

Phulbala, a maid and a personal

assistant named Ananda. Everybody

has to go by the instructions of

Mahidhar in his house.

One day, Mahidhar Babu's greatgrandfather's

granddaughter Jaya

came from Kolkata to see their

ancestral land. Mahidhar Babu is

happy to see her. Jaya is enthusiastic

about talking about family history

and traditions. A setback occurs

when Mahidhar Babu realises that

Jaya is his granddaughter. Thus the

story of the drama continues...

'Anandadham' will be aired on

Maasranga Television at 10:30 pm

today (Wednesday) on Bijoya

Dashami.

DC has no plans to continue

Snyder Verse: Jim Lee

DC Chief Creative Officer-Publisher

Jim Lee says the DC Extended

Universe has no plans to continue the

SnyderVerse. After Christopher Nolan

revitalized Batman on the big screen

with his Dark Knight trilogy, Warner

Bros. turned to director Zack Snyder

to do the same with Superman. The

success of 2013's Man of Steel helped

position Snyder as the visionary who

would spearhead Warner Bros.'

shared superhero universe the DCEU;

fans often refer to Snyder's

contributions as the SnyderVerse,

which is comprised of parts from the

director's original 5-movie plan for

the franchise.

Unfortunately, 2016's Batman v

Superman: Dawn of Justice was

critically panned and, in 2017, Snyder

was forced to leave Justice League's

production following a family tragedy.

Then, the overwhelmingly influential

#ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign

resulted in Snyder's Justice League

debuting on HBO Max. Despite the 4-

hour cut's success, WB and DC Films

have chosen to abandon the

SnyderVerse and rework the DCEU

with titles like The Suicide Squad,

Peacemaker, and the upcoming Black

Adam. The Flash film (Ezra Miller

controversy aside) is even poised to

shelve the SnyderVerse timeline while

benching Ben Affleck's Batman and

Henry Cavill's Superman in favor of

Michael Keaton, Batgirl, and

Supergirl (not to mention Robert

Pattinson's Caped Crusader, who

stands apart from the DCEU).

At San Diego Comic-Con (via

@themarvelmaniac), Jim Lee talked

about being involved with many of the

DCEU's films. When asked by a fan in

the audience if he's working on

anything with Snyder, Lee revealed

there are currently no plans to

#RestoreTheSnyderVerse.

The release of Snyder's Justice

League was treated as the culmination

of the story that began in Man of Steel

and simultaneously bolstered HBO

Max subscribers. Lee's comments

aren't surprising as WB/DC Films

have distanced themselves from

Snyder at every turn, and contention

has far from been mitigated. This

week, Rolling Stone published a

perplexing article stating that 13

percent of the accounts fueling Justice

League's Snyder Cut campaign were

fake. The average number of fake

accounts/bots associated with a

trending topic is around 3 to 5

percent. Still, #ReleaseTheSnyderCut

was far from an average campaign,

and this confirms that 87 percent of

accounts were valid, which is

presumably a staggering number of

fans. With Snyder and WB continuing

to generate negative press, it's unlikely

reconciliation is something either

party is interested in.

Source: Collider

After creating a huge

controversy by

announcing she has a

two-year old son with

actor Shakib Khan,

actress Bubly on

Monday revealed her

wedding date with the

actor, reports UNB.

She posted three

photos with Shakib

Khan at New York's

Times Square on her

verified Facebook page

Monday and said "So

far in my life 20/07/

2018 and 21/03/2020

are two of the most

memorable dates."

"These are the dates

TBT REPORT

Online video-sharing platform YouTube

trending, Channel Eye's much-discussed

drama 'Punorjanmo 3' directed by Vicky

Zaheed is at the top from Bangladesh. Not

only that, this is the first desi content to

trend on YouTube within the first 12 hours

of its release !

Afran Nisho and Mehzabeen acted in the

drama. On the occasion of Channel I's founding

anniversary, 'Punorjanmo 3' was released on

Channel I Prime's YouTube channel on Sunday

(October 2) evening after its broadcast on the

night of October 1. Since then it has been

praised by thousands of viewers.

In the meantime, a viewer named Russell

Kibria commented on YouTube after

watching the drama, "I couldn't get out of the

drama even for a minute, this is the only

thing going on in my head all day, it's really

amazing in one word." A viewer named Arif

Ahmed expressed his feelings and wrote, 'I

have never seen a more beautiful play in

Bangladesh. I waited a year to watch this

drama. Finally the real drama between us. It

will be written in history.

One of the best plays I have seen in my life.

In fact, this play should be dubbed in

different languages. Shafiqul wrote, "I am

really impressed." How can a drama be so

beautiful! I was waiting for the next episode.

Md. Someone named Emran wrote, it

was really incredible, it is the best drama

of my life. Especially Kamal was the main

character of the story. Shanto wrote, the

history of Bengali drama will be reborn.

Ibrahim wrote, 'This rebirth series will be

remembered in the history of Bengal.

Such a perfect performance is not possible

Bubly reveals dates

of marriage with

Shakib, son’s birth

of our marriage and

our son's birthday.

The photos were taken

in front of Times

Square in the USA.

Please keep us in your

prayers," she said

Earlier on

September 27, Bubly

revealed a photo of her

on social media with a

baby bump.

Three days later she

and Shakib Khan

finally made a public

announcement about

their two-year-old son,

Shehzad Khan Bir,

ending all

speculations. They

also published photos

of their son.

Viewers shower appreciation

for ‘Punorjonmo 3’

except for Afran Nisho and Mehjabeen.

At least 9 thousand comments will be

seen only on YouTube! Besides, many

people are sharing their feelings of liking

the play by sharing it through social

media. Within 12 hours of its release on

YouTube, it also topped the YouTube

trending charts with 'Punorjanmo 3'.

It is an old complaint of the audience

that any drama or movie produced in the

sequel is not discussed. The first

installment topped the production very

rarely. However, producer Vicky Zaheed

showed an exception. This young director

proved his hand by producing the sequel

of 'Punorjanmo. A sequel can also be

made a hit. Nisho-Mehzabeen starrer

'Punorjanmo 3' has been watched by

almost 18 lakh viewers on YouTube within

a few hours of its launch! This record is

rare in such a short time!

'Punarjanmo' was produced by Channel

Eye in July last year. The play was widely

discussed in the first installment. Then in

October last year, 'Rebirth 2' aired. Apart

from Afran Nisho-Mehzabeen, Naushaba,

Shahed Ali, Mukul Siraj, Khairul Basar

and others acted in the drama.

When I did Sacred Games, someone told

Kareena I'll only do TV now: Saif

Saif Ali Khan has said that

people believed he had

switched to TV content when

he signed up his digital

debut, Netflix's Sacred

Games.

Saif Ali Khan has said that

his wife, actor Kareena

Kapoor Khan was told he will

only do TV when he took

upon the Netflix web show

Sacred Games. He added

that an open mindset

regarding platforms and

genre has helped him stay

relevant over the years. Saif

has been in the business for

more than three decades. He

has not worked in any TV

shows but made his digital

debut with Sacred Games in

2018.

After receiving widespread

appreciation for the show,

Saif also featured in its

second season and Ali Abbas

Zafar's 2021 political thriller

Tandav. Saif essayed the role

of a cop in Sacred Games

while he played a politician in

Tandav.

Talking to Dainik Bhaskar

in an interview, Saif said,

"Shah Rukh Khan often tells

me that people are not old,

their thinking turns old.

You can stay relevant as a

person if you keep your

thoughts new and updated.

For example, when I

accepted Sacred Games,

someone told my wife 'Oh,

Saif will only do TV now'.

That when Sacred Games is

not even a TV show, it was for

an OTT platform."

"So, I have made sure not

to have such a mind set and

that is the approach that has

helped me stay relevant," Saif

added.

Saif is currently seen in the

Hindi remake of R

Madhavan-starrer Tamil

film Vikram Vedha that

released on Friday. The film

also stars Hrithik Roshan

and earned ?10.58 crore in

India on its opening day.

The original, as well as the

Hindi remake films, are

directed by Pushkar and

Gayatri. The new Hindi film

also features Radhika Apte as

Saif's lawyer wife while Saif

steps into the shoes of R

Madhavan who played a cop

in the original film. Hrithik is

essaying the role that Vijay

Sethupathi did in the original.

After Vikram Vedha, Saif will

soon be seen in another film.

Titled Adipurush, it also stars

Prabhas, and Kriti Sanon in

lead roles.

Source: Times of India

H O R O s c O P E

ARIEs

You'll do some serious soul searching

today. Which goals have you achieved

and which ones have gone

unattained? Be honest as you reflect

on past months. Could you have done things

differently? Would you like to do things differently

in the future? You'd be well advised to write down

your successes and regrets. Use the list to keep you

on track. It's bound to be a great help to you.

TAURUs

Expect your romantic relationship to be

better than ever today, Taurus. You're

communicating well and in touch with

one another's feelings. How wonderful

to be able to maintain an inspiring, rewarding bond

with someone who loves you. There is much to be

grateful for. This could be a good time to take your

relationship to the next level. Your partner won't

mind discussing this.

GEMINI

This could be a banner day, Gemini.

Your spiritual and career goals come

together so both are enhanced, and

neither is compromised. It's a neat

trick. You can expect the opportunity to practice

what you preach to come to you through a friend or

colleague. Don't discount any ideas presented to you,

as one will contain the key to meshing two of the

most important parts of your life.

cANcER

Be your most charming self tonight,

Cancer. You're likely to talk with

someone who can help your career.

Your intuition is strong, so you may

know who this person is the minute you begin your

conversation. If the chemistry is good, too, so much

the better! Whether this person impacts your life in

a romantic or business capacity, you'll remember

this night as when your life changed for the better!

LEO

You have an introspective nature, Leo.

For the last few weeks, you've been

reflecting on and assessing what does

and doesn't work in your life. It's likely

that you're ready for some kind of major change.

Either your relationship is in a rut or you need a

complete career overhaul. Follow your instincts as

you plan how to develop and grow from here. You

are your own best guide.

VIRGO

You're ready for something new and

different, Virgo. What better time than

during the current transits to put into

practice what has only been a dream?

You may decide to work for yourself or ditch one

relationship in favor of another. You want the

changes you implement to be brash and farreaching!

If not, you may have to wait a long time to

feel this energetic and optimistic again.

LIBRA

You'll do some serious soul searching

today. Which goals have you achieved

and which ones have gone unattained?

Be honest as you reflect on past

months. Could you have done things differently?

Would you like to do things differently in the future?

You'd be well advised to write down your successes

and regrets. Use the list to keep you on track. It's

bound to be a great help to you.

scORPIO

Today you'll realize that a clean slate

brings with it the chance for a new

beginning. You feel excited and

optimistic about the future. Your

goals are clear, and your mind is sharp. How can

you not succeed? Take care not to let your fantasies

run away with you. Keep your eyes on your

attainable goals rather than waste time and energy

chasing pipe dreams.

sAGITTARIUs

You may be ready for some major

career changes, Sagittarius. You could

be fed up with the stress and long

hours of the corporate environment.

Surely in this age of technology there's a way to

spend more time at home without sacrificing the

quality of your work. Think about it for a few days. If

you propose a feasible alternative to your boss, the

positive response may surprise you.

cAPRIcORN

Your intuition is working overtime

today, Capricorn, making you sensitive

to others' deepest emotions. It may be

that the celestial atmosphere has

everyone feeling open and honest, eager to grow

into his or her most authentic self. Certainly, that's

how you feel. Take some time out of your busy

schedule to reflect on your regrets and successes. Be

as true to yourself as possible.

AQUARIUs

No pressure, Aquarius, but as things

are now, you might want to evaluate

your career. Is it working out well?

What are your latest achievements?

What goals haven't been reached? If the answers

aren't satisfactory, it's time to make some dramatic

changes. If your work doesn't make your heart sing,

it's time to find some that does. Life isn't a dress

rehearsal. Get going!

PIscEs

The time is right for all things

financial, Pisces. If you've been

thinking of signing a contract to

accept a job or purchase a piece of

property, go ahead. Strategize ways in which you

can be even more financially successful in the

future. You have a lot of skills, but you don't

always apply them as carefully as you could.

Correct this and you'll be unstoppable!

weDNeSDAy, OCTOBer 5, 2022

11

No change of

restoring

caretaker

govt: Quader

DHAKA : Awami League

General Secretary Obaidul

Quader yesterday said there

is no change of restoring the

obsolete caretaker

government system in the

country.

"BNP has announced its

outline for movement.

Whatever they do, the

caretaker government

system, which is obsolete

now, will not be restored,"

he said while exchanging

greetings with the members

of Hindu community at

Dhakeshwari National

Temple in the capital on

Monday evening.

Quader, also the road

transport and bridges

minister, said the elections

will be held the way it is

held in other democratic

countries.

He said BNP leaders

complained to foreign

embassies in Dhaka and tell

them the story of

democracy.

"But why are you

(diplomats) so worried

about the democracy of

Bangladesh today? Look at

the situation of your own

country first. Then talk

about Bangladesh," Quader

said.

He asked the diplomats to

take steps to stop the

Russia-Ukraine war,

control the world fuel

market and make the

volatile world calm.

"You, the big countries,

make mistakes but small

countries like ours have to

suffer," the AL general

secretary said.

He said Durga Puja is

being held peacefully all

over the country.

Evil forces will face

defeat, good forces will be

victorious and the arrival of

Goddess Durga will bring

an end to violence, he

added.

AL office secretary

Barrister Biplab Barua,

Dhaka South City AL

general secretary Humayun

Kabir and leaders of Puja

celebration committee were

present on the occasion.

PM Hasina leads a "complex, roiling nation"

(From front page)

Her nation's migrant situation cannot be

compared with America's, she said,

adding that America is a vast country

where there are lots of land, lots of space,

opportunities to do work.

Hasina said, Bangladesh ranks No. 8 in

the world in population, with more than

171 million people, but its size is just like

Wisconsin of the USA.

It also highly appreciated the Hasina

government's zero-tolerance approach to

domestic terrorism, despite being a

woman.

That launched a viral meme and has

endured as a point of pride for Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina, the article

added.

In this regard, it mentioned the PM's

observation in which she described with

laughing "Women are better than men".

Being a woman, the prime minister

said, she understands more intimately

the struggle of poverty and education in

Bangladesh, the obstacles that most

women face, and how their stagnation

slows a nation's progress.

In the past decade, her government

significantly reduced poverty in the

country, expanded educational opportunities

and improved housing, she said.

Sheikh Hasina elaborated that no more

of huts, and even if they are simple structures

- brick with a corrugated steel roof

- Bangladesh makes housing a human

right.

The houses are willed in the name of

the man and the woman, she emphasized

and said, if the couples split up, the

woman keeps the house, and not the

man.

The article quoted the World Bank that

gives high marks to growth in

Bangladesh under Sheikh Hasina's leadership,

noting it went from "being one of

the poorest nations at birth in 1971" to

reaching "lower-middle income status in

2015."

Besides, it reads, under the leadership of

the prime minister, investing in the

women of Bangladesh through health care

and housing helped elevate the nation.

Indonesia police chief, others

removed over soccer disaster

MALANG : An Indonesian

police chief and nine elite

officers were removed from

their posts Monday and 18

others were being

investigated

for

responsibility in the firing of

tear gas inside a soccer

stadium that set off a

stampede, killing at least 125

people, officials said, reports

UNB.

Distraught family

members were struggling to

comprehend the loss of their

loved ones, including 17

children, at the match in

East Java's Malang city that

was attended only by

hometown Arema FC fans.

The organizer had banned

supporters of the visiting

team, Persebaya Surabaya,

because of Indonesia's

history of violent soccer

rivalries.

The disaster Saturday

night was among the

deadliest ever at a sporting

event.

Arema players and

officials laid wreaths

Monday in front of the

stadium.

"We came here as a team

asking forgiveness from the

families impacted by this

tragedy, those who lost their

loves ones or the ones still

being treated in the

hospital," head coach Javier

Roca said.

On Monday night, about a

thousand soccer fans

dressed in black shirts held a

candlelight vigil at a soccer

stadium in Jakarta's satellite

city of Bekasi to pray for the

victims of the disaster.

Witnesses said some of the

42,000 Arema fans ran onto

the pitch in anger on

Saturday after the team was

defeated 3-2, its first loss at

home against Persebaya in

23 years. Some threw bottles

and other objects at players

and soccer officials. At least

five police vehicles were

toppled and set ablaze

outside the stadium.

But most of the deaths

occurred when riot police,

trying to stop the violence,

fired tear gas, including in

the stands, triggering a

disastrous stampede of fans

making a panicked, chaotic

run for the exits. Most of the

125 people who died were

trampled or suffocated. The

victims included two police

officers.

At least 17 children were

among the dead and seven

were being treated in

hospitals, the Ministry of

Women's Empowerment

and Child Protection said.

Police said 323 people were

injured in the crush, with

some still in critical

condition.

National Police

spokesperson Dedy Prasetyo

said Malang police chief

Ferli Hidayat had been

removed along with nine

members of an elite police

mobile brigade and face

possible dismissal in a police

ethics trial.

He said 18 officers

responsible for firing the

tear gas, ranging from

middle- to high-ranking,

were being investigated.

Police are questioning

witnesses and analyzing

video from 32 security

cameras inside and outside

the stadium and nine

cellphones owned by the

victims as part of an

investigation that will also

identify suspected vandals,

he said.

The parents and other

relatives of Faiqotul

Hikmah, 22, wailed Monday

when an ambulance arrived

at their home with her body

wrapped in white cloth and a

black blanket. She died

while fleeing to exit 12 at

Kanjuruhan Stadium.

A dozen friends had

traveled with her to see the

match, but Hikmah was one

of only four who were able to

enter the stadium because

tickets were sold out, her

friend, Abdul Mukid, said

Monday. He later bought a

ticket from a broker after

hearing of the chaos inside

the stadium in order to

search for Hikman.

Upazila administration and fire brigade officials have visited the proposed site for construction of public

fire station at Paikgacha in Khulna. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mumtaz Begum visited the proposed site for

construction of fire station at Chak Bogra Mauza under Lashkar Union, adjacent to Shibbati Bridge of

Upazila on Tuesday morning. At that time, the officials of the fire brigade and the chairman of local

Lashkar Union No. 6 KM Arifuzzaman Tuhin and others were present.

Photo: Sk Deenmahmud

Khulna's Rahima's

'abduction': 4

granted bail

KHULNA : A Khulna court

on Tuesday granted bail to

four of the six accused in a

case over alleged abduction

of Khulna's Rahima Begum.

Khulna Metropolitan

Sessions Court Judge

Mahmuda Begum passed

the order during a hearing

on the bail pleas.

Those granted bail are

Mohammad Mohiuddin,

assistant engineer of Khulna

University of Engineering

and Technology (Kuet),

Golam Kibria, Md Jewel,

and Rafiqul Islam Palash,

said Public Prosecutor KM

Iqbal Hossain.

The two other accused-

Rahima's second husband

Belal Ghatak and Helal

Sharif- are currently in jail,

he said.

On August 27, Rahima

went missing after she had

left her home in the

Banikpara area of

Doulatpur at 10pm to bring

water.

Her daughters found her

sandals, scarf and water pot.

GD-1621/22 (6x3)

Dbœq‡bi MYZš¿

†kL nvwmbvi g~jgš¿

we`ÿ r/Rb-179(2)/4/10/2022

GD-1622/22 (6x3)

Wednesday, Dhaka : October 5, 2022; Ashwin 20, 1429 BS; Rabi-ul-Awal 8 , 1444 Hijri

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived home early Tuesday after completing her 18-day official tour

of the UK and the USA.

Photo : PID

Experts for incentives to

attract more investment

in man-made fibre

DHAKA : Experts at a workshop yesterday

called for special policy incentives to attract

more investment in man-made fibre

(MMF) based textiles and apparel industry.

Increased use of MMF would enable

Bangladesh's readymade garments sector

to diversify its products and to move up the

value chain as the sector prepares for the

post-LDC graduation scenario, they said.

Such observations came during a workshop

on 'Man-Made Fiber for Moving up

the Value Chain of RMG in the Context of

LDC Graduation' jointly organized by

Support to Sustainable Graduation Project

(SSGP) of Economic Relations Division

(ERD) and Bangladesh Garment

Manufacturers and Exporters Association

(BGMEA) in the capital.

Planning Minister MA Mannan spoke at

the workshop as the chief guest. Additional

Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce

Noor Md. Mahbubul Haq and President of

BGMEA Faruque Hassan attended the

event as special guests. ERD Secretary

Sharifa Khan chaired the workshop.

Bangladesh's ready-made apparel has

made a strong footprint in the global market

and emerged as the second largest

exporter in the world after China.

However, the country would lose all the

LDC-specific ISMs, including preferential

Rules of Origin (RoO) and Duty-Free and

Quota-Free (DFQF) market access soon

after the graduation from the LDC category

in 2026-- except the Everything But Arms

(EBA) scheme of the EU GSP, which will

end in 2029.

Since Bangladesh could make maximum

utilization of the DFQF facilities, the loss of

such facilities after graduation may create

some challenges for our exports, particularly

the RMG as the sector alone contributes

Bangladesh 71st out of 85 countries in

US News' Best Countries 2022

DHAKA : In US News and World

Report's Best Countries 2022 rankings -

something only an American publication

might attempt, Bangladesh has ranked

71st out of 85 countries.

Unlike most rankings and indices that

aim to assess countries on some specific

issue, like the Economist Intelligence

Unit's Liveability Index or Transparency

International's Corruption Perceptions

Index, this one - a joint venture between

US News and World Report, the BAV

Group, and the Wharton School of

Business at the University of Pennsylvania

- claims to label "best countries" in the

world outright.

It does so on the basis of evaluating

countries across 73 different attributes

grouped into 10 subrankings, including

Entrepreneurship, Agility (a country's

adaptability to change) and Social Purpose

(how "progressive, inclusive and committed

to social justice"). Quality of Life was

the most heavily weighted subranking this

year, which was determined primarily by

the most recent gross domestic product

per capita data, according to the report

around 83 percent of our total exports.

Meanwhile, the rapid shift in the global

apparel market from cotton to non-cotton

based Man-Made Fibre (MMF) may

thwart the potential growth of the

Bangladesh RMG sector as currently the

overwhelming portion of our RMG exports

are still cotton-based.

In this context, expanding the production

base of non-cotton yarn and fabric, and

manufacturing garment items with it has

enormous potential for Bangladesh to

graba larger share in global apparel market.

In this context, the SSGP Project of ERD

and the BGMEA organized this workshop

to highlight the current situation of using

MMF in the RMG sector of Bangladesh and

to discuss how increased use of MMF could

help the RMG sector diversify as well as

produce high-value-added products.

Speaking on the occasion, the Planning

Minister said that switching to manmade

fibre would help the country to bring about

increased diversification within the RMG

sector. He also observed that such transformation

would strengthen the backward

linkage of the local RMG industry.

ERD Secretary Ms. Sharifa Khan said

that Bangladesh would have to grab the

potentials of MMF while maintaining the

current growth in cotton to increase our

global market share.

President of BGMEA Faruque Hassan

called for enhancing the competitiveness of

the RMG sector to prepare it for post LDC

graduation scenario. He also emphasized

on simplification of relevant business

processes and improvement in logistics.

Additional Secretary of the Ministry of

Commerce Noor Md. Mahbubul Haq

emphasized on technological upgradation

of the textiles sector.

released on September 27, 2022.

This is the first time Bangladesh has figured

in the rankings -one of four new

entrants in its 7th edition. In the overall

2022 Best Countries rankings,

Switzerland reclaimed the top spot following

a one-year hiatus from Canada, which

dropped to third, while Germany moved

upone spot to second.

The United States and Sweden round

out the top 5.

This is in fact the 5th time in seven years

that Switzerland has come out on top. The

country ranked No. 1 in the Open for

Business subranking - which assesses

countries by how business-friendly they

are perceived to be - and in the top 5 for

Quality of Life.

Alongside the US and Canada, the top

10 is made up of 6 Western European

countries, and two countries from the

Asia-Pacific (Japan and Australia) -

arguably opening itself up to accusations

of a "pro-Western bias".

Russia meanwhile dropped to No. 36 in

the overall rankings - a drop of 12 places

that is described as one of the steepest

Pharmacies to lose

license if sell antibiotics

without prescription,

says Minister

DHAKA : No pharmacies will be allowed

to sell antibiotics without prescriptions of

physicians and if they do so, their liscenses

will be revoked, said Health Minister

Zahid Maleque on Tuesday (October 4).

"The government is going to enact a new

law to prevent misuse of antibiotics and if

any pharmacy is found involved in selling

antibiotics without prescription then its

liscenses will be revoked," he said while

talking to reporters at the Secretariat.

Terming antibiotics a silent killer, he said

every year, 15 lakh people die in the world

due to excessive consumption of antibiotics

and Bangladesh is also seeing its negative

effects. Taking antibiotics without prescription

of physician has created negative

impacts on public health, said the minister.

Besides, the presence of antibiotics was

found in fish and meat as well which is

also a matter of concern, he added.

10 mountaineers

killed in Uttarakhand

avalanche

NEW DELHI : At least 10 mountaineers

were killed in an avalanche at Mount

Draupadi Ka Danda-II peak in Uttarkashi

district under the Indian state of

Uttarakhand, local media reported quoting

officials on Tuesday, reports BSS.

A team of 34 trainee mountaineers

and seven instructors from the Nehru

Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) was

caught in an avalanche while returning,

according to Principal Colonel of NIM

Amit Bisht.

"Ten bodies were sighted, of which

four have been recovered," he revealed.

Uttarkashi Disaster Management

Officer Devendra Patwal added that

eight amongst trapped were rescued by

their team members so far.

year-on-year declines in the project's history

for a country in the top 50.

The rankings claim to be "an assessment

of everything that shapes a country, from

its quality of life to its cultural influence."

The Cultural Influence subranking seeks

to rank countries by their footprint in the

world of fashion, art and entertainment.

Apart from the ones mentioned earlier, the

subrankings include Adventure, about

opportunities for fulfilling wanderlust, in

which Brazil ranks first; Heritage, on how

countries "have shaped history with their

culture"; Movers, which looks at a country's

resilience and momentum; and

Power, which might be best explained by

the fact that the US is number one, scoring

a full 100 out of 100.

Bangladesh does best in the Open for

Business ("for capitalists and corporations")

subranking, where its score of 56.3

ranks it 35th in the world - the highest it

ranks in any of the subcategories.

It also punches above its weight in the

Power category, ranking 44th, and fairly

well for Quality of Life, landing at number

55.

New IGP wants to turn police

station into 'a place of public

trust and confidence'

DHAKA : Declaring 'zero tolerance'

against corruption, Inspector General

of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah

Al-Mamun has already given instructions

to the field level officers to

ensure transparency and accountability

in police station activities.

The new police chief said as much

during a meeting to exchange views

with crime reporters at police headquarters

on Tuesday.

Besides, Chowdhury Abdullah Al-

Mamun, who joined as the new IGP

on September 30, also said that the

police force is "accountable and committed

to the public in all of its activities".

The IGP said that activities aimed at

reform, development and accountability

of Bangladesh Police are ongoing.

Examples of transparency and

accountability in daily activities

including recruitment, promotion

and posting are already visible, he

claimed.

"We will work with more determination

and sincerity to ensure transparency

and accountability in the

future. I want to say unequivocally

that our stance against corruption is

Govt to build ICT hub 'Joy

D-SET Center' at all upazilas

DHAKA : A total of 555 'Joy Digital -

Service Employment Training Centers'

or Joy D-SET Center will be constructed

at the upazila level across the country

to reap the benefit of information

technology by creating huge employment

opportunities at the grass-roots

level.

Thee Joy D-SET Centers, which will

be recognized as ICT hub at the upazilas,

will be constructed in phases within

the timeframe of 2025 as the digital

centers will help in employment generation

for the youths.

To construct the centers, a bilateral

memorandum of understanding

(MoU), has been signed between the

ICT Department and the Local

Government Engineering Division

(LGED) at the ICT division conference

center yesterday morning.

Director General (DG) of the ICT

Department M Mostafa Kamal and

LGED Chief Engineer Sheikh

Mohammad Mohsin signed the MoU

on behalf of their respective departments.

State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed

Palak was present as the chief guest at

Zero Tolerance," he added.

He said the police station, which is

the main centre of police service delivery,

would be turned into "a place of

public trust and confidence".

As the image of the police depends

on "the behaviour of the police station",

the IGP said that he has already

given clear instructions to the fieldlevel

officers so that people can easily

and fearlessly come to the police station,

talk about their problems and

receive the services sought.

The IGP gave his firm commitment

to be more sincere and diligent in

delivering services to the doorstep of

the people. "For this the main and

first task will be good manners and

sincerely listening to the people and

taking legal action very quickly. Any

deviation in this regard will not be

acceptable," he said in this regard.

When his attention was drawn to

allegations of the police being used for

political purposes, the new chief

denied it forcefully, saying: "Police

always perform all duties with professionalism.

During the election, the

police perform the duties assigned by

the Election Commission."

MoU signing ceremony.

Each of these centers, comprising

one-stop service delivery, training laboratories,

startup, plug and play spaces

for the youths, network operation center

and switch room, will be constructed

covering a land space of 5000

square feet.

Terming these centers as the employment

generation center for the youths,

the ICT state minister said, "Skilled

manpower will be prepared through

imparting training through these centers."

Even the center will help reach digital

services at the doorsteps of the people

by strengthening infrastructure facilities

at the grass-root level, he said.

"Under the dynamic leadership of

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we have

been implementing digital Bangladesh

successfully under the supervision of

Sajib Wazed Joy, the only architect of

digital Bangladesh, for the last thirteen

years," Palak told the function.

Officials from both the departments

including the ICT Division

senior secretary, among others,

attended the function.

Halima Begum (50) was killed in a collision between two

buses at Gulistan of the capital city recently. Badal Mia, the

killer bus driver, was brought before the media in a press

conference on Tuesday.

Photo : Star Mail

Awami League picks

Labu Chowdhury for

Faridpur-2 by-polls

FARIDPUR : The Awami League has picked

Shahdab Akbar Labu Chowdhury, younger

son of late Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, as its

candidates for the by election to the

Faridpur-2 constituency, that fell empty following

the death of the former deputy leader

of the house, reports UNB.

The decision was taken in a meeting of

the parliamentary nomination board and

local government representatives' nomination

board of the Awami League at

Ganobhaban on Tuesday.

The Faridpur-2 constituency (Nagarkanda-

Saltha-Krishnapur) fell vacant with the death

of Sajeda Chowdhury, who breathed her last

at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in

Dhaka on September 11 at the age of 87.

The deputy leader of the House had been

admitted to hospital with post-Covid-19 complications

two weeks earlier. The by-election to

Faridpur-2 constituency is scheduled to be

held on November 5.

The Election Commission announced

the schedule of the by-election on

September 26. As per the schedule, the

last date for nomination submission is

October 10, while the date for ending

scrutiny of nomination papers is October

12, and the last date for withdrawal of candidacy

is October 19.

Formulation of

new law underway

on misuse of

antibiotics:Maleque

DHAKA : Health minister Zahid Maleque

yesterday said that formulation of new law is

underway for stopping misuse of antibiotics.

"The Drug Act- 2022 is almost finalized ...it

(law) will be placed at the Jatiya Sangsad

very soon," he told a press conference at his

ministry here, a press release said.

The minister said after formulation of

the new Drug Law, no pharmacies will be

allowed to sell antibiotic medicines without

doctor's prescription. He also said

license of the pharmacies will be cancelled

if they sell antibiotics violating the law.

He urged the people to avoid misuse of

antibiotics to help preserve the effectiveness

of it (antibiotics).

The overuse of antibiotics - especially

taking antibiotics when they're not the

correct treatment - promotes antibiotic

resistance. According to health experts,

inappropriate use of antibiotics reduces

resistant capacity of human body.

'Demand for recognition

of 1971 Genocide

committed by Pakistan

raised in UN'

DHAKA : Deputy Permanent Representative

of Bangladesh to UN inGeneva Sanchita

Haque has raised the demand for recognition

of 1971 Genocide committed by

Pakistan, reports BSS.

"The Bangladesh government has

declared 25th March as Genocide Day.

Bangladesh condemns genocides committed

anywhere, everywhere. We will

continue to raise our voice against genocide

and demand justice and accountability

for the victims of genocides. We will

also continue working for the recognition

of 1971 genocide," she said. Sanchita

Haque was addressing a side event at the

United Nations in Geneva on Monday,

according to a press release received.

She said in Bangladesh, Int’l Crimes

Tribunal (ICT) was set up to try the

collaborators of the Pakistan Army

who played a crucial role in facilitating

the genocide and the ICT is still continuing.

Organized by the Europe-based diaspora

organisaion BASUG, in collaboration with

European Bangladesh Forum (EBF) and

Switzerland Human Rights Forum

Bangladesh, the conference was held at a

time when the 51st session of the UN

Human Rights Council was going on at UN

in Geneva.

A two minutes documentary film made

by Amra Ekattor, Projonmo Ekattor and

BASUG was screened in the program.

Apart from her, the other speakers at the

side event also reiterated the demand for

the international recognition of

Bangladesh genocide in 1971 committed

by Pakistan and urged the global community

including the United Nations to

recognise the 1971 genocide without wasting

time.

They said the time is right for recognition

of Bangladesh Genocide adding, it is

of great importance and an absolute

necessity to honour the victims of 1971

genocide and their descendants through

recognition.

05-10-2022

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